CHAPTER 59: BROTHER, HMM?

Seraphina’s POV

Seriously?

If you’ve got a private matter, then why the hell are you calling a woman to your room at night?

There I was, getting grilled for meeting my so-called boyfriend, while he was busy being all cozy and casual with some woman in the middle of the night.

What if I hadn’t been here? What would he have done then?

"There," Lucien said, pointing at the small table near the corner. "That’s the file. Take it and scram."

His voice was no longer deep and seductive, but cold and dangerous.

The woman flinched like she wasn’t expecting that tone from him... and instantly did as she was told.

She picked up the file and walked out without another word.

I stared at the door for a second.

What the hell was that?

This man made zero sense.

One second, he’s whispering in my ear like we’re in some steamy drama, the next he’s kicking women out like they’re paperweights.

I turned to him, raising my brow.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, keeping my voice even. "Kindly let me go back to my room. I have to study for my exams."

"Really?" Lucien narrowed his eyes, stepping a little closer. "I just sent that woman away... and now you’re saying you won’t keep me company?"

I scoffed.

"You sent her away?" I folded my arms. "She was hugging you like you were her long-lost husband. Don’t act like you did me a favor."

Lucien tilted his head as he narrowed his eyes, like he was trying to figure out if I was being serious or was getting jealous.

And hello... spoiler alert... I didn’t even know myself.

"I asked her to leave, didn’t I?" he said calmly, but I caught the flicker of irritation behind those perfect eyes. "She was here for work."

"Yeah, it must be really hard to work in that body-hugging dress and the perfume so strong that’d choke someone five rooms away," I muttered under my breath.

He heard it, as I could see the corner of his lips lift a little.

Lucien stepped closer again, and this time, I didn’t move back. I stood my ground even though my knees were starting to feel weird.

"You’re the one who lied about having a boyfriend," he said, again in that low and weirdly deep tone. "I’m just returning the favor."

I bit the inside of my cheek. Was he playing me?

"I told you I have exams," I almost yelled, looking away from him.

"Oh? And where’s your book then?" he asked, looking around the room like he’d caught me red-handed.

I clenched my fists.

"Are you seriously doing this right now?"

"You started it, baby girl."

There it was again, calling me baby girl!

I rolled my eyes so hard they nearly got stuck. "Stop calling me that. I’m not your—"

He stepped even closer. I could feel the heat from his body now.

"But you are," he murmured. "Whether you like it or not."

My breath hitched.

God, I should’ve walked away ten minutes ago.

I was still trying to control my beating heart, when he took my hand and took me to the couch.

I was still trying to calm my racing heart when he took my hand and led me to the couch. He didn’t pull hard, but the way he held me told me he wasn’t going let me leave.

He sat down beside me, but avoiding any physical touch.

"Now," he said as he looked straight at me, "tell me... why are you really here?"

His voice was different this time. There was no joke, no smug smile... It sounded dead serious and so was his face.

I looked away and stayed quiet. I didn’t want to answer and tell him anything.

He had already seen me at my weakest and... I didn’t want to expose more of my weakness in front of him.

He waited for a moment, then sighed and pulled out his phone.

"Fine," he said, "if you won’t talk, I’ll just call Asher and ask him instead."

"No!"

I almost yelled unknowingly, and before I could think, I reached out and grabbed his hand that was holding the phone.

"Don’t call him," I said quickly. "It has nothing to do with him."

Lucien didn’t speak. He looked down at where my hand held his, then slowly met my eyes again.

For a second, neither of us said anything.

The room felt still. And I didn’t let go.

"If you like touching me so much," Lucien said, opening that filthy mouth of his again, "I can let you touch other parts of my body too... but before that, maybe answer my question first?"

"You—!" I gasped, heat rushing straight to my face.

My body moved involuntarily. I pulled myself to the far corner of the couch, putting as much space between us as possible.

"Just ask whatever the hell you want to ask," I barked as I tried my best to avoid his eyes. "There’s no need to be so damn dramatic about it!"

My heart was beating like crazy again, and I hated how easily he flustered me. One sentence from him and my brain short-circuited.

"Sure, I’m waiting," he said calmly, leaning back as if telling me that he wasn’t in a hurry. "Why are you here?"

I took a breath, keeping my eyes low. "I needed peace of mind... and Brother Asher isn’t at home either."

"Brother, hmm?" Lucien raised his brows, and a slow smirk stretched across his lips. "So? Did someone bully you badly to make you run away from home and hide?"

"Nah," I replied quickly, shaking my head. "It’s just... Mrs. Lancaster. She’s at home."

His smirk faltered for a second as if he wanted to ask something.

I looked away, suddenly feeling stupid for even mentioning her. My voice dropped a little. "And I didn’t want to be in the same house as her."

"So... She was the one who bullied you?"