Watching Isabella attend a party on a yacht, she’s so fucking good at the act as socialite, she has everyone believing it.
Through my night vision binoculars, I follow Isabella as she moves between the other attendees. She smiles at something a woman is saying to her, and then she nods.
Isabella and the other woman walk to where a group is already dancing and join them.
“Have a drink,” Demitri says.
Setting the binoculars down on the table, I take the tumbler from him. After taking a sip, I ask, “How’s Ariana doing?”
Demitri checks in with her every couple of hours.
“Good,” he replies, a grin tugging at his mouth. “She misses me.”
I let out a chuckle. “Probably not half as much as you miss her.” My friend fell fucking hard for Ariana.
Demitri glances out over the water. “I need to get Ariana a new car.”
“What are you looking at?”
He shrugs. “Probably a Mercedes or Audi.”
I take another sip of vodka, then say, “We should build another house on the property so you and Ariana can have privacy. Either that or you should find your own place.”
Right now, Demitri and Ariana live with me in the mansion I have in LA. Demitri’s stubborn as fuck, though. I know he won’t move into his own house. The fucker thinks the second he turns his back, I’ll get myself killed.
“I like the idea of building another house on the property. That way, I’m still close by,” Demitri relents.
Chuckling, I shake my head. “You do know I can take care of myself, right?”
He nods but then mutters, “Still my job to keep you alive.”
We stare at each other for a moment. “I want you to be happy, brother. Build a family and future with Ariana.”
The corner of his mouth lifts again. “Family. Never thought I’d consider having kids.”
“I’ll teach them how to shoot a gun,” I joke.
Demitri’s smile widens. “You better, seeing as you’ll be their godfather.”
Our eyes lock again as emotion washes through my chest. “I’d be honored.”
Fireworks explode in the air, and laughter flows from the other yacht, pulling my attention back to Isabella.
Picking up the binoculars, I search for Isabella, finding her where she’s still dancing, her movements slow and sensual.
Again, there’s a niggling familiarity, and then a frown forms on my forehead when I realize who she reminds me of.
The party crasher.
Isabella moves like the party crasher did the night of Ariana’s party… like flowing water.
What are the odds?
My gaze is glued to Isabella as she loses herself in the music, and my thoughts return to the woman I fucked. The woman who cast a spell on me until I was solely focused on her.
I’ll never forget how she felt, a mixture of danger and sensuality. Her skin was softer than the silk panties she wore. I can almost smell her perfume, flowers, vanilla, and something earthy.
Christ, it felt like I was on a high as I buried my cock deep inside her. Her moans as she orgasmed and her pussy clenching hard around me were enough to make me lose control.
I’m starting to grow hard just at the memory and quickly shove the erotic memory aside, focusing on Isabella again.
The party lasts until the early morning hours, and only then do we head back to land. As soon as we reach the harbor, Demitri and I step off the yacht, and we find a safe spot we can watch the other vessel from. As the party-goers head to their vehicles, Isabella pauses to take photos of the harbor. Her friends join in, and the act fits, but I get a feeling Isabella’s here to look around the harbor.
“What do you think she’d do if I walked up to her?” I ask as I watch Isabella head to where her limousine is parked. She gets in, and a moment later, the vehicle drives away.
“Probably kill you,” Demitri replies.
Shaking my head, I smirk at him. “She can try.”
He lets out a chuckle as he nods toward our unmarked vehicle. “Let’s get out of here.”
Once we’re both seated in the car, I say, “There must be a shipment coming in soon. She took those photos so she can get familiarized with the layout of the area.”
I start the engine and steer the vehicle towards the airfield where our private jet is waiting to take us back to Bogotá, where Sonia’s compound is situated.
“I’m curious as to why Isabella frees the slaves,” Demitri mutters as he glances around us, always on guard for an attack.
“That makes two of us.”
I’m curious about a lot of things when it comes to Isabella Terrero. She’s an enigma, one I’m dying to figure out.
I wonder what her reaction would be if we came face to face.
ISABELLA
It’s after midnight when I walk out onto my bedroom’s balcony. I always keep the sliding door open so it won’t look suspicious on the nights I head out.
I wait a little longer before climbing over the balcony and dropping to the lawn below. Then, staying low, I hurry toward the wall, and without much effort, I hoist myself over.
I jog to the vacated house and first change into my leather outfit before shrugging my backpack with my tools and weapons onto my back. After pushing my motorcycle out of the shed, I throw my leg over the seat and get comfortable. When the engine roars to life, a smile forms around my lips.
I drive the distance to the safe house, enjoying the feel of the wind rushing past me. The streets are quiet as I leave the city, and another twenty minutes later, I pull up the gravel driveway of the safe house. I park my motorcycle, and when I get to the side entrance, the biometric scanner scans my face and unlocks the security door.
The front and back doors are only for show. Besides the security entrance, there’s a tunnel beneath the house that leads to a nearby field. I’ve spent a lot of money to make sure Ana’s safe.
Stepping inside the house, it’s dark and quiet. I walk through all the rooms, checking that everything’s okay before I go down to the basement. I find Ana behind the computer.
“Hi,” I say as I sit down in the chair next to her.
“I’ve looked at the photos you sent me last week,” she gets right to work.
Before I managed to free Ana, she was raped and tortured. The only way she’s able to cope is by losing herself in the work we do. I’ve tried talking to her about what she endured, but she made it clear the subject is off-limits.
“Are you okay coming with me?” I ask again.
Ana nods, and then she turns her face to look at me. She’s shorter and skinnier than me, but her features are striking and feminine. Ana’s so beautiful it still catches me by surprise at times.
“Yes. I’ll take the van down to Cali in case there’s a couple of girls who need help.”
I turn my attention to the photos and look at each one. “I think entering from the containers’ side will be best. It’ll give me the cover I need.”
Ana points to the warehouse section of the harbor. “Or here.”
“Both could work.”
“How many men is Sonia sending?”
“A lot. Usually, I’d only have a dozen or so to worry about, but she’s sending every available man. I’m prepared for a small army.”
“Let me be your backup,” Ana says for the hundredth time.
Even though I taught her how to handle a gun, I shake my head hard. “No. I’m not putting you in that kind of danger.”
Ana’s eyes narrow on me. “I can’t just sit and watch as you get killed, or worse… taken.”
A soft smile curves my lips up, and I gently place my hand on Ana’s forearm. She used to cringe whenever I touched her, but that stopped a year ago.
“I won’t let myself be taken,” I try to offer her some comfort. “I’d kill myself before I allow that to happen.”
Ana shrugs my hand off and scowls darkly at me. “Don’t say that.”
Tilting my head, I take in the worry in her eyes. I lean a little forward. “Ana?”
Her features tighten until it looks like she’s about to cry. With a quivering voice, she says, “I can’t lose you, Isabella. You’re my family.”
Slowly, I reach for her and pull her into a hug. At first, Ana stiffens, but then she relaxes in my embrace.
“Promise me you’ll get out of there if things become too dangerous,” she whispers.
I brush a palm over the back of her head, the short strands soft. “I promise.”
Ana pulls back, and she gives me a rare smile. “Let’s get back to work.”
We turn our attention to the photos, examining the harbor until I can walk blindfolded through the area. Ana goes to make us both a cup of coffee while I check the weapons I keep at the safe house.
The shipment is coming in next week. My mother and Hugo are under the impression that I’ll be in New York for a fashion show. Fooling them is the least of my problems right now. The harbor will be heavily guarded.
I glance to the stairs leading up to the first floor and let out a heavy breath.
There’s a good chance I won’t be able to keep my promise to Ana. I have a safety fund set up, which she has access to, so at least I know she’ll be taken care of should I die.
