Shackled Hearts (Chained Hearts Duet 4)

“I’ll go and get changed,” I say, standing and quick-stepping it to the bedroom. I search through my bag—Merci ended up bringing over another one full of clothes—and pull out a skirt and shirt before I start tearing off the clothes I have on. I’m excited to go out, to get out of this house, even though it’s a nice house and has everything I need, but it’s become more like a prison lately.

“That was fast.”

I turn my head as I’m pulling up my skirt. Lucas is in the doorway, his eyes fixated on my ass without any shame.

I smile and shimmy the skirt all the way up my body until it’s in place and then pull up the zipper on the side. “I’m excited to go out, even if it’s to someone else’s house who I don’t know.”

“You do,” he corrects. “You just don’t remember Keir and Sailor.” I turn back around to pull on my shirt, and when my head pops through the hole, I notice he hasn’t moved. He’s intent on watching me while standing on one foot and leaning against the door frame.

All I can think of is how sexy he looks standing there with the lighting behind him and the way he takes up most of the doorway. Facing him fully, I ask, “Okay, well, did I like them?”

“You loved Sailor. She’s Keir’s wife.”

I nod and step up to him after slipping on some heels.

“Let’s go.” Lucas grabs my hand, and I follow him out as he carries a tray of food in the other. He helps me into the car before sliding into the driver’s seat, after having put the tray in the back seat, and taking off with a squeal of his wheels. His touch is burning my hand, and all I can think about is what those hands might feel like all over my body.

“How many times did we have sex?”

He clutches the wheel, knuckles almost turning white before he glances over at me. “I fucked you in a plane. Do you remember that?”

What? Wow!

“Umm, no, clearly,” I say, shaking my head. “Why on a plane? Was I working?”

“This was before you started working in that field. I took you to Disney World.”

“You took me to Disney World?”

“On a private jet, where I proceeded to fuck you after. Side note, you enjoyed it.”

“Did we do that a lot?”

“No.”

“How come we didn’t work? Please, give me the truth.”

He’s silent for a few moments, and I think he isn’t going to answer my question. I’m about to tell him to forget about it when he speaks, “I fucked up. You knew it, I knew it. Took me a little longer to realize my loyalties didn’t lie with a man who used me. They should have been with you. They should have always been with you. However, I didn’t quite understand who you were back then. But you paid me back for it, make no mistake.”

“So, if I paid you back, why didn’t I take you back?”

“It’s more complicated than that. Believe me, if it were, I would have been a happy man, but you despised me for what I did, and rightfully so.”

I turn in my seat to face him. “I have a feeling I would have forgiven you.”

He smirks as he looks at me, his face telling a story, but it’s one I don’t know yet. “No, you wouldn’t have.” And the way he says the words make me believe him which, in turn, makes me a little sad as to why I wouldn’t have forgiven this beautiful man next to me.

The car comes to a stop out the front of a cute brownstone. Lucas gets out, runs around, and opens my door to help me out. “If you get tired, let me know, and we can leave straight away.”

“It’s just a small dinner, right?” I ask.

“Nothing is ever small in this family.”

“Family?” I look at the house. “This is your family? I thought you said he was your boss?”

“It is. And family. Keir is my boss.”

“Do I look all right?” I ask, my hands sliding down my skirt to try and make it longer.