Chapter 11

BPOV – The Need to Protect

I forcefully grabbed my bag and headed towards the staff exit. I knew what I was doing was wrong but I didn't care. I would face the consequences in the morning. I just needed to leave. What was wrong with me? I had dealt with over-amorous customers before and never felt such anger as I was feeling now. I was fuming; and that was a little over the top, considering this scenario was something that happened reasonably often in our job. Loneliness and drink weren't a good combination in a bar and we were the easy targets. I could usually just put the guy back in place, asking them to leave and then get on with the job. Not today. Today I had to react like a raging bull; harshly speaking to Edward, slamming trays onto counters and leaving my job in a huff. Not the normal Bella way to respond to something. Far from it, really. I needed to retain some perspective and look at this objectively. Why the hell was I so angry?

I was angry with Jeremy Hammond for thinking he had the right to put his hands all over me like a piece of meat. I was angry that I had had to put up with his lewd comments and suggestions. Ok, good enough reason to be feeling a little agitated but hey I should have been able to just get over that and moved on. No there was more to it than that. Edward.

I was furious with Edward for having the gall to think he could waltz into my life, make me love him and then completely ignore me for god knows what reasons, until some fool in the bar lays his grotty little hands on me and he feels the need to be my knight in shining armour. How dare he. It was all too confusing. I turned the thought over in my head, realizing it was still not ringing true – sure I was angry at him but…. the truth was suddenly blatantly clear. The person I was infuriated with, the most, was me.

I was angry because even as I tried to ignore his presence in the room I was all too aware of him. I was pissed off that as soon as he sang I wanted to stop whatever I was doing and just allow his voice to wash over me and take all my worries away. I was furious because for a brief moment in time, as I watched Edward walk towards me with the sole purpose of helping me with the problem that was Jeremy Hammond, I had actually allowed myself to believe that he might care about me; that the look of irritation on his face meant he might possibly have the same sort of feelings I did. The fleeting thought disappeared almost instantly and I glared at him to stop his advance. I was not going to allow myself to hope, to feel. He would not get to me again. Edward Cullen needed to be nothing to me.

The onslaught of cold air invaded my senses as I walked through the exit into the back lane. I huddled into my jacket and thought about returning inside and getting back to work. I was feeling calmer now that I recognised where all my anger was coming from. I could control it now that I understood it. Besides, Jim would not only be upset with me for leaving work during my shift but also because I had come out here without an escort. He always made sure that we had someone with us when we left work to get public transport or a taxi at night. I peered towards the shadows made by the street lights and a sense of eeriness settled upon me. I was definitely returning inside.

"So Bella. We meet again. Have you come looking for some fun? I am more than willing to help you out there." Jeremy stepped out from the shadows and I tensed with unease. "Your friend Ryan told me to stay in my room but I am not used to being given orders so I thought I'd wait out here for you instead. Happy to see me?"

Jeremy was moving towards me quickly and I felt myself being moved towards the wall involuntarily as I tried to think what would be the best way for me to escape. He was definitely stronger than me and I thought about running, but given my inability to stay on two feet at times I was assuming I wouldn't get too far before he grabbed me. I was coming up with nothing. Soon he was way too close. I could smell his rancid breath against my face; not only alcohol but cigarette combined to make him smell foul to me.

"You feel good, Bella," he was groping now as he pressed himself against me. I thought of another man who had been this close to me in almost the same place and winced silently. That had made me feel completely different to this. Edward hadn't been trying to invade my personal space. I slowly moved my hand towards the bag slung over my shoulder so that he wouldn't register the movement and felt around inside. He didn't notice.

"Jeremy, you need to get your hands off me now,"

"Or what Bella? It kind of seems to me that we're alone right now. Who is going to come to your rescue?"

Yes, who indeed. No-one knew I had come out here. I was going to have to sort this one out myself.

"You don't need to be forcing yourself on girls Jeremy," I tried to keep my voice calm "I am sure there are many girls who want you in this way. Just please – that's not me."

His blood shot eyes looked into my own and he tried to croon into my ear "How do you know until you've tried Bella. Come on" He was leaning in to kiss me and dread filled me. I could not have those lips against mine, Never.

I couldn't stand it any longer so I shoved against him with my hand, bringing my knee up to find its place in his groin area and he doubled over in pain. The keys I had been trying to recover in my bag were now between my fingers, ready to use as a weapon. I had begun to run from him but he was almost at my side before I had taken enough steps to get away. I twisted to get away from him but fell backwards instead and he was on top of me like a dead weight.

"You little bitch," He snarled at me and brought his hand up in readiness to strike. I closed my eyes so that I wouldn't see the descent of his hand towards my face and all of a sudden he was roughly pulled away from me and the impact never happened. My eyes flew open to witness Jeremy up against the wall with Edward's hand pinning him there by the throat. The hostility radiating off Edward was frightening and I could see that even through his drunken stupor Jeremy knew he was in trouble.

Edward never took his eyes off Jeremy. "Bella, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Maybe you should let him go," I got up awkwardly and made my way to his side, making sure I concentrated on Edward and not the man who had just tried to hurt me. If I looked at Jeremy, I might actually let Edward follow through with whatever he wanted to do to him.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart right now," Edward growled at Jeremy. Jeremy looked back at him balefully and I knew I needed to do something quickly because Edward was beyond reason now and he was going to do something he would regret.

I placed my hand on Edward's shoulder and immediately felt the electricity. Damn I was in the middle of a crisis and he could still have that impact on me. "Edward, please. Don't hurt him. He's not worth it."

"She's right Edward. Let him go." Jasper's voice came from behind me and I noticed as I turned that he was not alone. Emmett, Rosalie, Alice and Jim flanked him. "Think about where we are and who you are. Now is not the right time." I hoped that the same calm that came over me upon hearing Jasper's voice would work its magic on Edward.

"But he…. you didn't see what he was trying to do," Edward's face looked at his friends and the anger reignited "He was about to hit her. He had his fist closed and he was about to punch her in the face. He can't just get away with that."

Jasper and Emmett were moving towards Edward and Alice was moving towards me. She placed her arm around my shoulder and moved me away from Edward.

"Are you ok. He didn't… you know…. he didn't get…"

"No Alice, he didn't. He got a little too close for comfort but I kicked him where it hurts and he had to let go. He was about to punch me and Edward turned up." I cringed at the memory of him up against me and heard Rose say vehemently.

"Good on you Bella. Don't take that kind of crap lying down."

I tried to smile at her but I am sure it didn't come out right. "We need to get Edward to drop this. I am fine and if he takes this further and hurts Jeremy we are going to have a media circus to deal with. I don't need that on my conscience. I want to forget this whole thing ever happened."

"Don't worry about it; the boys will sort it out." Alice said confidently. "Let's go back inside,"

I shook my head. I was not leaving anyone out here until I knew what the outcome would be. Jim had joined the boys in working out what to do with Jeremy Hammond and I tried to listen carefully to what they were saying even as I felt the fatigue come over me. I noted with satisfaction that Edward had let go of Jeremy but Emmett and Jasper were still ensuring that he didn't take a swipe at him every time Jeremy made a drunken comment.

"I am sure I could make the media listen if I told them that the big shot Edward Cullen had assaulted me because of some little cock tease who………." Edward sprang at Jeremy but Emmett and Jasper were too quick and held him back before he could connect. That was it; I had had enough and walked over to face Jeremy in order to finish this once and for all.

"My suggestion to you would be to forget this even happened, unless of course you would enjoy a little stint in jail for assaulting me. Not so sure that your career would cope with that well." I threw the words maliciously at him.

" and why would they believe a nothing like you over an upstanding community member such as myself?" the drinking really had affected his ability to think straight.

"Besides the fact that I have witnesses to back me up, this little nothing also has a father who is chief of police. Now, how do you think my daddy would react to someone having their dirty little paws over his only daughter? Not well, I can guarantee. Would you like to check that out for yourself?" I took my mobile out of my bag and held it up. "The police community are so close knit that they would be willing to do anything to ensure that I got my justice."

Jeremy looked at me in horror and then at Jim for confirmation. Jim nodded back at him gravely.

"So here is the deal Mr Hammond," I stood straight and made sure he understood every word I said. "I am willing to forget that this whole ugly incident even happened on the condition that you do not do anything to bring media attention to anyone standing in this laneway. Not a word to anyone because if you do I will make sure that my father is quite aware of what your intentions had been and how much you hurt me. I know, without a doubt, that he will throw the book at you."

"No Bella, you can't do that. He needs to be punished," Edward pleaded with me and I sent my own silent message back at him. Couldn't he see that I was doing this for him and the rest of this group of people, including Jim. None of them needed media attention. As if he understood he continued. "Call the police and have him charged. We can deal with the fallout. Please Bella."

Everyone was looking at me to see what I would do. I looked at Jeremy and waited for his response.

"Ok deal. I will not breath a word to anyone as long as you keep the police from knowing what happened tonight,"

I nodded my head. "Done. I will keep my end of the bargain as long as you keep yours."

Edward's shoulders fell. "I am sorry Edward but it is the best way. Jim would you mind if I went home now?"

Jim agreed half heartedly and suggested we all go back inside. Emmett grabbed Jeremy to escort him back in as well. No-one looked happy that Jeremy had been given an out. Jeremy, however did not have the capability to realize that he should just shut up and not aggravate the situation any further.

"You know I only did it because she wanted me, right," he was speaking to Emmett and before I could entirely turn around to see how Emmett would respond to such a ludicrous suggestion I heard a thump combined with a gasp of pain. Jeremy was holding his stomach with both hands and Emmett was grinning madly.

"Oops, sorry. I kind of slipped. I don't know what came over me." Emmett winked at us and I tried to look affronted with his lack of control. Edward did not even attempt to do that.

"Thanks bro," Edward stated quietly and for the first time since he had found us he appeared to be less frenzied. I wondered why Emmett's actions had made that so.

"No probs – it was an absolute pleasure." Emmett answered as Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"Neanderthal,"

"Only when it is deserved my dear, only when it is deserved."