CHAPTER 2: I AM NOT YOUR SLAVE
1277 Words
Immediately he called my name, my reality came crashing back. I pulled away, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment as I realized what I had almost done.
“I … I am sorry,” I stammered.
Tony was a specimen of a god - - there was no other way to describe him. Even back in college, he had been handsome, but now, standing before me, he had grown into something else entirely. His body was well-structured, every muscle defined like he’d been sculpted by some divine hand. The way his shirt clung to his broad shoulders and tapered waist, the sharp angles of his jawline, and those piercing eyes... it all made my heart race.
I was still reeling from the fact that I had nearly kissed him. Embarrassment washed over me, but I managed to pull myself together enough to thank him. "Tony… thank you," I murmured, my voice softer than usual.
He smiled, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You collapsed," he explained, his tone gentle, "and you weren’t responsive. I had to give you CPR."
My breath hitched at his words. CPR? His lips on mine? I felt a jolt of something electric shoot through me. My mind betrayed me in that moment, and a wild thought flashed across it. I wished he had given me CPR. His lips looked so inviting, so perfect, like they were made to be kissed, soft and full, and I could only imagine how they would feel pressed against mine.
"CPR?" I repeated, trying to sound casual, but my thoughts were far from calm.
He nodded, his expression serious but kind. "You gave us all a scare, Isabella."
I bit my lip, my heart thudding in my chest. I should have been focused on the fact that I had fainted, but all I could think about was Tony and how close I had come to tasting those lips.
"Well," I said, trying to keep the smile from creeping up too much, "thank you again. I guess I owe you my life." My words came out lighter than I intended, but beneath them, my mind was swirling with unspoken thoughts.
He chuckled softly, his eyes lingering on mine a moment too long. "Anytime," he said, his voice low and smooth.
And in that instant, all I could think about was how different things could have been if I’d met him instead of Diego.
When we finally got home, my mind was still racing, filled with thoughts of Tony. I couldn’t help but wonder what my life would have been like if it were him instead of Diego.
The way Tony’s smile had warmed me, the gentle strength of his touch as he’d held me... I wished I had been fully conscious when he’d lifted me into his arms. The memory of almost kissing him haunted me, teasing me with what could have been.
But my daydream was abruptly shattered by the sound of Diego’s footsteps heading straight for the stairs. He didn’t even glance at the bags still in the car, didn’t acknowledge the exhaustion that had caused me to faint just hours ago.
"I’m heading upstairs," Diego called over his shoulder, as he made his way to the door of the living room without even pausing to look back. "When you’re rested, you can get the groceries from the car since that’s what you needed right, rest."
I stopped dead in my tracks, my mind unable to process what I’d just heard. I could feel my heartbeat quickening, but not from exhaustion this time, this was pure disbelief. I stared at the back of his head as he disappeared upstairs, his words echoing in the now-quiet house.
I couldn’t believe my ears. After everything that had happened, after I had literally collapsed, he expected me to go out and unload the car once I had “rested.” Rest, as if that would magically cure the way he dismissed me, the way he treated me like a chore that needed to be managed.
I stood frozen, Diego’s words still ringing in my ears. My heart pounded, from anger and disappointment, and a longing for more than what I had. I stared at the door, the car just beyond it, the groceries sitting there in the trunk, waiting for me like everything else in this life. But I couldn’t move.
All of a sudden I slowly made my way to the living room, my body feeling heavier with every step. The exhaustion from earlier was still there, but now it was tangled with emotions, frustration, anger and confusion.
As I sank onto the couch, I pulled out my phone and called Maya, my friend who always had a way of calming me down. She picked up after the second ring.
"Isabella? Hey, what’s wrong? You don’t sound good," she said, concern clear in her voice.
I sighed, trying to steady myself. I didn’t want her to know the full truth, not yet. The last thing I needed was for her to worry too much, or worse, see through me. "I’m not feeling great, Maya," I said softly, leaning back against the cushions. "It’s just been a rough day. I fainted earlier, but I’m okay now."
"Fainted?!" she nearly shouted, the worry in her tone rising. "Isabella, what happened? Are you sure you’re okay? Have you seen a doctor? Where’s Diego?"
I winced at the mention of Diego. Of course she would ask. How could I tell her that he was upstairs, ignoring everything like usual? How could I explain that I felt more alone with him around than I ever did when I was by myself?
"He’s on a conference call," I lied, knowing it was the easiest way to keep her questions at bay. "You know how work is for him. He’s swamped. I just …" I paused, thinking of an excuse to shift the conversation.
"Maya, I need a favor. Can you come by and pick up the things I bought at the store from the car? I don’t have the energy to bring them in right now, and they’re just sitting in the car."
There was a beat of silence on the other end. "Isabella… are you sure that’s all? I can come over, but it sounds like there’s more going on."
I forced a small laugh, hoping it would sound convincing. "Really, it’s just that. I’m worn out. If you could come by, I’d appreciate it."
Maya hesitated, but eventually, she relented. "Okay, I’ll be there soon. But Isabella, you need to take care of yourself, okay? We’ll talk when I get there."
"Thanks, Maya. I’ll see you soon," I said before hanging up, my heart heavy. As I laid back on the couch, Diego was still nowhere to be seen, and my mind kept playing tricks with me. I laid there, my mind blank as I could no longer think of anything.
Instead, my thoughts drifted back to Tony, his strong arms around me, his quiet concern, and that moment when I’d almost kissed him. A dangerous thought crept into my mind, it was a thought I hadn’t allowed myself to fully consider until now.
What if I had?
Just as the question settled in, my phone buzzed in my pocket, snapping me out of the moment. I pulled it out, my heart racing for reasons I didn’t fully understand, and stared at the screen.
It was a message from Tony.
"I hope you're okay. Let me know if you need anything."
My fingers hovered over the screen, and for a split second, I knew that whatever I did next could change everything.
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