Chapter 63: War
Isabella felt a cold drop in her stomach, as if the floor under her feet had suddenly given way. Her fingers dug into the soft wooden edge of the window seat.
"Why?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Why would he do that? He doesn’t want me. He never wanted me! He treated me like an ornament he could lock away in a dark room. Why can’t he just sign the papers and let me go?"
The rising panic in her tone made her chest heave, her breath catching in short, ragged gasps. She couldn’t see the room around her, but the sudden weight of Kian’s stubbornness felt like a heavy blanket suffocating her.
Aaron watched her face, seeing the raw distress pulling at her features. He didn’t like seeing her like this, terrified of a man who didn’t deserve her fear.
He took a slow step closer, closing the small gap between them until he was standing directly over her.
"Isabella," Aaron said, his voice soft, steady, and low. "Look at me."
She tilted her head up instinctively, her dark, blind eyes searching in the direction of his voice.
"He’s being stubborn because he thinks he still owns you," Aaron said, his tone carrying an absolute, unshakeable confidence that seemed to anchor her.
"He thinks if he makes a noise, you’ll get scared and run back. But he doesn’t know who he’s dealing with now. My legal team will be here tomorrow morning. We will go over everything. You are not going back to him. Not ever."
Isabella swallowed hard, trying to take in his words, to let his calm strength soak into her nervous frame. "Are you sure? What if he finds a way to force me?"
"He won’t," Aaron promised softly.
He saw her still biting her lip, her shoulders tight with lingering anxiety. He knew her mind was spinning in circles, trapped in memories of Kian’s control.
He needed to pull her out of her head, to distract her, to make her forget the dark shadow hanging over her.
A slow, mischievous spark caught in Aaron’s dark eyes.
He leaned down, placing one large hand on the windowsill behind her and the other on the back of her chair, effectively trapping her in the small space between his broad shoulders. He bent his head, bringing his mouth right next to the shell of her ear.
"Or do you want me to tuck you in to sleep?" Aaron whispered, his low, gravelly voice brushing against her skin like warm velvet.
"You look like a little bird that’s about to fly into a wall."
Isabella froze. The sudden proximity of his large body hit her like a physical wave.
The scent of his expensive cologne and faint with the cool air of the night, filled her senses, making her head spin.
A wave of heat erupted low in her belly, shooting straight up to her chest, sending a swarm of wild butterflies flutter against her ribs.
Her breath hitched sharply. She could feel the heat radiating off his chest, inches from her face.
"Aaron!" she gasped, her hands coming up instantly to press against his broad chest, trying to create space between them.
Her palms hit the solid, warm muscle of his torso through his shirt, and she immediately felt flustered by how firm he felt. "What are you doing? Move back!"
Aaron didn’t budge an inch. He stayed right where he was, enjoying the way her cheeks flushed a deep, beautiful crimson in the soft light of the room.
"I’m offering to tuck you in," he said smoothly, a tiny, teasing chuckle vibrating deep in his chest under her hands. "You look tired."
"I am perfectly capable of putting myself to bed!" Isabella stammered, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs as she tried to push him again. "Remember our agreement! I said... I told you my body was out of the question! You aren’t allowed to do this!"
"I haven’t touched anything I’m not supposed to," Aaron murmured, his voice thick with playful amusement. "I’m just standing here. Unless you’re implying that standing near you is a crime?"
"You’re... you’re crowding me!" she squeaked, her face burning hotter. "You’re doing it on purpose!"
In truth, Aaron was fighting a fierce, burning storm inside his own chest.
Looking down at her soft, flushed face, smelling the sweet, warm scent of her skin, he wanted nothing more than to drop his head into the crook of her neck, to pull her into his lap, to consume her completely until there was nothing left of her past.
He wanted to drown in her scent, to feel her small hands clutching his shirt in surrender.
But he forced himself to hold back. He kept the roaring fire inside him locked behind a cool, teasing smile.
Baby steps. She was fragile, and she was still learning to trust him. He couldn’t scare her away now.
Still, he couldn’t resist leaving her with a small mark of his presence.
Before she could push him away again, Aaron reached out with his right hand.
His fingers were remarkably gentle, his feathery touch brushing along the edge of her soft jaw until his thumb rested right against her lower lip.
He traced the delicate, smooth curve of her lip once, a light, whisper-soft stroke that sent a sharp shockwave of heat straight down Isabella’s spine.
Isabella gasped, her breath catching in her throat. Her lips parted slightly under the gentle pressure of his thumb, her eyes wide, staring blindly up at him as her head spun into absolute chaos.
"Don’t worry about Kian," Aaron murmured, his eyes darkening as he watched her lip quiver under his thumb. "He’s already lost. He just doesn’t know it yet."
He slowly pulled his hand back, stepping away from her and clearing the space.
Isabella immediately turned her face away toward the window, her heart pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it.
Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, her body humming with a strange, breathless frustration that made her want to scream and hide under the blankets all at once.
"Go to bed, Aaron!" she snapped, her voice high and breathless as she kept her back half-turned to him in defiance.
Aaron let out a short, quiet laugh, his dark eyes lingering on the curve of her neck for one last second. "Goodnight, Isabella."
He walked to the door, opened it, and stepped out into the dark hallway, pulling the door shut behind him.
Standing alone in the silent corridor, Aaron leaned his head back against the heavy wood of her door.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep, slow breath, trying to calm the sudden, fierce thrum of hunger pulsing through his veins.
He could still feel the soft texture of her lip against his thumb.
He could still smell her lingering perfume. It was maddening, but as he finally straightened his posture and walked down the hall toward his own room, a dark, satisfied smile rested on his lips.
She was starting to feel him. And that was all that mattered.
...
The next morning, sunlight streamed brightly through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the main drawing room in the Kazarov estate.
Isabella sat on a comfortable velvet sofa, a soft cardigan draped over her shoulders.
She held a warm cup of tea in her hands, taking small, nervous sips.
Beside her, the room was bustling with the sounds of shuffling papers, the clatter of porcelain cups, and low, energetic voices.
"Alright, people! Let’s get this show on the road! Time is money, and my time is outrageously expensive!"
A loud, booming voice echoed through the doorway, carrying a bright, unstoppable energy that instantly cut through the serious mood of the house.
Isabella blinked, lowering her tea cup. The voice sounded surprisingly young, full of casual confidence, completely devoid of the stiff, formal tone she usually associated with high-priced lawyers.
A tall man stepped into the room, tossing a sleek leather briefcase onto the glass table with a heavy ’thud’.
He was in his early thirties, dressed in an impeccably tailored navy suit, but he had left his top button undone, and his dark hair was styled in an effortless, messy look.
This was Nikolai Volkov. The head litigator of Aaron’s legal team.
"Morning, boss!" Niko called out to Aaron, who was standing near the window with a cup of black coffee. Niko then spun on his heel, his sharp eyes instantly landing on Isabella sitting on the couch.
"And you!" Niko gasped dramatically, striding over to her with long, energetic steps.
Before Isabella could even react, Niko leaned down, grabbed her soft hand, and gave it a quick, theatrical kiss on the knuckles.
"You must be the legendary Isabella! Oh, it is an absolute pleasure! I’m Nikolai, but you can call me Niko. I’m the handsome genius who’s going to tear your ex-husband to shreds!"
Isabella flinched slightly in surprise, her cheeks going pale as she quickly pulled her hand back, completely lost.
"Um... hello?" She looked toward the sound of Aaron’s footsteps. "Aaron? Is... is this the lawyer?"
She couldn’t hide the uncertainty in her voice. This man sounded more like a radio host than a top-tier attorney who was supposed to fight Arthur Pendleton in court.
Aaron walked over, stepping right between Niko and the couch, casting a cool, warning glare at the younger lawyer. "Don’t be deceived by his childish mouth, Isabella. He’s an idiot, but he happens to be very good at his job."
"Hey! ’Idiot’ is a harsh word, boss! I prefer ’unconventionally brilliant’!" Niko grinned, completely unbothered as he turned back to Isabella. "Seriously, Miss Isabella, don’t worry. I’ve taken down worse men than Kian Carter before breakfast."
Behind Niko, four other lawyers, all older, dressed in traditional gray suits with solemn expressions, stepped forward and introduced themselves politely to Isabella, bowing slightly even though she couldn’t see them.
"It’s a pleasure to work for you, Mrs. Carter," one of the older lawyers said gently.
Isabella offered a warm, sweet smile, her earlier hesitation melting away. "Thank you all so much for coming. I’m really grateful for your help."
The older lawyers looked at her, their stiff expressions softening instantly.
"Oh, she’s so sweet," one of them whispered to his colleague.
"So adorable," the other agreed, nodding. "We’re going to demolish Carter’s legal team."
Niko clapped his hands together loudly, pulling a chair over and sitting down right in front of Isabella, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
"Alright, let’s talk strategy! Isabella, sweetie, can I call you sweetie? No? Okay, Isabella it is!" He chuckled as Aaron threw him another death glare from across the table.