“No, Isabelle.” His furious tone shouldn’t quicken my pulse, especially under the circumstances, but it does. “This is not up for discussion. You are not putting yourself directly in front of a man as vile as Kirill Bobrov.”
The panic in his eyes almost chokes me, but it doesn’t stop me from saying, “What if Katie was me? What if that’s how my life ended up if my uncle hadn’t bought me? Doesn’t she deserve to have someone more than Enrique on her side?”
That stops his feet, finally. “Enrique didn’t come here seeking Ravenshoe PD’s help, Isabelle.” He points down the hall we just walked as if Enrique’s dark gaze is one of the many we have locked on us. “He came here because he knew you wouldn’t be able to say no. That you’d sympathize with Katie because you forever wonder what your life would have become if Tobias hadn’t bought you. He wants to use you as a pawn, Isabelle. I’m not going to let him. You may have Popov blood in your veins, but you have my last name.”
“Don’t do that. Don’t treat me like a possession all the while acting like you’re stopping someone from doing the same thing. I know why Enrique is here, Isaac. I know why he broke his taillight at the time he did, but that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of doing my job.”
Tears glisten in my eyes when I switch tactics. “And don’t act like you weren’t also imagining Callie every time you looked at Katie’s photos. Her eyes may not be the color of mine, but they’re just as hollow and bleak as Callie’s where when she first arrived in Ravenshoe.”
“Isabelle…” The groan of my name was neither in anger or agreement. He’s pained, which, if I’m being honest, is more concerning. “He could hurt you.”
I shake my head without a second thought. “No. You wouldneverallow that to happen.”
“This isn’t my operation. This isn’t my crew.”
Isaac’s reply pops a brilliant idea into my head. “If it were, would you be open to the idea of me helping to unearth Kirill’s real residence?” When he peers at me with scrunched brows, I try to settle his confusion. “Although Kirill’s name is on the lease of his St. Peter’s property, no one has been seen entering or exiting the past week, raising suspicion that it isn’t his actual residence. He’s using it as a front to deceive law enforcement officials.”
Isaac makes a face like he understands exactly what I’m talking about. If he didn’t utilize his ‘fuck pad,’ I would have believed he had done the same thing to keep his private residence under wraps. Unfortunately, his apartment on Hyde was more than an elaborate ruse.
“If Kirill agrees to meet with me in a public location, I could place a wireless tracker on him.”
Isaac’s commanding stature says he isn’t pleased with my attempts to bargain with him, but he’s not totally opposed to the idea. “And that’s it? You’re done with this case?”
Now I’m the one pulling the faces. “I’d like to be there when they extract Katie—”
“No.” Isaac commences dragging me down the corridor. “You almost had me on my crew in my location, but I’m not willing to bend this far. I agreed for you to pursue your career because it was being done at Ravenshoe PD under Ryan’s watch. This extends past the parameter I cast for you.”
Anger works itself up from my gut to my mouth before it’s purged with snapped words. “The parameter you cast? I’m a detective, Isaac—”
“In a town I own! Nothing will happen to you here without me knowing about it first.”
I’d laugh if he weren’t serious. He truly thinks he’s one step ahead of everyone.
He probably is.
Desperate to help in some way, I give in to Isaac’s demeaning, dominating personality. “Fine.” My arm almost pops out of its socket when I remove it from Isaac’s rigid grip. “I won’t be a part of the sting if our ruse to unearth Kirill’s real location works.”
He looks smug. He shouldn’t. My agreement is going to cost him dearly.
“But…” I leave him hanging to build the suspense. “I want you to double your annual donation to Ravenshoe PD this year.”
“Done.”
“I’m not finished yet.” Although pleased by his generosity, I’m still irked by his earlier comment about having me contained in an Isaac-approved radius. “You need to cast your net further. Trust is about more than love, Isaac. It’s trusting me to take care of myself. Trusting I would never put you in the situation Ophelia did.” It’s low of me to bring Ophelia into our conversation, but I’m that desperate. “And trusting the intuition that’s defended you time and time again when things looked horrific is right again this time around.”
I step closer to him, craving his closeness while also wishing I could erase the worry I placed in his eyes. “I told you from the beginning Enrique wouldn’t intentionally hurt me. You didn’t believe me. Even now, while he’s risking his freedom for a woman he’s never met, you’re still looking at him like he’s the enemy.”
Anger works up from his stomach to his face. “Because he drugged and kidnapped you—”
“And kept Callie and Katarina safe until her sale could be processed.”
The furious tick impinging Isaac’s jaw exposes he isn’t happy I’m fighting back, in public of all places, but since I’m clothed, there’s not a damn thing he can do about it.
“I don’t negotiate when it comes to your safety,” he grinds out through clenched teeth.
“You don’t negotiate with members of your staff. Lucky for me, I’mnotone of them. I am your wife.” I wiggle my ring finger in the air, sending rainbow hues dancing across his rigidly stern face. “Which frees me to say I’m going to be a part of this operation no matter what. So either jump on board and direct this train in the right direction or watch from the sidelines and pray it doesn’t derail.”
With that, I pivot on my heels and stalk down the corridor.
