Page 50 of Knot Heirs: Serenity's Reign

"And yet you still want to claim me," she observed, refusing to dance around the obvious sexual tension crackling between them.

Lucian smiled slowly, predatorily. "Want is an inadequate word. I've been obsessed with the idea of you since your father first mentioned your existence. The reality of you exceeds even my considerable imagination."

The blunt admission should have repulsed her. Instead, Serenity felt a dangerous thrill.

This man—brilliant, broken, and unashamed of either quality—saw her

She’d have to put that to the test.

Lucian's phone rang, the sound slicing through the magnetic tension between them. His expression shifted instantly as he glanced at the screen, that seductive smile vanishing behind a mask of rigid control.

"Excuse me," he said, his tone clipped as he answered. "Blackthorn."

Serenity watched as his features hardened, the warm amber of his eyes cooling to something metallic and dangerous. His jaw clenched, one elegant finger tapping against the crystal tumbler before him with metronomic precision. Three taps. Pause. Three taps. A pattern that betrayed the agitation he otherwise concealed.

"When?" he demanded of the caller. "How badly?" Another pause. "No. Secure the location and wait for further instructions. Tell Dmitri to activate Protocol Chimera."

She studied him through narrowed eyes, cataloging the subtle tells most would miss—the slight flare of his nostrils, the way his free hand curled into a fist before deliberately relaxing.

The Alpha was rattled, though he hid it well.

"I understand. No further contact through standard channels." He ended the call and set the phone down with deliberate care, though Serenity sensed he wanted to hurl it against the wall.

"We need to leave," he said, already signaling for the check. "Now."

"What happened?" The businesswoman in her kept her voice steady, even as adrenaline began coursing through her system.

Lucian leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"Anton Kozlov has been compromised."

The name meant nothing to her, but the gravity in Lucian's tone spoke volumes.Meaning could it be some sort of information channel or connection?

"Your informant?"

"My eyes within The Society's inner circle. He's been working for me for three years, feeding information on their movements." His gaze burned into hers. "He was tortured before he died. It wasn't quick, and it wasn't clean."

A chill slid down Serenity's spine.

"Do they know about?—"

"About us meeting tonight? It's a possibility we have to consider." He settled the bill with a black card, not bothering to check the amount. "Anton knew of my interest in Vale's affairs, but not specifically about you. Still, we can't risk lingering."

The Parisian lounge suddenly felt exposed, the festive Christmas decorations a jarring contrast to the discussion of torture and death. Through the windows, the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower seemed more ominous than romantic now.

"My hotel—" she began.

"Is no longer safe," he cut in, rising and extending a hand. "You'll come with me."

It wasn't a question, and something in Serenity bristled at the command despite the danger.

"I have my own security measures."

A flash of impatience crossed Lucian's face.

"Your father's men are competent but compromised. The Society has infiltrated deeper than you realize."

Serenity stood, deliberately ignoring his outstretched hand.

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