Possessing Bella Ch. 24

Authors Note: Due to the timing of the completion of this series, this chapter has not, as yet, been through the careful hands of my wonderful proof-reader and friend AisieLynn. I will endeavour to replace it as she has time to work on it for me. I hope you will forgive my eagerness to bring you the conclusion to this long running series and bear with the few bumps in the writing. ~ellie.

Possessing Bella Ch. 24

Rob had gone up to check on Bella late on Sunday night and found her asleep on the couch in front of the television that was replaying the start sequence of an old movie over again. She woke as he turned off the television and he smiled.

"You had a good time I trust," he said coming to sit beside her and she snuggled into his side.

"Mmhmm," she murmured sleepily. "It was exciting and very umm, satisfying but I am still trying to work out exactly how I feel about the whole scene. It was different," she said thoughtfully becoming more awake as she thought about it. "Thank you, Master," she said remembering why she had been with Josie and Gian in the first place.

"How you feel about what exactly?" Rob repeated her words with a frown.

"I got the feeling she was more interested in what she had heard about me than she was in the real me," Bella said her thoughts rolling around the scene in her sleepy mind. "It wasn't what I expected, not that I knew what to expect but," she paused trying to frame her thoughts.

"Can you tell me about it?" Rob asked and after looking at him for a long moment told him about the scene, skimming over some parts and giving details in others. As she spoke, it became clearer in her mind that Josie was more interested in her reputation and the cache she would feel at having used the girl who was intimate with the most powerful of men in their elitist world.

"She wasn't cruel," Bella said quickly realising how she must sound. "She was perfectly lovely," she smiled using Josie's favoured word when describing her, "It was just, different. Like it was a test of what she had heard about me, at least in the beginning, maybe, in the end, it was more about showing me what she enjoyed."

"It's understandable," Rob mused. "Given all that has occurred in the last year if you tried to write it into a book it would seem incredulous to anyone who lives this lifestyle." He pulled her onto his lap. "I think even I have fallen into the misperception of the girl who can do everything." He wrapped his arms around her.

Bella chewed her lip and looked up at him. She felt a shift in his mood to one of regret and she felt guilty of having made him feel that way. She wasn't sure what to say, so she snuggled into his chest and listened to the strong heartbeat of the man who loved her and cared for her so well.

"It was unfair of me to disregard how much your business means to you. My expectations and needs could never be met by a girl with such a demanding career," Bella gasped and looked up at him. She opened her mouth to apologise, but he put a finger to her lips. "I love you, and that will never change, but we both need more in a relationship. We barely see each other for more than breakfast and dinner." He smiled sadly "You need a man who will is there when you wake with night terrors and will soothe you back to sleep."

"It's rare these days that I wake like that," Bella protested.

"The club is my life," Rob continued brushing aside her comment, "I work all night and sleep most days, I need a girl who can keep those hours and can be there with me, warm my bed and serve me when I need not when it is convenient for us both."

"Am I such a spoilt brat?" Bella asked tears forming in her eyes.

"Yes," Rob chuckled. "but I love you little brat, there is no other like you, and you bring me great joy, but if you are honest with yourself, you need more too. You need someone tall, dark and brooding, who will watch over you while giving you the freedom to be the corporate giant you are becoming. There is another man meeting that description that you once considered begging the collar of," he said meaningfully.

Bella knew what he was saying, but she felt so conflicted when it came to Stephen now. He confused her with his attention and statements that he still loved her while keeping a distance between them. She wasn't sure if she could commit to him yet. She worried about being caged and kept away from the people she loved. He had been adamant about not sharing her once she took his collar.

"I think after the opening Kurt, and I will free you to date whom you like," Rob watched her as she stared at him teary eyed taking in his words. "We will always be here for you. We are now and will always be your guardians regardless of the collar you may take. We are a family of sorts, and we know you have the skills necessary to choose your own path. There will be many like Josie, who wish to test your legend as the girl who survived," he warned. "Trust those close to you already, Stephen is a good man, and he loves you deeply despite his mood this last month."

"He would keep me caged," Bella said quietly. "I am not sure I could give up the few freedoms I have."

"I think you might be exaggerating that slightly," Rob chuckled. "Be honest with him and you will find things are not always as they seem."

Bella said nothing else as Rob picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. "Get ready for bed, I will trust you from now on to look after yourself properly. If I find you have lapsed in any routine we will have to start the process all over again," he kissed her forehead and smiled. "Sleep well little brat."

Bella went to bed feeling saddened by her conversation with Rob. She had learned so much and gained confidence in her choices and abilities under his and Kurt's guiding hands. She knew that without them she would probably be in one of Binatang's cages hoping for rescue. She knew he was right in what he said but she was disappointed that she didn't try harder to make him happy, there must have been something else she could have done to make it work. Her thoughts tangled in her mind making sleep elusive for her. Eventually, she got up and wrote in her journal.

*****

Dorothea walked into the Marcol Building and rode the elevator up intent on being there for Bella during this week when she was anxious about the opening. She wandered through the newly appointed offices of Bella's team enjoying the splashes of colour she had Natalie had implemented. This was division was definitely run by a woman, Dorothea grinned. A year ago she would have laughed if someone had told her that this bastion of Male dominance could have been infiltrated by a woman and a submissive woman at that.

She'd taken her medications and was feeling good, a few hours of light work would be good for her despite her doctor's orders to rest more. She smiled at Chelsea as she walked past her desk not stopping to interrupt the phone call that kept her from greeting the old woman.

"Dorothea!" Bella exclaimed delightedly looking up from her desk as she entered the office. "I'm so glad you're here today. We are going over to the store to see how the refit is coming along. Owen says the alarm system should be finished today, and we can start moving the display stock in."

"That sounds exciting," Dorothea moved forward to hug Bella, who had come out from behind her desk as she spoke. "I can't wait to see how it all looks, knowing Natalie it is perfection."

"She's just been fabulous," Bella said, "I don't know what I will do without her when the outlet is finished."

"So keep her on. You will need her expertise again for the next outlet," Dorothea said nonchalantly and took a seat in a bright floral chair.

"Gosh, do you think I could? What if it's not the success we all hope it will be?" Bella said considering what sort of a position could be created for Natalie. "My team is already much bigger than I expected and while Kurt hasn't said anything, I think he might if I kept Natalie on full time when a second outlet is still a dream."

The new team she had here at the company were wonderful. Owen had suggested strongly two young men from his former department who had good knowledge of the trade and were more than eager to take the up the opportunity to work in the new division. Getting in on the ground floor meant that they would be on the fast track to promotions as the division grew and they were working as hard as everyone else to make sure it was a success. She had also hired six girls to work in the outlet and in addition to Owen she had hired two other jewellers. It was a large staff for one outlet, but she hoped it wouldn't stop at just one.

"In that case, you could keep her on a retainer and lend her to me for a project I am working on at the moment," Dorothea said. "That could work out quite nicely. I'll talk to Kurt about it, leave that to me."

"Lucas and Boyd are here," Chelsea announced entering the open door of the office.

"Good, we'll be going then, tell Lucas and Boyd to meet us there," Bella said coming to her feet. "You'll come with us this time, just in case, there are any last-minute issues." Bella went to her desk and gathered her briefcase throwing in her tablet and a few documents.

When they got to the garage, Lincoln was waiting, and they made the journey to the store rapidly arriving before Lucas and Boyd, who had had to find parking. Dorothea was content to following at the rear of the team watching and taking in everything as they toured the new outlet that would open in just a few days. She was so proud of what Bella had achieved in such a short time. She often kidded herself that Bella was the daughter she had never been able to have but, in reality, Mel, Rob and Kurt were more like her pseudo sons and Bella the age of a granddaughter if she ever had one.

Dorothea watched Bella with glistening eyes as she went through the outlet inspecting every element with a fine tooth comb. Each of the team hung on Bella's every word, and she felt her failing heart swell with pride. She had come such a long way since those first days with Mel. Such a scared little rabbit she had been, running off every time the big bad wolf raised its head and howled at her.

Dorothea sat on one of the Roman stools and watched the team, Owen had stepped up in this new environment. The man who just cruised through life in the company going through the motions of the day to day work seemed to be bursting with creative energy. Bella's gift was listening to her team, she spoke little and chewed her lip thoughtfully as she took in everything everyone said to her and in some cases what they didn't say directly. She had realised that this man thrived on holding the pieces in his hands, working with the gems and precious metals and despite so many misgivings she had been right. The Bella of a year ago or even six months ago would never have stood her ground against Kurt and Rhys like to push through his promotion here and Dorothea was proud of the young woman she had become.

"Let's start stocking the displays," Bella said excitedly. "I have come up with a detailed map of the spaces and where I would like displayed in each one. The mainstream pieces along the street aspect and the fetish pieces along the club foyer side." Bella had initially been horrified when Rob had evicted more than just one small business from the premises to give her more space, but he had taken her to see the mall in which they had their stores, and she was pleased that they were happy with their new locations. It had allowed her to expand the small onsite workshop for immediate repairs and resizing as well as space out the counters. The large marble furnishings would have looked too bulky in a small space, and now that the renovations were complete she was thrilled with how it all looked and the impact it would have at the opening.

Dorothea smiled as Bella walked toward her trying to look brighter than she felt. "I have some special pieces upstairs that I would like displayed on opening night, and now that the alarm system is in place, I can bring them down," Bella said helping Dorothea to her feet. "Why don't you come for a walk with me and I can get your opinion before I bring them down."

The women walked from the store and rode the lift up talking about the big night coming up. Once they got into the apartment, Bella led Dorothea into the comfortable study and sat in an armchair to lift one of the small boxes on the small occasional table and open it running a finger lovingly over the collar it contained. Mel's collar.

"I don't want to create a shrine to him or anything," Bella began to explain as Dorothea also took a seat, but I want him to be part of it all even if only in a small way. There is a special display cabinet where I would like to house this," she turned to show Dorothea what she held, "and this." She touched the pendant of her guardians still hanging from the collar about her neck. "I will wear a golden apple on the night," she said and opened a second box turning it on the small table between them to show her the beautifully crafted golden apple.

"It's beautiful, but I would have thought that you would want the protection of your Masters," Dorothea said dubiously having heard about Binatang's attempted abduction at the ball.

"Those that matter know I have the protection of Rob and Kurt. Those that don't would not respect the collar regardless of my wearing it," Bella said not needing to explain that further to this woman. "Rob and Kurt are releasing me this weekend from that collar, so it's as good a time as any to choose one that suits my circumstances. This is meant to show that while I will be available that I am committed to my business. Not all Masters like their subs to have careers of their own," she said sadly.

"That is true for the majority I would think," Dorothea laughed lightly and began to cough.

"That's the other reason I wanted to talk to you before the weekend," Bella began and chewed her lip. "You're not well. You tire too easily, Sera hovers around you anxiously and well, the brooches last weekend," she paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "If something is wrong again I don't want to be the last to know like last time. I'm not the fragile little doll everyone thinks I am. I won't fall apart if... well if it is anything serious."

"The pacemaker isn't doing as well as predicted," Dorothea said without preamble. "My heart is failing, and I don't want any more surgery. I am an old woman, I have lived a full and wonderful life, I don't want the time I have left to be spent in hospital rooms when surgery could just as easily shorten my life as prolong it."

Bella's eyes welled with unshed tears, and she swallowed in a noisy gulp. "So Sera and Charles know this?" she asked in a small voice trying to hold back her sadness and despair at losing her truest friend and ally.

"Yes, as do Mike and Nyx," Dorothea said calmly. "They have been helping me put my affairs in order. I do not want you to lie for me but if you could hold off on telling your Master's please I would appreciate it. They would try and force their will on me and make me have the risky surgery." She shook her head. "I want to do this my way and my doctor says with enough rest and if I am careful I could have another year or two up my sleeve." She grinned trying to take the pain away from the news she was delivering.

"Will you let me help you too?" Bella said visibly pulling herself together and dashing an errant tear from her cheek.

"I would like that," Dorothea agreed, "but after the opening when things start to settle down a bit for you." Dorothea stood then and embraced Bella, "Speaking of which we should be down there making sure everything is perfect, and these pieces have pride of place."

*****

Stephen stood in the small corner created by the doorway and the first of the display cabinets. He watched the sea of people ebb and flow as those who did not get personal invitations tried to see what the fuss was about as they made their way to the club for dinner. He smiled as Bella came into view again. She glowed with a pale pink blush created by the constant compliments she received on various items and the store itself.

She looked stunning in the dress he had given her as she hurried between friends and acquaintances thanking everyone for coming to the opening of her first store. Rob appeared beside him leaning on the door frame.

"She is certainly a girl to be proud of," Rob said casually. "Look at the respect and admiration she commands, even from the hard-asses in the crowd," Rob chuckled. "The man who owns her collar when she is ready could not possibly hope to keep to her to himself, her legend grows daily and quite soon will eclipse even the great Dorothea Brown."

"James managed to keep her love and devotion despite that legend," Stephen added knowing well how devoted the men that James mentored were to his submissive wife.

"Therein lay their true strength. He could share her with those he trusted and know that he would retain her heart and devotion. He never showed or voiced his jealousy though no doubt it rose on occasion. How could it not when you have a love that great." Rob said looking directly at Stephen. "The dress was perfect for this opening. The gifts show how well you know her, and love her."

"I do," Stephen admitted watching as Bella opened a case to show one of glass pieces Pete had made for her. Her face took on a soft look as she handled it with care.

"Then my friend you need to come to terms with who she is, instead of who you want her to be. She won't willing submit to a caged existence. She may love a range of people on different levels, but she will be as devoted to any collar she chooses for herself as Dorothea ever was," Rob clapped him on the shoulder and moved into the crowd before Stephen could argue the point.

Over the last month, Rob had compromised a lot to accommodate Bella's life alongside his own. He believed that she knew as well as he did that their love for each other was not the stuff of legend. He needed his girl to mould to his life, not the other way around. He wanted someone who was available to him when he needed her not when she could fit him into her busy schedule. He did not begrudge Bella her career, in fact, he was proud of all she had accomplished, he though needed more than she could give him and still maintain the life she wanted.

They had spoken a great deal during the week, and he was confident that she understood now the benefits of a proper diet and exercise. He knew that she had a good understanding of what the various sectors of the lifestyle offered her and she had a keen insight into what she was asking of any Master from whom she might choose to beg a collar. Not many men even those that loved her would compromise as he had for her. She understood that he had found her dedication to the company and Kurt's demands difficult.

After tonight they would allow her to start dating if she wished, Rob hoped that Stephen would step up. He was working less at the club as his own business was taking off alongside the charity organisation he ran. Though he had not spoken about it often, through Bella he and Kurt had become aware of just what he had built for himself after Mel's death. Through the company, they had set up a trust for the charity to inject funds in Mel's names annually. With the charity receiving several anonymous donations, as shown in the previous year's annual report, Stephen had been able to put his funds and energies into his own business, and it was taking more of his time away from the club. Together he and Bella would be a formidable force in the business world as well as the lifestyle.

Rob approach Belinda, who wore the black cocktail dress with a golden apple over her heart that Bella had chosen for the shop employees. He had been enjoying her company on occasion since the time she had stayed with him during the days when Lewis Arfor targeted the club and its employees. While she worked in the club, she chose tasks where she didn't have to be on display and available to the members. Rob was pleased when Bella gave her the job here in the store, keeping her close enough to be available to him. She did not like the intense pain in the submission that Bella did, but she did have the patience and appreciation for Nawashi, which pleased Rob.