Page 15 of Our Darling Isabelle

“Then tonight could get interesting.” Markus grins. I look over at Isabelle. She is picking at her lips again. I noticed she does that most when she’s stressed or lost in thought. Reaching over, I take her hand and pull it away. Even as she tries to break free, I clutch her hand in mine while flipping through the folder she is staring at.

“Most of our records are digital, but I had this one dug up to show you something the public is rarely aware of. James Barone was a bastard who fed drugs into our community. When we took over, things changed and the first thing we did was cut any drug activity our family was involved with. We still deal in illegal firearms, and hit for hire, but we also support the school systems. Our funding keeps them functioning.” Markus explains to her. Isabelle’s eyes are wide as she takes in the record of donations that we keep anonymous from the public.

“You guys paid for that massive library to be built? I spent every minute I could in there every summer. It was such an enormous improvement for Rapids.” She sucks in a breath and stares harder at the page. “Wait, the orphanage? Even with your ‘activities’, how can you afford all of this?” Her voice is full of wonder, but a moment later her eyes fall on a black folder. I smack my hand onto it when she tries to pull it towards herself.

“Isabelle, not that one. Jared wasn’t supposed to bring it out.” Markus tries to pull her hand away, and Jared chuckles.

“You boys wanted her to see everything. Let her see the death trail.” Jared says, making Isabelle jerk her hand away.

“What the Hell is a death trail?” she asks, as if she hadn’t heard him right. I battle with the idea of showing her, but she makes the choice when she snatches it from my hand and darts across the room.

“Give it back.” I all but growl at her, but she doesn’t respond. Realization darkens her face, the color draining until she drops the folder. The papers are scattered across the floor, a mix of photos and descriptions. This newer folder was filled with images of people who owed us a large sum of money, or worse. Anyone who had stood against our family or tried to attack us after we took over was in there. Including information about their families. Nearly every image had a stamp over their faces, a symbol signifying their death. Most had died at Markus or my hand. Some included news clippings about their death, or images we had taken just after finishing the job.

Isabelle looks like she is going to be sick or run, maybe both. It’s one thing to hear about the things we have done, but to see the aftermath is enough to shock anyone.

“Belle,” Markus tries a gentle tone when he reaches for her, but she slaps his hand away and darts around him.

“Don’t touch me!” She shouts, shaking her head while backing towards the door.

“Your father and mother were monsters. You are both just like them.” Her voice is a harsh whisper, but her words rip through me. My whole body stiffens, coiled in rage. Markus’ entire demeanor darkens, and he prowls towards her while she cowers and stumbles backwards. I can see her muscles tensed, ready to run for safety. But there is no safe place in our world, and no place on earth that we wouldn’t find her.

“Don’t run, kitten. Because when I catch you, you’ll be choking on my cock or with my hands around your throat. I haven’t decided which one.” Markus growls, stepping closer. But she doesn’t listen. Isabelle backs further towards the door. I can see his control is in shreds at the mention of our mother.

“Run, darling.” I call out to her, slamming into Markus and earning his elbow jammed into my lip. Warm copper bursts over my tongue, the pain fueling my strength as I fight to pin him while our sweet Isabelle stands there as if frozen in place.

“I’m not afraid of you.” Her voice quivers, as if biting back tears.

“Jared.” I snapped his name, and he knows immediately what I need.

“Come on, princess. You’ve struck a nerve and it would be smart to take a walk.” Jared says, nearly dragging her through the door. I’m grateful she doesn’t fight him, but Markus looks ready to murder me.

He just might.

Chapter 13—Markus

The look on her face was still rolling through my mind as I stare into my coffee, wishing it held the answers. I should have spoken up, told her that what she was saying about our mother was untrue because she couldn’t have known. The outside world only saw the evil from my father that bled over her, but my mother was kind and full of love. Instead, my vision went red, and I snarled at her like the beast I was cursed to be.

Isabelle is currently cleaning the kitchen, going out of her way to ignore me. Just as I was about to ask her to speak to me outside, my cell started chiming in my pocket. I set my cup on the counter and answer with a frown.

“What is it?” I ask Jared, annoyed that he’s calling at the wrong time. From the corner of my eye, I watch Isabelle dump my coffee down the sink, a grin curling her lips as she washes the cup. My girl thinks she’s sly.

“Our shipment got pinched. Whoever hit Lucian, got ours.” His voice is full of restrained rage, and I feel it too.

“We saw the shipment unloaded and stashed with our own eyes last night, Jared. The boys took extra precautions to be safe.” I snap. Isabelle tensed and I step in her way, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her body against mine to relax myself. She lets out a growl, trying and failing to pry my hand away from her hip.

“They raided the safe-house. Alec had to stay behind for that damn conference early this morning and his cell is ringing busy. I can’t reach him.” Jared says, worry trickling into his tone.

“I saw him in his office not even twenty minutes ago. He’s going to love to hear about this.” I would rather be anywhere else when he finds out.

“Good, you tell him.” The line goes silent when Jared hangs up on me. Must be my lucky day. A sharp pain radiates through my shoulder, and I peer down into a pair of brown, defiant eyes. She is squinting up at me with her teeth locked onto my shoulder. Her nose is all scrunched up and fuck, she is adorable. I want to ingrain this moment into my brain, to muse over with our children one day.

“You dumped my coffee.” I mumble, smirking down at her. She retreats, a wet circle left behind on my gray t-shirt where her lips had been.

“You threatened to choke me.” She says, not backing down.

“I did. That got you all hot and bothered, didn’t it? Don’t fret, I make good on my promises, Belle.” My words bring a bright pink to her cheeks, and I bite back the urge to kiss away her embarrassment.

“Let me make something clear. I would never intentionally hurt you unless it’s followed by pleasure, Belle.” My voice is flat, full of seriousness. This makes her break eye contact and she rubs absentmindedly at her cheek.

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