Chapter 40
ISABELLA
Slade said he has a surprise for me tonight.
I don’t know what it is but he’s been teasing it for the past two days.
I’ve been telling him how bad I want to go out and just see what it’s like outside. I’m scared, don't get me wrong but Slade has been giving me lessons with guns and fighting for a week now and I’m confident enough to go outside.
I feel lonely and sometimes Angel will come over and we’ll read books but it still does nothing for me.
I’m bored and a little lonely just being stuck in this house.
Slade knows that so he told me that he has a surprise for me coming today.
I have no clue what he meant by that.
He is cooking lunch for me right now. He’s making me a rice bowl with chicken and other vegetables. He just finished cooking the chicken and now we’re waiting on the rice to finish so he can put everything together.
“I need to talk to you about something,” Slade says as he leans against the counter.
I hope he tells me what I’ve been wanting to know, which is what happened the night he left Russia. Every time I try to ask him about it he pushes that conversation to the side and says he’ll tell me when he’s ready.
I get a little mad at him whenever he doesn’t talk about it because he always forces me to talk to him about my issues and problems but never talks about his.
“What is it?”
“In order to catch Georgino we need to use someone as bait,” Slade says and I already know where he’s going with this. “Because he wants you we need to use you as bait to get to him.”
I’m not surprised since he’s been training me every single day and talking me through lessons about “what if” scenarios that I knew were true.
I’m still not used to this whole Mafia family business thing with him. I still haven’t fully grasped that he was born into this kind of world.
We haven’t talked about the important things and that’s a huge issue since we are playing house, flirting, having sex, making out, kissing, talking to each other as if we are husband and wife when we literally had our first ever date less than two weeks ago.
“What are you thinking?” He pushes off the counter and leans against the island. “Tell me.”
I lick my lips before saying, “This all just feels so weird. I’m not used to it. I had a feeling you were going to use me as bait. It’s smart but I can't help but be a little scared of this lifestyle you live, especially since you don’t tell me anything.”
“The only reason I don’t tell you things is because I don’t want you to view me as a monster. I want you to trust me.”
“How am I supposed to trust you when you don’t say or explain anything to me?” I stand up and walk towards him. He keeps his eyes on me the entire time. “I want you to help me understand.”
Slade thinks for a minute and sighs. He runs his hands through his hair and his jaw ticks. He opens his mouth as if he’s ready to confess something but his phone starts buzzing on the island.
I glance down at the screen and see that Niko’s calling him.
He picks up the phone and looks at me. “I’m going to go over the plan with you this week for the bait situation,” he says before answering the phone.
“Privet?” Slade and Niko exchange words in Russian.
I just watch him as he talks and listens to Niko before hanging up.
He pockets his phone and looks up at me. “Your present is here.”
I smile softly. “You can’t distract me with presents.”
His eyebrow lifts in a playful manner. “I think we both know I can distract you in a lot of ways.”
I shake my head at him. The doorbell rings and I furrow my eyebrows at him, wondering what he got me.
He motions for me to leave. “Go open the door.”
I leave the kitchen and when I get to the front door I unlock it and pull it open.
“Guess who?!” Becky says with her hands in the air.
I don’t think as I run into her arms and hug her. ”Oh my god, how are you here?” I squeeze her tightly. “Don’t you have a book to write?”
“I decided to go on a writing retreat with you.” She lets go of me. “Although I wish this retreat was a little warmer.”
If only she knew this wasn’t a retreat.
“It works.” I shrug. “But this is anything but a retreat.”
“It can be treated like one but you’re not making good use of it.” She looks behind me at Slade. “And you, you better be taking care of my Isabella.”
I glance at Slade.
His arms are crossed over his chest, muscles bulging from beneath the compression shirt.
“I am and she’s my Isabella,” he says.
Becky shakes her head. “No, don’t start because I’ve known her longer. You basically stole her from me.”
Slade tilts his head. “And I’m not giving her back. So give up,” he says before looking at me. “The rice bowls are ready if you guys want to eat and catch up. I’m going to my office to talk with Niko about some things. I’ll be there if you need me.” He presses his lips against the side of my head.
Once Slade leaves in the direction of his office Becky gives me a smirk. “You have so many things to tell me.”
I grab her hand and take her to the library.
Niko is bringing in her bags and is presumably going to put them in the guest room she’ll be staying in.
“I know it’s been a while.”
“Yea, everyone at work is wondering where you are and when you’ll be back,” Becky says.
“I’ll be back soon hopefully. Honestly things aren’t as they seem right now. I have a lot of explaining to do.”
“Yea, you do. Like when did Slade become rich and why are you even in Russia?” she asks as we walk into the library.
“And how could you hide this place from me? I would live here if I could. Imagine how many romance books I could fit in here. It’s like a Barnes & Noble.
” Becky is in complete awe looking at all the walls filled with books.
I take her to the couch Slade put in here and sit down with her. “I haven’t been doing much writing honestly. Things have been really crazy.”
“Yea. I bet,” she says before her eyes go down to my hands.
Her eyes widen and she grabs my hand with the ring Slade gave me. I can’t say he’s making me wear it because I never take it off unless I’m showering.
Sometimes I’ll hesitate to put it back on but I like the fact that Slade has claimed me as his.
It feels wrong but right.
I seriously can’t pick whether to be mad at him or not sometimes.
“Since when did you and Slade get married?” Becky asks while admiring the ring.
“When I first got to Russia.”
Becky makes me explain everything to her in full detail. Her jaw keeps dropping and she asks many questions, wanting to know more.
I debate whether or not to tell her about what Slade does and who his family is but I just cover it up by saying that he comes from a rich family.
I focus mostly on the stalker and not the things between Slade and I because if he doesn’t tell me things for my safety then I probably shouldn’t tell Becky.
But my stalker doesn’t want anyone but me so she’s safe.
“Wow you read and write thriller books but you’re literally living in a dark romance book. I’m jealous. I wish Adrian would do those kinds of things to me.”
I laugh and shake my head at her. “It’s not like the books. It’s scary.”
“I mean the stalking part is scary but living in this nice house and being married to a Russian nepo baby seems pretty cool.”
“I don’t even know how I ended up with a ring on my finger.” I look down at the sparkling ring
It’s perfect.
I find it crazy how Slade knows me so well.
Maybe because he stalked you, my mind says.
“Well good thing I’m here for a week so you can tell me all the gossip. We’re going to have so much fun,” she squeals while I just laugh.