He hadn’t told me her whole name, he called her Iz. I remember snorting humorlessly at the name yesterday. But, yesterday the last thing I thought was that Iz could possibly be one and the same, Isabelle West.

I’ve known Greg for close to a decade now. I still remember a few years ago when he called up, telling us he had to run to North Carolina and be some white fucking knight. I don’t remember the details, even though I wish to fuck I did, I just remember him going radio silent for almost a month after.

He has always talked about his two girls here in Georgia. The guys and I have been giving him a hard time for a while now about handing over his nuts since he liked hanging with pussy so much. He has always spoken about these two chicks like they are fucking queens; goddamn Mother fucking Teresas. I honestly don’t think I have ever heard him say a negative thing about either one of them.

Such bullshit. This little scrap of female is blocking the club owner’s office door like she would take out any threat that tried to get through her; that tried to reach Isabelle. Where the hell is the small sprite Greg said radiated glee like a fucking fairy?

“FUCK!” I roared. “Get out of my goddamn way, woman.” How did this tiny, one woman circus think she was going to fucking keep me from breaking that door into splinters? I look over at Coop and Beck; they seem just as confused as I am about this whole standoff. Jesus, I am getting in that damn office, even if I have to physically remove this woman from my path. I’m tired of playing nice. I might not have a mother but even I know to respect women; this one though, would try the patience of a fucking saint.

Just when I am about to pick her up and remove her from my way, the door opens and out steps a red faced, spitting mad, Greg Cage.

“You,” he points at my chest, getting right up in my fucking space, “get the fuck out of here. You might be bigger than me but when it comes to her, I will fucking kill you.”

What. The. Fuck. The hell with that.

“Who the fuck do you think you are, brother, telling me that I can’t speak to her?” I can feel the vibration of unshed violence rushing through my veins. Even with the small thought in the back of my head that I would do the same thing in his shoes, I still can’t calm myself.

He takes a deep breath, looks me dead in the eyes and spits out words that almost stop my heart.

“If you don’t back the fuck off, right fucking now, Iz will end up leaving here in the back of an ambulance…again.”

The fuck? “What the hell are you talking about, Greg? Because it sure as fuck sounds like you’re talking in code.”

Sighing deeply, I can tell how much this little toe-to-toe is costing him. “Look Reid, you know I respect the hell out of you. You have been my brother for a fucking long ass time but Iz…she is not in a good place right now. Yesterday was hard enough but Dee and I have managed to keep her chill. Fuck, even with the package from that sick fuck she didn’t go this deep. You need to back the fuck off for now. If you want to speak to her, fine, but, it will be on her terms, not when she is fighting every demon that owns her soul. Not tonight. You hear me good, Reid, I will talk to her and set something up but not until you tell me just how you know my fucking girl.”

“What do you mean your girl, G?

I must be acting like a fucking idiot, especially after all his long winded bullshit. Greg is gaping at me, like he is trying to find a solution for world peace or some shit like that. He holds my gaze for a long while, and you can practically see the gears turning at full steam.

Finally, with an eerie neutral tone he says, “Reid, just how long have you known Iz?” He might sound neutral but his eyes seem to be silently communicating that if he doesn’t like my answer, there will be no talking with Izzy.

I look down at my boots and reach up to rub my neck; trying to ease some of the tension out of my body. What a loaded question.

“Why does it matter, G?”

“Humor me, brother, just fucking humor me. How long have you known her?”

Straightening to my full six foot six height, trying to at least give myself that small advantage, I look down on him with a matching grim expression. What the hell is going on here? They are acting like Izzy is some wounded bird, no way in hell this is the same girl I knew.

“I’ve known Isabelle for going on sixteen years and twelve years ago when I left home I left my heart in her fucking palm. I haven’t seen or heard from her since.” I responded with a calm I did not feel. Not in the least.

Greg’s eyes fired instantly, and after a moment of silence he grunts, “Do not call her Isabelle. Ever.” Then he turns on his heel and leaves me standing in stunned silence with Beck, Coop and Dee’s burning eyes on my back. With the exception of Dee, they seem just as confused and shocked as I am.

What in the fuck?

Looking around, I back up and plop my ass down on the hard floor; preparing to wait this out as long as it takes.

I’ve been sitting out here in the hallway for what seems like hours. My ass is numb, whether it’s from sitting here or the music thumping through the floor beneath me, I have no clue. I look down at my watch to see it’s only been a half hour since Greg’s cryptic comment. What the fuck is going on in there? I don’t like this overwhelming feeling of helplessness; I haven’t felt this way in a long ass time. I have no idea what is really going on here. I feel like I have some big ass puzzle with one missing piece. One piece some little shit took and won’t give back.

What happened to the seventeen year old, stars in her eyes girl I left behind twelve years ago? Sure, she had been sad I was taking off for basic training, but she knew I was coming back for her. We had plans, dreams, and a future all mapped out and ready to roll. Why is she acting like the wounded party here? It wasn’t her that arrived home six months later, tired but elated to finally have his girl in his arms again only to find her gone. And she was gone, vanished into thin fucking air. There was not a single trail to lead me back to my girl.

I remember the day I rolled back into our hometown of Dale, Georgia. I had been so excited to finally get my arms around my girl. Things with the Marines were intense, but I was home for a little while. I had a new family now, a band of brothers with an unbreakable bond. I couldn’t wait to bring Izzy into that fold; making my family complete.

Basic training was nothing like I expected it to be. I knew I would be the perfect candidate for the Marines when I signed up; I just never imagined excelling at such a rapid rate. Arriving one day, then the next being pulled into a conference room and being handed one hell of a life changer. I was good, damn fucking good and they wanted me. Only problem was, like with most everything deep within the government, I wasn’t to tell a soul. Top secret to the highest degree. I had received my first letter from Izzy the same day, reminding me how hard it was going to be to go dark on my girl; she knew me though, and she knew what this gig meant to me. I wrote her one hell of a hearts and flowers letter and mailed it off the same day I left for special training, knowing it would have to see her through until I was home. When I had finally gotten a call home, I had been gone for three long, hard months. I can still feel the shock when the operator informed me her number had been disconnected. With no one to ask, I just had to pray my girl knew me and knew our love enough to be there when I came back to her. I couldn’t worry; I had to have my head about me. So with all the hope of a naïve teenage dreamer I believed everything would be fine.

Izzy and me, we were what some would call a fairy tale, if you believed in that shit. I had met her the first day of my sophomore year. She had been a scared little freshman, a fish completely out of the water and terrified out of her mind. But, did she let it show? No, not my Izzy, she marched right into Dale High with her shoulders back and her head high. Her pale green eyes were trained right ahead, ready to take on the world. And I had taken one look and knew she would be mine. From that moment on, she was mine and I was hers.

She came from a great family, her parents were the kind a kid dreams of; accepted everyone and anyone, regardless of where they came from. They didn’t mind that their only child, their only daughter had fallen in love with a foster kid from the wrong side of the tracks; she loved me so they did too. I was shocked when I learned about their deaths. Adam and Holly West were amazing people and I knew Izzy had to be feeling that deep. In my love soaked mind, I still believed she was waiting; now I just wondered where that was. I knew she had some extended family but no one seemed to know where they lived. And trust me, I asked. All of her friends just said she had been devastated; when they spoke to her at the service for her parents she was silent. They said she had turned completely into herself, like a zombie. She just sat there and looked off into space. That killed me more than anything, knowing she had been hurting and alone. I became frantic in my search. I had just a little time before I had to return to training. The only thing I was able to find out was that she was in North Carolina, or South Carolina, living with her mom’s parents. Only problem was, no one knew her mother’s maiden name. With no more answers and my time back home gone, I headed back to base, confused but still determined to find her.

I didn’t catch a break for four long years. I had pulled every string I had, and every penny I didn’t to find her. When I got the news I felt like I had been shot straight through the fucking heart.

Married.

My girl was married.

Isabelle West-Hunter had been married just four months earlier. My info had been light but I was assured she looked happy and healthy.

From that point on, my heart was completely closed to anyone. Locked in a fireproof safe and sunk to the deepest depths in my body. I wouldn’t make that mistake again, no one would be making me a fool for caring, especially not a bitch like Isabelle West.

Chapter 6

At some point I must have fallen asleep against Maddox; his arms haven’t let up their strong hold. I woke up about ten minutes ago when Greg came storming back in the office; he hasn’t stopped pacing since. What is going on now?

I know we are still at Carnal, I can hear a faint thump of the bass coming up from the floor below us. The buzz I had been enjoying was long gone; packed off and headed to Mexico with a one way ticket.

Maddox is a quiet man, he keeps his soothing humming and vice grip, but the quiet is what I need. He isn’t forcing me to talk, even though I know he must have questions. He has got to think I am certifiable. One second I am smiling and the next fainting at his feet. As far as first impressions go, I think that one will be lasting.

Greg finally stops his pacing and muttering and looks over at me. I can see the anger bleed off of his face; instantly, calm and understanding finally dawns.

“Come here baby girl.”

A new sob bubbles up as I quickly climb off of Maddox and rush forward into Greg’s protective arms. I can’t even count how many times this man has been my rock. My strength and support; picking up my pieces and not stopping until he has successfully glued each piece back together.

(Axel)

I hear the door click and immediately straighten from my folded position on the floor. The look of pure wrath in Locke’s eyes has me pausing before completing my way up from my seat. He is not a man that shows emotion, ever. Fuck, I can’t even remember the last time I was able to tell what he was thinking, let alone what he was feeling. There is no question right now though. He is throwing fire right into my eyes. It didn’t take much of a leap to reason that he was pissed at me.