“Because I fucking don’t. I’m glad I want nothing to do with you because you’re batshit crazy. Now leave before I call the cops.” I turn around and storm back into my restaurant, and the power goes out. Fuck. It comes on a minute later, and I see my guests have had enough. “Sorry about the lighting.” Just as I finish, there’s a loud crack in the sky. A late fall rainstorm. I feel it in my soul. “Please finish your meals and drive safe. It looks to be a rough night.”
Going into the kitchen, I help the staff with the rest of the dinners until an email hits my phone from Anabelle. I excuse myself and go into my office to have my second fight of the night. I should have run after Anabelle, but my dick had been so hard that I couldn’t stand for a second, but as I saw the look on my future wife’s face, everything deflated, and then rage followed.
If that bitch ruined any chance I have with Anabelle, I’ll destroy her career.
****
It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m on my way to Anabelle’s house that she shares with Isabelle. The weather’s shit, and the storm’s came up faster than the forecasters had predicted.
Anabelle and I haven’t spoken since that day, but I figured I’d let her cool off before my holiday trickery was ruined. My brother’s happiness matters more than my own at the moment. He’s waited long enough, and I didn’t want to ruin this for him.
As I get closer, I call Isabelle to check on her. What I hear scares the hell out of me, so I call my brother and demand he act. I stay on the phone with her until my brother arrives, even though I’ve been sitting in their driveway for the past five minutes.
Now, I need to check on Anabelle. She answers the door, rubbing her eyes, looking adorable in her Christmas pajamas, but now isn’t the time to let my feelings loose. This is about Isabelle, and I have to tell her, so I push my way into the house before she can slam the door on me.
“We need to talk,” I demand, taking off my scarf.
“I have nothing to say to you. Just give me the address and leave.”
“It’s not about us. This is about Isabelle. She’s been in an accident.” Anabelle’s eyes widen and then go blank as she collapses. Thankfully, I catch her. Fuck, way to be subtle.
“Amore, por favore. My love, please wake up.” I press my hand to her throat to read her pulse and then press my lips to hers.
Slowly, her eyes flutter open and she recovers. “What’s going on? We need to get to her.”
“She’s with my brother. He’s got her safely at his house. She slid off the road because the weather conditions are worse than they are here, but it doesn’t look like it anymore.” The sky has gotten cloudy as the snow falls heavily onto the ground.
“I need to get to her.” She storms into the other room. I call my brother and see what’s going on. Of course he’s fucking pissed at me. My phone buzzes in my pocket as soon as the call ends. It’s a weather alert—the roads to his home are now closed. “Fuck,” I mutter. I wanted to give them a chance to speak, not lose out on Christmas as a family. It’s a big deal for our mother, who demands that we get together.
“Let’s go.”
“It looks like we’re not going anywhere.”
“What do you mean? Give me the address and I’ll drive my damn self.” She huffs, nudging me with her shoulder to move around me, but I’ve had enough. I turn and pull her back against my chest. I’m covered in snow and water as I hold her against me. I brush her hair to the side, and say, “Enough, Anabelle. You can fight me all you want, but we’re not going anywhere until we get this shit straightened out.”
“I need to see my sister.”
“Not happening. The road’s impassable.” I show her my phone without letting go of my other hand around her waist. “We’ll go as soon as they clear.”
“But…”
“But nothing. Now, this thing between us needs to be handled,” I insist, holding her close. I’ve missed her so much that I can’t sleep.
“There’s nothing between us but your damn wet clothes, soaking me and my floor. It would be great if you left.” She shoves me away.
“Not going to happen.” I drag her back to me, needing her to understand how serious I am about her.
“I wish you would just go.” Fuck. The crack in her voice destroys me. I release my hold on her.
“I can’t leave you. There’s something you should see.” She turns around, and I dig in my coat and pull out a piece of paper and hand it to her.