Page 31 of Our Darling Isabelle

“Please, I just wanna go home.” I whisper. And take a long soak in the tub because I smell like gunpowder and copper. Gross. Markus tenses up and I want to tell him I mean home with them, but before I can speak, Vincent does.

“Sweetheart, just come with us and we can get you to a doctor. We will get you back home safe and sound, away from these shmucks. We can deal with your mother, too.” Vincent says in a kind voice.

“There’s been enough death here today, boys. We have no reason to start a territory war amongst us, and I’m under strict instructions not to leave without her.” Vincent says in a more stern tone. He’s asking for cooperation, but we didn’t really have a choice. These men could overpower and kill them in the blink of an eye.

Markus and Alec have to know this, but they are both ready to fight and die for me. My heart races and I desperately try to come up with an idea to get us out of this mess. We’re backed into a corner and I can’t afford to lose them, but it seems inevitable.

“I don’t even know who my father is or what he wants from me. Why can’t everyone just leave me the Hell alone?” My voice is a weak cry, defeated and exhausted. Vincent waves his hand and the men step closer, each one of their steps tightens my throat.

“Let me go, Markus.” I whisper. But he barely looks at me and tightens his grip on me. My heart is breaking and they can’t save me this time, but I can save them.

“I want you to let me go. I don’t want to go with the two of you.” The lie burns my mouth, but I spit it out. Alec stares at my face, his eyes softening before realization dawns on his expression. He turns to Aden and raises his chin.

“Lucian?” Alec asks. Vincent nods once and Markus sucks his breath in.

“It changes nothing.” Markus says, but his voice betrays how unsure he is.

“Let her go, Markus.” Alec says beside us, and I stare up at him in shock.

“Alec.” Markus prods, but Alec casts me an icy glare.

“She wants to go home, let her go. Her father could destroy everything we worked for if you don’t let her go. You took her as payment for a debt and she’s cost us even more in the end.” He snaps, turning and storming away from us. I swear a piece of my heart cracks, falling off to go with him as he leaves me behind. My father could ruin the life they fought like Hell to build. My resolve strengthens in that moment, and I force myself to be brave, to break what is left of my heart.

“Screw that. I’ll die protecting you.” Markus says.

“I am not yours and I never will be.” My voice is a whisper. Markus jerks as if I struck him and he reluctantly stands me on my unsteady feet. I nearly fall over, but Markus hooks his arms underneath mine to steady me and I smile up at him. Even with my swollen eye, I do my best to memorize his face.

“Thank you.” I whispered, leaning up to kiss him. I try to push everything into that kiss, to give him my heart that he craved so deeply. How grateful I will always be for him and what I’ve come to feel for him. Both of them.

“Don’t go with them, Belle.” He begs me and I cup his cheek before wrenching myself away, turning to Aden as he steps forward to help me. I take two steps before I trip, but Aden catches me. The pain in my ribs flares up and my vision swims. Just as I’m about to lose consciousness, I hear Markus calling out.

“You better take care of her! Tell Lucian I’ll be watching.”

Chapter 24—Isabelle

Three weeks later.

I’m staring out the window, frowning at the garden. Lucian has gardeners who make sure everything always looks ‘just right’, but to me it all looks too stiff and structured. I had yet to actually meet the man everyone was so sure was my father. Being locked in a bedroom turned hospital room means I haven’t seen much of the house I apparently live in now. When I finally woke up two weeks ago, Aden was sitting beside my four-poster bed looking exhausted.

“There’s the princess, finally awake.” He refused to answer questions until I finished an entire glass of water and agreed to eat.

“Lucian had some business to take care of. He’s dealing with Steffen and his leftovers. That guy is like a cockroach, just refuses to die.” He grins, tucking a strand of greasy hair behind my ear. I missed Alec and Markus. Every minute that ticked by made me careless about anything else.

“Please tell me I can shower.” I whined, peeling off the tape to rip my I.V out of my arm even as Aden tried to protest.

“Aden, I’ll cut you if you don’t get the Hell out of my way.” I had threatened him. He took it in stride, calling for one of my fathers’ employees to help. According to my fathers’ rules, Dalia had the specific assignment of assisting me until his return. It had been a long two weeks. I refused to do much of anything except the bare minimum to survive. Even Aden had grown tired of my melodramatics, but if I was miserable, then I’d make everyone else suffer. By today, I was sure they were all ready to lock me away and throw the key into the ocean.

Today Dalia danced through my door, without knocking as usual, to help me get ready. She was a middle-aged woman who was the bane of my existence most days, with her shimmering blonde hair and brown roots peeking through. She insisted I should always have my hair and makeup perfect while dressing like a lady. My mood was just beyond sour every morning, and cooperating wasn’t exactly at the top of my resume.

“Your father will be home later. He’s getting in a few days early.” She says before humming to herself, pulling out various clothes for me to wear. This cuts through my haze of fantasizing about tall, dark-haired, and handsome brothers.

“Are you serious?” I asked in surprise, and she gave me a bright smile, yanking the covers back and shoving a massive plush towel into my hands.

“Go shower. We can chat while I do your hair.” She pushes me towards the attached bathroom when I hesitate. As every day before, the room reminds me how different this place is from my home.

“That wasn’t your home.” I whisper to myself, fighting to swallow the flare of pain in my chest. It sure felt like home. Not the building itself, but those inside the walls. An unsmiling face with a clean, shaved jaw that emanated power, who kneeled to show me I had power over him. The unhinged man who would carry me around and sleep clinging to me like I brought him all the comfort in the world. The hands that carefully washed my hair and could be just as brutal in tearing off my clothes.

I make the shower colder than usual to get rid of my dirty thoughts, wishing that I could just move on.

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