r knocked the wind out of Chloe. A

between her thighs. The movement completely pinne

inst her cheek. He took a deep, greedy bre

shoved both hands against his rock-hard chest, pushin

grip and pinning them above her head against the wall. His free han

rmured, his voice a dark, raspy t

is mouth against hers. The kiss was brutal,

in her chest. She opened her mouth and bit

the smear of blood from his mouth with his thumb. The lo

d shoulder like a sack of flour, and

kicking her legs and poundi

nd tossed her onto the cheap, lumpy ma

body followed, pressing her deep into the mattress as his ha

edsheets and hit the leather strap of her tote bag

into the bag and pulled out a crumpled piec

against Axel's chest, screaming at

oze. The air in the b

natch the wrinkled paper from her hand. He he

ed her trembling thumb hard over the top corner, delibera

The dark lust and rage drained from his face,

bled to the farthest corner of the bed, pulling

ars," she lied, forcing a bitter, self-destructive

hing through the shock like a blade. The words she had spoken-I did whatever I had to do to survive-painted images in his mind that made him want to burn the world down. His voice

She waited for him to throw her away like garbage and wal

vanished," he bit out, his thumb pressing hard against her trembling lips. "I've been losing my mind searching for you

Axel's throat then, but it was dark and

face, his thumbs pressing into her cheeks. His

are mine," he snarled through clenched teeth. "If

ess the insanity of his words, Axel lowered his head and kissed her again

coat and wrapped it tightly around her trembling body. He sco

cure you," he stated coldly, his grip on her iron-clad. "U

her cheek. The smell of his cedarwood cologne overwhelmed her sen