AI The door to Eva’s flat creaked open before Aurora could even reach for the deadbolt, the hinges protesting like an old man’s knees. She froze, her fingers hovering over the brass knob, the scent of rain-slick pavement and something sharper—something like ozone and old money—washing over her. The air in the hallway shifted, and she knew before she turned that it was him .
Lucien stood just inside the threshold, his polished cane tapping once against the linoleum before he set it down with deliberate care. His platinum blond hair was still slicked back, but the edges were slightly disheveled, as if he’d been running his fingers through it in frustration. His amber eye caught the dim light from the streetlamp outside, glowing like a cat’s in the dark, while the black one was fixed on her, unreadable .
Aurora exhaled through her nose, her pulse jumping in her throat. She should have known. Should have *felt * him before she even opened the door. The way the air hummed when he was near, the way her skin prickled like she’d just stepped out of a bath. She’d spent years telling herself she didn’t miss the way he could make her feel —like she was both the center of the world and the only person in it at once—but the truth was, she still did.
“You’re late,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt . She stepped back, gesturing for him to come in, but her hand trembled just enough that the movement was sharp. Too sharp. “I thought you ’d changed your mind.”
Lucien didn’t move. His jaw tightened, the muscle working beneath his sharp cheekbones. “I didn’t.”
The words were clipped, but there was something else in them—something raw. Aurora swallowed. She hadn’t seen him in months. Not since the night in the alley behind Golden Empress, when he’d kissed her like he was drowning and she was the only breath left in the world. Then he’d walked away, leaving her with a note and a promise she wasn’t sure she’d ever believed.
“You look like hell,” she said, because she couldn’t think of anything else to say. It was true, too. His tailored charcoal suit was rumpled, the cuffs of his dress shirt rolled up to his elbows, revealing forearms corded with muscle. There was a faint bruise blooming under his left eye, purple against his pale skin, and his lips were pressed into a thin line.
Lucien’s black eye flicked up, assessing. “And you look like you haven’t slept in a week.”
Aurora ’s fingers twitched at her sides. “I’ve been busy.”
“Delivering takeout?” He smirked, just slightly, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’d have thought you ’d have more time for yourself after what happened.”
Her stomach twisted. “What happened?”
“Don’t play coy, *Aurora *.” His voice dropped, the French lilt sharpening. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
She did. Of course she did. The way he’d looked at her that night, like she was the only thing keeping him from falling apart. The way he’d kissed her like he was memorizing the shape of her mouth. Then he’d walked away, leaving her standing there with the weight of his absence pressing down on her like a physical thing.
She turned away, running a hand through her black hair. “I didn’t ask you here.”
“No.” His cane tapped again, once, twice. “But I’m here anyway.”
Aurora exhaled sharply , rubbing her temples. “What do you want, Lucien?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stepped fully into the flat, his boots making quiet *thuds * against the worn wooden floor. The scent of him filled the space—leather and something darker, something like smoke and old books . Ptolemy, Eva’s tabby cat, lifted his head from his perch on the windowsill, ears twitching. He blinked at Lucien once, then at Aurora , before curling back into a ball with a disinterested flick of his tail.
“Information,” Lucien said finally. “About *him *.”
Aurora stiffened. “Evan?”
“Yes.”
She turned to face him , her back still to the door. “Why?”
Lucien’s amber eye gleamed. “Because he’s been asking questions.”
“About what?”
“About *you *.”
Aurora ’s breath hitched. She hadn’t thought about Evan in months. Not since she’d left London, not since she’d built a life that didn’t include his name in it. But the way Lucien said it—like Evan was a threat, like he was still capable of hurting her—made her skin crawl.
“He’s not here,” she said, her voice quieter than she intended . “He’s not in London.”
“Yet.”
The word hung between them, heavy and loaded. Aurora ’s fingers curled into fists at her sides. “You’re scaring me , Lucien.”
“Good.” His voice was low, rough. “You should be scared.”
She turned to face him fully, her heart hammering against her ribs. “Why?”
Lucien stepped closer, close enough that she could see the faint scar running along his jawline, close enough that she could smell the faintest hint of bergamot on his skin. “Because he’s not the only one who’s been asking about you .”
Aurora ’s breath caught. “Who else?”
“People who don’t like what you ’ve been doing.”
She swallowed. “What have I been doing?”
“Working for the wrong people,” Lucien said, his voice dropping to a growl . “Helping them do things they shouldn’t.”
Aurora ’s stomach twisted. She hadn’t told anyone about the job. Not even Eva. Not since the first time she’d taken the money, not since she’d realized what she was really getting herself into.
“You didn’t tell me ,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper .
Lucien’s black eye locked onto hers. “I didn’t know.”
“Bullshit.”
He flinched, just slightly , but it was enough. Enough to make her chest tighten, to make her want to reach out and touch him , to pull him close and demand answers.
“Fine,” he said, his voice rough . “I *suspected *. But I didn’t know for sure until it was too late.”
Aurora ’s hands clenched into fists . “Too late for what?”
Lucien’s gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes. “Too late to stop you .”
She wanted to argue. She wanted to tell him that she hadn’t had a choice, that she’d been desperate, that she’d thought she was doing the right thing. But the words stuck in her throat, because she knew he wouldn’t believe her. Because she wasn’t sure she believed herself.
“What do you want me to do?” she asked instead, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze darkened. “Leave.”
Aurora ’s breath hitched. “Leave?”
“Leave London,” he said, his voice low and dangerous . “Leave the job. Leave *him *.”
Aurora ’s chest tightened. She hadn’t thought about leaving. Not really . She’d thought about running, about hiding, about making sure Evan never found her again. But leaving? That was different. That was admitting that she’d made a mistake.
“And if I don’t?”
Lucien’s black eye gleamed. “Then I’ll have to make sure you do.”
Aurora ’s breath caught. She knew he wasn’t bluffing . She knew he had the power to make her disappear, to make sure she never saw the light of day again. But she also knew that she couldn’t let him .
“Why?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper . “Why are you doing this?”
Lucien’s gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes. “Because I care about you , *Aurora *.”
The words hung between them, heavy and loaded. Aurora ’s heart hammered against her ribs, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She wanted to believe him . She wanted to believe that he still felt something for her, that he still cared about her the way she cared about him . But she also knew that she couldn’t trust him . Not anymore.
“That’s not enough,” she said, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze darkened. “What do you want me to say?”
Aurora ’s breath hitched. She wanted him to say that he loved her. She wanted him to say that he ’d never stop caring about her, no matter what happened. But she also knew that she couldn’t ask him for that. Not yet.
“Tell me why,” she said instead, her voice barely a whisper . “Why *me *?”
Lucien’s gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes. “Because you ’re the only person who’s ever made me feel like I was worth something.”
Aurora ’s breath caught. She wanted to reach out and touch him , to pull him close and demand answers. But she also knew that she couldn’t. Not yet.
“That’s not true,” she said, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze darkened. “It is.”
Aurora ’s chest tightened. She wanted to believe him . She wanted to believe that he still felt something for her, that he still cared about her the way she cared about him . But she also knew that she couldn’t trust him . Not anymore.
“Then why did you leave?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes. “Because I was afraid .”
Aurora ’s breath hitched. She hadn’t expected that. She hadn’t expected him to admit that he was afraid . But she also knew that she couldn’t let him see how much it hurt her.
“Afraid of what?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze darkened. “Afraid that I’d lose you .”
Aurora ’s breath caught. She wanted to reach out and touch him , to pull him close and demand answers. But she also knew that she couldn’t. Not yet.
“And now?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes. “Now I’m not.”
Aurora ’s chest tightened. She wanted to believe him . She wanted to believe that he still felt something for her, that he still cared about her the way she cared about him . But she also knew that she couldn’t trust him . Not yet.
“Then what do you want from me ?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze darkened. “I want you to be safe.”
Aurora ’s breath hitched. She wanted to believe him . She wanted to believe that he still felt something for her, that he still cared about her the way she cared about him . But she also knew that she couldn’t trust him . Not yet.
“And if I can’t be safe?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes. “Then I’ll make sure you are.”
Aurora ’s breath caught. She wanted to reach out and touch him , to pull him close and demand answers. But she also knew that she couldn’t. Not yet.
“How?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze darkened. “By any means necessary.”
Aurora ’s chest tightened. She wanted to believe him . She wanted to believe that he still felt something for her, that he still cared about her the way she cared about him . But she also knew that she couldn’t trust him . Not yet.
She stepped closer, her fingers brushing against his chest. “Then what are we waiting for?”
Lucien’s breath hitched. His hands found hers, his fingers intertwining with hers. “We’re waiting for you to trust me .”
Aurora ’s breath caught. She wanted to believe him . She wanted to believe that he still felt something for her, that he still cared about her the way she cared about him . But she also knew that she couldn’t trust him . Not yet.
“And if I don’t?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze darkened. “Then I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you that I’m worth trusting.”
Aurora ’s breath hitched. She wanted to believe him . She wanted to believe that he still felt something for her, that he still cared about her the way she cared about him . But she also knew that she couldn’t trust him . Not yet.
She stepped closer, her lips brushing against his. “Then let’s start now.”
Lucien’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her close. His lips crashed against hers, hungry and desperate. Aurora melted into him , her hands tangling in his hair, her body pressing against his. She could feel the heat of him , the strength of him , the way he made her feel alive.
When they finally pulled apart, Lucien’s breath was ragged, his gaze locked onto hers. “I love you , *Aurora *.”
Aurora ’s breath caught. She wanted to believe him . She wanted to believe that he still felt something for her, that he still cared about her the way she cared about him .
“I love you too,” she whispered.
Lucien’s gaze darkened. “Then let’s go.”
Aurora nodded, her heart hammering against her ribs. She followed him out of the flat, out into the night, her hand still clasped in his. They walked together, side by side, their footsteps echoing against the pavement.
As they turned the corner, Lucien stopped, pulling her close. His lips found hers again, his kiss deep and passionate. Aurora melted into him , her body pressing against his, her heart filled with hope .
“Where are we going?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper .
Lucien’s gaze darkened. “Somewhere safe.”
Aurora smiled, her heart filled with warmth . “Then let’s go.”