Page 33 of Until She's Mine
The world narrows to the slide of his lips, the possessive way his tongue claims my mouth. I forget the party. Forget Tobias. Forget everything except how right it feels to melt into him.
Lucian’s hands are everywhere—tangling in my hair, sliding down my back, gripping my hips with a fierceness that leaves me breathless. He deepens the kiss, his tongue sweeping against mine with a hunger that matches my own. My fingers clutch at the front of his shirt, pulling him closer.
His mouth moves to my neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin just below my ear. I gasp, my head falling back as he trails kisses down my throat, each one sending a shiver down myspine. His hands slide under the fabric of my dress, his touch searing my skin. A desperate whimper escapes my lips, and I arch into him.
A roar shatters the moment.
Tobias stumbles down the path, his tuxedo jacket missing, his face purple with rage. “You fucking—I knew it!”
“Tobias—” I start, but my voice falters. What can I possibly say? That this isn’t what it looks like? That it’s worse? That I didn’t mean for this to happen, but now that it has, I can’t imagine it any other way?
Lucian shoves me behind him, his body a solid wall between Tobias and me. His voice is icy, dangerous, as he steps forward, forcing Tobias to take a step back. “Careful, brother. You’re in no state to have this conversation.”
Tobias’s eyes dart between Lucian and me, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. “You think you can just—” He stumbles over his words, his voice slurred and unsteady. “She’s mine! You hear me? Mine!”
“Is she?” Lucian’s gaze is unwavering as he moves closer, making Tobias retreat further. “Because from where I’m standing, you’ve been treating her as an afterthought for years. Tell me, Tobias, when was the last time you even looked at her? Really looked at her?”
Tobias’s mouth opens, but no words come out. His eyes flicker to me briefly before darting away again.
“When was the last time you listened to her? The last time you put her first?” Lucian continues. His hands are still clenched at his sides, his knuckles white with the force of his restraint. “You don’t deserve her. You never did.”
Tobias’s face flushes deeper. He stumbles forward and tries swinging a clumsy punch at Lucian, but his drunken movements are slow and uncoordinated. Lucian sidesteps effortlessly, and Tobias stumbles past him, losing his balance and crumpling intothe roses with a muffled curse. The thorns claw at his suit, and he yelps, flailing as he tries to right himself. His hand comes away smeared with blood from where the thorns have scraped his palm, and he glares up at Lucian with fury and humiliation.
Lucian doesn’t move to help him. He stands over Tobias, his expression cool and unyielding. “You’re making a fool of yourself. Go inside, sober up, and think very carefully about what you want to say or do next.”
Tobias’s whimper is answer enough.
When Lucian turns to me, I know that his coldness should terrify me. The possessiveness in his eyes should send me running.
But as he reaches for me, all I feel is the terrible, thrilling certainty:this is what being wanted truly looks like.
Chapter 17
Lucian
Rain streaks the Mercedes’s windows as I drive Evelyn back to the city. The rain began the moment we left the Lockwood party, turning the winding roads slick and treacherous. The headlights cut through the downpour, illuminating the occasional tree or road sign before they vanish into the darkness again. Evelyn sits in the passenger seat, her dress pools over my leather upholstery, and the damp fabric is dripping onto the floor mat.
“Put this on.” I give her my jacket, the lining still warm from my body.
She doesn’t move. Her fingers pluck at the ruined chiffon overlay. In the passing streetlights, the bruise already blossoms along her wrist where Tobias grabbed her; five perfect fingerprints in violent violet.
I hit the autopilot and reach across the console. Her pulse flutters like a caged bird under my thumb as I trace the mark. “He’ll never touch you again.”
The words taste like a vow. One I intend to keep, regardless of cost.
Evelyn meets my gaze. Raindrops cling to her lashes, magnifying the gold flecks in her hazel eyes. “What happens now?”
“Now, you’ll let me take care of everything.”
Her breath hitches, and she looks away, her gaze fixed on the blur of lights outside. “You can’t fix this, Lucian.”
“I can and I will. Tobias is a coward. He’ll dissolve your engagement contract, and he’ll stay out of your life if he knows what’s good for him.”
Her fingers tighten around the edge of my jacket, her knuckles white. “And then what? Everyone at that party saw us. The rumors will start spreading before dawn. They’ll say I’m—”
“Mine,” I interrupt. “They’ll say you’re mine because you are. Let them talk, Evelyn. Let them whisper and speculate. It won’t change what’s already done.”
Her gaze softens, though the tension in her shoulders doesn’t ease. “You don’t understand. This isn’t just about me. Your father, the company, your reputation—”
