His dangerous obsession

Chapter 4

sharp flick of his wrist.

"Leave us," he commanded.

The guards bowed their heads and backed out, slamming the heavy mahogany door behind them.

Lucian stood across the room, slowly unbuttoning his cuffs and rolling his sleeves up his forearms. He stared at me, his dark eyes burning with an intense mixture of cold rage and undeniable, dangerous hunger.

"Five years ago," Lucian said quietly, his voice low and raspy as he walked toward me. "Your father, Arthur Vance's former partner. You're David's daughter."

"My name is Victoria," I said, my voice cold and unyielding despite the steel chains binding me to the chair. "And you ordered the hit on my family."

Lucian stopped right in front of my chair. He didn't hit me. He didn't draw a gun. Instead, he leaned down until his face was inches from mine, his dark gaze dropping down to my lips before locking back onto my eyes.

"Your father wasn't murdered by me, Victoria," Lucian whispered, his hot breath brushing against my skin. "He was set up by the same rival family that tried to burn down my warehouse tonight. I spent five years looking for the man who actually gave that order."

I froze, searching his eyes for any sign of a lie. "You're lying to save your skin."

"I don't lie," Lucian growled softly. He reached out, his warm, heavy hand cupping the back of my neck. His fingers slid up into my hair, holding me firmly in place while his thumb gently traced the outline of my bottom lip.

Despite the situation, the heat of his touch sent a sudden, electric shiver straight down my spine. The dark attraction between us hadn't dissolved; if anything, the truth had only made it far more volatile.

"You poisoned me," Lucian murmured, his dark eyes blazing with dark desire as he leaned in closer. "You lied to me. You used my own desire against me, and yet, all I can think about right now is finishing what we started down in that room."

"Lucian” my breath hitched, my chest rising heavily against the chains.

"You brought a fire out in me tonight, little shadow," he whispered, his lips hovering mere millimeters from mine, his hand sliding down to rest against my racing pulse. "I want you. I want every single secret you're keeping, and I want you in my bed, submitting to me willingly."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver key, unlocking the heavy padlock behind my back. The chains fell away, clattering onto the floor.

I didn't run. I stood up slowly, stepping right into his space, my chest pressing lightly against his.

"If you want me willingly, Lucian," I said, tilting my chin up and meeting his intense gaze, "you're going to have to prove to me that you didn't kill my father. Because if you can't... the next time I poison you, you won't wake up."

Lucian let out a low, dangerous laugh, his hands coming to rest on my waist, pulling me firmly against his body.

"Deal," he whispered, before bringing his lips down onto mine in a fierce, possessive kiss.