#Chapter 183: Mark Me

DEREK “Mark me.” The words hit me like a jolt to the spine. For a second, I thought I misheard her. The room, still pulsing with the heat of our lovemaking, went unnaturally still. My body tensed, awareness sharpening. “What?” I asked, breath catching. My voice sounded rough, disbelieving. Maybe even scared. She didn’t falter. “Mark me,” she said again, this time softer but more certain—like she was offering me something sacred. Her hand, warm and strong, pressed against my chest. She leaned into me, eyes full of light and fire, pinning me down as if daring me to say no. She didn’t know. She couldn’t know. She was still wrapped around me, her body slowly softening, but her gaze—goddess, that gaze—was so open. So trusting. My throat ached with the weight of everything I couldn’t say. “Elena…” I reached up, cupped her face. My thumb brushed the edge of her cheekbone. “Not here. Not like this.” A flicker of confusion crossed her face, her brows drawing together. And why