Chapter eight

"Hello, sleeping beauty. How are you feeling?" Nick said with a worried expression on his face as I woke up.

"I think I'm fine, why?" I looked at him weird but as soon as I tried to sit up a killing pain shot through my whole body making me wince. Nick hurried to my side and made me lay back down.

"You're in pain, you have to rest."

Yea no shit, sherlock.

I looked around the room, seeing the white walls and a single window with the uncomfortable looking chairs. I was at the hospital. "What happened?" I asked Nick as he was adjusting the pillow behind me.

"When you went to meet your mom at the café it went downhill. You've been out for two days." He looked at me sympathetically.

*FlashBack*

After getting dressed we arrived at the police station and met with the sheriff, he sat us down and we went through everything. The time came and at exactly 4:00 p.m the phone rang, there was no number there. I stood up and walked slowly to the old fashioned phone, lifted it up and said in a shaky voice, "hello?"

The voice of my mother answered me back saying, "Belle is that you? How are your sisters? What about you?"

"Everything's fine, mom. Where are you? Come back home." I said hoping she would tell me so we could go get her.

"Honey, you don't wanna know..but please, can you meet me in the coffee shop we used to go to when you were a kid?"

"But that's an hour away from where I am! You know what? I'll be there."

"Perfect. I'll expect you to be alone. See you at six." She said.

I sighed and said, "Okay."

"What does she want?" Sheriff brad asked as soon as I hung up the phoned with her.

"She wants to meet me at the coffee shop we used to go every weekend," I answered him.

"We can work with that. Charles, Malcom, you're coming with us." He instructed then started to walk away.

"No! She wanted me to go there alone."

"You're not going alone!" Nick said quickly after.

"She's my mother, Nick. I'll be okay."

"It's dangerous, Bella! You're not going alone!" He said loudly.

"I know she did some horrible things in the past, but she's my MOM for god's sake!" I said, my voice load as well.

"Let's see, the number she called you from is untraceable, she still hadn't come back home yet when her children were trapped in a burning house, and oh! let's not forget that she did those horrible things to you despite you being a child, imagine the things she would do now! I'm not taking any chances, I'm coming with you and that's final." He said angrily then walked off.

"He's right, kid. Let's go, boys, prepare yourselves." The sheriff said.

I sighed and followed them to a prep room. They gave me a little mic to hide in my clothes so they could hear everything we say from outside the building and we went through a couple of things to say and do.

After we were done I got in Nick's car so he could drive us there. He started the car and got on the road without even glancing at me and most of the ride was spent in awkward silence until he sighed and put his hand on my knee, "I'm sorry I raised my voice on you back there, I just don't want you to get hurt." He looked at me, his eyes softening. I looked at him, smiled and responded with an "it's okay." He smiled at me too then focused Back on the road. Ten minutes later, we arrived at our destination. Nick parked right at the front then said, "be careful okay?"

I looked into his eyes and nodded, "okay." He moved his head closer to me until his face was inches away from mine and I could feel his steady breath on my cheek. He stared into my eyes for a moment then kissed me on the forehead letting his lips linger there, making the butterflies in my stomach return, but eventually, he pulled away and kissed my cheek. I smiled at him and got out of the car, making my way inside the café. I looked around for my mom but didn't see her anywhere near so I sat down and waited for her. I waited and waited and waited, but she didn't come. As I was getting up to leave she walked through the glass doors, hair short, wearing blue jeans and a black crop top with black ankle boots and big silver hoop earrings. She looked like a different person.

"Mom!" I said and went up to hug her but when I did, she moved a step back like she didn't want me to. I brushed it off and she motioned for me to sit down so I did, her following my actions, sitting in the chair opposite mine.

"So, where ha-"

"Listen, I'm struggling with money right now and I know your father left you and your siblings a ton of money in his will. in fact, he left you all of his money, he said that you are the only one who knows where all that money is. I need you to tell me where it is, I want it." She said cutting me off.

"That's the reason you wanted to meet up with me? for the money?" I said feeling hurt.

"of course not sweetie, but let's get it over with!" She said her tone making me almost believe her. Almost.

"I have no idea. I didn't even know he left us anything." I said honestly.

"What do you mean you have no idea? He mentioned that he told you several times. don't lie to me!" She said raising her voice.

"I promise, I don't know," I repeated.

"Ugh! Okay. It's fine, I can find another job. Now, why won't you come with me, I want to show you something." She said fake cheerfully, using the tone of voice she always used when she was lying to get what she wanted.

uhhhh are you sure about that?

"N-." She got up, took my hand and lead me out the door and to the back of the café, not letting me finish my sentence. She let go of my hand aggressively then turned back to me. She moved towards me and started searching for my clothes quickly until she found the small microphone in them. She looked at me with anger in her eyes and ripped it off of me, threw to the ground and stepped on it, breaking it.

"How stupid do you think I am?! You thought I wouldn't see the cop cars? That I wouldn't see through YOU?!" She yelled angrily and slapped me.

"It's not like that I promise!" I answered holding my cheek with tears in my eyes. She walked a couple of steps towards the dark alley the twins and I used to go through for shortcuts whenever we came here as kids, then turned to me again, her back facing it.

"If you don't tell me where the money is I WILL hurt you!" she said with her calm but threatening tone.

"I told you! I don't know!" I told her truthfully.

"I guess you left me with no choice." She snapped her fingers and three muscular men appeared from that alley and stood behind her. I started backing away from them slowly, scared of what they can do.

"What do you want us to do?" One of them said looking at me but directing his question towards my mother. He had long dark hair, deep blue eyes and was covered in different tattoos from his neck to his left arm one of them being a tattoo that said the word "saint" in cursive.

She looked me up and down then said coldly, "kill her, what do I care." my stomach dropped and I started running but they caught up to me and in one quick motion I was on the ground being kicked in the stomach and punched in the face. I was beaten with much force that I could feel the blood dripping from my cheeks, eye, lips and rose. I felt so much pain, I was sure they were going to kill me. My head got hazy and my vision got blurry it was hard for me to keep them open. At that moment I thought about giving up, accepting it and letting the darkness consume me. I thought about my friends, my dad, my sisters...Nick. I wasn't ready yet. I fought the pain and kept my eyes open until I heard gunfire and one of the men fall down, the other two running away. It started getting hard to breath when I felt two warm hands left me up and the scent of Nick's cologne filled my nose. I looked in his eyes and all I saw is worry and fear.

He looked back at me and said, "stay with me, I got you. it's gonna be okay." I smiled at him and slowly closed my eyes.