Chapter 14
You know that concept of fight or flight? Where you either run from danger or fight against it? My body apparently doesn't understand those two options. Staring at James in my doorway, my entire body freezes. I feel the blood drain from my face as my heart hammers in my chest. My mind screams at me to do anything. Move, scream, close the door, something! But all I can do is stare.
"Bella," he chuckles a bit. "Aren't you happy to see me?" He takes a step closer and it's like that movement breaks through the ice securing my body in place and I quickly move to slam the door. His hand shoots out and catches the door before it has a chance to shut and shoves it back open. And now my flight finally kicks in. I scramble away from him as he calls my name. I make it to the steps before I feel his hand enclose around my arm, squeezing hard to keep me from getting away. Crying out in pain and shock, I stumble, catching myself on the step with my free hand.
"Let me go!" I shriek as I turn and begin kicking anywhere my feet can reach; his legs, his stomach, his groin. Before I make contact with the third, he drops my arm and grabs my foot, yanking me down the stairs. I land a kick to his chin and he stumbles backwards, letting me go. Scrambling to my feet, I run towards the living room, intending to make it out the back door. Cursing loudly as he regains his balance, he begins to lunge after me, ripping me away from the sliding glass door just as my hand grips the handle. His fingers lock around my upper arm, digging into the soft flesh as I scream out in pain. With the force of his tug, I stumble backwards into the coffee table as he releases me. I collapse off the side of it, tipping it over with my weight.
Groaning, I struggle to push myself up, already knowing my side is going to be bruised from how I landed on the table. James doesn't let me get too far before grabbing me again, his fingers bunching my hair. I can practically hear strands ripping under his grip as my scalp heats from the pain of him pulling me closer to him. Wincing, I reach behind me and shove anything I can reach. I feel the familiar contours of his jaw in one hand as I shove it upwards. My other hand finds his ear and I grip it, pulling as hard as I can in the awkward situation. Letting out a cry in shock, he drops my hair as he shoves my hand away from his ear.
I don't hesitate before running from him, tipping Jasper's chair over in an attempt to slow him down. It doesn't work as well as I hope and as I make it towards the front door, I feel his weight shove into me, knocking me onto the floor and the air from my lungs. Gasping, struggling to bring in enough air, I try to free myself from his grip.
"Stop it!" he screams at me as he pins me to the ground, holding my legs beneath his and my arms under his hands. "Fucking stop it!" I try to squirm out beneath him but I end up getting nowhere. I'm stuck. I look around as I try to find anything that can help me but it's no use. I can't even grab anything in my reach because my hands are pinned.
"This is how you welcome me back?" he practically spits. "I've been making romantic gestures and this is what I get?"
"What are you talking about?" I ask as I continue to struggle against his grip. His hands squeeze my arms tighter and I whimper out in pain.
"The phone call. I played our song. I wanted you to hear that I was still thinking about our first dance as a married couple. The hippo and roses. Bella, I was trying to show you I wanted you back."
"By breaking into my house?" I scoff. I can't see him; my hair covers my face and I can't crane my neck enough to get a good look at him but I don't need to see his face to know just how angry he is.
"And what do I get?" he continues as if I didn't speak. "A wife that's cheating on me. And you try to divorce me." He shakes his head in disapproval and frowns down at me. "Now, I'm going to let you up, but if you so much as try anything, I will make you wish you had never even met that cop." My eyes widen a bit as I look up at him, not knowing exactly what he intends to do to make that happen. Knowing him, though, I know he'll make good on his word. I let out a shaky nod and he releases my arms and gets off me, coming to stand in front of me. Pushing myself up to my knees, I don't take my eyes off him as I rub the soreness in my arms.
"Come on," he says as he offers his hand to me. I don't take it as I lift myself from the ground. My whole body is shaky and a cold sweat breaks out on my forehead. I'm sore and terrified and I know he can see the latter in my body language. He frowns at me when I'm stood in front of him. "Get your keys. We're going for a drive."
Swallowing thickly, I look around to where my keys were discarded in my attempt to get away from him. I find them at the door and pick them up, looking over at him. He motions for me impatiently to walk out the door. For a brief second, I consider running, trying to decide how far I'd be able to get before he would catch me. I've never been a great athlete, aside from cheer in high school. We would have to be decent at running, having to run a mile every so often. I wasn't awful at it, but I was never the quickest on the squad. Even then, those days are long gone and I'm not even sure I'd make it to the end of my street before he caught me.
Making my legs walk towards the truck is a task in itself. I'm shaky from fear and my body does not want to cooperate. I have to force it to, though, because otherwise I'll face the wrath of James. I finally make it to my truck and he gets in the passenger side before I even have a chance to open my door. He stares at me, willing me to hurry up with a glare. I get behind the steering wheel and fumble to put the keys in the ignition. With a sigh of frustration, he rips the keys from my hand and shoves them into place, turning the truck on.
"Head towards La Push," he instructs and I nod. My hand trembles against the steering wheel as I grip it as tight as I can. Shifting the truck into reverse with my other hand, we pull out of the driveway before I shift it into drive and start heading away from my home.
James' hand rests on my knee after a moment, the muscles in my leg tightening as I prepare for the rough squeeze that normally accompanies his fingers.
"I've missed you," he says, his thumb rubbing soothingly along the side of my knee. This is unexpected and it puts me even more on edge than his violent behavior. I'm worried this is the calm before the storm. "Did you miss me?" he asks after waiting a few beats for me to respond.
"Y-yes," I stutter out, nodding my head. We both know it's a lie but it's what he wants to hear.
"And yet, you still chose to cheat on me," he frowns, his fingers gripping a bit tighter. I wince against the pressure and breathe in deep to try to keep myself calm.
"I didn't cheat on you," I argue and his fingers squeeze harder.
"We're still married," he reminds me. "You're still mine. You'll always be mine. 'Til death do us part, remember?" I keep my eyes on the road as I breathe in deep through my nose and exhale through my mouth, continuing to try to stop my anxiety from completely taking over. After a few moments, James tells me to pull over, pointing to a spot to park. Glancing around, I notice we're not far from the cliffs where La Push residents go cliff diving. We're still at a cliff's edge, but this isn't an area used for cliff diving. It's too high up and down below is too shallow and rocky for anyone to safely jump.
"What are we doing here?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Get out," he responds vaguely as he opens his door and gets out of the truck. Hesitating a beat, I follow his lead and get out. "Take your clothes off," he instructs. My eyes widen as I stare at him in disbelief. He can't be serious right now.
"What? No, I'm not taking my clothes off," I protest.
"Take them off before I make you," he demands, his voice hard. "I brought you other clothes but you need to take these off."
"Why?" I ask as I watch him grab a bag out of the back of my truck. When he looks back at me, the answer is written all over his face. He's showing me he has full control. He's showing me he can humiliate me however much he wants because he knows I'll do what he says in the end. I look over at the edge of the cliff, shuddering a bit as I think about what might happen to me if I don't listen to him. Resigning to his demands, I pull off Edward's shirt and shove my jeans down, stepping out of them. Holding my clothes in my arms, I cradle them to my chest, covering my exposed skin the best I can. It's nothing James hasn't seen before but his gaze is now an intrusion.
I watch as he unzips the bag, pulling out jeans and a tank top from inside. I immediately recognize them from my drawers at home. I'm not sure if he took them when he broke in or if he's been in my house since and the thought sends shivers down my spine. How close has he been without me knowing? He rips the clothes I just took off from my hands and shoves the new clothes into them. Without questioning, I pull the tank top on before shimmying into the jeans. He folds the clothes and lays them on the driver's seat of my truck.
"Come here," he says, his voice holding a tinge more gentleness than before. He reaches into the bag and pulls out a pen and some paper. "You need to write a note." I walk over to him, uncertainty clear on my face. "We've got to make this believable."
"Make what believable?" I whisper.
"Your suicide." He looks at me with a smirk as I'm sure my face pales as I stare at the notebook. "Your fake suicide," he clarifies and I look from the notebook to him, my mouth agape. "We're disappearing. And to do this affectively, I need everyone to believe you're not coming back. I have to hand it to them. They're smart. They know you wouldn't just run off."
"What makes you think they'll believe this?" My voice wavers as a I speak, my jaw trembling a bit.
"You're going to make them. Now write. And make it out to the cop." He drops the notebook down onto the seat by my clothes and pushes me towards the open door. Picking up the pen with a shaky hand, I do exactly as he says. I write everything I feel for Edward, tears streaking my cheeks as I do. A few drops land on the paper, smearing a few words, but it's still readable. Sniffling as I finish up the note, I fold it and lay in on top of the clothing.
"Okay," I whisper, swiping my fingers across my cheeks. "I'm done."
"Call him. Tell him to meet you down here."
"We broke up, James. He's not going to meet me." That's like a half truth, right? I know for a fact he'll come if I call him, but I want to try to keep him out of this as long as possible. I'd rather someone else find my truck. Not him.
"Don't think I didn't see you two at the wedding tonight," he smirks as my eyes widen. He was watching me. How long has he been watching me without me knowing? Dread rushes over me as I realize just how right Dad was with keeping a watch detail on me. And I fought against it like an idiot. I demanded he stop having people follow me and I played right into James' hand. "Call him," he insists calmly. I nod and pull my phone out. Typing in my phone's passcode, I pull up Edward's contact information and press his number to call him. I glance at James as I raise the phone to my ear, stepping as far away as he'll let me. I'm surprised he doesn't stop me as I make my way towards the edge of the cliff, looking back the hundred or so feet towards the truck where he stands, waiting.
"Hey, miss me already?" Edward answers with a chuckle. I let out an airy noise, hoping it sounds more like a laugh than a sob.
"Yeah, I was just thinking. Do you want to come watch the stars with me?" I cringe as I hear the shakiness in my voice. Edward hesitates before answering.
"Of course," he says, but I pick up a note of confusion. "Are you okay?" My eyes squeeze shut as my jaw trembles before I pull the phone away from my face and breathe a sob inward. Bringing the phone back to my ear, I respond.
"Yeah, of course I am," I insist but my voice, thick with tears, gives me away. "I just wanted to talk to you."
"Where are you?" he asks as I hear him rummaging around, probably getting dressed or putting his shoes on.
"The cliffs by La Push."
"What are you doing out there?"
"Just has a good view, I guess," I shrug and sniffle a bit. "I miss you," I admit, not knowing if I'll ever be able to have the chance to do it again.
"I miss you too," he replies and I can practically see the expression on his face. The tone his voice holds is almost always accompanied by scrunched eyebrows and creases in his forehead.
"Goodbye," I barely whisper and I hear him release his breath.
"I'll see you in a few minutes." He sounds unsure of the situation and I don't blame him.
"Edward?" I say, hoping to stop him from hanging up.
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"Bella, what's going on?" he asks as I pull the phone from my ear and end the call. I quickly pull up the camera, turning off the flash, and take a picture. It's grainy, but it'll work. Hopefully.
I make my way back to James, the tears flowing freely now. Him making me call Edward was the ultimate power move. This is what he knows will show me that he has full control and I'm powerless. And I definitely feel it.
"Leave the phone," James instructs, gesturing to the truck.
I place my phone on top of my clothes in the truck and look at him, resignation numbing my body.
"Let's go," he says as he grabs my arm, tugging me away from the still running truck and everything I left behind in it.
EPOV
I pull the phone away from my ear once the call ends, not quite believing what unfolded in the call. To say I'm confused is an understatement but I'm more worried than anything. Bella didn't sound like herself and it seemed like she was crying. As we spoke, I rushed around to get a jacket and pull on some shoes so I'm on my bike quickly and heading towards La Push.
My mind races as I think back to the phone call. I find myself hoping that I was just hearing things and that she's really okay and she's going to be there unscathed. Mixed in with the worry, I can't help but feel elated that she admitted that she misses me and she loves me. I hoped I would hear her utter those words again but I wasn't expecting it to be this soon, if at all. Trying to keep my thoughts from the worry I feel, I picture Bella lying in the back of her truck watching the stars. I picture the smile that will light up her face when she sees me; that smile she saves just for me. The one where her nose scrunches and her tongue sort of peeks out from between her top teeth and lower lip. The image filling my mind calms me a bit but not enough to stop my heart from beating double time in my chest.
I make it to the cliffside where I see her truck parked with the driver's door wide open. Quickly parking my bike and dismounting, I pull my helmet from my head, the sound of her truck's engine filling my ears, and let it drop to the ground as I glance around. Worry grips my chest when I realize she's nowhere to be seen.
"Bella?" I call, as if she will somehow magically appear at the mention of her name. I walk towards her truck, calling her name again. Her truck is on, the motor grumbling idly. Looking inside the truck, I notice a pile of clothes with her phone on top and a folded note with my name on it. My heart sinks as I take another look around, my eyes begging for any sight of her.
"Bella!" I call, my voice on the verge of becoming frantic. Looking back at the items on her seat, I notice the shirt looks familiar. It doesn't take long for me to realize it's mine. Trying to control my breathing and erratic heartbeat, I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial Chief's number before stepping back a few yards from the truck.
"Cullen?" he asks, sounding half asleep. I hear Renee's voice in the background and I know I've woken them up.
"I," I start, my voice cracking a bit and I clear my throat before trying again. "I need you to come down to La Push."
"Are you crazy, Cullen? Do you know what time it is?" he grumbles.
"Trust me, I'm aware of the time. Bella called me to meet her at the cliffs and—"
"I don't want to know about you and Bella," he cuts me off gruffly.
"Charlie!" I practically shout, irritation laced in my words. "Bella's truck is here. Her clothes and her phone are here. She is not here. And there's a note in her truck." Looking back at her truck, I feel panic rising through my chest up to my throat.
"What are you saying," he breathes out, but I know it's rhetorical. I can hear Renee's sleepy voice in the background, asking Charlie what's going on but he just mumbles a response to her.
"Please, meet me down here," I practically whisper, all the strength in my voice gone. He quickly mutters out an agreement before hanging up.
I can't bring myself to walk back to the truck. The note mocks me, illuminated by the interior lighting in the truck. I can't actually see it, but the way my name is written in her soft script is etched in my mind. I look around, hoping against everything that Bella comes walking up, laughing at how she tricked me. This isn't a joke she would ever even consider playing, but in this moment, I hope she has.
It takes Chief about ten minutes to make his way down here and they're the ten longest, most excruciating minutes I've ever endured. His car takes up space next to my bike before he gets out, his feet hurrying his body towards me.
"What the fuck is going on?" he asks, fear in his voice. I nod my head towards the truck, not trusting my own voice. He gives me a hard, concerned stare before walking over to the truck. He takes in the note, clothes, and phone as he rubs a hand over his mouth and jaw. Breathing deep, I make my way to stand next to him.
"Did you read it?" he asks and I shake my head, staring down at the paper.
"She sounded like she was upset on the phone."
"What did she say?" he asks, turning to look at me to show I have his full attention.
"She said she wanted to look at the stars," I say as I look up into the overcast sky. Shaking my head, I continue. "Said she wanted me to meet her; that she missed me. She ended the call by saying she loved me." Fear cracks my voice on the word loved and I breathe deep, clearing my throat again. "We're just getting back to becoming friends. We're not in that space where we say we love each other," I explain. Charlie processes this for a moment before his gaze drops to the note again.
"We need to read the note," he says, letting the words hang there as we both stare down at the daunting paper. Bringing in a shaky breath, I pick up the paper, hesitating a moment before unfolding it and reading.
Edward,
I want you to know that I never wanted to hurt you. I wanted to wear this shirt to your house and tell you I want you back and that tonight changed everything for me. I don't care anymore that you lied. I mean, I guess I do, but it's not something that's monopolizing my mind anymore. I love you, Edward, and I want to scream it from the rooftops and see your smile as I say it you.
But things changed and I'm sorry they ended up this way and I hope that one day you'll forgive me. Tell my family that I love them and they did nothing wrong. Especially my dad. I know he was just trying to keep me safe; I truly do. None of this is anyone's fault but my own.
I want you to move on, find someone who makes you happy, and live your life. You deserve every bit of happiness this world has to offer and I need you to take every chance you get to live a happy, full life. Promise me, please.
I truly love you with every fiber of my being.
Forever yours,
Your Lo Mein Stealing Girl
I can't fight back the sobs that wrack through my body as I read the note. What I'm assuming are dried tears have smudged some of the words but every one makes a clear punch to my gut. I drop the paper on the truck seat and walk away a few steps before doubling over as I try to catch my breath. I knew something was off when she wasn't here but I never could have even imagined that this is what it was. I have no clue what I was thinking but it wasn't this.
Footsteps crunch on the loose gravel and dirt as Charlie stumbles his way towards the cliffside. I know he's searching for any sign of her but, in the darkness, it's no use. The only thoughts swirling through my mind are a tangled mess of Bella and wondering if I could have prevented this. Had there been signs? Could I have stopped her? Why the fuck would she do this? How well did I really know the troubles that warred inside her? I know she suffered from anxiety but I never knew the troubles ran this deep.
I'm unsure how long we're standing in our respective spots before my legs manage to take me back to the truck. I make a point to avoid looking at the note. That fucking note that gives me no answers and leaves me with more questions than I had before reading it. I can't even begin to comprehend how she could sit down and write this and then just leave. How could she do this? Why did she do this?
I pick up her phone and the screen lights up to reveal she hasn't changed her background picture. It's still us sitting on my porch swing. I remember her sitting sideways with her feet on one side of my lap and her body on the other. My hand can almost feel how her jeans felt as my arm snaked between her legs to rest my hand on her thigh. My other arm was slung over her shoulders as she took pictures of us. I let her take a bunch for who knows how long before I grew restless and leaned in, rubbing my scruff against her cheek. She was mid-capture when I did and she ended up capturing a picture of her laughter and my shit-eating grin. I expected her to delete it and scold me for ruining the picture but she ended up loving it and setting it as her backdrop on her phone.
The look of her carefree laughter sends a constricting feeling to my heart as it sinks in that I'll never see that again. I'll never be able to make her laugh and bring out her teacher look. A few tears make their way down my cheeks again and swipe them away quickly before sniffling.
"I've called it into the station," Charlie says as he makes his way back over. I nod as I look over at him. "They're sending people down here. You and I can't be on this case." I look down at the phone in my hand and the screen lights up again, putting our picture on display.
"Do you mind if I go into her phone and send this picture to myself?" I ask, glancing back up at Charlie.
"Go ahead, Son," he says as he pats my shoulder before walking away towards his car. I swipe up on the phone screen and the passcode screen rises. Six digits. Fuck, I should have known. Out of curiosity, I type in the umbers that correspond with the letters of my name. Not surprisingly, I'm denied. Trying to wrack my brain, I think of what she could use as a passcode. I try to think of any dates but Bella isn't the type of person to use a birthdate as a security code.
My eyes glance down at the note, specifically the underlined lo mein. I thought it was weird that she underlined it when I first read the note, but I was too busy focusing on the contents of the note to let my mind consider why it was underlined. Giving it a shot, I enter the numbers that correspond with the letters and I'm granted access. The lock screen is replaced with a dark, somewhat grainy picture. Furrowing my eyebrows, I try to zoom in on what looks like a man. My heart begins to race in my chest as I think I recognize who this is.
"Charlie," I call, my voice finally finding some volume. My thoughts bounce everywhere as I process this picture. It's clearly taken tonight. The truck is clearly exactly where it is now with the figure standing next to it. Is that why Bella underlined lo mein? Was she trying to signal to someone to go into her phone? Was she leaving us clues as to what actually happened out here?
"Charlie!" I call out again, turning to see him already on his way over. I feel frantic, like I'm battling against time to figure this out even though I know we're too late. I was too late.
"What is it?" he asks, frowning a bit. It's easy to tell he's anxious being here and isn't normally accustomed to feeling lost and helpless. I guess no one is ever accustomed to that, but it's odd seeing my superior displaying this, especially because I'm picking up some mannerisms that Bella portrays. Fingers flexing, shaky vocals, inability to focus his eyes on one thing. I never got to see too much of her anxiety, apart from that panic attack the day James broke into her home, but I've picked up on notes of it here and there. Charlie reacts just like she does.
"I opened her phone and this picture was already opened. This is from tonight. It seems like it was taken from over that way," I say as I point towards the cliffside. "Look at this," I say as I zoom in on the figure. Charlie sucks in a deep breath and I know he's putting together what I feel I have, too.
"James," he whispers and I nod, the air feeling like it was knocked out of me with Charlie's realization matching my own.
"What was he doing here," I question, my voice weak again. "Why was he with Bella?" Charlie shakes his head, his hands scrubbing over his face.
"This is officially a crime scene," he says, anguish and defeat filling every word. "Put the phone back where you got it and don't touch anything else," he instructs as if I haven't been trained on crime scene protocol.
"Crime scene? Isn't it a little quick to jump to that conclusion?" I ask, my eyebrows knitting together.
"My daughter is missing and the last person to see her was her abusive ex-husband she's been trying to divorce and has a restraining order against."
"So, you think she could be alive?" Hope swells through me without permission as the idea of her being alive takes a bit of the pain away. His look tells me everything I need to know and the hope dwindles to nothing.
BPOV
James maneuvers his car down a long dirt driveway before parking it in front of a small cabin. We haven't driven too far, maybe only a half hour, but I'm clueless as to where we are. He shifts the car into park as I look out at the heavily wooded area.
"Where are we?" I ask, willing my tone to have any strength. I turn my head to look at him as he grins at me.
"Home. Isn't it nice? I bought it for our new start. We're going to fix us, Baby," he says as he grabs my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. I fight the urge to shudder at the feeling as I look back at the small cabin. "Come on, let's go inside," he says as he releases my hand and gets out of the car. Breathing deep, I get out of the car as he grabs the bag he had for me out of the back. The dirt drive crunches under my feet as I follow him towards the home. I glance around me, wondering how difficult it would be to make a run for it. Again, he's a lot faster than I am, but am I able to use the woody terrain as an advantage?
Before I can put too much thought into that, he gently grabs my elbow and leads me inside. I take a look around the quaint, little cabin. The walls and flooring are both made up of wood and there's a small stone accented fire place on the far wall. The whole bottom floor is an open concept with the living room and kitchen being meshed together. The wooden stairs lead up to a balcony-type sitting area and a small hallway where I'm assuming the bed and bath are.
A jingling behind me grabs my attention and I watch as James locks the front door with a key. As he turns the key, my throat constricts a bit as the reality of how trapped I am sets in. He looks at me and smirks before pocketing the key.
"Just a precaution. Until we get back on our feet, I need to be sure that you're going to give us the chance," he explains before coming over to me. "Come on, I'll show you where our room is." He grabs my hand and leads me up the stairs, each one creaking under our weight. The thought of finding a way out dwindles with each creaky floorboard. There's no way sneaking anywhere is even a possibility.
"Here we are," he says, as if he's revealing something spectacular. The room isn't much bigger than the one I have at Jasper's but there's more walking space because the only thing in the room is a queen-sized mattress on a bedframe. A door positioned on the left side of the far wall leads to a small bathroom. While everything seems clean enough, I still can't fight the grossed-out feeling that fills my chest.
"What do you think?" he asks eagerly.
"It's, uhm, great," I say, knowing I'm not being at all convincing. He laces his fingers through mine again and pulls me fully into the room. I watch him cautiously, not knowing what to expect.
"This is our fresh start, Baby," he says, sounding sincere. He drops my hand, bringing his up to cup the side of my face. I flinch a bit but he holds my cheek firmly in his grasp, his fingers hooking behind my neck. He leans in and kisses me softly and my teeth clench in response. I know he can feel the movement beneath his palm before he pulls away.
"I don't want a fresh start," I admit through a whisper. His fingers dig into the flesh at my hairline and I wince.
"If I can't have you, no one can. And I will have you," he says harshly. My heart races again, panic seeping through my veins as the weight of his words fills my mind. I don't want to think about the implications those words bring to my family and friends, let alone me. That trapped feeling just keeps becoming more and more intense with every word that comes from his mouth and every moment spent inside this cabin.
"I know you still love me, Bella. You're just distracted by the cop. But once you get past him, I know you'll love me again." I divert my eyes from him as a few tears spill. He goes to wipe them away but I flinch again, taking an unconscious step backwards. His rough fingers dig into my arm as he pulls me closer to him again. Letting out a shocked cry, my body crashes into his.
"You're hurting me," I whimper as I try to pry his hand from my arm. He loosens his grip on me but doesn't let go.
"I wouldn't hurt you if you didn't make me," he scolds harshly before releasing me. "Get yourself cleaned up and we'll get some sleep. You've had a long day." Nodding, I go into the bathroom and shut the door. Glancing down at the knob, I find there's no lock. Walking to the window, I run my finger along the caulk that seals it shut.
He's been planning this. I'm not sure how long he's spent escape-proofing this cabin, but this is premeditated and well prepared. I know without even having to inspect every other window in this place that each one is sealed and I'm sure every exterior door is locked with a key.
Looking around the small bathroom, I notice toiletries identical to the ones I have at home. A shudder runs through my body as I can't help but think about how he must have been in my room long enough to know what products I use. Crossing the small amount of space to the sink, I pick up the toothbrush and resign to following his instructions until I can figure out a way to get home.
EPOV
It doesn't take long for La Push police to get here. The department, like ours, isn't large, so it's only a small handful of people. County and state police have joined in, too, as well as Forks police. The amount of people moving throughout this area is overwhelming an already incredibly overwhelming situation. Charlie and I are questioned and give statements to the state police before they move on with their investigation. We're told to go home and wait for some news but Charlie isn't about to accept that and neither am I. We lean against the cruiser, which is now, along with my bike, moved away from the scene, and watch as they walk around, marking and taking pictures and discussing. I can't see them, but I know that a dive team is out in the ocean, looking for…her. The thought alone creates a clenching in my chest and a queasy feeling to my stomach.
Charlie holds out his hand to me and, glancing down at it, I notice a cigarette carton in it. I'm not a smoker, never really have been. Sure, I had the occasional cigarette in college but I never quite saw the appeal to them. Right now, though, I'll take any offer of a temporary form of relaxation. Plucking one out of the pack, I slip it between my lips before taking the lighter from him. As I cup my hand in front of the cigarette, I ignite the lighter in my other hand, holding the flame at the end of the cigarette. As the end starts to burn, I inhale, letting the smoke fill my lungs as I hand the lighter back to him.
"What do I tell everyone?" he sighs, smoke flowing from between his lips as he does. I let the question hang because fuck if I know. I don't even know how to process this whole situation myself.
"The truth," I frown before taking another drag. "Does Renee know why you came down here?" He shakes his head as he sniffles a bit, making his mustache twitch a bit. He looks out at the cops as they do their work and I let my gaze follow his. The officers move around the scene, huddle together at points, and continue to collect evidence.
It feels like we stand here for hours before a state officer comes up to us. He looks between the two of us, nothing in his expression giving away what he's thinking. My heart begins to hammer in my chest again, knowing he may be coming over to give us answers.
"Chief Swan," he says as he holds his hand out. Charlie takes it, giving a curt nod as he does. "I'm Officer McCade. I'll be heading this case in my department."
"What have you found so far?" Charlie asks, cutting right to the chase. I don't blame him; the formalities feel like a waste of time when Bella is practically slipping through our fingers.
"About as much as we can at this point. My dive team is finishing up for the night. There's a storm heading in and the currents are becoming too dangerous to continue the search tonight." As if to solidify McCade's reasoning, a clap of thunder rumbles out over the ocean as the clouds ignite with lightning.
Charlie frowns as he watches the sky light up and I'm sure he's thinking the same thing I am. We need to find Bella and this storm couldn't have come at a worse time. I look past McCade where officers are finishing up at the scene and packing up their gear.
"We'll come back out first thing in the morning and be in touch."
"I'll meet you—"
"Chief, I understand you're worried but I can't have you coming up here while my team works. I know it's hard to stand aside and let someone else do the work but it's best for the investigation," McCade insists. Charlie looks like he wants to argue but he knows McCade is right. This is the same thing he would be saying if he were in McCade's position. With another curt nod, he straightens up and drops his cigarette in the dirt, smashing it with his shoe.
"Thank you," Charlie mutters gruffly while still managing to sound sincere before turning to me. "The others need to know," he starts with a sigh. "How about you come back to the house with me." While he words this sentence like a question, there's no denying that this is more of a demand than anything.
"Charlie, I don't think," I start, shaking my head as I try to figure out how to politely decline.
"I don't think you going to your empty house right now is going to help anything. I'm going to call Jasper and have him and Alice come over and I'm hopefully going to be able to catch Emmett and Rose before their flight departs. We all need each other right now." I frown, knowing there's no way I can argue this point. He's right. He's completely right. If I go home right now, what am I going to do? Wallow? Drink? Probably. So, with a sigh, I nod and inhale a deep breath. He pats my shoulder before getting in his car.
I make my way over to my bike, my legs feeling like they're going numb. Straddling the bike, I pull the helmet over my head before starting it up. I wait for Charlie to pull away before following him towards his house. With every foot—hell, every inch—that we pass, I feel myself coming closer to my breaking point. Telling everyone is the last nail in this fucking coffin of Bella not coming home. The thought releases the dam of tears I've been holding back since the officers showed up to the scene. I draw in a deep, shaky breath as I try to keep myself as calm as possible.
I've been lucky in my life to have experienced very little loss in my life. I lost both of my maternal grandparents as a child and my paternal grandfather in high school but that's about as much loss as I've experienced. There hasn't been any loss in my adult life up until this point and I'm not quite sure how to handle it. This feels like more than just losing someone. I feel like a part of me has been lost along with her and it leaves me feeling empty and alone and, quite honestly, scared.
I park my bike behind Charlie's car and rip my helmet off, feeling like I'm unable to get enough air with it on. I gulp down air as deeply as I can as I dig the heels of my palms into my eyes, rubbing away the tears.
"Edward," Charlie calls and I let out a loud breath as I drop my hands and look up at him, almost feeling ashamed of crying in front of him again. That feeling immediately dissipates as I see tears streaking his cheeks too. He sniffles, his mustache twitching a bit as he wipes his eyes. "Come on, let's go inside before it rains." With another glance at the sky, I see the clouds that were over the ocean have begun to settle heavily above us, biding time before they release rain. I get off the bike, setting my helmet atop the seat before following Charlie inside.
It's almost eerie being here without Bella. It feels wrong and unnatural and I feel out of place. Doing my best to push the feeling aside, I walk into the kitchen with Charlie where Renee is making a pot of coffee.
"What's going on?" she asks as she looks over at us, her lips pursed and forehead crinkled in worry. I swallow thickly, waiting for Charlie to lead the conversation but eternal moments pass in silence.
"How about we wait until everyone is here," I suggest, my voice holding some hoarseness. Clearing my throat, I glance over at Charlie to see his eyes fixated on Renee's. It's at that point that I realize just how much he's telling her without actually telling her. Turning my gaze back to Renee, I see her face crumpling a bit, her jaw trembling much like Bella's does when she cries. It's bizarre how much can be said through the expressions they give each other. He doesn't even have to utter a word and it's like she understands exactly what's happening. Is that something that happens when you love someone? Or is it when you have children? Either way, the tension it gives me, as a bystander, is overwhelming.
"Emmett and Rose won't be here for another few hours. They weren't quite in Seattle yet when I called," Charlie explains. "Jasper and Alice are on their way, though. They should be here soon." I nod and watch as Renee grabs down coffee mugs with shaky fingers.
"Renee, let me," I insist as I walk over. I take the mug from her hand and get a few more down as well. She squeezes my arm as a silent thank you before walking over to Charlie. I make sure to keep my gaze on the task at hand because without even looking I know she's hugging him and they're both crying. I fill a few mugs with coffee before getting the cream out of the fridge and set it by the cup of sugar that resides by the coffee pot.
The front door opens and the three of us turn to see Jasper and Alice walking into the kitchen. Alice looks directly at me and her expression turns from worry to pain.
"What's going on?" Jasper asks, his voice cautious as he looks between the three of us.
"Jas, how about you sit down," Renee sniffles as she walks over to him, grasping his upper arms motherly. His brows knit together as he looks from her to Charlie.
"What is it?" he asks, not making any move to sit. I look from Jasper to Alice and I can see she's torn between staying next to him and coming over to me. Her eyes almost plead with me and I towards Jasper, silently letting her know it's okay to stay with him.
"Edward called me a few hours ago," Charlie starts and Jasper's eyes flash to mine. "Bella called him." Charlie pulls in a deep, shaky breath and I know he's not going to be able to finish what he's trying to say. Clearing my throat, I take over, keeping my voice as calm as possible.
"She sounded like she was crying and asked me to come see the stars with her at the cliffs. When I got there," I shake my head, needing to take a deep breath before finishing. "She wasn't there. Her truck, clothes, and phone were, but she wasn't."
"Where's Bella," he asks, his voice cracking, as he turns to Charlie, who just shakes his head. "Where is she?" he demands, his voice rising. Alice takes his hand in one of hers and places her other on his arm and I can tell she's squeezing tightly as tears run down her face.
"We haven't found her yet," Charlie whispers. "The dive team—"
"Dive team?" Jasper roars. "Bella wouldn't jump off a cliff!"
"Jasper," Renee frowns through her own tears. The rage rolling off of him is off-putting and strange. He's always the calm one of all the Swan children, Rose included. He's the peacekeeper and the level-headed one. Seeing the pure anger in his face is as foreign as the idea of Bella being gone.
"We don't think she did it herself," I supply with a sniffle.
"The hell does that mean?" he asks harshly.
"There was a picture on her phone taken when she was at the cliffs," I say as I look at Charlie, not quite sure how much I can say. I'm not on the case so I technically have no obligation to keep things private, but I feel the need to seek his approval.
"James was with her," Charlie finishes once his eyes catch mine. Jasper's silent as he processes this and it's easy to see the realization sink in as his expression slowly changes. Alice steps in front of him and hugs him tight and I have to look away, biting my tongue to feel some kind of pain that isn't emotional. A sharp sob leaves Jasper's body as quiet cries come from Renee. I lean against the counter, crossing my arms over my chest as I try not to think about the two couples in front of me being comforted by their significant others when I have no clue where the body of my girl even is.
I don't even realize I'm crying until a hand touches my shoulder. Looking up, I see Jasper in front of me before he pulls me in for a hug, clapping his hand on my back roughly. I hug him back as a sob breaks away from me.
"I'm sorry," I whisper.
"Shut up," he sniffles as he pulls away. "You didn't know."
"I should've gotten there quicker," I shake my head.
"This isn't your fault," he says with a tone of finality. I nod as I wipe away some of the tears. Alice pushes past Jasper and hugs me tight and I sigh, wrapping my arms around her shoulders as I feel her cry against me.
Once we all calm down, we sit around the kitchen table sipping coffee as the seconds tick by as slow as they can. Rose and Emmett were nearly in Seattle when Charlie called them so it's about a three hour wait for them to get back home. No one really talks while we wait. Jasper and Alice whisper to each other every so often but that's the only conversation flowing at the table. No one even makes any eye contact. We're all tired, emotionally and physically, and out of things to say. There's the occasional sniffle or noisy sip of coffee, but other than that, it's mainly silence. And it's fucking heavy.
Eventually, though, the door opens and Emmett and Rose come into the kitchen, wide-eyed with fear. It doesn't take long for us to get them to replace those looks with crumpled faces and tear-streaked cheeks. It also doesn't take long for the rest of us to join in with them. I'm not even sure what time it is by the time we calm down but no one makes a move to leave the kitchen. It's like we're stuck there, leaning on each other for support when, in reality, no one has any support to give. But we just stay and we eventually, when we can't cry anymore, talk through tear-thick voices and sniffles.
"I remember her in first grade when that Mike boy would tease her about her frizzy hair," Renee lets out a teary laugh. "I got called into the principal's office because she had kicked him in the shin because that's what her older brothers told her to do." We let out our various laughs and chuckles, the Swan's reminiscing in the memory.
"She definitely knew how to hold her own from a young age," Charlie nods in agreement, a smirk of pride playing softly on his worn face.
"Some of the shit she would say," Emmett laughs a bit. "Like there was one time we were watching some movie with Ryan Gosling and she started just busting out laughing because she pictures a baby goose with his face on it." I chuckle, knowing that's definitely something she would think about. I can almost picture her face flushing in the embarrassment of that thought when confessing it to Emmett.
"She asked me one time if there were penguins everywhere in Alaska," I chuckle. "I couldn't believe that someone so incredibly intelligent could ask something so silly."
"She tried to get me to teach her how to play guitar one time," Jasper smirks, shaking his head a bit. "She gave up within ten minutes because the strings hurt her fingers."
We carry on like this until the sun rises, exhausted smiles on our faces. It's then that I realize that we all have support to give, no matter how broken we feel inside.
BPOV
Four days have gone by and I can feel this house closing in on me and the stir-crazy feeling setting in. I haven't been outside since the night James brought me here and I'm growing more irritable by the day. He's picking up on it and he's giving the irritable attitude right back to me. My arms and legs are peppered with bruises from his unforgiving grips but I've managed to fight back a bit, too.
He's made sure I have everything I need in regards to food, toiletries, and whatnot, but I've barely touched anything. He's acting as if nothing happened in our past and it's eerie, to say the least. It's like he expects me to do the same and he clearly doesn't understand why I can't. He saunters around the house as if everything is perfect, acting as if he doesn't notice how close I watch his movements.
James leaves for about an hour every day. He buys food by the day and goes out every morning to get food for the day, which makes me think this cabin isn't as long term as he says it is. I'm not sure what he has planned but it doesn't feel like this is our forever home like he's been trying to lead me to believe. I'm not sure how long we're here but I hope it's at least another few days.
Over the last few days, I've managed to begin planning how to get out of here. The whole first night here, while James slept soundly next to me, I racked my brain for every sort of escape I could think of. Going out the front door was clearly not an option, seeing as the only way to get the key was to take it from James. Not only do I not want to be that close to him, I don't think I'd be quick enough to take them, run to the door, unlock it, and run out without him chasing me. Any scenario where he chases me is an immediate no. There's no way my legs will carry me faster than his will carry him. I thought about running while we're outside but, again, he would chase me.
I'm not even sure how many scenarios ran through my head before I thought about slicing away the caulking on the window. The bathroom window is the most convenient out of all of them because my plan is to escape while he's asleep. The less creaky flooring I have to cross the better. Plus, if he wakes, I can tell him I need to use the bathroom. I'll go in, wait a few minutes until he falls back asleep and then open the window and jump out. I've examined the drop and I should be able to jump down without hurting myself as long as I don't land weird.
For the last three mornings, while James is away at the store, I have taken a knife and began to slice into the caulk. Thankfully, James hasn't noticed the slice going through the rubbery sealant. I just need one more day and I can slice through the rest. With any luck, I'll be out of here tomorrow night. The only flaw to my plan is that I'm escaping at night and the few stores that we passed on the way here aren't going to be open. If James wakes up and realizes I'm gone, it goes without saying he'll come to find me. I'll need to move quickly to find somewhere I can use a phone or at least hide until morning.
James' hand gently grabbing mine pulls me from my thoughts and I look across the table at him.
"You've barely touched your dinner," he points out.
"Yeah, I'm not very hungry. Cramps," I lie without putting much thought into it, shrugging as I do. "It's kind of heavy this month," I add for good measure.
"Do you need any, erm, supplies?" he asks, sounding a bit uncomfortable. That's when I realize the opportunity that's come to the surface. I quickly nod.
"I need some tampons."
"I'll run to the store and get you some," he says as he takes his plate to the sink. I stand, my heart beating fast in the excitement of possibly having enough time to finish slicing through the caulk. If I do, I can be out of here tonight.
We both set our plates in the sink before James pulls me into his arms. He's been fairly affectionate these last few days but quickly turns harsh when I deny his advances. I can tell he's about to try showing his affection again and my heartrate picks up a bit.
As he leans in, his hands resting at my waist the way Edward's used to, panic sets into my system. If I turn away, will he still go to the store for me? He won't let my fictitious period free-bleed right? And if he does, how do I explain the lack of blood? I just tole him my period is heavy this month. Do I just suck it up and kiss him? What comes after that, thought? I mean, is he going to expect more? Am I willing to give him more? No. Hell no. But I need him to leave so I can finish setting up my escape plan.
As his lips press against mine, I decide to kiss him back. I need to get him out of the house and this is my best option. His lips hold a familiarity to them but feel so strange at the same time. The panic fills my mouth as his lips part and meet mine again. I force my arms to wrap around his neck, the limbs feeling stiff as I move them. I draw in a shaky breath as my lips move against his. Everything about this feels wrong and creates a churning in my stomach and I try to figure out when it's appropriate to pull away. Will he think it's too soon if I pull away right now? Will he let me pull away? What do I do if he doesn't let me pull away and pushes things further? Am I strong enough to fight against him? I thought I was when he was at my house but I was wrong.
Before I can think too much more into it, he, thankfully, pulls away. I know my eyes are wide as I look at him but I hope he can't see the panic that lies beneath the surface. A smile lights up his face as he looks back at me. One of his hands comes up and pushes a strand of hair behind my ear before he breaks the silence.
"You're warming up to this," he concludes happily. I give him my best smile, hoping it shows confirmation instead of fear. He leans in one more time to plant a chaste kiss on my lips before pulling away completely.
"I'll be back soon." With that, he gives me a smile and leaves, locking the door behind him. I stand in place for a moment, my mind reeling over what just happened. On some level, this feels like a betrayal to Edward, even though we aren't together. Even though I'm sure he thinks I'm dead. I wipe my lips on the back of my sleeve, much like a child does after their parent kisses them, but the feeling left on them doesn't go away. The panic that settled in my mouth rises to my eyes, bringing tears to the corners. I keep rubbing at my lips as if the friction my sleeve creates against them will make a difference.
After a few moments and shed tears, I force myself to focus on what I need to be doing. I quickly go to the utensil drawer and grab a steak knife. The knives in this house aren't all that shark and look incredibly old but this has been slowly, but surely, doing to the job. Grasping it tightly in my fist, I make my way up the stairs quickly and down the hall to the bathroom.
I quickly set to work sawing my way through the remainder of the caulk. My arm is sore from the work I've done on it the last few days and I mentally curse myself for not taking up Emmett's offer of training. As I continue to slice away at the sealant, I find myself making promises to myself for after my escape. I promise to take Emmett up on the personal training. I promise to make a better effort with Dad. I promise to continue going to painting classes with Mom. I promise to fix things with Edward. I promise to put aside my food and drink stealing tendencies. Okay, maybe that's a little too far, but it's worth a try, right?
Just as the thought brings a smile to my face, I hear the metallic clink of the knife meeting the window frame. I let out a mixture of a gasp and a relieved laugh as I realize I've finished cutting through the caulk. This is it. I'm going to get out of here.
"Baby, I'm back," James' voice rings out from downstairs. A chill runs down my spine as I realize I'm still holding the knife in my hand. Looking around me, I rush to open the door to the towel cabinet and place the knife between the bottom two towels. Closing the door quietly, I straight up and flush the toilet before turning on the tap.
"Upstairs," I call down to him, saying a silent thank you for the even tone my voice holds. I slowly start washing my hands as I unconsciously count the steps that creak under his weight.
1…2…3…
I rinse the soap off my hands.
4…5…6…
I turn the water off and grab the hand towel off the rack next to the sink.
7…8…9…
Hanging the towel up on the rack again, I walk out of the hallway where he's coming up the last few steps.
"Hey," I greet him as I glance down to the bag in his hand.
"Hey," he grins before leaning in to kiss me. When he pulls away, he holds up the bag. "Here." I take it from him with a smile and peek inside to see the brand and size I normally use.
"Thank you; this is perfect," I smile before taking it to the bathroom. I stop at the doorway and breathe deep before turning and walking back towards him. I reach up and kiss his cheek before smiling and walking back to the bathroom. Now that I've let him kiss me, I've got to make sure he thinks I'm actually warming up to the idea. Only a few more house. I can do this.
I shut the bathroom door behind me and take the box out of the bag. Now, I'm not about to use one of these; that would be insanely uncomfortable. But I have to make it look believable. So, I take a tampon out and put it out of the applicator and into the toilet. I shove the plastic tube back into the packaging and discard it into the trash bin. After flushing the toilet, I wash my hands one more time. I know he's waiting outside the bathroom door because I haven't heard the creaking floorboards.
Once my hands are dried, I meet him out in the hallway again and offer a small smile. He grins and pulls me to him one I'm close enough. Swallowing thickly, I let my hands rest on his chest and look up at him. He stares down at me for a moment and I breathe in deep, and I silently curse as my breath shakes a bit. Hoping he didn't notice, I lean up to kiss him again but his expression has already changed. The grin disappears and is replaced with suspicion as his hand comes up under my chin. His fingers grip the skin around my bottom jaw as his hand tilts my head up. I wince at the sharp movement and digging fingers as my hand goes to his wrist.
"James, that hurts," I whimper, my jaw trembling a bit.
"You're playing me," he accuses, his eyes narrowing to slits.
"Wh-what?" I stutter out. "Of course, I'm not playing you," I insist. In a flash, my back is flush against the wall and his hand has lowered to my neck. I gasp for air as his fingers grip tightly as his hand presses me harder against the wall.
"How are we going to work if you're going to lie to me?" He spits through gritted teeth. I gulp as I try to bring in enough air and I can feel his fingers pressing even deeper into my flesh. "How can I trust you if you lie to me?" he practically screams as his hand hits to wall to emphasize the last several words in his question. Flinching, I kick my foot into his knee and his hand releases me as he cries out in pain. I stumble away from him, coughing hoarsely as air rushes into my lungs.
Before I can get too far, his hand clamps around my arm and yanks me backwards. I let out a yelp as I crash into his hard body. I try to yank my arm away but his fingers lock around my upper arm, pinching the skin on the inner side.
"You're still stuck on that cop aren't you?" he yells. I bring the heel of my hand up to his nose and he lets me go again, crying out as blood starts to drain from his nostrils. It wasn't hard enough to break it, but it's definitely going to hurt for a bit. I take my opportunity to run from him back towards the bathroom. My escape can't wait. I need to go now. I'm terrified to think of what will happen if I don't. I slam the bathroom door shut before dashing the few feet to the window. It takes all my strength to get the window to even budge and I struggle to lift it at all. The window groans and creaks in protest as I force it upwards. Once it's far enough up for me to get through, I waste no time in sliding through so I'm sitting on the ledge. James bursts into the bathroom, screaming my name when he realizes what I'm doing. I glance down at the ground and realize I didn't really think this through very well. It has to be a fifteen foot drop at least and I haven't thought about how I'm going to drop down. I don't have time to think now, either.
As I start to pull my first leg out, he grabs it and yanks it back inside. Letting out a scream, I kick against his gripping hand. I land a kick at his elbow and he releases me abruptly. The force I used to kick him pushes me backwards and off the ledge. Before I have time to scream, my side hits the ground and the wind is knocked out of me. Pain radiates through my side and my hand flies to the spot as I roll onto my back.
"Bella!" James' pained voice calls through the window but when I look up, he's gone. Rolling over onto my stomach, I wheeze as I try to catch my breath. I have to move. I have to go now if I have any chance of getting away. Pushing myself up, I stumble a few steps as I try to bring in enough air for me to move quickly. I run as fast as my legs will take me away from the house.
"Bella!" James calls again. "Don't forget, Baby! If I can't have you, no one can!"
EPOV
Charlie calls me into the station to day after the candlelight vigil Alice insisted on having on Bella's behalf. Seeing as she hasn't been found yet, she claimed it would give some closure but, to be honest, it just made me even more pissed at the situation.
People from town and the Reservation all showed up to show their support and grievances for Bella and it beyond frustrated me. It's only been a few days. I haven't even let myself fully accept this and Alice threw this vigil together as if it were another planning job. And then everyone just came and cried and talked about her and just accepted that she's gone. It's fucking infuriating.
Mom and Dad were even there, too. They'd only met her once and they were there. Mom hugged me and cried and I couldn't even do anything besides stand there.
After that initial night, I haven't been able to let myself feel anything. I haven't been to work. I haven't slept much. Hell, I haven't even eaten much. I can't even look at my beer or whiskey without feeling just sheer hopelessness. While she wasn't in my life for long, she made a goddamn impact on everything. And I'm just numb to it now.
The state officers strictly forbid us from joining the search for James or doing any work that involves James or Bella. That's part of the reason I've been taking time off. I don't think I can actually go into work and not try to figure out where James went. He has to be around here somewhere, right? I mean, I guess he doesn't have to be and Washington isn't necessarily a small state, but it's like I can feel it. He has to be around here.
I walk into the station and towards the cubicles, fighting the urge to turn around when I feel everyone's eyes on me. Crowley gets up and walks over to me and I frown, really not wanting this encounter. He's one of the only people that didn't come to the vigil last night because it interfered with the night shift.
"Hey, Man, I'm sorry about—"
"Shut the fuck up, Crowley," I frown irritably. After a beat, I close my eyes and sigh, shaking my head. "I didn't mean that. Thank you."
Crowley nods and claps a hand on my shoulder. "She was kind of great, you know?"
That's something everyone has been saying, too. I know it's just an expression and they're not actually knocking on how amazing she was but the kind of phrases are what's been on the top of my annoyances. She wasn't kind of anything. She was amazing. She was kind. She was great, beautiful, magnificent, loving. Dammit, she was here and I took it for granted. All of it. Every adjective that described her. And I can almost dismiss the adjectives but the she was part is what really gets me. The finality of her being past tense is enough to make me sick.
"Yeah, she was," I say, the words leaving a sour taste in my mouth. "Excuse me," I say as I slide past him, practically fleeing from the encounter. It only takes a few strides to get to Chief's door and I knock twice before letting myself in. He looks up form his computer and motions for me to sit. I do as he says, noticing he looks different than he has the last few days. almost gleeful; or as gleeful as you can be when you're mourning your daughter.
"They found him. They fucking found him, Cullen," he says, elation filling every word. I let what he said sit for a moment, settling into my chest and mind. It's like a small, fractional amount of weight has been lifted and for the first time in days I feels something besides dread and numbness. They found him. We could finally figure out where Bella is.
"Where," I ask breathlessly.
"He has a cabin about a half hour from here. They're going tonight. You and I are going, too."
"What? They said—"
"Forget what they said. I say we're going."
"Charlie, with all due respect—"
"I am going to be there when the bring that son of a bitch to the cruisers. I'm not going up to the cabin or interfering but I will fucking be there." I pause to think about this. I mean, it would be satisfying as hell to see this fucker escorted to the precinct to be questioned, but I have to think of my job, too. Is this really worth risking my career?
"I'll be there," I nod, nerves settling into my gut. Charlie gives me a knowing smirk and holds his hand out. I take it and his steely grip squeezes a little tighter than usual.
"We're getting this bastard," he announces triumphantly.
Waiting the rest of the day makes the day move on atrociously slow. I can't even do anything besides picture how this arrest is going to play out. And then I start picturing the worst-case scenarios. What if he isn't there? What if he slips through our fingers again? What it he's taken his own life and we never find out what actually happened to Bella? How can I carry on with zero answers? How do I spend the rest of my life knowing that I will never know what happened to her or where she is?
I spend most of the day in bed as these thoughts rip through my mind, flowing in and out of consciousness as they do. At some point, a light flicks on in the room and I groan, pulling my pillow over my head. A pattering of footsteps sounds as whoever it is makes their way over to my bed.
"Get up," Alice's voice demands sternly.
"I'm sleeping," I grumble.
"No, you're wallowing. I know this is hard, Edward," she starts but I don't let her finish because this is another annoyance at the top of my list.
"No, Alice, you don't know," I say testily as I push myself up. "You don't know how hard this is. You were friends with her, yes. But I spent every damn moment possible with her. So much so that she's everywhere and nowhere and I can't fucking do anything without having some memory come back to haunt me. So, I'm going to lay ere and sleep so I don't have to fucking think about the fact that my girl isn't coming home to me." Alice stares at me just as irritably as I do her and I know I should feel bad for erupting on her and basically saying that her hurt from this is lesser than mine. And I know I'm basically gatekeeping the right to being crushed by this but I can't bring myself to feel the bad yet. It's just another piece of guilt that will be added to the pile of it that I'll let myself feel eventually.
"Are you done?" she asks but I don't answer. I know it's rhetorical. I just at her instead. "I get that you're hurting, Edward, but you can't just sleep it away. You have a support system that you've been pushing to the side. Riley is confused because not only is Bella no longer coming around but you've stopped, too. It's only been a few days, yeah, but he's picked up on it. He misses his uncle." Now that's something that softens my irritation. Sighing, I look down at my pillows and nod.
"I'm sorry," I whisper. "Tell him I'll come over tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay, but you need to get out of bed and shower. No more moping, Edward, I mean it. It's not doing you any good."
Nodding, I get off the bed and head towards the bathroom. She's right. As much as I hate to admit it. It hurts like hell but I can't let it monopolize my life. After shutting the door behind me, I start the shower with a resigned sigh.
After my shower, I'm about to text Charlie to tell him I've changed my mind when I find a banner notification from my photo app. Two months ago. Curiosity gets the best of me and I open it to find pictures of Bella and me on my couch. She was in one of her photogenic moods and ended up using my phone to take a plethora of pictures. I scroll through them, missing the way her body felt flush against my back as she pressed the side of her head against mine. Her arms caged me in the best way as she extended them out over each of my shoulders and in front of us. There's a small handful of pictures like these with us making various faces. What started out serious, with us smiling nicely, quickly turned playful as she started making faces and pressing kisses to my cheek. I smile as I remember catching her off guard when I turned my head so my lips captured hers as she went to kiss my cheek. After a little heated make out session, she resumed taking pictures where I'm half on top of her and half on the couch. Those didn't last long either once I started kissing her neck.
Breathing deep, I turn the screen off and pocket the phone before slipping my shoes on and heading to my car. the early afternoon brought rain with it and it's been steadily falling since. Now with the evening coming in, puddles fill the roadways and the sky shows no sign of clearing up.
The short drive up to the precinct is accompanied only by the sound of my windshield wipers working overtime and rain pelting my car in droves. I park next to Charlie's idling cruiser and quickly leave my car and slide into his. He looks over at me as I fasten my seatbelt, a mixture of excitement and uncertainty filling his eyes.
"You sure you want to come? I can't promise there won't be consequences."
"Charlie, I've done nothing but think about this all day. I'm going to regret it if I don't go."
"You didn't bring any equipment, right?" he asks and I know immediately he's talking about my gun.
"I'm not on duty," I shake my head. "I don't have anything."
"Good." With that, he pulls out of the parking lot and drives out of town. The old-time country station laments through the speakers in some ballad I'm unfamiliar with, which isn't unusual seeing as I don't listen to this kind of music. I can't even name the artist that sings this song. The music seems to set Charlie at ease, though, as he softly drums his thumbs to the beat of the song.
Turning my attention out my window, I watch the trees fly by as we head further into the forested areas outside of town. It's all highway driving to get to his cabin, or what I'm assuming is a cabin, based off what Charlie said. He parks at the end of the drive where three other cruisers are before killing the engine. I can't see the cabin from the end of the long driveway but knowing it's there and that James is up at the end of it makes my hands tighten into fists.
It doesn't take long before we're spotted, seeing as we're the only cruiser that isn't from State. As McCade practically stomps over to us, we get out to meet him.
"The hell do you two think you're doing?" he spits. "I gave you a direct order that you are not to be anywhere near this case."
"That sorry excuse for a man up there very likely killed my daughter," Charlie says vehemently as he jabs a finger towards the driveway. "I may not be able to apprehend him myself but I'll be damned if I don't see someone else do it. I'm not interfering. I'm going to be right here by my cruiser."
"Absolutely not," McCade answers, his tone matching Charlie's. "This is an active investigation, not a matinee, and I can't have," he lectures but my attention is turned to movement up the driveway. I turn to see what it is and my legs about give out as I process what I'm seeing. She stops as she sees everyone, her bare feet stilled in a puddle. Her hair is dripping wet and her clothes are on the verge of becoming drenched as they stick to her body. She's soaking wet and she's here and she's alive and she's coming towards me. It's her. It's really her.
BPOV
The rain weighs me down a bit and I have to keep pushing my hair out of my face as I go. This driveway is way too damn long and I feel more and more panic rising up in my chest with the further I go. I glance back behind me and am shocked to not see James behind me. Slowing down is tempting as my side screams at me to follow through with the thought but my mind tells me that as soon as I slow down, he's going to show up and I won't be able to get away. There's no way he's going to just give up and let me go.
After who knows how long, I can finally see the end of the driveway. Slowing down, I see four police cars idling at the end of the drive and a powering wave of relief floods through me. I come to a stop, breathing heavy as it starts to set in. I'm free. I'm finally—
That's when I see him. Or, them, really. The two people who tried to keep me safe and I fought them on it. Dad's arguing with another cop, completely oblivious to my approach but Edward sees me and it absolutely breaks my resolve to keep the relieved tears at bay. I can't even put into words the expression his face holds, there's so much disbelief and shock. My eyes lock onto his as we start to hurry towards each other.
"Bella," he breathes out as the distance closes between us. I lock my arms around his neck as a sob shakes through my body and his arms wrap around my torso. Fire sears into my side as I rip myself away, a pained cry escaping me.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" he rushes out as his hands inspect my sides. He gently lifts my shirt to reveal the start of a large purple bruise on my ribs. "Fuck," he breathes out but the last thing I want is for him to focus on that.
"I'm okay," I murmur as my hands find his cheeks to gently lift his face so his eyes are fixated on mine again. Those emerald orbs that I only hoped I could see again. That straight nose that fits so perfectly when pressed against mine. His lips that I can barely keep myself from kissing. The beard that he loves to rub along my neck because it gets a rise out of me. My Edward. Right in front of me.
"Bella!" Dad's voice calls, breaking up this brief moment. Dropping my hands from Edward's face, I turn to him and hug him around his middle tightly as he approaches. His arms wrap around my shoulders, one hand stroking my hair.
"I'm so sorry," I cry as I pull away. "You were right."
"Stop," he frowns as his hand continues to run over my wet hair, smoothing it back out of my face as he looks at me. "This isn't your fault." I nod as I pull away completely before turning back to Edward. I can't physically stay away from him any longer and I close the space between us, pressing my face into his shoulder. His hands roam my back as if he's making sure I'm actually here. I feel his hands stiffen on my body a fraction of a second before James' voice calls out to me.
"Bella! Baby!" he calls and I turn to him at the same time an officer calls out, "Gun!"
Everything after that happens so fast. My eyes spot the gun in James' hand that's pointed our way as I'm shoved to the side. The bang of the gunfire rings out, piercing through the sound of the rain. Dad's arms grab me and bring us to the ground as more rounds fire off. Screaming fills the air as I cover my ears, only to realize the screams are coming from me as they radiate through my head.
As quickly as the commotion started, it stops and the only sounds that follow are footsteps and rainfall.
"Cullen," Dad barks out and I lift my head to see him sitting on the ground holding the area where his neck meets his right shoulder. Red oozes out from beneath his hand and between his fingers. My wide eyes travel from his shoulder to his face as my mind tries to catch up with what I'm seeing.
"No!" I scream as I scramble over and drop down next to him. "Let me s-see," I insist, my voice thick and quavering. I gently pull on his arm but his muscles tighten as he stops me from removing his hand.
"You hate blood," he bites out through clenched teeth.
"I need to s-see how bad it is," I argue.
"You don't," he shakes his head. "I don't need you passing out if I take my hand away, Bell," he adds on as Dad hurries over with some gauze. He brings it to the wound as Edward removes his bloody hand, crying out in pain as Dad applies pressure.
"I'm s-sorry," I repeat over and over as I glance down at his bloody hand. The rainwater on the ground mixes with the blood as it streams away from his hand down off the driveway and into the street.
"Stop apologizing," he frowns and I nod as I look over at where Dad is applying pressure to his shoulder. Knowing I'm going to become faint if I keep watching, I look over my shoulder. James' body is on the ground in the driveway and my mind begins to process what that means when Edward calls my attention.
"Hey, look at me. Don't look at him." The demand is gentle and full of concern and I nod, my eyes locked on his, but my mind doesn't stop processing. He's dead. James is dead. He has to be. There's no way he's alive. Not with how many gunshots rang out and how still his body is.
"Breathe," Edward instructs softly and I feel his right hand grab mine as his eyes twitch in a wince. I draw in a deep breath and cringe at the pain in my side before glancing back over at James, unable to stop myself. I don't see him, though. I mean, he's still there, but my eyesight catches an angry looking officer approaching us.
"Goddammit," he spits as he takes a look at Edward. "You two should have never even been here. You know the amount of paperwork I'm going to have to do for your sorry asses? There will be repercussions."
"I think I've already gotten mine," Edward jokes and winces again as Dad applies a bit more pressure.
"Not the time for your charm, Cullen," Dad scolds at the same time I say, "Not funny." He looks over at me with a soft smirk but the paleness in his face takes away from the lightheartedness he's trying to give off.
"Look McCade," Dad sighs. "I get it. We weren't supposed to be here. I'm not going to apologize, though." McCade glares at Dad and Edward for a moment before his expression softens a touch.
"I have a paramedic on the way." As McCade glances down at me, I shift a bit towards Edward. His left arm snakes around my waist protectively, his fingers rubbing soothingly along my thigh.
"You must be Bella," he says as he crouches down as if he's talking to a toddler. "You're going to have a lot of happy people back home. Are you hurt?"
"No," I shake my head.
"Bella, your side," Edward reminds me, as if I could forget the sharp pains reverberating through my ribs every time I inhale.
"I'm okay," I insist, turning my attention to him. "It's just a bruise." I don't say it, but there's no way I'm leaving his side now that I have him back. Especially seeing as he's actually hurt.
"I think we should get you at least checked over, Bells," Dad advises softly.
"I'm okay," I repeat, turning my gaze to him. "Honestly," I add on as he and Edward exchange a brief look. Before either of them can push it any further, we hear the wail of an ambulance making its way towards us.
"Ow, fuck, Charlie!" Edward groans as Dad adds another gauze pad onto his wound and adds pressure. I grab Edward's hand in mine and squeeze it lightly.
"What, do you want me to let you bleed out?" he quips back. My gaze returns to Edward's face to see it's paled a bit more, especially in his lips. His wet hair flops down to his eyes and I reach up and push it back. His eyes meet mine and a lazy grin forms on his face.
"How're you feeling?" I ask nervously.
"Not the worst day I've had," he shrugs and winces. His words are becoming heavy, as if he's on the verge of slurring them.
"Stop moving, Cullen," Dad scolds a bit. The wailing of the ambulance cuts out as the vehicle parks at the end of the driveway, a few yards away from us. As the paramedics bring over a stretcher, Edward gives my hand a squeeze before letting go to begin picking himself up from the ground. I quickly scramble to my feet and help him, pulling him up the best I can by his good arm and shoulder. The effort of support his weight as he stands sends shooting pains through my side and I do my best to ignore them but I know Dad caught the grimace in my face. My eyes meet his and he gives me a hard look.
Edward's unsteady on his feet and it's then that I realize just how much blood he lost. I'm not sure if the wet ground makes it look worse than it actually is, but I'm realizing that his shirt is soaked in blood, too. He's right, too; I'm not good with blood. He cut himself shaving one time and I about fainted. This is so much more than that and I have to turn my attention back to his face in order to stop the blood draining from mine.
The paramedics work quickly to help Edward onto the stretcher, one of them taking over for Dad and applying pressure to the wound. I move to follow them as they walk towards the ambulance but Dad's hand grabs mine. I look down at our joined hands before looking up at him.
"Do you really think going with him is a good idea?" he asks, also well aware of my aversion to blood.
"I'm not leaving him," I say as I gently pull my hand away. "I'll meet you at the hospital." His eyes search mine for a moment before he nods and I turn to rush towards the ambulance, hopping inside with Edward and the two paramedics. I sit on the bench along the side of the truck and grab Edward's good hand. He turns his head to look at me and flashes me the lazy grin again.
"Hey," I give a small smile as I run my fingers through his hair.
"Hey," he replies. "Remember when I said I'd take a bullet for you?" he smirks and I groan.
"You weren't supposed to actually do it," I frown.
"Never again," he chuckles a bit before wincing as the paramedics work. I glance over at his shoulder but Edward squeezes my hand quickly. Looking back at his face, I see it's filled with a knowing look. I smile apologetically before pushing his hair back again.
"I love you," I sigh and his grin lights up his face.
"I love you too," he grins. I watch, again, as the paramedics work. They hook him up to IVs and a blood transfusion as they check his vitals.
"You're going to make yourself pass out if you keep looking at the blood," Edward scolds lightly and I bring my eyes back to his again. He smiles a bit and it's easy to see that they have pain medicine working through his system. His eyes are quickly becoming hooded and his smile is even lazier than before.
"You feeling good?" I ask with a teasing smile as my hand finds his cheek and my thumb rubs along the cheekbone.
"Sunshine and rainbows, Babe," he grins. I laugh, my heart fluttering a bit, the feeling of being able to laugh sends even more relief through my body.
It doesn't take long for us to get to the hospital and I follow the paramedics as they wheel Edward into the building. I'm told to stay in the waiting area and then they leave, wheeling him away past some double doors that create too real of a barrier between us. And them I'm alone. And I process. And breathe heavy. And my legs give out as I stumble to a chair. And they tingle along with my hands. And I sit and rock and breathe heavy. And I think. And I'm alone. And I'm—
"Bella," Dad's voice calls, his hands gripping my shoulders firmly before pulling my hands from my hair. The adrenaline that's been pumping through my veins has completely died out and I'm left feeling everything. His arms wrap around me as I struggle through my panic attack. The pain in my side is an afterthought to the anxiety seeping into every crevice of my body. I'm unsure how long we sit there but Dad holds me and whispers soothingly into my ear as he rubs my back, reminding me to breathe deep and that I'm safe. As the panic starts to die down, it's replaced by sobs and the pain in my side as they leave my body comes to the forefront of my mind now. I struggle to bring in enough air as the sobs wrack through my body as all I can think about is what happened these last few days.
"I shouldn't have fought you on having Tyler follow me," I hiccup through my tears as my sobs control a bit.
"That doesn't matter anymore, Bels. All that matters is that you're here and you're safe." I nod as I wipe freshly fallen tears. We sit for another few minutes as I continue to control the tears and tail end of my hyperventilation.
"Bella!" Mom's voice wails as she hurries into the waiting room. I stand and close the distance between us, hugging her to me tightly. She grabs my face in her hands once we pull away, looking at me as if she's unsure I'm actually here. Once she's satisfied, a new round of tears falls down her face.
The next hour is a blur of reunions with my siblings, Alice, and Esme, and then collective worry as we wait for news about Edward. by the time we've all settled into seats around each other, I'm exhausted. Mentally, emotionally, physically exhausted. Rose's hand squeezes against mine and I smile over at her, unable to stop the pang of guilt that washes over me. She should be on her honeymoon right now, not sitting here look as tired as I feel. I can't even imagine what these last few days were like for all of them. If I hadn't been so stubborn—
"Stop beating yourself up," she whispers knowingly. I look down at my lap, smiling shyly as blush coats my cheeks.
"I can't help it," I mumble. "You should be in Florida."
"Florida will always be there," she says simply. I nod before my attention is pulled to the double doors as they swing open. Carlisle strolls out looking completely in his element, as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening. Esme stands and walks over to him as we all watch. He rubs his hand up and down her back as he smiles and speaks to her before taking her hand and coming over to us.
"Edward's alright. You all can take turns going in to see him," he announces before turning to me. "Except for you. I'm under strict orders to not let you in until you get checked out." I frown and am about to protest but realize I won't get far. Edward's just as stubborn as I am.
"Fine," I sigh as I stand, dropping Rose's hand. I pick up the bag with clothes that she brought for me and follow Carlisle back to a room.
"Get changed, you must be uncomfortable. Just open the door when you're ready and we'll get you checked over, okay?" he asks gently. I nod and watch as he walks out and shuts the door behind him.
I unzip the bag and pull out the comfortable clothes she Rose brought me. Shimmying out of my damp pants and underwear, I pull on the sweatpants she packed. Taking my shirt off takes a bit more effort because stretching my right arm over my head creates an angry ripping pain in my side. It takes me a few moments but I figure out how to get it off. I take the bra off, too, for the first time in days and my breasts actually ache from the lack of restriction. Groaning, I pull the sweatshirt on and slip my arms into the sleeves. I walk over to the door and open it.
Carlisle pushes himself off the wall across from the door and smiles as he walks inside. He motions for me to sit on the bed and I step up on the platform before settling on the crinkly paper-covered bed.
"Now, I've heard about your side from my son, but I want to know what else hurts. We're going to do an X-ray on your side but I need to know I need to assess anything else."
"Nothing is as bad as my side. I…fell," I admit, biting my cheek as memories of my fall flash through my mind.
"Alright, let's see your side," he says as he walks over to the side of the exam bed. "Lift your shirt, please," he smiles. I lift it up to just under my breasts and hold my arm up so he can see the bruising. His fingers gently prod as he mumbles an apology at his cold fingers. I wince against the soft pressure, sucking in air between my teeth.
"Yeah, we'll definitely need an X-ray," he muses as he straightens back up. I drop my shirt as I nod. "Before we go; is there any reason I need to bring in an OBGYN?" he asks and I shake my head quickly.
"No, nothing like that happened," I assure him.
"Good. Come on, let's go get the X-rays." I hop off the bed and follow him out of the room and down a few hallways. "Now, I'm required to ask; I promise I'm not trying to pry. Is there any chance you could be pregnant?"
"No," I shake my head again, blushing a bit. It's a weird feeling having my ex-boyfriend's father ask about that but I know he's just covering the bases.
He guides me into a room and positions me at the X-ray machine. After he leaves the room, he speaks over an intercom and walks me through everything the machine is going to do. I have to admit, if he wasn't talking me through this, my anxiety would be running rampant. It's nice to have this voice putting me at ease.
The X-rays don't take longer than ten minutes, thankfully. Carlisle comes back into the room once they're done as escorts me out.
"All we need to do now is wait for the X-rays to develop. It shouldn't be too long."
"Okay," I say as I follow him back down the hall. I'm dreading having to sit in that room alone while I wait for them to develop. The last thing I want right now is to be alone, fearing that it will cause my anxiety to flare up again.
"How about you wait in here," Carlisle smirks as he motions to an open door. Glancing in, I feel my heart begin to beat faster as I see Edward in the bed. He looks up at the sound of Carlisle's voice and his face breaks out into a grin.
"Thank you," I smile at Carlisle before walking in. I make my way over to Edward as he maneuvers awkwardly to sit up more.
"No, don't strain yourself," I frown as I sit in the chair next to his bed.
"I'm alright," he insists. "How are you? Honestly." He reaches over and grabs my hand gently, linking our fingers together and I bring my other hand to sandwich his between both of mine.
"I'm okay," I say as I stare at our hands.
"Bella," he says and I don't even have to look to know he's frowning. I do look, though, because I don't want to waste any time not looking. I've spent the last few days not knowing when or if I'd be able to look at him again and I'm not going to take it for granted.
"I'm here. With you. I'm okay." He studies me for a few moments, trying to read my expression and find any unspoken words that may lie there.
"I was leaving to come to your house that night," I say, nerves bunching in my stomach. He continues to look at me, waiting patiently for me to carry on. "After the wedding, I didn't want to waste anymore time. I was stupid for pushing you away for so long. I wanted you and I was trying to stop myself from wanting you and it was stupid and pointless and was only hurting both of us. I realized that at some point during the wedding and I decided I was done pushing my feelings aside. I wanted to go to your house and take your shirt back and make things right with us."
"I think your note said something about that," he whispers as a mixture of pain and sadness take over his face. I drop his hand and move to sit on the edge of the hospital bed.
"I am so sorry," I say as I pick his hand up again.
"Stop apologizing," he frowns again.
"I'm serious," I insist as I give his hand a gentle squeeze.
"I am too. You didn't do it because you wanted to."
"I just don't know how I can make this up to you," I whisper, looking down at my lap.
"Come here," he says as he drops my hand and shifts over a bit. He pats the spot on the bed next to him and I hesitate a beat before shifting to sit next to him. He wraps his arm around my back, pulling me close, and I feel myself completely relax into him as I lay my head on his shoulder.
"You have nothing to make up for. But, if you insist; you being alive is making it up to me," he says softly. "Have you here, relatively unharmed is perfect," he adds on. I nod, breathing deep as I let my fingers explore his chest and stomach.
"You still sunshine and rainbows?" I smile after a few moments and he chuckles.
"I did say that, didn't I?"
"Sunshine and rainbows, Babe," I recite as butterflies flit around in my stomach and he laughs. His fingers roam haphazardly up and down my arm as we sit silently for a bit.
"Not letting me see you until I got my side checked was a low-blow, Cullen," I point out after a while as I sit up to look at him.
"How else was I going to convince you to get it checked? He smiles unapologetically.
"I would have gotten it checked out eventually if it didn't stop hurting."
"Bella, it looked bad," he says with a quirked eyebrow and I frown.
"No, you're doing that too much," he says as he reaches for my face and pushes at the sides of my lips with his fingers.
"Stop," I laugh as I push his hand away. Smiling, he takes my hand in his and links our fingers again.
"How is your side?" he asks curiously.
"Sore," I shrug. "Your dad took X-rays."
"Good, with how that bruise looked, I'm worried you've cracked a rib."
"You know, last I checked, you weren't a doctor," I quip as I raise an eyebrow. He looks at me, a bit wide-eyed, apparently stunned silent. "Oh, come on, it can't be too soon to joke about that." His expression relaxes a bit and he groans in relief. A smile spreads on my lips as I reach over to his face and rub my thumb along his cheekbone and press my palm to his cheek.
"I missed you," I whisper.
"You have no idea how much I missed you," he replies with a smile. I lean in to kiss him but stop just short, making sure he wants me to. I don't have to wait even a second before he lifts his lips to mine. I bring my other hand to rest on his other cheek as his arm snakes around my waist. Our lips move in sync as if we hadn't gone weeks without doing this.
Before we can deepen it, Edward pulls away slightly.
"I love you," he murmurs before pressing another kiss to my lips.
"I love you," I echo. "And I trust you." He pulls away even further as his face breaks into a grin.
"Say it again," he demands lightly.
"I trust you," I smile. His lips press against mine again.
"Again," he whispers against my lips.
"I trust you," I breathe out into our kiss.
Hey everyone!
This one was a doozy to write. I mean, the words flowed easily, but finding the time to do so was not! I ended up writing the last ten pages on my phone because I didn't have access to my laptop and then had to type it up onto the laptop when I finally had access! But, nonetheless, here it is!
What did you think? Let me know in the reviews!
Until next time,
Twilight What?
