The million dollar man

Chapter eight

//Damien's POV//
I came back to the cafe days after Bella yelling at me and she wasn't there.
"Where is she?" I whispered to Jenny.
"She's not at home, Kyle's gone MIA and the house is spotless." Jenny answered, worry lacing her voice.
"Tried ringing her?"
"Yep."
"Ringing Kyle?"
"Yep."
"Going to any known people-"
"She doesn't have any, now leave it Damien, we have work to do." David grumbled, he knew it wasn't like Bella to just vanish into thin air without a word.
"What if Kyle's killed her?" Jenny said, her breath catching and tears threatening to spill.
"Or she's made a run for it and he's gone after her." David said shrugging.
"Or maybe, I should just go and find her." I snapped.
"You've done enough."
"What does that mean?"
"You broke her heart, you were her last hope of getting out of her troubled relationship and you just broke it, she's fragile and you threw that in her face."
"I didn't mean to."
"See it from her side." Jenny said. "You come along, draw her in and then promise her something, and then just go, raising her faith and hope, which might I add was slowly dying, just to drop her again and you come back as if you can just whisk her up and take her away."
"I should have sent a letter or called." I said realising my mistakes, Bella had been hurt that much that her happy bubble had gone to be replaced with one of disappointment and broken promises. I sighed and for once, I didn't know what to do.

//Bella's POV//
Kyle had gone to Sheffield, more strippers and a lads holiday. I added up my tips, £120, it took me 3 months and a lot of hiding. So, i got a train ticket and went to Brighton, I couldn't really afford anywhere else. I knew tonight I would be sleeping rough but I didn't mind as long as I saw Brighton for its beauty and I could go to my favourite cafe. I used to come to Brighton when I was younger but then my parents passed away so I didn't come here but right now, I felt safe.

I walked into the cafe, it was old fashioned, wooden beams along the ceiling, chairs set up and a small counter, pictures of the sand, sea and people smiling were scattered along the walls.
"Hello." A brunette said walking over, blue eyes, hair up in a pony tail and uniform, something I was grateful David didn't make us wear.
"Hi." I said forcing a smile.
"Looks like you've packed the whole house!"
"Going back to my parents, London didn't work out well." I lied. I was going back to London just not right this minute. I wonder if I could get a job here? Work a few shifts, see if they'll let me stay in the apartment above? That'd be a little cheeky.
"Oh, say no more, what do you want to eat?" She asked, I was suddenly drawn in by a photo, it was me when I was about 8, in the cafe with my mum and dad. They were smiling and I was sat looking at the muffin in front of me which at that age it would have been massive. I felt a pang of hurt and upset in my stomach, I hadn't been to their grave since I was 14! Done shit with my life and looking at that photo, they wanted me to go far and I didn't make it.
"Are you okay?" The waitress said.
"Yes, sorry, just that photo is me." I said pointing at it.
"Wow, no way! Harry, get Jane!"
"Jane?" I questioned, that name rang a bell.
"The owner, she's been hoping you three returned."
"What is it my dear- Bella." An oldish woman walked out, grey hair, big grey eyes, 5"6 maybe? Taller than me and kind of skinny, she had some weight on her but not a lot.
"Erm, hi." I chirped.
"You won't remember me, I'm Jane, your mothers friend, what happened to them? Are they here?" I looked down suddenly feeling bad about lying to the waitress.
"No, afraid not." I said quietly.
"Why not? You three always came here together." The waitress smiled a little, knowing I had lied but it was an okay, acceptable lie. A lie to protect myself.
"They died back when I was about 11, car crash coming home from their anniversary in Scotland, I got in with a bad crowd and then I've run away from my abusive boyfriend because he's a cheater and I've fallen for an older man and I'm giving up on life." I suddenly burst. I don't know how long I had been fooling myself that this wasn't the situation, but it was.

Parents died.
I gave up.
Bad crowd.
Bad boyfriend.
Fallen for an older man.
Who can save me? Who's going to grab my hand and drag me out of the water?

I had been tricking myself for too long and I had to get my life straight before I hit 20 next June.
"You've been through it." Jane said with a smile. "Let's go upstairs, Georgie, bring up a pot of tea and some soup."
"Yes." The brown haired waitress I now knew as Georgie said.

We got upstairs and I stood awkwardly, not sure what to do.
"Well, honey, I don't know what to say, get out of that relationship is my first piece of advice." Jane said pointing to a chair to sit on.
"I have nowhere to go, I ran here on my tips and I have 3 days until my boyfriend gets back and sees I've ran off and he'll know I'm here and I need to ring David."
"David, the older man?"
"No, god no, my boss and almost fatherly figure."
"That's fine, where do you work?"
"A small cafe like this one in London."
"Here's my phone." She handed me her iPhone.
"Thank you."

//David's POV//
I walked around in the back room, waiting for a phone call or Bella to walk in or Kyle to walk in saying she was dead followed by me killing him. Anything! Speak of the phone devil.
I picked up the phone.
"Hello." I answered.
"It's me, I'm in Brighton, I'm safe and alive, I'm with my parents friend Jane, she's offered me a place until I can find somewhere or come back." Bella said quickly.
"And what if Kyle comes back? No matter where you go, alone, you'll be hunted."
"I know and I'm scared, David, I don't know what to do anymore."
"Come back to London, Damien's here, I know he broke his promise but I promise he will look after you and I'm sorry for all the times I treated you poorly, snapped at you and made you feel worthless, you're like my own daughter, please come home, don't make things worse for yourself." I said, nearly crying myself.
"Kyle's here." Jenny said running in.
"Bella, get back here now! Kyle came back early."
"What? He'll kill me!" Bella yelled down the phone.
"Where is she?!" I heard Kyle yell.
"Bella, come home, say sorry, I promise Damien will save you, please, think about this, what's right for your health."
"Tell him I've found a cousin and I'll be back tomorrow, please."
"I will, see you soon Bella." I said sighing. No reply. I silently prayed for her, she was a dead girl breathing.

I walked back into the main cafe area and saw Kyle looking red, veins nearly popping out of his forehead and his fists were bloody.
"Kyle, calm down, Bella has gotten in contact with her cousin, she's in Portsmouth." I lied.
"Ring her, she's not picking up her phone and i know she'll answer to you." Kyle snapped.
"Kyle, not here." Damien murmured.
"You're probably the reason she's ran!" Kyle shouted, making sure everyone knew he was pissed off. "Trust me when I say I'm not, if anyone it is to blame it's you, you've treated her like she's just some girl you can mess around and treat like she's dirt, well she isn't! With me she feels safe, something she will never ever feel with you, so why don't you back off and leave her alone, see that she's too scared to tell anyone, all this time didn't you ever ask yourself 'why hasn't she rang the police?' well the answer is that she is petrified of you and your god damn antics." Damien vented at Kyle, we all knew a fight was going to break out. Jenny looked at me, I didn't know what to say but Damien was right, Bella was safe, happy and actually managed to be a young peppy girl with Damien. Kyle swung for Damien but two people ran in and grabbed Kyle, some of Kyle's rougher friends who didn't care for Bella's well being. I glared at the three, who did they think they were? "She's in Brighton." One of them said smirking, oh boy, I closed my eyes and prayed harder for some form of miracle to find its way into the cafe but none appeared.

My wife's words rang in my mind and I knew i had to be wishful and most of all, hopeful.

'God answers you when you least expect it'

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Hello Readers,

I have decided to do this in two parts instead of making a ultra-long chapter, bare with me, the next chapter should be up in the next few days or i'm hoping it will be!

Please vote, comment and follow for a follow back.

I would love some feedback, not all hate, like if you like it or opinions or even some form of an event you'd like to see between any of the characters. (Preferred as a private message)

Thanks

-Parker x