A/N So as much as I want Bella and Jasper to run off into the sunset together it aint happening that way. It's too much fun to pit their stubborn asses against each other lol. Hope you enjoy. SM owns all original characters.
Ch 9
JPOV
I was losing my fucking mind. Bella was nowhere to be found. When I arrived at her home ready to explain my actions the previous night I was met with a house engulfed in darkness. Thinking she may still be at work I drove to her office only to find the lock broken and signs of disturbance in her office.
Her sweet smell laced almost every molecule of air in the small room but there was another scent that was so faint I couldn't identify it. It was definitely male though and that coupled with the dent in a filing cabinet had me seeing red.
Fear and rage took me over. I needed her to be safe more then I needed blood. I needed to purge my utter devotion to her. She needed to hear that no matter what she thought of me, she owned me entirely. Just as I was about to hunt through every inch of this world to find her my phone chirped with a new message from Char.
Bella is here. You need to get home asap.
Forgoing the car I ran through the streets, past cold lifeless buildings, and into the trees pushing myself harder to reach home. Bella was there and I knew without doubt that Char and Peter would protect her so she was safe, but that did not stop the urgent need I had to see her with my own eyes. I hadn't even stayed to watch her sleep last night, too unsure of the best course of action to take and too ashamed of my inaction.
When I reached the driveway of the house I was able to start feeling the emotions of those inside. There was a pure distilled anger in the air, more potent than any human alcohol. I felt Bella, she was feeling determined and ashamed and something else. Foolish maybe?
I burst through the door to see Peter standing against the mantle wearing his war face. His arms were crossed and his chest puffed out. This shit was serious. Charlotte was sitting next to Bella with their backs to me so I circled the couch and knelt in front of them desperate to look into her endless dark eyes.
The first thing I noticed was Bella's exhaustion, the second was the purple mark around her graceful throat, and the third was the scent of another vampire mingled with the soap we kept in the downstairs bathroom. The same vampire scent that was in her office.
"Bella? Darling are you ok?" That's what mattered now. Revenge could wait until she slept and didn't have to witness the 842 ways I was going to torture this son of a bitch.
"Yes Jasper I'm fine." Her voice was raspy and my demon clawed it's way up my throat, itching to get out and destroy whoever damaged her beautiful voice. I took a deep calming breath before I went on.
"Ok. Then can someone tell me what the hell happened?"
Bella looked to Char who squeezed her hand in encouragement. "I was working late, three more victims of rape came in today. Two of them described the same man some of the others did so I was compiling a list of things to give you guys for the Volturi."
I couldn't help myself. I lifted her small hand and held it in mine, needing to feel connected to her. She shuddered slightly but felt comfort from the gesture so I held on, softly running my hand over hers. There was the slightest tremor running through her skin, but it began to calm slowly.
"A man showed up in my doorway, acting way too familiar for my liking, and proceeded to tell me that I was easy to get to since all he had to do was break one lousy lock."
Not gonna lie, that hurt my pride. Of all the vampires in the world I should be able to protect my mate and I had failed. I could kick my own ass later though.
"He grabbed me by the throat and held me up against the wall, called me a meddling bitch, and told me that I was ruining his plans to create his own race. He told me to stay out of it and that his victims were sluts who had wanted it.
She was only the tiniest bit afraid, even after being attacked. No my girl, my Bella, was fucking pissed and God was she glorious in her anger. Like a goddess of war and vengeance holding a blazing sword and racing head first into battle. I had to calm myself or the desire this elicited from me would be incredibly obvious.
"He mumbled something about me not being worth the trouble to kill, than he threw me across the room. My head hit the filing cabinet and I blacked out. When I woke up he was gone."
I didn't think I could be angrier if I tried but then Char whispered to Bella. "Tell him about that other thing sug. He needs to know everything."
Bella looked away from me as she flooded with shame. "He licked my face and said 'see how he likes that".
I looked to Peter for help because I couldn't contain myself for much longer and I needed him to calm me down. However his face had darkened so severely I could see he wasn't gonna be able to help me a damn bit. This son of a circus whore had waved the red flags of war against a member of the Whitlock family, against all members, and that fucker was going to pay.
I looked back to Bella and saw my whole world in her dark eyes, every hope, every joy and I knew that I would do anything necessary to make her safe.
My voice sounded harsh as I asked, "What did he look like Bella?"
A cold look crossed her features. "It was the man from the gala, the one Edward got me away from."
James had done this. He had raped women and used them for some sick plan and now he had hurt my Bella. Perhaps he thought scenting her face with his own venom would be angering Edward, but he wasn't her mate. The Major was.
"Char go prepare a room for Bella please."
My request was met with a sceptical eyebrow lift from Bella.
"You are crazier than a bedbug if you think I am allowing you to return to your home."
By the look on her face that was the wrong thing to say. "Not allow me? I don't remember asking your fucking permission Major." Fuck she was sexy when she was livid, but her sexiness wasn't the main issue at the moment, her safety was. Now I just had to convince my aching dick.
"He broke into your office, do you really think it would be unreasonable to assume he also knows where you live? No Bella, it's not an option." I know she was pissed but I couldn't do it. There was nothing that could make me compromise her wellbeing, even if she hated me for it, which I think she kinda did.
"Fuck you Whitlock! I came here to give you guys the information you needed to get the Volturi to move on this jackoff, not to get ordered around."
"Bella I really don't give a flying horse's ass if you ain't happy about this, hate me for it all you damn well want to but I will keep you safe. You should probably stay away from the clinic too."
Char winced at my words and I knew I had gone too far. Bella narrowed her eyes and answered my suggestion in a voice that was almost a hiss. "You listen to me Whitlock. Those women need someplace they can turn to and if everyone who gets threatened runs off no one will be left to help. I am not abandoning them. I refuse, end of story."
Her eyes were eerily calm in their ire and had I been a man of lesser experience I may have given in to her. But it was impossible. She was everything that was right and good and mine. I would sooner cut off my own head and jump into a furnace then leave her vulnerable.
"Bella you have two choices. One you stay here. Two you may return to your home with me joining you. Either way if you decide to return to work you will be escorted and accompanied all day by one of us. Take your pick lil lady."
We both sat with a stubborn set to our jaws, staring each other down. Peter and Char were now standing next to each other taking bets on who would win. Seems it was girls against boys. I couldn't believe Char was betting against me. Yes Bella was stubborn, but I was the most hard headed ass hole in the northern hemisphere. Another thirty seconds and Bella finally spoke.
"I'm going home, if you choose to follow me that's your decision. I do not agree with this but I won't try to boss others around like some do."
She arched a dark brow in sarcasm and I couldn't help but chuckle. She was such a challenge and I felt that she wasn't bluffing. She was more than willing to go it alone. Part of me wanted to grovel at her magnificence, while the rest of me wanted to fuck her up against a wall good and hard.
"As for the security at the office I can see the benefit to that. That bastard might try to hang around and intimidate my clients and obviously I am no match for him."
I felt the disgust in herself as she said it, felt her pain and anger at admitting weakness. All I wanted to do was wrap around her and assure her of her own strength. She was attacked by a vampire, woke up alone, and made her way here so we could get to James as soon as possible to protect those women. She wasn't weak, she was fucking amazing.
She stood up trying to hide the shakiness in her body and walked past me to give Peter and Char a hug each. What I wouldn't give for one of those. Peter guaranteed her that he would get straight on it and Char whispered how proud she was. Even with her back to me I could feel the blush rising in her cheeks. She never saw herself clearly.
She turned and stalked passed me towards the door but with my enhanced speed I reached it before she did and opened it for her. She startled momentarily before mumbling a 'thank you' and walked out to her car.
Behind me I heard Charlotte proclaim, "You owe me a pony."
