Lucian (Filthy Marcellos #1)(60)

Pulling a grey T-shirt over her head, Jordyn turned to Lucian. "You okay?"

"I don't know where I am right now," Lucian said quietly, his voice starting to clear of some of the hoarseness.

Stuck in his head, likely.

"Where do you want to be?" Jordyn asked, moving to stand between his legs.

Lucian chuckled, wincing. "Here with you."

Jordyn smiled at his answer. "Want me to bring to you back?"

"More than anything."

That was all the encouragement Jordyn needed. She wasted no time tugging open Lucian's towel before climbing into his lap, straddling him. Tender kisses dotted down to his forehead, cheeks, and jaw as his hands fisted into the shirt she wore, drawing her closer. His body reacted to her proximity and touches like it always did, fast and sure. Between her thighs, his cock pressed between her folds, smearing her arousal along his shaft.

It wasn't long before Jordyn was sinking down Lucian's length, a soft sigh falling into the quiet room. Lucian might have been tired, but his hands on her hips pulled her into the gentle rhythm he wanted while his face rested to her neck.

Over and over they loved with gentle words and soft touches. Until sweat slicked their skin and bliss tingled through her mind. He finally came back down with her name in his mouth, eyes wide open, and his heart in her hands.

Right where it belonged.





Epilogue





Two months later  …



The seating arrangement in church had changed, now. Lucian was a little further down from his mother and father. Jordyn always sat to his left in the pew, her hand resting on his thigh to keeping him awake and aware.

Goddamn it, she was worse than his mother when it came to his attention on Sunday mornings.

Not that he was complaining  …

Jordyn entered Lucian's life at this very place, and it never failed to astound him how easily and fast his world had changed from that point on. She was a tornado, and he willingly let her pick him up and pull him straight into her path.

He wouldn't call it destructive, though.



       
         
       
        

Since Kate's death, there had been no more attempts on Lucian's life. It seemed things were finally settling. Jordyn didn't have to ask the what ifs. Lucian didn't feel the need to remind her they were always going to be there, just in different ways.

Most times, things were easy between them. Natural, like breathing and living. Other times, it was a little more difficult.

After all, you couldn't touch something as bright and beautiful as the sun and expect not to get burned.

Today was one of those days, Lucian knew.

While Jordyn sat at his side, her hand on his thigh supportively as it always was, there was tension and anger between the couple. Jordyn had said little to nothing to him over the last three days. Lucian found both the couch and the guest bedroom were particularly uncomfortable. Basically, anything but his bed and Jordyn was fucking uncomfortable. They hadn't even gone to his parents' home the night before like they usually would because the discontent between them was so clear, no one else needed to be brought into it.

It was the silent kind of fight, which frankly, only made it worse.

Lucian knew he did wrong. He just didn't like to admit that he did.

Jordyn's silence probably bothered and hurt him the most, though.

Sighing, Lucian stood for the final blessing and prayer by Father Peter. Church seemed to be especially long today, even if it did help to have Jordyn there with him. He was glad to see it end.

As the parishioners began to clear out, Lucian heard his mother ask Jordyn, "Are you two coming to dinner?"

The question was loaded with a hell of a lot more than just that hidden below the surface. It was more like Cecelia was picking up on the tension as Lucian's back was turned, as was Jordyn's. Apparently even facing each other was too frustrating.

"We should be," Jordyn replied. "Right, Lucian?"

Lucian's back straightened at her blatant regard of him. It was the first words she'd spoken directly to him all morning. "Sure, whatever."

Gio's guilty gaze met his older brother's, and the younger man shrugged, almost in an apologetic way. Lucian rolled his eyes and shook his head in a silent acceptance. It wasn't Gio's fault they were fighting, not really.

Lucian was twenty-eight and an adult. He knew better than to worry Jordyn half to death by not coming home, and when he did, he probably shouldn't have been hung-over as shit and still slurring his words. Gio might have been a bad influence with a taste for Molly and good liquor, but Lucian had the ability to say no.

No women were involved, at least not for Lucian. Gio couldn't quite say the same, which was about the time Lucian left his younger brother to his private party and somehow made his way home. 

Jordyn made it clear she didn't give a flying crap. It was his behaviour and actions that were awful.

Yeah, he screwed up.

Congratulations to him. Every man gets to be a jackass at least once. Right? Apparently not.

A strong hand landed to Lucian's back, and he recognized it as his father's before he even needed to turn and see. "Son?"

"Hmm?" Lucian asked, picking up his Ray Ban sunglasses from the pew.

"Confession is a good place to start. It is Sunday, after all."

Lucian wanted to laugh, he really did. The last time he tried to go to confession, he ended up stumbling out of the church like a bumbling idiot. Besides, he was pretty sure confession was not going to make Jordyn quit the silent treatment, or let him off without groveling.

He didn't get the chance to say anything to his father, because Jordyn was giving Lucian that damned look again. The one that said his hell wasn't over.

"I think that'd be a good idea," Jordyn said, slipping past Lucian to gain access to the aisle. "I'll be waiting in the car."

Antony chuckled deeply. "I like that one, Lucian. You picked your better half well."

Great.



• • •



"Are you going to talk to me, now?" Lucian asked, tossing his suit jacket and car keys to the couch. "Or are we going to keep walking on eggshells for who knows how long?"

The car ride back to the condo was unpleasant. Just like the drive to the church.

Lucian couldn't handle this anymore. He was dying inside.

Jordyn tossed his a look over her shoulder as she pulled the heels off and set them in the corner.

"I'm sorry, bella mia," Lucian said, practically groaning. "I get it. I fucked up. How many more times do you want me to say it? Is this a pride thing or something? Just tell me what I'm missing here."

"Pride? No. It's a respect thing." Jordyn huffed, crossing her arms and turning to meet his stare. "You scared the hell out of me. If you want to party, go party, Lucian. If you want to drink yourself stupid, feel free. I won't be cleaning up your vomit, or lifting your head from the toilet seat, though. I dealt with that shit enough from my mother. You're old enough to know better, anyway, and I'm not your keeper."

Lucian nodded, agreeing. "You're right. And I'm sorry."

"Good, I'm glad we've got that straightened out. But let's get some other things clear, too."

"Huh?"

Jordyn waved at him, almost dismissively. "My job with your father isn't reliant on this relationship. My friendship with your family doesn't depend on us being together. I didn't need a man before you to take care of me, so I won't need one after you. Do you understand that?"

After him?

What the hell?

"I might love you, Lucian, but I will not be your doll. Not something pretty for you take out and play with when it's suitable for you to do so. I won't sit at home while you wander around doing whatever the fuck it is you want to do, calling me whenever it feels convenient to call and let me know, well, you won't be home tonight."

After him?

Lucian wasn't quite getting past those words.

"Jordyn-"

"No, I'm not finished." Jordyn tipped her chin to the side, disappointment tugging her lips down into a frown. "We're good, you and me. But I won't be good only occasionally, Lucian. That means if the kind of thing you did the other night happens again, and on a weekday no less, I will walk myself right out of this condo regardless of how much I love you and I will not be coming back. You want a loving, committed relationship, well here it is. It's give and take. It's not unconditional, there's boundaries. You have to respect them, just like I respect yours.



       
         
       
        

"And being in love doesn't give you a free pass to screw up when you should know better. Truthfully, that's not the kind of love I want, anyway. I want the kind of love from a man who knows and notices everything about me. From the silly little things, to the big things, and all the in-betweens. That man would know acting like you did hurts me, and it wouldn't have happened at all," Jordyn finished sharply.

Others might have thought Jordyn was making a big deal out of nothing. Not Lucian. Her past with her mother made her particularly sensitive to issues like these. She didn't mind his occasional smoke, or his beer with dinner. She didn't care if he went out and had a good time, so long as he didn't stumble home like a cafone leaving her to deal with the aftermath.