Page 86 of Captive Bride

“Theo, I know this’ll be hard for you to hear. I don’t need to be rescued. I’m happy here. I’m happy with Tristan.”

He immediately goes on a rampage. “Isobel, you can’t be serious. He’s got you brainwashed or something. Remember who he is. Tristan Montague is not to be trusted. He’s a known killer. We’re gonna get you out of there, and I need you to be ready when I come for you.”

I grab the phone.

“She’s never coming with you, Theo. Get that through your head right now.”

Isobel gently takes the phone out of my hands. I swear her sweet nature can smooth over any situation, but there’s no good ending to this.

“Theo, I really am alright. Please believe me. You guys have to end this thing now.”

“Isobel, your father’s going crazy trying to find you. If he ever finds out you’re with Tristan Montague and that you like it, that’ll be the end of him—and likely the end of you too.”

Her eyes reflect pain and fear. At the mention of her father, she goes back into this sort of shell. My strong girl becomes the fragile prisoner once more.

She doesn’t even know half the things I know about the guy. Her father is a very bad man, to say the least. Worse than me, if you can believe it.

I take the phone from her hands and put it off speaker.

Then, I walk away to talk to Theo alone.

“Tristan, if you fucking touch her—I will fucking kill you. I promise you that,” he says to me over the phone.

“I wouldn’t hurt her, Theo. You have to understand that. But her father’s different story. You know that he’ll kill both of us if he finds out.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have given him anything to find out. You should’ve just left her alone. You kidnapped her, for god’s sake. What did you think he would do?”

The conversation’s starting to get heated, and I don’t like it. I’m trying to smooth things over because I know Theo is important to Isobel, but the guy’s starting to piss me off.

“We fell in love, Theo. You can’t take something like that back,” I say.

He becomes increasingly angry. I don’t know why the fucking asshole can’t just think about his cousin’s happiness.

“I’m done talking to you, Tristan. You’re my sworn enemy. And I vow that I’ll kill you someday. Do you understand that?” he says.

“Fine then. Do it,” I say, not afraid of him for a second. “Come meet me, anytime, anywhere.”

“I’ll fucking kill you, Tristan. Don’t think I won’t do it.”

“I know you will. I’m just daring you to even try,” I say, taunting him.

I can’t help it. Isobel may care about him, but this guy isn’t worth it.

He’s not taking the out that I’m graciously providing. He’s purposely provoking me, and I know it’s not gonna end well...for him. But I can’t back down now.

“I challenge you to a duel, Tristan Montague,” he says the words, and I know exactly what they mean.

Nobody in our world backs down from a duel. Especially me.

“Fine, we’ll do it then. The day after tomorrow. My guys will text you the address.”

I hang up.

Isobel comes up behind me and says, “What was that all about?”

I’m more afraid of her that I am of her cousin.

I’m afraid of her withholding her love for me.

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