Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 65189 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65189 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“This,” Lucas said, his voice warm and jovial, “is Alice Morgan, a brilliant young scholar I’m sponsoring.” He turned to me, his blue eyes twinkling with what looked like genuine affection. “Why don’t you tell them a bit about yourself, ma chère?”
My heart raced, pounding so hard I was sure the crowd could hear it. Sweat prickled along my hairline as I faced the sea of eager faces and flashing cameras. I swallowed hard, desperately trying to keep my voice steady.
“H-hello,” I began, wincing at the slight tremor in my voice. I took a deep breath, drawing strength from Lucas’ solid presence beside me. “As Lucas said, I’m Alice. I’m studying medieval French history here at the Sorbonne, focusing on the daily life of peasants in the fourteenth century.”
I paused, unsure what else to say. Lucas gave me an encouraging squeeze, and I found myself relaxing slightly into his touch. Despite everything—the lingering arousal from my bathroom encounter, the fear of punishment, the overwhelming crowd—I felt oddly safe with him. Suddenly I had the strangest desire to be back in my apartment, paying whatever shameful, painful penalty my sponsor decided to impose for my lewd, wayward behavior in the bathroom.
Lucas cleared his throat, drawing the crowd’s attention back to him. “While I’m always happy to meet fans,” he said, his voice carrying easily over the excited murmurs, “I must insist that the press respect Alice’s privacy.” His eyes locked onto the professional photographer, his gaze hardening slightly even as his smile remained in place. “She’s a student, not a public figure. I expect to see no unauthorized photos or speculation about her in the media.”
The crowd fell silent for a moment, absorbing Lucas’ words. Then, as if on cue, they parted, creating a path to the waiting limousine. Lucas guided me forward, his arm still firmly around my waist. I could feel the heat of his body through my clothes, a stark reminder of the intimacy we had shared the night before.
As we reached the car, Lucas opened the door for me. “After you, ma chère,” he murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear. I slid into the plush leather seat, my heart racing as Lucas followed, closing the door behind him with a soft thud.
The limo pulled away from the curb smoothly, leaving the clamoring crowd behind. Inside the quiet cocoon of the car, I could hear my own rapid breathing. Lucas turned to me, his public persona falling away like a mask.
“I apologize for that,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t have time to take the usual precautions when I left to come find you. Your clear need for your sponsor’s firm hand made me a little incautious.”
I gazed at Lucas, taking in the intensity in his ice-blue eyes, the firm set of his jaw. The facade he had presented to the crowd outside had vanished completely, replaced by the commanding presence I had come to both fear and crave. My body responded instantly to his dominance, a rush of heat flooding through me.
“I understand, Monsieur,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
Lucas’ eyes narrowed slightly as he studied me. “Do you?” he asked, his tone low and dangerous. “Because I’m not sure you fully grasp the gravity of the situation, ma chère.”
He leaned in closer, his breath hot against my ear. “You disobeyed me,” he growled. “You touched what belongs to me without permission. And now, because of my haste to correct your behavior, you’ve been thrust into the public eye.”
A shiver ran down my spine at his words, equal parts fear and arousal. I squirmed in my seat, acutely aware of the growing dampness between my legs. My panties felt suddenly constricting, the fabric clinging to my heated flesh.
“The press will be relentless,” Lucas continued, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through my entire body. “They’ll dig into your past, speculate about our relationship, hound you at every turn. You must be prepared for this.”
CHAPTER 15
Alice
I nodded mutely, my throat too tight to form words. Lucas’ hand came up to cup my chin, forcing me to meet his intense gaze.
“But first,” he said, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper, “we need to deal with your disobedience.”
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding frantically in my chest. “Yes, Monsieur,” I whispered.
Lucas’ eyes gleamed with a mixture of anger and arousal. His hand moved from my chin to grip the back of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair.
“Tell me, Alice,” he growled. “What exactly were you doing in that bathroom stall?”
Heat flooded my face as I recalled my frantic self-pleasure just minutes ago. I lowered my eyes, unable to meet Lucas’ penetrating stare.
“I… I touched myself,” I admitted, my voice barely audible.
Lucas’ grip tightened, sending a jolt of electricity down my spine. “And who does that little cunt belong to?” he demanded.