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 Thirty-

The second those words left my mouth, he distrustfully narrowed his eyes at me and leaned away. Then, he placed his hands over mine and squeezed, not hard, but enough to show me that the touch was suddenly unwanted.

"Why did you call me that?" he asked, voice strained.

He was suspicious of my motives now, sensing a set-up, and rightfully so, but he was an idiot. Even if I weren't trying to lure him into a robbery, I would've still called him Senator.

I smiled easily, pulling my hand out from under his and tapping the campaign pin on his lapel.

It was a flashing beacon and spotlight, showcasing who he was.

He looked down and groaned, rolling his eyes. He reached up and took it off, throwing it on the bar. He was quietly debating, deciding whether or not the risk was worth the benefit. Did he honestly think as a public figure—a politician no less—that he could live a secret and adulterous life without consequences?

I didn't want him to change his mind; the way he glanced around the bar, I knew he was close to doing just that. What I was about to do was a risky move, but I hoped that his little head would override his bigger and more rational one.

Sighing loudly, seemingly frustrated, I picked up my purse and stood up from my stool. "If you're not interested, I have other places to be."

He gazed down at my legs, slowly moving up and focusing on my face. As his eyes raked over me, I wished for a better rack, and unfortunately, men loved tits. Although mine were decent, they weren't big or outlandish, just perky enough.

Making do with what I had, I slid my hand down and rested it on my hip, drumming my fingers impatiently.

He was still hesitant, and I'd given up. Shrugging my shoulders, I turned on my heel and started to walk away. He grabbed my arm, stopping me and rising to his feet. My eyes widened as he towered over me. Edward's dad was tall, and compared to my five-foot-four-inch frame, he was a giant.

"Meet me at the VIP elevators in ten minutes," he said quietly, releasing his grip and stalking out of the lounge.

Slumping back into the stool, I allowed my body to relax, feeling drained and uneasy from the stress. I was playing with fire, and if I didn't have Edward's green eyes in the shadows watching over me, I would've been in danger of getting burned.

Glancing around me quickly, I picked up the discarded campaign pin and stuffed it in my purse. It was a souvenir, a trophy, and something to remind me of this moment if I survived it.

The VIP elevators were close to the lounge, and my heels loudly clicked on the marble floor as I made my way over. There was no one around, oddly lonely, and mirrors surrounded me. My reflection was hard to avoid, and I looked at myself—really looked, and to my surprise, I didn't appear to be scared. Instead, there was a resilient calmness behind my features. I looked strong and sexy. It was a stark contrast to how I felt, but seeing that fierceness in my eyes changed me, morphing my insides to match my outer.

Edward's words rang loud and clear in my ears: You got this.

In his iron-pressed black suit with a red and blue striped tie, Senator Cullen came sauntering over to me, flashing the key card, and swiping it in the elevator. The doors opened, and he ushered me in. We rode it up to the third floor, where the least expensive rooms were. I was nothing more than an hour of his time, and he didn't feel the need to pull out all the stops for a common prostitute.

Naively, I'd assumed we'd be going to some lavish suite, but this was not Pretty Woman. I was not Julia Roberts, and he sure as shit was not Richard Gere.

Neither of us spoke, it was all business now, and as we exited the elevator, he put his hand on my lower back, leading me down the hall and to the room.

It took all I had not to look behind me to see if Edward was near. I needed to see him, but I didn't want to tip his father off. He was already wary of me. I could feel the tension rolling off, but instead of listening to his gut instinct, he ignored it. Instead, his lustful needs replaced all rational thought.

"Here we are," he murmured into my ear, sliding the key card, twisting the knob, and opening the door. He stepped aside and allowed me to walk ahead of him.

The room was dark, and the only light coming in was from the open door and hotel hallway, which wasn't much. My hand felt along the wall looking for the light switch. Then, stepping further into the room and behind me, I faintly heard the door close. After that, it was pitch black, all light gone, and I felt this apprehension.

That was when he wrapped his arms around me and pulled my body into him, his hot breath on my ear and overwhelming my nose with the faint stench of scotch.

"Whoa there, I think you ought to slow down." I laughed nervously, prying his hands from my waist and gently pushing him away, but this only made him more aggressive.

"I'm the one who tells you what to do," he said, taking a fistful of my hair and jerking my head to the side, giving him better access to my neck. He licked and sucked at my skin, clutching my hip firmly, squeezing it to the point of being extremely painful.

"Stop it, you're hurting me!" I said, suddenly panicked and struggling within his firm hold. My hands were clawing at his, digging my nails into his skin and drawing blood.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that I liked it rough?" he asked, spinning me around and kissing me. I turned my head to the side, dodging his advances best I could. He gripped me tighter, pushing and thrusting his body into mine, walking me backward towards the bed.

"Get the fuck off me," I hissed, shoving him in his chest and nudging my elbows between us.

"Keep fighting it, beautiful, I want you to," he said, putting his mouth on mine again, his tongue pressing against my tightly shut lips.

I fought with fury, kicking and punching, even managing to connect a couple of my fists into his face. It was gratifying to hit him and inflict some pain.

If only I could get to my gun, I thought, feeling the weight of it in my purse.

Almost as if he had read my mind, he seized hold of my wrists and forced them down, locking them at my sides. It completely immobilized me. He was strong and too powerful.

I tried kneeing him in the balls, but he'd anticipated every move of mine now, blocking and dodging everything I'd thrown at him. My energy was dying down, and I was slowly losing.

The room was still dark, but my eyes were adjusting to the little light that shone through the windows. I could see Senator Cullen grinning down at me, enjoying my struggle.

"Feisty kitty," he said, pushing me back on the bed. "Now behave!"

It'd been less than a minute since we entered the room, and things had escalated to a dangerous point. What was going to happen in the next two minutes? Three minutes? Four?

I refused to find out.

Revved up again, I kicked at him, and my heel managed to jab him in the stomach. He threw himself on top of me, straddling my thighs. He grabbed my hands, combined the wrists, and raised them over my head, pinning me down.

"You can stop resisting me now, little one," he panted. "I will still pay you handsomely."

The strap of my purse was digging into my shoulder, and I glanced around the bed to locate it. The answer to my salvation was an inch from my head. My beautiful gun was close but yet still so far away. The way he had my body restrained under his weight with my hands bound, there was no chance of me getting to my weapon.

No, I needed to relax, stop fighting, and play possum.

"Okay," I said, nodding obediently. "I'm calm."

"Good. Now, what you say about getting this hot little number off you?" the Senator asked, sitting back on his heels and pushing my dress up my thighs.

I waited for that perfect moment of complete and utter distraction, and as he drove my dress further up my body, slowly exposing my underwear, I watched his face closely. Inch by inch, he lifted the black fabric and unveiled my tattoo. His hands stilled, and he narrowed his eyes, silently reading the fresh ink: Edward.

His beautiful blues flashed up to meet my awaiting eyes, betrayal and realization washing over his face. He knew right then that I'd set him up. The shock had incapacitated him and allowed me to reach into my purse. My fingers wrapped around the cool steel, and I whipped out my gun, cocking it. I pointed it at him, right between those surprised eyes.

"Yeah, that's right, you know what that is," I said, kicking him off me and sitting up on my knees.

"Is he here?" he asked, and his head moved forward with a quick jerk in response to his question, almost as if someone had pushed him.

I smiled, knowing what that movement meant.

"Hey, pops," Edward said, his voice filling my ears and making me swoon.

This guy, a criminal and 'worthless piece of shit,' was my vice. The bad habit, a danger to my health, that I had no interest in quitting. Everything about him got my heart fluttering, my mind racing, and my body aroused. He was better than any drug out there. The high he caused was longer lasting with no adverse effects.

Needing to see him, I threw myself across the bed and reached for the side table lap. I flicked it on, the warm and soft glow illuminating the room and displaying the scene before me. Edward was standing above his father with the Colt pressed firmly to the back of his head.

He glanced at me, taking stock of my dress, which the Senator halfway pushed up my body. I yanked it down and covered myself, regaining some modesty. He tilted his head to the side and frowned, silently apologizing to me for being two minutes late. I nodded in response, mouthing to him that it was okay. He was here now, and that was all that mattered.

Besides, it wasn't like he knew his father would attack me like that. We'd both assumed that I would have a little time to improvise. On the bright side, I had gotten a couple of good punches to the Senator's face.

"On your feet," Edward ordered, grabbing his dad by the arm and hoisting him up. He walked him over to a chair. "Sit."

"I thought you were dead," the Senator mumbled, sitting down.

"No, you hoped I was dead. There's a difference." Edward glanced over at me. "Baby, come over here and tie him to the chair."

I set the gun down on the table and grabbed my purse. There were two silk ties and four stockings, all making good rope to use in a pinch to bind someone.

Edward kept his Colt pointed at his dad's head as I tied him up, securing that perverted bastard to his chair. He watched my every move with those crystal blue eyes, making me uncomfortable under his gaze. His face showed no signs of fear, completely at ease, and it saddened me. It was a real shame that he was so corrupted. The Senator had the power and charisma to do some great things; combined with killer looks, the man would've been unstoppable.

Yet, he squandered them.

"He's not going anywhere now," I said, rising to my feet.

"Nice work, kid." Edward grabbed me by the neck, pulling me to him and kissing me on my forehead.

"So, son, you sent your girlfriend to set me up?" he asked, clicking his tongue.

"I knew you had a weakness for young beautiful girls," Edward said, looking down at me and winking.

I smiled, heat flooding my cheeks.

His dad lowered his head and sighed. "I told Eleazar not to worry. That you weren't a threat to me, but he said—no, he warned me that you were worse, more hostile than before. I should've listened to him."

"Yeah, well, he's a smart guy, Dad. It would help if you listened to him when he suggested that you lock me up or send me to boarding school. It was your mistake thinking you could rehabilitate me and make me into something I'm not. You knew when I was five what I would turn out to be," Edward said, dragging a chair out from the corner and sitting across from the Senator.

He chuckled. "We all make mistakes."

"Not me," Edward said smugly, grabbing my wrist and yanking me down into his lap. He rubbed his hand up and down my bare thigh, sending warmth and shivers. I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly and breathing him in.

At that moment, I forgot about his dad watching us and imagined it was just us. Everything else always faded away.

"What do you want then?" his dad asked, clearing his throat and breaking my blissful bubble.

Begrudgingly, I pulled away and focused my attention back on our hostage.

Edward shrugged. "The same thing I wanted from my girl's piece of shit parents: restitution." He smiled up at me and caressed my cheek lovingly. "You haven't been introduced to my father yet, have you, baby?"

I shook my head. "No, he didn't introduce himself before propositioning me."

Edward's jaw dropped in mocked surprise, and he turned back to him with a disappointed expression. "The love of my life meets my father for the first time, and he fucking treats her like a whore?"

"I didn't treat her like a—"

"Well, that's unacceptable, Senator. I thought you, of all fucking people, would show better decorum," Edward interrupted.

"What do you want from me, son? An apology? Do you want me to tell her I am sorry? Fine, I'm sorry for whatever wrong I've done. Just tell me what you want and I'll do it," he said, frustrated and pleadingly.

"Tell you what I want and you'll do it?" Edward mused slowly, scratching his eyebrow piercing with the tip of his gun. He looked like he was combating a migraine.

"Anything," he answered eagerly, sitting up in his chair—as much as the ties and stockings would allow. "If money is what you want, I'll give you as much as you need. If you want your life back in Chicago, you got it. Name your price."

His desperation had reached its peak, and he resorted to trying to bribe us. It was funny how little sympathy I felt for him. I wanted him to suffer the pain he'd caused Edward a million times over. But, on the other hand, I understood what Edward must have thought about the visit with my parents and how much restraint he used by not killing them.

"Thanks for the offer, Dad, but I fully intend on robbing you blind tonight. I'm going to take everything you're worth and then some. I am not asking for your permission to do that. That's not what this is little visit is about," Edward said.

"Then what the fuck is it about?" he huffed, growing tired of the game.

"I want you to fucking answer some questions for me. Shit that's been eating at me for nine fucking years," Edward said, sliding his hand up the nape of my neck and entangling his fingers in my hair.

"Ah, your wedding day," his dad said, nodding. Even though the Senator arranged the marriage, the thought of Edward marrying some girl caused a painful aching in my heart. "What do you want to know?"

"Why?" There was so much pain in Edward's voice, and it nearly broke me.

His dad's brows furrowed in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"Why did you do it? Why would you fucking set me up like that?" He was angry now. His body tensed under me, and he clutched his gun, fighting the urge to pop one off in his father's skull.

"I don't know what you heard, Edward, but I didn't set you up."

"You're fucking lying to me. I heard you talking with Kate's father, alright? So I knew what you two fuckers did!"

"Son, you have to realize that what I did was to you keep you out if prison."

"Right? Of course, fucking noble Carlisle, thinking about other people before himself." Edward chuckled dryly. "It's funny though. I mean, I would've never been caught in the first place if you hadn't paid those fuckers off to betray me."

"Will you listen to yourself? You're blaming me for your decisions? Yeah, I paid those thieves to turn on you, but, son, you made the choice to steal and to live this life of crime. If didn't get caught then, you would've got caught somewhere else down the line, but I wouldn't be able to bail you out. I was trying to save you."

"Save me? It didn't have anything to do with political gain? That was all for me?" Edward turned, and his eyes met mine, so tired and defeated. He knew that his father would never admit to being wrong and knew he had to accept that and move on. "I am crazy thinking that he would fucking own up to shit? Tell me that this wasn't a waste of our time, baby."

I smiled, running my hand through his hair and scratching my nails along his head. "This wasn't a waste of time."

He turned back to his father and pressed the barrel to his head. "There are only two reasons why I'm not killing you right now. For one, you're too public of a figure, Senator, and I do not what that kind of heat on me, and two, you're my father, and for some fucking reason, I can't…" he sighed. "But this is what's going to happen, I want you to use that power of yours and call the Phoenix Police Department, and get the charges against us dropped."

"What are the charges? Robbery?" He scoffed, and Edward shrugged. "You're overestimating my pull, son, I can't simply demand another state to bend the rules for personal reasons."

"I think you can and you will. Do want to you know how I know this?"

His dad shrugged. "How?"

"I have dirt on you, Senator. All your philandering ways have been caught and documented, and not just from tonight."

"You're bluffing," he said.

Edward smirked. "Do you want to really take that chance? Imagine what it would do to your career. It would destroy your chances of being Governor, but not only that, Senator; it would flatten your marriage. Mom would be heartbroken if she fucking knew about you and the countess women."

"It's not that I wouldn't do it, son, it's just not possible. You have no idea what you're asking of me." His eyes were pleading, begging for a way out of this impossible situation, but Edward was resolute. He knew what his father could do.

"I don't care how you fucking do it, just get it done. End of discussion. If you don't get those charges dropped by the end of the week, I will rain hell upon you, Senator."

He was so sexy, his forearms tensed and flexed as he held the Colt, finger twitching over the trigger, and the violent look in his green and fierce eyes sent me into a lustful frenzy. God, I wanted him so badly—right here and right now—in front of his dad, I didn't give a shit. The need to satiate my craving for this man was overshadowing everything else.

Biting my lip, I shifted my ass on his lap and rocked my hips, rubbing it against his groin, wanting to feel him. Then, I shamelessly pressed my tits into his shoulder, lowering my head and kissing his neck.

I shouldn't be getting him all worked up, but I couldn't help myself. There was a nice bed to the right, and I wanted him to fuck me.

That's all.

Edward was in the middle of talking to his father when something sprang up. He gently pulled me away from his neck, which I was in the process of biting and sucking. He gripped my face, holding my attention as he looked at me.

"Baby, we're kind of in the middle of something right now," he said in a hushed voice, eyes flashing over to his father.

"Ten minutes," I said, glancing over to the bed. Biting my lip again and nearly broke the skin with all of this pent-up sexual energy. Lowering my hand, I rubbed the prominent bulge in Edward's jeans, eliciting a hiss. I leaned down and spoke softly into his ear. "One quickie, and then we could go back to blackmailing your father."

"Christ," he groaned, glancing up at his father, who seemed somewhat uncomfortable with my blatant display of dry-humping his son. Edward looked around the room, his gaze falling on the bathroom. "Here, get up for a second."

Lifting me off his lap, Edward stood up and put the Colt in his waistband, reaching out and placing his hand on the armrest of his father's chair. He pulled on it, causing it to roll forward. "Excellent." He looked over at me. "We got anything to gag him with?"

"Yes," I said, excitedly running around the room and gathering the essential supplies.

Shoving a washcloth in the Senator's mouth, cutting him off in mid-rant, and securing it with a silk tie, Edward rolled his father into the bathroom and closed the door.

He turned to me, not even hesitating to devour me, as he unbuckled his belt and pulled it off, throwing it to the floor. Two quick strides of his long legs, and he was upon me. His mouth attacked mine, kissing me deeply. His fingers clawed and gripped my hips roughly as he pushed and walked me back towards the bed. I slipped off my heels and kicked them to the side, stumbling backward until my body hit the mattress.

We were both needy now, our hands touching and grabbing each other, frantically trying to rid our bodies of these clothes. Edward pushed my dress and slipped his hand between us, pulling and yanking my panties to the side. He rubbed his fingers up and down my aching lips, driving me crazy. I was close to begging when he plunged his fingers into me, causing me to throw back my head and buck my hips, grinding into his palm and seeking more friction.

He smirked smugly, nipping and kissing me along my jaw as his thumb assaulted and massaged my clit. I clenched my fist tightly in his hair, jerking his lips back up to mine and pressing my mouth to his with sheer force and wanting, our tongues colliding together feverishly.

Thrusting and pushing his hardness into me through his jeans, I couldn't take it anymore. I needed him inside me, or I was going to combust. Reaching down, I unbutton his jeans, tugging at the fabric and forcing them off him. He broke away from the kiss, his fingers slipping out of me, and he lifted his hips. It was enough to get the jeans and boxers past his ass and spring his cock free. The head's tip pressed against my lips, stern and forceful.

Edward sat on his knees, and I scooted up on the bed, giving him more room. He hooked his fingers in the string of my panties, pulled them down my legs, and threw them down on the floor. My eyes stared at him, taking in the impressiveness of his anatomy, big, thick, and mine. He reached into the pockets of his jeans and pulled out a condom, opening the wrapper with his teeth. I licked my hand and grasped his cock, stroking him, lubricating the shaft as he removed the condom, bumping my hand away and rolling it down.

He parted my legs with his hands and situated himself between my thighs, gripping his cock at its base, guiding it towards my entrance, and slipping it all the way. I gasped, feeling the fullness of his size as my body conformed around him.

"Fuck, baby," Edward grunted, his head falling to my shoulder.

Slowly he started to ease in and out of me, pushing and driving his hips into mine. Then, finally, he hooked his arm under my knee and lifted my leg, shifting my ass downward, and it hit a place so profound and intense that it caused a loud whimper of a moan to escape my lips.

Edward's mouth was over mine, kissing and silencing me as his pace was more frantic, each thrust taking me closer to the edge. Finally, dropping my leg, he propped himself up and locked out his elbows, pounding into me with force, faster and faster, harder and relentlessly. His eyes tightly closed, and his brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to hold back. It was maddening, and I wanted more. I clutched at his shirt, needing to grab onto something as he fucked me.

"Please," I begged as my legs trembled and shook with need. I wrapped them around Edward's ass, digging my heels into him, forcing him to drive into me harder, faster, and deeper and more.

He cursed, his cock throbbing and pulsating inside as he drove into me. It was what I wanted, painful and pleasurable, and I felt myself coming undone. It washed over me in warm waves. I squeezed my thighs as my body clenched and tightened around him like a vice, making him grunt and moan. He was possessed now, thrusting in and out of me, sliding and slipping. Arching my back, I sought out his lips, running my fingers through his hair, and pulling him down. He kissed me, grunting and cursing as he came.

His arms gave out, and he collapsed on top of me, panting heavily. I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him, feeling so wanted and loved at that moment. I allowed him to crush me with his weight for a bit longer, letting him catch his breath.

Edward shifted his body and trailed his nose along my chin, kissing me softly. Finally, he buried his face in my neck and whispered. "I fucking love you…." Pausing, he jerked his head up and looked at me with this unfathomable worry behind those deep green eyes. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah," I said, reaching up and smoothing out his brows. "I've known for a while."

He smiled, relief washing over him. "Good."

"You know that I love you, right?"

He nodded.

"Good."

He sighed, lowering his forehead to mine and wrapping me up in his arms. I returned his embrace, holding and hugging him tightly to me, relishing in the warmth he provided. The only thing that existed and mattered in this world was us; we were both ready and willing to fight hard to protect that, guns blazing.

It was quiet and serene for a long time as we lay there, neither of us bothering to speak as we listened to each other's breathing. Then we heard a loud thump against the wall, and something crashed to the tile floor.

Edward's head snapped up, and he groaned unhappily. "Fuck, I forgot." He narrowed his eyes at me. "See what you do to me? You turn my brain into fucking mush."

I laughed, feeling fully well-sexed and satiated as he shifted his weight off me. "I'm not even sorry."

Edward scoffed. "Yeah, I figured as much." He looked over at the bathroom, his shoulders slumping. "Well, I guess fun time is over. Let's hurry up and get this shit done, okay? I'm fucking hungry."