Page 57 of Forsaken Devotion: Part 2
“I have to pee.” I slid off the bed and left them chattering.
“You two had the oddest relationship, and all the secrets,” Verity’s tsked as I opened the door.
“Luna?”
I almost collided with Bruno’s chest. He startled me so much that my hand landed on him. We both froze, our eyes widening. He staggered back, and at the same time, I yanked my handaway. Thank Moon that wasn’t skin to skin. Lucian would have dragged me to hell.
“Sorry, Luna.”
He ran away. Literally ran away, frightened. I stood there, stunned. After a beat, Verity and I burst into laughter.
“What’s going on?” Tate asked, her voice fizzing in and out.
“Joey almost just got a guy killed,” she snickered. I shook my head at her exaggeration. “I’ll have to send you pictures of Joey’s mansion . . .”
Leaving Verity chatting with Tate, I went to hunt for some blankets. Since I’d become used to the home, it didn’t seem so ostentatious to me, but it was pretty huge. Fit for Lucian’s wealth. When I first left prison, everything seemed enormous to me, but Lucian did surround himself in wealth. I’d tried not to dwell on the differences between my financial position and his because it would send me into a spiral. But honestly, I was starting to feel better about everything. Lucian’s stuff was starting to feel like mine. That came with the other side of the coin, fear of losing this new reality.
And that wasn’t all. Cierra hadn’t been dealt with, and it left me suspended, like things were unfinished. They would continue to be until Cierra was captured and I got justice for my father.
21
Ilay across the bed on my belly, scrolling through the cell phone I’d refused to open before today. I hadn’t seen Lucian all morning, and I hated to admit how much that made me antsy. The night he’d begged me to stay ran through my mind. As did how he handled the Verity situation, so I’d come to the decision to stay—for now.
And now that the decision was made, all sorts of questions infiltrated.
Had he changed his mind? Was he still in his office? Did he regret making himself vulnerable?
All silly, intrusive thoughts, but I couldn’t shake them.
My still-damp hair dripped onto the screen. I swiped it on the comforter and set it on the nightstand, then rolled to my feet to shuffle down the hall toward his home office. No way that he’d still be in there, right? When I got home late last night after hanging out with Verity, he’d been in bed. I’d thought he’d been asleep, but he’d turned over and tucked me to his bare chest with a groan. Then this morning, he’d been gone. I’d tried to keep myself busy trying to make another traditional Mexicandish, but utterly failed and ended up burning the tortilla in my attempt to fry them.
I didn’t know who kept the fridge stocked since Samantha had taken time to rest, rightfully so, but it was always packed with fresh essentials.
My slippers scraped across the floor, and I hesitated in front of the door at the top of the stairs—Lucian’s office. I pressed my ear to the surface, but couldn’t hear anything.
Stop being such a pussy, Josephine.
I rapped my knuckles on the surface.
“Josephine?” he called, voice muffled. I opened the door a smidgen and entered, trying to be nonchalant, but I couldn’t help the anxiety eating up my stomach. A single lamp shone golden light across the room.
Just days ago, he’d fucked me so good, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Well, he fucked me good every time, but I craved him more and more. I’d thought this hunger would simmer, but nope.
“Are you coming to bed?” I hated the disgruntlement in my tone, but I was itchy for his touch.
His lips twitched, and he leaned back, the umber leather chair creaking.
“I’m just finishing up the budgeting plan.”
“Will you really give Drake that land?”
“Yes,” he replied and closed the laptop, scooting it to the edge of the desk. “Come here.” He patted his lap. I didn’t need any more prompting.
With quickness, I perched on his thigh, taking care not to knock into his cast.
“There’s something else I want to talk about.” I licked my lips, meeting his eyes. He waited, silent. “I’m going back to work next week,” I blurted, figuring it was best to get this out of the way.
Lucian’s eyebrow twitched the slightest bit, and his hand settled on my waist.
