The Taste Of It

Chapter 10

I wasn't exactly sure what repulsed me to tell Isabella to be my date to a formal gala, but it might be worth it. All the other girls I have tried to go out with were either horny, stupid, or not able to keep my interest.

I glanced at the clock and sighed. Let's get this over with, I thought as beady red numbers showed me 4:06. I was already dressed so I picked out a sleek black Cadillac and drove a 15 minute drive to the Russo's mansion. 

I saw Isabella standing outside, laughing with a guard. I pulled up and rolled down the window. "Get in the car, Bella." My lips curved as her jaw clenched at the sound of her middle name.

She continued talking with the guard, ignoring me. Dammit. "Isabella. Get in the car. Now." I was going to give her ten seconds before I went out after her. I saw her shoulders drop down in a sigh as she bid the guard goodbye and walked towards me.

She wore a black dress that was sleeveless on one side but a full sleeve on the other. It was a deep V-cut and it spilled over the floor as she walked. Around her neck she had a simple but elegant diamond necklace. 

She opened the door and got in. She didn't say a word nor did she look at me. Which I was perfectly fine with. Totally, and perfectly fine with. She can ignore me, I don't give two shits. No one little bit.

We drove in silence before she sighed and moved her hand toward my center console. I immediately reached for her hand and gripped her wrist. 

"The fuck are you doing?" I snapped, keeping my eyes on the road and  I turned.

"Unlike you, I have no desire to listen to silence." She snapped at me, before untangling her wrist from my grip and turning on my volume a few beats. She leaned back before glancing at her phone again.

She ignored it as it buzzed in her lap, but started at the window. I pulled to a stop as she rolled the window down and took in a gasp of air. I didn't know why since the air conditioning was on but I didn't mind. 

Her phone continued buzzing and it was annoying me fast. "Okay, who the hell is that?" I snapped as we pulled into the parking lot.

"Marie." She said, before explaining. "One of my friends. We planned something tonight but I couldn't make it - " She glared at me and it's all your fault was implied.  " - And she's a little upset."

It buzzed again and I gripped the steering wheel, "Just answer it."

She sighed, "Okay. . ." She answered the phone and placed it on speaker.

"¡OH DIOS MÍO, BELLA! ¿POR QUÉ NO ME RESPONDISTE? ¿QUÉ PASÓ? ¿ESTÁS BIEN? ¿QUÉ ESTÁ SUCEDIENDO? ¡JESÚS, BELLA, RESPONDEN!"  [OH MY GOD, BELLA! WHY DO YOU NOT ANSWER ME? ¿WHAT HAPPENED? ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT IS HAPPENING? ¡JESUS, BELLA, ANSWER ME!] A girls voice filled my car as she wanted off in Spanish. I picked up a few words but not enough to translate the whole thing.

"I'm fine, Marie. Calm down - "

" - ¿CÁLMATE? ¿EN SERIO ME DIJES QUE ME CALME? ¡OH-OH, CUANDO LLEGUES AQUÍ, ME PONDRÉ EN MODO PERRA! ¿DÓNDE ESTÁS?" [CALM DOWN? DID YOU SERIOUSLY TELL ME  TO CALM DOWN ? OH-OH, WHEN YOU GET HERE, I'LL GET IN BITCH MODE! WHERE ARE YOU?] The voice rose higher in volume. 

"I'm with Jace." She said simply, making Marie to become silent.

"Jace? As in Jace Volkov?" Her voice was eerie calm compared to the yelling moments ago.

"Yes," Isabella sounded annoyed.

The screaming started again, "¿COMO EN EL JACE A QUIEN, MUY ESPECÍFICAMENTE, DIJO QUE ASESINARÍAS? ¿EN MÁS DE 70 MANERAS? ¿COMO EN EL MISMO VOLKOV EXACTO A QUIEN DIJISTE QUE ODIAS CON UNA PASIÓN ARDIENTE? ¿EL JACE CON EL QUE DIJISTE QUE JODIRÍAS SI NO ERA UN ENEMIGO? ¿EXACTAMENTE EL MISMO?" [LIKE IN JACE WHO, VERY SPECIFICALLY, SAID YOU WOULD KILL? IN MORE THAN 70 WAYS? LIKE THE EXACT SAME VOLKOV WHO YOU SAID YOU HATE WITH A BURNING PASSION? THE JACE YOU SAID YOU WOULD FUCK WITH IF HE WAS NOT AN ENEMY? EXACTLY THE SAME?"]

"Marie. . .he's listening." Isabella sounded close to laughter as I parked.

"Oh, please. He can't understand me." I didn't see her but I could hear her roll her eyes. "Hi, Jace."

"Hello," I nodded even though she couldn't see me. "How are you?"

"I'm alright, you know, besides that fact that you took my best friend from me." She said calmly making me laugh.

"I am sorry," I said and the second after I finished Isabella snorted out a laugh. "But, Isabella's mine for tonight." I reached over and hung out for Isabella.

I unbuckled, opened the door and moved over to the other side and opened the door for Isabella. I smirked as she glared at me placed her hand on the handle.

My smirk morphed into a full laugh as she slammed the door, just to open it by herself. She held her head high as she walked past me without another word. I caught up to her, still laughing.

"Is it really that hard for you to let me help you? I opened a door for you. Couldn't you just let me do something nice?"

"You probably had nefarious intentions, Volkov." She snapped and opened the door only to slam it on my face the second I got close.

"You know, I didn't think you would show..." I mused as a server sat us down at a table in the corner.

"Even though I can be a bitch sometimes, I'm still a woman of my word." A sly smile spread across her lips. "Now, Mr. Volkov, are you going to  kill me in public?" She laughed, "You're losing your touch."

Amusement lit up inside of me as I smirked, "Bella, I could kill you in an instant. And I'd watch that mouth of your if I was you"."

"If you could I wouldn't be here right now, would I?" She laughed as she only answered my first statement.  "7 years later and I'm still breathing."

"Dammit, Bella - "

" - Do not call me Bella!" She snapped.

" - Can we just have a peaceful fucking dinner?" I felt the head of a gun slide up my knee and inner thigh, up my dick and it settled on my lower stomach. 

"Nothing is ever peaceful between us." She growled before she removed the gun and smiled at a server who walked up to us. She looked vaguely familiar and judging by Isabella's reaction, she's recognize her, too.

"Do I know you?" Isabella asked, and the server laughed.

"Not likely...I'm Jade." Jade's smile faded. "Anything I can get you to drink? Water, lemonade?"

"I'll take a lemonade," Isabella said sweetly like she didn't just put a gun to my abs.

"A water for me," I nodded my thanks as she left us.

Isabella glared at me and pulled out her phone and I did mine, too. I started scrolling through my emails from certain Mafia's. I went to answer when Jade came by and delivered our drinks.

"Thank you," Isabella smiled as she took a long sip of her drink. I nodded again and drank mine.

Isabella stood up, swaying slightly. I looked up and she blurred for a second. "Are you - are you okay?" I asked as my head spun.

"Y - yes," Isabella rocked again, "Just feeling a little light headed." Now that she mentioned it, I did to.

"I - I need to go," I stood up as she said it and nodded. She made it three steps before she took a step back and her knees gave out. I stepped towards her before black dots danced in front of me. And soon they flooded my vision and everything went black.