7. Bella #3
“Didn’t you hear?” He smirks that smirk I love so much and seeing him joke relaxes me a bit.
“We’re going to finish this, Bella. We are going to see it all the way through, no matter what bullshit threats Marcus makes our way.
I’m going to make sure you are safe the whole goddamn time and together, we are going to take that son of a bitch the fuck down. ”
I nod, trying to steady my breathing. “Okay. Okay, you’re right.”
Adrian holds my gaze as if he’s trying to make certain that I hear him, that I’m on the same page as him. I guess that’s something he can see in my eyes.
Adrian bends down to pick up my phone, examining the cracked screen. “We need to call the police. File a report. What Marcus just did - that’s assault, harassment, and not to mention criminal threatening. We can add it to the list of charges.”
“Will they believe me?” I ask. “It’s my word against his.”
“I’m a witness,” Adrian says. “I saw him with his hands on you. That’s enough.
” He pulls out his own phone. I can see the gears in his wonderful mind turning.
“Not to mention the judge will probably allow for him to be treated as a hostile witness. I’m calling Detective Morrison.
She’s been working with us on the investigation. She’ll take this seriously.”
As Adrian makes the call, I lean against the wall, my legs still shaky. I can still feel Marcus’s hand on my throat, can still hear the venom in his voice. He’s more dangerous than I realized. More desperate.
And that makes him unpredictable.
Detective Morrison arrives within twenty minutes, a sharp-eyed woman in her forties with short gray hair and a no-nonsense demeanor. She takes my statement, photographs the red marks on my wrist and throat where Marcus grabbed me, and assures me that she’ll be issuing a warrant for his arrest.
“This is good for our case,” she says, closing her notebook.
“It shows a pattern of threatening behavior, of trying to intimidate witnesses. That alone is called witness tampering and very illegal. A serious crime that no judge is going to let slide. Combined with the evidence Mr. Sterling has provided, we have more than enough to move forward with prosecution.”
“How long?” Adrian asks. “How long until you can arrest him?”
“We’re finalizing the warrant now,” Detective Morrison says. “We should have him in custody by tomorrow morning. And Ms. Hayes, I’m going to recommend that you get a restraining order. Just as an extra precaution.”
I nod, feeling numb. This is really happening. Marcus is going to be arrested. The man I almost married is going to be charged with murder.
After Detective Morrison leaves, Adrian insists I pack a bag and come stay at his penthouse. I don’t argue. I don’t want to be alone tonight, don’t want to be in this apartment where Marcus found me.
As we drive through the city, I stare out the window, watching the lights blur past. “I was so stupid,” I say quietly. “I almost married him. I thought I knew him, thought I loved him. But I didn’t know him at all.”
“You’re not stupid,” Adrian says firmly. “Marcus is a skilled manipulator. He fooled a lot of people, not just you.”
“But I should have seen it,” I insist. “The signs were there. The way he talked about his competitors, the way he celebrated when other companies failed. I just… I didn’t want to see it.”
Adrian reaches over and takes my hand. “You saw what he wanted you to see. That’s not your fault, Bella. That’s his.”
I squeeze his hand, drawing strength from his touch. “Thank you. For coming back. For protecting me.”
“Always,” Adrian says. “I will always protect you.”
When we reach Adrian’s penthouse, he leads me straight to the bedroom. But instead of the passion of last night, tonight is about comfort. Adrian helps me undress, runs me a hot bath, and sits with me while I soak, washing my hair with gentle hands.
“I was so scared,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “When Marcus had his hand on my throat, I thought… I thought he might actually hurt me.”
“He would have,” Adrian says grimly. “If I hadn’t been there. That’s why I’m not letting you out of my sight until he’s behind bars.”
“I don’t want to be afraid of him,” I say. “I don’t want to give him that power over me.”
“You’re not afraid,” Adrian says, tilting my chin up to look at him. “You’re cautious. There’s a difference. Fear would be letting him win, letting him intimidate you into silence. But you’re not doing that. You’re standing up to him, fighting back. That’s courage, Bella. Not fear.”
His words settle something inside me. He’s right. I’m not backing down. I’m not letting Marcus win.
After the bath, Adrian wraps me in a soft robe and carries me to bed. He holds me close, his arms a protective cocoon, and I finally feel safe enough to let go of the tension I’ve been holding all day.
“I love you,” I whisper into the darkness.
“I love you too,” Adrian murmurs, pressing a soft, warm kiss to my forehead. “Sleep, baby. I’ve got you.”
And for the first time since Marcus appeared at my door, I feel like everything is going to be okay.