Chapter Ten—Park

Bella called the next morning as Edward warmed up his car in the driveway, ready to head to school. The fact she wouldn't be there made him less interested in going, but there was little choice. He had to get decent grades if he planned on going to a decent college.

"Hey." Her voice was a whisper.

His instincts kicked up a notch; Bella didn't seem the type to hide shit.

"Is something wrong?"

Edward heard her voice again, but it was muffled. She returned to the line after several moments. "Sorry, I called to tell you my dad took a few days off to spend time at home with me."

She sounded so displeased by the turn of events that he had to laugh. A part of him hated he wouldn't be able to see her later as planned. He hoped she'd be open to some more sneaking around. He was game for just about anything, if it was with her.

"We can meet down the road from your house at the abandoned playground." Edward had stumbled upon it the night before; nature had taken over after years of neglect. It appeared creepy as fuck, but he was always up for a scare.

Bella hummed. "It'll have to be late. My dad won't head to bed until ten."

"I don't have a problem with the time, Bella." Edward turned on the heater. It was cold as fuck, and the rain seemed relentless. Apparently, it was always like that in Forks.

She whispered something he couldn't catch, but she cleared her throat. "Look, I need you to listen carefully."

"You have my full attention." As if it wasn't obvious.

"I'm sorry for asking you to get mixed up in this mess." She cursed a couple times, but it was targeted at herself. "Just ignore what I said last night, please."

What? Why was she changing her mind now?

"I want to help you." If she hadn't asked, he had no doubt he would've kept an eye on her in the hopes to protect her. It seemed damn important to figure out who killed her brother. What if whoever the killer was, decided to after her, too?

"I know you do, but Edward, it wasn't fair of me to ask."

She gave a little moan, and fuck if it didn't drive him crazy. Damn, that girl, it didn't take much for his body to react.

Her next words were softer. "I don't want you to get hurt."

He had dismissed a similar thought the previous night, too. "Do you think it's possible?"

"Yes. I couldn't live with myself if you or anyone got hurt. Please ignore what I said and be careful. I won't tell you who to stay away from, but follow your instincts. They seem to be good."

"You said to stay away from Mike Newton." He had no problem with following the warning she'd given him when she visited his room. The guy rarely was sober from the few times Edward interacted with him.

"He's my number one suspect." Her laughter came through the line in a way it sent chills down his spine, almost cruel. There was nothing funny about the accusation. "He's the only one who showed any real changes since Peter died. He went from always happy and smiling to what you see now. I know Mike had some kind of falling out with my brother a couple weeks before Peter and Charlotte were killed."

Edward glanced at the time; he had to go. "Fuck, I have to get to school. My parents are on my back because of the almost speeding ticket and being detained for questioning yesterday."

She made a sound of disgust, not quite a grunt. "Funny, I haven't been asked shit."

"What the fuck?"

"Exactly." She sighed deeply. "I'll let you go, Edward. We can talk about all this later. And be careful."

"The same goes for you."

They ended the call with the promise to send texts later to meet up. Edward drove into the student parking lot ten minutes later, turning several heads toward the sound of his engine. He hated being the new guy in school. Their penetrating gazes weren't curious about who he was anymore though, but about what side he'd choose.

The rest of the day was absolute shit. No matter what he did, there was someone staring or talking behind his back. He sent a text to Bella, asking her to tell him about the rumor he started and how much of it had changed. There was little he could do about it; though, he wasn't stupid. If he denied any of it happened, they wouldn't believe him. Anything else he said about Bella, and it would only add more bullshit to the pile of crap he started.

The video recording of Eric and Garrett trying to force Bella into the classroom had spread throughout the school, despite the fact someone had pulled it down from every social media account of the students who shared it within minutes. It proved Edward's thoughts the day before; they'd get away with what they did to her.

Edward watched the video once and wanted to find the assholes and kick their asses all over again. His P.E. class was interesting, though. Mike Newton had tried talking to him again. Unfortunately, the coach had them run laps at opposite ends of the gym.

Whatever Mike had to say, it seemed important. Instinct didn't tell Edward to run, but to listen. He'd have to share that with Bella soon.

For the most part, everyone seemed to give him a wide berth, even the BBs. They watched him with their beady little eyes from across the hall or cafeteria, but said nothing to him. It wasn't until seventh period, during a bathroom break, when he saw something worthwhile.

Kate, Garrett's on and off girlfriend, was at his locker pulling out stacks of cash and stuffing them in her backpack. She wasn't even attempting to hide what she was doing, as if it were a daily occurrence. Would their parents risk their own children to sell drugs at school? Move money? Edward noted the time and relayed the information to Bella.

What the fuck did I tell you? – B

He smiled at the tone of her text.

Aw, you do care. – E

She didn't answer, so he headed to class. Mike Newton was leaning outside the door, an eyebrow cocked in question.

"I'd stay away from Kate, if I were you."

Edward shrugged. "What the fuck do you care?"

Mike stepped forward, his bloodshot-blue eyes narrowing. "I promised I'd protect her, and from what I'd seen, I'm guessing it means you, too." Mike walked away; his wide shoulders hunched forward, his head down, as if he hadn't just confused the hell out of Edward.

Edward watched for Bella from behind a cluster of trees by the swings of the abandoned playground, a little after eleven at night. It was as creepy as he thought it would be in the dark, making his blood thrum with anticipatory fear and adrenaline. Grass and weeds had grown waist-high in places, young saplings snapped and scratched at anyone walking through it. The moonlight cast long shadows, stretching toward him like razor-tipped fingers with ill intent.

He fucking loved it.

The sound of whistling broke his wild imagination, soft and oddly haunting. The tune was familiar, an old song, too. He stepped out from the protection of the tree and smiled when Bella startled and screamed.

She bent at the waist, resting her hands on her knees, trying to breathe. "You fucking asshole!"

"Shut up, you love it."

She glared up at him from under her lashes, and fuck, if it wasn't the most sinister thing he'd ever seen. Her eyebrows and the darkness of her eyes at that angle made her look predatory and deadly. Add the nearly ghostly white of her skin, and horror movies couldn't match the evil she leveled at him.

Until she lifted her head up farther and smiled; the look completely gone. Much better.

"Why romance authors think that look is sexy, is beyond me." She giggled, a soft, little sound, picking up in pitch toward the end. Strange and out of place, considering their surroundings.

"Fuck if I know." He playfully shuddered. "You looked ready to kill me."

"Try it. I want to see what you look like as a predator."

Amused, Edward did what she asked, stalking toward her and feeling stupid, until she shivered.

"Do I scare you?"

She pushed at his chest, forcing him a few steps back, and tried to deny it.

His hands fit perfectly on her waist, tugging her against him. "How about now?"

She went eerily still, looking up at him with those magic eyes. They had the ability to instill fear, yet also a deep need to protect her. Their lips were mere inches apart, their breath mingling between them. He wanted to kiss her, and a part of her seemed to want the same thing.

One corner of her mouth twitched, and he realized he was in trouble. Her knee had settled between them, caressing his cock with the threat of danger. Her grin widened when he realized she could hurt him.

He stepped back and shook his head. "I'd like my balls intact, thanks."

She laughed, taking his hand and leading him to the swings. They sat down and talked about nothing under the pale moonlight. He eventually told her the weird shit he'd seen in school in more detail and Mike's cryptic message.

"Maybe he's trying to confuse us." She didn't seem to know what to think. "Okay, my dad was called in to work tomorrow afternoon and won't be home for several hours. Come over after school, and if you want, I can show you what I have figured out so far."

"I will if you tell me the extent of the rumor I started. Like you said the other night, I want to be prepared if one of those assholes ask me about it or us."

She seemed to agree, scowling before she started to explain. "Eric and Kate said that you said we bumped into each other at the gas station. When I suddenly realized you were new in town, I asked if I could show you around. According to Kate, if you knew who I was, you'd want nothing to do with me, so I had to act fast."

It wasn't difficult to miss the anger in her voice and how hard her hands clenched into fists.

"Anyway, we ended up on the side of the road, yards away from where my brother died, by the way." She rolled her eyes, her hands waving around in her anger. "Because, apparently, I'm a sick fuck." She shrugged when he uttered some choice words. "And then I sucked your dick while you fingered me."

He groaned and stopped the swing. "Fucking hell! How did it get so out of control?" His hand caught the chain of her swing, pulling her to a stop, too. "I'm not going to apologize again, but two things you have to know."

She looked at him curiously, her hand reaching for the chain of his swing and pulling him closer.

"What do I have to know?"

"First, I never meant for what I said to hurt you."

"I know."

"Second, say something like dick, suck, fuck, one more time, and I'll have to find a way to make you stop."

Her eyes widened, and then traveled the length of his body and settled on his lap.

"With my mouth."

Her gaze returned to his face for a few moments, and Edward thought she'd leave it alone.

"Dick." She smiled. "Cock." Her tongue joined the fucking party, sweeping along her bottom lip to tempt him further. "Suck."

He slipped his hand into her hair, his palm cupping the back of her head. "Tell me to stop." After what happened to her, there was no way he'd take the choice from her.

Before she even said another word, he watched her teeth scrape her bottom lip in preparation. "Fuck no."

He slanted his mouth over hers, already addicted to her at his first taste. There was nothing tentative about their kiss; it was all access from the start. She moaned at the bite of his teeth, clutched at his jacket at the first slide of his tongue, and sounded breathless when he explored the shape of her lips with just the tip.

"Fuck," he whispered minutes later, making her laugh.

She grabbed hold of him with both hands and repeated the words he said were forbidden, ultimately asking for more.