Chapter 90 Forgiveness
Briar's POV
I shoved his hand away and took a step back, my spine hitting the cool wall behind me. "Mr. Kincaid, you've been hiding pretty deep, haven't you? The founder of Apex Bio-Solutions, playing bartender in front of me for months."
Lucian moved forward, closing the distance I had just created, and that infuriating smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You're the one who assumed I only ran the bar. I never said that was all I did. Credit where it's due, your instincts were sharp enough to see through me."
His deflection made my blood boil hotter, and I tried to sidestep him, aiming for the stairs at the end of the corridor, but he shifted his weight and blocked my path again, his movements fluid and deliberate like he was herding prey.
"Move," I said through gritted teeth.
He didn't. Instead, the smile faded from his face, replaced by something more serious, more raw. "I was going to tell you after the bidding results came out. But if I told you before, you would have withdrawn from the competition to avoid any conflict of interest. That would have seriously interfered with my plans to pursue you."
I felt my face heat up despite my best efforts to stay angry. I hadn't expected him to be so direct, so unapologetically honest about his intentions, and the confession threw me completely off balance.
I turned my head to the side, focusing on the numbered plaque on the door across from us instead of his face. "So you just decided to arrange everything for me without asking? Is that it?"
"I didn't arrange anything," he said, and there was an edge to his voice now, something defensive and frustrated. "You won that bid on your own merit, Briar. I made sure of that. The only thing I controlled was the timing of when you found out who I was."
I wanted to stay mad at him, I really did, but the sincerity in his tone was chipping away at my anger, wearing it down until all that was left was exhaustion and confusion. Before I could figure out what to say next, Garrett emerged with Rowan cradled in his arms.
He had her in a one-armed carry, her body tucked against his chest, while his other hand dangled her silver stilettos by their straps. His black leather jacket was draped over her shoulders, and her face was flushed bright red, her lipstick smudged and her hair a mess. When she saw me, she blinked and gave me a small, sheepish wave that clearly said, "I'm fine, don't worry."
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, relief flooding through me as I watched them disappear down the stairs.
Lucian's voice cut through my thoughts, low and close to my ear. "This isn't the right place to talk. Let me drive you home?"
I didn't answer right away, but I also didn't argue when he led me out of the bar and into the parking lot. I waited under the glass entrance canopy while he went to get his car.
When the black Maserati pulled up, I had to force myself not to stare. He stepped out wearing a deep navy three-piece suit that fit him like it had been tailored specifically for his body, the silver-gray tie knotted perfectly at his throat, every line sharp and precise. My eyes fixated on that tie, on the way it sat so neatly against his collar, and something wild and irrational stirred in my chest.
I wanted to rip it off. I wanted to see him disheveled and out of control, wanted to be the one who made him lose that infuriating composure.
The thought made my face burn, and I spun around quickly, heading for the elevator before he could see my expression. The slit in my burgundy dress exposed my leg with every step, and I was acutely aware of his gaze following me, tracking my movements like a predator watching its prey.
Inside my apartment, I kicked off my heels the moment the door closed behind us, the relief immediate as my feet hit the cool hardwood floor. I walked into the living room and deliberately sat down on the couch, putting distance between us as I turned to face him.
"Continue your explanation," I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
Lucian sat down on the opposite end of the couch, maintaining the space I had created, and for some reason, that annoyed me even more. "I didn't want you caught up in rumors about sleeping your way to the top. I wanted everyone to see that you earned that contract on your own merit. And besides, Kai has always been the public face of Apex. Very few people know I'm the one behind it all."
I understood his reasoning, I did, but I wasn't ready to let him off the hook that easily. I raised an eyebrow, keeping my expression neutral. "So in your mind, I carry the same weight as those outside rumors?"
Something dangerous flashed in his eyes, and before I could react, he was moving, rising from his seat and crossing the space between us in two long strides. He dropped to one knee on the edge of the couch cushion, his hands bracing on either side of my body, caging me in as he leaned close.
His breath was warm against my ear when he spoke, his voice dropping to a rough whisper. "Of course not." He paused, and I could feel the tension radiating off him in waves. "I don't want to kiss those people. I don't want to do inappropriate things to them."
My body temperature spiked, my heart hammering so hard I was sure he could hear it, and I struggled to keep my breathing even as I forced myself to meet his gaze. "What inappropriate things could you possibly do?" I asked, trying to sound challenging, but my voice came out breathy and uncertain.
His eyes dropped to my neck, focusing on the silver crescent moon necklace I was wearing, and the gold in his irises intensified until it was almost blinding. He lowered his head and pressed his lips to the side of my throat, his tongue flicking out to catch the delicate chain, and then I felt the sharp pressure of his teeth as he deliberately bit through the clasp.
The necklace fell away, pooling on my collarbone before sliding down into the gap between my breasts, and he pulled back just enough to look at me, his expression unapologetic. "Sorry. It broke."
The casual tone, the deliberate mischief in his voice, snapped something inside me. I grabbed the front of his shirt, my fingers finding his tie, and I yanked it loose with one sharp motion, pulling it free from his collar and tossing it onto the floor.
"You should apologize too," I said as my hands shook.
He didn't look angry. If anything, his eyes burned brighter, and the smile that curved his lips was pure satisfaction as he shifted his weight forward, using his body to push me back against the cushions until I was lying beneath him.
I could feel every inch of him pressed against me, could feel the hard evidence of his arousal through the layers of fabric separating us, and my face went up in flames, my entire body stiffening as I tried not to move, not to make it worse.
Lucian braced himself on his forearms, looking down at me with those glowing eyes, and when he spoke, his voice was rough and strained. "Still angry?"
I turned my head to the side, unable to hold his gaze, my heart racing so fast I thought it might burst. "No," I whispered. "Not anymore."
He leaned down and kissed me, slow and deep, his mouth moving against mine with a deliberate intensity that made my toes curl, and when he finally pulled back, his breathing was as unsteady as mine. "Good. Then it's my turn."
But instead of kissing me again, he stopped, his body going rigid above me, and when I looked up at him, his eyes had shifted completely to gold, the wolf staring out at me with barely restrained fury.
"Why did you go to that place?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
I pressed my lips together, refusing to answer, and he dipped his head and caught my lower lip between his teeth, biting down just hard enough to make me gasp. "What do those men have that I don't?" The jealousy in his tone was unmistakable, raw and possessive.
I knew I should tell him the truth, that Rowan and I had stumbled into that bar by accident, but some petty, vindictive part of me wanted to push him, wanted to see how far I could go before he snapped. So instead, I smiled sweetly and said, "They're gentler than you. More obedient."
His jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought he might actually lose control, but then he reached up with one hand and started undoing the buttons of his shirt, exposing the hard planes of his chest, the defined muscles that shifted under his skin with every breath. He grabbed my hand and pressed it flat against his sternum, holding it there as he leaned in close.
"I can be gentle," he said, his voice dropping to a rough whisper. "I can be obedient. Touch me and see."
His skin was burning hot under my palm, the heat radiating through my fingers and up my arm, and I felt my hand start to shake as I struggled to process the sensation. "Are you running a fever?" I asked, my voice barely audible. "Why are you so hot?"
Lucian's fingers found the thin strap of my dress, and he hooked it with one finger, slowly sliding it down my shoulder as he pressed his forehead against mine. "Yeah," he murmured, his breath ghosting across my lips. "So I might say some crazy things. Do some inappropriate things. You'll forgive me, right?"