Synching With the Devil's Son

Chapter 27

Lucien's P.O.V.

When Bella emerges from our tent behind Trish, my insides squeeze tightly together. She is stunning, all tough and no-nonsense when I know how soft and vulnerable she really is. I grab the pot of water and follow her out of camp, watching the play in the muscles of her legs and how her shorts cover just enough to fuel my imagination. She doesn't walk far, and asks me to put the pot down in a circle of sunlight. 'Good choice Bella,' I think to myself, 'this area should stay warm enough for you to clean up in.' Before things get awkward, I head toward the river, asking her to yell when she's finished. I find a small rill of water that looks deep enough for me to jump into so I can clean up. 'Out of the way, fish,' I silently tell them as I take all my clothes off, palming a small bar of soap I took from a hotel Dad and I stayed in while our house was being remodeled. I jump into the water, feet first, and let the cold infiltrate my senses. I needed a cold shower after waking up with Bella a foot from me, kissing her and watching her perfect body sway as she looked for a place to bathe. I continue to think about her as I wash my hair with the bar of soap. Movement catches my attention, and I see Bella hightailing it back into the woods. I laugh out loud, this is the second time I've caught her checking me out. Now I'm going to have to give her more time to get clean since she's wasted so much of it spying on me. That's perfectly fine, I can think of a lot of ways to pass the time. I start stroking myself, thinking about what Bella is doing a hundred yards away from me, and doesn't take long to find my release. I get back into the water to finish washing up, then I sit on the bank and wait for the sun to dry me off before I put my shorts and shirt back on. I'm going commando until I can get some clean underwear from my backpack.

As I sit drying off, I think about the astounding developments occurring between Bella and I. This entire situation we find ourselves in has been built on a very rocky and perilous foundation. I've never shown her a modicum of respect before, and she's always looked at me with derision and contempt. We have been able to add little pieces of rock here and there to try and create a little balance and stability, but our foundation is still ready to topple over at any moment, especially since I haven't told her anything about myself. I've never wanted to be in a relationship before, and never understood how anyone could stomach being monogamous. I used to silently berate my father because he refused to mingle with women after my mother left us, and it always infuriated me. I thought he was just being stubborn, went so far as to assume he was avoiding my company as well, but now that I've gotten to spend time with Bella, his behavior is starting to make sense.

While I am ruminating, I come to the realization that Bella is the epitome of everything I never knew I wanted - a beautiful woman whom I can share my days with, both the good and the bad. Someone to laugh with, someone to comfort and, I hope, to love. Hmm...seems so odd after less than twelve hours, but I'm beginning to appreciate my father's reluctance to find solace in somebody other than my mother. I don't want anyone other than Bella now either.

I can't help but grimace when I think about Ryan asking me not to break her heart. Shit. If he only knew how Bella holds all the power in this situation, would he tell her not to break my heart? I doubt it since I am, and always have been, an outsider looking in. I've never had the kind of support and camaraderie Bella shares with her friends.

Ryan has nothing to worry about since I have no intention of hurting her, I just want her to look at me with longing. I want to fulfill her desires and chase away her demons. I want to be the guy she goes to for comfort and who promises to fulfill her every desire. Now I sound like a whipped pussy, or like a teenager in the throes of his first crush. I need to be better than this, I need to be worthy of her attention and affections.

While I'm contemplating that revelation, a little fear wiggles into my subconscious. I realize she may be irreparably damaged after I drop the atom bomb of my identity in her lap. This is a conversation I dread having, but I know there is no hope of stabilizing our rocky foundation if we don't talk about it. Somehow I have to convince her I am worth her time before I tilt her reality on its axis. I sigh and start getting dressed, worried for the first time in my life about the repercussions of a conversation I must have.