Until Her - Ami Van Page 0,14
on its own and Ariana steps out.
Ariana has crossed his mind many times these past couple of weeks. He’s strangely and curiously staggered why she’s here. And even more, astonished at the outfit she’s chosen.
A black leather skirt that would be too short even on Jazzy IF he ever allowed his daughter to wear something like that. On top, she’s got on a black lace halter top with a zipper straight down the middle. Completely inappropriate for any venue other than a dive bar in the southside of town.
And to answer…NO…he would never let his daughter step out of the house like that. Not now when she’s ten. Not when she’s eighteen. And probably not even when she’s forty.
Who the fuck does this woman think she is, coming to his home dressed like this? Isabella clearly doesn’t have a tight hold on her pet.
Cristian and Isabella take the steps to meet him and Derrick while Ariana slowly follows behind them. While the siblings look smug and confident, Ariana’s focus is on her feet. Slowly placing one before the other with her fingers wringing nervously. She didn’t look one bit comfortable to be here. He hopes to hell she isn’t high, especially with Jazzy here. But the way she’s fiercely trying to focus on her walk tells him otherwise.
“Kings,” Cristian greets them first, extending his perfectly manicured hand for a shake.
Derrick doesn’t even acknowledge it. His twin brother simply sticks his hand in his pocket and gives Cristian a nod with a mumbled greeting. The move makes him grin when he sees Cristian scowl as he tries to subtly retreat.
“Boys,” Isabella greets them.
It’s annoying as fuck to hear her call them that as if they’re meeting up at the fucking sandbox in a schoolyard but he shrugs it off. Now’s not the time to teach her a few things about how shit works around here.
“I hope the trip wasn’t too bad,” he says as politely as possible. He may not like the situation but he can still be civil…for now.
“It’s better now,” Isabella replies with a sultry voice as she slides in between him and Derrick. Her hands immediately slide over each of their arms. “It’s hard to tell the two of you apart from so far away,” she says.
“Shouldn’t be too hard to do that when one wears a wedding band,” Stella’s playful voice says from behind them.
Derrick pulls out of Isabella’s grip as if she’d branded him with a hot iron. He didn’t fault his brother. He didn’t want to be touched by her right now either but he should probably get used to it.
They turn around to face Stella and Derrick struts over to his wife who is politely smiling at their guests.
“You must be Isabella,” Stella says with an outstretched hand.
He observes Isabella take Stella’s hand in a firm grip. It doesn’t seem to faze Stella one bit though. He chuckles lightly to himself, proud of his sister.
“And you are?” Isabella asks as if she didn’t already know but she’s already working on making Mrs. King feel insignificant. Good luck to her. Stella’s a lioness when she needs to be, otherwise, why show your hand when you don’t need to?
“My wife,” Derrick growls out. “Mrs. Stellina King.”
“Ah,” Isabella replies with indifference. “Stellina, un nome Italiano.” An Italian name.
“Puoi chiamarmi, Stella,” she fluently replies, taking her hand back. You can call me, Stella.
He catches a moment of shock on Isabella’s face. Her show of power isn’t going quite as well as she’d plan, he’d bet. He can feel the tension building or was it the tightening of Isabella’s grip? Whatever it is, he’s getting joy from it.
“Or King, like everyone else,” Rory adds from behind his best friend and lieutenant.
That’s right, Stella still stands as Rory’s second-in-command even as Derrick’s wife.
“King, as you would address the rest of us in business,” Rory adds.
“Well, then,” Cristian says before stepping up to meet Stella. “I’m Cristian, my dear.”
Cristian doesn’t even wait for her to fully outstretch her hand but takes it and brings it right to his lips. He nearly brushes his lips on her knuckles but Stella manages to pull away before that happens.
“Welcome to our home,” Stella tells the Romano siblings.
“Can we get this show started?” Chase grunts from next to Ro. “I’m hungry and I need to be at the club soon.”
“And you are?” Stella asks, looking just past everyone.
He turns around to see Ariana standing still as a statute and as pale as their marble floors.