CHAPTER 50: THE CHARMING NIGHT OF SABBIA BIANCA

"You sure you can take this off?"

Lucien asked, sitting back on the couch with his arms crossed while Adrian knelt in front of him.

The alpha’s hands hovered around the tracker clamped to Lucien’s ankle, a device that had been there since the day he arrived.

It was stubbornly unbreakable. He’d bathed with it, swum through the ocean, even ’accidentally’ kicked it against coral reefs and rocks, but it never budged.

The only thing it ever did was change color—from green to red—whenever he stepped outside the manor.

"Well, yeah," Adrian muttered, rubbing his chin.

"If we don’t do this right, it’ll probably make a loud noise or maybe electrocute you when you leave the island."

"Maybe?" Lucien arched a brow. "You don’t even know?"

He sighed. "Forget it, we don’t have to go to town. Just cancel our BDSM session."

"What?! Are you insane?" Adrian’s voice shot up an octave.

"Me and Silas already prepared the tools, we even built the sex dungeon for you!"

Lucien blinked. "Dungeon? We were supposed to have one session!"

Adrian chuckled. "Oh, I’ll make sure you get obsessed and beg for more."

Lucien gave him a flat look. "Perverted bastard."

Adrian only grinned, focusing again on the device. He turned Lucien’s ankle this way and that, lifting it up, squinting at the mechanism like a confused mechanic.

"What are you two doing?"

The voice at the door made them both jump. Silas stood there, leaning against the frame, arms crossed and expression unimpressed.

"Nothing!" Adrian blurted immediately, far too quickly.

Lucien stared at him in disbelief, leaning closer to whisper, "You didn’t tell him yet?"

The alpha avoided his gaze. Lucien rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Of course he hadn’t. Without Edmund’s permission, leaving the island was impossible and this idiot had still promised him a date.

Silas sighed, walked over, and knelt beside Adrian. Without a word, he pulled something from his pocket and pressed it against the tracker.

The light flickered blue, then blinked out completely as the device unclasped and fell to the floor.

Both Lucien and Adrian froze, staring at him.

Silas smirked. "Our Young Master is meticulous. He uses gloves often, never leaves fingerprints. But he’s different when he’s with Lucien."

He held up a small piece of clear tape. A faint fingerprint gleamed on its surface. "So I borrowed one from your room, Lucien."

Lucien let out a low whistle. "Damn. I thought you were the strict, composed, gentle one. I was wrong, again."

Adrian grinned, shaking his head. "As expected. Even more immoral than me, and that’s saying something."

Silas rose, dusted off his knees, and extended a hand to Lucien. "Come on. Let’s go to the City of Sand."

***

The City of White Sand or the local called it Sabbia Bianca lived up to its name. From afar, it shimmered like a mirage; soft white shores glowing faintly under the twilight sky, as if the moonlight itself had chosen this place to rest.

Legends said the sands turned luminous at night, and couples who walked across it together would be tied for life.

Lucien didn’t believe in myths, but even he couldn’t deny the city had something... intoxicating about it.

The air was rich with music and laughter, the rhythm of guitars mixing with the distant crash of waves.

The narrow streets, lined with pale stone houses and flowering balconies, twisted down toward the beach where lanterns hung in long strings like falling stars.

Everywhere he looked, there was life; vendors calling out near the fountains, dancers spinning barefoot on marble plazas, lovers sharing wine beneath orange-lit terraces.

The city never faded even if the night came.

And now with the Twinster even this beautiful serene place would be chaotic with Adrian was already excited to explore all over the city.

"Let’s go to the market first!" Adrian chirped, practically vibrating with excitement.

"They’ve got street food, wine stalls, the city hall sometimes has dance shows, oh! and we can visit the White Sand later to see the magic—"

He didn’t stop. Not once. Silas simply walked alongside him, hands in his pockets, giving patient nods at every pause.

Lucien exhaled, half amused, half exhausted. "Let’s eat first before you collapse from enthusiasm."

He led the way down a slope that opened into a wide square glowing with golden light.

Rows of stalls filled the air with the scent of grilled seafood, honey, and citrus. Laughter mingled with the sizzle of oil and the hum of chatter.

Adrian darted ahead like a child, stopping at every stall to point out something new, each word laced with the hope of impressing Lucien.

His hand kept reaching out, brushing lightly against the omega’s fingers, but before he could steal a proper touch, Silas had already stepped in, handing Lucien a cup of honey wine.

"Try this," Silas said with that calm, unbothered smile. "Local specialty."

Lucien took it, and Adrian groaned in disappointment, shoulders slumping like a kicked puppy.

The omega smirked, fully aware of what the alpha wanted yet pretending not to notice as he took a sip.

The sweetness rolled across his tongue, mellow and warm.

"It’s good," he murmured. "Sweet. It’d go well with citrus juice."

"Right? Though I’m not a fan," Silas replied, tilting his head. "Too sweet for me. How about you, Adrian? Want a sip?"

Adrian’s frown was immediate. "No need. Wine’s for children."

Lucien shot him a sidelong look, fighting back a laugh. ’So that’s how we’re playing it, huh?’

His gaze drifted toward the next stall, a vendor serving shrimp cocktails on ice. He picked one up, paid the vendor, then turned back with a faintly wicked smile.

"You love seafood, right, Silas? Bianca always has the freshest catch. It tastes sweet."

He raised the skewer toward Silas, offering to feed him.

Adrian froze. Those ocean-blue eyes widened, the jealousy flashing like lightning. Lucien’s grin deepened. He’d hit the nerve perfectly.

Before Silas could even part his lips, Adrian swooped in, snatching the shrimp and biting it straight from Lucien’s hand.

His tongue grazed over Lucien’s fingers deliberately, slow and possessive.

Lucien blinked, a flicker of heat blooming across his face before he covered it with a short laugh.

"You shouldn’t steal food from your brother, you know."

He turned to Silas with a teasing lift of his brow. "Come on, Silas. I’ll feed you more."

Silas seemed to catch on instantly. He leaned forward, took Lucien’s wrist gently, and ate the next shrimp straight from his fingers, his tongue slipping past to slowly lick the last traces of sauce.

His gaze never wavered, cool and focused, making Lucien’s pulse skip.

"It’s a waste to leave the juices," Silas said, his voice a low tease. "The shrimp’s good... but you taste better."

Adrian’s mouth fell open. For once, the man was speechless, caught between outrage and disbelief.

Lucien burst out laughing. "Oh, don’t look so betrayed, darling. You started it."

Adrian’s glare could’ve set the market on fire, and Silas just smiled like a saint who’d committed a beautiful sin.