Arrangement with a Billionaire (Bad Boy Billionaire Brothers Book 1) COMPLETE

Chapter Thirty-Two - Growing On Me

Chapter Thirty-Two

Isla didn't think it could get any more awkward after that. She, Orlando and Martina were all silent, while Orlando still looked incredibly angry.

Pissed off was more like it. She didn't know the man so well, but she'd also never seen him look like that before.

Everyone had a temper, and everyone could only be pushed so far, she supposed.

"Orlando, seriously, I am sorry," Isla said. She wasn't here to make enemies, or to make anyone else's lives harder. Especially not for Orlando or Arturo. Not even for Silvio, and she'd only seen his face once before. She didn't even want to make Sebastian miserable, though he probably deserved it since he was an asshole.

There was something about this family that pulled at her, made her want to...not protect them, that didn't make any sense, but at least ease some of the pain.

Orlando shook his head. "Forget about it. Martina, are you okay?"

His voice noticeably softened for the other woman, as did his expression.

For the first time, Isla took note that Martina was trembling slightly. The look on her face, the way her eyes shone...Isla was gutted at the sight.

Martina sucked in a deep breath, shook her head, and turned to leave without saying another word.

"Martina," Orlando called, but she didn't stop.

She did, however, call back behind her. "I am very well, Orlando. You go into the kitchen, and I will bring you something hot to drink, yes?"

Orlando didn't say another word. Isla got the feeling that was only because he figured Martina wouldn't come back.

Isla knew why. She knew the look of a woman who wanted to cry in private. Martina was very clearly not the sort of woman to just sob when there were people around her.

Isla opened her mouth to say something, anything, but then shut it again before more than a tiny croak could come out.

Orlando looked at her questioningly, but she just looked away from him.

Too embarrassing. That was too embarrassing. What the hell did she think she was going to say that would make all of this better? She was an interloper here.

But she still had to say something. "I'm sure she'll be all right," Isla said.

And because she was that pathetic, it came out sounding a lot more like a question than a statement.

Orlando bit his lips together. "She's...Martina is as good as my mother. She doesn't deserve to be treated like that."

"I...are you going to invite Sebastian back here?"

"No," Orlando said, and then gave her a curious look before he too walked off.

In Martina's direction. Isla wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do, other than try to comfort the woman he'd just described as being like a mother.

*****

And so, Isla went on a spectacular adventure where she stayed in her room until it was time for her to come out and have dinner with Arturo and her parents.

Yeah, it had been kind of boring whenever she tried to put out of her mind why she'd just walked in on.

She didn't even text Jane because it was too embarrassing. She didn't know what to say, and she only knew that whatever she said would just have Jane coming back with support. Telling her things like how it wasn't her fault, it was an accident. Basically, being a good friend.