Chapter 49
ISABELLA
THREE MONTHS LATER
Becky and I are having drinks right now at a bar called Stag.
She said we should go because I’ve been moping around for the past three months but it’s hard not to mope when all I’ve been thinking about is Slade.
I haven’t written as much as I would like to due to all of the stress and overthinking I’ve been doing.
Long Lost Love was released two months ago and it’s been getting a lot of love from readers, old and new.
I’m doing a signing in a couple of weeks with Becky by my side since she released her book last week.
We celebrated at her house with drinks instead of going out.
Becky ended up dragging me out of the house anyway tonight since she is getting restless from staying in and not doing anything.
“A mojito please,” Becky says, smiling at the bartender.
He nods and then looks at me. “And for you?”
“I’ll get an espresso martini,” I say. He leaves to get the drinks and I focus my attention on Becky. “How’s writing for you?”
“It’s going good. I’m like three chapters away from the ending. I should be done tomorrow. So we’ll have to go out for drinks again to celebrate.”
I roll my eyes at her and shake my head. She’s for sure an alcoholic.
“How’s the book going for you? Are you still having trouble?”
I shrug as if it’s no big deal. “Yea, but I'm fine. I’m just having a hard time starting the chapters but after I get the first three hundred words written, it’s pretty easy.”
“What’s the second book about?” Becky asks. “You never told me.”
“So you know already that he saves her from the end of the first book, so the second book is just about them taking down the entire organization while they are being targeted,” I explain to Becky and she nods.
The bartender comes back with our drinks.
We talk about drama at work, like how apparently Matthew and Miranda have been hooking up which is no surprise because they always seemed close.
Bentley is changing some things around in the office so who knows what is going to be happening towards the end of the year.
I’ve been visiting Grams a lot more because after everything that happened in Russia, I’m realizing that we don’t have forever and she’s only getting older.
I usually stay at her house over the weekends to keep her company and so that I don’t feel alone.
The apartment is so quiet and lonely without anyone there.
When I got back to New York three months ago, Niko told me that I don’t have to worry about paying for the apartment since Slade directly deposits the rent every month.
Even though I told Slade that I still want to pay rent and that his money isn’t my money, Niko said that I shouldn’t worry and if I try to pay, Slade will just keep it in a safe and save it for me.
“Have you heard from him?” Becky asks, like I knew she would.
She hasn’t asked me about him in a while. She usually asks me once every month.
I haven’t gotten any messages or anything, period, since he made me leave.
I’ve seen Niko around a few times. He seemed to be checking to see how I was doing. I know he probably reports back to Slade about me.
I asked him once how Slade was doing and he said he was fine but that’s it. After that I didn’t bother asking him about Slade anymore since I know he won’t give me any information.
Sometimes I think about reaching out to Slade but I always end up talking myself out of it, thinking it isn’t a good idea to bother him or reach out after everything we both said to each other.
I miss him but I know it wouldn’t be smart to get involved with him.
“No. I haven’t heard anything from him. Pretty sure whatever that was, is done,” I say while twirling the engagement ring around my finger.
I still wear it.
And sometimes I sleep in his bed.
But no one has to know.
“Still? Have you reached out to him?” she asks.
I shake my head.
“Who knows. Maybe this is for the best. I mean he wasn’t a good guy right?”
“Yea, you’re right.”
Becky and I swallow down two shots before we decide to get the check and leave.
I’m a little tipsy and am slowly starting to feel the drinks in my system. Becky is laughing more than usual and I know she is for sure close to being drunk.
I call us an Uber to get us to her house since it’s pretty late and walking through the city or taking the subway isn’t safe.
When I get to her apartment her boyfriend, Adrian, asks me if I need a ride home or if I’m okay to get home by myself.
I told him I was fine and that I already have that same Uber waiting for me downstairs.
The drive from Becky’s apartment to mine isn’t long. It takes about eight minutes because there isn’t any traffic.
I tip the Uber before getting out and slowly making my way to the front doors of the building.
It’s close to eleven so the lobby is pretty much empty except for the doorman. They always have a doorman on site.
“Long night, Miss?” Trevor, my favorite doorman, asks.
“A little too long. I think I’m ready for bed,” I say before groaning.
All I want to do is close my eyes and go to sleep.
Trevor presses the elevator button for me. “Well good thing you’re not far from your room,” he says as the elevator doors open. “Have a good night Miss.” He nods and I smile before walking inside the elevator.
I check my phone as the elevator slowly goes up.
When the doors open, I head towards the apartment.
I stumble as the wave of the last drinks hits me.
I unlock the apartment door, push it open, get inside, and close it behind me.
It’s dark so I turn on the lights and rest my things on the island.
There’s a shadow on the couch.
I flinch away before I recognize the person sitting there.
Slade stands up and smirks. “Hey, malen'kiy avtor.” He tilts his head to the side. “I told you I’d come back right?”