"Go ahead, sunshine. I dare you to say that we are nothing." I know I shouldn't say it, given the murderous energy swirling around him. I should cut my losses short and shut up. But I can't resist the temptation to push his buttons.

I must be out of my mind because I say, "Mr. Rana, let me tell you, if you didn't hear me the very first time I said this, we are no-"

It happens so fast, I barely register it. Arjun throws me on the bed and crawls on top of me. My breath hitches when I make out the crazed look in his eyes. It's as if someone turned the switch on.

You idiot, you turned the switch on. My conscience yelled.

But in that moment, I couldn't bring myself to care. I lie beneath his looming body. His shoulders strain against the cloth of his shirt, and he's breathing heavily as if he's coming down from a run. I clench my thighs together, not wanting him to see the overwhelming affect he has on me.

I close my eyes, trying to steady my racing heart. Because at this moment, when he's all threatening and scary, I don't see the danger. Instead, all I see is the undeniable attraction. I see the undeniable attraction, and it scares me. I should see the danger, but I don't.

Well, red is your favorite color, so God decided to give you your own personal red flag. My conscience yelled once again, making me frown.

His hand reaches for my face. I swallow as he traces a sensual finger down my cheek. It's meant to be soft, but all I see is the darkness lurking beneath the surface. I crave it. I want him. I want him to unleash the darkness within me. To let it consume me completely, I am willing to surrender myself to him, no matter the consequences.

If he's a red flag, then I want to be the representative of this flag, but what does that make me?

"I told you, sunshine. You're already mine, so stop acting otherwise." His voice is too calm as he pinches my cheek. "Don't wake up the beast." I can't help but shudder at his words.

"I'm not yours." I retort, my voice filled with defiance.

"Being mine or not is not an option or choice I am giving you, my love." He nuzzles his nose over my cheek. My heart pounds in my chest as I realize the depth of his possessiveness.

"And what if I make the decision not to be yours? Then what?" I ask, my voice filled with uncertainty.

"You don't want to know that." He shakes his head.

"Why the hell not?"

"As I said earlier, I am not giving you an option or choice; in the end, you belong to me." He pauses and flicks his tongue to lick my lower lip. "The harder you fight this, the harder it will get for you to resist my control. Your resistance will only prolong your surrender... and intensify the pleasure I take in breaking you until you are completely under my power." I can't help but shudder at the thought.

He's fuming. No. He's enraged.

Well, who made him that way!? My conscience yelled again.

"I am not-" I open my mouth to retaliate, but then his lips claim mine, leaving me speechless. As his lips press against mine, I can feel the overwhelming power he holds over me.

The intensity of his kiss leaves me breathless, surrendering any resistance I may have had. When I open my mouth with a stunned gasp, he growls into my mouth and devours me. If the earlier kiss was head-turning, this one is animalistic and out of control. Arjun threads his fingers into my hair, tugging the strands loose, and brutalizes my mouth. It feels both exhilarating and terrifying, like a wild storm raging within me.

The kiss is savage. No. It's barbaric, like he's never kissed before. It feels like he's only discovering what it feels like to kiss. It's like he wasn't kissing me earlier. Like he was holding back. I'm in that phase where there's no air and no other thoughts but him and his lips.

His firm, yet soft lips.

His brutalizing lips.

His body crashes into mine and all his hard lines mold into my soft curves. My hands find refuge on both his sides, and I moan into his mouth. Arjun breaks away, breathing harshly, and grunts against the corner of my mouth. I had expected him to let go of his anger with the kiss, but it's worse. His rage is a living, breathing being right now, and he doesn't even bother to mask it. His eyes burn with intensity, and I can feel the weight of his fury pressing down on me.

"If anyone dares to look at you, let alone touch what's mine, I'll fucking murder them and then fuck you right there. Is that clear?" I gasp at his words, feeling a mix of fear and desire surge through me.

Arjun's possessiveness is overwhelming, but it also ignites a primal need within me. His words, delivered with such raw passion, both frighten and excite me. In this moment, I realize just how much Arjun would do to protect me and claim me as his own. And as unsettling as it may be, I can't help but find a twisted comfort in his ferocious love for me.

"Is that clear?" He grits out.

"I'm not yours, Arjun." Damn him to the pits of hell. What does he think I am? An object? He chuckles, the sound is dark and domineering.

"Oh, but you are, and if you still doubt it..." His lips graze my ear as he whispers in a dark tone, "I'll fuck you so hard, so deep, you'll be begging for me to never leave your tight pussy again." I clenched my thighs at the image he painted inside my head. I try to chase it, but it won't go away.

Am I defective? Wrong in the head?

Otherwise, how can I react so strongly to his crude words? Arjun yanks down my jeans before I can form clear thoughts about what's going on. I feel a wave of shame and vulnerability wash over me.

"Remove the shirt," he orders as my jeans reach my knees.

"Arjun..." It's that breathy voice again. The needy, damn voice I shouldn't be using in front of Arjun. I shouldn't be using that voice in front of Arjun, especially in this situation.

"If I do it, I'll rip the thing off." His darkened gaze meets mine in a challenge for dominance or a challenge to make him do it. I don't know.

A part of me is tempted to let him, but the other part just pulls the shirt over my head and throws it somewhere beside me. I'm lying in front of Arjun in my white bra and underwear. I should be feeling embarrassed considering that he's the first to see me this way, but I'm not.

If anything, I'm meeting his challenging gaze with one of my own. Because he's not done. He'll never be done taking things from me. If I give him one, he takes ten. His heated gaze travels up and down my half-naked body like whips of fire. I try to ignore it and fail miserably.

"Remove the bra," He orders, meeting my gaze, but this time, I don't move. I hold my ground, refusing to give in to his demands.

"Last chance, Esha." His lips curled into a smirk.

No matter how much I like the sound of my name coming out of his mouth, I don't let it sway me. Instead, I glare at him. Arjun crawls atop of me, supporting himself on his palms, and places kisses along my navel. I can't help but feel a rush of desire. My body reacts instinctively to his touch, betraying my resolve.

The intense heat between us threatens to consume me, but I fight to maintain my defiance. As his lips continue their tantalizing trail, my resistance weakens further. The battle between my mind and my body rages on, torn between surrendering to the intoxicating pleasure and holding onto my last shreds of defiance. He lifts his head with a smirk, knowing he has won.

"Now let me show just how much you belong to me."

*******