Page 16 of Saint (The Divine Ruin #2)
Lily
I wake with a jolt of adrenaline, my body drenched in sweat, heart hammering against my ribs like it’s trying to escape.
Fragments of my dream still cling to me—Luca’s hands on my skin, his lips at my neck, his voice a dark whisper in my ear.
I press my thighs together, embarrassed by how wet I am just from dreaming about him.
“God,” I whisper into the stillness of my childhood bedroom. The governor’s mansion is silent around me, the heavy curtains blocking the morning light. I reach for my phone on the nightstand, my fingers hovering over Luca’s name. His last message glares back at me.
Luca: It’s not a threat, baby girl. It’s a promise. Friday. Be ready.
A shiver runs through me that has nothing to do with the air conditioning.
Part of me wants to text him, to tell him I miss him, that I’m sorry for running.
The other part—the rational part—knows I needed this space.
Needed to get away from his intensity, his possessiveness, his ability to make me forget who I am.
I set the phone down without typing anything. Four more days. Four days to figure out what I want.
The bathroom attached to my suite is entirely marble, with gold fixtures—my father’s idea of luxury.
I run the water as hot as I can stand it, pouring in lavender bath salts that fill the room with fragrant steam.
As I sink into the water, I close my eyes and immediately see Luca’s face—those piercing blue eyes, that knowing smirk.
My hand drifts between my legs before I can stop myself.
I imagine it’s his fingers touching me, his voice commanding me to come for him. It doesn’t take long before I’m biting my lip to keep from crying out, my body tensing and then releasing in waves of pleasure that leave me breathless.
“Stupid,” I mutter afterward, sinking deeper into the cooling water. “So stupid.”
I can’t keep doing this. Can’t keep letting him consume my thoughts. He’s dangerous—not just because of who he is, but because of how he makes me feel. Like I’d do anything to keep him looking at me the way he does.
By the time I dress and make my way downstairs, I’ve almost convinced myself I’m over him.
Mom is already at the breakfast table, newspaper spread out beside her plate of untouched toast. She looks up when I enter, her practiced smile warming slightly at the edges.
“There you are, darling. I was beginning to think you’d sleep all day."
“Sorry,” I murmur, sliding into the chair across from her. "Didn’t sleep well.”
She studies me over the rim of her coffee cup, her eyes—the same blue as mine—missing nothing. “You look tired. Are you still not going to tell me why you suddenly decided to visit in the middle of the semester?”
I shrug, focusing on buttering a piece of toast I don’t want. “Just missed home.”
"Mmm.” She doesn’t believe me—we both know it—but she doesn’t push. Instead, she folds her newspaper and sets it aside. “Well, since you’re here, I thought we might do something together. Just us girls."
“Like what?” I ask, grateful for the change of subject.
“There’s a new spa in town—Serene Waters.
It’s supposed to be quite extraordinary.
Very exclusive, very... immersive, they call it.
” She leans forward, warming to her topic.
“They customize the entire experience based on a questionnaire you fill out beforehand.
Aromatherapy, sound therapy, massage, the works. "
“Sounds nice,” I admit. A day of pampering might be precisely what I need to clear my head.
“I’ve already made reservations for this afternoon. Your father has meetings all day, and the boys are still at school, so it’s perfect timing.”
I nod, forcing a smile. “Sure, Mom. I’d like that.”
It’s only after I’ve agreed that a thought hits me like a bucket of ice water. Luca knows every high-end establishment in the state. His business interests touch everything. What if the spa is one of his? What if he’s there?
My stomach twists with a mixture of dread and anticipation, a physical ache that spreads through my abdomen and makes my fingertips tingle.
Part of me—a bigger part than I want to admit—hopes he will be there.
Hopes he’ll see me, corner me against some eucalyptus-scented wall, his cologne enveloping me as he demands explanations in that low, gravelly voice.
The other part knows seeing him would undo all my resolve, like sugar dissolving in hot coffee.
“Lily? Are you all right? You’ve gone quite pale.”
I snap back to attention, forcing another smile. "I’m fine. Just... thinking about something from school. When do we leave?"
“Two o’clock. Wear something comfortable.” She rises, squeezing my shoulder as she passes. “It’ll be good for us both. You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world on those shoulders lately.”
If she only knew.
I finish my breakfast mechanically, my mind racing. Should I cancel? Make an excuse? Or face the possibility of seeing him again, four days before his self-imposed deadline?
Ultimately, curiosity prevails. I follow my mother upstairs to get ready, my heart fluttering like a trapped bird in my chest, its wings beating against my ribcage with each step I take on the polished marble staircase.
After all, what are the chances he’d be there anyway? New York is a big state with eight million distractions, and Luca Ravello is a busy man with an empire to run and a city council to charm.
At least, that’s what I tell myself as I change into charcoal yoga pants and a cashmere sweater the color of sea foam that slips off one shoulder.
My fingers hover over my phone on the vanity, trembling slightly, itching to text him, to hear the dark honey of his voice, to feel the callused pads of his fingertips tracing fire down my spine again.
Just four more days. I can resist him that long—even if every cell in my body screams otherwise.