The Malevolence of a Woman Wronged (PREQUEL)

Chapter 26- Pillow talk

--Angelina POV--

I thought I had it figured out, I mean, I still don't, but it's not what I had thought it would be. Since there's no other person he's seeing, and I'm certain of that now.

I noticed he was being distant, but I tried not to overthink it, but then I saw a newspaper article that assumed the worst of me, stating things like I had used black magic to make him marry me, blackmailed him with something, or even gone as far as to learn the art of seduction to seduce him. While I knew that none of it was true, it didn't do much to help improve my lack of confidence, and instead, caused me to think up the worst scenarios.

I didn't like the image of him being with a woman that wasn't me in the way that he was being with me right now. This is a side of Lucian that only I've had the privilege of seeing, and while I knew it wasn't right, I wanted to keep it like that.

But deep down inside, I understood the article. Why would a man like Lucian who could have anyone he wanted, want a damaged woman like me that has no hopeful future?

While I may have heard that I was beautiful from numerous different people, it didn't matter if I didn't see what they saw. I looked in the mirror, and hated what I saw, I prayed every night that I would wake up to be more confident, and I hid myself behind expensive clothes and jewellery to set up the perfect facade.

But now, now this man is here stripping me down to get a glance of the real me. Both metaphorically, and literally.

I gasped, surprised as he hoisted me up in his arms, his hands resting on my thighs which were wrapped around his waist, his thumbs drawing circles on my skin as he kicked our bedroom door closed, going to lie me down on the bed.

Why, or rather, how, is he able to look at me like that?

I don't think even Donovan could rival the look on his face right now, it was a look that I couldn't dare to put into words, but it was enough to undo all of me down to my very soul, and I could feel my heart quaking inside as he undid the buttons of my blouse, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Are you drunk?" I whispered.

"I was. Until I saw you," He smirked, taking the chance to kiss my eyes.

"I thought you were angry with me," I spoke through nervous breaths as he continued with his array of kisses, leaving a heated trail with where his lips landed.

"I was angry, but not at you. At myself. For letting you think such things," I blushed when he bent down, his head going to kiss down the valley of my breasts which were still covered by my lace bra which his hands ran over.

"But-" I squeaked, cutting myself off, when he managed to untuck my blouse from my skirt, his lips pressing themselves down against my stomach, and while it was ticklish, the heat overcame it, and I didn't even notice.

Climbing back up, he tucked my hair away from my face, smiling down at me as I gulped, not knowing what to say.

Last time I slept with him, I had been drunk. This time, I don't think my mind has ever been so clear, and it's honestly unnerving.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I mumbled, not being able to meet his gaze as I looked down at his chest where I had somehow unbuttoned all the buttons of his shirt during our heated kiss.

"Because I'm entranced by you, Angel," And holding my jaw, he kissed me. Again, and again, until my mind became blurry, and I got lost in him as he got lost in me.

When he had stated that the only people we were each permitted to sleep with was each other, I didn't think he would sleep with me. I had thought he would either break the clause and sleep with someone else, or he would keep to himself in the time that this contract was ongoing, but here we are, sleeping with each other.

And I can't complain. Sleeping with Lucian was like nothing I could have ever known.

He made me feel loved, comfortable, and confident in my skin which I had hated. Usually, I'd be quick to hide behind the beauty of clothes, but with him, with each layer of cloth that he stripped me of, the brighter his eyes would shine.

I didn't think I'd ever be able to recover. But here I am.

Not being able to hold back the smile, I jumped up, pushing him back as my hands rested on his shoulders, my lips going to reach his as his hands ran up my sides to undo my bra strap before he helped me shrug out of the lingerie.

"I'm sorry that I made you feel like that. At the very least, you, Angelina Vandenburg, need to know that you are a woman unlike any other," He sat up, pulling me up against his chest, as his hand crept down to undo the zip of my skirt.

"You are a woman that any man would be lucky to have," He whispered in my ear, brushing my hair out of my face before leaning back to look me in the eye in a way that I couldn't dare to deny his words.

"And I wish you could see yourself in the way that I do," He grabbed me, pulling my skirt off as he discarded his own clothes, climbing back on top of me as he kissed my lips before trailing down my body, pausing by my stomach where I felt the tickle of his stubble.

I knew it, that things would change between us after tonight.

Whether that's a good thing or not, it's too early to tell.

But one thing was for sure, and that was the fact that the walls I had built up around me had begun to crumble. All because of this man and his reassuring words.

But at least for tonight, I'm going to put everything on pause. Donovan, Nevaeh, and my revenge, just for tonight, I'll forget about it all.

I woke up to the caress of rough hands on my cheeks, and the sunlight shining through the curtains of our rooms as it had been doing for the past week or so.

"Wow, I never thought the day would come where Lucian Vandenburg wakes up before me," I laughed as he smirked, resting his cheek on his perched-up hand as he stared down at me, fiddling around with strands of my wild hair.

"In my defence, I woke up at my usual time. You're the one that woke up late today," I blinked, not expecting to hear that, but low and behold, the clock on the wall spoke the truth.

Humming, I flicked his hand away, going to turn over as I pulled the blanket up, getting comfortable as I closed my eyes again.

"What? You're going back to sleep?"

"Since I've already slept in, I might as well do it properly," I mumbled, not pushing him away as he too got back under the covers, wrapping his arms around my waist as he pulled me back against his body, his lips leaving a fiery trail of kisses along my collarbone.

"Have you not had enough?" I laughed, jokingly shrugging him off as he hummed.

"Nowhere near." He sleepily whispered.

"It's the last day of our honeymoon, let's enjoy it to the fullest before we return to Germany. Because, I assure you, drama is waiting for us when we get back,"

"Drama?" I echoed.

"Like nothing you could expect. Your ex-husband and his new wife won't be expecting what's about to hit them. No one would," Curiosity perked itself up inside me as I turned myself around to look at him, patiently waiting for him to open his eyes, and when he did, his blue eues narrowed themselves into a smirk as he moved in to peck my nose.

"Are you going to tell me or do you just love to see me guessing?" I flicked his forehead as he hissed at the slight pain.

"I love to see you guessing," He played.

"Lucian," I grumbled, using both my hands as I stretched his cheeks this time.

"Okay, okay, Angel." He glared, placing his hands above mine as I eased off, waiting for him to speak.

"I planted a mouse in the Moretti's territory. And the things I've heard back are... interesting, to say the least," He rolled his eyes as I listened to each and every one of his words.

And goodness me, did we just get ourselves an unexpected wild card.

...