Chapter 7 Defending Her

But one thing was sure: her stepmother was eyeing him to be Camilla's wealthy husband. But how could that be possible if it's true that I was married to him?

Oh, I'm having goosebumps now. She shook herself with that idea. She was in such meditation when suddenly the door of her room opened. Camilla got in without knocking on her door.

"What do you want, Camilla?" She asked curiously because she had only entered her room a few times. But she understood what made her stepsister visit her room frantic.

"What's going on between you and my stepbrother? Are you dating Aleks?" She asked somewhat in haste. Her body was leaning against the doorknob.

"Why do you care to know, Camilla?" She replied, studying the expression on her stepsister's face.

"Whatever you're planning, stop it if it has anything to do with Aleks. I won't leave him to you, even if we both die. He's mine, Iza. Only mine."

"Go and take him, Cam," she answered casually. "The question is, does Aleks want to claim you too?"

"Bitch! I'm going to report you to Mommy."

She was surprised Camilla did not bang on her bedroom door when she left.

Her eyes rolled in the air. She was used to this attitude of her stepsister. She wondered if her stepmother would reprimand her like in the old days. It's been a long since her stepmother hadn't pitched her ear delicately.

The moment Izabella got out of the house, Aleksander walked towards her. They walked in silence.

"You seemed miles away," commented.

She stopped walking as they were making their way to the car. Aleksander glanced at her. Silently, the man's brows met.

"Don't laugh at me, but I want to clear one thing," she said gently.

"Feel free. What is it about?"

"How did you know where I live?"

"I know since I arrived at the stadium yesterday."

She gasped at that knowledge. "So, it's like you've been stalking me?"

"No. I arrived yesterday from Greece. I was supposed to attend your graduation, but I felt I should wait until we talked. And I was planning to yesterday when I followed your gathering in that hotel, but as you bumped into me, I saw in your eyes that you didn't recognize me. I went early to visit you, but Mindy said you left so early. And then I found you on the street...:

His tone had an accusing manner, making her blush.

"I see. But I'm not coming back to your office. I have no interest in working-"

"With me?" Alexander cut her off. "That's not surprising to hear it from you, and I won't compel you to do anything. Izabella, feel free. I would much rather have you stay by my side without serving anyone. You don't have to work as my wife. You can have anything you desire from me. Give it a name."

She emphasized, "I'm not your wife."

"Don't waste your time in that same line since yesterday. I can show you we are married, but I don't have time to discuss that issue. You are my wife, legally speaking."

She gave him a stern look.

"Let's not argue while you're in that condition, not remembering me. You decided to marry me on your own. So far, that's all I have to say. Shanda may attest to it." He spoke as he approached her.

"What?" She snarled when Aleksander's fingers slipped around her waist; she muttered in irritation.

He gave her a wide-eyed stare. "Your sister is headed this way."

"Your sister..." she taunted, frowning. "Isn't she also your sister?"

"How can I treat her as my sibling if she doesn't view me as one?"

"Ah. You want to give her the idea that you like me."

Aleksander stated plainly, "I like you. And I want her to understand that so she won't chase me."

"Ugh. How arrogant you are."

"Izabella, I'm just direct," he added, putting his mouth next to her ear. "I can tell that you knew what she wanted from me."

She could not deny that statement. She knew how her stepmother wanted them both married to a wealthy man. And she could not ignore the fact during their breakfast that her Aunt Esmeralda wanted him for her daughter.

She scowled. The man's proximity made her uneasy, especially when his hot breath touched her earlobe. She thought it was too personal.

He wasn't paying attention to her, and Izabella turned to look at him for a moment. She was shocked by the abrupt beginning of sexual awareness as she looked at his slanting cheekbones, nose, and olive skin complexion because it had been so long since she had thought a man was attractive aside from her first love.

"Have I met your inspection standards?" He smiled sinisterly.

Her face grew darker.

There was a lot of stillness between them. Even though they were close to the car and in the relative shade, the heat was crushing and suffocating.

Their gaze matched once more.

He lowered his head toward her.

"What are you up to?"

"Have an inkling." He drew his mouth closer to hers, and she found breathing difficult.

Izabella realized she was staring into two dreamy, dark pools of sweltering male need. As his mouth masterfully stroked over hers, desire pounded low in her core before shockingly spreading fast across her body. She was thinking one second and kissing him back the next when she was overcome with a powerful, intense sensation that she could not even describe.

He masterfully and lazily enchanted her mouth as his tongue teased hers with a beautiful elegance that swiftly made her legs weak.

Her stomach twisted. Her body dissolved. She yearned to reach out and touch the hand intimately, warming her naked thigh.

Then suddenly, they heard someone speaking. The spell disappeared.

"What the hell are you two doing, anyway?" Camilla sounded curiously furious.

As her cheeks seemed burned from the heat, Aleksander calmly said, "I'm just appreciating your sister's beauty."

And she accidentally jerked back as Aleksander caressed her face with his hand.

"You blushed like a virgin, sweetheart," the man said. Then he turned to face the newcomer. "Camilla, do you need anything?"

"Never mind," she muttered, turning furiously away.

"Shall we," Aleksander enquired as he looked at her.

"Are you that cold-blooded?"

"Depends on who I talked to. I'm not here to entertain anyone's fantasy. You are my business alone as my wife. I hope I made that clear."

Izabella nodded without saying anything.

"What happened yesterday, by the way?" She enquired while he started driving. "How did I travel home?"

"I brought you home with the help of your friend and walked you to your room."

She nodded, unable to control the blush spreading across her cheeks as she recalled the scenes from before she had opened her eyes. "Why did I fall asleep?" she questioned.

He said truthfully, "I made you sleep," and turned to drive.

"How?"

Aleksander responded, laughing, "With magic. I know some trick."

"Why?"

"So, I can talk to your friend in depth. I was curious why you couldn't recall our interactions in Greece."

"And what information did you learn?"

"She doesn't know, but she informed me that there was a disturbance at the airport. Felix was attempting to stop you."

"Ah. I heard that bit from Shanda."

"He is one of your most ardent pursuers in Greece."

She corrected him, "The one and only. What caused you to arrive abruptly, then?"

"I wish I could earlier, but I thought I should wait until you had finished your studies. Before you decided to marry me, you asked me several demands, including that one."

Izabella made a small apology for the man's admission.

"We're not going to the office?" She became curious when she realized the car he was steering was traveling the wrong way.

"Right," he responded. "I'm curious about something. Later, I'll tell you."

Even after that, she delayed asking him further questions until Aleksander's car drove past a guarded neighborhood and crashed into a large group of trees. He exited, held open the door for her, and moved forward.

Izabella wanted to grin at how gentlemanly Aleksander was. After all, she wasn't far from becoming completely enamored with the man who seemed to have all the qualities a woman looked for in a lover. She could not dispute his unambiguous statement that she found the man appealing.

She jumped out of the car and raced to the man she knew was watching for her. But as she approached the deep forest, three men appeared in front of Aleksander out of nowhere. She stopped moving when she saw the fear in Aleksander's movements.

"Izabella, get back in the car," he ordered. "Drive the car quickly and leave this area."

When the three muscular warrior guys attacked Aleksander, Izabella was stunned and particularly perplexed.

How can she assist him? She backed away, froze, and wondered. Her eyes followed the struggle.