Fran betas. Jill, Ariel, and Pearly preread. I love you all but I don't own any of this.


Unfortunately, it takes me a few days to muster up the courage to hand Bella's case over. I savored my last hours watching her, but it made me feel dirty the whole time. Like my skin was covered in a layer of betrayal. To my job, my country, to Bella, to Aro, who's like a second father, and honestly...to my fucking self.

There was a reason I took everything so seriously, and it should damn well take more than a pretty girl with a sassy mouth and hips made for sin to make me forget that.

People die every day because warning signs are overlooked. The government doesn't monitor everyone for their health; they do it for their protection.

I know; I'm a regular fucking broken record at this point.

My chest literally feels heavy when I walk into Aro's office, Bella's case file in my hand, but I know I'll leave feeling lighter and be able to move on from this temporary blip in my sorely lacking romance radar.

"Chief, I need someone else to take Cygnet for me." I keep my voice measured, referring to her by the case name she was given rather than her birth name. I'm professional, placing the folder on his desk with care as if it were Bella herself.

The Chief looks up from his computer, one bushy eyebrow raised. "Pardon?"

I understand his confusion. I've never passed on a case.

Ever.

"Cygnet. She," I clear my throat, willing myself to remain stoic and unaffected. "She's the one who I followed on a date? I, um...well, I…"

There went my professionalism.

"You want to rail her six ways to Sunday until she forgets your name isn't actually God?"

"Jesus fuck, Chief," I hang my head in my hands, rubbing my eyes with my thumb and my forefinger. His comment is the equivalent of finding out your parents have sex, and though I may be a virile man of thirty-five, I still find my stomach turning at the thought of him doing that. "But, I mean, yeah. I guess you're right."

The Chief looks me over for some fucking reason. Assessing damages, maybe? But when your heart is ripped out of your chest and placed in someone else's hands against your will, that shit isn't visible to the naked eye.

"All right, kid. I'll pass it on. Let me know if you think of anything else they'll need to know, aside from that sleazy dude. We have one of our internationals on him."

Meaning since Jacob tends to fly all over the place; his potential victims are also all over the world. So, he's being monitored by an individual who's available to fly out at the last minute. It's a job I used to hold since hell knows I have no other obligations. But this job offered more high-profile cases, and the travel was really tedious.

The cases I usually monitor are typically things such as potential suspects of long-dead cold cases. I had only been taking on more civilians as of late because we were so short-handed.

"Actually, I'd like to ask a favor," I blurt, taking a deep breath. What I'm about to ask isn't a massive deal in the grand scheme of things, but the Chief knows me well enough that this will reveal a lot more about my feelings for Bella than I'd like. "Can you give the case to Weber?"

His brows threaten to disappear into his non-existent hairline. "Weber doesn't take private cases."

No, Weber is usually only called in when we're sure of trouble. But…

"She'll take this one. I need to know she's in good hands."

"Since she won't be in yours?"

"Precisely," I gulp, desperate for this meeting to be over.

"In any manner, I assume?"

"Also correct."

Aro nods solemnly, looking like he wants to say a lot more than he's saying.

"Smart move, Cullen."

I have to ignore the niggling thought in the back of my mind as I leave his office. The reminder that Weber isn't trained to monitor cases. It's not her job description.

I know she's smart, and I know she's capable, and I know she's the only fucking person I trust with this.