Part 10 ( Ellie )

"Yes. Harder." Bella screams.

I thrust one more time, hard. And we both come undone.

I roll off her, breath still uneven, the sheets tangled between our legs. My body is warm, skin flushed, the remnants of pleasure still lingering in the air. The only sound in the dimly lit room is the heavy rhythm of our breathing, slowly evening out.

Bella shifts beside me, her hand lazily trailing over my stomach, fingers tracing mindless patterns. Her body molds against mine, soft and familiar, her head resting against my shoulder.

A comfortable silence settles between us, the kind that lingers after shared heat, after the haze of something both raw and intimate.

I exhale deeply, my fingers absentmindedly brushing through her hair, letting the weight of exhaustion creep in. She hums against my skin, her lips pressing a slow, lazy kiss to my collarbone before tilting her head up to look at me.

"You okay?" she murmurs, voice low, a little breathless.

I nod, turning my head slightly to meet her gaze. "Yeah."

Her dark eyes search mine for a beat, something unspoken flickering there, before she lets out a soft sigh, pressing closer. "You feel tense."

I force a smirk, brushing a hand down her spine. "I just gave you exactly what you wanted. If anything, I should be the relaxed one here."

She huffs a quiet laugh, rolling onto her side to face me fully. "Mmm, sure. But I know you, Crawford." Her fingers trace slow lines along my ribs. "Something's on your mind."

I swallow, staring up at the ceiling for a brief second before shifting my gaze back to her. "Just tired."

It's not a complete lie.

Bella studies me for another second, like she's waiting for me to say more. But when I don't, she simply hums, accepting the answer, even if she doesn't fully believe it.

Her hand slips under the sheets, fingers sliding against my hip as she tugs me a little closer. "Then sleep," she murmurs, pressing a slow kiss to my jaw. "I got you."

I close my eyes for a second, inhaling deeply, letting the warmth of her body lull me toward rest.

But even as my breathing steadies, as the exhaustion weighs me down, my mind refuses to quiet completely.

Because in the depths of my subconscious, beneath the haze of sleep, another pair of eyes linger in the back of my mind.

Green. Unshakable. Unavoidable.

I push the thought away, gripping Bella's waist, anchoring myself to the present.

And eventually, I let sleep take over.

-

The city outside filters through the windows as I blink my eyes open, the golden morning light spilling across the bed. The warmth of another body curled against me makes me pause, and for a second, my mind hesitates, caught between the remnants of sleep and reality.

Bella.

Her dark hair is spread across the pillow, her bare shoulder peeking from beneath the sheets. She's still asleep, her breathing steady, her lips slightly parted in a way that makes her look peaceful. Content.

I exhale, shifting carefully so I don't wake her. My body is sore in the best way, muscles relaxed, but my mind? My mind is a fucking mess.

Last night still lingers in the air, the ball, Juliet, the weight of unspoken words. I push it down, burying it under the comfort of familiarity. Under Bella.

She stirs slightly, a sleepy hum escaping her throat before she slowly blinks her eyes open. A small, lazy smile spreads across her lips when she sees me. "Morning," she murmurs, voice raspy with sleep.

I force a smile, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Morning."

She stretches, sighing as she shifts onto her side to face me fully. "You were up first," she notes, watching me with sleepy curiosity. "That's new."

I chuckle, leaning in to press a kiss to her shoulder. "Guess I'm full of surprises."

She hums, clearly unconvinced, but doesn't push. Instead, she sits up, running a hand through her hair before glancing at the time.

"Breakfast?" she asks.

I nod. "Yeah, let's eat."

We drag ourselves out of bed, both of us moving slow, still wrapped in the hazy comfort of a Sunday morning. Bella throws on one of my t-shirts, and I pull on some sweats and a sport bra before following her to the kitchen.

She starts the coffee, and I handle the eggs, moving in sync without thinking about it. It's easy. Routine. This is our life, l let myself settle into it.

Bella leans against the counter, sipping from her mug as she watches me cook. "So," she says, tapping her fingers against the ceramic. "What's the plan for today?"

I slide the eggs onto our plates, shrugging. "Thinking of hanging out with Luke."

Her lips quirk up. "Aw, brother-sister bonding time?"

I roll my eyes, setting her plate in front of her. "Something like that."

Bella takes a bite, humming in approval before nodding. "That's cute. I think I'll hit the gym, then maybe grab lunch with some friends."

I nod, chewing thoughtfully. "Sounds good."

We fall into comfortable conversation as we eat, nothing too deep, just the kind of casual, easy talk that comes with familiarity. Bella tells me about her plans, about a friend who just got back into town. I listen, adding my usual sarcastic comments here and there, making her laugh.

And for a moment, it's normal. For a moment, last night feels like a distant memory.

We finish eating, and Bella stands, stretching before grabbing our plates. "I'll clean up," she says, nudging me toward the bedroom. "You go get ready."

I press a kiss to her lips before heading off to shower. By the time I'm dressed, jeans, a hoodie, nothing too fancy, Bella is by the front door, slipping on her shoes.

She glances up as I approach, smiling as she reaches for her bag. "Text me when you get to Luke's?"

I nod. "Yeah."

She steps closer, fingers looping into the front of my hoodie as she pulls me in for a slow, lingering kiss. It's warm, soft, familiar.

I kiss her back, letting my hands settle on her waist, grounding myself in her.

When we pull away, she gives me a small smirk. "Don't miss me too much."

I chuckle, stepping back. "No promises."

She laughs, pressing one last kiss to my cheek before stepping out the door. "See you later, babe."

I watch her go, waiting until she disappears down the hall before exhaling, rolling my shoulders.

I grab my keys, shove my hands into my hoodie pocket, and head out, letting the city swallow me whole.

-

The morning air bites at my skin as I walk toward Luke's place, hands stuffed deep in my hoodie pockets. The streets are quieter than usual, the city still waking up, the Sunday morning lull settling over everything. I should feel more at ease. Being out in the open, away from last night's weight, should clear my head.

But it doesn't.

Because no matter how much I try to shake it, the feeling lingers. The burn of old memories clawing their way back to the surface, the echo of green eyes that I had no business looking into.

I exhale sharply through my nose, shaking the thoughts away as I finally reach Luke's building. I take the stairs two at a time, stopping in front of his door before knocking.

A beat passes before I hear movement inside. A second later, the door swings open.

Luke's eyes scan my face the second I step through the door, his brows knitting together as he leans against the frame.

"Why do you look like that?"

I blink. "Like what?"

He squints at me, tilting his head slightly. "Like you barely slept. And like you've been thinking too much. Which is never a good thing."

I huff out a quiet laugh, shaking my head as I step inside. "I slept fine."

Luke closes the door behind me, unconvinced. "Yeah? Then why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"

I halt. Not for long. Just for half a second.

Luke's sharp. He catches things most people wouldn't. He's always been that way, and I should've known better than to think I could walk in here and pretend like my mind isn't a fucking war zone.

I shake my head, exhaling through my nose as I sink onto his couch. "It's nothing."

Luke snorts, walking toward the kitchen. "Yeah, okay. Sure. I totally believe that."

I rub a hand down my face, sighing. "It's complicated."

He rummages through a cabinet, grabbing a bag of chips before tossing it onto the counter. "So? I've got time."

I hesitate, my fingers tapping against my knee.

I don't know why I'm hesitating. This is Luke. He's my best friend. If there's anyone I can talk to, it's him. And yet, the second I open my mouth, I feel like the words are going to strangle me. Because once I say them out loud, they're real.

I exhale. "I saw her. Juliet."

Luke pauses. Just briefly. His hands still as he grabs a soda from the fridge.

He turns back around, eyes studying me carefully. "Juliet."

I nod.

A slow breath slips from his lips as he leans against the counter, cracking open the can. "Shit."

"Yeah."

He takes a sip, watching me over the rim. "And?"

I shift, rubbing my hands together. "And she was there. It was her event. I didn't know."

Luke nods slowly. "But she did?"

"No." I shake my head. "She had no idea."

He exhales sharply. "Jesus."

"Yeah."

He watches me for a moment, his fingers drumming against the can. "How was it?"

I let out a breathy, humorless laugh. "How do you think?"

Luke hums. "Terrible?"

"Terrifying."

He nods, taking another sip. "You talk?"

"Yeah." I run a hand down my face, slumping back against the couch. "A little."

"And?"

I shake my head, staring at the ceiling. "And I don't know."

Luke doesn't push. He just watches me, waiting, like he knows I'll get there eventually.

I exhale, my voice lower when I finally say, "It was like looking at a stranger."

Luke tilts his head. "That bad?"

I swallow. "Worse."

Silence settles between us. It's not heavy. It's not suffocating. It just is.

Luke finally sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I don't know what the hell you expected. It's been years, El. You've both changed."

"I know."

"Do you?"

I glance at him, frowning. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Luke exhales, setting his drink down. "I mean, you say you know, but I don't think you actually believed it until you saw her."

I press my lips together, jaw tight. Because he's right.

I thought I'd be fine. I thought I'd moved on. But seeing her? Being near her? It did something to me. Something I don't even want to name.

Luke sighs. "Look, I'm not saying it's easy. I get it. But if you keep standing in the past, you're gonna fuck up your present."

I glance at him. "Bella."

He nods. "Bella."

I exhale through my nose, staring at my hands. "I know."

He watches me for a beat before pushing off the counter and walking over, sinking into the armchair across from me. "So what now?"

I shake my head. "Nothing. It doesn't change anything."

Luke raises an eyebrow. "Doesn't it?"

I ponder on that.

Luke exhales, heading toward the kitchen. fridge, grabbing two beers before tossing one my way. I catch it with ease, popping the cap against the edge of the coffee table.

I scoff, taking a long drink. The cold beer does nothing to settle the unease still coiling in my chest. "It shouldn't."

"But it does."

I sigh, rubbing my thumb against the condensation on the glass. "Look, I'm not gonna spiral about this, okay? It was a coincidence. That's all."

Luke hums, unconvinced. "Right. Just a coincidence that's got you looking like you went twelve rounds in your own head."

I glare at him. "Do you want me to talk about it or not?"

He lifts his hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm just saying, I've never seen you like this over Bella."

I tense. My fingers tighten around the bottle, the weight of his words pressing into my ribs. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Luke meets my gaze evenly. "You know exactly what it means."

I swallow. I do. And I hate that he sees it. That he knows me well enough to call me out before I even admit it to myself.

Bella is safe. Bella is steady. Bella is my girlfriend. The one I wake up next to, the one who makes things easy.

Juliet is none of those things.

But she's something else. Something I don't know how to shake. Something that still lingers in the back of my mind like a song I can't stop humming.

Luke watches me for a moment, then exhales, shaking his head. "Look, man, I'm not trying to mess with your head. I just think you need to be honest with yourself."

I drag a hand down my face, frustrated. "Honest about what, Luke? That I ran into my ex after years of nothing and now I feel like my brain's exploding? That's normal."

He smirks. "Sure. If normal means staring at a wall like your soul left your body."

I groan, leaning back against the couch. "Fuck off."

He chuckles, but it's not mean. Just knowing. Like he's been waiting for me to admit that I'm not as unaffected as I pretend to be.

The tension lingers for a moment longer before my phone vibrates against the table.

I glance at the screen. Anthony.

I sigh, setting my beer down and grabbing my phone. "It's Vasquez."

Luke raises an eyebrow. "Speaking of bad decisions."

I roll my eyes, swiping to answer. "Yeah?"

Anthony's voice comes through the line, casual as always. "Crawford. Got a minute?"

I rub my temple. "Not really, but that's never stopped you before."

He chuckles. "Fair. Listen, I've been running the numbers on this club deal, and there's one problem."

I frown, sitting up slightly. "What kind of problem?"

"The kind that involves Baldwin Lux."

My grip tightens around the phone. Luke glances at me, picking up on the shift in my expression.

I exhale slowly. "Explain."

Anthony hums, like he's amused that I don't already know. "The space we're looking at? The whole damn block is tied up in Baldwin Lux contracts. If we want to move forward, we're gonna have to go through them."

I don't say anything.

"Through Baldwin Lux," Anthony continues. "Whether or not you want to make it personal is up to you."

I run a hand through my hair, already feeling the headache creeping in. "And there's no way around it?"

"Not unless you want to find a new location and push back the launch by a year." He pauses. "Which, knowing you, isn't an option."

I grind my teeth. He's right. I don't do delays. I don't do roadblocks. But this? This is more than a fucking roadblock.

This is Juliet. Again.

I exhale sharply. "Fuck."

Anthony chuckles. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

I press my fingers against my temple, willing away the tension forming behind my eyes. "What do you need from me?"

"A meeting," he says simply. "With Baldwin Lux. With Juliet Baldwin."

I close my eyes, already regretting this. "Set it up."

Anthony hums, pleased. "Will do. Try not to lose sleep over it, Crawford."

I don't answer. I just hang up, tossing my phone onto the couch before dragging my hands down my face.

Luke lets out a low whistle. "So let me get this straight. You ran into Juliet last night, had a mental breakdown about it, and now you have to work with her?"

I glare at him. "Not with her. With Baldwin Lux."

Luke smirks. "Right. Totally different."

I grab my beer, taking a long, slow drink. "I hate you."

He raises his bottle in a mock toast. "You hate that I'm right."

I huff out a humorless laugh, leaning back against the couch. "This is a fucking nightmare."

Luke hums, tapping his fingers against the glass. "Could be worse."

I snort. "How?"

"You could be working for her."

I glare at him, and he just grins, unbothered. "I'm serious, man. You knew this was gonna happen eventually."

I shake my head. "No, I didn't. I didn't expect to see her ever again."

Luke tilts his head slightly. "You sure about that?"

I don't answer. Because I don't know. And maybe that's the worst part.

I exhale through my nose, rubbing my temple. "Doesn't matter. It's business. I'll handle it."

Luke studies me for a beat before nodding slowly. "Yeah. I know you will."

But something in his voice tells me he's not convinced.

And the thing is, I don't know if I am either.