I looked at the time. It was two o'clock already. We were having lunch at this moment. Bella called one of the bodyguards and sent him to her favorite place. I just left the choice to her, not like she wasn’t aware of my taste.

“Dear, what was the thing you actually wanted to talk about?” I heard her question.

“I wanted to ask if you have connections in the top hierarchy of the Long clan,” I said.

“How high are we talking about?” she asked another question.

“As high as possible. The very top. Someone who will be able to organize a meeting with either Clan Head or his wife.” I told Bella after a moment of extra consideration. “Anything below that is too risky.”

“No. This is above my reach,” was her answer. “Do I want to know why you need that?”

“Do you?” I replied with my own question. “If you do, I don’t mind telling the truth.”

“Mmm. Tempting, but no. The less I know, the better I will sleep.” Smart girl.

A few minutes were spent in silence, disturbed only by the sound of the cutlery. So, it was a useless piece of knowledge in the end. Hm, a certain pig-tailed Su crossed my mind. Hm, it’s a bit of a risk, but if it’s indeed who I was thinking it was…

“Bella, my dear, can you find me information about the Su clan's first young lady? The daughter of the current clan head. Nothing extraordinary. Just general access info will do. Hm, just a photo will do, actually.” I asked my… whoever she actually was for me… the special woman.

“Sure. Will be done by the evening.” I liked her no nonsense attitude. “Related?”

“Yes. She can give me an in with a person of high enough standing whom I can trust. Maybe.” I explained.

Bella looked surprised that I actually did that, but her eyes told me that she really appreciated the trust.

And once again a silence and sounds of the cutlery. A comfortable silence, there was no need for useless chatter between the two of us. Or at least it was the case for me. The inner workings of a woman's mind were a mystery beyond my understanding, even after all these years.

My phone rang, as I received a quick series of new messages. I looked at Bella, with the silent question if she minded me checking it out or not. It was the time between the two of us, and she was special enough for me to give her that kind of advantage. The gorgeous woman across from me nodded, and I didn’t miss another round of appreciation in her gaze.

Olivia: [Honey]

Olivia: [If you don’t mind]

Olivia; [Can you meet me after school again?]

I tilted my head. Not going to lie, that was a very difficult thing to decide right now. On one hand, Olivia was the focus of my current interest, and I really wanted to see her. On the other hand, I was with Bella, and she was just as important to me.

“Something important?” My current company read me with ease.

“Olivia is asking me to meet her after school,” I told her the truth.

“And this is enough to make you think so hard, dear?” I could see a bit of mockery in her smile.

“You see, my dear, I’m absolutely torn. I really want to spend some time with her.” I could see her smile falter a bit. “But my time with you is just as important.”

“Oh, woe is me, a poor old woman whose man decided to run away to his mistress.” What a vixen. Such theatrics. A moment later, she snorted. “You should’ve seen your current expression. Go and spend some time with the girl. Just remember that I am always waiting.”

I felt absolutely fucking lost at the moment. What the hell, Bella?

“What the hell, Bella?” I repeated aloud. “Are you, like, really sure?”

“Of course not. I’m jealous as all hell right now! What a stupid question. Dear,” she snapped. “But I decided to practice what I preach. I told you to give it a try, so why not do that right away?”

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I palmed my face and started massaging the bridge of my nose. So, the workdays were a fake calm to lull me into a false sense of security. The chaos was just starting. I felt my mask giving another crack, as my lips morphed into a grin. I looked at the time, and remembered Olivia’s school schedule. There were about two more hours before I needed to be there.

“My dear Bella,” I started. “I won our little competition, right?”

“Um, well, yes?” It was her turn to be lost.

“And you were fully ready for my visit today, right?” My voice was sweet as a honey.

“Eh, sure. But I don’t understand…” Yeah, she was lost. Indeed.

“You know the rules, Bella.” My grin widened a bit more. “I want to claim my prize.”

She tried to say something, but I didn’t really listen. Sex with Olivia was great and all, but she was surprisingly inexperienced, so it was a bit too… vanilla. But Bella, oh, she was long since accustomed to me and my tastes.

I stood up and she followed. I turned her around and pinned her to a wall, she didn’t resist. Oh no, she already put her hands on the wall, bending over, arching her back and moving her feet apart to a comfortable distance. I scooped a bit of her natural lube and spread it over my already hard member.

“Bella, my dear,” I whispered into her ear, and she shuddered from excitement. “I’m so looking forward to falling for you.”

I let my lust go.

***

Yet another shower. I closed my eyes, letting the water stream down my face.

“I hate you.” I heard the weak complaint from nearby. Of course, I wasn’t alone in the shower.

“Hard to believe after everything I just heard from you.” Bella loved every moment of it, and was very vocal about that. Even if she herself would never agree with this statement.

“Ugh. You actually went all out.” She patted her posterior, which, most likely, was feeling quite sore at the moment. “I feel lucky you were on a time limit here.”

“I had you in my arms, of course I couldn’t hold myself back.” And wasn’t it the truth?

“Go away already.” I caught her into my embrace, proceeding into a deep, passionate kiss, instead.

***

I was about to actually leave when Bella stopped me.

“Don’t tell me you are planning to go dressed like this?” She made a gesture towards my attire. Hm, sweatpants and hoodie, nothing wrong, right? “Of course you do. Dear, how many times have I told you about your dressing habits?”

Hm, she didn’t stop telling me that even twenty years later. Only after she… disappeared from my life did I change it to something more… appropriate.

“Well, I planned to go to my apartment and change into something better, but… You know. I got distracted here,” I shrugged.

“Luckily for you, I have enough of your outfits stored in my closet. If my man.” She put her hands akimbo, as if daring me to say something. But I had no retort here. If anything, I actually liked the sound of it quite a bit. “If my man is going to show off, he must go all out!”

Ah, another one of Bella’s moods. I just let myself go with the flow. She knew well enough not to push too far, and I was comfortable to let her have control in the no stakes situations like this one.

Fifteen minutes later, I was dressed into something Bella deemed as ‘passable’. Black and red, of course. And was currently holding the keys from one of her most prized possessions. One of those limited amount in the world exclusive sport cars. Huh, the first time around, she never let me borrow this one. I looked at her with a gaze full of questions.

“Just bring it tonight to the club. I know you will take a taxi back afterward, so my people will take care of it.” Well, it was certainly an answer, but not for the questions I actually had. “Now, go away. Don’t make her wait.”

I sighed and leaned in for another kiss, before opening the driver’s door and getting inside the car.

“See you later, my dear,” I said my farewells.

“See you later, dear,” she answered in kind. “And remember, I am waiting for you.”

***

At first, I was thinking about making it a surprise, but then I saw the navigator screen full of red lines. Bloody hell, where did all those people crawl out from? While waiting for a traffic light, I decided to send a message to Olivia.

Me: [on my way]

Me: [traffic is an ass]

Olivia: [Honey!]

Olivia: [We got out earlier today]

Olivia: [Teacher got sick or something]

Olivia: [Substitute couldn’t be arsed to work hard on a Friday]

Olivia: [So she cut it short]

Olivia: [Um, should I wait for you?]

Huh, well, fuck? I looked at the green light, but the car ahead wasn’t about to move any time soon. I glanced at the navigator screen again. ‘ETA fifteen minutes… seventeen minutes… twenty minutes’. Ugh. I weighed an idea to leave the car right here and just walk, but Bella would skin me alive if I actually did that.

Me: [if you know any cozy coffee place nearby]

Me: [take your friends there]

Me: [my treat of course]

I heard the horn sound from behind. Oh, while I was typing this, the car ahead moved the whole twenty meters! ‘ETA: twenty-five minutes’. Crap.