Beautiful Hitchhiker

Chapter Ten – That Song

Flashback- Edward

I'd been here for three fucking days. And all I heard in the night were the moans and cries of the other patients of this god damn hell hole.

I deserved to be here – in a way. It was the price I'd fucking paid for not even being able to end my god damn life. I'd fucked everything up.

I'd fucked up my life.

I'd fucked up my relationship with my fucking dead wife… Correction – cheating fiancée.

I'd really fucked up my career.

I'd hurt my family.

And then, I'd fucked up my own fucking attempt at ending my life.

Now I sat here on suicide watch in a nine-by-nine institutional white room with a barred window overlooking a brick courtyard. Scenic.

I did prefer it here rather than at home. At least here there was nothing but other fucked up individuals that were all too busy with their own lives to give a fuck about me. No one here gave a fuck about anyone else.

At home, no, it would be hell on earth. Alice and Esme would look at me with sad eyes. Emmett would probably be scared to say some dumb joke and then think I'd off myself because he'd hurt my feelings.

I had no more feelings.

I felt numb.

I felt nothing.

I could remember the look of pain in Jasper's eyes, even though Alice had said it had to do more with someone else than just me. She'd said it was something about a friend of his. Then there was my father, Carlisle. The look he'd given me when I'd first awoke in the hospital after my pitiful attempt had been one of fear, sadness, and fucking pity.

God, I fucking hate all those fucking looks. They were my family and that made it worse.

The people here didn't even look anyone in the eye. As I'd thought before, most of them were too fucked up to give a shit about a would-be-doctor that had tried –unsuccessfully – to off himself.

I tried to avoid listening to the never-ending barrage of ghostly laments and closed my eyes. Suddenly one sound stood out above the rest – a quiet sob.

It was a beautiful, gut-wrenching sob from an angel. There was no better description for the gentle sound that was currently tearing away at my heart.

The sound seemed to be coming from a vent in the floor. I went to lie down beside it and just started humming. It was something unfamiliar, but it was soothing and strangely comforting; it seemed perfect.

The sobbing started to quiet and ebb away before it stopped.

"Who are you?" I asked, careful to make my voice as soothing as possible.

I could hear another gentle sob escape this mystery woman. I thought she was reluctant to answer.

"You don't have to give me your real name. I just want to know what to call you."

"Um…Marie," she answered timidly. I heard the edge in her voice.

"Hi, Marie. I'm Anthony."

When I'd told her my 'name,' the sobbing continued. I'd given her a fake name – well, my middle name, just in case. I had no idea if she was a nutcase or not. Hell, I didn't even know if I was crazy or not. But soon she stopped crying, and we spoke in soft whispers throughout the night.

And that was how it started.

For three months, we spoke to each other every night in that fashion. I managed to rearrange my room just enough so that I could lay in bed to listen to her describe California to me. That was where Marie went to school.

We talked about books, music and TV. Her laughter was music to my ears. I hummed her to sleep every night after that first night. She was always there to greet me each morning before we went about our day.

We never met face to face, because I think we were both scared to. We never discussed why we were there, it was a taboo subject. We just spoke mostly of our dislikes and favorites. It was enough to get to know her.

Then one night her voice didn't call out for me. I stayed there for three more days until I came to find someone else's voice coming from the vent.

She was gone.

I checked myself out the next day.

If she wasn't there any longer, I didn't need to be there.

I had nothing substantial to go and find her. There was no Marie there. All I had were a handful of memories and a list of favorites.

I'd lost her before I really found her.

I left town a week later.

There was nothing else holding me there in Washington.

~Edward

Bella stiffened in my arms, and she stopped breathing. Shit, I was freaking her out. I started humming the lullaby I'd created a few months ago.

Bella turned to look at me while I continued to hum the soothing song. She furrowed her brows, and then her eyes softened.

"Anthony?" she whispered, taking my face in her hands.

"Marie?"

Bella smiled widely and then started peppering my face with kisses. "Oh God, I thought I'd never find you. I had to leave the stupid hospital because my dad had gotten really sick while in his coma. I'm so sorry I left you without saying goodbye."

I placed my hand over her mouth, cutting her off her rambling.

"Love, it's okay. You looked for me?" I asked while looking at the features of her face in the firelight.

Bella smiled and nodded. "A few days after I left, I went back to see if someone could help me find you. But there was no Anthony there, and since I didn't know what you looked like, I had to leave. I watched the place for another day, hoping you'd come out, but you didn't. I had to leave to help with my father."

I nodded in understandgin.

"I searched for you, too. But all I had to go on was your cute laugh and snorting." I chuckled.

Bella swatted her tiny fists on my chest.

"Are you really Anthony?" she asked, trying to read my eyes, intensely making sure that I was watching her.

"Yes."

"Is that one of your personalities' name or something?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "It's my middle name."

"Marie is mine." She smiled.

"Well I guess we're not original," I scoffed.

Bella giggled. "Anthony," she whispered and nuzzled my neck, scratching the scuff on my jaw. She liked running her fingers over it.

I nuzzled her hair, taking in the scent of her strawberry shampoo and the salty ocean breeze. I groaned, and Bella looked at me questioningly.

"You smell so good right now." I wrapped my arms around her tighter.

"In a good way or bad way?" she asked, laying her head back on my shoulder.

"Both, always both."

"Explain, please," Bella said, stifling a yawn.

I chuckled. "Good in that it, your scent, instantly calms and soothes me. Bad in that I want to get into your panties every time I take a sniff." I exaggerated sniffing her, causing her to giggle and jump off my lap.

She stretched her arms above her head and arched her back slightly, exposing her belly button. "I'm going to call it a night and get to sleep on the Tempur-pedic mattress." She grinned, poking fun at my lack of roughing it… again.

"Hey wait a minute, don't I get a kiss?" I asked, hoping she'd come back and sit on my lap.

She did and placed a chaste kiss on my lips. Then she kneeled in front of me and stroked up my thighs, palming my dick.

Holy fuck, I was hard in record time. She smirked at me and tugged at my sweats until she exposed my cock to the cool breeze running through our campsite. I hissed slightly as I watched her lick the head, taking my pre cum onto the tip of her tongue. She smiled up at me, and then winked before taking my entire cock into her hot mouth.

I could still hear the murmurings of the other campers nearby, but I didn't give a damn.

I groaned. I grunted. I was flying high. Damn, she so fucking hot. Her nose was touching my pelvis as she continued bobbing up and down on my hard length. I was not going to last long.

She palmed and cupped my balls as she continued her ministrations. She moaned and hummed around me as her tongue swirled around my sensitive head, and then deep throated me. I felt my tip hit the roof of her mouth before hitting the back of her throat and… shit… my body was sent into a blaze as I shot streams of my cum into her awaiting mouth.

She swallowed every last drop.

"Holy shit, she fucking swallows!" I heard someone yell from the campsite across the way.

Bella moaned and blushed while helping to put me back in my pants. I laughed.

She deserved it – no she didn't. She'd asked for it though.

She's just too fucking adorable when she's embarrassed.

She glared and walked into the tent, leaving me out there in the cold.

I sat in my camping chair for a few minutes, hoping that she'd be okay when I went in to settle for the night. I cleaned up a little, and putting away the set of chairs and throwing a little dirt so that the fire would die down.

I walked into the tent, removing my sandals before walking over to the mattress lying on the ground. Bella had her back turned toward me.

"Are you still mad that I laughed at you?"

Silence.

I sighed and quickly removed my clothing except for my boxers. I zipped up all the zippers, since the wind was picking up slightly.

"Bella," I whispered, climbing in behind her. Her arm moved slightly, holding up a corner of the sleeping bag. I grinned and climbed in, noticing that my Bella wasn't wearing any clothes.

My boxers were on the floor in less than sixty seconds.

Ah, I loved that she didn't hold a grudge.

I found that I loved a lot of things about her.

I actually wasn't scared about it. It felt natural.

~Jacob - At the hotel

"Miss Mallory, is this the woman that you saw earlier?" I held up a recent picture of Bella that Leah had taken a few days before she'd left Washington. The hotel receptionist sneered at the picture.

"Yes, the only thing missing is the huge smile and love bite she had," she said with nothing more than loathing in her voice.

"What?" Jasper asked beside me.

Miss Lauren Mallory rolled her eyes. "She came in with this very good-looking man. I tried to tell them that we don't allow that kind of thing here in this hotel."

I watched Jasper's face go from genuine concern to anger in a flash. His hands fisted, and he brought one up to pound on the counter, causing Lauren to jump back in fear.

"And just what the fuck do you mean by that?" Jasper asked, his anger barely manageable.

I had only seen him this angry once before in my life, and I remembered it like it was yesterday. The four of us had all gone shopping in Port Angeles. Somehow, Bella had gotten separated from us, and we'd frantically searched for her as the sky darkened. We'd heard her screams in some dark alleyway.

She was being attacked by two men.

Jasper lost all control and beat the one on top of Bella almost within inches of death.

It had taken a great deal of time for both of them to heal from that ordeal. She'd been lucky; she'd managed to walk away with a few bruises, and the man hadn't managed to penetrate before we'd stopped him. The men had run away.

Jasper was always so protective of Bella. It seemed as though that part of the relationship between the both of them hadn't changed.

Not that I blamed him.

I was ready to rip the bitch a new one.

It came as a bit of a shock that Alice was the first to talk.

"Are you implying that my brother brought a hooker to this hotel? Where the fuck is your manager?"

Lauren's eyes bulged out in shock and fear. A balding man in his early fifties walked in from door behind Lauren – his tag said Mr. Banner.

"I'm sorry. Lauren, take your break. Now." Mr. Banner glared at her. Lauren lowered her eyes and nodded, quickly walking to the door and slamming it closed behind her.

Jasper's eyes narrowed as he watched the little man walk up to the counter. "How can I help you?"

"We're looking for Bella Swan," I said, calmly showing him my badge. "She's a guest here."

"Yes sir," he said, turning his attention to the computer in front of him. He typed something and looked up at me, trying to ignore the intense glare coming from Jasper.

"She's staying in room 323B on the tenth floor."

"Is she staying with anyone else?"

He looked at the computer again and then looked up with a nod. "Yes, it indicates here that she has one guest with her."

"What type of room is it?" Jasper asked through gritted teeth.

"Um, king size deluxe room, sir," Mr. Banner said, looking at Jasper warily.

"Fuck!" Jasper cursed again and ran his hands through his hair and stalked away.

"I'm sorry, sir. Would you like to leave a message for her?"

I looked at him and considered the best course of action. I needed to make sure Bella was okay, and I needed to question Mr. Cullen. I couldn't do either if they knew we were here and they ran.

Would they run?

They would if they didn't want to be found.

"Can we ring the room?" I wanted to call now, and if she answered, I could run up there before she managed to leave.

"She's not in her room sir. She just finished dinner according to our records, and she just charged the club fees to her room."

"Club?" Bella didn't do clubbing. She hated it.

She didn't dance.

At least she hadn't before.

I shook the thoughts from my head and asked where the club was. He pointed behind me and told me how to get in.

Alice and Jasper were sitting in the lobby, talking in quiet whispers.

I walked up to them and told them what the manager had told me. Jasper closed his eyes.

"Are we doing the right thing by interfering?" Jasper asked. His eyes held concern and sadness. He looked so damn tired.

He should be. He had not only found out that he may not have been the cause of the death of his first love's mother, but also that she was involved with someone else.

If it hurt me that she was moving on like this, then it must be hard on him, too.

But Bella needed this. She needed someone.

Even if the man himself had just a dark of a past as she did.

They could help each other.

I heard someone's heels click on the hardwood floors behind me.

"Rosalie, what the fuck are you doing here?" Jasper asked, looking behind me.

I turned around, and there before me was a tall, platinum blonde that I knew from magazine spreads. She was Alice's sister-in-law.

Rosalie cocked an eyebrow and looked at Alice, whose eyes widened. The blonde nodded slightly. Alice raised one of her eyebrows, and Rosalie smiled, nodding her head.

Then they just looked away from each other.

I looked at the both of them, trying to come to an understanding. They had just exchanged a silent conversation. But how did she know that Alice was even here? Then it dawned on me.

I turned quickly and glared at Alice. She crossed her arms, a knowing look on her features.

"You had her warn them, didn't you?" I asked.

Alice nodded. Jasper jumped up from the chair he'd been sitting in and turned toward Alice, taking her by the shoulders as he demanded answers.

I pushed Jasper off Alice as a precaution. I knew he wouldn't hurt her, but she was tiny and probably bruised easily.

"They need more time, Jasper. Just give them a little more time. They need each other." She looked up at Jasper calmly and completely at ease.

"You don't know anything!" Jasper roared and turned away from Alice, setting his gaze on Rosalie.

"How long ago did they leave?"

"They left hand in hand together about ten minutes ago," Rosalie said calmly.

"Fuck, do you two know what you have done? You've ruined our chances of ever finding her. She won't use her credit cards anymore."

I rolled my eyes and turned to Rosalie. "Does he know the FBI is looking for him?"

Rosalie's eyes widened, but nodded.

I looked at Alice, my face showing nothing but sadness and concern.

"Alice, we need to find them. It could be dangerous for them, for her. I know your brother didn't kill Tanya, but we need to know what he knows. This isn't the first time someone he's had feelings for had died."

Jasper's eyes widened, and he looked at me and then at Alice. Shit, he didn't know about Irina.

"Edward didn't want her to die," Alice said softly. "He didn't want any of them to die. He loved them both. One chose to end her life, and the other was a victim of a terrible crime."

I shook my head. This wasn't something I wanted to discuss out in the open. "That's just it, Alice. There is something connecting Irina's and Tanya's death."

Alice shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears. "No, Irina killed herself. Tanya was murdered. How are they connected, besides my brother's relationship with them both?"

I walked closer to her, and Jasper and Rosalie did the same. We huddled together making sure to speak in only whispers.

"This hasn't been disclosed, but Tanya was strangled with a black scarf," I said. Everyone knew this. "But what you don't know is that the scarf was initialed with an ID."

Alice gasped. "Oh my God. Edward's gift."

I nodded – She'd remembered.

"What the fuck are you saying, Jacob?" Jasper asked, trying to keep the fear from his voice.

"What I'm saying, Jasper, is that – maybe – just maybe the killer is after hurting Edward more than anyone else."

"Laurent," Alice said in a barely audible whisper.

I looked at her, confused. She knew of someone. God, this could be the break we were looking for.

Alice shook her head. "I had no idea…how could I have known that. If I knew, I would never have…"

I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her. "It was our fault, we kept as much of the details out of the public eye as we could. Tell me about this Laurent. Why would he be after Edward?"

"I'll tell you everything, but you must do something. There is only one way to get to Edward now."

I remained quiet, waiting for her to continue. Jasper's fists were still clenched at his sides. This new information mustn't have been helping him now. In fact, it must have been scaring him further. Bella was who-knows-where, with a possible serial killer out there bent on hurting Edward. And the best way to really hurt Edward was to hit him where it would hurt the most. His heart and mind.

"You have to put Tanya's and all the other victims' pictures in every newscast, every newspaper," Alice said quickly. "Say what you need to say to make Edward aware of what's going on. If you do that, he'll come to you."

I nodded in agreement. It was time to tell the whole world of the Silk Scarf Strangler.

Edward

I woke up to the sound of the waves hitting the rocky beach. It was a pleasant sound, and I realized that it was still dark. Bella and I had finally fallen asleep naked, sweaty, and thoroughly sated, the open sleeping bag draped over our intertwined bodies.

I stretched lightly, hit with the sudden urge to take a leak. I felt for Bella beside me, but I came up with nothing but a pillow.

I turned and checked the whole tent.

She's gone.

I scrambled off the air mattress and searched the remainder of the tent. One of the flashlights and Bella's jacket was gone. She must have gone to the bathroom.

Why the fuck hadn't she woken me?

It's not safe for her out there.

By herself… Shit.

I grabbed my jacket, stuffed my arms in before shoving on a pair of boxers and then my boots. I had to make sure she was okay.

I ran out of the tent and searched the campsite. Nothing. I walked toward the restrooms and noticed that none of the lights were on. Shit. Where could she be? I noticed the glow of a flashlight coming from the pathway leading to the beach.

She wouldn't go out there alone. Would she?

I followed the light and noticed her just ahead of me in a white dress. The moon was high and full, and it made her skin glow in the pale moonlight. She turned and gave me a devastatingly beautiful smile, making her features all the more ethereal. I quickened my pace so that I could catch up to her. She headed toward the beach; the tide was high, and her small, dainty feet to wade in the water. Her white dress skimmed the lapping water, causing the hem of her dress to darken slightly.

Her hand extended behind her, and she turned slightly, her smirk beckoning me closer. I closed the distance between us quickly and took her hand. Warmth emanated from our intertwined fingers, spreading up my arm and bursting throughout my body. I glanced at our enclosed hands and noticed that her skin was paler than usual.

The warmth of her touch seemed to be seeping from her body, as if my own body were taking it from her. I looked up at her, confused, and she seemed to be scared. Her eyes were wide with fright, and I wanted to do anything I could to take that look from her. I placed both of my hands on her lovely face and whispered her name.

"Bella," I said, the cool breeze carrying her name to unknown places.

Her once warm eyes seemed to deaden with every passing moment. I looked for the source to her distraught features and saw her lips turning blue. She was choking. But on what? How?

"Bella!" I screamed, taking her face and running my hands over her body, trying to find the reason she was dying in my arms. "Bella!" I felt something around her neck, and I looked down to see a black scarf around her slender neck.

"Bella!" I looked at the glazed look in her eyes as her body slumped in my arms.

"Edward! Edward! Wake up!" I felt and heard Bella speaking in low, desperate whispers.

I bolted up on the mattress, making Bella tumble away from me. I grabbed her quickly and brought her to my lap. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her desperately to make sure she was still with me.

"Bella, oh God, you're alright." I kissed her lips feverishly and continued groping her, making sure there were no marks on her. She moaned breathlessly, throwing her head back as I continued kissing down her jaw and neck. "Bella, I can't – I can't fucking lose you." I both felt and heard the desperation in my voice.

I needed to make sure. I kissed and nipped greedily along her collarbone. "You're alright. God, I thought I'd lost you," I confessed in a strangled sob.

"Edward, tell me what's wrong. You're scaring me." She sounded worried and desperate for answers.

I sighed and pulled away just enough to see the warmth of her beautiful eyes looking back at me, filled with emotion and worry. I kissed both of her eyelids softly, so happy to see them again. To see them this way again. I hoped and prayed that I would never see those dying eyes again.

"I'm sorry, love. I had a nightmare."

"I gathered that much, but you said my name?" Bella asked, taking my face in her warm hands. Her thumbs caressed my cheeks.

I sighed and averted my eyes. "Everyone I've loved even a fraction of what…feel for…umm…" I started stumbling for the words to continue, "…died because of me."

Bella seemed to stop breathing for a moment, and she looked at me confused. I back-peddled, realizing what I had said.

I loved her.

Holy shit! I fucking loved her.

In less than a few hours, I'd known I couldn't be without her. In less than a day, I'd known I would do all that I could for her to stay with me and to make her happy. In less than two days, I'd known I'd die without her. All that had led to now.

I loved her.

I smiled, which caused her to become slightly wary.

"Okay, mister, a smile like that after confessing you've had a nightmare is not exactly comforting."

I smiled further. I kissed her petal-soft lips, latching my teeth gently onto her bottom lip and tugging. Bella's eyes closed just as my tongue searched for hers.

"No, no…you were saying something." Her small hands pushed against my chest. I smiled at her, realizing she was still looking at me with confusion.

"It's alright, love. I just thought I'd lost you. It was a terrible nightmare." I caressed her cheeks with my thumbs, staring into her eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere, Edward. As long as you want me, I'll be anywhere you are," she whispered, but she averted her eyes.

I shook my head. Why would she want someone like me?

"I don't want you to go anywhere, Bella. I'm being completely selfish, but I can't help it though. You're everything I've always dreamed of. But I'm a monster, love." I looked away, ashamed.

"Edward Anthony, you are not allowed to ever call yourself that again. Do you understand me?" I snapped my eyes back to look at her, and she was completely serious. Her kitten ferocity was back out in full force. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, giving her a teasing look.

She scowled at my obvious enjoyment of her anger. She rolled her eyes and tackled me.

Well, this is more like it.

"Edward," she said before straddling me. I looked up at her with a grin. "What did you mean, everyone that you umm…never mind" I could feel the heat in her cheeks against my neck as she blushed.

I didn't have a problem telling her. She sounded curious but at the same time nervous. But my realization that I loved her couldn't be kept to myself. I had to tell someone. Who better than the person I felt it for?

I held her face in my hands and pulled her closer.

"I love you, Bella. You crawled into my heart and mind and tampered with my sanity. But a person would have to be crazy not to love you. I love you, Bella, and it scares the fuck out of me. I don't know what the future holds anymore, but I know that you are part of my future."

I leaned up to kiss her, but she pulled back.

Oh fuck. I scared her.

But she smiled at me, and her eyes smoldered in the lingering moonlight filtering in from the overhead canopy. "I love you, too. I don't know…but I do. I don't think I've ever felt anything more powerful than what I feel for you."

I smiled up at her and brought her lips closer. I placed a few chaste kisses on her soft lips before I pressed against her harder. Our lips and tongues moved in synch as she pressed her naked chest against me. Her hair fell around our faces like a curtain. I groaned and rolled us, careful not to put my weight on her.

My lips lingered over her pretty pink nipples, pulling one into my mouth. She moaned, arching her back off the mattress. She lamented my name as I gently bit her taut nipple. She pushed me away, causing me to stumble backward slightly.

I looked at her, confused. She smirked before winking as she rolled onto her stomach and got on all fours. She looked over her shoulder and winked again while shaking her fucking perfect round ass at me. I groaned and took her hips in my large hands. I passed my hands over her ass and stroked each of her cheeks before lightly slapping her ass.

Bella moaned in what sounded like pleasure. I'd really been ready to make love to her after our confession, but she looked like she wanted a good fuck.

And was ready more than ever to give her just that.

I stroked her back with one of my hands, causing her to arch her back with a soft moan. I ground my arousal against her ass and took one of her breasts in my hands groping it roughly.

God, I wanted her.

I had to have her.

I thrust inside her in one swift movement. We both groaned deeply. We both groaned deeply, stilling our bodies just letting ourselves bask in the delight of our bodies being joined again. No matter how many times we had sex, she was always so tight and warm.

She moved her hips a bit, encouraging me to move. I grasped her hips in both of my hands and found a nice, steady rhythm. I wanted this to last as long as it could. God, she felt so good like this. She started to meet my thrusts, increasing my depth into her body. I groaned, throwing my head back, lost in the sensations that nothing else could compare to. The sensations that only she could give me.

I loved that.

Only she.

Only me.

Only us.

I increased my tempo and thrust into her harder. She moaned and looked at me from over her shoulder, biting into her lower lip as she tried to maintain her composure. I didn't want her to.

I wanted to hear her.

I shook my head at her. "I want to hear you, Bella," I grunted. "I want to hear what I'm doing to you. I want to know if it feels good." I increased my pace and thrust harder.

She moaned deeply, her eyes rolling into her head. She cried out as I took her clit in between my thumb and forefinger, pinching it.

That's my girl.

We continued in a frenzied pace, but I wanted to be closer to her. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her back up to my chest, both of us on our knees. She panted heavily, leaning her head against my shoulder. I licked and kissed her neck, and she angled her neck just right to allow better access. I kept up my pace, thrusting up into her tight, hot folds. One of her arms draped over my shoulder, taking the back of my head, and she thrust her tongue in my awaiting mouth.

Our sounds of pleasure left us both, lost in each other. I took one of my hands and played with her swollen clit, causing her to grind harder against me. She was panting deeply, and her face was flushed a sweet pink. Her cheek leaned against mine as we both moved against each other. I felt her walls starting to clench around me.

"Come for me, my love," I said in her ear. She moaned and then screamed my name as she fluttered around me. Her pussy tightened around me like a vise and triggered my own release.

I grunted and managed to thrust a few more times before we both collapsed in a heap on the mattress.

We both took several minutes to calm our breathing.

"Fuck, Edward. I don't know if I can walk anymore," Bella whispered, cuddling into the crook of my arm.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She huffed beside me. I could have sworn I was able to hear her eyes roll. "Did it sound like you were hurting me?"

"Well, actually," I teased.

That earned me a few slaps to my chest. I hissed, feeling the sting against my sweaty chest. Surprisingly, I liked it and groaned, feeling my dick twitch against her thigh.

Bella giggled against my chest. "Interesting," she whispered huskily in my ear. "You seem to like spanking. Good to know."

I groaned again, remembering her say that she wanted to blindfold and tie me up. I grinned as I also remembered that she seemed to like being spanked.

"Hmm, yes, but I'm not the only one. When are we going to explore that in our relationship?"

Bella nipped playfully on my ear. "Patience."

I grumbled. "I don't have patience."

"All the better to tease you with, my love," she said before yawning. She must have been exhausted, and frankly, so was I. We both needed some sleep to let our bodies rest.

"Bella, get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow."

"Okay."

We managed to wake up early and decided to go out to breakfast. We were both much too tired to even attempt to make anything. The ranger came by, selling us more ice and firewood. After making sure to replace the melting ice in my cooler, we were on our way. We managed to find a quaint little café with an ocean view about ten minutes from the campsite along Moonstone Beach.

The weather was rather pleasant and warm. Bella decided to wear a black bikini top with a white hooded jacket and a pair of tiny denim shorts. I wore a pair of blue board shorts and a gray polo with a black hooded jacket with a pair of comfy sandals. We walked hand in hand to our table on the outside patio. We both sat on one side of our round table.

We ordered our food and sat quietly in each other's arms watching the waves splashing the rocky beach nearby. Bella hummed in pleasure when her French toast came. She dove in immediately, obviously hungry after our night of love making. I laughed at her enthusiasm, causing her to slap my arm.

She eyed my sausage and tried to grab one with her fork, but I moved my plate before she could. I shook my head, laughing at her scowl. Her brows scrunched in mock anger, but she smiled when I held up a link up to her lips. She grinned, taking it between her lips and then slowly taking a bite. Her eyes were locked with mine the whole time. I groaned, already imagining her lips wrapped around my cock.

The grin on her face told me that was what she'd been going for. I scowled but forgot my anger when her hand decided to palm my cock. I hissed against her neck and moved my hips against her.

She chuckled. "Later." Her hand pulled away, and she continued eating.

Fucking tease.

We spent the rest of the day on the beach in various states of exploring or lounging. We explored the tide pools before making our way back to the campsite for a simple lunch. Bella was lying in the hammock reading a newspaper when I returned from a quick, lonely shower.

Bella glanced over the newspaper and looked at me with frightened look on her face. "Edward, there was a murder in Eureka the same day we were there."

I looked at her in surprise and went to lie beside her. "The murder victim was the waitress who served James and me – and you, for that matter."

"Really?" I took the paper from her and flipped to the front page.

I think I fucking stopped breathing.

The headline read:

THE SILK SCARF STRANGLER STRIKES THE WEST COAST

Under the disturbing headline were the pictures of six women. Three deaths had already been confirmed as being committed by the same person. There were another three that seemed to be still questionable, but all evidence pointed to the same killer.

My hands started trembling, alerting Bella to my distress.

"What is it, Edward?" She pulled the paper away from me and took my hands into hers.

I looked at her and I realized that I could lose her. God, who knew how close she was to becoming a victim. I crashed my lips to hers, shocking her, but she returned with the same ferocity. I pulled her tightly against me.

"Edward," she whispered as my lips lingered over her cheeks.

"Bella, one of the victims is my…" I whispered, struggling to continue.

She seemed to understand. "Oh God, Edward, Tanya. She was the first victim. They confirmed just recently that she was tied to a few other murders. I'm so sorry." She looked at me as if she was worried.

I couldn't believe it. The same person that hurt and killed Tanya was out there killing other woman.

"I'm fine, love. I'm just in shock." She bit her lip and nodded, placing a soft kiss on my lips.

"Edward, my friend Jacob is the lead FBI agent on the case."

What?

"Edward, I don't think he was at the hotel looking for me. He may have been there with your family, looking for you."

I shook my head. That didn't make sense.

"No, Bella. That can't be right. How the hell did they know where to find me? I used a pre-paid phone when I called my sister at the hospital. It's untraceable."

Bella looked at me and looked lost in thought. How had Alice found me? How has she known to find me at the hotel? At the time, I'd been only concerned with running, and not on the fucking "why" of the situation. It didn't make sense, unless they'd connected Bella with me. But I hadn't told Jasper and Alice who I was with.

"Edward, who did you see at the hotel?"

"Umm, my sister Alice with her fiancé, and some tall man with tan skin was standing by them."

She nodded. "I didn't see who Jacob was standing with. The tall guy had dark hair?" She looked at me for confirmation. I nodded.

Her eyes widened. "Edward, what does your sister Alice do?" she asked in a whisper, and she seemed cautious.

I furrowed my brows in confusion. What does Alice's job have to do with anything?

"She's a physical therapist. Why?"

Bella averted her eyes and started to breathe heavily. "Edward, what's Alice's fiancé's name?" she asked, trying to pull away from me.

I tightened my grip around her waist. I shook my head, not knowing where this line of questioning was headed.

"Umm, Whitlock. Jasper Whitlock is his name."

Bella sobbed, suddenly trying again to pull away. As if what I'd said had burned her.

Then it dawned on me.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

I knew it was too good to be true. It was a fucking small world. J.

AN: Beta'd by the wonderful lisa89, thank you.