Ryan cut him off. “I have known Isabel Benson for a long time. Even when she was a little girl before her sister was born. When she was little, she never asked for any help. Her mother would forget about her in the street. After a few times, Isabel didn’t even wait around to be taken home. She walked home. When her little sister came along, she did everything she could to take care of her. All the way through high school, she took jobs to help pay.”
“What about her parents?”
“They didn’t give a shit about the two kids they’d brought into this world. The only thing they cared about was each other, and partying. Isabel took care of Sophie. Isabel kept a roof over all of their heads. Isabel sacrificed everything, and she didn’t once ask for help or even complain.”
“How do you know all this?” Edward asked.
“I’m a Cape Falls local. Everyone knows about this, and we’ve all been taught to look the other way or look at them with shame if someone dared asked for help. This place is a shit hole, Edward. We’ve made our mistakes, and I can bet we’re going to have a few more along the way. Isabel is in love with you. She would never have accepted your help if she didn’t have feelings for you. Isabel never asks for help, and she doesn’t accept any either.”
Edward turned toward the woman, and watched Isabel. She held herself quite tightly, and he saw even from all this distance that she was uncomfortable. He didn’t need to go save her. She was nervous about being around new people, that he knew. Also, Sophie before she had left for college gave him a few updates, and telltale signs of what to look out for. Her sister adored Isabel, and only wanted the best for her.
All he wanted to do was do the right thing by her.
“She wants to be my submissive,” he said.
“Wow, that is a huge commitment.”
“She was worried that I would find another woman. I think she’s worried about me kicking her out or something.”
Ryan hummed as he looked over at the women. “It would make sense. All of her life she has put others first, but right now I think she wants you, and she doesn’t know how to tell you that she wants you. She’s probably scared of you either finding her lacking, or finding someone else. I’ve seen the way she looks at you, Edward. How do you feel about her?”
“I want her.” He had wanted her from that first day he’d walked into the diner, and looked into her beautiful but pain-filled eyes. Edward hadn’t wanted to know what that pain meant. Walking into her mid-cut had changed his life, and hers. With the evidence right in front of his face he hadn’t been able to walk away.
He had stayed, and since then, little by little, he had made changes to her life. Getting rid of the trailer where she lived was the biggest one.
“What are you two ladies talking about?” Gideon asked, taking a seat at the bar.
“No uniform today?”
“Nah, the deputy in training is giving me the afternoon off. Besides, right now we’re not really that busy.”
“You’re not?” Ryan asked. “I thought the town of Cape Falls kept you busy.”
“There have been a lot of changes in the past year. People are handling their differences and leaving me out of it.” Gabriel rubbed his eyes. “It’s good. It’s slow but good. I got a call the other day to complain about a girl wearing a short skirt. It was indecent and sinful I was told.”
“How did you handle that?” Edward asked.
“I listened, and then asked her how her grandkid was. What are you guys talking about?”
“Isabel wants to be Edward’s submissive,” Ryan said.
“Jesus, can’t you keep
it to yourself?”
“I didn’t know I was supposed to.” Ryan shrugged. “Forget what I just said. It’s all lies, I promise you.”
“You and Isabel, it makes sense,” Gabriel said.
“Why does it make sense?”
“It just does. You’re the first person to have really gotten through to her, so that must mean something.”
Edward didn’t even know if he was getting to her, or if she was just carrying on like she always did.
“Are you working tonight?” Gabriel asked.
“No. I’m not on as the Dom on tonight.”