More Than This by Dominique Wolf
CHAPTER 15:
Isabella
I
noticed him out of the corner of my eye. He stood by the bar with a drink in his hand. Probably a whiskey, neat. That was always his drink of choice. I tried to forget about the fact that he was here, but I couldn't. He was in such close proximity and yet, it was like we were complete strangers. I hated it. I allowed my gaze to flick over to him again. I was drawn to him just like I was the first night I met him. His oozing sex-appeal didn't disappear and knowing that I couldn't have him only made me want him more. I watched as he tilted his head back with the glass against his lips. His strong arms flexed as he brought it up and back down again. I was gawking at him now. Why couldn't I look away? I needed to look away but it was too late. He turned to meet my gaze.
Fuck, I missed him.
We were so far from each other, but I felt him calling out for me. The tension surrounded me, making it difficult for me to breathe. I couldn't believe how the instant desire had overcome me from something as simple as eye contact. I wanted nothing more than to walk over to where he stood and throw myself at him.
But I couldn't.
Nothing had changed. I was the one who walked away from him. I pulled my gaze away from his. I couldn't look at him anymore. I walked over to an open seat in the corner booth and slid onto it. This was torture. I hung my head in my hands, the sudden dizziness washing over me. A few minutes later I heard his voice close to me.
“Isabella?”
I looked up and met those deep brown eyes I loved so much. I was surprised by his choice to come up to me. I could never have done that.
“Giovanni.”
He stood awkwardly in front of me, one hand in his pocket and the other holding his drink.
“Do you mind if I sit?” he asked politely.
Please, don't. It was already torture having him this close to me. I thought the alcohol would have helped me tonight, but all it did was intensify everything I was already feeling and I immediately regretted my decision.
“Go ahead,” I said.
What was he doing?I didn't want him this close. It was already painful just to have him in the same room and now he was only inches from me. He slid onto the couch across from me and leaned against it, bringing his drink to his lips. His beard was thicker now and his strands of hair fell forward like it always did. He turned his head to the side to face the crowd and I noticed the new ink he was sporting behind his neck.
“You got a new tattoo?” I shouted over the music.
He ran his hand over the open wing on the side of his neck and down the back. “Yeah, got it last week.”
I nodded, not sure what I was supposed to say next. I tapped my nails anxiously against the couch. I had no idea how to act around him and it was unnerving.
“You look like you're doing well,” he remarked.
If only he knew.
“Yes, I'm fine,” I lied.
He scoffed. “Must be nice.”
I was thrown off by the hostility behind that statement. He had no idea what I had been going through these last few weeks, but I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had broken me to the point of no return. I didn't know how I was ever going to get over him. The thoughts were spinning in my mind and a rush of dizziness overcame me again. Alcohol and emotion were a terrible combination, but it was already too late for me. A spinning wheel of emotions spun around in my head and landed on anger.
“And you? I'm sure the elusive Giovanni Velázquez has found many ways to entertain himself.”
I was being petty now, but my inebriated state was in charge and I wasn't able to control what I was saying. My filter had slipped away about three shots ago.
He raised an eyebrow. “What the hell does that mean?”
I shrugged. “I highly doubt you've been without company.”
He stopped with his glass halfway to meet his lips. “My company is hardly any of your business anymore.”
Ouch!
My heart contracted, but my face remained unchanged. I was caught off guard by his bitterness towards me. I had never seen him like this and it was making it harder for me not to burst into tears. I tried to convince myself that he wasn't being intentionally cruel to me, he just wanted a reaction.
“Thanks for the reminder,” I scolded sarcastically and reached for my coat.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
A pretty young red-head stopped by our booth, flashing a quick smile to me before turning to face Giovanni.
Before I could answer, she interrupted, “I haven't seen you here in a while.”
She was an unfamiliar face to me, but then again, I didn't know everyone who interacted with Giovanni. He dismissed my presence and turned to reply to her. I was shocked and disgusted by his behaviour. Has he not hurt me enough? I felt a lump start to form in my throat.
“Well, that's my cue,” I muttered and stood up without a last glance towards him.
Reyna and Katrina were laughing by the bar so I walked over to join them. The entire interaction with Giovanni was unnecessary and made me feel so much worse. I had started to get used to the pain I was feeling over the last couple of weeks, but that interaction brought on a fresh wave of sadness. I was reminded of how much love I still had for him. That didn't matter anymore though because he had clearly forgotten about me.
Reyna reached for me. “Please, can you tell my sister that a winter wedding would be a terrible idea?”
Katrina chuckled. “I'm just playing around with ideas, nothing has be-”.
The rest of the conversation became white noise as I couldn't help but watch Giovanni and the red-head stand up and leave the area together. Jealousy reared its ugly head. Are you fucking kidding me? Was this not the reason we were in this situation in the first place? I couldn't believe the audacity. I cried over him every day and here he was leaving with someone as if our relationship meant nothing to him.
I turned to the bartender. “Can I please get a shot of tequila?”
“I'll have one too!” Reyna shouted. “Katrina?”
“Joder, no, please. I'm pretty sure I'm already drunk.”
“Well, drunk sex is great so I'm sure you and Sergio are going to have a gret time tonight.” Reyna winked, laughing.
Katrina's jaw dropped. “Reyna!”
I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. Katrina was so polite and more reserved than Reyna was.
“Please don't act like you just hold hands.” Reyna rolled her eyes. “Your relationship literally started with a one-night stand.”
Katrina blushed and couldn't help but giggle. “I know, but you don't have to be so loud about it.”
The bartender handed us the shots and we took them straight away. Sergio walked over and pulled Katrina in for a kiss. I averted my eyes. I didn't want to see other people's romances right now. It was making me feel sick and I was struggling to hold back my jealousy without my sober filter.
I turned to Reyna. “Where's Diego?”
“He's here somewhere.” Reyna chuckled, but then turned to me. “But how are you handling tonight? It must have been hard seeing Giovanni earlier.”
I was thankful for the copious amount of alcohol working its way through my body right now. It helped take away the initial sting I would usually get from those kinds of questions. I wish everyone would stop bringing him up to me.
“I don't care about Giovanni anymore,” I slurred.
That was a lie, but I was so angry at him. He went out of his way to come and sit with me and for what? To make snide comments and flirt with some random person? I glanced around the area, but I couldn't find him or that red-head anywhere. My blood was starting to boil over with jealousy.
“You don't mean that,” Reyna said softly.
I turned back to her. “Yes, I do. He was bad news from the beginning. I should never have gotten involved with him.”
Reyna reached for me. “Izzy, I think you've had too much to drink. Can I get you some water?”
I pulled away from her. “No thanks. I'll be right back.”
I didn't wait for her response before turning and heading for the stairs. I was drowning in jealousy and incredibly angry that Giovanni had the audacity to put me in this situation. Who the fuck did he think he was? He came into my life and bulldozed all over my heart. I searched the dance floor for him and he finally caught my eye at the bar with the same woman.
“Fucking asshole,” I mumbled.
I was way past the point of rational thinking and right now I couldn't do anything except react to my emotions. I was sick to my stomach with jealousy, but I refused to give him that power. We were in this mess because of him and this was how he chose to act? Before I knew it I was pushing my way to the dance floor again. There were plenty of attractive men here and I needed one of them to make me forget all about Giovanni. He wasn't the only man in the world.
These drunk ramblings continued in my mind as I threw my head back, trying my hardest to focus on the sexy beat blaring through the speakers. The crowd had gotten bigger and I was brushing up against the people around me. I made eye contact with an attractive man across from me and I didn't look away. I welcomed his inquisitive gaze as he moved himself over to me. I didn't care about who he was at all. I just wanted to feel something other than what I was feeling. I slowly moved myself to meet him. I turned with my back to him as his arms found my waist, pulling me against his body. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against his chest. Our bodies moved as one and my mind wandered back to the first time I danced with Giovanni right on this dance floor. His hands on my body set me alight in a way I had never felt before and I was consumed by desire. I would give anything to feel that again. I opened my eyes and met Giovanni's piercing gaze from across the dance floor. Even from here, I could see he was seething. Good to know I could still get a reaction out of him. He turned away from me and back to the woman he was still with. I watched as he led her to the back.
He's probably taking her home.
I shut my eyes to keep the tears from forming. What the fuck was I doing? I didn't want to be here anymore and I wished I had never come in the first place. Seeing Giovanni like this was too painful and I was going to have to work to start getting over him all over again. Not that I had much luck up till now, but this just made everything worse. I didn't have the strength inside of me to move on, but I knew there was no other option. Not being with him was destroying me from the inside out.
I didn't know how much time had passed before I broke away from my mystery dance partner and started pushing my way to the back of the club. The idea of him with someone else brought on a wave of anger and there was no way I could stop myself now. I was too intoxicated for that. He didn't have the right to take someone home. Especially right in front of me?
Who the fuck did he think he was?
He couldn't break my heart by getting Casey pregnant and then still have the audacity to do what he was doing. I pushed the button on the elevator and tapped my nails against the wall, the nerves washing over me. The elevator opened and I stepped inside.
What are you doing, Isabella?
A faint echo of my sober self tried to get me to turn around, but it was too late. I had no right to be doing what I was doing, but I couldn't help the increasing amount of jealousy working its way through me. It was taking everything I had not to burst into tears. The elevator doors opened to the familiar smell of his apartment, suddenly bringing on a rush of unwanted memories.
“Giovanni!” I shouted. “Where are you?”
I stumbled through his living room. The curtains were open and the only company I had was the bright moon shining down on me. I looked around and everything was in its place again, unlike the last time I was here.
“Giovanni!” I shouted again, but was greeted by silence.
I stormed up the stairs and pushed open the door to his bedroom. The bathroom door was drawn closed and I could hear the shower on as the steam seeped out from under the door.
Please let him be alone.
I wouldn't be able to handle it if I opened this door and he was with someone else. I didn't need those visuals in my mind. I stood outside the door, contemplating what to do next. What was I going to do? What was the point of me coming up here? I was not supposed to be here and yet, I couldn't pull myself away.
I banged on the door. “Giovanni, I know you're in there.”
The water turned off suddenly and I heard bustling from behind the door. I knocked on the door again and he opened it, his wet body greeting me.
“Isabella, what the hell are you doing here?”
He tightened the towel around his waist and I couldn't help but tug at my lip at the sight of him. I couldn't take my eyes off his body. I was surrounded by the suffocating tension that suddenly filled the room. It made my mouth dry and I couldn't gather the words I needed right now.
“I wa...”
I couldn't finish my sentence, not with a sexy wet Giovanni standing in front of me. I flicked my eyes to meet his.
“You what, Isabella?” he murmured.
I wanted to throw myself at him. I wanted him to take me in his arms, lay me on his bed and have his way with me. I was dying to feel his body against mine. I missed him. I missed what it felt like to have him inside of me.
But I couldn't and I suddenly realised what a mistake I had made coming here.
“I'm sorry.” I turned to leave, but he reached for my arm.
“There's obviously a reason you came here.” He pulled me closer to him, not letting go of my arm.
His touch burned against my skin and a ripple of desire made its way through me, increasing the pressure between my legs.
“You left with someone else,” I whispered.
He jerked his head back, confused. “What are you talking about?”
I pulled my arm away from him. “That red-headed woman. I saw you guys leave together.”
“I didn't leave with her, Isabella. I had to show her my office because she's the new manager.”
New manager?
Relief washed over me with those words. The idea of him with someone else drove me crazy enough to come up to his apartment and I suddenly felt incredibly stupid for giving into my jealousy. I was acting like a deranged idiot right now and it was embarrassing.
“Oh well, that's gr-”.
He cut me off. “Did you really think I would leave with someone else?”
I averted my eyes.
“And what do you care, anyway? You were perfectly happy grinding up on that guy on the dance floor.”
“I was not grinding,” I objected.
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. I suddenly felt so guilty over what I had done. I knew I wanted a reaction out of him, but it was so petty and out of character for me. I hated that I was acting this way.
“I don't know what you're doing here, Isabella,” Giovanni muttered and walked past me towards his cupboard. “Even if I had brought someone else home, that really has nothing to do with you since you were the one who broke up with me.”
My stomach dropped. “Please don't act like I had no reason to break up with you, Giovanni.”
He ignored me and reached for a pair of shorts from his cupboard and tossed them on the bed.
“Are you trying to hurt me?” I murmured softly, trying hard not to allow the tears that were building to spill over.
He stopped for a moment before turning to face me, a defeated look on his face. “Of course not. I've never wanted to hurt you.”
Tears filled my eyes again and I took a deep breath in trying to keep them at bay. I couldn't break down - not here.
“The fact you believe I would have brought someone home with me proves that you really don't understand how I feel about you at all.”
My heart swelled at his words. A flicker of happiness appeared before quickly being replaced by the reality of our situation. Nothing has changed and now I feel worse than before.
I turned to leave. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come.”
“Don't do that.” He stepped in front of me. “You're running away again.”
Yes I was.
“I shouldn't have come,” I repeated.
He grabbed my wrist, his touch burning against my skin as he pulled me closer to him. He was so close now that I could smell the fresh body wash on him mixed with his intoxicating natural scent. My pulse was racing at the close proximity we were in and I couldn't move. I didn’t want to.
He slowly cupped my face with his hand. “Fine, you can leave then.”
Was he serious?
How could I possibly pull myself away from him now? He slowly ran his thumb against my cheek and along my jaw, each touch causing my heart to beat erratically.
“Giovanni,” I breathed.
“I'll let you leave if that's what you want, Isabella, but I don't think you want to.”
He was right. Leaving was the last thing I wanted to do.
His eyes traveled down to my mouth. “But you have to tell me what you want.”
My eyes met his and his desire mirrored my own. Whatever sane thoughts I was supposed to be having slipped away and were replaced with my deepest desires. I couldn't think of anything else but his body and how I needed to feel it against me. I tried to fight it, but there was no stopping me now.
“You.” I threw myself at him, my lips crashing against his.
I was scared he was going to push me away but instead, his arms encircled my body and he pulled me closer to him. My tongue flicked over his as I was overcome with the sudden urge to have all of him. God, I missed him. My hands found their way to his hair and I tugged at it. His strong arms came around me and lifted me up, my legs wrapping around his waist as he pinned me up against the nearest wall. His hungry kiss sent a rush of heat through me and I exploded with desire. The towel he had wrapped around his waist fell away, revealing what he was truly feeling. I felt him hard against me as he leaned closer, my legs wrapping tighter around his waist. His lips left mine and made their way to my neck.
“Giovanni,” His name rolled off my tongue as I leaned my head back, the familiarity of the situation overcoming me.
He didn't slow down. He worked his way over me with an insatiable appetite, both of us giving in to our animalistic desires. My hands tangled in his hair again and I pulled it, hard. I needed him to know that I needed him and I had to have him. There was no going back now. His lips sucked at my neck before moving across my collar bone as he carried me towards the bed. He tossed me against it and didn't slow down as his hands made their way over my body. As I reached out for him, he quickly grabbed my arms and pinned them down over my head.
“Stay,” he commanded.
The heat tore through me and my body handed itself over to him. I was consumed by him and there was nothing I could think about except his lips against mine. He ran his hand down the side of my body where my zip was. In one swift motion, he pulled it down and allowed me to move my hands in order to push my way out of my dress. I peeled it off my arms and he grabbed the rest of it, pulling it down my body before tossing it onto the floor. He brought himself over me and pinned my arms above my head again. His kiss was rough and greedy as he explored my lips. His tongue flicked over mine and I arched my hips against him, needing to feel more of him. I needed to feel what I had done to him. I needed to feel his desire for me.
I needed him inside me.
“Giovanni, please,” I moaned.
His hand slipped behind my back and I arched it, allowing him enough space to unclasp my bra and pull it off me. It didn't take him long before he reached my underwear, sliding it down my legs. He ran his hands up my legs, reaching my knees and slowly spreading them. I was so ready for him. Just the sight of him hovering between my legs made my heart skip a beat. He was overcome with a hunger I had never seen before and I didn't know what he had planned. He moved closer to me, so close now that I could feel his breath against my skin. He flicked his eyes up to me and they were burning with desire.
Without breaking eye contact, he leaned forward between my legs and I knew what was coming next. I tried to squeeze my legs together, trying to get a handle on the overwhelming electricity coursing through my veins, but he wouldn't let me.
“You just can't stay still can you?” he murmured seductively.
I bit down on my lip, keeping myself from reacting.
“Don't keep quiet, Isabella, you know I love hearing you.”
He brought himself closer and I felt his tongue flick over me. My eyes rolled back and I gripped against the bed as he continued his hungry rhythm against me. Licking and sucking me before bringing his fingers into the mix. I tightened around him as the tension between my legs rapidly increased with each flick of his tongue. My hands found their way into his hair again and I pulled, not being able to control my reaction. He explored me greedily and without barriers. He pushed me further and further and I was fast approaching my climax.
“Don't stop, Giovanni.”
And he didn't. He pushed me closer and closer until I couldn't hold it back any longer. I came undone and moaned his name into the night. My body was reeling from the pleasure that overcame me, but he didn't stop. He reached for a condom, tore it open, and rolled it over himself. He spread my legs and positioned himself between them. My breathing was ragged and my pulse was racing. The sight of him above me sent my desire reeling. I never thought I would be able to feel him again.
He leaned closer to my ear. “You're mine.”
He claimed me as his again by burying himself deep inside of me. I threw my head back in ecstasy - this was what I had been craving. I craved him inside of me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me as we moved. There was nothing delicate about the rhythm we had chosen. We didn't care about that. I wanted to rip into him. My nails dug into his arms as he pushed deeper inside of me, reaching the spot every time. I increased the pace of my movements, needing more of him. His hand ran from my hair, across my cheek and gently wrapped at the base of my throat.
Small breaths escaped him and I felt the pleasure building deep within the pit of my stomach again. I wrapped my legs around his waist, forcing him deeper. I didn't want this to end. I wanted to stay wrapped up in this euphoria for as long as possible. He pushed deep inside me and I cried out in pleasure as my body came undone again. I couldn't hold it back any longer. He didn't stop, he continued to move faster and faster. My legs shook as the pleasure tore through my body, down to my very core.
I moaned his name as the pleasure continued to spread. I moaned for him - the man I would always love. The man who introduced me to the kind of overwhelming passion and pleasure I had never experienced before. The man who had my heart and always would.
His hand was buried in my hair, pulling at it as he reached his own climax. He dropped down, his body hot against me. His chest rising and falling with mine. At that moment, I thought of nothing but how much I love him. I slowly ran my fingers through his hair the way I always used to, not wanting this moment to end.
I didn't know how long we stayed like that before he finally removed himself from me and lay against his bed, staring up at the ceiling. I turned to lie on my side, facing him. I slowly ran my finger across his chest, over every marking as I moved along his arm. Without a word, he reached out and pulled me closer to him, my head resting against his chest and my leg draping across his. He tightened his arms around me and we said nothing. We didn’t need to say anything. We just needed each other right now. I listened to the sound of his heartbeat as I drifted off into darkness.
