Disclaimer: Twilight and all the associated characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. The story line and all their naughty little actions come to you courtesy of me.

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"I'm so sorry, Bella." I shake my head in disbelief. This is my fault….not his.

He takes his suit jacket off and wraps it around me. I gladly take it, suddenly feeling a chill wash over me. I don't know if it's because I'm half naked or if it's because I'm in shock, but either way I'm grateful for Edwards thoughtfulness.

I'm so focused on Edward, and trying to wrap my head around everything that's happened, it's not until Edward leans in to help me up that I notice James coming up behind him.

"Edward, look out!"

Investing in Love – Chapter 35

My warning comes too late and James picks Edward up to his feet and gives him a blow to the back of his head with his elbow. Edward stumbles and falls on all fours on the floor. James looks like a mad man. His eyes have a furious rage burning in them. I don't think I have ever feared him more than I do at this moment.

"You think you can come in here a take what belongs to me?!" James spits the words out as he kicks Edward in the side. Edward lets out a strangled grunt when James's shoe makes contact with his ribs. I scream and beg him to stop, but I'm merely a spectator at this point as they are focused on each other.

"I won't….. let you….. touch her," Edward growls between deep breaths.

"Isn't it sweet how she was willing to give herself to me just to protect you and your fortune? And here you are willing to give up everything you worked so hard for, just to protect her innocence." James kicks him again. He's enjoying this, feeding off our misery. "Maybe I will make you watch me violate her."

James turns his focus to me and walks in my direction as I scramble up to my feet.

"Did you think of me too, Edward? Every time you saw those scars on her back?" He is goading Edward, but his eyes are focused on me. I look around, trying to find something to fight him off with. I reach into the pockets on Edwards's jacket, but the only thing I find is his cell phone.

"I can't wait for you to see the first time I dip my hard cock into her warm pussy and claim her as mine," he laughs. "This night is turning out better than I could have ever imagined."

"You son of a bitch!" Edward comes out of nowhere projecting himself towards James.

Edward gets James to the ground and starts pummeling into him. I notice James reach into his pants pocket with one hand while he tries to push Edward off of him with the other. The item he pulls out of his pocket catches my eye as the light hits it.

"He has a knife!" I scream frantically, trying to warn Edward.

Edward jumps up off of him and puts some distance between them. They're in a standoff now; circling around waiting for someone to make the first move. The wait is short-lived and James plunges towards Edward.

"Aagh!" Edward yell's out as the metal makes contact with his shoulder.

"Edward!" I cry, terrified that he will be hurt, or even worse…No, I can't think like that, I refuse to even consider a world in which Edward does not exist.

They start to circle each other again when I notice Edward's shoulder is bleeding. What can I do?... the cops! I pull Edwards phone out of his suite pocket and dial.

While I'm on the phone trying to get some help, Edward lunges at James. They start to scuffle and I can barely make out what is going on. I keep losing track of the knife. They come together and I hear James's blood curdling scream. James collapses in Edwards arms and Edward lets him fall to the ground. I can still see James breathing, but he isn't moving.

Edward takes a moment and then turns to look at me. He has a trickle of blood dripping down his lip and his breathing is labored. He leans against the back of the couch and grabs at his shoulder. Oh my gosh…his shoulder!

I rush over to him. "Are you alright? How badly are you hurt? The cops are on their way." I'm frantic and worried, my hands are moving all around him wanting to touch him, but not wanting to hurt him.

"I'm fine." I give him a 'you're not fine, you just got stabbed' look. "Really, it's only a flesh wound."

I take a deep breath relieved with that answer. He pulls me in for a reassuring hug. "You shouldn't have come," I say with my face nestled in his chest.

"Yes, I should have." He strokes my hair as he holds me. "Are you alright?" He places a soft kiss on the top of my head. I nod my head 'yes', but I think we both know that's not true.

"God Bella, when I think about what he..."

"Shhhh," I look up at him and place my finger over his lips to quiet him. "I really don't want to talk about it right now." He nods his head in acknowledgment.

He runs his fingers gently down my cheek and pushes my hair behind my ear. I feel him get tense and stop his movement. His eyes are focused on my neck. "What did that son of a bitch do to you?"

"Edward…"

"I don't think he's dead, but I have half a mind to finish him off." Edward is boiling again. "Say something to distract me."

"What?"

"Distract me, so I won't go back and finish him off."

I don't know what to say, but I can tell he's not kidding, so I do the only thing I can think of to distract him; I grab his face and kiss him. I feel his tension melt away as we reconnect in this way. I don't know how long we've been kissing, but we are startled when there is a knock on the door.

"Open up! It's the police."

"I'm coming," Edward yells out to them.

He looks at me with a frown on his face and starts buttoning up his suit jacket that I'm wearing.

"I've already had to fight one man tonight. I don't want to have to take down the New York Police Department too." I give a little laugh at his sweetly possessive behavior.

"I'll take care of this and then I will put you to bed." He places another kiss on my forehead and goes to the door.

As soon as Edward opens the door to the apartment, I feel his cell phone buzz in his jacket pocket. I reach in and pull it out to look at the screen that's lit up. What in the…? I don't believe this!

I'm standing there staring at Edwards's phone, which also allows me to watch everything that is happening in the apartment at the same time. I am absolutely livid and can't believe what I'm seeing...he told me the cameras weren't on. Yet his phone buzzed exactly at the same time the officers entered my apartment. He has apparently been able to keep track of everyone who enters or leaves the apartment this entire time.

He is talking to a couple police officers when I look up at him. He catches my eye and smiles, but I don't reciprocate. I see a questioning look wash over his face, no doubt due to my less than pleased face I have at the moment. I break eye contact when a female officer comes over to take my statement and see if I need any medical treatment.

I answer all the questions and let the medic give me a once over. They take James to the hospital, but it doesn't look good for him. Edward is sitting shirtless on the couch while a medic bandages his shoulder. He keeps glancing over to me, but I look away, not wanting to deal with him while the police are still here.

"Bella!" -Alice

"Bella!" -Rosalie

Alice, Rosalie, Jasper and Jacob rush into the apartment. I reach out and Rosalie and Alice give me a big hug.

"What the hell happened here?" Jacob comes up behind me and puts his arms lovingly around my shoulders. I turn from Rosalie and Alice and give Jacob a hug. Jasper goes to Edward and checks up on him while I give a brief explanation of what happened to Alice, Rosalie and Jacob; but for now I leave out the last part where I found out Edward lied to me and has been video-stalking me since I meet him.

The medics finish up and head out, leaving only the detective left to finish up. We are all sitting around when the detective gets off his phone and approaches us. "Well guys, with both of your testimonies, I'm sure this will be an open and closed case. It was clearly self-defense. I will just have to process the paperwork."

"Would it be easier if we had proof?" I question the detective.

"Well yeah, but I don't see how else you can prove it."

"I think this will do." I hand Edwards cell phone to the detective. "It was all recorded."

I look over to Edward and realization hits him. He gets up and takes his phone back from the detective. He messes with it for a while and tells the detective he will e-mail him the footage. The detective lets us know that this will be a slam dunk case now and Edward walks him to the door, while thanking him for all his help.

As soon as the door is closed, Edward hangs his head in defeat and takes a deep breath. "Bella, let me explain," he says remorsefully.

I shake my head in annoyance as everyone stands motionless, acutely aware of the tension in the room.

"I did it for your protection," he starts to explain.

"For my protection?! Did I ever ask for you to protect me?"

"No, but I…"

"But, what? You invaded my privacy and the privacy of my roommates, even after I specifically asked you not to turn on those cameras. You think that is even remotely acceptable?"

Edward stands there and looks around the room at our friends still standing by and watching. Rosalie finally gets the hint. "Hey guys. I…um…Have this really cool….um…lamp in my room. We should go check it out."

"Yeah…yeah…we should go check out the lamp," Jasper agrees with Rosalie as he works on corralling Jacob and Alice to go with them. If I weren't so pissed I would be laughing at Rose's lame excuse to leave the room.

Edward and I wait until we hear Rosalie's bedroom door close before we start again. "Bella please, you have to understand, I was worried about you. You were so scared that night at Twilight when you saw him; I didn't know what to think."

"So your first reaction was to put me on surveillance?"

"I just wanted to know that you were safe. I couldn't sleep without knowing if you were safe in bed every night."

"No," I shake my head in disbelief, "you couldn't sleep at night not knowing if I was in bed with another man or not."

"NO! It was nothing like that."

"Oh please, that's why you had the cameras installed at Twilight, isn't it? To make sure Mike Newton wasn't inappropriately touching your new investment?"

"Well...he was an idiot. And it wasn't just about making sure no one else touched you…I love watching you dance…I couldn't always be there, so this was the next best thing."

I'm taken back a little by this confession, not expecting that answer. Does he really love to watch me dance? I won't let him sweet talk me. I can't trust him. He's a business man. He has a silver tongue. He will say anything just to get what he wants.

"I don't buy it. The only reason you put cameras in this apartment was to make sure my ex-boyfriend didn't move in on your investment."

"That's ridiculous," he scoffs.

"Ridiculous? Edward you are just like him. All you care about are capital gains and how your acquisitions will increase your bottom line."

"I readily admit that is how it started. I don't do relationships, but….this is different."

"Yeah, it's different because you didn't realize that your investment was damaged. I tried to tell you I wasn't what you wanted. Sure, you kept me around for a while, but when you realized what James did to me…that I'm damaged…you did all of this out of pity for me."

"Pity for you?"

"Yes! What else would cause you to give everything up? You started to grow a conscience. You knew I was merely a fleeting investment, but when you found out how bad my last dalliance was with a big corporate mogul like yourself, you pitied me. Did you really think giving up your business for me was going to absolve you of all your sins?

Edward looks furious now. He starts to walk towards me and for a moment I think maybe I took this too far.

"You think I pity you?"

"Yes." I stand confident in my answer.

He makes his way closer to me. "You are a fool…a blind fool."

"How dare you!" I'm offended and getting a little nervous as he stalks his way towards me.

"I don't pity you, Bella."

"Ha!" I say condescendingly, folding my arms in front of me and standing my ground as he approaches.

"God damn it Bella! I don't pity you… I LOVE YOU!" he roars. "And you are a goddamn fool if you can't see that." He grabs my face and kisses me with a passion I have never felt before.

A/N: Oh my lovelies I couldn't keep this chapter hidden away any longer. Emotions are running high and our poor Bella is more confused than ever. Edward, over protective as he is, means well and he knows what he wants…rest assured….he will not give up. This story is just getting warmed up. Expect more sexual tension and a lot more drama/angst….oh and don't forget a dash or two of humor ;) Thank you so much for everyone who is reading and reviewing. I LOVE to read what you are thinking! If you like the story, please review. Your kind words and constructive criticism would mean the world to me. If you don't like the story, then remember what your mama told you, "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all." I hope my story brings you a welcoming escape into the world of fantasy.