Chapter 124 124. How You Moan
"That's bullshit." Lucien's voice was flat, dangerous. "You have any idea what I'm offering you? And you want me to kneel?"
"Kidnapping carries ten years minimum. False imprisonment adds another five. You'll be an old man by the time you get out." Jessica's smile was cold. "So yes, that's exactly what I want."
"Not happening."
"Jessica-" I started.
"You don't get to walk in here with money and arrogance and expect me to just forgive you." She completely ignored me. "You need to understand what you did. You need to feel even a fraction of the powerlessness I felt locked up here."
Lucien's throat bobbed as he swallowed. I could see the war raging behind his eyes-pride versus survival, ego versus reality.
"Powerlessness? Me?" He scoffed. "Yeah, right."
"Try me." Jessica's voice was steel. "I told Lily this was your apartment, and she asks about you all the time. 'When is Uncle Lucien coming to join us here? Why did he leave us here?' How do you think she'll feel when I tell her the truth? That her beloved 'friend' is actually a criminal who belongs in prison?"
That hit him. I saw it in the way his shoulders tensed, the muscle jumping in his jaw.
"Don't use Lily as a weapon," I tried intervening again.
"Why not? He used a four year old. Kept her here, let her think this was some kind of vacation when really she was a prisoner. So yeah, I'll use whatever weapon I have."
Silence crashed through the room.
"The offer isn't just for you," Lucien said finally, voice tight. "It's for Lily. The investment in your brand means stability, security. I'm trying to give you both a life free from the Hayes family toxicity."
"While avoiding prison for yourself," Jessica shot back.
"Yes." At least he was honest. "I committed crimes and I'm trying to buy my way out of the consequences, but that doesn't change the fact that this deal benefits you too. You are just as terrible as I am."
Jessica studied him for a long moment. Then she looked at me.
"Why are you with him?" she asked. "He's a liar, a manipulator, and so much more-why stay?"
"He fails constantly," I said simply "He makes terrible decisions. But he's trying. Trying to be better."
"That's not enough reason."
"Maybe not." I moved closer to her. "But Jessica, think about-"
"I'm not listening to that bullshit." Her face crumpled slightly. "I want him to suffer like I suffered."
"Then take the offer and use it to build something better," I said. "Take his guilt and turn it into a future for yourself and Lily. That's a better revenge than any prison sentence."
Jessica sank back onto the couch, head in her hands. The door to the hallway burst open. Lily ran out, grabbing Lucien's hand.
"Uncle Lucien! Come see the garden! We have beautiful flowers!"
"I told you to stay IN YOUR ROOM!"
"No!" Lily stood her ground, dragging Lucien's hand.
"What? To your room you little brat!"
"Jessica!" He roared her name and her head snapped to him, chest heaving. He scooped Lily into his arms and gave Jessica a warning look. "Don't you ever use that word on Lily. And, we are going to the garden together."
With that finality, he turned and left with Lily. As they went, Jessica paced angrily, fists clenching and unclenching.
"He's gonna hurt you, you know that right? Men like that always do."
"Maybe." I stepped back. She looked like she was looking for something to drive her fists into. "But that's my choice to make."
Jessica let out a humorless laugh. "You're either very brave or very stupid."
"Probably both."
She stopped pacing, studying me for a long moment before sighing.
"I want the property to be in an Asian or European country of my choice."
"You got it."
"And a comprehensive NDA. He never contacts me or Lily again unless I initiate it."
"Agreed."
"And I want it in writing that if he violates any part of this agreement, the full amount doubles and the NDA becomes void."
I nodded. "Clause added."
Jessica closed her eyes. "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this because of survival. I'm taking his money because I'm tired and scared and I don't want to spend years fighting him in court while pregnant with another man's baby."
"Survival is noble, especially when you're protecting your daughter."
Her eyes opened, and she swiped at them. She moved to the window where we could see Lily and Lucien playing. Lily now had a flower attached beautifully to her hair. Jessica scoffed.
"He really cares about her, but apparently, it's not enough to avoid traumatizing her by locking us up."
I had no reply for her, so I just told her she and Lily would be leaving tonight.
"You're going to marry him, right?"
"What?"
Turning to me with a grim face, she spat, "good luck with that."
I collapsed onto the couch in the living room, hollowed out and tired. It was evening already, and everything was finalized. They were moved to a hotel close to the hangar to leave for New York in the morning.
Lucien was... making a call? I had no idea. All I could register at that moment was my eyes drifting close.
When I opened them again, a soft blanket covered me. The room was cooler, and a figure was moving away from the coffee table.
I blinked, sitting up.
The table had a small vase with bloomed flowers, an array of diced pineapples, a bottle of liquor and two wine glasses. I looked toward the kitchen.
Lucien's sleeves were rolled up, hair slightly mussed. The kitchen around him was chaotic. Pots on the stove, dishes in the sink, something that might have been flour dusted across one side of the counter.
"Lucien?"
"Oh?" He turned, caught. "You're awake. I was hoping you'd sleep longer."
I padded over to him. The burning smell hit me so bad, I couldn't tell what exactly he was cooking. One thing was for sure-things were not going well.
"What are you doing?" I wrapped my arms around him from behind, pressing my cheek to his back.
"Making dinner." He sounded slightly panicked. "It's not ready yet. Very far from ready actually."
"Need help?"
"No." He placed his hands over mine. "Just stay there. Talk to me. Distract me from the fact that I'm failing at basic cooking."
I smiled against his back. "I wasn't planning to help anyway."
He stiffened. "What?"
"Not after how you almost ruined everything with Jessica today."
"I was just being honest."
"You told her she deserved to live in slums." I hit his shoulder playfully. "And mentioned hell."
He fake-winced. "Okay, the hell thing was necessary-"
I hit him again. This time he made a breathy sound. "Oh... that feels-"
"What was that?"
"What was what?" His voice was all innocence.
I swatted him harder. He made the sound again, and I recognized it.
"Stop that!" I covered my mouth, mortified.
He chuckled. "Stop what? Making the sounds you make when I touch you?"
"I do NOT sound like that."
"You absolutely do." He turned in my arms, eyes dancing with mischief. "You go 'oh... Lucien...' just like that." He pitched his voice higher.
"I do not!"
"And sometimes you make this little whimpering sound." He demonstrated. "Right before you-"
I shoved him. "That's not true!"
He caught my wrists, grinning. "Shall I demonstrate?"
Before I could answer, he turned off the stove. Then his hands were on me, spinning me around. He pulled me back against his chest, lips finding the curve of my neck.
I gasped at the jolt of pleasure as he bit down gently. My head fell forward, giving him better access.
His hands slid under my shirt, warm against my bare skin.
"Oh... Lucien..." I couldn't stop the moan that escaped, not when his fingers were squeezing my ever sensitive boobs.
"What was that?" he whispered against my neck, voice dark with satisfaction.
My answer dissolved into another moan as his fingers found my nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. Warmth rose in my lower belly.
He pressed closer, letting me feel exactly what this was doing to his little guy.
"Still want to argue about the sounds you make, Fiera?"