Capitolo Tredici

I hold a beast, an angel, and a madman within me.

A/N: Includes NSFW content.

EPOV

The day that Bella and I moved out of my parents' house and into our new home was organized chaos at its best. Because we had very few belongings, we were able to move all our stuff in Bella's SUV and a truck I borrowed from Emmett. Our furniture had been delivered the day before, under Bella's supervision. It was kind of astounding how much our relationship had grown and changed in a few short weeks.

Our relationship started out as a means to an end for both of us, but there was some sort of emotional, and very sexual, connection between us. I had seen people in love, and I knew that it usually faded. My dad with his mistresses and my mom's decision to pretend she didn't know was a prime example of how love could make you blind. But then there were couples who did what they needed to stay faithful, to be true partners in more than just name only. Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle were proof of love, and that was probably why Jasper and Alice were so in love too. I didn't know if something like that could come out of my marriage with Bella, but I knew as of right now, we made a great team. She knew how to get me to calm down and think, and she honestly accepted who I was and what I did. A lot of girls I had been with couldn't get on board with the double life I was forced to maintain.

She had really stepped up, making sure everything was taken care of with the house and the wedding planning. This allowed me to focus on getting things in order at work before we got married and left for Italy. Today and tomorrow were the only days that I was off until our wedding day next week. After that, I wouldn't have to worry about anything here for a whole week. Bella had already told Rose that she could stay at our house while we were gone, and Rose planned on taking advantage of being out from under our father's thumb.

I grabbed one of the big boxes from the back of the truck, hefting it up into my arms. Most of the stuff we had would be going into our bedroom, so I carried the box into the house and up the stairs. There were a handful of boxes littered around the room, but there was still plenty of space. I knew it wouldn't be long before the rooms started to fill up since Bella was getting her stuff from Washington mailed to her, and it was supposed to arrive in the next day or so. Once we had decided on a house, she had been in contact with her dad's best friend, and she had asked him to retrieve her stuff out of storage and send it to her. She insisted on paying him back, and while there was some arguing on the other side, my fiancée stood her ground. I was coming to find that was just who Bella was. When she believed strongly in something, not much would budge her. That was why she so vehemently defended Rose against that fucker Royce.

Royce was no longer breathing air. Emmett and I had put his ass in the ground, but we enjoyed the fuck out of torturing him first. Emmett had gifted him the same bruises that he had given my sister, adding in a few bonus ones for good measure. As bones cracked and blood spilled, Emmett's rage escalated, and I had to stop him because he almost killed him just from that beating alone. Royce passed out in a blubbering bloody heap. When the fucker woke up, he spilled all sorts of information that I found to be very enlightening. With each revelation about the wolf in sheep's clothing whose roof we were under came to light, I was even happier that I was getting Bella away from my dad. It seemed he wasn't impressed with how outspoken and stubborn she was, and he had discussed with Royce all the ways he would like to force her to fall to her knees and submit. He was expecting her to bend to his will, but even I knew that was wishful thinking.

Bella and Rose didn't explicitly know that Royce was dead, because we never told them, but we had told both girls that he had been taken care of. It was easy to see recognition dawn in their eyes as they read between the lines. No one would find his body because we made sure to light that fucker up, burning him to ashes before we buried them out in the landfill. With him gone, Rose could breathe a little easier, and I could sleep soundly knowing I'd fulfilled my duty to protect and avenge. Bella walked into the room, dropping her basket of clothes onto the floor, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"What are you thinking about so hard over there, Edward?"

"Thinking of how much fun we're gonna have breaking in this bed tonight." I smiled at her and dragged her close to me by the belt loops of her jeans. She giggled and pretended to push me away.

"You're all sweaty." She gasped.

I kissed down her neck and bit her at the juncture between her neck and shoulder, causing her hands to thread into my hair and tug on the strands. This only spurred me on more. Pulling her head to the side, I claimed her lips with mine. I pushed my body against hers until we hit the wall. "You know what is a great thing about this house?"

"No idea right now honestly." She moaned breathlessly.

"No fucking cameras. I can fuck you against the wall here, or on that huge dining table, if I wanted to, and no one but me would see that sexy body of yours."

"Jesus, you can't say shit like that to me."

"Why?" I asked innocently, kissing down her chest.

"'Cause now all I can think about is you feasting on me on our brand new table. Every time we have someone over for dinner, I will only be reminded of you bringing me to a mind-shattering climax all over that very table."

"Oh, we are definitely doing that ASAP."

She giggled again and pressed her hands against my chest. "Okay, casanova, we need to finish unpacking the vehicles. Come on, I need that head on your shoulders to get the largest share of the blood supply. Capisce?"

I groaned and agreed, pushing off from the wall and standing up straight. Following her back out to our driveway, I grabbed more boxes and watched her ass as she walked back into the house with her share. I groaned because I was still thinking of taking her on the dining room table. I pushed the thoughts away until later and continued my work. It was tedious, but it didn't take much time until we were done unloading. When I finished bringing in my last load, I stripped my t-shirt off, wiped my face and neck with it, and dropped onto the hardwood floor on my back, enjoying the cool sensation against my overheated body. Bella disappeared into the bedroom and finally came back out looking freshly showered. When she came over to me, she nudged my side with her foot.

"Off to the showers, Cullen. You're all sweaty."

I waited a few minutes before I followed her command. After I'd rinsed off the grit and grime of the day, I found her standing at the kitchen island making sandwiches. She handed me a plate piled with chips, a pickle, and my own sandwich. I kissed her cheek and sat at the table, and she joined me a few minutes later, sitting right next to me. We didn't need such a big table; for right now it was just the two of us, but she wanted to be able to have people over and knew we would need the room when we started having children.

It was odd, but with her, I could see that future clearly. Almost every other girl I had been with, I couldn't see beyond the here and now with them, especially not anything close to building a life together. Most of them didn't have a maternal bone in their body, which was a valid choice for any woman, but I wanted kids, and Bella would be an amazing mom when that day came. I saw the nurturing side of her with Rose. Even though Rose was older, Bella coddled her and protected her. She seemed to be thinking the same thing because when she spoke, she seemed a little cautious to broach the subject.

"Um…I have my next gynecologist appointment soon. I wanted to know what your thoughts were. We will be married in a few days, and I wanted you to know that if I got the shot, it would last three months, and then it could take three to four months after that before I'd be able to get pregnant."

"How do you feel about that?" I asked her, wanting to get her thoughts first.

"I don't know. I'm a lot younger than you, Edward. I don't have time working against me as much as you do. I'm not saying that you can't father a kid, but you aren't getting any younger, I guess." She shrugged, smiling a little. She was trying to be funny but also serious.

"Well, I don't want to get you pregnant now or even in a month or two, but I would like to have the option sooner than I would if you got the shot at your next appointment."

"Well then our best option would be condoms or I can take the pill."

"We'll use condoms, Bella. I don't expect you to remember to take a pill every day after having the shot for years."

"Okay, so we're fine with me stopping birth control? I'm okay with it, but I just want to make sure you are too."

"Yes."

Bella nodded and smiled at me, and I chuckled, kissing her temple. When we were done eating lunch, I helped her unpack the boxes we had. We also moved some stuff around because she had changed her mind with some of the furniture placement. Unpacking and setting up all the kitchen items took the longest. She had all sorts of gadgets: a stand mixer, an air fryer, an Instant Pot, and a crock pot. I didn't understand the need for all of it, but the look she gave me when I voiced this thought had me cringing. It was ridiculous too because I could shoot a guy in the face without flinching, but when she glared at me or gave me the mom look, I backed away fully and slowly. I enjoyed my testicles where they were, thank you very much.

By the time we made it to bed that night, I didn't have enough energy to even make out with her a little. We were both asleep minutes after our heads hit the pillows.

BPOV

I was woken around midnight by Edward shaking my shoulder. "Bella, get up."

"What's going on?"

"Dem said he saw someone prowling around on our property. He ran after them, and I didn't want to leave you asleep in the house by yourself in case they somehow got in."

I threw my robe on and then followed after him, jumping when I heard a gunshot ring out. I grabbed Edward's arm, and he pushed me behind him a little as we made our way closer to the sliding glass doors leading to the back porch. I saw someone come running around the side of the house, and Edward darted out the doors, running after the guy and tackling him to the ground. Demetri followed with his gun drawn. Edward punched the guy a few times and kicked the man's fallen gun out of his reach. Demetri handed Edward his spare gun. Edward pulled the guy off the ground and sat him down in one of our lawn chairs, his gun pressed to the dude's skull.

Demetri joined me at the back doors. I could see Edward's lips moving but couldn't make out what he was saying. "What's going on? Who is that?"

"Not sure, Ms. Bella. It's not anyone Edward or I recognize." He gestured with his head toward our kitchen. "Let's go to the kitchen."

I looked away from Edward and the man outside. "Why?"

The look on Demetri's face was trying not to give anything away, but I saw the momentary flicker of worry. "Just trust me."

I nodded and turned to follow him. The sound of a gunshot made me jump. I looked at Dem with wide eyes and made to turn back around. He gently grabbed my hand and shook his head. When I sat down on the stool in front of the island, Dem walked over to the cupboard, grabbed a glass, then filled it with water. As he handed it to me, I noticed that my hands were shaking, and I did my best to ease the trembling as I took a large gulp of the cool liquid.

Demetri's phone rang, and he answered it, talking quietly. I drank the rest of the water and then stood to put my glass in the dishwasher. I turned to look at Demetri who was just hanging up the phone. "I'm going to go back to bed," I announced.

"Okay, Ms. Bella, I will tell Edward."

"I get that you are being respectful, Dem, but you can just call me Bella. Calling me Ms. Bella makes me feel like an elementary school teacher."

Dem chuckled and nodded. I smiled at him and then went back to my and Edward's room. Taking my robe off, I draped it over the chair by the window. It was hard for me to even try to fall asleep because Edward wasn't lying next to me, and all I could think about was the sound of that gunshot. I knew better than to hope it was an accidental shot, and seeing how Edward's gun was pressed to that man's head, he was more than likely dead.

Things like this just brought everything back into startling clarity. The man that I was going to marry was dangerous; he killed people, and he seemed to have two different personalities. The Edward I knew was loving, protective, family-oriented, and sexy as hell. The Edward that I saw when we found out about Rose being abused was deadly and angry. It was completely understandable because I was angry too. To make matters more complicated, he had to deal with his forced loyalty to his dad. We hadn't really discussed it, but I wondered how he still worked with him after he allowed Rose to be in that situation.

As far as I knew, Ted and Elizabeth were okay. All I saw was her yelling at him the next day, but after that, they went back to business as usual. He acted all apologetic to Rose, but neither she nor I bought it. When I first met Ted, I thought he was kind and a regular dad. He even seemed sympathetic that my parents were killed damn near in front of me. But ever since he hit on me in his office, I saw who he really was. He was the complete opposite of my dad, making me question again why my mom liked him so much and how he and my dad had been best friends at one point. His own son was so different from him too, but I had to imagine that his mom, Esme, and Carlisle's presence was what helped shape who he was, so that he didn't become a clone of his father.

I was about ready to get out of bed and find out what the hell was going on when Edward came back into the room. "Are you still awake?" he asked softly.

"Yeah. It's hard to sleep alone now."

It was too dark to see his expression, but I heard him chuckle. "Okay, I'm gonna go toss these clothes in the washer real fast. I got dirt all over them from tackling that asshole to the ground." I heard the rustling of fabric, and the moonlight streaming through the window showed he was getting undressed.

"Who was he?" My voice was little more than a whisper in the darkened room.

"I'm not sure, Bella. He didn't give me much information except that he was sent for you," he said, his tone hard.

I gasped, not expecting that answer. I sat up, pulling the covers to my chest, and tried to wrap my head around everything that had happened this evening. The panic crept in slowly, and I tried to breathe through the haze that was settling around me. Someone was still after me.

I heard Edward quietly hiss a 'fuck' and then he was crouching in front of me, his hands cradling my face. "Breathe, bellissima. Breathe with me. I got you."

I just stared into his eyes and did as he requested. I inhaled and exhaled in time with him, never breaking my gaze from his. "Why is someone after me? I didn't see anything that night except after my parents were attacked, and I've been here for some time. Why act now?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, principessa, but I will find out. You're safe with me. I promise you: they won't touch you." The sincerity in his eyes told me that he meant it; Edward would die before he let any harm befall me.

"I trust you." He had never given me reason to doubt him. He'd followed through on every promise he'd made me. He was protecting me and was worried about my well-being. I felt safe with him. I nodded to show him I understood. I looked at him and noticed that he was only wearing his boxers, his clothes in a pile by the closet. I didn't care that they should go to the washer. I didn't even care if there was another man's blood on them; I wanted Edward. This man would be my husband in a week, and he had just tackled a guy to the ground who was trying to hurt me. The affection and gratitude I felt almost suffocated me with its presence.

I kissed him, climbing into his lap to straddle him. Edward seemed caught off guard at first, but soon he kissed me back, his hands moving to roam over my body. When his thumb brushed against my nipple through my thin tank top, I moaned into his mouth. He groaned and pulled up the hem of my top, taking it off me. "Fuck, Bella."

I smiled at him and then our lips met again. I reached into his boxers, stroking his already hardened length. Edward went to kiss my lips again, and I let him, but then I broke away and kissed down his neck. My mouth traveled to his chest, placing nipping kisses and licks along the expanse of skin there. He groaned and threaded his hand in my hair. I lifted myself up in his lap so that I could pull my sleep shorts and underwear off, and he slid his boxers down.

We moved around on the bed so that I was sitting in Edward's lap, and I sunk down on his erection, causing us both to moan. I lifted up and slid back down, swiveling my hips, grinding my clit against him. His hands kneaded my breasts, his fingers rolling the tips into hard peaks. Leaning down, he took my nipple into his mouth. I threw my head back, riding him harder, whimpering at the all-consuming sensations. He let me control the rhythm for a few minutes as he focused on my breast, but then like always, he took control, moving my hips up and down at a faster pace, our skin slapping together.

I pulled his lips to mine again, my hand weaving into his hair. He started thrusting up into me, his hips meeting mine. I broke away from his lips and panted out. "Edward. Don't stop. You feel so good." I moaned breathlessly.

"La mia sporca bambina, come. I wanna see you fall apart." His hand came down and played with my clit, rubbing it in circles. I rolled my hips, continuing to ride him at the same pace as before, the coil in my belly tightening and preparing to snap.

"Fuck," I yelled as I shattered. My body convulsed in his arms as my walls clamped down on him. Once I came down, my head fell forward against his shoulder, a feeling of euphoria overtaking me. Edward pulled out of me, leaving me feeling empty, but he was just moving me into another position. He kneeled behind me, lowering my hips to meet his.

In this position, it felt like he was able to go deeper, and I immediately started playing with my clit, wanting to come again. "Edward, are you close?"

"Yeah, give me another orgasm, ragazza. Let go."

I shook my head, not wanting to come without him. He realized what I was doing, so he started playing with my nipples, rolling them in his fingers. With all the sensations from my nipples, clit, and pussy, it was all too much, and I was climaxing again. This was his undoing, and he stiffened inside me, going as deep as he could and spilling inside me. We both slid down to the mattress, lying next to each other.

"Well, that just keeps getting more intense every time."

I rolled onto my side and looked at him. "Yeah, do you think it will always be like this?"

He pulled me closer to him, so that I was lying right next to him. "I think it will." He pulled my lips to his, and I kissed him back with just as much eagerness, believing him wholly and completely. We lay there together, just holding each other until we both fell asleep.

A/N: So, they are finally out of the house with Ted but the danger is not behind them. They are getting closer. Let me know what you think and leave a review! Until later lovelies!