More Than This by Dominique Wolf

CHAPTER 50:

Giovanni

“W

here are they?” I asked as Alvaro walked through the reception doors.

“The receptionist said they checked out already.”

I scoffed. “Seriously? Did you not tell them we wanted to talk to them?”

“I did,” he said. “Clearly they didn't think it was that urgent.”

I ran my fingers through my hair and leaned my head back, soaking in the cold air around us. The sky was scattered with dark clouds and I was more agitated than usual. Before Alvaro and I could corner our parents for that family intervention we needed, they had already left back to the city. Even after Alvaro told them we needed to talk, they still chose to leave.

Typical Velázquez-family behaviour- always running away from their problems.

“They can't run away from this forever,” I muttered. “We need to sort this shit out because I'm sick of having to deal with their marital problems. They need to get a fucking divorce already.”

Alvaro crossed his arms. “We're going to have to talk to them on Christmas.”

“Do you really think that's a good idea?” I eyed him. “The whole family is going to be there.”

“Then after that.”

I rolled my eyes. At this point, I was over both of my parents and the shit they were putting each other through. All I wanted was for them to acknowledge what's been done to this family and the fact they shouldn't be together anymore. I couldn't care less about my father - as far as I was concerned, our relationship was past the point of repair but I wanted my mother to be happy.

“Where's Isabella?” Alvaro asked.

“On her way back to the city.”

This morning I called a driver to escort Isabella back to Barcelona. She had decided that she needed some time to think about what she was going to do next and I had to respect that. In the past, I was quick to constantly try and see or communicate with her in some way, but I couldn't do that now. She needed to decide what was best for her without me getting in the way. I love her enough to give her that.

“What's going to happen with the two of you?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “It's up to her now. If she wants to leave for real this time then I'm going to have to let her go.”

“And what about the paternity test?”

“Well, I can't say anything until I get those results and there's still a chance that the baby is mine.”

It had been a couple of weeks now since we did the test and I was itching for the results. I just wanted to know for sure so I could figure out what the next step was. Every part of me was hoping that the results would tell me exactly what I wanted to hear.

“And how do you feel about that?”

“I haven't quite figured that out,” I admitted. “I don't want to have to think about any of it until I know for sure.”

Penelope pushed through the reception doors with Mateo in her arms. She smiled at us as she strolled over to join the conversation.

“Did you find your parents?”

We both shook our heads.

“They thought it would be fun to play the disappearing act on us,” I muttered.

She said nothing more on the topic and instead turned to Alvaro. “They're bringing the car around. We should probably get out of here before the storm hits.”

We exchanged goodbyes shortly after that and I walked back to the cottage to clear out the last of my things. I shoved my clothes into my bag as I heard the rain starting to come down hard outside. I needed to head back to the city today as well. There was still so much I had to sort out to get the renovations going for the new Mala Mía in Valencia. I was going to throw myself into my work or any other distraction I could get. I didn't want any spare moment to think of her. I couldn't allow myself to do that. It only reminded me of the hollowness that now rested inside of me. I reached for my bag and pulled the strap over my shoulder, turning to do one last scan of the room. The memories of the night before were still fresh. I could still feel her hands on my body and the way it felt having her against me. The way she took control of the situation and made my body bow down to her. I was at her mercy and I would continue to be for the rest of my life.

There was no forgetting her.

Isabella Avery waltzed into my life when I least expected it and became the most important person to me. She lured me in with her innocent charm and beautiful smile, but there was so much more to her than meets the eye. She was compassionate and kind. There was not a selfish bone in her body and I couldn't have fallen harder for her. The dull ache in my chest at her absence was going to have a permanent residence now. As much as I was hoping she would come running back to me, I already knew that she was going to choose differently. I took a deep breath in and pushed that out of my mind. I grabbed my car keys off the counter and locked the door behind me.

After handing the room key back at reception, I made it to my car now soaked from the rain. I shut the door behind me as the intensity of the rain picked up. It was really coming down and the thunder roared through the sky. I pulled my seatbelt across my chest and secured it in place. I wasn't going to be able to drive very fast, not in this weather. I connected my phone and allowed the same reggaeton playlist we had listened to on the way here to come through the speakers. There were so many things that reminded me of her and I was going to have to consciously focus on keeping her from entering my mind again.

I turned my car on and I pulled out of the driveway.