1 year later
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"And now I hear-by sentence you to 32 years in prison."
My knees feel weak. We won, 24 years of abuse and he is finally getting what he deserves.
I hope he rots there till he dies.
Me and my brothers can finally be a family. Me Landon and Lewis got joint custody of Luka and Lewis now owns Warlock house.
Mother would be so proud of us all.
When we return home Luka is with the nanny as we didn't want to expose him to that side of father. Lewis nods at me and I head towards our little brother.
"Hey Luka, do you want to come and paint with me, I need to talk to you." I ruffle the curls on his head as he smiles and nods.
He's always loved painting so to break the news that his father won't be returning until he's most likely married with kids I'll let him paint with me.
I flick the light on revealing boxes upon boxes of painting I need to ship off to buyers and a few that I'm currently working on.
Luka runs towards a small canvas and lifts it up. "Can I paint on this one?" He asks smiling, I nod down at him as he places it on one of my smaller easels which is caked in paint.
After I tell Luka about father he asks a million questions to which I try to answer most.
Life's going to be very different now. Lewis works from home after moving back which is good for Luka, I attend university 3 days a week but I'm mostly home painting and Landon is travelling with Ice hockey. Hoping to go pro.
I place banners up on the wall trying not to fall while attaching the blue tac. It's Landon's 29th birthday and we decided to have a small party with his hockey team and a few friends.
"Don't fall." An unfamiliar voice clouds my head making me turn around.
Mystery man. It's been over a year since I saw this guy but he hasn't changed one bit. Same black fluffy curls, irritating smile and cockiness radiating off him.
"Why not? Surely Prince Charming will catch me." I bring up the joke from last year which he most likely forgot.
"Don't count on it, people are fucked up darling." He remembers me. And the pet name makes my skin prick with goosebumps.
"Is that all you have to say to me?" I ask wondering if his vocabulary does actually extend.
He chuckles then throws his hands into his leather jacket then walks off. Asshole.
The last time I saw him was more pleasant than this, he was kinder then. Maybe I read him wrong and he just wanted to get into my pants.
As it gets later more people turn up and I stay in the paint room for most of the night because I'd rather not face people tonight, Landon understands and I promised I'd take him out for lunch tomorrow as a birthday treat.
Ever since the whole incident with our father from a year ago until now, me and my older brothers have gotten closer which I've never been happier about.
I stroke the brush along the canvas creating a base layer for my next piece when the door clicks and the sight of leather appears out of the corner of my eye.
He knows I see him and he knows I will continue to ignore his presence.
"You look stunning with paint on your face and messy hair." He speaks out after a few minutes of staring at me.
"Bet you say that to all the girls you want to sleep with." I quip.
He smirks and steps forward into the room, I look at him once and realise he's walking straight for me.
I place my paintbrush down and step back to close the distance between me and mystery man.
"Who said I want to sleep with you, pretty confident for a girl dressed in paint stained clothes." He steps closer till I can feel his breath on my forehead.
Personal space.
"Back up. I mean it—" I go to say his name then remember that he never even told me it.
"Issac Darling." He steps closer with every step I take backwards until I'm placed against the wall and he's hovering straight in front of me. You wouldn't be able to drop a paintbrush between the distance of me and him right now, he's so close and for some reason I don't really care. "I figure you should know my name for when you scream it in my ear."
What the fuck.
"You dirty bastard." I lift my knee up and kick out which sends him to the floor. "Don't speak to me like that, actually don't speak to me at all. Asshole."
I wait for him to finally stand up and wipe the smirk off his face but he doesn't, he carries on.
"If you wanted me on my knees you could have just said angel." as he says those words he stands and reaches for my hand.
I stare confused and scared of what he's about to do, when he lifts my hand and kisses it before leaving the room.
Still with a smirk plastered on his face.
Men.
I wipe my hand on my t shirt and carry on with my art work.
I promised a frequent customer I would ship off their 3 paintings today, they have bought over 10 paintings from me now and I'm still sad I don't know who they are, but I clean myself up after a few finishing touches to my current piece and collect the large wooden boxes labelled "Haywood Estate" and place them on a large flat trolley.
I begin making my way downstairs and decide to take the elevator because there ain't no way I'm making it down the stairs with these things.
I notice on the security cameras the delivery van waiting outside for me. Trying to rush the elevator the same voice from earlier is stood behind me, his shirt lifted a little revealing a v line and a hint of abs. He pressed an ice pack on his lower stomach right where I kicked him.
"Funny, I thought my eyes were a few feet higher."
I scoff at his remark and turn back around it even bothering to look at his smirk that I know is already on his face.
He tries again, "where are you going with these?"
"If you must know, the delivery van outside are waiting for them, I sold them to Haywood estate." I reply.
A smile forms on his face, that's different from the smirk he normally carries. Why is he smiling?
"Something amusing Issac?"
He shakes his head still smiling then takes the trolley off of me and places it in the elevator. Stepping in with it he waits for me to join him.
The annoyance this man gives me.
"Get out. Or tell me what's so amusing." I'm ready to throat punch this man.
"Demanding are we Darling?"
I step into the elevator and smack him in the same spot I kicked him a few hours ago. He winces and I chuckle a little bit.
The man loads the paintings into the van then begins driving away, just from those 3 paintings I earned $7350 which I'm so happy about.
What I'm not happy about is the man still standing next to me. Turning around I notice Landon walking towards us, he waves while making his way down the lane.
"Hey Lil how come you are with Issac?" Confused on how we know each other my brother glances between us both hoping for an answer.
Quickly I speak up, "I was struggling with some paintings and Issac offered to help." Half the truth.
"Oh well seen as though you haven't officially met each other. Lil this is Issac, Issac Haywood."
Haywood? Why did that seem familiar?
MOTHERFUCKER.
•••
I told you there would be more Issac.
The next chapter gets a little heated ;)
Thank you for reading.