I didn’t want to admit it, but Lucien’s questions had shaken me. And my nerves were already frayed, thank you very much, what with the whole storming into his club and exposing my trauma thing.
But then came the hug.
A hug.
From Lucien St. Germain, no less. This man didn’t hug—of that I had no doubts. I’d bet any of my already-auctioned-off-in-an-estate-sale designer handbags on it. If Thorne’s stories hadn’t already painted him as cold-hearted and cruel, my own first impression would have sealed it. People—vampires—like him didn’t offer comfort. They didn’t soothe or console. And they most certainly did not wrap their arms around their archnemesis of the day.
And yet, that was exactly what he’d done. He hadn’t rubbed my nose in my shame or humiliation. He hadn’t sneered and kicked me out of his office after I’d accused him of breaking into my bar. He’d simply asked questions, promised to help, and then hugged me.
Worse, I was still trying to make sense of how his damn arms had felt wrapped around me. One shouldn’t feel warm and safe in the arms of her enemy, right?
Right?
But I had. He made me feel like I was worth caring for. And I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt that way. Before the scandal? No. Even before that. A year? Two years? I racked my brain, combing through my memories, but nothing came to mind.
Which, quite frankly, was even more upsetting than someone breaking into my home.
What even was my life? How had it become this?
Trystan had loved me once. Or maybe he’d pretended to love me? He was a liar, after all. He’d come from nothing. I’d had everything. Maybe it had all been a ploy to secure a comfortable life for himself. People did that, right? I just knew, at one point, it’d felt like he’d loved me.
Until the day that stopped.
It hadn’t happened suddenly. It’d been a slow, creeping decay. But unfortunately, I hadn’t noticed until he’d already committed all the crimes. That was when I finally saw the truth. And now, he was off enjoying his new life as a fugitive with, presumably, his trampy secretary at his side.
I think what scared me most wasn’t that he’d lied, but that I hadn’t noticed. That I’d stood in the middle of a dumpster fire and called it my life. That I’d fallen for someone capable of utterly destroying me.
And now, here I was again, standing next to yet another deceptively charming man with the means to ruin me. Lucien literally held my future in the palm of his hand. He could snuff out all my dreams without so much as batting an eyelash.
Why did I keep putting myself in these situations? Keep giving others that kind of power over me? I hated it. But what I hated most was that, even now, I wanted him to pull me back into his arms. And why? Because he made me feel safe?
Girl, smarten up.
I rubbed my arms, suddenly cold. “I should get back to the bar.”
Lucien’s attention instantly snapped to me. “Not alone, you’re not.”
Before I could argue—because, honestly, I wouldn’t have minded a little distance from him right now—a knock echoed through the room. Soft, perfectly timed, and entirely welcome. I definitely needed the distraction.
Lucien growled an, “Enter.”
The door creaked open, and Juliette poked her head in. I knew that she and Lucien worked together, but it struck me as odd that she needed to knock to enter. I didn’t have siblings, but if I did, I couldn’t imagine asking for entry into my brother’s office. I’d barge in, toss something at his head, and leave. You know, sibling stuff. Or what I imagined sibling stuff looked like.
She stepped fully inside, her gaze landing on me first before flicking to her brother. “Sorry for interrupting. I wasn’t aware you had a guest.”
I threw her a polite smile, even though that was clearly bullshit. I had to imagine the entire lounge knew of my presence here. “No need to apologize. I was just leaving.”
Lucien shot me a dark look. “I said?—”
“Yes, I heard you,” I cut in, my voice tight.
The last thing I wanted was for Juliette—and therefore everyone else—to learn about my most recent misfortune. Lucien walking me home would raise questions. Questions I most certainly didn’t want to answer. And I wasn’t in the mood to serve Eternity Falls another scandal on a silver platter. Especially one that centered on me.
Juliette eyed us, clearly sensing the tension. Thankfully, she chose not to dig. “I just stopped by to see if you needed anything before I head out for the night. But it looks like you’re all set.”
Lucien didn’t answer her. He merely stared at me, as though trying to beam his thoughts into my head.
Juliette’s gaze ping-ponged between us, and then she arched her brows. “Right. Lucien, walk me out?”
