His Collateral

Chapter 23

Alessandro's P.O.V:
I pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine, my mind still reeling from the events of the day. I took a deep breath and got out of the car, my feet moving slowly towards the front door.
As I opened the door, Marco came rushing up to me, his face alight with excitement. "We did it!" he exclaimed. "We got Aldo to confess!"

I nodded, still trying to process everything that had happened.

"I still can't believe he killed your brother and his own in-laws, and it was all for money.

"I know," I said, a dark determination taking hold of me. "And I'm going to make sure he pays for what he's done. He's going to rot in jail for the rest of his life."
I scanned the room, looking for Bella. But she was nowhere to be found. I turned to Marco and asked, "Where's Bella?"

The smile on his face slowly faded. "She went upstairs after we watched Aldo confess," Marco said, his brow furrowed with worry. "She hasn't come down since."

I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. I needed to talk to her, to make sure she was okay. But I knew that it wasn't going to be easy.
I turned to Marco and said, "I'll be right back." Then, I walked over to Damien and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "You did great, buddy," I said with a smile.
Damien smiled back at me. He had helped us get the evidence we needed to take down Aldo.

I turned and headed up the stairs, making my way to my room. As I entered, I found Bella curled up at the foot of the bed, her head resting on her knees. Her shoulders were hunched, and her breathing was slow and heavy. I approached her, moving slowly so as not to startle her. I reached out and gently touched her shoulder, my voice soft and gentle as I spoke her name. "Bella," I said

"Hmmm" she hummed softly. For a moment I though she might be sleeping but then I saw her eyelids flutter and here eyes slowly open.
They were red and swollen, the skin around them puffy and tear-stained. She had clearly been crying for a long time.
I sat down on the floor beside her. "Bella," I said again, my voice barely above a whisper.
Without thinking, she leaned over and wrapped her arms around me, her head resting on my shoulder as she began to cry again.
I held her close. "It's going to be okay," I said, my voice soft and soothing. "We're going to make him pay for what he's done. He won't get away with this, I promise." I said stroking her hair. After a while, she finally began to calm down, her sobs turning to gentle sniffles.

I realized, as I held Bella close, that she was more fragile than I had ever imagined. She had been through so much, and she needed someone to be there for her, someone she could rely on. And in that moment, I knew that person had to be me. I hadn't always been the nicest of persons to her, but that was going to change. I would do everything in my power to get back everything Bella's parents had left her. She was not alone and would never be alone again.
After a few minutes, Bella pulled away from the embrace and looked me. I reached out and wiped the last of her tears away with my thumb. As I did, I noticed the way she leaned into my touch, as if she craved the comfort it provided. Our eyes met, and at that moment, I felt a surge of emotions I had never felt before. I looked down at her lips, then back into her eyes, searching for an answer to the question I couldn't bring myself to ask aloud. And then, she nodded, ever so slightly. It was the smallest of movements, but it was all I needed.

Just as I was about to kiss Bella, there was a knock at the door. We froze, startled by the sudden sound. Marco's voice came from the other side.
"Alessandro, Bella, Christys back. Hurry downstairs." He said.

We both scrambled to our feet, our faces flushed with embarrassment. I tried to compose myself, but I knew my face was still red. Bella looked away, unable to meet my gaze.
I cleared my throat. "Wash your face and come downstairs if you wish to." I said. "You also don't have to come if you don't want to. If you need to rest, that's okay. Just do what's best for you." I added. I wanted her to know that I would support her no matter what. She nodded, and I let her go to the bathroom.

Bella's P.O.V:
I walked into the bathroom as Alessandro left the room. I stood in front of the wide mirror lost in my thoughts. My mind was racing, replaying the last few minutes over and over. We had almost kissed. It was wrong, it should have been wrong, but for some reason, it didn't feel that way. Instead, I felt a sense of regret that it didn't happen. I couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like if we had actually kissed. It was a strange and conflicting feeling and I had never felt this way before. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to make sense of my emotions.
I pushed aside the thoughts about the near-kiss and focused on washing my face. I splashed cold water on my cheeks and patted them dry with a towel. I looked at myself in the mirror, taking a deep breath. My eyes were still a little red, but otherwise, I looked composed. I decided that I was going to go downstairs. I brushed my hair and arranged it a bit before heading down.

I took a deep breath walked into the living room, where I saw Alessandro and the others gathered around the table. Everyone looked up as I approached, and I offered a small smile. I sat down next to Alessandro, feeling his hand reach for mine. His hand felt warm against mine, and I could feel myself starting to relax. I focused on his smile, the crinkles at the corners of his eyes, the way his dimples deepened and I immediately felt calmer. I knew something had changed about the way I felt around him, but I decided not to dwell on it. For now, I just wanted to enjoy this peaceful moment.
I turned to look at the group and noticed the way Christy stared at Alessandro and I with a smile on her face. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. She noticed and decided speak up about something.
"You missed out on a lot Bella," she said. "We've got some more evidence against Aldo."

I looked up, my curiosity piqued. "What else did you find?" I asked.

"Well remember I had bugged Aldo's phone." She replied and I nodded.

"After he left the Café, he made a call to an unknown number." Christy said, her voice serious. "It turned out to be the man who had done some dirty work for Aldo in the past. The same man who had tampered with the brakes on both Vincenzo's and your parent's car. On the call, Aldo had told the man to leave town because people were digging into the case, looking for evidence. He didn't know I had his phone tapped already. The call has been recorded and the number will be traced."

"The evidence is going to be sent to the lawyer who's handling the case," Alessandro said, his voice full of confidence. "He'll be in touch with the police, and they'll get a warrant for Aldo's arrest."

I couldn't believe it. Aldo had thought he was so clever, but we were one step ahead of him. He thought he could get away with murder, but now he's going to pay for what he's done.

"What happens next?" I asked, my mind still racing with questions.

Alessandro looked at Christy, and then at me. "Can you come with me?" he asked, his voice soft and reassuring. I nodded, and we both got up and walked towards the kitchen. Christy followed behind us. We all sat down at the kitchen table, and Alessandro began to speak.

"Aldo won't be the only one facing charges," Alessandro said, his voice solemn. "I would also be pressing charges against Theresa and her children for domestic violence against you."

I could feel my heart rate quicken as I processed what he was saying. My hands began to shake, and I felt a wave of fear wash over me. Alessandro must have seen the fear in my eyes, because he took my hand in his, his grip firm and reassuring.

"I understand this is a lot to take in, and it might feel overwhelming," Alessandro said, his voice gentle and understanding. "But please know that I'll be with you every step of the way."

I nodded slowly and took a deep breath. "What do you need?" I asked

"We're going to need a photograph of the scars on your back," Christy replied, her tone gentle and non-judgmental. "It's going to be presented as private evidence to the judge along with a written statement from you about everything, so no one else will see it, I promise." I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I thought about someone seeing the scars on my back. But I had to trust both Christy and Alessandro.

"Okay," I said, my voice shaking slightly.

"We're not going to force you to do anything you don't want to," Alessandro said, his voice firm but kind. "But I do want you to keep in mind that this is the only way to make sure they pay for what they've done." I knew he was right, but it still felt like a lot to take on. "We'll both be here with you." He added and I smiled.

"I'll do it."
**********************