Isabelle (House of Jensen Series book 5)

Chapter 23

Isabelle's POV

The past

Isabelle close her book she now knew twenty ways to kill a man. She look around her cell. Nothing had changed it was still the same three walls she been staring at for months. But mentally her attitude had changed. She wouldn't allow them to break her spirit. She thinks about being at the bakery with Freddie and enjoying a still warm Danish. Then she thinks about Kimi she had become such a good friend in the few short months she knew her. More importantly she and her family were very discreet. No one knew she was friends with a princess. Looking up at the ceiling Isabelle sighs very heavily. She wasn't a praying person like her brother but she had no choice.

She gets on her knee and pray to a god she wasn't sure she believed in but desperately needed in that moment. Then she gets a flash of her grandmother on the one year anniversary of her grandfather's death. She remembers her acknowledging the significance of the day but there was no sadness only peace. Why did she remember that moment so vividly?

As she gets off her knees Isabelle thinks to herself I want that peace too. My gran's faith gave her that peace. So I'm going to have faith and believe that god is real. So she did.

Two days later Isabelle was showering when someone walk in on her. She starts screaming but someone covers her mouth from behind. She remembers what she read in the book and elbows the person. "It's me Isabelle."

She turns when she hears Amanda voice, "What are you doing in here?"

"The prime ministers nephew is here and he made a crack about watching you shower. So I suddenly had to use the toilet."

"Thank you for protecting me you're putting yourself in great danger by doing it."

"They have my parents I have to protect them and all of you. Damian told me they have a brothel where they send some of the woman. I don't know if it's woman from here. Or if there are other places like this and they use those woman."

"Oh god they could send me to a brothel." Isabelle starts shaking.

"I'm hoping because you're so recognisable they won't."

"Can you get me a bible."

Amanda frowns, "How is that going to help you?"

"Faith, I have discovered my faith. Gran once told me about Paul in the bible knowing he was going to die. He wasn't scared because he knew the reward of god that was to come even in death. I need Christ like faith right now."

"I'll see if I can sneak you one I could do with hope like that. They didn't feed my parents today," she starts to cry. Damian and I do our best to steal food and give to them. There's a horrible man who is in charge here and he's not someone you can reason with."

"I'm sorry." Isabelle walks over to her to comfort her.

"No keep showering they need to hear the water running and it's stops them hearing our conversation."

So Isabelle showers and put on a pair of the clean pyjamas she hates wearing.

Three days later Amanda brings her the Old Testament bible and one week after that Damian the New Testament.

Present day

Hand in hand Freddie and I walk the streets of Rome. People stared and take photos of us but I didn't mind. I knew there would be speculation that he and I were dating. I was okay with that. I see one of my favourite places to eat. "Let's go in I'm in the mood for some real Italian food."

Freddie shrugs and we walk inside the restaurant. The waitress does a double take when she see us, "Good afternoon your royal highnesses."

I read her name tag, "Hi Susie table for two please."

She clears her throat,"Follow me please."

We follow her and she leads us to a table where there was a lot of empty seats by it. I take the menu from her, "Thank you."

Freddie looks at me with that smiles of his that makes me go weak. How did I ever think I loved James. After looking through the menu I decide on gnocchi sorrento and a glass of chinotto. After we place our order I felt Freddie's hand on mine. I mouth, "I'm okay."

By the time we finish our meals we weren't surprise to see paparazzi waiting outside for us. I brush a strand of hair out of my face as Freddie clasps my hands. We spend most of the afternoon sightseeing and being followed by the press. I was waiting for my ice cream when I received a text message from Bianca. James and Andrea got married and their wedding photo was in the newspaper. I show the message to Freddie he couldn't hide his surprise. We take our ice cream cones from the server. He choose pistachio and I choose chocolate, strawberry with nuts and Oreos and start to eat it.

"Why am I not surprise they got married?" He says icily.

"If I'm being honest I wasn't expecting them to do that. Andrea is now Lady Larsen. She must be happy the world now knows she's the wife of a heir to a billion dollar empire."

Freddie takes a bite of his cone, "At the end of the day what they do doesn't affect us. We are happy and nothing they do can change that."

"I want to get your mother a gift my mother wants me to get her a certain item."

"Where do you want to go?"

I think about it for a moment and grin, "I know the perfect place."

"Izzy are you sure?"

I take another look at the frying pan in my hand, "Yes I'm sure."

I pay for my purchases and we make our way back home. It's weird thinking that Italy is my home now. We arrive back at the castle to see Freddie's parents and sister was waiting for us. Leah hugs me, "James is trending on twitter after you and my brother. Her greenish-blue eyes much like her brother's was searching my face for a reaction.

"I can honestly say I don't care what he does."

"I spoke to his mother," I look at the queen. "She found out about it like everyone else from social media."

I was not surprise at all.