Chapter 138: You can’t be serious. You want me to sit on your tail?
Isabella paused, her back still to him. She could feel his gaze on her, the weight of his unspoken words pressing against the air between them. She exhaled slowly, fighting back the urge to just leave and pretend nothing had happened. She wasn’t some fragile thing he needed to worry about. She wasn’t about to let him see her in a weakened state, not when she had worked so hard to get here.
"Normal women would be dead by now," Cyrus had said.
The words lingered, pulling her thoughts in all kinds of directions. The truth was, she knew she’d been reckless. But she didn’t need him—anyone, really—telling her that. She’d made it out of there fine, hadn’t she?
Isabella tilted her head back, just enough for him to see the sharp edge in her eyes as she spoke, her voice steady but carrying a slight edge of defensiveness.
"I didn’t need protection," she said slowly, purposefully. "I’m not some damsel in distress you need to babysit. The mountain’s dangerous, but I can handle it."
She could practically hear his quiet assessment of her words. His silence made her bristle, but she held firm, never once looking back to meet his gaze.
"I don’t need anyone’s help," she added, the words thick with stubbornness. "I just... needed to get something done."
A moment passed before she heard him speak again, his voice calm, his presence looming even from behind. "I’m not trying to help you because I think you need it." His words were so unexpectedly gentle it almost threw her off. "I’m just concerned about you."
Isabella scoffed, shaking her head, but she didn’t let the bite leave her tone. "Concerned? Is that what this is?"