Page 42 of Dear John

It felt strange to have someone’s arms around me. An itchy feeling crawled up my spine and I quickly shifted from her grasp, putting some distance between us. I felt like I was suffocating with all of them staring at me.

“Um…I’ll just see how your dad is.”

I didn’t particularly want to see Knight, but the thought of being out here all alone with kids made me just as uncomfortable. At least I understood the boundaries with adults. I scurried out of the room and followed the path Knight had laid out. When I found him, he was in the kitchen, his hands braced on the back of a chair.

“I’m sorry about that,” I whispered. “I didn’t think?—”

He turned, his face back to the neutral expression he always wore around me. “I would never hurt my kids or you.”

I gave a jerky nod, but it was all for show. I just wanted him to think I believed him so we could end this. Even my brother Rafe had beat the crap out of me.

“Sure. Of course.”

“No, Isabelle. I’m serious. I would never put my hands on you for any reason. I’m your brother.”

I swallowed hard, lowering my head slightly. “Rafe was my brother, too. He put me in the hospital.”

“To save your life,” he bit out. “Not that I appreciate how he got you there, but it worked.”

I squeaked out a laugh, then chastised myself for daring to be so disrespectful around him. “He hasn’t even bothered to see me. He said he did all that to save my life, but where is he now?”

I could have sworn I saw Knight pale at my words. He pulled out a chair and patted the back of it. “I think you need to sit down.”

“I’m fine,” I clipped out, staring at the chair that would only block me in further.

He walked around the table, putting himself on the farther side of the room and too far away to reach me. Hesitantly, I took the seat.

“I didn’t know Rafe was my brother until after he went to the island,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “Michael never informed me I had any siblings.”

“Me neither.”

“When I found out why he went, I knew I had to do whatever I could to help. If it were one of my kids, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to get them back. That’s the way everyone around here is. We all fight for those weaker than us.”

I didn’t like being called weak, but I suppose in their eyes, that’s exactly how I appeared. And it was probably true. Since Ebarardo rescued me from my old life, he did nothing but protect me. He shielded me from the ugliness of the world and showed me how good I could have it as long as I followed his rules.

“If I had known you were alive, I would have gone after you a long time ago. Nothing would have stopped me.” His eyes met mine and a cold chill swept over my body. “Which is why when you stepped in front of my daughter?—”

He ducked his head, his voice catching on the last word.

“I don’t want to ever see you afraid of me again, but I know that will take some time. But I want to thank you for being willing to step up for Raven in that way. I hope you never have to do that again.”

I sucked in a breath, the urge to cry suddenly overwhelming me. I didn’t even know why. Nothing happened. I wasn’t indanger and neither was anyone in this house. And yet, my eyes filled with tears at his words.

“As for Rafe…he didn’t forget about you.”

I wiped the tears from my cheek, shaking my head. “Then why hasn’t he come to see me?”

“Because he can’t. Isabelle…he never made it off that island.”

My eyes flashed up to meet his and I shoved back from the table. “Then we have to get him and bring him home,” I said urgently. “With Ebarardo gone—” I pressed my hand to my stomach at the pain lancing through me at my words. “Nothing’s holding him there.”

“Isabelle,” he said softly. “He’s gone. Zavala ordered him to be killed when he found out that Rafe was there to rescue you.”

Black spots danced in front of my eyes at his words. I backed up, hitting something hard as dizziness washed over me. “No. No, I didn’t need to be rescued. I was fine. Everything was fine,” I said, my voice urgent and panicked. “Rafe is—he has to be okay. He has to be—” I bent over, sucking in a deep breath at his words. I cradled my head in my hands, fighting for every pain-filled breath as I remembered the last time I saw him—the way he looked at me as he beat me. I could still feel his boot slamming into my body over and over again. Blood gushed from me, I choked on the metallic tang as it slid down my throat. No, there was no way he could be gone.

“Isabelle—”

“Don’t touch me!” I shrieked as hands wrapped around my arms. They immediately released me as I slid to the floor and curled up in a ball. No, it wasn’t possible. Rafe couldn’t be dead, and Ebarardo wouldn’t have ordered for him to be killed. Not when he knew Rafe was my brother. I gasped for air as another stab of fear rushed through me. What about Knight? Was he safe? And Cash? What would happen to them when Ebarardo’smen found out I was here with them? Would they face retaliation for what they did to get me out?

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