Chapter 24 – Isabella #2
Was he doing this because my brothers’ presence made discretion necessary? Or was he pulling away because, for him, it was just extraordinary circumstances, and after last night, he didn’t want more?
Did I want more? Yes, no, maybe. Shit…before this, I would’ve said definitely maybe. But now…
I tried to get him to look at me—willed him to look at me.
He did. Again, with zero feelings in his eyes.
I sighed—would’ve chuckled if my whole family wasn’t present. Here I was dreaming of shit, when Ivan’s distant behavior made our situation pretty clear. He hadn’t acknowledged last night.
Was deliberately keeping his distance.
I wasn’t so na?ve as to expect a confession of undying love after sex. I just…didn’t expect this abrupt shift. Didn’t deserve this either.
A part of me wanted to cross that distance, to demand an explanation for his sudden coldness. Pride and hurt wrestled with practicality and understanding…paired with a substantial dose of “Fuck him.”
If he didn’t want me, so be it. I wasn’t one to beg for attention. If he wanted to move on and pretend nothing happened—be my guest.
It was just a one-time thing. Whatever had happened between us was in the past and would create unnecessary complications and potential conflict between my brothers and the Zotovs anyway.
“Everything okay?” Mila asked, breaking the awkward silence.
“For now,” Anton answered. “Grey’s helicopter left the island ten minutes ago.”
“So what’s the plan?” Fee asked, directing her question to Alex but glancing between him and Vince.
“We wait,” I said before anyone else could answer, my voice steadier than I felt. “Confirm Grey’s actually gone, then make our move.”
Ivan’s gaze flickered to me briefly, surprise and something like approval crossing his features before his expression returned to neutral.
“Isabella’s right,” he said, addressing the group rather than me directly. “Rushing creates mistakes. We need to be certain.”
The casual way he said my full name, as if we were mere acquaintances, sent another pang through me. I matched his tone with my own indifference, refusing to let anyone see how much his distance affected me.
“How long?” Vince asked, his voice carrying the weight of authority.
“Let’s give it half an hour,” Ivan replied. “We’re tracking his movements.”
The conversation continued around me with details of security protocols and contingency plans, but I found myself observing rather than participating. The interactions between everyone fascinated me—not just what they said but what they didn’t say.
Matt and Nina positioned themselves on opposite sides of the gathering, neither acknowledging the other directly. Yet I caught Matt’s gaze following her movements when he thought no one was looking, and I noticed how Nina seemed hyperaware of his position at all times, as well.
Cristo had somehow moved even closer to Cara, his body angled toward her protectively. She seemed both nervous and pleased by his attention, her shy demeanor brightening whenever he spoke directly to her.
The Zotov siblings communicated in half glances and subtle gestures, a language probably developed through years of depending on each other. They were constantly checking in with each other, maintaining an invisible support network.
And Ivan—Ivan kept his distance physically, but I felt it whenever his attention shifted to me.
Each time I glanced in his direction, he was looking elsewhere, yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that his awareness remained fixed on me.
And he was right. Love and attraction made people reckless, protective, sometimes irrational—and none of these had any place right here, right now.
But it also gave them something to fight for beyond themselves. And everybody here, be it Zotovs, Falcones, or Salvinis, had one thing in common. They all loved their family above all else, and they would fight for their safety.
“I should check security again,” Ivan said suddenly, breaking into my thoughts.
“I’ll come with you,” Nina said, standing.
A flicker of tension crossed Ivan’s face before he nodded. The two walked away.
The gathering began to break up naturally after that. Cristo suggested checking on the security systems with Anton, and Dom decided to tag along, while Fee declared she needed a proper shower, which immediately piqued Alex’s interest.
I watched them go, a knot forming in my stomach, since Vince’s focus had shifted to me. “A talk?” was all he said.
Two words, and I knew I was doomed.
He for sure wanted to know what had been going on between Ivan and me.
Jemma stretched languidly, announcing she was going to raid the kitchen. “You must be hungry too,” she said as she stood, giving me a subtle glance and a head tilt toward my brother. “You probably haven’t had a proper meal in ages.”
I nodded like a parrot, wondering if escaping Vince was the right move. But it was better than explaining to my big brother the status of my relationship with his enemy.
Especially since I had no idea where we were standing. So how could I explain it to Vince without him immediately killing Ivan? Clearly, avoiding the whole conversation for as long as humanly possible was the way forward. I gave him a smile and a half shrug. “I’m famished; let’s talk later.”
Vince narrowed his eyebrows, clearly not happy, but also not ready to deny my need for food.
When I left with Mila, Jemma, and Mira, I caught Ivan watching me from farther down the walkway. Our eyes locked for a brief, electric moment before he turned away, resuming his conversation with Nina.
That small connection, fleeting as it was, gave me both hope and concern. Whatever was happening between us hadn’t disappeared—but it was definitely complicated.
Jemma squeezed my hand as we walked, a gesture of silent support. Despite our unusual start, we’d become fast friends. Mira took my other hand, and we intertwined our fingers. She was always the one who could sense my inner turmoil, even when I could hide it perfectly in front of everybody else.
“I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you look at him,” she whispered, too quiet for the others to hear.
I couldn’t deny it, so I said nothing.
This feeling of connection, of almost-normalcy—it wouldn’t last. Half an hour, then we would set our plan in motion, find the information, and hopefully be gone before Grey would return tomorrow.