Page 7 of Wild Heart
So it’s fun she’s so desperate for, not to escape harm. She might not like the way her father keeps her guarded, but she’s not in danger.
The men approach and stop before us. My men form a circle behind. The dance floor has stopped moving and the entire club is staring, apart from a drunk group in the corner who keep on singing loudly and out of tune.
I don’t want to cause trouble for Axel, but damned if I’ll let her go if she doesn’t want to.
“Come with us, please.”
One of the men holds an arm out for Isabella.
She looks at me, and there’s a sadness in her eyes. “It was nice to meet you, Raiden. Or should I call you Prez?”
It’s my turn to be surprised. She knew who I was all along. She gives me a small smile, and for a moment the flirtatiousness is back.
Then she stands up straight, squares her shoulders, and looks the man dead in the eye.
“Let’s go,” she commands as if she’s running the show and not being dragged away by her father.
Her friends have come down from the VIP area, and they trail behind hanging their heads and looking like they’re about to burst into tears. There’ll be a few sets of angry parents tonight when they find out where their daughters have been.
My men look to me, and I shake my head. I won’t cause a scene, and I won’t risk them because a pretty girl wants to have some fun. But it still doesn’t sit easy with me.
There’s a bar next to the dance floor, and I scribble my number on a coaster.
I catch up with Isabella as she’s shrugging into her coat in the foyer.
Axel has come down from whatever tower he was hiding in and he speaks to the men quietly, no doubt pleading his case to Carlo.
While the men are distracted, I slip Isabella the coaster. It’s got a picture of a palm tree and a cold beer on it even though this club is in the mountains.
“You ever need any help, anything at all, you call me.”
She nods once, and our eyes lock. A spark jumps between us that’s so strong I think my heart might combust.
“Thank you,” she whispers and pockets the coaster just as the men turn around.
I back away quickly, not wanting to get her in any more trouble. Isabella straightens up and doesn’t even give me abackward glance as she struts off, her friends tottering behind her and the men jogging to catch up with her long confident strides.
I stand motionless for a long time after they’ve left, breathing in the scent of gardenias that lingers in the air.
4
ISABELLA
Two Years Later…
Low moans come from behind the mahogany doors. I glance at the man standing to attention beside the door.
“How long has he been like this?”
The man keeps his gaze straight ahead. “Since before lunch.”
“Figlio de puttana …”
The man doesn’t even flinch at my cuss words. It’s one of my favorite things, swearing in Italian. Papa’s always trying to get me to speak it more, and it’s one of my little rebellions against him. I only ever speak Italian when I’m swearing.
But today is not the day to be at war with my father.
I turn the handle and step into the room. Despite the sunny day, it’s dark and cool inside. The only light comes from a sliver of sunlight pushing between a crack in the thick curtains.
