Until Her - Ami Van Page 0,16
fork Chase’s eyeballs out with the fork in his hand.
Where the fuck did that thought come from?
The sound of Isabella from across the table clearing her throat only earns her a scowl from him. He looks at her and yes, Isabella is a stunning beauty by her own right but behind the mask is a very cunning woman. A woman who knows what she wants and what she wants is power. He’d steered clear of women like her his whole adult life and now? He’s about to be stuck with one.
Fuck his life.
Movement from the corner of his eyes draws his attention. Stella is taking her seat to his left, next to her husband at the head of the table. Instinctively, both he and Derrick pat the top of each of her hands, silently thanking her.
Stella’s thumb brushes over his for encouragement. She, too, is cunning but trustworthy. And right now, she’s up to something. He can feel it in his bones. He makes a mental note to pry it out of her.
“Well, darling,” Isabella says with her high-pitched voice.
He looks up assuming she was talking to him but finds her paying her attention to Jazzy.
“Jasmine,” he says to his daughter. “Please say hello to Ms. Isabella.”
“I’m Jasmine,” she introduces herself. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Isabella.”
“I’m sure we will have much time to get better acquainted, my dear,” Isabella replies. Her response makes his skin crawl. “Now, if everyone is present, might we start dinner. It’s rude to keep adults waiting at the table.”
What the fuck!
As if this is her house or her table to say when anyone can or cannot eat. Especially since her brother has been stuffing his fucking face before anyone else has even picked up their glasses. The arrogant and classless bastard even picks up his wine glass and holds it to a toast, to which no one pays him any attention.
He admittedly didn’t pay anyone attention throughout dinner. Conversations were at a minimum anyway with Cristian, who of course, finished dinner before anyone else, chatting away his bullshit. His plans for expansion are ridiculous and his dreams of running the Romano empire were fruitless. Nothing more than an entitled child’s pipe dream. The asshole didn’t even want to put in the work. Many times he heard Cristian openly indicating his hopes of having Kings’ allies doing the grunt work for him.
Because that’s what bosses do. They have other people do the dirty work.
That’s sarcasm by the way.
Kings didn’t get this high up the food chain by not getting their own hands dirty.
Cristian needs to be taught that lesson. It makes him wonder how the fuck Pietro raised his son, the heir to his empire. Cristian is nothing more than a joke in a tailored suit. Come to think of it, something must have happened for Matteo Romano to be appointed head of the family otherwise Cristian would have held the title.
His attention yields to Ariana. Not for the first time.
She’s currently splitting her dessert with Jazzy who seems far too happy to be getting extra sugar for the night. The two seem to be genuinely enjoying each other’s company and it tugs at his heartstrings. He knew a heart exists within him…somewhere. He loves his family profoundly but this is the first time that Jazzy is this way with anyone outside of his family.
“Jazzy,” he cuts in with a bit of jealousy. Jealous of Jazzy or jealous of Ariana. He hasn’t quite figured that part out yet. “After that last bite, you have to get ready for bed,” he tells her. “You have two tests tomorrow.”
“Ugh! I know, Dad!” she snarks at him with her cute little pout. “Can Ariana go over my homework? Please? That way, you can spend more time with…”
Her eyes dart over to Isabella.
“Ms. Isabella,” she finishes. Isabella, who didn’t say more than a few more words to Jazzy throughout dinner.
“Ariana is my assistant,” Isabella retorts like a petulant child. “It would be nice to ask me for permission.”
He sees Jazzy’s lips tighten together at the scolding.
Who the fuck does this wench think she is? It was merely a child’s question. There was no need for the scolding or show of power.
“Of course, she can,” Stella replies immediately. “You can take Ariana up and show her around your room and your wing too when you’re done.”
Isabella seems ready for an immediate retaliation but Stella immediately gets out of her seat with a loud scraping of her chair, cutting Isabella off