I still wanted to fuck her, but I was obsessed with protecting my territory. Another man had threatened what was mine and the urge to slam her to the ground and claim took second place.

My eyes locked on Franco. He glared right back.

“Don’t touch me. Get off me!” Tess wiggled; I smacked a hand over her mouth.

“Shut up,” I growled. “Seriously, now is not the time to fucking push me. You will not like what happens if you do.”

I didn’t give a rat’s ass if that made no sense to her. Would a trafficker say that? I didn’t know. But it was the goddamn truth and my blood infernoed with the need to take her. Every part of my body felt foreign and sharp and so on edge.

My gaze returned to Franco. Fuck me he’d held her. Naked!

His body tensed, falling into a supple position, ready for a fight. “Mercer—think about this.” His eyes narrowed.

Think about it?

His hands on her naked skin. Her body pressed against him. Naked.

The beast howled with utmost possession. He’d touched my property. He’d seen what no one else was allowed to see. No one! It didn’t matter that he’d been in the room when we’d found her. Naked and spread-eagled on the bed in Rio. It didn’t matter he knew she was mine. It didn’t fucking matter, because I needed a fight. I needed something. Anything to stop myself from spiralling into this dark pit of hell.

“It’s okay, Mercer. She’s yours.” Franco held up his hands. “Seriously, I get it.”

My nostrils flared as I struggled for control. My fists wanted nothing more than to connect with his jaw.

His head tilted; apprehension filled his eyes. “Is it going okay? You’re not…um...not losing it are you?” He inched closer, eyeing me up.

I wished fire would sprout out of my gaze and burn him. I wished I had spare arms to punch him in the chest and kick him when he fell. I was violent. Bloodthirsty. Oversexed. “Do you think I’m not strong enough? That I’ll give in?” My voice held a deadly undertone.

He shrugged. No judgement or fear existed in his face. “Just asking. Don’t want you to fuck yourself up while trying to help her.” He smirked. “Excuse me for saying, but you look completely manic.”

I’d bottled so much up, I was ready to explode. I probably looked like a fucking psycho.

His eyes fell to Tess squirming in my arms. Her lithe body rubbed my cock in such delicious ways making me throb with an orgasm living permanently in my balls. “Having difficulties?”

A loud laugh exploded from my mouth. Difficulties? Try mountains of them. The laugh helped demolish the tension in my limbs. It turned dark, petering out.

The black clouds broke; I sucked in a ragged breath. Insanity gave way to sanity, soothing my feral heartbeat. I’d almost lost myself.

I’d been too caught up in the charade—I almost became him. I’d stepped over that line and would’ve broken Tess if Franco hadn’t caught her.

Time played its cruel joke again, draining me as if it’d been days, not minutes.

I’m not strong enough. I’ll snap before it’s over.

Franco followed my breakdown. “You probably have another hour before that thing wears off. Don’t take too long.”

Urgency laced my heart. I only had to survive another hour, then Tess would be free and I could get as far away from her as possible. I could find an outlet for all this blackness inside and spare her from my rage.

Gathering my tattered energy, I collected Tess in a stronger grip. My eyes met Franco’s as I dragged her backward to the door. I should thank him for helping, but I couldn’t. Seeing her naked was all the fucking thanks he’d get.

Tess fought, wrenching her mouth free from my grip. She winced as something struck her foot. “Let me go. No! I don’t want to go back in there.” Her heels left indents in the grass as I stole her back to her nightmares.

“You don’t have a choice. And if you ever recall what really happened today, try and remember never to run from me again. You were lucky this time. Next time—” My voice drifted off as another wave of need crippled me.

Her heat and wriggling body scrambled my self-control.

Reaching the door, I yelled at Franco, “Don’t worry about what’s going on in here. Just do your fucking job and keep watch.”

Franco smiled, saluting me flippantly. “Keep watch for her running again or intruders?”

I bared my teeth, slamming the door in his face. I left him standing in the sunlight while I welcomed Tess back to the dark. The soundproofed dark where her screams didn’t matter, her tears wouldn’t be seen, and no one would find out how fucking dangerous all of this was.

Breathing hard, I stomped through the house with a fighting naked woman in my arms.

“I won’t do it. I won’t hurt them. You’ll have to kill me this time,” she rambled, her fingernails clawing at my arms. I clamped my fingers over her mouth again. I couldn’t listen to how much damage I caused.

I hissed as she drew blood, but managed to keep the monster locked in its cage—I had no fucking clue how.

This house was too big—too far to drag a woman who I wanted so fucking bad. My jaw ached from clenching by the time I marched her into the bathroom. The minute I’d slammed and locked the door, I unglued my fingers from around her lips.

Tension suffocated the room, swamping the area with Tess’s panic and my self-restraint. She backed up, seething, “You said I could be free. I took the initiative.”

I dragged my hands over my face, scrubbing hard against the headache, grime, and severely tested discipline. There would be no breaking her. She was too damn strong. I had to hope my second idea would work better than my first. It would also test every inch of my self-control.

You’re tempting fate. Don’t do it.

Ignoring myself, I growled, “You didn’t ask permission. You think you can get what you want without asking?”

Tess pressed her lips together, not saying a word.

Scowling, I stalked toward her, crowding her against the wall. Her eyes flared, dancing with panic and anger. I pressed my body against hers, shivering with how good she felt. Every inch of my erection throbbed, digging into her belly. I lost my thoughts, my decency, my fucking human spirit.

Her stomach rose and fell with uneven breaths; her delectable curves tempted me to hell.

Take her. No one would know. Just one thrust. Just one release.

My cock became possessed. Every rub of her, no matter how gentle, was enough to send me into full-body convulsions.

I needed to come. Badly. It tainted my every thought, made it that much harder to stay sane.

Tess looked up, glaring deep into my soul. “You’re a traitor. A liar. And a thief.”

I backed away, unable to ignore the churning in my gut and overwhelming pressure in my balls. Why had she said that—what did she see?

Tess moved quickly, dashing to the door.

Goddammit.

In a quick strike, I planted myself in front of her, barricading the exit.

She glowered, then in a totally defiant move, ripped my shirt off her body, and threw it in my face.

I shoved it away, breathing hard, willing myself to keep control.

Christ, she was fucking amazing. Lean muscles, tight stomach, beautiful full tits. “What the hell are you doing to me?” I groaned.

Shit. I shouldn’t have said that.

Tess didn’t seem to notice; she planted her hands on her naked hips, hissing, “You were wrong to bring me back. You should’ve left me alone. You’d won. Don’t you get it?” Taking a step closer, she accented every move, sashaying her hips, seducing me with every fucking twitch.

“I’d lost myself. I’d turned my master’s life into a misery. You’d won!” Her head bowed, her gaze flickering down my chest. There was nothing weak or coy about her now, it was complete steel and rebellion.

She looked up through hooded eyes. “But now…” One step closer. Another. “Now, I’m beginning to remember.”

My entire body froze; my cock grew ever harder. She stopped a breath away; the tip of her finger stabbed me in the solar plexus. “I’m remembering how to fight.” The flash in her eyes unravelled me. My knees buckled, stealing control just for a moment before I forced myself to stand tall.

The headache I’d been fighting crashed over me with blades, daggers, and needles. “Don’t touch me.” I cleared my throat, hating how my voice cracked with heavy lust. Touch me. Fuck me. Bend over and let me sink inside your sweet, sweet cunt.

“Oh, poor you.” She pouted, taunting me. “Big bad Leather Jacket doesn’t want me to touch him.” Her mouth twisted as she slapped a hand on my naked shoulder, sending a bonfire of want through my blood.

Fuck…this wouldn’t end well.

I loved that she stood up to her nightmares and seemed to be winning. I loved that by standing up to me, I could change the theme of her dreams by backing down, eradicating the horror forever.

What I didn’t love was the unforgiving need making my brain bleed and teeth turn to dust in my mouth. Just a little longer.

I curled my hands so hard my short nails punctured flesh, growing slippery with blood.

Not moving muscle, I ordered, “Get in the bath.”

One thing.

Just one thing left to do to shatter what I believed to be the main issue. Then I’d be free. My job would be over, and I could run like the fucking animal I was.

When Tess didn’t move, I towered to my full height, glowering into her eyes. “Get. In. the. Fucking. Bath.”

Tess cowered, the strength spluttered and fizzed. She took a hesitant step toward it.