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Let them think they had the upper hand. Damon would keep an eye out, and he would keep everyone in his house safe.
ChapterTwelve
Bella watched Ariana go into Rita’s house from between the blinds. Both of them had insisted Bella stay here in the Jones’s house.
Tears stung her eyes. Everything about this situation sucked. Her father was determined enough to get her that he nearly broke down Rita’s door. Neil would no doubt go to the same extreme measures.
All Bella wanted was to go back to school, but that would be the first place they’d look for her. Plus, she didn’t have her phone anymore. By now, her parents had probably tracked it down. Father had configured the settings himself and forbade her from changing them, so he knew her every move.
That was why ditching the device was the first thing she did. With it remaining at the school, they probably hadn’t been concerned at first, figuring she’d been at the library studying.
The thought of never going back, never working toward a future of her own making, brought more tears. Without their funds, she had no way of paying for her classes.
But if she stayed at their house, she would have to marry Neil and her entire future would be destroyed. Hopefully she could break free from their hold like Rita had. Not that it’d been easy on her — it had nearly killed her.
Bella’s escape would be no less dangerous. There was no doubt about that.
There was no movement outside. Ariana was probably settled in with Rita, making plans for the upcoming Halloween party.
That would be the perfect distraction from all her troubles. The closest Bella had come to attending something like that was when she was little and the school let kids come dressed up. Even though she wasn’t allowed to wear a costume, she loved seeing what the other kids wore. But she was still pretty young when the district put a stop to that.
Sometimes she watched Halloween movies, but it was always a risk. If her parents caught her, she’d have gotten a whooping for it. They saw everything about the day as pure evil, and they were sure if she so much as thought about it she would be inviting evil into the home.
Except it already lived there.
And Dad was now on the hunt for her. Next time, he was sure to bring Neil with him.
She waited a few more minutes at the window before stepping away. The only action on the street was a few colorful leaves floating down into puddles. Not that she was complaining after having to flee from her father the night before. She should be relieved to have peace after so much strife, tension, and fear.
Instead, her body almost felt like it was vibrating. Like she needed to move around or do something to release all of her negative emotions.
Bella went up and down the stairs a few times until Damon came out from behind a closed door. “Everything okay?”
Her face flamed. He must’ve heard her. Mother always said she was as quiet as a cattle stampede. “I can’t sit still.”
“Feel like a caged animal?” He gave her a sympathetic look.
“Something like that.”
“I know that feeling all too well. Let me show you our workout room. Use whatever you want, and I’ll get some breakfast going. Sound good?”
She stared at him in disbelief. Why couldn’t Father be more like him or Grayson? Her life would’ve been so different if she’d have been born into a family like that.
He looked like he was waiting for a response. Right. He’d asked about the workout room.
“If you don’t mind.” Bella played nervously with her hair.
“Our house is yours. Use anything you need. Just tell us if we run out of something, so we can get more.”
She nodded, not used to so much kindness.
Damon motioned for her to go downstairs, then he led her down a hall and opened one of the doors. The room looked like the gym at her school.
“Whoa.”
He chuckled. “Ari says I might’ve gone a little overboard, but I have everything we need. Knock yourself out. I’ll let you know when the food’s ready.”
“Thanks.” Her voice was so quiet, she wasn’t even sure he could hear her.
