Page 99 of Lucian

“Aren’t I?” Jordyn scoffed quietly. “Take a good look at me, Kate, and then look at him, too. God, it must cut you up inside to think he’s happy. That makes you an awful, terrible person.”

Lucian decided Jordyn didn’t need him to step in after that. People were far enough away not to overhear the conversation, and she hadn’t raised her voice once. She was the kind of woman who didn’t need to shout to get her point across and that made him all the more proud of her.

“And what bothers you the very most, Kate, above everything he has that you don’t, and all that he is despite what you’ve done to hurt him,” Jordyn said in a murmur, leaning a little closer, “… is that Lucian could have been your child and he wasn’t. Deny that when you look at him, you see his father in his eyes staring back at you, the very man you married and received nothing for doing so. Deny he could have been your little boy, your son to spoil, and your baby to love. His father wouldn’t give that to you, though, would he? I’d bet he knew just the kind of woman you are and couldn’t stomach even the thought of letting you raise a child of his.”

Kate opened her mouth to speak, but Jordyn beat her to it. “Lucian was born to a woman much better than you, and raised by one who has more worth in her left pinky than you do in your entire body. They made him exactly who he is, and he is wonderful. Nothing about you is good, while everything about him is. And it absolutely kills you inside to see it, to know it, to watch Cecelia love him despite your hatred, and to know Antony is proud of him, regardless of his last name.

“You are poison,” Jordyn whispered darkly. “Evil in your heart and angry in your soul. Everything you’ve ever had has turned to ruins and it was all by your own hands. If you want to destroy the things surrounding you, that’s fine, but you will not destroy what wasn’t yours to begin with. Lucian was never yours, and that’s what hurts you the most. I hope someday it kills you, too. Don’t choke on your jealousy, Kate. It’s a big pill to swallow.”

With a choked noise catching in the back of her throat, Kate’s eyes widened before she pushed off the wall and ran to hide somewhere in the crowd behind them. Lucian’s pride swelled for Jordyn as his lover took a big enough breath to make her shoulders rise. Then, she turned to him with an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

Lucian laughed, loud and honest. “Dio, bella! For what? That was great.”

“Still …” Jordyn made a face, sighing.

“Don’t do that, sweetheart,” Lucian said with a shake of his head. “Don’t feel badly for her or for hurting her with the truth. You were right, she deserved to hear it. I’ve bit my tongue long enough when it comes to her abuse because in some way, I felt like she was due her anger. Kate has always had to look at me and know where I came from. I don’t doubt it was hard, but she hasn’t made it easier, that’s for sure.”

“What does she truly get from it?” Jordyn asked.

“Nothing. My confusion and hurt, maybe. Especially when I was younger.”

“No more of that. She isn’t important enough to deserve it from you.”

Lucian nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

“I am sorry she tried to ruin your party.”

“She didn’t—couldn’t. You’re here. Nothing makes me happier than you.”

Jordyn graced Lucian with one of her brilliant smiles. The desire to kiss her surged up swift and furious in his gut, so Lucian did just that. The kiss was hard and passionate, as it usually was between them. He could taste the remnants of a White Russian drink on the back of her tongue as Jordyn fell into his lips and embrace, sighing softly.

Even the sudden catcall whistles breaking out in the crowd didn’t stop them.

Chapter Twenty

“So, what do you think?” Fraser, a luxury Lexus dealer the Marcellos frequently used, asked.

Lucian hummed indecisively, looking the dark Lexus LFA Supercar over again. It was a sporty coupe offering fantastic horsepower and a great body. None of that was his problem, though.

“I prefer the silver chrome paint.”

“I’m aware. If you want that color, I’m going to need to order it and you’ll have to wait.”

Jordyn bumped Lucian’s hip with hers to gain his attention. “I don’t mind this matte style.”

That was the first time Jordyn opened her mouth about any vehicles in the lot since they arrived an hour ago to begin shopping. Other than very clearly explaining if he bought her a car without her consent, he’d sleep in the guest bedroom for a month, she hadn’t said much or given an opinion.

“It’s dark. It’s always going to look dirty,” Lucian explained, eyeing the black paint job. “I know this new matte paint is popular, but I don’t know. Maybe …”

“What is it?” Jordyn asked.

“If you’d drive it, then perhaps I would buy it,” Lucian finished, hiding his grin by looking away.

Jordyn sighed. “Lucian.”

“Well, if you like it and would use it, I’d have another reason to put up with the color.”