Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, items, products etc. are the property of their respective owners. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise, products or locations (They ARE NOT MINE). No copyright infringement is intended. The original character and plot are the only things that are mine.

Chapter Ten

Brent's dust had started to settle. I turned to look at Jake, but he was still staring at the crumpled check in his hands.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Jake. It wasn't my attention to keep it from you; I swear…I just was afraid it would change things."

He roughly shoved the check into my hand before he turned away from me and started walking back to Embry's truck.

"Jake, wait! Please don't leave, I can explain!" I started to follow him, but he glanced over his shoulder once he got even with the side of the truck.

"I'm not leaving. You're coming with me. Get in the truck." His voice was completely flat, and it hurt my heart to hear it.

Seth gave me a small, apologetic wave as he turned and started walking toward the woods. The look he gave me before he vanished from view wasn't an encouraging one. Great.

Jake's door slammed and the truck engine roared to life, so I quickly got in and shut my door. The silence as we drove toward his shop seemed to echo in the cab of the truck. Every rock that hit the underside of the truck made me jump in my seat as my nerves became more and more frayed.

"What are you thinking, Jake?" I watched his handsome face for any clue of what was going through his mind, but his Alpha mask was firmly in place, and I had a feeling it wasn't moving anytime soon.

He didn't answer, so I tried again, "Please talk to me, Jake…I'm really sorry."

The truck jerked and the tires squealed as he pulled into the parking lot of the garage. He slammed it in park and was at my door a second later. He grabbed a hold of my hand and practically dragged me through the open bay and toward the back of the shop. The garage was unnervingly empty and silent; I didn't see a single person as Jacob yanked me through deserted bays and toward the rear of the shop. Had Seth beat us here and warned everyone? I didn't get a chance to process the lack of activity further because I was lurched to a stop. Jacob stood motionless in front of a worn blue tarp, which covered something leaning up against the cement back wall.

I turned toward Jacob to open my mouth, but he yanked the tarp off, revealing a meticulously restored early 1990's black Harley Sprint. Why was he showing me this?

"Is this yours?" I managed to squeak out; as he turned toward me his normally handsome features skewed, marred by his anger and frustration.

"Yes, Cassie, this is my motorcycle," he ground out through clenched teeth, wrenching the tarp back over it.

"Okay…it's a nice bike, Jake. But I don't understand…I didn't know you had a bike." My forehead creased. What was he doing?

Jacob growled before turning and pulling me by my arm out a side door and briefly up a flight of stairs. Stairs, I assumed, which were leading us to his apartment. I had been hoping for a while he'd show me his place, but I had always pictured it being under slightly different circumstances. We reached the top of the stairs and he jerked the door open causing it to ricochet violently off the wall. The open doorway revealed my ideal of the perfect apartment, and I followed Jacob inside.

It was neat but lived in. There were various posters and pictures on the walls, but everything was classic and screamed Jake. I was immediately at home, with the classic but modern furniture and the images of cars and motorcycles on the walls. The appliances in the kitchen were fairly new, and the living room was cozy and practical. A small hall led to what looked like a bathroom, and maybe two bedrooms, but the doors were closed. After my brief inventory of the apartment, I turned back to Jacob.

"Jake, why are you showing me this? Why now?" My confusion was evident in my voice.

"Cassie, don't you get it! This is all I have to offer! This is it, everything I have! Everything I've worked my entire life for. I'll never be able to leave La Push; this is all I'll ever be. " His eyes burned into mine as he released my hand and it fell limply to my side.

I fumbled to grab his hand back, but he stepped away from me. My eyes burned as I tried to fight back the tears threatening to fall.

"I don't understand. This is perfect and wonderful. This is all I've ever wanted!" I waved my hand around at his apartment. "You're perfect for me, Jacob, please…believe me when I say that. You're everything to me! I don't care if I had to live in cardboard box! I'd do it for you in a second; I'll do anything to be with you…Please, Jacob, tell me what to do! I need you…I can't…" My voice faltered as my tears started rolling unbidden down my cheeks. How could he think I cared about stuff or money?

He mumbled almost inaudibly, "I have nothing to give you. I'll always be the leftovers."

What on earth was he talking about? Leftovers! He was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was silent for several seconds just staring at him, trying to process where the hell that was coming from, because it wasn't just from Brent.

Bella. He was comparing me to her. How dare he! My emotions surged and I know my anger flashed across my eyes as my jaw clenched painfully.

I glared at him as I bit out, "I am not her, Jacob Black. Don't you dare compare me to her! I have never once compared you to an ex! Give me a freaking break!"

Jacob's eyes narrowed at me, which just spurred me on. I poked a finger into his hard chest as I took a step toward him.

"And don't you dare insult yourself in front of me ever again! You aren't anyone's leftovers!"

Jake's fist came down hard onto his countertops and I felt the impact reverberate all the way into the floor through my feet. There's that temper he had been working so hard to mask.

He ground out, "I know you're not Bella. I'm not fucking stupid."

Ugh! I wanted to scream.

"Then stop acting like a moron and prove it! Call me when you're ready to act like a grown up!" I spun sharply on my heel and had his front door yanked open before he reacted. And oh boy did Jacob react.

His hot hand clamped firmly on my shoulder, and he forcibly spun me around before I could even blink. I stepped backward and the front door slammed with the force of my awkward movement as my back rammed against it. Jacob's eyes were flashing as his hands slammed onto the door on either side of my head. He was so close to me now I could feel his warm breath on my face and my stomach flopped as my heart rate increased.

"I wasn't finished…" He growled out, his voice low and dangerous.

My eyes widened before I caught myself and narrowed them again. Jacob was freaking sexy when he was mad. My chest vibrated with a muffled growl of my own.

"Go ahead then; you have my undivided attention."

I couldn't help it I had to touch him. My hands snaked out to wrap around his waist and pull him toward me. Once his body was flush against mine, I threaded my fingers into his belt loops to hold him in place.

Jacob's eyes bore into mine for several seconds before his hands fell away from the door to roughly grab my hips. He ground against me and I couldn't help the whimper that escaped my lips. God, I wanted him.

"Pay attention, Cassie…" I forced my eyes back to his smoldering ones. "I know you're not Bella." His fingers slipped under the hem of my shirt to roughly caress the burning skin of my sensitive stomach. It took all my focus not to arch into him, but instead I took a deep breath and kept still.

"I'm really pissed you didn't trust me enough to be honest with me." Jacob growled out, lowering his head to drag his teeth along the lines of my neck. I opened my mouth to speak, but he continued.

"I'm even more pissed off that I didn't break all of Brent's fingers and both of his arms for touching you in front of me…" Jacob's teeth sank into the tender flesh on my shoulder and I hissed out a groan. "You're mine. Is that clear?" I could only nod my head; all of my focus was on the man in front of me. Nothing short of a nuclear disaster could change that. Oh God; he wasn't done with me yet.

"Do you know what I'm really angry about, Cassie?" He didn't give me a chance to answer. "I'm really angry that you know what I'm thinking better than I do, and you've only known me for a few weeks."

My knees went weak as he slowly dragged his tongue up my neck from where he bit me to the pressure point behind my ear.

"Jake…I'm sorry I didn't tell you…" I trailed off panting, as his hands made their way over my hips to cup my ass. He roughly squeezed me before lifting me up, allowing me to wrap my legs around him and grind the center of bodies together. Jacob's chest rumbled, as he growled against my throat.

"And…"

I swallowed hard. "And it won't ever happen again." What did he want me to say?

"What else, Cassie? What else should you be sorry for?" Oh God, with his teeth kneading my earlobe I could barely think straight.

His hot breath on my neck sent shivers down my spine. A single moment of mental clarity and I smirked as I dragged my nails up under his shirt and across his back.

"Oh…" I pretended to think for a moment. "And…I'm not sorry for calling you out on being juvenile and comparing me to an ex."

Jacob's growl would have been menacing if I didn't know better. With the hand he had threaded in my hair, he yanked my head to the side exposing my neck completely to him. His teeth grazed the surface of my tender throat as he spoke his voice low.

"Wrong answer."

Whoops. Sometimes it totally pays to get a wrong answer. When he bit me this time, I felt tingles all the way down to my toes and back; I allowed my body to arch completely against his.

I tugged at the hem of his shirt and he yanked it over his head in one smooth motion, only breaking contact with me for a second.

When he came back to me, our lips crashed together with such emotion and force I felt dizzy as my head hit the door behind me hard. I wove my fingers through his silky hair and attempted to pull him even closer against me.

My stomach rumbled and brought me back to reality. It had been at least two hours since we had eaten, and God knows we had burned off a few calories.

I smiled up at Jacob. He had one arm tucked lazily under his head and the other he had wrapped gently around me holding me against him as we lay on his bed. His thumb was tracing circles along my hip.

"I am sorry about this morning."

He quirked an eyebrow at me. "I'm not. Someone had to make an honest woman out of you."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please…But for the record you can make an honest woman out of me whenever you see fit." I winked and him and snuggled closer to his body.

"Is that so?" Jacob's hand had stopped moving on my hip and my body was instantly disappointed.

"Uh-huh. Anytime, anywhere, I'm yours." I closed my eyes and just breathed him in.

His arm tightened around me briefly. "Damn straight you are."

We were both silent for several minutes, just enjoying being together.

I had finally made up my mind. I was going to tell him; I had wanted to tell him today before everything went south, anyway.

"Hey, Jake?" I opened my eyes and tilted my head slightly off his muscled chest so I could see his face.

His eyes blinked opened and met mine. "Hey, Cassie." He smirked down at me.

I took a breath, and his face became serious as he heard my heart beat pick up its pace.

"I love you." There I said it. His eyes went wide and his gorgeous mouth dropped open for a second before he recovered, and the biggest smile I think I'd ever seen blossomed on his handsome face.

"Oh really? Is that so…" His eyes were twinkling.

"Yes, you ass." I glared at him briefly before laying my head back on his chest.

I could hear the air entering and exiting his lungs, as well as his heart beating in his chest, and I couldn't help my smile. This was a perfect moment, even if he was purposefully dragging it out.

Jake cleared his throat and I looked back up at him through my lashes.

"You know, I love you too."

It was my turn to have a stupid insanely huge grin bloom on my face.

"Good."

Jacob's chest moved under me as he chuckled.

I was in Jacob's kitchen with my legs dangling over the countertop and my feet lightly bouncing off the cabinets below, when I finished calling in our pizza order and hung up the phone.

Jacob emerged from his bathroom a minute later, dripping wet and wearing only a pair of cut off shorts. He must have seen me licking my lips because he winked at me before swaggering into the kitchen to join me.

I smiled sweetly at him as he parted my legs, so he could stand between them.

"See something you like, Cas?"

I batted my eyelashes and made a show of raking my eyes over his naked torso, as I dragged my fingertips over his perfect abs.

"Sure, but I was really thinking about the pizza that's on its way."

When Jacob's smile morphed into a pout, I couldn't help my giggle. When I planted a kiss on his lips, I felt his pout shift back into my smile, and I pulled away.

Then his face grew serious and his eyes were far away.

"Cassie…Honey, I don't deserve you. You have to know that. I needed you to see that. I can't buy you nice things, I don't even have my own car, and I don't have anything to offer you." His voice was so low I could barely hear it even with my wolf genes.

How could he have such a skewed image of himself? Everything about him was perfect. I thought we had moved on and away from this crap.

I sighed and his eyes dropped from my face. "Jake...Jacob, look at me." He slowly moved his eyes back up to meet mine, and I placed my hands on either side of his strong face.

"You are the perfect guy for me. You have everything I've ever wanted in life. Everything. You're smart, strong and incredibly sexy." I leaned forward to kiss his nose. "You've made really good decisions; you're a great leader and an awesome friend. There isn't a day goes by that I regret having met you; I didn't have meaning in my life until I met you and fell in love with you. You're the only person on this planet that can complete me, and I'm honored to be considered yours." He blinked at me, and when he opened his mouth to speak, I kissed him hard on the lips.

I didn't stop kissing him until his body relaxed into mine. His eyes opened and searched my face as I pulled away, but he didn't say anything for several seconds. I took a breath to speak again, but he placed a finger on my lips.

"Shush for a second."

We sat perfectly still for several minutes. His finger never left my mouth and I was beginning to wonder if I would have to revert to sheer physical violence in order to knock some sense into his thick skull. Jacob needed to be aware of how truly wonderful he was, and I'd do whatever it took to make him realize that.

"I'm sorry for overreacting. Do you forgive me?" His voice came out broken and raw as he spoke.

"There's nothing to forgive. Will you forgive me for being a stupid and cowardly girl who was afraid to be honest with her imprint?"

He was silent for several seconds before he moved to take my hand in his larger one. Jacob ran his thumb over my knuckles before he sighed.

"You shouldn't be afraid to tell me anything, Cassie, ever. I'm really am sorry for reacting the way I did." His gaze held mine.

"Once people know, it changes things. They look at you different; I thought that's what was happening. I couldn't take that chance here; I can't lose what I have." I chewed on my bottom lip before bringing up my thumb to gnaw on it instead.

"It won't ever happen again, I swear. I just wish you had told me in the beginning."

My eyes dropped to my lap. "I'm sorry, I mumbled out, embarrassed that I had been so chicken about the whole stupid thing.

He surprised me by tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and tugging my thumb out from between my teeth. He cupped my face gently into his palm, and his thumb outlined my lips before a smile broke across his face. My Jacob was back again.

"So…how much money do you have?"

I gave him a small smile. "Seriously? You want to know?"

He flashed me a huge grin. "Well…hell yeah I do!"

I nipped at his thumb that still was hovering around my bottom lip.

"You sure? You promise it won't change anything?" I asked my tone serious, but he just rolled his eyes at me.

"I swear and promise on my life, it won't change anything between us…Except maybe you'll be paying for all of the pizza from now on." He was solemn and straight faced as he spoke, and it was my turn to roll my eyes.

"When my adoptive parents died, they left me everything they had, so when I turned eighteen the State turned it over to me…"

Jacob interrupted me, his leg bouncing with anticipation, "Yeah…And?"

I blew up my bangs; I should be worried on how he was going to take this, but his excitement was giving me a false sense of security, wasn't it?

"My dad was an investment banker for a fortune 500 company, and both of my parents were trust fund babies..." I paused as he motioned for me to hurry up, and began drumming his fingers on the counter on either side of me. I finally gave in and continued, "I have just over two million dollars in the bank. Eh, about two and quarter million actually. Some of it's been invested, of course, and obviously I've paid for my college, my truck and stuff…"

"Holy shit." Jake whistled out; his eyes wide.

"Yeah…I know…" I stared into his eyes, looking for some small sign that his view of me had shifted now that he knew this one insignificant figure. It meant nothing to me; I didn't want it to mean something to him.

"Hey…"Jake squeezed me knee reassuringly, "I was just thinking you could do a lot on the Rez with that kind of money…that is, if you wanted to, of course."

"Oh yeah? Is that really what your first thought was?" I smirked at him, a look of guilt briefly flashed across his face before he winked at me.

"Honestly my first thought. Was 'fuck! That's a shit-ton of money!'…So, it was more of my second…or third thought."

"Uh-huh. What about those other thoughts you had after your initial 'Oh my God' and before your uncanny ability to be self-sacrificing?" I raised an eyebrow at him, challenging him to be honest.

"Uh…does it matter?" Jacob ran a hand nervously through his now almost dry hair, and was suddenly very interested in the cabinet directly above my head.

"Not really, I'm just curious." I leaned forward so I could wrap my arms around him and lay my head on his chest.

He was silent for a few seconds before he spoke, "I was thinking I've always wanted a cool car, and I'd love to remodel my dad's house."

It was my turn for my eyes to widen. Jacob never ceased to amaze me, even in his brief lapse of selfishness, his family and people came first. He truly was a good leader. I hugged him and planted several kisses on his chest before I leaned back and met his eyes. It was time for a subject change, and I was dying to know how this morning had gone for him, prior to the melt down at my twin's house.

"So…anyway. What happened this morning with the Cullens?" I didn't mention her name in case he wanted an out to skip that portion of his morning in the retelling.

Jacob was silent for several seconds, and he seemed to be searching my face for something. I don't know if he saw what he was looking for, but when he finally spoke his voice was quiet and controlled.

"It was really odd…" I brought his hand to my lips so I could kiss it. "You know, I spent years – years- wanting her, and then after everything she picked him…My whole world pretty much crumbled with that decision; I couldn't ever picture myself growing old with anyone else. I loved her with everything I had, but it just wasn't enough. It never was…I couldn't compete with him…For years I just existed. Nothing mattered to me anymore; I was just like some pathetic puppy dog whose master suddenly kicks them to the curb because they just don't fit into their lifestyle anymore…"

He trailed off with the intensity of his memories, and I interlaced my fingers with his and wrapped my legs around him.

"Then you showed up, Cassie, and everything was turned upside down. My whole world tilted on its axis, and I didn't know which way was up anymore. I never thought I would imprint; it had always been Bella or nothing for me. I never once considered anything else…But everything changed when I met you…You're everything I ever wanted and everything I didn't know I needed…How could I have let myself hold onto a false reality for so long? I mourned over something that was never supposed to happen, and everyone saw it but me…" Jake wrapped his strong arms around me and pulled me closer to him; I moved to rest my head on his shoulder. I stayed quiet, and just leaned against his warm torso, absorbing his heat.

"When I saw her today…I was expecting it to be this huge emotional free-for-all, because that's how it's always been with her, but today it…wasn't. I saw her as just Bella. She's just some shell of the girl I used to love and someone I once dreamed about spending forever with…The only pull I felt towards her was our old memories together. That was it. No horrid sour feeling in my stomach. No reliving her death, the loss of her humanity, or her allowing him to take everything I loved about her and infecting it. It was just me and Sam, dealing with a coven of vegetarian vampires, and one of them just happened to look vaguely like a girl I used to really care about."

He paused briefly before continuing, "Bella's happy with him. They love each other, and I can finally be happy for them…I wasn't being fair to her. Just because she didn't choose me, didn't mean I couldn't just be her friend. That was what she always wanted, and I just couldn't let it go…until now. She deserves a happily ever after too…and she has it, with him."

I planted several kisses along the cord of his neck, as he continued to hold me.

"I was thinking about you all morning while I patrolled with Jared."

"I know. I could tell; thank you." He squeezed me closer into him. "I've never felt that way, Cassie. It was so weird…to be that close to her and not feel overwhelmed. I was at peace being near her, even after everything…" Jake trailed off as he kissed the top of my head. I knew exactly what he meant.

So much had happened today, and I was emotionally and physically drained.

When Jacob's phone lit up and started vibrating in circles on the counter neither one of us moved. Only when it lit up for the third time did Jacob move to answer it.

"What?" he spoke gruffly into the receiver.

I could hear Embry on the other end.

If you hurt her or upset her, or so much as even made her cry, so help me, Black, I will beat your ass into the ground.

Jacob just rolled his eyes and interrupted my twin, "I apologized. We're fine." He glanced down at me and mouthed, right?

I smiled up at him and gave him a squeeze as I nodded into his chest. My eyes had just started to droop closed when my phone blew up from within my pocket. The shrill chime made me jump. It wasn't a programmed number either, according to my ringtone. Who could be calling me?

Leaning slightly away from Jake in order to pull my cell out of my pocket it continued to ring. Finally silencing it, I brought it to my ear and disentangled myself from Jake so I jump off the counter and step out of the kitchen and down the hall.

"Hello. This is Cassie."

"Hello, Cassie. This is Leanne; I'm the HR manager for Forks General Hospital."

My tone changed immediately. "Oh hi!"

I could hear her smile. "I was calling to see if you were available for an interview tomorrow with Dr. Cullen?"

"Oh sure! Of course. I'm available anytime."

"Okay, how about after lunch?" I almost laughed; she had no idea the connotation behind lunch for a vampire.

"Sure. What time?"

After a short pause she answered, "Two-o-clock? Oh and business casual attire is fine, Dr. Cullen is pretty laid back."

"Okay. Sounds good, do I need to bring anything?" A small mammal for dessert? Ugh, I shook my head at my inner monologue.

"Nope. I'll get your information over to him. See you tomorrow."

She hung up before I had a chance to reply, so I snapped my phone shut out of spite. I highly doubted the hospital in Forks was that busy that she needed to hurry to keep herself available. Give me a break. Oh well, at least they finally got back to me.

Jacob was off the phone with Embry and had moved to sit on the couch, his head leaned backward and his eyes closed. I silently stalked over to him, and crawled up on his lap to straddle him. He didn't move, but a smile played across his lips. Leaning forward so my mouth was inches from his ear, I whispered, "We have a few more minutes until the pizza is here. Any chance you want to christen this couch with me?"

AN:

Sorry for the delay in getting this uploaded. *insert general excuses about work schedule changing here* - Ya'll know I would love it if you took the time to review!

Thanks to PTB Robotprospektor and DreaC!

If you're interested (and of age - of course) I'd love it if you'd check out my first attempt at a lemon. It's an Embry OS that takes place roughly the birthday before Cassie shows up in La Push. It should be up shortly, and linked off of my profile.

Love and *wolfy kisses*