CHAPTER 11
"Daddy! Daddy, catch me!" Tanny squealed as she ran around the furniture.
Edward let out an exaggerated sigh. "But, Daddy is tired," he whined, knowing it'd be no use. She was in one of those moods.
"But dadddddyyyyy," she whined right back. She even bounced on the seat next to him for a good measure before he caught her mid-jump and laid her down for a tickle-fest. Soon, the apartment was filled with high-pitched screams and broken words.
.
.
.
He grabbed the tourniquet with his teeth and pulled it lightly to make sure it was secure. He methodically slapped the inside of his elbow a few times and placed the needle against his vein. His head fell back on the chair as he felt the numbness set in...or was it a headboard? It didn't matter.
He took a deep breath and relaxed into the chair/bed.
Slowly but surely, she appeared.
He didn't notice her at first, but when she sat across from him and flashed him a big smile, he couldn't ignore her. She was different. This Bella...she didn't disgust him. She was merely always there, smiling, observing, replying to his slurs with smart-ass comments that made him laugh.
"You came," he whispered. He had been afraid she was gone. He hadn't seen her in a while.
"Of course, I did."
"Good."
.
.
.
She shouldn't be with him. That jerk.
He shouldn't mind. Rationally, logically, he shouldn't give a damn about her, but he did. He didn't know what kind of spell she put on him, but he was enchanted. His eyes stayed glued to her whenever she entered the room. He hung onto every single word she said like a pathetic loser.
It pissed him off, actually.
Everything pissed him off lately, starting the flat-nosed prick that was hugging Bella to the make-up caked on Vicky's face. Bella never wore any make-up, and she looked fantastic even if she's... pregnant.
He shivered lightly and pulled his jacket closer to him as he stalked toward the happy couple. It didn't bother him one bit that the only thought that ran through his mind was 'mine'.
.
.
.
They were inches apart. He was towering over her. His mouth spewed shit that he couldn't remember. He slammed his hand on the wall next to her. Her face said everything.
Fear.
Anxiety.
Heartbreak.
He was so focused on her face that he didn't see his change. He didn't notice his darker hair, wrinkled skin, and beer gut until the very end. That was also when he noticed the blade in his hand.
He choked on air, blinking to erase the nightmare from mind. He wanted to take it, bleach it and burn it.
He grabbed the package from the nightstand and wrapped the tourniquet around his arm.
"Dude, you just had some."
"Fuck you." He shoved the needle in his other arm, and pushed the liquid in quickly. The faster, the better. Soon the nightmare would be gone.
.
.
.
"Let's take a walk," she whispered.
He followed.
"I miss this."
"Me, too."
Fresh, cold air. Bright, warm sun. They stung. He shuddered.
There was no one to stop him. They were all gone now. He didn't know where they went. He didn't care, as long as they brought back a gift. They always did, and he loved it. It always felt good.
Like Bella's soft skin.
She had the best skin. He remembered the first time he touched her. It was at Prom. The dress she wore was the sexiest thing he'd never seen. It had a bare back that stopped just above her ass. He never found out how she'd agreed to wear that, but Edward was oh-so-glad. Except for when the other douche bags tried to sneak peeks at his girl. That was awful since, Bella would never let him do anything to them.
His eyes narrowed when the lobby moved. "Edward?" She sounded angry.
His hand shot out, grabbing the back of chair by instinct. "Edward Anthony Masen!" Why was she so far away?
His mind whirled. "You sonofabitch!" Don't say that.
He fell into the awaiting blackness.
