Brielle had been running nonstop through the streets for over fifteen minutes. She could barely think properly. Sitting beside Jack the night before, she had realised too many things at once. Tears blurred her eyes as she precariously crossed the busy street, angering other commuters. Several cars almost hit her as she scrambled to get to the other side. The drivers honked and yelled obscenities at her, but she wasn't listening.
Cut it out Brielle, she chastised herself as she rested her back against a building wall. Her legs ached as she finally rested them. You almost died back there.
After all the effort Axky, Paula and even Jack, whether intentionally or not, had put in to rescue her, she couldn't afford to get herself killed so easily. She was safe, unhurt and until moments before had been the fiance of one of the richest men in the planet. So what was her problem?
"To put it simply I'm bloody pissed and I'm not even on my period." concluded Brielle finally embracing the truth. "I love him and he doesn't love me back. I can't be all selfless and understanding about being used. I was just a pawn in a bigger game he's playing."
She was startled out of her reverie when a rather large dog that had appeared in front of her barked loudly. It was a majestic black and white Great Dane. It must have been at least 80 centimetres tall and had a collar around its neck. No owner, however, was in sight. Brielle looked at the dog flabbergasted as it promptly sat down at her feet and wagged its tail.
"Princess" read the dog's collar as Brielle bent down to see it.
"So you're a girl too." said Brielle affectionately. She had always loved having pets, but had never been able to afford looking after one, not when she was juggling several jobs and college all at once. Princess was looking at her intuitively.
"Your owner must be looking for you." said Brielle patting her head gently. Princess thumped her bushy tail on the ground happily. "Maybe we should wait here. I don't know my way around this place and we'll both probably get lost. I'll take you back to the hospital, the reception can contact the police to check if anyone's searching for you."
Princess seemed to agree as she licked Brielle's hand. Brielle was forced to wipe away the tears that had gathered at the corner of her eyes.
"Oh Princess who was I kidding, thinking that Jack actually loves me?" she said aloud as she hugged herself to keep warm. It was a chilly morning and the sun was nowhere to be seen. Brielle shrugged and sat down on the pavement beside Princess. She was full of troubled thoughts and had no one else to share them with. Princess was a wonderful counsellor as she sat and listened to Brielle pour her heart out as she sobbed.
I always wondered why he even fancied me. I'm nothing like the girls he dated previously, and there is so much that is unfitting if he stays with me. I don't have a family or a house or money for college. Why would someone like him even want to socialise with a nobody like me unless he had something to gain? He said it himself hadn't he? You're too naive Brielle. Too damn naive.
Princess licked her wet face as Brielle burst out laughing. Several passers-by were giving them disapproving looks, but neither of the two noticed.
"Thank you sweetie. I really needed to clear my head" she said thickly as she crouched down to lift up Princess's leash. "Come on, let's get you home."
"Woof." Princess gave her approval by wagging her tail. Brielle couldn't help but smile.
***
Paula and Axky had fallen asleep in the hospital's waiting room for the night after Brielle had left them saying that she wanted to be with Jack. Axky was the first to wake up and was fiddling away with his phone. Paula yawned as she sat up and looked at him quizzically.
"The evidence is ready." declared Axky as he stretched his arms out.
"That's wonderful." said Paula happily. "Justice will be served finally."
Axky handed his cell phone to Paula. "Call the police."
"Are you sure? Jack's been operated upon only last evening, if the police come to question him, the stress will not be good for him." Paula stopped. "Axky, where's Brielle?"
"Where?" repeated Axky. "She was with Jack right? Let's go check."
Paula stood up quickly as the two of them rushed towards Jack's room and entered noisily, without bothering to knock.
"Where is she?" asked Jack urgently as soon as they entered the room.
"We thought she was with you." said Paula.
"She ran off a few minutes ago. This damn plaster on my leg won't let me get up. I need to go after her."
"Mind telling me what happened?" said his childhood friend shaking his head at Jack.
"All I did was ask her if she'd checked my pockets before my operation and she slammed our engagement ring onto my palm and stormed out." said Jack straining to sit up. Axky propped a pillow behind his back.
"Do you honestly not know why she's upset?" asked Axky a small smile forming on his lips.
"No damn clue."said Jack clutching the hair on his head in frustration. "What did I do?"
"See for yourself." said Axky as he took out his phone and replayed the part that he had shone Brielle.
***
She did not know how she took a wrong turn and ended up at a dead end. They alley had been pretty much desolate and she should have realized she was heading the wrong way sooner.
"We'll have to turn back." said Brielle shaking her head. "Sorry Princess I'm just terrible with directions."
Princess barked suddenly and Brielle almost jumped n surprise. A Great Dane's bark could probably shake walls.
"You must be the lovely and elusive Brielle." said a crackly voice from behind Brielle. Princess spun around immediately and growled angrily.
Brielle turned to see an elderly man who looked strikingly similar to a man she had once mistakenly considered her first love.
"You're Zachary's father." she stated simply as the old man relaxed his hold on the walking stick. She staggered back in fear. "How did you find me?"
"You are a smart girl." he said raspily. "Yes, I am Zachary's father. My useless son and his men have failed to perform their duty and so here I am cleaning up the mess they've caused. Listen carefully Brielle, I have a proposition for you."
Brielle winced at the way her name rolled off his tongue. She felt disgusted and angry at how easily he was trivialising her ordeal.
"A proposition?" repeated Brielle taking a step back, as Princess stood in front of her. The Great Dane had sensed that the man did not have good intentions. Brielle's back hit the wall behind her and she cursed loudly. Deja vu, if there ever was one.
"Yes. I believe you are hurt and angry that my nephew Jack is not interested in you." he said a calculating look on his face. "Well, I have a plan with which you can get your revenge."
"I don't want revenge. Jack hasn't wronged me." said Brielle loudly. "If anyone has, its your son."
"My son made a mistake." said the man. "Hear me out. I know you hate Jack right now."
Hate. Hate? How could she ever hate Jack? She loved him. Damn it he was killing her every second with five little words: she means nothing to me. She didn't care anymore, she was okay with one-sided, unrequited love. She din't mind the friendzone or being classified as an acquaintance. She would not compromise on her beliefs: Brielle Dane did not hate on anyone.
"Save it, I'm not interested." said Brielle attempting to walk past him. "Nice chit-chat but I have to get going."
"Shut up girl." he said sneering. "I'll kill you right now, if you don't do as I say."
Brielle scoffed as she looked at his thin frame and rickety legs resting on a walking stick but decided to humor the old man anyway.
"What's the plan?" she asked.
"I see you are not afraid of me. This is not a wise choice." said the man a cunning look in his beady eyes. "You marry Jack, get him to fall madly in love with you. Then you leave him. You get your revenge and we get ours."
"Nice idea." said Brielle sarcastically. "Do you and your son actually hold meetings to discuss crap like this?"
"You have too much of a smart mouth." he said as he swiftly pulled out a gun from his pocket and aimed it straight at Brielle's heart.
Everything happened so fast, Brielle barely saw the events in front of her. The bullet fired even before she could move a muscle, but the metal never touched her. It shot to the ground leaving a deep gash on the pitch road.
"AAARGH!" screamed Zachary's father as Princess dug her teeth deep into his arm. "LET GO YOU MUTT!"
"Princess!" shouted Brielle as she tried to get her off. Princess refused to release her hold on him no matter how much Brielle tried.
Just then four policemen and a young boy came running towards them.
"PRINCESS!" yelled the boy happily. "You're safe!"
Princess seeing her beloved owner, immediately let go of Mr. Jones and bounded merrily towards him.
The four policemen could not hide their obvious shock as Brielle rushed towards them asking them to handcuff the bleeding old man.
"Please, arrest him. His name is Jones, he and his son are involved in several crimes with the Kormins." she said breathlessly.
"I am not Jones!" yelled the wounded man. "She's framing me."
"Jones and Kormins?" repeated the officer calmly ignoring him as he snapped a handcuff on to the wincing old man. "We got a call from a hospital around here regarding that."
"That must have been my friend. It's a long story, and we have evidence." said Brielle. She was startled as a pair of handcuffs bound her hands too.
"We have to arrest you too ma'am. For aggravated assault on an elderly person."
Brielle sighed. Axky and Paula would have to bail her out. She looked at the little boy hugging Princess.
"Hey kid, she's yours right?" she asked.
"Yes!" he said joyfully. "Thanks for keeping her safe. I love her the most in the world."
Woof!
They all walked back to the busy street, and parted ways. Princess and the boy bid goodbye as Brielle and Jones was stuffed into the back of a police car.
"Don't worry. I'll get out soon, I'm innocent." assured Brielle as the boy waved frantically.
As the car took off, Princess was just glad she had found Brielle in time.
A/N: How many of you like pets? Let me know your thoughts.
Guys, we are kind of near the end of this story. There will probably be a few more chapters. I wanted to ask if you would like me to make this story a bit longer. I could do that if you like, I'll just have to tweak the story-line a bit. If not, I was thinking of writing a sequel. Any thoughts on that?
Thanks for all your love and support, I love you all so much.
Andy