28

Bella was frustrated. She had spent the last ten days searching through every bit of information on the USB for anything that could get her off the hook. There was plenty of dirt on a lot of important people, but nothing that would give Bella a clear get out of jail card. Not without letting the entire world know what she had done, at least.

"Why are you up so early?" Edward groaned, and when she looked over her shoulder, she saw him sprawled out on their bed in the bunker, using the palms of his hands to rub his eyes. He dropped his hands on the bed and lobbed his head toward her. "It's four in the morning."

"Couldn't sleep," she murmured. "Did I wake you? I can go to the command center instead."

"No, it's fine," he grumbled, climbing out bed. He was only wearing a pair of black boxer briefs that had her biting her lip to keep from moaning. He stretched, his arms coming over his head, making the upper part of his body tense. "Find anything?"

"Um." Bella shook her head as she turned back to her laptop, feeling her cheeks warming. "Nothing new."

A moment later, she felt Edward standing behind her, his arms reaching around her and his hands coming to rest on the desk. His lips were just outside of her ear, his warm breath sending goosebumps across her skin.

"I, um," she stammered. "I can't think when you're this close to me."

Chuckling under his breath, Edward moved so that he was sitting in the chair next to her. "Better?"

"No," she admitted. "I, kind of, preferred the other."

Edward smirked. "Good to know."

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "You're incorrigible."

"But you love me for it."

"I do," she whispered. "I really do."

"Are you okay?" Edward asked as he reached over and took her hand in his. "You're shaking."

"I'm . . ." Bella shook her head. "I'm in so much trouble, Edward. There's only one way out, from what I can see."

"And what's that?" he asked.

"We release everything we have to the media and pray that I'm given leniency."

"What?" he asked with a gasp. "You think you should turn yourself in?"

Bella nodded.

"That's the stupidest thing I've heard!" he roared, standing up.

Startled, she scrambled to her feet and backed away from him, hitting the dresser and wincing as it pressed against the bruises on her back.

"I'm sorry," he said, putting his hands up. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't," she lied.

"Come here, sweetheart." Edward offered her his hand, which she took gingerly. He led her to the bed, where they sat on the side. He brought her hand up to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "Tell me why you think you should give yourself up."

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her racing heart. "I don't want to, Edward, but . . ." She shook her head, trying to keep from weeping. "The people in those files, they have the power to keep this hidden, to stay under the radar if we don't go on the offence. Besides, I'm not, exactly, innocent, am I?"

"Of course, you are," he insisted.

"I knew when I put myself in Carlisle Cullen's hands, I might have to kill him. Logically, I told myself it wasn't a big deal. He was a monster, right? And I don't regret killing him." Bella paused, wiping the tears off her face. "But then I went after Esme Platt, her henchman, and my father, and Leah, and now Peter Davis, or whoever he is. I could have gotten Alice and Leah out without killing them. I could have —should have —let you handle that, but I was angry, Edward, so fucking angry, that I let my emotions get the best of me, and in the process, sealed my fate."

"No, sweetheart." Edward shifted so that he had his arm wrapped around her waist, his other hand coming up to her cheek, wiping away her tears. "You are not to blame for any of that bullshit."

"Yes, I am," Bella argued, pulling herself out of his arms and standing up. She lifted her hands up in front of her. "I can still feel their blood. I can smell it."

Edward stood up slowly and covered her hands with his. "You survived."

"Did I?" she asked, her eyes meeting his. "I feel dead inside."

"But you aren't," he murmured, reaching over and placing his hand in the middle of her chest, over her heart. "I can feel you breathing, feel your heart beating. You're a survivor, Bella. You did what you had to do to survive."

"Edward," she whimpered, covering his hand with hers as tears welled up in her eyes. "I . . ."

"I know, sweetheart," he whispered, using his other hand to pull her body against his. She tilted her head backwards, looking him in the eyes. "Can I kiss you?"

Unable to speak, she had barely moved her head when his lips were on hers. Frantic and needy, desperate for more. Groaning, Bella placed her hands on his chest, feeling him moan. She had spent the last few months keeping him at arm's length, trying to protect him. But she was done.

"Make love to me," she whispered against his lips, feeling him still against her lips.

Edward leaned back. "Bella."

"Please," she breathed.

His eyes searched hers. "Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you."

"You were my first," she replied. "And I . . . I need you to show me that . . ."

Unable to get her thoughts out coherently, pressed her lips against his once more. Edward paused for a moment before tightening his arms around her and lifting her off her feet. Bella wrapped her legs around him as he carried her over to the bed. Sitting with her on his lap, one of his hands moved to the back of her head, tangling in her hair. He gently pulled her head backward, causing her to moan as his lips trailed down her neck to the top of her cleavage.

"Oh, God," she moaned.

"I love you," he murmured between kisses. "I love you so fucking much."

"I love you too," she gasped, sliding her hands into his hair. "Edward, please!"

"Patience," he chuckled, shifting them so she was laying on the bed.

Biting her lip, Bella tried to keep from begging. So instead, she laid there as he kissed his way down her neck, while his fingers slipped beneath her tank top. His eyes met hers as he pushed it upward. Bella leaned up and allowed him to pull it off. His eyes traveling down to her chest.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop him from hurting you," he whispered, his lips finding the bruising.

"Me too," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair.

As Edward's lips traveled down her torso, she felt herself tensing. He shifted his eyes back to hers as his fingers pulled at her pajama pants. Trying to keep from shaking, she lifted her hips up.

"Are you sure?" he asked, hooking his fingers around the waistband.

"No," she admitted. "But keep going."

"Bella," he murmured.

"Please," she whimpered. "Keep going."

Edward blew out a heavy breath before slipping her pants and panties down over her hips, down her legs, and throwing them on the floor, leaving her naked in front of him. Leaning back, he closed his eyes as he pushed his own boxer briefs down and kicking them aside. Edward leaned down, his hand coming to the side of her face as he laid in between her legs. She could feel his harness. Though she was scared, she new she was ready for more with him. He was the love of her life, her husband, her everything.

"If you need me to stop, just say the word, okay?" he murmured.

Bella nodded.

"Promise me."

"I promise," she whispered. "I trust you."

Edward pressed his lips against hers as he shifted his hips, filling her completely. Her eyes closed as she waited for the fear to leave, but she never felt it. She wasn't afraid, wasn't scared of having him inside her like this. Edward loved her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, thickly.

"Keep going," she groaned. "Please, keep going."

Edward started slowly. Their eyes were locked on each other's, the only sound in the room was their heavy breathing, their bodies moving against one another's. For the first time in a long time, Bella felt in control, loved, needed.

"I'm never giving you up," he murmured, each shift of his hips hitting deeper than the one before, more tender, more loving. "I love you, sweetheart. Love you so fucking much."

"I love you," she cried, and when he tried to pull away, she wrapped her legs around his, keeping him inside of her. "I love you, Edward. Only you."

"I know, sweetheart, I know."

Edward peppered her face and neck with kisses. One of his hands slipped down, gripping her hip as he moved inside her, his thrust becoming needier and quicker. Bella could feel her orgasm building, her need for him mounting, but it scared her. The feelings inside her, the desire for more. A tear slid down the side of her face, which Edward was quick to kiss away.

"I don't want to lose you," she whimpered, clutching onto his shoulders like he was a hundred miles away.

"You're never losing me," he growled, his movements even needier than before. "Ever, baby, ever."

"Edward," she cried out as her body clenched around him, his promises taking her over the edge.

He groaned as he thrust once, twice, three times before stilling his hips against hers. He collapsed on top of her, his lips finding the side of her neck again.

Rolling onto the bed next to her, Edward sighed. "If we do this," he started, looking at her. "If you turn yourself in, we do it my way."

"And what is your way?" she asked.

"We go to Denali. Get Marcus involved."

"And Marcus can do what?" she asked rolling onto her side and pressing her body against his.

"I told you that Marcus is who recruited me to the FBI, right?"

Bella nodded.

"Well, Marcus has other talents, as well. He, um, he has inside knowledge of these types of networks."

"So do I," she countered. "And Garrett and Elizabeth and Alice. What makes him different."

Edward pressed his lips together before he slid up and sat with his knees bent in front of him. "He has insights from the other side."

It took Bella a moment to realize what he meant. "You mean he —"

"Marcus spent two years undercover," he explained. "I can't really tell you much more than that. Just trust me when I say that the man will be able to help us do this the right way."

"You trust him that much?" she asked.

Edward nodded. "Almost as much as I trust you."

Nodding, Bella climbed out of bed, grabbed her clothes, and slipped them back on. "Okay."

"Okay?" he asked, grabbing his boxer briefs and slipping them on as he stood up. "You're not going to fight me on this?"

She shook her head. "Fighting hasn't gotten me anywhere. I guess it's time I learn to let others take care of me for a change."

"And I will," he vowed, placing his hands on either side of her face. "I will take care of you, Bella."

"I hope so," she whispered, before pressing her lips against his.

And she did. Losing him with be the end of her.