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Two month had passed since Luka had dragged her out of the gym kicking and screaming. However,  that hadn't stopped her from achieving her goal. She may not have had Master Chue to push her,  but his teachings were forever deeply embed in her mind. And so when all woke up at the break of dawn, she became a night owl, utilising the gym when no one was around and too fast asleep to pay her mind.

She also loved the peace of being alone in the dimly lit atmosphere as she fought her demons on her own and she was determined to beat them all. And she would soon succeed as she regained her old self back. She found happiness in being able to run for miles before she could tire, again, in being able to pack a punch against the punching bag that had taunted her for the first few days.

However, nothing ever beats determination and she had achieved her impossible. She was back and this time, nothing would stand in her way of getting her revenge. Not her personal vow and promise to her deceased parents, no more clinging to their last wish that she be free from the underworld, for she had tried and it had refused to let her go the more she tried, and so she would no longer try. Try, she was beginning to hate the word itself.

She would embrace her raven cloak with all the nightmares it bared, and although she would once again be a haunting shadow to those that ever dared to cross her, her hooded cloak would be a bleeding yellow in glee at the sight of blood she would come to spill, she was back, and no longer would Sin interfere or black her out, for they would come to be one in the same. She may still bare light in her, however, time had come for her to embrace the darkness she had tried to get rid off for the longest of time.

She knew Luka had noticed the change in her, despite her smiles and laughter along with heated moments that never really led to sex, she knew he could sense her darkness. The dark looming cloud she had around her, tainting her aura, she wondered then why he still remained unchanging in what he felt for her.

For she was certain the man cared for her beyond what she herself could comprehend. In the way he looked at her, the way he touched her, the way he protected her despite knowing she was plotting something and leaving him out of the loop. She could also see his concern and most especially when she had finally met his uncle.

A questionable man with malice filled eyes too identical to the man that had killed her parents. Her gut had told her that the man was just wrong in every sense of word, and the way his eyes would find themselves on her with such concentration, she had worried that he might have recognised her. However, not even that was the reason behind why she came to realise she cared for Luka just as much as he her, for she knew that his uncle was up to something, and she had found herself concerned for Luka's own safety, however, she also knew he was a grown man more than capable of taking care of himself.

She had seen it or rather felt it in the way they had sparred one night he had followed her down to the gym. She had thought him asleep, yet it seemed she had been wrong. And so it had come to be their own little routine, he would join her and she would hold back on him, and she had appreciated his lack of confronting her on the matter, granted he himself had been holding back on her. And so they were matched, although she was certain she was way better.

She wasn't blind to his suspicion of her either, especially when she had asked to go to the gun range,  and he has taken her to his mafia's training grounds. When she had fired that gun like she had been doing it for years, she had seen his questioning gaze she hadn't bothered to grace with an answer, having simply shrugged it off, although he hadn't pried, she knew it was a matter of time before he finally asked questions. However,  she also knew she wasn't ready to tell him who she was just yet.

Another revelation she had come upon, when she had realised the reason she was yet to tell him wasn't because she feared for her life, for she knew that the man would keep her truth to himself,  however,  it was that she feared his reaction to it more than most. Of what he would come to think of her and if he would still trust the woman that had killed more than his fair share of people. One that seemed to target the underworld than not. The person the underworld had been glad was dead, most probably him included. She simply didn't want him to look at her differently.

For she loved his amused smirks when she would do something mischievous, the look in his grey eyes that would wrap her in a tonado of nothing but chaotic pleasure. To the care laced with hurt everytime he would wake her from a nightmare only to draw calming circles on her back, a touch that would scare all the bad shadows away. She loved that most, that he could provide her peace when she slept, something that came with the emotions that grew towards the man.

He catered to her like no man had ever done, aside from her deceased father, perhaps that's why she was so fond of the man. Aside from him having been there in the toughest years of her life, the fact that he had found her again was an enchanting notion to her, it was as if they were inevitable.

"Haha, y-you should have seen your face!" Bella laughed full heartedly as they walked through the mansion doors, walking backwards and facing the man that was glowering at her,  though she didn't miss the twitching of his lips. She wiped a tear from her eye as she wheezed "Who knew that you were terrified of ruffed lemurs" she teased

"They just caught me off guard, that's all" he tried to play off his bruised man pride. And she all but offered a knowing smile with a roll of her eyes

"Yea right" for she had seen the terrified look on the man's face when the animal had all but landed on his shoulder. It was a surprise he hadn't fainted from the fright, when he had jumped, startled by it.

As they walked through the foyer a voice pipped up causing Bella to turn around, the lion stuffie under her arm and an ice cream cup held in another hand.

"I see y'all had fun" came the snarky comment. Emily stood near the lounge entrance with folded arms as she coldly looked at them. Bella could see her reaction for what it was, however,  having yet to speak to anyone else other than Luka and Greta, she simply shot the young woman a questioning look.

"Her more than me" Luka informed, before grabbing Bella's hand before she could react, and taking a big chunk of her ice cream,  causing her to wail at the man

"Hey!" Luka simply smirked at her then, licking his lips

"Pay back" he said with a sly grin. He loved the happy twinkle she had in her eye, however, Emily, not liking the way the two looked at each other, with something more than playfulness in their eyes, she spoke up again

"When you two are done, You might want to know what actually happened while you were busy at the zoo, I mean what is she,  ten? Luka." she said with distaste emphasising the word Zoo as if hating the fact that he had even bothered to take her there in the first place.

Her words formed a crease on Luka's forehead as he lifted his gaze towards Emily. And Bella didn't like how the carefree expression faded from his face and she shot the young woman a cold look.

"What is it Emily" although he didn't understand the young woman's attitude, Luka wondered what could have happened.

"This is family business" Emily said and he knew she meant Bella's presence. Who merely turned toward him

"I know when I'm not wanted. Later" and she stood on her tippy toes only to kiss his cheek, a smirk on her lips as she turned around to walk away. Only then did Luka understand and he couldn't help but chuckle under his breath and he refused to think that perhaps Emily felt something more for him. For he knew Bella's antics and he could read her like an open book.

"Containers went missing again, and more than last time this time. Your uncle isn't pleased. A gang has also been breaching into our territory in the north, and it appears to be dealing the same stuff we're dealing. Question is, who and how" Emily informed minute Luka sat down.

"I've also spotted a scouter, one of the Torres. He has been lurking around for a while now" informed one of the men present. He was a scouter himself.

"We're thinking its because of her" Emily pipped up, and Luka couldn't help but clench his jaw at her words.

"You know he would rather take her out than deal with the enemy first, considering the more trouble lately. He'll use that as an excuse" it was Mark that offered the warning knowing how their uncle operated

"She stays" Luka's answer was short and final, despite noticing doubt on some of the men's faces. He thought,  if this was one of the tactics his uncle was using to make him seem like he was turning incompetent and weak,  then he was slowly but surely succeeding. That in itself made him tense as he worried, for loosing the men's respect would mean no power and no power would mean zero means of protecting Bella. He would have been fine if they hadn't even met, for then he would have been a man with nothing to loose, and that greatly differed from the man who felt like he had the world to loose"

"Your choice" Mark said with a fleeting raise of his hands in surrender.

"There's more, a note came for you" Kent was one to hand him the note he had been analysing since it had arrived. Something else that made the men tense and  suspicious of the young woman, for although the Boss's right hand man may seem to trust the young woman, they didn't

{I see she survived. Trips to the ice cream parlour and all around, you're living my life. I'm almost jealous.

Don't get too comfortable. She isn't who you think she is}

The first two lines were a veiled threat, it revealed that they had been tailed and he wondered why they never attacked if he knew where they were. Having taken no extra security, sure if he wanted her, he could have dared, but he didn't and that made Luka wonder.

Only to mentally scoff at the last line. Tell me something I didn't know.  He thought,  for he already knew that there was more to Bella and he hoped she would tell him, for he wouldn't pry.

"Is that all?" Luka questioned, and Mark nodded, although there was something in his eyes that told him otherwise.

Luka shot his little brother a questioning look yet the young man said nothing, and with that he stood up and made his way toward his room. His gut told him they hadn't told him everything, and as his mind ran wild from the things they had said. He found his heart gaining a rapid pace, despite knowing Bella was capable, she wasn't invincible, the past proved that.

When he finally reached his floor, and opened his bedroom door,  he wished he hadn't let his guard down where Bella was concerned. For the look she had tore at his heart. Only for him to rage at the man that sat on the couch next to her, two of his men standing on guard by the door inside. He had planned it all, he had made sure they occupied his attention downstairs long enough for him to get time with Bella alone.

For it was rare that she was on her own, after having received a threat from his uncle, he had made sure to make Bella unavailable. Form making sure that she locked herself in his room when alone, to having her dosing off on his couch in his office while he worked. Paranoia had seemed to grip him tightly where his heart was concerned.

Therefore, he should have known better, alas, what was done was done.

"Uhh, boy, you're here. I was just having a little chit chat with your missy here" His uncle spoke as he stood up, cigar between his fingers. He took steps toward Luka, who stood not too far from the door as if frozen to the ground.

"She's very pretty, would fetch quite a hefty price, all things concidered" the men spoke under his breath near Luka's ears, his words dripping malice with spikes that pricked at Luka's reigns on his control as he balled his hands into fists

The minute the door closed, he took careful steps towards where Bella sat, her knees brought to her chest on the couch, her face hiding between her folded arms. She slightly jumped at his touch on her back, and she looked back up at him, tears in her eyes. She almost looked broken with a tinge of fear all over again, however, he saw something else within her inky black eyes, something that made a cold shiver run down his spine. He wondered then, what his uncle could have possibly said to earn himself one such enemy.