Chapter 15
chapter
fifteen
Izabel
I awakened slowly and felt eyes on me. My muscles tensed only to relax when I registered Drake’s slate-blue eyes. It immediately transported me to happier times. Anxiety surfaced. I was afraid that this was a dream.
“Tell me I’m not dreaming.”
“I’m real, baby.”
I traced his jaw. “I remember this.”
“My creeper tendencies?”
I laughed lightly and switched to my side so we were facing each other. “I wouldn’t call you a creeper, but you get this intense look in the morning.”
“How intense?”
“Like I’m your world.”
“You are, Iza.”
We stared at each other for long moments, eyes yearning for each other, but there was still an underlying fear of failing to return to what we once were.
“I’m sorry I brought up what you did again last night,” I murmured.
“I understand.”
“No. I need to make an effort not to hold on to my anger. I swear, I understand you more now, but the hurt is just hard to escape.”
“It’s only been a week. I’m prepared to wait it out.” He hitched his shoulders. “There’s never gonna be anyone else.”
I sat up, hugging my knees. “You sure about that?”
“Yup.” He narrowed his eyes. “And if you think there’s going to be someone else for you, you’ve got another thing coming.”
Because he had me watched.
And just like that, the pain came back. Although muted, it was still the worst day of my life that would be forever etched into my soul.
“I need to get ready for work.”
I scrambled off the bed and made it as far as the bathroom door before Drake spun me around and hauled me in. Tears spilled down my cheeks, wetting his chest. A silent cry, one borne from the sad memory, shook my body.
“I’ll make it up to you, baby. Just give me this chance.”
All I could do was nod. There was fear, but that fear had been overshadowed by a deep resolve to make our marriage work.
It was and always had been Drake.
Reporters lined the front of the Stockman and Bose building.
“Oh my God, Viktor wasn’t kidding,” I mumbled. Marcus had called and given us a status report of what to expect when we got in. Luckily, the underground parking was closely monitored and only employees and clients were allowed through.
Marcus said their security department wasn’t happy, but Virginia Beach was a SEAL community and a back-from-the-dead story was sure to make big news.
“…a Navy SEAL who was thought to have died in the Syria JSOC massacre is alive. Details are still emerging, but rumor has it that he’s become a real-life James Bond and tracked down and destroyed the terrorist responsible for wiping out his team.
We’re here in front of his wife’s workplace to get a statement on this reunion that can only be made for movies.
Izabel Maddox has been in the news lately for her philanthropic work with the Solace Foundation… ”
Drake switched off the radio as he drove the SUV into the underground parking. “Tired of hearing the same news over and over.”
As for me, I was apprehensive about facing my coworkers. Would they treat me any differently? Drake reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. “It’s gonna be okay.”
When the elevator doors opened, Marcus was already waiting for us. He was dressed in a suit instead of his usual cargo pants and tee. He had on an earpiece with the wire disappearing behind his neck.
“Very secret-service like,” Drake drawled.
“Fuck off, Maddox.”
They greeted each other with a man hug.
“Izabel, you okay?”
“Yes. I thought you were exaggerating when you said there were a couple of news vans out front.”
“Izabel!”
We turned to the blonde barreling toward us. Cindy plowed into me and hugged me tight. “We were so worried about you!”
She eyed Drake critically. Then, turning back to me, she mouthed, He’s hot.
Rolling my eyes, I made the introductions. “Drake, this is Cindy Lake. Cindy, my husband?—”
“Drake Maddox,” Cindy finished. “Can you be any more caveman by abducting Izabel and Marcus? You gave us quite a scare! Initial reports said it was the Fuego gang and they’d probably beheaded Marcus and sold Izabel to human traffickers.”
“Wow,” Izabel chuckled. “I didn’t know the news was that bad.”
Both Marcus and Drake were nodding.
I frowned. “It was that bad?”
“Yes.” Cindy linked our arms together and we walked toward my office.
“I want to talk to Marcus about building security…you gonna be okay?” Drake called after me.
“Yes…” I waved him off. “It seems our floor is covered.” I pointed to a man sitting near a planter who I recognized as one of Marcus’s crew.
Then I was mobbed by my coworkers, and I had to exercise patience as I answered their questions several times over.
Twenty minutes later, I finally made it behind my desk while Cindy returned to hers, so we could actually do some work.
A ton of emails needed my attention because Drake had only returned my phone this morning.
I made an appointment with Doc G for the next day.
Drake and I were making progress, especially after visiting Angelise’s grave, but there was still that lingering fear on my part of losing him again.
My door opened, and I expected to see Drake telling me he was leaving.
It was Kyle.
He closed the door behind him as he entered.
“Kyle.”
I eyed the closed door nervously. Drake’s possessiveness had not changed. And because of the lingering angst over our relationship, it had only become worse. I didn’t fear for my safety, but for Kyle’s. And I had no desire to have my husband thrown in jail for assault.
Kyle hurried to my side.
Drake was somewhere in the building.
This was a disaster on so many levels.
“God, Izzy. Are you okay?” He hauled me to my feet and dragged me to his chest. His breath fanned my hair. “I was so worried about you.”
“Kyle…” I tried to shove away, but Kyle gave me only enough room so he could search my eyes.
“Is he holding you against your will?” he asked.
“Drake? Of course not.” Indignation rocked inside me. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard.”
“Are you saying you and Marcus went willingly with him?”
“Uhm…”
“I had the incident investigated,” Kyle stated grimly. “People talk given the right price. The news got it wrong.”
Oh shit.
“There was a misunderstanding. Let me go, Kyle,” I begged, stealing another anxiety-ridden glance at the door, which Kyle noticed.
“He’s with Marcus,” he assured me. “Are you afraid of him?”
“No, I’m afraid for you!” I said, frustrated.
Kyle chuckled bitterly. “I can take care of myself.”
He held me tighter. “I’m here, Izzy. You know that, right? I’ll help you get away from him?—”
The door opened, bouncing against the door stopper.
The forbidding shape of Drake darkened the entryway while Cindy peeked worriedly behind him.
“Did you just say that you were going to take my wife away from me, you motherfucker?”
The softly spoken words were delivered with enough menace that Kyle finally let me go, but he stubbornly refused to leave my side.
I looked at Cindy. “Get Marcus.” I tried to catch Drake’s attention, but his eyes were nailed to where Kyle stood beside me. “Drake…”
I tried to step away from Kyle, but he clasped my arm.
Big mistake.
I took a second too long to react because I didn’t know how to diffuse the situation without triggering my husband. And apparently, Kyle had no self-preservation either.
“You don’t have to do this, Izabel,” he said stubbornly.
Big fucking mistake.
“What is wrong with you?” I cried at Kyle, yanking at my arm. My voice was shrill with hysteria. The blast of rage from Drake slammed into me even before I saw him stalking toward us. “He’s my husband.”
“You got that right, baby,” Drake said in a casual tone. “Maybe I won’t kill him.”
Drake gripped Kyle’s wrist in a way that made him release me. I was pushed to the side, and all I saw was a blur of motion, heard a grunt and the sound of smacking flesh before Kyle went flying into my chair. Drake yanked him right up and threw him over the desk.
I stood speechless.
Kyle ended up on the floor, a pile of groaning pain.
Snapped out of my trance, I screamed, “Stop!”
Drake hauled Kyle to his feet, fisted him by the collar, and snarled, “Stay away from her, or I swear to God, if I find you anywhere near her again…I. Will. End. You.”
Kyle chuckled derisively. “Go ahead. Beat me up. Show Izzy what a savage you are.”
“Drake, enough. Please?” I walked over to him now and laid a pleading hand on his arm. Hard muscles bunched up with tension beneath my palm.
“What the fuck?” Marcus growled, stalking into the room.
Stalking, it seemed, was common as testosterone levels clotted the air I was breathing, but I dared not leave the room for a single second.
“Let him, go, Maddox. What the fuck?” Marcus repeated, standing beside the fused men like a referee in a match.
Drake finally released Kyle, who tried to maintain his dignity by huffing and straightening his collar.
“Mr. Collins, can I ask you to return to your office?” Marcus asked.
Kyle tried to look around Drake, but the brick wall that was my husband blocked his view. “I’d take Marcus’s advice if I were you.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“You bet the fuck I am.”
“Goddammit, Lieutenant. Stand down.”
I touched Drake’s torso, and his arms instantly wrapped around me in a show of possession. If the situation wasn’t so volatile right now, I’d give my husband a piece of my mind, but it was like placating a wild animal.
Kyle winced at our united front.
I cleared my throat. “Please, Kyle.”
Kyle’s gaze softened when it landed on me.
My husband tensed.
“Mr. Collins,” Marcus repeated in a much harsher tone.
“This isn’t over…” Kyle said in parting. I knew what he was doing. It was reckless the way he wanted to prove that Drake was a violent man who would hurt me.
“You son of a bitch…” Drake growled and lunged forward.
Thankfully, Marcus and I held him back, giving Cindy a chance to drag Kyle out the door.
“Dammit, Maddox. Do you know he could press charges?”
“He had his fucking hands all over my wife!”