Chapter 16
Chapter
Sixteen
Lucian
The office is quiet, too quiet. Papers litter my desk, contracts half-signed, notes I haven’t read, all meaningless. I shuffle through them anyway. A ritual, a thin excuse to feel productive while my mind is somewhere else.
Since Elliot left, I’ve been…adrift. Every time I think about leaving this office, tracking her down, pulling her back into my arms, I stop myself. I can’t. If I go after her now, I confirm every hateful thought she has about me. That I manipulate, that I control, that I use her.
I hate this. I hate the ache. I hate that I can’t fix it. But I love her. I love her so damn much it hurts like fire beneath my ribs. And that—more than anything—is the part I can’t control.
There’s a knock on the door.
I groan, already knowing who it is.
“Vittoria, leave me the fuck alone.” I continue to shift through the scattered papers, the words blurring into nothingness.
The knock comes again, this time louder and more insistent. I grit my teeth. “I said leave—”
The door swings open anyway. I don’t look up at first, assuming it’s Vittoria in one of her sour moods, until a familiar voice cuts through the quiet of the office.
“I’m here for the interview.”
My head snaps up. My eyes find her, and for a moment the world tilts.
Even dressed simply, in clothes that shouldn’t compete with the way she takes my breath, she’s beautiful.
Golden curls, clear blue eyes, a look of innocence that I know hides a sharp wit and fiery attitude. Every nerve in me ignites.
“Monty…” I breathe her name.
“I heard there was an opening for Mr. Vale’s assistant,” she says with a small smirk. And I can’t help it, a smile curls my lips, too.
We’ve been through this exchange before, or at least something very similar, when she’d first come into VMR and uprooted my life. I hadn’t known then just how much of an impact she would leave on me.
“You’re not what I expected,” I repeat my line, remembering it well.
But instead of following it up with her comment about her name and me mistaking her for a man, she says with a sigh, “Neither are you.”
Elliot walks around the desk to meet me.
I’m about to stand up, but she puts her hand on my chest to keep me down and then straddles me on my office chair.
My hands come down on her hips, still caught between disbelief and desire, and the air between us crackles, thick with everything left unsaid.
With everything I’ve wanted since she walked away.
I want to explain myself, tell her the truth about Vittoria and Kayla and assure her that I’d had no idea, but she cuts me off before a single word leaves my mouth.
“I know, Lucian,” she says as if reading my mind. “And I’m not mad at you for that.”
“Monty…you have to know I never—” I pause, searching her eyes.
“I never thought you were like Nell. That’s not why I turned you.
That’s never been why. Nell’s parents…yes, I killed them.
I never told her out of fear, but I carried that guilt with me.
I’ll probably carry it for the rest of my life.
” I take a steadying breath. I need her to understand, truly understand.
“I turned you because I’m a selfish bastard who couldn’t give you up. ”
“I guess we have that in common then,” she says. “Because I’m also a selfish bastard and can’t give you up.”
I can’t help it. I laugh. “I suppose it’s fitting that we’re both damned for eternity.”
She nods. “I never wanted Santiago. I just wanted the freedom I thought he was offering. Especially after feeling so trapped here, like I was your prisoner—”
“I understand.”
“But I found out what he’s been up to. What he’s been plotting against you and VMR.”
“Oh? You mean with de Santis’s holdings?”
“No, actually, de Santis was more of a cover for what he was really doing behind the scenes,” she explains.
“You’ll find it all sent to the email designated for incoming hires, where I first sent my resume.
But I figure a man like you must have sway with law enforcement in this city.
You’ll have all the proof you’ll need to shut Sanguine down for good. ”
“Your snooping finally comes in handy,” I say with a short chuckle.
“It’s saved both our asses.”
I’m overly curious now. “What did you find?”
“Sanguine has been mostly a front for every dirty dealing you can think of. Money laundering, human trafficking, drugs…” she says. “If it’s illegal, Santiago’s had his hand in it in some way or fashion.”
“I’m not surprised,” I say. “Santiago’s attracted to danger and power that way. Always has been. He’ll do anything to get to the top. Anything.”
“It’s not just that. He’s also been stealing VMR’s employees. Slowly. Meticulously, so that no one would grow suspicious. That’s how he’s been gathering information on you.” She looks at me. “You seem to have some snakes in your company.”
I smile. This woman. She never ceases to surprise me.
“I’ll definitely be looking into it. Or maybe, I’ll have Vittoria look into it. I’m sure she’ll have some fun.” I reach up, brushing a strand of hair from Elliot’s face. “And I know Raleigh will be thrilled to be included in exposing Santiago. You’ve given him his revenge on a silver platter.”
It’s more than that. I’m also giving the Rogues all of Benicio’s property and money, so they can rebuild what they’ve lost and possibly expand. It’ll end the threat of war and hold the Rogues close enough to keep an eye on.
Am I afraid there may be a day when Raleigh comes to me, demanding a change of the status quo? No, not afraid. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, for helping me and Monty escape the blaze, he’ll be rewarded handsomely.
But Elliot glances away briefly, something else on her mind. “Do you think…he’ll come after you? Or me? Santiago? Seek revenge?”
“I’m not worried. He’ll more than likely go into hiding for a bit. Go back to Europe until he can regroup. But I don’t want you to worry about him. Santiago won’t be able to touch you. Not while I’m still alive.”
Her gaze softens. “And that’s going to be a long, long time.”
“It is.”
I hold her as she straddles me, and the chair groans under our combined weight. Her thighs press against mine, her pussy warm, and my cock twitches at the close proximity. My hands slide up her back, still having a hard time believing she’s even here with me again.
She must feel my dick hardening underneath her because she hisses softly and begins to slowly grind on me.
“What do you want, Monty?” I ask softly. No demand, no edge this time. I want her to know she has the choice she’s been craving. She’s had it all along.
“You,” she breathes. “Just you.”
I pull her closer. Kiss her. Slowly. Reverently. Just her and me, tasting relief and fire at the same time. My lips part, my tongue meeting hers. The kiss burns hot, grows deep.
“Lucy,” she whispers. “I—”
I groan, my forehead resting against hers. “Don’t say it unless you want to be mine forever.”
“I do,” she says, rocking against me. “I love you.”
My blood surges, and I have to grip her tighter, anchoring myself to reality before my need overtakes me completely.
Her hands roam along my chest, teasing as she undoes the buttons to my dress shirt and tugs it down my arms. I press kisses against her neck and she bites my shoulder so hard, I moan. The shock of pain feels good and when she sucks the few drops of blood from me, I let her.
I take fistfuls of her shirt and tear it from the collar down until it’s just two strips of useless fabric. Then I move to her pants, which I also rip from her hips to her thighs, just enough to bare that hot, wet cunt to me.
Lifting her head, I can see my blood staining her lips and it’s the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. She fumbles with my belt and zipper but is able to free me in seconds. My cock is aching. It’s been too long since I’ve sunk myself deep inside her, feeling her muscles clench around me.
Too fucking long.
“Tell me to stop,” I murmur against her neck, “and I’ll stop.”
“I won’t,” she whispers. “Never.”
Just what I want to hear.
I push into her tight pussy and it is heaven.
“Oh, Monty, this old classic will never get boring.”
Using my grip on her hips, I lift her to pullout and then bring her pussy back down on my cock, spearing her. Her body swallows me, stretching to take me deep. I find her mouth again, her tongue as I plunge into her over and over.
I can feel the moment she loses herself. Everything clenches deliciously as she comes, and she’s so wet that I slide easily in and out, using her body as my own personal fuck toy. The pleasure is building quickly inside me, as I slam her down and raise her up, picking up speed.
But just as she gets used to the tempo I’ve set, I lift her again, but this time, I tilt her hips, pull her closer, and sink into her ass, making her scream.
She claws at me, pulling at my hair, digging her nails into my shoulders, as she’s swept away by another orgasm, this one leaving her a shuddering mess.
I fuck her through it, burying myself in her as though if I stop, she’ll somehow disappear. Each time feels deeper as I rock and push her down, her legs now fully wrapped around my waist.
It’s a wild ride. It lasts forever and a moment.
“Mine,” I murmur, not as ownership but as a truth I’ve carried too long.
“Yours.”
Her head falls back, spine arched, surrender written into every line of her body. When she comes, I follow instinct and hunger both, sinking my teeth into the curve of her breast, taking what she offers without restraint. Her blood is fire on my tongue. It unravels me.
My own release crashes through me a heartbeat later as a violent sweep. I feel it everywhere, down to the marrow, until there’s nothing left of me but tremor and aftershock.
Long after, I hold her close, her face tucked into the hollow of my throat, our heartbeats syncing into a single, steady rhythm.
And in that quiet, realization settles in.
This was never a fairytale where the princess tames the monster.
This is something darker. More twisted and inevitable.
It’s two monsters recognizing each other…and choosing forever.
THE END