Page 245 of Enigma: The Complete Collection
A muffled squeal erupts from my mouth when Col backhands Rick. The harshness of his blow is so brutal, Rick’s head flings to the side, and blood dribbles from his mouth. “Another insult like that will have your body sitting in the bottom of the ocean as fish food,” Col snarls through clenched teeth. “People learn the hard way that a man with a reputation like mine isnotto be disrespected. I'll have no qualms ensuring you're aware of the same thing.”
Rick moves his head back to its original position, his eyes stormy and beaming with unbridled anger. The heat in the room turns stifling when he smiles a sinister grin. From his smiling reaction, you wouldn’t think the whites of his teeth are tainted with blood.
After running his index finger across his bottom lip, gathering a trail of blood formed there, his darkened eyes lift to Col. “This proves the rumors circulating the mill are correct. You’ve lost your game, Col. First, you bring law enforcement into an industry they don’t belong in. Then, you falsely frame people for murder.” My pupils widen as my blurry eyes shoot between Rick and Col. “And now, you’re so heedless, you can’t even see the grim reaper standing in front of you.”
My heart rate ramps up when Rick slyly moves his hand toward the semi-automatic weapon he housed in the back of his jeans earlier. “You should’ve been more vigilant, Col, more cautious, as haste—”
“Haste decisions cause unforgiving mistakes,” interrupts a voice at the side of the warehouse I immediately recognize. “Mistakes I regret every day of my life.”
Fear bubbles inside of me when my gaze locks in on the impressive stature of Isaac entering an open roller door at the side. He's wearing black trousers and a light blue business shirt rolled up at the sleeves. He's devoid of the tie, vest, and jacket he usually wears.
His darkened gaze shifts from glaring at Col to scan my face, the tick in his jaw amplifying when he notices the tearstains on my ashen cheeks. The constrictive clutch on my heart tightens when Rick points the barrel of his gun at Isaac’s torso.
Even in immediate danger, Isaac’s commanding composure doesn’t falter. He exudes importance and demands attention. While tugging his business shirt out of the waistband of his trousers, he keeps his gaze securely planted on Rick. He raises his shirt high so Rick can see he's unarmed.
He doesn’t need to carry a weapon. His body is his weapon.
When Rick lowers his gun, Isaac strides toward our group. His steps are fast and efficient, reaching us within two heart-thrashing seconds. “You wanted my attention, now you have it. Let Isabelle go, and I’ll ensure the repercussions of your idiocy will be less severe than what will be inflicted on Col.”
Even though his words are directed at Rick, his gaze remains fixed on Col, intuiting the greater evil of the two men in front of him.
Col smirks a malicious smile. “And here I thought Henry taught you everything he knew.” He paces nearer to Isaac. “That’s not the way things work in our industry, and you know that. If it were, I would’ve slit your snitching throat years ago.”
Isaac’s cheeks rise as his lips curl into a snarl. “The rules of our game changed the instant you sought your vengeance on Isabelle instead of me.”
“I'm evening the score,” Col sneers. “You took my angel, now I’ll take yours.”
“Ophelia’s death is on your head, not mine!” Isaac’s tone is dangerously low. “If you had just let us walk away that night, she’d have never died, and I would’ve saved her from living a calamitous life with you.”
My heart squeezes over the pain in his words. Words that should have been spoken six years ago. Words that will hopefully help to heal Isaac’s heart.
Col spits at Isaac’s feet. “You couldn’t have saved her. She died running away from you, not me!”
Air whizzes from Isaac’s lips, physically winded by Col’s cruel words. He tries to smother the look of guilt on his face, but he isn’t quick enough to fully suffocate it before Col notices it. “See, even you know her death is your fault. If she’d never met you, she’d still be alive, just like Isabelle.E giunto il momento per gli angeli di incontrarsi.”
I can’t breathe when Col thrusts his hand into the breast pocket of his jacket and produces a vintage white pistol. The greatest parts of my life flash before my eyes when he swings the barrel of the gun toward my face. The smell of gunpowder, burning flesh, and blood invade my nostrils as sharp and brutal pain rockets through my body.
Then all I see is blackness.
CHAPTER5
ISABELLE
An insistent dull beep sounds through my ringing ears, waking me from my sleep. Slowly, I blink my eyes open, my brows stitching when I'm met with a white circular light. A groan spills from my parched throat as I move my hand to something jabbing painfully in my arm. My movements are sluggish and slow since my brain is not instantly relaying the prompts to my body.
“Leave it,” commands a deep voice at my side I instantly recognize. “It’s an intravenous line.”
Isaac houses his cell phone into the pocket of his trousers before moving to stand next to me. I inhale deeply, appreciating the smell of his seductive scent over the horrid odor of bleach mingling in the air. His face appears restless, and the stubble on his chin has grown since I saw him in Avery’s office, but he is still incredibly alluring.
“Where am I?” The thump of my head increases with each syllable I speak.
“You’re in Ravenshoe Private Hospital.”
Confusion surges through me.
Isaac lifts a pale yellow pitcher to fill a clear cup with water. “Do you remember anything that happened?”
I shake my head, doubling the worry on Isaac’s face. After placing a plastic straw in the cup, he raises it to my mouth. I greedily gulp down the water, eager to quench my thirst. My throat is so dry it feels like I haven’t had a drink in months.
