Part III

BPOV(Bella)

I stepped out into the cold night. I shivered, it was so cold but I did not stop, my rage didn't allow me. I walked ahead in a hurry. Tears began to stream down my cheeks. I was truly far from home but I would be damned if I took a favor from him.

A horse approached me from behind. I tried to walk faster but it was obvious that whoever was behind me would catch up. "Bella!" it was an automatic reaction I turned to my name. I half expected to find Edward but instead the horse rider was William. "It's not the safest time of day for you to be out and about."

"I didn't really have a choice." I kept on walking and he followed on horse. I heard a small thump on the ground, he had dismounted.

He now followed me on foot. "What did he do?"

"Nothing." I replied indifferently.

"I know him, Edward gets around, he probably has had more women in his bed than the king himself." He said with a voice full of resentment.

"That I do believe." I continued walking until he gently grabbed my arm to stop me.

"Bella, I am so sorry for what I did. I'm sorry that I couldn't stop him. He won't listen to me, I wanted to stop him." I now realized what he was talking about. I remembered his words back at the table. That should have given me an idea of what was going to happen but obviously I'm a complete fool.

"It's okay."

"Bella no it's not, tell me what he did. He shouldn't have done anything. Tell me, please and don't tell me he told you not to tell anyone, he doesn't deserve that right." He really did know Edward's ways.

"He did nothing to me though I assure you those were not his intentions."

"He let you go just like that?" he asked as if he thought I was lying.

I nodded. "Was he supposed to keep me?"

"He did nothing else?" I shook my head. He looked troubled. "That's odd."

"Why do you say that?"

He shrugged. "He never lets a girl go until he gets what he wants. I guess no one had ever denied him."

"I am here and I assure you he did not get what he wanted."

"I believe you. Let me take you home. It's late and dark." I deliberated but if I did not accept his offer I would have to walk home.

"Fine but if you even –"

He cut me off. "I won't. Come get on." He effortlessly climbed on. He stuck out his hand.

"I'm not sure about this. I don't ride horses."

He smiled. "You won't fall just jump on." While he instructed me I climbed on. I was terrified of falling. "Hold on." I wrapped my arms around him and he took off.

On horseback my home was not too far. "I'm a maid." I confessed.

"I am not a man like Edward, it doesn't trouble me." The horse slowed to a trot and then stopped. He dismounted first and then helped me off. "I'll walk you in."

"No you've troubled yourself enough by bringing me home."

"I took you to him and I was an imbecile not to realize what would happen. He sees something he likes and he pounces like an animal. I shouldn't have put you in that situation. I must say I'm terribly glad that nothing more happened. I would've felt more at fault than I do now."

I scoffed. "If anyone is at fault it is I. I followed him I went along and I fell for his….his charm and I don't know why, I shouldn't have."

Despite what he'd told me he followed me in. My mother opened the door for us. "Bella, where have you….been?" she trailed off at the sight of William. I expected this from her. "Hello."

"I apologize for the tardiness." He said.

"Oh no it's fine." She was overly happy that I had come home with him. I sighed heavily.

"William I appreciate the trouble you've gone to, have a good night."

"You, too." I wish I had had a good night.

That night was terrible, I did not sleep all I could recall was Edward's dazzling eyes, his hair, his touch his lips. It was unspeakable, I was actually attracted to him. I wanted to be angry at him but in reality all I wanted was to see him once more.

EPOV (Edward)

The house maid was forced to wake me near midday. She had to clean and attempted to do it silently but failed. Another girl of the house prepared me a bath. I had the one of worst nights possible and the morning after, was not so great either.

"Would you like me to ask the cook to prepare you breakfast?" She asked. She was a blonde haired girl, her hair reached midway down her back and her skin was slightly tanned. She was a decent girl.

"A glass of fruit juice is all."

"Are you sure you don't want anything else?"

"I'm sure." She nodded nervously and then departed. When I returned to my room I pulled on the clothes that had been lied out for me. I made my way downstairs where my cousins were planning on taking a tour around town. Unlike myself, they have been here only one other time. Emmett, William, and George lived in London. George and William were brothers and Emmett was the son of my mother's only sister. They came here as children but when we saw each other I'd always be the one to visit them.

"Edward, are you up for a ride around town." Emmett asked.

Beside him William glowered at me. "Not today, I have plans."

"Alright we'll return before supper." Emmett and George left but William remained.

As he glared at me I glared right back. "I assume you have something to say to me." I prompted.

"You are despicable. I fail to see how you live with yourself. She ran out of your bedroom, crying and hating herself for having believed your lies. You took her dignity, it was all she had." He hissed. I should've known this had to do with her. I hadn't been able to get her out of my head.

My jaw clenched. "How would you know?"

He sneered. "I saw her and made her tell me what you did. You are a hell of a man, Edward." He mocked.

He was right I needed to make this better. A part, I don't know how big, was for myself. I felt guilty for what I did. I've never felt this way. The women I take to bed have never mattered, what they do or feel never affected me. I never cared and I realize it's sick to toy with these women but I never let myself get attached. It was different with Bella, I kissed her and now she haunts my every thought. "Where does she live?" I asked.

"How much of an idiot do you think I am? Why would I tell you where she lives? So you can finish what you started?"

"You can't know that." William has always disagreed with my lifestyle but never this way. He's always tried to look the other way because he's as guilty as I am. He's done what I do but perhaps not as frequently as I do.

"Nevertheless I won't tell you."

I stormed off without a word. I was going to find out where Bella lived. My first stop was Alice Cullen, she would know. Her family was very well liked, they were of high class but at the same time very subtle, her family was not one to flaunt. People liked them naturally. Carlisle the man of the house was a practicing surgeon who was son of a very respectful man.

I took my horse from the stall and rode away. I arrived at the Cullen house. As I dismounted Carlisle came out to greet me. "Dr. Cullen, how are you this fine afternoon?"

"Very well and to what do we deserve you your visit?"

"I am here to ask your daughter of someone."

"Who might that be?" he asked.

"I only know her first name, Bella."

As much as my family wants to hide it everyone rumors of me. They know that sooner or later I would be seen with a harlot, a town whore. I, at times regret making that name for myself. It's not something I would like to be remembered for, though it is better than to be forgotten, I suppose.

He called out their house maid. "Would you kindly call my daughter down, Sir Edward wishes to speak to her." She nodded and she was on her way.

"My daughter will join you shortly, unfortunately I have to be on my way I have an ill patient." I had a feeling it wasn't pleasing to him that I looked for Bella. He was a compassionate man and he cared for people far more than most people did. He cared for his employees, treated them like family. As a child I recall his father a stricter man but he was always kind to everyone.

Minutes after his departure the dark haired girl form last night skipped out the door. She was very likable. "Hello." She greeted me.

"Good afternoon."

"Would you like to come in? Something to drink?" She offered. People became jittery when around me. They felt like they owed me respect when in reality I didn't deserve it.

"No thank you. I do have a question. Would you happen to know where Isabella lives?" I asked.

"I do know."

I waited for a couple seconds but she said nothing. "Are you going to tell me?"

"No."

"W-why not?"

She crossed her arms. "If you don't recall you said you'd take her home last night so you should know where she lives but you did not or you wouldn't be here. So there is a reason why you didn't take her home when you said you would. I won't tell you, you did something wrong I know it." I was definitely not expecting this.

"I will stay here until you tell me."

She shrugged. "Stay but I promise I won't be the one to tell you. You may think you have authority over me but you are wrong." I was a bit appalled at her hostility. No one ever spoke to me that way, the way I was deserved to be spoken to. Bella was correct, I was not used to be denied anything. After what I did I deserved far more than this. "Stay all night, it doesn't do me any harm." She whirled around and walked into her home, her dress gliding in with her.

I wasn't leaving, if I had to stay all night I would. I secured my horse and I sat down on the steps leading inside. I was truly sorry for what I did. I'm never sorry and it's a horrid trait. It had lost its effect many women ago. When I look back I can't remember when I let go, when it all had lost meaning. When I turned sixteen I decided that I was a man and so I began to act as though I thought a man would act. I made my way to a whore house and the women threw themselves at me, they wanted me. It was a feeling I liked, to be wanted. My father never treated me as though I even mattered. Robert was his only son and I was Robert's brother, nothing more. My father very much disapproved of this when he found out where I would spend my nights. This only encouraged me more, I went out more, I drank more. My sole mission was to anger him the way he angered me. Now it's only an unbreakable habit. My mother wanted to make it better but her efforts were unsuccessful.

Last night for whatever reason Bella ignited something inside me. When I first saw her I knew she was beautiful and that she was different from everyone in that room. When she left the guilt that washed over me was all but unbearable. Somehow I felt something, I felt regret even though she was never in my bed. I have reason to think that she can bring back the man I once was or the man I could have been.