Chapter 44 I love you
Dante’s POV.
I didn’t want to expose her right away, I just wanted her to know that I still had everything in control.
I didn’t really mind her messing around with my brother.
She wasn’t worth my attention. But when it came to Isla, nobody dared.
“You’re here,” I turned to my brother, eyes sharp.
“It’s a surprise having you here too,” he replied, walking toward Lucia.
Isla didn’t say anything, not yet. She didn’t acknowledge his presence.
“Why do you look like this?”
“You’ve really married a good wife,” she started.
“I was just having a conversation with her and then she slapped my face.”
I gave a cold stare at her.
“I was at fault, I shouldn’t have said anything to her…”
He cupped her face with his hands. “What did you say to her?”
She opened her mouth to say something. “I..I said..”
“You suddenly can’t talk anymore?” Isla cut her off.
“I wasn’t talking you…” my brother fire back at her.
“She has the right to speak.” I interrupted him.
His eyes found mine… “Why are you being defensive of her?”
“I don’t like when people pretend in front of me.”
“Why did she hit you?”
“I… it’s okay, maybe she didn’t mean to.”
“I meant to! I could hit you again and again if I want to.”
“Isla!”
“Brother!”
“It’s fine you don’t have to do this because of me, you’re brothers you should…”
“Shut the fuck up! One more word from you, I’ll make your life a living hell…”
The whole room went still. Nobody dared to whisper.
The butler stepped forward. “Sir I. I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything about it..”
Isla walked to my brother, steps bold, face unreadable.
“This will be the first and last time I tolerate her. The next time she crosses me, I swear I will kill her.”
She turned, face furious, she walked away.
“Don’t think because he’s you up, you can do whatever you want. I know every movement you make… this will be the last warning.”
I turned and walked into the hallway.
She was seated in the garden when I found her.
Hands crossed around herself, face pale, lost deep in her thoughts.
“You shouldn’t let her words get to you,” I broke the silence.
“I’m not sad, I’m just… I just remembered how I lost my mother,” she started.
“Whenever someone says something bad about her, I just..”
I reached for her hand and cupped them with mine.
“It must have been very hard for you.”
“It was really hard. And I still can’t get over it.”
I hated that she looked that way. I also liked that I was the one sitting next to her.
“I had been a bargaining chip all my life. I haven’t had any decisions or choices of my own, always carrying others along.”
“You don’t have to live in the shadows of other people anymore, Isla. Everyone deserves a chance to live their life.”
“Sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve any. I was thinking maybe being claimed by your family would help me escape my father’s grasps but..”
Tears gathered in her eyes, I felt how she clenched her hands on mine.
“You can let it out, you don’t have to hold me. It’s just me and you here.”
“I wasn’t allowed to cry since I was a kid. I didn’t know how to. My father never allowed that. He says crying for worthless people.”
My heart slammed harder.
I knew those feelings too, I had been there before.
Crying wasn’t for worthless people, it was just a way people express pain or how they felt.
“That’s not true, silly,” I teased. “Crying doesn't mean you’re worthless. It means you’re stronger, more than you could imagine.”
She threw a faint smile that barely appeared on her face at me. “Stop trying to sympathize with me.”
“Hahaha… I’m not, for real. I’ve cried too.”
“Why would a grownup like you cry, you bigger than that.”
“I lost my parents when I was four..”
“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to make you remember your sad moments.”
“You don’t need to apologize, Isla. I wasn’t really the cry type. I tried to stay stronger.”
“If I had cried, who would console my brother?”
“He was a cry baby then.. hahaha.”
That smile she made was the happiest I had ever seen her make.
My heart fluttered, I was happy that I was able to make her smile.
“You’ve got a pretty smile.”
Her cheeks flushed, “I have never noticed that.”
“Isla,” I said softly.
She turned to face me, “Yes…”
“Want you… I want to make you mine.”
There was this sharp look in her eyes, she scoffed.
“Last time, in my office, when we…”
“I didn’t mean to let that happen, I had always wanted to tell you that it was a mistake, it shouldn't have happened.”
“To me, it wasn’t a mistake. I think we have this unspoken connection with each other…”
“What are you talking about? You’re getting me scared.”
“I love you, Isla. I want you to be mine.” My heart was racing so fast, maybe I shouldn’t have done this, what if she over reacts?
“But I’m married to your brother… what if he finds out about us and gets mad at you?”
“He won’t, you don’t have to worry about him.”
She let out a soft sigh. “I, I don’t know, why are you saying this to me now?”
“Because I can’t hold it in anymore, if I don’t tell you how I feel, I might do something stupid.”
And yes, I might do something stupid because I could burn the world just to keep her with me.