Page 44 of Come Alive
“I’m fine,” she murmured. James watched her lips move around the words “for now.”
Steve huffed and gesticulated, drawing James’s attention, and a moment later, the glass wall disappeared again, along with the sight of the body. Two of Steve’s men stepped forward, manhandling Isobella, and again, James attempted to break free of his hold, but just as before, it was pointless.
I’m useless.
“Since you’re a coward, I’ll just rip the bandage off. Your mom’s dead, she was just shot because you chose your dad over her. Now, time to say goodbye to your dad and Yara. This will be the last time you see them both alive.” There wasn’t anyinflection in Stephen’s tone. He could have been discussing the weather for how he sounded.
James watched as his daughter fell in on herself, as she screwed her eyes shut. He wanted more than anything to go to her. To comfort her. To wrap her up in his arms.
What can I do?
“I’m sorry!” Yara screamed. “I’m so sorry, Izzy. I love you!”
Her terror, her agony, her sadness.
They broke James’s heart.
This was it, his last chance. James kicked out his foot, landing against one of his captor’s shins, but then the other punched him in the gut, causing him to double over.
James grunted in pain at the impact.
“I will see you again, we both will. I love you, I never stopped looking for you,” James grunted the words out. He needed to reassure her. To convince himself.
Surely, they wouldn’t be reunited like this just to never see each other again.
It would be too cruel.
“I love you too.” Isobella held his eyes as the words left her lips.
“Oh, shut the fuck up!” Steve’s voice turned sour, and James attempted to lunge one last time as he swung the gun.
But he could do nothing as it landed on the back of Isobella’s head, knocking her out instantly.
“Take her to Christian.”
James was forced to watch in horror as two men dragged Izzy unceremoniously from the room.
My daughter. Why is this happening? Where are they taking her?
He turned his questions to the only one who could answer them. “Why?” he asked. “Why am I here? Why are they? Aren’tyou Isobella’s stepdad? Why did you come looking for me?” None of it made any fucking sense.
Steve gestured for the men holding James to let go of him. Still, he didn’t move, acutely aware that going after Steve would do nothing.
“You know me as Steve. But my daughter knows me as Stephen.”
“Isobella knows you as Stephen?”
“No.” Steve shook his head, baring his teeth in a terrifying smile. He spun, marching to Yara. She sunk further in on herself as he approached, and James couldn’t stop himself this time. He was surprised when the men didn’t hold him back as he got between Steve and Yara. Wrapping his body in front of her, physically shielding her from this man as best he could.
Steve simply laughed. “This is my daughter. My actual blood child. My precious doll.”
Doll.
The memory slapped James in the face, the way Yara had shut down when he called her that. Realization struck through him in a blaze of pain.
James finally saw exactly what he had suspected since he met Steve.
Steve was not a person, he was not a human being. He was a sociopathic monster with no connection to empathy or other’s emotions. His eyes were empty and void, except for traces of excitement.
