Chapter 112: Chapter 112 Strom
She climbed into the sheets and hugged her pillow, burying her face in its cool cotton.
So tired... she thought, her eyelids drooping. Outside, she could hear the faint hum of the ocean, the soft creak of the cruise shifting gently with the waves.
She wondered if he was tired too. If he was somewhere behind the wall next to her, still wearing that cold expression. Or if he had finally let it slip–even just for a moment–once he was alone.
But the thought drifted away with her next sleepy yawn.
Within minutes, Bella was curled up under the blanket, her breathing slow and peaceful, the leftover warmth of the day’s closeness wrapped around her like a secret only her heart could keep.
****
Leonardo hadn’t planned to stay on the cruise overnight—this was supposed to be simple: a quick photoshoot and back to the mainland by sunset. But nature, it seemed, didn’t care about his plans.
Hours after Bella had fallen asleep, dark clouds had swallowed the sky without warning. Now, heavy rain lashed against the deck, and the ocean below was a roiling mess of restless, crashing waves. Wind howled along the railings, carrying the sharp scent of salt and rain.
He stood alone under the open sky, the storm wind whipping droplets against his face and soaking his black shirt until it clung to his skin. The thin fabric outlined the lean, powerful lines of his torso, but he barely noticed. His eyes, dark and sharp, stared out into the endless gray horizon.
Behind him, a few loyal guards stood under the canopy, restless but careful not to intrude too far.
"Sir, please... you’ll get sick," one of them said quietly, a note of worry in his voice. They all knew—Leonardo was ruthless to his enemies but never cruel to the people who served him. He’d never once treated them as disposable.
Leonardo’s eyes flicked to the man—one cold, sharp glare. The guard shut his mouth instantly and stepped back, glancing at the others, silently begging them to leave him be.
The rain poured harder, thunder growling in the distance like an animal waking from sleep. Leonardo’s hair was slicked back now, drops of water running down his neck and collarbones.
He exhaled slowly, the chill cutting into his skin but never reaching the deeper place inside him—the place that always felt... unsettled.
How strange, he thought, watching the violent waves smash against the ship’s side. No matter how much this ocean rages, it feels calmer than what’s always here...
He’d lived his whole life balancing on a blade—duty, power, enemies, endless expectations. There were nights when his thoughts turned into a roar he couldn’t quiet. When his heart felt like it might tear through his ribs just to be heard. A chaos no one ever saw behind his stone eyes.
But storms like this... They gave him something back. They roared louder than him. They made his own darkness feel small and insignificant for a while.
And that...watching lightning split the clouds above the restless ocean was strangely satisfying.
He let the rain hammer against his skin. Let it wash away the tightness in his chest that not even the calm of luxury or the cold mask on his face could ever reach.
Just for tonight, he would stand here and let the world outside rage. So the one inside him didn’t have to.
Finally, when the rain turned vicious, sheets of water slamming the deck and wind rattling the railings. Leonardo stepped away from the storm. He walked down the dim hallway, water dripping from his hair and sleeves, leaving a trail behind him.
He paused for a moment in front of Bella’s door. The soft light leaking through the bottom crack was warm, almost comforting compared to the cold, howling chaos outside. His eyes stayed on that thin line of light, unreadable. He could almost picture her inside–small and delicate, probably curled up in bed, her hair spread across the pillow like silk.
But he didn’t knock. Didn’t touch the door. He simply let out a slow, silent exhale, then moved on.
Inside his own cabin, the air was warm but felt too still after the storm’s roar. He stripped off the soaked black shirt and pants, tossing them aside without a second thought. Stepping into the small bathroom, he turned the cold water on full blast.
The icy shower hit his skin in heavy drops, tracing paths from his dark hair down his neck, his sharp collarbones, sliding over the tight lines of his chest and the faint ridges of his abs. Water dripped along his V-lines, carving a path lower and lower until the steam on the mirror blurred his reflection.
He let his head fall back under the stream, the chill biting into the restless heat under his skin. It felt good—too good. A rough attempt to drown out the storm still brewing in his mind.
When he finally turned off the water, the room felt stiflingly quiet. He wrapped a thick towel around his waist, drops of water still clinging to his shoulders and ribs.
He walked back into his room but didn’t bother pulling on any spare clothes. Instead, he sat down heavily in the armchair by the wide window, the fabric dampening under his skin.
Outside, the ocean roared in pitch darkness, white waves crashing and exploding into cold mist. The glass fogged slightly with the difference in temperature, and the thunder rolled like distant drums.
Leonardo leaned his elbows on his knees, forearms tense, the towel low around his hips. Water dripped from his hair onto his chest, running down the faint lines of muscle and disappearing into the edge of terrycloth.
***
Bella woke up to the muffled sound of rain pounding against the small window above her bed. For a second, she stayed there under the covers as the storm’s distant thunder rolled through the ship.
When she sat up, she realized she’d slept for over an hour and a half. A soft yawn escaped her lips, her body feeling warm but a little sticky from her earlier nap. She looked down at her simple morning dress was wrinkled and clingy now and sighed. It felt uncomfortable, and the chill in the room made her shiver.
But I didn’t bring any extra clothes, she thought, hugging her knees for a moment.