Isabelle

I stay in the porch for a while and look around at the groaning bodies on the grass. I could count three, but there could be more, just rolling and seeing bullet and tit shaped stars or whatever it is that the dr*g shot at them made them see.

When I feel like a creep enough watching them, I enter in to begin bellowing at the men inside.

“I really appreciate you trying to protect me, but that was unnecessary.” I yell immediately I see them having a laugh over God knows what.

They exchange looks and point their faces outside.

“Sure.” Damien slurs his words and narrows his eyes into slits. “They looked really harmless to me too.”

Lucian chuckles.

“It’s not funny.” I growl at both of them.

“Well, first of all, it’s nice to see you too, sis.” My big brother cocks his head, making some of the dark strands fall across his eyes. Those words soften me.

“I’m sorry.” I slowly make my way to him and give him a hug. We have a pretty weird relationship but it’s the most formidable one.

Since both our parents died in a car accident where dad had a stroke on the steering wheel, right as they were supposed to take an intersection, Damien has been my father and mom, and I’ve tried my best to be a cooperative daughter.

He’s usually away most of the time, but now, he’s here. That’s all that matters.

“There she is.” He holds me close to him for a few seconds. Believe it or not, with both of us standing, my face is embedded in his lower chest.

He’s a giant indeed.

“Now, tell us, who the hell is it that would have to be following you for months and I have no idea about it… and why do I have no idea about it?” he sets me to look at him, to which I have to crane my neck up to.

I don’t even bother. I just settle for his chest and neck.

“Oh, nothing. Just some stupid stalkers that won’t leave me alone. I’ve been thinking it’s some stupid prank, so I don’t even bother.” I lie, but it’s blatant and obvious, how stupid it is.

“And you couldn’t go to the police?” one thing about Damien is that he doesn’t like openly pointing something out to someone without proving the facts. I know he has realized my story is bullshit, bit he wants me to tell myself that, rather than he do it for me.

I shake my head. “Didn’t see the need to. Like I said, they’ve never hurt me, so I just let them have their fun.”

“You know them.” Lucian points out. “She knows them.” He feels the need to repeat it to my brother before taking a sip of his beer. He doesn’t have a smile on his face or a look of mischief.

Just this blank, empty stare, but first, I’m mad at him for rightly calling me out on my lie.

“Of course, she does. I was going to make her spill with a more intelligent method, but Lucian likes fast pace.” My brother chuckles.

“What I don’t know, sister, is who they are.”

“I have no idea.” I defend myself almost immediately. It’s another lie that I think they just might know the answer to.

“Surre…” Damien slurs his words again.

“I’m fine, Damien. Look at me. I’ve been fine since forever. Six months, Damien. I’ve never had to tell you what was going on, because nothing is going on.” I hug myself and lean against the island.

I have a lot of memories on this island, of me and mom, baking cakes and brownies, just for the fun of it, talking about when next we would see Damien, since he was gone for his military training.

Now, all we do on this spot is argue, about anything and everything, like now, where my claim to be fine rightfully angers him.

“There’s six men that have been monitoring you for the past three days since we’ve taken notice. Six men at random, meaning they’re not the same at any given time. I won’t ask again, Isabelle.”

He has every right to glower and threaten me, but no offense, he doesn’t look it.

He might be nearly seven feet tall and have the build of an actual statue rather than a normal human, but if his friend beside us pulled the face, I might have been more compelled. His face is too calm… too sweet.

“Well, why don’t you go and ask them, then? They’re the ones following me, aren’t they?” I stand my ground in defiance.

He holds my gaze a little before deciding that I’m right.

“You know, you do have a point.” He fishes out a small but very scary looking two edged dagger that I didn’t notice was there, from his all black jeans, and starts after the door, ready to go and do exactly as I had just said.

“They’re from a gang.” I roll my eyes, stopping him in his tracks.

If he wants to hear it, so be it. It’s just an embarrassing tale to tell.

“I got into a friendship some years ago, I didn’t realize that they were on the precipice of forming a gang.” I explain with my head down, so that I don’t have to look at their judging faces.

“I got out of the gang when it was still in its early stages of formation, but they just like keeping an eye on me, I guess. To make sure I don’t rat or something.”

Is there more information I’m hiding from them?

Of course.

But this one is enough to keep them out of my hair with the questions for now.

“Well, I guess we know what this means.” My bother sighs, his voice a lot calmer now.

I look up to see him raising a questioning brow at his friend. Looking to his Angelic friend, he’s shaking his head. “No.”

“Code blue.” He announces.

The golden man grunts and huffs in disproval, but he finally gives in.

“You owe me half a million dollars for this.” He seethes as my brother smiles gratefully.

“What is going on?” I finally ask when the confusion almost spins my head out of its socket from oscillating between my brother and his friend for too long.

“Oh, sorry.” Damien apologizes in his usual sweet way. “Pack your things. Everything you’ll need for as long as it’ll be if you don’t have to come back to this house.”

“Why?” I ask immediately getting defensive.

“You’re coming to my house.” The blonde man answers the question.

What?