Page 76 of Devilish

“Want to maybe tell me what itwaslike, then? It’s obvious something has you upset.”

“It’s just…” The wordsI’m uselessandI’m qualified for exactly nothingwere right there, but I couldn’t seem to get them out.

“It’s just what? You were in such a good mood when I left. Excited about looking up jobs.” Lucien’s eyes shifted to the computer and back to me. “That’s it, isn’t it?”

I lowered my eyes, not wanting him to see my embarrassment at being so…inept. But in true Lucien style, he reached for one of my hands and gently drew me to my feet. The computer fell flat on the couch, and he grabbed it up and handed it to me as he pulled me down onto his lap.

“Show me.”

“Lucien, I?—”

“Please,” he whispered by my ear, and added a kiss to my temple to sweeten the request.

Sighing, I reopened the laptop and pulled up the last job listing I’d been looking at. “See, no porn. Sorry to disappoint.”

“You could never disappoint me,” Lucien said as he reached around me to scroll down the page. “A social worker. I could definitely see you doing something like that. In fact, I think you’d be great at it.”

So did I—too bad I had no hope of ever finding out.

“I could help you apply if you like? Get a resumé written up for you and some?—”

“Stop,” I said, shaking my head at Lucien’s enthusiasm.

“Stop?”

“Yes, stop.” I got to my feet and walked over to the window to stare out at the storm clouds. “You’re making it sound so easy.”

“Itiseasy. We can have the resumé done in minutes. I’ve got references you could use, then we’ll fill out the application and?—”

“No, you don’t understand.” I turned back to face him. “I didn’t graduate.”

Like a light bulb had gone off for him, Lucien nodded—but if I thought that fact would slow him down, I was in for a rude awakening. He put the computer aside and got to his feet, coming to where I stood at the window.

“That’s okay,” he said, taking my hands in his. “That’s just a small detour, one we can work toward together, and once you pass that, you can decide where you go from there. Social work, mental health, or a more managerial position.”

“It doesn’t bother you to be with someone who doesn’t have a degree? Someone who didn’t even graduate high school?”

“No, Kai, it does not.” Lucien let go of my hands to cradle my face in his palms. “You are smart in so many ways that go beyond schoolbooks. Life is taught through experience, exploration, and knowledge. Books are just one part of that. Your hands-on experience is knowledge no one but you has. It was the harshestof schoolrooms, and yet you survived it. No one butyoucan draw from that. So if you want to pursue a degree, if you want to go back and get your GED so you can help others like you, then let’s get you what you need.”

I blinked at him, wondering how he had the ability to understand exactly how I was feeling, always.

“How do you do that?” I asked.

“What?”

“Always know what to say to make everything better.”

“I just want what’s best for you.” He tipped my face up and lowered his forehead to mine. “Whatever that might be.”

I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent, Lucien’s presence settling and calming everything inside me.“It’s you,” I whispered. “You’re what’s best for me.”

“Then you’re in luck, because I’m not going anywhere.”

He wrapped me in his strong arms, and that unfamiliar feeling of hope once against bloomed inside of me.

Lucien was right. I could do this. I had the experience, the determination, and the fight to make a difference in other people’s lives. Just as he had mine.

I wasn’t about to let those who’d come before him define who I was. No way.

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