Page 47 of Because I Need You
“What about Charles? He never found out?”
“I doubt it.”
“Her mother? Grandmother?”
He let out a single laugh. “I’m sure this is going to shock you, but some people don’t have anyone looking after them, even your asshole of a father was there for you from time to time. You looked up to him once. She didn’t have that at home.”
“I thought you didn’t know her well enough?”
“I didn’t. I didn’t have to.”
I swallowed that bitter truth. I didn’t like the idea of Isabel being alone in the world.
“So, she’s a knife girl,” I said after a moment, trying to imagine that. She really surprised me at every turn. Impressed me. Was that where the man’s scar came from? I wasn’t sure what happened between them, but I intended to find out. If I thought I wanted her before, it was nothing in comparison to now.
“I know that look, man,” Mike said, shaking his head in disapproval. “She doesn’t deserve to have you shower her with attention and lavish dinners and shit just to be discarded when you find someone new that interests you.”
“I know.” I did. That was the reason I’d tried to deny myself this.
My phone rang in the pocket of my suit jacket. I pulled it out and saw Petra’s name as I answered it.
“G, you need to come get your girl because I don’t want to hit her, but I might have to.”
“What are you talking about?”
“She demanded to go to William Hamilton’s apartment. She was going to call the police if I didn’t bring her, so we did—”
I stopped breathing. “Who’s we?”
“Me and Joey Z.”
“Where are you now?”
“I’m standing outside the apartment. Joey’s downstairs by the front door.”
Jesus Christ. Joey Z was a monster of a guy. If Isabel was able to boss him around, she must really have wanted to go there, which further pissed me off, because what the fuck? Was she in the apartment alone with William? Was she fucking him? Kissing him? I felt an uncomfortable burn in the back of my neck. A loud sound came out of my mouth that sounded both annoyed and pissed off. The few people at the bar turned to look at me and went right back to their rum.
“Stay put. I’m going over there.” I hung up the phone and stood up. “Talk to you later.”
“This is about Isabel?” Mike asked, standing. “She okay?”
“She’s fine. For now.” I stalked out of the bar and went straight to the back of the SUV.
For now, because I wanted to fucking strangle her for this. Tony must have sensed how mad I was because he didn’t even try to make small talk as he drove me to the apartment. All the way in fucking Chelsea. Fuck me. He slowed down as we neared the sidewalk, and I saw Isabel walking out of the building. Tony hadn’t even set the car in park before I was out of there, making my way toward her.
21
ISABEL
I’d just left the apartment I shared with Will, with whatever I could pack. I promised him I’d come back for the rest when he was at work and leave the key with the doorman. Break ups were the worst, even when they were inevitable. I hadn’t even wiped the last of my tears or taken three steps out of the building when I saw Giovanni. He was a force, walking with purpose and a pissed off look on his face. No. I’d seen him pissed off before. This went beyond that. He was looking at me like he wanted to rip me in half. I wasn’t one to back down, but I also wasn’t crazy enough to mess with this man right now. Then again, I already had, hadn’t I? I’d visited Will without his permission. His permission. I knew why I needed it. I knew it was for my safety, but that was the word that finally made me snap and do it anyway. I’d never even needed my own mother’s permission for anything, so this was not something I was familiar with, and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. As he got closer, my heart galloped, and I decided that I liked it. Maybe I was an idiot, but the fact that he cared enough about me to be pissed off like this, warmed my body. Instinctively, I took a step back and clutched the handle of my bag a little tighter. He stopped just steps away from me, fuming, as he looked first at Petra, then at Joey Z, then at the SUV parked beside us along the curb.
“Ride with Tony.” The order was barked at them.
Neither of them argued. They walked toward the other SUV, and Joey Z threw the keys for Giovanni to catch. I waited. I was shaking a little now, but it could have a lot to do with the emotional outburst upstairs. I’d just broken up with the nicest man — hands down — I’d ever dated. And yet, he’d never made my entire body sing the way the man standing in front of me had every single time we locked eyes. Tonight, those eyes were different, though. They held warning and darkness and promise. Even knowing how mad he was, and how he could easily overpower me with his size and strength, I felt safe. His presence automatically made me feel safe, even though it shouldn’t, and I didn’t know what to do with that. He took one more step forward. I planted my feet so that I wouldn’t retreat again and tilted my head to look at him.
