BURN

She actually rolled her eyes at him. Rolled. Her. Eyes.

Brace yourself, because I’m going to annoy you, ignore you, and surprise you for as long as we both shall live.”

He smiled. “And I’m going to spoil you, fuck you, and – of course – order you around for the rest of our lives.”

He needed to take her, claim her, and own her so completely that she’d never be free of him, just like he’d never be free of her.

When I realized you were gone, I almost lost my fucking mind.” Intellectually, he’d known that he’d lose control if she was ever taken from him, but he hadn’t been prepared for the blind fear and sheer panic that tormented him. “I haven’t felt fear in a very long time.”

…‘The flames can’t burn you, Harper. Because they’re me. And you’re right, I’d never harm you

‘If anything happened to you, if you were taken from me, that control would be gone.’ More of his words came to her…‘I’d make them all pay. But I wouldn’t stop there. It wouldn’t be enough. Not for me, not for my demon. So many would die, so much would be destroyed.’

“I don’t just call on the flames of hell, Harper. I am the flames of hell.”

Baby, I wouldn’t want to. I’d make them all pay. But I wouldn’t stop there. It wouldn’t be enough. Not for me, not for my demon. So many would die, so much would be destroyed.” It had to be a hard weight for her to carry. “You need to live.”

You could beg me to let you go, but I wouldn’t.” He’d told her before that he didn’t intend to give her freedom, but he needed her to understand how utterly serious he was. If she chose to leave, he’d find a way to make her want to stay

Nothing is more important to me than you. And I’ll kill anyone who tries to take you from me. What you have to live with is that you have more control over my demon than I do, because it will annihilate everything in its path if anything bad were to happen to you. I wouldn’t be able to hold it back even if I wanted to