Chapter 9
634words
I look at Damien. He's like a stranger to me.
There are tears in his eyes, but his obsession is terrifying.
This is not the man I once loved.
"Yes," he says eagerly. Hope flickers in his eyes. "Isabella, we can start over."
I don't answer. My heart is a frozen wasteland.
He lets go of my hand. Pulls a velvet box from his pocket.
"This is for you."
He opens it. Inside is a breathtaking diamond ring. "The Star of Sicily."
He carefully takes out the ring. His eyes are full of expectation.
"My grandmother wore it. My mother wore it. Now, I want you to wear it."
The ring is stunning. Any woman would kill for it.
All I feel is disgust.
"Put it on, Isabella." Damien takes my left hand. "Be my queen. For real this time."
I look at the priceless ring.
Then, as he watches, full of hope, I take it from him. I roll down the window. And with all my strength, I throw it into the weeds on the side of the road.
"No."
The look on Damien's face freezes.
"What?"
"I said no." I stare at his shocked face. "I won't wear it."
"Why?" His voice trembles. "Isabella, that's the Star of Sicily! It's worth more than any other ring!"
"But it doesn't change anything."
My voice is calm. The calmness surprises even me.
"Three months ago, this is all I wanted. To be your wife. To have a family with you."
"We still can!" he says desperately. "We can start right now!"
"No." I shake my head. "Damien, the Isabella who loved you is dead. She died the night you put that ring on Sophia's finger."
His face turns white.
"You don't mean that."
"I do."
My phone rings. Julian Thorne.
I look at Damien. Then I answer.
"Julian?"
His warm voice comes through the phone: "Isabella, are you okay? I couldn't reach you."
Hearing his voice, I feel a wave of relief.
"Yes," I say, my voice softening, but with an edge of command. "I need you to pick me up. I ran into some… old trouble."
"Where are you?" Julian's voice is instantly alert.
"Sending you my location."
"Ten minutes." He doesn't ask any questions. Just a simple promise.
I hang up. Send the location.
Damien stares at me. I can't read the expression in his eyes.
"The way you talk to him," he says quietly. "You never talked to me like that."
I don't deny it.
"Your voice… it's so soft. So… dependent," he continues, his voice cracking. "In three years, you never needed me like that."
"Because you never made me feel safe."
The words hit him like a knife.
I hear an engine. A silver BMW is heading our way. Julian.
The car pulls up beside us. Julian gets out and walks quickly toward us.
He doesn't even look at Damien.
He comes straight to my door, opens it, and drapes his suit jacket over my shoulders.
"Are you okay?" he asks, his eyes quickly scanning the car.
"I am now." I get out. "We can go."
Damien gets out too. He's still clutching the empty velvet box.
The two men stand face to face.
"You're Julian Thorne," Damien says.
"Costello," Julian says, his voice pure steel wrapped in silk. "You threw her away. Now she's mine to treasure. A lesson you're about to learn the hard way."
Damien looks at us. The blood drains from his face.
"You love him?" he chokes out, his voice like shattered glass. "Isabella... you actually love him?"
I look at him. The man who once consumed my world.
Then I turn to Julian. I take his arm. I see the tenderness and strength in his eyes.
"Yes," I say. "I do."
