He pulled away from her, smiling with smug satisfaction as he looked down at her. She was slicked with sweat, and breathless as her passion clouded eyes met his. She managed a tremulous smile as he lifted himself over, seizing hold of her luscious mouth as he drove himself into her. Isabelle cried out, her fingers digging into his back as another wave of ecstasy crashed over her.
***
Isabelle tossed her sweater into a box, humming happily under her breath as she danced across the room. She hadn’t known that it was possible to be this happy, this complete. She literally felt as if her heart was going to burst with joy. She knew that she was acting like a silly fool, one that was in love. A soft smile curved her mouth as she tossed another sweater into the box. The knowledge didn’t frighten her at all anymore.
She knew that she was in love with Stefan, that without him she would wither away and die, but she no longer cared about that consequence. She wanted him, and only him. She hadn’t told him that she loved him yet, simply because a part of her was still scared that he didn’t feel the same way. She kept trying to tell herself that he did loveher;after all he knew they were meant to be together, but that didn’t necessarily mean that he loved her.
Well, maybe it did. She wasn’t entirely sure, but she thought that if people were destined to be soul mates, than love would have to be a factor, wouldn’t it? Her brow furrowed as she tossed another sweater into the box. Her mother and father loved each other dearly, but they had been in love before her mother had known what her father was, before either of them had ever known anything about soul mates. That hadn’t happened with her and Stefan, and she wasn’t sure if maybe that was the way that it was supposed to work. Maybe they were all supposed to fall in love first, and then find out about it later.
She slid onto her old bed, a sweater clutched tightly in her hand, as she stared at the woods through the window. If she was truly honest with herself, she would admit that a part of her had loved him from the start. She had just been too stubborn to admit it, or acknowledge it. She wished that she hadn’t fought against him so hard, against the way that she had felt. She should have run to him with open arms and embraced her future instead of hiding from it, but she had an eternity to make up for her mistake. An eternity to spend with him.
Isabelle hopped off the bed, determined to start making it up to him as soon as possible. She was smiling wickedly, and humming again, when she realized that she was no longer alone. She spun quickly, her hands tightenedupon her sweater. Jess stood in the doorway, her eyes dark and hooded, hatred oozedfrom every pore of her body.Jess’s hair was dripping wet, and her bathing suit clung tightly to her long, lean body.Isabelle swallowed heavily asJess’shatred blazed against her. She had made sure that Jess wasn’t around when she came in, but obviously she had returned from her swim sometime after Isabelle had left Kyle’s side.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” Isabelle managed to tell her through the lump that suddenly constricted her throat.
Jess snorted as she moved further into the room. “Take yourtime;it is your room after all.”
“Not anymore.” Isabelle tossed the sweater into the box and turned to grab the remaining sweaters from the drawer. Her hands were trembling as she gathered them up. The hate that poured from Jess encompassed the room, shaking her to the soul as it radiated throughout her. She had never been hated so much.Had never known it was possible.
“Then again, what’s mine is yours, right Isabelle?”
Isabelleforced herself to take a deep breath and turn to face her. Jess had every right to hate her, and if it had been the other way around she wouldhavefeltthe same way, but she had to try and say something, to do something, to ease it. “I am sorry Jess,” she whispered.
“Why is it that I don’t believe a word you say?”
Jessmoved further into the room, her eyes narrowed with loathing. Isabelle sighed wearily, obviously Jess was determined to have it out with her, and there wasn’t much she could do to stop her. “You don’t have to believe me Jess,butitis the truth. I didn’t want for this to happen. It just did. I’m sorry that you got hurt in the process, but there is nothing that I can do about it now.”
Isabelle tossed the sweaters into the box and closed the lid. She wanted out of this room in the worst possible way. Hoisting the box into her arms shehurriedaround the bed. Jess instantly moved to intercept her. Isabelle sighed wearily as she met her malevolent gaze. “Jess...”
“You think you’re so special? You think you’re so great? You’re just a little slut, and he’ll use you, and toss you aside like the whore that you are!” she hissed.
Isabelle’s eyes narrowed as her guilt vanished and anger welled up to replace it. “I told you that I wassorry;there is nothing else that I can say. If you don’t accept it,thenthat’s fine. Now get out of my way!”
“I hate you!” Jess screeched.
Isabelle closed her eyes as a tremor seized her body. The malevolence that poured from Jess was enough to knock her blossoming anger away. “Jess...”
She never saw the slap coming, but the force of it staggered her backward as the sound of it resounded throughout the room. Isabelle gaped in surprise as the box fell from her suddenly limp hands and tears of pain instantly sprang to her eyes. Blood filled her mouth, and her cheek stung from the force of the blow. Her hand flew to her cheek, and split lip, as she gazed at Jess in shock.Jesswas shaking with fury, her hands clenched in fists at her sides as she took a step forward.
A loud bellow filled the room as Stefan came forward, his eyes blazing with violence. Jess spun toward him, her mouth gaping in shock. He seized hold of her arms, lifting her easily off the ground as hepulledher forward. Jess cried out in surprise, her feet kicking wildly in the air. Isabelle leapt forward, grasping hold of his arm, certain that he was going to kill her. “Stefanno!”
The fury that radiated from every inch of himfilledthe room,itslammedthrough her, and shook her to the marrow of her bones. Jess whimpered as she squirmed wildly in his grasp. “You’re hurting me!”
“I’ll kill you if you ever lay a hand on her again! If you ever look at her again!” he roared vehemently. Jess went limp in his grasp, her eyes wide as tears of panic filled her eyes. “Do you hear me?” he snapped, shaking her forcefully.
Jess whimpered again. “Stefan, please don’t,” Isabelle begged, pulling uselessly on his arm. She had about as much effect on him as a flea would have.
“Do you hear me?” he bellowed.
Isabelle jumped in surprise, her heart leaptinto her throat. “Yes!” Jess cried. “Yes!”
He stood for a moment longer, trembling with fury, before he finally released her. Jess stumbled back, her knees buckling she slumped to the floor before staggering quickly back up. Isabelle took a step toward her, meaning to help, but Stefan grabbed hold of her arm, his fingers digging painfully into her skin as he pulled her back. Jess cast them a wild, frantic look, before racingfrom the room.
“Are you okay?” he demanded.
Isabelle whirled toward him, tears filling her eyes as she ripped her arm free of his grasp. “No!” she yelled. “No, I’m not!”
His face softened as he took a step toward her, but she backed rapidly up, shaking her head as she held up her handsto wardhim off. “Isabelle...”
