Summary: Isabella lived a perfect life with her husband until the abuse started. With the death of her mother, she may have just been given life-changing gift: a way out. But with it comes a whole new world that she may not be ready to face. Maybe with the help of her green-eyed savior. Mafia, Crime, Abuse, Hurt/Comfort.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Stephanie Meyers owns characters but the plot is of my original work.

Enjoy!

Chapter 26 – Moving On

I've taken to doing something hurtful to myself these days…I'm constantly trying to imagine what my life would be like if James had never entered my life.

I'd probably be still renting out that apartment on Haven Ave. I moved out when James and I got engaged, but it was hard letting it go. I loved that one bedroom apartment so much. It was perfectly settled between my two favorite places in the world. On one corner was Banner Schmears, who made the best truffle spread and onion bagels in the world. The owner was an old man named Bobby, who once told me he dreamed of being a teacher too. Mr. Banner never went to college though because he inherited his family's bagel shop when his dad retired. I was that customer who came in every morning on weekdays and ordered the same thing. He'd have my bagel ready for me on weekends when I'd be curled up in the corner booth writing essays.

On the opposite end of that street was Chicago's, best-kept secret, Crowley's Corner. It was the best bookstore in the whole world because it's not a mainstream chain such as Follett's or Barnes & Noble. It was a buy and trade sort of place, with an underground study lounge only open to U of C students. Of course, not a lot of the students knew about Crowley's Corner so finding a spot on a weeknight during final's week was likely. I think I slept on those worn purple couches more than the Ikea sectional in my living room.

What I wouldn't give to smell the inside of that store again. I wonder if that scrawny teenager, Tyler still worked there. Angela used to say he had a big crush on me, but I was at least ten years older than him and it was just so wrong. He was a good kid though and the main reason why that coveted spot was always reserved for us in the study lounge.

I can't believe I miss that kid.

I also like to imagine that Ben and Angela are now married with children. Nothing in the world could have changed that. They were together years before I met them, and a proposal was around the corner. I knew Angela always wanted to have a girl. She would have named her after her mom who passed away from breast cancer when Angela was ten. I'd be Auntie Marie and godmother to little Lily, the smartest and sweetest girl known to man. I mean she would have been if her parents were Ben and Angela. I would have been the best Auntie Marie to her. There's no way for me to keep tabs on them today because they don't have Facebook and other social media platforms they have are private.

Did they have a girl or a boy?

Most of all, I imagined I would be working at a school somewhere in the city. On weekends, I'd visit Mom at her house, and she'd be elbow deep in some new hobby. She and I would make lunch in her quaint little kitchen and talk about work. She'd pester me to give her grandbabies because my biological clock was ticking and that she wouldn't be able to chase around after her grandchildren if she was old enough for a walker. Mom was dramatic like that.

Now, everything is surreal. Most of the time I can't even wrap my mind around it. That this was now my life and she wasn't a part of it. My life couldn't continue without her back then. When I had a problem, she was the person I ran back home to. If I got frustrated at school or if I just had a bad day, one afternoon with her would make it all better. My mom couldn't cook, but she made the best tea. It always made me better, no matter what the situation was.

"What kind of tea did she make?"

I was brought back into the present when Edward spoke. I'd gotten so caught up in telling him stories that I forgot where I was. Edward took us to Monterrey Cove, Jasper's fusion restaurant in the city. He wore a crisp black suit with an emerald dress shirt. He had that crazy hair tamed a bit and a pair of shiny black leather shoes to finish off his outfit. I wore a simple black dress I borrowed from Esme and one-inch heels. The dress flared out from my waist and was modest enough in the chest area. Compared to him, I looked as if I was going to church and he was going to meet the president of the United States.

But when Edward first saw me, he called me breathtaking.

"I'm sorry what?"

He chuckled. "You said she made the best tea…what kind?"

"Oh," I laughed. "She made my favorite, Earl Grey. But she'd buy the leaves from someone at Logan Square farmers market. She'd steep it with some lavender and add steamed milk and vanilla. No matter how many times I'd try to make it, the tea was never the same. The leaves had a special blend, not like any other and there's no way for me to find it."

He nodded and took a sip of his drink.

"Your turn to talk," I said. "I feel as if I've been doing all the yapping."

"I enjoy listening to you," he said. "Your voice is like music to my ears."

"Edward," I hissed as I looked around the restaurant. I spotted Sam standing against the back wall, no more than a couple feet away. As soon as I saw him, his head snapped in my direction. It was freaky how attuned my 'suits' were to me.

Edward laughed once again.

"I don't really want them to find out…" I said. "They might report it back to Charlie, and then I'm in for a whole lot of embarrassment."

"I thought telling Charlie we were going to dinner together went rather predictable, don't you think?"

"It almost seemed too easy," I agreed. Charlie had simply told Edward to get me home safely and to keep his hands to himself. To which, of course, I blushed a bright red. "Then again, we didn't exactly tell him this was a date."

"I suppose," he agreed. "Don't get me wrong; I still fear for my life when we tell him that part, but I feel Uncle Charlie knows me well enough, and when it comes to pursuing a woman, I take it very seriously."

I coughed. "Pursuing?"

It was so easy to talk to him in the dark confines of my bedroom, but out here in the open, I felt vulnerable. Edward must have sensed my distress and said, "What's on your mind?"

"That's funny. My mom always said my face was an open book," I said. "She could always tell what I was thinking based on the looks I made."

"I disagree," he said, and I quirked my head to the side. "I find it very difficult to read your mind. Working at FSC and for Charlie, it's an important skill to get a good read on people. In the business world, it's either kill or be killed. Literally." He gave me a pointed look. "But you…"

"Me what?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I have no idea if I'm saying the right words or doing the right things. I'm scared I'm going to hurt you—unintentionally—and you'll hate me for it. I feel very protective of you and when I think of Royce or him, this primal need to—," he cut himself off. "I can't explain it. It scares me because I've changed." His jaw clenched, and his eyes were blazing. "You've changed me, and I've never felt like this in my entire life."

"I don't think I could ever hate you, Edward."

"Why do you say that?" he challenged. "How can you say such a thing?"

"When I'm with you, I feel the safest. I feel like I'm indestructible," I said, hating the way my voice broke. "It's frightening because I have every reason to be cynical about the world, but with you, I'm not…I can't. When you left for Greece, I felt so sad and empty. I thought it was borderline insanity that I could feel that way about someone I just met. Especially when I don't ever remember feeling that way about my…my ex-husband."

He reached out his hand and cradled mine.

"What did you do to me, Isabella Swan?"

My heart throbbed, almost painfully, in my chest.

"Just promise me one thing," I said. "You know the deepest and darkest parts of my past. Through it all, somehow I managed to accept you into my life…to a point where I crave your presence. Maybe, it's because you saved me that night or because of this unnatural and irrevocable way I'm drawn to you. But Edward…please be careful with my heart."

"Bella…" he drawled out. He came from his side of the table and knelt next to me. Even in this position, Edward still towered over me, and I wanted him closer. A wave of his scent filled the air, and it went straight to my head. I swallowed thickly and tried to breathe.

"You're dangerous, Edward," I said. When he frowned, I realized how it might have sounded. "No," I backtracked. "That came out wrong. I just meant you dazzle me. A lot. Sometimes it feels like you can make me do anything with just one look." My ears were blazing hot.

He laughed. The kind of laughter where you threw your head back and clutched at your sides. Then, he took a firm hold of both of my hands and brought them to his face. Electricity shot through my arms when his lips touched my skin. He kissed my hands tenderly, maybe a little too lightly for my liking. When he looked up at me through thick lashes, his piercing green eyes blazed.

"I have cherished every single, waking moment since I've met you. Even when you hated me," he laughed, and my eyes filled with tears. "A part of me enjoyed it, and I acted out because of the way you made me feel. You stirred up feelings inside of me I locked away years ago. I promise I will continue to treasure the beautiful person you are, now and for however long you want me."

"Edward…"

"Let's get out of here," he suddenly said. "I have something to show you."

X

Edward held my hand the entire ride. Every now and then, he'd bring it to his lips and kiss the back. His lips would send that familiar tingle throughout my body, and my face would blush a bright red. I think he knew what it did to me and he liked making me react this way.

He drove us to one of his highrise towers in the city. This is where Edward technically lived, but he admitted he hardly spends time here. From traveling to crashing at Charlie's or his parent's house, he mostly used this space for storage. We got out of the car quickly and entered the building. Twenty floors later, the elevator opened into a lavish penthouse apartment with shiny black floors and large windows. Everything about this apartment screamed single, eligible bachelor.

He took my hand again and led me further into the apartment.

We walked down a long hallway, and he opened the door. He waved me in, and when I finally saw what was inside, I gasped loudly.

"Oh, my god," I whispered.

For a split second it looked like a library for books, but the more I looked around, it was actually music. Massive shelves of CDs and vinyl records covered three walls, and on the fourth, hung framed posters.

"You're kidding me," I breathed out.

"I wasn't kidding when I said I loved music," he laughed.

"Yeah, but I didn't think you had an actual music store in your house," I said. "I figured it was some shelf in your office or something."

"I used to tell Esme I wanted to be a musician when I grew up," he said. "I wanted to write music. That's why I started collecting music from a very young age."

"Is that a signed Bon Jovi poster?" I nearly squealed.

"It is," he laughed. "My dad got it for me when I graduated from high school."

In the center of the room was a black grand piano. He pointed to it and led me to the bench. "I want to play you something."

Edward shrugged off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He positioned his fingers over the keys and gave me one last look. Then, when he closed his eyes, he became someone else. I didn't recognize the tune, but it was beautiful. I watched his body move with the music, the muscles in his forearm straining. His feet tapped with the rhythm—slowly and melodically. Tears formed in my eyes and they fell as he continued playing. My heart beat erratically in my chest, and I choked out a sob.

"What's wrong?" he asked, worry etched on his face.

"Why did you stop playing?" I asked at the same time.

"Because you're crying," he said.

"Edward," I sighed. "It was beautiful. The music made me feel happy. They're good tears, I promise. What song was that?"

"I wrote it," he said. "For you."

A smile broke out on my lips.

"I want to see you smiling like this every day, for the rest of my life," he told me. He bent down and touched his forehead to mine. With our skin touching, and the electricity between us stronger than ever, Edward bared his soul to me. "When you're ready, I'll be here waiting."

"I…" I said, pulling back to look at his face.

"What?"

"I want to try."

"No, Bella," he said. "I'm going to wait for you."

"Edward," I laughed, my tears falling again. He reached up and wiped them with his thumb, and I leaned into his hands as they cradled my face. "Esme's right. I don't want…James…to win anymore. This is what he wanted. He took away everything that was good in my life. But that stops now. I have Charlie, the family, and…you. I want to be with you."

"Bella…" he exhaled.

"I can't make any promises," I warned, and he nodded. "I want to be with you because I have feelings for you. I don't know what they mean or how it's going to be a couple of months from now. I just know that I need you."

The smile that appeared on Edward's face made my heart stop.

"I will accept you just the way you are," he said. "You're perfect to me."

Slowly, Edward bent his head to mine. My breath hitched, and the throbbing in my chest was almost painful.

"Can I kiss you?" he whispered.

All I could do was nod.

When he finally closed the distance between us and captured my lips with his, the electric current between us exploded. It turned into a full-blown spark and set my whole body on fire. He brought his hand up and placed it at the back of my neck, pulling me closer. His touch sent shivers throughout my whole body, as it reacted to him—almost as if it were second nature.

Our lips danced slowly, getting used to each other. His tasted like red wine, and they were soft and gentle as if he was afraid of hurting me. Edward was holding back on me, so I opened my mouth to tease him with the tip of my tongue. A low groan vibrated deep in his chest, and he reluctantly pulled back.

"You don't know half of what you make me feel inside, Isabella," he said. Making my insides twisted again. "What I feel for you is very strong," he said. "You make me feel vulnerable, and that frightens me."

He gave me a quick peck on my lips and a crooked grin.

"I just hope you also accept me for what I've done in the past," he said. "That I don't scare you off…"

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"I told you I'm willing to answer any questions you had about Uncle Charlie's business once I was back from my trip," he replied. "So, if you want to know something, anything…I'm an open book for you, and you can ask me anything."

"What happened to Jessica?"

This chapter was edited by SunflowerFran. Thank you!

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