Page 52 of The Den of Sin
Parking the car, I exited and went around to help her out. I extended my hand and she hesitated for a fraction of a second before placing her hand into mine. My fingers wrapped around her slim hand, and the sight of her hand in mine made me want to shout off top of my lungs,Mine.
Yes, my forties turned me into a mellow fucker. Soon, I might be asking for a damn rocking chair. Or maybe it was just Isabella. I didn’t feel the need to be constantly ruthless around her. When I was with her, I wasn’t the mobster. I was Vasili, the man. And God, the way she watched me with those soulful eyes. No other woman had ever looked at me that way - like she sawme. Not the billionaire, not the ruthless mobster, not her best friend’s brother.
“Thank you.”
She didn’t pull her hand out of mine so I took advantage. Hand in hand, we walked to the back of the building where a small patio terrace expanded with small round tables. The view expanded over the river, the weeping willows in the background of the river giving it an enchanted feel. The light breeze that swept through the terrace made it feel like a beach restaurant.
My father used to bring me here when I was a kid and despite all the shit that happened, I loved the memories. I used to bring Tatiana and Sasha here too when they were kids. My father was long disconnected from us by that point.
The place didn’t change much. The owners now were children of my father’s friends, but they kept everything the same.
“This is beautiful.” Isabella’s eyes swept across the restaurant. “Definitely not a hole in the wall.”
“You like it?”
Her dark eyes shone, confirming she did. “I love it!”
“Vasili,” a familiar voice called out and I turned in its direction. It was Ysabel, daughter of my father’s friends. She was in her sixties but looked the same for as long as I could remember. “I can’t believe it is you.”
The woman was smaller than Isabella but she wrapped me into her arms, squeezing tight.
“Hello, Ysabel.”
“I thought you forgot about us. I haven’t seen you here for so long.”
“I’ve been busy. I shouldn’t have stayed away for so long though. I missed your food.” She grinned and her eyes darted to Isabella, her hand still in mine. “Ysabel, this is my friend. Isabella Taylor.”
She eyed her critically as if deciding whether she liked her or not. “She must be important. You never bring girls here.”
Ysabel was right. Isabella wasn’t just any girl.
“Nice to meet you,” Isabella spoke to her, taking her hand out of mine and extending it to Ysabel. I didn’t like the loss of her touch, but I couldn't expect her to hold my hand all day and all night.Hmmm, or maybe I could?
I noticed Isabella didn’t comment on being important. She probably didn’t believe it, but the fact was, she was important. To me she was the most important person in the world.
Ysabel grinned and I knew she liked her. “You too. I hope you make this boy come and see us more often.”
A soft chuckle followed that statement, and I fucking loved hearing Isabella laugh.
“I don’t think anyone makes Vasili do what he doesn’t want to do.”
“Oh, you are right, girl! But you come and he will follow.” They both grinned mischievously and the world seemed so fucking right. “Come, let me show you to your table. I hope you are hungry.”
“Now that I am smelling all the food, I am starving,” Isabella admitted.
Once we were seated, Ysabel left us to it with the excuse she would oversee our food being prepared. It meant she wanted to prepare it herself.
Isabella’s eyes roamed around, soaking it all in. The way the strands of her hair flowed through the breeze, her soft expression on her face and a relaxed smile playing around her lips… I could almost imagine what we could have been if only I didn’t fuck it up.
“My father used to bring me here when I was a kid,” I blurted out, the admission coming out of nowhere. She turned her face to me, curiosity written all over it but she said nothing. “It was when Sasha was just a toddler and before Tatiana was born.”
“This place has been around that long?”
I nodded. “We always sat at this table.”
“I honestly can’t imagine you as a little kid,” she murmured, smiling as she pushed her unruly strands of hair out of her face. “You are so ummm… big.”
“Must be all the spinach Ysabel fed me.”
