Xavier~
"I will provide you with his address, but I need to know what I will receive in return for this favor."
"Provide me with his address. I can do whatever you desire."
The scene where he flirted with Bella flashed before my eyes as I turned on the shower. How could she show such madness? I never expected her to be so reckless. Bella forbade me from being involved, even though the way he touched her in front of me made me want to tear his skin off. He had attempted to forcefully kiss her while pointing his gun at me.
I've faced situations like this many times before. This wasn't the first time a man had aimed a pistol at me, but this time, Bella was involved, and that changed everything. Observing how he was occupied with coercing her, I quickly grabbed the vase from the table and hurled it at his arm, hoping to deflect his gun. The bullet missed my leg as he squeezed the trigger in pain. I told Bella to run, but even at that moment, she was still thinking about Jordan's address.
Her lack of sense in such a dangerous situation infuriated me. How could she be so foolish? I wanted to yell at her, but I had to swallow my frustration and gently guide her out of John's room. I knew this was our last chance to get to Jordan, but risking her life wasn't worth it.
After wrapping my wound and changing into pajamas, I couldn't stop thinking about her. Could she sleep comfortably in her tight jeans and crop top? She must be uncomfortable. I opened the bathroom door and found her sound asleep on the couch.
"Why are you sleeping here, Miss Luis?" I whispered, realizing she was already in a deep sleep. As I approached her, I felt my gaze soften. Her innocent, peaceful face brought me an unexpected sense of calm. I stood there, taking in the sight for a few moments longer than I should have.
I tried to keep boundaries with her; I really did. But every time she got into trouble, I found myself losing control. I didn't even realize that I was calling her "Bella" again instead of "Miss Luis." As I watched her sleep, a strand of hair fell into her face. Without thinking, I reached to brush it aside. My fingertips barely touched her skin before I pulled away. What if she woke up and saw me watching her like this?
I brought her here to keep her safe. That was the only reason. Still, there was a tiny part of me—one I hated to admit existed—that wanted to stay close to her, to feel her calming presence.
Her phone buzzed, breaking my thoughts. It was him—her husband. I recognized his number and saved it with an emoji. Is she going to tell him she's with me? He had been calling nonstop, clearly worried. Why had she silenced her phone? Did she plan on keeping this night a secret?
I lay down on the bed at 4 a.m., still thinking about her husband. By taking the couch so I could sleep comfortably, she had shown that caring side of hers, the one she always tried to hide. I turned off the lights, but my mind raced. I didn't know when I finally drifted into sleep.
"Mr. Thompson, wake up! We need to go."
I sighed, rubbing my eyes at the sound of her voice. "Bella, please let me sleep," I muttered, turning my face the other way.
"It's time to wake up quickly; we need to leave immediately." She leaped onto my bed, shaking my shoulder gently to wake me up.
I sat up, disoriented. What is she in such a rush for? I studied her face for clues. She was wide awake, excitement brimming in her eyes.
"I've managed to reach Jordan, so it's time for us to leave."
Her enthusiasm threw me off.
"Bella, forget about meeting Jordan Lucas. After the events of yesterday, I don't want you to become involved." My voice was firm, almost pleading.
She crossed her arms defiantly.
"You can't stop me from doing my job. I'm your lawyer. We need to leave now before we lose this lead."
She acted like nothing had happened yesterday.
"Where exactly are we going?" I asked, bewildered by her confidence. How did she know where Jordan Lucas was? She had no idea who he was and hadn't even seen his face.
"I'll give you 20 minutes to get ready. If you don't join me, I'll search for him alone." She glanced at her wristwatch, not bothering to explain her actions.
I sighed. "Fine, wait for me."
There was no stopping her. I hurried to the bathroom to shower. After drying off, I realized I'd forgotten to bring clothes with me. Wrapping a towel around my waist, I stepped out, noticing her gaze flicker toward me. Her face flushed immediately, and she quickly looked away.
I thought, smiling slightly, that she was still affected by me.
I dressed quickly, catching her sneaking glances at me through the mirror.
"Miss Luis, there's still two minutes left on that clock you gave me," I teased, waving my hand in front of her face. She seemed lost in thought.
"Hmm, let's go," she muttered, grabbing her purse and avoiding eye contact.
"Where exactly are we going?" Once we were in the car, I repeated my question.
"The transport company," she said, fastening her seatbelt and giving me the address.
"What does a transport company have to do with Jordan Lucas?" I asked, trying to make sense of this sudden plan.
"I'll explain later. Just drive; we're running out of time."
I could sense her irritation growing. Whatever she had planned, she was confident this time, more than she had ever been. I started the car, still wondering what exactly she had figured out.
As we drove in the early morning silence, I glanced at her again. Her calm expression unnerved me. How had she come to this conclusion? Was this really the key to finding Jordan Lucas?