Chapter 23

Bella and I just seem to stop all movement, our lips hover over each other as my eyes slowly open. I see my mother looking at me.

"I said, get your scanky hands off my son!" my mom yells as she pulls Bella off my lap.

I leap up taking hold of my mom's arm. "Let her go," I hiss out at her, but she glares at me.

"She was molesting you!"

I snort moving my mom a little so I can stand in-between her and Bella. "Really, mom, you don't think I am able to save myself from a five foot dwarf, that weighs a hundred pounds?" I raise my eyebrows and lower my head so she can look me in the eye. "She wasn't doing anything I didn't want." My mom leaps back acting as if I hit her as she covers her mouth.

"You don't know what you are saying," she gasps out sounding horrified.

I rub my hand over my face not wanting to have another falling out with her. "Why are you here?" I ask weakly. My mom looks at me then turns her head to look at Bella, but a sneer seems to come over her face.

"Mom!" I yell gaining her attention. "What are you doing here?" I ask as I glance down at my watch seeing it's almost eleven at night.

"What am I doing here? What's she doing here?" is my mom's sharp reply.

I swallow as it's slowly dawning on me that Bella and I must have been making out for an hour, not that it felt that long.

"I'm going to go," Bella whispers out and I look over my shoulder at her.

"Don't go," I plead to her. Her eyes move to mine and she gives me a small smile.

"You have school tomorrow," I sigh but nod at her. "We'll talk tomorrow, okay?" I ask unsure of how things are between us.

"Yeah, yeah, I know you hate silence when we're in your car."

I grin at her, "well I do have so much to say and teach." Bella snorts and her eyes shift to the side, but come right back to me.

I watch her walk out feeling somewhat calm, but my heart seems to me fluttering away.

"What the hell is going on?" my mom demands. "You have any idea what the hell you've just done?" she carries on and I turn to look her way.

"I kissed a girl that I like," I reply in a raised voice. I quickly swallow as it hits home just how much I like Bella.

"She's a whore, and an eighteen year old, who takes drugs, sleeps around, and is a bad influence on others!"

"No she's not, Mom. You've got her all wrong!" I plead with her, hoping she'll believe me.

"You are acting as her probation officer!" my mom reminds me, and I close my eyes realizing that I have fucked up.

"Did you forget she's a thieving bitch?"

I narrow my eyes at my mom. "Alice stole, not her. She took the wrap for Alice."

My mom tuts loudly. "Not this again," she sighs out.

"What?" I ask as I feel the anger build up inside me.

"Oh, the whole, it was me, Mom, I stole, it was me. It's the song Alice sang all that day and weekend."

"Mom!" I yell again pulling at my hair. "Why the hell didn't you say anything?"

"Because it was a lie, and my baby was not going to jail for some whore!"

"IT…WAS…ALICE…THAT…STOLE!" I hiss out at her.

"Enough," my mom demands ."That is enough, don't make me take Jennifer."

"What? What the hell have you been smoking?" I ask her because she must be on something.

"You are not acting like a father should. Jenny is in danger with that whore. Have her here again, and I will take action, are we clear?" I just look at my mom; this is clearly not the woman I know, the woman who raised me.

"Get out," I say calmly, but she just places her hand on her hips. "Get out, right now," I say again with the same calm to my voice.

"See, you see what she is doing? This isn't my boy, she's a witch and she turns everyone I love against me." I shake my head at her crazy talk.

"I love you, Mom, but right now, I don't like y… the way you are behaving. You are acting irrationally."

My mom presses her lip together and turns walking out my front door.

I rub my face again letting out a long breath. "Holy shit," I say feeling as if I am being punked.

"Yeah, I think your dad needs to step up her meds." I jump and spin around to see Bella standing at my kitchen door.

"I thought you left?" I question her.

"No, I just thought I should step outside," she says pointing. "I wouldn't be able to sleep worrying about our kissing." Bella's low voice and red tint cover her face makes me smile. "I'm sorry," she carries on and drops her head. "I know I over stepped the boundaries." The sadness in her face has me moving to her. "I won't do it again," she whispers and my hand cup her face as I tilt it up.

My eyes flicker between hers before closing as I press my lip back on to her soft ones. I give her a few little pecks before sighing.

"This can't happen, not until your probation is over," I moan out not wanting to stop. I press my forehead to hers. "We should talk to Judge Aro and let him know what happened."

"He knows, Edward," Bella tells me and I open my eyes looking at her.

"Then why?" I ask not understanding how he could make her do all of her community work knowing that she didn't do jack shit.

"Because I laid claim to the crime, just let it be." I drop my eyes from her face, but my forehead stays pressed with hers.

"I don't know what this is or what I feel, I just want to wrap you in my arm to keep you safe and with me."

"Lust, my friend, it is a powerful thing." My eyes spring to hers telling her no with them. "I don't have a good track record with men, Edward…let's just leave this as the heat of the moment. If we're meant to be then fate will lead us down that road."

I know this is it, for the next six weeks at least. "Let's leave it to fate then," I whisper against her lips and kiss her one last time.

"See you tomorrow, sweetness," I say pulling right back from her.

"Tomorrow," she replies with a smile.

I follow her back into the kitchen and my heart starts to beat with want and need. Just as she walks out the door, my hand grips her arm and pulls her back to me.

"Ed..." I quickly cut her off by kissing her a lot harder then what I have been kissing her. Her hands go to my hair, and I push her up against the wall. My hands run down her body making her moan in to my mouth as I cup her ass and pick her up. She cooperates with me by wrapping her legs around me.

"Edward," she moans as I move my lips from hers and kiss along her neck. "We need to stop," she pleads with a moan.

"I know, I want to remember this kiss until the next one," I tell her as I undo some of the buttons on her shirt. Placing one last kiss over her heart, I frown having no idea why I want to kiss her heart, but yet again my lips move to that area kissing it over and over.

"We still good?" I ask looking up at her.

"Yeah," she whispers, but seems as confused as I am.

"One last kiss for the road?" I grin out making her chuckle. "Come on, doll, this has to last the few weeks you have left on probation," I say feeling my heart sink at the thought of not kissing her again for a while.

Bella rubs the side of my face and head and the action seems to sooth me and I just about let out a purr. "One last one, then that's it, as long as I am doing my community work."

I bob my head in agreement. "I don't want you getting into trouble because of me, I'm not worth you losing your job," Bella whispers to me, but I begin to see she is worth it, and a lot more.

"Let me be the one to decide that," I say kissing her. My lips stay on hers as she slides down my body. We both pull back and she walks away, but she looks over her shoulder at me.

My eyes stay on her till she walks in to her home. I close my back door locking it, and I walk around making sure everything is locked up. Just as I get to my stairs, my cell beeps. I take it out of my pocket and grin as soon as I see Bella's name.

~ Thank you for the Christmas tree, it looks amazing. I just looked in on my dad who's sleeping happily. He looks like he had a good time, and Sue said he was talking non stop about his day, so thank you. ~X~

I smile shaking my head a little

~ No problem. I enjoyed spending time with your dad too, next time I'll take him fishing. ~X~

I walk into my room, and get changed just as my cell beeps again. I keep getting changed and wash my face before getting in to bed and looking at the message.

~ 'Don't start! He's already talking about it and there's no way he can get on a boat with his chair! Don't make me the bad guy, please. I wouldn't be able to relax and I would worry about him ~X~

I sigh a little with some understanding. Where I can understand her worry about her dad, she needs to let go and just breathe as well.

~ Who said anything about a boat? I thought you trusted me with your father… I trust you with my daughter.~X~

The need for her to trust me is increasing by the minutes. I know I am slowly gaining it, not that I deserve any if it.

~ Hate to tell you, Detective Cullen, but you need a boat to go fishing. There aren't ponds here that are suitable, believe me, I have looked. ~

I snort shaking my head

~ Just trust me, doll, and where was my X on that last message? I want two this time!~X~

~ Fine, I'll trust you, good night Edward. ~XX~

I smile not because she said she'll trust me, but because she gives me the two X's like I asked.

~ Good night, Doll ~XX~

~HLAG~

I keep hold of Jennifer's hand as we walk in to the school. "Hi, I would like a word with Mrs. Cope," I say and the woman behind the desk just looks at me.

"I believe she has something to do this morning," she says looking between Jennifer and I.

"That's fine, we are free to wait," I tell her before moving over to the waiting area.

It takes almost half an hour before Mrs. Cope shows up.

"Mr. Cullen, Jennifer," she says with a tilt of her head. I stand up again taking Jennifer's hand walking in to the office with her.

"Can I help you?" she says sounding a little bored.

"Yes, I would like to bring to your attention that the boy, Matthew, that Jennifer hit yesterday is a bully. Not only is he bullying Jennifer, but other kids too."

Mrs. Cope leans back in her chair. "As I have explained to Jennifer, sometimes boys will say stuff that isn't nice and she has to come and tell a staff member, she cannot hit him."

"I agree that she shouldn't hit him FIRST, and as I am aware she did report him, and you did nothing!" Mrs. Cope's face hardens, and she tries to stare me down.

"Mr. Cullen..." I hold up my hand cutting her off.

"You have allowed this boy to abuse and bully her. So where I will keep her home, he better be getting sent home, for a week as well. This kind of behavior should no longer happen at schools. You are aware about the mental abuse Jennifer has received. Then to allow others to carry that form of abuse and do nothing, makes me question your ability to run a school."

"Mr. Cullen..." she again tries to say, but I stop her again.

"No, you should be doing your job, and that means you don't tell kids that sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will never hurt you! I think the fact of the many children that have taken their own lives over name calling will show you that's not true! Now, you have three days to have this sorted. If it carries on, I will report this to the news." I stand up holding out my hand. Jennifer takes it right away and we walk out with our heads high.

~HLAG~

"You sure this is how Bella makes it?" I ask Jennifer looking at the pot on my stove. It smells and looks nothing like what Bella does.

"Yes!" Jennifer giggles. "We could call her?" I shake my head at her.

"She comes over later, remember? She comes to work with me."

Jennifer just bobs her head in understanding. I open my mouth to talk, but get cut off by a knock on my door. Looking at the clock, I see it's just after three, so it's far too early for Bella. The knock comes again and I dry my hands, turning off the stove before moving to it.

"Hang on!" I yell as they knock for a third time.

I look through my peep hole and frown when I don't know who the people are, but by looks of them, I would say they're with child services.

"Yes?" I say as I pull the door open.

"Mr. Cullen, I am Sally, and this is Ben. We're with children protective services, can we come in."

I bob my head moving out of the way and they walk into my living room, where Jennifer is sitting looking worried.

"What's this about?" I say not wanting to beat around the bush.

"There's been an allegation regarding your ability to care for Jennifer," Sally says sounding accusatory.