Page 8 of Saved By the Game

They made it safely inside his hotel room and Bella sighed deeply. Adonis shook his head. “I can’t wait until I get you back home with me so you can relax.” He said as he looked at her. “Me too.” She replied. He pulled her closer to him in excitement. “Let’s gooo! He screamed. “So, you’re saying you’ll go back home with me?” He paused and stood awaiting her response as her gaze was fixed between his legs. “I mean yes, I want to go back home with you, Game. I can’t resist your requests anymore.” He kissed her, and a wide grin spread on his face like a kid in a candy store.

Bella bit down on her smile and broke away from his strong hold and headed to the bathroom. Once entering the bathroom, she saw that they were out of towels. Despite the fear twisting in her stomach, she quietly slipped out of the room to get towels herself, too anxious to call the concierge and risk drawing any attention. She saw that Adonis was busy looking at an Olympic basketball game on TV. So, he was distracted and didn’t see her leaving the room. As she went out of the room, she noticed the bodyguard was not at his post in front of their door. Her phone in hand, she took off quickly to the front desk. A hotel maid was saying something to her in Spanish as she walked away. Bella didn’t understand what the maid was saying so she kept moving and ignored her. Suddenly everything was dark, and she couldn’t breathe.

4

Brian Porter

Brian’s coach benched him the day Bella left him; he was forced to sit out and miss the final series of the Olympic Games. He refused to watch from the sidelines as his dream slipped away. Instead, he went on the prowl in search of Kybella. “Yeah, you thought you could get away from me. I got you now and you’re not leaving my side again. I’ve been waiting to catch you slipping.” He angled his hoodie low over his face and subtly tilted the hallway camera upward with a gloved hand, obstructing its view to slip past unnoticed. Brian covered her mouth with his hand tightly. She couldn’t breathe. If she tried to scream it would end badly for her. She had been through a comparable situation with him before. Brian held her aggressively in his arms while her body trembled uncontrollably. He threw her into his hotel room and tied her with ropes to a chair. Once she was tied up in the chair, he put utility tape over her mouth so she couldn’t scream. “You better not scream or try to get out of the chair. I got your pretty ass exactly where I want you.” He proudly voiced as he kissed her forehead and held her throat tightly.

Brian towered over her as she sat securely tied down to the chair. He’d always had his way in life, but things hadn’t been going well for him on the court. The Pelicans recentlysuspended him without pay after the last game for charging the game official. He was ready to hurt anybody that made the wrong move. The official made a bad call to him, and he didn’t like it. His shots failed to find the basket throughout the entire game. It was so bad that he only scored fifteen points during the entire game. Which wasn’t normal for him because Brian usually scored thirty points a game. If she stayed and didn’t walk away, he could let his frustration spill onto her. But instead he went off on the official and was benched. After the game he was caught with a pistol in the club, but with no one around to leak the story, it never reached the NBA. The police arrested him, and he got bailed out of jail that evening. While in jail he was beating the walls anticipating getting his girl back.

Brian took a swig of his beer and pointed the gun at Bella. “This is all your fault. If you hadn’t left me then I wouldn’t have charged that official. I wouldn’t have gotten caught with my gun. You leaving me ignited a storm within me. If you had stayed with me then my anger would have found a destructive outlet. ” He screamed at Bella, and she tried to ease out the ropes. “Be still now. I won’t let you leave me again-not this time.” She motioned to have the tape taken off her mouth. He yanked the tape off to hear what she wanted to say.

“I’ve met someone, and it feels like love at first sight. I truly believe he will love me the way I’ve always deserved. I know that he’ll find me at any second. Just let me go, Brian. Please.” He reached his arm out and slapped her across the face, making her cry out instantly.

“I thought about what you said to me.” He paced the room deep in thought while motioning his gun at her.“My mom tried leaving my dad one time when I was only nine years old. Although she came back home. You treat me just like her. Youdon’t appreciate my love. Just like my mother didn’t appreciate my dad. Yes, he used to hit her, but she didn’t have to leave that night. ” He banged his head repeatedly with his gun. “My dad was a faithful man. He was just an alcoholic. Which is why I’m refusing to settle with just one woman. I want as many beautiful women as I can handle and you as my wife.”

“I’m done with you. Just like your mama!” She screamed. If you don’t let me go, you’ll end up being reunited with your dad in jail. Isn’t that where he’s been for the last ten years? Like father, like son. That man been in and out of jail your whole life. It’s a shame your dad is fifty-six years old serving time for aggravated assault. I’ll pray for both of y’all.”

“Maybe, I’m not the man for you. You deserve a fairytale type of love with someone that’ll give all his time to you. Ugh!” Brian screamed out loudly. “Why can’t I get anything right? I mess up everything in my life. I messed up my career and now I’ve lost my girl to another man.”

“Just let me go, Brian. I promise I won’t press charges against you. Just promise me that you’ll get the help you need. If anyone asks what happened tonight, I’ll tell them we had one last conversation for closure.” Bella pleaded and was immediately touched by the Holy Spirit.Be still. I’ll heal him and I’ll save you, my child. Bella had a look of confusion. She was convinced that Jesus was there with her as his presence was felt in the moment. That’s why she stood firm, unshaken-because she knew the Lord was with her, and no harm could prevail against his protection.

“Do you still love me baby? Please tell me you love me, and I’ll let you go.” He pulled Bella by her neck and put his gun under her chin. Tears began to flow from her eyes. Tied to the chair, her body trembling with fear, she pleaded with him to stop, hervoice breaking as she begged, “Please, stop-please, I can’t take it anymore! Just let me go! “Just stop, please,” she whispered. “I know you don’t want us to break up, but I can’t be your punching bag anymore.” Brian heard a lot of commotion at the door. “Did you hear that noise?” He asked while peering out the peephole.

Moments later the police burst through the door. “Put your gun down and get down on the ground now!” The officer yelled. There were over ten police officers storming in. Guns were pointed at Brian from every direction. He put his gun down on the ground as demanded. It was over for Brian. His pulse was racing. An officer put handcuffs on his wrists tightly. Visible sweat was seen streaming from Brian’s forehead.

“These are too tight! Let me go!” He yelled at the officer.

“The handcuffs need to stay on until we complete the process.”“ Let’s see how tough you are once you get into our car.” The officer chuckled.

“Whatever man, I ain’t scared of y’all boys.” The officer picked him up off the ground. They pushed him around as they walked out of the hotel room. As he walked out in handcuffs, Brian saw the basketball player Game. The air was tense, heavy with the weight of what happened. Game looked across at Brian and sucked his teeth. He assumed Game wanted him to feel threatened by him. “I’ll get out soon and see him again.” Brian mumbled.He better not be with my girl when I get out. If I catch him with my girl, I’ll go back to jail for killing him.

Brian didn’t play with anyone when it came to his girlfriend Bella. He’d invested too much time and money in her. They’d spent three years together. He believed that they were locked in for life.She’ll come to her senses and get me out of jail. Then we’ll go back home and live happily together. One thing he didn’t think about was how going to jail in Paris, France wouldaffect him. The police called him every name but a child of God in the squad car and beat him severely. Although Brian was dark and handsome, his face was filled with blue bruises. He couldn’t feel a bone in his nose. It felt broken as blood gushed from his nostrils. Brian couldn’t do anything but take the beating from the officers or it would get worse.

∞∞∞

An hour later a guard unlocked his cell and threw him in. “Ugh,” he screamed from the pain of the hour long beating he received from the police. He didn’t notice the bed near him. He couldn’t feel a bone in his nose, but he could catch the heavy smells of urine, sweat, and vomit in the air. He didn’t remember the booking process or even being placed in the holding cell-those details blurred into nothingness, wiped clean by the haze of pain and confusion after the police beating. All that remained was the ache in his body and the distant echo of voices he couldn’t place. After sitting on one of the beds and looking around he noticed he was not alone in the cell. His cellmate stepped up to him. “Hey man, do you need me to help you up to your bunk bed? You seem disoriented.” Silence lingered. “I see the cat got your tongue. He bellowed up in his deep voice. “I’ll go ahead and help you up brother.” After struggling to help Brian up the mission was accomplished. Brian stretched his long legs out with a sigh. “Yo, my name is Bourbon. I’ll be your cellmate while you’re here. I received an automatic death sentence after being found guilty of the murder of a police officer. I’m 55 now and I’ll probably end up dying in prison . What are you in here for man?” He asked with a Parisian accent.

Brian looked at Bourbon upside his head. Dressed in a faded orange jumpsuit that hung loose on his frame, muscles tight beneath the fabric. He looked like he was an original gangster. deep brown skin marked by faint scars and the wear of time behind bars. He had, a bald head, appearing to be two hundred pounds, and about six feet tall. It took Brian a few minutes to open his mouth because of the cuts on his lips. “Man, they got me in here on kidnapping and assault. I was only trying to get my girl back. I might have roughed her up a little, but she shouldn’t have left me. She had the nerve to already be messing with another man. I want him killed. If I can’t have her then no one can.”

“So, let me get this right. You’re in here for kidnapping your girlfriend in Paris and she was already with another man. Now you’re in jail and you want the man killed?” Bourbon chuckled.

“Young blood, they should be the least of your worries. Since you’re worried about them, I can help you put a hit out on her new man. I can have him killed smoothly by one of my gang members, but it’ll cost you. Our gang hitters charge about a hundred thousand Euros for the job. The hit is guaranteed untraceable to you. I’ll need her boyfriend’s name and location. Then once we get the money for the job, we can get it done.”

Brian couldn’t believe it was so easy to have someone killed. Money was never a problem for him. He didn’t know how to do a wire transfer from jail. If Game is killed, then he’ll be out the way for Bella to come home. His hope was to get out of jail soon and have Bella at home waiting for him.

“You have a deal.” Brian mumbled. The guy’s name is Adonis Ferguson aka Game. He’s staying at the Ritz Carlton hotel so he can attend the game. He is a Dallas Mavericks playerand I’m sure he’ll leave soon. This hit should be done as soon as possible.”

Bourbon nodded his head. “The stakes are higher since he’s a celebrity. My hit man can get the job done anywhere. We have a confidential source that will start following him. We don’t give refunds for hits if you decide you don’t want to go through with it. Once the hit is set-up, the plan will be put in motion. I’ll let you think about it overnight. Tomorrow I’ll need the money for the job. Go ahead and get your sleep, young blood.” Bourbon stood up tall, tapped his leg, and chuckled.

Brian tossed and turned throughout the night. He couldn’t get any sleep for many reasons. The bunk bed was too little and hard to sleep on. It was much different than his soft, luxurious, king size bed he was accustomed to sleeping on. He was having constant thoughts about his decision. One part of his mind was telling him to have Adonis murdered without a doubt. The other part of his mind was saying let the man live peacefully. He fought both thoughts because it was like voices in his head talking to him. The voices were beginning to take over. “Ugh, okay I’llll do it!” Brian stepped down to Bourbon’s bunk. He shook him to wake him. It didn’t take long to get his attention because Bourbon slept with one eye open.

“What up, young blood? Are you good?” His eyes darted toward Brian.

“Tell me what I need to do to put the hit in motion.”

Bourbon rubbed his hands together. “Let’s talk business. I need you to have someone send me a total of twenty thousand dollars in two separate bank transfers to my canteen. You’ll need my full name to do it. My full name is Bourbon Jones. I’ll contact my hitter as soon as the money is dropped into my canteen. I hope it’s not too much for you to handle.” He chuckled.

---