Bella's POV
Penny shot me a concerned look, but when she noticed my calm expression—completely unruffled by the gossip swirling around us—I caught the flash of respect in her eyes.
The chatter around us suddenly died. Everyone froze, their attention pulled to the tall, lean figure commanding the front of the room.
He was dressed in deep purple, his striking features as cold and remote as always—which only made his aristocratic presence more magnetic. Gone was the cocky young man from before; now he radiated a controlled confidence that was dangerously attractive.
My mind drifted back against my will. When I'd first stumbled into Valeridge City, I'd been clueless about everything. They'd mocked me, shoved me around, left me sprawled in the dirt while horses trampled past. Lucius had been the one to save me.
I could still picture that moment perfectly: Lucius towering above me on his horse, leaning down to offer his hand with the grace of moonlight on water. "Tears again?"
