After taking a long sip of his coffee, he says, “Of course. And what shall I tell Max is the problem this time?” His face is a cross between amused and resigned as I drop my head in my hands before repeating what Rose just told me. When I’m finished, he deadpans, “Your friend and her family are fucking nuts.”

“Luc!” I protest, although I know it’s weak at best. “She’s just going through a tough time right now.” It’s all I’ve got in the way of defense for her. After her comment about Max, I’m beginning to wonder whether she’s on a mission for revenge on Jake or to get Max Decker’s attention. Whichever it is, I hope she stops before she ends up behind bars for more than a few hours.

Lucian grabs his own phone and places a call to Max. I hear the other man yelling from where I’m sitting. Finally, Luc seems to have heard enough and snaps, “If you don’t want to do it, send one of the junior lawyers.” Max says something else I don’t catch. “All right then, take care of it.”

“Is someone going to help her?” I ask tentatively when he continues to scan the stock reports as if nothing has happened.

“Max is on his way to the police department now. I’m sure he’ll be able to get her out.”

“Max is going himself?” I ask for clarification. After all of the yelling, I can’t imagine him going if he could send someone else.

Lucian puts his iPad aside as he pulls me from my chair and onto his lap. “Yep, apparently he can’t stand to be around her but doesn’t want anyone else to be either. Go figure.” Before I can reply, he lowers his mouth to mine, nipping at my lower lip before slipping his tongue inside my mouth when I gasp. His tongue plunges over and over, reminding me of how he fucks. I wasn’t sure how he would act this morning after everything that happened between us last night, but he has been relaxed and almost loving. That seems to have changed, though, in the last few moments. Now he’s like a barely-leashed stallion, just on the edge of breaking free.

As his mouth continues to devour mine, he pushes a hand up my thin T-shirt, finding my bare, erect nipple. I moan into his mouth as he pulls on the sensitive peak, causing it to throb and beg for his attention. My core floods with moisture as he continues to work my body into a frenzy. I rub my bottom against his rapidly hardening cock, frustrated by the clothing separating us. “Luc, please,” I cry, as he drops his hand to the needy spot between my legs. “I need you now,” I groan. He has just touched my wet slit when there is a knock at the door. His hand pauses and I almost scream in frustration. “No! They’ll go away,” I whisper against him as I lick his neck. I feel him shudder. His hand begins to move against my clit again before another knock sounds.

“Ah, fuck.” He sounds as desperate as I feel. “It’s Sam, baby. I’ve got a meeting in half an hour, and he’s here to pick me up.”

“No, no,” I moan as I throw my arms around his neck. “Stay with me today.”

He chuckles softly as he pries my hands loose. “You have no idea how much I’d like that, sweetheart. Sam’s not going away, though, and as much as I hate it, I’ve got to go.” He gives me another kiss before putting me down on my feet. We both look at his prominently displayed cock, which is pushing against the zipper of his pants as if fighting to get out. I hand him his suit jacket off the back of the chair.

“You might want to cover that before someone gets hurt,” I joke, perversely glad to see he is suffering as much as I am. I walk him to the door where he calls to Sam that he’ll be out in a minute.

I jump in shock when he suddenly palms my core, resting his hand between my legs. “No touching this today, no matter how much you want to. This belongs to me, and I’ll have it tonight.” When I only laugh in reply, he pushes me back against the wall, growling in my ear. “Who owns your pussy, baby?”

I wonder briefly why his show of dominance after all I’ve been through doesn’t scare me. I think it’s because I want nothing more than to belong to this man and no matter how much he likes to dominate me in bed, I know he would never raise a hand to physically hurt me. Even knowing what he does, he doesn’t treat me as if I’m fragile. He lets me know how much he wants me with every look and every touch. I lower my hand to cover his, until we are both pressing against my damp heat. “You own it, Luc. You and only you.”

Our joined hands are rubbing my aching clit when an amused voice calls through the door. “Come on, kids; Luc needs to go to work now.” We both burst out laughing, feeling like teenagers caught making out. I give him a quick kiss and push him out the door before Sam can see my bedraggled appearance. I’m certain he knows what we were up to, though.

The desire to finish what we started is pounding through me, but I resist. An idea is forming as I walk back toward the kitchen to clean up our breakfast dishes. I have a few hours left to shower and call Debra to catch up before I head downtown to deliver a surprise lunch to Lucian: me.

Lucian

I’m frustrated as I finish my call with Peter Jacks. Peter told me Lee is out of town on business and should be back by the end of the week. I had asked the other man point-blank if his brother had security on Lia. The extra security I have in place at the apartment has noticed a couple of guys who appeared to be doing some type of surveillance. Peter hadn’t wanted to admit anything at first, but when I threatened to have the men arrested the next time, he admitted they were employed by his brother. Truthfully, I’m relieved. Even though I don’t think Jim Dawson could get past my security, I’m still glad to have a few extra sets of eyes on the building.

If not for Lia’s stepfather still being somewhere out there, I’d be happy not to hear from Lee Jacks for a while. He is a ticking time bomb, which I don’t have the time or the energy to deal with right now. Lia and I are in a good place despite the drama of last night. I think we are both at peace with our decision to leave any consequences that arise from our unprotected sex to fate. We will of course use condoms until we know for sure one way or the other, but there is nothing to do now but wait.

I had actually been shocked to discover that Lia felt as I did about not taking the morning-after pill. Even though it would have been hard, I would have supported any decision she made.

When Cassie had found out she was pregnant, she had been determined to have an abortion. I had been in no way ready to be a father, but after losing my parents in an accident, which I had had no control over, I just couldn’t stand the thought of voluntarily ending a life. I had promised Cassie the world if she would go through with the pregnancy.