Page 83 of Isabelle’s Forbidden Love

“Dad! Dad! Are you hit?”

Samson whipped his head in LaRuson’s direction, before he rolled off her, breathing hard.

Isabelle snapped her gaze to the same spot. All she saw was the gun lying on the floor, grey dust settling over it. She looked in the other direction and saw Orlando rushing to her, a gun in one hand, the other one stretched out to her to offer his help.

She took his hand and got up, then turned back to her father who had jumped up too. “Dad, LaRuson was going to shoot you.”

Samson nodded, his face a picture of shock. He made a few steps toward Orlando. “That’s the second time now that I owe you my life.” With a look at Isabelle, he added, “And that of my daughter.”

Orlando nodded. “You don’t owe me anything.”

Isabelle caught him glance at her, before he added, “He didn’t deserve a quick death. I wish he would have suffered longer for what he did. But there was no other way…” He shrugged. “I’m ready for the cell now.”

Isabelle stared at Orlando, then at Samson. “You can’t possibly still want to hand Orlando over to the council!”

“That’s the deal I made with your father,” Orlando said. “He allowed me to take part in your rescue, if I made no attempt to flee.”

“But that’s not right!” Isabelle raised her voice, and she could now hear some of the other Scanguards staff approaching. She turned to her father. “Dad, Orlando doesn’t deserve this. He didn’t kill his mate’s family. Margarite killed them all.”

Orlando gasped. “How do you—”

“Is that true?” Samson asked.

“LaRuson was bragging about it. He said he was so proud of Margarite that she killed her family so they could be free.” Isabelle shook her head, and looked straight at Orlando. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you make me believe that you killed them all?”

Orlando sighed. “And drag her name through the mud?” He paused. “I promised to always protect her. Her death didn’t change that.”

“Are you saying you didn’t kill your mate?” Samson asked, stepping closer.

“No. I killed her. Nothing changes that.” Orlando offered his gun to Samson. “It’s the worst crime a vampire can commit. And I’m ready for my punishment.”

Isabelle stared at him in shock. “You’re not even gonna fight this? You said you had to kill her. Everybody heard it over the comms. The circumstances—”

“There’s no excuse for what I did,” Orlando said, avoiding eye contact.

“If that’s what you want,” Samson said, nodding slowly. “Let’s get back to HQ.”

Speechless, Isabelle stared at Orlando, but he didn’t look at her. Instead, he turned away. He was still hiding something from her. Only minutes earlier, he’d saved her life without regard for his own. He’d professed his love to her, yet, now he practically demanded from Samson to deliver him to the council so he could be sentenced.

Isabelle watched as her father motioned to Amaury and Haven to lead Orlando away, while the others got busy with removing any weapons or other evidence of what had happened here.

“But, Dad,” she said once Orlando was out of earshot. “You can’t just lock him up. Not after what he just did.”

Samson gave her a sad smile. “You heard Orlando. It’s what he wants. I wish he would give me a reason not to deliver him to the council.”

Thomas approached and pulled Samson away, when Isabelle saw Patrick approach, and walked toward him.

He smiled at her, and she put her arms around her brother. “You were so brave, little brother. If it weren’t for you tossing in the bolt cutter, Orlando would be dead now.” At the words, her voice cracked, and a sob tore from her throat. The thought of what could have almost happened still sent her reeling.

Patrick squeezed her tighter. “Still love him, don’t you?” he whispered so quietly that only she could hear it.

There was no use denying it. “Yes.”

“Then you have to fight for him. We all heard it through the comms: he said he had to kill his wife. I bet there’s a story to it. Find the reason why.” He pointed to where LaRuson had died. “Shame we couldn’t question him before he died. Guess he took his secrets to his grave. Apart from Orlando, he was probably the only one who knew what really went down back then.”

Abruptly, Isabelle stepped out of her brother’s embrace. “That’s it.”

“What?”