Page 51 of Queen of Mirrors and Madness

I sigh. “No, I don’t deny it. I’m more upset with myself than you. It’s hypocritical that I don’t like you speaking about other women, knowing I was with Nox last night. Yet, here I am. Besides, I wasn’t sure if you were married or not, which only added to my irritation.”

“I’m not married. Never have been and never will be. You needn’t worry.”

He removes his clothes, and my gaze widens. “Again? Already? Holy shit, Lucien, let a woman catch her breath.”

He laughs and pulls back the comforter to join me in the bed. “Later. For now, we talk about this dilemma of yours.”

“Don’t be dramatic.”

“I am an illusionist, a showman. It’s in my blood to be dramatic.”

He reaches for me, and I go willingly. His arms wrap securely around me, giving me a sense of tranquility that I wish to have for the rest of my life. What is it about this man that both frightens and exhilarates me at the same time while providing serenity that shouldn’t be possible?

His crazy is rubbing off on me.

“I don’t care who you sleep with,” he says. When I frown, he waggles his finger in my face. I try to bite him, and he smiles. “Listen, little bird. As long as you’re with me, mind, body, and soul, when we’re together, then I don’t care who you have sex with. The day you think about someone else when I’m fucking you is the day I’m done.”

My brow furrows as I roll this over in my mind. “I don’t understand that because I want you all to myself.”

He scoffs. “As you should.”

“I’m serious, Lucien. I can’t handle the idea of you being with another woman. Although…” When he raises a brow in question, my face flushes with heat at my thoughts. “I do think about you being with another man…andme.”

“Seriously?”

“Never mind.”

I shake my head as if it’ll get rid of the images parading through there. The ones of me with him and Baxter. Of me with him and Nox. Or Darius. Fuck, with me, Lucien, and practically anyone.

He raises the hand on my hip and flicks his wrist. Suddenly, Baxter stands at the door with his usual surly expression. It changes to something sensual, ravenous. My pulse begins to race.

“That’s not real,” I whisper, my throat dry.

“No, but your response is.”

I swallow to wet my tongue. “How did you know?”

“You tend to eye-fuck his cock. Alot.” At my gasp of outrage, Lucien chuckles. He waves away the vision of Baxter, and disappointment floods me. “Like I said, your reaction to seeing him here with us is telling.”

“I know.” I drop my gaze, embarrassment still lingering in the warmth of my cheeks. “But I wish I didn’t think about him like that. Baxter hates me, so there’s no chance.”

Lucien places his index finger under my chin and lifts it until I’m staring into his kohl-rimmed eyes. “I wouldn’t say there isn’t a chance at all. It’s just a very small one.”

“Do you know what I did to make him hate me?”

“No, but even if I knew why, I wouldn’t tell you. That’s a question he needs to answer.”

I purse my lips. “Don’t get all logical on me now. The day you do, I’m done.”

His brow rises at me throwing his words in his face. “Oh, really?”

“Yes.” My tone is light, but it quickly darkens to something serious. “Well, that and being with another woman.”

Lucien brushes my lips with his in a chaste kiss. There’s a layer of sensuality present, but it feels more affectionate than anything.

“It’s nap time because I’m tired,” he says, pushing my head onto his chest. “Next time we do this, you’re going on top so you can do all the work.”

There are those words I long to hear: next time. They imply a future together, and right now, I’m desperate to have some stability in my life.

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