Let Them Go

Let Them Go
Isabella’s POV

I wanted to crawl under the nearest rock and die with what was left of my dignity.

The second Agnes and Ellie dragged me into the upstairs guest room and shut the door, my face was already burning so hot I was sure it could light the whole house on fire. I slapped both hands over my eyes, shoulders hunched like I could disappear if I tried hard enough.

“Oh my God,” I groaned through my fingers. “I can’t believe everyone saw that. I can’t believe you saw that. I fed him strawberries like some cheesy romance movie and he was literally—”

Agnes burst out laughing so hard she had to lean against the dresser. “Girl, please. You were feeding him strawberries like you were auditioning for a porn parody of Snow White. And he was eating it up…literally.”

Ellie was giggling too, already rifling through the closet like this was just another Tuesday. “Quit being so shy-shy, Bella. We were all at it yesterday. Well…except for the guys downstairs.”

I peeked through my fingers, one eyebrow shooting up. “Excuse me?”

Agnes cleared her throat dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest like she was about to deliver Shakespeare. “What dear Ellie is trying to say…without filters…is that the two of us also fucked our men like it was the last night on earth. And it was heavenly. Multiple rounds. Multiple positions. Multiple screams. We’re all walking funny this morning, babe.”

My mouth clamped shut so fast my teeth clicked. Then a shocked, helpless laugh bubbled out of me and they joined in. I dropped my hands, staring at them in disbelief.

“You too?” I squeaked.

Agnes grinned wickedly. “You think you and Damien are the only ones who’ve been starved? Honey, we’ve all been running on fumes. Yesterday was the grand opening of the ‘finally-get-to-fuck-without-interruption’ festival.”

Ellie tossed a cute sundress at me. “Welcome to the club. Membership includes zero shame and unlimited orgasms.”

We dissolved into laughter…real, belly-deep, stupid giggles that made my sides hurt. It was the kind of messy, unfiltered girl moment we hadn’t had since this whole drama started. We stripped down, raided Ellie’s closet like teenagers, tried on outfits, rejected half of them, spritzed perfume, debated lip colors, and talked over each other the whole time.

Halfway through zipping up a flowy white midi dress that actually made me feel pretty, I paused.

“Wait,” I said, turning to them. “Why are we playing dress up? Where are we even going?”

Ellie grinned, already slipping diamond studs into her ears. “We’re unwinding. Just us girls. We deserve it. Book a nice restaurant, cheer with too much wine, shop until their cards cry, hit a spa, get massages, facials, feel good. No boys. No drama. Just vibes.”

I bit my lip, suddenly remembering the world outside this bubble. “Is it… safe? I mean, the Damien will never let us leave without—”

“Of course they won’t,” Ellie cut in smoothly. “Which is why we’re not asking for permission to go alone. We’ll agree to at least one escort and a driver. Security detail. Bulletproof SUV. Whatever makes them feel like big strong protectors. But we’re still getting our girl time.”

I thought about it for a second…really thought about it. The danger was real, but so was the need to breathe without Damien’s arms around me for five minutes. Not like I’m complaining though. “Makes sense,” I admitted.

We finished dolling up like it was a mission. I went with soft waves in my hair, light makeup that made my eyes pop, and strappy sandals that showed off the fresh pedicure Agnes had bullied me into days ago. 

Ellie looked like a bombshell in black, Agnes like trouble in red. We stood in front of the full-length mirror, three of us shoulder to shoulder, and Agnes raised her glass of sparkling water like it was champagne.

“To surviving the chaos,” she declared dramatically, “to finally getting dicked down properly, and to girl time that doesn’t involve testosterone!”

We cheered…loud, ridiculous, arms around each other…then linked elbows and marched out like we owned the damn world.

The second we stepped into the living room, Damien was on his feet so fast the chair scraped back. He crossed the room in three strides, hands cupping my face like I’d been gone for years instead of twenty minutes.

“What did they do to you?” he demanded, thumbs stroking my cheeks, eyes scanning me head to toe like he was checking for injuries.

I giggled…couldn’t help it. “Nothing, Mr Voss. They just want us to go have some girly time. Dinner, shopping, spa. The works.”

His jaw tightened instantly. “You girls can have it inside. I don’t agree to this.”

Jaxon piped up from the couch, arms crossed. “Yeah, I don’t agree either.”

Jace rolled his eyes so hard I thought they’d get stuck and exhaled like he’s fed up with Damien. “Give the ladies some breathing space, you cavemen. It’ll give us boys time to bond on a manly level. Beer, sports, chest-thumping. The full experience.”

Damien shot him a look that could melt steel. “Who said I want to bond with my fellow man? In fact, why the hell are you still here? Don’t you have an empire to run back in Texas?”

Jace scoffed. “I’m only here because my girlfriend wants to spend more time with her best friend. We’ll leave soon…which is exactly why you should let them go. Let them have this.”

Damien shook his head, arms crossing over his chest. “No. I go where she goes. End of discussion.”

I stepped closer, touching his forearm gently. “Damien… no. Stay. I need this. Just a few hours of girl time.”

He looked down at me, eyes softening but still stubborn. “What about my time?”

I smiled, soft. “We have the rest of eternity. All my time is yours. Quit being a baby.”

He groaned low in his throat. “It’s dangerous outside. The case is still ongoing and Carlos hasn’t been found. There are so many reporters waiting to…”

Agnes jumped in. “None of us are in the news. No one knows who we are… well, except Ellie, which is why she’s wearing a nose mask. We’ll be ghosts. Promise.”

Ellie stepped up beside me, arms folded. “Damien. Brother. Stop being such a big bodyguard slash obsessed boyfriend. Let us go…let us have this.”

He opened his mouth to argue again.

I pouted…full-on, bottom-lip-out pout…and whispered, “Please?”

His shoulders dropped. He groaned again, louder this time, then yanked me against him by the waist. I gasped as every hard inch of him pressed right against my stomach through his shorts. He dipped his head, lips brushing my ear.

“Can’t you feel how much I need you?” he whispered, voice rough and low that only me could hear. “Right here. Right now, doll. Don’t make me wait.”

Heat flooded my cheeks…and lower. I swallowed hard, then tilted my head to whisper back.

“Hold that thought until I get back.”

He groaned one more time…deep, tortured…then pulled back just enough to look at me.

“Fine,” he gritted out. “On one condition.”