DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc., are the intellectual property of the respective author. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

-Chapter Twenty-Eight-

It stung, and it burned, but it didn't hurt. Jane said that the location I chose was a smart one. It was full of fleshy fat. The prominent bone areas, wrists, and the back of the arm were the worst places to be tatted. Edward nodded firmly, his eyes wide and terrified, and he could certainly vouch for that. Both of his arms were sleeves dedicated to ink.

Since my tattoo wasn't that intricate and pretty plain and basic like me, it only took forty-five minutes to do. Jane was amazing. She talked the whole time, trying to ease my nerves, and with Edward's hand securely in mine, it was an enjoyable experience.

"All done, beautiful," Jane said, leaning back and grabbing a mirror off the side table. She handed it to me and raised the head of the bench. "Take a look."

Glancing over at Edward, he winked at me, and I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the big reveal as I angled the mirror down. The skin was red and blotchy, irritated by the assault, but despite that, I saw his name in a simple black cursive script. No flair, no grand gesture to express the depth of my feelings for him. It was just a name.

Edward.

His name.

That was all I wanted.

"So, what do you think?" Jane asked, smiling wide but with a touch of nervousness hidden behind it. It was my skin, but it was her art. My critique of her design was what mattered.

"It's…"

"Permanent," Alec interrupted.

Edward and Jane scowled at him, making him shrink back into his chair. He dipped the end of his tattoo machine into some black ink and went back to work on Edward's design, poking the needle into the skin and trying to ignore the two sets of eyes burning a hole into his skull.

Jane looked back at me and nudged me with her elbow, encouraging me to finish my sentence.

"It's just what I wanted. It's perfect. Thank you," I said.

"I'm glad—and don't pay any mind to my brother. He's a bitter and soul-less bastard who needs to get laid," Jane said.

I laughed, taking a sideways glance at Alec, who seemed more inclined to keep his mouth shut. I suspected that had a lot to do with Edward and how he kept a glaring gaze on him.

"Let me see," Edward said, tugging on my hand.

I threw my legs over the bench and turned my body towards him. The hem of my jeans was rising, and I had to push them down, making sure the wet ink didn't get all over them.

I raised my eyebrow, anxiously chewing on the inside of my cheek. "What do you think?"

He let go of my hand and gently glided his finger over the raised skin. Then, he smiled up at me and mouthed, 'Mine.'

I nodded because it was true.

Edward was my first real love, and I fell for him hard.

Hell, I didn't even try to stop it. It was effortless, like laying my body back and floating above the water, riding the small waves that lapped around me.

All rational reason and sane thought disappeared when he came into my life.

Once I was smeared with ointment and bandaged, I could move away from the bench. I stood up and stretched my aching limbs, glancing over at Edward, who was watching me closely. I smiled at him and peered over Alex's shoulder.

He was almost done with Edward's tattoo and, keeping true to his word, put his third love in life on his skin.

In black ink with a tinge of red in the bold script was: 'Always crazy and forever beautiful, my Bella.'

I gasped, feeling my knees buckle beneath me; I quickly gripped the bench behind me to keep myself upright.

It was the shock of seeing my name on him. On the outside, it left me shaky, but on the inside, it stirred up this visceral response in me, filled with possessiveness and ownership.

Edward looked up, his eyes meeting mine and silently asking me what I thought. I smiled at him and mouthed, 'Mine.'

It was around eight in the evening when we exited the tattoo parlor. Alec and Jane gave us instructions on aftercare and proceeded to go into great detail about it until Edward cut them off. He gestured at himself and his extensive body art. He was well aware of the dos and don'ts and assured them that he had it covered.

I think he just wanted to leave and get away from that smarmy asshole, Alec, who kept making comments about our mistake. We weren't married, barely even been dating for over two weeks, and according to him, we were idiots—not that he knew anything about us or where we came from, but it was evident by the snide remarks he made that he disapproved.

Edward clenched and unclenched his fists, fighting hard against his instincts to punch the guy in the face. But instead, it showed restraint, and in the end, we paid in full and left the parlor without incident.

The Gateway Arch across the way lit up in a brilliant and luminescent blue, reflecting the buildings and lights surrounding it. It was peaceful, and I felt safe. No horrible parents were hanging over my head or the threat of the law. I felt almost normal but very wary.

Whenever things seemed too perfect, the earth decided to open up and drop me down, blackening every ounce of my happiness. I was waiting for something to come along and ruin everything.

"Come here," Edward said, pulling me over to the side of the building.

It was off the path of the sidewalk but not entirely out of view, just out of the way of people walking past us. He glanced around him briefly and checked if the coast was clear. There wasn't a soul within a half-block radius. His eyes shot down at me as his finger tugged on the top of my jeans.

"What?" I asked, playfully swatting at his hand.

"Let me see it," he said, pulling more on my pants and exposing the white dressing underneath.

I laughed. "You just saw it—not even five minutes ago. It hasn't changed since then."

"I know," he said, bottom lip jutted out into a pout and giving me these big ol' puppy dog eyes. "I just wanna see it again."

He knew what he did to me. It was impossible to tell him no.

"Fine," I said, unbuttoning my jeans and pulling them down slightly. I peeled off the top half of the bandage, displaying my tattoo.

His face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. "So fucking awesome." He reached out and touched me, running fingers along my skin and idly tracing the outline of his name. He then said something so quietly and softly, his voice barely above a whisper. I had to strain my ears to hear it, and I still missed it.

"What did you say?"

His eyes flashed to mine, filled with this unfathomable mixture of emotions: love, lust, want, and need. All of it jumbled together and blurred into one. He took one broad step into me, walking me back and pressing me against the wall. These large hands engulfed my face, holding and possessing me there as his soft and needy lips crashed into mine. I gripped the back of his shirt, yanking and pulling him to me, deepening the kiss, and wanting him to touch me.

The throbbing need to have this man inside me, claiming and owning me, was reaching a fever pitch. I moaned into his mouth, shoving his groan into mine, showing him how turned on and ready I was.

"Damn it," Edward groaned, pulling away from me. He placed his hand gently on my neck and held me there, keeping me still as he pressed his forehead against mine. "What is it about you and walls? Every time I have you by one, I just have this urge to fucking take you right then and there."

I shrugged, biting my lip, aroused and ready for him to make good on his word. "What is it about you and cars with me?"

He tightened his grip on my neck. "Shit, baby, we're an odd fucking pair, aren't we?"

"Considering we just cemented our relationship with permanent ink and are two seconds away from screwing on a busy street, I would say we're more than odd. Fucking crazy is more like it."

"Jesus." He smirked. "You're fucking amazing." He hooked his arm around my neck and led me back towards the sidewalk. "Did I ever tell you much that fucking turns me on when you swear?"

"No," I said, wrapping my arm around his waist, "but…." Edward stopped mid-step, cutting me off short as his hold on me tightened considerably. I looked up at him, confused. "What's wrong, babe?"

"Fuck me," he hissed, staring straight ahead, and I followed his gaze, landing on an older man dressed in a dark gray suit. He had a head full of black hair streaked with white, making him look like a skunk, and it was slicked back into a shiny do.

"Who…" I asked, but the man was already upon us, recognition firmly in his eyes.

"Edward Cullen!" The man called, his steps quick and in pace to intercept us.

"No, man," Edward said, brushing past him and leading us in another direction. "You've got the wrong guy."

"It's you, holy shit!" the man said, blocking our path and putting his hand on Edward's shoulder. "I knew it was you. I would recognize your father's face anywhere." Edward stayed quiet, shaking his head. "Don't tell me you don't recognize me. It's me, Eleazar Denali." He tilted his head to the side, eyes focusing on Edward's tattoos and facial piercings. "You look different, kid. Your father has been telling everyone you were dead."

Edward scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, well, it looks like you got the wrong guy then."

Once again, Edward tried to side-step the man, but he was persistent and refused to let us pass.

"Well, you can't blame the old chap for lying," he laughed. "I mean, after the embarrassment you caused them, standing up that beautiful girl, Kate, at the altar. The whole city of Chicago went into a frenzy. So the senator's golden boy ditches the Governor's youngest daughter."

My eyes were wide and filled with shock. I looked up at Edward, seeking answers, but stared impassively at Eleazar, giving nothing away. I was spinning, the floor opening beneath me, and I tried to process the information.

Edward-my Edward-was engaged to be married to a girl name Kate?

I couldn't breathe, my hold around Edward's body loosened, and I felt myself slump sideways, preparing to hit the cold concrete.

Edward shifted his arm, grabbing me tighter and keeping me from falling.

Eleazar, unaware of what had just transpired, continued to ramble on. "It was quite the scandal and fodder for the tabloids. Your father lost a lot of votes that year," he said sadly, but his eyes brightened within the next second. "He made up for it this year, though. He's in the lead. That's why I'm here. We're campaigning. You know, your father and mother are at the Waldorf, you should see them. Bring your…" he paused, looking at me now, and I'm not sure what he saw on my face, but he seemed uncomfortable, "…friend."

I glared at him and screamed in my head, Girlfriend! I'm his fucking girlfriend! You douche!

"Listen, fucker," Edward said more sternly, taking an aggressive stance. "You don't fucking know me, alright? You've got me mixed up with someone else. Now fucking leave me alone or I'm going to make you leave me alone. You got it?"

Eleazar's jaw dropped, and he nodded slowly, stepping back a few feet with his hands raised. "I'm sorry to have bothered you. My mistake." He then turned on his heel and speed walked in the opposite direction.

"Christ," Edward said, running his hands through his hair. "Let's get the fuck out of here." Edward grabbed my hand, interweaving his fingers in mine, and pulled me towards the curb, making our way across the street.

The panicked energy was rolling off him in waves, and we didn't even get around the corner before he opened his mouth to explain himself. He knew full well that I had questions: Who's Kate? Why didn't you tell me about her?

"You asked me awhile back why I'd left home and became a criminal, and I told you it was the better option, do you remember?"

"Yes," I said, trying to keep up with his brisk pace. He was trying to put as much distance between himself and that man and his family as humanly possible.

"Well, I was supposed to marry a girl...it was like an arranged marriage of sorts."

My voice came out timid and soft as I asked the question I didn't want to hear the answer to, "Did you love her?"

"No, fuck no!" he yelled, gazing down at me. "She was nice, I guess, but she wasn't what I wanted."

"Then how did you get engaged to her."

"When I was eighteen, I got mixed up with some guys. Small time crooks, but they were funny as fuck, and they asked me to help them plan this elaborate home invasion on this million dollar sky rise. It was supposed to pay off big, but shit got hairy, things went astray, and we got caught. Those assholes, one by one, dimed me out, and I was looking at twenty-five years to life in prison."

We were heading back towards the garage where the Chevelle was parked, our stride quickening with every step, but Edward kept talking, spilling his guts and telling me everything.

"My father, the fucking king of all pricks, made a deal with the Governor. They would clear me of all the charges if I agreed to marry his daughter, Kate."

"So, your dad was using his connections to get you out of jail? Not that I agree with forcing people to get married, Edward, but it sounds like he was just trying to bail his son out of trouble."

He laughed dryly, a hint of sorrow behind it. "Yeah, it would seem that way, and I would've fucking done it, too, you know, married her, if it was the truth…if he really was doing it for me. Hell, that's why I went along with it for so long, even, making it up to the fucking wedding day. Except that morning, I happened to be walking around the halls and overheard my father in his office talking with Kate's father. It turns out that they both fucking set me up with the robbery. They paid those guys a large sum of money to turn against me. They tipped of the cops and everything."

I was stunned, tripping over my feet and words. "What? But why...why would they do that that to you?"

"It was a fucking political move. That bastard knew he couldn't get me to marry her unless he backed me into a corner. And since I'm a God damn criminal, I was bound to slip up sooner or later, he took the opportunity to catch me red-handed and force me into his biding. So, I fucking left. I ran. I'd enlisted Emmett's help and we packed up our shit and came to Arizona." He squeezed my hand, and his shoulders slumped. "Kate was devastated, I'm sure, but I couldn't go through with it. Not after knowing that my father used me and my life to get ahead in his fucking career. I was only nineteen, Bella—a fucking kid!"

"But why would your father do that, Edward? Why would he set up his own son just to get him to marry some girl?"

"Because I'm a fucking lunatic and he wanted to be Governor. He saw a chance to kill two birds with one stone," he sighed, stopping right before the garage and turning to face me, gripping my shoulders. He bent down to get eye level with me. "I've been a bad apple for a long fucking time, Bella…ever since I was born, probably. I don't know why I do these things, I just do." He chuckled. "And I really fucking love what I do."

I could see it in his eyes. He was begging me to understand and forgive him. He lied and held back this information from me because it was more telling about the person he was. In some aspect, he didn't think I could handle it, or, in the worst-case scenario, I still wanted him, knowing that he was bat-shit crazy.

He was insane, but so was I, and that only made him more desirable.

"Baby," I said, placing my hand on his cheek, "we may come from different backgrounds, but we're cut from the same cloth."

He shook his head, his eyes boring into mine. "No, Bella, no, you're good."

"No, Edward," I said, sliding my hands into his pockets, "that is where you're wrong," I pulled out his car keys and jingled them in front of his face, smirking as I walked back towards the garage, "and I'll prove it to you."