Page 67 of Liberating Bells
Switching to a gentler tone, I plead, “Don’t push me away anymore. Let me help you.”
She pauses and covers her eyes with her hands, taking a few deep breaths. “I don’t know what to do. Everything is falling apart.”
I don’t know what to say to her. The defensiveness fades into vulnerability as she stands there, focusing on her breathing. All I can do isshowher that I’m here for her and that everything will be okay.
I cautiously take a few steps toward her, my hands coming to rest on her shoulders just like before. She exhales, leaning into my touch. I turn her around to face me, taking in her appearance. Her face is void of any makeup after our shower, making the bruising on her neck painfully obvious. Even with the bruised neck and the red-ringed eyes, she’s beautiful to me.
Leaning down, I press my lips against hers. Izabel responds immediately, standing on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around my neck. I reach down, picking her up by her thighs, and she jumps and wraps her legs around me on instinct. Without breaking our kiss, I shuffle over to the bed. Dropping Izabel back on the mattress, I crawl on top of her.
My t-shirt comes off a few minutes later, the towel wrapped around my waist following suit. I kiss down her chest before moving back up to her neck. Izabel stills as I gently press my lips against the bruise. Once. Twice. Then I move to her breasts, then down to the apex of her thighs. I kiss and lick her until she’s a moaning mess on the sheets. Climbing up her body, I position myself at her entrance.
Before I push inside of her, I look up at her face. Her eyes lock with mine and everything around us stills. It’s so quiet I can hear my heartbeat in my ears and the gentle rhythm of her breaths. I find myself falling deep into those blue eyes. My chest aches as we stand on the precipice of this moment together. I wonder if she feels how I’m feeling right now. If her heart is yearning for more.
Still holding her gaze with mine, I thrust inside her, groaning at her silkiness around me.Fuck,I could stay here all day.
I start to grind against her, never breaking eye contact. Izabel’s hands fist in my hair, gripping through her pleasure. I bring us both to completion, spilling myself into her and stilling. Once I catch my breath, I pull out, falling onto my side as I gather her close to me.
We lie there together for a while. The only sound in the room is the echo of our breathing and the air conditioner. I shift a little bit on my back, moving Izabel so she’s settled on my chest.
“Focus on the moment, not the monsters that may or may not be up ahead,” I quote. She looks up at me, and I meet her confused gaze.
“What’s that from?”
“That book you gave me,” I tell her. “′The Obstacle is the Way.”
Izabel giggles, the sound vibrating against the skin of my chest. “Well, I’m glad to hear you’re learning something.”
I tickle her waist, making her squirm. “I’m a lot smarter than I look, you know.” I laugh under my breath. “Focus on the moment, Bells.”
She leans up with a smile, the tears from earlier forgotten as she presses her lips to mine. All I can think about is how happy I am right now. I want all of these moments: the heartaches, the hurt, the giggles, the love. I want them with her. I let her get lost in the kissing for a few minutes before pulling away.
The words are on the tip of my tongue, and before I can consider the possible repercussions, I blurt out, “Leave him.”
Izabel pulls away from me with wide eyes. “What?”
“Leave him. Be with me again. Bells, you were meant for me, and I’m meant for you.”
Her head is shaking even before I finish my sentence. She crawls out of the bed until she’s standing in front of me. Herarms wrap around her middle as if she’s trying to hold herself together. One hand raises up to her cheek, then falls to the base of her neck, absentmindedly covering her bruise. I follow her lead and stand up as well, taking a step toward her. Both of us are still without a stitch of clothing on, but if anything, that just makes the moment more intimate, more significant.
“I can’t, Ryan.”
“Why not?” My question comes out a little harsher than I intend, but I hate that she feels like she’s trapped when she’s not. I could help her, if only she’d let me.
“I just can’t,” she mumbles.
“Please, Bells. I’m begging you. Leave him,” I say, softer this time. I take a step toward her, but she quickly backs away, as if she’s frightened of my approach.
“Ican’t!”
“Why?” I plead with her. I feel helpless, and that feeling has panic starting to rise in my chest.
“Because I’m scared!” she shouts. The expression on her face shows me she’s just as surprised by the admission as I am.
I let her words settle in the room around us. Izabel’s eyes are wide, and her chest heaves with labored breaths. I step closer, my arms extended, but she steps away from me, out of my grasp. My arms drop to my sides, but I don’t avert my gaze.
“Bells,” I say softly, coaxing. “Let me help you.”
Maybe it’s the softness of my tone, or the way I’m looking at her, but without any warning, she breaks in front of me. Her knees buckle, and she falls to the floor. Her arms wrap around her middle as if she’s trying to hold herself together as she sobs.
