Chapter 1

Promise

Epov

"Mike I swear" if that bubbling idiot comes in here one time asking were the scotch is, I'm going to fire him. Throwing down the towel in frustration I came around the bar. As the door flew open, the most amazing sent hit me head on. The venom pooled in my mouth, my senses sharpened, and everything came in to focus. I looked up to find the source of it and found my answer. There before me stood a…goddess, she was dipping wet.

The water was in droplets running down into her eyes. They were a deep chocolate brown. Her face had a heart shape to it, with very full lips. She was breathing so hard that her chest was heaving up and down. The white dress that she wore clung to in the most erotic way. Showing of her chest, and hugging her slim waist. Making her two shapely, slender legs stand out in a very noticeable manner. The strap on her left shoulder had fallen down, drawing my eye to it. Her arms were lean and slender as well. She was breath taking. Her eyes, big as a deer's, locked with mine. So many emotions played in them. The prominent one being fear. I cocked my head to the left, why would the goddess be afraid.

"Oh my god, Bella, what are you doing here!" I heard Alice shout form behind me. So Alice know the goddess…her name was…Bella. That name suited her, just the thought of it sent a spark to some unknown part of me. Wait, how did Alice know her?

"Bella are you ok?" Alice asked after releasing her form the bear hug she was in. Her eyes that wear still locked on mine then turned down to glance at the pixie in front of her. "No, no I'm not…Alice I want out" she said, then crumpled to the floor in tears.

Bpov

I stood there looking at the two pink strips staring back at me. How could I be pregnant, ok I know how but come on I'm on birth control. Yeah I know that doesn't mean anything but still. Oh god what about James, there was no way I was telling him. I mean how could I bring a baby into this world with that man, if you could call him that.

Flashback

It was the first time James had allowed me out in months. It would have been nice except for the fact that he had a death grip on my arm.

"Now my pretty little slut, you will behave in here wont you." His tone was cold and full of the malice I come to know and fear over the last year. I just nodded meekly while the bile rose in my throat unable to speak.

We had not even been in the store a few minutes, when I head his voice.

"Bella? Bella, is that you?" I panicked as I heard that voice, I know that voice. Dear god please don't let that be who I think it is. I turned to see Jacob coming toward us. I shot a look over to James. He was livid. "James" he acknowledged with a nod of his head and guarded eyes.

"Jacob" James spat out his name as a curse "what are you doing here?" he asked in the same hard tone. "I have the right to be anywhere I want to James this is a free country the last time I checked." Jacob said finally moving his eyes away form me to meet his. James' glare was murderous. Then his face changed to one of a forced clam. I was getting more scared by the minute. "So what ya been up to Bells?" "Isabella and I were just here to pickup some things form the store. All though that is none of your business, I will do as I please." James' tone was even more deadly at this point if that was even possible. At this point Jacob just stared at him. "You take care, kay Bells." I just nodded as I watched him walk away.

As soon as he was out of ear shot James's grip on my arm tightened even more as he started to drag me to the exit. "You little slut, you have been going out again haven't you?" He accused me. By now we were in the parking lot. His other hand that was not on my arm came up and tightened around my neck as he slammed me into the passenger side of our car. "No J-James" I tried to speak but no air was getting to my lungs. "You have been seeing him haven't you" he seethed "your screwing him, aren't you. You little slut." He said while pulling me back by my neck and slamming me once again up against the car. "Get in the car we're going home so I can deal with you properly." He said finally letting go of my neck and shoving me into the passenger seat.

End flashback

That had been six months ago. And that night, oh god, that night. I wish I could forget that night. Pain, so much pain. There was always pain with James. It took a good couple of days till I could walk correctly again. It's getting harder to hide the bruises under the make-up.

Just then the doorbell rang bringing me back to the present. I set the pregnancy test down on the sink, walked out of the bathroom and down the stars to the get the door. I opened it hesitantly, just a crack to see who it was. The door was shoved open almost hitting me in the head as Alice walked in with her hands on her hips. "Bella I know something is very wrong with you and James. You don't answer my calls; and you don't call me back when I leave you messages. What's going on Bella?"

She was livid, I could tell by the tone and the way she was standing. She was in full scolding mode now. What could I say? I couldn't tell her the truth. That James had been hitting me for least a year and a half. My head automatically went down so I could stare at my feet. For the briefest moment I thought of telling. Then god only knows why, I looked up straight into her eyes. Her eyes glazed over for a moment, then lit up with realization. "Oh..my..God, he's been hitting you hasn't he?" she shrieked.

"Alice everything is fine, I don't know what you're talking about. I just been very busy, so I haven't had time to return your calls, that's all." I was never good at lying. No one ever believed me anyway, I don't even know why I bother. My blush always gave me away.

I just stood there looking at her as the tears welled up in my eyes threatening to spill over. "Oh Bella" she gasped while gathering me into a tight hug. I returned it with all my might, if I could just stay in this moment then James wouldn't be able to hurt my baby or me. "We have to get you out here" she stated while releasing me. My mind and body screamed no don't let me go, do you know what he'll do to me.

"No, no, he'll find me and bring me back." I whimpered the fear my voice making it go out at the end. My head was shacking back and forth. "Bella we have to get you out of here, do you hear me." She grabbed my face in her hands to make her point. I just know there was no way out. He would just and find me bring back or worse kill me. This I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, he had said it every day.

"Fine, but will you at least call me if he dose anything to you." I just nodded my head numbly at her. "Here let me give you the address of the bar I'll be working at tonight. It'll be open till 3 in the morning." She whipped out a piece of paper form her purse, wrote down the address, then shoved it into my hand. "Call" she said one final time before she turned, walking out the door. I shut it behind her and slide down the wall.

My hands went to my stomach as I broke down and wept. What was I going to do, there was no way I was telling James that I was pregnant. He would just beat me again and tell me I was sleeping around on him again. I looked at the clock on the wall it was five on the dot. James would be home in three hours. I slowly got up off the floor and started pacing.

What was I going to do, if I ran surly he would find me and kill me. No, I could not let that happen. I had to think about my baby and ways to protect him or her.

Could I really go to Alice? No, James knew Alice. I kept pacing back and forth in the living room so much so that I didn't realize how much time had past. Not until I saw the headlights pull up into the driveway.

My heart dropped into my stomach. Oh God, my eyes shot to the clock on the wall ten after seven, he was home early. This was bad, very bad, it meant that he had bad day work and was going to take it out on me.

No I could not let that happen. My head shot up as I heard the keys in the door turning the lock. My heart stopped then started to pound in my chest so hard that I thought he would hear it form the porch. The door swung open and I snapped. There was no way he was going to hurt my baby. It was one thing to hurt me, but not my baby.

I took off to the kitchen. As I got to the back door I reached form the knob, turned it and flung the door open. I Raced out into the back yard and across to the next, then on the street. I glanced down at my hand; I still had the paper with the address on it that Alice gave me. I saw that it was on the corner of Third and Tharpe. It was close, just three blocks over, not that far.

Just I finished reading it and then the skies opened up in a downpour of rain. I took off running down the street. I had to get out of the rain, I could not get sick now with my baby to think about. As I ran it seamed to rain even harder, I looked up and could just make out the neon sign for the bar. I ran harder at that point, it seamed to take an entreaty to get to my hand on the door handle. I flung it open and raced into the shelter.

"Mike, I swear" the voice came so sudden that I skidded to a stop my head snapping up to find the source of it. Even though it was harsh it still sounded like music.

Then around the corner of the bar came a Greek god. His hair was sticking up in all directions, with the most beautiful bronze hue to it. His eyes were a brilliant shade of emerald green. He was perfection in the flesh. Our eyes locked for a moment, his held such intensity about them. I couldn't place it. My eyes wondered down his frame long and muscular. He had on a white T-shirt, blue jeans and to my delight-no shoes.

"Oh my god, Bella, what are you doing!" Alice shrieked while rushing to embrace me. "Bella are you ok?" her voice held so much concern it that the tears started to flow down my checks as I choked out "No, no I'm not…Alice I want out" I said as I crumpled to the floor and wepted. I looked up into her eyes "I'm pregnant."