Chapter 116 116. Ice Cream
"You're right."
The words stopped me mid-breath. I stared at him, not sure I'd heard correctly.
"What?"
"You're right. About all of it." He dragged both hands through his hair, making it stand in dark peaks. "I'm asking you to hide while I figure out how to untangle myself from this nightmare I created. And it's killing you. I can see it." His voice was strained, each word dragged out with effort.
"Every time I deny us publicly, I tell myself it's to protect you. From Ronan, from the media circus, from everything toxic that comes with being connected to me. But that doesn't make it hurt less, does it?"
"No," barely a whisper. "It doesn't."
"I see how hard this is. How much it costs you every time I have to pretend we're nothing." He closed the distance between us, hands coming up to frame my face. "Your feelings aren't wrong. You're not pathetic for wanting to be chosen. I'm the bastard who keeps putting you in impossible positions."
A tear slipped free. He caught it with his thumb.
"I can't give you everything you deserve right now. Can't stand on television and tell the world you're mine. Not yet. But that doesn't mean I'm choosing anything over you. You're the only choice that matters."
"I know why you can't." My voice broke. "That's what makes it worse. You have reasons. Good ones. But it still hurts like hell."
"Then let it hurt." He pressed his forehead to mine. "Don't smile through the pain to make this easier for me. Be angry. Destroy flowers. Yell at me. Just don't shut me out, because I can't fix what's broken if you won't tell me what hurts."
A choked sob escaped me as he pressed a slow, tear-wet kiss to my lower lip, a silent plea for me to hold onto him even while everything else fell apart. We stood there breathing the same air, the fight draining away and leaving something softer behind.
"It all hurts," I admitted. "Being called your ex. Reading that statement. Knowing Natasha's right about me being a secret. All of it."
"I know, mi amor." He pulled me against his chest. "I know."
"Just promise me something."
"Anything."
"When this is over, when we're finally free-promise you'll choose me. Out loud. No more hiding."
"The second we're clear, I'm buying a billboard in Times Square with your face on it." His lips found my hair. "Maybe two. Hell, I'll buy the whole damn block."
A laugh escaped despite everything. "You're insane."
"I'm yours." He tilted my chin up. "In private, in public, in every way that matters. Don't ever doubt that."
This time, I leaned into his lips first. He grabbed my neck, deepening our kiss that tasted like apology and promise wrapped together.
A knock at the door interrupted us. We were too consumed with ourselves to break away from each other, until the intruder rang the bell over and over again, quite aggressively.
Lucien pulled back with a sigh. "That must be Rafael. He is panicking."
Rafael?
He was right. Rafael stood in the hallway. He was not as pale as I'd left him hours ago. Instead, he looked determined.
"You should be in the hospital," Lucien said immediately.
"I've rested enough." Rafael stepped inside. "Besides, you need me."
"The van outside hasn't moved. Ronan's people are just watching for now."
"Then we work faster. I'm not sitting in a hospital bed while you three handle this alone. It's time out an end to all these for good!"
Lucien was ever ready to argue, but one touch to his arm and he sighed in defeat.
The next morning, Lucien didn't leave for Hayes Corp. He settled into Unit 4D with his favourite black coffee made by me, just how he liked it.
"I'm joining you for mornings now too," he'd told me when I woke up. "Rafael can't carry the afternoons alone yet, and you need backup."
Maya agreed with Lucien and Rafael. I'd already reconciled with Maya over coffee and pastries earlier.
"I was a complete brat yesterday," I'd admitted to her. "I'm sorry."
She had grinned, stealing a croissant. "You were having a shit day. But yeah, you were kind of a brat. Apology accepted, though."
Now the four of us fell into a new rhythm. Lucien spent less time at Hayes Corp and more time with the evidence. We were close, so close to being done.
I noticed things too during this time. The way Maya brought Rafael tea without asking. How he smiled when she entered the room and how those eyes followed her whenever she had to leave the room for something.
"You two seem better," I said one afternoon when the guys stepped out.
Maya's cheeks flushed. "We're actually talking now. About real things. Not just..."
"Having sex in our crime lab?"
"Exactly." She laughed. "Though that was also really good."
"You're naughty," I smirked.
"What? I'm not going to lie about it. But this is better. Slower. These small moments building into something real."
I was truly delighted for her, and I hoped whatever they were building becomes something meaningful, strong, and lasting for them.
Seraphina called me once to check on me after the video scandal. We talked for twenty minutes about little things again, but when we hung up, a strange yet wonderful feeling washed over me.
I was really building a relationship with my stepmother!
"Stop rubbing your eyes before you damage something."
I looked up from my monitor. Lucien was watching me with concern.
"They're just tired."
"How many hours on screens today?"
I did the math. "Maybe twelve?"
"Okay, it's time to get you computer glasses."
Twenty minutes later, Lucien parked in a high-end optical shop. He handed me a mask and sunglasses first for public disguise which I appreciated. Wouldn't want unnecessary attention on me.
Inside the shop, I tried on different frames while Lucien gave opinions. It felt normal and relaxing. We were a regular couple doing regular couple things.
"Those make you look like a sexy librarian," he commented when I tried on a pair of thin gold frames.
"Is that good or bad?"
"Definitely good." His eyes heated behind his sunglasses. "Very good. Very hot."
He bought that glass for me. As we approached his car, a sudden thought crossed me.
"Let's walk!" I said impulsively. "We can finish the journey with a cab when our feet start to hurt. Call one of your guys to bring the car to my building."
"Hmm," his lips curved mischievously. "Would you like ice cream as well?"
"Ice cream?" Joy swelled in my chest. "Of course I want ice cream." I jumped on my feet and almost lost my balance on my heels, but he caught me just in time.
We walked arm in arm, and got ice cream from a street vendor-chocolate for me, vanilla for him.
For a second, the other woman feeling tried to surface, but I shook it off. I was confident in us. In him. In what we shared.
"Race you to the corner."
"You're wearing heels."
"Scared you'll lose?" I unlocked our arms and took off running. He caught me in just three strides, spinning me around. How disappointing.
Ice cream dripped down my wrist as I laughed breathlessly.
He caught my wrist, eyes holding a mischievous glint. Then his tongue traced the trail of melted chocolate up my skin.
"Lucien!" I protested, but he was already lifting me into his arms. "Put me down!"
"No." He started walking, me cradled against his chest, still licking chocolate from my wrist. "You started this."
"People are staring!"
"Let them." He bit on a part of my skin before licking it again alongside the chocolate, making me shiver. "I don't care."
He carried me two full blocks, occasionally stopping to lick more ice cream that dripped onto my hand. By the time we reached my building, I was breathless and flushed.
He only put me down when the elevator doors closed. But immediately his hands found my waist, pulling me close. He pinned my hands above my head, tracing my skin once more before he kissed me hard, teeth catching my bottom lip.
"These lips," he murmured against my mouth. "Forgive me if they are swollen by morning, princess. I don't think I can go gentle tonight."
The elevator dinged. He lifted me again as the doors opened.
"STAY DOWN!" An angry male voice yelled.
"Let me go, you piece of shit." Another male voice, more urgent.
Then we saw it.
A man had another pinned to the hallway floor.
"I caught him trying to break into 4A!"