Chapter 143: Chapter 143 Devil man
Leonardo leaned in, his lips brushing so close to the shell of her ear that her knees almost buckled. His voice was velvet wrapped around a blade. "Are you jealous... little bunny?"
His other hand gripped her shoulder and turned her fully to face him so he could see every flicker of her expression.
Her eyes widened at the teasing bite in his tone, her lashes fluttering like she might cry any second but then those doe eyes flared up at him, bright with anger instead.
"No!" Bella’s voice came out in a furious, shaky burst. She squirmed, trying to tug her wrist free, but his grip only tightened.
He could feel her pulse thudding madly under his thumb — her soft, frantic heartbeat beating against his skin. He didn’t miss how her breath caught in her throat every time his lips ghosted so close to her ear.
"Oh?" he murmured, his nose brushing her temple as his other hand came up, hovering just shy of her waist, the heat of his palm searing through the thin fabric. "Then why do you look ready to cry, hmm? Did you imagine me with her?"
Bella shivered, her lips parting in a soundless protest. Her free hand pressed to his chest, pushing but not really pushing.
"Don’t..." she breathed, voice trembling. "Don’t say that—"
Leonardo’s lips curved against her hair, wickedly satisfied with how she trembled. "So you are jealous." His words were low, dangerous, but something softer slipped through too, a crack in that icy wall he always kept up.
"Let me go..." Bella tried again, but it sounded weak even to her own ears. She hated how her body betrayed her– the way her heart fluttered at his warmth, that possessive grip on her wrist, the hot breath against her ear.
"Never," he said, his voice a promise that thrilled and terrified her in the same breath.
"If you’re doubting me..." Leonardo’s voice dipped low and rough, like silk over gravel. He leaned in so close that Bella felt his warm breath tickle her ear, sending a shiver straight down her spine. "How about you join me for dinner tonight — Stella will be there too... don’t you want to see for yourself, hmm... little bunny?"
Bella’s eyes flew wide open. She tried to tug her wrist free, but his grip loosened just enough to let her twist away. She looked up at him, cheeks flushed, breath caught in her throat. "Me?" she squeaked out, utterly thrown off.
Leonardo’s lips curved that small, wicked smirk that made her pulse hammer even harder. "Yes. You," he drawled, voice smooth as sin. He stepped toward her, and Bella’s feet shuffled back on instinct.
"Why... why would I—" she stammered, voice cracking as her calf bumped into the edge of the single couch behind her.
"Ask yourself," he murmured darkly, his eyes dropping to her parted lips before flicking back up to her stunned gaze. He closed the distance in another slow step and Bella lost her balance, falling back into the plush seat with a soft gasp.
Before she could scramble up, his hands landed on the armrests on either side of her, caging her in. The heat radiating from his body made her stomach flip. She felt so small in that space, every inch of her surrounded by his expensive cologne, the faint mint on his breath, and the raw, coiled tension under his skin.
Leonardo dipped his head until their noses almost touched. "Tonight. Eight p.m. Be ready," he whispered, voice dark and commanding but his eyes... they lingered on her lips, hungry. He loved the swirl of emotion in her eyes, the way they narrowed, then widened, then blinked so fast as she tried to catch up with him.
His gaze dipped lower, her lips were parted just enough to make his throat dry. For a split second, he wanted to close that tiny distance and taste her.
COUGH! COUGH!
A loud, drawn-out cough shattered the heated bubble between them.
"Get a rooooom, brooo! We’re here for breakfast, not a live trauma session!" Jay Jay’s voice boomed across the living room, smug amusement all over his grinning face as he leaned against the stairway.
Bella’s eyes snapped wide. Her face turned crimson, and she squeaked, trying to shrink into the couch cushion like a startled bunny.
Leonardo straightened up smoothly, his cold mask slipping back on but the tips of his ears were suspiciously pink as he shot Jay Jay a death glare.
Behind Jay Jay, Lina and Alessandro stood, sharing an amused chuckle. Lina hid her smile behind her hand while Alessandro raised an eyebrow, fighting a smirk of his own.
Bella, meanwhile, was too busy burying her burning face in her palms, wishing she could crawl under the couch and never come out again.
****
During breakfast, Bella sat as small as she could manage, her spoon stirring her cereal aimlessly. She didn’t dare raise her head — not when she could feel everyone’s eyes on her like little teasing needles. Jay Jay was definitely grinning into his glass of juice. Lina kept hiding her amused smile behind her napkin, and even Alessandro’s eyes twinkled with mischief as he buttered his toast.
The worst was Leonardo sitting there with his perfectly straight back, sipping his coffee like nothing ever happened. His face was the picture of calm — cold, elegant, unbothered while she wanted to melt into her chair and disappear forever.
Bella peeked at him through her lashes, mustering up her courage. Devil man! she thought, cheeks burning hot. She shot him her fiercest glare or at least what she thought was fierce, her lips puffing into a tiny pout.
But the moment their eyes met, the corners of Leonardo’s mouth twitched ever so slightly, like he was fighting a smile. His gaze dipped to her pink face, then back up, that maddening calm never slipping.
And the second she noticed Jay Jay catch her glare, he burst out laughing. "Ohh, Bella, you’re so scary!" he teased dramatically, clutching his chest. "Bro, careful, her little glare might kill you one day!"
"Jay Jay!!" Bella hissed, her voice a mortified squeak. She hid her face behind her hands, only her eyes peeking through as if she could still aim her death glare at Leonardo.