Forbidden Desire 18+

Chapter Twenty Four

ISABELLA MATTIA

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Elio has been gone for the last few days. I don't know where he's been. My father said that he requested time off and it was granted, now I've got Jorge following me around campus. He didn't even inform me he was leaving, I walked out of my lecture to find Jorge telling me he'd be looking after me for a couple days, if not more.

It sounded like an emergency of some kind but I don't know much about Elio so I have no idea where he is. I have to admit these last few days have been dull. Jorge is strictly professional and getting any sort of conversation from him is like drawing blood from a stone.

By the third day I felt like I was going insane–so insane in fact that I almost started to miss Elio. Even when he's nosy, irritating and smug. I miss seeing his face, I miss his sarcastic comments, I miss–

I shake my head. Why am I even wasting this energy on him?

God knows when he's coming back and I refuse to think another thought of him because to me that sounds like I'm becoming dependent and I don't need to rely on anyone. Especially not Elio of all people.

After class I head to the reading room with Charlotte so we can study for a test that's coming up. We quiz each other on some questions and take notes, sharing our knowledge. I jot down as much information as possible because I'm certain Charlotte is a walking encyclopaedia. Too smart for her own good.

"Everything okay with you, Isabella?" She asks, twirling her pen between her fingers.

I hum softly. "Huh? Yeah. I'm fine. Why?"

"You just seem super quiet today, that's all."

"Do I?"

Charlotte analyses me for a long moment, her brows pinching together. "Yeah."

I sigh and glance over my shoulder at Jorge who is staring down every single person that walks by. He's not as tall as Elio but he certainly acts like it with the way he's scowling like he owns the place.

"Elio's been gone for a few days," I admit and slump my head onto my hand.

"And that makes you sad?"

I chew on the inside of my cheek for a beat. "I'm not sure it makes me sad. But Jorge isn't like him at all. They're very different. He didn't tell me he was leaving and I don't even know when or if he's coming back."

Charlotte's eyes gloss over before she pulls back. "Did something happen between you two?"

"Yeah," I exhale because I can't keep it in any longer. "A couple times."

"Oh my God. What happened? You need to tell me right now!"

I glance around to hear if anyone is listening because we're in the library and it's too quiet for this conversation. "Shhh," I hiss at her and she slaps her lips together. "A couple times we've done shit together–with each other."

A hand covers her mouth. "Shut up," she murmurs through her fingers. "Like what kind of stuff?"

"I rode his thigh and another time he tied me to my aerial hoop and I gave him head."

Charlotte looks like she's about to faint. "Oh wow," she whispers, cheeks reddening. "I can't believe you've been getting dirty with your bodyguard."

I roll my eyes. "Don't call it 'getting dirty'. It makes it sound really wrong. I don't really know what's going on between us. But it's been a while since I've got any action and it felt liberating for once."