Page 113 of Lucian

Trusting him, she finally regarded the gift. A single strand of white pearls with matching earrings rested inside the box. Between every globe was a tiny diamond separating the pearls. The piece wasn’t ostentatious at all. In fact, it was delicate and simple in design and very much to her taste had she been the one to pick it out. She hadn’t even given thought to her jewelry for the night, and it was one thing Cecelia didn’t bother to mention.

Now Jordyn understood why.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, still awed. “Thank you.”

“You’re more than welcome. It felt like you. I wondered how they would look on you. May I?” Lucian asked, waving at the pearls.

“Yes, please.”

Carefully, Lucian removed the pearls from their case and under his urging, Jordyn turned so he could place the strand around her throat. Warm fingers ghosted along the expanse of her neck as he clasped the back of the necklace closed before releasing the jewelry and kissing the side of her neck. He let her put the earrings in herself, refusing to remove his lips from her throat all the while.

Jordyn sighed into the kiss. “Yeah, I definitely missed you.”

“Love me, too?”

“Of course.”

“Good,” Lucian murmured as his arms wrapped her frame once more. “And I know you’re worried about tonight, but you really shouldn’t be, Jordyn. Money might give people all the control and power in the world they can buy, but it doesn’t give them what’s most important. Designer dresses doesn’t give a woman beauty if she’s not amazing in her heart. Diamonds won’t give her dignity if she has no good in her soul. Education doesn’t make a man worthy. A last name won’t garner someone respect unless they can work for it. Those are things we earn by being who we are. You are wonderful. I wouldn’t want anyone else to stand with me tonight while I celebrate my mother.”

Oddly, those words were all Jordyn needed to hear to make the nerves disappear.

• • •

“Buon compleanno, Mamma,” Lucian murmured in his mother’s ear as he came up behind her, wishing her a happy birthday.

Antony met his son’s gaze and smiled, pride shining through strongly. “Good to see you, son.”

“You, too.”

Cecelia’s lips split with a wide smile as she turned to face Lucian. “You’re here!”

“Of course I am, and on time, as you demanded. You look lovely,” Lucian appraised, taking in the white silk and chiffon gown Cecelia wore. “Angelic. Appropriate for one of the angels in my life looking out for me.”

Cecelia may not have given him life as his mother, but she had given him the next best thing: love. She was the second woman on earth to show him it was possible to love something with an unconditional fierceness. While his biological mother had given up her life to save his, Cecelia gave that life back in a whole new way. Cecelia had essentially taught him how to love others … like Jordyn. Lucian wouldn’t miss his mother’s special day for the world.

His mother winked, glancing over his shoulder at Jordyn who was already in conversation with Gio. “Did I do well?”

“Perfect,” Lucian assured. “She looks beautiful. Thank you.”

Cecelia reached up and swiped at the corner of his mouth, suppressing her grin. “Well, even if you hadn’t said anything, I would have guessed you liked it by the red stains on your mouth. Try to keep the PDA to a minimum, Lucian. No need to go marking your territory all over the place tonight, sweet boy.”

“Got it.”

“I’m so very happy for you.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “But it’s your night, not mine. I take it we’re still drinking ourselves stupid on cocktails until they allow us into the ballroom again?”

Cecelia nodded, eyeing the closed doors over her shoulder. “I’m getting bored.”

“It won’t be long,” Antony said behind her. “Patience, Tesoro.”

“Did you like my gift this morning?” Lucian asked his mother.

“The flowers were lovely. They filled the kitchen table. I didn’t have time to find places for them all.”

“There was a point to that. I bought you a bushel for every room in the house so you wouldn’t keep moving them from room to room like you did the last time I bought you flowers.”

“I figured,” Cecelia said wirily. “I still have to decide where they need to go in the rooms, though. It’s a process, Lucian. Someday you’ll understand.”