Chapter 6
SEBASTIAN
T he girls look disappointed when I walk back in alone, probably expecting me to leave with Isabella or drag her back inside.
I’d do neither of those things. First, it’s not my style to push a woman past her comfort zone.
I’m also not one to chase someone who doesn’t necessarily want to be chased.
For something to work with Isabella, it will take patience, finesse, and a whole lot of luck.
Rapping my knuckle against the table, I wave to everyone. “I’m gonna head out. Let you lovebirds enjoy a triple date.”
Dominic stands, coming to shake my hand. “You alright?”
“Yeah. Isabella is on her way home.” I turn back toward the door, surprised when Dominic continues to walk beside me.
He lowers his voice, leaning in to say quietly, “I half expected you to take her home. Or at the very least, follow her.”
I chuckle. “Debated on it. But any progress I make with her will immediately go backward if I break her trust, or make her feel like I don’t respect her. It’s slow going right now, but we’re moving in the right direction.”
“Oh yeah?” he asks, a smile sliding across his face.
“I kissed her head tonight!” I burst out in excitement, then feel immediate humiliation as everyone laughs.
I didn’t intend for everyone to hear me, and I’m suddenly defensive over them laughing at my reaction.
Or worse, laughing at Isabella’s feelings.
“ It may not seem like it, but it’s a big deal. She’s barely let me hold her hand.”
“Isabella has never been a very touchy-feely kind of woman,” Arianna pipes up. “You should probably know that so you’re prepared for when she shoots you down in public. She doesn’t even like hugging any of us.”
Hannah nods. “I immediately hugged her when I first met her, and it took months before the awkwardness disappeared. She definitely won’t be participating in a PDA anytime soon.”
My heart sinks a little, because I am incredibly tactile in showing my affection for a partner. Physical touch, I learned, is my love language, with acts of service a close second. Shaking my head, I say, “I don’t care. I’ll do whatever she’s comfortable with. I just need her to give me a chance.”
Heading home, I’m surprised when my phone rings only a few minutes after leaving the restaurant, and I see it’s Luca calling. “Miss me already?”
“Where are you?” he asks strongly.
“Only a mile from you. Why?”
“In what direction? Are you close to Isabella’s apartment?”
Ice fills my veins. “Yes, why? What happened? Is she okay?”
“Her neighbor called Alex. She heard Isabella scream, and now she’s not answering her phone. No fucking clue why the neighbor called Alex instead of calling the police. Alex is calling his sergeant, and I’m on my way to her apartment, but since you’ve already left, you’re closer.”
Blowing through a red light, I speed up to double the limit as I tear across Eternity Springs. I should have fucking followed her home. She’s finally getting more comfortable with me, and if something happens to her now … I should have followed her home.
I peel into the parking lot of her complex, barely slamming my truck into park before tearing down the sidewalk and up the stairs. Panic fills my blood when I see her door slightly ajar, and I cautiously push it open.
Isabella’s living room is completely destroyed.
Couch cushions ripped open, picture frames broken, and books ripped apart.
I can’t take it all in because I hear a scuffle in the back of her apartment, and I stalk toward it.
I can hear a deep grunt, and I know whoever is in there is male.
When I peer through the door and find a man on top of Isabella on her bed, trying to undo his belt, I fucking see red.
I take two steps before grabbing the guy by his hair, yanking him up.
“What the fuck?” he stutters, but I don’t let him say anything else as my fist meets his mouth over and over again. I vaguely recognize hearing Isabella scream, but I don’t stop. I can’t stop.
“Who are you?” I snarl. “Who sent you?”
“What’s it to you?” the guy spits out, blood spraying my clothes and face.
I laugh mockingly. “You have the audacity to touch my woman, and you think you’re walking away from that? You touched what is mine, and now you pay the fucking price.”
Grabbing him by the neck, I push him into the wall, lifting him so only the tips of his shoes touch the floor.
His hands grasp my arm as he gasps for breath.
I study his face, noting this isn’t the same man who confronted Isabella at her bakery.
“Tell me who your fucking boss is, or I won’t stop until you’re dead. ”
His eyes widen as he attempts to kick me. “Go fuck yourself.”
I smile menacingly. “I get to fuck her, so I’m good.”
“Fuck … you …” he sputters, and I release him. He falls to the ground, taking long draws of air, allowing me the opportunity to crouch down and pull his wallet from his pants.
“Devon Carlisle of Denver.” I pull out my phone and take a picture of his license. “Think I’m gonna hold on to your information for a bit, Devon. Got a crew of guys who would just love to meet up with you to tell you in person what a fucking bad decision it is to fuck with a rider’s old lady.”
“You’re MC?” he stutters, his voice labored as he struggles to breathe normally.
I nod, finally looking over at Isabella.
Her eyes are the widest I’ve ever seen, with an expression that is new to me.
“I’m gonna let you go, Devon. But you need to realize this as a gift.
I held your life in my hands, and I could just as easily take it away.
Tell your boss to leave my woman alone, or you’ll be dealing with wrath like you’ve never experienced before. You understand?”
Devon nods frantically as he rubs his neck. Before letting him go, I pop him in the nose, enjoying the crunch of broken cartilage as I watch bright red blood stream from his face. Nodding toward the bedroom door, I say, “Get out of here before I change my mind.”
Devon spider crawls out of the room, finally standing and running as fast as his lungs will let him, and I turn to Isabella as I stand.
“Are you alright?” I ask quietly, dragging the hem of my shirt up to swipe at the splatter of blood across my face. I’m not prepared for her to launch herself at me, wrapping her arms and legs around me. “Fuck, Naranja . I’m so fucking sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize,” she mumbles, her face buried in my neck. Her arms tighten around me, and I turn to sit on the edge of her bed. I force myself to breathe evenly, focusing on slowly rubbing up and down her spine.
“I should have escorted you home,” I admit. “I knew your ex was out there, and I shouldn’t have left you alone.” I tighten my arms around her, acutely aware of how close I’d been to losing her … when she’s not even really mine. Yet.
“Shit,” I hear muttered from outside, before Luca charges into the apartment. He stops when he sees us, and his eyes widen dramatically. “Belle … fuck. What do you need? ”
Isabella shakes her head against me, a ragged inhale against my neck making me relax a little.
Luca drags a hand through his hair, then grips his neck in obvious frustration and helplessness. “Alex is waiting for a police buddy of his outside. He can’t take your statements because —”
“No!” Isabella shouts, her head popping up, watery eyes whipping to mine. “No cops. He said if I got cops involved he’d come after everyone.”
“Everyone?” I ask quietly.
She turns to look at Luca. “He named your kids, Luca. Everyone’s kids. He said they’d disappear, one by one.”
Luca’s eyes turn murderous, darker than I have ever seen them. “Do we know who this guy is?”
“I took a picture of his license. Name’s Devon,” I tell him.
“If that’s even his name,” Luca says as he pulls out his phone. “I’ll tell Alex to send the cop away, at least for the moment. Hopefully we can figure out who this Devon guy is, and who he’s associated with.”
“Oh, I’ll find him,” I say with a deep voice. “Don’t you worry about that.”
Isabella puts her head back on my shoulder, sniffling quietly. Luca watches me, and we have a silent conversation. “You’re coming home with me, mi Cielo .”
I watch as Luca mouths “ mi Cielo ?” Assuming the Italian word for “sky” is something close to the Spanish word, I shrug. I’m sure he’ll look it up. “Um, Belle, you can stay with me and Hannah if you’d feel more comfortable.”
Isabella shakes her head as she exhales. “I can’t bring this into your house, Luca. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to any of you.”
Luca approaches us, leaning down to kiss the top of her head, before looking at me. “Keep my sister safe.”
“I will never let anything happen to her,” I vow. As Luca walks out, I hear him speak quietly with someone. Assuming it’s Alex, I pat Isabella softly on her back. “Let’s get some things together for you to bring back to my place.”
“I don’t want to stay with a bunch of guys,” she admits. “I can get a hotel. I just didn’t want to involve any of my siblings.”
“I don’t live with a bunch of guys,” I say with a snicker.
“We use the Clubhouse for events and meetings, and some guys stay there from time to time. But we all have our own housing. My property abuts the MC property, but the guys know never to show up unannounced. You’ll have privacy, and you’ll be safe there. ”
Isabella sighs as she sits up straight, but her head hangs. “How did I get here? How is this my life now?”
I drag a finger across her forehead, pulling her hair to behind her ear. “I meant what I said. I’ll keep you safe.”
“I don’t think this is going to end well for anyone,” she whispers, before climbing out of my lap.
I immediately miss her closeness, the feel of her skin under my palms. The fact that she sought me out when she needed solace.
I watch as she silently walks to her closet, carefully grabbing the few clothes still left on the hangers that Devon didn’t toss around the room.