I had planned to watch the intervention from upstairs. I was still wearing Mariano's shirt, watching as Jace Ivankshov and Mariano conversed in a language that definitely wasn't Italian.
Emilio leaned against a wall, looking bored out of his mind.
Jace Ivankshov didn't look like a mafioso at all. He was wearing a dark blue collared shirt with a minions pattern on it, light wash jeans, and yellow, yes, yellow, sneakers.
I giggled silently at his appearance.
But the look on his face as he waspishly argued with my boyfriend chilled me to the bone.
I decided to go back, because nothing interesting seemed to be happening. They were just talking and I couldn't hear most of it. So I turned
I looked at Abra as she tilted her head at Mariano and grinned. "Hi, Mariano."If I grinned like that I'd look like a fucking hyena. She was really pretty, in that very conventional way. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Super skinny. I wasn't that skinny. I had a tummy, and flabby arms, and a little bit of what you might call thunder thighs. I know it is okay to not be skinny, and all bodies are beautiful, but I find it hard to implement on my own self. It is easy to follow body positivity for others, not so much for yourself.Abra didn't seem like someone who needed to tell herself her body was beautiful as it is. Mariano has dated so many girls that look just like her. Like Firia. Firia had been super beautiful and skinny too.A deeply unsettling feeling settled in my che
"Laaaandon!" I sang.He looked up from his notes and stared at me blankly. "Izz.""Do you wanna build a snowman?""No."I rolled my eyes at him. "Let's go get pizza.""Why don't you just order them?""I want to go out!" I whined. "Please!""I want to sleep, Izz." He sighed. I pouted at him, and he rolled his eyes, then stood up. "Come on. Let's get pizza."I faked crying, clutching my heart. "I love you, Landon."He pursed his lips, and dragged me to his motorbike, not saying any
There were certain things about Mariano that I didn't quite understand. I had thought I had him figured to the bone. There wasn't much to figure out, really. He was just a man who'd grown up seeing blood and gore, was a little dominating and possessive, and was an extremely passionate lover. But there were certain things that I couldn't figure out.Like his relationship with Abra.Or his relationship with Emilio.I wasn't the kind of girlfriend to prevent him from befriending other girls, but I just had such a bad feeling for Abra. I didn't like her at all.But I wouldn't say anything. I knew Mariano didn't like it when I hung out with Landon, or the fact that Aiden and I had seen each other naked a hundred times, even after growing u
I woke up in Mariano's arms. Things had changed between us after our date two days ago. I felt free. I felt more in love. I felt like I belonged with him.My body was sore from last night. He'd been more adventurous, more...demanding. I'd loved it."Good morning." He whispered in my ear. "How do you feel?""Sore." I confessed. "I'm aching all over.""Good." He said smugly. "I wouldn't have it any other way."I rolled my eyes. "Let me go, Mariano." I sang. "I have a morning class.""Can't you skip it?" He said lowly.I shook my head. He groaned. "Fine. Tell Tanner to bring you to th
After I was done crying, Aiden and I watched reruns of Game of Thrones on the TV. I lay on his lap, stuffing my face with popcorn. All the blood and gore put my mind off of what had happened. But then I started thinking about the blood that had been spilled when Mariano had shot that man, and I got sad again. Aiden changed the channel to watch football, and I sighed, stealing another look at my phone.There were 34 missed calls from Mariano, 117 texts, and a few voicemails. I quickly read the last string of messages he had sent.Isabelle?Its not what you think it is.Its only you. I'm yours.Talk to me.I think I deserve a chance to explain.Bella...I miss you already.I can't track your phone location. What's wrong? You're home, righ
I scrambled to get dressed, careful not to wake Landon up.I couldn't believe I'd done that. I'd slept with Landon. I'd fucked up our whole entire friendship. And if Mariano came to know...I couldn't even imagine that. He'd kill Landon. And he'd be so hurt. Ha. As if. He didn't think once before kissing another woman. God knows how many others he had at his beck and call.I just wanted to leave. I didn't want to meet anyone. I didn't want to look at anyone.As I hurried out of his dorm, judgemental stares made me cringe. Almost everyone knew that I was dating Mariano. They probably didn't know that he was a mafiosi, but his existence was pretty well known.My walk of shame to my apartment completed, I climbed into bed, and
"I slept with Landon."He stepped back. Away from me. "Oh."Now I was on my knees. We were both on our knees. I reached to touch his hand, but he flinched, pulling it back with a jerk. Like I burned him. Like my touch burned him. My eyes filled with tears suddenly. I blinked."I'm sorry." I whispered. I had nothing else to say. Nothing that could justify it. "I'm sorry, Mariano."He looked down at the floor, his head hanging low. He nodded.God, it hurt to see him like this. This was not the Mariano I knew. The Mariano I knew did not do this. He didn't treat me like this. And he did not look so defeated. So sad. So dejected."I'm sorry." I said again. I sounded like a broken record. But there was really nothing I could say, or do, that would make any of this better."I know, Isabelle." He said."Please, talk to me.""There is nothing to say." He looked up at me and smiled. His eyes wer
I crumbled into nothingness, down on my knees, sobbing my life out.I deserved this. I know I would have left too, just like Mariano did. He had every right to be angry. But God, did it hurt. It hurt so, so much. Every part of me ached. My heart, my head, down to my knees.I heard the door to my room creak open."Hey - " Aiden started, then took in my state, "Oh God, Izzy!" He exclaimed.He rushed to my side, grabbing me and leading me to the bed, making me sit down. Then he wrapped his arms around me. "It's okay." He hushed, "It's all going to be okay. I'm here for you."His soft voice, those words he whispered in my ear made me cry even harder. How pathetic. Crying like this over a man. Crying like this over a man I had only met a few months ago.I let myself melt into Aiden's arms, sighing in his warm embrace. Safe. Protected. That is what Aiden made me feel. Like everything was indeed, going to be okay. This