Chapter 72

Third Person POV

The drive home was exhausting for Nan.

But that did not squish her enthusiasm. Nan finally had proof! She would show Lionel the evidence on her tablet and everything would be okay.

Nan was in such a hurry that she did not take into account the dead silence around the first floor. The heavy atmosphere did not register to her occupied brain. Nor the scurrying of the terrified staff and frantic whispers.

All that mattered was that to her was that her nightmare would soon be over.

She threw open the study door without waiting. Surely, politeness would not matter in the face of her revelation. Nan opened her mouth to call out to Lionel.

The words froze in her throat.

Lionel is covered in blood. Dark stains seeped into his suit. His mouth and hands dripping crimson.

Worry sprang to life. ‘By the Moon goddess, did something bad happen to Lionel?’ She thought.

“Lionel, what happened? Are you hurt?” She asks with deep concern.

Lionel is quiet and utterly motionless. But his eyes…Nan stops.

His brown eyes are dark. Yet Nan could swear she saw a flash of flame for a split second. A sign of overwhelming…bloodlust in a wolf from the Inferno pack.

Nan bites her lip. Unsure if she should broach the subject when Lionel is so clearly on edge. Her worry for her daughters overwrites her caution.

“Lionel, there’s something I want to show you.” Nan starts.

She reaches in her back and pulls her tablet out. She opens the screen and prepares to play the audio. Her mouth opens to begin explaining.

Lionel snatches the tablet out of her hand and sends it flying toward the wall. It hits the wall with a violent crash. The fragile piece of tech shatters into pieces.

Nan is frozen. Too stunned and horrified to move. Her pulse picks up.

“What-Why…” Nan stammers out.

But Lionel is beyond listening. He grabs her arm roughly. Nan tries to pull her arm away but his grasp is non yielding.

He pulls her out of the study. Nan is pulled along the entire way. All the way through the house and to his bedroom.

“Lionel, talk to me.” She says.

Lionel’s actions only become clear to her when she feels the clip-on Frost earring slip from her ear lope. He brings the tiny stud before her eyes. Then he pointedly crushes it.

Realization hits her with a blow.

‘He knows,’ Nan thinks. ‘No wonder he seems so mad. I would be furious too if I thought Lionel was doing this to me.’

“Please, just listen. I know how this looks. But I can explain everything.”

His cold face does not change. It is with a pinch to her heart that she realizes she has not seen this impassive mask in a long time. ‘His guard is completely raised,’ Nan notes sadly.

So she tells him everything.

Nan knows she is babbling. Her story telling not following a liner path. Yet Lionel’s expressionless face only makes it worse.

“…my fault. That was when I knew he was delusional. But I had no idea what to do because of the surveillance earring.”

Nan pauses to take a deep breath. Her throat dry from her unexpected speech. But she presses on.

“I had to find a way to trick him. So I set up a recording to catch him. That’s why I left tonight…so that I could get you the evidence before anything happened to our daughters.”

Lionel’s face darkens towards the end. It’s a painful sight. Nan’s heart drops.

“Show me your evidence then.” He says coldly.

Nan feels the urge to bang her head on the wall. Hadn’t she just explained what happened? Had he not heard a word she said?

“I would…if you had not destroyed both my tablet and earring. It’s hard to show you proof that you chose to destroy before talking to me.” Nan hisses with annoyance.

Lionel takes a deep breath.

“I believe you. I already took care of most of it before you arrived. I swear…all involved parties will be punished accordingly.”

Relief makes Nan slump slightly. “Thank the Moon goddess…I’ve been so worried about our daughters since this all started.”

A muscle in Lionel’s jaw twitches. “I need to shower. Wait in here until I am finished.”

Lionel is gone before she can blink. But Nan complies. She sits in a large corner chair.

‘I’ll just shut my eyes for a few seconds…’ Nan thinks sleepily. Her exhausted body embracing the idea of rest. She falls into a light slumber.

Lionel stood under the hot water with heavy thoughts. Letting the blood slip off him. Once more motionless.

‘Does she think I’m stupid enough to fall for her lies a second time?’ Lionel seethes.

She had used and abused his generosity. She had played with both his affections and his daughters. And then had the nerve to say ‘our daughters’ to his face.

She thought she could play him? That she could waltz into his home and manipulate his feelings? His wolf growled.

Two could play that game.

Nan is awoken by Lionel’s presence beside her. She is greeted by the sight of his naked, glistening chest and a towel wrapped around his waist. A deep blush overtakes her.

‘Wow,’ Nan thinks incoherently.

Lionel picks her up. He walks towards the bed. His intentions become clear to her at once.

In truth, Nan had been waiting for this moment. From their first kiss…Nan knew that the final act between them would be special. Lionel was always so gentle and worshiping of her…she could only imagine how that might translate in bed.

He drops her onto the bed. She hits the soft mattress with an “Oomph.” He drops his towel.

Nan tries to move toward the top of the bed. But Lionel is on top of her before she can. His mouth drops to hers.

It’s a hot kiss. Wet and messy. Forceful.

His tongue entangles with her. He only breaks this kiss long enough to remove her shirt and bra. His hand slide down to her skirt next.

She can feel something long and hard against her. She grows wetter the more he touches and kisses her. The sensations sparking heat in her chest and between her legs.

Then he yanks her skirt and panties down in one hard pull. She gasps at the cool air hits her sensitive skin. The he puts his fingers in her clit and pushes up hard.

“Lionel!” She moans.

He moves his mouth to her breasts. His lips whispering over the soft skin. Not quite touching, just the barest hint of contact.

She shivers at the sensation. Then he bites down hard. It stings.

She brings her hand up to slap his back. He does not bite again. But there is no soothing kiss.

Her release comes swiftly as his fingers work their rhythm. She is left panting and relaxed. Lionel shifts.

He suddenly grabs her by her hips and lines himself up. She looks at him. There is tension in his eyes as he meets her gaze.

Then he plunges in. Nan gasps out at the sudden intrusion. “Oh!”

Then he pulls…and slides back into her over and over. As hard and fast as he can go. Nan can only wrap her arms and legs around him and hang on.

Each movement makes her whimper with pleasure. Until she once again reaches her peak. Her vision whitens out and her toes curl.

And still he goes. Until he also reaches his peak. He pulls out and spills onto her stomach.

He rolls off of her and onto his back. Both are left panting and sweaty by the end. Satisfied.

Nan finally reaches over to give him a tender kiss. But he turns his face away. She pulls back in hurt.

“You should go to your room. I have things I need to do.” Lionel says briskly.

He stands up and walks to the bathroom. Never looking back. Cold and unmoved.

Nan eventually stands with shaky legs and begins redressing.

‘That was nothing like I thought it would be.’ Nan thinks in uncertainty. ‘I thought it would be special…loving…but that was just sex…rough and devoid of connection.’

Nan does not know how to feel about it. It had enjoyed herself…in the moment. Yet here Lionel was…kicking her out of his room after sharing another intimate moment with her.

Nan walks back to her room…disappointment her companion.