Chapter 39 Newest member
Lucien looked around the noisy room as everyone continued to raise their voices.
“Decorum.” Lord Sloane's firm voice sounded all over the room.
The noise subsided, but the side comments continued.
“Your Majesty?” Lord Sloane urged, his face filled with frustration.
Lucien sighed in resignation. It was always him. The onus to make the hard decisions always fell on him.
And if this wwerea random day, he would have no qualms in doing this, but this wasn't. He was left to make the decision of either onboarding his enemy or allowing him to walk freely.
He cleared his throat to speak when he realised that the entire hall had gone quiet, waiting for him to speak.
“Isn't this too soon!” He asked no one in particular.
There were low voices of assent in the room.
“Lord Blackburn and Casmir have just been buried and we're already seeking their replacements? Now don't get me wrong, we need someone, but what message is this sending to the people?”
“Uhm, if I may?” A clear voice spoke up as all heads turned to stare at him.
“Err, I don't think you have the authority to speak yet.” Lord Harlan stuttered.
“It's okay, Lord Harlan.” Lucien waved his hand. “Let's allow him to speak.” His lips curled into a disdainful smile as she shook his head subtly.
They didn't think he knew what was going on. They were playing good and bad cop confusing some of the members of the Council.
He turned to the stranger, nodding his head in approval.
The stranger cleared his throat. “I’m sure you all know me, but I'll introduce myself. I'm Damien Hale.”
Murmurs erupted across the room.
The Damien Hale?
He looks different from what we've been told.
Damien tried to hide his smile as he waited for the chatter to subside.
“I understand that it's too soon to take a seat as a member of the Council, considering the unfortunate circumstances that these seats are made vacant, but we have to do what we have to do for the interest of the people.”
The majority of the elders nodded, agreeing with him.
“Lord Blackburn and Casmir, rest their souls, were good people.”
He stepped out of the corner, allowing himself to be made visible as he looked around, holding the gaze of some elders for some seconds, before looking away.
Lucien glanced at the man speaking before him, as his voice faded into the background.
He had to give it to him, he was a master planner and an eloquent public speaker.
These twisted elders were already warming up to him.
“I gave up my seat in the Council because I felt I wasn't good enough, but I guess what was fated will always come to pass.”
Damien finished off his speech, and he gave a small laugh, revealing his broken tooth.
The man was fine and admirable, Lucien admitted grudgingly.
“That's very selfless of you, Mr Hale.” He began, as he forced himself to return back to the meeting room.
“This is not an authoritarian rule, which is why we have the council. We'll vote. Although, I do not have any qualms about you. In fact, I vote yes.”
He raised a hand. What was the saying about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer again?
“Welcome Mr. Hale.” He said, as other elders clapped their hands in acceptance.
Now, the true battle was about to begin.
“You what?” Isabella gasped, utterly petrified.
“That was the best thing to do.” He said as he shrugged.
“No, Lucien.” Her voice broke. “That was not the best thing. That was actually the worst thing.”
Lucien groaned within him. He had known she was going to have his head the moment she heard about it.
“You should rest.” He murmured as he swept her into his arms.
They were lying on the bed, talking about how their day had gone.
“I can't,” she retorted, pushing him away as she adjusted to the end of the bed, putting a lot of space between them.
“He's closer than ever.”
He groaned. Now he was going to use the same phrase he'd used earlier on himself. “C'mon Izzy, what about we keep our friends close and our enemies closer?”
Isabella shook her head, not moved in but by the new name he'd decided to call her. “That doesn't apply to this situation, Lucien. Give Lord Damien an inch, and he'll take up the entire space.”
Lucien wanted to giggle at the example she'd used, but he knew that would only anger her further.
“You are right,” He sighed in fake remorse.
“Can we drop this?” He muttered. “Let's talk about something else. I'm stressed as it is. Let's leave palace matters outside the door.”
He murmured softly in her ears.
Isabella shut her eyes, opening them back in an instant. “You're right.” She said, snuggling back into his arms.
“But I'm scared. I wanna say I'm not. I wanna think that you can handle it, but I can't help it.” Her voice shook, revealing her vulnerability.
Lucien held her, his hands on her hair. “It's okay to be scared.”
He sniffed her hair. “God, I've missed you.” He groaned as he pulled her closer to himself.
“Me too,” Isabella giggled. Her hands travelled all over his body, resting just a few inches below his waist.”
Lucien's breath was sharp. “What are you doing?”
“Relieving stress.” She said simply as her hands found his cap. She twirled her fingers around it gently, his fabric the only thing between them.
“Izzy?” Lucien's voice was filled with warning. “Are you sure?” He had been trying hard all night not to get hard with her so close to him.
He was trying to define their relationship.
Isabella nodded, slipping her hands into his briefs. “You're hard.”
Lucien couldn't believe his ears. He wanted to open his mouth and tell her that it wouldn't be hard with her by his side, but he merely closed his eyes.
“Lucien?” Isabella called, making him open his eyes.
“Hmm?”
“I…I want to ride you.” She said shyly.
Even with the darkness, he could feel the hotness in her face.
“I'm all yours baby.” He muttered slyly, as he picked her up and sat at the edge of the bed, placing her on him, before resting on the bed, as he allowed her to work on him.
She had her nightwear on, while he had only his briefs.
As Isabella rode gently on him, Lucien allowed his mind wander at the mysterious woman in his chambers.
This was the first time she was asking him to please him, and he knew it was not just because she wanted to relieve the stress from him.
It was something else. She felt safe.
He groaned as she slipped off him, crouching as she took him in his fullness in her hands.
“You're big.” She muttered innocently, making him smile.
“Can I?” She tugged at his briefs.
“I'm all yours, My Lady.” He teased as she pulled them down, making his member stand up right.
She took the balls in her hands, playing with them.
“Y…you're torturing me with your hands.” He groaned as he adjusted himself. “You're gonna make me have blue balls.”
“What?” Isabella released him, making him burst into bouts of laughter, despite the throbbing between his legs.
God, she was so innocent, even after Elias. He didn't want that innocence to end.
He sat up, using his finger to tip her jaw so she could stare into his eyes.
Then he took her hands, placed them on his member. “Here, let me show you how to do it properly.”
Slowly, he glided her hands so she could move up and down. “You can increase the speed if you want.” He said, hoping that she would listen and increase the speed.
He was dying of need.
Suddenly, without warning, Lucien lifted her up and placed her on him, shifting her panties to the side, as he took her from behind.
Her fingers dug into his lap, due to the suddeness and Isabella let out a soft cry from pain and pleasure.
“Now, this is how to relieve me from stress.” He said, as he continued to thrust forward, until she had taken all of him.
Her moans filled the room, as his hands wandered all over her body, resting on her breast. He pinched her nipple, making her scream in ecstasy.
Then without warning, he stopped.
Isabella groaned as she tried to get him to continue, but Lucien simply wouldn't move.
“Why…” she asked weakly, panting for breath. She couldn't see his face, so she couldn't tell what he was thinking.
One hand held her neck, as the other, ravished her body.
Isabella was undeterred. She too was dying of want. Slowly, she moved her waist up, just like he'd done previously.
“You're not gonna give up, are you?” He laughed slowly as he bit her ears.
“Not when you don't.”
Lucien nodded, a flicker of light brushing past his face.
“And I won't.”