Page 45 of GAF Factor

“Is there something you need?”

I looked into his dark eyes and remembered that he would be leaving soon. Who would I talk to? Kate, but she worked all day. Everyone else was busy. Mrs. Cartwright was around, but…I swallowed hard, trying to work up the courage to do this.

I would do this.

“I want to go back with Eva.” It rushed out of my mouth so fast that I wasn’t sure he understood what I said.

His brows slanted in a frown. “Why?”

I licked my lips. Why? I had to explain myself. Crap. “Because…I know how it feels to lose a husband.”

That was all I had. There was nothing more I could say. I didn’t know how to live on my own. I had nothing to give other than my time. I had no way of taking care of myself. But this felt like the right thing to do.

“Okay.”

He said it so simply, like he wasn’t worried I would run away.

“That’s it?” I asked, waiting for the catch.

“Isabelle, I’m not your father. You’re old enough to make your own decisions.”

“But…you’re…taking care of me.”

He nodded slowly. “Eva will look after you. Just tell her what you need.”

I was so confused. I would just tell her what I needed and I would get it? Did things really work that way? “Shouldn’t you ask her first?”

“Would you prefer that?”

Was he serious?

“Ready to go?” Eva asked, walking up behind me.

Knight turned to Eva. “Isabelle wants to go home with you.”

“Okay,” she said simply. “We have plenty of houses on the property. Or you can live in the mansion. Whatever you want.”

I stared at them slack-jawed. Surely, there had to be some breakdown in communication here. I was talking about leaving this place, not just on vacation, but for good.

“Um…Are you sure? I don’t—I mean…I’ve never lived on my own.”

“It’ll be fine,” she smiled. “And if you’re not comfortable on your own, you can stay with me.”

“But you don’t know me.”

“You’re family,” she stated simply.

“See?” Knight said. “Go pack. We have to hit the road.”

Pack my bags. We were leaving. Just like that. My eyes drifted between the two of them. I took one step, then another,certain the moment I got to my room, one of them would follow me and start punishing me for daring to ask for something so far outside the scope of what I was allowed.

But when no one followed me, I got to work and packed my bags. I was leaving and starting a new life. A smile touched my lips even though the ache in my chest was growing.

12

ISLA

A month and a half later…

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