Hope

Killian rounded the car, slid behind the wheel, and started the engine. When we pulled out of the driveway, his head snapped to me. "You okay?"

I didn't want to answer. My fingers smoothened my dress as I looked out the window. In the faint glow of the dashboard light, I could still see him staring at me so I forced out a reply even if I didn't want to. "Yes, I am."

"Alright then."

I fell silent after his question, but I knew he could feel the speculative glances I kept throwing him because, at some point, he snapped his head towards me and let his words out with a bang. "Spare me the ambiguity, Hope. If you have something to say you can go ahead and say it."

I heaved a sigh. "Vladlen and Penelope. They look really good together."

"They are." He glanced at me then back at the road. "They've been that way for a long time."

I was vaguely surprised that he responded. "You must be really close to them."

"We've had a few consultations. That doesn't make us close."

"His wife, in particular, seemed very pleased to see you though..."

He cocked his head and eyed me. "Hope, what point are you trying to make?"

I shrugged, obtusely. "I just said his wife, Penny seemed very pleased to see you. She must like you a lot."

"Drop it." His tone was firm. "Drop this discussion."

"Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?"

He heaved an exhale. "Yes, it does. I'm not interested."

"But you seemed very interested in kissing another man's wife."

His lips thinned. "So this is what this is truly about, Penelope kissing me."

"Are you going to tell me who she is to you, or do I have to guess?"

He flexed his fingers around the steering wheel tighter. "I imagine you've already come to a conclusion in your head as that is what you women are good at."

"So you did have a thing to do with her—"

"I did not," he said abruptly, defensively. "We had nothing."

I huffed softly. The thought of him being defensive over another woman else stirred something irrational inside of me and I knew I shouldn't feel this way, I knew I should've handled my emotions better but I couldn't help it. "Then what were you kissing her for?"

"Are you blind? Penelope kissed me." He snapped.

"You didn't exactly put her off, did you?! I shot back.

His brow crunched like I had said something appalling. "And risk offending her?"

"Oh," I chuckled dryly. "Since when did Killian care if he hurt anyone's feelings?"

"Since when a hundred million dollars was involved." He shot at me. "And I don't understand why you fucking care so much."

"You know what you're right, I don't like you and I don't care what you do to other women. Forget I asked." I turned and stared out the window.

The drive back to the suite was a silent nightmare-one we both didn't try to end.

When we arrived, I got out of the car as soon as it stopped and quickly walked in without waiting or checking to see if he had been following behind.

I swiped my key card and walked into the living room space. Killian walked in right after and shut the door. I didn't turn or bother to spare him a glance but I could tell he was staring at me. And then after a moment, he called out my name.

"Hope."

I ignored him, padding towards the stairs with my heels that hurt. "Hope." He repeated, walking forward.

The tenderness in his voice had dried off when he called at me again. "Hope Sterling do not ignore me when I am calling you."

I turned to regard him with an icy glare. "And why can't I?"

"Because I am your husband and you will respect me." His tone held a hint of annoyance.

"You didn't seem to care much about respect when you let another woman kiss you."

"Jesus Christ. What is your problem? First Sofia, now Penelope?"

"Please." I snorted. "I'm just appalled as any other woman would."

He walked forward. "What Penelope did to me was completely ordinary. That's her way of greeting for God's sake."

"So she goes around kissing everyone like that? Or does she just reserve that particular greeting for you?"

"She does not!" He snapped. "She kisses everyone she knows that way. They're exhibitionists for crying out loud. What do you honestly expect?"

"A bit more decency at least." I narrowed my eyes. "How can her husband be so comfortable with something as unethical as that?"

"Well I don't know, I'm not him." He shot sarcastically.

I gave him a decidedly unamused look. "You're exactly like him."

"I am nothing like him. I don't cheat on my women, nor do I share them."

"Well I'm not your woman and since you find it logical having other women fondling with you in public, it won't be a problem if I let other men do the same, preferably in front of you."

He looked at me with patent disbelief. "What the fuck did you just say?" His whole demeanor changed as he moved across the room toward me, his tall frame bowing over me as his choppy eyes connected with mine. "No other man touches the mother of my child, Hope. I don't share. I didn't do it before, I'm not going to do it now."

The veins highlighting on his neck nearly gave my heart a jolt but I steeled myself to sound confident when I replied. "I'm not yours, I'm not your woman and I can do whatever the fuck I please with any man."

His jaw ticked as he reached out to grab my hand, yanking me. I stumbled on my feet, stunned as he pressed me against his chest. And I must have been out of my mind because for the briefest moment, all I could think about was how warm and hard his chest felt.

"The only man allowed to be in your life is me and until the terms of our agreement are met and completed, I dictate and own everything about you."

There it was, the commanding arrogant, cocky side of him I hated.

"Bullshit." I spat. "I am not some rag doll. You don't own me and I'll have my fill of any man I want."

He inclined his head to mine, his arm tightening around me. "Say that again if you dare and I'll make you regret it." He'd said those words a breath above my lips, sparking the electric current of desire lurking in my deepest subconscious to come forth.

I swallowed the knot in my throat and willed myself to stand sharp. With much boldness than I felt, I replied. "You don't own me, Killian, never have, never will."

"Now you've done it." A growl low and primal erupted from his throat and before I could register what was happening, he released my hand and tossed me over his shoulders, leaving me shrieking and splaying my hands frantically.

"What are you doing!" I tried to push the hair out of my eyes but I couldn't and the room spun to some degrees when he began to move towards the staircase.

My cheeks burned hot with embarrassment. "Killian stop! Put me down this instance!" In desperation, I reached out to grasp the mahogany railing that curved alongside the staircase.

"Stop fighting." He grunted and after his words came an unexpected slap on my ass that made the air in my throat cease.

"Did you just slap me?!"

He did it again, he struck my ass- hard and unapologetic and the pain from the contact seared through me in a somewhat pleasing way.

"Stay still or you'll hurt yourself." He wrapped one hand under my thighs, keeping me from falling as I continued to frail.

"Killian put me down!"

"No." His other hand captured my right foot and pulled off my shoe, then he did it to the other, letting them pitifully stumble down the stair and land uselessly at the bottom.

The dizzying sway of his body coupled with the hair on my face prevented me from seeing clearly and I hadn't realized we were on the top of the stairs until he kicked the room door open and walked inside.

I let out a small cry when he tossed me on the bed, his eyes hard on mine as he, with haste, began flicking open the buttons on his shirt in front of me.

"I was going to go easy on you tonight, was going to lay you down and make love to your pussy with my tongue for being obedient at the playhouse but you ruined everything by running that smart mouth of yours."

I felt frozen in place, staring at the expanding wedge of muscular chest he was slowly revealing to me inch by inch. "I...I..." My brain froze, too stiff to form any words. "What are you going to do to me?"

"I'm in no mood for pretty love-making anymore." He reached the last button and tossed the shirt aside and I felt heat spread across my chest the moment his hands began to fumble with his leather belt. "Now, I'm just going to fuck you till your body recognizes my ownership." His trouser slipped to the floor and a grim scowl clouded his features as he stared down at me. "And you my dear, are going take it all like the nice little

kitten you are."

I swallowed. Hard. The ache between my thighs intensified as excitement bubbled through my body. Whether I was thrilled or aroused or scared, I didn't know. But one thing was certain, he wasn't going to let me go tonight.