Chapter 29
- Stronger
Authors Note:
The Twilight Series, and any related characters, do not belong to me.
Authors Note 2:
I got a lot of people saying they wanted this chapter to start where the previous one left off. No worries, I had planned to do that anyway. =) About eight pages of lemons await all of you, thanks for sticking through the emotional mess of the past few chapters!
Books Referenced:
The Once and Future King- T. H. White
Catcher In the Rye- J. D. Salinger
On the Road- Jack Kerouac
Authors Note 3:
I also got a few reviews saying that the room placement is different from what you've imagined. Sorry about that. Didn't mean to bring reality crashing down.
Authors Note 4:
Love this picture- took awhile to find, but it's exactly what I was looking for. ^_^, ignore the site name. Made me O.o, too, haha.
Edward-
http:/wouldyoutapthat(dot)files(dot)wordpress(dot)com/2009/06/robert-pattinson-gq-magazine-april(dot)jpg
Edward 2:
http:/www(dot)hellofm(dot)hu/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/robert-pattinson-gq-magazine-april-2009-04(dot)jpg
Playlist
http:/listen(dot)grooveshark(dot)com/#/playlist/The+Handcuff+Bracelet/28554942
Paper Gangsta- Lady Gaga
Follow Through- Gavin DeGraw
Devour- Shinedown
Stronger- Kanye West
Re-Education (Through Labor)- Rise Against
Rumors- Lindsay Lohan (
Blame this on one of my friends who has a preoccupation with her. The number of times I've seen her music videos… nice revenge for all of mine.)
Fear Of Dying- Jack off Jill
The Addict- Papa Roach
Bella's Point of View
I was exhausted yet fine both mentally and physically no matter that the night had been a whirlwind of activity. I really wish Alice, Jasper, and Edward's parents had been detained another half an hour. There was nothing I wanted more than to close his door. I'd drag Edward over with me and have him against it. Short and sweet, we could be done by the time anyone came to investigate. It was difficult to breathe, I wanted him so much. He had been so fucking close to being inside of me, and he wasn't hurting due to PCP. It was still a really bad idea, but with my body throbbing… if he said it was fine, fuck everything else.
When we were able to actually finish what had been started, it would be fucking phenomenal. That was the only thought making all of this bearable. I felt really fucking bad that this happened to Edward again. We really, really needed to talk after sex. Though, to be fair, before twenty minutes ago I had planned to stick with waiting until he was completely healed.
His hand ventured under my silk panties and I forgot to be still. My hips bucked, thankfully I had stayed quiet. The bed didn't creak, we were safe.
"Fast?"
"Hell yes," I turned my face so that his neck would muffle any sounds. He laughed quietly, but moved his fingers lower. I was embarrassingly wet, if I'd time I would have taken leave to the bathroom first.
"You're… fuck…" he inhaled sharply and growled low in his throat. No more mortification, just heat. A wave of it started from where his hand was resting and moved swiftly upward. It was seeking release and I couldn't obtain that for myself. He was in control of this situation and fuck me if that didn't turn me on more.
I remembered the way his tongue had felt on my chest. Sucking, biting, small flashes of pain that made me writhe. His tongue was an amazing thing. For fucking hours it felt like Edward had brought me higher. A haze of lust and want, needing to feel him closer to me, wanting to physically show him everything I felt. I was now at breaking point.
Everyone's return, which we should have anticipated, hadn't done anything to calm me down. In fact, a small part of me found our situation to be really… hot. The door was open, they'd be able to see us if they truly looked. Was this wrong? How much did I really care? Not at all, apparently.
He loved it when I used my nails on him. I'd rake them down his back if I could. The way his eyes closed and rolled back, sometimes I could even make him shudder. I did it on purpose just to see his eyes bleed to deep green. Fierce and possessive, he'd look down at me for a split-second before all control was thrown aside. My pulse picked up speed. I felt frantic just thinking about the things we had done. Most of them had taken place outside, go figure. Exhibitionist, much? In the meadow, outside of school and underneath the fucking window? Still some of the best experiences of my life. Like now, the adrenaline rush felt the same.
"Edward, please. Please just-"
He shifted slightly so that his arm rested across my hip. Two of his fingers slid across my clit. Sure and firm, he was still breathing heavily despite his concentration being on me. It wasn't nearly enough, but this was the best I could hope for. Anything would be preferable over trying to find sleep in my current condition.
"This what you wanted?"
I didn't need to answer. If I spoke, I'd gibber a mix of 'yes' and 'more' and 'now.' The pressure in my lower body intensified. This was exactly what I needed. Edward knew what he was doing. He trapped my right leg under his thigh. I wouldn't be able to move now; what was he doing to me? We were supposed to be quiet and he was making me want to scream.
My fingers hurt I was gripping the blanket so hard. I felt light-headed as my body strained to go over the edge. So motherfucking close, he moved faster, I felt his knuckles rubbing against silk. Shit. His knuckles were still healing. Stop him, don't stop him? There was no time left to make a decision. I held my breath again and came hard as he pressed down and rubbed a small circle over the tip of my clit. He kissed me quickly and I had to hold back cries of relief. I'd have bitten through my lip if Edward hadn't interceded.
"Mmm…" I moved so that his head rested above mine. Lassitude, satisfaction… I felt so fucking good. "Edward, your hand…"
"Shh," he interrupted my whispering. "I'm not done yet. Stop thinking so much."
He hadn't moved and I was still more than a little aroused. I had adjusted to being with Edward. Once was never enough, he always made sure I got off at least twice if not three times. He had stopped after five or six the last time. It was more than I had ever expected from a guy, yet he hadn't thought it was that big of a deal. If he put his mind to it, what was the point in which he became tired? I had a feeling that, while I satisfied him, he hadn't tapped into his sexual repertoire yet.
"You're not… what?"
"Done yet," he repeated cryptically.
I felt his arm behind my head tense. He wanted to move. I lifted my neck slightly and had to bite back some swear words as our actions forced his fingers firmly against me again. Without realizing it, I had followed his unspoken signal to lay on my back.
He held me close to him with his hand on my shoulder. The top of my head touched his collarbone, his nipple piercing was somewhere near my chin. He was still on his side leaning far back on the pillows so that we were both comfortable and had plenty of room.
"Uh…?" Edward took that as consent and I barely held back my shocked groan. One of his fingers slid into me. Thrusting in and out, the palm of his hand brushed against the front of me. I had waited so long for the first orgasm, when it finally came, the sensation was so pleasurable it was nearly painful. Satisfaction had been all-consuming, but I had been left aching to feel him as we intended before the massive interruption. My body instantly reacted to the new sensations he was causing. He rubbed lightly at my g-spot and I saw white flashes of light. My leg started twitching and I grabbed his arm to stop him for a moment. I moved my knee and let him go, I'd start laughing otherwise.
"Good point," he paused. "Hang on a moment."
I was trembling as he moved his hand out from under my panties. This wasn't over, I didn't need to grab him and whimper for more. If there was any doubt in my mind that he felt no pain, it was erased as he reached behind his head. Digging under his pillow, he finally located what he had been searching for.
He smiled in the darkness and raised an eyebrow at me in question. I knew he slept with a knife under his pillow. He had considerately put one under mine the second night I stayed over. Nodding minutely, I felt the cold steel handle on my stomach as he opened it. He would never hurt me. There had been plenty of proof tonight. Drugged and feeling violent, Edward had held me as I talked him through it.
"I'll buy you new sets of lingerie, I swear."
"Once they're all gone, I'll start going commando. I've got plenty of bras..."
The blade sliced through silk easily. I shivered feeling the pointed tip near my thigh. He held it facing outward, the line of metal against my skin was completely flat not curved. I should have known, he would never cut through my clothing without anticipating accidents.
He moved my leg so that it was bent in a triangle with the side of my knee resting against the bed. I don't know what happened to the knife, I was too distracted with his hand running up and down my thigh. My skin twitched with every feather-light touch and I tried to keep my hips still.
If he were on top of me, I was in the perfect position for maximum penetration. He'd be inside, deep as he could go, and… my eyes rolled back in my head as he resumed what he'd been doing. I couldn't keep quiet, not if he kept rubbing hard on my g-spot like this. I was going to shatter. It would be loud and completely satisfying; how the hell was I supposed to hold this back? Edward seemed to understand my problem.
"When you come," he whispered. "Bite me… here."
Couldn't speak, couldn't think. His thumb was circling around and around my clit without touching it. I gripped his arm and raised my body slightly each time he curled his fingers inside of me. He was skirting the border between too much and not enough. I was almost afraid to orgasm. What if I screamed? And he wanted me to bite him? We had done worse than that, but I didn't understand his motivation this time.
"Bella," he groaned quietly. "I can feel you shaking. I know how badly you want this. Just… give… in…"
With each word he slowed down a little. He moved his thumb slowly from the base of my clit to the tip, a little more pressure as he circled, and then repeated the motion. Climax surged upward from where his fingers thrust in and out, rubbing and twisting. I whispered his name to keep my mind from breaking under all of the sounds I was keeping locked inside. He took me higher, up and over, far beyond anything I had experienced with him before. What the fuck was he doing to me?
Heat, fire, electricity, god, fuck, more? My teeth found skin and bit down hard. It took all of my self-control not to allow my jaw to close completely. He closed his eyes, lashes fluttering as I let him go. After-shocks rippled through me and they felt like mini-orgasms, light and sweet, tantalizing… perfect. His fingers continued to move lightly drawing my climax out until there was nothing left. Before I could beg him to stop, he drew his hand slowly away from me and back on top of the comforter.
I felt sluggish. So happy and so fucking tired. I couldn't fall asleep yet, it was my turn to make him feel just as good. Edward wrapped his arm around me and put one of his legs over mine.
"Sleep, babe. You were so fucking tired before…" his voice sounded as though he was far away. My vision was blurred so I closed my eyes and gathered strength I didn't have. I needed, and really wanted, to do this for him. He had made me feel so good, it couldn't be comfortable for him to try and sleep this way.
"No, not yet. Don't you want to-"
"Don't I want to… fall asleep with you?" He interrupted me, "The drugs are catching up with me, too. Rest first, sex later, alright?"
He pulled me closer to him so that I could feel him breathing deeply on my neck. His pulse wouldn't be so calm if he were still unbearably aroused. How he wasn't, I had no clue. I fell asleep with him so often that when I actually made it home and to my bed, I found myself missing him. He was comforting. His presence, this room- it was one of the reasons I never suggested we head to my house instead. Anything we could want was here. Between his stereo, the television, pot, alcohol, a stocked refrigerator… we never ran out of things to do. His bed was bigger, if we hung out in my room, we'd have to crowd together on my twin-sized mattress. It would lead to some interesting positions, but we'd be cramped and uncomfortable after an hour.
I actually felt safe here. Charlie was a cop, he had a multitude of guns stored away in his room… but once he was home, he relaxed. There was part of me that was never calm. Only around Edward and I knew he felt the same. I loved falling asleep wrapped up in his blanket with him at my back.
This position was actually unusual. I woke up, usually, to find myself curled up against his back, one of my hands at the waistband of whatever he chose to sleep in. I wasn't complaining, but this change was… nice. A surge of emotion caught me off-guard and I laced my hand with his.
"I really do love you, you know."
"I know," he squeezed my fingers gently. "Sweet dreams, babe."
His tone wasn't hesitant, I didn't need reinforcement. We had managed to progress past all of that. I was comfortable with the way things were, hasty utterances withstanding. And with that I drifted off to sleep.
I woke to find Edward curled around me. Yawning, I looked around the room. The sun was just coming up. Fuck. We must have fallen asleep really early last night. It couldn't be more than five in the morning. Much as I hated being awake before my alarm went off, I sort-of liked the crisp feeling of morning. Thinking about the cold that awaited me outside of this house, I wanted to bury myself back under the warm covers and hibernate until Spring.
The reason Edward was so close to me… not that I minded in the slightest, was because I had stolen the blankets. I carefully eased out from under the comforter and tucked it around him as best I could. He was an incredibly light sleeper and I didn't want to wake him unintentionally. Lately, I had been able to move out from underneath, or on top of him, without causing him to awaken. My body was a little sore and I desperately wanted to brush my teeth, but I had no complaints whatsoever. Whomever had designed this house was a genius.
The lights in his bathroom dimmed. One could set the intensity by turning a knob on the wall. That way, while stumbling around in the dark, my eyes wouldn't be burned out of my head by abrupt halogen lighting. I eased the door closed quietly and had to take a moment when I saw my reflection.
I was just waking up. Thank fuck I had gotten to the bathroom before Edward. No one needed to be subjected to… this. My hair was still soft and shiny, it was the only saving factor. Eye-shadow and liner had drifted down my face, my lipstick was non-existent except for one corner of my mouth which was stained red. Gorgeous. Truly. Nothing like seeing a horrendous fiend staring back at me in the mirror first thing in the morning.
While brushing my teeth, I used a few pieces of dampened toilet paper to repair some of the damage. By the time I was done, a thin layer of black eye-liner seemed permanently stuck underneath my eyes. It didn't look awful, but I'd have to fix things before I left the house.
Whenever Edward used the shower, I never heard anything. I started the water and moved over to the door, he was still fast asleep. Good. I stepped under the water and not even the too-hot temperature didn't diminish my smile. Part of me really liked the idea of using his shower. The soap he used, shampoo, he had bought me conditioner… was it wrong to be pleased that I'd gotten space in his bathroom?
I finished quickly not wanting to focus on what had happened last time I was here with him. An idea had formed and I wanted to see it to fruition before he woke. Steam had fogged his mirror, I laughed quietly when I saw designs he had drawn. It was so easy to picture him shaving and drawing stick-figures or random shapes. I left a note for him in the center of the mirror so that it wouldn't interfere with his border. He could wipe it clean afterward and have that much more space in the future.
I wrapped my hair in a towel and slipped into a shirt he had conveniently left on the sink. I'd do laundry later and return some of his clothes. I didn't know if Edward had been joking or not when he said I was stealing all of his shirts. As much as I'd like to see him go everywhere shirtless, it would probably be frowned upon by everyone else. It was an incredibly girl-friendly thing to do, but common courtesy wouldn't allow me to make him wash them. That'd just be… wrong.
Making sure to dim the lights even further before I opened the door, I kept my eyes closed so they'd adjust to the change faster. I barely saved myself from walking into the glass. Yeah, that had been graceful. I was, however, quite proud of myself. Edward helped keep me anchored firmly to the ground. It had been a month and a half, the number of times I'd tripped could be counted on one hand.
The house was dark, I closed the door and crept silently toward the bed. He was on his back, the blanket gathered in his arms. The button on his pants was undone and the zipper was partially down already. That solved one of my problems, I'd been wondering how I could get his pants undone without rousing him.
The bed might creak, but his mattress was still in good condition. I could probably jump on it and not bother him. Holding my breath, I eased him out of the cargo shorts. Unaroused, Edward was still impressive. His legs weren't spread enough for me to kneel between so I did the next best thing. Situated at his side, I bent my head and got comfortable. I used soft and light touches so I wouldn't jolt him awake. When I felt his flesh harden, I took him further into my mouth. It was a sensation unlike any other. Rationality won over enthusiasm, I nearly choked and had to back off a little bit.
"What the… fuck, Bella."
I gripped him with one hand gently and started an up and down motion while twisting my wrist slightly. He groaned quietly and touched my hair. If he had said someone else's name… I don't know what would have happened. Thankfully that wasn't an issue. I must be doing something right if he woke with my name on his lips.
"G'morning," I grinned in the darkness.
"Fuck yes," his hips bucked and I lowered my head again.
He was awake and I didn't plan on teasing him. Breathing through my nose, I took him deep as I could. The tip of his cock touched the back of my throat and I had to close my eyes. Concentration was key here, I could do this. I ignored my gag-reflex and did a mental happy-dance. He seemed to really like what I was doing. His fingers tangled in my hair and he gripped the mattress with his other hand.
I used the flat of my tongue and slid it over the head of his cock each time I moved upward. He filled my mouth completely, I swallowed reflexively and heard him groan again. When I did it a second and third time he shuddered. I knew his body by now and I remembered what he liked. Multi-tasking was something I had always been good with. He was thrusting his hips slightly and I took advantage of that. I moved between his thighs without needing to stop.
Bracing my hands on either side of him I started a hard, fast pace that I knew he'd love. His body tensed, I felt his muscles grow taut. He was close, I exhaled around his cock and made the back of my throat vibrate. It was like growling and moaning at the same time. I had read the suggestion a long time ago and this was the first time I was trying it. I felt him grow harder and knew he was close. His breathing was heavy and he had thrown the blanket to the side. I brought my right hand back up because the pace he needed wasn't something I could sustain with my mouth alone.
"Going to…"
I took a deep breath and allowed him to stretch the muscles in my throat. He came and I gripped his hip to keep from being dislodged. I swallowed him down, salty and sweet at the same time, I moved my lips lightly over his shaft and sucked gently at the head of his cock to prolong his orgasm. Only when I was sure he was completely done did I allow him to slide out of my mouth.
"C'mere," he pulled me up so I was laying next to him.
I was closest to his bedside table and near the edge of his bed, but he held me securely so I needn't fear falling off the side. He liked to wake and bake- that wasn't going to happen today. I reached for the pack of cigarettes and the small tin next to and menthol, damn, that was a strong combination.
"You don't need to warn me, you know. I can tell when you're…" I trailed off meaningfully.
"Habit," he took my cigarette and took two drags before handing it back to me. "I dunno, once… uh, anyway, I got the hint that it was a huge deal. I've always made sure to give some warning."
"I wasn't protesting. I just didn't want you to feel that it was necessary. I'm not going anywhere," I smiled. "Don't interrupt what you're feeling on my account."
He laughed and smoked in silence for a moment. "I don't know what to say."
"Round two for you?"
"No," he sighed heavily. "Do that again and I won't be getting up for school. How long have you been awake?"
"Not sure. It's a lot lighter out now, at any rate. I promised that to you awhile ago and I remembered in time. Go shower, I'm going to work on another of my promises."
"What would that be?"
"Breakfast," I smiled. "Your parents aren't awake yet and I know everyone likes waffles."
"Come shower with me and then I'll make them with you."
"By that time, they'll be awake," I pointed out. "I want to jump the gun, so to speak. Take your time, enjoy yourself. It's not a huge deal, really. I'm used to cooking in the morning."
"Alright," he said after a minute. "Want to do me a huge favor?"
"Maybe… yes?"
"Add ice-cream to mine? It's really fucking unhealthy, but it's so good. We've got plenty in the freezer, I like anything that's in there."
"No problem." I took one last drag of the cigarette before handing it back over for him to keep. It took some searching but I finally located my jeans that were hiding in the covers.
"Thanks," he grinned while stretching. Oh yeah, that sight would be sticking with me for awhile.
After brushing my teeth again, I'd feel uncomfortable talking with Edward's parents otherwise, I gathered the ingredients I'd need. They had absolutely everything including vanilla and almond extract. I separated the batter into three bowls so that I could make sure some of them were plain. Cooking made for good thinking time. Men did their thinking in the bathroom, I did mine in the kitchen.
Edward had relaxed enough around me that I could use the words he didn't like. He didn't pause or hesitate after I said, 'Mom, 'Dad,' and 'parents.' I still covered my eyes and flinched when I remembered our conversation on the subject. Things ended well, but if Edward didn't care about me as much as he did…
"Do you mind when I call Charlie my father?" I asked having felt his hesitation when I used parental terms.
"Uh, no…" Edward glanced over at me. "He is, isn't he?"
"Well, yeah, but I got the feeling you'd prefer if I didn't."
"No, that doesn't have anything to do with other people's preferences. It's a personal one, that's all."
"Mind if I ask why?"
"Bella-" his eyes flashed in warning. It was unintentional, he immediately focused on something to the left of me.
"I know, sorry. This wasn't supposed to become a fight, I asked only because I didn't want to accidentally offend you."
"Yeah," he ran a hand through his hair. "My role-models weren't fantastic. I associate words like 'Dad' and 'Mom' with people that didn't know how to be humans let alone parents. So for me to call someone by those terms, it's like I'm saying… 'Hey, you're awful people.'"
"You really believe that?"
"My Dad was an abusive asshole who beat children and women. My Mom was… I don't even know. Some days I hate her, other days I regret never taking the time to know her. Together they made my life hell. If he wasn't knocking the hell out of me, she was in her room with the door locked. So, long story short, any parents I've had were really shitty people."
"If I adapted that mentality, you'd stab me in the back or hurt me."
"What the fuck?"
"My track record with boyfriends hasn't been great. I use the term 'boyfriend' lightly in this case, and I don't associate you with any of them. I'm just saying, if I took the negative association with words like you do, I'd never trust anyone again. My mother chose her boyfriend over me in every situation that mattered. Charlie, Dad, was passed out drunk on the couch more times than I'd like to remember."
"So you understand, then?"
"… I still call them Mom and Dad. I love them both. Dad's winning the 'good parent' race as of now, I couldn't be more happy with our relationship. Things change, they get better. If you're living in a house you call home, with people who care about you… why not give them the proper title, as it was meant to be?"
"It's really fucking- damnit," he lit a cigarette and offered it to me without looking in my direction. "I answered your question."
"You did," I agreed. "We can end the conversation here if you want."
"No we can't," he glared at nothing. "I hate leaving things unresolved. What exactly do you want me to do?"
"Nothing. I'm not using that in a girly way, you know, saying 'nothing' when I really mean 'do something without me having to tell you."
"Of course," he half-smiled. "That's not your style."
"Right. I just wanted to give you another point of view to consider."
"Duly noted."
"Edward…"
"If it weren't you-" he sighed sharply. "If I call Carlisle, Dad, and Esme, Mom; will it make you happy?"
"I'm not making the point for me," I insisted. "I'd love to say yes so you realize how easy it can be, but it's not my decision to make. If either of them called you 'son' you'd flip the fuck out, right? But deep down… wouldn't it be kind of nice? You belong, there's no doubt about it. Hearing Charlie say he's proud of me, despite all of the things he doesn't know, it makes me… happy."
"I can't do that to them. I'll fuck things up somehow. They've done so much for me and Alice, I sure as fuck wouldn't have let me in the house. They know I appreciate it and I'll keep them all safe at any cost. I call the house 'home' because that's what it is."
Edward did understand, I just wasn't sure if he had connected how he felt with the way his way of thinking. I could absolutely relate. It had taken me a long time to accept everything that had happened and forgive the people that hurt me.
"I wish you'd have been here when we first moved in," Edward changed the subject. "Alice and Esme went absolutely fucking crazy buying furniture, fabric, flooring, paint." He shook his head and smiled at the memory, "So many fucking trips to the store. I rented one of those small U-haul trucks because they had so damn much that they wanted to buy. And I went with them because it made'em happy. Hell, it made me happy, too, I'm not going to lie."
"That's good," I rested my hand on his arm and was glad that he didn't move away. "The first time you said 'home' in front of Esme and Carlisle, how did they react?"
"Carlisle clapped me on the back and Esme looked like she was going to cry. So yea, uh, it was fucking weird. I hate when girls cry. It really fucking bothers me. I bought her a painting I knew she liked… Explain it to me, what can I buy that will make her happy? I know she doesn't mean to cry, she always hugs me and appreciates it after… but I really don't understand. She tries to hide it, but I can see- I have no fucking clue…"
"Why does it bother you when people cry?"
"Not people," he shook his head. "I couldn't give a lesser crap if I saw some guy bawling on the street, you know? But a female? I don't know, it just feels... wrong somehow. There was one teacher, when I was younger, she used to give me books to read. It was the nicest thing anyone had done for me. One day, she comes into school with bruises on her arm. She had been mugged not abused as I originally thought."
He cycled through the songs on his Ipod, buying time, until he found what he'd been looking for. I wasn't going to interrupt, there was more to this story. If he wanted to change music to keep from being bogged down by memories, I had no problem waiting.
"She learned, somehow, that I was being transferred to another school. Big fucking deal, right? She gave me a copy of 'Catcher in the Rye,' 'On the Road,' and 'The Once and Future King.' I struggled through the books, but she had given them to me and I wanted to know why. She said that the world was full of awful people, people that didn't deserve to live. If I were to remain one of the good guys, it would mean something. So much for that. She was a good teacher, though, one of the few that truly gave a damn."
"Edward, you don't think that by practicing the different forms of chivalry present in those books… you are a good person?"
"I don't even want to hear about that from you. Yet," he added. "When you can look me in the eye and tell me you're a good, innocent, fuck awesome person… then you can ask me that again."
Well, fuck. Fine. Another discussion for a different day. "I'm not the subject of this conversation."
"Right," he agreed. "Esme was."
"She wasn't sad." It broke my heart that I still needed to enlighten him to that fact. "People cry for different reasons, it doesn't always mean they're sad."
"That's… insane."
"So are people," I smiled at him to ease some of the tension. "I don't normally cry so, yea, it's a weird thing for me to admit. Still, real parents are good that way. They love you."
I literally felt him jump, his eyes bled to gray and I thought he was going to walk away. We were on the brink of something, though. If our relationship ended now, but he was able to take that last step that would turn them all into a family… didn't I need to try?
"Look, I might be wrong. You never know. I'd bet anything you want that I'm not. Just… try it sometime, if you feel the time is right. Throw one of those words out there and see what their reaction is. Worst case scenario, they don't have one. Best case? All of this worrying is for nothing."
"Yeah, maybe," he snorted.
"I've never seen you shirk from anything. You like it here, no?"
"Yeah, I really fucking do."
"And you care about Esme and Carlisle, Alice? You've told Alice you love her, right?"
"Of course. She had people that loved her. I told her every damn day so she'd never feel alone. She's my sister and I couldn't give her a good life so, at the very least, I could make it easier for her. No matter what we went through, I made sure she knew I'd never leave her."
Well, fuck. Part of that statement gnawed at me painfully. 'So she'd never feel alone;' how long had Edward felt that way? Judging from what he'd said, no one had ever taken the time to say 'I love you.' It wouldn't be the same coming from me, romantic love wasn't what he had needed. What he still needed.
"You're going to be one hell of a psychologist one day," he said finally.
"Can't I just be your really good friend? Ill-advised, stupid, and blunt, but I've got your back."
"It's not ill-advised or stupid," he narrowed his eyes at me. "Truth hurts."
"I don't want to hurt you."
"You didn't," he flicked his cigarette butt out onto the pavement. "I just… let's go. We should get high, don't you think?"
That same day, Edward had tested my theory. He called Carlisle 'Dad' and seemed to be pleased with how things played out. I hadn't heard him use the words again, but he said 'parents' more easily now. We didn't smoke up after, either.
"Bella! This is… amazing!"
I spun around and saw a very shocked Esme standing in the doorway. The food was nearly done, I had put syrup and jam on the table in case someone was counting calories. If they had low-fat butter, I'd have used that to cook with.
I set things up buffet style. Three plates of waffles, I had taken two flavors of ice-cream out of the freezer to dethaw a little. I knew Edward liked when it was more liquid than solid. The heat from the Waffle Maker would help with that, but if no one could scoop it out of the container, it wouldn't matter.
"You do this for us all the time," I shrugged. "And I never made cookies like I'd promised. So… if you guys don't eat this early, I can cover what's left after Edward and Alice eat…"
"Thank you, Bella," she interrupted gently. "I'm actually needed at the hospital earlier than usual. You saved me a lot of time. Everything looks fantastic, where did you learn to cook so well?"
"My mom, mostly. I was in charge of our meals back when I lived in Phoenix. Charlie likes when I cook, too. Waffles are easy… and, uh…" I opened the griddle and put the last of the almond flavored ones onto the plate. "If there are any left, I'll take some to Dad before school. I doubt he's eaten this morning, at least nothing healthy."
I was rambling like an idiot. I had been around the Cullens long enough that my nervousness made me chatter instead of going silent. I was comfortable around them, which made me contradictorily uncomfortable.
The doorbell rang and Alice emerged from her room fully dressed. Jasper was here, I should have known from the sound of his truck. They hugged briefly before heading toward the kitchen. Alice stopped speaking mid-sentence when she saw me in the kitchen. Jasper's eyebrow raised and his jaw fell open a little bit. Esme made food all the time; what was the huge deal?
"Um... wow," Jasper stared.
To make things that much more unreal, Edward added his opinion to the mix.
"Sorry, babe," he laughed. "Just, er, well… this is breakfast?"
"Yeah… looks more like dessert, right? You wanted ice-cream, remember?" I reminded him, defending myself at the same time. All of this attention was making me edgy.
"Staring isn't digesting, people. Let's eat before it gets cold," Alice smiled at me apologetically. I'd have to give her a hug later. Thank fuck for the help in diffusing this situation.
We finished breakfast without anything else too mortifying happening. Carlisle, freshly shaven and dressed in a dark blue shirt that really brought out his eyes, complimented my cooking skills, too. I told him he looked good, much to everyone's amusement. Geez. I didn't mean that I wanted to be all over him or anything, but that particular shirt did look really nice!
Alice pulled me into her bedroom to help repair my make-up situation. She gave me a different shirt to wear saying that if there were pictures of me in the yearbook, she'd be damned if I'd be wearing a nearly nude Carmen Electra shirt in them. I had nothing against Electra and the shirt smelled like Edward.
Her black tank top with a lime-green, short-sleeved, leopard print zipper shirt over it was really cute. With clean jeans, sexy black heels, and my hair pulled back in a black bandanna; I looked good. I especially liked that she shadowed my eyes in light green. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I was shocked to see that the light reflected off the shirt and made my boring brown eyes seem hazel.
We scheduled a girls night and I was really looking forward to it. Alice and I desperately needed a night to ourselves. It had been way too long since the two of us hung out and talked about things that everyone else would find boring. Jasper and Edward could find a way to entertain themselves for a night, right?
Edward had no problem stopping at the police station. He waited in the parking lot while I ran a huge Tupperware container in. Esme had given me a basket of muffins and a huge thermos of coffee for everyone else working today. It was a great idea, I thanked her profusely. I didn't occur to me that it'd be considered rude for Charlie to eat a huge breakfast in front of people he worked with.
"Its against the law to bribe police officers," Dad grinned while tucking a napkin into his shirt. "What inspired this?"
"Did you eat this morning?"
"What's that?" He looked behind me. I completely fell for it.
"What?" I glanced back at him in time to see a beef jerky bag disappear into his drawer. "No way. Really? That's so bad for you."
"Damnit," he laughed. "Fine, you caught me. Thanks for breakfast, kiddo."
"No problem," I hugged him impulsively. "I'll see you later, alright? Be safe."
"Of course. You still have that pepper spray I gave you?"
"Yes, Dad. In my bag, no worries. What do you feel like for dinner?"
"Up to you, really. We could go to the diner, if you want?"
"Or I could make hamburgers…"
"Nope," he shook his head immediately. "I'll grill if we're having hamburgers. It's not a burger if they're cooked on the stove-top."
"Alright," I agreed. He did have a really good point. "We can have green bean casserole and macaroni salad as sides..."
"Invite Edward." Charlie rubbed his chin, "Why not, right? You eat over there all the time, we can make him a home-cooked meal for a change."
"Uh… sure. Leave the guns here, promise?"
"I'll be good. Get to school, I could always escort the two of you there. It'd get you off the hook…"
"We're not late," I interrupted quickly. "No need to do that. I'm sure everyone's plenty busy here."
"I'd always make time for you, Bells."
"Now, now, Chief. Don't go on makin' this pretty lil' girl blush." Waylon interrupted in the midst of eating his third muffin. "If''n you don't want them waffles, hand'em over. I appreciate a nice girl's cookin.'"
"Aw, I'd make food for you anytime," I kissed him on the cheek.
Waylon Forge was harmless. In his mid-fifties, he had been one of Charlie's fishing buddies as far back as I could remember. While Charlie and Renee went through their divorce, though he didn't know how to comfort a troubled ten-year-old, he brought me back shiny pebbles from fishing trips. While my parents argued in the kitchen- because Charlie was late coming back or he hadn't told her about the trip in the first place- Waylon would hold the rocks up to a window and distract me with reflective colors. He had played Santa in Forks' Christmas Pageant a few times, too.
"Get on outta here 'fore Charlie searches your young man's car."
"Is there any illicit paraphernalia to find?"
"No, Dad," I laughed. "See you guys soon, thanks Waylon."
"A way to any man's heart…" he rubbed his stomach and saluted me with another muffin.
"Got it," I saluted him back and skipped down the steps to Edward's car.
My Ipod was hooked into his car's speakers and he was rifling through some of the songs. He looked pleased with what he saw, and I hoped that he hadn't looked at my Random Playlist. That was the one with all of my girl music and I'd named it because people, when looking through my music, always seemed to skip anything not titled concretely.
"I was wondering why I was so comfortable," Edward said as he got out of the car to open my door. "You put my seat back in its proper position."
"Well, yea… it's your car, you know?"
"No, I mean you lined it up, perfectly adjusted…" he was still taking, but I couldn't hear him being inside of the car while he walked back around to his side. "… and thank you."
"I looked at the grooves on the carpet. Truth be told, my lipstick rolled out of my bag. It was closed, don't worry. While hunting for it, I saw them. I remembered, it was a lucky moment, and it wasn't difficult to slide everything back the way you had it."
He pulled out of the parking space carefully instead of sending gravel flying. Only when we were back on the road, after checking his rear-view mirror carefully, did we go over eighty miles an hour. I had been at the Station for far longer than it felt. We wouldn't be late, not with the way he drove. The lot was quiet when Edward pulled effortlessly into the marked lines. I checked my hair and face in the mirror and was amused to see him unbuttoning his shirt. He looked really fucking good today. Wearing a form-fitting, black button-up shirt, a new pair of black jeans, and a plain belt without his usual spikes, it was rare to see this side of Edward.
I wondered if Alice had helped with his outfit. Edward's style was usually more badass… less GQ. He looked like a model, the type of guy I'd have been afraid to speak with once-upon-a-time. Now, he was mine. It wasn't difficult for me to keep my self-confidence up. The possessive look on his face was all for me. I was the perfect height for him to wrap his arm around my waist when we walked together.
"Oh shit." Well, I understood why he had chosen that particular shirt. Aside from teasing me with glimpses of his hipbones- the shirt was shorter than the ones he normally wore- the bite mark I had left on his chest was really, really visible.
"Want me to hide it?"
"Want me to make it darker?" I closed the door behind me and got over to Edward's side as he did the same.
His smile was instantly wicked. He leaned backwards against the Volvo and held his arms out in a surrendering motion. Oh my fuck. I moved closer and licked across the warm expanse of his chest. Tipping my head up slightly, I saw him looking down at me. I sucked gently over the mark and his lashes fluttered. Using my tongue, I applied pressure in waves. It brought blood to the surface, like when he left hickeys on my skin. I had actually gotten this technique from him. Using my teeth, I worried the flesh and used more suction. This was bruising the skin without the normal pain caused by such marks.
"You like?" I stepped back and admired my work.
"Always."'
So what if we were five minutes late? I knew the Pledge of Allegiance, I'd get a job soon and honor Uncle Sam.
"Yesterday your ribs didn't hurt. How do you feel today?"
"Pretty good, actually," he grinned. "Pushups are going to be a bitch, but I'm back to normal, babe."
"... You took gym class?" They were playing hockey for fuck's sake! I had seen the nets set up and was really glad that it was Health class time. I'd have to keep that in mind for next marking period. I planned on spending hockey time in the library. I'd read a book about the sport if the teacher planned on giving a test.
"Yeah… why not?" He really had no clue. What the fuck. If I found out that any of the guys in his class tried to take advantage of the pain he was in… no, that was improbable. God forbid Edward Cullen show pain. I instantly felt bad. It's not as though he had a choice in the matter. Being able to withstand what he had, I could see his point. What were a few bruised ribs in comparison?
"You're insane, you know that?"
"I've been told," he laughed. "Last bad trip, come to think of it."
o . o . o
I had studied Mike Newton for what remained of home-room. He waved nervously at me, but only because he was an awkward human being. I didn't see any sign of guilt or added fear. He had no idea the weed was laced. I tried telling Edward that throughout lunch. He kept distracting me, adding marks to match his own, and trying to get my clothes off.
Now that school was over, I kept forgetting to defend Newton what with Edward's roving hands, I needed to fill him in. I felt his body tense, we were near my locker. Before I could locate the source of his hostility, Edward was gone.
I heard Mike squeak and watched, seemingly in slow-motion, as Edward pinned him to the wall. "We need to talk," he said.
"Uh- er-" he lost the ability to speak as Edward pushed his hand further against Mike's neck.
"Leave," he said lethally to Newton's friends.
"Don't you want to have this conversation somewhere a little more… private?" I quickly got to them and rested my hand on Edward's elbow. Without alerting anyone to what I was doing, I pressed my fingertips into his skin. He got what I was trying to do, the pressure on Mike's neck slackened marginally.
"You fucked with me, motherfucker. I'm giving you one chance to explain yourself. Did you fuck with me on purpose?"
"I, I don't know what you're talking about, man. Look, here, okay?" He pulled out his wallet and ripped cash out from the inside. "Take it, all of it. Sorry, alright?"
Edward took the money but kept a firm hold on Mike who was struggling to bolt for his life. He was holding nearly six hundred dollars in his hand. Why the fuck did Mike carry so much on him at one time? Forks was safe, but… jesus christ.
"Bella? We're going to step into the Men's room for a little chat. Would you mind excusing us for a minute?"
Mike looked positively panicked, Edward was quietly angry. I'm not sure if that was a good thing or not. I had never seen him this enraged without beating the crap out of something. He had gone through hell and I was pretty sure there would be no deaths today…
"By all means. I want to speak with him when you're through… making your point clear."
"No problem, babe." His smile was ice-cold as he opened the bathroom door and shoved Newton through it. Two guys ran out, one of them was still adjusting his fly. As I debated whether or not I wanted to stick around or step outside for a cigarette, I heard two unmistakably irritating voices coming from the stairwell. The halls had cleared very quickly. Curiosity aside, no one here had spine enough to stick around with Edward in such a volatile mood.
"This is going in the yearbook. Her Dad's going to flip out, you know? The Chief's daughter doing the nasty with Edward Cullen at school."
I froze, my insides felt like they were encased in ice. Was this how deer felt when I rounded a corner and blinded them with my headlights? My truck didn't go fast enough for me to pose a threat to them. I, on the other hand, had no thirty-second window to jump out of the way.
"They're, like, doing it on the dance-floor. He's got her bent over… oh my god."
"I know we had a theme, but do you see those fucking things on her neck? And did you see Edward today? His chest was… how could she do that to him? She doesn't deserve him, crazy bitch."
"Like vampires, right?"
"Uh, yeah, Jess. That was my point."
The dance-floor? As in, inside school? Oh thank fuck. Now that I knew there weren't actually pictures of Edward and I fucking outside of the building, I was seriously pissed. Those two bitches had managed to scare me? No fucking way.
"We could totally frame that with a mental institution for the background," Lauren laughed caustically. "Did you hear about that? I knew she was insane, didn't I tell you?"
That was it. Bringing Charlie into things was the last fucking straw. Talking about my visit to the Valley was what pushed me over the edge. I'd had enough of their shit. It didn't take a lot to anger me, but a situation needed to be serious if I made the first move.
"Lauren, Jess?" I threw open the door and commanded their attention. Both blinked in surprise, but what the fuck else did they expect? If someone talked about me, in front of me… did they really think I was going to ignore it forever?
They both turned to face me. Cheerleader seemed to be ingrained in their blood. They were angled toward one another, their right hands were on the railing as they struck a similar pose. Lauren was closest, I'd start with her.
"If you truly wanted Edward, all of this would be less pathetic. I'm sure you'd love to fuck him. Sad news for your boyfriend and his lack of skills in the bedroom department, but that's really not my problem."
"You-"
"I'm not finished," I interrupted her viciously. "Edward's dating me. We do all the things a couple does and there's nothing you can do about it. You had your chance. Three years, if I have my facts straight. You weren't enough for him and you certainly aren't his type. Get the fuck over it."
"I-"
Ignoring her, I moved on. "You."
Jessica wasn't a complete bitch, she was too bubble-headed to pull it off. I'd feel… off if I ripped her apart verbally.
"You don't love Edward. Lauren doesn't love him, either. You need to stop feeling what other people tell you to feel. Make up your own fucking mind. Mike Newton seems to have a thing for you. Why? Beats the fuck outta me. You both have a similar habit in common and I'm sure he'd support yours. Now, lay off my guy and go find one of your own."
I took a deep breath nearly shaking with the anger running through me. Neither of them had spoken yet, that was fine by me. Lauren looked pissed, Jessica was a bright shade of red. I really wish they weren't so catty, this would have been much easier. Once I left, they'd start planning revenge.
"Before I go, let me make this one last thing really fucking clear. You're both holding some kind of grudge against me. I don't give a shit. Know why?"
I propped my ankle on the stairwell's grate and unsheathed my knife. Their eyes widened; they were understanding me now.
"Keep pushing with your snide little comments. Don't stop any of the rumors you keep spreading. Next time, I won't be talking to you. The school's pretty big, I know both of your schedules. Thanks to my Dad being Fork's Chief of Police, I know where you live. You wanted to bring him into this, so be it."
I unclasped the blade in my hidden knife necklace to further prove my point. The one Edward had given me could stay a secret. They didn't need to know about it.
"If you make me snap, you won't get any warning. You think the idea of publishing a picture of me in the yearbook dancing with Edward in a crazy-house is funny? Did you ever stop to consider why I had been there?" '
I flipped my regular sized knife open fluidly with one hand. I fucking loved switchblades. They were so much fucking fun!
"I'll do it. Don't test me," I leveled the knife at them one at a time. "Talk about this to anyone and… want to know what I'll do to you? Slowly and painfully so you won't fucking forget-"
"No," Jessica rushed to say. "No one will know."
"Lauren?"
"You win, okay? Don't come after me, this stays between us. No problem, alright?"
"Great," I placed the knife back into the protective straps of my shoe. "Are there copies of those pictures?"
"Um, yeah…"
"The answer here is 'No.' Right?"
"Yeah, I'll totally delete them soon as I can." Jessica wouldn't lie to me. Lauren looked sullen, but she was defeated. Nothing worked better than threatening someone's life and looking crazy enough to do it.
"Thanks," I took the pictures that I didn't want to be printed. "Nice talking to you."
Edward was waiting right outside of the door for me and judging by the dark look in his eyes, he had heard everything. Fucking cheap schools and their crappy insulation. Who the fuck else had heard? No one else had been in the stairwell with us. We were on the bottom floor, I figured we were pretty safe. The quick burst of anxiety mixed with residual anger made me act rashly. I heard the door open behind me and saw Edward take a step forward. I'd love to hear what he planned on saying, but if my threat hadn't been enough… I had been clear about my intentions.
He glanced back at me as I moved over to him. I loved that he had chosen to wear that outfit today. With no warning, I pushed him back against the lockers. He dropped his bag immediately and allowed me to frame him with my arms. It was a dominant gesture and I knew he wouldn't be content to stay this way for long.
His eyebrow twitched; this was going to be good.
I was on an adrenaline high and when he spun us around so that my back hit the lockers, I lost all semblance of control. He was so much taller than me when I wasn't wearing heels. I liked that he had to bend down to kiss me. His shoulders blocked my view of Lauren and Jessica, it wasn't difficult to forget them.
"Fucking mine," I growled.
His hips pinned me to the locker, my arms went around his neck. He cupped my cheek and tipped my face up to his. His eyes were dark green and amused, aroused, possessive. I could see it on his face, a question that didn't need to be asked aloud. 'How far do you want this to go?'
I arched an eyebrow and twitched my hip. 'Bring it on, babe.'
The room spun. Edward held me in his arms parallel to the floor in a classic vampire pose. He used the angle to his advantage. In a dramatic motion, he went from standing upright to burying his face into the crook of my neck. I think Jessica actually screamed a little in alarm.
Even I had to admit, part of me had really been bracing for pain. I struggled not to laugh, and it wasn't difficult after a few seconds of Edward lightly nipping right underneath my hairline. The vibration of his low growls completely erased amusement and brought on a new problem; how to keep from moaning too loudly.
"Think we put on a good enough show?" Hearing his whisper, barely audible even to me, reminded me of what had transpired between us in his room. We had an audience this time, which is why I think Edward was having so much fun. Staking territory, both of us were guilty of that crime.
"Mmm…," was all I managed to reply.
He moved his head from side to side. From an observer's point of view, he was tearing at my neck with his teeth. I wouldn't have minded, but, in reality, he was licking across my pulse-point with his talented pierced tongue.
"Thanks for the distraction." I was standing with his help, he moved my hair so that it covered my neck. It didn't feel as though he'd left a mark.
"Newton distracted me with another hundred dollar bill he 'found.' He ran like a fucking coward, so now I have to go and chase him down. You game?"
"Sure. Want to help me with dinner, then? I've got to do some grocery shopping. Charlie's invited you, by the way."
"By the way? That's a 'by the way' statement? I'm going to eat a family meal tonight with you and your father?"
"Why not? I'm over at your house most of the time. What's the difference?"
"Good point," he laughed. Putting an arm around my shoulders, I matched his stride. "I'll try to make our visit quick."
o . o . o
Edward was a very good driver. Speedy, but steady. He checked his mirrors periodically and though he didn't keep his hands at ten and two, I felt safe. He drove like… I had no comparison. His right hand held the wheel toward the top, very masculine, while with his left he smoked a cigarette. I wasn't bestowed with his ability to keep ash from blowing back into the car. His window was open slightly, mine was all the way down with my wrist resting on the door.
"Where'd you learn your driving skills?"
"Getaway driver," he grinned. "It's easy to maintain speeds of eighty and above when I used to navigate New York City streets."
"Were you ever caught?"
"Twice," he grimaced. "I got away both times. The vehicles were hot anyway, I couldn't have them question me. I wasn't the one to steal the cars, don't worry."
"Sure, that's what my main concern was."
"What about you? No grand theft auto on your rap sheet?"
"Not a car, I was accomplice to 'relocating' a bike once. We put it back in the morning, though. I doubt anyone noticed."
"… you stole a bike and then returned it?"
"Yeah. His car broke down and it was a ten-mile trek back to Phoenix. We passed a few houses and, conveniently, there was a bike leaning against the back of one. The person I was with rigged it, we got to town, and I insisted we bring it back. I didn't want them to report it, you know?"
"What if they had already called the police? You could have, literally, driven into a trap."
"Honestly, you think I have no sense of self-preservation. I didn't do a wheelie into their front yard and flash my headlights through their bedroom window. We were quiet about it."
"Sorry," he apologized. "I've been trying to stop doing that."
"I'm not following you. You steal cars in Forks?"
"No," he snorted. "I… yell at you for things you've done. It's my first reaction, and I know it's not fucking cool. I just… really hate the idea of you in danger."
"Ok, well, let's postpone the rest of this conversation. We're here."
"He's home." The switch had happened in less than two seconds. Edward looked almost predatory as he scoped the house.
"We aren't going to break in. You can stop checking the windows. There are two cars in the driveway and one in the garage."
"I know that," he smiled, cold though it was. "I have a way in, don't worry about it. Fucker ran from me, but he's got no imagination. I knew he would be here."
"Tone the scary down 'til we get in there? Thanks." I never, never wanted any of this unleashed on me. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't take much for Edward to take Mike out. Why did Mike think it was a good idea to run? I still really don't know what happened. None of Edward's knuckles were newly split so, chances were, Newton wasn't injured.
"Sorry for that, too. Feels like work, you know?"
"Yep," I sighed.
Edward walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. I stood next to him, stupefied. This was like work? Since when did that entail introducing oneself and getting a courteous invite in?
"Hi, Mrs. Newton." The killer look was completely erased from his face. Even his eyes were warm, I felt a shiver run up my spine. It was way too easy for him to change back and forth between moods. I had a little experience in the area, but it usually took me a minute or two to compose myself. "Is Mike available?"
"Yeah, you know him. Down in the basement like always, that boy needs to get away from his computer. All those games, it can't be good for his eyesight."
"I'll let him know. Thank you."
"And Bella Swan, it's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you from Mikey."
"Really," Edward's tongue piercing clicked harshly against his teeth. "Mikey and I have a bunch of things to talk about. Thanks very much again, Mrs. Newton."
We went down a narrow staircase from a door in the back corner of their living room. The typical suburban family; mother, father, only child. Portraits of all sizes were hung around the house among crystal candy dishes and lace doilies. The Newtons seemed friendly enough, but their house told a different story. When entering my home, there was no doubt about it. We lived in it. Edward's house, while very clean and bright, all of his high tech toys aside, it felt like a home. Mike's house? Someone in the family had money, generational probably.
I couldn't understand why Edward didn't take a less subtle route. Perhaps because Mike had been his dealer for so long? Nothing screamed suspicious like midnight pick-up and drop-off's. Either way, we were here now and I'm sure Edward's civil veneer would fade once we reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Don't corner me again. I have a gun, I'll shoot."
Edward shoved me behind him and fell into a fighting stance immediately. I stood back to back with him while scanning the room for where Mike was hiding. Turns out I should have known. He was near the computer.
"That's not a gun," Edward growled. "That's for paint-balling. Shoot me with it and I'll ram it down your throat."
"You fucking idiot." I moved quickly away from Edward and grabbed the gun. "What the fuck did you hope to accomplish?"
"I knew he'd follow me," Mike said sullenly nodding to Edward. "Wanted to be prepared."
"With this?" I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Here's what we're going to do. We'll sit… somewhere… and talk this out. No one hits anyone, no one runs. Okay?"
Mike quickly cleared space on a small couch behind us. He would have had a nice setup were it not for the piles of crap everywhere.
"First thing… what else do you sell besides marijuana?"
Edward and I sat on the edge of the sofa, I kept one hand on his knee. It was taking a lot of self-control for him to remain quiet. There were things I needed to know, this could be my only chance. I didn't like Mike enough to devote my time to the safe practices of drug selling. If he didn't know by now, there was nothing I could really teach him aside from the basics.
"Uh, cocaine, acid, PCP, some pills… mostly just weed."
"Do you ever mix any of drugs together?" I asked.
"Sometimes, yeah. Special request or whatever, you know how it goes."
"Okay- answer me honestly, okay? Did you lace our pot?"
"Yes."
"You sack of shit." Edward was off the couch and leaning menacingly over Mike's chair. He was barely restraining himself. Both of my hands on his arm weren't seeming to do anything. He was seriously pissed and if he attacked Mike, there was nothing I could do to stop him.
"There's no one that'll come to your rescue. The Res people don't give a shit, they were prepared to kick your ass. You came to me, and now you've pissed me off. Who will save you now, Newton?"
"Me." I cleared my throat and faced Edward without blinking. His gaze immediately lost its iced over, lethal edge. He was confused, but I felt warmth spread through my body as I realized how quickly he'd changed gears. All because I had spoken. It was a good moment despite my idiotic good side standing in for Mike.
"Why?"
"Why?" I directed the same question to Mike.
"Uh, you asked me to." At least he was following along, I was in no mood to explain myself in addition to helping him.
"Bullshit!" I couldn't see Edward's face anymore, but judging from Mike's pallor... it wasn't through calm eyes that Edward stared at him.
"You did! A day before you came to pick up the weed, you said something about AD. I figured you wanted me to dust the drugs. Remember? When you came here, you asked for extra?"
"I think you've dipped into your own stash," Edward's fingers dug into the chair as he found a miniscule thread of patience. "Who the fuck refers to angel dust as AD? Superweed, maybe. Rocket fuel, rarely. But AD? … ... oh fuck me. I asked if you had A.D.D, you fucking idiot. Jesus fucking Christ!"
I laughed, it couldn't be helped. All of this because-? What the fuck. Edward didn't find any of this amusing. Too soon? Judging from the rage still emanating from him, no, we wouldn't be laughing about this together anytime soon.
"It was an honest mistake. Stupid, but sort-of forgivable. I'm sure I did foolish things when I first started," I offered.
"Bella…"
"Mike, you never add shit to weed unless someone specifically asks you for it. If you don't have any with you, tell them that. Drugs aren't something you fuck around with. Always ask first."
"Do you have any fucking idea what could have happened? Angeldust, are you aware of what it can do to people?"
"I've taken some before… it wasn't bad…"
"You stupid fuck," Edward swore, letting the chair go.
"Anyway," I spoke loudly to be heard over his continued muttering. "You don't keep the shit in your jacket, right?"
"Where else is there to hide it?"
"Oh man," I groaned. "You can hide a dub bag by clipping it to the back of your shirt's tag. Keep the shirt tucked in and even if the bag falls, no one will see it unless you wear your clothes skin-tight. You can fit larger bags in your sock, if you wear boots."
"Why are you helping him?"
"So this doesn't happen again," I answered Edward.
"I can make sure this doesn't fucking happen again," he was glaring at Mike again while cracking his knuckles.
"Do you want to deal with Jake every time you want weed? I mean, it'd be fine if you do, but I got the feeling that you're not on a friendly level with him yet." I kept my voice easy, not wanting it to seem like I was giving him an ultimatum. Either way he wanted to do this, I really didn't care that much.
I had watched Edward go through all manners of emotional torment less than twenty-four hours ago. It was taking a lot of self-control not to punch Mike myself. He made a motion with his hand, a 'fine, go' movement, and leaned back. Perfect. I turned my attention back to Mike.
"If they ask for a mix of them, give'em what they want. Do not go adding other stuff to it. I've had experiences where they came after me because they had a bad trip. If they find out you've fucked with their drug, it'll be even worse for you. Point proven?" I glanced at Edward and back to Mike. He understood what I was trying to say.
"Ok," he was less pale now.
"This was all one huge fucked up mistake. No need to kill him over it. He's a moron, but the PCP was accidental. In fact, if you want to go on a limb… it could even be considered complimentary. Angeldust is expensive, he took profit loss by giving it to you."
"I don't want to sympathize with him," Edward rolled his eyes up and closed them. "Your way worked fine, I'll admit it. I'd still like to beat the shit out of him. You could have been hurt-"
"I wasn't."
"Or you could have hurt yourself-"
"I didn't."
"Jesus fuck," he sighed. "Do you understand my point here?"
"Yes," I answered, calmly. "But hurting him, despite making us feel better, isn't productive. We can be out of here faster and I'd really like to get some fresh air."
He nodded curtly. "Where's the cash, Mike?"
"C-cash?"
"You owe me money. I'm here to collect early and, yes, I'm tacking on another four hundred."
"What?"
"It should be more than that due to our agreement. You still have your job, it won't take you long to make it back. If you're short on money, you can sell that monstrosity on your wrist."
Mike was wearing an overly large gold watch. I could have sold that on the street for two hundred, easy. One hundred if I tried to pawn it. Thankfully, that hadn't been necessary for a long time.
"My ex gave this to me."
"Am I here to talk about your personal problems? No. You're lucky I'm not kicking your ass. Money. Now."
"Mike, honey?" A voice called down the stairs, "Do your friends want some chocolate cake? Are they staying long?"
"Uh… no, Mom. We're just taking care of some, um, school stuff real quick."
"Ok, well, we're having pot pie for supper. I can easily set another two places at the table."
"I'll let you know," Mike's voice cracked. "Thanks…"
"Wow," I raised my eyebrow at Edward.
"She cooks your food, does your laundry, and doesn't mind that you spend all your time barricaded down here with free internet porn? You use Transformer mailing labels… Mike, get the fuck out of this business."
"That's probably the nicest thing I've heard you say to someone you don't like," I congratulated Edward.
"It's just… it's too… come the fuck on. Are you fucking serious with this shit?"
"Mike, I'd get the cash if I were you. I've been trying, desperately, to keep Edward from physically assaulting you. He's up to three curses in less than five seconds. I'm getting bored and I don't think your mother being home is going to deter him from hurting you."
"Right. Sure, one second." He scurried over to his computer desk and I tried not to show signs of disgust. While he counted out the money, I watched his body language. He was upset, obviously, that so much of it was going with us. Edward took the cash and pocketed it casually. Mike didn't wince or groan, I got the impression that he'd whine if he were truly going to miss it.
"And a trade in on this shit." Edward took the laced pot out of his jacket through a small rent cut into the pocket. I met his glance and smiled, of course he'd know about the trick. We left shortly thereafter having concluded our 'business.' Mike wasn't reduced to blood splatters on the wall, I considered our outing to be successful.
"So," I asked, "you ready to do some food shopping?"
"By all means. Mind if I drive?"
"It's your car, of course not. Do I get music choice?"
"Sure," he smiled easily, his anger from before gone now that a solution had been found.
"How much did you end up taking from Mike, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Counting what he gave me out of his wallet? Around four grand, I think, probably more. I didn't want to clean him out completely. He'd probably come running to me again, fuck if I know why."
"Four thousand dollars," I grinned, happy for him. "Not bad, all things considered."
"He probably had double that in his drawer," Edward mused. "Think we should turn around?"
"No," I laughed. "He'll be having nightmares for weeks. Don't traumatize him any further."
"You saved his ass," Edward leveled a glance in my direction. "And I don't want to think about Newton dreaming about me. Distract me?"
"Hmm… how to do that?"
"Oh," he added, "before I forget. Two grand of this is yours."
"Like hell it is."
"Seriously, if it weren't me, wouldn't you demand a cut of the profit?"
"If it hadn't been you, I wouldn't have been there in the first place," I pointed out logically. It was truthful, I didn't mean it in any negative way.
"Just take the money," he sighed. "If you don't, I'll find a way to leave it hidden in your room."
"I used that tactic already," I smirked, triumphant. "Keep it. If I want something I'll ask you for the cash to cover it."
"What am I? An ATM? Oh my fucking… fine. Fine. Just wait."
"Thanks."
He was taking the scenic route, very cool. I reached for his belt buckle, motivated by the song I had chosen. It was edgy, sexy, and after the past few hours, I wanted to do something wickedly fun.
"How good is your concentration?"
Edward raised his hips to unbutton his pants and lower the fly, all while keeping one hand on the wheel. Point proven. His windows were tinted, there was absolutely no wrong with this plan. I slackened my seatbelt without unbuckling it and got to my knees. He was fully conscious for this, too, and I knew he'd appreciate that. 4:32pm, it was time to show him how very good I could be.
Authors Note:
So there we go! Lemons aplenty, a little fun with Mike- a resolution to that whole problem- and a dinner with Charlie coming up! I hope ya'll found this a little more light-hearted than the previous few chapters. Sorry for the long wait, the writing rate has slowed a little bit. Probably because I don't want to go charging through now that the end is visible. There are another seven chapters, easy. After that? Maybe three until it concludes? It keeps changing, before I had estimated it at four, haha. So no worries, the real end isn't anytime soon.
Authors Note:|
Krystalwinds1990, Rhi, Dontsayiquit, acw1, san4jon, DodgerMcClure, Parkesy23, 1dreamkeeper, Bundysarah, Bhekie-
Thank you, thank you! To those of you who have Twittered or posted on blogs, thanks so much! I'm so happy to see that everyone's liking the new updates, though I'm sorry this chapter's taken so long. Thanks also to the people that followed this story over from another site!
Drkvctry-
Sorry it scared you, haha. Rather intense events, but its evened out a little now. =D.
AngelofRosesCullen-
I'm sorry! I figured there were too many emotions floating around in that chapter. Besides, parents always have the worst timing, right?
AngelaSampedro99-
I agree! Thanks for your comments, I hope you're more… satisfied by them after reading. =P
Bluecanoe-
Exactly, I didn't want to delay that anymore. It was becoming difficult to find new ways for them to 'think' about love. Besides, almost everyone else knew it, heh. Thank you for reviewing!
Vanquish13-
I know exactly what you're talking about. There are people like that in life that can send me into the same mindless rage. Thank you!
Heavyinfinity-
Yeah, I definitely felt it was needed. I showed the good aspects of pot, but not the dangers. There are always risks, you know? Just as I wanted to show the two different reactions to PCP. And, of course! When I leave things off the way I did last chapter, I normally have a direct continuation in a different POV. It pisses me off when author's do that, haha, I wouldn't want to be guilty of the same thing in my own story.
Bananahzz-
Thanks for following me over from TWCS! I actually did think Edward was going to freak out more than he did. The way I had been writing it seemed as though that's how everything would end. And then there was a sentence, when he started berating himself… that it made sense for him to be relieved rather than horrified. =). Thank you again!
Christykq-
Thanks very much! They found a way, =P, hope you liked it!
SuperYunaKittyFan-
Thank you! I always appreciated how, in some cases, a character can cry without completely breaking. Not sure if that makes sense. As of now, I can't picture Edward crying at all. Bella, though, she seems more vulnerable to me. Maybe it's because she's a female? At any rate, I'm really, really happy you're liking the story so much.
Cat5050-
When I saw your review, I squee'd. Haha, you guessed it! You're awesome, =P.
Ionuin Anam Cara-
Thank you so, so much for your amazing review! I don't know what to say aside from trying to convey that I'm stunned and so unbelievably… thanks! I.A.C- you absolutely made my week. I'm so glad you find the story so engaging and that you like the characters so much! I hope to hear from you again in the future, but if you don't review- really, thank you very much.
My4kids-
Yes, the tension could have kept building, but I don't think it would have been enjoyable for them. I didn't want any revolting or for one of them to stop speaking with me. Heh. Thanks for your review!
Kitasky123-
Sorry for your computer troubles! Thanks for taking the time to comment, =). I toast to your and your upcoming summer break, enjoy the relaxation time! At least, I hope you'll be able to relax…
Dazzleglo-
I understand, you phrased things very well. One hundred percent agreement. I couldn't really hurt Mike, he's really annoying, but not the type I'd be able to hit. As Edward felt, it'd just be… pathetic. Thank you!
Fliberty-
That's how I wanted it to be, =D. Because of the drug, the intense emotional reactions- I wanted to show that there were two entirely different through processes going on despite how deeply Edward and Bella understand one another. I also liked that they both don't feel worthy of the other, though once 'I love you' had been said… none of that mattered. The story had enough going on without the 'you're so much better than me' speeches right after the three words have been said, right?
No worries, Edward's past with Masen is his and his alone. Thank you for the concern though. ^_^
Happy 10th Anniversary, or belated anniversary! That's amazing and I'm excited for the both of you, =D.
Alice's character always makes me happy. She might seem annoying at times, but she has a really good heart and I've always thought she was cute. Ashley Greene is beautiful and I wish my hair were half as shiny.
Congrats on the new laptop! That's awesome of him, I'm glad your typing frustrations are over.
I love reviews, especially in-depth ones with character analysis. It makes me happy to know that this Edward and Bella have left an impact on some people. Thanks so very much, I love reading all of your comments and I definitely hope to hear from you again soon!
Hannah Lightwood-
Thank you! Yeah, 'blush. I'm a huge Johnny Depp fan. He was the star character in my first attempts at fan fiction. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was phenomenal. Usually when books are made into movies, facts change and there are major differences. Not in Fear and Loathing, I followed almost chapter for chapter, it was amazing.
There's a part toward the middle where he thinks back on his time and experiences in the world… it's one of the best things I've read. Sorry, I'll stop rambling, haha.
Karen4honor-
That was my favorite part to write. The image had been in my head for awhile and I didn't know where it would apply. Then, bam, perfect timing, haha. Glad you found it… interesting, if not good.
WookieMonster-
Wow, thank you very much! I hope you liked this chapter too! ^_^
