Isela's Love (10 page)

Guarros shook his hand. “Not a problem. I understand. The journey here from Inland is brutal I’m told.”

Evan let out a relieved breath as they followed Guarros to his office. He placed his next order, paid them for the current one, and they provided him with receipts. Once their business was concluded, Evan and Darrios were escorted out into the main hallway.

“Sorry I can’t accompany you myself, gentlemen, but I’m extremely busy. You understand,” he said, dismissing them.

Darrios couldn’t get away from the warden fast enough. He held his tongue, waiting until they were out of earshot of any of his spies. On their way out, they rounded a corner, coming face to face with Brendan.

Darrios reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bundle wrapped in cloth, slipping it into Brendan’s pocket as he walked by him without missing a stride.

Just before they reached the exit, Darrios looked up to see Isela standing down the hall in the entryway of a large room. She gave him a little wave. He waved back, wishing he could go talk to her, make sure she was all right. Her cheek had a bruise, but nothing compared to Brendan.

Shortly after they cleared the gates into Inland, Darrios stopped the wagon and jumped off. He paced back and forth in front of it, cursing. Evan let him rant. Darrios had a short fuse to begin with. He needed to vent or the ride home would be unbearable.

“That sadistic motherfucker! Did you see Brendan’s face? Did you? I am so gonna kill that piece of shit—”

“No, you’re not. Once we get enough evidence, we’ll let the Council take over. They’ll decide what happens to him.”

Darrios stopped in his tracks, glaring at Evan. “Since when aren’t you about revenge?”

“He’s not one of the monsters in the Rim, Darrios. He’s a human being.”

“Not in my book. Any man that does the shit that he does? He’s definitely a monster.”

Darrios turned and stalked away. Evan rolled his eyes. Darrios did have a flair for the dramatic. Evan urged the hoodlas to trot along next to Darrios until it became so annoying to him, he hopped back on. Evan stifled his grin.

“If Brendan needed our help, he would’ve let us know,” Evan pointed out.

“I know that. I’m just worried. If that’s what Guarros did to him on the first day, what will he do after the first week or month?”

“Now that Brendan knows how he does things, maybe he’ll fly under the radar for a while.”

“I hope so. Now I gotta go home and lie to my wife when she asks me how her brother is.”

****

Every time Isela looked at Brendan, her heart ached. His gorgeous face, now bruised and swollen, ended up that way because of her. She’d apologized repeatedly, so many times, in fact, that Brendan had rolled his eyes and said, “This isn’t your fault. You didn’t ask me to defend you, and you certainly didn’t force me to mouth off to Guarros. Please don’t apologize anymore, Isela. Besides, if I had it to do over, I’d do the same thing.”

Isela cocked her head, smiling. “So you’re saying you’re not very bright.”

Brendan laughed. The sound was music to Isela’s ears.

“Ouch, now that was hurtful,” he teased.

Isela cleared the condiments off the table, gathering them in her arms.

“Here, let me help you,” Brendan offered, grabbing an armload from the next table.

“Don’t you have your own work to do?” Isela asked.

“Actually, it’s my free time.”

“How much do you get?”

Brendan looked down at his feet. “As a level two inmate I get one hour in the afternoon and then after 7:00 until lights out.

“Wow, that doesn’t seem like much time. Why would you want to spend it cleaning tables?”

He stopped, staring straight into Isela’s eyes, drowning in the pools of turquoise. “Because this is where you are,” he said, barely above a whisper.

Isela swallowed, despite the lump in her throat. “Oh.”

“So what’s Guarros’ deal anyway? He seems to have it out for you. Why is that?” Brendan asked.

Isela chewed her lip. Hugging the condiments to her chest, she hurried into the kitchen, Brendan following behind her.

“Isela, wait. I didn’t mean to upset you...”

She stopped, straightening. Dumping the bottles onto the counter, she turned to face him.

“You didn’t,” she replied. She fixed her eyes on the doorway, “I think it has something to do with my mother. Guarros took us in after my father was killed. At least that’s what he tells people.”

“I don’t understand.”

She gave Brendan a pained look then glanced at the floor shaking her head. “He made my mother a slave.”

Brendan took a step forward. “I’m so sorry, Isela.”

“He forced her to...”

She choked back a sob.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it.”

She met his gaze again. “No. You need to know what kind of monster we’re dealing with...so you don’t take any more crazy risks.”

“Oh, I know exactly what kind of monster Guarros is.”

“I don’t think you do,” she said.

“He’s the kind that abuses women, probably coerces them into having sex. He has to be in control of every situation, even if he’s wrong.”

Isela laughed sardonically. “That’s the tip of the iceberg, Brendan.” Glancing around, she lowered her voice. “I will escape him some day...or I’ll die trying.”

Brendan looked into her eyes with an intensity that almost burned. “I’ll help you.”

She cocked her head. “Why? Why would you risk your life?”

He snorted. “You call being in here a life?”

“Well, no, but—”

“Besides”—he grinned—“I can’t let you die trying.”

She smiled back at him.

Isela pumped water into a pot then hung it over the fire. While it heated, she chatted with Brendan.

“So what did you do to get sent here?” she asked.

“The people in my community were starving. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I stole some food and I got caught. More than once. Even though I can morally justify it, the people I stole from don’t seem to care. Things got kind of nasty...physical even.” He smiled weakly. “So here I am.”

Isela couldn’t help but stare at Brendan with admiration and wonder. How could there be someone, especially in this place so good? So unselfish that he’d literally sacrifice himself for the good of others? Damn the bastards that condemned him.

“I can’t believe they’d imprison you for helping people,” she said.

He chuckled. “Yeah, I thought the same thing. Apparently the ridiculously rich guy that owned the food I stole wasn’t feeling it. He pressed charges and asked for the maximum penalty, claiming I’d just do it again. He wanted to send a message.”

“Stealing isn’t a level two violation. It’s only a level one,” Isela said.

“Yeah, but the fights that followed earned me a level two.”

Brendan and Isela were so absorbed in their conversation that they didn’t notice when someone else walked in.

“Well, well, what do we have going on here?” Keeri asked, mocking innocence. “A prisoner with a servant?” She covered her mouth. “I’m shocked.”

“Since when is it against Guarros’ law for an inmate to speak to a servant? Isela asked, desperately trying to keep her cool.

Keeri sauntered over, a smug smile on her face. “It isn’t...but you two seemed positively intimate. My goodness, Isela, I’ll bet Warden Guarros would be absolutely furious with you...and him...if he knew how close the two of you have become.”

Isela fought the urge to beat Keeri senseless. She breathed deeply. “Keeri, Guarros doesn’t need to spend his time worrying about nothing.” She shot a knowing look to Brendan. “He’s new. He was trying to score some points by doing extra work. That’s all.” Isela narrowed her eyes, taking a step toward Keeri. “Don’t you remember what happened the last time you tried to make something out of nothing?”

Isela had made her point. Keeri winced. Then she smiled broadly.

“Maybe you could prove me wrong,” she suggested. “New guy, why don’t you walk me back to my room? Then everyone won’t think you’re obsessed with Isela. Maybe they’ll even tell Guarros...which would be better for your overall health...and if you’re nice, maybe I’ll blow you till you don’t know your own name.”

Isela’s gut twisted. Her breath was sucked from her body. A spear of jealousy ran straight through her chest. It took every bit of strength Isela had not to leap on Keeri and pummel her. She wanted to scratch Keeri’s eyes out while screaming, “Stay away from him, bitch!”

But she couldn’t. Keeri was right. Servants and inmates were forbidden to interact other than casually. Regardless of the innocence, if Keeri told Guarros she’d seen Isela and Brendan together it would be bad for Isela, but far worse for Brendan. Isela looked into Brendan’s beautiful brown eyes, hoping he’d know she didn’t mean what she was about to say. “Go with her. Do what she wants. Then Guarros will know we’re just friends...and that you really want Keeri.”

Brendan looked stricken, just for a second, much to Isela’s relief. Then he gave her just a fraction of a nod. Good. He did get it.

****

While he understood Isela’s motivation, Brendan certainly did not want to deal with Keeri. But if it kept Isela safe, he’d do whatever he had to.

He held out his hand. “I liked your original offer. Shall we go?” Brendan asked.

Keeri giggled, slipping her hand into Brendan’s. As they left the room, Keeri looked back over her shoulder, a smug smile on her face.

Isela scrubbed the remaining plates, harder and longer than necessary, but she had to do something to keep the fleeting images of Keeri doing the things she’d suggested to Brendan out of her head.

Isela kept asking herself why it mattered. Why did she care if Brendan enjoyed the services Keeri provided? She tried to convince herself it was because Keeri was a vile human being and Brendan was a nice guy, but as she dried the last dish and put it away, she had to admit she’d been lying to herself.

She was jealous, pure and simple. Unsettling as that thought was, Isela couldn’t deny it. Why, though? She wasn’t interested in having a relationship with Brendan, or any man. So, why did the idea of him getting naked with another woman send Isela into a blind rage? She took a couple of deep breaths, telling herself to snap out of it.

****

Isela peeled off her tank top and threw it on the floor. Her mood had not improved in the slightest, so she decided to turn in early. No sense in bringing Mae down too. She kicked off her pants then grabbed her nightgown. She punched her pillow to fluff it up. After tossing and turning for nearly half an hour, Isela flopped onto her back, slapping her hands on the mattress out of frustration. She couldn’t shake the image of Keeri on her knees in front of Brendan.

After repeated bouts of pacing, tossing, and turning, Isela finally drifted off to sleep.

****

Isela hurried down the hall anxiously anticipating her rendezvous with Brendan. She hadn’t seen him in days. Keeri had come up to her before dinner and told her he wanted her to meet him in his room at seven fifteen. The thought of being in his arms again made her want to run to his room.

Outside Brendan’s door, Isela smoothed her hair, breathing deeply to slow her racing heart. Smiling, she turned the knob and pushed open the door. Her smile faded. She stood there staring, not wanting to believe the sight before her.

“Oh yes, lover,” Keeri cooed.

Isela thought she might vomit. Across the room, Brendan and Keeri were tangled in a lover’s embrace, both of them naked and oblivious to Isela’s presence in the room. Isela hiccupped a small sob, unintentionally drawing the writhing couple’s attention to her. They stopped. Keeri, on top, sat straight up, making no attempt to cover herself. She smiled smugly.

“Do you mind? We’re kind of busy, here.” She smiled seductively. “Unless you’re into watching.”

“Sorry, I...I...” Isela stammered.

“I didn’t mean for you to find out like this,” Brendan said, Keeri still straddled on top of him.

Unwilling to give Keeri the satisfaction of seeing her break down, Isela said nothing. Shaking her head, she backed out of the room. She pulled the door shut, turned, and ran back to her room, sobbing.

Isela sat straight up in bed, bathed in sweat, crying. Wiping her eyes, she said, “It was only a dream. It was only a dream.”

There had been no red haze, so it hadn’t been a vision. Still, what was her problem? She refused to allow herself to care about Brendan. It was a doomed relationship. The most they could ever be was distant friends. She knew that in her head. Now, if only she could only convince her heart.

****

When Isela had suggested Brendan go with Keeri, he’d been stunned. Relief had flooded over him when he realized she didn’t really want that. He’d gone along with it to keep Isela out of trouble, but he’d had no intention of participating in any of the activities Keeri had graphically listed during the walk to her room...a place he would certainly never step foot in. That would be like a rat walking into a python’s nest. He half expected the woman to have fangs.

As they got closer to Keeri’s room, Brendan desperately tried to think of an excuse to get away from her that wouldn’t make her suspicious and go after Isela again. Luckily, when they rounded the corner leading to her hallway, one of Guarros’s guards stopped them.

“Keeri, what do you think you’re doing?”

“Oh, piss off, Hal. Stay out of my business.”

“Not if your business breaks the warden’s rules. You’re not planning to take the new guy into your room, I hope.”

She smiled seductively, placing her hand on the guard’s chest. “Whatsamatter, Hal, are you jealous?”

He snorted. “Hardly.”

“Then why would you assume I was taking the new guy to my room?”

The guard laughed, slapping his leg. “That’s a good one, Keeri.” He sobered. “Because, everyone knows how much you like to screw. Is there anyone in this place who hasn’t been in your bed?” he asked bitterly.

“Fuck you,” Keeri hissed.

The guard raised his index finger, waving it back and forth. “Tsk, tsk. I’m afraid that dirty mouth of yours just earned you a detention.”

He grabbed her by the upper arm, propelling her forward, despite her protests and struggling. He hollered over his shoulder, “Sorry, pal, maybe another time...She really is quite the ride.”