Chapter 145

Serena's POV

I handed Lucas my car keys. His fingers lingered for a fraction of a second longer than necessary. I watched as he circled around to the driver's side, his movements precise and deliberate.

I slid into the passenger seat, though my mind was already racing ahead to my 8:30 AM meeting. The StarRiver Group's latest procurement bid couldn't afford any mistakes.

The engine purred to life, and we pulled away from the hospital in silence. The streets were eerily empty at this hour, the usual cacophony of horns and sirens replaced by the soft whir of tires on asphalt.

I glanced at the dashboard clock: 3:52 AM. My fingers unconsciously drummed against my thigh as I calculated the remaining hours until my alarm would sound. Three hours and eighteen minutes, assuming we wrapped this up quickly.

"Lucas," I finally broke the silence, my voice sounding unexpectedly loud in the confined space. "Whatever you need to say, you can say it now."

He remained focused on the road ahead, his gray eyes reflecting the passing streetlights. His hands gripped the steering wheel slightly tighter. But still, no response.

"I have an important meeting first thing tomorrow morning," I tried again, unable to completely mask the edge of frustration in my voice. The digital numbers on the dashboard seemed to mock me as they ticked forward another minute.

"I know," he replied, his deep voice carrying that characteristic calm that usually steadied me but now only served to heighten my agitation. Two words, then back to silence.

I watched his profile in the alternating patterns of light and shadow as we wound through the sleeping city. The strong line of his jaw was set in that particular way that meant he was working through something in his methodical fashion. Under different circumstances, I might have found it endearing. Right now, it was maddening.

The familiar entrance to Tribeca Towers' underground parking appeared ahead, Lucas smoothly guided the car down the ramp.

He pulled into my spot, the engine's quiet rumble echoing slightly in the enclosed space before he cut it off. The sudden silence felt heavy, expectant.

I didn't move to get out of the car. Neither did he. The air between us seemed to thicken with unspoken words.

"Say it," I said finally, my voice quiet but firm. I turned to face him fully, taking in the tension in his shoulder.

He finally turned to meet my gaze. His expression held that particular mix of determination and hesitation.

"It's late," he said quietly. "We should get some rest. We can talk tomorrow."

A sharp laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "I don't see why we need to drag this out." I kept my voice steady. "Let's end this cleanly. I'm too busy to deal with ambiguity. I handled things with Ian efficiently enough, didn't I?"

The mention of Ian Whitmore made something flicker in Lucas's eyes.

"The engagement to Rachel..." He paused, his fingers tightening almost imperceptibly on the steering wheel. "I had no idea. Grandfather announced it without my knowledge."

"I know," I cut him off cleanly. "Eleanor told me everything." He didn't seem surprised by the answer. "She told me how Howard made the announcement, how they took your phone, kept you under surveillance."

The low hum of the garage ventilation system filled the silence between us. A car alarm echoed distantly from somewhere above, the sound bouncing off concrete walls before fading away.

"Give me six months," Lucas said finally, his voice carrying that quiet intensity that had once made my heart skip. Now it just made me tired. "I'll handle this."

"And then what?" I turned in my seat to face him fully. "Another surprise engagement? Another family obligation you can't refuse?"

"That won't happen."

"How can you guarantee that?" The words came out sharp, precise. "Howard can strip away your freedom and cut off all your connections in an instant. He's already proven that. How can I trust you'll be able to stand up to him in six months when you couldn't do it today?"

I watched as he absorbed the blow, noting the subtle tightening of his jaw, the way his shoulders tensed.

"Serena." The way he said my name still held that note of intimacy. "I know I'm asking a lot-"

"No," I interrupted. "You're asking for blind faith, and I don't have any left to give. Let's be clear, I don't trust you."

The words fell between us like stones, heavy and final. I saw them land, saw the impact in the slight flinch he couldn't quite suppress.

"I trusted Ian once," I continued, my voice softening slightly despite my best efforts. "I believed in promises and potential and all those pretty words about love conquering all. You know how that ended." I reached for my purse, needing suddenly to be out of this car, away from the weight of his gaze. "I won't make the same mistake twice."

"This isn't the same situation," Lucas said, an edge of frustration finally breaking through his careful control. "I'm not Ian."

"No, you're not," I agreed, my hand finding the door handle. "You're arguably in an even worse position. At least Ian only had to answer to himself. You?" I pushed the door open, letting the garage's cold air rush in. "You have generations of Harrington expectations weighing you down. And I've seen exactly how much those weigh."