Chapter152

I closed my eyes, my body trembling slightly.

Jonathan held me like a wall of steel, his arms locked around me so tightly there was no way to move, no way to breathe freely.

I wanted to fight back, but where would I even run?

Was I out of my mind back then? Why did I ever mess with a man like this?

Even if he didn’t love me, he still wouldn’t let me go. It was like he thought I belonged to him.

“What are you, a dog? Gotta piss on things to mark your territory?”

I couldn’t hold it in anymore–I snapped. “Jonathan, I don’t love you anymore! I don’t feel anything for you! I’m not going to follow you around like I used to, so why can’t you just let me go?”

“Don’t love me? Do you think just saying it makes it true?”

He cut me off like I hadn’t said a single thing that mattered.

His hands stayed firmly on my shoulders, keeping me pinned in place.

For a moment, he stared at me like he was thinking something over. “You’re right. There’s no mark of mine on you.”

He leaned in, close to my ear, breathing me in. “If you were covered in my marks, no one would dare look at you again.”

My eyes widened. “Are you insane? You really do think you need to mark your territory! What’s next–youwant to brand me? Why not just make me get a tattoo of your name while you’re at it?”

The moment the words left my mouth, his whole body went rigid.

in his-

His expression darkened in an instant. He stared at me with something unreadable eyes, like he was seriously considering it.

I froze, stunned. Did I say something wrong just now? Was he actually thinking about it?

No–no way. There was absolutely no way I’d ever do something like that.

11

I never liked tattoos. Sure, some of the prettier ones could look nice, but they were hard to get rid

It was like getting a haircut, except you’d be stuck with the same hairstyle for the rest of your life.

There was no way I’d ever do something that irreversible.

I stared him down. “Jonathan, don’t even think about it. There is no way I’d ever tattoo your name

on me.”

Jonathan’s voice dropped, his expression so tense it looked like he was barely holding himself together. “Say that again?”

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I took a deep breath. “I will never get a tattoo, especially not your name! I wouldn’t ink anything even remotely connected to you. So forget it!”

I paused, then added, “Why don’t you go ask Alicia instead? I’m sure she’d love to do it.”

Jonathan shut his eyes for a moment, his face tight, like he was trying to keep something buried.

When he opened them again, those pitch–black eyes locked onto mine. “Elise, are you saying that on purpose? Or did you really forget?”

“Forget what?” I blinked, completely confused.

Without warning, he grabbed me and spun me around, yanking down the back of my shirt.

Panic surged through me. I started struggling wildly. “What are you doing? Let go of me!”

He held me down, trying to pull my clothes lower, and I couldn’t help but think the worst.

I thought he was going to pin me to the couch… and I lost it. I fought back hard, shouting and cursing like crazy, but Jonathan didn’t respond.

He just held me there, unmoved.

I felt his fingers slide over my shoulder, and my whole body went stiff, like I’d been shocked. My jaw clenched. It felt disgusting, like I was being touched by something vile.

I sucked in a breath and screamed, “Let me go! Let go of me!”

Suddenly, the pressure behind me disappeared. Just as I was about to catch my breath, Jonathan moved in front of me in one swift motion.

One arm locked around my waist, the other gripped my chin as he dragged me toward the full-

length mirror in the living room.

“Elise, look at yourself.”

Chapter 153