Loveless♣

Chapter 25

Joshua watched as Bella wrapped the little boy's palm with a bandage.She was dead quiet,had been since they left that wretched neighborhood. She hadn't said a word to him,hadn't answered any of his questions.She'd only clutched Henry tightly as he drove to his condo.
She hadn't said a word in the elevator upstairs,hadn't even commented on the interior of his home. It had been her first time in his home,why was she so at ease in it?
She wasn't exactly at ease,though. Her sole focus had been Henry. Her blue sweater was stained with blood and sweat.Henry's blood.She looked disturbed,but calm and the same time.Like she was freaking the hell out but was trying to maintain her composure.Her brows creased as she focused on wrapping the wound.
Little Henry just sat there,staring at her beautiful tired face.
She reminded him of someone he knew a long time ago but couldn't remember,like a piece of a puzzle found but couldn't be placed in its right position,because he couldn't see the whole puzzle itself.
Joshua watched them,in his kitchen,and for once his home did not feel so empty and cold.Their presence alone filled up the space.It comforted him.
"There," she said,smiling at Henry as she put the last part of the bandage in place.She took a mug from the kitchen tabletop and handed it to him."Drink it..all of it."
Her voice was low but carried authority.
He put the mug to his lips,closed his eyes and let the warm milk travel into his stomach.When he finished it,he smiled at her.
For the first time all day,she laughed.
"You have a little white moustache there,hon" she said."Come on,let's get you washed up."
She lifted him from the chair.He clung to her monkey style and laid on her shoulder contentedly as she walked into one of the rooms.
Joshua recognized the look on his little face.It was the same look he had given Julianne many years ago.
He smirked.
Little Henry was smitten.
Who could blame him?
Bella walked back into the kitchen a few minutes later and stood in the doorway.
Joshua was leaning against the kitchen sink,his arms folded.
They stared at each other for a while,the tension building gradually.
She didn't look like she was ready to speak.She just tugged at the hem of her sweater with a frown on her face, as though trying to put as much distance between it and her body.
Joshua didn't speak either.If she wasn't ready to address the elephant in the room,then he wouldn't push it.
It wasn't his business anyway.
But,she'd gotten him involved and he thought he at least deserved an explanation.
Suddenly,Bella crossed her arms at both sides of her sweater and pulled it over her head.It dropped to the floor.
Joshua could swear he had stopped breathing.What in the hell was she doing?
She shot him a sultry smile.She knew exactly what she was doing.She walked up to him in that sexy way she knew how.She didn't just walk,she glided.Walking was for the ordinary.Why walk when you could drop jaws by swinging your hips and arms in a focused and alluring manner?
His hands dropped slowly to his sides as she neared him.She was wearing a deep blue lacy bra,that complemented greatly with her skin tone.Her breasts were beautiful. Two swollen globes that stared at him and glowed under the fluorescents as she strode towards him.
She stood right in front of him and hooked one hand around his shoulder.Then she leaned forward,her chest touching his, and traced a lean finger from his slightly parted lips down to his chest and stopped at the hem of his trousers.
A dangerous smile played on her lips.
"I just wanted to thank you for today," she said huskily.
Her fingers stretched the elastic band of his trousers forward and let it fall back.
Her lashes lowered and brushed her lips against his teasingly. She opened her eyes again and stared straight into his.
"Thank you,Joshua."
She bit her lower lip to suppress the laugh that wanted to escape her lips.If only he could see his face.He looked dazed.She started to move away but he held her wrists.
She looked at him,at his lips,his eyes.He imitated her movements.
She expected the kiss,was prepared for it,but her eyes widened in shock when his lips landed on her neck instead.
The shock quickly turned into a moan.What was he doing to her?He still held her by both wrists,but it was what he was doing to her neck that bothered her.Her body's response bothered her more.It was as though her body wasn't responding to her mind's commands but Joshua's warm mouth.
His lips moved expertly from the side of her jaw to beneath her chin,and her head was bending back of its on accord.She took in a sharp breath.
"Joshua,what are you-"
Her words were cut off as his lips landed on hers.He kissed her deeply and thoroughly.Bella's eyes closed and she moaned into his mouth.The kiss had been expected but wasn't as she'd expected.It was as though they'd been starved for years and their hungry lips had just found each other.
He let go off her wrists,grabbed her ass and moulded her to him until they were touching at every part;mouth to mouth,arousal to arousal.
Bella bunched his hair in her hands tightly and pulled him closer,like she couldn't get enough of him,opening her mouth more so his tongue could dive deeper.
He touched her everywhere. His hands squeezed every part of her.Her smell,the feel of her was driving him crazy.He wanted to bury himself in her.
Suddenly,Bella detached herself from him and the force had them staggering backwards.He clutched the kitchen sink,while she grabbed the kitchen counter.
They were breathing hard.
Her chest was heaving with every breath she took.She put a hand her chest and her fingers grazed the base of her throat alerting her of her pulse rate.It was racing.What the hell had just happened?She'd only wanted to tease him and leave him wanting more of her,but instead he had completely floored her with the kiss.
"Joshua-"
"Bella-"
They spoke at the same time and stopped.
Joshua looked at her face.She looked terrified.Her lips were swollen and bright pink.He moistened his and tore his gaze from them to her eyes.She was shaking her head slowly.
"I-"
"Bella,I'm sorry.I shouldn't have-"
They were jolted by the loud ringtone that blasted unexpectedly from Bella's phone.
They looked at each other.Bella grabbed her phone,took a deep cleansing breath then answered.
"Hello?" Her voice was shaky,like she was biting back a shiver.She closed her eyes for a moment,and looked skyward.
Lord,give me strength. Please.
I can't fall now.
Not for him.
No matter how blazingly well he kisses.
Her eyes flashed open and her body straightened when she heard the voice that replied her.
"Terrence?"
Joshua could hear a garbled response from the other end of the call,and he watched Bella's demeanour change instantly.
"Terrence, are you out of your damn mind!" she yelled."You left your cousin in that godforsaken place and ran the fuck off?"
She frowned deeply when his response came.
"Callate!No matter what had happened there,you should not have left him.So what if there was a shoot out between the gangs?Did you think hiding him was the best option?What if they had found him,you moron!They'd have used him to settle the score!"
The response was faster now.
"No me importa,Terrence.I don't care if the whole world was falling apart at that moment,you should never have left him behind.Anything could've have happened!Don't you ever do that again,entiendes?"
She listened for a short moment,then sighed.
"No se preocupe,he's fine.He just had a little cut.He's asleep right now.Where are you?"
She listened.Then froze and looked at Joshua.Joshua didn't understand why she'd looked at him that way,or why she turned away quickly.
"Okay,um,Terrence,stay there,Joshua and I will be there soon."
That was when it struck him.
"He fucking went to Patty's?!" he questioned, his rage building.Bella refused to look at him."Give me the phone,Bella!Now!"
She whipped her face to him and shot him an angry glare.
"Yes,I'm with Joshua," she said into the phone."We'll be over soon.Adiós."
She hung up, crossed the room & reached for her sweater.
Joshua dragged a hand across his face and pounded his fist on the sink.
"He knew he was in fucking danger and had the nerve,the audacity to go to Patricia's?!" he growled at Bella.
"Joshua,would you calm down?Henry's asleep and-"
"No,no,I will not calm down.Did you know he was there all along?" he snapped at her,walking up to her until they were face to face.
"No,I didn't. And don't raise your voice at me,Joshua,I'm not the one who-"
"No!This isn't just about him!Its about you,Henry,Terrence, the dead guy,the thugs you were with...all of you! Y'all have some imminent danger hovering about you and y'all have managed to bring it to my family.Hurt me and I'll take it but no one goes near Joshua or Patricia, you got that?!"
"Joshua!Terrence is your nephew's father.Whether you like it or not,he's always gonna be near him and you have no right to try to tear them apart just because of his past!"
"His past?! Bella,it's no longer his past if its catching up to him.Who the hell is CJ?Who the hell is Sebastian? What the hell are y'all involved in!"
"It's none of your business,Jo-"
Her words were cut off when he grabbed her shoulders aggressively.
She gasped when she saw the deadly look in his eyes.
"Don't,Bella,"he said,his voice menacingly low."I don't mess with my family.At all.Tell me what you're all involved in.Now."
"Bella?"a tiny voice said from behind them.They turned to face Henry.
Bella gave Joshua a pointed look,a look that said it was his fault that Henry had awoken.She shook his hands off her shoulders,then smiled sweetly at Henry.
"Come here,baby," she said,and Henry obeyed.She lifted him from the floor."Did we wake you up?"
He nodded.
"I'm sorry,okay?Uncle Joshua has got a bit of a temper.Hey,Hen,do you wanna go see Uncle Terrence?"
Henry nodded. "Yes.He was the one who told me to hide in the closet and not come out until the police came."
"Good,good.We're going to see him now,okay?I'm sure he's gonna be very proud of you for being brave and staying put.Why,you didn't even wince when I cleaned out your wound.How brave!" She touched her nose with his.He laughed and put his hands around his neck and settled his head on her shoulder.
Bella's grin vanished when she looked at Joshua.He had relaxed a bit,but she could feel his anger coming at her in waves.
"Let's go," he said brusquely and brushed past her as he went out the door.
Bella sighed.This was going to be a long night.