Page 76 of Isabelle’s Forbidden Love

Just like Bonnie and Clyde, Isabelle thought, but didn’t say it. She didn’t want to be at the receiving end of one of his vicious blows again, because she needed to keep her strength. Whatever he was planning to do to her would no doubt start soon. And she was certain that it would be painful—even for a vampire hybrid who could tolerate as much pain as a pureblooded vampire.

“And Orlando destroyed it all! He took her from me! Now he’s gotta pay for it,” Nelson thundered.

“You want revenge. I get it. I would too. But why wait over forty years? I don’t get that. If you knew it was him, why not take him out back then?”

“I would have, but the bastard disappeared without a trace. I searched for him. But he never surfaced. I don’t know how he stayed hidden for so long. It was driving me crazy. But then, finally, he showed up here, in San Francisco. I was ready to take him down. But then I realized something. Orlando had nothing to lose. No family. No friends. No woman. Not even a job. I couldn’t kill a man who had nothing to lose. It wouldn’t mean anything.” He looked at her as if he was looking for confirmation. “So I waited, and I waited some more. Until finally, he started to become a real man again, a man who was attached to things and people. A man who’d built something for himself, no matter how small or insignificant it was. I saw how he held on to Scanguards as if it was a lifeline. I saw it then. Scanguards was his new family. Finally, he had something to lose.”

Nelson chuckled to himself, shaking his head. “And then, when you took the letter from Hong’s kitchen to protect Orlando, I suddenly knew that Scanguards wasn’t the only thing he had to lose. I realized that you and he were lovers. I have no idea how I didn’t see that earlier. I guess you two were good at hiding it from everybody.”

Isabelle refrained from telling him that they’d only become lovers the night she’d started the investigation into Hong’s murder. For some reason, she felt the need to protect the memories of her relationship with Orlando. It was something that was only for her to know, to cherish even. Nobody could take that away from her, no matter what had happened since, and what would happen now.

“But enough of the talking,” Nelson said. “We’ve got things to set up.”

He turned away from her, and she noticed that he walked to a large bag in a corner. He took several items out of it and set them on the ground. Then he turned around so she could see what he was doing. He started assembling a tripod. Isabelle knew instantly what he was going to do.

“You’re going to film me?”

He looked over his shoulder, grinning. “Of course! What would be the point of inflicting pain without letting Orlando know what I’m doing to his lover?”

“If you hurt me, he’ll never let you live. He’ll hunt you to the end of the world.”

Nelson turned around fully, lashing a glare at her. “You think I’m afraid to die? Don’t you get it? I have nothing left to live for. When he took Margarite from me, he took everything from me. I only live to avenge Margarite. I want him to feel the same pain I am going through every day. And then, I’ll kill him.”

Isabelle felt an icy shudder run down her spine. Nelson was insane.

41

Orlando was in pain, both physically and emotionally. They’d tossed him into a Scanguards black-out van, and the whole contingent of Scanguards returned to HQ. In the garage, the van stopped in front of the elevators. The back doors of the black-out van opened, and Samson, who’d ridden in the second van, yanked him out, making him almost trip over his own feet. Orlando’s hands were still restrained with silver cuffs behind his back, and the metal burned into his flesh. But he didn’t care about that right now. All he cared about was to save Isabelle from the clutches of LaRuson.

At the elevators, several other vampires and hybrids were waiting.

“Toss him in one of the cells,” Samson ordered Patrick and Ethan and shoved Orlando in their direction.

“No!” Orlando protested. “You can’t just lock me up when we have to save Isabelle!”

Samson whirled around to him, thrusting his finger into Orlando’s chest. “She’s in danger because of you!” His words sounded like the growl of a dangerous animal. “You’re lucky I haven’t staked you yet.”

“I don’t care if you stake me, as long as you do it after we’ve saved Isabelle!” Orlando glared at his boss.

“You won’t be part of that!” Samson looked past him to Ethan and Patrick. “Take him to the fucking cells.”

Before the two vampire hybrids could grab him, Orlando jerked forward and headbutted Samson, the surprise attack making him stumble backwards. Instantly, Amaury and Gabriel came to aid their boss and grabbed Orlando’s arms. Despite being handcuffed, Orlando fought against them.

“You can’t stop me! Damn it! I have to help find Isabelle. Don’t you get that? I can’t bear the thought of that bastard hurting her.” He shot an imploring look at Samson. “Uncuff me. I promise I won’t try to flee. All I want is to save Isabelle. What you do to me once she’s safe, I don’t care. I won’t even fight you if you want to stake me yourself. Damn it, Samson. I love your daughter. And I owe her this. I promised to keep her safe. LaRuson wants me.”

The chiming of a cell phone suddenly echoed in the garage. He glanced to where the sound came from, and saw Haven look at a phone.

“It’s Orlando’s burner.”

“Isabelle?” Orlando’s heart skipped a beat.

Haven looked at him. “Don’t think so. Looks like a link.”

“There’s only a handful of people who have this number,” Orlando said. “Open it. 4-6-3-4-8-8.”

Haven punched in the passcode. A moment later, he lifted his head and looked first at Orlando then at Samson. “It looks like a live feed.” He turned the display around and stepped closer so everybody could see the video playing on the small screen.

Isabelle was shackled to a stone or brick wall. She looked straight into the camera. There was blood on her face, and she had bruises. The bastard had already started hurting her.