Page 107 of Devilish

“Are you laughing at me?” he said, lacing our fingers together.

“No, I just… Well, maybe a little. Seems like you were stressed more than I was today.”

“I just wanted everything to be perfect for you.”

Benoit put a hand to his heart and sighed.“Aimer, c’est trouver sa richesse hors de soi.”

I smiled as I looked at the soft expression that had just crossed his face. “What does that mean?”

“It’s a French quote,mon cher.It means, ‘To love is to find one’s richness outside oneself.’ It’s clear Lucien has.”

Heat bloomed on my cheeks as I turned to look up at Lucien, and while it was clear to me how much he loved me, I hadn’t been sure anyone else could see. Apparently they could.

Lucien clapped Benoit on the arm and steered me around the over-the-top Frenchman. Benoit blew me a kiss and headed in the direction of the bar.

“Well done, Kai,” King said, shaking my hand. He was flanked by his significant others, East and Zac, whom I’d only briefly met before but who had proven to be unforgettable in that short interaction.

Zac nodded at me, a beer in one hand. “Have you made any plans now that you’ve graduated?”

“Uh, nothing set in stone,” I said, looking up at Lucien, who winked at me. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up and jinx it.”

“Well, if you need an in at Astor University, we could always help you,” East said, and then smirked. “For a fee, of course.”

King shook his head. “All of us are willing to help you in any way we can. Because that’s what we do?—”

“At Libertine,” East finished, like he’d heard it a hundred times before. Then he let out an exaggerated sigh. “I can’t get my fun outside this place if you keep inviting everyone in.”

“Something the rest of us regret every time you open your mouth,” Alessio said as he joined the group. When East started to respond, King clapped a hand over his mouth, said goodbye, and led his guys back into the crowd.

“Who knew your talent was clearing a room?” Lucien asked Alessio, who shrugged unapologetically.

“East is a shit. Gotta keep him far away from your sweet thing.”

My brows shot up. “First you hacked my score early and now you’re calling me a sweet thing? Are you okay?”

Lucien laughed, and Alessio crossed his arms and glared down at me. He’d come around enough that I felt comfortable teasing him, though he was such a built guy maybe that wasn’t the smartest idea.

“Gets a diploma and suddenly he’s a smartass.”

“Nah,” I said. “Thank you for what you did. Really. I would’ve gorged on too many fries and had serious regrets tomorrow if it weren’t for your working your magic.”

“Speaking of working magic, you’re welcome for these.” Theo shouldered his way past Alessio, with Shep right behind, both of them double-fisting drinks. He thrust one into Lucien’s hand while Shep handed me a purple one topped with what looked like glitter.

“It’s a mocktail,” he said with a wink. “And congratulations.”

I was flattered that he remembered I didn’t drink, since I hadn’t been around him much with all the traveling he did.

I lifted the glass to my lips, but Theo put his hand on my arm, halting me.

“Does everyone have a drink?” he called out, his voice rising over the chatter in the room. “Lachlan, Cooper doesn’t count as a beverage.”

Lachlan flipped him off and continued his make-out session with Cooper off in the corner.

“No accounting for class,” Theo said before holding his glass toward me. “Kai, on behalf of all of us, we’d like to congratulate you and celebrate your big night. You know, when I met you just a few short months ago, you had all this pent-up desire to go out into the world and see it all. Do it all. So now, with this as just the first of your many accomplishments, I want to help make that happen.”

He handed me a square envelope with both my and Lucien’s full names in perfect calligraphy on the front.

“You didn’t have to give me anything,” I protested, but Lucien took my drink to free my hands.

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