Paint You Wings

Twenty-eight

"And who would that be, Miss Smith?"
I bite my lip and look between the two cops.

It's going to be a long day.
***

After talking with the two police officers, they tell me that I'll be released in forty-eight hours unless they can't find Richard. I cross my fingers that they do. I'm no longer in a cell. Instead, they've put me in a tiny room that is freezing.

I hug my knees to my chest and sleep on the hard mattress.

When I wake the lights are still on, there's a tray of food sitting on the floor near the door. There's one thing I've learned about prison: The food is terrible.

My stomach growls, indicating that I should eat it anyway, but despite my hunger I'm just not in the mood to eat. What if they don't find Richard? What if I'm stuck in here for a crime I didn't commit, but stupidly said I did?
Why did I do that? Was I trying to protect Richard? What is wrong with me?

I rub my eyes and sit up on the rock the prison calls a bed. Someone pounds on my door. The noise echoes through my room and I clap my hands over my ears.

The door opens and in steps one of the cops I was talking to earlier.
He leans against the frame nonchalantly.

"We've got good news, and bad news."
"Bad news first." I say through a hoarse voice.

"We can't find Richard... Stone, right?"

I nod, taking it all in. He probably bolted. The second he called the cops on me, he left the state. I know it. "And the good news?"

"Your boyfriend, father, and a note left by an anonymous source has proven you innocent. You are free to go."

"But what about Richard?"

He shrugs. "We'll just have to keep looking."

"Is there anyway I can help?" I ask, an idea popping into my mind.

He raises his eyebrows, picking up on where I'm going. "What do you got in mind?"

Images of the last time I saw Richard flash through my mind. He flipped out over my scars, but then told me he wanted his money and that was it. I'm way late on his payment, and it's odd he hasn't done something reckless besides throwing me in jail.

"He wants money. That's what it's all about. If I just tell him I have his money we can trick him into meeting me, can't we?"
"We?"

"What, do you expect me to take him out on my own? He has an army of men, and I have no combat skills."
The cop hesitates. "Alright. We'll need you to make contact with Richard as soon as possible. When you do, call me and tell me where he wants to meet. I will give you a decoy bag that's supposedly filled with money."
I nod, following the cop as he leads me down a hallway.

Aaron is waiting out front with jeans and a t-shirt for me to change into. I excuse myself to the bathroom, and take my sweet time slipping into the jean shorts and white t-shirt. The mirror shows me a reflection I no longer recognize. My dark hair is unkept, and the bags under my eyes couldn't be covered up with the best of concealers.

I sigh quietly and pull my hair into a messy ponytail. When I exit the bathroom, Aaron is waiting for me. He's fixed his eyes on the key in his hand. When his eyes meet mine, I notice how pale he has gone. His blue eyes glaze over with concern.

"You have to meet with Richard? Alone?"

I shake my head and take his hand in mine. "No, not alone. I'll have multiple cops."

He takes in a shaky breath. "I don't know how I feel about this, Belle."
I shrug and pull him out to the car.

"Aaron, I've been eating prison food for too long. Let's go eat, and let me sleep in my own bed, with my boyfriend, and then we'll talk. Okay?"

He rubs his eyes. When he opens them, they're bright red. "Okay, where would you like to go?"

***

I curl up into Aaron's arms. My stomach full, and my eyes heavy, my bed has never felt comfier. Aaron's cologne engulfs me. I've never felt so at home.

"I've missed you." He whispers.

I snuggle closer. "I've missed you too."

"I had an interesting conversation with your dad while you were away..."

"Oh yeah?" I say sleepily.

"Yeah..."

His body goes eerily tense. My eyes snap open and I sit up. "About what?"

"About getting married..."

I freeze. Why would Aaron mention that to my father? "What'd he say?"

"Well, it wasn't what I was expecting, that's for sure." I wait for him to continue. "He actually gave me his blessing."

My mouth goes dry. I wonder why my dad actually changed his mind about Aaron? "Did he say anything else?"

"Nope... but since your dad said that we could get married... I was thinking we should make it a little more official. I've been looking around at jobs, and even though I don't have a full college career, the years I do have benefit me in some ways. I can get a decent job, your father offered to pay for most of the wedding... we could do it, Belle."

A smile hints at the corner of my mouth. "We could," I gush.

Aaron gets out of bed and goes to his top drawer. "I went out and bought this, and even though this isn't such a romantic setting, I don't think there's been a more perfect time." He walks over to my side of the bed, something clasped in his fist. I have a good idea of what it is. "I saw this when I was getting your promise ring. I knew it would be perfect the second I laid eyes on it." He pulls the top off a tiny black box and in it is a beautiful diamond ring. A silver band, with one moderate sized diamond. I bite my lip and look up at Aaron.

"I know I've asked before, Belle, but... would you marry me?"

My lip pops out from between my teeth and I smash my mouth to his. His arm snakes around my waist. "Yes," I say against the kiss, "yes I will."

Aaron slips the ring onto my left ring finger. It glints in the dim light. Nothing has ever felt so real, and so pure. Even though we've only been together for a short time, it feels like I've known him forever and I couldn't ask for anything more.

I cannot wait to become Mrs. Aaron Dawson.

A/N sorry this is short & I haven't updated in forever! But thanks to Aleigha Narvaiz (arn414 or something like that :p) I've finally updated! Are you excited to see how the meeting with Richard goes?! I'm excited to write it! I'll be uploading chapter 1 of a new story I'm working on sometime soon (and by that I probably mean not until December) xx bye