Page 58 of Isabela

I’m in the middle of class when the door slams open to the right. Turning with a glare, my face blanks as I see Michael standing there. His face is beaten, there’s a scratch on his nose, and his chest is heaving.

Isa.

“Sir, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need you right now,” he says, out of breath.

Slamming shut my computer, I unplug the HDMI cord and shove the laptop into my shoulder bag.

“Class is dismissed!” I yell out to the class as I pocket my phone. “We’ll pick this up next time.”

We only started twenty minutes ago, and there are murmurs that begin to creep across the room, as I throw the strap of my bag over my head to walk out. Michael matches my strides as we slam out of the classroom, waiting until we’re out of the building.

“Report,” I growl. “What happened to you and where is Isabela?”

“Lily turned on us,” Michael says. “She attacked me, knocked me out, and by the time I came to, they were both gone. I asked her why as she was strangling the fuck out of me, and she said that Mayor Markship promised her better opportunities.”

“Fucking cunt,” I mutter. “No one survives breaking their oaths to the Society, but Isa is also important to me.”

“Lily is a dead woman,” he confirms. “I’m sorry, Sir. She and I have been working together for years, and she’s been a little off lately. I should have questioned it sooner.”

“We all fuck up,” I sigh. “The problem is that the mayor wants to destroy Isabela and everything that makes her who she is. Are we going to allow that to happen?”

Michael stumbles before he pulls out his phone and starts building a team. I want to beat the hell out of someone, my fists are clenched, and my heart is beating out of my chest. I have to keep it together, even though the girl I just told I loved for the first time, is in the hands of a monster.

Fuck, and now I have to tell my wife. My phone is in my hand before I realize it, the call connected on autopilot as we bypass the history building for a squat building we use for Society meetings.

“Aren’t you supposed to be teaching, Gael?” Aria’s sweet voice asks. I’ve been known to step out to call, because I missed her, but that’s not why I’m calling her today.

“Yeah, baby. Something happened. We fucked up, and one of Isa’s guards kidnapped her. I’m on it, but I had to tell you. I trusted the wrong person with her,” I say, sorrow and anger thick in my voice.

Aria sits in silence for a moment as Michael enters the code for the building to let us in. I’m surprised no one has ever mentioned anything about this security feature. Goddamn it, I’m going to have to change all of the passcodes now, too.

I hate having to remember new codes outside of the one for my own home. I’ll make sure Lily screams for me for that reason alone.

“Gael?” Aria asks, tears in her tone. Fuck. I hate making her cry. She’s typically so damn tough, tears make me want to maim and kill things for her. “Fix it. Don’t come home till you do.”

She hangs up the phone, and I rub my face, blowing out a breath as Michael and I walk through the hallways, where he’s already amassed a team. Aria is right.

“Alright,” I bark as I stride into the room. “I’m in the doghouse with my wife until we bring Isabela Cohen home, so let’s fix this. Arick I need you to start searching the cameras for where she could have been taken. Victoria, pull up the properties we found Charles Markship owns that are legal and not.”

“I’m throwing out a personal challenge to you all to find Lily as well,” Michael rumbles. “We don’t accept betrayal well, do we people?”

“No, Sir!” the group yells, scrambling to find Isa and Lily.

My eyes close as I mutter a quick prayer. I promised her she’d be safe, and I lied. I hope I get the chance to make it up to her.

ISABELA

I can’t move and I’m cold. My head aches as I open my eyes, and the light hurts them, making me whimper in pain.

“There you are,” says a deep, nasally voice. “I thought Lily may have given you too much sedative. Elijah was right when he said he’s been keeping you in check. Your body is perfect.”

My hands fist as I recognize the mayor’s voice, and I struggle to control my face as I glance over at him. I’m laying on a mattress, and my wrists and ankles are bound tightly to the bed posts. Charles leers at my half naked body. It makes me nauseated to think about who may have pulled off my clothes, leaving me in my bralette and thong. I wish I’d opted for granny panties and a dull, full coverage bra instead this morning when dressing.

“Mayor Markship,” I rasp, my voice cracking from whatever shit Lily gave me. If I see her again, I’m going to kick her ass. Maybe I’ll have Gael hold her down for me.

Fuck. He’s going to blame himself for this.

“Please, call me Charles. We’re going to become very well acquainted, Isabela,” he sneers. I’m in some kind of warehouse, but the walls are painted white, and there aren’t any windows. There’s a door just off the room that may be a bathroom, and a door behind him. I can see a keypad on the wall.

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