A/N: Hello everyone. With the help of a fellow fanfiction writer I've made the decision to be less hasty when writing my chapters. So I'm going to take my time drafting and re-drafting chapters until I'm completely happy with each one. So if updates are even slower than usual please excuse me! Hopefully it will result in better quality chapters. I reposted yesterday's chapter with a slight plot addition so you might want to check that out!
BPOV
At six o'clock on the dot our intercom beeped loudly, the sound vibrating through the apartment, breaking me out of my reverie of all things Renée-related. I shoved my thoughts away and leaped from the couch. It was as if I had a box inside my head entitled "Renée-related" where I could just shove the things I didn't want to think about for the time being. I stumbled awkwardly in my heels in my eagerness to buzz Edward up. Everything I did these days was eager. Rushed, eager, happy.
The moment I opened my creaky door I blushed. Edward looked absolutely ravishing in a charcoal grey three piece suit, his hair as perfectly mussed up as if he'd just rolled out of bed. Hopefully not with another woman.
His eyes roved my body hungrily. That happened to me plenty but Edward's gaze held an intensity I had never seen before.
I raised my eyebrows as his gaze fixed on my cleavage. As charming and as gentlemanly as he was, he was still a man.
"Come on handsome my eyes are up here." Some of my confidence had returned and I was thankful for that at least.
His eyes sparkled. I winked and reached over the hallway table.
"Yeah and your legs and ass are down there." I swear I heard him groan.
I clucked my tongue impatiently. "You're making me late."
"You're making me hard." He shot back.
I laughed at him as I pushed past him into the hallway. "What's gotten into you?"
He followed me out. "I think it was I, who got into you, wouldn't you say?"
I stopped fiddling with the dodgy lock and gaped at his audacious flirtation.
"What?" He shrugged innocently. "Is that not the appropriate expression?"
Jesus he was adorable.
"Let's just move things along."
Sliding into his silver Volvo I sighed at the plushness of the cream leather. I was never going to be able to afford something like this. Whose fault was that?
I shut the lid firmly on the RR box.
I pulled my long hair over my shoulder. Immediately Edward's hands tensed on his steering wheel.
"Are you alright?" I asked in alarm.
He nodded mutely before opening his window. He thrust his head gracefully outside, seemed to compose himself and started the car.
"Yeah," He replied, his voice strained. "Just a sensitive nose."
My nose wrinkled in confusion and I discreetly let my hair fall forward to sniff it. It still smelled like the cheapest strawberry-scented shampoo Wal-Mart offered.
"Oh no, it's not you." I could see his defined muscles shrugging under his suit jacket. "You smell…." He seemed to search for the right word. "Divine."
I settled into his plush seat, pleased.
We reached The Lodge in record time owing to Edward's verging-on-suicidal driving. I reached to open my door but Edward's long fingers enclosed my forearm, preventing me.
"Let me."
I lost the sense of his touch for a moment as he exited the car but it was rapidly replaced as he assisted me out of his car.
The parking lot was packed with people. I'd no clue that Charlie was this popular. It had been a long time since I'd lived in Forks.
We dodged running children dressed in miniature suits and poofy dresses as we made our way to the main entrance. Edward's arm seemed to be subconsciously wrapped around my waist but it wasn't subconscious to me. I flared up at his every touch.
Edward paused at the guestbook, silently offering me a pen. I hesitated. What do you say to the father you barely know who's marrying a woman who isn't your mother. I settled for simple; Congratulations, Love Bella and adorned it with a simple x. Edward took the pen next, glancing at my simple message and then at me. What was he expecting, a Shakespeare soliloquy?
He scripted a simple congratulatory message and yet it seemed a lot more elegant than mine. I compared his calligraphy with my hurried scrawl and sighed.
"You intrigue me Isabella Swan." Edward commented as I handed a middle-aged lady my invitation.
"I guess that's better than me boring you." I complied.
"Much better," Edward smiled. Immediately he stiffened as we pushed through the oak double doors. He lowered his mouth to my ear and I shivered. "Incoming Harley."
I turned in his direction and pasted a fake smile on my face, pretending we were having a scintillating conversation. "Where is she?"
Edward placed his hand on my back and laughed as if I had said something funny. "10 o'clock. She should be reaching us in roughly 6.2 seconds."
Roughly 6.2 seconds? Now there was a contradiction. While I pondered this my 6.2 seconds ran out and I was faced with Harley's solemn expression.
"Harley." I greeted her in a clipped manner. Edward's hand rubbed reassuring but tantalising circles on the small of my back.
"Bella. You look beautiful." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Edward nod his head vigorously in agreement.
"You too Harley. You really do." And she did. With Harley it was all about maximising her assets but she could pull it off. Her navy dress clung to every curve with a plunging neckline and a hemline that barely skimmed her thighs. Her skyscraper glitter studded heels left her towering above me. Golden locks pulled into a voluminous side ponytail gave her the appearance of a beauty queen.
"Listen Bells I didn't-". We were interrupted by the sudden appearance of a young attractive man in a tailored suit. He had a gentle but bemused expression.
"Harley there you are." A thick British accent coated each perfectly enunciated word.
"Uh." Harley waved her hands in a flustered motion, flummoxed that her apology was interrupted. "Bella, Edward this is Kenefick. He's British."
As if we couldn't tell.
"It's lovely to meet you dear." He grasped my hand and shook it fondly before doing the same to Edward. I marvelled at the difference in temperature between this man's hand and Edward's.
Harley opened her clutch on the pretence of reapplying her lipstick but in reality it was to give me a glance at the crisp fifty dollar notes stuffed in the navy bag.
It was at that moment that I immediately forgave Harley for her vicious comment earlier. I didn't care for her apology, I didn't even care if her comments were genuine and not brought on by spiteful jealousy. She was the only one on my side, the only one who understood the perseverance required to constantly degrade yourself to survive. Not for pleasure but in an effort to provide a better life for someone you held dear. I could never have this bond with Angie and for that reason Harley and I would remain friends.
"Want to play nice and talk to Charlie with me?" I asked, revealing to her that we were fine. She beamed at me. I was instantly grateful; Charlie hung on her every word.
I clutched Edward's hand for a moment letting him know I needed to interrupt his and Kenefick's conversation. He inclined his head slowly, rolling his eyes at Kenefick's constant nattering and mouthed "Go". He had heard that?
His fingers squeezed mine and we parted reluctantly.
EPOV
The only thing keeping me focused on this conversation with Harley's "date" was the pulsing vein in his neck. It was an extremely enticing sight, his head cocked to expose it further. It shone a bright periwinkle blue on his fair British skin.
Focus Edward, focus. I hummed in agreement to whatever Kenefick was nattering on about and searched the room absently for my girl. The buzz of hundreds of minds annoyed especially when I knew Bella's was not one of them. I was still unable to hear her mind and it was the one I wanted to the most.
I eventually located Harley's bubbly mind and her voice. Her frantic explanation of why she had brought a client to her friend's father's engagement party revealed that Bella was with her.
He requested a date to some red carpet event tomorrow night. So I went to talk to him, and we got to talking and he's like famous in England. Famous Bella! I mean I don't have a clue who he is but this could be my chance to get out of this business and be married and have babies and in style.
Even her thoughts were dreamy.
In her mind Bella linked her arm with Harley's and they stepped out of the shadows of the edge of the restaurant. I watched Bella's mouth form a reply but she was prevented by the arrival of a curly haired man and an attractive Native American woman. Bella embraced the man stiffly before turning on the charm for the woman. She hugged her warmly, her full lips placing a kiss on the woman's dark skin. Bella's eyes were bright and inviting and the woman responded with vigour, gesturing and chattering. Harley did the same.
God Charlie looks uncomfortable in that suit, she thought.
"Wow Mr Swan you look dashing in that suit. Sue here is a very lucky woman." She giggled flirtatiously.
Mr Swan. This was Bella's father.
I itched to get a closer look but even with my vampire eyesight I couldn't see someone's face when their back was turned toward me. I did notice his tense form relax as the woman I presumed to be Sue rubbed his arm reassuringly. At this moment I lost interest in Bella's father and focused on her with her charming smile and open, inviting manner. This was Bella at her best, warm flirtatious and able to work a crowd to perfection. Up until now I had difficulty imagining her at work but I could picture her easily reeling men in now. All it would take is one wink and they would fall for her as sure as the sun would rise.
My trained gaze was broken by a cacophony of noise and movement as my Bella launched into a strangers arms. I froze at the sudden contact between beautiful, fragile Bella and this hulking, broad and bronzed creature. I needed an excuse to get close to her again, to evaluate this relationship. All it took was a frosty glare at human Kenefick and his self-preservation instincts kicked in and he skulked away nervously like the prey he was to me.
I loped towards Bella's group and paused metres away, pouring myself a glass of cloudy red liquid. My mouth watered.
"Oh Jake it's been so long." Bella's arms were still lynched around his neck as if she couldn't let go for fear he'd fall apart. Maybe he would.
"Too long Jelly-Belly, too long," he agreed huskily. There was a horrible stench in the air that distracted a part of my mind momentarily but my primary focus was to assess their friendship.
"You've gotten so…muscular Jacob." She laughed; her delicate hand stroked the length of his arm.
"And you've gotten so…fit." He placed a hand low on her back. Too low. It was then I heard her answering giggle.
There was a tinkle and a pregnant silence as I crushed the glass between my fingers and the group turned to look at me. Aside from Bella's each gaze was warily curious.
"Oh," she gasped. "Dad, Sue, Jacob I never got to introduce you. This is Edward. My date."
My dead heart swelled with pride. I was her date.
"Edward. Edward what?" Charlie was straight into overprotective father mode.
"Edward Cullen, sir." I replied, promptly. My voice shook slightly but it was undetectable to human ears.
"Ah, Cullen." He nodded jovially. "One of Dr Carlisle's boys?"
"Yes sir," I answered, shocked. I was further shocked by the following thoughts of two members of the group.
Bloodsucker.
I barely controlled the hiss that was about to burst through my lips.
They knew.
But who knew? I hastily scanned thoughts and glances. Jacob's eyes were narrowed in hot fury. Harley's expression was blandly interested. Charlie's eyes were alight with praise talking about Carlisle while Sue's face was frozen with fear. Bella's hand was on Jacob's shoulder; her eyes filled with intuitive worry.
Discovering Sue and Jacob's information was my priority now. If people in Fork's had discovered what we were, it was time to leave. I couldn't bear to leave Bella.
Jacob interrupted Charlie's rambling by offering me his hand coldly. The stench of wet dog filled my nostrils instantly and I felt a strong urge to choke. This was something I needed to discuss with Carlisle and quickly.
I opened my mouth with the intention of asking Bella to dance but Jacob beat me to it. I didn't want her in close proximity to that ape but what choice did I have.
BPOV
The frosty tension between my closest male friend Jake and Edward puzzled me but I ignored it, determined to enjoy the night. I was a horrific dancer but thankfully the fast song meant all I had to do was wave my hands about near to Jake and it was considered dancing together.
"YOU'RE ONE OF THE ONLY CHICKS I KNOW WHO KNOWS HOW TO HAVE FUN," Jake roared over the din of the music. I laughed as we shimmied back and forth, completely out of tune with the music. Despite his new-found bulk the thing that shocked me most about Jacob was the absence of his curtain of ebony locks. I touched the tip of his spiky shorn hair absently.
"IT WAS JUST EASIER," he shrugged. I smiled warmly and indicated I was heading for a drink. The drama of the evening required a stiff one.
I shuffled through the crowd but was halted by a clammy hand moulding my ass as I walked past. I turned, abruptly furious.
Eric's greasy face leered at me. High-school friend turned client, he was one of the last people I wanted to talk to.
"Eric, how nice to see you," My voice was false to even my own ears.
"You never called me back," he whined. Even though the music was lower here I still strained to hear him.
"Well you're supposed to call me, you are the paying customer," I said firmly pushing away his hand and continuing on my way.
I quickly grabbed a glass of white wine and headed for some fresh air. I needed to remove Eric's sweaty scent.
The Lodge had a peaceful beer garden decorated with blue and gold streamers. I settled into a white garden bench and took a sip of the glorious wine.
Before long my peace was punctuated by Eric's loud breathing. I couldn't have a moment alone these days.
"Did you miss me, baby?"
I gagged and took another sip of wine. I hoped if I didn't respond he'd move on. He placed a clammy hand on my thigh. I crossed my legs to dislodge his hand but this only seemed to encourage as his hand slid up to my breast.
"Get off of me Eric," I bit out harshly. He placed a kiss to my exposed neck and I shuddered, shoving at his arms.
"Just go with it Bella." I hated that he knew my real name as much as I hated him.
"Stop touching me," I shrieked angling my head in an effort to bite him as my hands were trapped under his encroaching figure.
I never got that far as he was suddenly removed from me and flung across the garden. I saw him land in an awkward heap in a cosmos bush before my vision was blocked by a feline figure pouncing. I watched in horror as Eric was once again tossed this time to the ground. The figure seemed to crouch over Eric and place their lips to his neck. As they did this the moonlight glinted off their skin and a flash of marble startled me.
"Edward?" I whispered hoarsely.
He craned his neck and stared at me his eyes pitch black and filled with cold fury.
A single drop of blood dripped from his mouth and I opened my mouth to scream.
Abruptly Edward's hand clamped over my mouth.
"Bella its ok, I didn't bite him I swear."
My expression was full of revulsion.
"I guess I have some explaining to do."
A/N: It took me eight hours to write this but overall I'm pretty happy! It's my longest chapter to date. Sidenote: Edward has extreme self-restraint in this fic if you're wondering how he still managed to talk to Bella. Thank you very much.