Jax didn’t get it. Sarah was the one screwing with him. She was a master at the mind fuck. Like her father, she showed the world only what she wanted them to see. A true manipulator, all the way to her core.

He’d underestimated her. He’d thought taking Sarah out would be easy.

He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

He would show her—and Murphy—just how strong he’d become. He wasn’t helpless. He wouldn’t cower and beg for help any longer. Now, everyone would be begging him.

Sarah would beg.

Then she’d die.

As for Jax Fontaine . . . he smiled. Jax was a pawn that would be used. A pawn whose time had finally come.

Jax didn’t know it, but he knew all of Jax’s secrets. Every single one of them. He’d use those secrets.

Right now, Jax was protecting Sarah. Keeping his goons around her so that she’d never be vulnerable. But he’d get Jax to turn on Sarah. Before he was done, Jax would be serving Sarah up for death.

And Sarah would be screaming.

JAX SHUT THE door behind Sarah and secured his alarm. She stood a few feet in front of him, her shoulders slumped, her hair trailing down her back. As he watched her, Sarah moved forward a bit, and her fingers curled around the banister. “I feel safe with you.” She said those words as she began to climb up the stairs. “And that’s probably wrong, isn’t it?”

Behind her, he shook his head. Then he stalked toward her and picked her up. Sarah gave a little gasp of surprise.

“Nothing’s wrong between us,” he told her. His arms tightened around her. “You need to remember that.” He started carrying her up the stairs. She was so small and delicate compared to him. She almost felt too light in his arms.

She didn’t struggle in his hold. Sarah curled her hands around his neck and said, “I think you like carrying me.”

Guilty. He liked holding her. Sarah . . . fit.

“Just so you know, though, you don’t have to do this whole Rhett Butler routine to impress me.”

He laughed. Her words were so unexpected—after everything that had happened—the laughter just spilled from him.

And Sarah smiled.

Fuck . . . Sarah smiled. It was a real smile, one that made her dark eyes light up. He almost lost his footing right then and nearly sent both of them tumbling down the stairs. But he steadied himself and held her even closer.

“I’m already impressed plenty,” she said. “Promise.”

Get her up the stairs and into bed.

He concentrated hard. One foot. The other. He really just wanted to kiss her and fuck her, but he was trying to hold on to some control. For the moment. He knew, though, that when he got Sarah naked, his control would splinter.

By some miracle, they got to the top of the stairs. His cock was swollen, his muscles tight. He marched down the hall, but he didn’t take her to his bed. Not yet.

Take care of her. Sarah needed to see that he could be someone she could count on. Despite what the rumors said, he’d be more for Sarah than just a—completely unforgettable—fuck. For her, he’d be one hell of a lot more.

Always . . . her.

He took her into the bathroom. That had been one of the first rooms he’d had redone in that place. Now marble gleamed in the room. The tub—hell, the thing was big enough for five people, so it would easily fit him and Sarah.

He lowered Sarah to her feet. Then he backed away and turned on the water, making sure it was nice and hot. “Figured you’d want to wash off this day . . .” He sure as hell did.

Jax turned his back and reached for his shirt. He tossed it over his head even as he toed out of his shoes and then—

Sarah pressed a kiss to his back. Jax’s muscles went rock-hard at her touch. His hands were on the button of his pants. He eased that button open and slid the zipper down very carefully. As a general rule, Jax didn’t bother with underwear, and he sure didn’t want to hurt his overeager dick because he was frantic for Sarah.

“I like your tattoos,” Sarah said as her fingers trailed down his arms. So many tattoos were there. Milestones, from his life. From the times when he’d had to crawl out of the gutter. Those tats showed others where he’d been. They told him where he was going.

Sarah eased away from him. He heard the faint rustle of clothing, and when he looked back, Sarah was naked. Naked and fucking perfect.

Unlike him, she had no tats that colored her body. The only mark on her . . . that was the scar on her wrist, and he’d noticed that Sarah covered that mark from others. But not from me. She stood before him, completely naked, and she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

The water kept pouring into that tub. Steam was rising lightly. Sarah slipped past him and lowered into the water.

She sank into it, sighing softly. That sigh was a lot like the sound she made when he was balls-deep in her. A sound of pure contentment. Pleasure.

“Aren’t you coming in?” Sarah asked. She’d reached for the soap and was rubbing it on her body. The lather was over her skin. Caressing the pink of her nipples. Sliding between the heaven of her legs.

Did she even realize that he’d bought that vanilla-scented soap just for her?

He slid in beside her, sending that water sloshing. Her hands reached for him, and Sarah was . . . stroking him with her slippery hands. The lather got on him, eased over his chest and down his abs.

Then Sarah reached for his cock. Her eyes were on his as she stroked him. Once. Twice. From root to tip. And her touch was incredible. Faster, harder, she stroked him.

If she was going to play, then he figured it was only fair that he did, too. He wrapped his hands around her hips, lifted her up, and onto him.

“Jax!”

He didn’t thrust his cock into her. Oh, he wanted to. But he was holding back then, for her. Show her what you can do. Her legs curled around his hips in that big tub, and she was straddling him as the water poured down. He had her in the perfect position. She was stroking his cock—hell, yes—and he could slip his fingers right between her spread legs. Right over her delicate folds and into her sex.

“Jax!” Her hold tightened on him, squeezing so good.

He trailed his thumb over her clit. He knew just how to stroke that button so that she’d shiver. And when Sarah pushed down against him, moving even harder, he knew that she liked what he was doing to her.

He wanted her to love it.

His fingers eased in and out of her. He kept his thumb on her clit, pushing down, rubbing harder, stroking her into a feverish pitch. And she kept her fingers wrapped around his cock. Working his erection again and again. It was a race then; he was pushing her, determined to make Sarah come first.

Come for him.

And she did. He felt her inner muscles clench around him as she choked out his name.

Yes . . .

He was staring into her eyes and he saw them go blind with pleasure. Her cheeks flushed a sweet pink and her lips parted as she tried to suck in air.

You belong to me. Did she realize it yet? She would, soon enough.

She sagged against him. “Jax . . .”

He rose, lifting her with him. They were both soaking wet as he took her back to the bed. He wasn’t about to stop so they could dry off. He needed her too much.

He lowered her onto the bed. Her legs were spread. Her breasts glistening with those tight nipples. He climbed on top of her. Kissed Sarah. Deep and hard because he loved her taste.

She arched against him. Her hands curled around his arms and her short nails bit into him.

He pulled away from her.

“Wait, Jax—”

He pushed between her legs. Lifted her hips up and put his mouth on her. He didn’t just want Sarah to come. He wanted her to break apart for him. To go insane with the pleasure. To know nothing but him and the way he could make her feel.