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Home / Romance / CRAVING ISABELLA / Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

All Chapters of CRAVING ISABELLA: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

204 Chapters

011.

ISABELLA"Why do you think she's calling?" I don't know. A huge, hopeful part of me is hoping... pathetically... that maybe, just maybe, my mother misses me. That she'd suddenly realised the house was empty without me around. But who am I kidding? She probably just wants to know why I haven't returned from the university. She definitely wants to know why there's nothing cooked for dinner and maybe why the house isn't pristine. My duties."Are you going to answer it?" Chloe's voice slices through my thoughts. She's watching me with those intensely scrutinising eyes of hers. She already knows the answer.I don't know. I watch the screen go off, the call timing out. I almost heave a relief sigh but stop when it starts ringing again. This time, it's my dad. I don't waste any more seconds thinking about whether I should pick up or not. I answer the call, pulling the phone against my ears."Issy?"Wait, what? I pull the phone away from my ears to stare at the caller ID. Of course, it's Dad

012.

NOAH I've just been intercepted yet again by the soccer team Coach. He wants to see if I'll try out for the team. Yeah, like that would ever happen. The last thing I want is to be in a team. Teamwork isn't really one of my strong suits. And I don't want to be up against my brother and his fancy soccer team at his college. "You're sure about that?" Coach Tanner asks, like asking will make me change my mind. "Absolutely." I nod and he pats my back. That emits a growl from me. Fucking hell! What was that for? "Touch me again..." I start, stepping closer to him, even though the big man doesn't look intimidated. "And I'll make sure your hand isn't the only thing you lose, Coach," I say, before I walk off. I shove my hands into my pockets as I walk outside the athletic department buildings. Giovanni is already waiting for me, leaning against my car. He's holding a cigarette between his lips and he smells clean. Well, that's a fucking first. He's always gross and stinky after spe

013.

ISABELLA He wants to strap me to the bed? But if he does that, then I'll be stuck. I won't be able to move and that means I can't leave. And I have to. I need to get out of Noah's apartment and head to my parents'. Which means for the first time, I'll actually have to do what Noah Hawkins fucking wants. Oh, Joy. I'm sure he must be gloating in his head and thinking I'm this still because he has threatened to strap me to this bed. That's right. His bed. I'm on his bed, in his room. I glance around and I almost gawk. It's hands down a far cry from what I thought his room would look like. Given that it's minimalist, and the colour scheme is grey and black, just like Noah's soul, and it's fucking nauseating. But it's appealing in its own way. Maybe it has something to do with the way it smells. Minty. Spicy. Something in between. I feel something cold press against the skin on my forehead and I wince. Noah has ice pressed to my skin. "Hey..." I protest. "Seriously. I'm fine

014.

ISABELLAYou know what's absolutely infuriating? It's that the dickhead has the effrontery to call me nicknames after he just degraded my family. He doesn't know anything about me! Noah doesn't know what I've been through! He doesn't know how hard it was for my parents to have me. He doesn't know what my birth took from them! My father lost his job the day I was born and my mum... she almost lost her life. I think... their worlds fell apart right from when I came into their lives.And they love me. I know that for a fact. They love me. They just... they just love me in their own way. They are both broken people whom I can't and will never turn my back on. So Noah can say what he wants to say. He can go fuck himself for all I care. What does he know about anything? He's just a...I clamp a hand around my mouth and sniff. My legs are moving so fast on the pavement but I still doubt that I'd be able to get back to the slum neighbourhood tonight. I stop to catch my breath. The night i

015.

ISABELLAGross. She thinks I'm fucking Noah?"Go!" I say the one word to Noah. Oh fuck! Like he'll listen. "Noah, get out of here," I say in a low voice, not trusting myself to shout. Then I add an almost pathetic sound. "Please..." Mum is still glaring daggers at Noah and Noah... he's indifferent. He's just staring at her weirdly. "Noah, go!" I walk to him, placing my hand on his chest and pushing. But he doesn't move. It's like I'm pounding on a thousand-year-old rock. But it's so weird that he's staring at my mum like she has personally offended him.He eventually tips his head low enough to meet my eyes. "This... she's your mum?" He scoffs. "Get the fuck outta here," I yell, my chest heaving. "You don't want to wake my father. You'll be leaving here with a bruised lip."His eyes fucking darken. But my words don't have the intended effect. Noah is chuckling like he finds what I'm saying funny. But then he just stops, shakes his head, and turns away.So much for asking him to le

016.

ISABELLA"Hey, Drama Queen." Leo waves from behind the counter once I enter the glass doors, and I can finally not feel the scorching heat. I'm suddenly very grateful for the air conditioners he put in this place."I'm going to melt. The sun is..." My voice trails off when I spot Chloe taking an order from a table far away. "You two still not talking?" He follows my gaze. I walk around to the other side of the counter and grab an apron. "Hello, Isabella. Oh, Hello Leo. How are you? I'm pissed. Thank you for calling me yesterday and asking how I am. And thank you for asking how I am this afternoon. You're welcome. Your concern is deeply appreciated."Leo blinks thrice, then he grins. "Now I see why he calls you Drama Queen. What the fuck was that?" His grin turns to a full-blown chuckle."You're laughing?" "Babe, I'm sorry I didn't call okay? I was busy. In case you haven't noticed, I need more workers here, and one... no two of my staff were AWOL. So I was crammed." I stare at him

017.

ISABELLA"I'm sorry. I really am. I don't know what got into me." Hardin says after a beat. His head falls to his chest and his hand on my thigh disappears. "Bella, believe me. I had a crappy day. I started kissing you and everything went away. I just thought..." he pauses, glancing at me. "I thought... I just thought for a second that I could..." He sighs, rubs a palm over his face, and reaches for my hand. "I'm sorry okay? I promise I won't ever try that again. I'll wait until you're ready and comfortable before trying anything." He's rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. "Do you believe me?""Hardin..." I start but he cuts me off."Bella, I'm damn serious. I care about you so much that I can wait."I know that. I know all of that. I'm not doubting my boyfriend's feelings for me. It's just... I can't seem to get the feeling of his fingers against my stomach, the gnawing feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach...It's astonishing how one traumatic event can have a lasting im

018.

ISABELLAMy head snaps up at the sound of the sarcastic voice. My fingers clench around the stems of the lilies as I give Noah a glance.The guy is dressed in just loose slacks, his bare, tattooed upper body is covered in so much sweat that makes his olive skin glisten. I take it it's either he's been working out or he's just returned from the gym or... I don't know. The sight is hot. Him, seated on one of his grey couches, his legs spread, his thin lips moving like... Right. He's chewing a gum. His eyes and mine lock. Gracious Lord! He's so good looking! My lips part, press together and then part again.It's until I feel Hardin's fingers on my neck that I snap out of the daze I am. Jesus! What the hell was that? I just fucking checked my boyfriend's crazy ass man-whore brother while standing next to him. I glance at my feet, taking my lower lip in my mouth and biting down on it.Did Hardin see me and the kind of look I was giving to Noah? "Hey, bro." Hardin says calmly and only the

019.

ISABELLAI scramble off the couch, my heart hammering against my ribs. It's a fucking drumbeat. Hardin is pinned against the wall, groaning as Noah's body slams into him repeatedly.Hardin is athletic, yes, tall and all, but he's built like a runner, lean and absolutely flexible. Noah, on the other hand, is built like steel, like a... a... goddamn hockey enforcer... with the broad shoulders, compact muscles and... Fuck again! This isn't important. I can't stand here and analyze this while I do nothing!"Noah! Stop it! Please stop!" I shriek, clawing at Noah's back. Oh I wish this was a week ago when I hadn't cut my very sharp, long nails. I beat against him with my fists, little useless smacks against a brick wall. When I take a look at Hardin, I shudder. Tears start streaming down my face, blurring the horrific sight of Hardin struggling, his face contorted in pain. His face a bloody mess. What can my pathetic little hands do against him?"Get off him! You're hurting him! Noah! You'

020.

ISABELLAI can't call Hardin. I can't call him because what do I even say to him? That Noah made me ask him to leave? What kind of pathetic excuse is that?I shake my head, then run a finger through my hair as I stare at my reflection in the mirror. It's just six. I do have a class by eight. That's like two hours from now. But don't blame me. I have no intention of walking to school. I run a hand down the dress I've picked to wear today. It's so tight, and short, but then it's just like the kind of dress Hardin likes on me. So it'll do.I hear the door from the opposite room creak open and I still. He's up. The devil is up. I hold my breath as I hear his heavy footsteps wade toward the bathroom. That's enough to make me roll my eyes. Noah's room has an ensuite. The least I expect from him is to leave the bathroom down the hallway for me. But no. He has to make a fucking big deal about it. Just as he's making a big deal about telling Hardin all about my family. See why I don't reco

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