Chapter Ten
Edward's Pov
"Ow" Bella glares at me as she changes the plaster on my forehead.
"Its been two days Edward. It shouldn't hurt you anymore"
"Well it still does" she wipes the wound and puts another plaster on it. "But I'm fine."
"I know you are"
"I find your neighbour very weird Isabella" Jasper says walking into the office with four cups of coffee. He gives one cup to each one of us. "Which guy is interested in arts?"
"Come on Jazz, he's not that bad and I like art. Besides, I spoke to him the other day, not bad. He even invited us for the official opening of his shop tomorrow evening."
"But we have a lot of work to do tomorrow. We need to start planning." I say frowning. I didn't like the way she was smiling and talking about her neighbour.
"I think we deserve fun Edward. We are not even sure its this Saturday the message was referring to. Bradon is going to wait infront of the Sparks house and inform us if Laurent leaves the house. Lets party!"
I glare at Alice but they all looked like they really wanted to go "Okay we'll go but we need to be ready."
"Talking like we need his permission" Jasper mutters.
…
I step out of the art shop to answer my phone. We had been at the party now for an hour and I was dying. I hated parties and not just because the host that I still hadnt set my eyes on had stolen Bella from me. Immediately we got here, she left to congratulate him and hasn't come back yet and I couldn't complain to anybody. Alice and Jasper seem to be enjoying themselves eating and dancing. Angela was with my daughter in Bella's house. I was really wondering why I didn't just stay with my daughter but they were right, we needed a break, we had a lot going on. Bradon still hadnt called me so I was guessing it was not this Saturday then. I check the caller id, it was Chief Billy "Hello"
"Edward. I just called to let you know that Laurent's wife came to see Riley today."
"Mrs Sparks?"
"Yes. She came with Riley's lawyer"
"But that doesn't make any sense, they shouldn't want to associate themselves with Riley."
"That's the thing Cullen. I don't think Laurent had anything to do about it. We found out that Riley is her cousin from her mother's side. When his parents died, he came to live with her and her family so they must have been really close. She must have come here with the lawyer for him without Laurent's knowledge."
"Woah."
"I know right. Well, I just felt like I should inform you."
"Thank you Chief Billy"
I walk back inside the party my head filled with questions.
"Hey Edward this is Adam. Adam my partner Edward" I shake my head to clear my thoughts and look up at the Adam guy, more like look down on.
"Nice to meet you" he stretches out his hand and I almost didn't take it but Bella was smiling happily.
"You too" I say forcing a smile "Can I talk to you Bella?"
She nods and follows me outside. Adam, there was something about his eyes that was familiar. I was racking my brain trying to figure out where I've met him before.
"Adam what?" is the first question that leaves my mouth.
She looks at me confused "Is that why you called me outside?"
"No no"
"I don't know his surname, he never mentioned it" she shrugs then I tell her all that Billy told me.
"I just have a bad feeling Bella and I tried calling Bradon, he didn't pick"
"Maybe we should I don't know, go and check on him." I was happy that she wanted to leave the party but I was also worried about one of my best bodyguards and somehow I felt I should have gone instead of him. I text Jasper so they wouldn't bother looking for us. We walk to my car in silence and I start driving to the Sparks residence.
"Do you like him?"
"What?"
"Adam, do you like him?"
"I just met him Edward. He's funny and nice" She turns her head sideways to look at me clearly "I don't like him that way."
"Sure seems like you do. Smiling when you're talking about him, you wanted to spend the whole evening with him" I hadnt realised I had raised my voice till she frowns.
"And if I like him so what? I don't see how it's any of your business"
I grip the steering wheel tightly "You're joking."
She scoffs and crosses her arms "I'm not going to answer you Edward."
"I've asked you out twice, twice Isabella but something always comes up, we're always busy with something but then this guy that you just met asks you to come to his party and you're all excited and happy to go. Oh Edward lets have fun, Bradon will tell us if something happens."
"Edward"
"No. you don't get it do you? We are always going to be busy with something, always going to be helping one woman or the other but that doesn't mean we should put our lives on hold. If we don't…I know I sound pretty selfish now but I really like you Isabella and I just want to go out with you, to spend time with you and not just when you're sad or crying. I want to watch you eat and tell me about yourself, I want to watch you laugh when I tell you a funny joke. I love working with you don't get me wrong but I also want to have fun with you away from work." I release the breath I didn't know I was holding. I knew she was watching me but I didn't want to look at her, I must have scared her. I come to a halt behind Bradon's car, he was not very far from the Sparks mansion, in a position where he could watch the house without being seen.
"Stay in the car." I say to her getting down. I already knew he wasn't there, it was obvious. After searching the car I walk back to my car.
"He's gone. They must have taken him."