"Melting like ice on a summer day. Hold me like you mean, take me far away."

—Alina Baraz

"What time is it?" he yawned, draping his leg over my hip as he was laying there beneath me, pulling me closer at the same time. This couch wasn't that big to fit both of our sticky bodies. But we were too spent to move into the bedroom.

"Nine or ten, I think." I mumbled, drawing circles on his bare chest with my forefinger out of habit. He hummed, his hand making its way to smooth my tousled hair.

It was sweet all over again. And I love the way it felt.

For a moment we stayed like this. Just listening to our heartbeats and getting comfortable with each other.

I kissed his inked skin. And he returned it by brushing his lips against the top of my head. But then…

"Get up, baby. We need to be somewhere else."

This man was always so fucking confusing.

"Huh?"

He untangled himself from me and got to sit straight.

"Come on. Breakfast first."

It was a beautiful day to go out. Hair up, sunglasses on. I was wearing off-shoulder stripe maxi dress and sandals.

We were walking hand in hand into the restaurant, garnering attention from some people. I could tell that Edward was a regular customer seeing how everyone seemed to acknowledge him. But again, I didn't know anything.

He lifted his eyebrow when I dragged my chair closer to his. As if the fact that we were sitting side by side wasn't enough.

I rested my head on his shoulder out of the blue. Because no, I couldn't help myself. He was tense, but didn't lean away.

When the waitress brought the food to our table, she kept stealing curious glances. Which annoyed Edward so much, he had to dismiss her before she could say anything.

I pressed my lips to his the second he turned his head to me.

Watching various emotions crossing his features.

He was torn between loving it and hated it. Like he wanted to push me away, but keeping me closer at the same time.

"What?" he responded, surprised at my sudden move.

I sighed.

But before I could move away, he grabbed my chin and kissed me deeply.

"You want to know where I was last night." He said out of nowhere when we were back in his car. My hair down, sunglasses off. I tilted my head to him to read his expression, but he gave nothing away. "You want me to show you, so I will." He added, focusing his eyes to the new road ahead. I already had a bad feeling about this, but I couldn't complain.

We pulled into the kind of building I knew too well. My stomach stirred as I recollected the memories. And I was anxious because I didn't know what to expect next.

Edward opened his door then got out of the car. Waiting for me outside as I calmed myself. I sure as hell couldn't back down now. But whatever it was he wanted to show definitely wasn't a good thing.

I slid out of his Ferrari, following him enter the warehouse. A couple of men stood from their seats right away the second Edward stepped into the room. They greeted him in respect and fear which he replied with a dismissive nod.

We passed them and made a way to the hidden stairs connected to the basement. Where the real hell was. It was a long, dark corridor before he opened one of the doors.

I hesitated to come in because I didn't think I could handle what was inside. The strong smell of blood and the muffled screams obviously were not just my imagination.

"Edward." I held his forearm because all of a sudden I couldn't. My eyes were pleading because I didn't think I wanted to know right now. His smile didn't reach his eyes. And then I realized that it was all too late. He would show me. Thoroughly.

He intertwined our fingers. In soothing yet scary gesture. Calming me down but preventing me to run away.

We walked in and the sight inside was far from pretty. His men turned around to us then straightened their spines. I covered my mouth as I saw a barely-alive man tied in the chair. It was obvious that he had been brutally tortured. My breakfast threatened to go up to my mouth.

"Still nothing?" Edward nodded to one of his men who looked in charge here. He shook his head in shame.

The barely-alive man in the chair tried to open his mouth. To say anything. He hissed in pain instead because of the bruises in his face. And all over his body.

Edward moved and now he was behind me. Both hands on my shoulders.

"Do you think he's loyal or just stupid?" he whispered. Curious, but not really.

"Maybe he just doesn't have the answer you want." I replied quietly.

His grin kissed my bare skin.

"I like your suggestion." He said. But I didn't understand what he meant until he continued. "Kill him. He's useless anyway." He ordered with a boring tone. And it was like a lightning just struck above my head. No. No. No, I didn't mean it like that.

I couldn't find my voice. And no one moved from their spot. The man in-charge looked at me then Edward. As if he wasn't sure that I should be here when he did his task.

"Oh, don't worry. Don't let her stop you." Edward said. I wanted to turn around, but his hold prevented me. "No, sweetheart. You ask for it. And I will fucking show you. All of it."

The executor was ready. But when he grabbed his gun, I could feel Edward shaking his head. "No. Kill him slow."

My eyes widened and I struggled. I couldn't watch this but he insisted.

His hands moved down to my waist and now I was wrapped in his arms. "Don't ask," those lips against the side of my head, "If you're not ready with the answer."

"What are you doing here?"

I raised my head from the couch to find Hailey causally stepping into the room, dressed to impress in that beautiful haute couture gown.

"What do you mean?" I asked back because her question was weird. Shouldn't I be the one who asked? What was she doing here?

"Get ready. We're going to Carlisle's birthday." She said, daring me to refuse. My eyebrow furrowed.

"I don't even know who he is."

"My father." She waved her hand in dismissal like it didn't matter. Her phone was on her ear immediately as she requested some stuffs to the person on the other line. Mostly she said something about makeup and gown and jewelry.

"Edward didn't mention anything about it." I argued. He was the only reason I had. Because right now I was too tired to even think about party. Let alone come.

"Because he's a fool." She snorted loudly.

"Maybe he doesn't want me to come, Hails. Isn't it like a family gathering or something?"

Thinking about meeting him there made me recall his dark gaze and vicious act earlier. Those would forever haunt me in my dreams. My stomach twisted.

"Yes, it is. You're a family now, B." She smirked. Her eyes were promising me that it would be so much fun to join the family. I looked away because I didn't know if it was just a game for them or a real honest confession. "Now, shower because I can't drag you to the bathroom. I don't want to ruin my twenty thousand dollars gown."

I sighed. This was the battle I couldn't win.

By the time I was finished, everything was ready.

The choker diamond, Elie Saab gown, and a pair of black Louboutins.

Hailey did my hair as I did my makeup. We were good to go a half hour later.

The party was held in five-star hotel ballroom. And when we arrived there, Jamie had waited in the lobby. He looked handsome in his black tuxedo. His wild hair was tied in a man bun.

Hailey smiled widely at him, holding out her hand as we reached him. I looked at them in confusion. Jamie sighed and slipped out a small suede drawstring pouch from his pocket pants, handed it to her. She accepted it giddily, pulling the drawstring to reveal small shaped diamonds. There were so many of them.

Oh, they bet on me again, didn't they?

"Uh, we're so late." Hailey complained, linking her hand when his brother offered her his arm.

"No one cares." Jamie rolled his eyes. I did the same as Hailey so we three were walking side by side entering the grand ballroom.

It was more crowded than I thought would be. Seemed like a big family gathering.

"Papa!" Hailey yelled, waving her hand to the blond man in the center of the room. Beside the cake which was taller than anyone. He grinned, looking handsome and younger than any man on his age. We approached him and his gaze flickered to me. I felt like I didn't belong here.

Hailey untangled herself from Jamie to hug his father.

"Happy birthday, Pa!"

"Thank you." He said then greeted Jamie. "Son."

"Pa." He nodded. It was a strange exchange.

"Ah, Bella, right?" Carlisle turned to me as I stood awkwardly. His eyes assessing. Then he smiled. Kind, but still scary at the same time. "Well, enjoy the party."

"I hate to tell you, but Rose is here." Hailey said nonchalantly as her eyes were staring straight to one figure in a red sexy gown. Rose was hard to miss. I could spot her right away. She was stood out. "And your boy is on her radar." She added, smirking when she saw my reaction.

Edward was in talk with some men, a flute of champagne in hand. He looked bored and didn't even make an effort to cover it. Passive and cold and sinful in his tuxedo. I saw him wandering here and there and I knew he knew I was in the same room. Still, we avoided each other like plague.

"Careful." All of a sudden Jamie whispered right behind me. "Rose can be so…persuasive." He ran his knuckles along my bare arm, blurring my focus.

"No, he doesn't care." Hailey tried to soothe me. "We know after all this time, Edward never sees her more than a childhood friend."

"They fucked." Jamie reminded his sister. The word stung. He caught me when I wobbled.

"Not more." Hailey clarified, insisting. "You fucked her too."

Jamie laughed. "Not more." He repeated.

"God, I hate that bitch." Hailey said venomously.

"I bet Edward will leave with her." He declared, earning a wide smile from her.

"I bet he will not."

Hailey won the bet again and I was glad. We watched silently as he left all by himself. There was no one in the passenger seat. No one by his side. Not even Paul.

Hailey dropped me off at the house shortly after and I was ascending the stairs alone.

I entered the room, adjusting my eyes to the darkness. I slipped out of my shoes, going straight to the bathroom to wipe my makeup and untie my hair. When I was done, I heard him.

"Bellissima."

I turned around and found him sitting on the edge of the bathtub. With scotch in hand. In the dark, he looked more menacing. We held each other gaze for a minute before he put the crystal glass on the floor and got up. Three strides and we were inches away.

"Come here." He said, opening his arms. We were close but not touching.

I didn't move.

I was numb on both sides.

He was irritated. His hand pulled my wrist until I was in his embrace. My hands were on my sides, itching to push him away because I couldn't do this. I couldn't unsee what I had watched. What he made me watch. The image would dance behind my lids forever. For him, everything was worthless. I looked up to him, wondering how his soul became so dark, so merciless. It was obvious he couldn't be healed. The damages were irreversible.

"Kiss me." He asked. Those greens stripped me bare.

I held onto his upper arms, resisting the urge to give right away. Because I realized, in the end it was always him that mattered. Him whom I was always going back to. I would accept and I would try to forget. Not because I had no choice, but it was the only one I would choose.

I placed my cheek against his. He inhaled sharply, filling his lungs with my scent. What we had between us, this, it was consuming. One second I wanted to run from him, but later I changed my mind, turning around and running back to him.

I kissed his jaw softly as he ran a finger against my jugular, feeling the pulse beneath.

"What else do you want to see?" he asked, challenging me.

I shook my head and he smirked.

His mouth brushed against mine instantly. He tasted like champagne and scotch. Sweet and bitter. The kiss was slow and gentle. Patient. Longing. It was unusual but I knew sooner or later, he was going to ruin the gown. His mood could flip in a blink of an eye.

I kissed him harder and his lips turned hungry. The possessiveness. He was claiming me to be his. Our emotions swirled. They were free, but locked up at the same time. Happy, but full of misery.

We were breathing heavily, pulling away from each other at the same time, just slightly.

"You still want to stay, baby?" he inquired all of a sudden. His voice was calming, but the question was scary. "This is your last chance." The warning was clear, but so was my answer. His thumb caressed my cheek, then pressing on it. "Because after this I won't let you walk away. I won't ever let you go even when you cry or beg."

He stared at me, seeking for doubts.

I knew he didn't find any.

hi :)