Chapter 12: Bella.

Silence settled between them.

Iris stared at him, her chest rising and falling. "...Fine." She bit out. "I'll repay the debt."

She took a step toward him, her blue eyes burning with defiance."But don't mistake this for loyalty."

"I'm doing this for my family. The day I no longer need you..." She held his gaze. "...is the day I walk away."

Cassian looked at her for a long moment. His eyes flickered,"We'll see."

He turned on his heel and walked away.

Iris glared at his retreating figure before following him, her fists clenched at her sides.

****

Iris hissed in pain as her finger tips traced the skin on her shoulder where she was zapped.

A few weeks ago she never would have imagined herself in this situation. Even if a fortune teller had told her this she would denounce it as a prank.

She stared down at her bare feet as she tread lightly through the hallway, security flanking either side of her.

"Miss Bella requires your presence."

Iris' head snapped up. Surprise flashed across her face before giving way to confusion.

A young man, who looked about as old as her stood in front of her, draped in a navy blue designer suit, his oval face framed by a big black glasses that could easily be called protection goggles.

"Who's Bella?" she blurted out. Could it be Cassian's wife? No, she would have been called Mrs. Cassian Donatelli. His fiancee? Maybe? she blinked as a strange string of emotion bloomed in her chest. No way, she shook her head. No novel like nonsense.

"Boss ordered she's to be taken straight to the quarter's." One of the two guards replied, his voice tinged with annoyance.

Iris glanced at him over her shoulder and the other guard. Her gaze finally returned back to the dork standing in front of her.

She studied him for a while. Watching him pass a card over to the guard who snatched it.

His goggles looked like something that could read someone's mind on a whim.

"Let's go." The first guard who spoke, said with a gruff and they headed to meet the mysterious woman who wanted to see her. She climbed into the waiting vehicle carefully, wondering what this encounter would be like.

***

The butler pushed the double doors open.

Iris walked in her head moving to the left and right, taking every single detail.

The office was nothing like Cassian's. Large windows stretched from floor to ceiling, allowing the afternoon sunlight to spill across the polished wooden floors.

The shelves were lined in one wall, filled with medical journals instead of weapons or ancient books.

Fresh lilies sat in a crystal vase on the desk, their sweet scent filling the office.

For a second...Iris wondered if she'd entered the wrong place. She expected the gangster lady to be more ...gothic and sinister. Now she was proven wrong.

A woman sat behind the desk. Her head was bent while calmly signing the last page of a document before closing the folder. Only then did she raise her head.

Their gazes locked. The woman gave a gentle smile.

"You must be Iris." her voice came out calm but had a sultry tint to it, like she could have any man begging just with a smile.

Her blonde hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, her manicured nails kept tapping rhythmically on the desk.

"...You know me?" Iris asked. She stepped into the office, the guards stepping in after.

Bella let out a soft laugh. "Considering my little brother brought you into our home..." She closes the file. "...I'd be worried if I didn't."

Iris almost laughed in amusement, Cassain was a little brother? Interesting.

She stands up from her desk, signalled the guards and the dork guy to go out

The guards were reluctant but still vacated the room.

When the door clicked shut, Bella walked up to Iris, her cream colored off shoulder jumpsuit accentuating the sway of her hips.

"Come," she caught her wrist and held it lightly, Iris looked up at her in shock. Why shouldn't she?

This woman was acting the opposite of what she expected.

"Come have lunch with me." She completed as they stepped into another part of the office where their meal was already on the desk waiting for them.

Iris's jaw dropped. It was an office restaurant Warm sunlight poured through the tall windows, spilling across the polished wooden table in the centre.

Several dishes were already arranged neatly, steam curling lazily into the air. The rich aroma of roasted chicken, buttered potatoes, freshly baked bread and herbs drifted toward her, making her stomach tighten.

She hadn't realized how hungry she was until now. Her eyes lingered on the food for a moment before narrowing slightly.

This... wasn't what she'd expected.

After everything that had happened over the past two weeks, she'd expected another interrogation,more like threats and twisted lessons from the Donatellis.

Bella pulled out one of the chairs and smiled warmly. "Sit."

Iris didn't move. Her gaze shifted between the food and Bella."...Why?"

Bella tilted her head. "Because no one should have lunch alone."

Iris's stomach rumbled loudly, rebelling her caution. Bella chuckled and pointed at the food, “you're free to, it's not poisoned you know.”

Iris gave a nod her face was all red and her hands kept tugging at the hem of her dress.

“How's my brother treating you?” Bella asked, her smile spreading a little bit wider that Iris feared it would reach her ears.

She scoffed, the man literally chained her to a wall and implanted a chip on her shoulder to track her down and punish her whenever she violated his rules. What else was there to say except vile?

Bella gave a light laugh, covering her mouth elegantly, “I see, he's being him.”

“I don't see how that's funny.” She muttered under her breath.

“Dig in Iris.” Bella ignored the statement and pushed a plate of food in front of her.

Iris stared at the food warily. Then her hands reached out for it. She took a bite and she gave a low hum of approval. Balla smiled.

“I'm glad you like it.”

After some minutes of Iris dining on the lunch, a good half of the dishes were cleared.

“Thank you.” She gave Bella a weary smile.

Bella nodded and pushed a crystal glass toward Iris. "Try it."

Iris looked down at the dark red liquid. "...Wine?"

Bella nodded, taking a sip from her own glass. "A very old one."

Iris hesitated. She had never tasted wine before.

Her parents rarely drank, and when they did, it was only during celebrations.

She lifted the glass cautiously. The rich aroma hit her nose first.

She took a small sip. Immediately, her face scrunched up."Uggh...That's bitter."

Bella laughed softly. "It grows on you."

Iris frowned at the glass. "I don't know why people willingly drink this. I mean, it tastes like poison." She made a face and Bella chuckled.

Not wanting to look childish, she took another sip. Storing it in her cheeks for some seconds, before swallowing it.

Then another and another. And by the time lunch ended...the bottle was nearly half empty.

Bella looked at Iris, her brows drawing together. "...Are you feeling alright?"

Iris blinked. Her eyes ,now glassy and red. "I'm perfectly..."She paused and belched "...perfectly..." a giggle escaped her lips.

Bella slowly set her fork down.Bella slowly set her fork down. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips."...You're adorable."

Iris frowned. "...I am?"

"Mhm." Bella rested her chin on her hand. "I've never met someone who gets drunk after half a bottle.”

A knock echoed through the office before any of them could speak.

Bella looked toward the door. "Come in."

The man from earlier who informed Iris of Bella's request stepped in. "Miss Bella..." He hesitated. "...Boss Cassian is back."

Bella's smile widened. She glanced at the giggling Iris. "...This should be interesting.”