by Stasia Black
He picked up her hand again after fixing the blanket. It lay so limp in his. His throat got tight.
Just keep talking.
“Things are moving forward in the case against Catrina. Thought you might like to know that too. Marie found another vial of PCP when she searched Catrina’s purse.” Marie had probable cause because of what the waiter had told her. “That was enough to throw her in lock up. Then Xavier and Mel got their lawyer involved. I guess he specializes in inheritance law. They looked into it with your dad’s estate lawyer and it turns out it’s true—he did leave all the money to you. But if your stepmom could get you declared mentally unfit—well, then she’s still officially your next of kin.”
Hunter’s jaw clenched. He’d never thought himself capable of violence toward any woman, but he just might make an exception for Catrina Snow. She’d put Isobel through hell. Not just now. Isobel hadn’t told him much, but it was clear enough that Catrina was a toxic presence in her life. And after what the attorney’s PI had turned up…
Hunter’s stomach went queasy at the thought of Isobel having to grow up with such a vicious, vindictive witch.
“When Xavier’s lawyer contacted your father’s estate attorney, the guy flew out here to confirm it was actually you. I don’t know if you remember, but he’s actually been in here a couple times. Dan. He and your dad were good friends. Your dad had asked him to look into a few things the last year. Like investigating the psychiatrist you saw throughout your teens.”
Hunter had to let go of her hand because he was afraid he might crush it. Every time he thought about this part, he got so furious he wanted to break things. “It turned out there was a lot to know about Dr. Rubenstein. Like how he had a gambling habit. And how on several occasions, he just happened to have large sums of money deposited into his account. And how those deposits just happened to coincide with extravagant ‘trips’ your stepmother claimed she was taking a group of girlfriends on.”
Hunter’s hands balled into fists and he could feel his blood pressure rising. He paused and took several deep breaths. He looked back to Isobel and it killed him knowing she’d been abused by the people who were supposed to be helping her. “I’m so sorry, Bel. I’m so sorry that she had everyone believing her lies. That she even got the therapist involved to gaslight you and make you think you were crazy. Who the fuck does that?”
He took her hand again. “But your Dad knew. He knew in the end what they’d done to you. Dan gave him the report about a week and a half before he died. That’s when he changed the will. Dan says he was horrified by it.”
Hunter willed her to respond. Watching for any twitch.
Nothing.
“So with all that, the county judge set your stepmom’s bail at half a million dollars. Without access to your dad’s money, she’s broke. She’s being charged with attempted manslaughter and with felony possession. And those are just the charges she faces in Wyoming.”
Hunter had run out of things to say. “I miss you, Bel. Please… just… please.”
He watched her for any sign that she was hearing him.
But she continued lying still like she was frozen under some supernatural spell. Beautiful and perfect and young but forever out of reach.
Hunter looked around and, not seeing anyone, got up from his chair. He leaned over Isobel. He rolled his eyes at himself for being a fucking idiot, but still. He kissed her. He squeezed his eyes shut as he pressed his lips against hers.
Please, Isobel. I’m here. Can’t you feel me here? Come back to me. Fight for us.
Her lips were soft as always, but unresponsive.
He pulled away, eyes searching her face for long moments.
Still nothing.
He huffed out a laugh at himself, then ran both his hands through his hair. Jesus, he was losing it. Like a kiss was going to just magically make her wake up.
He scrubbed his hands down his face.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep beep beep, beep-beep-beep-beep—
Hunter looked up in alarm to see the machines monitoring Isobel start to go crazy.
Isobel began convulsing.
“Isobel!” He reached for the nurse call button and punched it. “Help, we need help in room 301.”
Jesus! Hunter reached out for her but didn’t know where to hold her that wouldn’t make things worse. “Fuck! Fuck!” He ran for the door. “Doctor!” he yelled.
But a team of doctors and nurses were already headed toward the room. Hunter pulled back to make way. “Her heartrate started going crazy and then she started shaking like—”
“We’ll take it from here,” said a male nurse, trying to usher Hunter out of the room while the others went to Isobel’s side.
“She’s going to be okay, right?” Hunter asked, shoving the man aside so he could see what they were doing to Isobel.
“Sir, if you’ll just—”
Suddenly the beep-beep-beep of her heartbeat became a loud flat line.
Hunter screamed, “Isobel!”
Chapter 27
ISOBEL
Isobel woke up in a white room. White walls. White bedsheets. White floor tiles.
She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, immediately lifting her hand to her forehead. Whoa. She felt dizzy.
“Hello?”
Where the hell was she?
The room was empty except for a man standing beside a window lit up by bright sunlight. The man was dressed in—of course—all white. They looked like comfortable white scrubs, or maybe a t-shirt and sweatpants.
“Hello?” she said again, standing up. She was struck by another wave of dizziness and had to hold onto the wall beside the bed to steady herself.
Her body felt weird. Oddly… light.
She shook off the feeling. There was something familiar about the man by the window. She took several more steps forward to investigate.
And then her mouth dropped open.
“Daddy?”
The man winced at her words and turned away as she ran forward and grabbed his arm.
It was him.
“How…?”
He looked healthy. His skin was flushed a healthy pink and he was on his feet—far from the emaciated man who couldn’t even sit up in bed by the end.
“Isobel.” Her name was heavy on his lips. His head sank to his chest as he said it and he lifted a hand to his temple like he was in pain. Because of her.
Her elation at seeing him again sputtered. Even in this miracle place where her father was healthy again, he still couldn’t stand to be around her. His own daughter.
“I’ll go.” She backed away from him, her voice thick.
But as she started to turn, her father’s hand shot out to stop her.
“No, Isobel.” He finally lifted his head and what she saw on his face froze her in her tracks. Tears welled in his eyes.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t expect you to ever forgive me. But I’m so, so sorry.”
Isobel blinked, struck speechless.
“I failed you for years. Didn’t believe you when you said—” He turned his face away from her. “I was too much of a coward to face things and make it right. And then it was too late. I know money can’t make up for how I failed you but I just needed you to know—you were everything to me.”
“Daddy!” Isobel threw herself into his arms and he wrapped her up in his embrace. She’d never felt such soul-deep warmth in her life.
“I needed you to know that, baby. I love you and I’m so sorry for how I failed you. But now you need to make a choice.”
He pulled back from Isobel and pointed behind her.
She turned around and saw her body on a hospital bed, doctors working frantically all around her. And Hunter near the door, an orderly holding him back.
She swung back around to her father. “What? I don’t underst—”
“Sure you do,” her dad said, putting a gentle hand on her arm. “You’re so beautiful.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “Just li
ke your mother.”
Isobel jerked back from him. “Exactly.”
Her heart sank as she looked back at herself on the bed. “I’m too much like her, Dad. This will be hard on Hunter. But,” her voice cracked and she had to swallow before going on. “But maybe it’s better this way—before I go crazy like mom and screw everything up. Or if we ever had children…” She shuddered at the thought. No, she’d never put a child through what she’d gone through. Better her heart stop beating while she lay on that hospital bed right this second.
Maybe this was what loving Hunter meant. Hurting him now to save him from the far greater hurt she might inflict later on.
“Baby, you aren’t your mother,” Dad said, his eyebrows furrowed. “All I ever wanted for you was to live your own life. I never wanted that single day to define you. It’s why I tried to get you help.” He shook his head but then took her hands, entreating her. “You’re perfect just the way you are. Whether you come with me now or many, many years from now, please know that. You’re perfect.”
There was such sincerity in his eyes as he repeated it over and over. That she was perfect and he loved her just as she was.
But then he glanced over her shoulder.
“Not much time now. You’ve got to make a decision.”
Isobel’s throat went tight as she turned, looking back and forth from the hospital scene to her father. She didn’t know what was the right thing to do.
“What if I can’t decide? I mean, this is too big. I can’t—”
“Doing nothing is making a choice.”
She clutched her dad’s hands.
“I’m scared.”
“I know.”
Her eyes moved from her still form on the bed to Hunter, fighting against the orderly, trying to get back to her.
I want a future with you. I want it all. I want to wake up with you every morning and have babies with you and grow old together.
Was she still running? Even now?
Wasn’t Hunter and the life they might have worth facing her worst fears?
It was then that she knew what she had to do. She just hoped she wasn’t too late.
“I love you, Daddy.” She squeezed his hand.
He smiled and it was full of the morning sunlight. “I know that, too. Love you, baby.”
And then she started running.
Toward Hunter.
Toward a future.
Toward life.
Chapter 28
HUNTER
“I’ve got a pulse!”
“Eye movement.”
The orderly holding Hunter back released him and Hunter ran toward the bed.
“Isobel!” he called out. He stayed several feet behind the doctor and nurses, not wanting to get in their way.
Especially when he saw that they were right, Isobel was blinking and coughing and moving her head like she was trying to get her bearings.
“Bel!” he called, laughing and crying at the same time. One of the nurses moved aside and Hunter couldn’t help himself. He fit himself into the empty spot at Isobel’s side and grabbed her hand that didn’t have the IV in it.
“I’m here,” he said, lifting her hand and kissing it. “Bel, I’m here.”
Isobel’s eyes had been flickering wildly around but at his touch and voice, they settled on his face.
Her mouth opened up and it seemed like she was trying to say something.
She winced, dragging her hand to her throat.
“Water,” Hunter called out. “We need some water over here.”
Hunter had no idea who he was barking orders to or if any second they were going to try to boot him from the room again.
Screw that. His Isobel was alive and awake and nothing was going to drag him away from her side except the goddamned reaper himself.
Apparently someone had been listening, because the next second, he was handed a cup of water with a straw in it. He immediately held it up to Isobel’s mouth, settling the straw between her lips.
She took a sip, then coughed a little, then took another sip.
She tried talking again. Her voice was still croaky and Hunter could barely make her out when she said, “Yes. My answer is yes.”
“What?” Hunter asked, leaning in to hear her better.
She took another sip of water and then said louder, even though it looked like it was taking all her energy, “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Did she really just—
Hunter let out a whoop and almost dumped the water over in his eagerness to kiss her. Then he pulled back and looked at the doctors and nurses still in the room. “Did you hear that? This woman’s gonna be my wife!”
Isobel’s exhausted giggle was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard in his life.
Epilogue
LIAM
Liam’s leg bounced up and down while the pastor droned on and on and on. For better or worse, for richer or poorer, yada yada. He had to scoff at that last one though. All the people who’d ever loved him had certainly only been in it for the riches.
Hunter had loved Isobel before he knew he was getting a half billion-dollar payday out of the deal, so they might be all right. Liam had tried to get her to write up a prenup but she wouldn’t have it. Half a billion was chump change to him but he’d seen people lose their shit over far less.
“I do,” Isobel said, beaming at Hunter.
“It’s just so beautiful,” Reece said from beside Liam, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief.
Jeremiah shook his head at his brother but Liam saw him swipe at his eye when he thought no one was looking.
Liam smirked at them. They were a good bunch. Well, except for Mackenzie. That guy was just an asshole. But the others... Liam glanced down the row at the twins and Nicholas. Xavier and Mel were sitting a row ahead of them with their sons—all three of them. The baby was napping quietly in Xavier’s arms.
Liam had never really had friends like this before. People who were nice to him, just, well, for him. The only ones who knew who he was or how much he was worth were the Kents and somehow, Mack. He had no idea how the fucker had found out. He was sure neither Xavier or Mel had told him.
After Mack confronted him one night about his ‘hidden identity,’ Liam had done his own digging. Which was when he found out Mack had done hard time. An eight year sentence for attempted manslaughter.
Did the Kents know who exactly they had under their roof, hanging around their kids? Apparently they did. Or at least Xavier did. Xavier just waved him off and said not to worry about it when Liam tried to talk to him about it.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Everyone started cheering as Hunter dipped Isobel and planted one on her. It wasn’t a quick peck either. Liam had to tug at his collar because damn. It had been too long since he’d had a warm woman wrapped around him. Far too long.
“There’s a reception after this, eh?” Liam shouldered Jeremiah.
Jeremiah nodded. “At Bubba’s.”
“Classy.”
Jeremiah punched his shoulder and they both got to their feet as the crowd stood up. Isobel and Hunter clasped hands and walked back down the aisle. Liam clapped along with everyone else. Even his cold, sarcastic little heart had to give it to them—those two crazy kids deserved their happy ending.
Liam thought his dad was a piece of work but he was fucking Gandhi compared to the sociopathic shitshow that was Isobel’s stepmom. At least the bitch would be locked up for a while. She made some kind of plea deal so she didn’t get the max sentence but when she got out, she’d be broke, alone, and friendless. Meanwhile Isobel had Hunter and the rest of them. And, ya know, half a billion dollars.
What more could you ask for in a happily ever after? You can bet the media ate that shit up. Liam had flown in his PR guy from Dublin to handle the spin. He was one of the few people Liam actually trusted from back home. Then again, bullshit was the guy’s business, so it was entirely possible he was just bett
er at buttering Liam up than everyone else.
That was the problem with money. You never know who was just begging to be bought. In his experience, everyone had a price.
Everyone.
But he was enjoying this little vacation to the wilds of America to pretend for a little while that they didn’t.
And toward that end…
“I call dibs on the hot blonde in the pink dress,” Liam said as they joined the sea of people crowding into the aisle to leave the church. He’d only meant for Jeremiah, Reece, and maybe Nicholas to hear.
Mack was several people in front of him but he turned around and glared. “Shut the fuck up. Women aren’t meat.” More and more people crowded in from the side pews and Liam was forced to pause halfway down the aisle.
So he couldn’t do anything but watch on as Mack plunged through the crowd—people had a habit of making way for a six foot giant covered in tattoos of gargoyles and monsters—and approached the woman in the body-hugging pink dress.
Liam’s mouth dropped open and his blood spiked. That ruddy bastard—
Mack took the woman’s hand and drew it to his lips. She blushed and as soon as Mack released her hand, started toying with her hair.
“Fucker,” Liam whispered.
Mack dropped his hand to the small of the woman’s back and ushered her out of the church.
“Oh you’ve done it now, boyo.” Liam rubbed his hands together and then shook his arms out like he was getting ready for a jog. “Let the games begin.”
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