Page 96 of King of Rage

His fingers brushed lightly against her side as he drew her closer.

“But now I don’t want to lose you again. I don’t want you to leave me like that again. I want to be with you clearly, and I want you to know that I want you.”

Lucius shifted until they were facing each other. Stella looked up into his eyes, while he gazed down at her with an intensity that made it difficult for her to look away.

His expression was serious now.

“I’ll do whatever you want in the future,” he said quietly. “Our relationship will be the way you want it to be. You’ll have control over my life, Stella.”

He lifted a hand and brushed his fingers along her cheek.

“So, Stella, can you be mine now? I really want to marry you. Please, can we get married?”

His arms tightened around her, holding her close.

“I don’t want to lose you again.”

Stella was overwhelmed by the intensity of his closeness. Lucius gazed at her with a tenderness she had rarely seen in him, his expression softening as his fingertips brushed along her wrist.

His lips feathered over hers as he spoke, barely more than a whisper.

“Please say yes. You still haven’t given me an answer. You’re torturing me, Stella.”

He lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a lingering kiss against her wrist. His lips moved higher along her arm before he lowered his head, his kisses trailing toward her neck.

Stella's breath caught.

There was something almost vulnerable in the way he was looking at her, as though her answer mattered more to him than anything else in the world.

She couldn’t resist him any longer.

Turning her face toward him, she met his lips with hers.

Lucius kissed her immediately, his hand sliding around her waist as though he had been waiting for permission to pull her closer. The kiss deepened, and when they fell back onto the bed together, Stella felt his arms tighten around her.

But this time, she shifted above him and looked down into his eyes, a playful smile touching her lips.

“This time, I’ll take control.”

Lucius's eyebrows lifted, amusement flashing across his face.

Before he could say anything, Stella caught his hands and held them above his head. She leaned down and kissed him, lingering against his lips.

For a moment, Lucius simply stared at her.

Then he smiled.

It was such a bright, genuine smile that Stella couldn't help smiling too. He looked almost ridiculously happy, as though she had just given him everything he had ever wanted.

She kissed him again, and he closed his eyes, surrendering completely to her.

***

Lucius sat comfortably on the couch, a contented smile lingering on his face as he held Stella's hand in his.

He couldn't seem to stop touching her.

His thumb moved back and forth over her fingers, tracing them absentmindedly while his gaze kept dropping to the ring on her hand. Every few moments, he lifted their hands together, comparing hers with his as though he still couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.