14. MISSING.
It had been pretty evident to Lucious for some time now that he and Cookie had entered a 'rough patch' in their marriage since Lucious had been revealed to be Kingsley's Father. Cookie showed him the bare minimum of affection, and hardly let him touch her. The cuddling at night had ended, and any to all discussions they had with one another involved Empire or their sons. Lucious was at a loss. He didn't know what to do to slid his way back into his wife's good graces. He knew Cookie to be stubborn and hard-headed, but he was really starting to lose his patience with her snappish attitude. She refused to talk about the situation, telling him to shut up or changing the subject. He'd fuck it the answers out of her, but she hadn't let him touch her like that since the night before the concert.
He dragged his hands down his face and rose from his seat, more than ready to just go home. At least at home, Cookie couldn't completely avoid him as she did at work.
He waited against the wall when he saw her gathering up her things in the conference room. She barely acknowledged him when she strolled to the exit of the building, passing him in her stride. Lucious sucked his teeth and pushed himself off the wall, and walked up beside his wife. When he rested his hand on her lower back, she shrugged him away and picked up her pace. Lucious, getting the message, slowed his stride, and watched her from behind with pursed lips and defeated eyes.
In the car, Lucious glanced at his wife and frowned. Cookie's head rested against the window as she stared out at her surroundings with a cold expression on her face. He was so tempted to just pull her into his arms, or at least just touch her, but he knew that she'd reject him once again.
"You don't need to go to Panama with Damon if you don't want to, baby." Lucious murmured, wanting to start a conversation. Lucious wasn't exactly comfortable with her wife traveling to another country with another man to do business while they weren't on good terms. It wasn't that he didn't trust Cookie because he did, but he didn't trust any man he barely knew around his woman.
"I said I was going, Lucious." She grunted back.
"I know, Cook," he sighed. "But I thought maybe you'd want to do some of the interviews with me."
Cookie rolled her head around to look at him and snorted. "You thought I'd want to sit next to you, looking like Boo Boo the Fool, while they ask questions about Kingsley?" she arched an eyebrow at him. "Was he a break baby? Did you have a moment of weakness and cheat on your wife? Are you having an affair with Tracy?-"
"And the answer to each of those questions would be no," he growled out, swiftly interjecting her tangent. "Me and Tracy happened before I knew you. I would never cheat on you," Cookie's eyes hardened, but Lucious took the opportunity to snatch her hand into his before she had a chance to pull away. "Have I always done right by you? Shamefully, no. But have I ever entertained the thought of another woman since we got back together, hell no." His wife's lips pursed. "Tracy was a lifetime ago, Cook. I was young, being dumb. I have no feelings for her. You are my one," he cupped her cheeks, forcing her gaze to remain on his. He needed her to genuinely hear his words. He needed her to understand. "I love you, baby, and I am so sorry about Jeff. I really am, you have to believe me," he whispered as he pressed their foreheads together.
A soft sniffle was followed by a vulnerable; "Why is it always something with us?" Cookie asked, dejectedly. "Why can't we ever just be happy?" she questioned, exasperatedly as she pulled her forehead from his. "I thought I'd won at life when you asked me to marry you again," she chuckled, bitterly. "But I should've known it was too good to be true."
Lucious frowned. The soft tears slipping down her cheeks clenched his heart. He wished he'd never touched Tracy. If it had just waited a little longer for his soulmate, his Cookie wouldn't be looking so pained. How did he manage to keep hurting her? He brushed her tears away with the pad of his thumbs, while Cookie squeezed her eyes shut. She was yet to move away from his touch, giving Lucious some hope that this would be the night to set them back on the right track.
"Ay, pull the car over," Lucious demanded.
Cookie opened her eyes at his demand and furrowed her eyes as the car pulled to a stop.
"Take a walk."
"Yes, Sir." The driver said, slipping out of the car to leave the married couple alone.
Cookie sighed. "Lucious, I just want to go home and have a shower." Cookie grunted, wrapping her hands around his to pull them away from her face.
"And I need my wife back."
"What are you talkin' bout?" she repeated, rolling her eyes. "I'm right here, man."
"Physically, maybe, but emotionally," he tapped his temple. "You haven't been present for some time."
"Come off it, Doctor Phil." she retorted, waving a hand of dismissal at his statement.
He ignored her comment and squeezed her hands. "I miss you, baby." He muttered. "You won't let me touch you, we don't speak like a married couple anymore." Cookie opened her mouth to protest. "I'm not interested in being just your business partner, Cookie. Let me be your husband." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back gently. "I need my wife."
"I need to protect my heart, Lucious." She whispered, lowly. Finally speaking on the worries that had been tormenting her mind. "Every time I let my guard down with you, something happens, and I'm blindsided."
Lucious went to speak but she pressed a soft finger over his lips.
"You've been wanting me to tell you what's going on in my head, right? So, let me talk." He bowed his head, and let her continue. "I thought I knew everything there was to know about you. I prided myself in being the person who knew you best, and..." she clicked her tongue. "And as far as Jeff and Tracy go, I used to tell myself that even if we separated and you found someone new, I would still have something that the woman would never, being the Mother of your children. Giving you're your firstborn." she snorted. "And now that's gone, so what's left, Lucious? What do I have to show for my life with you? Besides prison, drug running and Empire, huh?"
As she spoke, Lucious saw her vulnerabilities clear as day, Vulnerabilities he had put there because of Anika and Giuliana. With those women, he had them by his side to reach a goal. He hadn't been with them because he loved them the way he loves Cookie, because neither came close. But that hadn't stopped him from allowing them to undermine, speak down or embarrass her. He hadn't thought twice about it because he knew her to be so damn tough. She got knocked down, she jumped straight back up. But he was seeing now, all the damage his thoughtless lies and deceit had caused the love of his life.
"There will never be anyone after you, Cook. You are it for me." He told her, firmly. "What we have together is love, children, a business we grew from the ground up and a legacy to leave behind." He gripped her chin and forced her wondering gaze to meet his. "You can't mention Lucious Lyon with Cookie. There is no me without your crazy ass."
In spite of herself, Cookie chuckled, shortly, before sobering. "I don't want to lose you again."
"And I don't want to lose you."
With high emotions up in the air, Lucious pulled Cookie closer and sank his mouth down onto hers. The kiss was needy as he thrust his tongue inside and cupped the side of her neck to bring her as close as humanly possible. Cookie groaned into his mouth as her hands came to caress his cheeks. He'd missed this so damn much. The intimacy, the love and the need for one another.
"As soon as an opportunity presents itself, we're going on a vacation. Just me and you." Lucious promised when their lips parted.
"Yeah," Cookie murmured, softly, cupping his cheek. "I think that would do us some good."
With a relieved smile, Lucious brought her mouth back to his and let his love pour through his actions.
-
Before I log off, let me just drop this hoe too since I don't know when I'll be returning.
