Page 30 of Enigma: The Final Chapter
My gaze lifts to the twinkling lights of Ravenshoe shining through the arched window in my room. My residence was built around that view. I wanted to see the world I planned to rule from the moment I woke up. It’s what urged me to fight harder to achieve the goals I set for myself.
Now, none of it matters.
The accomplishment I felt when I amassed my wealth doesn’t compare to what I feel when I have Isabelle in my arms.
I don’t know how many hours pass before Isabelle groggily lifts her head off my chest. Her eyes are cloudy, and her cheek is crinkled from where she was resting on my shirtless torso.
“Hey.” Her warm breath flutters my lips. “Did I fall asleep?”
I chuckle. “Yeah, only for a quick nap.”
She elbows me in the ribs before scooting up the bed, mimicking my position with her back braced on the headboard. “It’s a beautiful view.”
“It is.”But not as beautiful as you.
After admiring the view for a few more minutes, Isabelle’s eyes drift to me. An adorable smile stretches across her face, and a gleam is brightening her eyes. “If I recall correctly, I’m owed three questions in our game of twenty questions.”
My brow arches. “And how do you figure that?”
“Did you hurt yourself? Are you dizzy? And do you have a headache?” She ticks off the three questions on her fingers. “You asked three questions, which means I get to ask three questions.”
I shake my head before gesturing for her to go ahead. Nothing she could ask me would shock me more than she was when I asked her to marry me.
She swallows before her big brown eyes lift to mine. “Why did Ophelia watch the fight between you and her brother?”
Except that one.
I scrub at the scruff on my jaw while sucking in a big breath. I grew my beard with the intent of discovering if it added sexual stimulation for Isabelle and if I could smell her scent for hours later, but ever since I grew it, I haven’t tasted her against my mouth. I guess, like everything in life, sometimes the best-laid plans don’t always pan out the way you expect.
“Ophelia didn’t know I was fighting in the underground fight ring until the night I fought CJ.” I stare at nothing in particular. “It wasn’t until I arrived at the warehouse did she discover what I really did for a living.”
I turn to face Isabelle. Her chin is resting on her knees, peering up at me, waiting patiently for me to continue. Her face is void of the judgment I expect people to have whenever I imagine sharing my story.
“I was in the locker room warming up for the fight when she begged me not to do it. She said if I fought, I wouldn’t be the man she fell in love with.” I stop talking as the memories of that night filter through my brain. Even though it was six years ago, the images are still crystal clear in my mind. “That was the first time Ophelia told me she loved me.” I lift my gaze to Isabelle. “It was also the first time I said it back.”
Tears well in her eyes, but she smiles, encouraging me to continue.
“I adhered to her pleas, but only when we were leaving, and when we were stopped by Col, I discovered I wasn’t the only one harboring secrets. I didn’t know Ophelia was Col’s daughter until that night.” I drag my index finger down the crinkle in her nose. “But just like you, it wouldn’t have made any difference who her father was. You don’t choose who your family is.”
A smile tugs her lips higher as she nods.
“I either had to fight Col’s best fighter or give up Ophelia. I chose to fight. I only found out it was Ophelia’s brother once we walked between the bleachers.” I peer back out at the twinkling lights of Ravenshoe. “Just as I entered the ring, Ophelia dropped another bombshell.” I swallow harshly, my gaze facing forward. “Her period was over a week late. Suddenly, the stomach flu she’d been suffering the previous two weeks made sense. I think she thought her confession would have changed my mind about fighting. It did the opposite. It made me more determined to ensure she and my baby weren’t trapped in Col’s ruthless clutch any longer than they already had been.”
I suck in a deep breath that expands my chest. “I just never fathomed the last image I'd have of her was her tear-drenched face begging me to stop. If I’d known, I would have put more thought into my decisions that night.”
Chapter 13
Isabelle
My heart shatters into a million pieces from the devastation on Isaac’s face. When I asked my question, I truly didn’t know if he’d answer it. He hates talking about his past and anything associated with Ophelia, but I was inspired to push him to see if he’d open up to me. Even though his confession hurt to hear, it settled a lot of my confusion, and certain quirks he has now make sense. Like why he can’t stand seeing me cry, why he doesn’t tell me he loves me by using words, and why he guards his heart so fiercely.
Isaac stiffens when I crawl onto his lap, but I continue my pursuit. I cradle his hips with my knees and burrow my nose into the crook of his neck. Inhaling deeply, I fight the sob attempting to escape my quivering lips. Now is not the time for my tears to fall.
While pressing my lips to the throbbing vein in his neck, I tighten my arms around his shoulders. I mold my body as close to his as possible, making us become one. His heart pounds beneath my heaving chest, which is struggling to contain my emotions. As the first tear leaks from my eye, Isaac pulls me in close till not one ounce of air exists between us.
“I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“Don’t apologize, Isabelle. You have nothing to be sorry for.”
