CHAPTER FIFTEEN
BELLA
“Son of a bitch,” Bella gritted at her disloyal ex-husband.
Dean chuckled and had the audacity to kiss her on the damn forehead. Bella had asked his ass for one thing, and that was to run interference between her and Lucas. But he couldn’t even do that. When Lucas cut them off at the path, Dean politely introduced himself as a friend of the family. Then, he actually had the nerve to tell Lucas that he’d heard wonderful things about him before excusing himself to the men’s room.
Reluctantly, Bella looked up at Lucas. No matter how sexy, the smirk on his handsome face was irritating.
“What?” Bella scoffed.
“Did you bring a bodyguard?”
Bella rolled her eyes. “I don’t need no bodyguard for you, Lucas.”
“Ha! You sure?” Lucas asked through a chuckle.
Bella opened her mouth to speak, but Lucas moved fast, closing the small distance between them. He was as close as he could be without actually touching Bella. She inhaled a sharp breath. Her heart was racing. It was her body’s normal reaction to his nearness. Bella couldn’t deny how her body responded when Lucas was close. He covered her face with his hands and ran his thumb across her cheek.
“I am going kiss you again, Bella,” Lucas rasped passionately. “Tonight,” he declared.
Bella was speechless. If there was a fight in her, it wasn’t coming out. Lucas was, for lack of a better word, compelling.
It didn’t help that Bella was running on fumes. She was working multiple homicides. And not just your everyday, run-of-the-mill homicides. The murders that she was investigating were hitting very close to home. Her friend had already been gunned down. And it was highly probable that she was still in danger.
Bella had been working overtime to find her mystery woman and bring her to justice. And, luckily, the lab was able to pull a partial print from a box of gloves that were dropped in Collier’s hospital room. Although the print wasn’t a match for anyone who was working in the hospital the night he was killed, it was still a long shot. The print could have belonged to anyone, from the manufacturers to distributors. What Bella needed to go forward was a positive match.
“Bella?”
Bella blinked out of her work haze and focused on Lucas’ hypnotic green eyes. “Huh? What?”
“Are you okay? Where were you?” he asked with concern etched on his face.
“Oh, I’m good. Just…well, work shit,” Bella admitted truthfully.
Lucas nodded as if he understood. He gripped Bella’s wrist. “Come with me. Let’s get you a drink.”
Bella nodded. She wasn’t much of a drinker, but she needed something to take the edge off. She looked back at Taylor as she allowed Lucas to lead her to the bar. Bella's eyes rolled involuntarily when she saw Victoria sitting next to her. But it wasn’t Victoria’s presence that concerned her as much as the woman that was standing right behind Taylor. She appeared to be overly invested in Taylor, and whatever she was saying. Bella had never seen the woman before. She could have totally been a friend that Bella had never met or someone associated with Victor. But, for some reason, Bella’s sixth sense told her otherwise. She tugged at Lucas until he stopped walking.
He looked back and frowned curiously. “What?”
“Do you know that woman standing behind Taylor?”
Lucas squinted until he spotted the woman that Bella was talking about. “In the black?” he asked.
“Yeah. You know her?”
“No. She doesn’t look familiar. Why?”
Bella turned to look at Lucas. “Look how close she is. Does that shit look normal to you?”
Lucas pondered the question before saying, “Maybe Taylor knows her. Or maybe she’s a friend of one of Taylor’s friends.”
Lucas’ explanation made sense since they were in one of the restaurant’s private dining rooms.
“Maybe,” Bella contemplated. “But maybe not. Come on. Let’s go see.”
Lucas looked from Bella back to the woman. “Okay, let’s go,” he said, grabbing her hand.
For some reason, he pulled Bella behind him, as if shielding her from danger. Bella shook her head and chuckled softly. In so many ways, Lucas reminded her of his brother. There were plenty of times when she’d observed Victor’s overprotective behavior toward Taylor. It was so unnecessary. If anyone could protect themselves, it was Taylor. She was as tough as nails. But none of that mattered to her man. He hovered none the less. And his baby brother was displaying the very same characteristics.
“Lucas Creed, is it your intention to walk right past your mother without so much as a hello?”
Lucas froze. And before Bella could help it, she walked, smack into his back. She yelped as she bounced off his solid back and struggled to regain her footing. Lucas reached out and grabbed her elbow, just as a crazy handsome, more mature Lucas lookalike grabbed her other elbow.
“Bella, I’m sorry. Are you okay?” Lucas asked, looking her up and down.
“Yeah…yes.” Bella chuckled. “I’m good.” She looked up at the man holding her elbow and smiled. “Hello,” she greeted with a grateful smile.
“Hello,” he replied as he released her elbow. “You sure that you’re okay?”
“Yes, sir. I’m fine. Thank you for rescuing me.”
“I rescued you too,” Lucas mumbled.
Bella muffled her laughter and turned to Lucas and Victor’s mother. She remembered seeing her at the hospital when Taylor was shot. Lucas held his hand out toward the handsome couple.
“Bella, I’d like you to meet my parents. My dad, Victor Creed Senior, and my mom, Dr. Tabitha Creed. Mom and Dad, meet Belladonna Devereaux.”
“Hello, Senator and Dr. Creed. It’s nice to meet you.”
“My goodness, child, you are gorgeous. And what a beautiful name,” Tabitha gushed.
Had Bella been a few shades lighter, she wouldn’t have been able to hide the fact that she was blushing. And, since she was named after a poison, Bella smiled at the fact that Lucas’ mom referred to her name as beautiful.
“Thank you, ma’am. You’re beautiful too,” Bella replied honestly.
Tabitha Creed furrowed her brows as she stared at Bella. Bella smiled nervously. She was beginning to feel a bit self-conscious.
Apparently, noticing Bella’s discomfort, Tabitha smiled and said, “I’ve seen you before. You’re the detective from the hospital. If I’m not mistaken, you were in charge of the investigation into Taylor’s shooting.”
Bella nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I’m still investigating it.”
Tabitha’s frown was an indicant of her confusion. “I thought that boy was murdered in the hospital.”
“Yes, ma’am he was. But now, I’m looking for the person who murdered him.”
Tabitha pursed her lips and ran her fingers through her red hair. “Hopefully, to give ‘em a medal,” Tabitha scoffed.
“Not exactly.” Bella chuckled.
Lucas placed his hand in the small of Bella’s back. “How about we give the shop talk a rest, Mom? This is a party.”
Victor Senior placed his arm around his wife and kissed the side of her face. “Come on, beautiful. Let me buy you a drink.” His voice was deep and melodious, and judging by his wife’s reaction, it’d had the desired effect.
Dr. Creed nearly swooned. Her lashes fluttered as she raised her face, allowing him access to her lips. The two kissed as if their love affair was brand new. In a way, the Creeds reminded Bella of her own parents. Their love was something that Bella was longing for when she’d married Dean. But, for her, it just wasn’t meant to be."
Bella turned back to Victoria, but the woman had disappeared. “She’s gone,” she whispered to Lucas.
Lucas and Bella scanned the room, but she’d vanished completely.
“It was probably nothing,” Lucas reassured.
But Bella wasn’t completely convinced that it was nothing. She’d learned a long time ago to trust her ins
tincts, and her instincts were telling her that she needed to at least try to find out who the woman was. Later, Bella would pull the restaurant’s surveillance video.
“Mom and Dad, will you excuse us?”
“Of course, sweetheart,” Tabitha responded. “It was so nice to meet you, Belladonna.”
“You too, Dr. Creed.”
“Tabitha,” the doctor insisted.
Bella nodded and went to move away, but Lucas gripped her wrist and pulled her a few feet away from his parents.
“Where do you think you're going?”
“I am going over there to say Happy Birthday to my friend.”
“What about our drink?” Lucas frowned.
“Maybe later,” Bella replied.
She wiggled her wrist free and stepped away. She turned and began to walk toward Taylor’s table. She smiled, knowing that he was still standing in the same spot. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn’t dare look back.
“Wassup, superstar?” Taylor greeted as she stood to her feet. She pulled Bella in for a hug.
“Hey, friend,” Bella responded enthusiastically. “Happy Birthday.”
“Thank you.” Taylor’s smiled brightly.
She was clearly having a good time, and Bella was pleased. After all the shit Taylor had been through, she deserved to have a little fun.
“Ladies, y’all know Bella,” Taylor proclaimed.
“Hey, Bella!” Nicole screeched.
“Hey, Nic.” Bella chuckled with furrowed brows.
Nicole is slapped.
The rest of the ladies, except for Victoria Storm, greeted in unison. So, in return, Bella spoke to everyone except her. Taylor cleared her throat loudly and shifted her disappointed glare between Bella and Victoria.
“Bella,” Victoria grumbled.
“Price,” Bella replied, with the satisfaction of knowing that it pissed Victoria off whenever she called her by her maiden name.
“My name is Storm, bi—”
“Bella, the girls are planning a spa day tomorrow for my birthday,” Taylor announced, interrupting Victoria’s retort.
Bella smirked and focused her attention on Taylor. She really didn’t have the energy for the back and forth with Victoria. “Spa day, huh?” she asked.
“Yeah. Since tomorrow’s Sunday, and most of us will be off, we’re meeting up for breakfast. Then we’re gonna get pampered. And, afterward, we’re gonna meet at my house for drinks.”
“Unfortunately, I do have to work tomorrow. But I might be able to make it to happy hour at your place.”
“By the way, how is work?” Taylor inquired."
Bella knew that Taylor wanted answers, but she didn’t have any answers to give. Bella blew out a frustrated breath. “Work is unfulfilling,” Bella admitted somberly.
Taylor granted Bella a sympathetic smile and rubbed her upper arm. “You’ll close your cases,” Taylor reassured. “You’re a kickass detective.”
Bella rolled her eyes when Victoria fake coughed and took a sip from her glass. She looked down at Victoria and asked, “You ain’t got no other friends here?”
“Just you,” Victoria sneered, sarcastically.
Everything in Bella wanted to slap the shit out of Victoria Storm, and if they were in different company, she probably would have. “Taylor, I gotta go holler at the restaurant manager right quick. I’ll be back in a sec.”
“Okay, but, don’t try to sneak outta here,” Taylor warned with narrowed eyes.
“I won’t. Jack and I will be sure to say bye before we leave.”
Taylor’s eyes widened, but Victoria only laughed.
“That’s funny, Bella. How’s Donatella?” Victoria taunted.
Bella masked her anger with laughter and turned to Victoria. “Donna is doing well. I’ll tell her you asked about her.”
“You do that.” Victoria sniggered.
Bella smiled, waved to the other ladies, and went to find the restaurant manager. But, on the way, she made sure to cross paths with Jack Storm. As much as she couldn’t stand Victoria, she had to admit that the women got lucky in the man department. Jack Storm had it all; looks, brains, money, and swag. Admittedly, the man was the shit. He was standing next to Victor, and the two of them, together, were a sight to see. But, as fine as Jack and Victor were, there was only one man that tightened Bella’s core. And he was nowhere to be found.
Bella approached the two and spoke. “Governor, Mr. Storm, how are you, gentlemen?”
“I’m good, Bella. You’re looking as lovely as ever,” Victor commented.
Ever the gentleman.
“Thank you, Governor. Mr. Storm, how are you?”
Bella made sure to move closer to Jack than she normally would have. She placed her hand on his solid pec and looked into his cool blue eyes. Jack looked down at Bella and smiled, showing perfect, white teeth. He covered Bella’s hand with his own, but he didn’t move it away.
“You trying to make my wife jealous? Did you ladies have a falling out?” Jack asked with a mischievous grin. He chuckled and shook his head. “You might wanna be careful. My wife will bed you before I will.”
Bella couldn’t help but laugh.
Jack Storm couldn’t be used or rattled. She had to give it to him. He was a cool dude. Too bad his wife was such a bitch.
“Alright, now,” Jack urged. “Take your hand off of me before my wife embarrasses us both.”
Bella giggled and dropped her hand. She turned to Victor. His lips were pressed into a thin line. He was trying unsuccessfully to suppress his laughter. Victor shook his head and threw his arm over Bella’s shoulder. “Are you trying to drive my baby brother insane?”
Bella wrinkled her brow. She totally hadn’t expected that from Victor. “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. You can tell how he feels about you.”
Deciding to forgo the whole act of playing dumb, Bella asked, “What does Lucas want from me, Governor?”
“I don’t know exactly,” Victor answered honestly. “But I’m willing to bet that it’s much more than you assume.”
“Humph,” Bella scoffed, crossing her arms. “Your brother is used to woman chasing him.”
“And?”
“And he only wants me because I ain’t chasing his ass.”
“Oh, okay. I guess that explains why he can’t keep his eyes off you and why he’s always asking Taylor about you. It’s not because he’s really into you, it’s because you don’t chase him,” Victor retorted, sarcastically.
“Whatever,” Bella dismissed. “You gentlemen have a good evening.”
Bella walked away in search of the restaurant manager. As she headed to the hostess’ stand, she scanned the room for her disloyal ex-husband. He had made his way over to Taylor’s table.
“Can I help you?” the perky young hostess asked.
Bella showed the woman her shield and told her that she needed to speak with the manager. Her expression revealed her curiosity. Bella could tell that she wanted to know the reason for her request, but she didn’t ask. She excused herself and went to retrieve the manager.
While she waited, Bella peeped into the private dining room. Her eyes landed right on Lucas. He was laughing with Jack and Victor, baring beautiful, white teeth. Bella couldn’t deny that the man was gorgeous. Actually, he was so much more than just gorgeous. Lucas was charismatic, educated, and he had a great sense of humor.
Over the past few months, Bella had observed how Lucas interacted with Taylor and his other brothers. Far from what Bella would expect from a rich, white dude. He was definitely a catch. But it had taken Bella entirely too long to get over her love for Dean, and the loss of their marriage. To her, falling in love wasn’t worth the pain of losing love.
“Miss, you wanted to see me? I’m Gary, the manager.”
Bella blinked out of her Lucas haze and turned to the manager. He was smiling, but she could tell that he was a tad uneasy. Bella smiled to still his anxiety.
“Yes. I’m Detective Devereaux from the Chicago Police Department. Do you have security cameras?”
“We do.”
“I need the surveillance footage from this evening in and outside the restaurant.”
The manager’s brow wrinkled. His face was carved with curiosity. But, unlike the hostess, he did inquire. “Why do you need this footage, Detective?”
“It’s part of an on-going investigation.”
The manager nodded his head. “Unfortunately, we don’t have cameras inside the dining room. But we do have cameras outside and in the bar. I can make you a copy of the footage that we have.”
“I’d appreciate that. I’ll be in the private banquet.”
“No problem. I’ll find you when it’s done.”
“Thank you, Gary.”
When the manager walked away, Bella headed back to the dining room. When she entered, she noticed that most of the guests had sat down to dinner. She crossed the room to take her seat next to Dean at Taylor’s table. Seated on her other side, was Taylor’s mom. Martha was beautiful, and Taylor was practically her twin. Whereas Taylor, with her thick, natural curls, was more of a bohemian beauty, Martha’s look was meticulously well put together. She smiled and placed her hand on Bella’s shoulder.
“Bella, how are you, darling?”
Her friendly smile incited Bella to smile. “I’m doing well, Mrs. Montgomery. How are you?”
“Wonderful,” she responded sweetly.
Bella enjoyed friendly conversations throughout dinner. During the course of the evening, she observed the way that Taylor and Victor interacted with each other. Even though they were dealing with the return of his wife, they seemed to be handling it very well. The Creeds and the Montgomery’s appeared to get along very well. If Taylor’s parents had an issue with her relationship with a white man, they didn’t show it. It was the same with Victor’s parents. They seemed to love Taylor, and so did his brothers.
As she often found herself doing for the most of the evening, Bella looked over at Lucas. He was staring at his phone while simultaneously having a conversation with his brother, Lincoln. Bella looked around the room at all of Victor’s brothers. She grinned and shook her head. Tabitha Creed had birthed some beautiful sons. Keeping them on the right path had to have been a hell of an undertaking.
Creed 2: Black Widow Page 9
