Brace yourselves for this chapter. So few of you figured out Bella was in for a punishment.

As always, I'm grateful for every comment you leave on this story. Thank you!

No one had ever tested Edward's patience the way Bella did.

When he'd found out about her birthday, only a week away, he tried not to be upset about not knowing. He hadn't told her about his own birthday, though, they had just met back then. Bella should have told him about hers.

The worst part was that she planned on spending the day with her friend. The compromise she'd made wasn't good enough for Edward.

He was already planning to take her away somewhere, hopefully leaving Friday evening so they'd be away on the big day and he wouldn't have to share her.

But before he could focus on her birthday plans, Bella had to be reminded that her behavior that evening had been out of line.

Bella's mouth dropped when Edward warned her about not being able to sit for a while.

Her eyes blazed with fury as she jabbed a finger into his chest. "I thought this was a normal relationship. You promised not to let your lifestyle interfere. So now that I insulted your sensitive ego in front of your family, you plan on spanking me?"

"If you haven't figured out by now how I work, Bella…"

"Well, you were banned from doing what you wanted. I wouldn't know. Should I call Jasper to reinstall the ban?"

"This is the problem here," he snapped.

"What is that? Amaze me, Edward! We're having an argument. We had quite a few during your ban, and not once did you tell me that my behavior then might earn me a spanking. It would have, at least, prepared me for this." She gestured around. "You don't get your way, which I have no clue what is it right now, and you decide to put me in my place?"

Rationally, Edward realized that Bella was right. Though, at the same time, she was wrong. He had to remind himself again that Bella was never going to be like any other Sub he'd had.

Instead of arguing with her, which could drag for hours, Edward spun her around, mindful of her injured foot. He bent her over the bed, pushed her panties down, before lifting his right hand, then allowing it to fall on her ass with a loud crack.

She gasped, writhing against his hold. "Are you out of your mind?"

"So help me, Bella! You're going to regret every word you say from now on, because it will only multiply the spanks."

He hit her three more times in quick succession, tightening his grip on her bent arms behind her back. She was putting up quite the fight, which proved she wasn't even trying to get in the right mindset. She wasn't even thinking about what she'd done wrong.

His fifth slap on her ass was harder that the others, leaving the white print of his hand on her red cheek.

Bella tried to kick him with her good foot, but cried out when she put pressure on the injured one. Edward kept altering between smacking her ass and thighs, while she cried out, squirming around. When she finally became lax, he sighed in relief.

His palm was itching, and Bella had only received ten slaps. He planned for at least five more.

He'd been so angry and focused on punishing her that he'd forgotten the most essential rule – to check on her.

"Color?" He soothed a hand over her flaming ass.

Bella tensed up, choking back a sob. She twisted around enough to meet his eyes. Hers were full of hatred and tears.

Edward braced himself, because he knew what was coming. He let go of her hands, before she spoke.

Her voice was barely a whisper, "Red."

"Fuck." Edward took a step back.

Bella curled into a ball. "Leave me alone."

"Like hell." He stumbled back to the bed, sitting next to her. His heart shattered when she flinched away from him. "Talk to me."

She met his eyes again, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You are a monster!"

Her words cut him deeper than any other injury he'd ever sustained in his life. "Bella," he whispered.

"I just wanted to talk to you," she spat. "I was going to tell you about my birthday. It's not a national secret."

"I know…"

"Do you really?" Her eyes blazed with a fiery rage. "If every time I dare to argue with you ends up in you beating me, you better tell me now."

"It won't happen again," Edward promised.

Bella sniffed loudly. "No, it won't. I will never allow you to do this to me again. And if you think I've cross some line, you better explain to me why you're going to do it. And that explanation better be a good one, and not because it's what you do when I don't act like a saint."

Edward decided in that moment that Bella was more important to him than his lifestyle. If she wanted to keep anything from his chest of drawers to bring more to their sex life, he'd accept it. If she wanted it all burned down, he'd do it.

"You have my word that this won't happen again…because, starting now, I'm done."

"You're done?" she cried. "What is that supposed to me? Shouldn't I be the one breaking up with you for beating me like an animal?"

Edward cringed. "That's not what I meant." He hadn't thought about Bella wanting to end things between them. "If it's what you wish…"

She sat up gingerly, resting on her hip. "What did you mean, then?"

"From now on, it will be just you and me. Forget my lifestyle. It seems I'm incapable of separating them."

"Edward, I'm starting to understand your lifestyle better. But tonight, I failed to see the reason behind all this! You don't even have a good answer, besides, you had to do it because I argued with you in front of your family."

"Because we're both learning, Bella. While you seem to catch up pretty fast with everything, I seem to be stuck in my ways."

"I don't want you to forget your lifestyle," she mumbled. "I'm starting to…like it. I enjoyed yesterday. It was different."

"Punishments are meant to hurt," he explained, exasperated.

"I'd have accepted the punishment if it was justified," she shouted. "Come on, hit me again because I raised my voice at you."

"Christ." Edward ran a hand through his hair.

It was clear that they needed to have a conversation about what was punishable and not, but before it happened, he had to clarify it all in his head. Bella was right about his questionable reason behind the spanking.

"I'm going for a run," he told her, heading into his closet to change clothes.

"Now? It's dark."

"I need to clear my head."

Bella shuffled closer, stopping in front of him. "I want you to stay here and talk. Let's figure this shit out together. I'm tired of people running away from me to clear their heads."

"Shit, Bella." Edward hugged her tightly. "That piece of shit did a real good number on you."

"You calling yourself names?" she teased, in barely a whisper.

"I'm probably worse than your brother. You were right earlier."

She tilted her head to look at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I had no right to call you that."

"You did." He pressed his lips to her forehead. "As least, let me draw you a bath. It should soothe the ache some."

"Don't go too far," she pleaded.

"I'll be in the sitting room."

Once Bella was in the bathtub, Edward let himself out of his room. He leaned against the closed door, taking a few calming breaths. It didn't work.

The only person he should be upset with, at the moment, was himself, for losing control over his emotions so badly.

On the way to the wet bar, he pulled his phone out and called Jasper. It was a high possibility his friend wouldn't be able to answer since he preferred to play during the weekend.

"Edward?" Jasper's surprised voice greeted him after several rings.

"Am I disturbing you?"

"No, actually we were just watching some movie."

"Good. I need to talk to you." Edward poured half a glass of whiskey, downing it in one gulp. "Do you have a minute?"

"Hon, I'll be right back. It's Edward on the phone," Jasper said to Alice, before Edward could hear a door opening and closing on his end of the line. "Talk to me."

Edward poured another glass, this time taking it and walking aimlessly around the house. "I fucked up."

"Is this about yesterday?" Jasper asked fearfully.

"It's about what a fucking idiot I am," Edward snapped, stepping into the pool area and throwing himself onto a chair.

"What happened? Remember, you have to tell me, so I'll be able to help."

"I don't need my shrink. I need my best friend," Edward explained. He took a sip from the glass, before he retold Jasper what had happened during the evening leading to the terrible way he'd treated Bella.

"Jesus Christ, Edward!" Jasper interrupted him when he got to the punishment. "Are you crazy?"

"Bella said something similar."

"Man, what hell were you thinking? She's not ready for anything like that."

"Especially, when it's unjust and she didn't deserve it," Edward muttered.

"Did you, at least, talk about it after?"

"Yeah. She's still here, for some insane reason." Edward drank some more, closing his eyes.

"Tell me about yesterday. What brought it on? Did it go well?" Jasper seemed to be in an inquisitive mood.

"Her brother is in town. It's a long story with their history."

"I know all about it," Jasper replied. "Bella used to be my patient, in case you forgot. We talked about her family."

"Oh, right. Well, then you know. She asked for it yesterday. I thought I was making a mistake, but in the end, it turned out quite the perfect scene."

"Bella wanted to submit to you after seeing her brother?" Jasper groaned.

"I know it sounds terrible. Believe me, I had half a mind to tell her 'no' yesterday, but I wouldn't have known how else to help her. When you told me I could do it, but cautiously, I chose to let her lead." Edward downed the contents on his glass. "The night turned out even better after. We finally admitted our feelings."

Jasper gasped, before chuckling. "You've been dancing around that one for months."

"Yeah, it turned out we had nothing to fear…"

"About tonight," Jasper said quietly. "You better find an explanation for her, even if it is only your ego being bruised. And next time you do it, there better be a damn good reason for you to lay a hand on her."

"There won't be a next time, Jasper. I'm seriously reconsidering everything."

"We had this conversation, Edward." Jasper sounded exasperated. "You can't just give up your life. What you need to do is use your head and not let your emotions rule the way you react."

"I guess you're right." Edward got up. "I'm going to talk to Bella."

"Call me again if you need my advice. Please, keep your temper in check."

"I will. Thanks, Jasp."

"Anytime, man."

Edward carried his empty glass back to the wet bar. After refilling it, he turned at the sound of footsteps. Bella was wrapped in his black bathrobe, her wet hair half-dry, all over the place. She glanced at him, before heading into the kitchen area.

Edward leaned against the back of the couch, watching as she prepared herself a cup of tea.

Bella placed her cup on the island when it was done, resting her elbows on the edge of the counter. "I talk, you listen," she said softly.

Edward nodded, not making any move to go any closer to her.

"Spanking is a hard limit if you don't have a real reason to do it. And believe me, I'll never give you a reason to do it again."

Edward bit back his reply about never saying never.

"You said yourself that you are willing to change some of your rules," she continued.

"That's true," Edward nodded.

"I want to always have an idea of what you plan on doing to my body."

"That's where trust comes into play. I think we've discussed it."

"Well, you lost all of my trust tonight," she snapped, looking into her cup of tea.

"Bella," he gasped, nearly losing his grip on his glass. He'd fucked up royally for her to admit such a thing.

Edward edged closer to her. Bella's head shot up, her eyes dark.

"Don't get any closer or I'll scream."

"Don't be absurd. I won't hurt you," he said softly.

Her eyes narrowed and her posture went rigid. "Of course, I bet Tanya and Felix are used to hearing women screaming in pain when you're around."

"Stop, Bella." Edward crossed the rest of the distance between them. He pressed a finger to her lips, when she opened them, ready to scream. He had her trapped between his body and the island counter, but for once all he could think of was a way to apologize for his behavior from earlier.

"Step away!" Bella shoved against his shoulder.

Edward gripped the edge of the counter, towering over her, breathing harshly. "I'm not used to being talked back to."

"Well, you better get used to it if you want this relationship to work!" She kept pushing against him, in an attempt to escape.

"I've known from the beginning that I had to forget some of my rules and bend other rules, in order to make this work."

"You're doing a superb job at showing me this epiphany of yours." Bella rolled her eyes, gripping two fistfuls of his shirt, glaring into his eyes. "I'm aware of what your lifestyle implies. Enough time has passed for me to understand it to an extent. I know there won't always be only pleasure, but of what I know, punishments need to have a solid reason behind the action. I didn't do anything wrong."

"It's just how I see it. I understand now that I overreacted," he admitted.

"You overreacted?" Bella cried out. "Me, not telling you about my birthday, ended up with my ass on fire, just because you thought I was keeping it a secret from you."

"Not exactly." Edward winced. "It won't happen again," he repeated his previous words. "If it ever…if I ever think you deserve to be punished again, I will talk to you before."

"It won't," she sneered. "Come on, tell me, such behavior is punishable. I'm not allowed to talk back to you, like we're back in the eighteenth century!"

A smile broke on Edward's face. He slowly trailed the fingers from one of his hands over her arm until he cupped her cheek. "I love this fire inside you."

"Good," she spat, before pulling him closer by his shirt. Her lips molded against his, as her arms looped around his neck. "You don't get to touch me," she gasped against his lips when he untied the robe.

"Maybe we should move to somewhere more private?" he offered, amused by her brazenness.

"What, afraid someone is going to see you acting human?"

"Come on," he urged her toward the bedroom. "How's your foot?" He hovered a hand over her waist, as she shuffled down the hallway.

"The only pain at the moment is located in my ass."

As they stepped into the bedroom, Edward realized that Bella wasn't going to let this go any time soon.

I'm sure not many of you will agree with Bella's decision to still be there, but before you accuse Edward of being a brute, remember this is the only way he knows how to react. They're both learning.