Chapter 6 - Be a lioness (1/2)

With a flowing movement, Alexandre reached for the bottle of red wine. He poured a glass and pushed it to Lily. ”I think a sip helps to calm the nerves.” Before he poured a second glass for himself.

With a shaky hand she reached out for the glass and sipped it suspiciously. She could barely taste the wine. Her nerves were numb. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins. While her head was empty. She knew she needed to concentrate now. But with each attempt to form a thought, her brain cells refused to work.

”Lily, you do not need to be afraid.” His voice sounded somehow hypnotizing, reminding her of that snake Kaa from the jungle book. ”I just want to help you.” He looked so cool, calm, and serene . ”For days I've been looking for you and little Adrien.”

Her expression stiffened suddenly.

He looked at her. For seconds.

Without a word.

He looked at her with that grin that squeezed icy sweat out of her pores.

Lily's breath caught.

What did he mean, he was looking for Adrien and her for days. They hid in Stuttgart only two days ago.

Alexandre cleared his throat. ”I think we should order something. With a full stomach, thinking is much easier.” His mouth turned back to that grin. Hard. Mockingly. And somehow amused.

Lily nodded woodenly and reached for the menu next to her.

A knot of nausea had been in her throat for a while, actually she was not hungry, but she needed time. Time to think. So she opened the menu and was looking bored for something to eat. Most of the dishes she didn't even know.

Suddenly Adrien straightened up in her lap and rubbed his cheek against hers like a tired kitten.

He looked at her with his azure eyes that reminded her of an innocent puppy. She stroked his tiny back soothingly.

”Spaghetti.” It was nothing more than a whisper, as soft as a single breeze. If she did not know that the little guy was longing for a portion of spaghetti, she would have thought his whispering was just a fabrication of her imagination. Helpless, the girl nodded before the boy could hide his face again. Her heart was in her throat. She knew she had to pull herself together. She was not allowed to bury her head in the ground. She had the responsibility for both of them.

Now she was his mother.

She was a mother.

Mothers were strong.

Like a lioness if she had to defend her boy.

She was a lioness now. Not a rabbit.