Page 107 of Isabela

“I thought the board said you could commute in?” Isabela asks.

“While that’s true, I don’t think I’ll want to do that,” Harrison confesses. “I want to be closer to my dad and you, and one of my sons lives a few minutes outside of Phoenix.”

My lips twitch as the light turns green and I move slowly forward, glancing back and forth for idiots who may run the red light. Sure enough, some dingbat does, and I slam on the brakes. Isabela gasps as she watches the car shoot past, lips parted in shock as he makes it through. Two cops thankfully see him, putting on their lights and sirens to pursue him.

“Holy fuck,” she whispers.

“Indeed,” Harrison grunts as I press down the gas and drive through the intersection.

The rest of the drive goes by quickly as we chat, and soon we’re at a nondescript brick building that belongs to the Eagna Society. Pulling into the parking lot, I slowly come to a stop.

“Laurene has been cooling her heels in the basement of this building since Monday,” I tell Harrison and Isabela. “She’s been unharmed, but the members watching her are a little bored.”

“Great,” Harrison drawls, unbuckling his seatbelt to turn toward me. “What exactly does that mean?”

“They may have done some sensory deprivation over the last few days,” I explain with a wince. “Loud music for hours, bright lights, no windows, so she doesn’t know if it’s day or night. She also started refusing food because she thinks there’s something wrong with it.”

“Fucking lovely,” Harrison grunts, shoving the door open. “Assholes.”

Isabela scrambles after him, wide-eyed while I chuckle under my breath as I follow. It’s not my fault Laurene is fucking annoying.

Unlocking the door once we arrive, I wave at the person manning the front as we walk through.

“Hi, Dr. Murphy,” he says as he sees us. “Are you here for the girl? She’s a real pain in the ass.”

“I’m her father, so I know this well,” Harrison grunts. The guy’s eyes grow large, but doesn’t say anything as we move past him.

We use the elevator to go downstairs, where this floor is made without any windows. Nodding at the guard standing in front of Laurene’s room, I raise my eyebrow.

“She’s fine, but still refusing to eat. Laurene did drink water, though,” he says, unlocking the door.

“Let me the fuck out of here!” Laurene screams as soon as the door opens.

“Calm yourself, daughter,” Harrison says, walking into the room as the lights come on. There are tear streaks down Laurene’s cheeks, making me sigh. She brought all of this upon herself.

“I made the trip down to see what kind of mayhem you’ve been up to. Sneaking around, taking pornographic pictures of private moments of our friends, what’s going on in that head of yours?”

The door slams shut behind us, making Isabela jump. Goddamn it, the door.

Turning toward her, I grab her hand, pulling her close to me, so I can hold her. Isabela is stiff, but buries her head in my chest, as if breathing me in.

“I’m thinking that these two are an abomination,” Laurene says with a sneer. “You should have seen them, Daddy. They flaunt their affair, fuck in his office, and he’s so old for her!”

“It’s a seventeen year difference,” I remind her. “I think you need to figure out your Daddy issues before you complain about other people. You’re being expelled from Hoyt University, and Dean Hopkins has been fired. You’re leaving a mess in your wake, young lady.”

“Damn, trying to steal my thunder,” Harrison jokes before he sobers. The full force of his gaze on Laurene hits her, making her cave in on herself. I do not envy her right now. “Laurene, do you need attention, what the hell is your deal?”

“I don’t know,” she confesses. “I don’t fit in anywhere. I have no idea what I’m doing. I was looking for attention, but it blew up in my face. You always give everyone else your best, while I’m yelled at or ignored.”

“Laurene, that’s not true,” Harrison says, blowing out a breath. “If you had just waited a week, you’d know that I’m moving here permanently with your mother.”

“You are? Why? It’s for work, isn’t it?” she accuses.

This girl isn’t going to give Harrison any slack it seems.

“It’s kind of for work,” Isa says softly. “It would give you two the time to figure things out.”

“It would have if she hadn’t fucked everything up,” Harrison says, exasperated. Laurene can’t stay in Phoenix anymore. “Now, I’m scrambling to find a school that’ll take her. Woodland Academy is the only place that is willing to enroll her.”

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