Disclaimer - I don't own Twilight or the original characters and never will :(
Thanks to Rita01TX who took this hot mess and made it velvety smooth and Keye who prereads with a catchers mitt for all those Britishisms. Special mention to MPCullen for her advice about Eddie's probable parole conditions.
Phew, 11.55pm UK time. My Tuesday weekly posting record is intact lol.
Chapter 26
EPOV
Police Chief Swan leaned back in an ancient office chair that groaned in protest like a baleful ghost.
"Sit down, boy," he said, finally. His inscrutable dark eyes watched for any signs of rogue behavior as I settled into the chair on the opposite side of the desk, my motorcycle helmet balanced on my left knee.
Forks being such a small town, I knew who the guy was. Even before my arrest, I'd known of him, not that I'd actually known him. Growing up, I'd always been a good kid who had no need of paying particular attention to local law enforcement. That fateful night spent in a tiny, sterile room had been the first time I'd ever stepped foot over the station's threshold.
The place looked tired, the magnolia painted walls scuffed and dirty in places where dozens of fingers had brushed against it over the years. Information posters in various stages of decomposition were stuck up on bulletin boards around the main desk while the same taupe colored linoleum floor-tiles peppered with blobs of darker brown I'd found so mesmerizing six years ago covered the floor.
My memories of it were all somewhat hazy now. He hadn't been the one to cuff me, of that I was certain. He'd been called in specially to deal with the situation and I could remember his face, ashen and groggy, the call having obviously dragged him out of his bed. The other officers and the doctor who'd checked me over had long since faded into amorphous shadows and I couldn't have said with any conviction what any of them looked like but the Chief...well, his face was still clear as day.
The reason? Probably because he'd known my father and the look of disappointment on Chief Swan's face that night had been a perfect reflection of how Dad would've looked at me had he been alive to see me sitting in that police cell.
The sound of a deep breath being sucked in through his nose brought me back to reality. This was like some kind of Wild West stand-off. Him, the tobacco chewing sheriff, scrutinizing me to get the measure what I was made of, only I wasn't the same naive kid anymore and, where other men would crack under the pressure of his stare, I did calm and detached better than anyone.
Eventually he tired of the game, brushing his thumb and forefinger along his mustache.
"This is a small town, Mr. Cullen, and I'm charged with keeping order. I will not tolerate fighting or score settling on my patch." He shifted his position. "And I will not hesitate to send you back inside if you break the rules and cause me any headaches."
"I'm not going to be any trouble, Sir. I just want to get on with my life," I answered, figuring it was best to treat him as I would any prison guard.
"Are you trying to brown nose me, boy," he said, his eyes narrowing even more and I clamped my lips together and shook my head.
Putting me in my place was just protocol to him but six years had changed me. Prison no longer held any fear. In a lot of ways, it was even appealing. I knew how the system worked, I had earned respect, and it was an easy option.
He couldn't intimidate me. I wasn't scared of his wrath and he knew it but he had to make a point of letting me know he was top dog in this town. He watched me for a long moment before his eyes flicked to the small silver photo frame on his desk. I couldn't see the image, turned away from me as it was, but I assumed it held the image of someone he cared for.
"Don't ever let me catch you in one of my cells again," he said dryly.
I nodded and his features softened.
"Look, Edward. I knew your father. He was a good man."
He looked uncomfortable remembering his late school friend. It brought a lump to my throat but I managed to swallow it down.
"And he'd expect me to warn you about the ill feelings still blowing around out there."
Reminded of what Rose had said about the attacks on her car and the threats to our home, my jaw flexed a little tighter.
"Now, I'm not saying I've forgotten what you did to that boy because I haven't. But I'm a man of the law and that means I have an equal duty to all the residents of Forks. If you have any problems, I expect you to come to me and not go vigilante, you hear?"
"Yes, Sir," I said, not really meaning it. I wasn't about to go looking for trouble but if any came my way, I would handle it. I think he knew that, too. Lecture finally over, he sighed.
"Was that Carlisle's bike I saw you ride up on?" He nodded towards the yard where I'd left her.
"Yes, Sir."
I'd spent the best part of last night in the garage checking her over while I hid from Mom. Okay, hiding might not have been the best word to use but I needed to get away from her near constant clinging…it was stifling. Whoever Rose had paid to get her back into shape had done a good job and I'd been happy to take her into town on a short shakedown run this morning before paying a visit to my Community Corrections Officer in Port Angeles this afternoon.
"I remember when he bought it. You'd have thought no one had ever had a motorcycle before, the way he was always polishing it." He looked off into the distance as if he could picture Carlisle Cullen with a chamois in his hand, wiping the raindrops from the chrome work. His eyes snapped back to focus on me as he asked, "How's your mom doing?"
"She's fine, Sir. Glad to have me home."
"I'll bet," he said, his eyes flicking back to the photograph on his desk. "Son, you don't have to keep calling me Sir. I know it's probably habit to you by now but still, Chief Swan will do."
"Sorry, Si...I mean Chief Swan."
He grimaced a little, no doubt the closest thing to a smile he could manage before rising out of his chair.
"Well, remember what I said. No violating the rules, no fighting and no pissing me off in general and we'll get along just fine."
It was my cue to leave and I nodded, rolling my shoulders back as I slid the helmet on and dropped the mirrored visor back into place. Chief Swan didn't raise his head again, choosing instead to shuffle through the small pile of papers in his tray. He may not have watched me stand but I could feel his glare on my shoulders as I slipped out through the door.
She was waiting where I'd left her, dark and exotic, holding the promise of a quick escape and easy thrills. My heart beat a little faster as I stroked a leather clad finger along the smooth enamel of her tank before straddling her lithe form and coaxing her into life. I revved the throttle. Safely hidden behind the visor, no one could see how my face slackened as the vibrations made my thighs tingle with the anticipation of merging myself with her on the open road. I took off smoothly, grinding a little against the seat to find the most comfortable position for the long drive to Port Angeles.
As planned, I'd met with my Community Corrections Officer, spending a couple of hours looking over paperwork and saying, "Yes, Sir…no, Sir…three bags full, Sir" to all the rules and regulations upon which my freedom depended before he'd eventually undertaken leaving his office to vet my home and family.
Opening up the house to his scrutiny had been humiliating and degrading. Once he'd snooped through enough rooms and closets to satisfy himself I wasn't at any risk of re-offending, we had arranged a weekly check-in schedule, unless I needed his support before then.
Two whole days later found me sitting in a bar, cold beer in hand, breaking at one or more of the conditions of my early release as I waited for Tanya Denali to join me. At this time of day, the place was fairly empty. Most people wouldn't even know I was back but the fewer who saw me in here, the better.
My eyes followed a bead of condensation as gravity pulled it slowly down the outside of my glass. I'd made sure to arrive early enough to secure a private booth knowing she would be arriving any minute. The anticipation of seeing her again felt a little weird…a strange mix of calm and excitement, if that made any sense at all. Mostly, I was curious to see if the spark of attraction we'd once had was still there and mused over how different she might look to my jaded eyes.
As Rose's best friend and someone who'd spent a fair bit of her teenage years lounging around our house, I remembered her face only too well. She'd been my first crush…all that shining blonde hair and those large blue eyes. As a youth, I'd watched them styling their hair the same way hoping people would mistake them for twins. It was her smile that first beguiled me, wide and genuine, with soft lips the exact shade of the vibrant pink rosebuds climbing the trellis of the back porch. I couldn't count how many times I'd jacked off to thoughts of her wrapping those lips around my throbbing cock.
Squashing that image, my fingers inadvertently touched my cheek. Had Rose told her about my scar? Would she pretend she didn't notice…ignore it by refusing to let her eyes linger? Perhaps she'd gently stroke a finger along its length, a look of pity in her eyes or maybe she'd look at me with disgust.
Both of those last thoughts stuck in my craw.
When I'd called her to arrange this meeting, I'd been angry and deliberately chose a public place, mainly in case my temper got the better of me. I would never strike a woman but I might bawl one out and having a shield of observers present might help rein in my tongue. However, as the intervening days passed, curiosity gained the upper hand and I wondered if she could feel something for the grown man I'd become. At sixteen, I'd been far too young and immature for a sophisticated twenty-year-old but now, at twenty-four and twenty-eight respectively, the gap between us didn't seem as insurmountable as it once had.
"Edward? Edward Cullen?"
A startled voice cut through my musings. I glanced up but didn't recognize the slight brunette who'd spoken.
She told me her name used to be Bella and I couldn't resist having some fun by asking who she was now. My flippant question left her flustered, blushing and twisting her hands while my eyes distractedly skimmed over her face. Clearly she knew me but I still didn't have a clue. With her bottom lip trapped between her teeth and her dark brown eyes watching me hopefully, she was no Tanya but pretty enough. Dropping my gaze lower to settle on the deep V at the front of her black t-shirt, I caught a glimpse of her ample cleavage and felt a delicious tingling in my groin. For a moment, I forgot where I'd spent the last few years of my life. I was just a guy sitting in a bar, talking to a cute, shy girl...until she went and spoiled it by asking how long I'd been out of prison.
It was one hell of a smack down.
But not enough to stop me from stepping in when that asshole boss of hers pissed me off by picking on her. I don't even know why I did it when I should've been trying to keep a low profile. It wasn't like she was anything to me…quite the opposite, in fact. If she blabbed to anyone that I was in here, cold one in hand, I'd be back sharing a room with Alice quicker than you could say "double parole violation" but she'd seemed on the brink of tears and I'd had a bellyful of muscle-bound guys thinking they could push people around. Hell, who was I kidding? These days, a part of me enjoyed kicking a hornets nest just for the buzz and this guy was easy, his face and fists twisting with a temper that, as a member of staff, he didn't dare release.
She scurried off to restock stuff in the men's room and didn't come out. Maybe I'd become a little paranoid but I was starting to worry in case something unsavory had happened in there so I went to check. Startled like a deer trapped in headlights when I opened the door, her eyes darted frantically over my body before focusing on my face. Then she flushed a stunning shade of crimson, the delicious blush spreading up from the exposed skin of her chest to color her cheeks.
Damned if I hadn't insulted her by calling her merely pretty. Even under the harsh strip lighting, she looked magnificent, a temptress. Head down, hair mussed, cheeks flushed and breathing harshly, like she'd just been taken roughly against the bathroom door, I wondered…if I kissed her right here and now, would it be in any way obvious to her that I was still a virgin?
Just as I was starting to think she'd look even better riding behind me on the Harley wrapped in little more than my leather jacket, she dropped the bombshell.
Holy crap! She was Chief Swan's daughter.
It shouldn't have surprised me. When I thought about it, she did have his brown eyes and hers had most likely been the face in the silver frame continually drawing his eyes while he'd been busy reading me the riot act. Maybe I should've recalled her then but six years inside made high school seem more like twenty years ago and I came up blank.
Either way, it didn't matter…she was totally beyond my reach. There was no way the Chief would accept his precious daughter hooking up with me or speeding off into the sunset clinging onto the back of my Harley.
In such an enclosed space, the fresh, heather fragrance of her shampoo had me reeling in my boots and I needed to get back out into the open, away from the lure of her soft skin and heaving chest. Somehow, and it was no small achievement, I managed to open the door and hold my breath as she inched past me, the heat of her body drawing me like a magnet.
"Edward!"
There she was, standing against the warm, cherry hue of the wood paneling, so polished she seemed to glow as if she were somehow lit from within.
Here was my opportunity to escape the torturous allure of the unobtainable Ella Swan and relief flooded my system. In my confused state, I grasped Tanya firmly by the arms and planted kisses on both her cheeks, making sure to inhale deeply, the headiness of her perfume driving away any trace of Ella's scent from my nostrils.
Once we were safely in the booth, I had the chance to look her over. The vivacious, giggling girl I'd once known had become a calm and serious woman. Although she was still beautiful, there was something much more mature about her that had me pulling back a little when she spoke close to my ear.
"I have to say, I was surprised when you called but it's good to see you again," she whispered, her breath hot against my skin. "Rose and Esme have missed you so much."
She wasn't saying anything I didn't already know and I noticed she didn't add "me too" to the list of people who'd wanted me around.
"Good to see you, too," I grunted, more than a little perturbed by my unexpected reaction to her. My palms tingled, imprinted with the feel of her firm, young breasts. That encounter in the woodshed one cold New Year's Eve would be forever burned into my memory but now, even as she sat within easy reach of those same hands, it was no longer her body I wanted to caress.
"I won't even ask what you were doing in the john with the Chief's daughter," she chided, her eyes darting a vicious glare at Ella over my shoulder, "I hope she wasn't giving you a hard time."
I chuckled at her teasing. It was the kind of thing a big sister might say when sticking up for her little brother.
"Nah, she was just doing her job, refilling the soaps. I think I startled her when I walked in," I explained, unwilling to share the moment that had passed between us.
Tanya nodded and her eyes landed on my scarred face.
"My God, Eddie, what the fuck happened to you in there?" Her brows knit together as her fingers came up to brush gently against my scar before wrapping one arm loosely around my shoulder. My jaw tightened as I forced myself not to pull away from her touch. Despite myself, not wanting a shred of her pity, I relented and sagged a little against her side.
"It's fine, Tan. Water under the bridge," I said and her frown deepened, as if there was something else she wanted to tell me.
"Before you say anything, I...I need to let you know that I know what happened...that night with Royce and Rose, I mean, and I understand why you did what you did."
Shit! I didn't want her acceptance. That wasn't why I was here.
"It can never come out," I warned, pinning her with a hard glare. "I promised Rose no one would ever know. Hell, it's too late now, anyway. Everyone would think I was lying just to get back in their good graces and they'd call me worse than the devil for spreading rumors to blacken the name of that poor disabled kid."
"Creepy, sadistic bastard," she muttered under her breath before sighing. "But I understand. Rose is my best friend and even though we haven't been close lately, I'd never do anything to hurt her. I don't think she's coping well though, Eddie. From all that keeping things bottled up, she's been fading away pretty much since the day you went inside. I've tried to talk her into seeing someone professionally but I think she felt disloyal to you, trying to get help for her conscience while you were stuck in that hellhole. I couldn't force her. All I could do was be there for her if she needed me. You have to get her to open up about it. She might listen to you."
"I know...and I will," I said with a sigh. It wasn't news that she'd been struggling to cope. I could see how the guilt and worry had eviscerated her soul, ravaging both her body and her spirit. "But I'm back in town and people are bound to talk. I don't think Rose could cope with anyone speculating over why she didn't go to the cops."
"You can trust me," she said, eyes impossibly wide.
I'd lived amid a den of thieves and become adept at spotting the little tells that gave a novice liar away...a quick glance to the side, twisting their feet or the urge to do something with their fingers. Tanya didn't twitch, she just looked sad for her friend. It deflated the last piece of doubt I'd been carrying.
"Is everything okay? With you, I mean," I asked, surprised at bothering myself with someone else's problems when I had enough of my own to juggle.
"Yes, I'm fine," she said, plastering a fake smile on her face, the fingers of one hand fluttering around her ear, giving me her tell.
I didn't push. Either she'd tell me in her own time if it was anything important or she wouldn't. It was her call.
"You want a drink?" I asked.
My glass had been empty for a while but I had no intention of ordering another beer, not while I was going home on the bike. Although one alcoholic drink was one too many, it had been so long since I'd let a cold one slip down I caved and ordered one.
"Please," she said as I took off my jacket, hanging it on the back of my chair.
"Wine or beer?" I asked.
I'd seen her drink both in the past and with the proceeds from my paltry prison check burning a hole in my pocket, I could afford to buy whatever she wanted so long as it wasn't Cristal champagne.
"Um, just a ginger ale," she said and I raised my eyebrows.
"Are you driving?" I asked incredulously. From what Rose had told me when I'd asked for her number, she didn't live more than a couple hundred yards from the bar. Then she blushed, her eyes flickering downwards as her hand fluttered briefly over her belly.
"Tanya, are you pregnant?" I blurted. Shocked wasn't the word. Rose had never said anything about her being married or even dating, for that matter.
"Shhhh," she scolded, horrified as she glanced around to check who might be listening in. "Nobody knows and I'd like to keep it that way."
"What about the father?"
"Of course he knows," she scoffed, rolling her eyes before looking sheepish. "But, his wife doesn't...yet."
My heart sank at the news. I would've bet my last dollar she had more sense than to get herself mixed up with a married man. Tanya was beautiful and intelligent...at least, I'd always thought so.
"He promised he'd leave her…he just needs a little time. His daughter is graduating this summer and he doesn't want to say anything until after she's taken her exams," she insisted.
Wondering how she couldn't hear the desperation in her own voice, I sighed heavily. Tan was putting herself on a hard road because there was no way this sleezeball was ever going to leave his family for her. She and her baby would always be pushed aside, coming in second or probably third to his wife and legitimate kids, forever a dirty little secret. End of the day, it was none of my business and the last thing she'd want to hear was a lecture on morals from her best friend's ex-con, little brother.
"Whatever makes you happy," I told her, flicking away an imaginary fly.
Instead of waiting for her reply, I turned towards the bar.
Of course, Ella Swan had to be the one to serve me, her dark eyes expressive and imploring as she warned me about the cop sitting at the bar. He'd wanted to make a point, throwing his weight around and threatening to call my CCO. Like I gave a shit what the bloated asshole did. I had no job, no girlfriend and no reason to be afraid of going back to a cell but because I didn't particularly want to upset Mom or Rose, I swallowed my pride and acted humble enough to make him feel more dominant than we each knew he deserved.
When I returned with our drinks, Tanya was thoughtful as we sipped them in silence.
"Does Rose know? About the baby, I mean."
She shook her head, managing a weak smile. "You two aren't the only ones sworn to secrecy."
Tanya with a baby, cleaning up puke and wiping a nasty little butt, was something I couldn't picture at all, not with those fake nails, anyway. Still, stranger things have happened and maybe becoming a mother would bring her the pure love she'd always craved.
"Well, if you ever need my help," I said and she giggled.
"Thanks, Ed, but I like Raoul's teeth in his mouth."
"Raoul?" I asked. The name meant nothing to me but I smirked anyway. "Did Rose tell you my nickname was The Dentist after I knocked a guy's teeth out?"
"Yeah, she said he was a real creep, though."
"Uh huh, he was." Being reminded of James Hunter quickly turned to memories of Alec laughing then dying in my arms. I rubbed my palm absentmindedly over my bicep at the spot where his inked initial stood entwined with my father's.
For a while I stared at my glass, my thoughts lost among the popping soda bubbles.
"It's getting late," she finally said, checking her wristwatch. "I'd better be going."
"Yeah, for me, too. I'll walk you home."
"Thanks, Eddie," she said, stretching up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek before I guided her out into the cool night air.
It was only a short walk to Tanya's place and we filled the time comparing old memories and laughing. It was nice, familiar even, easing me a little farther into something close to a normal life. I didn't go in for a coffee when she invited me, not that I thought she was offering anything more than a drink, but it was past ten o'clock and I wanted an early start tomorrow to go job hunting.
I walked the short distance to the lot at the back of the bar and froze in my tracks.
She was still standing proud in the moonlight, exactly where I'd left her, but the damage was obvious even from this distance. My instincts kicked in, muscles coiling in readiness for a fight as I scanned the periphery for any signs of movement but there were none. Whoever had done this was long gone. Cautiously moving a little closer, my boots crunched on broken glass as I surveyed the damage.
Fuck! Even under the poor lighting, I could see the busted headlight and a large dent in the side of the tank. Feeling around with my fingers for any signs of a fuel leak, I was relieved when they came back clean and dry. It meant I could get her back home to the safety of our garage. My hand rubbed roughly over my jaw before I pulled my helmet over my head.
Maybe I'd been stupid to assume she'd be safe here. It never occurred to me people around town would recognize the bike but apparently someone was making it their business to watch my every move.
The naked bulb flickered weakly when I fired her up. Even though it was illegal to ride her in this condition, I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road anyway. The highways in Forks were more or less deserted at night and she made it home in one piece.
Under the bright lights of the garage, the crumpled rear license plate and another dent on one of the mufflers were revealed. My fingers yanked at my hair in frustration as I wondered who the hell might've done it. Was it that redneck cop in the bar or the asshole who ran it? A more likely candidate would be one of Royce's friends or relatives.
It could have been worse, I supposed. God knows how little I'd have been able to salvage in the morning, if I hadn't been able to get her home. Even though something or someone had obviously disturbed the culprit, the repairs were going to cost a lot more than the money I had left in my pocket.
Damn it! I needed a job and I needed it now.
A/N - See, all that worrying about Tanya was misplaced ;) So tell me, whose blood is boiling over the Harley being trashed?
Hugs xx