Chapter 46 WHO THE HELL'S REALLY IN CHARGE.
LUCIEN'S POINT OF VIEW.
She turned her face toward the window as she tried to hide from me. But it was a fail, because I caught the shimmer in her eyes. Her tears still fell, but softer this time, and mixed with the ghost of a smile.
I tightened my grip on her chin and forced her to look at me. "Don’t ever hide from me again, Sloane. Whatever happens to you, happens to me.
If you break, I break.
You bleed, I burn. And right now," My chest heaved, the fury nearly choking me. "I’m going to burn him alive for making you cry, or even daring to fucking touch you."
The steering wheel creaked under my other hand as the leather strained against my grip. My knuckles were white, and my veins were standing out like cords, as my anger displayed on my skin; even as I tried to hide it from her. Every breath I dragged in burned for some reason; perhaps it was because I could see her tear-stained cheeks, or her wobbling lips, but I knew I still wanted to bash someone’s head in.
She whispered and took in a sharp breath as she took hold of my hand in her small one. "Lucien… don’t-“
"Don’t what?" I cut in, my tone heated, as my eyes locked on the road. Every muscle trembled in me to march into that office and beat the crap out of Whitley, before putting him out on his ass. "Don’t destroy the man who dared speak to you like this and made you cry? Don’t make him regret ever breathing near you? You think it’s possible for me to just let this go?"
I tsked, and stared back at her, making sure we had full eye contact; “You underestimate my feelings for you.”
Her cheeks tinted slightly, as her eyes widened, and her small hand landed on mine, where it gripped her thigh. She didn’t pull me away.
She rather rested her small, soft palm on my calloused one. Instantly, I felt her warm and trembling touch, as she shook with a submissive and trusting gaze. "I don’t want you to get hurt."
Immediately, my heart coiled, clenched, and fucking spasmed in my fucking chest as the force of her words undid me more than her tears. Even after what she’d been through, she was still worried about me. Even after I’d failed to protect her, because if I had been there, this fuckery would never have happened.
I swallowed hard and forced the car to slow just enough so I didn’t snap the wheel in two. My voice dropped as I promised, but I could not let go of that lethal and dangerous tone;
"The only one who’s going to get hurt tonight is Eldric. And I swear to you, Sloane," I finally looked at her, at her tear-streaked face, at the girl who somehow owned every jagged piece of me. "By the time I’m done, he’ll wish he’d never laid eyes on you, or thought about speaking to you."
I didn’t add the rest.
That she was mine in a way I didn’t even know how to explain.
That she owns my heart even though she doesn’t know it yet.
That was the only way I could sleep was either by her side or with the memory of her and her scent in my bed.
That I’d stolen a sweater from her wardrobe just so her scent could ground me.
The thought of her breaking was worse than anything I’d ever endured, but as my grip shifted, I slid up her thigh just enough to make her shiver, and just like my responsive girl, she did.
So I spent the next few minutes making sure she forgot about everything and focused only on her pleasure.
After dropping her off at her house, I made sure to fuck her to sleep and headed here. In a fit of rage, I stormed into the house, not caring about the way the doors slammed against the walls, and the maids looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
“Sir?” Parker, my mother’s trusted confidante and housekeeper before she died, asked, as he stared at me with shock and horror.
I ignored him and headed straight for him.
Barging into the office, I watched as he sat in my seat, a phone in hand, as he droned on in his mindless nonsense.
“Eldric!” I yelled and marched up to him. Without holding back, my hand darted out in a fist and landed square against his nose.
The sick pop that resounded in the office filled me with satisfaction, as I grabbed the tennis racket under the table and proceeded to hit against his back.
His groans of pain filled my ears like a beautiful melody, as I continued hitting him, until he shook and trembled in pain.
“Why the fuck did you touch what’s mine?” I asked, and kicked him in the midsection. He groaned as he flew away from where he was hunched over and landed a few feet away from me. But he wasn’t escaping, though, because I was on him in an instant.
My legs went on either side of him as I punched his face repeatedly. “You know how much I hate it when someone touches what’s mine. So why? Why do you make me do this?”
He could barely speak, as he coughed up blood.
“I was trying to help you.” He croaked out as he clutched his midsection in pain.
“And you thought the best way to help me was by touching my woman, and not finding a way out of the fucking engagement contract?”
“I tried, but it seems impossible. Your grandfather wanted that alliance, and he made sure it was irrevocable, unless her father decides to break the arrangement.”
“Well, get in touch with her father, and get it sorted. Do I have to remind you of just who the fuck runs shit around here? Or do we need another history lesson?” I asked, and the sight of him turning blue from my hold on his throat deeply settled me.
“No.” He choked out.
“Good. I would hate to remind you that you’re nothing but a puppet king, and all this belongs to me. You just sit pretty until I’m ready to reveal myself, but if you ever fuck up again? I’ll fucking kill you. I swear it.”
I said, and let go of his head, but not without giving him a few more kicks for good measure. He wasn’t a Ravenscroft; that name belongs to my mother, her ancestors, and her descendants. He was the fool she married for love, but realized too late that he was a fucking animal, so she left everything to me.
I own every bloody thing, and my grandmother made sure he only serves as the puppet he is, until I take over after high school.
With Sloane at my side as my queen, everything would be perfect. I just had to remind fuckers that when I say;
‘Touch her, and you burn, I’m not fucking bluffing.’