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The night before, we were both too exhausted for me to give Isabelle a tour of the estate. The following morning, I set an alarm so I could get up and go running on the estate grounds before she woke up. When the alarm went off, she stirred but soon settled back to sleep. I stroked her cheek with my fingers then placed a kiss on her lips.
“I’ll be back. Sleep some more.”
She grumbled something incoherent that almost sounded like anI love you, but I was unsure. Slipping out of bed, I crept over to my bag, taking out a white tank top, grey sweatpants, and some white Adidas running shoes. As quietly as I could be, I slipped them on and made my way downstairs.
Noah was sitting at the kitchen table in the dark. The sun had not quite risen all the way just yet. Dim lighting shone in enough to create a silhouette, but his phone illuminated his face. I flipped on a light.
“You’re up early.” He never took his eyes off the screen.
“I want to go running.”
“I’m sure Joseph will love that.”
I stepped over the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water. “Actually, I was going to take you instead.”
“Oh.”
“You said you wanted to talk to me, and we never got the chance.”
“It’s okay.” He sighed, striding to the trash can and tossing his garbage away. “It’s not that important any longer.”
I arched a brow, sliding my hands in my pockets. “Well, let’s go running.”
He bowed his head, holding his hands out as he looked down at his outfit. “I’m already dressed to go. I was planning on going myself.”
“Good.”
I led him through the house to the back door and outside. The aroma of my Italian home was something I would never grow tired of. It was one of the reasons I chose the estate I did back in New York. It reminded me a lot of here. The scent of flowers and fresh air filled the atmosphere. The early morning dew on the grass created a shimmering layer of diamonds across the grounds.
Noah and I stepped onto the path.
The sound of people coming outside caught our attention before we were able to take off running. Two of my other security detail crossed their arms. I appreciated them always having my back, but I was in the one place I never needed security; around the grounds. They were posted everywhere, and I was free to roam around unprotected. Noah was with me as well. If anything, one would suffice.
“Noah has got this. This place is the safest place I can be.”
“Joseph ordered us to accompany you.”
“There is security and cameras all over the grounds. They live here. I will be fine. Trust me. Joseph knows that.”
Slowly, they exchanged a glance and shrug before they respected my wishes and disappeared inside. Letting out a frustrated breath, I pivoted around. Noah snorted and pulled his phone out of his pocket. I knew he was probably checking to see if Laura had contacted him.
“We can start with a walk so you can talk.”
“Boss, I told you it’s not import—”
“Bullshit.” Had I not left my cigarettes inside, I would have lit one. I felt like Noah was now hiding things again and was determined to frustrate me to death. “What are you hiding, Noah?”
He huffed, coming to a stop with his hands on his hips. He turned to me sluggishly with his jaw tightened. “Sir, I was going to ask your formal permission to be exclusive with your sister.”
Swallowing hard, I cleared my throat. “I assumed since you were always sleeping with her, you were committed to her.” Anger began to simmer inside me. “Have you been fucking around on her?”
“What?” He took a step back. “No, no.” He shook his hands. “Actually, we had a long discussion about my job, being related to Isabelle and also respecting you.”
I jerked my head toward the path. We began to stroll leisurely. “I don’t follow.”
“We were becoming rather addicted to one another.”
“Okay, I don’t need the details. Just move on.”
