The Bad Boy Craves Me✔

45. Work for it.

As I left the shop, I quickly sent a text to Steff, urging him to bring my brother back home safely. An unexpected matter had arisen, and I needed to attend to it urgently.

My anger simmered as I reflected on the reckless disregard for my clear instructions. They had carelessly harmed the innocent man, despite my explicit statement to the contrary. It was a blatant act of defiance, one that left me seething with frustration. This marked the final straw, and I was determined to ensure it would not happen again.

"Bella?" I heard Kristen's voice calling after me, but I chose to ignore it, marching ahead in fury.

It was disheartening to think that they no longer cared about my opinions or the values I held dear. I had believed they had changed, but their recent actions had shattered that illusion.

"Bella, wait!" Kristen finally caught up with me, spinning me around to face him.

"What happened in there?" he inquired, his voice softer.

"Why don't you tell me what happened to that poor doctor who did nothing to deserve your brutality?!" I couldn't contain my anger, and my words echoed through the watching crowd.

Steff, thankfully, had not yet emerged from the shop with Antonio, and he remained blissfully unaware of the unfolding scene.

"Could you lower your voice?" Kristen whispered, clearly aware of the curious onlookers passing by.

"That's all you have to say?" I retorted, my frustration unabated.

"He was the one who forced us to do it!" the twins chimed in simultaneously.

"I'm sure you two have minds of your own!"

"It was just meant to be a little scare, Bella," Kristen tried to explain.

"So, hitting him in the face was just a scare? Are you out of your mind?!" I exclaimed, my disbelief evident.

"You can't simply attack everyone who looks at me," I scolded him.

"That's precisely what we tried to tell him," Marco stepped forward.

"I can't believe you!" I snatched the car keys from Kristen's hand and headed towards his car.

"I can't believe I trusted you to follow my instructions for once. Why do you keep hurting me? Does it bring you joy?" I questioned him bitterly.

"Bella, where are you going?" Kristen called out.

"Far away from you. Perhaps I'll find someone who will actually listen to me for once!" I yelled, frustration and disappointment driving me as I started the car's engine and sped away.

My last statement had clearly struck a nerve I hadn't intended to. If glares could kill, I'd be six feet under by now.

As I drove away, I couldn't help but glance back and see them all standing there, watching my car recede into the distance. They didn't make any attempt to follow me. Good.

I needed some time to think about what I'd do next. If he wouldn't listen to me, then why should I continue trying to reason with him?

Now, I had parked my car in front of an unfamiliar house. I got out and approached the front door. Kristen might not be following me, but I knew he was tracking me through a device in his car. It wouldn't be long before he figured out where I was, and I expected his reaction to be explosive.

I knocked on the door, and after a moment, a tall, skinny man with a bright smile on his face answered. His short, dirty-blond hair and youthful appearance made him look much younger than his actual age, which I estimated to be around forty.