THIRTY-SIX

Lucius pov

I needed a moment to think. A moment away from her alluring scent and that face I couldn’t get enough of. A moment without her in my personal space.

While Eden was more than I had ever hoped for, she also overwhelmed and confused me. All my life I had to be sure of every step I took because so many supernaturals depended on me, but now, I feared my own thoughts.

Any moment I could say something to hurt her, do something wrong, and while I was almost sure that I had given up, I started the way of checking out, I still doubted my ability to be near.

Hence why the moment I found her sleeping next to the bedroom door, I carried her inside and left her in the bed. Everything within me screamed to lay next to her and use the chance to hold her just this once.

But I didn’t. I had done that once and her reaction was all sorts of wrong. I didn’t want to take away her basic right to give consent, so instead, I spent the night in my office.

The night was awful. I couldn’t sleep a