I released her and she walked over to the bedding, kicking off her shoes and climbing in. “This is heavenly,” she answered as I joined her, toeing off my shoes and popping the champagne. Before I could reach for the glasses, Leda had the bottle in her hands and was turning it up, giving me a sheepish smile. “God, that’s good,” she remarked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“It should be,” I told her as I took the bottle, taking my own swallow. “It’s Dom.”
“Not Don?” She joked. “I’ve had that as well.”
I leaned down on my elbow, handing her back the bottle. “Which one do you prefer, Leda?”
Her cheeks flushed, and she took another large swallow of the champagne before she answered. “I think Don. That’s my favorite.”
My cock jumped to attention, but I tamped down the need to take her. This wasn’t about sex right now. I wanted to spend some time with her, just the two of us, where we could forget what was happening for a while. I wanted her to see me. “It’s a good thing,” I said casually, snagging the bottle from her and placing it off to the side. “Because I like the taste of you too.”
She blushed and I hauled her against me, wrapping her in my arms. Anyone that knew me would be laughing their asses off right now at how I had allowed a woman, an enemy at that, to have me domesticated like this.
Maybe this was what I had needed all along. Leda had shown me something I thought I didn’t need, something I had pushed past for many years.
Now I didn’t want to know what life would be like without it.
“This is nice,” Leda said sleepily as she snuggled against my chest, with me reclining against the pillows. “Thank you, Lucas.”
I pressed my lips to the top of her head, fucking pleased with myself that I had been able to bring her a slice of happiness for once. “You deserve more.” It was the truth. She deserved everything.
Leda sighed against my chest, tightening her own hold on my stomach. “This is enough, more than enough, as long as you are here with me.”
I didn’t answer, and after a few moments, I felt her body go slack in my arms. Between the warm sun and the champagne, I was starting to feel drowsy myself. I removed the gun from my waistband and set it on the blanket, hoping that we were far enough in the woods that no one would bother us for a little while. The guards were on patrol, and the cameras around the entire property had someone watching them. If there was even a hint of danger, we would know immediately.
But for a little while, I could forget about Adrian and the weight that was bearing down on me and concentrate on the woman in my arms. She was what mattered to me. She was what I was fighting for, and I would fucking give up everything for these stolen moments with her.
My eyes started to drift closed, and I let them, giving me a moment of rest as well. For Leda, I would even give up my title if she asked.
I couldn’t lose her.
Chapter 33
Leda
“Lucas,” I breathed as his lips roamed down my body, tickling my stomach. “You’re not going fast enough.”
He chuckled, and the sound warmed my heart. There was no edge to his laughter now, as if the world had shifted between us and he could let go of his dark past for a future with me. I had never seen him lighter than I had these past few days, and at every moment, I told him how I felt so he would never feel like he needed to be in that darkness again. “I’m taking my time,” he said, his finger tracing the waistband of my panties. “You are meant to be savored, Leda, like a fine wine.”
I sighed happily, threading my fingers through his hair. “All right, since you put it that way.”
There was a noise and Lucas lifted his head, his eyes darkening. “Stay here,” he said as he rose to his feet, pulling his gun.
Alarmed now, I rose on my elbows as he disappeared into the darkness. Wait. It had been sunshine moments earlier.
The hair on the back of my neck rose, and suddenly I was sucked away from the moment and slammed against a hard back, finding myself tied to a chair instead. “Well, well,” Adrian said as he circled me, leering at my bare skin.
I was clad only in my bra and panties, and nausea swarmed in my stomach as I watched him take in the sight. “Where is Lucas?” I demanded, panic rising in my throat. “What did you do to him?”
He leaned close, so close that his breath stirred the hair on my cheek. “He’s tied up at the moment, but you, my dear, have a very important task to do.”
Adrian backed away and the lights came on, showing me the same auction room I had seen two times now. In the middle was Lucas, tied to a chair the same as me, his murderous glare on Adrian.
“We will start the bidding at one million,” a familiar voice called out from behind. “For a chance to fuck Leda D’Agostino as her lover here watches. I hear he’s pretty good in bed as well.”
Tears welled up in my eyes as the room laughed, and Lucas ducked his head in shame. He didn’t deserve this. We didn’t deserve this.
“Why don’t we let you see some of what you are getting?” the announcer called out. A hand reached for my bra, and I tried to twist away, hearing Lucas yell my name. This couldn’t be happening. We deserved so much more.