Rule #1: Never Date An A.C.E. [COMPLETED]

Chapter 19: Rule #38: The Best Medicine For Pain Is A Good Nights' Sleep

I wish that the fall had seemed like the movies—slow motion—so I had time to think. In reality, I barely have enough time to scream before hitting the branches of a tree beneath the window. My back takes most of the bruising as I curl my head up to protect it and my beck. I groan as I hit the largest branch, my body bent over it for a second before I fall the rest of the way to the ground. A thorn bush eases my fall but rips at the little clothes I have on. My chest is heaving as I take huge breaths, the thorns scraping my skin as I do.

"You're not dead yet?" I hear Sheridan yell. He jumps on to the tree and climbs down it, landing in front of me, out of the bush. I move my head slightly and see Sheridan has pointed a gun at me, complete with a silencer. "That's too bad. Mr. Deraleck did ask me to let you live, but Mr. Forchester had a much more convincing argument." His grip on the gun tightens and I close my eyes, not wanting to witness my own death. A gunshot sounds and I open my eyes in shock, because the silencer shouldn't have made a noise. But instead of a gunshot wound in myself, I see blood pouring from Sheridan, the bullet landing in the middle of his forehead. I crane my neck upward to see a furious Dylan standing at the broken window.

He jumps down the tree like Sheridan, dropping the gun next to Sheridan's body, "Bella? Are you okay?"

"Not particularly," I say as he tries to help me from the thorn bush. I escape with only a few more scratches and fall into Dylan's arms. "Thank you."

"I just wish I had gotten to you before he pushed you," he says sorrowfully.

"Yeah, seems like you're always there after the fact," I try to joke, but Dylan instead hangs his head in shame. "I'm fine, Dylan. I can take care of myself."

He leans his forehead against mine, "You haven't been doing a wonderful job."

I try to shrug, but wince in the process, "What can I say, I just want to test my limits."

"Well stop testing, would ya? I'm getting gray hairs already," he growls and I chuckle, then ends in me coughing. "Let's get you to Flower."

"What are we going to tell Vanessa?" I say as we hobble around the side of the house to get to a door.

"Sadly, the truth," Dylan says. Our friends are outside searching for us, due to the gunshot sound.

Boone spots us first, "What the hell happened?"

"Sheridan was a mole for the Three Princes," I explain before gripping my ribs.

"That can't be true," I hear Vanessa come up from behind Boone, shaking her head. "He loved me."

"He tried to kill me, Nessa," I say, gesturing to my body. "He was about to, before Dylan shot him dead."

"He's dead?" Vanessa whispers, leaning into Boone. Tears gather in her eyes, "You killed him!" She yells at Dylan, lunging for him and shoving me away in the process. I fall on my back, whimpering as Vanessa tries to punch Dylan, tears streaming down her face. I can't blame her for being upset, especially since she loves Sheridan. She soon stops fighting Dylan and clutches on to him as she bawls.

"I can't believe he used me," she sniffs before turning to me. "Oh god, Isa, I'm so sorry. I should've known, I could've prevented everything from happening..."

I cut her off, "No, none of this is your fault." She helps me from the ground before hugging me lightly. "He is to blame completely."

"Let's get you patched up, shall we?" Flower comes over and pulls me into the house, everyone else filing in behind us. She lays me on the couch, on my stomach, to take care of my back. Dylan holds my hand the entire time, a frown growing deeper on his face as Flower uncovers more injures. Everyone is silent until I chastise them for it, and small conversations start. Vanessa stays sitting in a single chair, staring at the wall. I wish there was something for me to say to make her feel better, but coming to terms with being betrayed wouldn't be solved with words. The day now ruined, everyone decided to head to their perspective rooms, Dylan unnecessarily carrying me to ours. He lays me down on the bed, combing his fingers through my hair as he lays next to me.

"I swear I won't let you out of my sight," he whispers and I groan. "I just want you safe, love."

"I know. I would like to be completely healed before the next attack occurs," I jokingly say, but Dylan's face hardens.

"There will be no next time," he says sternly, before capturing my lips with his. We continue until I move the wrong way and cry out in pain. "Sorry, sorry."

"Not your fault," my face twists as I try to deal with the pain coursing through my body. It finally settles down and I turn to continue our kiss, but Dylan has turned his back to me. "Dylan?"

"You should get some sleep," he mumbles and I frown. I had hoped we were going to cuddle, but I turn my own back, pretending I don't care.

But the pain I have throbbing on the outside doesn't compare to the pain now throbbing on the inside. My close my eyes and shiver in the light blankets. After a minute, I feel another weight over me, and I peek my eye open to see Dylan has draped another blanket over me. It doesn't excuse his actions, but I figure he will feel better in the morning.

''''''''''''''''''''''''

"Wakey, wakey!" I hear a voice near my head and I crack my eyes open to see Alex standing over me. "Rule number thirty-eight states that the best medicine for pain is a good nights' sleep!"

"Then why aren't you letting me sleep?" I mumble into my pillow.

I can hear the change in her voice next, "Because you won't be sleeping here anymore."

I sit up in bed quickly, forgetting my injuries, causing me to groan in pain, "What?"

Her facial expression changes to a frown, "Dylan's taking you away from here."

"Without you guys?" I ask, now standing.

"The Director thinks it'll be better we all return to Ace," she explains. "After the fiasco with Sheridan, she's more worried than ever. We're going to try and take down Ace, while you are kept safe."

"So, I'm just supposed to sit back and pretend like my friends aren't trying to find and destroy the people who tortured me?" I grit my teeth and glare at her.

"It's an order," Dylan appears in the doorway, scowling back at me. Alex quietly exits the room as Dylan and I glare at each other.

"What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" Dylan looks incredulous. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Bella? You are actively being hunted. Hunted. Don't you understand that I'm trying to protect you?"

"I will never be safe as long as Luca is out there!" I scream. "He has to be taken down before I'll ever be considered safe. Look!" I unwrap my feet quickly after sitting on the bed. I push them off the ground. "Look at what they did to me, Dylan! This will never go away." I release my feet to rest back on the ground, and I begin to sob. "They will never go away," I whisper, my hands covering my face. I feel the bed dip in weight as Dylan sits next to me. He puts an arm around me and tugs me to him. I don't react, just continue to sob as the memories flash back, my feet throbbing.