A/N: I am so blown away by your reaction to the first chapter of my story. My husband thought I was crazy every time I smiled at my phone. Thank you so much for all the amazing reviews. So, it's my birthday and instead of getting a present, I am gifting y'all with a new chapter of the Orphan. See how that works? Now this will not be the norm, I have the day off and am bored as hell. Birthdays this year suck, but here you go. The next chapter will still post when it originally was supposed to. Thanks to Ms. May P Tucker, Queen Bitter Harpy, and Brierlynn03 for prereading. Thanks also to Alice's white rabbit for the beta skills. Love you! Off you go and enjoy!
I had to give it to Edward. He listened without saying a word, but the emotions on his face gave him away, and when I reached the end of the story, it seemed anger was the winning one. He raked both hands through his hair, causing it to look more disheveled than ever. "Damnit, Bella, what were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that there's this lost little girl who trusts me, and I'm not going to hand her over to someone who could end up hurting her, or worse. Her parents were killed in front of her. Alice told me I could trust you and that you could help me. I'm sorry for bringing you into this, but I really had no one else to turn to, and …" I couldn't finish what I was saying because my emotions were catching up to me, and I started crying. Edward looked like he felt horrible, and before I knew it, he was hugging me to him, and I tried to ignore the calm and security I felt with his arms around me. He made soothing sounds, and I was able to get my emotions under control. "I told her she could trust me, Edward, and she does. I can't fail her," I said before looking up at him. He had an odd look on his face, and a vein was twitching in his jaw. I pulled away from him, realizing how close we were.
He cleared his throat and grabbed the back of his neck, looking down. He looked back up and nodded. "I'll see what I can do quietly. This has got to be as far under the radar as we can get, especially if there's someone dirty. It will take some time to put everything together. If you need stuff like food or whatever, continue to go through Alice—don't order anything, and don't open your door unless Alice or I call you. The hospital is public domain, and whoever is behind this could already know your name and address. I'll find out who knows about her case without raising any flags."
I nodded, taking in everything he was saying. "So, right now, we just need to lie low?"
"Yeah. Let me take a look around before I leave to make sure everything is secure." He lifted his pant leg up, and I noticed he had an ankle holster. He popped out the magazine, checking how many rounds he had, and slid it back in. He flipped the safety off and crept out my back-patio door. I went into the living room to help Katiya with the puzzle while waiting for Edward to come back. I heard a gunshot, and then Edward came running back into the house. "Pack a bag—fast. Get her clothes and yours."
"What's—"
"Get it done, Bella. Twenty questions can be answered later." The look on his face kept me from questioning him further.
"Her clothes are all in those bags right there. I'll go get some clothes." I ran to my room and shoved T-shirts and jeans, underwear, pretty much anything I could fit in the bag. I was done in three minutes, with Edward barking at me after two minutes. I grabbed the bag from the bed and my toiletry bag, which was always packed, from the bathroom counter. Edward was running around the house, checking that the windows were locked, blinds drawn, and all doors into the house were locked, and then we were outside. I headed for my car, and he shook his head and pulled me toward his vehicle. He threw our bags in the trunk, and we got in. He was lying on the ground under his car, and Katiya and I both exchanged questioning glances. He got out from under the car and threw something on the ground before crushing it under his foot. He got in and peeled out without a word. I told Katiya to put her seatbelt on while putting mine on. Edward was driving pretty fast, and I was starting to get a little freaked out.
"You gotta talk to me, Edward, because I'm a little worried."
"When we get where we're going," he said, his eyes cutting to Katiya, telling me to keep my shit together in front of her. I nodded and tried to remain calm while wondering what the hell had happened outside my house. We drove for a while, and I realized we were in an area of Seattle I didn't know well. "I'm taking you to my house. It's completely off the books and isn't technically in my name. You can stay here until I secure us somewhere else to stay."
I nodded. "Thanks, Edward."
We were now on the outskirts of Seattle, and Edward pulled up to a single-story house, but it wasn't small. It was spread out and looked like it had a large floor plan. It was contemporary, but it even looked masculine from the outside. There was a lot of stone and wood. It was impressive, none the less. We all got out of the car, and before I could make a move, Edward was grabbing our bags out of the trunk, and Katiya grabbed my hand, walking close to my side like she was scared. I know Edward was a little intimidating, and his snippiness at my house, combined with the fast driving, had probably scared her a little. I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, and we followed him inside. He put our bags in what looked like a guest bedroom. He gave us a basic tour and squatted down to put himself on Katiya's level. He asked her if she wanted to color, do puzzles, or watch TV. Katiya looked up at me and gestured for me to bend down. I did and she whispered in my ear that she wanted to watch a movie. I told Edward her request, and he turned a kid's movie on for her, with me hovering in between the kitchen, dining, and living room.
The inside of the house had an open floor plan so there weren't many walls between the three rooms. Edward told Katiya that he and I were gonna go talk, and then we could go from there. She nodded at him shyly, and he gestured for me to follow him to the patio. There were sliding glass doors right off the dining room, and we could still see Katiya from out here, but she wouldn't hear us.
Edward sat down, and I followed his example. "Someone was prowling around outside your house earlier. They left a tracker on my car."
"So, that's what you were crushing." He nodded. "Oh, my God. Did you shoot—"
"No, I was trying to scare him off. It worked, but staying there was no longer an option. I would've probably made the same decision you did, Bella, had I found her and heard her story, but this is big and it's serious. I get that you're stubborn and sassy—it's why I like flirting with you—but I need you to promise to do what I say without hesitation. If I tell you to leave everything you have and go, I need you to do it. If I tell you to grab that little girl and leave without me, I need you to do it because I will do everything I can to be sure I'm following you. Can you do that?"
I was trying to process what he was telling me and grasping the seriousness of the situation. "Yeah, I can do that. Can you just try to be a little less gruff?" He opened his mouth, and I put my hand up to stop him. "Not for me, for her," I said, gesturing to Katiya. "She's seven years old, Edward. She lost her parents to two bad 'guys.' She needs to learn to trust you too because, right now, she's a little scared of you."
Edward scrubbed his face and sighed. "Yeah, I know. Sorry. I don't have a lot of experience with kids."
"You crouching down to get to her level is great and talking to her gently like you have been, but when you yelled at me and then drove like a bat out of hell, those things are scary. This whole situation is, so please just try to be gentle." He gave me that odd look again and nodded. "What? What's with the face?"
"What? Nothing. You're just full of surprises today, Ms. Swan. I'm getting to know more about you."
I smiled. "Glad to entertain you, Mr. Masen," I said in my most seductive voice, dripping with innuendo, and got up to go inside. He grabbed my wrist and stopped me. He pulled me down so he could whisper in my ear.
"Entertain me anytime you want, but I prefer 'Sir'." His breath against my ear caused me to shiver. He let go of my wrist, and then leaned back, a smug smile on his face. I tried to maintain my composure as I made my way inside. When I got inside, I fell against the wall, breathing heavily. Holy hell! This was gonna be a long day. I went and sat with Katiya. She sat close to me and started to play with my hair. She was just twirling it around her finger, and then letting it slip through her fingers. Edward came in and watched us for a few minutes.
"I wish my hair was more like yours. The color. My mom and dad had the same color as yours."
"Neither of them were blond?"
"No, no one in my family was. They said I was just lucky to have blonde hair and blue eyes instead of their brown hair and brown eyes. My mom's eyes weren't as pretty as yours, though." She finished gazing at my eyes. I smiled at her as best as I could. I looked at Edward, and I know he caught the conversation. He dialed on his phone and lifted it to his ear, walking back outside.
"Your hair and eyes are beautiful, Katiya. I wanted to always have blonde hair growing up, like my sister, and she has violet eyes. She looks almost exactly like my grandma did. I got my dad's eyes and hair."
"I like it better brown."
I wasn't going to argue with her. Something was bothering me about the details she gave on her parents. I wasn't a geneticist, but if no one in her family had blond hair or blue eyes, it was very unlikely for her to have both. Working with the pediatric patients I came across, I knew most babies had blue or gray eyes until they were about six months old, then their eyes slowly changed to their natural color. Some kids had very blond hair until it darkened, but that happened by age six usually, at the latest. I knew it was stupid to worry about it, but something about it bothered me.
The movie was almost over when Edward finally got off the phone and asked me to help him make lunch. Katiya asked if she could color and Edward nodded. He gave her a new coloring book and an unopened box of crayons.
"Alice?" I asked, knowing she probably got the puzzles and movies that were in that same cupboard.
"Yeah, she got me 'kid-friendly' stuff after she told you to call me. She brought it over after I told her I was going to see you at your house. She has a key, meddling pixie."
I laughed and nodded my head. He smiled back and started chuckling. "Was that a smile, sir?" I asked.
His eyes darkened, and I knew I was playing with fire. He got up in my personal space and leaned toward me.
"There's a child sitting right there, Edward," I sang, quietly. His eyes cut to Katiya, and she was looking right at him.
"You're dangerous," he murmured.
"Always," I said, winking at him.
We worked together making quesadillas. He shredded chicken and cheese. I buttered the tortillas, then put the ingredients together. I put them in the pan to melt everything and crisp up. Katiya looked happy to be eating anything, and we all sat down together to eat. I caught Katiya staring at Edward for longer than usual a couple times. I think she was trying to figure him out. The answer came after she was done eating her food. "Edward, why do you have pictures all over your arms? Bella doesn't have any, and the bad guys had some on them."
Edward put his food down and cleared his throat. "These are tattoos, Katiya. Some people like to have them, and some people don't. I was in the Navy for a few years, and a lot of people in the military get them. When I got home, I decided to get more. Some of the pictures represent important things to me."
She studied him for a minute. "I like them. They're colorful."
"I actually have a picture on me too, Katiya."
"You have a tattoo?" Edward asked, looking confused.
I nodded and pointed to my stomach, to the right of my belly button.
"I want to see it," he says. Normally, I would have given him some sort of snarky remark and let it be, but Katiya was nodding and looking expectantly at me. So, I showed both of them the tattoo I rarely showed anyone. It was a white swan in water, wings outstretched, and below it reflected back was a black swan. With yellow eyes and an orange beak. It was the perfect yin and yang, but I'd used swans instead. Katiya smiled, and Edward looked awed. I put my shirt down and sat.
I smiled at Edward and pinched his chin. He looked at me, and I stuck out my tongue at him. He chuckled and went back to eating. I grabbed everyone's plates when he finished and took them to the sink. Katiya went back into the living room to color, and I felt Edward slide up behind me. I turned around, and he caged me in with his arms. "I can play games as well, Bella. I'll have you begging me to touch you," he said into my ear. His phone rang. He smiled and raised his phone up to his ear without breaking eye contact. "What!" he said and walked away from me. I was a panting mess as he walked away. Good God, that man was gonna kill me.
Edward spent most of the day on the phone, and after dinner, I gave Katiya another bath, brushed her hair, and read her a story before we sussed out the sleeping arrangements. Katiya wanted to sleep with me for the first night or two, she claimed, and so Edward told me to take the room next to his. I moved our bags and got Katiya settled in the bed, on her side. Edward brought in a nightlight and a stuffed bunny. She wanted both, and I tucked her in, telling her I would come sleep with her in a couple hours. I grabbed my pajamas, went and changed, came back, and put away my dirty clothes, and then left the door open for her.
I sat on the couch, turning the TV to some movie that wasn't animated or for kids. I don't know how parents watched TV all day with their kids, then turned around and watched more cartoons. Edward came out of his room with a tight white T-shirt and sleep pants on. I realized my mistake in pajamas when he just ogled me. I was wearing boy cut shorts and a tank top.
He went to the hall closet, grabbed a hoodie, and threw it to me. It was then I remembered I wasn't wearing a bra. Yeah, I was too used to living alone. I pulled it on, noticing that it smelled like Edward. He gestured for me to follow him to the patio again. Edward leaned against one of the wood posts, so I did the same, with my arms crossed.
"I made some calls and pulled some favors. We're gonna have to stay here for another day or two, and then we'll move to a safe house. The way Katiya talks about them, I think she saw the men who killed her parents well enough to ID them in a lineup."
I shook my head. "No, Edward. That's going to be too traumatizing for her. She's terrified of them. Can't you try pictures?"
"If you would have let me finish, there are no other witnesses so there is no one to line up. We'll have to do mugshots and hope they have a record." He paused, trying to gauge me. "Bella, I get that you found her, and you're taking care of her, but you can't get so attached. Once this is all over, she'll probably go into foster care."
"She doesn't want to be separated from me."
"So, what? Are you gonna adopt her?"
"Maybe. Why is that so crazy?"
"You're 23 years old."
"Yeah, and your almost 28, Edward, and you seem to have no desire to have kids. Age has nothing to do with it. I have a good job, and I'm stable."
Edward sighed. "I want kids. I just haven't found the right girl to stick around."
I decided to lay out all my cards on the table. With us throwing innuendos around and flirting, I wanted to just get this out of the way. "Adopting is the only way I can have kids." He looked up at me, wide-eyed. I couldn't explain it, but I felt like I could open up to him, so I told him my story. "I was 15 years old when my friend had just gotten her license. We were driving around, happy for the newfound freedom. The truck in front of us was carrying some metal piping, and some of it fell off. She didn't know what to do, and we got in an accident. I don't know a lot of what happened after that—it's all very blurry still. I woke up in the hospital in a lot of pain. I found out that some of the metal piping technically impaled me. They had to remove both of my fallopian tubes because they had ruptured. My uterus was also damaged, but they were able to repair it. The doctor told me my chances of having a baby were very slim. Even with in vitro, it's very slim because of the damage my uterus sustained. My friend walked away from the crash with a broken wrist and a smashed car. When I found out, I didn't really care. I was in high school and had no plans to start a family. I figured I would just never have kids."
Edward looked very sad. "I'm so sorry, Bell. Obviously, the kids thing changed?" he asked softly.
"Yeah, I met James and fell in love. He was the only one who got under my armor. I told him that I couldn't have kids, and he said he was okay with it. I found out two years later that he wasn't okay with it anymore."
Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me in front of him. "What happened?" he asked, just as softly as before.
I chuckled humorlessly. "I found him balls deep in a girl I'd been friends with for 15 years. She actually was the one driving the car when we got in the accident. He told me he wanted out, and I was more than accommodating when I kicked his ass out." Tears started to well in my eyes. "They were pregnant less than a year later, and I found it so unfair."
"Jesus." Edward pulled me into his arms as I cried. I'd gotten over the James thing, but the scab had reopened when I found out about Victoria's pregnancy, knowing that would never be my future. "I'm sorry. I'm an ass."
"You didn't know. How could you."
"That little girl would be lucky to have you as her mom."
I smiled and pulled away to look at him. He rubbed the tears away with his thumbs. I breathed out shakily. Edward started stroking my cheek. "Tell me to stop, Bella. Tell me that kissing you would be a bad idea."
I shook my head. "I don't want to." He started to lean into me, and before he could kiss me, we both heard a little girl screaming.
A/N: So, how are we feeling? We found out about Bella's past and all the flirting and innuendo was thrown around! Let me know what you think and until next time lovelies!
