Chapter 64 Something Serious
Isabella POV
When I reached the table, i noticed the way her
stomach stuck out just slightly. Her belly probably wouldn’t be noticeable if she weren’t so slender. “You’re showing already.”
“I know.” She hugged me back before she placed her hand over her belly. “I can’t feel anything other than my belly stretching my jeans, but it’s still pretty incredible.”
I placed my hand on her belly too, feeling nothing like she said. “It’s still amazing.
Varos cleared his throat as he appeared at my side. “Are you going to say hi to me?”
“Can I finish my conversation with your wife first?” I countered. He gave me the same look he’d been giving me my entire life, that look of
pure loathing. “You say hello to everyone before you engage in a conversation. I know you’re trashy, but have you forgotten all your manners?”
I hugged him. He could insult me as much as he wanted, but when his arms were around
me, he hugged me for a long time, telling me he missed me and telling me he loved me. He pulled away then returned to his seat. “That’s better,” he wife said. “You two are like fire and gasoline sometimes…”
“We’re Conti,” I said. “Get used to it.”
“I’ll try,” she said with a chuckle. “So what’s new with you? Your father said you’re dropping out of school to paint full time?”
“Yeah.” I told them about my decision and why I’d chosen that route. It was easy to talk to them about art, so I dragged it out as long as possible. I didn’t want them to ask me about my personal life. Sapphire and I talked
about those things all the time, but I didn’t want to mention men around Varos. He always got so weird about it. If he could put me in an arranged marriage, he would. But if Varos knew about the situation I was in right now, he’d have every right to be livid about it.
“So when’s the wedding?” I asked, keeping the conversation focused and away from me.
“winter,” Sapphire said. “The second the snow is coming out soon, we’ll do it. I just hope I’m not too big.”
“Whatever size you are, you’ll look perfect.”
Varos had his hand on her thigh, and he stared at her just the way my father stared at my mother. Maybe this was because their features were so startlingly similar, but sometimes I felt
like I was talking to my father when I was with Varos. Sapphire didn’t smile, but her cheeks filled with a dash of color. “I’m excited,” I said. “It’ll be beautiful. What’s new with work? Are you not into fashion anymore?”
“No, not really,” Sapphire said. “But Varos has decided to launch a new line of lingerie.”
“He’s always launching something new.”
“But this is a different kind of lingerie,” Varos said. “I’ve basically designed maternity lingerie.”
I almost made a disgusted face because I knew exactly what inspired it. “All men are different, but I think Sapphire is absolutely stunning with that baby bump and if I feel that way, then other men must too. So I’m
launching a sexy line of lingerie for expecting mothers.”
“Cool…” I downed my wine to dilute the awkwardness in my stomach. I didn’t care that my brother designed lingerie, but I didn’t want to hear about his inspiration. It was so gross.
Varos excused himself to the bathroom, leaving us alone. “I’m sorry if that’s weird for you,” Sapphire said. “No, don’t worry about it,” I said. “I’m glad you guys are happy. My brother’s occupation has never bothered me, and don’t ever tell him I said this, but I’m really proud of him. He’s the best of the best because he’s a very successful and intelligent man. But if you ever tell him I said that, I’ll deny it until my deathbed.”
She chuckled. “Alright.”
“I’m happy you guys are in love. I like seeing my brother happy…even if it’s a little disgusting.”
“You’re so mature,” she teased. “So…anything going on in your love life?”
“Nope, nada. Nothing.” I fired off my answers so quickly that even I could tell I was lying.
Sapphire cocked an eyebrow. “No dates or anything?”
“Uh, not really. I’ve just been busy…”
“Busy doing what? You haven’t been in school.”
This was taking a bad turn. I knew she was suspicious because I used to go out all the time. I met guys often, dated regularly, and I usually had at least one guy on my line. For me to say there was nothing going on was unlikely. “Okay, I’m seeing someone. But I’m not ready to talk about it.”
Sapphire immediately moved closer, her eyes lighting up in excitement. “Who is he?”
“I just said I’m not ready to talk about it.”
“Why?” she asked. “Is it serious?”
“No,” I said with a laugh. “Not serious at all. It’s the opposite…”
“So it’s just a fling?”
“I guess…but it’s been going on for a while.”
“How long?”
“Like…two months?”
Sapphire’s mouth fell open in shock. “isabella, that’s not a fling.”
“Well, it is,” I said quickly. “I wouldn’t call it a relationship. It’s definitely not a relationship. But we just have this passion this heat. Hands down, he’s the best sex I’ve ever had.”
“Wow…”
“And a part of me hates him because I despise his personality and everything about him…but I always wind up in his bed over and over.
“That’s where you were, huh?” she asked. “That’s why you weren’t home?”
“Yes…”
She grinned. “Maybe it’ll turn into something more serious.”
“No,” I said immediately. “It can’t. It never will.”
“Why are you so certain?”
If only I could tell her. “We aren’t really compatible in other ways…the only thing that’s keeping us together is the sex."
“Sex is important.”
“But it’s not everything…” A part of me did like his other qualities, like his loyalty and his protectiveness. He loved his mother despite her immoral career choice, and that made me respect him. He listened to me when I asked
him to. He was always honest with me, and people were rarely honest. But he wanted nothing more than to wipe out my family line.
“But it could turn into everything. With Varos…” She shut her mouth and suppressed her grin. “Never mind. Too weird.”
“Yeah…too weird.”
“I’m just saying…if you have the passion, maybe you have everything else too.”
No. I was stuck in a serious kidnapping situation, and I was fucking this man to keep him away from my family. That was the basis of our relationship, and it would end as badly as it started. I spotted Varos coming back to the table from across the room. “We’ll see.”
“I want an update, Isabella.”
“Alright. But keep this to yourself.”
“Of course.”