Characters belong to SM
The little girl promised to keep what had happened that night a secret. I tucked her in and left the room.
The kitchen was quiet when I went to the coffee machine to prepare the drink of life. Glancing over, the glowing red numbers on the microwave read that it was already five in the morning.
I groaned; my perfect first night of sleep had been turned completely upside down. So caught up in my thoughts, I jumped when the coffee machine beeped.
I went to my office with a steaming cup of coffee to try to get some reports on Bella's injuries finished. I groaned again; I had never finished checking her over.
"Thanks for the coffee." I jumped again, startled.
I took in her apparel. "Are you going somewhere?"
"I thought I would take a run in the woods until Melody wakes up."
I chuckled darkly, "Have I not made myself clear that you are to stay here at all times?"
She looked at me in disbelief. "Are you saying that I can't take one step outside just to get a breath of fresh air? Melody can't be held hostage here!" her voice neared hysterics, and I rose from my seat.
"Melody will be just fine. I will keep her busy with school with and perhaps music practices. If she doesn't want me to be her teacher, then I will call in my mother. Nobody can resist her charm." I thought about Esme. She really was a wonderful woman.
"Oh, and by the way, you may use the gym." I said.
Her eyes lit up. "There's a gym in this house?"
"Bella," I chuckled, her name sliding easily from my tongue, "this house is rather large. I'm sure you will find some of the rooms to have a pleasant surprise."
"Can you come and get me when Mel wakes? She'll want scrambled eggs with a side of French toast and bacon."
I looked at her curiously.
"She has a particular breakfast for each day of the week," Bella explained. She turned out of the door; her mahogany hair that was pulled up in a tail swished behind her.
I tried to focus back on my papers, but I could get no where without the abuse information. So, I rose from my desk and went down to the workout room. It was one of my favorite rooms in the house, and it gave me the chance to get my mind of things.
The mumbled voices of the Scorpions came from behind the door. Bella was standing in front of the large punching bag. For a moment, I thought she was simply examining it, but she performed a perfect round house kick followed by an upper cut punch.
To get a better view, I came up behind her.
"Ah!" she yelled out. I must have made a sudden sound because she swiftly turned on her heels and collided her fist with the arm I had raised to block her.
Bella collapsed, and I had no choice but to help her to the floor. She cowered away from me. "Don't do that," she whispered.
I heard running feet on the floor above us. "Mommy? Edward?" The little girl's ran out. She sounded scared and afraid.
"Melody is awake," Bella scurried out of the room to her daughter; her legs wobbled slightly, and a new bandage was stilled wrapped tight around her ankle.
I stayed in the gym and walked on the treadmill as a warm-up for the day until the smell of bacon wafted down to me. I had always stuck to the diet that helped me stay fit for work, but I figured a piece of bacon wouldn't do any harm, so I hurried upstairs to join the mother and daughter.
"Mommy, is there any syrup here for my bacon?"
"In the second cupboard, top shelf, all the way in the back," I directed Bella.
"Edward!" the little girl exclaimed when they noticed my appearance. She ran to me. "Can I have a hug?"
She bit down on her lip like her mother did, and her long tresses fell around her face.
"Melody, come get your syrup," Bella scolded, but I picked the little girl up in my arms and carried her back to the table. Her thin arms wound around my neck, and she hid her face under my chin. I looked up to see Bella smiling brilliantly at me. That was when I noticed a tiny fading red mark under her plush bottom lip. My throat tightened thickly remembering that I wasn't here to make friends. I was here to protect an innocent family.
"Bella, today will be all about the rules," I informed her.
She frowned, but her the daughter who was tucked into me piped up before Bella had a chance to respond. "Will you teach my how to spell your name? I like to learn."
She grinned widely at me, and I had no choice but to agree. After all, I had told Bella I would tutor the girl if that was what she pleased.
"Bella, I need to inspect the damages so I can send in some reports, so after breakfast, if you wouldn't mind, can you see me in your room?"
She nodded. "Mel, your French toast is beginning to cool."
Melody squirmed in my arms until I released her. She ran to her mother and took the bottle of syrup from her.
Bella sent her daughter to her room while I prepared for the inspection after breakfast was cleared.
I took a seat on my leather couch with a clipboard in my lap when Bella entered the room clad in a soft brown towel. The gauze was still snaked around her thin ankle.
"Are you sure that your ankle was hurt by a fall?" I asked curiously raising an eyebrow.
She nodded, but I saw the lie in her eyes. When I didn't proceed with my questions, she sighed and sat next to me on the couch. "He threw me down the steps one evening when he was drunk."
Her voice didn't tremble, but her eyes stared cautiously toward the ground. My hands ached to console her, but I wasn't experienced with the art of comforting. I was usually assigned to protect and watch saggy old women.
Bella stood; the towel pooled at her feet. Once again, her beauty overwhelmed me. The bruising had begun to yellow. I made note of every flaw on her pale skin.
"Any broken bones?" I asked.
"The ankle, obviously," she blushed, "broken wrist, and a few dislocated fingers are the only bones that have been damaged."
"How did he dislocate your fingers?"
"I tried to fight back one night," she admitted sheepishly, "when I punched his damn drunken face, I ended up hurting myself more than him."
"Thank you. That will be all for today. Please meet me down in the living room at eleven with Melody. There are some important rules you both should be aware of," I left the room before she could say another word.
I hurried to the bathroom as soon as Bella left to take a rather long cold shower.
After my shower, I went back to the room I had claimed for my office and finished Bella's injury report. I shuffled through the desk in search of a pen and found a picture frame turned down on its face. Slamming the drawer shut, I stuffed the report in a manila folder which was to be sent in for inspection.
My cell phone rang, and I pulled the tiny silver device from my pocket.
"Hey, Eddie! How's it going with the hot mom?" Emmett asked. I had the urge to slam my head on the desk.
"Bella, is in far worst conditions than we thought. I completed a report on her injuries. You should come and pick it up in a few days. The next is due in about two weeks, give or take a few days."
"I'll be out on…" I heard him set the phone down, obviously looking for his book full of "important" meeting and dates. "Sunday," he resumed. "I'll have food with me as well, considering that since the house is rarely used, we don't normally fill the food storage room."
Bella was writing in something when I entered the living room. Melody was softly laughing at the television which hosted the cartoon "Bugs Bunny."
"Not a fan of SpongeBob?" Not that I minded at all.
She shook her head in disgust. "Melody doesn't approve of Squidward's terrible clarinet playing since even she can play better."
Melody beamed at her mother's compliment.
"The rules," Melody and Bella both quietly groaned as I held up a light green notebook that appeared to be very full.
"Starting tomorrow, you both will be on a diet. Not a diet to lose weight but to keep you both in top health condition. Bella, you will begin a workout routine. Some days, you will learn self-defense techniques trained by yours truly." I pointed to myself smirking. "Other days, you will weight lift or complete swimming exercises. As for you Melody, I will teach you what I can."
The little girl squealed in delight before running over to her mother and whispering something in her ear. I eyed her curiously, and Bella just laughed her eyes were so easily read. I'll tell you later, they read.
"Will I still be able to have my special breakfasts in the morning?" Melody asked Bella. Bella looked at me, and I nodded. Even if children weren't my specialty, who was I to deny the girl syrup to go on her bacon and pancakes?
"Bella, let me assist you to the various rooms where you will be exercising daily. Melody, if you wish to accompany us, you may."
She smiled but declined the offer with the shake of her head. Spirals of deep brown hair covered her face in result of the shake, and she was quick to bat it out of her eyes.
Once we were down in the basement, I pointed out the room we had been in earlier. At the end of the hall, I showed her the decently sized indoor pool which left her mouth gaping.
"What's in here?" she asked opening the door opposite of the laundry room.
"Books," I shrugged.
"We have a library?"
"Um, yeah…why, do you want to see it?" I asked opening the door. She sprinted into the room past me and soaked in the sight of the thousands of books as if it were her sun.
"Bella, I think I her Melody calling for you."
She ran deeper into the mass of books and returned with a rather dusty novel in her arms. "Coming, Mel!" she called up the stairs.
Daughter was united with mother as she took Melody. Bella's shoulders automatically hunched protectively around the small child, and I watched amazed at the scene being portrayed before me. Suddenly, taking the job of protecting Bella and her daughter didn't sound so terrible.
PLEASE REVIEW :D