𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 | ℒ𝓊𝒸𝒾𝓊𝓈 ℳ𝒶𝓁𝒻ℴ𝓎

Chapter 16: A twist of events

Catalina's eyelids felt heavy. All her limbs seemed paralyzed and every muscle in her body hurt. Her eyelashes fluttered open only to be met by the grandiose design of the Malfoy Manor. She noticed that her head was resting on a hard surface. A chest. Lucius' chest. He was asleep with a hand under Catalina's body, holding her close to his side. His fingers dug into the skin of her hip to make sure that she wouldn't move an inch. Catalina felt comfort in this position. He never slept next to her after they got involved in any sexual activity. He always ran away for an unknown reason. But not this night. She was still overwhelmed by the confession he made the previous night and she wondered why there was a sudden change in his decisions.

Her hand caressed his chest through his buttoned shirt, making him growl quietly in his sleep. She reached a strand of blonde hair and twirled it around her finger. Catalina watched in awe how peacefully he looked like this. His head turned towards her and he buried his nose in her hair. She giggled in appreciation.

For Lucius, it was long since he slept like this with someone. With Narcissa he always slept on the opposite side of the bed, without having any contact. Sometimes it felt lonely but he was never the type to admit it. This was so unusual for him yet it came so naturally.

Catalina pulled her own blanket and tried to cover him as well without moving too much. She realized she failed miserably when his eyes lazily opened and looked down at her. She looked up at him and he noticed how innocent her look was, like a doe. His finders started running up and down her naked back. She giggled when he touched a ticklish spot and buried her face in the crock of his neck. Lucius thought how her giggle is the best sound that he ever heard. None of them dared to say anything because Lucius knew, as soon as he got to open his mouth, he will say something that will hurt her again and this perfect moment would be over. His hand moved to the back of her head, stroking her soft hair.

"How have you figured that I'm not actually with Draco?" Her morning voice sounded through the quiet room while she snuggled closer to him.

He looked down at her. "You seemed to spend too little time with him to be something more than friends." He recalled how she never brought up wanting to stay in the same room with Draco at night and how her eyes didn't hold any intense emotion while looking at him. "I am a very observant person." He added.

"But you started seducing me while you still thought I was with him?" Catalina didn't know if she should ask these questions. His temper seemed fragile and she didn't want him to toss her and walk away again but she needed to know how he really felt about her.

"Yes. At first, I wanted you two to be over so he can marry that girl but then... then it wasn't like that anymore." Lucius choose his words carefully as he didn't know entirely how he felt. He did not want to make a mistake, he needed to be sure of his feelings.

His words sparked Catalina's attention and she raised her head. "Oh?"

He caressed her head and brought it closer to his lips, placing a soft kiss on her temple. "We will save this talk for another time." He said, making Catalina pout like a child. He thought she was so cute and it gave him a strange warmth in his chest that he never felt before.

"Where is-" Catalina remembered but avoided saying her name, considering how he reacted the last time she mentioned her. Her voice lowered when she realized.

"Narcissa will spend the Yule at her lover's house. She will come tomorrow morning to have a family feast." Lucius explained, understanding where her question was about to go. To say that Catalina was shocked was an understanding. Her mouth formed an "o" that made Lucius smirk.

"Your family is so complicated." She furrowed her brows, avoiding his gaze. He grabbed her jaw gently and turned her head towards him, giving her a peck on her pinkish lips. She tasted like cherries and he absolutely wanted to devour her but he couldn't push anything after what happened last night.