Chapter 6

She was being smothered with his overprotectiveness.

Isabella glared daggers at Jack, who studiously ignored her while he continued to work on his client case in The Bean the next day. He had made his position very clear yesterday. He wasn’t going anywhere until this situation was resolved.

The only problem was, she didn’t know when that might be. David liked to play games. It was a sadistic side of him that she hadn’t seen when they first started dating. She had considered him her way out from under her abusive father’s thumb. But it turns out he was just as emotionally and mentally abusive as her religious father.

Her sister, Lucy, had pulled her out of that relationship and helped her realize her dream of opening her own coffee shop. Lucy put Isabella through college, on a fast track for a business degree to keep her distracted and on course. Isabella loved her sister for that. But now Lucy was married and happier than Isabella had ever seen her, and she didn’t want to ruin that happiness by bringing this darkness back into her life. Not after everything Lucy had already done for her.

And so, she would figure it out herself. As much as she could, anyway, with Mr. Protective-Lawyer-He-Man over there.

She walked over and plunked a fresh cup of coffee on his table, still glaring at him.

“Glaring won’t make me go away,” he said without looking up.

She blew out a breath before she said, “Well, it was worth a try.”

Jack chuckled. “You’re cute when you’re feisty. Is that what you’re like in bed? Like a kitten with little claws?” His eyes smoldered as he looked up into hers.

“Jack! Don’t ask things like that,” she whispered, hoping no one overheard him.

“Relax, kitten. I won’t tell anyone,” he said with a satisfied smirk.

“Stop that,” she said, flustered.

“Are you going to be finished soon?” he asked, changing the subject for her sake.

“Jack, I know this might surprise you, but I own The Bean and therefore have to work here,” she said.

“Owners delegate.”

“Most owners delegate. I do not,” she said, her tone firm.

“Fine. I’ll let you off the hook. For now,” he said. “Kitten.”

Isabella glared at him again, the color high on her cheeks before she turned around and walked back behind the counter.

Jack waited patiently for another two hours before he stood and moved over to the counter where she stood writing on a clipboard.

“You should take a break, Isabella,” he said as he leaned on the counter and invaded her space a little.

“I will. Later. But right now, I have a coffee shop to run,” she said, still not looking at him.

“Are you not allowed to take some time off?”

“I’m the boss. It would look bad.”

“Isabella, you need a break. And maybe even a distraction after yesterday,” he said.

“Jack, you know that’s-“

“What’s this? What happened yesterday, Izzy?” piped up a voice from behind Jack.

“Jessica, nothing happened,” Isabella said.

“Hi, I’m Jessica. You must be Jack.” Jessica extended her hand for him to shake.

“Nice to meet you. Isabella here got a note yesterday,” Jack said as he shook her hand and turned away from Isabella, who stood there fuming.

“A note? From-“

“Yes, I got a note. That’s all. No need to go any further, Jack. Jess, I’ll get your coffee started,” Isabella interjected. Jack didn’t need to know about David. Not yet anyway. She knew she would have to tell him eventually, but she wasn’t ready for that particular conversation.

“Do you want to come stay with me, Izzy? We could have an extended sleepover like old times?” Jessica offered, her brow wrinkled in concern.

“Thanks, Jess. But I’m fine.” She didn’t want Jessica caught up in this, too. Too many people involved would give David additional targets to choose from and Isabella wanted to limit that if possible.

“Are you sure?” Jessica asked one last time as she accepted the coffee Isabella handed to her.

“I’m sure,” Isabella said with a reassuring smile. “I’ll be with her,” said Jack as he interrupted the ladies.

Both Isabella and Jessica stared at him, one with anger and one with surprise.

“Well, now, that’s good,” said Jessica with a smile on her face and a gleam in her eyes as she turned to Isabella. “I will rest easy now knowing that you’re safe. Take good care of her, Jack.”

“Oh, I will,” said Jack as he watched Jessica walk away. “In every possible way,” he added for Isabella’s ears alone and watched the flush rise in her cheeks again.

“You can’t just say things like that,” Isabella fumed.

“Tell me, Isabella, how far down does your blush go?” he murmured. Her blush grew deeper and spread down her neck, his eyes trailing it until the crew neck of her t-shirt prevented his eyes from going any farther.

“If I take a break will you promise to stop saying things like that?” she pleaded as she looked away from him.

“Yes,” he said.

She thought for a moment before she finally gave in. “Fine. I’ll stop at noon. Happy?”

“Immensely.”

“Now, will you please go away?” she asked, her eyes a bit desperate.

“Sure,” he simply said and walked back over to the table he had occupied earlier and sat back down.

“That’s not what I meant,” she grumbled to herself as she went back to work and informed the others she would be leaving at noon.

If she had turned around, she would have seen Jack’s satisfied smile. And she would have seen David standing outside across the street glaring at Jack.

David would hit with the force of a hurricane, wiping out everything in his path that prevented him from getting to Isabella. I will destroy your new man, little Isabella. And then, you’ll be mine again. The smirk spread across David’s mouth and his eyes became slits in his golden face as he glared at Jack. He would ruin them and then he would take Isabella back. I’m back, Isabella. Get ready to play.