Lea was taken aback by Lucian's response. He was serious? But then, she blinked, realizing that her initial reaction was a little too dramatic. She coughed, attempting to regain her composure.

"Lucian, I'm not kidding!" she said, her voice laced with a hint of playful annoyance.

She felt a surge of relief when he burst into laughter, his deep laughter filling the car. Lucian was known for his playful banter. She needed to relax.

"I don't have any problem with you, okay? Calm your nerves right now, Lea," he said, his voice softening.

"Whatever. I know you're lying," Lea mumbled, crossing her arms defiantly.

She averted her gaze, finding it easier to focus on the world outside the window than to meet his intense gaze.

"How can you say so?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.

"Your mouth can tell lies, but your eyes don't," Lea replied, keeping her gaze fixed on the passing scenery.

She knew it was a bold statement, but there was something about Lucian that made her feel brave, something about his intensity that made her want to push her limits. He was a challenge, a puzzle she couldn't resist trying to solve.

She waited, her heart pounding, for his reaction.

Silence descended upon them, a thick, uncomfortable silence that seemed to stretch on forever. Lea felt a strange mix of anticipation and anxiety. She needed to break this tension, to get a reaction from him.

"Got your tongue stuck out there?" she asked, a hint of playfulness in her voice.

"Hmm? Good choice of words," he replied, a smirk playing on his lips.

"So... you're defeated now?" she pressed, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.

Lucian chuckled, a deep, mocking chuckle that sent a shiver down Lea's spine.

"No, princess. I've never been defeated. Let's just say that I'm lying... but sometimes you also need to lie in order to wrap the painful truth."

Lea pondered his words, a frown forming on her brow. "But what if telling lies will hurt you more than saying the truth? It's just the same thing, Lucian. Lies or truth, it will still inflict suffering in any possible way it can."

Lucian fell silent, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. Lea took a deep breath, a sudden need for clarity settling in her heart.

"Stop the car," she said, her voice firm.

She couldn't bear the weight of his silence, the tension that hung heavy in the air. She needed to understand, to make sense of the conflicting emotions swirling inside her.

***

"Sabrinitea?" Lucian asked, his brow furrowed in a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

"They have the best coffee here," Lea said, her voice soft, her gaze meeting his.

Lea loved coffee shops. They were her sanctuary, her place to escape the pressures of her world. Sabrinitea was her favorite, a cozy little haven with a warm atmosphere and delicious coffee.

She and Lucian settled into a booth, their chairs facing each other. Lucian tapped his fingers rhythmically against the table, creating a steady beat that seemed to amplify the silence between them.

It was a strange contrast, seeing him in such a setting. He didn't fit the image of a prince charming, not in the traditional sense. He had a rugged quality, an intensity that set him apart.

He wasn't the gentle hero of a fairytale. He was more like the villain, the brooding anti-hero who always seemed to be on the edge of doing something reckless.

Lea found him captivating, in a way she couldn't quite explain. There was a darkness to him, a sense of danger that she couldn't help but find alluring. His eyes held a depth of emotion that she was determined to unravel.

His features weren't gentle, his jaw was sharp, and his eyes seemed to constantly challenge the world around him.

He was a man who seemed to thrive on chaos, on pushing boundaries.

He was the kind of man who would make her feel both safe and terrified, both drawn to him and repelled by his intensity.

Lea leaned back in her chair, her gaze meeting Lucian's.

"So, why did you ask me to go out with you?" she asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

She couldn't help but feel a pang of self-awareness as she spoke. Her voice, a little too high, a little too unsteady, betrayed her nervousness.

"I want to know you more, Lea," Lucian said, his gaze holding hers, his expression earnest.

Lea paused, her mind racing. It seemed like a simple answer, but there was something more to it, something hidden beneath the surface. It was like the cake she was eating. Sweet on the outside, but with a hint of bitterness that lingered on her tongue.

She took a sip of her coffee, the warmth of the drink momentarily calming her nerves.

"God, why am I so weird right now?" she thought, her inner voice a jumble of conflicting emotions.

She was so used to living in a world where everything was predictable, where every interaction followed a carefully orchestrated script. Lucian was a wildcard, a force of nature that was disrupting her carefully constructed world.

He was making her question her own rationality, pushing her to the edge of her comfort zone.

And she couldn't help but feel a strange pull towards him, an attraction that she couldn't deny.

"There's no more to know about me," Lea said, her voice tinged with a hint of defiance.

"There is... the deepest," Lucian replied, his gaze unwavering.

There was a certain intensity about him, a depth that drew her in, making her heart beat a little faster.

His face was stern, almost melancholic, when he was in repose, but when he smiled, a different side of him emerged.

It was the same face, the same long, angular features, the same widely spaced eyes, but there was a spark of something else, a glimmer of something that made her heart race.

Lea swallowed, a lump forming in her throat. She couldn't help but notice the way he bit the straw of his iced coffee, his lips curling around the plastic. She felt a strange heat rise within her.

"Oh my God! Did I dream up about my cousin?! Forgive me Lord for I have sinned!" Lea thought, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

She quickly chastised herself. Lucian was her cousin, and he was also her supposed guardian. She was having inappropriate thoughts, and if her mother ever found out, she would never hear the end of it.

"Forgive me mother for lusting my cousin. It won't happen again! Oh God, sorry!"

Lea was a mess, a whirlwind of emotions. This man, her cousin, was driving her crazy. He was temptation personified, a dangerous cocktail of charm, intensity, and a touch of recklessness.

She needed to get a grip. She needed to remember who he was, and what their relationship truly was.

Lea couldn't bear the intensity of Lucian's gaze. She quickly averted her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest.

A wave of unfamiliar emotions washed over her, a mix of excitement and apprehension. She felt a little lightheaded, her mind a whirlwind of confused thoughts.

It was like Lucian had cast an invisible spell, a spell that made her feel dizzy and disoriented. He was hypnotizing her with his intense gaze, making her lose her train of thought.

It was weird, but she was strangely drawn to it.

"I'm going crazy," she thought, a wave of panic washing over her. "This is impossible. He's my cousin, for Pete's sake!"

Lea couldn't believe she was having these thoughts. A crush? On her cousin? It was unimaginable! It was wrong!

"Ahmm..." she stammered, unable to find the right words to continue the conversation. She was completely thrown off, her mind still reeling from Lucian's intensity.

"Are you still attending classes?" Lucian asked, his voice a low rumble.

Lea couldn't think of a suitable response. "Would you want me to?" she asked, her voice a hesitant whisper.

If Lucian weren't her cousin, she would have assumed he was flirting with her.

She had experienced this type of behavior before. She knew the signs, and she wasn't one to fall easily for charm. She cared about people's feelings, but she was cautious, always keeping her guard up.

"I want a nice and smooth talk, Lucian," Lea said, her voice firm, a hint of weariness in her tone.

"I'm not assuming things because it's so wrong to view those, but will you stop talking to me that way?"

His forehead creased in a perplexed frown. "Why?"

"It's kinda flirty," Lea replied, her eyes meeting his.

"Wow. How can you tell it's flirty? It's just my normal way of talking. Is it my fault to be this fascinating?"

"You're too conceited!" Lea exclaimed, her brow arching in annoyance.

"I'm stating the fact, Lea," Lucian said, his tone nonchalant.

Lea sighed, a wave of frustration washing over her. It was impossible to have a normal conversation with this man. He was always playing a game, always pushing her buttons.

She wanted a real conversation, a conversation where she could be honest, where she could express her feelings without fear. But Lucian, with his playful banter and his relentless charm, was making it impossible.

This conversation was going nowhere. Lea's patience was wearing thin. Lucian's sarcasm and arrogance were grating on her nerves.

"Just please answer my questions appropriately," Lea said, her voice firm, a hint of exasperation in her tone.

Lucian was enjoying this, that much was clear. He was deliberately pushing her buttons, testing her limits. He seemed to think it was funny. But it wasn't!

"Is my way of talking bothering you a lot?" he asked, a playful glint in his eyes.

Lea had enough. She knew that she wasn't going to get the answers she wanted from him. He was too unpredictable, too much of a wildcard.

"Lucian, let's drop that topic, shall we?" Lea said, her voice weary.

"Alright. You might fire me with your excessive redness," Lucian replied, his smile widening.

Lea couldn't believe him. He was teasing her, insulting her, and making her feel like she was going to explode.

"You're so annoying!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushed, her palm pressed against her burning skin.

Lucian returned her glare with a playful smirk.

Lea rolled her eyes. She had never encountered anyone like him before. He was frustrating, he was infuriating, but he was also strangely captivating.