Lucian’s POV
The velvet footstool wasn't enough. I sank onto the edge of the mattress instead, gently lifting Aurora’s ankles and resting them across my lap.
"Oh, don't do that," she murmured, her voice tight as she tried to pull away.
"Sit back," I murmured, my thumbs already tracing firm, steady circles into the arches of her aching feet. "You’ve been on your feet all morning."
I couldn't stop the smile from tugging at my lips. It felt pathetic, really—the absolute picture of a hopeless, broken man completely at the mercy of the woman who hated him. But looking at her, the warmth in my chest was too heavy to suppress. "I really can't help it. I'm going to be a father."
Aurora’s expression hardened, her gaze cutting through me like ice. "That changes absolutely nothing."
The smile f
