LOGINLucien’s POV“Lucien…” Her brows crease, and I hesitate when she pulls her lower lip between her teeth, in thought. “What is it, mi amor?”She shakes her head, but the worry doesn’t leave her eyes. I trace her eyebrows, the defined curve below them, her cheekbones, the faint trail of hair on either side of her face. My fingers brush over her lips, her breath warm against my skin. “What is it?” I ask softly. “Your brother,” she says. “I know, Antonio,” she murmurs. “But Salvatore’s different. You said you thought he sent the man to Adrianna’s school—which means he’s capable of hurting her, too.”“He wouldn’t,” I say firmly, smiling a little as I gently caress her cheek with the back of my fingers. “I made sure to leave a warning.”Her brows shoot up, scrunching slightly. “A warning? You confronted him?”I shake my head. “No. Not really. Remember Switzerland?” She nods. “I found out who Kendall was working for.”“Him.”I swallow thickly as I nod. “Yeah. My brother’s been stealing fr
Lucien’s POVMy cock throbs inside her, swollen and relentless, every thrust drawing a broken gasp from her lips. The way her cunt clenches around me, wet and desperate, tells me she’s close again. Too soon. I want more.“I haven’t fucked you yet,” I murmur, my mouth tipping with a pleased smile. “And you’re about to have an orgasm?”“I—” she shudders, her mouth falling open as I thrust in slowly. “I don’t know.” “I do,” I say proudly, lazily thrusting in and out. “You want me as much as I want you. We crave each other, mi amor.”My hands grip her ass to steady her position, and I turn, striding down the hall toward the first door on the left—the main suite. The wood is cool under my palm as I kick it open, the hinges groaning softly. The room is vast, the bed a monstrous thing draped in black silk, the sheets still pristine, untouched. Perfect.I toss her onto the mattress, and she bounces once, twice, her hair fanning out around her like a dark halo. Her chest heaves, her blouse
Lucien’s POVI deepen the kiss instantly, angling my head, my grip tightening as I pull her closer, closing every inch of space between us. Her fingers clutch at my shirt, fisting the fabric as she holds on, and I feel the slight tremble in her hands.My tongue brushes against her lower lip, slow at first, testing.She responds, opening for me.The kiss turns deeper, hungrier, my tongue sliding against hers, slow and deliberate before it turns rougher, more demanding, like I’m trying to consume every breath she gives me.She answers me just as fiercely.Her grip tightens, her body pressing closer, her breath hitching as the kiss shifts from something emotional into something dangerously close to overwhelming.My hand slides from her hair to her jaw, my thumb brushing along her cheek as I tilt her head slightly, taking more, giving more, not willing to pull back.There’s nothing but the heat of her mouth, the way she moves against me, the way every breath we take feels shared.When I f
Lucien’s POV I stumble backwards, nearly knocked off my feet as Maya launches herself at me. She throws her arms around my neck, holding me tight. “Lucien,” she whispers. “Lucien.” She clings to me, burying her face in my chest. My jaw clenches as I cradle the back of her head, my fingers threading gently through her hair. I hold her tight—not wanting to let go— feeling my heart pound loudly in my ears. I’m glad I came. I almost talked myself out of it, tried convincing myself that I was only going to leave again. I was only going to break her heart…Adrianna’s heart, for the umpteenth time. But I found myself heading here before I realized I’d taken the wrong route. I couldn’t…I needed to see her so much that it felt like I was going to die. Maya’s hands slide lower, her fingers clutching my shirt. I feel something wet on my skin. “I’m here,” I murmur hoarsely as something breaks inside of me. “I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner.” I kiss her forehead, burying my face in her hair.
Maya’s POV“It’s huge!” Adrianna exclaims, racing into the house before I can say anything. The man at the door tips his head, and I nod slightly, before following suit. The grand foyer looks like something out of an architectural digest, with white walls, tall windows, and polished wooden floors, with a black-lined pathway leading deeper into the mansion. I gaze at the chandelier hanging in the space between two sweeping stairs leading to the other floors, my mouth parting slightly in awe. Tiny gemstone shine in rainbow colors and they reflect off a painting hanging on a north wall. It’s gorgeous. “It has to be one of his houses,” I mutter to myself as I take the south stairs, following the sound of Adrianna’s voice. Jamie said it was a safe house. Before he handed us over to someone else, I wanted a hotel, somewhere I could hide under a false name until I’d booked a ticket for both of us out of the country. But he promised we’d be safe here—asked me to trust him. To trust Luc
Lucien’s POVI dial Jamie’s number again as I get off the highway, minutes into Maya’s neighborhood. “Have you found her?” My voice feels raw, scraped against my throat. “Yes,” he says, relief in his voice. “I just pulled into the gas station. I can see her now. She—” he pauses. “She’s with Adrianna. They’re both safe.” My shoulders tremble, strength leaving me for a moment as air rushes out of my lungs. My grip falters as I gulp in a shaky breath. “Good,” I whisper. “Guard them with your life, Jamie.” “I will,” he says briskly. “A sedan,” he adds. “She says it was a sedan trailing her. A brown sedan. She didn’t catch the full plate numbers.” He gives me a couple digits. “Do you want to…speak to her directly?” My breath catches. My chest squeezes. I do. I desperately want to hear her voice. “No,” I shake my head. “Keep them safe.” I end the call before I can change my mind. I need to keep my distance. If I hear her voice, I might break my promise. I tuck my phone into my pocket
Maya “Maybe he’s not so terrible after all. I mean…” Andrew clears his throat with an awkward chuckle, his eyes flicking to the rearview mirror. “I figured there had to be a reason they brought in a relative instead of one of the biological sons.”I purse my lips and let out a small, frustrated br
Maya The boot hits the floor with a thud and I feel another of my patience slip away. I bite my tongue, swallowing down my frustration as I straighten from my crouch. “Woah,” I mutter as the ground tilts, reaching out with a hand to the wall to steady myself. I close my eyes for a moment, shake m
“Sure,” she nods. “It’s fine.”“Jenna,” I murmur as I brace my hands on either side of my chair, my fingers stretching over the edge of the armrests. It doesn’t feel the same. Even when she said her name was Elena, it tasted odd on my tongue, like something was missing. Now, Maya—that fits. Warm,
LucienI raise my head, closing the large, boring folder in front of me when she appears by the door. My chest knots, quicker than I expected, as my gaze slowly washes over her—unhurriedly. She has her hair in a ponytail, a little too tight judging by the tiny vein propped out on her forehead, and







