Lucas – 15. chapter

He found himself standing directly in front of Lucia, and her face told him everything. That she had heard what he said. That she had figured out he was behind all the canceled meetings with colleagues that had been happening lately. That he had been trying to control her life behind her back. That she was furious. That the amount of time she would need to calm down was longer than a human lifetime. That she would never forgive him. And that whatever chances he had of ever winning her had just vanished for good.

She stared at him with the expression of a goddess of vengeance for a few more seconds.

Then she wound up and slapped him across the face with all her strength. Everything went silent. Lucas closed his eyes for a moment but otherwise didn’t move. Lucia spun around and stormed down the hallway, the absolute silence of nearly eight hundred employees following her, most of them frozen mid-motion.

Lucas stood perfectly still. He registered, almost in slow motion, how his cheek began to swell and burn. The entire department was waiting to see what he would do. Lucia’s steps left marks in the carpet.

He ran. He caught up with her after maybe ten meters. Still in the open space, but he didn’t care. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her back toward him. As he spun her around, he caught her other hand as well and stepped between her legs, forcing her back against the wall. He pinned her wrists to the wall with his hands and pressed his entire body against hers. She didn’t even have time to scream before he shoved his tongue into her mouth. The rough onslaught of his mouth was what finally snapped her out of the shock. She tried to bite him, but with the level of brutality he was using, he probably didn’t even notice. He ignored her resistance for almost a full minute. Only then did he slowly, reluctantly stop. He loosened his grip, stepped back, and let his arms fall to his sides. He stood there, motionless, watching as she finally caught her breath, pushed herself off the wall, and… walked away.

He didn’t turn after her. He knew that if he did, he would see her enter her office and moments later come out with a sheet of paper, then disappear around the corner with it. He turned in the opposite direction and headed for Peter’s office.

He walked in and slammed the door shut behind him.

“You’re done for the day. Put your jacket on, we’re leaving,” he told his friend.

Peter looked up from his paperwork in surprise, and when he took in Lucas as he passed behind him, his eyebrows rose even higher.

“Is that a slap?!”

Lucas pulled a bottle of whiskey from the familiar cabinet behind him and opened it.

“I’ve never gotten one like that in my life.”

He took a long swig straight from the bottle and added,

“And I’ve never deserved one more.”

Peter watched the level in the bottle drop.

“You do realize it’s ten in the morning, right?”

Lucas drilled him with a look.

“Someone already explained to me today that I’m a total asshole. Don’t pile on.”

Peter raised his hands defensively over his head and moved to the coat rack with his jacket.

“I’m using your phone,” Lucas said, already dialing the HR extension and putting the call on speaker. While it rang, he grabbed two glasses and poured whiskey into both.

“Hi, Peter, I’m listening,” a woman’s voice came through the phone.

“Good morning, this is Lucas Lamarc.”

“Good morning, sir. How can I help you?”

“Find me a new assistant as soon as possible.” He sat down. “An ugly one!” he couldn’t help adding.

Peter froze halfway into his jacket. The woman on the line hesitated.

“Yes, sir. Of course,” she said at last. Peter finished dressing and picked up a glass.

“And please,” Lucas softened his voice, “fill out a vacation request for me for today and tomorrow.”

“Certainly, sir. Will Lucka come by to sign it?”

He swallowed and cleared his throat.

“No. Lucka won’t be coming to sign it. She’s apparently not with you yet. She’ll be there any moment now.”

“…um… yes. She just arrived.”

Lucas nodded to himself.

“Do everything exactly the way she wants.”

“Yes, sir. Of course.”

“Thank you.”

He ended the call and looked at Peter.

Peter downed his glass and set it aside.

“For fuck’s sake. So you did fuck Lucia after all.”

Lucas drained his own glass and set it down.

“…you have no idea how much I wanted to. I would’ve given anything to be able to.”

Peter watched him for a moment, then nodded.

“Let’s go drink. You can tell me how you got this stylish makeup.” He laughed. “Judging by your face, that had to be one hell of a hit.”

“Oh, it was,” Lucas agreed, laughing as well as he stood up. “I’ll be feeling that one for a while.”

“You sure you don’t want to wait a bit for it to fade before you go out?”

“She fucking slapped me in Marketing. There were about a thousand people there. Trust me, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

Lucas opened the door, and Peter burst out laughing again.

“I’ve always said Lucia has style.”