Ariana pushes her body against mine, and grabbing hold of my shoulders, she lifts herself and slams her mouth to mine. She tears into me, my girl wild and needy for me.

I only give her enough to make her moan, and then I break the kiss, and tightening my grip around her neck, I hold her eyes captive. “You. Are. Mine. I fucking saved your life, and it now belongs to me. Do you understand?”

Breathless, she stares at me until she’s able to say, “I can’t commit to anything. Alexei will kill me if I hurt you, and right now, I’m not sure what I feel.”

The fucker had the talk with her.

“I admit there’s an insane attraction between us, but it hasn’t even been two weeks, Demitri.” Her eyes fill with steel as she holds her own in front of me. “I’m not yours until I love you, and that’s going to take more time.”

My muscles tense, and it takes every bit of strength I have to not force her to submit.

Give her time, Demitri. Back down.

Still, I keep my tight hold on her throat, then say, “The best I can do is to not force a marriage between us. But I will take care of you, and you won’t fight me on it.”

A frown darkens her beautiful features. “Who said anything about a marriage?”

“People like us marry to strengthen alliances. You need the protection and someone to run your father’s businesses. I could easily use it to force you to bend to my will.”

She gives me a glare. “Then why don’t you force me?”

My eyes drift over her face, and I brush my thumb over her soft skin. “Because I want your free will.” Lowering my head, my teeth tug at her bottom lip. “I don’t want to break you. Your feistiness is one hell of a turn-on.”

My tongue darts out, swiping over her lips. “I want your fire.” I plunge inside her mouth, stroking her tongue hard before I pull a little back again. Watching her, I move my other hand to the waistband of her sweatpants, and slipping beneath the fabric, I push my fingers down until I feel the heat of her pussy and how fucking soaked she is for me. I drive a finger inside her to coat my skin with her essence and then rub it over her clit.

Her chest begins to heave as her breaths come faster and her cheeks flush.

I only have to play with her clit for a couple of seconds before her hips begin to move, and she starts grinding herself against my hand.

“Come, Malyshka,” I order.

Her arms dart up, and wrapping them tightly around my neck, her mouth slams against mine as her body begins to convulse, and then I taste her orgasm and drink her moans and whimpers.

When she comes down from the pleasure I allowed her to have, I pull my hand from her sweatpants and bringing my fingers to her mouth, I coat her lips and then suck her taste off them.