Isabella was not interested in falling in love. Marco was not looking for a relationship.
The perfect combination for a foolproof agreement.
Right?
*
Isabella Hammond, the first female billionaire in her city, is a smart, straightforward and stunni...
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EIGHT YEARS AGO
Elliot is in our apartment, talking to Jesse when I finally walk in through the door at night after practice. They're on the couch, Jesse actually sitting and Elliot on the arm of the chair, peering at Jesse's computer. I barely look at them and only nod before kicking the door closed behind me and walking in.
Both of them fall silent, but I don't check on them.
I'm too tired for anything.
I slump my shoulders, happy to be home. All the muscles in my body ache and all I want to do is to collapse into bed and sleep for forty-seven days.
I head straight to the kitchen to get a fix of orange juice wondering whether I should brush my teeth right away to feel alive, unlike the zombie I feel like right now. Standing at the refrigerator, I down almost half of the orange juice, still not registering that the idiots behind me aren't talking.
In fact, I revel in the silence, wanting a clear head. I don't even stop to think that something might be wrong with how they fell silent the moment I walked in.
I look through the shelves for a snack, out of habit and then, I savagely slam the door shut, telling myself that I don't need a snack and that I'm just bored.
When I turn, Elliot is standing, his arms folded over his chest and Jesse has put his laptop on to the coffee table we built.
"What are you shit waffles up to?" I ask, tiredly, rubbing my eyes with the base of palms.
I blink rapidly and look up to see them exchange a glance. Looking from Jesse to Elliot, I hold out my hands. "What?"
Elliot takes a step forward. He's got a small frown on his face. It's the one that crosses his face when he's thinking deeply. He clears his throat.
He tells me two words that make me forget all my tiredness.
"Lily's here."
I can't stop the smile that begins to come on to my face.
Lily is here.
My angel is here.
That's when I realize that neither of them is smiling.
My smile drops.
"What's wrong?"
They exchange another look.
"She's, uh," Jesse falters as he stands, "She's upset, Marco. She turned up about two hours ago asking to see you and I told her that you were at practice and she said she knew that, but she was hoping you had gotten home. She looked like she had been crying, Marco. When I told her that you're not here, she asked if she could lie down in your room, so I let her. We tried to ask her if she wanted anything, but she said she just wants to see you. I think she fell asleep a while ago."
