Unbridled
Chapter 14
Interference
Love and thanks to byrd009 and Twidictedteach for your awesome pre-reading and Beta skills.
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**Angst warning**
EPOV
The office has been a little crazy today. Aside from signing a few new authors and making sure our new e-book division is running smoothly, I have been swamped meeting up with another agent on the upcoming promotion of a new novel being released in a few weeks. The test group showed this book has the possibility of being huge, both in print and electronically.
Separated by Fools has a little bit of everything; drama, romance, humor, erotica, and of course angst. It seems readers are really into the angst these days.
My meeting with Maggie can't end fast enough. She is the author's agent, and while she is good at her job, she is most unprofessional when it comes to her advances towards me. She has made no secret of her wish for us to be together. I have pictures of my Bella up all over my office, I talk about her constantly, and I NEVER reject a call from her, I don't care what I am in the middle of. Maggie has been around long enough to know I am most happily involved with someone. Maggie in no way, shape, or form compares to my Bella. Baby girl has Maggie beat on all fronts, from beauty; to grace, to class … like I said, everything.
Not only does Maggie know of Bella from my end, but her own client is one of Bella's closest friends. She and Rachel are like sisters. So when it comes time for a meeting with Maggie, I literally count down the minutes until she gets the hell out of my office.
That is what I am doing right now. All talk about the book was officially over ten minutes ago. Maggie's propositions are getting bolder and more nauseating.
"Come on, Edward. You know we would have fun." She thinks she is being cute with her heavy make-up and trashy dresses. She is not.
"Maggie, for the last time, I am with someone. Not just someone, the love of my life. I am not now nor will I ever be interested in you."
"Surely you aren't talking about that little mousy thing in all these pictures Edward," she sneers. She is dangerously close to getting smacked. I would never hit a lady, but she isn't a lady.
"Maggie, if you say one more thing about my Bella, not only will our professional relationship be over, but I will see to it you lose all your clientele. Tread very carefully, woman." My voice is dripping with venom and I know it.
"Oh Edward, why so serious? Come on, just one good fuck. No one will have to know. She'd be none the wiser." She actually places her hand on the lapel of my jacket and runs it up and down. I grab her wrist and throw her hand back towards her.
"DON'T. TOUCH. ME! And I would know. I would never disrespect her like that, and more than that, I would rather cut my dick off and feed it to a dog than get it anywhere near your used up, diseased ridden, nasty ass cunt. You know what … fuck this. I'm calling Rachel today to let her know exactly what kind of agent she has working for her. She deserves better than you."
"You wouldn't dare! It doesn't matter anyway. She needs me. I've gotten her this far."
"Yeah, which makes me wonder just how far she could go if she had a real agent instead of a whore for one. I'll see to it Rachel gets the representation she deserves and will flourish with. Now get the fuck out of my office." To say I am fuming is an understatement. I can't believe the nerve of this fucking bitch! No one suggests disrespecting or hurting my Bella in any way and gets away with it. I turn to go back to my desk, assuming Maggie is on her way out the door. Otherwise I will call security.
As she reaches the door and opens it, she stops suddenly. Turning back, she marches straight up to me behind my desk and before I comprehend what is happening, she is grabbing my jacket with both hands and pulling me down into a lip lock. I try shoving her away, but she is holding on tight. I'm also pretty sure I vomit in my mouth a little. I finally get her claws off of me and shove her back a few feet. I'm about to cuss her the fuck out when I hear a gasp at the door.
Oh fuck no she didn't! I know that gasp. I am horrified to turn and see Bella standing in my doorway with her hand covering her mouth. The look on her face made me want to kill the nasty whore in front of me. That's why she stopped at the door. She saw Bella coming down the hall. I see red when I look back at Maggie, who has an all too satisfied smirk on her face.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" She did this shit on purpose. She wanted Bella to think there was something going on. I turn back to Bella, but she just shakes her head no and backs out of the office. When I make my way to go after her, she drops something and starts to run for the stairwell. Maggie is behind me because apparently she is too stupid to realize when her life is in danger.
I walk back to Maggie, leaning in so only she and my assistant can hear. "If you have caused any hurt for my Bella, I promise you, you won't live to regret it." There is no waiver in my voice, no uncertainty. I mean every word. If this skank bitch has done any damage to what I have with baby girl, she will pay. I hear her gasp, and the smugness is replaced with a look of fear. Good.
As I sprint to the stairwell I notice what Bella dropped before she ran. It was a picnic basket. She was coming to have lunch with me. I stop long enough to call my assistant, Bree, over. She has nothing but disgust in her eyes as she looks away from Maggie. Bree happens to adore my Bella.
"Bree, please get this up and back in the basket. Just set it on my desk. And make sure the trash is gone by the time Bella and I get back." I am jogging backwards towards the door to the stairs as I speak.
"Gladly, Edward. Don't come back to this office without her," she warns. I can't help the smirk on my face. This is why I like Bree. She isn't afraid to say shit to me. I have no doubt she'll handle Maggie personally before security gets here. I slam the door open and begin to run down the stairs. I can hear Bella's footsteps several flights of stairs down below me.
"Bella! Bella, don't run. Please! Just wait!" I am running like my life depends on it. I am not about to lose my Bella over a desperate piece of trash. I won't lose my baby girl over anything. As I am making my way down at record speed, I can still hear her little footsteps echo through the stairwell. She isn't going to make it to the lobby. I will catch her before that happens, but I really want her to stop on her own.
"Baby girl, please! Just stop for a minute. Give me a chance to explain." Oh wow, isn't that what every guilty man who gets caught says?
I need to think of something that doesn't make me sound like I am just going to feed her a handful of excuses and something that will at least make her pause for a moment. Say something! Say anything, idiot!
So … I yell out the first thing that pops in my head.
"I do not eat green eggs and ham, I do not eat them Sam I am!"
What. The. Fuck. I am a complete fucktard. Even I would run from that.
To my utter astonishment and disbelief, I hear her steps falter. I hear her come to a stumbling stop. And then I hear my third favorite sound in the world. She fucking giggles at me and my idiot brain.
Ok, so maybe that wasn't the worst thing you could have said.
"Bella? Baby, are you gonna let me come to you?" Another giggle escapes her perfect mouth. I can't help but break out in a smile. What can I say, I'm a sucker for it, I love to hear her giggle.
"No!" My smile falls a little when I hear her say that. I hear her footsteps again, but this time they sound like they are getting closer. "But I will come to you."
Now I am grinning like an idiot and I don't care who sees it. I really want to meet her half-way, but I'll let her lead this little dance. I need to explain what she saw and I'm not going to do anything she doesn't tell me to. Yeah, I'm whipped and I LOVE it.
I wait, albeit a little impatiently, as she slowly makes her way back up the stairs. I try to remember she is wearing heels and she needs to walk slowly to be safe, but I admit I let out a little huff. Yeah, I can be childish, so sue me. Finally, FINALLY, I can see her on the flight just beneath me. My body reacts the same way it always does when she is near. I have a little talk with my man member. Not now, buddy.
When she gets to the bottom of the flight of stairs I am on, she stops. Leaning against the wall, she arches her eyebrow at me. The arching of her eyebrow can mean so many things, I have come to learn. Her arms are crossed over her chest, and yeah, I notice the way it pushes her tits up. She is wearing a white tank top, one that is just tight enough to really make her breasts look spectacular; almost too good. Almost to the point I want her to wear a shirt on top so no one else can see the goods. But I would never ask her to do that. One, she is a grown woman who can wear what she wants and two, I kinda like that men see what I have and they don't. All mine! The skirt she is wearing flows to her ankles. It's navy blue, my favorite color on her, with several white stripes that slant diagonally from her hips to the center of the skirt from top to bottom, in the shape of a "V". She is wearing a pair of jeweled gladiator sandals on her perfect little feet and white gold bangles and earrings to set it off. White gold looks so good on her. Well, actually, to me she makes the white gold look beautiful. God, she's so beautiful and perfect. And mine. How did that happen? I don't know, but thank you God for giving me her!
I don't know how long I stare at her, but after a while she clears her throat, bringing me back to the issue at hand.
"Green Eggs and Ham? Really, Edward?" There's that giggle again.
"I'm an idiot. It was all that popped in my head! I just needed you to stop and give me a minute. You have to admit, it worked." I give her my best boyish grin I have. She begins to walk up the stairs to me. As always, my heart starts to race a little as she gets closer. I'm not even sure that is a healthy response. Maybe I should see a doctor about that. When she reaches the step just below me, I switch our positions so we can be at the same height. I want to be looking directly in her eyes when I tell her what happened.
"Bella, what you saw back there …" I am silenced when Bella places her finger over my lips. She gives me one of my favorite smiles. It's the smile she gives me that says I love you, crazy man. I kiss her finger.
"Edward, you don't have to explain anything to me. I don't, for one second, believe you initiated what I saw up there in your office. I know you would never do that to me."
I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. God, I am so relieved to hear those words.
"But you ran from me." I trust her when she says she knows I would never do that, but I really need to know why she ran.
"I wasn't running from you, I was running to get away from that woman. I didn't want to cause a scene at your place of business, baby. If I had stayed up there near her, I'm pretty sure I would have lost my temper. That is something I try very hard not to do. When I lose my temper, I tend to get … let's just say … a little out of control."
I know it shouldn't, but the thought of her losing her shit on Maggie turns me on. I'm a sick bastard, I think. I may need help.
"Oh yeah? So you would have … what … maybe thrown a punch or two?"
She smirks. She knows I'd love to see the feisty side of her if she got angry like that.
"More than a punch or two. You do remember what I do to stay in shape don't you?"
Now THAT— that is something I definitely will never forget. I went to her gym with her once. I only went once because when I left I had to hold her gym bag in such a way as to hide my massive hard on. Baby girl boxes to stay in shape. And when she boxes, she wears these really small, tight shorts and tank tops or sports bra. The one time I went with her, it was a sports bra. So not only was her very toned, muscular stomach visible, but I also had to bear witness to the beads of sweat that were trickling down between her breasts. And I can't forget the light sheen of moisture covering the rest of her body. The way her thighs glistened when the light hit them just right, have mercy! I had my own sheen of moisture gathering somewhere.
I was actually really proud of myself that day. I did not overreact when I saw a small group of men gathering to watch Bella and her trainer go round after round. I didn't even get angry when her trainer, Tony, was able to catch her off guard and got on top of her to hold her down until she fought him off. Of course, he's gay, so reminding myself of that helped.
"Oh I remember," I say as I waggle my eyebrows at her. She rolls her eyes and playfully hits my chest. The minute her hand makes contact, I grab her wrist and draw her closer to me. "Enough trash talk," I whisper against her lips. I am just about to lay one on her when a disgusting thought hits me. I stop and pull away from her. She looks at me a little confused.
"I just remembered something. Come with me." I take her hand and we make our way back up to my office floor. As we exit the stairwell, we are met with a smiling Bree.
"That's better!" I can't help but laugh. Bella blushes and giggles as we pass by to my office.
"Hey, Bree, go ahead and take your lunch now. Take two hours. And thank you for the help."
"But Edward, I already had lunch." I really need her not close to my office door.
"So take another one. Consider it a bonus. Just be scarce," I say as I give her a wink and close the door. I can hear her laughter as it shuts. After a few minutes she yells through the door.
"I'm gone! Enjoy your lunch!" I damn well plan on it. But first, I have something very necessary to take care of. I release Bella's hand and walk into my private bathroom. I grab my toothbrush and load it up with toothpaste.
"Edward, what are you doing?" I can tell Bella is equally amused and curious.
"I will not kiss without washing that nasty woman out of my mouth. Besides, I think I vomited in my mouth when she kissed me." I turn to the sink and begin to scrub the shit out of my teeth, my tongue, my gums, and even the insides of my cheeks. My mouth feels tainted by stank. Bella walks in and stands behind me, my eyes looking into hers in the mirror.
"You know, I think that is a very romantic gesture that you want to wash her essence off your mouth before you kiss me." She runs her hands up my back and over my shoulders as she stands there. I shiver at her touch even through my jacket, dress shirt, and undershirt. She always has that effect on me.
I spit the mouthful of foam out. "Baby girl, please don't use the word essence in the same conversation as that woman. Ugh! I just … yeah, just don't." She laughs, but I know she understands.
After a very thorough brushing and numerous rinses with Listerine, I feel my mouth has been properly sanitized. Bella, while waiting for me to finish, made her way back into my office. She is looking out the huge window down on the cityscape. She doesn't hear my approach. As soon as I am within reach, I grab her and spin her around.
"NOW! I believe I owe you one massive kiss!" I lean down and greedily capture her lips with mine. I push my tongue into her mouth as hers begins an erotic dance for dominance with mine. I walk her backwards until she is pressed between my body and the window pane. I begin to run my hands through her hair, down her neck, down her arms, and finally into her hands. I intertwine our fingers and bring her hands above her head.
Sometimes I think I could kiss Bella for hours non-stop and it wouldn't be enough. Her taste is addictive. Her scent is hypnotic. Her lips are as soft as rose petals and the noises she makes when I kiss her are like a melody just for me. As usual, I know I need to slow this kiss down.
While we have taken our physical relationship to another level, we still have yet to have actual intercourse. This time, it's not all Bella's decision. We talked about it a few days after that in-fucking-credible blow job she gave me. And while my cock may be angry with me, I want to wait now, too. The more I thought about things, the more I realized … everything about us is so passionate. If we put off intercourse until our honeymoon, what gets unleashed in our room on our honeymoon night will be explosive to say the least. And Bella, yeah she is definitely worth the wait.
I finally slow the kiss, and with a few quick pecks, I release her hands. She winds them around my neck as she looks into my eyes. She is smiling at me, and the look she is giving me makes me feel … cherished, adored, loved, and needed. Her look says everything I need to know.
"So, what did I do to deserve a visit today from my favorite girl?" She bites her lip and smiles before answering me. I take my thumb and trace her lips. She places a sweet kiss on the pad of my thumb.
"I don't know, what did Maggie say while she was here?" Oh no she did NOT!
"You are SO gonna pay for that!" I begin to tickle her sides. She is laughing so hard she is having trouble talking.
"Stop — stop!" She tries to take deep breaths in between laughing and talking. She wiggles free from my grasp and runs for the door, but I catch her and carry her to my couch where I throw her down and straddle her, careful not to put too much weight on her. I begin to tickle her again.
"Take it back, Miss Swan! Take it back right now!" It's hard to sound stern when you are cackling like a hyena.
"I'm —I'm s-s-sorry! I t-t-take it back!"
"Now, who's my favorite girl?" She can't stop squirming and laughing. "Who is it Miss Swan? Who is my FAVORITE GIRL in the world?"
"Me! I AM! I'M YOUR FAVORITE GIRL!" There it is. I stop with the tickling assault and instantly drop down on her.
"You got that fucking straight." With no more warning I dive right back into her beautiful mouth. I would have made it quick, but she let out a moan as she opened up for my tongue. Quick just wouldn't do after that. So for the next twenty minutes I plundered Bella's mouth as my hands all but molested her. I would have stopped, but when I asked her if it was okay, she responded, "I'm yours. It's definitely okay."
Save it for the honeymoon, Edward! SAVE IT FOR THE HONEYMOON!
Oh yeah, I was taking stock of every little comment like that one and storing it away for our honeymoon night. She won't be able to walk for a week when I'm done. Who am I trying to kid, I won't ever be done with her.
When we can up for air, Bella gave me a little shove as my cue to move. Bree had collected everything from the basket and placed it on my desk.
"I wanted to show the love of my life I was thinking about him. So … I made you lunch. Are you sure you have time now?"
"For you, baby girl, I have all the time in the world." She arches her eyebrow again. This time it stands for "be serious"; if she only knew how serious I was.
"No, really baby. That woman was my last appointment. The rest of the day was going to be spent in front of the computer and scouring through contracts. I can assure you, they won't mind if I wait a bit." I grin and wink at her.
"Well … OK. If you're sure? So, in that case, give me just a minute to set everything out." With a quick kiss she grabs the basket and heads over to the conference table. It's only used when I have meetings with some of my editors and we decide to work through lunch.
"I'm gonna return a few calls while you get everything set up." She nods and starts to unload the basket. I turn my chair to look out the window while I am on the phone. If I don't, I'll just wind up getting lost in my daydreams while staring at Bella. She looks REALLY fucking good today. I mean, she looks good every day, but that blue on her is just fuckin mouth watering. Oh, yeah, phone calls.
I spend about another twenty or thirty minutes on the phone dealing with petty shit really and making a few arrangements for the ball I promised my mother I would take care of. The most delicious aroma wafts my way pulling me from my current phone call. I spin my chair around to find Bella standing in front of a very elegant table setting. She never ceases to amaze me. There is a white cloth covering half of the conference table. The table gives the illusion of being in some little bistro. She has our plates dished up; linen napkins, wine glasses with the wine already poured, and even a little mason jar with flowers in the center complete the setting. Has it really only been thirty minutes?
"I'm sorry I'll have to call you back." I don't listen for a response, I just hang up. To be honest, I can't even tell you who I was talking to now.
"Bella! How …" I'm speechless. I can't believe she did all this for me. No one has ever done anything even close to this for me before.
"What can I say? I love you. I wanted to do something special since you were so busy. I know you've been eating fast food for lunch, and I thought you may enjoy this more than …"
Yeah, I cut her off with a kiss. The whole time she was talking I was stalking my way to the table.
"I love you so much. And thank you for this. You really have no idea how much it means to me. I love it!" I just hold her face in my hands.
"You haven't even tasted it yet." I just shake my head.
"Doesn't matter. I know I'll love it because you made it for me." I finally look over to see what all she made me. It all looks delicious. Pasta salad, grilled chicken breast, steamed veggies and homemade bread. That's it. I am a lucky son of a bitch.
We finally start to sit to eat but as soon as I hit the chair, I grab Bella around the waist and pull her to my lap. She giggles but doesn't attempt to move. It would be pointless anyways. The conversation is light and fun as we take our time eating. My phone rings a few times, but I really don't care. Bella starts to argue I should answer it because it may be important, to which I arch MY eyebrow. It's the arch that lets her know there is no use in saying anything because I'm not moving a muscle.
I really never knew how much fun having lunch with my girlfriend in my office could be. And I certainly never knew how special having her bring me lunch would make me feel. I finish off everything she set out for me. She gets up to clear the plates and begins looking through the basket of goodies.
"Oh, shoot! I could have sworn I put the dessert in here. I made you those cookies you love so much; the ones with the big chunks of chocolate." As she digs around the basket, I'm just struck by her … everything. Suddenly, it's not cookies I want for dessert. I stand abruptly, swiping what is left of the table setting on the floor. Bella barely has time to register what I have done before I am grabbing her and pulling her to me.
"I don't want those cookies. I want this cookie," I say as I palm her sex through her skirt. I notice the little shiver that runs through her and the way her breathing hitches.
I gently push her onto the table and begin to pull her skirt up, slowly. I never look away from her eyes, as I gather the hem in my hands and push it past her thighs to her hips.
"Ed-Edward. We c-can't. You have meetings on this table." Her breathing is becoming more labored. I can see her pupils dilate. I know her better than she knows herself.
"I do. And now, I'm going to have you on this table, too." My voice is husky and my hands shake a little in anticipation. Once I have her skirt out of the way, I finally look down. She is wearing these sexy little navy blue lace boy shorts. The color next to her skin is just fucking beautiful. Too bad these panties won't last long. I'll just have to buy her new ones. Looking back into her blue eyes, I rip the panties right off of her with barely any effort at all. Leaning in I lick the shell of her ear and whisper "Oops."
I drop a kiss just behind her ear. I then trail open-mouth kisses down her jaw, her neck, and her chest. I slowly lower her upper body onto the table. The way my hands are placed on her mid and lower back causes her head to drop and her hair to cascade to the table with the most beautiful arch in her back. She's fucking stunning. I wish I had a camera to capture this precise moment. Her face has a slightly red hue to it, her eyes are closed, and her mouth is open just enough I can hear her breaths. I make sure her ass is just on the edge of the table. Once I finally have her positioned just right, I softly run my hands down her legs. When I reach her ankles, I pull them up, placing her feet flat on the table but shoulder width apart. Running my hands back to her knees, I push them apart until they are almost touching the table.
For just a brief moment, I wonder just how flexible she is. There will be time for that later. The sight in front of me is much too heady to concentrate on anything else. Bella is wide open for me. I've had her like this before, but having her like this in my office, so trusting and so mine, is such a powerful feeling. Not powerful in a "she's at my mercy" kinda way, but powerful as in "potent enough to rip me apart".
I sit back down in my seat and move it closer to my destination. There it is; her dripping wet folds and swollen clit all on display for me. I'm so close, all I have to do is stick my tongue out and I'm there. I inhale deep, letting her scent completely consume me. My eyes roll back in my head and my dick feels like it is going to bust right out of my pants.
"Edward … PLEASE!" Fuck, I love it when she begs!
"What is it, Baby girl? What do you want? Tell me. You know I'll give you anything." And that is the God's honest truth. I would give Bella any and every thing.
"Please! I just want you, Edward. Please, touch me." Her voice is a little strangled; the anticipation is getting to her. But that's okay, because she doesn't have to ask me twice for anything.
Using my thumbs, I separate her folds. She's so wet; I swear it almost brings a tear to my eye. I don't know why, but for just a moment I am utterly fascinated with just how wet she is. It is trickling down her opening to her ass. Some has made its way onto her inner thighs. The feeling of knowing I am the only one who can do this to her is indescribable. Deciding it's time to put us both out of our misery, I dive in, tongue first; one long, hard lick from just below the opening of her sex all the way to her clit. I hear her sharp intake of air and start working her over.
I nibble on her clit as I thrust two fingers into her, curling them up hitting that spot inside her that causes her to scream. She screams my name, loud. This is why I wanted Bree gone. No one can hear her scream.
I add a third finger as I pump in and out of her. I hear her wetness with each thrust. I can feel it when I alternate between nibbling on her clit and licking her. I am always aroused by how tight she is; like a vice. Just thinking about when it's my dick being choked and not my fingers has me ready to cum. Every time I hit her g-spot there is a fresh wave of wetness that floods my mouth. I could do this for hours. She tastes so fucking sweet; truly unique, just like the rest of her.
I take a moment and pull my head back while continuing to thrust my fingers in and out. I use my other hand to keep her clit stimulated. I plan on getting my mouth back there before she cums, because I want her to do that in my mouth. I'm not missing out on that delicacy. I just want to look at her face and body for a minute while she is in the throes of passion.
The vision before me is the thing masterpieces are made of. Her body is writhing on the table, her hips moving in sync with the thrusts from my fingers. Her head is thrown back. A single tear is sliding down her cheek which is flush. Her hands are desperately searching for something to hold onto; almost as if she's afraid she is going to come off the table. When they finally latch onto the edge of each side, she holds on so tightly her knuckles are turning white. Even with all that, it's her moans and incoherent talking that spurs me on.
"Ahhhh! Edwaaaard … please, oh please — so good— can't …"
"I know, baby. I know. Are you gonna give it to me, Bella? Are you gonna cum for me?"
She tries to speak but it gets stuck in her throat, so she nods her head furiously. I bring my face back down and begin licking and sucking on her clit.
"Ah — Aaaargh. Oh my … EDWARD! EDWARD! EDWARD! I LOVE YOU, PLEASE!"
Fucking music to my ears. Damn! When she screams my name it makes me growl. It makes me want to rip her fucking clothes off and fuck and mark her until we both pass out. I hum knowing the vibrations on her clit will drive her insane. As soon as I do, her tiny hands weave and latch onto my hair. This is what I want. I love when she starts to take control, letting me know exactly where she needs me. I listen to her chant "please" just a little longer then decide to take her over the edge. I ease my fingers out of her. She whimpers at the loss, which is exactly what I want. I quickly replace my fingers with my tongue, shoving it in and out of her as hard as I can while rubbing tight circles on her clit. Her hips start to buck, a sure sign she is close to exploding. With my unoccupied hand, I use my arm to brace her hips down. When I feel a gush of wetness, I go in for the kill by giving her clit a hard flick and then pinch down on it. Her thighs try to close, locking my head in between them. I'm in heaven right now. She is clenching them together so tightly it's almost painful, but I love every second of it.
My mouth is fucking flooded with her sweetness as she screams until her voice gives out. Her whole body tenses for the duration of her orgasm, which I am trying to draw out by continuing to suck every drop of her I can get, moaning and humming as I do. She just tastes too good not to vocalize it in some way.
I gently stroke her to ease her down from her euphoria and I feel her body begin to go limp. I hear her saying my name over and over in a whisper as she calms. Removing my hand, I lick my fingers clean and make sure my mouth is juice free before I kiss her one last time before her legs fall limply to her side. Her chest is heaving and her eyes are closed. I stand and hover over her. While I wait for her to open her eyes, I place my hand over her heart. It is beating so fast I'm almost a little scared.
After a few more minutes, Bella's eyes flutter open and there is a lazy smile playing on her mouth. I stare into her beautiful blues and just smile back, neither of us saying a word for now. She reaches up and lovingly strokes my jaw while placing her other hand on top of mine that is still resting over her heart. I don't know how long we've been in here together, how many phone calls were missed, or what will not get finished today as a result of our rendezvous. At this particular moment, I don't give a shit. It's not every day I get visited at my office by the woman I love more than anyone or anything else on this planet. It's not every day I get served lunch by said woman. And it certainly isn't every day I get to enjoy said woman as dessert on the table I do million dollar business transactions. So fucking worth it.
"You are, without a doubt, the most precious thing in my world," I tell her as we gaze at each other. Truer words have never been spoken. I honestly believe I would kill someone if they hurt Baby girl.
"And you are the answer to so many of my prayers, Edward Cullen. A lifetime isn't long enough for me to cherish you." Damn! She always cuts right to the heart of me.
After a few heavy kisses, I help her off the table and straighten her clothing out. Her panties are a total loss. I just grab them and shove them in my pocket, because I will most definitely not be leaving them in the trash for the cleaning crew to see. After picking up the mess I made on the floor, and wiping the table down from the mess she made because of me, Bella gets ready to head out. I question hits me then that I should have thought of when she first got in my office.
"How did you get here today?" I'm still a little nervous about her going out on her own. I nearly had a heart attack when she went to her office and left her cell phone at home. I was in a near frenzy when I finally heard the door open and shut. Seeing her so pale and shaking from her panic attack sent me into overprotective mode. I'll admit I went a little overboard with my questioning, especially when she mentioned Jimmy. After I calmed down, I did apologize.
I rationally know that my Bella had male friends before we met. And rationally, I know those male friends never did and never will stand a chance with Bella. But the very insecure male part of my brain, which comes up with all things stupid, loses it at the thought, mention, or sight of her with them.
"Don't worry; I had your driver bring me. And he is waiting for my call when I am ready to leave." I know she is rolling her eyes, even with her back turned to me. She can roll them all she wants; I just don't want her out on the streets of New York City alone, in case she has another panic attack. Even Jimmy said she needed to take baby steps. I really try not to come across as a controlling asshole, but I came too close to losing her. I wouldn't survive if something ever happened to her. There would be no "time heals all wounds" or "you will love again". I would simply cease to exist.
"Good." I walk to her and grab both of her hands in mine. "So where are you heading after you leave here?"
Before she answers, her cell begins to vibrate. It's in a cell phone case attached to her purse so it's within easy reach, yet she doesn't make a move to answer it. She just stares at it. This floods my mind with a hundred other questions. She has been doing this a lot the past week or so. When the phone rings, she hesitates to answer it, even if it's a text message. At times she actually looks afraid to see what it says.
I noticed something was off when we stayed in the penthouse all day and we were in the theater. She was in no hurry to put her phone back together after it fell to pieces on the floor. She insisted it was a wrong number. Later that night I was going to bring it up again, but otherwise occupied. While she slept in my arms after making her cum for the third time, I grabbed her phone off the nightstand. It was locked with a passcode. Bella has never used a passcode on her phone. I had noticed it earlier when she received another text and I handed her the phone. She brushed it off, saying a friend suggested she add a security lock in case the phone was ever stolen.
The passcode didn't stop me. After two tries, I took a leap and tried my initials. It worked. I couldn't help but smile that she used my name as her passcode. When I scrolled to her texts, they were deleted. Not all of them mind you, only the ones sent that day. And now, here we are, Bella looking apprehensive about answering her phone to see who is sending her a text.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" I knew she wasn't, but I need to see her reaction. I need to watch her face when she answers. She quickly looks at me then snaps her eyes back to the phone when it alerts to a text message.
Uh-huh.
"Uh … no. It's probably just my friend letting me know he's at the coffee shop."
"Yeah, but shouldn't you make sure?" I'm goading her, but I need to know what the hell keeps getting her so nervous. And yes, I caught the "he" part.
"Uh, yeah. I mean — Sure, I should check and be sure. I will. I'll check now." She is stumbling over her words.
I watch as she reaches for her cell. From the look on her face you would think she was holding her hand out to be bitten by a snake. She finally grabs it, but I notice when she opens it she takes a step back from me. I'm not letting you out of this so easily this time.
I follow suit by taking a step forward. She notices, giving me a quick glance up, then back to the screen. When she taps it to open the message, she takes another step back. We repeat this several times and during the process I notice the color of her face pale slightly. I reach for the phone, but she is faster, hitting the delete button before I can stop her.
"Bella, what was the message?" She looks at me briefly then looks at the phone again.
"Nothing, Edward. Just one of those automated messages. My number must be on some list or something. I'll have to call and get it removed tomorrow." She throws the phone in her purse, but I catch that she has turned it off.
"Bella, your face went pale when you read that message and you can't lie. Especially not to me. Now, what was the message?"
"Edward, you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. It was just a wrong number; the same one from the other night. They just keep texting. It's no big deal."
"If it's no big deal, why did you delete the message?"
"There's just no point in keeping it when it's not meant for me." I'm not buying any of this. Something is going on, and whatever it is, it's bad enough for Bella to feel the need to lie to me about it. It's also bad enough to make Bella seem frightened every time that phone goes off. And I'm sure as fuck going to find out what it is.
"Listen, I need to get going. I'm already running a little late." She's changing the subject.
"You didn't get a chance to tell me what all you were doing when you left here."
"Well, actually I am meeting a friend for coffee … and then I thought I would go to my apartment." She says the last part hesitantly. My body stiffens as soon as she says it. I don't want her to go back to that apartment. Her home is with me. I wish she would sell the damn thing. We already had that argument when she found out her neighbors were moving out and she considered buying their unit so she could knock down some walls and make her space twice as big. Good investment — bad idea for her. Again, I'll admit I overreacted.
Only, that overreaction she doesn't know about. The unit MAY have been bought before it ever went on the market and I MAY have been the one to buy it. Only it couldn't be traced to me directly. While Masen Publishing is my main business focus, my family has many, many business ventures. So the unit that I MAY have purchased MAY have been done so under a business not attached to me personally, but still family owned. So, by the time Bella inquired about the property she was informed it would not be coming on the market. She was disappointed, but she didn't dwell on it. Eventually, I'm sure she will figure it out, and I am prepared for that. It is what it is. I want Bella with me, always.
"Who are you having coffee with?" Obviously I want to know if she is just dropping by her apartment or is she is planning on staying, but in an effort to reign in the asshole in me, I start with the subject of lesser importance.
"Jimmy." Well, fuck me. I should have started with the apartment.
"Oh, Jimmy, huh? Well. That's … nice." I do a piss poor job of hiding my distaste for her coffee date.
"Edward, you said you understood. We've been through this. Jimmy, Vicky, and I go back a long ways. I haven't spoken to them in a while until he found me in that alley." I grimace at the mention of the alley incident. It makes my stomach turn to even think of her huddled in a ball, scared, alone, and with no way to call me.
"I know I said I understood. And I meant it. Really." Again, I suck at hiding just how much I hate her having coffee with Freud. "Will Vicky be there, too?" At least if she were there it wouldn't be SO bad. I can't help it. I just don't trust other men around Bella. She is so completely oblivious to how men perceive her. No matter how many times I try to tell her how fucking attractive she is, she refuses to believe anyone other than me want her. She has no idea how wrong she is.
"She said she is going to try to be there. She has a patient at the hospital who just had some sort of major surgery so she is waiting around to make sure everything is stable. She's not sure if she can get away or not." Stupid surgery. And since when did doctors care THAT much.
I take a deep breath and remind myself of how Bella reacted to the incident with Maggie, and how bad it could have gone if she weren't … well … her. No matter what Jimmy or any other man thinks or wants, she's mine just as much as I'm hers. She would never even entertain the thought.
"I'll cancel if you don't want me to go," she says in a soft voice. I look in her eyes for any sign of anger or sarcasm, but all I see is sincerity. "If it makes you uncomfortable, Edward, I can cancel. Maybe we could reschedule for a time when all four of us could get together."
And that right there is why I am going to marry this woman and hold on to her for dear life. She would willingly, and without any resentment, cancel a simple coffee date with an old friend just to make me feel better. I'm an ass.
"No, Baby girl," I give her a peck on the lips. "Go and have a good time. I know you haven't seen them in a while. And maybe Vicky will get to join you. But if you want to plan a date where the four of us do something, I'm game. Just let me know when and where." I give her a genuine smile because of the way she is beaming at me. We've not been around many people outside my family and a few of her friends since our return from Africa. I know she is dying to get a group together and do something.
"Are you sure?" She scrunches her nose when she asks me. It really is adorable.
"Positive. Just out of curiosity though, uh … about you going to your apartment. How long are you planning on being there?" I hold my breath waiting for her reply.
"You worry too much, love. I just want to go by and check on everything, collect my mail from this past week, that sorta thing."
I breathe a sigh of relief at which Bella chuckles at. I do wish she would get more of her stuff and bring it to my place. I'm not being presumptuous or chauvinistic thinking since I'm the man Bella should move her stuff to my place. Bella has told me countless times how much she loves the penthouse, which I now consider to be OUR home. When we discuss marriage, she often brings up the idea of keeping her apartment for her friends, like Jane, to use when in town. Members of my extended family could use it during the holidays as well. I just really want to move things along. I do realize, of course, the first step towards making this forever is putting that ring on her finger. That will be happening so very soon. I want it to be spontaneous and meaningful.
As she gathers her things, I tell her to leave the basket for later. I walk her to the elevator.
"If you have time I would love for you to stop by the coffee shop and meet Jimmy. I think you would really like him." She sounds so hopeful, how can I tell her no.
"Ok, I'll try my best. Hopefully I won't be here too late and I'll try to catch you before you head over to your apartment. Which coffee shop will you be at?"
"You remember the one around the corner from my building, on the corner of the block?"
"Sure, I remember."
"That's where we will be. I hope you can make it." She stands on her tip toes to give me a kiss. I go one better than that and lift her up so we are face to face and make sure to give her a kiss to last until tonight.
"I love you, Baby girl."
"I love you, too. I'll see you in a bit."
She gets on the elevator and I watch as the doors close. I head back to my office to get as much done as I can before it gets too late. I guess I really should at least talk to Jimmy before I assume the worst. It's actually kinda funny in a way. I've never been a jealous man; EVER. And it's not even so much that I am jealous over Bella, I think it's more that I'm just not ready to share her. Aside from the fact the months we have been together feels more like mere weeks, but the whole incident in Africa shook me to my core. When we returned I started feeling like everyone was trying to take her away from me. I know it's something I need to work through.
I manage to get a lot done, but the messages on Bella's phone never leave my mind. I check my watch and it's going on seven. I decide to pack it in for the day and try to catch Bella and Jimmy at the coffee shop. My driver picks me up in front of the office. As we get close to the coffee shop traffic begins to really back up. I decide just to walk the rest of the way and tell my driver, Jared, to take the rest of the night off. Bella and I can just stay at her apartment tonight. It will be a change of scenery I'm sure she will be glad to have and it will save Jared from having to fight this traffic again.
I round the corner to the coffee shop. I stop, looking to see if they are even still in here. I finally see them at a corner table. From where I am standing I can see them but they can't see me. I don't know why but I just stand there and watch them. I have every intention of meeting Jimmy, just maybe not tonight. I'm curious how he acts towards Bella without me around. You learn a lot about body language when you're in business.
So I stand and I watch. I watch every fucking move Jimmy makes. And while I try so very hard to silence the jealous asshole in me, he is a persistent fucker. The longer I stand and watch, the more my blood heats up. There are no overtly flirtatious actions— nothing to cause me to bust through the door and beat the shit out of him. It's just the little things that eat away at me. The way he leans too close, the way he touches her hand or her arm, or the way he smirks at her when she tells him something funny. The kicker for me is when he reaches over to brush some hair off of Bella's neck, placing it behind her shoulder. It may just be my opinion, the opinion of a jealous asshole, but that is too fucking intimate and he has no business doing that shit. Even Bella seems uncomfortable with the gesture and moves away from him. That's my girl.
I still don't barge in like I would love to. For one, I know Bella can handle herself. Now if he grabbed her or made any threatening gestures, I'd beat the fuck out of him. But he hasn't, so I won't. Secondly, if I go in there now I am very liable to comment on the aforementioned hair moving, and that would surely give away the fact I have been standing at the window watching them. Jimmy will be meeting me soon enough. Every minute that passed, I felt something boiling just under the surface. I felt predatory. I felt a need to claim, to mark. So I am standing outside her building with that intention in mind. This feeling hasn't faded, not once. I want him to know she is off limits. I want everyone to know she is off limits. She's mine.
I give her enough time to get settled, and then I am on my way up. It's like I'm being driven by this desire. And I won't stop, don't think I can. My heart feels like it is beating out of my chest. I don't know if I knock, but as soon as she opens the door, I attack. I push her into the apartment, slamming the door behind me. Then I push her against the door and kiss her. It's angry, desperate, and hard. I'm hard. I don't think I've ever been this hard. But I can't help it. Today I had someone try to fuck with what's mine and watched as another man touched her. Bella may not see it, but I've seen the look in Jimmy's eyes before. It was the look of a man staring at something he wants. Happily married men don't look at other women the way he was looking at Bella. I am not having it.
"Edward…Edward what…what are you doing?" she asks trying to break away from my kiss. I won't let her. I pulled her away from the door without saying a word and pick her up, forcing her legs to wrap around my waist. When I begin to walk with her attached to me, she probably thinks I am going to try to take her to the bedroom. Not necessary. We wouldn't make it that far anyway. I lower us both to the floor, her underneath me and I hover.
"Edward…what's wrong? What are you doing?" I am kissing down her neck now. Sucking and biting as I go. She lets out a low moan the harder I suck and bite. The sound of her moan causes me to buck my erection into her center.
"OhmyGod…Edward…we can't," her resolve sounds weak as she starts to pant.
"I know. No sex. I remember," I finally answer back.
"Then what…ahhh…what are you doing?" Another moan as I drive into her again.
"I saw you tonight. I saw you with James. I was there, watching you," I am looking her in the eyes now. I want her to know how serious I am right now.
"Ok, you knew I was having coffee with him today. Why are you acting like this?" confusion written all over her face.
"You know what I saw?" I ask as I take both her hands in one of mine and hold them above her head. My grip is tight; too tight. But I can't be bothered with that shit right now.
She doesn't answer, just stares at what I am sure is the possessed look in my eyes. "What I saw was a man trying very hard to get too close to what's mine." My hand begins to roam her body, cupping and squeezing as it goes. I know she likes my hands on her. She may be confused, but her body's reaction betrays her. Her nipples harden, her pupils dilate. I moan at the thought of her arousal that is probably pooling between her thighs.
"Bella, did I ever tell you that I…DON"T…SHARE!" I punctuate the last three words with a sharp thrust of my hips into her heated core. I want her know how hard she's made me. Her eyes roll back in her head a little.
"Edward, you have nothing to worry…." I don't let her finish. I kiss her again. It's sloppy and wet.
"Oh, I'm not worried," I say in a very menacing tone, "I just want to be sure you and everybody else know exactly who you belong to."
"Edward, you know we can't do this," she says in a weak, almost fearful tone.
"Don't worry, Baby girl, we aren't going to have sex," I whisper in her ear as I trail kisses down her neck and under her ear. Her guttural moan lets me know she is just as turned on as I am. She is writhing under my touch, my possessiveness. She has no clue how possessive I am over her. No one will EVER take her from me. Competition has never bothered me, but she is different. She is everything, and no one threatens that.
My hips have picked up a rhythm of their own volition. She is meeting me thrust for thrust. She's panting. I slowly drag my hands down her body and slip it just underneath the waistband of her yoga pants.
"Can I have another taste, Baby girl? Hmm?" I ask as I continue thrusting into her. I can feel a familiar burn in my gut. I know what's coming— both of us.
Bella is so lost in the sensation of what I am doing; she just nods her head to my question. As soon as she does, my hand is inside her lacey panties and running along the insides of her delicate folds, making a quick pass by her clit. She is fucking soaked. As soon as my hand is free, I immediately bring it to my mouth and suck my fingers.
Fuuuuccckkkk! She tastes so mutherfucking good! Every time it's like I'm tasting her for the first time. My eyes drift shut at the taste.
"Is that for me angel? Is all that sweetness for me?" I latch my mouth onto hers and kiss her till we both need air.
"Who does this to you Bella? Who makes you dripping fucking wet? Answer me!" I am panting as I speak, thrusting.
"YOU DO EDWARD!" her voice is strained.
I latch onto her neck and suck again in the same spot I bit her just a few months ago. I suck and nip until I am sure there is another mark there. I release her and look her in her eyes again, which are heavy lidded and almost black.
"Do you remember where that scar came from?" She nods.
"What does that mark tell everyone?" I arch my eyebrow waiting for her to say what I want to hear most.
"That I-I belong to you," she breathes. Good answer.
"Who sets your body and soul on fire Bella?"
"You do Edward!"
"Who does this body belong to Bella?" I add one very hard thrust to punctuate my point.
"AHH…you…you Edward!"
"Who is the only one who will EVER get to FUCK…THIS…BODY?" More thrusts and hard kisses as my voice gets louder with every word.
"You Edward! ONLY YOU — UGH — my God —YOU!" Her thrusts are becoming harder and her head is thrashing from side to side. I release her hands so I can use both of mine to pull her body closer to mine. I use one hand to prop us up while using the other to bring her upper body up with me.
Leaning into her ear I whisper "Don't forget it! I won't let you forget it. And I will let that and every other mutherfucker know it, too. Your pleasure, your pain … everything belongs to me!"
"YES —YOU —ONLY YOU EDWARD" she screams. With that I lower her back down to the floor and begin thrusting with everything in me. I know I may have a raw dick from this but fuck it. I can't fuck her like I want, so this will have to do. As I watch and feel her writhe beneath me, I can feel my climax coming like a freight train. I can see her orgasm starting as well. Her eyes are closing and I can feel her body shake.
"Give it to me Bella! Don't deny me what's mine!" As soon as the words leave my mouth she screams out in ecstasy. The second I see her face as she cums, I'm done for. I don't even give a fuck that I just came in my pants.
"You are in so much trouble, Baby girl. On our wedding night, I am gonna fuck you so hard. We are gonna make up for lost time."
As my thrusts slow and I ease her down from her orgasm, I roll off of her and drag her onto my chest. She is weak and I can move her like a ragdoll. We lay there, on her hallway floor, catching our breath. I look down into her angelic face.
"I love you. I'm the only one who can love you like this, Bella. No one is allowed." I dip my head down and give her a kiss. As I stroke her hair, she drifts off to sleep. I ease from under her, gingerly lift her, and carry her to her bedroom. I lay her down and drape a blanket over her. Grabbing a pair of pajama pants I keep here, I make quick work of getting out of my very messy pants, stripping everything else off to jump in the shower. I let the water wash away the madness of the day. I don't linger. I really just want to curl up with Bella tucked into my body and get some sleep. No sooner than I am situated in the bed and have Bella pulled tight against me, I feel my eyes droop as sleep claims me.
Two weeks have passed since Bella joined me for lunch in my office. That's really all I choose to remember about that day. It was the most important thing that happened, in my opinion. Everything after she left my office was like some kind of strange temporary madness.
I really can't believe Bella didn't yell or hit me for the way I treated her after she went to her apartment. She puts up with so much of my shit. She says it's only fair for what I have to put up with, but I don't see it that way.
I was beyond giddy when Bella packed more of her things to bring back to my place. I never even mentioned it, which made it so much better. I wasn't the only one who saw the penthouse as OUR home.
We celebrated the New Year in our home, just the two of us. Earlier that evening we went to a small party. We had fun, but when the ball dropped we wanted it to be just us.
I'm still keeping a close eye on her. The deal with those messages is still plaguing me. Every time I check, the messages have been erased. She tries not to react to them if I am in the same room, but occasionally she slips up and grimaces at whatever is on the screen. Asking her about them is pointless, which leads me to believe whatever those messages say is enough to set me off. My mind is conjuring up all kinds of twisted possibilities.
Just for today, I am trying to put that and all other bull shit out of my head. I've finally decided when I am going to propose. We are having a Super Bowl party soon, with all our friends and family coming to join us. I'm going to propose then. I thought of doing it in private, but why not share it with everyone we love. I'm even flying Jane in from North Carolina. No one knows I am going to propose then, they all just think it's going to be a typical Super Bowl party. It took a while to convince Jane to fly up JUST for a football game, but she finally gave in without me having to tell her any details.
I found Rachel a new agent and just as predicted, sales are going through the roof. Business is good, and not just MP. I'm trying to get things smooth enough for me to have two weeks off for our honeymoon. Yeah, I don't want a long engagement.
I am going over a new manuscript with Liam, one of my senior editors, when my private line rings.
"Hello?" No one ever calls me on this line, so I'm a little surprised.
"Edward? Edward, it's Sue. You need to get home. NOW!" The tone of her voice terrifies me. I jump out of my seat so hard it falls backward.
"Sue, what the hell is going on? Is it Bella?" My chest tightens as I ask the question.
"Yes! I don't know what's happening. Just — Just get here, Edward! She's packing her clothes …"
I hang up the phone after I hear "packing". I don't know what the fuck is going on, but I have to get there before Bella has a chance to leave.
"Boss, are you okay?" I forgot Liam was even here.
"No! There's an emergency at home. I have to go. You'll have to handle this. I've gotta go." I'm talking so fast I'm not sure Liam catches everything I'm saying.
"No! Go! I've got everything covered here."
I rush out of my office. While waiting for the elevator I call Jared and tell him to meet me out front. As soon as I get in the car, I tell him to get me to the penthouse as fast as he can. He must sense the urgency in my tone because it seems like we are flying through the streets, yet it doesn't feel fast enough.
We get to the penthouse in half the normal time. I rush to the elevator fumbling with my key and punching the code in. The ride up seems so slow. The second the doors open, I rush to open my front door. Once inside, I am met with Bella's suitcases. What. The. Fuck.
"Bella! Bella, where are you?" She doesn't answer, but Sue comes rushing down the stairs.
"Edward, thank God you're here. I don't know what's going on. Everything was fine this morning. Next thing I know, I hear Bella crying. When I go and check on her, she is throwing things into her suitcase. She won't tell me what's wrong." I can tell Sue is upset by whatever is happening.
"Where is she?" She points upstairs. I take them two at a time and rush into our bedroom. I find Bella grabbing her things from the bathroom throwing them into an overnight bag.
"Bella, what are you doing?" Even I hear the desperation in my voice. She won't look at me.
"Bella, answer me, Baby girl! What are you doing? Why — why are you packing your stuff?" I can feel the stinging in my eyes and there is a burning sensation in my chest. She finally speaks, but she still won't look at me.
"I have to go! I have to get out of here." I hear the words, but it's like I can't make since of them.
"Why? Is it something I did? Just tell me! We can work it out, I swear. Whatever it is, I'll do whatever you want me to do! Just please, don't leave me!" The tears are streaming down my face uncontrollably. This isn't happening. This isn't happening.
"I – I just need to get out of here. I have to leave. I'm sorry …"
"NO! Don't say that! You —you can't leave me! P-Please! God, please! Just tell me what I did!" You can't leave me. I won't make it without you. PLEASE STAY!
"I'm so sorry, Edward. I just can't stay. I – I just can't. I am so sorry. You won't ever have to see me again."
"DON'T FUCKING SAY THAT! I don't understand. Just … we can work this out. What—whatever it is." The last sentence comes out as a broken whisper. I don't even think I feel my heart beating anymore. This just can't be happening.
I reach for Bella as she heads to the closest. As soon as I do she jerks out of my grasp.
"DON'T! Please! Just … Please, let me go. I have to go."
"No! I won't let you go! Make me understand! Look me in the eyes and make me understand, because I DON'T FUCKING UNDERSTAND!"
"I can't do this. I'll send for the rest of my things later." She turns on her heel and runs out of the bedroom. I follow immediately behind her. As we make it to the bottom of the stairs, I am finally able to grab her arm.
"BELLA, look me in the face and tell me why you don't want to be with me anymore!" For a brief moment, I see unbearable pain flash across her face. Oh God, please, Baby girl! Just tell me!
She recovers quickly but has yet to once look me in the eyes. She jerks out of my grasp again. She reaches in her pocket and pulls out her key, placing it on the foyer table, then grabs her bags I saw when I first entered this nightmare.
"Don't! Don't do this. I'm begging you," I actually fall to my knees. I'll beg; I don't care. "Don't give me back the key. Don't leave. I love you! I know you love me! YOU LOVE ME! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"
For just a moment, I swear she looks like she is going to break and tell me whatever fucked up bullshit started this hell. She opens her mouth, but she doesn't tell me.
"Goodbye Edward. I love you." She didn't think I could hear that last sentence, but I did. Before I can get off my knees and reach her, she is on the elevator and the doors are closing.
I stand there, stunned. Paralyzed. This can't really be happening, can it? I don't understand anything. It feels like my heart has been ripped out of my fucking chest and walked right out the door. Then a new feeling settles into my body. Rage. Pure, fucking rage.
I don't really know what happens next. All I know for sure is I hear Sue screaming for me to stop. Then, nothing. Just a dull roar in my ears. Soon, I hear Jasper next to me. I feel him holding my arms by my side.
"Edward! Calm down! You have to calm down!"
I struggle, but for some reason I'm exhausted. I finally go limp as Jasper helps me to a chair. When I look up, I'm in the office just off the foyer. It's destroyed. So is the foyer. Furniture thrown across the room, glass shattered everywhere, shit ripped out of the wall, books everywhere, and blood all over my hands.
"Edward, what the hell happened?"
"She's left me." It's all I can get out. Apparently, it's all I've been saying.
"Edward, listen to me. I know she left you. I need you to tell me why. Let me help you."
I lean forward, my head falling into my hands. "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know …" I keep repeating those three words like a mantra. While I'm saying them, I go over the past few weeks in my head. Did I miss something? Was it something I said? Something I didn't say? Something I didn't do? I think back to the incident with Maggie. That couldn't be it, we were fine after that. Bella even joked about it. I'm missing something. Think, think, think …
Jasper's cell phone goes off. He hits the 'ignore' button to quickly silence it.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" I hear myself ask the question, but my voice sounds so dead.
"No. This is more important."
Then it hits me. Like a ton of mutherfucking bricks.
THOSE FUCKING MESSAGES!
"Jasper, I need your help."
"Anything, man. You know that. But what can I do …"
"First, I need you to keep this to yourself. Don't tell anyone Bella left. Not even Alice."
"Edward, that sounds a little …"
"Crazy? Maybe it is. Maybe this has driven me over the edge. But I need your promise, Jasper. Not a word to ANYONE."
He's reluctant, but he finally agrees.
"Ok. Not a word to anyone. You said first, what's the second?"
"I need you to get transcripts of Bella's text messages from the past two months." He just stares at me with his mouth opening and closing.
"Edward. That is going to take time; especially since I have no viable reason for requesting them. Before I do something completely unethical, I need to know why the hell I should."
"Listen, I don't understand it all myself. All I know is the only thing that makes my life worth living just walked out my door and I have no fucking clue why! The ONLY strange things that have happened in the past month are messages Bella kept getting on her cell. She kept brushing them off claiming they were wrong numbers and telemarketers. She always deleted them. And now, all of a sudden, my life is a complete cluster fuck in less than twelve hours. I NEED to know what those messages said and who they were from. Please, Jasper! You have to help me."
He rolls his head back, staring at the ceiling and letting out a gust of air. After a few minutes of silence he finally answers me.
"Alright, I'll get started on it as soon as I go back to the office today."
"You're saving my life here, man." I'm not exaggerating even a little bit. He knows it's the truth too. He just nods and helps me get to my feet.
After helping clean up my hands and the destruction I caused, Jasper leaves to start the process of getting the transcripts. Now, I have to wait. The problem: I won't make it so far away from Bella. I don't know what made her leave, but I know her better than anyone. She wouldn't look me in the eye and she didn't want me to touch her. She knew she couldn't honestly tell me she wanted to leave me. I have to know she is okay until I find out what the hell is going on and get her back. I know where I have to go to do that. I swear with everything in me, if I find out those texts have something to do with this, someone is as good as dead.