53

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE

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GABRIELLE

Lucian returned later in the evening, just when I was just about to fall asleep, the door was pushed opened and he walked inside.

He met my gaze briefly before he walked over to the wardrobe and started to take off his shirt.

I pretended to be busy with the book in my hand, he couldn't know that I had waited up because of him. In these past few days, he always left for work before I woke up and always returned when I must have slept off.

Why would a person work so much? Wasn't it too tiring?

Truth was that I missed him. And it was way more than even I would ever understand.

When I didn't want his attention, I had all of it. And suddenly, when I did, he was ignoring me?

My eyes followed him until he entered inside the bathroom and I heard the sound of the shower running. I released a sigh I didn't know I was holding, it was of disappointment, he could have at least said something.

Or maybe I should speak to him instead.

He returned about ten minutes later in only a piece of a towel wrapped around his waist, droplets of water falling from his hair. His eyes met mine again, and I felt my throat run dry.

He started to walk towards me and I didn't realize I was holding on to the book in my hand in a death-like grip.

The closer he got, the faster my heart pounded against my chest until I thought it would burst out altogether.

"I'm leaving." He announced.

Okay, that wasn't what I was expecting, I stared at him dumbly for the next few seconds, the confusion must have shown in my face.

"Where?" I cleared my throat. " when are you leaving?"

"Tonight. Something urgent came up at work."

His response further surprised me, he was traveling for a business deal tonight and he saw no importance in telling me until now?

I bit my lips, trying not to let my hurt and disappointment show.

Maybe it just really came up urgent as he said?

"But where are you going?" I asked.

There was a pause, I waited but didn't get a answer like I had hoped. A hard look flashed in his eyes as he finally broke the silence.

"The trip to California will be a quick one, I'll be back in three days."

My eyes widened in surprise and a thrill of excitement shot through me. I jumped to my feet from the bed, but his next words had my happiness dying as quickly as it had came.

"You are not coming with me! You are staying here!"

It was an order, barked out sharply and leaving no room for argument. Tears prickled in my eyes and his eyes softened a bit.

"It's not safe, so I can't take you with me." He explained.

I was relieved to know that he had just been worried about my safety, but still I wanted to go, it was the only opportunity I would get to see my mother, it's been so long.

"But you are going to be there, allow me to go with you...please." I was begging right now, if it meant that he was going to agree, I would do anything.

"I told you that it's a business trip, I can't be worried about you as well, so you will stay here, besides you have nothing to do there."

How could he say that so easily, I felt a stir of annoyance in my heart.

"But it's my home! I haven't seen anyone since..." I barely started when he snatched my wrist, yanking me to his wet dripping chest. He was staring down at me like a child who was being disobedient.

"Not anymore! This is your home now, wife! Me, and this place!" He growled lowly.

"Or you still don't think that this is your home?" I could feel him tensing up and knew this was going in the wrong direction and hell could easily break loose.

"Of course, this place is my home, you as well. You're my husband after all" I tried to persuade him. My palm made contact with his bare chest and stroking it deliberately and soothingly, I could feel the quickened rate of his heart. His predatory gaze narrowed down at me, I had earned his full attention.

"I only want to see my mother, please Lucian, please. Besides..." My hand started to move lower and lower as I tried not to flinch under the sharpness of his gaze.

"I can do other things for you." I whispered, hearing his sharp intake of breath before he caught my hand.

"What are you trying to do, wife? Are you trying to seduce me into allowing you to come with me?"

Hotness stained my cheeks at his words and I started to withdraw my hand from his, only he wouldn't let go, his grip only tightened.

I met his eyes that were dancing with amusement and felt another wave of embarrassment.

"Did it work?"

Instead of a response, he guided my hand lower and lower until it was pressed against the undeniable tent that had formed in the towel. I didn't get the chance to react when he cupped my cheeks and kissed me, his lips were soft as they worked against mine.

"You are coming with me!" He breathed out, before claiming my lips again in a hungry, vicious kiss that sent my toes curling. He pulled back a bit, wearing a satisfied look.

"We will finish this later. You have only ten minutes to grab everything you need." He shoved me gently towards the direction of my wardrobe and started to get dressed himself.

I was in a hurry before he would change his mind, grabbing everything I thought I would need. I dug deeper into my wardrobe to pull out my clothes when something dropped to the floor, making a shattering sound.

My gaze immediately found what it was and an intense wave of fear like never before gripped me, surging through my blood until I felt lightheaded.

I stood stricken with panic, the small brown bottle which had been broken stared back at him, I was also conscious of Lucian's stare digging holes through me.

I forgot about the bottle, that I had hidden it between my clothes, where Lucian would never be able to find them.

The pills along with the pieces of the broken bottle on the carpeted floor were glaring up at me like judgment day.

I was DOOMED in capital letters.

These were the remnant of the birth control pills that Anya had given me.

"What's wrong? You look strange. Are you alright ?" Lucian's words startled me and I broke out in cold sweat.

"I'll call someone to clean these up." He continued.

"I'll do it, it's no issue." I think I said too quickly but I was too nervous, I couldn't trust anyone with it but myself.

Without thinking about the piercing shards of glass, I went on my knees and started to gather all the pills, nervousness was making my fingers shake badly, I couldn't hold on to anything, the pills always ended up falling off from my clumsy and jerky fingers.

"Did you fall sick? And what are these drugs doing inside there." Lucian spoke again, I couldn't identify the emotions in his voice, more like I didn't want to.

My lower lips trembled violently, I pressed them tightly against each other before lifting my head to meet his stare.

"The d..doctor had prescribed t..them remember?" When he didn't speak, I continued with the lie.

"Since I'm alright now, there's no longer need for these, besides they are damaged now, I don't even know how they ended up in there or maybe I'm just too careless, I'll just go flush them away." I rushed out and straightened to my feet, dashing into the bathroom before Lucian could reply.

My legs were like rubber and my stomach was coiled with icy dread.

I dumped the pills inside the toilet and flushed quickly, expecting Lucian to burst in at any moment. Thankfully, the bottle had no label, I didn't think I was caught. Relaxing against the wall, I inhaled deeply and exhaled aloud. I repeated the action until I thought I looked alright enough to exit the bathroom.

I thought it was over, I thought I was lucky or that fate had shown some mercy on me. Little did I know that in my hurried and panicked state, my eyes had missed the single tablet that had fallen beside Lucian's feet.

I also didn't see that he bent down to pick it nor way his eyes were deeply narrowed in suspicion.

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