All Chapters of CRAVING ISABELLA: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

ISABELLAThe candle is dripping wax onto the tablecloth. I've watched it drip for forty-five minutes. 8:15 PM.I've taken snaps of everything I think Chloe will like to see, or what I feel will be essential for her online work. I'm taking photos because... why not? I don't see a reason not to. If Hardin isn't coming then at least I got my best friend some photos.The waiter, walks past my table for the tenth time. He doesn't even ask if I want to order anymore. He just tops up my water glass. While he does that, I check my phone again. Nothing. No text. No call. I sent three messages.Hey, are you close?Everything okay?I’m at the table.All delivered. None read.I feel sick. God, that kind of sickness where my dress feels too tight, too revealing, too red... I must probably look like a giant stop sign sitting in the middle of a room full of happy couples holding hands. What? I look like I planned a date, and I'm forcing my boyfriend to be here, and he's not coming."Excuse me," I f

ISABELLA "Indebted to me? Wait... you think I'm keeping a tab, Minnie? You think k I'm going to come knocking on your door in a week and ask for a refund?" "I don't... I don't know. But isn't that how it works with you rich guys? You do something nice and then use it as leverage. You want me to feel like I owe you my life so I'll stop looking At Hardin and start looking at you!" "Isabella, for heaven's sake," Mom groans. "He didn't ask for a thing. He just showed up, asked how we were doing, and started fixing things. Your father actually ate a real meal tonight. A steak, Isabella. When was the last time you sent enough for a steak?" I look at the house... the sagging porch, the flickering light... and then at my mom. She looks healthier than she has in months. And it’s because of him. Not me. Not my extra shifts at the Daily Grind. "I was trying," I whisper. "I was doing my best." "I know you were," Noah says, his voice softer now, almost reaching out to me. He takes a step clo

NOAH Usually, the best part of my day isn't the sun coming up. It's the moment Isabella and I are behind closed doors, tearing at each other's clothes. We aren't making out right now, but it's our ritual. The second we hit the house after a long-ass day, it's on. It fucking calms me, man. Isabella and I are making out. It's reached a point where I'm texting her all damn day, counting down the minutes. It's odd, honestly. I don't do the whole 'longing' thing, but with her, I can't help it. She’s got the best fucking body a man could ever pray for, and I’m a lucky fucker. Luckier still because she’s actually doing this with me... exploring her 'options'. She’s always down to try something new, and I live for that look on her face when I show her something she’s never felt before. She loves the thrill. She loves that we’re fooling around right under everyone's noses. I love it too, but some days? It gets a little weird. Days like today. She’s already cycled through three different out

NOAHI think it's in my favour that my brother keeps doing things the wrong way. Because I get to show his girl how better I am than he is. To be honest, I'd planned it out. I wanted the rift. I wanted them to fight. That's why I asked Harriet to attend the party. I'm guessing she did attend and that's why Hardin didn't show up to get his girl. When she told me he didn't show, I felt two things. A massive urge to go find Hardin and put his head through a wall, and then... I felt a twisted sense of relief. My baby brother is a moron. You don't leave a girl... a girl like Isabella standing on a curb on a cold night. You just don't.I'm very sure if he knew what she'd prepared in store for him, as a birthday present, he wouldn't have done this. Poor him. His loss.I get Isabella into the car and I drive to the one place I know would be empty enough to breathe but loud enough to drown her fucking thoughts. It's the old pier park."An amusement park?" She asks, looking at me like I've lo

ISABELLA"What?" The gondola sways under the sudden shift in my weight. "Giovanni did what on my bed?""A threesome, Minnie.""That... is disgusting! That is... I am going to kill him! If he actually touched my sheets, he isn't just buying me new sheets. He's sanitizing the walls. I don't care if he has to hire... a... a professional hazmat to scrub, Noah. I mean it.""Drama queen," Noah mutters, though he looks far more relaxed. How can he be so... Gosh! I'm freaking out. On my bed? A threesome? With girls I probably don't even know? "It's not drama, dumb ass. It's called hygiene!" I cross my arms over his hoodie. "How could you let him?""I didn't say I let him. I said he did it."The wheel finally brings us back to Earth and Gary unlatches the gate. Noah gets out first and then I follow, eager to get home now and strangle Giovanni myself. "You want anything else?" Noah asks, catching up to me. "Doughnuts? A drink?" "Nothing," I snap. "I want to go home.""Fine by me."When we pu