Page 30 of Break Me Gently

“Are you? What happens when Isabella or Amber gets hurt by your psycho ex? What kind of person stalks an innocent woman and her child?”

“Like you stalked Amber?”

I froze.

How did he know?

I mulled over the speedy engagement and his bedroom fuckery.

“Like you stalked Isabella?”

Silence.

I stood up and walked to my living room window.

“Isabella is mine to protect. Her family is mine to protect. Which means anyone who hurts them will be eliminated. Anyone.”

His meaning was clear.

“Amber Rayne isn’t yours,” I said, my voice remaining cold and calm.

“I beg to differ. She is my daughter by marriage—”

“I don’t think so, old man,” I interrupted.

“—and if anything impacts my wife, then it impacts me.”

“You’re not married yet.”

“We will be in seven weeks. I’ve made sure the wedding will proceed.”

“What did you do?” I demanded.

He began to laugh.

“I’ll tell you when you’re a big boy. We’ll see you at the wedding. Isabella loves you, and it would mean a lot for you to be there,” he said quietly, before hanging up.

I stared at the black screen.

What the fuck was it with everyone hanging up on me?

❧ ❧ ❧

From my research, I discovered that on paper, Luke Newbury was a stand-up bloke. The gossip columns almost had me microwaving popcorn. Multiple affairs surfaced, along with plenty of photographs of Sadie Newbury accompanied by men who weren’t Luke.

Sucker.

He could genuinely care for Isabella and Amber. It made me consider how happy Dad had been with Isabella. I could still remember all the fights Zoe and Dad had. All that stopped with Isabella. I’d taken them both for granted back then.

Then there was Amber.

I turned the cream and gold wedding invitation over again.

The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of Isabella Rayne and Luke Newbury.

On the 6th of March, at two o’clock in the afternoon, at The Sacred Heart Church, Tiverton Rd, Lavenham.

This was Amber’s mum. The future grandmother of my children.