Two years ago
"Leah!" He slammed his fist against the thin door and yelled a little louder. "Open the door, now!"
Edward stopped for a second and pressed his ear to the door. He could make out a low moan, then it was silent again. Finally, he stepped back and kicked the door with all his strength. The frame shattered. The door handle bent, but it swung open.
He walked into the bathroom and was immediately assaulted with the smell of bile. The toilet was splattered with drops of brown liquid and bits of half digested food. A groan drew his attention to a lump sitting in the bottom of the stand up shower.
Leah was lying in a damp heap, her hair plastered to her face, and her eyes were closed. He rushed to her side and grabbed her shoulders, lifting her to a sitting position. She stank of vomit and tequila, but at least she was alive.
"Leah, please open your eyes," he begged, wiping her hair from her face, and was rewarded with her pained expression.
"Edward?" Her eyes seemed to focus, and she turned, her hands covering her face. "Go away."
"No," he said, pulling her up to stand, and turned on the shower. "We need to get you cleaned up."
"I'm disgusting," she groaned, while he tugged off her waterlogged hoodie and let it drop to the floor of the shower with a heavy thud.
"More reason to get you clean," he argued, lifting her head and looking into her bloodshot eyes. "Can you get the rest off on your own?"
"Yeah," she said, nodding her head and promptly lost her balance.
"Shit!" He caught her and helped her stand back up. "I'm going to do this as quickly as I can."
Edward kept his eyes on her face while he tugged the bottom of her t-shirt over her head and began to unbutton her jeans. "Can you kick those off?"
She nodded, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, and removed her jeans. He unfastened her bra and stared at the showerhead, while he removed it and her panties. Her head was resting on his shoulder, and her damp body was pressed against his clothing, quickly soaking through them.
"I'm sorry," she whimpered against his wet t-shirt and made a choking sound. "I'm such a fucking train wreck."
"Hush, you are not," he insisted, grabbing the bottle of shampoo from the shelf and began to lather it into her hair. "Break ups are tough for everyone."
The scent of cucumbers and green tea filled the air, masking the stench of vomit and alcohol. He breathed in the pleasant smell and wished he could take her pain away that easily. Leah closed her eyes and tilted her head back under the spray of water.
"Can you finish without my help?" He placed her hands on the wall and wiped his hand over her face.
"Yeah, I think so," she said, as he carefully released her and watched her move slowly but stably to clean herself.
"I'm grabbing a towel," he said, heading toward the door. "Yell if you need me."
"Okay," she croaked.
Edward tore up the basement stairs and walked into the kitchen. It was still filled with people, strangers. He pushed past them, unfazed by how rude he might be appear. His only thought was to get a towel for Leah and to get her someplace safe.
"Edward where have you been?" Bella appeared in front of him, a glass of champagne in her hand and a towering blond at her side. "I wanted to introduce you to my new supervisor, Jasper."
"Sorry, Leah's not feeling well," he explained, glancing up at the smiling man standing next to his wife and smiling politely. "Nice to meet you, Jasper. I would offer to shake your hand, but I'm kind of a mess."
"I understand," Jasper said with a good-natured smile and waved his hand dismissively, turning to speak to Bella. "Leah, was she the one that said she was going to drink me under the table?"
"Yes," Bella replied, a blush spreading across her cheeks and a look of distress overtaking her face. "Is she okay?"
"She's fine," Edward said, glancing at Jasper, and tried to appear at ease. "I was going to set up the guest room for her."
"You're so sweet," Bella said as she stepped closer to him but stopped short and looked at his shirt with a horrified expression.
Edward looked down to see a streak of vomit down his shirt. "Oh."
He couldn't be bothered to care much, but he gave Bella a reassuring smile and shrugged. "Don't worry, Bella. I'll change before I come back to the party."
"Thank you," Bella sighed and turned to look up at Jasper. "My husband can never resist helping a lady in distress."
"A truly good man never can," Jasper said with a nod and held up his glass of champagne toward Edward. "I commend you and wish a speedy recovery to Leah."
"Thanks," Edward said with a nod and stepped around them, heading toward the linen closet.
He returned with a towel and change of clothes to find Leah still standing in the shower. Her face was pressed to the wall, and her sobs could be heard over the noise of the water. Edward set down the clothes and stepped into the shower to turn off the water. He wrapped the towel around her body, and she immediately turned to cling to him.
"Shhh," he whispered into her ear and held her close, while her body shook with sobs.
"I'm such an idiot," she said, shaking her head. "How can you stand to be around me?"
"Stop it," he said, pulling away to look her in the face. "Quit that bullshit right now! You are not an idiot."
"I am," she insisted, shaking her head and wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I bought his whole act. I changed my major, bought new clothes. I even cut my fucking hair. I was so sure he was serious, but I was too dumb to see I was just a piece of ass."
"Leah, you had no idea he wasn't serious about you," he said, even though he knew from the first time he met Nahuel that the jackass was using her.
He could see right through that smug son of a bitch. Nahuel was a womanizer. He mesmerized women with his accent and intelligence, but in the end all he wanted was sex. Leah was one of many female students that he led on with gifts, attention, and false promises. Edward knew what Nahuel was, because he used to be him. That was a long time ago, before Bella…before Leah.
"You even tried to warn me," she groaned, covering her face with her hands, and leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Come on," he said, stroking her hair and hugging her close. "Stop torturing yourself. Let's get you into some clean, dry clothes and get you to bed. Okay?"
She nodded, and he released her, handing her the clothes. He waited outside the bathroom while she dressed and wished he had it in him to fly to Brazil and beat the shit out of Nahuel.
He had Leah under his spell for two years before the cracks started to show. By the time Leah found out about the other women, Nahuel had already hopped a plane back Brazil, leaving her humiliated and alone. She didn't tell anyone what happened for two months, until Sue dropped in for a surprise visit and got Leah to tell her the whole story.
As soon as Edward found out he called Leah, and she immediately broke down. The sound of her pain was the last straw. Even as he reassured her she would be okay, he had texted Bella to tell her that he was willing to move to Seattle. Leah needed family and friends at her side. She'd been there for him so many times; helping her through that break up was the least he could.
After two months, it seemed things had gotten better, but the holidays had taken their toll. He didn't want to strain her anymore, but Bella insisted that Leah shouldn't be alone on New Years. Leah showed up and had begun to drink heavily almost immediately. The rest of the night had gone down hill quickly.
Leah appeared in the doorway, wearing a baggy pair of his sweatpants and one of his old UIC sweatshirts. She looked pathetic but kind of adorable at the same time. He put his arm around her shoulder and guided her up the stairs. She clung to him while they navigated through the crowd of partygoers, all of whom were Bella's co-workers there to ring in the New Year and Bella's transfer to the Seattle office.
Edward hated having all those strangers in his house, but he dealt with it because it made Bella happy. As they passed the living room on the way to the stairs he spotted Bella talking to Jasper by the fireplace. She was smiling and looked happy. He told himself that his discomfort was worth seeing her like that, but part of him was having a hard time believing it. He told that part of himself to shut up and helped Leah up the stairs.
Once they were in the guest room he kicked the door shut and pulled her over to the bed. She crawled under the covers without protest, but when he tried to walk away she grabbed his arm.
"Thank you," she said, looking at him with tear-filled eyes. "I know I'm a pathetic pain in the ass."
"Leah," Edward sighed heavily, gently tugging her hand off his arm, and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "You are not pathetic. In fact, you're one of the most amazing people I know."
Leah made a snorting sound of protest and lay back on her pillow with a grunt. He smiled, charmed by her dismissal of his compliment. It was the first real sign of the Leah that he'd seen in years. The sight of it tugged at something in his chest that had been strung tight since they had fought that night in the restaurant.
"Can I ask you a favor?" She was facing away from him, but he could see she was biting her lip.
"Of course," he said, leaning down to rest his chin on her shoulder, and she turned to look at him with a strange expression on her face.
"Stay with me until I fall asleep." Her voice was barely a whisper, but he could still hear the edge of pain in her tone.
He smiled and nodded, pushing her over to make room for him. She sighed but didn't look at him. He settled into the bed behind her and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her back into his body. Her hands clung to his arm, but neither one of them spoke.
Edward stayed with her, listening to her breathing and enjoy the feel of holding her far more than he should. When midnight came the house erupted in a roar of cheers below them, and Edward softly kissed Leah's temple to ring in the New Year, before finally leaving the room.
Present
Edward's eyes are barely open, but he can still see the smile on Leah's lips. The sight makes his heart soar. There is something special about her smile, and it has nothing to do with the fact that she doesn't do it that often. Her lips pull up at the corners, her cheeks become rounder, and her eyes widen a little. The entire effect softens her features and never fails to make him want to smile in response.
"You're beautiful." The words slip out before he can stop them, not that he had much will to stifle the truth.
Not when his mind is a hazy spiral of swirling thoughts, most of which feature Leah's smile and dark eyes.
"Stop it." She rolls her eyes, like he's made some joke, and turns away from him.
He straightens, stung by her off-handed dismissal. "I'm being serious. You are beautiful, inside and out, and you need to hear it more often. I know that there have been assholes like Nahuel that put it in your head that you weren't worth more, but you are, Leah. I wish I could show you how much you're worth, how amazing you are, and make you believe it."
"You have to say that crap, because you're my brother in law," she whispers, her voice sounding strained.
"No," he says, shaking his head, and takes a deep breath. "I shouldn't say it, because I'm your brother in law."
He reaches out to grab her chin, urging her to look at him. She turns her head, and her nose brushes against his. Her breath hitches, and she jerks back a few inches. She stares at him with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. He feels it too, but for the first time he isn't afraid of it.
The hairs on his arms stand on end, and he can feel the small space separating them like it's an electrified fence. He wants to push past the resistance, close the distance, and…
Leah is suddenly on him, her soft lips pressed against his, while her arms wind around his neck. He responds immediately, his hands dipping into the water to grasp her thighs and moving her to straddle his lap. His mouth opens, and his tongues slides out to tease her lips. She moans in response, her hot breath tasting sweet and spicy, and making him groan back.
Her mouth opens to him, and his tongue strokes the inside of her mouth. It is indescribable – not just the kissing, but the feeling of her in his arms. Leah is passionate; each movement feels like a demand, and he is happy to meet each one with his own. She sucks on his tongue; her hips shift against him, while her fingers tangle and tug on his hair.
He slides his hands up her thighs and wraps them around her ass, teasing the edge of the bikini bottoms with his fingertips. She pulls back from him, gasping for air, and shifts herself in his lap, her body pressing against his obvious erection and making them both groan.
His mind taunts him with the knowledge that there are only two very thin, very wet pieces of fabric separating them. He can see himself pulling down his shorts and yanking her bikini bottoms out of the way. His body jerks a little at the thought of being inside her, and he closes his eyes.
Leah's mouth returns, her teeth nipping at his bottom lip, while her hands stroke down his chest. Her nails scrape a stinging trail across his skin that ends at the waistband of his shorts. He gasps, and her mouth covers the rest of the sound.
Leah tugs at the laces at the front of his shorts, and her fingers sneak beneath the waistband. His fingers trace the seam on her bikini bottoms under along the slope of her ass and between her legs. He can feel her fingers brush the skin below his bellybutton, and his fingers pull back the edge of her bottoms to slide inside.
"Shit!" Leah suddenly jerks backward into the water and disappears beneath the surface for a second.
He stands up, confused and a little off balance, when he hears it, too.
"Hey, guys, I brought champagne!" Bella yells from inside the house, and Edward turns toward the back door just as she walks out on to the deck. "There you are."
Bella is still in her suit with a bottle of champagne in her hand. The light makes her eyes and smile glimmer in the dark. She's happy and giggly, probably a little drunk.
"Come on, you two, out of the hot tub." She waves her hand and turns back toward the door. "I need help opening this thing."
Edward suddenly feels sober and a little ill. He can't bring himself to speak, while he reties the laces at the front of his shorts. Leah wades past him, her face hidden from his view, and climbs out of the tub. He watches her wrap a towel around herself and wishes…
"Leah," he calls out, unsure what else to say, but she doesn't respond.
She disappears inside the house, leaving him alone in the still bubbling water with a rapidly deflating erection. He feels like an idiot, a selfish, horrible, fucking fool. It settles into his belly like a cold lump and makes every step he takes toward the house feel like a mile.
When he opens the door he can already hear Bella and Leah talking. There's nothing unusual about their tone, but he can still feel the tension in the air. He closes the door and looks at them.
"Are you sure you won't have one little glass?" Bella is holding on to Leah's hand and making an exaggerated pouting expression. "Please, for me."
Leah's eyes dart from Bella's face and fix on Edward's for a split second before she shakes her head. "I really should be getting home."
Panic shoots through him at the thought of her leaving. He can't stand the idea of her walking way like this, after what happened. Edward wants to talk to her, to sort things out, but mostly he needs to have her close.
"Come on, Leah. It's just one glass," he says, feeling like a selfish asshole, but he can't help it.
Leah glares at him but finally relents. "Fine."
Bella does a little dance and promptly loses her balance. Edward is at her side, his arms entwined with Leah's as they wrap around Bella's waist. Leah quickly pulls away, leaving him holding his giggling wife, and takes the bottle from her hand.
Leah opens the champagne and pours them each a glass, while Bella chatters about her promotion. He doesn't touch his glass, but Leah quickly drinks her way through two very full glasses and looks miserable. It's torture to watch her struggle in silence and not be able to comfort her, especially when he knows that he is the cause of the pain.
"I'm happy for you, Bells," Leah finally interrupts and gives her a hug. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day, and I'm exhausted."
"Thank you, Lee," Bella says, holding on to Leah and looks at her for a long moment. "I'm so glad I got to share it with you."
Leah gives her stepsister a weak smile and gently pulls free of Bella's arms. "Sure. No problem."
"Wait," Edward blurts out, stepping forward, and puts his arm on Bella's shoulders. "It's too late to walk home. How about you just crash in the guest bedroom."
"He's right," Bella quickly adds with a nod. "Stay, and I'll make pancakes in the morning."
Leah stares at both of them for a long moment. Finally, she closes her eyes and sighs. "Okay."
Edward wants to cheer, but the look of defeat and sadness in Leah's eyes stifles his triumph. He hates himself a little as he watches her disappear up the stairs and hopes he gets a chance to talk to her later. Though he is unsure if there is any way to fix what he has done.
"Now, that we're alone I have some serious stuff to talk about," Bella turns in his arms and crosses her arms over her chest.
His stomach sinks, and he takes a step back, guilt flooding him immediately. "What do you mean?"
"Well, first off I need you to put in notice at the hospital, and we need to put the house on the market," Bella says with a shrug and gives him playful wink. "The new position is in the home office in Houston. Surprise!"
"What?" Edward takes a step back, unable to control the anger in his voice.
"It's the headquarters of the company, Edward," Bella sighs and shakes her head. "Where did you think an Assistant Vice President of Sales is going to be? Not in a regional office, that's for sure."
"I expected a little more notice about us moving to a different state," he snaps and covers his face with his hands.
"This is your notice. We have a month to get our affairs in order before we move," she says, refilling her glass and leaning back against the counter. "I had to fight for that much time. Jasper wanted me to report there immediately."
"Oh, I'm sorry for inconveniencing Jasper," he grumbles, folding his arms over his chest, and fights back the urge to tell her where Jasper can stick her new promotion.
"Don't be like that," Bella sighs, setting down her glass and smoothing her hands over his arms. "This a big deal for me, Edward. I wish you could see that."
"And I wish you could see how much this disrupts my career," he counters, dropping his arms, and steps back from her.
"When we left Chicago you said you could practice medicine anywhere," she argues, her face tightening with anger.
"That was different," he says, waving his hand and wishing he had waited to talk about this with her at another time.
"No, it's not," she insisted, turning to place her hands on the countertop, and closes her eyes. "I need your support in this, Edward. Please."
"If I asked you to quit your job to stay here with me because I need you, would you do it?" He watches her face. His question makes her flinch, but she doesn't speak immediately.
After a long moment she opens her eyes and turns to look at him. "Would you be against moving to Houston if Leah lived there?"
He was frozen, shock and fear surging through ever nerve in his body, but he couldn't speak or even move. Bella held his gaze for a long moment, before turning to leave kitchen. He watches her disappear up the stairs and doesn't allow himself to breathe until he hears their bedroom door slam shut.