Page 3 of Potent Desire 5

2

Isabella

Iwake in a foreign place, tucked under white silk bedsheets, with feather pillows beneath my head. Heavy turquoise curtains block a majority of the sun that shines behind them. My head’s thumping and the rest of my body aches as well.

I’m thirsty; I feel almost dehydrated, and I can barely remember the events that brought me here. Is this Maddox’s apartment? Did he somehow save me and bring me here after the accident? I reach for my head, and my fingers are met by a rough sensation of bandages wrapped around it.

A glass of water sits on the bedside table, and I greedily swallow it down in a single gulp. By the time I pry the glass from my lips, I’m panting for air, but thankful to whoever left it at my side. Soon, the memories start flooding back in.

I called Maddox and left him a message. I got hit by another car, which sent me off the road. It wasn’t a car accident, it was intentional. Wherever I am, I’m not safe.

Now it’s not only my head that’s thumping, but my heart too.

If this isn’t Maddox’s home, I don’t know where I am, or what sort of danger I’m in. I’m not fastened to the bed with chains or ropes, so it can’t be all that bad. Can it?

I open my mouth to call out in hopes that someone will hear me, but my voice is croaky and weak. My throat hurts and getting words out seems like some impossible task.

A sudden stream of tears rushes from my eyes. My first thought, once the fog and haze clear and my memories are restored, is Maddox. Right now, there’s little more in this world that I want apart from his comforting arms wrapped around me. Or his whisper of everything’s going to be okay in my ear.

And I would know it was true, because he would be the one saying it. And he’s never led me astray before.

A sudden rumbling at the door breaks me from my thoughts. I wipe away the tears as best I can, although I’m sure whoever walks through will understand my need to cry.

To my dismay, it’s not Maddox who enters, but his father, Oswald. He’s wearing a three-piece suit, black with very thin stripes running down the cloth. A giddy smile stretches broadly across his features.

Not the Braddock I wanted to see, but I’m happy it’s him and not Vik’s men.

“The Princess is awake. What a wonderful day,” Oswald says. “We were worried there for a moment.”

“Hello, Oswald.” my words are croaky, and made weaker by the tears I cried. “I’m so happy to see you. I was so scared.”

“You were? And you’re not anymore?” Oswald asks quizzically, cocking a brow.

“Sh…should I be?” an audible gulp accompanies my words.

“It depends on how you look at things.” Oswald doesn’t come much closer than the doorway.

“What do you mean?”

I don’t move. I can’t move. I feel frozen in place, with Oswald looming over me. Our brief conversation has set my nerves jangling again.

“Well, Isabella, it seems you’ve found yourself in the midst of a predicament. Firstly, let me just say, it’s a tragedy what happened to your father. I really wanted Bruno’s death to go smoothly. Whatever dislike I had for the man; well, suffering the way he did… What a tragedy,” Oswald sighs.

That’s when it hits me. I’m not safe in the Braddock home. I’m a prisoner beneath satin sheets.

“Here’s how things are going to go,” Oswald continues. “My son isn’t fit to rule over Hannibal. That boy’s good at what he does, but what he does is deal with low-life nothings, not running a city. And isn’t it just so cute how he’s fallen in love with the only bargaining chip Bruno Romani had to offer?”

It’s not funny. If anything it’s sweet. It might be the situation I find myself in, but sitting here I realize how special having someone like Maddox could be. Loyal, honest, protective, all the traits of a good man. He may be a little strange and he may have done a lot of bad things, but I know that he cares. Deep down, I know he would do anything for me.

If I had just listened to him, I wouldn’t be here. He was the only person who ever looked out for me and I betrayed him. But hindsight is the best insight to foresight – making mistakes is the only way to learn and grow. I only hope this mistake isn’t going to cost me or Maddox more than we can afford to lose.

“Look, I don’t have much need or reason to hurt or torture you. You’re just a pretty face with little to offer. The threats I can make though, now those are tempting. I thought I’d come by, welcome you into the family, and let you know how things are going to go.” Oswald sniffs.

“And how are things going to go?” I ask.

“As I said, you’re the perfect little bargaining chip. Your safety for the title of King.” Oswald leans against the door frame, rooting through his pockets, before taking out a cigarette. He strikes it up before speaking again. “Maddox would be a fool not to accept my offer. Unless he wants to see that pretty little face shattered.”

A death threat? And by the look in his eye, I can tell he’s serious. Mafiosos don’t throw death threats around willy nilly. He’ll do it, if Maddox doesn’t comply.

Oswald laughs, wheezing and coughing with the intensity of it. Finally, he settles down, drags on the cigarette, and speaks again. “See, Maddox thought we were spreading ourselves thin by taking more from Harrison and Slater, but that boy’s vision is so limited. This war’s been coming a long time, Isabella. It’s a pity your old man won’t get to see it. But, let’s hope Maddox has enough sense in his head not to fight it. It might just be the last fight you two lovebirds ever have.”

Oswald doesn’t linger, and shuts the door behind him as he leaves.

Another wave of uncontrollable tears spills out of me. There’s nothing I can do to fight this and I feel powerless. I don’t have a weapon and even if I did, I don’t know how to fight. I have to sit in this tower and hope that Maddox comes to rescue me. I grab a pillow from the bed and cuddle up to it, imagining Maddox’s comforting grip soothing me. For that’s all I’ve ever gotten from him.

And now? I might be the reason we never get to share another moment like that again.