TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 337

Three hundred and thirty-seven

Isabella POV

I ran until my legs burned, Anita’s cry still ringing in my ears. Guilt twisted my stomach. I was hurting someone badly, even though my heart hadn’t slowed since her hand struck my face.

I didn’t stop until I reached the corner of the hallway where Wesley and I had stood earlier, listening to the drums pounding through the walls. Beyond them, people danced, laughed, and celebrated, ready to end the night happy, while everything I’d built here was a lie waiting to explode.

The hatred in Anita’s eyes sent a chill down my spine. I never took threats lightly. Anyone who made one always found a way to follow through.

I turned to leave when someone slammed into me.

Barbara.

Her face was expressionless, somehow worse than the hatred I’d just seen in Anita’s eyes. It was the look she wore before plotting something that would ruin my life all over again.

“Watch where you’re going,” she said, shoving me with her shoulder.

I caught myself against the wall before I fell.

A small smile flickered across her face.

“So whose cock are you groveling for this time, huh? Desperate sluts like you always seem to crawl out of the shadows, trying to steal someone else’s husband.”

I tried to move past her but she didn’t move.

Her gaze swept over my clothes.

“Ah, I see. They finally scrubbed up the little mouse and put her in a pretty dress. Shame the clothes can’t hide what’s underneath.”

I said nothing.

She gave me a contemptuous smile. “Enjoy your freedom while you can. Once Wesley and I are married, I’ll make sure everyone remembers who belongs in this family and who was nothing more than a pathetic little mistake.”

I didn’t have the energy to entertain her delusion. I might have laughed if I weren’t still shaking from what had just happened.

I walked on.

“Bastard,” she called after me with a smirk.

I stopped but didn’t turn around.

What was the point of arguing with her when she’d only walk away unscathed?

I kept going until I reached the main hall, where I found Iris by the drinks table.

“I’m leaving,” I said.

She gave me an are-you-serious look before taking another shot.

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“Five minutes. I need to make sure Luna Lisa’s special guests are taken care of.”

“It’s fine. I’ll go on my own.”

“Okay, ten tops.”

I shook my head. I couldn’t wait another minute.

She whispered something to one of Luna Lisa’s assistants, asking her to cover, then followed me outside.

I walked faster.

“Hey! You don’t want these golden heels I just bought getting ruined, do you? Girl, slow down.”

Her heels clicked against the stone as she hurried after me and grabbed my arm.

“Jeez. What happened?”

I sighed as she turned me around.

“Oh, shit. It didn’t go well, did it?”

I said nothing.

“Isabella, come on. Talk to me.”

“It was worse than I thought. Anita didn’t take it well.”

She frowned. “Of course. I knew she wouldn’t. What? I’m talking about Wesley’s nanny-the one you planned to tell about the bond. Did you tell her?”

I’sighed.

Moonlight caught the strands of Iris’s ginger hair as she studied me.

“Yes. I did. We just didn’t really have time to talk.”

“And?”

“I don’t know, Iris.” My voice cracked. “I felt like she didn’t believe me. She didn’t say that. It just… felt that way.”

Iris fell silent, and I could almost see the thoughts turning behind her eyes.

“Let’s just go, please,” I said.

This time, she took my hand as we headed for a taxi.

“I mean, it makes sense she’d need time, right? To process something like that. Especially if Wesley can’t feel it too.”

I didn’t answer.

My mind had already returned to Grandma Cassidy’s face going still when I told her about the bond. The careful questions that followed, most of them about how I could be sure.

None were the questions I’d wanted to hear.

We reached the main road, where a row of taxis waited, and climbed into one.

My throat felt dry. I rubbed the cheek that still throbbed.

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“So what’s Anita’s deal?” Iris asked. “I mean, not to sound insensitive, but did she really need to go that far? You never gave her any reason to think you were into girls.”

“She slapped me. It still stings.”

Iris gasped as if Anita were sitting across from us and she needed to shield me.

“Oh, goddess. Was it that bad?”

“Worse,” I muttered.

“I’m so sorry.”

We made it back to the lodge in near silence.

Harrison was watching TV in the lobby when he spotted us. He stood, surprise flashing across his face.

“What happened? You’re back early.”

I didn’t answer.

We headed upstairs to his room, where Maverick was already asleep. I picked him up, carried him to my bed, laid him down, and changed into flip-flops.

When I returned to the railing, Iris and Harrison were waiting, arms crossed against the night air. They turned toward me, watching as though I might crumble.

From the look on Harrison’s face, Iris had already told him everything.

“I’m scared,” I admitted. “Anita threatened me back there. I don’t even know what to do.”

“Wesley won’t let her hurt you,” Iris said. “You’re his mate. Once she knows that, she’ll come around.”

I wrapped my arms around myself.

“I don’t know. I just have a sickening feeling this bond revelation will make everything worse. It’ll look like I’m forcing my way into this family.”

“You didn’t force anything,” Harrison said. “None of this is your fault. You didn’t ask the universe for a one-sided bond, and you certainly didn’t tell Wesley to hide his feelings for you from his sister.”

I didn’t have the energy to argue.

The cold wind curled around us, momentarily distracting me from the ache in my cheek.

“You have a huge advantage here, Isabella,” Iris said, trying to lift my spirits. “It’s a one-sided bond. I’m sure those can be tested. Now it’s up to Wesley to either accept you or reject you. And considering how head over heels he is for you, I’m betting on the former.”

Harrison nodded in agreement.

A flash of light appeared down the road. A car approached and stopped outside the lodge.

I gasped.

“That’s Wesley.”

I ran downstairs.

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By the time I reached him, he was already out of the car. This time, I didn’t care who was watching. No one was outside anyway.

He pulled me against him, one hand cradling the back of my head as though he needed to make sure I was whole.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured into my hair.

He kissed my forehead, then framed my face with his hands.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” I pulled back to meet his eyes. “Are you?”

He shrugged.

I sighed. “I didn’t mean for things to get this bad.”

“I know,” he said. “It’s all my fault.”

Silence settled between us.

“What is she going to do? How bad can things get with your family? I can’t stop thinking about what Luna Lisa will do if she finds out.”

He rubbed a hand over his face.

“Maybe you shouldn’t come to work next week.”

“I can’t afford that.” My voice sharpened. “I need my job, Wesley. Can’t I just apologize to Anita? I’ll explain everything.”

He gave me a hard look.

“Is that what you’re thinking about right now? Your job?”

“Wesley…”

“I’ll give you enough money to cover whatever you need.”

“It’s not about the money,” I said more quietly, as though I needed to convince myself. “I don’t want trouble. I’ve had enough trouble to last a lifetime.”

“That’s why I came.” His voice softened. “You and Maverick need to stay with me, at least until things calm down.”

“No.”

He frowned.

“Isabella.”

“I’m not moving into your house, Wesley.”

The look on his face said he thought I was being difficult for the sake of it. But I couldn’t move in with him without telling him about the bond. Grandma Cassidy hadn’t told me what to do with what I’d confessed. I wasn’t afraid of telling him the truth anymore, but I couldn’t give it to him until she confirmed it was safe.

“I’ll stay here instead,” I said. “I’ll switch rooms with Harrison. If Anita asks for my room, she can be redirected.”

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He scoffed, clearly weighing whether to push.