Lucian's Soul (3 page)

“This isn’t my room.”

The room was huge with sky blue walls with ornate borders, high ceilings, and central heating. A lavish, dark wooden dresser and mirror took up one wall, with a door and a bookshelf on the other side. The huge bed matched the dresser, bookshelves, and bedside tables. Everything looked expensive.

Tessa didn’t remember coming to someone’s house, let alone putting herself to bed. The last thing she remembered was ….

Holy crap, what have I done?

It wasn’t a dream. Easing out of bed, she squealed at her nakedness. Grabbing the quilt, she wrapped it around herself and looked around for her clothes or something else to wear. Her mind kept going over what she thought she’d seen. She remembered drinking a sweet fruit drink. It had tasted wonderful, like nothing she’d ever had. 

Everything was hazy, but the more she thought about last night the more it came back to her. Oh, God, she’d had sex with Lucian Samson. No, no, no, she’d had
unprotected
sex with Lucian Samson. Crap, she wasn’t on the Pill. What if she got pregnant? What if she caught a disease? She vaguely remembered Lucian telling her he was disease free and sterile.

Opening a side door, she saw a massive bathroom with a spa bath and huge shower. Letting go of the quilt, she washed her face and did her morning business before covering herself again. Tessa debated if she should shower or wait until she got home and could get properly clean and relax in fresh clothes. Sighing, she walked to the opposite door. Bingo, a closet filled with suits and shoes. Reaching up, she got a shirt off the rack and put it on—it came to her knees, she swam in it. Doing one last search of the room for her clothes, she exited the room.

The hall was long. Black tiles with cream walls greeted her. Tessa could see stairs on her right and walked toward them. Paintings of places graced the walls and a couple depicted fights between what looked like angels and demons.

The house was quiet, and when she reached the bottom of the stairs she saw a huge open plan kitchen, dining room, and family room. Tessa needed to find Lucian, or at least a phone so she could call a taxi and leave.

Wandering around the mammoth house towards what she thought of as the front, she heard voices.

“I’ve found my mate. Gather Michael and Jacob, it’s time. I need to up the guards. I want my best. I don’t trust the angels. They grow bold of late.”

“I will fetch them myself, Lucifer.”

“Good, Seth. I need you to find them and bring them home ASAP. Stay safe, brother.”

Tessa waited until she didn’t hear the voices and stepped around the corner. She jumped as Lucian’s voice startled her. “You can come out of hiding now, Tessa. Seth has gone, although he was eager to meet you.”

Straightening her shoulders, she stepped into his view. “I wasn’t hiding. I was waiting for you to be done talking to your friend...er, brother?”

Lucian grinned at her, his dark hair falling just over his bright blue eyes as he strolled to her and gathered her into his embrace. She held herself stiff and unsure against him. “Seth is my youngest brother.”

Tessa nodded, unsure of what Lucian wanted her to say. “How many brothers do you have?”

“Five. I am the oldest.”

Wow, six brothers. His poor mother. “Um…I didn’t know that. They must stay out of the public light.” Tessa definitely hadn’t heard about Lucian having brothers. It was strange.

Lucian shrugged. “Over the years we have gone our separate ways, it’s safer. All of them, bar Seth, live in different countries.”

“Oh, okay.” Tessa wasn’t sure what else she should say. His hands on her skin were like fire; her whole body came alive from the slightest touch from him. She needed to get away before she missed her chance. She’d already crossed a major no-no, sleeping with the big boss. She felt like an idiot. She needed this job so bad and she’d stuffed it up sleeping with Lucian. Maybe if she left and pretended this never happened he’d let her keep her job. “I, argh…”

 His lips came down to hers and he brushed them back and forth, sending delicious tingles coursing through her. “I was just going to come up and check on you. Would you like me to order breakfast for you?”

Wriggling in his embrace, Tessa tested to see if she could get out of his hold, but he held her firm. “Um…ah…I came to find you to ask if you’d take me ho…” He shook his head and his eyes narrowed. “Well… You see I want to leave. Er… I mean…can I use your phone to call a taxi so I can go home?”

“No.”

Shocked at his abrupt no, she stared up into his blue eyes that swirled with black. Captivated, Tessa watched as a storm began to brew in them. Her inner radar was going off, telling her she needed to get away from Lucian. Something wasn’t right. She expected a billionaire playboy to be eccentric, but she thought he’d be keen to get rid of her. Lucian Samson wasn’t known for keeping women or having the same woman more than once.

“What do you mean by no? I have to go home. I don’t normally sleep with men I don’t know. Actually, I never do what I did last night. I don’t know you, Lucian. You’re not my type. Well, I don’t know if I have a type. I’ve only ever been with one other person and he wasn’t very good.” She pushed at his chest to get out of his hold, but he wouldn’t let her go. His arms and body were like steel. “Lucian, last night was…unbelievable, but it’s time for me to go home. I can’t stay here. I don—”

“Yes, you can. You’re mine, Tessa. You’re special. I want you.”

Okay, Tessa needed to get away. Lucian was intense. The sex she’d had may have been amazing, and the way her body reacted to him was scary, but his possessive and strange ways now were freaking her out. She needed to get away. “I need to go home and get some clean clothes. I’m hungry, too, but I need clothes to go anywhere to eat. Where are my clothes?”

Lucian released her and held her hand. “Come. I‘ll take you home to get some clothes and then we can get some food.”

“That sounds great.” Right now she’d say anything to leave. Tessa needed time alone to think. Something was going on. As much as she would like to think Lucian all of a sudden wanted her and thought they had something, Tessa knew better. Men like Lucian didn’t go for women like her. Tessa didn’t think she was ugly—she just wasn’t hot playboy billionaire girlfriend material.

****

Lucian ducked his head as they walked into Tessa’s little granny flat. The flat was about the size of his bedroom and bathroom combined. The bathroom had a shower, a sink, and toilet, and there was barely room to move. The kitchenette, one small bench and sink with a tiny fridge, sat in one corner with her bed on the opposite side of the room. A wooden painted folding divider separated the room. A TV sat next to her bed with a tattered two-seater sofa.

Tessa rummaged through drawers against the wall and then went to a small closet and grabbed some clothes. She clutched her items to her chest. “Um… thanks again for dropping me home. You can let yourself out. I’ll er…see you Monday?”

“No.”  Ha, his little mate thought she was escaping him. No way was he letting his mate stay here another night. “You will get changed, then gather a bag and some of your things. I’ll buy you some more clothes later. You’re coming back with me.”

“Excuse me?” Her mouth gaped opened and her eyes widened.

Advancing on her, he tilted her head up so she gazed into his eyes. He wanted her to know he meant business. “You’re staying with me from now on. Grab the things you want. Anything else you need I will buy for you. Be quick now. I think this place is making me claustrophobic.” He let her go.

“You’re crazy,” she whispered. Tessa blinked and shook her head.

“Do you need help to get changed?” He chuckled when she backed up and, if at all possible, her eyes got bigger.

“N…n…no,” she stuttered. “Give me a moment and I’ll be back.”

Lucian watched as she scurried to her tiny bathroom. While she hid in the bathroom he snooped. In the fridge sat milk, butter, cheese and yogurt. The cupboards had two-minute noodles and bread, bowls, plates and some containers. The two draws held utensils. He sighed, her kitchen contained the bare minimum. He walked the couple of steps to her closet, opening it to find three pairs of shoes, two dresses and four skirts, six blouses and five t-shirts with three pairs of jeans. Lucian shook his head and walked to the draws, surprised to find a large draw filled with fancy bras and underwear. Another draw held two flannelette PJs and three tracksuit pants with five old, big shirts. The bottom draw held papers and knickknacks.

Going over to the sofa, he sank into it. Holy crap, that was it—she was not coming back to this place…ever. It was a death trap. Standing, he marched to the bathroom door and opened it. Tessa sat on the toilet with the seat down, her arms hugging her legs. “No more hiding. Get up and pack or I will do it for you.”

Her gaze narrowed on him and she slowly stood. “You are not the boss of me. You may be my boss at work, but here you’re just plain old Lucian Samson. I barely know you. I am not yours to push around. I’m not your girlfriend. I’m not anything to you, so leave me alone. I’m not coming with you. I’m staying right here until you go.”

His demon raced to the surface and took charge. Lucian let him because right now he was on the same page, getting their mate out of this shitty little flat. Stalking to his woman, he picked her up and placed her over his shoulder and walked out of the tiny dwelling. Palming her arse as she squirmed under him, he smacked her. “To you I am never plain old Lucian Samson. I am your mate, your boyfriend, and soon to be husband. I will keep you safe and make sure you have everything you need. You are everything to me. You, my little kitten, are mine. I will never leave you. I have waited centuries for you. You will stay with me from now on.”

“Oh my God, you’re crazy.”  She whacked his back and screamed, “Help, help! A crazy man is taking me. Call the police. Help!”  

Smacking her arse again, he placed her in front of his car. Cupping her face, he stroked her soft cheek. “Give me a chance. I want to give you everything. You deserve to be treated like a princess. I promise I’m serious about us.”

Her eyes scanned his face and she let out a puff of air. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this but…fine, you get a chance. If things get weirder or you break my heart I will run and I swear you will never see me again. Got it?”

He let a grin slowly claim his face and he nodded. “Sure, kitten. Anything for you.” He winked at her.

“You are dangerous.” She got in the passenger seat and he went around to the driver’s side, opened the door, and got in.

“More than you know, but I’m never dangerous to you.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “We’ll see.”

****

Lucian wouldn’t let her pay for anything. They now stood at the counter with a pile of sexy underwear.

“I am not letting you pay for my underwear. For Christ’s sake, Lucian, you have already bought me a bunch of clothes that cost more than what I make in a year. You haven’t  taken no for an answer. I told you I didn’t need shoes and you still dragged me into a shoe store and guessed my size and bought me three pairs.” She shoved him away. “Now I am going to buy my own friggin’ underwear.”

Lucian raised his eyebrow and a smirk spread over his devilishly handsome face. “Sure, kitten, you can pay.” He almost purred, and didn’t that sound just spike her growing anger? “How are you going to pay? You didn’t bring your wallet with you.”

Glancing down at her jeans and tank top, she groaned when she realized she didn’t have her bloody bag. It was all Lucian’s fault—he’d thrown her over his shoulder and didn’t let her get her things. Lucian laughed and handed his black credit card over to the smiling saleslady.

“If this gorgeous man wanted to buy me all these things, I’d gladly let him,” the saleslady said.

Lucian’s eyes lit up and his smirk turned into a grin. “Hear that, kitten? I think you should take a page out of the nice lady’s book.”

Growling in frustration, she glared at Lucian and stormed out of the store. Tessa knew she should be more grateful, but she’d learned the hard way that nothing ever came for free. Lucian may be all nice and loving now, but she didn’t know how long that would last and she didn’t want to be in debt to anyone else. Lucian kept spouting stuff about her being his and so on, but she knew his reputation. She’d walked in on him with three women. 

Lucian chased after her with the bags. “Let me call someone to get these bags and we’ll go have something to eat.” Lucian seemed oblivious to her frustration and anger.

She grabbed the bags from him and walked towards the food court. “I can hold the bags. You don’t need someone to come and get three bags full of underwear. Come on, let’s eat.”

At the food court she ordered their food, grinning when he paid and stared at the food. “Did you just order for me?”

Biting her lip to hold back the smile, she shrugged. “Yep.” She chose their seats and placed the shopping bags beside her.

He set his food in front of him and grumbled, “I’m the man. I should choose the food for you.”

“You’re so controlling.” She rolled her eyes at his sulking. “I can choose my own food just like I can buy my own clothes, shoes, and underwear.”

He stared at her like she had just done the inconceivable and bested him. Smiling at him, she picked up her utensils and ate.

When he was done and she had a couple of bites left, he sighed. “You’re nothing like any of the woman I know. You’re the first woman who doesn’t want to spend my money. The first woman who has genuinely wanted to pay for things.”

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she gazed at Lucian. His mouth was set in a fine line and his forehead was wrinkled. He looked at her like she was an unknown entity and had no idea what she was. 

“Lucian, I learnt years ago that money doesn’t grow on trees. You have to work to get money. I know the value of working to buy a top that I fell in love with. I learnt that nothing in life is free. What you have done for me today was nice and I thank you, but I don’t want to be in debt to you.”

“You will never be in debt to me. I have plenty of money and I want you to have the best.”