“Yes, I knew you would be mad…”

“But you did it anyway,” he hissed. “How the fuck am I supposed to protect you if you let the enemy just waltz up to you?”

“Again, surrounded by a dozen guards.”

Suddenly, he wasn’t across the room anymore. My wrists were in his hands, and he had my back against the wall. “I don’t give a fuck if you’re surrounded by my whole pack. If Bridget can turn, so can any of them. You trust me and no one else, and you show that by doing what I tell you to do.”

Swallowing hard, I stared up at him. “Fine. What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to swear that you’ll never do anything that fucking stupid again.”

“I can’t,” I whispered. “I’m sorry, Jax. I know you want to protect me, but Emerson still sees me as my father’s scared and dutiful daughter. I can use that. If he thinks you’re not standing in the way, he could tell me everything.”

“I don’t care” he snarled. Tentatively, I reached up to touch his cheek. “I don’t give a fuck if he promises to admit to everything. You don’t get anywhere near him.”

“What about your pack?”

“What about you?” he roared before he leaned down and kissed me. It was bruising and desperate, and I clung to him as he lifted me up the wall and trapped me with his thighs.

“Jax,” I gasped as his teeth slid down my neck.

“Fuck you,” he grunted. “Need to fuck you. Right now.”

I couldn’t give him the promises that he wanted, but I could give him me. I needed him just as much.

Reaching between us, I undid the fly of his jeans and pulled down the zipper. When my hand wrapped around his cock, he grunted and pumped himself into my hand, slamming me against the wall.

In one smooth move, he dropped me and spun me around. “Hands on the wall,” he snarled, “and keep them there.”

My whole body trembled as I complied and he shoved my pants down, taking my panties with them. I managed to lift one leg to open myself before his fingers sank into my wet pussy.

“You darkened the bond. I couldn’t feel you,” he hissed. “I thought the dead body was you.

Fuck, Anna, I thought it was you.”

Shit. I had no idea I had even done that. At least that explained the intense light in in his eyes when I showed up.

“I’m not dead,” I whispered. “I’m right here.”

“Mine,” he hissed. I felt him rise, and his hands on my hips were the only warning before he plunged into me. When I screamed, half from pleasure and half from pain, he froze and wrapped an arm around me.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I’m hurting you.”

Gasping, I squirmed against him. “Don’t stop,” I moaned. “Please, don’t stop. I’m good. I need you.”

Jax grunted, dropped his hand between my thighs, and slid a finger over my slick clit. A tremor raced down my spine, and he strummed me again before withdrawing and slamming back into me.

Then, there was nothing but our noises and the sound of my hands hitting the wall. I was completely anchored to his body, no chance of escape even if I wanted to, and when I came, I exploded around him.

He withdrew only to flip me, hit his knees, and devour me until my nails were drawing blood on the back of his neck. When I was ready to come again, he rose and entered me again.

“He doesn’t get to touch you,” Jax hissed as he slammed my whole body against the wall.

The wardrobe in the corner shook. “Never again. You’re mine, Anna, and I will kill him.”

Sobbing, I came again, my whole body nothing but uncontrollable spasms. When he jerked inside me, I fell limp against his body.

“Shit. Come here, baby,” he murmured. I barely felt us moving before I saw the lights on the bathroom come on. Wincing, I shut my eyes. He sat me on the counter, took off my bra and shirt, and started the shower.