Page 141 of Resisting Isaac
Her face crumbles like my words are breaking her heart but I don’t know why.
When she speaks, she won’t meet my eyes. “I shouldn’t have stayed. I can’t raise this baby here. I need to go home where I belong.”
Rain mixes with the tears on her face until I can’t distinguish one from the other.
“That isn’t what you want,” I say, fierce and low. “Whatever he’s telling you, whatever you think this is, even if you don’t want to be with me, you don’t have to go home. You have a life here. A career. And deep down, you know you’re in love with me, too.”
She glances at Diego then shakes her head at me. “This isn’t love, Isaac. It’s just infatuation. And you’re confused because of the baby.”
“I was in love with you before I knew you were pregnant with my baby.”
That day, dancing in the rain. I didn’t know about the baby but I knew I was falling. I was a stand-in then. From how close she is to Diego, I’m wondering if maybe I’ve been a stand-in the entire time.
A high-pitched horse’s cry pierces the air, and I know without knowing that it’s the mustang.
Flames shoot out of the stable roof across the creek. I glance around but Wyatt is nowhere to be seen.
“Go,” Elena says, “Help them. Keep your family and your ranch safe. I have to go. Please don’t follow me.”
She lets Diego take her by the arm and help her into the SUV.
I stand frozen until gravel spits from the tires and they disappear down the drive. My knees nearly give out right there in the mud.
Wyatt’s voice crackles over the radio clipped to my belt.
“Isaac—we got multiple wildfires.”
Adrenaline floods my veins. I run. By the time I make it to the stables, several hands have gotten the horses out and Antonio’s dragging hoses. Smoke stings my eyes as we work side by side to beat the flames back, saving what’s left of the structure.
By the time I hear the sirens, I know.
Elena’s voice fills my head.Please don’t follow me.
This wasn’t the production crew being reckless. This was a distraction. Fires set as far apart as possible to pull me toward the back of the property.
So I couldn’t follow them.
This was why she looked like she was breaking apart in front of me. Why she wouldn’t explain.
She’s protecting us from him.
Fuck. And now they have a head start.
Minutes later, I’m firing up my plane, rain streaking the windshield as I taxi out, phone pressed to my ear.
Thanks to years of bailing Caleb out, I have the sheriff’s personal cell number.
I relay the situation as briefly as possible. I even have Diego’s plate number. When he responds with, “Isaac, I can’t put a BOLO out for a woman because she left you for another man. If I could, I would’ve had my ex-wife—” I hang up. I don’t have time to beg for a deputy who probably won’t do shit anyways.
I text Brett and Beau hoping like hell they get themessages. I describe the vehicle and tell them to get to the interstate entrance outside of town, cut this asshole off before he can vanish with her.
Even if I have to fight this battle alone, I’m not losing her to that bastard.
Not now. Not ever.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
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