Page 71 of Unleashed
Anthony exhales, like he’s forcing steel into his voice. “What’s happening is that Isaia and I—” they glare at each other “—we’ve agreed that the only thing that matters to either of us is keeping you safe. You and your baby.”
The way his words crack on that last part hits me square in the chest.
“Anthony…” My voice trembles. I don’t even know what I’m about to say, whether it’s gratitude or fury or something else altogether.
“So, if that means laying down our swords—even just temporarily—that’s what we’ll do.”
My mouth opens…then closes. Then opens again, and the confusion just etches in deeper. “I have no idea what’s going on right now. Is the world glitching?”
“Funny,” Isaia quips, crossing his arms. “Mr. Perfect here agreed to accept his defeat and crown me king.”
“The only thing I’m crowning is my cane up your ass.”
Isaia shoots him that signature cocky grin, the one that drives women mad and men to madness. “That's the Anthony we all love and hate. Finally back in form.”
“Okay, stop.” My gaze sweeps between them. “Are you going to continue acting like children, or are you going to tell me what’s going on, because I’m pregnant, hungry, tired, with zero patience for whatever ego-fueled monologues you two have planned.”
Both men fall silent, looking at me, then at each other. It’s almost comic, this silent communication they have. Not something I thought I’d ever see.
Anthony shifts his weight, as if ready to tell me more. But Isaia pushes off the wall, voice cutting like a blade. “Okay, Romeo. I got this.”
Anthony’s jaw ticks, but he keeps his mouth shut.
Isaia crosses the room, every step radiating possession and authority. His hand brushes over my back when he reaches me, anchoring me to him, like he needs me to know where I belong. His eyes are black fire that hold mine. “We’re leaving. You and me. Tonight.”
“Where are we going?”
“Out of the States.”
“Out of the States?” I gape.
“I would take you to the fucking moon if I could, just to get you as far away from this mess as possible.”
Anthony steps closer, cane clicking against the hardwood. “I’m handling the logistics, so nothing traces back to the Del Rossas. If whoever’s behind these murders is watching, they won’t notice the two of you disappearing. Not when it’s my plane and my team handling it.”
The words hit like a thunderclap. My pulse spikes, uneven, my throat dry as I meet Isaia’s eyes. “I haven’t seen you in months. Don’t hear a single fucking word from you, then you appear in my bedroom in the middle of the night out of nowhere, touch me, kiss me, fu?—”
Anthony clears his throat to cut me off.
Shit. “What I mean to say is, you disappeared, and the moment you step back into my life, you’re asking me to leave everything behind and flee with you off the continent?”
Isaia’s hand slides to the back of my neck, firm, grounding. “I’m asking you to trust me, one last time. Let me protect you the only way I know how.”
“We,” Anthony coughs, and Isaia obliterates him with a glare.
“I mean, he could’ve just kidnapped and dragged you onto a plane.” Anthony lifts a brow. “Again.”
“Right after I plant another bullet in your spine, fucking up the other leg.”
“Jesus, take the wheel,” I mutter, rubbing my temples. “Okay, so let’s say we do leave. We’ll come back after you’ve caught whoever’s killing these women?”
The way they look at each other, like there’s a secret conversation going on only they can hear, has alarm bells going off everywhere.
“What?” I glance at both of them.
“Baby girl, we’re not coming back.”
I narrow my eyes at Isaia. “What are you saying?”
