Page 9 of High Stakes

Bella

Carl storms across the room and pins me to the wall, I don’t even have time to register what’s happening before he slaps me hard across the face. Tears rush to my eyes as my vision blurs. He holds his phone next to my face. “Whatthe fuck is this?” I side glance, seeing it’s the picture that Aiden took. His hand goes to my throat, clamping around it tightly, almost cutting off my airway.

“Carl.” It’s barely there as he squeezes harder, pure determination on his face.

“Six months, Bella, and you give it to this bastard.” He shoves me to the floor and lands a punch to my stomach, making me double over.

“I didn’t,” I cry, rubbing my neck. My throat is sore, and my brain is having trouble keeping up with what’s happening. “I didn’t. I was drunk and slept there, that’s all.”

“Prove it,” he sneers. I frown, and as he crouches down and takes a hold of my skirt, pushing it up, I realise what he’s implying.

I try to scramble away, kicking out, but he’s too quick. “Don’t do this Carl, please don’t do this.”

His fingers grip my knickers, “You know he’s a player right? A fuck em and chuck em kind of guy. Did you fancy a bit of rough, Bella? Cos trust me, I can play rough too.” He laughs to himself, and I notice his dark eyes look even darker as he tugs my knickers down my thighs. I kick out, flailing around to make it difficult for him, but he hits me full force in the face and I still, gasping in shock. A warmthtrickles from my nose, and I touch the blood and stare at my fingers in bewilderment.How can this be happening?

There’s a loud bang, distracting Carl, but before he can get off me, he’s pulled back. I stare open mouthed as JP punches Carl hard in the face. He falls back and JP stands over him, hitting him repeatedly in the face. Coming to my senses, I pull my underwear up and scramble towards the pair. “Stop,” I cry, grabbing JP’s arm midair. He pauses to look back at me and I note Carl’s bloodied face. “He’s a copper,” I remind him.

JP shoves Carl away and stands, holding out a hand for me to take, which I do, and he tugs me to my feet. “Get your stuff,” he orders. I grab the bag I hadn’t yet unpacked, and he takes me by the hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

CHAPTER FIVE

Aiden

I allow my head to fall back as my hands glide down the woman’s thighs. The perks of owning clubs, is I can pick up random women whenever I want to. I gently squeeze them as she rubs her backside against me. My cock strains in my trousers, desperate for some action but as I close my eyes, it’s Isabella I see. Her smile. Her plump lips.Fuck.I can’t get her out my head. I slide my hands around the woman’s front, cupping her breasts. She moans, low and sexy in the back of her throat and grinds harder. She leans back so her body is perfectly against mine.Her back to my front. She tips her neck slightly and I nip the skin there whilst rolling her nipples between my thumb and finger. It’s sending her wild as she reaches between us and rubs my cock through my trousers.

JP barges in looking pissed. His eyes land on me and he groans, “We have company,” he hisses.

I grin, wondering why he’s not rushing over here to join us. “Good, let’s get this party started.”

“Not the right time,” he mutters, stepping to one side to reveal Bella. Her head is lowered and she’s wearing what I think is JP’s hoody. It buries her and I’m momentarily jealous. I don’t like seeing her in another man’s clothes but before I can analyse that too much, she slowly raises her head. I see blood and dive from the couch, practically shoving the woman from me. “What the hell happened?” I reach for her, the urge to cup her face and examine every bruised inch of it, but she steps back from me and moves closer to JP.

“Carl saw your photo,” she says, her voice laced with hurt. “Thanks for that.”

The reality of what I’ve done hits me hard and I wince. It was obvious he’d see it; I have lots of police on my socials, they like to keep tabs on me, and I entertain it because I’m not stupid enough to alert them to anything I’m doing that breaks the law. “Bella, I am so sorry,” I sayas sincerely as I can muster. “I didn’t think he’d do this.” The woman is getting dressed and I glance back before turning to JP. “Can you show her out, I’ll take care of Bella.”

I hold out my hand for her to take and she stares at it for a few seconds before eventually slipping hers into it and allowing me to lead her through to the kitchen.

I get the first aid box from the cupboard and tap the worktop, indicating for her to sit on it. She pulls herself up and I lay the box next to her, opening it. I rip open a couple of antiseptic wipes and then step between her legs. As I raise it to her face, she leans back slightly, “I can do it,” she mutters.

I give my head a shake and begin to wipe the small cut on the bridge of her nose. “This is my fault, let me clean it up.”

Bella

I sit quietly while Aiden cleans my cut and then he passes me an ice pack which I hold to my throbbing cheek. My mind has turned from thinking about what Carl’s just done to me, to how Aiden had his hands all over some woman when we arrived. I didn’t like it. “You can stay here,” he says, breaking my thoughts.

“I can’t; I don’t even know you.”

“I caused this latest problem,” he tells me, gently pulling my hand away from my cheek to check it. “Longer,” he adds, pressing it back. “I have space, and you need somewhere to stay where that fucker can’t get to you. Stay, please.”

My heart thumps faster in my chest. I’ve never done anything so careless before and staying with a stranger . . . a sexy stranger, is exciting. I give a nod, and he smiles, “Great, I’ll get the spare room set up.” He proceeds to send off a text then goes over to the kitchen island where he gets out bread and begins to slice it. I watch with a frown as the first slice comes off too thin and he picks it up to examine it. “I don’t really do this,” he says with a smirk.

“Murder bread?” I tease, jumping off the side and going to help him.

I slice the loaf while he gets butter and some cheese from the fridge. “I usually order lunch,” he explains, “I’m normally at the office. I think my housekeeper gets this stuff in for show.” I grin, watching as he attempts to butter the bread. Eventually he gives up and I take over that too. “See, this is already working out well,” he says, watching as I make us both a sandwich. “I tend to go to the club in the evenings, especially at weekends. Tonight, I have to go to one of my bars across town, I was thinking you could come tonight, maybe invite your friends?”

I shrug, “I’m not sure I’m in the mood.”

“It might take your mind off what’s happened today. Besides, I hate the thought of you sitting around here alone on your first night.”

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