Between Two Brothers

CHAPTER 20.

ISLA'S POV

The weekend had been my sanctuary in the chaos. After the whirlwind of the gala, the explosive confrontation at Mum’s restaurant, I’d carved out quiet plans: a Saturday morning at the farmer’s market with Mum, afternoon tea with Thea to catch up on things we missed about each other and a peaceful Sunday buried in a book with no Blackthornes in sight. A fragile thread of control in a life that felt increasingly like a chessboard.

My phone buzzed twice in quick succession as I curled up on the couch, a cup of chamomile tea cooling on the side table. There were two messages, from two different worlds colliding.

"Julian: Isla, I’ve missed you. Prepare something beautiful for Saturday evening. I’ll pick you up at 7."

"Dare: Spain trip confirmed. Official meetings on the Voss restructuring, for one week. Prepare accordingly—business attire and evening wear. Car will collect you Monday morning. This is non-negotiable, Isla"

Anger flared in me, hot and immediate. I stared at the screen, totally forgetting about my tea. How dare they? Both of them, assuming my time, my choices, my weekends like I was some appointment on their calendars. Julian with his “proper date” while dangling escape plans and proof. Dare with his commands, wrapping business in possessive urgency.

I tossed the phone onto the cushion, pacing the small living room. The Spain trip loomed—Dare’s attempt to pull me into his orbit, away from Julian, away from Victor’s schemes. Part of me wanted to go. The part that still remembered the boy in the greenhouse. The part that felt the electric pull every time he cornered me, kissed me like he was drowning. But the rest of me—the stronger part I’d been forging these past weeks—bristled at the control.

Mum’s restaurant was safe for now, but Victor’s threats echoed. Julian offered an exit ramp. Dare offered fire and obsession. Truth wrapped in jealousy.

I picked up the phone and dialed Julian before I could second-guess. It rang twice.

“Isla.” His voice was warm, relieved. “I was hoping you’d respond. Did you get my message?”

I sank onto the couch, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Julian… I got both messages. Yours and Dare’s. He’s demanding I go to Spain with him next week. A week-long trip for official meetings.”

Silence stretched on the line. When Julian spoke again, the warmth had cooled into frustration. “Spain? He’s dragging you back to the place where he sold his soul for deals and lies? Why, Isla? Why do you keep letting him pull you in? He chose that life over you once. He’ll do it again.”

I closed my eyes, the weight of their rivalry pressing down. “It’s not that simple. Dare says the trip is about truth. And with Victor threatening to send me away if I don’t fall in line…”

“Send you away?” Julian’s voice sharpened. “That’s exactly why you need to choose me. My plan— the job, the relocation for your mum—it’s ready. We can leave before he traps you in Spain."

He paused for a little while. "Why always him, Isla? Why does Darian Blackthorne get to snap his fingers and you drop everything? I’ve been here, steady. Fighting for you without the power plays and the possessiveness that leaves you shaken.”

The question hit like a slap. Why always him? I stood again, restless energy propelling me to the window. Rain pattered against the glass, mirroring the storm inside.

“Because he’s the ghost I’ve waited six years for,” I admitted, voice cracking. “Because when he kisses me, it’s not just control—it’s pain and regret and something real underneath the revenge. But you… you’ve been safe, kind. Until I started seeing how you timed everything—your proposal right when he returned, the documents, the escape plan always waiting in the wings. I’m tired of being the prize, Julian. Both of you treat me like I can’t decide for myself.”

Julian exhaled sharply. “That’s not fair. I love you. I’ve always loved you. Dare destroys everything he touches. Spain wasn’t just business—it was him becoming the monster Victor wanted. If you go with him, you’re walking into his cage. Let me pick you up Saturday. We’ll talk properly, please.”

Tears pricked my eyes. The pull was exhausting. “I don’t know. Spain might give me answers and clarity. If I go, it’s on my terms. Not his and not yours.”

“You’re making a mistake,” Julian said, voice tight with jealousy. “He’ll use that week to manipulate you. To remind you of the past until you forget how he abandoned you. I’m here now and I am real. It your choice to choose the man who never left.”

The call ended with heavy silence. I stared at the phone, heart aching. Two different messages ands two different men. One demanding loyalty through fire, the other through safety laced with strings. My carefully planned weekend dissolved into indecision.

Mum found me still pacing when she came home later. “Love? You look like the world’s ending. The Blackthorne boys again?”

I nodded, sinking into her hug. “Dare wants me in Spain for a week. Julian wants a date tomorrow. Victor’s pushing an engagement to Julian to keep me away from Dare. I feel like I’m drowning.”

She pulled back, cupping my face. “Then swim, Isla. You’ve always been stronger than their games. Choose what you need. Not what they demand.”

Her words lingered as I lay in bed that night, the two messages glowing on my screen. Spain with Dare meant stepping into his shadows—the place that forged his coldness. A date with Julian meant facing his steady pressure and the escape that felt more like another cage.

I typed a reply to Dare first, fingers hesitant.

"Spain is business only. No cornering or claiming."

His response came quickly.

"Dare: Agreed."

Then I sent a message to Julian, also.

"Saturday is too much right now. Rain check me. I need space to think."

"Julian: He’s pulling you under again, isn’t he? Why always him? Why?"

The question haunted me into the early hours. Why always Dare? The boy who promised forever. The man who broke me and was trying—flawed, possessive, desperate—to put me back together.

By morning, exhaustion mixed with resolve. I dressed for the farmer’s market with Mum, but my mind was already packing for Spain. The weekend plans were shattered, but perhaps clarity waited across the sea.