Page 61 of King of Rage

Then she saw Darla beginning to turn toward her.

Panic shot through her.

Stella hurried toward her, reaching out and grabbing her by the shoulders before she could look toward the door.

“What are you doing?” Stella asked hurriedly. “What have you cooked today?”

She turned Darla toward the dining table, positioning herself so that her back was to the entrance.

Darla began telling her about the breakfast she had prepared, completely unaware of Stella's nervousness.

Stella nodded along, pretending to listen, but her attention remained fixed on the door behind her.

A moment later, she risked a glance over her shoulder.

Lucius hadn't left.

The man was standing beside the shelves near the entrance, casually browsing the photographs displayed there as though he were a guest with nowhere else to be.

Stella's eyes widened.

‘What the hell is he doing now?’

He picked up a photograph of her from her college days and examined it with a faint smile. Then his gaze shifted to another photograph.

One of her and Shane.

The smile disappeared.

Lucius's expression changed almost instantly. The warmth in his eyes gave way to unmistakable irritation. His jaw tightened as he studied the photograph, his fingers curling slightly around its edges.

Jealousy darkened his features.

Then, as though sensing her stare, he lifted his head.

His eyes met hers from across the room.

Stella glared at him, her impatience and frustration evident in her expression.

‘Leave! Just leave already!’

Lucius took one look at her furious face and smiled.

A slow, infuriating smile.

Stella's eyes widened in disbelief.

The goddamn man was enjoying this.

Instead of putting the photograph down and walking out, Lucius lifted the picture of her from college and pressed a kiss against her image.

Stella's jaw dropped.

‘Is he out of his mind?!’

Lucius lowered the photograph and held her gaze for another moment, the faintest smirk tugging at his mouth.

Then he carefully returned it to the shelf.