“Have you ever been obsessed with anyone before, the way you’re obsessed with me?”

“I’m in love, Yasmin,” he corrected. “There’s a difference. And no, I’ve never felt for anyone what I feel for you.”

She didn’t know if his statement made her feel better or worse.

“What happens if you fall out of love with me?”

“That will never happen,” he said vehemently, and she could tell he wanted to shut down the line of conversation.

“Please, Volkan,” she whispered, using his name, her secret weapon. “I won’t feel safe with you unless I know for sure you won’t hurt me.”

He lifted his hands, cupping her face and tilting it until she was looking at him.

“I can promise that I will hurt you, my love.” The words were said so kindly that it took her a moment to understand. She gasped and tried to jerk back, but he refused to let her go. “You will inevitably do something you’re not supposed to because you’re feisty, intelligent, and independent. Don’t get me wrong, I love these things about you, but they will lead you into making a mistake with me. And I will be forced to punish you in a way that I’m sure you will see as painful.”

“I thought you loved me,” she shot back, jerking her face from his hold. He dropped his hand to her arm to stop her from stepping away from him, so she stood stiffly in his grasp.

“Sometimes love hurts.” His lip quirked as if they were sharing a private joke. “Or at least it will until you love me back.”

She huffed and tried to pull her arm away from him. “You know you’re describing Stockholm syndrome.”

“Exactly.”

She stared up at him, aghast. He couldn’t possibly mean what she thought he meant. “You’re okay with knowing that if I do fall in love with you, it's because I have no other choice?”

He shrugged, his black tuxedo jacket shining in the fairy lights as he moved. “You’ve made me a desperate man, Yasmin. I’ll take your love any way I can get it.”

“Even if my love is only given to escape the threat of violence?”

He touched her face, brushing his fingers softly down her cheek. She flinched back, but he hauled her closer to his body.

“There’s a fine line between love and violence,” he said, dropping his lips to speak in her ear, the tickle of his breath sending a shiver down her spine. “And I look forward to exploring both with you.”

She tipped her head back to look into his enigmatic, dark eyes. She saw the determination that drove him to this point. To kidnap a woman he wanted simply because she said no to him.