A/N: Hey guys...Sooooo sorry this update has taken so long. I've been uber busy with work and am completely exhausted by the time I can sit down and write. So without any more delay here's the next chapter. Enjoy : )

The creak of the door woke me the next morning. I slowly opened my eyes and reached my hand across the bed to find Edward. He wasn't there.

"I'm over here love."

The voice came from the foot of the bed. I sat up, holding the covers to my chest.

Edward was sitting on the floor at the end of the bed.

"What the hell are you doing?" I questioned.

"Well. I didn't want perfectly good food to go to waste. So I reheated everything for brunch."

I crawled down the bed and finally saw the makeshift picnic he had set up on the floor.

"This is so good Edward," I said placing a piece of food in my mouth slowly.

"Thank you. Now that I've taken a crash course in cooking you won't have to cook all the time now."

"Sounds amazing."

"So I think Aro wants us to do some scouting today. Jasper left a note on the counter. We need to check out some of the people we've worked with in the past to see if we can keep a solid business without the Denalis." He lay down on his side and rested his head on his hand. "So we should probably leave in about an hour so we can fit them all in today."

I slowly crawled over to him and pushed him flat on his back before positioning myself on top of him.

"And how long do you need to get ready?"

He gulped hard. "Like…ten minutes." I brought my lips down to his throat. "But you should probably shower. You have some serious bed head going on."

"Actually its sex hair. And I only need a half hour at the most. Which leaves us a full thirty minutes to do whatever we want." I pulled the sheet away from my body.

"Woman you're going to kill me." Edward smiled against my lips as I kissed him.

The door opened slowly and Jasper walked in. He didn't scream like Emmett did. He just stood still, absolutely frozen with his mouth gaping open.

"Sorry," he whispered. He turned his back to us as I pulled the sheets back around me. "Edward I need to talk to you." His voice was not the friendly voice I was used to. Edward's eyes connected with mine.

"Um. I'll just go take that shower." I got up and high-tailed it to the bathroom. I took my time in the shower. It felt like Jasper was going to talk business with Edward. When I was done I walked tentatively back down the hallway. I paused at Edward's door.

"Edward this is not a good idea." Jasper's voice was a barely above a whisper, but an angry whisper.

"I know Jazz. I know. But it's done now. Just get off my back about it."

"Do you have any idea what this means? How this could ruin everything? Never mix work with play Edward. It always ends up bad. Especially in this case. You need to end it with her now."

I shuddered back, a little hurt. I didn't realize Jasper felt so strongly.

"It's too late Jazz."

A loud thud against the wall made me jump. I quickly realized it was Edward's body being pushed against it. I'd never seen Jasper act so cold and forceful.

"Cut the shit Edward! This is serious."

"I…." Edward stuttered. "I think I'm starting to fall for her."

I smiled slightly, despite the current situation.

Jasper was silent. "Tough. End this." The doorknob started to turn. I panicked and leaped into my room an instant before the door opened. Jasper stormed out and headed towards his room.

I closed my door and started getting dressed. There was a soft knock on my door. Crap. Was Jasper here to bitch me out now?

"Bella it's me," Edward's voice called softly.

"Oh." I let out a sigh of relief. "Come in." I sat at my vanity and started brushing my sopping wet hair.

"Hey," he said as he opened the door.

"Hey." I eyed him in the mirror. "I'm sorry."

His face softened. "What do you have to be sorry for?" He knelt down beside me and cupped my face with his hands.

"Jasper's mad at you. Because of me."

"You heard that?" His face flushed with panic and embarrassment.

"Just the beginning," I covered. I didn't even want to think about the last thing Edward had said. It terrified and excited me all at once and I had no idea how to deal with it.

"Oh," he said, looking slightly relieved. "He'll be okay. He's just worried about it affecting the job."

"I just don't want to cause trouble between you guys Edward. I know he's important to you."

"If I'm as important to them as they are to me, then they'll get over this."

"They?" My shoulders fell. "Emmett's mad too?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"I'm going to go shower." Edward got up and left the room.

I stared back at myself in the mirror. This was getting more complicated by the second, but a part of me was screaming at me that he was worth it. I had no idea how this was going to work. I was supposed to be arresting him in the near future. What was I going to do? Wake up one morning, give him a kiss and say "Honey you're now under arrest. You have the right to remain silent?" I had to come up with some kind of solution before we reached that point. Maybe we could cut a deal with him. Maybe me and him could just….run. Run away from it all. That would kill my father, but I would do it. Because that part of me that was screaming to fight for Edward was getting louder with each moment that passed.

My eyes kept flitting towards the door, wishing he'd just come back in here so my brain could just stop posing all these impossible questions. I turned up my music loud and tried to blow dry my hair without all the thoughts running through my head.

Edward returned fifteen minutes later, fully dressed and ready to go.

"It isn't fair," I yelled over the sound of the blow drier.

"What?"

I turned it off. "That you can be so beautiful in so little time. It takes me so much longer."

"You always look beautiful." He planted a kiss on my neck.

I pulled a shirt and a pair of jeans on and I was ready to go. "Where are we heading first?"

"To a group called the McConnell's. We did some business with them awhile back."

"Okay great let's go."

The crisp, cool air hit my bare arms as we left the building. I shivered.

"Why is it so cold outside?"

"Here." Edward took off his jacket and slung it over my shoulders.

"Thanks."

We walked down the street, not holding hands, but always touching whether it was a slight brush hand to hand as we walked or our shoulders touching as we waited at a light or occasionally when Edward slipped and put his arm around me.

"Here." Edward nodded across the street to a bar named Patrick's Irish Pub. We crossed the street and he held the door open for me.

A guy that looked about twenty was wiping down the tables and pulling the chairs down. He looked up when we walked in.

"Edward?"

"Hey Danny, how's it goin man?" Edward held out his hand and high fived the boy.

"Who is this?" Danny smiled and looked over at me.

"This is my Bella." Danny's eyes widened. "Well. Not my Bella. Just Bella." Edward quickly corrected himself. I, for one, had no problem with being his Bella.

I reached my hand out and shook Danny's. "Nice to meet you."

"You too. You one of Aro's ladies?"

"She works with us Danny."

"Damn. She's hot and she can kick some ass. That's fucking awesome!"

"Watch yourself. She's kicked my ass several times." Edward winked at me. "Is your uncle here?"

"Yeah he's in the back." He turned his eyes to me. "You can stay out here with me if you want?"

"That's okay. I should probably go with Edward. You know. Official business."

He shrugged and went back to cleaning his tables.

We walked through the bar and through the doors marked "Employee's only." There was a red haired man standing next to a few wooden crates looking through some paperwork.

"Look who it is?" He said smiling as he acknowledged our presence.

"Patrick. How are you doing?" Edward asked.

"Not too shabby. How about yourself?"

"Eh. We've been better. We were hoping you could change that."

"What can I do for you my man?"

"I'm sure you've heard about our little incident with the Denalis a couple of days ago."

"Yeah I did. That's a messed up deal. I'm glad you're okay. Was this the little lady who saved your ass?"

Patrick turned to me.

Edward laughed and nudged me. "That it is. This is Bella. Bella this is Patrick. A friend of the family."

"Pleasure to meet you Patrick."

"You too lass."

"Anyway Patrick, we need some help." Edward's eyes turned serious. "The Denalis were our main supplier, and seeing as we aren't really sure if we can trust them, we're looking to go local. Can you help us out?"

Patrick shook his head. "Sorry Edward. No can do. And to tell you the truth I doubt you'll find anyone within a couple hundred miles that will. The Denalis probably already got to them. You've been blacklisted."

"Damn it," Edward whispered. "I understand. Thanks anyway."

Edward pulled me by the arm and dragged me out of the bar.

"What does that mean Edward? What's blacklisted?" I'd never heard the term before, not even back at the office.

"The Denalis have basically gotten to everyone we've ever worked with or would work with and told them not to work with us. Probably threatened them good too. It'll force us to work with them again. They don't want to lose our business."

"Oh. That's bad then."

"Very. Aro is not going to be happy."

We tried every other name on our list and our suspicions were confirmed. No one would work with us. We were shut out from everything.

My head was swirling as we walked back into the penthouse. Jasper's eyes narrowed at us. I grabbed Edward's hand and placed a kiss on his cheek. Take that asshole Jasper. "I'm going to go for a run, will you be okay for awhile?"

Edward laughed. "Yes. I think I can manage." I smiled at Jasper as I went to my room to change. "Hey Jazz."

"Bella," he said flatly, never taking his eyes off Edward. I could still hear their conversation from my room.

"So we're basically fucked in the business department. We're going to have to go back to the Denalis. There's no one else."

"They definitely fucked us. Bent us over the table and ass raped us," Jasper said. At least maybe now he'd have other things to worry about than Edward and me.

I tied my shoes, grabbed my IPod and headed out the door. It was still chilly outside, but that was my perfect running weather. I ran for a good half hour and decided I should head back when it started to get dark. I wasn't in the best area. As I ran back, I heard a sound over my shoulder. I turned my head and peeked back. No one there. I must be hearing things. I heard the sound. Again. I turned my head and looked. Again. Still no one there. Just as I turned back to face forward a hand flew out in front of me and pulled me into the alley.

"Damn it Charlie you scared me!" He didn't say anything."What the hell are you doing, you could blow everything!" I took my IPod off and looked around. I was far enough away from the penthouse that they couldn't see me, but it was risky contacting me at all.

"What the hell am I doing? What the hell are you doing?!" He brought his face close to mine. I could see and feel the anger inside him.

"Dad I…"

"No Bella. What. The. Hell. Are. You. Doing? He's a fucking suspect and you're sleeping with him."

"It isn't like that." Despite my best efforts, tears started to form in the corner of my eyes.

"What is it like Bella? Please tell me because I'd love to know what it is that is going to derail this whole investigation. Was it a one-night stand? A mistake? Good. Don't let it happen again." He looked around. "God you're such a disappointment." He walked away.

I felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs. My back slid down the side of the building until I was sitting against it. I was a disappointment. I disappointed him. I was disappointing Jake. What the hell was I doing? I put my head in my hands and let the tears flow freely.

I stood up ten minutes later and wiped them away. Pull it together.

I strolled up to the penthouse and opened the door. No one was in the living room. I walked towards my room. I heard it then.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Emmett was screaming at someone behind Edward's door.

"Why is it any of your God-damn business? Either of you? It's between me and her and no one else!" Edward yelled.

"When this goes bad, just know you're the one who fucked it up." The door swung open. Emmett and Jasper started out of the room. I stood my ground. They paused and stared at me.

"Fuck off…" I said as I walked into Edward's room and closed the door in their face. "What the hell is going on with them Edward?"

"Nothing." He looked down.

"That didn't sound like nothing."

"It's nothing just drop it!" He yelled.

I turned quickly and stomped out of the room, straight down to the bathroom. I locked the door, even though I knew it wouldn't do any good if he really wanted to get in here, and grabbed a towel, pushing it against my mouth. Then I screamed. Screamed at the top of my lungs, as loud as I could, letting out all my frustrations from today. The deal, my Dad, Emmett, Jasper…and Edward.

I got in the shower again to wash all the sweat and tears away. But new tears just came again. I had no idea what to do. Everything was getting so messed up.

.

I spun around. Edward's finger was tapping on the shower door. He leaned his forehead against it. "I'm sorry," he said.

I turned back and continued showering.

"I'm sorry," he said again, slightly louder.

I turned slowly under the water and let it wash the soap off my body. A cold whoosh of air surged through the shower for an instant and then he was there.

"I said I'm sorry." He spit out some water that had gone into his mouth. "Bella!" He grabbed my shoulders and spun me around. "Will you just…say something?"

"What do you want me to say?" I spun around. "We've been blacklisted. Everyone thinks we're a mistake. Jasper…Emmett…" My dad, I wanted to say.

"I don't." His eyes were serious and soft at the same time as his voice rang clear. He held my face in his hands. "I don't Bella. This isn't a joke to me. We aren't…." His voice faded away. In that instant, all my fears and the questions in my head faded too. This was serious. And it was important. It was important enough that we could find a way to make it work, anyway we could. He pressed his lips to mine again as the steam rose around us. "If you're a mistake, it's the best one I've ever made."

Reviews are better than Edward tapping on my shower door. : )