Chapter 54

Lucius' breath carried the heavy tang of liquor, and even his gaze looked faintly blurred. Valerie had no intention of tangling with a drunk man. She tried to reason with him, keeping her tone calm. "You're bearing down on me like some executioner. What do you expect me to do—just stand here and let you devour me?" When the word "devour" slipped out, Lucius' imagination leapt at once. Especially with Valerie perched where she was, right against a place that stirred thoughts best left unspoken. Fresh from her bath, she emanated a sweet scent. Her skin was soft, like some delicate dessert just pulled from the oven—irresistible and tempting enough to make any man's mouth water. Catching the heat flaring in his eyes, Valerie tried to twist free, but his arms only tightened, locking her in place. She glared up at him, gaze sharp. "What do you want from me?" Her demand seemed to snap him out of the fog of alcohol. He pulled back just enough to search her face before asking, "What's you