Chapter 28: XXVIII

Isabell POV

“Aunty Isabell!” The twins ran to me, almost knocking me off my feet.

“Where did you go?! You disappeared!” Jackie shrieked and I couldn't help but smile. How long has it been since I've heard her speak?

“Isabell has claws now,” Jackie went on excitedly, “She ripped Dad's car open!”

“Claws? Toy claws?” I said with wide eyed fascination. “I never even knew you had such a thing.”

“Real claws!” They both ran off once their mother appeared behind them.

Once they were gone, I stared at Zoe, my best friend, unsure of what to say, unsure of how to react, how to act. I didn't want to freak her out, or make a fool of myself in front of her.

“Zoe.”

“Isabell.”

We both called out simultaneously and then we paused before bursting into laughter, clutching our stomachs. She was laughing too hard for her own good and soon tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was gasping for breath. We laughed until we got dizzy and when that happened we just collapsed onto each other, crying from the sheer force of emotion. This is what it feels like, to laugh without a care in the world.

“I am sorry,” she finally managed to get a word out. “I really am.”

“No Zoe, I am sorry,” I responded, pulling back to look at her, smiling softly, “for leaving like that and running away like an idiot. I just felt something was off, like you wanted me gone, you were not communicating, it felt like when you left me and I don't really know what to do with that.”

“Oh God,” Zoe covered her face, “I'm so sorry Isabell.I feel so bad.”

“Don't be,” I reached out and took her hands. “You have nothing to apologize for. I shouldn't stay here for so long and…”

“Isabell, I want you here, I really do. You are my best friend, the godmother of my children. It has just been a lot lately, the pregnancy hormones, the children, the house, you and Levi, and I don't know…”

“It's okay,” I smiled as she trailed off.

“But maybe we should try and put those worries to rest,” She suggested, “Just for a while.”

“Yeah!” I nodded, “Maybe just until this is all over? And then once this is all over, we can start trying again?”

“Yes!” Zoe agreed immediately, “I'd like that very much. “Now tell me the details of your trip.”

A blush quickly formed on my face as images of what Levi and I did in the cabin flashed through my mind. A little embarrassed, but also thrilled by the idea of what we had going on.

“Look at that blush. ” Zoe laughed, “What happened in there?”

“Nothing much,” I lied, looking away from her mischievously, “Just some...other things.”

She grinned, “Well come on, you owe me more details than that. How was it? Did you eat any dinner? or did you eat Levi,” She winked at me suggestively and I blushed harder.

“Zoe!” I hissed, covering my flushed face with my hands. “Stop it,” I giggled

“So?” Zoe continued relentlessly. “How was it? Did he like where you were taking him? Was he impressed?”

So I gave in, I told her about the cute little dinners, about our endless sex.

The more I spoke about it, the more I thought about it, the more I was turned on by the memories that flooded my brain. I could hardly contain my excitement as I talked about our time in bed together, the way his tongue felt against mine, the way he looked at me, his eyes shining as he gazed at me with a passion I'd never seen before.

Levi had done something to my soul and body that I could never forget no matter how hard I tried. He had changed me in ways I would only ever be able to understand with experience, and I found myself wanting to explore every inch of his beautiful, sexy body. To know what he looked like when he came, how it felt when I made him feel, how to taste him when he moaned in ecstasy.

It was incredible and amazing.

And to also know those secrets that danced behind his eyes, they glistened like gold and sparkled like diamonds. I wanted him to trust me enough to talk about them. But it wasn't up to me to make him do that, and even if I tried, his walls would slam shut before the words were fully formed. So instead I chose to simply be there for him, and let him open up when he needed to.

When Levi and I came back together, he had stopped to talk to Jack who was in the garage

tinkering with something, since then he hadn't returned.

Zoe and I gossiped while we made dinner, we put the kids to sleep after that and yet, nothing.

There was no sign of the men.

“Where the hell are the guys?” Zoe asked, frustrated, walking down the steps. “It's like they're avoiding us.”

“They probably just haven't gotten in yet. ” I shrugged trying to act unbothered. “Where do they sometimes go?” I quickly asked.

Zoe didn't look at me as she spoke. “The family business, sometimes they go for random checks, you know how men can be.” She smiled but the smile didn't reach her eyes and her voice sounded flat and dull. She walked past me and up the stairs.

That night I lay awake in the dark, listening to the quiet sounds of the house, trying to figure out what was wrong.

Why was Zoe always so jumpy? Was Jack hitting her? it couldn't possibly be right? There was no way that guy could hurt her.

Was she scared? No, of course not, why would she be? She was the strongest person I knew. So she wouldn't be scared.

I must have dozed off when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs.