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Bella woke before Edward—totally encased by his warmth. His arm was draped across her waist, his chest pressed against her back, as his slow even breathing puffed against the back of her neck. Bella realized she could lay there next to him forever.

The slightest tilt of her head brought her nose into contact with his skin. The spice of his aftershave tantalized her senses, as his male scent played havoc with her rational mind. Inhaling deeply, her eyes rolled, repeating the gesture, scarcely believing where she was, and who was with her.

Fuck.

She was Edward Cullen's wife. She tried to recall the pastor reciting the words that linked her life to Edward's, yet all she could remember was the look in his eyes. The want and need, mixed with a fierce desire to protect she hadn't fully understood until last night.

Just the gesture of Edward switching spots with her in bed rocked her. Who did things like that? Who put themselves in the line of fire for other people?

Apparently, her new husband.

The same warm, fuzzy feeling grew and honestly, kind of scared her. She'd never had anyone put her first.

Turning to face him, she traced his slumbering features. She'd been wrong. Upon first seeing Edward Cullen, she'd thought he was scary, handsome, and sexy, but now, seeing him with all his defenses down, completely relaxed, now—now, he was sexy.

She was so engrossed memorizing every line, she didn't notice the way his chest stopped moving as he came back to consciousness. His lashes still rested against his cheek, yet his breathing stalled and resumed as he came awake. She still wasn't aware until she traced his lip with her finger and his mouth snapped open, catching the digit between his teeth.

"Are you going to stare at me all morning, or kiss me, woman?"

A gurgle of laughter slipped from her lips, as his arm curled around her waist and dragged her over his length until her legs straddled his hips. Breathlessly, she cupped his jaw, her nail scraping the underside of his bottom lip. "I was just thinking how lucky I am to have such a sexy and protective husband."

"Mmmm," Edward groaned, his gaze darkened by shadows finally opening. A growl erupted from deep within. God help anyone who tried to take the girl in his arms. "Fuck, yeah I will protect you. I meant what I said. I will fuck up anything that stands between you and me."

Whilst Bella's cheeks hurt from smiling so much last night, she felt another one slide across her lips. Smoothing her fingers down his cheeks, she kissed his chin, a night's growth of stubble pricking her lips. "I love the sound of that. You and me."

Until she repeated his statement, Edward hadn't realized how much he liked it too. Who would've thought the daughter of his enemy could be the one to save his life? If someone had suggested the possibility a month ago, Edward would've shot the bastard, right there in cold blood. "I actually like it too. You are exactly what this house needed. What my family needed. What I needed. You are everything I never knew I wanted."

Edward ran his hands slowly down the velvety skin of her back, relishing the softness of her skin, his lips parting when she dropped her mouth over his. Winding his tongue around hers, his body instantly responded, and with a great deal of effort, he broke their kiss. "Baby, you have to be tender from last night. I have no desire to hurt you."

Nipping his jaw, she nuzzled closer. "Hurt me?" Peppering kisses close to his mouth, she grinned when his hips lifted of their own accord. "What if I want you to spank me?"

His fingers curled in her hair and yanked her head to the side, scraping his teeth down the column of her throat, he sucked the skin adjoining her neck to her shoulder. Kneading her ass, he drew his hand back and slapped her butt cheek. The hitch in her breath turned him on, almost as much as the gasp of surprise. "I bet you're already wet." As if to test his theory, his fingers dipped between her buttocks, encountering her arousal. "I have this urge to fuck the hell out of you."

"Please do," Bella whimpered, when his fingers slipped into her channel, scissoring them, she wiggled, realizing just how sore she was.

When she grimaced, Edward withdrew his fingers, rubbing at her opening. "I can get you off without hurting you, wife."

Rolling her beneath him, he kissed his way down her length. Roughly, his knee parted her wide, and he listened to her soft cries as he licked down to her navel. With his tongue buried deep in her pussy, he proceeded to deliver on his promise. It was the best start to the day for the two of them.

After a long and satisfying shower, both of them dressed for the day; Bella to spend time with Lily, and Edward to get down to business. The real honeymoon would have to wait.

~*~

Much later that afternoon Edward sat in his study. Emmett stood behind Bobby, and they both intently listened to his discoveries—which was practically nothing.

"What the hell am I paying you for?" Edward wanted to know, leaning further across his desk. The familiar chill accompanied the anger starting to build.

"There is no way Winthrop continues to blindside this county without leaving some evidence somewhere. I'm paying you to find …" Edward thumbed through his paperwork, slapping the folder closed, he glared at the investigator. "Renee Swan. How can a woman vanish and no one ever questions it?"

Bobby threw his hands in the air, indicating the paperwork. "All I was able to uncover is written in the report."

Edward's narrowed cold gaze never wavered from the investigator. "Are you telling me there is no record of Renee Swan after she visited Winthrop? No credit cards, no new identities purchased, nothing?"

"Nothing," Bobby muttered, dragging his fingers through his pale blonde hair. "I scoured everything twice. A witness saw her go into the Winthrop mansion, and that was the last anyone saw her."

"He wasn't seen carrying any baggage? Anything?" Edward tapped his desk, looking toward the window, he shook his head. "Did you happen to check and see if the mayor left town around that time, maybe found out where he went?"

Bobby shuffled across Edward's study. "The mayor has many people in his employ. He may have had someone get rid of the body."

"I don't think so," Edward shook his head. "From what I gathered Winthrop still has evidence of her death, or so he told the sheriff. Apparently, the bastard has friends in the highest and lowest of places. No telling who might be involved. Keep digging and see if anything new pops up. If it does, call me day or night, I want to know what all that motherfucker is involved in."

Emmett escorted the investigator from his study. The door barely closed behind his brother when he dug into his pants to retrieve his cell. Finding the contact for Charlie, he stared at the chair where Bella ate dinner as he lifted the phone to his ear.

"Hey, Swan," Edward was still developing a plan to deal with Winthrop but to carry out the next part, he needed Charlie's cooperation. Long into the night, he'd stayed awake holding Bella against his chest, thinking of a multitude of scenarios.

He could just shoot the bastard and have him minced up, but with that possibility, he also lost all the money Winthrop or Charlie owed him. After considering multiple solutions, Edward finally landed on one that would ensure he kept Bella and his damn money.

The more he considered it, the better it sounded. Deciding on a solid plan, the next thing was to set it in motion—which meant involving Charlie.

"Cullen."

Edward heard the gruffness in the sheriff's tone, the man sounded like he had a swollen lip. Slowly he smiled, knowing he was the cause of it. "I have a plan to deal with Winthrop. Meet me in the morning, we have a lot to discuss."

"I thought you were going to contact Winthrop directly. I don't see what I have left to do with any …"

"Because I fucking said so." His thoughts immediately went to Bella. "You owe this to your daughter, to do whatever is necessary to ensure she is safe. I expect you at my house tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, and not a minute later. Don't make me come find you, Swan. I have a legitimate plan of action and I'm going to need your help to pull it off."

"Alright. The sooner all of this is over the better."

"My thoughts exactly," Edward growled into the receiver as a tap on the door caught his attention. "Be here at ten. I want all of this done before the end of the week."

With that final word, Edward hung up the call. Turning his attention to the door, he watched Bella appear as it swung open. "What are you doing? Is Lily's lesson finished for the day?"

Bella was awestruck as she studied Edward. With the changes in his character, his appearance had changed drastically as well. The harsh lines that had creased his face had smoothed out, and he no longer looked as if he'd murder everything in his path. "Yes, she was coloring in the library with Alice —I thought I would come and see her handsome father."

Edward pushed back from his desk, surprising them both when he patted his leg. "Then come see me. We have something to discuss."

Bella's gaze narrowed as her chin lifted, quietly she pushed into his office and closed the door behind her. Sniffing with indignation, she pinned him with a curious stare as she rounded his desk. She squealed in surprise when he shot out to grab her wrist, dragging her into his lap.

He nuzzled her neck as he spoke, pressing a series of kisses down the slope of her neck. When she moaned lightly, he answered the whimper with a growl of his own. Nipping her ear, he whispered, "The best thing I have ever done was dragging you back to my bed when you tried to escape last night."

Bella cupped his jaw, her thumb brushing over his skin. "I came to you on a whim. I wasn't sure if you … you wanted me to be there."

Edward pressed his growing cock against her ass. "I don't know how to make it any more obvious that I want you there. Hell, I want you everywhere. How are you feeling this afternoon? Still sore?"

When she would've teased him with a wiggle, his hand settled on her hip, holding her in place. "Don't wake the beast unless you're willing to pay the toll." Capturing her lips in a searing kiss, he groaned as her tongue swirled around his. "Of course, there is always this pretty fucking mouth."

Coyly, she blinked up at him, nipping at his thumb. "I don't think I'm too sore for your talented tongue either."

"Sit your gorgeous ass on my desk. I want to taste your pussy, see if it's as good as I remember, wife." Before he even finished speaking, he unbuttoned the snap on her jeans. With a quick tug, Edward had her sitting in her panties atop his desk.

Bella fell back on her elbows on a moan as Edward buried his face between her thighs. She gasped burying her fingers in his hair holding him to her.

TFA

Jane was walking past the study with a feather duster in her hand. Hearing the feminine moans echo through the door, she paused en route to the kitchen. Cocking her head in that direction, she crept closer to the barrier, leaning in, she pressed her ear to the wood. Her nostrils flaring as she attempted to hear what was happening and heard a gasp of pleasure, followed by a throaty laugh.

When all seemed quiet, curiosity got the better of her, gnawing the inside of her cheek she gave in to impulse and twisted the knob. As carefully as she could manage without making a sound, she pushed the structure open, fury igniting at the sight before her.

Edward, the man she would've done anything for, sat in his chair with his head buried between that blonde bitch's thighs. Both were too consumed with each other, and neither noticed the fire burning in her heated stare. Her lashes dropped momentarily to her cheek, fighting for control, the strings threatening to snap where she stood.

Bella's face was contoured with pleasure, her lips were parted and hair pooled the smooth surface, Edward's hands gripped her hips as he dictated her movements against his searching tongue. The grunts escaping his throat sent slivers of anger gripping Jane's core, and she nearly burst into the room.

By a thin measure of control, Jane slowly pulled the door shut, her firm grip silencing the click of the latch. Angrily, she swiped at the tear rolling down her cheek, forcing her feet to move.

Swallowing the rage building in her throat, her nostrils flared, intent burrowing deeper and deeper until she thought she would explode.

During her few encounters with Edward, he'd never sought to help her find pleasure. She'd never experienced the feel of his tongue between her legs or heard the heady grunts escaping his throat.

When Jane had first realized Edward's attachment to that bitch, she'd planned to get rid of the problem herself. Why the fuck had she waited so long? Perhaps if she'd reacted sooner, she could have annihilated the bitch before Edward developed feelings for Bella.

Jane sniffed trying to quiet the acid burning in her gut. It was quite obvious, Edward wasn't returning her affection, however, and never would. She wasn't sure why she'd waited so damn long but she would have her revenge. Perhaps she should just do this town a favor and get rid of the whole damn family.

Ever so slowly, Jane approached the chili bubbling on the stove, taking the lid off, she let the aroma of seasoning waft throughout the kitchen. As she stood there staring into the pot a thought occurred to her and before she could rethink her actions she replaced the lid and grabbed several bowls from the cabinet.

Twenty minutes later, Jane was delivering the family meal to the dining room when she was shocked by the appearance of two faces she'd never expected to see at the table.

Him and her.

As she served dinner, she felt close to exploding, noticing the quiet glances darting between Edward and his bitch. Jane angled her head in an effort to hide the hurt in her eyes, the damn moisture just kept building up behind her lashes.

To her relief or fury, no one seemed to be aware of her plight. Edward was too enthralled with her and suspicious looks from the family kept flying in their direction. Her own trance was broken when Esme finally spoke up.

"I never expected to see this sight." Taking a big bite of chili, she attempted to hide her smile with no real success. "I thought we'd have to get an army to pry you out of that study."

Jane didn't miss when Edward glanced toward her and shrugged as if it wasn't the be-all, and end-all, his mother was making it out to be before saying, "Things change. It's no big deal. Leave it alone."

Alice's eyebrows flickered in surprise as she tried to keep the smile from her lips as she took the bite from her spoon. Chewing, she said around the mouthful, "I beg to differ, it's a huge deal. You almost look happy."

Jane turned her back on the scene unfolding in the dining room. Still, Edward's gruff response hit a soft spot as he said, "I'm feeling a bit freer these days."

A disbelieving grunt came from Emmett's direction, hinting at his skepticism. Jane's jaw clenched, and with a great deal of force, she left the Cullen family behind.

They better enjoy their newfound happiness, because tomorrow it would all be over. For them all.

Please review ... If you like BDSM you should head over and check out Campfire.