Chapter 1193:
Collin’s eyes narrowed as he leveled her with a sharp look. “Tell me, Linsey—exactly who are you planning to battle with all this gear?”
With her defenses already exposed, Linsey saw no reason to lie to him. She moved forward decisively, snatching the two pepper spray canisters from Collin’s hands. “They’re for protection against you. Who else would they be for?” Her heart belonged to someone else, and sharing a home with Collin was a desperate necessity, not a choice.
To her, he was an erratic presence, and to protect herself from any inappropriate advances during their forced living arrangement, she had taken precautions.
Collin’s eyes narrowed, his irritation clear at her bluntness. His voice turned icy as he ordered, “I’m your husband. Why would you need to protect yourself from me? Get rid of them.”
“You’re not,” Linsey shot back, her refined features set in a defiant expression.
Collin’s face darkened further. “Repeat that.”
Linsey didn’t hesitate, her voice firm as she stressed each word. “You are not my husband. Felix is the man I want to spend my life with!”
For reasons he couldn’t fully understand, hearing Felix’s name ignited a spark of rage in Collin. To him, Felix was utterly worthless, yet Linsey still yearned for him.
Watching her lips form those words, Collin felt an overwhelming urge to silence her.
“If it weren’t for you, Felix and I would be happily married by now. We…” Before she could finish, Collin yanked her into his embrace. In an instant, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers with forceful intensity.
“Mmph…” Linsey’s eyes widened in shock. She fought back fiercely, but her struggles only made Collin tighten his hold, kissing her with a ferocity that stole her breath.
The overpowering kiss left her gasping, nearly suffocating. In desperation, Linsey bit down on his tongue.
Collin groaned in pain, loosening his grip. The sharp taste of blood filled his mouth.
Seizing the moment, Linsey broke free and scrambled to her feet. In a flash, she slapped him across the face, her body trembling with fury. “You creep! That was my first kiss!”
Linsey, deeply traditional, had always planned to save her first kiss and her first night for her wedding. During her five-year relationship with Felix, they had never crossed that boundary. But now, Collin had stolen that moment from her.
The more she dwelled on it, the more her anger surged, a part of her wanting to lash out at this despicable man. She raised her hand again, but Collin was quick, catching her wrist mid-swing. In one swift motion, he pulled her back into his arms, his strong fingers tilting her chin to force her gaze to meet his.
Her anger was palpable, but his was fiercer, his eyes cold with a possessive edge. “This is your only warning. We’re married now. You’re mine, and only mine. If I hear you say Felix is the man you want to marry again, I’ll end him right in front of you,” Collin warned.
Linsey stared at him, her face pale with shock.
“Do you understand?” Collin demanded, unwilling to let her evade a clear response.
Overwhelmed and intimidated, Linsey reluctantly nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “I understand.”
At that, Collin’s expression softened slightly. He ran his thumb over her lips, a faint note of satisfaction in his deep, commanding voice. “That’s my girl.”
