Craved him

"Bella please... I have to go for an important meeting." He held her hands, almost pleading her, who stood in front of him.

"You already don't look fine. Take some rest at home," she murmured, her eyes flicking over the bruises. "And I don't think you should leave for the office now."

Her voice sounded soft but her expression was tight with concern.

Lucas let out a soft sigh. "I really have some urgent work, Bella." He reached for her wrist, squeezing it gently. "And that's why I have to reach there soon."

She didn't fully believe him—but the tenderness in his touch and the fatigue in his eyes made her hesitate to press further. Instead, she nodded slowly and stood. "At least let me make you coffee before you go."

A small smile tugged at his lips. "I won't say no to that."

A short while later, he was ready to leave. "Be careful, okay?" She said, her eyes lingering on him as he put on his jacket.

"I always am," he said, kissing her forehead. "And Rachel?"

"She's still sleeping. Don't worry, I'll walk her to the school."

Lucas gave her one last lingering glance before stepping out into the early dawn light.

__________________________________

Lucas leaned back in his seat, jaw tight as the city blurred past the tinted windows. He tapped once against the back of the driver's seat.

"Warehouse. And no contact unless I call."

"Yes, sir."

Inside, the silence buzzed louder than any conversation. His mind raced—not with guilt over lying to Bella, but with the growing concern over how close someone had gotten. This wasn't a simple scare tactic. Someone wanted to confirm something, and that meant someone knew too much.

Lucas entered the dimly lit hideout, where the man from the port was now tied securely to a steel chair. He was conscious now, eyes wary as Lucas approached. A bruise bloomed over his cheek, a cut above his brow still sluggishly bleeding. Renato stood nearby, arms folded. Mark sat on a crate, looking grim.

"He's been quiet," Renato said. "Too quiet."

Lucas pulled off his jacket, the soreness in his arm from the punch at the docks flaring briefly. He walked up to the man, crouched in front of him, and spoke calmly.

"You were ready to disappear. Someone gave you enough reason to run. I want a name."

The man laughed, but it came out as a wheeze. "You think you scare me?"

"No," Lucas replied coolly, standing. "But pain does."

Mark stepped forward and delivered a hard punch to the man's stomach. He choked, body jerking against the restraints.

Lucas leaned in close again. "Who sent you? Who else knows where I live?"

The man coughed, then hissed, "Only one other man knew. Sergiy. Said he was hired for intel. Said he wanted to confirm if the king really had a queen now."

Lucas's eyes darkened.

"Where is he?"

"Heading to the docks. Ferry leaves for Russia at eight."

Lucas stood straight. "Get the car. We leave in ten."

The house felt different without Lucas in it. Bella stood at the kitchen counter, pouring milk into Rachel's cereal bowl, her fingers moving out of habit, but her mind trailing back to the early morning. To the way Lucas had kissed her forehead softly but avoided eye contact when he said he was going to the office. She hadn't asked questions—not after the way his face looked, bruised and tense. But the doubt had settled in like fog, quiet and clinging.

"Mommy," Rachel yawned, rubbing her eyes as she walked into the kitchen in her soft pink hoodie, dragging her tiny schoolbag behind her. "Is Dada gone?"

Bella blinked and smiled, pulling out a chair for her. "Yes, baby. He had to leave early for some work. But he told me to tell you he'll miss you."

Rachel grinned sleepily and started on her cereal. "He always misses me," she said between bites.

Bella let out a soft laugh, brushing her daughter's hair back. "That's true."

But her eyes drifted back to the front door, her smile faltering.

The morning sun had begun to warm the pavement, and kids were already filling the school courtyard. Bella held Rachel's hand as they approached the entrance, her pace slow.

"Mommy," Rachel said suddenly, tilting her head up, "why do you look sad?"

Bella looked down quickly, startled by how perceptive her daughter could be. "I'm not sad, sweetheart. Just sleepy, maybe."

"You didn't sleep well?" Rachel asked, frowning.

Bella shook her head and crouched down to zip up her jacket. "I'm just worried about your Dada, that's all. He left early today."

Rachel tilted her head again, giving her mom the same stern look Lucas did when he was suspicious. "You like hugging him when you sleep, right?"

Bella's eyes widened slightly, then she chuckled. "You're becoming too smart for your age."

Rachel gave a proud little smile. "You always hug him when you sleep. I saw it."

Bella kissed her cheek. "Alright, Miss Detective. Go on now."

After dropping off her daughter Bella walked back inside to silence. No little feet running around. No sound of Lucas in the shower or working on his laptop.

She sighed and leaned against the door, glancing around the living room. His cologne still lingered faintly in the air near the bedroom. A strange sense of restlessness crawled under her skin.

Not worry. Not yet. But something… uneasy.

She made herself a cup of tea and walked to the window, staring out at the quiet street, sipping slowly. The guards were still in position, pretending to be just ordinary men walking the sidewalk, unknown to the lady herself.

Bella sat on the edge of the couch, half her tea forgotten on the side table. Her phone was in her hand, screen glowing softly as her thumb hovered over the message app. She hadn't planned on texting him. She had told herself she wouldn't.

But her fingers moved before her mind could argue.

Bella: Did you reach the office okay?

She stared at the message after sending it, unsure why her chest felt tight. It wasn't like Lucas to leave without a proper goodbye, even if he'd kissed her forehead. That look in his eyes… she couldn't forget it.

She exhaled, leaning her head back on the sofa.

'What is wrong with me today?' she thought, then huffed a quiet laugh. "I'm acting like a clingy girlfriend," she mumbled.

Her stomach rumbled suddenly. And just like that, a new thought slid into her mind—ice cream. The vanilla and fudge swirl she'd stashed in the freezer last week. She shuffled over and opened the freezer door, only to find one sad half-scoop left in the tub.

"No. No, no," she groaned. "Betrayed by my own cravings."

Her craving refused to be ignored, so she grabbed her coat and bag, still barefoot, before slipping into flats and brushing her hair into a lazy ponytail.

She scribbled a quick note and stuck it on the fridge—for Lucas, in case he returned: Went out for a quick groceries + ice cream rescue mission.

The late morning was comfortably bright, the breeze warm against Bella's cheeks as she walked down the pavement, list in hand.

Unbeknownst to her, across the street, a man in a brown jacket leaned casually against a lamppost, following her pace with an expert eye. Another lingered near the corner store, pretending to scroll on his phone. To any passerby, they were invisible—normal.

But these were two of Lucas's most trusted guards.

She passed a fruit stall and smiled at the vendor before slipping into the mini-market. The air-conditioned chill hit her skin instantly.

As she browsed, selecting some strawberries, yogurt, and finally a pair of her favorite ice cream tubs, a part of her wondered again why she'd texted Lucas.

It wasn't like her. She'd always been independent—fiercely so. But something about the way he left that morning, something in the silence he left behind, made her feel oddly… untethered.

Like craving ice cream and not knowing why, she just missed him. Craved him.

Not just his touch or presence—but that quiet sense of calm he gave her without even trying.

She made her way to the checkout, still oblivious to the way the two men outside subtly adjusted their positions to ensure she remained always in sight—one casually entering the shop just as she stepped out, the other shadowing her route back home.

Bella, happily humming to herself and hugging the ice cream bag close, had no idea she was being watched this closely.

All she knew was that once she reached home, she was going to curl up on the couch with a spoon and pretend she didn't check her phone every three minutes for a reply from the man who told her he was going to work.