Author's note; Your reactions to the last chapter were off the scale. Thank you so much! There's so much hate for Jake and Leah - which I love. I'm very protective of this Bella- as is Edward. If you felt that way then, wait till you see what the dog is up to next ...

Chapter 8

"Well, Isn't this cozy," a familiar voice grunts.

Pulling away slightly, Edward's hands remain locked on my waist, keeping me close. His hands run up and down my sides. He's calming me, but equally working me up at the same time. His closeness does things to me that just feels … right.

"Can we talk?" Jake asks.

Edward growls, his grip tightening. Then, looking up, I tell him, "It's okay, Edward. If you can make a start on the first load we already boxed up, that would be really great … I'll deal with this." I gesture towards Jake, and Edward grimaces.

I appreciate his protectiveness, I really do, but I need to deal with Jake on my own. I can't be relying on Edward for everything. This is my problem. Not his. The smile Edward sends my way tells me he understands too. He leans in, kisses my cheek before making his way across the room. Jake sneers when Edward brushes past him.

Real mature. What did I ever see in him?

"Didn't take you long to move on," Jake goads.

I glare across at him. "For real, you seriously want to go there?"

Moving past him, I walk to the dresser because I have to start somewhere- just not the wardrobe where her underwear lies mocking me.

Pulling open the first drawer, I start loading my stuff into a box. "What are you doing here anyway?" I ask as I get to work sorting through the contents of the dresser. Jake remains silent, but I can feel his eyes on me.

"I thought you were away." I turn around, and he's shuffling on his feet, a sheepish look on his face.

"Yeah, well … plans changed," he shrugs. I see the sign now; I know what I'm looking for. I know that look; it's the one he wears when he's in the doghouse or feeling sorry for himself.

"Oh, let me guess," I laugh sarcastically. "You guys fought, and your lovely romantic weekend away is ruined." I have no sympathy for him whatsoever.

Silence …

Oh, this is great. He's only here because she pushed him away.

Jake comes over sheepishly. All I think is, how did I ever find him so attractive?

"So, you and that guy…" his words hang in the air. He's waiting for an explanation, but I won't give him one.

"That's none of your business," I tell him before getting back to emptying another drawer. Thankfully, there's very little left, so this shouldn't take too long.

"It is if we were to have a chance of making a go of this."

Spinning around to face him, my eyes pop out comically. I'm sure I resemble a Disney character as I stare at Jake in disbelief.

"Are you for real ... seriously, you want to go there … now, in the same room I walked in on you fucking her!" I snap, my temper getting the better of me - understandably so.

Despite the glare I'm sending his way, Jake comes over slowly … cautiously.

He's trying to read my reaction, and I'm too shocked to do anything when he reaches out and starts running his hand up and down my arm. Back in the day, his touch raised goosebumps on my skin. Right now, I actually feel nothing.

"We are good together, Bells."

I grimace before shoving his hands away. Only Charlie gets to call me that …

"Please," I laugh sarcastically. "We were so good you cheated on me."

Jake shakes his head, reaching for me again if I push him away.

"I miss you … I still love you." He steps closer - apparently, he hasn't learned his lesson from last time. He's too close for comfort, and I take a step back until I'm against the wall.

"Why throw away what we had," he pleads.

Really, he wants to go there!

"Don't tell me you don't miss me at all."

Oh please. What a self-obsessed, arrogant prick!

"Not at all." It's the truth, and Jake is clearly delusional for thinking I would even consider forgiving him.

"We had something good, Bella," he says, which is the final straw, and I let rip.

"Then why did you cheat on me? If you truly loved me like you say you do, you wouldn't have strayed … you wouldn't have hurt me the way you did. You were only thinking of yourself, which is what I'm doing now."

Confronting Jake is a long time coming. It's liberating to have the closure I didn't know I needed by telling him exactly what I think of him.

"I'm better off without you."

"Because of him," he sneers.

"Yes, Edward is good for me." Even his name draws a smile to my lips.

"You're fucking around already. It didn't take you long to move on."

I'm tempted to tell him to go fuck himself and remind him what a hypocritical dick he's being given everything that happened. That my life is mine and none of his business, but what's the point. He's hitting out, and I'm done even being in the same room as him.

I owe him nothing.

"Whatever, I'm done," I say simply. I don't need to explain myself, least of all to him, of all people.

"Goodbye, Jake," I move to go past him, but he's faster and pushes me against the wall. His one hand wraps around my neck, not in an aggressive way. There's no pressure, no force. Almost the exact opposite. His thumb strokes my skin softly … almost relevantly, but it's anything but attractive.

"You're mad; I get it, but you feel this too. I know you do." Jake presses his body against mine, rubbing against me, letting me know exactly how he feels … how excited he is.

The feeling isn't mutual. No attraction or desire. There's nothing at all except awkwardness and discomfort. "You're delusional, Jake; now let me go." I'm pushing on him, and I'm a second away from kneeing him in the balls when the door slams and an angry voice calls out.

"Get the fuck off her!"

Glancing across the room, my eyes land on Edward, who looks like he's about to explode. His eyes are angry, and his fists clenched.

Oh shit, this isn't going to end well.

Authors note; There we have it. Jake is insane for thinking Bella would take him back. Edward is furious at Jake for touching his Bella. And Bella got closure and a hunky man standing up for her. Win-win!

I'd love to know your thoughts on this chapter. Maybe it seem as though Jake got off lightly. That isn't the case. This isn't over yet ...

Check back on Monday for the fallout.