Strong-willed, badass and bounded by the chains of an arranged marriage, Isabela Arias dreams of the freedom to live and love as she chooses.
Being sold to the Italian mafia wasn't exactly on Isabela's to do list...
As she's forced to navigate the r...
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Uncomfortable.
That's an understatement.
Things around the house have been tense, but not in a good way. It's a specific type of tense in which anyone is afraid to utter a word. Pitch silence every single day. Breakfast, lunch, school lessons, dinner — it's never-ending. Since Damien's visit, something has shifted within Julian, and I can't pinpoint what it is.
My insecurities claw at me like the demons they're. Was I too aggressive? Did it turn him off? Am I not pretty enough for him? Ugh. Mrs. Sarasota's lesson travels through one ear and out of the other, incompetent to retain anything because of my lack of focus. Here I go, acting like every other girl in the universe, sidelining my goals because of a freaking guy!
Boys are a waste of time, anyway. Someone like Julian is way out of my league—don't forget to mention my bodyguard. I'm genuinely surprised he almost let me suck him off since he prioritizes his codes over anything else. It might be embarrassing to say, but I'm disappointed.
Not because I didn't get to please him.
But because he can smoothly act like there's nothing between us while my heart goes frantic around him.
Mrs. Sarasota clicks the controller to the last slide. "Ten-minute break. Use this time for the bathroom or snacks because math is next."
I groan, dragging my cheek against the palm of my hand.
Great! My favorite subject.
Everleigh spins around in her chair, the speed causing her hair to swat Hanni in the face. "Isabela... you know, Hanni and I are noisy bitches, so we are about to question the fuck out of you."
Heat scorches the back of my neck. "W-Why? There's nothing to ask about. I'm an open book."
Hanni narrows her eyes, sending me the 'are you fudging kidding me,' look. "If you're an open book, then why did your best friend move to the back of the classroom? Is there something you're not telling us?"
Dang, it!
Slowly, I twist my head to the side, catching in the corner of my eye an aggravated Julian doodling in his notebook. I don't know why he moved away from me. I get it at home because things are different there, but we created an illusion for my friends, which I'm left to take care of. It all started when Damien left-- I wondered if he said something.
Scowling, I look back at the girls. "Oh, that. We just got into an argument. It's no big deal."
Everleigh's dark brown eyebrow shoots up. "Really..." A teasing smile crawls across her face. "Because a little birdie told me he saw you guys making out at the club the other night."
My eyes widen in horror, and I wave my hands desperately. "Shitzus. Did Jaxon tell you that? It's a misunderstanding. H-h." I struggle to find a believable excuse. "He was helping me look for my contact lenses."
