36. Dinner night at Lucy's pt.3

She stumbled, almost losing her footing. Thankfully, Lucy was still there, right next to her. Quick to hold her upright. Her tongue felt like sandpaper, her heart threatening to explode.

They slowly descended, step by step.

Her body shaking as she fought for control. Julian was standing there, right next to Lucy's mom, looking like the ever dark and menacing male he was, wearing a black business suit. A matching shirt with its first few buttons undone, offering a teasing glimpse at what was hidden underneath. Smooth skin. His muscled chest. Those sexy tattoos peeking out. He looked so friggin' hot she wanted to cry at the injustice.

And the way that he looked at her...she swore that she was going to faint. Right then and there.

There was a feral glint in his icy blue eyes, bordering on raving hunger as they roamed all over her figure, so unabashed. It made her pussy quiver.

"You didn't say that you had other guests coming over," he rasped, sounding almost pained. She swallowed.

"Oh, this is my little Lulu and her best friend, Lydia. But I guess you already know each other," Connie replied with a laugh and a small wave of her hand, seemingly unaware of the way that her special guest was staring at "little Lulu's" best friend. They knew each other all right. Skin-like familiar.

"Girls, come and say hi to your team-mate," the older woman beckoned with an amused grin at her own choice of words, waving at them to come closer.

Lydia's throat closed up at the sound of that. Mentally screaming already. Oh why, dear God? Why? She didn't want to be anywhere near him right now! And much less in this state!

They descended the last few steps and she skittered closer on unsteady legs, throat bobbing as she dared raise her gaze. Meeting that intense stare of his. He boldly stepped closer and wrapped an arm around her waist, leaning over to place a lingering kiss on her jaw.

"Are you trying to fucking kill me?" He softly whispered in her ear with a strained voice. She shivered, eyes widening.

She hastily pushed herself away from the warmth of his body and that dizzying perfume of his, her own already thrumming with want. Itching with need to be close to his. It didn't help. The fact that she was already drunk. And that she had just seen all those sexy pictures of his. It only made her remember. What he did to her. Those special skills of his. The way that he'd made her feel. She couldn't help but yearn for more, despite everything.

She took a few deep and calming breaths, forcing herself to regain control. She softly smiled at something that Connie had just said, struggling to keep a poised attitude. Calm. Collected. She had to remind herself that it was over. Done deal. She couldn't think about him like that. Ever again. He was way too dangerous for her. In so many ways.

And this was her mother's close friend's home she was in right now, the host standing there right next to them. She couldn't have her notice. It would be the end of it all!

"So, let's not leave our guest waiting for any longer, shall we?" the older woman commented with an overly-excited tone, looking between the three. None of them seemed to share her joy though, each of them brooding for entirely different reasons. She didn't seem to notice however.

"I'm sure you're famished, Julian, are you not?" She grinned up at him, his penetrating gaze though trailing back to Lydia as he roughly replied,

"Starving,"

Heat creeped up her neck and face. Panties wetting as she watched him pointedly lick his lips. Saints be damned. She wasn't going to last for long. Not like this. She was either going to run away crying again or shove him into a broom closet and let him have his way with her. It was either one of the two. No other third option left.

Connie let out another dumb giggle at the sound of Julian's reply, taking a hold of his arm before she proceeded to escort him to the dining room. The girls swiftly following.

Lucy's arm tangled with Lydia's again, a concerned expression marring her features as she threw her poor tormented friend a quick glance.

"Are you okay?"

Lydia could only nod in reply, not really trusting her voice right then.

"I had no idea that..." She rushed to shake her head into a desperate attempt to make Lucy stop, swallowing that stubborn lump that was trying to form into her throat again. She believed her though. She'd seen the way that they stared at each other earlier in the foyer. Evident surprise glinting in both their gazes. She hadn't known. This wasn't her fault. And nor Julian's, seeing as he'd looked equally surprised upon finding them there. In his former teacher's house. This was just an unfortunate turn of events. A cruel joke at her own expense, orchestrated by fate itself.

The girls followed Connie and her precious former student into the dining room, seating themselves around one end at the large oval table. The older woman positioning herself at the head of the table whilst Julian and Lucy flanked her sides, facing each other. Lydia took a seat right next to her friend, pointedly keeping her gaze downwards. Avoiding to look across the table at all costs. Even though she could already feel Julian's heated stare on her. Her face. Her body. It only added fuel to her growing uneasiness. She wanted this dinner to be over. And that as soon as possible.

A young waiter brought them a bottle of white wine, pouring some for all four of them. She donned the contents of her glass in one big gulp though, in a desperate attempt to soothe her jittering nerves. It was tormenting her. The sight of him. His presence.

"So tell me, Julian, how is Ms. Devreaux treating you so far? I hope that she's not too demanding of you," Connie started to converse with her former student as another waiter started to place food on the table.

Julian smirked.

"Not at all. I like working with her,"

"Plus I can enjoy watching the class perform. There are some very good dancers at Rougemont," Lydia didn't miss that certain inflection in his tone as he spoke, her foot impatiently tapping on the floor. The waiter poured her another helping of wine. She quickly donned it again.

"I'm very confident that we will win this year," Connie beamed with a chuckle.

"Especially with you as our aide,"

Her gaze unintentionally darted in that direction of the table. Noticing the way Connie's hand fell on Julian's shirt-clad arm. Remaining plastered there.

"Excuse me," her wooden chair dully screeched over the floor as she pushed it away, getting up to her feet. And with a slight wobble she turned and ran away, to the nearest bathroom.

She rushed down the hallway on unsteady legs, her feet already aching from those high-heels. Not to mention that she now felt even dizzier than before. She hadn't eaten yet. And she'd already had two more glasses of wine. She was going to be sick, if she kept it up like that. She needed some cool water on her heated skin. Maybe some fresh air too. She-

She startled as soon as that tattooed hand landed on the door, right in front of her. Just as she was about to open it.

She suddenly became so painfully aware of that presence looming over her. His body heat warming up her bare back. She shuddered.

"Why do you keep running away from me, Lydia?"

Her eyelids fluttered closed. Drawing in a shaky breath.

"I wasn't-"

"I saw that look in your eyes, earlier this morning. And then in the afternoon. You looked positively terrified. And I can't understand why," She bit her lip. What could she say? That she was too fucked in the head now, thanks to her abusive ex-boyfriend? That she was scared of what was happening, of it all? Of his possible shady liaisons, or the wrath of her mother upon finding out about her precious daughter's involvement with a guy like him?

"Do you honestly think that I'm going to try to stop you, or even hold you against your will?" He quietly uttered, sincerity and even a hint of hurt lacing his tone. She wanted to cry again. How? How could she say it? How could she utter the truth? That she actually wanted him so much, despite it all. Despite him leaving her like that after their first time together. Despite her messy situation at home, or his chaotic background.

"I'm not a monster, Lydia. I'm not Mike. I would never touch a strand of your hair, Lydia. You know that. I would never do anything to hurt you," Oh, but he already did. More than he would ever know.

"And I think that you got me wrong. So so very wrong. I did say that I wanted to make you mine. But what I meant was forever, not just once," That had her abruptly falter. Eyelids fluttering from the staggering shock. Wait.

What?

She slowly twirled around, that perplexed look still plastered all over her face as she timidly raised her gaze to look up at him. Her insides fluttering at the sight of that look in his eyes. The intensity of it. She forgot how to breathe. Body shaking. Knees weakening. Her blood rushing in her ears.

"I want you to be mine forever, Lydia," She fainted.