Shackled Lily (26 page)

I wiped my eyes and vowed they would be the last tears I ever shed again, and started typing out a message to him.

Me: I’ve changed my mind. Hope is an illusion and so is love.

Grant:
Don’t do this, Issy. Don’t let him win.

I punched out the next text knowing every word was a lie.

Me: I don’t want what you are offering me. I don’t want to be on the run, pretending to be someone I’m not. I will only disappoint you and make myself miserable in the meantime.

Grant:
I DON’T BELIEVE YOU.

I sent the last one and then blocked his number from my phone.

Me: There is a reason you called her a ghost. She doesn’t exist. You are in love with a fairytale. I’m sorry.

I took off his clothes and placed them high in my closet before dawning my robe and walking out to the balcony. I could feel the wall rebuilding over my heart. It was fortified this time, as I was more aware than ever what kind of pain comes when you let your guard down.

A light knock on the door brought me from my thoughts and I walked over to open it. Before me stood a middle aged lady I didn’t recognize who was holding a garment bag and rolling a small suitcase behind her. She seemed frazzled and stressed and started talking a mile a minute.

“You must be Isadora! Wow, what a wonderful canvas to work with. I’m Suzzy, Robbie’s stylist. I’m so sorry I’m late. I just got the call that you were back. Now lets get to work. Oh my, we only have 35 minutes to pull this off.”

I moved out of her way and she rushed through the room barking orders at me. I complied with everything she said and let her turn me into Robbie’s idea of what the perfect woman looked like. I stared at the reflection of a girl I didn’t recognize. My hair had been swept up in a stylish and complex twist high on my head, making me look much older and more sophisticated than I was. The makeup was kept light everywhere except the eyes, which were so dramatically emphasized that it was hard not to stare into them. The dress was an ivory color and had a whimsical feel to it. It had a straight neckline and small spaghetti straps that sparkled in the light. The dress emphasized my bodice and small waist before flowing in all directions finally ending with an asymmetrical hemline at my shins.

Suzzy stood behind me and sigh
ed, wiping a tear out her eyes. “You look breathtaking. Robbie will be beside himself.”

She gathered up her things, and I smiled at her, graciously thanking her. She beamed and left the room, never once realizing she was looking into the eyes of a dead woman.

I grabbed my things, to include the purse I was given to match my dress. I didn’t bother to pack my phone. It held nothing for me now.

My father, along with Anna and Junior were standing at the bottom of the stairs when I approached. Anna let out a gasp and my father smiled and nodded. I followed them without a word to the waiting limo and took my seat gracefully.

“Issy, you look incredible,” Anna gushed. “That dress had to cost a fortune.”

I just smiled at her before correcting her. “It’s Isadora now, Anna, but thank you.”

Robbie was waiting when we arrived. I watched him out the window, his face showing all the tension and anger he must have felt over the last twenty-four hours when I was missing. I closed my eyes. Even the numbing I had done to my body couldn’t hide the fear and repulsion that shot down my spine. I truly hated him with such measure that I feared what I would do if we were ever out in the barn again next to his archery set.

The door of the limo opened and Robbie reached in for my hand. His grip was tight and hostile as I felt practically jerked from the car. In my heels, I was only a few inches shorter than him and was immediately staring into his dark hazel eyes. For a second, they looked wild and dangerous, but then I watched his eyes relax as he examined me, moving from the top of my head, down to the shoes he had no doubt approved for the day.

“You may just be stunning enough to make me forgive what you put me through yesterday,” he said with a sadistic smile before he grabbed my waist and pulled me towards him. His smell made my stomach turn with nausea, and I had to fight every instinct not to push him away. I felt his breath on my exposed neck as his words sent chills rippling through my body. “Forgive…but not forget.”

Robbie turned to address my father. “I assume we have the last hurdle taken care of?”

My father shot me a look and then went back to Robbie. “I’m working it. Rest assured, though, it will no longer affect the deal.”

I knew they were talking about Grant, and my stomach knotted as I looked at my father, my eyes threatening as I silently ensured he would keep his end of the deal. He simply nodded in my direction and began to lead Anna and Junior into the large hotel where the press conference was to be held.

I started to follow them, but felt Robbie’s grip tighten, leaving me trapped next to him. He turned me around and slammed his mouth over mine. It wasn’t a kiss of passion or caring, but a kiss of ownership and anger. It didn’t require a response. Robbie was simply making a point that he was in control.

When he was finished, he allowed us to walk in the hotel together, his mask firmly in place as we posed for various photographers. As promised, after the merger announcement was made and various questions answered, Robbie approached the microphone.

“There’s one more announcement that needs to be made today. Actually, its more of a question,” he said with a wink, making the different press agents start moving around in excitement, grabbing their tape recorders and ensuring the cameras were set. Robbie came and took my hand, pulling me up from the chair I had been assigned to sit in. He led me to the middle of the room where there would be nothing blocking our view from the hundreds of flashes that had already started. I did my best to look confused and excited, playing the part fully.

He dropped to one knee. “Isadora Summers, you have swept me off my feet and ensured that if I lived a thousand years, I would never get enough of you. Marry me. Make me the luckiest man in the world.” His eyes held complete sincerity and I actually believed he meant it. In his sick, twisted, selfish brain, Robbie truly believed he loved me.

I put my hand to my mouth, making a grand gesture of shock and excitement, before saying, “Yes.” The diamond really was obnoxiously large, princess cut and at least three carets with a row of smaller diamonds surrounding it. The stone was so large that the band consisted of two small rows of diamonds that came together to form a single row at the back. It fit me perfectly, but felt misplaced on my small finger.

Robbie stood and picked me up, spinning me around before kissing me in front of the cameras. I responded as was appropriate and we heard the room erupt in applause. When all the interviews and pictures were complete, I was ushered into Robbie’s car, even though we were all going back to my father’s house.

“Isadora,” Robbie began, his voice holding all the authority of a businessman. “Eric is going to be your driver until next week when you move to my estate. He’ll take you everywhere you need to go and will also serve as a bodyguard when needed.”

I wanted to correct him that the term was prison guard, but instead simply answered, “Thank you, Robbie. That was very thoughtful of you.”

Robbie sat back and lifted my finger, examining how the ring looked on it and smiled. He had won, and he knew it. My entire body was tense in the confided space as I waited for Robbie to start touching and kissing me like he always did. Surprisingly, he was hands off—a fact I was extremely grateful for until Robbie explained.

“I let you cloud my judgment once. I won’t make the same mistake twice, Isadora.” He glared into my eyes as he ran his finger down my arm. “Time is short, and all good things are worth waiting for.”

Nausea filled my stomach again, and I turned to look out the window, away from his penetrating eyes. My gesture wasn’t acceptable to him because he took my chin in his hand and turned my face back to him. “I own you, and I will not share,” he said coolly, his eyes wild and dangerous again.

“I understand,” I simply stated and Robbie released my face. The screaming in my head went to new octaves, but my shell was impenetrable. There were no tears, no shaking or labored breathing. I had accepted my fate.

When we reached the house and entered, I excused myself to go change into something more appropriate for lunch. Robbie conceded with a light kiss on the inside of my wrist and told me not to take too long.

I sat down in the black chair near my fireplace and began removing the strappy shoes that were killing my feet. Just when I got the second one off, Grant came storming into the room demanding, “Take it off!”

I stood to face him, shock and relief registering all over my face. The sight of him sent a whirl of emotion spinning through my insides and threatened all the resolve I had managed that day. He was shaking with fury and desperation. “Take his ring off your finger, Issy!” he yelled as he grabbed my hand to pull the offensive metal off of me. He didn’t stop shaking until the ring was lying on the floor next to us. He took me into his arms and held me. He had tears in his eyes, and I clung to him as if he were my lifeline. I had never seen him cry before, but understood, because I felt the same desperation.

“You can’t do this. You can’t let him win. You have to fight. It just takes faith, Issy, please,” he pleaded as he searched my eyes.

I didn’t even get a chance to respond before my father and Robbie’s driver were on him, pulling him away from me. It took both of them to hold him back as he fought them pleading, “Don’t be this person, Issy. I know you’re still in there.” His eyes caught mine and held them captive, silently pleading with me, until Robbie rushed in and stood next to me.

I watched in horror as Grant fought himself out of their grip and lunged at Robbie, taking him to the floor. He got one solid punch in before my father and Eric had him back under their hold. “I’ll kill you,” Grant screamed towards Robbie. “If you lay so much as a finger on her, I swear, I will kill you!” He didn’t get a chance to say anything more as the men pulled him out of the room and down the hallway.

My body was trembling while my head screamed at me to go after him…to fight just as he told me too. But I didn’t have the faith Grant had. Robbie and my father were too powerful, and I knew if I fought them, Grant would suffer. At least this way, one of us would be free.

Robbie stood up and straightened his suit jacket before rubbing his jaw, which was already starting to bruise a little. He didn’t seem the least bit affected by the scene that had just taken place. Instead, he slowly reached down and picked up the ring that lay on my floor.

“Now that was an unfortunate display of drama, wouldn’t you say?” he asked, his voice thick with sarcasm as he put the ring back on my finger. “Lunch is waiting. Don’t take too much longer,” he directed before leaving my room.

It was three hours later before Robbie finally departed for the evening. He placed a soft peck on my cheek before promising to see me in the morning. While grateful that his advances were limited, part of me feared what to expect when he no longer felt the need to hold back. A shiver went through my body as I realized that fateful day was only four days away.

I walked by Grant’s office that had already been cleared out of anything that reminded me of him. After seven years of him practically living in that office, it seemed unimaginable he would never again be in there. My eyes darted to his bedroom and soon my feet followed as I opened the door. The space was as empty as my life felt, except for the small bible sitting on his nightstand. I picked it up, wanting to have something of his. I noticed several pages were marked and highlighted, and wondered why he thought the words were so important. I held the small book to my chest and shut the door.

My phone was ringing as I entered my room and I smiled, feeling really happy it was Jake on the other end.

“Hey,” I answered softly, trying to keep the shell firmly still in place. Jake would never understand what I was doing.

“What’s going on?” Jake
demanded without even a hello. “Grant’s here, and he’s out of his mind. Says you’re engaged?”

“Grant’s there?” I asked, shock registering in my voice. I heard Grant tell Jake to give him the phone, and I quickly countered. “Jake
, if you give him the phone, I’ll hang up.”

“Hold on,” I heard him whisper into the phone and then shuffling and a door closing before he got back on. “I’m alone. Now what’s going on?”

I closed my eyes and hardened my heart. “I’m engaged!” I announced playfully through the phone. “Surprise. Daddy set me up with a handsome, rich billionaire, and what can say, I’m hooked.”

“Give me a break, Issy. Y
ou’ve never cared about that stuff.”

“Well neither have you, Jake. I guess we’ve both changed,” I retorted.

“Grant said you’re being forced, that your dad threated me and your mom and that’s why you’re doing it.”

I let out a long exasperated sigh. “Grant’s delusional. He was fun at first, but then tried to get me to run off with him, living on love, so to say. Sorry Jake, I’m just not that girl. ”

“I’m not buying it, Issy. I know how you feel about him,” he said sternly.

I didn’t want to say the next words as I knew they would be
a knife in his back, but I had no choice. “Listen Jake, Grant’s living in fairyland. I lost interest the minute I had him. You know how I work. I’m his ‘Avery,’ and like you, he just needs to get over it. I want someone else.”