Chapter 99 - Ninety Eight: It's Just Lunch

Their car halted as the traffic light turned red and Leo tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, his eyes flitting occasionally in Becca's direction as she gazed out the window— a habit she had developed recently.

Becca stared at the car positioned next to theirs— a family car. She peered into the vehicle, a smile stretching her lips as she saw a little girl, no older than three, playing with a stuffed pony and a boy— probably her elder brother— sitting next to her in the backseat, their parents were in the car too. From what she saw, the family looked happy. Then she turned to Leo— he was also staring at the family and she didn't know if it was her imagination but for a split second, she saw a hint of envy in his eyes.

He tore his gaze away from the family's car and smiled at Becca. " We can have our own."

Becca's brow wrinkled as she stare at him. " What?"

" Children." He said, cocking his head to the car beside theirs. " You were staring at them, Vero?"

" Yes, I was but it doesn't mean I want to have one right now. It means I find them amusing to watch." Becca huffed and plummeted back on her seat, grumbling. It seemed procreation was all Leo thought about lately.

" Don't forget cute. I know you have a soft spot for cute things and babies are the exact definition of cuteness." Leo chuckle and Becca grumbled louder.

" They might be cute but all they do is cry, and they don't even pay rent." Becca rolled her eyes when she heard Leo laugh and leaned her head on the headrest of her seat. " Don't get me wrong, I love children. I want to have them someday."

" just not now," Leo said and the traffic light turned green. They started moving again.

" Yeah." Becca tilted her head to the side, facing him. Part of her hoped he wasn't disappointed by her decision or even take it the wrong way but when she looked at him, he didn't look upset or let down. He was neither. " You're not disappointed?" 

" Why would I be?" 

" Because I don't want to have a baby right now," Becca answered softly, staring intently at him.

" My love, at the end of the day it is still up to you. You are the one who is going to be pregnant, it's your body and I will support whatever decision you make." 

" But I thought... You said it would happen. That you would put a baby inside me, remember?" Becca's cheeks burnt as those words fled her lips and Leo smirked.

" Indeed, it will happen. I do want to have children with you." He glanced at her. " But as you said, it doesn't have to be now."

As much as Leo fancied the idea of having babies as soon as possible with Becca, granting her heart's desire gave him a more sense of fulfillment. Her smile was everything and making her happy was something he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

Becca's eyes shone with gaiety, happy that he understood her and a bright smile lit up her face, almost blinding Leo with its glow but he didn't care because he loved when she smiled. To him, her smile was the greatest reward he could ever get. He smiled too, feeling compelled.

" Still on the topic, what were you like as a kid?" Becca asked and Leo's smile died instantly.

" Can we not talk about this now?" Leo grimaced at the road as a memory from his childhood flashed through his mind, trying not to shudder.

Becca pursed her lips, blinking at him. " But you promised, we made a deal."

" We did?" Leo glanced at Becca with a skeptical look on his face, not recalling making any such promises.

" Yes, we did. Remember when you agreed to the exchange of knowledge?"

Leo's brows wrinkled, trying to remember while Becca stared at him in disbelief.

" You don't remember? I can't believe you, Leo. Were you even listening?!" 

" Of course I was listening." Leo faltered as he lied. " I remember the exact time we made the deal."

" You do?" Becca cocked a brow and Leo chuckled confidently to make his lie more believable 

" I do, just wasn't able to recall on time." 

Lies, all lies and he backed them up with a charming smile, hoping she believed it.

" Okay... So tell me."

" Tell you what?"

She glared at him. " Leo!"

" Yes, my love." He chuckled and earned himself a smack on the arm. " I see my little kitten wants to scratch me."

Another smack on the same spot.

" Hey, I'm driving," Leo said when he saw her getting ready to hit him the third time. 

The scenario was hilarious, the mafia king allowing himself to get beaten up by his woman.

Becca dropped her hand to her side and glared at him instead. She didn't want them to have an accident so she retracted her claws. For now.

A few minutes of silence passed and Becca's glaring eyes turned gloomy.

" I knew it, you don't want to tell me." Becca pouted and her heart dropped.

Leo sucked in a harsh breath. " It's not like that." 

" It is." She turned away from him to stare out the window. " You are hesitant, stalling, just like before."

" My love." He called out, touching her shoulder with one hand while the other gripped the steering wheel, sighing when she refused to look at him.

" I was a freaky kid." He started, yielding to her once again but she didn't turn to him, not yet satisfied and he went on.

" I freaked the fuck out of kids at my school, to be honest, even the people in my old dorm were scared." The tone of his voice dropped and his throat tightened as he relived the horror show in his head.

That got her attention, she turned to him.

" You went to a boarding school?" Becca asked and he nodded.

" Si, it was after my father died and I didn't have any parents taking care of me. I didn't stay long though." 

" What do you mean by you didn't have any parents to take care of you? Your mother was alive, what about her?" Becca stared at him with confusion swirling in her and Leo's eyes hardened at the mention of his mother. The mere thought of her was like a sharp blade sent to his side.

" Her? She didn't even attend my father's funeral." Leo let out a dried chuckle. " How would she remember she had a son when she was too busy celebrating her enemy's death?"

Becca was taken aback, confused. His facial expression again contrasted the words he was saying. It was like whenever he was talking about his past and family, his face would be stern, emotionless like it didn't bother him but his words were heavy enough to break someone's heart.

Another round of silence took over, an awkward one this time. Deafening. Becca couldn't take it, not a second more of it.

" What do you mean by you were a freaky kid?" Becca decided to incite a conversation. 

Leo shrugged. " I used to watch insects, occasionally see how they handled having their wings pulled out and I always got scolded for playing with knives." 

Leo was indeed a freak, started torturing things right from childhood. It was in his blood. Perhaps his grandfather saw the potential in him and decided to harness it, make an assassin out of him. Turn him into the fucking mafia beast. 

A quiver ran through Becca on listening to Leo, it wasn't his words this time but the way he said it. 

She blinked, perplexed. " What?"

But Leo didn't answer. He saw the confused look on her face but chose to ignore it and just drove into the compound. He parked the car and turned to look at her with a smile.

" We are home." Was all he said and Becca snapped out of her trance then got out of the car without waiting for Leo to help her out.

As she strode away, he stared at her retreating figure and sighed.

" I'm a freak, Becca but you don't need to know it. Not yet."

Then he got out of the car as well and walked after her.

Atlas...

" I swear one more sexist comment from that prick and I will run him over," Navaya grunted, pushing open the door to Becca's office and Becca followed her from behind.

" It wasn't so bad this time," Becca said, trying to look at the brighter side when there was none.

" Not bad? Not bad?" Navaya turned around to look at Becca. " Tell me you didn't picture yourself choking the life out of Mr. Griffin a while ago."

Becca shook. " No, because I am not homicidal." She answered, lying. She might not be homicidal but with an asshole like Mr. Griffin involved, she was willing to make exceptions.

" Well, I am apparently because ever since that meeting we just had started, I have done nothing but think of brutal ways to end the shit-hole's life. I don't even know why he bothers to invest his money in our company if all he does is question our credibility and make weird misogynistic jokes."

Becca looked down at her phone as she felt it vibrate, leaving Navaya to carry on with her angry rambling.

" You're texting? I'm seething with rage here and you are texting?" Navaya stared at Becca in disbelief. " Who is it?" She asked when she saw Becca typing on her phone, her hands on her waist like a displeased parent.

Becca's eyes widened and she quickly hid her phone behind her back. " Huh?"

" Who are you texting?" Navaya asked again, narrowing her eyes at how suspicious Becca was now acting. " Is it Leo?"

" No," Becca answered and bit her lower lip as Navaya narrated her eyes harder at her.

" Becca?"

" Fine, it's Raquel. She wants me to meet her again for lunch." Becca rapped and quickly avert her gaze, knowing she was adding fuel to the fire of rage burning in Navaya.

Navaya's jaw dropped. " What?! Has she no shame, that's the third time this week." 

Becca gulped and dragged her eyes back to stare at Navaya. " It's just lunch."

" That's what you said the other times you hung out with her." Navaya spat. 

Becca and Raquel have been getting really close lately. They could even qualify as friends and Navaya hated it. She hated Raquel and hated how she was trying to befriend Becca after everything she had done in the past.

Fuck hating, she despised it with every drop of her blood. 

" I'm still going," Becca said, standing firm on her decision. She didn't know why Navaya still chose to hold on to the grudge— she had tried so hard to get her to let go of the bitterness but to no avail.

Navaya's eyes burnt a million times hotter but took a deep breath to extinguish the fire of resentment in her.

" You know what? Do whatever you want, you're an adult for a reason anyway."