Second Chances
Story summary: A nobody. It was the perfect way to describe me. A barely-there person, not worth the effort it took to acknowledge, except for the times I served as a target for teasing. But I was sick of it. I was going to make something of myself—become a success. And if I ever had the bad fortune to come across Bella Swan again, she'd take one look at me and know I was a somebody.
Pairing: Edward/Bella
Rating: M
Word count: 11,996
Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.
Second Chances
"Wait, not yet."
I poked my head around the corner just far enough to see one stunningly-shaped female figure depart from the mob of chattering girls. The slim body glided across dull terrazzo floors and came to stop in front of a row of lockers.
"Come on, Edward, I've got to get these deliveries made before lunch is over."
I ignored Eric Yorkie's whining and made sure the coast was clear before giving him the go-ahead.
"Don't smash my flower on your way over," I cautioned him as he readjusted the armful of individually labeled roses. "And make sure she knows to read the note before you leave."
"Yeah, whatever," he grumbled. "If it's that big of a deal, deliver it yourself."
The scathing glare I shot him was wasted on the back of his head as he shuffled down the hall. If I'd had the balls to do something like that, I would've approached her a long time ago.
As in, four years ago—the first time I'd laid eyes on one breathtakingly perfect Isabella Swan.
My family had just moved to the area from Chicago, and I was starting eighth grade at a brand new high school. As a shy, skinny geek, I kept to myself for the most part. No one seemed interested in getting to know me, and that was fine. I'd never been bothered by my social awkwardness before.
But when I spotted the brunette angel raising her hand during roll call in the homeroom class we shared, I suddenly cursed my inability to talk to others like a normal human being.
I guess it could be called lust at first sight, since it was her incomparable beauty that initially caught my attention. As the weeks and months went by, however, I found myself falling for her energetic personality, carefree laugh, and natural confidence. To me, she was everything a teenage guy could want.
And as I'd have to painfully witness over the years, many of my classmates felt the same way.
My heart ached every time I saw her flirting with someone or holding hands with whatever guy she was seeing at the time. She hadn't had a lot of boyfriends, I suppose, but each one was its own special brand of torture for me.
So many times I imagined some movie-type scene taking place where I'd strut up to the flavor of the semester, drive a fist into his face, and walk away with the battle-won maiden on my arm. But even if I had been able to punch hard enough to cause damage to anyone but myself, it was a completely useless fantasy. I couldn't even stand within ten feet of her without thinking I was going to throw up; there was no way I'd be able to actually talk to her.
I did manage to manage to pull off a few anonymous attempts at letting Bella know how I felt. Every so often, I'd see something in a store or out in nature that reminded me of her. I'd then find an inconspicuous way to give it to her, like leaving it on her desk right before class or sneaking it into her bag.
She seemed to have a thing for penguins, especially baby ones, so my gifts were usually along that theme. Once, I saw a small stuffed penguin on a keychain in a claw machine and decided she had to have it. Half an hour and twenty dollars later, I finally got the stupid claw to drop it in the slot. But it was worth every penny when she clipped it to her backpack and left it there for the rest of the year.
Part of me desperately wanted her to figure out who was behind the offerings. Her light bulb moment often starred in my daydreams of us getting together. The other part—the more sane part—was terrified that she would connect the dots. Because as long as my secret was safe, I didn't have to worry about the crushing blow of rejection.
My hope could live on.
But just before Valentine's Day during my senior year, I decided enough was enough. We'd soon be going to colleges on separate sides of the continent—me to Dartmouth, her to the University of Washington—and I figured I'd really regret not taking a chance.
I would finally tell her the truth.
The plan was simple. For the previous three Valentine's Days, I'd sent her a red rose with an unsigned card through the student government's Flower Sale fundraiser. But this time, I included my name and wrote a note to go with it. While I could've filled up pages on how I felt, I kept it simple, saying only that I thought she was amazing and that I'd liked her since freshman year.
And then I asked her to Prom.
Yeah, maybe I was been a teeny bit ambitious, but I figured by that point, I had nothing to lose. Based on the latest gossip I'd overheard, she'd broken up with Ethan and would probably go stag to the dance with a few of her friends. Latching onto any encouragement I could find, I took her newly single status as a sign that asking her was a good idea.
In an ideal world, I would've popped the question in person, but I guessed she'd be more likely to yes if not covered by the contents of my stomach.
So, the rose was paid for, the note had been penned, and now all I had to do was the survive the excruciating wait as Eric took his sweet time digging through the bundle of flowers in his arms to find the right one—I'd put it on top for god's sake! When he dropped my carefully sealed envelope on the floor, I wanted to groan in frustration, but kept quiet to stay hidden in my spying spot behind the soda machine.
Bella didn't appear at all surprised by the rose. When she opened her locker, I saw why. Inside were a number of similar red flowers, haphazardly lying on top of her things as if she'd tossed them in the locker without looking. I almost closed my eyes, not sure if I could handle watching my heartfelt expression of love receive the same treatment.
Eric shoved the note in her hand just as she was about to put the rose down. She glanced at it with confusion on her face.
"What's this?"
"Just read it," he replied curtly. "I gotta go. Oh, and happy Valentine's Day from the SGA."
Brow adorably wrinkled, Bella opened the envelope and pulled out the folded paper inside. My heart thundered in my chest as I watched her read my words. I couldn't believe it was really happening, that she finally knew the truth. I held my breath and stared hard, not wanting to miss a single second of her reaction.
But for all that, nothing happened. She turned the note over to see if anything was written on the other side, then folded it up again and put it back in the envelope. Not a single muscle on her face had twitched the entire time, and if I didn't know better, I'd think she was reading over a grocery list or something equally boring.
"Hey, Bells, what'cha got there?"
Jacob Black and a few of his friends walked toward Bella. They'd known each other since toddlerhood, and he'd been the first lucky guy to claim the title of boyfriend. I burned with envy every time I thought about him. My only solace was that they seemed to work better as friends than a couple.
Unfortunately, however, he was one of her best friends, who also had no concept of personal space. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close and then plucked the envelope out of her hand.
"Oooh, is this some sort of love note from a secret admirer?" he taunted, waving it in her face.
She jabbed him in the ribs and stepped away from him. "Actually, yes," she replied, rolling her eyes. "And I think he's the one who's been leaving me stuff all these years."
"You finally found out who Lover Boy is?" The big tree of a guy actually gave a little hop as he eagerly rubbed his hands together. "Lemme guess: it's Sam, isn't it? I always knew it!"
"Fuck you, Jay," his equally large friend retorted. "If I was into Bella, I wouldn't be a pussy about it like whoever that tool is." He nodded his head toward the envelope. "So, come on, spill already."
The panic I'd been feeling increased to full-blown terror. I would've fled the scene, except all of me seemed to be frozen in place. The only thing that worked was my heart, which was revving dangerously close to redline.
But when Bella shrugged indifferently, the straining muscle pretty much slammed to a stop.
"I'm not sure who he is," she said. "Maybe it's a fake name or something. Have you heard of anyone named Edward Cullen?"
"Oh my god, it's Cullen?" Jacob shrieked, doubling over in laughter. "That's just so…so…classic!"
"What? Tell me who he is, moron!" She had to raise her voice to be heard over the howling of Jacob and his friends.
A guy named Quil recovered enough to answer her first. "How the hell can you not know someone in your own class?" he gasped, holding his sides. "It's not like there's a lot of us."
Bella scowled at him. "What, is he new or something?"
"Jesus, no, Bells." Jacob gaped openly at her. "Edward Cullen, you know—skinny, pale white dude…crazy hair…always staring at the ground? He's smart, I guess. Heard he got in early decision to Dartmouth."
She shrugged again; I was beginning to sense a theme when it came to me. "Sounds like a loser. As if I'd ever be interested in someone like him. I didn't know the guy even existed for the past four years, but he asks me to Prom? Sure I'll say yes…in his dreams."
"I'll bet you are in his dreams," leered Sam. "His shower, too…"
Bella shuddered. "Eww, gross! What are you—twelve?"
I didn't consider myself an emotional guy, but it took everything I had to keep the tears from forming. Not being able to stand hearing another word, I spun around and stumbled my way down the hall.
But in my hurry to get away, I smacked into waist-high metal trash can and sent it clanging to the ground. The ringing sound drew everyone's attention, including that of Bella, Jacob, and his friends.
"Ha! Looks like Cullen couldn't wait to get his answer about prom," Jacob guffawed loudly, his voice echoing off the walls. "Sorry, bro. Sucks that you've been in love with her forever, but she's not into you like that."
"Or at all," Quil added slyly. "But at least she knows your name now…"
I could practically feel the curious stares of the other students burning on my skin as my face flamed in embarrassment. Though there was no way to salvage the situation, I wasn't sure if it was better to keep my mouth shut or come up with something to say.
A scene flashed through my head—one where Bella stood up for me in front of the whole school and agreed to be my date for prom. Though the images were nothing more than a desperate fantasy, I risked a glance at her, hoping beyond hope to see something positive in her eyes: interest, compassion, pity...anything.
It was a mistake.
The sneer she wore seemed to be some sort of combination between disgust and shock, as if she couldn't believe a person like me would even dream of being good enough for her. The look she was sending my way made me feel like I was doing something wrong just by existing.
She turned away first. With an incredulous shake of her head and another one of those horrible shoulder shrugs, she threw my flower and note into her locker and then shut the door.
"C'mon Jake, let's eat. I'm starving."
"Sure, sure." He smirked at me one last time before walking away with his friends. "Bye, lover boy!" he called over his shoulder.
I just stood there for a moment, staring at the backs of the their group, trying to keep from falling apart in front of the two dozen or so students who had been watching with interest. Whispers, snickers, and even some sympathetic murmurs were buzzing all around me, but nothing was as loud as the sound of my pathetic heart shattering into little pieces.
I don't remember walking out to the parking lot and getting into my beat-up piece of crap car, but it obviously happened since my mom found me sitting in the driveway when she got home. She asked but thankfully didn't press about what had happened when I refused to talk about it. She just told me that things would get better in time, that I had to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Of course she was right, it just took a really long time for the "better" to come. When I went back to school the next day, it seemed everyone had found out about my humiliation. I tried to keep my eyes focused on the floor in front of my feet, but I could still hear my name being spoken in conversation all around me. The underclassmen left me alone, for the most part, but some of the asshole junior and senior guys had a field day with their snide remarks. My nickname became Lover Boy Cullen—not very original, but hurtful all the same.
The teasing died down a little after a few weeks and then came back with a vengeance during the days leading up to prom. Fake love notes pretending to be from Bella were slipped into my locker, and I'd hear kissing noises being made behind my back when I walked down the hall. Someone even took the time to print up signs reading "Bella, Will you go to Prom with me? Forever yours, Lover Boy Cullen" and hung them around the school. I had a feeling Jake and his crew were behind it, but didn't have any proof.
Through it all, Bella remained aloof and haughty. She never spoke a word to me directly, but sometimes, when I was unfortunate to find myself near her, I'd catch her glancing at me while she smirked and whispered to her friends. Those moments were especially painful—worse than anything else I had to endure. It felt like she was twisting the dagger in my chest a little deeper each time she curled her lip and wrinkled her nose in my direction.
Graduation loomed as a mix of agony and sweet relief. The ceremony marked the end of my hellish senior year and an escape from all things Bella Swan. But before I could taste freedom, I had to stand up in front of the entire class and give a speech as the valedictorian. I begged to get out of it, but the principal shot me down with words like "expectations" and "tradition."
I braced myself for kissy noises and shouts of "Lover Boy" during my decidedly short speech, but my classmates seemed to be on their best behavior in front of their parents. Ecstatic to have made it through the ceremony without being publicly embarrassed, I hurried through the crowd of happy students and their families to find my own parents. And that was where I made my mistake. I let my guard down and didn't recognize Bella's shiny brown hair until it was too late.
Facing her dad, she didn't spot me, thank god, but I was close enough to overhear their conversation.
"…head to Billy's house after dinner," Mr. Swan was saying. "Oh, and by the way, what was Jake saying about a boy being obsessed with you? Do I have to worry about some sappy kid showing up in the middle of the night, serenading you with love songs at the top of his voice?"
"No," Bella laughed. "Your beauty sleep is safe."
"Who is this boy anyway? Maybe I should say hello—you know, just to make sure everyone's on the same page."
She rolled her eyes. "Jeez, Dad, let it go. This guy—he's nobody you need to worry about. In fact, he's really nobody at all."
I sucked in a quick breath of air as her words punched through me like a battering ram.
A nobody.
It was the perfect way to describe what everyone thought of me. A barely-there person, just taking up otherwise-valuable space and air, not worth the effort of acknowledging.
My fists tightened. My eyes narrowed. Humiliation exploded into anger. I blew out the lungful of air I was holding in one forceful gust and stomped past Bella, not caring if she noticed me or not.
I was done being a dismissible ghost of a person except for the times I served as a target for teasing. I refused to let others put me down any longer. No matter what it took, I would make something of myself—become a success.
And if I ever had the bad fortune to come across Bella Swan again, she'd take one look at me and know I was a somebody.
"Which one—blue metallic or dark silver?"
Kate glances over from the inn's king-sized bed, where she is slipping on some sort of strappy shoe with insanely high heels. I hold up the two silk ties against my charcoal-colored shirt and wait for her wise advice.
"Hmm, tough call," she murmurs, studying her choices. "Are you going for sexy, smoldering or sexy, mischievous?"
"Whichever is most likely to make Bella Swan and the rest of the haters choke on their pigs-in-blankets when they see me again."
Kate gags. "Yuck. That's not really going to be an appetizer, is it?"
I chuckle at her expression and shrug. "It's a small high school in a small town. I don't think the twenty-five dollar ticket fee is going to foie gras or sterlet caviar. We'll be doing well if the crock pot meatballs aren't frozen inside."
"Well, it sounds like wearing any tie at all is going to put you ahead of the curve. There's such a thing as trying too hard, you know." Kate walks over to me and takes the silver tie out of my hand. "Here, go with smoldering. That way, if you get caught up in one of your brooding funks, it'll look intentional."
"Gee, thanks," I grunt as she begins to knot a rather impressive full Windsor around my neck. "You know, sometimes I can't remember why I put up with your crap."
"Because you love me?" she asks, pouting her lips and batting her eyes innocently.
"Ha. Try again."
"Okay, fine. How about because I'm the best damned secretary-slash-PA you'll ever find, and without me, your elite investment firm wouldn't run half as well as it does." Kate smooths the tie down my chest and takes a step back, her hands going to her hips. "Oh yeah, and I'm pretending to be your hot girlfriend at your ten-year reunion to make the love of your life jealous."
"Former love of my life," I correct firmly. "I don't think a crush in high school should count as a 'love of my life.' I was a stupid kid who didn't know my head from my ass. She looked good to me at the time, but only because I hadn't seen anything else out there. Now I know better."
"Oh really? Then why are you still hung up on her?"
"What? I'm not hung up on her!" I exclaim. Then I take a breath and pause to collect myself. "Look, it might be petty and a little bit pathetic, but dammit, I earned this night. Hundreds of hours in the gym, all those long nights studying for my degrees, taking a huge risk to decline junior partnership and open my own company…sure I was doing it for myself, but her voice was always there in the back of my head, calling me a loser, a nobody…"
"Whoa, Christine Daaé, you're starting to sound a little creepy. If this Bella chick shows up wearing a Phantom of the Opera mask, I'm outta there."
Groaning, I pick up the sparkly square that is supposed to be Kate's handbag and toss it at her. "Come on, Hot Fake Girlfriend, we need to get going or you'll miss out on the chicken fingers."
My Aston Martin waits for us outside the cabin in Forks I rented for weekend. Thinking about the mileage I'm adding on this trip from Seattle makes me cringe, but the ostentatious car is part of the image I want to project. I'm sure Bella and her friends will be just as shallow as ever, and I fully intend to work that in my favor.
"It'd be funny if this girl doesn't even come," Kate remarks as I drive toward the central part of town where the high school is located. "A lot of people don't bother with reunions, especially the ten-year one. Are you certain she's going to show?"
"I called a guy I knew from my class. He's on the reunion committee and said that two tickets had been purchased under her name. But even if she's not there, it'll still be worth it to see the reactions of guys like Jacob Black and Sam Uley. And girls like Jessica Stanley and Rosalie Hale and—"
"I get it, I get it," Kate interrupts with a laugh. "You don't have to run down the whole class roster for me."
She's quiet for a few moments, and I can see her looking at me out of the corner of my eye.
"You really had a rough time of it back then, didn't you?" she murmurs, putting a sympathetic hand on my arm.
I don't say anything; with Kate, I don't need to. She's been my right-hand woman since Day One of Cullen Financial Group's existence and is also one of my best friends. There's pretty much nothing she doesn't know about me, and vice versa. We jokingly call ourselves work spouses, but at the end of the day, she goes home to her real husband, Garrett, who also happens to be a close friend of mine. He'd actually been the one to suggest Kate pose as my significant other for the reunion. I only asked her to come along as a friend and someone to talk to.
If the event had happened two weeks earlier, I would've taken my now ex-girlfriend, Skylar. But she's become the latest in a long string of past lovers. It had been a rather ugly breakup, with her being pissed about me missing another dinner date due a client meeting that ran late. Then I got angry because I told her up front when we first started dating to expect things like that. Work is an essential part of my life, and it will always come before relationships. Skylar yelled back some crap about me being "emotionally unavailable"—whatever the hell that means—and walked out the door.
We'd only been together for three months, so I wasn't too worked up about her leaving. To be honest, I was more put out that I'd lost my built-in date to the reunion. Kate thought it was hilarious when I asked her to come instead. She's got some crazy idea that I'm subconsciously sabotaging my relationships because I'm afraid of getting hurt, but I think she took her Psych 101 class a little too seriously.
"Wow, you weren't kidding about his being a small town, huh?"
Kate surveys the high school's dimly lit parking lot as we pull into an open spot. She raises an eyebrow at the modest brick building that holds so many bad memories for me. It's certainly a far cry from prestigious, expensive academy she attended.
"And to think that the founder of nation's hottest rising investment firm came from here…at least the American dream is still alive for some…"
I hum a noncommittal reply. Seeing the school again doesn't leave me with the feelings I expected. I imagined I'd be filled with satisfaction at my triumphant return, but instead, there's just…nothing. Nothing except the uncomfortable thought that maybe I've been holding onto a grudge for too long, that I've spent years of my life making a big deal out of a little harmless schoolyard teasing.
"Brooding already?"
I don't realize that I'm frowning until Kate pushes up the corner of my mouth with a dark red fingertip. The tone of her voice is light, but there's an undertone of caring concern.
It bothers me.
The last thing I came here to do is doubt myself. That sort of insecurity is in the past.
"Not at all," I answer her smoothly, flashing the sexy smirk I've dedicated a lot of effort to perfecting. "I'm just warming up my smolder."
Kate smiles indulgently as we exit the car. She knows I've slipped into my work persona—cool, confident, and charming…with just the right amount of cocky thrown into the mix. It's a powerful combination that has helped me steal several notable clients from larger, more established firms.
Instead of taking my proffered arm, Kate practically wraps her body around mine. I'm caught off-guard and open my mouth to question her about it when I spot the reason for her action. Milling around the front entrance to the school is a group of people—most certainly my former classmates. As we near them, I can see that some of them are eying my car, some are looking Kate over, and the rest are staring at me.
"Remind me to give you a raise when we get back," I murmur in appreciation of her quick transition to doting girlfriend.
"The paperwork's already in your inbox, ready for you to sign on Monday," she replies, chuckling.
Most of the gawkers avert their gazes and pretend not to pay us any attention, but two females step forward to greet us. The shorter one is holding a clipboard in her hand and wears a beaming smile. I immediately recognize her as Alice Brandon, a best friend of Bella throughout high school. To her left is a tall blonde who gives Kate a run for her money in the bombshell department. It's Rosalie Hale, another who used to be best friends with Bella.
I wonder if it's still the case.
Though I have no problem identifying the women, it's obvious that they're not faring as well as I did. They look back and forth between Kate and me, trying to work out if we're both alumni, and if not, which of us is the person they graduated with. Confusion seeps into their cheery expressions.
I decide to have a little fun at their expense. Donning my most welcoming grin, I lift a hand in their direction and guide Kate straight toward them. Alice opens her mouth to say something, but words get caught in her throat when I lean in to give her a swift kiss on the cheek in greeting. She gapes at me, still speechless, as I repeat with gesture to the blonde standing beside her.
"Alice, Rose, it's so good to see you again after all this time," I enthuse warmly. "You both look as lovely as ever." I return my arm to Kate's waist and squeeze her into my side. "Ladies, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Kate Anderson."
"Oh, so you're Alice and Rosalie! I've heard so much about you." Kate manages to sound excited, condescending, and friendly all at once as she nods her head in greeting.
It's a talent, I suppose.
Rosalie is the first to recover enough to speak. She takes the clipboard from Alice and glances down at the typed list on it, then at me.
"Um, good to meet you, Kate," she replies hesitantly, lowering the clipboard to her side. "Cocktail hour lasts about another thirty minutes, and then the buffet opens, so if you want to head inside…"
"We're all set with tickets and checking in, then?" I ask innocently, enjoying the panic that flashes across Rosalie's face.
Because she has no idea who I am, she's unable to tell if I've already paid for our tickets, or if I even requested any in the first place. It seems she'd rather take the risk of being fifty dollars short than admit her cluelessness.
Alice isn't quite so proud, however. She suddenly lets out a loud gasp as her eyes widen in recognition at last.
"Oh my god! You're Lover B—, er…Edward Cullen, aren't you?" She takes a step back and looks me over in astonishment. "I can't believe how much you've changed! Back then you were so…but now you're all…and it's like…wow!" She giggles and taps my arm playfully. "When did you get so hot?"
Even if I had an actual answer for the question, I wouldn't bother replying. Beside me, Kate chuckles her amusement.
Poor Rosalie, on the other hand, is still trying to process Alice's revelation.
"Edward…Cullen?" she mumbles absently to herself while staring hard at my face. "Edward…Edward…oh!" Now she's the one gasping. "Wow is right! You don't look anything like you did in high school."
It doesn't seem to occur to either of them that their statements could be considered rather insulting and rude, even if they are true.
"Hey, babe, did I hear you say that Cullen's here?"
A tall, burly man with a beer in his fist comes to stand beside Rosalie. It's Emmett McCarty, former linebacker of Fork's football team. I remember him as a decent guy for the most part, though he did hang out with some of the people who used to taunt me so badly. He and Rosalie started dating their senior year, and based on the wedding rings they're wearing, it appears they're still together.
"Nice ride," Emmett says to me by way of a greeting. "Yours?"
My gut instinct is to scoff and say "of course" in the most haughty voice possible, but I'm much too smooth to act on it.
"Yes, it is," I say instead, finessing the statement with the tone of well-practiced modesty and nonchalance.
Emmett lets out a low whistle. "Way to go. Looks like you're doin' alright for yourself these days, huh?"
He claps me on the shoulder with his free hand. There's a decent amount of power behind the smack, but I absorb it easily. This seems to impress him even more, and I can tell I've earned his respect.
Rather than confirm his rhetorical question about my financial status, I introduce him to Kate. To his credit, he acts no differently toward the model-beautiful woman than he did to me. This earns him my respect.
"How about we head inside and see what's going on?" Emmett suggests. He nods at his wife. "See you in a bit, babe."
Both Rosalie and Alice promise to catch up with us after they've finished checking people in and wave goodbye eagerly as we walk through the school entrance. So far, they're acting exactly as I expected them to: ingratiatingly pleasant and completely unrepentant of the way they used to treat me. Granted, they weren't the ones actually doing the harassing, but they certainly had no problem laughing along with those who did.
Based on the number of people that say hello by the time we make our way into the decorated cafeteria, it seems gossip moves just as fast as ever. There are a few I'm pleased to see again, like Eric Yorkie. For the most part, however, the ones approaching me are those who'd barely known I'd existed in high school or had been one of the laughing bystanders.
"Wow," Kate says quietly when we get a minute to ourselves. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were Mr. Popular back then." She takes a sip of her wine and casually scans the room. "Doesn't look like your girl's here yet."
"Would you drop it already?" I huff. "She's not my girl. Though you're right about her not being here. I wonder if she—"
The sudden closing of my throat cuts off the words when I spot at a waifish, hunched-over form sitting at a table in the back corner. It's a woman with long, dark brown hair that falls freely around her shoulder. Beside her, a man almost as large as Emmett pushes in his chair and walks toward the restrooms. He's the reason I didn't notice her before; his considerable bulk had blocked her from my sight.
Because her head is down, the hair hides much of her face…but it doesn't matter. I'd studied her features enough to know exactly who it is, and my too-quick heartbeat confirms it. Swallowing hard, I force tense muscles to relax and mentally chastise myself for reacting so ridiculously.
Stop being an idiot, Cullen. Bella's just a stuck-up snob from my past, and I'm completely over her.
"Check out the left corner," I murmur in Kate's direction while averting my gaze to a different part of the room. "That's her. That's Bella."
My fake girlfriend turns her head just enough to look without appearing obvious about it. She's silent for a minute as she studies the other woman.
"Well, I'll have to trust you on that one, because she doesn't look much like the yearbook photo you showed me," Kate comments. "I'm also having a hard time imagining her as a former Homecoming Queen. Her body language is screaming 'introvert' right now."
"It's her, trust me," I reply bitterly. "Who knows what her problem is...maybe everyone's finally realized that Bella's not as amazing as she thinks she is and is giving her the cold shoulder. It would serve her right."
"I don't know, maybe…"
Kate's brow furrows in contemplation. I start to ask what's on her mind but am cut off by an overly dramatic sigh.
"Edward Cullen, why in the world are you and Kate at this big table all by yourself? Come sit with us!"
It's Alice again. She must be finished with her task at the front door. Nodding her head toward the occupied table closest to the portable dance floor, she stares at me expectantly for a reply.
Of course, I don't actually want to spend more time with people I never liked, but it's the reason I came to the reunion in the first place. I have this petty desire to show them just how much I've changed.
My eyes dart to the diminutive brunette in the back corner. She's the one I most want to prove wrong. If Bella really has fallen out with her old friends, it'll make pretending to like them that much more worthwhile. I smirk at Alice and stand from my seat.
"Shall we, dearest?" I ask Kate, holding my hand out to her.
Emmett and Rosalie are at the table, along with a man Alice introduces as her husband, Jasper Whitlock. A bottle-blonde with dark roots sits there as well. I remember her as Lauren Mallory, one of the girls who hung out on the fringe of Bella's clique.
"So what have you been up to these days?" Alice eagerly questions me the moment I sit down on my chair. "Where are you living now?"
I give the highlights of my bio as matter-of-factly as possible but garnish the delivery with plenty of charm and wit. Alice and Rosalie hang on every word, Emmett listens intently, Jasper seems to be engaged, and Lauren…well, she's wearing some sort of strange scowl that gives her the appearance of being constipated. If I were to guess, I'd say she wasn't thrilled with my success story.
That's perfectly fine with me.
When Rosalie shifts the third degree to Kate, my gaze travels unbidden to that back corner of the room, to where she sits. I tell myself that I only want to know if she's experiencing the envy and regret I'm hoping to see. Out of defiance, my heart begins thumping harder again.
But Bella's not looking in my direction. In fact, her head is still in the same bowed position as before.
The burly man has returned to the table and is tapping on his phone screen. After a few moments, he tilts the device toward Bella, and when she doesn't immediately lift her head, he jabs her in the side with his elbow.
What the hell?
I want to keep watching the pair but hear someone speaking my name.
"…been seeing each other long?"
Kate makes a show of taking my hand and presses into my side. "Edward and I got together this past New Year's Eve," she coos. "We ended up at the same party, and he was so handsome in his tux that I couldn't stop myself from kissing him when the ball dropped. I was ecstatic when he kissed me back! We were so busy making out that we pretty much missed the rest of the celebration…then we went back to his hotel room, and one thing led to another, and…you know…"
She lets her suggestive words dissolve into girlish giggles as she ducks her head into my chest. I almost ruin our charade by breaking into laughter. The sarcastic, tough-as-nails Kate that I'm familiar with would never produce such innocent sounds.
"Forget the raise, you deserve an Oscar," I whisper into her ear.
Everyone else at the table is smiling at Kate's story—everyone except for Lauren. She lets out a sardonic snort and smirks.
"Well, you certainly have better taste these days. It was hilarious how you used to be so infatuated with Bella Swan. Bet you're glad you dodged that bullet, huh?"
"Shh! Be quiet!" Alice hisses. "She might hear you."
Sneering, Lauren tosses her frizzy hair over her shoulder. "That psycho bitch knows exactly what I think of her. I tried to be there for her after her dad was killed, but how does she repay me? By stealing my shit—"
"Hey, you don't know for sure it was her," Emmett interrupts. "You don't have any proof…"
"Oh, so it's just a coincidence that Alice, Rose, and me all had stuff turn up missing after we hung out with her for the day? Yeah, right." Lauren rolls her eyes. "But whatever, the things she took weren't worth all that much. What really pissed me off was how she started treating us like dirt when she quit school and went to live with her ghetto New York boyfriend. All of the sudden she's too cool to talk to any of us."
"People change and move on with their lives," Rosalie points out diplomatically. "It's not like we get together every weekend anymore, and we all live in the same city."
"Why are you defending her?" Lauren demands to know. "You and Alice were the ones freaking out when she just up and disappeared from your dorm one day. Hell, you were going to file a missing person report until the RA told you she disenrolled."
Rosalie exchanges a glance with Alice but doesn't say anything else. Anxious and impatient, I want to prod them for further information about Bella. It's difficult to maintain my expression of polite interest, and apparently, I'm not able to pull it off completely. Kate nudges my foot with her own, and that's when I realize I'm squeezing her hand rather tightly.
"Sorry," I murmur, loosening my hold.
She twitches her head in acknowledgement and leans forward to address the table.
"Have any of you had a chance to talk to her since then?" Kate asks. "Did you ever find out what happened?"
"There were all sorts of rumors floating around," Alice offers in a low, conspiratorial voice. "As for us, well, Rose was sure she got knocked up by her boyfriend, but I thought maybe she wanted to start over in a place as far away as possible from where Charlie died. Lauren kept going on about how Bella probably had some sort of mental breakdown. She said New York was a cover story and that Bella had actually gone to a mental institute." Alice rolls her eyes to show what she thinks of that particular idea. "Anyway, I was surprised when I got the reunion ticket request and payment in the mail. We didn't expect to see again and never thought she'd show up to something like this."
Lauren makes a derisive sound. "Yeah, it's amazing that Her Majesty decided to grace us with her presence tonight."
"Except it might be longer than that," Rosalie chimes in eagerly. "We were talking to Jessica earlier—you remember Jessica Stanley, don't you, Edward?" She tilts her head toward a woman across the room with extremely curly brown hair. "Anyway, Jess still lives here in Forks. She said she saw Bella's boyfriend coming out of Chief Swan's old house a few days ago, and the power was back on. Weird, huh? If Bella was just coming back for the reunion, why wouldn't they stay at a motel? Why bother calling the electric company?"
"If she's back in Forks for a while, maybe she'll want to get together sometime," Alice suggests hopefully. "We can always come down here if she doesn't feel like driving up to Port Angeles."
"You're kidding, right?" Lauren's eyebrows arch high as she gives Alice an incredulous look. "She barely said two words to us at the front door. Do you honestly think she'll want to hang out with us? My guess is that she'll stick around long enough to sell the house and then go back to thinking her shit smells better than everyone else's."
"Jesus, Lauren, would you knock it off already?" Emmett turns away from Jasper, with whom he'd been talking. "All you've done tonight is bitch about Bella, and I'm sick of it. If you can't get over your inferiority complex, at least do the rest of us a favor and keep your mouth shut."
I resist the urge to stand up and clap for him. Lauren's words had been annoying me, too.
A lot.
But at the same time, I'm just as annoyed with myself for being annoyed in the first place. I should be thrilled that Lauren's talking about Bella in such a derisive way, and yet…I feel just the opposite.
It's completely ridiculous, but I want to yell at the rude blonde and then take up station in front of Bella as if I could somehow shield her from the idle speculation and intrusive gossip. I'd gladly take all the vitriol in the world upon myself if she would somehow be spared.
Except…dammit.
I groan loudly in my head.
It seems Kate was right about me all along.
I am still hung up on my high school crush.
Looks like the joke's on me instead of everyone else.
My gaze makes the now-familiar circuit across the room toward Bella's table. I expect to find the same scene that's greeted me for the last ten minutes: Bella sitting unusually still, head down, beside the man who is apparently her boyfriend.
This time, however, something's different. He's still there, entertaining himself on his phone, but Bella…her head is tilted oh-so-slightly in our direction, and her large, beautiful brown eyes are on…me?
In less than a heartbeat, everything I've become over the last ten years is swept away. My stomach flips and flops, a cold sweat breaks out over my skin, and my chest feels too small for my body.
Just like that, I'm nothing more than a nerdy, scared-shitless teen gawking at the girl he's in love with.
Fuck.
Kate was definitely right.
I'm not sure how long I stare at Bella, but eventually, a sharp pinch on my thigh attempts to warn me about appearing too interested. I ignore it. Now that I've stop fooling myself about my continued feelings, I've completely rewritten my game plan for the night. I couldn't care less what the people at the table—or in the room, for that matter—think about me.
Except one.
Her.
Bella.
Besides, I couldn't look away even if I wanted to. My eyes study every part of her that isn't hidden by the brutish bear beside her. What I can see, however, bothers me. I can't find any trace of the "old" Bella in her listless expression. For as much as I disliked her disdainful attitude toward me in high school, this lack of outward emotion worries me. It seems like she's only a shell of a person now, an echo of her former self.
My thoughts are interrupted when Alice's enthusiastic voice booms out from the DJ's speakers. I turn toward her out of politeness—I'm not a complete asshole—but don't pay much attention to her feel-good speech about the joys of meeting up with old friends again. Instead, I sneak glances at Bella out of the corner of my eye and consider my next move.
The room around me comes alive with movement and chatter; apparently Alice finished talking and has opened the buffet. Kate and I stay in our seats while the rest of the table gets in line.
As soon as we're alone, my companion kicks me in the shin and scowls.
"What was that for?" I mutter distractedly, trying to keep Bella in my sights through the weaving bodies.
"Would you stop drooling for a second and look at me?" she demands.
Though with great reluctance, I comply; I have no doubt she wouldn't put herself above causing a scene or delivering more physical pain if I didn't.
"Gee, thanks," she harrumphs. "Now that you've taken a break from acting like an idiot, would you like to clue me in on what's going on?"
I get the unpleasant part out of the way first.
"If you must know, you were right about me not being over her," I sigh. "But try to save your gloating for later. Our time here tonight is limited, and I need to make the most of it. The asshole she's with is putting off bad vibes, and the sooner I get more information on their situation, the better."
Because she knows me so well, Kate doesn't bother with unnecessary commentary. "Alright, what's the plan, Boss Man?" she asks, her take-no-prisoner attitude firmly in place.
"We'll get close to them in line and try to start up some casual conversation. At some point, I need to talk to her alone. Your help might be required in occupying his attention if I don't see a better opening."
"You may've just gotten one." She nods her head toward Bella's table. "The guy's going to the line, but it looks like she's staying put. You want me to distract him while you talk to her?"
"No, not yet. I want to get a feel for him first. Come on."
Luck is on our side for the moment: we manage to reach the crowd of people waiting for the buffet just before he does.
Standing beside him, I discover that I've actually got about two inches on him in height. He clearly beats me out in sheer mass, though. I'd guess he was some sort of athlete back in his heyday and decide to use that as part of my opening move.
"Steve Matthews, is that you?" I exclaim brightly while mock-punching the man in the arm. "What're you up to these days? Still working out as hard as ever?"
He turns to look at me, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Uh, what?"
"I want you to meet my girlfriend. Kate, Steve here was one of our best varsity wrestlers. He even went to state finals."
"So good to meet you," she says, smiling and holding out her hand.
The man stares at it for a second before shaking his head back and forth slowly. "Sorry, you've got the wrong guy."
"For real, you're not Steve Matthews?" I ask in a shocked voice. "Shit, you've gotta be joking me. You look just like him."
"If you say so," he mumbles, shrugging his large shoulders and shifting his gaze away from us.
But I'm far from finished with him.
I've always been pretty good at reading people—a skill that came in handy when trying to stay out of the line of fire in high school—and it's served me just as well in the business world. I now put my experience to use as I take a closer look at the man beside me.
His clothes, a dark gray suit with a tieless gray shirt, appear to be on the higher end of the scale, but are showing signs of age and wear despite being crisply pressed. He'd carefully styled his short, dark hair so that it stands up in front. His blue eyes and pale complexion make a startling contrast to the nearly-black hair; I wonder if it's dyed. He also wears a small diamond stud in his left ear.
All-in-all, the man presents a well-groomed appearance, but something in his expression puts me on edge. Now that his eyes are off his phone, they restlessly roam the room as if he's on the lookout for danger…or opportunity. After another moment of observation, I decide that his gaze is calculating and hungry instead of wary.
He's looking for a victim to scam.
An idea springs to mind, one that I want to reject the moment it takes form. My name carries a lot of respect in the business world, and I'm careful to steer well clear of activities that would throw shade on my good reputation. But as I'm rapidly discovering, there's not much I wouldn't do for a second chance with Bella.
I wish I could clue Kate in before taking this risk, especially considering the implications, but there's simply no time. Steeling myself for what I'm about to say, I catch the man's eye again.
"Hey, I never did get your name. I'm Edward, by the way," I offer with an affable grin.
"Liam." The name comes out almost like a grunt.
The friendly smile stays pasted on my face. "Who are you here with, Liam? I haven't caught up to everyone yet."
He hesitates before flicking a glance toward the back corner of the room. "That's my fiancé back there."
It's a serious testament to my control that I don't show any outward reaction to his statement. Inside, however, I'm a boiling stew of very unpleasant emotions.
"You lucky dog," I exclaim, slugging him on the arm again. "Half the school had a thing for her." I lean closer to him and smirk. "The other half were girls, and some of them wanted her, too."
"Yeah?" His eyes narrow in thought before darting to Bella again. "Guess that means you did, too?"
It's my turn to shrug. "Eh, she was hot, I had a dick…what could you expect? But sadly, I wasn't her type and never got to take a turn on that sweet little ride…" I suddenly feign mortification. "Aw, shit, man. Sorry. I didn't mean to talk about your girl like that. I forget that not everyone's as…open as Kate and me. Right, babe?"
I slide a hand down Kate's back and squeeze her ass. She giggles and plays along as I'd hoped she would.
"Yeah, but it's been awhile since we've had that kind of fun at the same time," she murmurs, sounding wistful. "Way too long."
I want to pump my fist in victory. Kate figured out my angle and gave me the perfect opening. Her quarterly bonus will be bordering on ridiculous by the time the night is over.
"Aw, I'm sorry, baby," I console in a low voice, just loud enough for him to hear. "All of our regulars are in Seattle, but maybe we can go to Port Angeles after this and find someone for us to play with. I've got enough cash for it on me."
We're next up at the buffet, and I fill my salad plate in silence, allowing the previous conversation to marinate in his head. I can practically hear the wheels turning as he skips the salad and absently loads his plate with potatoes, rice, and meat. Once I reach the end of the line, I set down my food to make a show of checking my Rolex for the time. Usually, I wear Patek-Philippe but decided to slum it tonight due to Rolex's more recognizable name and style. When I notice Liam glancing appreciatively at it, I know I made the right choice.
"Remind me to have Jeff get the McLaren ready in the morning," I tell Kate in an off-hand manner. "I want to take it to the track tomorrow."
"Oh? What happened to the Porche?"
"Got bored of it. I needed something new and decided to treat myself."
Gathering up my plates, I nod at Liam. "Good meeting you. Sorry about the mix-up from before, but congrats on your engagement. I gotta say, I'm a little jealous of you."
With a final chuckle, I make my way back to the table where Alice, Rose, and Lauren are all gaping at me. Emmett seems amused, and Jasper is confused by everyone else's reaction.
And behind them, I see Bella watching me, her eyes wide with fear.
Soon, I promise her in my mind. Soon I'm going to find out what's scaring you so much, and then I'm going to fix it. If this "Liam" is the one behind it, I'll end him.
But first I've got to get you away.
Bella's old friends grill me for gossip the second I sit down, but there's nothing to tell. I know less about him than they do.
Eventually the subject is abandoned, and they move on to different ones. If I were meeting these people for the first time, I'd actually have little problem with Alice, Emmett, and Rosalie. Of course, it's impossible to know how they'd treat me if I looked and acted the same as I did in high school, but they're being nice enough tonight. Jasper seems to be a decent guy, even if he doesn't speak much. Lauren, on the other hand, appears to have grown bitter and more vicious over the years. I don't understand why the other two women are still friends with her.
The meal passes by quickly for me. I divide my attention between the discussion at hand and peeking over to the table where Bella and Liam still sit alone. She's the very last person to get food, and when she does, it seems hardly enough to feed a child, much less a grown woman. I can see that she's at least as thin as she was ten years ago but am unable to make a decent estimation of her weight due to the large cardigan sweater she's wearing.
At one point, Bella accidentally drops her fork on the table. Frantically glancing at her boyfriend—ugh, fiancé—she snatches up the utensil and draws in her shoulders as if to make herself as small as possible.
My feeling of dread increases.
Liam catches me looking several times, and I smirk unabashedly on each occasion. I wouldn't do it if he seemed upset about it—I have no desire for Bella to face any sort of backlash from my actions—but all I can sense out of him from across the room is contemplative indecision. I sincerely hope he's moved past the "should I?" question and is thinking about "how much?"
Because if he doesn't take the bait, the situation might become a little more heated.
When dinner is cleared, Alice once again grabs the microphone, this time to invite people onto the dance floor. Liam stands up and heads toward the cafeteria's exit, possibly for a restroom visit.
"I'm on it," Kate whispers in my ear. "I'll buzz your phone when you need to move."
As Kate follows Liam out of the room, I make my way over to Bella's table. The lights have dimmed to set the mood for dancing, and the floor is filled with gyrating bodies desperately trying to prove they're still young and "cool."
Bella holds her head in her hands, her eyes covered, her lips quivering. Slowly, as not to startle her, I pull out the chair beside her and take a seat.
"Hey," I say as quietly as possible considering the loud music. "Are you okay?"
Despite my attempts to not cause alarm, she still jerks her head up with a gasp when she hears my voice. Her eyes anxiously search the room, no doubt looking for him.
"He's not back yet. My friend will let me know when he's on his way."
I want so badly to touch her in comfort, to ease the panic I see behind her every move. But like a frightened, wild animal, she needs to be approached carefully, with utmost care and sensitivity.
"I don't know if you remember me—Edward Cullen?" I smile gently, without judgment. "I, um, used to have a crush on you in high school."
Her chin tilts down in what I think is a nod. With an eye on the cafeteria doors and my mind on our diminishing time together, I push forward as much as I dare.
"Okay, I'm just going to jump headfirst into everything. Maybe this is none of my business...maybe I'm totally off-base, but...I'm worried about you. Is Liam treating you okay? Does he threaten you or...hurt you?"
It's hard enough for me to get the words out, but when I see her fear increase to full-blown terror, I feel sick to my stomach. That's enough of a confirmation for me.
"Listen, Bella, you don't have to stay with him. Kate and I can help you get away if you want—tonight, even. In fact, I'd prefer that."
Her eyes fill with tears as she shakes her head.
"Why not?" I ask urgently. "Whatever he's got on you, we can take care of it. I'm not asking for anything in return, I promise. I just want to see you safe."
My phone vibrates against my leg; I need to leave the table. It's the last thing I want to do, but if Liam is anything like the other men I've met who have abusive personalities, I know he'll use any excuse to exercise his dominance over her. And until I learn more about the situation, I can't strong-arm him the way I want to. On a physical level, I might not be able to, regardless.
"He's on his way back," I tell Bella as I stand up. "And if he mentions a, um, proposition from me, don't worry. It's not like that, at all. Like I said, we only want to help."
I rush away just in time; he's pushing through the doors with Kate in tow as I grab a random plate from the dessert table. Kate chatters on about god knows what, and Liam is nodding his head. He leans in to speak in her ear before breaking off to return to his table.
"Well?" I demand the moment Kate's within hearing range.
"I swear, that man just took the shortest piss break ever," she mutters peevishly. "I stalled as best I could, but he pretty much blew me off. The good news, however, is that he's going to—"
"What the fuck?" I hiss when I see Liam wrap a large hand around Bella's arm and practically drag her out of her seat.
"Leave it be!" Kate commands, holding onto my wrist to keep me from bounding over there and taking my best shot at his meaty jaw. "He told me that we should give him ten minutes and then find him outside. I'm pretty sure he's going to make a deal with us, but first he'll have to convince her to act like it's her idea. You know, this is a very risky game you're playing, Edward. Risky and on the wrong side of legal."
"It's not a fucking game, and I don't give a damn about what's legal right now." I spit out. "If it all goes to hell, maybe my lawyers will actually earn their retainer for once." My hands fist into tight balls under the table. "You realize how he's going to 'convince' her, don't you? Dammit, Kate, we need to go out there before she gets hurt."
"Quit being a dumbass. You're going to mess everything up. If we don't give him the chance to cover his butt, he might run on fears of being nailed on trafficking charges. I don't get the feeling he's done this before, but that means he'll probably be more cautious. Give him his ten damned minutes and use the time to think about the long run. She might get a couple more bruises or whatever, but she'll be away from him."
Kate's right, of course, but knowing that doesn't do much for my desire to beat the shit out of him.
"What about you?" she continues. "Did you find anything out?"
"Not a damned thing," I sigh. "She wouldn't say a word to me. But at least I gave her a clue about what might happen. I just hope she believes that we're trying to help."
"Assuming she comes along with us, what's next? Are we staying here tonight or high-tailing it back to Seattle? Are you gonna go after this guy?"
"I hope so," I reply through gritted teeth. "I want to burn the fucker at the stake, but a lot of it depends on Bella and what she tells me. I figure we'll head to Port Angeles for the night. It's hard to hide a Vanquish in Forks."
"It's almost been ten minutes," Kate reports, glancing at her phone. "Do you want to say goodbye to the others?"
"Definitely not. They'll ask questions, and the less they know about any of this, the better."
As we stroll to the door, I notice a few people watching us, including my old nemeses Sam Uley and Quil Ateara. After first seeing Bella, I hadn't given much thought to any of them, but did scan the room enough times to know that Jacob Black wasn't present.
I wonder if Bella is still friends with him. I can hardly see him approving of her current situation.
When Kate and I reach the parking lot, no one else seems to be around except for Liam and Bella. Her tiny form looks almost comical next to his.
"Hey, how's it going?" I greet when we're close enough to speak in low voices. "The party's kinda dull in there. Are either of you up for finding entertainment elsewhere?"
"I'm tired, but Bella might be interested for the night," Liam replies carefully. "What exactly were you thinking?"
"First of all, I'd like you take a look at something." I pull out my phone, open up the browser to Cullen Financial Group's website, and hand him the device. "This is the company I own. If you look under the 'Media' tab, you'll see a list of awards that we've won and links to numerous articles, including quite a few in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and Newsweek. Now, I'm trying to brag, but I want to prove that I'm a rather wealthy man and can afford...nice things. Have you noticed my car? It's not the most expensive one I own, by far."
Liam does his best to act unaffected by the information, but he might as well have neon dollar signs light up in his eyes. Some of my tension subsides. I had sized him up correctly as one who could easily be swayed by money—just the kind of person I'm used to dealing with on a daily basis.
This will be child's play for me.
"Let's cut through the crap and be honest for minute," I say, though intending to be anything but. "I can tell you're a formidable man, but also a reasonable one. I also get the feeling you have a lot of influence over Bella. I respect that.
"I mentioned how she wasn't interested in me ten years ago. I'll admit it stung a little, but I'd be just as happy if she was interested in me now. And I'd be grateful to anyone who could help persuade her to give me a chance. Now, I'm sure you love her very much and would miss her terribly, but if you could deal with your sadness for one night, I'd be very grateful...grateful to the tune of, say, a thousand dollars. I'd be doubly grateful for an entire day. And because I'm sure I would find Bella entertaining for more than one day, I'd continue to be indebted to you for as long as you can part with her."
I stay focused on his reaction for two reasons. One, because it's rather amusing watching him try to do the math in his head, and, two, because I can't bear to look at Bella while I'm essentially bargaining for possession her body. I wouldn't be able to maintain the facade if I did.
"Not to rush you, but this isn't the best place for such a discussion," I remind Liam, letting my very real impatience color my tone. "I'll make you a deal. I don't know how long I'd like to spend with Bella, but the idea of having to consider it on a daily basis is rather annoying. One million for you to break off your engagement and all ties to her. One million, no strings except for the ones you're required to cut. What do you say, Liam?"
The softest whimper squeaks out from beside him, and I almost lose my hold on control. Is Bella upset at my offer? Does she still dislike me, and is that affecting her decision? Would she really rather stay with a man who almost certainly hits her than let me help her? Am I making a serious mistake?
No.
I can't let these thoughts distract me. I have to believe that I'm doing the right thing by her. I have to see this through.
"I want it in cash," Liam blurts out. "You give me a million in cash, she's yours. But not until I get the money."
"Well, I certainly don't have that much on me now," I chuckle. "You'll get it on Monday when the banks open. I want her tonight, though."
"No, not until I get the money," he repeats stubbornly.
Sighing, I pull out my wallet and withdraw all the bills inside. "This is just over a thousand, which was my offer for one night. Consider it a down payment."
Liam stares at it for several seconds, then shakes his head.
"That's not enough of a guarantee that'll I get the rest."
Drawing myself to full height, I level an icy glare at him. "My word is all the guarantee you need."
After holding his glance for a long, tense moment, I then move forward with the proposal I'd intended all along.
"Well, you're quite the tough customer, aren't you?" I grace him with an insolent smirk as I remove my watch. "Rolex Daytona Cosmograph in platinum with eleven baguette diamonds. It'll clear fifty thousand, easy. You can hold onto it as collateral. Even if you never heard from me again, that's a decent chunk of change. But as I said, I'm a man of my word. And I really dislike loose ends. You'll get your money."
The watch swings lazily on my finger from its band.
"Take or leave it. I'm finished here."
His answer comes immediately.
"Deal," he says, snatching the piece from me.
"Liam, no!"
The hands that clutch at his arm unknowing slash a knife across my heart.
"Don't touch me," he hisses, wrenching away from her.
Tears stream down her cheeks. "B-but...you said...I thought...I thought you l-loved me…"
Liam sneers at her anguish. "Yeah, about that...you really haven't figured out by now that I've been lying all these years to get access to your dad's insurance money? Damn, you're stupider than I thought." He shakes his head in disgust. "Oh, and by the way, you know how I told you I'd take care of the mortgage payments? Sorry to break it to you, but the house is going up for auction next month."
"Not the house!" she gasps. "You know how much that means to me. It's...it's all I have left of him…"
Her lunge forward might be nothing more than a desperate attempt to grovel at his feet, but he doesn't care. With a heavy swing of his hand, he smacks her across the face.
"I told you not to touch me, bitch! You never listen, do you?"
This time, I can't hold back.
Putting all my rage behind my fist, I drive it into his jaw. My left hand comes up to repeat the action on the other side.
Liam staggers backward and then falls to the ground, dazed.
"Dammit, Edward!" Kate curses behind me. She's going to give me hell later, for sure.
Acting quickly, I roll the large man over to dig his wallet out of his pocket. After snapping a picture of his license, I tuck the thousand dollars inside and toss the wallet on the ground as he groggily attempts to push himself into a sitting position.
"That's a warning, Mr. Riley," I say, stressing the last name that I've just learned. "Stay away from Bella. If you ever lay another finger on her, I'll make sure you're a lot more sorry about it than you are now."
I turn to the woman who has motivated all my actions for the past two hours. She's shaking violently as she stares down at the struggling figure by my feet. Even in the muted light of the parking lot, I can see the redness blooming across her cheek.
"Bella, would you please come with us?" I ask softly. "I'm not going to make you—I'd never do that—but I'd really like to put a little distance between you and him. After that, we can talk about what you want to do next."
Holding my breath, I reach out a hand to her and hope like hell she takes it. Liam is starting to get his wits back, and I'd rather not be anywhere near him when he does.
The world stops existing as Bella lifts her wet eyes to look at me. She studies my face with an unfathomable expression.
"Bella?" I whisper, my fingers stretching toward her. "Take a chance on me. I won't let you down...please? "
Another endless moment passes, and then, ever so slowly, she lays her hand in mine. I close my eyes, taking time we don't have to savor the moment. The most perfect warmth spreads from where we touch and radiates throughout my entire body.
For this feeling alone, it was all worth it.
Everything I went through in high school, the grueling ten years that followed...none of it matters now.
Nothing matters except the incredible joy of holding her delicate hand in mine.
The three of us walk away from the scene, away from Liam, and toward my car—toward an uncertain future. I don't for a minute imagine that the road ahead will be easy or lead to assured happiness, but I'm so thankful that we have the opportunity to explore it.
Bella and I have been given second chances.
Now we have to make the most of them.