Fragile Love

by Mack Black

  Her words popped my eyes open and I looked right at her. “Like what?”

  She ran a hand through her hair. “I applied to Vogue. If I get it, I’ll be photographing models and such. It’s not exactly the movie industry, but it’s still a great opportunity. I actually have a shoot in the morning to complete my portfolio because Vogue is expecting it at my first interview, which is in three days.”

  My girlfriend blew me away sometimes. She was very driven, and she always went for what she wanted. I admired that so much.

  “That’s wonderful baby.”

  I laid back on the pillows, ready to take her in my arms and fall into a deep sleep. The morning would be here fast, and I had a lot of things to catch up on at work. It was going to be a long day.

  “Promise me you’ll consider Capcom,” she said, nestling herself into my open arms.

  “I promise.”

  Elise walked up to my desk, handing me some papers. I took them and went back to typing.

  “James, how are you doing? Everything with Charlotte and all?” she asked, picking at her nails.

  “I’m fine.” I grunted.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  I stopped typing and looked up at her. For the first time, I saw the wrinkles and bags beneath her eyes, the pain there—something I’d never noticed before. In that moment, I knew in order to move on, I had to do the one thing I never thought I would.

  “I forgive you,” I said.

  Her eyes widened, and she nodded, swallowing hard. “I was a fool. I truly am sorry, and I hope one day we can be friends again. I never should’ve used you for a job. I never should’ve tried to come between you and Bella. At one time, I did consider you a friend, and honestly, I’m not sure when I became such a bitch. I know it doesn’t excuse my behavior, but I thought if I could just get ahead for once, all the shit I was feeling inside would go away. I was wrong.”

  “I don’t know if we can ever be friends again, Elise. You ruined my trust, but I do forgive you and I think it’s time we all moved on.”

  The shrill sound of my phone ringing cut into the air, and I silently cursed myself for forgetting to turn off the ringer. Elise took her cue to leave, and I pulled my phone from the drawer to look at the caller ID.

  Unknown

  I sent it to voicemail and placed it back in the drawer, intent on finishing my work so I could go home for the day.

  Before I could start typing again, it vibrated in the drawer. Again, I opened it, and again it was an unknown number.

  I looked around the office. Nobody was paying any attention to me, so I answered it.

  “Whoever you are, I can’t take personal calls at work, so make it quick.”

  The voice on the other end had me sitting up straighter. Suddenly, I felt sick to my stomach.

  “James, it’s Monika. I need you to come quick, it’s...” I could hear the panic in her voice. “He took her. He took my Bella.”

  I busted through the front door without knocking. She hadn’t given me any details, just told me to come as quick as I could, so I rushed out of work, not telling anyone I was leaving. I’d driven here on auto pilot, running through every possible scenario in my head. Who had taken her? Her step-father?

  When I saw Chase sitting on the couch comforting Monika, I knew it was something worse. Something dire.

  “Please God, I can’t lose Bella too.” She wailed. Chase ran a hand up and down her back, his mouth set in a grim line.

  “What is going on?” I said, taking a seat across from them on the edge of the chair.

  “I don’t know what to do. He said no cops.” Monika cried.

  I looked from her to Chase.

  “Please. Tell me what’s going on.”

  Chase cleared his throat and leaned towards me. “We never told Bella or Hayley this, but we know who killed their father. When we moved, it wasn’t because I got a job offer, it was because he was coming for them. We had to keep them safe.”

  I nodded, trying to process the words.

  “He killed Hayley and now he’s going to kill my Bella.” Monika sobbed.

  I had no clue what was going on. Bella said Hayley died from an overdose. Was it possible they were lying to her and letting her carry the guilt all this time? Why?

  “I’m a little confused. Bella told me about Hayley, but she told me something completely different about how she died.”

  Chase looked at Monika, and Monika nodded, letting her gaze fall to the floor. Her bottom lip trembled, and her face was snow white.

  “Son, you’re on a need to know basis, so here is what you need to know: we told her that Hayley overdosed because we didn’t want her to know the truth. Knowing meant a target on her head.” He took a deep breath. “We thought we had it handled. Apparently, we were wrong.”

  I swallowed hard. Maybe my family weren’t the only people in the world with secrets that had the potential to destroy lives.

  “How did she die?” I choked on the words, realizing this was why she couldn’t talk about Hayley. Not because she blamed Bella and it was a sore subject, but because she lied about it and felt guilty.

  “She died from asphyxiation,” he said slowly, his eyes wide with what could only be guilt. “He choked her to death in her sleep.”

  “But he didn’t touch Bella?” I asked confused. The story she told me was making less and less sense.

  “Bella wasn’t there the night it happened.”

  “But she said—"

  “I’m not proud to admit this son, but we had a doctor implant a false memory into Bella’s head. Like I said, that’s all you need to know, anything more could put your life in danger more than I am already asking you to put it in danger.”

  I was stunned, completely and totally rocked to my core. This man, who had killed half her family, now had my Bella. He had my Bella and he was going to kill her.

  I’d just gotten her. I couldn’t lose her already.

  “Do you have a plan?” I asked around the lump in my throat.

  “I always have a plan. It’s just risky. We can’t involve the police because this man is very important in Italy.

  Involving them would mean time to gather the necessary paperwork, and by then it will probably be too late.” Chase seemed abnormally calm for a man who was in the situation he was. I was anything but calm. In fact, my hands were trembling as I ran them through my hair.

  Chase debriefed me quickly. After, I got in my car and did what I’d been told. If the plan had any chance of working, we needed more people. I drove straight to my sister’s house, hoping Jace would be willing to help too. They had no idea I was coming, or even what was happening, but Chase said the last thing I should do is call them and tell them over the phone.

  I didn’t even knock as I walked through the front door—a man on a mission.

  “Hey James. What’s up.”

  “Call Elise, have her come watch the girls. I need you and I need you now.”

  I paced the length of the house while Nessa called Elise without a bit of hesitation, probably because I’d never done anything like this before.

  When she hung up, she moved to me and laid a hand on my shoulder. “She’s on the way. Wanna tell me what’s going on?” Her voice was soft, and I wanted nothing more than to fall into her and cry my eyes out, but crying wouldn’t save my Bella.

  “I’ll tell you in the car. We need to hurry. Where’s Jace?”

  I could feel the tension radiating off my shoulders in waves. Vanessa turned and made her way down the hallway. Several moments later she appeared with Jace.

  Seconds later, a knock sounded at the front door and I plowed through Elise to get to my car. Time was wasting away. I didn’t have time to get into it with her.

  “I’m not sure when we will be back. Dinner is in the fridge, you just need to heat it up. Make yourself at home,” Nessa said as she walked towards the car with Jace right behind her.

  We piled into the car, and after everyone fastened th
eir seatbelts, I took off, driving as fast as I could towards my next destination.

  “Tell me what’s going on, James. You’re scaring me. I’ve never seen you like this.”

  I passed through a stop sign, picking up even more speed. “Bella has been kidnapped, and I need your help to save her. Her parents are at the bank now withdrawing the ransom money.”

  Vanessa gasped, covering her mouth.

  “Who would—” Jace started.

  “That’s a long story and I don’t have time to tell it,” I cut him off as I swung the car into a parking space at the bank.

  Bella’s parents were waiting for us when we climbed out.

  “Chase, Monika, meet Vanessa and Jace, the sister and brother I told you about.”

  Chase nodded and looked to them. “All that strength and willpower you used to overcome almost dying at the hands of your stepmother? I’m going to need you to tap into that and save my daughter. He doesn’t know you or Jace. He knows us. We can’t be the ones to do it.”

  Chase debriefed them on the plan and we all climbed into the van that would take us to her. As we pulled up outside the fancy hotel, I wondered how he’d keep her here without someone noticing. She had to be terrified out of her mind. I placed the com in my ear and watched as Vanessa and Jace walked hand in hand into the hotel.

  I listened while Jace sweet talked the clerk into letting them have a room on the floor our intel had told us this man was staying on. I could hear the telltale sign of money slapping on the counter and Jace’s smooth voice saying, “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. What do you say gorgeous?”

  We couldn’t hear her reply, so I could only hope it worked. A few minutes later, Jace came across the com.

  “We are headed up to the room now.”

  All the air rushed out of my lungs as I worried not only for Bella’s safety, but also my brother’s and sister’s. Had I been wrong to involve them? What if their children had to grow up without parents because of me? Bile rose up the back of my throat and I barely had time to grab a plastic bag before everything came out of my stomach.

  “Remember to stick to the plan. Any deviations could mean Bella’s life,” Chase said, his voice still calm as ever.

  Monika looked back at me, noticing I was staring hard at him. “Agenzia Informazioni e Sicurezza Esterna,” she said, somehow guessing what I’d been thinking.

  This man worked for the Italian equivalent to the CIA? Holy fuck.

  “Bella’s father was also an agent of AISE,” she said, guessing that was where my head was, but in truth it wasn’t, not even a little.

  I was silent again as Jace’s voice came through the coms.

  “Can I trouble you for a light?” he asked. “My wife and I are here for our honeymoon and we wanna get kinda kinky, if you know what I mean.”

  “I don’t have a light,” a voice barked.

  “Damn. I’m sorry bro. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just asked for a lighter. My wife here…” he trailed off right as Vanessa squealed. He’d probably pinched her butt or something. “She’s a real vixen. I can’t believe I forgot the lighter. Total dumb move on my part. You sure you can’t just peek inside your room? Maybe you have one in there.” He was smooth as butter.

  “If I go look, will you shut up and move along?” the man barked.

  “I will. I’m ready to lay it on my wife, ya know? I just need a lighter,” Jace purred.

  Chase turned to look at me, a smile on his face. “This boy is your brother? He’s sharp.” He looked proud.

  I nodded and waited with bated breath.

  A few moments later, a door shut and Jace came over the com. “She’s in there. I heard her when he opened the door.”

  Chase looked up at me. “You ready son? It’s time to put this thing in action.”

  Fully dressed in tactical gear and a bullet proof vest, I made my way up to the roof. The plan was to hide in wait while Chase drew him up to the roof. Once the two were alone, I’d come out with my gun drawn, praying I didn’t actually have to shoot because I’d never even held a gun before, much less shot one. I really had no idea what Chase was thinking giving me a gun.

  All I knew was I’d do anything to save her, even if it meant shooting someone.

  “Whatever happens, I’ll make sure you don’t get into any trouble, you understand?” Chase said through the com.

  “Understood.”

  It felt like forever as I crouched in the ventilation tube, but finally the door to the roof opened and two men’s’ voices floated over to me.

  “Chase. I assume you have my money in exchange for your daughter,” a deep voice said with a thick Italian accent.

  “The money is in the bag. Where is she? When I see my daughter is still alive, you can leave with the money. No harm has to come to anyone today,” Chase said, calm and collected as ever.

  I heard Bella’s voice and it took everything in me to stick to the plan and stay in my hiding spot to wait for his signal. Her voice was like music to my ears. She was still alive. Maybe, just maybe, we would all make it out of this.

  “Was it worth it? Vengeance?” Chase asked as Bella’s voice disappeared into the thin air.

  That was Jace’s signal to go. He was to jump the balcony outside and go inside from the patio to get Bella out while Vanessa distracted the man outside.

  I ignored everything going on in the com, waiting for Chase to give me his signal.

  “Indeed,” the man said.

  “Karma is a cold-hearted bitch, and even though I won’t kill you today, she’ll come for you. I hope you’ve made your peace with your maker,” Chase said.

  I kept quiet as I exited the tube and stood. My eyes locked on the back of the man’s head as I lifted the gun and pointed it at him.

  “That is none of your concern. Give me my money and this can all be over. You owe me as much. You stole her from me. I killed him so she could be mine, but you ruined everything.” The man spit out his words, disgust clear as day.

  “I didn’t steal her from you. I was assigned to her,” Chase said.

  Holy fuck. Does that mean he isn’t actually Bella’s step father, but instead an agent that was protecting them?

  “You don’t fuck your assignments, Chase. Even I don’t do that. You’re no better than me, you know that right?”

  Chase flicked his eyes to the left and I inched closer.

  “I will pay for my sins the same as you will pay for yours,” Chase said, taking a step towards him. “Here is the money, now tell me where my daughter is.”

  I took the last step towards the man and placed the gun against the back of his head.

  “You’re surrounded, give it up now. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”

  The man didn’t move, although I had to mentally tell myself not to shake. I’m not sure it worked.

  “But how? If you’d alerted the agency, I’d know,” he said.

  At that exact moment, dozens of men swarmed the roof and trained their guns on us. I wasn’t sure if these were the good guys or the bad guys, but either way, I thought I might piss my pants.

  “I’ve got Bella,” Jace said through the com. “Proceeding to escape route.”

  As we drove to the meet up point, I said a prayer, thanking God for sparing us and letting my Bella make it out of that alive. It turned out the guys who swarmed the roof were the good guys, some of Chase’s most trusted allies. The man who’d kidnapped Bella would be put away for a long time for his crimes not only against them, but against his country. It turns out Chase had been making a case on him for years. He’d only recently slipped through the cracks and got away long enough to kidnap Bella. There was a lot more to that story, I was sure, but I was on a need to know basis. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. All I really wanted was to put my arms around my girlfriend and never, ever let go.

  The moment I walked into the diner, Bella rushed me and threw her arms around me.

  “I thought I’d never s
ee you again.” Tears ran down her face. “I thought…”

  “Shh. I’m here now,” I whispered, running my hands along her body to try to calm the both of us.

  Monika waited a small distance from us, a pained look on her face. I guided Bella towards her, knowing they needed a minute together.

  “Bella, I—” she started.

  Bella held up a hand to stop her. “I know mom. That man, he told me everything,” she said, wrapping her arms around her mother and holding on for dear life.

  Monika broke down, crying all over again while she held her daughter.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she said repeatedly. “All I ever wanted was to protect you.”

  I pushed open the apartment door, steering Bella through it. She went straight to the bathroom, stripped and showered. I didn’t blame her. I’d want to shower too. The thing was, a shower wouldn’t wash it all away. It couldn’t. Emotional trauma wasn’t something you got over by showering.

  I busied myself in the kitchen, trying to put together some food since I wasn’t sure when she last ate. Honestly, I wasn’t entirely sure what to do in this situation. I didn’t know if she wanted to talk about it or try to forget it, so I was walking on eggshells.

  A few moments later, Bella returned to the living room, flopping down onto the couch with a heavy sigh. I immediately went to her, food in hand, and sat beside her, unsure if I should touch her or not.

  “I’m not fragile James. He didn’t hurt me. Yes, it was traumatic, but the thing that got to me the most was not knowing if I’d ever see you again. I want to…” She swallowed, hard. “I want to get married.”

  I frowned. Bella had just went through something traumatic, and I was afraid to say yes because of that. “Let’s not make rash decisions right now. It was a long day and I think you need to process before we go making a life altering decision.”

  She rolled her eyes, turning towards me and grabbing my face. “You don’t understand. For the past twenty-four hours, I’ve done nothing but think. That man told me my entire life was a lie. Everything I thought to be true, wasn’t. The only thing I’m certain of is I want to spend my life with you. You’re my constant, the one person I know I can always count on.” She moved off the couch, kneeling down in front of me. “It’s not epic, or even really planned out, but James Winters, will you marry me? I want to spend the rest of my days with you and only you.”