A/N:

I'm sure people wanted to know why Bella asked Edward to sleep with her.

It basically went like this-

Me: -typing happily along-

Suddenly types 'Despite this, three small words fell from her soft, pouting lips.'

Me: Huh?

"Stay with me."

The fuck?!

-backspaces-

Bella: What the fuck did you just do?

Me: I backspaced it. It didn't make any sense. Why would Bella say that?

Bella: Why would Bella... I'm right fucking here! What's with the third person shit? And what do you mean it didn't make any sense!? Write what I fucking tell you or I'll find another author to give this shit to!

Me: -Nods apologetically and types away-

Bella: It didn't make any sense... what is wrong with that woman? Shouldn't have listened to Edward... could have found a better author! Skilled my ass...

Me:- Wipes tear-

Bella: Did I tell you to stop typing?

Edward: That's the end of the chapter, Bella.

Bella: Oh.

All publicly recognisable characters are property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 17

While Bella was inside the bathroom, I decided to think.

Really think.

I sprawled out on the bed.

I took into consideration what I had done.

I slept the night with Bella Swan.

The careful part of my logic unit was informing me that I was being too trusting of her. It was telling me that I did not know who she was- who she really was. She'd be Bella Swan, obvious celebrity and restaurant owner, but she could have been lying or acting all this time- she could possibly be nothing like she'd pretended. I knew people could do it. I had trained people to do it.

But the other part of my brain that had nothing to do with running my system, the part of me that had nothing to do with analysis and interpretation, spoke out much louder. That was different and new, and it was confusing.

I'd been confused quite often over the past few days. That was also different and new.

Bella Swan was changing me.

I did not like the direction my thoughts were heading. They seemed to be out of control since Bella first factored into my thought process.

Bella was going to have to stay here- in my house. Bella was going to have to live here. She was going to have to be here until James was no longer a threat- and there was only one scenario in which James would no longer be a threat.

Still, there were many questions, and for Bella safety and my sanity, I would have to have them answered. When we first brought Bella to Robin's Escape, I thought she had known who James was or why he wanted her. Bur I'd found out that she knew nothing.

I stood up, beginning to pace.

She knew about herself though. She knew about her friends and dislikes, her pastimes and her hobbies. Maybe there was a clue in her own life that would help us understand James' reasons for wanting her. And there was nobody who could tell us about Bella Swan better than Bella Swan. So I would have to ask her many questions. To solve the puzzle.

And to get to know her.

I had to be honest with myself.

I wanted to get to know her.

I didn't know what to think of that.

I had never slept the night in any woman's bed.

If I was in bed with a woman, it was only for one reason.

I had never enjoyed closeness outside of sex with a woman.

I had never wanted to get to know a woman's body as well as their mind.

I slept in a bed with Bella Swan. All night.

I was in bed with Bella Swan, and we did not have sex.

Although I would not have minded.

But we didn't.

And she hugged me- she had her arm around me and her head on my chest so I could feel her warm blush and touch her soft hair.

I didn't completely hate it. I didn't slightly dislike it. It didn't even feel uncomfortable.

It just felt like all was as it should be.

It just felt... right. That was different and new, and it was confusing.

I didn't know what to think of that either.

But, I thought, standing still and trying to decide my next course of action, I would have to learn as much as I could about Bella.

To solve the matter, of course.

So we'd have to talk.

As soon as I thought this, she opened the door and I told her.

"We need to talk."

"Is everything okay?" Bella asked. She sounded uncertain, and I wished I could read her thoughts. Her eyebrows came together and her eyes radiated concern.

"Everything is fine, Bella." She looked relieved, and then confused again, so I explained, "There's just a lot I'd like to know about you," I quickly added, "to help understand James' intentions."

"Oh." She offered in response. She still looked worried and confused. But why would she not be? She was kidnapped by a madman who was still hunting her and she was stuck in a house of people she barely knew.

I opened the balcony door, making Bella gasp. It really did look like a floor-length window.

She followed me outside and sat on the chair next to me. I dusted off the clean chair next to hers. She fiddled with the chair's controls for a while, before setting it how she liked. We were both stalling.

I was surprised that she began first.

"I understand that this is a serious situation." Her tone held an authority that I would have never expected to hear from her.

"And," she continued, "There may be situations where I may be put in harm's way."

"I intend to prevent that from happening, Bella."

She lifted an eyebrow at me, "But you can't do that forever, can you?"

I frowned, realising she was right. We were dealing with James.

"As a result, Edward, I am asking you not to shelter me. I'm not as weak and fragile as you may assume. I'm asking you to be completely honest with me and I will be honest with you. It is only putting me in more danger if I only know half of what I should."

I considered her words for a while, looking down at the tiled floor.

"I understand. I can agree to tell you everything you need to know to ensure your utmost safety."

I'd hoped that she would agree to this. Bella was right, but there were some things I didn't think I would be able to tell her. They would not affect her safety, but her view of me.

I looked up at her, noticing the gleam in her eyes. I had been caught.

"I don't know who you think you're fooling, Edward Cullen, but I am a business woman. I know how to look into wording and find loopholes. You just made one. But, it is a loophole I will allow, because I intend to do the same."

She smirked at me, and I realised that it wasn't a wise choice to try what I had. I'd seen firsthand how intelligent Bella was when she deciphered James' letter.

I could not argue with her response at all. I couldn't expect her to tell me everything about herself if I was not willing to reciprocate.

Bella decided to change the topic. "So this is Robin's Escape, huh? I've heard a lot about it. They say nobody talks to anybody else here, and since it's so well guarded and you can only get here by boat, this is the best place for celebrities to live."

"I guess it is true to say that this isn't really a community. Very rarely do I see the other inhabitants." I knew why Bella was really asking this question, so I answered accordingly, "And it is very safe. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't only celebrities that live here. Other high-profile or targeted people count on the safety from attacks, even those coming from air."

Her eyebrows seemed permanently knit together as she thought. She soon relaxed, obviously having come to some sort of conclusion.

"So, who else have you seen living here?" Her eyes were alight with curiosity and I couldn't help but tease her.

I made sure to drop my voice so that I sounded as if I was telling a secret.

"Well, I don't know if it's true," I began, with a straight face of course, "But I hear Edward Cullen might be living right here on Robin's Escape!"

"Really?" she played along, "So, does that mean Alice Cullen lives here too?"

I couldn't keep my face serious any longer, and I grinned at her. Bella punched my arm, and I began laughing earnestly. It actually hurt, so I didn't have to pretend when I rubbed my shoulder.

When we both calmed down, we sat together in comfortable silence. She watched the sun rise, and I watched the many expressions crossing her face.

She suddenly looked over at me and asked the only question I wouldn't want to answer.

"What do you do, Edward Cullen- other than run Cullen Denali Investments, and donate to my charity, that is."

Diversion. I needed a diversion. It wouldn't last forever, but it would help me formulate a better answer than the one that sat at the tip of my tongue.

BPOV

"Your charity?" he questioned.

I hadn't meant to say 'my' charity. I had meant to say 'to charity'. It could have been any charity. It wasn't my fault per se, he was the one sitting there looking so unbelievably handsome and upsetting my thought process. But this was as good a time as ever to tell him. I was usually very blunt, and I would not allow sitting in the presence of my biggest celebrity crush to change that.

"I run WOLFPACK. It's something that I'm proud of and that I always assist in, but I've never really told people that I run it."

Edward looked shocked, then very confused, so I continued. "I'm a restaurant owner, so I don't have to be in the public eye often. But if it was public knowledge that I ran WOLFPACK, I would have to attend all the fundraisers and conferences and..." I trailed off.

"So you don't want all the attention." Edward concluded. He was giving me the same look he gave me yesterday. I still could not decide if it was disbelieving or awed.

"Exactly. I simply run things behind the scenes, and everyone else thinks that I just volunteer in my free time."

Edward looked like he was trying to think of the answer to world peace.

"Bella," he asked, sounding hopeful all of a sudden, "Does your organisation deal with investigations?"

"Yes, we do. We conduct investigations for poorer families that each out to us after they've lost a loved one. Why do you ask?"

"Do you have any information about James and his organisation that might be incriminating?"

"We've only ever been able to lead ties back up to small gangs, never up to the bigger groups. That couldn't be why James wanted me. We only try to provide some closure for the families." I realised he had thought he'd figured everything out.

Edward nodded, sighing and looking defeated.

"It's not ever that easy with James." He was talking more to himself than me. And then he continued, "I know I haven't gotten away from your question. What do I do? I run something in secret, just like you."

He would have to expand on that. Perhaps he was afraid that I would not want to be around him once I knew. I decided to help him.

"I'm not completely naive Edward. You are against James, so there must be some good in you. But being against James, you may have to play his game, so to speak. If James was not captured when you found him, then I can assume that there were guards to slow you down, yes?"

Edward nodded mutely.

"And you had to get past them and eliminate witnesses. To keep the ghost mob ghost, yes?"

Edward nodded again, confirming what I had thought and smiling slightly at my choice of words.

"So you killed them. And then how would you get to find James in the first place? You would have to threaten some people, steal some information, wouldn't you, Edward?"

He nodded again.

"So you kill, and you steal, and threaten and lie, in order to capture JPM?"

He began to nod, but then he asked, "JPM?"

"James the Psychotic Mutilator." I explained.

Edward smirked at my answer and nodded.

"That's the worst of it?" I asked, just to be sure.

"Let me guess, you're wondering if I am EPM? No, just plain E."

I tried to punch him again, but he dodged it. His face suddenly became serious.

"You must have left a lot behind, and I know this has to bother you. As enticing as it sounds, we can't hide in a bubble all the time."

I understood what he was saying. I felt safe when we were laughing and relaxing – James barely existed.

"I don't want you to live in fear Bella, but, you will need to be strong. James feeds off of weakness."

I nodded, and Edward tilted his head a bit to the side, as if he was trying to read my features.

"I understand. I have to be aware of my surroundings, and I have to be prepared to do what I have to."

Edward was giving me a warning. The time would come when James would not be such a distant threat.

I wasn't new to this world, to this kind of reality. I knew that when that time came I might have to kill, and steal, and threaten and lie.

I'd done all that before.

How else would I survive?

A/N: Bet you didn't see that coming.

Well, there's a lot more to shock you.

And it all makes perfect sense. If there's one thing about this fic, it's logical. Clues are dropped, here and there, from the first chapter on.

Keep your eyes peeled, 'cause you'll be reading and then wham, the news smacks you across the face like, 'You shudda seen me comin'.

Review if you were shocked, if you hated it, if you loved it.