Page 99 of Captive Bride

“I know, Isobel, I know.”

I trail off, silence descending upon us, broken only by her intermittent sobs.

Benny shoots me a look of pure sympathy.

This is an impossible situation. No matter what happens, Isobel gets hurt.

We ride in silence for several minutes, none of us having the energy to re-address the mess we’ve found ourselves in.

As we approach our destination, I lean closer to Isobel.

“We’re almost there,” I say in warning.

She sits up quickly, red eyes scanning our surroundings.

She opens her mouth to speak, closing it again a moment later.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Okay,” she answers simply.

“Okay?”

“Okay. I choose you.” she chokes out. “I love Theo. He’s like a brother to me…” Her breath catches in her throat, and it’s obviously with great pain that she continues. “But I love you more.”

Her words bring hope to life again in me.

I pull her close, kissing her fiercely.

“I love you, too,” I say, my hands threading through her hair. “I love you so much, Isobel.”

I kiss her repeatedly—her mouth, her forehead, her cheeks still wet with tears.

“Everything’s going to be okay,” I tell her, not sure if I believe my own words.

She doesn’t respond, simply nestling back into my chest as if she’ll be safe there.

Even with all my uncertainty, I know that this, at least, is true.

I will keep her safe.

As long as there’s breath in my body, no one is going to hurt her.

The car begins to slow, and all too soon, we’re pulling up to our destination.

We’re in the middle of nowhere—the perfect place for a duel.

Before the tires have fully stopped, Isobel sits up, pulling quickly away from me. I can’t so much as ask what she’s doing before her hand finds the door handle and she’s jumping from the car.

“Isobel!” I yell, darting through the open door behind her.

I stop in my tracks when I see where she’s headed.

Theo stands not too far away, his back leaning against the trunk of a tree, cigarette hanging from his smiling lips.

He stands fully when he sees Isobel coming his way.

“Theo!” she yells.

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