Chapter 10 Baby, Give Me A Kiss

Violet completely lost her composure. Panic surged through her—she had no idea what to do. Lucien held down her flustered hands. "Don't be scared." Violet gritted her teeth and whispered, "I am scared because you're here! Go hide in the bathroom, now." Her words took Lucien straight back to their college days, when they had to sneak around while dating. He hated this. Old Mrs. Davis's voice came again. "Violet? Did you hear me?" Violet, hands trembling, clutched onto the fabric of Lucien's shirt at his waist. Seeing that he was lost in thought, she cupped his face with both hands, her watery eyes locking onto his as she pleaded softly. "Please?" Lucien never expected to hear his sweet Violet acting so coy with him—especially in a situation like this. The way she looked at him, so soft and pleading, nearly melted him on the spot. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Okay." The moment Lucien slipped into the bathroom, Violet finally opened the door. She ran a hand through her long hair, tucking it behind her ear. "Grandma Davis, sorry, I was blow-drying my hair and didn't hear you. Come on in." As she spoke, she stole a glance toward the bathroom, silently praying that the man inside would behave and not make a single sound. Old Mrs. Davis sat down on the sofa, taking in Violet's fresh, makeup-free face with great satisfaction. "No worries. It's getting late, so I'll get straight to the point. When do you plan to marry Mike?" The question caught Violet completely off guard. She had never even considered it. Forget marriage—she was just waiting for the right time to call it off. Old Mrs. Davis continued, "You know how much Mike loves you. Our family is more than happy with this arrangement—we're all just waiting for the wedding." Violet forced a stiff smile. Loves me? How on earth did they come to that conclusion? Noticing her prolonged silence, Old Mrs. Davis hesitated, wondering if she had concerns. Just then, a small thud came from the bathroom. No matter how minor the sound was, in this deathly quiet and awkward atmosphere, it rang out loud and clear. Following the noise, Old Mrs. Davis turned her head toward the bathroom. Violet's heart leaped into her throat. "I must've rushed out too quickly and knocked over some toiletries." Then, without skipping a beat, she added, "Grandma Davis, I'm not ready to get married this soon." Right now, all she wanted was to fulfill the business deal with the Davis family, clear her debts, and move on. Old Mrs. Davis sighed. "I know Mike hasn't always treated you right, but we just hope he can settle down. To be fair, the Davis family's power and status would bring you plenty of benefits." She paused before adding meaningfully, "And let's be honest—even if you two separate in the future, which wealthy family in City B would dare go against our family by getting involved with you? I'll leave it at that. Think it over." Violet nodded, walked her out, and shut the door. Only then did she let out a deep breath. Remembering the troublemaker still hiding in the bathroom, she fumed and shoved the door open. In the warm yellow light, Lucien leaned against the sink, his hands resting casually at his sides. The half-body mirror reflected his broad shoulders wrapped in a black dress shirt. The fabric tapered down along the lines of his back, exuding an undeniable allure. A classic inverted-triangle physique—broad shoulders, a lean waist. Perfect for wrapping her legs around. Violet stared at the man before her, looking like he had stepped straight out of a magazine. Her initial indignation weakened considerably. "Why did you make that noise on purpose just now?" she demanded. Lucien turned to look at her, holding up her work ID between his fingers. "It fell out when I picked up your clothes." Violet walked over and saw her discarded clothes on the counter, the open pocket confirming she might have falsely accused him. She reached for the ID, but Lucien raised his hand just out of reach. At the same time, he pulled her against him, locking an arm around her waist. His voice dripped with grievance. "Baby, you've wronged me. That really hurts, you know?" Violet braced her hands against his waist, tilting her chin up. "If you hadn't sneaked into my room in the middle of the night, would I have blamed you? Now give it back." She reached for it again. But with a twenty-centimeter height difference, he had the absolute advantage. As long as Lucien didn't lower his hand, she had no chance of grabbing it. Before she realized it, the space between them had completely disappeared. With one arm wrapped around her lower back, Lucien flipped their positions, pressing her against the sink. His lips were dangerously close to hers. "Baby, give me a kiss, and I'll give it back. You accused me wrongly, Violet. Make it up to me—just a little kiss, hmm?" Violet's hands pressed against the cool marble countertop, her breath shaky. Beneath her lowered lashes, her gaze locked onto the slow bob of his Adam's apple. The tension in the air crackled—desire, temptation, an unbearable heat. She couldn't resist. Violet stood on tiptoe and pressed her soft lips against his. Not even two seconds later, she tried to pull away, but his large palm caught the back of her neck, deepening the kiss, and claiming her completely. The ID card was forgotten, and discarded on the side. With one arm, Lucien lifted her effortlessly, placing her onto the dry surface of the sink. Their lips remained inseparable. The mirror reflected the heated scene. She sat on the countertop; he stood between her legs, holding her close, taking what he wanted. By the time they parted, neither was in control anymore. Burying his face in the crook of her neck, Lucien whispered, "Violet, I love you so much." So much that he could fall for her anytime. Violet struggled to steady her breath. Her hands, weak and trembling, pushed at his chest. "Now that you've had your kiss, go back to your own room. I need to sleep." Lucien reluctantly let go, his blue eyes lingering on her lips, now red and swollen. Violet averted her gaze, only to freeze when she noticed something at the side of the sink—her discarded lingerie, placed right next to him. Lucien followed her line of sight. Seeing the flicker of embarrassment on her face, he smirked mischievously and spoke deliberately. "My favorite—white lace." He knew his Violet hadn't forgotten him. Violet shoved him away. "I just wear it out of habit! It has nothing to do with you!" Lucien didn't argue. Instead, he picked her up from the countertop and set her down carefully, his tone suddenly serious. "No matter what terms the Davis family offers, don't agree to them. If you don't want to handle this engagement, I will." He would make sure Mike called off the engagement himself. Violet knew exactly what kind of tactics he was capable of. "I can handle it myself. Besides, aren't you afraid the Davis family will find out you're trying to steal me from them?" After all, the Davis family and Lucien were related. If an uncle and nephew ended up turning against each other over her, it would make for some explosive headlines. Lucien remained completely calm. "You were mine to begin with." Just because they had never gone public didn't mean they hadn't been together. Mike was the one who came later. He cupped her face, his tone unwavering. "Violet, the only thing you need to think about is how you feel about me. I'll handle the rest." She didn't respond. Instead, she took his hands off her and walked out of the bathroom. "The coat you lent me last time is still at the dry cleaner's. I don't have time to pick it up today, so I'll pay you back first." She pulled out a check Mike had given her and handed it to Lucien. He stared at the check between her fingers and let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Baby, you're using another man's money to pay me back?" Violet stuffed the check into his shirt collar, even smoothing it down with a playful smile. "Mind your own business." The next second, Lucien pulled out the check and ripped it in half.