Chapter 10 - Edward's Tale

As I ambled into my Volvo, my mother's words still ringing in my ears, I remembered the first words she ever said to me.

"Don't you worry baby boy, I won't let anyone hurt you ever again." And she didn't. Any pain I might have experienced in my twenty-two years as a Cullen, was self inflicted. When Emmett joined the family, I didn't need anything else, I had a best friend in my brother, he was only a year younger than myself, Carlisle treated him after his biological father almost killed him, in a drunken stupor.

My biological mother, Elizabeth Mason was married to a Heroin dealer. He wasn't above anything when he was high, physical, emotional, sexual abuse. I'd seen it all. I was only four. When the old man broke my right femur, and cracked my skull, Elizabeth rushed me to the hospital, and left me there. Alone.

The Cullens were the best parents in the world, there was no contesting that. Esme was all heart, and Carlisle was all compassion, together they were protective, but still laid back. They wanted us to make our own decisions in life, and they were proud no matter what we did.

When I had gone away to study abroad, Carlisle had been so pleased, he was originally from Luton, England. He studied at Yale for six months, where he met Esme, he couldn't bring himself to go back home.

"It was love at first sight son. I saw her from the room, her nose buried in the class text; all I wanted was to move closer, to brush her hair away from her beautiful face." It was at this point in the story that Esme always turned beet red.

There could never be any doubt of their love for one another. They were always touching, always staring into each other's eyes. When one was away, the other would undoubtedly fall into a deep depression.

In high school Emmett and I were the big shots on campus, modesty be damned, we're good looking guys, I was a freshman in college when Emmett called to tell me about Rosalie Hale and her awesome twin brother, they were sophomores, who had just transferred from some prep school in Seattle.

"Bro you should see this girl, she's got a body like a super model, totally rockin'. Her twin brother is the new pitcher on the team, guys got an arm!"

"So who exactly is it that you are in love with. The super model or the pitcher?"

"Shut up man! Rose is... she amazing, she doesn't take shit from no one!"

"Anyone."

"What?"

"She doesn't take shit from anyone."

"Again shut up ass hat!"

He had been so excited over her, and he was going to WSU on a sports scholarship, life couldn't be better until he realized the girl of his dreams had bigger and better plans, than the state university.

When I had returned home for a Christmas holiday, I noticed that Emmett had become less of an oaf, love, or lust... whatever this emotion he was feeling, made him into a man. I couldn't have been prouder.

A couple years later I was finishing up a term when Esme called.

"Oh Edward, I just don't know what to do. Emmett started refusing to play ball. He'll lose his scholarship if he doesn't play. And he won't let us pay for a term."

I called my brother the next morning.

"Come on Em! You can't just give up on school like this. You're too smart to let that brain go to waste."

"You know what the Jazz-man said Eddie, he said she's coming back, he said that Rosalie hated Stanford and she's coming home! I can't stop thinking about it. I took a ball to the balls dude."

"You took a blow to the boys while thinking about a girl? That's some karmic injustice."

Looking back on it, I might have been a little callous toward Emmett and his infatuation with the girl. Now that I had seen her, I could understand why he feels for her. She was gorgeous. But it was Bella, the girl who beat down bar scum, Bella, my new employee that I was intrigued by. And I don't know why...

~*~

I kept looking at the clock. She was supposed be here at two. From what Jasper had said, he was her ride. That wasn't going to last long, not if I had any say in it.

I quickly chastised myself, the girl wasn't mine, she didn't even like me. She was my employee, I was her boss. I should behave as such. But something in me couldn't get over that nagging feeling of wanting to protect her.

From what? Jasper? The guy was basically a monk. He probably only agreed to be Bella's ride because his sister busted his balls... or he wanted to see the tiny black haired girl he was into.

"Yo boss man!" I groaned internally. Emmett seemed to be all about the employer/employee relationship. "Mom says to tell you to pick up toilet paper on your way home."

"Yo, obnoxiously loud employee! Pick it up yourself." I returned.

"Oh dude, you're in a mood. What's up?"

"Nothing is up Emmett, I have to finish this spread sheet before I can send out our orders, and you're interrupting me." I lied. The spread sheet had been finished last night. The orders were made in my first 20 minutes in. I had finished everything in record time, and now I was just anxiously awaiting Jasper and Bella's arrival.

"Right dude, I totally believe that. So who gets to train the new girl?" Emmett asked.

I winced, remembering his one incidence behind the bar, and the stock of Smirnoff that crashed to the floor, when a pair of walking tits walked their way into the bar.

"Not you, that's for sure." I answered, the memory clearly written in my expression.

"Oh so not fair! That bitch had boobies as far as the eye could see! Give a brother another chance!"

"Emmett, that phraseology is not meant for siblings, you are not 'a brother' you are my brother."

"Fo sheezy."

I groaned again, just as the sound of the back door met my ears. I looked up expectantly.

In a tight black KISS Rocker Tee, and a pair a tight blue, flared jeans, was my brown eyed goddess.

~*~

Baha ha ha! Okay Emmett with the Ghetto Slang - not expected

but it sure as hell is funny.

Thanks to all my readers - forgive any and all spelling mistakes -

My fantabulous Beta is back to school and this was a very late upload.

Thank to all the readers who commented that they would follow me where I went.

You guys are beautiful!

B.B.

~∆Jo∆~