Lisa: *waves* hello dear readers! Yes we are back to give you another chapter.
Penny: Yep we are. Are y'all ready?
Lisa: I know I am! Last chapter was so dramatic, no?
Penny: It sure was! Thanks y'all for the feedback last chapter. We couldn't write this story without you guys, or our wonderful prereader Kerrfrano or our fantastic beta Harrytwifan.
Lisa: We couldn't. So let's see what happens next, shall we? Oh, and we don't own Twilight, or Dan or Pana. Darn it!
CHAPTER 48
JPOV
Groaning as I woke after sleeping like the dead, I yawned and stretched before reaching across the bed.
The sheets were cold, and Edward's side hadn't been slept in.
I groaned once more and slipped out from under the covers, the morning sun already streaming through the windows letting me know it was well and truly daytime. My first thought was, Where's Matthew?
I hauled ass to his room, only to find his crib empty. What the fuck? Standing there for a moment and trying to calm my heart, I heard voices coming from the kitchen.
Heading in there, trying to not look too freaked out, I saw Pa clumsily feeding Matthew, his own food sitting there, untouched. Ma had finished eating, and was reading the paper.
"Pa," I croaked. "Why didn't you wake me?" Taking the empty chair on the other side of Matthew, I gently took the spoon from Pa's hand so he could eat and I could finish feeding my boy.
"Eh," he mumbled around a mouthful of scrambled eggs, "you was tired. I managed."
His voice held none of it's usual cheer, and Ma hadn't even greeted me. Something was wrong. Matthew squealed, his brow crinkled as he lost patience, so I fed him a bite of some eggs.
"Um...what's going on?" I asked, worry turning my stomach.
"Ask yer Ma," Pa answered shortly.
"Ma?" I asked expectantly. She continued to ignore me, her eyes focused on the page she had open. "Ma?" I repeated, becoming increasingly agitated.
She slowly lowered the folded newspaper, and I was surprised to see her eyes cold and steely...just like when I was a kid and had done something wrong. She was, in a word, pissed.
"The paper has somethin' very interesting in it this mornin'," she finally said, no cheer in her voice either.
"O...kay?" I said, gesturing for her to go on.
She gave me the paper and I scanned the page, for the moment oblivious as to what she was talking about. Then I saw it. Under the headline 'Local Artist Makes An Impression At New Artist's Debut', was a photo of two men standing in front of a sculpture. One of them had long black hair and was hugging the other from behind, his face close to his ear. Though they were facing away from the camera, the other man...and I would know that posture and hair anywhere...was my Edward.
My breath caught in my chest at the sight. What the fuck? How? Surely he...no. This had to be a mistake.
I looked up at Ma, tears already brimming in my sleepy eyes, shaking my head as I tried to wrap my brain around what this all meant.
"This...isn't...it can't...be..." I choked, but before I had even finished, she was nodding her head curtly. "No..."
"I shoulda known his art shit was gonna end up like this," Ma said harshly. "You shoulda known it too, Jasper. When fame grabs ahold of some people, they go fuckin' around, forgetting those they once loved."
"Once...loved?" My heart was constricting in my chest. I could barely draw in breath, and the tears finally began. Scraping my chair back, I stood, the hand still holding the paper shaking, a myriad of emotions coursing through my body. Pa took the spoon from my hand and continued feeding Matthew. I glanced at him, then at the baby I loved so fucking much. The question flitted through my mind briefly of whether Edward would let me have visitation when he took him away.
"Go, son," Pa said quietly, and I bolted in the direction of the back door.
I stopped short as I noticed the door to the shed was padlocked. Oh God. That meant he hadn't come home.
I took off back into the house, toward the bedroom to grab my wallet and keys. After shoving the former in my pocket, I picked up my phone and tried to call Edward. Waiting for him to answer was torture. Tears ran unbidden down my face, and I didn't even bother to wipe them away. I couldn't get my head around the idea that he had so carelessly thrown me and Matthew away for a piece of ass.
His phone rang several times before it went to voicemail, and I disconnected, gripping my phone tightly. I felt the urge to throw it against the wall in a fit of rage, but I speed dialed Emmett instead.
"It's your quarter!" he answered cheerfully.
I couldn't find my voice. My mouth opened and closed like I was a fish out of water.
"Hello? Jasper?" Emmett sounded serious. "Dude, you okay?"
"Please...I need you, Em," I barely managed to say.
"Fuck. Be there in five," he said, disconnecting the call.
Feeling more tired than after working a day of the hardest job, I slumped down onto the bed. It was Edward's side, I thought idly, as I watched the tears that wouldn't stop dripping onto my knees. I still held the paper in my left hand, but I couldn't bear to look at that traitorous picture again. It didn't make sense, but it was there in black and white. If Edward wanted to move on so bad, why didn't he just do it, instead of making me find out in the fucking paper? Everyone in town who knew us would know by now. Surely, tongues were wagging all over the place, and oh fuck! Carlisle and Esme! I briefly wondered how they would take the news.
Noises of Pa, Matthew, and Ma playing from the living room filtered through the house, and it caused my heart to break even further. They would have their only tie to Rose forever gone from them. It would fucking kill them, then I would truly be alone.
Fuck!
How, in the space of less than twenty four hours, did my life get turned so upside down and ruined? Last night, I was happy as fuck for Edward. He was getting what he had wanted for so long, and I was very proud of him.
A car revving and the spray of gravel alerted me that Emmett had arrived.
I left the bedroom and walked through the living room, glancing briefly at my parents and the baby. A very tangible pain ripped through my chest at the sight, and I hurried out the front door.
Em and Alice were walking up the front steps, and when they reached me, I flung my arms around Emmett, nearly falling down. I couldn't hold the sobs in anymore.
"Jasper, talk to me," Emmett said seriously. "What the fuck is going on?"
Letting go of his neck with one arm, I held the paper up for him to see. One of them took it from my hand. I didn't know who it was; I was crying too hard.
"Oh, Jasper," Alice gasped, and Emmett's arms tightened around me. They spoke in whispers for a minute, and I heard the sound of a brief kiss. My head was still buried in Emmett's shoulder.
"Let's go," he said, half sympathetic, half pissed off.
Alice watched us pull out of the driveway, waving as we sped away.
The ride was torture. Emmett didn't say a word the whole time, and I stared into my lap, trying to compose myself. I didn't even realize where we were going until Emmett slowed down and I saw the front of the museum.
Em had barely parked the truck and I was already slamming the door shut and racing toward the entrance.
I ignored the sound of footfalls as they followed behind me, and Emmett's protesting, "Hey, man! Wait up!" as I rushed inside the large entryway of the museum.
I refused to acknowledge the sensation of somebody hot on my heels, because my mind fixed on one thing, and one thing alone.
Finding Edward.
"Pana!" a thunderous voice shouted. As it echoed off the walls, the sound caused me, Emmett, and several other people in the place to stop dead and turn toward the source of the noise.
It was then I saw the man I recognised as Tanya's assistant rush up the stairs toward the office. As I saw Edward emerge through the doorway, followed by the asshole I saw with him in the photo, expressions of shock were clearly written over both their faces. The man began to yell obscenities, and my heart clenched with unendurable pain. At the same time, my blood began to boil with anger.
It appeared this Pana also had a boyfriend, a boyfriend who was quite obviously as pissed as I was.
"There's the asshole!" Emmett hissed. He pointed toward the long-haired homewrecker standing there, hands up in the air in surrender, watching as Emmett and I took the stairs two at a time.
"Holy shit," Edward mouthed. I'd never seen Edward look more horrified, with his wide eyes and flushed face. The commotion we were obviously causing wasn't exactly a good business move on my part, but I didn't give a shit.
All I cared about was ripping off said asshole's dick and using it as compost.
As we reached the landing, Tanya emerged, whisper-yelling a "Shhhh!" at us. Pointing toward the door to her office, she ushered all of us inside and ordered us to sit before closing the door. Edward sat at the table, his head in his hands. Pana took a seat as far away from Edward as he could get. The fucker. It was only out of respect for Tanya that I hadn't jumped on him and started punching.
"Now let's all just calm down, shall we?" Tanya said in a commanding voice. She stood at the head of the table with her arms folded across her chest. "We've all seen what was in the paper this morning, and we're going to talk about it in a civilized manner."
Tanya's assistant huffed. "There is nothing civilized about any of this. Pana was feeling up Edward, and I want an explanation!" he yelled in a broad, very Australian accent.
"Just calm down for a moment, please, Dan," Tanya quietly admonished. "Now, Edward, why don't you explain what happened?"
"I...don't exactly know."
I let out an angry grunt, frustrated by Edward's non-answer.
"That's not good enough," I said as I suddenly found myself sitting next to Edward. As much as I hated the idea of us airing our dirty laundry here, we weren't leaving until I knew everything.
"I'm sorry, Jasper, but this is embarrassing! One minute, I was staring at Pana's sculpture, the next, he was behind me, accusing me of wanting Dan in front of half of the museum!" Edward turned toward me, taking both my hands in his and gripping them tight. "Look, I know it sounds bad, but I swear, Jasper, nothing happened."
"So, there's nothing more to it? This was just a misunderstanding, then?" I questioned, and Edward shook his head, his expression sheepish.
"I might have checked Dan out a little, which may have given Pana the wrong idea, but I swear, all I could think about was how you were so much hotter than he was. And how lucky I was to have you," Edward admitted in a soft, desperate voice.
"Fuck," I cursed under my breath, my jealousy radiating through my every nerve. Edward's behavior might have been innocent, but his confession was like a kick in the guts. As if he knew what I was thinking, Edward's grip on my hands tightened.
"Listen to me, Jasper," Edward pleaded, his voice cracking as he strived to get the words out. "I love you more than life itself, and I will never want anyone but you. Don't you get it? You're it for me. I would never do anything to jeopardize what we have." With a deeply furrowed brow, Edward stared down at our joined hands, the tension flowing between the two of us palpable.
Nobody spoke, and after a few moments of silence, I couldn't take it anymore. "Edward?"
He raised his head, and I was met with sad green eyes. It was only then I noticed he wasn't wearing his suit any longer.
"You-your clothes are different," I stammered, as I noticed he was wearing a casual pair of cargoes and one of my plain, white t-shirts.
"Yeah," he confirmed, glancing at his clothes briefly before his eyes met with my confused ones.
"What the fuck am I missing?"
"By the time I was done showing Aro my work, it was late. Then I had to wait until he was finished looking over the rest of the exhibit as well as your garden. Then, he insisted we talk about the exhibit, and let me tell you, the man does not shut up!" Tanya chuckled at Edward's observation. "See? Tanya knows what I'm talking about. Even then, I still wasn't done. I actually had to spend an age talking him out of taking one of your drawings with him. The only way he'd agree to even consider showing my work was if he could take one of my sketches. That's when I came home."
"You didn't wake me." It wasn't a question.
"No. I had to find another sketch, then get back before Aro left for the airport because he was booked on an early flight. I didn't have the heart to wake you. Ma told me you'd been up half the night with Matthew. Why didn't you tell me, love?"
My heart clenched at his use the term of endearment I loved so much to hear come from his mouth.
"Why didn't you just call me and tell me what was going on?" My eyes burned with tears again. They already felt swollen and full of sand.
"Yeah, why?" Dan echoed, his eyes flashing angrily as he folded his arms across his huge chest.
We all turned our attentions toward Pana, and Jesus, did he have a look of guilt plastered across his face. I had to smile when I heard Emmett crack his knuckles and rest his clenched hands on the table. He was readying himself for battle, and I loved the fact my best friend always had my back. Me, well I was just trying to digest everything, and hoping in my fragile heart there was a logical explanation for all of this. Edward sat there, still shocked by what was transpiring.
"I think I deserve an answer!" Dan demanded. "Edward may be innocent, but for fuck's sake, Pana! You felt him up in the middle of the museum, and I demand to know why."
Pana bristled, his face reddening, eyes intense and jaw clenched tight.
"What the hell else was I supposed to do?" Pana yelled, his voice tense and filled with exasperation.
"What do you mean?" Dan asked, confused.
As if night had turned to day, moisture filled Pana's eyes and his expression softened.
"I just figured that once we were working together, things would change and I'd be more than a quick fuck for you, but I guess I was wrong," he confessed. "I know it was stupid to try and make you jealous, make you see you could lose me, but I was desperate to force your hand before it was too late."
Dan moved to sit in the chair next to Pana and, at the same time, it dawned on me. Edward may have been guilty for ogling Dan, but it was Pana who had made them all pawns in his selfish little game.
Tears of relief rolled down my cheeks and it hit me so fucking hard, I thought I would fall to my knees. I barely realized I'd moved until I was holding Edward tightly as my tears fell against his shoulder.
"Too late for what?" Dan asked, his expression frantic.
"I made a move on Edward last night to make you jealous. Don't you see, you idiot? I love you!" Pana admitted, then quickly rambled, "I know that doesn't make any sense, but I was running out of time and options. I thought you would come to me last night and demand some answers, but you didn't."
"God damn it, Pana! You didn't have to go to that extreme. Look at all the trouble you've caused!" Dan retorted, pointing toward Edward and I. "Wait. What? You-you love me?"
"Yes, Daniel, I do. And now I'm leaving for Italy, and we'll be apart. I know it's bad timing on my part, but I had to do something before I left."
"You mean...you're going? For real?" Dan asked, and Pana nodded.
"I agreed to go after Aro asked me last night," Pana affirmed.
"You fucking idiot, why didn't you tell me? Don't you know I've been turning down Aro's offers to come to Italy because I thought you were staying here? I thought you wanted nothing more than a fuck buddy, and I've been waiting for you to come to your senses, you dickhead!"
"You, what?" Pana shrieked.
"I love you too, Pana. I always have, and unfortunately, I always will," Dan declared angrily.
"Well, I'll be a donkey's ass!" Emmett announced, suddenly looking more than a little sheepish, his statement causing me to flinch and pull away from Edward. I stared into the tear-filled eyes of the love of my life, and honestly, I had no idea what he was thinking.
I hoped I hadn't blown it.
"Edward, I'm so sorry. I woke up, you weren't in bed, and Ma showed me the paper. Oh hell, I'm so fucking stupid!"
"Tell me something I don't know." Emmett snorted.
"Why didn't you call me? Tell me what was going on?" I questioned, ignoring Emmett's dig, knowing this whole drama could have been so easily avoided.
"You didn't get the note?"
"Uh, no," I admitted.
"I left it on my pillow."
"Shit," I muttered. I dropped my eyes to my lap, mortified I could have even entertained the idea of Edward cheating on me.
"Please, Jasper, look at me." Doing as he asked, I raised my eyes to meet his, and the love shining from them damn near took my breath away. "I only saw the picture in the paper just before you arrived," he explained. "I had no idea anyone had taken it, and if I'd known about any of this before now, I'd have called you to explain. You have to know that, Jasper."
I felt like such an idiot.
Not only had I jumped to the wrong conclusion and falsely accused Edward of running around on me, I'd completely humiliated myself in front of his employer.
Way to go, douchebag!
"Right, well now you people have all sorted out your love lives, can you all please get out of my office so I can think about how I'm going to replace my irreplaceable assistant?" Tanya demanded in a business-like tone.
"I'm really sorry," I whispered to her as I took Edward's hand in mine and stood.
"Yeah, we all are," Emmett added, shooting Pana a killer glare before making a beeline for the door.
"Come on, my beautiful Daniel," Pana whispered, looking all starry-eyed. He was completely unaware of Emmett's death stare as he pulled his boyfriend to his feet. "Let's go make some plans."
"Yes. Go learn some Italian or something. Now, all of you, scram before I call security. I have some exhibits to finalize and about two days' worth of sleep to catch up on." Waving us all away, Tanya added, mumbling under her breath, "Artists."
~HDE~
The ride home was...interesting.
In fact, if you could put how possessive and angry and horny I felt on a scale between one and ten, I'd say I was at a good hundred or so.
Fingers linked with Edward's, I couldn't take my eyes off him, his verdant eyes staring into my own with such intensity, it damned well took my breath away. In that moment, I'd never felt the need to claim Edward...mark him as mine as much before. The jealousy when I saw that picture of him and Pana made my blood boil even now.
"You okay back there, guys?"
I tore my gaze away from my man, and could only see Emmett's eyes as they stared at me curiously through the reflection of the rearview mirror.
"Fine," I said in a strained voice, clearing my throat as I gripped Edward's hand tighter.
"You sure? Ya look like you're about to bust a nut or something," Emmett said with a laugh.
"Just keep your eyes on the road, assface," I ground out.
Edward let out something between a sigh and a laugh, before he closed his eyes and rested his head on my shoulder. His mere proximity caused my cock to swell.
The ride couldn't end fast enough.
By the time we'd pulled into the driveway and got out, I was so damned hot I was fit to burst.
"Do me a favor, Em," I said. The tension was high in my voice, as I dragged Edward toward the shed. I needed to be alone with my man more than anything else. "Edward and I need to talk. Can you go inside and let everyone know we're fine?"
"Oh. Sure. I'll let them know. You guys go talk," Emmett said. He headed for the door, head shaking all the way.
Edward grinned, following me quickly. He turned the doorknob, his grin widening as he pushed open the unlocked door and carefully set down the satchel of drawings. Just as we stepped inside, I slammed the door shut and flipped the lock.
My man stood there, a sly grin plastered on his beautiful face. He had no fucking idea what he was doing to me. In a swift movement, I pushed him against the bench, holding his head still with both hands and attacking his mouth. He let out a surprised squeak, which quickly turned into a breathy moan.
The sound inflamed me further. Gripping his hips, I lifted him up onto the bench and stepped in between his spread legs.
"That picture..." I breathed against his parted lips.
"I know," he replied with a kiss. "I was so fucking embarrassed."
"Shoulda known better," I panted, torn between wanting to take my man, and needing to talk about what had happened.
Edward lowered his mouth to my neck while pulling up the back of my shirt.
"You..." he said between kisses, "are the only...one I will ever love," he declared with a growl.
"Good. Don't ever scare me like that again," I commanded, shivering under his touch as he pulled my shirt over my head before removing his own.
"Never," he promised, before clasping his mouth around my already hardened nipple.
"Fuck!" I howled as I threw my head back, loving the feel of his warm tongue and firm suction on my skin. The urgency to have him picked up several notches, and as he fumbled to work open his fly, I pushed his hand away and took over, jerking the zipper down in one swift movement.
"Lift for me, angel."
Leaning back onto his palms, he watched me through half-lidded, darkening eyes as he let me slide down his jeans and boxers.
Making quick work of his shoes and socks, I got rid of the rest of his clothing. I toed off my own shoes in an instant before reaching for the zipper of my jeans. Sliding them down, I used my foot to fling the offending clothing away until I stood there, buck naked as the day I was born.
Edward was just as naked, looking so fuckable, legs spread wide, eyes lust-filled and glistening. His cock rested against his thigh, already wet with precome.
"The drawer," he whispered, glancing toward the place where we kept our secret stash of condoms and lube. The drawer was marked 'paintbrushes' so we knew Pa would never go near it. Until now, we hadn't had the opportunity to make use of what was inside.
Yanking it open, I fumbled with my free hand for the supplies while kissing along Edward's chest.
"Lay back," I whispered in a roughened voice as I uncapped the lube. Impatiently, I pressed my palm to his chest until he was laying flat on his back, the urgency to bury myself deep inside him off the charts.
Slicking my fingers quickly, I dropped the open tube onto the floor and wasted no time in pressing two of them into his ass. Holy fuck, he felt so good around me. I kissed him roughly to ease the sting of the sudden intrusion. He must have been just as needy as I was, because he dug his fingers into my back and tried to push against my hand.
"Fuck the prep, Jasper," he panted harshly. "I want your cock. Now!"
Oh, Jesus fucking Christ. He had no idea what he was in for!
Pulling my hand away, I quickly unwrapped the rubber before using extra lube on it to slick myself up. He was kissing me anywhere and everywhere he could reach, driving me insane.
Moving closer, I lined up and carefully breached him. I was so worked up, Edward's throaty groan of acceptance was nearly my undoing.
Before I could manage to push all the way inside, Edward dug his nails into my shoulders, trying to thrust against me.
"Oh, God," I moaned, my eyes fluttering closed as I tried to resist moving too quickly. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for what it felt like to be inside my angel when we were both this hot.
"So good," he breathed. I slid in further, the feeling out of this world. My entire body shook with need as his tight warmth surrounded me, and it was the best goddamned feeling I'd ever known.
Once fully seated inside him, I finally let out a large breath, relieved I was finally where I so desperately needed to be.
I paused for a moment, looking down at the man I loved, and just like that, I felt whole again. He was so fucking beautiful; cherry red lips parted, chest heaving, and cock swollen with want.
Want for me.
"Do it, love, fuck me," he whispered reverently.
His words seared into me like fire. How could I fucking resist?
He reached up to touch my face, his fingers gently tracing along my stubbled jaw as his legs wrapped around me...pulling me close.
Pressing the heels of my palms against the insides of his knees, I pulled out quickly before thrusting back in as hard as I could. I revelled in his responsiveness, and his keening sounds as I drilled deep inside him.
"Yes!" he implored. Hitting his sweet spot, I began fucking him in earnest, my movements causing Edward's head to repeatedly bang against the wall behind him.
"You. Are. Mine!" I grunted, each word punctuated by my thrusts. My balls were already tight and ready to explode.
He closed his eyes, muttering, 'Yours' under his breath again and again as I continued to plow into him with wild abandon. He took hold of his flushed cock and pulled it in quick strokes, his movements matching my own. My God, he looked divine. The sweat glistening on his body along with his harsh gasps, had me dangerously close to coming.
"Jasper..." he whined in warning, his eyes opened wide.
"Oh fuck..." I ground out, furthering my assault on him.
Edward cried out, throwing his head back as he shot forcefully over his stomach and chest. The sight, along with his ass gripping my cock in delicious waves, sent me over the edge.
Grunting and cursing, I buried my face in the crook of my angel's neck and sucked his sweaty skin between my teeth as I came hard. The pleasure of making him mine, coupled with the euphoria of being inside him, was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Letting go of his angry, reddened skin, I breathed hard against him as I continued to come. It felt like it lasted hours, and when I was finally spent, I raised my head to look at Edward. He was smiling blissfully, eyes soft and half lidded.
My cock was softening, so gripping the base, I stood and pulled out. I loved the look of the mark I'd made on him, along with the copious amounts of cum he'd shot.
Mine.
Collecting as much of his cum as I could with the head of my cock, I brushed the head around his bud, and then claimed him one last time when I pushed back inside him. "Fuck, that looks so hot," I muttered in a gravelly voice.
He moaned loudly, pulling me down so my entire upper body covered his and his mouth was at my ear. "I should get you jealous more often. What do you think?"
"No." With a lazy smile, I gave him a long, slow kiss, loving the fact I had Edward in my arms once more...vowing I'd never lose him to another.
We'd love to hear your thoughts :) Until next time!
Penny and Lisa
