Chapter Seven: The Fire Beneath the Skin (Contains a detailed sex scene—Livia)

The villa's corridors were bathed in a dim, golden glow, the flickering light of oil lamps casting long, dancing shadows against the cool marble walls. Lucius followed Livia in silence, the air between them heavy with unspoken desire. Every step felt deliberate, charged with a tension that neither could—nor wished to—ignore.

She led him into her private chamber, where the warmth of a low-burning brazier filled the room with the heady scent of spiced oil and incense. The space was opulent, draped in silks and adorned with gilded furnishings. A vast bed dominated the room, its crimson sheets a stark contrast to the pale marble floor. A golden goblet of wine sat untouched on a carved table, forgotten in the gravity of the moment. But Lucius's attention was fixed solely on her.

Livia turned to face him, her expression a mask of quiet confidence, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of vulnerability. "Rome will demand everything from you," she said softly, her fingers brushing the clasp of her tunic. "You should take what you can in return."

Lucius stepped closer, his voice low and deliberate. "Is that what you are? Something to take?"

Her lips curved into a slow, knowing smile as she loosened the fabric, letting the white linen slip from her shoulders. It pooled at her feet, leaving her bathed in the firelight's warm embrace. "I am whatever you need me to be," she murmured, her voice a sultry whisper.

The light danced across her skin, highlighting the soft curves of her body, the delicate hollows and shadows that seemed to beckon him closer. Lucius's gaze lingered, tracing the lines of her form with a reverence that belied the hunger burning within him. He reached out, his fingers brushing her collarbone, the touch featherlight yet electric.

Livia's breath hitched, her eyes darkening with desire. "You always present yourself as in control," he said, his voice a low rumble. "But what happens when I take that away?"

Before she could respond, he closed the distance between them, his hands sliding to her waist as he guided her backward until the edge of the silk-draped couch met her thighs. He eased her down, settling between her parted legs, his body hovering over hers. His lips grazed her neck, teasing, leaving a trail of warmth that made her shiver.

"You think teasing me is a victory?" she asked, her voice trembling despite her attempt at composure.

Lucius chuckled, his breath hot against her ear. "Not a victory. A lesson."

His hands moved with deliberate slowness, tracing the curve of her ribs, brushing the swell of her breasts without fully committing to the touch. Her skin was warm, alive beneath his fingertips, and he reveled in the way her breath quickened, the way her nails dug into his shoulders as she sought to pull him closer. When he finally cupped her breasts, his thumbs brushing over her hardened peaks, she let out a soft, involuntary sigh.

He kissed her then, his lips claiming hers with a hunger that mirrored her own. It was a kiss that spoke of longing, of nights spent imagining this moment, of the weight of everything left unspoken between them. Livia's hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as she surrendered to the heat of his touch.

Lucius's lips trailed downward, leaving a path of fire along her throat, the hollow of her collarbones, the curve of her breasts. He took his time, savoring the taste of her skin, the way her body arched into his, the soft sounds she made as he teased her with his tongue and teeth. Her hands roamed his back, her touch igniting a fire that threatened to consume them both.

When his hands slid lower, tracing the curve of her hips, she trembled beneath him, her legs tightening around his waist. "You're cruel," she whispered, though her voice was thick with desire.

Lucius smirked against her skin. "Cruel? I haven't even begun."

He stood then, just enough to remove his tunic, the fabric falling away to reveal the hard planes of his chest, the taut muscles of his abdomen. Livia's gaze followed, her lips parting in a silent gasp. Her fingers twitched, as if resisting the urge to reach for him, to explore the body she had only imagined until now.

"Gods," she breathed, her voice a mixture of awe and mischief. "I see why the Senate fears you."

Lucius chuckled, the sound low and warm. "Are you impressed or intimidated?"

Her lips curled into a smirk, though her eyes betrayed her hunger. "Perhaps a bit of both."

She reached for him then, her fingertips trailing down his chest, her touch igniting a fire that burned hotter with every passing moment. When her hand brushed over his growing arousal, testing, teasing, he sucked in a sharp breath but made no move to stop her.

"You enjoy power, don't you?" Livia mused, her nails dragging lightly along his abdomen. "But even a warrior can surrender… just for a moment."

Lucius exhaled, a slow, measured breath, his control slipping as she traced the length of him through the fabric of his breeches. Her fingers toyed with the laces, tugging just enough to loosen them.

He let her.

Livia met his gaze, a wicked glint in her eyes as she slid her hand beneath the fabric, wrapping her fingers around him. He tensed, a low growl escaping his lips as she stroked him, her touch both teasing and reverent.

"You've had your turn," she whispered, leaning in to brush her lips along his jaw. "Now let me have mine."

Her movements were slow, deliberate, each stroke meant to unravel him piece by piece. Lucius's head fell back slightly, his breath coming heavier as he let himself indulge in her touch. It was rare for him to relinquish control, but with Livia, it felt… intoxicating.

She studied him as she moved, noting every twitch of his muscles, every quiet groan that escaped his lips. Her confidence grew with each reaction, her strokes becoming bolder, more certain.

Lucius's hand slid into her hair, gripping lightly as he watched her, his control fraying. "Livia," he warned, his voice strained.

But she only smiled, her lips ghosting down his chest, her breath warm as she trailed lower.

"Shh…" she whispered, her voice sultry, teasing. "Let me taste you."

Lucius barely had time to react before she slipped further down, her lips tracing the line of his abdomen, inching closer to where her hand still worked him. Then, with a deliberate slowness that sent fire racing through his veins, she pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his shaft.

He inhaled sharply, his grip on her hair tightening as she flicked her tongue out, tracing the sensitive skin with an almost torturous patience. She licked up the length of him, slow and deliberate, until she reached his tip, her tongue swirling around it in a way that made him curse under his breath.

"Livia…" His voice was rough, raw with need.

She looked up at him through dark lashes, her expression smug, knowing. "Hmm?" she murmured against him, her lips brushing feather-light over the tip

Before he could respond, her tongue flicked out, swirling over the sensitive head, teasing him with a slow, languid stroke that sent a sharp jolt of pleasure through his body. He cursed under his breath, his muscles tensing as she continued, her touch both playful and knowing.

Lucius was not a man easily undone, but the sight of her—kneeling before him, her lips wrapped around him with a sinful slowness—threatened to break him entirely.

Livia's lips parted further, taking him in, inch by inch, until a quarter of his length disappeared into the wet heat of her mouth. Her tongue pressed against the underside of his shaft, caressing him as she slowly drew back, only to take him in again, her pace deliberate, teasing.

Lucius let out a deep, guttural groan, his fingers tightening in her hair. "Gods…" he exhaled, his restraint hanging by a thread.

Livia hummed around him, the vibration sending another jolt of pleasure up his spine. She could feel him twitch against her tongue, the first beads of his arousal slick against her taste buds. Pulling back slightly, she let his tip rest against her tongue, savoring the faintly salty essence of him.

She flicked her tongue over the sensitive head, licking up every drop of his pre-cum, her expression one of wicked delight. "You taste…" she murmured, trailing her lips over him, "…strong. Just like you."

Livia flicked her tongue over his tip once more, savoring the taste of his pre-cum, her eyes dark with mischief as she met his gaze. She let the slick essence linger on her tongue before swallowing, her lips curling into a knowing smile.

Lucius exhaled sharply, his control fraying at the edges. The sight of her—lips swollen, breath uneven, eyes filled with wicked satisfaction—made something snap inside him.

Without a word, he reached down, his hands gripping her waist firmly as he lifted her with effortless strength. A surprised gasp escaped her lips, but it quickly turned into a breathy laugh as he carried her toward the bed, his expression unreadable, save for the unmistakable hunger burning in his eyes.

The firelight flickered against the marble walls as he laid her down on the crimson-draped bed, her golden hair fanning out against the silken sheets. He hovered above her for a moment, drinking in the sight of her bare form beneath him, his fingers tracing slow, deliberate patterns over her flushed skin.

"You enjoyed that far too much," he murmured, his voice a low, dangerous growl.

Livia smirked, stretching beneath him like a satisfied lioness. "And what if I did?" she teased, her fingers trailing down his chest.

Lucius's lips curved into a smirk of his own. "Then I suppose it's my turn."

And with that, he descended upon her, claiming her lips in a searing kiss as his hands roamed her body, ready to return every bit of pleasure she had given him—tenfold.

Lucius laid Livia down onto the soft, crimson sheets, his body pressing her gently into the bed. His lips ghosted over her throat, teasing, never settling, as his hands roamed her curves with slow, deliberate intent.

She arched beneath him, her breath uneven, her fingers sliding over his sculpted back, desperate for more. But Lucius wasn't in a hurry. He wanted to feel her unravel beneath him, to watch her tremble with anticipation.

His hips shifted, and she felt the heat of him—hard, thick—dragging slowly along her slick folds. He didn't push inside, didn't give her what she ached for. Instead, he teased, rubbing his length against her sensitive core, the friction sending jolts of pleasure through them both.

Livia gasped, her thighs tightening instinctively around him. "You're cruel," she whispered, her nails digging into his shoulders.

Lucius smirked against her skin, his voice deep and amused. "Am I?" He rolled his hips again, the tip of his length brushing against her entrance but never breaching, only enough to make her body react, to make her hips buck toward him in frustration.

She exhaled a ragged breath, her patience fraying. "Lucius…"

He caught her wrists, pinning them above her head as he hovered over her, his lips brushing her ear. "Say please," he murmured.

Livia's jaw clenched—she wasn't one to beg. But as he continued his torturous teasing, rubbing against her, sliding against her slickness without giving her what she craved, her resolve wavered.

Her breath came in soft, desperate gasps. "Please," she finally whispered, her voice laced with need.

Lucius groaned softly at the sound of it, his control slipping just enough. "Good girl," he murmured, and with one slow, deliberate movement, he finally began to push inside.

Lucius exhaled a deep, shuddering breath as he finally pushed inside her, inch by slow inch, stretching her around his thick length. Livia's breath hitched, her body tensing beneath him as she adjusted to the sensation—the unfamiliar fullness, the delicious pressure that stole the air from her lungs.

He stilled, his forehead resting against hers, his hands cradling her hips as he gave her time. Her nails dug into his shoulders, her legs tightening around his waist, but he didn't move just yet. He wanted her to feel every bit of him, to grow accustomed to the way he filled her completely.

Livia's breaths came in short, uneven gasps. "You're… so big," she whispered, her voice tinged with both awe and frustration.

Lucius smirked against her skin, though his own restraint was fraying. "I know," he murmured, his voice rough with control.

She shifted beneath him, testing the stretch, her body adjusting to his size little by little. The pleasure in her eyes warred with the lingering tension, and Lucius forced himself to remain still, to let her take him at her own pace.

Her hands slid down his back, her touch both hesitant and eager. "Move," she finally breathed, her voice trembling with need.

Lucius groaned, his control snapping as he pulled back slightly before pressing in again, slow and deep, making sure she felt every inch of him. "As you wish," he murmured, before beginning to move in earnest.

Lucius started slow, each deep thrust sending shivers through Livia's body as she clung to him. His hands gripped her hips, steadying her, his movements measured—controlled. But control was slipping. He could feel it in the way her heat clenched around him, in the way her breath hitched with every stroke.

Livia's fingers traced his spine, her nails dragging down his back as she urged him on. "More," she whispered, her voice filled with need, with hunger.

Something inside Lucius snapped. A primal, possessive fire ignited within him, burning away the last remnants of restraint. A low growl rumbled in his throat as he shifted his grip, his fingers digging into her hips with enough force to leave bruises.

He pulled back and thrust into her harder this time, his pace quickening, each movement rougher, deeper, more demanding. Livia gasped, arching against him, her body yielding to his raw hunger. Her moans filled the room, blending with the crackling fire, with the sound of skin against skin.

Lucius buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breath hot against her sweat-slicked skin. "You're mine," he growled, his voice raw and possessive. He didn't wait for a response—he didn't need one. He could feel the way her body responded, the way she tightened around him, dragging him deeper into the abyss of pleasure.

His thrusts became relentless, his primal instincts taking over as he drove into her with wild, unrestrained need. Livia writhed beneath him, her fingers tangled in his hair, her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer, demanding more.

The tension coiled tight in his core, his muscles straining as the pleasure built to a breaking point. He felt her shudder beneath him, her cries of pleasure pushing him closer to the edge. With one final, deep thrust, he buried himself to the hilt, his release crashing over him like a tidal wave.

A guttural groan tore from his lips as he spilled inside her, filling her completely, his seed claiming her in the most primal way. He held her close, his body trembling, his breath ragged as he emptied himself deep within her.

The air between them was thick, charged with the remnants of their passion. Lucius didn't pull away. He stayed inside her, feeling the way their bodies remained connected, the warmth of their shared pleasure lingering between them.

Livia sighed, her fingers brushing through his damp hair as she whispered, "You really couldn't hold back, could you?"

Lucius chuckled, pressing a lazy kiss to her collarbone. "Not with you."

He stayed like that for a moment longer before finally rolling onto his side, pulling her with him, keeping her pressed against his chest. The night was far from over—but for now, they simply basked in the heat of their tangled bodies, in the aftermath of raw, unrestrained desire.