Chapter 10
Brody
Bella's usually meek and quiet voice startled me as it suddenly erupted into a loud shout, leaving me taken aback and almost unable to believe my ears. Inside the small seating area, where she was even more subdued, her outburst was like a bolt of lightning striking through the air. My heart raced uncontrollably at the sound, feeling the rush of blood pulsing through my veins in response. As I watched this unexpected display from Bella, I couldn't help but feel a tingle of excitement building inside me, knowing that there was another side to her that I had yet to discover.
“How is she?” I asked April, who sat beside her on the sofa, holding a cool cloth to her forehead.
“I think she just fainted. She bumped her head on the floor, but I don’t think it’s anything too bad.”
A moment of deafening silence hung in the air when she fell to the floor, her limbs crumpled beneath her. My heart raced, thudding against my chest like a wild animal trying to escape its cage. Rory sprang into action, scooping her up gently in his arms and carrying her to the sofa. Her body was slack, completely unconscious, her head lolling back as if she were surrendering to a deep sleep. I felt a surge of panic rise within me. I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her. But despite my protests, Sensei insisted that she needed to go - not just for Jenny's sake, but for her own well-being, too. She couldn't be shut away like a prisoner; she needed to be able to live her life.
“Wasn’t that what she just went through all this time? How can we ask her to go back into hiding?” he asked.
Christian nodded in agreement, his steady gaze never wavering. Stewart echoed his sentiments, determined to do whatever it took to draw him out.
“I know it’s a risk, but until this fucker is gone, she can never have a normal life.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and my fingers instinctively curled around the cool glass of the beer bottle I had been nursing.
“She’s not fucking bait,” I growled through clenched teeth, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the bottle tighter. I spun around and hurled the bottle across the room. “This can’t be happening. We can’t be thinking like this. I have to keep her safe.”
A heavy, stressful silence hung in the air as each of us took a moment to catch our breath and calm down. None of us had any real idea what had happened to her before she first came to the gym, but Sensei was sure from the moment she entered the gym that it was something terrible. We never knew just how bad it was until she was attacked after the exhibition and the truth about the prior case had been revealed. Now, the images replaying in my mind were haunting, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of fear and helplessness. I wanted—no, I needed to do everything in my power to prevent that from ever happening again.
While April doted on her, Christian quietly explained the reports in the police file. “She wasn’t supposed to live. He thought he’d done enough, but a maid entered the room early and found her. The police never got any conclusive evidence about the attacker, only that she was supposed to meet with the head of another department about a promotion. It was a ruse, and she’d been drugged. Nothing could be proven about a connection to it then she just kind of fell off the radar.”
“I recall something about this.” Graham stepped forward, looking upward, trying to recall the facts. “It was part of the reason for my desire to help her in the first place. When I found out what Felicia was doing, I did some checking. I found the sealed file about her prior work in A-list and was stunned because she was a rising star who suddenly disappeared. That’s when I went to the division head and started poking around. He knew of her whereabouts all along, having placed her in my department without a word to anyone else. But, as he explained, since he hadn't heard any updates from her, he saw no reason to check up on how she was faring. The company obviously dropped the ball on that one. I wanted to make it right.”
The weight of their words crushed my heart, aching and breaking with each painful syllable. Sensei and I had sensed something was off, but we never could have predicted the severity of the situation. Drake's face was clouded with worry, his eyes darting back and forth between us as if searching for answers. I lowered my head and examined my large hands, once strong and capable, now feeling utterly helpless to provide any aid in this dire moment. The air around us felt heavy with despair and uncertainty.
“The day you saw her in the conference room was actually her first day in her new position,” Graham said, smiling at me. “I knew she was wearing a wig but had no idea why. I found it a little mysterious.” One side of his mouth raised in a small smirk.
I made my way over to where she lay. She was still unconscious, stretched out like a sleeping princess. I kneeled beside the sofa and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. A red lump had risen above her right eyebrow, and I cringed. Poor Bella had been through enough already.
Small noises came from her as she began to wake. Her beautiful blue eyes fluttered in the light, and her eyebrows knitted together as she felt the nugget on her brow and tried to sit.
“Easy. Easy, now.” I helped her sit, propping an oversized pillow behind her back. April hurried over and handed her a small glass of water.
“Take a sip. It’ll help.”
She slowly sipped the water and looked at me with wide eyes. “What happened?”
“You fainted, honey,” April said. “How are you feeling?”
“A little dizzy,” she said, reaching for her head.
“It’ll pass.”
April sat near her feet, gripping her leg, reassuring her, and I was grateful. I could be a beast sometimes—that was where they got the name for me—but it was not anger—never was—it was simply my way of expressing myself. I envied Sensei's gentle nature and often grew frustrated with my own lack of it.
Bella turned and eyed me, stating forcefully, “I am going to class tomorrow. I need to be there for Jenny; to show her I’m okay and reassure her.”
“I know,” I said.
“You have to understand, if it weren’t for her, I never would have… What did you say?” She looked at me, confused.
“I said, ‘I know’. I just worry, Bella. I don’t ever want to see you hurt.”
It was like a feather's caress, gentle yet powerful, when her small, delicate hand touched my cheek, and I caught a faint whiff of her lavender perfume. The soft, warm touch of her skin, contrasting against my rough stubble, sent a shiver down my spine and melted me inside.
“I’ll be okay as long as you are there,” she said in a near whisper.
I held onto her hand tightly, unsure of what to say. My mind was a jumbled mess and I couldn't form coherent words. All I could do was nod in response, hoping she would understand the turmoil I was feeling inside.
Drake brought over a plate of the food he’d warmed up and offered it to her. “Think you can eat, Cheri?”
She took it and smiled warmly at him. “Thank you.”
We all gathered around the dining table, filling our plates with food and discussing her safety while she and April remained cozily perched on the sofa with their food, eating and quietly chatting.
The phone screen illuminated Rory's face as he spoke to Samuel and updated him on the plans for the next day. The air was thick and close; the words hanging heavy in the room like a dense fog. Fears and doubts swirled around us, but Rory's determined voice and Samuel's forceful tone brought a glimmer of hope, cutting through the heavy atmosphere. But even so, a sense of unease and worry lingered, like a weight on my chest that I couldn't shake off.
After much debate, we came to a unanimous decision that she would attend her class right after work. There would be no stopping her, anyway. Though we were disappointed that we couldn't fully secure the gym, the fact that the female agent would be present in tomorrow's class brought a sense of relief and comfort.
Samuel agreed it might flush the attacker out. He believed it was the best course of action, but my chest constricted with worry at the thought. Anxiety gnawed at me, and I couldn't shake off the unease settling in my gut. The prospect of this plan made me uneasy, and I didn't like it one bit.
As they savored and swallowed their last bites, Bella and April made their way to the sanctuary of Bella's room. Sensei, ever the doting caretaker, had provided an ice pack for Bella's bruised eye, which she gratefully pressed against her skin with a quick peck on his cheek. I noted the way his hand went up to the place she’d kissed and the longing in his eyes. April insisted on helping Bella apply the cold compress and settle in. She was ready for a break from the evening's excitement. Bella tenderly kissed Drake, Graham, and me, offering each a soft brush against our lips before excusing herself and disappearing into the room.
“I need to call Maddy and check in with her,” she said as they disappeared through the set of large double doors.
Christian quickly followed, gathering all the information from her on her friend, telling her it was just procedure and forwarded it to Samuel. We continued to chat for a while, and April emerged, yawning.
“She’s fine—she’s going to take a hot bath and get ready for bed. I honestly think she is pretty wiped out. I know I am. It’s been a crazy day.”
“I really wish she would have taken time off,” Graham replied.
“I think we all do, but she needed to do things to get out of her own head space. She did tell me about terrible feelings that plague her about all this that crept in like some dark cloud. They come whenever she has a quiet moment,” April said.
Another yawn escaped her lips, a sign of the late hour that had crept up on us. Christian, Rory, Stewart, and April expressed their thanks for the delicious meal and promised to stay in touch.
Graham excused himself soon after, stating that the three of us needed to schedule a meeting as soon as possible. I knew deep down what this meeting was truly about - it wasn't just about work promotions, but also about Bella and the complicated situation she had brought into our lives. Surprisingly, I found myself looking forward to it, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. As we said our goodbyes and parted ways, the night air seemed to hold an electric charge, buzzing with anticipation for the possibilities.
After everyone had gone, Drake and Sensei headed to the back room to discuss tomorrow and how they might get the gym ready. I needed to see Bella. My harsh words before she fainted still weighed heavily on me, and I felt a desperate need to see her and make amends.
I lightly tapped her door, and she called out from the inner room.
“Come in.” Her voice was almost melodic as I cracked the door open.
“Bella? Are you awake? Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Of course, Brody. I’m glad you’re here. It is a big space sometimes.”
“I wanted to apologize for being so gruff earlier. I’m just worried about you.”
“Oh, I know, and I’m grateful for everything.”
I sat on the edge of her bed. She was propped up with pillows and snuggled beneath the oversized fluffy comforter. I pulled it up and tucked it around her waist.
“Comfy?”
“Yes, very.”
She looked at her phone with raised eyebrows and sighed, placing it on the nightstand.
“Something wrong?”
“No, probably not. I was just trying to call Maddy, but she didn’t answer. She must be busy,” Bella said smiling. “I’ll try her again tomorrow.”
“Can I talk to you about something?”
With her gentle urging, I shifted to sit beside her on the bed, my back leaning against the sturdy wooden headboard. My feet remained firmly planted on the floor, keeping a distance. Sitting so close to her, our bodies almost touching, sent an electric current through me. The warmth of her presence enveloped me like a warm blanket on a cold night. It was intoxicating, this feeling of being so close yet still maintaining a safe distance. I could feel the heat emanating from her body, radiating onto my own.
“You can talk to me about anything.”
Her small hand gripped mine. “I’m sorry for getting angry earlier. I’m so frustrated and desperately don’t want to go backward.”
“You were right to get angry. I was being demanding.”
A rueful laugh escaped my lips as I recognized my own stubbornness. Despite my desire for her safety, I had a tendency to act without consulting others. It was a flaw that I knew all too well, one that often led me down a path of recklessness and impulsiveness.
“Bella? I am praying that tomorrow does what they hope, and they catch this asshole. But if they do…” I paused, the words catching in my throat. Anxious thoughts swirled through my mind, unsure of how to approach this delicate topic. My stomach churned with fear from a different angle. If they were to catch him, everything could change. She may no longer need to stay here and could possibly move into another apartment.
“If they do…What?”
“Well, if they do catch him, and you no longer have to worry about it, I still want you to stay.”
Her eyes widened, and I began to stammer. “What I mean is, Drake and I… We, uh…”
Her small hands grasped my cheeks, and she leaned in, lightly brushing her lips against mine. “Let’s worry about that when they catch him. I can’t thank you enough for giving me all this and being so protective. I do appreciate all of it.”
I pulled her in, embracing her. I couldn't help but notice the way her hair fell gracefully over her shoulders, the strands glowing golden in the soft light of the room. Her eyes met mine, dark and deep, reflecting the emotions that swirled within them. I kissed the top of her head as she laid it on my chest. I smelled her bath's soft, flowery scent and breathed her in. This was far more than protection. My heart thumped in my chest, and she looked up at me. I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers gently.
The kiss deepened, and she wrapped her arms around my neck. My tongue slipped across her lips and tangled with hers in an intense dance. Bella's small hands found their way under my shirt, tracing patterns on my skin as her fingertips dragged softly down to my stomach. I groaned softly in pleasure and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her closer. She melted into me, pressing her body against mine. The warmth of her skin against the coolness of mine ignited a fire within me that sent shivers down my spine. My other hand roamed up her side and stopped just beneath her soft breast. Her nipples were erect and peaked through the fabric of her nightgown. She moaned softly at the touch, arching into it. It was electric between us, an indescribable emotion that defied words.
We broke apart for air, panting heavily, her lips swollen and red from our passionate encounter. Her eyes held tears, but they were happy ones. She smiled at me with a sense of relief and desire, whispering my name as if it were a prayer. I stroked her cheek softly, kissing it lightly before pulling away to look at her once more.
"Bella…" My voice trailed off as if trying to find the right words for this moment but not finding any that were appropriate enough. I closed my eyes for a second and leaned in again, capturing her lips in another fiery kiss full of promises and longing. This time it was rougher than the first one - desperate even - as if touching wasn't enough anymore. We needed more contact with each other; we needed to feel every inch of each other’s skin until we couldn't tell whose body was whose anymore.
Passion rose inside me like a volcano, and I couldn’t get enough of her. I pulled her body against mine, and my hand slid down her side to the scar. Instantly, everything she’d been through hit my brain like a bus. We parted, and I knew I couldn’t push it. I wouldn’t.
I pulled her close again, tucking her into a protective embrace and whispered, “Say you’ll stay.”
She nuzzled into my chest and hummed. My arms protectively held her, and we sat like that for a time, simply feeling the warmth of our embrace. In no time, I felt her body relax in my arms as she dozed. Carefully slipping from under her, I laid her on the pillows and pulled the blankets up. Kissing her again, I whispered, nearly inaudible, “I love you, Bella.”
She murmured something and snuggled into a deeper sleep. I watched her for a moment, then silently closed the door as I slipped into the other room and sat on the sofa.