Part 18:

There’s ketchup in the fridge. His eyes stayed on her hands. And why aren’t you eating any pasta? Heat climbed into her face before she could stop it. I’m on a diet. The corner of his mouth twitched and he fought it down. Trying to get to £100. He stood, lifted the serving spoon, and dropped a portion onto her plate. You’re going to eat this.

Isabella’s chin came up. I’m saving my appetite for the cake. OS tipped his head. That’s Isabella’s cake. You let Isabella slip away. She held his gaze. She’s not here. and I don’t think you’re going to find her, so I wouldn’t count on her showing up for her own cake.” Aos set his fork down at the edge of his plate.

“Then you’re not getting any cake until I see you put a bite of that in your mouth.” Her jaw tightened, the anger sitting hot in her chest. “Fine,” she speared a forkful, lifted it, and put it in her mouth, and she held his eyes the whole time she was chewing, slow, refusing to be the one who looked away. OS raised a brow there and he went back to eating.

Tony’s head moved from one of them to the other. Isabella swallowed and the worry started low in her stomach before the food even reached it. Whatever was about to happen to her, it was already too late to take back. Tony’s phone buzzed against the table. He picked up, listened, then lowered it a few inches.

Boss, they picked up Miss Conte on the road to the marina. His eyes flicked to Aeros. You want her brought here? A slow smile touched Aeros’s mouth, and his gaze drifted over to Isabella. She kept her eyes on Tony, something uneasy moving through them. No. Aos wound past her around his fork in no rush at all. We’ll keep her somewhere else.

Have them hold her at an apartment in the city. But boss, Tony shifted. Veto Conti has people here. He could find out where she is. Os put the bite in his mouth and took his time with it. That’s exactly what I’m hoping for, Tony. Then he turned his head and his eyes settled on Isabella and stayed there. She pushed the banana around her plate, not tasting any of it now, one thought gnawing at her and refusing to let go.

Aeros Svino had figured something out. Isabella had picked the room that faced the sea. She was lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, and her stomach was turning over on itself. Her body had never tolerated gluten, not once. One bite of that pasta, and now her own body was getting ready to betray the lie her mouth had kept alive, unless she could keep it from Aeros long enough to ride it out.

Out on the terrace, OS stood with his eyes on the water, Tony beside him. Tony, I need the papers ready in a few days. He didn’t turn his head. You understand the plan? Tony nodded, then frowned at the sea. You’re really going to marry Isabella Kiy boss? Wouldn’t killing Veto be the cleaner way? Something cold moved behind Erys’s smile.

Veto is going to watch everything he owns slip through his fingers. Dying’s easy. I want him to suffer. He turned from the rail. Keep the men ready. Tony went inside. Os stayed where he was a moment longer, his eyes on the water. Isabella Ki. The name came out low, almost to himself. Are you as innocent as you look? Then he followed, hands in his pockets, and he was halfway down the corridor when he heard it.

The sound of someone being sick, coming from one of the rooms. The door gave when he pushed it. Inside, Isabella was on the bathroom floor, bent over the toilet, wretching. He crouched down beside her. Can you breathe? He reached over and pushed the hair back off her face. Isabella jerked her head aside. Get out of here.

It came out raw between breaths. He didn’t go anywhere. He brought her up off the floor and wiped the cool water across her face. That was when he saw them. Red blotches climbing her neck, spreading up from her collarbone. Without a word, he gathered her against him, carried her to the bed, and laid her down.

Tony, his voice carried through the door. Bring me ice and find a doctor. Keep him on standby. Isabella shook her head against the pillow. No, doctor. It’s just an allergy. OS didn’t even look at her. I said stand by. Tony was back fast with the ice. Os wrapped it in a cloth and brought it to her throat and the first touch of cold made her flinch.

She turned her face away from him. Leave me alone. I can do it myself. Os didn’t stop. No. His thumb held the cloth steady against her skin. I’ll do it. The cold dragged slow down the side of her neck. She told herself that was why she shivered. It wasn’t. It was the weight of his eyes following the cloth, steady and patient, like he had nowhere else to be, and meant to spend every minute of it right here.

She kept her stare on the ceiling and tried to breathe like a woman who felt none of it. She pushed the words out angry because angry was safer. Shouldn’t you be with your Miss Ky right now? Why won’t you leave me alone? Why do you even care? Uros didn’t look away from what he was doing. You interest me more, Anita. The cold traced lower slow.

The unfortunate part is that I’m supposed to marry her. His eyes lifted to hers. Then ella were you, I might enjoy the marriage more than the revenge. The words went straight through her. Her pulse jumped before she could catch it, and she felt the heat climb her face, the one place the ice couldn’t reach. Don’t Don’t let him see it.

Whatever he was doing to her, he wasn’t going to get the satisfaction of watching it work. She kept her face still. Her body had other ideas. She shoved his hand off her. Well, I’m not. And I’m done with this pointless little prison of yours. Her open palm came up against his chest and pushed. Get out of my life.

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