31
EPOV
"I think you've paid for your little lapse of judgement.", Victoria said, tying the belt of her white robe, her smile forgiving and sweet on the surface as I stared back at her from the X cross, my ankles and wrists bound to each metal post at the ends, a wide leather strap around my naked waist, holding me securely to it.
"Tomorrow, you can get the club ready for our little party at about eight-ish.", she suggested, "Make sure the chefs have all they need, clean everything as meticulously as always and make yourself pretty. I'll let you know around six what you are to wear."
"Yes, Victoria.", I answered, feeling a bit ripe already after a couple of days without a shower, and the perspiration all over me was foul smelling and thick, "Thank you."
I thanked her because she was letting me off punishment so early and a big part of me was paranoid about that. She never let me off so soon before, and for no good reason. I began to fear about this dinner party she was throwing tomorrow night. I think I'm far from through with her punishments. This is just another mind game she's playing. Make me relax and then spring the next thing upon me.
I hate feeling this uncertainty all the time. It's like a disease that is killing me slowly…from the inside out.
I want to talk to Katie. I want to watch Spongebob with her again. I want to smell Bella's hair. I want to sit in the kitchen with Katherine. I want to play piano with Joseph. I want everything I can't have.
My only little spark of hope rose from the ashes in that she was going to let me roam around the club freely all day tomorrow, maybe even tonight.
That means I can find that bloody cloth I hid, get my things out of my room and run. Maybe I can even find my blood sample somewhere in Victoria's office, if it's there. That might be too much to hope for, too convenient. It's probably at her house somewhere, hidden and locked up well. I didn't care. I'd have proof of murder against her. And finally, I would be free.
She unlocked my cuffs, both wrists and ankles, then the one around my waist and ordered, "On all fours and crawl after me, love."
I obeyed, and internally growled that she'd be taking me out of here now. And here is where the cloth is that I need. I told myself it didn't matter. Tomorrow I'd be left here alone to prepare everything, and that included the dungeon. It needed a good cleaning since I'd been living here, constantly being punished for the last couple of days. I was sure she'd give me the key.
"Yes, Victoria.", I said in a calm voice as I began to crawl slowly after her as she led me out of the dungeon.
The only other way back in here would be to anger her in some way and get myself punished again. If plan A failed, that was plan B. I kept my eyes down but I heard her locking the dungeon door, as usual.
She was walking up to the club and the music was loud and customers were up there, screaming and cheering. I was stark naked and wanted to hesitate as I crawled up the stairs towards them. I was hideously unkempt, unshaven, and smelly and I felt ill inside at being in front of clients this way, but she had told me to follow her.
"Don't lose me in the dark.", she glanced back at me, "If you get lost, you're on your own."
So she meant to have me crawling after her, nude, through the club and every woman there. Fuck.
"Yes, Victoria.", I managed to say but could hear myself the empty ring in my voice.
My only solace came from the fact that it was dark when we reached the hallways of private rooms. Once in awhile, I would hear a woman or two coming out of a room and cackling loudly at the sight of my naked ass on all fours following my owner. I winced as internally as I could, keeping my eyes on the backs of Victoria's bare feet, knowing if I lost them, I was raw meat in a den of hungry lions, once we crossed that red line going into the club.
I tried to concentrate on something else as I crossed over the red line into the kaos. Women's voices engulfed me and I just kept my eyes on Victoria's feet, a dim bluish light coloring them as I followed, quickly as I could.
"Oh my God, look at that ass!!", one woman's voice said and my eyes squinted, hating the sound of it as a variety of hands began to touch me there.
One or two of the hands felt soft and caressing against my right ass cheek. A couple others squeezed and pinched, almost kneaded my flesh as I kept crawling, hoping I wasn't moving too fast or too slowly.
Offending some of these women was an unforgivable rule. Some of these women were angry, man hating, victims of cheating men and would punish any man who seemed to spurn them or their advances. I learned that lesson early on here and I would never forget it.
Women aren't helpless, frail things. They could be every bit as wicked and strong in their rage as any man.
I tried to keep up with Victoria but she was getting a few steps ahead of me. Then I felt someone sitting on my back, riding me like I was a horse.
"Woooo!!!', a younger woman's voice exclaimed as I kept trying to move in silence, "Giddyup!!"
I felt something thin and tight circle around my neck and it was choking me. I heard different voices laughing and I stopped crawling and reached under my throat to loosen the grip of the strap there. Victoria kept walking and I almost couldn't see her anymore.
"Victoria.", I choked but I'm sure she couldn't hear me above the music.
"Oh no you don't!", the girl on my back tightened the strap of her purse around my neck and I opened my mouth, feeling the last little bit of air escape me.
"He's trying to get away.", she giggled and I put my hands back on the floor, not moving, knowing I was stuck now. Please the clients. That was my number one rule and I always did that. I'm sure this is what Victoria wanted all along when she brought me out here. Maybe this is a test, to see how I interacted with the ladies now, after being with Bella.
"He is cute!", another voice commented as I gritted my teeth and looked at the floor and let them fondle me. They soon got bored with my ass and then my cock was being grabbed and examined.
"Oh GOD!" an older woman's voice announced, "You've gotta feel this!! It's fucking GIGANTIC!!"
The whole room spun over and when I landed on my back, I realized they flipped me over and had me spread eagle below them.
I heard a couple of gasps and one of the voices said, "Ohhhhh, his face is beautiful!"
"I'm not even looking at his face!", another woman replied, laughing heartily as their dark silhouettes danced around me in the blackness.
I felt a firm hand around the shaft of my penis and it was being pulled almost violently as a chorus of surprised reactions rose up from the women around me. They laughed and watched as my cock began to harden in the grip of the faceless one who dared to jerk me off.
Then I felt other women touching me. One pair of hands were grabbing my ankles and circling her thumbs over my ankle bones as she held them down. My mouth was smothered by a pair of lips from upside down over me that wore heavy lipstick and thrust her tongue into my mouth. Another woman sat on my chest and before I knew it, my hands were above my head, being held by a couple other women. I could've fought them off but I knew I wasn't allowed to do that. This was part of my job, too, as a dancer here. And Victoria is watching me, no doubt, watching for any differences in me. I had to show her no differences, even if there were a million of them deep inside me.
I moaned as another woman swooped in to kiss my mouth next and I tried to kiss back but I was too distracted by the many mouths licking and sucking on my cock suddenly as the rough hand kept manipulating me without mercy.
The strap of someone's purse was still around my neck but at least it wasn't tight right now. In fact, my head was resting on the purse below it as I struggled to make my lips open and kiss back with every new pair of lips presented to me.
It sounded like all the voices were happy as I submitted to them. I heard myself start groaning and growling as I was being shoved further and further towards my release. The only good thing about reaching it was maybe the girls would let me go once it happened.
"Come on, give it to us…", an older woman's voice demanded overhead as different sets of teeth were biting down on my nipples, followed by hungry tongues.
When I finally let go and shouted out, it was drowned out by someone's tongue reaching down my throat. I exploded, closing my eyes, even though I was blind in the dark, and felt wet mouths lapping me up and devouring me as I finished.
A few more sets of lips kissed me but then, with a few comments, all the voices and shadows slowly withdrew and I was alone on the floor. Even the purse was yanked out from under my head as they left me.
I almost went to stand up but recalled Victoria's orders and returned to my crawling position, making my way quickly up to her office without further incident.
I went to open the door but it was locked and I exhaled raggedly, knocking loudly as my knees rested on the steps. After a few moments, the door popped open and I breathed out in relief, crawling into Victoria's office, a little more at ease on the soft carpeting as I stopped before her desk on all fours, waiting, my eyes on the white carpet below.
The office door locked behind me and I felt her fingernails tickle over my asscheeks and up my spine, playing in my hair as she sat upon the edge of her desk, looking down at me.
"Have a little extra fun on the way here?", she teased, giggling a little to herself.
"Yes, Victoria.", I answered, just counting the seconds until I was left alone tomorrow.
"Awww, it wasn't that bad, was it?", she smirked and I made myself smile up at her.
"No, Victoria.", I lied, pretending it had been a nice little release for me.
"My little tramp.", she sighed, adding, "Come here."
I stood up, knowing what 'come here' means with Victoria. She wanted me and it was time for me to put on a happy face, a hard cock, and perform for her.
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EPOV
By the time Victoria let me out of her office, it was after closing time, maybe around 3am when I was dismissed and told to go down and clean things up.
The first thing I wanted to clean up was myself and when I went into the dressing rooms, no one was there, thank God. I was naked and spent and didn't really want to see anyone until after a nice hot shower and a shave. I must've spent about 45 minutes under the hot water, just letting it soak me and soothe my body before I even shampooed and soaped up. I was at the sink, shaving, almost through, when I heard someone out in the dressing area.
It was Emmett and Jasper, talking and changing into their street clothes, their pants still on but chests bare. Jasper was taking off his military uniform and Emmett was shedding his tarzan outfit. They were a sight for sore eyes and my voice nearly cracked when I alerted them to my presence.
"Hey guys.", I grinned, using a small towel on my bare shoulder to wipe some shaving cream off the edge of my jaw.
"Edward!", Emmett looked surprised while Jasper just stared, "You're out!"
"I know.", I shared his shock and made a face like his, "I guess I was paroled early for good behavior or something."
"Are you alright?", Jasper looked at me with an intense seriousness that I never saw in his eyes before. He was usually happy-go-lucky all the time. Not right now, though.
"I'm fine.", I wiped the rest of my face off, feeling a lot more human now, "I mean, I'm dead tired, but fine. I'm actually going in to clean everything on the floor and then I'm going to bed. I feel like I haven't slept for a month."
"I'll help you clean up.", Emmett offered and Jasper chimed in, "Me, too."
"Awww, thanks", I accepted. Victoria never had a problem with that. Many times we would dance to our favorite music while we cleaned things up after the night was over. I think that's where we all bonded.
I was in my jeans and t-shirt a few minutes later, bare feet, as usual, and we were turning the chairs over and placing them on the tables, removing tablecloths, too. The conversation was light at first. We caught up on what was new in the last couple weeks. Jasper mentioned he had another date with Alice and while I was glad for him I couldn't help feel a twinge of sadness, missing Bella. I wondered what she was doing and how school was going. I knew at the moment she was in bed, asleep, under her favorite quilts and I almost couldn't breathe for wishing I were there with her now.
Our two weeks together had gone by so fast. Too fast. They were gone. I clung onto tomorrow and getting that bloody rag. If that went wrong somehow, I was dead.
Victoria's office lights went dark and her heels were coming down the steps. I tensed as Emmett looked at me and I turned my back to where she'd be appearing soon, stripping a new table.
"Goodnight, eye candy.", she stood there, waiting for us to all collectively bid her farewell.
I turned and cast my eyes down but Emmett and Jasper didn't. They were allowed to look her in the eye.
"Goodnight, Victoria.", the three of us said at once, Emmett putting more enthusiasm into his statement than Jasper or I did. In fact, Jasper was frowning a little. I wondered what that was all about.
"Edward.", she called and I looked up a bit.
Then she did something miraculous. She tossed me the keys to the club. Her key ring. The keys to the dungeon.
I caught them right in the center of my palm as she added, "My directions are on my desk for tomorrow. Do a good job."
"I will, Victoria.", I promised with my tone, although my heart was doing back flips that we were a morning away from getting out of her for good. I will be with Bella tomorrow! I wanted to sob out loud from just thinking of it.
"See you at six.", she puckered her lips at the air in my direction and walked out towards the dressing rooms, going out the back exit usually.
I shoved the keys into my jeans pocket and returned to turning the chairs over onto the table and a strange silence seemed to rise up now between the three of us.
This was weird. Usually, after Victoria left, I could be more myself and talk freely and so did they, knowing our situation. But now, nothing. Maybe I should break the ice.
"So, what kept you two here so late?", I asked. The dancers were out of here by 2am normally.
"We had a private thing…", Emmett said, "A private session with this woman. She liked both of us, so…"
"I thought you didn't…", I looked at Jasper, "do those things, Jazz."
"Have to now.", he shrugged, "I have a cash flow problem. Victoria signed me up for extra stuff."
"Oh.", I felt so badly for Jasper and I felt my stomach sink, "Sorry, Jazz. What happened?"
"My mother.", he shrugged, "Health problems."
"Uh, Edward.", Emmett cut in unceremoniously, "Want some help tomorrow cleaning and all? I know Vic's got some fancy dinner thing happening in the back room tomorrow night. I'm gonna be the waiter anyway."
"Yea, me too.", Jasper said, "Bartending. Then dancing later. I can join you later in the day if that's alright."
"Something's weird here.", I smirked and they both froze for a second, "You both are volunteering to help me all day, on your free time, with no pay? Am I being punked?"
"We just want to help out.", Emmett shrugged, "We're your friends, damn, Edward."
"I know, I'm sorry.", I smiled, "Didn't mean to sound so…ungrateful. I just meant…I can handle it. I'm okay."
Emmett and Jasper looked at each other, not saying anything and for a split second I got a shock of fright that they knew about Sir Kevin. There was a definite gaze of pity for me being passed between them in that moment but I busied myself instead of bringing this up now.
As far as I was concerned, that story…that DAY…would die with me. I could never tell Bella about it, either. I'd die. She'd never look at me the same way again. As it is now, I feared she'd never look at me again without that pity in her eyes that I just watched my only two friends share because of me.
"We know you're okay.", Jasper was flipping a chair as he smiled with affection at me, "But we have your back, Edward. We don't mind being around to help when you need us."
I know they are aware that I'm going to be in slave mode tomorrow night, just by this message Jasper was giving me. I felt so embarrassed and ashamed that they were both going to see me this way, out in the open, not behind the dungeon door. Emmett had seen me in some pretty humiliating situations before, but never Jasper.
Whatever, maybe tomorrow night would never happen anyway. If I got access to the dungeon and got my cloth out of its hiding place, I'd be at Bella's before noon. I'd have to call Ben and tell him to get away from his house for a couple days, just until I could be sure that no one would come there looking for any kind of revenge. I had to get into Victoria's office, too, tomorrow, and take anything that had my information in it, most of all my daughter's address, and Bella's too.
I thanked my buds for their loyalties and then the rest of our cleanup time seemed to go by silently. Once in awhile, I'd hear Jasper whisper something to Emmett and they'd stop talking when I looked over. Maybe they knew how much I cared for Bella and they felt they couldn't trust me anymore. Maybe they thought I was against them and Victoria now, somehow. I kept thinking of something to say to perish those thoughts, but nothing came to mind. It wasn't like I wanted to lie to them, anyway, denying my love for a normal girl, a normal life.
Soon, the club area was pretty clean and Emmett and Jasper were saying their goodbyes to me as I followed them to the back door of the club.
"Uh…Jasper?" I said as we neared the door. Emmett exited already and wasn't looking back to see if Jasper was following.
"Yea?", he turned to me and smiled, holding the arm of his duffle bag and tossing it over his shoulder.
"I…", I began, almost looking down as usual, but then I raised my eyes up and said it, "I am really sorry about…you…needing more money for your Mom."
"Oh.", he glanced away for a moment, looking slightly ashamed, "Don't worry about it, Edward, it's okay."
"No, I mean…", I sighed, "I wish I had some money saved…to give you. What I wanted to tell you is…isn't there another way for you to get the money?"
"Maybe.", Jasper had a strange look on his face, "What do you mean?"
I cleared my throat and said, "I…was like you not so long ago. I know what it's like when you feel like you have no other choice. And you'd do anything to provide for your family, even…extra things here. But I want to tell you something no one else ever told me. Don't."
Jasper frowned and was about to speak again but I cut him off.
"You start out dancing. Then you do a few little extra things. Soon, you offer to do more. Victoria will offer you insane amounts of money for one night's work. It'll sound so good to you at first. Then, before you know it, you belong to her."
"Edward…"
"Get a loan from the bank or maybe ask other relatives to help out.", I suggested, "Rob a bank first if you have to. But don't let her suck you in. You'll never get out."
"I know, Edward.", he said, an intent gaze in his eyes as he put a hand on my shoulder, "Please don't worry about me, okay? I'm not going to get sucked in, I promise."
"Alright.", I decided to end my lecture for now, but I also knew I'd be keeping an eye on Jasper to make sure he wouldn't be tempted to even look down this path, let alone walk it. I would hate to stand by and watch someone else become what I am now. That would be the most terrible crime of all, the crime of standing by doing nothing.
"Be safe, Edward.", Jasper said as he left, punching me lightly in the shoulder, "See you tomorrow."
"See ya.", I waited for him to leave and then I locked the back door.
I nearly ran as I spun around, heading out of the dressing rooms, into the private rooms, then down the stairs to the lower levels of Fire. I got to the dungeon and after a couple of wrong key attempts, I found the correct keys that fit the locks and the door opened.
I am inside the dungeon…alone…free.
It stunk in here, I noticed as I flipped the white light on overhead. Funny how you don't notice the smell while you're trapped inside, only when you've tasted fresh air and return is when you realize what a zoo cage this room is.
"I am out of here.", I growled in triumph as I flipped over the padded leather table and unzipped the underside of it, reaching my hand deep in, feeling for the rough cloth I had pushed in here.
Victoria loved this table and told me how it was her first piece of bondage furniture. It had sentimental value and I knew she'd never get rid of it. Plus, the cloth was inside the leather, sealed in, safe from heat and dirt.
Where the fuck is it?
I kept reaching up into the leather, not finding anything but the rubber layer inside.
"Come on.", I breathed, feeling queasy as I reached in further, all of my arm up to my shoulder inside the unzipped leather sleeve.
"RRRRRRRRRR", I growled, yanking the leather skin off the whole table, not even caring if I ripped it or not.
"No…no…", I searched and shook the leather, getting nothing. No cloth. Nothing.
"What?", I shivered as I looked again, feeling inside the leather sack now with both hands, "Please…"
After ten minutes of groping the table and turning the leather inside out, I still had nothing.
I sank to my knees, gripping my hair tightly with both hands, feeling tears blurring my vision as I tried to think of an explanation, anything...
Only Victoria plays in here. Well, Sir Kevin was in here with me all day that first one, but I never saw him do anything to this table. It couldn't have been him. It had to be Victoria.
She found it. Shit.
I blinked and felt tears skating down my face as I just stared at the open leather sleeve in my lap.
If she found it, she knows I put it in there. If she knows I put it in there, she knows I'm trying to screw her. Maybe that's why Sir Kevin was set loose on me. But she'd been so nice since then, or at least acted that way. What is she playing at?
"Bella.", I breathed, standing up and rushing back out into the hallway, leaving the door ajar and racing up the stairs, two at a time, going to the front door of the club and unlocking it, whipping the door open and standing out in the street with my bare feet.
"CHARLIE!", I shouted, looking into the night, seeing nothing. But I know he's out there somewhere and can see me, "GET IN HERE NOW!"
I went back in and paced a few times, wiping my eyes with angry hands as I waited for Charlie's arrival.
The sound of the door opening alerted me and there was Charlie, looking at me questioningly as I stood still, ready to say the horrible words I had to say.
"What's up, Edward?", he said in his quiet, low voice.
"It's gone.", I said and my body hurt everywhere.
"What's gone?", he stared at me, his voice stronger.
My life, my daughter, my Bella, my hopes, my dreams…
"The cloth!", I choked, "I just got the chance to go in there alone and it's GONE!"
"Shit.", Charlie sighed deeply, looking at the floor.
A dead silence filled the air. I am dead…and I know it.
"Go protect Bella now.", I almost ordered him, "Victoria might have someone coming after her . If I know her, and I do, she'll be wanting to teach me a big lesson, a lesson I won't forget, like last time. She's gonna do something horrible to put me back in my place. Last time, it was the boy. This time, it will be her."
"What about your daughter?", Charlie asked, looking very concerned.
"She won't do that yet.", I thought aloud, "My daughter keeps me close to Victoria, she won't lose that card to play against me. She knows if she hurts my daughter, all bets are off. I'll go after her with all I have, I won't submit to her anymore. She'd only hurt my daughter if I ran away or vanished. She wants to keep me obeying her, wanting to be hers. Just trust me. Go be with Bella."
"But what then?", he asked me.
"Take her home to Forks.", I could hardly say the words, "She'll be safer there and after awhile, I'll convince Victoria that I'm not thinking of running away. Keep a close eye on her for awhile, then it should be safe."
"But what about you?", Charlie squinted, confused.
"What about me?", I looked at him with a stern eye.
"How are we getting you out of here now?", Charlie asked.
"We're not.", I looked at the floor, "I'm staying."
"But, we have—"
"I can't GO!", I closed my eyes, shouting, more angry at myself than at him, "If I had some evidence against her, if I had that cloth, I'd be free and she'd be going to jail. Without anything, there's no way I can leave. She'll get my daughter."
"Listen, Edward,", Charlie began.
"Please go, Charlie.", I went to the door and opened it for him, staring at the handle of the door, not wanting to see the pity in his eyes now.
"Protect your daughter.", I added, "Please."
He sighed and began to slowly walk towards the opened doorway.
It seemed like forever before he stood there and turned to me one last time.
"What do I tell Bella?", he asked very quietly, sounding morose.
My eyes stung at the mention of her and my insides twisted in agony. No message I could send would ease anything. She would suffer. Her heart would hurt, like mine always would now. I could only offer one message.
"Tell her I'm sorry.", I avoided eye contact with Chief Swan, "I never meant to hurt her this way. She'll forget me, in time. Take her home to Forks. Get her out of this fucked place."
"I heard that.", Charlie agreed, stepping out now, "Edward…I will be back. I'm not giving up that easy. Once Bella is safe, I'm coming back to get you out of here, too."
"Okay, Charlie. Take care of her.", I smirked, not really believing that completely, but I did know that Charlie was a good man and cop and wanted to help me. But even he, being a cop, knows that sometimes, some people can't be saved. Some people slip through the cracks and don't get a happily ever after. I was now one of those people.
"Goodnight.", he said as he turned and began to walk away as I closed and locked the door.
I had work to do in a few hours. The first day of the end of my life was tomorrow and I at least wanted to get a little rest before having to endure it. I went back to the dungeon to straighten everything up and lock it up again before I went to bed.
Now I just had to wait for Victoria's lesson, and her reveal that she knew of my little piece of evidence I had hidden in her table. I prayed for Emmett and Jasper, along with Bella and Charlie and Katie that night. Yes, I prayed. I prayed no one else would ever hurt because of me again. Then I thought of Katherine and Joseph. I couldn't stop crying as I laid on my bed in the darkness, seeing so many faces.
I will never get close to anyone again. Every time I do, I get them hurt. It's better to just stay alone, like I was before.
Bella will be the last person I'll ever love.
I could go up to the roof now and let myself fall off. I could go into the dungeon and sharpen Victoria's razors and open my veins. Maybe I'd lock myself in my cage first, just to send her a message.
Yes, I'm still your slave. But I'm a dead slave. You can have my body but you can't keep me. You've lost me. You never had me.
No. She'll hurt Katie then. Maybe would even kill Katie and her grandparents along with her, just to have one last strike at me, even in my death. She hated to lose games. This was all a big tournament to her.
I am so alone. I am so trapped. I honestly thought I'd be with Bella tomorrow, free and happy. And I cried again, sobbing like a child as a future with Bella slipped further and further away.
Bella and I at the park with Katie…gone.
Bella and Katie proud of me as I worked an honest living, looking up smiling as I came into the house after a day of work…gone.
Bella in a white dress, holding rosebuds and walking towards me, tears in her eyes…Katie ahead of her, the flower girl, tossing pink pedals onto the white silk on the floor below her…gone.
The dream of Bella pregnant with my baby…and me kissing her huge round stomach…gone.
The funny image of Charlie in a black tux escorting Bella down the aisle towards me, his face like stone, his eyes filled with murderous rage at me as they approached…made me laugh through my sobs…but also…gone.
I didn't get any sleep…or rest. And when I looked at my digital alarm clock, the red numbers said 8:43am.
Time to get ready for the day. I had a lot to do. Slaves always do.
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BPOV
I had spent the night at Alice's. After talking to her, she decided to come and get me so I wouldn't be alone. She promised to help me. She said Rosalie would help, too. We would find a way, make a plan. It wasn't impossible.
I must have been really tired because all her assurances sounded so real to me. I believed her, because her tone was so filled with passion and strength, I felt it too.
I tried to sleep, but I kept waking up, sweating, calling out for Edward or thinking Alice was him, and holding her or stroking her as I slept. Poor Alice. She was always so nice and understanding. She never once got mad at me.
Note to self: Nominate Alice for sainthood after this is all over.
It was about 6 in the morning when she gently woke me and said, "Your cell phone rang. It was your Dad."
She handed the phone to me and I sat up, rubbing my eyes, sighing.
I listened to his message that he left me.
"Bella, where are you?", Charlie asked, "I'm at your place now, you're not here. I'm worried. Call me back as soon as you get this. Thanks."
"What the hell!!", I yelled as I dialed Charlie, "He's supposed to be watching Edward!"
"Bella!", he answered, sounding relieved.
"Dad, what's going on?", I asked, the fear in my voice thick, "What happened to Edward? You're supposed to be watching him!"
"Bella, where are you?", Charlie asked, ignoring my questions.
"At Alice's.", I snapped back, "Tell me!"
"Edward is…okay.", Charlie sighed, "It looks like that evidence he hid is gone now, somehow. He got a chance to get it tonight and it wasn't there. Odds are Victoria found it and destroyed it. I'm coming over there. What's Alice's address?"
"Dad, no, go back and protect Edward!", I frowned, "Just because there's no evidence doesn't mean he's not still in trouble. If Victoria found that cloth, then Edward could be killed! Don't let that happen! Go back to him!"
"Bella, no.", Charlie said a bit more loudly, "Edward told me to protect you. He thinks Victoria might come after you to teach him a lesson. I want to get you out of here. We're going home to Forks today."
"DAD!", I felt tears come to my eyes, "No! I'm not leaving him! I called you for help, not to escort me back to Forks! This is my home! Edward is my home! If you want to bail out, then bail out. But I'm staying here. I'm getting Edward out."
I heard a sigh and then dead silence.
"Dad…", I said, "There's more I have to tell you. I have a plan. You won't like it, but…James, my psych professor, came to me the other night. He told me he's Victoria's brother. And Victoria invited him and I…over to the club for dinner…tonight. I told him I'd go."
"What?!!", Charlie growled into the receiver.
"We are trying to make a plan.", I stayed calm, "I would like you in on it. But I'm a member of the team now, not an outsider."
"You're bait, Bella!", he shouted.
"If you don't want to be in the plan, I'm hanging up and we'll call you after it's over.", I warned, "Yes or no?"
He growled again, hating this.
"Dad…", I heard my voice crack, "I'm in love with him. So in love. I won't be able to rest until he's home with me. I need him, Dad. Please. Help us. I need you, too."
Another pause of silence.
Then…"Give me the address, Bella."
He's in! I knew he'd be there for me. He didn't have to like it, but he was always there when I needed him. And God knows I need him now.
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Love
WinndSinger
PS Sorry I've been gone so long, family stuff. Or as Edward would say, "Personal reasons." LOL
Next chapter will be more exciting than this one!
Thanks for reading !!