I take a few long and calming breaths, regaining my composure. The only person I can think of now is Chelsea. I need her arms, I need her kisses. Damn it, I need her. I’m about to head back downstairs to ask Mrs Collins if she’s seen her when I notice slight movement from the curtain leading out onto the balcony.
I push back the curtain, and sure enough she’s here. She has her elbows on the stone railing and is staring out at the night sky, a sky that is lit up with neon lights in the faraway distance from a travelling fair.
“Chelsea?” I say and, making my way toward her, rest my palm on her shoulder. She doesn’t pull away, but she doesn’t acknowledge me either. I take another step toward her, take both shoulders in my hands and breathe in the scent of her hair. Finally, I have found my calm. I’m about to wrap her up in my arms when she speaks.
“I can’t do this any more, Lucian.”
“Do what?”
Chelsea spins around. “Fit into your world. I don’t belong here. What was the point of this fake engagement when your father wants you to marry Samantha?” She squeezes her eyes shut before continuing. “Eventually you’re going to patch things up with her, and where does that leave us? There’s no point dragging this out. I’ve called a taxi, and it’ll arrive within the hour.”
She is not doing this to me now. I want to grab her and physically shake some sense into her. Can’t she see how much she damn well means to me?
I’ve got to alleviate the growing tension between us before I snap. “Cancel the taxi,” I breathe into her ear.
“You’re not listening.” Her eyes snap open. “I can’t do this any more.”
“What can’t you do?” My voice trembles as I fight to keep calm.
She tilts her head. “Pretend. I can’t pretend to be your fiancée, I can’t pretend that one day I’ll want children and I can’t pretend to love you.”
“So then don’t pretend.” My voice rises an octave. “Tell me you’ll marry me. Tell me you’ll think about children in the future. But above all, tell me you love me.”
Laughing, she shoulders past and hurries into the bedroom. I hurry after her and grab her shoulder. I try to spin her around, but she pulls the opposite way and does everything in her power not to face me.
“Take your hand off me.” Her voice is strained.
“No, I will not. Not until you talk to me.” Anger fills my voice. My body shakes with adrenaline. Not only is my father selling my childhood home, but the only woman I have ever loved is slipping away.
My blood is boiling, and I’m close to goddamn madness, and to my surprise my cock is hard. So damn hard. I need a release before I self-combust.
I take hold of her shoulders and spin her around so she has no choice other than to face me. She trips and falls into my chest. I lasso my arms around her and hold her close.
“Let go!” she demands.
“Never.”
I capture her fists as she pummels them against my chest. I hold her tighter as she wriggles and squirms to get out of my embrace. When she stops striking me, I hold her at arm’s length. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes bloodshot. Try as I might to get her to look at me, she won’t.
“What the hell has gotten into you?” I bite out.
Chelsea
His breaths are hot, rapid, and beat against my cheek.
I fight in his hold, twist and pull to break free, but it’s no use. There is no escape from this or from him. With emotions so strong and no way out of this situation, I do the only thing I can. And that is to explode.
“Everything is wrong!” I yell. My hands are shaking and my body hums with adrenaline.
I’m spiralling out of control, and there is no way to steady myself. Finally, I glance up and meet Lucian’s stare. His gaze has my insides twisting and my heart hammering in my chest.
“Talk to me, Chelsea,” he says, but I can’t. I’m too mad, though not at him. I’m mad at myself for agreeing to be Lucian’s fake fiancée, because deep down I don’t want this to end. But our arrangement isn’t permanent, nor can it be. We’re classes and worlds apart and there is no way our two worlds can magically blend into one.
“This isn’t working,” I choke out. His father wants him to marry Samantha, and why wouldn’t he? She and Lucian are cut from the same cloth and walk in the same social circles. I’m a commoner, an imposter, and I don’t belong here.
“Then we’ll make it work.” Lucian’s expression is pained.
I’ve got to end this now, before one of us gets hurt. The words ‘Lucian, this is over’ are on the tip of my tongue. I take a deep breath in, and mentally psych myself up.