Chapter 16 – No Means Never
That stupid sleeping pill had left me feeling cranky, tired and drowsy, and working in a dim room with soft relaxing music was doing nothing to help keep me awake. I was never taking those pills on a workday again. I doubted that the tiredness and lethargy was helping my mood any, either, but neither was any of my co-workers' attitudes. They didn't understand the dynamic between me, Billy and Jacob, so they needed to mind their own damn business. They'd all be lucky if this day ended with their heads still on their shoulders, because I was one more glare or snippy comment from biting someone's head off.
Three clients later, Billy let me know that he and Jake had finally finished the cabinet. It was going on dinnertime, and I wanted to take them out to thank them. "Let me treat you two to dinner. It's the least I could do."
"You know you don't have to. You're family, sweetheart. It's our job to help out and take care of you," Billy said, giving me a hug. He knew just how to make me feel loved.
"That's all the more reason for me to take you out. No more fussing about it. I have to eat, anyways," I said with a yawn, and he frowned at me.
"Alright, but I'm driving."
I felt everyone's eyes follow us as we left, and I glanced back to see Edward scowl, when Jake grabbed my door for me.
"Curious bunch, aren't they. You'd think we were in an exhibit the way they were watching us," Billy noted.
I was frustrated that they'd made Billy feel uncomfortable. "They're just a bunch of weirdos. Don't mind them, I never do," I lied. I was just as crazy as the rest of them.
I yawned again during dinner, and Billy shook his head. "I think you might've taken too much of that medicine, honey. I'm gonna leave Jake to drive you home. I don't want you getting hurt, and I do have a few other things left to do today."
"That's really not necessary," I complained through another yawn, proving his point.
Given the way things were with Edward right now, I really doubted he would want me staying over, so I figured I had no choice but to go home to Forks. "Fine, but you'd better behave yourself," I said. I was sure Jake knew I meant business.
When we got back to the shop, Billy gave me a hug goodbye, and Jake followed me inside. I had one more appointment, and then I had to clean up. As we walked to the back of the shop, everyone turned and watched us. "Leave him alone," I warned.
"He'd better leave you alone," Rose snapped.
"He's here doing me a favor." I gave Jake a basket of clean towels that needed to be folded and put away. "Can you take care of these for me? I just have one more client, and then we can get out of here."
"Sure thing, babe."
I sighed and turned back around. "Jake, please," I begged, hoping he understood what I was asking for. "Just…stop. The last thing I need is for another fight to break out and my ride to be sent home without me."
He brushed my hair back with a sigh. "Alright," he said with a forehead kiss. Usually, when he did that, it meant he'd be good. I was happy for the sign, even if I wasn't happy about his touching me again. The washer signal buzzed, and I went to switch the loads, but he waved me off. "I've got this, you go back to work."
"Thanks, Jake. I won't be long," I promised. I wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.
I was glad my client had come in a little early, and I was able to call her back right away. I didn't want to hang around longer than necessary. Once she was done, I hurried out to check on Jake. Of all people, Laurant was back there folding towels with him.
"Hey, babe, are you done?" Jake asked, and it seemed everyone stepped into the kitchen at once just then and was ready to jump him.
I grabbed his arm yanked him toward my massage room. "I need to clean up, and then we can go."
"We?" I heard Edward ask, shocked.
I didn't answer him, though, just closed my door and got to work. I could feel Jake's eyes on me. "Don't start," I said, not even turning around.
"Come on, Bella." At least he'd used my name.
"Let me just finish this up in peace, please," I begged.
He didn't say another word, and thankfully, he didn't move to touch me. He did keep his eyes on me, though.
Everyone stood glaring as we emerged from the room. "I'm heading out. I'll see you guys later." Jake was smirking at everyone, and it was annoying the crap out of me. "Let's get out of here, before they jump you." I wanted to smack him by now myself.
"You're leaving with him?" Edward asked incredulously.
"Yes, I am. He's driving me home."
"Are you crazy, Bella? What are you thinking?" Edward was advancing on us with Jasper, Tanya and Rose on his heels.
"He's just taking me home as a favor, Edward."
Edward gasped, shocked. "You're my fiancée, you're not going anywhere with him!"
"You can't order me around!" Edward needed to learn I was not someone he could just tell what to do and expect me to bow down to his edicts.
"You're being unreasonable and not thinking, Bella. He's not safe for you to be around!" Edward shouted back.
"That's not your call to make."
"Come on, babe, let's get out of here," Jake said, putting his arm around me, trying to stake a claim.
"Oh, don't you start with me, too! I'm not a fire hydrant, so both of you, quit your pissing on me!" I snapped and stomped out of the shop. Jake rushed past me and got my door. I was too tired, sleepy and pissed to question my own judgment on leaving with him at this point.
The ride was silent for the most part, until Jake had to go and ruin it. "I don't think he's right for you."
"And you are?"
"I'm just saying that he doesn't seem to know you. I don't think he's good enough for you, Bella."
I yawned and left my eyes closed when I answered. "It's my choice who I marry, Jake."
"I just think you're making a huge mistake. I don't like the way he was talking to you, trying to boss you around."
"Like you never have," I huffed, still not opening my eyes.
"That's different. I was your pseudo big brother. It's kind of my job."
"So, you're incestuous, then?" I snapped.
"That's not how it is between us now, and you know it."
I felt him take my hand and kiss it. I pulled it away and frowned at him. "Jake, I'm too tired for this tonight. Can you please not push me?"
"I really wish you'd give in to me already. I think there's a lot more between us than you're willing to acknowledge." I yawned again. It was really starting to annoy me. "Go ahead and rest, Bella. I'll leave you alone for now."
Since he was driving, I knew I could expect him to keep his hands to himself, at least for the time being, and I dozed off pretty quickly, falling into a deeper sleep than normal.
I woke up abruptly to him laying me out on my bed. When he saw my eyes open, he smiled down at me and then kissed my lips before I could stop him. I shoved on his chest, but he didn't budge, his body pinning me to the mattress. "Jake, don't do this," I said, when he moved to my neck, and I gave him a hard kidney punch, trying to get him to shift enough so I could knee him.
"You've had a good nap," he said against my collarbone, and I pinched him hard under his arm. He clamped my hand down tight against my side and slid his other hand up the back of my shirt toward my bra clasp, unhooking it, before moving his hand to the button on my pants. He got that undone and was trying to work the zipper down, when I twisted and was able to shift a bit, trying to knee him, but he was ready for it and caught my knee in his other hand and pushed it out, so he could settle between my legs, where he started rocking against me. He was scaring me now, but at least we were still dressed.
"Don't do this, Jake!"
"Just let me show you how good it could be between us. I know I can be so much better for you than Edward," he said his name disdainfully. "I know I can satisfy you much better than he ever could."
"You can't, because we don't do that, and I don't want to do that with you, either! Now, get off me!" I gave him another hard push, and he actually moved this time and looked at me confused.
"What do you mean, you don't do that?"
"I don't do that, Jake. I'm not a slut. I'm waiting until I'm married, and you can't tell me our dads wouldn't side with me on that one."
He sat up even more, and I wondered why I hadn't used that approach sooner. "Oh," he said, stunned, like he wasn't sure what to do with himself. "I didn't realize…"
"You never bothered to ask, Mr. Handsy, you always just push," I said with an angry shove.
He moved further away from me, letting me up completely to fix my clothes, but then he flopped back on the bed. "I'm sorry, I should've known. You were never one to go running around with guys, but I just thought it was because you wanted me," he said, like the delusional freak he was.
"That wasn't it at all."
"But you got so upset, when I started dating Leah."
"She was a bitch to me and mean to dad when she came over, and she kept spreading nasty rumors about Emily, who was my friend. I was pissed you were dating her, because I didn't want her around our family. She was bad news," I said, facing him now.
"I'll have to agree with you on that one." They'd had a very messy breakup, and he had a boarded up broken window to prove it. Leah was even crazier than Jake. He reached and pulled me back down next to him by my waist. My hands stopped him from bringing me closer. "I still don't like you being with him. You belong with me, Bella."
He leaned in to kiss me again, but I shoved him away. "Jake, will you just cut it out already!"
"Come on, Bella. We won't go all the way, but there are other things-"
"No, there are not. I told you, I'm not doing that, or anything else, so just stop it!" I shoved against his chest again, but he held fast.
He dropped his forehead against mine, taking in a deep breath. "Just let me hold you. I know that's not crossing any line. We've done that before. We used to cuddle up all the time when we were kids."
"You weren't a jerk when we were kids, but then you went nuts and became obsessed with my breasts."
I shouldn't have brought attention to them, because his hand went right for it, but I smacked it away.
"See, you just proved my point! Now, let go of me, Jake!"
"Ah, come on, Bella."
"Don't even try and deny it," I said, trying to pull away from him again. Thankfully, he finally let me go, and I scrambled off the bed and hurried out of my room to more neutral territory.
"I still think you should give me a chance," he said, following me into the kitchen.
"The way you behave doesn't make me want to give you anything. You're being just as pushy as Edward," I said, exasperated. "The both of you just need to back off. I don't need you constantly trying to hump me or him ordering me to do anything!"
"I'm sorry, Bella."
"Are you?" I could only hope he really meant it.
He grabbed me into a hug and kissed my forehead. "Yeah, I am. Anyway, I'd better get going, before dad comes looking for me."
"Thanks for helping me out today and bringing me home," I sighed, as I led him out onto the porch, glad he was finally going.
"Sure, no problem, like dad said, that's what family's for."
We heard a car pull up, and I was surprised to see it was Edward, and he had Eddie with him. Jake narrowed his eyes at the pair and pulled me close to him. "Jake, you promised to be good," I whined, pushing him off me.
He looked down at me and frowned. "Sorry, instinct, do you want me to stay? I don't want them ganging up on you," he offered, eyeing the men getting out of the car.
"No, I'll be alright. His grandpa is a fairly reasonable guy. Hopefully, he can help me straighten Edward out."
"Don't let them pressure you into marrying him. You have other options, Bella."
I rolled my eyes at him. "You should know by now that I don't let anyone pressure me into doing anything."
He chuckled a little. "Yeah, I do." He leaned down and kissed my forehead again and left without saying a word to the men. He and Edward just glared across the yard at each other like a couple of idiots. I had no idea how I was ever going to settle things between them enough to get married with Jake there, if I ended up marrying Edward at all. His bossiness was something we were going to have to address before that would ever happen.