Page 101 of Isaia

I place a palm on my forehead, and I’m sure it’s Isaia’s gaze currently burning a hole in my back. “Anthony, I’m fine. You do not have to worry about me.”

“Your stepdad tried to kidnap you twice?—”

“Wait…what?” My blood runs cold. “Twice? I only knew about the time at the restaurant.”

“There was another attempt,” he says grimly. “But Isaia got to the guy just in time. Slit his throat like a fucking savage. A gun is just as efficient, if you ask me.”

My stomach churns, my chest tightening under the weight of his words. I knew Isaia wasn’t a good man. I’ve always known he’s capable of violence, that his world is built on blood and power. But hearing this—knowing he ended someone’s life to protect me—makes it all too real.

Anthony’s voice breaks through the turmoil. “The other night, I got an invite to Club Myth.”

“Club Myth?”The Dark Sovereign’s playground.

“Isaia wanted me there so he could make it clear that you’re off-limits, like we’re in a fucking pissing contest over you. He’s not who you think he is. Isaia isn’t a man who protects people out of kindness or love. He does it out of control. Possession. You can’t trust him, Everly. He’s dangerous.”

Doubt creeps in, insidious and sharp, slithering into the cracks of my resolve.

The image of Isaia—the man who broke into my house to leave me a dress, who kissed me with a fierceness that felt like truth—suddenly feels more complicated. A darker edge to the intensity I’ve craved from him.

But then I remember the way his touch steadies me, the way his presence shields me from the chaos of my life. The way he looks at me like I’m the only thing in the world that matters. And something inside me rebels against Anthony’s words, refusing to let them take root.

“I think I can decide who I trust,” I say firmly.

His expression tightens, a mix of exasperation and disappointment. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Everly. And I don’t think you understand the stakes.”

“I’m not a pawn in anyone’s game—not Rinaldi’s, not yours, and not Isaia’s.”

“You’ve never been a game to me. You know that.” There’s an urgency in his tone. “I have always put our friendship first—putyoufirst. You’re in too deep with these people. Let me get you out of this before it’s too late.”

“I understand why you feel this way, Anthony. I do. But Isaia isn’t just what you see on the surface. He’s…”

“Dangerous,” Anthony finishes for me, his tone grim. “And you’re ignoring it because you think he’s different for you. But men like Isaia don’t change. I’m sorry, Everly, but I’m not going to stand by and watch this man ruin your life.”

The warning penetrates deep, the sheer look of concern in Anthony’s eyes causing my pulse to thrum between my ears.

Am I in too deep?

With Isaia, it’s never simple—he’s chaos and danger wrapped in something intoxicating, something I can’t seem to let go of no matter how much sense it would make. Isaia’s world is a labyrinth of violence and control, where every turn feels like it could lead to ruin. But so is Anthony’s.

So is my stepdad’s.

It’s like fate has already decided that this is the world I belong in, and no matter the choices I make, all paths eventually lead to the same place for me. Whether it’s Anthony, Michele…or Isaia.

So the real question isn’t if I’m in too deep—it’s whether I’d ever choose to climb out.

For a second, I meet Anthony’s gaze, then gently take his hand. “You have always been a good friend to me, and I appreciate how much you care. I really do. But you can’t keep protecting me because you think it’s what I need, even when I tell you it’s not.”

“Everly—”

“Despite what you might think, I’m not trapped. I’m with Isaia…because I want to be.”

Hurt flashes in his eyes. “Everly, I can't just stand by and watch you self-destruct.”

“I’m not self-destructing. I’m choosing.”

“You’re making a mistake.”

“Then it’s my mistake to make.” I go on my toes and place a chaste kiss on his cheek. “I need you to respect that.” And then I walk away.

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