A/N: I must apologize to the people who first invested in this story with me, I felt so horrible when I deleted it suddenly. We were up to 19 chapters too. I made some changes and I hoped for the better, if I have any old readers out there, this is somewhat new.

xrxdanixrx..thank you.

DISCLAIMER: SM owns Twilight.

Chapter 10

BPOV

Love will make you do crazy things. I've seen it happen. It makes sane people act out irrationally for the sake of love, and it ends up dulling all reasonable logic. This I knew, but still, knowing that I loved Edward was nice, and all the weight on my shoulders had been lifted. These feelings I had for him were undeniable, and to think, I once refused to realize them. It was me being the stubborn Bella. I was the one who had to know all the facts, and couldn't believe that love could happen so quickly--that I could fall so deeply. If I had known how easy it would be to admit it, and come clean, I was positive I would have told Alice that first day. We would have jumped up and down, gushed about our men, and ended up drunk by the end of the night.

Ah, good times…

Now that my feelings for Edward were clear to me, I had another dilemma. How did he feel about me? It was obvious that he was attracted me, and his actions would indicate that he cared for me, but did he love me? As we sat on my couch kissing, these questions plagued me. My mind should have been focused on his warm, soft lips that were on mine, but alas, I was off contemplating our relationship. This was typical Bella behavior, over thinking shit, per usual.

Edward broke our kiss, and I slowly opened my eyes. Edward's intense gaze was hypnotizing, and as I came out of my Edward induced stupor, I realized that his face was etched with worry. He was conflicted with something. He caressed my cheek with his hand, I leaned into it instinctively.

He smiled faintly. "Bella, do you really have to go on that date with James?"

"Edward," I groaned. "It's for the job, not something I want to do for leisure."

"I know, but I'm worried for you. James is dangerous."

"Is he a bad kid? Sure, but you forget that I have dealt with far more dangerous characters. James is merely a child," I told him flippantly.

I hoped to convince him with my nonchalant attitude. The problem was I was unable to convince myself.

He shook his head at me adamantly. "He is more dangerous than you think; I've seen his handy work displayed all over some girl's faces."

Edward's distress was so touching, and I knew he just wanted to keep me safe, but he was underestimating me. It must've been hard for him to see me as this cop, when just days ago I was this meek and petite girl. It never occurred to him to apply all my training and experience. It would take too long to sway him otherwise, so I hoped he could have faith in me.

"Edward, I understand your concerns, but please trust me. Would it make you feel better if I brought my gun with me?" I said as I squeezed his hand.

He smirked at me, laughing quietly. "It might put me at ease."

Feeling confident that this discussion was over with, I leaned in to continue with our kissing.

"But--" Edward said quickly, halting my advance. "I would feel much better if I went with you."

"What?" I asked baffled.

It was obvious that I heard him wrong.

"I want to come with you," he repeated.

"Edward, that doesn't even make sense," I told him gruffly, pushing away from him.

He frowned slightly as I put distance between us, but I was getting aggravated with this ludicrous conversation. The space was for his safety.

"What's so wrong with me wanting to protect you?" he asked.

"I don't need protection."

"Okay, that may be, but what's wrong with me knowing that you're safe?" he asked as he scooted closer to me on the couch.

Normally, I would have played this game of 'he takes two steps forward, I take 100 steps back,' but as it was, the distance wasn't something I enjoyed. So, I stayed put and allowed him to wrap his arms around me. His warmth had a calming effect, even when he was pissing me off.

"There is nothing wrong with that," I admitted. "But what you want to do to ensure your peace of mind, is well, crazy."

Edward shook his head, but never pulling away from me. "I don't want to be the third wheel on your date; I just want to keep watch, just in case."

"In case of what? What are you going to do if something does go wrong? Are you going to come to my rescue and expose us?" I asked.

I was just humoring him. This macho, cave man shit was starting to really bother me.

"I'm hoping that nothing goes wrong, but I want to be there to protect you if something does. I don't give a shit if I expose us. If you're in trouble, there is no way---"

"Edward," I interrupted him with a frustrated sigh. "This compulsion of yours is not necessary. All it's doing is pissing me off. I don't need to be protected by some man."

The tone in my voice was a lot harsher than I had intended, but nothing else was getting through to him. However, that seemed to do the trick, because he pulled away and narrowed his eyes at me.

" Some man?" Edward scoffed. "Well, this man…" Edward pointed to himself. "Can't imagine his girlfriend off with some asshole, while he just sits at home wondering if she is safe or fucking dead somewhere. So this man wanted to at least know his girlfriend is safe, even if that means watching from a distance."

Edward was hurt by my insinuation that he meant little to me, when in all actuality he met everything to me. The fact he called me his girlfriend was something my inner Bella was doing back flips over; she was stoked to have him claim her that way.

Get a grip, turbo! He's fucking pissed now…celebrate later.

Deep down, I knew Edward just wanted to know I was safe. He didn't want to stay at home waiting for me to call. In a sense, I understood where he was coming from, but was it always going to be like that? Was he constantly going to tail me?

When does it end?

Edward was facing away from me, his whole body was tense, and his breathing was shallow. My hand reached out tentatively, I wasn't sure how I would be received by him. The urge to feel him was driving me insane, but would my touch ease his mind? What if he didn't want me to touch him? How would I handle that? Not, well, I'm sure. Holding my breath, I slowly placed my hand on his shoulder, and exhaled with relief when he didn't shrug me off.

Thank goodness…

"Edward, please don't think that you're just some random guy to me. I thought it was obvious that you are so much more," I told him, softly.

Edward faced me and I smiled at him.

He does know.

I continued, "but, if you want to be with me…you have to accept that I have a dangerous profession. There are going to be times when I will be in situations that are risky and possibly life threatening. I need to know if you're going to be okay with that. Will you be able to sit at home and wait for me to call? Because if that is something you can't do, I don't know how to make this work."

"Bella, I wish I knew how to be blasé about it, but the mere thought of losing you…" Edward closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Fuck, it's just too much."

"Baby," I said as I feathered soft kisses on him. "What can I do?"

Edward's lips were still as I kissed him. The room was eerily silent, and the feeling that loomed over us was helplessness.

"There is nothing you can do," Edward muttered against my lips. "This is something I have to find a way to accept, or like you said, it won't work."

When I told him that, it was just a way to explain my frustrations, but now, when he said those exact words, for some reason it scared me. In no way did I ever want this to end. Whatever was between Edward and me, it was too much of a part of who I was now. If it ended, it would be like a piece of me died. I would be lost.

Wow, dramatic much? My inner Bella chided.

As crazy as that sounded to me, it didn't change the fact that it was the truth. It was too late for me, I was in too deep.

Not knowing how to respond exactly, I decided to show him through my kisses that I lavished upon him. I kissed his mouth, his eye lids, and every part of him I was aching to put my lips on. It was the only thing I could offer him. It was Edward who broke away from me. I cringed slightly at his rejection. He stood up, looking tired, and somewhat sad. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets, avoiding all eye contact with me.

I was starting to fear the worst.

Did he decide that quickly that he couldn't get past my profession?

"I should go," Edward's tone was flat, reserved.

"Okay."

He nodded tersely as he headed towards the foyer, leaving me as I sat paralyzed and glued to my seat.

Don't let him walk away…Fucking do something!

Internally I was screaming to fix it, but outwardly, I sat unresponsive. What was wrong with me? The greatest thing that has ever happened to me was about to walk out that door, and I was letting it.

"Edward…" I called to him, my voice barely above a whisper.

He never heard me, and the sound of the front door closing was like the sound of the nails sealing my coffin. He had walked out of my life, and I was too chicken shit to stop it.

When I woke up from my restless sleep, I quickly hunted down my cell phone. Inside, I hoped there would be a message from Edward. My hope was crushed when I saw there were zero messages…not even one from Alice.

Ugh!

Throwing my phone across the room, I flung my comforter over my head.

How did I manage to fuck things up? All Edward wanted to do was protect me, and I couldn't even give him that. Was I that bull headed? So stubborn that I couldn't possibly relinquish any control whatsoever?

It was clear that I sabotaged myself. Obviously, it didn't take a genius to realize that I was mentally retarded when it came to relationships, even relationships that were tailored just for me.

Why didn't he text me? I pouted as I peeked my head out from under my covers and glanced over at my phone. The phone lay by my door, busted up from when I threw it.

Did Edward really just give up and walk out on me? He didn't even give it a chance. He refused to even try to overcome it. There was a time that I was willing to give up my job for him. What was he willing to do? Nothing! He couldn't even trust me. He couldn't see past his macho bravado.

That knowledge alone angered me. What was once sadness and self-deprecation, was now replaced by my resentment. Anger was good, I understood it. It was what got me out of bed and headed towards the shower. There was so much to do before my date with James tonight, and I couldn't spend it sulking and pining over Edward.

He was the one who couldn't handle it. He had walked out on me; I didn't give up on us.

You didn't fight for us either…my inner Bella goaded.

"Ugh, just fucking shut up!" I growled.

"What? I didn't say anything," Alice said, looking confused.

My mind was so wrapped up in Edward that I didn't even notice my surroundings. Apparently, I had skipped the shower and made it to the kitchen. Now that I was paying attention, it would seem that I was in the mist of pouring myself coffee.

Huh…

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I was talking to myself."

Alice raised her brow. "Should I be worried?"

"No more than usual," I sighed.

Alice nodded. She seemed to take that as a logical explanation. It was shocking that I was such a basket case that even Alice found my odd behavior normal.

Fuck, have I always been this crazy?

"No, you haven't always been so crazy," Alice answered my inner musings, officially breaking me from my thoughts.

"Did I say that out loud?" I asked, stunned.

"No, but you're easy to read. Your face is pretty much a dead giveaway. What the hell happened, Bella? Did your date with Edward end badly?"

"Well, you can say that," I told her bitterly.

Alice followed me to our dining room table as I continued with my sulking. The coffee tasted amazing, but I couldn't shake off what happened last night. What originally started off as the perfect date was rudely disrupted by Rosalie, and what seemed like the end, turned out to be a good thing. That part of the date was easy to overcome, but our differences of opinion when it came to my safely is what finally did us in. My life was so close to finally being complete, and just like that, it was over.

Alice waited patiently as I stewed over my failure. She was a good friend to me; it was shocking I hadn't fucked that up.

"Why am I such a mess? Why can't I keep the only man I have ever loved?" I asked, sadly.

Alice's eyes bulged at my omission, she leaned in and whispered. "Does he know that you love him?"

"No, I don't think so. I didn't realize I did until last night. It wasn't until we bumped into Rosalie."

The look on her face was one of fear and shock. In my misery, I had forgotten to tell Alice all the details of my date.

"Rosalie knows?"

"Yeah," I chuckled humorlessly. "It would seem she does."

"Did you tell her about me and Jasper?" Alice asked, nervously.

"No! Of course I didn't. I'm not some Narc, Alice--" She quirked her eye brow at me. I laughed at my slip. "Okay, so technically, I am, but still, I would never rat you out."

Alice let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't ready to go public with Jasper just yet, and I couldn't blame her.

"So, how did she take it?" Alice asked.

I went into the whole story of my date with Edward, where he took me, how perfect everything was, and how it took Rosalie to show up for me to realize my feelings for him. Alice was appalled by the way Rosalie had treated me like some whore who went around sleeping with people, but she was more surprised by our growing reputation. For once, it was something Alice didn't see coming. Her shock and awe of why Rosalie came to Seattle was the same as mine. Amidst of all that had happened, I was still reeling over that knowledge. It wasn't something I was going to forget so easily, the fact that someone as established as Rosalie admired two rookies like Alice and me. It was hard to swallow.

My voice broke as I told Alice about the disagreement Edward and I had, and how he eventually walked out on me. Evoking the story was making it fresh, and I fought back the tears that wanted to come out. Alice was sympathetic as I cried to her about Edward, and how I let him leave. When I was done, I waited for Alice to respond. She sat quietly for the longest time, and I was growing impatient to hear her verdict.

"Well," I hedged.

"I agree that you're an idiot," Alice told me.

Okay, fair enough…

"But--" she added quickly. "He shouldn't have walked out."

"Do you think that we're over?" I grimaced.

"No, not even close. You two are both stubborn and want to have your way. It will cause a rocky relationship, but damn will the sex be hot!" Alice exclaimed as she fanned herself.

I giggled in response, and before I knew it, I had Alice wrapped up in a hug.

"Thank you," I said, gratefully.

"Bella, it's what I am here for," she said, patting me on the back.

Releasing Alice from my tight hug, I smiled affectionately at my best friend. "So, enough about me, spill it, what happened with Jasper?"

That was all the coaxing Alice needed from me as she went into the retelling of her and Jasper's date. It seemed that Jasper was just as romantic as Edward, because he took Alice to Chiso Sushi. It was a hip place located in the Fremont area, the very same place that Alice and I had talked about going to for about forever now, but never got around to it. Apparently, Chiso was everything we had imagined it to be. I assumed that her perception of it would be different from mine…that is if I ever decided to go.

It was hard to stay focused to the task at hand as Alice continued to gush about Jasper. My ears perked when she went into the grand details of their kiss. Alice's face glowed when she described how it felt when Jasper pressed his lips against hers for the first time; she said her knees went weak. My heart swelled when I saw how happy she was. She deserved it. No matter what happened between Edward and me, I would always be happy for Alice. Not once in our friendship did we ever not want the best for each other. Alice was my best friend, and her friendship was something I was lucky to have. That sentiment was the same for Edward…they were rare finds…

I would fight for both!

The rest of my day was spent preparing for my date with James, and obsessively checking my phone. Not once did Edward text me. Each time I checked, and saw that there were no new messages, my heart broke little by little. I wished I didn't care so much, but that didn't change the fact that I did. It killed me that things last night ended so badly. My fear of being rejected only ended up pushing him away. Alice assured me that it wasn't over, and he probably just needed time to think.

What is there to think about?

If he loved me, like Alice claimed he did, he would have called me or something. This waiting for him was destroying me.

What I needed was a distraction, something to keep my thoughts off of Edward. Maybe I should get some exercise. My health magazine said that endorphins helped reduce stress and had been known to cause happiness. As my fingers hovered over the dial button to call Beth, hoping to jog away my frustration, it dawned on me…that wouldn't help in the slightest. Edward had effectively wormed his way into my life. He took away my only running partner in one swoop.

It is his mother, my inner Bella reminded me.

Ugh, whose side are you on?

It was hopeless. Even reading was out of the question, the only book I'd been currently reading was Emmeline.

Emmeline would never let a guy affect her this way!

So, I spent the remainder of my day doing inane chores. My thoughts never left Edward, and I was slowly driving myself crazy. It was like I was incapable of doing anything else. By the time I jumped in the shower to get ready for my faux date, I resigned defeat. Edward was inescapable; it was something I had to get used to.

Stupid, hot teacher!

Before Alice left me to my dwelling, she had helped me pick out an outfit for tonight. James told me that we were going to some concert, but he didn't tell me who we were going to go see. Of course, Alice needed very little information as she picked out the best outfit for me. It was young, a bit edgy, and a little sexy. When I saw the low cut shirt, I cringed at the idea I was about to give James. Even repeating the mantra that it was for the job, still didn't make me feel better about the situation. Now that Edward was in my life, everything was backwards. It was hard to keep things in perspective.

My jalopy was still in the shop, and there was no way I was going to take Alice's Audi A5. That was definitely out of the question. In the end, I opted to take a cab. The spot I told James to meet me wasn't far, and the fare was reasonable. As the cab pulled into the small shopping center, I immediately located James, and saw that he was drinking from a flask. My body had a visceral reaction to him. The mere sight of him as he chained smoked, repulsed me. It was best to work out all my negative feelings about tonight before I greeted James. If I wasn't able to pull off that I was into him, then this date would be for nothing. That fight with Edward could have been avoided.

James eyes fell on my legs as I got out of the cab. He didn't hide the fact that his eyes were appraising my body, and I flushed crimson under his heavy gaze. From an outsider looking in, my blush could be perceived inaccurately, to James, he might've assumed that I liked his attention, when in reality, I hated it. What seemed like a good idea a couple days ago was now looking like the worst idea yet.

"Well, well, look at you?" James smirked as he handed me the flask.

I took it hesitantly, sniffing the contents of the mixture. The pungent smell was very familiar, I pin- pointed it instantly.

Southern Comfort.

The liquor was vile, and I hated whiskey, but I needed something to get myself through this date. Taking a long swig of the horrible concoction, I saw that James was smiling at me in approval.

"So," I said, handing the flask back. "Are we ready?"

"We are now."

James grabbed my hand as he tugged me to his waiting car. It was a beat up piece of shit. The rusted Pontiac Grand Am had seen better days. James led me to the front of the car and left me stranded as he jumped into the driver's seat. Dumbfounded by his lack of chivalry, I stood immobile. He rolled down his window and whistled to catch my attention.

"Yo, babe! What's the problem? Are we going or what?"

Dragging my feet despondently, I got into the car. The car smelled like James, but a hundred time's worse. The air was thick and overwhelming, and I fought hard to keep the distain off my face. He wasted no time as he placed his calloused hand on my bare knee. The car whined as he sped out of the parking lot.

We both sat quietly, and the only sound to be heard was the car's engine as it wheezed under the duress. As my eyes studied my surroundings, I was left feeling sick. The car was beyond filthy, and the stench made me want to vomit. If that wasn't bad enough, it would seem that James liked to keep drugs in his car. My heart fluttered with excitement as I laid my eyes on his marijuana joint, sitting in his ashtray, out in the open and on display. It didn't prove he had ties with Aro, but it was a step in the right direction.

James caught me inspecting his paraphernalia; he picked up and held it out to me. "Want some?"

"No, I'm fine." I said, briskly.

"Do you smoke?" he asked me cautiously.

"Oh sure," I lied.

He still held it out to me, waiting for me to explain why I didn't partake. As a general rule, it was okay for an undercover cop to participate in illegal activities to keep the cover, but I despised weed, and I needed to keep my head straight. There didn't seem like there was a way for me to escape this situation. If I told him I never had any, he would push me to try it. If I said I was too nervous to smoke, he would tell me it calms my nerves. The parent's seemed like a clear avenue, but I knew he would find away to rebuke that, too. So, I went with the half truth, one of the reasons why I only tried pot once.

"It makes me paranoid." I shrugged.

James's abrupt laughter startled me, and I looked at him quizzically, but he shook his head at me.

"Fair enough," was all he said as he put his joint back into the ashtray.

James didn't offer up anymore conversation as he turned up his radio. The music that blasted from the speakers gave me an instant headache, and I wished I was with Edward. My fingers itched to check my phone for messages, but I didn't want James to catch me doing it. Taking a small furtive glance in his direction, I saw that he looked distracted as his head banged the music. Reaching into my purse, I pulled my phone out from the bottom of my bag, but never taking it fully out. The LED light flashed purple, indicating I had a message. My breath caught as I recognized Edward's number.

Peeking over at James, I saw he was still immersed in his world. My actions were thankfully going unnoticed. Opening up the message, I read Edward's text.

Bella,

I am sorry for how I left things last night. Don't think for one minute that was the end of us. I hope your date with James goes safely, and please call me tonight. I don't care how late it is. I miss you.

Yours Forever, Edward

In one simple text, all my days' worries evaporated, and I ached to call him. Somehow, he knew exactly what to say, he knew just what I needed to hear. Edward had to know that I was thinking about him, too. Being as discreet as humanly possible, I quickly texted him a reply.

Edward,

I'm sorry for last night, too. I miss you like crazy, and I promise you that I will be safe. I can't wait to talk to you.

Forever,

Your Bella.

I waited for Edward to respond, but he never did. Not wanting to push my luck, I put my phone back at the bottom of my purse. When I looked up, I saw that we reached our destination. My eyes searched for the sign that would tell me what concert this was. I was confused when I read: Coheed and Cambria.

"Have you ever heard of them?" James asked suddenly.

"No," I stated dully.

"Well, you'll like them. The band is fucking awesome. Their song The Broken will change your life," James said, enthusiastically.

His sudden excitement surprised me, and for once he looked like a kid. An innocent young man and not some sinister monster Edward built him up to be.

"Oh yeah? What is the song The Broken about?"

"It's about who we are, Bella--" James voice was low. "The wrong."

James gaze penetrated me and sent chills down my spine. What once was a carefree moment with James was gone, and I was left with the monster once again. He pulled into a parking spot that was close to the arena. He leaned over his back seat, where he retrieved a shirt. He sniffed it once, and then chucked it at me.

"Put that on," James barked at me as he got out of his car. "You look like a slut."

My fingers clung to the thin fabric as I willed myself to get it together. James was standing in front of the car waiting for me as he lit his cigarette. My anger from what had just transpired was what left me sitting in the car looking for a way to calm down. His callous comment had pissed me off. It was obvious he needed to be in control, but if I was going to survive this date I had to keep my wits about me. He was testing the waters, seeing how submissive I was. Now that I was aware of his game, and knew the rules, I was ready to play.

When I exited the vehicle, his eyes narrowed at me when he saw that I didn't put on the shirt.

"That shirt smelled like piss," I told him defiantly.

James took one long stride towards me in an effort to look menacing, but I knew not to show fear.

"You do as I tell you," he growled.

"Really?" I challenged. "Why? Are you my boyfriend? We haven't even started our date. Don't you think it's a little early to be spouting out demands?"

James stared coldly at my impassive demeanor. I watched as his mind worked through my unfaltering words, and soon his hard facial features softened. He gave me a devious smile as he grabbed me roughly by the waist, pulling me close. Like always, being this close to him caused a physical reaction in me, one that I had to suppress. If I was to upchuck on his shoes, the effect would still be the same. He nuzzled his nose into my neck as he inhaled deeply.

"Still feisty. I keep on forgetting that about you," James told me softly.

My responding smile was weak, but he didn't seem to notice, instead he took my hand and dragged me through the parking lot. The people there were a precarious looking crowd. They were all dressed in gothic wear, and it occurred to me that my attire was a little mismatched. No wonder James wanted me to cover up; compared to the people there, I looked like I belonged in some freaking sorority. The glares I received were ones of disgust, and I found myself clinging to my only ally…James.

James laughed as I cowered from the penetrating stares, he enjoyed my insecurity. That fact wasn't surprising, he just saw this as a way to dominant me later.

I miss Edward.

We got passed security quickly, even when the rent-a-cop searched through my purse. It was hard to keep from scoffing at the fat bastard. He wasn't a cop, and god forbid, if I was ever in trouble, I doubt he would come to my rescue. Those types were always the laughing stock around the precinct.

The seats, or lack of seats, that James got were on the floor by the stage. We were in the mosh pit, and I groaned inwardly. The last thing I needed was to get slammed against by random people. How did James ever expect to get laid if he thought this was suitable for first dates? Then again, I doubted James had to struggle for what he wanted. He seemed like he took things regardless if they were handed to him willingly. Edward's warnings about this guy were ringing loud and clear.

I miss Edward.

James mingled with the crowd as I stayed glued to his side. My eyes never strayed on one person for too long, I kept little eye contact as possible. The last thing I needed was to cause attention, and get into a fight. It was odd for me to feel so fragile, but then again, I was out numbered.

The concert eventually started, and I was grateful for the reprieve. However, as the music got going, so did the people. I couldn't even count how many times I was thrown around and jostled in the mosh pit. It was getting so hectic that I ultimately lost my grip on James, and the next thing I knew, I was alone. As soon as I realized he was gone, I started to search for him. James was rather tall and he stood out like a sore thumb, but now, it was impossible to find him.

Where the hell did he go?

The final straw for me was when someone elbowed me in the gut, and I decided it was time to leave, with or without James. Enough was enough. I was too old for this bullshit; the music was too loud, and who knew what the band was singing about. It sounded like a bunch of screeching to me.

So, what now? Are we going to start watching Matlock and taking our Metamucil?

Ignoring my inner Bella, I made my way out of the concert hall, and away from the mosh pit. Once I was free from that horrible music, I found that I could think clearly again. My mind was exhausted, and it didn't matter to me that the date was an epic failure. James seemed like an asshole, but I was starting to think he was a false lead. Rosalie would be disappointed, but this time it wasn't my fault. I kept up my side of the bargain, I did my job. It just so happened to be a dead end.

Confident with my plan, I exited the theater only to be met with the sight of James. He was across the hall from me, and talking with some kids. They were young--my guess was early teens. At first, the conversation looked innocent, but it was my gut instinct that told me otherwise. Quickly, I fished out my phone in hopes of snapping some pictures. My luck was changing as I captured James on my phone, exchanging drugs to those two young kids. I watched in mixture of horror and delight as James handed those kids a large baggy. My stomach lurched as James shook their hands, like they were old business partners. This was a business to James. The smile on their young, impressionable faces made my heart break. James was the bad guy. I had been right all along, and he was selling drugs to kids. I had the proof on my phone…solid evidence that I could take back to Rosalie.

Now, came the hard part; proving his involvement with Aro.

Throwing my phone into my purse, I walked out of my hiding spot to greet James. He looked surprised to see me as I approached, and he looked around nervously, suddenly aware that other people could be watching, as well. Now that I knew that I was on the right track, my confidence was soaring.

"Hey, baby," I said, smiling. "Can we leave?"

"Of course, I'd rather spend time with you anyway."

James grabbed me by my hand, and proceeded to drag me out of the arena. His sudden urgency was concerning, and I knew exactly what his rush was. He had been hot and cold with me all night, and was clear that he wanted to turn things up. James opened the car door for me when we reached his busted ass ride, and I was surprised at his sudden chivalry, but this only seemed to confirm my suspicions. James wanted something from me, and it was apparent exactly what that something was. I wasn't stupid, and I'd have dealt with this kind of shit before.

He joined me a second later, breathing heavily. We sat in silence for a beat before he turned to face me.

"God, you're so fucking hot!" James expressed coarsely as he leaned towards me.

"Thanks." My voice was flat and insincere.

James made his objective clear as he pressed his lips fiercely against mine. I pushed him away robustly, and he looked at me surprised.

"You need to take me home," I demanded.

He narrowed his eyes at me. I saw his determination, and he saw my noncompliance as a challenge. He grabbed me by the back of the neck roughly, and jerked me to his lips. The kiss was hard and nothing like Edward. The bile was rising, and I was fully disgusted. Using all my strength, I reached up and put my hands on his chest, pushing him forcibly away from me. He was strong, no doubt, but still not strong enough to keep his mouth on my lips. That was something I refused to allow.

"You need to take me home," I repeated more sternly.

James ignored me, and his lips were again on mine, but this time he reached out and grabbed one of my breasts. It was extremely painful, and I realized that he wasn't going to stop, unless I stopped him. I pulled my knees up to my chest and kicked him away from me. The sheer force of it slammed him up against his car door. He looked at me stunned, as if he couldn't comprehend what just happened, but that quickly faded and was replaced with intense fury. The look on his face was alarming.

"Fucking bitch, you will pay for that!" he spat.

"James, you need to calm down and just take me home" I said, trying to keep my voice even.

In my line of work, when a situation was close to getting out of hand, it was best to try to calm things down. James was close to losing it, and that was not my intention. I needed to keep a firm grasp on the situation, to make sure we both stayed cool and collected.

"Like hell I will. You're a hot piece of ass who has been begging for me to fuck you all night!"

Apparently, I was the only one. It wasn't smart of me to let him work me up like that, but even I had my limits.

"You're completely delusional." I laughed without humor. "Fine, don't drive me home. I'll walk." I told him resignedly as I opened the car door to leave.

James reached over me and closed the door firmly. This was getting us nowhere, and I was growing tired of the whole thing. James looked at me smugly, assuming he won the battle, but he didn't know who he was dealing with, and with one swift move I elbowed him hard in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. James scowled at me, and as I went to open the door again, he grabbed me by the hair, pulling me back in. Instinctively, I jerked away from his grasp, and I saw that pieces of my hair were hanging from his fingers. The anger in me was building, but I promised myself to keep the peace, and as I turned to leave again, James smacked me hard across the face. I saw nothing but red.

Mother fucker!

Glaring at the kid, I did something totally against my rules, but he crossed the line, and I was pushed past my limit. James watched me as I stroked my hot cheek, the arrogant smile he gave me was what made me react, and I didn't even realize what I was doing as I gave him a sharp right hook. The impact was immediate, and sent him into frenzy. The responding punch to my face wasn't pleasant, and to be honest, I expected it to hurt. My mind went into overdrive as we exchanged blows, both of us refusing to give up.

My face is going to be a bloody mess. How am I going to explain this to Edward?

Still fighting him off the best way I could, I closed my eyes tightly and thought of Edward. It now seemed like having him be close by would've been useful. Edward warned me about James, and like an idiot, I brushed him off. For the hundredth time that night, I repeated my one thought.

I miss Edward.

My mind was so consumed with Edward that I didn't even feel the moment that James weight was yanked off of me. God only knew how long I sat there punching at thin air before I realized something was amiss. The confusion I felt as I opened my eyes and saw James no longer hitting me was a little disorientating. Looking around for the cause, I turned to my right and saw that the car door was ajar and James was lying flat on his back. There was terror in his eyes as a massive form hovered on top of him. My eyes lazily focused on the two large hands that were wrapped around James' neck. It took me half a second to process the scene. Relief flooded through me when I realized what had come to pass, but my relief was short lived, because soon my mind was in complete shock.

What the fuck is he doing here?

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