Chapter Eleven
"LUCIUS?" HIS MOTHER'S voice tinged with bewilderment as she joined his stepfather on the phone in loudspeaker.
"I hope I didn't catch you or Papa at a bad time."
"No, of course not," Joy was quick to assure him. "But...this is also unlike you. Is there some reason why you wished to speak to us both?"
"There is, actually. I wanted you both to hear from it first, and if it's alright with you, I'll leave it to you to let the others know."
"It's not like you to beat around the bush like this," Alrich observed soberly.
Since his stepfather was right as always, Lucius took this as a sign to simply get on with it.
"I got married today."
His mother let out a gasp while his stepfather remained silent, which was also typical of the older man.
"Her name's Tassina. You've never met her, but I'm certain you'll like her a lot. She's...great." Lucius could feel his skin flushing as he found himself fumbling for the right things to say.
"I'm, um..." Joy's voice was faint, and Lucius had a feeling his mother was also struggling to find something to say.
"Congratulations, son."
It was only after hearing this did Lucius even realize how tension had held his entire body rigid, and he could feel himself gradually relaxing as Aldrich went on talking in his usual gruff voice. "We look forward to meeting her soon."
"I'll bring her over for dinner," Lucius promised.
"That sounds good."
Lucius could only wince as an awkward pause followed. His entire life, he had never felt the need to introduce any of the women he dated to his parents, much less bring any of them home. Was that why he was having a hard time figuring out what else he had to say about his new wife?
"I'm sorry I'm bad at this," Lucius finally said in a stiff voice.
"You're doing a lot better than you think, Lucius."
The amusement in Alrich's voice took Lucius back to the old days. He was a teenage boy again, and his stepfather was back to being unfathomable.
"Couples who marry for practical reasons are often the ones who are also quicker to give up at the first sign of trouble. It's when you don't have the words, but your heart remains firm..."
Lucius closed his eyes as the meaning behind Aldrich's words hit home.
I love her.
And he only realized he had said this out loud when he heard his mother's heartfelt gasp.
"Oh, Lucius. Oh, Aldrich. Did you hear what our boy just said?"
Lucius could feel another flush staining his skin. His mother might be the only soft-spoken member of their family, but Joy also had a way with words that made them feel like little kids again.
"I can't believe you're all grown up now," Joy exclaimed tearfully. "I've been praying all this time, but a part of me never really...oh, Lucius. You've made me so happy. And excited. When are you bringing her over? And her name is Tassina, isn't it? What does she like? Does she have any—-"
"It's your son's wedding day, sweetheart," Aldrich interrupted his wife with a chuckle. Let's give Lucius and his wife some time together before we start bombarding their questions."
Lucius felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders after speaking to his parents. It came as no surprise to him that even his own mother hadn't been inclined to hope that he had it in him to fall in love.
With Stanley Young as their biological father, it was already a miracle that he and his other siblings hadn't turned into homicidal, cocaine-snorting narcissists. Or maybe it wasn't a miracle at all, with a mother like theirs, and later on, a stepfather in Aldrich Lim, who was the opposite of Stanley.
Regardless of the reason, Lucius had come to realize just how much it mattered to have his parents' blessings, and when he joined his wife in Foxtown's most expensive suite after his shower, and he saw the glow on her face—-
"Did you have a good talk with your best friend?"
"Really...good." Her voice caught in the end, with her attention distracted by the way Lucius had gotten rid of his jacket and cravat. He started unbuttoning his shirt next, and Tassi found herself gulping as inch after bronzed inch of his muscular chest was bared to her sight.
"I spoke to my parents as well."
"O-Oh?" Tassy was feeling hot in the face with Lucius now standing bare-chested in front of her.
"But—-"
B-Bu...b-bulge!
"I'm afraid—-"
Afraid, yes, she absolutely was afraid by that...that bulge she had just noticed!
"I can't—-"
Can't that be real? Can't that fit? Can't that—-
"—-say the same."
Can...he repeat that?
She gave herself a mental shake and struggled to recall the context of their conversation. Lucius had asked about how her talk with Stella went, she had told him their talk had been really good, and then he had told her about his own conversation with his parents—-
Oh.
And that was when she remembered exactly what he had said.
But I'm afraid I can't say the same.
Tassy's heart plummeted to her stomach even as she told herself that shouldn't have come as a surprise. Lucius' parents were likely concerned about how fast things had progressed between them.
"Since I find the words 'very good' inadequate."
And if Lucius had told them even just a bit about her background - or lack thereof - then of course they'd be right to wonder if she was a gold-digger—- what did he just say?
Tassy's gaze flew up to his, and the moment she saw the glint in the billionaire's eyes—-
Aaargh!
Why, oh, why did she keep forgetting the fact that he had already admitted to deriving pleasure from being a sadist around her?
Tassy grabbed one of the fluffy little pillows behind her and threw it at Lucius, hoping to take him by surprise, but of course he had caught it handily before throwing the pillow back at her, which then hit her smack in the face.
Aaaaargh!
Lucius scooped her off the couch before she could throw another pillow at him. He tossed her on the bed, and a smirk curved over his lips when he heard his Tassina actually growl.
"Y-You—-"
It was all she was able to say.
As always.
Because after that, there was no longer any chance for her to speak, with his mouth crushing hers in a ruthlessly deep kiss that demanded everything of her to be his.
Nooooo.
There was this tiniest part of her that wished she could somehow find a way to extract even just a little bit of revenge. It was just so unfair and frustrating that Lucius always ended up getting the better of her.
But...
The moment Lucius grabbed her waist, their kiss abruptly ended as she suddenly found herself flipped to her stomach—-
Too late.
She knew she was doomed the moment he started working on the pearl buttons at the back of her gown, his fingers moving with such swift efficiency that he was already gently pulling her gown down her waist before she could draw her next breath.
Aaah!
Her gown was on the floor, and all she could do was whimper when she found herself lying on her back once again, but this time she was completely naked save for a scrap of lace covering her womanhood.
Instinct had her automatically trying to shield her nakedness from the burning hunger of his coppery gaze—-
"Don't."
But as soon as she heard Lucius' fierce growl, she didn't even think twice. Her arms immediately fell back on her side, and she realized at that moment something had completely and permanently changed between them.
She was his wife now, oh God.
And this man...
Lucius ...
This man was her husband, and oh... how her husband was making her writhe and whimper with the way he was staring at her.
" Mine ."
It was just one word.
But with the way he had said it with such savage possessiveness—-
" Now and forever. "
Every inch of her did feel his, with the way she was burning and tingling from head to toe—-
"Tell me, Tassina."
She looked at him pleadingly and dazedly, with the restless heat coiling deep in her belly making her feel like she was about to lose her mind any moment.
"Y-Yours," she choked out helplessly. "I'm y-yours—- aaaah."
Her words ended in a whimper as he bent down to take her nipple into his mouth, and her toes curled hard as he immediately started suckling with ravenous hunger. Pain and pleasure blended into each other as his teeth scraped against the distended tip, and she could no longer keep herself from moaning.
His mouth moved to her other breast, excitement shooting through her body as his tongue swirled around her nipple while his fingers started pinching its still-distended twin.
A whimper of protest escaped her when his lips finally released their swollen captive, but when she realized where his mouth was heading, and she felt his hands already pulling her panties down her trembling legs—-
AAAAAH.
The sounds his Tassina made as he started suckling on her clit had his breeches feeling suffocatingly tight against his engorged cock. He couldn't get enough of how her entire body was trembling in his hold. Couldn't get enough of how every sensitive inch of her seemed to be crying out for his possession. He remembered the sweet, intoxicating taste of her, but as much as he wanted to have her come coating his tongue yet again—-
Tassy cried out in protest when Lucius pulled away without warning. She was so, so close. Surely, he knew. So why did he stop?
A familiar sound had Tassy opening her eyes, just in time to see Lucius getting rid of his breeches, and wetness flooded her core at her first sight of his length. The size of his bulge earlier was obviously a hint, but now that she was seeing it in the flesh—-
Her desire grew out of control, her body writhing uncontrollably when Tassy saw his erection twitch violently under her dazed gaze. Her heart hammered against her chest as Lucius joined her in bed. She wanted him to the point of agony, wanted him so, so much that she felt not a single ounce of fear as he loomed over her.
Their eyes locked, and as her breath caught at the need she saw in his gaze—-
It was then he finally entered her, and a sob spilled out of her throat as he claimed her virginity in a single possessive thrust.
"Mine," she heard Lucius rasp above her, and just hearing this had her whole being sing. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he started to move. Felt him claim ownership of her body as he began pounding into her.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
That was what his big, hard body was telling her with every deep and forceful thrust, and all she could do was tighten her arms around his because that was exactly what she wanted.
Yours. Yours. Yours.
Their bodies strained against each other as their gazes collided yet again, and oh, what she saw this time—-
His gaze promised something she could no longer deny, and Tassy's heart felt as if it was about to explode out of her chest.
I love you.
She came as soon as she read the truth in his eyes, and even though fear of being hurt anew wanted to hold her back—-
Tassy's legs wrapped around his waist as her inner muscles tightened around his pulsing length. And even though her body was still in the throes of climax, she managed to hold his face between trembling hands—-
I love you.
Her surrender was all it took to push Lucius over the edge, and he could only growl her name out as pleasure like nothing else he had ever experienced powered through his body.
Nothing about her—-nothing about this—-nothing about the two of them should have made sense. But it did. Because of what he saw in her tear-filled eyes, and which Lucius knew she also saw in his.
Love.