Bad News (Bad News Series Book 1 )*Under Major Edit*

Chapter 10 - it's his blood, not mine.

Isabella's POV.

I let the tears stream down my face while trying to choke up the words to get George to stop. His anger had excelled well beyond what I had seen before and at this rate that guy wasn't going to live much longer. My loud sobs prevented me from speaking at all though. Nothing was leaving my lips no matter how hard I tried to speak. 

Realising I wasn't capable of doing anything while just sitting here, I shakily pushed the car door open and ran over to him, yet even when I was shouting his name repeatedly he didn't hear me. He was way too engrossed in beating Carl to take any notice of what was going on around him.

With every punch, I could feel the anger radiating off of him.  

With every punch, I knew he was gaining a release yet causing further darkness to fall over him.

He was lost in his own mind with one aim, and even thinking about that caused me so much fear.

"George. Please... please just stop." I pleaded with him, finally finding the words I hadn't been desperate for. "I want to go home. Please, I'm scared."

The last word that left my lips caused George's body to finally still. He let go of Carl, causing his body flop to the floor; completely lifeless.

I didn't move, I remained completely frozen on the spot as George walked over to me, standing so incredibly close. His chest was almost touching mine that it caused my body to erupt with nerves; an intensity that made it so difficult to even look at him.

Part of me wanted to reach out and touch him, just to confirm that these crazy nerves were due to the intense feelings he gave me. However, the other part forced me to hold back, worried that the nerves were just fear, and I should trust my instinct and run.

"I'll take you home." He breathed, looking down at me with a darkness glazing over his eyes.

Just as I was about to finally reach out for him, he turned on the ball of his foot and began heading back over to the car. I just stood there speechless and motionless as I watched him, every building nerve inside of me suddenly draining from my body.

"Are you coming?" He asked once he had noticed I was still in the exact same spot.

I must have looked like such an idiot. I was at a loss for words and suddenly felt little control over my body. I didn't know what was going on in my mind, but it was such a conscious force to get me to follow him.

Getting into the passenger side, I then waited as he got into his side of the car. I watched as he wiped the blood off his fists and onto his jeans, causing stains that would likely be difficult to get off.

When he noticed my panicked eyes watching him, his features finally softened, causing a relief to erupt through my own body. He had seemed so lost moments ago, from the second he set eyes on Carl with his hands on me. I was worried he wasn't going to come back.

"It's his blood, not mine. Don't worry."

I just nodded my head yet couldn't seem to take my eyes off his knuckles and thinking of the damage he had just caused; what he was capable of.

"I'm so sorry Isabella. You should have never had to watch that."

*

Silence filled the car as George drove down the dark and eerie streets. I was never usually afraid of the night but for some reason, this evening had me feeling chilled and in desperation for the sight of people. Every time I caught a glimpse of an individual in the street, I was able to breathe again, before they disappeared from view and that feeling of vulnerability and danger overcome me once again.

"Matt?" George's voice grasped my attention and I immediately turned to notice him holding his phone to his ear.

I desperately wanted to tell him he shouldn't be driving while talking on the phone but I thought better of it. I wasn't sure how he would react but I knew for certain that he wouldn't listen to me. Therefore, I kept quiet and just listened in on a conversation in hope of getting some insight to what was truly going on here.

"Yeah I found her." He continued.

"She is now. She was with Carl."

"Yes, Carl Jenkins! He had her."

"I beat the shit out of him. What do you think?" George spat, the anger growing in him once again as he was clearly replaying the events in his head. "Yeah. I'll be back later. Make sure they all wait up for me."

With a quick goodbye, George soon ended the call before shoving his phone into the pocket of his jeans. Once again, I couldn't help but watch his hand, observing the dried blood that had been left over from the harm he had inflicted on Carl.

"You okay?" He asked, turning to look at me before focusing his eyes back on the road.

"Yeah." I replied, that being the first word to leave my lips since we had started driving and it was also the last.

The rest of the car journey continued in complete silence. I didn't know what to say to him and he didn't know what to say to me either. Everything about this situation was far from normal. Getting into a car with a stranger was something I had always been lectured not to do, yet here I was and I didn't know how I felt about it.

"Here." George muttered as the car finally came to a stop, causing me to look out of the window to my house.

At this point I was quite uneasy on what I should do. Even though I barely knew George, I didn't want to leave his side; I felt safe around him now. It was the weirdest feeling I had ever experienced and something I knew I couldn't confide in anyone about, without them thinking I was insane.

"Are you going home?" I asked and George just nodded his head.

"Okay."

I don't know why I was so disappointed at his response but he could clearly tell and that made it ten times worse.

"I'm sorry Isabella, I can't stay. I have things to deal with but you're safe now."

I watched as George took my hand in his, lifting it up to his lips before pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles. My stomach erupted with butterflies and sent chills across my skin.

How could one simple gesture cause my body to react in such an extreme way? Who really was this guy and what was he doing to me?

"Have a good night's sleep, alright? Try and forget about tonight. I'll give you a call tomorrow to make sure you're okay." George addressed me in the calmest tone causing me to feel almost mesmerised as my eyes met his.

"Okay." Was all I managed to say once again, as I struggled to pull myself out of this clouded mindset.

The events from tonight had caused such an explosion of feelings. It had been traumatic yet eye-opening in a way I couldn't understand.

I didn't know why I felt such a pull towards this guy but I did. He made me feel safe. He made me feel protected. He made me feel like everything was okay again.

These were all things I hadn't felt since my brother had died. These were the feelings I had longed for yet not known where to get them from. However, this dangerous stranger who I should have been running from, was most definitely not the person I expected to get them from.

**