Page 94 of King of Rage

Lucius looked down at her, his gaze dark with longing.

Then he kissed her again.

His kisses were hungry and filled with all the emotion he had been carrying for the past year. He pulled her closer, his affection becoming more intense with every kiss until Stella found herself trembling in his arms.

The overwhelming rush of emotion left her struggling to catch her breath.

She finally broke away and placed both hands against his shoulders.

“Please slow down,” she whispered.

Lucius stared at her for a long moment, his chest rising and falling heavily as he struggled to steady himself. His eyes stayed on her face, taking in every expression as though he needed to make sure she was really there.

Gradually, he reined himself in. Without saying a word, he slipped an arm around her waist and lifted her into his arms.

Stella instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, settling against him as he carried her toward their bedroom.

He didn't stop until they reached the room.

Lucius carried her farther inside, toward the glass railing that overlooked the grounds. Beyond it, the dark landscape stretched into the distance, the trees disappearing into the night.

He set her down against the railing and bent his head, his mouth moving over her shoulder and neck in a rush of hungry kisses, bites, and licks. Everything else seemed to disappear around them.

By the time morning came, Stella was exhausted.

The sun had only just begun to rise, casting a faint golden glow across the bedroom. She lay against Lucius’s chest, barely able to keep her eyes open after the long night in his arms.

Lucius lay beside her, turned toward her. Their faces were only inches apart as he quietly watched her sleep.

His hand moved over her face, brushing her hair away and tracing her features with a tenderness that made her feel as though she were something precious he was afraid to lose.

He had spent so long without her.

Now that she was beside him again, he wanted to hold on to her for as long as he could.

Stella’s eyes slowly opened.

Lucius met her gaze and spoke softly.

“Stella, can I be your husband?”

She blinked, still caught somewhere between sleep and wakefulness.

“I want to marry you.”

She stared at him, surprised by the question.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I want to get married right now,” she said.

She started to turn away, but Lucius immediately caught her and turned her back toward him. He moved closer, his eyes fixed on hers.

Stella straightened, pushing him back before sitting up in bed. She folded her arms across her chest, her expression guarded.

Lucius settled behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his expression growing more serious.

“Why not?” he asked. “Give me a reason.”

Stella turned her head to look at him. She tried to hide the uncertainty in her expression, but it was impossible to keep it completely concealed.