Preface

Mine. She's mine. Only mine.

I constantly reminded myself that Bella had given herself to me and no one else. She was mine.

Regardless of our situation, I told myself that no man would ever claim her. No man would ever touch her like I had. No one would be capable of loving her like I did, not even close.

Whatever I asked for she gave freely and I took greedily, never wanting to share.

She had given herself to me, all of her. Bella told me she belonged to me, she even pleaded for me to make her mine. She never asked for anything but for me to love her, and love her I did. I never stopped.

She was mine, and I, hers.

Bella would have never given anyone what she had offered me. I wouldn't have allowed it. No person would have been capable of ever loving someone as intensely as she loved me. It would be impossible to love as hard as we loved one another and still have enough to give anyone else. I should know. I loved her to the same extent, if not more.

Bella believed I was in control, but in reality she held all the power. She had the ability to destroy me, but she never did. She stayed, regardless of the mess I got us into. She remained by my side.

We confessed our love for each other hundreds of times, just the night before. We couldn't get enough. We yelled, pulled, screamed, and shoved. She punched and kicked me numerous times, probably trying to hurt me as much as she was hurting. We hurt each other badly, but we loved each other even harder. There was no denying it; we needed one another even if it was tearing us up. It would have killed us both to be apart. Living without each other would have been like living without breathing. Impossible.

Had we been in any other situation, I would have been the happiest man on earth. I would have swept her into my arms, kissed her all over, and made her my wife. My entire life would have been dedicated to her completely. I would have done whatever she asked of me, anything and everything. She would have had it all.

But even a love as strong and everlasting as ours wasn't enough. I was getting married in the next few hours, but the woman that was going to be walking down the aisle, toward me, wasn't going to be the one I longed for.

I had made countless mistakes in the past. Mistakes Bella was able to easily forgive and forget. Unfortunately, the mistake that lead to me marrying the wrong woman was unforgivable.

Bella stayed by my side, not by choice, but because her heart wouldn't let her leave. I was grateful she stayed. Even though it hurt her to be with me, I was too selfish to separate myself from her. We were suffering, but we were together.

I needed her near me constantly. I needed her more than I needed to sleep or eat. I would have easily given up my comfortable bed and sacrificed sleep - sacrificed anything.

My heart, my soul, my mind, my whole being belonged to her and she didn't even believe it. I would have given up everything to turn back the hands in time and be with her and no one else.

I should have known she was it for me when we met in elementary school. We were always so easy together. It was all laid out for us, but I ruined it.

I ruined her with my mistake. It wasn't enough for me to leave her though. I called her, and she came to me. I knew it was hurting her, but I couldn't get enough. I wouldn't get enough. She was mine. And although her eyes showed her pain every time we parted, I knew she needed me. I knew she couldn't leave me.

Even after I was taken by someone else, I couldn't stand anyone with her. She belonged with me and no one else. If I couldn't have her, no one else ever would. It sickened me to think of her with anyone but me.

It was selfish. It was stupid. It didn't even make sense, but nothing ever did when it came to our situation.

Bella couldn't be mine legally, but she was going to belong to me in every other way; even if it ruined both of us in the process.