Bella's flip-flops clapped softly against the pavement as she paused in front of a boutique nestled between a café and a bookshop. The display wasn't too flashy, but her eyes instantly caught the soft pastel laces and cotton maternity sets hanging behind the glass. She hesitated for just a second before stepping inside.
The soft jingle of the bell above the door announced her entrance. A warm blast of air conditioning greeted her, along with racks lined with delicate undergarments. Bella's cheeks warmed, but she told herself she was just here for comfort. The baby was growing, and some of her usual ones were getting... snug.
What she didn't know—at least not yet—was that the two men in casuals who had been discreetly trailing her paused at the store's entrance, exchanging horrified glances.
They looked around, shifting uncomfortably. The soft music played in the background, and a few sales associates greeted Bella as she carefully examined the items. But the bodyguards stood there, stiff and awkward, realizing just where they'd followed her into.
One of them muttered under his breath, trying not to stare too much at the lacey fabrics on display.
"Uh, boss didn't say anything about this type of store," one whispered to the other, eyes wide with surprise.
The other bodyguard, trying to maintain composure, cleared his throat. "We'll just keep our distance. Keep an eye on the exits."
But it wasn't long before one of the sales associates gave them a pointed look. Bella, unaware of the attention she was attracting from her security detail, was too busy deciding on which delicate set would be her indulgence.
The bodyguards exchanged awkward glances, unsure how to handle the situation. They'd never imagined their protective detail would lead them here. One was glued to his phone, pretending to scroll while keeping half an eye on the door. The other adjusted his cap for the fifth time and muttered, "When Boss said to stay close, I didn't think it meant lingerie stores."
Bella stood near the back aisle of the cozy boutique, her fingers grazing the soft fabrics and hooks of maternity bras lined neatly on hangers. Her brows furrowed in thought as she held up one with wide straps and extra padding, examining the size with faint exasperation.
"These things look like tiny parachutes," she muttered under her breath, then winced and softly laughed. "But I guess I need one before I start feeling like I'm being strangled by my old ones."
She picked a blush-toned bra and turned slightly to check herself in the mirror nearby, running her hand over her baby bump that was becoming just a little more visible every day.
Outside the fitting section, two of Lucas's bodyguards stood rooted to the floor like they'd been ambushed by a landmine. They tried very hard not to look at anything around them—which was difficult, given the abundance of lace, satin, and very pink posters.
"Damn," one of them whispered to the other. "This has got to be the worst assignment in the world."
"I've dodged bullets with less stress," the other muttered, eyes firmly on the ceiling.
Suddenly, both of their phones buzzed at once. The screen lit up with a familiar name. Capo.
The senior one answered immediately. "Yes, sir?"
"Where is Bella?" Lucas's voice was calm but clipped. "She's not picking up."
The bodyguard straightened as if Lucas could see him through the call. "She's, uh, shopping. Sir. She's safe. Her phone's in her handbag—might be why she didn't hear it."
Lucas's voice dropped. "What kind of shopping?"
There was a brief, painful silence as the two exchanged a panicked look. The junior one began silently mouthing 'Don't say it. Don't say it.'
"Sir… she, uh… got some ice cream first and now she's… shopping for undergarments."
Lucas's end went silent.
Dead silent.
The bodyguard cleared his throat. "Maternity bras, to be exact."
A beat passed. Then another.
Lucas's voice finally came back, tight with suppressed amusement and disbelief. "You're telling me my pregnant wife is shopping for maternity bras… while two grown men are hovering near her like creeps?"
"…Yes, sir."
More silence. Then came the sigh. "Stay outside the store. If anyone looks at her the wrong way, break their neck. But for God's sake, do not make her feel awkward."
"Yes, sir. Already trying."
"Good." The call ended.
Inside, Bella continued browsing, blissfully unaware of the awkward chaos just outside her fitting room door. She finally picked a few sets, tossed them into her basket along with a soft, cozy robe, and headed toward the checkout counter.
__________________
Lucas leaned back in the passenger seat of the black SUV, his knuckles still raw and stinging from the earlier fight. Sergiy sat bound and unconscious beside Mark in the back, his head slumped forward with a bloodied lip and a nasty bruise forming on his cheek. Renato was at the wheel, unusually quiet, while Lucas pulled out his phone to check for updates.
One message from Bella.
'Did you reach the office safely?'
Lucas stared at the screen for a second longer than necessary. A tired but crooked smile tugged at his lips. He can count the times she had texted him first like this before. It was subtle, but he felt it. She missed him. And God, he missed her too.
He was about to call her but she didn't pick up his phone even after 2 calls. So he called her assigned bodyguards to ask where is she.
"Where is Bella?" Lucas's voice was calm but one can tell that he was worried about her. "She's not picking up."
"She's, uh, shopping. Sir. She's safe. Her phone's in her handbag—might be why she didn't hear it." One of them replied.
"What kind of shopping?" He asked as he was curious about what she is shopping that made her forget about him.
Soon a hesitant reply came from the other side, "Sir… she, uh… got some ice cream first and now she's… shopping for undergarments. Maternity bras, to be exact."
Renato let out a snort from the driver's seat, clearly overhearing that. "She's buying sexy stuff without you? Now that's a betrayal."
Lucas glared at him, "Shut up."
Mark covered a grin, but said nothing.
Lucas sighed, leaning back against the leather seat, running a hand through his hair. "You're telling me my pregnant wife is shopping for maternity bras… while two grown men are hovering near her like creeps?"
"…Yes, sir."
More silence. Then came the sigh. "Stay outside the store. If anyone looks at her the wrong way, break their neck. But for God's sake, do not make her feel awkward."
"Yes, sir. Already trying."
"Good."
He ended the call and tossed the phone onto the seat beside him, rubbing his temple. "She's going to be the death of me."
Renato couldn't resist, "Or the death of your self-control."
Lucas ignored him and looked out the window, trying hard not to imagine Bella holding lacy fabrics up to her body with that cute pout she always wore when she was indecisive. It did not help his concentration. At all.
Meanwhile, Sergiy groaned in the backseat as he started coming to.
Lucas's demeanor instantly changed. He straightened up, eyes sharpening like steel.
"Good," he murmured, voice ice cold. "Let's wake up our guest properly."