4
The room was dark and only the small movement of the curtains held any mention of someone hiding in the shadows. The young woman sat on her bed as she chatted on the phone and looked at her laptop. It wasn't this review she would die for, but ones in the past.
"I hate it; I don't see what the big deal is. I think the story sucks and she is getting all these stupid reviews for the crap she wrote," she said hatefully. "I've read better stories by grade school kids."
She was spreading her vile thoughts with friends, gaining courage by her obscurity and ignorant peers. She listened for a moment to the other person on the line and then began typing. She laughed as she typed her words and stopped long enough to read to the co-conspirator.
"I told the author to just flush her story down the toilet next time instead of loading it, it would help keep shit off of FanNet," she laughed as if her comment was the thing deserving a review.
The shadow decided how it would handle this one. She would be the one flushed in the toilet. The young woman finally hung up her phone and shut the laptop. Her attacks were finished for the night never to return again. She walked into the bathroom connected to her room and leaned over to start a bath. The water splashed noisily as the tub filled. She stood to remove her shirt.
A thin wire came over her head and was pulled forcefully as a foot planted in her back, slicing her throat clear to the bone. The water turned red as her tongue was cut from her mouth and flushed down the toilet.
It took less than one minute and the intruder was gone. It took fifteen minutes for the overflowing water to makes its way down the hallway, onto the stairs, and discovered by the parents watching television in the family room.
Victoria was sitting in her chair by the desk when Edward and Bella walked through the door. She smiled up at them and spoke, "More guests have checked in, two students from Arizona."
"Great," they both smiled and Bella almost blew it by admitting she was raised in Arizona.
Edward took her hand and said, "Let's hit the showers, love."
She felt a jolt run through her body and her grin was genuine as they walked arm in arm up the stairs. When they got to the room she headed to the drawers to get her pajamas and Edward grabbed his shaving kit.
He turned to look at her as his eyes made a sweep of the room without making it too obvious. "Do you feel up to a little fun in the shower?" he asked, and walked closer to her.
"Do you think you can keep up?" she laughed, and took hold of his shirt and leaned in to kiss him. She meant for it to be a quick peck but they both leaned in further and deepened the kiss. She could taste the salty sweat on his upper lip and he could feel her mouth tremble against his.
He dropped his kit on the bed and she let her clothes fall to the floor as they moved in closer and wrapped around each other. When he plunged his tongue into her mouth she inhaled sharply and his body came alive against her abdomen.
At that moment his phone rang in his pocket and they both quickly pulled apart and refused to look at each other. Edward turned away to answer and Bella headed into the bathroom.
"So, less than an hour ago?" Edward said into his phone with a shocked voice. "Yeah, okay, email me and I'll take a look at your figures." He felt time was moving too slowly for them. They needed results because people were dying.
He went into the bathroom and turned on the shower before nodding for Bella to join him. She stepped in wearing her running bra and shorts and he pulled her ear against his lips to speak. "Another victim, female, seventeen, from Florida, I'll be emailed the information in an encrypted file."
She nodded and they both looked around the bathroom for anything that could be a camera. They knew it wasn't bugged with a listening device, but a camera would be easy to hide. "I think we're good," he whispered into Bella's ear.
She nodded and went to step out of the shower, but he grabbed her arm and smiled, "Come on, we're adults. We can shower without losing control."
His words hurt, because she knew she wouldn't be able to resist him if he tried to touch her, but he was the senior agent and obviously only acting the part. He pulled off his running shorts and compression shorts as she removed her clothes and tossed them on the counter to dry. He soaped up as she shampooed her hair, both keeping their eyes off the others body. When he finished he stepped out and hung a dry towel over the glass door to obscure his vision of her. When she finally stepped from the shower he was gone. She dried her hair and applied lotion to her body before coming back into the room. He was sitting in lounge pants which hung so low on his hips, and when he stood she couldn't help but look down at the hair peeking out.
He nodded for her to come over and sit on his lap and kissed her shoulder while she read the file. It turned her stomach to know the woman downstairs could have ordered a murder after talking with them so sweetly. She wanted to find evidence as quickly as possible.
"I know I promised I wouldn't work while we were here, but this was an emergency," he said with his lips against the skin of her arm.
"Okay, as long as it isn't a habit," she said and turned to look at him. She was saying the fake words but feeling everything as if it was real. She loved the way he nibbled on her shoulder and wrapped his hands around her.
Their eyes met, and she watched as his moved to look at her lips. He stared as he swallowed deeply and then took a deep breath. She knew she needed to move off of his lap, but she was frozen in desire. He finally spoke with a shaky voice, "Do you want to watch a movie?"
"Sure," she answered and remained seated.
"Anything particular?" he asked and licked his lips.
"It's all up to you," she said with a breathy voice and he tightened his eyes shut for a moment.
He knew most likely everything was up to him. She would follow his lead and at this point his desire was winning over his judgment. "Go get in my bed," he said just above a whisper and she rose automatically and walked like a zombie to the large pedestal bed. Her mind was screaming at her to stay focused on the case and not let a good looking guy turn her head. But this felt like…more.
Edward grabbed the remote and turned to a movie channel listed on the card attached to the television. He walked over to shut off the light and climbed into the bed, keeping his arms out of the covers. Bella put her pillows against the headboard and waited for him to settle on a movie.
When he let the remote drop he turned to look up at her. "Is this okay?" he asked and she didn't look at the screen, only his eyes.
"Perfect," she answered and he rolled to his side for her to move deeper into the bed and even with him.
Her hands came up to rest under her cheek and she looked into his eyes. He smiled but it wasn't a typical smile given by friends, or coworkers, or even family. He smiled like a man who couldn't believe a woman agreed to come to his bed. He smiled like a lover promising tenderness and release, but mostly like a man finding something new in a life he had become accustomed to.
"I think I have a story idea," she said softly.
"Great, you can have the evening tomorrow and I'll head to La Push," he said and continued to smile at her.
"I'm not sure I can let you read it," she admitted, afraid he would see too much of her heart if she did.
"Can you tell me about it?" he whispered and reached out to let his finger trail down her face.
"I'm terrified…to write." The story would not be the vampire from the book, but of the sexy man lying with her in the bed. She had to find a way to say what she was feeling without letting Edward see it was him she was talking about.
He could feel her entire body shaking and knew it wasn't the writing she was terrified of; it was lying next to him in the darkness as he touched her. "Tell me what you want from me," he whispered and promised himself if she told him to back off he would, no matter how much he wanted her.
"We're partners," she whispered back and let one of her hands come out from under her chin to grab his finger.
He watched as she pulled his finger into her mouth and let her warm saliva seep into his flesh as she held it tightly in her lips. She had no idea what prompted her to make that move, but she needed something from him, something intimate and personal. He was supposed to teach her everything about being an agent and she needed to trust him, but this was more than she could handle. Her last experience at love left her heartbroken and if Edward did the same it would ruin her.
He pulled his finger from her mouth and moved closer with his lips. "Edward, please don't hurt me," she whispered just as his mouth touched hers. When her words registered, he pulled back and looked at her with surprise, and then the awful guilt began to settle on him. It was his job to teach her how undercover operations worked and he let his own lust get the better of him.
He smiled at her wide eyes and tried to act as natural as possible as he said, "Get some sleep, love." He picked up the remote and shut off the television. They both lay in the dark as they tried to process what was happening, finding sleep impossible. He finally pulled her to his chest and held her tightly as they both began to drift off.
Bella wondered how she would ever be able to sleep alone again. She needed to hear his heartbeat and feel his arms around her. Her own arm ran across his bare stomach and settled against his warm skin as her leg wrapped with his. It felt soothing and she tried not to think about going back to Langley and working from the office across from him.
Her sleep was fitful and dreams terrified her in the room that she didn't feel comfortable with. She was trying to run toward the killer, hoping to catch a glimpse or possibly save the next victim. She reached for the shadow which spun around, blood dripping from his sharp fangs, and screamed loudly.
Edward sat up quickly and put his arms around her for solace. "Bella, you're okay, love. It's just a dream."
She turned and buried her face in his neck as her body shook from fear. He lay back and pulled her with him, running his hand up and down her back. "You're with me, you're safe," he told her and felt his arms naturally tighten with his words.
"I'm sorry," she said softly feeling like such a rookie. She didn't move away because she needed to feel him holding her.
"It's this damn place, who wants to sleep in a vampire's lair?" he said with disgust.
Bella laughed softly, "There is no mention of a lair in the book."
"So, what's this guys attraction?" he asked and she smiled at the sound of jealousy in his voice.
"He has everything under control, he understands the world and makes the women feel safe," she said and then laughed at her own words. How could a vampire make a woman feel safe? "I guess the guy knows just what to say and when to say it."
"He sounds like a schmuck," Edward said and Bella laughed louder.
"I think you could give him a run for his money, Edward Cullen," she admitted and he chuckled.
"Are you calling me a schmuck?"
"No, you say such wonderful things," she said softly in the darkness. She wasn't teasing him anymore and spoke truthfully.
"You make me feel such wonderful things," he said back and she smiled as he continued to hold her for the remainder of the night.
They woke up the next morning to the sound of loud laughter coming from downstairs. Edward sat up and ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to wake up fully. "You want some coffee," he asked when Bella stirred.
She watched as he climbed out of bed and walked toward the door. "Hey," she called out and he turned with his hand on the knob. "You can't go down there like that."
He looked down at his lounge pants and looked back at her, "Why?"
She laughed uncomfortably and moved to the edge of the bed. Her hand waved up and down his body and said, "You're my husband, Edward. Put on a shirt, and some pants that are less…obvious, before you come face to face with two coeds."
"Obvious?" he asked and looked down at his pants.
"Yeah, less…clingy," she said and felt her face turn red.
"These are clingy?" he asked and smiled at her as she continued to look at his pants. Her eyes finally looked up at his and she turned away with embarrassment. She grabbed a button down shirt and tossed it to him. It was long enough to cover his clingy pants and he walked out the door laughing as he buttoned the shirt.
5
With the Florida murder Bella and Edward felt the need to push Victoria a bit faster. Edward fixed cups of coffee as he listened to her talk to the two young ladies about stories on FanNet. He took his time and made toast to hear which story they were talking about. When he returned to the room Bella was dressed in a skirt and tee.
"Have you read, Noir?" he asked her.
"Not all of it, I read some, but I didn't really care for it. I'm not saying it is a bad story it was just something that didn't interest me," she admitted.
"Go join in the conversation downstairs and watch Victoria for a reaction. I have some work to do on my computer and I'll call for you in about half an hour."
Bella headed downstairs and introduced herself to Jessica and Lauren. They were so excited to be in Forks and every word out of their mouths was about Vampires. Bella listened to their take on the story and jumped into the conversation.
"I didn't care for the story. It was well written, but I didn't like how it took place in the fourteenth century Paris," Bella said and watch Victoria.
"The characters were experiencing the terror of the black plague, it had to be then," Victoria said angrily.
"I know, I just have a hard time understanding that time period. It just wasn't for me, that's all," Bella said softly.
"Did you leave a review?" Victoria asked with wide eyes.
"I didn't finish it, but I wouldn't tell her anything mean," Bella said and watched Victoria relax. "I'm thinking of giving writing a try."
"You should," Jessica said. "It is really cathartic. You can write about things in your past or things that bug you."
"I was thinking of something Fiction, I'm not brave enough to write from my life," Bella said honestly.
"When you feel a story it changes you," Lauren said. "I have read stories on FanNet I like more than most books I read."
"I doubt my story will change anyone, it will just be something simple."
"What is it going to be about, and what is the title?" Victoria asked enthusiastically. Bella suddenly felt pressure. She was terrified to have someone read her story, but even more afraid for people she knew to read it.
"I'm at the very beginning stage of the process. I'll let you know," she said and made her way back upstairs. Edward was sitting at the desk and looking at some schematics on his computer. He looked up when Bella walked in.
"What happened downstairs?" he asked. He could tell Bella was upset and pushed back from the table to give her his entire attention.
"Edward, I can't write a story, I'm not a writer," she said with a panic. He smiled and she threw herself on the bed in anger. "Don't laugh at me," she demanded.
"It is only for… reactions. It doesn't have to be a real story," he pointed out, but it didn't help ease her mind.
"Edward, I cut down the story Noir and at least the person had the nerve to write it, who am I to criticize it?"
"Everyone has different tastes," he said but she shook her head.
"It is like a baseball player who gets yelled at by the fans for striking out. At least he got up to bat and took the chance. You can't hit it out of the park every time and especially not the first time." She was getting emotional and knew it was her fear ruling her. She suddenly liked the idea of someone going after the mean people. The thought sent her into tears.
Edward jumped up from the table and came over to hug her. He whispered into her ear as he tried to get her focused back onto the case. "I don't think the surveillance system is used in the rooms. I hacked in and I'm copying whatever she films. I think it only films a spot in the forest."
"For what?" she whispered back.
"I don't know yet, but tomorrow I'll know more about the room and if we are being watched."
Bella wasn't sure if she wanted to hear they were secure in the room. She liked Edward treating her like his wife and knew she would miss his attention. She hugged him tightly and then let him get back to work. She climbed on the bed and opened her laptop. She was typing furiously and suddenly noticed Edward looking at her.
He was dying to get a peek at the story and knew she would never agree until she got some feedback online. He was fascinated by her and could watch her work for hours. Her lips pursed a bit and she stared with interest at the words she was writing. When she looked at him he could see the fear in her eyes.
"You seemed to have found your muse," he teased.
"Are you still going to La Push?" she asked. She wanted to write without interruption and didn't feel comfortable when he was only a few feet from her. She was writing about high school, when she felt awkward and self conscious. She didn't have a brother or sister to pave the way for her. She had to navigate the scary world of boys and dating alone. She could only imagine how it would have been to meet a mysterious vampire at such an awkward stage and have him make the world smooth and romantic for her.
"Let's get out of this room and go to the beach. We can take some sub sandwiches and have a picnic," Edward suggested and she smiled, a picnic sounded perfect.
They both changed into swimsuits and clothes for the beach and stopped off at the diner to get some food to go. Angela came to speak to them and told them where the best spots were. Edward excused himself and headed to the restroom so Bella questioned Angela further. "Why do you think Victoria uses a wheelchair if she can walk?"
"I think it gives her a story to tell," Angela said with disgust. "Her guests seem to stick around and talk with her if they feel she is lonely. I'm happy to see you and Edward are getting out and doing things."
"She is really into FanNet," Bella said with a laugh.
"Yeah, so am I," Angela admitted. "I've written a few stories."
"Really, can you give me some pointers? I'm working on a story, but it is so scary to actually load it."
"Just remember you can't please everyone. I got some really harsh reviews at first, but I tried to learn something from them."
"What did you learn?" I asked with genuine curiosity.
"I learned if you do something to please one person, you piss off someone else. You have to be true to yourself and tell the rest of the world to suck it," Angela said and Bella laughed loudly. She seemed so sweet and her advice surprised Bella.
"Do you respond to your reviewers?" Bella asked.
"Sometimes, you can meet some really interesting people, but you can also meet some really scary people. I had one woman ask me to send her some of my hair in an envelope."
"Did you?" Bella asked with wide eyes.
"NO," Angela said emphatically and smiled at Edward when he walked up.
"I would love to read your stories," Bella said and Angela promised to write down the names and have them ready the next time Bella came in.
They took their food and left. Edward drove to a secluded spot Angela had mentioned as Bella filled him in on what she found out about Victoria. He couldn't imagine her needing attention as a reason for the wheelchair. His instincts told him it had something to do with the camera positioned on the woods.
The beach was beautiful with large crashing waves. They spread a blanket on the sand in a small cave to keep the sun from burning them. Edward opened his beer and Bella shook her head when he offered it to her. She was focused on her story and kept going over possible story lines and character development. Edward got tired of her silence and finally reached over to knock her arms out from under her.
"Hey," she yelled and looked over at him.
"Talk to me, I'm bored," he said with a smile.
"Get a wheelchair," she teased him.
He laid back on the blanket and put his arms behind his head. "Kiss me," he suggested.
"There's nobody watching," she reminded him and he only shrugged.
"Call it practice," he said and smiled a sexy grin that made her heart race.
"I'm working on my story," she said and looked back at the ocean.
He finally sat up and moved her hair off her shoulder and leaned in to speak in her ear. "Tell me what it's about and maybe I can help."
"It's about teenage girls," she said and felt chills run down her spine when he kissed her neck.
"I just happen to be an expert on teenage girls," he said softly and his tongue ran very lightly up to her ear.
"Does the bureau know," she said in an attempt to remind him they were partners on a case but he didn't seem bothered.
"It will be our secret," he whispered and she inhaled a quick shallow breath. She turned her face toward him and his hand moved to hold her cheek gently in his palm. His lips moved over hers almost like a feather and he said with his hot breath, "Kiss me."
She leaned in just a bit and lightly added pressure to his mouth, but he backed away. Her mouth followed his and he let his body fall back onto the blanket, bringing her with him. Her legs were at the side of his body and her top torso was over his. Both of his hands held her face and he kissed her without hesitation.
She loved the way he kissed, the perfect blend of soft and urgent, building as she struggled to keep her wits about her. He realized at that moment he was out of control. There was nothing he could do to stop himself from rolling over onto her and running his hand down her body. She was athletic and had a hard body with the perfect curves to taunt him.
"God, Bella," he moaned without control of his mouth.
Her knee rose to the side of him and he settled his body between her legs. Every alarm in his brain was going off but he couldn't stop himself. It wasn't a body giving him the excitement he was craving, it was Bella; something about her specifically caused him to lose it.
He wanted her, all of her, and at the same time wanted her to stop him. His cries were not of ecstasy but of pain, the pain of losing control and knowing he would hate himself for it. She finally pulled from his mouth to see the grimace on his face.
"I'm sorry," she said and tried to push him away. He kept her attached to him and let his head fall to her neck as she took deep breaths.
"Don't be. You are so sexy Bella, it makes me forget this is a case," he said and refused to look at her. He was taking a big leap and she didn't realize what his confession meant.
"You don't have to say I'm sexy," she said, believing he was trying to stop things without hurting her feelings in the process.
His head snapped up and he looked at her in earnest. "Are you kidding me, I'm panting all over you and can't force myself to stop," he admitted.
"Maybe we should pull out the food," she offered and he rolled to the side of her and began rubbing his eyes with his palms. She pulled the cooler closer and took a sub sandwich out and handed it to him, then opened a bag of chips and held one to his mouth. He looked at her as he opened his mouth and let his tongue pull the chip in to eat.
"Edward, are you trying to seduce me, or is all of this natural for you?" she asked and hoped it didn't hurt his feelings. She wondered if all the cases he worked made him conscious of every action or if he was just a naturally romantic guy.
"It's this damn town," he said with his head down and suddenly became very interested in his sandwich. She had no idea what he meant and decided not to ask.
Edward was used to being in large cities, like Chicago where he was raised. Forks felt like it had stopped in time and everything here was far from the real world. It felt disconnected to his life and he was experiencing feelings he had pushed to the recesses of his mind.
Bella reached for a beer and he watched the long line of her body stretch for the bottle. She opened it and brought it to her lips, wrapping them around the bottle. His finger moved unconsciously to her exposed skin on her thigh and ran along the edge of her shorts.
She looked down and then over at him and smiled. He felt unable to control himself, almost as if he had been drugged, and his body needed her with a passion he had never experienced. He suddenly sat up and looked at her with a mixture of shock and fear.
"Bella, what have I eaten or drank that you haven't?" he asked quickly.
She thought back to this morning when he brought the toast and coffee to the room. She ate the toast when he sent her downstairs to join the conversation, but she had left the coffee. "I didn't drink the coffee this morning," she said.
"Shit," he yelled and jumped up. "I've been drugged."
"With what?" she asked, terrified he was going to go into convulsions or something.
"Some sort of stimulant, like Viagra or Cialis," he said and headed to the cold water to see if it would make a difference as Bella tried desperately not to laugh.
6
They returned to the Inn late in the afternoon and Bella made it a point to stay far from Edward and not stimulate him in any way. He was embarrassed and completely pissed. It took all he had to keep from yelling at Victoria when he caught sight of her. If he had been drugged they couldn't figure out the purpose, unless Victoria was suspicious of them.
Edward showered and changed before heading to La Push for a game of poker. He didn't speak much to Bella and she planned to tell the others they had a fight. In reality she was a bit depressed that his interest in her had been the result of drugs.
Bella sat in the parlor for inspiration and continued writing her story; she had the first chapter done but kept fine tuning it, changing words and phrases that didn't quite seem right. Each time she read over the chapter she changed something.
Victoria came into the room and rolled her chair across from where Bella sat. "Are you writing?" she asked with curious eyes.
"Yes, but it just doesn't feel quite right," Bella sighed.
"Do you want me to read it and see what I think?" Victoria asked.
"I'm afraid you won't tell me the truth," Bella said.
"Sure I will," she promised. "I'll be honest without being hateful. I just hate it when people take jabs at authors."
"Okay, it is all fiction, so tell me if it lacks feeling or believability," Bella lied. "It is about a girl in Arizona who falls for the wrong boy. He breaks her heart so she turns to a bad boy for validation, only to realize she was hurting herself not the boys. It is called, Spring Heat."
Victoria smiled and took the laptop and began reading. "Wow," she said as she read and Bella felt like she was tied in knots.
When Victoria finished reading she looked up at Bella and smiled. "I think it is perfect. You can feel the sorrow the character feels and the disappointment that the boy wasn't the one. Is the bad boy a Vampire?"
"Yes, he sucks the blood out of her, metaphorically," Bella blushed.
"I think in the next chapter it would be nice to add a bit of his back story so we get a sense of who he is and we can cheer for him or scream when she is with him," Victoria suggested.
"Thanks," Bella said genuinely. "I wasn't sure what the next chapter should be about and that really helps."
"You have a great start, are you going to load it now?"
"No, I want to finish it before I load it," Bella said and Victoria nodded. "This is a great atmosphere to write in. You must love this place."
Victoria smiled as she nodded emphatically. "I wanted to be surrounded by the characters in the book at all times, you know, live in the world they lived in."
"Do you mind if I ask what put you in a wheelchair?" Bella pushed and hoped she hadn't asked too early in their friendship.
"I was in a really abusive relationship," Victoria said and dropped her head. "He broke my back and it is pretty weak. I can walk, but not for too long."
"I'm so sorry, is he in jail?" Bella asked.
"No, I never told anyone what happened."
"Why?" Bella asked with a shocked voice. She couldn't imagine a man beating her and letting it slide.
"He made it up to me," Victoria said and then changed the subject to Edward. "Where's your husband?"
"He went to La Push for a poker game," Bella said and tried to act angry about it.
Victoria scrunched up her face and gave a disgusted tisk. "Those men are so misogynistic. They run around together as if they were a pack of dogs or something. I wouldn't let my husband associate with them if I were you."
"Really?" Bella said and sounded concerned. "I'm worried about Edward's gambling. He says it gives him something to do because I read too much."
"Gambling only leaves you broke, FanNet opens you up to the world. There are so many amazing people out there, and I grow to really love them."
"And some really mean ones," Bella added and watched Victoria's chin set in anger.
"Well, Karma gives them what they deserve, the stupid little bitches. They think they are so educated and every story should meet their expectations. Most of them can't even form a correct sentence, but the ones who try to pontificate with their brilliance sicken me. Casting dispersions is easy, but let's see them write a fucking story for the entire world to see. If you don't like a storyline, move the hell on, it isn't like there are a limited amount of stories to choose from."
"Do you ever bash with them?" Bella asked and there was a part of her soul which really hoped Victoria told them where to stick it.
"No, they want attention so I refuse to give it to them. But, it all works out in the end," she said with a smile.
"What do you mean?" Bella asked and leaned forward to encourage her to share.
"If you act like a dirty rat, you'll be treated like one. Life will set a trap and catch you with a snap of your neck," she laughed and Bella tried to smile without shaking.
"You think a bad review makes someone deserving of death?"
"I think FanNet shows your character. People who love the human race can find something nice and encouraging to say about any story, but those who talk shit are the scum we don't need to continue polluting the gene pool."
"I agree," Bella said and pushed a bit further. "Too bad they live all over the world and you can't know who they are."
"See, that is where you are wrong," Victoria said. "They think they are anonymous, hiding behind their screen names. But the web is simply a code the ignorant can't figure out."
"Well, if someone says something hateful about my story, you'll have to show me how to find them," Bella laughed but Victoria gave her a warning glare.
"I'm talking theoretically," Victoria said angrily.
"Damn, now I'm afraid to load it again," Bella teased and hoped Victoria didn't become too suspicious.
The woman smiled from her wheelchair and began to leave the room. "Your story is really good, I doubt it will get a bad review."
"Thank you, it means a lot coming from you," Bella said honestly.
She worked on chapter two most of the night and waited for Edward to come back. It was almost two in the morning when she heard him coming up the stairs. She ran to the door and opened it just as he reached for the knob.
"Whoa," he said and swayed as the door opened before him.
"Are you drunk?" Bella asked and felt the anger a real wife would feel.
"Totally, completely, and irrevocably," he answered and gave her a sly grin as he walked past her and held onto the wall for support.
"You drove drunk?" she asked and was really ready to tear into him.
"No, my new buddies brought me home. Jacob Black is a very nice man, he's very broke now, but still a nice man," he smiled and sat on the edge of the bed.
"You won?" she asked.
He laughed, and it sounded like a schoolgirl giggle as he held his finger to his lips and said, "Shhh, I always win."
"Do you cheat, Edward?"
"I'm an accountant with a good memory for numbers, love. Intelligence is not cheating," he said and then fell back onto the bed in laughter.
She walked over to take off his shoes and pants and he grabbed her hands when she reached for his belt buckle. She wasn't sure if he wanted to remove his jeans with his own hands or if he wanted to sleep in them. "Take off your pants," she told him and he shook his head.
"No, I can't. They have to stay on because I want her too badly," he slurred and let his eyes shut. "I wasn't drugged, she's just too pretty. She doesn't know what she does to me; it's not on purpose, so I can't be mad at her."
"Are you talking about Bella," she asked softly and really hoped he was.
"My wife," he whispered.
"Edward, wake up, you have to get in bed," she said loudly and pulled on his arm. He moved onto his knees and waited for her to turn down the bed before falling on his side into the sheets. She pushed his shoulders so he moved onto his back and she began taking off his jeans again. This time he kept his eyes closed and allowed her to get him down to just his boxers.
She shut off the light and climbed into bed and looked over to see him staring at her. "Do you need anything?" she asked.
"I need you to be real," he said with sad eyes.
"I'm real, I'm your partner," she told him as a reminder.
"I don't want to be your partner, I want to be your man," he whispered. He was talking from his heart but she only heard a drunken man rambling in the dark. She wanted to believe he could love her someday and she trusted him with her life, she just wasn't sure she could trust him with her heart.
"Go to sleep," she said and ran her fingers through his hair until he was breathing deeply.
Bella turned over and thought about her story, it was commanding all of her attention and the case was only a footnote. She pictured Edward as the romantic lead in her story, the man who consumed her heart and soul. Her last boyfriend had made her so many promises, just like he did with the girl he cheated on her with. But, Bella wasn't naïve anymore and she knew how to protect her heart this time.
It was early when she snuck from the room and went back into the parlor to write. She was now on chapter four and felt more confident with how the story was going to progress. Victoria came in, sitting in her wheelchair and smiled at Bella.
"You seem to be enjoying the role of author," she said and Bella laughed.
"It is a really weird experience," Bella admitted. "The characters take on a life of their own. When I read back over my words I don't even remember writing some of them. It isn't me speaking but the characters."
"Some authors have told me they dream about the story and that is how they know which way to move it along," Victoria said.
"It makes me feel even more protective of the story, not as an author, but as the caretaker of the characters, does that make sense?" Bella asked.
"Yes, and it proves how vindictive the flamers are. Are you going to start loading it?"
"Maybe tonight, I keep promising myself I will when I finish six chapters."
"Wow, you write really fast," Victoria said with wide eyes.
"Only because I have so much free time right now, when I get back to work it will go much slower."
"Where do you work?" Victoria asked.
"A small design firm, we make letterhead graphics and logo designs."
Victoria opened her mouth to say something but Lauren walked into the room to interrupt her. Bella was so grateful and promised herself she would look into exactly what the fake job entailed, so she wouldn't be caught off guard.
The two women left the room so Bella could continue to write. She was uninterrupted for over an hour when she heard someone say hello to Edward. She jumped off the sofa and ran into the dining room to see him pouring a cup of coffee.
"Hi, honey," she said and took the pot from his hand. "Let me get that for you."
"Thanks," he said softly.
"Do you need some aspirin?" she asked with a quiet voice.
"I took some," he said and shut his eyes as he drank from the cup. He wanted to ask her if anything happened he should be aware of, but the pain in his head kept him from it.
"Can you eat anything?" Bella asked and helped him to a chair.
"Not right now. How did I get home?" he asked.
"You said someone named Jacob Black brought you."
He nodded with remembrance and finally looked at Bella. "Are we good?" he asked.
She smiled and reached out to take his hand, "Yeah, of course. You wore a condom."
His eyes opened wide and his mouth fell open causing her to laugh loudly. He groaned and held his head in his hand as she continued to laugh. He didn't tell her it would have killed him to know he made love to her in a drunken state. It wasn't his performance that would have hurt so much, but the fact he wouldn't remember.
"Why don't you go back to bed and sleep it off while I write," she suggested.
"If you write about last night, make me virile," he said as he stood. Bella stood and wrapped her arms around him tightly. He sighed and let his head fall to hers and took a deep breath.
"I was right about the camera, the house is clear," he said, thinking her action was only for the case.
"I know, you just looked like you needed a hug," she said and looked up at his bloodshot eyes. He looked back and leaned over to kiss her lightly. Her hands moved to his butt and she gave him a playful squeeze and they both smiled widely.
"Put that in your story," he said and wiggled his eyebrows.
She swatted him and finally let go so he could make his way slowly up the stairs. She watched him as he climbed and couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if he was really her man. Her mouth was in an unconscious grin and she sighed lightly as she turned to go back to her writing. Her eyes caught Victoria watching her and an eerie shiver ran through her body.
