Page 120 of The Heir

I wish I could tell you how much I love you, but I know you need time. And I'm trying to give it to you, baby, I really am, but I'm getting impatient. I want you to see me. Ithinkyou see me, but something is blinding you, Izzy, and I wish I knew what it was so I could take it from you… give you your sight back.

Because there isn't a single thing in this world I wouldn't give you, if I could.

I cannot wait to show you all that life has to offer. And open doors for you so you can offer the world your talent in return. Every night I go to bed I think about how wonderful life would be with you, and I think about how dull my life is without you.

There's no sparkle without you, Izzy. There just isn't.

But I know with you, there would be. There would be laughter to combat the sadness, joy to counter the pain. We would have so much to look forward to in our life, because we'll betogether. Living.

Can you see it, baby? Us. Together?

We'd dance in the rain, kiss under the stars, swim naked with the tadpoles and whisper our love for each other over a shared cup of soft ice cream in Italy. Leave everyone behind while we hole up in a room and make love with the warm Paris breeze caressing our skin with the glittering Eiffel tower in the background. Hug in the quiet of the breathtaking Northern lights of the Antarctic.

How fun. Exciting. The adventures we'd have.

Whether it's taking a simple hike, or blowing a bunch of money on something nonsensical, I want to do it all with you.

And soon, we will. Just you wait. We're going to have everything we would ever want. And it's going to be amazing.

We'regoing to be amazing.

I love you Isobel.

Yours,

Henny

I break down, placing my head on the desk helplessly as my heart breaks completely in half. Sliding out of my seat, I hit the floor curlingup on my side and stare into the fireplace, willing the warmth in so that maybe she can feel it too. Sweetie rubs her soft fur against my face, curling up next to my neck.

She hasn't purred once since Isobel's been gone.

There, in the middle of the night, clutching onto Sweetie and the letter that houses my hopes and dreams for my love, I also clutch desperately onto a sliver of hope.

It's all I've got.

Chapter thirty

Pain

One Month Later

"She won't break." I hear the guard say to Claudio, who is standing just outside the door.

I work to roll on the little makeshift pallet on the floor, turning onto my right side and facing the wall, exposing my back to him in what I know is a weak attempt to protect the baby that's luckily still alive inside my womb. I already know what's coming when he walks through that door.

Pain.

It's all I've experienced for I don't know how long because there's no clock down here. No window with sunshine to mark the passing days. The seconds have crawled by in my mind at an abhorrently slow pace, makingme feel as if I could have been here for a year, but in reality it's only been a matter of a handful of weeks or so I'm sure.

I hope, anyways. My tummy would have grown more if I'd been in here for a great deal of time I would think.

I hear Claudio snap at the guard angrily but he can kick me to death for all I care at this point. I'm not marrying the drug lord he promised me to. I won't give him the satisfaction. And if mine and King's baby dies in this process well then better for us. I'd never stand for King's baby being subjected to this kind of life.

We'll go down together, me and my little bump. I've accepted it.

I miss my husband.

Hearing the heavy footsteps advance through the door I tighten my lips, clench my jaw and refuse to roll back over to see who it is. The footsteps get louder and louder until they stop. My body suddenly jerks as a sharp blast of pain reverberates through my spine, layered on top of the pain already there, making me so dizzy I break out into a full sweat at just the one contact.

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