Page 85 of Captive Bride

But there’s nothing I can do about that now. If I don’t kill them first, they’re gonna kill me and everybody I love—including Isobel, probably.

If the Capulets ever find out that Isobel and I are in love, they’ll abandon her quickly.

It happened to Rosaline, and it’ll happen to Isobel, even if she is their princess.

She doesn’t seem to understand or care about any of this.

She just wants to run away. What she doesn’t see is that no matter how far we run, they’ll follow us. She’ll be found at some point.

Before I have time to debate this any further with her, Merc and Benny walk in. I walk over to them and whisper in hushed tones.

I say, “What’s up? Tell me everything that’s going on.”

They look over my shoulder to Isobel who’s waiting with an expectant look on her face. She wants to know what’s up too. I‘ll never tell her.

She needs to be in the dark about most of what’s happening.

Merc says, “Tristan, the word on the street is that we have Isobel here at our headquarters in town. The Capulets are probably all over our place. This thing is getting out of control. It’s a bad idea. You need to let her go. Give her back to her father and to the Governor. Just let her go, so we can protect ourselves.”

I look at him, and my blood is boiling at the thought of him even mentioning me letting her go. It’ll never happen.

How can Merc be saying this to me?

He obviously doesn’t know the depth of my love for her. He has no idea that I intend on being with her for the rest of my life, whether we live or die in the process.

“That’s not an option, Merc. You should know that by now,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Tristan, Isobel is in danger by being here. If you love her, you’ll let her go. They might kill her if they find out that you two have been together,” Benny chimes in.

They’ve obviously been talking about this for a while before approaching me, because Benny seems nervous.

“I just can’t fucking do that, Benny. I’m never gonna be away from her. Do you understand? We have to solve this thing while making sure Isobel stays by my side,” I say.

He’s about to object, when my phone rings. I look at the number and show it to Merc.

“It’s Theo,” he says.

How did he get my number?

I answer it and say, “Theo? It’s been too long.”

“I’m not calling for you, Tristan. Let me talk to her. I need to know Isobel’s all right.”

“I’m sorry, Isobel’s busy right now. Is there something I can help you with?” I say, antagonizing him.

Before I can get to the bottom of what exactly he’s calling about, I feel Isobel slide her arm through my own, and she takes the phone right out of my hands.

“Theo? Is that you? I’ve missed you so much,” she says.

I’d be lying if I said that her talking to her cousin with such affection doesn’t make me jealous.

I want all of her affection to be reserved for me. My possessive nature is coming out. It’s reckless and wild, especially when it comes to Isobel.

I take the phone from her and put it on speaker. She’s not gonna talk to her cousin without me knowing every single word that’s exchanged.

“Isobel,” he says. “Are you okay? Just tell me if you’re okay. We’re working on rescuing you.”

She looks at me like she doesn’t know how to answer. In the end, she tells him the truth.

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