Chapter 116 Close
"Make sure the surveillance is online, we don't want any break ins...!", A voice said from one of the vans as the men made sure a repeat of what happened earlier wouldn't happen again.
The air was simply thick with tension as Isabella stood by the window.
He always liked views, Isabella thought to herself as she watched the sun dip below the horizon.
There, she wondered how many houses the man had. That will be the third she knew about.
A few minutes before, she had followed closely behind Luciano as he led them here...
Here, a room she presumed had been prepared for their arrival.
There was a crib in the room, the simple action surprised her more than she'd like to admit.
And then, he left immediately after, saying he had to get to something.
Slightly dehydrated, Isabella walked around the room, finally stopping right in front of the window as she heard the men scrambling to tighten the security.
The air was thick with tension, however, she wasn't sure why it loomed.
She could hear the men from a distance.
Weren't they far too much for just two individuals, she thought.
They must have quadrupled in number from when they drove in.
How would I possibly call for even water, she thought as she remembered how the past few hours had been a whirlwind.
She simply intended to get decorations for her baby's birthday.
Their baby.
The soft click of the door, accompanied with his signature scent alerted Isabella of Luciano's presence, she turned to see the man she once feared.
Like she had done earlier in her apartment, he had gone to peel off the layers of clothes he was wearing.
"The food will come in shortly!", He said as he closed the door behind him.
"Thank you!", Isabella simply said as she went back to looking at the view.
"I like what you did with your hair, although I would have preferred it long. Afterall...!", Luciano drawled as Isabella interrupted him.
"Afterall, you should give me an explanation!", Isabella said as she turned.
She didn't feel like he had a right to make decisions about her hair.
Her backside resting on the window sill, she crossed her arms, a subtle shield against the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
"Yes you do!", Luciano answered as he walked towards the crib Sophia slept in.
"I searched for a while, you know!", he continued.
"I'm aware, you already told me that!", Isabella snapped.
Then, he turned and Isabella finally saw it.
His usually stern face etched with a vulnerability she had seen when she first saw him.
He didn't mean what he...
Her thoughts were interrupted by Luciano's words.
"I have come to love you, and I guess I have to share that love with our daughter!", he said.
His green eyes stared into her soul, and Isabella couldn't tell why he wasn't lying.
Still stunned with his sentence, Isabella remained in the position by the window, staring back at him as he stood by their daughter's crib.
"No you don't...
If you did, you wouldn't have...
That night in your room!", Isabella reminded, instantly remembering the pain, how insignificant she had felt and how she couldn't help but execute her escape plan.
He took a deep breath, as if gathering the courage to compile words.
This, this side of him, Isabella would have never thought she would see it.
Luciano never needed to recalibrate before speaking to anyone, he had always been the authority, but now, admitting his feelings...
He just might be saying the truth, she thought.
Isabella wasn't ready for what he had to say.
"I...
I hurt you.
I'm very aware I did that.
But I will say I don't regret it.
I don't regret creating her!", Luciano said, pointing towards the crib Sophia slept in.
Isabella focused on the flex in his wrist which were apparent as he had rolled his sleeves.
"I...
I don't know..!", Isabella stuttered, the array of emotions becoming even tasking.
"You don't necessarily have to give me a reply now.
But, like I said earlier.
People that want you and her dead are very active as of this moment.
Just let me protect you!", Luciano said.
One second, ten seconds, a whole minute.
A couple of minutes later, Isabella still hadn't said anything.
Time, Luciano thought.
Isabella needed time.
He simply approached her, enough to jolt her out of whatever trance she was in.
She raised her head, immediately standing upright as she saw Luciano got closer.
She hadn't been that close to him since that night, and she wondered why she had missed it.
He kissed her gently on her forehead as she continued to be rid with thoughts.
He walked towards the door, his black hair reflecting the rays of sun that spilled into the room...
Afterall, he seemed to be the only one in the right mind to plan a birthday party.
"What about my friends!
My work,
My life here!?!", she asked as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
"It'll be best to stay silent. No one can know you're here, or that you're safe.
We have to present the idea that you disappeared!", Luciano said.
"Okay!", Isabella simply replied.
She really didn't have it in her to argue, Not especially after the ruckus at her apartment.
"Get some rest.
You have some things in the closet, food will be here shortly!", Luciano directed before he left the room.
Isabella still had a lot of questions, a whole lot. She wanted to know about her parents...
Her family.
She wanted to know about this so-called opposition and what they wanted with her, and most of all she wanted to know more about Luciano's feelings.
Did he really love me? Isabella asked herself.
\~~~
Fear!
The fear of pain most especially was something Luciano made sure he dished out at regular intervals
However, men who would follow him until his last breath were very different from a contractor he had simply hired for a job.
Tomasso knew very well what awaited him as he switched sides.
Yet, he betrayed Luciano.
He had let Luciano's threat trigger him and he had made a very wrong decision.
One Luciano had caught on to.
Information about Isabella's whereabouts had been sold to the highest bidder.
Luciano wasn't so happy with that information.
However, it led him to a jackpot.
An opportunity like no other had presented itself.
He would finally know the identity of his biggest opposition.