“What is it, Victoria?” she asked in a frightful whisper.
“Taylor reached out to me.”
“And?”
Victoria’s eyes were filled with sadness. Bella clutched to bedrail with anxious anticipation.
“Robert,” Victoria said softly.
Bella breathed a sigh of relief. She was afraid that Victoria was about to deliver devastating news. Since she hadn’t, Bella closed her eyes. She was unwilling to grapple with Victoria about the death of her cousin. “Not now, Victoria.”
“Bella, I need you to know that I didn’t want to fight your cousin. They had my family and they were using them to make me fight. I had no choice,” Victoria explained.
Bella opened her eyes and looked up at Victoria. She could see the emotional distress that Victoria was battling as tears streamed down her face. It was obvious that she had been severely scarred.
“Vic—”
“Wait, Bella. I-I am so sorry,” Victoria apologized, sobbing. “I had to fight for my own survival, my family, and my unborn—”
Victoria’s head fell. She cried openly, clinging to the bed sheet as if she were holding on for dear life. Even though Bella had seen the video, she’d never allowed herself to imagine what the ordeal must have been like for Victoria. But, once she did, her own tears threatened to fall. She placed her hand over Victoria’s and pried it from the bed sheet. Bella held her hand and whispered, “I know.”
Victoria sat in the chair that she had dragged over to the bed. She rested her head on the bedrail and attempted to compose herself. Bella allowed her to grieve in silence. She held her hand, hoping to bring her some sort of comfort.
After a minute or two, Victoria wiped the tears from her cheek and looked at Bella. “I need to thank you,” Victoria told her.
Bella swiped at her own tears and frowned.
“Thank me?” Bella was confused. “For what?”
“All along, I knew the Russians couldn’t run an operation like that in the U.S. without help from someone within the U.S., but I was never able to find the connection. What happened to me and Robert was a devastating taste of hell. Everyone needed to be held accountable.” Victoria paused and blew out a cleansing breath. She squeezed Bella’s hand and looked her in the eye. With noticeable sincerity, she said, “Thank you for being a good detective.”
Grateful for the compliment, Bella smiled up at Victoria. She accepted her apology for killing her cousin as if Victoria had been given a choice in the matter. “Vic, you’ve been through hell and back. We’re good.”
Victoria raised a brow at Bella. “Shi-id! I ain’t ever been shot, bitch,” she snorted. “How are you feeling?”
Bella rolled her eyes and snatched her hand away from Victoria. “I feel like I’ve been shot, stupid.”
Victoria stood and dragged the chair into a corner. Branding a mischievous grin, she turned back to Bella. “By the way, your sister is here,” Victoria informed with a raised eyebrow. “She’s looking real good.”
“Look, bitch, you done fucked my sister and killed my cousin. How ‘bout you just stay away from my family so that I don’t have to fuck you up?”
Victoria laughed and held her hands up in surrender. “Fair enough,” she acquiesced.
“Good. Now, get out and send somebody in here that I like.”
Victoria walked over to the door and opened it. “Your wish is my command,” she said before she slipped out of Bella’s room.
Bella was feeling groggy, no doubt from painkillers. She was having trouble keeping her eyes open. So, she gave in to her body’s demands and allowed her eyes to close. Bella figured that if she took a short nap, she would have more strength and energy when Lucas came out of surgery. She wanted to be there for him when he woke up.
Bella slept until a light, glowing through her closed lids, disturbed her rest. Her eyes fluttered open. So much for a quick nap.
“Hey, Belly.”
Bella blinked up at her twin sister. She was almost unrecognizable. They were as different as night and day. Whereas Bella wore her hair long and straight in a more traditional native style, Donna was rocking a short, edgy pixie cut. Donatella had at least seven tattoos, and Bella had none. If they didn’t share the same face, one wouldn’t dream that they were twin sisters.
“Hey, Telly,” Bella rasped. Bella cleared her throat. She winced, not expecting the action to be so painful. “I wanted to get a little nap so I can be up when Lucas gets out of surgery.”
Donatella frowned and tilted her head. She was looking at Bella like she’d lost her mind, and Bella wanted to know why.
“What? Why are you lookin’ at me like that?”
“A little nap? Girl, Lucas got out of surgery last night. He’s been parked over there ever since.”
Donatella pointed across the room. Bella turned her head and slowly shifted her body so she could see the other side of the room. The sight of Lucas asleep in a hospital bed with an IV taped to his wrist made her heart skip a beat.
“How long have I been out?” Bella asked.
“Um…for at least twelve hours.”
Bella was amazed. It truly felt as if she’d just closed her eyes. “How is he?”
“High,” Donatella mused. “Every now and then, he’ll jerk awake and hurt himself and then call out your name. With wild-eyed craziness, he looks around the room. And, when he looks at you and realizes you’re okay, he goes back to sleep.”
Bella smiled. His big body was barely fitting into the small hospital bed.
“In about five minutes, he gonna jump up and look for you. It’s so cute.” Donatella sighed.
Bella returned to her comfortable position and looked up at her sister. Since Donatella worked undercover, she hadn’t spent much time with her in the past months.
“How are you, Telly? I’ve missed you.”
Donatella leaned over and rested on the bedrail. She used her thumb to swipe a renegade strand of hair from Bella’s forehead. She smiled down at her twin. “I’ve missed you too. All you had to do was call me. You didn’t have to get shot in order to see me.”
“Well, now, I know,” Bella scoffed.
Donatella looked toward the door and then back to Bella. She smiled with wide eyes. “Bitch, the governor is out there!” Donatella giddied.
Because she had a feeling that it would hurt, Bella suppressed a chuckle. She had spent so much time around the governor as of late until she’d become accustomed to his presence.
“He is Tay’s fiancé,” Bella pointed out.
“Girl, and his fine-ass brothers… I want one,” Donatella declared breathlessly.
Bella shook her head at her sister’s brashness. “Umm…don’t you have a man?”
“Bitch, fuck him!” Donna blurted out. “Jack Motherfuckin’ Storm is out there too!”
A laugh escaped before Bella could stop it. Her sister’s presence was so comforting that even the pain in her chest was tolerable. Donatella was on a roll. She closed her eyes and raised her hand to the sky, no doubt about to continue to express her approval of the alpha-male testosterone floating around the waiting area.
“Not only that, Belly. Victoria was looking—”
Thankfully, Donatella’s declaration was interrupted when the hospital door opened. Lincoln, the younger Creed brother, stuck his head in the door.
“Is he up?” he whispered.
“Yes!” Donatella lied.
Bella cut her eyes at her deceitful, desperate little sister. “No, he’s not, Lincoln. But you can come in.”
Lincoln entered the room and held the door until it closed so as not to make much noise. With his eyes never leaving Donna, he walked over to Bella’s bed. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. Since she’d only come in contact with Lucas’ brother a few times, she was surprised by the display of affection. He looked down at her with his brother’s green eyes and smiled.
“How are you feeling, Detective?”
“I’ll live,” Bella grumbl
ed.
“I’m glad. My brother made quite a scene until he was sure that you were going to be okay.”
Bella smiled because she wasn’t surprised. Besides, the fact that his bed was next to hers gave her a feeling of peace. “I don’t doubt it,” Bella scoffed.
“Well, Bella, you look great. I hope you’re feeling up to visitors because I gotta warn you. My parents and the rest of my brothers are outside getting ready to invade your space.”
“You tell them that Bella needs her rest,” Lucas rasped to Bella’s surprise.
All heads turned in his direction. He was sitting up in bed with his arm in a sling. His dark hair was falling wildly around his face, and he had a five o’clock shadow that made him look dangerously alluring. His hospital gown had fallen off of one shoulder, exposing his strong bicep. Bella was sure that no one else in the room was affected by Lucas the same way because the sight of him made her heart skip a beat.
“Lucas,” Bella said breathlessly.
Lucas lifted the sheet and climbed out of bed. He looked well for a man who had recently come out of surgery. With a sexy grin, he walked over to Bella. He placed his warm hand on her cheek. Relishing in the pleasure of his touch, Bella closed her eyes and rested her face on his hand.
“How’s my girl?” he whispered.
“Alive and happy to see you.”
Bella opened her eyes and reached for Lucas’ face. She looked into his stunning green eyes and surmised that she had to have been completely nuts to push such a beautiful man away. Fear had ruled her. And it was that fear that would’ve caused her to miss out on someone so wonderful.
“Kiss me,” she demanded softly.
Without hesitation, Lucas leaned over and placed his lips on hers. Bella moaned from the pleasure of his tender kiss.
“Awwwwe, y’all so cute,” Donatella crooned.
Sadly, the sound of the hospital door opening prompted Lucas to sever their connection.
“Well, I see somebody’s feeling better.”
Bella looked over to find Lucas’ mom standing in the doorway.
“I’m fine, Mom,” Lincoln joked.
“Shut up, boy! I’m talking to your brother.”
Lucas stood upright as him mom crossed the room. But, to Bella’s surprise, she bypassed Lucas and headed straight for Bella.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she said softly. She smiled and cupped Bella’s face in her hands.
Bella covered her soft hands with her own. “Thank you, Mrs. Creed.”
Tabitha Creed had beautiful skin, a beautiful smile, and eyes the color of the Caribbean Sea. She narrowed those pretty eyes as if she were in deep contemplation. “You are gonna give me some beautiful grandbabies someday,” she queried.
“Mom!” Lucas barked. “Are you trying to make her get up and run out of here?”
Bella laughed, clutching her sore chest immediately afterward. “Mrs.—”
“It’s Tabitha, dear.”
“Tabitha, Lucas and I just started seeing each other, so can we hold off on the babies for now?”
Tabitha smiled down at Bella and gently rubbed the top of her head. “For now,” she whispered with a mischievous glint in her eye.
“You’re up!” a voice yelled from the doorway.
Bella froze at the sound of her mother’s voice. She looked at Lucas and hoped that he didn’t see the panic in her eyes. Bella was definitely not looking forward to her parents meeting Lucas or his family. In both of their communities, Native American and African American, the “white man” was the oppressor.
Tabitha graciously stepped aside as Bill and Winona Devereaux made a beeline to Bella’s bedside. Her mom looked down at her with a troubled expression.
“Baby, how are you?”
Bella tried to reassure her mother with a smile. “I’m good, Mama.”
Winona kissed Bella’s forehead. “Are you sure?” she asked in a whisper.
“I promise. I’m fine.”
Winona looked from Bella to Donna and shook her head in disgust. Her expression turned quickly from worry to agitation. “Between you two and that damn police department, I’m just a nervous breakdown waiting to happen,” she fussed.
“Why are you lookin’ at me? I didn’t get shot,” Donatella squealed. “I’m the good twin.”
Bella, her mom, and her dad glared at Donatella with disbelief.
“What? I am!” she exclaimed.
Bella chuckled and rolled her eyes at her lying sister. Since her mom was already irritated, Bella decided to rip off the proverbial bandage and introduce Lucas to her parents. Lucas eased around his mom when Bella held her hand out for him.
“Mamma and Daddy, this is Lucas Creed. And this is his mom, Dr. Tabitha Creed, and his brother, Lincoln.”
Lucas smiled and extended his good arm to Bill. Bella held her breath and prayed silently that her dad would accept his hand. Bella sighed with relief when her dad smiled and grasped Lucas' hand.
“Daddy, Lucas is Bella’s boyfriend,” Donatella added.
Bella cut her eyes at her shit-starting twin sister. If she were healthy, she’d be tempted to smack the silly grin off of her face.
“It’s nice to meet you, young man,” Bill greeted enthusiastically.
“It’s my pleasure, sir.”
“Bill. Call me Bill,” her dad insisted.
Lucas nodded his compliance and turned to Bella’s mom. “Mrs. Devereaux, it’s so nice to meet you.”
Bella’s eyes grew wide when her mom rushed up to Lucas and grasped his good shoulder. She smiled up at him, and Bella instantly felt sorry for him. She could tell that he had no idea how to respond.
“You and my Bella could make beautiful babies,” her mom predicted.
Bella’s mouth flew open. She was absolutely mortified. Lucas squinted and graced her mother with his adorably sexy, lopsided grin.
“You really think so?” he asked her.
“Lucas!” Bella scolded.
“What?” he argued with a shrug. “My mom said the same thing. They both can’t be wrong,”
“Excuse me, everyone,” Bella’s dad asserted, drawing everyone’s attention to him. With a true fan’s excitement, he smiled wide and pointed to the hallway. “The governor is out there!” he announced, enthused. “And a senator too!”
Bella laughed with everyone else at her dad’s fanatic enthusiasm. For some reason, it hurt a little less than it did before. “Daddy, the governor and the senator are out there because he is in here,” Bella explained, gesturing toward Lucas.
Winona shook her head at her husband’s silly behavior and walked over to Tabitha. Maybe since they shared the same motherly concern and relief that their children were alive and well, the women greeted with a hug.
“So, this is where you moved the party,” Victor said from the doorway.
He held the door open so that Taylor and his father, Victor Senior, could enter. No more than thirty seconds later, Lucas’ other brothers, Alexander and Jaysen, walked in. The small hospital room was bursting at the seams with family. And just when she thought that no one else could fit in the room, Dean rushed in. He hurried over to Bella, clutched her face in his hands, and kissed her forehead.
“Whoa! Back up, big guy. That’s my brother’s lady,” Lincoln warned, grabbing Dean’s arm.
Dean stiffened and looked down at Lincoln’s hand on his arm and then right into Lincoln’s eyes. The look in Dean’s eyes was nothing short of menacing. And, If Bella wasn’t sure, she would swear that Dean growled.
“Dean…” Bella whispered sternly.
She was maybe the only one in the tiny room that had seen Dean lose control. Gay or not, he was very protective…very alpha.
“Hold on,” Lucas intervened, grabbing Lincoln’s arm. He pulled his brother back and walked over to Dean. “Stop kissing my woman,” Lucas scolded.
Dean turned to Lucas with narrowed eyes. “Your woman?”
“My woman,” Lucas verified, confidently.
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Dean may not have noticed, but Bella sensed that the Creed brothers were super alert and ready to pounce. Dean was big and he was strong, but so were the Creeds—all of them. Bella attempted to sit up. She was worried for her ex-husband and friend.
Dean looked at Bella for verification. “You his woman?” he asked.
The entire room went silent, waiting for Bella to respond. “I…we…well…we’re…yes. Yes, I am.”
Dean’s expression turned soft. Bella could see the approval in his eyes as he smiled. “That’s wonderful, Bells,” he said with a sincere expression. He grabbed her hand and squeezed gently. He looked back at Lucas. “No kissing your woman,” he promised.
Lucas laughed and patted Dean on the back. “Good shit,” he responded with a smirk. “Come here. Let me introduce you to my family.”
Bella relaxed as she watched how everyone in the room was interacting. Introducing Lucas and his family to her family had turned out much better than Bella had expected.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
BELLA
SIX MONTHS LATER…
“Detective, your two-block perimeter has been set. Headquarters has a command center set up just outside of that perimeter. All teams are in place and ready to go. They’ll hit when you make the call. 10-4?”
Bella brought her radio to her mouth and pressed the call button. “10-4, squad. Is ICE, EMS, Fire, and Social Services in place?”
“10-4. All agencies are on scene.”
“Thanks, squad.”
Bella stuffed the radio into her back pocket and walked over to her car. She reached in and grabbed her ringing phone from inside the vehicle. She smiled when she realized it was Lucas calling. She swiped the screen and held the phone to her ear.
“Hey, babe. What’s up?”
“I just wanted to remind you to be careful and to tell you how proud I am.”
Lucas’ voice warmed her all over. Bella turned around and leaned against her car. “Awe, shit! You proud of me, bae?” Bella beamed.
“Of course, Belladonna. You’re making the world a better place.”
Bella squinted at the dark SUV that pulled across the street. She pushed off of her car when the occupants stepped out of the vehicle.
Creed 2: Black Widow Page 16
