With Isa occupied in the kitchen the next morning, with Regina teaching her to make ensaimada to distract Isa from the insecure way she'd acted since her confession, I retreated to my office. Grabbing the phone off my desk, I texted Ryker to update him with the confirmation that Isa had been pushed into that river.
I wanted a fucking name.
Alejandro stepped into the office, taking advantage of one of the first moments I'd had without Isa in my arms since our conversation the afternoon before. "What do you want?" I asked, moving behind my desk as he met my eyes.
"Is she okay?" Alejandro asked tentatively. "She seems...off."
"She told me about the accident finally. She's apparently feeling a little vulnerable after that. I think that's to be expected, given she blames herself for what happened," I said, stopping from telling him more. I suspected Isa wouldn't be happy to have another man know the intimate details of her life and what she thought was her greatest shame.
Even if it shouldn't have been.
He caught on quickly, clearing his throat before moving on with business. He dropped a photo on my desk, Pavel's second son's face staring up from the blurry capture from a security camera. "Maxim was spotted in Barcelona."
"And what was Pavel's new heir doing in Spain?" I asked, my lips tipping up into a smile.
"He paid a visit to your Uncle, who called to let you know this morning, but you were busy with Reina," he said. I studied him as I thought over my options. As much as I hated to admit it, Isa was in no place for me to leave her again so soon, but allowing Maxim to stroll into my country without consequence couldn't be tolerated either. "What will you do?"
"Tell Regina to pack a bag for Isa. We'll leave tonight," I said.
"You're taking her with you?" Alejandro asked, raising an eyebrow. "You really think that's wise."
"I think I put two trackers in her body. If she tries to get away, she won't get far." I shrugged, smirking at him as I picked my phone up off the desk and texted Joaquin to get himself and a team ready. "Get the boat ready."
He nodded, retreating from the room as I stared out the door and into the hallway. Isa might have been vulnerable following the admission and thought herself a killer, but the timing would never be perfect to push her to become the Queen she was always meant to be.
We'd know if she could handle the devil she'd married in a matter of hours.
34
Isa
It was late evening by the time Rafael's yacht docked. I'd spent the trip lounging in the sun next to the dip pool. The cushioned platform was covered with pillows and the perfect place to curl up with a book and a chess board, relaxing with the warmth of the sun on my skin. Rafael sat in a chair next to the lounge bed I occupied, his face buried in his phone as he worked frantically to make arrangements for whatever was so urgent we had to leave El Infierno immediately. Every now and then he’d glance up and smirk at me studying chess strategy so I could eventually beat him.
He was quiet about the reason for the trip, but despite the sinking dread I felt that something was about to go down, I couldn't seem to focus on that sense of premonition within me.
I was off the island for the first time. I could have the opportunity to escape, and I didn't know what to do with that. I couldn't imagine my life without Rafael, but I also didn't want to insinuate that everything he'd done was okay.
None of it was. But even if I left him, I could never go home. Not when it was the first place he would look, so where would I even go? There was also the minor detail where I'd admitted I loved him. In the heat of the moment, it had seemed like the appropriate thing to do, but I couldn't help but feel like I'd signed my soul to the devil with those words.
Like he would use them against me, and manipulate me into becoming whatever it was he thought his wife should be. Like he'd own the last pieces of me.
I didn't want to give them to him.
He shoved his phone into his pocket, somehow looking relaxed and comfortable in his suit despite the heat. He shrugged on his jacket as he stood and the boat came to a halt at the dock, reaching out a hand to help me out of the lounge. "Leave your book," he said. "We'll sleep on the yacht tonight." I unfolded my limbs carefully so I wouldn't flash the crew my underwear, letting Rafe pull me to stand. The back of the yellow wrap dress was longer than the front, where it was cut perfectly to reveal the scar on my thigh.
With my tattoo and brand open to view, I felt like I had more scars and marks on my skin than I knew what to do with. The faint outline of Rafe's teeth still graced my shoulder, and it was fortunate that no one could see the pink welts on my ass from when he'd whipped me with the riding crop. Regina had all but forced jewelry on me as she helped me dress, a mix of moonstones and turquoise necklaces and bracelets layered on my neck and the left arm that was free of tattoos.
I’d never worn jewelry—not because I didn't like it, but because we hadn't had the money to waste on such things. The metal against my skin felt itchy and uncomfortable just because I wasn't used to it. Rafe brought me through the cabin and down the steps to the lower level at the back, and we stepped onto the boat dock. Two men stood at
