The candlelight flickered as Lucius leaned back against the couch, exhaustion evident in his posture. Rome’s games had drained him, but tonight, he did not wish to think of politics or assassins. Tonight, he needed something else.

  Livia poured wine into a bronze goblet, watching him with sharp, knowing eyes. She was more than a lover—she was a woman who understood the weight of power.

  “You look like a man who has seen too much,” she murmured, passing him the cup.

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  Lucius took a slow sip before meeting her gaze. “And yet, there is always more to see.”

  Livia smirked and settled beside him, her fingers tracing a slow path along his arm. “Then let me offer you something else to focus on.”

  Her voice was low, teasing, but there was something deeper beneath it. A silent challenge. A promise.

  Lucius exhaled, setting the goblet aside. “You always know how to distract me.”

  She shifted closer, her warmth pressing against him. “A distraction, am I?”

  He caught her wrist, pulling her fully into his lap, his grip firm but careful. “More than that.”

  Livia’s smirk softened just slightly before she leaned in, her lips grazing his in a slow, lingering kiss.

  For once, Lucius allowed himself to forget.