Isolation: Book 2 of The Quarantine Series Read online

  Copyright © 2020 Drethi Anis

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Dedicated to all the wonderful readers and the friends I have made through the reading community. Thank you for helping me achieve my goal with Book One.

  Also dedicated to all the wonderful Beta Readers. Thank you for taking so much time out of your lives to help me improve this book.

  A special thank you to Candy, Vickie, Amanda, Kathy, Crystal, Maria, Brianna, Kelly, and Alina for all of your help and insight.

  I also have to mention the “Sugartit” girls from a certain Facebook group, all of whom constantly make me laugh. Thank you, Karen, for getting me into social media.

  Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Introduction

  Prologue

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  AUTHOR'S NOTE

  BONUS BOOK

  DESOLATE

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  Introduction

  I don’t usually read Introductions either, but read it anyways.

  Isolation is actually the first book I wrote, so it’s only fitting to provide this book with an Introduction.

  Most of us struggled in 2020. It has been a challanging year to say the least. I have my own list of complaints against this year. However, the conception of this series came from what I consider my personal tipping point.

  Right when quarantine started, I fell, and the injuries required me to be confined to my bed with my leg propped up on a pillow, and using crutches for mobility. I was going stir crazy, most of it stemming from my worry over an uncertain future.

  Like many others, I was not working anymore, and not by my own choice. I had a laptop, but my bedroom did not receive Wifi signal. And there was nothing good on television.

  I wouldn’t say boredom or a need for distraction led to this book. Writing was simply a running joke amongst my peers because I told them that I would write a romance novel to pay their bills.

  The final push came when I wanted to provide myself with perspective, in an attempt for gratitude. It was almost a form of therapy for me.

  I considered how my situation would be worse.

  The first thing that came to mind: Thank God I am not quarantined with my crazy family.

  The second thing that came to mind: Thank God I am not quarantined with a crazy ex boyfriend.

  I wrote fifteen pages on that first day. Soon, I started adding backstory for each chapter. After five days, hours of typing, and carpal tunnel syndrome, I had seventy-five pages. I sent the pages to a friend, who suggested splitting the book into three parts: past, present, and future. She defined it perfectly: descent into obsession, healing, and happily ever after.

  Quarantined was easy to write while Isolation was a massive struggle for me, as my wonderful Beta readers can attest. I semi-completed this book months ago, then spent many more months changing it.

  Come to find out, making your characters miserable is a lot easier than healing them. And finishing a book in three weeks is a lot more challenging when you are not confined to your bed with no other distractions (although a lot of fans did offer to break my leg again if it helped expedite the second book—one can only hope that they were joking).

  Anyways, the point of this long note is to tell you about the conception of this series, but also to disclose the headspace I was in when I wrote it. This means that this book is not for the faintest of hearts, and the subject matter is heavy at times.

  So, please do heed the warnings. Triggers include mental health issues, rape, dubious consent, and suicide. While it is not the main topic of discussion, I did write this series as a result of the pandemic, and it is the backdrop of this book. Please proceed carefully if any of these are triggers for you.

  - Drethi Anis

  P.S. For the readers who requested it, I have written an alternate point of view for one of the most popular side characters.

  Book 1.5 is included with this edition. Simply scroll past the last page of Isolation.

  Both books can be read in any order.

  Prologue

  From: Milo Sinclair

  To: Raven Beckett

  Date: December 31, 2015

  Subject: Happy New Year

  Happy New Year, Raven!

  I miss you. It’s weird ringing in the New Year without you. It’s a new year, and I hope it brings new beginnings.

  I know I went too far with you. I didn’t realize how much I hurt you until you ran away. Since the first time I flew to Paris, you’ve refused to see me again, and I hated our last conversation. Can we meet up so we can talk?

  -Milo

  From: Milo Sinclair

  To: Raven Beckett

  Date: May 3, 2016

  Subject: Happy Birthday!

  Happy 18th Birthday, Raven!

  I am still in Paris, and I’d like to see you. Can you come out of your apartment?

  If you are still uncomfortable being alone with me, we can go to dinner with your mom.

  Look, I’ve respected your wishes for six months, even though I am worried that you won’t keep your word. Can you just meet me halfway for today?

  From: Raven Beckett

  To: Milo Sinclair

  Date: May 3, 2016

  Subject: Re: Come on, Rave

  Milo,

  We are family, and I understand how entwined our lives are. So, I do want to move forward from what happened. I promised to try to forgive you IF you left me alone. Yet, it’s been nothing but flowers, gifts, texts, calls, and impromptu trips to Paris. None of that resonates backing off or respecting my wishes.

  I can’t be magically okay with an UNFORGIVABLE act within your approved time frame.

  Please leave me alone!

  -Raven

  From: Milo Sinclair

  To: Raven Beckett

  Date: January 2, 2017

  Subject: Mia

  Raven,

  Did Mia get to Paris alright? My parents changed their minds. They will be joining Mia for the last week of her break. I am attaching their itinerary. Their hotel is within walking distance.

  I’ve respected your wishes for the last year. Can we now meet so we can talk?

  From: Raven Beckett

  To: Milo Sinclair

  Date: January 2, 2017

  Subject: Re: Mia

  Milo,

  Thank you for the itinerary. I’ll be at the airport to pick up your parents. Is Tessa’s new medication still causing nausea? I can stock up on ginger drinks if it’s an issue.

  Mia got here safe and sound. She is having a blast. I am attaching photos from her site visits. If it’s okay with you, I’d love it if she can visit me this summer. Sh
e wants to go to Nice.

  I am sorry, Milo. Nothing has changed on my end. I am begging you to move on.

  From: Milo Sinclair

  To: Raven Beckett

  Date: January 2, 2018

  Subject: WHAT THE FUCK!

  Are you fucking serious!? You have been giving me hope for the last two years, while you have been fucking other men?

  I made a mistake, but I gave you every option to let me rectify that. The only thing you wanted was time. You agreed to forgive me if I left you alone to process what happened between us. You agreed to discuss reconciliation if I still felt the same after some time had passed.

  I could have convinced Theressa to let me take you back for your senior year. You were a minor under my care. I could have even kidnapped you, and there was nothing you could have done about it. Trust me, kidnapping wasn’t off the table. But I wanted you to love me by your own free will. You told me that the only way that would be a possibility is if I stayed away. So, I did.

  I knew you were saying what I wanted to hear to get rid of me, thinking my feelings would fizzle. I am not stupid. I still gave you what you needed so there could be a possibility for us.

  Is this the possibility you had in mind? This is what you were doing while you were trying to “forgive me?” You didn’t think I’d find out?

  Clearly, giving you an option is futile.

  I am flying to Paris. First, I am going to kill the asshole you have been fucking. Then I am coming to see you.

  If you don’t open the damn door to your apartment this time, I am going to break it down and bring you back.

  Alternately, you can come back to New York.

  From: Raven Beckett

  To: Milo Sinclair

  Date: January 2, 2018

  Subject: Re: WHAT THE FUCK!

  1) Giving me an option so I can pick the one you prefer is not really giving me an option.

  2) I am not currently in Paris, nor do I plan to return till Mia gets to Paris.

  3) Who I fuck and don’t fuck is none of your business. We are not in a relationship.

  4) I am not a minor anymore. Good luck trying to kidnap a grown woman from a free country.

  5) I agreed to the possibility ONLY if I’m able to forgive you. I have not forgiven you.

  READ THE FUCKING FINE PRINT.

  From: Raven Beckett

  To: Milo Sinclair

  Date: January 4, 2018

  Subject: FUCK YOU

  YOU ARE A PSYCHOPATH! Did you really go to Paris to beat up my friend? He is in the hospital. I wasn’t even dating him anymore. What the fuck is wrong with you? Seriously. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? Do your worst! I’m not going back to New York and you can’t force me.

  From: Milo Sinclair

  To: Raven Beckett

  Date: January 5, 2018

  Subject: Don’t push me

  I dropped him off at the hospital, didn’t I? It’s not my fault that your “friend” is a scrawny douchebag who fell down after one punch and hit his head. Really! That guy?

  If you don’t want any more of your “friends” to end up the same way, don’t do anything stupid like that again. I might not be able to force you to come to New York, but I can force my sister not to go to Paris anymore. I just canceled Mia’s ticket. She will not be spending her remaining winter vacation with you. I am not buying any more plane tickets for my parents or sister to visit you again. It’s simple. If you want to see them, come to NYC.

  From: Raven Beckett

  To: Milo Sinclair

  Date: January 6, 2018

  Subject: Re: Don’t push me

  Milo,

  This is our last email exchange. I am scared of you, and I don’t want to communicate with you. If you have any family related logistic questions, please go through Mia or your parents.

  As I promised, I hope to forgive you one day for the sake of our families. For the time being, if you contact me or come near me outside of the perimeters I have set, then I swear on Mia I will not keep my promise. There will never be a reconciliation. Please stay away because I do want to keep my word, and you know that I don’t lie when I swear on Mia.

  I hope you change your mind about keeping Mia from me. She grew up having me as her sister. This will hurt her as much as it will hurt me.

  I hope for nothing but the best for you.

  -Raven

  From: Milo Sinclair

  To: Raven Beckett

  Date: January 6, 2018

  Subject: What is that supposed to mean?

  Look, I am frustrated, and it’s hard to keep holding on to faith that things will change. Can we just meet up and talk this through? I just tried calling you, but it’s not going through.

  MESSAGE BLOCKED

  Your message to Raven Beckett has been blocked. See technical details for more information.

  CHAPTER 1

  March 13th, 2020

  -----------

  Milo

  I look down at the two texts from Reid, but can only focus on the first. A text that had me canceling my meetings and pushing everything out of the way until I found myself standing outside of this familiar house. I cringe at the words as I read them for the hundredth time.

  Reid: Hey, bro, heads up. Raven is back in NYC & moving back to the house. And… I’m going to ask her to be my girlfriend. Long story, but I think she is going to say “yes.”

  I have already come up with ten ways to scoop Reid’s leering eyes out of their very sockets for even looking at Raven that way. Mia, that little shit, knows everything. She told me a while ago how Reid feels about Raven. He is lucky that I haven’t seen him since that revelation.

  It finally made sense why Reid looked as shitty as I felt after Raven left. Reid and Raven have an unhealthy attachment. It’s a type of codependency that none of us conventional human beings will have the privilege of knowing. They were born an hour apart, to parents who were best friends. Tethered souls. One is never alright if the other is not okay. Or some shit like that.

  There was a dark cloud hanging over Reid. I only saw Raven once after she left; the same darkness circulated her. They both walked around like corpses while separated. Alive, but only in terms of biology, how science would define you as a living being. Dead in every other way.

  Come to find out; Mia had told Raven about Reid’s feelings around the time Raven ended things with me. Raven obviously couldn’t handle hurting his feelings, but she could handle hurting mine. I always thought Reid was like a brother to her, but now… I don’t know.

  Her coming back means that I have kept my word even though she sure as hell didn’t.

  Is she really considering his proposition?

  The possible answer annihilated my remaining senses. I thought I couldn’t be a bigger monster. I thought wrong.

  The same heart that only beats for one person was ripped out again. Now, it’s colder, lifeless, and black, never to be reinstated to its original condition.

  Which is why it’s odd that my chest is somehow making a familiar thumping noise right now. It’s as if my heart is being pumped back to life with oxygen. It’s about to beat out of my very chest while I stare at a mass of black hair through the floor to ceiling window.

  My cause for sanity, or insanity depending on your perspective, is standing by that window. Pure addiction. Excitement. Provocation.

  Raven is standing in the middle of the living room in a tight, black dress. Not surprisingly, she has high heels on. I bet they are red bottoms. She was always a sucker for them.

  Somehow, she is even more beautiful than I remember. When I last saw her, she was a teenager. Now she is all grown up and has truly grown into her skin. Damn, that skin. Her pale and rosy skin. Her dress is exposing her shoulders, and my starved eyes take it all in.

  I watch her with fascination. I am transfixed by her expressions and captivated by her every move. I already know that I can’t stop this madness. She is too close. This proximity has broken every self-control mantra I
have recited and every promise that I have made to her.

  It takes twenty-one days to break a habit. It’s been four years, and she is a habit I still can’t break. Like a junkie, I am in proximity to my addiction of choice. I should walk away. I should find a rehab and check myself in. But all I can think about is taking another hit.