She was all mine.
There would be no fight. There would only be possession. She willingly submitted to me, not because I was stronger than her.
But because I earned it.
I rode the elevator to the penthouse I’d been sharing with her. We hadn’t decided where we would live together because we were focused on the wedding—and the honeymoon. There were still a few other things we hadn’t discussed it—like a prenup.
The doors opened, and I felt the testosterone spike in my blood. The entire time I was at the office, I was anxious to come back to her. Now I could act on every instinct I felt, I could take her in whatever way I wished. I would never have to let her overrule me again.
I was the king.
Even though I loved her, she was now my prisoner.
A willing one.
I stepped into the living room and found Thorn sitting beside her, paperwork spread out everywhere, two cups of coffee and their open laptops on the coffee table. Tatum was dressed for the office even though she hadn’t returned to her building. Thorn was in a black suit with a black tie. Even though she was ready to return to work, Thorn was still handling most of her projects because he’d been running them for the past six weeks. She was leaving again for a long honeymoon, so it didn’t make sense to pull Thorn off the job.
I had nothing against Thorn, but I didn’t want to look at his face right now.
Tatum looked up when she saw me. “Hey, how was—”
“Thorn, Tatum will talk to you tomorrow.” My eyes remained glued to hers even though I wasn’t speaking to her. I stripped my jacket off and tossed it on the floor.
Thorn didn’t give me a smartass remark. He shoved everything into his satchel, the sound of moving paperwork filling the tense silence.
Tatum stared at me, her gaze darkening in irritation. “You’re being a bit rude.”
I undid my tie and pulled it out of my collar. I didn’t toss it on the ground because I had other plans for it. “It’s after five o’clock. Now it’s my time.”
Thorn shouldered the bag then walked to the elevator, the corner of his mouth raised in a slight smile. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Titan.”
“I apologize for Diesel’s rudeness.” She tossed her paper aside and crossed her legs.
Thorn stepped inside the elevator once the doors opened. “Don’t worry, I get it.” The doors shut and hid him from view.
I hadn’t looked at him once, dismissing him as unimportant. I’d been at work all day while my woman stayed home. I’d warned her that things would be different, that I completely viewed her as my property now.
I unbuttoned the front of my shirt as I slowly approached her, my dress shoes slightly tapping against the hardwood floor. When I reached the rug, the movements were muffled, but my presence filled the space between us.
I stopped in front of her then placed the backs of my fingers against the hollow of her throat. My eyes watched my movements, slowly sliding up along her neck until I reached her chin. I tilted her face up, forcing her to look at me.
My fingers slowly migrated into her hair, feeling the soft strands that held a gentle curl. My fingers invaded the strands, brushing her like a prized mare. I watched her breathing increase, witnessed the way she swallowed. The muscles of her throat shifted with the movement, telling me this encounter was making her hot under the collar.
I brushed my thumb across her bottom lip, as if I were a painter holding a brush. I felt her intricate features, exploring the prominent softness of her pale cheeks. As if she’d never been broken in her life, she looked absolutely perfect. Like a raw diamond that shone brighter than any jewel, she was the greatest prize in the known world.
And she was mine.
I wanted to wrap my fist around her entire body and squeeze. That ring on her finger wasn’t a big enough declaration of my adoration. It wasn’t strong enough to ward off the eyes that appreciated her body.
I wanted more of her. I didn’t want to share her with anyone—especially the entire world.
I felt the silk tie between my fingertips, considering how I would use it. I could do anything I wanted to her, and the endless possibilities got me so hard I thought I might burst. I wrapped it around my knuckles before I stepped back. “Up.”
Titan stared at me, her lipstick slightly smeared from the way my thumb brushed against it. There was a blooming fight in her eyes, her natural reaction to any order that was issued. But her resistance didn’t last longer than an instant. She rose to her feet then faced me.
I didn’t kiss her right when I walked in the door. There was no hug or embrace. The affection I wanted to give her was much different, much more intense. It might not be romantic, but I didn’t give a damn if it was. “Turn around.” I didn’t raise my voice, but my command was heavy in just the tone. A real man didn’t have to raise his voice in the first place.
Her lips parted slightly like she’d been expecting a kiss. She hid her disappointment and complied. As if she anticipated what I was going to ask, she placed her hands behind her back and waited for them to be bound.
I wrapped my tie around her wrists and secured them tighter than necessary. I wanted the silk to dig into her hands, for the pressure to remind her she was owned by one of the richest men in the world.
Me.
I checked the knot even though I knew it was tight. Then I guided her forward down the hallway and into the bedroom. I placed her at the foot of the bed before I undressed behind her, taking my time as I stared at her back. My collared shirt
