Page 71 of Forbidden Romeo

“It’s the only way to keep you safe!” His voice booms through the apartment with finality, and I can feel the bottled rage radiating from him as he breathes rapidly in and out.

So, I raise my voice too. “You keep saying that, but why do you even care?”

His hands are suddenly yanking me forward, and his lips crash into mine. It feels like I’ve been electrocuted, the way my entire body reacts to his touch. I curl into him instantly, instinctively, submitting myself to him.

It would be so easy to lose myself like this…

I pull away abruptly, “For God’s sake, Jack. No! You can’t just kiss me and expect this to be okay.”

He ignores me and kisses me again. His mouth greedily consumes mine, biting at my lip as he tugs my hair, pulling my face toward him.

“Stop it.” I feel angry tears welling up in my eyes as his arms envelop me, my body betraying every word that comes out my mouth.

“Marry me,” he whispers against my lips.

I shake my head as he kisses me again and again.

“Aimee… please.”

Something inside my chest begins to crack. But I ignore it and grab onto his shirt to push him away. “You can’t make me.”

I barely gain a few inches of space between us. My hands rest on his chest, stopping him from getting any closer, but he rests his forehead against mine.

“You’ve spent far too long looking after everyone around you,” he whispers. “Let me protect you for a change.”

“Don’t you dare.” My voice cracks, and I have to swallow back more tears.

“Then how do I convince you? What will it take,chroí?” His voice is laced with desperation, and I can feel my resolve crumbling. He seems to sense it, scooping me up by the knees and carrying me through the apartment.

I could resist this. Ishouldresist this.

But the feeling of his fingers digging into my back… His frustrated breaths against my neck as he kisses me there…

“You want a goddamn ring? You want me to fuck you so hard you can’t see straight?” he growls as he drops me onto the bed unceremoniously. “What will it take for you to believe that we’re on the same side here?”

Jack towers over me, his body shaking, a promise that he will make good on at least one of his threats.

“You’re Padraic Duffy’s son,” I say firmly, refusing to let myself be intimidated by him. “How could I ever trust you?”

Something feral crosses Jack’s eyes, and whatever confidence I had a moment before falls away.

“I am not my father.”

He pushes me into the mattress, dragging my hands above my head and wrapping them around the bed frame. His breaths come out in gruff pants as he lowers himself on top of me.

Jack leans across me to bite at my shoulder, my neck, my ear. It’s torture staying still as his breath caresses my body, so I lower my hands to run them through his hair.

“No,” he growls, grabbing my hands and putting them back on the bed frame. “Let me worship you like you deserve.”

“You’re not going to change my mind by—oh!”

He lifts his knee to press into my core. I don’t even register that I’m mindlessly grinding against him until he whispers in my ear. “That’s it. Good girl.”

I stiffen, and Jack chuckles.

“Why stop now?” he asks, pulling away to slowly unbutton my blouse. He stops with every button to plant a filthy kiss on my lips.

I shake my head as he frees me from my clothes, my bra falling away at the swipe of his hands. Before I have a chance to protest, his mouth is on my chest. His tongue circles my hardening nipple, and my back arches in pleasure.

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