In His Grasp: A Mafia Romance novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Holding Isabella on His Lap

Inside the restaurant, the elegant sound of a violin floated down from the stage, casting a romantic atmosphere with dimmed lights-perfect for dining and conversation.

The waiter brought in one exquisite dish after another, placing them on the table before Isabella and Clark.

"Isabella, have you ever been to Italy?" Clark inquired.

Isabella shook her head, "No, I've never been abroad."

Going abroad seemed like a simple thing to do, Chloe often traveled to foreign countries for leisure. However, Isabella didn't have the money. She had to work constantly to support herself; she had no time for international travel.

Clark was surprised by her answer, "You've never been abroad? Isabella, if you have the chance, you should experience the world outside. Every place has its own unique charm. By the way, the head of the Italian Mafia is my brother. If you want to go, I can introduce you, and he'll make sure you're well taken care of."

Isabella felt a hint of bitterness in her heart and a touch of frustration. Perhaps in Clark's circle, nobody had ever been unable to travel due to poverty?

"Clark, I don't have money. I have to keep working to ensure I can survive," Isabella confided in Clark about her situation.

"I'm sorry, Isabella," Clark looked at the girl, slightly embarrassed. He had overlooked this detail.

When he decided to pursue Isabella, he had asked Emanuele about her financial situation and knew that her father had passed away, and she didn't frequently live with her mother. She was a self-sufficient and independent girl.

In the past, the girlfriends he had were usually well-off. Even those with less wealth would constantly use their credit cards to satisfy their material desires, unlike Isabella, who worked tirelessly to support herself.

That's why, from the moment he first laid eyes on Isabella, Clark was drawn to her unique aura.

She was indeed very special, unlike any of the girlfriends he had been with before.

"Isabella, if you ever need financial assistance, don't hesitate to ask," Clark said, extending his hand to hold Isabella's hand, which was resting on the table. He intended to comfort her.

Instinctively, Isabella pulled her hand away. She seemed uncomfortable with such intimate contact with Clark.

She knew that she and Clark were not from the same world. Despite his gentle demeanor and handsome appearance, she always thought of his current status, which was earned through a series of killings. He lived in constant danger of being killed himself. This made her somewhat resistant to him.

She was willing to interact with Clark only to escape from Emanuele's control.

However, when she thought about Emanuele's warning-how more and more people would target her, and there would be more assassination attempts-Isabella couldn't help but rethink her current plan.

She didn't want to admit that she was the Mafia Princess, a member of the Lombardi family. Yet, their enemies already believed it.

If she escaped Emanuele's control, would it still make sense?

Isabella felt the need to reevaluate her current course of action.

Seeing Isabella pull her hand away, Clark smiled and didn't feel awkward at all. It was normal for the girl to be hesitant about physical contact in the beginning.

He thought he would take it slow, using tenderness, consideration, and gentlemanly behavior to gradually warm Isabella's heart and make her fall for him.

After finishing dinner, Clark dropped Isabella off at her apartment. He was surprised to find that Isabella lived in a top-tier apartment. He asked, "Isabella, did you move to a new place?"

"Yeah, my previous place wasn't safe; someone broke in," Isabella replied.

"Oh my God! Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Clark was even more astonished, and he instinctively put his arm around Isabella's shoulder. "Who the hell did that? Does Emanuele know?"

Isabella nodded and gently stepped back to break Clark's touch. "He arranged for me to move to this apartment."

Clark understood now. He looked at Isabella and said, "Isabella, for your safety, I'll drive you to and from work every day. I promise to protect you like a knight guarding a princess."

"No need," Isabella refused Clark.

"Please don't refuse me," Clark insisted, his face determined. "It would hurt me."

Clark then turned and walked away, fearing he might hear Isabella's rejection again.

"See you tomorrow. When you come downstairs, you'll see me on time."

Isabella sighed, feeling that she would owe Clark a favor, and she didn't want that.

Lost in her thoughts, Isabella returned to her apartment. As soon as she entered, she found Emanuele sitting on the living room couch. He was tall, dressed in dark clothing, and exuded a powerful presence, like a towering mountain.

Isabella was startled.

He had done this before, freely entering and leaving her apartment. Now that he was the owner of this apartment, he could do so even more effortlessly.

This was terrible, and Isabella felt a lack of security.

"Come here," Emanuele ordered when he heard movement.

Isabella always felt that when she called him "brother" and acted docile and obedient in his presence, it might awaken some trace of conscience or humanity in him. However, he was ruthless, bloodthirsty, and had no use for humanity.

Furthermore, he would never treat her like he treated Grazia, even though she was ten years younger than him.

Emanuele reached out and pulled Isabella onto his lap.

A faint scent of tobacco mixed with woody notes, resembling a citrus and pepper perfume, wafted over. There was also a strong, overpowering scent of pheromones. Isabella's body trembled, and she almost instinctively tried to jump off his lap.

However, Emanuele's presence was imposing, and his hand around her waist kept her firmly in place, making it impossible for her to escape.

"Isabella, I heard you had dinner with Clark today," Emanuele said softly, his hand caressing Isabella's cheek.

At this moment, he was extremely close to her, so close that Isabella could almost feel his lips touching her cheek.

This made her very uncomfortable, and she squirmed, trying to shift her position or get off him. However, Emanuele made a muffled groan. Isabella felt something hard pressing against her underbelly, like an iron rod.