Serena's POV~
Lucian froze, a sound...half-gasp, half-sob...caught in his throat. His lips were cold and trembling against mine for only a split second before the shock burned away, replaced by something fierce and hungry.
The desperation I had seen simmering in his eyes erupted, and he didn't just respond; he devoured the moment.
His arms instantly locked around my waist, tightening with a crushing force that lifted me slightly off my feet and pressed our bodies together against the cold wall.
It was a kiss fueled not by gentleness or tenderness, but by pain, fury, years of crushing absence, and undeniable longing.
It was a confession.
The single wall of control Lucian had desperately held up during the entire dinner...the polite smiles, the cold indifference...shattered entirely.
He tilted my head, deepening the contact, pouring all his raw, choked-back misery and longing into the desperate contact.
