Chapter Nine

I had to be hallucinating, or maybe someone had fucked with a Time Turner and changed the timeline irreparably.

Lucius Malfoy had his hair in a bun and he was sweaty. My alarm spell had woken me up a few minutes before and I had laid in the bed lazily until the bedroom door opened and Lucius walked through wearing shorts, short shorts, and a t-shirt and sneakers. I watched him as he made his way to the bathroom, blinking sleep from my eyes, and then when the candles in the bathroom flared to life at his presence, I saw the sweat on his arms and where his shirt had stuck to his back.

"Did you wake up and go running?" I croaked, propping myself up on my elbow and staring at him.

"Good morning, Olivia." Lucius said as he leaned against the bathroom door frame, hands in his shorts pockets, and my eyes couldn't help but focus on the fairly prominent bulge in front.

Oh, right. "Yes, good morning. Are you wearing hoochie daddy shorts?" I could not move past what I was seeing.

"What?" Lucius barked out a laugh, and I was jolted with surprise again.

"I must have a fever. I think I'm hallucinating." I said as I sat up fully and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, rubbed my eyes, and then grabbed my wand to light more candles to illuminate the room. I needed to see this with more lighting.

I wasn't hallucinating. He was actually standing there sweaty and in shorts and a t-shirt with his hair in a bun. And he looked delectable. I would not have thought that Lucius could pull off a bun, but he did, and he did it well.

"What are hoochie daddy shorts?" The way Lucius said 'hoochie daddy' had the same tone I'd imagine him using when referencing a rat.

"They're like… like short shorts that guys wear when they want to, you know, accent their…" I gestured at his crotch and blushed.

Lucius looked down and then back at me. "I believe these are an acceptable length to run in, as I have been doing so for years."

"Oh I'm not saying they're unacceptable. I was just surprised." I said quickly. "Do you run every morning?"

"Mostly. Draco joins me occasionally as well."

"Father son bonding time." I said in amazement. Lucius Malfoy was an actual human being and it was insane.

He stalked toward me slowly, and yes, Lucius still seemed to be able to stalk just fine in his current attire. I couldn't wipe the smile from my face but I did swallow a little nervously – maybe he didn't appreciate the teasing that much.

"Careful, Olivia, or I shall have you up at five in the morning to go running with me. I feel that would be a decidedly less fun punishment for you than a spanking." Lucius wrapped his hands around the back of my knees and pulled me forward a little as he stepped in between my legs. The nightie rode up thighs and Lucius chased the fabric with his fingers causing my breath to hitch.

"I'm sorry, I'm just having a hard time processing the fact that you're actually human. It's just so… weird."

"You did not think I was human?"

"Honestly, it's kind of like I expected that you just sat around in a full suit every day, Muggleborns at your feet, house-elves bringing you caviar…" I shrugged.

"I have no Muggleborns to sit at my feet; the position is open if you would like to apply."

Lucius' fingers were still gliding along my skin, gooseflesh occurring along wherever he touched. I shifted closer to him and ground against him as heat pooled between my legs. He was close to me and I smelled his cologne mixed with the musk of his sweat.

"And what would I do at your feet?" I asked, my voice coming out a whisper as I stared up at him.

He smiled and said, "You can use your imagination today and tell me what you come up with." He slapped my thigh lightly. "Go get ready for work so that you have enough time for breakfast."

I whined as he stepped away. He was going to make me spontaneously combust. Lucius paused in the doorway to the bathroom and looked back at me pointedly until I stood, grabbed my wand, and went into my room. I went through my morning routine and spelled the notebook to be readable by only Lucius and myself before putting it in my work bag.

Lucius looked up at me from his seat at the table when I entered the dining room. I had settled on simple black slacks and a silk blue blouse with silver hoop earrings and a matching silver watch. He was dressed in his customary suit, though he had his jacket on the back of his chair and his shirt sleeves rolled up. He glanced at his watch.

"It's only seven-thirty. That's plenty of time to eat and get to the Ministry by eight." I huffed as I sat down, my bag falling to the floor.

I was pleased to see a coffee carafe sitting on the table and I smiled as I poured a cup and added plenty of sugar and a little cream. I made a bowl of porridge and tucked in.

"I have made arrangements for you, and whomever you would like to accompany you, to a spa in Diagon Alley next Friday. We will stay here Saturday night after the wedding and then I have secured us a portkey to the Turks and Caicos that leaves Sunday morning." Lucius said, sipping his tea.

"Right. I guess I'll have to take time off for that." I reasoned with a sigh. I was so conflicted – one of the main boundaries that I set with my parents was that I stopped taking their money because I hated owing them and being controlled by the money. So it would stand to reason that if I quit my job and lived off Lucius' money while I went for my Mastery, then he would control me because of that. But really, he was already in control because I didn't have a choice but to marry him… and that meant that his money was my money, right?

"You need not agonize over the decision to quit, you know. I will happily pen your resignation letter and send it to Artemis Wright immediately."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you going to tell me why you hate Artemis so much?"

"Artemis Wright behaves as if he is morally superior to every other Pureblood when in reality he is just as bad as the rest of us, if not for different reasons."

"Hmm." I nodded. "So it's a dick measuring contest."

The corners of Lucius' mouth twitched. "If you must put it so crassly, yes. Though it is not much of a contest."

I smiled, remembering the shorts he was wearing earlier. "Can't wait to see it."

He huffed a laugh and shook his head. It took me a moment for his words from earlier to settle in.

"Wait, did you say Turks and Caicos?"

"Yes. The Malfoys own a small island there and I have arranged for the house to be opened and prepared. We will return here the following Saturday, as that night we will be attending a benefit gala at Hogwarts."

"Of course the Malfoys own an island in the Turks and Caicos." I laughed, and then I gasped. "Oh my god, does that mean I get to see you put on suncream?"

"What is suncream?" Lucius asked curiously.

"It's like a lotion that you put on your skin to protect it from getting burned. It's usually white and sticky."

Lucius quirked an eyebrow at me and I rolled my eyes again at the innuendo.

"No, I do not wear suncream. I am a wizard; I use a protection charm for my skin."

"Well that just sucks the fun right out of it." I said grumpily as I ate some of my porridge. I was momentarily appeased by the thought of him in a bathing suit though, and that helped a little.

I finished my breakfast and stood before slinging my bag onto my shoulder.

"Have a good day, doing whatever it is you do, I suppose." I said with a shrug.

Lucius tapped his cheek twice with a finger and I stepped forward and kissed him. He grabbed my arm and pulled me closer as I moved to step away and kissed me soundly on the lips before releasing me.

"I have a lunch planned with Yaxley today, but I shall stop by after."

"Why, will you miss me?" I teased.

He tilted his head to the side pensively and nodded once. "I do believe I will."

I laughed a little uneasily, because I was afraid I felt the same way.

It was nearing eleven o'clock when I finally saw Artemis. He came into my office and stood in front of my desk, glaring at me.

"What do you think you are doing?"

I looked up at him in surprise. I was currently editing a version of the Reparations Act, and I was about to tell him that when he continued.

"You let Lucius Malfoy treat you like a whore in public, and then you show up here and act like nothing happened?" Artemis was shouting now. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Have you lost your mind?"

I gaped at him in shock before standing up instinctively.

"What the fuck are you talking about? And what is wrong with me? What's wrong with you? You could have told me that this was happening! You could have given me time to run! How long have you known that they were going to pass the law?" He didn't answer me. "How long, Artemis?!"

"A little over a year." He said through gritted teeth, and my mouth dropped open.

"A year!" I screeched, throwing my hands up. "You kept this from me for a year? Did you know that Lucius has some sort of wild theory that you're in love with me? If that's true, why didn't you tell me?"

His face paled and I knew in that moment that Lucius was right.

I covered my mouth with my hand, tears pricking my eyes. "Oh my god, he's right. If you cared about me, why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you warn me?"

I watched his fists clench and he started pacing in front of me. "Because I was supposed to be your match. Belinda promised me that you would be mine, and then Lucius fucking Malfoy got wind that you were Thaddeus Campbell's daughter and that he was rumored to be the next Muggle Prime Minister and he stepped in."

My temper flared. "I was supposed to be yours? I am not some object to be fucking bought and owned!" I screamed, picking up another inkwell and shattering it against the wall.

Artemis chuckled darkly as he paused and looked over at me. "Oh really? You could've fooled me. You certainly didn't look like you had any trouble taking Lucius' money on Saturday night. And those hickeys he left on you certainly looked like a mark of ownership to me. It didn't take him long to get you to spread your legs, did it?"

"You can go to hell, Artemis Wright." I said quietly as I grabbed my bag and cloak. "I quit."

Artemis grabbed my arm as I pushed past him, squeezing so hard I cried out.

"That's right – run back to Malfoy Manor and get on your knees for Lucius. Maybe you'll earn a new necklace."

And I punched him. I don't know what came over me, as I had never hit another human being in my life, but my fingers clenched into a fist and I slammed it into his face before I knew it. Fuck my hand hurt when I did that! He cried out in pain and released me and I fled into the hallway, stopping at the crowed that had gathered. Of course – the door had been open. I ducked my head and shoved my way through the gathered people, practically running to the elevators and through the atrium to a Floo. I stumbled out into the drawing room but refused to cry until I was in my room. I dropped my bag and cloak on the floor before crawling into bed and dissolving into sobs. Almost as if he knew something was wrong, Loki came running through the ajar bedroom door and vaulted into the bed beside me, snuggling into the crook of my neck.