He jumps in the driver’s seat and tears out of the parking lot.
We arrive at the landing strip an hour later.
Massimo and Candace are already there. Next to them is the group of guards and enforcers including Leo and Nick who will be staying in Rhode Island to keep an eye on things. Keeping watch for what Mortimer will do when he discovers Isabella is gone.
For security reasons it will just be a small party going to the island. Five guards and our doctor. They’re already onboard the jet.
Candace’s face goes rigid the second she sees me lift Isabella from the back seat and Massimo tenses his shoulders.
The jet looks ready to go. Everything looks ready, ready to start war.
Isabella feels smaller in my arms. She’s out so cold and in such a deep sleep she doesn’t even stir when her arm flops down by her side. I pull her closer to my chest and as it’s cold I place my jacket over her.
Massimo walks up to me and Candace follows closely behind.
“You ready?” Massimo asks looking from me to Isabella’s still form.
“Yes. I’ll make contact when we arrive,” I answer.
“I’ll dispose of her things,” he states.
Dominic tosses the keys to the truck to Massimo and he catches it.
This is where we split off.
Dominic and I will head to the Island with Isabella, Massimo will go back to L.A., and Candace will join Emelia in Chicago. Massimo has made arrangements with Claudius Morientz and a few other bosses in our alliances to protect them.
“Um guys,” Candace says quickly cutting in. “I feel bad just going to Chicago to sit around and wait. I want to help.”
It’s not a good idea for her to come. I don’t like her in the middle of this as it is, seeing us up to no good being the criminals we are. But I take note of the secret message she sends me when her eyes dart quickly to Dominic. Instantly I remember what we spoke about last night. It never left my mind, but I was so focused on Isabella I pushed my worries to the back of my mind. She’s worried too that’s why she wants to come.
“You need to head to Chicago Candace,” Massimo answers.
“I think I could help by going to the island. She’s gonna be scared when she wakes up. It might help having another woman there.”
She might be right about that, even though fear is what I want Isabella to feel.
“She’s right,” I say, and I can almost sense Candace’s relief. “Everything will help get the information we need.”
Massimo runs a hand over his beard and nods his agreement. “Okay, head to Chicago at the first sign of trouble,” he tells Candace.
“I will,” she promises.
“Okay let’s do this,” I order. “Clock’s ticking.”
“Watch each other’s backs and be safe,” Massimo cautions the same way Pa would and I feel a pang of grief for my father.
“And you.”
Dominic and I nod our acknowledgment then make our way on to the jet with Candace.
I set Isabella down comfortably in the cot and strap her in.
It won’t be long before Mortimer’s men discover she’s missing. Because of the easiness in the way I took her I think they’ll believe she tried to escape. They’ll believe that at first until they don’t.
I sit in front of her, watching her lying there and remember the feel of her lips on mine.
I remember how she tasted and think of the night she thought we were going to have. It’s a night we could have had in another life. A fantasy is all it will be because when she wakes, she’ll hate me the way she’s supposed to.
I’m her enemy now, but she was always mine.
I don’t expect her to wake until morning. Maybe even later.
By then we’ll be on the island.
Chapter Ten
Isabella
My head…
My God…
Why does my head feel like this?
Like it’s not really there.
Like it’s… not quite attached to my body.
I rasp out a sharp breath and force my eyes open only to snap them shut again as bright rays of sunlight blind me.
Instinctively I turn my head to the side and try again. I open my eyes and find it’s less bright on this side but what am I looking at?
I blink several times and try to focus my gaze on the scene before me of waves crashing against a large rock formation.
Waves as in the sea. But there’s no sea for miles where I