His Brother's Wife by Michelle Love (17)

Sam shook his head, and Cal gaped at him. ‘Dude… what the hell? After all this time, the woman you love still doesn’t know you were married before?’

Sam was speechless, sat down heavily into a chair. ‘I know, Cal. I know.’

Cal chewed on his lip for a long moment. ‘Look, it’s not my place but…’

Zoe stuck her head into the room. ‘Sorry to interrupt boys. Sam, honey, I think Isa just wants to go to bed for tonight. She’s exhausted. Cal, why don’t you stay tonight and we can all talk about this in the morning.’

Cal looked at Sam, and they both nodded to Zoe.

In the kitchen, Sam could see that Zoe was right; Isa looked as if she was about to fall asleep at the counter. He kissed her temple.

‘I’ll take the cases up then come get you.’

She murmured her agreement, and he grinned at Zoe. ‘Be right back.’

He climbed the stairs and unlocked the door, nudging it open with his shoulder.

 

The smell hit him immediately as well as the miasmic hum of flies. His heart started to pound, and he flipped on the lights.

The involuntary sound that roared from his mouth when he saw her sounded like the howl of a wounded animal.

The dead girl was tied to a chair in the middle of the living room, stripped to her underwear, soaked with her own blood.

The girl looked so much like Isa that the message was obvious. This is what I’m going to do to her. For a moment Sam was frozen with horror, unable to take his eyes from the ragged stab wounds in the girl’s abdomen, the hilt of the murder weapon protruding from her ruined body, the blood, so much blood that covered the floor of the apartment. He was so frozen he was a second too late in turning, stepping in front of Isa as she burst through the door, having heard his shout. Too late. She saw the dead girl and Sam could see the shock, the terror and the horror in her eyes.

‘Oh my god….’ Her legs gave way and Sam caught her, yelling at Seb and Cal to help him. The two young men burst into the room; skidding to a halt when they saw the scene.

‘Jesus…’ Cal turned and threw up when he saw the girl’s body. Seb stood utterly still. His dark skin gray with shock.

‘She looks like my sister.’ His voice was so faint they hardly heard him. Isa buried her face in Sam’s chest as he curved his arms protectively around her. The stench of blood mingled with vomit now, and Sam jerked into action, dragging Isa back out of the door, yelling at the two men to follow him.

A shell-shocked Zoe called the emergency services and as they waited, a silence between them until Isa could stand it no longer and walked out into the night. Sam caught up with her as she stood, looking up at the open door of her apartment. He put his arm around her shoulders, could feel the tension in her body. She didn’t say anything, didn’t look at him.

 

‘Isa…’

‘I wonder what it will feel like.’

Sam shook his head, not understanding, and she turned to him, her eyes bottomless pits of sorrow and resignation.

‘When he does that to me. I wonder what it will feel like.’

He pulled her into his arms fiercely before making her look him in the eye. ‘I’ve told you this before, now listen to me. I will never, ever let him anywhere near you. You will never know what that,’ and he jerked his head towards the apartment and the dead girl, ‘feels like.’

‘Seconded.’ Cal came out of the house behind them and took her free hand. ‘Nothing’s gonna happen to you we don’t know about, sweet cheeks.’

Isa squeezed Cal’s hand, leaned into Sam. Sam kissed her temple, looked over the top of her head to his brother. ‘It’s time to shut this asshole down. I mean it, every resource we have, we’re going to use.’

Cal nodded. ‘Got it.’ He pulled his cell phone from his hip pocket and walked away from them to make a call. Sam’s arms tightened around Isa, as a police cruiser pulled up to the curb.

‘Honey… go tell Zoe and Seb to pack some things. You’re all going to the city.’ He pulled away and started towards the police offer stepping from his car. Isa stared after him.

‘Sam?’

He turned as she spoke. ‘For how long?’

Sam’s face hardened into sharp angles, his eyes haunted and angry. ‘For as long as it takes to make you safe again, my beautiful Isabel. As long as it takes…’

#3 Break Me

 

 

Hey, beautiful.’ Cal kissed her cheek, pulling off his jacket and sitting in the chair across from Isa. She smiled at him, her face wan and exhausted. It had been a nightmarish few days since they’d found the murdered girl in her apartment; hours and hours of police questioning, invasive samples were taken and they had to endure endless meetings about their future protection.

 

The heavenly bubble of her and Sam’s island haven was a million miles away and a lifetime ago. Since the girl was found, since Isa had seen what her stalker intended to do to her, she hadn’t been able to sleep, been able to function as herself. The homicide detectives had been skeptical of her claims she didn’t know who would want to kill her; under Sam’s insistence, she’d given them Karl’s name. The voicemail she’d gotten from her ex-boyfriend after the police had questioned him – well – she’d kept it to herself and just deleted it. She didn’t blame Karl for being furious; she was angry too. Whoever this fucker was, he wouldn’t win.

 

But the fight to keep positive was wrecking her. Wrecking them all. And then there was Casey Hamilton and the fact Isa was convinced Sam knew more about her than he was admitting too.

Isa smiled at his brother now, for the first time noticing how little he resembled Sam. While Sam’s handsome features were all angles and Greek-god-devastating, Cal’s were softer, more malleable. His dark auburn hair had Sam’s curl rather than color, but his hair was longer, wilder. It suited his more casual demeanor.

He grinned at her appraisal. ‘Hey, if you’re looking for an affair, I just want you to know, I’m up for it.’

She chuckled, knowing he was kidding, and grateful for his attempt to cheer her up.

‘Always,’ she said, then leaned forward, her face serious.’ Look, I have something to ask, and I know it’s entirely inappropriate to go behind Sam’s back but…’

‘What is it, honey?’ Cal’s eyes, usually so merry, became wary.

Isa took a deep breath in. ‘Casey Hamilton.’

She saw his eyes darken and he looked away from her gaze. Dread began to build in her stomach. ‘Cal? Please. I don’t want you to betray a confidence but I need to know why she's such a pain in our collective asses.’

Cal drained his beer. She’d deliberately picked a bar that she knew he liked. At lunchtime, it was almost empty, the barman silently cleaning glasses, the faint jangle of the radio in the background.

 

‘Isa, look, you need to talk to Sam.’

She wanted to burst into tears. ‘So, he does know her.’

Cal hesitated before giving one sharp, angry nod. ‘But please, Isa, hear him out. Don’t jump to any conclusions, and make any rash decisions. He loves you, God, he loves you so much. He’s already on edge every waking moment, thinking he’s going to lose you to this maniac. Don’t let a waste of space like Casey be the reason for him losing you.’

Isa stirred her black sugarless coffee unnecessarily and said nothing. Cal reached over to take her hand. ‘Isa, I swear, it’s not as bad as you think it is. But, to be fair to him, I can’t tell you more than that.’

She sighed. ‘Fair enough.’ She rubbed her face in frustration. ‘Cal, I just don’t know what’s happened to me. I have no job, no home, and someone wants to kill me. Is this some kind of universe-balancing thing – I find the love of my life, so there has to be some kind of price?’

Cal didn’t know what to say, and she smiled softly at him. ‘Sorry. Let’s talk about something else. I hear you, and my brother are getting a place together?’

 

Cal grinned, relieved at the change of subject. ‘The penthouse is a bit crowded with five of us. Plus, with you and Sam always humping away…’

‘Cal!’ But she giggled, blushing furiously, then her grin turned wicked. ‘Not always.’

They both laughed, and the relief of it made them both relax. Cal signaled the bartender for another beer. ‘Look, we just thought we might as well get a place together, give you and Sam some space. Zoe’s off to stay with a friend too, isn’t she?’

Isa nodded. As much as she loved her family around her, she was looking forward to some alone time with Sam. Despite Cal’s joking, they hadn’t had sex since they’d all moved to the Levy’s luxury penthouse the night the murdered girl had been found.

Isa checked her watch now. If she caught Sam alone now, she could change all that. Something in her was telling her to grab every last moment with him – in case the killer got to her, and they ran out of time. Cal was watching, an amused look in his eyes and she blushed again.

‘Might just skip on home,’ she said casually, and Cal chuckled.

‘Good move. You get yours, little sis.’

He was still laughing and his face was red as a berry, then she fled the bar with a backward wave of her hand.

Sam ended the call to the art dealer and gave a hiss of frustration. He’d been trying to lock down Casey’s whereabouts all morning, determined to confront her. He’d asked around – her claims that Isa had plagiarized her work were being soundly rejected by most of the Seattle art community – they knew Casey’s personality well. Still, it left a bad taste in his mouth. He was sure Casey was doing it to cause problems between Sam and Isa – well, she got her wish. He’d tell Isa this evening, admitting he hid things from her. He really didn’t want this hanging over him too.

 

An image of the dead girl flashed into his mind but instead of the girl’s face, he always saw Isa, bound to that chair, dead, butchered. He leaned forward, rubbing his eyes, trying to erase the images from his brain. He started as he felt a hand on his shoulder then sighed as her lips pressed to his cheek. He hadn’t heard her come in.

‘Hey, you.’ Isa slid her hands down his chest, nuzzling his neck. He reached around for her, pulled her onto his lap, and caught her mouth with his. God, she tasted so good, faintly of coffee but always of Isa, sweet, fresh, his. His hand found its way under her shirt, his fingers gliding over the soft skin of her belly.

‘God, you’re beautiful,’ he murmured and heard her soft laugh. She ran her fingers through his short curls.

‘Take me to bed,’ she smiled as she pressed her lips to his.

He didn’t hesitate. In the bedroom, they stripped each other quickly and fell onto the bed, frantically reaching for the other. Sam took her nipple into his mouth as she wrapped her legs around him, reaching for his cock and stroking it until he groaned with pleasure, the weight of it heavy in her hands, hard and ready. He wanted to taste her first, prolong the anticipation, and moving down her body, his mouth hungrily exploring every curve of her, the ample breasts, the silky skin of her belly, and the deep hollow of her navel. His tongue rimmed the edge of it and gratified, he heard her gasp with pleasure. He pressed her legs apart and then his tongue was on her, in her. She was so wet, her arousal making the flesh of her labia rosy pink, the nub of her clit pulse with the expectation of his mouth. He nipped it gently with his teeth, felt her tense and orgasm quickly. He looked up then, smiled at her, her body undulating with breathlessness, with sheer abandon. He hitched her legs around his hips, teasing her with the tip of his cock, feeling the slickness of her sex. She kissed him, feverish, her breath coming in quickening gasps.

 

‘My turn,’ she said and moved down his body. God, the feeling of her sweet mouth gliding over the crest of his penis was second only to the feeling of being inside of her. Her tongue traced the tip of his cock, flicking around the sensitive hole, around the hard ridge of the head. Her hands cupped his balls, massaging them gently, fisting at the root of his cock, urging the blood supply to further thicken him, harden him almost painfully. He felt himself come, pumping thick creamy semen into her mouth, his fingers tangling in her hair as he shuddered and then he was reaching for her, almost violently pushing her back into the pillows and driving into her.

 

‘Oh...my…God….’ She was bucking against him, hard, taking him in as deeply as she could. He pressed her legs apart until she groaned, trying to sink into her as far as was possible. She was so fucking gorgeous; he loved the glow of her sweat-slicked skin, the pink rose on her cheeks, the way her dark hair stuck to her face as she writhed and rocked beneath him. He reached down to rub her clit as he pumped harder and harder into her, wanting to rip her into two with the heat of his passion. She moaned so beautifully as he rubbed the hardened clit and smiled up at him with such luminous, loving eyes that he could not hold back a moment longer and came as she did, both of them shouting their love, with abandon.

 

He was still hard as they recovered from the shattering orgasm that rocked their bodies and he flipped her onto her stomach, hearing her laughter as she realized what he wanted. He put his mouth to her ear even as his hands pushed her buttocks apart.

‘Yes?’

‘God, yes.’ She gasped as he entered her, gently now, using the friction of his cock to touch the sensitive clusters of nerves inside her. She let out a moan, and he captured her hands with his, twisting his fingers around hers as he fucked her.

‘Tell me what you like,’ he murmured, pressing his face into her neck.

‘You… you inside me…’ Isa could barely talk; such was the complete delirium he was driving her towards. Sam smiled, his own breath hitching and catching.

‘Do you like it when I fuck you in your perfect ass?’

‘God… yes…. oh, Sam!’ She came, her entire body vibrating with otherworldly pleasure and Sam laughed, triumphant. He pulled out and flipped her onto her back, watching her breasts heaving, her belly rising and falling as she gasped for air. Glorious.

 

‘Do you like it when I come on your sweet belly?’

He saw the excitement in her eyes as she nodded, unable to speak now. She reached for his cock and slid her hands up and down it to help him and shivering with pleasure, he came, his cum pumping out onto her soft skin. He collapsed on top of her, and she wound her arms around his neck, kissing him tenderly as he caught his breath.

‘I love you, you beautiful man,’ Her voice was a caress, and he moaned, burying his face in her neck, his hands sweeping down the length of her body, sliding around her back to pull her closer to him.

Sam wished they could stay like this forever, just the two of them, safe in his bed. He sighed, breathing in her soft, clean scent. He ran the tip of his tongue along her collarbone, looked up to see her smiling down at him, her eyes soft with love. He shifted so he could press his lips to hers.

 

‘This is the only way I want to spend a rainy Seattle afternoon.’ She stroked the hair over his ears, smoothing the curls flat with her fingertips.

‘You got that right, beautiful.’ He propped himself up on his elbow to look down at her, drawing the back of his finger down his cheek. ‘Do you think we could make careers out of this?’

She pretended to consider. ‘Only if we’re willing to film it, then maybe.’

He chuckled at her grin. ‘Show ‘em how to do it properly.’

‘You betcha.’ She glanced over to the huge wall-to-ceiling window. ‘It’s really coming down out there.’

The sky had darkened so much it looked like night, an angry bruised sky, purple-black clouds. He watched the rain hit the glass and looked down at her. He knew she was thinking about their island the same as him. Her eyes were suddenly sad, and he hated that, hated seeing the fear and fatigue in her eyes, unanswered questions.

He stroked his flat palm down over her stomach. ‘You can talk to me about anything, you know, Isa. Anything.’

He wasn’t prepared for her question, but the split second she asked it, he knew he’d been expecting it.

‘Did you sleep with Casey Hamilton? Before us, I mean.’ Her words came out in a rush, and she wouldn’t look him in the eye.

Sam felt agony rip through him, but he took a deep breath in. ‘Yes.’

A small moan escaped her lips, and his heart cracked. ‘Isa, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I lied to you. I promise you; that’s the only thing I’ve ever lied about to you.’

‘Why?’

It was the simplest question and yet…’I don’t know. We didn’t end things on good terms, neither of us treated the other as we should have. Worse, in fact. I didn’t want it to taint our relationship.’

 

Isa shook her head, her eyes confused. ‘Why would it? We’ve both had relationships before.’

Sam blew out a long breath. ‘Casey’s an artist. I didn’t want you to think I just fucked her and promised her the world and then one day decided to end it. I didn’t want you to think that was my m.o.’

‘Sam, I know you. I’d never think that.’

He smiled sadly. ‘I know. I made a dumb mistake; I should have been honest.’

‘Yes.’ Ouch.

‘Isa…’

‘Sam, it’s okay.’ Her tone softened, and she touched his face. ‘Thank you for telling me now. It helps clear up a lot of things. For example,’ and now she started to smile in earnest, ‘…explains why she’s such a fucking bitch. She’s missing out on the Levy cock and that ain’t no small thing.’ She drawled the word out to make him laugh, to ease the tension.

Sam grinned, grateful she’d taken the news so well. Why the hell had he built it up as such a big thing in his head? He bent his head and brushed her lips with his, smiling as she wriggled with pleasure beneath him. He slipped his hand between her legs, seeking out the velvety warmth of her, sliding two fingers inside her, hearing her gasp.

‘Why, Mr. Levy, I do declare… oh God, that feels so good.’

 

In moments, he had her so wet and ready for him; it was easy for him to plunge his cock into her and make her scream with pleasure, forgetting everything and everyone else existed.

 

 

Seb raised his hand at his friend as Cal rode his skateboard towards him. ‘Hey, dude.’

The two men chatted all the way to the apartment they were going to check; ignoring the rain that pummeled down onto the Seattle sidewalks.

At the apartment block, Seb whistled through his teeth, looking around with side eyes. High ceilings, large open spaces, the place smacked of Levy luxury – which was way out of his price range. Cal was watching him, grinning.

‘I know what you’re thinking but here’s my offer. I buy this place; you rent a room from me – at a knock-down price of course.’

Seb’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Wow, dude, that’s a hell of an offer but – ‘

Cal smiled. ‘I know what you’re going to say but listen – you’re family.

Seb considered then shrugged. ‘Guess I’m in no position to argue.’

After that, they went to a coffeehouse where Seb knew the barista. Two huge lattes later Cal sat back in his chair, studying the young man in front of him. Seb Marshall was, by any reckoning, an impressive man, body finely tuned by intense workouts, a wicked sense of humor and a bright-eyed intelligence that belied his age. Cal enjoyed his company and told him so.

‘You too, dude. Been nice to expand the family, a bit, y’know? My sister is happy too – well, apart from the obvious. Anyways… so it’s just you and Sam now, I take it?’

Cal nodded. ‘My mom died a few years ago, our dad a few weeks after her.’

‘Your mom?’

Cal smiled. ‘Sam and I are half-brothers. I thought you knew.’

Seb grinned. ‘Isa probably told me when I wasn’t listening. She tends to ramble.’

Cal chuckled. ‘I hadn’t noticed.’

Seb took a sip of his coffee. ‘I’m just kidding. Actually, it’s kind of great seeing how much more confident she’s getting. I mean, she’s always been kinda shy.’

‘She’s lovely. Sam’s absolutely obsessed. Can’t say I blame him.’

Seb grinned at Cal who shrugged ruefully. ‘Sorry, it’s the truth.’

‘Isa know about your little crush?’ Seb’s eyes were amused, and Cal was relieved.

‘I’ll get over it. How about you – how things going with Louisa?’

Isa stretched out her aching limbs and then curled her naked body into a ball, burrowing down into the soft pillows, watching Sam dress. He glanced at her in the mirror, grinning at her obvious admiration. ‘It doesn’t help me get ready when you look at me like that.’

She giggled and stretched out a leg to hook her foot around his thigh.

‘Then come back to bed.’

He smiled, grabbing her foot, running his hand up her calf to the soft flesh of her inner thigh. ‘I would, my love, but I need to go meet with the detective on the case.’

She sat up then. ‘I should come.’ But he gently pushed her back onto the pillows.

‘I’d rather know you were safe here than out in the open. Even with me. Please,’ he added as she started to protest. ‘Please, Isa. I know you’re frustrated with this. But I can’t risk your life.’

He pressed his lips against hers, firm, warm; then he was gone.

 

Isa lay back and sighed. The room echoed with loneliness without him. She got up and pulled on her robe, wandered out into the vast living area with its huge windows. In one corner, where the light flooded in, Sam had set up a big table with all of the art supplies from the island. It seemed incongruous in the minimalist décor of the apartment – but then Isa felt she was incongruous too. To come from a tiny apartment to this was strange enough but when she thought back to when she’d stepped from the bus from D.C. with nothing and no-one to this opulence. She couldn’t reconcile it in her head.

 

She leaned her head against the glass, looked down to the rain-slicked streets below. From this high, the cars looked tiny, the wash of water on the asphalt made it look like glass. The dark skies outside reflected her image back at her. The colorful kimono Sam had given her as a gift flattered her honey-skinned body. A gilded bird in a cage, she thought. Pushing the idea away, she went to take a shower, almost purring at the hot water on her limbs. She was dog-tired, she realized, not from anything physical – definitely not that, she grinned to herself – but from the strain of how much her life had changed in such a short time.

 

She heard her cell phone buzzing as she dried her hair and padding into the bedroom, she looked around for her purse. She was sure she’d left it on the easy chair, but the chair was empty. She followed the ringing into the living room and stopped, her heart thumping. Her phone was on the coffee table and next to it, lay a single red rose. She walked over slowly, checked the caller-id. Unknown. Isa started to tremble even as she picked the phone up.

 

‘Hello, beautiful.’ Him.

 

Adrenaline kicked in, and she darted to the kitchen, swiped a knife from the block. Anger, as well as fear, tore through her and she practically snarled down the phone at her would-be-killer. He merely laughed.

 

‘Not very friendly. Wondering where I am, Isabel? Maybe I’m in the closet. Or standing behind you. Don’t think that knife would end up in me, would it?’

 

She gasped and spun around looking for him. No-one, nowhere. She ran to the front door and pulled it open. The body of Antwan, her security protection, lay crumpled in a pool of blood.

 

The breath froze in her lungs; her legs gave way, and she sank to the floor. ‘Oh, Antwan…’ She snapped back to the phone in her hand. ‘You fucker, you monstrous piece of shit…’

‘Careful, little girl…’

‘Fuck you, scumbag, come at me. We’ll see who ends up dead, you pathetic son of a bitch!’ She was furious now.

‘I will cut you open, Isabel!’ he suddenly roared down the phone, and the spite, the malice, the violence in his voice was enough to silence her.

 

She heard him breathing hard, and when he spoke again, he was calmer.

 

‘But I’m not going to kill you today, my lovely Isabel. I just wanted you to know that I’m everywhere. I’m there when he’s fucking you when you’re screaming his name. I’m there when you feel safe in his arms when you sleep. I’m there when your entire, pathetically small family is around you. I’m always with you. Always. There’s nowhere you’re safe from me, Isa.’

 

Her entire body was numb, and now her mind began to shut down too. She listened to the voice on the other end of the line, trying to pick out anything she might recognize; an inflection, an odd word. But there was nothing.

‘Who are you?’

His laugh was intimate, strangely warm. ‘The last person who’ll see you alive, Isa. The very last.’

Det. John Halsey sighed. He’d been in a meeting with Sam Levy for an hour, and they were getting nowhere. Levy simply did not believe they had no leads. None. He didn’t blame the younger man for his concern – Isabel Flynn was in serious danger if the killer’s crimes so far were anything to go by.

 

‘It’s just…we’ve exhausted every possible lead. We’ve contacted Ms. Flynn’s birth parents. They’re living in Myanmar, and they’ve not been out of the country for some years. I got the impression when I spoke to the father that they had washed their hands of their daughter – yeah, real assholes,’ he risked the judgment seeing Sam’s face and saw him relax, his head nod in agreement. ‘So, no dice with Isa’s family. As for yours - just you and Caleb, yes?’

Sam nodded. ‘Our father died a while ago. We have cousins, but I can’t see how they’d be involved. Most of them live out of state.’

Halsey nodded. ‘We’ll check in with them.’ He hesitates, studying the other man’s face. ‘How’s your relationship with Caleb?’

‘Good, great, why?’ Sam studied Halsey’s face then his eyebrows shot up when he realized what the detective was asking him. ‘No. No way. Cal and I, we’re best friends as well as brothers, we always have been. The fact he has a different mother – I’ve always considered him my blood. Always. I know he will tell you the same.’

Halsey pondered. ‘I got the impression that he has a little crush on Isabel.’

Sam grinned, and Halsey noticed how any mention of his girlfriend softened his angular features. Sam shrugged. ‘Can you blame him? It’s nothing. They’re good friends; you should see them together. To even suggest that Cal…’

‘I have to ask.’

Sam nodded. ‘Fine.’

 

‘What about Sebastian Marshall? I know Isa considers him her brother but the truth is they’re not actually related at all. Maybe when she got together with you, it set off…’

Someone knocked loudly at his closed office door, didn’t wait for Halsey to answer before he opened the door. The detective glanced at Sam and his boss, his expression harried and urgent.

‘Boss just had a call from Mr. Levy’s apartment building. The penthouse. There’s been a murder.’

 

 

Isa answered the police officer’s questions calmly and patiently, her voice steady. She sat on the sofa in the living room, facing away from the melee of cops and techs dealing with Antwan’s body. Her body felt numb but her brain was working overtime, going through everything he had said to her. It was weird; the second he’d said his face was the last she’d see, something in her brain had flipped.

 

‘What makes you think I won’t kill you first, asshole?’ She’d hissed down the phone. ‘Do you think I’m a helpless little woman at your mercy? I won’t be that easy to kill. You put your hands on me, it’s on, bitch.’

His intake of breath was almost inaudible… almost. It had sent a fresh wave of hot anger through her – and satisfaction.

‘You really said that?’ The policewoman interviewing her looked impressed, and Isa smiled.

‘One for the sisterhood,’ she said softly, and the policewoman grinned.

‘Right on.’ She looked over to the door as Sam and Det. Halsey arrived. Sam couldn’t take his eyes off Isa, and when he was finally let in, he darted to her side, pulling her into his arms. Isa nodded at the policewoman, who smiled and moved away to talk to Halsey, who was watching them, his expression unreadable. She could feel Sam’s big body trembling.

‘I’m so sorry I wasn’t here, I’m so sorry…’

She stopped his apology with her lips, brushing them gently with hers. ‘Ssh, it’s okay, I’m okay. It’s Antwan’s family I feel bad for.’

Sam buried his face in her hair, letting out a long breath. Isa’s hold on him tightened, but she met Halsey’s gaze over Sam’s shoulders.

‘You want to talk to me, Detective.’ A statement.

He nodded, glancing at Sam. ‘Alone, please.’

Isa gently extricated herself from Sam’s arms. He pressed his lips to her forehead before letting her lead Detective Halsey into another room.

The detective shut the door behind him, and Isa took a deep breath in as he turned to face her.

‘Ms. Flynn, I’m not good with subtlety so here it is – do you think Mr. Levy is capable of murder?’

 

She let out her breath. She’d been expecting the question for a while now, but it was still a shock to hear it put so bluntly. ‘If you mean, do you think he’s the one threatening me, then no. It’s not a possibility.’

‘He seems very…’ the detective struggled for the word. ‘Passionate.’

Isa smothered a grin at the man’s discomfort. ‘I assure you, Detective, the feeling is mutual. Sam’s the love of my life. To answer your original question, no, he’s not capable of murder unless someone he loves is in danger. In self-defense, is what I mean. But then that goes for all of us, no? Isn’t that our basic right?’

Halsey sighed. ‘I take your point. I have to ask, especially considering his history, his mother’s murder. Sometimes the trauma of witnessing something so horrific, especially at that age, can trigger…. ahh…’ He broke off, grinning wryly, ‘I can see I’m not getting through.’

Isa reached over to pat his arm. She felt strangely calm. Or numb. She brushed the thought away. ‘I take your point, Detective, I do. But I’m telling you… Sam’s past only makes him more protective of me, not the other way around. It’s not him.’

 

Later, they packed their clothes and moved to one of the hotels down town. Isa went into the luxurious bathroom and ran a bath for both of them. Sam let her strip him slowly; his entire body tired and drained. In the tub, she made him lie back against her as she ran a sponge over his chest, her lips at his temple. He took her free hand between his, winding his fingers through hers. She’d lit some candles, turned off the overhead light and the silence of the room, the scent of the bath oils and her soft, caressing touch made him relax finally. This couldn’t go on, the constant terror. But he was clueless about what to do.

‘Stop thinking about it all,’ Isa murmured, as she gently kissed his ear, nibbled at his earlobe. ‘Life is made up of moments. Moments of love, of pain, of laughter, of terror. This is a moment of love, just enjoy.’

She had been weirdly calm all afternoon. When he’d heard what she’d said to the killer, what an admiring policewoman had relayed to him as Isa was questioned by Halsey, his heart had swelled with pride, with utter love. She was fighting and that made him hopeful.

 

Now, he closed his eyes, reveled in her touch, her scent, and her soft lips against his skin. He felt her pillowy breasts against his back, the rise of her belly as she breathed. Her legs were curved around him, linked over his and he ran his hands up and down them. Isa dropped the sponge and curled her arms around his neck. He turned his head to press his lips against hers. Her eyelashes were stuck together with the water, her skin scrubbed clean, her eyes full of the sweetest love.

‘Hey,’ she said softly, smiling as their eyes met. He shifted his head so it rested on her shoulder and he could look up into her lovely face.

‘I love you.’

 

She smiled and kissed him. ‘And I love you too. You are my life.’

God, what she did to him…he moved around in the bath, so he was on top of her. She giggled as he splashed water everywhere.

‘You’ll drown…’ She laughed out as he buried his face between her breasts – and inches deep in the bathwater. She grabbed the back of his head and yanked him up, grinning as he spluttered a mouthful of water out.

 

‘Totally worth it,’ he said, grinning then caught her mouth with his. He felt her moan happily as he kissed her and the sound made him harden, his cock nudging at her sex. He turned and hooked his foot around the chain of the plug, yanking it out to drain away the bath water. She was watching him, a lazy, languid smile on her face. The candlelight made her skin glow gold, the ruby red of her nipples seem deeper, the chestnut flashes in her brown hair gleam, piled so casually on top of her head. He brushed his lips against hers. So beautiful.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, arching her back to grind her sex against him.

‘Greedy tonight,’ he joked softly, and she nodded. She clung tightly to him as he pushed into her, her muscles clenching tightly around his swollen cock as he moved slowly in and out. He savored every sensation of her enveloping him, taking him in. He kissed her throat, his lips trailing up her neck, along her jaw to finally close on hers, his tongue sweeping along her lower lip, his teeth nipping gently. Her eyes were closed, but she opened them, locked his gaze, the warmth of her dark brown irises seemed flecked with gold; the reflection from the candles.

 

In was in these moments that he could imagine nothing else could touch them. Her petite body safe in his arms, the rocking of their bodies as they made love so real, so tangible. Isa clung to him as he drove harder into her, his pace quickening with the need to consume every part of her. He came before her, shuddering and groaning, telling her how much he loved her.

He scooped her out of the tub onto the floor and thrust harder, faster into her, leaving her gasping and sighing her pleasure. Her body twisted upwards as she came, pressing into his. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as she caught her breath.

‘You okay?’ He swept his palm over her forehead to push back the hair that was stuck to it. She smiled up at him.

‘Always, with you.’

They made to the bed eventually, and Sam ordered room service for them. Isa unclipped her hair from where she’d piled it on the top of her head and slipped into a t-shirt and shorts. Sam pulled on his sweatpants, grinning when he saw Isa eyeing his body appreciatively. She waved her hand mock-imperiously at him.

‘You know all that belongs to me now.’

He laughed, glad she still had her Isa-sense of humor. They lounged on the bed, half-watching television, half lost in their own thoughts.

The young girl who brought their room service trolley looked at Sam and his bare chest with wide, lustful eyes - so much so that Sam began to flush. He shot a glance at Isa who was trying to hide her amusement. When the girl had been sent off, disappointed but with a huge tip, Sam flicked a napkin at Isa. She giggled.

‘Why are you surprised?’ She asked, crawling over the bed to get to the food, pausing to kiss him. ‘You’re a hot piece of ass.’ She grinned wickedly then moaned with delight when she took the lid of the steak he’d ordered. He knew what she liked.

 

Later a thunderstorm ripped across the Seattle night, and they turned off the lights and watched it, wrapped up in each other’s arms. Sam stroked her hair as she rested her cheek on his bare chest.

After a while, she sighed.

‘Sam…I don’t want to go back to the apartment.’

He kissed the top of her head. ‘I understand. We’ll stay here until we find somewhere else, somewhere safe. The apartment at the hospital won’t be ready for months, but we can rent somewhere…as long as it’s safe.’

She pressed her lips to his skin. ‘I hate this.’

‘I know.’

She was quiet for a time then raised her head to look at him.

‘What if we draw him out?’

‘How do you mean?

‘Instead of locking me up in my ivory tower, I get out there, in the world, places he could get to me. If he wants to stab me then, he’s gotta get close to do it. We have the advantage; we know who – me, we know how he wants to kill me…’ and she mimed being stabbed, and Sam blanched, catching her hands to stop the action. He couldn’t bear to think about her like that, the life in her eyes going out. No. No.

‘What the hell are you talking about?’

She sat up, her face alive with her idea. ‘I could wear a stab vest. We could set it up with Halsey…’

‘Are you fucking crazy? No way, no fucking way!’ Sam was livid. He pushed her away and stood up, running his hand through his hair, angrier than she’d ever seen him. Isa wasn’t ready to give up on the idea, though.

‘No, listen…’

‘What don’t you get? He wants to kill you. End of story. You want to put yourself into his…Jesus.’ He choked and turned away so she couldn’t see his face. She watched him breathing deeply trying to calm down.

‘I’m sorry.’ Her voice was small. He turned and crouched down in front of her. He pulled her forward so he could rest his forehead on hers.

‘Don’t ever, ever say anything like that to me again. Promise me.’

‘I promise.’

He sighed and closed his eyes. She kissed him gently. He smiled.

‘I just hate feeling helpless,’ she said. ‘I feel like I’m just waiting around for him to k…waiting to die.’

Sam let out a shaky breath. ‘Don’t.’

‘Okay.’ A whisper. ‘I’m just so sick of him shrinking my world. Who the fuck does he think he is?’ Her voice rose with the force of her anger and Sam pulled her into his arms.

‘I get it, I do. But nothing will convince me the best way to catch him is to put you in harm’s way. Nothing. If I have to take you to the island for months, I will.’

She tried to smile. ‘Do I get a say?’

He raised his hands warily. ‘I don’t want to fight.’

She leaned over to kiss him. ‘The next time we go the island I want it to be for something happy.’

He trailed the back of his fingers down her cheek. ‘Like…our honeymoon?’

He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until she smiled and nodded. ‘Like that.’

He slid both hands on either side of her face. His big palms dwarfed her tiny features, and she leaned into his touch. His chest hurt with his love for her. ‘That question is getting closer.’

 

She pressed her lips against his. ‘My answer is, too.’

‘Real close.’

‘Good.’

‘Really?’ He studied her expressions, looked for any sign of hesitation in her eyes and found none.

‘Really.’

He suddenly flipped her onto her back making her shriek with laughter.

‘I’m gonna have to perform a strip search now.’

She giggled, and he hooked a finger under the top of her t-shirt and peeked down it.

‘Damn, woman, you all sorts of naked under here.’ He said with a wicked grin, and as he pulled the t-shirt over her head, he wondered if they could overcome everything and ever get to that island, with Isa as his wife and the danger behind them.

 

He hoped like hell they could.

For a week, then two, then three, there was nothing. No more phone calls, no more bodies, no more threats.

Sam wasn’t fooled. There was no minute that someone wasn’t with Isa. If he couldn’t be there – and those moments were rare – then Zoe, Seb or Cal were on call. Sam knew Isa was frustrated with the situation, but he didn’t care. He wanted her safe.

She was waiting for him in the hotel room which had become their temporary home when he came home after meeting with Halsey again. He was irritable, tired, and resentful – none of which was made better by the fact that Isa appeared to be alone when he got to the room.

‘Where the fuck is Seb?’ He snapped before she could say hello to him. She shut her mouth and said nothing, her face pinched and shocked at his temper.

‘Here, dude.’ Seb stepped from the bathroom behind him and clapped him on the shoulder. He grinned at his sister and sat down in one of the easy chairs. ‘Figured Isa wouldn’t want to see me pee.’

Sam let out a breath, suddenly ashamed. ‘Sorry, man. Bad day.’ He looked at Isa, saw the hurt in her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t mean to snap.’ He walked to her and wrapped his arms around her, was gratified when he felt her gentle kiss on his cheek.

‘That’s my cue before you two get mushy. Later, dude.’ Seb grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair. Sam nodded at him.

‘Thanks again, buddy – and sorry, again.’

Seb grinned, leaned over to kiss his sister on the cheek. ‘Forget it, man. Later – stay safe.’

When the door closed, Sam double-locked it and stripped off his jacket, sitting on the edge of the bed and rubbing his face. Isa slipped her hands over his shoulders, her fingers kneading the rock-hard muscles. He leaned back into her touch.

‘Feels so good…’

 

Her lips found his temple and he reached around to pull her onto his lap. Neither spoke, just gazed at the other for a long moment. They were still here, still breathing. Sam slid his hand onto the nape of her neck, his fingers bunching the hair there into his fist. Her lips were cool and soft against his, tasting, caressing, with her tongue moving against his slowly. The kiss deepened, Sam crushing his mouth against hers, hungry for her. Without breaking the kiss, he pushed her back onto the bed, reached under her skirt as she unzipped his fly and took his cock in her hands. His fingers slipped under her panties, stroked the wet warmth of her, the silky-smooth skin, the peachy folds of her sex. His cock was stiff and pulsing, ready for her and he pushed her panties to one side and slid into her. Her mouth still on his, he heard her soft moan, and he began to move in and out of her, his hips rocking with hers, her thighs clinging to his waist.

 

It was a strange kind of lovemaking – neither said a word, letting their bodies say everything they need to.

 

Afterward, Sam took a shower while Isa ordered room service. They ate then Isa with her eyes wary, handed him the newspaper. It was folded onto a page in the Arts section. Sam ran his eyes over the piece and hissed. Casey. Again. More bullshit about Isa’s work being plagiarized from her own. Sam looked up at her, and she jerked her chin at the paper.

‘Keep reading.’

The piece continued and now Sam saw that the writer had reached out to one of Seattle’s most prominent art critics, Paul Carter who defended Isa, telling the writer that Ms. Hamilton was known for being ‘unstable’ and that he, Paul Carter, had been at the gallery the night that Isa had shown her work. His praise of Isa and dismissal of Casey, Sam knew would hold great weight in the local art community – not that he’d ever doubted Casey’s claims would come to nothing. He felt a jolt of gratitude to the critic – who he’d clashed with frequently in the past. The man was arrogant, narcissistic and bombastic, but he knew his stuff. Sam read on, noting that Carter while discussing Isa’s work, didn’t fail to comment on her personally; her looks, her body, and her personality.

Sam glanced at her, and she nodded. ‘Bit creepy towards the end there, huh?’

‘You could say that… I do know Carter, though, and this is just like him. He’s a sleaze, but it’s a good piece if you can overlook the blatant lust.’ Sam smiled for the first time that night, seeing Isa roll her eyes. ‘Look at it this way, saves us from getting directly involved with Casey.’

Isa let out a long breath and gave him a small smile. ‘I guess. I think I’m hypersensitive to anyone’s personal scrutiny at the moment.’

Sam cocked an eyebrow at her. ‘Anyone?’

She grinned. ‘Present company accepted. Anyway…’ She sat down on the bed next to him. ‘I really need to get out of this room, Sam. Stir crazy doesn’t even begin to cover it. I called Sandy today.’

 

Sam brushed her hair away from her face. He didn’t like the idea of her being out in the world, but he knew it wasn’t fair to her. However so much as he loved her, it was her decision.

‘You want to go back to work?’

She nodded, her eyes searching his. ‘I really do.’

‘I think it’s a great idea.’ He was already planning the security measures he would set up, and she grinned, reading his mind.

‘Whatever you need to do, big guy, is fine with me. But the fact is, I won’t let the asshole shrink my world anymore.’

He gazed at her – his beautiful, angry, sweet, fierce, vulnerable Isabel - and for the millionth time wondered how he could ever have lived without her.

 

‘I’m behind you one-hundred percent sweetheart. Maybe there’s something you could do for me first, though?’

‘What’s that?’

Sam tilted her face up to his and kissed her gently, trailing his tongue along the seam of her bottom lip. ‘Isabel Eleanor Flynn?’

She smiled ‘Yes?’

‘Marry me?’

Her smile widened and tears sprung up, dropping down her cheeks. ‘Yes.’

‘Yes?’

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down onto the bed, winding her legs around him and he laughed as she yelled happily. ‘Hell, yes. Fuck, yes. Yes, yes, yes…’

Louisa balanced her chin on Seb’s shoulder as he flipped some pancakes from the pan to a plate. ‘You’re distracting me,’ he grumbled but laughed, turning his head to kiss her. They were in his new apartment, the one he shared with Cal. Lou’s eyes had widened when he had brought her back here last night for the first time since he moved in, and now she took in the large, expensively furnished apartment.

 

‘Nice space,’ she said, peering out of the window of the kitchen down to the street, a long way below them. ‘Must be nice having a sugar daddy, eh?’

She grinned at Seb who chuckled. ‘You don’t know what I have to do to keep him happy,’ he sighed dramatically. Lou half-smiled and Seb raised an eyebrow at her. ‘’Sup?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Lou?’

She sighed. ‘It’s just… look at this place. Doesn’t it seem odd to you that Cal would offer to do this for you?’

Seb shrugged. ‘We’re practically family.’

‘Yeah, but are you?’

Seb looked confused. ‘I don’t follow.’

Lou hoisted herself up onto the counter. ‘Look at this place. I mean, if my brother was dating a rich guy, and the rich guy’s sister said to me, hey, come live with me in my mansion…’

Seb grinned. ‘Cal and I are friends too, Lou, you know? Anyways, if it weren’t for the fire at our gallery, I’d still be there. He’s just being a friend. I thought you liked him when we went out that night?’

‘He’s okay. Bit of a player, if you ask me.’

Seb shrugged, not phased at all by her judgment. ‘He’s a good-looking young guy, let him have his fun.’

‘Okay, Grandpa.’ She leaned over to kiss him. ‘Just, you know, keep your guard up.’

 

 

Mrs. Levy. Mrs. Levy. Isa grinned to herself. She would have to get used to the name. It had been a week since Sam had proposed and, despite her jokingly giving him an out the next morning, he merely grinned and got down on one knee and repeated his proposal. She was giggling as he went on, his eyes sparkling wickedly.

‘I do feel this re-proposal is necessary because I need to convince you I am sincere, and not just in the thrall of your - admittedly magical - vagina.’

She burst out laughing and tugged him to his feet. ‘You loon.’ He kissed her fiercely then rested his forehead against hers.

‘Thank you.’ The love in his voice had made her cry all over again. Isa had never coveted a wedding ring, the picket fence, anything. But, God, she wanted to marry this man, this wonderful, elegant, silly, sexy-as-all-get-out man. What she didn’t want, however, was a huge wedding and she made that her one condition. To her relief, he agreed immediately.

 

‘I’m thinking you, me, Zoe, Seb and Cal at City Hall.’ He said, raising an eyebrow at her. She gave him the finger-pistols, and he laughed.

Now, though, she had to break the news to Zoe that the wedding wasn’t going to be a meringue-fest. Sam dropped her off at the old hospital where Zoe was overseeing the renovation. It seemed an age since Isa had been there and now she gasped at the changes. All the filth, the junk had been cleared, the walls re-plastered and painted a gleaming white. Enough of the old building’s original features had been kept to retain the sense of history, but Isa could tell already – the gallery would be beautiful.

 

Zoe studied her as she looked around. ‘Of course, this is only the beginning. The rest of the hospital will be off bounds until we clear it but we might, and I mean might be able to open this part soon. Ish.’

Isa smiled. ‘Wow. Good project managing, Ma, I’d go congratulate the contractors, but clearly, they’ll be too terrified to down tools for even a second. You go the full Tiger Mom on them?’

‘Enough sass from you,’ but Zoe chuckled. ‘Glad you like it, though, yours will be the first work exhibited here.’

Isa rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t you want a proper artist to show here first?’

‘Well, that’s what I said but Sam…’ Zoe ducked out of the way of her playful swipe.

Isa took a deep breath in then. ‘Speaking of Sam. How’d you feel about hanging out with me and him… and Seb and Cal at City Hall a week from Monday?’

Zoe frowned. ‘Huh?’

Isa rolled her eyes again and waited. Finally, Zoe caught on, her mouth opening in a perfect ‘O’. ‘Really?’

Isa grinned. ‘Really.’

Zoe shrieked and hugged her de facto daughter. ‘Oh honey, I’m so happy for you.’

Isa hugged her back, relieved she’d got that out of the way. ‘Thank you. For everything, Zoe. Everything.’

 

Zoe mopped her streaming eyes. ‘If it were anyone else I’d say it was too fast but you and Sam… anyone can see you were meant for each other. Oh,’ she sat down, her hand on her chest. ‘Some good news at last.’

Isa perches on a pile of wooden pallets next to her and nodded. ‘What a few months, hey?’

They were both silent for a while. Zoe took Isa’s hand in hers. ‘This is a sign, y’know? Everything’s going to get better now.’

Isa smiled at her friend, saw the hope in her eyes and silently prayed she was right.

 

He had given them time now, time enough to pretend he didn’t exist, time to pretend the threat was gone. Of course, they had no idea how near he had been all the time, how close he had been. The time was coming, it was near. She would die soon and finally, finally, he would feel her blood on his hands, his knife. It made him hard just to think of it. Levy wouldn’t know what hit him. He had seen the measures Sam had taken to protect her – laughable. The idiot thought throwing money around would keep her safe. As if anything could.

 

He sat in the small apartment he had rented across the street from their hotel room. Their arrogance in thinking that any part of their lives was private was secure from his scrutiny. He knew where she was at any time. He knew what she was doing. He could see when they were eating when they were fucking. God, she looked so beautiful when she came; he’d jerked off to the memory of it often. If it didn't leave too much evidence, he would like to fuck her before he could killed her but it was too risky.

He glanced over to their window now. It was early in the evening and the lamps went on as he watched and he could see her moving around. She came to the window and looked out, seemed to look right at him. Her relaxed manner told him that wasn’t possible, though, and he watched Sam slide his arms around her waist, press his lips down onto her shoulder. Sam slid the thin spaghetti strap of her dress from her shoulder; Isa bent her head so he could trail his lips along the slender shoulder to her neck.

 

The watcher drew in a sharp breath as her dress fell from her shoulders and he caught a glimpse of her full breasts, the smooth curve of her belly before she turned to kiss Sam on the mouth and he pulled her out of view.

 

Christ. His dick was pressing painfully against his pants. He yanked his fly down and reached in, his hand fisting around the shaft, his breath coming in short grunts as he jerked off. He imagined his mouth on her tits, sucking hard at those dark red nipples, hearing her scream, not with pleasure but in agony as he drove his knife into her again and again. He came hard and fast, with the cum shooting from him in thick white gobs, spattering his pants. His vision was fuzzy as he came down from the high and he closed his eyes, pretending the sticky, viscous fluid was her blood, that he was covered in the rust-and-salt scent of it and that she lay in his arms, her lovely dark eyes open but unseeing, and her beautiful body limp.

 

He opened his eyes and stared unseeing out of the window. Let them make love. Let them be happy. It would make for a deeper horror when he finally struck when he took Isa from Sam in the worst way.

 

Soon, my darling. Soon.

Less than forty feet away from the man who planned to kill her, Isa Flynn was more happily occupied. Astride her man, her Sam, she straddled him, moving her hips slowly, gliding down the length of his diamond-hard cock. She smiled lazily at him, and he grinned, capturing her hands in his, linking their fingers. She felt him swell and grow bigger inside of her and she grinned, squeezing her muscles and making him moan.

 

‘Jesus, Isa…’

She leaned down to brush her lips against his. ‘What do you want me to do to you, Mr. Levy?’

He cradled her face in his big hands. ‘Anything you want, Isabel, I’m yours.’

‘Damn right.’

They laughed together, and he kissed her, sliding his hands down her body, molding them around her full breasts, hefting their weight in his cupped palms, brushing his thumbs over the taut nipples. The feeling sent shudders down her body, and she clenched her vaginal muscles as she thrust herself harder onto him.

‘I want all of you in me.’

He grinned and deftly flipped her onto her back. ‘Then we’ll use gravity to help us.’ He pushed her legs further apart as he thrust his hips. She moaned as he sank balls deep into her.

‘God…yes….’ She tightened her legs around his hips, arching her back to take him in. He reached down to mold her breasts in his hands, pinched the hard nubs of her nipples. She loved his expression at these moments, the confidence, the surety that she was his, the joy he took in seeing her wild and abandoned under his touch. He caught her hands in his, pinning them above her head as he thrust harder, faster, tilting her hips, so he ground against her clit. Delirious with desire now, Isa almost sobbed as she came, so overwhelming was the rush of emotions flooding through her. Sam gathered her to him as he reached his own peak, his body convulsing as he exploded inside of her. Isa clenched her muscles around his pulsating cock, wanting to keep him locked inside of her. Sam found her lips with his, the kiss so full of feral, animal desire that she came again, her hair tumbling in damp waves over her shoulders. Sam ran his tongue along her jawline, pressed his hot lips to her throat. Isa closed her eyes, willing breath back into her exhausted lungs. God, would she ever get tired of this? The way their bodies fit together so perfectly – she knew they had been made for each other. And soon he would be hers officially. Her husband.

 

She smiled up at him. He was studying her face with that intense, toe-curling, hot-as-lava look, no amusement in his eyes, just a fierce, all-consuming love. Damn…she felt her sex pulse and swell again under his gaze. He laid her back on the bed, settle himself next to her, trailing his fingers up and down her belly, making it quiver and contract. He brushed his lips against hers, lightly, back and forth. The gaze at each other for a long moment.

‘We need to go get rings,’ he said softly. ‘I want you to have the perfect engagement ring, one of your choosing.’

She smiled, touching his face, tracing a line across his cheek with her finger. ‘I’m really not one of those women who have to have a huge rock. A simple wedding band will be enough for me.’

He smiled, and she was glad he wasn’t insulted. ‘I thought you might say that. I’m fine with it, honestly. I do have something I’d like you to have, however.’

 

He got up from the bed and reached for his jacket. From it, he pulled a long, thin black velvet box. ‘I got this out of our family deposit box today. It was my mother’s.’

He handed it to her. His words, the soft expression in his eyes, made her chest ache, her hands tremble as she opened the box. Inside, a long, incredibly delicate chain, platinum she guessed. Intersected at inch long intervals were tiny jewels of every color. Sam picked it from the box and showed her.

 

‘Diamond, ruby, topaz, emeralds, amethyst – she was like you, loving bright colors but hating ostentatiousness. Dad had this made for her for their wedding.’ He draped it around her neck. ‘The longest piece hangs down your back.’ He fastened it and pulled her up so she could look in the full-length mirror. The chain glinted in the dull light, throwing shards of light onto her dusky skin. Isa felt the lump in her chest rising and tears spilled out onto her cheeks, but she smiled through them at him, turning so she could kiss them.

 

‘I have no words. I’m honored…thank you.’ Her voice broke, and he pulled her tightly to his chest.

‘You are the reason I breathe in and out every day,’ he murmured softly, his lips against the crown of her head. Isa pressed her lips against his skin and said nothing. She couldn’t form the words, could express how much she loved him, how completely he had changed her life. She looked up, gazing into his eyes, and he smiled, brushing her hair back from her face.

‘I know,’ he said softly. He sat back down on the bed, pulling her onto his lap. His eyes were serious now, and Isa suddenly felt a shiver of anxiety.

 

‘Isa…there’s something I need to tell you. No-one else knows not even Cal, but I wanted there to be no secrets between us. None.’

She nodded, not wanting to interrupt. Sam drew in a deep breath.

‘You know what happened to my mom. The man who killed her… he was obsessed, out of his mind. It was a case of the old cliché ‘if I can’t have her…’ My dad was devastated, broken but it wasn’t enough for him that the guy would spend the rest of his life in prison. He used his money and called in favors. To cut the story short, it ended up with my dad and the guy alone in an abandoned warehouse.’

Isa swallowed, already guessing where this was going. Sam’s arms tightened around her.

‘He beat the guy to death with his bare hands.’

 

Hearing Sam say the words, the bleakness in his voice, ripped a hole in Isa’s heart. No wonder he was as scared as he was. She couldn’t even imagine. Sam sighed, resting his forehead against hers.

‘It was all covered up, of course, but Dad was never the same. He became closed off, distant. He married Cal’s mom out of duty – she was pregnant with Cal, but it was a loveless marriage. He barely looked at Cal. I tried to be the peacemaker, the middleman, give Cal, and his mom as much love as I could. Enough for me and my dad.’

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. Isa tangled her fingers in his curls, pressed her lips against his cheek. He smiled wearily at her. ‘To see my dad, go from this happy, passionate man to this shell of a person killed me. It absolutely killed me. Because I didn’t understand how much she meant to him. My mom was my dad’s reason for being. Then the moment I met you, I finally understood.’

 

She kissed him fiercely then, and he pulled her down onto the bed, on top of him. There were tears in her eyes. ‘As you are mine,’ she whispered, and he moaned as she pressed her body against his, her hand sliding down to stroke his cock. It stiffened, engorged with his blood as she slid her hand gently up and down it. She moved so she could take him in her mouth, her tongue sweeping across the wide crest of him. He felt the tickle of the chain around her neck on his thighs, felt her hand massaging his balls, her hand fisting at the root of him. It was a sublime pleasure, an utter release, chasing away all the tension in his body. The feel of her tongue lashing around him, her soft moans as she sucked, the hollows of her cheeks as she pulled him deeper…. Christ….

 

‘Never leave me…’ he gasped out as he came, his penis throbbing as he pumped into her mouth. She took it all, her hands still moving, wanting to prolong his pleasure.

Finally, spent, he lifted her up so he could kiss her. ‘Promise me,’ he whispered against her lips.

‘I promise, Sam. I’ll never leave you.’

And he believed her.

Zoe, denied her fairy-tale Disney princess wedding, had insisted she wear a white dress and Isa had gracefully given in. The simple cotton clung to her curves, falling just below her knees, a delicate pattern of beading on the bodice, angel sleeves in the sheerest chiffon. Sam’s mother’s necklace and a red hibiscus – a nod to their island haven – tucked behind her ear completed Isa’s wedding look.

 

Sam drew in a breath as she arrived at the courtroom, on a proud Seb’s arm and trailed by an already weeping Zoe. A discreet security man followed them, but Sam couldn’t take his eyes from Isa. She was glowing, her dark brown eyes shining and excited, her wavy brown hair falling almost to her waist, pulled over one shoulder.

He bent his head to kiss her. ‘You’re so fucking beautiful,’ he murmured, knowing his cursing would make her giggle. It did.

She looked him up and down. He was wearing a three-piece dark gray morning suit, cut to fit him perfectly. A red hibiscus was pinned to his lapel, and she touched it, sharing a knowing grin with him. To the others, it was a symbol of the island they would flying to later for their honeymoon; to Sam and Isa, the red bloom had a much sexier, dirtier, symbolism. They grinned at each other now, already desperate to rip the other’s clothes off.

 

‘If I could just interrupt the foreplay,’ Cal stuck his head between them, his grin knowing and cheeky. ‘They’re ready for us.’

Isabel Flynn became Mrs. Samuel Levy in less than a quarter hour. The austerity of the courtroom, the efficient, practical vows they made, the paperwork – none of it made the event less special in their eyes, less romantic. Afterward, they all went to a local, lively restaurant and gorged themselves on steak and burgers. It was just the way they wanted it. Casual, filled with family, filled with love. Zoe hadn’t stopped weeping and later in the evening before she and Sam left, Isa took her aside.

‘I wanted to say thank you, for everything, Zoe. For you rescuing this stray dog all those years ago, for giving me something I never had. A family. We might not be blood, but you are my mother. I love you.’

That set Zoe off into noisy sobs, and she threw her arms around Isa and hugged her tightly.

 

Cal punched Sam lightly on the shoulder. ‘Proud of my big bro tonight.’ Sam grinned at his best man.

‘Thanks for being the coolest best man ever. I mean it, thanks for everything.’

Cal grinned and mock-sighed. ‘If only Isa was a twin…’

Sam smiled. ‘Sucks for you, man.’ He glanced at his watch. The one extravagance Isa was allowing was the private plane which would take them to the island – the plane that had the private bedroom on it, of course. He walked over to his new wife now and trailed a hand down her bare back.

 

‘Hey, you.’

She turned and again he was struck by her beauty. She was his. He could hardly believe it.

‘Hey, hubby.’

He grinned, ran his hands down her arms, and linked his fingers in his. ‘Our honeymoon awaits.’

In the cab on the way to the airport, they couldn’t stop kissing. Stepping onto the plane, Sam chatted briefly with the pilot, while Isa settled in one of the chairs, pulling off her shoes.

As soon as the plane had taken off, Isa unbuckled her belt, stood before him. She slipped the dress from her shoulders. It slithered down her body and pooled at her feet. Sam’s breath caught in his lungs. She pulled him to his feet, pressed her lips to his.

 

‘Take me to bed and fuck me, husband.’

 

With almost a growl, he swept her into the bedroom, Isa’s fingers tearing at his shirt. He kissed her throat, her breasts down her soft belly to the mound above her sex. His fingers hooked in the side of her panties, pulling them down roughly and his face was buried in her sex, the soft scent of her, and the damp arousal like honey to him. His tongue glided along the soft crevice to the hard little nub. He spread her open with his fingers, admiring the glistening pink become a deeper ruby red as she became more excited. He looked up, over the curve of her belly, undulating with her ragged breathing to her exquisite face, flushed and luminous.

‘I love you, Mrs. Levy.’

She cried out as his tongue delved deeply inside of her, lashing against the sensitive walls of her sex. Her fingers knotted in his hair almost painfully, but he continued his assault on her until she was begging him, almost weeping with anticipation, to fuck her now, please…

His cock, ramrod-ready, already moist with pre-ejaculate was heavy with desire. He moved his body over hers, feeling her damp, hot skin beneath him.

 

‘Guide me in, my darling one.’ He murmured, his lips against her neck. He felt her hands on him, felt his cock respond to her touch, become unbearably hard. She guided the tip towards her ready sex, and he thrust into her hard, making her cry out. It spurred him on, thrusting as hard as he could, his hands pinning hers to the bed, his eyes locked on hers. She reached up to kiss him, her teeth nipping gently at his lip, her tongue exploring his mouth, caressing his tongue. A delirium set in with the both of them, an undoing, as if their marriage had unleashed something in them both, given them permission to be fully uninhibited. Their lovemaking was carnal, brutal, a sensory exploration of every part of the other’s body.

Finally, exhausted, they collapsed on the bed, side by side, their bodies drenched in sweat, chests heaving with breathlessness. Sam turned his head to look at her, and she grinned at him. There was a silence then they both burst out laughing. Sam loved the sound of her laugh, so effortless, so carefree. We deserve this, he thought. We deserve our happy ending, so help me God we do.

 

Isa propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at him. ‘You know what?’

He grinned. ‘What?’

She leaned down, put her mouth to his ear and whispered. ‘Don’t tell anyone but we got married today.’

He chuckled. ‘No kidding. Do you feel grown up now?’

She shook her head. ‘Never.’

He grinned, running a hand down her silky skin. ‘You feel plenty grown up to me.’

She mocked sighed. ‘I married a pervert.’

‘Takes one to know one.’

She giggled and kissed him. He drew his hands up and down the soft skin of her back, studying every part of her lovely face – the large warm brown eyes, the tiny, almost invisible freckles scattered across her nose and cheek, the little mole at the corner of her left eye. Her mouth stretched out in a lazy smile.

‘Whatchoo looking at?’ She drawled, and he smiled.

‘Love of my life, my beloved wife.’

She grinned and laid her head down on her chest. ‘This is the only thing that’s real.’

He cradled her head and closed his eyes, hoping, for the love of god, that it was true.

 

 

Cal was waiting for Seb when he came out of class. Seb was the straggler, pausing to stuff his books in his backpack. Cal knocked on the door jam, leaned against it. Seb looked up and grinned in surprise.

‘Hey! What’s up, what are you doing here?’

‘Well, I thought maybe I could persuade you to share a beer or two. Got something I want to talk to you about.’

Seb smiled. ‘Sounds good. I got some time; I’m not meeting Lou until later.’

The ‘Little Pig & Great Hog’ Bar and Barbecue, perched on the very edge of the golf resort, lured its clientele in solely with the delicious scent of its food. As Cal and Seb stepped from the car, Seb breathed the smell in deeply and sighed happily.

‘Best barbecue in the state,’ he told Cal, ‘And the beer’s cheap too.’

‘Not that you have to worry about that anymore,’ Cal smiled at his new brother. His words pulled Seb up short.

 

‘Oh right.’ He grimaced, slightly, holding open the door. He hated that Cal just assumed he would be okay with taking money from the Levy’s – he wasn’t okay with it. Isa might have married Sam, but as far as Seb was concerned, it didn’t change anything.

Inside, a pleasant hum of noise, chatter, clinking glasses. A jukebox pumped out soft rock, the bartenders dealing efficiently with their customers.

They found a table in the back and the waitress brought over chips and salsa, taking their order. Cal peeled his jacket off, hanging it neatly on the back of his chair, dug in his messenger bag and handed a newspaper to his brother-in-law. It was folded to the notices section, and Seb grinned when he saw the simple announcement.

 

The marriage is announced between Isabel Eleanor Flynn. 28, of Bainbridge Island, WA, and Samuel Alexander Levy, 39, of King County, Seattle, WA.

 

Seb smiled. ‘That’s nice.’

Cal shook his head. ‘No, man, look.’ He tapped a notice on the other side, under the obituaries. ‘Fucking sick.’

Seb frowned and looked where Cal indicated. It was like a kick in the guts. He paled, glancing up at Cal who nodded, his own face angry and pinched. Seb felt sick.

 

In loving memory, Isabel Flynn. Murdered. May she rest in peace.

 

‘Fucker. Sick, twisted motherfucker.’ Seb could barely spit out the words. ‘I’ve really had my fill of this cocksucker.’

Cal nodded. ‘Agreed. Look, what do you say, while Sam and Isa are away, we really kick this investigation into gear? I know a journo on this paper, I can find out who sent the notice in.’

Seb nodded. ‘Good. What else can we do?’

Cal sighed. ‘I know Isa has said that her ex wouldn’t do this – what was his name again?’

Seb rolled his eyes. ‘Karl Dudek.’

Cal studied him. ‘What was your impression?’

‘I remember he was okay in the beginning; we got along just fine. He was possessive about my sister, though. Clingy, needy, stuff like that. I don’t think he’s the most confident guy and when she broke up with him, well, he flipped out. Not that it’s an excuse, but he had lost his job the same day. That’s why I tend to agree with Isa that it’s not him at first but now, I’m not so sure.’

 

Seb’s handsome face had hardened as he reminisced. Cal took a swig of his beer.

‘Any chance you could reconnect? Get a read on him?’

Seb hesitated then nodded. ‘Might be awkward but yeah, I think it could be a good idea. I honestly cannot think of anyone else who would do this. Weird it should happen almost as soon as Isa met Sam, though, don’t you think?’

Cal nodded. ‘I do. I’m leaning towards the idea that whoever it is, they were already stalking one or the other.’

‘Good point. What about Casey Hamilton?’

Cal rolled his eyes. ‘God, a walking nightmare. I have no doubt she’s crazy enough.’

Seb stared out of the window for a moment. ‘What was her relationship with Sam? Isa said they were an item way before Isa met him.’

 

Cal hesitated then let out a breath. ‘They were married.’

Seb nearly spat out his beer. ‘What the fuck? Does Isa know?’

Cal shook his head. ‘And I wouldn’t have told you if I didn’t think one of you should know. I kept telling Sam to tell her, and he did eventually tell her they had had a relationship. Don’t ask me why he left out the whole marriage thing.’

Seb shook his head angrily. ‘This isn’t fair. Isa married him. How the hell did he manage to arrange the wedding without mentioning it?’

Cal held up his hands. ‘Don’t ask me.’

Seb swore under his breath. ‘I don’t like this.’

‘Me either but look, it wasn’t my secret to tell. I only told you because…well.’

 

Seb was still pissed. ‘Do you know what it took for Isa to trust someone again after what her parents did to her? It took me and Mom years to gain that trust. For Sam to walk into her life and gain her trust so easily… That was a fucking miracle, you understand?’

Cal nodded. ‘I do. I really do, I can tell you.’ He sighed, shaking his head. ‘Should I not have told you?’

Seb shook his head. ‘I’m glad you did. At least one of us is in the know.’

‘You won’t say anything?’

‘No.’ But he would take Sam aside when they got back from their honeymoon, make him promise to come clean. ‘Fuck. Why has every happy thing got to be tarnished? And now this shit.’ He nodded at the paper. He’d had enough of picturing his beloved sister dead for one lifetime.

 

‘You’ll reach out to Karl?’

Seb nodded grimly. ‘No problem.’ If there was one thing Seb knew, it was that he wanted to protect his sister from anything and anyone who could hurt her.

Even her new husband.

Sam walked into the bedroom and laughed. Isa was sitting in his open, half-packed suitcase, a mournful look on her face.

‘Do we have to go home?’ She looked so woebegone that he had to chuckle again.

‘We don’t have to…I told you, we can stay here for as long as you want. Forever, if you’d like?’

The two weeks had flown by in a whirl of sex, and fun, and laughter and carefree living. But now they were packing for the trip back to Seattle.

Too soon. ‘We’re right back here again, aren’t we?’ On the way back to face the same problems. Dammit.

His face clouded over, and he sighed. ‘Yeah.’

She pulled herself onto her knees and smoothed out his brow. ‘Hey, no frowning. Not allowed here.’

 

She pressed her lips against his, then press her chest against his, grinning as she slid her hand down to cup his cock through his pants. She felt it jerk and stiffen, the hot length of it hard against her hand.

‘In that case’ he grinned, scooping her out of his bag and dumping her on the bed. She immediately crawled back towards the bag, and he grabbed her foot. They wrestled around for a bit playfully until Sam managed to pin her under him. He kissed her slowly, enjoying the taste of her, her spearmint toothpaste, the faint hint of her green tea from breakfast, which now sat abandoned on the night stand. The scent of jasmine blew in from the window. Isa’s hair was clouded around her head, her skin, bare of make-up, was flushed and glowing. She looked so vital, so alive. He slid his hands under her gray marl t-shirt and drew it up over her head. She was naked beneath it, hadn’t bothered with a bra and her breasts were soft and warm in his hands. He sucked at both nipples until they were hard and puckered. Isa sighed softly, her hand rubbing slowly up and down his clothed groin. He reached down and unzipped, eager for her to touch him and she took the length of his cock in her hands and began to stroke, caress and gently pull at him. She tickled the sensitive spot behind his balls, and he groaned, burying his head in her neck. His hand slipped between her legs, finding her already moistening at his touch. He moved down so he could taste her. Her sex was blooming, swelling under his touch, a beautiful pink, and he smiled up at her.

 

‘You’re so pretty, baby.’

His cock was heavy, engorged and she motioned for him to hurry, to enter her. He hooked her legs over his shoulders, pressing her firmly down into the bed as he fucked her slowly, intensely. His hands cupped the soft skin of her face, his eyes gentle and full of love. She moaned with utter, delicious pleasure and it only made his thrusts more brutal, becoming frantic now as she clamped her legs around his neck.

It felt as if he would never stop coming, his cum shooting into her, filling her sex as he called her name and kissed her frenziedly. His orgasm exploded through his body, making his being vibrate.

 

How the hell does it keep getting better with her? The errant thought crossed his mind as he came but it was true. Sex with Isa was always exhilarating, and every time they found something new, some new connection to make.

 

Later, on the plane, when she was asleep in his arms, he brooded over what they would do next. He felt powerless when it came to her stalker. The police had no leads, and it felt to Sam they were retreading the same old ground over and over – with a building body count.

He turned onto his side, trying not to wake Isa. She looked so young, so vulnerable asleep in his arms. He wishes he could wrap them around her and protect her from everything but the world, he’d found, didn’t work like that.

He thought back to what he had told Isa. His father killing the man who murdered his mom. Sam didn’t want to think he himself was capable but he knew, without hesitation, he wouldn’t think twice if Isa was taken from him.

 

I finally get it, Dad. Sam felt the immense change that had come over him since all of this started. He had someone to protect, someone to fight for.

 

Someone to kill for.

‘Thanks for coming.’

Karl Dudek nodded once at Seb before sitting down. His expression was tight, his eyes darting across Seb’s face, searching the other’s man expression. Seb tried to smile.

‘Karl. Dude, relax. I just wanted to talk to you.’

Another nod and Seb sighed. Awkward.

‘I hear she got married.’

It was Seb’s turn to nod. He didn’t want to talk about that with Karl, didn’t want to sully the happiness it had brought his family.

Seb took a deep breath in and leaned forward.

 

‘Look, there’s no way to dress this up, and I can see you’re not up for small talk so here it is. Karl, are you trying to kill my sister?’

Karl made a disgusted noise and sat back, a sneer on his face. ‘Is that what she’s telling you?’

Seb shook his head. ‘Actually, Isa’s the one person who’s defended you from the beginning of this mess.’

Karl’s face fell, and his eyes grew soft. ‘She did?’

At that moment, Seb knew. He knew that Karl would never hurt Isa – not intentionally. The love in his eyes told Seb everything. He let out a huge breath.

‘For what it’s worth, I believe you. Jesus…. Look, I’m sorry, I had to ask. We have no idea who’s doing this. None. Sorry.’

Karl sighed and held up his hand. ‘Look, no harm, no foul. Police have already questioned me. Exhaustively,’ he added with a grin. ‘Tell me everything.’

Seb did so, feeling a weight being lifted. It was nice to talk to someone outside of his family and the police, someone who may offer a fresh perspective. Karl listened.

‘So her new husband. No way it could be him? Seems coincidental all this happened when he showed up. What about his brother?’

Seb smiled. ‘If you knew either of them, you’d see it differently.’

Karl ordered a coffee, was silent till the waitress brought it to the table. He stirred sugar into it slowly. ‘How is she? Really?’

Seb nodded. ‘Apart from living under a death threat, she’s well. Really good. They’re perfect for each other.’

He wishes he hadn’t added that when he saw the pain twist in Karl’s face. ‘You still love her.’

Karl hesitated, then nodded once, not meeting his eye. ‘She’s hard to forget. Seb, please understand, and please tell Isa for me, that day, it wasn’t me and wasn’t who I am. I am not a violent person. I’ll never forgive myself for what happened between us.’

 

Seb leaned over, clapped him on the shoulder. ‘You should. Isa has.’

Karl tried to smile. ‘She was always too good for me. I hope to hell this new husband deserves her.’

 

Karl left soon after, his whole being, his body, slumped with heartbreak. Jesus, what a fucking mess. Seb shook his head. He didn’t have a clue what to do next. He pulled out his cellphone and called Cal.

Isa grabbed her bag, waited for Sam at the door. He smiled down at her. ‘Ready for your first construction job?’

 

She grinned. He was taking her out to the old hospital, leaving her in Seb’s custody for the day. She intended to start work, clearing the apartment. They had discussed moving in while renovations were still going on, eager to get out of the hotel but she wanted to make sure the contractors had made it livable – even if it would be basic for a few months. She didn’t care – it would be their place. It didn’t need things to make it a home.

‘Yeah, my old bones will need a bed,’ he said now as she told him that. She chuckled.

‘Old man.’

‘Yip.’

It was early December. The day was cold but bright. Traffic for, for once, was light as Sam maneuvered the car along Alaskan Way. Isa stroked the hair over his ears, and he grinned around at her.

‘You getting mushy on me?’

She smiled. ‘Always.’

Seb greeted them at the front entrance and, happy she was being cared for, Sam took off to his meeting.

Isa followed Seb right to the other end of the hospital where the apartment was.

‘We cleared it out as much as we could, but I know you – you’ll try and make something out of the junk, so I’ve left some salvageable stuff for you to play around with.’ Seb grinned at his sister.

Isa hugged him. ‘What a cool bro you are.’ They turned the corner into the corridor outside the apartment. Seb nudged her with his shoulder.

‘So, come on…how does it feel to be an old married lady?’

Isa gave him her biggest cheesiest grin. ‘Fucking awesome.’

Seb feigned shock. ‘Is that any sort of language for the rich man’s wife?’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Yeah, gotta love that.’

‘I was joking, sis. You’re not freaking out about him having money, are you?’

She shrugged. ‘Some. I can bring so little to this marriage, Seb. What does Sam get out of it?’

Seb peered over his glasses at her. ‘You, you idiot.’

She snickered. ‘God, you look like your mom when you do that.’

‘You’re getting on my nerves now, sis. Where in the name of all that’s holy is the key?’ He dug around in his pockets. ‘Got it.’

‘Getting bored now.’

‘Piss off, sis.’

She laughed and followed him into the apartment.

 

‘Wow, you have been busy.’ From what she remembered, the place was airy, light but now the dirt and filth had been erased, it was a beautiful open space. Isa could instantly see her and Sam in here – maybe a dog as well, she thought hopefully – a corner for Sam to work in, another for her studio area. There was a small kitchenette – plenty for their pizza-loving selves.

Seb watched her with a proud look on his face, and she hugged him. ‘Gosh, Seb, thank you. It looks wonderful. I can see it, I really can.’

He ruffled her hair. ‘I’m glad. ‘Gosh’?’

‘Fuck you.’

Seb laughed. ‘That’s better. There’s the master bedroom through there, and we found another one – did Sam tell you? It’s well hidden, down a little hallway off the master.’

He disappeared into the bedroom. Isa, distracted by the newly re-glazed windows, went to look at the view. It looked out over to the Olympic Mountain Range in the distance. The back of the hospital was a maze of outbuildings and parking lots. But it was the peace she noticed. Apart from the faint, faraway sound of the contractors working at the other end of the hospital, it was serenely quiet. She closed her eyes, breathed in a lungful of fresh air.

 

Turning away from the window, she followed Seb’s path into the master bedroom.

‘Seb?’

No answer. She saw a door at the other end, a faint light from it and followed the small hallway down to the other bedroom.

It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dimly lit room then she gasped. Seb was prone on the floor, a vicious welt on the back of his head.

 

Isa barely had time to open her mouth to cry out before a heavy, wet cloth was clamped over her face, strong, unrelenting arms locked around her petite body. She breathed in chemicals, her brain fogged and whirled, and she was falling…

 

Sam heaved a sigh as the meeting between him, an established artist looking to offload some of his back catalog and the potential buyer. The haggling over the prices had gone on until the early evening now, without a break and now Sam not only needed to pee really, really badly, he missed hearing Isa’s voice. He took care of the most physically urgent business first then found a quiet corner to call her.

The phone rang for a long time then, finally, his call was accepted. When she didn’t speak, Sam frowned. ‘Sweetheart? Isa?’

 

A man laughed at the other end of the line and Sam’s heart froze. He opened his mouth to speak and found himself dumb with terror.

 

‘I have her, Sam. I have your beloved Isabel. Let’s see what happens next.’

 

The line went dead.

 

‘Hello, beautiful.’ A man in a ski mask and sunglasses pinched her chin hard as she came around. She looked around wildly, desperate to see Seb was okay. Her brother was now cuffed to a chair, conscious but out of it. His head lolling around as he moaned. She herself had been stripped her down to her shirt and jeans, her hands bound behind her back, laid down on the cold concrete of a huge empty warehouse. Her captor was squatted down next to her. She could only see his mouth, squinted, trying to make out any features.

 

‘Recognize me, gorgeous?’ His voice was muffled, disguised.

Fuck. She didn’t recognize anything about him, and he sensed her distress, laughed softly. He pressed the gun against her belly. She could feel the cold steel of the muzzle through her t-shirt.

‘After all we’ve shared, beautiful, I should be insulted.’

He flicked the safety off, tensed his finger on the trigger. Isa couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. She stared into the darkness of his sunglasses, waiting for the bullet.

‘No! Leave her alone.’ Seb struggled frantically against the cuffs. The gunman laughed and let the gun fall to his side. Isa could only stare at Seb, her eyes filled with pain.

‘Please,’ she whispered. ‘Let him go. Please don’t hurt him. You have me. You don’t need him.’

‘You mean I should just kill you?’

Seb stopped struggling, his face filled with panic and desperation. ‘No, please, stop. You don’t have to kill her, please. Please.’ His voice cracked.

 

Ski-mask looked up. ‘What the hell do you think I’m doing here then? To take you both for an ice cream, maybe read you a bedtime story?’ He moved over to Seb and hit him with the butt of the gun. Isa screamed. Seb’s head snapped to the side; blood began to pour from a wound above his eye. Ski-mask bent his mouth to Seb’s ear. ‘I do have to kill her, my friend. It’s the whole reason for my existence. A little taster.’

 

He aimed the gun at Isa and fired. The bullet slammed into her shoulder, and she screamed in agony. The pain was bewildering. Blood spattered across her t-shirt, her chest, her face.

‘No!’

Seb tried to stand, frantic. Isa rolled onto her back sucking in deep breaths, trying to keep the dark spots gathering in her eyes from spreading.

‘It might hurt like hell, but it’s just a flesh wound, beautiful.’ He crouched by the stricken woman and smiled over to Seb. ‘Where next, my friend? Five bullets left.’

 

He pressed the gun against her stomach. ‘Bang, bang.’ Moved it lower. ‘Bang, bang. Two in her belly.’ He grinned at a horror-struck Seb. He moved the gun under her left breast. ‘One in the heart for good measure. Bang. Maybe not. Too quick. Too final. Hmm.’

 

Seb was struggling against his bindings, desperate to get to his sister, help her, save her. Isa stared up at the monster above her. He ran the muzzle down her face. ‘Maybe I’ll just keep the last bullet for your little brother’ He pointed the weapon at Seb and Isa moaned, terrified. He looked down at the woman under his gun and smiled at her.

‘I’m just playing with you. It would be my pleasure to shoot you, beautiful Isa, but you know what I have planned for you. My knife…’ His voice was sing-song now, and he pressed a finger into her navel, jabbing at it in a stabbing motion. ‘My knife will go in here over and over and over… Christ, I cannot wait…’ He bent down and pushed his mouth against hers. She jerked her face free, spat in his face. He jammed the pistol into her throat. She choked as the metal pressed into her windpipe.

 

‘Don’t fucking do that again.’ He released her, and she dragged a breath deep down into her lungs. Seb was still struggling against his bindings, his eyes glued to his sister. Isa was feeling strangely light-headed; blood loss, she figured. What did it matter now? He was going to kill them both. What if Seb didn’t need to die?

‘Please…. please….’ Her voice was weak. Ski-mask crouched down and ran a finger down her sweat-slicked face.

‘What is it, beautiful?’

She swallowed. ‘Shoot me... stab me… kill me, do what you want but please, let him go.’

The hand on her face stopped. ‘You’re telling me if I let him go, you’ll let me stab you? You won’t fight me? You’ll just take my knife over and over like a good girl?’

Sick fucking bastard… but she nodded. Anything, anything. ‘Please just let him go.’

There was a long silence then. ‘Okay.’

 

A small hope, a scintilla flickering the darkness. Ski-mask walked over to Seb and with relief she saw him release Seb’s feet. Seb was still frozen, staring at her, shaking his head.

‘I won’t leave her.’ His voice was steady, clear.

‘Seb… no…’

Ski-mask’s posture was mocking. ‘Aww, how’s that for brotherly love? So touching.’

He bent his head so that his mouth was at Seb’s ear. ‘Sorry, Seb. There’s only one person I want watching when I kill her. And it’s not you.’

Seb was about to speak when Ski-mask calmly, and without hesitating, shot him through the head.

 

Isa screamed as Seb’s body slumped to the floor, his eyes open and staring. Isa was insane with grief, anger, agony and she wriggled hard, ignoring the searing pain in her shoulder, desperate to get to her stricken brother. Seb coughed, once, then she heard the life fade from him with hopeless finality.

 

‘You fucker! You fucking cocksucking motherfucker!’ She screamed at her brother’s murderer, not caring if he killed her now. He merely laughed at her struggles. He stepped astride her and dragged her by her arms over to the chair Seb had fallen from. The pain in her shoulder was nothing to the overwhelming grief. Isa sobbed uncontrollably. He propped her up on the chair, crouched in front of her. Isa was blinded by the tears that flooded down her cheeks. This isn’t happening; this isn’t happening …

 

‘I’m not going to kill you tonight either, beautiful one. I want Sam to be watching when I gut you. This…,’ he waved his gun airily in her dead brother’s direction, ‘…was to give you an idea of how he will feel watching you die.’ He stood, and Isa looked up, defiantly meeting his gaze through her tears.

‘I’ll see you soon, sweetheart.’ He raised the gun and brought in down viciously striking her across the head. Pain exploded in her skull, and the last thing she saw before she passed out was her beloved brother’s body. Seb, Seb…I’m sorry…

 

He pulled the ski mask from his face and kissed her perfect mouth. It was as soft, as sweet, as he’d always imagined. He’d never seen such a beautiful woman. Yet she was so still, so broken. Her shoulder gushed blood, and there was a cut now where the pistol had struck her head, dripping blood down one side of her lovely face.

 

‘Sleep, my darling.’

He sat back and watched her, totally vulnerable. His gun was still warm to the touch from killing Seb. A shame but it had made his point. He knew this, Seb’s murder will have destroyed her happiness forever – well, for as long as she had left to live anyway and the knowledge that Sam would feel this pain would haunt her remaining days. He smiled to himself, pressed the muzzle to her belly again. He imagined the hot metal tearing into her body, emptying the clip into her, the way her body would convulse, jerk and finally go limp. His finger slid to the trigger. He wondered if he could get away with shooting her again, just once, somewhere non-fatal, just to relive the feeling but the shoulder wound was still bleeding heavily, and he didn’t want her bleeding out on him. Maybe he shouldn’t have shot her at all. The bullet had really fucked up her shoulder.

 

Still… ‘Bang, bang, bang.’ He whispered and laughed. She stirred and his finger twitched. Nope. He had a plan, and he was going to stick to it. He put the gun away. He bent over her, hearing her labored breathing.

 

‘Isa?’

She murmured. He pursed his lips and reached into his jacket. He pulled out the hypodermic and slipped the needle into her neck. She moaned as he pressed the plunger.

‘I said sleep, my darling.’ His voice was hard. He kissed her again, covered her with Seb’s jacket and left.

Outside, he drove across the city in the gloom of twilight before using the burner phone to call the police. They’d find them sooner – which meant Sam, the family that was left would know the horror of tonight. It would be all over the local news. His work, his masterpiece.

 

And it was only the beginning…

 

Sam was beside himself with terror, with worry. Zoe looked pale, still. Detective Halsey kept glancing at Sam as he took the call from the operator. He put down the phone and took a breath in.

 

‘They got a call a half hour ago. The caller just said to look for two people hurt at an abandoned business unit out near the airport. They sent a black-and-white, an ambulance. Police just confirmed one dead.’

Zoe cried out, and Sam grabbed her, held her tightly. God, no.

‘Is it them?’

Halsey looked at him with deep sorrow in his eyes. ‘The two victims had no i.d. but they said it was a young African-American male, late teens/early-twenties and a biracial female in her twenties.’

 

Sam didn’t want to ask the question, not in front of Zoe, but he had to know. ‘Which one is dead?’

He felt Zoe clutch at him, knew she was trying not to hear. Neither answer would comfort her. Halsey shook his head.

 

‘They didn’t say. The survivor was being airlifted to hospital with serious gunshot injuries. The body of the deceased will go to the coroner’s office.’ He sighed, got up and walked around his desk to sit in front of them. He put his hand on Zoe’s shoulder. ‘I’m so sorry. We’ll have someone take you to the hospital.’

 

Outside in the cool of the evening, Sam saw Cal talking to a police officer. He came over when he saw them, his face drawn with worry.

‘Hey man, I just got your message.’

Sam nodded tightly. ‘Where have you been? I’ve called you a hundred times.’

Cal balked at the anger in Sam’s voice. ‘At a girlfriend’s. What’s going on? Where’s Isa?’

Zoe started to cry quietly as Sam explained. ‘We’re going to the hospital now. He took her and Seb, killed one of them, shot the other. We don’t know who’s dead.’

Cal looked as if he was going to be sick. ‘Jesus…Jesus…’

Halsey appeared from a car that had pulled up next to them. Cal settled Zoe in the back with him, his arm around her shoulders, whilst Sam sat up front, staring blindly out of the windshield.

One dead, one alive…Sam kept repeating the phrase in his head. He hated that he was praying, begging whatever celestial powers there were to please, please, let it be Isa who survived. God, Seb, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… He felt like a murderer himself as he glanced in the rear view and caught Zoe looking at him. I’m sorry. He wondered what the hell could be going through her mind.

 

Halsey kept stealing glances at him as the car sped through the dark Seattle streets. Finally, he pulled the car into the hospital parking lot, and Sam darted from the car, not wanting to wait any longer.

‘Sam!’

But he ignored Cal’s shout and sprinted for the entrance. Only at the door did Halsey catch up with him, stop him. He body-blocked Sam – impressive for a man his height against Sam’s huge build.

 

‘Sam… Sam… listen up.’ Halsey was breathless. ‘You have to prepare yourself. Whoever is alive in there, a friend, a family member has died.’

Sam nodded once and pushed past him to the hospital reception, but found, as the nurse looked expectantly at him, he couldn’t form the words. Halsey showed his badge to her and explained who they were, who they wanted to see.

 

The nurse checked her computer records. ‘They’re not here just yet.’

‘Do you… do you know who they ar…’ Sam couldn’t get the words straight, but then Zoe gave a cry as a gurney was wheeled at speed passed them. Sam’s stomach dropped as he saw Isa’s too still face, the blood-soaked clothes, and sheets. Her eyes were closed, her skin paler than he’d ever seen. She looked dead. No…no…but then why would they be rushing her to surgery…? He looked at Zoe, whose distress made her eyes wild and scared. She shook her head, confused as he was. Halsey put his hand on Zoe’s arm.

 

‘I’ll find out what’s going on.’

Sam stared after the gurney, disappearing down the corridor into the surgical wing. Halsey was right – deep down, Sam knew she was alive but where was the joy in him?

Seb... Seb was dead. He whirled around, hearing Zoe’s scream. Halsey was accompanying a gurney, the black body bag on top of it so final, so horrifying. Seb was dead.

 

Sam caught Zoe as the older woman collapsed, screaming for her murdered son.

The hospital was deathly quiet by the time a surgeon came to see them. Huddled together in the relatives’ room, Zoe had sobbed herself into an almost catatonic state. A grey-faced Cal, fear, and distress making him look younger than his years, watched his brother pace back and forth across the room, his angular face rigid and fierce with worry and defeat. Isa had been in surgery for hours, and no-one had come to update them. Halsey stayed with them as long as he could before he was called back to work. Two uniformed cops stood vigil outside their room.

 

The surgeon, an efficient looking woman in her fifties, nodded to them as she entered the room and introduced herself as Dr. Reinhold. She pulled up a chair and motioned for Sam to sit. He sat down next to his brother, who put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

‘As you may have been told, Mrs. Levy was shot in the shoulder. The bullet missed the bone, thank goodness, but what we were more concerned with was the amount of blood she lost, which was considerable. We have stabilized her now and hopefully, she shouldn’t need another surgery, although we certainly can’t rule that out.’ The doctor took a deep breath in. ‘As I say, we’ve stabilized her, but I must warn you: Mrs. Levy is very seriously injured. Her recovery will take a long time both physically and, considering what she went through, almost certainly psychologically.’

 

No-one spoke for a minute then Zoe sighed. ‘Doctor….do you know what happened to my son?’

Dr. Reinhold glanced at Sam, unsure but he nodded. ‘Your son… Sebastian? Sebastian suffered a single gunshot to the head. He would have died instantly, so he didn’t suffer. I know it’s not much of a consolation, Ms. Marshall, but I am truly sorry for your loss.’

Dry-eyed, Zoe tried to smile. ‘Thank you, Doctor. And thank you for saving my daughter.’

 

The tension Sam had been holding in released, then and his whole body slumped. He realized he’d been waiting for Zoe to crack, to scream about how unfair it was her son had died, how it was Isa’s fault. He’d been revving himself up to handle that and now, hearing her name Isa now as her true – and beloved - daughter made something in him break. He dropped his head into his hands and sobbed.

The police went to bring Louisa to the hospital, and when Zoe went to meet the young woman, Cal accompanied her. Louisa’s face was pale, and when Zoe told her that Seb was dead, her legs gave way, and she sank to the floor, shaking her head. Both Zoe and Cal managed to shift the sobbing girl into a chair.

 

When she had calmed herself, Zoe took her hand. ‘I know, sweetheart, I know, but we have to be realistic here.’

Seb was dead. Louisa looked up into Zoe’s kind but drawn face. ‘Zoe, I can’t even imagine how you must be feeling right now. How’s Isa?’

‘She’ll recover okay, we think, at least physically. It remains to be seen as to whether any of us will be okay ever again.’

Zoe sounded utterly bereft, utterly exhausted and Louisa squeezed her hand. Wiping her eyes, she shot a look at Cal. She may not be keen on the guy, but she couldn’t deny he looked completely shattered. She remembered Seb telling her about Cal’s mom… no, wait it had been Sam’s mom who was murdered. She shook her head. God, so much loss.

 

Cal looked up, sensing her scrutiny and he tried to smile but just sighed. ‘I’m so sorry, Lou.’ His voice was low and broken, and her heart went out to him. He’d lost his friend, his roommate, his buddy.

‘Look,’ she said, ’why don’t we all go down to the diner on the corner and grab some breakfast. Not that I think it’ll make any of us feel better, but it’s better than waiting here.’

‘Good idea.’ They all looked up at the sound of Sam’s voice. He stood in the doorway, filling it, his green eyes a mask of pain and anger. ‘The surgeon just told me, Isa’s come through the op but she’ll be in post-op for a while yet. I could do with some coffee.’

 

Zoe, although reluctant to leave, was persuaded by the fact Sam was coming with them and they all went to the diner.

The waitresses, used to dealing with grieving people with the diner being so close to the hospital, moved around them with respect and consideration, bringing them extra food and coffee. Sam sat next to Zoe, his arm around her shoulders. Lou felt slightly awkward, sitting next to Cal, his big presence seemingly smaller now.

 

Sam was talking to them in a low voice. ‘I don’t care what protection we’ve put in place up to now, it all changes from here. I’m sorry, but now we know anyone is fair game, all of you are in danger, and I’m not risking anyone else’s life. Cal, call Jock and get him to set up around the clock security for Isa, Zoe, and Louisa.’

Lou opened her mouth to protest, but Sam fixed her with a stare. ‘Just until the police catch the guy, Lou,’ he said, ‘Seb – and the rest of us – would never forgive ourselves if anything happened to you.’

Lou shut her mouth. Sam clearly wasn’t in the mood for an argument. Zoe rubbed a hand over her face.

 

‘I’ll go along with whatever you think, Sam, but we need to discuss Seb’s funeral too. I don’t want the mourners frisked at the church door.’

‘Of course not,’ Sam’s voice softened, and he massaged her shoulder. ‘I would never let that happen. Will you wait until Isa is out of hospital?’

Zoe nodded. ‘I hope it won’t be too long.’

Sam shrugged. ‘I don’t know yet.’

The waitress brought their food and all four of them picked at it unenthusiastically. Cal sighed after a while and put down his fork.

‘I don’t get this… why kill Seb?’

He looked apologetically at Zoe who winced. ‘Sorry, Zo, but why do that and not kill Isa? Isn’t that what he wants, after all, to kill her? Why let her go?’

 

‘It’s a sick and twisted fuck we’re dealing with,’ Sam said harshly. ‘He wants to break her completely before he ends this. It’s his way of showing Isa that he holds her life in his hands. Jesus.’ Sam broke off and shook his head, his face gray with exhaustion and grief.

‘I just don’t understand why this is happening,’ Zoe said softly, after a long silence. ’Isa’s the sweetest person; how could she inspire such hatred? Such violence?’

‘Easy,’ Cal said a touch harshly, ‘that face of hers. Zoe, this fucker sees that kind of beauty as a challenge; he had to own it or destroy it.’

‘What gives him the right?’ Zoe’s voice started to rise then, ‘who the hell does he think he is?’

 

‘Exactly.’ Sam said shortly. ‘Isa may be my wife, but I’m under no illusions that she belongs to me or anyone else but herself. That’s what love is. What this guy has is a deep, violent obsession, and it’s terrifying.’

Louisa shivered at his words and she felt Cal squeeze her hand to comfort her. She smiled gratefully at him. ‘Listen, Cal, Zoe, if you want me to…um…pack things up at Seb’s, I’m more than happy to.’

Zoe nodded. ‘Thank you. That would be a help.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ Cal said, ‘Save all the hassle of the security teams ganging up on you.’

 

They left Sam and Zoe in the diner and Cal drove Louisa back to his and Seb’s apartment. Louisa was okay until she stepped into Seb’s room, the room where only a few days ago, they had spent the afternoon making love and laughing together. The room where Seb had shyly told her that he was falling for her. She had chuckled and told him he was crazy.

 

Now, she wished she had been honest with him, told him the only crazy one was her – for him. Louisa choked back a sob then felt Cal’s hand on her back.

‘You okay?’

She shook her head and went to sit on the bed, gathering Seb’s abandoned t-short to her face and letting her tears soak into the fabric. She sobbed for a few long minutes, not caring what Cal thought of her.

As her tears shuddered to a halt, she felt the bed dip next to her as Cal sat down. She looked up and he handed her a glass of scotch. She noticed his eyes were red.

‘Drink it,’ he said, ‘If there ever was an excuse to get drunk…’

She took it and threw it back, shuddering as it hit the back of her throat. ‘God, that’s gross.’

Cal gave a throaty chuckle. ‘No taste.’

Louisa half-smiled but the pain was sitting heavily on her chest. ‘It’s not real,’ she said, her voice breaking. ‘It’s not real. He’s not going to come through that door.’

 

More tears and she slid the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest. She felt Cal’s hand on shoulder and gripped it with her own.

‘I know,’ he said, ‘I’d like to kill the motherfucker who did this, Lou.’

Louisa nodded and looked up at him through her tears. ‘Promise me, if you ever get the chance to do it, you will.’

Cal gave her a strange smile. ‘I promise, Lou. I promise.

Her eyes felt gritty, and every cell in her body screamed with pain as Isa shifted in the bed. The smell of antiseptic, of sickness, of death, filled her nostrils, and she gagged, opening her eyes and retching wildly.

 

‘Sweetheart, sweetheart…’ Zoe’s voice broke through her panic, and she felt herself being shifted by strong arms into a sitting position. Agony ripped through her shoulder, and she threw up into the bowl shoved hastily towards her. She heaved and heaved until there was nothing left to bring up. Gasping for air, Isa slumped back into the pillows as Zoe wiped her mouth, smoothing the hair back from Isa’s sweat drenched face. Isa couldn’t take her eyes from her mother.

 

‘I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…’ The whisper was gravelly, low and tears started to pour down her cheeks. Zoe’s eyes filled with tears but she tried to smile, taking Isa’s hand and squeezing it.

‘You have nothing to apologize for, darling. Nothing. You didn’t do anything to cause this.’

‘Zoe’s right. It’s not your fault.’

Isa felt a rush of emotion at the sound of Sam’s voice. He was standing in the doorway of her room, his face drawn, gray with sorrow and worry, his big frame slumped. Isa wanted nothing more than to sink into his arms, but she found herself unable to meet his gaze. She looked back at Zoe, searching her eyes, seeking any sign of blame, of resentment. All she could see was heartbreak and knew it was a reflection of her own eyes.

 

Seb. She kept replaying the moment he was shot in her head, the way his eyes had registered shock as the bullet tore into his skull, the way his body had crumpled to the floor, the finality of that last sigh. She closed her eyes wanting to turn back time, get the killer to let Seb go, kill her instead. Now she knew her tormenter would do anything, kill anyone; she couldn’t risk him going after Zoe, going after Cal or Sandy… hurting Sam. She couldn’t help the image of Sam, a bullet ripping into his beautiful head, his blood spraying over her and now she realized just what he had been going through all these weeks, months. The torment of losing her, the woman he loved.

 

Zoe kissed her cheek then stood up, making room for Sam to sit on the bed beside his wife. Zoe squeezed Sam’s arm and left them alone.

Sam stroked her cheek, but she still couldn’t look into his eyes. He pressed his cool lips to her hot forehead. It felt so good, and she sighed.

 

‘I keep promising that I’ll never let him hurt you – and I keep breaking that promise.’

She closed her eyes, leaning her cheek against the palm of his hand. ‘It’s not your fault.’

She heard his shaky intake of breath. ‘It’s not yours either.’

‘God, Sam. I want to kill him with my bare hands. I want him to come after me, so I get the chance to pay him back for what he’s done to Seb, to Zoe, to us. I know how your father must have felt and I don’t blame him one little bit.’

 

The anger in her voice shocked her, and she broke off, trembling, fresh tears flooding down her face. Sam took her face in his hands, pressed his lips to hers.

After a moment, he leaned his forehead against hers.

‘Look at me, Isabel…’

A sob escaped from her. ‘I can’t.’

She could feel his tears now as his hands tightened around her face. ‘Please….’

She tried but then pulled away, turning onto her side away from him. ‘I can’t, Sam, not yet. Because if I look at you, I feel like I’ll break.’

He didn’t say anything else, but she felt him shift, lay down on the bed behind her, spooning her in a gesture so understanding, so loving it tore her apart. He slipped his arm around her waist, and she gripped his hand to her chest. She felt his lips against the back of her neck.

‘I love you,’ she whispered and felt him press his body harder into her shape. She heard a nurse come into the room and chuckle quietly.

‘This is okay, right?’ Sam’s voice was steady, low. The nurse checked Isa’s vitals.

 

‘As long as you don’t jostle her shoulder too much. Are you in pain, honey?’ She bent her head to look at Isa, who tried to smile but nodded.

‘I’ll get you a sedative. Do you want some morphine?’

Isa tightened her grip on Sam’s hand. ‘I have the only pain relief I need.’ She was gratified to hear Sam’s relieved sigh. The nurse handed her a pill, and she swallowed it gratefully. The nurse turned down the lights.

 

‘Get some rest, both of you. You need any extra pain relief, Izzy; you let me know.’

 

A few minutes later, she was on the edge of sleep when the realization came to her, and her eyes flew open in shock.

‘Sam… Sam…’

‘What is it, sweetheart?’ His voice was thick with sleep, such a comforting sound and finally she was able to look him in the eye. His handsome face was still drawn, and his green eyes bore into hers, heavy with worry.

 

‘I need to talk to Detective Halsey. Now.’

‘He called me Isa.’

They all looked at her askance. ‘Honey…’ Sam shook his head, his eyes confused.

 

She sighed. ‘No, no, listen. It didn’t click until the nurse called me Izzy but…most people would shorten Isabel to Izzy. No-one who wasn’t close to me would assume my nickname was Isa. Whoever he is, has always, always called me Isa.’ She blinked, suddenly paling and Sam’s heart nearly broke at the desolation on her lovely face. ‘It’s someone we know.’

 

She glanced at Zoe then, who trying to smile, took her hand. Isa squeezed it.

‘Zoe. I’ve been so blind. I was so sure he couldn’t do anything like this.’

Halsey looked at Sam, who sighed. ‘Karl.’

Isa nodded. ‘It must be.’

Halsey cleared his throat. ‘We know Seb met with him a couple of weeks ago, Cal said…’

‘Cal? Cal knew about it?’