Possessing Bella Ch. 10-11

"I am grateful, Sir Stephen. I am sorry if I gave a different impression," she said quietly. He threw a pillow on the floor at his feet and beckoned her. Almost on automatic pilot she knelt before him but refused to meet his eyes instead keeping her eyes lowered.

"You have been avoiding me, is that why you were reticent to accompany me to the cove alone on Monday?" Stephen accused.

"I have been working and visiting with Dorothea, that is why our paths have not crossed in days," Bella almost whispered. It was the truth but not the whole truth.

"Do I need to make appointments to see you now, as Jake and I did tonight?" His voice was more than demanding and her brow furrowed at the tone making her look up momentarily into his hard eyes.

"I don't know what you want me to say or do," she admitted. "You confuse me lately," she whispered. He said nothing but reached out and gently lifted her chin so that their eyes met again and raised an eyebrow.

"Last week, at the cove, and then the kiss..." she swallowed. "Thinking about Mel's apartment and needing to deal with it on top of everything else. Dorothea being so sick and no one told me until it was an emergency. Then I thought I understood everything especially after talking with Dorothea. She seems to be able to make sense of all my crazy thoughts, but then you were there again spanking me and... the kiss." Despite him holding her chin high, she looked downward unable to meet his eyes. "I don't know what you want from me anymore." Her voice was barely a whisper, "I don't know what I want anymore. I am trying to work it all out without the confusion you make me feel recently, but it's just made it worse."

"I see," Stephen said surprisingly softly making her eyes meet his again. He was pleased that the small chaste kisses he had given her had affected her so much as to cause her to reconsider their relationship. "Did the kisses of Hunter or Sire confuse you?" He asked more for his benefit than for hers.

It was Bella's turn to consider him silently as she blushed at having blurted out her feelings. She subconsciously pulled her lip between her teeth before answering, "No, Sir Stephen, but I knew the expectations of those Masters and with you..." She stopped short of explaining the lingering effects of his kiss and chewed her lip.

"I thank you for your honesty and will give you the same courtesy to perhaps clear some of your confusion," he said keeping his voice soft and gentle. "In the last year I have seen in you all the things Mel loved about you and more, things that I value above obedience and service. You have an inner strength that blossoms in adversity. A beauty that radiates even in the darkness. A nature that is so sweet and accepting of everybody you come in contact with along with a natural submissiveness that is rare in this modern world." He could see the deep blush colouring her cheeks as she looked away from the compliments.

"You have committed to a journey Mel intended for you and I understand your motives for that. I am grateful to be the one to watch over you, but it is difficult for me," he admitted. "While I believe this journey will make you more aware of your own abilities and desires. I do not like handing you to someone who could inevitably take you away from those of us who care deeply for you and would like the same opportunity to introduce you to our lifestyles." It was as close as he could bring himself to declaring his true intentions toward her when he could barely admit to himself that he had begun falling in love with the girl before him.

He had always believed that love was a fictional device made up for the minds of women. Since bringing her back from the beach house, however, he realised that caring deeply for others as he did for his brother, was a different sort of love than what he felt for Bella. Never had he felt the need to possess someone as completely as he did her. He wanted nothing short of her total surrender to him, but he also knew that she still needed time to be able to accept that sort of love again. This confusion meant that she was in the process of changing her perceptions about her world and that was enough for now. It gave him hope that the future he wanted may not be so far out of his reach.

Unable to help himself, he leaned forward and kissed her once more deepening the chaste kiss slightly. "Do not limit yourself by narrowing your vision to exclude those that already adore you, for the girl you are right now. It is a long journey you have undertaken, with many highs and I expect many lows to be encountered. Don't forget to explore all of the possibilities around you whilst on the path you have set for yourself. It is only you that can take the fork in the road, we, those that care about you can only advise. The choices as always must be yours."

"If I asked for your training be added to my journey?" She asked quietly.

"You have been gaining my training since this journey began," Stephen chuckled and stood. "You must realise that." He continued to chuckle as he stepped away from her. "I must attend this meeting now but from here on, should my actions confuse you at all, you will be honest with me. You will trust me and tell me what is going on in your pretty little head." He turned and left the apartment leaving her staring after him.

"Yes, Sir Stephen she said to the closed door.

*****

The following day at work Bella made plans with Andrew to go to the cove and meet with Louise. Then she went to let Kurt know of their change in plans and assure him that Sir Stephen would be accompanying them.

Bella had lain awake long into the night considering Stephens words and how he had continually reinforced rules with her and disciplined her when she flouted them. He had been such a constant authoritative figure in her life even before her return from the beach house, that she had obeyed him without question.

It was he that had forced her hand in talking to Rob about what she had done at the beach house and it was he that was enraged by her recklessness and lack of regard for her own safety. He allowed her guardians to deal with her at the time. Since he had been placed in the position of overseeing her training, however, he had dealt with her and metered out punishment as he deemed necessary. He had lectured, advised and explained things to her at various times as Mel would have once.

It had taken her most of the night to make sense of it all, even recalling the time Jake had visited herself and Sire at the Kava Lodge. Jake had made a point of saying Stephen had not wanted to see her there in that situation. The only thing that caused her doubt now was that he hadn't tried to interfere with the training she had committed to but had rather become part of it. He had said it was difficult for him to hand her over to those Masters but that he would because it was a journey she must make for herself. He reiterated what Mel had always said about choices like that being hers to make. She had thought a lot about Mel last night too and had come to the decision that she needed to deal with the apartment and adjoining rooms.

In the end, she still did not know Stephen's exact intentions just that he wished to share some of his particular lifestyle with her. She desperately wanted to see Dorothea and talk to her, but it was so difficult to talk about personal things with so many people checking up on her at her home these days. She had the germ of an idea and still feeling a slight estrangement from Dianne decided to seek her out for her advice. She thought that maybe it would be a way to rekindle the kind of friendship they had forged when Mel was here to encourage it.

She walked through the corridors hoping to find Dianne on a lunch break but instead found her at her desk working. "Hi!" Bella said brightly.

"Hi honey," Dianne smiled. "Kurt's gone down to the club for an hour or so."

"That's good because I came to see you. Can I pull up a chair?' Bella asked tentatively. "If you're too busy. I can come back later if you like."

"Sweet thing, I am never too busy for you," Dianne stood up and got a chair for her pulling it close to her desk. "What can I help you with?"

"I have a few..., I am having trouble wrapping my head around so many changes," Bella tried to put into words what she was feeling. "I mean work is great, the business ideas are coming along. It's slow, but that is my fault because of my absences. I am not doing so well on the personal front though. I wish I had more time for my friends," she reached out and took Dianne's hand. "To tell them what's going on with everything and get their advice and well, you were always that person before... before Mel... died."

"I miss how we used to talk more intimately too," Dianne agreed. Although they had breakfast a couple of mornings while Bella was at the company she was all too aware of the change in her role there and found it difficult to relax and open up.

"I was wondering," Bella hesitated briefly before rushing on. "I know its late notice but I was wondering if you didn't have anything special planned if Kurt would let you come over to my place tonight to help me with something." She shook her head, "I know you and Kurt are probably busy and normally I wouldn't ask and disturb your Friday night but I don't feel like I can ask Dorothea at the moment. The two of you are like family to me and I feel like I might need a little bit of hand-holding."

Dianne was intrigued by the vagueness of the reason but rather than answering immediately she picked up the phone and hit the speed-dial button. "Master, Bella needs help with a personal problem and was wondering about my availability tonight," she winked at Bella with a big smile as she spoke. Bella listened to the one-sided conversations that consisted of a lot of yeses and no responses and a final thank you, before Dianne hung up and turned to Bella.

"We will have to get your driver to take us to run a couple of errands first, for Master, but then I will be all yours for the evening. Well, until you are ready for bed anyway," Dianne smiled. "Could we leave around four?"

"I better get back and do some work then if we are going to skip out early today," Bella smiled. "Thanks, Dianne."

The afternoon flew by and the women left work arm in arm travelling down to the basement car park. They went to Kurt and Dianne's apartment first. It was spacious and luxurious but had a cosy, lived-in feel that surprised Bella. Dianne showed her around before taking two large boxes from the bedroom and ushering Bella out of the door again.

Exiting the building they were startled to find Lincoln held a man in dark bike leathers in an arm lock as they struggled against each other. "Get in the car," Lincoln grimaced and the second man looked up, recognition showing instantly on Bella's face.

"Vince? What are you doing here? What is going on? Lincoln let go of him!" Bella was stunned. Vince stopped struggling momentarily and Bella rushed forward. "What are you doing?"

"You know this guy?" Lincoln asked through gritted teeth as he forced Vince's arms up high around his back immobilizing him as he looked up at Bella.

"Yes, that's Mel's son, Vince. Let him go!" Bella was distressed and confused as she faced the young man she had known practically her whole life. "What are you doing here?" She asked again.

"He's been following us on and off for weeks," Lincoln said refusing to unhand the man. Vince saw the fear enter Bella's eyes and she took a step back.

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright," Vince sighed. "I just needed to know that you were okay." He went limp. "I am sorry Bell, I didn't have anything to do with it, you have to believe me."

"Jenny told me what happened in court," Bella said woodenly. "You may not have known exactly what the plan was, but you were part of it and I can't..." her voice broke. She was scared and distressed, but most of all she was angry. She hadn't felt angry in a long time. "He loved you and you helped his killer," she choked out.

"I didn't know. It wasn't my fault, you have to believe me," Vince begged.

"I believe you didn't plan his murder. I won't ever forgive you for your part in it though." Bella hadn't even registered the sirens of the police car as they pulled up, or Dianne's hands as they urged her back toward the building. She just stared at Vince tears coursing down her face, her voice a calm monotone. "There is nothing you could say or do to change that. Stay away from me Vince."

Bella watched as the police spoke to Lincoln and Vince, refusing to leave the scene at Dianne urgings. Rob and Stephen arrived a few minutes later closely followed by Kurt who seeing Rob and Stephen talking to the police ushered the two women back inside the building and up to his apartment.

"How long?" Bella finally looked at Kurt. "How long have you known he was following me?

"We didn't know who it was just that there seemed to be a black motorcycle tailing you to and from work occasionally," Kurt admitted. "We had never been able to prove anything or catch him doing anything until now. In all honesty, I had convinced myself that Rob was just being paranoid again."

"Isn't he supposed to be serving time or something?" She asked still unable to sort out the jumble of emotions she felt and what exactly had happened.

"His lawyers managed to have him deported from Italy to serve his time here. He's been on a good behaviour bond. He was never tied directly to the murder," Kurt explained. Jenny had told her as much, but she guessed the meaning of it hadn't really registered at the time.

"He's looking for forgiveness," Bella spoke quietly. "I can't forgive him, can I?"

"Oh, Honey," Dianne placed her arms around Bella, "What he did was the worst betrayal ever, but his grandfather brainwashed him. He didn't understand about his parent's relationship and lifestyles. Jenny has told him the whole truth and he is suffering for his stupidity. Of course, he wants forgiveness but he doesn't know how much you suffered, still suffer. You don't have to do anything until you are ready." There was a polite knock at the door and Kurt let a policeman in followed by Rob and Stephen.

"Miss Biancotti," The policeman addressed her formally and she looked up at him. "I am Sergeant Duffy. Mr Marino is in violation of his good behaviour bond and will be taken to the station to meet with his lawyer. Would you like to press any charges?"

"He wasn't here to harm me," she said softly. "I doubt he even realised how upset I would be to see him."

"You can file for a restraining order, and then we can enforce it further should he continue to bother you," Duffy said formally. "If as you say though, he meant no harm and you are not frightened that he will harm you, then it may be hard to build that case."

"I doubt he will come anywhere near you now," Rob said, "It has been made abundantly clear to him that his presence in your life is not welcome."

"What will happen if I don't?" Bella asked.

"That would be up to the lawyers, at best a slap on the wrist at worst he will need to serve some time," Duffy explained. "It depends on the bond and what it entails and how good his lawyer is."

"I think we should talk to Stuart before making any decisions," Kurt broke into the conversation. "Like it or not, he is part of our lives, Mel provided a place for his son in the company as well."

"Maybe it's time to make him an offer on those shares then," Rob grumbled. Bella sat in quiet contemplation of the men around her, Stephen had said nothing but his eyes flickered over her often as if gauging her reactions and waiting for her to lose it. The fact was though, she wasn't even close to losing it. Once she had sat for a moment as they talked around her she knew it was just the shock of seeing him again that had brought her to tears. While he was part of the problem he was right, it wasn't his fault it was Lewis or whatever he called himself who had let his hatred of Mel take over any rational judgement.

She felt sorry for Vince and how hard it must have been to hear the truth from Jenny. To know his adolescent rebellion against what he thought his father stood for had in part contributed his death. Kurt was right too, he was a part of her life like it or not, he had been for as long as she could remember. Maybe she needed to forgive him to be able to move on. All of these people in this room would go on over-protecting her and restricting her life if she didn't prove she could handle things herself at some point. She loved them all, but she hated the lack of freedom she endured, something Mel had given her some small measure of at least. If life was all about choices, she was about it make a big one.

"Sergeant Duffy, I won't press any charges, thank you for your advice though," she had risen from her seat and walked towards him. "Could I speak with Vince before you leave, please?" She said in a calm, pleasant voice showing none of her inner turmoil.

"I'm not sure that would be in anyone's interests," Duffy frowned and looked around at the stunned faces of the others in the room.

"I promise there will be no further incidents. My friends can be a little over-protective, but I am sure he meant no harm to me personally," Bella tried to smile to show she was not crazy. "It's just that he went to a lot of trouble to try to speak to me. Maybe giving him the opportunity will prevent this happening again." She heard the rumble of disapproval around her and she turned to her friends, "It's Vince, I've known him for forever. I need to do this. Please Sergeant," she asked again.

Bella exited the building once again and noted that the boxes, dropped by Dianne in the confusion had been placed on the hood of a police car. Lincoln was still speaking with the remaining policeman as she approached, "Are you okay, Lincoln?"

"Never better," he gave a half smile. She looked into the back of the police car and saw Vince sitting there with his head in his hands. Bella could see that he was hurting in a wholly different way to her own pain and loss. His family had helped her grieve, but she doubted they had helped him in the same way. Duffy opened the door and Vince looked up.

Uncaring of the dirt Bella sat on the curb and cleared her throat, "Tell me what you came to say," she said softly, "I am ready to listen now."

Bella let the young man pour out his story, his grief and guilt evident in every word he spoke, she never said a word, she just looked at him with sadness in her eyes. When he finally seemed out to run out of words she finally spoke.

"You said it wasn't your fault, but I am not sure who you are trying to convince, me or yourself," she paused and held up her hand as he began to speak again halting him. "Mel loved you, and I think he even understood why you had turned your back on him, but it didn't stop him from hoping you would come around. It's shame this happened before you did, because I know, had he survived, he would have forgiven you." She felt the first tear roll down her cheek but steeled herself to continue.

"He was a harsh, uncompromising man at times but as I have been finding out more and more recently, he was a good man who looked after the people he loved. He not only forgave those people but helped he them through difficult times. It's such a shame you never saw that side of him. I loved him, truly, madly, deeply and I will always resent your part in what happened and what I had to suffer because of it. I am healing, slowly but I have a lot of support and I am getting better every day. You need to let yourself heal too. If it is my forgiveness you need to do that, then I can give you that. I can see there was a lot of mistruth and misdirection in your life that was not of your making." Bella wiped her face with both hands brushing tears from her cheeks.