Page 188 of Crimson Promises
"Tell me, Aurora," he whispered huskily, his fingers tracing circles at the nape of my neck, making me shiver involuntarily. "Do you feel this spark with him? This undeniable connection?"
His other hand rested on my waist, fingers pressing just enough to remind me of his strength and power. My breaths became shallow, quick. It wasn't just fear; it was anticipation. Lust. Longing. His thumb brushed the curve of my bottom lip. The gesture intimate, possessive.
His chuckle, low and seductive, tinged with a hint of mocking delight, vibrated through the air between us. "You might condemn me with your words, but your body sings a different tune. Perhaps I understand those silent notes better than Bennett ever has."
Lucifer’s words, so confidently spoken, filled with such arrogance and truth, stoked the embers of my defiance.
“Bennett is everything you’re not,” I managed to say, even as I could not break from his penetrating gaze.
His eyes darkened, becoming even more intense. “Yet here we are,” he murmured, leaning in so his lips brushed against my earlobe. “And it’s my touch, not his, that has you on the edge, isn’t it?”
I shoved him away, my palms flat against the hard planes of his chest. The heat of him seeped through his clothes, branding me.
"You're deluded," I said, my voice trembling with anger and another emotion I refused to name.
His laughter was soft, but there was no humor in it. "There are countless facets to who I am, Aurora, yet being in error is not one. I see through you, to that part of you that even you're afraid to acknowledge."
His tall, formidable frame overshadowed me, but instead of instilling fear, it trapped me in a magnetic pull I couldn't deny.
Lucifer’s eyes, those treacherous pools of darkness, peered into mine with an intensity I hadn't seen before. It was as if he was searching for some hidden truth, some secret I had yet to discover about myself. Every breath I took seemed laden with an electric charge, the air thick with anticipation.
With a languid movement, his hand rose to brush away a stray lock of my hair. The gesture was almost gentle, contrasting starkly with his usual bravado. His fingers continued their trail down the side of my face, tracing the curve of my cheekbone, sliding down to my throat, where they rested lightly, feeling the frantic pulse beneath the skin.
"Every beat of your heart," he murmured, his voice dropping to that seductive, dangerous tone, "gives away your truths, the ones you try so desperately to hide."
A hot blush crept up my neck, a mix of anger, embarrassment, and that undeniable attraction. "You're playing games, Lucifer."
His lips, full and tempting, twitched into a smirk. "Oh, darling, this is no game. This is raw, unfiltered reality."
A flood of memories with Bennett rushed back—tender moments, shared laughter, stolen kisses. I clung to those memories, using them as a shield against Lucifer's insidious advances.
"I love him," I whispered.
Lucifer leaned in closer, his breath warm against my ear. "Love is a curious thing. It doesn't negate desire, nor does it diminish it. And right now, love or not, you want me."
Despite my revulsion at his words, there was no denying the truth in them. My body was in turmoil, caught in the storm of my feelings for Bennett and the tempestuous pull Lucifer had on me.
His hand moved from my neck, sliding down to rest on my hip, his grip firm, possessive. I felt trapped.
His lips hovered mere millimeters from mine, and I could see the challenge in his eyes, daring me to close the distance. To give in.
With a surge of willpower, I turned my head, breaking the spell. "This changes nothing.”
He chuckled, the sound deep and resonant, echoing in the hollow space of the corridor. "For now," he replied cryptically. "Remember, Aurora, truths, once acknowledged, can't be ignored."
"You're a monster," I said, pushing against his chest with all my might.
He stepped back, the shadow of a smirk on his face, though there was a hardness in his eyes. "A monster, perhaps, but one who sees you for what you truly are, what you truly desire. And recognizes that Bennett Caelum will never be enough for you. At every turn, he has chosen his own self-interest over yours. I may be ruthless, but I would never put another above you.Never."
Before I could reply, he stepped away, but not before whispering a promise that sent a chill down my spine. "This isn't the end of us, Aurora."
With a snort, I retorted, "You seem to be making a lot of false promises lately."
Without another word, he waved his hand, and the door behind me swung open. I stumbled back into the room, the cool air inside a stark contrast to the heat of the corridor. Before I could turn around, the door slammed shut, leaving me in the dim light, alone with my racing heart and tumultuous thoughts.
Dusk slanted through the ornate windows of the chamber, casting elongated shadows across the floor. Initially, I had been awed by the elaborate decor and had never seen anything like it, but today, it all felt so suffocating.
I darted towards the window, hands reaching out to push it open, craving fresh air to cleanse the chaos. But the window resisted as if fused to the walls. A laugh—sharp, broken—escaped my lips. Here I was, a queen-to-be in a gilded cage, held captive by emotions as much as by stone walls and magical enchantments.
