Chapter Fifty-Four Isla
Chapter Fifty-Four
Isla
Present Day
Isla woke to the sound of beeping machines, a throbbing head, a sore neck, and Myles looming over her, watching her with concern.
He gently held her back when she tried to sit up, disoriented and afraid.
The doctors said she was lucky. That the driver’s side had taken the brunt of the impact and she’d only suffered minor injuries.
She’d be sore for a few days and needed to take it easy but could be released shortly.
Myles tried to distract her when she heard about the driver’s side, but her memory came at her in a rush, like the other car barreling at them. Myles finally told her. James hadn’t been as lucky. He was unconscious, his condition critical.
“You were lucky,” Myles told her, helping her to a seated position. “What were you doing with James? How do you even know him?”
She didn’t answer. Brooke and Jackson had her attention as she watched them through the window of her room.
They were in the hallway, just outside her door.
When they thought no one was watching, Jackson touched Brooke, his finger lightly trailing the back of her arm in an intimate gesture.
But Brooke barely acknowledged him. They realized Isla was awake and entered.
Brooke wore a smug expression and sauntered to Isla’s bedside.
Her tone dripped with mockery and fake concern.
“Isla dear, you are either accident-prone or a bad luck charm. First the mishap at the hunt, now this . . .” She tsked. “When did you and James become an item? This is how you normally conduct interviews?”
“Brooke,” Myles warned, tensing. Isla coughed a little, signifying it was fine.
Brooke suddenly perked up like she’d been hit with a bright idea. “Now that things have come to this, I think continuing this article of yours is in bad taste. I’m sure my husband will agree. Don’t you agree, Jackson? Liabilities and everything?”
Jackson cleared his throat, glancing at Isla and Myles uncomfortably before taking Brooke by the shoulders and whispering something in her ear that ended her victory lap.
“We came to make sure you were okay,” Jackson said softly, placing a guiding hand on the small of Brooke’s back. “We’ll see you both back at the estate and can discuss later.”
“What about the other car?” Isla asked when she and Myles were finally alone. “The person who followed us and tried to burn us in the barn?”
Myles hesitated so long she had to repeat herself.
“Danny?” Myles said.
Danny was dead.