"Do you think this is enough?" Nate asks Caroline and Bella unsurely.
They are currently out shopping for gifts for their partners. Valentine's in less than two weeks and they wanted to make sure they get everything by then.
"Yes Nate, we're sure," Caroline answers him almost annoyingly. He's been asking them the same question every few minutes because he is nervous that Cara won't like the gifts. Since she is his first serious girlfriend he wanted to spoil her and show her how much she means to him.
People look at him strangely as they walk around the mall. He has both his hands full of bags and one giant teddy bear in his arms. Some even laugh as they watch him walking unsteadily and some awe at him and wish they got those presents.
"Do you guys want to grab a bite here or go somewhere else?" Bella asks but giggles as she watches her best friend struggling to keep his balance.
She walks towards his side and takes a couple of bags from him to help him and he smiles gratefully at her. "Please let's eat here. I need to sit down and take some rest." Nate lets out a deep breath but earns a laugh from Caroline.
When they decide what they want to eat, they find their place and have lunch together before they leave the mall. Nate offers to drive them home and he drops Bella off first at Alexander's place. She hugs them both goodbye and then enters the building, greeting Toby in the passing before she enters the elevator.
She is glad to see that the apartment is empty when she opens the door with a key that Alexander gave her so she can come to his place whenever she wants. Since they practically spend almost every day at his apartment it would be hard to pass him without him noticing that she has bags with her so it's good that he's not home at the moment because she can hide his valentines gift.
Just as she found the perfect place to hide it, somewhere she knows he won't pry without her permission, her underwear drawer, she hears the front door opening and closing so she quickly closes the drawer and emerges from their bedroom.
"Oh, you're back, love," Alexander says with a smile.
"Yup." Bella happily goes towards him and kisses him like she always does when he's back home.
"Did you have fun with your friends?" He asks her as he still holds her within his arms. Bella tells him all about her day and asks how his day went as well.
"We finished everything, now all that's left is the exhibition night. Do you want to go and see how everything looks?"
"Yes, of course," Bella answers excitedly and he smiles as he takes her coat and helps her put it on before they leave his apartment again and he drives them to the gallery he just came back from.
Bella's breath hitches when she enters the gallery that is decorated with all of her pictures printed on big canvases. It was so different from seeing those same photographs on a small camera screen.
She can feel the nervousness rising again. The thought of people seeing her makes her feel uneasy, but strangely in a good way. She nor her body is not exposed but just the thought of a lot of people watching those photographs makes her nerves perk up.
"They are beautiful, aren't they." Alexander absently says as his eyes go over from one photograph to the other until his eyes fall on her and she can see everything that he feels for her through them.
It makes her feel like she wants to cry just from the adoration and love she can see in his eyes, and she thinks it's crazy how a man like him is feeling like that with her, and for her.
"I love you." He suddenly tells her and kisses her cheek.
Her eyes soften at the way he spoke those words like he didn't want anybody else to hear him getting vulnerable, like those words are only meant for her and always will be just for her, almost like he was shy to say them. It made her heart flutter.
"I love you too." She suddenly had the urge to hug him and hold him tight. "And the photographs as well." She whispers as she tightens her hold on him, shuddering in his arms as he traces his fingers up and down her back.
"I'm glad you do." He kisses her temple before kissing her lips. They stay in the gallery for a few more minutes just staring at the photographs that are hung on the walls before they decide to go home.
Alexander locks the gallery and as always opens the car door for her and when they're both settled in his warm and comfy car, he drives them back to soon-to-be their apartment.
...
"Baby." Alexander kisses Bella's neck as he holds her tight against his chest.
"Baby, it's time to wake up." He slightly shakes her but chuckles when she whines in protest. "I know love, but it's already late and we have to be at Mary's place soon. We don't want to miss her lunch hmm?" He laughs when her eyes open immediately at the mention of food.
"Did you sleep well?" He asks her as she turns around and hides her face in his chest, kissing his skin gently but making his heart race at the simple touch.
"I always do when I'm sleeping with you." His eyes soften and his heart flutters at her words. He would say the same. It's so different when she stays the night over and when he has to sleep alone. It's like she's some form of therapy that helps him feel more alive in the morning and he never has bad dreams or nightmares when he has her in his arms while they sleep.
"Me too, love." He makes her smile and he kisses her before he gets out of the bed and starts walking toward the bathroom.
"Wanna take a shower with me?" He asks as he leans on the door frame and when he sees her nodding he smiles and waits for her to join him in the bathroom. But when they were about to take their clothes off, the doorbell rings, and they both look at each other confused. Nobody is supposed to visit them today.
Alexander walks out of their bedroom and towards the entrance door, Bella silently following him. The previous confusion only worsens when he opens the door and sees two policemen standing in front of them.
"Good morning. Are you Alexander Hart?" One officer asks him, his face and tone cold.
"Yes, I am Alexander Hart. How can I help you?" Alexander speaks calmly with his eyebrows furrowed, trying to understand what's happening and why they're even here. He looks down when he feels a small tug on the shirt that he put on before opening the door and looks into Bella's worried gaze. He sneaks an arm around her waist and reassuringly draws circles on the small of her back.
"We need you to come with us to the station, we have some questions for you that we would like for you to answer." The other officer tells him in the same way as the first one.
"Can you tell me what's this all about?" Alexander pulls Bella closer to him, noticing that she feels nervous and scared because of the policemen.
"You'll find out when you get to the station. The lady can come too, it would be good to question her as well." At their answer, he tightens his hold on Bella. "Am I under arrest or something?" Alexander's nerves start picking up, not because he is scared, he knows he didn't do anything wrong, but because all of this is happening without any explanation and he would like to know who's behind this.
"For now you're not, that's why you need to come down to the station and answer some questions before we get to that part." They answer him coldly once again and tell them to dress and go with them.
The whole ride in the back of a cop car, Bella holds Alexander's hand and plays with his fingers. He keeps kissing her head from time to time to calm her and reassure her that everything will be okay but also to calm himself down.
When they arrive, they follow the two policemen inside. The whole time Alexander holds Bella's hand and doesn't let go until they tell them to separate and go into individual rooms with one of the cops. Alexander kisses Bella's forehead hoping that it will help her feel less scared before he is forced to leave her with the other officer.
"Alright. What can you tell me about Alexader Hart, he is your boyfriend I assume?" The officer asks Bella as he takes out a pen and paper.
"Yes, he is," Bella answered warily. She doesn't like the way they are speaking to them even though she knows it's probably a part of their job. But she's also angry because no one doesn't want to explain why are they here and why they're being questioned.
"Okay, so you know him pretty well then. Can you tell me more about him, how he's like, how is your relationship?" The officer stares coldly at Bella after writing something down but she doesn't know what since the file is too far away from her.
"Why do you want to know this? Is our relationship any of your business?" Bella's nerves start picking up and she doesn't want to just succumb to them and she doesn't see the point in asking that question.
"First of all, I'm asking the questions here and this will be over soon if you start collaborating. And second, this is all-important to know and if you don't answer us truthfully it could end badly for your boyfriend, but it already doesn't look good so if I were you I would just follow my orders and answer the questions I'm asking." He tells her curtly but makes her feel scared for Alexander and what could happen to him.
"So tell me, does he ever get angry at you and does something that shouldn't be done?"
Bella frowns at the question. "What do you mean?"
"When you fight, does it ever get that bad that he turns violent and does something to you, like hit you or hurt you in any way?"
Bella shakes her head. "No, never." They never even fought let alone a fight where he turns violent and abusive.
"Are you sure?"
Bella's eyebrows furrow at the stupid question. "Yes, I'm sure. He would never do that. He is not violent, he is the kindest man I ever met." She can feel tears brimming her eyes as she speaks about him and she can't believe that someone would think he could hurt anyone.
"Okay. Did you ever see him hurting anyone else? Was there an occurrence where he got into a physical fight and he punched or hurt someone?" The officer asks after writing down everything Bella said.
"No, he never got into a physical fight and I'm sure he never would. He's not that type of a man." The officer nods and writes that down before he continues asking more questions that Bella can't wait to be done with.
Meanwhile, Alexadner answered the same questions and he's starting to get impatient and tired. "For the hundredth time, I'm not a violent person, I never got into any kind of fight and I'm not planning too. I don't like solving my problems physically."
The other officer that is with him writes that down and whispers something to the other officer that joined them in the meantime. "Can somebody tell me why I'm even being questioned on this? I didn't do anything that would make a person suspicious let alone cops." He runs his hand over his face, he just wants to get over and done with this.
"Are you sure about that?" The officer that was questioning him the whole time asks and nods towards the other officer who stands up and walks towards the door. He opens it and the second Alexander sees who comes in, he frowns but feels anger and rage flood through his veins at the sight of her.
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Hey guys!
So the drama is starting *evil smirk*
What do you think it will happen in the next chapters?
I gotta say, even though it's heating up, this book will end really soon...:(
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and if you did, please leave a comment and vote
Also, if you notice any spelling or grammar mistakes, please do tell me
Till next time!
Have a good day/night 💜