Page 25 of In It for the Long Ride

“Then you condemn me to this purgatory. This nightmare that never ends, Easy. It never fucking ends and as long as you value me, there is no escape. If I have no value in trade or torment, he will auction me to the highest bidder and be done with it.”

“Tris–” Easy’s whole face was red, and he was visibly struggling.

Isabella went to him, but he didn’t even notice her trying to comfort him.

“I love you.” He finally found his voice again. “I love you and I want you to hold onto that. Hear me?”

“Don’t you understand,” she whispered back, the torment ebbing in her voice, “Anything is better than another hour with him. Please…let me go.”

The click on the other end of the line gutted us all.

Chapter 11

Daisy

All I could do was clingto Carl and pray that despite all my inner turmoil, my lungs wouldn’t fail me as I heaved and struggled for air.

Eric’s phone exploded off the back deck into a couple of different pieces and I screamed at the sound of the impact.

That was what kicked my lungs back into action. It must have flipped a switch in Eric, too.

“I’m going to Chicago,” he announced, and tore off across the lawn.

All I could do was slap at Carl’s chest in a frantic manner, imploring him to go after my nephew as the next anxiety attack crippled me. He shot after Eric and started reaching for his shoulder. Isabella hurried from the car with a paper sack and encouraged me to breathe into it, but I was determined to see what was going on with Eric and Carl.

Carl had gotten a grip on his shoulder and Eric turned with a vicious punch. I huffed into her bag once or twice before Carl got the best of him and started bullying him toward a tree.

“Don’t hurt him.” I coughed and fanned away her drive- thru bag.

“Aunt Daisy, please…” she begged.

She’d never called me aunt before, and as endearing as it was, I didn’t want to inhale burger fumes anymore. She fussed at me with the bag, and I batted at it absently. The bag ripped and I noticed Mak coming up behind Carl. He looked like he meant to grab him in a choke hold.

“Oh my God!” I cried.

Isabella turned around and took one look at her husband before reaching behind her and pulling out a pistol. My heart dropped and I screamed a second time when she pointed the weapon into the air and fired off a round that made all three men stop their foolishness.

She may have been in stiletto heels, but she looked every bit the general marching up to them with that gun in her hand.

“You three are pitiful,” she scolded.

“Go back to the car,” Mak barked.

She raised that pistol and fired a round off to the side of him, making Mak jump toward Eric.

“’Go back to the car?’ You want me in the cage now, too?”

“Baby.” He slowly started toward her with both hands raised, his shoulders raised, too, the man suddenly looked like a turtle that was suddenly not so sure of coming out of his shell.

“I said you’re pitiful. You’re fucking Steel Disciples. Disciples. Yet you’re down here yapping and snapping like street hounds.”

They looked between themselves and then back at her.

“Don’t you worry! I’m going back to the car, Michael. Someone has to man up and handle shit, because if this is all that's standing in my brother’s way….” She gestured to them each with the pistol, “We’re all fucked. Now, I’m going to get a throw away credit card from the store, and I’m gonna check into a room with the kids somewhere.”

Makaveli trotted after her, and I gravitated toward Eric and Carl. They noticed me coming and started my way, saving me a few steps.

“He’s going to kill her,” Eric quietly predicted.

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