Page 45 of Unraveling an Enigma
Hugo grins. “I'd say that's for you,” he says as his baby blues gaze into my eyes.
When Hugo plunges his hand into his pocket, Brandon redraws his gun.
Hugo cocks his head as his top lip twitches into a snarl. “Easy there, Blondie,” he says dramatically. “If you keep drawing your gun on me, I’ll be forced to retaliate.”
Snubbing the fact he has a gun pointed at him, Hugo digs his hand into the front pocket of his jeans. My brows scrunch and my eyes dart to Brandon when Hugo pulls out an ancient-looking cell phone. Grinning, Hugo flips open the screen and hands the phone to me.
My teeth menace my bottom lip as my nervous eyes shift between Brandon and Hugo. After accepting the cell phone, I note the screen displays an unknown number calling before raising the phone to my ear.
My knees weaken when the seductive purr of Isaac’s voice sounds down the phone. “You drew your gun on one of my staff members?”
My throat becomes hoarse. “Yes.” My voice shakes since my nerves are rattled beyond comprehension. In my defense, adrenaline is surging through my body so hard and fast, I’m not thinking rationally.
Isaac remains quiet, but I can hear the tick of his jaw trickling down the phone. My gaze stays planted on the asphalt. I don’t need to look up to know Hugo and Brandon are watching me. Their heated gaze is all the indication I need.
After a short period of silence, Isaac speaks, “You had a tail following you.”
Rolling my eyes, I reply, “I know, hence the drawing of my gun.” My voice is thickly laced with sarcasm.
“It wasn’t Hugo, Isabelle,” Isaac snaps. “It was a white Range Rover that’s been following you for the past week,” he informs me. Although his tone is stern, I can hear the concern in his rough voice.
“What?” I say breathlessly as my heart rate climbs.
“Hugo ran a decoy to get them off your tail,” Isaac explains.
I tense as my spare hand clutches my neck. My pulse is racing so fast, I’m afraid I might burst an artery. I was so concerned about the dark blue sedan, I didn’t check the rest of my surroundings for any other potential threats.
Cringing with embarrassment, I mumble, “I have a lady from the Internal Affairs Department investigating me.”
“I know,” Isaac interrupts, his tone less harsh. “But the plates on the Range Rover aren’t government-issued. I have my security team looking into whom the car belongs to, but for the time being, Isabelle, Hugo will be your shadow.”
My heart plummets into my stomach. “Do you think it’s Col?”
“I don’t know,” he replies curtly. “But I’m not taking any chances. I promised I'd protect you, and that's what I'm going to do.”
Even though Isaac can’t see me, I nod. Isaac isn’t the cold-hearted, ruthless man everyone makes him out to be. He told me he would keep me safe, and I trust he will follow through with his promise, even if he can’t stand the sight of me.
“For once, please do as you are told, Isabelle, and don’t let Hugo out of your sight,” Isaac requests before disconnecting the call. Although his voice is clipped and abrupt, his request still comes out more like a plea than a demand.
In a blur of confusion and a slight haze of lust, I flick the screen down on the cell phone and attempt to hand it back to Hugo. Hugo shakes his head while gathering his possessions from inside his car.
My brain is so fried, I can’t get any words to form in my mind, let alone spill from my lips. Brandon seems just as perplexed as me. His face is stained with uncertainty, and his anxious eyes are flicking between Hugo and me. The only one who doesn’t look like a stunned mullet is Hugo. He is grinning while waggling his eyebrows.
Without seeking permission, Hugo exits his vehicle and cockily strides to Brandon’s car before sliding into the driver’s seat. His hands dart down to the mechanism on the seat so he can push it back as far as it can go, ensuring his large build can fit comfortably.
Brandon and I stand across from each other in a shroud of silence for several uncomfortable minutes.
“I’m sorry, Brandon,” I apologize quietly. “I understand if you want to turn around and go back to Ravenshoe.”
My suggestion is met with awkward silence.
“I know this is hard for you to understand, but Isaac is trying to protect me.”
“From what?” Brandon queries. “Himself?” His tone is snapped and concise, but the genuine concern in his eyes relay his real anxiety.
“Six weeks ago, I was threatened by Col Petretti,” I reveal.
Brandon’s brows tack as his eyes shift between mine. “Isaac said a tail has been following me for the past week.”
