Page 106 of Prelude To You

It was more of a statement than a question. And Steven couldn’t look more indifferent than at that very moment.

He shrugged with a challenging glare. “Someone had to defuse the situation. That’s what I do. What was it with you writing that foolish note to her, Roman? You will not be seeing her one day, and there will not be a repeat of this scenario ever again. Now we can only hope that there are no repercussions for you failing to use protection. Which now means more unnecessary things that need to be done to make sure everything is fine.”

I stood up and walked over to Steven. It took everything in me not to punch him in the face. “What did you do? What the fuck did you say to Isabel?”

“It was made clear that she shouldn’t take that note to heart and hope for a fairytale ending, because there wasn’t going to be one. I left no doubt that this was the end of the road for you and her.”

When I grabbed Steven by the collar, he didn’t move, but his eyes became slits. “Roman, you don’t want to do this. You can’t handle me. And I don’t want to hurt you.”

He was right. Even if I could hold my own with most, few could stand up to Steven. He was pure street in a bespoke suit. A wave of desperation assaulted me, rushing to the ends of my fingertips. This was not how I wanted it to end, with Isabel detesting me.

I wanted her to remember what I remembered. Those moments when nothing else mattered, and we were the only two people in the world. All of it destroyed now. I couldn’t imagine Isabel’s confusion when Steven confronted her. As if it wasn’t torture enough to wake up alone after our spectacular night.

“Breathe, Roman,” Steven said as if a curtain had come down after the final act. “It’s over. Now we simply go on.”

I went back to my desk and refused to look at him. “Get out. Now.”

“You need to have some tests done after your insane decision to fuck this woman without protection. I’ll have a doctor come in tomorrow.”

All of my resentment and anguish boiled to the surface. “I said get the fuck out. And I meannow.”

He abided. I never heard him walk out, only the quiet click when the door closed behind him at the far end of the room.

I found the camera footage again and zoomed in closer on Isabel, as if that might convince me she was okay, even after the ordeal with Steven. I watched in horror as her misery glared back at me. Those big eyes that hours ago reflected such immense pleasure, were now filled with utter devastation. Iconsidered finding her and telling her it wasn’t supposed to end this way.

I don’t know how long I sat there, reasoning with myself and trying to figure out what would be best for Isabel. Rushing back into her life and trying to make her feel better, was probably not the best idea. But leaving things as they were wasn’t an option either.

One thing I had the power to do was make her life easier. Ensure that she got a job as a pastry chef,wherevershe wanted. There was even a brief moment when I considered creating a position just for her at the hotel.

I remember her scathing review of the French pastries, and indulged the memory for a few seconds. She knew what she was talking about, and she’d be an asset to the hotel. But knowing Isabel, if she found out who owned the place, her ire would have no boundaries.

I’d messaged Kayla earlier in the evening, asking her to find out which pastry chef had been fired last night, and by which restaurant. Now I needed the name of the asshole responsible for blacklisting Isabel, because he needed to be introduced to his new life on the street. And I wanted to know who owned the place.

What use was all this power if I couldn’t use it to create different circumstances, and get Isabel back into her dream profession? Not that I felt better by any means, but I wanted to believe that all of this would be beneficial for her. And make the devastation more tolerable.

I’d frozen the video at the moment she inadvertently looked into the camera. Now I zoomed in until her face filled the big screen. I was confused by all this sentiment interfering with my otherwise detached existence. What was it about her that made me doubt my predetermined path in life?

All I could hope for was that she’d be okay, and that this night would evolve into a pleasant memory for us both. I didn’t want to consider that I might be forever haunted by that face on the screen.

28

ISABEL

“So let me get this straight,” Meg said, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “He dragged you into this fancy hotel, took you to an auction where he proceeded to buy you a pricy piece of jewelry, and then he took you to the penthouse suite in the Belmont Hotel, where he wined and dined you and gave you the best time of your life…”

“A few hours of bliss in exchange for a lifetime of agony,” I said. “I knew it was going to be difficult, but I never imagined it would feel like this. And why did he turn out to be such a bastard?”

“I don’t know, Isabel, but from what you’re telling me it all sounds like it was crazy romantic, unless you’re leaving out some sordid detail like him insisting you share a crack pipe he picked up off the sidewalk. I mean you can see where I’m going with this…”

“He just left, Meg. He didn’t even say goodbye. And then he had that soulless viper come in.”

“Listen I get it. But this Steven douchebag was probably just looking out for his employer. You have to figure these days somewomen might be up to some shady shit when they meet a super wealthy guy.”

“I couldn’t give a damn if he was wealthy, you should know that,” I said, fresh tears streaming down my face. “I wish he wasn’t…”

“Isabel, please stop crying like this,” Meg begged me. “You’re scaring me.”

“I’ve never felt like this about anyone, Meg. And now nothing about it feels real.”

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