LOGINALEXANDERTHE PREVIOUS NIGHTHer lips were soft, and as they moved against mine, I felt heat beginning to spread throughout my entire body.I was completely breathless, but I didn't want her to pull away. My hand moved up and down her body, and fuck, I was still in shock that she actually kissed me. Back at the diner, I didn't want to push my luck, but I was dangerously close to doing that. When I held her hand and she didn't pull away, I had to tell myself to hold back, but now, her kissing me was something I didn't see coming a mile away.The kiss became even more heated and intense. My arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. I was so hard it felt like it was about to rip through my pants. Then she stopped, slowly pulling back.We stared at each other, completely breathless. The sound of us trying to catch our breaths filled the room. I watched as her gaze moved from me to the door of her bedroom, then back to me, her eyes filled with so much hunger."I... I want you to—"
ISABELLAAs those words left his mouth, they did something to me. My eyes were beginning to water, and I was fighting back tears.Leonardo noticed immediately, and he cupped both sides of my face with his hands."Oh, sweet girl, please don't cry.""I'm trying not to," I said in between laughing and almost crying. I didn't know when the tears fell down my cheeks. He immediately wiped them away."You have no idea how much I admire you, do you?"I blinked at him. "What?""Isabella, you are so strong, and that is something I can never stop admiring about you.""I'm already emotional enough," I laughed, and a small smile played on his lips, but his eyes... they were filled with emotions I couldn't read."Everything that happened made you strong. It brought you to this exact point in your life, and believe it or not, this point is part of your story.""Are you trying to stop me from crying or make me cry even more?" I whispered as the tears began rushing down my cheeks uncontrollably.He pu
LEONARDOI kept staring at the documents in front of me, and I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with them. I was having a very horrible migraine, and all I wanted right now was just to leave, go somewhere quiet, and forget about this hell in front of me. But alas, that was impossible since Alexander had forsaken his work. I stared at the cup of coffee that had been sitting on my desk for more than three hours now. I sighed, picking up the bottle of vodka beside it and dumping half the bottle into the coffee. I wasn't sure what the hell I was doing, but I knew I needed something strong if I was going to survive another day without Alexander. I picked it up and got out of my chair. I walked to the window and just stared at the city, taking a sip of the concoction I had just mixed.God, I was tired. Work kept piling up, and I was drowning in it. No matter how many papers I sign or how many files I go through, there's always more work waiting. I looked over my shoulder, glaring
ISABELLAThe drive to the diner was quiet, too quiet for comfort. I'd glance at him when his concentration was on the road, and I wondered what was going on in that head of his, then quickly look away because I didn't want him to catch me staring.God, I had missed him so much. I didn't realize how much I had missed him till this moment, with him being in my space and me pretending not to like it.We got to an open bar that sat at the end of a street, facing a small river. The sun was setting slowly, casting a golden glow on the water and making it look magical. Ducks were floating on the top, calling out to each other, and it was so beautiful. So peaceful. We sat close to the river, Alexander pulling out my chair for me. "What would you like to have?" he asked in a gentle voice as he took his seat, and I couldn't help but be mesmerized by the look in his eyes. Whatever sadness and heaviness that was there a few days ago was nowhere to be found, and he looked… happy. "Whiskey would
LEONARDOThe study was extremely quiet and a little bit cold, which was weird, actually. The study was never cold. There was a book in my hand, and I could barely understand a single word written in it. I tried to focus, but all my attention was on something else entirely, on two things so far away. I slowly placed the book down, leaned back against my chair, and just stared at the ceiling. The house felt completely empty without Alexander and Isabella in it. It was too silent, too… large.I felt so tempted to go to Italy, to take the next flight and escape this empty feeling, but that would be the wrong move to make because she had made it very clear: she wanted space. She needed time, and I had to respect that, even though Alexander didn't. But I was the eldest here, so I had to be more responsible. I ran both hands over my face as I let out a heavy sigh. Even though respecting it felt extremely difficult, I had to. I just had to.And I had been calling Alexander for days, and th
Alexander's head whipped to the side as my slap landed, a tiny cut opening on his bottom lip, and immediately, I was filled with regret. Why did I do that? I remember the last time I hit him: on the day we got married, and his expression had gone completely dark.Right now, he was already on the edge, and I was pushing him off. He didn't say a word. He just lifted his head slowly, and when his gaze met mine, the wound was already healed. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but I couldn't even form a sentence. My heart was racing fast. I didn't want him to get any angrier than this. I know he wouldn't hurt me, but still… "Alexander…” I whispered."Again," he said, cutting me.I stared at him, my eyebrows furrowed, my heart still racing so fast.“What?” His eyes were dark, and his voice was low, the sound sending shivers down my spine, literally. And that look in his eyes… "Hit me again!" he yelled, and I flinched, my hand moving on its own, and then another slap, on the
It happened without a warning, without giving me time to think or even decide. One minute, I was sitting on a barstool, feeling this stranger’s warmth, my body growing heated from his warmth, his words, and then the next, I was all over him–me, not him–grabbing his hair and slamming my lips on his,
The drive to Richard’s place was filled with me questioning myself, asking myself over and over again whether I was doing the right thing, whether I should just stay still like he wanted me to. I didn’t understand why these questions were going off in my head like alarm bells, or why my stomach was
“W-what?” I stammered with the phone pressed to my ear, my eyes wide, my hand shaking. The words were repeated, but I couldn't hear them because of a loud ringing in my head, like bells going off, which drowned them out. Natasha was back. Natasha James was back.I shouldn’t be this worried. I shou
Richard’s eyes went wide when he saw me. He tried to get on his feet, but Natasha was still well balanced on his lap. “Oh, Isabella,” she said as she slowly got on her feet, adjusting her shirt and taking her sweet time with it. “Richard didn’t tell me you were coming in today.”“What are you doin







