CHAPTER 32

EPOV

I'm on a beach and there's a sunset. I'm walking down the shore in my swim trunks and I feel a girl under my arm and her arms tighten around my waist. We're walking down the shore and the warm non-humid breeze is perfect.

"Isn't this beautiful?" the girl asked.

I looked down to her and all I could see were her brown lock, her brown eyes, and her brown eyelashes. I still don't know her name. This time, she's wearing a black bikini with a white semi-see-through strapless lace floral cover up. "It's nothing compared to you," I said without thinking. It even felt…natural to say something like that.

"Oh Eddie, how you flatter me." We continued to walk and she saw seashells and was eager to pick them up. She started to get a handful of them and asked me to help her hold some. It was as if she couldn't get enough of them. "Oh Eddie, this seashell is so big, you can hear the ocean. Take a listen." She held the seashell close to my ear and I heard the ocean, but I also felt her lips on my neck and her breasts against my chest. I felt her hair flying up into my face and her other arm holding me tight. I dropped the seashells into the sand and quickly, but gently, placed her in the sand and sweetly kissed her…like we did in the forest. "Eddie," she giggled as I kissed her face and neck, "I'm going to get sand in my hair."

"I don't care…" I lost my words while I was so entranced with her.

"Eddie," she made room between her legs for me and started to wrap her legs around my waist, "yes." I didn't want to just take her right here in public. So I slowly stopped and I heard her puff, "Why did you stop?" she pouted.

"Because you deserve better, my love." I called her 'my love.' Who is this girl?

"Oh Eddie, such a gentleman, as always." She passionately gave me a kiss on my lips and we laid in the sand to watch the sunset, with her in my arms, and her leg hitched up on top of me. It was comfortable and good. "Eddie," she got my attention as I got lost with her fingers making circles on my chest. I hoped my physique impressed her.

"Yes?"

She crawled on top of me, kissed my lips, and snuggled her body close to me, putting her head into the crook of my neck. "I love you so much. You're my everything. Don't ever leave me," she whispered lovingly into my ear.

"I promise," I tightened my arms around her, "I will never leave you either because I love you too-"

It was then that the scene changed. A gun was shot and all of a sudden, I felt something wet and sticky on Bella and on her clothes. I sat up to see where the sound was from, in order to protect her, but I wasn't wearing my trunks anymore. I was in my SOB clothes and the sky was turning dark too fast. I looked down and I saw the girl lying unconscious in my arms and I saw that the something wet and sticky was her blood. There was red all over her beautiful white cover up. "No, no, no! Don't leave me. You made me promise you that I would never leave, make me that same promise. Wake up, please! I love you!"

"Such a pathetic little boy," I heard a voice.

I looked up and saw his freshly shot gun in his hands, "Caius, she didn't deserve this!" I started crying, "What did I or she ever do to you?"

"This isn't my fault Masen."

"What do you mean 'this isn't your fault?' You have a gun in your hands!"

"No, he doesn't," Carlisle came into view. "You do Masen. You shot her."

I started to look down, I saw a black object come into view and then…

I woke up. I couldn't stay sleep long enough to see if that black object was a gun or not, but I couldn't face it. I didn't want to face it. It had to be a gone, didn't it? I killed the girl I love, didn't I?

My first "weird" dream was when Caius was going to kill her. Now in this dream, I killed her. It doesn't make sense. I needed more answers before a conclusion could be drawn. However, I just hoped it wasn't the conclusion I am thinking of.

I stared up on the ceiling and felt a weight on my body. A normal human being would've shoved the weight off, but I couldn't. I didn't want to. I looked down and I saw that I had Bella in my arms and we were in her bed. I quickly peeked under the covers to make sure we weren't naked. I checked…we were fully clothes. We were actually still wearing clothes from last night. I let out a sigh of relief. I was pretty sure I wasn't drunk last night.

I spent a couple of minutes awake and staring down at Bella until I saw the hallway lights turn on. Shit. Her parents must be awake and it probably wouldn't be a good idea if they found a boy on Bella's bed.

I quickly crawled off and climbed out of the window, happy that there was a tree branch available. I left the window cracked a bit open. Just then, I saw her parents come into Bella's room and I heard their entire conversation.

"Really Charlie? Seriously? You hired people to kill our Bella?"

"No. I put up money for killing Bella. Whoever does it seamlessly gets the money. I'm not that stupid, Renee."

"I can't believe the rumor is that I did it. I love Bella, unlike you."

"I love her too…"

"…love her enough to get her killed?"

"Bella was a waste. I can have another kid."

"Not with me you won't."

"You're time is up. My time is never up."

Bella's mom gasped and whispered, "You wouldn't do that to me again, would you?"

"You bitch, I'll do whatever the hell I want."

"Charlie, what happened to you? To us?"

"This marriage is what happened and then Bella. Now go sleep."

"Don't hurt Bella."

"Can't. I'm already paying which ever gang can kill her."

With that they left the room. I was shocked. What kind of parents would pay a gang to kill Bella? But then I thought, what could Bella's dad be getting out of this? I started to investigate on my own a bit.

I called up Cullen, wondering if he knew anything about this Bella situation. I also wanted to know about how the war was doing. Then we'd have to check on the Quilette Wolves. Damn, this fucking "to-do" list was getting too long.

"What fucker?" Cullen greeted when he picked up his cell.

"How are you guys doing in Vegas?"

"Not so good. We're probably going to head back soon because we can't keep staying here."

"Didn't the money that Bella gave help?"

"No."

"Listen Cullen, I'm calling for another reason."

"Hurry up you SOB."

"Have you heard anything about whichever gang can kill a girl first, the gang gets paid?"

"Yup. Trying to figure out who this chick is. I want me some more damn pot."

With anger, I hung up on him. Damn that fucker.

I called up McCarty and McClintock for some assistance.

The minute McCarty picked up I said, "Are we for sure thinking that the Quillette Wolves are setting us up?"

"We don't know for sure but we're guessing. Doesn't hurt to look in to it, does it?"

"Do me a favor and check up on them this weekend without me."

"Dude, you're kidding right?"

"No. Just go with McClintock and don't cause any trouble. I need you to do this without me."

"Fine. But you owe me…shh baby hold on…."

"Is that a chick you're banging or something?"

"Lexi has the nicest rack I've ever seen."

I decided to be blunt with him, tired of all this drama. "Rosalie likes you. Stop whatever it is you're doing and back out."

"What the fuck man?"

"You like her too but won't admit it because she's like a sister to the rest of us. But she's more to you and you know it."

"What…"

"Think about it and go visit the Wolves. The sooner, the better." I hung up on McCarty and went back to Bella.

I snuck back into her bed and before you know it, she puts her head on my chest and hitches a leg around me. She's basically on top of me. I should want to move away. I should want her to not get close to me, but I couldn't push her away. She was just too…breathtaking.

When she was stirring, I felt her squirm around and I gently shushed her, "Shh…time to wake up my love." I smoother her hair away from her face and cupped her face. I was shocked to see those big brown doe eyes. Chocolate. Pools of chocolate.

"Edward," she wrapped her arms tighter around me, "Thank you."

And we just laid there like that for the whole day. We spent most of the day talking, about the project, about our lives, and much more. It was so…comfortable. And that was the beginning of the most wonderful winter break I've ever had. I spent all of it with Bella. With all the free time and efficiency we had, we were able to finish the essay and presentation of our project. We were ahead. It was good to be ahead because then it left more room to just chill with her; at least that's the reasoning I tell myself.

I also spent most of it with mom. It was so nice to eat her cooking and reminisce about the good times. On the last day of break, mom wanted to meet the famous Bella. I asked Bella to join us for lunch and she happily agreed. I was surprised to see her a bit more dressed up for a lunch but she was beautiful, just like she always was. I was a bit nervous for mom to meet Bella. I wanted mom to like Bella. I felt like I was bringing home a girlfriend.

When I answered the door after the doorbell rang, the first thing I said was, "Wow, Bella, you look great."