****
Bella relaxed against the headrest and closed her eyes. When they left the hospital, Lucas had insisted on driving her home. And she was grateful. The soreness had begun to kick in. Bella had been fantasizing about a hot bath since they’d left the hospital. So, when Lucas pulled into the driveway, Bella got a little excited.
Lucas hopped out of the Land Rover and ran around to Bella’s side. He opened the door and carefully help her out. Bella wasn’t so fragile that she couldn’t climb out of the truck on her own, but she didn’t feel like a back and forth with Lucas. He’d already proven to be quite stubborn. He clearly wasn’t content with taking no for an answer, so Bella kept quiet and allowed him to help.
Lucas held her by the elbow from the driveway to the front door. Bella was laughing inside. The way Lucas was behaving, one would think that she had been blown up in an explosion instead of the good ole fashion beat down that she’d gotten. He was seriously overacting.
Once they were at the door, Lucas held his hand out. Confused by the gesture, Bella looked down at his hand.
“Keys. Give me your keys.”
Did Lucas actually think that Bella was too incapacitated to unlock her door? Bella shook her head and handed over her keys. “What about my car?” Bella asked. “It’s at Taylor's house.”
“I’ll get it tomorrow.”
Lucas unlocked and opened the front door and ushered Bella inside. Once he closed and locked the door, he grabbed Bella by the shoulders and position her against the wall.
“Stay here. I’m gonna check things out.”
“What?” Bella asked with knitted brows.
“Bella, a professional assassin just tried to kill you and your friends. Who’s to say that she didn’t come back.”
“Actually, she went after Taylor, not me,” Bella pointed out.
“Yeah, well, now,you’reon her radar. I’m gonna check the house.”
He had a point. Bella nodded her head and allowed him to proceed. Since she was the one with the gun, she would think that he’d allow her to search with him, but Lucas just wasn’t the type. She’d been kicking ass and getting her ass kicked for years, but to him, she was just another fragile woman in need of his protection.
If Bella actually thought that the woman was in her house, nothing would’ve kept her from accompanying Lucas. But there was no doubt in Bella’s mind that, after the whipping Victoria had put on her, she needed some recovery time.
“All clear,” Lucas confirmed when he re-entered the living room.
Bella pushed off the wall and walked into the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of white wine from the fridge and two glasses from the cabinet.
“Wine?” she offered.
“Please. Thank you.”
Lately, Bella found herself consuming more alcohol than usual. Lucas slipped out of his suit jacket and placed it on the back of the dining room chair. He rolled up his sleeves and leaned over on the island.
“Maybe you should take some time off,” Lucas suggested.
Bella poured wine into both glasses and handed one to Lucas. Her aching muscles told her that Lucas was right. “Yeah, I’m gonna take off for a few days.”
Lucas made a face that indicated that he was surprised by her compliance. “Really?’
“Yeah. What?”
Lucas shrugged and raised the glass to his sexy lips. As he sipped, Bella replayed memories of the way those lips worshiped her entire body the night before.
“I’m just surprised is all. You seem like one of those people who would go to work with a neck brace on.”
Bella laughed. She took a sip from her wine glass and said, “I’m full of surprises, Mr. Creed.”
“I see.”
Bella raised her glass, emptying the contents. Lucas gave her a strange look when she refilled it. “But I do need to talk to Rosemary tomorrow. How are you two getting along?”
