DOMINIC
She doesn’t have to marry him.
I need to make sure Isabella understands that she doesn’t need to marry anyone unless it is her choice.
I told her, but she didn’t look convinced. I’m guessing there’s way more pressure on her than I can even understand.
I’m glad I haven’t let Vincenzo know that I have Isabella yet, especially if that’s why he wanted her kidnapped. But I don’t know how much longer I can keep her a secret.
Word on the street is someone else has her.
William Bonell.
Henry has been helping that rumor to fly, but I’ve been trying to combat that with another theory. I’ve been trying to spread the gossip that Isabella has gone, probably back to Ireland to be with her family, rendering the job pointless.
I don’t know how well I’m doing, but I’m trying.
I hate being seen as a shitty mercenary.
That has never happened to me before.
I’m known for being trustworthy and getting shit done, but this is different. I can’t let Isabella be freed into the arms of men who just want to force her into terrible things.
I can’t let that happen… I just can’t.
I thought Shadowboxing outside the cabin would help me blow off some of this excess energy, but it’s just reminding me of the injuries I sustained in my fight with Henry…
And that of course reminds me of the phone call I overheard between him and Risty.
It’s been weeks now, since I first pulled Isabella away from her life, and I keep getting further and further away from knowing what to do.
I just have to keep her safe, and while that isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do, that’s all I can focus on.
At least until I can come up with some other plan.
“Hey, Dominic…” Isabella’s voice calls out to me from the door. “What are you up to?”
She’s using that sickly sweet voice of hers, which I see right through. She wants to look like less of a threat, to make me think I don’t need to worry about her.
Well little does she know, I’llalwaysbe worrying about her.
“I’m bored, Dominic. What are you doing? Martial arts training? You know I’m good at sparring, and I could use the exercise… if you’re up for it.”
Hmm, intriguing.
I ignore my initial instinct to tell her to go back inside and nod instead.
“Sure, why not.” I pick up my phone and press a button on the tracking app that shuts off the electric feature linked to her monitor. “Come on out. Let’s see what you have, Isabella.”
She carefully steps out the door to check if she won’t get zapped. It’s a bit comical the way she’s moving and a chuckle forms in my chest. When she sees it’s all clear, she sighs loudly then grabs a hair tie from around her wrist and pulls her hair back into a ponytail, showing me that she means business.
Fine.
If this is what she needs to do to pass some time on, then I’m here for it.
Isabella has surprised me a lot, so I’m looking forward to seeing if she can do so again.
We start off light. I don’t want to push her too hard too quick, but she’s good. She has a punch on her.
“So, you really have done some training, huh?”
She chuckles. “Told you. My dad insisted I get strong.”
“Well, that’s good for you. He did well.”
I step it up a little, throwing some soft punches her way, but with her lithe body, she manages to avoid me.
“So, when are you going to tell me?” she asks as we continue to spar.
“What do you mean?”
“When are you going to tell me what your plan is with me? What do you want from me? What are you doing with me? When will you release me?”
I purse my lips together, giving her nothing.
The less she knows, the better.
“Urgh, why are you always like this?” She rolls her eyes. “So quiet? You never want to talk about anything serious.”
She hits a little harder. Not that it’s enough to even knock me back a millimeter. But I can tell anger is rolling through her.
“I just want to focus on the workout.”
“Oh, can’t you handle it, Dominic?” she sneers. “Can’t you hack talkingandfighting? Is that what happens when you get old? You can’t multi task any longer.”
“Enough with the age jabs,” I growl back, but my gritted teeth do nothing for her.
“Oh, it’s just trash talk.” She raises her brows, trying to look innocent. “Can’t you handle that either?”
Her next thump shocks.
Shit, she winded me a little because I was distracted by her.
“That’s enough,” I snap while I try to regain myself.
But she fucking keeps on coming.
There’s a rage filled look in her eyes, which darkens her pupils.
She looks like she’s lost herself to anger.
I push her back with a block, but that only inflames her rage further.
I wasn’t expecting a headbutt from her, so I didn’t do a damn thing to block it.
Crack.
Fuck, that was my bone.
Before I can even grasp my nose, blood spills everywhere.