She wiped tears off her cheeks as his words made her snicker, “deal.”
“Liesl, I’m teasing you of course but you have to know I expect you’re going to be a bit wary. Your ex put you through the ringer and he hasn’t let up. It’s been two months or more since you broke up but the way his current wife keeps rubbing your face in everything and the depths of what they did, I understand why you’re struggling with trust. If it takes you doing an internet search before you go to sleep when I’m in another city to make you feel secure, go ahead. I won’t be upset.”
“It feels wrong,” she rolled onto her tummy and grimaced. “You deserve better.”
“I deserve the best, Liesl and I have her in you.”
She sighed, “you’re really not angry?”
“I’m more upset you avoided me for two days than I am you looked me up online. Next time, talk to me, please?”
“I will. I promise.” She agreed, “I went to your house today.”
“You did?”
“I did. I hoped you would forgive me. I wasn’t sure what time you would be home.”
“I’m on my way to the house now. I landed about an hour ago. I’m sorry I didn’t get to see you.”
“I left something for you there.”
“You did? What was it?”
“Well, Sunday I walked in on Fred and Meredith having sex in their living room.”
“Babe, what did you leave in my house which has to do with your brother banging his wife?”
“Nothing!” she guffawed at his question. “No. I got desperate to get out of there and found a really great condo for rent. I left a key with my new address on your kitchen counter. I wasn’t sure when you would be back, but I wanted you to know you have an open invitation to visit me anytime.”
“You got your own place?” his happy tone was gone.
“I did. Are you upset?”
“No. Not really.” He paused, “maybe a little.”
“Why?” She was thoroughly confused.
“I can’t lie and say I don’t like having you at my place, Liesl. But” he took a breath, “Trent McGrath is trying to cause trouble and I am very worried about you being on your own. I don’t trust either of them to not do something drastic. Merlin had it in his head you would take him back after this kid is born and his father despises your sister with a burning passion. His family adores you. My sources tell me Merlin’s father is so furious with him for messing up like he has, he’s ready to demote him.”
“What a shame,” she said dryly.
“I agree but mostly, I’m concerned Liesl, I’m concerned for how far they will go.”
“What did he do? Trent? How did he try to sabotage the build and your contract?”
“Do you know the actress, Myriam Kane?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve been working on a mansion she wants in Beverly Hills. We’re under contract and we’re onto finishing touches. She’s been out of the country for four months. She arrived back in the country last week and decided she didn’t like the color of the windows she picked out. They’re all custom built. They’re fancy and techy and expensive as fuck. She tried to demand I replace them all.”
“Oh.”
“Trent McGrath threatened to release a movie she did when she was nineteen and trying to make it in the business. He told her to sabotage and stall the project and keep me in LA as long as possible otherwise he’d release it. I figured it out when she tried to offer her body in payment for the hundred and fifty grand it would cost to change out the windows.”
“She offered her what now?”
“Yes. Offered to have sex with me. As if sleeping with her would be worth a hundred and fifty grand. She’s slept with more men than your sister has. It was not bargain. I refused with a great deal of disgust.”
She snorted at his comment. “What was Trent’s angle?”
“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I have had security keeping an eye on you from a distance to make sure they didn’t do something stupid like kidnap you or try to extort you to take Merlin back. I even stayed back a bit longer to see if they’d try something but so far nothing. I’ve been away from you too long now and I’m coming home. I miss you, Liesl. I wanted to come home. To you. I was hoping you’d be at my place.”
“I missed you too,” she didn’t hesitate to tell him how she was feeling. “Isaias, I told Fred today I’m falling hard for you, and I’m scared at how fast everything is going but I don’t want to slow down.”
“Good. Because I’m coming for you Liesl and I’m not taking my time. I want you. Only you. There is nothing anyone is going to do to take you from me. Whatever Trent and Merlin have planned for you, they’re going to have to go through me to get there.”
She felt excitement zip along her nerves at his passionate promise. “Good. I’m holding you to this, Isaias.”
“Good girl. Now, get some sleep. I’ll see you as soon as I can, okay?”
“Okay. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight beautiful.”
As they hung up the phone Liesl felt peace flowing through her. The stress over the last couple of days floated away as she closed her eyes, snuggled into her pillow, and allowed herself to fall into dreamland.
Warm kisses coated her bare shoulders, waking her from the sweet dreams she was having of her and Isaias. Liesl’s first coherent thought was Isaias had gone home, retrieved the key and came to her condo. She snuggled backwards into his embrace and breathed in deeply, trying to scent the familiar aroma of his expensive aftershave.
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.
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