A/N: Thank you all for reading! I hope that this week has been good for you! Thank you itsmereading for your magical beta skills cause I ain't got any! As always, I love your comments! Happy Reading! I don't own Twilight. Wish I did. Enjoy! -Brier
Chapter 14
Bella
Nothing could have prepared me for what happened after Paul and I got back to my house. I was not paying attention to anything or anyone. Paul carried me into the house then towards my room, but we didn't make it. Paul put me down, why I still don't know. He pulls out his gun and heads towards Jake's room.
Paul didn't find the intruder in Jake's room. The intruder was in my closet and came out of hiding while he was checking Jake's room. My back was turned when I was grabbed from behind. It startled me. Lauren whispers in my ear to be quiet or it won't end well for me. It was going to be in my best interest to let the police know that the abuse that I deserved was from my trooper friend or brother. I needed to recant. Lauren was missing her man. A man she was drugging to do her bidding. My heart sank. Could he have been drugged each time he beat me? Could it have not been his fault? Oh God!
I feel a shift in how Lauren is holding me. I realize she let go of me and I start to fall, but I am caught. While I am not sure who it is I realize it is Emmett, and I cry. I am moved I think outside. I hear Sam yelling and Sue talking to me.
Eventually I was brought into questioning. I am really tired of being questioned. Once done, I am beyond hungry and tired. Paul is waiting for me with in civilian clothes and has Chinese food. How does he do that?
"Thank you Paul. How did you know? How do you always know?" I smile and he chuckles.
"When I am hungry you aren't far behind. We can eat here or I can bring it with me to your house or mine. I talked to Billy, your house is going to be a crime scene until at least tomorrow. Billy and Jacob are staying with the Clearwaters. You are welcome there if you want. Sam and Emily have offered their home to you as well, more you can come to my house and take whatever room you want. Old Quil would offer his place but Quil and Embry are both there tonight. He thought you might want to sleep," Paul says with a chuckle.
"Yeah. Definitely Old Quil's place. I mean both Embry and Quil to pick on me? How would life get better than that!" I deadpan. "The Clearwater's would be fun but crowded. Sam and Emily haven't had a night to themselves in weeks. I definitely won't be sleeping there." I laugh. "So, if you will deal with me, I guess the only real option is your place. Only if you can put up with my smart ass," I can barely keep from laughing.
"There is no ass smarter. Now where are we eating? The station, the beach or my house?" Paul smirks.
"Beach then your house after I call Billy." Paul hands me his cell and I call Billy, putting him on speaker phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey Pops. Paul is kidnapping me until the house isn't ready for us. Will that be a problem?" I hear laughing in the background.
"Yeap. Remind Paul that Sam and I know where he sleeps. We'll see you tomorrow dear." Laughs and hangs up.
"So I guess we are going to the beach then?"
"Beach sounds good. If you have a blanket or something." I blush turning my head away hearing him chuckle.
"Always. You are always cold." He gets me. I didn't realize how well.
He gets out of the car and opens my door for me. He grabs the bag with blankets and food while I grab our drinks. We walk to the beach near the spot where they have bonfires. He puts our bags down and sets a blanket down in front of one of the sitting logs. He motions for me to sit and I do. He gets the food out and we say a prayer before eating. We eat watching and listening to the waves crash onto the shore. It is so calm and peaceful.
Unlike my life. Unlike my real family. Charlie is taking responsibility for his actions. That's the kind of man he is. He tried to do right by me, I see that. Edward kept messing up. If Lauren kept drugging him, that could account for his behavior. I won't go back to him, but I can forgive him. I can forgive Charlie. Renee, I am not ready yet. She is still trying to ignore me and get whatever is hers- which is mine since her and Charlie are divorcing. The house and everything has been in my name for a long time. Incase something ever happened to Charlie, I could have a place to stay or ability to sell it for money. I am grateful Paul was able to figure that out. Someday I will go back, maybe even stay. We'll see, depends on the charges. Things are rapidly changing with Lauren's admission of drugging Edward. I don't want him to go down for the abuse if he was not in control. Need to change subject.
"Thank you for dinner and bringing me here. It's pretty close to perfect!" As I dig into my shrimp lo mein with extra broccoli, white rice and egg roll, smiling.
"What would make this perfect? I don't want to fail you, beautiful." I laughed. What would make this perfect?
"Nothing you could have done would have made it perfect. It would have been better if the reason for this impromptu event wasn't because I was kicked out of my house, and the reason why I can't get to my house." He nods in understanding.
"Well, I guess there is not much I could do about all that. That would have been perfect. Sorry about that." He laughs and I join him. Once we finish our food, I sit back against the log and feel Paul put his arm around my shoulder. It's getting cooler so I tuck into him closer as he grabs a second blanket and puts it on our laps. Paul is always thinking ahead.
"Thank you. You always know what I need. Am I that easy to read or were you cold?" He pulls me closer to him.
"Both, and I was needing to cuddle. Because cuddling is awesome." If it weren't so dark he'd see me turn tomato red. I bury my head into his shoulder breathing in his calming scent while wrapping my arm around his waist. He puts his arms around me and we just sit enjoying the ocean.
Sometime later I drift off to sleep. Somehow I end up in bed- a warm bed. I hear my phone go off. I notice it is 1:30 am. In another room I hear Paul talking to someone. I can't tell who it is, but I don't like it. At all.