Dangerous Love (girl x girl)

Chapter 44

Arielle

I tried my best not to make eye contact with my sister as I was dragged out of the room again. The last thing I wanted to see right now was the look in her eyes. I didn't know what was going through her mind, nor did I know where her loyalties resided.

It was nothing that I would have questioned a week ago, but now that I knew she was Tristan's girlfriend, I really couldn't afford to take chances. I didn't blame her because I knew that all of these years had surely taken their toll on her. Whether it was because of Stockholm Syndrome, or because he was there for her when she was at her lowest, I didn't know. The only thing I did know was that she still cared for me and tried to protect me. The last thing I wanted was to see the hurt in her eyes.

The guards brought me down to my cell again and I didn't try to resist. Tristan would keep me alive for now, as he wanted me to tell him who the informant was, but there was no way in high hell I was going to give Trey up.

I couldn't really keep track of time down here as they didn't bring water or food on much of a schedule, but by my rough estimate, it had been about two hours before I heard someone come into the basement again. I didn't even look up, assuming it was just another guard coming to bring water or food.

The footsteps stopped at my cell. When there was no move to slide something through, I finally looked up. My sister stood in front of me. She looked like she had been crying and her hands gripped the bars of the cell so tightly that her knuckles turned white. After a moment, she unlocked the door and stepped inside, walking up to me.

Silently, she sat down and set the bag she had been carrying onto the floor. I looked at her warily. "I-I begged Tristan to let me come down and take a look at your injuries." She said quietly. "He agreed, but there are guards at the door."

"He just agreed? Like that?" I hadn't meant for my tone to come out so harshly, but it did.

She flinched and looked away for a moment. "I persuaded him. Don't worry about it." We both went silent.

She pulled some first aid supplies out. It reminded me of the time Isabelle treated my wounds. I didn't move as she unwrapped a sterile wipe and started to dab at the skin around my eye. "You're bruised... you shouldn't anger Tristan like that..."

I held back a remark. It wasn't Clara's fault. I reminded myself. She had been here for far too long. I needed to focus on getting us out, or rather, surviving until Isabelle could find me.

I flinched suddenly. "Sorry! Sorry!" Clara quickly whispered, thinking she had hurt me. I shook my head, but didn't say anything. It had dawned on me that despite not relying on anyone other than maybe Chase for years, and only because I had to on the job, I was willing to hand my life over to Isabelle, having complete faith that she would find me. I blinked back a few emotional tears, turning my head away from my sister.

"I'm so sorry... " I was pulled from my thoughts again. I was very aware of my sister's sniffles in the quiet basement.

"Ari... if what he said was true...you came here for me...I ruined your life. You shouldn't have."

I finally turned to face her again. "Clara, I did what I had to. I never stopped thinking about you for one day. Neither did mom and dad. Mom knows I did this. She wants you home as badly as I do."

"Then she'll hate me even more." She said quietly. "I wasn't getting out of here and now, neither are you."

"That's not true." I said firmly, lowering my voice to barely above a whisper.

"Ari, what?" She questioned. "You're locked in here. You have no contact with the outside world. Even if you did, who would dare to come here? The police can't do anything and if mom and dad knew, they would just hurt themselves trying."