CRAVING ISABELLA

ISABELLA "Noah! What the fuck, man?" Hardin curses, as he reaches for the sheets and throws it around my naked body, pulling it tight. At the same time, he's fumbling around, his hand slapping against the mattress, searching for something, anything, to cover his dick. Which was currently doing a very impressive job in standing at attention. Then he turns, eyes blazing, to his brother, who's sitting on the only sofa in this room, a smug grin plastered across his face. Like he didn't just barge in on us, without a single knock, cuddling nakedly. Fuck! I'm too mortified to speak. Too stunned to even form a coherent word. I can't even bring myself to look up at Noah. My heart is racing. Fuck again! How much did he see? My ass? My breasts? Noah is fucking out of his mind. Seriously. Normal people know how to knock. Normal people won't gleefully watch their brother and his girl naked on the bed. But who am I kidding? Noah isn't normal. Not at all. He thrives on chaos, on pushin

ISABELLA My head is spiraling. Yeah. Because that doesn't sound like the Noah I know at all. "He said you have to pay quarter the rent." Hardin states, looking relieved. "He said, and I quote, 'It's just an empty room. Tell Minnie I expect her to take care of my house." Quarter rent. Okay, that's definitely a win. I sigh. "He called me Minnie again, didn't he?" Hardin winces. "Twice. But look, this is perfect, Bella. It's free. You're going to Greenville. You're getting your education." He grabs my hands, his excitement returning. "Yeah, I know, but I have to live with your brother." I whine. "This is now a win, Hardin." "Come on," he coaxes, pulling me closer. "You'll be fine. You’re tough. You’ll just have to avoid him." "Avoid Noah Hawkins." I repeat. Hardin laughs, pulling me into a proper kiss. "I'll make sure he's busy. I told him I owe him for the favor. And he agreed to a few ground rules. No partying in the main living space on weekdays, no bringing people

ISABELLA I wake up the next morning feeling heavy, like I hadn't slept at all. The memory of handing over the last dollar to my dad is a dull ache in my chest. I can't face Hardin yet. I need a plan. I drag myself out of bed around eleven. The house is quiet, which usually means one of two things: they are either passed out or plotting. I open my door, and the acrid smell of stale cigarettes and burnt coffee hits me instantly. Both parents are in the living room. My dad is slumped in his armchair, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and my mum is chain-smoking on the sofa, a haze of smoke thick above her head. The curtains are drawn, making the room dark. I need to feel strong. I need to feel like the girl who got a scholarship, not the one who's still yelled at for dirty dishes. I go back into my room and pull out an outfit. A dark denim mini-skirt that hit mid-thigh... definitely shorter than my usual look... a fitted black top, and my worn leather jacket. I usually reserv

ISABELLA I slam back into the seat, still trying to regulate my breathing. My heart is hammering from the mix of humiliation and anger. I yank the seatbelt across my chest aggressively, partly to keep myself from opening the damn door and barrel-rolling out of this moving car. Noah glances at me from the corner of his eye. "Good girl." "I will jump out of this car," I murmur. He shakes his head. "You won't." "Watch me." I'm bluffing. I'm definitely bluffing. My mind screams at me. I can't jump out of a moving car. That would be suicide. And as much as I hate my life, I don't have any desire whatsoever to end it so soon, especially not in front of Noah. "I literally carried you here. If you jump, I'll just pick you up and put you back." I groan as the city blurs past us... shops, overgrown hedges, the heat waves... Each bump in the road makes me more acutely aware of how dishevelled I must look... eyeliner smeared, hair messy, skirt wrinkled from being tossed around. I

NOAH I roll off, peeling the condom away with two fingers and tossing it expertly into the bedside trash can without looking. That's what happens when you get used to fucking no matter what time of the day it is. You learn how to dispose of trash. "That was amazing, Noah," the lady, whose name is Gia whispers, turning to face me, with soft and adoring eyes. "Get dressed." I say, already swinging my legs out of bed. Her face falls. Great. More emotional bullshit. "Noah, come on. Can't I stay? Just for a little while?" I grab a clean shirt from my wardrobe, pulling it over my head. "No. I have things to do. You know the drill." She sits up, her huge tits bouncing with the slightest movement. I'm tempted to have a taste of her golden brown nipple but I have no desire to make her think she can sleep over. "But I haven't seen you in a week. And your brother's home." She lowers her voice dramatically. "I heard him talking about your new housemate." I stop, turning to look