A/N: Hi lovelies! First and foremost I'd like to apologize for the late update! I know -it's been a while, but there were some personal issues.

Big thank you to the best girl in town: maniacalmuse for editing the sh** out of this chapter. I was a bit all over the place when I wrote it.

Enjoy!

Chapter 16: Hit and Run-in

My alarm woke me way too early. My eyes felt heavy and swollen from crying all last night, thanks to my mother. I stretched my arms above my head and let out a yawn, then unplugged my phone from its charger and checked my messages. Edward had a way of healing me; seeing his name on my screen always made my stomach flutter excitedly.

Warrior: Never been more glad to go to the gym, I hope Emm keeps me busy enough not to count the minutes until you're there : )

Just woke up, couldn't agree more… Can't wait to see you.

With a smile on my face, I jumped out of bed and dragged myself to the bathroom. I took a quick, refreshing shower and put on my makeup, humming some annoying tune I'd had stuck in my head all week. It was one of Rose's lovesick pop songs—curse her and her awful taste in music.

I took a glance in the mirror on my way to put on my shoes, glad I picked the long-sleeved blazer dress with gold buttons. It hit me about mid-thigh, but was conservative enough otherwise to wear around the office. I paired it with a pair of black, peep-toe heeled boots. I knew Victoria didn't make tattoos in the workplace an issue, so I felt comfortable enough and I had a feeling Edward would like it. I tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear and headed out to catch my Uber.

Traffic was okay-ish. It was the crack of dawn, and I assumed most people were still at home getting ready for work. I smiled, looking out the window and letting all my anger toward my mother go, unwilling to let her control my life any longer.

It was pushing seven a.m. when the car dropped me off in the parking lot of Edward's gym. I shot a glance in the front camera of my phone to make sure I didn't have any lipstick on my teeth or anything like that. Just as I stuffed the phone into my purse, I heard a familiar voice call out my name. I looked up, surprised to see Jacob strolling toward me with a bag thrown over his shoulder.

"Hey, man! How are you?" I asked, walking forward and meeting him halfway. He smiled at me, running a hand through his newly cropped, short black hair. "I can't believe you cut your hair!"

"Yeah, well ... it was about time I got a more mature look." He shrugged. "I'm good by the way, golden. How are you, Bells?" His smile gleamed, and he held out his arms for a hug. I hesitated but leaned into it, patting him awkwardly on the back.

"I'm good, Jake, golden," I repeated his words, wiggling my way out of his embrace. I didn't want to give Edward the wrong impression if he came out and found me talking to Jacob. There was not a single spark left between him and me, and I was so glad my heart seemed to have caught up with my head after all these years of back and forth.

"So what are you doing here anyway? You look a little too dressed up for the gym, and as far I know, you hate working out," Jake said and then laughed at me, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He was wearing one of those douchebag muscle tops, with the armholes cut so big it barely covered his pecs. He was such a showoff. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"Oh, I'm actually w—" My speech was interrupted when I spotted my Warrior walking toward me. His hair was damp from a post-workout shower, his glasses framing his emerald-green eyes, and he was unshaven and wearing a black leather jacket over a gray dress shirt with the top few buttons left undone. Edward looked absolutely mouthwatering and effortlessly handsome. I was smiling like a crazy person by the time he reached me, draping an arm around my waist and pulling me tightly to his side. He hadn't looked me in the eyes yet, his were trained on Jacob, looking him up and down. I swear I could feel the hate dripping from his gaze.

Surely, hecouldn't actually be jealous, right?"I'm waiting for this guy right here actually." I giggled and couldn't keep my eyes off Edward, who finally shot me one of his charming grins. "Edward, this is Jacob Black. Jake, this is Edward," I introduced the two. Jake eyed Edward curiously, a smug grin on his face while his eyes darted between us both.

"Her boyfriend," Edward chimed in. Oh, what did he just say? What was his deal?

Jacob just burst out laughing, as if I wasn't agitated enough by their little alpha-male dance off. "Oh man, you shouldn't do that to yourself," Jake spat at Edward. My eyes widened and I gripped the back of Edward's jacket tightly, so I wouldn't give in to the urge to swing a fist in Jacob's direction.

"What the fuck, Jacob?" I asked him, feeling the rage inside me tint my face. I cursed the blushing genes of my father—I was both a happy and an angry blusher. I did not appreciate my body betraying me like this right now. Edward looked like he was about to pop a vein in his forehead, his grip on my waist tightening and on the verge of painful.

"Dude, you know you're only torturing yourself, right?" Jacob went on to Edward, ignoring me completely. "You shouldn't label your little thing anything it isn't." He laughed again.

"What is your fucking problem, man?" Edward almost growled at Jake. My gaze shifted between the two of them rapidly. Surely they didn't even know each other? Then why was Edward being this aggressive toward Jake, and vice versa? I had thought Jacob was happy now, without me.

"It's not my problem anymore, you know. I let her go and you should get used to that idea as well. She tends to run off whenever there are labels involved. I'm just giving you the heads up." Jacob's brown eyes met mine, and they were filled with rage. I thought we parted on good terms. What had gotten him all riled up like this? A minute ago, we were just fine.

Edward fired the first shot. "What would you know about that? From what I hear, you had just as much say in your breakup as she had. It's not her fault that you can't seem to understand not everyone's idea of an ideal future is to live in a trailer in their father's backyard." Jacob hated it when people went off on him or his family, and Edward had just done both and called the cottage a trailer. Yikes.

"Guys, please settle down." I snuck out from under Edward's arm and pushed Jacob in the chest, not able to control myself any longer. Jake was still ignoring me, though, glaring at Edward over the top of my head.

"Oh yeah. What have you got planned for your future then, Mister Big Shot? A mansion so big she could actually stand being in the same house with you because you'll be corridors away from each other?" Jacob made absolutely no sense. How did he and Edward know each other anyway?

"Sure, man. Bella wants a mansion. You don't seem to know her at all, do you? Is that why you kept trying to get her back? So you could tell her to 'stay' and be a good little wife? She's not a fucking dog, Jacob. She's not expected to do whatever you tell her to," Edward yelled. People leaving the gym were actually stopping in their tracks to stare at the three of us. Jacob and Edward were bickering like a pair of old bitties, making me feel like an absolute fool.

"Ever considered that you two didn't work out because you pushed her so far away and never wanted to do anything about her wants and needs?" Edward asked him, his fist inches away from Jake's chest. Jacob's laughter surrounded us. I honestly wished Jake hadn't laughed again. I could tell it only added to Edward's anger.

"Oh, like hell. Trust me, Loverboy, I tended to her needs just perfectly." He spat and I felt disgusted for ever having anything to do with his sleazy ass. What the hell was Jacob after?

"Okay!" I yelled and intervened. I pushed Jacob back, amazed by my own force. "That's it! This is over and done with. What's your deal, anyway? Can't get over the fact you couldn't get in my pants last time?" I'm sure the entire parking lot heard me but I didn't care. I didn't need Edward to fight my battles, and I didn't want Jacob fucking Black to throw any more dirt over my Warrior. He was the good guy. I could see he was struggling to keep himself in line, but he didn't need to do this for me. I could defend myself.

"You wish! Don't forget, half of the time it was you knocking at my door, remember?" he came back at me, shoving me away from him. I spotted Edward balling his fists. I put one hand on his chest, silently telling him 'I've got this'.

"The world doesn't revolve around Isabella Swan, you know. I have Leah now, my actual girlfriend. She never plays me, listens to me and my needs for a change, and boy, what a difference compared to being with you. A complete breath of fresh air," Jacob lashed out. I narrowed my eyes and balled my fists at my side, my handbag strap falling from my shoulder. I didn't are how crazy I looked. I took deep breaths, willing myself to calm down, aware of Edward's hand on the small of my back, trying to pull me back to him and away from Jake.

"Just leave her alone, dude," Edward tried to reason with him. He looked just as angry as I did, only scarier.

"I am leaving her the fuck alone. She fucking showed up here. I was glad I didn't see her again, honestly. And her stupid mother kept calling me, texting me to go to that obnoxious wedding. Obviously the bitch isn't over me when she hasn't even had the guts to tell her own mother she broke up with me." I saw red. The words 'bitch' and 'mother' coming from Jacob's mouth made me lose all control. Out of nowhere, I felt a sharp sting in my hand and Edward's arms around me.

"You fucking hit me?! What the fuck, Bella?" Jacob touched his cheek, his jaw dropped, and his eyes were spitting fire.

"Yeah, I fucking hit you because you're a total asshole! Good luck with your Leah, loser. I can't believe you talk about me like that! I thought we were supposed to be friends? It's what you wanted, anyway. By the way, I have told my mother about us breaking up. I honestly don't see why I stuck with you for so long," I spat and turned to Edward who looked around nervously, shaking his head at some guy in the parking lot. From this distance and the tall, well-built silhouette in the shade, I figured it was his brother, Emmett.

"What's that, do you need your babysitter-bodyguard to help you?" Jacob said to Edward, who glared at him. So his brother was actually still out here?

"Seriously, fuck off." Edward put his arm around me in an attempt to lead me away from the scene.

"Wait until you just don't do it for her anymore. You'll be glad I warned you," Jacob stated and turned around to walk away. I stood there, flabbergasted and feeling totally unhinged. I had no clue why he was suddenly expressing so much hatred toward me. This was not the Jake I knew, or even the one I befriended all those years ago. This Leah must have something to do with this. He had seemed completely fine when we parted ways.

Edward put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest, his chin leaning on the top of my head. I was actually shaking.

"I am completely capable of defending myself, Edward. I don't need anyone to come in and be my knight in shining armor." I heard myself say it, but couldn't comprehend why I was being so hard on him. After all, I had brought all this upon myself and Edward hadn't done anything wrong. He'd just tried to defend me, to stand up for me. I should have just accepted that instead of behaving like an ungrateful maniac. I was mad at him for trying to be there for me? How fucked up could one person be?

"I know you can. I just, I—" Edward began, sighing deeply. "I just want you to be safe. I want to keep you safe." He smiled at me, shrugging and looking flustered. Edward was unbearably cute when he got embarrassed.

"You smell so nice," I mused, closing my eyes and pressing my face against Edward's chest. He smelled like a man. Sandalwood and a hint of something heavier, mixed with fresh soap and the leather of his jacket. Edward was my new favorite smell. Here in the warmth of his embrace I felt secure again, not like someone's liability. I needed to stop this self-pity party and get on with our plans for the morning. I clutched him tightly to me, my hands trapped on his back between his leather jacket and his shirt, desperate to feel him against me.

"Oh baby, come here." His fingers pushed my chin up, forcing me to look at him. His expression was soft, sweet, and all Edward Cullen. I loved that look, craved those eyes staring into my own because they always made me feel at ease. I loved everything about him. He pressed his lips against mine gently and I melted into him. It had been too long since I'd held him, since I felt his kiss and since I'd been around him in general.

"I'm sorry," I said to him as I pulled away, shaking my head.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. Come on, let's get out of here now." He pulled my hand, leading me to his car. We drove in silence, and I could feel tension between us somehow. Edward didn't tell me anything about his reasons to go off at Jacob and that felt out of character for him. I didn't want to kill the good vibes I'd gotten from our hug outside the gym, so I kept my mouth shut.

"Are you?" I asked meekly, my voice barely audible. I couldn't unhear his words from earlier; they were ringing in my ears and floating in my head.

"Am I what?" Edward turned his head to me, a curious expression on his face.

"My boyfriend?" He almost drove into the intercom pole of the Starbucks drive-through but swerved, gripping the steering wheel firmly with both hands. I suppressed a little giggle.

"Baby…" Edward sighed. He glanced in his rear-view mirror, but luckily no one was behind us yet. "You'll have to figure that out, you know. I need to know if this is going somewhere, my feelings for you are way too strong for this to be a casual thing." Edward was baring his soul to me as the sun rose, next to the Starbucks breakfast menu. This was hardly the time nor the place for us to be having this conversation.

"Mine are too, Warrior. Honestly, I just need to think. Can we talk about us later? Maybe tomorrow before we go out to meet my friends?" I tried, feeling a little bad and wondering what I'd done to make him feel so insecure about us. After all, it was Edward who wanted to slow things down. He nodded and shot me a little smile. My charming Warrior was back, only a hint of insecurity in his green eyes.

"What sort of breakfast do you want?" He asked me, turning the volume of the music in his car down. I shrugged. "Whatever you like best. I'm down for anything, surprise me." I wiggled my brows which earned me a snort and another mind-numbingly gorgeous smile as he pulled up to the menu board.

Edward parked his beast of a car around the building and handed me a brown paper bag. "I hope you'll like it," he said proudly when I opened it. Inside was a sausage, cheddar, and egg sandwich. The smell of hot breakfast foods filled the car, making my mouth water.

"I love sausage, so you've done excellent," I blurted out. Edward started laughing, and then I replayed what I'd just said in my head. Oh, damn.

"Yeah, I know you do, baby." Edward chuckled and took a bite of his breakfast, the same order as mine.

"Oh, you like sausage, too?" I teased, watching him enjoy his sandwich. '"That's weird, I thought you'd be more of a taco person." Then I watched him almost choke to death, his eyes mischievous and bright.

"If you keep it up, I'll never get you to work. Now eat your sandwich and have some coffee," he muttered, shaking his head with that smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, Sir. Sorry for spoiling your breakfast," I said jokingly. I bit my lip, imagining what he'd rather do besides drive me to work. I'm sure this car would have a great backseat. The spacious interior would be perfect for some after-breakfast relaxation. I saved that information for later and continued to enjoy my food and the heavenly coffee.

"I honestly wish we could sit here all day, but I'm afraid I'm headed into late-for-work territory if we don't get you to your office right away," Edward said, drinking the last of his coffee. I nodded at him, glancing at the clock. He had to be at work in about forty minutes, and we were really pushing our luck with the L.A. rush hour. Respecting the cleanliness of his car, I gathered all the wrappers and stuffed them into one bag. I'd take it to the nearest trash bin when I got to the office building next.

"Can you come over early tomorrow?" I asked him as we drove up the street where my office was located.

"Anything for you." Edward smiled softly and took my hand in his, pressing a kiss on my knuckles.

The words were there, at the tip of my tongue, but somehow they choked me. I love you, my brain cells shouted, echoing all through my body.

"Could you, maybe, if you wanted to ... I mean, it's totally fine if you don't but—" I babbled on, taking a deep breath to gather my thoughts.

"Yes, baby?" Edward's amused expression make my heart flutter even more.

"Stay the night, please?" was all I said. His megawatt smile shook me to my core. I loved that smile. How I loved that man, but couldn't say it. Was that normal?

"I honestly wouldn't want anything more than that. I know I told you I wanted to take it slow, but truth be told, I just can't stay away from you. Could we pretend I never, ever said that? Please, baby?" he pleaded. His boyish enthusiasm and the loving, yet lustful look on his face did things to me.

"I'd like that. I'll see you tomorrow then? Text me, okay? I'll miss you too much if you don't," I said sweetly, lifting up in my seat so I could lean over the central console to kiss him.

"It's been a while since I've gone a day without texting you, Enchantress." His kiss was sensual, slow, and made me want to crawl into his lap and do him, right then and there. I didn't care that my colleagues or security could see. Before I could throw my panties at Edward's head and unleash my inner sex-kitten, he broke our kiss, leaving me breathless, aroused, and utterly frustrated.

"That dress should be illegal, you know. You look fucking magnificent," he commented. I smiled cockily, because I knew he'd like the outfit.

"Then you should see what I'm wearing underneath." I winked at him and opened the passenger door of his Lexus.

I'd taken a dirty little selfie earlier when I was getting ready, and I was already so excited to send it to him. By the look on his face, he was as well. His eyes darkened, and he reached out for me when I got out of the car, pouting.

"You better start driving, Warrior. Or you'll be late for work. Thanks for the lovely morning, this breakfast definitely made up for the asshat-intrusion," I said and waved at him. He shot me another smile and saluted me, tipping an imaginary hat before he drove off.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I'd like to take a moment to thank all the reviewers! It seriously makes me so, SO happy whenever I get one in my inbox :D

A lot of you don't want Bella to go to Bree's wedding, but let me admit something: I love me a little drama ;)

Rec of the day:

Black Ice Series by ladylibre. So far, there are BI and the sequel: The Polar Ends. To be honest, I read it all in like a week. I loved it so much! Go review and tell her I said hi ;)

See you in the next one! Reviewers get a little teaser!