Chapter 35 #2
Tessa mounts the seat behind him, wrapping her arms securely around his waist.
The engine roars to life with a ferocious, deafening growl that vibrates through the concrete walls.
This time, Lucius does not steer the bike toward the familiar gates of the family mansion.
Instead, he tears out into the night, weaving violently through the narrow, twisting alleyways of Brooklyn.
The city blurs into streaks of neon and shadow as the thunderous exhaust drowns out the rest of the world.
Tessa clings to him tightly, her mind spinning in confusion as the surroundings grow unfamiliar. Where is he taking me? Is anywhere truly safe anymore?
"Where are we going?" she calls out over the wind.
"Just watch," Lucius replies, his voice carried away by the rush of air. "It’s a new place. A safe place. Just for you."
Finally, the bike drifts into a secluded, quiet alleyway hidden away from the main thoroughfares. The engine dies, leaving a heavy, ringing silence in its wake.
"Get down, Tessa," Lucius says, swinging his leg off the bike.
Tessa removes her helmet, looking around the dark, brick-lined street. "Is this the place?"
"Yes. Let’s go inside." Lucius slides his hand firmly around her waist, pulling her flush against his hip as they approach a heavy, reinforced steel door.
As they near, a security camera hums to life, a red laser sweeping across his face. The electronic lock clicks open with a heavy thud and a massive bodyguard steps aside, bowing his head deeply.
"Welcome, Boss," the man mutters.
Tessa steps into the foyer, her eyes widening as she takes in her surroundings. Every five paces, two or three heavily armed bodyguards stand like statues against the walls, their hands resting near their holsters. The air is thick with lethal preparation.
Frightened by the intense atmosphere, Tessa reaches out and yanks firmly on the cuff of Lucius’s sleeve. He pauses, turning his head to look down at her, their eyes locking in the dim light.
"Why is there so much security here?" Tessa whispers, her voice trembling slightly. "There’s even more than at the mansion."
Lucius leans down, his eyes dark and unwavering.
"The mansion was built with the law's money, Tessa. It belongs to the public face of Lucius. This place? This is only for my private world. Nobody knows about this."
He walks her toward a set of double doors.
"I already have your maid brought here just to prepare your meals. And your wardrobe is fully stocked in our bedroom."
He pushes the main doors open, revealing a sweeping, ultra-modern layout. "This is the main penthouse."
Tessa steps inside, her boots clicking softly on the dark hardwood floors. She looks around the vast, luxurious space, taking in the clean lines and heavy drapery. "It’s beautiful... but it feels different."
"Different how?" Lucius asks, watching her closely.
"It’s massive, but the windows don't let in much natural light," she notes, looking at the heavily tinted, bulletproof glass. "But the inside... all these little plants everywhere. Oh, I love it."
A faint, rare smile touches the corner of Lucius's mouth. She is looking for light even in my darkness, he thinks, his heart swelling. He steps into her space, his presence enveloping her. "I know, darling. Now, go take a shower. It is getting very late."
"Where is the bathroom?" Tessa asks, looking around the maze of hallways. "And where is our bedroom?"
Lucius slides his hand back down to her waist, his touch firm and possessive as he guides her toward a darkened corridor. "Go down this way. You can explore the rest of the rooms tomorrow. Go." He leans down, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to the side of her head.
The moment Tessa disappears down the hall, Lucius raises his wrist. The face of his watch glows in the dim light. It is already 7:30 PM.
Five minutes later, Lucius walks down the master hallway toward the primary bathroom. The door is cracked open, a soft warmth spilling into the corridor. He peers inside and finds Tessa sinking into the deep, marble bathtub, her shoulders relaxing under the steam of the warm water.
Lucius walks in silently and sits on the marble edge of the tub, looking down at her. "Are you enjoying it?"
Tessa opens her heavy eyelids, giving him a soft, tired smile. "Yes. I feel so relaxed."
"I see," Lucius murmurs, his eyes lingering on her for a beat longer. She looks so fragile like this. I have to protect her from everything. "Good. Enjoy your bath."
He stands up and leaves the room, leaving her to her peace.
Heading down the opposite wing to his own private bathroom, Lucius strips down and takes a quick, scalding shower to wash away the tension of the day.
When he emerges into the master bedroom, he pulls on a pair of dark sweatpants from the wardrobe, leaving his chest bare.
He walks out into the living room, sinks into a leather armchair, and lists a thick cigar.
Roughly an hour passes in complete silence, the blue smoke curling toward the ceiling. Lucius glances at the clock, wondering what is taking her so long. Just as he stands up to go check on her, the soft click of a door handle echoes through the quiet penthouse.
Lucius turns around, and his breath catches in his throat.
Tessa stands in the doorway, wearing a plush, furry lavender nightgown that clings to her curves in all the right places. The soft colour makes her skin look radiant against the dark tones of the room.
Lucius’s gaze locks onto her, his eyes tracking the gentle lines of her body. She is absolutely breath-taking, he thinks, his pulse quickening. "You look absolutely stunning," he says aloud, his voice dropping an octave. "Come on, baby. Dinner is already served."
"Yes, dinner time," Tessa smiles softly, walking over to join him. She looks up into his face, a sudden wave of melancholy hitting her. "Sometimes I just stop and think... I can't believe how fast my life changed. I never imagined I will lose so many people, or see their true, ugly faces."
Tessa's throat tightens as the grief catches up to her. Everyone I ever trusted turned out to be a monster. Except maybe him.
Lucius stares down at her, his expression softening in a way he never allows around anyone else.
"Whatever happened, happened for the best," Lucius says quietly, his voice a soothing balm.
"Whatever is happening now is for the best. And whatever will happen in the future, will be for the best too. There is no use dwelling on the past, Tessa. Enjoy the present, and manifest a better future for yourself."
Holding her hand, he leads her toward the dining room.
He steps behind a heavy chair, sliding it out smoothly for her.
The moment Tessa sits down, he reaches over and lifts the silver cloche, revealing a perfectly seared, juicy steak.
He picks up a dark bottle of red wine, pouring a generous amount into her crystal glass.
For the first time in his life, the ruthless mafia boss completely breaks character.
The cold, calculated obsession that usually governs his mind is melting away, replaced by an undeniable, profound love for the woman sitting before him.
I used to only care about numbers, laws, and power, he realises, watching her take a bite.
Now, my entire world starts and ends with her.
Tessa takes a sip of the wine and looks up at him. "Aren't you going to eat?"
"I am already full," Lucius replies smoothly.
Instead of food, he pours himself a single glass of amber whiskey and lays out a thick stack of manila folders on the side of the table—the heavily guarded intelligence papers he has secured to track down her grandmother and remaining relatives.
He leans back, resting his chin on his hand as his eyes track her movements.
He watches with a quiet satisfaction as she genuinely enjoys the steak and the rich wine.
When she finishes her meal, Tessa stands up and wipes her mouth with a cloth napkin. She walks over to him, her eyes dropping to the documents.
Lucius taps the folders with his long fingers. "You need to look at this for a moment. These are the files regarding your grandmother and your relatives' whereabouts."
"Okay, fine," Tessa nods, taking a deep breath. "Get them ready, I'll be right back."
True to her word, she returns exactly two minutes later. Lucius hands the thick stack of papers to her, ensuring she has everything she needs. Once she is settled, he turns on his heel and walks into his private study to review the heavy stack of legal case files Victor has left behind.
He flips through the dockets, checking the upcoming trials for the next month. His eyes stop on a high-profile case: Chinese criminal facing heavy federal charges for drug trafficking and a massive breach of the FBI servers.
To ensure the compromised hacking data is completely erased, Lucius picks up his secure phone and dials his primary black-hat hacker.
"Tell me exactly what data is extracted from the server, and wipe every trace of the evidence," Lucius commands cold-bloodedly. "The name is Zhao Ming. Age twenty-nine."
"Don't worry, Sir," the hacker's distorted voice cracks over the line. "Ten of the FBI agents working that sector are friends of mine. I will simply instruct them to incinerate the server logs entirely."
Lucius cuts him off mid-sentence, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. "I don't just want the logs gone. I want the evidence held by the prosecuting attorney completely obliterated. Who is handling the ground operation?"
The hacker replies, "Should we assign it to..."
"Teajun. Only him," Lucius interrupts. "Pull every detail attached to that name and hand the contract to Teajun. I want half of this mess cleared out by next month." He ends the call with a sharp click.
A soft rustle at the door makes him look up. Tessa stands in the doorway of the study, holding the family documents close to her chest.
"I found it," she says softly. "But the legal ownership of the estate is registered under my uncle's name." She sighs, rubbing her tired eyes. My uncle... I can't believe he hid this from me. What else is he lying about?