Page 57 of The Enemy's Daughter

Alaric: How was ur day @ work?

Bella: Really good. We didn’t lose anyone today. You?

Alaric: Fine. Same old boring shit.

Bella: Why don’t you quit?

Alaric: I’m good at what I do. Missing you.

Bella: Missing you as well. Thank you for dropping the text talk. I hate it.

Alaric: ?

Bella: ur is supposed to be your. What is with saying at rather than @? Lazy *blows raspberry*

Alaric: You’re so fucking cute.

Bella: Is that why you love me?

Alaric: Not all. Your body helps.

Bella burst out laughing at his last text. He always knew what to say or do to make her smile.

****

“I have a lunch for a Bella Reed,” a delivery guy said.

Bella looked up from her computer to see the waiter from the Italian restaurant that Alaric had taken her to a few weeks ago.

“Damn, girl, that man is totally smitten with you,” Deidre said.

Bella smiled at the man, and took her food. She had no doubt that Alaric loved her. It had nothing to do with the flowers, lunches, or the dinners. No, it was the text messages, the words of love and caring. She didn’t need anything else to tell her that Alaric was the man for her. She felt it deep in her soul.

“Back off, he’s mine,” she said, smiling. As she opened up the takeout carton, her mouth watered. Spaghetti carbonara was her favorite. Her stomach growled, and as she twirled her fork in the spaghetti and took a bite, her cell phone buzzed.

Alaric: You need to start taking care of yourself.

Bella: Did you have lunch?

Alaric: How did you know how I liked my burger?

Bella smiled thinking about the order she had placed that morning with his favorite burger joint. He loved a nice sirloin beef burger, cheese, lots of fried onions, and burger sauce. She’d also sent him an extra portion of cheese fries as well.

Taking a deep breath, she sent him the text that she hoped he would know she wanted their future.

Bella: I’ve got to take care of my man.

Not once had she made any reference to him belonging to her. Now she had, she had taken the next step. It had only been a couple of weeks, but she knew, without a doubt knew that he was the one. Yes, he had lied to her in the beginning, but he hadn’t broken her heart. He hadn’t done anything that he had planned because he had fallen in love with her. She loved him more than anything. Like her mother, she had never been able to stay mad for long.

Alaric: I’m yours, baby, always. You’re mine, and don’t you forget it.

Bella: Why don’t you come around to my place tonight, and I can show you how much I own you? *eye wink*

Alaric: I’m thinking an early dinner? What about you?

Bella: I just asked Deidre, and I’m free to go. Come and get me.

Finishing her food, she logged off her computer and made her way toward her car. Climbing inside, she drove toward her apartment, and then rushed inside, changing out of her work clothes, into a silk negligee that she had splurged on.

Letting her hair fall down around her, she was ready when the knock came at the door. Leaving her bedroom, she made sure it was Alaric at the door. Licking her lips, she held her head high, and opened the door.

The moment he saw her, she was sure she heard a little growl. Within seconds he had the door closed, and his arms were wrapped around her. “No one, and I mean no one, ever sees you like this.”

“You’ve got it, baby. This is all for you.”

And it was.

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