BPOV
His eyelashes were long and curled as they laid against his lower lids. He had a few days of scruff now along his jaw.
I always thought it was odd when girls described guys as beautiful, but Edward was, I might even go as far as to say a work of art.
In personality, he was soft with his words, but that was the only thing soft about him. His body was hardlines and defined, probably due to the last few months of working construction. I knew he was a runner. He said he ran a few marathons in Chicago.
My fingers itch to touch him, to trace some of his hardlines.
His one leg nearest me is laid straight, his other leg is bent at the knee. His one arm was wrapped around me while his other arm lay above his head.
He let out a few grunts as he slept but never snored.
One eye opens as the other stays closed.
I'm caught.
"What time is it?" he asks his voice thick with sleep.
"Almost ten," I say resting my chin on his chest.
His arm over his head stretches before coming to rest at the back of my head.
"How are you holding up?" he asks softly.
I feel his thumb rubbing my head.
"I think we're going to have to head over to the hospital," I tell him, turning my head so my cheek rests over his heart.
He could press and ask if I even slept but he didn't.
He kisses the top of my head before getting up to head to the bathroom.
I roll over stretching.
If last night's interrogation is any indication of how this whole thing is going to play out, I'm a little reluctant to be heard.
Edward proved last night that he would make a good lawyer the way he challenged Chief Lahote. I knew my dad held him in high regard if he had him sit with all us during our statements.
My mind drifts to Rosalie, wondering if she's going to be okay. Finding her the way I did I knew I wasn't okay, so I could only imagine what she's going through.
Edward steps out of the bathroom with a yawn while scratching his stomach. I watch him open a drawer grabbing out a gray and a black hoodie, he drops the black one on my stretched-out legs.
He pulls the gray hoodie over his head, rubbing his eyes with another yawn.
"Want to grab a coffee on the way to the hospital?" he asks.
I shrug.
"Do you have an extra toothbrush?"
"You're in luck, Esme has a Costco bulk of toothbrushes stored in there," he says with a grin.
He moves to the bathroom and I follow to watch him. He grabs a package of what looks like twenty toothbrushes, making a show of pulling one out and putting toothpaste on it for me.
I let out a laugh at this being the most un-Esme thing ever.
We brush our teeth together, Edward watches me in the mirror and gently hip checks me every so often.
I push him out of the bathroom once we're done so I can pee.
Once I'm done I grab the hoodie he gave me off the bed, pulling it on. Edward has his Carhartt jacket on and has the Patagonia I wore last night hanging over his arm. He looks pensive as he scrolls his phone.
"What?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "The detective from Seattle showed up very early," he says, still scrolling.
"I'm going to assume it's not good?" I ask, pulling his arm down so I can get a look at his phone.
"Lahote caused a scene according to your dad," Edward says. "Alistair wants your dad off of the force."
"He can't do that," I snapped.
Edward's eyes meet mine.
"Bella, this man is desperate because his kid fucked up big time. I'm going to be honest, I don't think charges will stick from your and Alice's assaults— but with Rosalie, I can see him having a list of charges due to the extent of her injuries and evidence," he explained.
I bite the inside of my cheek.
Edward slides his phone in his pocket before holding his Patagonia out for me.
"We'll play everything by ear, okay?" he says, pulling me to him.
My arms wrap around him and I squeeze.
We're quiet as we drive to the diner, Edward runs out to get our coffees. I watch him talk with Irina while kids from school have filled the diner. It's a Saturday morning after a dance the diner is always packed on the weekends.
It doesn't take Edward long to walk out with our drinks. I see kids watching him out the window and pointing at my spot in the car.
"How am I going to go to school on Monday?" I ask with a groan.
"I doubt you'll be going to school this week," he says, fastening his seatbelt.
He looks up, giving me a sad smile.
"I'm going, to be honest, there will be tough days ahead, but Royce King will need to face what he has done. You are so incredibly strong, Bella. What you did last night only proves it," he says, squeezing my hand.
I only wish I could see what he sees in me.
When we get to the hospital we go up to the floor with the conference rooms. We're strolling up to the receptionist with our coffees when I spot Esme near the conference room we were holed up in last night.
She looks like she wasn't here most of the night. She holds my phone out to me with a sad smile.
"Brady McCarty brought this by, he figured with no one home your dad was still here," she explains.
I need to thank him later.
"Did you sleep?" she asks, cupping my face.
I shrug.
She doesn't push, she does, however, grab Edward's coffee out of his hand and takes a large gulp of it before handing it back.
"Uh— any word on how Rosalie is?" I ask.
Esme gives me another sad smile, she brushes my hair over my shoulder. "She had a pretty rough night, they still have her in the ICU," she says softly. "Her jaw is broken so they had to wire it shut. They broke three ribs, one punctured her lung and she has a hairline fracture to her pelvis."
I'm not aware I'm crying until Edward has me in his arms and he pulls back to wipe my face.
"Is she awake?" I ask brokenly.
"They have put her into a medically induced coma, to give her some time to heal," she explains.
I nod.
This wouldn't have happened if I made it stop with me.
I catch the silent conversation Edward is having with his aunt while he holds me.
Last night when he brought up the rape kit to Lahote I felt like that was something he wanted to follow up on. He was so sure that Rosalie would be the key to Royce finally getting what is owed to him.
I'm nervous about the results. What if Royce had the other guys involved do the assault while he supervised, he was too slimy to be so stupid to get caught, though in my case he got caught easily.
I let Edward rock me side to side, I hear a throat clear behind me.
I turn to see my dad standing in the doorway of the conference room, I pull away from Edward and see the woman standing next to him.
She's tall with olive skin, her black hair hangs down to her lower back. She's younger but not young. She's wearing a navy blazer with a black t-shirt and pants. Her black ankle booties are cute. I see her badge hanging on a chain around her neck.
"Carmen, this is my daughter, Bella. Bella this is Detective Carmen Diaz from the Seattle P.D.," Charlie introduces.
She steps forward with her hand held out to me, I reach out shaking her hand. Her hold is firm, which dad says shows respect.
"Bella, your father has filled me in on quite a bit about events that have happened, but I would like to get your statement," Carmen says.
"Uh, can Edward sit in?" I ask her then look back at Edward.
"As long as you're okay with that decision, then I am too," she says.
I grabbed Edward's hand following her into the conference room. Dad and Esme wave at us through the glass before they step away.
"So no more Chief Lahote?" I ask.
"He will no longer be in charge of this case, I read over his notes, which seemed to be pretty biased. I've sent them through the proper channels to report him," she says with a tight smile.
"Who's your friend?"
"This is Edward Masen," I introduced.
"Her boyfriend," he states, shaking her hand.
After the handshake, she starts scribbling into her notepad before looking up at me. "If you can, I would like to start at the beginning of your relationship with Mr. King," Carmen says.
"We grew up together, we were never friends, but he and his friends were a part of our friend group," I explain, noticing Edward's hand resting on his knee, I take it in my hold before I continue. "Alice Brandon kept saying that he was interested in me and that I should go to Prom with him."
"Miss Brandon said he was interested, but were you?"
"No, I needed a date to prom and he asked. I've gone to dances with guys before and nothing romantic was expected."
She nods, writing some more. "Can you tell me about what happened after the Prom was over?"
"We all went back to Mike Newton's," I tell her, letting my thumb run over Edward's knuckle. "We were there for a while—I was on my third drink when Royce pulled me into the upstairs bathroom."
"When you say pulled, tell me more about that."
"He grabbed me by my arm, I had just left the bathroom and he must have followed me up there. So he dragged me back," I finished.
"What did he do once he got you in the bathroom?"
"He threw me up against the wall next to the shower in front of the sink. He pinned me like this," I say, bringing my forearm up. "He used his free hand to—"
I look at Edward who is nodding for me to continue, I turn my head back to Carmen.
"He ripped my underwear off."
"Did he penetrate you, Bella?"
"At first he missed, like brushed my dress because I was moving but then he did find my entrance," I breathed out, shutting my eyes for a second. "He didn't feel all the way in when Jasper pulled him off."
"Do you still have the dress?"
"It's balled up in the back of my closet," I tell her; out of sight, out of mind.
"Has it been cleaned since that night?" she asks, writing some more.
I shake my head.
Carmen takes her phone off her belt, she scrolls putting her phone to her ear.
"Smith, can you ask Chief Swan to help you find Bella's Prom dress in the back of her closet? Wear gloves," she says.
"Why does she need my dress?" I whisper to Edward.
"His DNA might be on it if any fluid touched the dress when he… missed," he says carefully.
"Mr. Masen is right, there is a good chance that we can have the lab detect DNA," she informs us. "After that night did Mr. King try to engage with you again?"
"He harasses her," Edward mumbles.
"He tries to intimidate me," I add.
"Your dad told me about rehab, he also told me things got out of hand after Prom," she says softly.
I nod.
"Mr. King's father might try to use that against you if you need to testify, but I want you to know that it doesn't discredit what you have told me," she says going back to her notepad. "Tell me what happened last night when you found Miss Hale."
I go over everything I told Chief Lahote, explaining Royce's behavior at the game and not winning Homecoming King.
"Have you ever seen Mr. King be aggressive with other students?"
"He's shoved Bella," Edward says, speaking up. "The day we met he went out of his way shoving Bella who wasn't even close to him."
"Miss Swan, is this true?"
I nod.
"He's aggressive in gym, he tried to hit me with a dodgeball but I caught it throwing it back at him," I told her.
"You broke his nose, correct?"
"Yes."
"Does Mr. King get aggressive toward the male population at school?"
I think about it and only have known to see him back down from guys at school.
"He doesn't like confrontation with guys, I don't think. He's one of the smallest guys in our class, he steers clear of Jasper mostly," I tell her honestly.
"He's the captain of the football team?"
I snort.
"It's believed that he got captain because of his father," I explained.
"If you could use one word to describe Mr. King what would that word be?" she asks.
"Entitled," I say simply.
She jots a couple more things down before setting her pen down.
"I think that is all I need, for now, we'll have the lab run a few tests on your dress. Once Miss Hale is able, I'll be speaking to her."
"Have you spoken to Alice?" I ask.
She nods, giving me a sad smile.
As she stands, I see Mr. Hale through the glass waiting.
Carmen collects her things, shaking both my and Edward's hands. We watch her leave and Mr. Hale enter the room.
His hair is disheveled and he looks like he's aged ten years.
"Bella, can I have a moment?'' he asks.
I nod, picking at the long sleeves of my hoodie.
He takes the seat Carmen was just in.
His hand runs over his tired face, his eyes meeting mine.
"I want to thank you for the kindness you showed my daughter last night. I know that after what you went through it couldn't have been easy on you. Also, Rosalie hasn't been the nicest to you and I'm grateful you were able to look past all that and help her," he says brokenly.
"I only did what needed to be done," I say honestly. "I'm sorry I was too late."
He shakes his head. "No, you were very courageous, your actions last night saved my daughter's life."
"Will she be okay?"
"She has some surgeries ahead of her but Dr. Cullen is optimistic," he says.
I look at my hands on top of the table not sure what else to say.
"I know today couldn't have been easy for you but I wanted to make sure you know how much I appreciated your bravery," he says, giving my hands a squeeze.
He stands and leaves.
"He was right, you know?" Edward says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
"About what?" I ask, leaning into him.
"You are brave."
"I don't feel brave," I say with a sigh.
He remains quiet but I know he disagrees with me.
The only thing I can think about now is what comes next?
A/N: Merry Christmas Eve! Please remember to review.