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Jake called to let me know he was parked illegally in front of the gallery and that I should hurry. After saying goodbye to Angela, I walked out the doors, and the sound of sirens blaring greeted me.
It was nothing new for a city this big, but when so many of them raced in the same direction, it meant something serious had happened.
I dove into the passenger seat just as a long line of fire trucks sped past us.
"I wonder what's on fire," Jake mused as several cruisers followed the fire trucks.
"It will be on the news," I dismissed his curiosity.
We crawled through the horrible traffic due to the emergency. Jake kept checking the radio stations for breaking news.
When we reached the avenue leading to Edward's office, I felt like someone had punched a hole in my stomach. The convoy was headed that way, and I could see thick smoke in the distance.
"Is that Cullen's office tower?"
"Head there," I rasped.
"Like fuck. We're going home."
"Stop the fucking car, or I'll jump out," I threatened.
He made sure to lock the doors, turning the car toward my house. "Think about it, Bella. That's the last place you want to be now."
"He's there," I yelled, attempting to tug at the steering wheel, but Jake slapped at my hand. His demeanor changed, though, as he paled at my confession. "Drive to Edward's office," I stated emphatically.
He disregarded my order, taking me home. He carried me inside, kicking and screaming. "Bella, calm the fuck down. You don't even know what's going on. Maybe it's not his office."
But it was Edward's office because Rose was watching the news.
I slumped on the couch next to her, staring horrified at the dark clouds of smoke coming from the underground parking.
Witnesses contradicted themselves as always.
Some said it was a gas leak.
Some said it was a bomb.
Some said they'd seen a black SUV going into the garage at full speed before the explosion occurred.
That last statement reminded me of the ambush at Edward's house. Everyone knew Edward Cullen lived in that house…or did they? How did those people know where to find Vengence?
I wrapped my arms around my midsection. It felt like I was falling apart on the inside.
If I trusted my coordination, I'd take Jake's car and race to Edward's office, but I knew I'd collapse if I attempted to get up. I had to sit on the couch and watch the news, growing more and more worried by each hour that passed without any sign from Edward.
I didn't dare think about anything happening to him.
The whole building had been shaken during the explosion, but it was still standing.
Then my whole world crumbled when his personal assistant, with dirt on her face and singed platinum blonde hair, told the reporter how just before the explosion, Mr. Cullen had called her to let her know he was in the garage, and then suddenly, the line had gone dead.
I wasn't exactly sure what anyone said after that declaration because part of me seemed to die.
The chances of the firefighters finding him alive were slim.
Edward hadn't been in his suit, so he would have been unable to protect himself.
After what felt like eons, I went to my room. No one dared say anything to me because they knew I'd snap.
I pulled on my nightly attire, growing more confident in my limbs as I usually did while wearing my leather outfit. I wasn't ready to face my friends and hear their preaching, so I slipped out my window.
Jake had conveniently left the car key in the ignition, and I couldn't have been more grateful. I saw him in the rearview mirror when I floored the gas, waving his hands, but I ignored him.
Late-night traffic allowed me to reach the scene much faster than I expected. I parked behind a fire truck.
I was surprised to see the police moving out of my way, but then I remembered I was in my vigilante suit. They welcomed my presence, which was funny.
"Here." One of them handed me his flashlight, for which I was grateful.
"Thanks." I tested the device, and it worked.
It was a challenge to make my way through the demolished garage and all the large chunks of concrete. I had no clue where to start looking. I didn't know where Edward usually parked his car.
There were so many squished cars, and I didn't dare look too closely before I spotted blood on the ground.
In the very back, far away from the badly affected area, I noticed several cars in better condition than what I'd seen so far. The flashlight helped me understand my vision wasn't playing tricks.
Edward's Aston Martin had a large piece of concrete on the front of it.
My heart was beating out of my chest as I approached his car on unsteady legs. No one was inside, which was a good sign. But it was a bad sign, too. If he was at the elevator when the kamikaze car had exploded, he'd taken the blow directly.
I flicked the flashlight around the car, hoping to see anything. By now, I'd be relieved to at least find his body.
My scream echoed in the collapsed structure when I felt a hand wrapping around my ankle.
My shaky hand pointed the light to where the hand was coming from – under Edward's car. It was his hand. And if my eyes weren't betraying me, his arm was covered in his suit armor.
"Edward!" I fell to my knees, checking to see if I hadn't gone mad.
He was on his side; his eyes screwed shut against my bright light. "Hey, Kitty," he coughed. "I'm stuck."
I laughed because it felt liberating. Edward was alive.
"How?" I asked, still checking him for injuries. But I couldn't see any. He was wearing his suit, except for his mask and gloves.
"Can you lift the car?"
I winced because that wouldn't be possible – not with the concrete block on the front part of it. But then I heard footsteps.
"Did you find anything…miss?" Two big firefighters were nearing.
My scream might have alerted them.
"Yes, please, I think he's out cold." Even though I had relaxed immensely, I was still panicked about how injured Edward was. He had to be, and I knew he often downplayed it.
"Allow us." They escalated a mountain of debris and came to my side.
One of them checked under Edward's car and gasped. Yeah, I felt his shock. It usually was the other way round. Edward saved people; now it was his turn to be saved.
They pushed the concrete piece of ceiling and then lifted the car, and I heard Edward grunting in pain. While one of the firefighters held the car up, the other pulled him out. His face was covered in so much dirt no one would be able to guess his identity.
He made to get up, but the fireman's quick reflexes saved him from injuring himself further. "Take it easy, man. You don't have to be a hero twenty-four seven."
His colleague joined us, asking Edward what hurt.
"I'm fine. Let me up." He tried to fight them off, but I leaned closer, combing my fingers through his dirty hair.
"If it makes you feel any better, we don't know who you are," one of the firemen said.
"But you can hold this to your head wound, and no one will recognize you." The other one pulled his gray T-shirt off, handing it to Edward.
"Fuck," Edward groaned. "Thanks. Uh, you both have to help me up."
"Dude, they could hold the car up, so you're a feather compared to that," I protested, making the firemen laugh.
They anchored Edward, one on each side, helping him out of the garage. I trailed behind, having more questions than when I'd come here. It looked like Edward had taken the worst of the heat from the explosion on his right side. Part of his suit was dented, and there were holes in it.
Outside, the gathered crowd gasped and pointed. I steered the men, helping Edward to my car. They set up Edward in the back seat, telling him the city would be just fine without him while he got better. I thanked them profusely before hopping behind the wheel.
"That was fucking humiliating. I wish I'd died in the blast," Edward complained.
"You fucking scared me," I admitted in a small voice. "For several horrible hours, I was sure you were dead."
"I'm sorry, Kitty. I fucked up."
I started driving away from his office toward my house. "You'll tell me later." I dialed Jake's number, bracing myself for his anger. Silence greeted me when the call connected. "I'll need you and Emmett outside in ten minutes. I have Edward."
"You're batshit crazy, Bella," Jake spat, hanging up.
"Please, let me punch him. How can he talk to you like that?" Edward grunted, coughing.
"Shh. That's Jake's way of saying he's impressed with my stunt. He's my best friend."
Edward huffed but didn't complain anymore. I noticed in the rearview mirror how he gripped his right thigh, grimacing in pain.
Emmett and Jake were outside the house when I stopped at the front door. They helped Edward out, more or less carrying him inside.
I walked behind them, stopping next to Rose. "Bring over the First Aid kit. I'm not sure how bad his injuries are."
She grabbed my elbow when I made to go upstairs after the men. "It's all over the news. Everyone thinks Cullen is dead."
I gasped, meeting her eyes. That complicated everything. "Fuck."
"Yeah, you can say that again. We need to think of a good alibi for him."
I nodded, edging my way up the stairs. "Later."
I hurried towards the loud voices coming from my room. I had to admit I was shocked, they'd brought Edward in here. Emmett was holding him upright while Jake tried to undo the costume. Edward seemed aggravated by the whole situation.
"Let me, Jake," I said softly, pushing him away gently.
While I snapped open the front part of his armor, I met Edward's eyes. They couldn't contain the level of pain he was in.
"Rose told me you're believed to be dead," I whispered.
"Wait until the dead pays the motherfucker a visit and slits his throat in the middle of the night," Edward spat.
I reeled back, surprised he had such murderous thoughts. I had no idea who he was talking about, but Edward had always been against killing any of the thugs we crossed paths with on the streets.
"Do you know who did it?" Emmett asked seriously.
"It was the same kind of detonator Isabella saw under the car barreling into my bunker at home."
"But who could have figured it out?" I asked, worried.
"Those were hired guns who followed me home that night when I fished the pregnancy test out of the dumpster. They were probably not very bright to put two and two together and figure out who used to live in that house. No one really knows I still live there," Edward admitted. I helped him with his pants, and he braced himself with a hand on my shoulder. "The detonator under my car was exactly like the one you saw on the underside of the Hummer."
"How did you know it was there?" Emmett asked, which was a good question. Because…who looked under their car after parking?
"I was at the elevator when I realized I forgot some important files." Edward met my eyes, and I inhaled sharply. "I might as well be dead because what I wanted to use against Carlisle is gone."
"Oh, God." I wasn't sure what scared me more – the fact that his original birth certificate was burned or the fact that his right thigh was now a huge blue bruise.
"Did you plan on going into your office all dressed up?" Jake interfered, sounding suspicious.
Edward shoved Emmett away and sat on the edge of the bed, massaging his leg. Rose chose that moment to step into the room and go straight to Edward. He was most likely too shocked by her no-nonsense air because he let her tend to his bruised thigh.
"I returned to my car to get the files, and they dropped out of the folder when I closed the door. When I bent to pick them up, I saw a red light blinking in a puddle under the car. I always keep my costume with me." He threw Jake a dirty look. "I thought I had time to get dressed and get under the car to cut the wires. My costume is fireproof. I had about seven seconds left when I slid under. I knew I'd never be able to disarm the bomb, so I pulled it off and threw it away. I could only roll on my side when it went off. Then part of the ceiling fell on the hood, trapping me underneath."
"Jesus, man." Emmett shook his head. "Who the fuck wants you dead so badly?"
"Volturi," he spat.
The look between Rose and Emmett didn't escape me, but before I could read into that, my cell phone started ringing.
I pulled it out from my jacket pocket and stared at the little screen, perplexed. I couldn't even remember when I got her number, but my mother was calling.
"Are you going to pick it up?" Jake asked impatiently.
Edward glanced at the screen of my phone, lifting a brow.
I took a big breath and accepted the call. "Hello?"
"Bella, honey! Are you all right?" I'd forgotten how fake Renee could be.
"Yes…Why wouldn't I be?"
Edward took my laptop from the bedside table and started hurriedly typing while Rose ran out of the room. I had no idea what they were doing or why my mother was so interested in my well-being all of a sudden.
"Oh, honey, I saw the news. I'm so sorry."
"I'll believe it when I see his body," I said in my best shaky voice.
"Keep her talking," Edward murmured when Rose returned with a device I hadn't seen before.
"I was going to invite you to our beach house for the holidays," Renee continued in a resented voice.
I had no idea what holidays she was talking about. Halloween was coming in one short week. Maybe, she wanted to see me for Thanksgiving? Or Christmas? It wasn't like I cared or wanted to spend any time around her. "Well…the thought counts," I mumbled.
"But if you need to get away from the city and this tragedy, the invitation is still open."
"I don't think Edward is dead. I'd know, right? I hear that's how love works."
Jake fake-gagged while Rose shot me an amused look. I ignored them both.
"Of course, honey. We never got to talk about your fiancé."
"Because we don't talk," I muttered. "I appreciate that you called, but like I said…I think he's still alive."
Edward made a rolling motion with his hand, inviting me to keep talking. I wanted to punch him.
"I've been trying to call you for months, honey. You never pick up. I'm worried about you now that Charlie is gone."
"I have Edward now and my friends."
"Right…" Her voice turned cold. "You're still friends with those hired guns."
I was glad no one could hear her because Rose would have found a way to murder her over the phone.
"They're my friends," I insisted. "Look, I really appreciate the sentiment, but everything is fine."
"Okay, if you won't accept my help, please talk to Sally if you need anything. And don't get near Carlisle under any circumstances. The Volturi family will help you."
Bella hung up, not caring Edward might not be able to finish triangulating the call. He turned the screen on the laptop to her.
"Does your mother live in Florida?"
"Yes. Jacksonville."
"Fuck," he spat. "I was hoping to get something."
"Well, she called to pay her respects because I lost my fiancé." I rolled my eyes. "And she advised me to talk to Sally, whoever she is, and trust the Volturi family and not go near your uncle."
"Sally is Volturi's mistress." Edward tapped his chin, lost in thought.
I caught Emmett and Rose having a heated conversation through their eyes. Jake was watching them as well.
"What?" I was afraid to know the answer.
"If you don't say anything, I will," Emmett said loudly.
"Oh, for Christ's sake!" Rose threw her arms up. "We've been digging around the things you discovered in the past few months. It's become clear someone wants you dead, and we've tried to find out who."
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