Dangerous Love (girl x girl)

Chapter 40

"Where are you headed to?"

"To a friend's house." He hesitated. I knew Marcel didn't know the full story, but Isabelle had likely mentioned the safety measures in place for me.

"Does Mademoiselle know?"

"Yes." I lied. "My friend is sending a driver for me too. I'll be fine."

He looked at me for a moment before opening the gate. I smiled at him gratefully before stepping out. He looked at me with a slight expression of worry but didn't say anything as he closed the gate behind me. I walked down the street and looked for the driver. Just then, I got a call. "Hello?"

"Miss Reagan? Mr. Evans sent me to pick you up. I'm in a white Lexus, license plate AJY 256. I'm parked right down the block." A male voice answered.

"Thank you, I'll be right there." I responded before walking towards the end of the block. I immediately spotted the car and walked up to it.

The driver stepped out to greet me. He was a tall Latino guy with an average build. "Miss Reagan, my name is Mateo. I'll be escorting you to Mr. Evans' house today." He opened the back door for me and I got in.

"I appreciate it." I said as I got in and buckled my seatbelt.

The car began to move from the driveway and I glanced back at the estate for a moment before pulling out my phone to message Chase and tell him I was on my way.

As I unlocked my phone, I saw a missed call from Chase.

What is it?

I texted a response. Seconds later, his reply came in.

Sorry, Ari. My driver is stuck in traffic. He might be a few minutes late.

I frowned in confusion.

But he's here? I'm on my way.

I began to feel very unnerved as I waited for Chase's response. I glanced around. We seemed to be on the right path. Maybe Mateo had just forgotten to tell Chase that he had arrived. I glanced down at my phone again when it vibrated.

Arielle...Jonathan just called me. He just arrived.

I felt my blood run cold as I tried to inconspicuously undo my seatbelt as quietly as I could. If I had to jump from a moving car, I would do it. Mateo made a turn in the opposite direction from Chase's house. I felt my heart sink. My eyes flicked up to the rear view mirror and we made eye contact.

He knew.

I lunged at the doors as the lock clicked shut. I scrambled to unlock the door, but before I could, I felt someone grab my arm roughly from behind. Before I could turn and look, I felt a needle pierce my arm through my clothing. Immediately, I felt lightheaded and disoriented. The person yanked me back from the door and forced me back onto the seat. I felt my arms being tied behind my back as my head spun. My vision began to blur and I felt like I had lost control over my bodily functions. I fought to stay conscious, but it became impossible. The last thought that went through my head before everything went black was that Isabelle was going to kill me.

~~~~

Isabelle

I sighed as I stared at all the papers in front of me. When I met with Trey Alexander, he had told me that he had a hunch as to where Arielle's sister might be being kept. For years we had suspected that that son of a b*tch, Vincenzo, was not only smuggling drugs, but also had a small human trafficking ring. Now I had proof. Once I was able to find Clara for Arielle and ensure the safety of my informant, I would turn this information over. He had given me some maps with the locations of warehouses marked off. The people they took were normally kept there...assuming they hadn't been sold yet or worse.

I tried not to think about the alternative as I pored over the intensive notes that I had taken. Over the last week, I had already sent men to infiltrate two out of seven possible locations marked off. We hadn't heard back with any news so far so I didn't want to share this information and get Arielle's hopes up for nothing until I had something.

As I studied the map, I found my mind drifting to Arielle Reagan...like it always did. Arielle was stubborn, independent, wild. She reminded me of myself in a way. I felt drawn to her in a manner that I couldn't explain. Even when she pushed me away, I wouldn't allow her to completely block me out.

I loved the girl.

The realization had come to me a few nights back when I was sharing a glass of wine with my father in the late hours of the night.

"I'm starting to get too old for this, ma cherie."

"Never, papa, you're still young at heart." I offered him a sly smile.

He chuckled at this. "But I am, my girl. I've wanted to retire for a long time. You know my reasons for continuing this for so long. Perhaps I was too ambitious. Trying to save the world one noble deed at a time, then forming a gang to take down another. Revenge does things to people."

I looked down at my glass. My father rarely spoke about my mother's death with me since I was a child. Even then, I could see that he avoided the topic like the plague. In the years following, it seemed like he had aged decades. With my mother gone, he no longer had someone to remind him to eat, to take breaks from work, to be his confidant. I had tried to be there for my father when I became older, and we had stayed close throughout the years.

"Are you giving up?" I asked finally.

Father glanced up and we made brief eye contact. "I wouldn't see it that way." I waited for him to continue. "Isabelle, ma cherie, for years, I have harbored the utmost hatred for your mother's killers. I still do." I watched his grip tighten on his glass. "I watched you grow up and it took me this long to realize that it is the same hatred...that killed your mother. I don't want to burden you with this hatred. You deserve to have a carefree life with the girl you love."

I looked at him in surprise and my cheeks even warmed a bit. "Hm?"

He chuckled. "I'm not blind, my girl. I see how you look at her. I still remember how your mother looked at me that way. A day doesn't go by that I don't miss her. You remind me so much of her and she would be so proud of the woman you've become. As am I."

I felt a tear slide down my cheek and I didn't speak for a moment. "So no, I am not giving up, ma cherie. I've simply been reminded of the truly important things in life. I want your mother's memory to inspire love, not hatred."

My intercom rang loudly, forcing me out of my thoughts. "Yes?" I said as I pressed the button.

Marcel's voice came through. "Mademoiselle, you need to come down here immediately. A man named Chase Evans is here. He says that someone took Miss Reagan."

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*edited*

Hi everyone:)

Late night post. It took me awhile to do this chapter because I had to plan out the next chapters based on this.

Enjoy!

Lots of love,
-Cindy