I Knew You Were Trouble When You Walked In

Leland fell beside Isabelle, breathlessly. She rolled to face him; the sheets pulled tightly around her naked body. He grinned at her, as she kissed his sweaty cheek.

"And you wanted me to stop to answer the phone," he snorted, placing a hand on his chest, in order to catch his breath. Isabelle lightly laughed, nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck. Leland outstretched his other arm to the bedside table, picking up his phone and glancing at the screen, "Fifteen missed calls? Why would they call me fifteen times?"

Isabelle looked at the screen, nervously. Four calls from Dog, eleven from Beth. There were two messages from Beth, demanding Leland answer his 'damn phone'. She shifted onto her elbow, panicking slightly, "Maybe something's wrong with Zahli?"

"Nah, they would've called your phone as well," Leland attempted to reassure her. Isabelle jumped out of bed, flinging her pyjamas on quickly and grabbing her phone from her dresser.

She turned the phone screen towards Leland, "They did."

The lump in her throat grew. Leland patted the bed beside him, "I'll call them. Come here."

Isabelle moved back to the bed, lying down as Leland ran his fingers through her hair. She heard the dial tone for a brief moment, before Beth's voice hollered at him, "Why don't you answer your damn phone?!" Leland went to speak, but was cut off, "Tim has been released on bail. The bondsman rang us. He's on ice, rang the bondsman and told him he's coming for Isabelle."

"What?" Leland turned to Isabelle, "Everything's locked right?" She nodded nervously. Leland wrapped an arm around her, "You're gonna be alright. I'm here."

"Third time unlucky, motherfucker."

Isabelle screamed as the man stepped out from her ensuite, a metal baseball bat held tightly in his hands. Leland scrambled from the bed, but the sheets ensnared one of his legs, causing him to stumble slightly. Tim took the opportunity to swing down hard on Leland's head, making a god-awful 'crack'. The phone fell from Leland's hands; Beth still on the line. Isabelle couldn't hear what Beth was screaming; her mind focused on getting to Leland, to making sure he was okay. Tim grabbed her; his strength superhuman, as he dragged her kicking and screaming away from Leland.

"Leland!" she cried out, pushing against Tim's arm to get to him, "Leave us alone! Leland!"

Tim grabbed Isabelle's long hair, and yanked her into the loungeroom, throwing her into the sofa. She let out a whimper, which Tim responded to with a swift kick in her ribs. He grabbed her hair again, forcing her to look up into his cold, scabbed face, "This is all your fault. You should have let me leave, let me taken my money and left. You would've been able to keep Zahli, and I would've left you the hell alone. But you fucked me over."

Opening her mouth to speak, Tim threw her head forcefully into the lounge and punched her stomach, causing her to splutter. He laughed for a moment before speaking, "You know, I was worried that when I go to tie up lover-boy, you might try and run, but you wouldn't leave him regardless, would you?"

Isabelle feebly shook her head, as Tim stomped off, heading for her bedroom. He returned a few moments later, with Leland shakily walking beside him. His tattooed arm was slung over Tim's shoulders, and his eyes fluttered open and shut. Tim threw Leland's shorts at Isabelle, "Get up and put these on. That's the last fucking thing I want to see."

Standing on weak legs, Isabelle hastily slipped Leland's shorts up. She looked up at him, seeing the vacant gaze in his eyes, "Leland, are you okay?"

Tim elbowed her harshly in her shoulder, causing her to fall back. Leland's eyes darted towards her, however he was still hazy; his body being supported by Tim. He slumped Leland into a dining chair, grabbing the rope from his black backpack and tying it tightly around his arms, "Not nice being tied up, is it?"

"My dad will be here soon," Leland managed to stammer out, glancing at Isabelle who was supporting herself against the side of the sofa. She held her ribs, her eyes following Tim's every move.

A snort escaped Tim's mouth, "I'll be long gone before then." He bent down, grabbing Isabelle's hair again and yanking her up to her feet, "Now, where's the details to Zahli's account?"

"In my bedroom, but Tim you wont-"

"Get it," her hair was released with a forceful push, causing Leland to pull hard at the rope tying his hands behind his back. "Calm down, there ain't a chance you're getting me this time."

Isabelle quickly entered her bedroom, grabbing an old shoebox from her cupboard and flicking through papers until she found the details of Zahli's account. She turned to the bed, clambering to Leland's side, in an attempt to find his phone. She picked it up and sent Beth a quick text, that they needed help from the police. She tucked the phone under a pillow and went out to meet Tim in the loungeroom.

"Here," she said wearily, handing him the papers, "Please, let us go, Tim."

He laughed, a roaring, terrifying laugh, "Do you think I'm fucking stupid? I need you to access the money. You're coming with me. I was gonna hurt your precious little lover boy for a bit, but I think hurting you hurts him more than my fists could hurt him."

"Don't fucking touch her," Leland hissed through gritted teeth.

He turned to face Isabelle, who stepped back too quickly. She stumbled, falling onto the floor. Tim sneered, kicking her in her ribs. She wheezed, clutching her stomach. She heard the chair Leland was sat in, scraping fiercely against the floor. Tim obviously wasn't phased, as he kicked her again and again.

"Leave her alone!" Leland hollered; the scraping become faster and more frustrated, "Beat the shit out of me, I don't care. Just fucking leave her alone!"

Tim turned around; a small sneer crawling onto his pale face. He grabbed Isabelle, "Say goodbye, Belle."

"Please, don't take me," she wept, "Please. I'll call the bank and tell them you're Zahli's father." Tim began to tug her arm. "Okay, let me say goodbye," Isabelle meekly spoke, feeling salty tears stain her cheeks. She kissed Leland, resting her head into the nook of his neck. He kissed her cheek over and over again.

"Don't bother trying to untie him, bitch. I'm watching you," Tim reminded, before grabbing her arm and yanking her hastily once more, "Let's go."

Isabelle tugged her arm back, trying to stay with Leland a little longer. She just couldn't beat Tim's ice-fuelled strength; feeling herself slip away from Leland.

Leland struggled against the ropes restraining his hands, but failed to break free. He watched Isabelle being towed to the front door. He felt completely helpless and it hurt him more than anything; more than all the punches he copped in the ring, more than when he was maced or tasered, more than when he burnt his hands on the oven trays. In an instance, she had slipped out of his sight. He could hear her crying though, as Tim dragged her along the lawn to his awaiting car.

Isabelle felt like a deer in headlights, when two large lights drove up her gutter and onto her lawn, stopping just inches away from her. Tim let out an infuriated yell, pulling a knife out of his pocket and holding it in front of Isabelle. A shriek escaped her lips as she realised what was happening.

"Let her go," Dog hollered, holding what looked like a gun in his hands.

"Or what? You'll shoot me?!" Tim manically laughed, "Then you'll go down too, old man."

Beth was out of the car now, "Where's my son?"

"He's tied to a chair inside," Isabelle cried. Tim pressed the cool blade tighter against her throat. Isabelle watched as Beth gave her a wink, making her way to her car. She poked her head inside, before she closed the car door and it drove away.

Tim watched the car, seemingly in disbelief, "Where's that car going? Where's that fucking car going?!"

"Home," Beth spoke softly, "We don't need it here."

"I'll fucking kill her if they're going to get the police."

Beth shook her head, stepping closer to Tim, "No, they're not getting the police. The police might come though. I mean look around you, the neighbours are looking. They might be a little bit scared of what's happening."

----------------------

Duane Lee parked the car in the street behind Isabelle's house. He shut the door quietly, stepping towards Isabelle's back neighbour. He knocked on the door, seeing an elderly woman peek out of her vertical blinds. She opened the wooden front door, although it was still chained shut, "Can I help you?"

"My name's Duane. My sister-in-law lives in the house behind you, and she's in a bit of trouble. I was wondering if I could jump over your fence to get into her house?"

The old lady nodded feebly, "I've heard yelling and screaming. I've called the police already. The back gate is unlocked, love."

Duane thanked her quickly, before rushing around to the back of her house and stealthily jumping her cream coloured fence. He glanced into Isabelle's house, seeing Leland straining against his constraints. Duane grabbed a blue pot plant, separated the pot from the water dish and pulling out the back door key. He hurriedly unlocked the door, and silently moved towards Leland. His brother turned to face him, a look of relief washing over his face. Duane untied his brother.

Leland looked at him, "I'm going to fucking kill him."

"The cops are coming, bra. Dad called them after Belle sent them a text," Duane rationalised, "He's out there with knife to her throat. You can't do anything without him hurting her. So just relax."

Before Leland could say anything, he heard a booming voice yell, "Drop your weapon!" The two boys scrambled to the door, Leland ready to tackle him the minute it was safe to do so. They saw Tim raise the knife, before plunging it into something in front of him.

Everything went silent. The only sound Leland could hear was his heart thumping. He looked towards Duane, who kept his eyes focused forward. Tim fell to the ground, and Leland could see Isabelle being cradled on the floor by Beth. Leland sprinted from the house, skidding on his knees to the side of Beth.

"Isabelle?" He spoke, his voice panicked, "Baby?" Her blue eyes filled with water as she looked toward him. "Where did he get you?" he asked, searching her body for a stab wound, "Beth, where did he get her?"

Beth placed a hand on his shoulder, "Calm down. He didn't get her. He stabbed himself."

"It's over, Leland," Isabelle sobbed, sitting up and falling into Leland's arms, "It's really over."

He kissed her over and over again; on her temple, her cheek, her forehead, her hair, her lips. Her arms constricted his neck as salty tears fell onto his bare chest.

"It's all over," he whispered, kissing her forcefully.