Spoiled By My Nine Beast Husbands (Emma Tibarn) novel Chapter 286

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**
**Chapter 286: The Three Punishments**

“Tomorrow night, I have a delightful plan for you,” Emma teased, her voice laced with mischief.

At her playful words, Marcus couldn’t help but nip at her lip, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. “I’ll be eagerly awaiting your orders, Ms. Tibarn.”

As the night deepened and Marcus succumbed to slumber, Emma quietly slipped out of their shared space, her heart racing with anticipation as she sought Lucien.

When she arrived at his suite, she found him just emerging from the shower. A white towel hung low on his hips, accentuating the powerful contours of his bare chest.

Fresh scars, remnants of his recent battles, crisscrossed his skin like a map of his struggles. The healing potions had worked wonders, yet the marks remained a testament to his pain, stubbornly refusing to fade for at least another month.

The sight of those scars tugged at Emma’s heartstrings, and her eyes filled with unshed tears.

Lucien, catching the glimmer of distress in her gaze, felt a wave of panic wash over him. “Emma, I’m so sorry. Did my scars frighten you?”

She shook her head vehemently. “No, they just break my heart,” she replied softly, her voice trembling with emotion.

Reaching out, she let her fingertips gently trace the jagged lines on his chest, her touch delicate and tentative, as if she feared even the lightest caress might cause him pain.

“Look at all of these,” she murmured, her brow furrowing in concern. “You told me your injuries weren’t serious.”

If this was not serious, then what was?

“I didn’t want you to worry,” Lucien replied, pulling her into his embrace, his arms enveloping her in warmth. “Emma, please don’t cry. I’m okay now. It really doesn’t hurt.”

“I promise I’ll take better care of myself next time. I won’t let myself get hurt this badly again, okay?”

But Emma’s heart ached with the knowledge that promises made in the heat of the moment were often as fragile as the scars that adorned his skin.

Deep down, she understood he said this to soothe her, to quell the storm of worry brewing within her.

In a sudden burst of determination, she playfully shoved him onto the bed, her expression shifting to one of mock severity.

“You allowed my Lucien to get hurt this badly. Tonight, I’m going to punish you,” she declared, her tone playful yet serious.

Lucien fell back onto the plush mattress, looking up at her with a blend of warmth and amusement dancing in his eyes.

“Oh? And how do you plan to enact this punishment?” he asked, his voice slightly hoarse, deliberately lowering it to a deep, inviting timbre that sent shivers down her spine.

Emma didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she leaned down, her hands framing his face as her body hovered just above him, creating an intoxicating tension in the air.

A rogue strand of dark hair slipped from her shoulder, brushing against his cheek and eliciting a soft, involuntary chuckle from him.

“First,” she whispered, her voice delicate yet commanding, “you’re being punished for hiding how badly you were hurt—for making me worry.”

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