"My boyfriend's back. And he's cooler than ever."—Lana

He hummed, lips ghosting over my skin, peppering me with light—barely there kisses. Teasing or holding back, I didn't know which. The hair on my neck stood as he took a breath in, nose nuzzled at the crook of it. His fingers lingered, dangerously tracing the lines of my panties. He couldn't get enough. And I couldn't either. But my tired body and sleepy eyes betrayed me. God, I had been only sleeping for an hour or two.

"Mmm…no." I protested, scooting further to the edge of the bed unconsciously, earning a low chuckle from him.

"Yes." He argued jokingly, his chin resting on my shoulder blade.

"I can't." I mumbled, taking a sharp breath when I felt his hand caress my backside. Only needed a few seconds before it went lower, right between my thighs. I wore panties for a reason.

"You can." He rubbed it slowly. My body reacted, but I was not ready for his high.

"Edward…" I whined. My lids were heavy. But with my eyes closed the feeling of his touch intensified. His desire, it burned me. And my man wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted. "I'm gonna pass out." Obviously. If he continued, I would.

He flipped me over and I groaned. He was dead serious. Pulling down my panties and pushing deep in. I gasped. My eyes were open and he smirked, hovering over me. His thrusts were steady, but I was seconds away from crumbling. I was way too sensitive and he fucking knew it.

"Already?" he raised an eyebrow as he felt my legs tremble. It was his cue to pump faster. My insides clenched around him and he grunted. I was sent up high and crashed beneath him. Spent, exhausted and possibly forgetting everything.

"Do you think you can go?" I diverted my attention from Gisele on Vogue to Hailey who was painting my nails blue. My eyes narrowed but she didn't catch it.

"Depends." I replied and now she looked up, giving me a sly grin.

"What do you mean?"

"How much will I get if you win the bet?" I questioned. She knew exactly what I meant. Tonight was burlesque night at Jamie's club and she wanted me to join them. Like hell.

She laughed. Hard. I had to pull my hand away before my nails got messy.

"No bets, B, I promise this time." She said as her laughs died down. I didn't believe her at all.

"What's so funny?" Edward asked as he came back to the lounge in the pool area. Twenty minutes ago he disappeared into his office to take some phone calls, leaving me alone with the devil.

"We plan to go to Midnight Sun tonight."

I scoffed. "Except I get at least fifty percent, I won't go anywhere."

Edward understood what I meant immediately. His smile was sexy and proud. "You heard her, Hails."

"There's no bet."

None of us was convinced, though.

Edward shrugged. "It's your lost, cousin."

Much to Edward's satisfaction, I didn't go to Jamie's club tonight. Hailey didn't seem to care, but really, we all knew she was probably planning for revenge right now. Well, whatever it was I was ready. What could possibly happen? I had seen the worst of this family.

Edward stayed at home tonight and I cooked for our dinner. Sort of. I pretended I didn't see how he cringed when he tasted it, though. I swore it wasn't that bad. He just had a very high standard. But I was glad he didn't comment on it.

We chilled in the sitting room after. The feeling was kinda foreign, but at the same time, familiar. Watching movie with him was a little bit odd and emotionally intimate. And now was the first time I felt like he was also a normal human being.

"I want to swim." I said all of a sudden as the credit of the film appeared. His smile was too wide to cover. He was amused.

"Right now?"

I stood up, holding out my hand to him. "Come."

He raised his eyebrow but didn't resist. Getting up to his feet and I led us to the pool area. The sky was clear tonight and the moon was bright. The stars looked like twinkling dots down here. I was staring at him as he was gazing up above. His face lit up and it was a peaceful sight to see.

He snaked his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to his side. I grinned from ear to ear as he stole a kiss as though he couldn't help himself. I was seconds away to pull us into the water when the shrill sound of his phone rang. It was quickly breaking our moment.

I sighed when he said. "I have to take this."

The mood shifted abruptly. His guard was up and somehow I got a bad feeling as he put the phone to his ear. He and someone on the other line were talking in hush voices and mostly Italian language. The one I could totally be sure about was his clipped tone. It was something urgent, I could tell.

He disconnected the call and I involuntarily looked down to my feet.

"Hey." His finger delicately lifted my chin and he frowned when he looked into my sad eyes. "I gotta go."

He knew I already knew.

"I know." I said. And tonight I was all alone. Again.

His face softened. "I won't be long."

My smile was small, detecting the lie.

"Something I need to worry?"

"Nothing dangerous." He replied and I doubted that. Everything completely was. "It's Alvarrez."

"What did they do this time?"

"Doesn't matter. We'll destroy them tonight."

Chill ran down my spine.

"Boss." Paul interrupted us and now was standing by the sliding glass door. "Everything's ready."

I screamed no inside, gripping his wrist tightly before he could walk away.

"Hey." His eyes on me and it was getting harder to let him go. "It's okay." It was not, I wanted to shout. "I'll be by your side when you wake up tomorrow."

It wasn't enough. The lie wasn't good enough.

"Be safe." I said. Eyes were forcing him to fucking promise.

"I will." It didn't even sound convincing. He turned to Paul. "Let me change real quick." And with that he ran upstairs.

I didn't try to sleep because I knew it was useless. I waited and waited and waited. Sitting silently on the floor, eyes giving empty stares to the ocean, but the feeling didn't fade. This convinced me that something bad was really happening.

I tried to calm myself. Hell, I even prayed.

The clock ticked by. It was four in the morning when the news broke. The phone on the table in the corner rang. I froze. I answered on the third ring. And if this was a fucking nightmare, I really wanted to wake up right now.

"He…he was shot." Panic was clear in his voice and this absolutely wasn't a good way to greet people in early morning. Jamie. I found myself tremble when hearing each word. Eyes closed and my body leaning to the wall for support. "Fuck. Fuck." Even the curse word sounded like sorrow and regret. I gulped the lump in my throat.

"Is he—" I couldn't continue without sounding like I was choked. The air around me suddenly wasn't enough because right now I was gasping for it.

"Jas is on the way to pick you up, okay?" he said hurriedly before groaning in pain. "Shit. I gotta go."

The line was disconnected.

Jas arrived ten minutes later. It was the longest ten minutes in my life. My eyes widened when I saw him covered in blood. I had no idea whose, but I hoped it was the enemy's.

I climbed into the Rover and we drove away in silence.

I wanted to ask, but not ready for the answer.

The car came to stop and I didn't realize it until Jas opened his door. The mansion before us was huge, but I didn't have time to admire it because Jas was walking quickly inside. I opened my door and almost ran to level his steps.

The foyer. The living room. Down to the hall. Then all of a sudden we were in the area that looked like a mini hospital. It was all white and clean and sterile. We found Jamie sitting on the floor against the wall. Rumpled clothes and dry blood over his temple. Legs pulled up and those eyes staring to the closed door ahead.

"Jamie." My voice was barely audible, but his head immediately spun to me, startled, as if I just screamed his name on his ear.

Jas nodded his head to his boss before turning around and leaving us alone.

The silence was unbearable. The fear of losing Edward was driving me insane.

"The attack…we didn't see it coming." He said, much to himself. I then sat beside him, just listening. It was true. That was a sudden move. Because before the call, Edward was with me and Jamie was in his club, partying.

"How is he?"

"He's on surgery."

Hours later the door was being opened. Both Jamie and I stood up immediately, eager to hear about Edward's condition. The man in scrubs walked out. And I couldn't hide my surprise when I found it was Carlisle. The blond man didn't look like the doctor type for me.

"The bleeding stopped and he's stable. For now." He said before we could ask him anything. Relief came over me. My heartbeat slowed to its normal rhythm.

"Thank God." Jamie looked up to ceiling briefly like he really did mean it. He was afraid to lose him too after all.

"Now let me check your wounds." Carlisle said firmly, leaving no room to argue. But those identical blues met with the same stubbornness.

"I'm fine, Pa."

He scoffed, unhappy. "Don't be so sure."

"It's—"

"Hey, he's right. Your wounds should be treated too." I said, making him to sigh exasperatedly. Carlisle was watching the interaction intently.

"And you should take a rest." Jamie mocked cynically. It had been a long night and I couldn't say I wasn't tired. We all were.

"Fine. I will."

I woke up feeling anxious and worried. I was a second away from running to Edward's room when Hailey made her presence known.

"Whoa, where are you going?" she asked, intentionally blocking my path, standing right where she was. "Sit down. You look shitty."

I was about to argue, but didn't have a better reply. She cocked her head to the side.

She was daring me and waiting for it.

"You know you can't wake the prince from his beauty sleep looking like that." Hailey shook his head dramatically. It was her way to make me less worry. And sometimes I was glad for a good distraction.

"I take it he's okay." I exhaled, turning around and getting back to the couch.

She smiled. And it was unbelievably sincere. "He has survived a lot of things, B. Last night was nothing compared to the others."

"It still scares me."

"I know."

I showered. I ate my breakfast. As the color in my face returned and I looked decent enough, Hailey let me to see him. He was good, she said. Already conscious, even though now he was back sleeping.

I sat on the chair beside his bed. Just watching him. It was calm and silent with only the two of us in the room. Hailey decided to see his brother to let us be. Which I was so grateful for.

I sat there for almost an hour before he stirred. Those lids fluttered open a moment later. Greens staring back at me. He blinked and moved his body a little, but winched in pain.

"Hey. You okay?" I asked, couldn't help with the concern in my voice. The sight of him like this was terrifying to me.

He nodded and I grabbed his hand, lacing our fingers together. He watched it for a moment before responding with a light squeeze.

"It's okay." He soothed.

"I was so afraid."

"I'm here now." He said, lifting my hand to give it a kiss. But even the gesture couldn't calm me. "It's over. We have destroyed them." He added.

I wanted to yell I didn't care. About the Alvarrez or this mob life.

I wanted to say it didn't change anything. That there was always another Alvarrez and this was the scene I would never want to watch again.

I wanted to say I hated him. For holding an important role in the family.

But he was already on the top, the man in charge, long before I was thrust into this. The center of the black circle he created.

I knew he couldn't leave. And he knew I couldn't fit.

I sighed in defeat. He caught it but didn't say anything.

Sorry it took so long. You know how complicated real life can be. *cry*