I'm second in command, plus I outweigh him by thirty pounds and three inches in height. I may be his older brother, but I amalso his boss. I bring my vision back over his shoulder, pinning Isabella with my stare.
"Move Sebastian! Everyone is meeting in the dining room."
Reluctantly, he steps past me, giving Isabella one last glance over his shoulder as he does. He's got his hands clenched at his sides, and I'm sure he's thinking about taking me out if he thought he could get away with it.
"Leave!" I roar, making Isabella whimper, my full concentration focused on her now.
Pushing herself further back into the wall, her palms pressed flat against it and I can see where her fingertips are curled, trying to grip the stucco. Sebastian has finally disappeared around the corner, it only takes me two steps toward her and I'm towering over her shaking form, my height and weight dominating her. She is shaking like a leaf, and then she closes her eyes tightly, trying to block me out.
I lean down close so I'm at eye level with her.
"Open your eyes," I growl at her.
She shakes her head no, her hair getting caught like a spider web on the wall. This is the second time she has said "no" to me.
"Open youreyes!" I demand, getting closer to her with a snarl. She trembles, even more, feeling my breath hot across her lips.
She shakes her head, no, and still, she clenches her eyes even tighter. It only adds to my determination to make her obey. There is a slight undercurrent of lust in my blood at the thought of breaking this frightened little rabbit.
I raise one arm and place my hand right by her head so she can feel the heat by her neck, trapping her by her hair and pinning her to the wall.
I take a few minutes to just look at her. She is pretty, with smooth skin; dark lashes fan across her cheeks. The divotbetween her pert nose and upper lip is deep, causing her upper lip to be rather plump. Her coal-black eyebrows arch over those jade-green eyes. Pity, she won't open them for me to get a closer look.
I lean in close to her little nose, gently stroking one side with my own. I can feel her breath mixing with mine, creating a warmth between us.
With a low deep voice, I speak directly into her cheek just under her ear. "Now, I'm not precisely sure what your game was this evening, Isabella. I'm wondering if you intended to actually escape this marriage or if you're just inherently dim-witted. And if you are trying to fuck my brother, you can get that thought out of your head right now. The only man you will be fucking for the rest of your life is me."
I move my face to her other side and pass the tip of my nose over her cheek. Her breath tickles across my chin, and I can't recall the last time I was this close to a woman's lips. I reach up with my free hand and close it around her throat. I can’t stop the impulse to feel her heartbeat in my palm.
Her tears start to flow out of the corner of her eyes in earnest now, making little tracks down her supple cheeks. Putting gentle pressure on her jugular with my thumb and forefinger, I push her against the wall harder. She whimpers at the added pressure. I move my mouth closer to her ear. Her scent assaults my nostrils with something fresh like lilies.
I angle my head slightly so I can whisper into the shell of her ear, "You will get your shit together, or I will get it together for you. I didn't ask for this marriage, and I'm assuming by your behaviour this evening, neither did you. But I can guarantee you, neither one of us is getting out of it."
I run my nose along the inner shell of her ear, and she shivers. Out of fear or desire, I don't know and I don't care right now.
"So I recommend you go and clean yourself up, gather yourdignity, and meet me outside the dining room door."
I gently add more pressure to her throat; I feel her swallowing repeatedly, her pulse beating rapidly under my fingertips.
I lean away slightly and look at her face as I growl, "Now? Be a good girl and do as you're told."
I pull back and take her in. Her eyes are still squeezed shut, and her face is white. Tear stains trail down her cheeks, dripping off her chin onto her red dress. She's scared and I like it. I release my hand from her throat and step back completely, turning to the side, palm facing up toward the sitting-room door. She still hasn't opened her eyes, and she is too terrified to move. I can tell by the way her fingers are still digging into the stucco wall.
"I will not repeat myself, Isabella. I said,move!"
She opens her red-rimmed eyes in response to my callous tone and starts to move sideways like a crab on the scorching sand. She moves about three feet away, giving her the illusion that it is safe for her to flee.
She is deluding herself into believing that she has escaped me as her midnight hair is flying behind her and her heels keep clicking across the concrete. I feel the fury subside and a smile break out across my face as I watch her round the corner, then disappear.
Run, little bunny. I like the chase.
∞∞∞
Chapter 8 ~ Isabella
My heart is beating so fast I can hear it ringing in my ears. I am running blindly now, every step I take, getting faster to get away from Alexander.
He terrifies me, bringing up the past I fought so hard to move forward from, to forget.
