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I nod in response. “So, your father and mine were rivals?”
“My father ran the Irish territory, but he was greedy and overstepped into your father’s territory. I blame him too, but I’ll never be able to forgive the man who ordered the hit that led to my brother’s death.”
It all makes perfect sense now. For fifteen years, this man has been thinking about nothing but getting revenge for the death of his brother—his twin. I can’t imagine what I’d want to do to anyone who took Nina from me, and we’re not twins.
“I’m so sorry, Isiah... Or is it Joe?”
He shakes his head. “No, I’ve gone by Isiah for the last fifteen years. It’s my name now.” His brow furrows. “You’re not the one who should be sorry. I targeted you, Bella.” There’s a haunted look in his eyes. “I intended to kill you and your family.”
The confession doesn’t surprise me. I’d felt it. Something was off with his motive to marry me from the start, but I can’t help but feel mixed emotions at him admitting he wanted to kill me. “And now?” I ask.
His eyes shoot from the ground to me. “And now there’s nothing in this world that could force me to hurt you. I’d kill to keep you safe, Bella.”
My stomach twists as he grabs my hand and yanks me against his side, kissing me softly. “I had to tell you here, because this is where my brother is buried.”
I pull back to look in his eyes. “I didn’t know there was a grave in Dumbarton Oaks Park.”
He shakes his head. “There isn’t.” A silence falls between us as he stares at the ground, transfixed to one spot. “That night, my father forced me to single-handedly dig Aiden’s grave and bury him right here under this oak tree.”
Pain claws at my chest as I wonder how his father could be that cruel. “That’s disgusting. Not that he’s buried here, but what your father made you do.”
He nods in response. “I wished every day that it had been him instead of Aiden.” His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows, and I’m surprised that he hasn’t shed a single tear telling me this story.
A flood of dread sweeps through me as I wonder if he still intends to hurt the rest of my family. I may be in the clear, but what about Mom, Luciana, Maria, Cain and Nina?
“What about my family?”
He looks me dead in the eye. “I’ll spare them all, except your father.”
I have no real love for my father, especially not after the way he handled things with Isiah, practically encouraging him to take advantage of me, however standing by while he’s murdered feels a little wrong. But then I think about the children he’s harmed.
“If it helps at all to come to peace with the idea, perhaps I can show you some of the evidence I have on him in relation to this pedophile ring.” His jaw works. “Turns out your father isn’t just a ringleader.”
My nostrils flare. “What do you mean?”
He shakes his head. “It’s probably best you don’t know.”
I grab his arm and squeeze. “I need to know.”
“The ring that he runs requires all members to partake.”
My stomach dips because I was worried he was going to say something like that. I feel numb as I stare at him. “Are you saying my dad is a pedophile?”
He nods. “We have evidence that he’s done terrible things to children, yes.”
“I think I’m going to throw up,” I say, clinging onto his arm as my head swims a little. My dad is a bad person that I’ve always known, but what Isiah is saying is beyond anything I’ve imagined. And it makes me wonder if my mom knows everything since she never goes to Insignia anymore.
“Do you understand why I can’t leave your father alone?” he asks.
I nod in response, certain that whatever happens to him, he deserves it ten times over. “Yes.”
The relief on his face speaks volumes. “Good, because I don’t know what would have happened if not.” His jaw works as he stares at the spot where I assume his brother is buried.
“What was he like?” I ask.
Isiah turns to me, the deepest sorrow I’ve ever seen burning in his eyes as he shakes his head. “He was my best friend and a far better person than I ever was, even before he died. Kind and loving and just everything I’m not.”
I grab his hand and squeeze. “Are you sure about that? As you say that you are falling for me, is that not true?”
