"Ohh yes baby! Just like that!"
Claire felt the warmth of Lucas's body against hers as he took her from behind. Every thrust sent a wave of pleasure through her, and she couldn't help but cry out for more.
"Oh, yes, just like that! Don't stop!" she urged, feeling herself getting lost in the moment. The sound of their bodies slapping against each other filled the room, mixing with her breathless moans.
Lucas grinned, clearly enjoying himself as he pounded even harder. "You like that?" he asked, his voice low and teasing.
"My god, yes! Just like that! Oh fuck me!"
"Damn, you're amazing," Lucas said, and it only edged her further. She found herself pushing her hips back to meet his, craving more of him.
The way he held her from behind, gripping her neck, strong and possessive, made her pulse race. Claire bit her lip, desperate to stop the sounds escaping her. It was probably too late; all the maids were most likely already exchanging giggles.
With one final thrust, the world exploded around her.
"Oh Lucas!" She cried out in ecstatic release. He followed soon after. As they both came down, Lucas wrapped his arms around her, still breathing heavily.
"And that, my dear Claire, was part two," he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face, and Claire couldn't hold back the laughter that escaped her lips.
In that moment, right there, she was in love with him.
They lay side by side for a moment, just staring up at the beautiful patterns on the ceiling, enjoying each other's presence.
Eventually, Lucas got out of bed and walked to the bathroom without saying a word. Claire couldn't help but watch him. Her eyes moved down the muscles of his back, each one flexing slightly as he walked. His broad shoulders led to a narrow waist, and she couldn't resist admiring his firm, perfect butt. He looked incredible.
She bit her lip, a sly smile on her face, but just as she was about to get lost in her thoughts again, her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Claire groaned and reached for it lazily, expecting some useless email.
When she looked at the screen, her heart dropped. It wasn't a random message. It was an Instagram post from a blog account.
"Notorious mafia boss, Lucas Benetti spotted 'entangled' with some hot Arabian chick. Things are getting spicy ;) #MysteryChick #LoveIsInTheAir"
It was a picture of her and Lucas from the event—clearly intimate. His arm was wrapped around her waist, pulling her close, while she was laughing, head tilted back in a way that showed just how comfortable she was in his arms. It was like a scene out of a romance novel. Undeniable.
"No no no no," Claire muttered repeatedly as she shot up from the bed, pacing in a panic. "No no no no no, there weren't supposed to be any cameras in there, who the hell took this?"
Her grip tightened around her phone as she frantically scrolled through the comments.
"Who is she?"
"Lucas has a type, huh? Spicy."
"I need to know who this mystery chick is!"
"She's stunning though, gotta admit."
"I need her!!"
As expected, messages and calls from her family and close friends who had recognized her from the picture started pouring in.
"Lucas Benetti?? THE Lucas Benetti??"
"Girl please tell me that's not you"
"Woah."
"Since when did you start getting involved with the mafia???"
Her phone buzzed nonstop—her mom, a couple of cousins, even Maya had called five times already. Claire immediately turned on Do Not Disturb to block all the calls and messages.
"I can't believe this is happening," she whispered, as she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep it together.
Lucas stepped out of the bathroom, towel around his waist, drying his hair. He stopped when he saw Claire pacing back and forth, her phone clutched tightly in her hand, her face pale.
"What's going on?" he inquired sharply.
Claire turned around, holding up her phone. "This! Someone took a picture of us at the event! And now it's all over social media."
Lucas's eyes narrowed as he walked over, taking the phone from her. He stared at the post for a long moment, his jaw clenching.
"How the hell did this get out?" he muttered, swiping through the comments. "There were no cameras allowed."
Claire's exasperation elevated at his statement. "Exactly! So how did it happen? Someone obviously leaked this out of spite!"
Lucas set the phone down and turned to Claire, who was still pacing, her mind spinning. He reached out, gently pulling her into his arms. "Come here," he said in a quiet tone. "Look , I'm going to find out who did this and make them pay. As for the media narrative, don't worry, we'll get that under control."
Claire looked up at him, still not convinced. "Lucas, you don't understand," she said, her voice trembling. "This could really mess up my career down the line. I'm not at that level yet. This kind of thing… it could ruin everything."
Lucas cupped her face gently and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "I promise you, I will handle everything. Let's go grab breakfast, okay? Try not to think too much about it."
And with that, Claire decided she was not going to let it bother her anymore.
But it did.
She barely touched her food, still lost in her thoughts, wondering what it meant for her and her career after her contract with Lucas ends. She looked up at him as he ate calmly, unfazed by the chaos, and some weird suspicions started to fill her mind.
'Did he leak the photo? Trying to jeopardize my career so that I have nowhere to go but stay with him?'
It was not impossible, and that was what bothered her most.
His phone also buzzed constantly and as much as he tried to keep his calm, Claire could see he was getting frustrated.
"I need to step out for a while," he finally said, getting up.
"Where are you going?" Claire asked, watching him fix his jacket as he prepared to leave.
"I'll be back soon," he simply replied, and with that, along with some of his men, he walked out.
And true to his word, he returned soon after. Claire was already going through some lines with Natalia in the hall downstairs when they noticed him come in. He simply walked past them, heading upstairs without saying a word. Claire dropped everything and followed him.
"Where did you go?" she asked as he shrugged off his jacket and took off his accessories.
"It's all handled. All the blogs have taken down the picture," Lucas replied, pulling out his phone to show her. "See? It's gone. No need to worry."
"Wow… how did you do that?" Was all Claire could say.
"Don't worry about it love," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Now, go on, go continue with your prep. We leave for Paris tomorrow. Big day ahead."
She nodded and turned to leave, but just as she was about to step out, her phone buzzed again. Claire glanced down at the screen and froze. And for a solid ten seconds, she couldn't believe what her eyes were seeing.
It was a text from… Craig.
'What. The. Fuck.'