Page 17 of Lucas (The Valeur Billionaires #2)

Chapter Twelve

AVA

I t’s my second day at the mansion, or as I’ve started calling it, “The Showoff Palace.” I don’t understand why Lucas keeps this enormous place outside the city when it’s just him living here alone. It seems like such a waste, all this space and luxury for one person.

And already, on the first day, he drove me crazy. I can’t believe I stripped in front of him like that, in the middle of the damn breakfast room. What was I thinking? I don’t know why I did it or what I was trying to achieve. To prove to him I don’t care? That I’m not afraid of him? Of this?

Fuck. The memory of the way he looked at me, his eyes dark and hungry as they raked over my exposed flesh. I was so turned on in that moment, so caught up in the heat and the anger and the twisted thrill of it all, that if he had taken a step toward me, there’s a chance I would have let him?—

No. I cut off that train of thought before it can fully form, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. I can’t let myself go there, can’t afford to entertain those kinds of fantasies. All I did was prove to myself that I am indeed attracted to him, and that’s bad. Very bad.

I need to get out of here, need to clear my head.

Determined, I set off across the vast lawn. I have no destination in mind, just a desperate need to put some distance between myself and the house, between myself and him.

I’ve only taken a few steps when a flicker of movement catches my eye. I freeze, my heart leaping into my throat as I notice a bent figure in the backyard, obscured by a towering hedge. “Excuse me?”

The figure straightens, and I discover a woman in her fifties, her brown hair pulled into a bun above her head, holding a pile of green leaves in her hands.

“Oh! Hi!” She places the leaves in a basket that was previously hidden from my view. “You must be Ava. I’m Lilibeth, the cook at Valeur Manor.”

“You mean for Lucas, or are there other people here?”

“Oh, I cook for the staff, too,” she explains, gesturing toward a cluster of smaller structures set back from the main house. “It takes a lot of people to maintain an estate this size. Only Lucas eats in the main house, though. The rest take their meals in the staff quarters.”

“Fuck, those are his too?” I shield my eyes with my hand, squinting against the bright sunlight as I take in the red brick structures. “Just how far does this property go?”

Lilibeth laughs, the sound rich and melodic.

“I’m not sure, to be honest. The grounds are pretty extensive.

There’s the horse farm on the east side,” she says, pointing to a distant building, its white walls gleaming in the sun, “and then there are the agricultural fields that Lucas leases out to local farmers.”

“Wow.” I shake my head, trying to wrap my mind around the sheer scale of it all. I knew Lucas was wealthy, but this...

A glint of glass catches my eye, and I turn to see a large greenhouse nestled amongst a riot of colorful flowers. “And what’s that?” I ask, nodding toward it.

“That’s my pride and joy,” Lilibeth says, her face lighting up.

“My vegetable garden. I grow all sorts of fresh herbs and produce in there for my cooking. Basil, rosemary, sage—makes the best tea, let me tell you. And the tomatoes!” She kisses her fingertips like an Italian chef. “Like pure sunshine.”

I smile at her obvious passion, her joy. It’s infectious, cutting through the dark cloud of my mood like a ray of light. “It sounds wonderful. I love to cook, too, actually. Maybe I could help you out sometime?”

She grins. “Oh, honey, I would love that. And I’m so happy Lucas found someone. He lacks a woman’s touch.”

I bite my tongue, resisting the urge to say what I really think. That Lucas doesn’t need a woman. He needs a swift kick in the ass and a lesson in basic manners. But I don’t want to offend this kind woman, don’t want to shatter the illusion of the happy newlyweds.

So instead, I just squeeze her hand and force a smile. “I’m glad he has you looking out for him, Lilibeth. I should get on now. I wanted to take a walk, and now that I know they’re there, I’ll go see the horses.”

“Is there anything you’d like to eat today? I’d be happy to make you whatever you’d like for dinner.”

“I’d love some pasta, actually,” I say, my mouth watering at the thought. “With a rich, decadent mushroom sauce. ”

I need comfort food today. Just one day to allow myself to wallow in self-pity over what I’ve done before I pick myself back up.

“Gladly, sweetie. Lucas never eats pasta. It’s a refreshing change.”

“Is he...”

Lilibeth tilts her head, waiting for me to complete the sentence.

“Never mind.” I don’t care if he doesn’t eat pasta, doesn’t like it, or if he’s allergic and will die.

There’s no clause in the contract that dictates what I’m allowed or not allowed to eat for dinners where I’m not required to be in his company, so I’m going to enjoy the amenities here.

I watch Lilibeth return to her basket and continue picking. I peek at the distant stable. I like horses. For a short while, I even took riding lessons as a child and tried to compete, but I didn’t win any prizes, and my father decided it was a waste of time.

There’s no point in wasting time specializing in something you’re not excellent at. Better to find a field you can master and invest your time there.

Always excel.

I examine the crops in the fields as I walk, enjoying the sunlight on my face. This place is beautiful. Maybe I’m trapped here alone for the next week, but I’ll use the time to explore and hike the grounds.

There’s no city noise, no car noise, just quiet and birds.

All this nature, and we’re only an hour and a bit drive from the city.

I’m still not thrilled to lose all that time commuting every day, but I can see what Lucas finds in this place.

It must be hard to go back to living in the city after getting used to the lifestyle here. The tranquility.

I struggle to reconcile the tough, lust-filled man I know with this place.

The resentment that filled me until now about being forced to move here dissipates.

Nature has a calming effect on me, almost meditative.

Plus, I’m killing two birds with one stone because this way, I don’t have to see Lucas while I’m outside.

I can even take my work calls from outside.

Everyone at the office knows I’m on my honeymoon, so I only have to deal with urgent matters, and there aren’t many.

There aren’t many because we don’t have enough projects in the works.

I shake my head, refusing to let the worries of business intrude on this moment of peace. I’m determined to make the most of this time, to find some way to center myself before I have to face the reality of my situation again.

I continue walking, letting my feet carry me where they will. I pass the stables, admiring the sleek, powerful horses grazing in the paddock. They lift their heads as I approach, watching me with curious eyes. I smile, reaching out a hand to stroke a velvety nose.

There’s something about being around animals that always soothes me. They don’t judge, only demanding nothing more than a gentle touch and maybe a treat. They’re simple and uncomplicated in a way that my life has never been.

I linger there for a while, losing myself in the rhythmic motions of petting and scratching, letting the warm sun and the soft whickering of the horses lull me into a state of calm. It’s only when my stomach rumbles, reminding me I skipped breakfast, that I pull myself away.

I make my way back to the house, taking a different path this time, one that winds through a small orchard. The trees are heavy with fruit, the air perfumed with the sweet scent of ripeness. I pluck a peach from a low-hanging branch, biting into it and savoring the burst of flavor on my tongue.

It’s the simple pleasures that make life bearable. A ripe peach, a sunny day, a moment of solitude. I need to hold onto these things, these small pockets of joy, if I’m going to survive the next two years.

I near the house, the grand facade coming into view between the trees, when the sound stops me in my tracks; the deep, rumbling timbre of Lucas’s voice carrying across the lawn. I freeze and duck behind a towering oak.

I peer around the trunk, my breath catching as I spot him.

He’s pacing back and forth on the terrace, his phone pressed to his ear, and a scowl etched onto his handsome face.

Even from this distance, I can see the tension in his shoulders and the irritated set of his jaw as he barks orders into the device.

“I don’t care what it takes, just get it done. This deal needs to close by the end of the week, no excuses.”

A pause, then a harsh, humorless laugh. “Do I need to remind you what’s at stake here? If this falls through, it won’t just be your job on the line. I’ll make sure you never work in this industry again.”

I shiver at the ice in his tone, the ruthless, uncompromising edge. This is the Lucas Valeur the world knows, the corporate shark, the man who takes what he wants and crushes anyone who gets in his way.

It’s a stark reminder of who he is, of what he’s capable of. A reminder that, for all the heat between us, for all the moments where he almost seems human, he’s not a man to be trifled with.

He ends the call with a vicious stab of his finger, shoving the phone into his pocket before raking a hand through his hair. For a moment, he just stands there, his head bowed and his shoulders heaving with deep, controlled breaths.

Then he raises his head. Turns.

And looks right at the tree I’m hiding behind.

I freeze, my heart stuttering to a halt in my chest. There’s no way he can see me, no way he knows I’m here. And yet, as his eyes bore into the trunk, I swear the heat of his gaze, the intensity of it, sears through bark and leaf and flesh straight to my core.