30. Izzy

Chapter 30

Izzy

I leaned down to hug Yara carefully. “I’ll see you soon,” I promised, reeling from everything she had told me. “Get some rest.”

My poor best friend had gone through so much, but never again. Not if I could make sure of it.

Stepping into the hallway, my dad stood against the wall.

A sentinel.

For me? Or for Yara ?

“Do you love her?” I asked, staring into him.

His lips quirked at the corners, the crease between his brow smoothed out, and his eyes softened.

I had my answer.

“I do,” he confirmed.

“Okay, I love you dad, but don’t hurt her. She deserves the world. And listen…I’m sorry. I’m sorry I believed mom and never looked for you,” I rasped out.

“Sweetheart, it wasn’t you. And I know you’re all grown now, and that this situation is a bit different , but I will be here for you from here on out. I won’t question your choices, you always did have a strong sense of character. But even still, if you ever need to escape, I can make it happen, no questions asked.” He opened his arms for me.

I didn’t hesitate, I fell into his familiar embrace. He always smelled like the air after it rained and that was present even now. The nostalgia pulled forth a plethora of memories.

My dad and I had been close before my mother snatched me away. She stole years from us. It was hard to not be angry with her, but she was dead now. I couldn’t scream at her, I couldn’t question her choices. I simply had to accept it.

For a few moments we just stood like that. “I missed you, too.” I sobbed into his shoulder.

And I had. But now that he was here, I felt a piece of myself healing.

“I think a part of me always knew you were alive. I never accepted your death.” It was true, it was partially why I never looked for him. I didn’t want confirmation he was dead. It felt like I could play pretend without seeing the obituary. But now all I felt was regret.

“I failed you. I should have seen the signs that your mother wasn’t mentally stable. I just never expected her to take you from me.” He shook as he held me.

We stood like that for a few more moments in silence. Soaking up over a decade of loss, of a thousand missed events. My graduation, my company, my first boyfriend, my marriage .

“I got married…to Emilio.” I had almost forgotten in the chaos of the last few weeks.

My dad stiffened before dropping his arms around me and stepping back. He reached up, cupping my face carefully. “If he hurts you, I will kill him. Cartel boss or not.”

I cracked a smile. “I know.”

“Ellie!” Maddox’s voice came from my left down the hallway.

“Go join your men. I’ll be here when you need me. I’m not going anywhere, and from what Yara has said, it seems we might all be moving here.”

On that note, he stepped around me and back into Yara’s hospital room.

“Isa,” Emilio’s voice was a shock as he breathed the name into my ear.

“Isobel,” Oliver was next to join our reunion in the hospital.

“Why must you all call me different names?” I exhaled. “My name is Isobella, Izzy for short. Not Ellie, or Isa, or Isobel.”

“Is that right? She’s being feisty, isn’t she?” Emilio cracked out, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

“She is,” Oliver agreed. Stepping in front of me a devious expression, darkening his face.

They were crowding me, making me all hot and bothered. I needed to get out of here.

“We’re in a hospital! Not a brothel. And when did you two start agreeing on anything?”

Though I was secretly grateful for it; their bickering hadn’t been my favorite part of this arrangement.

“You heard her,” Maddox grumbled, moving up next to us.

“See the voice of reas—”

“But there’s an empty closet down the hallway.” Maddox yanked me from between the two men and threw me over his shoulder. “Finders keepers!” He laughed raucously.

“Get back here! Emilio, don’t just stand there! Help me get her from him!” Oliver barked out.

Is this what my life is going to be like from here on out?

Emilio caught up, tripping Maddox, but Oliver caught me before I could fall to the ground.

“Mine now! ”

“I’m not a football!” I grumbled as I was jostled about.

Oliver spanked my ass before Emilio was there to take me onto his shoulder.

“My wife!” He cackled.

“We’re going to fix that!”

I could get used to this life.

My face bounced against Emilio’s back as he ran and I came to the startling realization.

I didn’t think about my weight much anymore. The world’s oppressive hand wasn’t pushing me into the ground. I wasn’t trapped with vanilla men.

I was absurdly and astoundingly happy.

It certainly took me a while and the help of a few men to rebuild my confidence, but I had finally hit a point where I accepted that I may not be everyone’s type of beauty.

But I can at least be my own.