Chapter 87 Between Love and Guilt
DAVID
I heard Bella’s voice, desperate and raw, echoing through the silence of the hallway. “Help me! Somebody, help me!” Her cry sliced through the air, twisting my insides. My heart pounded as I spotted Lizzy ahead, her body tense with fear as she tried to flee.
“Seize her!” I roared, my voice unwavering as two of my guards rushed after her.
I stormed down the hallway, the weight of the situation crashing over me with every step. When I broke down the door, the scene before me froze me in place. My Bella, half-naked, trembling, her skin bruised from struggling, her eyes wide with terror. And there was Michael his hands on her, his vile intentions clear.
The anger surged through me, burning hotter than anything I had ever felt. "How dare you?" I shouted, my voice thick with fury. I lunged forward and struck him, my fist connecting with his jaw. He staggered, falling to the floor in a heap.
I grabbed him by the collar, my knuckles white with the force of my grip. "How dare you touch my woman?" I snarled, my voice a low growl as I landed another brutal blow. Blood spurted from his lips, staining his shirt as he let out a strangled groan.
My guards rushed in, pulling him away, and I could hear them dragging him down the hallway. The sound of his struggles echoed in my ears, but my focus was solely on Bella.
She was crying. Her body shook, the tears falling freely, her chest heaving as she clutched at herself for comfort. My heart broke for her, my anger now replaced with an overwhelming sense of guilt and helplessness.
I crossed the room to her, my hands shaking as I reached for her. I pulled her into my arms, cradling her fragile form against my chest. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I’m so sorry I caused this," I murmured, my voice hoarse, as her sobs soaked through my shirt.
She clung to me, her fingers digging into my back, as though trying to hold onto me for dear life. "I’ll make them pay for this. I swear I will," I vowed, my voice filled with a promise I would never break.
But Bella wasn’t listening. She was lost in her own world of pain and confusion. And then, unexpectedly, she kissed me. Her lips pressed against mine with such intensity, such need, it caught me off guard.
“Don’t say anything,” she whispered between desperate kisses, pulling me toward the bed. "I want you now."
A rush of heat shot through me. I could barely think, my body responding to hers instinctively. But a part of me the rational part couldn’t ignore what I had seen earlier. The gardener had handed her a drink. She was drugged. I knew it.
I pulled back for a moment, my forehead resting against hers as I tried to steady my racing heart. "Bella... you’re not yourself. You’ve been drugged."
But she wasn’t listening. Her breath hitched as she tore at my shirt, the fabric coming apart in her eager hands. “I want you,” she cried out, her voice thick with need. “Please, David, I’m burning up. I want you so much.”
Her words, raw and frantic, echoed in my mind. I couldn’t deny the pull between us, the way her body called to mine, but I couldn’t allow her to make this decision under the haze of whatever had been slipped into her drink.
“Bella, stop,” I whispered, my voice firm, but she wasn’t hearing me. Her hands were everywhere, pulling at my clothes, desperate. She looked up at me, her eyes clouded with something darker than desire, but it didn’t matter.
She kissed me again, her lips soft and demanding, and something in me broke. I could tell it wasn’t her talking, but her touch, the way she clung to me, made it impossible to resist.
Her breath came out in quick, shallow bursts as I gently laid her down on the bed. I couldn’t bear the thought of forcing her into anything she didn’t want, but I couldn’t stop her either. Her fingers tugged at my hair, pulling me closer, her lips finding mine again in a kiss that spoke of hunger and need.
I kissed her deeply, savoring every moment, every movement of her body against mine. Her gown fell to the floor, discarded in a heap. The feel of her soft skin under my hands sent a jolt of heat through me, but I pulled away for a second to gaze down at her, to make sure she was still aware, still with me.
"Bella," I murmured her name, my voice trembling. “Are you sure?”
She didn’t answer with words. Instead, she reached up, her hands tracing the muscles in my chest before gripping me tightly, pulling me closer.
"I want you," she gasped, her voice low but intense, the drug-induced haze making her want me in a way that didn’t feel right. But I couldn’t stop.
Her body moved under mine, urging me on, and I couldn’t resist. My fingers moved to her panties, tearing them away as she moaned, soft and breathless. I spread her legs, teasing her as she arched into me, gasping for more.
“Do you want me?” I asked, my voice rough, trying to hold onto some semblance of control.
“Yes,” she gasped, her legs trembling as she spread wider for me. “I need you, David. Now.”
I pushed inside her, my heart hammering in my chest as I felt the warmth of her body envelop me. Her hands gripped my back, her nails digging into my skin as she urged me on, the sound of her cries mingling with the pounding of my pulse.
“Faster, David. Faster!” she cried, her voice filled with passion, and I obeyed, my body moving faster, harder, each thrust building the heat between us.
I could feel her reaching the edge, her fingers digging deeper into my skin, her breath ragged and desperate. She opened her mouth, a scream escaping her lips as we both hit the peak of our pleasure, the world spinning around us.
And then, as the rush of ecstasy began to fade, I pulled back, my chest heaving with exhaustion and relief. Bella lay beneath me, her body still trembling, and I couldn’t help but gaze down at her with a mix of love and guilt.
I love you, Bella, I thought, even though I knew she might not be fully aware of it. I always will.