Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus)

Chapter 95

Bar.

Magnus was downing drink after drink-hard, fast, relentless. His head was pounding, but he didn't put the glass down for a second.

Sammy sat beside him, watching as Magnus drank like this for nearly two hours. He'd tried to stop him a few times, but every attempt was shut down by the icy glare Magnus shot his way. After that, Sammy didn't dare intervene again.

He didn't understand why Magnus had only called him out tonight. None of the usual crew-Scales or the others had been invited. Was his job tonight just to watch Magnus drink himself into oblivion? The thought left Sammy feeling uneasy. He glanced at the expensive bottles scattered all over the floor. If Magnus kept this up, he'd wind up passed out right here before the night was over.

Unable to hold back any longer, Sammy finally asked, "Magnus, what the hell happened?"

Magnus was clearly drunk, his eyes red and unfocused. He paused for a long moment before answering.

"The day I married Elise-Isadora was kidnapped."

"Yeah, but you said that was just a cover story, right?"

Sammy remembered the wedding well. He and Scales and the rest of the guys had shown up, but really only out of loyalty to Magnus; they didn't stick around long. Most of the guests were Elise's friends anyway.

thing. "Of all the days to stage a kidnapping-it just happens to be when Magnus is marrying

voice rough. "No... it wasn't

got to be kidding

dropped. He shot upright in his seat. “It

with you. If I were her, I wouldn't just dump you I'd probably punch you in

Sammy's outburst with a look of resignation-his first time not arguing back,

had turned into something even

to say it out loud, but the thought haunted him. Guilt gnawed at him, but beneath that, a darker feeling lingered-disgust at the idea that Isadora's body was no longer "clean." It took every ounce of willpower for him not to let it get

whose face had gone slack with defeat. He didn't even

away—maybe you should just let her go. Being treated

to decide if I care or not?" Sammy

care so much about Isadora, then what about Elise? Everyone

her to leave Capitolion. She ended up depressed and got

made it this far. She

be brutally honest. He'd let things slide before, but this was different. This was a kidnapping and while his fiancée was in danger, Magnus had been marrying another woman. If Isadora could put up