CHAPTER 51: LOVE OR CONQUEST

Lucien’s POV

"Lynn, have you ever offended anyone related to the Mafia before?" I asked her. My head was still trying to figure out what was going on.

Earlier when Joey had texted me about spotting Lynn and Genny with some models. I didn’t think much about it, although out of curiosity, I had hacked into the security cameras.

There wasn’t anything wrong at first until I felt something off about the model. I thought it was my jealousy but I could not shake the feeling because I made Joey stay close.

He also had the same feeling and it seemed we weren’t wrong.

But I could not think of why anyone related to the underworld would want to hurt the daughter-in-law of the Volkov family unless they knew something they should not have.

Lynn fell silent. She was lost for words. I drew out a shaky breath before asking

"Are you fine going home to your place? I can’t leave you at your hotel room alone when their intentions are unknown." I explained.

"How certain are you that they are in the Mafia?" She asked me, and a smirk played on my lips.

"Don’t tell me you were fooled by their pretty faces." She went silent. My eyes went back to the road; luckily, we weren’t being followed, but I couldn’t shake away the feeling of being followed.

"Anywhere is fine " she finally answered. With a subtle nod from Joey, I changed our direction. A couple of minutes later, my car drove into a luxury villa in the suburbs of the city with high-tech security.

This was our best bet, "We have arrived." I chimed, but there wasn’t a single reply from the back seat. I glanced over to see Braelyn fast asleep.

The car door was pushed open, and I strode to the back seat to check her condition. Luckily, she was just asleep; there wasn’t a need to panic, after all, she hadn’t taken a single sip of that drink.

"I will handle the friend. None of the servants is around. " Joey explained, this wasn’t his primary residence. The housekeeper only came during the day to keep the place in order.

I nodded at him then watched him carry Genny away. She was completely wasted or more like drugged with sleeping pills. I wondered if their intentions were to kidnap them, or since she wasn’t the primary target, they used sleeping pills.

My thoughts rang amok as I made my way to one of the guest bedrooms. The entire time, she didn’t even stir a bit. Braelyn was totally exhausted from the entire ordeal

I slowly placed her body on the bed about to let go. Her perfume clung to me. It was a soft jasmine scent-based perfume. It took everything in me not to bury my nose in her hair.

"Goodnight Viper," I muttered after securing her under the cover. I had better flee this room because I didn’t want to test how much of a gentleman I was tonight but the devil always knew how to test me

A small tug on my hoodie stopped me. I glanced down at the little Viper who chose now of all times to bare her fangs at me. "Please stay," she muttered subconsciously, still aside.

I sighed, my heart softened, but I knew I couldn’t stay. "Don’t test me," I mumbled, pretty sure she didn’t hear me. Lynn snuggled closer to me. Her hands wrapped around my waist.

"Please don’t leave me Raph...." Her words faded. Her breathing softened. A cruel smile grazed my lips. Of course, she was unaware of what she was doing.

She thought I was Raphael. Was that how much she loved him? Even subconsciously she wanted to be close to him. Her body was soft against me. She clung tightly, as if her life depended on it.

I could feel the softness of her chest against my body. I knew I should not be turned on but the ache in my trousers said another thing. Braelyn adjusted in her sleep. Her hands brushed over the bulge in my trousers.

A sharp hiss left my lips as I also fought back a laugh

I wasn’t the scumbag husband but I was still being punished.

A couple of minutes passed, and I didn’t move an inch. My body stayed still until I was certain she was completely asleep. I quickly slipped out of her sheets before it was too late and made my way downstairs.

Close to the kitchen counter I spotted a lone figure smoking in the dark. Joey also seemed to have sensed me from a distance

"You seemed to be having trouble." He mentioned. I tucked my hands in my pocket approaching him..

"How long have you been here?" I asked instead. His gaze was distant like he was thinking about something.

Joey offered a cigarette which I didn’t reject. The lighter flickered on and soon a puff of smoke was dancing around me.

"She didn’t even react after seeing the picture." He spoke his voice carrying a distant heaviness. He was talking about the viral picture of him and Braelyn.

When I saw the first post. I wasn’t particularly pleased by it, regardless, but I knew there was nothing between Joey and Braelyn.

It piqued my curiosity why he left the picture, knowing his fans would recognise me. I guess the answer was to get someone jealous. That someone is Amber.

How was I going to tell him that Amber would not be bothered because her feelings weren’t deep for him, but rather she had a crush on me? Joey probably knew that but decided to act oblivious that his crush liked his best friend.

"Maybe she recognised Lynn and knew there was no way you were dating my girlfriend." I gave a good excuse. Although Braelyn’s face was hidden there was still the slim chance of her being recognised

Joey laughed then tilted his head. He took another puff trying to clear the haze in his head.. "You don’t seem to be bothered by the picture. I thought you would be possessive of your girlfriend."

I was possessive of Lynn but there was a limit. She was still someone’s wife and this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Depending on how Raphael reacted it would work to my advantage.

"You speak like you truly know me." I held the cigarette between my fingers.

Joey amused, arched a brow at me. "I do know you well enough to know you have a thing for her but she isn’t really your girlfriend...A new conquest I guess."

Smart ass. It was hard hiding things from this nerd, who was in disguise as a slut. "She is more than a conquest," I said sincerely.

Joey laughed, his voice dry. "So it’s love..how interesting." He chimed before his voice drawled.

"Then why did your mother’s family target the girl you picked an interest in? You have an idea, don’t you?"

My hand stilled midair. For a second, the world went silent only the faint glow of my cigarette flickered.

I smiled at him.

"It’s annoying how smart you are at times." I chimed.