His blazing, dark eyes meet hers. “Maybe you should have tried harder to escape.” “I know you will tear apart the world to find me.” Ava flashes her teeth. “I know you would stop at nothing.” “And why do you think that is?” His curiosity slips, his interest shows. Ava has got his full attention, and her skin is hot with its weight. The way he looks at her, he probably has no idea how he looks at women. What his heavy-lidded, cold gaze and make her feel. “Because you think I’m yours. Because you think you’ve owned me since the moment you had me brought here. You hate me because you can’t deny it. You can’t deny all the things I make you - ” He steps so close to her so fast, his warm breath brushes against her cheek and she closes her eyes. His hands aren’t touching her, but she feels naked and bare. Her hands tremble by her sides as she waits and waits and waits. “Is that what you want, Steele?” His voice is so deep and hoarse, Ava can’t even think of meeting his eyes. The thrill comes alive in her veins. She hasn’t felt this alive since Dale threw her out. “Do you want to be mine?”