Right now, I need it.
Right now, I need Lucius.
21
Lucius
Evie takes her small black bag when I offer it.
“Thank you. I didn’t even think to grab it.” She opens it and pulls out a compact, flips it open, and peers at herself in the mirror.
“I wanted to tell you how beautiful you look in that dress.”
She falters for a second, then goes back to wiping beneath her eyes and freshening her lipstick. “Thank you.”
“How long have you known about the party invitation?”
She returns the compact to her bag and closes it perfunctorily. “Why did you go through my things?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
She turns to me. “Why were you there tonight? What do you think crashing an Acquisition party is going to accomplish?”
“I’m going to take names, darling. I need to know my enemy. Once I have them all, I’ll do a little more research for the stragglers, and then I’ll hunt them all down.”
“You didn’t answer my first question.” She leans into me slightly as the driver takes a turn at quick clip. Her perfume is light, floral. Perfect for her.
“I was there to pick you up.”
We’re so close here in the car, and I want to claim her mouth, to kiss down her throat and undress her slowly, savoring each bit of skin as it’s revealed to me. I’ve never wanted to go slow with anyone, never wanted to take my time to discover each curve and ridge, each sigh and moan.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks with a breathy voice.
“I can’t look at you?”
She swallows. “Not like that, no.”
I lean closer, and she doesn’t move away. “I think you know I’ve always been a fan of breaking the rules.”
When her gaze flutters to my mouth, I take a chance and nuzzle her neck, grazing my lips along her soft skin.
“I can’t do this.”
“That’s okay. I can.” I open my mouth and suck her skin between my lips, tasting her.
“Lucius.”
Fuck, the way she says my name lights a fire in my blood. I kiss lower, grazing the edge of her dress, and then I pull back.
Her pupils are blown, her lips parted.
I kiss her. Not gently, not a request. I take this kiss. One hand at the back of her neck, the other at her waist. When her tongue dances against mine, my restraint—what little I had—evaporates. I press her against the seat, claiming and sucking and licking. She grips my jacket, her body pushing back against me, giving me every bit of friction and touch. I can’t stop kissing her. Angling her head so I can go deeper, feel more, take more. She’s giving me life, and I will happily take life if it means I get to experience this again.
She bites my lip. I taste blood and give it back to her, kissing and overcoming her, making her feel how small she is against me, how easily I can give her pleasure and pain. Fuck, I want to take her right here, right now. To lift up that dress and make her straddle me, take me all the way inside.
“Lucius.” She pants against my mouth, her heart frantic against my own. Chest to chest, face to face, we take each other’s measure.
“I want you, Evie. And not just quick and dirty right now. I want more.”
She takes a shuddering breath. “No.”
“No doesn’t mean anything to me when it comes to you.” I kiss her again, harsh and claiming.
She responds, her tongue lashing against mine as the car finally slows to a stop. I run my hand up her waist and cup her breast through the lace. Her nipple is taut and wanting. It needs my tongue, my teeth.
“Please, we can’t.” She presses her palms to my cheeks, her skin burning just like mine. “We have to survive tonight. We have to. And then … Then we can figure this out.”
“I don’t need to figure anything out.” I kiss her once more, a final touch in the dark back seat. “I know what I want.”
She gulps a breath as I back off.
“We’re going to finish this, Evie. You can lie to yourself all you want, but you and me—we’re going to happen. We’ve been on this path for years, we just didn’t know it.” A collision course, more aptly, I suppose.
“You shouldn’t do this. You can’t go in there and expect them not to realize who you are. They’ll know.” She pulls out her compact again.
I wipe at the lipstick I’m certain is smeared on my mouth. “They aren’t as smart as you seem to think they are.”
“It’s not a matter of smart. They have eyes and ears everywhere. When Charles doesn’t show up, they’ll be on high alert.”
“You know so much about them?” I ask.
She reapplies her lipstick. “I grew up with it. So did you.”