AN: Now we hear from Edward, then we have one more full chapter after this one.
Thanks to MeteorOnAMoonlessNight, Midnight Cougar, and ghostreader24. You ladies are wonderful and I'm grateful for everything you do
To all of you who reviewed, favorited, and followed, I love hearing from you, and thank you
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight
Boyfriends of Christmas Past Chapter 15
Summary
A trip back home for the holidays shows Bella everything she didn't know had been missing from her life.
Chapter 15
Edward
Forks just wasn't the same without Bella. Every time I spoke to her, I missed her more, and I couldn't wait for her to move here. It was a little soon, but I wanted to ask her to move into the house as soon as it was finished. After all, we'd known each other for over nine years, and although we'd both changed in the intervening years, there was absolutely no doubt in my mind we were in it for the long haul.
I'd spoken to her each evening, and sometimes during the day too, as well as exchanging texts, but it wasn't the same. I needed her here in my arms.
I was over the moon when she called to tell me her company had agreed to allow her to work from home, and now it was only a matter of finishing up and shipping her belongings. Although I'd helped make room in Charlie's garage for those things, I wanted to feel useful, as if I was doing something toward her move.
Each day that went by, the need to see and touch her became stronger. Eventually, I couldn't take it any longer and decided I wanted to be with her. I looked through the jobs I had coming up and called the few clients I had for next week, pushing those jobs forward. The house build I'd recently signed a contract on wasn't due to begin for another ten days, so there was ample time for me to help Bella and still get back in time for the start.
I wanted to surprise her, but I didn't have a number for Alice or Jasper, the friends she was staying with until it was time for her to leave Los Angeles and come home to me. I drained the last of my coffee, threw on my jacket, and headed out to see Charlie. As I drove past the Swan house, the cruiser wasn't in the driveway, so I guessed he was on duty this weekend and sped past, heading for the station.
"Hey, Karen," I called as I stepped through the double doors. "Charlie in?"
"Yeah, Edward. Go on back; he's in his office."
I tapped on the door, and hearing a quiet, "Come in," pushed it open. "Morning, Charlie."
Charlie stood and reached out to shake my hand. "Morning, Edward. What can I do for you?"
"I've decided I'm going to surprise Bella, and help her pack her things."
Charlie grinned. "I wondered how long it'd take you. What do you need from me?"
"I only have her cell number, and I need to get in contact with Alice and Jasper so I can head on over to their apartment."
"No problem, Edward." He picked up his personal cell and scrolled through his contacts. He reeled off the number, and I plugged it into my phone. "When are you going?"
"Soon as I can arrange a flight; hopefully, today. I'd best head on home and get together a few things. Thanks, Charlie."
I left the station and called the number Charlie had given me on my way home. "Hi, this is Edward Cullen. Am I speaking to Alice?" I asked when a female voice answered.
"Yes, I'm Alice. Hello, Edward; I've heard a great deal about you." She sounded upbeat and excited. "Bella isn't here at the moment, but she'll be back this afternoon. She's only working a half-day today."
"It's you I need to speak to, Alice. I'd like to fly in and surprise Bella and help her finish packing."
"Oh, that's so romantic, Edward. She should be back around two or two-thirty. Do you know what time you'll be here?"
"I haven't booked a flight yet, so I'll text you as soon as I know. Is that okay?"
"Of course it is. You're welcome to stay here with us."
"Thanks, Alice. I'll speak to you soon."
"Perfect, Edward. See you soon."
We completed the call as I drew up in front of the house. Inside, I booted up my laptop and managed to book a flight from SeaTac. I looked at my watch, seeing it was nine, and I needed to be at the airport at around twelve-thirty this afternoon. The estimated arrival time was six this evening, a little later than I wanted, but that couldn't be helped.
I texted the information to Alice, who assured me she'd be there to pick me up.
Most of my clothes were at the house now, since I'd virtually moved in, so I packed a few changes of clothing into a large backpack. I was on the road at ten and pulled into the long-term parking lot at twelve-fifteen, with just over an hour until the flight was due to leave.
I made my way through to check-in, then security, and settled at a coffee shop, filling my veins with caffeine. I sent a text to Alice, letting her know my flight was on time.
Within twenty minutes of landing at LAX, I exited the airport and made my way down to the lower level after calling to let Alice know I was there and on my way. The black truck she'd told me to look for waited at the curb, a diminutive woman with short black hair seated in the passenger seat, and a tall, blond-haired man leaning against the side of the cab.
"Edward?" she called, waving her hand and beaming at me.
Stepping forward, the man held out his hand. "Jasper Whitlock." He nodded toward the woman in the passenger seat. "And this is my wife, Alice."
I shook his hand, introducing myself to both of them. "Edward Cullen. Nice to meet you both. Thanks for picking me up."
"It's no problem, Edward," said Alice.
Jasper got back behind the wheel and pulled out onto the main road. "We're a bit worried, Edward; Bella hasn't come home yet," Jasper started as soon as he'd merged into the traffic.
"What? Do you think something's happened to her?" A feeling of panic slipped through my veins.
"Relax, Edward. I'm sure she's fine; it's just we haven't heard from her. Alice and I were supposed to go out this evening, so instead of going to the storage unit tonight, we'd decided to finish up tomorrow with Bella. But I know Bella has been itching to get back to Forks, and she sent Alice a text earlier today telling us she was heading over this afternoon by herself. Neither of us has been able to get in touch with her since then. It looks like her phone may be dead, too."
"Oh, hell," I swore. "I thought she'd agreed she wouldn't go by herself."
"It's a busy place, Edward, so we didn't see it as a problem. There's usually plenty of people around." Jasper was almost apologetic. "We expected her to be back by now, though."
Alice looked worried, but it was hardly their place to police Bella's decisions—she was a grown woman. Sometimes, I wished she weren't quite so independent, but then again, she wouldn't be Bella if she wasn't, so I couldn't fault her.
"Shit," I breathed, leaning back in the seat. "It has to be Alec Reynolds. I'm betting he has something to do with this; I didn't think he'd give up easily."
"I agree, Edward," Jasper said seriously. "The man has an ego the size of Texas. After Bella told us what happened at Christmas, I'm surprised he let her go without a fight—doesn't seem the type. I wouldn't be surprised if he's somehow involved. Don't worry, man, we'll get to the bottom of it."
"Where is this storage place?" I asked. "Did she drive?"
"It's about thirty minutes away from the apartment, fifteen from here. She drove to work, so I have no reason to believe she didn't drive there, too."
"The parking lot at the unit isn't big, so she would've probably had to park on the street somewhere," said Alice. "Jazz, if you stop outside, I'll run in and see if she's still there and just forgot the time."
"Okay, sweetheart."
Ten minutes later, Jasper drove into the parking lot. Alice hopped out and pushed through the double glass doors. There was no one at the reception desk, and Alice stopped to look at something before she walked past the desk and disappeared out of sight.
She reappeared after a couple of minutes, shaking her head. "She's not there, and the unit's locked up. Reception closes at five-thirty, although there's an emergency number if you want me to call it."
"I don't think they'd be able to help, Alice. What now?" I asked. "How the hell are we supposed to find her without any idea of where to look?"
"Well, Bella would've parked somewhere around here, so I think we should take a drive around and see if we can spot her car."
"Seems a bit hit-and-miss. Shouldn't we call the police?" I peered out of the window at every car we passed, my heart beating out of my chest with worry. "What car are we looking for anyway?"
"Bright-blue Camry," Alice said. "I went with her to buy it."
Jasper nodded. "Yeah, we should call them. Can you do that please, Alice?"
Alice dialed the number for emergency services and explained the situation, telling them that Bella was missing. She also told them our worries about Alec. Unfortunately, they said there was nothing we could do since Bella had only been missing for a few hours, and they hadn't received any information regarding Alec, either.
Frustrated, Alice hung up. "What is it with the police? Does someone have to be attacked or murdered for them to take it seriously?"
There was no answer to that question—it was simply police procedure.
"This is hopeless, Jasper," I said. We'd been driving up and down streets empty of people for ten minutes. Let me out at the corner, and I'll walk around on foot. Maybe I'll get lucky."
Jasper pulled over to let me out. As I opened the door and stepped out, a piercing scream filled the air.
I was almost sure it was Bella, although the scream sounded more angry than scared. Jasper and I looked at each other, and he joined me on the sidewalk as we broke into a run, heading in the direction of the shouting. Rounding a corner, under a streetlight a few hundred yards down the street, I saw two figures, one on the ground and the other standing over them.
For a second, I was afraid it was Bella on the ground until the figure stepped forward farther into the light.
"Fuck, that's Bella," I said as I recognized the person standing. "Bella! Bella! Sweetheart, are you okay?" I called as I ran toward her.
She whirled around, calling my name first as a question, and then in a voice filled with relief.
I caught her as she threw herself at me, my arms holding her tightly to my body, her legs around my waist. Her hands gripped my neck, and her body trembled.
"You're here, Edward, you're here," she said, her voice thick with emotion.
I reassured Bella that it was me and I would explain everything later. I wanted nothing more than to get her home, or at least to Alice and Jasper's place. I could feel her tears soaking my jacket.
Jasper moved around me, then let out a snort as he leaned over the figure on the ground. "I'd stay down if I were you, Alec. I won't think twice about knocking you back down if I need to."
"Fucking bitch," Alec spat. "I'll get you for that."
Jasper swung his foot at him, pushing him flat to the ground. "Watch your mouth." Alice appeared around the corner, and Jasper called out to her. "Alice, I think the police will listen now. Can you call them, please? Tell them we're reporting an assault."
"Bella won't press charges, you idiot." Alec tried to get up, but Jasper shoved him back down again. "And even if she does, it's her word against mine," he sneered.
Bella lifted her head. "I don't know what you were going to do, but you hit me, and were dragging me off with you, so yes I fucking will, Alec. You'd best use your phone call to contact your lawyer because you're going to need him. Your career won't survive the fallout, either," she said derisively. "No one likes an abusive asshole, especially movie-goers."
"Oh, yes, and getting taken out by a girl will certainly make the news, too," Jasper jeered. "The public are gonna crucify you when they hear you were knocked on your ass by a five-foot girl."
"He hit you," I said. "Where?"
Bella turned the right side of her face toward me. Despite the dark, I could see the red mark and the beginnings of a bruise, and I could clearly see the handprint, along with a small trickle of blood.
I cradled her jaw in my hands, turning her face toward the streetlight. "You're bleeding, Bella."
She lifted her hand to her cheek, wiping it and looking at the blood on her fingers. "Shit, I didn't notice that before."
"What did you think you were doing, going off by yourself, Bella? I was so worried about you."
"It wasn't intentional, Edward. I just wanted to finish packing my things so I could get to you sooner, and I lost track of time. I have no idea how Alec found me. But what about you? What are you doing here? How did you find me?"
Before I could answer her, a police cruiser drew up beside us, two officers getting out and rounding the vehicle.
"Did someone report a crime?"
Alice spoke up. "I called it in, officer. My friend here"—she indicated Bella—"has been assaulted by him." She pointed at Alec.
"This man," said Bella, "slammed me up against my car, threatened me, then hit me and tried to drag me away with him."
I took a step toward Alec. "We're going to make sure you pay for this, Alec. There's nothing so low as a man who hits a woman, whatever the provocation. You're an abusive asshole."
The officer looked at Bella's face and the blood on Alec's. "It looks as if I'm going to have to take you both down to the station."
"What?" Alice screeched. "It's clear he assaulted her. He's the one who committed a crime. Why are you arresting Bella?"
"Both have sustained injuries, ma'am, so they need to give statements before we can ascertain who should be charged."
The officer was apologetic but adamant they both had to be arrested, and wasn't moved by the protests. He called for another cruiser to take Bella to the station, separate from Alec, and after the cruiser arrived, Alice, Jasper, and I climbed back into the truck and followed them to the local police station. The first thing I did was call Charlie to let him know what had happened.
"I told him not to do anything stupid, and I think this counts as monumental stupidity. I have a friend in the force there, so I'll speak to him and bring him up to speed. They need to know everything. Do you need me to fly down?"
"I don't think so, Charlie, not unless they don't believe Bella."
"Okay then, Edward. Keep me in the loop, please?"
"No problem, will do." I hung up and leaned back in the seat. "Charlie knows L.A.P.D. and he's going to call in a favor and let them know what happened in Forks, too."
We spent the next five hours at the station waiting for Bella to be interviewed. Charlie arranged for a lawyer and spoke to his friend, Officer Elliott, and the information about the events in Forks, along with what had happened at Bella's office two weeks ago, which Bree had thankfully documented, was enough to convince the authorities.
~ oOo ~
It was almost one in the morning when we finally arrived back at Alice and Jasper's apartment, forgoing fetching Bella's car until the following day.
"None of us has eaten since lunch," Jasper said, "so, is pizza okay for everyone?"
With a chorus of okays, Jasper called the pizza place who promised it would be around fifteen minutes. Alice and Bella went into the kitchen to grab a beer for everyone since it was far too late for coffee.
I watched Bella closely. Between the breakup with Alec at Christmas, the events of today, and spending hours down at the station reliving everything, she'd been remarkably composed apart from the tears she'd cried when she'd thrown herself into my arms. Jasper managed to draw my attention away from her for a short while when he asked about the house building business in Forks.
She'd been quiet while Alice, Jasper, and I dug into the food, not volunteering anything or joining in with the conversation. When she stood from her place at my side, I looked up to find her disappearing down the hallway, no more than half a slice of pizza eaten, and her beer almost untouched.
Alice caught my eye, and I stood, murmuring goodnight before following Bella. The door to a bedroom was ajar, but no light showed inside the room. I pushed it farther open, expecting to see her in the room. It was empty with only a thin sliver of light coming from another door on the opposite side of the bed. No sound came from what I assumed was a bathroom.
Making my way around the bed, I knocked lightly on the door. When all I heard was a muffled sniff, I pushed it open far enough to step inside, finding Bella resting her hands on the edge of the countertop, her head tipped forward.
"Hey, sweetheart, are you okay?"
A small shake of her head and a shrug of her shoulders told me she was far from okay. I moved farther into the room and, stepping up behind her, I put my hands on her shoulders. Letting out a sob, she turned and buried her face in my chest, her body shaking with heart-wrenching sobs.
"I… I never thought… he could do… some… something… like that, Ed… Edward. I feel so… so stupid," she wailed. "Why… why didn't I… I see it?" Her cries stabbed me through the heart.
"You're not stupid, Bella, far from it. You're honest, and beautiful, and brave, and strong, and those are only some of the things I love about you. He's the stupid one. He's arrogant and self-centered. You've been nothing but honorable and truthful. This is all on him and his inability to accept your decision. You trusted him, and he abused that trust. You have nothing to feel stupid about, and none of this is your fault." I pulled back for a second and caught her in my gaze. "You are mine, and I'll never stop showing you how much I love everything about you."
I pulled her closer to me, stroking my hand down her hair over and over until the tears slowed.
"I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't found me," she said quietly. "My phone was dead, and I didn't have time to work out what to do next."
"You shouldn't beat yourself up about it, Bella. You fought back and won."
We stood there for a long while, her body calming. Eventually, she leaned back and looked up at me. "Thank you for coming to find me, Edward. I was so relieved to hear your voice and to see you. I love you so much."
"I love you, too, sweetheart." I cradled her face in my hands, brushing my thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away the residual wetness from her tears. She looked at me with adoration in her eyes, which were puffy and red from the tears she'd shed.
The cut on her cheekbone from the force of his hand wasn't large, and although she'd rubbed away the streak of blood on her face, the faint mark of it still showed. A bruise was beginning to form, and I could see the faint outline of a hand—his hand. The sleeves of her shirt fell back, and more bruises on her wrists stoked my anger. I wanted to take it out on his face.
"I must look awful," she murmured, misinterpreting the scowl on my face, and pulled away from me, turning to look at herself in the mirror. "I need to shower, Edward. I want his stench off me. I need to scrub his touch from my skin."
"You're beautiful, Bella. He's the one who's ugly."
Her demeanor changed and her eyes blazed in fury. "I hate him, Edward. I hate him. What did I do to deserve that?" she spat. "I want to make sure he goes to prison, and can never do this to anyone else."
She looked up at my reflection in the mirror. My gaze never faltered as she searched my face. Her anger suddenly dissipated, and her eyes softened. "I didn't provoke him, Edward. I never wanted him to touch me again."
She leaned back against me, my arm over her shoulder and across her chest, and didn't take my eyes from hers. "I know, Bella; I know you." I pulled her closer. "You're honest and brave, and I'm so, so proud of you. He will never touch you again; I promise. We'll get justice."
I felt her relax fully for the first time since she'd thrown herself at me, and a small smile formed on her face, having expelled some of her anger.
"I'm sorry for leaving the room so abruptly, Edward. I… I just couldn't sit there any longer. Everyone seemed so, so normal, and I felt anything but normal. The smell of pizza and beer made my stomach roll; I had to get away."
"Stop apologizing, Bella, please. I'm sure Alice and Jasper were only trying to make you feel better. I understand where you're coming from, and I'll be here for you until you send me away, and even then, I'll always love you."
She turned to face me again, standing on tiptoes, placing a featherlight kiss at the corner of my mouth, then winding her arms around my neck. I mirrored her position, resting my forehead on hers.
"I'll never send you away," she murmured. "I love you."
I pulled away a few minutes later. "Why don't we get in the shower? Let me wash your hair, then we can cuddle up in bed. How does that sound?"
"That sounds absolutely wonderful, Edward."
Without letting her go, I leaned into the shower enclosure and turned on the water, leaving it to heat up. I pushed her hair behind her shoulders, letting my fingers brush against her neck. Although there were no marks, I caressed her skin, sliding my fingers down the front of her shirt, undoing each button with care, sliding it off her shoulders and dropping it to the floor behind her.
Undoing the button on her jeans, I kneeled in front of her, unzipping them. As I pulled them down her legs, she held onto my shoulders and stepped out of them. I stood, turning her in my arms, and unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the floor.
A bruise was forming on her lower back from where Alec had slammed her into the car, and I kissed my way across it before kneeling again and sliding her underwear down her legs for her to step out of.
The room was filling with steam as I undressed myself and took her hand, drawing her into the enclosure and under the water. Closing her eyes, Bella turned her face upward so the water washed over her head, her shoulders relaxing. I reached for a soft washcloth and swept away the tear marks and traces of blood from her skin, wishing I could wash away the bruises along with it.
"Turn around, baby," I urged, running my hand through her hair when she did so.
I reached for the shampoo, lathering it then rinsing out the suds, following that with her conditioner. I filled my hands with her body wash, washing every inch of her skin, and kissing every bruise and mark inflicted by Alec. Bella sighed and leaned back against me for a second before moving around me and urging me to step back under the water for her to do the same for me.
Coming face-to-face, I cupped her face in my hands lightly, kissing her on each corner of her mouth, then in the center.
"I love you, Bella."
"I love you, too, Edward, and thank you for being my knight in shining armor." This time her smile was more genuine.
The water began to cool, so I stepped out, grabbing a towel from the rail to wrap around her. She used the other to wrap her hair before opening a cupboard and handing one to me. I rubbed my hair until it was no longer dripping wet, then wrapped it around my waist.
"Ready?" I said, holding out my hand.
She nodded, and we left the bathroom. She switched on the bedside lights and pulled back the covers. Bella dropped her towel, standing before me. I helped her to dress in shorts and a camisole top, encouraging her to get into bed.
"I'll just get some water and painkillers in case you need them. Don't go anywhere." I smiled as I slipped on some boxers and a T-shirt before leaving the room.
"I won't. I'll be waiting right here for you."
I was back within a few minutes with two bottles of water and a couple of Tylenol. Bella accepted the pills and swallowed them, while I switched off the lights and climbed into bed. She turned, her back to my chest, and I pulled her close, my arm over her body.
The room was quiet, Bella's slow breathing the only sound apart from mine. The events of the day and the worry over where Bella was weighed down my body with exhaustion, and my eyes closed, sleep not far away, when Bella spoke.
"Edward," she began, "I have to admit I was afraid when Alec trapped me against the car. It's scary to think it's likely he's been following me, too. I want him to pay for what he did."
"Well, I can't promise he'll go to prison, that depends on the judge, but we'll be over a thousand miles away soon. I'll always be there to protect you, and your dad has spoken to his friend in the L.A. police force. If, by chance, he doesn't get a custodial sentence, Alec will be on their radar for a while. He's basically a coward, Bella. You've confronted him, and the media will do the rest. He's finished."
After a short silence, she spoke again. "I missed you, Edward, so much. I know I'll miss Alice and Jasper when I move to Forks, but I'm ready to leave."
"I missed you, Bella," I whispered into the darkness. "When I found out you were missing, I was terrified I wouldn't see you again."
Bella shifted and turned over to face me, her arms linking around the back of my neck. I dipped my head and caught her lips with mine for a gentle kiss.
"Believe me, Bella. You are my life now. I'll always be there for you, no matter what happens."
A brilliant smile told me she finally understood how much she meant to me, and she snuggled into my arms, her head under my chin. "Always," I repeated.
I was in her arms, where I belonged, and where I would stay for the rest of my life.
~ oOo ~
