A/N: Read, review, && enjoy! ^-^
As I made my way through the lobby, the concierge stopped me.
"Excuse me. Miss?" he asked, flashing me the fakest smile I've ever seen as he stopped right in front of me. "I was told to hand deliver this to you in the morning."
I looked down at his hand and saw that he was holding a piece of paper.
"Who gave you that?" I asked as I took the note from him.
He shrugged, "A woman. She wanted to make sure that you got this before you left."
"Thank you…I guess." I told him as I walked around.
Weird morning. I thought as I opened up the note.
"He isn't the perfect man that you think he is…Lily"
Without giving another thought to it, I shoved it in my bag.
Like I'm suppose to know what the hell that means?
As I waited for the train to arrive, I pulled out the note that Lily had left for me.
Something about what she wrote bothered me. I wasn't sure if this was another one of her games or what. I wasn't sure if this even meant anything. For all I know, she could be referring to Eric.
"He isn't the perfect man that you think he is." I read out loud.
What the hell is she talking about? I thought to myself. Who the hell is she talking about?
If anything, I never thought that any man that I been with was perfect. Each and every one of them had their flaws.
I chuckled lightly, "Dumb bitch."
Everyone had their flaws. Even Ryan. I shook my head as I watched the train approach the platform. Oh double fudge!
I broke into Cristiano's apartment when I realized no one was home. Much to my surprise, the place was squeaky clean. Actually, it was cleaner than what I remembered.
I glanced around. Missing a few dining chairs though. I thought to myself as I made my way up to his room.
I began rummaging through his things trying to find some cash.
If I was money, where would I hide? I mentally asked myself as I opened his dresser drawers. Bingo.
I took only what I needed and made sure that I left a note advising that he ask Amy for the money.
I can pay her back later.
I took the next flight out to San Francisco, California. Sitting there for several hours allowed me time to think. And that's just what I needed…time.
Thank you sun for being on my side at least.
I wasn't one hundred percent positive that Lily was going after anyone. I mean her note didn't say, 'Hey, I'm heading to Mexico to kill Ryan.' But it also didn't say anything that would make me think otherwise either.
And yet here I am, playing the hero once again. Assuming, of course, that she is heading there to kill Ryan.
But why him? I'm not with him anymore, haven't been for awhile now. I thought to myself, going through the events of time. In fact, he's marrying someone else. Why would she want to hurt him?
"He isn't the perfect man that you think he is." I repeated her note softly to myself once again.
Lets just say hypothetically she is after Ryan. The only reason that I can think of are just two things.
One, she is pissed off at him, blaming him for the outcome of her life. I mean, lets face it, she did run to Las Vegas to get out of California because of the affair she was having with him. If she hadn't tried so hard to get out of the city, then maybe she would still be human today.
And two, she is trying every possible way to hurt me. Starting with the love of my life…Ryan.
But honestly, so far, she hasn't given me a reason to assume she's out to get me.
That situation with Cristiano, now that could've been a coincidence. Its not like we're even seeing each other either.
I'm sticking with option one. It makes more sense than the second option.
As soon as the plane landed, I headed straight for my father's home. I had only a few hours left of sunlight before the vampires are able to roam the streets.
Aka, Lily…
If Lily was trying to hurt me, she would go after my father as well, no doubt about it.
"Daddy?" I called out as I knocked on the front door impatiently. "Are you home?"
But no answer.
I walked around to the back praying she hadn't gotten to him before I did.
Honestly, if I had to choose between my father and Ryan, well, that right there is automatic. He is my father for crying out loud, he gave me life, he raised me.
I would never choose anyone over him.
I walked up the stairs to the back porch and peered in through the sliding door only to find a woman bent over the dining room table as my father penetrated her as he held her hips.
I screamed in horror as I stumbled backwards from the door, "Oh my god!" I screamed again, covering my eyes.
Gross, gross, gross!
Not thinking as clearly as I should've, I miscalculated the length of the porch and took a mean tumble down the porch stairs and landed flat on my ass.
At least he's alive. I thought to myself, sitting up. What the hell can I do to get that picture out of my head?
Alright, I get it, parents have sex too. But come on, this is my dad we're talking about! I never saw him without his clothes on least of all having sex on the damn dinner table.
Eew, gross! That's where we eat!
"Bella! Oh my god, are you alright?" he asked running down the stairs wearing nothing but a pair of jeans.
I put my hands up, "Eew, dad, please! I'm fine…just put some clothes on!" I told him, getting up as fast as I could. "See, I can still walk."
He stopped in his tracks as he lowered his head. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't want you-anyone to see that."
I nodded, "Okay…and um, dad?"
"Yes honey?"
"Can we not talk about it…please?" I shook my head as I squeezed my eyes shut. "Like ever?"
"Got it. I'll go put on some clothes now."
"Thank you."
I opened a slit and took a peek at my dad jogging up the stairs.
What the hell?
I gave them a good five minutes before attempting to walk toward the front door. Sure, I could've gone through the back but I didn't want to walk in on them changing clothes regardless if I already walked in on them having sex.
But technically, I didn't walk in on them, I just sort of peeked. And hey, that was not my fault. I understand that's his house but come on, the sliding door is one gigantic picture window with no curtains.
What, does it come with age or something? Once you hit a certain age, you just stop caring who sees you in your birthday suit?
I opened the front door slowly as I popped in my head. "Is everyone descent?" I asked loud enough the neighbors could hear.
"Yeah, come in." my dad told me, walking in from the kitchen. "Dina was embarrassed so she snuck out the back."
I walked in, closing the door behind me. "Okay, moving on remember dad?"
He took a deep breath before sitting down. "So you're back."
"Yeah, I've been in New York with Amy for awhile now."
He nodded, "Oh yeah? She didn't tell me anything when she was here a few weeks ago." he quickly stood up as he went to his desk. "She dropped this off for you. it's a wedding invitation." he told me as he handed me the ivory envelope, then he sat back in his recliner.
"I dropped by unexpectedly." I simply told him. It was the truth after all. "But um dad, did Lily stop by here by any chance?"
He frowned, "Didn't you hear?"
"Hear what?"
Please tell me she fell off the face of the earth. I prayed silently to myself.
"She's been missing for months. Her father went to Las Vegas when he hadn't heard from her and found the place…" he couldn't finish his sentence. "…it was pretty bad. Gruesome, bad."
I didn't have to take a peek into his head to know what he was thinking. It was written all over his face. He couldn't imagine what Mr. Montgomery was going through. That could've easily been me.
"Dad, I have to tell you something okay?"
"Okay…"
"Promise you wont freak out."
His face hardened. "Don't tell me you're pregnant."
My mouth dropped. I wasn't expecting that.
"No dad, I'm not pregnant. This isn't really about me…sort of."
He grunted. "Honey, its okay. I want you to give me grandchildren eventually. But right now, you are much too young. You have so much ahead of you. You're-"
"Dad, come on. I already told you I wasn't pregnant and besides you weren't that much older than me when you and mom had me."
He nodded. "You're right. But-"
It was my turn to grunt. "Ugh, Lily isn't missing okay? She's a damn vampire."
He stood up, "She's a what?"
"But she's not a nice vampire. In fact I think she might be after Ryan. I don't know why, but I think she wants to kill him." I paused. "I think."
He cocked his head to the side, "Ryan? Your ex boyfriend Ryan?"
"Yeah but daddy, promise you wont open the door for her. Don't talk to her. I was told the vampires can cast spells on you or something."
"Bella, why would she want to hurt Ryan?"
"Dad, are you even listening to me?" I asked, irritated.
"Yes I am. But you still haven't answered my question."
I rolled my eyes, "Long story short…ish. The reason why Ryan and I broke up was because he was fooling around on me with Lily. So I left. Then when I went to New York, I found out Ryan was getting married in a few weeks and that Lily was now a vampire. She attacked a friend of mine and nearly killed him. But then she left me a note saying something like 'He isn't the perfect man you think he is' which sounds like she meant Ryan. So that's why I'm here."
His mouth was agape. "And she's going after Ryan because…?"
"Weren't you listening to anything that I just said?" he nodded. "Either she's trying to get back at me for reasons unknown or she wants to kill him. Either way, he is the reason why she's a vampire, I think...maybe. But if she's trying to get even with me. I think she's starting with Ryan…I think."
"Are you and Ryan getting back together?"
I grunted, "No! He's getting married. To another woman." I shook my head. "God. I don't want him back okay?"
Confused he shook his head, "Alright. But I still don't understand."
"Oh my god, just stay here. Don't open the door for her if she stops by. And whatever you do, make sure you carry something made of wood that's like extra sharp." I stood up and kissed his forehead. "My theory made sense in my head so that's all that matters."
He chuckled lightly as he looked up at me. "Honey, I think you might be over thinking things just a bit."
"Well if you seen her today, you would know that she's not the same girl I grew up with. There's something dark and very unnatural about her." I told him, glancing out the window. "I have to get going. I don't have much time."
"You be careful." he told me as my hand gripped the door knob.
"Thanks daddy. But I can handle myself." I told him without turning around.
"I know you can. You are your mother's daughter."
Mother, where are you when I need you?
I took a cab to Amy's parent's home hoping that since Juliette was the socialite, then she knew the ins and outs of Ryan's wedding.
"Isabelle, I am so glad you're here!" she squealed as she air kissed me. "Its been far too long since we spoke last. Please, come inside."
"Juliette, I'm kind of running on time here."
She frowned, "I take it this isn't much of a social call."
I shrugged, "Not really…actually I wondered if you heard about Lily."
"Oh that the poor girl is missing?" she shook her head as she fanned the air. "I believe she's dead. And by the way her father found the place? Its quite a tragedy."
"She's a vampire. She's not missing." I blurted.
I didn't come here to catch up. And by standing here listening to her rant, that's just wasting valuable time.
"Oh my god!" she exclaimed, gasping as she pressed her hand to her chest. That's just like her. Dramatic. "Does her father know?"
"I'm guessing not. Does the council know?"
She shook her head, "We didn't catch wind of it, if that's what you're asking."
"Okay…do you know where Ryan is?"
She looked at me with raised eyebrows, "Ryan? Oh honey, he's in Mexico getting married. Tonight is the rehearsal dinner I believe."
I nodded, "Yeah, I know he's in Mexico but do you know where exactly?"
She thought a moment. "Oh, they're staying at the Riu Vallarta." she told me as her eyes swept over my body. "I hope you're not going to crash his wedding wearing that."
"What?" I looked down at what I was wearing. Jeans and a tank top. "And who said anything about crashing anyone's wedding?"
Before I could object, she dragged me in by my wrist as she ordered her servants.
"Juliette-"
"I wont allow you going there looking the way you do." she said shaking her head in disgust. "By the way, how are you going there?"
"Drive?"
She sighed, "Isabelle, darling, I will let you do no such thing. And besides, I have a friend who has her own private jet. She flies to and from Mexico quite often…" she winked at me. "…her own personnel access to medicine. All I have to do is make a few calls and you're all set." she said, leaving me in one of their many rooms.
Please don't be a drug dealer. I prayed silently as I took a seat. But a private jet will be much faster than going by car. And that's if I knew my way to wherever this hotel is.
"Now you look good enough to win him back. Earlier, you didn't stand a chance." Juliette said winking. "You know, red is actually your color. A deep, blood, red."
I stood up and went to the full length mirror to see what she was referring to.
Wow.
I looked smashingly hot! The halter dress with a plunging neckline accented my figure. It was beautiful. I loved the fact that the dress was made of rich satin and it had a mermaid effect to it and also a short train.
"Did your hips grow?"
Oh crap. I was hoping no one noticed.
"I'm not going to win him back Juliette. Its over between us."
She rolled her eyes, "If you set your mind to it, you can achieve whatever…and in this case, whoever you want."
"I'm going there only to warn him."
"Warn him about what?"
I grabbed my bag and found the note Lily had left for me. I handed it to her.
"This morning she had someone hand deliver this to me. But I'm guessing since she's a vampire, she came the night before with specific instructions to wait until morning."
Juliette opened it up and read it to herself. "What is this suppose to mean?"
"That's what I've been trying to figure out myself. I mean she could be talking about anyone."
"But?"
"But I remember that night that I caught her…them, she told Amy those words. And she was talking about Ryan."
"So because of this note, you think that she's going after Ryan?"
I shrugged, "I don't know what to think."
"Should I call the police?" I could sense Juliette starting to panic. "Should I call his parents? What do you want me to do?"
"If I go down there, I could protect him."
"And then what? You're going to run to his rescue every time she sends you a note?"
"I'm going to kill her…" I paused. "…or at least try to."
"This is ridiculous. I cant let you go there alone."
"I have to do something. Sitting around, waiting for something to happen, I cant." I sighed. "I love him, I wont deny that. This is why I have to do this. I'm sorry."
She paced back and forth, "Maybe if you go there first, you could stall her. But you're not going alone."
"Why did you do it?" Amy asked.
Lily paused, grabbing her bag, "Do what?"
Amy grunted, "Ryan."
"That just happened. Besides, if he loved her so much, he wouldn't have hit on me." she crossed her arms over her chest, "He isn't the perfect man Bella thinks he is."
