The Devil's Contractual Bride-Chapter 42: I Love You.

Aria’s POV

I sat curled in one of the oversized lounge chairs on the terrace,legs tucked beneath me as I soaked in the pleasure of what happened this morning in the boardroom.

The joy that filled my heart the moment his face collapsed when I laid the share certificates on the table.

Every director’s eyes had swung to Lucian then to me repeatedly as if they couldn’t decide who had just rewritten the rules

I have to admit that I was proud of Lucian. The way he didn’t fail on the promise he made me not lose the company to Ethan and how he’d caught Ethan in his own game.

My mind drifted to last night when he told me about his plans in the living room.

"There’s something you need to know before tomorrow," he’d whispered like there was someone else in the room he didn’t want to hear what he was saying.

"I bought up all the tanking shares," he continued. "Every minority stake that hit the market in panic.And I might have used an offshore account to purchase the shares in your name, Aria.You own sixty-five percent of Voss Enterprises now but that’s only if you want it."

I’d stared at him in surprise trying to decipher if he was joking or something but he kept going.

"Tomorrow, when the board convenes, Victor will step down and vote for me. The directors will be in chaos but that doesn’t change anything because the stock will be in freefall and Victor’s proxies are worthless. Ethan will still think he’s winning because he still has the numbers but you walk in with the certificates and tell you’re the majority shareholder, then you vote with me if the need arises but I doubt it would."

"When did you do all this?"I’d asked.

"That’s not important now Aria,I just want to know if you’ll do this for me. I can’t let Ethan take my company."

I cupped his face then,my thumbs brushing the sharp line of his jaw.

"I have no problem doing this, Lucian but what if they fight it?"

"They won’t,you just have to trust me on this one" he’d said simply.

I was still soaking up that thought when my mind reminded me of innocent Andre who was still in coma and everyday that passed without him opening his eyes was nothing but torture and addition to the weight of the guilt I carried.

I picked up the phone and dialed the ICU nurse’s station.

"This is Nurse Ramirez,who am I speaking with?."

"Hi, it’s Aria Voss. I’m calling to check on my friend, Andre in room 512."

There was noise from a soft keyboard clatter.

"He’s still stable, Mrs. Voss. There has been no change in his condition overnight. We adjusted his pain killers slightly this morning to see if he’d show any arousal signs but nothing yet."

My throat tightened. "Is there... any improvement at all? What about evidence of brain activity or reflexes at least? Anything at all"

"I’m very sorry ma’am but the EEG shows persistent low-level activity, consistent with the coma. That’s the best we can say right now. ."

I closed my eyes. "Thank you. I’ll... I’ll come by later today."

"Take care of yourself, Mrs. Voss. He’s in good hands so you don’t need to worry."

The line went dead.

I set the phone down and stared at the ocean, tears pricking the backs of my eyes.

It isn’t fair that he’s going through this and that hurts me more than anything.

I wiped my eyes quickly when I heard footsteps behind me.

Lucian stepped onto the terrace, shirtless with only his pants on. He’d showered after returning from the office. His hair was still so damp that one could still see the water drop as he slid his hands through it in an attempt to keep it arranged.

He moved silently to where I sat, bent over the back of my chair and brushed his lips on the side of my neck slowly.

I shivered.

"Hey," he murmured against my skin.

"What’s up Mr CEO?."

He kissed the spot just below my ear, then the curve of my shoulder. "You okay?"

I leaned back into him. "I just called the hospital. Andre’s still the same, he’s not even improving and there’s no sign of him waking up from the Coma."

His arms came around me from behind, crossing over my chest, careful of my healing ribs. "He’s strong, Aria. I believe he’ll wake up soon. That dude got too much to live for."

"I know but I just... I miss him."I whispered.

Lucian pressed another kiss to my neck. "We’ll go see him later today okay?."

I replied with a nod.

He stayed like that for a long moment,his chin resting on my shoulder while his thumbs stroked slow arcs over my skin.

"You smell like roses," he said quietly.

"Its the fragrance you bought earlier."

"Well,I love them in you" he breathed down my neck.

I turned my head just enough to meet his mouth. The kiss started gentle with our lips brushing but it deepened quickly. His tongue slid against mine as he slipped a hand beneath the hem of my sweater.

I broke the kiss long enough to breathe. "Lucian..."

"Hmm?" His teeth grazed my earlobe.

"We’re outside."

"No one can see us." He kissed the corner of my jaw. "No one comes to Terrace without me summoning them."

His hand slid higher, cupping my breast through the thin lace of my bra. My nipple hardened instantly under his thumb.

I arched into his touch. "You’re being dirty Lucian."

"You like me that way don’t you."

He wasn’t wrong,sex with him was never bad.I turned in the chair, careful of the crutch and pulled him down so he was kneeling between my legs. He went willingly, hands sliding up my thighs, pushing the loose gown higher.

Our mouths met again,harder this time. I tugged at his shirt impatiently, fingers fumbling with the buttons until I gave up and yanked it open.

His chest was bare now, warm skin under my palms and I could feel his heartbeat racing under my palms.

He groaned into my mouth when I scored my nails lightly down his abdomen.

"Let’s go to the bedroom," I whispered.

"No." He replied firmly and in that moment,I just had to give in.

He lifted me easily, taking notice of my ribs and laid me back on the wide lounge chair. The throw blanket fell away. He knelt between my thighs again, hands grabbing my buttocks.

"Lift," he ordered as he lowered his head into the gown.

I lifted my hips while he tugged the pants down slowly taking my underwear with them and I shivered from the cool air that kissed my skin

Lucian’s eyes became elated as he looked at me spread open for him, sweater rucked up to my stomach.

"You’re beautiful," he breathed.

Then his mouth was on me.I cried out the moment his tongue touched me in slow, deliberate circles around my clit, then long, flat strokes that made my hips buck. He pinned my thighs down with strong hands, holding me open while he devoured me relentlessly.

"Lucian—"

He hummed against me, the vibration sending sparks up my spine. One finger slid inside me,then two—curling perfectly and stroking a spot that made my vision blur. In all this,his tongue never stopped while he worked nothing less than magic with his hands.

Before I could control my body,I came hard—back arching with my fingers digging into his hair but still he didn’t stop licking me until I gently pushed his head away.

I wanted more than what he’d just given

I reached for him by the waist and pulled him close to me desperately. "Fuck me."

He stood long enough to shove his pants down. His thick,hard cock sprang out already leaking at the tip. He stroked himself continuously for a second then settled between my thighs again.

"Tell me if it hurts," he mouthed as he kissed my nipples gently

"It...fuuck... it won’t."

He notched himself at my entrance and pushed in slowly,inch by inch. I gasped at the stretch and fullness of the massive cock that just entered me.

When he was buried to the hilt, he stilled,his forehead pressed to mine.

"You okay?" he whispered.

I nodded frantically. "Yes."

He stared me in the eyes as he began to move his waist. It started with gently deep rolls of his hips that dragged every ridge over that sensitive place inside me. Then it became faster that the lounge chair creaked under us.

My nails raked down his back and he drove his tongue down my throat in messy, desperate kisses.

I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him deeper.

He groaned against my lips. "Fuck, Aria—"

I clenched around him on purpose,it was then that he lost it completely.

His rhythm turned rough, pounding thrusts that almost hit my intestine. His hand slid between us, thumb finding my clit and circling in time with his thrusts.

He came almost immediately,hips stuttering and a broken groan tearing from his throat as he spilled deep inside me.

We stayed locked together for long minutes, sweat-slick skin pressed together before he pulled out his cock.He kissed me on the nipples,then hugged me tightly,his arms sliding down my back to my waist.

"I love you," he whispered into my ear.

"I love you too."