~ Bella ~I ignored Parker's shocked look and kept on eating."Guess what?" He said."What?" I asked, finally looking up.He leaned close to me and whispered. "That was incredibly hot!"I laughed. I'd been concerned about nothing again, as usual. Sweet Parker!"Yeah?" I said. "Maybe next time I'll say a little something for you then."He smiled. "Can't wait!" He said.We went back to eating. A few minutes passed in silence then I remembered that I'd brought along some files to show to him."Oh right! I wanted to show you something," I said. I pulled out the files from my bag and slid them over to him.He carefully moved his plate aside. "What are these?" He asked even as he reached for them."I'm thinking of taking on a new case. These are three options I have short tlisted. I wanted to know your opinion," I said."Oh, okay," he said. He picked up the files one by one and began to read through them. While he did, I kept eating.I looked over to the side and saw that Boulin still hadn'
~ Bella ~"How would I do that?" I asked. Nikolai just told me to tell him what I had to say face to face but he wasn't even here.How could I do that over the phone?Just then, my door opened and Nikolai stepped in.My heart soared at the sight of me. I shoved down the feeling as quick as it sprung."How did you get here?" I exclaimed. intoHe smiled. "After I finished up with my business, I decided to come see you. I know you must have been missing me."I rolled my eyes. "Or maybe it's you who was missing me?" I quipped.He held my eyes. "Yes," he said plainly.I swallowed. This mas going to be the death of me. No doubt about it."So what did you want to tell me?" he asked, sitting and crossing his legs."I had to go out to lunch today and naturally, Boulin had to follow me because you instructed him to.""Okay...?" he drawled."He had to follow me! In my tiny ass car! Do you know how uncomfortable that was for him? He was squished up like a pretzel!"He began to laugh. I eyed him
~ Bella ~"Wanna go on a drive?" He asked, jiggling the keys in front of my face.I sighed. "Is no a viable answer?" I asked even though I already knew the answer to that."Nope," he said cheerily and opened the door to the driver's seat. "My lady," he said, ushering me into the car.I signed and jumped in, snatching the key from his hand. He headed around the car to the other side to get in.When he was about halfway around the car, a sinister thought jumped into my mind. A smirk broke out on my face.I hit the panel by my door and the locks clicked close. Nikolai made it around to the passenger side. He looked up and first saw the look on my face. "No, no!' he mouthed first, his voice muffled through the mirror.He shook his head warningly and reached for the car door. I made sure he had time to grab hold of the handle before gunning the engine.The car roared to life. I pressed down on the accelerator and the car took off under me. I drove aimlessly for a good fifteen minutes
"Well, I have to go now but I'll be seeing you," Nikolai said. With a smile and a jaunty wave, he was gone, leaving me to deal with the aftermath of our little tryst.Maggie was still standing in the doorway, looking at me. I turned to her slowly, sheepishly."Guess what?" I asked. Her eyebrow shot up in question.I raised the key in my hand in front of her face and jiggled it.She frowned. "What is that?" "Nikolai bought me a car," I said.Maggie gasped. She leapt forward and snatched the key from my hand. She gushed as she examined the key closely, turning it over in her palm over and over again.What she walked in on--or out on--was completely forgotten in that moment."He bought you a car!?" She exclaimed.I nodded. "It's in the parking lot," I supplied, starting to feel giddy again as I caught on to Maggie's excitement."Take me to see it right this minute!" She demanded.I giggled. "Yes, ma'am. Right this way." I stepped aside, bowed and pointed in the direction of the stai
~ Bella ~The drive home that evening was slow; really show, as I contemplated the approach to take in presenting Nikolai's gift to me to Parker.Parker was a sweetheart so I knew he wouldn't raise too much of a fuss but he would probably have questions and I wasn't sure how to go about answering them.I loved the car so much already and I knew that even if I didn't, Nikolai wasn't likely to take the car back. So it was mine.The only other option if Parker insisted on me returning it would be to sell it off or give it away but I really didn't want to.I pulled up to the house and saw that Parker's car was already parked out in front. I pulled in behind his car and sat in the car quietly. But he must have heard my car pulling in because the door opened soon after and Parker walked out with a smile.The smile turned to a look of shock when he realized that there was an entirely different car in the parking space and I was in it.He walked towards me slowly, circling the car contempla
~ Bella ~"Maggie? Maggie? Hi!" I said, running around my room, blindly grabbing clothes and tossing them onto my bed."I just got a call from the police station now..." I paused to listen to her question. "No, I haven't been commiting any crimes... No, I am not being arrested."She let out a stew of more words. I listened impatiently, my feet tapping restlessly against the floor."Maggie!" I finally cut in. If I didn't stop her, she could continue talking for hours and I didn't have all the time in the world."I just got a call that one Darrell Shelby is at the station and says I'm his lawyer. Do you have any idea who that is?" I asked."Darrell Shelby?"she repeated. "I don't know who that--hold on, give me a second. I want to check something."While she checked whatever she was checking, I continued looking through my clothes for something to wear.Before having my bath, I'd tossed my clothes into the laundry and I couldn't imagine wearing them again.That meant that I had to start
~ Bella ~I arrived at the station first. Nikolai was no where to be found but I wasn't surprised by that. I'd only just called him a few minutes ago.I couldn't wait for him though so I went in on my own.This station was in a different precinct entirely from the one I was interrogated at but it was still so similar that I had to stop for a second when I walked in.Officers sat at different desks or bustled around the room, taking down statements, leading people away and so on.My brain dug up my memories of that day and flashed them into my mind and I immediately had a little panic attack.No one paid me any mine. They were all too busy. And it was better that way honestly because I couldn't imagine them taking me seriously if they did and I needed them to take me seriously if I was going to help my client.We already faced enough issues as female lawyers. There was no need to add this to it.I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I took a few more until I felt the bile in
~ Bella ~"What the hell is going on here?" a voice boomed behind me.The man dragging me back stopped, just as shocked as everyone else in the room.Confusion warred on their faces but for me, my heart leaped with joy as I immediately recognized the voice."I said, what the hell is going on here?" Nikolai repeated clearly.The man holding me began to turn backwards but he didn't get to turn very far. The first thing I felt was the steel of the gun leave my face. It left behind it's cold imprint on my temple.Nikolai must have grabbed the gun from him. My knees went weak as I imagined what could have happened if the gun went off in the process but Nikolai did a smooth job.The next thing I felt was the man's body yanked away from me. But because he had his hands and the chain around him, it yanked me with him.The chain dug into my neck, choking me. I gulped like a fish, trying and failing to pull it off.Nikolai circled around the man and came to stand in front of me. 'Apparentl