Happy Friday! Here it is, and it's early! Many thanks to Mynxi for the super fast turnaround, in spite of her busy Real Life! Now get comfy, this one's a long one!
Twilight is the property of Stephanie Meyer.
Chapter Eleven
JPOV
Taking a mental "cleansing breath", I walked back out into the living room to face Emmett and Rosalie. They were seated together on the couch, both of them looking at me expectantly as I walked at a human pace to sit down in the vacant chair.
"Is Bella Dear all tucked in for nighty-night?" Rose asked snidely. Emmett gave me an apologetic glance, but I shrugged at him. Despite the nasty tone of her question, she was emitting no real malice. In fact, her primary emotion was pain and loss.
"For now," I answered calmly, not rising to her bait. "She has bad nightmares most nights, so I might have to go calm her down again in awhile."
Emmett's face clouded at that information and I felt sadness from both of them. "How is she, really, Jasper?" Emmett asked after a minute. "She kept up a good front tonight, but there's no way she lived through that without it affecting her."
"She's getting better all the time, actually, Emmett. She handled you guys much better than I could have hoped for." I paused for a moment, recalling the Bella I had discovered almost two months ago. "She was almost completely shut down when I ran into her, just surviving on auto-pilot. It's been a slow process for her to start to trust me, but she's been doing great lately, letting me help her with money and quitting her job because it wasn't safe."
"I hate that she was all alone," Emmett said sadly. "To go through all that is bad enough, but she didn't have anyone to even talk to. It must have been horrible for her."
I nodded absently at him as I listened to her steady heart beat in the next room. "She's still scared to death that I'll leave and she'll be alone again," I answered softly. "She's so reluctant to accept my help because in the back of her mind she's still planning for when I leave her."
A deep wave of sadness came from Emmett, so I pushed out a moderate amount of happiness at him. "We never should have left her," he repeated. "I wish we could take it back and not leave her alone."
I felt a wave of irritation and pain from Rosalie. "Better yet, Emmett, wish that she had never fucking come to Forks in the first place. She could have lived her normal life in Phoenix and we would all still be a family!" she snapped. "Instead, she's a wreck, Edward's a basket case, Alice is freakier than usual, and the rest of us are miserable watching it all! There is no way she is worth all of this!" she hissed, glaring in the direction of the bedroom.
"Rose, you can't really say that, you never took the time to get to know her. All you know is what Edward told you, you never spent time with her. She's a lot different than what he said," I explained. "Now what's up with him, anyway? Still moving place to place? And why is Alice freakier than ever?" I asked, dreading the answers.
Rosalie rolled her eyes at me and huffed. Emmett rubbed the back of his head and reluctantly began to answer. "Edward is still moving around, we saw him last about three months ago. Carlisle and Esme just visited him in South America somewhere, they said he's still a wreck, but he won't come home."
I nodded, unsurprised. Edward had been devastated when we left Forks and Bella behind, and it seemed time had not improved his outlook on life. "What about Alice, Emmett?" I asked, forcing myself to use a neutral tone of voice. Loving Bella gave me a different perspective on the life I had shared with Alice, and tonight thinking of her made me angry rather than sad.
Emmett looked even more uncomfortable. "Well, you know how she was before you finally left, Jasper. She wouldn't talk to any of us, just spaced out all the time."
I nodded wordlessly, remembering the pain of watching my wife completely shut me and our family out of her world.
"Well, she started talking again about two months after you left, but it was almost worse. It was like she was just constantly in a vision, talking about this choice and that choice and the different futures she saw. Carlisle finally forced her to take a trip up to Canada with him, and when they came back she was calmer, more in the present. She was good for about a year, but she's started acting weird again a couple months ago. Always running scenarios again, muttering about decisions and intervening, stuff that doesn't make sense," he finished, emitting more sadness as he spoke.
Sighing, I ran my hand through my hair, wishing I was curled up next to Bella rather than hearing that my ex wife was apparently unstable. At the sound of my sigh, Rosalie whipped her head around to glare at me.
"So while you've been buddying up with Bella here, Alice is falling apart, Jasper. No one knows what to do. Carlisle's even talked about taking her to visit the Volturi, hoping they'd have an idea."
Shivering at the thought of Alice in the care of the Volturi, I kept my voice low as I responded. "I sure as hell hope it doesn't come down to that, Rose. I wish nothing but the best for Alice, and I hope she gets better, but you're acting like you expect me to do something about it, when it's really none of my business at this point."
Rose's face went almost blank for a moment, before she looked at me pleadingly. "I just want my family back, Jasper. Let's all go back to Syracuse together," she suggested, becoming excited. "Bring Bella, we'll call Edward and tell him you found her. He'll come home, they'll be together, happy ever after. You can fix Alice and make up with her, and we'll all be together again. I'll even try to be nice to Bella," she begged earnestly.
Emmett pulled her into this side, running his fingers through her lush blonde hair. I walked over to kneel in front of them and took one of her hands. "I'm so sorry, Rose. I know how much you're hurting over this," I said truthfully. "But that's just never going to happen. If there's something concrete I can do to help Alice, I'm willing to try, but even then, she and I are over. And I know the same goes for Bella. I offered to call Edward when I found her, and she practically told me to go to hell. Bella and I are moving forward together, neither one of us is going to go back," I told her gently.
In a rare show of vulnerability, Rose closed her eyes and pressed her face into Emmett's body. "I know that, Jasper," she admitted without looking at me. "It was just wishful thinking to go back to the way it was before," she sighed sadly.
"I know you're just worried about your family, Rose. You just have to try to remember that the way you care about the Cullens is part of the way I feel about Bella now. I'm all she has, she's relying on me, and I'm not going to let her down again," I said firmly. "Which means, if you're going to be here, I expect a certain level of politeness toward her."
She rolled her eyes at me, but before she could interrupt, I continued. "I'm not asking you to be her best friend, just try not to attack her constantly," I suggested with a wry smile.
"Whatever, Jasper. I'm not promising anything, but I'll try not to destroy her fragile emotional state," she snapped. Her emotions told a different story, a mix of respect and affection for me, so I hoped she would be on better behavior tomorrow.
We passed the rest of the evening catching up. The Cullens were living in Syracuse and Rose and Emmett were doing the college thing again. Alice had been too unstable to enroll and was spending a lot of time travelling, both on her own and with Esme.
I filled Rose and Emmett in on Bella's ability to block her emotions from me and the peace we felt when we touched. Emmett was amazed at her effect on my blood lust. "You mean you're thirsty, you touch her and it vanishes?"
"Well, first of all, I don't let myself get thirsty around her. I'm hunting every other day as a precaution, so I haven't tested the limits, but yeah, as soon as I touch her, I feel no thirst, nothing but peace." I broke off from my explanation as I heard Bella's heart rate begin to pick up.
"Gotta go, she's starting to dream," I said as I stood.
Emmett looked sad and nodded. "Go make her feel better, J," he said softly as I left the living room.
I made it to Bella before she started screaming, but she was gasping and writhing in the sheets. She settled down as soon as I touched her, not even waking as I moved her to tuck her in again. "Don't leave me," she whispered in her sleep as I brushed the hair out of her face.
"I won't leave you, Sweetheart. I'll be right here when you wake up," I murmured into her hair.
"Okay," she mumbled into the comforter between us before her breathing evened out and she returned to deep sleep. I closed my eyes and listened to Emmett and Rose talk about our relationship from the next room. He was cautiously supportive, but fearful that we were using each other out of convenience. Rose was skeptical that we were anything other than rebounding on each other. I rolled my eyes, but refrained from commenting even though they would easily hear me.
Bella woke early, cuddling into me tightly and pressing a kiss onto the top of my chest, just over the edge of the blanket. "Mornin'," she said sleepily. "Did you get a chance to visit before you came in?" she asked with a little frown.
"Yeah, we had a little talk," I replied. I filled her in on Alice and Edward's situations and her frown grew more pronounced.
"What a fucking mess," she sighed sadly. "Everybody's hurting, but I don't know how to fix it."
"Not your job to fix it," I answered simply. "You ready to eat breakfast?" I asked, hoping to distract her from thoughts of Edward and Alice.
"Just let me get dressed, I'll be right out," she answered with a sad smile.
I made my way out to the living room, greeting Rose and Emmett. "Bella and I are gonna go grab something quick for her breakfast. Do you two have plans? How long are you here for anyway?" I asked, realizing I had no idea how long Bella and I would be hosting them.
Rose looked up from the magazine she was thumbing through. "We weren't planning on staying long. I wanted to do some shopping, hit a night club, just have a few days in the city. Of course, that was before we knew you had shacked up with Bella here, Jasper. We can skip the shopping and the club, I know Bella isn't in to that," Rose answered snidely.
I didn't respond because Bella strode into the living room. "Good morning, Emmett, Rosalie. I couldn't help overhearing, and I wouldn't hear of you changing your plans because of me," she said smoothly. "I'm up for whatever you guys want to do." Her words were sweet, but her tone was firm, and I wondered if she knew what she was getting herself into by baiting Rose.
"Fantastic," Rose answered in a fake eager voice. "I want to check out a club called Viper downtown. It's supposed to be a good scene, even on weekdays. It's a pretty A-list crowd though, so I imagine we'll need a trip to update your wardrobe a little," Rose went on, eying Bella's worn jeans and layered t-shirts disdainfully.
To her credit, Bella didn't even flinch at Rose's insult. "Actually, Rosalie, a new outfit isn't in my budget right now, but it's no problem. I used to work with a girl who waitresses at Viper, and I happen to know that Tuesdays are rave nights, alternative attire encouraged. I have several outfits that will work just fine. I'd be glad to come along on your shopping trip to help you find something appropriate, if you'd like though." Bella's voice matched Rose's false enthusiasm to a T.
Emmett and I just sat and watched with our mouths shut. Rose's emotions were a jumble of irritation, frustration and grudging respect. She narrowed her eyes momentarily at Bella, before pasting her fake smile on and standing. "Let's get going then," she enthused. "We'll pick up your breakfast on the way. I'm sure Jasper would want you to pick out something new for yourself, though," she suggested slyly.
I decided to step in before Bella got really pissed. "Good luck getting her to spend my money, Rose. I sure can't get her to do it," I cut in smoothly. "Fortunately, she looks great in whatever she wears. I can't wait to see what you choose for tonight, Sweets. I've missed a few of your work outfits," I teased, winking at Bella as I spoke.
She winked back at me as she walked to the closet to get her coat. Using vampire speed, I caught up with her in time to help her put it on. "You okay with this?" I asked quietly. "I thought Emmett and I could go hunt while you're out, but if you don't want to go with her, you don't have to."
Bella just smiled and pulled my head down to her for a soft open mouthed kiss. "You boys go play in the woods, Rosalie and I will be just fine," she said confidently as we separated. "I love you, Jasper."
Unable to keep the smile off of my face, I leaned down to kiss her again. "I love you too, Bella." She turned and walked toward the front door. I glanced over at Rose, who was checking her reflection in the hall mirror. "I expect you to play nice, Rosalie Hale," I warned, raising one eyebrow.
"I don't ever play nice, Jasper, but I will play fair," was her response as she and Bella walked out the door.
I shrugged my shoulders and hoped for the best. I knew Bella could handle herself against Rose, but I didn't want her to start doubting herself and my feelings for her due to Rose's bitchy comments. Grabbing my keys, I called over to Emmett. "Ready to go? I know a place where we might be able to find a grouchy hibernating bear to annoy."
He was on his feet in a flash and we were on our way over to north Jersey. Emmett peppered me with questions as I drove. "So what do you think let's her block her emotions from you? She never could before, and you've never mentioned anyone else being able to do that," he said, radiating curiosity and concern.
Frowning, I tried to phrase my answer correctly. "I think she started really shutting down strong emotions, primarily fear, in order to keep surviving, Emmett. She just didn't have the luxury of having a breakdown or panic attack, so every time she felt strongly, she just forced it down. Normally, her emotions are just blank to me. When she gets upset, I get flashes of her feelings, and then it just turns off, like a switch. She let her emotions out last night, but she had to really think about it and relax before I could feel anything."
Emmett gave me a hard look. "That must be a nice break for you, Jasper," he said in an odd tone.
Confused, I shrugged as I answered. "I guess so. It was really weird at first, I'm so used to feeling what others are feeling, it felt kind of empty until I got used to it. Sometimes I get frustrated when I can't tell what's upsetting to her. Why are you projecting suspicion at me right now, anyway, Em?" I asked, unable to account for his strange reaction.
"I just have to wonder after everything you told us about the way Edward left her, if maybe one of the reasons he was so obsessed with her was that he couldn't get into her head. It didn't work out so good for her, and I just want to make sure you're not just with her because she's a break from the drama you pick up on from the rest of us," he explained in a low voice, emitting a strong wave of protectiveness toward Bella.
"Hmm, I never thought about that with Edward, you may be on to something with that, Emmett," I began, internally laughing at the irritation pouring off of him as he waited for me to defend my feelings for Bella. "Relax, Em, you're not her dad, or even her brother. She won't appreciate it if you start pulling that in front of her right now, believe me. Now, my inability to feel what she's feeling has nothing to do with why I'm with her. If I start picking up her emotions today, it won't change a thing. I love and respect her, and I like how she treats me. I've never been in a relationship like this before, and I like how it feels," I admitted as I pulled into the State Forest parking area.
"I still don't know if this is good for her though, Jasper. She should date a regular guy, at least have that experience before she goes all nutty for you and gets caught up in our world again," he sighed as we headed down a trail.
"Emmett, we all left her, but she stayed in our world. Victoria's out there somewhere right now, and you're a fool if you think she's forgotten about Bella. The Bella I met this year wouldn't date a regular guy because she wouldn't want to endanger someone in case Victoria ever caught up with her. Don't make Edward's mistake and try to run her life the way you think is best, she won't put up with it," I warned him.
He nodded briefly and we ended our conversation to split up and search silently for the scent of bear. I wandered across several deer and took them down quickly, eager to be done and on the road home. I met up with Emmett again and could tell from the self satisfaction he was oozing that he had been successful in finding a sleeping bear.
"Grouchy enough to put up a good fight?" I queried as we walked back to the car.
"Best I've had in awhile," he admitted with a broad grin.
We made our way back to the car in companionable silence. I took the opportunity to drive fast since the roads were almost empty. I picked up a wave of regret from Emmett before he spoke again. "Listen, man, I'm sorry I gave you a hard time about Bella. I know I don't have a right to judge you guys, I just want to look out for her, now that I've found her again. I hope someday she can forgive me enough to rely on me again, and I won't jeopardize that by being overbearing about your relationship."
Smiling, I pushed a little pride towards him. "You're on the right track, Emmett. You made more progress last night than I made in weeks with her," I admitted, remembering how skittish she had been. "Just remember, she doesn't need a guardian, she needs a friend." I paused for a moment, pondering my words. "Okay, so she does need a guardian what with the Victoria situation and the drug addict roommate's creepy pal. But she needs a friend, not a judge," I amended with a short laugh.
"Dude, she is a trouble magnet," he agreed.
We made good time back to Manhattan and we beat the girls back to the apartment. I texted Bella to make sure she was okay, only somewhat reassured when I received her simple answer of "yes."
"Stop worrying, Jasper. Rose cares about you too much to wreck what you have with Bella. 'Sides, Bells isn't going to let Rose walk all over her anymore. They'll be fine, and maybe they'll even see eye to eye by the time they're done," he suggested hopefully.
I had my doubts on that, but I kept them to myself, not wanting to dampen Emmett's hopes. Shrugging at him, I turned to check my e-mail, hoping for a progress report from Jenks. Sure enough, a new message from him waited in my inbox. Scanning the information quickly, I sighed in frustration. Andy was in even deeper shit than I could have imagined. Emmett was right, Bella was a trouble magnet.
"What's up?" Emmett asked, hearing my sigh.
"Bad news about Bella's roommate," I answered slowly, already mentally weighing options on how to keep Bella safe. "These assholes he's palin' around with are running a gang they call the 'K2'," I explained.
"What, as in the deadliest mountain, K2?" Emmett interrupted.
"Actually, it's only the sixth deadliest mountain," I corrected absently. "The true deadliest ones all have ten letter Tibetan names so no one really talks about them. Anyway, yeah, supposedly they're named after the mountain. Apparently, they have a reputation for being brutal and unstoppable. They're unique among the gangs because they're not based on an ethic group. Members are recruited based on intelligence and ruthlessness, race is not a factor."
I re-read the report again before I continued. "This says their name is doubly appropriate because they have a history of violence against women and the mountain K2 supposedly is cursed against women. The gang is involved in narcotics, weapons smuggling, as well as human trafficking and prostitution. Apparently, these guys are such bad news that the PI is no longer willing to be involved, so I'll have to make other arrangements."
I was dialing Jenks as the words left my mouth. He answered on the first ring. "Your girl found herself a real winner there, Mr. Whitlock. These guys love to abuse women any way they can, and apparently Bella's on their radar now. My PI wants nothing to do with these guys, but I'm already working on assembling a team of ex-military guys I trust to continue the surveillance," he fired out rapidly.
"Good work, Jenks, thanks for being proactive on this. I don't like this one bit, and my strong preference would be to relocate her out of here, but I'm not sure she'll agree while the roommate is in danger," I said tersely. "I want accurate information as quickly as possible so we can figure out the best way to get Andy out of there. Any word on contacting his relatives?"
"Haven't been able to contact the grandmother yet, Mr. Whitlock. Her neighbors say she's out of the country for another month. I have her home under surveillance; I'll notify you as soon as she returns."
"Okay, Jenks," I sighed. "Get your team together and get them to work. I want regular updates along with their recommendations on strategy for extracting Andy."
"Will do, Sir," he responded quickly. "I have a question before you go, Mr. Whitlock," he began, uncertainty filling his voice.
"Go ahead," I answered, eager to find out what had the usually unflappable Jenks indecisive.
"Well, my 'guy' who got into the Forks PD last month mentioned that there are boxes and boxes of personal effects from the Swan house still in the cold case evidence room. He thinks he could actually get the stuff out without being detected, for the right price," Jenks said, hesitantly.
Weighing the information carefully, I paused before answering. If this 'guy' were to get caught, it might put Bella back under the spotlight, the last thing she needed. On the other hand, I knew she would appreciate having anything to remind her of the family she would never see again.
"How much do you trust this guy, Jenks?" I finally asked.
"He's been excellent to date, Mr. Whitlock. I use him on difficult projects when I need to infiltrate police offices, banks, stuff like that. He approached me with the idea and I thought I'd better run it by you, although I don't like the way he's pushing for more money," he admitted thoughtfully.
"Have him move forward on it, Jenks. Money is no obstacle, as you're aware. However, if he leaves a trace of any kind that increases Bella's profile, he doesn't get a dime. Make sure he's clear on that," I instructed.
Jenks agreed to pass the message on and ended the conversation. Turning to Emmett, I took in his concerned expression. "A day in the life of Bella Swan," I sighed sadly.
His eyes became determined and I felt a wave of respect from him. I closed my eyes momentarily at the unaccustomed feeling. "If anyone can keep her safe, it's you Jasper," he said softly. "I'm glad you found her."
"I'll do my damndest, Emmett. I can't even think about something happening to her. She's the most important thing in my universe now."
BPOV
I silently followed Rosalie out of the apartment and down to the garage, surprised that we would be driving. I heard her muttering to herself as we approached a pristine, cherry red Maserati GranTurismo convertible. She walked slowly around the car, her eyes darting for the signs of any imperfection. Finally satisfied, she unlocked the doors and motioned for me to get into the car.
"Where do you want to get your food?" she demanded tersely as she pulled out of the garage.
"Um, there's a bagel shop two blocks over, but I don't think you'll find parking this time of day," I answered nonchalantly.
"I park where I want, Bella. It won't be a problem, trust me," she purred as she floored the powerful little car down the quiet street. Within seconds we were double parked in front of the bagel shop. "Go get what you need, I'll wait here," she ordered.
The thought of eating in Rosalie's precious car suddenly made my stomach churn. I was no longer the intimidated little girl I had been in Forks, but the thought of the consequences of spilling coffee on her leather seats was daunting. "Are you sure you want me to eat in the car, Rosalie?" I queried hesitantly, hating the fact that I was letting her make me nervous.
"Whatever, if you spill, I'll make Jasper buy me a new one," she snapped at me. Rolling her eyes, she waved a hand at me. "Get a move on, would you? I don't feel like flirting my way out of a parking ticket right now, Bella."
I forced myself to exit the car at a casual pace and went into the shop to make my purchases. Unwilling to deal with the risk of drinking a hot beverage while Rosalie manhandled the Italian sports car at high speeds, I selected a double espresso, quickly sipping it down while I waited for them to toast my bagel.
Returning to the car in an unhurried manner, I calmly opened the door and sat down to fasten my seatbelt. "What, no coffee to go?" she asked. "Too scared to tell Jasper he owes me a new car because you're a klutz, huh?"
I finished daintily chewing my bite of bagel before I answered. "No, Jasper would be glad to replace yours and buy me one too, if I asked him. I just firmly believe that a good cup of coffee should be savored and revered in a serene environment, not tossed back quickly in some bitchmobile," I replied calmly.
She snorted delicately but made no comment back. She pulled us onto the Queensboro Bridge and we were on the LIE before I knew it. "You're shopping in the 'burbs instead of the Village?" I asked incredulously.
She raised her eyebrows at me as she replied. "First of all, I couldn't even take you to the places I normally shop dressed like that, Bella," she said without heat. "Second, I'm sure I can find something good enough to wear to 'rave night' at the mall. Third, the drive will give us a chance to talk," she said crisply.
"Okay," I said slowly. "So talk, then, Rosalie. What's on your mind?"
"As much as it pains me to say it, Bella, you must suit Jasper. This is the happiest he's looked since we left Forks, and the only thing that's different is you. That said, you hurt him and I will fuck you up," she finished matter-of-factly.
Ignoring her threat, I answered in a brisk tone. "I'm glad you think he looks happy. I didn't know him very well before, so sometimes he's hard for me to read."
"So that's it then, you're over Edward, on to Jasper, happily ever after forever and ever?" she hissed suddenly.
My head spun a little, trying to keep up with her mood change. I tried to collect my thoughts into a reasonable answer.
"Forever is a long time, Rosalie, unless it isn't," I sighed sadly. "Edward taught me that. So yeah, I'm over that relationship. As for happily ever after for me and Jasper, who knows? We're just getting to know each other, I'm not ready to say 'forever' to him yet, and I don't think he's ready to say it to me either."
She was silent for a minute before she responded. "So when you say forever, you'll have him change you?" she asked quietly.
Swallowing heavily, I forced myself to answer. "We haven't gone there, Rosalie. I have no idea if that's something he would consider, much less if it's something I want," I whispered, noting with relief that we were pulling into the parking lot of Roosevelt Field Mall.
Turning the engine off, she turned to face me. "You shouldn't do it, Bella," she said in the most urgent voice I'd ever heard her use. "Stay human. Let Jasper get tired of you and then go on your way, Bella. Find a human man, get married, have babies, live a normal life." Her amber eyes boring into mine as my mind raced at her statement.
"Rosalie Hale," I began, struggling to keep my voice controlled and to contain the rage I felt at her audacity. "I don't know where the fuck you get off, telling me what to do with my life, but since you feel the need to do so, here are some things you forgot to factor in. The insult to Jasper's integrity aside, you're crazy if you think I could just start over with a normal guy and live a normal life," I said, anger causing my voice to tremble.
"I don't allow myself to get close to anyone, Rosalie, because it's too fucking dangerous to be close to me. You think my future actually holds babies in it?"I asked incredulously. "How could I bring a life into my world, Rosalie? A world where a psychopathic vampire bitch is stalking me and everyone I care about? I don't fucking think so! So shut up about shit that isn't any of your business and don't fucking judge me or my decisions! Now let's go shop and get it the fuck over with," I huffed as I opened the car door and stood up.
Our eyes met across the top of the car as we simultaneously shut the doors. She didn't answer, but gave me a small nod before she moved to walk into the mall.
Our shopping trip was mercifully brief, and for the first time I was actually glad that I was with Rosalie rather than Alice. Rosalie seemed to know exactly which store would have a rave-appropriate outfit and was quickly in and out. I browsed while she made her purchases, grimacing at the high priced trashy outfits. I could have dressed her from the shops I bought my waitress gear from for half the cost. Shrugging, I reminded myself that she could easily afford it.
Our next stop was a shoe store, which took slightly longer due to Rosalie's apparent shoe fetish. As she tried and re-tried pair after pair, I stood admiring a fabulous pair of black knee-high lace ups with three inch heels. They would have been murder to waitress in, but they would look fuck-hot with my trashy outfits. Sighing, I tore my eyes away from my foot wear wet dream and noticed Rosalie staring at me, her bags in hand.
"If you like 'em, why don't you get 'em, Bella?" she asked. "You know Jasper can cover it, so why not?"
She seemed honestly curious rather than just bitchy, so I forced myself to swallow my resentment at her prying into my finances and answered politely.
"I don't let him buy me clothes, Rosalie. He's already feeding me and providing shelter for me, not to mention subsidizing my rent at the apartment I'm no longer living at. I can't in good conscience use his money to buy clothes I don't really need. Besides, I don't live the life that goes with these boots. They would just sit in a closet after tonight."
She stared at me a minute longer before giving me another cryptic nod and leaving the store. I followed her out of the mall and to the car. We rode in silence all the way until we approached Manhattan, when she finally spoke.
"I can't figure you out, Bella Swan. I don't think we have a single thing in common, but I think I'm starting to respect you for some reason," she said in a surprised tone. "Spending time with you hasn't been the mind- numbing bore I expected."
"Gee, Rosalie, I feel all warm and fuzzy! Want to paint each other's toe nails now?" I snarked at her. Rolling my eyes, I allowed a small smile to flit across my face, knowing she would see it. "Seriously, I'm not gonna start shit with you, but I'm not gonna take shit either. Cool?"
"Cool for now, Bella," she replied as we pulled into the parking garage. She led the way back into the building, not even slowing down past the security desk. I waved at the familiar attendant as I walked past, shrugging apologetically as he drooled after Rosalie's retreating ass.
We rode the elevator up and she stuck her hand out abruptly, apparently demanding the key to the apartment. Ignoring her rudeness, I walked past her, dug the key out of my pocket and opened the door myself.
Walking into the room, I saw Jasper standing up from his desk to come and greet me. His eyes were the color of buttery caramel after his hunt, and I lost myself admiring his lean face as he closed the distance between us. Within a heartbeat, I was wrapped in his hard arms as he leaned his tall frame over me. I closed my eyes and relaxed as our peace fell over us. Rubbing my face against his soft shirt, I realized he was rubbing his nose across the top of my head.
"Dude, are you guys smelling each other, or what?" boomed Emmett's voice, breaking our interlude.
"Yes," we both answered at the same time, smiling at each other as we stepped apart. I noticed that Jasper's smiles weren't entirely reaching his eyes, so I reached out for his hand, wanting our peace again. "What is it?" I asked softly. "What are you worrying about?"
Pulling me over to the couch, he filled me in on Jenks' report and the plans to continue the surveillance. My stomach sank at the news of how much trouble Andy was really in. "How can we possibly help him?" I whispered.
Jasper wrapped me back into his arms. "We get as much information as we can, and then we figure it out," he answered simply, filling me with hope even though his answer was vague.
"How was your trip?" he murmured into my ear as he held me.
"Slightly informative and refreshingly short," I answered with a smile. "She managed not to kill me and I managed not to push her to it," I teased, knowing she and Emmett were listening.
"I knew you could do it Rosie! I'm so proud of you!" Emmett enthused teasingly.
"Shut up, the day's not over yet," she answered without looking up from her magazine.
I felt Jasper sigh and turned to look at him. He was leaning back against the couch, his eyes closed and a sweet little smile crossing his lips. I couldn't stop my hand from reaching up to run along his flawless cheek.
"What's making you so happy?" I asked, burning with curiosity.
"Their love is always nice to feel," he admitted quietly without opening his eyes. "It's just simple and straightforward, and so strong," he sighed.
"Jasper, you're totally getting stoned off of Rosalie and Emmett, aren't you?" I accused, sitting up straighter in his lap. He didn't answer, but made an adorable little giggle/snort sound. "You are! You're totally high right now! This is so cute!" I giggled, leaning in to kiss his smiling lips.
"Don't kill my buzz, Bella," he teased against my lips.
"Never," I whispered as I snuggled back against him.
"Well if she won't kill it, I will, Jasper," Rosalie said brusquely from her perch on the opposite couch. "I hate to pull you two love birds apart, but Bella needs to eat, I need to go hunt and then it's time for us to get ready for tonight," she ordered as she stood up.
"Yes, ma'am," Jasper drawled as he tossed me into standing. "Can I join you for lunch, Miss? I missed you at breakfast," he said smoothly winking at me.
"It would be my pleasure, Sir," I replied as he draped his arm over my shoulder and walked us toward the door. I slipped on my coat and smiled as I felt him slip a hand into the back pocket of my jeans as we walked out.
We made the quick walk to the pizza parlor and I filled him in on the morning as I ate.
"I'm proud of you Bella, you're handling her really well," Jasper said softly as we walked back to his building. "I know she's not an easy person to like, but she has her reasons, and she's a good friend to me."
Shrugging slightly, I nodded at him. "I always figured there was more to her than Edward said," I commented nonchalantly.
He stopped short as we walked into the lobby of the building. "How do you mean?" he asked intently.
"Well, Edward always told me her thoughts were all about herself and her looks and nothing else. But I figure that can't be all she really thinks about because Emmett totally adores her, and he's not an idiot," I explained. "So my theory is that she just thinks that shit around Edward to keep him out of her head. I know I'd do my damndest to keep some sort of privacy."
He leaned down and brushed my lips with his. "You're a smart woman, Bella Swan," he whispered in my ear as we started walking toward the elevator.
"Don't get me wrong, Jasper," I teased as we rode up. "I'm not promising to be besties with her or anything, but I can share airspace with her for short visits."
We entered the apartment, greeting Emmett who was playing XBOX. "Rose isn't back yet," he said absently. "She left instructions for you though, Bella. Something about getting you presentable to go out in public," he said apologetically as he handed me a sheet of paper filled with elegant script.
"Bitch," I sighed without heat. Scanning the instructions, I realized it was mostly stuff I would have done on my own. Standing up on my tiptoes, I pressed a kiss to the bottom of Jasper's chin. "This is going to take awhile, I'd better get started before the fashion Nazi gets back."
"Come here, you," he growled as he picked me up and pulled me against him for a long kiss before setting me down and smacking me on the ass. "Now, get to work," he ordered with a smile.
I hit the shower and spent the next two hours shaving, tweezing and blow drying. For the most part, I followed Rosalie's orders, but I modified several details to suit my outfit as I prepped. Rather than teasing my hair out as Rosalie had directed, I twisted tight, tiny braids up each side toward the middle of my head, creating a sort of Mohawk effect. I piled on the standard heavy eye make-up, finishing with a hot red lipstick.
Wrapping a towel around myself, I exited the bathroom into the bedroom to start putting together my outfit, unaware that I wasn't alone. I walked toward the large walk in closet and started sorting through the hangers as I looked for the leather and vinyl "work clothes" I kept toward the back. Humming absently to myself, I reached into my lingerie drawer and pulled out what I needed to complete the outfit. I reached a hand up to drop the towel and get dressed when Rosalie's dry voice caused me to jump.
"Whoa there, Bella. Apparently you're hot shit now, but I don't need to see your junk up close and personal," she said from the bed where she was perusing yet another magazine.
"No worries, Rosalie. No free shows here, and I get paid up front," I deadpanned as I made my way back to the bathroom to dress. She merely snorted in reply.
I took my time assembling the outfit, grinning at myself once I finished and took a look in the mirror. I hadn't worn this in a long time, as it had proven too prone to gather unwanted attention at work. Jasper's reaction was sure to be interesting, and I was excited to show him.
I opened the door and stepped back out into the bedroom, taking in the sight of Rose finishing her own preparations. She was strikingly beautiful as always, her blonde tresses curled into tight spirals, perfectly highlighting her cherry red leather tank dress against her ivory skin. The short skirt was complemented by matching red above-the-knee boots with four inch heels.
"Not bad, Hale. I wasn't sure you could pull off anything less than couture, but you did fine," I said wryly.
She raised an eyebrow at me as she gazed back at me through the mirror she was standing in front of. "I have to say, I'm impressed with you too, Bella," she admitted grudgingly as she took me in. "I planned on devoting major effort on you tonight, but you'll do as you are. Assuming Jasper lets you out the door that way, anyway."
"I'm afraid the last person I awarded wardrobe veto privileges to was Alice, Rosalie, so he'll have to live with it, I'm afraid," I said in a brisk tone as I opened to door to the living room. The guys were seated on the sofa playing XBOX again. They were both dressed in black T-shirts with black jeans and shoes. Jasper's hair almost glowed against the dark fabric of his shirt as he whipped his head toward me.
Jasper was silent as he evaluated my appearance, but Emmett let out a low whistle. "Lookin' good, Bella Baby," he said softly. I made no reply, caught up in watching Jasper stand and stalk slowly toward me, his eyes dark and his expression unreadable. He drew his eyes over me from head to toe, taking in my faux-hawk before lingering on how my tits were almost popping out of the white, lace-up corset top I was wearing. My black leather mini skirt fell to mid thigh length, where it was set off by a pair of white fishnet garter stockings that disappeared into my trusty lug sole knee boots.
I kept my expression stern, matching his. "See something interesting, Mr. Whitlock?" I asked in a low voice.
"Several things, as a matter of fact, Miss Swan," he replied in his silken whisper. He began to lean down to me, when Rosalie's acidic voice cut in.
"Well, what's the verdict, Jasper? Is little Bella allowed out to play?" she asked in a sing-song tone.
A flash of annoyance crossed his features before he raised his head to smile at her. "Pretty sure it's not my call, Rose," he replied smoothly. "But if she decides to go play, I'll be there to supervise the playground," he smirked.
I pulled him back down for a quick kiss before letting him go. "Let's go, vampires," I ordered as I headed for the door. They were all behind me in a flash and we headed out. We drove to the club in separate cars, as Emmett had informed Jasper that he and Rosalie would be checking into a hotel for the night. Jasper managed to keep a neutral face while he told me, but my own grin was a mile wide.
The club was already busy when we entered, despite the relatively early hour. Emmett tried to tempt me with a variety of alcoholic beverages, but I wasn't about to get trashed for the first time in front of Rosalie, so I told him I would stick to water tonight. He pouted, but Jasper looked almost relieved at my decision.
The club was full of the typical rave crowd jumping up and down to typical rave music. Not my favorite dance tunes, but I wasn't about to be picky about my first evening out in forever. I pulled Jasper out onto the crowded dance floor and we joined the mass of bodies bouncing in time with the trippy dance music.
I looked up over my shoulder at him and he rolled his eyes at me in amusement. "Don't blame me!" I yelled over the music. "It was Rosalie's idea to come here!" I felt his answering laugh against my back and started shaking my ass up against him. His laugh turned into a growl as he pulled me up closer against him. Licking my lips, I turned around to face him, continuing to grind into his hard dick as I moved.
He lifted me effortlessly up and I wrapped my legs around his waist as our lips met for a wet kiss. I noticed he was continuing to move us in rhythm to the music as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. The cool sensation sent quivers down to my belly and I reached both hands up to pull on his hair as I let my legs slide back down to stand again.
"Christ, Bella," he groaned out as he broke away from my mouth.
"Huh?" I answered brilliantly, confused at his reaction. I followed his gaze below my face, smirking when I saw the problem. My hands were still reaching up to his hair, squeezing my breasts out of the straining fabric close to the point of indecency. "You like, Jasper?" I teased breathily.
"When I get you alone tonight, I will demonstrate how much I like, Bella," he promised, his eyes burning into mine.
"Get a room, for fuck's sake," Rosalie shouted at us from a few feet away.
"Whatever, Rosalie," I answered hotly. "Half the people in here are doing worse. In fact, I'm pretty sure that chick is going down on that guy on the dance floor."
"Where?" Emmett demanded intently, dragging Rosalie off to investigate.
"Good work, Swan," Jasper complemented me as we began grinding on each other again.
"Thanks, I'm very results oriented," I purred back at him.
We made it two more hours at the club before the combination of weird music and public fondling became enough. We said 'good night' to Emmett and Rosalie, making plans to see each other in the morning before they returned home.
Jasper was silent on the ride home, making no move to touch me, and I began to worry that the intense mood had been ruined. My fears disappeared when he picked me up and wrapped my legs around him as soon as we walked in the door, slamming it behind him with his foot.
Moaning, I kissed my way up his neck and met his mouth with mine. We were in the bedroom and on the bed in a flash, his lean body pressing into mine against the stacked pillows. Without breaking the kiss, he had my boots of in a second, skimming his hand along the rough fishnet stockings.
I pulled on his shirt and he allowed me to tug it over his head. I ran my hands over his defined arms and torso, moaning as he moved his mouth down my neck. He began licking at my collar bone, moving lower and lower to the swell of my breasts above the corset. I shivered in pleasure as he traced a cool fingertip just over the top of the fabric when I felt a strong tug as he jerked the laces apart. Suddenly freed from the corset, my breasts fell into his hands as he started caressing them gently.
Just as I was becoming frustrated by the soft contact, he reached my nipples, pinching and twisting with the perfect pressure. There was nothing I could do to stop myself from grinding my core into his thigh. "Jasper," I moaned helplessly, needing more and desperate not to back off tonight. "Please," I gasped as he moved his mouth to suck on one nipple.
He made no reply, but moved his hand slowly down my back and over my ass. His hand crept underneath my skirt and I gasped at the sensation of the cool temperature through my lacy boy shorts.
He shifted his weight to the side and released my nipple from his mouth as he dragged his hand over my hip, playing with the edge of my panties. My thighs fell open of their own accord, and I allowed my upper body to fall back against the pillows. His fingertips crept slowly over the damp fabric covering me, moving closer and closer to my center. "Please," I whispered again, my eyes closing tight.
Finally, I felt his finger pressing into me just where I needed it. He pushed firmly down onto my clit before circling slowly around it over the soft lace. I pressed myself urgently into his hand, my body automatically guiding him. "Look at me, Bella," he said in a low voice.
I forced my eyes open to meet his and then looked down to see his finger stroking me over top of my lingerie. Over and over, he stroked my throbbing clit, changing the pressure randomly. My moans were echoing through the room and I helplessly rubbed myself against his fingertip. I felt my muscles begin to tighten and tingles began to run between my legs. His eyes darkened to ebony and he brought his free hand to my breast and firmly pinched the nipple. I screamed his name as my orgasm rippled through me, rocking my clit against his finger to prolong the waves of pleasure I was experiencing.
He leaned down to press a soft kiss against my lips as I came down from my high, and I moaned his name against his lips.
"That was beyond anything, Jasper," I panted heavily as I ran my fingers through his hair. "I mean, I've done it to myself, but that was a million times better. I had no idea it could be that way."
His eyes were still dark with desire, but a soft smile graced his lips. "You're beautiful when you come, Bella," he said slowly as he shifted his body slightly away from mine.
I felt an immediate wave of guilt. "What about you?" I asked quickly. "Can I make you feel good too?" I suggested eagerly as I sat up.
He shook his head at me as his smile widened. "Not a good idea tonight, Sweets. I need to get used to touching you like that before I know I can control myself when you reciprocate."
I growled at his declaration and he laughed out loud. "Now don't get impatient, Sugar," he drawled in a heavy accent. "That just means we have to practice a little more."
He dropped the accent and grew more serious as he spoke again. "So Bella, I'm not trying to push you for information, but as we keep making progress, I feel like I need to know what else you've done before," he finished in a hesitant tone.
I rushed to answer, eager to reassure him that I wasn't upset at the question. "It's fine, Jasper, it's fine. The simple answer is I've had sex exactly once. There was no foreplay, it was just a quick fuck."
His eyes tightened in anger, and again I rushed to reassure him. "It wasn't violent, and I'm glad he didn't touch me or anything. I didn't want his hands on me, it would have been unbearable," I admitted. "Everything you're doing is all brand new to me, and I'm loving every second of it," I breathed out. "Don't start trying to back off just because I screwed a loser over six months ago!"
His eyes relaxed and he pulled me into his lap as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Relax, Bella. I'm not gonna back off, I just wanted to know if anything would bring back bad memories, that's all. Now you need to start getting ready for bed, it's late and you need to sleep some before we meet Rose and Emmett."
I groaned as I realized that undoing my appearance would take almost as long as creating it had. I threw on his T-shirt as I headed to the bathroom to wash off the heavy makeup. He was kind enough to help me unbraid my hair, so I was tucked up against him in bed before I knew it.
"I love you," I whispered with my eyes closed, rubbing my face against his chest.
"I love you too, Bella," he murmured into my hair. I smiled at the words and fell quickly into a relaxed sleep.
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AN-
Okay, don't hold back now! How much do you love me, huh? I was so jazzed about all the reviews from last chapter that I busted ass! Now, in all honesty, let me know about the chapter length. I could have divided it into two shorties, but I was lazy! So, let me know if this was too much, and next time I won't be lazy I hope the lemon zest was enjoyable, we're getting closer!
Mynxi, my sweet Mistress Mynxi, there are no words for how much I love you. You are my serenity!
Love to my regular review crew, you guys are the reason for the early post!
I found a fic I'm totally in love with called The Handcuff Bracelet by Lykosdracos. It's AH Edward/Bella, set in highschool. Tough guy Edward and a REALLY unique tough girl Bella. Check it out and leaver her some love!
And finally, A Moment is now up at The Writer's Coffee Shop Library in case of any interference at .
Love to you all!