3
Halo’s POV
Lucian sure loved to shower. He had been in there for a while, and with each passing minute, my nerves tightened. The boldness that had brought me here, that had let me lie so casually on his bed, started to slip away.
By the time I heard the water shut off, I had already moved to the edge of the mattress, on the verge of standing up and leaving. But just as I was about to, the bathroom door swung open.
And there he was.
Water glistened over his chiseled chest, tracing rivulets down the hard lines of his abs before disappearing beneath the towel slung low around his waist. His dark hair was damp, strands sticking to his forehead, making him look almost unreal—like some untouchable god carved from marble.
I was so lost in staring that I barely registered his voice—angry, sharp.
“How did you get in here?!”
Before I could answer, he was in front of me, his grip tight as he grabbed my shoulder and shook me.
I only smiled. “You should be asking me why I’m here, not how I got in.”
His jaw clenched. “I don’t care. Get out—”
With a sudden shove, he pushed me back.
I fell onto my side, the motion almost dramatic. My ponytail loosened, strands of hair falling messily over my face. I let my fingers slide through them slowly, tucking them back as I gazed up at him—my assailant.
“Is this how you treat someone you had a one-night stand with six years ago?” I asked, brushing off my clothes as I stood.
His expression darkened, but I didn’t stop.
“Is this how you treat me after I gave you my virginity? At such a young age too?” My voice dipped slightly, teasing, but my eyes held something deeper. Something raw. “Aren’t you a little too cruel, Mr. Lucian?”
His body stiffened. “Stay back.”
I stepped forward instead.
“Why?” I let out a soft chuckle, my head tilting slightly. “You can’t control yourself, can you?”
His breathing changed, but I kept closing the space between us.
“You’re afraid, aren’t you?” My voice dropped to a whisper, laced with amusement. “Afraid that you might lose control and devour me again?”
His fists clenched, his entire body rigid, but I only giggled, inching even closer.
“Relax, Luci. I’m not seventeen anymore.” My smile turned wicked. “I’m better.”
He stared at me for a long, tense moment before letting out a dry, bitter laugh.
“I fucking knew this day would come,” he muttered, shaking his head. “I knew my enemies would use this against me someday.”
Enemies? What the hell was he talking about?
Before I could even piece my thoughts together, his hand shot out—grabbing me by the throat.
My eyes widened in shock as his grip tightened. “Who sent you?” he growled.
I slapped at his chest, clawing at his arm, trying to break free. “Let–me–go,” I rasped, my voice barely audible as the edges of my vision started to darken.
“Answer me!” he roared before shoving me violently to the floor.
I landed hard, coughing and gasping for breath as the oxygen finally returned to my lungs. Still wheezing, I looked up at him with a smirk curling my lips.
“That’s not the kind of choking I like, Daddy.”
His face twisted with disgust and confusion, but he said nothing. Just exhaled sharply, jaw clenched.
Then came the accusation, voice low and bitter:
“Let me guess. This is blackmail, right? You’re trying to blackmail me for sleeping with you? Well guess what—seventeen is the legal age of consent.”
I let out a dry, humorless laugh. “Yeah, in some states. But we were in Florida… hope that helps your case.”
His expression shattered. Rage, panic, guilt—it all played across his face.
His fists clenched so tight the veins bulged along his arms. “You had a fake ID! How the hell was I supposed to know?!”
“You weren’t,” I said calmly, my voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “But the world won’t care. They’ll just see a man ten years older who slept with a minor. Intentions? State of mind? Doesn’t matter.”
I rose slowly from the floor, brushing myself off, savoring the shift in power.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Lucian. I’m not here to destroy you.”
I stepped closer, voice dropping to a whisper.
“I’m here to make you remember.”
“So what now? What do you want?” Lucian snapped, pacing slightly before turning back to me with a cold, businesslike tone. “I can easily deny all the rumors, but I’m being generous right now. Name your price. Three million? Four? Just say the number, and I’ll give it to you so you can go start a new life—because it’s obvious you’re poor and desperate.”
That one hit. His words, sharp and merciless, carved the smirk clean off my face.
“I don’t want your money, Lucian,” I said, quieter now. “I want something more.”
He exhaled sharply, irritation flashing in his eyes. “I don’t have time for this bullshit. Just say what you want.”
I didn’t hesitate. “You.”
His eyes narrowed. He blinked, once.
“But that’s a process,” I continued, voice smooth, steady. “For now, I’m just glad you remember me. I was worried I’d have to show you the pictures I took with you that night.”
That caught him off guard. “What pictures?”
I pulled out my phone, holding it toward him. “Give me your number and find out.”
He didn’t move. Just stared at me with thinly veiled disdain, lips pressed in a tight line.
I shrugged, lowering my phone. “Fine. I’ll leave you to get dressed.”
I turned to go, then glanced over my shoulder one last time with a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes.
“Thanks for remembering me, Luci.”
But before I could reach the door, Lucian grabbed my wrist and yanked me back, hard enough that I stumbled into his chest.
“You’re not leaving until you tell me what you want,” he growled, his voice low and threatening. “Right now.”
I looked up at him, calm despite the chaos in my chest. Our faces were inches apart. I could feel the tension in the air, thick as smoke.
“Right now?” I echoed, lips curling into a slow, daring smirk. “Well… I can think of something.”
I leaned in, brushing my lips close to his ear, letting my words hit like a match to gasoline.
“I want you to fuck me.”