Chase, page 27
We all stand, apart from the dog who looks as though she’s set herself up on the sofa for the night. Just as we reach the door to bid them farewell, Wyatt suddenly turns to me, looking a little grave.
“Izzy, those shares?” he begins, putting me on edge at the mere mention of them. Theo and Frankie look at him like he’s just admitted to committing murder on a house of puppies, but we all remain quiet to see where he’s going with this. “When it was discovered that Frankie was carrying my brother’s child, he begged me to forgive him, trying every which way to make me move past his betrayal. I knew this would be an impossibility, but I pretended it could happen, I could forgive and forget…on two conditions. The first was you. He would take responsibility for the child he made behind my back. The second was him signing over fifteen percent of the company shares. It took him some time to consider my offer, for it would only leave him ten percent of the business. Izzy, I know I owe you so much more for my part in all this, so I want to give my twenty-five percent of the company shares to you, as well as the fifteen percent I took from your father. All of them. That business was never anything to do with me.”
“Wait, what?” I gasp, not fully grasping what he’s saying, nor the impact of what he’s offering.
“With Mum’s shares, you would own ninety percent of the company,” he says with a smile beginning to form on his face. “Imagine what you could do to my brother and Ethan now?”
When I finally pick my mouth up from off the floor, I nod before waving them both goodbye.
“Come here, baby,” Theo whispers as he wraps me up in his huge arms, “let’s go to bed.”
_____
Theo
Izzy twitches, huffs, puffs, and flaps about for most of the night, and as much as I try to comfort her, she still pushes me away in her sleep. In the end, I leave her to work through whatever it is she’s going through. This turns out to be an incredibly good decision seeing as she appears to be feeling a lot better in the morning. She practically leaps on top of me to satisfy her lustful urges.
As soon as I return to our bed, she jumps on top to straddle me. What can I say? I have no choice but to impale her with my erection, which is always up and ready for her. We both moan as I sink inside of her warmth, her muscles clenching all around me, threatening to make me explode before I’m good and ready.
“You hungry for me, baby?” I grin wickedly as she arches her back and throws her ample chest out toward me. My hands cover most of her midriff as I explore her body up and down, all while thrusting hard inside of her. “You want it hard and fast? Or deep and slow this morning? I’m good either way, Iz.”
“Slow, I want it slow. I want to feel close to you for as long as possible, Theo.” She releases a deep breath as she gyrates against my hips. “Please, feel me, Theo!”
Her words nearly undo me, but I manage to hold off. Instead, I sit up against her, pulling her perfect body into me as I help her move up and down against me, groaning as she wraps her legs tightly around my body. She soon curls her arms around my neck, so I take a firm hold of her ass, pulling her in before pushing her out again. My lips find sensitive spots along her neck before plastering open-mouthed kisses up and down the column of exposed skin. Fuck, she’s perfect, she always has been. I want to go back and tell nineteen-year-old me to hold strong because one day, you’ll have her right where you’ve always wanted her.
Actually, seeing as we’re going back in time, I want to go back and kill Ethan Chase before he ever had the chance to fucking touch her. And it wouldn’t be pretty either. It would be slow and painful, starting with cutting off his flaccid penis with a pair of blunt scissors.
“Theo, God, I’m going to…come!” She pants as I continue moving against her with my own eruption threatening to release any minute now. She freezes on top of me, trembling as her orgasm takes hold, and it’s enough to undo me.
“Fuck!” I growl into the crook of her neck before biting down into her soft skin, making her gasp and laugh softly against me. I swear to God, I will never tire of Izzy Chase laughing at me, particularly when post climax.
“I love you, Iz,” I whisper as I pull her up so we are looking at one another. “For always. You know that, right?” I lean against her forehead to try and drive the point home. “You have to know that, baby.”
“Of course I do, Theo, no one would put up with me if they didn’t,” she says with a cheeky grin, but then bites her lip when I raise a chastising eyebrow.
No one can blame her for her self-loathing, it’s been conditioned into her. Unfortunately, she’s always going to battle with what others have forced her to believe of herself. But I’ll be with her every step of the way, always in her corner, chasing away her demons.
“I love you too, Theo.”
_____
Izzy
After convincing Theo to go into work today, a feat that took no less than forty-five minutes, I set about emailing some clients to inform them of when I will be returning to work. Stella, still able to pick up on my anxiety, lies over my feet below the desk, all the while I sip on my steaming cup of tea. The sound of my phone ringing disrupts me from my typing, which in turn, wakes Stella from her manic dream-chase.
“Theo, not checking up on me, are you? I won’t stand for this sort of needy behaviour in the States I hope you know!” I giggle when I hear him laughing through the phone.
“Course not, baby, I actually phoned to check up on Stella; put her on the phone, will you?”
“I am not doing that; it’s beyond cheesy and she’s only going to look disdainfully at me for engaging in such stupidity,” I huff but with a huge grin on my face. “So, what’s up?”
“Mel is running late so I’ve turned on the nighttime security remotely, just to be extra cautious,” he says, now sounding serious. Theo has had cameras installed, as well as alarms fitted. There’s even a panic button that goes straight to his phone, which he will keep with him at all times. “You’re lucky my train has just arrived, otherwise, I’d be heading straight back for you now.”
“I think we’ll be ok, but thanks, Theo,” I sigh, thinking just how much I’ve struck gold with him. Even though he’s a little overkill with all the James Bond gadgets, I can’t complain about him wanting to look after me. “See you tonight, love you.”
“Love you too, babe!”
He hangs up, so I get up to go and get my porridge that’s just pinged in the microwave. I need comfort food today and a chance to clear my head and think more positively about everything, like going to America with the love of my life.
After breakfast, there is still no sign or word from Mel, so I decide to take Stella for a walk with Will, thus killing two birds with one stone: a catch up, as well as safety in numbers. Stella is chomping at the bit to go out and I’ve sunk into thinking about everything with Nonna, Frankie, and my now raging family, so it’s definitely time to go out.
It’s another glorious day outside, which is always a bit odd in April; it’s a month that can catch you out with showers and random gusts of wind. I’m in a summer dress and a comfy pair of flip flops, ready to rough it over wild terrain. As soon as Stella spies Will and Dave, she starts bouncing up and down, whining to get over to them as soon as she can. I giggle over her impatience while I park the car and get out to say hello. Letting Stella out is like releasing a whirlwind of blond fluff and uncontrollable limbs into the wild.
“Stella, you nutcase, come here,” I half chastise her as she leaps up at Will, covering him in slobbery drool. With anyone else, I would be deeply embarrassed over her forwardness, but Will loves my fur baby as much as I do.
“Hey, girl, how are you, babe?” He laughs at her before giving her lots of tummy rubs, which she encourages by sliding onto her back and baring all for him like a little hussy. “And how is my other girl?”
Will smiles at me, and I finally get to see how much better he looks, how much he is flourishing after all that happened to him.
“Well, full of scandal and gossip, of course!” I let him kiss me on the cheek, something I don’t let a lot of people do, but he is now firmly in my circle of trust.
“Do tell,” he says with a waggle of his eyebrows.
“Let’s get going, it might take a while.”
I sigh because so far, I’ve given him nothing of my past, but after baring all to Theo and Nonna, I now feel able to tell him everything. And I do, including Ethan, Frankie, and Nonna.
I laugh nervously when he continues walking beside me with a perplexed set of eyes and a wide, gaping mouth. He tries to begin talking every now and then, but always shuts his mouth as soon as he opens it. I begin feeling uncomfortable, like I shouldn’t have told him about some of it because now he sees me differently, now he thinks I’m just as damaged as the rest of them. I’m about to make my excuses so I can run and hide from his shock, but before I get the chance to, he suddenly takes my arm and pulls me into a long embrace.
At first, I remain statue still, my arms staying firmly by my sides and unable to move, but after a few more moments of his warmth wrapping around me, I eventually lift my arms to hug him back.
“I’m so sorry, Iz,” he cries for me, “I can’t believe you went through that…that your own brother…shit!”
“Look, don’t be different around me, ok? I couldn’t stand it if you got weird around me or began treating me with kiddy gloves.”
“No, no, not at all, Izzy,” he says, pulling back to study me. “Damn it, Izzy Chase, you are a fighter, and I would never look at you like that.”
“Really? Cos I kind of feel like a freak most days,” I laugh through the painful lump now lodged in my throat. “I’ve not felt ‘normal’ ever since that first…well, you know.”
“Hey, you are special and not a freak at all! The only freaks are the people who did that to you, especially your fucked up brother!” he says to me so sternly, so vehemently, I release a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob. I can’t help it, I find sincere, serious emotions hard to deal with.
“Thanks, Will, you really are a good friend.” I lean in to kiss him on the cheek, and he blushes. “I’m going to miss you when we go.”
“And I’ll miss you too, but I’m also incredibly happy for you, Iz,” he says as we fall into step again. “I think it’s going to be great for you; Stella and Theo too. I give you all my blessing!”
Chapter 26
Izzy
As soon as I pull up in front of the house, I know something isn’t right. For starters, Mel isn’t here, and I haven’t received any new messages on my phone. I call Theo to let him know she’s still not arrived, but he must be in a meeting or something because I just get his answerphone each time. I even try to text him, but nothing comes back. Stella begins to whimper, which probably means she needs to pee, so rolling my eyes over the fact we just had an hour long walk in the open woods, I get out and lift the boot so she can go and relieve herself.
While she rummages around in the garden, sniffing everything just so she can have a wee, I tap in the security code so I can open the door without all the bells and whistles sounding off. I then step inside and remove my flip flops. Stella bounds over with her usual silly grin, looking ready for me to give her some food.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m just your personal maid, puppy,” I say to her with only an ounce of seriousness behind my words.
I kick at the door behind me, watching my pup trot into the kitchen, but something causes it to bounce back. I whip my head around to see the stuff of nightmares standing right inside of the door frame, blocking the sun with his gigantic, imposing figure. Ethan smiles at me with a dark expression taking over his already sinister face, telling me he knows I’m alone.
“No!” I whisper, shaking my head with disbelief.
He begins to step toward me, and I slowly walk backward, but feel unable to move more than at a snail’s pace. Stella growls at the evil she can sense in him; she can no doubt feel my abject fear too. He looks at her, grabs her by the scruff of her neck, causing her to whimper before he throws her out the front door and slams it shut.
Alone, just like I was the day he had infected my body with his own, forever making me feel dirty from the inside out.
I wince when I hear her crying in pain but as soon as I hear her barking outside, knowing that she must be ok, I take the opportunity to try and run. I’m not quick enough. I was never quick enough. Ethan grabs hold of my ponytail and pulls me back against his body, igniting memories I’ll never be able to shed. His other arm wraps around my waist to hold me in place, all the while tugging painfully on my hair. He pushes his face next to mine and bares his teeth against my neck. His breath smells toxic, just as it did when he attacked me all those years ago. I couldn’t tell you what he drinks, what he takes, but I know what it does to him, and in turn, what it does to me.
“Tut, tut, baby sister,” he growls against my skin, shifting the fine hairs this way and that, but all of them standing on end. “We have business to attend to, starting with the company.” His hand moves down to between my legs, causing bile in my stomach to begin churning, working its way upwards. “And who knows after that!”
“Let go of me; you can have everything, just leave me alone!” I cry as he cups the apex of my legs with force.
“Ah, now, come on, Iz, you know I prefer it when you fight back,” he teases, “I can’t have you being all compliant, it doesn’t quite turn me on as much!” I say nothing, I can’t, my cries are coming out too vigorously to do anything but try and gasp for breath. “Too in love with Theo, your other brother as it turns out. No matter, I kind of like the idea of sticking it up to him too. Now…” he says, pausing as his hand moves back up to begin stroking my face, which somehow feels worse. “Get me all of that paperwork from the will reading and then we can discuss what I’m going to do with you next.”
“Why are you doing this, Ethan? I’ve said you can have it all!”
“Because I fucking hate you,” he whispers calmly, “and I will never stop hating you, you home wrecking cunt, so stop whining and do as you’re damn well told!”
He pushes me forcefully and then spins me around to show the small handgun he is now pointing at me. My eyes bulge as I take in the weapon that is now in the hands of a psychopath who has just declared his hatred for me.
“W-what are you going to do with that, Ethan?” I don’t even know why I’m asking him this, but fear has me acting in a lot of ways I don’t understand right now, such as not doing what he’s just ordered me to.
“Don’t know yet, haven’t decided,” he replies calmly. “I thought I might have needed to shoot your bodyguard, but when I ran her off the road she didn’t get out, so I guess you could call her lucky.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” I scream, all rationality getting lost amongst my grief, my fear, and my anger. “I mean how are you going to explain away you shooting me to everyone?”
“It’s not going to be that hard, given your reputation, Isobel,” he shrugs. “Maybe you killed yourself because you’re a drug addicted whore; maybe Theo found out about your obsession with me and shot you himself. I can make something up and they’ll believe me, because you are a compulsive liar, and you have history.”
“But I was never lying was I, Ethan?! You abused me for years; you let your disgusting friends take turns on me before raping me yourself, didn’t you?!”
“Mum and Dad charged me with keeping you in line, so I did, by any means possible. Just because I used a bit of torture and the odd touch of gang rape on you doesn’t make me a bad guy. It makes me a fucking good, obedient son. Now be a good girl and go get those papers, then perhaps I’ll go easy on you when I fuck you from behind!”
“No!” I sort of collapse onto the floor, the whole time with that gun pointing at me, threatening to kill me if I don’t fall into line like I used to as a child. “Please, Ethan, don’t make me, I can’t live through that again. It hurt so much and I…please…”
“Get the fucking papers, Isobel!”
He steps over to tower over my crumpled little body, now begging for him not to hurt me anymore. His eyes have narrowed into mean little slits, and I can see the psychosis running though his angry body, waiting to be let it all loose on me. But I can’t move, so he kicks me onto my side, where I lie, howling in a fetal position on the floor.
“Get the fucking papers!”
“Please, I can’t move, please…”
He says nothing, just kicks me again before crouching over me and fumbling with his fly as he gets ready to use his body as a weapon against me. I should run, shout, scream, fight, but I can’t move; I’m fifteen again, lost in a world of pain and confusion.
“No, no, no…” I panic as he shoves his knee between my legs and tries to push my dress up.
Suddenly, Stella comes flying through the door, growling and barking at the man who is currently trying to attack her owner. Ethan’s mad eyes dart around to where she’s standing just before he is completely lifted off me, then thrown forcefully into the wall next to us. Theo spits at him before throwing a series of punches into his gut. He pulls at his hair before slamming his head back into the wall behind, growling and cursing as he reigns down hell onto the man who hurt me for years.
When Ethan finally falls to the floor in a crumpled, bloody mess, only then does Theo release him and come flying over to me. He cradles me tightly within his arms, shushing me, stroking my hair, whatever he can do to get me to calm down. Stella is soon by our sides too, padding about and not quite understanding what to do.
“Baby, I’ve got to call the police,” he whispers to me, “I need him gone before I kill him!”
“Don’t let go of me,” I cry.
“It’s ok, I’m not going anywhere,” he tries to reassure me, but I can’t let him go, not yet.
“W-where’s his gun?” I start to panic and begin looking all around me, but I can’t see it anywhere.
“What gun, Iz?” Theo looks at me like I’ve finally lost the plot, which wouldn’t be a far stretch.
