Chapter 13 ~ Isabella #3
I hang up the green silk beside it and place the shoes underneath. Placing the jewelry box on his nightstand, I head back to my room, turn the lights off, and snuggle under the covers on the couch. For both our sakes, this game has to end.
~ ~ ~
I really need to close the curtains at night. God, that the sun is bright. I grumble and pull the blanket over my head, rubbing my face into the pillow. I can smell coffee, so I know I am still half asleep, but it smells so good.
A deep masculine chuckle pops my eyes open under the covers, and I can see the pink haze of the blanket as I blink. I flip one side down, squinting at the bright light, and Alexander is sitting on the coffee table holding a cup of coffee.
“You really are adorable when you sleep. A bit of a grump when you wake up, but still adorable.”
I flip the rest of the blanket under my chin and glare at him. I sneak one hand out and take the cup, flip the blanket over my head, making a cocoon with my arm so I can take a sip. “Mmmm!”
Alexander outright laughs at me now.
White rook to C1, not an aggressive move on his part, he did bring me coffee.
Still under the covers, I mumble around my cup. “Why are you in my room?”
My voice is rough, but I don’t want to see him right now. I just want to drink my coffee, but if he starts something, he best be ready, because if he thought I was cranky last night, I am downright evil first thing in the morning.
“Peace offering.” I can feel him tugging the blanket away.
“Move this blanket off my face and I will rip yours off,” I grumble.
“Not a morning person, huh?”
“No. Now go away and do whatever it is you do.” I take another sip of coffee. Ahhhh!
“You always make drinking coffee sound so enjoyable.”
I groan at him, “Whatever. What do you want?” I flip one side of my blanket down, exposing one eye that glares at him.
Black Knight to E6, I see what you’re doing, Mr. Russo.
He’s smiling and I just want to punch him in his stupid nose.
“Why haven’t you unpacked?”
He looks over at my suitcases, lids half open, clothes all over from being ripped out in my anger from last night.
“Cause.” I flip the blanket back over my face.
“Why do you sleep on the couch?” He tucks a corner of my blanket under my chin.
“Cause.” I grumble. My hand pokes out the bottom of the blanket, setting the cup on the floor. I turn over, facing the back of the couch, away from him.
“Cause? That’s not much of an explanation.”
White Knight to B1, smooth sir
I growl and flip half over, ripping the blanket off my face and glaring daggers at him.
“What exactly do you want? Thank you for the coffee, but I really don’t feel like having an argument with you right now. I’d just like to wake up.”
Black Bishop to C5, ha!
“I didn’t come to argue, Isabella. I just wanted to bring you a cup of coffee as a peace offering. Yesterday, I was a dick.”
I narrow my eyes and look him over. I can’t tell if this is a trap or not. I’m not awake enough for this game, and I’ve only had three sips of coffee.
“Yeah, well, I’m used to that. You can go now.”
I flip over, facing the back of the couch, and bring the blanket up to my chin. The couch dips as Alexander stretches out behind me, spooning me as he snakes his arm under my head and wraps his palm against my stomach, drawing me back to his chest.
White pawn to G3, trying to lull me in.
I fight the blanket and him, and he pulls me tight, trapping me in the covers.
“Shhhh.” He uses his chin to move the mass of hair off my neck. He kisses the side of my ear, and the top of my spine, and works his way back up to the spot just under my jaw.
Damn tingles race up my back, and I clench my teeth.
His sultry voice rumbles on my back. “You smell like a field of flowers warmed in the sun.” He rubs his whiskered cheek against mine, smelling my skin.
“Now this will come as a shock to you, Isabella, but I have never apologized in my life.” He kisses my forehead.
“I.” He kisses my eyes.
“Am.” He kisses my nose.
“Sorry.”
He waits until I open my eyes, then he looks at me and lowers his lips to mine. His lips are so soft and warm against mine. Light little kisses at first and then they get deeper, harder and he sweeps his tongue across the seam of my lips and I open, kissing him back.
He growls and deepens the kiss, tilting my chin up to devour more of me, and for a moment I forget why he is laying beside me smelling of vanilla and coffee.
Alexander grinds his hips into my ass and I can feel his hard cock poking and prodding me.
That snaps me out of the trance he has me in and I grab the back of the couch, hauling myself over the back of it.
The blanket catches my leg as he grabs for me, and I fall half over the back of it at an awkward angle, finally landing on the floor in a heap on my butt in a mass of hair.
I pop up quickly like a jack-in-the-box and whip my hair out of my face and over my shoulder. Alexander’s stunned expression makes me want to giggle, but this is serious.
I point in his face.
“Nope! No sir! Nope, nope, nope. Not doing that.”
Black rook to A6, straight up across the board. No thank you, sir!
I back away from him towards the bathroom, stopping just at the entrance.
“Thank you for the coffee.” I open the door and close it, locking it for good measure.
Nope! Not playing, I’ll treat you like a dog and then kiss you till you forget I was a jerk and I can feel better, game. Nope!
I shower and wrap myself in a towel, and open the bathroom doors. Looking around, I see he’s gone.
White Bishop to F1, he’s retreating.
I go to my suitcase and gather up my clothes. I take the dirty ones to the hamper in the bathroom and pick out my Harry Potter sweatshirt and black leggings.
I grab my cold coffee off the floor and head to the studio. I put my apron on and dived right into the painting. I’ll work till Anna shows up or someone comes and gets me. The second scene is almost finished. It’s progressing faster than I would have thought.
“Anna’s in the house!” She bellows from the door. I quickly cover the painting and run out to hug her. I swing her around, missing her so much and hold her tight.
“Oh, someone missed me.” She laughs and hugs me as best she can with her huge purse and a tray of coffee in her hand.
“OMG! I love you so much. I need you and the coffee.” Taking the tray from her hand and placing it on the coffee table. I hug her and drag her over to my messy couch bed, tossing the pink blanket on the back of it.
I take a cup out and hand it to her. “What’s with the giant bag? It’s bigger than you?”
“Oh girl, I have so much to tell you. A lot of shit can happen in a week.”
“Well, do tell. I hope you took the afternoon off. Because it’s been over a week since we last saw each other and I have stuff to tell you, too.”
She wiggles her eyebrows. “Ooooo. The wedding night? Did you ride a dick?”
I nod and burst out laughing at her expression.
“Isabella Gallo, you slut! Oh wait, you’re a Russo now. You go, girl! Pop that cherry.”
We spend the next hour and a half talking so fast and telling each other everything in our lives that it feels like only minutes. But then she looks over her shoulder at the door and turns serious.
“I have a plan. I bought you a burner phone. Helen needs a few weeks or more to get the last stage ready for you. I do, however, have a back-up plan. My big bag has a purpose. Every time we visit, we are going to stuff some of your clothes in it, so you have something to wear. I also set up a vault in the Archives for you. It’s empty and if shit goes south and you need out before Helen is ready, I will be. ”
I’m so stunned, I just cover my mouth. This is really happening. I take a deep breath. My heart is beating at a hundred miles an hour.
“OMG, Anna. Really? Which Vault? The one in the back, with the half bath?”
“Yep, the very same. I’ve been bringing a few things to work every day. By the time you need it, I’ll have it set up as cozy as I can. Plus, I’ll get to see you every day. So if you need anything, I can bring it.”
I look at her and hug her with tears in my eyes.
“How am I going to get to you? He was so mad at me. Last night he screamed so loud, his face was almost purple. And he acts as if nothing happened this morning, kissing me and bringing me coffee. But it’s only a matter of time before I piss him off again.”
“I know, girl. I have an idea about that too. I’ll ship your ass out of here to the museum.”
She smiles and hunches up her shoulders and takes a sip of her coffee.
“How are you going to do that? That’s just crazy.”
She jacks her thumb over her shoulder.
“Nope, Mr. Dickhead bought a sculpture for his garden, and he’s shipping it here.
You just need to get in the fucken crate before I close it up.
The catch is that I can only hold off for so long on shipping it.
I can buy us a few weeks for sure. But when you’re ready, text me.
And I’ll have that truck backed up to his pompous ass door so fast.”
I hug her so tight. “Oh Anna, thank you, thank you.”
Black rook to B6, an evasive side move on my part. But isn’t this how one plays the game?
“Now let go, snag some clothes and fill this bag so you’re not naked when I rescue your ass.”