Total Submission(7)

How strong Isabelle must have been to make it through all of this. How brave she is, even now.

“Her mom bounced in and out of the system,” Jake continues, checking his notes. “A couple of arrests, some court-ordered rehab, a caution for possession. I’m surprised social services didn’t catch up with her sooner, but I guess they slipped through the cracks—at least until Isabelle was five years old. Then her mom gets arrested for solicitation, can’t make bail, spends a couple of nights in lock-up. It took them three days to realize Isabelle was on her own in the trailer. That’s when they took her into custody and she went into the foster system.”

My blood runs cold, imagining Isabelle all alone like that. Just a kid left to fend for herself, she must have been so scared and confused.

“After that, the paper trail is simpler.” Jake kicks back. “Isabelle bounced around foster families and group homes until the Ashcrofts adopted her when she was thirteen. There’s no more police reports except some fire at a foster home when she was twelve, which killed the father, but she wasn’t around. Most of these places aren’t real homes,” he adds. “A lot of people just keep kids for the benefit checks, give them food and a bed to sleep in, but not much else besides.”

No wonder she craved love and affection, taking it wherever she could – even from Brent. All those years, alone. All those years with nobody looking out for her but herself.

“And Brent?” I demand. “What’s he doing now? He’s got something on her, I just know it.”

“Oh yeah, that’s obvious. She’s been propping him up all year. Credit cards, car payments, and now cash too.” Jake shows me the paperwork. “She’s moving ten k at a time into his account, and he burns through it just as fast. Has a taste for high-class strippers and blow,” he adds, rolling his eyes.

“And you don’t?” I shoot back.

Jake gives me an easy smile. “Real men don’t have to pay for it. And I keep my body clean. You have to in my line of work.”

I shake my head, still concerned with the matter at hand. “Keep digging, I want to know exactly what he’s holding over her. It’s something big. Has to be, with all that payout.”

“I’ll dig all the way to Australia, if you’re the one paying for my shovel.” Jake unfolds his body and gets to his feet. “One thing you should know though, your girl had an appointment at the bank this morning. Met with an advisor and asked about transferring out all her funds.”

“How do you know this?” Once again, I marvel at Jake’s skills.

“I’ve got my ways,” he winks. “But she just sent over the transfer account details. It’s a Swiss bank account, totally anonymous. It looks to me like she’s getting ready to run.”

Run? I tense. “Keep watching. Call me the minute you find out what’s got her so scared.”

“Sure thing.” Jake salutes me and saunters out, leaving me alone with the file.

I pace the floor, my mind racing. I knew Isabelle’s background was troubled, but

I never dreamed that she would have so much pain and loss in her life. It’s a miracle she’s made it through this far. Other people would have become brittle and bitter, but she’s kept her sweetness—even if she has buried it deep beneath the surface.

Suddenly, it all makes sense to me. Why she keeps up the perfect act, and pushes her own feelings aside.

She’s a survivor. She thinks she can only rely on herself.

But she’s wrong. I’m here now, and I swear, she’ll never have to feel alone again.

My intercom buzzes, breaking through my thoughts.

“Mr. McCullough, you have a visitor.”

I pace over to the desk. “There’s nothing on the schedule,” I reply. “Who is it?”

But the door flies open before I get an answer. Brent Ashcroft strolls in.

It takes everything I have not to slam his smug face into the fucking wall.

Mary scurries after him. “I’m sorry, I told him to wait.”

“That’s fine.” I pull myself together and dismiss her. I turn to Brent and arch an eyebrow. I refuse to lower myself to his level and reveal how much I hate him. There’s a reason he’s here, and until Isabelle is out from under his thumb, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

Even if that means leaving him untouched.

“Is there something you need?” I ask, keeping the rage from my voice. “I have a busy day ahead. You should really make an appointment in the future.”

He looks disappointed. He wanted to get a rise out of me.

Not today, buddy.