For a moment, he thought that she was talking about his private talk with Sully, then realized that she was referring to Sully's anger when he'd arrived.
"Didn't I? I married his sister on a drunken dare and didn't even ask him for his blessing. I deserve a whole hell of a lot more than that."
"He's not my keeper—or my father. It's not like you have to ask him for permission. Besides, it will be as if it never happened. No harm, no foul."
Ethan grasped her shoulders and turned her to face him. "That's where you're wrong, Isabel. It will never be as if it never happened. You know that as well as I do." When his eyes moved to her lips, she pulled away.
"What do you want from me?"
He wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to tell her what he'd discovered that morning, when he’d woken up next to her after Elvis had pronounced them husband and wife. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, and that he wanted her to love him, too. But he couldn't. Not now. Not until he figured out if he could give her the life she deserved.
Zach stuck his head out the door. He glanced quickly between the two of them, clearly feeling the tension rolling off them in waves. "Uh, sorry to interrupt, but Sully says it's time."
With a curt nod, Isabel brushed by Ethan, almost shoulder-checking him. He fought the grin that threatened to emerge. She was a feisty thing. He knew that she was fighting this attraction that they had for each other.
But in the end, if he decided he could make her happy, he'd be patient, wearing her down until she finally gave in to the passion that existed between them.
* * * *
"I spoke with Chief Robertson, Las Vegas PD, late last night," Zach began as they all settled around the enormous table in the dining room of the spacious four-bedroom suite. Sully had secured the suite along with an adjoining room. Sully, Ethan, Isabel, and Zach were bunking in the suite, while Lucas and Gabriel had taken the adjoining room.
It was clear to Isabel that Sully's intention was to keep an eye on her and Ethan. They would have to be careful living in such close proximity to him, or their secret would be revealed. She didn't really want to be around if that happened.
"What did he say?" Ethan asked.
"He's had suspicions that someone was working both sides, but he wasn't sure until now. He'd eventually like you and Isabel to come down and give a statement, but for now, he wants us to lie low. The FBI are involved now, too, and the plan is to bring down the entire ring, not just Bruno and Tobias."
"Tobias has enough money to keep himself clearly in the realm of reasonable doubt," Lucas said, as he tilted his chair back and tapped his pen on the table.
"Maybe," Zach replied. "But with the evidence we're going to get on him, it will take more than money to get him off scot-free."
"Do you think The General is tied to this somehow?" Sully asked.
Zach typed on his computer, then looked up. "Yes. Always. He's the puppet master pulling the strings of his marionettes. We're all just pawns in this game of his. I'm just not sure what his desired end result is, though."
"So what's the next step? Sully, you said you had news. What's the game plan?" Isabel asked. The sooner they took down Bruno and his thugs, the sooner they'd all be safe.
Sully sat forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the table. He had on his serious face. That didn't bode well for whatever news he was about to share.
"You know that Tobias Winters wants to talk," he said.
"You told us that. But what do you think he wants to talk about? And where is this thing going down?" Isabel asked.
"I'm not sure. He said he had information we might want."
"And you believe him?" Ethan asked.
"I believe he has information. I'm not certain he'll actually hand it over, or what he’ll want in return for giving it to us. As you know, he'll only talk to Isabel."
"No!" Ethan shouted, slamming his fists down on the table and pushing his chair out to stand up. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Absolutely not."
"I'll do it," Isabel said, ignoring him. Ethan wasn't her boss. He wasn't even her real husband. He didn't get to call the shots here.
"Izz, please. You don't have to—"
"Sully, I'll be wired, right? And you guys will be close by? So, I'll be safe."
"You can't possibly be thinking of sending her in to meet with that pervert alone. You know what he's been accused of. Why would you put her at risk like that?" Ethan protested, his face mottled with rage.
"She's my sister, Ethan. My own flesh and blood. If I thought for one moment that she'd be in real danger, you know I wouldn't send her in. But we'll all be there."
Isabel knew there were some allegations of sexual assault and even rape against Tobias Winters. But the way Ethan spoke, it seemed like there was more to the story.
"What do I not know?"
"Tobias Winters has been accused of sexual assault, rape, and physical abuse," Sully said. Though the words were spoken without feeling or emotion, Isabel could tell it was an act. Sully didn't like this any more than she or Ethan did.
"I knew that."
"The abuse was bad. He almost killed a woman. Violent, brutal rape. He's a monster," he answered quietly.
Isabel shuddered at the thought of the two women he'd procured from last night's encounter.
"What about the girls at the warehouse? Has the FBI rescued them yet? I haven't heard any updates."
"They're scouting the place out, keeping an eye on it. They can't go in yet," Zach said.
"Why? Those women—"
"If the FBI raids the place now, then whoever is behind this will know that they're on to them. They'll go underground," Sully responded.
"Yes, but what will happen to the women?" The men exchanged looks with each other.
"Oh," she said quietly.
The women who'd been taken from their families would be sacrificed in order to catch the big fish. Sometimes Isabel hated the system. She understood their reasoning, but she hated it.
"I'll meet with him. Where and when?"
Sully looked at her, his eyes asking what he wouldn't say aloud in front of the team. Are you sure about this? She knew what was on his mind. That day, so many years ago, when he'd come to her rescue. Sully despised the thought of putting her into a situation that made her vulnerable.
"Tonight. The Joker's Wild restaurant. Winters owns it. It's an outdoor venue. Plenty of exits and entrances. We'll have eyes on you at all times."
She nodded.
"I've already pulled schematics of the restaurant. We'll have you covered, Izz," Zach said, not taking his eyes off his laptop.
"Anything else I need to know?" she asked, with more bravado than she felt.
"That's all."
"Good. Then I need to get ready for tonight."
Isabel stood and pushed away from the table. She was having a difficult time controlling the tremble in her hands. She walked briskly to her room. Just as she reached the door, a warm hand touched her arm.
"Izz—" Ethan's warm voice was a balm to her soul. Slowly, she turned around but didn't meet his eyes. His hand touched her chin, lifting her face to look at him. Concern crinkled the corners of his eyes.
"I'm fine," she said, more to reassure herself than him.
"I know."
"I really am," she protested.
"Who are you trying to convince?" His voice was soft, and his eyes were sincere. A smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. What she wouldn't give to be able to kiss him right now.
As if he’d read her thoughts, he pushed her inside her room, firmly closing the door behind them. Turning her around, he pushed her back against the door, his mouth crushing hers with an intensity that she'd never before felt from him. He kissed her as if she were the air he needed to breathe.
When he lifted his head, she smiled.
"Don't do this. Stay safe with me." His hand lifted to brush his knuckles lightly against her cheek.
"Marriage has made you soft,
Mr. Brooks." Her smile was playful, but it fell as quickly as it had come. "I have to. Those women—those girls—they're counting on us. Our families are counting on us. I have to go."
Ethan nodded, letting her hands fall to her sides. "I know. You wouldn't be you if you walked away from this. But I had to try." She moved aside, and he opened the door, closing it gently behind him.
Isabel walked to the bed, sighing as she relaxed onto it. Closing her eyes, she thought back to that day. The day that had changed everything.
He was here. Again.
She didn't understand why her mother continued to see him. He was younger than her mother by at least ten years. But she was beautiful. Her big blue eyes and long golden hair made her look more like an angel than a mere mortal. She also didn't look her age.
At thirty-seven, she wasn't as old as other people's mothers, and with her ethereal beauty, she'd catch the eye of men much younger than she was. He was one of them.
Isabel couldn't see the allure. The man that had been visiting her mom for the last few weeks was slimy. His black hair was slicked back, revealing a mouse-like nose and mouth. His dark-as-coal eyes were small and beady, and he wore gold chains around his neck, reminding her of the Mafia gangsters she'd seen in movies. She much preferred her brother's good looks. His sandy blond hair and blue eyes made him look like the so-called boy next door. This man, though—he looked dangerous.
She wished they had a TV. It would help drown out the noises coming from her mother's room. Isabel was old enough to know what they were doing, but she couldn't understand why anyone would want to do that. Boys were gross. Her friend Tommy had convinced her to let him kiss her last week. She was twelve, after all. His lips had been wet and slobbery, and she'd almost gagged when he’d stuck his tongue in her mouth. It had taken all her self-control not to wipe her face off afterwards, but she hadn't wanted to be rude. So she'd gone home, washing off the dried spit as quickly as she could. She didn't think she'd be kissing anyone again anytime soon.
The door to her mother's bedroom opened, and Isabel went back to reading her magazine. It was the same one she'd been reading for months—the one Sully had brought to her when he'd visited. She didn't know how he'd gotten the money to buy it for her. She’d missed him since he'd moved out. She wished he'd visit more. But he came back to visit as much as he could.
Her mother bent down and placed a kiss on her head.
"I'll be back soon, Izz. Gotta go to work."
Isabel lifted her head to find the man's eyes boring into her. This was why she didn't like him. He looked at her funny.
"I'll be home late," her mom said, then left with the man, pulling the door closed and locking it.
Isabel went back to reading her magazine. She loved all the pretty clothes the women were wearing. All of her outfits came from the thrift store or were hand-me-downs from older girls in the neighborhood. Everything she owned was secondhand, and nothing was in style. She was constantly teased at school for what she wore, but new clothes were a luxury they couldn't afford.
Her mother worked two jobs to make ends meet. The only fun she seemed to have was with the men she brought home every now and then. Isabel hated that she did that, and sometimes she wondered if the rumors were true. That her mom did things with these men in exchange for money. She hoped not. But she dared not ask.
The lock on the door clicked, and Isabel sat up. Her mom must have forgotten something. But it wasn't her mother who came through the door. It was that man.
Isabel instinctually stood, backing up towards her room. The man approached her, stalking her like a predator stalking its prey.
"I've been waiting for a time I could get you alone, Isabel," he said, his thick Mexican accent making her name sound like Eesabel.
"You need to leave. My mom's not here."
Isabel continued to back towards her room. If she could just get inside, then she could lock the door and climb down the fire escape to get away.
"I know she's not. I thought we could have a little fun while she's away." The man's strides lengthened as he continued to pursue her. She was almost there. Almost to her room. Her hand landed on her doorknob, and, without turning her back to the man, she twisted the knob.
He lunged at her, knocking her back inside her dark room. She tripped over her feet, landing hard on her butt. Scrambling backward, she tried to get to her feet to make it to the window, but the man was too fast.
"I see you're going to make this harder than it needs to be."
He lifted her to her feet, crushing her to him.
"That's ok. I like a girl with a little fight to her."
He brushed his hand over her face. She turned away from him, her heartbeat speeding up as fear raced through her veins.
"Leave me alone," she whispered. She was so scared that she could barely talk.
"I don't think so."
Remembering the self-defense moves her brother had taught her, Isabel stomped on his instep, then jerked her knee up into his groin. She missed, though, and her knee just grazed the inside of his thigh.
"You little bitch," he snarled, drawing his hand back and slapping her hard across the face. Her head whipped back, and Isabel saw stars. The taste of blood filled her mouth.
Shock made her unable to move. No one had ever hit her before.
The man picked her up and threw her on the bed, face down. Isabel scrambled to get away, trying with all her might to fight him off. It was no use. He was too big. Too strong. His hand pushed her head into the mattress, and she couldn't breathe. Panic overtook her as she cried and struggled to free herself from his hold.
She heard him remove his pants, hearing the slide of his belt as he took it off. She couldn't see anything. Could only hear. His hands pulled at her shorts, and she tried desperately to get away.
Isabel felt a cool breeze hit her bare bottom and then heard his groan. "So young. So pretty," he murmured to himself.
Isabel felt the sharp sting of the belt as it hit her behind. She cried out. He hit her again and again, turning her cries into screams. She was helpless. All alone. Left here to endure whatever torture this man had in store for her.
"This is what happens to naughty girls," he said as he hit her repeatedly. She lost all sense of time, lost in the desperation of her situation. There was no one here to help her. She was all alone.
He angled her body up, and she heard him push his pants all the way down. She was done. Alone. Hopeless. Spent from crying and screaming.
Shutting off the world she was in, she took herself to a safe place. A place with warm beaches and beautiful palm trees. It was just her and her mom and her brother. They were laughing as they walked along the beach, splashing in the ocean.
Suddenly, a loud crash sounded behind her, and she was released. Pulling herself from the dream world, she scrambled to pull her shorts back on. When she turned, she saw someone on top of the man. The large, looming figure rained his fists down on the man's face. Blood was everywhere. Squinting in the darkness, she finally made out Sully's profile. He was going to kill the man.
"S-S-Sully?" she tried to call out to him.
He just kept beating the man, as if in a trance. Fists pummeled the guy's face, which she could no longer recognize. His face was a bloody mess.
"Sully!" she cried out.
If Sully killed him, he'd go to jail. They'd take him away from her. She couldn't let that happen.
Isabel jumped off the bed, pulling on Sully's arms as she screamed his name. Finally, recognition dawned, and Sully looked her in the eyes.
"Izz?" he asked.
She nodded, running her hands over his face. "I'm here. I'm ok."
He crushed her against his chest, hugging her so tightly that she thought he was going to break her in half.
"Isabel. I saw him—what he was about to do to you. What would have happened if I hadn't gotten to you in time? I’m so sorry."
"Shh," she said. "It's not your fault. I’m ok. I am."
"I need to get you to the hospital."
Fear, sharp and intense, clawed at her. "No!" Isabel pulled free of his embrace, putting distance between them. "No. I won't go."
"You need to. Did he—? Before I got here—did he?"
She shook her head. She'd tuned out after he'd beaten her. Her bottom and the backs of her thighs hurt so badly, she knew she wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week. But he hadn't raped her. He hadn't, because her brother—her hero—had rescued her.
Isabel looked down at the man, lying in a pool of his own blood. She could see the rapid rise and fall of his chest, although he wasn't conscious. Fury at what he had done to her kept her from feeling any sympathy for him. She wished he were dead. But she didn't want Sully to go to jail.
Sully caught the direction of her gaze. "You don't need to look at him. He won't hurt you ever again," he said, taking her hand and pulling her up to stand next to him. With one arm wrapped around her shoulders, he led her out of the apartment. "You'll come live with me. I won't allow you to be hurt again."
Isabel walked out of her home for the last time. She didn't look back. And she didn't return until a week later, when her mother was found dead. A bullet in her head.
The memories of that time left Isabel cold, her heart beating out of her chest. That man had come back and killed her mother in retaliation for what Sully had done to him. Sully had been shipped off to the Marines shortly after that, and she'd gone to live with a family in D.C. A respectable family who'd given her a stellar education. While her brother had fought terrorists across the globe, she'd been polished and buffed into the epitome of polite society.
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, her foster parents, had been nice. Not warm or affectionate, but they'd provided her with food, clothing, and an education that most people would covet. She was grateful to them, although they weren't close. Isabel reached out every couple of months by phone and had a polite conversation with them. She'd always be grateful to them.
A knock sounded at her door.
"Yes? Come in," she said.
The door opened, and Sully stuck his head in. "You ok?"
"Just peachy," she replied, with a fake grin plastered to her face. Sully pushed inside the room, shutting the door behind him. He was so big that he took up all the vacant space. She knew it was killing him that he couldn't keep her from this.
Castle Investigations Box Set Page 61
