Chapter 90

Chapter 90
“Lucien, you should—”

His phone rang again.

He froze, exhaling like the world itself had offended him and when he looked at the caller his expression turned grim.

“Sorry, baby,” he said reluctantly. “I have to take this.”

Disappointment flickered through me before I could hide it.

“I’ll just wait outside,” he added, brushing one last kiss against my lips. “Because if I stay here, you’ll never get dressed.”

“That’s something we can both agree on,” I whispered, trying to smile.

The door clicked shut behind him.

Silence rushed in.

I let out a shaky breath, pressing my fingers to my lips.

“God,” I whispered to myself. “I love him."

When I finally stepped out, I felt the weight of his attention shifting from him. I hadn’t even taken long in there; I wanted to see him run, to see him in his raw form, and to find out what else he had planned for me. So I’d simply combed my hair back and clipped it up, thrown on jeans and a white-and-green tank top, and paired it with my brown kitten heels. A bit of makeup too, and gloss on my lips.

His eyes were instantly drawn to them.

The seriousness on his face softened and shifted, replaced by something almost boyish, almost stunned.

In the dim light of the living room, I could hardly believe it was already dark outside, with only a small lamp on our coffee table casting a soft glow across the space.

“Where is my baby girl?” he said slowly, his eyes sweeping over me. “And who is this goddess standing in front of me?”

I laughed despite myself, doing a small spin so he could take me in properly. “How do I look?”

“Like dessert,” he said at last. “The kind of dessert people don’t survive tasting once.”

My cheeks warmed instantly. “That sounds dangerous.”

“It is,” he replied simply, stepping closer. “For me.”

“Now you’re just flattering me.”

“I’m not flattering you,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “I’m failing to describe you properly.”

He took my hand, lifting it to his lips and kissing it, his eyes on me as he did, intense and glowing in the dark. “I have a surprise for you.”

My stomach flipped. “I hope you didn’t spend too much.”

His eyes lifted to mine immediately, serious now in a way that made my breath catch. “No money in this world is too much for you,” he said. “There are no limits when it comes to you.”

I giggled. “Okay.”

He stepped back, that familiar dangerous smile returning.

“Let’s go, baby.”

My heart was already racing.

“Where are we going?” I asked, trying and failing to sound casual. “I’m actually scared.”

He looked amused rather than concerned.

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

“You already know the answer,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes. “You enjoy this too much.”

“You like it,” he corrected instantly.

I scoffed lightly. “Do I?”

Instead of answering, he kissed my cheek. “You do.”

And just like that, the teasing faded slightly.

“What are you scared of, love?” he asked suddenly, his voice softening as his eyes searched mine.

I hesitated. “I’m scared of losing you.”

The air changed immediately. He cupped my face in both hands. “You won’t lose me. You won’t.”

The certainty should have grounded me, but it didn’t erase the fear entirely. Still, I nodded anyway, because I wanted to believe him, because part of me already did. His smile returned slowly, lighter again, as if he was determined not to let the moment turn heavy.

“You know what’s going to happen next time we go out?” he asked.

“What?”

“I’m going to do your makeup,” he said, like it was the most important decision in the world. “No matter who calls. No interruptions.”

I laughed softly. “I’d like that.”

Then he carried me again, bridal style, and this time I just giggled.

I was so expectant, I kept looking out as the car was driven by Javon. We passed through the city. It had only been a few minutes, and we were heading toward the south side, the part of town with lots of nice houses. I just looked at the houses as they came into view, then curled back into Lucien.

I leaned more into him, though I was nervous with Javon in the car because I knew he didn’t like me, but Lucien.

His arm wrapped around my shoulders, possessive, and the warmth of his body seeped into mine. “We’re almost there,” he said.

The car slowed as we approached a tall black gate. The driver honked once, and the gates began to open automatically, revealing a sprawling, beautiful house. I stared wide-eyed as we drove in.

Lucien smirked, seeing my reaction, his hand gently squeezing my shoulder. “We’re here now.”

My heart raced in awe as I stared at it. A sleek, modern design blended seamlessly with the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.

“What’s this place?” I whispered, my eyes glued to the tall windows as we pulled up to the front. Lucien got out, then held the door for me. He gestured upward, directing my gaze to the roof of the house. A sign was perched there, written in bold, slanted script: Welcome to your new home, my baby girl.

My heart stopped.

I turned to Lucien, my voice barely audible. “You got me a house?”

“Your new home. My girl should not be in a house she isn’t even sure when it was built.” He smiled, watching my every reaction.

I didn’t know what to say. Words sat on the edge of my tongue, but none of them came out. Lucien took both my hands, kissing the backs of them in turn. “You don’t have to say anything,” he whispered, releasing them. “Just enjoy the moment, baby girl.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but the weight of the moment silenced me again.

“Come on. Let’s get down so you can see the whole place,” Lucien urged, a smirk playing on his lips as he took my hand.

“I don’t…” I trailed off, my voice barely audible. I could still barely comprehend it all.

“I’m still so… amazed,” I managed to croak out.

“This is just the beginning, baby. I’ll give you the world. You just wait and see.”

This was too much. Too fast, too soon. How could anyone give someone else the world? It didn’t seem real. “Lucien, this is too much. Don’t start things you won’t finish.”

“Oh, baby, I will be finishing this.”

“I don’t want anyone thinking I charmed you or something.”

He chuckled. “But you did,” he said, his voice full of affection. “With your pretty eyes and those lips.”

“You think my eyes are pretty?” I blinked, trying to steady myself under his intense gaze.

“Pretty? No, baby. They’re hot. And you already know how I feel about your lips.”

Heat crept up my neck as I walked beside him, then he suddenly stopped and turned to me.