“I don’t need protection…”
Lucien’s hand moved suddenly, gripping her jaw just enough to stop the words.
“Seraphina.”
The way he said her name made her heart slam against her ribs.
“You don’t get to decide this one.”
Her eyes flashed with fury. “Watch me.” For a moment the two of them simply stared at each other. The tension between them felt like a live wire.
Lucien exhaled slowly through his nose. Then his grip shifted, pulling her closer against him instead of holding her back.
“You are impossible,” he murmured.
“And you’re controlling.”
His mouth twitched slightly. “Correct.”
Before she could respond, his hand slid to the back of her neck again. The same grip from earlier. Firm and unyielding.
“Sera,” he said quietly, his forehead almost touching hers again. “You think I’m trying to keep you on a shelf?”
She lifted her chin defiantly. “That’s exactly what you’re doing.”
Lucien shook his head slowly. “No.” His voice dropped lower, “I’m trying to keep the world from realizing how dangerous you actually are.”
Her breath caught.
Lucien’s thumb brushed along her jaw again. “You walk into a room,” he continued quietly, “and men underestimate you.” His gaze moved over her face like he was memorizing every detail. “That’s power.” His hand tightened slightly on her waist. “If I start taking you into war zones with me, that advantage disappears.”
Sera swallowed. The logic irritated her but it also made sense.
Lucien noticed the shift immediately.
“Stay here,” he said softly.
She hesitated.
Lucien leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper now, “Trust me to do my job.”
Sera studied his face for a long moment. Then she sighed sharply, “You’re insufferable.” Lucien smirked faintly. “I’ve been told.” But his hand didn’t leave her waist.
CHAPTER 47
The door closed behind Lucien with a quiet, final sound that seemed to echo longer than it should have. For a moment Sera didn’t move. She stood in the middle of his office, the air still thick with the tension they had left behind, his hands on her waist, the heat of his voice against her skin, the frustration still burning in her chest. She exhaled slowly and dragged ahand through her hair, trying to calm the storm inside her. Outside the tall windows the estate stretched across the dark hills, security lights glowing faintly along the perimeter walls. Somewhere down the hall she could hear the distant movement of guards changing shifts. The world outside Lucien’s office was still moving like normal but inside the room something felt wrong.
Sera turned toward the desk.
Lucien’s office was always immaculate. Every document was normally stacked perfectly, every weapon placed exactly where it belonged. He ran his world with ruthless precision. Which was why the thing lying on the edge of the desk caught her attention immediately.
A black folder.
It hadn’t been there earlier or maybe it had been buried under something else and he’d moved it while getting ready to leave.
She stepped closer, curiosity tugging at her despite herself. The leather surface of the desk reflected the soft light from the lamps along the wall. The folder sat slightly open, just enough for the corner of a photograph to peek out.
Sera frowned. Something about it felt personal. She reached out slowly and pulled the file toward her. The moment she opened it, her stomach dropped.
