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 intended.

-Chapter Twenty-

Phil's sly smile faded as the cold metal dug deeper into his face. His rough hands were still wrapped around my throat, his grip loosening but not retreating. Edward's eyes were dark and furious, and his finger twitched over the trigger, begging Phil to give him a reason.

"There are three things of mine that I don't take kindly to when someone touches them without my permission: my car, my gun," Edward said, sliding the Custom Colt up to Phil's temple, "and my girl. Guess which one you're fucking touching right now?"

Phil begrudgingly dropped his hands from my neck, glaring at me. "Your boyfriend, I presume."

"That's right, asshole. Now, back the fuck up," Edward hissed, ramming the gun harder into Phil's head. He shoved him off me and over to the side with it.

Phil stumbled under the duress, hitting the car with a loud thud as his back pressed against it.

I was still slightly dazed from being choked, and my knees buckled beneath me. Edward gripped me by the arm, holding my body upright.

He frowned, his green eyes roaming over my face. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, rubbing out the soreness in my neck. "You're late."

He smiled, chuckling softly. "Sorry, baby. It won't happen again…" he paused, his eyes zeroing in on my throat. He growled, snapping his head back at Phil. He took one broad step in Phil's direction, pressing the gun to his forehead. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you right now?"

"Because you can't," Phil grunted, his eyes flashing over at me.

Edward stepped in front of me, blocking Phil's view. "Oh, no, I assure you, I fucking can."

It was the most chaotic and overwhelming feeling. My old man's fierce and deadly protection made me feel so loved by him. There was no fear. I was safe, and it took all I had not to wrap my arms around him and kiss him until my lips fell off.

"Not with the cops so close," Phil said, desperately grasping at straws. "They'll be on you the moment that gun goes off."

"Yeah, maybe, but you'll be dead," Edward said, reaching behind and pulling me into his back. "It would be worth it to me."

I leaned against him, slipping my hands into his jeans pockets and taking deep breaths, inhaling him. He smelled like new leather and peppermint.

"Here, just take it," Phil said. "It's all I got."

I watched as dollar bills, and credit cards fell to the ground. Phil was trying to buy his way out of this.

The muscles in Edward's body tensed, and I could feel his anger rolling off him.

"You think I want your fucking money? Like that's going to save your fucking life right now? What about those God damn marks on her neck? Huh?"

"What so you want then? Bella?! You want her, take her. She's nothing but a strain on my marriage, anyway," Phil said.

I laughed, rolling my eyes at that poor excuse for a man.

"Oh, I fucking plan on taking Bella far away from you and that worthless mother of hers," he said, hugging me closer. "You don't think I heard what you assholes were saying about her? Fucking pieces of shit make me sick."

It only occurred to me then that Renee was still gone. How many minutes had passed? Ten? Twenty? She purposely stayed gone unless she left her purse on the other side of the world. It made me sick knowing that my mom had thrown me into the lion's den.

What if Edward hadn't been here?

"We're pieces of shit?" Phil asked, chuckling. "That's coming from a man who's screwing my seventeen year old daughter."

"I am not your daughter, Phil," I shouted furiously, stepping out from behind Edward's back. "I was just some teenage girl you tried to rape, who so conveniently was your wife's daughter."

Edward shot his eyes down at me, his jaw clenched. "Did he fucking touch you?"

"He did," I admitted to him and myself, my gaze flitting away from his.

"Motherfucker," Edward hissed. His jaw clenched, and he turned his deadly scowl back to Phil, shoving the muzzle harder and more forcefully into his head like he was trying to burrow it into his brain. "Say goodnight, asshole."

Phil's eyes closed tightly, his face wincing in pain as he prepared to die.

Suddenly bright headlights were shining on us, illuminating the escalating scene out of the darkness, and a loud rumble of an engine distracted Edward momentarily. He eased his finger off the trigger and looked behind him. He groaned, cursing to himself. I turned around and held my hand up to block out the light, squinting my eyes and seeing Jasper behind the wheel of Edward's Chevelle.

He stuck his head out the side window and yelled. "Get in the fucking car, man!"

"I'm busy," Edward snapped, turning his focus back to Phil. "Give me a minute." He smirked deviously. "That's all I fucking need."

"Bella," Jasper called, gesturing for me to grab Edward's gun. "Get his dumbass in the car. Now."

As much as I wanted to see Phil pay for all the pain he caused and make him answer for his sins, I knew Jasper was right. Hell would rain down on Edward if he were to kill him. The law would know who did it and arrest him. I didn't want the man I loved to be taken away from me because of this worthless piece of shit.

"Come on," I said, slowly putting my hand over the gun. "Let's go. It's done. He can't hurt me anymore."

Edward looked down at me, searching my eyes. It was my words that made the difference. If I told him to shoot him, he wouldn't think twice.

Today, I was using that power to spare Phil's life.

"Okay," he huffed, reluctantly jerking the gun away from Phil's head and putting it in his back waistband. He grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the awaiting car. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

"Hold on," I said, stopping and returning to Phil. I placed my hands on his shoulders, pretending I would hug him, and he smiled smugly, thinking he had won. "There's a special place in hell for people like you and Renee," I told him, bringing back my knee and ramming it up, hitting him squarely in the balls. He doubled over in pain, coughing and sputtering. I kicked dirt in his face with my foot. "Give my condolences to my mother."

As far as I was concerned, I was dead to her now.

Edward threw his arm around my shoulder, leaning down and kissing my ear. "I'm proud of you, baby."

Jasper was whistling, urgently waving his hand, trying to get us to speed up our pace. I looked behind me and saw Renee running out of the building with a few cops behind her. They would be reaching us within a matter of seconds.

"Oh, shit, oh, shit," I said, jumping in the car and sitting on Edward's lap, closing the door behind me.

"Fucking hustle, Jazz," Edward said, snapping his fingers.

"I know, asshole," Jasper replied, shifting the car into drive and spinning the tires, kicking up a dust of gravel and pelting Phil with them.

I watched nervously in the side mirror as Phil rose to his feet, pointing the police in our direction. Luckily, Jasper turned a corner before anyone could get a good view of Edward's car.

We were on the US 60 heading back home when Jasper unleashed his anger on us.

"What did I fucking tell you, Edward, huh?!"

"Jazz, I don't need this fucking shit from you right, now," he sighed, leaning his chin on my shoulder and protectively wrapping his arms around me.

"No, you're going to hear it. I fucking warned you that this shit would happen. You knew that and you still did it. The first day as a couple, what do you two do? Steal a car, get fucking arrested, and nearly kill a man?" Jasper ranted. "You two are trouble, do you realize that?"

I glanced back at Edward and smiled. "You hear that, we're trouble."

He winked at me, tapping the tip of my nose with his finger playfully.

"Jesus Christ," Jasper groaned. "Are you two not listening to me?"

"No, we hear you, Jazz," Edward said, grabbing me by the face and bringing me down to his lips. "We just don't care."