Moonlight Sins

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  Julia’s back arched as he swirled his thumb. He lifted himself up, supporting his weight on his knees, so he could watch her expression when the passion broke. His other hand curved around her throat. He could feel her pulse beating wildly under his thumb. Her lips parted and that soft cry danced in the air as her body clutched his fingers.

  God.

  She was beautiful. Everything about her. From the pink flush in her cheeks to the crease that formed between her brows when the tension was almost, almost too much to handle.

  Lucian groaned her name, wanting to rewind the last couple of moments and rewatch it over and over.

  After what felt like an eternity, Julia’s eyes fluttered opened. Their gazes locked, and a part of him was still in her. “Okay,” she murmured, a sated grin tugging at her lips. “Geez. I’ll hang out with you guys.”

  He started to smile.

  “But first . . .” Julia reached down, gripping his wrist. She pulled his hand out and then sat up. She rolled him, forcing him down onto his back. Her hands went to his belt. “There’s something else I want.”

  Lucian was quick to realize she meant him.

  And she had him.

  In her hands and then her mouth, and in ways, she probably didn’t even know—in ways he was just discovering.

  With a glass of wine in one hand and Lucian’s hand wrapped firmly around the other, Julia followed him through the house, heading down a hall she’d never entered before. They were joining Dev in the rec room. She seriously doubted that her idea of what a rec room consisted of was the same thing as the de Vincents’.

  Growing up, her family had one. There was a TV in there and an old worn couch that should’ve been tossed ages ago. There’d also been a ton of crap no one used stashed in the room.

  Lucian stopped abruptly in front of a large painting. It was a field of burnt orange poppies and dewy, green grass. “What do you think of this painting? Maddie or me?”

  They’d been doing this all night, before dinner, during it, and now as they made their way through the maze of a home. Her task was to guess which one had been done by his sister and which ones had been painted by him. So far she sucked at this game, because both of them were all over the place in terms of style.

  She studied the painting, struck yet again by how realistic it was. From a distance, the painting could easily be mistaken as a photograph. Just like the one in Madeline’s bedroom. “Your sister.”

  “Nope. Me. Pony up.”

  Sighing, Julia paid the cost of losing as established at the beginning of the game. She stretched up on the tips of her toes and kissed him.

  He circled on arm around his waist, fitting her body against his. “I’m beginning to think you’re getting this wrong on purpose.”

  She laughed as she made sure she didn’t spill the wine. “I don’t mind losing, but I’m not doing it on purpose. It’s almost impossible to tell your work apart.”

  “Hmm.” He nipped at her lip and then backed off. He started walking again, bringing her along. “Too bad you got all the ones right during dinner. I was so looking forward to you having to kiss me in front of Dev.”

  Julia snorted. “I’m not sure he would’ve even noticed.”

  He cast her a long look over shoulder. “He would’ve noticed that.”

  Her nose wrinkled. “You guys are, like, really weird. Weird in a way I’m not sure I want to even think about.”

  “More like weird in a way you have most definitely thought about,” he teased, and her eyes narrowed, because he was, of course, right. “How was dinner for you?”

  “It was okay.” And that was the truth. “I was . . . nervous at first, but I was fine.”

  Dinner had been normal. Well, not the staff serving their food or refilling their drinks. That was so not normal. It was like eating at a fancy restaurant, but Devlin had been nice, talkative in his own coldly detached way. Lucian had behaved himself mostly. One or five times his hand ended up on her thigh under the table, but it had been nice and the food had been amazing.

  And while she still didn’t feel like she really fit in with them, that was on her. They made her as comfortable as possible, but it was her head that made her feel like a weed among roses. The fact that Lucian had even acknowledged that was a concern of hers earlier, that he’d sensed it and then told her she belonged, made her—ugh, made her want to cuddle with him and do stuff.

  God, she really wanted to hate him.

  “So, besides having paintings hung here and in some of the places Gabe mentioned, where else does your artwork hang?” she asked.

  “I sell a lot of the paintings for charity.” He tugged her farther down the hall.

  “That’s nice of you.”

  “Great tax benefit.” He cast a grin over his shoulder when she groaned.

  “Why do I have a feeling that isn’t the only reason why you do it, but that’s what you want people to think?”

  “I have no idea what would make you think I have an altruistic nature.”

  “I’m actually kind of surprised you know what that means,” she shot back.

  Lucian chuckled. “If we weren’t mere steps away from my brother, I would show you just how altruistic I’m not.”

  She flushed hotly.

  His eyes turned heated. “You would like that, wouldn’t you?” He pulled her into him again and lowered his mouth to her ear. “I’ll show you later.”

  Julia was in so much trouble when it came to him.

  Goodness.

  A few more steps and they were in front of two wood-paneled double doors. “This was where the kitchens used to be before the house burnt down.” Letting go of her hand, he pushed open the door. “It was just another useless room until about twenty years ago.”

  They had a lot of useless rooms, in her opinion.

  “Nice of you two to finally join me,” came Devlin’s voice from inside. “I was starting to think you ditched me.”

  “We would never do that.” Lucian held the door open for her.

  Julia walked in, and yep, the “rec room” was nothing like the one she grew up in. First off, the room was about half the size of the entire downstairs floor of her parents’ home and it was a legit recreational room.

  A huge sectional couch in the center of the room, facing a TV that was about the size of a Hummer. There was an air hockey table, a pool table—one of those fancy, slate-looking ones—video arcade games, a fully stocked bar—and oh my God, it was ridiculous.

  Dev was holding a pool cue. “Do you play pool, Julia?”

  She laughed. “Not if I don’t want to make a fool of myself.”

  He inclined his head. “Smart.”

  Unsure if that was a compliment or not, she sipped her wine as Lucian brushed past her. “I’ll play you a round.”

  “Promise not to cheat?”

  Grinning, Lucian walked over to the rack and grabbed a cue. “Now, Dev, how can one cheat at pool?”

  His brother snorted. “If there’s a way, you’ll find it.”

  Julia laughed as she sat on one of the tall bar stools. “That sounds about right.”

  “I like her.” Devlin racked the balls, dragging them into position. “She’s smart.”

  Lucian looked affronted. “You’re supposed to be on my side, Ms. Hughes.”

  She raised her brows as she sipped her wine.

  “And proving that she is as smart as I keep saying she is, she remains quiet.” He lifted the rack as he slid a look in Lucian’s direction. “Unlike some.”

  And that was pretty much how the next hour or so went. Lucian would push what she assumed was every single button of Devlin’s while the older brother remained as calm as a spring morning, completely unflustered. Devlin’s ability to ignore just about every comment of Lucian’s was truly an impressive talent.

  Which probably explained why he was winning the game.

  Then again, Lucian wasn’t really paying attention. When he wasn’t annoying his brother, he was focused on
Julia. She knew this because it was in every casual brush of his hand over her arm when he passed her by. And in the way he always came to where she sat when it was Devlin’s turn and how he held eye contact with her whenever he took the shot he called.

  As the night progressed, it was easy to forget who they were—who she was and why she was here. It was easy to pretend that this . . . this was her life.

  “I think he’s going to beat me.” Lucian leaned against the bar beside her as Devlin prowled around the pool table. Only the eight ball was left. “I may need a lot of comforting later.”

  Julia rolled her eyes. “I think you need a lot of stuff.”

  Interest sparked in his eyes. “Name a few?” he asked, but before she could answer, his phone rang. Setting the cue aside, he reached into his pocket. “Hold that thought—hey, Troy, what’s up?” Lucian’s grin faded. “What?” There was a pause. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  Julia tensed and glanced over to Devlin. He didn’t appear to be paying attention.

  Pivoting around, Lucian walked over to the bar and picked up a remote. He turned, aiming the remote at the large TV mounted on the wall above the air hockey table. A moment later, the TV turned on.

  Lucian rapidly flipped through the channels, stopping on what appeared to be a news report. “Yeah, I have it on now. I’ll call you back.”

  Julia focused on the TV. It was obviously a local channel on a split screen, reporters behind a desk and one outside, on a dark road. Blue-and-red lights flashed behind a pretty dark-skinned woman who stared earnestly into the camera.

  Lucian turned up the volume as Dev glanced over at the TV.

  “The single vehicle accident happened shortly after 9:00 p.m. From what I’ve been told, it appears he suffered a medical emergency and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle then collided with what appears to be a telephone pole, igniting on impact. It is believed that Lyon died on impact,” she reported. “Once again, it has been confirmed that the driver was Chief JB Lyon, a thirty-three-year veteran of the . . .”

  Chief Lyon? She’d heard that name before. When Lucian and Devlin were talking about their father’s death. He was opening up an investigation, and Devlin had said . . .

  Skin turning ice cold, she turned to Lucian.

  Devlin had said that the chief wouldn’t pose a problem much longer, but he couldn’t have known. . . .

  Julia’s gaze followed Lucian’s, and she moved closer to him, the act something she wasn’t even aware that she’d done until it had happened. He was staring at his brother, his lips pressed together and his jaw forming a hard line. The look on Lucian’s face caused tiny knots of dread to form in her belly. He was staring at Devlin like . . . like his brother possibly already knew what happened to the chief.

  Like Devlin might’ve even expected it.

  A shiver curled down Julia’s spine as she watched Dev walk around the pool table. “Right corner pocket.”

  The corners of Devlin’s mouth tipped up in a faint smile as he lined up his next shot and bent over the pool table. He took it. The white ball shot across the table, cracking into the eight ball and sending it straight into the right corner pocket.

  Chapter 29

  Lucian turned off the TV, dropping the remote on the bar top. Taking Julia’s hand, he led her to the hall outside the billiards room.

  Her hand tightened around his as she glanced back at the room. “Lucian, am I having a moment of overactive imagination or—”

  “It’s nothing,” he interrupted, not wanting to hear her say what he was also thinking.

  Julia tugged her hand free. “That is something.” She lowered her voice. “I heard you guys in the kitchen the other day. You do know how that sounds?”

  He did. “I know, but it’s not what you think.”

  “What do you think?” she demanded. “Obviously, you think something or you wouldn’t have dragged me out of the room.”

  “I was actually bringing you out here to ask you to head upstairs and wait for me.” Which was part of the truth.

  Her brows lifted. “You want me to go upstairs and wait for you?”

  “Please?”

  She crossed her arms.

  “I don’t know what to say other than no matter what, you’re safe here.”

  “I didn’t think I wasn’t,” she said, her gaze searching his. “I mean, I’m not suggesting that he somehow offed the chief of police and I now feel unsafe. It’s just that was . . . that was bizarre. And you guys are really bizarre on any normal day, but that—that was really strange.”

  His lips twitched despite the subject. “We are . . . different. I know.” Dipping his head, he kissed her softly. “Wait for me upstairs? Please. It’ll only be a little bit. Then we can talk.”

  “About?” She folded her arms.

  He curled a hand around the nape of her neck as he rested his forehead against hers. “About where we go from here.”

  She stiffened. “What do you mean?”

  God, he wasn’t even exactly sure himself, but he did want to talk about the future with her, about what they were doing. He never wanted to do that in his life. “I want to talk about us—about what we’re doing.” He smiled faintly as he slid his hand around to her cheek. “It’s all good stuff. Well, I hope it’s all good stuff. Unless you’re just into the sex and nothing else, then I guess it will probably be bad.”

  Julia drew back, her cheeks slightly flushed and a look surprise in her warm eyes. “I’m not . . . I’m not just into the sex. I mean, the sex is amazing—like whoa, but I’m not just—”

  Lucian kissed her then. Couldn’t even stop himself if he wanted to, and when she parted those lips, letting him in, he took that kiss deeper. “I’ll be up in a little bit. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she whispered, glancing at the door. “Even though I feel like you totally just purposely distracted me, but okay.”

  He dipped his chin, grinning. “I do want to talk about us. That’s not a distraction tactic. Just suspicious timing.”

  Julia laughed as she straightened out her arms. “See you in a little bit.”

  Lucian waited until she was out of eyesight before he walked back into the room. He found his older brother sitting at the bar. Walking behind it, he stopped directly in front of Dev. “Is there something you want to let me know?”

  Dev smirked. “There’s always something I’d like to let you know.”

  “You know what I’m talking about.” Lucian rested his forearms on the bar top. “The chief is dead.”

  “That’s what the news just said. Car accident?” Dev took a drink. “What a tragedy.”

  A muscle begun to work along Lucian’s jaw. Lucian was thinking along the same lines Julia had been. It was too bizarre to think that Dev had anything to do with the chief’s accident. Especially since they said he had a medical emergency and Troy had mentioned that on the phone, but there was a part of Lucian that wasn’t so sure.

  “You say tragedy,” Lucian said finally. “I say what a coincidence.”

  “What are you suggesting, Lucian? That I somehow had something to do with him having a medical issue and wrecking his car?” He laughed and then took another drink. “I’m talented but that’s impossible.”

  Truth was, nothing was impossible when it came to the de Vincents. Dev knew that. So did Lucian.

  “Do you really think I had something to do with that?” Dev asked after a moment.

  Lucian met his brother’s stare. “We both know we’d go to extreme limits to protect our family.”

  “We both know that you already have,” Dev pointed out.

  “Yeah, and I don’t hide that.”

  “Hmm.” Dev nodded and then placed his drink down. “You know, you seem to be getting really close to Ms. Hughes. Even though I’d advised against that.”

  “And you’re changing the subject to something we do not need to talk about.”

  “I think it’s an important subject change and it’s definitely something we ne
ed to talk about.” Dev arched a brow. “I don’t think it’s wise.”

  Pushing back, Lucian shook his head. “If you have so much of a problem with me getting close to her, why did you hire her in the first place? Why would you even hire someone who would catch my attention or anyone else’s?”

  “Because I knew she would keep her mouth shut.”

  Instinct flared as he faced his brother. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “I’m assuming you’ve been talking to her and not just fucking her,” he commented, and Lucian’s hands clenched. “You know she was married.”

  “What does this have to do with her ex?”

  “You really didn’t need to check her out, Lucian. I did an extensive background check on her. You know that.” He paused. “And I learned some interesting things about her. Someone who stays with a husband who treats them like shit is going to be pliable, easily controlled.”

  Lucian couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Is that why you’re with Sabrina?”

  Dev raised a shoulder with a laugh.

  Anger simmered in his gut. “Are you fucking serious right now?”

  “It’s the truth. Why are you so offended by it? Your girl was—”

  Lucian reacted without thinking. His arm cocked back and his fist connected with his brother’s jaw. Dev’s head snapped back and then, next second, he was on the floor, on his ass.

  Slamming his hands down on the wood, he lifted himself up, vaulting over the bar. Lucian landed next to Dev just as he was sitting up. Crouching, he got right in Dev’s face. “You do not know shit about Julia. At all.”

  “Jesus,” Dev grunted, rubbing his jaw. “What the hell, man?”

  Lucian stared at his brother, and it was like looking at a stranger. How in the hell could he have hired Julia because of her past marriage? How could he make that kind of horrific assumption about her—about anyone? His brother could be cold and apathetic. Hell, there were times when he wondered if Dev was one synapse misfiring from becoming a sociopath, but this? This was going too far.

  Dev twisted his head to the side, cursing under his breath.

  Rising, Lucian took a step back and when Dev looked up at him, ice drenched Lucian’s insides. “Sometimes I don’t even know you, Dev. I really don’t.”