Page 55 of Until You (Forgive Me)

“Okay. But I’ll call him.”

Isabella picked up the mobile phone Christian had delivered and pulled up his number. Christian had preset it with numbers for himself, his PA, his security team, and Scarlett. The man was nothing if efficient. Entering Scarlett’s bedroom, she sank back onto the unmade bed.

Christian answered within two rings. “Isabella, is everything okay?”

“Morning... oh, it’s afternoon,” she said, looking at the clock on the bedside table.

It had gone twelve.

Christian chuckled, “I take it you had another good night?”

He’d called every day to check on her, but respected her boundaries, and she felt grateful for that.

Isabella groaned, her head pulsating at her temples, highlighting how dehydrated she was.

“I was just heading over to see you,” Christian added.

“Don’t,” Isabella said, more sharply than she intended. “The press are camped outside,” she said apologetically. “Coming here is a really bad idea.”

Christian went silent for a moment. “You can’t stay there, you know that,” he said.

“I know,” Isabella sighed. “Scarlett has convinced me your place will be my best option, at least until I have time to decide what my next move is.”

“Finally,” Christian muttered as if she’d suddenly seen sense.

“This is not what we signed up for, Christian. Great sex is one thing. Me, dragging your name through the press is a whole other ballgame.”

“When will you see we’re in this together? You’re being unbelievably stubborn about this.”

“No. I’m thinking about you and your daughter,” Isabella all but shouted at him.

“What has Skylar got to do with this?” Christian asked.

“Everything,” Isabella said. “I remember how it was when my dad met Danielle. It was all over the press.Sir Dominic King of Ringwood dating Topless Model. People turned up at my school. Every time we left the house, there were photographers. Other children in my class pointed fingers and told me what their parents had said. I don’t want that for her. You being seen with me, when you usually keep your private life, exactly that, private. It makes a story. Skylar doesn’t need to be exposed to my sordid past or have her friends’ parents gossiping about the woman photographed with her father.”

Scarlett had entered the room and slipped an arm around her. Only then did she realise she was crying.

“I don’t want that for her,” she whispered.

Christian remained silent before adding in a hushed tone, “Put Scarlett on the phone, Isabella.”

Isabella could only hear the odd word as brother spoke to sister. Scarlett grunted in agreement. “Okay, we’ll be ready in fifteen minutes. Christian, I’ll pack a bag with a few items of my clothing, but Isabella left her bag with Danielle. Can you arrange for Lucy to get some clothes sent to your apartment?”

Christian must have agreed, as Scarlett signed off before pulling Isabella into her arms for a hug.

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re not alone. The most amazing people surround my niece. No one will let anything bad happen to her or anyone hurt her. Believe me, Skylar is far from a shrinking violet. She’s a chip off the old block and is more likely to flatten anyone who says anything negative about a friend of her fathers, than she is accepting it. Star, her mum, is also an incredibly strong woman. She fought hard for that little girl. She’ll not put up with any nonsense.”

Isabella nodded, her breathing shallow, as tremors shook her body.

“Izzy, you’ve got this. We have ten minutes before the extraction team arrives,” Scarlett said, standing in front of her, her hands gripping her shoulders, giving her a gentle shake. “I need you to wash your face and clean your teeth. I’m going to throw some things into a bag, and we’re going to get out of here. We will regroup at Christian’s and come up with a plan.”

Isabella looked up at her friend, her face slowly coming back into focus. Swiping her hand across her eyes, she gave Scarlett a weak smile.

“I’m okay,” she said, using the back of her hand to wipe her damp cheeks.

“Good, then let’s move. We’re on a countdown.”

The pair sprang into action. True to his word, fifteen minutes after Scarlett ended the call to Christian, someone banged on the door.

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