Unknown POV

"I don't care if it takes two days or two years! I want it done! And I swear to God, if you even so much as step on my carpet with those filthy shoes I will personally send someone out to kill you!" I yelled at the kneeling and bleeding man in front of me, flailing my arms in unnecessary spirals. I swear, where did I get such lazy henchmen? I worked in the murder business, for Christ's sake! If you were lazy, you died!

Maybe I was going soft. . .

I cursed softly and spun on my heel, walking back up the stairs of my enormous house. I didn't need this happening, not when Jacob was coming. I had received the call from the agency not long ago about his soon-to-be arrival. I knew he would be coming soon, but this soon? Angrily, I punched the wall of the hallway leading to my office before I stormed in and started throwing papers around. I could still smell Edward on the air in here; that was how soon I got the message. I was stressed, I was pissed, and still no one could do a damn thing I said correctly, the first time. I sighed dejectedly and slid into my overly stuffed chair, bringing my chunky, leather boot encased feet onto my desk, not caring if I got blood on my papers.

Kicking the living shit out of your henchmen didn't relieve as much stress as one might think. . .

Still, I had things to do. And no matter how much I might have cared for Edward, I couldn't let this go on much longer. No one knew the truth, not even Edward. Hell, not even Aro had the whole story, which had to be a miracle in and of itself. Looking around my office now, I couldn't help but wonder how I had gotten here, how I had fallen so far and helped so few.

Setting my shoulders resolutely, I decided once and for all I would no longer bow to this world. I didn't know what happened between when Edward left and now, but with all the shit being placed so recently on my plate, I had to try.

Edward be damned.

EPOV

I was staring at her window.

I hadn't actually planned to see her so soon, even though I knew that I should have confronted her as soon as I'd gotten back to Forks. A part of me was scared (though I would never admit it) that she would be afraid of me. I honestly wasn't so sure if I could survive that.

Man up, Cullen. You need to stop being a girl and grow some balls.

I growled and reached for the lowest branch of the tree that led to her window. I admit, I stalked her private records to find her house. I have some serious connections. I pushed my stalker tendencies out of my head as I climbed noiselessly up the tree. Wasn't it bad enough I killed people without adding crazy stalker to the list? When I reached the top of the tree and could see her through the window, my breath stilled as my heart rate sped up. She was in tiny shorts, her long, pale legs moving as she paced back and forth. She wore an off the shoulder baggy shirt in a soft blue color that complemented her skin beautifully. I could see an expanse of smooth shoulder and collar bone that led to her flawless neck and jaw line. I groaned silently, staring at the one thing that could literally bring me to my knees. And here I was, being a stalker and getting a hard on watching her flail her arms as she talked to herself.

In one swift move I opened her window (which was unlocked thankfully) and slid into her room. Her entire body whipped around, her mouth open and ready to scream. When she saw it was me, all her breath escaped in a loud whoosh and her impossibly dark brown eyes widened even more. I smirked, sticking my hands in my pockets and attempted to subtly shift my . . . ah . . . member.

"Talking to yourself now, are we, Isabella?" I chuckled and leaned against the wall next to the window.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking like an utterly adorable fish. The surprise on her face was quite evident.

"Bella," she breathed, shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts. "I like to be called Bella."

Bella. My smirk grew as well as my . . . member.

"Bella," I corrected myself, letting her name roll of my tongue with all the sensuality and adoration that it deserved. I watched in amused pleasure as her mouth parted slightly and she shivered.

So damn responsive . . .

After a moment of silence, Bella seemed to gather her thoughts and glared at me. Okay, not what I was expecting, but at least she isn't running away.

"Where the hell were you today?" she hissed, narrowing her eyes and pointing an accusing finger at me. "I don't know what you are up to, Edward, but you can't just avoid someone who witnessed you . . . murdering someone."

I winced at her words and looked away from her glare.

She has a point, dumbass. You ditched her.

I told the annoying voice in my head to shut the hell up and looked at Bella again, ready to explain.

Explain what? You are a murderer, Cullen. There isn't much of a mystery here. . .

"I know, Bella. And I am sorry. I had some ..." I paused, looking up at her, trying to choose the right word, "...things to take care of before I could come and see you."

She snorted and crossed her arms in front of her chest, making her breast push together. She was braless this evening. I fought back a groan and the urge telling me to go and hold her breast in place of her bra. They needed support, right?

"Fine, but we still need to talk," Bella sighed, going over to sit on the edge of her bed. She fingered the hem of her tiny shorts, and I saw her blush and look away like she just realized her attire. She shifted, embarrassed, and her unnecessary modesty was both endearing and hot as all hell.

"Well, talk away," my voice came out husky and low, making her blush intensify.

"I w-wanted to asked s-some questions," she stuttered, looking up at me through those ridiculously long lashes. I waited patiently for her to proceed, willing myself not to sit beside her. I knew if I was anywhere close to her skin my mouth would be everywhere . . . and I mean everywhere.

"Why did you do it?" she asked softly, keeping those damn eyes on mine the entire time. I was the one who had to look away from her again in shame.

I couldn't tell her why, though. Not the real truth, not the story that would make her a target for Aro. But I couldn't bring myself to lie to her either.

"It's a little complicated, Bella. Believe me when I say I don't enjoy it, but I don't hate it either." I struggled, trying to find the right words to convince her that I wasn't a complete monster. My throat burned and my eyes stayed trained on her faux wood floor. "I- I can't tell you everything, but I can tell you this.

"Two years ago my parents were . . . murdered." I shuddered, images of their mangled bodies strewn across stairs invading my mind. I remember finding my dad's leg in the kitchen next to the right half of my mom's torso. "The man who did it did it for fun. It was a game to him, a game of cat and mouse. I was supposed to be next, but, for some reason, he gave me another choice."

An image of Aro, two years younger, smiling and extending his hand toward me as a peace offering, flickered next. I shivered, suddenly fifteen again and in that damn house. I told Bella as much as I thought was safe, forgoing the use of names and locations.

"At first, I wanted him to kill me. I wanted him to end it so I could see my parents again. He had other plans though. Eventually, I took him up on his offer and he trained me to be like him. Trained me to be a monster. I don't plan on staying like this, though. I want to kill him; I want to make him suffer, but I need his skills to do that. So, for two years now, I have been doing his damn dirty work just so I can be ready for when the time comes."

I heard Bella gasp softly, but couldn't stop talking. It was like everything was just pouring out of me and I couldn't control it. I didn't even bother try to gauge Bella's reactions. I didn't see her, I only saw him.

"The first time I did it, the first time I killed someone, I got sick everywhere. It was sloppy, and I did more pain to my victim than I had originally wanted to. My. . . boss ended up having to bail me out of my mess because I botched the job so bad. It took me almost three months to speak to him again, and even then I was afraid. My boss, I think, took pity on me because all the people since that moment I have killed have been criminals, people who hurt other people. Rapists and muggers and murderers, I killed them all. Completely ended their lives in one final stroke.

"After a while, none of it affected me. I didn't get sick anymore, I didn't have nightmares anymore. Hell, I haven't really felt anything in a long time. But now, I don't have to do it anymore. My chance is coming and I can get the bastard. I don't have to hurt people anymore."

I whispered the last part and met Bella's eyes for the first time since starting my story. I thought I would see fear, maybe disgust. But what I got wasn't even pity. She looked at me, obviously concerned, but I saw admiration and determination set deeply into her eyes. She looked so brave and strong and I wanted to keep her with me forever if only to see her look at me like that again.

"How many, Edward?" she asked softly, her shoulders set and prepared to receive my answer. I paused before I answered.

"Seven in the course of two years. It will be eight if you want to count my . . . boss."

Her shoulders relaxed and she looked relieved. Was she expecting more? I almost chuckled.

Almost.

We sat in silence for a while, looking at each other. I felt better than I had in years and, weirdly, an odd feeling welled into my chest and went to the tips of my fingers. I couldn't place it, but it made me feel . . .good.

Finally, I couldn't take our separation any longer and, in two long strides, I was sitting with her on her bed and pulled her body against mine. I felt her inhale sharply and stiffen before she relaxed and snuggled into my chest. I pulled her legs into my lap, letting the electricity between us flow erotically. I ran my nose up and down the column of her neck, feeling her acceptance of me through her body language. I held her tighter as she shifted and was straddling my lap. It was an innocent gesture, just to get closer to me (though why she wanted to I still couldn't fathom) and let our connection strengthen. But when the very center of her pressed snugly (and oh so perfectly) onto my straining cock, a dam burst. I growled, an animalistic sound that made Bella gasp and pull away to look at me.

Take her. Make her yours.

I took the advice of the annoying voice in my head and, before Bella could ask the question I knew was burbling on the edge of her lips, I crashed my mouth to hers with a satisfying grunt. She had frozen against me, but I moved my lips roughly against hers anyway, trying to get her to open to me. When I felt her try to pull away, I went to stealth tactics.

My mouth softened on hers, but my hands gripped her hips tightly, my thumbs stroking along the patch of skin I found between her shirt and those ridiculously short shorts. I gently moved my mouth over hers until she melted back into me and her hands wound into my hair. She tugged lightly, and a groan tore its way up my throat. Bella gasped at the sound and I took advantage of her open mouth. My tongue plunged in, tasting everything that was Bella. I ran my tongue over her teeth and coaxed hers into a dance that left my body on fire and her unconsciously grinding against the pain-in-my-ass erection in my pants.

She was panting and mewling and I couldn't get enough of her. I tore my mouth from hers and ran my lips along her jaw, nipping at her earlobe and down her neck. She tossed her head back in rapture, bringing our lower bodies even closer. Growling deep in my throat, I slid one hand to her ass to control her grinding, moving my hips with hers in glorious friction. My other hand inched its way up her shirt, feeling the soft skin of her stomach before gliding higher to brush the underside of her breasts. Her hips bucked harder at the contact, making me hiss.

"Bella," I growled huskily, "have you ever done this?"

She didn't look at me when she shook her head. I looked up in surprise, seeing her eyes closed tightly in concentration.

"Have you ever been kissed by another guy?"

She shook her head again. "Only you."

With a groan she was on her back and I was on top of her, both hands running up and down her thighs as I grinded into her and bit her neck sharply before sucking on the skin there.

You need to stop, she isn't ready for this.

The annoying voice in my head needed to shut the hell up, but he had a point. I slowed my movements, grazing my tongue over the bite mark I made in an effort to sooth it. I looked at it for a moment, smirking slightly when I realized I would leave my mark on her.

Mine.

"Sorry," I whispered, nuzzling her neck softly as she ran her hands lazily through my hair. "I got a little carried away."

I received a weird moan/grunt in return and couldn't help but laugh. I pulled myself away and sat at the edge of her bed, watching her stare at me through half-lidded eyes. Suddenly, she yawned, and then giggled.

She will kill us, Cullen, if Aro doesn't do it first.

What a way to go, though.

Touché.

"Sleep," I murmured, shifting so I could kiss her forehead.

She was already out. I climbed through her window again, looking back once to stare at her, before descending into her yard. With my hands in my pockets, I wondered what the hell I was getting myself into. I definitely couldn't kill her. Even the mere thought made me sick to my stomach. With a sigh, I walked out into the night.

It can't get worse, though. Right?