32. Chapter 32
I would never have predicted this as her reaction. I tore my gaze from her fucking breasts, which were screaming my name. There was a flicker of anger and fear in her eyes. What a rush. Isabella cared—and if her stance at the moment was any indicator, she cared a lot.
“Answer me, Lev. Did you take the job without a family vote?” she once more demanded.
I leaned against the frame of the open glass door, amused by her response. “I haven’t decided anything yet,” I said, deliberately keeping it vague. “It’s an opportunity. A great one at that. I told them I needed some time to think it over.”
Her eyes narrowed, and a storm of emotions brewed behind them. She didn’t suffer from the same attachment disorder Kinsley did, so her anger was telling. Did little Bellaruso have deeper feelings for me than she was letting on?
“Excuse me? I can’t believe you’d even consider it without talking to all of us first,” she said. With each breath she took, her tits rose and fell with heated anger. “Unbelievable. We’re a family. You can’t make a decision like this on your own. You’re not your own person.”
A rush of warmth spread through my chest and the blood flow went straight to my dick. Her words sounded territorial to my extremely needy ears. And that is what she made me. Fucking needy as all get out. I’d dreamed of eating her out, fucking her senseless and then eating her out again on repeat.
It was all I dreamed about. Every fucking time my eyes closed. And she was one hundred percent right. We were a family. The idea of leaving her, of not being a part of her daily life, was unthinkable. But I couldn’t resist teasing her a little more.
“I’d have to travel, of course. But I would come home on visits,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
The easy warmth in her eyes shuttered like someone had pulled heavy curtains across them. Her mouth pressed into a thin, bloodless line. “Wow, really. Okay, I see how it is.”
I let the silence stretch for a minute, enjoying the way she was on edge. Finally, I took a step forward, my expression softening. “I’m not taking it. I wouldn’t do that without talking to all of you first. You should know me better than that.”
The rigid line of her spine softened. Her fingers, which had been curled tight at her sides, loosened one by one. She blinked twice, like her body had to recalibrate from fight mode.
Air left her lungs in a quiet rush, and she tried to disguise it as annoyance. Her breasts caught my attention once again. I barely registered the relief on her face with all the tantalizing flesh that greeted me.
Color rushed back into her cheeks. She pointed her pencil at me like a weapon. “You’re damn straight, you’re not taking it,” she exclaimed before adding, “I vote no and I will ensure every member of the house does, too. Your place is with us. In London.”
“I wouldn’t leave you guys,” I said. “Not to mention Kinsley would kill me. Speaking of her, I swear, she’s fired.”
Isabella’s beautiful blue eyes swung my way, and a slow smile spread across her face as she set the sketchbook down and stood. My eyes almost popped out of my fucking skull. Her ass cheeks were hanging out. The round globes swayed as she moved toward the railing.
“Is she now? I wonder what she did this time.”
“Fucking bloody hell. Yeah, she’s not allowed to shop for you anymore,” I breathed, taking her in, groaning in appreciation. “Are you serious right now?”
“What, you don’t like this one?” She turned and faced me. She played with one strap, knowing full well she looked amazing. “I was thinking about bringing it on our summer trip this year.”
“You look like a goddamn present. One not meant for me, and truthfully, that idea sucks. Hence why I’m firing your girl. And I’m voting no on you wearing that at the beach house.”
The contrast of the black fabric against her sun-kissed skin emphasized her beauty, and I seriously regretted agreeing to keep things platonic between us.
As much as I was enjoying this time alone with her, it was pure torture seeing her this way.
And don’t even get me started on lying next to her at night, watching her sleep and not touching her.
But we made an agreement, and I would hold up my end of things, despite how impossible her wardrobe was. The bikini top was strappy and featured a goddamn laced-up bow-knot design, framing her breasts with a peekaboo design.
No lie, I really did want to fucking unwrap her like a gift. I was momentarily speechless, and she played right into my torture. The intricate detailing added a touch of sophistication, but was still playful.
I openly stared at the contours of her figure once more, reminding myself that I could look as long as I didn’t touch. Her eyes sparkled with mischief. The triangular, high-cut bottoms showed the curves of her hips and thighs, and my hands itched to smack her ass.
And although the bottoms weren’t a thong, they were high cut. Jesus, she had me spellbound. Desire pulsed through me, and I wanted nothing more than to rail her from behind, right there for the entire beach to see.
I pulled out my phone. “May I document this one too?” I asked.
“Why, of course,” she breathed, a grin spreading across her lips.
Leaning back against the railing with a casual grace, she stretched, delicately crossing her ankles. The move was not subtle. With an air of confidence, she tilted her head back, letting her dark locks cascade behind her as she struck a pose.
The sunlight danced across her features as my phone snapped pic after pic. The way her head was thrown back accentuated her collarbone and neck. I couldn’t help but marvel at the transformation.
Just a few days ago, she’d been so nervous and uncertain, but now, or maybe because we were alone, she was embracing herself in a new way. It wasn’t lost on me. My princess was growing, and the radiant energy that poured out of her was everything.
“You’re breathtaking, Isabella.” I murmured. “Look at me.”
She brought her head forward with a seductive smile, knowing exactly what she was doing.
Fuck, it was a privilege being a part of her journey.
The evolution of her blossoming into a confident woman was humbling.
I captured the final look, unable to shake the feeling that this moment would be forever etched in my mind.
I sent the photo to Kinsley with a message.
DANCER:
You’ve got amazing taste, but I’m not sure we can be friends anymore.
KINSLEY:
Awe, but I bought it with you in mind. Figured you might need a present. Love you. #dontwastetheopportunity #knockofflistitems #numberthree
“Who is that? Don’t tell me Sebastian?” She rolled her eyes, looking at my phone.
“No, he’s taken the hint and dialed things back. I have a feeling Marcel may have talked with him. Or at least I can hope, right? We could test it out by…” My eyes slid down her body again.
Completely caught up in the moment, we stared at one another. A sudden loud banging on the hotel door shattered the fantasy taking shape in my mind. Isabella startled, and her gaze swung toward the sound. The previously playful mood dissipated into an uneasy tension.
“What the…” I muttered, stepping inside the room and moving toward the door. Isabella trailed behind me, snagging a T-shirt and throwing it on. Her expression mirrored mine—apprehension and confusion.
Striding over, I reached for the door handle, hearing sobbing on the other side. I swung it open, and Lisa was standing there. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and her body trembled with emotion.
“Lisa, what happened?” I asked.
“Shut the door, please,” she cried before stumbling into the room and collapsing onto the nearest chair with a sob.
Isabella moved to her side, offering a comforting hand as I closed the door. She looked dumbfounded. I had no clue what had happened.
“Cha-Chase. It’s Chase,” she moaned, doubling over.
“What happened? Is he okay? Lisa, where is he?” I demanded.
“I was coming in…and I got a message…don’t know who it’s from but I don’t need to.” She cupped her face and sobbed harder, rocking back and forth. “He…he cheated on me. Is cheating on me. How could he do this? And days before the wedding?”
She struggled to compose herself, her tear-stained face filled with anguish.
Her words ran together. “My parents paid for everything. It’s non-refundable.
How could he? She knew…the bitch…everyone is here, too.
My mom, my dad, what are they going to say?
I should have seen it coming…there was the time in—oh, God how stupid of me. It’s been going on for years.”
I grappled to come to terms with what she was saying. It didn’t make sense. Why would he cheat on her?
“One thing at a time. Take some deep breaths for me. We’re going to figure it out and you’re safe here,” Isabella said, kneeling down next to the chair. She rubbed Lisa’s back and our eyes met again.
Another round of banging on the door jarred me. “Pasha, is Lisa with you?” A mumbled question fell from behind the door.
Lisa gasped. Isabella, thinking on her feet, pulled Lisa into the bathroom. The sound of water from the shower helped muffle the sounds of Lisa’s crying. I took a deep breath of my own and tore my tank top off, and yanked the door open.
“Hey what’s up? I was getting ready to shower,” I said as I faced Chase.
He was disheveled and his face guilt-ridden. The fact that he wore it so plainly struck me hard. “Have you seen Lisa? I need to talk to her now. I need to explain. It’s not what she thinks.”
I stepped outside into the hall. The cool air felt good against my heated skin. I stared into my friend’s eyes, not quite comprehending everything. I hesitated to ask because the expression of desperation and evasion staring back told me it was true.
Still, I had to. “What’s going on?”
“I swear, she’s got it all wrong. I would never…”
With his back to the elevator, Chase wasn’t witness to the sight I was. Hannah magically appeared at the end of the hall. She rushed forward.
“Pasha, let me explain.” Then she froze as she saw Chase.
Her expression, from a distance, mirrored his. Guilt and anxiety. It sent a ripple of realization through me. She shook her head and backed away. The pieces fell into place. I looked from one of them to the other.
Two and two equaled four, and in that one moment, I knew. I was done with these people. Aside from Lisa. My fists clenched at my sides as the truth hit. My anger simmered beneath the surface. Without a word, I lunged forward, my hand shooting out to grasp Chase by the collar of his shirt.
With a swift motion, I shoved him. His back collided against the wall with a thud that echoed down the empty corridor. The impact jarred Chase. His eyes widened in fear as my aggression grew.
This motherfucker.
“Your guilt is written all over your face. You’re a coward and a piece of shit. I don’t know how I could have ever considered you, my friend. You want to fuck her? By all means.”
I gripped his shirt and shoved him toward Hannah. A door from across the hall opened.
A man poked his head out. “Everything okay out here?” he asked.
Ignoring him, I turned to Chase. “Get the fuck out of here. Go pack your shit and leave immediately. You don’t deserve Lisa.”
I fished the key card out and waved it at the door. Without so much as a glance in Hannah’s direction, I went back into my room, shaking. Hannah and Chase. Lisa said it had been going on for years.
Disgust and anger burned inside. It left a bitter taste in my mouth. My brain refused to condense it all, and I couldn’t form a logical thought to save my life. All the times she accused me of cheating.
Projection. That is what Marcel would call it.
And she had been a master at it. I had no clue.
And now Lisa’s life was in shambles. Because of the two of them.
My heart broke for her. She didn’t deserve this on any level.
She’d only ever been a good friend to Hannah.
I picked up the hotel phone and dialed the front desk.
When the receptionist answered, I spoke. “I’m staying in room 374 and am a guest for a wedding that is scheduled to take place in two days. I need to page another guest from the wedding party to my room. It’s urgent.”
It was the same woman at the front who checked us in, so she happily went along with what must have seemed like a bizarre request. Ten minutes later, Lisa’s worried parents showed up.
The four of us went to Lisa’s parent’s room, and the full story came out.
She’d received a text from an unknown number earlier in the day asking if she really knew Chase.
Everything snowballed from there. The images of Chase and Hannah fucking at the intensive today were all the proof anyone needed.
Hours later, I found Isabella sitting on the patio once more, watching the fading light of the setting sun. Her gaze was fixed on the horizon as the colors of dusk painted the sky in shades of pink and gold.
Without a word, I approached her, the soft sounds of my footsteps barely audible. I took a seat beside her and allowed the comfortable silence to settle over us. The only sound was the rhythmic lapping of waves.
Our eyes met. Reaching across the way, she grabbed my hand and brought it to her lips. The gesture was sweet and filled me with a warmth I desperately needed. With a soft sigh, I turned my attention back to the horizon as I struggled to comprehend everything that had happened.
“That was a shit-show of epic proportions,” I said.
“Well, at least as far as I can tell, your knuckles aren’t bloody, so it didn’t escalate into violence. That’s always good,” she teased, giving them another feathery kiss.
“What would have been the point? Honestly, my heart hurts for Lisa. And Hannah and Chase can rot in hell for all I care. Apparently it’s been going on since Seattle. Off and on anyway, not consistent like that mattered.”
“So they came clean?”
“Chase did. Hannah magically disappeared.”
“That’s a shame. I would’ve paid good money to watch you tell her exactly where she could shove her apology. Popcorn and all.”
“Is it wrong that I feel vindicated? You have no idea how relieved I am that I never married her. It’s not about the physical cheating, it’s the betrayal and lack of loyalty. That I laid next to that woman for years and didn’t truly know her at all.”
“What happens now?” Isabella asked.
“The wedding is called off, naturally. Outside of that, I don’t care. I told Lisa that when she’s ready to come visit us in London. She said she’d think about it. I hope that was okay.”
“Totally okay. I think Kinsley and Tori would love her.”
“I didn’t even get a chance to tell you all about my day, either.”
“You shower, I’ll call down and order us something. We can still enjoy the evening together. What do you say?”
“As long as there is no talking about this fiasco.” I exhaled and rubbed my eyes, feeling exhausted.