A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four - Isabella Starling Page 0,13

make me lose the baby didn't work after all.

I collapse on the cool, pink bathroom tile with my head against the wall.

"I can't believe she did that," I whisper.

"She's sick." Alli slumps down next to me. "She's a sick, horrible, awful woman."

"We need to get out of here." She nods in agreement. "The sooner we can leave, the better. But where on earth could we go? I can't go back to Eden Falls yet. I want the baby here when I do that."

"I know," she mutters, chewing her bottom lip. "Well... there's a place where I could take you. It's very secluded and no one knows about it—it doesn't get used very often."

"Oh?" I furrow my brows.

"I'll tell you all about it. But we need to get you to bed and you need to get some rest first. I'll call a doctor for you tomorrow."

She moves to get up, but I grab her palm, turning my pleading eyes to hers. "You won't let her hurt me, will you, Alli? I don't want to lose the baby. I can't lose it. Please."

"I know." She rubs my hand. "I'll watch out for you, don't worry. I'm not letting that wicked witch anywhere near you. And we'll leave as soon as we can. Now come on."

She helps me get up. With her help, I somehow make it through the house to the upper floor and the room we've been sharing. I don't catch another glimpse of Mother, which I'm grateful for. If I did, I'd drive my fist into her face and ruin it forever. She probably knows that, too, which is why she's staying hidden.

"I can't believe she did that," I mutter when I'm lying in bed later. "She tried to take it away from me."

"She's awful," Alli mutters. "A monster. But don't worry, we'll leave soon. And then it'll just be the two of us."

I nod and shut my eyes, allowing dreams to take over.

My last memory is Alli holding my hand as I drift off to a troubled, fitful sleep.

I'm so lucky to have someone like her on my side.

6

Dexter

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too," I hiss into the video intercom. "Let us in. We have important matters to discuss."

The voice disappears, and the five of us stand there uselessly, until the gates finally open. I exchange a triumphant smile with Easton, then get back in the car. We pull up in front of Oakes Estate, where Emilian is already waiting in front of the house, with brows knitted together and his arms crossed.

We get out of the car, and the man smirks at me.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in," he drawls out. "Dexter motherfucking Booth. Let you out of jail, did they? Do they just let murderers walk the streets these days?"

I ignore his shitty remarks and walk past him into his own home. He grunts something but follows closely behind. I know he's curious. He knows I wouldn't show up here unless I had something useful for him, so he doesn't object as we all file into his study, taking our seats. I sit on his desk, running a hand through my dark hair and waiting for everyone to settle so I can start talking. The silence in the room soon becomes deafening. Everyone is on the edge of their seat. This conversation will change so many lives. I need to be damn sure I want to condemn Lily Anna like this. But one memory is enough to seal her fate.

Lai's dead, unmoving body on the floor.

She killed him.

And she's going fucking down.

"I'm here to talk about something that is of interest to you," I tell Emilian. "But it's going to cost you."

He laughs, shaking his head as he sits down behind his desk and motions for me to get up. But I don't, smirking at the man. He should know what I have is valuable. He should know I'm going to make him pay.

"What's it going to cost me?" he wanders out loud with a careless smile. "I doubt you have anything of interest to me, Booth."

"It's about Lily Anna." His smile falls and we face off, his eyes flashing with interest.

"What about her?"

"Lots of things you don't know." I watch his fists under the table, the veins standing out on his knuckles. He fucking hates this. Hates knowing he's not the one who holds all the power right now. "So, let's start with my first question. Where the fuck