“I’m sorry. I know how that feels.”
Isabeau shrugged and gave him a small smile. “It’s okay. I still miss them, but it gets better as time passes.”
Minutes ticked by as they lay there. He’d been so stupid to let silly things dictate his actions. Things that could have been fixed so easily with a simple adult conversation. He cared about her, and she deserved someone she could trust with her heart. How could he ask something of her that he wasn’t willing to do himself?
“Isabeau, I need to apologize to you for the childish way I’ve behaved since you got here. I let my fears and insecurities lead me by the nose and allowed misunderstandings to dictate my actions. You gave me no reason to doubt the person you are, and yet I chose knee-jerk reactions instead of coming to you like a man.”
“I know, and I understand.”
He cupped her cheek. “I’ve made and broken so many promises to you, and I hesitate to make another, but I will do my best to be a different person from now on. I’m sorry it took me so long to gain a little wisdom.” He touched his lips to her forehead and then leaned back. “But all I have is my word, and I know it’s not worth much.”
She wrapped a lock of his hair around her finger. “I’ll trust you, if you’ll trust me.”
“I trust you.”
Her eyes locked with his. “And I believe you.”
Rowan brushed her hair over her shoulder, and she closed the little bit of distance left, her nose nearly touching his, and wrapped her arm around his waist. “I’m so comfortable. I feel like I’m floating,” she murmured, and a breath later, she was asleep.
Her strawberry-blonde hair spilled over his arm like a waterfall, and the texture was like silk against his skin. It was a sight he thought he’d never see—a woman in his bed, snuggled flush against him. And an incredibly sweet and caring one at that. Not only was she kind and caring, but she was so beyond lovely that it was hard to find the right word. He loved that her freckles disappeared into her hairline. How her eyes sparkled when she was excited. The smile she’d flash when she called him charming, which he was not, but it made him happy that she thought so. All of her made all of him happy, and he loved her with a depth he never thought possible.
His mouth dropped open as he realized the thought that had just zipped in his mind. Loved. He could only speculate that this was what it felt like, and the sensation should have scared him witless. But he wasn’t panicked or frightened at all. The idea of loving her and growing old with her filled him with such peace that it was better than just being alive. It was fully living and wanting to be beside her, whether it was in this home or in the middle of Times Square.
Now he just needed enough courage to risk telling her. It wasn’t like his heart wasn’t already on the line. If she rejected him, it would hurt just as much as keeping it from her and watching her leave. He was invested. In her. In them. In a future he thought he’d never have. And he wanted her with every ounce of his being.
Whatever she told him, however awful it might be, would not change how much he loved her. And if it was what he was beginning to suspect was true, the man who hurt her would be dealing with him. That man would never touch her again, and Rowan would make sure of it.
Chapter 21
Izzy ran her palms down her jeans as she walked with Rowan in the garden. He’d taken his last dose of medicine that morning and was back to normal, thankfully, and she’d given her word that she’d tell him what happened. Not that it was easy to tell him, but because she knew she needed to if there was any chance that they could be together.
She stopped and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. It was so hard to talk about, and she was more nervous than anything because she loved Rowan and wanted him to love her.
“Just tell me. Start from the beginning,” Rowan said softly.
“I’m so nervous. I’ve only ever talked to Kelsey about it. Everyone else blamed me, and when my life became so messy, they kind of dropped me.”
He pushed her hair over her shoulder. “I think we’ve established that true friends don’t abandon you when you need them the most.”
“No, they don’t, but…” She cast her gaze down.
“You have my solemn promise that no matter what you say, it will not change anything. I will not toss you aside just because your life isn’t tied with a bow.”
Lifting her gaze to his, she nodded. “I was stalked.”
“Okay.”
“His name was Steven Welch, and he was a therapy patient of mine two years ago. He’d been injured after pulling some stupid stunt that involved jumping off a cliff into the water. He crushed his right leg and arm and needed help getting mobility back.” She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself so she didn’t talk too fast.
“At first, he was really sweet. Always had a smile, didn’t complain when I pushed him, and we’d talk. It was innocent. Nothing I hadn’t done with other patients. It helped make it easier for them to see me as a friend and know that I was there to make their lives better.”
Rowan nodded.
“For five months, he came in three times a week.” Her heart pounded in her chest as she recalled how it started. It had been almost a year since the attack, and she still felt nauseous when she thought about it.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to rush. Take your time.” Rowan smiled. “Why don’t we sit over there?” He motioned to a bench surrounded by a trellis and ivy.
“Okay.”
They walked to it, and he sat. Izzy was such a bundle of nerves that she remained standing. “Let me finish, and then I’ll sit.”
“Whatever you need.” Rowan stretched his arm across the back of the bench and looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue.
Izzy fidgeted with her fingers and then began again. “About two months into his therapy, he began showing up when we didn’t have a scheduled time. He’d tell me he mixed up the days or whatnot, and at first, I believed him. It was flattering…and it didn’t feel threatening. Sometimes, he’d show up twice in a single day. He began bringing flowers and chocolates and all sorts of gifts. Then once his therapy was over, he continued to show up.” Her breath caught, and she balled her fist in her shirt.
Rowan quietly waited while she pulled herself back together.
She put a shaky hand to her mouth and swallowed hard. “He found out where I lived, and he began showing up there. That’s when it became scary. A man just showing up at my home. It was my parents’ house that I’d inherited. All hours of the night, he’d call or ring my doorbell. Leave gifts overnight. It progressively got worse, but I thought it was my fault. That I’d somehow led him on. I tried to explain that I wasn’t interested and that I was sorry if I ever gave that impression. That I never meant to hurt him.” She rubbed the tears from her eyes.
Rowan leaned forward and caught her hand. “You’re doing great, and if you need to take a minute, it’s okay.”
She nodded. Rowan really was the sweetest man she’d ever met. “I appreciate that, but I need to get it out.”
“Okay,” he said as he kept a hold on her hand.
“It only got worse. He would show up all over the place. Dinner with friends, the movies, coffee shop, everywhere. And my friends couldn’t understand why I let it go so long. Why I hadn’t filed a restraining order the second it started, but I didn’t know what was happening.”
“Oh, Isabeau. It wasn’t your fault. None of it was.”
The relief she felt at hearing that made her appreciate Rowan even more. “My friends thought it was. Everyone except Kelsey.”
“Did you file a restraining order?”
“Oh yes, I filed one, and I’d press charges when he’d break it. Which he did a lot. He’d get booked and then released. He’d back off a second, just long enough to make sure he could get away with it.”
“But he did end up going to jail, right? You can’t disregard an order like that.”
“Yes, but…it wasn’t that simple. I’d taken s
elf-defense classes because he’d become violent. The last time he was arrested for violating the restraining order, he threatened me. I thought for sure there was no way for him to get out of it, but he did.” Tears flowed hot and fast, and she slowly sank to the bench.
Rowan put his arm around her and pulled her close, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. Instead of telling her it was okay or not to cry, he just held her while she sobbed. It was without a doubt the most comforting thing she’d experienced since being attacked. No one was telling her to control her emotions or fight against them. Rowan was letting her cry, and the release felt freeing.
Not that Kelsey hadn’t allowed her the same leeway, but having someone besides Kelsey give her the okay to be hurt was wonderful. He wasn’t asking anything of her. He wasn’t blaming her. And he wasn’t throwing her away, which gave her hope that he could handle the last part of her ordeal.
When she’d cried what she thought had to be her last tear, she continued. “I didn’t know that his father was a city councilman. They had different last names. His dad pulled favors and got him released. Only no one warned me.” She leaned back and looked up at Rowan. “Somehow, he’d gotten past my security system, and he waited for me to come home from work. He was hiding in my pantry. I didn’t hear the door open. I woke up in the hospital several days later. Kelsey said it’s my mind working to protect me. I have no memory of what happened.”
Rowan’s lips parted, and his eyes turned glassy. “I have no words.”
“Kelsey won’t tell me what happened, and to be honest, I’m not sure I want to know. I already have horrible nightmares that stem from what happened before the attack. She did testify about my condition at his trial. I testified as well, but remotely. I couldn’t handle being in the same room with him.”
“Did someone find you or—”
“My neighbors are the ones who called the police. They heard me scream.”
He pulled her into a hug, cupping the back of her head. “As long as I live, he will never put another finger on you. No matter what I have to do.”
She wrapped her arms around him and melted into him. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I should have told you from the beginning, but—”
Rowan pulled back. “No, you shouldn’t have. I did nothing to deserve to know. I still haven’t, but I’m glad you trust me enough to tell me.”
On the tip of her tongue. Telling him she loved him was on the very tip of her tongue, but he needed a moment to process everything. She wanted to tell him when she was sure he understood that being with her wouldn’t be easy. There would be times that she struggled. Not that she didn’t think he would struggle too, but she knew his story, and she’d had plenty of time to accept it.
As hard as it was to tell him, though, dredging up all those memories and feelings of helplessness, she still felt peace while being in Rowan’s arms.
He hugged her to him again and kissed the side of her face. “You are incredible, and I owe you an apology for thinking you could never understand what I’ve been through. I am in awe of your strength.”
Strong? When she felt so weak? “You’re just as strong.”
“No, I’m not. I hid from the world just because a few people were mean to me. You went through something no one should ever have to endure, and you not only faced life, but you charged through it.”
She leaned back and shook her head. “No, that’s not entirely true. It wasn’t until I started working here that I felt normal.”
Her phone rang, stopped, and then rang again. It chirped as a second call came through. What was going on that her phone was so lit up? She pulled it out of her pocket. “Let me take this, and we’ll finish our talk, okay?”
With a nod, he released her, and she stood. Before taking a step, she bent down and pressed her lips to his. “Thank you,” she said and quickly walked away as the phone rang again. She put it to her ear. “Hello?”
“Ms. Daniels?”
The Portland DA? “Hi, Mrs. Ortranto.”
The woman paused a moment. “I’m sorry, Ms. Daniels, but something has happened. I just got word of it.”
An icy chill rippled through Izzy. “What?”
“First, are you somewhere safe? Somewhere other than your friend’s apartment?”
“Yes, why?” Only she had a sinking suspicion she knew why.
“A few days ago, Steven Welch was being transferred from the county jail. There was a mix-up, and somehow he was released.”
Released? “How could that have been a mix-up?”
“We’ve launched an investigation into that. At this point, it looks as though his father may have had something to do with it. Police have taken him into custody.”
Tears clouded her vision, and she gulped air. “D-d-does he know where I live? That I moved?”
“I called you as soon as I got word. Detectives have interrogated his father, and we think he took a bus to Texas.”
She turned and caught Rowan’s gaze. She’d told him everything. He thought Steven was in jail. That, like her, the whole thing was over. What would he say when he found out it wasn’t? Would he want her then? What if he didn’t?
Thoughts swirled in Izzy’s mind, and her head swam. Every breath was a fight. Her heart was hammering against her ribs.
“Ms. Daniels?” The attorney’s voice sounded so far away.
Then Rowan called her name, and in what felt like slow motion, the phone slipped from her hand. Her body trembled, her knees wobbled, and before she hit the ground, darkness pulled her under.
Chapter 22
Rowan didn’t think he could move so fast. He’d known the moment she caught his gaze that something was off, and he was already walking in her direction when her face drained of color and her knees buckled. He’d caught her just before she touched the grass, lifting her limp body into his arms.
“Isabeau,” he said as he palmed her face.
A voice filtered from her phone, and holding her with one arm, he scooped it off the ground.
“Hello?” He sandwiched it between his shoulder and ear, walked to the bench, and sat down with Isabeau laid across his lap.
“Where is Ms. Daniels?”
“Whatever you said to her scared her. She passed out,” he said as he held her to him. “Who are you? What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry, I’m not able to dis—”
“I’m her husband.” For the first time, it didn’t feel odd rolling off his tongue. He liked the sound of it, the way it felt to be attached to her.
The woman on the other line paused a moment. “Her husband? She said nothing of being married.”
“It was recent.”
“I’m sorry, but without some sort of documentation, I can’t give out information.”
Rowan growled. “If she’s in danger, I need to know. That’s the only way I can protect her. Who are you?”
“My name is Maryanne Ortranto. I’m the Multnomah County District Attorney.”
“Okay, now what’s going on?”
“Has she told you anything?”
“A man name Steven Welch stalked and nearly killed her.”
The woman took a deep breath. “A few days ago, he was released. We believe he’s headed to Texas now.”
“Does her friend Kelsey know?”
“She does.”
“Does she have somewhere safe to go?”
“We told her to pack a bag and stay somewhere until we caught him again.”
“I need to go so I can phone Kelsey and let her know she’s welcome to stay at my home. I have a gated entrance, and I’ll be calling for more security as soon as I know Kelsey is safe.”
The woman sighed. “Please tell Izzy I’m sorry.”
Rowan wanted to tell the woman to save her apologies and just do her job, but instead, he said, “I will.” He hung up and found Kelsey’s number, hoping she’d answer.
“Izzy! Oh, thank goodness! Did they call you?”
“No, this is Rowan.”
“Where is Isabeau?” Panic laced the words.
“She’s okay. She collapsed after finding out about Steven.”
“Oh, I can’t imagine how frightened she is.”
Rowan pulled Isabeau closer. “Are you safe?”
“I’m getting a bag together now and trying to find a place to go.”
“You are welcome to stay here with Isabeau. In fact, I’d really like to insist you stay here. I don’t want this man to hurt Isabeau again, and if something happened to you, she’d be devastated.”
“Oh, thank you. I had no idea where to go that wouldn’t put someone else in danger. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Would you like me to send a car for you?”
“I think I’m okay to drive. It’ll probably be best if he thinks I’m gone so that he doesn’t hurt anyone.”
Rowan nodded. “All right, but if you change your mind or feel like you’re being followed, call me. I’ll have someone come get you.”
“Okay, thank you again.”
Rowan nodded as he looked down at Isabeau. “You’re welcome,” he said and ended the call.
He slipped his arm under her legs and stood, debating the entire way into the house whether he should take her to her bedroom or his.
Since the beginning, she’d never seemed comfortable in her room. By the time he reached the stairs, he’d made his choice and took her to his room, hoping it would help her feel safe. Either way, he’d be staying with her until her stalker was found and behind bars again.
When he reached his room, he gently laid her on the bed and then turned his focus to acquiring a security company to guard the property. He punched a number on his phone and waited.
“Rowan Masters,” Pamela Williams said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
He’d known her since he was a kid. His father and her husband were fraternity brothers in college. His father was the one who had kept the secret about the large fortune James Williams had amassed. He was also the one to guide Pamela toward using the money to help people after James was killed in a drive-by shooting.
The Beast’s Fake Marriage Page 14