Blackmailing His Runaway Bride by Dance-is-me (free biff chip and kipper ebooks .txt) 📕

"What on earth did you get yourself into, Isa?" Caleb had just heard the whole situation his friend was in and he was highly pissed and unhappy. "It sounds like Gabriel is going to end you at all costs."

Isabella stretched her leg onto the length of the red leather couch. "I have no idea what to do," she replied. A scoff came from Caleb in response. "What?"

"What on earth do you mean by you have no idea what to do? It is very obvious, Isabella."

Isabella understood what Caleb was talking about instantly. Her shoulders slightly slumped, she said, "I don't think I am ready for another marital life."

The look on her face seemed to distress Caleb whose gaze fell upon her, his eyes twinkling with the need of soothing her by giving her a simple hug.

"Isabella, at this point, you have to be careful with the choices you make. You need protection from the man you just left and trust me, the next time I receive a letter, I don't want it to be your blood on it."

"So," Isabella sighed deeply as she sank into the couch into a laying position, "I have no choice but to marry Charles."

"Running away right now doesn't guarantee even a quarter of protection. So, yes, you have to marry Mr. Oxford."

As Caleb's words reached her ears,  Isabella glued her sight on the white ceiling and began to ponder on his words.

Caleb wasn't done talking. The man adjusted his position, his right palm tucked beneath his chin as he rested his elbow on the edge of the couch.

"I don't get one thing though." Isabella glanced at him. "I don't get why you are trying to run away from the man you once loved. And, I can tell that beyond the issues you have with your father and Gabriel, your love for Charles still exists."

"I don't know. I feel things won't be the same. It has been years since we were together, a lot would have changed."

"But you are still considering marrying him right?"

Isabella went back to staring at the ceiling, her toes curling as she urged her mind to forget her father's betrayal for a brief minute. It was hard enough that she had to deal with Gabriel.

Soon, she replied to Caleb, saying, "If marrying Charles is the very thing that will ensure my safety, I am more likely to consider it. Besides, Charles will never be as bad as Gabriel, I am certain of that."

"Oh! Maybe you guys would reignite your love as it happens in romance novels," said Caleb a bit excitedly.

Isabella tilted her head his way and managed a small smile. "Well,  since it seems guess marrying Charles is my only option now, we'll see how things go."

"I strongly feel that you need a hug." Caleb's knees rushed against the carpet as he shifted forward. His arms spread out, he waited for her to dive in. Chuckling, Isabella moved and soon leaned her upper body into his chest which he enclosed lovingly within his arms.

"Everything will be okay, I promise you," he said, the tone of his voice enough assurance.

Closing her eyes, Isabella wished that, after a long time filled with great unrest, everything would be okay.

~

It seemed like her steps were heavier.

But then Isabella could not blame her legs. What she was about to do wasn't as simple as it seemed.

To her nervous mind, once she steps into Charles's room, she had to lower all her ego, her freaking pride. She had to act in opposition to the answers she had earlier given him.

That wasn't so much of a nice thing to Isabella.

But she was in no state to argue, she was tied down in all corners.

She had a murderous ex-husband threatening her in one section. And, there was the lack of adequate money which successfully ruined her plans to move elsewhere so that she could start a new life.

Besides, even if she had the means to move to another continent, Isabella wished to do it as a divorced woman.

So, another corner she was pushed to was as a result of her lack of a lawyer who would help prepare for the divorce.

And, she was not stupid enough to forget that she still hadn't apologized properly to Charles for hurting him in the past.

So, yes, she had to lower that ego.

When Isabella finally made it to his door, it was her hands turn to feel heavy.

She inhaled a very deep air and let out it slowly.

Isabella's hand finally felt like it was ready to knock on the door. As she raised her hand to knock, the door swung open.

"Isabella?" Charles did not hide his surprise.

"Hi," she said quietly.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, opening the door wider so she could see more of his room. She could also perceive more of his intoxicating scent which she never acknowledged as being swoon-worthy like his eyes ever since he came back into her life.

"I..." she cleared her throat, her hands clutching her bag handle tighter. "I have an answer to your proposition."

"Oh." His eyes fell attentively on hers.

Isabella took another deep breath. As soon as she released it, she followed it with, "Yes, I will marry you." His forehead wore a frown instantly to Isabella's dismay.

Was he tossing her aside already? When she had already gone as far as summoning the courage she didn't know she had?

"Charles, I said..." He stuck the sentence in her mouth as, within a slim second, he pulled her closer to his build and slammed his lips against hers.

Isabella did not fight it. She actually had a want for his touch tucked somewhere inside of her. Well, that was before Gabriel ruined her once again the other day ...

Almost unconsciously, she pushed Charles away who was startled as he found himself almost falling. "Bella," his accent came out strong, "is something wrong?"

"I..." She was feeling dirty again. She felt used and she did not want to...

"Isabella, talk to me." As he interrupted her thoughts, Charles's hands found her arms and he ran them gently along her skin, sending some kind of warmth to her. "I am always here to listen to whatever you have to say. Now, that you have decided to be with me," his head ducked a bit as he tried to connect with her eyes, "I am always going to be here for you."