Page 52 of Isabela

“Uncle Eli didn’t want me to live in a dorm room. It’s the only reason why I also have my car: so I can get to class. He insisted on it when I got into college, but I didn’t fully understand he was isolating me until he almost beat me to death my freshman year of college,” she says. Isa is so pragmatic about this as I pale.

No wonder my husband won’t look in this direction.

Jesus.

“Bastard,” I whisper. “No one knows where we live, and the gate code gets changed daily.”

Gael doesn’t fuck around, and I’m sure he took a few notes from Theodore about safety.

“Oh,” Isa says, but I can tell there’s a lot happening in her mind. “I may actually be safe here.”

“Yes. Though, I’ll feel better when your uncle is dead,” I growl. Isa doesn’t say anything to my bloodthirsty words, though she smiles weakly at me. “When are your classes? Are there security risks we need to look out for?”

“My uncle has been watching me at all times, though Gael got around it pretty easily,” she says, amused.

“I have many hidden talents. I’m not just a pretty face,” he says easily. My lips twitch because he’s a lot more relaxed than this morning.

Isabela is good for him. I also think he’s carrying a lot of guilt about how he’s treated her in the past. She’s wearing relatively comfortable clothes, her hair up in a messy bun, and my husband hasn’t twitched once.

Gael plates the food and brings it over to us after he turns off the stove.“I’ve experienced some of those talents,” Isa says before blushing.

Giggling, I catch Gael looking fairly proud of himself. “Isa tried to call me Dr. Murphy today because she was worried about my reputation, Aria,” he tells me. Isa’s eyes widen, making me think my husband is tattling on her.

“What reputation do you have to worry about?” I ask him. “I think everyone in the history department has heard me come at least once in your office.”

“You two are insane,” Isabela remarks as she takes a bite of her sandwich. There’s nothing sexier than watching her moan as she eats, and I squeeze my thighs together. It’s definitely too soon to throw her on the island to make her come on my tongue. Right?

“Gael is untouchable with his position,” I explain to her. “He’s going to want to hold your hand on campus, kiss you goodbye, and you have to decide if that’s going to upset you.”

I don’t add that I’m going to want those things as well.

“I don’t have a reputation to ruin,” she says with a shrug. “I’m a hermit by circumstance. As you said, Hoyt University is a bit small minded. The academics are why I’m there, and as an escape, or it was...”

“If your uncle has people waiting for you to come back to campus, I’m a little worried about you going to classes,” I tell her. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t go?—”

“I told Theodore and Gael I’ve been on thin ice with my uncle for the past few months, so graduating may not be feasible,” Isa says. Putting down her sandwich, she picks up a napkin to clean off her fingers.

I get up and grab glasses of water for everyone, because I don’t want her to end up with a headache later.

“If you want to graduate, you should,” I tell her, putting the filled glasses on the island. Sitting again, I take a bite of my sandwich, sighing happily. Fuck this is good.

“We made a plan for her to be able to stay at school after we kick her uncle off the board and she takes over, but I may need to assign a couple of Society members to walk her to classes,” Gael says. We eat silently as I think about that, knowing Isabela may hate the idea of having to be babysat.

“I know it’s necessary, I just hate being a bother,” Isabela says. “There has to be other things they could be doing, other than following me around.”

“We’ve had Society members working behind the scenes already to get information on your uncle to get him kicked off the board. I also just wanted to figure out what the fuck was happening with you,” Gael says. “I meant it when I said you were under my skin. I’m going to try not to get overbearing, Isa. I want to listen to your needs, but I also need you to be safe.”

“As far as the three of us, if you sleep alone tonight, one or both of us will probably find a way into your bed,” I say with a smirk. “I don’t even know all of the ins and outs of things and I feel twitchy.”

Isa bites her lip and takes a deep breath. “I get it. I’ll let Gael tell you about it, but I think I need to lay down,” she says softly.

Nodding, I show her to the guest room, deciding not to push.

“I think I’m just overwhelmed,” Isabella says, her bag in her hand as she closes the door behind her.

I take a shaky breath, realizing I’m just as fucked up over this girl as Gael is.

“You want inside that room, don’t you, baby?” Gael asks. I’m unsurprised that he’s behind me. Sneaky man.

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