Slowly adjusting to his world(1)

The leather seat was cool against her bare thighs, Lucien's oversized shirt riding up slightly with every small shift in her position. Kelsey pressed her palms against her thighs, as if grounding herself_ though truthfully, it was to keep from appearing too exposed.

She was no stranger to short dresses or skirts, but she could not understand how his presence affected her. Even without him looking, had the urge to just open the door and jump out of the car.

Outside the tinted window, the city buzzed with weekend life. And then_ her eyes caught something. A billboard and in all the glory stood a photo of her half sister, Ava.

Dressed in designer clothes, her perfectly styled curls cascading down one shoulder, she looked like a goddess painted in privilege. A successful model now, apparently. Kelsey hadn't spoken to her in over a year_ not since she disappeared from the mess that used to be her life.

Of course she made it big, Kelsey thought bitterly. After all, Ava was the golden child. The one who didn't have to fight for affection. The one who didn't get sold off like a pawn in a rich man's game. The one born from the woman her father loved second_ but chose to stay with.

Her fingers curled slightly on her lap.

After her mother died, the world became colder. The betrayal ran too deep to ignore when her father remarried her mother's best friend. The woman who used to braid her hair. Who used to wipe tears off her cheeks. Suddenly became cold to her and what surprised her most was the hidden affair she had with her father such that they had had a child together.

Slowly, she turned her gaze away from the window and her eyes fell on Lucien. He quietly sat next to her, a tablet in his hands, his fingers swiping without urgency, as if the entire world bent to his time.

Even when their eyes met, she did not look away.

"You know," she said, voice quiet but sharp, "I have a job. Something I like doing. Locking me up like a bird is going to mess all of that up."

"And when did I say I would lock you up in my room?" He said, drawing out the words like warm honey.

He tilted his head slightly, those dark eyes tracing the curve of her cheek, her jaw. Then, with a lazy smirk playing at the corners of his lips, he added, "Though… I have to admit, it's a very tempting idea."

Her cheeks flushed instantly, and this time, she looked away.

He chuckled under his breath_ low, smooth, like he enjoyed seeing her squirm.

"I'm not here to clip your wings, Kelsey. You can go on with your life as usual," he said, the humor fading into something deeper_ almost serious. "The only difference is that you'll be living with me."

It was the casual way he said it that unsettled her. As if it had already been written into the stars.

The car slid through the city traffic, the hum of the engine blending with the ache in her chest. Ava's face haunted her from every other billboard. It was not that she was jealous or anything, but she hated it that the very same money they got from Lucien after literally selling her was being enjoyed by her.

Upon arrival at her apartment, Kelsey didn't linger. She quickly picked her phone up and scrolled through the messages, some from the hospital where she worked, and one single text from a friend she had managed to make

Then, she moved fast_ almost as if she was trying to outrun the strange shift inside her. She had marched straight into her room, her fingers already pulling at the hem of Lucien's shirt, eager to peel herself out of anything that carried his scent, his aura... his presence.

She didn't like how it had begun to feel too familiar.

She changed into something that made her feel like herself again_ a snug black tank top that clung to her curves, a pair of worn blue jeans.

As she stepped back into the living room, she was met with the kind of scene that felt out of place in this space she once called home.

Lucien. Sitting comfortably on her couch, legs parted slightly, one arm draped over the backrest, the other resting on his thigh. Every inch of him screamed luxury. The designer fit of his tailored black shirt, the sharp crease of his slacks, the silver glint of his watch catching the morning light.

Lucien looked entirely out of place in her modest apartment, like a masterpiece hung on a crumbling wall. The soft hum of the refrigerator, the slightly faded cushions, and the scuffed edges of the wooden furniture told the story of a life built on survival_ not splendor. Meanwhile, he sat there in his tailored black shirt and silver watch, his presence too polished for the dim lighting and narrow space. His very being clashed with the humble surroundings, a man carved from opulence sitting in a home that had never known luxury.

They didn't speak as they left. This time, the driver was nowhere in sight. Instead, Lucien moved ahead of her and opened the passenger door himself. With a polite motion of his hand, he waited for her to slide in. Then, without a word, he walked around and slipped into the driver's seat.

For several minutes, the only sound between them was the hum of the engine and the occasional shift of tires on pavement.

Until his voice broke the silence_ smooth, low, but pointed.

"Why didn't you choose modeling?"

He didn't glance at her. His eyes remained focused on the road, one hand on the steering wheel, the other relaxed in his lap.

"You're way more beautiful than your sister."

His words came a surprise to her. Not about him knowing that her sister was a model, but about his compliment which came out so smoothly. The only person who used to remind her about her beauty was her mother, but she was no more and after her death and with the new addition of family members, her spotlight had been taken away and Ava who new how to please people with her sweet words had filled in that position. Of course all that did not falter her because she was never interested, but his words had caught her off guard and she took longer before she finally responded,

"People take different path in life. I have also never dreamt of becoming a model." She said.

There was a hesitation in her voice, like she had more to say, but decided to bite it back. The silence that followed was weighty but not cold. He didn't push.

A few more turns, and they slowed in front of a high-end boutique nestled between polished marble storefronts. The kind of place with no price tags and private shoppers waiting inside. Kelsey could feel the luxury oozing from the facade before they even parked.

She reached for the door handle before Lucien could get around to it. But before she stepped out, his voice came again, low and lazy.

"It'll be impossible for you to make a run in this place." She had not thought about it, but the idea was too tempting while also knowing too well that it would take him minutes to track her down.