CHAPTER 234: CHAPTER 234 I WANT MORE

They went downstairs, the whole house wrapped in silence, only the guards on night duty awake in the halls. The kitchen lights flickered on, soft and warm.

Bella opened the fridge, peered in, and sighed. "Nothing."

"See?" He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms, his voice low. "I told you, I’m not hungry."

"Hush." She gave him a look that was both sleepy and bossy, and he almost—almost—smiled.

"I’ll cook for you," she said finally, her lips curving in a small, determined smile.

He watched her move around the kitchen in her fluffy pink pajamas, yawning every so often as she gathered ingredients. He sat on one of the stools by the counter, a massive man in a dark shirt looking completely out of place in the soft kitchen glow. Yet his eyes never left her.

His chest stirred, strange and unfamiliar. She looked so fragile, half-asleep, yet still she wanted to feed him, to take care of him.

The smell of garlic, butter, and cream filled the quiet kitchen, wrapping around them like a warm blanket. Bella stirred the pan carefully, her messy hair falling forward as she concentrated. Her small hands moved quickly—adding milk, sprinkling in herbs, grating cheese. She hummed faintly under her breath, that little off-key tune that made the silence feel alive.

Leo sat watching, his elbows resting on his knees, his gray eyes half-shadowed but wide awake. He wasn’t thinking of the spy, of Pablo, of anything that had poisoned his night before. All he could think about was the girl in pink pajamas, yawning every now and then, stubbornly cooking for him when she should have been asleep.

Finally, Bella poured the steaming white sauce over the pasta, mixed it, and tasted it with a small spoon. Her eyes lit up. "Perfect!"

She set a plate in front of him, her cheeks faintly pink. "Here. Eat."

Leo raised a brow. "And what about you?"

"I am not hungry," she said, waving her hand.

He frowned. "Sit."

Bella blinked at him, then slowly sat across from him at the counter. She propped her chin on her hands, watching him expectantly.

Leo picked up the fork and twirled a bite. He tasted it. The sauce was rich, creamy, with just the right bite of pepper. He chewed slowly, his jaw tight, his heart thudding louder than it should have.

Bella leaned closer. "Well? Is it good?"

Leo swallowed. He looked at her, her honey-brown eyes wide and hopeful, her lips curved in a nervous smile. He could have said a hundred things. But the only word that left him, low and honest, was—

"Delicious."

Her whole face brightened, her smile spreading wide. She clapped her hands together softly. "Really? I thought maybe I messed up the sauce..."

He shook his head, still eating, still watching her. "It’s better than anything I’ve had in years."

Bella’s cheeks flushed. "Don’t exaggerate."

"I don’t exaggerate," Leo said quietly, his gaze never leaving her.

Her heart skipped. She fidgeted with her fingers under the counter, trying to avoid his intense stare. But it was useless—he always looked at her like she was something he couldn’t figure out, something he wanted to understand but also keep.

She quickly grabbed a fork and stole a bite from his plate. "Hmm! Not bad!" she said, licking her lips.

His eyes flickered to that small, pink tongue, and something tightened in his chest. He forced himself to glance down at the plate instead.

"Bella." His voice was lower now.

She looked up at him. "Hmm?"

He leaned back slightly, his jaw hard, but his eyes softened. "Don’t... ever cook for anyone else like this."

Her lips parted in surprise. "What? Why?"

"Because," he muttered, stabbing another piece of pasta with his fork. "This... is mine."

Bella blinked, stunned, her heart thudding wildly. She wanted to laugh it off, but his expression was serious, almost possessive.

"Y-you’re strange," she whispered, her cheeks burning.

"Maybe." He looked at her, his lips curling faintly. "But I mean it."

The kitchen light glowed warm above them. He ate the pasta slowly, savoring each bite—not just of the food, but of the way she sat there with him, her eyes still sleepy, her lips pink from biting them nervously.

And when she reached forward absentmindedly to wipe a bit of sauce from the corner of his mouth, both froze.

Her finger trembled. His jaw flexed.

Neither moved for a long second.

Then Bella quickly pulled her hand back, face flaming. "S-sorry! There was..."

Leo caught her wrist gently, his gray eyes locking onto hers. "Don’t apologize." His voice was low, rough, like gravel.The command, and the feel of his hand on her skin, made Bella’s breath catch in her throat. He held her gaze for a long moment before finally releasing his grip.

Leo didn’t rush, not even a little. He ate slowly, deliberately, his storm-gray eyes fixed on her the whole time.

Bella sat frozen across from him, her lips parting just slightly as she watched him finish the plate. And when he was done, he dragged his finger across the porcelain, catching the last trace of creamy sauce and brought it to his lips.

Bella’s throat bobbed as she swallowed. The way his tongue brushed over his fingertip, the way his jaw flexed—it made her heartbeat stutter.

Leo leaned back, his gaze still locked on her. His voice was low, rough with something she didn’t understand. "More."

Her breath hitched. "M-more?" she stammered.

He tilted his head, his lips curving faintly. "I want more." He didn’t look at the plate this time. He was looking only at her.

Bella’s face turned scarlet. Her hands fumbled with the dish, nearly slipping it before she steadied herself. "O-okay," she whispered, her voice trembling as she picked up his plate and scurried back to the stove.

Leo’s eyes followed her every step. The way her soft pink pajamas clung lightly to her, the way her messy hair bounced when she moved—God, he wanted to pull her back to him, forget the food entirely. But he let her serve, watching her hands shake just enough to betray her nerves.

She brought the plate back, placing it carefully in front of him. "Here," she said, avoiding his gaze.

But he wasn’t about to let her off so easily. His large hand reached out suddenly, covering hers before she could pull away.

Bella’s breath caught as she looked up at him...