Chapter 189

The stuffing of the panda felt soft against Bellatrix's chest, but the smile that danced on her lips felt far too strained for her to ignore. Nonetheless, she met Cillian's gaze with a strange warmth in her gaze. For a second, he felt his heart stutter. His brows furrowed, not from displeasure, but from curiosity, the type that spoke louder than any words could. Was he missing something here? He wondered, allowing his eyes to roam her. He'd seen and experienced several behaviors from Bellatrix, all of which he'd programmed himself to get used to, but this...this side of her who smiled tenderly at him and gazed at him like he wasn't a murderer, like he hadn't wronged her all those years ago, made something stir in the pit of his stomach. Longing, raw and unrestrained. Without hesitation, he took a step forward, closing the distance between them Bellatrix was briefly startled. She held herself back from flinching at the very last moment and stopped herself from taking a step back. This w