The Heir

Chapter 55

I'm really good at hiding my emotions, but Jesus Christ was that scary. Rome outsmarted me; Dio I'm so fucking dumb. He got me alone and he fucking tortured me.

The hits, a couple dozen punches to the face and gut, I could take that. I've been in worse fights before. But the knives, that's what got me. Because I know how easy it is to accidentally kill someone like that. Rome taught me as much himself.

But even worse than all of that combined was the threat he kept making. Slowly but surely cutting my uniform until I was basically in my underwear. Crudely rubbing his hands across my entire body. The threat that, at every hour on the hour, he was going to rape me. To ensure that even once I was rescued, I'd be ruined.

And I was in no position to fight back. He had me chained up well with my feet barely touching the ground. I couldn't do anything; I think that was the truly terrifying piece. That no matter what, until someone else came to my rescue, he could do whatever he wanted to me.

I couldn't have been more relieved when I saw Ryan. As soon as I looked him in the eye I smiled. I knew he was going to get me out.

But for Enzo to be the one to pull the trigger? I stopped caring about myself in that moment. I stopped caring about any of the consequences that were waiting for me. Because once you kill a man, once you put a gun to someone's head and kill them, you'll never be the same.

We went back to Montrose, none of us knew where else to go. Ryan fed the infirmary workers a story about me falling off a motorcycle on the side of the road. I doubt they actually believed him but didn't ask any questions.

It only took an hour or so after the school doctor patched me up for my dad to arrive. He came in full force too, completely dropped the act of being a well respected businessman. He busted through the infirmary doors, followed by nearly a dozen soldiers. Not a single word was exchanged between him and any of the school staff.

The fury, the trademark make-a-grown-man-shit-himself fury, sucked the air right out of the room.

He didn't say a word to me either. Simply picked me up off the cot and left. Gio rounded up my brother and Ryan and away we went.

We're in some garage now, a few minutes down the road from Montrose. This must be where Ryan was stashing those cars. The soldiers form a perfect perimeter around the building, no one is coming in or out.

Enzo, Ryan and I sit on a metal bench, waiting. Ryan keeps my hand firmly in his and I appreciate the show of support. But Enzo hasn't moved or spoken in hours.

Uncle Gio and my dad stand clear across the room speaking in hushed tones. I know I'm about to get in trouble; for getting myself involved with messy business, for putting myself in harms way, for keeping this a secret.

But it seems as though my father is at odds with himself; trying to determine if he's more angry or concerned. Gio seems to be trying to help him figure it out.

With a deep sigh, Dad approaches us, "what the hell happened?"

"I fucked up," I admit at a whisper. I am far more afraid now than I was when Rome was beating me.

"Are you okay?" he asks softly. He crouches down in front of me and takes my chin in his hand. He turns my face either way, looking at the bruises forming in real time.

"Yeah," I say just as quietly. "I'm okay."

He finally looks me in the eye, "tell me exactly what happened."

"It's my fault," I shake my head. "I knew it was dumb and I did it anyway."

"Isabelle, who did this to you?" he annunciates each word.