Page 65 of Violent Attraction

She gives me a look of concern and eventually gives me a nod.

With a small smile from me, I turn back and finish up my portion of the altar.

I’m so enthralled in the flower making that when I hear my name, it takes me off guard, especially when I hear the voice that says it.

“Isabella.” His voice sounds far away, but even then, I still feel it caress every single inch of skin that I have exposed.

“Yes?” I don’t turn to face him. I can’t. This is the first time in months that he has addressed me. I can’t turn and show him what hearing him say my name does to me.

“Your father wants to see you.” My back gets more tense when he says those words.

The last time my father wanted to see me, he announced that I would be engaged to Emilio soon.

Why is he summoning me now?

I try to remember back to that lovely meeting, and all I can hear my father say is that in a few weeks’ time, we would be engaged.

Is that time now?

It has to be, it’s the only reason that he would be sending Santos to come get me.

Fuck.

“Isabella.” Santos’ voice comes out in a no bullshit way. Which makes me realize that instead of turning to him and giving him an answer, I continued doing what I was doing.

Even as I hear the impatience in his voice I still don’t turn.

I’m not going to be answering a man that has not said a word to me in months.

I know he’s up to something, but he still threw us away like pieces of trash that didn’t mean anything.

Four years together meant something.

“Bella!” He yells out the name and I go absolutely still.

He called me bella.

He knows what that name means to me, he knows how much hearing that name affects me, and he used it on me to get what he wants.

Fuck him.

He doesn’t deserve to say that name. Not right now at least.

I close my eyes and I take a few deep breaths trying to collect myself before I turn to face him.

Very briefly, I catch a glimpse of Serena, who is staring at me like she is wondering what is happening. I can see her putting together the puzzle pieces in her head.

“¿Qué quieres Santiago?” He called me bella, I have every right to call him by his full name.

He looks at me with ferocity. His lips are in a tight line and his jaw looks like it’s about to break with how he is grinding his teeth.

“Your father wants to see you. Now.” He grinds out.

I don’t make the effort to even move an inch, I just continue to stand there, staring at the man that left me when I needed him most.

I know why my father is calling for me. I know what will happen the second I step foot into his office, and I just want to drop down to the ground and let out the sob that has been brewing in me for months. But I don’t.

Because that is not the woman my mother raised.