Page 46 of Isabela

“You said something along the lines of ‘ceasing to exist’ last night,” I remind her as I keep my eyes on the road. Isabela shifts in her seat with a small sigh as she pulls herself out of her thoughts. Waiting a moment, I continue. “Can I ask you why?”

“Yeah. Mayor Markship’s wife is going out of town for two weeks, so my uncle arranged for me to be his plaything during that time,” she explains. “I pushed my uncle into losing control the night he beat the shit out of me in October. I went to a charity event and found out he wanted a virgin.”

My heart drops as I take a shuddering breath, remembering my thoughts when I saw her afterwards.

“The mayor has some pretty fucked up sexual preferences, and I pressed the record button on my phone before my uncle began to hit me,” Isabela says softly. “If it was between being forced to go with the mayor that night and being beaten, my choice would still be the same.”

“Jesus, baby,” I mutter. “You amaze me. Did the recording survive?”

“It did, but since my phone was in my clutch, it’s just sound,” she mutters. “There are parts I was passed out for as Mayor Markship spoke about his plans for me. He… enjoys very nonconsensual sexual acts. I get the feeling he likes to break his partners, and he was very adamant that he wanted a virgin.”

Isabela wouldn’t survive that. I mean, her body would eventually heal, but her mind…

“Fuck,” I curse, all of my emotion concentrated in the word.

“I applied for the key party because it was the one thing I wanted to have for myself. A choice set apart from everything else. And then… I was ready to just disappear,” she rasps. “I was going to take every moment from last night and just try to escape into the memories.”

Her voice breaks as she starts to cry and I realize I need to hold her. Thankfully, I’m on a back road right now, since Theodore lives just outside of Phoenix. Pulling off onto the shoulder, I park the truck and unbuckle Isa, to pull her into my lap.

“Goddamn it, it hurts to hear you cry, baby,” I rumble, tears pricking my own eyes as I push my chair back to give us a bit more room. Shrugging off my own seat belt, I hug her tightly as her cries break into sobs.

“I’ve got you, Isa. I fucking swear this asshole will never touch you. When was he supposed to pick you up?”

“Tomorrow,” she gasps. Isabela is shaking as she breaks apart, and I rub her back as I realize how close I was to losing her. If she hadn’t called me…

“What made you decide to call me?” I ask her. I recline the chair back, so that she’s laying on me, trying to help dispel the bone deep chill she must be feeling. Isa’s teeth are fucking chattering.

“It all hit me. I was trying so hard to keep it together, to bear it, but Uncle Eli came over this morning and it just?—”

“Isa.” I interrupt her because I’m so horrified. “Mayor Markship is a monster, baby. You were in an impossible situation, and I’m so damn grateful you called me. There’s no shame in asking for help. He was going to rape you until he broke you and then send you back to your uncle, right?”

Isabela nods her head, her eyes widening as her anxiety starts to overwhelm her.

“None of that will happen,” I promise her as I brush back her hair. “You’re safe with me, and I swear you’re safe with Theodore and the Society. I know you felt alone and helpless. You’re not. Take a breath. It only feels as if your lungs are working against you. You can do it. Come on, Isa. Breathe.”

Isabela takes a gasping breath as she cries, and I nod as I breathe with her.

“Your uncle made you feel like you had no one, huh?” I ask her as I stare into eyes. “He didn’t expect me, baby. I’ve got you.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” she says, blinking as her tears blind her. “This is my mess, and I’m just going to fuck up your life.”

“Hey,” I admonish. “Life revolves around the choices you make. This is one I’m going to look at in a week, a month, ten years from now, and you know what I’m not going to think?”

“What?” she asks, huffing out a breath. Isa is starting to get her sass back, and I’m damn happy to see it.

“Damn, I wish I hadn’t picked up the phone,” I say dramatically. Isa giggles in an exasperated way, making me smile. I definitely could make it my mission in life to make her laugh more.

I should be worried about my thoughts, but I’m not. Aria only held me back from finding Isabela’s apartment and kidnapping her, because she didn’t want me to railroad her. She’s right. I’m glad Isa came to me.

“I will never regret picking up the phone today, Isa. Is that understood?” I ask her. I brush my lips over hers, loving the whimper she gives me, and then I open my mouth and ask for more.

Isabela gives it to me, opening beautifully for me. She tastes like salt and strawberries, making me groan as I swipe my tongue along hers. Her stomach growls before I can take this too far, making me chuckle.

“You need food,” I growl, picking her up and settling her back in her seat. “Buckle up, baby. Knowing Theodore, he probably has his chef whipping up a storm for us.”

I watch her put on her seatbelt as I fix my own, and don’t miss the roll of her eyes.

“He doesn’t need to go to such lengths for me,” she says, biting her lip as I put the truck into drive and check the road before pulling back onto it.

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