Bella
We walked inside and sat down on the couch. Edward leaned over towards me.
"Did you have a good walk?" His expression was inscrutable.
"Yes, thanks. I just had some stuff to think about, ya' know?" I tried to sound casual and hoped that he would not ask me what. I had not gotten things sorted out yet and my confrontation with Tanya was still uppermost in my mind.
Edward had opened his mouth to speak when Esme came in the front door. She was carrying two large bags with Italian writing on them. She saw me sitting on the couch and walked over to me.
"Bella, I got you something to eat for dinner. I hope you like Italian."
"Sure, thanks Esme. That was really thoughtful." It was. I had resigned myself to eating a sandwich or something. But the smells coming from those bags were delicious.
"Let's take it into the kitchen." She said.
I got up and followed her. I motioned for Edward to stay where he was. It always made me self conscious to eat in front of him while he stared at me, seeming mesmerized by the whole process. Besides he should be with his family. We would have plenty of time together. That thought had me smiling as I went into the kitchen.
Esme pulled a plate out of one of the cabinets and started taking containers out of the bags. Container after container after container.
"Esme," I laughed. "There is no way in the world that I will ever be able to eat all that. That is more food that I eat in a week I think."
Esme laughed too.
"I didn't know what you would like so I got all kinds of different things. And it has been a long time since I have been around someone who eats real food so I wasn't sure how much to get." She smiled self-consciously.
"It's ok. I will try a little of everything. It all smells so delicious. And I can always eat the rest for leftovers later." I grinned at her and she looked more at ease.
Esme dished me out a little of each entrée. It looked like lasagna, veal piccata, eggplant parmesan and manicotti. There was also garlic bread and salad. It was fabulous. I washed it down with some ice cold milk and sat back in my chair.
"Thanks Esme. I guess it is a good thing you got so much after all. I didn't realize I was so hungry."
I expected her to laugh but she was looking at me strangely. Before I could ask she walked over and took my right arm in her hand.
"Bella, what in the world happened to your arm?" She exclaimed in alarm. I looked down and saw the damage that Tanya had done. There was a large bruise that encircled my forearm. I could clearly see the imprints from each of her fingers. It was steadily turning black and blue. Before I could even speak though, Edward came storming into the kitchen. His face was anxious as he crossed over to me.
He looked down at the arm that Esme still grasped and sucked in a harsh breath.
"Bella! What happened? Who did this?" His voice was agitated.
I opened my mouth to speak but he reached down and placed his fingers over the bruise. They did not match his long graceful ones and I could see him relax for a second before stiffening again.
"Did Rose do this to you?" He sounded furious.
"Of course not!" I said reprovingly. "You know Rose would never do that!" I knew that she wouldn't either. Even when I thought she hated me I didn't believe she would ever have hurt me.
"You're right, I'm sorry. Then who?" He demanded. His eyes burned down into mine and I knew he would not let me go until I told him. I sighed resignedly.
"Tanya."
Edward growled menacingly. It sent a shiver down my spine. Then he turned and left the room.
"Emmett! Stop him!" I yelled, though I know he would have heard me if I whispered.
I ran out into the living room to see Emmett with his arms around Edward's chest and Edward growling and struggling against his hold.
Carlisle, Jasper and Alice were staring in disbelief and the rest of the Denalis watched in wide eyed wonder.
I knew that Emmett was stronger than the rest of the others and I didn't want Edward to be hurt. I walked up to him and spoke calmly.
"Edward, you have to calm down." I said. He was still infuriated. I reached up and put my hand on his chest, above where Emmett still had him held.
"Edward! Stop it! Now!" I said, exasperated. He was only going to injure himself.
He stopped struggling against Emmett's hold but I could still hear low growls coming from him. I reached up and put both of my hands on the sides of his face and forced him to look at me.
"You have to calm down Edward. It's over. It's done. I'm fine. So calm down."
He looked at me disbelievingly but the growls stopped and I could feel him relax under my hands.
"Emmett, you can let him go." Emmett looked at me skeptically then shot a glance at Jasper, who nodded. Jasper must have felt him calm down as well. Or made him calm down. Either way as long as he wasn't about to go tearing off after Tanya.
Emmett released him and Edward came to stand by my side.
Alice spoke first.
"Now will someone please tell us what the hell just happened?"
I spoke first. "When I was out for a walk Tanya caught up with me. She grabbed my arm and left a bruise." I held out my arm to the group. I heard several gasps. Edward flinched.
"Why did she grab you?" Esme wanted to know.
Remembering Tanya's reasons had me seething again.
"She told me to back off, that Edward was hers." I said angrily. I felt everyone's eyes whip over to me in shock.
I did not see Kate approach until she was at my side.
"I cannot believe that my sister would do such a thing!" I simply shrugged at her. I was not going to try to defend myself to this woman. I would have turned away but she grabbed my left arm, hard. Too hard.
This was too much. I was tired of being manhandled. The pain in my arm caused my fragile temper to snap. I whirled on Kate.
"Damn it! Let go of me!" I yelled. She looked shocked and let go. "Why can't you people keep your damn hands to yourselves? I am so sick of being manhandled! You know, I might be some simple human but I am not a toy and I am not a pet. You got that?! I have thoughts and feelings just like everyone else. If your sister doesn't like that Edward and I are together that is just too damn bad! He loves me and I love him, bottom line, end of discussion. And you tell her for me that if she tries to come between us or if she ever touches me again, I will personally start the bonfire that burns her to ash! Got it?!"
I did not wait for a response. I whirled and left the house, slamming the front door behind me so hard it rattled the windows.
I did not know where I was going from there. I just needed to get out of the house. I stood on the top step looking out into the yard, trying to calm down my breathing. I could not believe that I had just done that. That I had actually threatened Tanya to Kate. That I had completely lost my temper in front of Edward's family, in front of the Denali clan. They must think I am a complete idiot now.
But I wasn't going to take it back. Tanya needed to get it through her thick head that Edward and I were together. There was no way in hell I was going to let her destroy the happiness that we had found together again. Damn it! Edward was mine! I had risked my heart and my sanity to go find him when I thought he didn't want me. And now that I knew he did, I was not going to let someone come between us, especially a beautiful strawberry blonde vampire.
I heard soft voices coming from inside then a large round of laughter. Great, they do think I am an idiot. I had to get away for a moment. I ran down the steps and into the yard. I did not go far, only about twenty feet to the nearest tree. I wrapped my arms around it and pressed my face against the bark, feeling the scratchy texture on my arms and cheek. It was comforting somehow. I felt the hot tears roll down my face. I was mortified. There was no way I was going to be able to face them now.
"Bella?" I heard Edward's soft voice call my name but I did not move.
"Bella, are you okay?" He put a hand on my shoulder. I could hear the anxiety in his voice but I could not make myself speak. I just shook my head no. I knew he would be able to see it, even now in the dark under the shade of the tree.
"Bella, look at me. Please?" He pleaded. I could not deny him when he used that tone of voice. I slowly removed my arms from around the tree and turned to face him. I kept my head down; I could not bear to look at his face just this minute.
"Bella, what's wrong? Please say something." He lifted my chin with his finger but I could not look into his eyes. He noticed the tears on my cheeks and brushed them away with his thumbs.
"My love, why are you crying?" I looked up into his eyes and he gasped at the anguish in mine. I could not help it anymore. I threw my arms around him and pressed my face into his chest.
"Oh, Edward! I'm so sorry! I can't believe I did that! Yelling at Kate and threatening Tanya and storming out of the house. I am so embarrassed. Your family must think I am the biggest idiot on the whole planet and-." He cut me off before I could continue.
"Bella! Bella! You have it all wrong! They are so proud of you! Standing up for yourself like that-it makes them all very happy. Honestly they didn't know you had it in you. Emmett laughed so hard at the expression on Kate's face I think they still may be having trouble getting him off the floor."
I looked up at him disbelievingly. They didn't think I was the biggest fool in the world? They were…proud?
"Really? They don't think it was ridiculous for a mere human to threaten a vampire with bodily harm?" Saying it like that made me realize it really was kind of funny and I giggled. Then I really started to laugh until tears were streaming from my eyes. Edward was laughing too and he had to hold me up until I was finished.
"I'm sorry." I told him when I had calmed down. "I really am acting like an idiot now." I sniffed and smiled up at him.
"No, not an idiot." He said, smiling his crooked smile at me. "Just a very possessive girlfriend." He grinned when I stuck my tongue out at him. Then his eyes grew smoldering.
"I think I like the possessive Bella. You know," he said in a silky voice, "you were very sexy in there." His cool fingers traced the contours of my bottom lip and I shivered.
"R-Really?" I stuttered. My heart was beating madly. He bent his face closer to mine and ran the tip of his nose back and forth from my ear to my chin.
"Really." His cool breath caressed my throat. "You looked like the powerful, beautiful woman I always knew you were." His hands came up to my neck and he ran his thumbs up and down from my ears to my collarbone. One thumb stopped at my chin to lift my mouth to his and he pressed his lips to mine.
My lips moved against his and I could feel my breath becoming shorter. I wrapped my arms up around his neck and ran my fingers through his hair. I stretched up on tiptoe to press myself closer to him and Edward's arm came around my back. I could not get close enough to him. He ran his tongue along my bottom lip and I could not help the soft moan that escaped me. His kiss became more urgent then, pressing into mine deeper. I was shocked and delighted when his other arm reached down beneath my bottom and pulled me off the ground and into his body. I responded by wrapping my legs around his waist and he took a step forward, pressing me into the tree. Feeling our bodies locked together was the single most arousing thing I had ever experienced. The arm that was not holding me up came from behind my back and tunneled into my hair, pulling it back so he could press cold, open mouthed kisses to my neck.
"Edward," I breathed. I was almost dizzy from passion.
I felt him go still beneath me for a fraction of a second and then he continued to kiss me, though with less urgency now. I knew then that we had reached the limit of his self control again. He pulled his hand from my hair and disentangled my legs from his waist. He slowly lowered me to the ground, still kissing me softly. Finally he pulled away from my lips. My arms were still around his neck and his hands were resting on my hips. I looked up at his face and even in the dark I could see his eyes were closed and that his breathing was harsh. I pulled one hand out of his hair and softly caressed his cheek. He opened his eyes then and I could see that they were sparkling with passion.
I smiled up at him.
"Good thing for you that I have so much self-control, Edward Cullen." I grinned.
He looked shocked for a moment then burst out laughing.
"I thought I knew the meaning of self-control until I met you, Bella Swan. You could tempt the Devil himself and make him thank God for it." He kissed me softly once more then pulled me back towards the house.
God I love this man! I thought.