Maren looked at him stunned, her lips parted. She never expected such an outburst from the man who always maintained control.
"Every time I see you in class, I want to drag you out and mark you in front of everyone so that no one else dares to look at you."
"Do you mean it?" she stammered, her heart leaping in her throat. "After everything you said about the danger?"
"To hell with the danger. I was a goddamn coward," Thorne growled, shortening the distance until their faces were millimeters apart. "But I’d rather lose everything, my title and my name, before spending one more minute without you knowing that you belong to me and that I am yours."
Maren felt an internal discharge that was born from her mark and spread through every artery. Thorne released her hands and brought his thumb
