Chapter 11: I need you

After settling into their luxurious hotel suite, Lucas generously tipped the hotel bellboy before shutting the door with a soft click. The atmosphere was instantly charged with a sense of intimacy as he turned his attention to Reina, who was seated on the plush sofa with an exhausted expression. 

With a gentle smile on his lips, he approached her and kneeled before her, his hands reaching for her leg and gently sliding off her heels. He brought her soft foot to his lips after removing her heels and placed a lingering kiss on it before moving to the other foot and performing the same tender act. He began to massage her foot and couldn’t help but gaze up at Reina, who was looking down at him with radiant eyes and a smile, her cheeks flushed. 

“Aww, how sweet of my husband,” she cooed, her voice full of admiration and satisfaction. Lucas returned her smile, feeling an unexplainable warmth spread across his chest at her words. ‘What is this feeling? Why was he feeling that way and towards Reina?’ he thought, but choosing to set aside his puzzling emotions, he spoke up with a mix of concern and playfulness. 

“Are you feeling better, mi amor? Or should I apply a little more pressure?” Reina’s smile widened as she replied,

“You're doing it just right; thank you, mi amor.” Lucas nodded and said,

"Youre welcome." He switched to her other foot, his fingers working skillfully to knead away the tension, and somehow he found himself savoring the quiet moment they were sharing. 

After finishing, Lucas stated, “I’m going to order our meal before we take a shower. You hardly touched your meals on the plane.”

Reina nodded encouragingly, her expression a mixture of appreciation and contentment, already looking forward to the time they were going to spend together on their vacation.

 

~~~

Two hours later, after cradling Reina in his arms until she drifted off to sleep, Lucas got out of bed. He slipped into one of his tailored suits, adjusted his tie, and glanced back at Reina, her peaceful face illuminated by the soft glow of the bedside lamp, and walked out of the bedroom. 

On reaching outside, he turned to the two bodyguards stationed at the door, their expressions serious and focused. "Stay vigilant," he instructed, his voice firm yet calm. "Protect her at all costs." 

“Yes, boss.”

~~~

Fifteen minutes later, in an exclusive private dining room of a high-end restaurant, a man wearing a black cap and black dress entered the private room. He took a seat across from a formidable figure dressed in a sharp, cream-colored suit, which contrasted sharply with the dim lighting and emphasized his menacing presence. 

The man in the cream suit held a cigarette loosely between his fingers, drawing in a slow, deliberate drag before releasing a cloud of smoke into the air, which swirled and danced, momentarily blurring his rugged and fierce features.

“Don,” The man in black greeted, his voice smooth yet laced with a hint of anxiety. The imposing figure regarded him silently for a moment before crushing the smoldering cigarette in the ashtray with a decisive motion. He reached for a thick envelope resting on the table and tossed it disdainfully across the table, the envelope sliding to a stop in front of the man in black. 

“Inside, you’ll find her photograph, the room number, and every detail you’ll need." The man in cream said, his voice a low, gravelly whisper that carried the weight of authority. “This meeting never took place, understood?”

“Understood, Don. I will not fail you,” the man in black replied firmly, a sense of determination etched on his face. He picked up the envelope, tucking it securely under his shirt before rising from his chair and making his way toward the door. 

However, on reaching the dimly lit parking garage, a violent blow struck the back of his head, and darkness enveloped him as he crumpled to the cold, hard ground, unconscious.

 

~~~

“This way, boss,” Alfonso said, leading Xavier to the cell where they were holding the hostage. Inside the cell, one of Xavier's men, upon seeing his boss arrive, fetched a bucket of icy water and threw it in the face of the man bound to the chair. 

“Hey! Ahhhh!” The man shouted as he regained consciousness. He blinked repeatedly as he scanned the room, but his eyes widened upon seeing Xavier. 'Wait, what did he do wrong to end up in this devil’s clutches?' he thought, looking down.

“Here, sir. He had this on him,” Alfonso said, handing Xavier the brown envelope he had taken from the man bound to the chair. The man saw it, and his heart skipped a frantic beat as he began to explain. He wanted to prevent the don from misunderstanding him. He just took the job for the money involved, nothing else. He had no idea about the identity of the person he was dealing with until he saw him. If he had known who he was earlier, he wouldn't have taken the offer.

“Don Romano, I can explain! Please trust me; I'm not his spy; I'm just—”

“Let him go,” Xavier said, cutting the man off mid-sentence.

“But, boss?” Alfonso responded, surprise evident in his eyes. Xavier looked at Alfonso with a raised eyebrow, and he lowered his gaze and said, “I'm sorry, boss.”

 

~~~

The bedroom was enveloped in darkness when Reina woke up from her sleep, feeling a wave of relaxation wash over her, and the remnants of jet lag had finally dissipated. Reina went to the washroom and took a quick shower. Deciding to spice things up, she dried herself off and rummaged through Lucas's wardrobe, choosing one of his shirts.

With a naughty smile, she slipped it on without a bra or panties, the soft fabric clinging to her skin. She walked to the full-length mirror and checked her reflection. The shirt fell to her mid-thighs perfectly, showing her flawless skin, and she noticed how her nipples pressed against the fabric. She brushed her damp hair to the side with her fingers, then applied lip gloss to her lips before making her way to the living room, excitement bubbling inside her as she anticipated the night ahead.

On stepping into the living room, the delicious aroma of bacon, freshly baked potatoes, and eggs filled her nostrils. Without waiting, she went to the kitchen and found Lucas, standing in front of the kitchen cabinet, shirtless and wearing a red apron, showing his muscular build that flexed with every movement. Reina walked forward and hugged him from behind, buried her face in his back, deposited a soft kiss, and said.

“I love you.” Lucas's heart melted at her gesture, and he stopped what he was doing, took Reina's hands in his, and turned to face her. He took in her appearance and grabbed her face and kissed her passionately.

“I love you too,” Lucas said when he broke the kiss. “You look delicious,” he said, pulling Reina to him and kissing her again. Reina wrapped her arms around his neck and responded. However, as the kiss prolonged, Lucas felt like a teenager, kissing his crush for the first time; he couldn't have enough of her. His hand moved to her hips, moving to her ass, as he gave it a hard squeeze, and she moaned into his mouth.

“Fuck, Reina, what are you doing to me?” Lucas asked, pulling away and allowing Reina to catch her breath. Reina rests her head on Lucas' chest as she inhales and exhales. 

“I have no idea,” Reina said with a smile, not understanding the underlying message behind Lucas' words.

~~~

 

After dinner, Lucas was clearing up the dining table when his phone began ringing. He answered the call and walked into the kitchen with the dishes. A few minutes later, he walked out holding a glass of milk, which he handed Reina. Reina smiled, taking the milk, took it to her mouth, and gulped down the whole content. Lucas took the glass with a smile and said, 

“I will be leaving to handle an important matter; it will only take a few minutes and I will be back so we can enjoy the night.” Reina nodded, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, and sat down. 

“My love, are you okay? I want you to help me get dressed,” Lucas said, and Reina nodded, standing up, and they walked into the bedroom. After helping her husband to get dressed, Reina walked to the bed and sat down, suddenly feeling hot.

“I'm off now; I love you,” Lucas said, leaning in and kissing Reina on the cheek. Reina held him and said, 

“Please don't go; I need you.”

“I'm sorry, my love; it's important; I won't be long, okay?” Lucas said, and Reina nodded, relenting. A few minutes after Lucas left, Reina felt like the room was an oven; it was so hot that she started stripping off her clothes. She climbed on the bed, twisting and turning, when the bedroom door swung open.

“My love, you're back.”