The Dare Collection September 2019. Stefanie London

      ‘As you can see, I’m fine.’ I took a couple of steps towards her, hoping she’d get out of my way, but she didn’t.

      ‘You’re not fine.’ She tilted her head back to look up at me. ‘You’re furious.’

      ‘Move, Ellie,’ I growled, in no mood for her to argue. ‘You don’t want to be around me right now.’

      She didn’t move. ‘What’s going on, Ash?’

      No, I did not want to have this conversation with her. Not in any way, shape or form. I didn’t want to explain the rage that sat inside me, not when I could barely explain it to myself. And I certainly didn’t want her floating around in her gown with its plunging neckline and tight-fitting bodice, outlining the lovely shapes of her breasts and hips. How the green made her skin look creamy and her eyes glitter like emeralds.

      How it made me want to get rid of this rage by ripping that dress from her body and taking her down on the silken rugs right here, right now; to unleash myself on her lovely body, hold her down while I fucked away the fury that I could never quite seem to escape.

      But I didn’t want to do that. Not after what she’d been through with one man who’d hurt her already.

      And besides, I wasn’t in any mood to hear the word ‘no’ from anyone.

      I took another step towards her, making myself seem as big and as intimidating as possible, hoping to scare her into getting out of the way.

      But she only frowned, coming into the room and shutting the door behind her.

      Silly, silly girl.

      ‘What the fuck do you think you’re doing?’ I demanded, trying to get a handle on myself. ‘Get away from me.’

      She sniffed. ‘I don’t think so. You’re really pissed off about Dumont and I want to know why.’

      ‘I’m not explaining myself to you.’

      ‘No, well, of course you don’t have to if you don’t want to.’ Her chin lifted. ‘But I’m not going anywhere until you do.’

      ‘You’re a fool. You don’t think I won’t just pick you up and move you out of my way?’

      ‘Come on, then.’ Challenge burned in her eyes. ‘I dare you.’

      If she expected me to hesitate, she was wrong.

      I strode up to her and put my hands on her hips, preparing to pick her up and move her out of my way physically.

      But she only lifted her arms and wound them around my neck, her body leaning into mine. ‘Ash,’ she said softly. ‘Tell me what’s wrong.’

      And I felt myself freeze in place as the warmth of her began to penetrate, making the fire inside me burn hotter, turning it from anger into something far hungrier and more volatile. A seething mass of desire that somehow was only encouraged by the soft note in her voice.

      Her eyes were the most perfect blend of gold and green I’d ever seen and framed by long, thick, dark lashes. They were full of concern, and I wasn’t sure why. In fact, I wasn’t sure why I mattered to her at all.

      ‘You know what I want to do, don’t you?’ My voice had gone deep and guttural, my grip on her hips no doubt punishing.

      She didn’t look away from me, nor did she try to escape. Her body was hot and pliant against mine as if she were exactly where she wanted to be. ‘No. Why don’t you tell me?’

      ‘I want to fuck you. Hard. On the floor. And I don’t want to be told no and I don’t want you to even attempt to take the wheel.’

      There was no fear in her eyes, not even a flicker. ‘It’s the fight you want, isn’t it? You need it.’

      I don’t know how she understood, but she did. ‘I’m going to be rough, Ellie,’ I growled. ‘I’m not going to hold back. So if that’s a problem for you, you need to leave now.’ Before her musky scent and the heat of her body stole what remained of my control.

      Her arms around my neck tightened. ‘I’m fine with it.’

      Something inside me pulsed hard.

      ‘You should be afraid of me.’ My voice was raw and rough. ‘You should be fucking scared.’

      Her eyes widened in genuine surprise. ‘Why?’

      I reached up and buried one hand in her hair, curling my hand into a fist, pulling her head back, and not gently.

      She gave a gasp but I couldn’t see any fear in her eyes, only small sparks of green and gold. Her lips parted and she touched her tongue to the bottom one, her gaze drifting down to my mouth then back again. ‘Is that supposed to scare me? Because I have to tell you, it’s having the opposite effect.’

      She didn’t know what she was taking on. She had no idea. Me in this mood? I was the baddest bet there ever was, though not if you were betting on me to win a fight. In this mood, I always won.

      I held tight onto her hair, the strands silky and soft against my skin, and leaned in, my lips almost brushing hers. ‘I suggest you change your mind.’

      She sighed, her breath minty and warm, the press of her tits against my chest making my head spin. ‘Are you kidding me?’ she murmured. ‘Not a chance.’

      Of course she wouldn’t. She didn’t understand. So maybe it was time I showed her.

      I tightened my grip and held her still as I closed the distance between us, devouring the sweetness of her mouth utterly.

      She shivered, stilling as I thrust my tongue into her mouth, taking it, ravaging it as if it was mine to do what I wanted with.

      But then her arms constricted like a vine around my neck and she was kissing me back, her tongue meeting mine, thrusting and devouring, twining and tasting. It was raw and desperate and I was down on the floor with her before I’d even realised what was happening.

      Fabric tore as I put my hands on her, ripping away the tissue-fine silk of her gown, exposing golden skin. She didn’t stop me, her own hands struggling with the jacket of my tux, then giving up to find the buttons on my shirt, jerking at them in a frenzy.

      But she wasn’t in charge of this now. I was.

      With one last rip, I got rid of the remains of her gown, taking her underwear with it. Then when she was naked, I flipped her over onto her stomach and pulled her hands behind her back. She gasped, struggling against my hold. ‘Let me see you,’ she said thickly. ‘I want to touch you.’

      ‘No.’ I used my weight to keep her pinned, holding her hands at the base of her spine. ‘I told you that you weren’t in charge.’

      ‘What are you going to do?’

      She didn’t sound afraid in the least, only curious.

      ‘This,’ I growled and grabbed at a length of the green fabric, tying it around her wrists to keep them where they were.

      ‘Oh...’ The word sighed out of her in a moan, her naked body soft and hot beneath mine.

      Now her hands were tied, I put mine on the floor on either side of her head, grinding my aching cock against the soft curves of her bare arse. ‘And then,’ I snarled, hungry and feral, ‘I’m going to fuck you hard the way I told you I would.’

      She moaned, shuddering, her hips rising to meet mine, pushing herself back against me like the little warrior she was.

      And something inside me growled in deep satisfaction.

      Of course she’d meet me in this. She wasn’t weak and she wasn’t a coward. And she enjoyed the fight as much as I did.

      My hands were shaking as I got my trousers undone and it took longer than I would have liked to get the condom on, too, but then it was done and I put one hand beneath her, my palm on