17 - the punishment

I glanced over at Chloe as she stared out the window and I sighed deeply. As much as last night was amazing, this morning with her had been a mess.

I knew it wouldn't be easy, taking her back to Forks and making her face the District Attorney for her crimes, but I had no idea it would be this hard.

"Let's just run, Paul. We could be in Canada in no time flat."

"No, Sugar. I promised Charlie…"

"Fuck that! And you know what, fuck you too! You don't even love me," she cried out while sobbing. "How can you make me go back there?"

"Baby," I huffed, tossing my half-packed bag aside and pulled her body close to mine. "You know I hate this. The last thing I want is for someone to take you away from me. But you can't keep running. Once this is settled, there won't be anything else standing in our way."

She wouldn't look at me. When she tried to pull away from me, I held her even closer, using my hand to guide her gaze to mine. Chloe was fighting back tears, but when she looked into my eyes, she could see I was too.

"Did you wanna stop for lunch, Sugar?"

I leaned over and reached for Chloe, my fingers landing in her hair. She had barely spoken to me since our argument and I had to nearly drag her out to the car. We were still an hour from home, but I didn't mind stopping if it meant we could have a little more alone time. "There's a diner up ahead. We have time to stop."

She leaned into my touch, ever so slightly, still refusing to give me any eye contact. "Oh goodie. My last meal," she groused quietly.

I took a deep breath, willing myself not to get angry with her. She was scared and rightfully so. Neither one of us knew what was in store for her. I knew her anger stemmed from fear, because I felt the same way. I was almost certain that if I lost her, I'd fall completely to pieces.

When we arrived at the diner, I slid into the booth next to Chloe instead of sitting across from her. I knew she was still upset with me, so I slung my arm over her shoulder and held her close to me as we poured over the menu.

I could feel her resisting me. I nuzzled my nose into her neck and smiled when she snuggled closer to me. "I love you," I whispered. "We can make it through this."

"Can I start you off with something to drink first?"

I smiled at the waitress and ordered my lunch and an iced tea. "What can I get for you, hon?" she asked Chloe, giving her a pointed look.

"Just water," she sighed. "I haven't decided on my lunch yet."

The waitress touched my forearm as she reached for my menu. "I'll be right back," she flirted.

Chloe huffed beside me as she continued to scan the menu. "Maybe after I go to jail, you can come back here and ask her out," Chloe growled angrily.

"Chloe," I scoffed impatiently. "I could never do that to you."

She snapped her menu closed and glared up at me. "Why wait? Do it now. I can wait in the car."

"Come here," I grumbled as I tugged on her hand and led her down the hallway toward the bathrooms.

"Paul," she huffed.

When we got far enough down the hall where no one could see us, I turned and pressed her against the wall. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" I demanded angrily.

Her eyes went wide in response to my tone and behavior. "Paul!" she scolded. "Why are you talking to me like that?"

I clenched my jaw and leaned in close. "Because I've had about enough of your attitude, Sugar."

She blinked quickly as her slack jaw fell open just a little bit more. Chloe said nothing, so I continued. "I know you're pissed at me and you're scared, but I am too. I don't wanna turn you in. I don't want you to leave my side...not even for a minute."

She nodded slowly and swallowed thickly. I bent my head down and spoke just above her ear. "But if you think for one minute, that I could ever date anyone but you, you don't know anything."

"But if I go to jail," she whimpered softly. "I wouldn't expect you to wait for me."

I pushed myself a little more insistently against her and lowered my voice even more. "I don't want anyone but you. Ever. No matter what happens. You are it for me, Chloe. There's a good chance I might not make it if you are taken from me. We've imprinted and our bond is so strong...I don't know if I can live without you."

Chloe glanced away and sighed deeply. She reached for my jaw and held it cautiously in her tiny hand. "I don't want you to be alone and miserable. If I can't be there for you, I want...no I demand that you move on without me."

I growled slowly and ran my hands through my hair. I pulled on Chloe's hand again, crossing the hallway to lock ourselves inside the women's restroom. I pulled her in front of the sink, holding her head so she could see her own face in the mirror. "This is who I want."

"Paul," she sighed as she tried to turn around.

I held her firmly in place, leaning my body against hers and trapping her between me and the counter. Her eyes rolled back when I carded my fingers through her hair and tugged gently. She caught my gaze staring back at her and in a moment, her fingers went to her own button and zipper on her jeans.

My body hummed in anticipation as she slid her jeans and panties down to her knees. I gripped the edge of the counter and gazed over the luscious backside of my imprint. She bent over just a bit more, lifting her ass higher, raising up on her tiptoes to offer herself to me.

How could I say no to that?

I made quick work of pushing my own pants down in an effort to capture the moment before we could surely be interrupted. I slid my hands up between her thighs and spread her wide before I pushed my way in. I never took my eyes off of hers. I loved being able to see her reactions in the mirror as I began to thrust deeper.

"Open your eyes," I begged. "Let me see your eyes."

Chloe slumped forward, resting her elbows on the counter as I rolled my hips forward and then rotated them in a circle. I spread my legs in an effort to reach her spot. When I hit it, she groaned so sexy and fisted the edge of the sink. "Feel good?" I huffed out breathlessly.

She nodded and hummed with a smile on her face. My Sugar was speechless and that just spurred me on. I wanted to make it last, take my time on her, but I knew if someone came to the door and knocked, our good time would be cut short. So I sped up my thrusts, gripping her hips tightly as I crashed into her over and over again.

I watched the way her eyes rolled, her lip was caught between her teeth, and her breath came out in stuttered gasps. When I was so close and the tingling started, I could see the frustration etched in her forehead. She needed just a bit more. I pulled her back from the counter and slid a hand around the front of her body.

I found her slick and warm between her legs. When I pressed on her clit and jerked my body faster inside her, she fell apart. Her back arched so sharply and her fists pounded the counter as I continued to seek my own release. When her eyes met mine and her mouth parted to moan my name, I tumbled so quickly, convulsing harder than the last several times I'd made love to her.

I wrapped both arms around her waist and pressed my forehead to the center of her back as my body continued to shudder. "Fuck, baby." I lifted my head and trailed my nose through her hair until I landed near her mark. One quick swipe over it with my tongue sent her seizing again.

"What was that?" she laughed. "How did you do that?"

I pulled out of her slowly, immediately hating it. "The mark has powers," I answered cryptically as I tucked myself back into my pants.

"Can I get a minute?" Chloe asked sweetly as she gazed up at me, not fully pulling up her pants.

I kissed her quickly and dashed out of the bathroom before my needs took over again. Chloe seemed better when she returned to the table and I was thankful. I knew sex wouldn't solve all our problems, but I found myself powerless to deny her when she had offered herself so beautifully to me.

I smiled up at her when she returned to the booth. "I ordered my food and told the waitress we needed it to go. I know we need to get back on the road."

I sighed when I noticed how hard Chloe was trying to remain upbeat. I wrapped my arm around her and held her close to me until our food came and we were ready to leave.

After our little whatever at the diner, Chloe seemed to be in better spirits for the rest of the drive. We laughed as she fed me French fries and we told each other stories of fun times we'd had with our friends. It felt normal. We felt normal. For a little while we could push away the worry and just be ourselves.

The closer we got to Forks, the more I felt Chloe retreating. She rested her head in the console between us so I ran my fingers through her hair and rubbed circles over her back. She didn't cry, but I could feel the sadness radiating off of her.

When the 'Welcome to Forks' sign came into view, I went into panic mode. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, and my heart felt like it was being squeezed by a vice. I pulled off onto the shoulder of the highway and turned off the car.

"What happened?" Chloe murmured sleepily as she raised her head. "Why did you stop?"

She shifted around in her seat to find me squeezing the steering wheel and trying to catch my breath. I'd never had a panic attack but I imagined this was what it felt like.

"Baby?" she sighed, reaching for me. "What's wrong?"

I panted, trying to take in air before pulling her over the console and into my lap. "I can't do this," I admitted. "Why did I never think I could just turn you in like this? Why in the fuck did I ever tell Charlie?" I cried.

"Oh, Paul," she whispered as she stroked my face and pressed kisses everywhere. "I don't blame you anymore. You were right. I need to face this, get it over with. Because…"

Her voice trailed off and I opened my eyes to find nothing but love in her gaze. "Because why?"

She sighed deeply and smiled. "Because once we get through today, there won't be anything else standing in our way. We're almost there, baby. Our future is so close."

"But what about my dad…"

She silenced my doubts with a kiss. Chloe wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me fiercely as our kiss began to consume me. I was falling to pieces and she was reassuring me. It shouldn't be that way. I had to be strong for her...for us.

….

"What are you doing?"

When we arrived at the police station, Chloe turned around in her seat and began digging through her luggage. I ran my hand up the back of her leg and patted her ass before she could swat my hand away. "Behave!" she scolded."

I watched in confusion when she tore her t-shirt over her head and slipped on a button-up blouse and spritzed on some body spray all while sitting in the front seat of my car. "Sugar! Someone's gonna see you."

She laughed and checked her face in the fold down mirror. "Stop worrying. There's nobody out here." She swiped on lip gloss, closed the mirror and glanced at me. "You like what you see?" she teased as her fingers moved slowly to the buttons of her shirt.

I nodded quickly and leaned over to steal a kiss. We both jumped when her door opened and Seth stuck his head in. "Long time, no see!"

Leave it to Seth to lead the welcome wagon. I exited the car and walked over in time to see Chloe wrapping Seth up in a big hug. "Missed you!" she announced sweetly.

Seth's eyes were as big as saucers. Embry stood nearby with an amused look as he was next in line for a hug. I tugged on Chloe's arm and whispered into her ear, "You never finished buttoning your shirt."

All she did was laugh and shrug her shoulders. Seth couldn't stop smiling, but a firm nudge with my body seemed to do the trick. "So how was the trip?" Seth sputtered once he regained his focus.

Chloe and Seth talked excitedly about the cabin while Embry and Jackson, who had also joined our little group, gave me an expectant look. I already knew they wanted to know if I had slept with Chloe. I rolled my eyes at their perverted asses, but my smile couldn't be contained. They both slapped me on the back as we all made our way into the brick building.

Time to face the music.

Chloe held onto me tightly as I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. I felt her tense up as we neared the room that Charlie had told us the district attorney was waiting. I never let her go.

Even when the door swung open and we found my father sitting there with that God awful smirk on his face. He smiled when he saw Chloe, right up until she wouldn't let go of me.

"I think my son should probably leave the room. This doesn't have anything to do with him," he declared with all the smugness I had come from the man I no longer wanted to be associated with.

"I have no intention of leaving this room unless it's to take Chloe home...with me."

My jaw was tight and my hold on her was tighter. My father stood and opened his mouth to speak, but the only other woman in the room rose from her chair and addressed us both.

"Gentleman. There's no need to argue. I think Miss Cavanaugh would like to settle this as soon as possible. Am I right?"

Chloe nodded and untangled herself from my grip to reach for her hand and shake it. "I'm Vera Dobson. I've been assigned this case and I think we can take care of everything pretty quickly. Would you like this young man to leave?" she asked, nodding in my direction.

Chloe leaned into me and shook her head. "No. I need him here. Can he stay?"

My father scoffed and returned to his seat when I held Chloe against me and the D.A. agreed to let me stay. Bite me, old man.

After we all had a seat, I glanced over to Charlie who had a look on his face that I just couldn't read. There was also a uniformed officer in the corner, that I prayed we wouldn't need.

Ms. Dobson began going through her paperwork, detailing the night in question and making notes as she went. "So Miss Cavanaugh, as far as you knew, when you left your foster father bleeding in that shed, you presumed him to be dead?"

"Yes," she answered softly, squeezing my hand.

"Did Mr. Lahote ever tell you what he found in that shed when he arrived at your foster parents' home that day?"

Chloe shook her head. "No. We never discussed it. I mean...the police discovered the abuse and poor conditions of their home so I was removed pretty quickly after that. I didn't see Jack...Mr. Lahote for a long time. Whenever I tried to ask what happened to the...body, he never answered me. He always said it was better that I didn't know."

Ms. Dobson nodded and made another note. There was a long silence. I wanted to jump out of my skin waiting.

"Are you gonna charge her with something or not? It's torture for her to keep waiting." I felt Chloe tense up beside me when I made my speech.

"Paul…"

"I'm sorry. You're right. We should get down to business," she stated, her face serious. She glanced at the officer in the corner and I could feel all the air in my lungs escaping. This was it. She was calling him over to arrest Chloe.

I watched the officer's face as he nodded and moved to open the door on the other side of the office. "You can come in now," he said to someone in the hall, whose face I couldn't quite see.

Chloe glanced at me, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What is this?" she whispered.

I shrugged and pulled her close to me. I pressed my forehead to hers and whispered back, "It doesn't matter. I got you, Sugar. I'm not going anywhere."

She forced a little smile and kissed my cheek before we turned our attention back to the door. We saw a haggard, thin older man hobble through the doorway. His eyes were cast down, but when he looked up, his gaze went straight for my girl. "Chloe," he wheezed. "You look beautiful."

Chloe gasped and buried her face in my shoulder. "Oh my God," she sobbed.

I glared at my father. "Who the fuck is this?" I demanded through clenched teeth.

Chloe was shaking in my arms and my father just laughed.

"Paul, let me introduce you to the man of the hour," my father smarmed.

I waited for his explanation, but there wasn't one. Ms. Dobson cleared her voice and caught my attention. "The truth is. We can't charge Chloe with the murder of Bill Weston because...he is not dead."

It felt like everything was moving in slow motion. I heard her words, suddenly realizing that the man who had nearly raped my imprint was standing a mere ten feet away. I seethed at the way he gazed at her and when I jumped up to attack him, Chloe held me back. "Don't," she begged. "I need you."

It was another few minutes before I could calm myself down enough to look at Chloe again. Her eyes were pleading and her hands were shaking so badly as she reached for me. "Please? For me? Just walk away?"

I sighed deeply and pulled her into my arms. I could feel some of her tension leave her body as I bent down to allow her to bury her face in my neck. "Now what? Can you charge this piece of trash for assaulting her?"

It was then I noticed he was already in shackles. The D.A.'s words barely registered as Chloe clung to me. "Unfortunately too much time has passed to charge either one of them with assault, but if it makes you feel any better, Mr. Weston is serving life in prison for another crime."

I scoffed as I held Chloe against me, soothing her by rubbing circles on her back. "And what about him?" I scowled in my father's direction.

"We didn't find that Mr. Lahote was at fault for anything that happened that day either."

"He let him go!" I shouted. "He helped him get away and obviously commit more crimes!"

My father just laughed and stroked his chin. "I did nothing wrong, Paul. By the time I arrived at the shed, Bill was long gone."

"So you let Chloe think he was dead? What the fuck is wrong with you? She's been dealing with this guilt for years! You let her think she murdered him…"

"I forgive you, Chloe."

I bristled at the small voice coming from the other side of the room. I looked down when Chloe began pulling away from me. "You forgive me?"

I reluctantly let her go, knowing she would approach him. Every single cell in my body warned me this was a bad idea, but I knew she needed it. She needed closure from her nightmares.

The whole room froze as she stepped up and stood face to face with the man who had terrorized her for years. I stood near her, observing he was being watched by the officer and tightly bound by his metal shackles.

But I wasn't taking any fucking chances.

Bill nodded at her and gave her a grimy smile. "I know you didn't mean to...to hurt me," he stuttered.

It was obvious he had brain damage from what Chloe had done in that shed. But his eyes were still lustful. A hammer to the head had caused him to stutter and limp, but his dirty thoughts for my girl were obviously still very present.

"You're even more beautiful...full...now," he sighed as he raised his hands out and reached for her face.

I didn't even have time to react before Chloe shoved him hard in the chest, causing him to stumble back and fall to the floor. "Go fuck yourself, you piece of trash!" she spat. "I wish you had died!"

I stood there in shock as my father pushed past me and pulled Chloe back. The officer collected his prisoner from the floor, quickly ushering him out of our sight, but not before he threw one more glance at Chloe. "I love you, Princess!" he called as he was dragged down the hall.

I turned to find my father with his hands on Chloe's shoulders, head bent down to make eye contact. "I'm sorry I never told you. I just didn't want you to worry. I made sure you got away from that home and I took care of you, baby. Everything turned out for the best."

"The best?" she retorted angrily. "You're insane. How can you say you ever loved me when you did this?"

I stepped behind her, softly touching her hips with my fingertips so she would know I was there. She yanked my father's hands from her face and stepped back into my arms. "Chloe, be smart. You think he's what's best for you?" he smirked as I moved her toward the door and we made our escape.

I cast a thankful gaze over my shoulder to Charlie before we entered the hallway and were swarmed by my packmates. "So?" Seth prodded nervously. "What's the verdict?"

Chloe stepped away with Jack and I never took my eyes off of them. I explained how it all went down while watching Jack try to work his way back in with Chloe. Good luck with that.

I clasped Seth on the back and nodded toward my father. "Sorry, guys. I gotta shut this shit down. He actually thinks she's going home with him."

"Yeah, right," Embry scoffed. "She's head over heels for you, man."

I nodded at the guys and sauntered over to my girl. "Ready to go home, Sugar?" I murmured into her hair as I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind.

My father just laughed. "The only place she's going...is with me."

Chloe turned in my arms and sighed. "I'll call you later and you can come get me."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "You can't be serious, baby? You can't go with him."

"You don't own her," he scowled from over her shoulder.

"Just give me a minute with Paul, please?" she asked him, but her eyes never left me.

My father sucked in a deep breath and stomped out the front door. Chloe twisted away from me and faced the large window overlooking the treeline.

"You can't leave with him, Chloe."

"Please don't do this, Paul," she begged when she felt my fingers in her hair.

"Sugar," I breathed against her neck. "There's no way I can let you go with my father. What if he hurts you?"

"I don't need you to save me."

"Then save yourself. Just don't go with him," I demanded through clenched teeth.

"I have to end this. Be fair to him." She finally swung around to face me. "I love you, Paul. And I'm gonna be with you. But I need to do this. I can't keep running."

I sighed deeply, knowing I couldn't fight her on this. Her mind seemed to be made up. "I'll be waiting for you," I promised as I pressed my forehead to hers. "Don't make me wait too long."

"I won't," she laughed before kissing me quickly and gliding out the door.

"Fuck," I muttered to myself when she turned to wave at me.

"You let her go?" Jackson groaned when he approached me with Seth and Embry in tow.

"She just wants to end things with him," I sighed as my fingers plowed through my hair. "Tell me I didn't just make the biggest mistake," I demanded when my gaze landed on my friends.

They glanced at each other with concern in their eyes. "I hope not," Seth replied as his eyes darted between the three of us.

Yeah, me too.

...

A/N: I'm sorry for not keeping up with the updates on this one. I made this extra long since you waited so long. Thanks for reading!