When he straddled my hips, I tried to buck him off, but I couldn’t find even an inch of leeway. He ripped my blouse open. Buttons scattered across the bed. He was so heavy, so unmovable. If there was a God, he’d done a huge disservice to the world by putting this man’s soul in this body. I fought Ronan with everything in me, my blunt nails catching his neck. He growled and slammed my wrists above my head, holding them with one hand while he jerked my skirt down my legs. I sank my teeth into his forearm. “Careful,” he threatened, “you’re turning me on.” The evidence of that was suddenly glaring and hard against my stomach. The idea of what he might do to me once he won this fight—and he would win—took ahold of my lungs. A cold rush of fear doused the flame in my chest with a weak hiss. I went still, to his amusement. My body trembled as he pulled the rest of my clothes off. He worked me like a doll, turning me to unclip my bra and remove my arms from my blouse. He slid my thong down my thighs, and out of instinct—or maybe just to feel like I held a semblance of control—I lifted my legs so he could pull it off. I lay naked except for the star pendant between my breasts. Straddling my hips, his hands holding my wrists above my head, Ronan took in my body beneath him. He wasn’t even breathing hard, yet I gave it my all. Resentment expanded in my chest. I needed to see a human response from him. I needed to know I had a chance at surviving him. He leaned in and rested his body on mine. He felt hot to the touch, and I knew it was because he burned with the flames of hell. Pressing his face into my neck, he nuzzled me, his voice rough with restraint. “Do you know how they tame falcons?” I remained silent, staring sightlessly at the ceiling. He ran his lips down my throat. “They lock them away, cover their eyes, and hand-feed them.” “Pd rather starve.” His chuckle was throaty, punctuated by his hips pressing into mine, his erection hard between my legs. Obviously, the novelty hadn’t worn off completely. Our bodies fit together like they were made for one another. What a joke that was.