Protector (The Brannock Siblings Book 4) (19 page)

She ignored the ringing phone and pulled Liam out the back
door of the house. They walked down the road, hand in hand, unwilling to let
the other go for too long. The rest of the afternoon was spent together in
peace, neither of them speaking about what was to come. Izzy found herself
forcing a smile once or twice, but Liam didn't give her a chance to dwell on
it.

He was more determined than she was to fill their time with
each other and nothing else.

It was later that night when they were snuggled together in
front of the fireplace that their peaceful day came to an end.

"If I ask ye to stay again, would ye consider it, love?"
he inquired, his voice quiet as if he didn't want to disturb the stillness in
the room.

Izzy sighed and fiddled with the buttons on his shirt as she
spread out on top of his chest. "I already
have
considered it,
Liam. You know why I have to go."

"And If I find a way to go with ye, would ye wait to
leave?"

She lifted her head, meeting his penetrating gaze. "How?"

He gave a half shrug and playfully tugged on a piece of her
hair. "Brian knows people at the embassy. He might be able to ask a favor
for a rush on my visa."

"But how, Liam? Your parents don't have the money
to-"

"Do nah worry about that, love. I've saved up some
money and I can earn some more. I'm asking if ye'll wait to go back until I can
go with ye."

She never expected to have this conversation with him. Not
now.

"I don't think I can, Liam. I'm out of time and if I
don't leave when I'm scheduled to leave, I don't know if I'll have a way to go
back later. Plus, this is
my
problem. I can't drag you into my mess and
it's only a matter of time before Christopher ends up-"

"Don't say his name," he demanded wearily. "Don't
even think it. He won't touch ye if I'm with ye. We'll find a way, love. I just
need to know if ye'll wait."

The color drained from her face. Was she going to lose him
if she said no? "I don't know if I can. I'm sorry."

His brows drew together. "Will ye at least think about
it?"

"Liam..."

"No, Isabelle. I love ye too much to just let ye walk
away to play the hero to yer God forsaken parents. I refuse to let ye go
without a fight and even then, I'll fight harder."

Izzy's eyes flooded with tears. In her heart, she would do
anything to have him by her side, but her mind didn't believe it was possible.

Apparently, Liam read her thoughts and started to sit up. "I
think I'll go tonight. Give ye some space to think. I can nah sit here and
resist beggin' ye."

"No, please. Don't go, Liam. Please don't make me
decide this right now."

He stood from the sofa and rubbed his hands down his face,
then propped an arm on the mantle. The fire popped and fizzled as he stared
down at it, his face a mask of concentration. She watched him anxiously,
wanting to jump on him and force him to stay but knowing he needed a moment to
weigh his thoughts. So she sat as still as she could with her hands clenched
into fists in her lap.

Finally, he whirled around and strode toward her. She held
her breath as he leaned down and lifted both of her hands to his mouth,
pressing tender kisses to the center of her palms. His hands trembled as they
ever so slowly moved up her arms and across her shoulders to her neck. Her
pulse fluttered wildly as he pressed his thumbs under her jaw and lifted her
chin.

"One day. I'll give ye one day and then I'm back here
on my knees."

That almost seemed worse than his polite request a few
moments ago. She didn't want to make him beg. She didn't want to hurt him more
than she already was.

"One day?"

He nodded and bent forward to kiss her mouth. "I'll be
back for ye, Isabelle."

Then his touch was suddenly gone and he was striding to the
door.

Watching him walk away from the house that night left her
heart in pieces. The moment his truck was out of view, it all came rushing back
to her and she spent the rest of the night sobbing into her hands and listening
to the phone ring over and over again.

She finally stomped over to the kitchen and ripped the cord
out of it. The entire thing went crashing to the floor and she stood there,
staring at the mess for God only knows how long.

"You're a fool, Isabelle Moore. You're a fool and a
coward!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

No one heard her because she was completely alone. More
alone than she'd been the first night in that house. She dropped to the floor
and pressed her back against the cupboards, breathing heavily.

"I'm done being a coward," she whispered, her
voice echoing through the empty house.

***

"This will nah do at all, child. Get off the floor
before ye catch a chill."

Someone was roughly shaking her shoulders and she didn't
want to move. Not now. That peaceful limbo called her back, asking her to stay
a little longer, so she groaned and tried to bat away whoever kept poking her.

"Ye'll have a brutal kink in yer neck."

Izzy had to be dreaming since the voice wasn't going away. "Don't
care. Go away."

"
Away
she says. I ought to clatter that fine
face o' yers for givin' me a cheeky lip. No one fancies a kink in the neck."

Maggie.

"Wake yerself, dear. It's time to face the day."

Izzy finally felt herself falling back to reality. "Maggie?
What are you doing here?" Her heavy eyelids lifted, taking a moment to
focus before she recognized Maggie's raised brow.

"Why the hell do ye think I'm here, girl. Liam's a
complete mess and now, no one can find the boy. I imagine he's gone and done it
all arseways when it comes to ye, my dear."

"No, he didn't do anything wrong, Maggie. It's me
that's the problem."

"Aye, it must be if ye've spent the night on the freezin'
floor and yer eyes look like they've been stung by bees. Only the guilty look
as gammy as ye, which explains Liam as well. Come, child. Let's get ye cleaned
up and ye can tell me what's happened. I'll help where I can."

Maggie helped her stand and slowly climb the stairs to her
room. Izzy's back was sore and her arm ached from being smashed against the
hard floor. Her eyes were fuzzy and swollen and her throat was dry from the
hours she spent wallowing in her regret.

The house seemed drearier than normal, even with the
sunlight filtering in through the curtains. Every step she took felt like a
betrayal to herself. Her mind told her to move and deal with her decisions, but
her heart told her to shut her eyes and find a way to get rid of the pain. 

Neither of them spoke while Maggie helped her dress and
clean up. However, Maggie's distress over the situation was evident in the way
her mouth was set in a hard line. Izzy knew she was holding it in.

"Just say it, Maggie."

"Say what, child? I've nothing to say, but I do have
much to hear. Ye'll tell me everything and we'll set it right." She swept
Izzy's long hair behind her shoulder and patted her cheek. "Everything can
be fixed with a little love. That's what Mary always says, and although I hate
to admit it, she's usually right about these kinds of things."

Izzy was left standing in the middle of her room, pondering
whether or not it was possible for love to fix everything or not. In this case,
it seemed like a band-aid on a severed arm.

Maggie was waiting for her in the kitchen with a couple mugs
of freshly brewed coffee. "First, tell me why my phone looks in
flitters."

Izzy glanced over at the wall where the phone was once again
hanging. Only it looked like it would fall at any moment.

"I received a disturbing phone call?"

"Are ye sure about that?"

Izzy shrugged and folded into her coffee mug.

"Ah, well that'll do it," Maggie nodded, lifting
her mug to her lips as she eyed Izzy suspiciously.

Izzy looked away, feeling completely vulnerable under
Maggie's intent stare. "What time is it?"

"It's after noon now. I tried callin' ye, but I see now
why I didna reach ye. When I came to the house, I figured ye would still be
sulkin', same as Liam, but I didna think ye would be on the floor like a lush
after a good night on the piss."

"Excuse me?"

Maggie waved her hand dismissively. "Never mind. Now,
tell me why my nephew looked worse than ye did this morning."

"It's a long story."

Maggie settled back in her chair and drummed her fingers on
the table. "Fire away, dear. I've nowhere to be now."

Izzy rolled her shoulders and took a deep breath. She
finally explained
everything
. She started at the very beginning; how her
parents pushed Christopher on her, how he beat her and controlled her and
threatened her. She told Maggie about the drugs she discovered and the
impending failure of her father's company. When Maggie just listened, only
asking minor questions here and there, Izzy couldn't stop herself from telling
her more. It was exhausting, reliving all those moments.

Then she told her about falling in love with Liam and how he
asked her to wait for him to go back to the states
with
her.

"That boy. He's a stubborn one when it comes to the
people he loves. Ye'll not find a better man."

Izzy nodded in agreement and gave Maggie a half-smile.
"I know he wants to help. He just wants to fix everything, but I keep
thinking about what you said. About my problems dragging him down with me. I
can't do that to him."

"Aye, I did say that, but what we have here is a gift,
Izzy. I suspect yer situation is much different now that there's more than a
friendship to lose."

Izzy shoved her hair back away from her face and looked up
at the ceiling. The plaster was cracked in a few places, but she knew this
house would be standing for a long time after she left. There would
always
be something to fix, but it would never fall as long as someone took care of
it. Subtle changes would be made as time passed. Maybe a new color of paint or
new cabinets. But it would always be the same house until someone stopped
caring for it.

Everything can be fixed with a little love.

She tilted her head back down and gave Maggie a lopsided
grin.

"I love him, Maggie."

"Aye, I suspect ye do. So, what seems to be the
problem?"

Her smile faded. The problem was...

The. Problem. Was...

She couldn't think of an answer. No excuse or reasoning that
would explain why she couldn't choose love over loss. And she suddenly knew
exactly what she needed.

Liam.

Without him, life was meaningless. It was empty and cold. If
she had Liam...

She gasped and pressed her hands to her cheeks. "Oh
God, what have I done?"

Maggie exhaled and reached for one of Izzy's hands.
"Ye've done what most of us are too afraid to do, love. Ye've tried to
protect the man ye love by sacrificing yerself. That right there is nothing to
be ashamed about."

"Do you think he'll forgive me for being so
stupid?"

Maggie looked heavenward with a smile. "He'll move the
earth to be with ye, so I suspect he'll accept a simple apology for being
scared."

Izzy felt her heart soar and she stood from the table and
leaned down to hug her friend. "Thank you, Maggie. All this is because of
you. There's a reason this place is where I ended up." She straightened
and saw the triumphant smile cross Maggie's face. She didn't want to wait
another minute to find Liam. She would wait for him to come with her and they
would go to the states together to solve whatever needed to be solved. They'd
find a way because they had each other. "I've got to go."

She started for the door, but came to a halt when the phone
rang. The sound made her whirl around in a panic. Maggie stood and walked over
to the mangled phone.

"Wait!"

But it was too late. She answered with a confused expression
and after a second, held the receiver out to Isabelle. "Tis a woman."

Izzy hesitated a moment before slowly stepping forward and
taking the phone. "Hello?"

"Oh, Isabelle. Thank the Lord you finally answered.
I've been trying to call you since last night."

"Neddy? What's wrong?" Izzy could hear the panic
in her aunt's voice and had the sinking feeling that things were only about to
get worse.

"I arrived back home yesterday morning and Trick told
me you called. I called this number you left with him, all day yesterday. When
I couldn't reach you, I called your mother."

Izzy dropped her head into her hand. It was Neddy that was
calling the whole time, not Christopher.

"Isabelle, why didn't you call me sooner, dear? I would
have never allowed your parents to put you in this situation, but I had no
idea. Your mother told me everything and I want to strangle her more than I
usually do."

"Is she alright? What did she tell you?"

"She is fine now, dear, but she needed a wakeup call
and I gave it to her. You are not marrying that man, Isabelle. No way."

Izzy expected to feel some relief, but a part of her didn't
think it would last long if it took her Aunt Neddy, that her mother despised,
to finally penetrate that brain of hers.

"Tell me what's going on, Neddy. Why the sudden change?"

She glanced over at Maggie who gave her a patient smile that
did nothing to help her nerves. Her grip tightened on the phone as she leaned
back against the wall.

Neddy sighed. "The reason Marjorie and I don't speak
anymore is because of this situation you've been brought into. I didn't agree
with what they were doing and when I told them, your mother shut me out."

"Wait! You haven't really spoken to each other for a
long time. How does that involve me?"

"Your father's company was doing very well, but there
are always glitches. He was so busy running the company that he didn't know
what was happening right under his nose. The Hamptons have always been on the
other side of the line. Your father and Christopher's grandfather have been
doing business together since Nick took over the company, but Nick kept his
distance once he knew Christopher was taking over for his grandfather. You have
to remember that it's not completely your father's fault, Isabelle. He did
everything he could, but Christopher had him backed into a corner and he knew
it. I told them to go to the police, but they were too afraid that it would
ruin them. They were already in too deep."