Isela's Love (18 page)

“Some ruffians found her abandoned, left for dead, when she was a toddler. The last thing they needed was another mouth to feed, so they brought her here. I’m sure they saved her life, but c’mon. There’s better places to take a three-year-old than this hell-hole.

“Anyway, this is all she’s ever known, so in order to...I don’t know...avoid resentment for living her life here, questioning if there’s something better when she can’t leave? Maybe just to maintain her sanity, she’s convinced herself that her situation isn’t that bad. That there are so many worse things out there, we should be grateful to Guarros for taking us in.”

Brendan’s eyebrows drew together. “Wait, why can’t she leave?”

“Same reason I can’t. According to Guarros, he’s supported us for all these years. We owe him a debt...to be worked off in servitude. Council approved.”

“Can’t you just tell them?”

Isela gave him a look. “Do you really think they’d believe me? I’m sure my file is quite colorful. Why do you think he has me wearing this stupid white collar? It labels me. Unruly, unstable, damaged. He’s the warden of a prison. I’m the poor, rebellious, servant girl. The daughter of a crazy woman. If you were a Council member, who would you believe?”

“Yeah, I see what you mean, but still, there has to be a way to make them see what he really is.”

“I wish I believed that was possible. I know what he is and what he’s capable of. If he gets his way...” She trailed off, shuddering. “He’s power-hungry. He’ll never stop until he controls everything.”

“I’m going to do everything I can to stop him.” Brendan sighed. “But right now, I need to get going. It’ll be morning soon.”

“Do you think we’re pushing our luck with this?”

“How so?” Brendan asked.

“Well, we’ve been really lucky so far with Keeri keeping the guard busy and all. But how long can this go on? I mean eventually, she’s going to reveal her personality to him and then it’ll be over.”

“Trust me, Isela, that guard has no interest in Keeri’s personality. While I’m sure Keeri’s revealing lots of things, her personality is definitely not one of them. I say we enjoy it while we can.”

“That’s just it. After spending these nights with you, it’ll be hard to go back to the way it used to be.”

He kissed her temple. “Let’s not talk about it. I don’t even want to think about it.”

****

Isela woke up feeling energized. She planned on doing some laundry after she finished her chores. Her clothes needed washing, and after four nights with Brendan, she figured the sheets were overdue. She giggled to herself as she hunted around for the clothing items that she or Brendan had thrown around the room in their haste to disrobe.

On her hands and knees, Isela searched under her bed for a missing tank top. “There you are,” she said, reaching for it.

As she hooked it with her finger, something else caught her eye. A crumpled piece of paper lay a few inches from her shirt. With her other hand, Isela grabbed the paper. She thought it odd since the only papers she recalled handling were the letters to and from Jerric.

Shaking open the paper, she began to read. In the time it took to read that letter, all of her newfound happiness vanished, sucked away from her to be replaced with doubt, betrayal, and despair. Isela dropped to her knees, her hand over her mouth. With every word she read, fresh tears pooled in her eyes. How could he have done this?

It was a letter. That must’ve been what the hunter slipped into Brendan’s pocket that day. As the words jumped off the page, taunting her, she shook her head. It couldn’t be. Why?

As if to make it real, Isela read the words out loud, her voice trembling.

“ ‘
Brendan, don’t get all caught up in your fake-inmate role. You need to make a move toward talking with Bashua. Talk to the girl. Be your charming self and find out what we need to know. The sooner you make contact, the sooner we can end this and pull you out of there. Besides, Maggie’s getting impatient and wants you home. She wants me to tell you she and the baby love you and miss you. Is there anything else you need?
’ ”

A hollow emptiness crept up from the pit of Isela’s stomach. He wasn’t even an inmate. He had a wife, or at the very least, a woman who’d had his baby and loved him.

The realization of the situation sank in, causing Isela to cry out.
Oh God!
She’d made love to a man she’d thought had genuine feelings for her when, apparently, all he wanted was information from her. He’d used her to get to Bashua and soon he’d be gone. The hunter said so in the letter.

Isela stood up. She paced around the room trying to process what she’d learned. It was all too much. The man she thought she’d fallen in love with had betrayed her. He’d seduced her in order to obtain information, promising her a better life, taken her virginity, and soon he’d toss her aside like trash and then move on with his life, leaving her here, merely existing until the day she could escape Guarros.

Maybe he worked for Guarros. Oh no, if that were the case, she’d given up Bashua. Here he’d been kind enough to teach her to defend herself, and now she’d revealed information that could cause him harm. Guarros would surely kill him for that. How could she have been so foolish?

She’d so wanted to believe all of the beautiful things Brendan had promised her. When he spoke of having a life together, she’d been reluctant to dare to dream, but she had...and now the dream was gone. Taken from her just like everything else she’d ever cared about.

Despondence overcame her, shattering the last of her resolve until the mind-numbing agony coursing through her was all there was. Isela dropped onto her bed and wept, her tears soaking the sheets that still smelled faintly of Brendan.

****

Mae’s voice outside the door awoke Isela with a start. Sitting up, disoriented, she glanced around. The memory of Brendan’s treachery crashed back into her skull, bringing her back to reality.

She opened the door. Mae’s mouth dropped open.

“What is it?” she asked, alarmed.

Isela let her hand fall from the door. She turned around and walked over to the table. Without saying a word, she snatched up the letter off of the table, thrusting it forward. Mae took it, a perplexed expression on her face.

Isela watched her friend as she read the words that destroyed what was left of Isela’s hope. Mae’s eyes went wide and she sucked in a breath. Her eyes darted from the tear-stained paper in her hands to Isela and back.

“Oh God, Isela. I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t understand, Mae. Why would he do such a thing? He has a baby...and the baby’s momma. Why did he have to involve me? He could’ve simply asked me about Bashua. I would’ve told him. He didn’t have to deceive me. He didn’t have to trick me into letting him...why would he hurt me like this?”

Dropping the letter, Mae rushed over to Isela. She threw her arms around her, trying to comfort her. “I don’t know, Izzy. I wish I could tell you.” She held Isela at arm’s length. “I’m sure he really does care...”

Mae stopped mid-sentence. “I’m sorry, Isela.”

Isela wrapped her arms around herself, shaking her head. A tear rolled down her cheek. “It feels like someone rammed a tree trunk through my gut. It’s awful, Mae.”

“Have you spoken with him?”

Isela shook her head. “Why? So I can listen to more of his lies?” she asked bitterly.

“Maybe he can explain.”

“You saw the letter, Mae. It doesn’t need to be explained.”

“Maybe he has a good reason for wanting to speak with Bashua.”

“I’m sure he does. Clearly it was worth destroying his family as well as my life. Not that he ever really cared.”

“You can’t know that, Isela, unless you talk to him.”

Isela wiped her eye with the back of her hand. “I’m going to work. Are you coming?”

“Um, you might want to wait a minute.” Mae pointed a finger at Isela. “Your eyes. They’re a mess.”

“Are they red?”

“Very, and swollen. It’s pretty obvious you’ve been crying.”

“I refuse to give Keeri or Brendan that satisfaction,” Isela said, stepping up to the basin of water. She wet a cloth and pressed it to her eyes. Leaning back, she let the cool streams of water run down her face, soothing her skin.

Mae cleared her throat. Isela lowered the rag. Mae motioned with her head toward the open door. Brendan stood in the doorframe, staring at Isela. Isela stared back, her throat closing up around the enormous lump forming there.

“Isela, what is it?” Brendan asked, genuine concern lacing his voice. Isela narrowed her eyes, still red-rimmed from crying.

“Huh, like you care,” Mae said defensively, giving Brendan a swift kick in the shin.

“Ow, Mae, what the hell?”

“You mess with my friend, you mess with me,” Mae said firmly.

Brendan looked at Isela. “What the hell is she talking about?”

Isela didn’t move or speak. Crouching down, Mae scooped up the letter off the floor, slapping it against Brendan’s chest. “Like you don’t know.”

Brenda skimmed over the letter. He met Isela’s gaze, swallowing hard. “Isela, please. I can explain.”

Isela shook her head, holding her hand up, palm out. “No. There’s nothing I want to hear from you, right now. Whatever you want to say? You should’ve said it before you screwed me.”

Brendan visibly winced. He took a step toward Isela. She took a step back holding up a finger. Her jaw set, anger began to bubble inside her.

“Don’t. Touch. Me.”

“Isela—”

“Get out, Brendan. Get out of my room and leave me alone.”

He shook his head this time. “I won’t...not until you let me explain.”

“Fine,” she said, heading for the door. “I’ll go.”

As she pushed past him, he said, “Isela, I would never hurt you.”

She stopped, without turning around. “You already have,” she said sadly before breaking into a run toward the parlor. Brendan turned to run after her, but Mae grabbed onto his arm.

“Leave her alone,” Mae warned. “Haven’t you hurt her enough with your lies?”

Brendan glanced at Mae’s chubby fingers gripping his arm, then back to her face.

“That’s just it, Mae. I can’t leave her alone. I love her.”

Mae gasped, letting go. Brendan rushed out the door to give chase to Isela. Isela heard him running behind her, so when she rounded the corner by the kitchen door, she slipped inside. Nobody was in there at this time of day.

Before Brendan could get to her, she ducked down under the table, pulling the tablecloth over her, concealing her from his view.

He burst through the door seconds later, panting. He glanced around.

“Isela,” he called out, desperately.

She held her breath. Brendan hit the table with his fist, startling her.

“Fuck!” he cursed. He turned and ran out of the kitchen. Isela remained curled up under the table until she was sure Brendan was gone.

****

Brendan had awakened that morning in a spectacular mood. He’d dreamed of Isela and when he woke up, it was with the realization that he’d fallen in love with her. Anxious to tell her, he hurried right to her room, only to find she thought he’d betrayed her.

He desperately scanned the parlor for any sign of her. She’d run from him, thinking he’d lied to her. Believing he’d used her. The sight of her reddened, puffy eyes cut into him like a blade with a jagged edge. Knowing he’d caused her tears tore at him, weighting down his chest, making it difficult to breathe. He had to tell her the truth...about everything. He couldn’t bear the idea of hurting her further...or losing her.

Pete stood across the room, measuring off an area next to the opposite hall door. Brendan sprinted over to him.

“Have you seen Isela?” he asked casually.

Pete furrowed his brows together. “Who?”

“Isela? The redhead from the other day.”

“Oh, that Isela. No, I haven’t. Why are you looking for her.”

“We had a bit of a...misunderstanding. I just wanted to clear things up.”

“Uh huh,” Pete acknowledged suspiciously.

Brendan pretended to act confused. Pete rolled his eyes, placing his hands on hips.

“Dude, you really need to work on your poker face, seriously.”

“I don’t know what you—”

“Save it, bro. You are so obviously into that girl. It’s written all over your face. Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me. Just don’t let Guarros catch you sniffing around her.”

“So I hear.”

“So what happened anyway? What made you come charging in here like a man on a mission, looking like a whipped puppy? Lovers’ quarrel?”

Brendan dropped his gaze to his feet, shaking his head. “I fucked up, Pete.”

Brendan had the man’s full attention, now.

“I lied to her and she found out. Now she hates me.”

“Another woman?” Pete asked.

“What? No, of course not. Nothing like that.

“Oh I get it. You’re into some weird sex shit.”

Brendan raised an eyebrow. “No. Man, what is wrong with you? If you see her, let me know, okay?”

“What about work?”

“Cover for me, will ya? I gotta find her.”

Pete gestured with his hands for Brendan to go.

Brendan slapped him on the back. “Thanks man, I owe you one,” he hollered as he turned around. Before he could return to his search, Guarros entered the room.

“Going somewhere, Mr. Malone?” he asked.

Pete spoke up. “Ah, yeah. I sent him to get something to mark off these measurements.”

Guarros trained his attention to Pete with a frown. “Perhaps if you gathered the necessary materials for a task before you begin, you wouldn’t need to waste time and manpower picking up your slack.”

“It’s my fault, not his,” Brendan interjected.

“Did I ask you for your thoughts, Mr. Malone?”

“No, sir, you did not.”

“Exactly. So keep them to yourself and get your asses back to work. Both of you.” He stalked away, but not before stopping in front of one of the guards. He made sure Brendan could hear him. “Watch this one. Make sure he does his share of work. He has a tendency to wander off. Don’t let it happen.” Guarros signaled to one of the other inmates. “Go get something to mark off some measurements, and do it quick,” he barked.