Chapter 2:The Confession.
1831 Words
BELLA'S POV
The big scary man is talking to father.
I am in big trouble. Father is holding me so tight I wince and tap his hand. He looks down with a frown and adjusts his grasp, I breathe easier.
The scary man is pointing at him.
Our eyes meet and hold. I want to look away but for some reason I freeze.
He looks older than me, like a few years my senior. In school he will may be a year ahead of me.
He just stares at me with a deep blue piercing eyes. Unsettling as it is, I cannot for the life of me look away.
Nervously, I shift more into father's embrace. Hiding my face in his chest, I try to slow my fast beating heart.
"... you should come over for dinner one of these days, when next will you be back to Italy?!" The strange looking man asks father.
Father clears his throat, the guttural rumble shakes my tiny frame. My head leaves his chest and I look up at him.
With one hand he pushes his glasses frame back up and answers slowly.
"Ahh, Roberto, business takes me away for months, I will be in the states next month to secure a business deal and the month after that I'm traveling to South Africa for more business. Perhaps, I will send word to you when I get back, friend?" He asks.
The tone of father's voice is unlike any I have ever heard from him. A timbre of doubt and ... fear?
"Surely, you will be back for Feragosto? Jolene will accept nothing less. Your family can come spend the week up with us in the castle up north by the seaside as we can discuss business old friend." The other man says.
His thick accent is friendly and almost cajoling.
"Are you sure Jolene won't mind us there? I don't want to impose." Father starts to refuse again.
"Nonsense! Of course you are all welcome. You know how she loves to host and throw a mean party." He laughs.
Father joins in on the laughter. His eyes crinkles at the side.
Hearing father talk about leaving us for long months doesn't faze me. He is gone all the time anyways leaving us here with mother and the many servants.
I clutch his leg tighter, my chest feels tight.
I don't want father to go.
"Since you insist Roberto, we will be there." He agrees to the plans.
I shake my head in a no motion.
I don't want to spend summer in a strangers house. I thought we were going on a holiday as a family. I heard mother talking about it to her trainer. She was going on and on about her new jewelry pieces for the holiday in Milan. And the endless shopping she plans on doing once we arrive.
"Good, now that that's settled. About the other matter..." his voice turns to gravel, very serious it sends a chill down my spine.
Mother is like that. One minute she is smiling and happy with you and the next she is cold and distant.
Like a switch flips in her head and the light leaves her eyes. Gone is the tender touch, it is replaced by harsh tight words and light nudges to get out of the way.
Curiosity gets the better of me, I turn back slowly to look at him.
His dark old eyes land on me and he smiles.
I gasp.
I hear a snicker from his side and freeze again.
My eyes meet mocking amused blue eyes. The boy, Dante is watching me.
What is so funny ?
The familiar Costello defiance forms in the pit of my belly. I frown hard.
Is he laughing at me? Mocking me?!
Does he even know me?
I push away from father and turn around.
He raises an eyebrow in a silent question.
Scared?
I hear the quiet challenge in those mischievous as loud as thunder claps.
There is silent conversation happening between the two of us.
It almost seems like a taunt, a dare.
I clutch my teddy close to my chest.
I tilt my head, staring at the dark haired boy and his fierce blue eyes, the haughty smirk and his nice father.
Then comes a sudden knock on the door.
Everyone stops talking, silence falls on the room.
"Who is it? Speak." Father asks.
"Sorry to disturb you Sir, I was wondering if you have seen Isabelle? She is missing from her room and I have searched the rooms upstairs." Comes the shaky voice of Helena.
"Come in Helena." Father calls out to her.
The door knob turns and my nanny pokes her head inside.
Her tiny frame scurries inside the room and gasps in relief and joy when she sees me.
"Dios mio, little miss how did you get out of bed??" She gasps loudly. Her hand presses against her chest. Her voice breaks further, she starts begging and apologizing to father profusely.
"Sorry sir, I am so sorry. I went to use to toilet and when I came back to check on her she was gone, I had no idea she would wake up and wander off... I am sorry sir... I ...." Father interrupts her tirade of apologies.
"Breathe Helena, calm down and take her to her room." Father says calmly.
"Isabelle, go to her." Father kisses the top of my head and pats my back.
Reluctantly, I let Father's leg go and walks into her waiting arms.
"There you are little miss." She breathes a sigh of relief, clutching my hand tightly in hers she walks me out of the room.
I cannot help but cast one last glance at the dark haired blue-eyed boy. Our eyes meet one last time and the look in his are swirling, I frown, confused because I have never seen that emotion in my life.
Before I can think about it deeply Helena has pulled me out of the room and shut the door behind us.
Standing in the barely lit hallway, Helena carries me in her arms carefully and hurries in the direction of my room, whispering words of thanks to God.
I clutch my teddy and close my eyes, even in the dark blue eyes stare back at me, haunting my waking thoughts.
DANTE'S POV
The door closes and I frown. My hand tighten into a fist and I force myself to relax..
Control. Control. Control.
Chanting the words in my head like a mantra is what keeps me sane.
Father and his friend keep talking about business, neither of them paying me any mind. I might as well be a furniture in the room.
Not like I understand a lick of word they are saying.
I pick up bits and pieces of their conversation.
Something about containers, shipments and border security.
I am not interested in business. I keep thinking about the girl with the teddy and her wide eyes. She reminds me of my brother's girlfriend in school. She also has the blondest hair and prettiest smile.
I would never admit that to her face though, she might let it get to her head.
My head turns towards the door, like the nanny would burst back in and leave her here.
I don't know how long they both talk, but soon Father stands and shakes his hand.
Thick baritone laughter snaps me out of my daydreaming.
"My friend, we should do this again, this time over some good scotch and delicious food." Father says patting Mr Costello on the back fondly.
"Ahh yes, I will send the best scotch from Belgium and I’m sure my wife will make us a grand feast.” His friend promises.
“Well, I look forward to it.” Father tells him.
Father walks towards the door, I stand and follow them closely.
Once we step outside, two guards step out of the shadows.
They flank both sides of Father, holding open the limousine door.
Father shakes his friend one last time, pulls his glasses off me, turns to me and beaming, he finally addresses me.
“Dante, it was nice for your father to bring you along, you have grown taller since the last time I saw you.” He says patting my head.
I grimace, he is ruining my hair.
I just nod.
“Greet your mother for me, and your siblings.” He says.
“Okay sir.” I mumble.
Father pats my back from behind signaling I enter the car before him.
Our convoy of guards and trained soldiers wait for father’s signal. He motions for them to move and enters the car. A guard closes the door and hurries to the front seat.
We are alone at last.
Silence descends on the car, the limousine finally moves. The drive to the estate gate is fast and soon we are on the expressway back to our home in the heart of the city.
I stare outside the window, watching the world from the safety of my father’s expensive bulletproof car.
“I saw the way you were looking at the girl.” I freeze.
I turn to look at Father for a moment. My face betrays nothing.
I keep my eyes straight, an emotionless canvas.
He smiles in that sly way he does when he has figured out an enemy secret.
“What girl?” I ask him.
Father runs his hand through salt and pepper hair. His trim frame relaxed on the leather seat.
He reaches over to his left and presses a button to close the compartment between the drivers and us.
“You can stop playing coy with me boy. I know what I saw.” Father says, doubling down.
I go back to looking outside the window.
“Father, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I tell him. My voice does not shake, my body remains calm.
He is quiet for nearly five minutes. Without looking at him I know he is glaring at me.
“If you want her, she is yours.” he announces.
That draws my attention back.
“Just say the word and I will arrange it with Costello. They are a nice noble family, I would not mind them as in-laws.” He chuckles.
“Why?” The question is filled with more questions.
“Because son, if you want anything under the sun you can have it.” He says seriously.
I wait for a minute, pondering on it. I wonder if this is one of his tricks or mind games. But he sounds so serious he would not be joking about such a matter.
“I want her.” I whisper.
“Then it is done.” He chuckles.
Grabbing his phone from his breast pocket, he clicks away on it, dismissing me.
I watch the world go by.
This time my mantra has changed.
Control. Control. Control
Isabelle. Isabelle. Isabelle.
- Writer
