The Phantom's Game | 18+

Chapter 17

"That was... electrifying," Isadora panted weakly after recovering her composure.

Pulsating goosebumps and a shiver ran throughout her body at the memory of their passionate encounter. Despite having experienced many experiences and encounters before, she couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed something as much as what just happened with Vincent. It was exhilarating, exciting, and breathtaking at the same time, and she found herself craving more.

There was something about Vincent that made her crave. Was it lust? Was it affection? She didn't know.

His presence and his aura was intoxicating, and she never felt this intoxicated with anyone before. As if, he had her wrapped around her finger already.

"So... what now?" She asked hesitantly, not entirely sure how she should act after their intimate moment and everything that followed.

"What do you mean, what now?" Vincent asked, turning her head in her direction curiously.

"As in... what are we and where do we go from here?"

"Well..." The raven haired man said as he turned his torso to face her, propping his elbow on the bed behind him as he rested his cheek on his fist. "It doesn't really matter where we go from there. It's all about how we feel comfortable, right?"

"Right. I'm gonna be honest with you, Vincent. I want you."

"And I want you too."

She raised her brow in surprise. "You do?"

He chuckled at her question, "Do you think I would be here if I didn't?"

"You are my family's rival, after all," Isadora pointed that out with a grin.

"That does bring us somewhat close. But you've always been different, Isadora. We're going to have to work hard to make sure we stay on the same side this time, whether you want to be or not."

"You mean... our enemy?"

Vincent nodded at her question. "Yeah. If we can trust each other, we'd have an upper hand against the Phantom."

A slight frown settled in between her brows, "I suppose we will have to. Otherwise, what kind of team are we?"

He shrugged, "Let's see how things turn out. As of now, don't worry about everything."

His arms wrapped around her and brought her closer to his chest. Salty water covered most of his sun-kissed skin. The sunlight from the window illuminated the pair, highlighting his brown eyes that bore into hers with profound intensity. The corner of her lips curled upwards into a smile, feeling a singular drop of warm water trickling down her spine, gliding over her bare skin and leaving tingles in its wake. The silence was pregnant within the room, yet a comfortable one, nonetheless.

They were lost in the blissful tranquility and nothing else mattered except for each other at that moment.

A loud, melodic bell chimes interrupted the silence within the room, alerting them that someone was calling upon them, interrupting their peaceful embrace.

They slowly unwrapped themselves from the sheets and sat upright on the bed. Vincent climbed out of the bed, and his fingers immediately reached for his ringing phone from the pockets of his pants. His gaze shifted from the phone to Isadora for a second.

"I got to take this call," Vincent explained as he looked over at her, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

"I'll be waiting," she nodded quietly in response.

After Vincent left the room, the woman slipped under the covers and closed her eyes. The soft material comforted her skin and eased the tension that had built up inside of her. She sighed contentedly and relaxed into the mattress, relaxing her mind from all the stress that had accumulated during the past weeks. She lay still and allowed her breathing to become even as the darkness embraced her entirely.

An hour and a half passed, and Isadora was awakened by the sound of melodic bell chimes from her phone. Emitting a soft but annoyed groan, the woman climbed out of bed and accepted the call without reading the caller ID.

"Who am I talking to?" Her sleepy voice demanded.

"Me," answered a familiar male voice.

Isadora blinked her heavy lids opened, realizing immediately whom the voice belonged to. "Oh, did you leave the manor already?"

"Yep. You were sleeping peacefully; I didn't want to disturb you. Anyway, the reason I called is that we should finalize our plans tonight at 7 PM before the gala tomorrow. I'll send you the address for the meeting shortly."

"Oh, right. I almost forgot about the gala happening tomorrow. Thanks for reminding me, and I'll be there as soon as I can," The woman replied, pinching the bridge of her nose briefly.

"Okay then," The man spoke, "Text me when you arrive. I'll be expecting you."

"Understood. See ya later, handsome," She said before hanging up the phone.

After placing it on the nightstand, she glanced at the clock that displayed 4:55 PM. A frown marred her features. She really hoped that she could get ready fast enough so she wouldn't make Vincent wait too long. With a heavy sigh, the brunette rummaged through her closet to find something to wear.

'Do I want to go casual or do I want to make an impression?' Isadora thought to herself.

She decided against wearing any excessive jewelry and chose a simple gold bracelet and matching earrings. She styled her hair a little messy and applied just a touch of makeup to hide her dark circles underneath her tired eyes.

After she finished dressing herself, Isadora walked towards the door and exited the bedroom. Her phone pinged with a notification from Vincent, the address written in the text box, and she quickly read it through before opening the contacts list to call Enzo.

After a couple of rings, Enzo's voice can be heard from the other side. "Miss Moretti? Is there anything you need?"

I need you to get me to Cardinal Lane Boulevard as soon as possible. It's rather urgent."

"Very well, Miss Moretti."

In less than ten minutes, a black sedan was parked right before her and Enzo stepped out of the car to open the backseat door for her, "We're ready to go."

Isadora simply nodded and entered the vehicle, "We got no time to waste."

The car lurched forward into the driveway, passing over a couple of potholes along the way. She gazed out of the window, noticing people bustling about everywhere. She noted all those who walked with purpose in their strides, while others stood idle, staring at cars that drove slowly down the streets and pedestrians who hurried past them. They were like a blur in her eyes, insignificant details and irrelevant thoughts disappearing in seconds.

The vehicle eventually came to a stop, parked in front of an open-space restaurant with a lot of empty tables, and Enzo got out of the vehicle first before opening the rear doors for Isadora.

"Please wait for me here, Enzo," the woman instructed, and proceeded to enter the restaurant.

Chatters and whispers, as well as the sound of glasses and cutlery, echoed throughout the establishment. Various aromas and smells filled the atmosphere, causing Isadora to emit an appreciative aroma. She made her way through the crowded area until she found herself at a dining table outside the building, where two familiar faces sat.

"Ah, there she is," Vincent greeted her once she finally arrived.