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-Six-

I first noticed Edward's hot breath on the back of my neck. The tip of his nose grazed my skin as he shifted closer to me, pressing the hardness of his arousal into my lower back, conforming our bodies tightly together. I kept my eyes closed, afraid to open them and become conscious, ruining this perfect moment.

Edward's hand was splayed across my stomach, his thumb edging along the bottom hem of my tank top. It was quiet in the room, and my senses were on high alert. No matter how insignificant, every sound was deeply imprinted in my awareness. There were people in this room, and as Edward's hands touched me, moving down my body, skimming his fingers along my damp skin and down to my thigh, I knew that, at any moment, someone could catch us doing naughty things under these thin white cotton sheets.

A cough was on the other side of the room, breaking the silence and stilling Edward. For a long time, he didn't move, and with each one of his breaths as it fanned over my neck, I counted: One, two, three, four, five, and on and on. It was hypnotic.

Then without warning, he started up again, trailing those long and expert fingers back up my legs. He slipped them in between my thighs, nudging and parting them slightly. As I lifted my leg and rested it on his, he slid his hand up and idly rubbed the flannel fabric of my pajama bottoms. The friction, profound and maddening, made my heart flutter rapidly, beating and pounding hard against my chest.

Reaching behind me with my eyes still tightly closed, I clung to his side, wanting and needing more. He shifted and scooted his body into me, getting as close as humanly possible without whipping it out and entering me.

Slow and methodic, he rubbed me over my clothes, up and down, deeper and rougher, leaving my body throbbing and aching.

I pressed my ass into his cock, causing him to thrust his pelvis forward. A low growl reverberated deep within his chest, and I smiled smugly.

Edward yanked down my pajama bottoms. He smoothed his hand over my bare ass and spanked it. It stung, and I bit my lip, clutching and pulling at his boxer briefs, wanting to strip away that last barrier.

But my mind went awry, all train of thought forgotten, as two of his fingers dipped between my lips, stroking and teasing me, tickling my sensitive clit.

The once quiet and controlled breathing turned into heavy panting, and I let out a soft moan. I felt like a needy harlot. That's how easy it was for him to take me from zero to sixty.

This sexy, crazy, and beautiful man was mine.

"Shhh," he spoke in a warning whisper, wrapping his free hand over my mouth.

I nodded, opening my eyes for the first time and scanning the room. There were bodies on the floor below me, sound asleep. The dawning sun was peeking through the curtains, giving the room a deep red and burnt orange tint.

He kept his hand over my mouth, not trusting me to stay quiet, as he inserted his fingers into me. I chewed the inside of my cheek and pushed my ass into him, begging for more. He responded by pumping his fingers into me, curling them upward, and causing my hips to rock against his palm. Finally, he buried his face into my neck, kissing and nipping at the skin. It was all too much, and I wanted to feel him inside me.

Slipping my hand into his boxers, I wrapped my fingers around him, gripping the shaft firmly. Grasping hold of him in my hand was difficult, and my fingertips weren't even close to touching. He was so thick. It amazed and aroused me, knowing that every bit of this was mine.

Edward thrust and coaxed my hand to move, seeking friction, and I stroked him, slow at first, gaining more momentum as he eased his fingers out of me, idly sliding them up and down my lips. My thumb rolled over his head, spreading the moisture over his piercing, and he bit down on my shoulder to keep his moans under wraps. It hurt, but the pain was such a turn-on, and it only seemed to work me into more of a frenzy.

It soon became more than Edward could handle, and each twist of my wrist and stroke of my hand was his undoing, and he placed his hand over mine, halting me. It wasn't long before we pulled his boxers halfway down his legs with his head lined up at my entrance, slowly easing in, filling me.

Gasping at the contact, and with his hand muffling mine, it was Edward who was loud. I wanted to laugh and tease him for being such a breathy whore, but the possibility of being heard or caught having sex didn't make it a laughing matter, and I kept my mouthed close, breathing deeply through my nose.

We listened closely. Our bodies pressed tightly together. The faint breathing and snoring from the guests scattered around us filled the room with noise, and our activities on the queen-sized bed went unnoticed.

After a moment, Edward began to move, snaking his arms around me, and slipping his hands up my shirt. He gripped my breasts and tweaked my nipples between his fingers and thumbs. I wanted to scream. He pulled me closer and kept a leisurely tempo, nothing too frantic or rough. It was slow and gentle, and with each thrust of his hips, he hit the spot with such intensity it consumed me.

God, he felt so damn good.

"Fuck," Edward hissed softly in my ear as he picked the pace. He reached down and gripped my thigh, using it as leverage to steady himself, his fingers digging into my skin.

Placing my hand over his, I leaned back against his chest and raised my leg slightly, giving him better access to penetrate me deeper. The movement of our bodies meshing together under the sheets was barely noticeable. We kept it discreet as much as possible, but then again, anyone with half a brain would know what we were doing.

He traced his mouth along my neck and shoulders, teeth grazing and biting at my flushed skin, and as his hands protectively wrapped around my waist, pushing into me, bringing me closer and closer to the edge, I finally let a soft moan escape from my parted lips.

I no longer cared about the people in our room, lying on the floor, asleep or awake. It didn't matter. My sight was blinded and narrowed by lust, and my body was devoted entirely to Edward.

"Bella," Edward warned in a hushed whisper, interweaving his fingers in my hair and yanking my head back. "You gotta be quiet, baby."

Nodding in compliance, I chewed on my lip as Edward's other hand moved toward my clit, rubbing it roughly with two fingers. I pushed my ass out, meeting each powerful thrust of his hips, and feeling the tension in my stomach start building.

Sensing I was close, he increased his speed, ramming into me harder and faster, forgetting all about being quiet. He grunted and huffed from exertion, clamping down on my shoulder with his teeth, sucking at the skin. I held my breath, clenching my jaw, as it forcefully, and all too fleetingly, swept over me.

It wasn't until after he slowed and stopped, resting his forehead against the back of my neck and whispered, "You're so fucking beautiful," had it dawned on me that he came inside me with no protection.

He must have also realized it because his biceps tensed and squeezed me like a vice, taking the air out of my lungs. I gasped, tapping him on his arm, and he cursed quietly, releasing me from his death grip.

"Sorry," he whispered, reaching down and helping me pull up my pajama bottoms. He sat up and looked around the room. Everyone was still asleep or at least pretending that they were. He gazed back down at me, seemingly conflicted. Those deep green eyes searched mine as guilt and panic consumed him. "God damn it!" He shook his head, caressing my face with his hand. "I'm sorry. Fuck. I'm such a fucking idiot."

I didn't know what to say because we couldn't take it back, and even if I tried to alleviate his concerns by explaining biology to him, I knew he wouldn't hear me. So it was better to let him rant, which he only did for a moment, kissing and apologizing to me every time he said something offensive.

I understood his concerns completely.

We were a disaster in the making, and kids did not fit into this world we've created—hell, I was still a kid myself. There were so many ways we were screwing up our own lives; honestly, I couldn't imagine what we would do to an innocent child.

"Fuck it!" he said, nodding firmly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I whispered back, confused.

"If it happens, it happens."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What are you talking about?"

"All I'm saying is that if it happens, we'll fucking deal with it," he said, laying back down and wrapping me up in his arms. "It can't be that hard, right?"

"Kids?" I asked, lifting my head from the crook of his neck to look at him. He had his eyes closed and a faint smile on his lips.

He shrugged. "Yeah, sure, why not, they're small, right?"

I laughed, laying my head back down. "Yeah, they're small, alright."

The responsibility of taking care of them made them big and not at all small. I didn't tell Edward that, though. It was best to let him live in denial. We had other things to worry about, and if whatever plan he had hatched in his twisted brain didn't pan out, I would be giving birth to this little 'oopsie' behind bars.

Yes, at the moment, the possibility of being pregnant was the least of our troubles.

After our first robbery together, where we nearly got caught, Edward called up Jasper and Emmett, explaining to them how his plan went slightly off track and how he desperately needed their help. They agreed, never even hesitating to drive thousands of miles to come to bail us out of a jam.

One that we brought on ourselves.

Of course, Edward downplayed my involvement in everything and even failed to mention that my overzealousness caused him to deviate from his original plan in the first place. Emmett and Jasper knew the truth, though, especially when our faces showed up on CNN and MSNBC. Our first crime had been done with our identities in full view for the world to see. The robbery was sloppy and chaotic, and it didn't take a genius to figure out who was behind it.

Me.

It was always me.

"Hey," Edward said, nudging me, "what was that about?"

"Huh?" I replied, confused. "What are you talking about?"

He stood behind me as I leaned over the balcony, staring at the field across the road. The wind had picked up, blowing my hair around me and cooling off my heated neck. Edward rested his chin on my head with arms wrapped around my waist. He kept my body tightly pressed against the railing, safely cocooning me within his warmth.

"That sigh you did just now," he said, pulling away slightly and reaching up to brush my hair from my neck. "Are you worried about..." His hand moved down to my lower stomach. "You know?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not that," I sighed again. "I just…" I paused, letting my head fall back into his chest. "I'm really sorry about what happened in Iowa, Edward."

"Iowa?" he questioned, and I could hear the confusion in his voice. But then, he caught on to my meaning and chuckled softly. "Oh, fuck, baby, that shit is no big deal. It's worked in our favor. Just like Jazz said it would."

"Wait, what?" I asked, swinging around to face him. "What do you mean by that?"

He smiled, pressed the pad of his thumb against the scrunched-up skin between my eyes, and smoothed it out, removing all trace of concern from my face. "They know our names, baby. We're famous—every robbery after the one in Iowa, even with the masks, has been linked to us. We're the most wanted people in America. That's what I wanted to happen."

"But you still yelled at me for it."

"You're damn right I did. You scared the fucking shit out of me, kid!" Edward snapped back, glaring at me. "I wasn't expecting you to pull out your pistol and rob the joint, and then that fat fuck reached for his shot gun!" he groaned, pulling me in his arms again, squeezing me tight. "I'm an old man, baby; my fucking ticker can't take that kind of stress. You're going to send me to an early grave if you keep that shit up, you know that?"

"I'll try to be a good girl," I promised.

He scoffed. "Can I get that shit in writing?"

"Oh, sure, you can," I growled, pinching his side. "Asshole."

He laughed, jerking away from me. "Damn, kid, that shit fucking hurts."

"Good," I said, reaching out to twist his nipple, and he grasped a hold of my wrists, pushing his body into mine, backing me up towards the railing again.

He dipped his head down, trailing the tip of his nose along the hollow of my neck, leaving erotic kisses in its wake. He breathed in deeply, humming softly. "Only you. I swear to God, kid, only you."

I was his weakness. The only one who could get away with bloody murder with him, and of course, he knew that power he had willingly handed over to me was a mistake.

"But I fucking love you," he continued, lifting his head and shrugging his shoulders. "So, what the hell am I supposed to do? It is what it is."

"And yet, you still keep me in the dark," I said, slipping out of his grip.

He smirked. "I was going to tell you...eventually."

"Eventually? Now is a good time to tell me what you're planning."

"Oh, hey, look, baby," he said, pointing over my shoulder to distract me, "Alice and Jasper are back."

I turned my head in time to see Alice ascending the stairs, both hands full with breakfast. She smiled at me, giving me a wink as she passed, heading inside our hotel room where everyone else was sitting around and bullshitting. Jasper followed after her, carrying trays of coffee and some soda. He didn't say much to Edward and me, but he gave the universal head nod, indicating that it was time to get the show on the road.

Edward took my hand, squeezing it gently, and pulled me towards the open door. "Let's eat first, and then I'll tell you everything, okay?"

It was impossible not to give in to him when he looked so damn sexy and persuasive all the time. He knew how to lay on the charm, and I was nothing but putty in his hands.

"Fine," I groaned, feeling my stomach churn with hunger. "But it's only because I fucking love you."

He leaned down and kissed me briefly, smiling against my lips. "Tough shit, kid. It is what it is."

Edward explained to me what was going on as we ate. He told me that Charlotte and Peter were experts in forgery and identity fraud. A few weeks ago, Edward asked them to forge a couple of birth certificates, social security cards, and passports for him. The intent was to leave the country and escape our troubles by going overseas but not before getting a little seed money to fund our new lives. He also promised Charlotte and Peter a fair share of the money he'd planned to steal.

That was where Caius came into play. However, Edward's plan needed to be better defined, and all he told me was that Caius knew some people. I still had no fucking clue who these people were, but according to Edward, these people were very influential in the success of this plan.

As for the money we were going to steal, Alice had taken care of that. She was the one who alerted Edward to it. The days and nights spent trying to hack into the Phoenix PD's computer to clear our names had nearly driven her insane. Still, she stumbled upon something far more valuable than a silly security tape during that extraneous work.

"These various accounts are displaced all over the country and at different banks. Each balance totaling around four hundred and fifty thousand, but with thirty accounts, it comes to a staggering..."

"Thirteen-point-five million dollars," Edward said, smiling over at Alice, finishing her sentence.

She nodded, grinning back at him just as wide, tapping her fingers on the keyboard, bringing up a bank account screen, and angling it towards her spellbound audience.

I gulped, calculating the figure in my head.

"So, what does that mean for us?" Emmett asked, scooting his chair closer to Ally, wanting to touch the laptop as if it was made out of money.

"Well, split nine ways, we each will walk away with a little over a million dollars," Edward answered, watching the jaws drop around him. He laughed. "Well, give or take a few hundred thousand."

"How is this possible?" Jasper croaked, choking on his salvia as he leaned into the table. "I mean...how?"

"Well, I had a hunch," Alice said, giving him a wink that only conspirators would understand. "Like a sixth sense or something, and I just decided to look into the senator one day."

"My father has been a very busy man lately, with all the money laundering to fund his campaign, in all. He got fucking cocky, and forgot take into consideration how penetrable his accounts were to anyone who bothered to look. He has a few connections with the Chicago mob, mostly doing favors for them by bribing judges and buying off a couple corrupted police officers. He's been doing all this underhanded shit for years, and that fucker has the audacity to call me a criminal? Well, it's finally caught up with him," Edward said, smiling over at me and gently squeezing my leg. "We've got him, baby."

"So, wait, all we're doing is stealing from him?" I asked, slightly disappointed. In the end, I wanted more than just his money.

"No, we're going to end him," Edward said, nodding toward Caius. "That's why he's here."

He smiled, and I shook my head, still not following.

"He's going to help us plant drugs into the house," Edward said.

"Drugs?" I asked.

"Sí, hermosa," Caius said, reaching down into the black duffel bag he had at his feet, displaying several clear baggies filled with a white substance. "Wildcat."

I narrowed my eyes, glancing back at Edward. "Where are we going to plant the drugs?"

"In his home," Edward said. He saw my unspoken question forming on my lips and quickly answered me. "Caius will get us inside. It's going to work. It has to."

"Can I tell her the best part, Edward?" Alice asked, bouncing excitedly in her seat.

I raised my eyebrow, and he chuckled, shaking his head. "Sure, Al, go ahead and knock yourself out."

I turned my attention to Alice, still clicking away at her computer. She peered up with bright eyes and swung the laptop around to face me.

Leaning forward to get a better look at the black and white photos on the screen, I recognized the senator, and he was with some guy in a business suit. They were shaking hands and handing over a manila envelope in some of the pictures, documented proof of a shady deal going down between the senator and the fucking mafia.

I glanced back at Edward. "Is this what I think this is?"

"It's the prelude to that fucking rock," he said.

"So, explain this to me," I said, trying to wrap my head around this plan. "Slowly, because I am still having some troubles."

"These pictures are going to bring the cops and FBI to his doorstep, and those drugs," Edward said, gesturing over at Caius, "is what is going to make sure his ass goes behind bars for a long fucking time."

"And the accounts?' I asked, skimming around the room at the eight accomplices, all eager to get their hands on that money.

"We walk into a bank and take it," Edward said.

I shook my head. "So, we're robbing a bank then?"

He laughed. "Unfortunately, no, we're not. We are going to walk in those banks, one by one, and close out all of these accounts."

It was piecing itself together, and I looked bewildered at the blonde-haired couple. Charlotte and Peter were smiling at me knowingly.

"And they," I said, pointing over to them, "are going to give us new identities?" Edward nodded. "Under what name?"

"Frankie and Cecilia Wallis," he said.

"But that is only for the bank job," Charlotte chimed in. "As for your passports, well, you and Edward will get to choose who you want to be."

It was too much, and I saw my overwhelmed face in the mirror. My pessimistic side took over, and I frowned. "It'll never work."

"What? Of course, it will. Why do you say that?" Edward asked with a hard edge.

"Um, well, first of all, we're fucking America's most wanted. They'll recognize us, we'll be caught," I said, snapping my fingers. "Like that."

"Oh, I fucking see," he said, nodding in understanding. "That would be a problem. But luckily for us, I already thought of that, and I decided what we needed was a…some sort of diversion."

"A diversion?" I repeated, still confused.

"Oh, yeah, shit, that's us," Rosalie spoke up, elbowing Emmett in his side and gaining his attention, which had been waning.

He coughed, choking on his drink. "Right, that's where we come in all of this."

"Yeah, us, too," Jasper said, raising his hand over his head and pulling Alice close.

"You see, Bella, they are going to lead the law towards Mexico, pretending to be us. That's why the Iowa robbery was a good thing," Edward said, rubbing my knee. "These guys will go into a store with their face masked and rob them. Everyone will assume that it's you and me doing it, when in actuality, we'll be in Chicago, robbing my father blind."

It was a complicated plan, yet still straightforward, and if it worked, Edward and I wouldn't have to run anymore. It gave me a sparkle of hope.

"You think this will work?" I asked.

"I fucking know it will," Edward said.

"But what about them? I mean, they don't look anything like us, Edward," I said, pointing at Rose's curvy body and Alice's short stature. "People aren't that stupid."

Rose snorted. "They actually are."

"They won't be able to tell the difference," Alice added. "America will believe whatever the news tells them."

"Yeah, but I don't want you guys getting arrested," I said, biting my lip nervously.

"We won't," Rose said, waving me off. "They'll assume it's you guys robbing the stores, and well, it's like you said, me and Ally look nothing like you, baby Bella. If they pull us over, they'll see that we're not you and move on."

"Come here," Edward said, taking my face in his hands and turning my head towards him. He rested his forehead against mine. "Listen, baby," his intense tone strained, "you need to trust me. If I didn't think this would work, we would be heading off to fucking Mexico right now. I wouldn't risk fucking losing you on something like this—If I wasn't a hundred percent positive."

Glancing around the room and seeing all the people traveling from Arizona to be a part of Edward's plan ripped air out of my lungs. It was incredible the faith that had in him. Everyone sitting there believed that it would work, so much so that they were willing to put their freedom on the line.

They trusted him with their lives, and so did I.

"What am I supposed to do, huh?" I asked, my shoulders slumping in defeat. "I meant what I said last night, Edward. No matter what, I'm in. All the way. Even if it kills us."

He smiled, kissing the tip of my nose. "It won't."

"Awesome, it's fucking settled then!" Emmett said, clapping his hands together and jumping to his feet. "When do we start?"

"Soon," Edward said, keeping his eyes trained on mine. "There's just one last robbery that me and my girl gotta do."