Daddy’s wild girl

Chapter 40

The bonfire crackled in the distance, a roar of orange and gold against the ink-black sky, but the air between Bella and Reyes was cool and quiet. They walked toward the edge of the tree line, where the music became a dull thrum and the smell of toasted sugar was replaced by the scent of pine and damp earth.

Reyes stopped, shoving his hands into his pockets. He looked down at his boots, the flickering light of the fire catching the sharp line of his jaw. "Bella," he began, his voice heavy with a weight he had been carrying all night. "I’m sorry. I promised you that I’d make sure Ethan stayed away. I told him to leave you alone, and I failed. I didn't keep my word."

Bella shook her head, a small, tired smile touching her lips. "It’s not your fault, Reyes. You can’t be responsible for a monster. Ethan is just… he’s evil. He does what he wants because he knows no one can stop him. You tried, and that’s more than anyone else did."

Reyes looked up, his eyes searching hers, intense and dark. "I have to ask. The whole school is talking. The blog, the video… the way he’s acting. Are you two really dating? Did he actually get to you?"

Bella let out a sound of pure disgust, her nose wrinkling. "Eww! Reyes, no! I would never date someone like that. The thought of it makes me want to throw up. He’s arrogant, he’s cruel, and he’s a liar. I’m only 'his girlfriend' in his sick, twisted head."

A look of visible relief washed over Reyes’ face, and he let out a small, huffed breath that was almost a laugh. "Good. Because you deserve a lot better than a guy who thinks life is a game."

They shared a quiet moment, the tension easing slightly, but then Reyes’ expression shifted. He became serious, his gaze sharpening. "Bella, there’s something I need to tell you. I’ve been digging into what happened at the pool. I needed to know the truth."

Bella’s heart skipped a beat. The memory of the cold water closing over her head was still fresh enough to make her shiver. "What do you mean?"

"Ethan wasn’t the one who pushed you in," Reyes uttered.

Bella froze. She stared at him, her brain stalling. "What? That’s not possible. Reyes, I was there. I saw him. I saw the group, and I saw him standing there at the far end. I know I saw him."

"I checked all the CCTV footage, Bella," Reyes said, stepping closer to her. "I watched it three times. It was Amelia. She and her friends were the only ones there. They were the ones who tied you to that chair; they were the ones who pushed it. Ethan didn't break his promise to me. He actually stayed away from you the whole night."

Bella’s head was spinning. She leaned against a tree, her hand pressing into the rough bark. "But… if he didn't push me, why is he doing all this now? Why the fake relationship? Why the kiss?"

"He’s doing it for revenge," Reyes sighed. "Because you hit him in front of everyone. You embarrassed him, and now he’s making sure you can’t escape him. But the night of the pool… he wasn't your enemy."

"But I thought I saw him too," Bella muttered, her voice trembling. "In the chaos, before I went under… I could have sworn I saw those eyes."

"No, Bella. He wasn't the one who put you in," Reyes told her, his voice dropping to a low, staggering whisper. "He was the one who saved you."

The shock hit Bella like a physical blow to the stomach. She felt the air leave her lungs. "He saved me? The guy I’ve been hating for a week… the guy I punched in the face… he’s the reason I’m breathing?"

"He pulled you out. He’s the one who got the water out of your lungs," Reyes confirmed.

Bella covered her mouth with her hand. "He saved me… and I thought he was the one who tried to kill me. I don’t know why I felt like I saw him standing there watching me drown. It felt so real."

"That is because I live in your head, babe."

The voice came from the shadows, smooth and dangerous as silk. Both Bella and Reyes spun around. Ethan was leaning against a thick oak tree just a few feet away, a cigarette dangling from his fingers. The glowing tip was the only light near him, illuminating the smug, terrifyingly handsome curve of his lips.

"What are you doing here, Ethan?" Reyes snapped, his body tensing instinctively as he stepped in front of Bella.

Ethan flicked the ash from his cigarette, his eyes locked on Bella. "Well, I’m sorry, but if I see a guy pulling my girl away for a private chat in the dark, best believe I’m going to check and make sure she’s safe." He stepped into the moonlight, his smirk widening.

Reyes rolled his eyes, his voice tight with frustration. "She isn't your girl, Ethan. Stop the act. I just told her the truth."

"I am not your girlfriend!" Bella shouted, her face burning with a mix of fury and the overwhelming confusion of knowing he had saved her life.

"Is that a 'sorry' for attacking me for no reason?" Ethan asked, ignoring Reyes entirely. He looked at Bella with an intense, mocking gaze. "You broke my jaw because you thought I was a murderer. Seems like you owe me a pretty big apology."

Bella rolled her eyes, her teeth clenching. "I'm not apologizing for anything until you stop this insane charade!"

Reyes sighed, realizing that as long as Ethan was here, there would be no more rational conversation. He looked at Bella, his eyes soft. "I'll see you later, Bella. Stay safe." He gave Ethan a warning look before turning and walking back toward the noise of the bonfire, leaving the two of them in the heavy silence of the woods.

The moment Reyes was out of sight, the atmosphere shifted. The air felt thinner, more electric. Bella turned to walk away, but Ethan’s hand shot out like a serpent. He grabbed her wrist, his grip firm and warm.

"Let go!" Bella yelled.

Ethan didn't let go. Instead, he moved with a sudden, predatory grace, dragging her toward a nearby tree and pinning her against the trunk. He slammed his hands on either side of her head, his body a wall of heat and muscle that blocked her entire world.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" Bella cried, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.

Ethan didn't move. He leaned in, his face inches from hers. He didn't look angry; he looked hungry. He tilted his head, his nose grazing the soft skin of her neck. He inhaled deeply, a low, guttural sound vibrating in his chest, as if he were trying to catch the scent of anyone else who had been near her.

"What were you doing with him, huh?" Ethan uttered, his voice a dark, velvety growl. "Talking about me? Planning your escape?"

"It’s none of your business!" Bella spat, though her voice wavered as his lips brushed her ear.

"You know this mark on you?" Ethan whispered, his eyes flickering toward the hidden mark of her Alpha Daddy. "I tend to destroy things that aren't mine. I think I’ll start with this."

Before she could scream, he pressed a sharp, lingering kiss to the side of her neck. The sensation was electric, a jolt of heat that made Bella shiver violently against the bark of the tree. Her knees felt weak, and her breath hitched in a way she hated.

"Let go of me!" she managed to hiss, her hands pushing fruitlessly against his chest.

"Not until you apologize for hitting me," Ethan insisted, his eyes dark and fixed on her trembling lips.

Bella glared at him, her eyes flashing that unnatural, fierce gold. "Fine! I am sorry for hitting you! Is that what you want to hear? But that doesn't mean you didn't deserve it. Everything that has happened to me since I got here is because of you! People hurt me because they think it makes them like you. You’ve made my life a living hell!"

Ethan’s expression didn't change. He watched her, his gaze dropping to her mouth as she spoke. He seemed mesmerized by the way her lips moved, completely ignoring the words coming out of them.

"I didn't ask anybody to harm you," Ethan uttered softly, his voice almost sounding sincere for the first time. "I would never ask them to harm my girlfriend."

"Stop calling me that! Can't you see? I could never date someone like you!" Bella shouted, her voice rising in frustration. "You're a bad person, Ethan. You're arrogant, you're a bully, and people like you make me sick! I can't even think about us being together. I hate—"

Ethan didn't let her finish. He crashed his lips onto hers with a violence that took her breath away.

Bella’s eyes widened in total shock. She hummed a protest against his mouth, her hands clenching into fists to beat against his shoulders. But Ethan was a mountain. He didn't budge. He kissed her with a desperate, possessive hunger, his tongue tracing her bottom lip, sucking on it until a soft moan escaped her throat against her will.

The world seemed to vanish. There was only the smell of smoke on his jacket, the taste of him, and the rough bark against her back. Her hands, which had been fighting him, slowly began to lose their strength, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt.

"I guess I am interrupting."

The voice was cold, sharp, and dripping with a malice that cut through the heat of the moment like ice water.

Ethan froze. He didn't pull away immediately; he stayed there for a heartbeat, his forehead resting against Bella’s, his breathing heavy and ragged. He knew that voice. It was a voice he had known his whole life, and a voice he now hated more than any other.

He slowly turned his head, his eyes narrowing into slits.

Scott was standing a few yards away, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. His face was a mask of calculated boredom, but his eyes were burning with a dangerous, competitive fire. He looked at Bella, then at Ethan, a slow, jagged smirk spreading across his face.

"You always did have a habit of taking things that were too big for you to handle, Ethan," Scott uttered, his voice echoing in the quiet woods.