Chapter 16 ~ Isabella #2
I turn red again and say, “Sorry about that. I had a minor accident, but it looked delicious. The hash browns were awesome.” I give her two thumbs up with a smile.
Her face turns pink, and she breaks out into a grin.
“My name is Rose. I’m the head cook here. Anything you need, anything you prefer to eat or have me prepare, don’t be shy to ask.”
She puts her arm through mine and guides me to the large kitchen island with four bar stools. She pulls one out, indicating for me to sit.
“Come on, I’ll pack you a lunch bag you can eat at work. Where’s your cup?” She smiles at me, holding out her hand.
“Shoot, I’ll be right back!” I scoot off the chair and quickly run through the dining room, opening the door to the main foyer. I trot down the hall, but the male voices from the office echo, stopping me in my tracks. They are speaking in aggressive Italian.
Alexander’s voice is angry, “If you think for one minute I’m falling for this girl, think again Carlos.
This is a business arrangement, nothing more.
And her fathers made damn sure it follows through, so don’t lecture me on women.
Once the wedding is over, I’ll make sure she’s taken care of.
But don’t let the innocent eyes fool you. There is more going on here.”
Carlos is just as angry as Alexander. “I’m only saying don’t let that folder influence your perspective.” The office door slams shut and my heart begins to pound.
He’s read my file and knows about my stay at the Psychiatric Hospital. I knew it; I prepared for it, the day he confronted me with the ugly truth my father tried to hide.
Stupid, stupid Isabella! When will I ever learn? I’m his toy right now, to play with and fondle, then toss aside. I make my way up to my room and grab my purse. My mug is next to it but I don’t feel like coffee anymore.
So, I go downstairs and wait like the obedient puppy I am by the door. I need to wise up, and get better at guarding my heart with this guy. His good looks and his charm throw me off and I lose perspective about what this whole arrangement truly means.
The door to the office opens and the men step out. Carlos smiles, while Alex glares at me while adjusting his tie as they head my way.
Carlos opens the front door, and I don’t wait. I just head down the stairs to the car and wait by the door.
Alex pulls it open, stepping to the side and I slide in, putting my purse on my lap and hugging the passenger door. He gets in beside me and the scent of vanilla musk makes me close my eyes. I wish I could drive my own car and then I wouldn’t have to be beside him for the next half hour.
“What time will you be finished this evening?” Alexander’s voice cuts through my thoughts.
I don’t look at him as I answer. “Most likely around five. Anna is in today so we can get more progress on the Fresco.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up at five.”
The silence grows stronger and the tension in my neck gets tighter the longer I have to sit here.
I really don’t know what I was expecting.
I'm such a fool, did I really think that after last night, he’d fall head over heels in love with me?
That that kiss on my temple this morning was genuine affection?
Plus, now that he confirmed my suspicions about my past with mental health, I’m shocked he hasn’t driven straight to my father’s doorstep and thrown me back.
This is twice in two days I’ve been an idiot about him, but no more. Harding my heart, my plan is don’t be anywhere he is for the next twenty-four hours, then I’m on my own till the wedding.
We reach the museum and I tell Carlos to head around the back. It’s closer to my workspace. Once he’s parked, I don’t wait for him to get out and open my door. I just jump out and head to the building.
“Isabella,” Alex yells, I don’t turn to look at him or stop, I just wave my hand in the air putting my tag to the reader as it buzzes. I rush in and close the door behind me. At least I know he’s locked out on the other side.
I walk down the hall and pop my head into Professor Daniels’ office. Knocking on the doorframe
“Morning!” I chirp at him.
“Oh, morning Isabella.” He laughs, “Anna beat you to scaring me this morning. She’s already in the lab.” He chuckles.
“Thanks. I’ll check in with you after I let you know how far along we are.”
I walk through our lab door and Anna has her earbuds in, singing Adele to the top of her lungs with a chisel and brush in her hands.
I love her so much. The day I got this job and she and I met, we hit it off immediately.
Once I knew I could fully trust her, I told her everything.
Every secret, all about the kidnapping, the abuse of my father, my mother, and my sister’s constant belittling.
She was my rock. She always has my back when I needed her and a shoulder when I fell apart.
I go to my desk and drop my purse on the back of my chair; I pick up a paintbrush and chuck it at the back of her head, missing and it bounces off her shoulder, causing her to scream and whip around, she instantly throws her brush in her hand at me.
She whips her earbud out.
“For fuck's sakes Izzy, you scared the hell out of me. What the hell?” She begins to back down the ladder and I laugh at her.
She looks like an angry pixie with a scrunched-up face; her lab coat is way too big on her, hanging to her knees. Her little tiny body stomping down the stairs. She reminds me of Tinker Bell getting mad at Peter. The image makes me laugh more.
“Why is it okay to laugh at me when I’m mad, but I can’t when you get mad?” she points at my face.
I just smile at her, “Cause I’m not as cute as you when you’re angry.” I bop her on the nose.
She points behind me and says, “Your coffee is on the desk.”
I grab her in a bear hug and kiss her head, “OMG, I love you so much. I forgot mine in the car.”
Anna shoves off me, pressing on my boob, and I whimper, pushing her away and holding my chest.
“What the fuck Izzy? What’s the matter?”
Without thinking, I blurt, “Alexander bit my boob last night.” I wince and bend over, holding my chest.
“He What?” She bends over, yelling in my face.
Bloody jolly ranchers!
Why can’t I keep my mouth shut? Now I’ll have to tell her the whole embarrassing thing. “Let me get my coffee first. I choked on my first cup at breakfast and haven’t had any yet”. I turn to head to the desk.
“What exactly did you choke on Izzy if Alex had access to your breast last night?” She snickers.
I turn my head and glare at her, “It’s not funny, Anna. He yelled at me at dinner, made me cry, scared the crap out of me after I ran away from him and hid in my bathroom, then he threw me on my bed, bit my boob, and then made me pee my pants.”
I grab the coffee and take three huge gulps in a row; I take a breath and wave the cup in the air.
“We will need another one of these shortly.”
I put the cup back to my lips and drink the rest. Anna is still standing there gaping at me, eyes wide, not moving.
“What?” I ask, looking at her.
“What the hell did you Google, man? Golden showers are soooo not what I told you to research?” She looks away, tapping her finger on her lips, “Unless he’s into that and asked you to pee on him?
” She scrunches up her face. “Did he ask you to do that? Cause if he did, that’s kinda fucked up to do to a newbie. ”
I shake my head at her. “What are you talking about? He didn’t ask me to pee on him?
He was mad because I told him I had to use the washroom and left him sitting in the dining room, I totally ran away.
Then, he barged in on my bath, so I ran away from him.
He caught me and threw me on my bed. Then he started to kiss me and then he asked me, ‘What’s the punishment for people who lie?
’ and then he bit my boob, like hard! I screamed my head off. ”
Her face turns a slight shade of pink, then she purses her lips to the side of her mouth.
“Just say it, Anna. I don’t understand what happened last night. It was crazy and scary, and good and then embarrassing.” I cover my hands over my face and sit down in her chair.
“It’s okay, Izzy. Tell me everything since leaving the bar last night and I’ll try to explain it to you.” She’s holding my hand now and I just want to die. The world at large is beyond my comprehension sometimes.
“Can we work while I talk? I want to get the dress done today before he comes to pick me up at five.”
Anna rubs my back and pulls me up. “Okay, rain shower. Let’s get to work and go grab another coffee later.” Taking the empty cup from my hand, she puts it on the desk and leads me to my station.
Once I’m all set up, we work side by side and I tell her everything. She loses it at my zig zag maneuver and I tell her not to laugh cause it worked, almost.
She is shocked when I tell her he seduced me into biting my boob and the whole hand thing he did and then peeing my pants. I explain all about my choking on my coffee this morning and then his comment I heard about him getting rid of me after the wedding.
Once I’m done and I look over at her, she hasn’t done a thing. For the last few hours, as she listened to me, she has made no advancement on her side at all. She just looks at me like I’m some crazy person.
The hair on my arms raise at the look on her face. “What? Don’t look at me like that, you’re scaring me. What did I do wrong? What, tell me!”
“Oh, my girl. We need to have a chat about your limited sexual experinace and what last night really meant.”
“What does that mean? I know a few things and last night he hated me enough to hurt me this time. What is going to happen next time, Anna? He’ll rip my nipple clean off?” I’m shouting now because this is serious.
She bursts out laughing so hard she grabs the railing and holds on. She has tears in her eyes and she’s wiping them away. I’m not finding any of this funny. I like my nipples right where they are. Thank you very much.
“Oh, honey. It’s time for coffee. Come on, grab your purse. I’ll tell jumpy pants we are having an early lunch.”
Stunned, I mumble ok and back my way down the ladder. I take off my lab coat and goggles and grab my purse. I met Anna in the hall and we go out the back door through the alley to the little coffee shop for my lesson on sex I guess.