Protector (The Brannock Siblings Book 4) (20 page)

Neddy proceeded to tell her that her father had caught one
of his drivers transporting more than just simple produce. When he found out
that there was cocaine and heroin being transported side by side with apples
and oranges, he about had a conniption.

"The whole thing was a complete mess. Nick fired the driver,
who he later found out was the one who loaded the drugs, and was about to
launch an investigation to weed out any other employees that might have been
involved, but Christopher got to him first."

Izzy felt the color drain from her cheeks and she stumbled
forward, almost missing the chair as she fell into it. Maggie took her hand and
squeezed tightly, offering any comfort she could while Izzy listened to her
aunt completely change everything she thought she knew.

"He manipulated your father into continuing the transport
of the drugs under the threat of losing the company. He threatened their lives,
Isabelle, and at that point, they didn't think they had any choices. Your
father invested his life in that place. If he didn't continue the
shipments..."

"How is this possible? Why didn't my father just go to
the police and explain everything?"

"That is exactly why your mother no longer speaks to
me. Or at least, she wasn't. She told me all about what was happening, but she
was too worried about losing the company and their precious house to go to the
police. Christopher covered his ass very well and any investigation would have
led the police straight back to Nick."

"Oh, my God. So my father has been a mule for
Christopher this whole time. Where do I come into this, Neddy? I thought the
only reason I was involved was to save the company."

"Save the company? It's a load of bullshit. Simmon's Transport
is doing better than it has in years. Christopher had Nick by the throat, but
he wanted more."

Neddy paused and drew in a long breath. It was in that
moment, Isabelle realized that Christopher Hampton was not only a manipulative
bastard and a dirty businessman; he was more dangerous than she had ever
imagined.

"Then he saw you," Neddy added softly, as if she
was afraid to say the words too loudly.

Isabelle felt the knot in her stomach twist and turn.
"Me?"

"I didn't know, sweetheart. If I knew, I would have
stopped them. I would have given up any relationship with my sister to save you
from that life. When I spoke with Marjorie last night, she told me everything."

"So, I'm just another pawn in this sick game."

"Isabelle, Christopher is very dangerous. You need to
stay away from him. Do whatever it takes. Stay in Ireland. We've already
contacted the police and they are looking into everything. Your mother and
father are
finally
done with all of it and they aren't going to stand by
and watch him destroy you."

Isabelle lifted her eyes to Maggie, who looked like she was
deep in thought. "Neddy, where is Christopher now?"

"I don't know. The police are looking for him as we
speak. I know your flight is in a couple of days, but unless we know he's been
arrested, don't get on that flight, sweetheart. Just stay there a little
longer. I'll take care of your ticket or anything else you need, if I have to."

Isabelle jumped when there was a knock at the door and her
heart immediately started racing.

"Liam."

"Who?" Neddy asked.

"Neddy, I have to go. I'll call you back, I
promise."

"Stay there. Don't come back."

Izzy hung up, too distracted to listen to anything else. She
needed to tell Liam what was happening. Through all the devastating information
she had just received, she felt her lips pull into a grin thinking of him on
the other side of the door. He came back early and for that she was grateful.

"What is going on, child?" Maggie asked, standing
and following after her.

"I'm staying," Izzy stated then pulled open the
door.

Nothing could have prepared her for that moment and her face
blanched when she saw who was standing on the porch. "No."

Christopher.

Liam

Liam didn't even need to walk through the door to know there
was something wrong. All the lights in the house were off even though it was
already dusk. He saw no sign of movement as he walked up to the front door,
sure Izzy would already be on the porch to greet him by the time he got to the
first step. But she wasn't and that made his instincts kick in.

The door creaked loudly as he pushed it open and silent
shadows were all he could see. He switched on the lights. Everything was in
perfect order. Even the blanket they had used to cover themselves the night
before was folded and stretched across the back of the sofa.

"Izzy?"

Silence.

She wouldn't have left the house knowing he was coming back
tonight. Would she?

Unless she didn't believe he
was
coming. Thinking
back to the night before, he couldn't find a single moment that warned him she
might run. They were both upset, but Izzy knew he was only giving her some
space to think.

"One day."

It was one of the longest days of his life and he spent it
fighting with himself about letting her go back to the states. Forcing her to
stay would do just the opposite and no amount of arguing with her would make
her forget about her undeserving parents and what they put her through. Those
were some of the things he loved about Isabelle. Her willingness to forgive and
her resolve to make things right.

So, he'd made his decision. He was going with her whether
she liked it or not.

He called out her name again and made his way up the stairs,
passing the small kitchen on the way. The half filled coffee mugs still on the
table were almost a relief to see. He knew Maggie was going to be stopping by
for a visit earlier in the day and it was the only thing that kept him from
coming back to her sooner. That and the plans he started to make.

He found a buyer for his truck. A truck that his father gave
him for a job that he no longer gave a damn about. There was no work anyway and
with his father's blessing, he was selling it and using the money to buy a one
way ticket to America. With enough left over from the money he had already saved,
he could support him and Izzy with the basics for a few days until he found
another job. But in order to do all of that, Izzy needed to agree to marry him.
He already spoke to Brian's friend at the US Embassy. Once they were in the
states, he would apply for a fiancé visa which would take care of everything
else.

That's what he'd been coming here to talk to her about. If
she said no, he would go with her anyway and he would keep asking her until she
said yes. She may not like it, but that was the only plan he could come up with
for the short amount of time he had.

He stopped in her room and when the light came on, his
stomach dropped to the floor.

The closet was empty, the bureau drawers were empty and left
open, and her luggage was nowhere to be seen. The bed where he had spent the
last several nights holding her and making love to her was still unmade and her
floral scent lingered in the room along with another scent he couldn't
identify.

"Fuck!" He raked his hands through his hair,
dropping his head and resisting the urge to throw something. "Get a hold
of yourself."

His rational mind said she wasn't gone, but it didn't stop
the panic. Where could she have gone? If she went to Maggie's...

No, he would have known.

He hadn't spoken with anyone in his family since this
morning, but he couldn't imagine she would have taken her luggage with her if
she was just going for a visit.

He walked out of her room, wandering through the top level
of the house. There was no sign of her anywhere and everything that Isabelle
brought was gone. The house was empty.

Liam's mind raced with the possibilities. She wasn't
supposed to leave for a few more days and he couldn't imagine her up and
leaving without seeing him first anyway. Izzy wasn't like that. She wouldn't
have left on her own. Not without feeling like she didn't have a choice.

He darted out the front door to his truck, determined to
find her any way he could. He would need his father's help, but first, he
needed to find Maggie. The woman knew everything and doubting her before was
always a mistake.

She
had
to know where Izzy was since she would have
been the last person to see her.

His truck barreled down the road, barely coming to a stop in
front of Maggie's before he jumped out at a dead run.

"Izzy? Are you here?" He burst through the door
only to find a few patrons looking at him like he'd lost his mind and his Aunt
Aivy behind the bar looking solemn. "Is she here?"

Aivy opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it and
shook her head.

"Liam."

He spun around to find Maggie standing at the window looking
like she was about to be sick.

"Where is she?"

"She isn't here, love. We've been searching for you all
day."

"She's not at the house. Did she say anything when
you-"

"She's not coming back to the house, Liam."

"What's going on, woman? Tell me where she is."

Her forehead creased and her lips thinned, deciding whether
or not to tell him what he wanted to know.

Frustration took over and if he didn't love the woman so
much, he would have strangled her. He buried his fingers in his hair and
pulled, making sure he wasn't having a warped nightmare.

"A man showed up at the house while I was there," Maggie
finally said, her voice resolved and anxious. "A right dodgy man that
looked like he could purchase the whole of Ireland if he wanted to."

His nostrils flared when he thought of what that could mean.
"A man?"

"Aye, my boy. She looked like she'd seen a ghost when
she opened that door."

Christopher. There wasn't a doubt in his mind now that the
son of a bitch had finally come to take Isabelle. Liam's stomach rolled and he
couldn't catch his breath.

"I couldn't do
anything
, Liam. I argued with the
man and tried to stall but it was no use. Izzy begged for me to leave. To let
her go."

He spun on his heels and strode back out the door.
"I've got to find her."

"William, listen to me," Maggie demanded, chasing
after him. She never called him by his full name and in his whole life he'd
never heard her sound so frightened.

"I've got to-"

"Stop and think. This man is dangerous, I could see it
in his eyes."

"I don't care."

"There's more, boy. She was on the phone with a woman,
speaking about her parents and Christopher."

His head snapped up and his eyes bugged out. "She told
you?"

Maggie nodded and rubbed her forehead. "She told me
everything."

"And?"

"And she was going to stay."

Liam's shoulders sagged and he stumbled back a step before
catching himself. His chest... God, his chest hurt knowing that. What if he was
too late?

"I've got to find her."

"There's more."

"I don't care."

"Well, you should!" Maggie shouted. "You've
got a family to think about."

Liam felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest.
"Do not ask me to let her go, Maggie. I can't."

Her expression filled with pity and it made Liam want to
scream.

"You are a dense man, William Brannock. When did I ever
give you cause to think I didn't want you with the bird. She's the only woman
who'll take care of you and deal with you at the same time."

"Then I need to go."

"You'll make a hash of it if you lose your head before
you even find her. You need to think about your family. What would happen to
them if you were hurt or if this man turned his sights on you instead of Izzy?
Go into this prepared."

He gritted his teeth. Once again, his aunt was right.

"She argued with him. Saying something about the police
arresting him for what he'd done to her parents. Now, she's still in Rathnew. I
overheard the snake saying that their flight leaves in the morning, but I
suspect he doesn't wish to go back to shackles."

"Did you hear where he was taking her?"

"Aivy was in town when she saw him and Isabelle walk
into the Grand. I imagine they'll stay the night at least."

Liam pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to keep his
head. "I need to call Da. This man is taking her against her will."

"Aye, he is," she replied before giving him a
cheeky smile. "And I imagine he'll pay for it."

Within an hour, Liam's father and his brother, Brian, were
following him into the hotel, prepared to do whatever damage they needed to.
With his father in uniform and several guards waiting outside, they were
getting Izzy back one way or another.

When they approached the front desk, the flirty blonde from
the pub in Dublin greeted him with a lascivious smile that quickly faded when
she saw his father at his side.

"Christopher Hampton. I need to know what room he's
in," Liam demanded.

Hannah hesitated a moment too long for his liking.

"Now!"

His father's hand landed on his shoulder, attempting to calm
him any way he could. Liam didn't want to be calm. He wanted his Isabelle in
his arms and he was going to do whatever he had to in order to get her there.
Then he was going to beat Christopher to within an inch of his life.

"Mind yourself, son. We don't want to give the guard a
reason to take you as well."

Liam closed his eyes, squeezing them tightly to get his wits
back.

"Please, Hannah. I need it now."

She nodded and started flipping through the ledger. "He
umm... what was the name again?"

"Christopher Hampton."

"Right, here it is. Room seven, upstairs."

He didn't even give her a chance to look up. Liam all but
ran to the stairs with his brother and father on his heels.

I'm coming, Izzy.

***

Izzy

Izzy pressed the ice pack against her cheek, wincing when
the massive bruise smarted. Christopher was furious and she didn't think
marrying him would be her biggest problem anymore. Surviving the next few hours
would be.

It only took him twenty minutes to tear her away from that
house. Once again, Maggie proved she was a force to be reckoned with, but after
her ten minutes of stalling and arguing with Christopher any way she could,
he'd finally had it.

Izzy had never known fear like that before. Not only for
herself, but for the people she'd come to love so deeply.

Maggie seemed determined to stand her ground and not let
Christopher take her away, but Izzy couldn't stand to see something happen to
her friend because of
her
.

"Please, Maggie. You need to leave," she'd begged
her.

"I'll not let this manky bastard scare me, Izzy."

But Maggie must have seen the fear on Isabelle's face because
she stopped fighting and spread her arms wide. She didn't hesitate walking
straight into the hug.

"I'll go, child," Maggie whispered in her ear,
"But I'm not the one that will be back."

It gave her hope at the time. But now, lying there dreading
the next few hours, Izzy was sure there was none.

He'd taken his anger out on her without saying a word. The
blow to her face had knocked her out cold and when she woke a few hours later,
she found herself alone in the hotel room.

She only had enough time to find some ice for her cheek
before Christopher walked in.

"Your mother has made a complete mess of things,"
he sneered. "I should have killed her when I had the chance."

The only relief she felt was knowing that her parents were
safe and they were finally setting things right.

It was a little late, but it was something.

She straightened her shoulders and stood her ground. "It's
over, Christopher. You have nowhere to run and I won't make it easy for you to
take me with you."

"You won't have to make it easy, Isabelle," he
stated snidely. "I'm not taking you anywhere, but I'm not going to make
your last breaths easy either."

A part of her already knew that Christopher was going to
kill her. In fact, she realized that same part of her
always
knew she
would have never made it out alive. Not on her own.

"Do you realize how much money your parents have made
me lose? I've spent years in this business. I'm not the kind of person you want
to fuck with, Isabelle. Your father should know that by now."

"Go fuck yourself!" she screamed.

He quickly strode toward her, an evil glower on his face,
but Izzy didn't flinch. She had nothing left to fear and with or without her,
Christopher would no longer have power over anyone else. He would spend the
rest of his life running or behind bars.

In a flash, his hand was wrapped around her throat and he
slammed her against the wall. Her head cracked against it and stars danced in
front of her eyes.

"I won't need to, you filthy whore."

She clawed at his hand as her vision started to fade. But
the pain of feeling her air being cut off was nothing compared to the pain she
would feel if he did what he already threatened to do.

She smelled the alcohol on his breath and saw the cloudiness
in his eyes. She needed to stay conscious. She needed to fight.

But even drunk, he was too strong.

Her arms weakened and her eyes rolled back. This was it.
This was the end.

Liam.

It was the last thought running through her mind before
everything went dark.

***

Izzy's eyes slid open painfully.

Her entire body felt like she'd been hit by a train. Her
face was pressed to the carpet and her arm was bent awkwardly beneath her.

Silence greeted her, but she stayed as still as she could
until she was sure she was still alone. Taking stock of her injuries, her
relief was palpable when the pain was only in the places she could actually
remember
getting hurt. Her throat was on fire and her cheek throbbed. She pushed
herself up on to her hands and felt her head spin.