Page 45 of Lucas (The Valeur Billionaires #2)

Chapter Thirty

AVA

“ Y ou look amazing,” Lucas whispers in my ear as we stand by the drinks table at Michelle’s party. His warm breath fans over my skin, making me shiver.

I’m wearing one of my elegant dresses, not one he bought for me. It’s red and tight, with a high slit up the leg. I’m done trying to fit in with others; let them adjust to me for a change.

This is me, and this is how I like to dress.

Lucas hands me a drink, and I survey the crowd. Michelle and Noah stand outside on the balcony, engrossed in conversation.

Her friends, the ones I don’t particularly like, are everywhere.

Mick, the guy who claimed I dressed like a nerdy schoolgirl, approaches us and my body tenses .

“Hey,” he says, his eyes raking over me in a way that makes my skin crawl.

I press closer to Lucas, seeking his comforting presence. “Hey.”

“Nice dress.” Mick smiles and fills his glass with vodka, the clear liquid sloshing.

“Thanks.” I try to smile back, but the muscles in my face don’t cooperate.

My mind races ahead, trying to think of retorts I can use if he says something disgusting and insults me again.

But he just flicks his gaze between Lucas and me and says nothing else.

I guess having Lucas by my side is deterrent enough.

After Mick walks away, Lucas leans down to whisper in my ear. “Who was that?”

“Mick, one of Michelle’s friends.” I take a sip of my drink, the alcohol burning in my throat.

“Did he do something to you?” Lucas’s voice hardens, his blue eyes narrowing.

“No.” I shake my head, not meeting his gaze.

Lucas grips my chin and turns my face to his. “Ava. Did. He. Do. Something. To. You?” His jaw clenches.

I shake my head again, but I can’t hold his intense stare.

“Not that I don’t love you clinging to me like this, but you practically climbed me. Are you scared of him?” Concern softens Lucas’s features, his thumb stroking over my cheekbone.

“No, he just said some insulting things to me last time, that’s all.” I shrug, trying to play it off as no big deal.

“So, he did do something to you. Why are you lying to me?” Lucas’s face hardens again, his eyes flashing with anger .

“It’s nothing.” I try to step back, but Lucas doesn’t let me, his hand tightening on my waist.

“It’s not nothing if you’re afraid of him. What did he say, Ava?” His voice brooks no argument, demanding an answer.

“Just that I’m a spoiled little girl. Nothing you haven’t said to me.” I look at him, raising an eyebrow.

“When did I say something like that to you?” He tilts his head.

“You wrote it. When I said, I wouldn’t fire the employees at Gant.” The memory still stings, his cruel words etched into my brain.

“I’m sorry. I was angry. I don’t think you’re spoiled, and definitely not a little girl. You’re a sexy, amazing woman,” he whispers against the shell of my ear, his lips brushing my skin. “And I’m going to go tell him exactly what I think.”

“No.” My fingers dig into his arm, holding him in place. “I don’t want a scene. Please don’t.”

Lucas stares at me for a long, searching moment before relenting with a sigh. I breathe a little easier.

“Thank you. Can you get me something to eat?” I point to the buffet table on the other side of the room. Some of the group has gathered there, and I’d prefer to avoid them.

“Sure.” He leaves me and strides over there, crossing the distance in a few quick steps.

There’s not a person in the room who doesn’t notice him as he passes. He has a presence that’s hard to ignore. And he’s mine. My chest swells with pride. I love calling him mine.

At least for now.

Lucas lingers by the table, then returns with two plates, handing me one .

There’s a small pile of olives on the side of his plate. I stare at it, my heart doing a funny little flip.

“I know you don’t like them, so I picked them out of the salad for you so you could eat it,” he says, taking a bite of his food.

“How did you remember that?”

“I remember everything about you, Wifey.” He looks at me, his eyes warm and soft.

I swallow hard, emotion clogging my throat.

“Why didn’t you want to come here?” he asks, studying my face.

“How did you know I didn’t want to?”

“You looked appalled when I agreed to come yesterday. I thought you just didn’t want me with you, that you were trying to hide something, and that only motivated me more to show up.

” He chuckles, shaking his head. “But now I see how uncomfortable you are here. You’re witty and sharp-tongued, but here you’re like a shadow of yourself. ”

I close my eyes, the truth of his words hitting me like a punch to the gut. “I’ve never felt like I belonged. Anywhere. And her friends, they always zero in on sore spots.”

“Okay, I’m not letting you leave here feeling like this.” He laces his fingers with mine and tugs me forward, determination etched into every line of his handsome face.

“What are you doing?” I whisper, stumbling after him.

“Making them feel as pathetic as they are.” He strides over to the group standing in the corner, snickering about something, and inserts himself into their circle, pulling me with him.

“Hi,” he says, his voice carrying over their chatter. “I’m Lucas Valeur. CEO of Valeur Real Estate. ”

He never introduces himself like that. I squeeze his hand, trying to signal him to stop, but he ignores me.

“And you know my wife, Ava.” He smiles at me, pride and affection warming his eyes. “Hard to ignore her. She’s gorgeous, a CEO herself, brilliant. She has it all.” His gaze rakes over my body. “Sometimes I can’t believe I got so lucky.”

Chantal glares at me, naked envy and hostility twisting her features.

“You’re Mick, right?” Lucas turns his attention to the guy, his smile sharp and dangerous.

Mick nods, looking wary.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll make it someday too. Maybe get a haircut first, though, because women aren’t into the homeless look.” Lucas grins.

“He already has a girlfriend.” Chantal spits the words, her voice dripping with venom. “Me.”

“Oh, sorry,” Lucas says, not sounding sorry at all.

“I didn’t know. That explains a lot.” He chuckles and turns back to Mick.

“See? Your look determines who you attract. If you want to get a woman on Ava’s level, you’ll have to try a little harder.

I saw how you were staring at my wife. Just know she’s very much taken. ”

Oh God. He really said that? I stare at him, then at them. They all look stunned, mouths hanging open.

Without waiting for a response, we walk away.

I can’t resist glancing back over my shoulder. Chantal looks furious, her face red.

“What did you just do?” I murmur under my breath, equal parts mortified and thrilled .

“Made it clear what they’re worth,” he says. “And what you’re worth. Spoiler alert—you’re not in the same league.”

We keep moving toward the door, my heels clicking on the hardwood.

“And now, if you don’t mind, I’d rather get out of here.” His hand tightens on mine, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on my skin.

I nod, relief flooding through me.

“And next time, just tell me if you don’t want to go somewhere. We could have stayed in bed instead.”

I lie in bed, every single muscle in my body aching.

I can’t move. Luckily, I insisted on showering first because I knew the moment I laid down, there would be no chance I’d be moving again.

Lucas steps out of the bathroom, a towel slung low on his hips. I’d love to lick every muscle on his body, but even the thought is painful after the grueling bike ride he forced me to go on.

“I need to put out food for Cartman.” I try to sit up and groan, pain lancing through my stiff muscles. “We left so early that I didn’t remember to leave him any.”

“Stay here. I’ll go feed him.” Lucas turns to leave the room. The towel slips from his waist as he walks out, exposing his perfect ass, the discarded fabric puddling on the floor behind him.

I roll my eyes .

Of course, he did that on purpose, and of course, it’s working.

He returns a few minutes later, still gloriously naked. “The parrot yelled at me to go fuck myself, but I made it back unscathed. I consider that a success.” He grins and sits on the edge of the bed beside me.

My gaze is drawn downward to the juncture of his thighs where his cock lies, already stirring to life.

“I promised you a reward after the ride.” He leans down and kisses my forehead, his lips warm and soft against my skin.

“Yeah, but I think we’ll have to postpone that for another time because I can’t move.” I grimace, even that slight movement sending fresh waves of agony through my aching body.

“Poor Wifey. Did I work you too hard?” A playful glint appears in his eyes. “How about a massage?”

“God, yes.” I’d agree to just about anything to ease the pain right now.

He goes to the bathroom and returns with a bottle of oil. Then he tugs my pajama top off, followed by my bottoms, and I’m left in just my panties.

He’s still naked, and his body’s reaction to my state of undress isn’t far behind. I love seeing how I affect him, that I have power over him. Even if it’s just physical.

He pours some of the oil into his palms and rubs his hands together. “On your stomach,” he commands, and I obey, rolling over with a groan.

When his warm hands land on my shoulders, I moan out loud. His thumbs dig into the sore muscles, drawing firm circles on my shoulder blades.

“Yes, right there. Yes,” I keen as he kneads a tender spot .

One hand glides up to my neck, slipping over my skin, now slick with oil.

I gasp as he massages my neck, his strong fingers working magic on the tense muscles. “Mmm.”

“I’m getting offended,” he says, amusement lacing his deep voice.

“Why?” I mumble into the pillow, my eyes drifting shut in bliss.

“Because you’re moaning more now than when I fuck you.”

“Then maybe you should improve your skills.” The words slip out before I can stop them, teasing and edged with challenge.

“Ow!” I yelp as he smacks my ass, then soothes the sting with a gentle caress.

“Improve my skills?” he growls, leaning over me until his chest presses against my back, his breath hot on my ear.

“I don’t remember you asking me to improve my skills when you were screaming last night that I have the biggest, best cock you’ve ever seen.

You know, after I made you come three times. ”

“What?” I turn my head to look at him, my brow furrowing. “I said nothing like that.” Though the three orgasms part is pretty accurate.

“Then maybe you should have.” He straddles my thighs, pinning me in place with his weight. “Guys like to hear compliments about their dicks.”

I squirm beneath him, the solid heat of his body igniting sparks under my skin despite the soreness. “I won’t lie and say things that aren’t true,” I taunt, anticipation thrumming through my veins .

He smacks my ass again, the sharp sound echoing in the room.

Fuck, that’s more enjoyable than I expected.

His fingers skim over my buttocks, then dip between my thighs.

I suck in a sharp breath as he pushes my panties aside, and his finger slips inside me. Then he crooks it just so, and I see stars, pleasure rioting through my nerve endings.

“God, yes,” I moan again, the sounds torn from my throat as he strokes that perfect spot inside me.

“Your filthy mouth is full of lies.” Lucas leans forward and whispers, his teeth catching the shell of my ear, “But your pussy doesn’t lie to me. It didn’t lie to me yesterday, and it’s not lying to me now.”

“What’s it telling you?” I gasp, my hips rocking back into his touch, seeking more friction, more fullness.

“That it loves this. That you’re enjoying what I’m doing to you. That you want more.”

I rise on my knees, writhing beneath him, clenching my thighs together, but it only intensifies the sensation. “Lucas, I can’t.”

My moans grow louder, more desperate as he works me over, building the pressure at the base of my spine to an unbearable pitch.

“You can, Wifey.” He rises and rubs his cock between the globes of my ass, then withdraws his fingers and thrusts inside me in one smooth glide.

I cry out, my back arching as he fills me, stretches me.

“You take me so beautifully.” His thighs bracket mine, and his fingers dig into my hips, holding me steady as he moves. “So fucking beautifully. ”

He sets a relentless pace, hammering into me, the force of his thrusts driving me into the mattress. I can do nothing but call his name, pleasure and pain blurring into an exquisite ache that consumes me.

“You’re close, aren’t you? I can feel you tightening around me, milking me. I fucking love it,” he grunts, his rhythm faltering as his own climax approaches. “Come on my cock, Wifey. Show me how much your pussy loves my dick.”

When he smacks my ass again, I shatter with a shriek, my body splintering into a thousand glittering shards that scatter through the air.

Euphoria crashes over me in wave after wave, obliterating everything else until nothing remains but the pulsing ecstasy, the feeling of him buried deep inside me as he finds his own release with a hoarse shout.

I drift down from the high, the shards coalescing back into the shape of my body, limp and sated.

We lie in silence, letting our racing hearts slow, our heaving breaths even out.

“Okay,” I say while he’s still nestled inside me, his comforting weight blanketing me. “I’m willing to admit I’m kind of fond of your dick.”

“And I am fond of you,” he whispers back, nuzzling his face into my hair. “More than fond.”

My chest constricts, a swell of warmth enveloping me at his words. Then I remind myself that men will say anything during sex. “It’s okay, you don’t have to lie. You don’t need to say things like that to get sex from me. We have an arrangement, remember?”

He stiffens and pulls out of me, rolling to the side. “I’m not lying.”

“Really, you don’t have to pretend for my sake. We’re having fun together, and that’s it. That’s enough.” I tug the sheet up to cover myself, suddenly feeling exposed.

He gets up and yanks on his pants, his movements sharp.

I sit up, clutching the sheet to my chest, confusion and apprehension swirling in my gut. “What’s wrong? Are you angry?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m going for a run.” He strides out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him with a reverberating bang.

I stare after him, my heart sinking like a stone. What just happened? One minute we were basking in the afterglow, and the next, he’s storming out like I’ve offended him.

I flop back on the bed and throw an arm over my eyes, a heavy sigh gusting past my lips.