Chapter 14: In Which She advances

Isla looked at herself in the mirror running the palm of her hand over the soft velvet fur of her blush pink dress that fitted her form perfectly, doing wonders for her figure. It was a gift from her dad waiting in her room when she got back from their little chat.

But Isla was unhappy. She had a frown etched on her face as she played out different scenarios of how this meeting with her fiancé after two straight years might go and none of them seemed to end well.

Putting on one last coat of peach lip shine she headed out of her room deciding to face her reality and at least get this meeting over and done with. With any luck either she'll meet him again after a long six months on their wedding or not at all.

She'd definitely prefer the latter.

Outside her room, Alexander stood guard waiting for her, not in a very good mood himself either knowing that Isla was going to meet the man who is her fiancé but she is actually being forced to meet him and there's not much he could do about it.

When Isla stepped out of the room, a glance at her and he couldn't take his eyes off of her, shamelessly checking her out which did not go unnoticed by Isla who looked like every bit the little nymph as she blushed under his gaze.

However, he was soon again reminded of the fact that she was going to meet another man, her potential husband in this case in that dress and the mere thought made his jaw clench so hard in anger that his teeth powdered.

His feelings for her were undoubtedly very strong.

"Miss Gambino, the car is waiting outside for you" a guard came in and conveyed the message. She nodded, falling in step in front of Alexander, him close behind.

Alexander took a step ahead of her as they neared the Escalade, holding the door open for her as she mumbled a quiet thank you while getting inside.

Alexander got in beside her as another armed guard got in the passenger seat adjacent to the chauffeur.

There was definitely an awkward silence the whole drive to the dock with Isla constantly fidgeting nervously making Alexander's hands itch to hold hers in order to ease her nerves a little.

Jamerson has invited Isla to his private cruise for lunch. When Isla has seen him last time and they had gotten engaged, neither of them had much of a conversation which mainly had been Isla's own fault considering she had a panic attack after that and was taken him after which Jamerson had left for Italy and they had never interacted in any way after that.

A part of Isla had even thought that maybe just maybe she wasn't promised to Jamerson anymore considering that her dad hadn't mentioned him in front of her during those two years either.

Isla remembered Jamerson vaguely, that blonde hair and handsome face but she never remembered his personality, probably because she never even had the chance to interact with him in person before she was shoved into an engagement that had her so distraught that she just wanted out of there.

The car came to a halt in front of the dock and yachts as well as other types of boats and cruises came into view.

Isla gulped down the knot rising in her throat and took a deep breath, gathering all the inner courage she had as Alexander stood outside, waiting patiently for her with the door and an extended hand in order to help her out of the car.

She looked at him for a moment then his extended hand as she received a reassuring nod from and placed her hand in his letting him help her out of the car.

He is here, nothing too bad will happen. Alex is right here, she chanted to herself.

They walked a little as one of Jamerson Siegel's men led them to the cruise that she was going to have lunch with him at.

The cruise in front of them was huge but of course neither of them had expected any less and Isla wasn't even surprised considering she was used to the glamour.

They walked up the steps of them cruise Isla between the guard in front of her and Alexander at her back.

"Mr. Siegel, Miss. Gambino is here" the man who was leading them said to the man who had his back turned towards them as he looked at the view of the ocean.

He turned around, a charming smile taking its place on his face as he buttoned up his suit making his way towards Isla, her hands getting extra clammy at the sight of the approaching man.

"There's my lovely fiancé, you look stunning darling" he said, an accent that she couldn't pin point tinged his voice as he held out a hand for her.

She looked at him then his hand and then him again. He may have had a charming smile on his face but there was something wicked shining through his eyes in the way he shamelessly looked her up and down.

All the while Alexander hands were clenched in tight fists, knuckles white behind his back and fury shining in his eyes.

Isla didn't really have a choice but to put her hand in his as he guided her up the stairs and onto the cruise, Alexander following right behind.

"You can stay here, I assure you she is completely safe with me" Jamerson told Alexander as Isla stood beside him.

Isla was practically pleading Alexander with her eyes to stay close and there was no way in hell he was gonna stray too far away.

"I am her personal bodyguard, I have orders to keep her in sight at all times, Sir" the air was forced out.

"If that's so you can stand here, keep an eye from a distance and not hover over our heads like an annoying mosquito" Jamerson said his tone cocky and final.

As much as Alexander wanted to beat the wits out of him he reigned in his anger and stood at the entrance of the cruise as averting his gaze from Jamerson and resting his eyes on Isla, meeting her nervous gaze and giving her that reassuring nod that seem to give her a boost of courage.

Jamerson pulled Isla with him to a table where a beautiful vase was kept atop of it. The table was like a booth at a restaurant with a leather couch and a canopy providing shade on the area.

He ushered her to slide in and take a seat before he did so himself as well, taking a seat right beside her, too close for her comfort that it had her squirming.

She couldn't move away either considering the arm he snaked around her waist constricting her to one place.

"Lunch will be out shortly my dear, meanwhile tell me what you have been up to these two years?" He asked trying to get her to talk to him.

"N...nothing really" was all she said.

"Well... there has to be something new. We are to be wed you can share with me" Jamerson coaxed, his gaze so scrutinising that it made her feel like running far away.

"Nothing h...happened" she said, she was not comfortable and making conversation with him felt like such a difficult task as he let out a frustrated sigh at her vague answer.

"Look darling, I am being very good to you and I am trying to make conversation. I don't like your attitude and I won't tolerate your vague answers when I am actually making an effort to get to know you, if I wanted, I would have just bedded you after all you look ravishing" he said his mouth pulling into a smirk as Isla gulped down her fear and gave a slight nod of her head.

After that he made decent conversation and Isla tried her best to give at least one line answers to keep him satisfied which actually seemed to be working.

All the while Alexander kept a watchful gaze from a distance and even though he wasn't happy with the lack of distance between Jamerson and Isla, he couldn't really do anything about it. This feeling of helplessness was killing him inside.

Moments later the lunch was set on the table, different sandwiches, fruits and Russian salad along with expensive caviar which Isla picked up to taste since her throat was patched but upon taking a single sip she grimaced and kept it back.

"Oh darling, you'll have to be much more graceful than that when we're married, this is expensive caviar, it will be served at dinner parties and you'd have to get used to it. I don't want my wife to be unappreciative of good wine" Jamerson said making Isla look down in shame.

"Forget about that, I am gonna feed you with my own hands" he said before picking up a sandwich and holding it to her mouth.

She had lost whatever appetite she actually had but had no choice but to take a small bite. After the sandwich was finished he wickedly held a strawberry to her mouth making her look at him to protest but the look he gave her was wicked enough to shut her up as she took a bite out of the strawberry but he didn't pull it away instead he traced the remaining strawberry on her plump lips spreading the red colour making her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"God you're beautiful, I won't bed you till our wedding day yet but there are still things I could do with you" he said, list glazing his eyes as he looked at the fearful die eyed girl. Her fear and innocence only turning him on further.

It all happened so quick, he groped her breast with one hand while the other made its way down to her panties as he leaned in to kiss her but Isla jerked away sliding right out the booth, him sliding out right after her.

"Oh you're not getting anywhere till I have had a taste of you" that wicked glint in his eyes made Isla all the more fearful as he started advancing towards her but halted in his steps when Alexander stood in front of , caging her behind him protectively.

"Miss Gambino wishes to go home now, I advise you to stay away from her now" Alexander said, face stone cold and tone icy.

"Get away from her, don't disobey my orders I'll have you loose your job" Jamerson threatened.

"I am not in your payroll sir and I am obligated to obey Miss Gambino and protect her" Alexander stood his ground.

"You bastard" Jamerson was gonna lunge for her and Alexander wanted him to make the first move which would give Alexander a reason to beat the crap out of Jamerson for what he just pulled off with Isla.

However, he composed himself making a better judgement.

"You. I'll remember you, she will be my wife some day" Jamerson said smugly but Alexander paid no heed to his words as he escorted a shaking Isla off the cruise as she clung to his arm.

Isla got inside the car first, the seating arrangement just as before with Alexander sitting beside her, however, this time she pulled up the partition button as Alexander got in, separating the two of them from the people sitting in the front.

Alexander looked at her and in an instant she matched herself onto him half way on his lap taking him by surprise but he didn't pull away as she cried on him. He wrapped his arms around her and this time she completely crawled into his lap as he held her right against him.

She had gone through a lot for the day.

"Shh shh you're okay now" he consoled like he had previously wanted to.

"H...he t...touched me" she said in between sobs.

"I know I know... I am sorry" Alexander said feeling guilty for not reaching her in time but he was too quick.

He held her rocking back and forth slightly as the car moved and she cried in his arms for a while before her sons quietened down.

She pulled away slightly, just enough to look at Alexander who was already meeting her gaze.

There faces were so close that Isla could feel his warm minty breath on her face and it somehow made her feel calm but at the same time her heartbeat was so erratic as she saw Alexander's eyes avert to her lips involuntarily and so did her to his lips but as much as Alexander wanted to claim her lips first, he kept his control.

However, Isla wasn't able to do the same as she hesitantly but surely leaned up and connected her lips with his.

That's all the consent Alexander needed as he pulled her flush against him.

She parted her lips and felt him washing over like a wave of warmth, his lips rough but soft at the same time against her plush red ones, curling her toes, unfurling all her senses as the taste of him nearly silenced all thoughts.

Her whole body tingled, the feel of his frame leaning on hers as his arms wrapped around her felt nearly forbidden. He pulled her in, claiming her mouth again, hungry and intense. He never wanted to stop, he had a new found addiction.

Forbidden, but it felt so right and damn it he didn't give a fuck anymore.