Page 87 of His to Possess
At the mention of legality, Luka burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the gallery. I glanced around nervously, worried Alain might hear.
"Oh, you sweet, naive girl." His eyes lit up with amusement. "Rex is far more complex than the clean businessman he shows the world. You could have made him do whatever you wanted. He was wrapped around your little finger."
I looked at Luka as if he had sprouted two heads. His words didn't make sense. Rex, wrapped around my finger? It was absurd.
"You don't understand," I said. "I care about Rex, but I'm only an arrangement to him. One of his collectibles. One he grew tired of and was glad to release so he could return to his own controlled world."
At my words, Luka's amusement vanished. He stopped abruptly, turning to face me fully. His eyes flashed with anger, and I took an involuntary step back.
"Are you really that blind?" he asked. "Or are you just lying to yourself?"
I stared at Luka, my mind reeling from his words. The intensity in his eyes made me want to look away, but I couldn't.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Luka sighed. "Look, I've known Rex for years. We… we met in a way that surprisingly bound us together. I won't go into details, but let's just say it wasn't under the most conventional circumstances."
I frowned, trying to process this new information. "I already know you and Rex are friends?"
"Friends?" Luka let out a dry laugh. "I don't know if that's the right word. But we understand each other. We're all twisted, obsessive, and depraved in our own ways. It's how we cope with the ugliness of life."
His words sent a chill down my spine. "What do you mean?"
"Rex is a collector, Laurel. He thinks he's looking for perfection. And you're right, each of the women he becameobsessed with were perfect in their own way." Luka's eyes bore into mine. "What do you think you are, Laurel? Why did he choose you?"
I shook my head, struggling to find words. "I… I don't know. I'm not perfect. I'm just—"
"Just what?" Luka interrupted. "Intelligent? Passionate? Stubborn as hell? You weren't dazzled by his wealth or his looks, or even his power over people. You challenged him, Laurel, you fanned his flame. You weren't just another pretty face to add to his collection, one whose light he appreciated but who burned out before him. You were different."
"But he left," I argued, my voice cracking. "He disappeared after…"
Luka rolled his eyes. "Because you scared the shit out of him. You made him feel something he couldn't control. And Rex? He's all about control."
I stood there, stunned into silence. Could it be true? Was I more to Rex than just another conquest?
"I don't understand," I finally managed to say. "If what you're saying is true, why didn't he fight for me? Why did he let me go?"
Luka's expression softened slightly. "Because he's an idiot who doesn't know how to handle real emotions. He probably thought he was doing you a favor by letting you go. But trust me, Laurel, that man is far from over you. Isn't he in Paris after all?"
I stared at Luka, my mind whirling with confusion. "Did… did Rex ask you to come meet me?" I asked hesitantly.
Luka threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing through the gallery. "Oh, sweetheart, no. Rex didn't send me. I'm not part of his grand plan." His eyes twinkled with mischief. "But you know me, I don't like being on the sidelines. So I decided to insert myself into this little drama. Like the bratty little boy I am."
I frowned, struggling to make sense of his words. "What are you talking about?"
Instead of answering, Luka took my hand. "Tell me, Laurel, did you see Rex last night?"
I nodded, my throat suddenly dry.
"And you looked like this, right?" Luka gestured vaguely at my face and body. "Bruises and all?"
Again, I nodded, unable to find my voice.
Luka's expression turned serious. "Did he lose his shit?"
I shook my head, remembering Rex's surprisingly calm demeanor.
"You didn't find that strange?" Luka asked, his eyebrow raised.
