Page 26 of Our Darling Isabelle

Isabelle steps out onto the patio behind me and crosses her arms, staring up at the first few stars that have shown up as the sunlight disappears. She’s beautiful, with her makeup smeared and loose strands whipping around her face from her messy braid. But the worry in her eyes taints that beauty and I want to smooth the lines between her brows.

The backyard is a new world than before Isabelle came, with roses lining the entire fence line and around Mimi’s quaint house. She even pushed until we gave in and let her dictate an entire vegetable garden, which she lovingly tends to every evening. She’s made our house feel even warmer and more welcoming than I could have ever imagined it being.

“Penny for your thoughts?” I ask. She shrugs, giving me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. I can see her debating on sharing with me for a moment before she sighs and drops into one of the large deck chairs with her knees pulled up to her chest.

“The two of you are so convinced that I should stay. That I belong to you.” She mumbles, shaking her head and resting her chin on her knees. I drop onto the chair by her feet and stare up at the stars, waiting for her to carry on.

“Explain it to me, Belle. What makes you believe you aren’t ours?” I ask her with a sincere tone.

“You grew up with a loving mother. I grew up with Marlene. She blamed me for everything that went wrong in her life. I had to take care of her when I was still a child. Not once has my life ever been my own, Markus. She drank or gambled away every penny she brought home. That bitch even tried to sell me when I was only twelve years old. Children’s services stepped in, but she had a friend on the inside who believed her lies. They helped her do the bare minimum to keep me, so she didn’t lose any of her precious benefits, and they turned a blind eye. There I was, broken and all but begging for help, and they just walked away.” She scoffs. I wring my hands tighter until my knuckles ache and I clench my jaw so tight I wonder if I’ll ever be able to open it again.

Marlene would pay for every sin she had cast on her daughter’s shoulders. In the flesh, if I have it my way.

“The place I worked before you brought me here sucked, but I could finally scrape out a decent amount of cash here and there. I was planning to cut and run when there was enough saved up, but here I am. Instead of cowering at my mother’s feet, I’m on a leash that’s held by two brothers who are in the fucking mafia.” She laughs deep in her chest, and it causes an ache to build in mine. The sound doesn’t have an ounce of humor. It’s broken beyond her years. I took this beautiful bird out of her cage and clipped her wings while telling myself I rescued her.

“My sweet Belle, you deserved so much more.” I whisper, brushing my knuckles over her cheek to catch a lone tear that has escaped. She leans into my touch a moment before sitting back and blinking away her distress.

“We know what you are feeling, believe it or not.” I mutter. She gives me a look that says my words have her interest.

“Our father was a cruel man. He only wanted children to carry on his lineage, to run this empire that he created. Even so, our mother loved him once upon a time, but he became somebody else entirely and yet she stayed. Did you know my parents died the same night?” I ask. Her eyes widen and she shakes her head.

“James Barone never shied away from using physical punishment. If my mother spoke out of turn, if he had too much to drink, if he just fucking felt the urge. But he didn’t hit us kids, not at first anyway.” I say, pulling a cigarette out and lighting it, letting the first drag burn through my chest. Isabelle sits forward, straddling the chair, and I take the opportunity to lay my head on her thigh. She drags her fingers through my hair, her brows scrunched in concentration.

“Why didn’t she leave?” She asks with genuine curiosity.

“If you left tonight, I would have every resource at my disposal to hunt you down and drag you right back here, my love.” I say, grinning up at her wide-eyed expression. Unlike my bastard father, I plan to make sure nobody ever harms the woman that holds my heart in her tiny hands. She would come home to a punishment that would make her toes curl in delight.

“He would have killed her. I’m so sorry.” Her voice is thick with emotion, and I shrug to act as if I’m not still haunted by my parents.

“She stayed because we had a roof over our head and full bellies. Leaving would have been a death sentence and she wouldn’t leave us to be raised by him. Until he turned his abuse on us. She did her best to protect us, but my brother and I felt it was our responsibility to protect her as we got older.” My throat feels dry, and I blow another puff of smoke, which makes Isabelle groan and wave a hand in front of her face dramatically.

“What was her name?” She asks.

“Maria.” I say and she nods. “A beautiful name.” She murmurs sweetly.

“She was. Do you know the name of our casino?” I ask her and she nods. “Cassidy, right? It was on the giant sign out front.” She says with a chuckle, and I smile at her.

“Our oldest sister’s name was Cassidy. Alec was five years younger than her. She died when she was only 18, and although it was never proven, we know our father killed her. She stood up to him when he tried to marry her off, told him she was leaving even when my mother begged her to stop. His eyes were full of rage, but he stayed silent, didn’t even say a word except to open the door to wave her out.

“An hour later, her car was found in the ditch. The cops claimed she was speeding and must have lost control. But our father didn’t look the least bit surprised. The bastard even looked a little smug. Nearly ten years passed, our mother had spent every day trying so hard to find a way for us to get away. But Alec and I couldn’t just leave her. He’d kill her and us when he caught up.” I say. A shimmer in the corner of her eye is the only sign of her emotion as she listens to my story.

“But she found a way.” Alec’s voice carries to us and Isabelle jumps. “She knew killing him would mean death for her from our father’s loyal men. So, our mother killed him before taking her own life, leaving everything for us,” Alec says as he strolls around the corner. He looks exhausted, dress shirt unbuttoned, and sleeves rolled up with his hands shoved into his pockets. Isabelle makes a soft noise in the back of her throat before reaching a hand out to my brother. He walks up and takes her small hand within his, frowning as if waiting for her to attack him.

“Your mother was so brave.” Her voice is just a whisper as she pats my cheek. I smile, looking up at the sky as I remember her face. The kindness in her eyes that I see in Isabelle’s, her curling brown hair and rosy cheeks. I take a last hit from my cigarette, scuffing it out on the patio under us and smiling at a sudden idea.

“We are taking you out on an actual date, Belle.” I say with conviction. She snorts a laugh and Alec groans, dropping into the chair behind her and pulling her to lean against his chest.

“That worked so well last time, right?” He says sarcastically. The memory of watching the car drive away before crashing with her in it flashes through my mind, and I fight the rage back down with a shake of my head.

“It won’t happen again. Nobody will ever take you from us again.” I say sternly.

Famous last words.

Chapter 20—Alec

Coughing violently still doesn’t clear the dust from my lungs as I force myself up onto my hands and knees, reaching for my pistol as I stand on shaking legs. Past the ringing in my ears, gunshots register in my mind near the front of the house.

“Alec!” Isabelle cries out, lunging to grab my sleeve. I grab her hand and yank her towards me, grateful to see Markus standing behind her with his own gun drawn.

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