Chapter 0015
Seeing Lucian suddenly in the bar made my heart race, every as my limbs refused to move with shock.
This was a place for commoners. Why would he ever come here? And why did he look so furious?
Typically, Lucian was the perfect picture of calm. Ever the gentleman, he was polite and reserved, always keeping his true emotions masked behind a cool façade.
Yet here, now, I’d never seen him so angry. His face was twisted with rage, and his hands curled like they might shift into werewolf claws at any moment.
In his expensive suit and tie, he was entirely out of place in this hole–in–the–wall bar.
He looked more like he was soon to attend a gala at a high rise downtown, not traipsing about in a dimly–lit smoke
filled corner bar under an apartment building.
His subordinates were also out of place. Their suits weren’t quite as expensive as Lucian’s, but they were still of high quality and make. Also, no one else in the bar was wearing a suit.
The subordinates spread out. Speaking to the patrons as they went, they seemed to be clearing out the bar.
ebar. what
The patrons quickly paid their tabs and then scurried out the door, like they didn’t want to be involved in what was happening – or about to happen – here.
One of Lucian’s subordinates even went to the musician, who was forced to stop playing
The lights clicked on more fully as the space cleared out.
The bartender seemed annoyed but didn’t dare speak out.
Eventually, only Jasper and I were left near the bar.
Jasper reclined leisurely. Facing outwards, he rested his elbows on the bar top, leaning heavily against it.
Lucian glowered as he approached us. His dark gaze crossed over us both, though it was Jasper who seemed to have earned the majority of his ire.
“Leave,”
Lucian said to him.
Jasper shrugged nonchalantly. “Nah. I kind of like it here, thanks,”
Lucian’s voice dropped deeper, taking on his forceful Alpha tone. “That was not a request.”
Sighing dramatically, Jasper pushed away from the bar.
“Fine.” To me, Jasper added with a wink, “When the divorce is finalized, Aria, I hope you’ll consider me. I think you and I would get along well together.”
“Jasper!” Lucian growled.
Jasper laughed as he turned and left.
Soon, no one was left in the bar but Lucian and 1.
His subordinates had entirely cleared the place out. Not even the bartender or the musician were left behind. I hadn’t seen Cathy leave, but she must have been escorted out as well.
The subordinates also moved to stand outside, leaving Larian and entirely alon
Lucian’s face remained twisted with anger, through his voice softened marginally as he spoke to me neve
there!
“Return home with me, Atla You are needed Here”
So, he tracked me down here just to confront me with this
Swiveling back towards the bar, I lifted my drink and took long swip
term
I wished I’d just stayed at Cathy’s place tonight. The heartbreak I felt every time I had to interact with Lorien was nearly unbearable, Not facing him didn’t help, much to my displeasure. My heart still felt like it weerking right down the midille.
“What would be the point of going back?” I said, using all of my strength of will to keep my voice from trembling
I didn’t want Lancian to low how much power he had over my emotions. “I’d rather not live with you and your lover Sheila. Once Dr. A cures her Infertility, would you ask me to take care of the chilld you two lin
Lucian was quiet a moment, before he said, “It’s not like that between her and me.”
“Then who do you love?” I asked, staring miserably into the bottom of my wine glass. “Sheila or me
I hoped he would answer quickly, either for Sheila or for me
Break my heart in a snap, or glue it back together equally as urgently. Instead, he hesitated, which only made things worse.
He had to be thinking of a polite way to break my heart. That was the only explanation that made chest ached, expecting it.
…I don’t know,” he said, and God help me, it sounded like the truth.
“My previous partners have never been the homemaker type… But I have no desire to divorce, Aria. You will always be my wife.”
He made it sound like a promise. Maybe he thought that would give me some sort of comfort against the sting of his other words. He had no idea how wrong he was,
“Then what is your ideal type?” I asked.
He paused another moment. “…Once, it had been someone like Sheila.”
I lowered my glass to the bar top. My heart was utterly broken, my hope nearly diminished.
Within me, my wolf whimpered with the obvious rejection, I tried to soothe her as I could, but I had little to offer her that could ease this pain.
At least, we weren’t alone in our terrible feelings. We had each other.
Lucian stepped closer to me. Lifting a hand, he placed it against my shoulder from behind.
“Come back with me, Aria. Our home needs you.”
His words were kind, and his touch soft and gentle. Like this, he reminded me of the way he was the day I fell in love with him. He’d been so sweet then, with warm gestures and soft eyes. But unlike then, my heart was no Jonger open to him.
Inside, an ice block had frozen solid where my heart had been.
Chapter 0015
+25 BONUS
Pushing away from the bar and from Lucian’s touch, I turned toward the bathroom. If I tried to leave, Lucian would follow me out, but he was too much of a gentleman to follow me into the women’s restroom.
“I have to use the bathroom,” I said, by way of explanation.
“I’ll wait here for you,” he said.
Not looking back, I hurried toward the bathroom, allowing my shaky breaths to form only after the door was closed.
Tucked inside of my purse, I had some spare clothes and n mask to disguise myself as Dr. A. I’d learned long ago that accidents could occur at any time. Dr. A might be needed in the blink of an eye. I wasn’t going to let anyone die if I could save them, but neither was I going to allow my identity to be compromised.
Keeping a spare set of clothes and my mask on me at all times allowed me to do both when necessary.
Changing quickly, I called out to Luna in my mind. “Luna, we need to erase my scent and change my hair color.“”
“We could try talking to him more…” Luna replied from within my thoughts.
“That wouldn’t work. He’s already said what he had to say, I just want to get out of here now, please.”
“Very well.”
With a deep breath, I felt Luna’s powers stretch over me. My hair color now dark, I adjusted my mask in the mirror, completing the disguise.
Then I walked out of the bathroom and straight into Lucian, who had moved much closer to the bathroom door during my time within it. I hadn’t expected him to be this close!
“Dr. A?” Lucian asked, looking at me with confusion. He then glanced behind me, toward the bathroom door.
“How did you get here? Where’s Aria?”
Chapter 001
