Bad Intentions by Tara Wyatt

18

“You’ve redecorated since the last time I was here,” said Olivia, her hand in Lucian’s as he led them inside the Canopy Club. “The graffiti wall art is gone and the furniture is new.”

He nodded absently at her observation, scanning the space in front of them. Even though this was his place and his private party with his security, he was still on edge. Ever since the attempted attack at the Italian restaurant last week, he’d been on edge. He hated letting her out of his sight for even a second, even when he knew she was with Killian or Luca. He didn’t trust anyone, or anything. And he wouldn’t relax—he couldn’t relax—until Massimo was dead. By sending that Russian prick to grab Liv, he’d started a war. And while Massimo had fired the first shot, Lucian intended to fire the last one.

But first, he had to find the fucker, something that was proving much more difficult than he’d anticipated. Luca’s connections had come up empty, as had Sasha’s. Sal claimed he didn’t know anything, even after he learned that Massimo’s loyalties were highly questionable, given the Bratva involvement. He was working every single angle he could think of, but he was still coming up empty.

It was a fucking mess, and he always hated when the list of things he didn’t know was far longer than the list of things he did.

She’s safe, he tried to reassure himself. Just enjoy the party. There was no way anyone suspicious was getting past his security. For the next couple of hours, he could relax and celebrate his brother’s engagement while introducing the woman he loved to his family for the first time. Damn, it would feel good to do something so normal after being consumed with the hunt for Massimo.

“…and that’s when I decided clown college was the route for me,” said Olivia, one eyebrow raised as she studied him. “You okay? You disappeared for a minute there.”

“Same shit, different day,” he said, shooting her an apologetic grin. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to stop obsessing for the night. I hate knowing that he’s out there.”

She laid a hand on his shoulder. “You’ll find him. And then we can put this behind us and get on with our lives. Plus, I’ve got my fancy new earrings,” she said, flicking one of her earlobes, the jewelry glinting in the light. They looked like teardrop-shaped diamond studs, but Sasha had outfitted each of them with a tracking device. He knew Massimo wanted to take her, and so he was preparing for the possibility that it might actually happen. He’d lose his fucking mind if it did, but at least he’d have a lead on where she was should the unthinkable happen. When he didn’t say anything, she frowned slightly. “I’m sorry. I wish I’d never dated him.”

He shook his head. “None of this is your fault. He’s a twisted bastard who needs to be put down. End of story.”

With a hand on the small of her back—he felt jumpy when he wasn’t touching her—he led her into the party. The small lounge—the same one where she’d had her twenty-first birthday party, he remembered—was filled with about a hundred people and decorated with white and gold balloons. Bouquets of pink and white flowers sat on each of the tables, and a buffet was set up along the far wall. The bar was open and strung with fairy lights and greenery. An enormous banner proclaiming “Congrats Max and Willa!” hung from the ceiling. His team had done a good job putting this together on relatively short notice, but he was happy to do it, not only because he was genuinely thrilled for Max and Willa, but because it gave his siblings an excuse to come back to the city for a visit.

And it gave him the chance to introduce them to Olivia. He rubbed the back of his neck as they moved farther into the party, trying to dispel his nerves.

“Hey!” said a familiar voice from behind him, and he turned to find his youngest brother Theo striding toward him, his fiancée Lauren’s hand tucked into his.

“Oh my God,” said Olivia, grinning. “You’re Lauren MacKinnon.”

Lauren blushed, tucking a strand of her red hair behind her ear. “I am,” she said, ducking her head modestly.

“I absolutely love your music,” said Olivia with genuine enthusiasm. “Especially that song ‘You Were Never Mine.’ It gives me goosebumps.”

Lauren laughed and then elbowed Theo. “Well, you have him to thank for that one. Sorry, what was your name?”

Olivia shook her head with a soft laugh. “I got so excited over you that I completely forgot to introduce myself. Hi. I’m Olivia.”

Theo’s eyebrows rose, his mouth falling open slightly. “Wait. This is Olivia?” he asked, his eyes bouncing back and forth between Lucian and Olivia.

He slid his arm around her waist, pride and possessiveness nearly overwhelming him. “Yeah. This is Liv.”

Theo hesitated for a second before extending his hand to Olivia and giving her a warm smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m Theo Prescott, Lucian’s brother, and this is my fiancée Lauren, who you already know. Kind of.”

“Hey babe!” Lauren almost stumbled backward when Kayla Bristowe threw her arms around Lauren’s neck from behind, and the two of them hugged, laughing. Sebastian followed a few steps behind Kayla, an amused smirk on his face. Lucian was relieved to see that he looked good. Really good. Tanned and healthy and happy. Clearly both California and being madly in love with Kayla suited him.

“Bastian,” he said, tipping his head at his brother, who grinned and pulled him into a bear hug.

“It’s good to see you, man,” said Sebastian, letting him go.

“This is Olivia,” he said, gesturing to her. “Liv, this is my brother Sebastian.”

Sebastian shot her a charming smile and shook her extended hand. “Hey, Olivia. Nice to meet you.”

“You too. I’ve heard lots about you.”

“All of it bad, I’m sure,” teased Sebastian, and she laughed.

“Only most of it.” He laughed and when she looked away, distracted by Lauren and Kayla gushing over each other, Sebastian shot him a discreet thumbs up.

Okay. So far so good.

“Wait, what?” said Kayla, disentangling herself from Lauren. She turned her gaze on Lucian, her eyes wide. “You have a girlfriend? Since fucking when?”

God, he liked Kayla. He was thrilled to have both Lauren and Willa as his future sisters-in-law. Maybe he’d ask Sebastian when he was planning to propose to Kayla and officially bring her into the Prescott clan, too.

He chuckled. “I do. Kayla, this is Olivia. Liv, this is Kayla, Sebastian’s girlfriend.”

“Oh my God, Lucian, she is way too pretty for you. Totally out of your league,” she teased with a wink. “Pleasure to meet you,” she said, shaking hands with Olivia.

“Oh, I know,” he said, giving Olivia a squeeze. His heart felt so full that he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Just then, the couple of the hour stepped into the lounge, and everyone broke into a round of cheers and applause as an upbeat Natalie Cole song played through the speakers.

Servers circulated with glasses of champagne, and by the time Max and Willa made their way to where Lucian and the others stood, everyone had already finished their first glass. The entire atmosphere was happy and upbeat and Lucian couldn’t remember the last time in his life everything had felt this good.

Minus one crazy stalker, but he could handle Massimo. He just needed to find him.

And he would. One way or another, he would.

Lucian pulled Max in for a hug, and then gave Willa a kiss on the cheek. “Congratulations, darling. You look beautiful.”

She beamed at him, glowing almost as brightly as the enormous diamond ring on her finger, her short hair falling around her jaw in loose waves. She was wearing a white lace cocktail dress, and Max couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. “Thanks, Lucian. It’s really good to see you.” Willa turned and grinned at Olivia. “And you must be Olivia. I’m Willa.”

Olivia returned her smile. “I am. It’s really nice to meet you. Congratulations! Have you set a date for the wedding?”

Willa and Max exchanged a look and then he nodded, clearly giving her the go ahead to share whatever they’d discussed.

“We have. It’s going to be here in the city on New Year’s Eve.”

“This New Year’s Eve?” asked Kayla, her eyes wide. “That’s only like five months away.”

Max grinned. “Yep.” He gazed down at Willa. “It’s gonna kill me to wait that long.”

For a long time, Lucian had struggled to truly understand how his brothers felt about their women. He’d never experienced that intense, need-you-can’t-live-without-you rush they’d all fallen headfirst into. At least, he hadn’t until he’d finally stopped fighting his feelings for Liv. Because now, being with her, he got it. Holy hell, did he get it. She’d been his for less than a month and he was already fantasizing about diamond rings and getting her pregnant.

He bit back a groan, because the idea of Olivia pregnant—round and glowing and lush—with his baby inside her was such a huge fucking turn on that he wondered if there was something wrong with him.

The discussion shifted to Max and Willa’s trip to Paris, Lauren’s smash hit album, Sebastian’s upcoming coaching season—his first as a snowboarding coach with Team USA—and Kayla’s new job working for a nonprofit.

“Olivia, why don’t you come and grab a glass of wine with us?” said Lauren, tipping her head in the direction of the bar.

“Yeah, we want to get to know you better,” said Kayla.

“And we want all the dirt on Lucian. Obviously.” Willa winked and they all laughed, even Lucian.

Olivia arched up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “See you in a bit?”

He nodded. “You owe me a dance.”

He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips before letting her go, earning a loud round of awwwws from the women. Linking arms, they all made their way to the bar, pulling Olivia into their little group with ease.

He felt three sets of eyes lock onto him and he wished he had something stronger than champagne in his glass.

“Okay, let’s hear it,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m a dirty old man.”

“That’s not what I was thinking at all,” said Max, glancing in the direction of the bar, where the women were all doubled over in fits of laughter. “I was thinking that you seem really fucking happy.”

“And like, totally in love with that girl,” said Sebastian, nodding.

“I mean…” Theo shrugged. “She is young. How old is she, exactly?” he asked, scratching his cheek.

“She’s twenty-six.”

Theo shrugged. “I mean, yeah. That’s a big age gap. But it’s not like she isn’t an adult. And if you’re both happy, then it’s not a big deal.”

“How did you guys meet?” asked Max.

“It’s kind of a long story,” he said with a rueful grin. “We met years ago but only started dating recently.” Although dating felt like too small and simple a word for what they were doing.

“Well, good for you,” said Sebastian, clapping him on the shoulder. “You seem really happy, Lucian. Happier than I’ve seen you in a long time.”

He grinned, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck as he glanced in Olivia’s direction. “I’m so fucking in love with her that I don’t know what to do with myself.”

“The last Prescott to fall,” said Max, raising his glass and clinking it against Lucian’s. “Welcome to the club.”

It was a pretty fantastic club, Lucian had to admit. Everything looked and felt different now that he had Olivia.

“Hey, there he is!” came a voice from behind them, and Max turned to reveal their three cousins, Noah, Hudson, and Levi, the sons of their father’s brother. Noah clapped Max on the shoulder and then Hudson pulled him in for a bear hug.

“Congrats, man,” said Levi, socking him on the arm. Poor Max was going to be bruised from all of that affection. “Where is she?”

Max tipped his head in the direction of the bar, where Willa was still enjoying a glass of wine with the other women.

“Oh, wow, who’s that other chick?” asked Levi, tilting his head as he stared at the group of women. “The one with the long brown hair and the amazing legs. She’s really fucking hot. She one of Willa’s friends?”

Lucian chuckled and then said, “That would be my girlfriend, Olivia.”

Levi paled and then pasted a grin on his face. “Oh, shit.” He slapped Lucian on the back. “Good for you.” Then he took a step away. “Please don’t hurt me.”

Lucian just laughed. “Stop checking out my girlfriend and I won’t have to.”

“Maybe if you actually had a girlfriend you wouldn’t be desperately ogling ladies who aren’t available,” said Noah, a chiding tone in his voice. The other three Prescotts lived to give each other a hard time, always taking jabs and ruffling feathers. Sarcastic banter seemed to be one of their love languages.

Levi turned to him, looking completely exasperated. “First of all, you’re one to judge, considering you probably haven’t been laid since Obama was in office. Second, if I wanted a girlfriend, I’d have one. And how am I supposed to know that not only is that girl not single but dating the scariest person I know? I can’t read minds,” he said, tapping his temple.

“I think you touched a nerve,” said Hudson, an amused grin on his face, his heavily tattooed arms crossed over his chest.

“I think I did,” agreed Noah, grinning. “And it’s none of your business how much or how often I get laid. Worry about your own dick.”

“You’d think with all those sexy calendars he posed for, he’d have women throwing themselves at his feet,” said Levi, a shit-eating grin on his face.

Noah made a face. “It wasn’t ‘all those calendars,’” he said, making air quotes around the words. “It was only two. And it was for charity.” A captain with the FDNY, Noah had been featured in two of their annual calendars, and he’d taken crap about it from his brothers ever since.

Sebastian rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “I know that they call women who are into cops badge bunnies…is there a nickname for women who like firefighters?”

“I—” started Noah.

“Hose honeys,” said Levi. “They’re called hose honeys. Not that he’d know anything about that. If a woman threw herself at Noah, he wouldn’t know what to do with her.”

“If I had time to date, I would. But I don’t. It’s not a big deal.” Noah shrugged his broad shoulders. Then he smirked. “And I’m willing to bet I know a hell of a lot more about women than you do.” He jerked his head in Hudson’s direction. “Why you always picking on me? He’s single too.”

Hudson laughed. “I’ve got my hands full running my business. But thanks for the concern, bro. Appreciate it.” Hudson ran a successful tattoo shop in Brooklyn, and Lucian knew how much time and effort it took to be a small business owner and entrepreneur.

Suddenly, Sebastian started laughing. “God, you guys remind me of us just a year ago. All single, not looking for a relationship, making all kinds of excuses as to why we were better off alone.” He kept laughing. “Just wait. It’ll happen to you.”

“No, it won’t,” Noah, Hudson and Levi all said in unison, which only made Sebastian laugh even harder.

“Famous last words,” said Theo, raising his glass to them. “I swore up and down that love wasn’t for me, but then…I went from single to engaged in like three months, so. Trust me. It can happen. Even to the most jaded of us.”

After a few more minutes of catching up, Max moved away from the group to retrieve Willa from the bar and circulate among the guests, breaking up the group. Lucian made his way over to the bar, sliding a hand around Olivia’s waist from behind. He loved the way she melted into him almost instantly.

“Maybe now’s a good time for that dance,” he murmured in her ear, and she nodded, pushing her empty wine glass aside and slipping down off the stool on which she’d been perched. He pulled her onto the dance floor, tucking her body against his as a slow song started, luring other couples onto the dance floor with them.

Olivia wound her arms around his neck, her fingers playing in his hair. “It feels strange being back here,” she said quietly. “I haven’t been here since that night five years ago.”

He brushed his nose against her cheek. “I should’ve taken you home that night. Or kissed you, at the very least,” he said, breathing her in, savoring the way her softness yielded to him. “Kissed you and asked you on a proper date.” Guilt sliced through him that he still hadn’t really taken her on a proper date, but after the attempted attack at the restaurant, they were keeping a very low profile until he tracked Massimo down.

“Mmm,” she murmured as he kissed the skin just below her ear. “How would that have gone? If you’d kissed me?”

“I still would’ve resisted. I would’ve told you that I’m too old for you.”

She grinned up at him. “Hmmm. Isn’t it up to me to decide if you’re too old for me?” she asked, an echo from five years ago.

“Fine. Then you’re too young for me.”

“Don’t pretend you don’t want me.” She angled her face up to his. “Don’t pretend you’re not hard just thinking about me in your bed.”

He glided his hands down her back and to her hips, pulling her tight against him so she could feel that he was, in fact, hard for her right now. He was always fucking hard for her.

“So what if I am?” he asked. “Doesn’t change the fact that I’m too old for you. We can’t happen.”

“One kiss,” she breathed. “Kiss me once, and then decide if you really want to go home alone tonight.”

“You’re trouble,” he said, his voice a low rasp. And then he lowered his head, his lips ghosting over hers. “I shouldn’t.”

“Do it anyway,” she whispered, whimpering softly as he closed his mouth over hers. The kiss started out gentle, tentative almost, gradually morphing into something hotter and sweeter, lips and tongues melding together. Fuck, it was hot playing with her like this. Hot and sweet and intimate, a game just for them.

He pulled away after several moments, her lips slightly swollen, her pupils completely blown beneath her hooded eyelids. “Your father would probably kill me if he knew I’d done that,” he said, still holding her tightly against him as they moved to the music.

“And yet you’re even harder than you were before.” She arched onto her toes, her lips brushing the shell of his ear. “I bet you’re dripping for me.” Then she pulled back to meet his eyes. “I know I am.”

He made a sound halfway between a groan and a growl, grinding his cock into her hip. “I should put you in an Uber. Send you home. Before I do something I can’t take back.” He kissed her neck and then nipped at her ear. “If you knew the things I wanted to do to you, you’d probably be running for the door.”

“Like what?” she whispered, her eyes closed as she lost herself to their game.

“Come with me, sweetheart,” he said darkly, stepping away and pulling her off the dance floor. All around them, people danced and talked and laughed as he led her to a table way in the back, almost hidden behind a pillar. A padded bench seat extended across the back wall, and he slid onto it, pulling her in after him and tucking her tightly beside him, their lower bodies hidden from view by the tablecloth and the shadows around them.

She was wearing a black halter top that criss-crossed over her breasts and ended a few inches above her navel, and a light pink skirt that flowed around her legs, showing them off with a high slit up one side. As casually as possible, he wrapped his arm around her waist and then slid his hand over her stomach and under the waistband of her skirt, palming her over top of her panties.

“Not going to fuck you tonight,” he murmured in her ear and then kissed her neck, working his fingers over her in a slow circle. She was hot and wet beneath his fingers, her hips shifting on the bench. “But I will take care of this sweet little pussy. Least I can do for the birthday girl.”

He pulled her panties to the side and slid his fingers up and down her slit, teasing. She gasped and pushed into his touch.

“Mmm, nice and wet,” he said, tapping his fingers against her in a way that made her jerk her hips. “Responsive, too.” He stroked his fingers over her clit, his dick absolutely throbbing. She sighed and eased back into him, and it was so fucking erotic, touching her like this in public. Touching what was his. He knew this memory would be branded on his brain, forever a part of him. Of them.

He slid one finger inside her, fucking her slowly for a moment, and then he added a second. “Fuck, that’s tight,” he said, circling his thumb over her swollen clit. “Tight little pussy that I shouldn’t be touching.”

“Oh God, it’s so good,” she whispered, and from the tension in her body, he could tell how hard she was trying to stay still so as not to give away what they were doing.

“You have to stay quiet unless you want everyone here to know that this man you just met has his fingers all over your pussy.”

She got wetter at his words and he returned to stroking her clit slowly, dragging the tips of his fingers up and down her slit.

“Why aren’t you going to fuck me tonight?” she asked, her voice high and breathless.

“Because I know that once I get inside this pussy, I’m going to want to do nothing but fuck you, over and over again. And that can’t happen. You’re too young for me. Shouldn’t be doing this right now.”

“But you are,” she said, her hips shifting more. “Got your fingers all over me. Inside me. I’m so fucking soaked for you, ready to go off. And you like it.”

“Of course I fucking like it,” he said, slipping three fingers inside her, opening her wide. “Think I’m gonna spend the rest of the night playing with this pussy.”

“Oh, shit,” she moaned in a low tone of voice he knew meant she was close.

“You like that idea, don’t you?”

She nodded jerkily. “Play with it all you want. It’s yours.”

He slipped his fingers out of her and pinched her clit between his thumb and forefinger, sliding up and down in a slow, steady rhythm. “Love working this clit. So swollen for me.”

“I told you I wanted you,” she said with a sigh. “And you want me, too, even if you think you’re not fucking me tonight.”

He gave her pussy a light little slap and she jerked. “I’m too old for you.” He slid three fingers inside her again. “And you’re so tight that even though you’re soaked, I don’t know if you could take me.”

She moaned softly, working herself on his fingers. “I could. I know I could. I want you to stretch out this little pussy with your cock. Please. Fucking wreck me.”

“Maybe. Come on my fingers and I’ll think about it.” He circled his thumb over her clit in slow, steady circles and he felt her start to come, milking his fingers in a way that had him dangerously close to coming in his pants. Gritting his teeth, he stroked her through her orgasm, his balls throbbing with each clenching flutter of her pussy around his thrusting fingers. When she collapsed back against him, breathing hard, he slipped his fingers free of her body and brought them to his mouth, the taste of her making his dick so hard it was on the verge of punching through his pants to get to her.

She slumped against him and started to laugh, her eyes shining up at him. “Holy shit, baby.”

“Mmm.” He kissed her then, his entire body vibrating with wanting her. “Gonna fuck you so goddamn hard when we get home. Gonna bury my cock inside you the second we’re alone. Take you hard against the wall.” His balls ached at the thought and it took every single ounce of willpower he had not to drag her off somewhere and sink into her.

“I’m counting down the seconds.”

He blew out a breath, trying to dispel some of his sexual tension, and then kissed her again. “I’m sorry that it took me so long to figure out that you belonged with me. You knew it right from the start, didn’t you?”

She nodded, her head resting on his shoulder. “I knew I wanted you and that I was drawn to you. By the time I’d known you for about a year, I was halfway in love with you and desperately wanted to be with you. You were—are—so sexy and smart and with just the right amount of broodiness. You exude this quiet confidence, this aura that you’re just so damn capable of handling anything and everything.”

He slipped a hand under her chin and tilted her face up to his. “You know I wanted you, right? The whole damn time, I was fucking consumed with you.”

She smiled and kissed him softly. “I know.”

“Thank you for trusting me. To take care of you, and keep you safe. Trusting me with your body.”

She cupped his face and kissed him again. “Of course I trust you. I’ve always trusted you. Always.”

He felt like the Grinch, his heart growing and expanding beyond what he’d thought was possible.

Because of her. His entire life was different, changing into something bigger and better than he ever could’ve imagined, and it was all because of her.