Unscentable
Chapter 27

Izzy

POV

Izzy woke up to half a dozen missed calls from her father, and groaned annoyingly as she saw there were 3 calls from an unknown number on her phone's display.

Those three calls coincided with her father's. It was also a number with Maine's prefix.

She had actually switched off her phone after leaving the family estate, had known that her father would be calling her, to either hound her about Phillip, or perhaps now after what had gone on with Edward, as he'd introduced himself to her father, to find out just what was going on in her life.

Izzy had sighed and stared at the phones message bank service which told her there were currently 9 voice messages to be heard, listened to them in order of receiving them, best to get it all in the right context.

The first voice message was from her father, demanding that she come home immediately and explain herself to him. Just exactly what was going on.

Why Phillip had gone to him and told him, that he'd been told she and Edward were in fact getting married in around 9 weeks' time.

Izzy had stared right at her phone in complete shock, she'd not said that, had told her father that Edward was nothing to her. But it was obvious he had seen the way the man was all over her. After she'd stopped that fight between Edward and Phillip that had been brewing, she did recall that Edward had literally carried her right out of the family ballroom. But where had he gotten the getting married thing? She did not know and 9 weeks, what the hell was that?

The second voice message was also her father. He seemed quite a bit calmer in this message, just wanted her to call him so he could talk to her about Edward, maybe just trying to cajole her into calling him back. The man even half-heartedly apologised for yelling at her in the first message he'd left.

The third message was from an infuriated Phillip, who stated that her behaviour during Joanie's wedding had been completely unacceptable, that if she kept up this type of behaviour, he would no longer be willing to marry her. Izzy had nearly laughed out loud, that stupid man still thought he was going to be able to marry her, all because her father said he'd make he. It was never going to happen.

Message four, once again her father "Isobelle sweetheart, I think I may have over reacted somewhat.

Edward appears to be an upstanding, wealthy man and I think it is time you brought him home to introduce your fiancé to us formally. Your mother also agrees with this. "Call me back sweetheart."

Izzy rolled her eyes at that message, a wealthy, upstanding man, that just meant her father had actually started looking into Edward Patrick of Drake Industries and had seen the man's bio, and had liked it. Nothing more. As for the 'your mother also agrees.' he had likely thrown that in, because she was much closer to her mother than her father was all.

The fifth message Phillip once again, "Isobelle, This Edward character may have money, but he is not aligned to you or your family's needs. I am the better choice. Call me back so we can sort this out once and for all." though in the background of that call she could hear his current girlfriend calling out to him, to get off the phone she'd brought him lunch so they could eat together. Yes, he was a still a pig of a man, she thought. Got a girlfriend and trying to make another girl come home to marry him.

It also sounded to her like Phillip had also looked into Edward, and did not like what he saw, must be either of two things; Edward had more money than Phillip did or he knew that: her father was now leaning towards Edward himself, so he was trying to wrest control of the situation. He wanted her fathers' company and wouldn't get it without marrying into the family.

Message six once again her father "Isobelle, Edward sounds like a proper gentleman. I managed to speak with him, though only briefly, he was about to board a flight home. Now I understand that the two of you had a bit of a fight. I'm certain it can be worked out. Call the man he wants to apologise to you."

Sweet Goddess, her own father, had actually managed to contact Edward himself. She could well imagine that phone call, likely a welcome to the family son, had probably gone ahead and invited the man home for dinner as well. Why did this always happen? Always had men trying to control her life. Her father was always trying to marry her off.

Phillip always still around, though she knew that an just wanted the family company, he could go and chase Cordelia if he wanted the company that bad. He was not about to get it through her. She had no connection to her father's company and intended on keeping it that way.

Voice message seven her actual mother, though off her fathers phone, so likely coherenced into it. "Honey it's mum, please do call your father back. He's starting to worry to the point that he is not willing to leave the estate home here in Maine and return to his city apartment" heard her father's voice in the background tell her "It's my bloody house. I will stay as long as I like."

Then he'd taken the phone from her mothers hand and grated down the line at her "sobelle Jenkins, if you do not call me back I will make my way to Drake industries and find out myself exactly what Edward Patrick's intentions are with my daughter. You call me back right now."

Again Izzy rolled her eyes, he would know by now she did not respond to his threats, that she would call him back when she was good and bloody ready, not when he wanted her to. Checked the time of the message. All these calls had been spaced out over the course of the day she had left and flown to Australia, unbeknownst to her family. She had on purpose left her phone turned off because she figured that Edward or Bradley Drake himself would have gotten her mobile number off of Laura as well as her workmobile. Didn't want to speak to either of them possessive arrogant men either.

She had really not wanted to deal with any of them, wondered if this constant need to be in control of her, was why Piper had left Bradley Drake's company in the first place. He was a man who appeared to be just as relentless as her own father was.

They were both like a dog with a bone, just couldn't let it go. Both controlling, possessive men, were bloody everywhere, it seemed, and could hunt and track with all the money they had at their disposal, no escape. Sighed, she and Piper very much liked to be in full control of their own lives, neither of them liked to be told what to do.

Smiled at thought actually, she had seen Piper go head to head with some pretty wealthy and influential people, both man and woman. She just stood there and stared them down, it was like the woman had no fear really. Or at least none that Izzy had seen until Bradley Drake had strolled into her store that day.

She'd never seen Piper so rattled, never seen her actually run from anyone. And she had run. Izzy had heard the doors banging closed in quick succession on her way out of the store. Seen the way Bradley had stalked out of her office, not her studio. It was the very first time she had ever seen Piper be anything but cool, calm and collected.

The eighth message was Phillip once more. She huffed in annoyance, "It's been all day now, Isobelle. I am done waiting on you, you're so very childish all the time, you should bloody grow up. I will be marrying Katelyn Bateman. Not you. We are done. Don't call me anymore."

Anymore? The man was bloody delusional. She'd never called him not once in all the time she had left him.

Finally, the man had given up on her, it was about bloody time, was happy to hear that message, damned near whooped with joy to hear it. She really hoped that this Katelyn knew that he was a cheating pig of a man. Though it was very unlikely that the woman knew anything. Hell if Izzy hadn't gone into her father's office building, impromptu that day, to have dinner with her sister, she would never have seen what he was, been none the wiser and likely have been married to the man herself.

The ninth message was once again her father," Isobelle, I am very disappointed in you. I just found out that you have left the country, gone to Australia. This is completely unacceptable. Come home at once or I will send Phillip to collect you."

Izzy did actually laugh at that one. Guess her father was unaware of the fact that Phillip had called her and told her he'd had enough of her childish behaviour "good luck father." she murmured softly, amused at the thought of him telling Phillip to go and get her and Phillip stating no. Probably be the first time he'd ever said it. Phillip was going to decline that request. They might be business partners, but without the hope of getting her for himself, he would not lower himself to being a lap dog and come and collect her. Looked at her work mobile and wondered if she dared to turn that one on. Mr Drake Industries, had that number, which also meant so did Edward now in all likelihood. She sat there and stared at it for a very long time, then turned it on. A part of her was very curious as to if what Piper had told her was true. That he would hunt her to the very ends of the earth to get her back.

There were several missed calls on the phone, nil messages left, though, there was a text message that stated "Miss Jenkin's my name is Cooper, please call me back urgently." Who was Cooper? She did not know a Cooper and there was no Mr Cooper that she was in contact with that she recalled.

But to call her Miss Jenkin's, it was likely that this man was one of her father's men, probably just trying to track her down, so they could come and collect her, though when she looked at the message time it had been sent when she had been in LAX on her layover. Then just a few hours ago, a text message that read

"Izzy I'm sorry, I did not mean to raise my voice at you. Please text me back. Let me know you're safe, Eddie. I will be out of contact on a flight, but please let me know you're okay..."I'll see you soon baby."

Got herself out of bed and headed right for Piper's room. She was already awake, up and showered. No real surprise there, the woman usually ran at sunrise every day. Showed her the message, biting her lip while Piper read it. "On a flight, he'll see me soon?"

Piper sighed "Likely used his connections to track your credit card and got your flight details, on his way to collect you Izzy."

"It was just one night." He was clearly crazy.

"Not to him." Piper shook her head.

"Come on Piper. It was just like, really good s*x. That does not denote a relationship."

"In his world, it does. I'm sorry Izzy, I did try to warn you about him."

Piper had warned her she knew that. "So what do I do then?"

"I don't know" Piper sighed, "Though I would not specifically tell him the word no, or that you don't want to be with him."

"What? Why not?" She could feel little alarm bells going off inside of her mind.

"Might not go down so well. It's very complicated, Izzy. He is likely coming to collect you. So you can be swayed into dating him. He will want that and likely won't take no for an answer."

"He's nutso."

Piper half laughed at her. "Yes, they all are. Must have what they want. Regardless as to what anyone else wants. And those four men. They are the top of the food chain. No-one dares tell them no. It is practically unheard of." "You did." Izzy reminded her.

"I did." Piper nodded at her 'Hurt to blazes to be honest with you."

"Bradley took your no, didn't come after you." Izzy stated curiously.

"He didn't know I had said no and I left the moment I said it, he was asleep and unaware at the time"

"Really? I left Edward while he was asleep too." She half smiled now, so much in common.

"Mm, there is a difference though. Edward knew who he was sleeping with. Bradley did not, I was just another girl in his bed to him." she shrugged." Edward desired you. Wanted you and got to have you. In his mind, you're his now. You agreed, told him you were his." "I only said that to get the actual s*x, Piper. He was holding out on me, made me say it to get what I wanted from him at the time."

"Mm, I understand that. But that's the thing Izzy, you did actually tell him, agreed to be his. So..."

"This is a nightmare," Izzy muttered.

Watched as Piper actually laughed softly "Welcome to my world."

"Don't know if I want to be part of your world. It's weird to be honest. Really bloody weird." she sank down on Piper's bed "Do I even get a choice?"

Piper sat next to her. "There is usually a choice.

Think carefully though, Izzy, Edward could in fact be your Mr Right."

"Yeah right, that man can have any woman he wants, I imagine. Look at him."

"He'll only have eyes for you now, Izzy."

"What?" she wondered if that was true. Could she date a man like Edward? Could she keep a man like Edward? Satisfy a man like him? There were much prettier women out there, some of them with way more sxual experience than her, willing to do sxual acts that she wasn't. Edward did seem to be a very dominant man, he was likely to have more than the one fetish, she'd seen.

"Izzy, I'm not going to tell you what to do where he is concerned... Just, do what is right for you. Maybe that includes dating him, to see if you like him."

"Piper, you told me to stay away from him. Now you're telling me to date him, that is very confusing.

"You've slept with him now. So things have changed in that department. No matter my feelings about Drake Industries, you have the right to see for yourself and choose what you want as well. You might like it there, fit right in.. just never fit in. It's why I left." Izzy was more confused now than before, she didn't know what to do. "Should I text him back?"

"That is up to you." is all Piper said. Izzy wandered back to her room and stared at the phone, at the message Eddie had left her. He'd started it with an apology, wanted to know if she was safe, told her his plans, again wanted to know if she was okay and then told her he'd see her soon. They were the words of a boyfriend.

Not a man who she had just met, sounded caring and worried about her. She sighed, tried to tell herself not to read anything into it, he would be just like the rest, his eyes would wander to some other woman, he was the most charming of the group, that's what Piper had told her, sat and stared right at that message for a very long time.

"I'm fine." she finally texted him back and left it at that.

Tossed the phone onto the bed a second later, Goddess what had she gotten herself into with this man?