Tainted Desire

𝓱𝓾𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭

The kiss deepened, and Evangeline lost herself in the feel of Lucian's mouth against hers—hungry, demanding, as if he were trying to consume every last part of her. Her body responded instinctively, every nerve on fire as her hands slid from his chest to wrap around his neck, pulling him closer. For a moment, there was nothing but the two of them, their world shrinking into this shared, electric moment where everything else faded away.

But then, as abruptly as it began, Lucian pulled back. His lips left hers with a suddenness that left her breathless, her heart still hammering in her chest. Evangeline opened her eyes to find his dark gaze locked onto hers, his breathing heavy, the intensity between them still thick in the air.

Her lips tingled, her body aching with the need for more, but there was something in his expression that stopped her from closing the distance again. A shadow had crossed his face, a flicker of restraint that hadn't been there a moment ago.

"What's wrong?" she whispered, her voice low and unsteady.

Lucian's hand lingered at her waist, his fingers brushing lightly against her skin through the thin fabric of her dress. He was still so close, and yet, she could sense the sudden tension in him, a hesitation that hadn't been there moments before.

"I shouldn't have done that," he murmured, his voice rough, as though he were forcing the words out. He glanced down, his jaw tight, and for the first time since they met, he seemed...uncertain.

Evangeline's heart lurched in her chest. She hadn't expected this—hadn't expected him to pull away after igniting the fire between them. She frowned, confusion and a flicker of hurt coursing through her as she searched his face.

"Why?" she asked, her voice quiet but pressing. "You started this, Lucian. You can't just—"

"I know," he interrupted, his voice sharper now, the frustration in his tone undeniable. His grip on her waist tightened for a brief second before he released her entirely, stepping back. The sudden distance between them was jarring, leaving her feeling cold in his absence.

Lucian ran a hand through his dark hair, his eyes narrowing as if he were struggling with something deep inside him. For a moment, he didn't say anything, and the silence between them stretched painfully thin.

Finally, he spoke, his voice lower, almost pained. "I'm not someone you should get involved with, Evangeline. I'm not...good for you."

The words hit her like a bucket of ice water. She blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his demeanor, by the unexpected confession. The fire from their kiss still burned in her veins, and yet now, she was staring at a man who was pulling away from her—emotionally, if not physically. It didn't make sense.

She swallowed, trying to find her voice. "You're saying that now? After everything?" Her tone was a mix of disbelief and frustration, the confusion twisting inside her chest.

Lucian's eyes flicked back to hers, and for the first time since they'd met, she saw something vulnerable there. It was fleeting, but it was enough to make her pause. He was wrestling with something—something he wasn't telling her, and it wasn't just the kiss. There was more beneath the surface, more than she could see.

"I'm saying it because it's the truth," he said softly, though the tension in his voice remained. "There are things about me, Evangeline... things you don't know. You wouldn't want to know."

Her breath caught in her throat. The cryptic words, the distance he was putting between them—it all felt like a wall he was trying to build. But why? Why would he try to push her away after everything they had just shared?

She took a step forward, closing the distance again, her eyes searching his face. "You don't know that," she whispered, her voice softer now. "You don't get to decide for me."

Lucian's jaw clenched, his gaze hardening as if he were fighting some internal battle. "You don't understand," he muttered, the frustration seeping into his tone. "You're better off staying away from me. This—what happened between us—it can't happen again."

Evangeline felt her chest tighten, the hurt creeping in more sharply now. He was shutting her out, and it stung in ways she hadn't expected. But she wasn't one to back down easily. She wasn't afraid of him, even if he was afraid of himself.

She shook her head, standing firm. "You can't say that. You don't get to make this choice alone." Her voice was stronger now, edged with determination. "I don't care what secrets you're hiding, Lucian. You don't scare me."

His eyes flashed, something dangerous and dark swirling beneath the surface. For a moment, she thought he might say something, might finally let her see what was haunting him, but instead, he shook his head, his expression hardening once more.

"You should," he said, his voice a low growl.

Before she could respond, Lucian turned, his movements swift and decisive as he strode away from her, disappearing into the crowd of the ballroom without another word.

Evangeline stood there, frozen, watching him vanish into the sea of people. Her heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with questions she didn't have answers to. She felt like she had been dropped from a great height, left with nothing but the lingering heat of his kiss and the cold, bitter taste of rejection.

But even as he disappeared from sight, something inside her stirred—a spark of defiance, a refusal to let him slip away that easily. There was more to Lucian than he was letting on, and she wasn't about to let him walk away without a fight.

Because despite his warnings, despite the cryptic darkness that seemed to cling to him, she couldn't deny the truth she felt deep in her bones:

She wasn't done with Lucian. Not by a long shot.