CHAPTER 29

Lucius’s POV.

I stepped outside the hotel room seething with anger and on the verge of squeezing the first person's throat I was able to seize. Probably Julianna's. While I was expecting to meet her in front of my door as she'd suggested, she was nowhere around.

"Did you fool me into thinking you were telling the truth?"

I texted her on my phone and she replied, immediately.

"I changed my mind. Come meet me in my hotel room."

The corner of my eyes twitched and I realized she might be doing me good to lead me to her. It was right about time I got her in my grasp.

"What number?"

She told me the room number and I took the elevator up to it. I knocked on the door and waited for her to come open it for me. I heard the door unlocking and while it did, I slid my hands into my pockets, hoping to hold back a little bit of my anger to avoid doing anything rash, but then she opened the door and I was glaring right at her.

Her long blonde hair was damp like she just came out of the shower and she was in a red night dress, short enough to reveal if she was wearing panties or not with just her raising her hands. She held her right index finger in her hand and it was bleeding with a surprising amount of her blood dripping to the floor.

The wound seemed to be deep. The door was kept wide open enough for me to see what was behind her in her room and I saw the droplets of blood painting a trail behind her, following her all the way to the door. My eyes landed on her, again, but I doubted I was glaring.

"What happened?"

"I cut myself."

"While cooking?" I was going to be in the mood to throw my head backward and show my frustration.

It wouldn't be news if she told me she was trying to invite me just to make me eat her food. Then what? Steal my heart?

"No. I cut myself."

"Just because?"

"Just because." She sighed and her eyes brimmed with tears.

I let out a long breath and looked up for a few seconds before landing my eyes back on her.

"Give way." I commanded and she obliged, stepping aside while I walked in.

I walked straight to her bathroom, well aware that she was following. I stood by the sink and waited for her to join. She extended her finger for me without waiting for me to ask and I took it to place under the running water after turning the tap open. She winced a little, but then she relaxed, allowing me to gently rinse her bleeding finger.

"I'm married, Julian. All your attempts at seducing me should stop. I already told you it was a one time thing and I never put a woman in my bed twice."

"But now your wife is going to be enjoying that exception?"

"Yes, because she's my wife."

"Do you even love her? Why are you taking this thing so seriously?"

"Taking what so seriously?"

"This fling thing? Isn't it just for the sex? You think I don't know that to still be asking for it?"

"My rules are my rules."

"Well, I'm pregnant." She pulled her hands away from mine and I jerked my head towards her while water from the tap remained running into the sink.

"You're what?"

"Not for you. For someone else I loved."

"And where's this person?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Gone. He cheated. Now, I'm all alone."

"And you thought finding solace in me was the best?"

"Please." Her eyes sprang to mine. "Just this once and I'll never ask, again. Please. Why won't you listen?"

I turned off the tap and shoved my hands into my pockets. I stared into her emotion-filled eyes that I wasn't ready to be moved by.

"Just this once." I muttered and she nodded her head, rapidly.

First, I helped wrap her finger with a cloth before allowing her to lead me to her bedroom and undressing me. I tried to make things quick and soon as we were done, I left her side without saying anything to her. Hopefully, I was going to wash up soon as I returned to my own room.

I entered my room and realized Anna was in the shower, so I waited and while I did, I ordered dinner, knowing fully well that she'd be hungry as well as I. The bathroom door opened and Anna stepped out. The first thing I felt was my breath seize for a few seconds.

Apparently, she had tried to dry her hair, but it was still evidently wet, making her remind me of the activity I'd just returned from and I feared that I wouldn't mind repeating such activity with her, as well.

I swallowed painfully and scanned my eyes over her body. There were traces of water on her wet skin and the blue bathroom she wore fitted her perfectly. Before I could be completely, lost, I forced my head back in check and stood up from the sofa I sat on.

"Dinner will arrive in about a minute. I hope you like roasted pork?"

"I don't dislike it." She replied and I was relieved by her answer.

"Good."

She made way for me to have my turn into the bathroom and under the shower and I went in, closing the door behind me as soon as I did. I turned the water to hot and let it glide down my body. I spent more time than I expected, trying to think about anything else that wasn't Anna or Julianna or sex or anything related to either of them. I tried to think of business.

I stepped out of the shower once I felt satisfied enough and grabbed the black bathrobe to pull over my body. I met Anna in the dining, hoping she would have started eating but she hadn't even touched her food at all, yet.

"You didn't want to start without me?" I asked, wanting to be sure it didn't mean she'd tasted her food, already and realized she didn't like it. If not, I was willing to order a new set.

I had no idea why I was always scared to ask her what she wanted to eat before ordering it in the first place. Maybe because she rarely spoke to me. Even if she was beginning to do so now, it couldn't be proof enough for me.

"You wanted me to?" She responded.

"I would have preferred that I didn't take your time." I said, even though it made me happy to know the real truth behind her reason for not eating, yet.

Right. She was waiting for me. No matter how much it sounded unrealistic to me. Why did it look like we were starting to seem like a normal couple?

While I slipped out of my own thoughts, I noticed her becoming quiet for a while as if bothered by something. Oh, God, I was becoming tired of the countless worries seeping into my mind concerning her.

What again?! I felt driven mad without much effort. I kept my hands down on my lap and pinched a little. I wasn't comfortable with the fact that my emotions seemed hard to control.

"Is everything okay?" I tried to sound calm. "Did I say something wrong?"

She looked at me and then she spoke.

"Did you ever wonder why I decided to win the competition, at last? Despite always giving off the vibe that I didn't?"

Her question took me aback. Not what I was expecting and I cocked my head a little to the side while I tried to make sense of the situation.

"Yes, I did."

Could it mean she was thinking about it, too? And now she couldn't hold back from telling me the reason?

"Would you like to know why?"

Of course, I did. But I didn't want to sound desperate so I let the answer slip out of my mouth without hurry. I felt myself get nervous when I realized how much I was conscious of my every action and I swallowed hard.

"Yes." I answered and waited for her explanation.

She told me everything that led to her making her decision and in the middle of her sentence, I felt her hesitate for a little while. I got concerned and I assured her not to have to say what she didn't want to say, but surprisingly, she didn't listen to me and she went ahead to say it.

It was obvious how much her story made her feel, yet she was bold enough to share it with me. I couldn't be more moved. I saw the tears start to drop from her eyes and I couldn’t take it, anymore. I wanted her to stop talking. I needed to comfort her. I never felt so eager to help someone in my life. Not since I lost my parents and siblings.

Everyone else felt like my responsibility, but Anna was different. Rather than a responsibility, she felt like a a part of me that no one needed to force me to have responsibility for. It just came naturally.

I stood up and walked to her seat to her pulled her up and wrapped her in my arms.

"It's alright, don't say more."

I held her so tight as if I wished I didn't have to let her go after a while. I felt her relax against me and a tingling feeling settled in the pit of my belly. I was happy to realize she felt comfortable in my arms. I pulled away after a while and drowned myself in the pool of her brimming grey eyes. While I drowned in them, all I thought about was kissing her.

I felt my breath quicken and I became gripped by fear. The feeling was new. I decided to give in to my desires and then I kissed her, hoping she would reject me, but she didn't. To be sure, I pulled away and looked her, already feeling myself losing control.

"If you tell me to stop, I will. It doesn't matter if we're married. I'm ready to do this only when you're prepared." I told her and she simply nodded.

I took it as an agreement. As long as she wasn't attempting to release herself from my hold. And I gladly took her to bed to undress her under the covers while I lay on top, doing what I most desired to.