MARIANNA

This is not good.

Immediately she returns, a file is dropped on the table.

"Go ahead. Look through." She gestures to the file. Slowly, my hands make their way to the table, moving my finger one at a time, I finally reach the file and grab it with both hands. Carefully, I open it and look through the first page.

My breath hitched.

LUCAS

Sliding the card, I gain access into the room and immediately shut the door behind us the moment we are in.

Without wasting much time, our lips meet in a heated kiss. Her hands reach out to my shirt and she hastily tears off my shirt. I hear the sounds as button after button fall on the floor.

"Easy there, tigress." She chuckles at me.

"I can't, Lucas. You are too hot to resist." She says, taking off the shirt.
Next, she discards her own clothes and we get into the matter at hand.

I like Dania because unlike the other ladies, she is not clingy. Dania is a model who just began her career at Louis Vuitton. I met her two weeks ago when I attended a meeting there. Apparently, they want to create a new collection of accessories and the Mancini precious stones are required to make the line complete.

Once I am done with Dania for the night, I clean up and leave the room to her to enjoy for the rest of the night, also leaving behind some money.

Immediately I get to my house, my phone rings.

"Hey, you." I hear sobs at the other end of the phone. Immediately, I become alert.

"Marie, what's wrong?" I ask, very worried. I hope all is well with her. She has been gone for a while without giving me prior notice.

"Per favore (please), talk to me. Where are you? I can fly to meet you right now." I plead, wanting her to speak up. To say anything.

"Lu-cass.." Her sobs break me. I hate hearing or seeing her cry; it reminds me of the times where she suffered abuse.

"Where are you, please?" I repeat, controlling my breath and trying to sound calm.

"I am back, currently at my house." She manages to say.

"I'll be there soon." Dropping my suit jacket on the chair, I end the call and leave my apartment for hers.

I sped like I have never before. It is a miracle I didn't have an accident or was not issued a speed ticket.

"I am outside." I say over the phone. The door to her apartment slightly opens and she peeks her head out to look at me before opening it wide.

The tears in her eyes are the first things I notice when I finally get a clear view of her.

Catching her unaware, I hold her in my arms, hugging her to give her comfort. After securedly closing the door, I lift her bridal style, her figure not really holding much weight in my arms.

She quietly allows me, not uttering a word even when I sit and place her on my legs, gently carressing her hair.

"Hey, what's wrong, pumpkin?" My voice comes out calm and soothing. Light kisses on her forehead follow. She heaves a deep sigh before her body starts shaking.

"Let me in, please. Where have you been?" I ask her.

"Work." She replies me in a quiet tone.

"Not your office, I presume." I state with raised eyebrows.

"No. It required me travelling."

"For six months?"

"Five, actually. I was very busy the month before."

"Too busy for me, no calls or notes?" I ask her. Her gaze immediately drops and I reach for her chin to place her eyes at my level.

"I am sorry but it's both ways so don't pin the blame on me." She states, ending the last part with a glare directed at me.

"I accept. What's wrong? Did someone do anything to you?" I ask her now that her mood has improved a little.

"No." She replies, shaking her head.

"What's the reason behind this mood? It's not everyday one gets to see you cry. Per favore, tell me." She sniffs in and coughs a little. My hand immediately goes to her back to pat her lightly.

"There!" She says, pointing to the scattered papers on her table.

Lifting her and placing her legs around me, I walk to where her table is to pick the papers before heading back to sit. I place her in between my legs as we sit sideways on the couch, resting our sides on it.

"Your mom did some digging for me. Turns out my dad's death was actually a heart failure but it was triggered by gradual poisoning for years." She says, allowing me to digest that information. I know this must be hard on her.

"Only Charlotte had access to my father's medications so she must have been involved. They killed my father and took over the company." As I glance through the document and listen to her voice, everything is beginning to make sense. Mom is so damn good at this and even though she is, she does not work with LETHAL.

"Come here." I say while I drop the file and snuggle her in my arms, carressing her hair.

"Your speculations might be right but you know that there is no concrete evidence that she is the one behind it. The only way is to make her confess and that is what we are going to do."

"We?" She asks.

"Yes, do you think I'll leave you by yourself to solve this, Marie? No way."

"Thank you. It's more reason why I love you." She says. I could see her smiling a little through her side view.

"I love you too, bestie." I chuckle and kiss her head.

"You are going to kick ass and take over! At least now you have a strong hold on them. What's more amazing is that they won't see you coming." She turns her head to face me and kisses me on the lips. From there, we head to the room and for the second time today, I get my fill of a woman.

•••••

"Wake up!" I sprinkle water on her face, startling her.

"You seriously need to stop these your odd ways of getting me awake." She hisses while I just give her a goofy smile.

"You are lucky it's you. If this happens with any other person, they'll be six feet under by now." She adds, throwing a pillow at me before getting up.

"Undertaker." I tease her, bumping my shoulder with hers.

"8:41am. Don't you have work to go to, Lucas?" She asks with raised eyebrows.

"Do you have selective memory loss or you just deliberately chose to block out the fact that I am the boss from your brain? Don't you also have work to be at?" I ask. Next thing, I feel the impact of her hand on my forehead. She just flicked me.

"I was given a week break, Idiot." She replies, hissing.

"We could go for a run, then." I suggest, shrugging my shoulders.

"Did you hear the time I just called or you just delibrately block that information from your brain?" I shake my head, chuckling lightly. My bestfriend is a handfull.

"So, what do you want to do?" I ask her.

"I don't know, go to the amusement park?" She shrugs, smiling mischievously because she knows that I only go there because of her.

"Without eating?" I chip in, trying to dodge the topic. Hopefully, when we are done, she will forget because we will be too full to move. Hahaha, that sounds like a plan.

"Alright, let us have breakfast." She skips into the kitchen and I follow behind her.

"I am not as rich as you are so you'll have to manage what I have." She says to me. I roll my eyes at her, observing her kitchen before joining her to cook.

To be honest, I don't like how she lives but it's so annoying that she won't accept help from me so I don't bring it up. Sometimes when I do, I practically shove it down her throat by switching on my no-delibrations tone. Those times are difficult because she doesn't talk to me afterwards. The silence game doesn't last more than two days because she eventually comes around.

Once we are done preparing breakfast, she rushes to her room to brush her teeth and then she returns so that we can eat.

"That was one nice breakfast. So, the amusement park?" She says and I just pretend to be busy on my phone. The next thing, I feel a tap on my arm.

"Lucasssss." She calls out, elongating my name.

"What is it?"

"The amusement park?" She says in a suggestive tone.

"What amusement park?"

"The one you promised to take me to." She says, huffing and stomping her feet. What is she? A child?

"I did not promise you anything." I state, still pretending to be busy on my phone.

"Okay. Suit yourself." She says and next thing, she starts sobbing. I ignore her, not wanting to give in but one, two, three and..

"Hey, don't cry, please. I'll take you there. Now if you want. Just don't cry."

"Yesssss." She stands up quickly and begins a crazy dance.

Damn! She tricked me.