*Repost*

A/N: Thank you Sherry for working with me on this chapter xx

Chapter 3

Ever since Sunday, I had been feeling on edge. I was constantly looking over my shoulder, wondering if someone was out there, watching me. The paranoia and worry were making me short-tempered. I had been snapping at everyone for days, with no real reason. I knew it hadn't gone unnoticed. Esme and Carlisle had tried to speak to me about it on several occasions, but I had refused to discuss it with either of them. I knew telling them about what Angela had said was only going to cause problems, problems that none of us needed. My only hope was that they would put my irritable mood down to my father's death and leave it alone.

That night, as I was walking home from work, Mike caught me unaware. I had been too preoccupied with my own thoughts to even notice that he was there. He grabbed me and pushed me up against a wall, using his own body weight to hold me in place. "I hate that he's touched you," he snarled, as he looked over every inch of me. "I should have been your first. You belong to me."

Fear consumed me as I looked around the street for help. Although, there were still a few people in the area, I realized that none of them would come to help me. No one wanted to get involved with Mike or his connections. "Move," I hissed, pushing against his chest. I tried to get him away from me, but he was too strong. I couldn't make him budge. I had to try another approach. "If the Pluggers see you with me, you'll get into trouble. You're breaking the law," I warned him. "I'm a married woman."

Mike laughed. "You really have no clue, do you? I am the fucking law."

"Just because your dad is one of them doesn't mean you're the law or above it," I said. "If Eleazar got word of how-"

"Eleazar doesn't give a fuck, and next month, when I'm promoted to a Plugger, there isn't going to be shit that you or your husband can do."

I froze as the weight of his words sunk in. Mike was going to be made into an enforcer. No good would ever come of that. He would make all our lives a living hell and I was sure he would follow through on his word. He would kill Edward and make me a widow, just like he had promised.

The thought of losing Edward was like Charlie all over again.

No one had actually told me what had happened that day with my father. They refused to talk about it, but I was beginning to think that my dad's death was planned. Caius, Mike's stepfather, had taken my dad out of the equation for his son. Mike had probably planned to take me that night, but the Cullens had beaten him to it, which was why Mike was so pissed.

"Aw, did I make you upset?" Mike smirked. He stared into my eyes for a moment before leaning into me and sniffing my hair. He took a deep inhale, causing me to shudder.

By now he had moved far enough away from me to allow me to lift my leg, so that's what I did. I jerked my knee upward and kneed him in the balls. He doubled over in pain and I smirked as I pushed him out of the way and I ran. I ran as fast as I could towards the hut. I could hear him screaming obscenities behind me, but I never stopped to look back. I kept on running until I made it home.

I hurried in the hut and slammed the door behind me, terrified that he had followed me. I leaned against the door as I tried to catch my breath. It wasn't until I looked up that I realized that I had six pairs of eyes watching at me, wondering what was going on. I straightened myself up and headed towards my sleeping area before anyone had a chance to quiz me about what was going on. I wanted to be left alone. I certainly wasn't in the mood to talk about what had just happened.

"Is everything okay?" Esme asked, getting up from her seat. She looked concerned.

"Everything is fine," I said as I reached my sleeping area. I pulled the curtain closed behind me and sat down on the bed. I was trembling, still shaken from my encounter with Mike. For a brief moment I had thought I wasn't going to get away from him.

I was vaguely aware of the sound of a stool scrapping across the floor.

"Edward, please, just let her be," Esme begged.

"No!" he snapped. "I've left her alone for days at your suggestion and she hasn't gotten any better. I've had enough. She needs to start talking."

I swallowed hard as I heard the sound of his feet walking towards me. I wasn't in the mood for another argument with him. I jumped when he pulled the curtain back so hard that it nearly came off the wall.

"What's wrong with you!?"

"Nothing," I said, staring down at my hands, I had grasping onto my knees.

"Bella, don't fucking lie to me. You've been snapping everyone's head off for days."

"Just leave me alone," I mumbled, turning away from him as far as I could.

But Edward wasn't having any of that. He grabbed me, and lifted me up, pinning me against the partitioned wall. "Talk to me," he demanded.

"Get your hands off me!" I shouted, trying to break free of his grasp. I didn't like the fact that he was holding me the way Mike had not ten minutes ago.

"Not until you tell me what is going on," he said, pushing me further into the wall, though not hard enough to hurt me.

"Things didn't go well for the last person that manhandled me," I spat. "I suggest you take your fucking hands off me."

"What are you talking about? Who has been manhandling you?" he asked, letting me go.

"No one, just forget I said anything," I said, trying to move past him. I hadn't meant to say that.

"You're not going anywhere until you start giving me answers," Edward said, putting his arm out to block me.

"Just let me go!" I screamed. He was beyond frustrating. I never had to deal with any of this from Charlie. He never pushed me or really took much interest in my life. He just let me be. Why couldn't Edward just let me be?

"No."

Tears streamed down my cheeks. I turned my head away from him so that he couldn't see me cry, but he grabbed my chin and forced me to look him in the eye. "Please Bella. Who was touching you? Or do I even need to ask?"

I tried to shake my head free from his grasp, but he wouldn't let me go. I didn't want to tell him about Mike. I was terrified of what would happen if I did, but I also knew he wasn't going to let me go until I told him. It seemed he already had a good idea who I was talking about anyway. "Fine," I sighed. "It was Mike."

"What did he do to you?"

"He was waiting for me after work. He shoved me against the wall and held me there. He went on about how he didn't like that you had touched me, that I belonged to him."

"Is that all?"

"Yes," I gasped, trying to get away from him, but he still refused to let me go.

"Bella?"

"Fine!" I snapped. I hated that he could read me and I hated that he wouldn't just let this go. "Angela warned me on Sunday that Mike has people watching me."

"What was Angela doing here on Sunday?" He asked, looking between me and the girls.

"She wasn't here," I said, answering him before the others did.

"Then, how did you talk to her?" He looked confused.

Great. Now he was going to find out that I went out on my own. "I went out for a walk." He shot glares between Alice and me. "Edward, I'm a big girl. I can look after myself. I've been doing it for years, long before you came on the scene!"

Edward let me go and walked over to the dining table. "Em, you coming?"

Emmett grinned as he got up from the table. "Hell yeah!"

I knew exactly where they were going, to look for Mike. I also knew it wasn't a good idea. I didn't want either of them to get into to trouble or worse, hurt. I grabbed Edward's arms. "Please don't go. Just leave it alone," I begged him.

Edward turned to face me, putting his hand on mine. "I can't. I won't allow him to hassle you. You're my wife. It's my job to protect you." He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "Now stay here. I won't be long."

I shook my head, tears filling my eyes again. "You can't go. He wants to kill you."

Emmett laughed, seemingly finding my statement amusing, but there was no trace of humor on Edward's face as he turned back around to look at me. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."

Don't worry? I couldn't help, but worry. I didn't want to lose anyone else. "They're going to make him a Plugger," I mumbled, in a last feeble attempt to get him to stay, but Edward never acknowledged my statement. Instead, I watched as the two of them walked out the back door.

I stood staring at the door for several minutes; various scenarios of what could happen to Edward were running through my head. My heart was pounding so fast that I felt sick. I wasn't sure what I would do if he didn't come back.

"Come and sit down, Bella," Esme said, coming to my side and trying to guide me towards the table. "You need to eat. You're losing too much weight." The thing was, I didn't want to sit down. I wanted to stop Edward. Before I had the chance to properly think it through, I was squirming out of Esme's arms and running towards the back door. I heard Carlisle call after me, but I never acknowledged him.

I ran out of the door, looking around for Edward, but there was no sign of him anywhere. So, I went around to the front of the hut where I saw him walking down the street with Emmett. They were casually strolling as if they were just out to enjoy the scenery, though I knew that wasn't the case.

When I saw them stop at the Hale's, I knew it was my chance to catch up with them. I ran down the street as fast as I could, reaching them at the same moment Jasper came out of his hut. The three of them turned to look at me in surprise. "Please, Edward," I gasped. "Don't do it."

"Do what?" Jasper asked, confused.

"I'll fill you in on the way," Edward said, before turning to me. He looked annoyed. "Please Bella, just go back to the hut and stay there like I told you to do."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I won't go back if you're not going back."

"Don't be stubborn."

"I'm not being stubborn. I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing is going to happen to me," he said, walking over to me, his face finally softening. "I promise." He cupped my face and stared at me for several minutes. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

I shook my head, refusing to accept that he was going. He leaned in and kissed my cheek and then the three of them walked away without another word. I watched them walk all the way down the street, until they turned the corner out of sight. After that, I debated going home, I knew I should, but I couldn't will my feet to turn and walk away. I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to him. So, I followed them. I followed them with the pretense of looking out for them, but if I was truly honest, I think it was morbid curiosity. I wanted to know what Edward was gonna do to Mike.

They talked to a several people before heading to the old, ruined part of town. I had never been to this area of town before; it was kind of unnerving, seeing all the destruction. The streets were like wastelands, with very few houses left standing and those that were standing were in a sorry state of repair.

They stopped at a little boarded up bungalow. Jasper knocked on the door and after several minutes a boy about my age answered the door. They spoke for several minutes before Emmett went inside by himself. He was only gone for a few seconds. When he returned, he was holding Mike by the scruff of the neck. He dragged him out into the street and tossed him down on the broken road. I ducked behind an old torched car so that they wouldn't see me.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!?" Mike roared as he hurried to his feet, dusting himself off.

The three of them, Emmett, Jasper and Edward, circled Mike, trapping him in place. "Bella told me that you've been hassling her again," Edward said, anger evident in his voice. "How many fucking times do I need to tell you to stay away from her?"

How many times? What did he mean? Has he spoken to Mike about me before? The thought took me by surprise. I had always thought that Edward was never interested in me, never even noticed, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe he had cared.

"Stay the fuck away from me Cullen!" Mike roared, his voice cracking. I presumed he was trying to sound threatening, but it was clear that he was panicking.

Edward didn't take any notice of what he said. He merely moved closer. "Did you touch her? Did you put your hands on my wife?"

"No!" Mike screamed. "The little bitch is lying and she wasn't supposed to be your wife. She was intended to be mine."

"She'll never be yours," Edward said, grabbing him by the collar and punching his face. I could hear Mike's nose crunch from where I was hiding.

Mike stumbled back a few steps, clutching his nose as the blood poured from it. "You broke my nose you fucking bastard, you broke my nose."

"Let that be a warning to you to stay away from her. I ain't telling you again."

"Do you have any fucking idea who I am?!" Mike roared.

"No," Edward said, getting in Mike's face. "Do you have any fucking idea who I am?"

Mike swung for Edward's face, but Edward caught his fist, pulling his arm and twisting it to an awkward angle. Mike screamed out in pain.

I had never seen this menacing side to Edward before. Was it wrong that some part of me liked it? It was igniting all sorts of strange, exciting feelings inside of me.

"Stay away from her. Do I make myself clear?" Edward said, getting in Mike's face as he doubled over in pain. Edward still had a strong grip on his arm. Mike frantically nodded his head. "If I hear you've gone anywhere near her, the next time I'm coming to break your legs. I don't care who your daddy is or what badge they slap on you. You're nothing to me. Nothing!"

Edward let go of Mike and he fell to the ground. The three of them proceeded to take turns kicking him. However, the sound of approaching footsteps that pulled my attention away. I turned around to see three Pluggers walking up the street. They were far enough away from us that they wouldn't be able to see much anything that was happening, yet.

I jumped out from my hiding spot behind the burnt up car and raced towards Edward. I knew we all had to get out of here before the Pluggers saw what was going on.

Edward looked up in surprise at the sound of my footsteps, in fact, all three of them did.

"Pluggers," I gasped. "There are Pluggers coming this way."

Edward quickly looked behind me, before grabbing my hand and pulling me into a run. The four of us ran towards the bungalow. Emmett banged on the side of it as we ran past it, and by the time we reached the back door four other people had joined us. At a quick glance, I saw it was three boys and a girl. They were all roughly my age, but none of them seemed familiar."

"Run!" Edward shouted, tugging on my hand, trying to make me go faster.

We all ran into the forest. Splitting up once we were under the cover of the trees. It felt as if we had been running forever, but after a while Edward pulled me to a stop. Pushing me up against a tree and holding me in place with his body. He put his hand over my mouth and signalled for me to stay quiet. I nodded, showing him I understood.

A/N: Thanks goes to Cristina who helped me on the old version of this chapter xx