CHAPTER 226: CHAPTER 226 KNOWING EACHOTHER

When Leo came back home, Bella was still curled up on the couch, the glow of the television flickering across her face

"Bella," his voice was low, almost growling, "I told you—gluing your eyes to that screen isn’t good." His gray eyes narrowed, the frown on his face deepening. He hated the thought of her delicate doe eyes straining over flashing lights and cheap drama.

Bella’s eyes widened, her lips parting. She hadn’t even realized he was back. For a second, her heart skipped. She wanted to protest, wanted to tell him she wasn’t ready for bed, but truthfully... sleep hadn’t come easy tonight. Her chest was tight with nerves over his grandmother’s arrival, and worse, the constant fear of being caught sneaking around with her own secret project burned at the back of her mind.

For a fleeting moment, she thought—should she tell him? But no. That world, her world of codes and shadows, felt like her own energy, her own air to breathe. She wasn’t ready to hand it over. Not yet. Not until he discovered it himself.

"Let’s go," he said simply, that commanding tone leaving little room for argument.

Bella puffed her cheeks stubbornly and shook her head. "No! Let me watch the climax!" she whined, eyes still glued to the screen.

Leo’s lips curved faintly, his tongue sliding across his lower lip. She had no idea how tempting she looked right now, all pout and defiance. In one smooth motion, he bent down, and before Bella even understood, her body was lifted clean off the couch.

"What!!" Bella gasped, clutching at his shoulders, her legs dangling as he carried her effortlessly in his arms. Her hands smacked weakly against him in protest, but when his eyes flicked down at her—sharp, warning, like he might actually drop her if she pushed—she froze, then quickly wrapped her arms around his neck.

She swallowed when she caught the faint burn of whiskey on his breath, mixed with that intoxicating scent of his cologne and the warm musk of his skin. The solid plane of his chest pressed against her made her dizzy.

Her wide eyes drifted up, catching the sharp edge of his jawline under the soft hallway light, the slight stubble along his chin, the intensity in his profile. He looked like he was carved out of stone, focused and dangerous. She almost forgot to breathe.

By the time they reached the third floor, Bella’s heart was racing so fast it nearly drowned out the sound of his footsteps. He set her down gently on the bed, his touch surprisingly careful for someone with hands so rough and strong.

"You... you didn’t let me finish the TV," she muttered, pouting up at him. Her voice was small, her cheeks flushed pink from both embarrassment and the closeness of him.

Leo stayed exactly where he was, his tall figure looming over her, his gray eyes locked onto her lips. That pout—God, it drove him insane. He clenched his jaw, trying to keep control, but the truth was burning through him: he wanted to kiss that pout until she stopped sulking and started gasping his name.

"No, Bella," he said finally, his voice dropping smooth and firm. "You can’t sit and stare at screens all day. It’s not good for you."

Bella blinked, caught off guard by his tone, her pout softening as her lashes lowered. "No... I will watch. And I don’t even watch too much," she mumbled, but there was a flicker of guilt in her eyes because, truthfully, she did. Too much screen time, too much hiding behind her laptop. For a moment, she almost felt small under his gaze—worried, almost childishly, that he was right.

She was about to shift away, to put distance between them, when suddenly the bed dipped. Her heart jumped. She turned her head and froze. Leo had sat down beside her, his presence overwhelming in the quiet of the room.

"Ah—" she gasped when his hand slid around her waist, holding her in place. Her eyes went wide, her lashes fluttering in nervous panic. "What... what are you doing?"

Without answering, he turned her, gently but firmly, until she was facing him fully. His eyes burned into hers with an intensity that left her dazed, his expression unreadable yet magnetic.

"I want to be your friend," he said at last, his voice low, smooth, and impossibly hot. "If we’re going to live like this... maybe we should actually know some things about each other." His lips curved faintly, not a smile but something heavier, something that made Bella’s chest flutter.

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, nodding quickly. "O-okay..."

Leo’s hand left her waist slowly, deliberately, though his presence lingered like fire against her skin. He shifted, turning more fully toward her, his tall frame bending slightly as he leaned back on one arm. Bella mirrored him, tucking her knees under herself, until they were face-to-face on the bed, knees almost touching. It felt... intimate. Too intimate.

Bella cleared her throat first, eyes darting nervously to his. "Um... what’s your favorite color?"

"Black," he said simply, the word coming out like velvet. His gaze didn’t waver from her face.

Bella smiled, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "Pink, white... no—actually, I think I like all colors."

A faint chuckle slipped from him. "Very colorful," he murmured, his eyes sliding deliberately over the soft pink of her dress. His stare lingered long enough to make her blush, her fingers twisting harder in the fabric.

"You ask now," she said quickly, trying to hide the heat in her cheeks.

Leo tilted his head, thinking, then asked smoothly, "What’s your favorite hobby?"

"B-baking!" Bella said brightly, her voice a little too high from nerves.

Leo’s lips curved faintly as he nodded. "Shooting."

Her eyes widened, the surprise in them almost making him laugh. "Oh..." She nodded quickly, not quite sure how to respond.

He leaned in closer, his breath brushing her cheek. "You think that’s too scary?" he asked in that low voice that always made her heart stumble.

"N-no," Bella whispered, shaking her head quickly, though her lashes fluttered like butterfly wings.