Chapter 85 - Rescued and Relentless: Liam's Pursuit

The mountain air felt crisp against my face as I carried Isabelle down the winding path. She insisted she could walk, but I wouldn't hear of it. After what she'd been through, the last thing I wanted was for her to exert herself. Besides, holding her close gave me a sense of reassurance that she was truly safe.

"You don't have to carry me the entire way," Isabelle protested weakly, though her arms remained firmly wrapped around my neck.

"I know I don't have to," I replied, my voice still rough with lingering rage. "I want to."

She rested her head against my shoulder, a gesture that made something in my chest constrict. The kidnappers were dead, but my fury hadn't dissipated. If anything, it had crystallized into something harder, more focused. Gideon Blackwood would pay for this, and pay dearly.

When we reached my car, I gently placed Isabelle in the passenger seat. As I rounded the vehicle to the driver's side, I caught her watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read.