Say You're Mine (The Gallaghers Book 1) by Layla Hagen (digital ebook reader .txt) 📗

the rooms. They brought my luggage here. Wait a second.”

He went back out to the corridor and returned a few minutes later. “The bellboy said they took your luggage to 2201.”

“Thanks,” Isabelle said.

I wanted to be alone with her. I wanted to know why she didn’t tell me everything about last night, or all the other times fans mobbed her. I wanted her to tell me for once how she really felt. I wasn’t going to let her brush this off this time. She took out the elastic band from her hair, pulling it all to one side.

Lars took out his phone, going next to Isabelle, and holding it up for a selfie.

“Come on, Isabelle. You’re in your own cool club. The only one who got stitches.”

“This isn’t funny,” I said and started pacing the room. “I was afraid of this. I shouldn’t have asked you to come on the tour,” I said more to myself.

“Why not?” Isabelle asked.

“Come on, man, don’t be a buzzkill,” Lars said.

“Lars!” I bellowed. “Don’t try to be funny.”

“I’m not trying. It’s natural to me, but you know what? I’ll be in the bedroom. You lovebirds sort it all out.” Holding his hands up in surrender, he backtracked into the bedroom, closing the door.

“Ready to go to our room?” I asked Isabelle.

She didn’t budge from the couch. “No. What did you mean you shouldn’t have asked me to come on the tour?”

I frowned, looking straight at her. “It was selfish. I wanted you with me too much. I didn’t think about all the risks involved.”

“Yeah you did. That’s why you got me a bodyguard and everything.”

“It wasn’t enough. This shouldn’t have happened. The stitches, your ankle, the fan mobbing. And every other night you didn’t tell me about.”

She waved her hand. “It’s all fine.”

“Don’t do this. Don’t placate me. You’ve done this for weeks, and it’s driving me crazy.”

Her eyes widened and she dropped her hand. “I haven’t been placating you.”

I sat next to her on the couch. She was fiddling with her thumbs in her lap.

“I just don’t like to make a big deal out of things.”

“But these aren’t small things. When we first started dating... actually before we even started, you told me you loved having absolute freedom. That you couldn’t imagine living with the restrictions I do. So don’t tell me these things are not a big deal for you.”

She stopped fiddling, giving me a small smile. “I’m adaptable. It’s not ideal, but I’m learning to navigate this world. Yes, I admit the fans are a bit scary. Today was very scary, but you said fans are a bit too eager sometimes. I’ll get used to it.”

“I’m afraid you won’t,” I blurted, shocking the hell out of myself. I wasn’t even aware I was afraid of that, but now that the words were out, I knew they were true. And I couldn’t stop. “I’m afraid you’re going to get frustrated with everything, including me. That you’ll feel caged in and that you’ll walk away eventually.”

Isabelle’s expression froze. “That’s not going to happen.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because I know how I feel about you. And these feelings are not going to go away just because things aren’t smooth.” She shifted further away from me on the couch. “You asked me to move in with you not long ago.” Her voice caught on the last words.

“I want you to. I love you.”

“And I love you. With all I have. So why are you questioning my feelings?”

“I’m not doing that.”

She rose to her feet, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re saying you’re not sure if I’ll still love you further down the road. Or that I’m going to get fed up because I have to change a few things around in my life.”

I swallowed hard. Was that how it came out?

“Fuck. Yes. I guess that’s what I’m saying.”

She transformed right in front of me. Her eyes snapped fire. She pulled herself straighter, running a hand through her hair until it was wild, sticking out in every direction. My lioness.

“I think... I think I’ve shown you every way I know how much I care about you. If that’s not enough to convince you, I don’t know what to say. Or do.” Frowning, she glanced over her shoulder at the door. “Actually, I know what I’ll do. I’m going to have a nice long nap in our room. By myself. You know where I am when you’re ready to talk. But if you’re going to question my feelings again, then we’re going to have a huge problem.”

“Isabelle—”

“Don’t ‘Isabelle’ me. It’s been a long day, and I don’t want to fight.”

She was in fight mode. Hell, I’d been in fight mode all day, but not with her, with myself. I had no idea how to fix that.

“I’m going to our suite.” She picked up a card from the table at the entrance before leaving the room.

I sat back on the couch, stunned by her loyalty and her response.

Lars came out of the bedroom. “Man. What the fuck was that?”

Chapter Twenty-SevenIsabelle

My brothers always said I was a bit of a hothead when dealing with an unexpected blow. I usually calmed down after I had time to process it, but as I went into the suite, I was getting more riled up.

I wasn’t tired anymore, and I didn’t think I could sleep anyway. I liked taking long walks to clear my head, but I didn’t want to risk leaving the hotel. Besides, my ankle was still hurting, so I was limping.

My eyes were burning with tears. I wiped them away with the back of my hand while I threw myself on the bed spread-eagled and fully clothed.

“You’ll walk away eventually...”

His words bounced around in my mind, making me even more teary-eyed.

No, I wasn’t going to focus on what he said.

I remembered what Jana and Donna had said about him pulling away from his family after the incident with the fans in Blue Falls. Deep down, I knew this