Crash Into Me: Chapter 42
Charlie Swan sat at the expansive table in a room in a building that had come to be his life. He looked around at the elaborate décor and finally saw his life through his daughter's eyes – through his dead wife's eyes. The very thought of it sickened him.
The events of the previous few days had thrown his neatly planned existence into a tailspin. The tumultuous nature of it all had Charlie questioning all that he had once known about himself. It was sad how quickly the allure of money, lust and power eroded him into one of those men he vowed he would never become. He had given up his heart and soul for a few shiny pieces of silver.
Absently he glanced down at his watch shuffling the papers before him - papers that would sever more than three decades of friendship. Howard Biers would actually do quite well for himself in taking Charlie's deal. He would leave the company with all his business contacts and Swan Industries backing so long as he and Charlie were never forced to work side by side again.
Charlie was handing over a great deal of his holdings to Howard but in the grand scheme of things he had his greatest asset – he had the love of his only daughter and to him that was finally worth more than all the prosperous deals that Howard Biers could have ever brought to this table.
"Where is everyone?" Howard's booming voice cut through Charlie's private thoughts.
"I wanted to speak with you before the board meeting."
"About?" he asked pensively wondering just exactly how much of his daughter's version of events the man believed.
"A business deal of sorts," Charlie spoke in the only terms he knew his friend understood.
"Great – you know I'm always up for a deal!" Howard smiled glad in the fact that he and Charlie always had the same head for matters of business.
"I hope you still feel that way when we are finished," Charlie said somberly. He knew he was doing the right thing but it was difficult to imagine that at a point not so long ago in his life that he and Howard could have been one in the same man.
"Why so glum?" Howard questioned noting the seriousness of his friend's face. Without a further word Charlie handed over the legal papers abolishing their long standing partnership.
"What – what the hell's this all about?" he shook the blue bound stack of papers in Charlie's face, "This is some kind of joke, right?
"No joke."
"You can't be serious – you can't mean you don't want me for a partner – we have done great things you and me – we are a team," Howard ran on in utter disbelief.
"Not anymore. As you can see, you will be well compensated for all of your hard work over your years of service here," Charlie's voice sounded detached even to him. It had to be that way. He had to treat this as purely business for fear if he didn't what it had the potential to escalate into.
"MY YEARS OF SERVICE?" Howard echoed, "WHAT IS THIS? YOU'RE TREATING ME LIKE SOME FUCKING LACKEY!"
"Howard, please don't make this anymore difficult than it need be. I assure you this is best for all concerned."
"HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST YOUR MIND? I helped you build this business you think that I am just going to walk away with this pittance when I know the potential that lies here!"
Charlie cautiously eyed the doorway as the remaining members of the board entered the room. He had hoped to have this ironed out long before they all had arrived, yet Howard Biers had seen things on quite a different plan. "Howard, please just sign the papers. This isn't the time or the place."
"It's exactly the place. I have a right to know why suddenly you are cutting me loose like someone who's usefulness has past," Howard's booming voice captured all the room's attention.
"Charlie?" a gray haired gentleman spoke up with a questioning tone.
"It's nothing Jackson. Howard was just leaving."
"THE FUCK I AM!"
"Howard, don't do this. Take what I have offered you and be gone. Don't turn this into some test of wills because frankly I am short on patience where the Biers family is concerned!
Charlie heard his heavy breaths in and out – in and out as he did his best to remain calm, a sensation that wasn't about to linger much longer.
"What's going on here?" another voice from the crowd asked.
"Oh yes Charlie do tell them, tell these men what you have done to the company they hold stock in – tell them that you are letting their star negotiator go without so much as a reason why," Howard continued baiting knowing just how important appearances were to Charlie Swan along with the better part of the men in the room. Howard Biers knew if he pushed the right buttons Charlie would hang himself.
"YOU KNOW THE REASON!" Charlie said through clenched teeth.
"Could that reason be that seeing me every day sickens you because you know what your daughter turned down in my son for some hood from the wrong side of the tracks?" Howard's words were deliberate.
The audacity of his words fueled the rage welling inside of Charlie since the ensuing days after Riley's assault on both his daughter and Edward Masen. He smirk that Howard wore was more than Charlie could stand to see. "NO HOWARD – WHAT TRULY SICKENS ME IS THE FACT THAT YOUR SON IS ABUSIVE AT BEST AND AN ATTEMPTED RAPIST AT WORST!"
With that accusation the room fell silent. This wasn't how Charlie had wanted this to go but Howard left him with very little choice.
"I don't know how you made it in this business for as long as you have," Howard continued as if Charlie hadn't even spoken, "You are soft Charlie – you let that daughter a girl who doesn't even know her god damned place mind you, run your life. She just picked up where Renee left off!"
"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Charlie lunged at him.
"What the truth hurts? Riley only did what was necessary to do – what you seemed unable to do. He was teaching Bella her proper place in the natural order of things," Howard spoke matter of fact – like his words were the truest thing.
"So what beating a woman into submission is now proper etiquette?" Charlie countered in utter disbelief "Taking what you think is yours even if she isn't a willing partner is all right with you? We then Howard what sickens me more is the fact that you are far more warped than your own son. He was only learning the lessons that you were teaching!"
"I taught him how to win – how to take advantage of weakness and how to be a man!"
"If that's what you call being a man than I think that I will take Edward Masen's version any day of the week."
Howard stared into the eyes of the man he no longer recognized. The way he had envisioned this playing out wasn't about to be. What he had thought to be a winning hand at poker now contained a wild card that could destroy all of his plans. Fighting some hood would have been simple, while fighting Charlie Swan was a completely different picture all tighter. E knew that his friend welded enough power and influence to rip his fabrication to shreds.
"Gentlemen," Charlie said straightening his tie. "This is not at all how I intended for this meeting to progress but as it stands now I have no choice but to move forward. As of today, Howard Biers is no longer a partner in this firm. Due to some obvious personal differences between Howard and me that prevent us from working together, he had been relieved of his duties."
The announcement too all those around the table by surprise, "Please escort Mr. Biers out of the building," Charlie said to the security personnel that had entered the room. "As for my original deal Howard – it's been revoked. And should you choose to challenge me – YOU WILL REGRET IT!"
Charlie watched the door close behind them leaving him in a room full of men with many questions and him with too few answers.
Jasper pounded his fist on the stone wall of the hospital as he watched Bella get into a cab. There was nothing left for him to do but look on as the cab's red tail lights moved further into the distance. "DAMN!" he said aloud knowing full well where Bella was heading and hating every minute of it.
He rode the elevator to Edward's floor trying to come up with something to tell his friend. Edward was hit the roof when he told him that Bella was gone, gone he was sure to confront Riley Biers no doubt.
The two officers were still stationed in the room like centuries when he returned. "Where's Bella?" Edward questioned darting his eyes over Jasper's shoulder in an attempt to locate her.
"She's gone."
"GONE? What the hell do you mean she's gone? I should have gone after her myself."
"Damn it Edward! She was in a cab and half way out of the damned driveway before I even made it out the door."
"We have to find her!" desperation filled Edward's voice.
"Fine who?" Charlie Swan asked upon entering the room.
"Bella – she took off sir," Jasper said hesitantly.
"Why on earth would she do that?" he questioned no ready for the next battle in this ongoing war. He had just barely survived the last.
"These two," Edward said pointing to the two men now standing in the corner of the room. Even though they had never been introduced, Edward knew who this man was. It was the same face in the picture that James had showed him. It was Bella's father. "They think that I was the one who beat Bella and that I was going after Biers that's why he ran me down."
"WHAT?" Charlie's voice ricocheted off the walls. He knew the answer to the question he was about to ask but went right on asking it, "Where would they have gotten a crazy idea like that?" If Howard Biers wanted to play hard ball he certainly had chosen the wrong opponent.
"I'm sorry sir," Detective Speaks stepped forward, "I do believe that we have gotten some miscommunications. I need to go back to the station and begin retracing the steps of our investigation."
"DAMN RIGHT YOU DO!" Charlie Swan asserted. "These young men you see here" he pointed to both Edward and Jasper, "They had nothing to do with this. In fact if it hadn't been for them lord only knows what might have happened to my daughter."
"I completely agree Mr. Swan. I have a clear picture of what really took place on the night in question. I want to apologize for this misunderstanding."
"To hell with your misunderstanding!" Edward raged, "I swear to god if anything happens to Bella….."
"Easy son," Charlie touched Edward's shoulder. "Just where may I ask did you come up with this information? Who led you to believe that Edward was responsible for any of this?" Charlie needed to hear his suspicions as to the culprit confirmed.
"They have a sworn statement from Riley and his father," Jasper offered.
The realization as to just what Howard Biers was capable of left Charlie's mind reeling. "What is this some sort of sick joke?"
"No, I'm afraid not sir." This was the first time Lieutenant Martin had spoken since slipping the confidential information.
"Well then you damn well better get to retracing those steps. And they should lead you right to the Biers' front door." Charlie said authoritatively. "Edward Masen had nothing – I repeat nothing to do with the attempted rape," that word forever stuck in this throat, "and beating of my daughter. On closer inspection I am positive that you will find the true culprit to be Riley Biers himself. So if you will excuse us – I think that you have a great deal of work ahead of you," Charlie turned his back on the two men giving Detective Speaks a clear picture that they were no longer welcome guests.
Edward sat quietly during the exchange. His mind raced with thoughts of Bella but also with the words he had heard from her father's mouth. The man had defended him. There was no questioning of his motives, no mention of his mile long record, nothing that Edward had expected to be faced with. The whole notion of it all set his head spinning.
"Where could she have gone?" Charlie turned asking Jasper.
"I don't know for sure, but I have a damned good idea. By the time I got downstairs she was already in a cab and on her way out the driveway."
"So tell me where you think she went?" Charlie questioned again.
"She was furious – madder than hell that Riley turned all of this around blaming Edward for everything. To be honest with you, I think she went to confront Riley," Jasper said quietly waiting for the eruption from Edward.
"WHAT?" He certainly didn't disappoint.
This time there was no holding Edward in that bed. The adrenaline was coursing through his veins so fast nothing or no one could have kept him down. "Easy Edward," Jasper said reaching for his arm.
"Don't you think you should sit down for a minute?" Charlie asked not knowing the true nature of Edward's condition.
"LIKE HELL! If you think I am going to let her within fifty feet of that monster you all are crazy!"
"Edward – come on man – you are in NO shape to be running all over town!"
"AND SHE IS?" Edward challenged his friend.
"No – I know she isn't," Jasper said with a sigh.
"Jasper," Charlie said voicing his own concerns, "I have to agree with Edward. Bella isn't up for the stress of taking on Riley right now," Not to mention his father Charlie thought to himself. "We need to find her right away!"
"You two aren't going anywhere without me!" Edward argued.
"Edward, you aren't in any condition to be taking on Biers. Let us handle this okay?" Jasper said looking Edward square in the eye.
"Don't you get it? Jasper I have to do this. I didn't take care of her once already and I sure as hell don't plan on letting that happen even again! So I can either go with you or I can go on my own. Whatever the case I am going!"
Jasper couldn't help but smile even amidst the chaos. He had heard those same words from Bella too. He knew he would lose this battle just as he had lost the one with Bella. What was the use in fighting the inevitable?
"Jasper," Charlie started, "you go locate Dr. Maxwell. We aren't taking you anywhere without his okay," he looked at Edward. "I am not going to be responsible for telling my daughter if something should happen to you," Charlie smiled.
"I don't give a rat's ass what that doctor says I am going with you!" Edward stated.
"I know that," Charlie agreed.
"Then why are we wasting time?" Edward questioned anxiously.
"I wanted to talk to you."
"NOW? Right now when we know that Bella is walking smack into danger?"
"Yes now. I wanted to thank you son. Thank you for being there for my daughter. What you have done for her means the world to me. Edward, she couldn't have asked for a better man if she had scripted him herself. I will be eternally grateful for how loyal both you and Jasper have been to her. And I want you to know that Riley Biers won't be getting away with anything….."
"I love her, Mr. Swan."
"I know, son, I know. Thank you for giving her something that I hadn't been able to in a very long time."
"Where the hell is that doctor?" Edward said unsure on how he should respond so instead he didn't. "We are wasting too much time!"
As if on cue Jasper and Dr. Maxwell entered the room, "What's this I hear about you wanting to leave us?"
While Edward mad his angry pleas to Dr. Maxwell, across town the cab pulled up in front of the Biers home. Bella hesitated a moment – the rage that had propelled her from the hospital without really thinking had now turned to fear – fear at the thought of standing face to face with Riley.
"You need me to wait?" the taxi driver asked turning around to look at her.
"No – no thank you," she returned handing him the fair through the sliding window between the front and the back of the cab. No matter how frightened she was about this, it had to be done. Bella wasn't about to let Riley and his father think they commanded the upper hand.
She stood perched at the foot of the stoop for what could have been an eternity – finally gathering the needed courage to step up to the door and ring its bell. The sight of Riley startled her. She fully expected to be greeted by the Biers' maid giving herself one last reprieve before being forced to deal with him. Bella suddenly felt faint standing in front of him. The images of that night flooded all of her senses. It played again and again in her head like a video tape she had no control over stopping. She reached for the jam of the door to steady herself. It took all she had to stay upright, but Bella knew that this wasn't the time or place to give Riley the upper hand. She had to stay strong for not just herself but Edward too. He deserved at least that much from her after all he had endured.
"I think we need to talk," she said weakly with a shaky voice.
Riley couldn't believe his eyes. He was completely taken aback by the fact that Bella was standing before him. The sight of her body full of massive bruises cuts and scrapes sent a chill through his body. He was sick to his stomach at the realization that he had been responsible for all of it. "Do you want to come in?" his voice was only a hoarse whisper.
"I would prefer if we talked out here," she countered stepping back to let him make his way outside. Bella let herself believe that if they were outdoors she was somehow safer. It was an illusion that she needed to have to face this all.
Riley moved to the edge of the stoop pulling the heavy wooden door closed behind him. "Want to sit?" he asked motioning to the step.
"This isn't a social call Riley," her voice had gained volume.
"Then why exactly are you here?" he questioned never actually looking at her. It was far too painful for him to do so.
"I'm pretty sure you know why," she returned harshly. "Edward and I were paid a visit today by two detectives. They had this interesting twist to what happened between the three of us!" The calm nature of her demeanor shocked her.
"What? What are you talking about?" Riley's voice shook. So much for his father's grand idea – he hadn't wanted to go along with him. He had actually wanted to take responsibility for his actions. After facing Bella and Edward in the hospital he knew that he had crossed some imaginary line and that scared the hell out of him. But there was no dissuading Howard Biers. Once he had his mind set on something there was no stopping him. In fact his father had done most of the talking saying that the whole experience had been too stressful for his son to handle. All Riley really had to do was sign the sworn statement. He recalled his hand shaking so badly that he could barely write his own name.
"I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about!" she spat back.
"Bella, what do you want me say?"
"How about starting with the truth for once? You know damn well that Edward wasn't responsible for any of this! IT WAS YOU – ALL OF IT WAS YOU!"
"Bella,"
"Save it! All I want from you is the truth. I want you to go to that police station and tell them everything."
"I can't – I can't do that. You know my dad – he'll go ballistic!" Riley looked at her with utter disbelief. What she was asking of him, if he had done it – he wouldn't have lasted ten minutes in his house afterwards.
"Sounds like a personal problem to me," she returned. "And why should I care about your have to endure? Like you ever once thought about all of the agony you have inflicted on me and now Edward!"
"Bella," he interrupted her not wanting or needing to hear a rundown of his misdeeds. He had spent the last few days reliving each one in his head. "I came to the hospital to see you and Edward," he added. "I know what I did and I'm sorry – you will never know just how sorry I am. But I just can't go against my dad – I just can't!" he cried turning his face away from hers.
Bella gathered her strength all of the sudden no longer afraid of the person before her. She suddenly saw a small child fearful of his father's wrath instead of the monster she had thought Riley to be. Even with those thoughts, Bella was still not able to let him off the hook. No matter the circumstances, to her nothing justified his behavior or reluctance to own up to the responsibility that was his. The mixture of pity and anger she felt for Riley set her a bit off balance.
"So you are telling me that I'm supposed to go along with this charade?" she found herself asking calmly. "I am supposed to make believe that Edward, not you held me down, ripped my clothes off, groped me; did his very best to take advantage of me?"
Bella hated going over and over that night again but something inside of her told her she had to do it, needed to make Riley see how truly bad things had been. By the look he wore, Bella had her suspicions that he despised reliving it as much as she did.
"I'm supposed to," she continued, "try to make them all believe that Edward beat me nearly beyond recognition, he broke my ribs and knocked my head off the ground hard enough to give me a concussion. Hey Riley, I am a good actress, but not even I could pull that one off," Bella's voice dripped of sarcasm.
Riley dropped his face into his hands no longer able to look into Bella's burning eyes. Her words carried far too much truth for him to bear. He had been responsible for each and every act that she had illustrated.
It had been so easy for him to let his father step in and take charge of it all. He had been doing it his whole life and changing midstream wasn't as easy as Bella made it sound. He had wanted to come clean about it all in hopes of righting his obvious wrong, yet Howard Biers wasn't about to let that happen. His words conned his son into believing that Edward Masen had trouble nipping at his heels and the police would have no choice but to bring him in. Howard said that in the blink of an eye this whole unfortunate mess would all soon be swept under the rug without a question asked – but now looking at Bella, Riley questioned his father's revelation.
"So, you're telling me that I'm supposed to do all that? Pretend that the person that I love more than life itself inflicted all of this misery on me? Tell me Riley, how am I supposed to do that?" she yelled yanking at his face forcing his eyes to meet hers. She hadn't expected to see the tears in his eyes. They fell silent on his cheeks. Her rapid succession of questions left him speechless yet she wasn't about to let up.
"You have done nothing for except cause me suffering. You have abused me physically, mentally, any viable way you knew how. I WAS A FOOL! I believed you – thought that you had finally changed – thought that you were happy for me to have finally found someone!" Bella's voice rose with each wave of new thought, "WHAT A MORON I WAS! TO ACTUALLY HAVE THOUGHT THAT YOU HAD ONE HUMAN BONE IN YOUR BODY!" Bella's body shook as she continued to speak. Her many years of pent up anger for her mother's death, her father's absence and a myriad of so many things spilled forth, Riley receiving the brunt of it all.
"I'm sorry," his words were barely audible.
"SORRY! YOU'RE SORRY? That's the best you could come up with?" she said mocking him.
"I don't know what else to say Bella. Nothing I say can make up for what I did to you. Something inside me that night just snapped."
"WHAT YOU DID TO ME? You almost killed my boyfriend. You ran him down and left him for dead." Why she had been surprised that Riley conveniently had removed Edward from the equation she would never know.
"I know – I know," Riley hung his head again, "I apologized to him," Even he knew how hollow his words sounded.
"You apologize – then turn around and place all the blame on him," she was yelling again, "Please do tell me how the hell that all worked."
"That wasn't my idea," he looked up tears flowing again, "You have to believe me Bella, I wanted to come clean. I wanted to tell those detectives everything."
"Then why didn't you?" she asked matter of fact.
"My dad – he said that no son of his was going to jail. Especially for some hood and if the Swans wanted to take up with the likes of that than there was nothing more we could do about it."
Bella's ire grew as she listened to how little Howard Biers thought of the world outside the realm of Forks – angered by the fact that he was able to ignore what was obviously staring him in the face to keep up appearance. Where the strength came from Bella didn't know, but there she was pulling Riley to his feet by his expensive polo shirt. The only thought that ran rampant through her head was she wanted him to feel as much pain – agony as both she and Edward had felt. Riley was stunned by her display.
"BELLA!" she heard a voice in the distance calling her. Turning she saw Edward, Jasper and her father coming towards them just as Howard Biers pulled his car into the driveway. All four men converged on her and Riley simultaneously.
"What the hell's going on here?" Howard asked in his best superior tone.
"That's precisely what we are here to find out, Howard!" Charlie glared at him.
"I am calling the police! He's," he pointed at Edward, "wanted in attacking my son."
"OH PLEASE DO!" Charlie countered Howard's threat.
Edward stepped forward gently moving Bella away from Riley. Easily she fell into him as he protectively wrapped his arms around her. Riley turned away not being able to watch their exchange.
Edward buried his face in the folds of her hair drinking in the smell of her – a smell that was uniquely Bella. He let out a heavy sigh believing that there was a time when he thought he would never be able to do this again. Slowly she lifted her head from his chest and their eyes locked. Hungrily they kissed when their lips met. Bella ran her hands against his chest feeling the ripples of his muscular form beneath his shirt. The idea that he was alive, well and standing right in front of her – well it was amazing.
"What are you doing here?" she asked breaking away from his embrace.
"I had to come. I couldn't let you face him alone – not this time."
"Shh," she said, "I wasn't alone. You were right here the whole time," Bella placed her hand over her heart, "All I could think about was you. There was no way that I was going to let Riley get away with pinning all of this on you. NO WAY! For once I was really going to stand up to him."
"See," Jasper came forward, "She is just like you buddy – exactly like you." The threesome laughed as if they had been the only people there.
"Well now that I am all warm and fuzzy inside," Howard said sarcastically, "It's about time that this matter was handled by the police don't you?" he took out his cell phone and began to dial. He didn't care what it cost him, all Howard Biers knew was he wasn't about to go down without a fight.
"NO!" Riley's voice startled them, "NO – wait, dad."
"WAIT – WAIT FOR WHAT? Some more sappy sentiments – you may be buying into all of this but I, I certainly am not!"
"Enough already!" Riley continued, "I can't do this. Not anymore. I can't keep on hurting her." Riley moved forward to where Edward and Bella were standing. On instinct both Edward and Jasper stepped in front of her. "In the past year I have done so much to torment her – I won't do it anymore. There's no way you can force me. I DID IT DAD – I DID IT ALL – I TRIED TO RAPE HER; I BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF HER! And that wasn't the first time," he said quieter, "I RAN HIM DOWN WITH MY CAR DAD!" Riley pointed to Edward who was still shielding Bella, "YOU CAN'T CHANGE THOSE FACTS! I CAN'T LET HIM TAKE THE FALL FOR SOMETHING I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR!"
"Riley, he's nothing in this world!" Howard's arrogance burst forth at his son's defiance. "No one would even miss him! Why are you doing this?"
"I don't know," he said honestly, "I just know that I can't go on another day knowing that I almost raped someone that I thought I loved and even worse I could have killed Edward and I didn't even care. If you can live with that fine but I can't – just can't! I will take whatever punishment that I have coming…." Riley lowered himself to the stoop sobs consuming him.
Those were the words she had longed to hear the minute that she had decided to confront him. No that she had, Bella was filled with sympathy for Riley unable to imagine what it must have been like to have Howard Bier's as a father for all these years. She came out from behind Jasper and Edward kneeling before Riley. Edward held back as he watched her reach out and touched Riley's tear soaked face.
"Thank you," she whispered, "Thank you Riley." She turned back and joined Edward who wasted no time in pulling her into his embrace again.
"I love you, Bella Swan," he kissed her cheek.
"I love you too. I'm so sorry for all of this."
"Don't be," Edward said, "A wise woman told me that everything happens for a reason or for a certain outcome to take place. I think that she was right. You got what you ultimately wanted and more important what you needed. That's all that really matters now, right?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
"THIS ISN'T OVER CHARLIE!" Howard said forcefully, "If you really think that I am going to let my son take the fall for this you are more stupid than I ever imagined!"
"That may be so," Charlie remarked, "But from where I sit stupid isn't all that bad. Look at yourself Howard. Look at your son. He's not talking the fall man – he's finally becoming a man – a man his father will NEVER be! Come on son," Charlie said turning to Riley. "I think that you have some explaining to do at the police station."
"That won't be necessary Mr. Swan," Detective Speaks and his partner joined the group. "We are here to bring both them," the officer eyed Howard Biers as well, "to the station. The commissioner wishes to see them."
"WHAT?" Howard bellowed, "WHAT?"
"There are some obvious discrepancies in your previous statements; We only wish to clear them up."
Charlie hid a smile – knowing all the while that Howard understood what this all meant for him. Commissioner Parks and Ed had worked on some projects together and thought highly of the Swans, his wife include. Charlie hadn't taken any chances that Edward's prior record would come into play at all where this whole matter was concerned. Both the young man and his daughter deserved a fresh start, so what did it matter if he stacked the deck in their favor.
Bella, Edward and Jasper watched as the officers led Riley and his father to the awaiting car. Charlie had decided to tag along just in case he may have been needed. Bella suddenly felt as though her life had come full circle and was finally at peace. A peace that she never dreamed she would achieve. She rested her head on Edward's shoulder as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
"What do you say I take everyone home?" Jasper asked.
"Don't you mean back to the hospital?" Bella asked giving Edward a funny look.
"No, Dr. Maxwell cleared me to be released. I still have a few more tests in the next couple of weeks and getting this damn cast off would be great but I'm a free man and I'm all yours!"
Bella hugged him tight. "I really like the sound of that!"
"So do I baby – so do I!"
