Waiting | Lucius Malfoy

Chapter Fourteen | What Are You Thinking About?

Guinevere met Lucius back in the lobby at noon, ready to start her experiment. She wanted to make him sweat and knew this was the perfect opportunity to do so. Mrs Michaels was one of the original owners of the Malfoy Matriarch and she knew that Lucius was eager to impress her.

When Lucius had acquired the hotel, he'd bought a majority of Evelyn's shares - before rebranding the hotel in the Malfoy name. She still maintained a small percentage of shares and was keen to meet up with them to discuss Guinevere's newfound involvement in the hotel's board of trustees. Lucius didn't meet her eye as she made her way to Mrs Michaels.

She was a short, dark-haired woman, who dressed in a similar fashion to that of Dolores Umbridge - however, her demeanour was anything but similar to that toad. Her smile wasn't dripping with corruption. Instead, her pearly white teeth evoked a sense of warmth. Her baby blue two-piece suit made her seem motherly, rather than matronly.

"Guinevere! Lucius has told me all about you," she began, kissing Guinevere on both cheeks before grabbing her hands and holding them out in front of her. "You are just as gorgeous as he described." She blushed before quickly realising it was time to begin.

She pictured Lucius, agreeing with Mrs Michaels, before grabbing her and dipping her into a passionate kiss. She could almost feel him sighing into the kiss, as his tongue moved artfully around her mouth. Guinevere found his eyes and winked. Game on. He appeared unfazed and she huffed internally. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"Oh! Mrs Michaels, that's so lovely of you to say. Lucius speaks too highly of me, I'm honestly nothing special," she chuckled, as Evelyn laughed back at her warmly, before muttering something in Lucius' direction. "Shall we?"

They sat in the hotel bar at a small booth, with Lucius and Guinevere on one side, and Mrs Michaels on the other. Guinevere sat close enough to Lucius that their thighs were touching slightly and she knew this would be essential for the next part of her plan. Guinevere knew that it would be far more difficult for him to ignore her thoughts if they maintained physical contact. She'd opted for a dress that was an inch shorter than what she would usually deem as appropriate. It had a lower neckline than usual and was a deep maroon - an ode to her Gryffindor roots. She would certainly need all the courage she could get.

"So, Lucius tells me that you're working at the Ministry. How did you end up in the hotel trade?" Evelyn's dainty voice pulled her from her thoughts.

Guinevere bided her time until Lucius took a sip of his red wine. "Well, Evelyn. Lucius made me an offer I couldn't refuse. He's been extremely generous in several ways." Mrs Michaels nodded as Lucius struggled to maintain his composure, swallowing his wine painfully slowly. She stole a glance at him, watching as his Adam's apple bobbed.

She thought back on her dream in the bedroom. It danced around her head, and she closed her eyes for a moment, watching it play out beneath her eyelids. She heard him let out a spluttered cough, and her eyes snapped open as he brought his hand to cover his mouth. His other hand squeezed Guinevere's thigh, which she could tell was a warning. The contact only spurred her on.

"I'm looking forward to elevating the Malfoy Matriarch," she continued. "I think that we can use the refurbishment as a chance to reinvent ourselves, as a sexier, sleeker version of the hotel." Lucius' jaw clenched and his grip tightened on her thigh. A glance told her that it was going to bruise but she didn't care. It was worth it.

"That's excellent to hear, Guinevere. I'm always interested in seeing the hotel improve. Lucius, what do you think?" He removed his hand from her thigh and placed it on the table, his ring hitting the wood harshly. He was shaken and Guinevere was loving every minute of it.

"Miss Grace is certainly showing potential. She's young and of course, she has all these great ideas. It'll be interesting to see how it works out for her."

Touche. It was Guinevere's turn to touch him. She brought her hand slowly to rest on his thigh, keeping the contact featherlight. He'd worn black slacks, which were tailored to perfection - something that Malfoys prided themselves on. As Evelyn continued to ask questions, she replied clearly and concisely, as Lucius looked ahead at the nothing in particular in the distance. Every so often she would increase the pressure of her hand slightly, watching the veins in Lucius' neck tense in what she presumed was annoyance. She was winning. As her manicured nails dug slightly into his thigh, she felt him tense, his jaw clicking as she let out a sigh.

"How is Draco, Lucius?" Unintentionally, Guinevere thought of Draco. His reaction if he thought anything was going on between her and his father. She felt bile rise into her throat at the idea of the conversation, picturing his face. That put a stop to it. Lucius grabbed her hand, pinning it harshly by her side before taking a sip of his drink and swallowing.

"Immature, unsure of himself. No surprises there." Lucius responded coldly and Guinevere couldn't help but wonder if his words held an alternative meaning. Evelyn looked quickly between them and asked if she had spoken to Draco recently.

"Not since we parted ways. That chapter of my life is well and truly over." Guinevere let out a strained laugh, attempting to defuse the tension. "To new beginnings," she toasted, raising her glass.

Evelyn raised hers and Lucius joined in reluctantly. Guinevere looked at her thigh, spotting the finger-shaped bruises. Lucius' head tilted and suddenly, they had faded to nothing. They said their goodbyes and made their way back to the room in silence. Her mission had been accomplished, but at what cost? As they entered their suite, Lucius grabbed Guinevere by the wrist and pinned her against the wall, holding his cane against her throat.

"Do you want me to bite, my love? Is that what this is all about? You want to push me to the edge and watch as my life falls apart." His eyes were red with fury as she gasped for air. "Don't play games with me, Guinevere. I'll win in the end, every time."

She used all of her strength to push him away, grabbing her throat as she regained her composure. He looked startled by his actions.

"Don't you dare put this on me, Lucius! You're the one who's been waiting for me to slip up at any moment. Sad isn't it, that this is what your life has come to? Pining after the only one who pays you any mind." Guinevere threw her words at him, her voice cracking with every syllable.

"You're one to talk. I've been nothing but a gentleman and yet, you repay me by trying to make a fool of me in someone else's company," he replied curtly.

"A gentleman? A gentleman wouldn't have come into my room hoping to get in on some perverse fantasy."

"Believe what you will, Guinevere. Whatever helps you sleep at night," he snarled, sauntering to his room and locking his door behind him. Guinevere grabbed her hair at the roots and pulled sharply, revelling in the dull pain it provided. She couldn't decide whether to cry, scream or even laugh - something to remove the unknown emotions that were consuming her.

How long could she do this? She was going round in circles, waiting for her heart to tell her what to do. On one hand, she knew it was wrong of her to harbour any sort of feelings towards him. But, he was such a magnetic force that she struggled to pull away from.

An hour later, Guinevere found herself in the hotel bar, ordering a tray of the most expensive tequila on the menu - she hoped that Lucius enjoyed the service charge to the room. It was time to think about putting herself first, and what she needed was to get Lucius out of her head. The barman smiled warmly as she took her third shot of tequila, shuddering slightly as the alcohol coated her throat. She decided it was time to make a move for her.

"So, do you come here often?"