Chapter 6
Songs:
When You're Young, 3 Doors Down
Wait For Me, Theory of a Deadman
Angela, The Lumineers
*Link to YouTube playlist can be found in chapter 1.
**IMPORTANT** Please see A/N at end for posting schedule update!
Summer 2010
Edward
"Congrats, bro." I sling an arm around the back of his neck and hand him an envelope.
Masen's smile is wide as he takes it, ripping into the paper to find a wad of cash. "Sweet. Thanks, man." He turns toward me for a hug, and I gladly give him one.
"You're welcome." I pull away and cross my arms over my chest. "So, are you ready for next week? I know Pop is excited about you starting at the shop."
Masen looks over at our father and smiles. "Yeah, he told me to be there first thing Monday morning." He turns back to me. "I'm pretty stoked about it."
"It's hot as Satan's ball sack in the afternoons, but it's gonna be a hell of a lot better than hauling gravel and shitty mulch all day long."
"Can't wait."
"Hey, son," Pop says as he walks over. "You havin' a good time?" he asks my brother.
"I am."
"Good. I'm real proud of you, Mase."
"Thanks." The smile that lights Masen's face is one I'm seeing more and more of in the last few months. Pop and Mase have been getting closer, and it's thanks in large part to Bella's meddling. She's been a bug in both their ears about spending more time together, and it's finally paying off. She's somehow even convinced Mom it's a good idea to let Masen hang out at the house when we're all together.
Catching sight of my girl as she brings out a bowl of chips, I grin. With her hair pulled back into a ponytail, I can see her face and all of her freckles. And when she smiles, she's as bright as the goddamn sun. Makes me want to drag her off to a secluded corner to show her my surprise. But it can wait. After all, I've got big plans for us tonight.
Between family and the guys from the club, it's a relatively small graduation party, but it's more people than would have shown up to anything Carmen would've had for him. Speaking of the old biddy, she's sitting off by herself in the corner of the yard, smoking and avoiding everyone else.
"I think she's only here to take home leftovers," Bella says, winding her arms around my waist.
I laugh and kiss the top of her head. "I don't doubt that for a minute. Did Mom say if Carmen brought anything for today?"
"Uh, I think she said she brought a tub of coleslaw," she says, looking up at me with a disgusted expression. "But she's here. I was worried she wouldn't come."
I look over at my brother doing his best to be a gracious guest of honor. He's avoided talking to his grandmother all day. "I wonder if it would have mattered if she hadn't."
"You're sure your dad isn't going to come home? I kind of like my cock still attached to my body." I hold Bella's hand as she leads me up the stairs toward her bedroom.
"I'm positive." She rolls her eyes. "He's working another overnight. He won't be back until tomorrow morning. It's fine." She looks over her shoulder at me. "And I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize your precious cock. I like it right where it is." She giggles as she pushes her bedroom door open.
It's a lot smaller than I imagined it would be. A twin bed and small, four-drawer dresser are the only pieces of furniture in the room. A plain blue comforter covers her bed, and her closet is a single door wide. It isn't anywhere near as full and cluttered as my sister's.
"So, this is it," she says, tucking her hands into her back pockets. "Glamorous, I know."
I pull her into my arms and kiss her, walking her backward until the back of her knees hit her bed and lowering her to the top of the mattress. "I have something to show you," I mumble against her lips.
"What?" she asks me, looking up with heavy-lidded eyes. Her gaze drops to my crotch.
"No, not that," I say with a chuckle. "This." I reach behind me, pulling my shirt up and over my head.
Her wide eyes zero in on the newest artwork to adorn my chest, and her hands move to cover her mouth. "Oh, my god," she whispers. "Is that—" She reaches for me, her fingertips moving to trace the edges of the fresh ink—a black swan—and her eyes never leave my skin. "Is that supposed to be me?" she whispers, looking up at me.
"Yeah, baby. Now I've got you"—I lean in closer, nipping at her bottom lip—"forever under my skin."
The rest of our clothes quickly find their way to the floor, and when Bella rides me until she's crying out my name, I decide the new tatt is my favorite.
Our rendezvous inside the Swan residence is the first of many. With my work schedule being what it is, at least once a week I make it a point to get over to my girl's place to have some quality time together when her asshole father isn't home.
The looks he gives me when he comes by the shop through the week to talk to Pop are enough to set me on edge. We've managed to keep our relationship from him all this time, but the way he looks at me, I have to wonder if he suspects anything. As far as I'm concerned, he can kiss my ass. He hasn't been much of a father to her, so he really shouldn't get a say in how she lives her life. But until Bella's eighteen, Charlie needs to remain blissfully unaware of our relationship. She tries to stay out of his way and does her best not to make waves. The less he takes notice of what she does, the better.
Whether my parents are open-minded about our after-dark activities or just in denial, they sure as hell don't want to know about it. We can't exactly let ourselves get carried away in my bedroom at night. The walls aren't all that thick. So, when we don't want to fuck in my backseat or be quiet at my house, Bella's place it is.
My birthday comes and goes, and at nineteen, I'm one step closer to being able to prospect for the club. I'm saving money by still living at home, so when the time comes, I'll be able to get a decent place for Bella and me. She still has another year of school and a year and a few months before she's eighteen and free to leave her dad's, and I'm counting down the days.
Bella is bent over her bed, her hands stretched to the far edge and her fingers gripping the sheets as I take her from behind.
"You like that, baby?" Her hair is wrapped around my hand, and I gently pull back on it as I move.
Her responding sigh is low and breathy.
I'm so lost in the feel of my cock slowly sliding in and out of my girl, I don't hear the front door slam or the pounding of boots as they race up the stairs. It isn't until Bella's bedroom door crashes open and a startled yelp leaves her mouth that I realize we're not alone.
I'm wrenched away from her and thrown against the bed, completely unprepared for the punch Charlie lands to my face.
"Get your filthy hands off of her, you son of a bitch." Another punch to my jaw is followed by one to my gut. "What the fuck do you think you're doing in my house with my daughter?" I curl in on myself, cupping a hand over my junk in case he gets any bright ideas about kicking me while I'm down.
He pulls back to take another swing at me, but Bella screams. "Charlie, stop! Please!"
She grabs for him, and the momentum of his misdirected hit lands on her face, sending her flying off the bed. Stunned, Bella's naked body is now only half covered by the bed sheet as she lies sprawled out on the floor, and I see red.
I roll my body until I'm up off the mattress and shove my shoulder into his stomach, sending him back against the wall. "I'll kill you for that, asshole." I pull back and let my own fist fly, landing a kidney jab on him. "Nobody puts their hands on my girl."
We're a tangled mass of fists and kicks, neither of us backing down. When Bella's scream cuts through my red haze, clarity dawns for just a moment.
The cold steel of Charlie's department-issued firearm presses against my chest.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't pull the trigger, boy."
Bella's hiccupping sobs are only broken up by her cries for her father to holster his gun. "Please, Charlie! No," she begs.
Charlie and I stare at each other for a long moment, and fire burns behind his eyes.
"Now, here's what's going to happen. You're going to grab your pants, put your dick away, and go get in my cruiser. Then we're going to go for a little drive. The way you walk out of here is going to determine if it'll be to the station or to your house. Do I make myself clear?"
I grit my teeth but know he has the upper hand. "Crystal." I move slowly and gather up my clothes, all while Bella bawls her eyes out from her place on the floor.
"Charlie, please don't do this," she cries, pulling the sheet tighter around her. "Please."
He snaps his fiery gaze in her direction. "I'll deal with you when I get home."
Looking down at Bella, I have to bite back the urge to wrestle the gun out of Charlie's hand and end him for putting his hands on her. It takes every ounce of self-control not to go to her, to hold her and tell her everything is going to be okay.
"It'll be okay," I whisper when I crouch down beside her to grab my discarded boxers. I meet her tear-filled eyes. "I promise."
She launches herself at me, almost knocking me off my feet, and wraps her arms around my neck. "Please don't leave me. Please."
I wrap my arms around her, breathing her in. "God, I don't want to. I'll—"
"That's enough," Charlie says, once again wrenching me away from her. But this time, Bella doesn't let go.
Instead, she clings to me, crying and begging me to stay. Tears fill my eyes, and anger and regret fill my gut. It's a memory that will forever be burned into my brain.
Charlie physically removes his daughter from me, pushing her back. "Come on, Cullen," he says, pulling me toward the door as I try to put my feet in my jeans.
"It's gonna be fine, Bella," I say as I'm tugged along, through the door and toward the stairs. I nearly trip a dozen times on our way down, but my eyes never leave hers.
Standing at the top of the staircase, she wraps her arms around herself. "I love you, Edward," she says. As I look at her, trembling and fragile with an already-forming bruise, my stomach clenches. I'm worried about what Charlie might do to her when he comes back home.
"I love you, too, Bella. It's okay," I say as we reach the bottom of the stairs, my eyes still locked with hers. "It'll be okay."
She nods once before I'm yanked through the door and out into the darkness.
"You think you're real smart, huh? Think you can sneak around behind my back with my daughter without me knowing?"
"Took you long enough to figure it out," I quip.
He unlocks the back door of his cruiser and unceremoniously shoves me inside. He leans down through the open door. "You might think you're smarter than me, being able to keep it under wraps until now, but you're in for a rude awakening, son." He slams the door and climbs in behind the wheel.
"Why do you even care, Charlie?"
"That's my daughter, asshole!" His angry eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror.
"Last time I checked, you weren't up for any father of the year awards. So, what gives? You haven't given a shit about her since she showed up."
His clenched jaw and focused eyes give away nothing.
"Cut the shit, Charlie. What is this really about?"
He looks up and meets my glare. "I don't think it's in Bella's best interest to get mixed up with the club."
I can't stop the laugh that bubbles out of me. "Are you serious? You're worried about a club I'm not even part of and won't be for another two years?"
"I won't have my daughter associating with a bunch of criminals." He lowers his voice. "She can do better than the likes of you."
"Why do you even give a fuck? All she is to you is your live-in maid!" I slam my hand against the back of his seat. "Maybe I'll just report you for neglect or child endangering or whatever the fuck since she's left on her own so much."
His narrowed eyes meet mine in the mirror. "And just who are you going to report it to?"
We ride along in silence until we reach my house. The front light is on, but I know everyone is already in bed. Barefoot and bare chested, I'm led to the porch. Instead of letting me use my key, he pounds on the door and rings the bell over and over until Pop's face appears in the doorway, gun in hand.
His stance relaxes a little when he sees it's just me. "What the fuck did you do?" His voice is gruff, obviously dragged out of bed, and Mom is right behind him.
"Charlie?" she asks, confused.
Charlie has a hold on my arm, and he shakes me. "I caught this sneaky little shit in my house, on top of my daughter."
Pop rubs a hand over his eyes and heaves a sigh. "Jesus." He looks at me, disapproval written all over his face. "Get in the house." He looks to the chief. "Charlie, it's late. Can we do this tomorrow?"
"No. I have half a mind to haul him down to the station and charge him."
"With what?" Mom demands, elbowing her way in front of Pop.
Charlie leans down and gets in her face. "Your boy here is an adult, and there're laws against him being with a sixteen-year-old girl. I'd hate for him to have to do time already. Figured it would be at least a few years before that happened."
"You wouldn't."
"Try me." He pushes me forward and releases me from his grip. "Keep him away from Bella or I'll be the one to arrest him."
I walk into the house, past Pop. His eyes meet mine, and he turns back to the chief. "Charlie, we've been friends for a long time. I'm sure we can—."
"You keep him away from my daughter and we won't have a problem." He stomps down the steps and back to his car.
I try to head straight for my room, but Pop's beefy hand grips my arm, steering me toward the kitchen. "Not so fast. We need to talk."
I just want this day to end. If I know my girl, she's sitting at home crying her eyes out. With any luck, she'll walk to the shop tomorrow and I can hold her, reassure her that we'll figure this out. But for now, I sit in a chair and await my punishment.
"What do you have to say for yourself, son?" Pop leans back against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest.
I cross my own and stare up at him, raising a brow. "Sorry I got caught?"
"I don't think you grasp how serious this is," Mom says, standing beside Pop.
"I do. And I don't give a fuck. Charlie can fuck himself if he thinks I'm staying away from her."
"No, Edward!" She pushes off the counter and gets in my face. "I don't think you understand. If you don't stay away from her, he's going to charge you with rape! Do you have any fucking idea what will happen if you wind up in prison before you're patched in? You wouldn't have any protection. And they'd all know who you are ... who your father is. You're just a baby. They'd chew you up and spit you out in there."
"But I didn't do anything wrong!" I yell, standing and widening my arms. "She's my girlfriend."
"And that makes zero difference to anyone else." Mom steps closer and cradles my face in her hands. "Baby, we can't risk you going to prison for this."
"But I don't understand. It was consensual." I pull away from her and pace the kitchen. "I didn't do anything wrong!"
"I know, baby. But the law—"
"I don't give a fuck what the law says! She's my girlfriend. I never hurt her. We were ... We were going to move in together as soon as she turned eighteen." I grip my hair with both hands. I collapse into a chair and my breaths come fast ... too fast, and tears fill my eyes. "It's not supposed to happen like this. He can't ... He can't take her away from me, Mom. He can't."
"Oh, sweetie." She hurries to my side and holds my head against her stomach, trying to calm me down. "There isn't much we can do right now. You're going to have to stay away from her."
"I don't think I can."
I spend the next day at the shop working but not really paying attention to anything but my silent cellphone. The fact that Bella hasn't tried to call me has me all twisted up inside, and I'm anxious. And when hours turn into days, I have to fight the instinct to go to her, to make sure she's okay.
Days pass, and every time someone walks down the sidewalk outside the gates, I look to see who it is. But it's never her. There have been no visits, no phone calls, no sign of Bella. And since everybody around here knows everybody's business, I've been threatened with bodily harm by just about everyone but Masen to stay away from her. Even with the threats, when she finally shows up at the shop four days after I last saw her, I'm filled with relief.
"Baby," I say, scooping her up into my arms and nuzzling her neck, "I'm so fucking glad to see you." I pull away and look at her face.
The bruise that covers her cheek is now a mottled shade of deep purple and yellow, and there's now a twin mark on her jaw. It makes me want to go find Charlie to give him a few to match. I run a gentle finger along her chin. "That looks like it hurts."
She shrugs and looks down. "It's not so bad now. The swelling has gone down."
I inhale a deep breath and clench my jaw.
"I'm sorry I couldn't get here before now. It's the first time I could get away," she says to my chest.
I tilt her chin up. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too."
I look around and see no one is paying us any attention before grabbing her hand and leading her to the side of the building. "How much time do you have?" I sit on an overturned crate and pull her onto my lap.
"Not much. An hour maybe. He's been driving past the house at odd times during the day to make sure I'm home." She pulls a sheet of paper from her pocket. "And if he comes by while I'm gone, I can tell him I was getting a job application," she says, waving it in front of my face.
"Are you actually applying?"
"Yeah."
"Check you out." I smile and snatch the paper from her hand to look it over. "The ice cream shop, huh?"
She shrugs. "It's close enough to home that I can walk or ride my bike. And it's only a block away from the shop." She smiles up at me, hope shining in her eyes. "I figure I can stop and see you between my shifts."
I close my eyes and pull her tightly against me. "I'm not so sure we should risk it right now, baby."
She looks up at me, her brow furrowed. "What are you talking about? Of course I'm going to come see you."
"I don't think—"
"I know what he threatened you with, but it's bullshit, Edward. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm not going to let him dictate what we—"
"Bella, it's serious. Look, we can't just ignore his threats." I turn her in my lap and hold her bruised face in my hands. "Baby, have you looked in the mirror?" I ask, my voice breaking and my eyes tearing up. "If we get caught again, he might ... What if he tries to really hurt you?"
She pulls back, angry tears welling in her eyes. "Why the fuck does he even care? It's not like he's been acting like a father since I got here."
I tilt her chin up, and the anguish in her gaze squeezes my heart. "I don't want to let him win any more than you do, but, Bella, he's holding all the cards right now. We only have a little more than a year before you're eighteen. He'll have no say in what you do then. We can still get our own place. Hell, the day you turn eighteen, you have your shit packed and I'll drive us to Vegas and we'll get married."
She smiles through her tears. "Was that a proposal? Because if it was, it sucked."
I scoff. "No, it wasn't a proposal. When I ask you to marry me, you'll know, okay?"
She wraps her arms around my neck and buries her face in the space there. "I don't want to let you go," she whispers.
"I don't either, baby. But we have to ... for now." I press my lips to her forehead, squeezing my eyes closed. "I love you," I murmur against her skin.
"You promise to wait for me?"
Knowing what could happen if Charlie decides to arrest me, I think about what our future would look like. I'd be in prison for God only knows how long. I want to promise her forever, promise her that we'll be able to find our way back to each other once the dust settles. But if I'm being honest with myself, I know too much can happen between now and her eighteenth birthday. I'm not sure the future we'd planned is even possible, no matter how much I want it. No matter how hard I'm willing to fight for it. Charlie Swan is vindictive enough to ruin both our lives, even if I stay away from his daughter. I swallow the lump in my throat, choking on the words I need to say, because for the first time since this whole mess blew up in my face, I'm not sure I'll be able to keep my word.
"I love you, Bella. Nothing is going to change that. I'll wait forever for you."
Driving up to the house, I spot the cruiser. If Charlie's here, nothing good can come from it. I shift my car into first and cut the engine, setting the parking brake. Sure enough, a few minutes later, the chief comes walking out of our house. I watch the son of a bitch until he's in his cruiser and pulling away.
When the coast is clear, I head inside. The house is uncharacteristically quiet. I find Mom sitting at the dining room table, her hands wrapped around a mug as she stares off into space.
"Everything okay?" I ask, getting her attention.
She smiles up at me. "Sit."
"What's wrong?" The way she's looking at me makes my hackles raise.
"Charlie was just here," she finally says.
"I know. I saw him leaving. What did he want?"
She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "I know how hard it can be to see the big picture sometimes," she says, now staring down at her mug, "but you need to think about the future, Edward."
"I am. I've been thinking of nothing but my future lately."
She looks up at me. "You need to think about what's best for you and Bella. Like I told you last night, you can't take the risk of being charged with anything. And besides, she's got her whole life ahead of her, and I don't think you want to hold her back, do you?"
"Hold her back? Mom, what are you—"
"You need to end it, Edward. I know you, and I know you're already trying to think of a way to see her. I need you to promise me there will be no sneaking around, no making plans for the future. You need to think about what's next for both of you."
"You can't be serious."
"It's done," she says, getting up from the table. "There are bigger things at play here than you realize." She steps to the sink to wash out her cup. "It's in everyone's best interest if you move on."
"I'm willing to take the risk, Mom. Bella's worth it. We just have to wait until she—"
"No!" she shouts, turning to face me. "It's over. No secret meetings, no waiting. It's done, Edward." Fire burns in her eyes. "I'm just trying to protect my family ... all of my family."
The way her voice quavers, the way she's looking at me, I know there's more to it. "Does he have something on you? On Pop? What aren't you telling me?"
She straightens her back and smooths her shirt. "Nothing. Just promise me you'll end it."
I stare at her, wondering why her reasons for me avoiding Bella have taken such a drastic turn. "I'm not promising you a damn thing unless you tell me why," I demand through gritted teeth.
She looks me dead in the eyes and doesn't blink. "We've known Charlie for a very long time, and he's always been a friend of the club. But the trouble with working with someone playing both sides is ... they know where some of the bodies are buried."
Alice has taken it on herself to remind me at every opportunity what I've done to her best friend. She's constantly throwing it in my face, telling me about each and every tearful phone call she's had to listen to, and it pisses me off. I'm well aware of the hurt all this shit is causing Bella, and I'd be the first one to fix it if I could.
I can't sleep. I have zero appetite, and I'm snapping at anyone brave or stupid enough to talk to me. Mom and Pop and I are hardly speaking when I'm home, and all I want to do is go kidnap Bella and run away from all this shit. But that isn't an option. So, when Jazz offers me his spare room, I don't even think twice about it.
Weeks pass, and nothing helps to ease the constant ache in my chest—not the booze in Jazz's fridge, not the cigarettes I've taken up smoking, not even working on my 883 parked in his garage. Nothing takes my mind off what I've lost.
"You know what you need?" he asks one night.
"This oughta be good. What do I need, Jazz?" I ask him as I peer into the open fridge.
"You need to go with me to my buddy's place. He's having a kegger tomorrow night. Free booze, you could probably score a hit of whatever your poison is, and I'm sure with those pretty cheekbones of yours, you'll have a line of ladies waiting to have a turn on the Edward-O-Whirl."
I close the fridge and look at him dubiously. "A kegger? Really? That doesn't seem like your style."
He shrugs. "I've known this kid since middle school. He's all right. A little preppy if you ask me, but can we really turn down free beer?"
I sigh, completely devoid of reasons to say no.
The house is full when we roll up, people spilling out onto the lawn. We cut the engines of our bikes and walk up the driveway. Someone who must know Jazz shouts his name and my roommate takes off.
"I'll catch up with you later," he says over his shoulder. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
I smile and shake my head, making my way inside. The place is packed wall to wall with people. I find the assortment of alcohol in the kitchen and fill a Solo cup. It's bitter and cold, but just what I need. I figure if I can get wasted, I won't be thinking about Bella or the impossible position I've found myself in.
I find a dark corner and claim it as my own. The music is loud, the people are even louder, and all I want to do is go home and wallow in my self-pity. My skin prickles, and I sense that someone is watching me. As I scan the room, I spot the brunette across the way, her eyes zeroed in on me. I do my best to ignore her, but after finishing my third refill, I'm finding it harder to do.
When she comes over to me, I'm caught off guard by her perfume. It's familiar, the scent reminding me of sun-kissed skin and flowers. I close my eyes, and I'm assaulted with memories of happy, brown eyes and flowing, brown hair. Kisses and promises of forever. When I open them again, I'm met with a hopeful face. But to me, she's merely a way to forget.
"Hi. I'm Angela."
A/N: This brings us to the end of what was in the compilation, but it isn't quite the end of the ExB tale. The aftermath of their breakup is in the next few chapters. I've written through ch 9, and Bella and Masen aren't together yet. I'd love for you to stick around, but I know many of you will be bowing out. Even Cece bowed out of her PR duties at this point. It's all good. I still love you all. ;)
That being said ...
I'll be taking a week off from posting next week. I need to catch my breath, and I don't even have ch 7 back from my beta because RL sucks for everyone right now. Even revising edits on Clutch was difficult this week, not to mention I've not written more than a couple hundred word in days. I'm more than a little distracted. The world around me is in utter chaos, and my heart is hurting. I'm hoping a short break will help me get in a better headspace. I'll hopefully be back with chapter 7 on 6/19.
Be kind.
Stay safe.
Stay well.
Lots of love
~Sunshine