Page 77 of Isabela

“Slide your finger over the trigger now,” I murmur. I’m plastered against Isabela’s back, and I can feel her body vibrating with excitement and anxiety. Her heartbeat is pounding so hard, I can feel it like a drum announcing Lily’s impending death. “That’s it, beautiful. There’s going to be a bit of a kickback with this gun when you shoot it, but I’ve got you, okay? It’s you and me, Isa.”

Isabela inhales as she pulls her finger back on the trigger, and I simply make certain she hits her mark. My lips curl as Lily’s eyes widen, unable to scream before her head flies back with the force of the bullet.

“Ready to get cleaned up a bit and go see your uncle?” I ask Isa, kissing her temple. I tug the gun carefully away from her, setting the safety on it as I wrap my arm around her waist. The tension in her body releases as I hug her against me.

“Yes,” Isa says as she nods her head. “I want to start living my life for me again instead of in fear.”

My girl is so strong as she straightens her spine and turns to face me. She's still a few inches shorter than me as she grins up at me. There’s a spot of blood on her nose, and I bare my teeth as I wipe it away.

“You bet your sweet ass you will,” I growl, dipping my head down to taste her lips. Neither of us pay another single second of attention to Lily as I walk with her to the bathroom after dropping the gun off on the torture implement tray. Her eyes are clear and bright as we get cleaned up, not a drop of sadness or remorse within them.

I only hope this holds true for her uncle’s death as well. He’s going to give me all of his secrets before she kills him.

ISABELA

I should feel sad that I just took another life, right? Instead, I feel settled, knowing there is one less person on the planet who can hurt me. Gael helped me get cleaned up, and I know I’m about to experience the trademark Elijah Cohen sneer.

It’s the one where he shows me I’m nothing and will always be the scum under his heel.

Gael’s presence is dark, though reassuring, as he walks next to me. I know I have to walk in on my own merit, and he can’t show me any special attention. I still feel the waves of love he’s sending me as we move through the hallways and downstairs. This area of the warehouse is dark, and there aren’t any windows.

“These rooms all have video cameras in them, as it was agreed that it’s crass and intimidating to have five witnesses in the room with you when you complete this task,” Gael explains.

I didn’t know having an audience was an option, and my eyes widen.

My heart does this weird flip flop at the thought of anyone with me other than Gael standing beside me, when I ultimately kill my uncle. Talk about performance anxiety.

“Just a little,” I grunt, shaking my head.

“It’ll be fine. Put your hair up for me, because this is going to be a lot messier than it was with Lily,” he says. “Use this time to ask whatever questions you need to, I’ll make sure I also ask what I need to for things that may be less emotionally charged.”

Things not related to how my uncle may have killed my parents or why he stole all of my money. Got it.

I blow out a breath as Gael stops at a heavy looking door and pulls out a set of keys, I watch as he unlocks it. There’s a lever he pulls down, making my brows furrow.

“There was a guard upstairs,” I state, remembering. “Why isn’t there one here?”

“The doors are all made of steel, and he’s being held up by heavy chains, rather than just a hook like Lily was,” Gael says as he pushes the door open. “He’s not going anywhere. There’s also been sensory deprivation, screaming music, pumped into this room since he was picked up.”

My jaw drops as I think about what that would be like. Silently, I follow him in as he turns on the lights. Damn, Uncle Eli was in the dark too.

My uncle blinks blearily, though it’s probably not been quite twenty-four hours since he was picked up. He’s wearing a pair of boxers and a thin white shirt, and both are soaking wet. The room is also absolutely freezing.

I think they may be purposefully pumping colder air into this room. He could have suffered a bit longer. My lips purse at the unkind thoughts, but I refuse to feel badly right now.

“You! Stupid whore. What did you do?!” my uncle screams as soon as he sees me. I feel a whole lot better as he continues and Gael sneers at him. As the door closes and locks behind me, I look around the room.

There’s a huge drain in the middle of the floor under my uncle, and a hose in the right corner for easy cleanup. I see buckets, an industrial sink, and a wall behind him, filled with torture implements. Uncle Eli hangs from the chains coming down from the ceiling, and I can only imagine how much his muscles are aching.

My lips curve into a small smile as I walk closer to him, enjoying the hate in his gaze, because the ball isn’t in his court anymore. I can hear Gael humming to himself as he drops things onto a cart.

“Who are you fucking to have these crazy people help you?” my uncle yells. “They’re not good people. They like to control everything.”

“Yes, like how you’ve been controlling me for the past almost four years, Uncle,” I mock him. “Or how you’re using my parents’ foundation as a sex trafficking front. There are so many things I can lay at your feet, and plan to.”

“All you had to do was be Charles’ fuck toy. Where is the old bastard anyway?” my uncle asks, complaining.

“Dead,” I say. “I slit his throat when he tried to force me to suck his dick. Now, I have some burning questions for you…”

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