Page 20 of Our Darling Isabelle

“Princess, get down!” He bellows, raising his gun and firing off shots at the car as it peels away, raining pebbles and kicking up dust. The back windshield cracks, holes peppering through it as I scream and kick at the front seat with my body tucked down.

“Shut up!” The man yells, swatting at me behind the seat. Headlights flare to life, lighting the car up as an engine roars behind me. Jared is coming for me. Hope blossoms in my chest as the man in front of me curses, whipping the steering wheel and sending me falling across the backseat with a cry. We are in a compact car, but Jared is driving the bulky SUV. It’ll be too easy to lose him as soon as we hit the main roads. I’m rapidly running out of time and act on impulse.

Without thinking, I upright myself and pray Jared doesn’t shoot yet. I throw my arms around the headrest and over the man’s head, using my restrained wrists to choke him. I put my feet onto the seat and use every ounce of strength I have, letting out a guttural cry as my wrists burn and my fingers tingle. My shoulders feel as if they will both pull from the socket but I don’t give up. He claws at my hand, swerving from one side to the other all the way down the gravel road until he goes limp under my hands. Before I can pull away, the car jerks sharply to the left. For a moment it seems as if time slows as our car rolls over. My hair flutters around my face with the shimmering of broken glass reflected under the moonlight. That bastard put his seatbelt on, but not mine.

I can’t tell what the screeching noise is.

Metal bending and ripping?

Or me?

Chapter 16—Alec

She’s hurt. Nobody goes through a wreck like that and walks away unharmed.

When Markus came running up to me, yelling about Isabelle being taken, I didn’t even stop to think. The whole table shook, and drinks spilled as I jumped up so quickly, but I continued without slowing down. I texted Jared before we even hit the stairs and sent him outside to run the perimeter while Markus and I searched everywhere inside. My phone rang and Jared just screamed, “Back exit!” Before shots fired off. We made it out the back door before I could even take a full breath as I watched the black car driving away and gaining speed. I jumped into the front seat, shouting at Jared to gun it, and Markus dove into the back seat just as we peeled out.

Whoever grabbed her was going to pay for it. Markus was double checking his gun in the back seat, snarling threats under his breath.

“Jared, if he hits main road.” I say and his hands tighten on the wheel.

“I know.” He snaps, trying to slam the gas pedal down further.

“Get closer so I can take a shot.” Markus says.

“Too risky, Isabelle could get hurt if he wrecks.” I hiss, my knuckles whitening where I grip my own gun. Just as he gets closer to the exit that drops out onto main street, the car swerves violently from side to side. I watch in horror as her head whips from side to side in the glow of headlights, my breath locking in my lungs.

“What the Hell?” Jared asks.

“She’s fighting back.” Markus says proudly behind me, and I nod as hope flares in my chest.

Until the car jerks sideways. They were going too fast. Way too fast. The car flips, rolling almost in slow motion as Jared slams on the brakes. My hand slaps the dash and my brother screams for Isabelle. Markus slams open his door and charges forward before I can grab him.

“Shit!” I call out, taking off after him as the car sits, crumpled and upside down. Markus hits the ground in a dive to peer through what was once the rear windshield.

“Belle, you need to wake up, baby. Look at me.” He is laying on his stomach, crawling through the twisted metal and broken glass as I skid to a stop next to him. Black hair framing her face, Isabelle lies limp on the roof with her eyes closed and my heart constricts painfully. I drop beside them and sigh in relief when she blinks up at us.

“You came for me?” Her voice is weak and tired. Her body is shaking, her dress torn and every inch of her is filthy, but she’s still so beautiful to me. To us.

Markus crawls in further, shucking his shirt to lay it over the broken glass and leaving him in a tank top.

He controls his voice and tries to comfort her by speaking softly, “Can you crawl closer, baby?”

“Sorry boys, my hands are tied.” She holds them up with a weak giggle and I groan, yanking my pocketknife out.

“Don’t make jokes.” I say, passing the blade to Markus.

“I thought it was pretty funny.” He says, beaming down at her before clipping the tape off her hands and passing the knife back. She slides her body over the shirt, hissing in a breath between her teeth before crying out and dropping into Markus’ arms.

“Going to cut yourself on all this glass.” She mutters, panting to catch her breath. I grab his legs and he holds her while I drag them both out of the wreck.

“Jared, we need Dede at the house.” I tell him and he nods, pulling out his cell to type a message to our doctor while casting a worried look at Isabelle. She is limp in Markus’ arms, bruises and scratches showing across her battered body in the bright headlights.

“Wake up, sweetheart. You need to stay awake.” I say as Jared hands me a jacket and I drape it over her. She catches my hand in hers and I notice how strong her grip is. It brings me a small bit of comfort, but she doesn’t open her eyes.

“We know him, but I’m not sure how.” Jared says, looking in the front seat again.

“Check him for an ID. Is he dead?” I ask. Jared presses two fingers under his chin and shakes his head, unbuckling his seatbelt and letting him flop onto the roof of the car before dragging him out and dropping him on the dirt. Jared’s phone rings and he answers it, stepping towards the car.

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