She spoke up without looking, “If you have something to report, just say it.”
Lucas said nothing.
After a few more seconds of silence, Aurora finally looked up, puzzled.
To her surprise, it was Lucas standing there.
L
<b>+25 </b><b>Bonus </b>
“You? What <b>are </b>you doing here?” she asked, visibly caught off guard.
Lucas noticed the weariness on her face, and a twinge of concern stirred in his chest.
“<b>I </b>came to check on you. You’ve been so busytely you’ve barely had time to eat<b>, </b><b>so </b>I brought you something.”
As he spoke, he smiled softly and lifted the bag he’d been holding.
“Here. I made this for you.”
Aurora’s gazended on the insted container in his hand, and <b>a </b>quiet warmth spread through her chest<b>. </b>
She hadn’t expected this kind of attentiveness from him. Somehow, this man managed to notice things others never did.
She was genuinely touched.
As much as she hated to admit it, Lucas could be even more thoughtful than her own mother sometimes.
After everything they’d been through, her view of him had started to shift.
Lucas walked over <b>to </b><b>the </b>table, unbothered, and beganying out the food. One dish after another<b>, </b>until the table <b>was </b>practically full.
Seeing the spread, something softened in her heart.
She couldn’t <b>help </b>but speak. “You don’t have to do this next time.<b>” </b>
Lucas paused, fork in hand. “You don’t like it?”
Aurora shook her head. <b>“</b>I’m just worried <b>it’s </b><b>too </b>much trouble for <b>you</b>.”
<b>At </b>that, his <b>expression </b>shifted. “It’s not. I can handle <b>it</b>.<b>” </b>
<b>“</b><b>Come </b><b>on</b><b>, </b><b>eat </b>while <b>it’s </b>hot,” he urged, his <b>voice </b>warm and inviting.
<b>There </b><b>wasn’t </b>the slightest hint <b>of </b>what had just gone down in <b>the </b>underground <b>garage</b><b>. </b>
He lookedpletely at <b>ease</b><b>, </b><b>as </b>though he hadn’t just personally handled a man who dared to threaten her.
Aurora slid into the seat beside Lucas without thinking much of it.
No sooner had she sat down than Lucas started piling <b>food </b>into her bowl–dish after <b>dish</b><b>, </b><b>one </b><b>scoop </b>after another.
She hadn’t <b>even </b>managed two bites <b>before </b><b>the </b>contents had <b>already </b>formed <b>a </b>small mountain.
She <b>gave </b>him <b>a </b>helpless look. <b>“</b><b>You </b>don’t <b>have </b><b>to </b><b>fuss </b>over <b>me </b>like <b>this</b>. <b>I </b><b>can </b>take care of <b>myself</b>.<b>” </b>
<b>She </b><b>tried </b><b>to </b>reason <b>with </b>him<b>, </b>but Lucas ignored <b>her </b><b>entirely</b><b>, </b>stubborn as ever<b>. </b>
“I know you’ve <b>been </b>stressed <btely</b>. You haven’t <b>been </b>eating <b>properly</b>. Just eat more<b>, </b>alright<b>?</b><b>” </b>
His lips pressed into <b>a </b>thin line as he studied her <b>face</b>–the <b>way </b><b>her </b>jaw had sharpened slightly <b>over </b>the past <b>few </b><b>days</b><b>. </b><b>He </b><b>felt </b><b>it </b>like a stone <b>in </b><b>his </b>chest<b>. </b>
<b>They’d </b>both been so busy recently they barely <b>had </b>time to see <b>each </b>other<b>, </b>let alone sit down for a proper meal together.
Watching him <b>move </b>around her with such quiet attentiveness<b>, </b>Aurora <b>felt </b>a rare flicker of guilt.
<b>“</b>Lucas… thank you,” she murmured.
She was grateful that he was <b>always </b>putting <b>up </b>with her and never once walking <b>away</b>.
The moment those words left her mouth, the spoon in Lucas’s hand slipped into the bowl with a soft clink.
<b>He </b>turned to <b>her</b>, clearly caught off guard, his expressionced with mild exasperation. <b>“</b><b>I’ve </b>told you that we’re closer than anyone. You <b>don’t </b>need to <b>thank </b>me. Saying that just makes it feel like there’s distance between us,”
Aurora pressed her lips together<b>, </b>momentarily overwhelmed by the sight of him–this calm, beautiful man quietly knocking the wind out of her.
<b>In </b>the end, she <b>nodded </b>without <b>another </b>word.
Truth be told, het heart was full
It <b>was </b><b>a </b>burden<b>, </b>but the <b>sweet </b>kind.
<b>How </b>could she keep pushing him away when he treated her with such unrelenting care<b>? </b>
Even her mother hadn’t noticed that she’d barely eaten over the <bst </b>couple of days<b>. </b>Some days<b>, </b>she hadn’t eaten at all.