No Longer Yours to Break novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19

By the time Zoe hit the hotel, ten minutes had already flown by. Heart racing, she flashed her ID and demanded Lucian’s room key. “I’m his wife.”

She swiped into the room–and her blood boiled.

Lucian was passed out on the bed, eyes shut.

Some girl in barely anything was straddled across him, snapping pics like her life depended on it.

The second she spotted Zoe, panic hit. She scrambled off, shaking.

“N–No… Mrs. Lyttelton, please, I can explain! I didn’t touch him, I swear! I just–he was drunk, I only wanted a few pictures…”

Zoe ignored her. Calmly fixed Lucian’s collar.

“Who sent you?”

The girl’s eyes flicked, guilty.

Zoe sneered. “If you know who I am, then you know how close we are. You really think whoever hired you can protect you after I catch you drugging my husband?”

That was it. The girl cracked–confessing everything in one messy rush.

***

Zoe kicked the girl out, totally unfazed by the name she dropped.

Yvette Camorra. Of course.

Still bitter over Lucian’s public rejection, Yvette had gone full low–blow—hoping Zoe would walk away, leaving Lucian wide open for a Camorra takeover.

Clearly, Lucian had hit the Camorras where it hurt if this was their play.

She turned to him. He was flushed, out of it–definitely drugged with more than just alcohol.

1/3

It took everything she had to haul him into the bathroom and ease him into a warm bath, hoping to bring him back.

A few minutes later, a loud thud echoed from the bathroom.

Zoe rushed in without thinking–panic first.

And froze.

Lucian was standing there. Naked.

His chest was flushed, breath ragged, but at least he was upright.

Water dripped down his neck, trailing over his chest and abs–straight to places Zoe absolutely refused to glance at.

She spun around.

“W–Why aren’t you wearing anything?!”

Lucian’s voice came soft from behind. “I just… needed a cold shower. To cool off…”

Zoe’s face flamed. That body–yeah, it was branded into her brain now.

Lucian saw her still turned away and gave a small, bitter smile. He gently nudged her.

“Go on. I’ll be fine.”

She heard the hint of disappointment in his voice and paused.

After everything these past few weeks, one thing was clear: Lucian didn’t see this as

some contract.

They must’ve met before. She just couldn’t untangle the memories, not with two lives‘ worth clouding her head.

Since the wedding, he’d kept every promise. Never pushed, never crossed a line.

But was she really that unaffected?

She couldn’t lie.

2/3

Chapter 19

+25 Bonus

Just as he reached to close the door, her hand stopped him.

Lucian looked up–met her burning stare–and froze, unsure.

Not for long.

Their bodies locked, the kiss deepened–until Lucian broke it off, breathless. “…Are you sure?”

Zoe pulled him down again. Her answer was wordless.

***

Zoe finally cracked her eyes open–it was almost noon.

Lucian was gone.

A note on the nightstand, all neat in his handwriting:

[Went to handle the aftermath from last night. Rest up. Breakfast is downstairs- don’t skip it.]

She checked her phone. 12:00 p.m.

With a scowl, she crumpled the note and tossed it in the trash.

‘Now he’s back to playing the perfect gentleman? Please. Men really are nothing like they seem.‘

Support