CHAPTER 30

Sliding off the bus, ISAAC merges into the crowd, his head lowered.

One step at a time.

He can manage this whole on the run business.

He has to. Because he's not freaking dying over some jerk who couldn't keep his own hands to himself. He's not dying and leaving behind those three kids all by themselves.

ISAAC

ISAAC's phone buzzes in his pocket, but he ignores it. It's fucking VINCENT DANZA. He can go to hell. ISAAC's been seething ever since he found out that he wants KYOLINE to marry GERARD.

ISAAC takes a deep breath and heads out to his car. A hand fluffs through his hair, mussing up the already messy strands.

ISAAC pulls out a cigarette and his lighter, but his phone is ringing again with VINCENT DANZA's name on it. "What?" ISAAC shouts into it as he flips the lighter.

"Where are you?"

"Out."

"Well, come back. We need to have a word."

"I'm busy." ISAAC sucks in the smoke into his chest, feeling the smooth burn unwind the knotted muscles of his body. "Can't it wait?" ISAAC grinds out.

"No."

"VINCENT DANZA—"

"Get back to the MANCHESTER LED, ISAAC."

No room to argue. ISAAC doesn't even take the time to answer before he hangs up and slides into the driver's seat. ISAAC doesn't even take the time to greet anyone as he thunders across the lobby and past the doors until he finds VINCENT DANZA's office.

The men waiting outside raise an eyebrow, but ISAAC doesn't care as he bullies past.

"What?" ISAAC snarls at VINCENT DANZA.

"Sit."

ISAAC's fisted hand remains on his lap, but he complies, expelling frustration on a hard-huffed breath.

"I want you to find KYOLINE."

"Why? To drag her to the altar to marry GERARD? I thought you had that covered."

"She's left town."

ISAAC leans forward, elbows resting on knees. "What are you telling me?"

"Carmine's still set on revenge against KYOLINE.". He is convinced that if it were not for her, his brother would be alive. We need to locate her and clear her out of the way before he can hurt her. It won't be long before someone makes the hit. None of our Imperiosi men would ever have the nerve to cross me and do it, but he's shopped it around some contractors. And it's a hefty price tag." VINCENT DANZA catches himself, stroking his face.

ISAAC doesn't even acknowledge that the news bothers him—because that would suggest that he has a heart. And from VINCENT DANZA's point of view, ISAAC's about as heartless as they come. He sighs heavily. "Guess she's off somewhere. Left the kids with PELLA for a little while.". She told her that the kids would be a lot safer if she were away for a while. You'd think Carmine would be after you too as you were part of all the Calcedonio dealings at the funeral as well, but it seems he's taken the easier target instead.

Fucking coward," ISAAC spits, growing angry. "We'd know if Carmine already contacted her. He'd be screaming it from the rooftops."

"I know. Which means she must still be alive. But for how long, I don't know. That's why you need to locate her."

"Why me?

His eyes settle on ISAAC's face. "Because you're the best. And PELLA is going out of her mind with worry over KYOLINE."

ISAAC's hand wraps around the edge of the armrest to keep himself sane. "What am I getting out of it? This is not my type of assignment. Listen, VINCENT DANZA, I have told you before that I am not a goddamn babysitter or bodyguard or whatever I am now meant to be. I am here to identify and eliminate the traitor in the business, nothing else."

"I think of her like almost like family, so we have to take care of her. PELLA would never forgive me if something happens to KYOLINE." He is not going to let it go. ISAAC pauses for a moment, but it is not long before he comes up with an idea. "If I help you find her, what am I getting out of it?"

"For fuck's sake, ISAAC." He pinches the bridge of his nose.

"It's a fair ask, VINCENT DANZA, since you have me dashing around the damn city still attending to our other problem. This will take me away from that."

"Why must it be for something?"

ISAAC raises an eyebrow. He's going to find her anyway—because nobody but him is going to put hands on KYOLINE. But he needn't know that. If ISAAC is clever, he's going to have everything he fucking wants. "What's it worth to you, VINCENT DANZA?"

His jaw tightens, and ISAAC's almost positive that he's considering whether or not it's worth risking to go around the desk and choke him. One beat goes by, then another, and he lets out a breath. "What do you want?"

ISAAC bites back the sneer. Like clockwork. ISAAC's not going to tell him he's a bit too easy to manipulate. ISAAC's working on the assumption that he knows him too well. That he knows how much he adores PELLA but how much he adores KYOLINE as well. ISAAC's a bastard, and he knows it, but he doesn't care.

"Whatever you desire," he groans.

"KYOLINE."

ISAAC

The single word escapes ISAAC's lips with no hesitation.

VINCENT DANZA's eyes pinch together, and he shakes his head. "Not going to happen."

"Then go find someone else." ISAAC begins to push up from his chair.

"Sit. Down."

ISAAC freezes, inches above the chair, locking eyes with him. The feeling that dances in his eyes has ISAAC sinking back down into his seat. The tension between them hangs heavy and pregnant.

"You want to marry her?" he says with incredulity.

"Yeah." As an Imperiosi member, ISAAC has to obtain the Capo's permission before he marries.

"For fuck's sake, ISAAC. I didn't know there was anything between you and the woman."

ISAAC just stares at him. ISAAC owes him no explanation for his life.

"Do you really think you can have a real relationship, ISAAC?"

"Yeah."

"But with someone like her? She's trouble, you know." "I can handle her just fine," ISAAC snarls.

He looks at ISAAC with a glare and shakes his head. "Fine," he spits. "She's yours. But only if she will marry you."

"She'll agree because it'll keep her safe," ISAAC replies. ISAAC shoves up from the chair once more, hands stuffed into his pockets as he turns to the door.

"ISAAC."

ISAAC's mid-step when he stops, turning his head toward him.

"Just promise me you'll find her before Carmine does."

ISAAC nods wordlessly and then wordlessly walks toward the door. And once ISAAC's out of view, the corner of his lip is curled in a smile. That fucking worked. But he didn't need to get ISAAC to vow to find her. Because it's not a vow. It's a fucking guarantee.

ISAAC

ISAAC's upset.

He rolls his shoulders in a bid to ease some of the tension, but there's no use. His hand hits the wall adjacent to the apartment complex where one of her friends lives. KYOLINE's nowhere to be found, wherever ISAAC looks.

ISAAC's desperate. ISAAC's angry. No one's around to witness the fleeing, but that doesn't help.

ISAAC wants KYOLINE DIEGO. ISAAC knew the moment he kissed her that it was over. There's no going back. She's fucking mine.

But finding her is one thing, and ISAAC has learned the hard way that it's easier said than done.

ISAAC's always known that she's a smart girl, and this just goes to prove it. Staying hidden is pretty hard when you're up against someone like ISAAC who has limitless resources. But whatever approach ISAAC takes, ISAAC's no nearer to finding her.

She's disappeared off the face of the earth according to airline passenger manifestos, phone records, bank records, and every other database ISAAC's hacked into.

Where the hell is she?

ISAAC rests his head on his forearm, his back against the wall. Weeks have gone by since ISAAC started looking for her, but she's a ghost. Gone…

KYOLINE DIEGO

It's as if fall is arriving full blast. It's cool in the air, signaling summer is gone, and the leaves of the trees are a stunning haze of oranges and reds. KY sits in KY's small motel room in some minuscule town in Illinois, gazing at the awful orange walls—a seventies flashback—that are probably the last time whatever paint job was actually completed here.

KY has still not been able to find a job. KY did not think that it would be this hard. KY stands for, KY's dressed up and KY's qualified. KY's already spent all of the money that KY had with KY because KY only had the money that was in KY's handbag. KY cannot use KY's bank cards in case Carmine uses them to track KY out.

KY's been making money the last week with the chess games in the park for money. The older men are always happy to make a little wager, and KY feels KY can liven up their days and bring a touch of glamour to their chess.

Getting dressed in one of KY's shimmery dresses, KY heads out to get something to eat. While KY's out, KY sees a sign in the window of a small pet supplies store advertising a job vacancy.

Tottering into the shop, KY shoots a beaming smile at the old lady who looks like she's the owner. She's surrounded by seven cats. "Hi. I'm KYOLINE."