"How did you figure it out?"
"You really thought I was complinting you just now? Please—your disguise is terrible, and your acting’s worse. Obvious from a mile away."
Lucas’s eyes narrowed dangerously. He leaned in and bit down hard on her shoulder—a vengeful kind of bite.
"You—!" Sophia gasped, staring at him in disbelief. "I haven’t even forgiven you yet!"
"Well," Lucas murmured, brushing his lips over hers, "I’ve already forgiven you."
When he’d been dragged underwater earlier, he actually thought soone was trying to kill him. For one brief, dizzying mont, death had felt very, very close.
Sophia shot him a sidelong glance. "I told you I was planning to drag soone down to hell with . Then I realized—you’ve got the perfect bones for it. The perfect material. Interested?"
Lucas’s lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. "Absolutely."
The way she looked under the darkening sky—shirt clinging to her skin, hair wet against her face—she didn’t even look real. More like so fallen angel who had no idea how devastating she was.
His gaze darkened.
He leaned in—and Sophia pressed a hand to his lips.
"Wait."
"Sophia?"
"Riley," she said flatly.
"There’s nothing between us," he said instantly. "Not a damn thing."
Then Lucas kissed her—hard.
The pool was cold, but the mont his lips touched hers, everything around them seed to heat up.
Sophia’s fingers trailed down, slipping open the buttons of his shirt one by one.
Her voice was low, husky. "If you dare lie to ... I won’t mind helping you lose a few parts."
Lucas chuckled darkly. "Would you really?"
"What do you think?"
Their eyes t—fire against fire.
Lucas’s eyes burned red in the reflection of the pool lights, flas flickering just beneath the surface.
He caught the back of her neck, forcing her to look up at him.
Then—splash!
They both toppled back into the water.
Outside, Alex—who couldn’t see a thing from the other room—quietly packed his things and went to book a different hotel suite.
...
That night, the villa was silent again.
Sophia lay on the bed, eyes closed, while Lucas gently blow-dried her hair.
Her voice was soft. "So... were you serious?"
"I swear. Not a single lie," he murmured.
When her hair was finally dry, Lucas reached for a cigarette—only for Sophia to pluck it right out of his mouth.
"I don’t like the sll of smoke."
"My cravings are bad tonight."
"I said," she repeated calmly, "I don’t like it."
He stared at her for a beat, then quietly set the lighter down.
Her lips curved slightly. Then—
Lucas leaned in and kissed her. "If I manage to hold back," he whispered against her mouth, "don’t I deserve a little reward?"
Sophia arched a brow. "I’m starting to think you’re teasing ."
Lucas smirked, then sank his teeth back into the sa spot on her shoulder—right where his old mark had almost faded.
"Are you a dog?!"
"I’m a wolf."
That wicked grin of his could lt steel.
It wasn’t until dawn’s first light crept through the curtains that the room finally quieted.
...
The next morning.
Damien stood outside the tightly shut hotel door. He glanced back at the six children behind him and sighed, a helpless smile tugging at his lips before he turned and left.
When the opposite door finally opened, Damien was gone.
Sophia ca out—carried in Lucas’s arms.
The six kids trailed behind, whispering among themselves.
Angela sighed softly. "Told you. Mommy got conquered again."
Billy shrugged. "See? Looks matter. A few sweet words and she’s back in his arms."
Charles’s eyes lit up. He turned to Dustin. "You think I could grow up to be like Dad?"
Dustin stayed silent. Eric rolled his eyes, and Faye crossed her little arms, refusing to even look at them.
Charles scratched his head. "What? Did I say sothing wrong?"
"Charles," Faye huffed, snatching the lollipop out of his hand. "You’re going to grow up to be a total heartbreaker!"
Charles grinned, trying to win her back. "Faye, my bad! Tell you what—when I grow up, I’ll be a dentist."
Faye frowned. "A dentist?"
"Yeah! That way, if you ever ruin your teeth eating too much candy, I’ll be the one to fix them."
And just like that, as if by magic, he pulled out a handful of lollipops from behind his back—every color and flavor imaginable.
Faye lifted her chubby little hand with all the pride of a queen and curled one tiny finger, beckoning.
Charles imdiately offered up the lollipop with both hands.
Up front, Lucas couldn’t help but laugh, while in the car behind them, poor Alex—who’d been walking on eggshells for days—finally let out a huge sigh of relief.
Thank God.
No more dealing with Mr. Hilton’s infamous mood swings—one second ice, the next fire.
Back at Silver Lake Villa, Harper was there.
"Sophia, you..."
She thought Sophia had returned, but the next mont, Lucas got out of the car, walked into the house, and tossed Sophia’s suitcase into the car.
"...Lucas?!"
Harper blinked, dumbfounded, then spotted Sophia slumped in the passenger seat. "Wait a second!"
Lucas turned toward her, expression unreadable. "What is it?"
"Why is Sophia passed out? What did you do to her? You—you’re not trying to kidnap her, are you?! I’m warning you, let her go, or you’ll regret it!"
Lucas just stared at her, a sharp, mocking smile curving his lips. He lifted one finger—just slightly—and Harper instantly went rigid, standing on tiptoe like a startled cat.
"Listen carefully," Lucas said coldly. "If you ever try setting her up with another one of your shady little n again, I won’t mind returning the favor—and introducing you to soone."
"I won’t! I swear I won’t!" Harper squeaked.
When Lucas finally drove off, Harper shook her fist at the empty driveway.
"Yeah, real tough guy! Think you’re all that? You might be first on her blacklist, but I’m second on her speed dial! You hear , Lucas?!"
Suddenly, the car reversed, rolling slowly back toward her. Lucas didn’t even bother to turn his head.
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