Page 57 of Isabelle & Jason
Thud.
Thud.
Mark groaned in the darkness of their shared room. “What on earth?”
“Jason, you in there?” a muffled voice called through the door.
Jason threw an arm over his eyes. “Unless it’s an emergency, no, I’m not,” he called back.
There was a pause, and Jason rolled over on his side.
“You’re dating the boss’s sister, right?” the voice said.
Jason bolted up in bed and yanked on some pants, not bothering with a shirt before he prowled toward the door. He swung it open and blinked to let his eyes adjust to the blinding hall light. Merrick was one of the guys who specialized in cattle. He stood in the doorway and dropped his hands from the framewhen Jason came into view. He didn’t look any worse for wear, but he fidgeted like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“What about Isabelle?”
He glanced over his shoulder down the hallway, and Jason followed his gaze. There was another cowboy Jason didn’t recognize holding Isabelle in his arms.
Jason shoved past Merrick and lunged for the guy, but Merrick’s hand tightened on Jason’s shoulder, and he yanked him back.
“She’s fine. She’s just… really drunk.”
“Drunk?” Jason hissed, whirling around to face Merrick. So many bad memories of that night five years ago accosted him. “What did you give her?” He looked at Isabelle. “Do you have any idea what Mateo and his brothers will do if they find out?—”
Merrick released Jason and held up both hands. “We didn’tgive heranything. The girl can’t hold her liquor. I think she had a whiskey and a shot of something, and that was it.”
Liquor?
Isabelle didn’t drink. Not in all the time he’d been working here had he seen her partake in anything alcoholic. He eyed the guy holding Isabelle. She moaned and her head flopped back.
“That’s Finn Baker. We were hanging out at the restaurant tonight when Isabelle showed up. Thought you might be meeting her, but when it became clear…” Merrick’s voice trailed off and he stared at his boots. “Nothing happened to her. I kept an eye on her, and the second I realized she wasn’t in a good place…” He swallowed thickly. “Thought it best not to involve the boss on this one.”
Jason cut another look in Isabelle’s direction. Her eyes fluttered open, and she turned her glazed expression to Finn. There wasn’t an ounce of recognition in her eyes, but she lifted a hand and tapped his nose with a weak giggle.
Finn looked about as uncomfortable as Merrick.
“You’d be right,” Jason said, stepping closer to Finn to retrieve Isabelle. “She wouldn’t want her brother to see her like this.”
Enabling.
The thought entered his mind, unbidden.
That was what he was doing. If he let her continue down this path, he wouldn’t be helping.
Her head turned and she met his gaze as he pulled her into his arms. “Jason,” she slurred, “there you are. I’ve been waiting for you.”
His brows creased, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he watched as Merrick and Finn headed down the hall for the main part of the cabin.
“Merrick,” he called before they were out of sight. They stopped, and Jason sighed. “I trust that I can expect your discretion?” He cut a pointed look in Finn’s direction as well.
Finn brushed past Merrick and approached. “If I might point something out…”
Jason glanced at Merrick, who nodded.
“Sure,” Jason said.
“She doesn’t seem to be in a good place.”
