127- Keepers of My Heart

Isabella

3.5 Months Later

When people reference stop and smell the roses, they aren’t usually kidding. Fresh scents of flowers and pine with tiny hints of citrus all move to greet my nose. My lungs taking in huge gulps of fresh air as I try to enjoy all the different scents happening at once.

Each scent refreshing and truly welcoming in their own way.

The cool air of the night sky slowly caressing my skin as I move to scan my surroundings. A small part of me wondering if anyone had seen me trying to escape from a nearby trellis of a nearby balcony.

Silently counting to 5 as I do. The itch to explore overpowering the need to rest. My men always attempting to keep me bound to a bed was utter ridiculous. So ridiculous that I was slowly going insane.

Upon counting to 5 do I finally move to dash across the garden. The moon’s light my only source of light as I scurry for the tree line. My memory remembering how thick the forest was and if I was lucky, it could also be my salvation in hiding from each of them, if only for a little.

My feet still running along the ground as I move to reach the bench. The same one by my favorite magnolia tree. A tree where I would spend hours just reading as I tried to escape my current predicament.

Pausing for a second, if only to catch my breath do I make the mistake of looking behind me. The moon’s light now shining over four tall men. My men. Each of them watching me from the room connected to the balcony.

Fudge.

Each of them crossing their arms as their gaze continued to watch me. My body silently sensing their challenge, as if daring me to keep going. As if needing a reason to chase me. Alex’s voice now calling out to me. “Isabella!”

Quick to draw in a breath do I move to lower my head. Giving each of them the impression that I was about to submit. Well jokes on them as I wanted to defy each of them. My defiance level an all time high. Currently one of my new favorite things to do these days.

Shifting a focus back to each of my men do I move to stick out my tongue like that of a child. Carefully lifting my left hand as I flip them the bird. My body quick at spinning around before finding the courage to run off into the forest.

“ISABELLA!” cry each of my men. Their voice’s now calling out to me as I continue to run. My name being called repeatedly until I put enough distance between us.

Familiar whistles now filling the air as manly men shout out orders. The trees giving me coverage as I continue to make my way further. My feet stumbling along branches as I begin to hear the sound of twigs snapping and leaves crunching.

My lungs burning at the harshness that I was pushing myself to achieve. My lungs fighting for air while muscles that I didn’t know existed began to hurt. My feet still trying to throw them off my trail.

“ISABELLA!”

Crap. Double crap. That voice sounded close. Very close.

Stumbling onto broken limbs of a broken tree do I move to hiss slightly. My palms and knees taking a harsh fall to the ground. A small yelp rising as I try to muffle the sound so as not to alert them to my exact location.

Ouch. That’ll hurt by morning.

Moving to gaze back in the direction of where I came from do I freeze. Tiny little lights now dancing along the trees. Fuck. Four lights… no ten lights and each coming for me. Magnificent. Simply magnificent. They called in a small army.

Continuing to run do I finally hear Tony. Tony’s voice ringing along the darkness as I attempt to avoid each of my men. “Isabella, it’s time to stop now honey. You had your little fun now it’s time to come home. You know you can’t outsmart us.”

Ha, as if, I think as I continue to remain quiet. My eyes soon spotting a large tree with what looked like a hole on the front of it. A perfect place to hide as I move to crawl into the hole before they could either find me or spot me.

Once in the tree do I move to cover my mouth, now trying to slow down my breathing. Trying my hardest not to move as those trying to find me continue to search. Lucus’s voice now yelling into the abyss. His voice clearly angry for my lack of cooperation.

“ISABELLA! I’m warning you sweetheart. If you don’t surrender and come home now you’ll be in serious trouble once we manage to find you.”

Holding my breath do I continue to listen with my ears. My ears now attempting to pick up any and all sound except I couldn’t. No yelling, no crunching of leaves, not even chirping of insects. I couldn’t even see the tiny little lights anymore. Everything was just quiet.

A smile now making it’s way along my face slowly as I move to climb from the hole only to freeze. A voice catching me off guard as if they had known I was there and was waiting for me to appear.

“Hello sweetheart. Done playing hide and seek?”

Damn it all to hell. They found me.

Exhaling slowly do I move to lower my head in defeat. Grant now standing before me with his arms folded along his chest. A frown now gracing his face as he continues to watch me.

“Too much?”

“Just a bit”

“Am I going to be in serious trouble once I get home?”

“Yep” says Grant as he moves to pop his P. Another sigh leaving my lips as I do. “Just for the record. It was well worth every penny of it” I say just as Grant moves to lift me into his arms. His strong arms welcoming to the harsh cool air around me.

Moving to toss me over his shoulder like that of a rag doll. My world now upside down as we move to head back towards the house. Grant swatting my ass as he walks.

“OW”

“No complaining. You know the rules and yet you continued to break them.”

Groaning at his words do I allow myself to just hang there, knowing he was right. No longer trying to wiggle free. Because let’s face it. After having been released from the hospital did Lucus move to offer me a deal. A deal I could have taken or declined if I truly had wanted to.

The deal being where Lucus would null and void our marriage contract to one another and allow me to return home to my parents or.. if I wanted to, I could continue to stay with them where they promised to protect me. Even promising to better themselves while giving me more freedom. Now, instead of being stuck within a giant castle I’m now able to visit my parents whenever I want but only if I take a small set of armed bodyguards with me.

My men even promising a proper date night at least once a week and if I wanted too, they would even help me obtain my bachelor's degree from a local college. But it had to be online and no in-person classes.

Weighing my choices I end up choosing to stay. Because if I was being completely honest with myself, I loved these men dearly and I could never bring myself to leave them. Ever. For these men were the keepers of my heart and I would never trade it for anything. Not even for my once boring life.

And while I may still be a complete and utter brat to them, I know deep down that they love it, and it’s become our new favorite game over these past 3.5 months. A game where I hide and they seek. Which leads me to where I was now. As I was supposed to be in our bedroom kneeling as they finished up last minute work except instead of listening to them I decided to test out Tony’s latest security feed and put my awesome ninja skills to the test.

Faint amber glow of the house now coming into view as Grant moves to carry me up a flight of stairs. To tired to move as we move to enter the room. Grant now tossing me onto the bed with a small yelp. My four equally handsome, fine ass men now standing before me. Men who were designed to ruin me in every pleasurable way known to man.

Alex smirking as he moves to hold his favorite riding crop. My eyes now widening as I sat there watching each of them silently.

“Well fuck me.”

“Oh.. we plan to sweet girl. But fucking won’t be the only thing on tonight’s menu” was all I hear before they each move to pounce on me like I was their last meal.