Page 88 of Isabelle’s Forbidden Love

“What if the council doesn’t see it as self-defense?” Orlando asked, knowing that all he had was Ines’s words to exonerate him. There was no physical evidence, nothing that could confirm that Margarite and LaRuson had planned to kill him. “What if they punish me nevertheless?”

“Then I’ll be by your side. Orlando, you can’t get rid of me. You might as well acknowledge that right now.”

“Hmm.”

He brushed his lips over hers, and Isabelle kissed him with the same passion as they’d shared the previous days and nights. He tasted the promise in her kiss. And the selfless love she had for him. He realized now that his love for Margarite and her love for him had been very different. He’d been infatuated with Margarite, and she’d loved the idea of a vampire mate, but in truth, she hadn’t loved him, the man inside. And he’d been too obsessed with having her, with making her his, that he hadn’t seen that the love they’d shared wasn’t meant to last.

His love for Isabelle was different, it was pure. He knew it because he’d been prepared to let her go, to give her a life without him, to give his life for hers, just so she could be happy. Even if he couldn’t be part of her life. Orlando pulled her closer to him. He imprisoned her in his embrace, tasted her lips and explored her sweet mouth to remind himself of what he’d nearly given up.

He knew the reason for it now, and Isabelle deserved to know it. He severed the kiss.

“Isabelle, babe, there’s something I have to get off my chest.”

“Tell me.”

He took a strand of her hair and pushed it out of her face. “I think I always knew that my relationship with Margarite was doomed from the start. But I was too afraid to admit it to myself. And when she was dead, I felt so guilty, because had it not been for me wanting her as my mate, she might have lived. I pulled her into my world when I shouldn’t have. I should have recognized that we weren’t meant to be.” He sighed. “And when I met you, I was so afraid of making the same mistake a second time. That’s why I didn’t defend myself when you showed me the newspaper article.”

“Oh, Orlando. You’re not gonna make the same mistake twice, I promise.” Isabelle pulled his head closer and slanted her lips over his.

“Ahm.”

Orlando lifted his head. Samson stood in the open door to the cell. Isabelle looked over her shoulder and turned, while at the same time taking his arm and pulling it around her waist, her back pressed to his chest.

“Dad.”

“Didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” Samson said.

“I’m sorry, Samson,” Orlando started, feeling odd about having Isabelle’s father walk in on them, when he’d been about to maul her.

Samson lifted his hand. “Don’t, ‘cause it doesn’t look like you’re sorry.” To his surprise, Samson smirked. “Though I do need to read you the riot act.”

Orlando furrowed his forehead, but waited patiently for Samson to continue.

“If you ever withhold important information from Isabelle or me again, I will beat the living crap out of you, son-in-law or not. Nod if you understand.”

Orlando nodded, then added, “Son-in-law?”

Samson rolled his eyes. “I’m old-fashioned, Orlando. So, you’d better make an honest woman out of my daughter.”

“Yes, sir!” He glanced at Isabelle, who smiled happily. “But what about the vampire council?”

“I spoke to them already. There’ll be an inquiry tomorrow. Ines will testify, and you’ll tell the council the truth about everything that happened. It’s only a formality. The council has no interest in charging a vampire with a crime when he was acting in self-defense, particularly not a man who’s saved many lives since. I’ll be testifying as your character witness.”

Overwhelmed by Samson’s generosity, Orlando let go of Isabelle and offered his hand to Samson. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

Samson shook his hand. “I do.” He smiled at Isabelle. “Make my daughter happy.”

Isabelle put her arms around Samson. “Oh, Dad! I love you!”

Samson chuckled. “I love you too, sweetheart. Now, I’d better leave, because it looks like Orlando wants you to himself.”

46

Orlando let the door to Grayson’s loft shut behind him and pulled Isabelle into his arms. The vampire council had convened at Scanguards HQ, and true to their word, Ines had testified as to the nefarious plans of Orlando’s blood-bonded mate Margarite and her vampire lover Dennis LaRuson. Samson’s testimony as Orlando’s character witness hadn’t really been necessary, but Samson had given it nevertheless. The council’s decision had been unanimous and quick: Orlando was exonerated and set free.

“You did it,” Isabelle said and pressed herself to him.

“No, you did it. I believe I owe you my life now.”