Thank you to those of you that have added my story to your favourites and/or alerts. The good news is... I have finished it! I' d really appreciate some more reviews; let me know what you think so far and I will get posting the next chapters. Also want to address a couple of things...

Jacob signed Bella's contract because otherwise she wouldn't have got the job at Twilight... the reasons will become clear later in the story.

And Jasper... don't be too hard on him. He's a tough vampire, sort of no-nonsense and maybe takes himself a little too seriously. Look out for his softer side later on though (yes he does have one!). Emmett will improve too once you get to know him. Remember you are seeing everything through Bella's eyes and she's a bit jumpy to say the least. As she gets to know them all a bit better, she sees the good in them and vice versa. I have a real soft spot for Emmett; he's like a big kid and he does have Rosalie to keep him on his toes ;-)

Well, back to the story... enjoy...

CHAPTER 11

"I know you think he is perfect, my pet, and you believe that he will never leave you. If only you knew what he is, what he is capable of. How many people must warn you that he is dangerous, Isabella? Far more so than I ever was. Everything I did was to keep you with me. You know I cannot live without you. This existence is too hard to bear. Remember how I loved you. Remember how I made you feel so special; as if you were the only woman in the world. In my eyes you were. I loved you so much Isabella. I still could if you would come back to me. I know you feel something for me, that some part of you misses me and wishes I was still in your life. Edward will leave you. Trust me, he will be gone within the week and you will be alone. And when you are alone, then I will come for you and you will return to me."

It took some effort to put James from my thoughts, but I managed to get myself basically back to normal, working in the club again. Even though Edward was permanently in the bar area when I was waitressing, his golden eyes never leaving me. It made my heart thump when I would glance up and see his eyes fixed on me. The only time it made me a little uncomfortable was when I was serving a rowdier table and I would see him having to restrain himself, knocking back Jack Daniels as if it were lemonade.

"Edward, relax," I murmured, as I approached the bar. He tipped his head back and glared down his nose at me.

"If you knew what that man is thinking..."

"He's probably thinking, I wish that damned waitress would hurry up with my drinks before I die of thirst," I said, lightly. His hand locked round my arm and he pulled me close to him.

"Do not refer to yourself as 'that damned waitress'," he said, quietly. I stepped back out of his grip and forced myself to make light of his concerns despite the increase in my heart rate.

"Chill, Edward. It's not like you know what they're thinking either; you're just assuming," I said, grabbing my tray full of drinks and heading back to the table. He made a noise that sounded like a growl and I shivered before delivering the drinks, with a big smile. Emmett came up behind me.

"Emmett, what's wrong with Edward tonight?" I asked, softly. Emmett glanced over his shoulder at Edward, who had stiffened at the bar and seemed to be giving him a warning look. I dismissed the thought; he was too far away to have heard me.

"You should focus on work, Bella," he replied, glancing over his shoulder at Edward behind us.

"Will you tell him to relax? He's making me nervous," I said. Emmett smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You and me both," he said. But I saw him head to the bar area and speak in an urgent whisper to Edward, who looked irritated for a moment, but then nodded curtly and walked away from the bar towards me. He paused at my side and looked at me, his eyes almost pure black. For a moment I thought he would speak, but then he moved away, swiftly. I shivered but got back to work straight away, trying not to think about what had gotten into him.

When my shift was done, Rosalie asked me back to her room for a nightcap. We sat on her bed, holding glasses of red wine and chatting amiably.

"How are things with Emmett?" I asked her. She smiled, placed her wineglass on her bedside table and flopped onto her back, a dreamy smile on her lips.

"Perfect, just perfect," she replied. "Even Jasper seems to approve, which is the first time he has ever approved of something I have done."

I laughed.

"He's not that bad is he?" I asked, curiously. I had never had any siblings; Jacob was the closest I had to a brother.

"Jasper is very... old fashioned," she said, eventually. "He brought me up, after our parents died. I don't remember them too well, but Jazz was always there. We weren't exactly close while I was growing up; he sort of intimidated me a bit if I'm honest, but once I was of an age..." She paused and seemed to correct herself. "... I'd finished school I kind of went off the rails. If it hadn't been for Jasper, I probably would have been dead."

"Why, what happened?" I asked, my eyes widening.

"I fell in love, with the wrong man. Went so far as getting engaged. One night he took me to a party and he got very, very drunk. He was a mean drunk and so were the friends we had gone out with, all his friends, all men. They took me to a backstreet and..." She broke off, tears forming in her eyes. I took her hand.

"You don't have to tell me, Rose," I murmured. She smiled, a little bitterly, sitting up.

"No, it's fine. Two of his friends pinned me down while he assaulted me. When he was done, he asked who wanted to go next. I think I must have blacked out because the next thing I remember is screaming; men screaming. You ever hear a man scream? It's the worst sound ever." I thought about the taxi driver James had killed and nodded, remembering how the sound had terrified me. "When I opened my eyes, Jasper was lifting me up. He carried me home, cleaned me up and kept me with him. When he opened Twilight with Edward I came with them and I've been here ever since."

She stared into space for a moment and then got up from the bed, quickly, taking a cigarette from a packet by the window ad hopping up onto the ledge. As she lit up, I got slowly to my feet.

"I'm sorry, Rose," I murmured. She smiled and blew out a perfect smoke ring.

"Yeah well, if it hadn't happened, maybe I would have married the scumbag and then I would never have come here and I would never have met Emmett." She shrugged. "Anyway, Bella, it's late. I'm going to finish this and turn in."

"Ok. Night, Rose." I leaned up and pecked her on the cheek. She smiled down at me, a little sadly.

"Night, Bella." I gave her one last glance, before I shut the door; my perfect friend sitting with her legs stretched in front of her, gazing thoughtfully out of the window. I hurried down the corridor to my own room, digging in my bag for the key. Gratefully I closed the door behind me and flipped the switch, then nearly screamed as I came face to face with a man's chest.

"Shit!" I exclaimed, a hand over my heart. Edward took a step back, running an agitated hand through his hair.

"Language, Isabella," he said, sternly. "Where have you been? Your shift finished two hours ago!"

"I was just with Rosalie..."

"You were supposed to be in here," he growled. His eyes were still dark, but not black like they had been in the club.

"Edward, are you ok? You seem really on edge tonight," I said, suddenly worried by how jittery he was.

"I would be fine if you would just do what you are asked to for once."

I felt a tremor run through me at his words, visions of being locked away by James filling my mind.

"S... sorry," I stammered. I felt my heart rate speed up a little as he crossed the room towards me and then stopped abruptly when I flinched, covering my stomach and stepped back. He blinked rapidly and his eyes were golden brown again.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he said. "I just came up here when I knew your shift was finished and when you weren't here... I was worried. I did not mean to frighten you." Tentatively, he reached across to me and I let him fold me in his arms. He dropped a kiss on my head and sighed into my hair.

"Did you know what happened to Rosalie?" I asked, after a moment. He leaned back a little so he could look down at my face and then nodded, knowing precisely what I was referring to.

"Yes. I was with Jasper when he found her."

"Oh." Suddenly his concern about my whereabouts made a lot more sense. "I'm sorry, I should have text you or something, but I figured as I was still in the building it wouldn't matter."

"Forgive me, Bella, I do not wish to make you feel like my prisoner. I know what he did to you. I just want to make sure you are safe."

"I know," I murmured. Edward took a step back and I sat down on the edge of the bed, as he started to pace again. Finally he stopped and looked down at me.

"Bella, I have to go away for a few days," he said.

"B... but you said you wouldn't leave me!" I cried, panicked. James' words rushed into my head from the night before and I felt suddenly light headed.

He will leave you, Isabella.

"I know. I promise you will be safe. Emmett and Jasper are aware of the situation regarding James. I hope you do not mind that I told them, but I was concerned about your safety when I am not here. It will be three days, Bella, that is all and then I will be back and I will spend every waking moment with you."

I was silent for a long time, just looking up at him, wordlessly.

"Where are you going?" I asked, eventually, trying to push James' voice from my head.

"I can't tell you, Bella," he said. I felt tears pricking at my eyes. "Please, don't cry. Bella, I can't stand to see you cry. I promise I will be back. And you will be safe if you just stay in here..." He took a step towards me, but I dodged him and headed into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

"Bella!"

"Go to hell, Edward!" I snapped.

"Bella, please..." I bit my lip, trying to ignore the desperation in his tone. I couldn't be with someone who disappeared for days at a time again, or someone who demanded I stay in my room. How had I not seen it before? How had I not seen the similarities with James? Even the body language; the strange eyes, the quick movements, the physical strength.

Yes, my pet. He is just like me.

A shiver ran through me, as I wondered about the way he looked at me sometimes; the intensity of that gaze. Sometimes he gave me that feeling that James used to; being totally enthralled; being his possession.

"Just go, Edward," I whispered, certain he would not hear me, but then I heard my bedroom door open and close. I peeped out of the bathroom door and saw that he was gone.

And now my fair Isabella, you are alone.

I bit back a painful sob and threw myself on the bed, as the certainty that I could not go through this again flooded my mind. I needed to get away, before he could come back and charm me into believing he wouldn't treat me as James had. He already was treating me that way; only telling me what he wanted to and treating me as his prisoner. I needed to be free; free of James and free of Edward Cullen.

Just a quick note to ask if you would be so kind as to review :-) Poor Bella; my heart ached for her when I wrote this. What would you do in her shoes?