Page 34 of Liberating Bells
“Ow, Mark. You’re hurting me.”
He grips harder and glares at me, and my stomach tightens with anxiety. “I just want what’s best for you, Izabel. I want youto be happy. I want to be everything you need—the only one you need. You must understand that, right?”
“Yes, I do. Please, let go. That hurts.”
Instead of listening to my pleas, his fingers stay gripped in my hair, and his free hand travels down to my hip, where he holds me tightly, digging into my sensitive skin. I grit my teeth in discomfort. The fear and panic steadily increase by the second. My ears ring as Mark pulls me into him until his chest presses against mine, stepping forward until my back is flush against the wall.
“I love you so much, Izabel. You don’t even know what you do to me.”
I struggle against him as he kisses me again, trying to get loose. He’s too close. “Mark, back up. Get off. Please,” I say, my voice shaking. He groans into my neck but still presses closer to me. I continue to struggle. Panic gives way to full-blown terror, and my body trembles uncontrollably.
Then he’s gone, ripped from my body. I feel the roots of my hair being split from my head as his fingers are torn away. Mark shouts as his tight grip catapults me sideways into the corner as he releases me. The muscle of my shoulder strikes against the angle of the wall, my arm going numb with the collision. I stumble over my heels and fall to the ground. My arms reach out to catch myself, and another sharp pain shoots through my shoulder joint.
I groan from my position on the floor, my hand reaching out to hold on to my aching shoulder. “Izabel!” I hear my name being shouted as Juliet and Josie run to my aid. They both crouch down beside me. “Izabel, are you okay?” Juliet runs her hand over my shoulder and my arm. I shy away from her touch, afraid she’s going to hurt me. I can’t hold back my tears, a mixture of physical and emotional pain from the hurtful words Mark threw at me taking over.
“What happened?” Josie asks gently, but I can’t answer her. My eyes are trained on Ryan. He’s shouting at Mark, who is yelling right back at him. Mark shoves Ryan’s shoulders, and Ryan stumbles but rears back with his fist flying through the air. It connects with Mark’s face with a sickening sound.
“RYAN!” Liam shouts as he runs toward his friend. Todd trails close behind him, grabbing hold of Ryan and keeping him from lunging again. Ryan struggles against his grip as Liam pushes against Mark’s shoulders. “Take a walk, Mark.”
“But he?—”
“Take a walk!”
Ryan stands there for another moment, watching as Liam directs Mark away from us. As soon as Mark’s back is turned, he spins and comes back in my direction. He falls to his knees next to Juliet and begins fawning over me.
“What’s wrong with her?” he asks. “Why is she crying?”
Juliet responds for me. “Nothing’s wrong, she’s conscious. I think she’s just shaken up.”
“I hurt my shoulder,” I tell him. His forest green eyes survey me, landing on my hand that’s holding my shoulder. His face darkens.
“Come here, Bells. I’m taking you home.”
I feel myself being hoisted up into a pair of familiar arms. Ryan is careful not to jostle me too much, leaving my injured left shoulder turned away from his chest. I instinctively wrap my free arm around his neck. Burying my face there, I breathe in his cologne—a mixture of cedar and spice. I smelled it when we were dancing together. I grip him closer, and his hold tightens on me as well. The realization that I feel safe in his arms creates another wave of tears that blurs my vision and streak down my cheeks.
“You probably shouldn’t take her home,” Juliet suggests hesitantly. She hands me my clutch purse that holds my phoneand all my other necessities. I grab it weakly with my free hand and tuck it against my stomach. “Mark knows where her apartment is, and that will be the first place he goes.”
“Can you take me to your house?” I ask him against his neck. He stiffens and holds me tighter, if that’s even possible. My head is throbbing from Mark’s grip in my hair, wrist aching, and I feel like I could completely be taken over by sobbing any second.
“He knows where I live, too,” Ryan mutters, clearly unhappy about the fact. “I know where I can take you.” I feel him lean over and press his lips to my forehead.
“Ryan, wait!” another female voice says. I peek an eye open to see Josie storming up to Ryan and grabbing his chin, forcing his eyes on hers. She has a fierce expression on her face, a woman on a mission. “Look at me.”
She stares at him for a moment, searching his eyes. When she finds what she’s looking for, she nods and motions to the door. “Okay. Go. I’ll get a ride home with Todd.”
Ryan stands there for another minute before I feel him start to move. I sway with his gait, but he holds me as if I weigh nothing. He doesn’t say anything to me. I stay quiet as well, just breathing in his scent. My body is trembling with aftershocks from the whole event.
I keep my eyes closed as he sets me in the front seat of his car and buckles the seat belt around me. My forehead leans against the window, and I feel my body relaxing in the coolness. Ryan settles in his seat and starts up the car. Before he pulls out, though, he turns to me, eyebrows pulled together.
“Give me your phone.”
I don’t ask questions as I unzip my handbag and unlock my phone, handing it over. Ryan flips through my screens, looking for a specific app. Tapping the screen a few times, he gives it back.
“Should I even ask?” I murmur.
“I disabled your location settings for a little bit. Just a precaution.” I nod and look out the window, feeling vulnerable. That must have been how Mark knew I was with Ryan the last time. I had never even considered him tracking my phone, but it makes sense that he would do something like that. Ryan shifts the car into drive and works on putting some distance between us and the gala.
After I’ve fully caught my breath again, I open my eyes and am pleased to find everything back in place, no blurriness. I glance over at Ryan, his hands tight on the steering wheel. So tight his knuckles are white, except for the fist that he punched Mark with. Those knuckles are busted open and look red and angry. He clenches his jaw so hard I can see his muscles straining against the tension. His focus is on the road; irritation etched over his expression.
