10
This was it. The moment we'd been working toward for three months. Bella and I were standing outside the gym at Berkeley University. Our team crowded in around us, blue and yellow bags slung up on their shoulders. Intensive training had led us to this instant, one that I could only pray we were ready for. The future of our program was on the line and the weight of everyone's hope rested on our shoulders.
Phil reached out, opening the double doors and looking back at us. A wry smile crept up over his lips and a glint of excitement flashed in his eyes. "Let's go."
With a simple nod, I slipped my hand into Bella's, feeling her fingers shaking. I wanted to reassure her that everything would be okay, but there were no guarantees in life—a lesson we'd learned the hard way.
The gym was full of students from competing schools, their laughter echoing off the walls. Concrete stands wrapped around the floor, which had been changed from the traditional basketball court into a platform full of boxing rings. There had to be a half a dozen spread across the floor, red and blue ropes wrapped around posts that encircled the midnight blue mats.
"Holy fuck," Liam muttered. Looking over my shoulder at him, I chuckled under my breath. His eyes were the size of hubcaps and his mouth hung open. You'd think he'd never been to a tournament before.
"Dude, close your mouth. This ain't nothing," I snickered. "We have two long-ass days of this so get ready."
We followed Phil down the steps, each one feeling like they were twice as steep as the previous. Nobody really paid us any attention, we were inconsequential to them. Our program had never been a threat and because of that, we were overlooked by the masses. For most of them, this was just the start of a new season, but for us, this was all we had and we'd do everything we could to savage what little time we had left. Hopefully, it'd be enough.
Phil stopped and looked back at us, his eyes flittering between me and Bella. He expected us to lead this team, but I still wasn't convinced we'd be able to. They resisted us and we didn't trust them. "Find a spot and start stretching. I'll get us registered and find our schedules."
He spun on his heel and headed over to the registration table. Swallowing against the lump in my throat, I turned toward our team. Nerves and fear oozed off of them. Reassuring words rushed to the tip of my tongue, but I held them back. Would they be open to anything we had to offer?
"Well, you heard the man" Bella muttered, clearing her throat. "Let's get ready."
Tightening her grip on my hand, she pulled me toward the east corner of the gym, farthest away from everyone. I tossed my bag into the corner before sitting on the floor. Bella slid down next to me, pulling her feet up and pressing her knees to the mats. One by one the rest of our team followed, their eyes darting around the large, cavernous room.
Sticking her legs out in front of her, Bella reached out and grabbed her toes, pressing her nose against her knees. "They can smell fear," she murmured, drawing everyone's attention to her. "If you step into those rings looking like you're a fish out of water, they're going to demolish you by the end of the first round." Nobody spoke. Bella spread her legs into a V-shape, flexing her toes toward her body. She wrapped her fingers around them, lowering her chest until it was flush with the mats. "It's hard—believe me, I know—but when you let it go and fight your asses off…" She shook her head, a wry smile slipping over her lips. "Leave it all on the mats, everything you have. If you do that, then no matter what the scoreboard says, you'll be a winner."
She dug her iPod out of her bag, stuffing her earbuds in her ears and setting her favorite play list. Smirking, I followed her lead, leaving everyone sitting around us with shock on their faces. She was right, though. Until they were ready to let it all out, they'd never truly be winners, not where it mattered, anyway. After scrolling through my playlist, I decided to go with some Evanescence. Most wouldn't have gone with them, but there was something empowering about Amy Lee's voice that sent shivers through me.
Ten minutes later, Phil came back over, handing us each our ring assignments and schedules. My first fight wasn't for an hour. I almost snorted when I noticed the name in the bracket with mine: Felix Wilson. He and I had competed in the final round of the Las Vegas Tournament last year. It'd been a close match, ultimately coming down to a mere two point difference between us. I had the advantage, and he hadn't been very happy about it, either.
Peeking over Bella's shoulder, I saw that her first match would be in half an hour at ring two. Her opponent was some chick named Irina Stoker from Stanford University, a senior and ranked tenth at the national level. No pressure or anything. Though, she had a look of focus and confidence on her face.
"Okay, listen up." Phil clapped his hands to get all our attention. "We have a long day ahead of us. I need you to focus. Keep your feet moving, eyes open, and elbows tucked in." He paused, a look of uncertainty creeping over his face.
Missy reached out, laying het hand on his foot. The seemingly innocent gesture was ignored by the rest of our team, but Bella and I knew the meaning behind it. He'd stood up for her, protected her, when she needed him the most. While his motives around bringing us to UCLA were questionable in the beginning, Phil was just a man who loved boxing and didn't want to see our program slip through the cracks.
"There's a moment in every fighter's life that defines them. Yours might come today or maybe even tomorrow. Whenever it happens, you'll feel it in your soul. Give everything you have in the ring. If you do, then the feeling of pride you'll feel will be greater than any victory ever will."
With a deep, calming breath, I stood up, picking up my bag, slinging it up over my shoulder. Bella took my hand, letting me help her to her feet. Looking back at everyone, I smile. "Let's show these fuckers how we do it."
One by one our team stood up, determination slipping over each of them. We may not win, but we'd give it everything we could and make sure that when we stepped into the ring, they remembered who we were: Bruins. In my mind the crowd parted as we made our way across the gym, one or two of us falling off the end when they reached their ring. However, this was the real world and nobody gave a flying fuck is we were making our stand.
Embry and Liam were the first to leave us, stopping at ring number six. Missy and Bree went to the next ring, while Demetri, Riley, Heidi, and Maggie crossed through the middle toward rings three and five. Pausing at ring four, I turned to Bella, brushing my fingers across her cheeks. She and Tia would be fighting at the same ring.
Bella smiled before leaning up and kissing me. "I love you," she whispered against my lips. "Kick some ass for me, baby."
"I will," I murmured. "I love you, too."
Somehow I managed to pull myself way from her. I wasn't worried about how she'd do. Bella belonged in the ring, the one place other than in my arms that she felt truly safe from the world. No, my reluctance to leave her embrace had more to do with my needing to feel her touch. I was addicted to Bella and not one part of me felt ashamed for needing, or wanting, her.
Benjamin and I stopped at the edge of ring one. Kicking our bags under our bench, we sat down and started our prep. Of course in reality, we were sizing up our competition. There were a dozen or so fighters working on taping their hands or doing a few last minute stretches. A couple of the guys in red and gold were leaned back with their ankles crossed in front of them, laughing over whatever they'd shared. Inwardly, I laughed at their strategy. It was game, a mere ruse to make the rest of us think they weren't shaking with fear inside. Their cocky attitude would end up being their downfall. Already, I could see what it I'd need to take them both out.
As the first match was getting ready to start, I pulled my iPod from my bag. With my earbuds in place, I tuned everything else out, trying to keep my mind focused on the task at hand. My sole objective today was to win. Not because Phil demanded it of me, but because I had to be victorious. Failure didn't come from the number of points on the scoreboard, but with the amount of heart and soul I threw into every punch. This was my moment and nobody could take it from me unless I let them.
Placing my elbows on my knees, I closed my eyes and tried to focus on our training. We'd pushed ourselves, made sure our legs would be able to carry our weight through dozens of rounds. Our stamina had been tested repeatedly, but now, we would face the ultimate challenge. We weren't facing amateurs. Now, we found ourselves leaping into the lion's den with only the hope that we'd be able to outsmart them.
Someone placed their hand on my shoulder, jarring my attention. Opening my eyes, I found Phil standing in front of me, wearing a goofy smile. I pulled my earbuds out and dropped my iPod in my bag. Benjamin was in the ring, battling against one of the annoying boys in red and gold. Throwing a roundhouse/uppercut combination, he pushed his competitor into the corner, setting his feet and preparing to take him out.
"What's up?" I asked.
"Just thought I'd check on you." He shrugged his shoulders before taking the seat next to me. "How are you feeling? Staying loose?"
"Yep," I quipped, fiddling with the tape around my hands. Phil grabbed my hand, pulling in front of him. "What's on your mind?"
He laughed. "Am I that transparent?"
"Kind of," I muttered.
"You know, being the oldest isn't easy," he started, shifting his eyes to the ring.
"I wouldn't know," I quipped.
He smiled. "No, I guess you wouldn't." Phil turned to me. "I know that I've put a lot of pressure on you and Bella to lead this team. That might be unfair of me, but take a look around you. They need you and Bella to pave the road for them. You may not think you're a leader, but they follow you whether or not you're ready." Standing up, he clapped me on my shoulder. "Remember to keep your legs under you."
Phil headed to the edge of the ring just as Benjamin's match ended. They'd only gone one and a half rounds, but that was all it took for him to beat his opponent. Pulling off his head gear, Benjamin shoved his sweaty hair out of his face. He wore a huge smile and I could almost feel the adrenaline soaring through him. He was intoxicated with power.
"Dude, that was… I can't even tell you!" he exclaimed, flopping down on the bench next to me. "Fuck, just wow."
Laughing, I pulled my gloves out of my bag and stood up. "You did good."
"You weren't even watching," he scoffed.
"Sorry," I muttered.
He shrugged his shoulders and ran his towel over his face. "That's okay because I know you were getting your head on straight. I mean, fuck, you didn't even notice that Bella won her match."
"I don't need to watch her to know she kicked ass," I said, smiling. "She doesn't lose. Ever."
Popping my mouth piece in, I walked over and climbed into my ring, bringing my arms up over my head and making sure I'd stretched good. Felix pulled the ropes apart and sliding in on the opposite side of the ring. He looked over at me, a smarmy smirk creeping over his lips. Smug bastard needed to be taken down a notch or two.
Our referee called us to the middle, giving us the usual lecture of playing nice and no cheap shots. Nodding our agreement, Felix and I bumped gloves before heading back into our respective corners. A minute later, the judges rang the bell, signaling the beginning of the first round. Exhaling a deep, sharp breath, I turned my attention to the boy across from me.
Time to go to work.
Felix took a step toward me, his arms up in front of him. I mimicked his movements, my eyes trained on his feet. He'd worked on his footwork, but he was still sloppy. His left dragged across the mat, while his right hit too hard. He'd be lucky to make it through two matches at this rate.
Closing the distance between us, he threw a wild right hook. I ducked, hitting him with a left in the side causing him to groan. Felix spun around, trying to find me but I was too quick. With a left jab, I hit his shoulder, followed by a right shot to his ribs. He cringed, falling against the ropes. However, before I could take advantage of the moment, he pushed off of them, sliding around me. I kept the front of my body toward him, not allowing him blindside me.
By the start of the third round, Felix was showing signs of fatigue. His arms were lower, staying down around his stomach instead of protecting his ribs. Using the back of my arm, I wiped the sweat off my forehead, trying to focus on ending this. The noise around me grew louder as the fighters in the other rings struggled through their own matches. Through a calming breath, I pushed everyone else out, channeling my attention on the task set before me. Four more minutes that would define not only my season, but who I'd become over the last few months. The bell rang, reverberating straight to my soul. My eyes snapped open and all I found in front of me was him, the one person who could take this from me.
Only if I let him.
I rushed him, not giving him a moment to breathe much less take what was rightfully mine. Felix didn't expect me to attack him. He backed up against the ropes, throwing his arms up in a feeble attempt to thwart me. I wouldn't let him. Making sure to keep my arm up front of me, I alternated my punches: jab, uppercuts, and roundhouses. I shielded his attempts to push me off by turning my shoulder into him, bracing my feet against the mats.
Time felt like it slowed down. My arm reared back before slowly falling forward and connecting with his jaw. Felix's head spun to the side, spit spraying from his mouth. Adrenaline soared through my veins, the rush intoxicated me. Throwing a left uppercut/right roundhouse combination, Felix slammed back against the ropes before slithering to the ground.
Grabbing my shoulder, the referee shoved me into my corner, then kneeling down next to him. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but Felix shook his head, waving his hand in the air. The referee nodded, stood up, and walked over to me. Taking hold of my arm, he raised it and announced, "Winner."
"YES!" Bella screamed. I turned, finding her standing next to Benjamin, Phil, and Tia. She had a look of pure, unadulterated lust oozing off of her.
Tearing my arm out of the ref's grip, I climbed through the ropes. My feet hit the ground, moving me to where she stood. Barely able to get my mouth piece out first, I wrapped my arms around Bella, holding everything I needed close to me. My eyes closed just moments before my lips touched hers.
Perfection.
11
The moment my arms were wrapped around Bella everything around us faded away. It was just me and her, the two of us fighting for our place in the world. It wasn't until someone cleared their throat that reality came crashing down on us. We weren't alone; we were in the middle of a large gymnasium with hundreds of people milling around us. Not that we cared. They could go to hell if they didn't like us together.
Pulling my lips from Bella's, I rested my forehead against hers, taking a deep breath. "You won."
It wasn't a question, but she nodded her head anyway. "I kicked that bitch's ass. She came out of her corner all cocky and shit. It was almost like she was begging me to destroy her."
"Like she had chance." I smirked, brushing my lips against hers again. "When's your next match?"
"Um, twenty minutes," she murmured with a sigh. "Some bitch from Florida who looks like she's maybe twelve."
"Okay, baby, don't hold back."
Bella smiled. "I won't. Keep your elbows in. You got a bit loose there at the end."
I snorted. "Sure thing, baby."
Pressing her lips against mine one more time, Bella grabbed her bag, ignored the annoyed look on Phil's face, and headed back over to her ring. He could be as pissed as he wanted, neither of us really cared. Our love for each other was what pushed us to do our best and to never give up. Our love made us survivors, we wouldn't let him or anyone take that from us.
I sat on the bench and took off my gloves, dropping them into bag along with my head gear. Digging into the bottom, I pulled out my towel, dragging it over my face and wiping away the grime from my last match. Benjamin plopped down on the bench next to me. I could feel him watching me with a smirk on his face. Turning toward him, I let my glare speak for itself. He of all people should know better than give either of us a hard time for losing ourselves in the other. It wasn't like he and Tia weren't just as bad.
"Don't even fucking start, dude," I muttered, dropping my towel back in my bag.
"I wasn't going to say anything," he snickered. Benjamin leaned back and placed his arms behind his head, the smirk still covering his lips.
Rolling my shoulders back to keep loose, I stood up. "When is your next match?"
"An hour," he replied. "Some dude from the University of Texas, Morgan…something or other. I forget."
"He fought yet?" I asked, trying to keep the focus off of me and Bella.
Benjamin shrugged. "I don't know."
Sighing, I kicked him in the shin. "Dude, you have to know this. Watching your competitors is just as vital as anticipating their moves when you find yourself against the ropes."
"Okay, I'm sorry, oh fearless leader," he mumbled, stalking away from me.
I sat back down on my bench, taking a big drink from my water bottle. Though I tried not to hide it, I found myself watching Bella's fight. The girl she was pummeling was cowering in the corner, her arms trying to protect her head. It was a feeble effort; the sting of Bella's punch could be felt through a brick wall. The referee grabbed Bella's arm before she could land another blow, yanking her into her corner. Normally, I'd feel sorry for anyone who touched Bella like that, but she's stay professional in the ring. This was her livelihood after all.
Placing her hands on the ropes, Bella looked over at me, a smile spreading over her mouth piece. I shivered, ducking my eyes away. Watching her was intoxicating, sending me spiraling in the yearning to be with her. I pulled my iPod out of my bag and scrolled through my playlists, settling on some Blue October. Extending my legs out in front of me, I closed my eyes, trying to focus my thoughts on my next fight.
Just over an hour and three matches later, I redid the tape on my hands before putting my gloves back on. I climbed into the ring, stretched my arms over my head, and tried my hardest to block out the noise echoing around me. With each new match, the field was narrowing. By the next day only six would be left standing, just to climb back in between the eighteen by eighteen foot ring and battle our way till the end.
As my opponent climbed in between the red and blue ropes, I sized him up. Taller by nearly three inches, Tyson Murphy stood in the opposite corner had shaggy black and tight shoulders. He reminded me of Emmett, relying on his brawn more than skill. Which wasn't necessarily a bad strategy, but finding a balance would give any decent fighter the advantage. At least, that's what I thought.
The referee called us into the middle of the ring, instructing us to bump gloves and reminding us to keep it civil. With simple nods, we both agreed and went back to our corners. I managed to get my mouth piece in just before the bell chimed and signaled the start of our match.
Tyson came right at me, choosing to use his strength and take me out early. I almost felt pity for him as I ducked around the left roundhouse he tossed at me and caught him in the ribs with a right jab. Back and forth we went at each other; him using his muscles in a feeble attempt to ware me down and me waiting until he'd tired himself out. It only took me a round and a half to see his shoulders sagging or the way his left foot dragged along the mat. Squaring my shoulders, I pushed him against the ropes, blocking his escape route on either side. He was my bitch now.
Just like the match before time felt like it slowed down. I could hear the crowd yelling and screaming for me to finish him, see the beads of sweat as they trickled off his brow. The air felt thick, the anticipation of each hit that was waiting to be released from my fists swirled around us. Inside my gloves, I dug my fingers into the padding and threw a left hook followed with a right jab. Each groan and grunt sounded twenty times louder than they were. My fists connected with the side of his head, jarring it in one direction before the next blow sent it back in the other. Like a ragdoll, he flopped against the ropes, somehow still managing to keep his legs under him.
It wasn't until the bell rang and signaled the end of the match that I stumbled back and time seemed to catch up with me. Tyson slide to the ground, his arms lying heavily at his side. Any effort he had made to stop me was long forgotten.
"In your corner," the referee ordered, pushing against my shoulder. I turned and walked over there, curving my gloves around the ropes while he accessed the fighter lying broken and defeated. A couple of minutes later, he came over and lifted my arm. "Winner."
"Thanks," I muttered around my mouth piece. Pulling the blue and red ropes apart, I climbed out of the ring and rolled onto the balls of my feet when I jumped off the edge of the mats. Shifting my attention over, I saw Bella in the midst of her next fight. The poor girl across from her never stood a chance.
By the time day one of the tournament had ended, I'd faced four more opponents, beating all of them without much effort. Both Bella and I advanced to the next day, along with Liam and Tia. The rest of our team had fallen to the wayside along the way; some were prepared to admit where they'd gotten lazy with their footwork while others grumbled under their breaths about everyone cheating. I sighed; until they were willing to face their flaws they'd never be able to fix them.
Shoving everything into the bottom of my bag, I hooked it up over my shoulder and wandered over to where Bella was standing with the rest of our team. She'd pulled the black rubber band from her hair, letting it hang down her back. Her cheeks were still pink from a day full of exertion. She lifted her eyes to mine, her bottom lip slipping between her teeth. She acted so innocent, yet she seduced me with a single look.
"Okay, everyone," Phil said, clapping his hands together. Bella turned her head, letting her gaze drop to the floor. "We're gonna grab a quick bite from the cafeteria before heading to the hotel. We've all had a long day, but we still have one more to go before we're done."
We trudged our way up the cement steps and across the campus. There was already a line forming outside of the cafeteria. Bella leaned against me, resting her forehead on the middle of my chest. Her hands slipped around my waist, gripping the back of my shirt. The sweet scent of her sweat mixed in with her nature purity, making it nearly impossible to keep my body away from her. A dozen images if her naked and writhing under me flashed before me.
Before I could put one of the many fantasies into action, the line started moving and cursed under my breath. The dining hall at Berkeley wasn't much different than ours; they pretty much offered the same types of foods. Since we'd burned through a lot of energy today, we loaded up on carbs, being careful not to overdo it. Bella was oddly quiet while we ate, not that I really talked much either. She smiled, the corners lifting a little higher when I placed my hand on the middle of her back. Tilting her head toward me, she winked. Oh, the girl was teasing the fuck out of me.
We'd just finished eating when the team from Stanford came upstairs. Their coach, a tall man with blond hair and beady eyes, looked over at us. His gazed over each of us, stopping on Bella before moving straight to Phil. The smile that spread over his lips could only be described as creepy. Bella shuddered against me, sliding as close as she could. I knew what she was thinking; he reminded her of Aro.
"Well, Phil Dwyer," he cackled, leading his team over to us. Standing directly behind him, a woman with strawberry blond hair and deep blue eyes shifted her attention to Bella. The scowl on her face as she gave Bella the once over didn't go unnoticed, not by me or Bella. "Nice showing today. Honestly I wasn't sure you'd ever show up here with any decent talent, but I suppose miracles do happen."
Everyone shifted uncomfortably in their seats. It was an insult to all of us. Phil dropped his napkin on the table and stood up, a hard look in his eyes. "Alastair," he gritted out, his jaw clenched so tight, I thought he'd crack it. "I'm surprised you can even recognize what talent looks like. Aren't you used to buying your athletes?"
I expected Alastair to get angry at the accusation; however, he threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, Phil, still bitter that I prevented Tanya from wasting her gift in your program?" He looked over at Bella. "Don't be so upset, you have a Cullen after all. That has to boast your alumni support. I mean, it's not like her family is a joke in the boxing world or anything."
Alastair and his team laughed as they walked away from us, settling at a series of tables behind us. Bella pushed her chair back and stood up. Without a word to anyone, she walked down the metal stairs and out of our view. Sighing, I followed. She'd hang on to this, letting it keep her from succeeding. That bastard used the one thing he knew would hurt her; the guilt she still carried for not being able to save her family the pain of her parents' betrayal.
"Bella, wait," I called, grabbing her arm just as she threw the doors to the dining hall open. The stifling heat slammed into us. She spun around, her lips were clamped tight and her eyes were full of tears that she struggled to keep from falling. Bringing my hand up to her cheek, I said, "He's an ass, it means nothing."
"It means everything," she muttered. "Being a Cullen has done nothing but cause me shit for three years now."
"I'm sorry, I don't know how to make it better," I replied.
Bella sighed, leaning into my hand. "You can't, I know that it's stupid to be upset by what some asshat said, but I don't want to be judged because of my parents. I want to be judged because I work my ass off."
"I hope you haven't worked it totally off." I smirked and leaned down to her ear. "It's a fucking fantastic ass that I have fantasized about all day, baby."
Bella gasped, her skin turning a rosy red. "Oh yeah?" I nodded, sucking her earlobe between my lips. "Hmm, good to know."
I groaned when I heard the door open behind us and the grumbles from our teammates following. Bella smirked as she pulled away from me. Before anyone could question her, she assured them she was okay. Phil didn't look like he believed her, but didn't say anything. We followed back across campus to where the bus was and headed to the hotel.
Bella and I had barely closed the door to our room before I had her pinned against it. Her moans were lost as my mouth claimed hers. My body craved hers, thirsted for the touch of her hand, the feel of her under me, around me, on top of me. I didn't care; I just wanted her.
Stumbling backwards, I searched for the bed while keeping my lips on hers, my hands greedily roaming over her body. My knees buckled as I hit the bed. In a heartbeat, I spun us. Though reluctant, I released her lips, grabbing her hips and turning her so that her back faced me. She cried out as I grabbed the waistband of her shorts, dragging them down her legs along with her white, cotton panties.
I ripped off my shirt, tossing it on the floor carelessly. I ached for her. Sliding my hands around to her front, I grabbed the hem of her shirt, slipping it up her body, exposing her creamy skin. It fell from my fingers as I lowered my lips to her shoulder, trailing a line of kissed up her neck to her ear.
"You are so fucking beautiful, baby," I whispered, guiding my hands under her black, spandex sports bra. Bella shivered against me, her back aching toward me.
"Edward," she moaned, her arms lifting so I could remove her last article of clothing. I grabbed her hips, pressing my cock into her. "Baby, please."
"Do you feel how hard you make me?" I growled, sucking her earlobe in between my lips. "All I think about is you; how warm your pussy is, how you look under me. I want to fuck you, taking you so hard that you can't even scream out my name. And, baby, you know how much I love the sound of my name falling from between your lips."
Bella whimpered.
With a coy smile I pushed on her lower back, bending her over the edge of the bed. Leaving my hand on her back, I tugged my shorts and boxers off, kicking them away. I wrapped my hand around my cock, stroking myself a few times while I rubbed the head along her soaking slit. Bella moaned, trying to push herself back into me. Yeah, my girl needed me, too. Pressing just the tip into her, I grabbed her hips, thrusting into her in one, swift move. My head fell back, her tight warmth hugging me. I could live inside her pussy for the rest of my life and never get tired of how she feels. I tightened my grip on her hips and began thrusting, setting a fast and hard pace. The time for us to be slow and gentle had passed, tonight was all about our need for each other.
"Oh, fuck, baby," I growled, my skin slammed into hers. "Watching you in the ring today, the way you moved. It made me so fucking hard."
"Ed—Edward." Her fingers clenched on the blanket under her, her knuckles turning white from her efforts to hold on. Sliding one of my hands up her back, I grabbed her shoulder, giving myself more leverage. Bella's head fell forward, her moans muffled by the padding under her. "Oh, Jesus fuck!"
"Yeah, baby, you like this, don't you?" My words came out in breathless grunts. "You feel so good, wrapped around my cock. You made just for me, love. Just. For. Me."
"Edward, please," she cried.
She was shaking, the effort to hold off for me taking its toll on her. Part of me wanted to make her beg for her release, to push herself to the point that she lost control, but the other half, the greedy part, wanted her to come now, to show me that she was mine.
Tightening my grip on her, I increased my thrusts. Almost immediately her walls clenched around me. Bella slammed her hands on the bed, a series of four letter words trickling out of her mouth. Spurred on by her reaction to me, I lifted my leg, placing my knee on the bed and changing the angle in which I filled her. The sensation was almost too much for me. Bella pushed up on her hands, looking over her shoulder at me. Her eyes were filled with a hunger that had nothing to do with food. That look sent me over the edge. Letting my head fall back, I stilled my hips, the feeling of euphoria washing over me. My legs gave out on me. I crumbled into the bed, rolling onto my side and pulling Bella with me. I was where I was supposed to be: in her arms.