Page 59 of Lucas (The Valeur Billionaires #2)

Chapter Forty

AVA

I find him easily, sitting at the bar. His broad frame stands out in the space. I walk in and take a seat beside him. He doesn’t even lift his head, his fingers spinning the glass on the counter.

“I’m taken,” he says without glancing up.

I smile, my heart swelling. “So am I.”

His head snaps up, and his eyes lock onto mine. “Ava,” he groans my name.

“What are you doing here, Lucas? This isn’t like you.”

“You don’t know what’s like me and what’s not.” He drops his gaze back to the glass.

“How much have you had to drink?”

“Enough. How did you find me?”

“I recognized the coaster from the picture you sent. So, this is how you choose to spend your birthday? Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday? ”

He shrugs. “I spent it with you. It was the best birthday of my life until you left.”

“I think we should get out of here,” I say in a low voice.

“Why? So I can lie in my bed alone again, staring at the ceiling, thinking about how I lost you? The best thing I ever had, and I lost you.” His eyes glisten in the dim light of the pub.

“Let’s go somewhere and talk about this.” I study his face. He looks tormented, and my heart aches for him.

“I tried everything. I don’t know what else to do.”

I flinch. It’s clear now that he’s drunk.

“I did everything to convince you to forgive me. Tell me what else to do. I’ll do whatever you want. Just tell me. I can’t go on like this.” He grips my arm.

The bartender approaches us. “Is everything okay, miss? Is he bothering you?”

I smile. “No, everything’s fine.”

“She’s my wife!” Lucas says, his voice cracking. “She’s mine. Leave us alone.”

The bartender laughs. “Your wife? You wish, buddy. She’s way out of your league.”

“It’s okay. I am his wife,” I tell the guy. He looks between us, nods, and walks away.

“You’re out of my league,” Lucas mumbles. “Maybe that’s the problem.”

“You’re drunk. Let’s get out of here.” I try to pull his arm, but he doesn’t budge. I want to get him out of here while he’s still able to walk.

“I’m not drunk. I just know I don’t want to spend the rest of my birthday alone at the Show-off Mansion.”

My eyes widen .

“Yeah, I know you call the house that. I heard you talking to Michelle. I don’t want to be there alone, so let me finish this day here.”

“Come to my place.”

He straightens. “Your place?”

I nod. “Yes. Come on, honey, let’s go.”

“She called me honey,” he tells the bartender. “Did you hear that? I’m her honey.”

I stifle a laugh. “Let’s go, honey before you end up in all the gossip columns tomorrow. You don’t want that, right?”

He shakes his head and stands, throwing some hundred-dollar bills on the bar. I hold on to his waist to make sure he doesn’t fall as we walk to my Jeep. He smells of pub, alcohol, and smoke.

In the five-minute drive to my place, he’s already snoring beside me. I take a moment to look at his beautiful face, now peaceful, and instantly, I’ve decided.

I don’t want to be apart from him anymore.

He hurt me, but I can’t hold him accountable for something that happened before we met, for decisions made before we got to know each other.

He never hurt me on purpose and always did everything he could to make me feel protected.

I was happy with him, happy wrapped in his arms.

I’m not happy without him.

That’s my answer.

I wake Lucas, and he looks at me with half-closed eyes.

“We’re here.”

He wraps his arm around me as we head upstairs.

“Come on, you need to get cleaned up.”

A wide grin spreads across his face, and his eyes gleam.

“Yeah, keep dreaming. You’re drunk.” I chuckle as he stumbles to the bathroom, but damn, if that doesn’t do things to me.

I help him undress, my eyes wandering over his sculpted muscles, down to the V that leads between his legs. My stomach tightens, and I bite my lower lip.

Lucas stands still, naked, watching me.

“What?” I ask.

“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he says, not taking his eyes off mine.

My lips stretch into a smile. “You’re just drunk.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t get drunk. Tipsy, yes, but not drunk. I’m still aware of what I’m saying, and I’ll say it again. You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“You could barely walk straight.”

His smile widens.

I narrow my eyes. “Wait. Did you do that on purpose?”

“You let me hug you, didn’t you?”

I push him into the shower and turn on the cold water.

“Fuck! Ava, what are you doing? It’s freezing!” The water soaks him, running over his face and body. He grabs my arm and pulls me in, still clothed.

I shriek, but he holds me close, lifting my shirt over my head and tossing it to the floor. His face lowers, and he kisses my neck while his hands travel down my back until he cups my ass.

I unbutton my jeans and slide them off along with my panties, aware of his growing erection. I reach out and adjust the handle to warm water, sighing in relief as I stop shivering.

He pauses. “Can I?”

I nod, and as if removing a barrier between us, he attacks me like a starving man, his mouth on mine, holding me as if I’m the last thing left in the world, the only thing he needs.

“Wrap your legs around me,” he instructs.

I do just that, wrapping my legs around his waist, his cock brushing my entrance as he presses me against the shower wall. I moan as my back touches the cold tiles.

He slips his hand between us for just a moment, exploring.

“Oh, Ava.” He groans my name, giving me only a moment before thrusting into me with one powerful motion of his hips.

“I love you, Ava Gant.” He pounds into me, deep, hard. Painful. “I’m yours. My heart and body, yours.”

He gives me his passion and love with every powerful thrust of his hips.

“Ava Valeur,” I correct, the words slipping out between moans.

He looks into my eyes, questions in his.

I nod. “I don’t want to be Gant anymore. I’m Ava Valeur.”

He trembles. “Fuck. I love hearing you say that. I love you so much.” He loses control, pounding into me harder, faster. My back slams against the wall, but I don’t care. I feel nothing but him, his love for me. His need for me.

I close my eyes.

“Open them,” he demands. “I want you to look at me when you come. I want to see that expression on your face, the one I’m addicted to, the one that haunts my dreams.”

My muscles tremble, my eyes rolling back.

“Yes. Ava, let go. Give it to me,” he whispers, and I unravel in his arms, feeling every part of his body, my body as if we’re one. A true connection, all emotion. He comes inside me a few seconds later, and we stay like that, holding each other for long minutes, panting .

Lucas turns off the water and carries me out in his arms. He takes a towel and dries every part of my body with care and gentleness, then himself. After that, he lifts me again and carries my now pliant body to the bed.

He lies down beside me, wrapping me up as if I might escape. I snuggle into him, skin to skin, and within minutes, I’m asleep.

The morning sun streams through the window, casting a warm glow on my skin as I drift into consciousness. Lucas’s husky voice whispers in my ear, “Good morning, beautiful.”

I stretch my limbs, and his hard length presses against my backside. A delicious shiver runs down my spine.

“You’re still here,” he murmurs, his breath tickling my neck. “Or am I dreaming?”

Rolling over to face him, I gaze into his sleepy blue eyes. “This is my home, so of course I’m still here.”

He glances around the room. “My home is wherever you are.”

I brush a lock of hair from his forehead. “Do you remember what happened yesterday?”

“Yes. I told you I wasn’t drunk.” He wraps his arms around me, pulling me close. “Did you mean what you said yesterday?”

I nod, my heart swelling with emotion. “Yes. I’m done running. I want to be with you. Your plans hurt me, but I know you won’t hurt me again. ”

He shakes his head. “Never. I won’t hurt you, not intentionally. I’d rather cut off my arm.”

“I choose to forgive you and put it behind us rather than live without you. I love you, Lucas Valeur. That was never a choice.”

“Really?” His eyes search mine, raw vulnerability and hope shining through.

“Really.” I cup his face, pouring all my love into my gaze.

He embraces me, burying his face in the crook of my neck. “You’re the best gift I could have ever asked for.”

I kiss his stubbled cheek, savoring his closeness, the rough texture igniting my desire. “So are you.”

“So, you want us to move in here? Your place?” he asks, trailing feather-light kisses along my jaw.

“No. Why?” I breathe, tilting my head back.

“Because you don’t like my Show-off Mansion.” He nips my earlobe.

The corner of my mouth quirks into a half-smile. “It’s kind of grown on me, actually. I understand now what you see in it.”

He grins, his eyes sparkling. “So you like my mansion?”

“I love you, and my home is wherever you are.” I echo his earlier words. “Besides,” I pause, arching an eyebrow, “I have some fond memories of the fields there. And the driveway. The bed. The pool table.” I laugh.

“Fuck, I’ve missed you so much.” He claims my mouth in a deep, desperate kiss, desire and love pouring out of him before losing himself in my welcoming body.

We only part when we have no other choice, breathless, sated, limbs entangled, my skin still tingling everywhere he touched me .

Later, as we sit in the kitchen with steaming mugs of coffee, I bring up the subject on top of my mind. “Your father came by.”

He looks up, his brow furrowed. “What did he want?”

“To give us his blessing. He said I’m good for you. I assume you two patched things up?”

“It’s complicated. He wouldn’t tell me what happened. You know, the subject of the conversation I overheard? He said it was twenty years ago and not what I think. He wants me to trust him. And I want to trust him. I do.”

I reach across the table, taking Lucas’s hand. “He’s still your father. He’s always been good to you from what you’ve told me. You need to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

He nods. “I’m trying. But I don’t know what to say to the others.”

“I don’t think it’s your place to tell them.”

“But if I stay silent, I’m keeping something massive from them. Hurting them. You know how close we are, how much they mean to me.”

I love his unbreakable bond with his siblings. It’s one of the many beautiful things about this complicated, wonderful man. “If that’s how you feel, then talk to them, my love. You’ll know the right thing to say. I have faith in you.”

He nods, resolve settling over his features. “I guess I will.” A slow grin spreads across his face. “So he said you’re good for me?”

“Yes.” I chuckle, shaking my head. “He said you need a woman who’ll tell you what’s on her mind and not take your shit.”

Lucas smirks. “Yeah? That’s what he said? Well, I guess we’re set on that front since you’ve never had a problem putting me in my place.”

“And you deserved it every time.”

“Yeah. I guess I did.” He leans in and kisses my lips. “That’s part of why I fell in love with you,” he murmurs against my mouth. “That smart, sassy, sexy mouth.”

“Oh, yeah?” I challenge, nipping at his bottom lip. “So you like when I call you crass and insufferable and full of yourself?”

He grins, his dimple deepening.

“I have to admit, I never thought you were hideous,” I tease, biting my lip.

“I know. No one can resist my devilish charm and roguish good looks.” He waggles his eyebrows.

“You’re insufferable.”

“Fuck yes, I love it. Still sexy as hell.” He stands and hoists me up with him. I wrap my legs around his hips as he grips my ass. “And I more than made good on my word, too, rocking your world until you screamed my name over and over again.”

I wind my arms around his neck, grinding my aching center against the impressive bulge straining his pants. “Mmm, you did, stud, in more delicious ways than one.” I lick a path up his neck to his ear, relishing his shudder of pleasure.

In a flash, he sweeps the mugs off the table, sending them crashing to the floor, and lays me down on the smooth surface. “I think a replay is in order.”

As he covers my body with his, I surrender myself to the transcendent bliss that only his touch can bring, my heart and soul forever entwined with his.