To Find Isabel

Chapter 15

I carefully pull on the dress and make sure it fit properly. I went light with the makeup. I let my hair hang loose in curls. The Range Rover was already outside the hotel waiting. I hear a light tap at the door.

I swish my hair behind my back and slip on my heels. Then I walk over to the door, stumbling over the stilettos. I peer through the eye hole and it's Victor.

"Ready to go?" He asks as I pull the door open.

"I didn't think you would be the one to come to get me," I smirk as I fluff out my dress.

"Now it makes so much more sense," He says, looking at the dress I made, "I wasted my money for you to rip it to shreds and make something completely different."

I rolled my eyes. He seemed less guarded. He turns away and starts to walk back out. I grab my clutch and step out with him. There wasn't anything in it. It was just to accessorize. I fix my necklace as I wiggle my way down the stairs behind Victor.

As we walk out of the car and across the red carpet like celebrities, my gears start turning again. This gathering could be my easy way out. I could just escape and no one would know or notice. But was Victor really that stupid?

Of course he wasn't. I knew no one in Paris. I would have no way to travel, and absolutely no money to survive off of. All of my belongings were in Italy.

Victor was smart. He knew I had nothing to escape with.

I was trapped.

Maybe for the better.

I felt like he was only being nice to me because I was attending the party with him. Otherwise, he probably would have been more concerned about his businesses and welfare.

I whisper to Victor, "Do you know if Alexander is here?"

"He was probably invited, but I don't recognize him anywhere. He's too much of a coward to attend when he know that all my other allies would be here."

Ugh. His cockiness never leaves. We step out onto the middle of the floor. It was either assumed or implied that I was his partner for the night. Although, both Victor and I knew we were nothing more than kidnapper and hostage, other eyes seemed to not see the same.

He wraps his arms around my waist and I wrap mine around his neck. I was subconsciously moving myself in time with him, the music gliding through my ears.

"Why did you even bring me here," I ask.

"You're only here with me so you don't run away. I know you have the smarts for that."

"You think I'm just going to run away? To be honest, being stuck with you seems like a better option to me," I say as we waltz around.

He gives me a surprised look. Oh great. Now he thought I was attracted to him.

Then I added, "Besides, all of my important belongings are still back in Italy in that darned room you have me locked up in." He was friendlier this night than he ever was before, but his self image was a little too much to handle.

"For clarification, I want nothing from you except your presence," he whispers.

"Why mine? I've been a burden this whole time."

"I guess I don't see it like that," He said. For the first ever time, he didn't glower at me. He smiled. Warm. Welcoming. It was contagious and I couldn't do much but smile back.

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