43. Clarissa

My head tilted to the side as the moonlight filtered through the window, casting long shadows on Jalen's face. He looked away, his disapproval pressed down on me like a physical force, and the clock on the nightstand ticked away.

"What the hell do you mean by you don't want it to be forced?" I spoke in a clipped tone, sighing loudly, my father's face flashing in my memory like a nightmare. "Do you realize the danger we're putting ourselves into? If you don't mark me, my dad will find us and I swear that he will never let you come close to me."

My breathing grew heavy and labored and Jalen's strong hands held me close. He made eye contact with me and despite my anger, I felt nothing but longing and desire for him. He had a deep sadness in his eyes that made me want to hug his worries away.

"I want you to do this because you want to, not because of the fear of getting caught."

He held my hands and leaned close to me. "Also, the bond is not jus