Dine and Dash

by KittyTylz

Bella gets dared dine&dash but is caught by the restaurants owner, Edward Cullen. He's a 19-year-old dangerously attractive but deadly gangster. The well connected leader of the Shadow Fangs, he also happens to be the enemy of the gang her best friend Jacob belongs to and she's stuck in his territory to avoid a permanent record. AH/AU,Possessward,Torch Awards Peoples Choice Winner

9. Unthinkable, The Promise

Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, quotes, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners and are simply used under 'fair use'. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended. This story is written for the legally recognized adult population. According to the e-mail response I received from them, FF doesn't allow gratuitous descriptions of sex and extensive graphic violence.

Authors Note:I'm home! I had to say it, I missed it so much, hated travelling again. As promised 13 will be up this week and In Love and War will be updated. Shouts to bellaedward5 you've got it again *laughs* enjoy hon and also love to my darling MCRshortstackedme. Check out my website (address on profile) to view the Dine And Dash banner BE1965 made, it's beautiful I loved it so much, exactly the way I would've imagined the bar in Nell' Ombra! Thank you to her once again, I love it. You can also find the lovely title pages DragonMasterOfTen made if you follow the links on the site. I'm trying to get through the PM's but there's so many, it may take some time.

Quick queries/replies, Inspiration? Real life, here and there I guess, I wanted to write about something I was studying. Those parts the problems, angst etc, I keep real in the story, other parts I manipulate to suit the storyline, everything's got a purpose in it. Dine and Dash was a random idea that I was toying around with for a long time but I wanted to finish In Love and War first, didn't work out that way, eventually this one just took over my brain. Aside from that I don't really have anything besides a song by The Black Keys, Sinister Kid. There are whole bunch of other songs too, it just helps listening to them while I'm writing but that one was just stuck in my head whenever I wrote about Edward since the beginning, it sort of just goes for the story. Next, we'll get the back stories with Edward eventually; it's a lengthy fic if I provide all the answers now it'll be over this second. Last, yes, the quotes go specific to each chapter not the entire story.

This was my anniversary gift chapter to all of you. Still dedicated to Lorenzo Taviani, my rock *laughs* without him I really wouldn't have had my anniversary to help fuel the chapter. Also 25 January when this was posted originally was viking lvr jen birthday so she still has all my love and I hope her year is going great. Props to Blair and my lil' cuz for their input on the banners that I'd posted then as well. Much love to JustJJ and awesomella my two gems. And all my wonderful reviewers and readers, you guys make me so happy, thanks a lot for everything you guys keep me writing.

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Dine and Dash

*~*~* Chapter Nine – Unthinkable, The Promise *~*~*

"Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won't either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart." (Louise Erdrich)

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Edward.

His name is running through my mind like a broken record. I can't even begin to name all the things I feel when I think about him. And it's so overwhelming because he's all I can think about. I'm smiling to myself like an idiot at random moments and it's freaking me out because it's the first time the sensation of being overwhelmed feels so amazing.

Water drips down my bare body as I slide open the shower door and walk out. My feet padding softly passed my hanging towel, moving me closer to the mirror instead. With a damp hand I swipe at the steam gathered on it from my shower. The newly formed droplets run down in trails quickly, allowing a vaguely obscured view of my reflection. It's enough for me though. My fingers lift up in slow motion, my eyes watching every movement in the glass. My eyes drink in the flesh as my fingertips make contact with the bare wet skin of my breast. Light as a feather it traces the flushed damp skin, my eyes staring in wonder at the dark red mark bruised with his teeth indents on the inside of the swell. A flash of his hair, the sensations that made me pant while he made said mark, goes through my mind and I quickly pull my hand away. Panting yet again as if he's doing it right that second, I blush realizing what I was about to do snatching my hand away from the swell of my chest fast.

My smile stretches along my blushing face again and I turn to grab my towel covering my chest up and making sure not to look at the mark for a second time lest I attack my boob again. I dry down quickly, before slipping on my PJ's and running off to bed. The swollen burn between my legs is uncomfortable as I try to ignore it and what thoughts of him had made me almost want to do.

Cue blush here…

~.~.~D&D~.~.~

The night is black. Time itself has stopped. I'm frantically looking around Jake's house wondering what exactly I'm supposed to be doing there. I know in the pit of my stomach that there's a process.

A process that must be followed.

A process I can't for the life of me remember!

The infernal buzzing in the distance is harboring my dream process. In essence it's a relief. My dream scares me to death every time, in every sense it calls me to death almost every night.

A recurring nightmare I have no chance of defeating. The same darkness awaiting me each night.

Slowly my subconscious starts to fight my sleep and I'm drawn out.

My eyes open lazily. I rub at them and try and remove the comforter that's tangled around my feet from my less than peaceful sleep. Then I hear the chime again. Craning my neck toward the door in the darkness it hits me almost too late that we have a call. I hop and skip from the bed, hobbling sleepily toward the hall phone. I pick up the receiver just as I hear fiddling on the other side alerting me that someone's about to hang up.

"Hello!" I say pretty loudly, then cringe because dad's probably just gotten to bed.

I look toward his door quickly hoping I haven't disturbed his sleep, his tired snore tells me I haven't. That case about the supposed Seattle killer being near Forks was really taking its toll on him. My heart started constricting at the thought of it. My poor dad… I hadn't even seen him properly in days. He'd been pulling double shifts and getting no time off. He assured me that there was nothing to worry about, that it was more on the outskirts of town, far from him. But the more time he put into this case the more wary I became of the danger factor.

"Bells."

I hear on the other end.

"Took you long enough."

"Was sleepin' Seth," I yawn loudly and he snickers on the other end.

"Sorry, shortie. Look just wanted to make sure you got home 'kay."

His voice is now filled with stern concern and my brain finally kicks in. Pushing past the cloud of sleepiness I remember that someone had called Angela.

"Yeah, I got home fine Seth," I answer distractedly because I quickly move on to my main concern, "How's everyone at the Res?"

"We breathe sis."

He jokes, making light of everything like he usually does.

"Hey, we ain't gon' be around tomorrow. I'll drop your cell off at Charlie's place day after 'kay? You gonna need a ride to school or somethin'?"

I'm secretly thrilled for numerous reasons. One, no one thinks I snuck off with Edward Cullen. Two, I snuck off with Edward Cullen. Three, there's no impending war regarding my kidnapping. Four, guess who's got Edward's love-bite?

Then I feel ill at the thought that they're so trusting of me and I'm being a monumental ungrateful bitch. I don't want to lie to them, even if it is by omission, but this is so much bigger than what it would be if I were a normal girl with a normal family who was interested in a guy they don't approve off. That would be simple. But I was around this life long enough to know how different it was for us. I think back to the night that the Wolves had found out about Nell' Ombra, the dark Forks street and the sounds of bone crushing violence that had happened between them and the Fangs. This was gang loyalty and a dangerous rule broken, I had to be quiet, it would keep things calm and safe for everyone.

Guilt is a horrible demon though. It can't be fought. It squashes you from the inside. Choked up, I want to tell Seth that I miss him and I appreciate him and I'd love for him to drop me off at school because he's a pain in the ass but I love him so hard and now desperately want to spend time with him. But I know that'll raise all kinds of questions in his mind so instead I say, "That'll be fabulous Seth."

"Sweet. Fetch ya the normal time. Night B."

"Night Seth," I smile ruefully knowing he's none the wiser. "SETH!" I raise my voice fast, yet again hoping to catch him before hangs up.

"Yeh?"

He sounds slightly alarmed, holding the phone to his ear again quick.

"Can you come a little earlier?" I ask knowing that he wouldn't have to rush the ride that way.

He snickers on the other end.

"Sure Bell. I'll wake my ass up at the crack of dawn, drive to your shithole, and then kill time doing absolutely nada at the Res before that shithole that I go to starts for the day."

"Twit," I grumble, he laughs his head off. Always killing the moment. Annoying ape! Okay, fair enough he didn't really know we were having one. "I haven't seen you in a while."

He sobers and I can practically hear the smile on his face through his tone.

"Sure, sure Babybell. Miss you too. Check ya Friday."

He ends off absentmindedly and I'm on edge, knowing him well enough by now to know by his slip up goodbye that he's up to something.

"Go home Seth!" I whisper yell.

"Relax we're all careful and shit. Gonna hold hands and sing Kumbaya with the boys down in South Bend."

My heartbeat runs wild in my neck, rushing up to my head. "What the hell are you doing there!" I shriek in disbelief, "Dagger Runners, Seth! Seriously!"

The South Bend, Dagger Runners, is another one of the rival gangs. They've got a bad rep, almost as bad as the Shadows Fangs and Grey Wolves. They're from, you guessed it; south side. They're heavy on bloodshed and they're run by egomaniacs that the Wolves have irregular head to heads with. They're dangerous and they hate the guys. The feeling's mutual. It's safe to say that the Wolves hate them almost as much as they hate the Shadow Fangs. The gang is notorious but the one thing that holds them back is that despite being severely lethal, they're never smart about what they do and how they do it. Basically they're lethal amateurs. But lethal never the less. Edward and Sam put thought into every move they make, it makes them invincible but the Dagger Runners, they're gun happy idiots who talk a lot of smack and shoot if you call them on it. I don't see what could be more hazardous to one's health, both their own and others, than trigger happy amateurs!

"Seth, the fuck— Why you freaking her out over dumb shit."

"And get your ass here jackass, it's almost show time."

I hear Jake and Sam's voice respectively distantly through the line. Seth in turn gives them a, My bad man. Yeah, yeah. Shut the fuck up I'm on my way. Then he gets back on the line with me.

"B I gotta bounce. Hey pack me a lunch Friday 'kay."

He says quickly as an afterthought and I can tell it's really time for him to go. I can hear their hurried footsteps in the background, something's about to go down. He's still such a kid, I love him for it but it makes me worry even though I know he's as extreme as the others.

"Be careful—," I say running a hand across my forehead, "Please— just be careful!"

"We'll live B. Just make sure I survive the lunch."

He snorts a chuckle distractedly.

TWIT!

I don't cuss at him because I can tell by the silence that follows that playtime's over officially and he's tense.

"Later."

He says forcefully bright for my benefit. And the line goes dead.

O' dear God.

~.~.~D&D~.~.~

I had little to no sleep last night. I can thank Seth and Edward collectively for that. Had Edward never given me a peek into what his gang does, I would've never figured my gang was probably in the exact same boat and just keeping it from me for many, many years. And if Seth hadn't slipped up last night, then I would've been asleep without a care in the world, instead of wringing my hands and staring out the window willing the morning to come round so I had one less day to go through before I could do a head count of my guys and make sure everyone got back safely from South Bend.

Of course on the up side, I didn't sleep so I didn't dream. But right now I'm so exhausted I don't know if I should be grateful for the lack of nightmare or grumpy for the lack of sleep.

Not having gotten a wink of sleep since I put down the phone last night gave me a lot of time to think. I was stuck in Charlotte's web and she was only too willingly spelling me out the various bouts of shit I was faced with. I was lying to my family. Taking advantage of their trust. I had undeniable feelings growing toward Edward. How would I explain if I got caught? Who would I choose?

I had to keep it quiet because if I had to choose, my heart would break. Absolutely shatter! I'd never been so vulnerable before in my life. My overprotective annoying brothers, I love them with every fiber of my being, it's in my blood, we're too close for too long and have been through too much. But there's also Edward and I can't explain what I'm feeling. It's so strong and undeniable; I can't stop the way it is and how it grows the longer I'm with him. It's like magnets, regardless of the distance, the pull is always there just waiting to be acknowledged and brought together. The way I feel about him is so different to how I feel about everyone else, I've never experienced anything like it… just thinking about him makes me smile since yesterday… if I'm being honest, even before that! No matter how hard I fought him since the day we'd met, at some point while I was with him, I was happy… I was carefree… I just felt so free… I had a clean slate, no heat about Renee, no sympathy, no drama or tainting by her or anything else. When I was around him just felt like, cut and dry, Bella. It made it easier to breathe when I was around him, for some unexplainable reason, for the first time in my life even when I thought of Renee around him it didn't hurt.

Despite its truth though, I feel guilt towards the Wolves. I felt like a husband who was cheating on his wife, buying her flowers to ease the guilt after sleeping with his secretary under the pretext of a business trip or late business meeting. I wanted to make it up to them by being absolutely perfect for them where I could. But I couldn't give up Edward. It was out of my hands, even if I wanted to, something, that deep rooted connection, just wouldn't allow it. Even the thought of it made me want to throw up. A new development that amazingly enough also made me smile!

I'm a monster.

~.~.~D&D~.~.~

When school starts things are fine but as it progresses I find my attitude minimally changing.

I'm not a bitch. I'm not a pushover but I'm also not a bitch.

It slowly begins to bother me that everyone is so scared of me. They're ridiculously nice when they absolutely have no other choice but to talk to me and it's freaking me the hell out.

All I wanted them to do was leave me alone… not kiss my ass like I'd kill them if they look at me wrong...

One consolation though, at least I know there's no way in hell the Wolves are ever finding out about the tree or Edward and I, from this freaked out bunch.

I go through the motions until the bell sounds for lunch, then I hightail it past the cafeteria to the bleachers. Breathing a sigh of relief when I see Tyler sprawled out on the furthest one from the school, smoking something that smells potent.

I approach him with caution because I'm still not used to Shadow Fangs, you know innate survival instinct and all that. He knows I'm coming toward him even though he's facing the other way. His head snaps towards me, his gaze murderous. I stop dead in my tracks, my breathing ceases. He does a double take when he sees me. A long uncomfortable silence follows. Well uncomfortable on my side because quite honestly I don't think it's genetically possible for a Shadow Fang to feel out of their comfort zone. True to form, he sure doesn't.

I let out a long breath and nod my head at the bleacher he's at. He raises a brow as if to say, 'What of it?'

I decide at that point to speak because he clearly isn't planning on opening his mouth to make this less awkward. He really is comfortable.

"Can I?" I ask motioning to a spot not too far off from him.

That takes him slightly by surprise but he takes it in his stride and shrugs nonchalantly. "Knock y'self out."

"Thanks." I grab my stuff and sit next to him. I briefly go over the notion that this isn't a good idea because the hair at the back of my neck refuses to go down. We're still quiet as I watch him light another joint. Fishing through my bag just so I have something to do I pull out his books and hand them to him. "Thanks for these."

"Keep 'em, I'll look you up if I ever get to class again."

He grins evilly but I find myself laughing softly because I can picture Seth if he were in La Push right now probably doing the same thing, if at any point he loaned me his old books. How either of them manages to pass their classes without actually attending any of them is beyond me.

"An' you're welcome," he clicks his tongue akin to a cowboy and winks at me like we're old friends then goes back to his joint with a bored expression.

Taken aback— no, floored— I wonder what brought that on and look behind me to where his gaze had flashed seconds before doing it and to my utter alarm I see a bunch of kids scurrying away at the far end of the field.

I turn back to his resumed nonchalant stance now that everyone that had been snooping has left me alone and can't help but grin back at him as he stares out at nothing ahead of him, in a cloud of smoke.

Yet another surprise. I find myself thinking that maybe Tyler isn't so bad.

~.~.~D&D~.~.~

My day runs smooth as silk. Oddly enough, I enjoyed sitting with Tyler. No one ever came toward us and he didn't seem to mind my presence too much. He did his thing and I did mine. What very contrasting things those were! But that's beside's the point. The point is the second I walked back into school for my next class I realized sitting next to Tyler could very well become a habit of mine.

I managed to finish up all my homework during lunch and it ensured that no one was in my hair. More importantly it made sure no one made attempts to scout me out. Because scouting me out was something everyone seemed to do when they thought I wasn't looking. They wouldn't dare utter a word, they'd go so far as to even silence their breathing, but inadvertently their curious eyes would seek me out and monitor my behavior. It was like being a show monkey and I couldn't wait for this whole thing to blow over because if it didn't happen soon I was going to blow a fuse that was certain to land me in a mutha-load of trouble back home.

I was relieved when the day came to a close.

The rain had slowed to a light drizzle and it was all kinds of enjoyable considering how heated I had been feeling during the course of the day under the scrutinizing gaze of the school. The cool spray on my face calmed me down and I found myself walking home unhurriedly in it. White demon smoldering into the cold breeze as I smoked and cut through the woods towards my house.

Dad was at the station and the Wolves were out of town, I didn't have a phone to call anyone and frankly I couldn't picture myself cramped in the bus today with Forks Highs 'owl crowd'.

Pull after pull, step after step, I continued until I got to the filter. The house was still out of sight and I had a long stretch of forest ahead of me, with too much to think about, so I fished out my pack again and slipped a gentle demon between my lips. The nicotine was a welcome distraction to both my thoughts and nerves. Cupping my scarred hand against the lighter to protect the flame, I pulled and watched the end light up gleefully in a bright red glow.

My head picked up suddenly at a noise to my right.

It was distant and rustled but quickly moving closer. Footsteps. My pulse picked up wildly. Hurried stomp after stomp in the wet earth, someone was in a definite rush and unknowingly headed in my direction.

Craning my neck, I saw the blurred figure of a guy. Head down as he ran, he was dressed in dark jeans and a black hoodie, the color of his sneakers were impossible to make out due to how amazingly fast his feet moved through the shrubbery and how caked they were in mud. He was tall and frightening in just the way he moved.

I didn't need to see his face that was blocked by the dark hood thrown over his head to know he wasn't one of the good guys. He had a slight limp, most likely from a cramp or hurt knee, I settled on the latter because his attire was covered in smudges of dirt and from the looks of him he'd been gunning it for a while like a bat outta hell. He was freakishly swift. Very agile, I amended too late.

It happened out of nowhere, leaving neither me nor the guy racing through the trees, any time to react.

Grabbing onto a tree to pivot himself, he lithely turned and swung over a branch, not realizing I was frozen on the other end. Curiosity really did kill cats. We collided and the jolt sent my cigarette flying across the air into the wet bushes at the foot of a tree.

He was far taller than me and his chest felt like a ton of bricks against my head.

"THE FUCK—," his voice is gruff but velvety deep as he cusses loudly, stumbling in his step because of our crash.

My eyes bug out because for a moment I swear I think I heard Edward. But this was definitely not Edward.

He grabs me just before I make contact with the ground, pulling me up to my feet as his dark flashing eyes glance at me then dart around the wooded area. I can tell instantly that he does it simply on instinct, because his senses are gang-like heightened, he's either being chased or running from something. I'm so sure of it, it terrifies me.

Swallowing hard, fear runs through my blood stream as I look up at him, cursing the fact that I'm shorter than him and by mistake can actually make out the face to the man. The way he's acting I'm sure being seen won't be too high on his list of list of priorities. Like Murfy's bloody Law, my one glance just has to reveal this guy is strikingly good looking even grimy and dangerously alert with his eyes darting frantically around on survival instincts. He reminds me so much of Edward I end up doing a double take. The jolt threw his hood slightly back, revealing to me the shadow of a worn-out but clearly strong man who must have quite the record on his head with the way he's been bolting. Panting heavily from exertion, his veins pulsed and protruded angrily down his neck. He looked familiar which was amazing because I was sure I'd never met this guy before. He was way older than me, but still young, maybe in his mid or late twenties, at most very early thirties. Stray greasy strands of hair fell into his dark, dangerously alert eyes with burning green flecks in them. His face had a strong, angular bone structure and stubble growing against his sharp chin, all things considered the guy was gorgeous like a certain Shadow Fang I knew, but there was something about him I couldn't quite place.

He's visibly exhausted, Lord knows how long he's been bulleting through the harsh forest but he's amped with all the adrenaline pumping wildly in him and just like that I realize why he seems so familiar, of course I'd recognize him… It's his traits and predatory air that I recognize! He's just like the guys, only I have no idea who he is and now I've seen his face!

His sporadic gaze shoots in all directions, making mental notes of his surroundings. Quickly I divert my eyes, hoping I can pretend like I've seen jack-shit about him. Little by little, I reach my fingers into the side of my bag and fish out the switchblade Seth gave me when I turned 13. Flicking it open silently, I hide it against my wrist just like he taught me to do. I might be overreacting but let's call this guy Mr. Menacing. Because this guy freaked me the fuck out, I knew what guys on the other side of the law looked like and he was definitely one of them!

He hastily glances over his shoulder, confirming my suspicions about him running from or to God knows what. He let's go of my upper arm unaffectedly, his face is expressionless but his gaze still holds the dark, mysterious and calculating ire from whatever it is that he's left behind him during his race as he stares into the distance.

Now that I'm looking down, I see scratches on his hands as they leave me, a lot of them are ripped open in places from the trees and dotted with blood, there are tears and pulls in his clothes with damp, mud smears from the forest as well. The one thing that catches my attention the most though, is a tattoo on the index finger of his right hand. Three small, rectangular strokes, none of them matching in length or width or even balanced in a straight line for that matter. The skin from between said finger and his thumb is red and a little blistered, my mind immediately flashes me image after image of him regularly firing a gun with that very hand. I stop myself from thinking any further, fisting the blade tighter in my hand I force myself to stay calm.

I can feel him turn back around to my direction, but he still doesn't pay any mind to my presence, he's looking above my head into the distance of where he was running before I crashed him. My breath catches waiting for his next move…. Being kidnapped by Edward is one thing, being taken hostage because I've seen too much by a perfect stranger is a completely other! To my utter relief he isn't bothered with me, he's seems to have got his bearings sorted because he slips past me and bolts like lightning again, no sign of the fatigue I know he's feeling visible as he runs.

Everything happens so fast, mere seconds pass and the whole encounter is over with a cow-boyish nod from the guy as he flies down the forest in the general direction of the river with an out of breath, 'Thanks', called at me over his shoulder, rough and condescendingly through his ragged breathing.

Thanks for what? I couldn't care less. I exhale a heavy gulp of air and follow suit but I run in the opposite direction of him, clutching onto the blade for dear life.

Never fucking walking this way again!

~.~.~D&D~.~.~

My trip home after that encounter was in a word; fast.

I got in and slammed the door behind me so quickly that if I'd been auditioning for Speedy Gonzales I'd win the part against Speedy himself.

I slide the latch into place and turn all the locks, bolting the door shut. Trying in vain to calm my ragged breathing, I check again to make sure the door is locked securely, and stand on my tip toes and peek through the glass to make sure no one is lurking outside.

Dad's not home and that unsettles me for the first time since I was a little kid. The house is creepy silent and vacant, leaving my imagination much room to run wild. The perfect setting for a horror movie if this guy were to show up.

Sprinting up to my room, paranoid as hell, I shoot a quick glance at the front yard to check for suspicious activity, and then I remember I'm in the Chief of Polices' house, and find myself calming down, fractionally.

Dragging a hand through my hair roughly, I slip the switchblade into my pocket and jog towards dads' balcony, grabbing the hall phone on the way with unsteady fingers. I shake out my hands, clenching them into a fist and releasing, trying to calm down but nothing works. I dig into my hoodie for my Marlboro and come up short. Patting myself down, I still find nothing. Then I suddenly recall the guy in the forests afterthought, 'thanks'.

He must've pocketed my pack when he steadied me.

In any usual case I would be annoyed. Ticked the hell off. But in this instance I don't care that he not only stole my pack, but also gallingly had the balls to thank me for it. I'm just happy he left as a happy-camper. It's better than having pissed him off. This way he's got one less reason to follow me even though I was privy to the fact that he was in the forest and I'd probably seen his face. I'm happy. I'm happy. I'm happy!

Who'm I kidding? I'm not happy!

I'm alone at home! I don't know when dad's going to be back! The Wolves are in South Bend! And I bumped into a stranger that was clearly on the run and therefore probably did not want to be seen! I'm freaked the fuck out!

As it stands, I'm at my wits end but any semblance of what's left of my nerves is shot to hell when I see someone with a black hood over their head walk by my neighbor's patio. I shriek like a banshee, my heart hammering against my ribcage as I force myself to calm the fuck down. I grip the blade firmly in my hand, backing away from the glass slide door only to realize it's actually my neighbor out there emptying out his trash when he turns back to his house and I see his face.

"Fucking hell!" I yell and grab the phone tighter. Image after image of the guy plays in my head again and my mind runs off to Edward. I have no idea why but it does. I swallow thickly and dial the first number I can think of with blood pounding thunderously in my head and for some reason it's not my father's…

"Cullen."

His voice is gruff but I can still feel the velvet undertones caress my ear. Cold and precise, he's in gang mode. I stall, immediately regretting calling. "Hey…"

"Bella?"

His voice loses the dark edge and I realize he hadn't looked at the call when he answered.

"Sorry are you busy?" I ask. It's a dumb question because he obviously is, I can hear the gunning of engines, yells of guys in the background and then his footsteps against concrete as I presume he walks away.

"Nah."

He dismisses harshly getting straight to the point.

"What's wrong?"

It completely throws me that he knows something's wrong with only a handful of irrelevant words exchanged between us. "Nothing," I find myself lying for his sake more than mine, "Think you could pick me up earlier please?"

"Yeah. Where are you?"

As he asks me the question I hear a car start up.

"What's up?"

Again I lie. "I just don't want to be alone," keeping my voice even and calm I go on, "I'm at home— Charlie's." I clarify, he doesn't wait for me to go on.

Deep, silky and commanding, his voice cuts me off as the roaring engine grows louder

"Sit tight. I'm on my way."

And then the line goes dead.

~.~.~D&D~.~.~

I'm now in my room seated at my workstation, stripped down to a pair of denim shorts and a grey fitted t-shirt because I'm feeling so hot from anxiety that it's making me nauseous.

I flick the switchblade in my hand slowly, and chew the life out of my nails when in almost no time at all, I hear a door creak open downstairs. I freeze and grip the knife in a firm hold as my room door follows.

"Jesus fucking Christ Edward! Some warning please!" I scream and throw a handful of pencils at him from my desk. Son of a bitch! My poor heart will never bloody forgive him!

He laughs under his breath eyeing the switchblade in my other hand. "You were going to butter me to death?" he deadpans, with a quizzical look.

"Ha!" I choke out as the adrenaline slowly eases away. I'm so relieved that I'm not alone I seriously want to hug him but I stop myself not sure how I'm supposed to act around him since you know… yesterda— Ahhh and now I'm smiling again? You'd seriously think I wasn't even me anymore, that's how much I'm smiling these days.

He looks dangerous and glorious, all shrouded in mystery covered head to toe in black. "You've clearly never tasted my cooking." I retort.

His eyes dance with amusement as he steps up to me and gently removes the blade from my clenched fist.

"Nice," he appraises the knife flicking it fast between his fingers, then his eyes lift to me, his head still lowered his brow cocks in question, "Thought nothin' was wrong?"

"It's nothing." I let go of a huge breath. Honestly! From the very core of my being! I'm thrilled that I'm not alone. I want to hug him but I don't. "Can we please just go?"

His face hardens right before my very eyes. His jaw tense and eyes cold. I'm seeing the gangster in him unleashed and it makes me back pedal immediately. He grabs my arm holding me firmly in place.

"Isabella what's wrong?"

My eyes grow to saucers at my full name. "Edward noth—"

"Bella, I swear to God if you lie to me—," he cuts off his words but the threat is ringing loud and clear in the air. "Tell me what's fucking wrong."

It's no longer a question. His eyes are fixed and I can visibly see how much of effort he's putting into keeping his temper at bay.

My pulse hammers loudly causing my lip to quiver slightly when I answer. He looks to it then directs his eyes back to mine only a fraction softer than before. Telling me he's not backing off so get the fuck on with the show.

"I was walking home and I saw something," I go for vague hoping he'll miss it.

He doesn't. His look tells me to go on, his veins creeping angrily along his neck up to temple. "If you don't tell me I can't fix it." he practically hisses.

"There's nothing to—"

He shuts his eyes, agitated. And I decide against completing that sentence.

"I'm just overreacting, Edward." I grab his hand, hoping it'll have the same effect it did yesterday but it doesn't.

His eyes fly open burning brightly, the storm in his jade oceans are in torrent and his body is rigid and stiff, holding himself back. I bite down my panic and try and figure out a way to down play everything but still be truthful.

"I just saw this guy while I was walking home and it freaked me out a bit. He didn't even do anything," I shake my head with fervor to emphasize my point, not realizing that I'm shooting my mouth off, "But he just shocked me cause he appeared out of nowhere in the forest. And he was running like he had the devil on his tail. I think he'd been there for a while—"

"Bella describe this guy?" His voice cuts in.

I shut up and stare at him slightly confused at the curiousness burning in his eyes. That sure as hell wasn't the reaction I was expecting.

He places his hands on my shoulders lowering himself to my eye level his voice drops to a soother level. "What did he look like babe?"

There's a 180 for mood swings if I ever saw one. "Er?" I swallow not knowing whether this is a question I should answer.

"I'm not going to do anything." He promises in a way to calm me down. His eyes are intense trying to get me to open my mouth.

"I didn't see too much." Chewing on the insides of my cheek I try and gather any valuable information I can for him because he looks like he really wants to know. "He was tall, 'bout a foot or more taller than me," my head cranes up from Edward's chest to his messy hair, "kinda like your height. He was breathing really heavy, like he'd been running for a while. He was covered in dirt and rain too. I couldn't see his face too well cause he had a hood on. I think his eyes were dark?" I rake my brain for confirmation on that because I could've very well have imagined the green flecks in them that I'd seen due stress or my near fatal case of Edward-on-the-brain.

He's paying careful attention to every word out my mouth, his mind a thousand miles away, a calculating expression on his face. "Anything else?" he coaxes looking at me patiently for more information.

"OH!" I gasp.

His eyes turn darker then, he's paying closer attention for something he hopes to hear that will help him with whatever mental dilemma he's got going on in his head.

"He had a tattoo!" I say remembering it.

"What was it?" he asks earnestly, now a brilliant gleam in his dark green eyes.

"It was on his hand! His finger!" I explain.

His grip tightens and a lopsided grin forms on his face. And I feel a smile creep across mine because I've apparently said something worthwhile! Wow I'm turning into an idiot! What the hell Bella?

I lose the smirk and continue in a mature manner. At least I try to. "It was odd, three random thin rectangles."

His broad, rough hands cup my head cradling it between them, as he lowers his head smacking his lips to mine once, hard, eagerly and backing up to look me in the eye.

"Babe, I need you to not tell anyone what you saw 'kay?" his voice is intentionally soothing. I gape at him with an O formation on my mouth. Why? "No one at all."

"O—kay?" it comes out as a question because I'm more than a little flabbergasted. Then I take a breath and set my face like I usually do with the Wolves when I cover for them, and nod my head in confirmation.

He looks at me a little longer making sure I understand then he kisses me lightly on the forehead and it sets my body on fire because it's so different. Of course I'm going to question him about it. Later. For now I wanted to wait till he was more settled in his mood.

"Good girl. C'mon," he slips an arm around my waist holding me against his side as we walk out my room.

Absentmindedly he slips his free hand into his back pocket and flips open his phone. He dials without looking at the screen and holds it against his ear waiting for a beat before talking in Italian to whoever's on the other end, I figure it's either James or Jasper because from his tone I highly doubt he's talking to Rose. When he's done he grins at me and kisses my forehead lightly again before I get into the car parked down the drive.

"Hey is this one new?" I ask noticing that this isn't the car he fetched me in yesterday.

He sniggers backing us out too fast for it to be safe. Well at least that's what I think. He looks all too in control as he does it. "This one's mine," he answers flipping us round and burning rubber down the road.

I run my hand over the dash, it's smooth and vibrating from the feral hum of the engine under my palm. I can feel his eyes on me the entire time. My eyes dart to him and I'm surprised that he's looking ahead at the road while he shifts gear and is still somehow super aware of my every move.

"I like it." my voice is husky and honest, and I'm not sure if I'm answering him or me.

He smirks, "Me too."

He accelerates and I watch him, taking note of every detail like I'd be brokenhearted if I miss any of it.

"Whose car was the other one?" I ask because today I want to hear him speak while we're driving.

I watch his flashing eyes as it scans the road, the predetermined movements of his body as he maneuvers us at high speeds like its second nature to him. My eyes are drinking in everything and I know he can feel it, his Adams apple bobs as he speaks and I feel my heart tighten. His voice deep and velvety, his eyes dark and mysterious, never looking away from the road as he shoots amber light after amber light making it across a heartbeat before it switches to red.

"That one I was working on for someone. Consider it mine on loan," he grins, a wicked glint in his eyes telling me there's more to that story.

"Did you boost it?" I ask before my filter can kick in. I mentally smack myself and look at him from the curtain of my hair to gauge his reaction.

There's blatant amusement burning in his eyes. "No," he says and I can tell he's putting some effort into not laughing.

I'm just happy he's not upset.

"Not that one." His grin turns devilish at that and I gape at him. He licks his lips and chuckles under his breath. "These things have got to stop shocking you." Swooping down he crashes his lips to mine and slips his tongue into my mouth, the car stays perfectly on course. My hands instinctively fly to the wheel even though my head stays locked to him. He tastes like cinnamon, mint and smoke. He pulls back and smirks lopsided at me. "You're the first person who's ever gotten this close to driving my car." He sounds incredulous.

My eyes fly to my hands and I pull them off quickly. His hands clamp down on mine holding them against the wheel.

"I like it," he forces my hands under one of his and reaches for my seatbelt, releasing it.

I hear the strap slide fast back into place along the door but I can't take my eyes off our hands.

"Get on."

I look at him wide eyed, not catching what he means. "Huh? 'Get on' what?"

He looks to his lap and I blush six different shades of red. My eyes practically fall out their sockets. He laughs under his breath.

"My lap Bella. We'll work on that later." He explains his eyes dancing with amusement when I flush brighter. His free hand wraps around my waist dragging me along him until I'm thrown on his thighs.

"Edward! Are you crazy? We're gonna crash!" I'm yelling at him but he appears completely unfazed.

Leaning back in his seat, his breath blowing warm against my neck making my hairs stand on end. I can feel every inch of his toned body stretched against mine. It's highly intoxicating and I have no idea how he expects us to get out of this alive.

"Just relax Piccola (baby)." He whispers quiet against my ear.

His hands slide mine against the smooth wheel of the very powerful machine we're in. His arms are a steel cage of firm toned delicious muscle on either side of me as they rest on mine at the wheel. Under my ass and along my leg I feel the tough hard muscle of his thigh move as he presses down against the clutch. My heart is pumping blood wildly and I want to moan so badly but I bite down on my lip and stare at the road as we speed through it. My breathing catches when he pulls me tighter against him so that he can maneuver my hand down to the gear shift. He locks his fingers around mine and exerts just the right amount of force so that I can smoothly feel the car shift into fourth. If anything, it feels infinitely more powerful under me now. His breath at my neck, his gaze burning, his body guiding mine, it's erotic. I can feel my eyes dilate, wetness pooling between my legs, my head rolls back onto his shoulder, my gaze locked on the road. My breaths come in gasps and I automatically tighten my grip against the wheel, his hands stay light on mine allowing me to do as I please.

His breathing is heavy but controlled against me. I can feel him watch my every move, his emerald stormy orbs scorching my skin, making me break into a hot smoldering sweat. He licks his lips and I feel his pointed tongue graze the overly sensitive skin of my neck, lapping up a bead as it trails down in a cold line. I shiver and squirm against him involuntarily and his knuckles turn white against the wheel taking control of it while I slip.

He chuckles, his breath dancing against the wet skin making me moan. "Hold on baby." He instructs in a hoarse whisper. "You got it. Look ahead."

My eyes follow through with the command, I grab the wheel tighter and I feel him press down on the accelerator beneath me and we fly across the road just as the light goes red. The car lifts off the ground, jolting us as it touches down again, rocketing ahead with immaculate ease.

I squeal crazily in his lap, smiling and laughing my head off, it feels so thrilling! Exhilarating! I wonder what sex feels like because people like having it so much it's probably the same right? I feel him grin against my neck, breathing in deep. I feel the wetness in my underwear again. I wonder if he feels what I feel, not the wetness, the want that's coursing through me. He feeds of everything I do. Then slowly start to understand that I've maybe, just maybe, that I've got it wrong… It's him… It's like he wants me to feel what he feels...

"You like driving," I pant. It's a statement not a question because I don't know how to deal with what I've just realized about us. It thrills me and scares me at the same time. He feels the same, he just wanted me to recognize it as well.

"Baby I like a lotta things," he responds, pushing me against his body harder with a hand flat on my abdomen and spinning the wheel under the open palm of his other one.

I slide against him as we make a sharp right, his hand back on the gear shift from my waist. We cut across the road, tires squealing and he chuckles when I laugh cause I'm thoroughly ecstatic when he places my hands back on the wheel once we're facing a straight road again. His hands guide mine and I lean back. Growing accustomed to more than just the car…

~.~.~D&D~.~.~

Adrenaline is pumping wild through my body when we pull up to Nell' Ombra. With a huge grin on my face I turn back to look at him. He sniggers, amused by my obvious glee induced high.

I JUST DROVE EDWARDS CAR!

ON HIS LAP!

As we jump out I realize the restaurants closed. I look at him confused and he shakes his head, telling me not to ask or not to worry, I'm not sure. It's my hand that reaches for his this time as we round the corner, walking into the area he parked at yesterday. He locks his fingers naturally with mine. I see rows of cars and bikes inside now that it's better lit. There are also people inside. The ones I can see are all dressed similarly.

I notice James, Jasper, Caius and Laurent near the entrance of the underground parking. There's a cloud of smoke around them from whatever they're smoking and Laurent disappears on his bike with a package tucked into his jacket just before we make it to them.

"The fuck—She just touched the Charger?" I hear James laugh boisterously, his attitude intrigued. He morphs his face into exaggerated disbelief before tilting his head and grinning devilishly. He whistles low. "The brother with no strings, and a chick's gunning his ride! Jazz man, I need another hit of the new fucking shit, player I think I just lost my muthafucking mind!"

Jasper takes a long pull and releases the smoke through his nose in two heavy streams. "I see it too, Cacciatore. Shit must've fucking blown my mind," he speaks evenly, matching James tone as he hands him a blunt but his blue eyes continue to stare me down, laughing under his breath when I shield myself from him by partially ducking behind his cousin.

Edward doesn't seem to care about anything. He flips them off casually with the hand not in mine and reaches for a beer from Caius where he squats on the ground fiddling with something mechanical looking.

"My job complete?" he asks in a deep voice after swallowing deep.

Again I'm transfixed with his Adams-apple. His entire presence is commanding when he looks at them, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. The hair at the back of my neck stands on edge as I look up at him from my hiding place.

"We're through." James answers, leaning against the wall one foot braced against it, he gestures to the three of them. "All up to Emmett and Laurent now."

Edward nods satisfied with that answer. "Good. We're fucking on tomorrow. I want no fuck ups."

The others nod in understanding. He slips his hand around to draw me forward. "C'mon."

"Hi Bella." Jasper calls as I pass, his head lazily lolling back and craning against the wall to follow us.

James shakes his head, chuckling at his antics but does the same thing when I pass him. Sobering his expression, a feigned straight-face, but with mirth heavy in his dangerous equally blue eyes. "Hi Bella."

It's intentionally menacing with a hidden mixture of teasing. I grab Edward a bit tighter and he chuckles, as do they, even Caius joins.

I wave a salute hello with the back of my hand over my shoulder and continue walking. As we dip further down I see a few more people.

"Open her up!" Edward yells ahead of us and I see Demetri, yeah I think that's his name, swing open the door leading up to Nell' Ombra and step in, followed by a few more people.

"Why's the place closed?" I ask him softly.

He leans his head down to mine, "We're not opening till late tonight."

"Why?"

Still leading us forward he grins and answers, "Today's an off day. We'll close shop till I take care of some shit."

"Be more vague please." I look at him scrutinizing and he grins.

"There's a job. A big one. My kind of job," he places emphasis on the word. "Most of the prep is done. Two of my guys just need to smooth over a couple of details and 'til they get back Nell' Ombra's the safe house. Shit's gonna get real either tomorrow or the day after." He looks at me noting my reaction. "That's all I can say for right now 'kay?"

I've got a practiced blank face and mute nod for occasions such as these. I've used it on the Wolves too many times for me not to have perfected it.

He squeezes my hand as we walk up the stairs. "Good girl. No work tonight. It's all fun."

I take huge breath to calm my nerves at his low tone when he said that. As we step through the door I see the people that walked in before us. Tanya's one of them. Without thinking I turn and my steel, hard gaze collides with Edward's uncaring one.

"She's here with Kate," he speaks into my hair kissing the top as if reading my mind.

Great! Now who the fuck is Kate!

My eyes grow large shocked at my own thoughts. Whoa Bella, claws in girl! I nod at him like its no big deal. He doesn't buy it but he doesn't voice it. Still gripping my hand he walks ahead of me into the establishment pulling me with him. All eyes zero in on us. I keep my eyes on his back as we walk, our bodies close. It's a comforting gesture.

The girl on the sofa next to Tanya is the picture of a trophy girl, kind of like Evil Blondie herself. Scantily dressed, proper make-up and manicured red claws for nails, she's dressed the same as a lot of girls in the area. She's pretty and from the looks of it she's close to Tanya. I find that weird because from the way she eyes me, her plucked arched brows rising to her hairline, I can tell they're both after the same thing. Most of the females are in fact. From the way she watches me it's clear she's heard of me. And it's not hard to tell she wants what I'm currently holding onto… Edward. I can see it clear as day in the way her eyes dart to him and her head tilts to the side. She raises her glass to her red Maybelline glossed lips and darts her eyes away bitterly at what's going on before her dark blue orbs, she downs the entire contents in a gulp and then glares at me.

So that's Kate then.

What I wouldn't give to scratch her eyes out. And I will, gladly, if the opportunity ever presents itself! I wasn't affiliated with the Grey Wolves all my damn life and friggin helpless. I knew how to throw down when push came to shove. A girl I could definitely take. Especially that one!

Music's blasting, drinks are moving across the place, there's a guy perched at a table he's covered in piercings and leather, tattooing something on Jaspers arm, while in almost every other corner are guys rolling or smoking insane amounts of weed or doing some other shit. The place is insane.

Edward continues walking, dragging me to his office and shutting the door loudly behind us. I'd laugh if I had a moment to breathe because the in the blink of an eye he slams me against the door. His mouth is hot and hungry against mine before I can scream. Unyielding and burning with passion. I moan into his kiss and he growls pulling me hard against him. I can feel his rock hard dick straining against his jeans under his baggy t-shirt. He growls at me snapping his teeth at my lips.

"You fuck up my control you know that." He hisses into my mouth almost angrily.

I feel an inferno burn between my legs, it's uncomfortable and I need more. More of him. I love that he's like this. For some foreign reason after seeing the way Kate, Tanya and a few of the other women look at him I needed him like this. I'm self admittedly jealous and I simply freaking love that Tanya and fucking Kate are on the other side of this door locked out from our world.

I wrap my arms around his neck and lift to my tip toes so I can lick his pink moist lips. He hisses in warning and I laugh huskily against his jaw. He knows he does the same thing to me. "So you have control issues and now it's my fault?" I drawl my tease.

He lifts his head back and laughs low, his hands slide to my ass grabbing the flesh and hoisting me up against him. Telling me loud and clear my jab about his controlling nature did not go unnoticed. "Baby, you've got no idea." He squeezes my ass possessively.

I lean my forehead against his, enjoying being with him like this. His walls so close to being completely down and the cougars of Forkseria along with the untamable bitches they keep in the company of, all safely behind the two-way mirror wall of his office ensuring their claws can't reach him.

Oh God! Seriously Bella? What's going on with me?

"What you thinking so hard about?" he asks casually his voice raspy and his gaze still hungry.

I can feel my face heat. "Nothing." I say innocently.

"Right." He scoffs with a grin.

I feel a buzzing against my thigh, he shuts his eyes in annoyance but lowers me to my feet. I watch as he gets out his cell and answers it without looking at the screen yet again.

"Go," he speaks into the receiver. "The fuck—," he raises his voice after the other person speaks.

Christ, is he always so rough?

I drink in every detail about him as he walks towards his desk. Leaning over he grabs a fistful of files, spreading them unceremoniously on the top. Clad head to toe in black with his gold dog-tags hanging half out around his neckline from our heated make out, he looks scandalously striking.

My eyes run along the room, I see the dartboard he and Jasper were at the day I ran off and I walk over to it. He told me I have 'free reign' in the restaurant just like Rosalie does but I still don't know if I can ever use that privilege. I turn back and find his piercing eyes on me. Something flickers in them when I walk back without touching the board. I can't understand the intensity of his gaze but he's still on the call so it's not like we're going to get into it or anything.

He sits on the huge comfy looking rotating black leather chair at his desk. His frame tense, as he searches through files. "If he's there then there's something he's muthafucking moving towards. Find out what!" he barks into the receiver, his face is deadly, he looks exactly like he did the night he fought the Wolves. He growls into the phone again. His jaw clenched and his vein ticking away in his temple. His hair falls into his eyes as he searches through document after document. "King knows muthafucking everything," he sneers it with almost pride. Dark and cunning he goes on, "If he let her go then chances are he recognized my girl," he says absentmindedly, holding a file between his clenched sharp white teeth and using his hands to flip through another. Finding what he wants he drops them along side each other on the desk. "He wanted word to get back to me that he's in there."

My ears perk up at this. My heart flutters at his words but my mind is attuned with gang business. He knows the guy in the forest. King, the name rings a bell but I can't for the life of me recall from where I've heard it before. Then it clicks I heard it in the conversation with him and Emmett.

"Then find out." he snaps, his hand in a tight fist atop the table. He stares at something there. Working a puzzle in his mind until suddenly it's solved. He grins down at the second file. "He's coming back." He lifts up the file staring at it like its gold, a devilish glint in his eyes. "Forget it," he dismisses whoever's on the line. "Get back." He orders calmly. "Call Emmett in too. Shit goes down tomorrow."

The phone snaps shut and when he looks up it's like he forgot I was there at all.

My face is an open book. I've got more questions for him than I'm sure he wants to answer. He chuckles loudly at the expression I'm wearing and leans back in his chair. Lounging he laces his fingers against the back of his head and tilts it as he looks at me. He's baiting me. He wants to see if I'll voice them.

I won't. I can't. I'm hit with a sudden revelation.

"I'm dating a gangster."

He seems thoroughly amused at the words that slip out of my mouth because we both know I didn't mean to actually say it out loud. I know gangs. But never and I mean never, had I ever thought I'd find myself in this position with a member of one, let alone the leader of a rival one!

"Really, what's his name?" he quips. My mouth snaps shut and I gawk at him with a scowl. He snickers, a huge grin on his face. "C'mon I need you to keep something."

I watch him curiously as he reaches back into the drawer and retrieves a blade, it looks different to the one I have.

"You know how to use it right?" he asks, I nod so he goes on, "This one's easier to maneuver." He flicks his wrist and the sharp blade flicks out. It catches and sparks in a star shape as he spins it in the beam of light coming in through the two-way mirror from the restaurant. "And see here," he runs his finger along the spine, I nod with interest, "it's jagged. When you stab, it'll rip and haul flesh as you pull out. Causes more damage. Ridiculously painful." He flicks it close and holds it out to me. "No one will have the balls to pull it out their own body. Buys more time." He completes darting his eyes to me from under his lashes to see if I understand what he's explained so far.

"Who's King? And aren't we moving fast?" I deadpan looking at the blade as I take it from him.

He grins impressed when I flick it out then back in one fairly quick movement. Probably shouldn't mention where I learnt that from.

He smirks laughing with his eyes. "Royce King. He's not someone you should be worried 'bout 'kay. Forget everything about that, unless you're with me." It's not a question. I'm surprised he answers me at all let alone honestly. Then he beats me at my game with the second bit as well. "Bella, technically we've been 'dating' for almost a week now, Cappuccinetto," he says smugly, his stance still remaining nonchalant.

"That!" I yell surprising myself at how passionate I sound.

He looks startled and thoroughly amused when I throw back my head and point my finger at him like a crazy woman. Bet he regrets giving me that knife now huh?

"That right there!" I say with fervor, "What does it mean?"

He watches me from where he's reclined and laughs, loudly, the sound throaty and deep. A brilliant smile, rarely seen by any soul lighting up his face. Glad my frustration amuses you Cullen but try answering my question. I walk up to him and perch myself on the table top in front of him like I mean business and give him a, 'Well?', look. Leaning back further in his chair relaxed, he sniggers but humors me anyway. I'm grateful.

What else can I do to scare Edward Cullen? Nothing? Exactly.

Moving forward leaning between my now spread legs, his hands run up my thighs possessively until they settle over my shorts on my ass. It's sexy but the second I meet his gaze it feels more like, intimate. "It means little cappuccino."

That wasn't nearly as dirty as I thought it would be. I'm sure my face scrunches up. "Like the drink?"

He licks his lips his eyes turn darker I feel undressed under his gaze as it runs up me quickly from my bare thighs, to my torso, up my covered breasts that lie at his eye level right before his head, all the way to my face like he's seeing the whole world right there. " Definitely like the drink," he says.

I blush and he chuckles letting me know he's teasing. Satisfied with my reaction he leans forward his nose pushing against the cotton of my shirt and burying his face between my breasts. He tilts his head to the side and bites down on the underside of the left one, I feel immediate wetness between my legs. He nibbles and pulls and my thighs automatically close around him, latching to his chest and holding him there. His large hands tighten instinctively on my ass as a result. He growls into my chest, biting down harder making sure to leave a mark that I'm sure will match the other one. I'm painfully filled with lust… It's unfamiliar and I don't know how to handle it.

He pulls away and brings up one hand, brushing his fingers over my face, moving some loose strands behind my ear. Looking into my darkened eyes and not realizing that the way he looks at me makes me feel him so much more than his burning touch does. There's a wet rim of his teeth marks on my t-shirt turning the grey to black and it makes him smirk.

"Vampire tendencies?" I tease, forcing myself not to look away.

He raises a challenging brow. Mischief burning in his naturally menacing eyes. His voice drops down to a huskily low level. "Yeah,"

As he speaks his hands descend torturously slow down my thighs making sure I'm super aware of the movement. His eyes never leaving mine. They move back upwards but drag under my shorts this time.

"I want to eat you alive," he watches me gasp with utmost interest, his eyes dark and intense, drinking in my every reaction to his touch, his words, his voice, his being. I moan low, a blush forming as it happens. "Suck you dry."

I drop my gaze and bite my lips hard together to keep quiet as his hands reach my panties. He presses down on the flesh of my thighs moving my weight up with no effort at all. His arms are strong and flexed beneath me. His large rough piano fingered hands dipping into the fabric. The movement so fluid I picture myself being his favorite instrument. Gaze locked on mine he continues his journey, dragging his hands against the bare skin of my ass, hands clutching the flesh, inner wrists sliding just barely away from my front lips, arms thick under my thighs, it torture. It's by far the most intimately anyone's ever touched me. His hands grab my ass firmly jerking my body forward, closer to him and making my moan sing out loud for his ears when my soaked neglected front slams against his rock hard chest.

"Fuck. You. Senseless." he hisses.

My eyes rapidly dilate. A wanton need possessing me with such ferocity it shakes me to the very core of my soul. He leans back giving me room, predicting my movements! I fling myself off the table. His hands still in their place at my ass sustain my movements. He grabs me hard against him, making sure I slide slowly down his chest, teasing me with the friction it provides against my throbbing lady bits as they graze each and every one of the rippling abs on his glorious body until I'm settled in his lap. Legs wide open, thighs clutching at his sides like his body's my life source. His lips crash against mine, brutal and devouring. Our heads dipping this way and that, not being able to get close enough.

His tongue flicks out telling me to open my mouth wider. I listen. His head tilts and his tongue delves into my mouth in a way it never has before. It's deeper and more sensual. Wrapping against mine and pulling it into his mouth. He's so good at this. My body taps into its latent instincts and moves against him. Desperate to be closer to him. Grinding into him, he cups my ass tightly, biting and scraping his teeth along my tongue as he guides my body lower.

I don't know what's making me do this but I can't for the life of me think to stop it. I can't think at all! He draws me closer, pressing me to him, knowing exactly what I want. I can feel him hard and straining against his jeans. He growls when I grind right into him now. It feels like I've been struck by lightning when my overly sensitized wet flesh hidden beneath my drenched panties and shorts feels the friction he's providing.

"Oh. My. God." I whisper breathily against his lips.

I feel him smirk, kissing me again, hard but slower. Pulling my lips and sucking on them, bruising it before rolling me into his dick harder when I mewl into his mouth. He knows my body better than I do. His breathes are as heavy as mine between kisses. His tongue snaking back into my mouth every chance it can get.

"Relax your legs." He commands his voice husky.

My head stays attached to his, too lost in the kiss to comprehend what he's saying. He kisses me back and I feel my heart swell to twice its size because I know again he does it just to let me have my way. Because I can't help myself, he takes the lead for me.

His one hand lifts me lightly off him bunching the flesh of my ass between his fingers. I whine at the loss of contact when I can't feel his cock strained jeans between my legs causing him to chuckle into my mouth. Scraping his teeth across my tongue again. I don't have time to feel embarrassed at my whimper because as his teeth reaches the tip of my tongue, his other hands pulls forward. I scream into his mouth as the pads of his fingers rub and drag across the bare wet flesh of my lower lips. Telling me in advance what he intends on doing, his eyes never leave my face the entire time. I feel myself get impossibly wetter.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~ MA content available on my journal and TWCS, info at the end .~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Leaning against him I feel a million different emotions coarse through me all of them euphoric. I tip my head back to sneak a look at him and feel myself sway. His eyes are almost pitch black with lust as he watches me grab his shoulders for support because I'm shaking so bad.

"You're muthafucking gorgeous you know that?"

I blush, his voice is husky but dead serious his eyes burning with fire as he speaks. He slips his fingers out of me slowly. I whimper at the loss, he smirks crookedly at me. My brazen gaze follows his glistening fingers as they lift to his mouth, his bruised blood filled lips wrapping around them and licking them off swiftly, easily, as if it's the most natural thing in the world before pulling them out. I blush, I can't describe what he does to my mind. "Cappuccinetto," he rocks us both on the chair, slipping a red hoodie I'm sure belongs to him over my head and down my body as he waits for me to calm down.

My breathing is still all over the place. I slowly come back down from my high. As I become more lucid I want to hide my burning face from his gaze, realizing what we just did. He smirks in amusement, his gaze coloring my cheeks all the way to my chest a brilliant red rivaling the shade of the hoodie as I slide off his lap on shaky legs and walk around to sit on the other side of the table. There's a sated feeling in my core, it feels marvelous. The hoodie is so big it covers me to mid-thigh and I have to fold it so that it doesn't look like I've got nothing on beneath it.

He lets me walk away knowing that I'm not going far. The thought alone makes me smile. Perching myself on the desk I look out the restaurant, free of patrons but still buzzing with activity. There's so much smoke in some corners that it looks like a smoke screen. I laugh under my breath at the thought.

Jasper's at the far end where he sat with James and Caius yesterday, his tattoo is being taped up and he's smoking something too, large puffs of smoke forming a lazy huge cloud around him. James and Caius are walking towards said table, a fistful of beers clutched between their fingers. Caius hands one to Jasper, and Demetri walks over passing them a pipe, he snatches one of the beers too and collapses unceremoniously in a chair at the next table.

"God, just how much do you guys smoke?" I ask turning back to Edward with a smirk.

He grins and slips the files off his table, dumping them into the drawer. "A lot. What about you?"

It's a loaded question, I smile sweetly at his raised, challenging brow, and shake my head. "Me? I deal, I don't smoke." I deadpan.

A gust of dark laughter erupts from his chest. "Fuck— You're a piece of work."

I turn back to the restaurant when his gaze shifts to it. Emmett and Laurent are back walking towards the group at the end and Edward is watching a brown bag Muscleman's holding with great interest.

My gaze drifts to the other end. I see Kate, staring hard at the door of the office willing it with her mind to open. I feel a spark go off.

"Who is she?"

Edward's attention snaps back to me from his gang, "Who?"

I dart my eyes towards the glass at Kate still staring at the goddamn door!

He acknowledges her with very little interest. His eyes come back to me, brow raised in question. "No one." I jump off his table and on instinct he's up to, ready to chase if I run. "She's no one." He reiterates calculatedly calm from across the table.

Arms folded, I stare at him. The way she's staring at that door, she must be someone!

"Did you sleep with her?" my tone is ferocious to my ears, he however reacts very little. I'm not sure why I asked the question so bluntly but I've never been involved with a guy before. This feeling of insecurity, jealousy, it's new to me, I can't process what I'm doing especially not after being that intimate with him.

His eyes blaze but his face remains expressionless. I see the muscles ticking in his jaw as he sets it tightly. I'm testing him. I couldn't care less because I have my answer. My anger fades and gives way to hurt. It hurts that he's been so close to someone. It hurts that she's had a part of him. I've just now realized something… I'm not the type to share. I'm possessive.

I feel his eyes on my face. Watching my reaction carefully, intently. His eyes still burning, his faces calms on the surface, he relaxes his jaw, softens his gaze and lowers his voice. It doesn't feel sweet or kind or magically romantic like the movies. No, it's saying, 'Bella don't…' It's classic Edward, he won't lie to me and he's hard and fierce even when he's trying not to be. It's so deeply imbedded in him because of his gang authority that it's like you have to be one of those people to catch it. One of the select few he'd ever bother even using it with. Further narrowed down to the individual themselves, if they're able to catch it at all, it's that subtle!

"Bella, I've fucked lots of girls." He says suddenly, to the point, his tone is unapologetic.

My palms begin to sweat and I feel sick to my stomach. He's telling me a fact, something he can't change, and he wants me to know that. Part of me's grateful, as always, he isn't going to lie to me. It's a small part. The other part wishes he would lie to me. He's unnaturally quiet, only our breathing can be heard aside from the music outside the office. I lift my eyes up to him to find him watching me process what he's said so far. His eyes have turned so intense it threatens to blind me.

"Bella, none of them are you."

His hands are fisted at his side unsure of whether I'm going to bolt, he looks like he's ready to pounce if I do. His gaze is so ferocious that I lift my eyes back to him just feeling its burn on my skin. Edward's never going to wear his heart on his sleeve, he won't sugarcoat anything, he'll tell me everything straight and honest and let me deal with it my own way because it's the truth and he can't change it.

Everything I'll ever need to feel is found in his eyes. The depths of those intense green tortured orbs hold every answer you could ever want if only you took the time to read them. I know from them that he wants to say something to make it easier but he won't. He wants me to understand what he can't say. But behind it all in the blazing green flames he's telling me that even if I find that I can't understand that, he's not letting me go.

I gulp. I nod. He's still trying to gauge my reaction, seeing if I'm gonna run.

"Edwa—" I can't breathe. I stop and inhale slowly through my mouth. "Would you ever— I mean— With them— On me."

It sounds like garbage but he understands what I've asked. I can tell because his gaze turns hard as steel. Pissed off, beyond my comprehension.

"What do you think?" his voice is menacingly calm, words spoken through his teeth.

I flinch, it doesn't actually sound like a question. It doesn't sound like my question offended him. It sounds like my question made his blood boil.

His muscles tense, flexing unconsciously from the strain it's taking for him to remain still, veins protruding like a pulsing snake ready to strike. It's scary, I toy with the fabric of his hoodie tugging it closer when I break into gooseflesh.

"I told you." He grits his teeth. "None. Of. Them. Were. Fucking. You."

He's losing control, in a storm he strides past me, out the door and slamming it deafeningly as he goes. Everyone in the restaurant is too far gone to notice anything but I stare after him and see the shatterproof glass of the mirror rattle angrily from the force.

As I watch him walk towards his Shadow Fangs I realize I'm panting. Chest heaving, mouth gasping. He's just said it all in his fury. He answered me, without realizing it. Hiding behind his mask, his eyes told me what I wanted to know.

I stared out the glass at him. Edward Cullen, the thug who's never given a girl a second thought was breaking all his rules for me. He pursued me. He kept me. He forcefully kept me. Unwittingly, his actions had given me a title.

Now it was my turn. But how far was I willing to go for him?

Taking a deep breath I walked to the door grabbing the cold knob with a timid hand, I opened it and stepped out his office.

He was at the same table as James and the others. Sprawled on a long leather bench that lined the wall, elbows braced on the top of the backrest, head tipped against the wall facing the ceiling as he exhaled a deep cloud of smoke. It fit. He was seething.

Angry, livid with me and I didn't know how to calm him down. Saying I was sorry wasn't going to cut it. I wasn't sure what would? I didn't know him like that yet. But I was determined to.

I watched Tanya and Kate glance at him under their lashes while he remained engrossed in everything but them. Tanya for some reason was scared shitless of him ever since I ran out the other day but she still had a yearn hidden in her gaze. And Kate? Tanya now knew better but Kate showed blatant disregard. Her eyes drank him in, running down his body brazenly as he spoke to James, her entire body showing how pleased she was that he was alone.

Now I was furious. My eyes narrow to slits.

So, I may not know how to calm him down. I seriously didn't like how they looked at him! I didn't know how to tell him everything I wanted to! But I sure as hell knew how to be Isabella Swan. So far he'd broken every rule for me and I decided right then I was willing to go far for him, repercussions be damned! Two birds. One stone.

I'm Edward Cullen's girlfriend. Know me. Fear me. Hear me roar bitches.

"Hey!" I call out gesturing to the guy with heavy piercings as he steps away from their table.

When he turns I feel more than just his eyes move to me. From the burn on my skin I know one of the many pairs belongs to Edward. My Edward. Now I just need to let him know.

Keeping myself calm I hop onto the bar counter in his line of sight from across the room. "I'm next."

Chatters die out as I speak. More eyes on me. My blush doesn't make an appearance, I've got too much adrenaline coursing through me for it to stand a chance against my resolve.

Tattoo guy leers and walks over to me. He smirks condescendingly so I return it and he loses his because I'm in a mood. Wise man.

"Whadya want sweetcheeks?" he asks, kinda skeptical like he thinks I'm gonna back down.

Unlikely.

Matching his leer, I make a point of ignoring every other presence in the room, especially Edwards, but I make certain his bloody gaze stays on me.

I can feel it, heated and smoldering, curious as to what I'm doing but not going to stop me. I lick my lips, I picture him surrounded by smoke watching me with severe green eyes, his poise nonchalant because he's Edward. But once again I remind myself that I know how to be Bella. Then I smirk, because I'm about to pull an Edward.

Actions. No words.

Pulling up his hoodie, I drag the denim of my shorts as high as the material will allow me to, it stops just before the very top of my thigh. You can hear a pin drop now. Even though the music's still playing, no one seems to be speaking. Fighting against the urge to glare at Kate or Tanya and scream, 'Mine Bitches', I continue as if I couldn't care less about any other soul in the area.

Pointing to the skin of my upper thigh I speak directly to Tattoo guy but dart my eyes to Edward, locking them to his, "'EC'. Right here."

I watch with utter satisfaction as disbelief stretches across Edward's face, his eyes widen. I do an internal happy dance. My eyes never stray from his. He's completely still, legs apart, forearms braced on them, smoke releasing lazily out his mouth through his teeth in a huge cloud. His eyes look crazed under the surface. I can see it. It makes me grin.

I hear some gang members whistle. I can practically see the disbelief painted across the others in the room. But I couldn't care less about them. They better believe it.

His face relaxed, Edward's eyes grow darker as each moment passes while Tattoo guy preps sliding his hands into gloves.

"Color?" I look away from Edward to tattoo guy as he examines the area I pointed to.

"Green." I answer automatically, Edward's eyes. Edward's EC ink. It's like how I feel under his gaze. His eyes always burning at my skin, marking it. I watch the tattoo guy perched on a bar stool as he works. I want to enjoy this experience, it's thrilling in ways I never expected it to be now that it's actually happening. I don't want to miss a thing.

He takes out a tube from its package in his kit and inserts the end of it into the slot on the machine. Inserting a needle into the tube with precise practiced movements. He places rubber bands around the contraption to hold them in place.

Out of nowhere! And I mean no where! James cuts across my line of sight.

I spin my head automatically, my curiosity forcing the action.

Jasper's hot on his trail, their movements in sync.

They're ridiculously agile for people so high. Jasper places a hand on the counter top beside me and hops over lithely landing on the other side. His sneakers barely touch the ground before James tosses him the plug attached to the machine. He catches it one handed out the air, the gauze of his own tattoo unintentionally in my view as he does so and plugs it in. Both grinning, broad and wicked. It's lethal, they look sinister but they're thoroughly enjoying what I'm doing… or about to anyway.

I turn to Edward bewildered and I see the corner of his mouth twitch upwards. He silently chuckles, dark and impious. He hasn't moved an inch other than that smirk on his face. I shake my head at him but feel my own lip twitch. I turn back to the guy with the machine.

He connects the various cords for the pieces before the power snaps on and he presses down on the foot pedal. I stare transfixed as the tattoo needle freely buzzes up and down in its tube after a while I've completely forgotten about the two menacing males on either side of me, I've forgotten about the one I'm doing this for. Heck, I've forgotten about the entire room, bitches included! All I see is that needle as the guy below me checks to see if everything is in working order. I don't see anything as he works except that needle.

I feel something burning my skin and I look up through strands of my hair. I collide with piercing green. Edward watches me intently, his body unmoving. He's a predator again. Marking his prey. His eyes burn with desire, it's almost palpable in the air around me… Then I feel that first nip. A sharp zap, buzzing as the needle pricks my skin, after recent events I find I like pain so I can handle it. Fisting my scarred hand, I wince fractionally and look down to the flesh then back across the room at Edward as the next comes. Then the next. And the next. Until it's flowing so smooth that I welcome the pain. Because with each sting Edward will understand that I'm not going anywhere… An apology without words, an unnecessary one because his anger is completely forgotten.

No one exists in this room to him except me… that's the way I want it. Edward watches intently from across the room as his initials slowly form on my skin in blood and ink.

~.~.~D&D~.~.~

I don't know how long I sit there but soon I hear tape snapping and see tattoo guy cover up a smaller tattoo identical to the one on Edward's bicep. He leers at me telling me it's over and I'm pretty sure that he can't believe I went through with it.

I then recall that I had two reasons for doing what I'm doing. Edward's not upset, but I wanted him to see that I was serious about him that I'm no longer gonna run and make him work for it. But then there was the second reason. I wanted Tanya, Kate and anyone else to know who was interested to know what position I held in Edwards' life.

Apparently the adrenaline that's still coursing through my body from the tattoo has heightened my cognitive abilities because immediately I find a light-bulb flashing on in my head.

Keeping my internal smug smile successfully off my face, I remember Edwards' words when he kidnapped me… after Tanya tried to drive me away and I remember exactly what she had said when she tried to do it. It gives way to yet another stroke of genius. The perfect payback if you ask me.

What the hell, really? I don't care, girl from the gangs I've always been on living on the edge and I've already done the unthinkable.

I lean far back on the counter, sliding a bit so I can reach. James moves out of my way wordlessly but curious like a dog with a bone as to what I'm up to now. Then I open the cash register.

Nell' Ombra's cash register, contents belonging to Edward Cullen.

It springs open swiftly and I snatch up whatever I can feel in the first drawer. Sitting up with it held in perfect view, I run my fingers along the edge and look innocently at Tanya- then Kate- then tattoo guy.

"How much?" I ask.

I hear Jasper's husky chuckle followed by James' throaty one.

Edward's cousin mutters an, 'Oh, shit', under his breath but it's a smug sinful one of approval.

James is no different, I can hear the grin in his voice as he drawls out low enough for just three ears at the counter to catch it, "Careful Bella, your fangs are showing."

I laugh under my breath, a smile on my face before turning back to my task. From the corner of my eye I see Tanya glare, she's dumbfounded but her reaction's nothing compared to Kate's.

I hear tattoo guy say, ninety, over the music.

I turn towards Kate, cause right this second Tanya's the least of my concerns. If possible Kate looks like she wants to slit my throat open with her manicured fingernails. So I smile at her sweetly, holding her gaze as I count off the twenties in my hand. Bring it honey.

"Here's hundred." Handing him 5 notes I slide off the counter slipping the rest of them into my pocket. I don't want the money. I just want them to know that it's mine for the taking because Edward's mine too.

Kate slams her glass down on the table in front of her, a menacing grimace on her pretty face, and a loud threat burning in her eyes as she stalks off. The music's so loud I'm sure no one else saw it. But I sure as hell did. A huge grin forms on my lips, I ignore Tanya mute and glaring from her corner, and look up at Edward.

I swallow thickly because he's chuckling thoroughly amused, but the way he looks, his dark eyes, predator calmness… in a word he's… dangerous.

His eyes are blazing ravenous and the smirk on his face is breathtaking. He should be arrested for an attempt on my life by inducing breathlessness from across the floor. It then dawns on me that I've quite possibly just staked claim on the most sinfully beautiful man on the planet.

Rest of his gang around him forgotten, he leans forward and crooks his finger at me in a come hither fashion. The coil's back in the pit of my stomach. He's dark, deadly, delicious and irrevocably bad but I like him that way… It's a part of his beautifully intoxicating soul...

When I don't move, he grins and rubs the back off his neck waking up, tall and dominating in a room filled with criminals of Forks and affiliates. His very presence screams danger, he walks towards me. I fight my instincts when they tell me to run and instead smile looking up at him under my lashes. He stops a hairsbreadth away from me. His voice deep and low, his eyes unyielding.

"You're not going home this weekend."

It's a statement. "What? I can't—"

He laughs condescendingly cutting me off. "You are."

I gape at him. "Edward you're crazy." I fold my hands defiantly.

His face loses all humor, his eye burn into mine, his voice rough. "Do you know how hard it was to watch you and not fucking leap across the room and drag you out with me."

He says it so matter-of-factly, so frustrated, through his teeth that I want to kiss him again. I must be crazy too? He runs a hand through his hair roughly. He looks crazed and I love it because I did that!

"You're coming back to mine this weekend."

I love it a little less.

My face falls. "You seriously are crazy aren't ya' baby?" He smirks at the slipped endearment caused because I'm fighting with him, again. "There's no way in hell—"

Lowering his head to look me in the eye at my words and the challenge held in them, his smirk widens into the lopsided panty-dropper he usually floors me with. There's a wicked glint in his dark green orbs that shut's me up. His hands slip onto my waist, pulling me to him the rest of the way so we're touching.

"Yeah, right now I'm muthafucking insane." He pecks his lips to mine once... Twice, lingering a little longer... And almost thrice but he pulls back just before we touch, teasing me.

My eyes fly open and my breath catches when I see him. I'm certain we could jump start a car with the electricity flying between us.

His eyes intense and boring into mine, he dips one hand down and runs it over the gauze on my thigh, gentle but possessive. "You belong to me. And I'm keeping you this weekend."

I don't have to say anything because deep down it's true. And we both know it. Lord, help me this weekend...

~.~.~ Thank you for reading. Love and God bless: Kat;) ~.~.~

Prompt Status CH9: Full chapter posted on my journal (address on profile/direct link available on my website) and TWCS (my penname is KittyTylz).

Check out the banner on my website made by BE1965, I loved it to bits, pic she found is exactly how I would imagine the bar of Nell' Ombra would be. And DragonMasterOf10's beautiful title pages on DA. Love always, Kat.