Chapter 20

Utter relief swept him as he saw her sit up on the bed in the center of the room. There wasn't much else in the room other than the overly large bed that could probably fit six people on it. The moment he had the thought, Alex wished that he hadn't. Bella was wrapped up in what looked like the sheet from it, tendrils of her brown hair falling down, her eyes red from crying. And she still looked beautiful.

Jumping up, she ran to him and he lifted his arms up so that she could throw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she started to sob. Lowering his arms around her, he noticed that she was neither collared nor handcuffed, and he felt a bit of grim satisfaction at that. Someone must think he was some kind of threat, even if he'd been incredibly ineffective so far.

But this... hold Bella while she cried, that he could do.

As he did so, pressing her against his body and letting her weep onto his chest, he took quick stock of the room. I