Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

To all my wonderful readers out there: This was a very difficult chapter for me to write. I struggled through what I should reveal and how far I want my characters to go. I hope I have done you proud. No lemons yet ladies. Sorry!

Enjoy!

Chapter 6 – The Truth

Though Edward had walked away, I could still feel the burning hot trail left across my ribs from his touch. The throbbing between my legs wouldn't cease and my head spun. It took a while of concentration to gather my thoughts, smother the raging desire, and slow my racing heart. When I did I was even more confused with Edward Masen. The mystery he presented piqued my curiosity, but deep down I wondered if I really wanted to know.

I wasn't sure I could face him again, so I sat back down and resumed pushing my corn around with my fork. Frustrated because he was breaking through my strict "no intimacy" barrier, I decided to demolish my food. It was somewhere between squashing the corn against potatoes and stabbing the meat to death when I felt a presence. Afraid it was him, I kept my head down. Hushed whispers indicated I had nothing to fear. I glanced over my shoulder and found three of the four ladies Irina had been speaking to earlier, huddled together in the doorway, looking at me.

They stepped forward, two of them pushing the first from behind, as if encouraging her to be the brave one.

"Can I help you, ladies?" I asked.

The first girl looked over her shoulder and the others nodded, egging her on. She looked at me, eyes wide, and smiled. "Hi! I'm Jessica. Um…we have a question for you." I remembered her as the woman that was sitting on his desk the day before.

Seeing their discomfort, I smiled warmly. "I'm not going to bite."

They all took a seat, scooting up close to me.

"Well," Jessica started twisting her hands together nervously, "we just want to know how you did it."

"How I did what?"

"You know, got to Mr. Masen."

"I...don't understand."

"Look. Everyone can see the way he looks at you. You've only worked here one day and we can already see a difference in him. Plus, he acted very strangely when he called us in today."

"What exactly do you mean by 'strangely'?"

"Well, he called me in and just stood across the room, staring at me. He didn't say a word. After a minute or two he opened the door and told me to leave."

"He did the same to me," the brunette said.

"Me too," the other blonde whispered.

Jessica sighed. "But not Irina, she said his…well, his…"

"His dick?" I couldn't help but smile when I said it, thinking of how just minutes ago it was pressed firmly against me.

"Yes. Well, she said it didn't, you know, work."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"We saw him leave this room with a stiffy. What are you doing, you know, different from what we are doing?"

"Are you insinuating that I'm sleeping with him?"

"Aren't you? I mean, we all know he sleeps with us. We've become quite good friends actually, because we know…or hope…someday…"

"Ah," I smiled at them, "you are each hoping one day he will choose between you."

She blushed and the others looked away from each other, ducking their heads.

"Yes," she admitted.

"To answer your question, no, I haven't slept with him. But, how could you?" I asked, my tone revealing my disgust.

"What do you mean?" she asked, the others looking at me for my response.

"Well, how can you all sleep with him knowing he's a sick fuck that just wants to use you as a release for all his pent up stress and anger?" By then I was starting to become exasperated, and it was hard to keep my voice down to a decent level. "How can you live with yourselves? Don't you realize you're nothing but toys to him?"

Jessica's eyes watered up, but I felt no remorse for her. I glanced at the others whose faces displayed various forms of shame.

Jessica stood, glaring at me. "How dare you judge us!"

"Wait," I reached out to grab her hand, "please sit."

She sat back down and crossed her arms, huffing loudly.

"Look, I don't mean to judge you, it's just…"

"I know," she sighed, "but it's hard to resist him. Don't you have trouble thinking coherently when he's close to you?"

I had to admit to myself that I did. I'd been lucky enough to have my inner Bella control me, and the fact that I was protecting my virginity to boot. I nodded my head, confirming my thoughts and answering her question. "I do, but I also have excellent self control."

"Look," Jessica placed her hand over mine, "when we all started here, Mr. Masen was only sleeping with Irina. As time passed, we each, well…pretty much threw ourselves at him. He's a man. Men think with their penises." She giggled and I had to smile. "You see, we've each had our battles with one another over which he wants more, but as time passed, we realized how very immature we were being. We decided we wouldn't let it get to us and agreed to let him have us all until he decided who to choose."

"Oh." I didn't really know what else to say to that, and it certainly didn't paint a very good picture of them.

"You see, the five of us have been spreading rumors that he's slept with every woman in the building. It's wrong, of course, but we don't want the numbers on the playing field to grow, which includes you…no offense."

"None taken," I guess.

"But, somehow, something has changed, and it started yesterday…your first day here. We want to know what you're doing?"

"I haven't done anything, and if you must know, I'm not planning on throwing myself at him. You have nothing to worry about."

Jessica grinned and the others giggled. "That's what we wanted to hear. Thanks."

They all got up and walked away. I was suddenly sick to my stomach. Those women had thrown themselves at him. What man with a working penis would resist? Edward placed himself in a vulnerable position with me several times, and I kept insisting I didn't want to be another notch in his belt. After my conversation with the ladies, I realized I was hardly that. He wasn't fucking every woman on two legs, just five women who'd offered themselves to him, giving him specific options…options he probably wasn't really considering. The twitchy penis syndrome: always in the way of making rational decisions.

I stood, cleared the table, dumped my plate along with Edward's in the trash, and headed back to my office. Edward was looking over some papers on his desk, groaning in irritation.

"Is everything okay, Mr. Masen?"

He looked up at me. "Please, call me Edward."

"Why? I've only worked here two days. I'm nobody special."

He looked back down at his papers. "You are to me."

I gasped and he looked back up.

"You are my assistant, Bella. We are going to be working very closely for, hopefully, a very long time. I think it's about time I allow my assistant to call me by my first name."

"Okay…Edward." I grinned, happy with the change. I turned and walked into my office, eager to get back to the manuscript.

I read on, feeling my heart tear as the boy was passed on from one family member to another, being mistreated, acting out his frustrations in school, falling into drugs and alcohol. For five years he merely existed, living in hell on earth, before he ended up in an orphanage. It was in that institution he met a special lady. She mothered him, mentored him, and led him to a clean and honest way of living. In this place, loved by her, he found his home.

I was deep into the thoughts of this young boy, feeling his every emotion, when heat started to build up in my stomach, surging through my veins. It was the same feeling I got when Edward was near. I looked up and found a pair of concerned green eyes staring at me.

"Do you need something?" I asked.

"No." He shuffled his feet, looking down at his shoes. "I just wanted to know how the reading was coming along."

"Famously, this Ankit is a wonderful writer."

Edward grinned. "You think so?"

"Yes, I do. Do you know the author well?"

He looked up from his shoes, into my eyes. "I believe I do."

"When can I meet him? I have so many questions."

"Well, I'll see what I can do. He's usually very busy." He glanced over his shoulder. "What the fuck?"

He turned. "Who the hell let you in here?"

A woman's voice cooed seductively, "Oh, did you miss me big boy?"

"Get the fuck out!"

I stood, recognizing the voice, and moved beside Edward. Tanya stood, eyes burning, with her hands on her hips. She was wearing long sleeves, no doubt covering the scratches I'd given her. Her thick layers of makeup were no match for the deep purple bruise across the side of her face.

"What do you want?" I asked. "Come for another beating?"

"You wish," she snapped.

"Make my wish come true, bitch."

"Hold it!" Edward reached his arm back to stop my advancing. "What do you want, Tanya?"

"I came to confirm your relationship. The Town Crier wants to do a story on you, and all the buzz is out that you are no longer available. I am being interviewed tomorrow. Watch out, because if you're lying, it will be very bad for you."

Edward stood, staring at Tanya, mouth partially opened.

"I thought so," she sneered, "lying will make for an interesting story."

"Who said we were lying," I growled.

Tanya grinned. "I can read Edward like a book. Besides, it doesn't even remotely make sense. You? Dating him? Fat chance, sweetheart."

I pushed Edward's arm out of my way, because I wanted to rip her fake ass hair extensions off of her head, but he wrapped his arm around my waist to stop me. When he pulled me against his side, another idea came to mind. I grabbed his face between my hands and pulled it down, shoving my mouth against his. He responded eagerly, parting his lips and allowing my tongue access to his. He pushed me against the doorframe, his length once again present.

"That doesn't prove a thing," Tanya growled and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

We continued kissing, and somehow it felt different from our first kiss. My impression of him had changed, giving our contact a whole new edge. I whimpered as his hands ran up my neck and into my hair, pulling at the strands forcefully. He spun us around, leaning me against my desk, and shoved his hips into me. I had to catch my breath. His lips made their way across my jaw and down my neck, hands reaching my breasts, thumbs running over the material across my nipples, sending a shiver though me. I groaned out loud.

He pulled back at the sound. "I'm sorry," he panted, releasing his hold on me and stepping back.

"It's okay," I breathed.

He shook his head. "No, I shouldn't have reacted that way."

"I kind of liked it," I breathed. Heat rose into my face and I could feel myself blushing.

His grin made my legs weak, and I had to concentrate on not sliding to the floor in a puddle of Bella goo.

"You saved me once again," he said. He stepped closer to me, reaching his hand out to push a strand of hair behind my ear. "It's too bad we're lying."

"Do you want it to be a lie?" I asked.

His eyes widened, but before he could respond there was a knock on his door. He turned and walked over to answer it. At first he had a glower on his face and I thought Tanya might have returned, but when he looked at me, the disappointment in his eyes very nearly brought me to tears. Something hurt him.

"Yeah," he motioned for the visitor to enter.

Jake walked in and leaned against my door. "Hey, Bella! You ready for dinner?"

"Oh, shit! I'm sorry Jake. I completely forgot about dinner. Um..." Before I could move, I had to compose myself momentarily, shake away the sensation left by Edward that was still running through my senses.

As I grabbed my things, Edward leaned against the wall next to his door, looking forlorn. Jake walked out and I followed behind him, stopping to touch Edward on the shoulder. "This is completely innocent, Edward. I won't do anything to jeopardize our lie. I promise," I whispered.

He nodded his head and pushed away from the wall, heading back to his desk. I stood for a moment, staring at his retreating figure, wanting desperately to comfort him. The strange thing was I couldn't understand why that feeling was so strong. I'd only known this man for two days, and I was already falling into his web, soon to be wrapped in his silk, ready to be eaten alive. I turned and followed Jake.

We made it to the lobby when it hit me. I couldn't leave Edward like that! I'd made a promise to him and I was breaking it by going out to dinner with this man I hardly knew. Granted, I hardly knew Edward, but I'd made a commitment.

The elevator opened and Jake stepped in, turning to smile at me. I felt so bad letting him down, but I had to. He could see the hesitation in my eyes, because he stepped back out of the elevator.

"Oh, no," he groaned, "no, no, no, NO!"

"What?"

He put his hands on my shoulders. "You're letting him get to you, aren't you?"

"No, it's not like that, Jake."

"To hell it isn't!" His nostrils flared, and his faced darkened through his anger as his grip on my shoulders tightened.

"Ow!" I shoved him back, breaking his hold on me. "Look, I don't know you, and you sure as hell don't know me, so don't fucking judge what you don't fucking know!" I spat, truly infuriated at how I'd been judged not only by him but by the other ladies as well.

I spun around and headed back to the office. When I reached the door, Edward was on the phone. I peeked into the room.

"No, she doesn't remember." There was a long pause. "I know…she's reading it." He turned in his desk and caught me eavesdropping. "Uh…I gotta go." He hung up and jumped to his feet.

Pushing the door open, I stepped into the office.

"Did you forget something?" he asked.

"Yes. I forgot the promise I made to you." I walked across the room to stand before him. "Since we're 'dating'," I made the quotations in the air with my fingers, "I shouldn't be eating out with other men. At least until you dump my ass." I grinned sheepishly.

My stomach twisted and I had to catch my breath as his lips pulled up into a crooked grin.

"And what makes you think I would dump your sexy ass?"

"Sexy, huh?"

He raised one eyebrow. "Did I stutter?"

Oh, he is bad.

I blushed and he reached up to run his fingers across my cheek. "I'm glad you didn't go out with Jake."

"Really? I couldn't tell." I glanced down at his package, standing at full salute.

"Shit!" He turned away from me. "I swear he has a mind of his own."

"It's okay. I'm not offended. I guess normally I would be, but with you it's different somehow."

"Really?" He turned back to me.

My stomach growled and he laughed. "Someone needs to eat."

I turned away, embarrassed.

"Look, I have tons of work. I'd take you out but…"

"You know," I picked up his phone, "there's always take-out."

He shrugged. "Sure, why not."

I dialed my favorite Chinese restaurant down the street.

"What do you want?" I asked, covering the receiver.

"Whatever you're having is fine," he said while looking back over some papers.

I ordered the Kung Pao Chicken and Chinese Three Delight because those were my two favorites. I figured he could choose one or we could possibly share both. I was hoping for the latter.

While waiting for the food I grabbed the manuscript and sat on the leather sofa he had in his office. I remembered the discomfort of the leather chair on my first day, and the black leather sofa in his home. He must have a thing for leather. I shifted, bringing my legs up to my right side, leaning on the arm to get comfortable. Realizing my shoes were still on, I kicked them to the floor, the clatter catching Edward's attention. He looked up from his work and smiled.

"Sorry," I muttered.

He just nodded and went back to work.

I busied myself with the story, living through the eyes of a young man.

I was fifteen the day my eyes set sight on perfection, and my heart was hers. There was nothing I wouldn't do for this young beauty, and in the two years I'd had the pleasure of spending with her, I couldn't break her of her pain. I'd tried, and failed. I offered all of myself to her, made her as happy as a young man could manage, but I was setting myself up for the worst possible pain I'd ever feel.

I read on about their blooming relationship, how they often slipped into the woods unnoticed to be alone. They shared their deepest darkest secrets and desires with one another. Pages and pages I read, not wanting to leave the beautiful world of first love.

I didn't realize what it was. It was my seventeenth birthday, and I was surrounded by friends and those I considered family, but there was only one guest that mattered. When she walked through the door with my cake in her hands, I very nearly fell to my knees right then and there and asked her to be mine forever. It was a silly thing to consider at the young age of seventeen, but I wanted her, and I knew my heart would only be hers. When we had the opportunity to slip away, I took her to our place.

She leaned against our tree, her back to me. "I'm leaving," she said.

My heart sank, plummeting into a deep dark despair. "What?"

She turned to me. "One of my relatives has come to claim me. I was told this morning that he will be picking me up today. We will be moving across the country."

"No!" I choked on the word. My world was falling apart and I was helpless to do anything about it. "You can't leave me. We can…we can run away together."

"Where are we going to go?"

I reached out for her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her close. "I'll think of something."

She ran her fingers through my hair. "No." Her hands ran down my back, igniting a burning in my belly. "I'll come back for you. I promise."

We held each other for an infinite amount of time, and I willed that time to stand still for us. It didn't. It did, however, leave me with something so much more.

Before I could read on, the phone rang and both Edward and I jumped in our seats.

"Oh," I gasped.

"It's the food." Edward answered the phone. "Yes…bring it up." He grabbed his wallet and walked to the door. "I'll be right back." He walked out, leaving me to the story.

The sight of her bare skin before me was like no other. I was no hormonal teenager with needs. Our situation was very different. I'd never been with a girl and she'd never been with a boy. Both of our lives before each other were void of those kinds of relationships, our sole desire being survival. Now it was only her and I, the only two souls left on Earth, and we were going to join them at last.

Making love to her cannot be expressed in words, but if I could it would be a culmination of every joyful event imagined, combined into a pillar of ecstasy, holding up an unbreakable bond for all the world to behold. At the climax of our rapture, I gazed into her eyes and we both cried, clinging to each other in desperation, not knowing if we'd see each other again.

"I love you," I breathed against the warm, ivory skin below her ear.

I turned the page.

"And I love you, my Ankit bear." Edward quoted the next line perfectly.

I gasped and realized he was reading over my shoulder.

"Sorry, did I startle you?" he asked, and then his brow creased. "Are you crying?"

I was crying. I reached up and wiped away the tears that were washing down my face. "Um…sorry."

"It's okay," he ran his finger across my cheek catching a tear I'd missed.

We ate in silence, and though we didn't speak, it wasn't awkward. I felt comfortable sitting next to him on the sofa, eating out of Chinese carry-out boxes. He used the chopsticks and I used a fork. There was no way I was going to embarrass myself with chopsticks. I'd end up with food all over myself, and the office as well. He chose the Kung Pao Chicken, though he reached over more than once to pick at mine.

"Nuh-uh-uh," he shook his finger back and forth, denying me a chance to pick at his food. I didn't mind, laughing it off as he reached over to pick at mine once again. I smacked his hand and he gave me that you-better-let-me-or –else look.

I let him.

When we finished eating Edward snatched the manuscript from my hand.

"I think we should save this for tomorrow. I'll hold it for you here on my desk." He placed it next to his pile of papers.

"Are you sure it won't get lost in your mess?"

He snickered. "I hope not. Maybe I'll get lost."

"Well, if you're missing in the morning, I'll send the search party to your desk."

He smiled warmly, and I liked the overwhelming joy I felt in that one expression. The room was thick with delight, and I hated that I had to go home, but it was getting late, and I didn't want to be tired and loopy the next day.

I hesitated before speaking. "I'd better get going."

"Okay." He seemed genuinely disappointed, and it made me smile inside. "Can I walk you out?"

"Sure."

We walked in silence. The elevator ride was excruciatingly slow. We stole glances at one another, grinning and blushing in turn, until we reached ground level. He walked me to the door, waving at the night security as he unlocked the entrance for me.

When I stepped out, a cool breeze blew through my hair, sending it across Edward's face. He laughed.

"Thank you for staying and having dinner with me. You didn't have to."

"I know, but I wanted to." I really did.

He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Good night, Bella."

"Good night," I murmured.

That night I couldn't sleep. Each time I closed my eyes I was met by two burning, green orbs. It was as if Edward's soul traveled through the city to meet me in my dreams. His touch, his breath, his lips on mine…I couldn't get enough of him. As if I was tossed into Ankit's story, Edward and I were in the trees, making sweet love to one another. His hands burned against my skin, igniting a fire within that grew, consuming me. Though amorous, there was one thing that bothered me, almost turning my bliss into a nightmare. The Edward in my dreams was at least six years younger. His hair was shorter, muscles less defined, face smooth, and smile beaming. The innocence in his eyes was what made me choke, the purity of young love in all its glory. He kissed me passionately, and my heart sank. I woke up crying, wishing Edward were like that young man in my dreams, but knowing he never would be.

The beeping of the alarm clock startled me, sending me rolling off my bed.

Shit! I landed on the hard wood floor, my head missing the foot of my nightstand by less than an inch.

I crawled across the room and used the dresser to pull myself up. Shuffling to the restroom, I showered and prepared for day three of work. I remembered Alice telling me to get to the office before 7:30 in order to be there before Edward. I decided that would be a great idea.

I dressed in a grey pin stripe skirt with a black silk blouse. My black pumps worked nicely with the outfit. I decided to keep my hair down, brushing it out so it fell deftly across my shoulders.

As I passed my kitchen, contemplating a quick cup of coffee, the thought of Edward standing half-naked by my stove invaded my thoughts. I felt my stomach tighten and I immediately dismissed the image, forgetting the coffee altogether, and headed out the door for work.

I made it to the office by 7:15 and decided it would be nice to begin reading again while nobody was around to interrupt me. When I reached Edward's office I noticed the door was cracked open. I pushed on it slowly. Through the faint blanket of light that filtered through the window from the streetlights outside, I saw Edward sitting at his desk, head down, sound asleep.

I crept slowly across the room and over to him. He was breathing heavily, a slight snoring sound coming from each breath he took, and I smiled. Reaching over, I touched his shoulder to nudge him and realized he was very tense. I positioned myself beside his chair and squeezed lightly on both of his shoulders, massaging circles into his back, and he groaned. Oh, how I loved the sound.

He turned his head to the side and opened his eyes. I knelt down beside him and he shifted in his seat so we were face to face, his eyes glazed over with sleep. He reached up and placed his hands on each side of my face, pulling me to him, his forehead touching mine, my nose touching his. His eyes closed and he breathed across my lips, "I've missed you, so much. I'm broken without you. Please come back to me."

"Excuse me?" I asked.

His eyes shot open and he sat upright, dropping his hands from my face.

"What the fuck?" he stammered, "Where the hell?" He glanced around the office, which was still dark. Reaching over the desk, he flicked on a lamp and looked down at me. "Bella?" He rubbed his eyes and blinked wildly before looking back at me. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to work early."

"Oh."

He must have been having quite a dream to wake up and imagine I was someone else. I frowned inwardly, feeling the pain in his misspoken sentiment, and stood to get to work. When I turned to walk away, Edward's hand reach out for mine.

"Wait."

I turned back to him.

"Have you eaten breakfast?" he asked.

"No."

He frowned. "You really shouldn't skip such an important meal." He rose. "Come, I'm going to take you to eat."

"Mr…I mean, Edward, you don't have to…"

"Hush," he placed his finger over my lips and I felt a tingle go through me. "I'm going to take you out and that's final. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, sir."

He grinned widely. "That's my girl."

My face lit up, my girl, I could definitely get used to being called that.