Possessing Bella Ch. 16

"Fuck, look at what you made me do!" The young man dropped Bella to the floor and stepped over her to grab at the man who has stopped him from having some fun with the sexy little slut. Once released, the chain slackened around Bella's throat, and Samuel hoped fervently that she had merely passed out as he stepped in and king hit the man who fell to one knee disorientated. He took that moment to scoop up Bella's prone form and run through to the almost empty foyer before shouting, "Someone get Rob and Stephen here now!" To the girls behind the counter, he said, "Don't let anyone leave. Lock down the elevator."

He carried Bella behind the counter and into the large ventilated cloakroom, checking her breathing and pulse in the bright light. He examined her neck and removed the long choke chain, throwing it away disgustedly. He was a vet not a doctor of people but her breathing was regular, she appeared not to have broken anything but she would need an x-ray sooner rather than later. This was not a good way to start the New Year, poor girl.

Stephen visibly paled as he stood in the doorway and saw Bella lying unconscious on a bench. "I hit the guy," Samuel said. "He was in the showroom. Still a bit groggy hopefully, should make him easy to find." Stephen turned and moved back through the small group of people that had formed in the foyer heading towards the showroom, fury written all over his face.

He stopped in his tracks as a tall, lean man holding his jaw followed along behind one of their oldest members, Albert Green. "You had better come into the office, and Charles should be present for this," Stephen said through gritted teeth.

Seeing Charles standing near the office in the restaurant with Jack, he walked to them and struggling to find the words he seethed. "Jack, you're needed in the cloakroom urgently, Charles could you join us please?" Stephen summoned every bit of self-control he had to remain calm on the surface. He wanted and needed to be by Bella's side, sending Jack was the best he could do right at that moment. Once the office door was closed, he let the façade drop.

Ignoring Albert and the young man he assumed to be his son, he spoke only to Charles. "Bella is unconscious waiting for an ambulance because of something he did. I am leaving it to you to investigate fully. Be aware that Samuel Becket is the man that saved her and I am sure he had more than enough reason to punch the boy," his voice was stilted and full of anger. Saying nothing else he stormed out of his office into the foyer to see Bella being wheeled away on an ambulance gurney. He looked at the ashen-faced Rob, and his heart sank.

"Keep it together Stephen," Jack said in his quiet way. "She's going to be fine. It's just a precaution to make sure everything is as it should be. Sam got to her before any real damage was done. Did you find the guy?"

"Yeah, you and Sam should go in and tell his side of the story," he jerked his head toward his office. "I can't be in there right now."

"Yes you can and you will, for Bella's sake if for no one else's," Jack said mildly. "The foyer was cleared of people before the ambulance arrived. The members just think a girl fainted that's all. No one but the staff knows who it was, so we will stick to that story for now. Those who did see won't say anything. You know the rules on privacy here," he patted the big man's shoulder.

"Now you and Sam go sort this kid out. I will go fill Kurt in on what's happened. He's her guardian too, after all," Jack said.

Stephen and Samuel had barely been in the room long enough to introduce themselves properly when Kurt burst in, followed by Jack, looking ready to tear someone limb from limb.

"Let's all just calm down a minute," Charles stood up and raised his hand before him.

"I want that guy banned for life," Deon, the nephew of Charles demanded amidst the interruption. He was pointing at Samuel.

"Shut up!" Albert turned on his son. "To think that something so stupid came from my magnificent cock makes it want to shrivel back up inside my body." He shook his head. "I can't apologize enough and you can rest assured I will not be interfering with any charges you wish to press against my son."

Deon's eyes bulged, and his mouth worked open and closed as he took in what his father had said. His father and Uncle had always backed him up, made his errors in judgement disappear, he was untouchable. He was! He watched as his father turned his back and walked over to where the glowering Stephen sat behind the desk.

"How's Bella?" he asked quietly.

"The ambulance just took her away. Rob's with her. He will call with any news," Stephen shrugged and put a bottle of scotch on his desk with several glasses, pouring himself a decent measure.

"I've heard Deon's story and if only half of it is true, you all have reason to look the way you do. Now is the time for you to tell us the actual events," Albert said to Samuel, weariness clear in his voice.

Samuel recounted the details of Hunter taking Bella to see Flora and that he had tagged along behind them as Flora was an old friend that he had meant to catch up with. He told of how he saw from a distance the moment when Hunter stopped to shake hands with an acquaintance and the split second it took for Deon to use the choke chain and drag Bella into the darkness at the centre of the room. He recounted the conversation that occurred when he caught up with them almost word for word, his warnings and request to release her.

"He obviously had no clue who she was. I don't believe there was anything personal in it aside of the fact he liked how she looked," Samuel shook his head as he made excuses for the arrogant young man. "The whole time he had been choking her harder than I realised, and she blacked out. He dropped her and came at me. I hit him and picked her up and ran to the foyer to make sure she was alright." Samuel finished the story quickly.

"Good man," Albert nodded, "You did the right thing."

"It happened so fast, one minute she was there and the next second she was gone!" Hunter said apologetically to the room. "We don't expect anyone at the club to be that stupid, at least not at these events."

"The slut had no collar and no uniform. She was fair game," Deon said with one last burst of bravado. Stephen and Kurt both sprung up from their seats to advance on the young man.

"Steady, gentlemen, I imagine the police will be here soon enough once the hospital alerts them to an attempted murder," Charles turned to Deon. "None of these gentlemen, least of all me will tolerate you choking a woman to death with a chain wrapped around her neck. It wouldn't matter if she were a back door hooker or the part owner of this club, Bella Biancotti." He pointed, drawing Deon's attention to the portrait on the wall.

"I'm afraid that little girl you choked half to death is far richer and has far better connections than both your father and I put together. There is little we could do to help you out here, even if we wanted to. My advice is to give yourself up quietly and hope that the girl you almost killed takes pity on you."

Deon began to cry then. He hadn't realised his father had meant it when he had said he wouldn't make this mess go away. Suddenly feeling a sense of vulnerability he hadn't ever experienced before, he began to panic. He stood and went to the door finding it locked.

"Sit down, stupid," Albert roared at his son. "Bad enough you did such a cowardly thing. It's time to face the consequences like a man. What did you think would happen? We don't rape or torture. We ask to be allowed to use our women the way we like. It's never our choice! They choose us, you moron."

"But Olivia and Sera do whatever you and Uncle Charles say," Deon said miserably.

"Years of building trust breeds a form of consent that is constant. Even after so many years together, I don't take it for granted and if Sera says no, I respect that. Every woman had their limits, not one man in this room has ever forced themselves on a woman," Charles said, sadly wondering how Deon had gotten everything so wrong. How had they not seen his arrogance and petulance? Charles blamed the boy's indulgent shrew of a mother.

"Let's take him upstairs and call our driver. Better to go now than bring the club any more notoriety with the police arriving here tonight," Albert said, exhaustion in his voice.

"Samuel and I'll go with them if you can look after Dusty for me, Kurt," Jack said seriously. "You and Stephen can manage this place blind folded."

"You stay Charles," Albert patted his brother's shoulder, "Take Olivia and Sera home. They'll enjoy having a sleep over. I have a feeling it is time Deon met Elizabeth."

Charles raised an eyebrow and nodded, "I think that is a remarkably overdue meeting, given the circumstances."

"I'll drive. My car's downstairs," Samuel offered.

The small group of men left and Stephen gave Kurt the keys to Bella's apartment, so that Dusty and Dianne could rest as the night grew longer. Stephen then rang Rob to get an update and let him know what was happening with Deon.

*****

Bella woke in the back of the ambulance, the heavy neck brace frightened her momentarily. Rob's face hovered above her, fresh tears staining his cheeks.

"Don't talk. Your neck is very bruised. We're taking you for an x-ray," the paramedic moved into her view.

Reaching up, she wiped a tear from Rob's cheek and smiled at him, showing that she was okay. The ride was quick, and the care she received in the private emergency room was rapid. After an x-ray and a scan of her throat, she was cleared with just bruising and assured she would be okay to whisper if it didn't hurt too much.

She had wedged her hand between the slim chain and her throat, so the damage was minimal. As soon as she had fainted the pressure had been released allowing her to breathe again, so all in all she had been quite lucky. It would take a while for the bruising and swelling to heal, but there was no need for her to remain at the hospital if she didn't want to be there.

Bella wrapped the fluffy white robe the hospital had given her around herself and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Let's go," she whispered.

"Just let me call Jack and then I will take you home," Rob said.

Thirty minutes later, Rob and Bella sat in the back of Samuel's car as he and Jack drove them home.

"Regardless of whether we press charges or not, I believe the boy has been given over to Mistress Elizabeth for some attitude adjustment," Jack related the story of what had happened in Stephen's office.

"Do unto others as they would do to you," Rob chuckled.

"Amen brother," Jack agreed, believing this was a far more fitting and beneficial punishment than pressing charges would be.

"Not a good way to start the new year, little one," Samuel said into his rear view mirror.

"I won't count this year as starting until the sun rises," Bella whispered hoarsely but smiled. Honestly, she had many bruises in the last few months, and she recovered quickly with the right care. In a day or two, this would all be a memory and never would she go to the club without a collar again, even if it was one of her own design.

Dianne was fast asleep in the spare room when Bella arrived home, but Dusty was awake and watching an old movie. After checking Bella over herself and kissing her, she left with Jack promising to take care of her when she visited the ranch.

Bella embraced Jack and Samuel tightly, with a whispered, "Thank you." She felt she should say more to the man who rescued her, but couldn't find the words as the pain medication they had given her at the hospital began to work. Stephen appeared in the doorway and, in two long strides, swept her into his arms holding her tightly.

"I can't stay, the last of the merry makers are making the most of it. I just needed to see you and know you were safe," his voice was deep and full of emotion. He kissed her gently and placed her back on her feet. Looking to Rob, he said, "Kurt took over for you downstairs. He said to let you know he would just crash here with Dianne tonight."

"Thanks for holding it all together, Stephen. It can't have been easy," Rob said, understanding his friend's concerns. "I'll look after the girls. Tell Jake to order us up a breakfast we can all eat together, once it's all over downstairs and the doors close for a well-earned break."

Stephen kissed Bella again and reluctantly left. Alone together, Rob helped Bella to shower quickly and towelled her off, so she didn't have to move her neck too much. He carried her into bed and, stripping down to his boxers, slid in beside her, cradling her in his arms.

"As I was saying earlier, life is never boring with you around, my little brat," he chuckled and kissed the top of her head. He held her while she fell asleep, feeling that his life would be empty without this little whirlwind in it.