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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The wind howls through the sky, gushing through my hair in my pigtails. Snow drizzles onto my blue and white striped oversized sweater. I wonder if it's stuck in my hair? I shuffle over to the benches with my skates under my armpits.
Tomorrow I slowly face the reality of my new life. I knew it was coming, but being in Chicago almost made me forget about the impending marriage. Goodbye Chicago, hello Italy — my friendly enemy. After today, my schedule is packed to the brim with wedding arrangements.
Julian thought one last day out in the town would be the best way to spend my last free day. I couldn't agree more. I slump onto the bench, dropping the skates behind me.
"Isabela." Julian sprints over, rubbing his huge hands together. "I told you not to forget this." He bends on one knee, placing a warm fluffy material over my ears — earmuffs? "Your ears were red."
I roll my eyes, pulling them off my head. "I look dumb with them on."
Julian clicks his tongue. "Not to me. You look as perfect as always."
Ugh. I wanted to whack myself in the head with a life-size hammer! His compliments are starting to weigh heavier on my heart than they shouldn't — we are still strictly physical, and I can't let my heart warm up to him.
He's here now, but he won't be here forever. We both know it. That's why he's been so hesitant about beginning something with me. I don't know what changed his mind, but all I can do is watch out for myself. Make sure I don't get too attached.
Shivering from the cold, I kick my boots off my feet and try to squeeze my foot into one of the ice skates. I struggle to the point of pure embarrassment. I'm grunting, sweat coating my forehead as warmth rushes up my neck. Why me? Why me?
"Here. Let me help you." Julian grabs the ice skate from my hand, and his other hand holds my foot, slipping it into the boot as if it was a pair of flats. "Is there anything about you that isn't cute?"
I scoff. "Yeah, my flint stone toe."
A wide smile breaks on Julian's face, and holy moly, am I blown away by it. There have always been peeks of a smile here and there, but fudge, a genuine smile from Julian will swoon anyone away on cloud nine. What makes it real is that it reaches his cobalt irises— they're shining under the streetlight.
"I will gladly suck on your toes if you ask," Julian teases, tying the laces on my boots. "Say the magic word, Isabela."
I playfully jab him in the chest. "Shut up! That's so gross."
Julian locks eyes with me. Stares into my fragile soul. My heart thuds in my eardrums, silencing the scenery around us. Right now, it feels like we are the only two people in existence. Does his heart beat in tune with mine? It's harder to breathe under the intensity of his gaze. This is how girls hopelessly fall in love in my favorite novels-- I don't want to be one of those girls.
