I found myself arching a brow at the new information, clicking my tongue as the wheels in my head turned. I knew what this mean, and it helped make up my mind. So, plastering a smile on my face, I lifted my gaze and fixed it on the two me waiting for my response. “It appears so.” My answer was directed towards Nathan for courtesy sakes.
He grinned. “That’s good then.” He shifted his attention back to his friend. “Man, I’ll see you both at the reception later. Got to go.” He flashed me another wolfish grin. “See you later, Isabella. It’s nice to finally meet the lady that altered this man’s brain chemistry.” With that said, he offered a small wave then turned around and disappeared back into the crowd of people heading towards the reception.
I could feel Christian’s gaze as I leaned down to put back on my heels. Once I’d done so, I got on my feet, reaching out to slide off his jacket off my shoulders, before handing it over to him. “Thank you.” I kept my voice low. Offering him a small nod, I turned around to walk away, with a new mission in mind, and which does not involve him in any way.
However, before I could even take two steps away from him, his hand bracketed around my wrist, softly but firmly pulling me back towards him. I had to steady myself last minute before landing into his arms. When my eyes met his, he spoke. “We’re not done.” He vocalized, his voice low. His gaze dropped to my lips, and I could swear it darkened for that moment before he tore it back to settle on my eyes again. “You didn’t give me an answer. Don’t think I’ve forgotten.”
I quirked a brow, “Do you really want an answer?”
He nodded. “Of course.” His expression yaw serious, his eyes never leaving mine. “I can’t exactly wife you without your agreement. This isn’t a mafia novel. I’d need permission to make you mine.”
I hummed, holding myself back from smiling at the reference. I have no idea where the instinct to do so came from. Pulling my wrist away from his, which he easily let go of, I tried to ignore the way butterflies flickered in my stomach due to his words. The fuck? I have no idea why I’m reacting this way after I’d promised myself to not have anything to do with men again…at least, nothing personal relationship.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I took a confident step towards him, then another, stopping once there were only a couple of inches between us. He’s taller than me, even with the heels I have on, so unfortunately for me, I had to tilt my head up to look at him. My eyes dropped to his lips, his full, plump red lips and I got flashbacks of that night at the ball…the way his lips felt on mine. The way his arms wrapped around me, pulling me to his hard body, his warm, husky voice by my ear sending tingles down my body. Fuck…what am I thinking of?
I swallowed thickly at the thought, releasing a small breath as I blinked those memories away and met his gaze, with my now blank ones. I have a feeling judging from the slight quirk of his lips that he might’ve known what I was thinking about. I ignored it. My lips parted, as the response that’s been at the tip of my tongue rolled off. “You’re crazy.” I stated as a matter of fact. How did he expect me to take that question? It’s just ridiculous.
He had the audacity to allow his full lips to slowly curl upwards into that boyish grin of his, his eyes holding mine as his voice came; low, velvety, and husky. “I’m crazy for you.” He leaned down to meet my height, an action he seems to be getting accustomed to. “Only for you, Isabella.”
I swallowed thickly, my stomach in knots, his eyes almost hypnotizing to me. I swear I’m every bit of a confident and collected woman, I’ve trained myself to be. However, whenever this man comes to the equation, I become a fumbling mess, unable to even think clearly and all it takes is that husky voice and sultry eyes.
And like hell does he know, his smug expression says it all. He grinned, unfolding back to his full height. “I’ll give you time to think it over. At the end of the day, I know you’ll come back to me. I’ll still be here with the offer when you do.”
I blinked, regaining control of my senses. I plastered a confident smile on my face. “We’ll see about that, Kingston.” With that, I turned around and walked away.
***
Isabella Montague.
“When’s the shareholders’ meeting?” I asked Amy, my gaze set on the road ahead as I drove to the reception. It’s set to take place at a hotel not far from the Pierce mansion-and almost everyone has disappeared to make their way there, so am I.
Amy, on the other side of the call spoke, her voice filling the space of my car as I’d connected the phone to the car’s Bluetooth. I prefer it to wearing air pods when driving, it occupies my attention less. “It’s on Friday.” She responded. “It was announced earlier today.”
I hummed, bringing the back of my index finger to my lip while the hand rested on the side of the door to my left while I used the other hand to steer the wheel. My fingers tightened around the wheel as my stomach formed knots, my feet suddenly cold as I realized there’s only less than a week to the day.
I know it’ll happen any time within the week, but now knowing the actual date does nothing to lessen my worries. Everything I’ve worked towards these past two years, all the energy and time I’ve invested into my work all this time is for this moment about to happen-the moment that decides my mate.
“It’s not yet known what the agenda would be, but there’s a high possibility it’s about choosing the next Chairman of the Group.” Amy added, giving every last detail that she knows as if knowing the inner turmoil, I’m going through.
“Dad has been speaking of retirement a lot lately.” I commented, lifting my leg off the pedal as I spotted a red light ahead, so I halted behind the car that stopped in front of me. Now, with a few minutes to spare off driving, I clicked my tongue. “I have no idea who he’s voting for exactly. Sebastian and Alex have been doing well as well.”
“Sebastian has a thing with the audit team though. There’s the issue of the slush fund under the paper companies in Jeju Island.” Amy pointed out, her tone shows she has ruled him out of the potential inheritor of my father’s fortune. “He might do something about it before Friday, but I’m sure it has reached the Chairman’s ears already.”
Of course it has. “Nothing gets past Dad.” I stated as a matter of fact, because that’s the truth. There isn’t a thing any of the three of us would do in the company that gets past that old man. He may not show it, but he’s aware. My fingers tapped the steering wheel as my brows cinched together. “I don’t know if I should thank Sebastian for fucking up at this time, or to be worried it came out at this time more than ever.”
Amy’s silence from the other end showed she might’ve caught up on what I’m inclining. And I was right, because she vocalized her question after those dragging seconds. “You think someone is behind it?” She asked. “Someone brought it to light to sabotage him?”
I hummed, nodding my head though I know she can’t see me. “I don’t ‘think’, I know he was sabotaged.” I vocalized, my voice dropping as my mind went back to a certain video I received yesterday-my own warning of what’s coming my way. Sebastian may be reckless and a bit too social and outgoing for his sake, but I meant it when I said he’s the trophy holding sibling in the Montague family.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.