16

Carlisle banged on the door for a solid half hour before he gave up and left. Bella never moved, just sat on the other side, letting her tears fall. The man who banged on the door, yelling and screaming for his wife to talk to him, was not the man who had protected her from her abusive father. The Carlisle she knew, the Carlisle she had loved, had been compassionate, kind, and gentle. Yet a simple kiss from another man had changed everything.

"You okay?"

Bella sighed and looked at the entrance of the kitchen, where she found Edward leaning. "No," she whimpered, shaking her head.

He nodded and walked over to her, settling on the floor, next to her. He shifted his eyes to hers as he reached over and took hold of her hand. "Is this all right?"

"Yeah," she whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about him. He . . ."

"He loves you."

She scoffed. "He doesn't love me."

"He does," Edward replied. "Only a man who loves a woman would fight for her like that."

Bella bit the inside of her lip. "Maybe once upon a time he loved me, but that changed after she died."

"Did it?" he asked, and when she looked up at him, he added, "You were together for a long time, Bella. He was with you through the worst of your life, wasn't he?"

"He was," she confessed. "But then it got too hard for him, and he left me. He moved on, and I'm okay with that."

"Who are you trying to convince? Me or you?" he asked.

Bella sighed and leaned away from him. "Was I heartbroken when he left me? Yes, I was, Edward, because Carlisle was the only good part of my life. When things got hard, I mean really hard at home, he was there for me. He hid me in his closet when Charlie got so drunk I didn't think I would get out alive. He held me when my body hurt from a beating, he promised that I would make it out alive, you know? He was my person. My fucking person, Edward, but when we left, he wanted out. He wanted a fresh start, and that didn't include me," she whimpered, blowing out a heavy breath. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize," he murmured, bringing her hand up to his lips. "Not for how you feel, Bella."

"He left me, Edward, and it took me a long time to forgive him, but I did. I did because he brought me Esme, and she's . . . she's my best friend."

"She seems very nice," he said, and she laughed. "What's so funny?"

"I don't know," she giggled. "I'm tired, and not thinking straight."

Edward smiled. "How about we get some sleep? Alice is taking him this evening, so I don't have to be back until tonight."

"Yeah, okay," she murmured.

Edward stood up and helped her to her feet, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her against him. He brought his other hand up to the side of her face, his eyes flickering down to her lips, but before he could kiss her again, she heard Esme clear her throat. When she looked over, she saw her with her back toward them.

"Hey, Essie," Bella said, pulling herself out of Edward's arms and walking over to her. "You okay?"

She turned, smiling. Even though she said, "I'm fine," there was an emptiness in the words that hit Bella hard. She was brokenhearted, and she couldn't help but feel responsible for hurting her best friend. Esme had never been anything but supportive of her, and she was heartbroken.

"I'm sorry, Essie. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

Esme placed her hands on either side of her face. "You haven't done anything wrong, B, okay? Carlisle . . . Well, you haven't done anything." Esme leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I'm going to go find my boneheaded, asshole husband and give him a piece of my mind, maybe try to get through to him. Thanks for letting me be here, with you, for you."

"I should be thanking you," Bella whispered. "I love you, Essie. You know I love you, don't you?"

"I do," she said, once more trying her hardest to smile. Her eyes shifted to Edward before looking back at her. "He's worth fighting for, B. He's totally worth fighting for."

Esme kissed her forehead again before she released her and hurried out of the house. Edward closed the door behind her, turning and looking at her with a smile. A beautiful, breathtaking smile that had her insides tingling.

He stretched his hand toward her. "Come on, sweetheart."

"Okay," she whispered, and placed her hand in his. He tugged her into his arms, his other hand coming up to cradle her face. "Edward."

"Let's get some sleep, love."

Feeling her eyes fill with tears, she nodded and allowed him to lead her upstairs. However, instead of leaving her in the room on the left, he led her into the room on the right: his bedroom. He released her hand and turned, walking over to his dresser. He pulled out a T-shirt and a pair of pajama pants before looking back at her.

"Figured you'd want to wear something more comfortable than . . . than your jeans." Edward cleared his throat before he held out the shirt. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah," she whispered, taking it from her and hugging it against her chest. "I'm just gonna . . ."

She gestured toward the hallway before she turned and hurried into the bathroom. The door closed behind her and she tossed the shirt he'd given her on the vanity before taking a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart as she reached for the hem on her shirt, pulling it over her head. She stripped off her jeans and put on Edward's T-shirt. It was too big, hanging almost to her knees. She folded her clothes, but left them in the bathroom before she opened the door and walked back into Edward's bedroom, where she found him sitting on the side of the bed. He had put on the pajama pants, but hadn't put a shirt on.

"Wow," he mumbled, his eyes shifting down her body before looking back at her face. "You . . . in my shirt . . . is just wow."

Bella laughed, tugging at the collar of the shirt.

"Glad you like it." She bit the inside of her lip before she walked over to him, standing in front of him and placing her hands on his shoulders. "Was he okay? When you left, was he okay?"

Edward frowned. "He was still agitated. He barely slept, called out for . . . for you a lot. Kept saying how sorry he was."

She nodded. "Too bad he wasn't sorry when he was killing my daughter."

Edward placed his hands on her hips, pulling her against him.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be sorry for how you feel. You're allowed to be angry, Bella."

"Let's just . . . let's just sleep, okay?"

Edward nodded and stood with him against her. He reached behind him, pulling the blankets down. "Let's sleep, sweetheart."

She climbed onto the bed while Edward walked around to the other side, pulled the blankets back, and slide in under them. He rolled so that he was facing her, which she mimicked.

"You're beautiful," he whispered, bringing his hand up to her face.

She smiled, feeling her cheeks heat with her blush. "You're pretty beautiful yourself."

Edward laughed. "First time I've ever been called beautiful."

"I doubt that," she scoffed, turning into the palm of his hand, pressing her lips against it. "How much longer does he have?"

"A few days at most." He frowned. "Maybe a week if he holds out for you."

Bella tensed. "Me?"

"He wants to make it right, I think."

"Make it right?" Bella turned onto her back. "Nothing he says can make it right, Edward."

"No, he can't." Edward leaned up on his elbow, his hand sliding across her abdomen to her hip. "Tell me about your art."

Bella smiled and lobbed her head toward him. "My art?"

He nodded. "What's your favorite type of art to create?"

"Oh, um." She paused. "I like clay a lot. Getting my hands dirty. Sculpting something out of this big blog of nothing."

"Like what?"

"Um, I don't know," she murmured, breathlessly. "I've made dragons and trees, and human bodies."

"Like nude bodies?"

She nodded. "Every curve."

"They're your favorite?"

"I guess," she said.

"I'd love to see your work sometime."

"You would?" she asked, and he nodded. "It's all back in L.A., so . . ."

"Guess I'll come visit, won't I?"

"You would do that? You'd come see me in L.A.?"

"If you want me to."

"Oh." She bit her lip. "That's . . . that's good to know."

Edward laughed and leaned toward her. "Go to sleep, Bella."

"Okay."

Edward pressed his lips against hers, just briefly before he laid back on his side of the bed. She rolled onto her other side, trying to keep from smiling like a fool as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

—You—

Bella was shaken awake when she heard voices downstairs. Groaning, threw the blanket off her and scrambled out of the bed, downstairs, and into the kitchen, fully expecting to find Carlisle giving Edward the what for. So imagine her surprise when she charged into the kitchen, and found Edward seated at the bar with Emmett and Garrett, both of whom turned and looked directly at her.

"Oh fuck me!" Bella gasped, tugging on the bottom of Edward's shirt before she turned and ran back upstairs. She threw open the door to the bathroom, slamming it shut. "What the fuck just happened?"

She'd just grabbed her jeans when someone knocked on the door, causing her to look behind her. "Bella, it's me," Edward called out. "Are you in there?"

Closing her eyes for a moment, she reached over and yanked the door open, finding him leaning with one hand on either side of the doorframe. "I am so sorry," she whimpered. "I heard voices. I thought maybe he'd come back looking for me, and I was . . . I'm just so sorry, Edward."

He smiled. "Stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong."

"I made things harder for you, with them," she cried, wrapping her arms around herself.

He sighed and pushed away from the doorframe, placing his hands on the top of her arms, sliding up to the side of her face. "You haven't done anything wrong, Bella. I got up to check in with Alice, who is taking care of your father right now. Just wanted to make sure she had everything she needs. I was making some fresh coffee when they showed up. You were still asleep. Didn't realize we were being that loud. I'm sorry we woke you. You looked like you were sleeping peacefully."

Bella bit the inside of her lip, nodding. "Is he okay?"

Edward frowned. "She said he finally fell asleep, though he keeps talking in his sleep. To you, and to your mom."

"He's talking about her?" she whimpered.

Edward nodded, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"He refused to tell me about her," Bella cried. "Said if I hadn't . . . if I hadn't been born, she . . ."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Edward pulled her against him, pressing his lips against the top of her head. "He can't hurt you again, though."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise, love. I promise."

Bella nodded and leaned away. "Are they still down there?"

Grimacing, he nodded. "They were worried, I guess. It seems Rosalie might have told Emmett a little about him, about why you left. They were concerned. Especially when they heard that you hadn't been back home for the better part of twenty-four hours."

Bella closed her eyes. "Okay. Let me change, and then I'll right down there."

"You don't have to," he said, shaking his head. "I'll kick them out."

"No, I'm okay. Probably need you to take me to my car soon anyway. You know, before Sam Uley lets the air out of the tires again."

Edward laughed. "I hate that douche."

"Me too." Bella leaned up, pressing her lips against his. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For just understanding that I'm a little fucked up right now."

He laughed, though it sounded forced. "You're welcome, I guess."

Edward kissed her again before leaving her alone in the bathroom. Bella blew out a heavy breath before she quickly changed out of just his T-shirt and into her shirt and jeans. She slipped on her shoes and left his shirt on the side of his bed before she hurried downstairs, finding Edward, Garrett, and Emmett sitting in the living room in awkward silence.

Feeling her shoulders tense, she walked over and sat next to Edward, who wrapped his arm around her, his fingers curving around her hip. "What did she tell you?"

Emmett shared a look with Garrett before he said, "She said he was violent and cruel, and said you barely survived that house."

Bella pressed her lips together. "I see."

"We didn't understand, Bella," Garrett added, scooting to the edge of his seat. "We just didn't understand. She thought it would help."

"And did it?"

He frowned. "No."

"Didn't think so," she quipped. "I don't need your pity." They both looked up at her, their eyes widening. "People pretended they didn't know what he was doing to me. I was clumsy, awkward, that's what he would tell them when he went too far and had to take me to the hospital. I was awkward and clumsy, fell down a lot. Broke my arms, my legs, ribs, because I was clumsy and awkward. But they knew. They would look at me and I knew they knew. They just didn't care enough to stop him. The only people who fought for me was Ro and her family, and they even they couldn't stop him, not when it mattered."

She lobbed her head to the side, looking at Edward. "I'm sorry. I can't . . . I'll call you later, okay?"

"I can take you to your car."

Bella shook her head, shifting her eyes to Emmett and Garrett. "I'll be fine. The fresh air will do me good."

Edward nodded before he walked her over to the front door. He opened the door and placed his hands on her hips. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers.

"You have my number, so call if you need me. Or text, even though I'm not really a good texter."

She smiled and placed her hands on his chest. "Take care of him. For me, please."

Edward nodded. "I will, sweetheart."

Bella threw Emmett and Garrett a look before turning and walking out of the house, down the front pathway, and heading toward The Traymore, away from the one person who has made her feel anything in over a decade.

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