Page 13 of Ma Belle Marguerite (Hidden Secrets #1)

Alexander

I t felt like last night would never end.

I couldn’t sleep, and time seemed to take forever to pass.

I spent most of the night reading the letters Bella had written to me.

I needed to know how she felt over the years—read it for myself, you could say.

I didn’t get through many, thanks to the pounding in my head.

However, I did read enough to know how badly I fucked up. I owe her the world and so much more.

When I got up this morning, I showered as she requested.

Moving hurts like a bitch, but I managed to convince the nurses to leave me on my own.

I don’t need them fawning over me while I’m naked; that right is reserved for Bella and Bella only.

Besides, I can shower myself. I'm not dying.

Now, if Bella had been here, I would have gladly taken her help.

I put on my own clothes instead of the itchy hospital gown they had left me to put on. I guess she was right, not that I’ll tell her that. The shower felt good, and I feel surprisingly better.

The shower helped relieve some tension, but touching myself to the thought of her wasn’t enough. I want her—no, I need her. I’m hard again just thinking about seeing her yesterday. Her navy blue scrubs show off her beautiful curves in all the right places, hugging the perfect roundness of her ass.

My phone starts to ring, startling me from my thoughts and I look to see who’s calling; it’s D.

He texted last night that they got the shipment of guns with no problem and were heading to my private stash with the extras I had bought.

They must be on their way back. They are earlier than I expected, though.

I have a secret bunker that only three people know about—D, Josh, and my brother, Cole. It is so off the grid that there’s not even cell phone reception there. Which means they are far enough into their drive back already.

I answer my phone, “Hey D, what’s up? Get everything put away?”

“I don’t have good news, boss,” D’s voice sounds strained.

What the fuck now? I can’t seem to catch a break lately.

“What do you mean? Just spit it out, and don’t beat around the bush.

” First, my father pushes me to get married, then I’m in a car accident that I don’t even remember.

Someone has kept me from my Bella all these years. What else can possibly go wrong?

“Well, when we got to the bunker, everything looked normal,” D pauses. “Once we went inside, though, your weapons cache was empty. There were no signs of anyone breaking into the secret room inside either.”

“WHAT!” I yell, ignoring the throbbing in my head that it causes, bolting upright and pulling the muscles in my chest. Ouch, that hurt , fucking bruised ribs . “What do you mean empty?”

I hear Josh mumbling, “What else could that fucking mean?”

“Have something to share, Josh? I can hear you, dumbass.” I retort. Normally his smart ass remarks make me laugh or ease the tension in a situation, but right now I just want to punch him in his fucking face.

“Sorry, boss, I’m just frustrated.” He replies meekly, knowing he has pushed me too far.

I scream into the phone. “You’re frustrated? Try being stuck in a hospital and told your plan to escape your father's clutches has just blown up!” With Bella back, this plan was more crucial than ever.

D cuts back in. “I know it looks bad, boss, but we’ll figure this out. Who else knew about the bunker?”

“Only Cole. He didn’t know about the weapons, though. I don’t think.” Even if I didn’t have a damn concussion, I think my brain would still be hurting trying to figure this out. He couldn’t have betrayed me, could he have?

“Want us to bring Cole to the basement when we find him?” Josh asks way too eagerly. “We can get him warmed up for you!”

I like to ask questions with some extra influence in the basement. D is my specialist. He has yet to meet someone he can’t ‘persuade’ an answer from. Josh usually prefers to stay behind his computers but will join in when he feels like our friend in the basement needs something a little extra.

“No, we don’t want to assume anything yet. We don’t know if anyone has followed us or had trackers on the guns. We have been too trusting. Plus, if on the off chance it is Cole, we don’t want to tip him off,” I grit through my teeth. I’m seriously pissed. If it is him, he will pay dearly.

“Yes, boss.” I can hear Josh’s pouting in his voice. He doesn’t go against orders no matter how much he hates them.

Just as I’m about to answer, I hear a soft knock at the door. My heart skips a beat and a tingly feeling erupts in my stomach. My palms feel sweaty with excitement and the anger I felt moments before. That must be Bella. “Come in.”

The door opens and she peeks in. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were on the phone. I can leave.” Bella talks quietly.

“No, stay. We’re almost done. One second.” I need to get off this call without letting her know what’s going on. The last thing I need is to scare her away with this crap.

“Oh, is the boss's lady there? Are you about to get lucky?” Josh laughs.

Why do I put up with this smart ass? “Josh, if you want to live until next week, I suggest you shut up!” I growl into the phone. He’s a real idiot sometimes.

Bella raises her eyebrow at me, looking amused. If only she knew what he just said. I have a feeling she’d give him an earful.

I just shake my head at her. “If you guys find anything important, give me a call. I’m unavailable until I say otherwise. Contact the hospital and ensure the doctor and nurses know to stay out of my room.” I hang up the phone and smile at my girl. She is more beautiful than I remember.

Bella looks at her feet shyly and says, “Sorry if I interrupted. I can come back on my lunch break.” She looks like she is ready to run.

I hold my hand out to her. “You’re never interrupting. You are now, and have always been, my number one priority. I told you I plan to prove that to you, and that starts now.”

Reluctantly, she nods. She avoids my hand but pulls up a chair close to the bed. I guess it will have to do for now. I don’t want to push her too hard, too fast, but I don’t know how long I can be patient. I just want to grab her, squeeze her to me, and kiss her like we were never apart.

“How was your night, Ma Belle Marguerite ?” I ask, hoping to get a read on how this conversation will go. The tingly feeling I felt seeing her moments ago turns to knots.

Looking at me curiously, she answers, “I spent the night with my girlfriends. Do you remember Camille and Giselle?”

I feel a tick in my jaw. “I don’t remember them that much,” I lie, wondering what they discussed.

We saw each other in passing at parties here and there since high school.

One of them has a thing for D, but I never really talked to them.

So I guess it isn’t a complete lie. “Are you alright? Is there anything I can help you with?” I don’t like thinking that they know more than me.

She should be unburdening herself with me as her number one confidant.

She shakes her head and looks down at her feet, “No, I think I know what I need to do.”

Fuck! “Care to share? You’re killing me here. Things were kind of messy when you left last night.” I look at her with the saddest eyes I can muster. “I spent the night going through all the letters.” I can’t lose her now.

“How about you share first,” Bella says, still looking at her feet.

“Sure,” I reply, “Only if you look at me.” Whatever it takes.

Finally, I get to look at her beautiful seaglass green eyes.

“ Ma Belle Marguerite , I will never be able to make up for all the pain you went through. I should have known better than to believe you didn’t want me.

I’ll figure out who is behind this.” I reach out and hold her face in my hands.

“I will not make the same mistake twice. Even if you don’t want me, I’ll make sure whoever is responsible pays.

” I won’t stop until I have them all in my basement and I will prove to her that I am where she needs to be.

Bella replies softly, “Rex, I need to see the letter you say I sent you. I want to believe you, but it is hard to trust you. Everything I have experienced the last thirteen years has shown me that you didn’t want me.”

She tries to look away from me, but I hold her face steady. “Anything you need, just tell me. As soon as I can get home, I will show you.” I need to get out of here asap.

Slightly nodding, she gives me a small smile. “Okay, I can wait.” She hesitates. “Until then, I think I should keep my distance. Being close to you is harder than I expected.” Her eyes downcast.

Immediately shaking my head, I plead with her, feeling the old sense of desperation come back full force. “I can’t allow that. I have gone too long without you. I need you.”

My heart feels like it is being ripped from my chest. I can’t accept that after all this time she wants to stay away from me; she wouldn’t be here if she did. But from the look on her face there is something she isn’t telling me.

Leaning into me, Bella sighs and says, “I can’t promise anything. I will try. All of this is confusing for me. I thought I lost you thirteen years ago and just lost my best friend six months ago. I’m not ready for anything too deep.”

Growling, I pull her towards me on the bed, making my ribs scream in pain, but I need to hold her.

I feel like something is stuck in my throat, and I just want to scream.

I will not let her go. She is mine . “ Ma Belle , I love you. Tell me what you need; don’t push me away.

I lost you once, and I will not be able to live through that again. ”

After a moment of hesitation, Bella takes me by surprise and straddles me on the bed. I’m instantly hard as I feel her rub up against me.