Page 94 of The Acquisition

I repeated the motion a few more times until I felt her muscles tighten and then abruptly withdrew my fingers.

"What are you doing?" she complained.

"When you come it will be on my cock." I waited until her body settled and drove her to the peak once again, only to have her growl at me when I retreated as she was about to come.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked. Her voice wavered, and I knew she was finally allowing her emotions to break through her walls. It might only be frustration over not being allowed to come, but I needed a crack in those defenses of hers before I could ever talk my way inside her heart.

"Because I know you. When I try and talk to you, you will spin every word and analyze every thought before you decide what to share. I want you. Not only physically, but in every part of my life. I want your heart, Jana, so I know I'm safe to give you mine."

Her eyes filled with tears, and I finally saw my true error. Pushing her away at the hospital, the words she'd heard me mutter to Jenny's ghost were the salt in the wound I'd already given her.

Here I was demanding she give me her heart so I knew I'd be safe with her, and she needed the same thing from me. In my efforts to demolish the walls she'd built around herself, I'd failed to recognize my own fortifications.

I crawled up her body and took my time kissing her. "I've been an idiot. Here I am demanding so much from you and keeping something from you."

Her eyes widened, and I watched them start to shutter, closing her off from me. I hurried to explain so I could banish the distance she was trying to create.

"I love you, Jana. I know you won't believe me completely right now, but I need you to hear me. My love for you doesn't compare to what I had with Jenny, because I've never felt anything like this before."

She blinked, and I could see she was giving me a chance.

"Loving you is like breathing. I can't deny it, can't stop it, and can't live without it. What I feel for you is written in my DNA. You're not only my reason to live, you’re the force that makes me live. I don't know what I was doing before you, but I don't think it can be called anything more than existing."

"You love me?" she whispered.

"Yes, my darling, bratty, wife. I love you. Actually, that word isn't strong enough for what I feel for you. I'm so damn sorry I pushed you away at the hospital. It wasn't because I didn't want you there. In that moment, I felt toxic. I was afraid I was leaking it from my body. I didn't want to infect you with my fuck ups, but I needed you so bad. I can't promise to never make another mistake, but I can swear to you I'll try to do better. I'll do anything to keep you."

She laughed. "Yeah, including kidnap me."

Her laughter caused her body to rub against mine, reigniting the fire in my blood. Our words were sweet, but my body still intended for our make up to be the dirtiest of fucks.

"I'm glad you're finally hearing me. Tell me you'll give us another chance," I demanded.

She sighed. "My pride makes me want to fight you more. I don't want to be one of those weak women who fall at the feet of the man who made them cry, but being without you was hell. I don't think I can live without you either. I love you, Colt."

I smiled at her, but it fell to a scowl almost instantly. "You ran from me. I told you we were married forever. We promised for better or worse, and instead of staying and fighting with me, for us, you ran."

Jana dipped her head. "I know. I'm sorry."

"I've told you I'm not a gentle man. I might appear polished and civilized on the outside, but I'm little more than a beast in a suit. I think you need further explanation of what marriage means to me."

She gulped. "Tell me."

"I already told you that I can't live without you. I know you're a strong woman, but you are mine. I think you need a reminder that you're mine."

I climbed off of her and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. There had been so many times I'd wanted to do this, but now I needed to. The one time I did give in was only a fraction of what I wanted to share with her.

Jana, for all her fire and independence, wanted someone to take control. Maybe not all the time, but intimately she liked to surrender. She needed one final push to let go of her pride and fear and let herself forgive me.

"What are you doing?" she asked, nerves causing her voice to tremble. It wasn't fear though. At least not fear I'd hurt her. She was afraid of the way I made her feel.

"I'm going to spank the brat out of you. Remind you that you are my wife, and you don't fucking leave me, ever. Now, climb over here and take your punishment like a good girl."

I wasn't sure she'd do it, but after hesitating for a moment, she climbed across my lap until her perky ass was high in the air.

My hand came down with a crack that was more sound than pain. The tiny sting was easily smoothed away with a few strokes against her soft skin. I repeated the motion on the other cheek, and she started to squirm on my lap.

I put my other arm across her back, holding her down. "Who do you belong to?" I demanded.

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