Enjoy!
Ch. 2 Midnight Sun
Bella POV
I woke up with a start, somebody was banging on my door. Loudly. I'm shocked the cops hadn't been called yet, with how loud it was. I crawled out of my bed and went into the living room to answer the door, I didn't have to go far since the apartment was tiny.
"Open up Bellaaaa! You're not getting out of this easily! Come on, I know you're awake!"
Rose? Of course. She wasn't going to let me bow out of tonight. She told me going to a club and getting drunk was the best way to get over a broken heart, though I wouldn't say it was entirely broken.
I had started dating Jake after meeting him at one of my father's police banquets. My father, the Chief of Police of Forks, literally pushed him on me. It was after being forced to become his fiancée when Jacob started becoming possessive. He would talk about how much the ladies loved him and that I should be happy he was with me. He told me he couldn't wait to take my virginity on our wedding night. Jake also said that I should lose some pounds because he didn't want to fuck some slob. He became insanely jealous of one of my best friends, Seth, who used to attend Forks Community College with me. Jake's jealousy was so bad that one night he beat the shit out of Seth. Asshole… Not to mention the times he hurt me but that's not something I want to get into now. After Seth got beat up he vanished into thin air and that's when I decided enough was enough. I told my father I didn't want to marry Jacob Black after everything that had happened. You know what my father said?
" Well Isabella, maybe you should start thinking about Jacob and quit talking to other boys! You're going to get married, Jacob should be the only man you're around!" I could not believe it. What was happening?
A few days after that conversation, Jacob was demanding I move in with him. My father, who I found out loved Jacob more than me, told me I was to get out of his house the following day because it was time to start my future with Jacob. I can remember the final conversation I had with my father that night:
"What about college? What about going to Seattle to finish my degree?" I said tearfully
"None of that matters now! All that matters is that you marry Jacob and give him lots of children!"
"Father! Why are you not on my side? I don't want him anymore, he hurts me…" I couldn't even finish before my father cut me off. "Jacob will be here first thing in the morning to get you, I suggest you start packing!" and with that my father walked out and headed to his favorite bar.
I couldn't leave with Jacob." I just couldn't. I felt like once I was behind Jacob's doors I would never see the light of day again. I had to get out of Forks that night. I couldn't stay there, so I called my childhood/best friend Rosalie who had just moved to Seattle. I told her I needed to get out. I basically told her I was done with everything in this town so she said she would be there soon.
I hurried and packed my bags and moved them to the door praying my dad wouldn't come home anytime soon. I also went to get my cash that I had been saving, all in all I had about $6,000. I knew it wouldn't last long so I was hoping to find a job in Seattle. School would have to go on the back burner for a while. Rosalie texted me saying she was outside a few hours later. I grabbed my bags and made a run for it. The whole time I was thinking that someone was watching me. Rosalie wasn't alone, her boyfriend Emmett was with her and he seemed like a good guy. I threw my phone out of the window on the way to Seattle. I'm sure Jacob bugged it in some way or so my father couldn't find me.
A month later, I have been living in this tiny apartment that I have been renting. Rosalie told me that I could move in with her and Emmett, who had a really nice apartment in this really nice building, but I didn't want to impose on the couple. Instead I'm a few streets down in this tiny apartment. I don't go out much, worried that Jacob or my father will find me. I haven't told Rosalie all the details about my sudden move here, just that I didn't want to be in Forks anymore and that I came out of a relationship. This is why she was trying to get me out tonight to mend my broken heart. It wasn't broken. I wasn't crying over Jacob or anything however the fact that my father wanted to see me hurt was disgusting. He was okay with all Jacob had done or what I told him. I bet if I told him how Jacob really hurt me he may have got me out of it but no I don't think that would have changed his mind.
"Bellaaaaaaa" Rosalie said
I opened the door and was met with the goddess herself. Rosalie was always beautiful with her big full blue eyes and her golden hair. She had an arm load full of makeup and this tiny black dress. I'm guessing it was for me since she already had on a tiny red dress.
"I hope you know I'm not wearing that!" She had to be out of her mind if she thought I was going to a club in that!
"Oh come on its not that bad, it almost reaches the knees." she said. "Did you just get out of bed? It's 7:00p.m.! You were supposed to be showered and at least have your hair dried before I got here! I told Emmy we would be there at 9 on the dot."
"I'm sorry, I had trouble sleeping last night." The truth was I had been up all night because after going to fill out more applications yesterday I could have sworn I saw Paul one of Jacob's "friends" so I slept all day.
"Look I'll go next time-"
"Oh no you don't! You are not getting out this! Come on Bella, you hardly come out of here, and if you do it's to walk to places to put in applications. You don't come to visit me. I wish you could tell me what really happened a month ago. I'm trying to wait but each day I get more and more scared for you; I feel like you're hiding from someone."
I guess I wasn't as good an actress as I thought I was.
"Rose I'm not ready to talk about it but yes I'm hiding from Jacob and my father."
"Jacob Black? That dog?"
"Yes, my father wanted me to marry him and was very stern about it. I couldn't Rose, I just couldn't" I started crying as it was all becoming too much
"Oh Bella, I'm sorry. It's okay, you can tell me more when you're ready. I shouldn't have pried. I'm a terrible friend."
"No Rose it's okay"
"No Bella, it's not. I should have let you tell me in your own time." She started getting upset, tough as nails Rosalie started crying. "I thought maybe you murdered someone, why you suddenly wanted out."
She then started laughing, I did too. Me? Murder? It was hilarious. We both looked at each other and started laughing our heads off.
"Where did you get that idea?" I tried to say while my laughter calmed down.
"I don't know," she said nervously, but suddenly she was back to being Rosalie.
"We should still go out, you will be with me, so if your father or Jacob shows up I'll tell them to shove it where the sun don't shine!" She said in her "don't fuck with me tone".
"Okay I'll go, let me get a shower and then you can work your magic." I really hope my father or Jacob or any of his friends wouldn't show up. I hope I had been as good at hiding as I thought, but I don't know. I guess I should have told Rose I thought I saw Paul last night. No. I was going to try to forget them. I was going to try to be carefree tonight because I needed it.
"Hurry Bella! We really do have to be at the club at 9" What was with her and time limits? She never cared about that before.
"I'll hurry!" I then went into my small bathroom and climbed in the shower.
Edward POV
I looked down at that line of white powder on my desk in my office at Midnight Sun. I most definitely needed that after today's talk with my father as well as the alcohol shipment trouble Emmett, my brother had dealt with for me while I was on my way here. He had been stepping in while my manager Victoria was out sick. I then snorted the line thinking why the hell not
"Dude, really? I thought you quit that junk" My brother Emmett had said.
"Well after today, I needed it. Besides I was never addicted." What the hell was he going on about? Addicted? I swear since he started dating Rosalie he had turned into this overprotective bear or acting like he was the big brother or something.
"Yeah, we didn't really get a chance to talk earlier. What happened?"
"You haven't talked to dad?" I found that unlikely, Emmett probably knew yesterday at Sunday Family dinner. I looked at him in my "don't fuck with me" face.
"Okay, okay I guess he told you that he had cancer. He told me and Alice yesterday at family dinner. You know you haven't been in a while, I figured he'd seek you out. He also told me not to say anything to you so you can't be mad because he's still in charge and he's dad."
He was right, but when I become the boss all that is going to change. I would want to know it all, and it wouldn't matter if he was father or not. That also meant Jasper knew if he told them at Family dinner and that irked me a little bit. Jasper was my tech/security guy. He was over everything cameras, he knew who went into my house, my club, everything. The fact was he was MY guy not dad's but he was married to my sister and I also hadn't heard from him either.
"Yeah, he told me he's stepping down, wants to fully give the business to me"
"He never told us he was stepping down, just that he had cancer." What game was that old man playing?
"Emmett, what did you think he was going to do?"
"I thought it would be like it was for the past few weeks where you would sort of be in charge and he be on the sidelines until he was better"
"Emmett, its stage 3."
"I know that!" Emmett looked sad for a moment, then regained his composure. "I know you guys don't see eye to eye but Edward it's still dad."
"You and Alice had a better relationship with him than I did. I obviously can't feel the way that you feel right now."
"That's fair, I guess." He was back to his old self.
"So when will the ceremony take place? the shift to power?" he then got serious he knew what he become once I took over.
I then became sick to my stomach, I didn't even want to think about it, knowing dad wanted it to be soon. I never been in a relationship, I would fuck a woman every now and then but that's it. If they wanted more they were shit out of luck. I was no man whore or anything, Whenever the need arose it would be taken care of that's for sure. I never had to pick up women, I was Edward Cullen the women flocked to me.
"There won't be a ceremony until another one happens before." I said it so softly like I couldn't believe that a woman was actually going to keep me from becoming something I've always wanted
"What are you talking about? What ceremony "?" he cut off and looked at me trying not to laugh
"Don't!" I rolled my eyes at him. He tried to hide his laughter but he was doing a horrible job.
"My brother married? I never thought I would see the day." His laughter finally died down after I gave him my deadly look
"Okay, okay what about Tanya?"
"What the fuck is wrong with you? Hell no!"
"Sorry, I had to"
We both stopped talking as soon as the door opened and in walked Jasper Whitlock, my security guy and brother in law. Well, I did. Emmett stated laughing again and Jasper gave me an eyebrow as to ask "what the hell Is going on in here?"
"So we've got a problem," he said. That's why I like Jasper, he went straight to the point. This also made Emmett quit and focus. We all became serious.
"What is it?
"I was doing some looking over at the club patrons, and that's when I saw them, I know your father wanted proof, which is why you told me to keep an extra eye out, but never did I think that they would show up here"
"Who?"
"Demetri, Felix, and Alec.
Ah, fuck no. The Volturi Brothers were here in my nightclub? What the fuck? Three out of four of Aro's children were in here? If that didn't scream like some shady shit then I didn't know what was. Jasper pulled up camera footage on my big screen in my office looking for them again, I heard Emmett's phone vibrate but he was more focused on the tv in front of him. Jasper switched to the camera near the bar.
"They have spilt up actually, Alec is lounging by the bar he doesn't seem like he really wants to be here."
Alec was the youngest of the brothers, he was actually the third child of Aro. He had a twin sister, Jane, who was born about two minutes after him. He looked bored sipping his drink. Emmett's phone went off again, but he kept his eyes on the screen and I watched his expression change as Jasper switched the camera to the VIP area where no other than the big burly Felix and his brother Demetri were chatting up two uncomfortable girls and that's when Emmett ran out of my office. They were talking to no other than Rosalie. I ran behind him figuring out why Emmett's phone was going off. Rosalie was probably calling him to come save her. I find it hilarious since that bitch didn't need saving any other time. It was Rosalie Hale. I finally caught up with Emmett just as he made it to the table Rosalie and her friend was sitting at.
"Felix" Emmett said, no time for bullshit
"Ah, Emmett" Felix said in a slimy smug tone. He knew who Rosalie belonged to.
"Demetri," I said. I hated that bastard.
"Edward." He then looked back at Rosalie's friend who I then looked at. Those brown eyes stared back at me. She was beautiful and I won't deny I became instantly hard. What the fuck? But I had to focus on the situation at hand. Something went down because Rosalie was shaking a bit and her friend wasn't doing much better.
"Felix, why don't we and this little one go get another drink?" Demetri said as he looked at the girl. For some reason I felt protective of her but not a lot. Maybe because it was the Volturi brothers and I knew if she went with them she wouldn't have a fun night. I've heard stories about how they fuck their women. I like my sex rough to but not that bad.
"She stays here with us," I said. What the fuck?
"I think she can answer us herself, can't you little one?" Demetri said as he put his finger on her cheek. That bugged me for some reason. Why? Maybe because I knew who he was.
"I'll stay here with them." She pointed to us.
"Guess you have your answer now goodbye," I said as I watched those two walk out of VIP. I texted Jasper and told him to keep an eye on all three of them and make sure they leave the club. He said he would and looked back at Emmett and Rosalie. Those two were having a stare-off. Rose looked angry while Emmett looked angry and sad at the same time. That love sick puppy.
"I tried calling you!" Yep she was PISSED.
"I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? I've been here since 9 o'clock wondering where you were!" She went to turn away but he wouldn't let her.
"Yo! Go somewhere else and work this out, not in front of everyone!" I looked around and they were drawing attention to themselves. I definitely didn't want one of those Volturi brothers to see this or someone they have watching that we haven't identified yet either.
"Come on," Emmett grabbed her hand.
"No!" she screamed "I can't leave Bella alone!"
Emmett gave me a look like "please do this for me?" I guess I'll never understand why he does the things he does for this woman.
"I'll keep my eye on her. No worries" I said. She looked like she wanted to run. Guess I can't blame her. Demetri probably scared her. Those two left and I took a seat in Rosalie's old one and called a waitress.
"What will you have?" I said while she just stared at me
"Yo!" Was this chick dumb?
She blinked "Oh, I'm sorry, um, whatever. I don't really drink so I guess another one of these?" She pointed to her green drink.
Finally, the waitress had reached the table.
"Yes, Mr. Cullen?" Lauren said to me all flirty. Maybe I should have fired her after I let her suck my dick a few weeks ago. I gave her a look and she looked down.
"JD on the rocks and another appletini." She then hurried away and I looked at Rosalie's friend who was staring at Lauren who had walked away.
"So do you have a name?" I said
"Bella," she said softly. Then she looked around like she was searching for someone.
"Rose may be occupied for some time, if you know what I mean."
"That's not who I was looking for."I mean maybe I should go home."
"Who were you looking for?" I caught that she was definitely looking for someone and if it wasn't her friend then who was it?
"No one." Lauren put down our drinks and walked away without looking at us.
"Do you have one?"
"Excuse me?" What the fuck?
"A name?" Oh…..thought she was talking about something else.
"Edward."
"Your Emmett's brother then?"
"Yeah."
"Look you don't have to keep me company, I can go home." She stood up and that's when I finally took a real good look at her. She was wearing this tiny black dress made of sin, her hair was curled, and she looked like a goddess.
"No, sit down. I told Rosalie I would look out for you. No worries."
"I don't need a babysitter," she said in a snarky tone but she was obviously still shaking. Maybe a few drinks would relax her a bit.
"That may be Princess but you have already been in trouble once tonight, let's not make it twice okay?"
She sat back down.
"So, how do you know Rosalie?"
"We have been friends since we were children. I recently moved here and caught back up with Rose."
"Wow, you must be her only friend then, with the way she acts I'm surprised she has any"
"That's not a nice thing to say. Rose is a good friend to me"
" Well, I'm not nice, Princess, besides me and Rose have not got along since she has been with my brother so…"
"Maybe because you're rude"
"Whoa! Do you know who I am?"
"Edward Cullen?"
"Yeah, Edward Cullen!" What the fuck? Did she really not know who I was? She leaned back and just drank her drink and stared around but this time she tried to make it not obvious that she was looking around
"So you in trouble or something?"
She choked on her drink. Yep, this girl was definitely up to something.
"No, I'm just looking." I didn't believe her. She was up to something or running away from something.
"Righttttt. Anyways, look, Rose will be awhile. If I know my brother he is probably mad at himself for not answering his phone. They'll probably yell some and then end up fucking"
"Are you always so vulgar?"
"Pretty much. Are you always this quiet?"
"Not really, I mean sometimes I guess. How did you know where we were?" Okay so maybe she didn't know who I was then.
"This is my club. We were watching over the security feed when we saw y'all talking
with those assholes."
"We weren't really talking, well that Demetri guy was talking to me. I ignored him while making sure Rose was okay. That Felix guy kept trying to touch her. I thought I was going to have to break out my pepper spray."
I started laughing. I couldn't help it, if only she knew who she was talking to. Felix touching Rosalie though, that was a no-no.
"Why are you laughing? It wasn't funny, they seriously wouldn't take no for an answer."
That sobered me up quick. They tried to push themselves on them? No wonder Rosalie was upset, I mean she's a tough bitch. I guess I should have realized it takes a lot to get her fired up so what happened was serious.
"I'm sorry you guys had to go through that." What the hell? I don't apologize.
"It's okay. I've had worse." She quickly closed her mouth, like she just didn't say that.
"So who are you hiding from?"
"No one."
"Bullshit, it's written all over you."
"An ex, but I don't want to talk about it." I would most definitely be doing a background check on her once I got her last name and try to find out if she was here running or if she was working for someone.
"Fine, so let's get drunk." Maybe I could get her last name out of her while she got drunk plus she was still shaking, she needed to relax.
Bella POV
An hour later...
Rose still hadn't come back, I guess Edward was right, they were probably having sex or something. Edward, as it turned out, wasn't so bad when he was tipsy. He was actually fun to be around and he was also nice to look at. I don't think he knew he let down a lot of his defenses while he was drunk and the way he kept looking at me? Man, it made me want to do things I've never thought about doing. Those electric green eyes drew me in, even earlier when he came to the table I was stuck. I didn't even know what came over me. I wasn't one of those silly girls who fell in love at first sight.
"So, try this shot" Edward had said, getting me out of my thoughts I took the shot
"Oh, shit that is gross!"
"So you do have a potty mouth?" I guess when I was drunk I did. We both laughed and he looked at me again then it was like he snapped out of it.
"So what else do you want to try, Swan?" I didn't mean to tell him my last name, I really didn't, it sort of slipped out. It was like he had this way of getting things out of me that I didn't want to share. Earlier, we had talked some, not much, but I think he was trying to distract me and somehow I ended up telling him my last name. I also asked if this was his only business. He said he had another business and that soon he would be leading a huge one? I think? I was so tipsy by this point but I do remember him being smug about it.
"Swan?" He said looking at me, that's when I focused
"Yeah?"
"What else do you want to try? Or maybe we should stop? It seems you're becoming hammered"
"Yeah, we should probably stop" I really didn't want a hangover, although it was probably happening by this point. I tried to sit down but ended up getting dizzy and fell but he caught me. "I'm sorry. I've never gotten drunk before." I looked up at his eyes, "Did you know that you have the most beautiful eyes?"
He looked at me funny then started laughing. "Oh Swan, you definitely need some water, let's get you to a different table so that you are not so on display."
He carried me to the back row of tables near the bathroom and sat me down. He then called a waiter for a water. I think that's when I felt it, the room started to spin and I laid my head down and closed my eyes.
"Oh wow, maybe I should have cut you off a long time ago" He said looking a little guilty. "You seemed like you were having fun"
"I was, didn't get to have much fun as a teen, father being a cop and all."
"You're father's a cop?" He sounded like he didn't like that at all
"Yeah, the chief." I then looked up wondering why he hadn't said anything and he was giving me a hard glare
"What? Did I say something wrong?" I didn't understand his mood change from teasing me to acting like he was mad at me
"No, no you didn't" That was when the waiter came back with my water.
"Small sips, Swan!" he said, acting like before but this time he was more focused on something behind me.
"I hate that," I said. I was so out of it I don't even know why I said that.
"Hate what?" He asked but still had his eyes trained on something else.
"My last name." I lifted my head to see what he was staring at but regretted it as soon as I did. I hurried and jumped up and ran to the bathroom where I puked in the toilet. It was insane how much better after throwing up just still pretty dizzy. I went to leave the bathroom, and was met by those intense eyes. It was also weird that no one was in the hallway near the bathroom either but us.
"Are you okay?" he asked
"Um, better still dizzy."
He then grabbed my hand and I swear I felt a jolt at his touch, I honestly think he felt it to because he just stared at me. We stared at each other for what felt like hours but I'm sure it was just a few seconds. I then decided I was going to be brave and so I got closer to his face and tried to kiss him, He grabbed my shoulders preventing me from getting closer. I then realized I was the biggest loser in the world and couldn't hide the look of rejection from my face. What was I thinking? Men scared me after all I had been through. It had to be the drinks.
"I don't… I'm"" I was cut off by his lips as he kissed me. It was a toe curling, butterflies in my stomach kiss. He then pulled away looking around and then saying "What the hell?" Although, I don't think I was meant to hear that.
"I'm going to find Rose for you," he said in a cold tone then led me back to the table we had previously been occupying. "Stay here and don't leave." He then walked away up some stairs where I guessed the offices were. I didn't understand why he was acting this way. Edward Cullen definitely was a mystery. I then felt an arm on my shoulder and a voice that I haven't heard in a while that made my blood go cold.
"Bella" I turned around and saw Paul. I knew I wasn't seeing things, I did see him yesterday!
"Paul! What are you doing here?" I quickly sobered up and realized I was shaking
"You know why I'm here, Bella, Jacob would be interested to hear that his fiancée' has been talking to the underboss of the Cullen Family and getting pretty cozy to him"
"Underboss? What? I have no idea what you are talking about"
"Sure Bella, now let's go. Jacob is not happy that you left and I swear I can't wait to hear you scream again"
He grabbed my arm and I started pushing against him "NO!" I said as he led me to the empty hallway that I had just shared that kiss with Edward in. Earlier, I didn't see that there was an exit door at the end of the hallway. I tried to get away but he was so strong. I knew if I went through that door it was over, I would either be Jacob's prisoner or I'd be dead. I screamed hoping someone would hear me but with the loud music pumping, it fell on deaf ears. I then saw Paul was more worried about his surroundings than me, so in a last ditch effort I kicked him in the stomach and tried to make a run for it but he caught my foot and dragged me down.
"You bitch! You will pay for that!" I kept trying to get away. I knew if I could get around another person I would have a chance to get out alive. I then felt the tugging at my foot give away and looked back. There was Edward and some guy with dirty blonde hair pulling Paul away from me. Then Edward knocked him out. I quickly stood up shaking, scared but relieved that I wasn't going back to Jacob. Not tonight anyway. I would have to move somewhere else. I'm sure Jacob knew of my location now. I was so lost in thought that I didn't see another man come up. This one had honey blonde curls and then Edward was suddenly in my face.
"Bella:" I blinked and looked at those green eyes and for some reason I couldn't answer.
"She's in shock." I heard the dirty blonde hair man say.
"Bella?" Edward said in a calm voice like the one he was using earlier, before he had become cold with me.
He then looked at the man with honey blonde curls "Get her to my office, Rose will be there so tell them to take her to Emmett's apartment."
Then he and the dirty blonde hair guy picked Paul up and took him through another door that they unlocked near the stairs that led to the offices. It looked like the stairs went down. There was a basement to this club?
"Come on, let's get you to Rose." The man with the honey blonde curls said. For some reason I didn't believe him, maybe I was in shock I don't know but for some reason I didn't want to go with this man. I needed to find Edward, thank him for Paul and for some reason he made me safe. So before we could go up the stairs I pushed the man down and he hit his head on the stairs. He laid there so I took this as my chance to get to Edward. The door they went through was ajar but locked? Me being as small as I was I crawled through it and then I made my way down the stairs. I was met by another door that was slightly cracked open and was hit with a huge stench.
There was Edward shirtless and covered in blood. Paul's blood. I gasped and was met with Edward's eyes however they weren't those electric eyes, no, these eyes were on fire and they looked evil. I quickly turned around trying to get back up the stairs to get away from here.
"James!" I heard Edward yell! Then suddenly someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back, It then felt like something hit the back of my head.
Thanks for reading!
