Page 114 of Liberating Bells
"Are you ready?" he asks me gently.
I nod and try to give him a reassuring smile. "Let's get this over with."
He smiles wryly and offers his hand to me. "Couldn't agree with you more."
I tangle my fingers with his and let him lead me up the white concrete stairs to the big wooden courthouse doors. When I hesitate before we go inside, Ryan turns to me, his eyes flaring in concern.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." I brush him off and take a deep breath. “Let’s go.”
The minute we walk in the courtroom and take our seats next to our attorney, time seems to go at double speed. The judge comes up to the stand, and the jurors take their place. The judge accepts the verdict and begins to read it.
With each charge brought forward, only one word stands out from the buzzing I’m experiencing all around me.
Guilty.
And with each verdict, I seem to regain a piece of myself.
Fuck. Him.
This is my closure. After today, I don't ever have to see him again. I've said what I needed to say, and he proved to me that he is every bit the horrible man I believed him to be. The ball of worry in my belly eases slightly as I realize that it’s over. He will never rule any part of my life anymore. I have a bright future ahead of me, full of love and family. Mark Snyder has absolutely no place in that.
After today, I'm done with him. I'm done being scared. I'm done holding on to our past. Mark will serve his time in prison, and this part of my life will officially be a closed book. I'm not wasting any more energy on this poor excuse of a man.
I don’t even realize when it’s over. I’m being dragged into a standing position and strong, familiar arms are wrapping me up tight.
“Bells,” Ryan breathes into my neck as he hugs me close. “It’s over. We won. We’re safe.”
When I don’t respond right away, Ryan pulls back, staring at me in concern. "Are you okay?" I really wish that question would stop popping up today.
"No," I exhale. "I need to leave. Am I done? Can we go?"
It must be something that he sees on my face because Ryan’s expression sombers and he nods quickly. With a hand on my lower back, he shuffles me out of the courtroom. I don’t look up at Mark as we pass him, or even his family sitting in their seats.
Ryan, thankfully, doesn’t say anything else until we’re in the car. He looks over at me from the driver’s side with an eyebrow raised. “What’s going on, Bells?”
I lean my head against the headrest of the seat and take a big breath in through my nose and out through my mouth. “I’m done. I don’t want to give Mark any more of my energy than I have to. We got the verdict we wanted, so can we please go home and move on from this?”
A wide grin takes over Ryan’s face, and he nods, putting the car into reverse to pull out of his parking spot. “Absolutely. I love the sound of that.”
I reach across the console and take his hand again, giving it a squeeze. As Ryan drives farther and farther away from the courthouse, I feel the tension start to leave from my body. There will still be lots to work through in the aftermath of this for me, I’m aware of that. But for today, I’m just happy to be free.
I never have to worry about him again. All that matters now is the man sitting next to me and our life that we get to build. Together.
42
RYAN
“Gosh, she’s beautiful,”Josie whispers beside me. Though I agree with her, I don’t turn to acknowledge her remark. My gaze is glued on Izabel, gliding down the aisle with her dad by her side.
My throat feels thick as I watch her take each confident step. She is beautiful, more beautiful than I could have ever dreamed. Her blue eyes are fixed on me, too, a soft smile playing on her lips. Even though I had the chance to see her in her wedding gown earlier, I still feel my eyes burning as I watch her walk down toward me as my bride. The significance of this day rests heavily on my heart, but I don’t feel nervous or worried. Instead, I feel like I’m buzzing with anticipation. This is an event I’ve been waiting my whole life for. When Izabel will finally become my wife.
When she gets close enough, I take a few steps toward her and her father. Izabel’s father, Vince, looks at me, extending his hand. I take it and give him a firm shake, and he grins at me. Then he turns to his daughter, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her cheek before going to sit by his wife.
Izabel places her hand in mine and lets me lead her to the front of the altar. I can’t help but give her a hard time as wefinally stop right in front of the officiant. “You better not run this time ’cause I’m faster than you. I’ll catch you.”
She chuckles under her breath and rolls her eyes. “Trust me, Ryan. I’ll be runningtoyou, notawayfrom you. And I have no intention of changing that.”
