Seraphine

fifty four

Luca

"Seraphine," Enzo begins after he swallows, and the woman in question glances up from her plate, stealing Luca's breath away with her big, blue eyes. "What is it exactly that you plan to do with your Psychology degree?" 

As the two of them chat about Seraphine's ambitions, Luca silently rakes his eyes over his princess. 

The dress she's wearing isn't dangerously cut or anything like the black dress she'd been wearing at Electra--in fact, it's completely innocent--but Luca can't remember the last time he was this turned on. 

Maybe it's the fact that Seraphine is in his manor, sitting at his table, eating dinner with them. Maybe it's the fact that she's never been this open with them, or this vulnerable, and it's enticing. 

Maybe it's the fact that he keeps staring at the mark Nico left on her skin earlier today and picturing three more just like it--hell, a hundred more just like it, all over her creamy skin. 

Luca swallows thickly and turns his gaze to his half-eaten plate. He picks up his fork and stabs a piece of steak, bringing it to his lips. He's about to open his mouth and take a bite when he feels someone staring at him. 

He smirks slightly, eyes Seraphine's wide, darkened eyes, and parts his lips. 

She glances away, and he grins. 

"Um...what was the question, again?" Seraphine stumbles, turning to Nico, who has a knowing smirk on his face. He brings his elbow to the table and sets his chin in his palm, looking at Seraphine, whose signature blush starts to grow. 

"I don't know, dove, what was the question?" 

"Nico," she hisses, glancing towards Luca, who swallows. Her eyes widen again as they latch onto his dragonfly, and she whips her head back towards Nico, trying her best to keep her eyes on him. 

"Seraphine," he hisses right back, and Seraphine hides her face in her hands. Nico chuckles darkly and reaches up to pull her hands away from her face, tugging a bit harder when he meets her resistance. 

Luca revels in her airy gasp. 

"Were you staring at Luca, dove?" Nico jumps right in, and Seraphine's eyes widen. Luca watches as she pulls against Nico's restraints on her wrists, wanting to hide again. Her blush is violent across her nose and against her cheeks, and Luca takes it all in. 

"Nico--" 

"Answer the question, Seraphine." Enzo says from next to Nico, and Seraphine's wide gaze snaps to him, seeing his face serious, and then to Damien's, and then back to Nico's. 

Luca's grin widens. 

"M-Maybe," she murmurs, still fighting against Nico's grasp. She gasps again when he tightens it, and ducks her head so her hair falls in front of her face. 

Luca parts his lips to speak, to chastise her from hiding from them, when she beats him to it. 

"Yes." 

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise, as do Nico's. The two share a glance, and Nico loosens his grip on Seraphine's wrists at Luca's nod. 

"Why, Seraphine?" Luca speaks this time, and he notices she jumps at the sound of his voice. His hand moves before he can think, and he loops one of his fingers around her raised arm, dragging it along her skin to comfort her. 

He hopes it works. 

"I...Well, I--I, um..." she trails off, and Luca eyes Nico, who tightens his grip once more. She gasps lightly, and Luca's finger skitters across her skin quicker. 

"Seraphine," Damien's warning is low, and she shrinks back in her chair as much as she can with Nico's hands around her wrists. 

"He's very attractive," she mumbles, and Luca smirks. 

"What was that, Seraphine?" He pushes, and he hears her huff. He imagines she rolls her eyes, and he clenches and unclenches his jaw. Later. 

"You're very attractive, Luca," she says, louder, and Luca leans back in his chair, bringing his hand away from her skin to cross his arms over his chest. 

"Hm. Do you want me, sweetheart?" He asks bluntly, and the other mens' gazes snap to him. He holds up one finger, and then points at the woman, who has started to shake. 

"Want you? I don't--" 

"In bed, Seraphine." 

"Luca--" Enzo breathes, and even Damien sets a hand on Luca's shoulder, but he shakes his head once. 

Seraphine says something, but Luca doesn't hear it. 

He's so confident that it was a yes that he leans over the table and lifts her hair gently, tucking it behind her shoulder. Her face is bright red, and Luca clicks his tongue. 

Her eyes slide over to him, but they land on his chest, not his face. 

That won't do. 

Luca stands abruptly, the chair rocking back and forth from the force of his movements. He takes the step that brings him to Seraphine's side, and his hand shoots to her chin. 

Seraphine gasps one last time as his fingers curl around her jaw, bringing her head up so she has no choice but to look in his eyes. 

Luca smirks--her gaze is fogged with lust and need. 

"Answer me, Seraphine." He says, lowering his head so his lips brush against hers ever so slightly. 

She purses her lips, closes her eyes, and says, 

"Yes."