Chapter 35 #3
Then, she looks at Lucius. "I'm heading back to the bedroom. I just want to watch some YouTube and relax."
Lucius nods, his gaze softening. "Go ahead. I will be in shortly."
He glances down at the antique clock resting on his desk. The golden hands point exactly to 9:45 PM.
True to his word, Lucius closes his files a few minutes later and steps into the dimly lit bedroom. Tessa is curled up under the heavy sheets, the faint glow of her phone illuminating her face.
The moment she looks up, Lucius slides into bed beside her. His large, warm hand finds the soft fabric of her lavender nightgown, tracing the curve of her hip before pulling her flush against his bare chest. The atmosphere grows thick and intoxicatingly heavy.
"Lucius..." she breathes, her voice catching in her throat as his fingers slide beneath the silk hem, trailing fire up her thigh.
He does not reply with words. His mouth slams onto hers, capturing her gasp.
The urgency from earlier returns, but this time it is fuelled by pure, unadulterated possession.
He tangles his fingers in her hair, pinning her body down with his weight, showing her with every touch and bruising kiss that she belongs entirely to him.
Tessa arches into his touch, her hands gripping his muscular shoulders as the sheer intensity of his love consumes her.
I am safe here, in his shadow, she thinks, losing herself completely in the rhythm of his embrace.
For a long, breathless hour, the dangers of the outside world cease to exist.
There is only the friction of skin, raw desire, and his desperate whispers against her neck.
Later, as they lay entangled in the quiet aftermath, Tessa reaches for the television remote on the nightstand, wanting some background noise to break the heavy silence. She clicks the power button, but instead of a movie, the screen flashes with a bright red breaking news banner.
A grim-faced news anchor stands in front of a smoking, chaotic scene.
"We interrupt your regular programming to bring you live coverage of a devastating explosion in the heart of the city," the anchor reports, the audio cutting through the quiet room.
"A massive bomb blast has completely levelled a high-profile commercial property. Details are still unfolding, but casualties are suspected to be high, and authorities are calling it a targeted attack."
Tessa freezes, her breath hitching as she stares at the screen. The flaming wreckage looks horrifyingly familiar.
Beside her, Lucius’s muscles coil tight, his eyes instantly turning into shards of ice as he stares at the glowing display.
The dark quiet of the bedroom shatters. Lucius reaches out, his long fingers blindly sweeping across the polished surface of the bedside table until they clamp around his vibrating phone. He brings it to his ear without sitting up.
"Hello," he says. His voice is a low, gravelly rasp against the silence.
"Boss, it is happening," Alex says on the other end, his breathing tight and fast. "The bomb has gone off. Every major news channel is already scrambling to cover the fire."
Before Lucius can process the words, a sharp electronic beep cuts through the line. Kai has patched himself into the call. The static hisses for a second before his gritty voice take over.
"Boss, the work is done," Kai reports, a grim satisfaction bleeding through his words. "The base in Brooklyn is wired. The AG gang won’t even know what hits them. We completely set the charges."
Lucius stares up at the dark ceiling, his expression completely unreadable. The trap is sprung.
"If the job is finished without any mistakes, Alex and Victor will see to your bonus," Lucius murmurs. He does not wait for an answer. He cuts the line, throwing the phone back onto the table.
By half past one in the morning, the heavy silence of the penthouse is replaced by the low, blue glow of the television screen.
The news anchor’s voice is frantic, broadcasting live images of a massive explosion ripping through the Brooklyn docks.
Flashes of red and orange reflect in Lucius’s dark eyes.
A low, deep sound rumbles in his chest. Then, he laughs. It is a terrifying, unhinged sound that echoes off the cold walls—the laugh of a monster who has finally broken his enemies.
Tessa shifts against the pillows, watching him. Instead of fear, a strange, overwhelming wave of relief washes over her. A genuine smile touches her lips, making her look truly happy for the first time in days.
The sheer chaos outside doesn't matter. In the middle of the fire and blood, their twisted, unconditional love is the only thing that feels real.
Lucius turns his head, his gaze anchoring onto her soft expression. The absolute madness in his eyes softens into something raw and entirely vulnerable. He leans down, pressing his lips to hers in a deep, lingering kiss that seems to melt the ice around his scarred heart.
Lucius stands up from the bed, his bare feet sinking into the dark rug. He picks up the remote, flipping through the screen until a slow, haunting melody begins to play, filling the vast bedroom with a low hum that drowns out the rest of the world.
He leaves the room, his long strides taking him down the quiet corridor toward the kitchen. The marble counters are cool under the dim lights. He scans the shelves until he finds what he is looking for, reaching up to grab a small glass jar of honey.
When he returns to the master bedroom, the heavy oak door creaks softly as he pushes it open.
Tessa is sitting right where he left her, propped up against the pillows in the centre of the massive bed.
The dark silk nightgown catches the dim light, its elegant cut contrasting sharply with the deep shadows of the room.
She looks poised and thoughtful, her presence filling the quiet space as she watches him return.
Lucius stops at the edge of the bed, the honey jar held loosely in his hand, his eyes meeting hers in the stillness of the room.
He sets the jar on the table with a small click.
The television is still playing that quiet song, but neither of them is listening.
Lucius dips his finger straight into the heavy gold honey, swirling it once before bringing it right to her lips.
Tessa doesn't hesitate. Her tongue darts out, licking the sweet nectar clean from his skin.
Lucius doesn't blink; he just watches her mouth with a dark, hungry stare.
He looks like he wants to swallow me whole, she thinks, her ribs throbbing with her heartbeat.
He leans down fast, catching her mouth before she can breathe.
The kiss is heavy and slow. The sticky sweetness mixes between them, making their lips slide together until the cold, bloody night outside doesn't matter anymore.
A bit of honey escapes, slipping down her chin and trailing a wet line onto her neck, right over her collarbone.
Lucius breaks away, his breathing rough in the quiet room as he stares at the gold streak shining on her skin.
I am completely at his mercy, she realizes, looking straight into his black eyes.
He doesn't use a cloth; he just wipes the stray honey away with his bare finger, tracking it back up to her lips.
He reaches into the drawer beside the bed, pulling out a black silk blindfold, a pair of silver nipple clamps, and a dildo. He places the items on the bed beside her, his intent clear.
Then he leans down again, whispering in her ear.
“You are going to take everything I give you tonight, Tessa. Every toy, every clamp, every inch until you’re begging.”
He reaches for the hem of her fluffy nightgown, pulling it up and over her head before discarding it onto the floor, leaving her completely bare before him.