Chapter 14

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Songs: Love Somebody by Maroon 5, Falling for You by Colbie Caillat.

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I sat down on the plush couch, staring at the large remote. It was actually more the size of a small tablet, and it controlled the TV, sound system, and lights. He had given me the rundown on how to operate it, but it was still daunting, and I'd only been half paying attention to it. I was imagining him taking me up against those glass windows. He had pushed me up against them just this morning, right after telling somebody on the phone that I was just pussy, nothing important. Now, while I wanted to just go off on him about this, I was trying to find the right way to bring it up. Edward and I had gotten a lot closer in the past few weeks, let alone days, so it didn't make sense. Coming at Edward the wrong way had a tendency to get him to shut down. I shoved the thoughts out of my head because, for right now, I just wanted to relax. Edward wasn't home, but he told me to make myself at home until he got back from whatever he was doing.

After my disastrous date with Alec, and I'd told him that I would come back to DarkStrip, we woke up the next day with Edward declaring that we were going to stay at his house. I expected a nice tidy apartment that was cold and bare like he used to be. I was so very wrong.

He not only lived in a penthouse, but the whole left side of his penthouse was a wall of glass with one of the most beautiful views of Seattle. All the furniture was plush and comfortable. It was very obvious from looking at his entire dwelling that he had a lot of money. There was a lot of eclectic and traditional art hanging all over the place.

I was reminded of when I first thought he had multiple personalities, but now I knew better. Edward was like two different personalities, but I saw them both blended together beautifully. The calculating, demanding asshole and the normal guy who was maybe a little lost, just trying to navigate his feelings, which he had no idea how to handle.

I went upstairs and changed into a T-shirt of Edward's and a pair of sweats that were three times too big for me, causing me to roll down the waist a couple of times. I absently thought how I'd need to go get some more clothes when there was a slamming door downstairs, and I heard Emmett yelling. I also heard swearing from Edward. I ran down the stairs and was stopped cold by the sight in front of me.

Emmett was holding Edward up, and Edward had blood staining his T-shirt. It seemed to be coming from his shoulder. Edward was very pale and looked like he was sweating. Emmett dragged Edward over to the couch, and I went into emergency mode. I'd been certified in CPR and emergency first aid since I was twelve years old. Charlie made me go with him all the time when he had to recertify. I pushed Emmett, who seemed to not know what to do, out of the way. "What the fuck happened?" I asked, ripping Edward's shirt, as it was torn up a lot already, and pulling it off him.

"He got shot," he said simply.

"How the fuck did he get shot?" I asked, stunned.

Emmett started mumbling to himself. I stood up and got in his face, grabbing each side of his head to look at me. "I need towels, gauze, hydrogen peroxide … fuck, any first aid shit you can find. Go get it and get back down here. Got me?" He nodded, and I turned back to Edward. "Edward, I need you to talk to me. No, no closing your eyes. Stay with me, handsome," I said, watching his eyes slip closed.

"Fuck, babe. I'm so tired. Just want to close my eyes …"

"Emmett, hurry up. He's going into shock."

I heard Emmett's thundering steps coming back down the stairs. He dropped his armful of supplies. I had him help me lay Edward down and propped his legs up on pillows. I grabbed a large gauze pad and saturated it with hydrogen peroxide. I got the dried blood cleaned up so I could see where the wound originated. I saw the bullet hole and saw that the bullet hadn't made an exit wound, so it was still there. I grabbed one of the large towels and held pressure on the wound.

"Is he gonna be okay, little one?"

"I'm not a fucking doctor, Emmett, which he needs right now. Why didn't you take him to the hospital? The bullet is still lodged in his shoulder, and this is one of the most dangerous places to get shot because he could bleed out."

"His doctor is on the way."

"Doctors don't make house calls."

"This one does. But when he gets here, I need you to go get stuff from your house. Edward's probably going to need you here 24/7."

"Um, I'm not leaving. I don't care about clothes. I know he'll need me here, and here is where I'll be."

"Does everything need to be a fight with you? Just please. Let the doctor do what he needs, and you can come back. You don't want to see him in pain, do you? He'll have to take the bullet out."

"What are you trying to hide? What happened tonight, Em?" I asked, smacking him on the chest. He was a big guy, so he could take it. "Why the fuck is the man I care about lying on the couch, going into shock? I swear if he dies or anything worse happens to him, I will personally make your life a living hell," I said, continuing to smack him, the tears coming now that I'd done all I could.

He grabbed my hands and held them at my sides. "I know, B. I'm sorry. I tried to get to him in time. He'll be okay." He pulled me into his arms, smoothing my hair down and shushing my cries. He held me like that until I calmed down.

There was a knock on the door, and I sat next to Edward, holding his hand while Emmett went and answered the door. Rose walked in, followed by a man who must have been the doctor. He had a black medical bag and was dressed in scrubs.

I kissed Edward on the forehead and was ushered out of the apartment by Rose, hearing Emmett telling the doctor what I had done and that Edward was going into shock. "Okay, what the hell do you know?" I asked, not in the mood to beat around the bush.

"Whoa! Emmett called me and told me that Edward had been hurt, and you were in no condition to drive, but you needed to get clothes and stuff from home."

I huffed. "I want to know what they're hiding."

"What makes you think they're hiding something?"

"He got fucking shot, Rose. He's a night club owner, so why is he anywhere around guns."

"I have no idea, B. I worked for Edward for a while but honestly knew extraordinarily little about him. Everything changed the moment you walked into DarkStrip, especially him."

Once I got to my place, I grabbed clothes without really looking at them until Rose took pity on me and grabbed the bag I was packing. She dumped out the clothes, repacking the acceptable ones and grabbing new ones. She grabbed my favorite high heels, boots, and slippers and asked if I needed any other shoes. I was wearing my favorite Converse shoes now. I shook my head.

Rose's phone chimed, and she smiled at me. She handed me my bag, and I followed her back out to her car. The drive back to Edward's place was quiet. I was too deep into my thoughts, and Rose was always content to let me be alone with my thoughts when I needed it. I found Rose a lot more relaxing than Alice. I loved the girl, but she was a poster child for ADHD.

When we pulled up to Edward's building, I was a little surprised to see Emmett standing outside. I panicked a little and I was about to get out of the car when Rose stopped me. "B, I know there's something going on between you and Edward. Please, just be careful."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to see you get hurt. When it comes to you, he's a little intense, and I've seen that type of intensity turn to obsession before with guys I've been with. Just be careful."

I knew Rose didn't know Edward like I did. Maybe looking at it from the outside, I could see how she would see it that way. I just nodded. "I will. Thanks, Rose."

I got out of the car and walked over to Emmett. "Em, what's up?"

"He fucking told me to leave. Can I get a ride with you, Rose?"

Rose nodded, and I turned back to Emmett. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, Doc gave him some pain meds and got the bullet out. Stopped the bleeding. Said you'd still need to change his bandages. I'm sorry I'm leaving you alone, B, but he was pissed and didn't want me there anymore."

"Okay. It should be fine. I don't take his shit lying down."

Emmett laughed and nodded. He gave me a hug and slid into the seat I had just vacated.

I shook my head and made my way up to Edward's penthouse. I slid inside quietly and looked in the living room, finding Edward sitting on the couch, eyes closed and quiet. I toed my shoes off and, crawling onto the couch, fisted my hands in his hair. Edward's eyes flew open, and they looked sleepy and glassy. Yeah, he was still doped up.

"Baby, you're here?"

"Yeah, I'm here." I rested my forehead against his. "God, Edward, I was so scared that you weren't going to make it."

He looked confused. "I don't remember."

"I was here, and you started going into shock shortly after Emmett brought you here."

"Emmett said he made you leave," he said, frowning.

I nodded. "Just while the doctor helped you. I went to get some clothes and stuff. I'm gonna stay here for a little bit."

"You gonna nurse me back to health?" he asked, grabbing my hips. I smiled and nodded. "Are there gonna be sponge baths?" He looked excited, then started laughing.

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. Oh, a high Edward. Great. "Are you hungry, or are you too doped up to eat."

He shrugged, and I got up and went to the kitchen. I grabbed a pot from his cupboard. The first couple times I was here, I made sure to familiarize myself with the kitchen. I liked cooking, but the kitchen in my apartment was tiny and not fun to cook in. Edward's wasn't expansive, but it was nicer than mine. I pulled some chicken noodle soup out of the fridge. I'd made it from scratch a few days ago and figured now was the perfect time to finish it off.

I pulled some crackers out of the pantry and ladled two bowls of soup. I found a tray to carry it all to the living room. I looked in the fridge and found a lone Sprite. I would have to get some more groceries soon. With Edward being on painkillers, clear liquids and broths were going to be his best friends for a bit. I loaded the tray with everything and made it back to my patient.

Edward had fallen asleep again. I decided to let him sleep, and I ate my soup in silence, just staring at Edward. I'd deduced from what he had told me in his doped-up stage that Edward had regained consciousness, noticed I wasn't here, and Emmett had told him that he sent me home. I understood now why he'd gotten pissed and told Emmett to leave. It made me think of Rose's earlier words.

While I was horrified that she'd had boyfriends in the past who'd gotten obsessive, I had to wonder if that would ever happen with Edward. I guess it all depended on the type of person you were. I saw how Edward was with other people, and how he was with me. Yes, he was demanding, domineering, stubborn, and possessive, and I fucking loved every bit of it. I never felt unsafe around Edward or that he would lose control and hurt me.

I knew he would hurt anyone who was a threat to me, or he felt I was unsafe with, but I never felt that from him. I wanted to be dominated and possessed by him, and I knew it wasn't easy to deal with me all the time. When I moved to Seattle, I'd been free for the first time, and I wasn't eager to let someone control me ever again. I know that was one reason why Edward and I clashed so much at the beginning. I saw his personality type, made assumptions, and decided that he just wanted to control me, and maybe he was used to getting his way. So, I challenged him.

Edward stirred on the couch, and his eyes slid open, looking at me. "Hey," he said, his voice gravely with sleep.

"Hey. I made you soup."

He perked up immediately and tried to sit up and groaned in pain. I set my bowl down and was up, trying to help. "Here, let me help you. That can't have felt good. Don't use that side, handsome." I grabbed his good arm and elbow, helping to pull him so he could sit upright more. I stuffed a couple pillows behind him, and he looked at the spoon I held out to him helplessly. "Do you need help eating?"

"Well, I'm right-handed, so I can use my hand, but my shoulder is on fucking fire."

I gave him a smile, kissed his jaw, sat next to him, and started to feed him. He ate the entire bowl and half a sleeve of crackers. I laughed at him as he brushed the crumbs off his face. "Okay, according to this prescription and when Em said you were last dosed, you need to take another pill. Before we do that though. I'm getting you up to the bed."

"My head is just starting to not feel as foggy."

"Am I gonna have to slip you meds, Mr. Cullen," I asked, seductively, helping him stand. Again, he gripped my hips and groaned.

"Why you gotta tease me when I'm all fucked up."

I giggled. "'Cause it's fun." I let him lean on me and slowly led him to his bedroom. Once I got him changed into pajama pants and a clean T-shirt, I changed his bandages and gave him his pain medication.

"Will you at least lie here with me until I fall asleep? My head feels all fucked."

"Yeah, I will." I laid down in the bed with him and ran my hands through his hair and along the stubble on his jaw until I heard his breathing even out, and he was asleep. I slid out from underneath him and was out of the room, pulling my phone out of my pocket. I grabbed Edward's phone that had been left downstairs.

I slid up on the screen, and fuck, of course, pin protected. I snooped around some more and saw a calendar on the wall. I flipped through it until I saw "Mom" and a date circled. Hmmm. Couldn't hurt. I tried the 4-digit month and date, and his phone unlocked just like that. I scrolled through his recent calls and saw two names that weren't familiar at all and one was this morning when I overheard him talking. Seamus was the one that stood out to me most. Why was he talking to this guy? I scrolled through his texts, and there wasn't much at all. I locked the phone again, making sure to put it exactly where it was before.

I seriously rethought about picking the lock on the door to his office, but that felt like such a violation. I walked around the living room and found Edward's trench coat laying on the couch. It had been hastily taken off when Emmett had brought Edward home. I picked it up to look at the damage and noticed it seemed oddly heavier than normal. I felt around in the pockets, and my hand brushed up against cold metal. I gripped the object and was surprised when I pulled out a gun.

I laid the object flat in both my hands. There was a silencer attached to it. I knew guns—my dad was a cop—and this was a handgun. My dad made sure I knew how to handle guns because he didn't want me to accidentally shoot myself if I got a hold of one of his guns. I'd been taught how to take them apart and clean them. There was no need for there to be a silencer on this gun. Unless you wanted to catch someone unaware. Before I knew what I was doing, I unscrewed the silencer. Then I took the clip out of the gun and popped the chamber to clear it. Then I turned the safety back on. I put the gun down with shaky hands when I finished disassembling it.

What the fuck was going on? Why did Edward have a gun with a silencer? Oh, my God, this was so fucked up. I sat down on the couch, just staring at the disassembled gun. I mean, one could argue that he had the gun for protection, but he wouldn't need a silencer. Then today, he disappears and shows up shot. That was too much to be a coincidence. It wasn't like I could ask him because he was passed out in bed.

I paced back and forth, passing by the table with the gun a dozen times. I picked up the pieces and went upstairs. I put the pieces of the gun on a pillow and sat down cross-legged on the bed, just scrolling through my phone as I waited for him to wake up. When he started to turn, I lightly woke him up.

When he turned over to snuggle, his hand came in contact with the gun. The way he gripped it in his hand would have scared me if it hadn't been taken apart. The way he held it in his hand was almost intimate. He was familiar with this gun. My stomach dropped. Edward started to wake up more fully, and with the gun in his hand, he turned to look at me. When his eyes locked with mine, he dropped the gun.

When he reached for me, I couldn't help it—I flinched. The pain in his eyes reached me in that moment. I grabbed his hand and put it on my cheek, letting him know that I still trusted him, but I was so confused. My eyes asked the question without talking, and he shook his head. "Bella, please. It's for protection."

"Then why does it need a silencer."

"Because if that fucker Alec comes along, I don't want him to know it's coming." He growled. The look on his face and the gravely quality of his voice should have scared a normal person. It seemed I wasn't normal because I wasn't scared of him. It was terrifying that he could talk about taking someone's life so cavalierly, but I wasn't scared he would hurt me. Edward took the gun and put it on the nightstand on his side of the bed. "Come here," he said, gesturing with his good arm. I slid over to him and tucked myself under his chin. "Are you scared of me, Bella?"

I shook my head. "No, I told you before that I feel safer with you around. I know you would fight with everything you have to make sure I'm safe. I'm worried that you're willing to even kill for me. Killing someone is something you can't take back, Edward. It changes who you are."

"How would you know that, beautiful?"

I shrugged. I couldn't tell him that my dad had killed two people in the line of duty and how much he changed both times. How I had to live with him and his ghosts growing up. That would mean I would have to tell him that my dad was a cop and what I was running from. "I just know people who have had to make that decision to save themselves or people they cared about. I hate what Alec did and what he had planned to do, but please, don't destroy yourself for me." I wasn't deserving of that, not by a long shot. I so desperately wanted to tell him the truth, but I couldn't get my mouth to say it. There was still so much I didn't know about him, and though things had changed drastically between us, his intentions were still unclear to me.

Edward grabbed my chin in his hand and tilted it up to meet his lips. He kissed me like he was trying to consume me. It wasn't angry or sweet but deep and overwhelming. I felt myself melting into him, and I just wanted to stay there with my lips fused to him all night. "You are worth it, every fucking time, Bella. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again. You got me?" he said, his voice hoarse and so profoundly serious. The emotion I saw in his eyes at that moment made me want to cry.

I pulled him into me and laid down with him. He moaned and molded his body to mine. He was partially draped over me, giving his injured shoulder some relief, and that was how we fell asleep, barely moving until early the next morning.

I woke to the sound of swearing and banging. I sat up in bed, not even bothering to let myself wake up slowly. "Edward?"

"Go back to sleep, Bella. I'm just trying to get to the bathroom." I was up and out of the bed, right next to him, helping him. "I hurt my shoulder not my legs," he grumbled.

"Yeah, still messes with your balance, grumpy. Can you hobble in there to pee by yourself?" I asked, smiling up at him sleepily.

"Laugh it up now, Bella, because I will get better, and I won't hesitate to put you over my knee again."

I smiled seductively and got close to him so our bodies were completely in contact with each other. "Do you promise?" I asked, making my voice breathless.

"Woman, you are testing my control."

I pulled away from him. "I know. Isn't it fun?"

He chuckled and went into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. I sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for him. When he opened the door, he shook his head. "I'm not getting back in the bed."

I gave him a fake pout and went over to help him. We slowly made it downstairs, and I tried to get him to sit down, but he refused. In a move that surprised even me, I pulled him onto the couch, without jarring his shoulder, and straddled his lap, effectively making him stay put, sitting down. I fisted my hands in his hair and rested my forehead on his. "You almost died, Edward. I had to watch you go into shock with the scary fucking thought you may never open those green eyes again and challenge me, you maddening, stubborn, demanding man. Don't rob me of the ability to take care of you for a little bit. I'm sure you aren't used to it but embrace it. For me, okay?"

Edward looked a little shocked at my confession, and I used his being stunned to kiss along his jaw and up to those pouty lips I loved so much. He kissed me back with as much enthusiasm. "You know, my doctor did tell me that exercise could help me heal," he said, punctuating his thoughts by thrusting up into me.

I moaned, and it turned into a chuckle. "Nice try, Casanova, but we aren't having sex until you can hold me up while you go down on me."

"Say it with me—lick your pussy," he said simply.

I giggled and shook my head. I got up and went into the kitchen, needing a minute to compose myself. When he said that, it brought back the memory of what he had been talking about over the phone this morning. "As for the delay, sometimes pussy will do that to a man. I was tongue deep, if you get my drift ..." There must have been some response by the other man because he was silent before responding, "That would be an accurate assumption … Just pussy, nothing important." That had been when I had stopped listening. There was no way I could talk with him about it now; he was doped up, and that would also keep us from being intimate, hopefully until we could have it out. He had called this man Liam, so there was another piece to this whole puzzle. I found some snack stuff to munch on. I could have made breakfast, but I just wanted to get some food into him to take more painkillers. I came out with the prescription bottle and the snacks.

"Come on, babe, I'm fine. I'm not in pain," he said while wincing. I raised my eyebrows at him. "I will sit here; I promise not to move. You can even sit on me to make sure. I don't want to be drugged up. I'll tell you if the pain's too much."

We ate a little bit of food, then I laid on the couch, pulling him on top of me to get all the weight off his shoulders. His torso and legs were between my parted legs and his head was resting on my stomach. I ran my hands through his hair as we sat and watched TV.

"So, theoretically, what would a perfect date be for you?" he asked.

"Theoretically? I don't know. I don't like grand gestures. Jacob always tried that shit, and it never showed me how he felt about me. I'm simple really. I love the water and the beach. I don't know, being on the beach at night with someone I really liked with only the moonlight seems pretty perfect to me," I said, looking down at him and locking eyes with him. He gave me an intense stare that made me feel like my soul had been exposed to him. "What?"

"You just surprise me. Sometimes, just when I think I have you figured out, something comes out of your mouth I would never have guessed."

"Keeps it interesting, doesn't it?" I said, teasing. We both chuckled. Edward lifted my shirt and blew a raspberry onto my stomach. I laughed and squirmed, trying to get away from him. He gripped my thighs with an amazing amount of strength, only having one good arm. He crawled up my body, and I moaned, his body sliding against mine.

He cupped my cheek with his good hand and nuzzled my neck with his nose. He kissed me, and I sighed. I was enraptured by this man, and that was when one fundamental truth came to me with finality and suddenness. Despite my better judgement, I was falling head over heels in love with Edward Cullen.

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