XXVI

His office was the modern kind with a whole wall of glass that painted a landscape of the city, his back to it as he sat on his office leather chair going through some blue prints for an upcoming big contract. He was so engrossed within his work that he barely paid mind to the woman in a tight red cocktail dress that showed off more than enough, her flaming red hair in a neat bun, the red lipstick was just about the cherry on top.

The woman was tall and an absolute beauty, that one wouldn't blame Luka for having had what he deemed a casual fling  or was it a booty call as the new generation call it.

She had a few files in her hand as she strutted her way towards his table, seeing the man preoccupied to pay her attention, she decided she would demand it in her usual way, that had Luka's heart not been elsewhere in that moment, would have worked. Alas, as she placed her long fingers, her painted red nails splaying on his crisp white shirt, she gave his shoulders a slight squeeze before gliding across his chest as she stood behind his seated form.

Although this did succeed to some extent in getting Luka's attention, it was only so he could remove her hands, before paying mind to his laptop, a sign that should have been clear to the woman that he wasn't in the mood. One she blatantly ignored as she repeated her actions only this time she leaned her head so her lips were right by his right ear, her warm breath fanning his skin, her voice was sultry, a tone that would have done the trick, however, it failed and miserably so as all it proved to do was annoy him further.

"Come on Luke, it's been days now and I need you" barely acknowledging her, he responded quite coldly

"I suggest you stop behaving like a whore and get back to the job I hired you for. Unless you no longer want it, in which case, I'll expect your resignation letter on my desk in the next minute" the words catching her off guard, she stood straight back up her hands no longer on the man and walked around, veiling the hurt on her face, she said

"Psht, whatever, when you're done with whatever phase this is, you know where to find me" she said before turning only to walk out, more sway to her hips for the man whose eyes remained on the screen before him.

He knew he should have known better than be the typical cliché to hire a hot secretary. Let alone sleep with one, yet at the time it had seemed like the woman was a seductress that just knew which buttons to push on him, until a few days ago when he realised just how miniscule the pleasure he had felt with the woman was, compared to a glimpse of what he could feel with a certain young woman that still lay in his bed back home, having claimed it as her own. At the thought of her,  his mind lost itself in a recent memory ever so vivid.

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He was pacing outside the bathroom door when he heard something tumble to the ground, cursing under his breath for having left her alone, he opened the door expecting her to be sprawled on the ground, being that she still wasn't steady on her feet. What he wasn't expecting was to find her standing before the mirror as if in a daze, the lotion bottle on the ground between her feet.

She had a towel wrapped around her body, yet enough of her skin was exposed, enough to make his problem come back a tenfold. His footing was careful, until he stood behind her, and looked into the mirror only for his heart to tug a little by the tears that were welling up in her eyes. Her skin was soft beneath his touch as he placed his hand on her shoulder to announce his presence, to which she blinked and her eyes met his greys, through their reflection.

"Care to tell me what's wrong, piccola?" his tone was nothing but soft and caring, a warm cocoon wrapping around her heart.

She shook her head at him, before her gaze returned to the ground. He placed another hand beneath her chin only to lift her face up. Looking in the mirror, he thought he had a clue as to what was wrong. Leaning down so that his lips teased the skin on her ears, he said

"Don't lie to me, Bella" his tone stern, and something in her eyes changed as she met his, head on. She opened her lips as if to say something, only to close them again, and oh how he wanted to her say something, anything rather than her expressions and silence.

She took the hand he had on her shoulder, and placed it on her stomach, right below her bellybutton, and he couldn't help but think. Why the hell was she tempting him like that. His eyes shot to hers in question, only to be met with glassy eyes and a needy expression, he thought for a second that perhaps he was dreaming, except he wasn't, he simply couldn't believe it.

Despite wanting nothing more than to bend her over and give it to her like a needy little brat she was acting like, he also knew that he didn't want to take advantage of her vulnerable state.

"Bella" he said under his breath preparing to move away, except seeing his intentions, she held on tight to his forearm simply to keep it in place, her eyes just about pleading.

He was certain he wouldn't break until her towel dropped to the floor, and she took control of his hand as if deciding to pleasure herself, except with his hand, for she glided it till she dipped it down below her, and when she placed his palm against her dripping womanhood, he groaned, grey eyes darkening, they clashed with hers.

"So this is what you want then huh?" he rasped out cupping her, and she just about shivered with a nod. And he let out a heated chuckle

"I didn't think you to be so needy baby girl" he whispered near her ear only to nip at the tip of it, causing her to let out a whimper when his fingers glided between her valleys and she felt like smooth silk on his fingers, soft, so much so he wondered just how she would feel against his lips.

Having given her what she wanted, he had later locked himself in a guestroom only to take a cold shower that ceased to help when the image of her coming apart before him, had had him rock hard. He had felt little shame when he was done taking care of himself, having reached higher heights at the mere thought of her. Having felt like he had behaved like a teenage boy who couldn't control his hormones 

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Either way,  sitting in his office chair, he felt himself stir at the mere memory of her and he wandered how explosive, how atomic it would be with him nestled between her thighs that were now supple, with her writhing and her pretty long nails just about drawing a map on his back of all the pleasurable heights he would take her to, scars that would tell stories of just how much she loved having him rip her apart.

"Oh, I know that look, and seeing that my step sis is looking quite miffed outside, I'd say you've found yourself a new toy" the man's words brought Luka from his thoughts, only his face turned cold and his voice just as chill, he snapped

"Don't talk about her that way, Brandon, unless you want a bullet between your eyes" the man all but shocked by his friend's reaction, he raised his hands in a sign of surrender, only to smirk.

"I see, can't wait to meet her, if she already has you so wildly wrapped around her finger" a chuckle with his words, he took a seat. Although Luka slightly relaxed, he leaned against his chair, and questioned

"What do you want?"

"No need to be snappy man. I came here to tell you about Maxwell's company shares" the brown curly haired, blue eyed man informed, relaxing in his own chair. Luka's eyebrow quirked up

"And?"

"They decreased as you had predicted, if not lower than that. Your hundred mill is now half that" Luka smirked then, knowing fully well why people were shying away from jumping on a ship people were abandoning.

When he had heard of Maxwell's demise, his only decent competition, although he was slightly annoyed with loosing just about the only person that had ever presented a real challenge for him, he was glad, not because he would no longer have such a formidable opponent, but for he would now earn yet another company he would start from scratch only to rebuild it clean and grand as he had his first, with no ties to dirty bloody money and all the underworld had to offer.

He loved the tech industry after all, a mere bonus. He knew that considering the discoveries on how Maxwell had used the company for illegal business, with the loss of clientele, it would be enough to dissuade people from buying it, for no one with a clear head wanted their business to be associated with that kind of publicity. However, He knew that he would do with it.

He had to admit though, that the man's death had come as a shock to just about everyone, himself included, considering just how careful the man was, being in the underworld, obviously he must have had security with him at all times. What was most surprising was that the killer was yet to be found, it seemed the person had simply vanished off of the face of the earth. That had him curious, wondering just which enemy had taken him out, although none of his rivals had come forth with a confession.

Which he didn't understand, for certain people gloated about these kinds of things when it comes to the mafia world, except this killer wasn't gloating, which led him to think that perhaps whoever did it was a hired assassin, which rose more questions than not. For all of them had been glad when the big Assassination Headquarters had been taken out, for the best were out of the picture, and the rest would be easier to deal with, should they have the guts to try considering their big guns had so easily been taken out.

"I take it you're more than pleased then" Brandon stated, Luka nodded

"You know what to do" he simply said before grabbing a clear note paper and wrote a name on it before handing it to the man before him.

"The company should be under that name" he said, not bothering to explain seeing Brandon's confused expression, only to add and most seriously

"No one should know of this. And I mean, No One" he emphasised his words to stretch just how serious it was, and Brandon gave him an understanding nod.

"Got it" nodding himself, Luka dismissed him.

"Now, get out" Brandon more amused than offended, quite used to his friend's behaviour, he rose from his seat, and right before he closed the door, he said

"Have fun day dreaming, boss" Seeing Luka's glare, he simply closed the door with a chuckle.

On the other hand, Bella sat on one of the couches in Luka's room, staring at the food before her on the rectangular brown table. Contemplating just when it was she would be allowed to eat her ice cream again. Feeling much better than she had in the past week, she now had enough fat on her bones and she thought of joining the gym again, so that she could strengthen her mobility and muscles, perhaps get her old body back, along with the stealth, for the lethargic way she moved at the moment wasn't at all pleasing to her.

"Aren't you hungry dear?" she heard Greta question as the old woman walked in with a bundle of freshly cleaned towels and making her way to the bathroom. The old woman returned and took a seat before the young woman and took her in. Bella simply shrugged in response, and Greta simply nodded before pouring the chamomile tea for the both of them. Her cup in hand, she started, surprising Bella with her words

"You know; I think I'm starting to understand his fascination with you" she said taking a sip from her cup. Furrowing her brows, Bella gave her a questioning look

"Well, for starters now that you've filled up those hollowed cheeks, you're quite beautiful, and I think you remind him of someone" she said. Her words confused Bella more than offend her, wondering just who she could possibly remind the man of, seeing this, Greta continued

"From what he once told me, the girl had the same black eyes, and beautiful chocolate brown hair, just about reason why he always had something chocolate for dessert. He said she was adorable and sweet, and her smile beamed like the sun. His Sunshine, he called her. Of course he was simply twelve at the time, but the way he had raved on about her, I would have thought him in love. Sadly, I never got to meet the girl. But I figure you fit the description" the old woman said with a far off look and a sweet tone, as she reminisced on the old memory, oblivious to the inner turmoil that was wreaking havoc inside Bella. Taking the young woman's silence as a sign for her to continue, she did, however, instead of a sweet smile on her face, it faded into a sad expression.

"He would make sure that when he left with his father, knowing they were headed where she lived, he would sneak a sunflower, plucked from his mother's garden, heavens rest her soul, just for her. The visits had stopped later that year, and although he had wanted nothing more than to take her out of that house, he could do nothing since he was but a boy." Clutching her cup at the memory, a single tear gliding on her aged cheeks she said

"A few years later, he somehow found out about a certain house fire. He had cried all night that day, as he had for his mother. The news had broken his heart again and it had turned him something cold. But now, the fact that you're here, it means something" she added, smiling at the last words with hope, finally looking at the young woman before her, only to gasp in question.

"Oh dear, I know it's sad but you don't need to cry" the old woman sat her cup on the table, she stood up to console Bella for she was nothing but bowl of sobs.