Chapter 36
Isabella Pov
We were lying in bed with my head resting on his chest and our legs tangled. We were quiet, just enjoying each other's company after two long weeks of separation. Time seemed to have stopped around us, and I wished I could have those moments of serenity for life.
It had been over twelve hours since I had last seen James. Twelve hours since I had regained hope. Twelve hours since the nightmare was over, and I was finally reunited with Edward and my family. Those had been the happiest hours of my existence.
Running my hand up and down his abdomen, I started drawing imaginary circles around his navel. I opened my mouth to speak, but then thought better of it and closed it, refusing to let the words out. I repeated the motion a few more times, gathering the courage to confess myself. With a deep breath, I gazed up into his half-open eyes.
"He kissed me," I said in a voice so small I wasn't sure he'd heard me.
He shook his head, his arm that was draped around my waist squeezing my to him hard. "It doesn't matter," he said hoarsely. "You're here with me now. You're here."
I sighed, then added in the same timid voice, "He also touched me."
He closed his eyes, his expression contorting as if he was in pain. "Please don't," he begged weakly, getting in a sitting position and covering his face with his hands. "I don't want to know. I can't..."
"Edward..." I murmured, realizing he had misunderstood me. I sat and wrapped my arms around his torso from behind, rubbing my nose against his broad back.
"I'm sorry," he sobbed quietly, and my heart clenched at the sound. "I'm so fucking selfish. But I can't hear it. God, I can't." His tone held something akin to desperation as he turned to face me. There were tears trailing down his cheeks, and I reached up to wipe them with my thumbs. "I'm so sorry," he apologized again. "I'm going to kill that motherfucker, I swear. I'm going to fucking end him for what he did to you."
His tears triggered my own, and I let out a shuddered breath before replying. "I didn't have sex with him."
"What?" he sounded like he couldn't believe me.
I nodded. "He just... kissed me and groped me a few times, but that's it."
Edward's features flooded with relief. "Really?"
"Yeah. He said he didn't want to force himself on me, but... he made me sleep in the same bed with him." I looked at him underneath my lashes, waiting for his reaction.
There was a long moment of pregnant silence before he replied. "I don't know if it's wrong, but I actually feel... relieved. Does this make any sense?"
I shrugged, smiling at him tentatively. "Yeah, I guess. It could have been worse."
"I'm sorry for what you had to go through." He cupped my face with his hands, his nose rubbing against mine tenderly. "I wish I could have done more. I wish we could have found you earlier than two weeks. I wish... I wish this whole thing was just a bad dream."
"But it isn't just a bad dream." My voice trembled as I said it, and he kissed my tears away. "I love you, Edward," I whispered, closing my eyes and letting myself feel the warmth of his lips touching my skin. "I love you so much."
"God, baby," he whispered back, his entire body shaking with emotion. "You have no idea how much you mean to me. I would do anything for you." He kissed my cheeks. "I would give my fucking life for you." He kissed my eyelids. "That's how much I love you." He kissed my lips.
I responded with everything I had, losing myself into the kiss. When I started to feel overwhelmed by the amalgam of emotions bubbling inside of me, I pulled back and gazed at him through watery vision.
"Promise me you'll never leave me," I pleaded through disconsolate sobs.
"Never," he promised ardently, his intense stare boring into mine. "I swear." He pulled me into his lap and buried his face into my hair as he rocked us back and forth.
Sometimes later there was a knock at the door. Reluctantly, I crawled off Edward's lap and called for whoever was on the other side to come in. The door opened and my mom's head peeked from behind it.
"Hey," she said, smiling at the two of us widely as she stepped inside carrying a tray. "You two need to eat."
She sat down on the bed and put the tray next to her. My stomach rumbled savagely at the sight and smell of cooked food, and I didn't hesitate to grab a plate, beginning to eat with gusto. Edward followed my example with less enthusiasm.
"Thanks, Mom," I murmured, taking a large bite of chicken and chewing a couple of times before swallowing it eagerly. I had refused to touch any kind of food the entire day, and now I was famished.
"I love you," she said softly in return, looking at me with such love and tenderness, it made me weak in the knees, and I wasn't even standing up.
I reached for her hand and pulled her into a half hug, because I had the plate on my lap. "You too," I said in her ear, pecking her lightly on the cheek.
"You have a great boyfriend, you know." She winked at Edward conspiratorially, and he chuckled lowly.
My gaze was drawn to him, and I offered him the biggest smile I could muster. "I know."
"I completely approve of this relationship," Mom said playfully, and I rolled my eyes at her.
"I'm glad. How's Dad?"
She sighed, her expression turning compassionate. "He was exhausted, so I sent him to his room to sleep."
"Mom?" I said tentatively, chewing on a piece of boiled carrot.
"Yeah?"
I though for a brief moment if I really wanted to pose the question that had nagged at me the entire day. "Where's aunt Renata? I didn't see her at all today."
As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted not shutting the hell up. Mom's face fell, and she swallowed thickly before answering in a strained voice. "I don't know where she is. She and Felix got a divorce."
My eyes almost bugged out of my head in shock. "When?"
"A while back," was her only answer.
She turned her gaze towards the window and remained still as a statue as she seemed to be staring at nothing. Feeling bad that I had made her sad, I downcast my eyes and continued eating in silence.
Being back in the house where I had spent a good part of my adolescence brought back so many memories, both good and bad. On the way back from the police station all I could think about was how I was going to feel when I saw it again. I was afraid I was going to freak out and ask Mom to take me to a hotel. But to my complete amazement, once inside, a strong wave of calmness washed over me. I felt like I had never been gone for more than a few hours; like I had just stepped out to grab a coffee and returned shortly. Everything was the same as I remembered, and it gave me a strange feeling of deja-vu. I almost expected Vicky to come bouncing down the stairs with her long red hair fluttering in the air.
Remembering Vicky made me inconsolably sad. The first thing I did after we arrived was to lock myself alone in her room. I didn't cry. I simply sat on her bed and browsed through an album with pictures of us taken during the years. Being there surrounded by her things made me feel closer to her, but also melancholic. Even though I had somewhat absolved myself of the blame of her death, I still couldn't get past the idea that I was never going to see her again.
Half an hour had passed since I had been in Vicky's room by myself when there was a knock on the door. I rose to my feet and unlocked it, only to see uncle Felix standing on the other side. Without a word, he walked past me and sat on the bed, motioning for my to join him.
"How are you?" he inquired softly.
I shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "I'm alright, I guess. Glad to be with my family again."
"I won't let him get away with it. I promise."
"Thank you," I murmured, wringing my hand nervously in my lap. It still hurt to think of how much he had suffered -and was still suffering- from his daughter's loss.
"Vicky would have been proud of you," he said casually, his voice light. "Of how you handled the situation."
As soon as her name dropped from his lips, I started crying. He wrapped an arm around me and shushed me, his mouth going to my ear.
"No," he said firmly. "You are still my petite fleur."
That was all the conversation we'd had, but it had meant to me more than he'll ever know.
What seemed like minutes later, Mom got up and headed for the door. "You two should get some sleep. But you have to finish your food first. I want to see those plates empty. I can't even remember when was the last time I saw Edward eating."
I cupped Edward's stubbly cheek, rubbing circles with my thumb across his pale skin. "Yeah, he's lost a few pounds," I said absentmindedly, looking into his deep green eyes.
He leaned into my touch, his mouth set into a straight line as he replied. "Look who's talking."
Mom slipped out of the room, giving us much needed privacy.
"Eat," I commanded, nodding towards his plate that was still half full.
He shook his head, stabbing a piece of broccoli with his fork and bringing it to his lips. "When did you get so bossy?"
I smiled. "I have always been bossy."
~~ 0 ~~
"You stink," I commented, scrunching my nose as I sniffed at Edward. It was later that night, and we were still lying in bed.
He gave a rumbling laugh, making the entire bed shake underneath us. "Thanks for the compliment, babe."
"I'm only telling the truth," I said with a shrug.
He sighed. "Yeah, I know."
"You wanna take a bath?" I suggested, kissing one of his pecs lingeringly through the t-shirt he was wearing.
He stared down at me with dark eyes. "Yeah," he said huskily. "A bath sounds nice." He got up, starting off towards the adjoining bathroom. "I'm going to turn on the water in the bathtub. Stay here."
He closed the door behind him, and I heard the water being turned on then a few seconds later the toilet being flushed.
He came back clad only in his sweatpants, and I took him in hungrily. I had missed him so much in every way possible that it was hard to tear my gaze away. I ogled his bare chest unashamedly, my eyes falling lower to his still noticeable six pack, and then even lower to his crotch.
He saw me looking, but I couldn't bring myself to feel embarrassed. Swallowing thickly, his gaze flickered to my breasts. Then, as if he was doing something bad, and completely out of character for him, he turned his back to me and crunched down next to his luggage that he had never unpacked. He took out a pair of clean boxers and a t-shirt, then headed back into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
I stayed in bed, dumbfounded. I tried not to feel hurt by his lack of interest in me, but his platonic behavior was killing me. I needed him.
Was he upset with the fact that James had touched me? That he had kissed me? That I had shared the same bed with him for two weeks?
Maybe he believes I lied to him when I said I didn't have sex with James.
The thought that Edward might be doubting me made me sick to my stomach. Bitter tears were starting to form, and I jumped to my feet, rushing towards the bathroom. I was capable of pleading my innocence on my knees if that was what it took for him to believe me.
I burst through the door, my heart beating erratically in my chest.
I let out a loud gasp when my gaze landed on Edward. He was sitting in the bathtub with his arms gripping each side, the water still running. His eyes were closed, his head tossed back, and he looked like he was concentrating hard. Through the crystal clear water I could see his erection.
At my audible gasp, his eyes snapped open. His jaw clenched and his nostrils flared as he looked me up and down with obvious lust.
Without having to think twice about it, I peeled off my clothes and joined him. I straddled his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss.
My entrance brushed against the tip of his penis and he groaned as if I was torturing him.
"What are you doing?" he breathed against my lips, his expression wild.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" I replied, grinding on him with purpose.
"Baby, no," he moaned, his fingers digging into my skin so hard I was sure he was going to leave bruises.
"Why not?" I asked, not stopping.
"I... uh... " he stuttered incoherently. "I-I don't know."
"What are you afraid of?" I murmured, running my hands through his wet hair.
"I don't want to hurt you."
I faltered my movements as I stared at him intently. "I'm not going to break, Edward. You should give me more credit," I snapped, starting to get angry with him. "I want to do this. I missed you. I want to feel connected to you again this way. I need this."
"I just don't want you to do anything that you're not comfortable with," he admitted, gazing up at me lovingly as he leaned in to softly nip at my collarbone.
"Do I look like I'm uncomfortable with what we're doing?" I challenged, starting to move on top of him again.
He chuckled, bringing our bodies flush against each other. He kissed his way from the valley of my breasts, to my collarbone, to my neck and to my earlobe which he nibbled on. Then he attacked my mouth with new found fervor, and this time I was the one who moaned loudly.
I reached between us and grabbed his erection, guiding him to where he was supposed to be. Lifting my hips, I held him with one hand as I sank down on him.
He shuddered in ecstasy, his hands burying in my hair as he parted my lips with his tongue and slipped it inside my mouth. Planting my hands firmly on his shoulders, I began to move up and down.
A few minutes of grunts and groans and moans had passed when Edward suddenly grabbed my waist and held me still. He looked like he had just snapped out of a heavy trance.
"What's wrong?" I panted, tugging on his fingers to free me.
"You didn't take the pill these past two weeks, did you?"
"No." I shook my head, trying to wiggle my way down on him.
"We can't do this. We need a condom, and I don't have one."
"I don't care," I said and with as much force as I could I impaled myself back on him.
He hissed, tossing his head back, his mouth falling open. I could see it on his face that he didn't want to stop either. In the back of my mind, I knew what we were doing was wrong, but I was too far gone to care.
We both came together shortly after, and I collapsed against him, my breathing labored. He played with my hair, then lifted my face and began peppering sloppy kisses all over it.
For the first time in far too long, I laughed with all my heart. I was ecstatic.
We toweled off and put some clothes on then headed back to bed, this time getting under the covers. He turned on the TV and we snuggled, my back to his chest. We watched BBC for a while because it was the only non-French channel available, but Edward got bored quickly and switched to a music channel.
"So... uh... can I ask you something?" he asked into my hair, all of the sudden.
I shrugged one shoulder nonchalantly. "Ask away."
"What actually happened?"
I sighed, turning over to face him. I told him everything from the moment James appeared on my porch, to the day he decided we needed to move out of the apartment. It was just now dawning on me that Edward had been in Paris almost the entire time, and it made me even madder than I already was at James.
He had known, I was sure of that. He must have. Why he didn't move us out of the apartment as soon as he found out, was beyond me. Maybe he was so cocky and sure of himself that he didn't think he was going to be found. In the end, it had all worked out in my favor and I had to thank James' smugness for that.
The only significant thing I remembered before we moved out of the apartment was James carrying a very heated conversation with his father over the phone. He had locked himself in the bedroom, and even though I tried to listen to what he was saying, all I could make out were some very inconclusive snippets. Then, later that day, I tried to escape and he hit me, making me lose me conscience for a few short minutes. The same night he packed a few things and we left, accompanied by two of his father's men.
Everything happened in a blur after that. I couldn't quite understand what was happening, but I knew it had to be big in order to make James get on the run.
For the next couple of days, I waited. I could feel it in my bones that something crucial was about to happen. James was in and out of the house the entire time, leaving my supervision to one of his gorillas. He seemed frantic and not himself at all as I heard him making arrangements for us to move to Germany. He wanted to leave the country as soon as possible, but there was obviously something keeping him from doing so.
When he told me we were scheduled to leave the next day, I started to panic. I prayed fervently to God for help, and by some miracle my prayers were heard. That night as James was talking on the phone with some German guy, there was a car pulling outside. His men didn't even have time to get up from their seats when the door burst open and the police started pouring in. I freaked out at first, not understanding what was happening, but as soon as it downed on me they were the good guys, relief and gratefulness flooded through my entire being.
James attempted to flee through the back door but failed. He was captured and dragged struggling to the awaiting van along with his men.
The moment one of the men in heavy equipment started approaching me, I jumped to my feet eagerly, leaving the armchair I'd been occupying. He removed his mask and smiled at me softly. I began to cry because I was so happy and threw myself at him. I didn't know him, but I didn't care. He was my savior, and I was so grateful I was finally being rescued.
He began to speak to me in a very accented English. I told him I spoke French, and his smile widened. Later, as we were heading towards the police station, I found out he was Alain Molyneux, a friend of my uncle's. We drove in the car with a woman who introduced herself as agent Desmarais.
Once in Alain Molyneux's office, he told me my family was on the way. He didn't have time to finish his sentence before Edward was bursting through the door.
"So you'd been there," Edward said as a conclusion when I was done speaking. "At the apartment, I mean."
"Yeah." I nodded, idly toying with his t-shirt's loose v-neck. "But James found out the police was looking for me. He probably found out that they had leads on where I was, so he moved me to another place."
"That house you were found in?" He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Yeah. He also bought a house in Germany." I paused briefly before adding softly, "We were supposed to leave today. If they had been just a day late, I wouldn't be here right now."
Edward's jaw set in visible anger. He pulled me closer to his chest and rested his chin on top of my head as his fingers massaged my scalp gently. He touched the spot where I had hit my head days before, and I let out a weak pained sound.
"What's wrong?" His brow furrowed as he looked down at me. "Are you hurt?"
I grimaced and bit hard on my lip, not wanting to tell him the truth. He was staring at me expectantly, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to lie to him.
"I hit my head," I confessed guardedly, watching his expression for what I knew was about to come.
His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Let me see," he said, his voice hard. Hesitantly, I lowered my head and pointed to where it hurt. "How did this happen? When?" he demanded.
"On Wednesday."
"Did he hit you?" he asked in a furious whisper, an emotion that I couldn't quite pinpoint flashing across his face. I nodded and didn't even had time to open my mouth before he started yelling. "That motherfucker!" He sat up abruptly, tugging at his hair roughly. "Did he at least give you any kind of medical care?"
"No. Well, he bought me some ointment for the wound, but that was it."
He closed his eyes for a split second, raising his face to the ceiling as if he was praying for something. Patience? Strength? Calm maybe.
When he looked at me again there was fierce determination in his expression. "Tomorrow we're seeing a doctor. I'll talk to your uncle myself."
"I'm fine," I said, running my hand up and down his arm soothingly.
"You're not fine," he spat, glaring at me.
"But," I started to say, and he cut me off angrily.
"Don't argue with me. You're seeing a doctor, period."
That night as Edward slept soundly beside me, I woke up drenched in sweat. Nightmares about James beating me and then raping me plagued my slumber, and I knew I was going to have to see Kate again as soon as we got back to Forks.
~~ 0 ~~
As soon as I woke up the next morning, I knew I had an errand to run that day. Edward's side of the bed was empty, and I got up, heading towards the bathroom. He was standing in front of the mirror, his wet hair slacked back and a towel hanging loosely from his hips. He was shaving and as soon as his eyes landed on me in the reflection, he smiled.
"Morning," I greeted sleepily, circling his waist from behind and kissing the spot between his shoulder blades.
"Morning," he said happily, taking one of my palms and bringing it to his lips.
I let go of him and picked up his toothbrush, starting to brush my teeth. After a minute, I rinsed my mouth and the toothbrush and looked at him in the mirror. "We need to go to the pharmacy."
"Why?" he asked, stopping with the razor suspended in the air. "Are you feeling sick?"
"No." I bit on my lip nervously. "I need emergency contraception."
Confused, he stared at me for a moment before his face showed signs of recognition. "You mean the morning-after pill?"
"Yeah."
"Okay." He resumed shaving. "Do you know a pharmacy around this area?"
"Yeah."
I took a shower and put on some clothes that I had borrowed from Vicky's closet. It felt weird wearing her clothes even though I had done it many times before, but it was a necessity. I couldn't wear anything of Edward's because his clothes were too big on me, and all my stuff was still in James' apartment.
After dressing in shorts, t-shirt and a hoodie, Edward grabbed his wallet and my hand, and we headed downstairs. We bumped into Mom in the foyer. She had a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other. At the same time, Phil came down the stairs.
"Morning," he said, leaning down to kiss my cheek and then pat Edward on the back.
"Where are you two going?" Mom inquired, her eyes bouncing between us curiously.
"To the pharmacy," I answered as nonchalantly as I could.
Her brow furrowed as she looked me up and down. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I... uh... I have a sore throat and I'm going to get something for it," I lied, squeezing Edward's hand. He responded by squeezing back. I cleared my throat a bit for effect, and Mom's expression softened.
"Okay. You want me to come with you?" she offered, smiling at us.
"No!" I said quickly, and she arched an eyebrow at me. "I mean, Edward is going and we'll take Jean-Paul with us. There's no need for you to come along."
She glanced down at our intertwined hands with a knowing look, and I was afraid she could see right through the lie. Thankfully, she didn't call me on it.
"Fine," she eventually relented with a sigh. "Don't be long. Hugette is making lunch."
"Okay. Uh, can you give me some euros? Edward only has dollars."
"Here," Phil said, reaching in his pants' pocket. He took out his wallet and handed me a fifty euro bill.
"Thanks."
Jean-Paul was happy to drive us anywhere we wanted. He chatted happily with me in French, much to Edward's annoyance. I took the pill as soon as I bought it and swore to never act on such an imbecile whim ever again. Becoming pregnant at seventeen wasn't anything either Edward or I desired.
Later that afternoon, uncle Felix took me to the hospital to have my head examined. Luckily for me, the hit hadn't caused any damage and the cut was almost healed already. After a few thorough tests, the doctor gave me some ointment and sent me home, telling me I had nothing to worry about.
~~ 0 ~~
We stayed in Paris for another week during which I made numerous trips to the police station for various reasons. James was behind bars, waiting for his trial to begin in about a month. I hadn't seen him at all since the night I was rescued from his filthy claws, and I hoped to never see his face again until the trial when I had to come back to testify against him. I knew his father had hired him the best defense lawyer France had, but our lawyer wasn't half bad either. I had high hopes that he was going to get what he deserved.
At the end of August, exactly three weeks after I last saw Forks, we went back. Dad had a coworker pick us up from the airport, and we arrived home after eleven p.m. on a Saturday night.
Edward decided to sleep over instead of going home. The three of us were completely exhausted after the long, uninterrupted thirteen hour flight. Charlie was the first to go to bed. He bid us goodnight and dragged his tired body up the stairs to his room. I fixed Edward a sandwich because he was hungry and waited for him to finish eating before heading to sleep. We stripped down to our underwear and got under the covers, passing out almost as soon as our heads hit the pillow.
The next morning, I gave Edward a ride home. I parked my truck next to his mom's BMW and we got out. He took out his luggage from the backseat, and grabbing my hand, we made our way to the front door.
Once inside, he deposited the luggage on the floor and crunched down to untie his sneakers. I tossed my flats to the side and just as I was about to head to the living room, I heard the sound of hurried steps coming down the stairs.
"Bella!" Alice cried excitedly, running to hug me. "Oh my God," she breathed in awe. "I'm so happy to see you."
"Hi, Alice." I chuckled, fighting back happy tears.
She didn't hold back as she started crying. It shocked me because I had never seen Alice cry before. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too," I said in a strangled voice as I let the tears fell freely down my cheeks. "All of you."
Edward was watching us silently. After a little while, Alice pulled back from me and moved to gather her brother in an embrace. "Hey," she whispered hoarsely, her face hidden into his t-shirt.
"Hey, sis," he murmured, rubbing her back. "Where's Mom and Dad?"
She didn't have time to answer before Esme's excited cry echoed through the house. "Edward!" She came rushing down the stairs, Dr. Cullen trailing behind her.
Esme went straight for Edward and wrapped her arms around him like the worried mother she was. Traces of distress were still evident in the way her body trembled even though she was smiling hugely.
Edward kissed his mother on the forehead, then murmured something in her ear. She nodded then moved her eyes to me.
"Bella dear," she croaked hoarsely, letting go of her son and making her way over to me. "It's such a relief that you are safe and sound."
"Thanks, Esme," I said, giving her a hug.
Edward had told me about the existent tension between him and his mother caused by her reticence to let him come after me. But to me, it made sense. What good mother in her place wouldn't have done the same? Worrying for your child is part of being a parent.
On the way to his house, I had lectured Edward about the way he behaved towards her and made him promise that as soon as he got her alone he would apologize.
After taking turns at hugging Dr. Cullen and changing a few pleasantries, Edward and I went upstairs to his room so he could leave his luggage and change into some fresh clothes.
The moment we entered his bedroom, I ran to his bed and crashed on it. "I missed this," I said, sighing contently.
"What?" I could hear the smile in his voice.
"Your room."
"Really?" he asked incredulously as he lay down next to me. "You missed my room?"
"Yeah." I turned my head to grin at him. "We made some great memories in this room."
He laughed, his hand sneaking underneath my top to caress my stomach. "You feel like making new ones?"
"Later." I closed my eyes and placed my hand on top of his as he continued to knead my skin gently.
"I have to go back in a month," I randomly voiced the errant thought that happened to cross my mind in that moment.
He hummed close to my ear. "I know. I'll go with you."
I looked at him and saw that he was watching me intently. "Do you think your parents will mind?"
"What, leaving again?"
"Yeah. You'll have to miss a few days of school."
He shrugged, his palm inching its way up towards my ribs. "I don't know. Honestly, I don't care. Nothing is going to stop me from being there for you."
"Thank you," I said softly, feeling like my heart was going to explode in my chest with the intensity of the love I had for him.
"You have nothing to thank me for."
"Yes, I do. You must be the most supportive boyfriend ever."
"I'm sure you would have done the same for me if the situation was reversed."
I nodded in agreement, because I knew for sure I would have done the same and more for him. "Do you think he's going to be in jail for a long time?"
His jaw clenched at the mention of James. "I fucking hope so."
I sighed, turning on my side to face him. "Me too."
~~ 0 ~~
The weekend before school started we went to Port Angeles to see Conan. I wasn't a big fan of action movies, but Edward insisted that he wanted to see it, so I reluctantly agreed. I spent most of the time ogling the main actor and making comments on how good he looked, which of course irritated Edward. He kept mumbling under his breath that he wasn't that good looking.
We were waiting at a red light and chatting casually about the movie when my attention was drawn to a couple kissing on the sidewalk. I gaped in shock when I recognized the guy as being Jacob. He had his arms around a girl I knew from school. I didn't know her name, but I did know she was now a junior. She was tall, had light brown hair gathered tightly in a French braid and a pair of legs that looked a mile long.
"Oh my God, Edward," I squealed, slapping his thigh to get his attention. "Look at that."
His gaze followed mine outside the window, and it took him a moment to realize what was going on. Then he smirked. "Maybe now he's going to forget about you."
"She's pretty," I said truthfully. I wasn't one of those girls who automatically hated other girls just because they looked good.
"So?" he replied unimpressed. "You're prettier than her."
I smiled at him sweetly. "Why, thank you."
The light turned green, and he put the car in motion, leaving Jake and his girlfriend behind. "I'm serious. No girl in this town compares to you."
"You're so sweet."
We rode in silence for a while before Edward spoke again. "Are you nervous about tonight?"
"A bit," I admitted, reaching over to toy with the hair at the nape of his neck. "I'm going to formally meet my dad's girlfriend so..."
"Sue is nice," he said, focusing on the road.
"I know. She's definitely going to be a breath of fresh air for Charlie."
"Mmhmm," he murmured, leaning back into my touch which meant he didn't want me to stop what I was doing. "Do you think she'll move in with him?"
I shrugged. "Eventually."
His eyes slid over to me momentarily. "You don't have a problem with that, do you?"
"No. I just want my dad to be happy."
~~ 0 ~~
"Edwaaard," I whined groggily, swatting at his hand that was clasping mine. "I want to sleep."
It was the next day around six a.m. in the morning. After having dinner with my dad, Sue and Edward, I decided to spend the night at his house in order to give Charlie some privacy. I think the gesture was highly appreciated, because he gave me a sheepish smile as soon as I announced that Edward and I were leaving.
Sue was a nice woman. She was in her late thirties, pretty, a good cook and she had a sense of humor. She had been married once, but her husband had died of a heart attack, leaving her alone with no children.
Not that I had a say in my dad's romantic life or anything, but I approved of her with all my heart. If Charlie wanted to get married again, Sue was definitely the most suitable woman to become his wife.
I could see the way he looked at her, and I knew he had it bad. It was actually kind of funny seeing him so enamored and acting like a fifteen year old with a crush when she was around. Edward and I made jokes about Dad and his crush all the way to his house.
"You'll sleep later," Edward said over his shoulder, dragging my down the stairs.
"Where are we going?"
He gave me a mischievous grin, winking playfully. "You'll see."
"What are we doing here?" I asked suspiciously, taking in my surroundings. We were in the piano room, and it was actually my first time being there.
He let go of my hand and sat at the piano. "Last night, after months... hell, I think it's been over a year since I've last played the piano..." he trailed off, seeming deep in thought.
I stood with my arms crossed over my chest, staring at him through my still foggy with sleep vision. Suddenly, as if remembering why we were there, he looked up at me with a wide smile. "So last night I played again."
"Okay," I muttered, not very impressed with this new piece of information. "Uh... congrats?"
At my lack of interest his expression became serious. "I wrote you a song."
That sobered me up instantly. "You what?" I gaped at him incredulously.
"Yeah." He nodded solemnly. "You wanna hear it?"
"You seem excited," I noticed with a frown, taking in the way he wrung his hands in his lap which was very unlike him. "And nervous."
"I am," he admitted with a sheepish smile. "I think it's a great song."
"Well, go ahead then," I said, walking over to where he was and taking a seat next to him. "Let's hear it."
He cracked his knuckles expertly and took a deep breath. He started playing, his long fingers moving deftly over the keys.
The sounds coming from the piano were quiet and tentative at first. As the song progressed, it picked up the pace, only to slow down again towards the end. It was like a roller coaster, mimicking our relationship perfectly.
I didn't realize I had started crying until Edward stopped playing and turned to me with a smile. His face fell when his eyes landed on me.
"Oh shit," he swore panicked, his frantic hands coming to cup my cheeks. "Why are you crying? Did I do something wrong?"
Instead of answering, I threw myself into his arms and hugged him to me hard. "I love you," I choked through sobs, clutching at him for dear life.
He chuckled in relief. "I love you, too, baby, but why the tears?"
"It really is a great song." I sniffled, pulling back and wiping at my nose with the back of my hand. "I just... this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me."
"I'm glad you like it," he whispered, pushing the hair from my face and kissing my lips softly.
"You should go to music school or something."
"Nah." He smiled and to my complete shock even blushed a little. "I wanna be a surgeon. Music is just a hobby. Do you still want to be an interior designer?"
I shrugged. "I guess. Or maybe an event planner."
"That's a nice job."
"Yeah."
We were quiet for a while. I sniffled a couple more times and he rubbed my thigh comfortingly, his gaze set on the score in front of him.
"Bella?" he said softly, not looking at me.
"Yeah?"
"After high school is over..." he paused to take a deep breath and look me in the eyes. "Will you move to Chicago with me?"
I smiled at the uncertainty written all over his face. "Of course I'll move to Chicago with you. You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?"
He grinned, showing off his perfect teeth. "I'll never want to get rid of you." He leaned down to kiss me, then added as a second thought, "Even though I'm sure living with you is going to turn me gray thirty years in advance."
I glared at him in mock indignation. "Is that so?"
"Yeah. You can be annoying to live with."
"How do you know?" I challenged. "You've never lived with me."
He snorted, wrapping an arm around my waist and squeezing me to him. "We spend so much time together it's almost like we're married or something."
I squinted at him hostilely. "Are you complaining that we spend too much time together?"
He clicked his tongue in frustration. "No. Of course not. Don't twist my words."
"Whatever." I huffed. "You're annoying to live with, too."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. First of all, you snore," I said, holding up one finger.
"I don't snore!" he argued, pinching the side of my butt and making me yelp.
I laughed, slapping his hand away. "Yes, you do."
"No, I don't."
"Trust me, you do. Especially when you're tired." I held another finger up and added, "You fart in your sleep."
Hi eyes almost bugged out of his head, and I couldn't help but laugh harder. "What the fuck? ! That's a lie!" he protested heatedly.
"No, it's not," I said in the most serious tone I could muster after I managed to calm down.
"Yes, it is," he hissed back.
I rolled my eyes and lifted another finger. "You never clean up after yourself when you eat. You can't even bother to put the dirty dishes in the sink."
He shrugged. "Whatever. It's a guy thing."
Another finger was added. "When you change your clothes, you always toss them around, not caring where they land, and I have to pick up after you. And last but not least, you forget to lower your toilet seat after you do your thing. In other words, you're a pig."
He snorted a laugh. "I'm a pig, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Come here." He took hold of my hips and moved me so I was straddling his lap. "Let's see what annoys me about you..." He tapped his chin, gazing up at me with merry eyes. "First of all, you have a tendency to toss around in your sleep, and it pisses me off. Not only do you toss around a lot, but you sometimes kick me in the balls, too. I'm still not very sure if it's intentional or not."
"I can't help it," I said in my defense, pouting at him. "It's not like I'm aware when I'm doing it."
"You brush your teeth with my toothbrush, and I've told you like a billion times to stop doing it. I don't want your germs." He made a face at me like he was disgusted, and I grabbed a handful of his hair, pulling hard on it.
I kissed his throat and murmured against his skin. "Then we shouldn't kiss either if you don't want my germs."
He grinned, pulling me to him by the back of my head. He shoved his tongue in my mouth eagerly, and I had to laugh at his hypocrisy.
Then he went on. "You're a clean freak which can sometimes be a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing. I'm a guy and I like to be messy from time to time. Plus, you're not a very gregarious person which can also be both a bad thing and a good thing."
"Gregarious?" I mimicked him. "Have you read the English Dictionary lately?"
"Maybe."
"For your information, I can be a very sociable person, but whatever. Anything else?"
He thought for a moment. "You abuse me physically."
"I like abusing you." I smirked, tugging on his hair again as demonstration.
"I know. You're a cruel little thing," he murmured nuzzling his face in my cleavage. "I like it more when you abuse me in bed."
"Yep," I said with satisfaction. "Here's another thing to add to my list. You're a pervert and a sex addict."
"Yes, I am," he replied proudly, his voice muffled by my breasts. "That being said, I think we're going to do great at living together."
A/N Nope... Bella didn't get knocked-up nor is she going to for a long while. I just wanted to emphasize the urgency of their *ahem* coupling. But DON'T follow Bella's example. Always use a condom.. blah.. blah... blah...
About James... well, we really don't know his reasons for not leaving the country as soon as he found out they were looking for him. We'll never know what was going on in his family and what the conversation with his father entailed.
This is NOT the last official chapter of Her Enigma. There is one more chapter plus an epilogue which I hope to be able to post at the same time. So next we have James' trial.
Thanks for reading!