In the sleek, modern living room, the TV was still murmuring in the background, but the person on the couch had already snuggled up with a pillow, lost in dreams.
James hesitated for a moment, instinctively softening his footsteps. He approached, switched off the TV, and casually placed the box he was holding on the sofa. Then he slowly crouched down in front of Mirabella.
She lay on her side, her head nestled against the pillow, with her slightly wavy hair cascading down, obscuring half her face in a serene, lovely way.
James reached out gently, tucking her hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered softly by her earlobe for a few seconds. Just as he was about to pull back and scoop her up to take her to bed, Mirabella's eyelids fluttered open.
James sighed inwardly.
"When did you get back?" Mirabella asked, still drowsy as she gazed at James, who was just inches away. Her neck felt stiff after staying in the same position for so long.
James remained crouched before her, noticing her discomfort. He reached out to gently massage the back of her neck, saying, "Just now. It took longer tonight than I thought. Sorry for making you wait."
Mirabella rested her chin on the pillow, blinking slowly. "I get it. Making money's worth the late nights."
James chuckled softly, continuing his gentle massage with just the right pressure to make Mirabella feel comfortable. But soon, she caught a faint metallic scent in the air.
Frowning, she sat up and looked him over, "Are you hurt?"
Though it sounded like a question, it was more of a statement.
James propped a hand on his knee and sat down beside her on the couch. Without trying to hide it, he nodded, his voice tinged with fatigue, "Yeah, got a pretty deep cut on my arm."
He shrugged off his jacket to reveal a black shirt underneath. The sleeve was torn where a bullet had grazed him, with a few loops of white
bandage haphazardly wrappeling
around the wound, stained with blood.
Mirabella glanced at him, her expression neutral despite the casual way he seemed to handle the pain. A wave of irritation surged inside her. "Aren't you usually
tough? How'd you manage
hurt?"
Yn
get
James noticed her annoyance, and his smile grew wider. He lifted his arm a bit, "Even the best of us have our clumsy moments. Want to help me re-bandage it?" Mirabella gave his hand a light shove, not putting much strength into it. "Get lost."