The minute I'm in a little pain ... your rough, tough, scary bad boy image totally falls apart.

She lifted her head. "He knows I love you." She touched his face, her fingers trembling. "He knows, Jackson. He can't get in when I'm filled with you and it's making him angrier. He's never denied himself anything and he believes he owns me." "Well he's wrong, Elle. No one owns you.

If you allowed yourself to hear or feel amusement, you would hear and feel pain.

You are such a baby when it comes to me. I see you all rough and tough when you're scaring everyone around you with your bad-boy image and you fall apart because I'm in pain.

Jackson caught Elle's arms and dragged her back against him, pressing his mouth to her ear. "Stop now, Elle, or I swear I'll knock you out. You aren't killing yourself over him. Stop now, damn it." Elle slumped against him." Don't let my sisters touch me. Too dangerous. And I can't bear if they feel what I feel. Promise me." Blood pumped out of her nose." Only you, Jackson, no one else. Swear it or I keep going." Jackson closed his eyes. "I swear it, Elle.