CHAPTER TEN

"Demons" by Imagine Dragons

Apollo's conversation with Ryan and Rose stretched out over nearly thirty minutes, a period filled with tension and uncertainty. When I witnessed him emerging from the house, Rose and Ryan leading the way, it was evident that Apollo had exerted himself, and I couldn't help but acknowledge that his efforts were driven by something deeper—something for me.

Rose bounded towards me, her flowing chestnut hair trailing behind like a cascade of silk as she rushed into my arms. Rosy cheeks and widened green eyes greeted me as she uttered my name, "Belle!"

A radiant smile adorned her full lips, and her lengthy lashes fluttered as she announced, "Ryan and I have been invited to spend the night at your place!"

I reciprocated her smile, concealing a flicker of disquiet beneath the surface. 

I was aware of who Apollo was, and the purpose behind bringing Ryan to my home wasn't lost on me. It was a confrontation, a methodical attempt to teach Ryan a lesson, and strangely, I found a twisted sense of comfort in the fact that I would have done the same. While others might flee upon discovering such a truth, I ran right towards him.

In the presence of Ryan, who seemed like a mere toothpick compared to the imposing figure of Apollo, they effortlessly slid into the waiting car. 

As the car doors closed, Apollo walked towards me, gently taking my hand, and leading me a few steps away from the car. 

"Can we have a minute?" he murmured.

The air crackled with unspoken tension as we distanced ourselves from the scene unfolding in the car. 

The gravity of his words lingered in the charged atmosphere, leaving me with a sense of foreboding.

I nodded, my curiosity piqued. 

"What's on your mind?"

Apollo's eyes held mine, searching for understanding. 

"You know why I invited Ryan, don't you?"

A sigh slipped past my lips. 

"I wish I didn't, but..."

"But?" Apollo's voice was teasing, a playful grin playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Give him a hard time, but... be gentle," I advised, planting a kiss on his cheek.

His grin widened, a glint of mischief in his eyes. Opening the car door for me, he allowed me to slide in before closing it behind me. Taking his place in the driver's seat, he assumed control of the vehicle, the absence of Jimmy noted as the engine roared to life. The atmosphere in the backseat crackled with tension as we set off.

Elena found herself sandwiched between Ryan and Rose, her guard up as Ryan sniffed around her, eliciting a preemptive grip on a pink fluffy feather slipper—a weapon of choice if his intentions strayed. 

However, his attention soon shifted to Rose, planting kisses on her neck as she giggled, sending a wave of discomfort coursing through me. 

Apollo sensed my unease, his fingers intertwining with mine, offering a silent reassurance. Ryan's attempt at conversation only met with Elena's exasperated eyeroll. 

"How about we play a game called 'keep quiet'?" she suggested, her irritation palpable in her tone.

As the threat of Elena's slipper confrontation loomed, we pulled up in front of Apollo's mansion. It struck me as amusing that I still hesitated to call it 'ours'; everything felt overwhelmingly surreal.

As we approached the staircase, I turned to Rose. 

"Why don't the girls head upstairs, and the boys stay down here?" I suggested.

"Sounds perfect," she readily agreed.

Ryan eagerly raised his hand for a high-five with Apollo. 

"Yeah, man!" 

But Apollo's demeanor remained stern, his gaze piercingly serious. Ryan's hand hung awkwardly in the air as Apollo walked past him towards me.

"Be kind," I murmured to Apollo, offering him a reassuring smile.

He returned the smile, but there was a darkness lurking in his eyes, a silent promise of what was to come.

Elena excused herself, disappearing into the kitchen where the rest of the family had gathered. I pushed aside the nagging thought of Apollo's uncle Giovanni, who was rarely seen around the house.

Rose's eyes lit up with admiration as she took in the grandeur of the villa, a smile spreading across her lips as we ascended the stairs and entered the bedroom. 

"This place is incredible!" she exclaimed.

As we settled onto the bed, concern etched into my features, I turned to Rose. 

"Why did you run away?" I inquired gently.

"Aunt Ginny was being cruel," she confessed. "She insulted Mom, so I... I kicked her cat, and she hit me with a cat whip." 

Her voice trembled with pain, and she showed me the marks on her hands, revealing the depth of her hurt.

"She did what?" Disbelief colored my voice.

"Yes, and that's why I called Ryan to pick me up," she explained. 

"What do you think? Are we good together?" She swiftly changed the subject, avoiding delving further into the topic of Aunt Ginny, leaving me to ponder the gravity of her actions.

I hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing my words before cautiously asking, "Rose, have you and Ryan been intimate?"

"Ew, no!" Rose exclaimed, her tone emphatic. "We just cuddled, nothing more."

"But he's seven years older than you, Rose. Do you realize that?" I pressed on, concerned. 

"It's almost like he's grooming you to be his wife."

She shook her head, her eyes sparkling with a mix of naivety and determination. 

"It's not like that at all. I genuinely want to be with him."

I sighed, uncertain of how to proceed. 

"Has he crossed any boundaries with you?"

"He did touch me, and I touched him too," she admitted, "but isn't that typical?"

"What's your standard for normal, Rose? You're eighteen," I gently reminded her, my voice tinged with concern.

She glanced away briefly, then replied defiantly, "If your husband had chosen me instead of you, he'd touch me too."

Her words cut through me like a knife, and as Apollo's name fell from her lips, anger surged within me, driving me to react impulsively. Without thinking, I slapped her across the face, the sound reverberating in the room, leaving a red mark on her cheek. 

Immediately overwhelmed with remorse, I reached out to her, "I'm so sorry, Rose." 

Pulling her into a tight embrace as she held her stinging cheek, tears streaming down her face.

"I just can't bear to see you hurt," I murmured, my voice laced with sadness. 

"You're an adult, I understand, but life is more than being captivated by someone who may only use you."

"But he loves me!" she cried out between sobs. 

"We've been together for weeks, and he's shown me more affection than anyone else ever has."

My heart felt heavy with sorrow as I posed the question, "Haven't I loved you, Rose?"

"No," she whispered brokenly, "You just criticize me. You smother me. I need a sister and a confidante, not a maternal figure."

Her words pierced me like a dagger. 

"Rose," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion, "I'm so sorry. I was so focused on shielding you that I overlooked your true needs."

With a gentle touch, I cradled her face in my hands, brushing away her tears. 

"I'll set things right, I promise."

"We'll see," Rose responded, her voice quivering as she dabbed at her tears.

She retreated to the right corner of the bed, turning her back to me. I remained seated in the middle, wiping my own cheeks before placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. That's when Apollo entered the room, his injured fist concealed beneath his blazer.

He approached us, his voice soft, "Ryan had to leave; there was an issue with his dad. He didn't want to disturb you, so he asked me to pass on the message."

"So soon?" Rose's voice wavered, and fresh tears began to fall.

I leaned in, planting a reassuring kiss on her forehead, before rising to my feet and accepting Apollo's outstretched hand.

Stepping outside, we closed the bedroom door behind us. I wrapped my arms around Apollo, my body shaking with sobs.

"Apollo, I…" My voice trailed off, choked by tears. He simply pulled me closer, his voice a soothing murmur, "Shhh… It's okay. She's okay."

He gently pulled back, his hands cradling my face as he spoke, "I confronted Ryan. He confessed to exploiting her vulnerability. I've ensured he won't come near her again." His eyes held a darker intensity than usual.

I took his injured hand, gently blowing on the throbbing cuts. A smile tugged at his lips as he intertwined his fingers with mine, pulling me closer.

"Apollo," I sighed, guilt washing over me like a tidal wave. 

"She lied to me. In my attempt to shield her, I pushed her into this. I fear it might worsen."

"Belle, you acted out of love," Apollo reassured me, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. 

"You sought to shield her from the harsh realities you've been through. This isn't your fault." A small, grateful smile found its way onto my face as I was wiping my tears. 

"I wish I had offered her more love, more understanding."

As I leaned against his chest, his heartbeat quickened at the sound of approaching footsteps and a slow, mocking applause that sent a chill down my spine. 

We turned to face his uncle, whose whisper reached us, "How touching," he sneered.

In a swift, aggressive motion, he grabbed me from Apollo's side. 

"She's been mine since her father signed her over to me eight years ago," he declared, his voice as cold and possessive as ice. "She's blossomed into a beauty beyond my memories."

Instinctively, I drove my elbow into his gut and swiftly moved behind Apollo, my heart pounding like a war drum. 

"I will never be yours," I stated, my voice barely a whisper, but resolute and defiant.

Giovanni's taunts only served to stoke the flames of Apollo's fury. 

"You will pay for this," Giovanni seethed, his voice venomous.

"Giovanni, enough!"

Apollo's growl echoed like thunder, his body forming a protective barrier between me and Giovanni. One handheld me close, while the other was raised in a warning gesture.

"As your Boss, I demand respect for my decision to marry Belle. Defy me, and I swear, you will meet your end."

Giovanni sneered back, unrepentant. 

"You naive boy. Her father signed a contract!"

Apollo's restraint shattered. He lunged at Giovanni, his fists a blur of motion, each strike punctuated with, "I. Will. Kill. You!"

Apollo's fists left bloody imprints on Giovanni's face. Each blow was a testament to his fury. The dim hallway light cast him in a wild silhouette, an untamed beast exerting every ounce of his power to protect the woman he cherished.

I recoiled, my hands instinctively rising to shield my eyes from the brutal scene unfolding before me.

As Apollo's uncle succumbed to the relentless onslaught, my heart pounded with a cocktail of fear and realization. 

Apollo was unleashing this fury for my sake, to shield me. Yet, the raw intensity in his eyes sparked an unvoiced question: Could this wrath ever be directed at me?

Suddenly, Apollo's gaze locked onto mine. The wild ferocity in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a flicker of concern. 

"Belle, I..." he began, his voice raspy, his blood-stained hands reaching out to me.

But as he neared, the stark reality of the blood smeared on his hands and clothes hit me. A wave of revulsion swept over me, and I recoiled, my heart hammering in my chest. I spun around, running down the stairs, yearning for a gulp of fresh air, a respite from the pain.

The harsh echo of a gunshot froze me in my tracks. 

Spinning around, my breath hitched. Apollo was on his knees, a look of disbelief etched on his face. Time seemed to stretch as I watched him crumple, a dark stain blooming across his shirt.

Fear and worry overpowered my initial revulsion. I dashed back to him, my feet barely grazing the ground. Falling to my knees, I pressed my hands against his chest, desperately trying to staunch the flow of blood. 

"Apollo, stay with me!" I pleaded, my voice trembling.

His eyes flickered, fighting the pull of unconsciousness. I held him close, my hands stained with his lifeblood, my prayers a desperate plea for his survival.

Yet, his eyes remained shut, his breath shallow, his hand weak in mine. 

"Someone call 911!" I cried out, my voice echoing in the silence.

Elena's footsteps pounded up the stairs, her scream joining mine as she took in the sight of Apollo in my arms. 

She fell to her knees beside us, her tears mingling with his blood. 

Atlas guided a shell-shocked Leo upstairs, and upon seeing Giovanni's gun, he lunged, knocking the weapon from his grasp. 

Rose appeared in the doorway, her face a mask of horror. Elena was quick to shield her, guiding her back into the safety of her room.

"Belle..." Apollo's voice was a ghost of a whisper, his grip on my hand faltering.

Tears traced hot paths down my cheeks as I clung to him, the fear and helplessness of my past resurfacing. The vulnerability, the deep-seated pain, threatened to consume me once more.

'He can't die, I won't survive without him.' 

The thought echoed in my mind, a mantra against the reality unfolding before me.

The distant wail of sirens grew louder, and soon, doctors swarmed around us. Elena's touch was gentle yet firm as she pulled me away, clearing a path for them to work.

Her hand connected with my cheek, a sharp contrast to the numbness spreading within me. 

"Look at me, Belle. He's going to pull through," she insisted.

But my gaze remained fixed on Apollo, even as Elena's hand met my cheek again. This time, she forced me to meet her gaze.

"Belle, hear me out. He's going to make it," she said, her voice a mix of stern command and underlying worry.

My mind floated in a haze; my body detached from the chaos surrounding me. Elena guided me to the guest bedroom, her hands steady as she offered a glass of water. I drank mechanically, lying down as exhaustion claimed me, my eyes slowly closing in surrender.

*** 

When I awoke, the room was bathed in the gentle light of morning. Elena sat beside me, still clad in the clothes from the previous night. Panic surged as memories flooded back. 

"Apollo!" I cried out, startling her from her own restless sleep.

"Easy, calm down," Elena soothed, guiding me back to the bed. "Apollo is alive. The bullet missed his heart, but he's currently in a coma."

"I can't believe this is happening," I whispered, hands covering my face in despair.

"Leo needs to talk to you about what transpired," Elena informed me.

Grief-stricken, I recounted the events. 

"Giovanni shot him. Apollo was trying to protect me."

"Why?" she probed gently.

The memories overwhelmed me. 

"Giovanni... he's harmed me in the past," I confessed, the words barely audible.

Elena's expression turned grave. 

"Do you have any proof of that?"

I shook my head, a sense of hopelessness washing over me. "No."

She cupped my face in her hands, her eyes filled with determination. 

"I'll try to help you, but without proof, it's challenging. Giovanni is cunning, and he doesn't play fair."

"You can't let him harm Apollo again," I pleaded.

"I'll speak with Leo," she reassured me, her tone resolute. 

"I'll do everything within my power."