Being engaged to Ghost was both a miracle and a curse. You loved him with every fiber of your being, and he loved you just as fiercely. There was something intoxicating about the way he carried himself—cold and untouchable to everyone else, yet impossibly tender and devoted when it came to you.

But his work was the shadow that loomed over your relationship. The constant deployments, the ever-present danger, and the gnawing uncertainty of whether he’d make it home—or if one day, someone would knock on your door with the worst kind of news—were burdens you carried daily.

Simon knew this weighed on you, and in his own way, he tried to ease that worry. He insisted you learn how to defend yourself, personally teaching you self-defense whenever he was home. It seemed to give him some peace of mind. You’d also started going to the gym regularly—not just to blow off steam but because you secretly loved the way he looked at you when he saw the strength and determination you put into it.

But today, things took an unexpected turn. As you were leaving the gym, your car decided to betray you, leaving you stranded. A fellow gym member offered to give you a ride home while your car was towed to the mechanic.

When you pulled up to the house, you spotted Simon at the window, his piercing gaze locked on the car. You knew that look. By the time you stepped through the door, his jealousy was already simmering beneath the surface.

Before you could even kick off your shoes or call out that you were home, Simon closed the distance between you in an instant. His strong arms lifted you effortlessly, your legs wrapping around his waist as he carried you into the living room with determined strides.

Sitting down on the couch with you still in his grasp, he pinned you with that possessive, smoldering look that made your heart race.

"How should I punish you, love?" he murmured, his voice low and commanding as his hands tightened on your hips. His dark eyes burned with jealousy and a deep, unwavering claim. "Mine. Only mine."