Novel ✪ Memory Corruption (R-18) (Book 1 and 2 Finished) (Book 3 on release now)

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Chapter 58

Belle was trying not to let it show, but she felt agitated and anxious.

She didn't yet know how she would get everything ready without him knowing about it, but the day had come. Her plan was to get up at 2 am and start cooking. She hoped he wouldn't wake up, since he had been so tired ever since the day he told her he wouldn't go out again.

He had been true to his word, which made everything a lot harder to plan, but she wouldn't complain. Having him home twenty four seven felt good, she felt glad to know he was safe.

With Betty's help she had managed to buy all the ingredients she needed, and he hadn't questioned about the money transfers, since she was helping with the party and making sporadic donations from time to time.

She had guarded the kitchen like a watchdog, and he had blatantly avoided getting in there as soon as he realized her discomfort with his presence.

As she tiptoed to the bedroom’s door, though, he sat up and quickly checked his gun over the bedside table.

-Are you ok? -He sighed when he recognized her with his sleepy eyes.

-Yeah, I was… I'm gonna sleep in my room, you're snoring a bit. -She grimaced when she realized her lie could offend him, but he just sighed and nodded.

-Sorry for that. -He gave her a sideways glance as he put his gun back into place. -Leave the door open, it'll be easier to hear you, in case you need me.

-I'll be fine, you should rest, you look tired. I just didn't want to disturb your sleep… -She should have used this excuse first.

-Fine, but leave the door open anyway. -He grunted and laid on his stomach. She closed the door as silent as she managed to.

Cooking in silence was weird, but she managed to get all the mise en place ready and everything else she could leave half ready. By the time she finished, the sun was almost rising and she knew he would be up in less than an hour, so she put the bread in the oven and sprinkled a lot of water inside, before closing the door, then rushed to cut the cheese, the fruits and poach the eggs.

When she got into the bedroom with the breakfast tray and saw the empty bed, her heart sank.

-Hey. -Ryan murmured near her ear, startling her, but she controlled herself when the tray tilted dangerously. He laughed and took the tray from her arms, puttin it over the bed and pulling her for an embrace. -Sorry for scaring you. You weren't in your room…

Belle took a deep breath on his neck, feeling the smell of his perfume and shaving cream. She loved the feeling of his skin right after shaving when he brushed it against her neck or cheek.

-Is all this for me? -He tilted his head while checking everything she had done. -Looks delicious... Is that fresh bread?

-Happy birthday. -She smiled and kissed his chest, hugging him tightly.

He just smiled and sat on the bed, patting beside him to invite her. They ate and chatted about random things. When Belle asked him if he didn't get upset about not being allowed to call his parents, he just shrugged, so she didn't have any intention of insisting. Only after they were done eating and had already changed the subject a few times, he huffed and looked up.

-I guess it's fair that you know: I don't celebrate my birthday. Since I was eight or nine… Something around that age, I asked my mother to stop planning parties or dinners. -He murmured and put the tray aside. -I did travel with Richard, and sometimes with Edward too, every year, until I got fifteen. After that, I don't really feel comfortable about that date anymore.

Belle wanted to ask why, but didn't want to force him to tell her something that he had made clear that it bothered him. She decided to ask something else instead.

-Who's Edward? -She creased her eyebrows.

Ryan frowned as if she had made a stupid question, then grimaced and nodded to himself.

-Shit, sometimes I act as if you were inside my head, don't I? It's my father. You saw him, called him Japanese, remember it? -He said it with a bit of contempt in his voice.

-Oh, yes, sorry for that. -She bit her lower lip.

-It was actually me who you called a Japanese, now that I remember it. -His annoyance only grew. -But that's fine, I've heard worse before.

-You just don't look a lot like him in that picture, I'm sorry. -She wanted to kick herself for leading him to that subject, not only because she knew it bothered him, but also because his vast list of latent prejudices was something she had difficulties accepting in him. -Let's not talk about it, please?

He looked like he had more to say, but rolled his eyes and nodded.

-Well, I have to get back to work. -He sighed.

-What? Why? It's your birthday!

-It's a day like any other, Belle, people don't get holidays because of their birthdays… -He looked at her with a condescending air.

-Ok, but you said you'd be on vacation. -She pointed out with the same condescending tone, earning a smile of amusement from him.

-I've canceled it. I need to end this as soon as possible and now that I can't get information from inside, at least not with my own eyes and ears, I need to work twice as hard.

Belle thought about it. It was sad to know she wouldn't be able to spend the whole day with him, but at the same time it was almost convenient. As expected, he locked himself in his study, and Belle took the opportunity to set things for the night.

She texted Betty, but the girl told her she would be busy during the day and probably wouldn't be back home till midnight. Belle got worried about the gift but the girl instantly texted her, saying that if she needed something she could look for her mother or her maid, preferably after 5 pm. Belle knew why: her mother usually drank during the day and took a nap after lunch that usually lasted till evening.

Belle occupied herself with taking care of her appearance for a couple of hours, then rushed through her house chores and finally started to cook. She knew it was impossible for Ryan not to feel the smell of the scented dishes, but fortunately he seemed to be too occupied to snoop or to summon her to inquire about it.

After taking a pair of sandwiches for him, she was heading for the kitchen when she heard a timid knock on the door. It was Betty. As soon as she opened the door, the girl pulled her by the hand and ran toward the pool. Only then Belle realized her eyes were brimming.

-Belinda, you can't let this happen… -The girl sobbed and sniffed. -We're gonna make it work this time, like, I know, I feel we're getting somewhere now, you know? I can't lose him now!

Betty's face was crimson, her hair disheveled, even though Belle could swear she had just come from the hairdresser. When the girl tried to wipe her tears with her fingers, it was confirmed by her perfectly polished fingernails with small stones in it.

-Betty, please, calm down, I don't understand what's going on… -Belle tried to calm her.

-I love him, he's the one for me, Belinda! He's gonna tell my father all the truth, he said he will… -The girl started to pull her hair at the sides of her head, sobbing repeatedly. -He asked me out, he's gonna ask me out in front of everyone, this time. And he apologized too, oh no, why do those things keep happening to me?

-Betty, please… This is about Noah, right? -Belle couldn't believe the girl could still nurture feelings for him after being shoved like an object by him, but didn't think this was the right time to try to convince her she deserved someone better. -What happened? Why are you crying?

-Aaron told me… He told me he's gonna kill him. -Betty sobbed. -He told me he's gonna have him beaten bad, and that if he dies, that it's up to fate.

Belle creased her eyebrows. She had been worried about it ever since Ryan had lifted his protection. Both Aaron and Noah were unstable. Although she didn't know a lot about the sulfur smelling greasy man, she had noticed his mood shifts during their brief talks and Noah himself had complained about it, but denied the same often happened to himself.

-Does Noah believe he's gonna do it?

-I don't know, I couldn't talk to him, he won't pick up the phone! We were supposed to have dinner tonight, but now I'm afraid he… -The girl sobbed and sniffed. -I hate to admit it, but maybe you should call him, maybe he'll pick up if it's you…

Belle absolutely didn't want to call Noah. She didn't believe it would help with the problem at hand and wouldn't have the nerve to pretend she wasn't profoundly upset with him.

-Are you sure it's not just a temporary grudge? I could talk with Ryan and ask him to hire someone to protect him…

-No! He said that if you do that, he's gonna kill him with his own hands. -Betty squeaked with an horrified expression. -What have you done, Belinda, why is Aaron doing that? What does he want?

Belle shook her head, but bit her lip. He was offended because she had refused to buy the whiskey. He wanted Noah to pay for the trouble he caused. She felt a sting in her chest but shook her head again.

-I don't know… Why should I know, Betty? -Her voice cracked mid sentence.

-Because when I tried to question him about it, he told me to ask you instead. -She frowned, with an outraged expression. -He said “why don't you go and ask your friend, that slutty and snobby dwarf”?

Belle cringed. So, there was no doubt, he was fulfilling his threat. He was planning to make Noah pay for her dismissal.

-Betty, I'm sure Ryan can protect him… -She wasn't really sure, but wanted to believe her own words.

-What did you do to him, Belle?

Belle just stared at her, biting her lower lip and trying to find a solution that didn't involve having to tell Ryan about what had happened.

-Ok then, you won't talk? -The blond girl frowned and got up. -I'll go and tell Noah's dad, then.

-Betty, don't. -She feared he would mistreat the girl. Worse than that, she feared Aaron could seek revenge toward her too. -I'll talk to Ryan. It's about the whiskey, he's mad because I refused to go and get it at his store. He said he might lose his job because of me.

-There's no way it's just it. Like, he's not even working this week, he's on vacation and he's also planning to quit, said he got a better offer. -The girl shook her head and her face was full of confusion. -Noah said he's been packing his things to travel since the day before yesterday, like, it can't be about work.

-Then maybe he was planning to harm me and got mad that I refused to go there.

-He's not there, Belle. Did you offend him or something? He's a bit narcissist.

-Narcissistic. -Belle corrected her.

-That's what I said. -Betty's tone was offended and condescending. -Whatever, he doesn't like it when someone acts like they're better than him. Did you say something to offend him?

-I… I called him a rapist. -Belle grimaced. Betty's face grew red. -I'm sorry, Betty.

-You had no right! Why would you even talk about it with anyone, Belinda? Now he's gonna try to put Noah against me again!

Belle felt guilty and ashamed, so she started to think about how she could fix the situation without having to admit to Ryan that it all could've been avoided if she hadn't involved Noah in it and had left the boy alone, like he had asked her numerous times.

More than unwilling to admit that she had made wrong decisions exactly now, when he was giving her freedom to make them on her own, she was afraid that he might get angry at Noah or even worsen the situation with Aaron. She also didn't want Betty to get hurt in the crossfire.

-I'm gonna fix that, Betty. I'm gonna go and get the whiskey, so he won't have an excuse to hurt him.

-You better apologize to him when he gets back to Florida, too.

-What do you mean? -Belle creased her forehead. She couldn't believe the girl was really expecting her to apologize for calling Aaron what he literally was.

-I told you, he got a better offer, he's going away, that's why he's taking his vacation now. He said he's gonna live in a better place, if he gets the position. -For a moment Betty looked like she wanted to cry. -But it could be just an excuse, like, in case he does something to Noah, he would have proof that he wasn't here, so mister Anthony wouldn't know it was him.

-An alibi?

-Yeah yeah, I guess. Fix it, because if you don't, I'll have to go and talk with his father. -Betty creased her eyebrows. -If you want me to drive you to the store, we can go right now.

By the girls trembling lips and hands, she could see the idea terrified her.

-No, I'll talk to Ryan. -Belle was actually thinking about asking Mia and JP, just so she wouldn't have to involve him in it and Betty wouldn't have to go near Aaron or anything related to him. -Don't worry Betty, I'll fix it.

-Right, thank you. -Betty nodded vigorously, then simply walked away.

Belle observed her as her skirt moved with her steady walk. As soon as the girl was out of sight, she texted JP.

BH 14:37 -Hi, JP. It's Belle. How are you and Mia doing?

She waited for a few minutes, but there was no answer, so she just decided to go on.

BH 14:52 -Could you do me a huge favor? Can you drive me somewhere? I need to pick something for my wedding’s anniversary.

She was getting back to the house when her phone rang. It was JP. She almost answered it, but then remembered Ryan's warning not to answer the phone unless it was his number. After dismissing it twice, a voice message was received.

-Hello, my baby, hello, my darling, dude, I'm high as fuck… No, really, of course I can take you anywhere, gorgeous, I'll drive you to Japan, I swear to dog, God, damn! Did you hear that? -He stopped to laugh, then went on. -No, seriously, for real, I'll do it, just not now, because I'm not there, I'm here… I mean, well, I'm not where you are! Ah, you got it, right? But at six, or five, or five and a half, yeah, five and a half, it's a date! A d-a-t-e, right! Wait for me, baby, I'll be there and ready, ok? I'll be good to drive, don't worry.

Belle stood at the doorstep with the phone to her ear, trying to convince herself that it wasn't a terrible idea to let JP drive her anywhere.

A couple of minutes later a message came.

JP 15:06 -Belle, it's Mia here. Glad to know you're well. We're alright, thank you, we miss you. JP will be home around 17 pm. I have a dinner to go, it's a family thing, so I can't come with you, but don't worry, he'll be a 100% when he drives there. I'll make sure he will.

Belle sent a text back telling her that she didn't want to keep JP from attending a dinner with her parents, that she would find another way.

JP 15:11 - Oh no, you're not changing our plans, my grandparents don't really like JP much, so… he wouldn't come anyway. But it's my baachan's 95th birthday, so I hope you'll understand I really can't miss it.

After a couple of seconds a second voice message came.

-Hi Belle, I really, really, miss you. I wish I could come with you, but, you know, traditions… I have to be there earlier, we'll cook together, three generations and other stuff… Yeah, I know it sounds weird, but it's very beautiful, to be honest. About this thing with JP, please don't mention it with him… -Mia lowered her voice and sighed, as if she was tired. -He's not a bad person, but his family is… Complicated.

The message cut there and Belle could see she was recording another one.

-I don't know if I ever told you, but they have this patriarchal sexist system, like, his mother inherited like four or five times less than Noah's father, only because she's a woman and refused to marry her cousin, ugh, it's all so sick. And, well, we've been arguing a lot, because I told him I'm not marrying him, ever, and I thought he knew, but he didn't, so… -She grumbled something inaudible then let out a groan. -Yeah, things are weird between us now, so, if you could not talk about it with him while he's sober, I'd be so thankful…

Belle was gonna write back to assure her she wouldn't ever talk about it to anyone and that she was available, in case the girl needed to talk, when a new voice message arrived.

-I know I never told you, well, I'm not good with… With expressing my feelings, but… I admire and love you, so much, girl… I wish I had half the confidence you have, that the man you love truly loves you back with the same intensity, and that he's the one for you and that he's never gonna leave you or hurt you and… -Belle almost sobbed at the words. Mia didn't know. She couldn't know that Ryan didn't feel anything beyond physical attraction and some kind of friendship toward her. She couldn't know that Ryan was eager to send her away or get back to New York and pretend they had never happened. -What I mean to say is that you and your husband are like the role model couple to the world, he loves you above all else, you love him more than anything… I want this for me, and JP can't, because I'll never be the one, I'll just be a woman, a worthless woman, that only exists for sex and providing male heirs, as his stupid family taught him. I can't be with someone that doesn't see me as equal, that doesn't respect my will, my existence, that's… That's what happened. Sorry for taking your time, look at that podcast I've sent you! Sorry, Belle, hope we'll meet again soon.

BH 15:12 -Sorry to hear that, about JP. We should talk later, if you want to… You could call me tomorrow, does that sound good for you too? I hope you have a nice party. Thank you for your help, I miss you too, a lot.

When she got inside the house, Ryan was sitting on the sofa, staring at the door.

-What are you doing? -She tilted her head.

-I was waiting, just in case you needed my overdone protection. You know… Noah is still out there, so is Aaron, you shouldn't walk alone like that.

-I was with Betty. -She sighed.

-Should that make it sound any better? -He lifted one eyebrow as he smirked.

-Aaron is out of town, and Noah has way more important things to worry about than me.

-Aaron is not out of town. If Betty told you that, she's either lying to you or someone lied to her. -He frowned. -I couldn't really hear it all, but did I hear JP saying he'll drive you somewhere?

Belle cursed herself. JP was always loud, but when he got high, his voice went up with him.

-Yeah, I need to get a dress that Mia bought for me. I'm gonna wear it tonight. -She didn't know how the lie had come this quickly to her mouth, but now that it was out, she would have to sustain it. -Do you think you could drive me somewhere?

It was worth trying. Maybe he could go and wait in the car and she could surprise him with the bottle. She would feel safer and wouldn't have to keep lying for long.

-No, Belle, sorry. Vincenzo just told me I died this morning in front of Daniel's followers. -He sighed. -I can't afford to be seen outside the condo for a while. It's too risky, I need to wait at least till this group gets promoted, transferred or killed.

Belle stared at him with a confused expression.

-You… Died…

-Vincenzo made it look like I died. -He gestured with his fingers as if to illustrate that he had blown up out of nowhere. -So at least those that saw me dying can't get a glimpse of me, or it will ruin his work. It will be fine in a month or so, but right now, I need to stay inside.

Belle tilted her head and thought about his words. How did Vincenzo make it look like he had died in front of those guys, and who the hell was that man anyway?

-Ok, so… Is that ok if JP drives me to Mia's house? -She bit her lower lip.

A selfish part of her hoped he would be overzealous again and tell her she couldn't go. The thought startled her. She didn't want Noah to suffer, and certainly didn't want him to die. Still, she was afraid of going alone. Not exactly alone, with JP, but stil, without any protection. She was scared to death that Aaron could do something to her, especially now that Ryan had told her he wasn't out of town.

-I'd prefer if you didn't, but apparently I'm a bad guy that keeps you in a cage if I insist that you stay inside, where I can keep you safe, so I'll shut my mouth and let you decide. -He shrugged. -I already told you, I'm not holding you back unless it's certain you're gonna get hurt. But I gotta say, I don't get why you can't just ask JP to bring it for you.

He was right, there was a hole in her story.

-It's not only the dress… -She bit her lower lip and saw him suppressing a scoff.

-If you're gonna wear something naughty, please make sure not to pick from Samantha's wardrobe this time. -He shook his head and laughed out loud at her horrified expression. -It wasn't really hers, relax, it was just very similar. It looked better on you, by the way.

Belle rolled her eyes and headed for the stairs with her face burning. She needed to get everything ready for the night before she went and got the whiskey. Aaron had said it would take less than an hour to get there and be back and that it could be made in a bit more than half an hour, so she guessed it was pretty close to the condo. JP couldn’t mess up with a mission this simple.

Ryan immediately took his phone to his ear and rushed to his study. Although Domenico had smashed his pride with all sorts of jokes about his behavior toward her, he had agreed to send an elite group to take care of her protection during her trip to Mia's house and back. He already had her address and JP’s plate, and Ryan had instructed him to make sure they wouldn't be seen. He didn't want her to lose that self confidence she had built, and didn't want to give her any reasons to argue with him that night.

After a lot of thought, Ryan was determined to gather all the courage he could and tell her everything. He would tell her about his feelings, he would tell her everything about his past, from shame to remorse, everything. He would have to tell her about Agatha, about his father, about Edward, about Richard’s death and how they parted, everything.

He would also tell her about what he expected to happen after they parted. This was essential, she had to know how breakable the whole thing was, even at its start. If even after all that, she still decided she wanted to try, then he would commit to her and expect her to do the same. If it didn't go as planned, well, at least he couldn't say he hadn't tried.

Ryan suddenly felt anxious, but pushed the sensation away. He had to be rational. There was no point in building up expectations. Worse than that, there was always the possibility of her changing her mind once they parted. He had to be ready for that, and had to keep a part of his sanity and pride in store, just in case he needed it later.

Fuck, even in this you can be a selfish bastard… Congrats. He laughed to himself and sat back on his chair, then opened the lid of his notebook and spent a long time reading and rewriting reports. The sun was almost down when Belle knocked on his door.

-Hey… -She smiled. He couldn't believe how she could still impress him with her beauty. Her new short hair cascaded forward when she lowered her head with a shy smile. -I'm leaving. I'll be back in an hour or so, ok?

-It's almost that just to get to Mia's house. -He frowned. -Tell JP not to run. I'll kill him if something happens to you because of his recklessness.

-Hm, maybe I got it wrong, sorry. -She blushed. -Please promise me you won't get paranoid and keep track of me, or follow me, or call me nonstop…

She had thought about leaving her phone at home so he couldn't track her down and get paranoid, but was too afraid of Aaron plotting something and being unable to ask for his help. She was sure he would track her, but she hoped she would be back before he found out where she had gone and wouldn't come after her.

-I won't, I trust you. Besides, I told you I'm not controlling you anymore, if you wanna do it, I'm not intervening. I'm over being paranoid about you… -He sighed, clearly holding himself not to stop her from leaving. -Please, be safe. Come back to me in one piece, ok?

-I'll be back before you miss me. -She smiled. -I love you.

-I'm already missing you. -He smirked with a passionate air.

Belle stopped halfway closing the door and stared into his eyes. That feeling of being loved filled her heart again and made butterflies take flight inside her stomach. She ran toward him and into his arms, jumping to kiss him when he got up and lifted her.

It was a Hollywood’s kiss, with her hands closed in fists on his shirt, pulling him against her, with his hands traveling up and down her back, waist and nape, both of them out of breath but unwilling to part their lips. Ryan tried to clean his desk to lay her body over it, but breathed out a curse inside her mouth when a glass fell to the floor and chattered. He didn't part from her, just gripped her even harder against his chest and took her to the carpet, where he got to his knees, to lie her down over it, and leaned over her.

-No, Ryan, JP is waiting for me… -She moaned in his mouth, trying to use the brief pause to take a deep breath, while he tried to pull her pants down. -No, Ryan.

He pressed his lips, sitting beside her with an annoyed expression.

-He can wait. -He frowned. -You don't even have to go, Belle, I don't care about what you'll wear.

-I do. -In fact what she cared about was about the possibility of causing Noah's death. -But we can do this when I get back, if you'll still want me.

-Of course I will. -He rolled his eyes. -Go, then, before I change my mind.

She smacked another kiss in his mouth, and he held her, preventing her from walking away.

-Ryan!

-Don't go… -He whispered in her ear. It wasn't an order, it wasn't a plea, it was just a genuine request. -Just stay here, we can spend the night naked, who cares?

She giggled, but untangled from his arms and legs and left the study with her hair all messy and out of breath.

Ryan stared at the closed door. He couldn't do it, he couldn't let her go alone, he had to follow her.

He huffed and stared at the broken glass all around his desk. There were two options: he could be reasonable and give her the space and autonomy she was clearly asking for, or he could keep doing as he always did, keeping her on a short leash, holding her back, controlling her. His eyes lingered on the drawer, where the car keys were kept.

It was obvious her trip wasn't just to get dressed and put on makeup. She had probably asked Mia to keep his birthday gift secure until she could go and get it.

Ryan wondered what she would give him. It was probably something she herself had made, since he hadn't received any warning about any purchase done with her card, and he didn't really believe Lucas would be able to keep a secret if he had seen her look for or purchase a gift using her phone. It was also probably something fragile, since she hadn't trusted JP to bring it to her.

The most annoying part about it was that he didn't really need her to give him anything at all. Having her near him, loving him, was everything he could want from her. Still, he was sure he would love anything she did to please him and would value it even more if she had made it with her own hands.

He shook his head and decided to clean up the floor and desk. Ok, it isn't that bad… I left her alone a lot of times, and she had to sit and wait for me to come back. This can't be that stressful, I can patiently wait for her.

Thinking about it, it was in fact quite convenient that she would be gone for an hour, since he had decided to record a new video for her, this time truly knowing what he wanted to say, but hadn't found the opportunity for that yet. At the first time, under the effects of the drugs and the pain, he couldn't even remember what he had said in it and had to watch it over and over again before deciding to send it to Agatha. He remembered being especially careful about not mentioning the kiss, and making sure she understood that he saw her as a sister, not a lover, but that she had become truly important for him in a very small amount of time, something no one had ever managed to.

Now it all sounded absurd. He had longed to kiss her from the start, and the only thing that had stopped him from doing it was that he knew it was wrong in too many ways, even for his moral guidelines. Ryan couldn't recall really thinking about that, but he was sure that, deep inside, he had wished she was older, and that she had gotten clean from the drugs earlier.

When he thought about it, it seemed meant to be. If Daniel hadn't invaded his house, there was no way he would let the marshals have her. He would come up with all sorts of excuses to keep her, and if nothing else worked, he would appeal to her lawyers. It was a matter of time until she cracked and wrecked his walls exactly as she had done now, and he wouldn't be surprised if he caught himself calling her girlfriend within the first semester.

During those torturous days in the hotel room, he had dreamed about her endlessly, hearing her voice or her footsteps now and then, feeling the warmth of her body every time he fell asleep, only to wake up and find that he was actually having a fever.

After several minutes, he decided to take a shower and dress up for their dinner, this time wearing shoes, but as he climbed the stairs he couldn't hold himself and sent Domenico a message, demanding a briefing about how she was. The answer puzzled him. The car had already left the condo, JP wasn't driving too fast, the road was relatively clear, but they weren't heading directly toward Mia's house. Instead, they were driving north. Belle had lied to him. She wasn't going to Mia's house.

A wave of anger mixed with sadness and resentment hit him, but he tried to push it away. She had lied in order to keep him from knowing about a surprise. He couldn't blame her… Much. With this in mind, he told Domenico to warn him if something suspicious or dangerous happened but not to tell him where she stopped or what she got there. The information that Vincenzo in person was inside one of the cars that were following her made him feel a bit more comfortable. If anything happened, he was sure the guy would open a crater in Florida’s surface before he let someone touch a strand of her hair. Feeling his chest tight, he got into shower and tried to ignore the bad thoughts.

Belle rushed to JP’s house, trying to lign up her clothes and hair before knocking on his door. To her surprise, his mother, Karen, answered the door. She had swollen eyes, but at first Belle couldn't tell if it's cause was lack of sleep, crying or alcohol abuse. When the woman sniffed and wiped her nose with a napkin she concluded the woman had been crying.

-Good evening, baby Barbie. -She faked a smile. -Can I help you?

-Good evening, Karen, Jacob is waiting for me. We'll go somewhere together… -Belle smiled as kindly as she could.

-Oh, my dear, I'm afraid you missed him by a few minutes, he's already on the road. -Karen sniffed and wiped her nose again. -There was an emergency, so I guess he didn't have time to warn you.

-Emergency? Is Mia ok? -Belle's heart raced.

-It's not about his girlfriend, it's my nephew, Noah. -Belle's blood froze. Could she be too late? Could it be that Aaron had already hurt him?

-Oh no, what happened? -She put one hand to her forehead, feeling guilty and ashamed.

-Don't worry, my dear, it's just a family thing, since my brother… There was an issue with my brother, and Noah doesn't respond well when bad things happen...

Belle sighed, glad to hear that it wasn't something serious, then thanked Karen and walked away. Noah could get dramatic every time he thought someone was upset with him, so she assumed that was the case this time, since Anthony could be mad about Aaron and Noah’s bickering.

Betty had told her Noah had wrecked the living room, gaming room and bar in his house after Belle had told him she didn't wanna see him anymore. She also warned her about him saying he hated her and would kill himself in front of her house. The blond girl believed she had been responsible for talking him out of it, but Belle believed he had given up during one of his mood shifts.

Among the things she had told her, there where gruesome thoughts of Noah about Belle and Ryan, some of them even macabre, including one rant about how he hoped Ryan would beat her to near death so she could see how better he was and come running to him, and one in which he wished one of Ryan's enemies would go to their house during the night and kill him.

In her heart she just hoped he would seek help and take his medicines regularly, even if it meant he would truly hate her forever. She just wanted him to be as fine as possible. She didn't believe, though, that Betty should be taking part in it, since she believed he could physically and emotionally harm her. Thinking about that, she finally understood Ryan's point of view about her getting close to him, but at the same time didn't believe he should be ostracized just because he suffered from a disorder.

Belle paused and looked around. There wasn't much she could do now. Ryan had told her he couldn't drive her and she was sure he wouldn't lend her the car keys so she could go on her own. She could ask Betty to drive her as a last resort, even though she didn't want to. The girl could wait inside the car. She had offered it before, so it wasn't really a selfish idea, was it?

As she paced to Betty's house a battle started inside her head. She could just get the drawing kit and go back home, then ask Ryan to make his best efforts to keep Noah safe, even though he had already given sign that he wouldn't do it, no matter how much she begged him to.

The other option was to take responsibility, for once, for her own decisions and clean her mess up alone, without his help, even though Betty would be exposed to an uncomfortable situation in the process.

The maid answered the door, but when Belle asked about Betty she rushed away and left the girl standing by the door.

-This is yours. For your husband. -The old woman smiled and pushed the pack into Belle's arms. Her Spanish accent made it a bit difficult to understand some of the words, but Belle just nodded and thanked her. -Betty is at Jota Pe’s house, not here.

Belle frowned. What could Betty be possibly doing with JP on the road? Worst yet, was Noah with them or were they going after him?

-Oh, I… Thank you… -She forced a smile. Now she really had no choice but to break her promise to Betty and hope Aaron would break his too. -I was going to… I…

-Belinda! -Betty's mother squeaked and pulled her maid to the side. -Thank you Dolores, go do something else, go, go…

The old woman walked away muttering something in Spanish, from which Belle could only recognize “diablo” and “mierda”.

-Oh, Belinda, Betty told me you'd come to get it, said it's a gift for your husband… I hope you won't mind, I had to check it, I was so curious, does he paint? I was taken aback! He's handsome, sexy, mysterious, strong, smart… And artistic? But I have to say, it's not a very romantic gift… Unless he's planning to draw you like one of his French girls, you know? Oh, that's probably not from your age…

Mary Jane’s laugh died in a cough when Belle's face stiffened.

-Well, Betty will take a while to come back, do you need something? Is there something I could help you with? -The woman gave her a smile that made her feel uncomfortable. -Do you need something to wear for your special night, or help with the makeup?

If she wasn't feeling so embarrassed about the way the woman was eyeing her, she would've accepted her help. By her tone she felt like she was about to head to an orgy and the woman knew everything she would do there.

-No, thanks, I just thought Betty could drive me somewhere. -When the woman tilted her head in confusion and checked her watch, Belle explained. -I've bought a bottle of Whiskey at Gull’s Tobacco & Spirits, so I was going there to get it.

Mary Jane’s nose wrinkled at the mention of the store and Belle was sure she knew Aaron worked there.

-Well, she isn't here, but… -She moved away from the door while she spoke, but came back quickly. -Here, you can take her car, it's the red Maserati. Don't worry about the keys, Betty will get it with you tomorrow, enjoy your night with your wonder man.

Before Belle could answer, the woman winked and closed the door. She stood there, looking from the keys to the red car parked in the wide garage. Belle thought about it. That car could practically drive itself, and she knew for a fact it was armored. She sighed and looked at the sky.

-What should I do? -She pouted. It was almost as if destiny was testing her, coming up with all sorts of hindrances only to shove a solution right in her face.

It wasn't because of the gift. She knew Ryan wouldn't care about her giving only the drawing kit. Still, she felt almost forced to go. It was guilt. There was no other explanation.

-Ok, I can do it. -She nodded to herself.

When Belle parked in front of the store it seemed very bizarre that the small parking lot was absolutely empty. The sign at the door let her know it was still open, though. Belle reluctantly got out of the car, telling herself she would probably buy one exactly like that for herself once she got to New York. It had been a smooth drive and she had fallen in love with everything about the car. Realizing she was trying to appease her throbbing heart by distracting herself, she took a deep breath and walked to the door. It's alright, I just have to go to the counter, explain to the owner that Aaron saved that bottle for me, transfer the money and run back home. Everything will be fine, there's no need for panicking…

The door closed behind her and she got startled by the brief alarm that resounded to announce someone had walked in. She looked around and spotted the sensor right under the camera, besides a sign that read “Smile, you're on camera”. The emoticon smiling had a cigarette in his mouth.

Belle turned on the tight corridor of shelves to find the balcony, then shyly called for an employee.

-Hello? -Her voice was thin, so she cleared her throat and tried again. -Hi… Is anyone there?

The door behind her opened and closed, and the signal startled her again before she turned her head to check. Belle took a few steps back, with her eyes wide.

-I knew you'd come… Good for Noah.

Belle tried to find her voice to scream, but her hands were quicker and she reached for her phone, shooting him a warning look.

-Relax, kiddo. -Aaron smiled. He had a cigarette tucked over his ear and was carrying a huge backpack. -I'm just coming to get my cell phone back. I forgot it here on Friday. Good evening for you too, by the way….

He smirked and passed by her, then leaned over the balcony, retrieved a bottle of whiskey from a locked cabinet behind it and put it over the counter, patting it twice to signal her it belonged to her, then rummaged a bit behind the balcony and showed her the cellphone. She wanted to run away, but her legs wouldn't respond. She felt like her bladder could give up at any moment and she could wet her pants.

Aaron observed her, clearly feeling delighted with her panicked expression. He then turned his head slightly and shouted in a theatrical way, while typing on his phone.

-Yo, Gull! You have a special customer here! Don't make her wait, she might cry if you do. -He winked at her and circled the counter to walk in her direction. -I'm not working for free, you see? You'll have to wait for him. Good evening, your majesty. Hope you have a safe trip and enjoy your night. I'm sure it's gonna be thrilling…

As he approached, she took more steps back until her back hit a shelf full of bottles. He scoffed and vanished on that corner. She heard the alarm again, then the door closing. When she heard Aaron's motorcycle’s loud noises distancing, she asked herself how she hadn't heard it before he came in.

-Hello? -She called again, approaching the counter. She checked the bottle. It was exactly the same she had seen on the internet, and it was sealed. -Mr. Gull, are you there, please?

Her voice was shaking, still affected by the intense fear of Aaron. She was getting anxious and paranoid. Her eyes darted to the bottle. She took it and stared at it for a couple of minutes, biting her lower lip. Maybe she could just transfer the money and take the bottle, since she wouldn't be stealing something she had paid for. Still, she didn't have the guts to do it.

The door opened again and the alarm resounded. Her heart slammed her chest and she instinctively ran and hid behind the balcony, with the bottle in one hand and the cellphone on the other. Her eyes darted everywhere, looking for a place to hide. There was a door right behind her with a sign that read “Employees only”. Aaron had turned his head toward it when he had called Gull. It was half opened, so there was enough space for her to crawl through without having to touch it.

Belle was trying to decide if she should really get in when a voice, completely different from Aaron's, made her get goosebumps all over her body and feel sick.

-Isabelle… I know you're there…

The sound of the steps came closer, but she knew he was purposely walking very slowly, just to terrify her even more.

-Don't be shy. Come here, we have a pending matter to solve, my dear friend… -His tone was a lot gentler than she remembered ever hearing it. -Come over, Belle! I won't hurt you… Not much.

Before she knew, the tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she didn't dare sniff or wipe them. It was Trevor's voice. She didn't know how, but Trevor was there.

 

I think this sums up how I feel after reading this chapter, lots of ugly crying

So Vincenzo followed JP’s car but Belle wasn’t in it. The dreaded sh*tstorm is here. I just hope that Ryan can at least track her cellphone but it may be too late once he realizes what has happened.

So many questions, Aaron seems to be working for Daniel and I wonder whether Betty and Noah were also participants in this ploy to get Belle alone. I just don’t know who to trust anymore and poor Ryan, another of his birthdays ruined.

And where were Betty and JP driving too? Maybe to hook up with Noah and Aaron after he sold out Belle to Trevor? Just putting it out there…why would Betty lie to Belle about Aaron having left Florida?

 

@GiBro - Why is Ryan referring to his father as Edward? He doesn’t call his mother by her first name. That must be one messed up father-son relation. Will we find out more about this in the next chapters or in Book 3?

 

There's more information in that phrase than that =. But, yes, there will come a time when this will be addressed, I already wrote the structure of that part, just have to rewrite it into a chapter.
It is about one of the things that made Ryan be Ryan, I'd say.

 

I'm glad you liked it
Come back on Thursday for next chapter

 

I agree, that was a loaded statement, his relationship with his dad, Richard’s death, his parting with Richard and the mysterious Agatha. We could probably have an entire book just on this passage alone.

 

I guess the river of tears will continue to flow on Thursday.

 

Wasn’t Trevor in jail? He had refused to talk but even at that he raided Ryan’s house, there is no way that the police would have let him go, he killed Roy, that's homicide and I’m pretty sure there would have been no bail set for him, especially if he killed a policeman. So if he escaped jail, no one alerted Ryan to this? It doesn’t make sense.

 

I hope not, because I hope to be able to fit them in Ryan's POV. But there's a hint of an information in the phrase itself anyway.

It would be expected that he'd be in a level 5 prison for what I researched about USA's prison system. How could he get out of there without Ryan's knowledge?

 

Exactly my question! Maybe an inside job but it would have to have involvement from someone way up high in the hierarchy. I doubt that Corey wields this kind of power, but you can never know.

OMG this story is so good, the characters, the plot, the suspense, the drama (and snu snu ) - I just can’t get enough of it!

 

Anxiously waiting for next chapter to be posted

 

Sorry for the delay I took some medicine (I have a sore throat this week) and kind of hibernated

Chapter 59 will be here in a couple of minutes

 

Chapter 59


For a moment it was as if her mind had left her body. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think. The footsteps were still approaching very slowly, taunting, making her feel even more desperate, even though it didn't make sense at first.

Then she remembered her exchange with Trevor on the night of the attack at Ryan's house and it felt like she had been thunderstruck. Only God knew what he would do to her. She had to get out of there, no matter what.

Belle's mind raced and she looked around. Her first thought was that there had to be an emergency route, like a fire exit or something like that. It made sense that there would be another door on the storage, since it was a big store. She crouched her way through the door, making all effort possible not to touch it, still holding the bottle, since she didn't really know where to leave it.

Once inside, she got up and started to run by the boxes, bottles and shelves, looking frantically around, desperately hoping she would find Mr. Gull or the door, whichever came first. But before she could reach the back of the immense room, the door creaked open and those same footsteps could be heard.

-C’mon, Belle. You can't run and you can't hide. I'll catch you. I always do. And you always cry and beg. -His voice sent shivers down her spine and she crouched again, only then realizing the shelves had a gap of approximately one feet before they reached the ground. -The more you make me look, the worse will be your punishment. Daniel isn't happy with you, not at all...

Without thinking twice she laid on her stomach and crawled under the shelves, then tried to squeeze between two boxes. The bottle was still firmly gripped in her fist and made a soft noise when it scrubbed against the floor, but she hoped it hadn't been loud enough for him to hear it. She immediately unlocked her phone and started to text Ryan, since she was afraid Trevor could hear it if she called him instead.

-You know, I don't think he's gonna be that upset if you show up missing a tooth… Or an eye… -She closed her eyes and suppressed a sob when her trembling fingers made it a lot more difficult to type and she instantly regretted not typing a simple “Help” from the start. Trevor was indeed planning to torture her before taking her. -He heard a lot of bad things about you… Something about a husband, about a tattoo, about hanging out with a guy at a party…

Trevor’s voice got very close when the phone started to ring. Belle’s eyes opened wide. It was a strange number. Even then, she reached to answer it, by reflex.

-Oh-oh, there you are! -Trevor's voice resounded triumphantly behind her.

The ringtone seemed very loud to her ears, but she knew that even if it had been on mute, it would have dragged his attention. Before she could move, a hand grabbed her by her ankle and painfully dragged her through the floor. The phone slipped from her hand when she tried to kick and move away from him. Her arms dragged two boxes with her, but Trevor easily pulled her leg and roughly flipped her on her back.

-No! Help! -She screamed, but the air left her lungs at once when the back of her head hit the floor. Trevor's hand moved to her neck to lift her from the floor by it, while the other hand gripped her short hair firmly to force her to face up. -No! Get your hands off…

-Yeah, scream, whore! -Trevor's maniac smile made everything ten times more terrifying. She looked down and saw a huge scar on his arm. His eyes followed hers. -Ugly, isn't it? You'll soon have one like that, right in your face.

When Trevor’s head moved away from her to get momentum to hit her face, Belle put all her strength in her arm, and smashed the bottle at the side of his head. For a moment it felt like time had stopped. His grip to her neck loosened before the bottle made contact with his skull, and his other hand reached out to try to protect his face, as his eyes opened wide and his mouth gaped in surprise.

The bottle shattered a second after the impact and Belle turned her head quickly to avoid the sharp shards of glass that flew in all directions. She felt a warm sensation in her palm and her wrist as blood spread all over her skin, and a burning pain let her know that at least part of that blood had to be hers.

Trevor’s face contorted in pain and rage, and, although he couldn't open the eye she had just smashed with the bottle, his other eye gave her the most hateful look she had ever seen. Driven by fear, her body was charged up in adrenaline and her knee went up, ten times stronger than when she had hit Noah. The impact was so powerful she lost balance and had to hold on to the shelf beside them. His groans and grunts from pain and rage were deafening.

As soon as he bent down, she brushed her knee in reflex, feeling the pain irradiating through her whole leg. Only then she remembered Ryan's warning about not waiting for guys to recover before running away after kicking their balls. She leaned on the shelf and pushed him as hard as she managed to, feeling the shelf dangerously tilt to the opposite way. When he fell on his back and groaned, trying to get up she backed away from him, dividing her attention between the huge shelf that threatened to fall over them and her torturer. Trevor was coughing and moving slowly, as if it hurt to try to move his legs or neck.

-I'm gonna tear you apart, you stupid bitch… -His voice had a wet sound in it, and she guessed she had broken some of his teeth with the bottle. -I'm gonna leave you by a strand, he won't even recognize you, cunt!

Without thinking twice she immediately ran to the other side and put her weight against the shelf, trying to flip it over Trevor. For a brief moment something inside her tried to stop her, warning her that she could end up killing him by doing it, but she pushed the thoughts away, knowing that he wouldn't even flinch before doing exactly the same to her or, even worse, to Ryan.

Aside from the fact that she was terrified for her own life, she feared for Ryan too. The idea of being taken to Daniel and somehow being forced to give any information about him, like where they had been living, for example, gave her resolve to not be taken alive. It would be better to die, than to live knowing she had been responsible for his death.

Belle gasped and sobbed on the tears that wouldn't come and took a few steps back, gaining momentum, then threw her body over and over against the shelves. As it was still just tilting, but not flipping, she put her back against the wall and pushed the shelves with both her legs. Her thighs and back hurt with the effort, but she could feel the weight changing as it moved forward.

Suddenly, there was a creaking sound as the huge structure slowly tipped, then boxes and bottles started to fall over and around Trevor's body. Startled by the sounds and impacts against his back and legs, the big man jumped to his feet and flung forward, trying to get out of the landing point, but the heavy mass of iron and wood collapsed on him.

Belle didn't wait for the dust to settle to check the damage. She just turned and ran at full speed, still looking for the exit, this time certain that Mr. Gull wasn't there. When she saw the luminous sign, the tears were finally released. She pushed the bar to open the emergency door, causing a loud siren to echo everywhere, and she felt even more relieved: the police should be coming soon. Trevor would be taken back to prison, from where he should've never left.

The warm air of the night hit her sweaty face but it felt cold. She forced her trembling legs to keep running, checking behind her, afraid that Trevor could somehow still follow her. When she spotted the red car in the parking lot, her tears of desperation became tears of joy and gladness. Her hands were shaking but she gripped the keys firmly and kept running.

When she got six feet away from the car, though, she noticed a movement to her right with her peripheral vision and let out a shriek, expecting to see Trevor. It was a boy around her age, maybe even a bit younger. He was carrying a gun, pointed toward her. She stopped, but only for a second.

-Shoot me. -She dared him. She didn’t really believe the boy would do it, even though he had her on his aim. -You know he’ll kill you if you do.

When the boy hesitated and put the gun down, she turned back to the car and lifted her hand, preparing to open the door. But then she felt it, a sting to her neck.

Belle opened her eyes wide and tried to look behind her, but a hand immobilized her neck by gripping the hair on her nape firmly and took the needle out. Her vision immediately blurred and she felt dizzy and nauseous. When the hand finally moved away she saw a girl smiling at her. It wasn't a kind smile but it wasn't a mocking expression either. It looked as if the girl was just curious, watching her reaction.

Belle's eyes finally focused on the face in front of her, trying to back away, but her legs seemed to be unresponsive and she fell on her side. It was Anna, the girl Carter had dated for a month or so. She was no more than two inches taller than her, and her long dark hair made her look even smaller and delicate, but now that Belle could clearly see her expression, her smile seemed cruel, ecstatic, crazy.

Anna didn't say a word. She just stared at Belle with her sadistic smile, while three other men came closer, along with the boy that had pointed the gun toward her. Her ears were buzzing and her tongue was getting ticker, making it hard to swallow and breathe through her mouth.

Still, she tried to keep conscious while urging her body to move. If she could only get inside the car, she hoped it would be enough to shield her until the police arrived.

But no, her body wouldn't respond, no matter how much she begged it to move and wished she could get to her feet.

-Big Brother is badly injured, what should we do? -One boy came running toward them. -We took him from under the boxes, but he can't get up on his own, he's barely breathing.

-She's what we came here for, leave him there. -Anna shrugged. -Let's go, take the princess to the van, we're leaving now.

-We can't leave him here, if they get him, he could snitch on us. -One of the men murmured while the other two stepped forward to lift Belle's body from the ground. -And if you're thinking about telling us to kill him, you go and do it yourself. God won't forgive us if we kill one of his most favorite sons out of laziness.

Anna's smile vanished as if it had never been there. Her eyes narrowed and for a moment she looked like she could punch the man. Surprisingly, the tall man looked down and moved away from her. All the men around them had a similar attitude and when Anna's attention turned to Belle, she involuntarily flinched, although her body didn't really move.

-What do you say, princess? Should I kill him or try to save him? -Her smile was back, this time even more disturbing.

Belle didn't know how to react, so she just stared back and kept trying to gain control over her limbs. If only she had called Ryan instead of trying to text him, he would have sent someone to rescue her already…. But she knew it was just wishful thinking, since she had kept him in the dark about where she was heading to. It was unlikely that he'd have someone near enough to get to her quickly.

A flood of emotions hit her, when she realized all that had been caused by her lack of trust in his judgment and her stubbornness, that he so often complained about. If she hadn't lied to him, if she hadn't been too proud to ask him to protect Noah, if she hadn't let Betty approach her, which not only had supposedly caused the problem between Aaron and Noah, but had also been the reason why Betty had looked for her to solve it… If she had followed his advice and not befriended Noah, none of this would be happening.

She had blamed him for wanting to be away from her, but in the end she not only would be away from him, but would be in Daniel's hands, and a threat to Ryan's safety. And it was all her fault. When she started to cry, Anna laughed out loud.

-I'm sorry, this is so ridiculous, you're so pathetic… I can't believe you're crying over him…. -She wiped the tears of joy from the corner of her eyes and nodded toward a black van that Belle hadn't noticed before in the dark parking lot. -Let's go, leave that potato there. Or go get him, if you will, I don't really care what happens to him or to you.

When one of the men resumed his movements to lift her and pulled her from the ground by her arm, she felt the adrenaline come back all at once. She kicked the other man's face when he bent and tried to punch the man that was holding her by the arm, but the dizziness was so strong, she couldn't land it. The man shook her by her arm as if she was a rag doll and immobilized her by holding both her arms behind her back in an odd angle that made her back and shoulders hurt. Even then, she kicked again and again, not letting the other man, who now had a pink mark on his cheek, get hold of her feet.

The other men had vanished inside the building, but there were still two boys besides the one that had pointed the gun at her. A slap at her face startled her, but Belle kept kicking.

-Stop screaming, bitch, do you want another dose? -Anna hissed at her and only then she realized she was screaming at the top of her lungs, even though it hurt her throat to do so.

Anna reached into her pocket and started to prepare another injection.

-Don't, you're gonna kill her. -A blond boy held out his hand. -Let me try to talk to her.

-Who the fuck do you think you are to tell me what to do, boy? You don't know me, so I'll let it slide, but don't cross my path, little baby. -The girl rolled her eyes and flicked the syringe. -Get out of my way.

-I think he's right, Viper, she's small, you're risking overdose here. You'll be dead if we lose her on our way back. -The man that was holding her arms grunted. -He'll probably already punish you for slapping her…

The girl narrowed her eyes, but shrugged and walked away, getting inside the van. The boy crouched in front of Belle, making sure to keep a distance from her legs.

-Belle… Hi. I know you're scared, but we're not here to hurt you, we'll take you home. -He tried to look into her eyes, but she just moved her face away and kept trying to kick the man in front of her. -We'll take you to Daniel, he's waiting for you, we won't harm you, my queen…

Belle let out a grunt of despair, feeling impotent and hopeless. There was nothing she could do, she was getting tired and her body felt heavier by the second. The siren was producing a buzzing noise inside her head. Why was the police taking so long to show up?

-Please, Belle, calm down. Let us take you home. -The boy smiled kindly and she wanted to tell him how bad it would be for her to be taken, just to know if he would, for some miracle, decide to help her. But her tongue was even more unresponsive, throbbing and tingling. Also, she knew, deep inside, that he wouldn't change sides. Those people were crazy and cruel, they didn't care about reason, they wouldn't have mercy.

Suddenly it felt as if all her strength had been taken from her, and her eyelids started to get heavy.

-No, please… -She tried to say, but even to her own ears, it was impossible to understand. -Please, let me go.

Her eyes finally closed against her will and her legs gave in. All she knew was that the man that had been holding her arms let out a sigh of relief and threw her body over his shoulder. The keys from Betty's car slowly slipped from her grip and her tears rolled through her forehead, tickling her skin, while the blood raised to her head. It was hard to breathe, it was hard to think. Without a choice, she gave up and let sleep take control.

Ryan sighed and opened the drawer to put the camera and the flash drive back inside. He felt childish. A part of him begged him to erase the video right away, while he still had this brief moment of sobriety.

It wasn't that bad. She would probably love it. But it would be painful, as much as soothing, to watch it, considering he was expecting her to know about it only if he died. Still, it would be the only way of being around, of helping her go through the phases of grief until she found someone else.

The thought of her loving someone else made his chest hurt, but he finally got how Magda felt, and why she had decided to try again. Ryan wouldn't want Belle to suffer for his loss. He would expect it to happen, yes, but if there was any way of her not feeling anything bad about it, he would take it, even if it meant she would be in someone else's arms. The idea sounded nuts, but it was exactly how he felt.

As he placed the items inside the drawer, his fingers brushed against the velvety texture of the small box. He knew she hadn't opened it, and was very proud of her for that. There was no way she wouldn't interrogate him endlessly about it if she had opened it.

Ryan sat back in his chair and took the box in his hand, rolling it around, feeling the weight. His other hand reached for the bottle and he poured one more time, cursing when he realized there wasn't enough left to fill the cup.

I should go and buy another bottle. I'm freaking out and she hasn't even arrived wherever she's heading to… He turned the box again and huffed. I should've destroyed it when we were still in New York… If Riviera finds this shit, she won't think twice.

Still, Belle had the right to know. It was not a decision he had a right to make. He just needed to solve the whole puzzle first, he needed to shield her from all the damage possible, just to make sure she wouldn't sacrifice herself in the name of honor.

He tossed the box inside the drawer with a grunt of annoyance and pulled the folder full of documents. The label read “Operation American Genghis (Vincent H. Ross)”. He ran his finger through the thick number of pages and sucked at his teeth. His eyes darted to the trash can under his desk and he pulled it with his feet. He was way too drunk, but since the alcohol had given him enough courage to say everything he had been holding inside him for weeks, it could help him end this headache for once.

Not that he believed it was a great idea. If it wasn't him the one to get to the bottom of this pit, it could be someone else, who wouldn't be this interested in keeping her safe. Still, at least the fault wouldn't be his. It wouldn't be him she would hate and blame, he would just have to be by her side to support her through the pain.

He poured the rest of his whiskey, the last few remaining sips, inside the trash can and took his lighter off his pocket. His fingers struggled to keep the flame as both his hands shook. He knew it would be worth nothing. He knew by heart every single page from this dossier, he could reproduce every single picture by drawing them, if not by simply getting another copy, since he had it all encrypted in the cloud.

He wouldn't be stopping anything by burning this shit. But it would feel good for a couple of hours. He brought the pile of paper right above the flame, but then his phone rang and he turned his head to check the caller.

Ryan put the file back inside the drawer and locked it, turning the computer on, out of habit. When he was about to type his password, a crease formed between his eyebrows and he crossed his arms in front of his chest, leaning back on his chair. There was no way he would work, even a bit, anymore tonight.

Belle would be back in an hour, or so he hoped. He knew she had made a humongous effort to prepare a banquet for his birthday and was expecting a lot of other details that she usually added when she used to prepare surprise parties, like a special song or scent.

He smiled to himself, thinking about what she could possibly bring from her trip with JP. Although he had taunted her about a sexy outfit, it would truly be a surprise if she did show up wearing something naughty.

He missed her. Not only her touch, but her presence, her voice, her perfume, even the sound of her breathing. It was sickening to stay away from her and the fact that he had drunk up all his stock of whiskey made him feel annoyed, since there was nothing to relax his nerves.

The phone wouldn't stop ringing, but Ryan just ignored it. He had warned Lucas that he'd be one hundred percent Belle's unless something really serious happened. He knew Riviera would be pissed if she demanded to have him on a case and he didn't answer. He also didn't doubt there would be some disciplinary action about it, but at this point he simply didn't give a fuck.

When he noticed the number showing on his screen was hers, though, he immediately answered it.

-What's going on? -For a moment he completely forgot to be professional.

It wasn't this weird that Riviera would call him directly. She used to, when she needed him to solve a problem discreetly, or when she wanted to make sure he would make things the way she wanted him to. Still, it had been months since the last time she had done it. Since he had moved to Florida, all the times he had heard her voice, the call had been initiated by him.

-Ryan… Please, keep a cool head. There's something I need to tell you and we'll need your help to understand how it happened. -The fact that she was calling him by his first name let him know that she was very worried about his reaction. -We had an attack from inside.

Desmond quickly typed his password and leaned forward to check his messages. Lucas was still sending new ones.

-No… God, no. -He groaned to himself.

He wasn't paying much attention to what Riviera was reporting, but he got the essencial, from what Lucas had summarized in two messages. Trevor and dozens of prisoners related to Daniel had been deliberately freed from prison. That had happened during the week, but no one had noticed or reported the absence of the prisoners, which seemed unlikely and absurd.

On top of that, groups of extremists with the most diverse ideals were rising at a scary pace, making riots or promoting attacks against groups they believed deserved to suffer some kind of retaliation. There were indications that this was being caused or at least stimulated to some extent by Daniel.

-Ryan? Are you listening? Say something. -Riviera's voice sounded distant to him, like an inconvenient sound in the background. Desmond wasn't listening. His state of mind was something between despair and anger. -Ryan!

-They are coming for Belle. -His voice was barely audible. -I… God, please, don't let this be… I think they took her.

-What? -He didn't know if she hadn't understood his words or was reacting in disbelief.

-I've made a mistake. Shit, I can't believe this is happening. -His face felt wet and hot, but he took a deep breath and shook his head. -Gather a team and send them to me, I need it now. If you can't make it happen within the next hour, don't bother, I'll find another way.

-Desmond, what is this about? -Now the annoyance was there loud and clear. -Why isn't Miss Ross with you?

-Because I was stupid enough to let emotion overcome reason. - The words left a bitter sensation inside his mouth. It had happened before, he should've learned the lesson already. -I have to go, Sandra, if you can't help me, don't get in my way. I'll slaughter whoever tries to stop me.

-Ryan, please, calm down and explain it to me. -Her patient tone clearly didn't match her feelings. -Let's talk, so I can help you. Where is Miss Ross right now?

Desmond knew her better than that, he could bet she was texting someone while talking to him and he wouldn't be surprised if it was Lucas. She was planning to shut him out as she had tried to right after Samantha's death. This time he didn't have any intention to argue with her.

-I have to go. Send me a team or don't send anyone at all. -He sighed. -Don't expect to hear from me until I get her back, though. The faster I solve it, the faster you'll have me cleaning up your mess.

-Desmond! We're are in the middle of a crisis, you won't…

-To hell you and your crisis! -He raised his voice and she immediately shut her mouth. -And I've warned you about it, by the way! You didn't listen to me, said I was paranoid, that I was taking it all too personal. How personal does that shit seem to you now, uh?

Riviera didn't answer, so he went on.

-If you hadn't brought that asshole to my house, none of this would've happened. If you hadn't doubted me, she'd be safe and those fuckers would still be behind bars.

-Listen to yourself, Desmond! What does one thing have to do with the other? And about me doubting you, are you out of your mind? I'm the one who buys and backs every single idea you bring, I trusted you blindly!

-Maybe you shouldn't! -He shouted and the silence that followed made his voice echo through the empty house. He lowered his voice and covered his face in shame, even though no one could see him. -I've failed again, Sandra, I need to find her, right now, before he does. I can't let them take her. Help me, or leave me be.

-First tell me what you think Denovan had to do with those people getting out of prison, Desmond, that's a very serious accusation…

-He doesn't. At least I don't believe he does. I was talking about Corey. If I had stayed with her in New York, Corey would've never taken the leap. I'd see it coming miles away. -Desmond ran his fingers through his hair and ruffled it repeatedly, feeling frustrated. -I should have done something before this happened.

-Ryan… Corey wouldn't have any means to release those prisoners, I need you to think straight to help me get to the core of this problem.

-Do you think it's a coincidence? First Roy, now this! What is he gonna have to do to prove to you that he's playing on their side? Write a confession? You used to be much smarter, Sandra!

-Enough! -It was her time to raise her voice. -You'll cool your head down and check the names I've sent you. I'll contact the teams working in Florida and have them look for Miss Ross.

-Your ass. -He scoffed. -I won't do shit for you until I have her back.

-You will, because it's your job. You're not gonna be part of the searching team, Ryan, you're practically her boyfriend, do you think I'm stupid?

-If you think I'm gonna sit and write reports, while she's out there suffering in his hands, yes, you're completely stupid! I'm not gonna be part of the searching team, I'll lead it. If it isn't this way, then I don't need you.

-You're too involved, Desmond, it was a mistake to keep you in this case, I should've taken you from it at the moment you told me you'd keep her in your house even after the marshals recommended her removal. -Her voice let him know how tired and annoyed she was. -Don't insist, or I'll have to report your behavior.

-Report this, then: fuck you, I'm out.

For a moment Riviera just stuttered and fell silent.

-Out of where?

-I'm quitting. -He sighed and started to take things out of his drawer. -Lucas just shared her phone’s location. I'm heading there and when I get back I'm gonna pack my things and solve this. I'll leave my badge, phone, notebook and gun with the Captain at the closest precinct, I'll let you know which one when I find out. Good luck, Riviera, you're gonna need it.

Before she could answer he had already ended the call and was calling Belle. As Lucas had reported, she wouldn't answer. The most worrisome part was the message she had started to write to him: “Ryan help Trevor is he”. When he remembered her bruises after her last encounter with Trevor his temper boiled. But as soon as he remembered the nasty appearance of the wound in the man's arm, his heart dropped. It only got worse when he remembered Chloe's state and her warning: “She'll be next”. Trevor would kill her.

His only hope was that Daniel was with him when Trevor got to her. It was insane that his highest hopes were based on her being taken by Daniel himself.

While he strode upstairs to get his other guns, he called Domenico, using his other cell phone.

-First of all, tell Vincenzo to get to the address I've sent him, right now. I don't care what he'll do, I want a squad there in a minute or so. Tell him I want to meet him there too. I'll take fifteen minutes to get there, he'd better not make me wait. -Desmond didn't bother softening his tone. He was pissed. Vincenzo should be protecting her. How the hell had he let her get out of his sight? -Tell him to keep someone following the boy, I wanna know what that asshole is doing and if he was acting like a red herring. If he was, take him, I wanna talk to him.

-I'm really sorry, son, we'll find her, you'll see. -The thick accent let him know the man really meant it.

-You really let me down, Domenico, there's no money in the world that's gonna compensate for this. I want her back, in one piece, I won't accept anything less than that.

-I'm really, really sorry, son. We'll work together and you're gonna have her by the end of the night. -His voice was not only apologetic, but sad. Domenico was sharing his pain. -She's family too, now, Ryan, we'll get her back.

-Do as I told you, we'll meet in New York. I just want her back right here, right now.

When he was ready to leave, his cell phone, the one he was intending to leave at the precinct rang. The number wasn't registered, but by closing his eyes for a few seconds he recognized it. It was Mia’s phone. Maybe she had Belle, maybe they hadn't been caught yet.

-Hello? -Mia's voice sounded insecure, but not desperate. His hopes dropped. -Mister Herrera? Hello?

-Hello. -He answered simply after a while, resuming his walk to the door, then to the car after locking it up.

-Hi…My name is Mia, I'm Belle’s…

-I know who you are, Mia, is JP with you? -He put the phone on speaker and maneuvered. There was no need for a map, he knew exactly how to get to the liquor store.

-No, he's not here, but he called me and… I don't want to worry you, but I just wanted to know if Belle is fine. Is she with you?

-How did you get my number, Mia? -His tone was cold.

-It's a long story…

-You have fifteen minutes, start talking.

Mia hesitated for a moment, clearly intimidated by his posture.

-Hm… JP was supposed to drive her somewhere, but he had a problem with his cousin, Noah… He's your neighbor, looks a lot like JP, he's always with Belle, you must…

-I know who Noah is, Mia, get to the point. -Hearing that asshole’s name only added to his anger.

-Ahm… JP forgot about his promise, so he called me, asked me to call her and apologize on his behalf. He's feeling really guilty, but couldn't concentrate while driving, and he didn't want to ask Betty to call her because…

-Why would he think about asking Betty to call her? -Desmond cut her again, feeling confused.

-Because she's with him. He was driving with her, trying to find Noah.

So Noah was missing. There was absolutely no possibility of Noah being one of Daniel's followers. Desmond had checked the boy's life from all sides, trying to find anything shady. Aside from the fact he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression and PTSD, the latter incorrectly, as pointed out by doctor Fontaine, who reclassified his diagnosis to Borderline Disorder, the guy was clean. Even his porn websites history was ok, with no signs of sadism or heavy perversity, as most of Daniel's followers presented. He was goofy and had real emotional and psychological issues, but he wasn't essentially bad or ambitious.

-Noah is missing… -He murmured more to himself than to the girl.

-No, they've managed to find him. He was at Betty's father’s company. I've told you, it's a long story, Noah's father was… -Mia started to explain but shut her mouth immediately when Desmond cleared his throat, giving signs of irritation. -Well, he went nuts when Betty told him Belle was gonna go meet the Vulture, I mean, Aaron, to apologize… I… I don't know if she told you, please, don't get mad at her, I'm sure she only meant well…

-What was she gonna apologize for?

Now he wanted to strangle Betty too. He had warned Belle, the girl was a magnet of trouble and drama. It was his fault too, he should've frightened the blonde away at the first sign of smoke. Mia hesitated but let out a sigh and murmured something about not having a choice but to tell him the whole truth.

-Look… I didn't get it, too. It looks like Belle was gonna buy a very expensive bottle of whiskey for your wedding anniversary, but then she gave up, and the Vulture got mad and threatened to harm Zim if she didn't go. It looks like Belle took Betty's car and went there alone, but the GPS isn't updating the location anymore, she can't be sure if it is still there. -She stopped talking when he let out a sigh of frustration.

So this was the gift. He couldn't believe she had not only lied to him, but had bought a bottle of whiskey for him, after giving him shit after shit about his drinking habit, and from a guy she knew for a fact had raped one of her friends, and had given signs of having some kind of obsession with her. It was infuriating, to say the least.

-Mr. Herrera? She's not with you, is she? -Mia’s voice was starting to crack with fear. -Aaron is really dangerous, I'm worried about her.

-How did you get my number? -This part was odd. If she wasn't with Belle, how had she gotten his number? There was always the chance of this all being a trap.

-When JP complained about Noah not answering the phone… Oh, they got to talk to him because Betty went to her father, to ask for his help, and Noah was with him. I don't remember if I told you that part, well… Where was I? Hm, yes, he explained Aaron has his phone since this morning. He took it by force, said he wanted to scare Belle in case she called him. Noah didn't think Belle would care enough to do something about it… -She paused, clearly expecting Desmond to complain about her lack of synthesis. -He asked for Betty's phone to call her and warn her about Aaron, that he was safe and she didn't need to go anywhere… That's when he found out Betty has a contact with the label “Belle’s Husband”.

-Why would Belle give her my number?

Mia sighed and clicked her tongue but didn't answer.

-Mia, you're not dumb. You must have realized already that I'm not the most patient man in the world. I'm really feeling inclined to break every bone of your boyfriend's body right now. -Desmond's voice was steady and had no emotion. -Either you talk, or he will.

-Don't hurt JP, he has absolutely nothing to do with Aaron, they don't even talk to each other! -Mia's voice was suddenly bold and enraged. -You won't bully me, Mr. Herrera, if you hurt JP, I'll go to hell and back to hit you with the same intensity!

He scoffed, but had to give her the credit for her boldness.

-Spit it out!

-Don't get mad at her, she's impulsive! Sometimes she does absurd things and regrets them right after… Betty went through Belle's phone when she wasn't looking. She just wanted to check her messages with Noah to… Ugh, this is so ridiculous and embarrassing… She knows she did wrong, she said she's sorry and that she really cares about Belle now. She said she was just jealous and wanted to be more like Belle, so he would like her again. -Mia said it fast but with long pauses between phrases, as if trying to find a way to make the girl's attitude sound reasonable, but at the same time wanting to let the subject die as soon as possible. -She guessed the password when Belle told her she was planning the celebration… Said it wasn't her fault Belle would use such an easy password. Oh, and there's something more… She also stole a pair of Belle’s earrings. Don't ask, she just mumbled and cried. I have them, I’ve convinced her to give them to me this morning… I'll take them to your house as soon as possible. She said she didn't find a way to give them back without Belle noticing, but that she was planning to drop them behind your sofa on one of their meetings.

Desmond frowned and shook his head. Why would the girl steal Belle's earrings? But at the moment he didn't care about earrings at all.

-Mia… Aaron has Noah's phone, right? Where is Noah now? -He needed to focus on any information that could help him find Belle.

-He went to Aaron's store. Said he's gonna wait for Belle there and take her back home. -Mia murmured with annoyance in her voice. -JP is still with Betty, trying to help her calm her father down, but they'll join him as soon as possible.

Calm down Betty's father… I guess at least I'll have someone to take the blame in case I end up killing that bastard during interrogation.

-Your time is up, bye Mia. -Desmond grumbled as he parked in the almost empty parking lot. The girl tried to say something but he ended the call.

He stopped beside the red Maserati and immediately spotted the keys on the floor, not more than two feet from it. When he approached to check it, his stomach hurt and he felt dizzy. It was covered in blood, a lot of blood.

He didn't need a lab to tell him it was hers, it was quite obvious. He looked around, trying to get any evidence of what could have happened here. When he saw the movement in front of the store he didn't even bother checking his gun.

-Mr. Desmond, it's an honor to be allowed to work for you. Don Domenico told me to keep you informed about sottocappo’s location. He apologizes and says he'll get here in ten to twelve minutes.

His thick accent let Desmond know this wasn't some low ranked henchman.

-What do you have already? Don't let your guys mess up the crime scene, I need the FBI to be able to get everything they can later. -Desmond didn't bother asking his name and appreciated that the guy had the decency of not wasting his time by introducing himself. -I need someone good with tracking, I have tire marks there, can you see it? And there's signs of a fight right here, see the blood and the struggle marks? Belle is small, I don't think these marks could be caused by her. It was probably… Look, there's this boy named Noah, blond, retarded looking, nasty stubble and goatee, shit, I don't know how better to describe him…

-We have images of three cameras, sir… None of them showed us the plate of the van, so we have a team tracking and checking all the black vans in the perimeter. The problem is that it happened more than one hour ago, so it's a wide area to cover. -The man interrupted him and went on when he signaled him to do so. -She put up quite a fight, very impressive for her size. She was alone. I believe the man you just described got here about thirty, no, forty minutes after they took her. He broke some bottles, cried a bit and went away. He left marks of his bloodied hands on the counter and he took her phone.

-Find him. Vincenzo has her phone’s location already, let me know as soon as he stops moving. -Desmond immediately ordered. -And I want to see those images.

-There's one more thing, sir. -The man nodded as he followed Desmond toward the store. All the men walking inside the building were wearing rubber boots and gloves. -There was a man here, he watched her get inside, from that garage there, then followed her. They talked briefly, then he mounted his motorcycle and drove away.

-Find him too, I want him alive, but I don't care how much you harm him in the process. Just make sure he'll be able to talk. I actually have a way of finding him, I have trackers in both the phones he has with him.

-I'm afraid that won't be possible, sir. -The man pressed his lips and flinched when Desmond turned to him with a menacing look that made it clear that he wouldn't accept a denial to any of his demands. -We located his motorcycle, using traffic cameras as soon as we got the plate… He wasn't far from here, but… He was already dead.

He took his phone and showed the pictures. It was gruesome. It could easily have been one of Vincenzo’s works in his most inspired days.

-Shit… -Desmond cursed under his breath. -Do you have the two phones he had with him?

-Yes, sir.

-I want a full backup of both, and I want you to put it back where you've found it. -He was so pissed he didn't even bother looking at the man who offered him a cover for his shoes, and just got in. -Tell Vincenzo I want to know who his contacts are in the FBI here and I want at least one of them to be in this case. I need to know everything they get from labs and any other evidence they get. I believe you froze the cameras, right?

-No, we cut the signal before we approached… It was safer this way.

-You mean you cut the wires? -Desmond frowned.

-No, the whole security system is AI based. We've hacked it and put it down. We also cut all satellite signals on the perimeter, just in case they had drones or cell phones monitoring the place.

-Now that's some shit right there. -He nodded. -I need to meet the team responsible for that, they might be able to help me with something. It's a cop that went missing.

-Sure, sir, it can be arranged.

-Of course it can. -Desmond gave him a condescending look, then strode toward a man who was typing on a notebook over the counter.

 

My dear author @GiBro, you never cease to amaze us! Well worth the wait

Ok so this was another HUGE chapter! So many questions:

So the file that Ryan kept, I’m assuming it was on Belle’s father, and since he was killed in the fire, why did Ryan keep such a file? Was Belle’s father involved in criminal activity? Why would Ryan think that Belle would hate and blame him?

What is up with the little velvety box and what could possibly be inside it? The author did mention that this box would be central to the plot of Book 3, but very intrigued with this other plot twist.

Did Daniel’s group take Trevor with them? He seemed to be badly hurt and I hope that he doesn’t recover or if he does he will at least be incapacitated. Or maybe he should survive and have Ryan deal with him. Domenico's group didn’t seem to mention him, only mentioned that Noah had been there about 30-40 minutes after they took Belle.

What’s up with crazy Betty? Why would she steal Belle’s earring? It’s not like she can’t afford to buy them on her own, her father seems to be very rich.

So Aaron was killed, but who did that? Did Daniel order to have him killed once he delivered Belle to Trevor? And why would Daniel send Trevor to get Belle if he knew that Trevor was going to harm her? Was that his intention all along to make Belle suffer for her “sins”, i.e. having a husband, hanging out at a party, getting a tattoo and of course telling Daniel that she hated him for killing Ryan after Captain Williams had her call him at the end of Book 1?

Now that Ryan is quitting the FBI and working with Domenico’s group to help find Belle, will he now be indebted to the mafia? He has always managed to maintain that safe distance where Domenico would not be able to hold anything over him. Again the author seems to suggest that there is a close, almost family-like bond between Ryan and Domenico. Will more be revealed about Ryan and Domenico's connection? Will Domenico’s group actually track down the van and rescue Belle before she is brought to Daniel, presumably at the palace? If they don’t succeed, does Domenico have men infiltrated in the palace or will Ryan have to rely on Destiny to lead them there?

Now Ryan is running on adrenaline busy with trying to find Belle, but when realization that he has lost her sets in, how is he going to react? Is he going to behave reckless and take risky chances? Riviera was right, he is too close and emotionally involved to act rationally. I fear for Ryan and I can only hope that Domenico will protect him.

What happened to Corey? He’s gone missing but it hasn’t been confirmed yet that he was working for Daniel.

Who was responsible for the release of Trevor and the other followers of Daniel? Corey did not have that kind of authority to pull this off. This came from much higher up.

Since we are coming to the end of Book 2 will there be a pause before the author starts to post chapters from Book 3?

 

Hope you are feeling better and thank you for sharing this amazing story

 

I'm glad I'm managing to keep the spark =) thank you for your review.

For the sake of context, Ryan said before he thought Something was off about her father(in book 1 he gets suspicious about the way her lawyers deal with transferring the money overseas, he showed discomfort about her father being concerned about someone using Belle to hurt him etc. At some point a investigation started. Either it's an independent investigation or it's official and Desmond has it's file with him and took it with him to Florida/started it in Florida, right? Book 3 will expose a lot more about this investigation.

Trevor's body wasn't there when Noah got there, so Daniel's minion either killed him and took the body with them, or took him still alive.

Why, indeed. But more than that, why did she have it with her on that morning, so Mia would be able to "convince" her to give it back?

All that will be seen on the beginning of book 3

He quit FBI, I'd say reckless doesn't describe it well enough. (This relates to Riftan willing to abdicate his status for Max after breaking her father's bones, just for correlation)

Maybe Domenico's technology team will help with that question... Or maybe you'll soon know.

Yes, I still don't have a single chapter ready to post, only structure (not all the book yet, there's a lot of information to wrap), and some dialogues/scenes written but not revised.
I also intend to rewrite book 1 and 2, correcting terms, adding some phrases to help understand what was happening, excluding some parts that might be boring/unnecessary etc.
So, yes, I'll take some time to come back. Hope it will still be interesting for you.

Thank you I think I'll be 100% by the weekend.

 

I know that this masterpiece can’t be rushed but I’m hoping that the wait for Book 3 won’t be terribly long.

in the meantime can our dear author @GiBro help fill in some gaps or answer some questions about the characters without providing spoilers of course

Regarding Chloe, last information we had was that she was badly beaten by Trevor and was in a medically-induced coma to help with her recovery. Did she recover and is she under arrest or in protective custody? Will she make a reappearance in Book 3 and will she testify against Daniel? I also was wondering if the author can clarify the sequence of events. She was a fugitive but at some point they must have caught her since Ryan almost strangled her during the interrogation. She was then found badly beaten in Belle’s apartment so I assume this happened after the interrogation. If she was a suspect then why did the police let her go?

 

Yes, Chloe is alive and will reappear in book 3.
No, she ran away from Trevor in the night she almost killed Belle (she didn't run because she wanted to go with him, she was actually afraid of him, because he killed William) when she realized Trevor was looking for her to silence her, she thinks about her options and decides to accept Belle's help. That's why she went to her house (she broke in but knew her alarm code) and slept there since then until the night before the day Ryan had to leave Belle with Magda (Daniel found her and decided to try to kill her, putting fire to the apartment to make it look like she had been the one that had done everything, from killing the football team to trying to destroy the evidence) the problem was that Trevor and the other guys injured her badly before starting the fire and were afraid the neighbors could have heard something and call the police, so they ran away (the rest was explained by Ryan, the fire didn't spread much before the firemen came and they found Chloe already unconscious and hurt.
The interrogation was at the hospital, like Ryan had done with Belle, but only that this time he lost his shit when Chloe said Daniel would do the same he had done to her to Belle. Chloe is under the FBI custody for now, and her father is struggling to pay for her medical expenses.

 

Thank you for the clarification, this all makes sense now.

So will Ryan be moving back to New York after he interrogates Noah and JP? Or will he stay in Florida until Belle is found? If he moves back to New York does this mean that he will leave the WPP? Sorry but this story is too good, it stirs so many scenarios and questions

I guess we just have to be patient and wait for the next chapter