Chapter 23

With a few rough tugs, James tore off her clothes. Emily's bare figure was exposed in the dim light. He grabbed her chin, his kiss wild and brutal—more like a predator than a lover. His lips bit and claimed as if he wanted to devour her whole. Emily tried to dodge, but he was too fast. She bit down hard, the metallic taste of blood spreading in her mouth. But James didn't even flinch. He forced her jaw open and dove in deeper. She had never seen this side of him—so aggressive, so controlling, like he needed the whole world to know she belonged to him. She struggled, but he pressed down on her broken leg. The pain was so fierce, it knocked the fight out of her. Sweat clung to her skin from the sheer agony, but James didn't let up. He moved like a man punishing, not loving, pushing her past her limits. “You're mine. You'll always be mine!” His words sounded like something out of a romance movie, but there was nothing loving about the way he treated her. No rest, no mercy—just endless tor