Page 64 of Ice & Steel

I was silent as we walked back through the olive grove, our hands woven together. We both knew we had to return to the city someday soon. This island wasn’t reality, it wasn’t the legacy we wanted for our children.

And it wasn’t enough for either of us.

CHAPTER TWENTY

OLIVIA

I woke slowly and stretched my legs, flexing my toes. He was naked and laid out on his back with the sheets pulled over his legs. My stomach fluttered and I inched closer and slid my body against his side. His heat spread through me and I closed my eyes and breathed in his clean scent.

After he’d chased me, we’d showered together. We were both so exhausted we fell into bed still damp. The last thing I remembered was him curling me into the bend of his chest.

He mumbled and his lids fluttered. “What time is it?”

Nuzzling my face into his ribs, I sighed. “Why does it matter?”

“Viktor is coming for lunch,” he said.

It took me a second to absorb his words. I pulled my head up and blinked at him, confused.

“Why?”

He pushed up into a sitting position and leaned back against the wall. I tugged the knit blanket over my naked body. When I moved, a little ache twinged between my legs and some of his cum slid down my thigh. He’d fucked me hard and I’d be walking with a catch in my step all day.

“It’s time,” he said.

“Time?”

“Viktor has been visiting the city on and off and he thinks that enough time has passed we need to start planning our next move,” Lucien said.

My stomach sank. A part of me deep down hoped we could live forever in this in-between place where we were all safe. I took a moment to gather my thoughts and rearrange my face to offer him a small smile.

“Alright,” I said. “I’ll go make breakfast and start prepping lunch. Who’s coming?”

“Just Viktor and Cosimo,” Lucien said. “And us, our family.”

I nodded, letting the blanket fall as I slid off the bed. He made a soft sound in his throat, a bit like a growl, and his hand curled around my waist. I bit my lip and turned to offer him my best pleading expression.

“I’m really sore, Lucien,” I whispered.

“I just want a kiss.” He tugged me against him and cradled me in his lap. Our mouths met and he kissed me so gently it made me ache. His rough palm slid over my cheek and tangled in my hair.

“Thank you,” he said.

I let him hold me for a moment. Even though he never admitted to having needs beyond sex, I knew him. There was a desperate twist to his knuckles as he buried his hand in my hair and pressed my face against his neck. His other hand slid down my naked back and gripped my ass, kneading it.

“Are you okay?” I whispered.

He drew back, eyes shut behind steel gates. “Of course.”

At that moment, a chorus of tiny fists beat loudly on our door. I shot out of his arms and pulled on my linen slip and tossed him his sweatpants. Once we were covered, I unlocked the door and all four of my sons burst into the room.

Marco and Hugo were dressed already, but Atlas and Ettore still wore Lucien’s t-shirts. They looked so cute running across the room with the hems hanging around their ankles. I dashed after them, trying to grab them before they all jumped on Lucien, but I was too late.

The twins clambered into his lap and Ettore reached over and snagged his reading glasses and shoved them on.

“I can look like you,” he announced.

“Oh really?” Lucien asked, amusement curling deep in his voice. “Give me those.”