I want to thank all those who have stood by me during the progression of this story. I think without your kind words and support, I might have chucked it in by now.
Special thanks go out to my friends Cullenbear, Meadowgirl552 & Shellyb09 who continue to be there for me. I also want to thank Sammy73, Malana09, O.N. Labbit, EdwardsDominicanQueen, dreampills, magan bagan, Melee03, Luereetwilitejunki & Evermore001. Special mention goes out to all others who reviewed, PMed me and added the story to their alerts and favourites. Thank you!
I want to take this time to send out my heartfelt prayers for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. To say I know what they are experiencing would be a lie. How does one know such tragedy and human suffering if they have never really experienced it? My prayers are with you and your families. May God grant you peace.
Now for the warning about this chapter. It contains sexual content and mild periods of violence. My apologies if this offends anyone.
With that out of the way, on with the story……….
Chapter 24 - Gravity
Liam crossed the busy intersection and entered Trinity Plaza through its wide, automatic glass doors. He glanced briefly at the mall's layout mounted on a large electronic placard to the left. Finding the location of the food court, he made his way to the bank of elevators.
Since his telephone conversation last night, he had had a lot of time to decide what he would say, as well as what his list of demands would be. None of them were overly harsh given the circumstances, but he knew the person he was about to meet with would object strongly.
The elevator drew to a stop with a slight jerk at the fifth floor, and when the doors opened, the fragrance of Espresso, Pizza, Popcorn and the undertones of some sort of industrial cleaning solution assailed his senses. He wrinkled his nose at the overwhelming odors.
Quickly scanning the faces and looking over the few heads which crossed his vision, he realised that the traffic in the food court was surprisingly light for this time of day. However, that was a positive for him as he caught sight of the small figure seated at a table beside the indoor fountain - Alice. She stared into a cup of what he assumed to be coffee. But from her expression it seemed she was trying to divine some sort of magical message from its depths.
"You're early," he commented and sat across from her in the green, ornate carved metal chair.
Alice shrugged, smiling. "It's been known to happen ever so often."
"Francesca would be in shock if she knew her daughter had been on time for something," Liam chuckled.
Alice smiled sadly at the mention of her mother. It was one of the habits she never could seem to break Alice from - habitual tardiness. Francesca Brandon used to say that given the opportunity, Alice would be late for her own funeral. Alice pursed her lips as she thought about her mother's funeral. It was one of the only things she had been on time for. How ironic that her mother had not been there to bear witness.
"Yes," she sighed, feeling the usual pain of loss attack her like the bite of an old war wound. She wondered if there would come a time when she would think of her mother without feeling such anguish. However, there would be time to consider that later. Self-analysis was not why she was here.
"So, you said we needed to talk?" Her voice was hesitant.
Liam sat back against the chair and inhaled deeply. He was sure Alice knew exactly why he had summoned her here, but she was pretending otherwise. Or maybe, she was stalling in hopes that he would change his mind. There was as much chance of that happening as a snow storm in sunny Barbados.
"Yes. About Bella," he paused, staring her directly in the eye. "And Edward."
Alice's face paled visibly, but her expression remained the same. She took a sip from her cup and stared at him over the rim. Liam could tell that she was wondering how much he knew.
Liam waited for her response, the silence between them slowly growing uncomfortable. "What about them?" she finally asked.
Liam sighed and shook his head. So this was how she wanted to play this? She was taking the defensive position, and had no intention of giving anything away. When he came to meet her, it was his intention to be diplomatic, but if this was the way she wanted it, then he was perfectly willing to dispense with the formalities.
"Their past," he threw at her. "You do know that Bella is walking around with the misguided idea that Edward is her ex-boyfriend, instead of her ex-husband, right?"
Alice's eyes widened in shock as she choked on her beverage and coughed uncontrollably. A few people glanced in their direction, but no one seemed overly concerned that she might be choking. She quickly placed the cup on the table and brought the spasms under control. Tears streamed from her eyes, but she quickly dabbed at them with the corner of her napkin. The hand that clutched the napkin trembled slightly.
"H-how did you find out?" she gasped, staring at him in horror.
"I'm a Journalist, remember? It's what I do." His voice was laced with sarcasm and exasperation.
Alice glared at him. He glared back. "Yes, I know that, but..."
Liam held up his hand, silencing her. "No buts, Alice. I want answers," he demanded, his voice dangerously low. "How much does she really know? Does she know the depth of their relationship? Does she know about the accident? Does she know about her--"
Alice slammed her hand down on the table, interrupting Liam's barrage of questions. The coffee cup jumped a few centimeters into the air. Its contents sloshed over the rim and onto the table.
"It looks like you already know the answers. Why bother to ask?" she snapped. She mopped up the spilt liquid with her napkin and finished what was left in the cup. She stuffed the soiled napkin into the empty cup.
Liam fixed her with a cold stare. "Because I wanted to be sure,"
"Of what?"
"That you and the Cullens are all a pack of deceitful liars," he accused.
Alice looked as if he had slapped her. Immediately, her eyes filled with tears and her lips began to tremble.
"That's not fair," she whispered, brokenly. "You have no right to pass judgment on something you know nothing about."
Liam gave a harsh bark of laughter. "Don't I? How can you live with yourself knowing what you do? You live in a house with them, for Christ's sake. You see the turmoil she's going through. She's being torn apart," Liam hissed through gritted teeth. "How can you stand there and watch her dig herself into a deeper hole everyday - fall in love with him all over again, and then blame herself for it?" His words came out as a strangled whisper. "How can you stand by and watch that, then claim to be her friend?"
Alice stiffened when Liam said "fall in love with him." She was shocked that he knew how Bella felt about Edward. Bella was doing such a good job the past days disguising it. She was surprised that a practical stranger recognised the signs.
Of course, he must have figured it out last night after Edward left the club. When Liam and Bella returned to the table, she, Emmett and Rosalie were discussing what had occurred that night and how it had culminated in Edward's sudden departure. Bella caught the tail-end of the discussion and not seeing Edward, demanded to know where he was. Rosalie's explanation was simple; he was not feeling well.
It was clear that Bella did not believe the poor excuse. She tried to call him on his cell phone, but could not reach him. It was apparent that his departure upset her, and the rest of the night steadily went downhill until Emmett received a phone call from Carlisle letting them know Edward was safe. Upon hearing this, Bella's relief was apparent to everyone.
Alice observed that Liam watched Bella's reactions with a thoughtful look on his face. Alice was certain that it was then that he figured it all out.
Alice brushed away the tracks of moisture from her cheeks with an unsteady hand. She felt as if she was being rent from the inside out. Did Liam really think it was easy for her to lie to her best friend, over and over again? Did he think it easy to watch Bella hurt knowing that she had the ability to make the pain go away or at least lessen its intensity? But therein lies the rub. Would the information she possessed make life easier or more difficult for Bella? Would telling her about her past bring comfort to her, or would it inflame an already precarious situation? She had no answers; she was stuck in a stalemate.
"I am her friend, and you have no right to insinuate otherwise," Alice retorted, wrapping her arms across her chest trying to keep her emotions inside. "You've known Bella all of, what? A week? What makes you such an authority on her? What gives you the right to be so damn condescending and judgmental?"
Liam exhaled sharply. When he spoke, his voice was deliberate and even. "I've earned that right because I care about her, and I won't be a party to this."
Alice stiffened, and her eyes widened at the veiled threat hanging in the air above their heads like a flock of vultures waiting to descend on their prey, to pick its bones clean.
"What does that mean?"
Liam leaned across the table and stabbed the air between them with his index finger.
"It means I will not lie to her," he said, enunciating every word like he speaking to child.
Alice felt panic assail her. "You're going to tell her?" She was horrified. If Liam told Bella everything, Bella would crumble under the weight of his words. She would be an absolute emotional and mental mess. It could destroy all the progress she made over the past few months. "Do you have any idea what that'll do to her, especially now?"
Liam sighed, and shook his head. "No, I don't, and neither do you. Bella is not as fragile as you think. And for the record, no, I'm not going to tell her...yet. I'm going to give you the opportunity to fix this." Alice looked relieved, but it was short-lived. "But, if Bella decides tomorrow that she wants to be with me, the deal is off. I'll tell her everything, because I will not build a relationship on a lie. She deserves better than that."
Liam stood up, then reached into his pocket and extracted a five dollar bill. He threw it down on the table between them. Alice shot him a furious and offended look.
"Coffee's on me," he said, before walking away.
*~*~*
He watched as Bella's new boyfriend stalked awayafter hethrew down what looked like money on the table. It was obvious to him that the two had been arguing. He could bet a million dollars that they were arguing about Bella.
It took him five seconds to realise that the "boyfriend" was walking in his direction. His first instinct was to avert his face, but then he remembered that the man would not recognise him. He had been following the man for the past two hours without being discovered.
He smiled when the cocky son-of-a bitch passed within a few inches of him and headed toward the elevators.
He grabbed his newspaper and quickly followed the man to the elevators and joined him to wait. Standing right next to him, he took the opportunity to study his enemy and soon-to-be victim. It was obvious that something was on the man's mind. The man shook his head often and exhaled loudly, looking frustrated.
He smiled. He wanted to tell him not to bother his pretty head anymore, because soon he would be dead, and the dead did not worry about anything. He guessed that was one of the good things about being dead - no stress.
The arrival of the elevator interrupted his thoughts, and the man quickly entered the empty car. He looked over his shoulder to make sure there was no one else approaching to enter the elevator.
"Excuse me," the "boyfriend" asked him, with one dark eyebrow raised. "Are you going down?"
Satisfied that they would be alone, he nodded and stepped inside. The doors closed behind him with a whisper. He smiled his thanks, and positioned himself against the back wall of the elevator, directly behind the man.
"Which floor?"
"Ground, please," he requested, slipping his hand into the pocket of his navy parka.
His fingers closed around the hand grip of the 9mm handgun, with the silencer attached. The metal felt cold against the heated skin of his palm, and he felt a thrill run through him. He was excited. His adrenaline levels had risen to a point where the endorphins were now charging through his system like some sort of venom. He enjoyed the kill, especially when his victim was completely unaware it was coming - like now. This one would be easy; a single shot to the back of the head and that was that. One problem solved.
He withdrew the weapon and enclosed it in the folds of the slightly crumpled daily edition of the Seattle Times. There was a perverted irony to this, and it made him grin. Tomorrow, this man's face would be splashed across the very same newspaper which would assist in his demise. He sunk his teeth in to his bottom lip to stop the hysterical bubble of laughter from escaping.
He was still smiling when he took aim at the unsuspecting man's head. His finger caressed the trigger like a lover, and then he applied the pressure.
Suddenly, a shrill sound erupted in the small confines of the elevator. The sound seemed to bounce off the shiny metal walls, and dropping his hand, he looked around to see where the sound was coming from. The man sighed, and extracted a silver cell phone from the hip pocket of his jeans. He pressed it to his ear.
"Hello?" his voice was reluctant at first, but then the tone changed. "Kathy, it's been a while. How are you?" He chuckled. "That bad, huh? No, I'm still on holiday. Ahh, no, I didn't go home. Actually, I'm in Seattle right now, why?"
The man was silent as he listened intently to the person on the opposite end of the line. He wondered who this Kathy person was, and why she was calling. Was "boyfriend" cheating on Bella? If so, then he really did deserve to die.
He glanced at the red digital numbers above the door which seemed to be moving faster than usual. He was running out of time. He was reluctant to shoot the man while he was on his call as it would alert the other person that something had happened. Especially if one shot did not achieve the desired results. However, it seemed as if he had no choice. He once again took aim.
"That's great news. When do you need me in New York?"
That stopped him in his tracks. He was leaving? Going to New York? This was not a good thing. If the man left and he didn't get the chance to kill him, he would feel cheated. Hmmm, should I take the chance and take him out now or wait until he's finished? And if he waited? Who's to say that when they reached the bottom someone wouldn't be there, someone who could alert the authorities of his misdeed?
The elevator dropped to the third floor as he wrestled with his decision. One part of him wanted to just get it over with and end the man's life right there and then, the other part - the part which made more sense - was advising caution. Live to fight another day. Decisions made in haste or under emotional duress, usually ended badly.
Two more floors to go before he ran out of time. Two more floors before the crucial, point of no return. Two more floors before he acted as God and either gave the man his life, or took it away in a blaze of violence. Get off the fucking phone!
What to do, what to do? he chanted inside his head in an almost maniacal rhythm. Under different circumstances, he would just take the shot, but at such close range, that option - like so many others, had been taken from him.
"That soon? No, no, nothing's wrong," But he could tell the man was lying. "Boyfriend's" agitation levels had risen and would have been unrecognisable to ordinary people, but he was not ordinary. His heightened senses made him extraordinary. It was one of the things that he enjoyed about his job. The ability to sense things and scope out situations always became more acute when he was about to make a kill. This made him extremely lethal when it came to his assignments. "I just need a few days to tie up some loose ends, that's all."
He wondered if Bella was one of the loose ends this man was talking about. If she was, what exactly did he intend to do to "tie" her up? A sudden, vivid image came to his mind of Bella completely naked, her hands and feet bound, lying on her stomach just waiting - for him. Waiting for him to take what he wanted, for as long as he wanted, and however he chose. She would be powerless to stop the invasion of her mind and body, powerless to stop the pain and humiliation. Of course, she would be gagged to muffle her screams, but he would know her pain, smell her fear.
The anticipation of all to come had a cataclysmic effect on his body, and he almost groaned out loud when the blood rushed from the rest of his body and into his groin. The sensation was like having ice-cold water thrown on you when you were in the throes of a fever, or better yet, an orgasm. He was so aroused that he felt he was about to explode. He felt the gun waver in his suddenly unsteady hand, and gripped it tighter.
The elevator dropped another floor. He quickly reined in his lascivious thoughts and forcibly took control over his body. He stared at the man in front of him. He was still on the phone.
"Yes, I know it won't wait for me, but..." he paused, ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Okay, fine. I'll be there in a few days. I'll make the arrangements and get back to you as soon as I can. And, Kathy...thanks." Finally, he poised his gun toward the man once more and moved to pull the trigger. Now.
Just as he made his choice, cursed fate stepped in and took the moment out of his hands. The elevator drew to a halt, and the doors opened faster than he was expecting. The man walked casually out the elevator, his life still very much intact. He stared after him, rage attacking every corner of his mind, until movement in the lobby called his attention. In the distance, two SPD officers were walking in the direction of the elevator. He quickly made sure the gun was still hidden within the folds of the newspaper and slipped it under his arm. He nodded to the police officers as he stepped into the lobby.
By the time he made it outside, the man had disappeared. He looked up at the heavens and muttered a curse. A couple walking past gave him a strange look and quickening their steps, disappeared into the mall.
The gun under his arm felt unusually heavy, and he had the urge to either throw it into the closest garbage can or shoot someone right there. Maybe the man and woman who had given him the look a few seconds ago. He felt his rationale slipping and drew in a few deep breaths to try to calm himself.
Suddenly, he heard a voice calling his name. It was a voice he had not heard in years. The sweet, angelic voice that calmed him when he was angry or in pain. It was the voice of the one that sung him to sleep all those years ago - his mother.
He looked around for the source of the voice, but other than people going about their business there was no one nearby. He ran his hand down his face and tried to convince himself that he was not losing his mind. His mind was playing tricks on him, right?
He waited for a few seconds more, and when he was greeted by absolute silence, he breathed a sigh of relief. He chuckled quietly. It's the stress, he thought. It has to be. There was no way he could possibly have heard his mother's voice. She had been dead for over twenty years, and no amount of wishing would ever bring her back. She was the past, and so was that frightened little boy who had been shuffled from foster home to foster home, after witnessing her death. Both those people were dead, but his future awaited him. Bright, shiny and new. In this future, he could receive redemption, hope. He smiled. Bella was his future, and he was willing to destroy anything, and anyone, who stood in the way of that future.
"Whew," Angela Greene exhaled, depositing the empty platter into the sink behind Bella. "What a crowd. I swear it's doubled within the past ten minutes. Does Alice actually know all these people?"
Bella laughed, and shook her head as she arranged a variety of mini quiches on a silver serving platter. "Who knows? You know Alice; no one ever gets turned away. That's why she asked me to prepare extras."
Tonight was the official opening of Alice's café DotCoffee, and she decided to throw a party for a few friends. At least that's what she told Bella when she asked her and Esme to help prepare the hors d'oeuvres. However, a few friends turned into a lot of friends, and Bella was positive Alice did not know some of the people who were milling around.
Angela, Manager of Alice's other café in Vancouver, and her husband, Gavin, arrived a few hours before to assist with the party. From the moment Angela stepped through the door, she was a whirlwind of activity. She took control of the duty roster and quickly assigned people to their jobs. At present, it was all hands on deck, with Esme, Jasper, Gavin and Angela acting as serving staff, Alice as hostess and Bella as Head Chef, so to speak.
Angela blew a lock of dark hair streaked with purple out of her eyes. "That's Alice for you," she laughed. Bella caught a glimpse of a sliver ball anchored in the center of her tongue. "Well, I'm off to feed the masses."
Angela grabbed the finished platter from Bella's hands, and disappeared into the crush of bodies.
Bella looked around the room, her eyes unconsciously searching for one person - Edward. The action had become so automatic, that she did not even realise she was doing it. She sighed and turned to the sink, clutching its edges in a death-grip. She was trying so hard to move on with her life, to get him out of her mind, out of her heart. Whatever ground she managed to gain during the day, he took it away during the night, when he invaded her dreams. That was one place where she was never safe from him. Even if he wasn't playing a starring role in her dreams, he always remained just outside the periphery.
It reminded her of her memories. Recently, she was struck by a sensation that something important was trying to break through, but it remained just out of reach in her damaged brain. It felt as if she was walking through a dense fog where everything was familiar, but when she reached out to grasp something, it kept slipping away. She knew it was her mind's way of trying to repair itself. It was either that or she was finally losing her sanity.
Bella felt eyes boring into her back and turned to find Alice watching her from across the room with a worried look on her face. She gave her a reassuring smile, but Alice did not look convinced. Jasper, who stood beside Alice, whispered something in her ear. She nodded and Jasper, too, glanced at Bella from beneath his lashes. They're talking about me, she thought, and quickly turned away. She could not bear to see the pity and concern in their eyes.
Needing something to occupy herself, she began to wash the few dirty items she had placed in the sink earlier. The hustle and bustle from the street, and the blast of a car horn, broke through the hushed murmurs of conversations, as someone else entered the café. More people, she groaned. She glanced at her watch and gave a sigh of relief. It was eight o' clock, and Liam wasn't scheduled to arrive until eight-thirty. They had not seen each other since they parted ways outside The Strand on Saturday night. Liam had been extremely busy since that night, but they continued to communicate by phone.
During the times they spoke, he seemed preoccupied; that worried her. It seemed that he was keeping something from her, but she was too afraid to ask. The doubts she tried so hard to ignore were once again coming to the forefront.
Bella wondered if he decided that their friendship was too problematic and was trying to let her down easy. The possibility filled her with dread. The entire Edward and Alice situation was enough to make any sane person run in the opposite direction. Edward's unusual behaviour and Alice's interference were hard for her to take, so she could just imagine how it felt to an outsider.
When Liam called earlier to suggest that they go out to dinner, she breathed a little easier. Maybe everything was just in her head. Maybe she was making a bigger deal out of the entire thing than necessary. But what if this meeting was to confirm her fears? Bella grabbed the damp cloth from its place on the towel rack and began to wipe away the excess water from the sink, all the while her mind on the "what ifs."
Suddenly, the hair on the back of Bella's neck stood on end, and her hand froze in mid-stroke. She knew, without having to turn around, that he had arrived. The bane of her existence; the man who she could not stop thinking about. She caught sight of him as she turned around. He stood beside Emmett just inside the doorway, but his eyes were trained on her. The corner of his mouth lifted into the heart-stopping, crooked smile that always melted her heart and brought her to her knees. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was suddenly as dry as a desert.
He said something to Emmett and then started in her direction. His eyes never broke contact with hers as he strode over to her. She took in the sight of him and felt as if she was a starving person being tempted with a four-course meal. Comparing him to food seemed oddly appropriate tonight. He looked absolutely yummy.
Gone were his work clothes. He must have gone home or changed his clothes at work. He dressed casually, in a brownish-black crewneck, long-sleeved shirt. The word Affliction was stamped across the upper chest, right above a crest consisting of an eagle, wings outstretched with a shield where its stomach should be. Dark blue distressed jeans and brown oxfords completed the look. His usual "sex hair" beckoned to her, and she felt her palm itch to run her fingers through the copper-coloured strands.
As he drew closer, his smile grew wider, and her heart beat increased in tempo. The poor thing beat so hard that she thought it would explode out of her chest. The wash cloth she was holding fell from her numb fingers onto the floor, but she did not acknowledge it. She was unable to look any place else but into Edward's eyes. A buzzing sound erupted in her ears. It was as if a hive of bees had taken up residence inside her head.
Bella drew in a deep breath and regretted it immediately. Of all the fragrances in the room, his unique smell was the one she plucked from the lot. He was wearing the same cologne as the day Alice had first visited her in the hospital. It was the same day he had sat on the floor with her, supporting her limp body and holding her hair back as she expelled her stomach contents into the toilet. The same day that she first become aware of him as more than a friend.
Bella's face burst into flames at the memory. A part of her was embarrassed as she remembered how he had seen her at one of her worse moments, but the other part remembered the desire she felt as his body had pressed against hers as they had sat on the cold tiles. That same desire was now eating its way through her chest.
"Bella," Edward's velvet voice caressed every syllable of her name as if it was something sinfully delicious. A myriad of goose bumps marched across her flesh, and she felt her hardened nipples brush painfully against the cotton confines of her bra. He leaned against the counter. "How's it going?" He looked around the room at the crowd. "Doesn't Alice ever do anything in moderation?"
Edward's tone was teasing, but her brain was in such a scrambled mess that she just stood there and stared at him in silence. As he tilted his head to a side, his smile disappeared. It was replaced by a worried look, causing his eyebrows to furrow.
"Bella, are you okay?" he asked, waving his hand in front her face. No response.
Bella looked completely out of it. She was staring at him like he was from another planet. Her skin was flushed, and her breathing was strained. All together, she looked like she was about to collapse. Edward quickly went around the counter, grabbed a glass and after filling it with water, pushed it into her hands. She stared at him and then at the glass in her hand.
"Bella, drink the water," Edward instructed, brushing his fingers against hers to get a response from her.
That was the wrong thing for him to do. She flinched at his touch, causing her to flex her fingers. The glass slipped out of her hands. He made a grab for it, but was too late. It smashed into the tiled floor with an explosive pop. The room immediately fell silent, and Alice hurried over to see what just happened. The rest of the Cullens immediately brought up the rear.
"Bella, are you okay?" Carlisle asked, pushing Edward aside and carefully avoiding the shards of glass on the floor. Bella was horrified by the sudden attention. It also snapped her out of whatever trance she had lapsed into. "Did you cut yourself?"
Bella looked down at the floor and groaned. What had she done? Everyone looked so worried, and it was all on account of her raging, out of control hormones. She frowned at Edward and saw the look of worry on his face transform to one of surprise at her venomous look. Damn you to hell, Edward Cullen, she grumbled silently.
"I'm fine," she mumbled, and bent to pick up one of the larger shards.
"No!" four voices yelled in unison. Bella jumped at the sudden sound and probably would have jabbed the glass into her palm, had a hand not closed around her wrist and halted its descent. Had she been in a dark room, unable to see the long fingers wrapped around her wrist, the scorched, tingling skin on her wrist would have told her whose hand it was. Edward "freaking" Cullen. This was all his fault.
A combination of anger and embarrassment hit her in equal quantities, and she yanked her hand away from his grasp. To allow him to continue touching her would only compound the situation.
"I'm fine," she protested when Emmett slipped his arm around her back, underneath her armpits and lifted her away from the scene of the accident. By now, most of the guests had lost interest and had gone back to their previous activities.
Bella didn't think it possible to be more embarrassed than she was right now. Of course, that was until she caught sight of Liam lounging against one of the stone columns, watching the entire thing. Her embarrassment meter shot through the roof.
He was watching Bella with a guarded expression on his face. His gaze lingered momentarily on Edward who was staring back at him, a challenge in his eyes, and then back to Bella. She felt guilty for some reason she could not fathom. It wasn't as if Liam had caught her having hot, steamy sex with Edward. Wait a minute, what was she saying? She and Liam were just friends; she did not owe him any explanations, and she most certainly had no reason to feel guilty.
Liam pushed himself away from his perch and came to her side. He took her hands in his and examined them carefully. She almost growled in frustration. Not him, too. She doubted that this was the first glass she had ever broken. It was no big deal, and she wished everyone would stop acting as if one of the shards had ricocheted off the ground and embedded itself into a vital part of her body. Yeesh!
From the corner of her eye, Bella saw Edward stiffen and take a step towards them. She saw Emmett place a restraining hand on his brother's shoulder and pull him in the opposite direction. For a few seconds, it seemed as if Edward would shrug off Emmett's hand, but Emmett whispered something to him. After that, he allowed himself to be led away. That struck Bella as strange. She surmised that Edward disliked Liam, but she still couldn't think why.
"Are you okay?" Liam asked, his gaze still on her hands. She was sure he was looking for a tell-tale trace of blood to confirm his theory that she had hurt herself.
"For the third time, I'm fine," she snapped, and immediately felt remorse at her harsh tone. It wasn't Liam's fault, and she had no right to take out her frustrations on him.
Bella looked up into his face and was surprised to see that he was smirking at her. He seemed to be enjoying a private joke of some sort. Bella folded her arms across her chest and gave him an impatient look. She resisted the urge to tap her foot, but just barely.
"Care to share?"
He shook his head and guffawed. "You're beautiful when you're angry. Has anyone ever told you that?"
Bella's jaw dropped, and Liam roared with laughter at her confounded expression. Alice slid up to Bella's side and gave them a curious look. Bella rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Liam, who was still cracking up.
"Your friend is an idiot," Bella confirmed, trying hard not to smile. She had to admit, it was extremely difficult. At the mention of the word "friend," Bella saw an odd look pass between the two people. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving tension in its wake.
"Am I missing something?" Bella asked, eyeing Alice suspiciously.
Both Liam and Alice looked at each other and shook their heads. Liam reached out and took one of Bella's hands in his. He squeezed it gently.
"The only thing we're going to miss is the ferry," he said, smiling down at her. "Are you ready?"
Bella looked at Alice for confirmation. Alice winked at her and pointed to the door with a nudge of her head.
"Go on, get out of here," Alice grinned, and gave Bella a hug. "Angela, Esme and I have everything under control." She placed her lips close to Bella's ear. "Thanks for everything, and behave yourself tonight." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, and Bella slapped her on the arm.
"Behave," Bella chided, turning to Liam. "Give me a minute to get my things."
*~*~*
Edward stood across the room and watched as Liam helped Bella into her coat, took her hand and exited the café. He wrapped his arm across Bella's shoulders and escorted her across the street, into the front seat of a black and silver Mustang.
Edward turned, and placing both hands on the wall in front him, hung his head in anguish. There was only so much a man could take, and by his calculation, he had reached his limit. He was tapped out, his reserves were gone. He felt his breath constrict painfully in his chest as he was forced to come face to face with reality. He had lost her. He finally succeeded in pushing her away, and he felt like he wanted to die.
He leaned heavily against the wall, all the while forcing his vocal chords not to express the aching, gut-wrenching pain he felt inside. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, but he couldn't. There was nothing left, he was hollow inside.
He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder and looked over to find Emmett watching him sadly. Emmett gave him a rueful smile, letting him know that he knew exactly what he was going through.
"It's going to work out, Bro," Emmett whispered, squeezing his shoulder. "Have a little faith."
"No! It's over," he muttered, and to his horror, the tears he had been holding inside came to the surface and spilled over. "The best man won."
*~*~*
Bella finished the last of her dessert and placed her fork on the plate. Liam took the chilled bottle of wine from the bucket and refilled her glass half-way. He topped up his, returned the bottle to the bucket and took a sip as the waiter quickly removed the dirty dishes and disappeared.
Bella watched Liam as he stared off into space, and she wondered when he was going to finally tell her what was on his mind all night long. She picked up that something was on his mind when he remained silent for most of the trip to the Eagle Harbor pier. She had not known him for very long, but it was long enough to know that something was amiss.
"You know," she began, running her index finger around the rim of her glass. "You're going to give yourself a headache if you don't talk about it."
Liam smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Are you always this observant or am I that transparent?"
Bella grinned. "Both. Occasionally I miss things, but this is pretty easy to see. You've been a million miles away for most of the night. So, what's up?" She placed her elbow on the table and cupped her hand around her neck.
Liam chuckled, then became serious. "Remember I told you about the G20 Summit and how I applied to be one of the journalists assigned to one of the Heads of States?" Bella nodded, remembering that particular conversation from during their outing at the park. "Well, the assignment came through. I've been assigned to the Prime Minister of Great Britain."
"That's great," Bella replied, smiling widely at Liam. His face was thoughtful. "Right?"
He shrugged and swirled the red wine in his glass with a twist of his wrist. "Yes...I guess." There was no enthusiasm in his voice.
Bella was puzzled by Liam's reaction to what she considered to be good news. This was something he wanted for a while, but now that he had it, he did not seem at all happy.
"Liam, what's wrong?" Bella asked, softly. "It's what you've worked so hard for. Other journalists must be out there kicking themselves at missing out on the opportunity."
Liam sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I know. You're right, but..." he trailed off.
"But?" Bella prompted.
Liam took a mouthful of his wine and swallowed slowly. It was clear that he was stalling. "But, it's in Cannes, and I have to be there in less than a week."
It finally dawned on Bella what Liam's dilemma was. He was reluctant to leave. But still, it was his dream job. If he missed this he might never get the opportunity again. It made her sad that he would be leaving, but this wasn't about her; it was about him, his career. He was a free agent, there was nothing keeping him here...or was there? It suddenly hit her what Liam's real problem was. He was torn between taking this great assignment and leaving her behind.
"Oh," she whispered, staring into Liam's eyes. What she saw there confirmed her theory.
"Bella," Liam said, after a long silence between them. He leaned across the table. "I've got an idea, but I need you to think about it carefully before you decide. Can you do that?"
Bella looked perplexed, but nodded. "Sure. What is it?"
"Come with me."
Bella's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "W-what?"
"Come with me," he repeated. "To France." He smiled, trying to ease some of the stress he knew his invitation had created. "I could use the company and a good photographer." He winked at her.
Bella sat back in her chair and felt the blood drain from her face. She was in total shock. This was the last thing she expected Liam to ask her. To keep in contact or maybe visit him, but not this. Definitely not this. The mad thing was, she was actually considering it. There was so much out there for her to see and experience. So much that she could do. Staying here in Washington was not going to bring her any closer to all the possibilities. With Liam, she could have all that, and she suspected, more. But was she ready to give up everything she had here? Was she willing to tear herself away from the one thing keeping her here?
Liam smiled gently. "A bit of a shock, eh?"
Bella nodded. "You can say that again," she breathed. "But why? Other than the reasons you mentioned, why would you even want me there?" She wondered why she was placing Liam into a situation where he would be forced to say what he felt and she would be forced to deal with it.
"You want the complete truth?" he asked, hesitantly. She nodded. Liam reached across the table and took her hand. "I don't want to lose you, Bella. I realise that I like you - a lot, but if I go to France, you'll be gone when I get back."
Bella swallowed at his confession. She stared into his earnest eyes and saw sincerity there.
"I'm not going anywhere," she whispered. "Where would I go?"
Liam sighed. "To Edward."
Bella's eyes grew large. "Edward? It's not like that between us," she mumbled, feeling her heart tear in two at her words.
"Isn't it?" Liam asked, one dark eyebrow raised. "Bella, you don't see what I, or everyone else sees, do you?" Bella looked confused. "When you and Edward are around each other you're like the Sun and he's like the Earth. You revolve around each other. It's amazing the pull you have to each other; it's like gravity."
Bella's smiled was ironic. "That's ridiculous, Liam,"
Liam shook his head. "No, it's not. It's obvious that you're in love with him. You might not say it, but the neon sign over your head screams it." Bella was tempted to look up to see if there really was a large, sign above her head, silently broadcasting her innermost feelings to the world. Liam continued. "And, he's in love with you, too."
Bella looked shocked. "No, he isn't! He doesn't feel that way,"
"Really? Who told you that?"
The words caught in her throat, as she remembered that night. The night Edward ripped her heart out and shattered her dreams. "He did," she whispered, looking down at the table as the burn of shame and pain followed.
Liam chuckled. "Then he's a liar." He sighed. "I don't know what happened between you two, but I know he loves you, and if I leave for France without you, I'll lose my chance."
Bella, still reeling from Liam's revelation that Edward was in love with her, grabbed the glass containing her wine and took a hasty sip, then a mouthful. None of this made sense, but damn it, a small part of her clung to the words in hope. Still, it didn't explain Liam's invitation.
"But why would you even want a chance with me knowing I was in love with someone else?" she asked, mystified.
"Because I know you could grow to love me, too," Liam replied, squeezing her hand gently. "I would just need to be patient. I know you like me, and given the chance and the right set of circumstances, it could turn to love." He smiled sadly. "But if I go, if I leave you here, there'll be no chance of that. Edward has a hold on your heart, and I think I've managed to capture a small part as well, but I can't compete from France. I'd lose."
"It's not a competition," she denied, shaking her head.
"Oh, yes it is, and he's fighting hard. You might not realise it, but he's not going to let you go," Liam smiled grimly. "I don't want to either, but how can I fight from five thousand miles away? It would be impossible."
Bella stared down at their linked hands and sighed. Why did life have to be so incredibly difficult? It always forced you to make hard choices, whether you want to or not? What if what Liam had told her was true? Did she actually have a chance with Edward? If it was true, why hadn't he told tell her himself instead of lying to her all this time? Why was it so hard for him to admit that he loved her?
And what if Liam was wrong? What if she stayed and learned that Edward really did not love her, what would happen then? She knew Liam was correct when he said she could fall in love with him, too. He was a wonderful person, and their spirits were tuned into each other's almost from the beginning. She had no doubts that she could grow to love him. If she didn't go with him now, would she be giving up a chance at happiness with someone who cared for her?
"I'm not making this easy for you, am I?" said Liam after a moment.
Bella gave a shaky laugh. "No, not really."
"I'm sorry," Liam replied. They both laughed at their blatantly honesty. It helped dispel the tense atmosphere between them. Liam let go of her hand and held his hands in the air in surrender. "I'll let it go...for now, but I need to know something,"
"What?"
"Does he know?" Liam asked, softly.
"Does he know what?" Bella gave him a confused look.
"Does he know that you're in love with him?"
Bella looked horrified. Her face turned a brilliant shade of crimson. "No! God no!"
"Don't you think you should tell him?" Bella gave him an incredulous look. Liam grinned. "Not that I'm on his side or anything."
"Isn't this a bit like one team telling their opponents about their secret play?" Bella asked, amused.
Liam waggled his finger at her. "Ahh, but if the first team manages to lull the second team into a false sense of security, and changes the secret play at the last minute, they can still win."
"You're ridiculous," Bella laughed.
Liam smiled, but his eyes were serious. "The truth is, if you never tell him... If you don't take the chance, and you go to France with me, you'll never know how it could have been. There will always be the elephant in the room, and eventually it will eat away at our relationship," he explained, quietly. "So, my suggestion is a bit self-serving, yes. But I'm not a saint. I'm not going to willingly hand over the woman I want to another man. But if that woman comes to me, I want her to do so because she wants only me, and not because she's afraid to go the other way. Understand?"
Bella nodded. "Yes,"
Liam allowed Bella to mull over his words for a little while. He gestured to the waiter to bring the bill, and after paying, stood and held out his hand to Bella.
"Let's go shall we? It's one a.m., and the last ferry leaves in forty-five minutes. If I miss that, I'll have to sleep at your place, and Edward might kill me in my sleep."
Bella snorted and took his out-stretched hand. "Hmm, that's one way to eliminate the competition."
*~*~*
Edward sat in the recliner deeply immersed in his sorrows, nursing a glass of scotch on the rocks, when the sound of an engine startled him into an upright position. He checked his watch and saw the time was 1:20 a.m. It had been four hours since he had seen Bella, and his imagination was running circles around his logical thinking. Where the hell had she been? Didn't she know that it was damn rude to make people worry like that? She had never been this late getting home before.
He placed the glass on the floor beside the bottle and made his way over to the window in the living room. He moved the curtain so that he could see outside and was immediately hit with a wave of anger by what he saw. Liam and Bella were walking up the walkway, holding hands. He hated it when Liam put his hands on her. It suddenly occurred to him that holding hands might not be the only thing they did tonight. His rage bubbled over.
Edward pressed his ear closer to the glass as he heard Bella's voice. He wasn't proud of the fact that he was skulking around like some sort of sick, perverted stalker, but he couldn't help himself.
*~*~*
Liam halted when they were a few feet away from the front door. The house was mostly shrouded in darkness with the exception of the light above the front door, and another one somewhere else inside. He knew Edward was probably home, and he suspected he knew they had arrived. Liam felt as if he was once again a teenager, bringing his girlfriend home to her disapproving father. The irony of the situation did not escape him.
"Want to come in for a few minutes?" Bella asked, turning to face him.
"Would love to, but I can't." He thought he saw a silhouette in one of the windows and smiled. So, he is watching. Good. "Don't want to be killed, remember?"
Bella laughed lightly, and as he stared into her beautiful eyes, all the sane reasons why he should leave seemed to vacate his head. He didn't want this night to end. He didn't want to let her walk away and enter the house where his rival waited. He didn't want to lose her. Bella hadn't said "no" to his invitation, but neither had she said "yes." He asked her to think about it, so he couldn't well expect her to make the decision to rip her life apart in a few minutes because he asked.
"Right, wouldn't want that on my conscience," she agreed, with a quick, playful nod.
The conversation faltered as they stared at each other in silence, each knowing that this was good-bye, but reluctant to say the actual words. A lock of her hair was snatched by the greedy fingers of the wind. Liam tucked the loose lock behind her ear.
Bella cleared her throat. The noise sounded harsh and amplified in the still night. "What time is the flight?" There was a catch in her voice.
Liam sighed. "Eleven tomorrow night. I'm taking the red-eye to New York. I'll be there for a couple of days working on my security clearance, meeting with the Prime Minister's envoy, and then it's off to France."
"Okay," she replied, feeling sad that he was leaving so soon.
"What about you? When are you going to tell him?" Liam asked, glancing at the window from the corner of his eye. "He deserves to know."
Bella huffed. "All right, I'll tell him as soon as I can," She gestured towards the house and made a move toward it. "Do you want me to do it now? I can wake him up and tell him."
Liam chuckled and gripped her hand, forcing her to stay put. "Tomorrow's quite fine, thank you very much."
He raised a hand and traced the outline of Bella's jaw and chin with his knuckles. She leaned into his touch and gave him a sad smile. He would miss her. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He knew that in fifty years he would feel the same way as he did now - like he was falling in love.
He knew that the minute he walked away she would be lost to him, but maybe, just maybe, that idiot inside would screw up and she would return to him. It didn't matter to him if he was second choice; he was willing to accept that. If it was fated for him to be in her life, then second or not, that's where he would be.
"Bella," his voice was a whisper. "I need to do something now, because I'm afraid when I return I might not be able to."
Bella's eyes flickered as she grasped the meaning of his words. She closed her eyes and felt the hand on her chin move to her neck and the distance between their bodies vanished as if it had never existed. Liam wrapped his other arm around her waist, keeping her pressed against the front of his body. Automatically, she placed her hands on his chest, as his lips came down on hers.
Liam's soft lips moved expertly against hers, and she curled her fingers into his shirt. She felt warmness radiate from their joined lips, to the roots of her hair. But before she could comprehend its meaning, he broke the contact.
A shudder ran through Liam's body as he leaned his forehead against hers. His breathing was fast, unsteady; so was hers. Liam's kiss reminded her of everything she might be giving up. It was sweet, tender and said so much more than his words could ever say.
"Wow!" He let out a shaky laugh. "That was well worth the shift in gravity. Not sure if I can get back to Seattle in one piece though."
"You're strong, you'll do just fine," she teased, still feeling a bit breathless.
"Hmmm," Liam mumbled, his forehead still against hers. "Promise me something..."
"If I can,"
"Even if you decide to stay and work things out with him, come see me off tomorrow night, okay?" He straightened so that he could stare into her eyes.
Bella smiled as a lump rose in her throat. "I'll be there, don't worry. I won't miss the flight."
Liam enveloped her in a tight hug, brushed his lips once more against hers and then released her. He walked backwards down the walk-way, keeping his eyes on her. He waved when he reached the car, climbed in and drove off.
Bella wrapped her arms around her body, trying to steady herself before she went inside to face another of her demons - Edward Cullen.
*~*~*
Edward stumbled back into the living room, and grabbed the glass of scotch and drank it in one gulp. He quickly poured another and dispatched of it as quickly as the first. The liquid set fire to his throat, but the angry tears forming in his eyes had nothing to do with the burn of the alcohol. Watching them kiss had been bad enough, but the snatches of conversation he caught were worse. It confirmed his worst fear - Bella was leaving him, for good.
*~*~*
Bella hooked her jacket up on the coat tree, slipped off her shoes and limped down the short hallway. The light in the kitchen was on. She assumed that either Alice or Edward had left it on for her as a safety precaution. She needed a bath and some alone time. She hoped sleep would follow quickly after. She needed to recover from Liam's departure and prepare herself to do battle with the devil himself. She smiled. "Devil" was such a strong word, but such an apt description. Edward Cullen was temptation and sin all rolled into one, and she was the mortal on the way down into Hell to meet him.
She was just about to pass the living room when a voice reached out to her from the darkness. She screamed and spun around, holding her chest as if to keep her heart firmly anchored in its housing. She felt a dull throb in her left shoulder after she collided with the wall.
"Have fun?" Edward asked, his voice flat and emotionless.
Bella reached out and flipped the switch beside her head. The room was immediately flooded with light. Edward was sitting in the recliner, watching her. The expression on his face made her pause. He looked positively livid. She noted that he was still dressed in his clothes from Alice's party. A bottle of scotch and a glass sat beside his left foot on the floor.
"Edward? What are you doing up?" she choked out, her hand flying to her throat.
"Waiting for you," he ground out. "You never answered the question. Did. You. Have. Fun?" He enunciated every word, as if speaking to a complete moron.
Edward's tone rankled Bella's nerves, and she stared at him in silence. Something was wrong here. This was a side of Edward she had never seen, and seeing it now, she knew she did not like it very much. Her eyes went to the bottle and she frowned. This was the second time in five days she had seen him drink.
"Are you drunk?" she demanded. A chill came over her when he began to laugh. It was an angry, unpleasant sound and it ticked her off. She exhaled and threw him a look of disdain. "You know what? Let me know when you're sober."
Bella saw something flash in Edward's green eyes a split second before he snapped his cap. He shot out of the chair and came at her with inhuman speed. The bottle of scotch spun into the wall in his wake as he descended upon her. It smashed into pieces, spilling onto the floor, filling the air with the scent of fermented barley.
Bella shrieked and took a step backwards into the hallway to avoid Edward, but it was too late. He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her roughly against him. He shoved his face directly into hers.
"I asked you a question, did you and Liam have fun?" he growled.
Bella felt her fear rise to choke her, but her anger quickly replaced her fear. Who the hell does he think he is?
"Yes, we did," she threw at him. "Now let me the hell go before I do something I regret."
Edward ignored her. "I'm glad you had a good time, because that's the last you're going to see of him. It's over. O-V-E-R!"
Bella stared at Edward in shock. Had he gone mad? Who was he to tell her who she could and could not see? To her knowledge, Phil Swan died when she was four, and she had not advertised for a replacement. Ergo, Edward was not her flipping dad. Bella's anger unleashed itself.
"Screw you, Edward!" she shouted. "I'll see who the hell I want, and YOU have no say in the matter." She tried to yank her arms out of his grasp, but his grip was too tight.
"Is that so?" he sneered, and before she could defend herself, his lips crashed down on hers.
This kiss was not like the one Liam had given to her earlier. This one was filled with anger and pent up rage. He was doing it to punish her, to exercise his authority, to show her who was boss. She struggled for a few seconds, but when she was forced to take a breath to try to fill her oxygen-deprived lungs, he slid his tongue past her teeth. Once she felt his tongue upon hers, her resistance crashed and burned like a 747 on a direct collision path with a brick wall.
Edward's kiss obliterated all logical thinking, and desire ripped through her like a forest fire, burning wild and untamed. The neuro-pathways in her brain shorted out, and she felt her eyes roll backwards into her head. His tongue caressed hers and she shivered, as he released one of her arms and brushed his thumb over the hardened peak of her left breast. She moaned, and immediately the kiss changed. Gone was the anger, the bitterness and the rage. The lips which had been punishing only moments before, were now coaxing. He was begging her to kiss him back, and unable to contain herself and her emotions, she obliged him. This was what she wanted for months; this was what she dreamed of.
Bella grabbed the back of Edward's head, threaded her fingers through the silken strands and pulled him closer. His hands slid down to her waist, past her hips and cupped her ass. He ground her against him. She felt his erection against her hip, and groaned when wetness pooled between her legs. He broke the kiss and attacked her jaw with his tongue and teeth. When he caught the soft vulnerable skin of her throat between his teeth and bit down, she jerked in his arms. Almost as an apology, he ran his tongue over the area, and then returned to her lips.
Then reality came crashing down on Bella. What was she doing? If she let him continue, there was no doubt that she and Edward were going to end up having sex right there and then. This was not how she wanted it to happen. They needed to talk first. He told her he didn't love her weeks ago and now this? Everything going on now was a complete contradiction. Why?
She froze when all the pieces clicked into place. It all made sense. This was all about Liam. This was about Edward's dislike for someone he didn't even know. This was about keeping her away from him. This was just another of Edward's control tactics.
"Edward, let me go," she ordered, going completely still in his arms.
It took a second or two for the fog of desire to lift from his brain, but when it did, he straightened slowly. Edward was still trying to control his rampant desire, but the expression on Bella's face slammed his control into place. His gaze took in her bruised lips, the tell-tale marks on her arms where he had gripped her, the slight discoloration on her neck where he had bitten her, and shame burned through him.
"Bella---" he beseeched, as she pulled away from him. She took a step backwards, and fled before he could find the words to apologise for hurting her, or to tell her that he loved her.