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“But he didn’t. He kept selling drugs and getting money, so of course we became enemies. I don’t like him; I hate him, and I don’t understand why he acts like we’re not enemies when I know he’s hurt my feelings.
After that, no one said anything, and Kade didn’t want to look down at the little girl in his lap.
After hearing the traumatic story, Isla didn’t know what to say.
Kade was adopted? He killed his dad?
She couldn’t think straight, and she really didn’t know what to say.
“Did he tell you why he didn’t help you when you were kids?””
Isla finally asked in a soft voice.
Kade rolled his eyes when she asked.
“No, and I don’t want to hear it.”
“But don’t you think he will get what you’re saying if you talk to him about it?”She asked again.
Kade furrowed his brows and hardened his gaze in defence. He knew what she was saying was true, but he wasn’t ready to admit it.
“Baby, I know you’re trying to help, but the last thing I want to do is be near him.”
Isla bit her lip and nodded before pressing again. “I-I just think that you would be happier if you didn’t hate anyone.” “I don’t want you to be angry all the time,” she said carefully.
Kade sighed and played with the ends of her hair. “I know, baby, but it’s more than that.” He has been working with other people to try to kill me. You can’t forgive that.
Isla pulled on her sleeves and opened her mouth slowly. “How do you know?”
Kade frowned and said, “I just do.”
Isla frowned at his answer but didn’t say anything else. Instead, she reached up and touched his cheek, stroking it gently.
He looked down at her and his eyes softened when she reached out to him.
“Thank you for telling me,” she said after a moment.
Kade nodded without thinking about it and looked away from her blue eyes.
They didn’t talk, but their minds were full of thoughts.
The next day went on as usual, as if nothing had happened.
Isla went to work, and Kade did too. To everyone’s surprise, the energy between them stayed the same.
Isla got a call at the end of her shift. She only ever got one call, so she answered without looking at the caller ID.
“Hey Kade, I’ll be out in a second,” she said quickly as she put on her coat.
“Isla? “It’s Clarice, sweetie,” a woman’s voice said.
Isla stopped moving, and her heart felt like it was going to fall out of her chest.
After a moment, she said, “H-hi.”
Isla hadn’t seen Clarice since they fought and she ran away from the orphanage. She didn’t like how she talked about Kade, and now that she knows how she feels about him, she doesn’t feel safe around her.
“I’m sorry for how things ended between us the last time we saw each other, Isla.” “I didn’t mean to make you so upset; I just don’t want you to get hurt,” Clarice said softly.
Isla nervously bit her lip. She didn’t know what to say.
Finally, Isla whispered, “I love him.” “And I don’t like it when you talk about him like that.”
She could hear Clarice sigh on the other end, but she was surprised by what she said next.
“How about you invite him over for dinner?” “Let’s get to know each other better,” Clarice said in a kind way.
Isla almost gasped at the offer, and she nodded her head before realising that no one else saw it.
“Y-yeah, that would be nice,” she said softly.
“Come over at 6.” Clarice said, “I’ll make you a nice spaghetti dinner, your favourite.” Isla could hear the smile in her voice. “I’ll try to see the good in him, Isla.” “I’ll try for you,” Clarice said.
Isla smiled at what she said because she liked the effort.
“Thanks,” she said as she left the bakery.
“I’m sorry,” Clarice said. “It’s the least I can do.”
Isla hummed when she saw dark hair and tattoos, and then she said a quiet goodbye before hanging up.
“Who were you talking to?”Why did you walk to my car?” he asked.
“Clarice,” she said, her face pressed against his chest.
Kade pushed her back a little so he could see her face.
“Why?”He asked with a look of confusion.
The last time she was with Clarice, she ran away in her pyjamas and then called him.
Isla shrugged and rocked back and forth on her feet.
“She wants to eat.”
She looked down before quickly looking up to meet his gaze.
“With both of us.”
Kade tried not to look too against the idea, but he really didn’t like the woman, especially after how she treated Isla the last time.
“Are you sure? He said carefully, “Things didn’t go so well the last time you talked.”
Isla frowned, but she got what he was saying.
“I know…But I want to believe that she’s trying,” she whispered.
Kade sighed and nodded, then pointed to the car and told her to get in.
“Okay, we’ll have dinner then.”
Isla smiled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him right under the chin.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile before getting into his car.
Kade laughed.
“Of course, baby.”
*************
Isla still hadn’t picked out an outfit by five thirty. She didn’t know why she was making it such a big deal.
Dinner there was normal for her because she had lived there her whole life.
Dinner with Kade and Clarice, on the other hand, was not.
She let out a tired huff and then fell onto the bed.
She looked up at the ceiling and tried to picture herself in different outfits so she wouldn’t have to try them all on.
She suddenly sat up after a minute.
“Finally,” she said with a smile.
She had just thought of the link to the best thing to wear.
Isla was one of those girls who didn’t care how cold it got outside. She would wear her skirts and dresses no matter what the weather was like.
The bathroom door opened just as she was tying the front of her dress.
She looked up and saw Kade in a white button-down shirt and what looked like a new pair of jeans.
“Damn baby, that dress is way too short,” he said as he pushed her against the counter.
Isla turned red and looked down at her feet.
“I-I thought it looked nice,” she said in a low voice.
Kade ran his hand up the side of her thigh and groaned when he felt her panty line under the dress.
He turned her around so that his groin was against her back.
“This dress is more than nice,” he said as he kissed her neck.
He bit her skin and sucked on it, leaving a mark.
Isla let him do what he wanted until she saw what would happen because of it.
“Wait, no,” she said. She pushed him away and out of the cornered position.
Kade frowned but took a step back.
“What’s wrong?”Why?” he asked.
“We’re having dinner soon. “I don’t want Clarice to ask me about the bruises on my neck,” she said clearly.
Kade smiled a little and laugheded. “Later Anonymoused.
Isla didn’t pay attention to what he said and turned around to keep getting ready. She did, however, scream when he slapped her on the back.
Before leaving the bathroom, Kade laughed and waited for Isla to finish getting ready so they could leave.
Isla took a deep breath after he left and looked in the mirror. When she saw a big purple bruise on her face, she gasped in shock. She groaned softly and ran her fingers through her hair to try to hide the bruise.
She never wore makeup, mostly because she couldn’t afford it. She knew she could probably buy some now that she had saved up some money from her job, but since she had never worn it before, she didn’t see the point.
It seemed like a necessary buy now. She looked at the clock and saw that it was almost five fifty, so she didn’t want to be late.