Isabella

Chapter 21

Alessio shook his head and patted her thigh.

Ashley shuddered at his rough yet smooth hands touching her.

"It's alright." he muttered. 

It became silent. Nobody dared speak up. 

Everyone had been staring at them for the past few minutes. They were the investigators while Ashley and Alessio were their suspects. All seemed to have the same thought running in this minds and Ashley knew exactly what they were asking themselves.

Is Alessio the father to Ashley's babies.

"Alessio, tell me about yourself." Her father had been the first to break the ice. He twirled his finger around his wine glass.

"I'm a doctor, sir." Alessio answered staring at her father straight in the eye.

Her father nodded in which Ashley hoped was an approving one. She stopped herself. Why would she want her father to approve of Alessio?

"For how long?"

"Ever since I was twenty."

"How old are you now?"

"Twenty-eight sir."

"Just two years older than my piccola." He said with a grin and a glint in his eyes. "Are you married Alessio?"

Ashley groaned. Even though Alessio didn't show it, she could tell that he is getting uncomfortable with her father's questions. "Papi." she glared at him.

Antonio raised his hands him. "I'm just getting to know him piccola. A man can't help but be curious."

"Unless he's a woman." Elena interjected, taking a sip of her wine. She winked over at Ashley. "Come on Antonio. Let the poor boy be."

"Let's talk business." Dante cut in, still glaring at Alessio.

"Actually, I would like to get to know this young man a little bit better. He might be perfect for my Carina." One of her father's partner said.

Ashley felt herself clenching her fist and glaring at the man. She grabbed a hold of her glass and gripped it tightly. She didn't know why but hearing the man say that about Alessio had her blood boiling. Could she possibly be falling for Alessio?

No she can't. There's no time for men.

She has a daughter to think of now and that is her priority. Also, men like Alessio does not deserve a woman like her. Broken and worthless.

"Any tighter and the glass might break." Alessio whispered into her ear.

Ashley shuddered, feeling his breath on her neck. She released her hold on the glass, turned and gave him a fake smile.

Alessio chuckled at her before turning to her father. "No sir, I am not."

Antonio raised his eyebrows up and leaned forward. "Do you plan on getting married Alessio?"

Alessio stayed silent for a few seconds. Ashley turned to him and saw his fists clenched underneath the table. She frowned.

"No sir. I don't."

"Why is that?" The man from earlier spoke up again.

Dante scoffed from across the table. "Men like him are not made to be a husband."

Ashley gasped and glared at Dante. She stood up but was instantly pushed down her seat. She looked over at Alessio who shook his head at her.

"Don't." he commanded her. He turned to Dante. "Do you have something against me?"

Dante raised his eyebrows up at him and stood up. He placed his palm flat on the table and stared at Alessio intently. "I do, actually."

Alessio leaned back against his seat. Ashley admired him for staying calm while Dante tried to get on his nerves. There were few men who could handle Dante's look. That was what made Dante good at his job. He sent the strongest men to his knee.

But Alessio seemed to have no problem dealing with Dante's look. He seemed almost amuse by it yet he didn't show it.

Dante seemed to also notice it as his jaw ticked and his fist clenched slightly.

"Please enlighten me." Alessio said smoothly. "Or are you just saying things because you think I'm here to take Ashley away from you? Let me tell you now, I have all the abilities to do that and I will if it means that she'll be happy."

Ashley gasped and looked towards Frankie who winked at her. She shook her head at him and turned back to the matter at hand. Dante seemed as if he couldn't get any more pissed than he already is.

"Gentlemen, please. This is a dinner." her father said. If she didn't know him, she would have thought that he meant what he said, but knowing her father, she knew he wanted them to continue on.

Dante looked at Alessio and then sat down. He continued to clench his fist and the vein on his neck throbbed harder.

Alessio turned his head towards Antonio again. " To answer your earlier question, sir, I am committed to being a doctor. Although I would love to be married one day, my line of work is not made for marriage life."

For some reason, Ashley felt as if there is more than what he is saying. She didn't press it though and sent a glare towards her father telling him to stop.

He didn't.

"Tell me Alessio, what do you think about a man fathering a child who is not his own?" Antonio took a sip of his wine.

Ashley's eyes widened and so did Elena's. Dante snapped his head towards Antonio with his jaw open.

Alessio, on the other hand, remained as passive as ever. "It takes a man to father his own child but it takes a real one to be a father to all." He gave Ashley a quick glance before turning back to Antonio.

Antonio grinned and tilted his glass towards Alessio. "I like you Alessio. There is something about you that belong in the business world."

Alessio cracked a smile but it was not like the ones that he had directed to Ashley. "So I've been told."

Ashley looked at Alessio. Truly looked at him. Her heart fluttered in her chest with what Alessio had said. There had been a desire in the things he told her father making there seem to more to Alessio that meets the eye. And Ashley is determined to uncrack every piece of him and see who he truly is. 

.

.

.

As you can see, I gave up on the flashbacks. I'll probably go back and add one in for this chapter when I'm editing later. 

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. 

Love you all of my lovely owlers! 

~Amber <3 <3 <3