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Disclaimer: As you know by now, S. Meyer owns all; I just like to play with the characters.
EPOV
Grabbing my keys, I jump up from the desk, knocking my chair to the floor in the process. Hearing that someone's broken into Bella's apartment and may possibly still be there has me running out the door. Without knowing anything about the break in, one name enters my mind—Lauren. Would she seriously go that far? And why now?
Forgetting about Lauren for now, I focus on Bella's voice on the other end of the line. "Baby, are you okay?"
"Um, yeah I suppose. I haven't gone inside yet and Jake is acting really weird. Edward, the door is open but it doesn't look like it's been forced. How can that be?"
As she's speaking her voice is getting higher and higher. I can tell she's close to loosing it.
"I'm on my way. Just stay there and don't go inside. And call the police—they need to be involved, baby."
Hearing her sniff makes my heart ache. "Okay, I will. Edward?"
"Yeah, baby?"
"Please hurry."
"I'm walking out the door now."
Hanging up, I search for Emmett. I find him behind one of the bars helping Paul with stock. "Emmett, can I speak to you in private for a minute?"
He frowns, walking to the end of the bar and out of earshot of Paul. "What's up?"
"Bella just called and thinks someone's broken into her apartment. I'm heading there now. I doubt that I'll be back in tonight."
Emmett's look of shock turns to concern as I give him the details of my conversation with Bella. I also reveal my fears regarding Lauren, recounting the numerous calls to my cell phone, our apartment, and Bella's phone. Briefly I explain how she's been showing up at the club after hours and unannounced.
"So you really think it could be Lauren? Would she be that vindictive?" Emmett has never been a fan of Lauren but he still tries to see the good in everyone.
"C'mon, Em, you know she'll do anything to get her way. And Bella's standing in the way of something she wants." Just saying it out loud makes it feel more real.
"You sure?"
"Emmett everything points at her!" Paul turns to look at us. Walking away from the bar, I lower my voice and Emmett follows. "It has to be Lauren."
"Okay, if you think it's her then I'm with you—especially if she's gone psycho and is after our Bella. What should we do?"
I have absolutely no idea what to do. Without proof will the police even be able to help us? Could we pursue a restraining order?
Sensing my mood Emmett claps me on the shoulder. "C'mon, Ed, we'll get through this. First thing, we'll get caller ID on the apartment phone. If the calls continue, we'll keep track of them and get the police involved." I nod in agreement. "But you need to talk with Bella about your suspicions. A vandalized apartment might not be only thing that's happened."
He's right. I haven't told Bella anything about Lauren and in hindsight, it looks as though trying to protect her has actually put her in danger.
"I'm not sure how long I'll be at Bella's, do you mind getting the stuff for the phone today?" I ask.
"No problem, I'll deal with it before we open tonight. Now go!" Playfully he shoves me towards the front door, but underneath I know he's serious.
I arrive at Bella's apartment at the same time as a police cruiser. She's sitting on the sidewalk, Jake lying next to her. I'm out of the car and with her in an instant.
"Baby, you okay?"
BPOV
I see his car. He's here. He came just like he said he would. Unsure of my legs, I remain sitting. A gust of wind gives me a chill so I lean into Jake, sitting diligently by my side.
Someone broke into my apartment. I'm numb.
Things like this happen in movies, not to me. As I sit here, pieces begin to fall into place. The phone calls, the strange car following me, my tires being slashed, and now this. It's time for me to stop denying that any of this has been a coincidence. Someone has it out for me. I just don't know who…or why.
"Baby, you okay?"
His voice pulls me back to the present. Edward crouches down, concern etched on his face. His eyes rake over me, assessing for damage. When he finds nothing his eyes meet mine. "Bella?"
"I'm fine, Edward, just a bit shaken." Nodding towards my apartment, I add, "I've not gone inside yet."
"Good, we'll let the police handle that." He takes my hand, helping me to my feet. Needing his touch, I drop Jake's leash and wrap my arms around Edward, pulling him closer.
Edward instinctively draws me in. Burying my face against his chest, I close my eyes, hoping that when I open them none of this will have happened. Inhaling deeply, I try to forget and focus on Edward. A man has never smelled so good—freshly washed clothes, and a hint of cologne, and just Edward. Even his scent is soothing.
We hold each other for a moment before I'm brought back to reality.
"Excuse me, Miss? I'm looking for Bella Swan."
I pull away from my safe haven, to meet the two police officers standing before us.
"I'm Bella, the one who called." My voice shakes.
They show us their badges and identify themselves as Officers Benjamin and Miller.
"Have either of you been inside the apartment?" Officer Benjamin looks past us towards my door.
"No. I didn't want to go in by myself if someone was still inside. I called you and Edward and just waited outside with Jake."
Officer Miller looks at Edward. "And you are?"
"Edward, her boyfriend—Jake is her dog." Edward explains, hugging me close.
"Okay, you two stay out here. We'll take a look inside. Once we've determined there's no one still inside and assess any damage, you'll need to have a look around to see if anything's missing or looks out of place."
A shaky sigh escapes me, as I nod and watch as the officers enter my apartment.
As we wait, Edward and I stand linked together in comfortable silence. Jake, who hasn't left my side since we returned from our walk, finally lays down now that he's satisfied we're not in any immediate danger. Even my dog is stressed. For some reason I find this funny and chuckle. My giggling continues and I find that I can't stop.
Edward's watching me, clearly concerned. I hate that he's looking at me like that, with pity in his eyes. Hiding my face in his chest, I let sobs replace my giggles.
EPOV
It takes a few seconds before I realise my girl is no longer giggling, but sobbing into my chest. With no words to truly offer her comfort, I simply wrap her in my arms, holding her as she lets it out.
Life continues all around us—people out walking their dogs, doing yard work, and going to and from work. But we don't notice any of it—we're in our own little bubble. A frightened, trembling Bella remains safe in my arms, all thoughts focused on this mess.
What do we do next?
Was Lauren really behind this?
How do I stop this? How can I protect her?
A good bit later the cops return, confirming the all clear. They ask us to look around for items that are missing but not to touch anything.
"It's a long shot, but we're going to dust for fingerprints." Officer Benjamin explains, "Because it wasn't a forced entry the perp probably knew to wear gloves, but we'll see if anything turns up."
We follow them in and I take a step back letting Bella lead the way. As we reach the front door she tells Jake to lie down, which he does obediently. Stepping into the apartment, Bella stops and takes in her surroundings. I think we both expected the place to be ransacked.
Moving forward, I follow as she walks through her home.
Starting in the front living area, we see nothing out of the ordinary. Her work is scattered all over the table but she assures us she left it that way. She prefers "organized chaos" when working.
Tentatively she moves to the next room—her bedroom. Reaching the door she slowly pushes it open, taking uncertain steps inside. The officer watches from the doorway, waiting for direction from Bella. Glancing around, I don't see anything unusual. I expected broken glass, overturned furniture, and expensive items missing. Instead it looks as though someone simply walked in, looked around, and walked back out. Who breaks into an apartment but doesn't take anything? What's the point in that?
More importantly, why would Lauren do that?
A gasp from Bella halts my thoughts. She's pointing at her chair.
"I had a dress lying there, it's gone." She turns on the spot, doing a quick scan of the room before looking back at me. "It's gone. It's not in the hamper, on the floor, or in the closet."
Her eyes narrow as she takes in the rest of her room. I try to help but I'm not sure what I should be looking for. I mean, Bella's not the tidiest person so there are things out of place all around here room—that's normal.
Bella walks over to her dressing table. Frowning, she checks out her make-up and turns to me, her brown eyes wide.
"My brush is gone."
"What?" That's not what I was expecting to hear.
"My brush is gone. I always leave it here. And…" she pushes a few bottles and containers around, "…so is my favourite lip gloss and mascara."
"Are you sure?" Surely even Lauren wouldn't sink so low. What's the point of stealing make-up and a brush? I don't get it.
"What do you mean am I sure? These are my things." Bella's voice is slightly higher than normal. "And they're not where I usually leave them. I don't have a lot of make-up so I'd notice if something was missing!"
Moving behind her, I wrap my arms around her waist and nuzzle at her ear. "Shhhh…it's going to be okay. Take a deep breath, baby." She's trembling and I know it's not because she's cold. Her breathing is laboured as silent tears roll down her cheeks. "I'm here and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."
After a few minutes she calms and straightens in my arms. "C'mon, let's get this over with." Bella looks at Officer Benjamin. "Every room?" He nods. As I follow Bella to the bathroom, I notice Officer Miller dusting the front door for prints.
Bella makes a quick scan of the bathroom and comes out before I can enter. Fisting my shirt in her hands, looking past me to the cops, Bella whispers, "They've taken my shower gel."
BPOV
The car ride to Edward's place is tense. After a few heated words at my house, we've not spoken and the silence in the car is overwhelming. After covering the rest of the apartment to look for missing items with Officer Benjamin, Officer Benjamin finished dusting and confirmed that the entry to my apartment wasn't forced. Either I had left my door open, which I know I didn't do, or someone used a key to get in.
So now I don't even feel safe in my own home. Edward insisted I stay with him until this mess is solved. We packed a few essentials, put Jake in the back of the car, and left as soon as the officers were done with us. While I love the fact that Edward stepped forward without hesitation, I don't like having to rely on other people. And without meaning to, I acted on my emotions and took my pissy mood out on him.
The events of the last few weeks, especially the tire slashing and now the break-in, have left me feeling vulnerable. I hate that some psycho clearly has it out for me. There's no question about it now—it has to be the same person.
"You should probably let Alice and Rose know you're staying with me." Edward's voice cuts through the silence and I acknowledge him with a nod. He's right, they'll freak if they find out about this from someone else. "I'd also call someone at work and let them know you won't be in tomorrow. We'll need to go back to get the rest of your stuff and see about getting the locks changed once the police are finished."
My head is spinning. I haven't thought that far ahead. Thank God Edward is here to keep me on track.
Pulling up outside Edward's apartment, I send a quick text to the girls letting them know I'd be at Edward's if they needed me and that I'd talk to them tomorrow. I can't deal with talking through it just yet.
Following behind Edward, I take my things straight to his room. It doesn't take long to unpack. Since I already have some of my things here, I just add to the pile.
Using our silence to my advantage, I nervously call Alec's emergency number. I hate that I need to call in sick after just starting. But after hearing my explanation, he insists I take as long as I need and to keep him in the loop.
My last call is to Angela. I feel horrible leaving her with all the work to do for such a big article. But again I needn't have worried, she's understanding and only concerned for my safety. I let her know I'll email the work I've managed to do so far and promise to see her next week.
With all the necessities done for the evening, I silence my phone and place it on the bedside table.
My mind is racing. For now, I just want to forget everything. I want to take a bath and clear my head.
On my way to the bathroom I hear Edward on the phone. "…won't be coming in unless you need me. No, it's serious—we'll explain when you get back. Yeah thanks, Em. Did you get the caller ID set up?" Knowing that he's speaking to Emmett, I make my presence known. Edward looks up and offers a smile. "Yeah tomorrow. Okay, call me if you need me, otherwise I'll see you tomorrow." Hanging up, he walks over to me, taking me in his arms.
"How are you feeling?" he whispers.
"Tired, drained, freaked out, but generally okay." I smile at him sheepishly. "Thanks for today." I lean into him, my cheek flush against his chest, enjoying his strength. I've spent most of the day in his arms—I feel safe there.
"That's to be expected. Do you want to talk about it? Or would you like to take a shower or bath to relax?"
I smile and look up at him. "You read my mind—I would kill for a bath."
He kisses my forehead, takes my hand and leads me to the bedroom. "Grab what you need and I'll run the bath for you."
I find my pyjamas and enter the bathroom, which is already filled with steam. Edward's perched on the side of the tub, his hand in the water, testing the temperature.
Standing, he picks up a towel and dries himself. "Okay, it's ready. Take your time—I'll wait for you in the bedroom and we can talk after you're out."
I reach out and grab his hand as he moves past me. "Stay. Please?"
He looks to the bath then back at me. We won't both fit in the bath comfortably. I would have to sit on his lap…and we'd be naked…and that would most likely lead to sex and tonight isn't about that. I just need him with me.
"You don't need to get in. Just sit with me?"
"Climb in—I'll be back in a minute." I do as he says and undress quickly, before slipping into the water. I can't help the moan that escapes as the hot water washes over me, soothing my tight muscles.
"Is it warm enough?" I startle as Edward comes back into the bathroom, a pillow and towel in hand. Dropping the towel on the floor, he sits, placing the pillow against the wall behind him.
Closing my eyes I lay back, relaxing into the heat. "Mmm, it's perfect. Thank you, Edward." He hums in response. "And not just for the bath—for today—all of it."
"Anytime, Bella, you know that." I smile at his response, as an easy silence falls over us and I enjoy my bath.
EPOV
I wait and watch. A hint of a smile graces her face. After everything that's happened today, she finally seems calm. All the stress and angst, so clear on her face earlier, is gone. With her skin free of make-up and her hair tied back, she looks perfect. I can't bring myself to look away.
We sit in silence. Her eyes remain closed and mine never leave her.
After a while Bella starts to get restless and stands. Quickly, I grab the towel I placed on the heater and wrap it around her as she steps out.
"Are you hungry? Would you like me to fix you something to eat?"
Shaking her head she responds, "Can we just put on a movie and watch it in bed? I'm pretty beat."
I nod and step away so she can dry herself. "Anything in particular?"
"Umm…something funny or a chick flick? I'm pretty sure I've left some here. Just not a drama or a thriller, I'm not up for that." She laughs, trying to make light of the situation but there's no humour in it.
Before leaving to find a not-scary-funny-film, I lean in and place a kiss on the corner of her mouth. Bella continues to dry herself and gets ready for bed. Quickly I go to the kitchen to see if we have any movie appropriate snacks. As luck would have it, there are a few bags of popcorn left over from Bella's movie night with Rose and Alice.
By the time I get back to the bedroom, Bella has snuggled under the duvet and is patiently waiting for me. She's stolen all the pillows and propped them up behind her so she's comfy sitting up.
I pass her the popcorn before putting in the DVD. Judging by the girly cover, I'm hoping 27 Dresses is an angst free film. With the movie started, I strip down to my boxers and climb into bed with my girl. Bella opens her arms and I don't hesitate. Sliding to the middle of the bed, I wrap my arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer. Eager to feel the same closeness, she hooks her arm around my waist and throws a leg over mine.
Normally, the minute we get into bed we can't stop touching each other and it leads to fuckawesome sex. Tonight's different. When I think about the things that are happening to Bella and the danger she's potentially in, I can't bear it. I want her safe, happy, and with me. The feel of her next to me now, gives me peace to know that she's safe for the moment. And I'm glad she finds security in my arms.
Only ten minutes into the movie and I hear Bella's breathing become deeper and more regular. I'd hoped to talk about my suspicions tonight, but I'm happy to see that she fell asleep so easily, even if her hold on me is tighter than normal.
Talking can wait until the morning.
BPOV
I wake feeling rested, despite yesterday's events. It's actually later than I normally sleep and I don't think I even moved last night. I know it's due to the man lying next to me. With Edward I know I'm safe, even unconsciously.
Lying here, I think about what I should do about my situation. To be honest, I have no idea where to start. It's funny, you read about this kind of thing in the papers all the time, but you don't put yourself in the victim's shoes. I've never thought "what would I do" before. I smile, because no matter what happens I'll have Edward at my side.
Just as I think about getting up and making breakfast, Edward begins to stir. Wanting to enjoy a few more minutes with him, I remain still so he thinks I'm asleep.
He sees right through me.
His fingers slowly begin to trace lines up and down my back, immediately causing goose bumps to rise where he's touched me.
"Nice try, Bella. I know you're awake."
I giggle and move from my comfy position. "Good morning." Leaning on my elbows I move up Edward's body and kiss him lightly. "How did you sleep?"
He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer so my body is once again flush with his. "Perfectly, I think I like having you in my bed." He raises his head, trying for another kiss but I pull away. For me, morning breath ruins the moment. As does the fact that I really need to pee.
"Hold that thought, handsome. I need the bathroom and a shower. You can start on breakfast."
He groans and dramatically throws his arm over his eyes. I laugh at his theatrics. As much as I would love to stay in bed or have a shower with him, we'd become distracted, and we have a lot to get done today. Like it or not, someone is after me and I refuse to be a sitting duck for them.
Fresh from my shower, I enter the kitchen and Edward pulls out a chair for me. He's not fully dressed yet, only wearing his pyjama bottoms. I take a few seconds to enjoy the view. Why was I so eager to pass on morning sex? Taking my seat, Edward places a cup of coffee and a plate of toast in front of me. He grabs his own breakfast from the counter and sits next to me.
"So?"
I look at him. "So?"
"Talk to me, baby. What's going through your mind with all of this?" He takes my hand in his, stroking my knuckles with his thumb. His eyes are on my face, looking as if he expects me to burst into tears.
"Don't look at me like that—I'm not going to cry, Edward." My voice is calm and confident. He smiles, encouraging me to continue. "That's what this person wants and I refuse to let them beat me. I'll take the proper steps to protect myself but I'm not going to hide."
"We, Bella, there's no "I" or "me". It's us. I'm here with you and we'll do this together." His words move me. It's like he knows exactly what my heart needs to hear. I lean into his side, my face beaming. He clears his throat and I know we just shared a moment.
"Do you have any idea who it could be? Who would want to break into your apartment?"
This is it. Time to tell Edward about everything that's happened and how I believe it's all linked. I know he's going to be angry—hell, I'm angry that I didn't figure it out before now. But he's said we're in this together, and I know he's going to be pissed that I didn't share all the pieces as they happened.
"Umm…no. But there are a few other things that have happened that make me think it's someone that has it in for me specifically and it wasn't just a random break-in." Still tucked against his side, I feel his body stiffen. I'm afraid to look at him yet. I've not even told him the worst.
"You mean the phone calls? You think they're related?"
"Well, there have been more than phone calls…" Edward leans away from me and I sit back on my chair. Finally I meet his eyes, which are blazing with anger.
"Go on."
"Well, the phone calls were the start. I also think I've been followed. At the time I wasn't sure, I thought I was just being paranoid and over-thinking things. Who would follow me, right? Then my tires got slashed—"
His chair scrapes across the floor as he roughly pushes away from the table. "WHAT?"
I shrink into my seat. "I never said anything because I didn't want you to worry. I just thought it was kids." Sensing my response to his reaction, Edward slides his chair to me. Opening his arms, I move back to my original position.
He hugs me tight. "I'm sorry I freaked out. Please don't think I'm mad at you, I'm just worried. So many times this person has gotten close to you, something could have happened."
Moving from my chair, I straddle his lap and wrap my arms around his neck. "I'm sorry. I didn't connect the dots. If I'd thought it was serious I would have told you."
He sighs and kisses me softly on the forehead. "I know. So from here forward we need to work through this together. No more hiding anything."
Content, I hug him and lean my head against his. "Agreed."
We sit in silence for a few minutes before he speaks again. "So, since we're not hiding anything…" I lean back to look at him, surprised. "I have an idea who it might be."
The shock is evident on my face. "You do? How? Who?"
"I think Lauren could be capable of this."
"Lauren, as in your ex, Lauren? You think she's that crazy?"
"No, I didn't consider her at first, but now everything seems to point to her. My phone calls, your phone calls, and now you tell me you've been followed? It has to be her."
"I'm not sure. Why would she go this far just to scare me off? Don't take this the wrong way, but if she just wants a rich boy there are plenty of other guys out there." Pausing to look at him directly, I ask, "What makes you certain it's her?"
"Umm…well just before your phone calls started, Lauren was calling me. I let her know that I didn't want anything to do with her, but she was persistent and continued to call. Eventually I just stopped answering." Remaining on his lap, I lean away, trying to process what he's telling me. "And it wasn't just the calls—she was sending numerous texts a day. Then I saw her at the club—"
"The night I saw the two of you in the hallway."
"No, babe, she's shown up a few other times. Mostly she's managed to sneak into the club and then she's been thrown out. But last night she waited outside the club and cornered me when I was going to my car." His hands tighten on my hips as I attempt to stand.
"Please don't be mad, babe. I never told you for the same reasons you didn't tell me. I didn't want you to worry and I thought she was harmless. But last night is the last straw, I won't have her terrorising you—us!" He leans back, placing his fingers under my chin to tilt my head so I'm forced to meet his gaze. "You mean too much to me."
His words warm my heart. I know our feelings are becoming stronger each day. Instinctively I lean forward and softly kiss Edward's lips, conveying what I don't have the words for yet. We don't deepen the kiss. We don't need to.
Sitting in silence for a few moments, we process what we've just learned and where this leaves us.
I speak first. "So what should we do now?"
"Well, you're staying here for the foreseeable future. I know you feel like I've cornered you into it, but I can't bear the thought of you staying at that apartment. And we'll need to change your phone numbers." I nod, agreeing with everything he says. I'm against moving out but until we know for sure who we're dealing with, it makes sense. "Emmett's also gotten caller ID for our house, so we'll get that worked out when he gets home."
I stiffen on Edward's knee when I realise Emmett isn't here. That means he's slept at Rose's last night. Which also means Rose probably knows what's going on, but found out from Emmett. This is not a good thing. My message did not indicate anything was wrong, just that I would be at Edward's.
Jake starts barking from his new spot in the front room. I cringe knowing full well who will be walking through that door.
The door opens with a bang. "Right bitches, get dressed we're back!" We watch as Emmett makes his way past the kitchen on his way to his bedroom, but stops when he sees us sitting at the table.
"Sorry, did I interrupt something?" He waggles his eyebrows and smirks. I can't help but giggle. He always seems to be able to brighten any mood.
"Is she here? I want an explanation NOW!" I cringe as I hear Rose stomp through the apartment looking for me. When she sees me, she stops in the kitchen doorway, preventing me from making a run for it.
With a hand on her hip and an accusing glare in my direction, she asks, "Well?"
So…Thoughts?
Big Thanks to my pre-reader Marika! She spots the hole's in my story!
And huuuuge hugs and thanks to my amazing beta Pattinlethr. This girl is amazing! She has the patience of a saint
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