Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 40741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 204(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 136(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 204(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 136(@300wpm)
A sheepish smile formed over her lips. "Was I that obvious?"
"You're a lamb in a den of lions—-"
"I never thought that," she protested.
"And that's why you're a silly little lamb."
Her mouth opened and closed. Why did that make sense for some reason?
Lucius gazed at his wife with a mixture of concern and amusement. It was still too damn easy to make his Tassina second-guess her own thoughts, but since he wouldn't have her any other way, it was best to change the subject instead.
"Why don't I start by filling you in?" Lucius suggested smoothly. "As you may have already noticed, we don't think of Alrich as our stepfather. He is our father, and he has been so from the very start."
Tassy couldn't help smiling. "I like that."
Of course she would, Lucius thought fondly.
"As for our mother, don't let her soft-spoken ways fool you. She has quite the temper—-"
"You have to be joking!" Tassy could only shake her head. Joy and 'temper' in one sentence? It was impossible to imagine.
"Raiden is Raiden," Lucius went on pensively, "and let's see...you had a long talk with Marius earlier, didn't you?"
"He asked mostly about my work."
"Figures. Marius has what we call the Midas touch in the family," Lucius explained. "We've learned early on to not ask any questions and simply take his advice, investments-wise."
"I got to talk to Icelle just a bit, too," Tassy shared.
"What did you think of her at first?"
"Composed?"
Lucius nodded. "She does have a resting bitch face."
Tassy choked. "I never—-"
"It's fine. Everyone thinks that of her the first time, and she knows it, too."
"I really didn't think—-"
Lucius' gaze bored through hers.
"Well, okay, I did think she was a bit reserved," Tassy allowed, "but that's it!"
Lucius just had to bend his head and give his wife's lips a little nibble. He loved Icelle as if she were his full-blooded sister, but she had also only started living with them when she turned eighteen six years ago. It would take more time for Icelle to realize that with their family, there was no need to be perfect.
His gaze flicked back to his wife, and he was no longer surprised at how the mere sight of her had his chest clenching. Who would've ever thought it was possible for someone like him to still fall in love, and so obsessively at that?
"What about Arkane?" his wife was asking now. "Do you think he approves of me?"
He cupped her chin. "What a stupid question, wife."
Tassy could only sputter. Seriously. Was it so hard for Lucius to at least try—-
"I'm head over fucking heels in love with you."
—-being a lot less perfect?
Because if he kept this up, he only had himself to blame once she started clinging to him for real.
"And so not only does my family approve of you, my Tassina—-"
He guided her hands up his chest, and she blushed a little even as she took the hint and curved her hands over her husband's broad shoulders.
"But they're damn grateful because..."
Her heart skipped a beat as his gaze locked with his.
"You're the reason I've started living again."
"Oh, Lucius."
She just couldn't help herself at that point. She took the initiative for the first time, her hands cupping his gorgeous face as she drew his head down. But before their lips could even meet—-
"We should go."
W-What? W-Why? W-Where?
Tassy found herself struggling to keep up with her husband's long-legged stride again.
"I just remembered we have additional company joining us tonight."
Oh.
Okay.
Who?
A name popped into her mind, and Tassy nervously combed her hair in a futile attempt to improve her appearance. Benedict had told them earlier that his wife Lana wouldn't be able to join them, but maybe something had changed?
Tassy gnawed on her lip as she heard laughter ringing out from the library down the hall. Benedict might only be two years younger than Lucius at thirty-six, but the two brothers were different as day and night. Whereas Lucius had the proud and harsh features of a Roman general, Benedict, having inherited his mother's blond hair and the cerulean eyes of Danico Young, had always been likened by the media to an earth-bound angel.
Come to think of it, that was often the description used for Benedict and his wife. When they had married in a lavish society wedding five years ago, the media had called the couple a match made in heaven because of their identically ethereal appearances.
Back then, the two had looked so passionately in love, which was the opposite of how dispassionately Benedict sounded when talking about his wife earlier.
It made Tassy realize how things could change so drastically over time...just like her and Xylan.
Attuned as he was to his wife's mood at every level, Lucius sensed her sadness even before turning his gaze to her and seeing how the smile had faded from her lips.
"What's wrong?"
Tassy swallowed hard. She knew it was possible that she was simply making mountains out of molehills, and that Lucius wouldn't think it a big deal if he were to learn about Xylan only now. But what if it was the opposite?