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That was what he was going to do. With that in mind, Travis began to talk.
As he detailed some of what had brought him and Isabel together, what had ended them, and what had put Wilson Steele in prison, his mother, alone, didn’t look surprised.
––––––––
“Who I’m with doesn’tconcern you, Ellie,” Isabel said. “It’s my business.”
“Do you not remember how you were after he disappeared?” Ellison glared at her, disgust stamped on her face. “You were aghost. It was like you stopped living! And he justdisappeared, no explanation. And how the fuck did he even find you, anyway?”
“It wasn’t as simple as him justdisappearing,” Isabel bit off. Anger surged up inside and she didn’t try to fight it. But it wasn’t directed at Travis, or at herself, as it so often was. Even though sheknewshe hadn’t been to blame, that lingering guilt had haunted her forsolong, so,solong, until it had almost poisoned her. “Dad had shoved his meaty paws in there, too. For the record, there are things you don’t know about me and him—like how Dad knew about me and Travis, knewallabout us, knew we were planning on taking off and getting married, all of it. That was why he was so set on getting me hooked up with one of his cronies. And I wouldn’t take the bait, so he just turnedmeinto bait.”
“What are you saying, Izzie?” Mari asked softly. There was a tremor to her words.
But when Isabel looked at Mari, the baby, the one both she and Ellison had tried so hard to protect, she saw a quiet determination. Taking Mari’s hand in hers, she used her free one to brush Mari’s hair back. The dark, heavy curls fell right back into Mari’s face.
“That’s why he set me up with Stephen Beresford, Mari. Even knowing ... ” Isabel swallowed, because it was still hard to accept it, even after all this time. “Even knowing what Stephen would do, Dad didn’t care. He was fuckingokaywith it because he was convinced Stephen wouldget me in line.”
Mari closed her eyes, her hand spasming on Isabel’s.
“Are youserious?” Ellison demanded.
She looked at her other sister. “Can you really be surprised?”
Ellison spun away, shoving her hands into her hair and jerking at the choppy strands. Harsh bursts of hair escaped her, followed by a sharp, strangled scream.
“That’s enough.”
All three women jumped.
Ellison jerked her head up to gape at the tall man who’d come to a stop in front of her.
Isabel started to ask Rye to give them a few minutes, but Ellison slammed her hands into his chest. “Excuse me, but this is none of your fucking business.”
“No, ma’am, it’s not,” he said agreeably. “Although I’d point out that your sister is a grown woman and her relationships are none of your fucking business ... pardon my language, ma’am. However, one thing that is my business is the safety and security of everybody in this house. That includes those kids. You’re two steps away from flipping your top, which will upset them. Now, Ms. Jensen.” He gave her an imminently reasonable smile as he addressed her by her altered name. “Can you really tell me those kids will feel safe and secure if you’re down here screaming and shouting? Will that make my job easier? Will I be able to keep everybody calm and maintain control should our target call in the next five minutes if you’re screaming and shouting?”
Isabel rolled her lips inward against the instinctive urge to laugh when all that escaped Ellison was a snarl that didn’t even sound human.
She curled her hands into claws as if she’d like to attack Rye’s pretty face with them. Then she whirled back to Isabel and snapped, “We’re not done talking about this.”
“We can discuss it all you want ... once everything is settled. But my relationship with Travis is none of your business. And youwillbe polite to him.”
Ellison had been about to storm out of the room, but now she spun back to Isabel.
“He’s cominghere?”
“He lives next door,” Isabel responded.
Ellison opened her mouth again.
Rye cleared his throat.
She hissed at him and stormed out of the room.
Isabel closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. A headache had taken up residence there and she had a feeling it wouldn’t be going away any time soon. Aware both Rye and Mari were still watching her, she forced her hand down and looked up.
“You said you needed to speak with me?”
Trey and Ressa hadopted to stay behind in Santa Monica with the twins’ parents.
