Page 10 of King of Rage

Lucius said nothing.

He simply moved closer, slipped an arm around her waist, and drew her against him. His face dipped toward her shoulder, his lips brushing the side of her neck.

“I regret having that rule,” he whispered against her ear.

Stella went completely still.

Lucius had always been precise about his rules. Once he set a boundary, he expected it to be understood and obeyed. He never left room for ambiguity when it came to what he wanted.

Yet now, he was telling her that one of the rules he had created himself was something he regretted.

Her heart gave a hard, uneven beat.

Before she could make sense of his words, his lips brushed her shoulder. He followed the curve of her neck, lingering against her skin with an almost desperate familiarity, and Stella’s fingers tightened around the sheet.

She turned her face slightly toward him.

His mouth was only inches from hers.

Lucius leaned closer.

The phone on the bedside table suddenly began ringing.

Stella startled and pushed against his chest, breaking the moment. She quickly removed his arm from around her waist and shifted toward the edge of the bed. Reaching across the nightstand, she grabbed her phone and answered the call.

The room was quiet enough for Lucius to hear the voice on the other end without the call being on speaker.

“Stella, Shane’s coming home today. His conference should be over by now. Should I make some of his favorite dishes for dinner? I thought he’d enjoy coming home to a proper meal after being away for so long.”

Stella’s expression changed.

She instinctively turned away from Lucius, hoping to put some distance between them.

He didn’t let her.

His arms stayed wrapped around her waist. He leaned closer, his mouth hovering near her neck while he listened intently to the conversation.

“Who’s Shane?”

Stella glanced at him.

Lucius’s eyes were already on her.

“What does he have to do with you?” he asked, his voice low. “What’s your relationship with him?”

His gaze narrowed.

“Is he your boyfriend?”

His voice was low, but the questions came one after another. He watched her intently, searching her expression as though he could uncover the answers she refused to give him.

Stella ignored him.

Turning slightly away from Lucius, she kept the phone pressed to her ear.

“Yes, Aunt Darla, please. He’ll probably be exhausted when he gets home.”

She paused, listening.