The Billionaire's Masked Obsession

LUCIAN

"We've arrived, sir."

Great. So we were actually doing this.

My gaze drifted to the tinted window, to the garish lights screaming down at the entrance of the building like a warning. Eclipse's Strip n Drink. Even‍‌ inside the car, I could hear the bass pounding from the walls. The street outside was packed -heels clicking, laughter spilling from the mouths that have tasted too much alcohol. The bouncers stood like soldiers, tightly checking IDs and patting down anyone who seemed like a threat.

I breathed out loud in annoyance. "Can't we just go back?"

George turned his head, one brow lifting. "Sir, with all due respect, Matt might have my head for breakfast if you don't walk in there tonight."

"You don't have to drink," he continued. "You can just sit in there for an hour and nod at whatever Matt says. Maybe even applaud once or twice. Then you can glare your way out of the building and go home."

I gave him a slow look. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Not at all, sir."

A small snort escaped me despite myself.

I'd been in meetings from dawn until dusk. By the time I was done, I hadn't even bothered going home. My tie was long gone-lost somewhere between the conference room and the elevator-and my jacket lay abandoned in the backseat like it had personally offended me. Now I sat in a half-unbuttoned shirt, sleeves rolled to my elbows, tattoos exposed, hair slightly tousled. If this was my version of casual, I wasn't fooling anyone.

"Remind me why I'm doing this again."

"Because it's Matt's bachelor party. Because you've bailed on the last three events you were invited to. Because your mother is one conversation away from staging a full-blown rescue mission. And because," George said, pausing for effect, "you haven't done anything remotely selfish in years."

Only George could say that without it sounding like an accusation.

He wasn't just a butler. He hadn't been for a long time. After Lena died, my mother had hired him. Said the boys and I needed help. I didn't have the strength to argue back then as I hadn't been expecting him to stay. He was in his mid-forties, soft-spoken and looked like he belonged in a library, not a house like mine. But he'd proven himself more capable than I'd imagined. The boys loved him. And I relied on him more than I cared to admit.

"Alright," I muttered. "But if someone tries to make me do body shots or dance, I'm burning the building down."

George gave a dry nod. "Understood. Total annihilation if provoked."

I reached for the door handle, then paused when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

My mouth tugged into a small smile before I even looked at the screen.

I answered and the video call opened to Lucas's face, nose practically pressed to the front camera, wide grin stretching from ear to ear.

"Daddy!"

"Hey, buddy," I said, voice already softening.