The Meeting
1002 Words
"Morning, I'll get going!" I speed up, snatching Raphael's car key off the kitchen counter. Before he can say another word, my fingers grab a piece of clubhouse sandwich from his plate, and I toss out my final goodbye.
"Hey! Where are you going this early? It's your off."
Raphael tries to stop me, but I keep walking straight out the front door without looking back, calling out at the top of my lungs that I am meeting someone.
Down in the hotel basement, I head straight to Raphael's car. As soon as I climb inside, I mutter my to-do list for the day, counting off each item one by one.
"First, I need to file a leave of absence, go to the bank for some cash, talk to our lawyer, and meet Lucas to hear what he has to say to me about the Alejandro's.
The last time we met, he promised to tell me everything he knows about them whenever I am ready, and so I contacted Lucas last night to arrange our meetup.
I pull myself together in an instant when I realize that I'll be late if I don't move right away, so I step on the gas and drive to our meeting place.
The heavy glass door of the restaurant swings open, and Lucas walks in, his eyes scanning the dimly lit dining room until they lock onto my table. He walks toward me while he keeps his damn gorgeous eyes on me.
That very moment, as I lay my eyes on him, a sudden wave of mixed emotions crashes over me.
It is a sharp, dizzying collision of anger and affection—the burn of every unanswered question colliding instantly with the stubborn warmth I never quite managed to kill.
My heart races like a wild horse against my ribs, pounding so loudly I'm certain he can hear it from across the room.
Panicked by the sudden betrayal of my own body, I instantly divert my gaze, fixing my eyes hard on the silverware in front of me and pretending to find the table setting intensely fascinating the moment he stands before my eyes.
"Please take a seat," I offer, gesturing to the chair opposite mine.
"Thank you."
Lucas pulls it out and sits down, sporting his usual rugged look.
I have to admit, this exact style has always been my absolute weakness.
"Have you been waiting here for so long?" he started a small talk with those twinkling blue eyes and He's stunning- for a fleeting second, that thought echoes loudly at the back of my mind. But before his handsome face can completely short-circuit my focus, I force myself to snap out of it.
I am here for one reason only: to find the truth.
"Only for a while."
I start talking without missing a beat, my voice steady. "Are you ready to tell me the truth, Lucas? You promised me that you'd tell me everything. Aren't you?" a hopeful voice slipped my mouth
He smirks, his head nodding gently in a slow, deliberate motion. His eyes meet mine again, matching my challenge with his own confirmation.
"Of course, I'll tell you everything I know. But- Are you sure, you're ready for the truth, Camilla?" The words are spoken with a sound of unexpected tenderness—one that moves me, somehow, against my better judgment.
"That's what I came here for, Lucas," I say, holding his gaze.
"Do you think you can handle it?"
"Don't underestimate me. I am stronger and braver than you think, so just try me," I challenge, my voice cutting through the quiet tension between us.
"The night in the alley, where you found me almost lifeless... I caught myself in trouble because I wanted to protect you."
Lucas narrows his eyes, and I sense a flicker of dark amusement crossing his features.
"Why would you want to protect me? We didn't even know each other back then."
"I've known you for a long time, Camilla," he replies, his voice dropping to a low, steady pitch. "For a very long time, I have had my eyes on you."
The moment those words hit my nerves, they send a sharp, electric chill running straight down my spine.
That's creepy, I nearly say aloud.
Instead, I narrow my eyes further and ask, "So you've been following me?"
Without a single word of hesitation, he answers with a slow nod.
I am completely speechless, the weight of his admission hanging heavily in the air between us until he finally breaks the ice.
"Don't get me wrong, Camilla. I was just following you around to keep you safe."
"Exactly—that's what I've been wondering up until now," I snap back, leaning slightly forward over the table. "Why would you risk your life to protect me? Who are you, really, and what am I to you?" My gaze sharpens as I try to read his mind.
"If you've been following me around for a long time, then you knew I already had someone to protect me," I continue, my voice tightening as I hold his gaze. "He is more than capable, and I am certain he would risk his life for me. I know why, because I am someone important to him."
I pause, letting the mention of Raphael hang in the air between us before narrowing my eyes again.
"But you—risking yourself for me? I honestly don't get it." I shake my head, a cynical edge creeping into my tone. "You weren't protecting me. I think I was just being monitored. Don't you?"
He remains quiet. Not a single word slips past his lips.
Those bad guys you mentioned to me that night... were they after you?
Lucas's brow furrows gently. I can sense he finally has something to say, and my heart begins to throb like a drum.
"They were after you, Camilla."
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD