Chapter 19
I awoke the next morning later than usual to find Isabella sleeping peacefully beside me. The early morning light streamed through the drapes highlighting the breathtaking features on her face. I had never woken up beside a woman before, so this was new.
And I liked it.
She stirred, making her nose scrunch up. I debated kissing her to carry on what we started last night when my phone vibrated from the bedside unit. Careful to not wake her, I reached over and retrieved it.
Looking back, I wish I had ignored it, because the message I was greeted with was one I never wished to read.
Tut, tut, Arturo. Playing a dangerous game, aren’t we? Everyone close to you dies, so what makes you think Isabella Ricci will be any different?
Who is this?
Do you really want to be the one responsible for that beautiful woman’s death? It would be such a shame for you to lose someone else, wouldn’t it?
Who the fuck is this?!
Just someone offering you a friendly warning. The fact is you don’t deserve happiness, Arturo Ramos. Your actions caused your mother’s death, do you really want to cause Isabella’s too?
Fuck you!
I bet Miss Ricci would look spectacular sliced and diced. And who better to watch her life slip away than you?
I can make it happen. Don’t doubt it. Anything to burn that happiness you feel every damn day is worth its weight in gold.
I let my head fall back onto the pillow and pressed my palms into my eyes. I debated what to do as a mixture of rage, panic, and devastation swirled in my gut. For the first time I wasn’t sure what to do.
Had someone been watching us?
I didn’t give a shit if someone watched me, I’d find them eventually, but I couldn’t let any harm come to Isabella.
She was an innocent party in my fucked up life.
As much as it may pain me to push her away, I knew it was what I needed to do.
I needed Isabella to hate me enough to walk away from whatever happened last night.
If that’s how I could keep her safe, then so be it.
Whoever the messages were from knew I was to blame for my mother’s death, and I wouldn’t be held responsible for Isabella’s too.
“Isabella.” I didn’t want to wake her, but it needed to be done.
She needed to leave.
“Isabella, you need to go,” I whispered as nicely as possible.
“Five more minutes?” She mumbled, pulling the covers up over her head.
“No, you need to go now.” I sighed, hating myself with every damn word.
She sat bolt upright, the covers pooling at her waist, and fuck me she looked beautiful first thing in the morning. Her bed hair fell around her shoulders, her lips parted slightly as the surprise in her eyes was undeniable.
“Shit, sorry, you’re right. Anyone could come up here. I knew I shouldn’t have stayed,” she panicked as she jumped out of bed quicker than I’d have liked her to.
But what choice did I have?
“Just go, please.” I buried my head in my hands like some sort of coward. I couldn’t look at her. I knew seeing her face marred with confusion would break my fucking heart.
You’re protectin’ her. My inner voice repeated but I couldn’t listen to that right now.
“Arturo, what is it? I don’t understand what’s?—”
“Bella, last night shouldn’t have happened.” The words pained me to say, but I had to.
“Please tell me that’s some sort of joke,” she whispered, anger creeping in.
“No.”
“You’re fucking pathetic, you know that?” She snapped. “I knew I should have listened to my head when it came to you.” She reached the door in record time and although I wanted to stop her, kiss her, and fuck her into oblivion, I couldn’t. “Last night, my heart won, and you know what?”
“What?”
“I wish it fucking hadn’t.” I heard her voice break and I felt everything she was feeling.
“Isabella—”
“Save it for someone who gives a shit.” Just as she was about to leave she whirled back around, tears swimming in her eyes. “Tell me, what was it? Was it me giving in too early or now that you’ve had a taste you’re bored?”
“That’s not it and you know it!” I jumped up from the bed, coming toe to toe with her.
“Do I? Because I think I finally understand what kind of man you are.” To emphasise her point, she shoved me back, her small hands balling into fists. “You can stay the fuck away from me. Oh and training is cancelled.”
“There will be no trainin’ when I say there’s none.”
“Fuck you, Arturo.” She paused the moment her hand toyed with the key in the lock. “I knew you only saw me as a plaything, and nothing else,” she quivered, and that was worse than a bullet to the heart.
Without another word, she was gone, the door hissing shut behind her.
“Fuck!” I seethed.
A plaything? How could she possibly think that?
Because we pushed her away.
I reached for my phone and although I knew I shouldn’t, I texted the number once more.
Whatever shit you’ve got with me, is with me. Leave Isabella out of this.
Aren’t you a good little boy, listening to someone who could just be fucking with you.
I don’t give a fuck who you are. Isabella has nothing to do with it.
Fine, she’s safe for now.
But if you go near her in ways you shouldn’t, she won’t be. And trust me, I’ll know.
Be careful.
Oh, and Arturo, I’d think twice before breathing a word of this to her. Wouldn’t want something bad happening to her after all.
“Good morning, Arturo,” Lorenzo spoke from the other side of the island as I entered the kitchen.
“Mornin’,” I replied curtly.
“Isabella is heading over to see Artem today. I’d like you to drive her.” That wasn’t a request, it was an order.
“No worries,” I stabbed the button on the coffee machine, making it the whir to life.
“Everything all right?” He asked.
“Peachy.” There was no fucking way I was going to tell Isabella’s father about the threats made against her.
Not that they were going to come to anything anyway.
So long as I kept my distance from her romantically, sexually and every other forbidden way, Isabella would be safe.
There was no way they’d know everything but I couldn’t risk it. I couldn’t risk her life.
The only thing harmed would be me, and I wasn’t a virgin to pain.
“Arturo, did you hear me?” Lorenzo snapped.
“Sorry, I was miles away. What were you sayin’?”
“Isabella wants to train with Artem today. Not sure why, but that man could probably put both of us on our asses, and I’m not afraid to admit it,” he chuckled.
“So you want me to drive her and collect her later on?”
“No, you can stay there with her. Keep an eye on her for me and see how she does,” he smiled, tipping his coffee cup towards me.
“Sure,” I took a sip from my cup, the scorching caffeine burning my throat.
Just as Lorenzo was about to open the topic for another discussion, I felt her. She appeared in the doorway, in full work out gear. Although her eyes never once met mine, I saw the mixture of sadness and anger behind them.
“Morning, Papa, I’ll see you when I get back,” she smiled, but it wasn’t a full one.
“Not so fast, Arturo is going to drive you.” Lorenzo handed Isabella a bowl of an array of fruit which she eyed whilst scrunching her nose a little.
“I don’t need babysitting, Papa. I’m just going to spend time with Deda . That’s all!” She placed the bowl down on the island much to Lorenzo’s apparent disappointment.
“Even so,” he slid a fork across the marble which collided with the bowl. “Can you eat, please? I know what your grandfather’s sessions are like, you need some food in your system.”
“I’m not hungry,” she murmured. “I seem to have lost my appetite this morning.” I winced as she took a few steps to the garage door.
“Bells,” Lorenzo stopped her with a gentle hand to the shoulder.
“Papa, stop.” She squeezed his hand as he let out a deep sigh.
“At least take something with you,” he pleaded.
“Fine,” she made her way to the cupboard filled with snacks and pulled out a granola bar. Her tone was cold, with little to no emotion.
“Bella, what’s with the attitude?” Lorenzo asked, his face falling slightly.
“Nothing, just a bad night's sleep.” Today was going to be a long day. “I need to go, I’ll see you later at dinner.” She leaned over and kissed Lorenzo’s cheek.
“Drive safely, Arturo.” Lorenzo nodded at me, before glancing towards his daughter.
She was already in the car when I got there, she had a face like thunder and I knew it would be the most awkward car journey of my life.
“Put your seatbelt on,” I demanded.
“Wow… You know, I have been in a car before.” The belt clicked into place as she trained her gaze out of the window.
“Isabella—”
“Don’t! I don’t want to hear anything you’ve got to say,” she hissed, before placing her AirPod in, effectively blocking me out.
Minutes passed and the silence was slowly killing me. Fuck, her being in my presence was killing me. I reached over and removed one AirPod from her ear.
“Hey!” She screeched.
“You gave me no choice,” I replied. “How else am I supposed to get you to listen to?—”
“Stop the car,” she yelled, snatching the AirPod from my fingers before slapping the dashboard. Sighing, I pulled over and turned to start trying to apologise when she jumped out.
Where the hell was she going?
“Isabella! Get your arse back in here!” I yelled through the open window as she took off running down the empty road. My skin crawled as I realised I was in deep, deep shit. The roads to Artem’s were quiet and empty around, and she was too vulnerable.
“Fuck you!” She spat as she got further away.
I knew Artem and Carmella didn’t live far, they’d moved not long ago to be closer to Lorenzo and Anastacia. But nevertheless, I sped off after her, slowing down the moment I reached her. Driving alongside her put my mind at ease, but only slightly.
“Isabella, get back in the car,” I drove carefully while leaning over to her window.
She sped up the second she heard my voice over the music she was listening to.
“Isabella, for fucks sake!” I slammed the brakes on, as her head snapped around to observe my next move.