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Investment Protection - a broad economic term referring to any form of guarantee or insurance that investments made will not be lost, this may be through fraud or otherwise.

Chapter 20

(EPOV)

"James, this is Edward. I'm calling regarding the Whitlock account. I haven't heard from you in a few days and I want to make sure everything's in order for our meeting later this week. Call me back as soon as you get this."

There are no formalities or common courtesies needed. Besides, the more things I say, the greater the chance I have of revealing something I shouldn't. I want him to think that I'm genuinely concerned and calling to check in. The truth is that I am genuinely concerned, only not about him, but about the sleeping beauty tucked into my side. If I knew James' whereabouts and what he was thinking, I'd be able to protect Bella better. My instincts are better than most, but there's no way for me to predict what he's going to do and where or when he'll finally show up . . . if he'll show up.

That's what scares me—the unknown. It's the only thing I have no control over. I can't protect Bella against something I can't predict or can't see coming. At this point, James is a rogue missile. Where he'll land, nobody knows.

Bella begins to move in her sleep, making quiet noises as she does. It's not talking, per sé, it's more mumbling, but every once in a while my names slips through her lips, making my dead heart feel as if it's coming back to life. Being with Bella—loving Bella—is the closest I've felt to human in the last thirty years.

I pull the blanket up tighter around her and pull her closer against me. Looking down at her peaceful face as she sleeps, I can't help but touch her. My lips brush hers and then move to her soft cheek. Gently kissing her closed eyelids, I whisper that I love her.

Even now, weeks after I first realized my feelings for her, I still don't know what that means. How am I supposed to act? What am I supposed to do?

As I hear the blood being pumped through her heart and into her arteries, I'm reminded of how fragile she is, which takes me back to the conversations we had when we were at my house in Bellevue. Part of me wishes I could keep her hidden there—deep in the woods, away from danger. But, unfortunately, I can't. My business can't run itself, and I wouldn't be able to rest until James is behind bars or dead. I really couldn't care less which, just as long as he's not around to hurt Bella—or anyone else, for that matter. I've never been the noble type, but having Bella's mortality on the line puts me on edge. I know that she's thought about becoming like me, but I can't fathom putting her through that kind of pain. It conflicts with my deepest, utmost desire of protecting her. Yet, the best form of protection would be to make her immortal.

My soul—if I still have such a thing—is at war.

I notice a small ray of light coming through the heavy drapes and look over at the clock on the nightstand. It's almost seven o'clock and it's hard for me to believe that six hours have passed. It feels like it was only a few minutes ago that Bella drifted off to sleep after I ravished her body into exhaustion.

Before Bella, nights seemed long and lonely. But with her here, I'm always a little disappointed when the dawn begins to break, because I enjoy the quiet of the night when I can simply watch her sleep.

I've memorized her—every dip, slope, and curve. I've even counted every freckle.

Nighttime is also when I feel as if she's the most protected. With her tucked safely into my side, I feel as though I truly can shield her from the dangers of the world around us. During the day, it's a different story. She's such a force to be reckoned with—a frighteningly beautiful force—it's as if I'm constantly fighting a battle of wills.

Quietly, I slip out of bed and pick up the phone to order room service for her. I've decided that I'm going to ask her to move in with me permanently this morning, over breakfast, so I order French toast and pancakes, because I'm going to need all the help I can get. Bella loves sweets; even though most foods completely disgust me, the taste of syrup on Bella's body is something I can tolerate . . . fuck that, I can more than tolerate it—I actually crave it.

I know she'll have a case against why she can't move in with me, which will mostly have to do with Alice and Bella's need to take care of her, but I'm hoping I can persuade her to see things my way.

BPOV

It's been five days since I last saw Alice. We've spoken on the phone twice, just to check in with each other, but we're well overdue for a face-to-face visit.

Edward seemed a little tense when I told him I'd be going to meet Alice at a café close to our apartment. I don't know if it's because he's worried about me or what, but regardless of his feelings, I still have a life outside this penthouse. I've been feeling a bit claustrophobic the last couple of days, needing some fresh air and a slice of normalcy.

He's been doing some work from the hotel, mostly phone calls and internet chats, but I know that can't last forever. He'll eventually have to go back into the office on a regular basis, and what will that mean for me? I can't sit around watching soap operas and eating bon-bons all day. That's not me—that's not who I am. I brought it up briefly to Edward, but his reaction was one of irritation. Edward's on edge because James is still on the loose, with nobody knowing exactly what his next plan of action will be. I tried to convince him that James doesn't know that I'm tied to the sting, but Edward wouldn't be convinced. He says that I don't give James enough credit, and that he's smarter than I realize. I know that's true. I know that James could very well have seen me on more than one occasion, but I refuse to live my life in fear. And, if given the chance, I'd still love nothing more than to take him down. Friend or foe, he should pay for what he did to Tanya.

Edward makes daily calls to James, and I can't help but listen in on them. He's so well-trained in keeping his emotions in check; I know that if James is listening to the messages, there's no way he'd ever assume that Edward knows anything about what happened a week ago. Edward keeps the messages very professional, mostly updating him on business-related topics. In the message he left this afternoon, Edward did mention he was worried that he hadn't heard from him. He made sure to lighten the situation by saying that he was sure that James was just busy or had skipped the country with some hot blonde. That thought made my skin crawl. Either way, he asked James to call him promptly. Whether he will or not, I don't know.

"If you insist on going out, please let McCarty escort you," Edward says, exhaling forcefully from where he's leaning against the door frame of the bedroom.

"That really isn't necessary; I'm sure he has much better things to do with his day than drive me across town and sit in the car while Alice and I talk for God knows how long!" I exclaim, giving myself a once-over in the mirror before turning to face him.

"Bella," he warns, pinching the bridge of his nose, a habit of his that's associated with frustration. I'm quickly learning to let him have his way because he's relentless; arguing with him is exhausting and usually ends in make-up sex, which I don't have time for. As I glance at my phone, I realize that I only have fifteen minutes before I'm to meet Alice.

Having McCarty drive me would be faster than taking a taxi or waiting on the bus.

I'll let him think he won this one.

"Fine, McCarty can drive me, but could I at least call him when I'm ready to leave? There's really no reason for him to sit there and wait on me." I can see the obstinance in his stance and glare, but he agrees, making me promise that I'll call him or McCarty if anything comes up, and I consent. I'll at least do that—I may be stubborn, but I'm not stupid.

No matter my need for freedom and independence, I hate that Edward worries about me, so whatever I can do to take that burden off him, I'll do it. And, even though I hate feeling like I have a babysitter, at least it's McCarty. It could be worse. Edward could enlist the services of his sister again. At that thought, shivers run up my spine.

I turn and place a gentle, yet lingering kiss on Edward's lips, thanking him for the compromise.

As we pull up in front of the small, hole-in-the-wall restaurant, I see Alice's unruly, black hair. She's sitting at the table by the window, with her nose in a thick book. Knowing her, she is so engrossed in her alternate universe that she doesn't even know what time of day it is and probably wouldn't even know if I didn't show up, until something drew her attention back to the real world.

"Thanks again for driving me," I tell McCarty, grabbing my bag and opening the door.

"Bella, it's my job, but I'd do it even if it weren't," he says, grinning at me over the front seat. "You better call me when you're ready to leave," he pointedly reminds me.

I huff out my frustration with this whole situation, but don't say anything, silently rolling my eyes.

"If you love me at all, you'll be a sweetie and make the call."

I laugh as I'm getting out of the car. I wouldn't want to get McCarty in trouble . . . not today, anyway. The wrath of Edward is something I wouldn't wish on anybody, except for James and all the other evil people in the world.

Speaking of Edward, I realize I now face a difficult conundrum.

What the hell am I going to tell Alice about Edward?

One thing I know for sure, I can't lie. Alice can spot a lie coming from my lips a mile away. She should consider a job with the FBI, as her bullshit detector is strong. Whatever I tell her will have to be the truth, just not the whole truth.

"Bella, you can't tell anyone that vampires exist, not even Alice."

Edward's words come back to me as I open the door of the restaurant, the bell above my head ringing. Alice's eyes manage to tear away from her book long enough to see me, and she's out of her seat and hugging my neck, before I can get all the way in the door.

"I've missed the shit out of you!" she says, not letting go.

"It's only been a week, Alice," I say, laughing and hugging her back just as tightly. Damn, how I've missed her!

"I know, but it feels like forever."

After we order and get all the formalities out of the way, Alice's face falls slightly and I know she has something on her mind.

"What's up?"

"Well, there's something I need to talk to you about and, to be honest with you, it's making me fucking sick to my stomach." She groans, leaning over onto the table.

"Alice, whatever it is, you know you can tell me. Come on, just rip it off like a bandaid," I coax, her tone and dramatics freaking me out a little.

"Jasper asked me to move in with him," she quickly spews out, sitting wide-eyed across from me.

"Why is that bad? Alice! That's great! Really!" I exclaim, as I reach across the table to grab her hands, relief flooding my body. For a minute, I thought something was really wrong, but this is the best news that I ever expected to hear. She really has no idea how great this is. It puts so many of my worries at ease, and it'll make Edward happy when I tell him that I'll stay with him . . . indefinitely. Alice is the only reason I didn't immediately say yes when he asked me this morning. I couldn't just leave her high and dry. I have to know that she's taken care of and out of harm's way, so her moving in with Jasper is the answer to my prayers.

"Are you sure? I told him that I definitely wouldn't even consider it if you're not OK with it. I mean, it's been me and you for so long, and I would never leave you alone! I just couldn't do that—"

"Alice!" I say, cutting her off. "You're not leaving me alone. I have Edward. I can stay with Edward."

"In his penthouse?" she asks, as confusion and another layer of worry cover her face.

"It's not the only place that he stays," I reply, "but, I'm sure I could stay at the penthouse."

"As a paid employee?"

"No. As, well—" I say, pausing, because I don't really know what we are. We haven't discussed it. 'Girlfriend' sounds too casual for what I feel for him. He's confided his deepest and darkest secrets to me and I can't imagine taking another breath without him. Just thinking about it makes me rub my chest over my heart and, suddenly, I realize that I miss him. Even though I just saw him—just kissed him, even—only a little while ago, my chest aches at the distance between us . . . I just want to be near him.

"Are you OK?" Alice asks, her voice low and concerned.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

"You didn't finish what you were saying. Tell me about you and Edward," she says, settling back into her chair.

I tell her everything that I can, trying somehow to convey the strength and depth of my feelings, without telling her too much—without telling her that I already feel completely bound to him, that I want to be his for eternity. Of course, she has no idea that I mean that in the literal sense.

Alice watches me, her eyes searching for any trace of doubt or fear on my part, but finds none. I can see it on her face when she realizes that for the first time in my life, I'm in love with someone. Tears pool in her eyes, threatening to spill onto her cheeks the first time she blinks. Instantly, I go to her, not wanting to upset her or make her feel sad.

"What's wrong, Alice?" I ask, kneeling down in front of her chair, and not caring who's watching.

The most vivid smile breaks out across her face, as tears fall down her cheeks. "Nothing," she whispers, "absolutely nothing. For the first time, in my life, I feel hope—like things might actually work out for us." She wipes the moisture from her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I've always tried to figure out a way, somehow, that this could all end happily. In my mind, every scenario always ended in heartbreak . . . or worse," she says, looking down at her hands, and I know she's thinking about Tanya and about how that could have been one of us.

I hug her tightly, assuring her that everything will be fine. I have no guarantee, but it's useless to dwell on the negatives or the uncertainties.

We make plans to have all our things moved out of the apartment by the end of the week. I tell her not to worry about Aro because I'll take care of the rent and make sure he doesn't give us a hard time for not giving a notice. It's not like we're living in prime real estate or anything, but there's always a waiting list for the apartments we live in, most of them being girls who work for Aro. I've always been surprised at how he's let us live there that long. The only logical reason he hasn't kicked us out is that he's always thought he'd wear us down, or somehow force us into working for him, which was never going to happen. Working for Aro is the equivalent of selling your soul to the devil. Alice and I made a promise to each other that no matter what happened, we'd never work for him. We'd rather live on the streets, than be tied to him. He keeps his girls drugged and takes more than half their pay. It's no way for anybody to live.

I make Edward and McCarty happy by calling for a ride home. McCarty drops Alice off at Jasper's condo, making sure she's safely inside the building, and then takes me back to the hotel. By the time we pull up out front, I feel like sprinting up the twenty-one flights of stairs to get to Edward. I've missed him.

When the elevator reaches the twenty-first floor, the door to the penthouse opens simultaneously. A smirk forms on my lips, as I think about him anxiously waiting for me—missing me as much as I miss him. A week ago, this would have seemed like a strange coincidence, but now I know that he was listening for me. I'm still not used to the idea of Edward being a vampire, but it fascinates me, all the same.

"You were gone too long," he utters, his eyes hooded, as he leans against the open door.

"I was only gone a few hours," I tease, but know good and well that I completely understand his statement. Every cell in my body is on high alert as I inch closer to him.

"Three hours is too long," he says, looking down at me through his long lashes, his voice penetratingly deep.

He licks his lower lip, pulling it between his teeth, causing my breath to catch in my throat. Leaning into him, I place a soft, open-mouthed kiss on his jaw, slowly working my way up to his ear.

"Entirely too long," I agree, gripping the front of his shirt with my fists.

For the next couple of hours, Edward shows me just how much he missed me, first with his fingers, then with his cock—he's equally skilled in both areas.

As we lie on the couch in the living room, staring out at the city through the large windows, I drift off into a semi-conscious state. Edward's fingers make soft trails up my side and then back down, occasionally venturing off course to circle around my breast. He mentions something about my need to eat, but I can't think of doing anything other than what I'm doing right now—co-existing with him.

"Edward?"

"Yes?" he replies, continuing his pattern over my skin.

"I'm going to move in with you," I announce lazily.

"I knew you would see things my way," he croons, leaning over to place a gentle kiss on my temple.

"Alice is moving in with Jasper," I continue, speaking in choppy sentences, my eyes fluttering closed from time to time.

"See, I told you everything would work out," he says, assuredly.

Suddenly, Edward's motions halt, his body going rigid.

"Bella, go put some clothes on. Now!" he seethes, his demeanor making a complete one-eighty.

"What's wrong?" I ask, confused about his immediate mood change.

"Please do as I ask," he says, staring at the door. His voice is calmer, but I can tell something's wrong from the hunch of his shoulders and the way he's methodically breathing in and out through his nose.

"You're scaring me," I whisper, taking a few steps toward the bedroom.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he says, one second sitting on the couch and the next standing in front of me. His hands come up and softly brush my shoulders. "I didn't mean to frighten you, but please go put some clothes on. We have company—"

Before Edward can finish his statement, I hear a loud knock at the door. Both of us turn our heads toward the noise, but neither of us moves for a moment. I have no idea who's there, but I know that Edward does. I can see it written all over his hard expression. He knows exactly who it is at the door and he's not happy about it.

I quickly escape to the bedroom and throw on the first items of clothing I can find. The thought crosses my mind that perhaps I should stay in the confinement of the bedroom, and let Edward handle whatever's going on in the front room, but my curiosity gets the better of me.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, I place my ear up to the closed door, trying to hear any sign of conversation or confrontation, but there's nothing.

When I crack open the door and begin walking out, my heart jumps out of my chest. My vision narrows, forcing me to brace myself on the partially-opened door. The movement catches both of their eyes, as they simultaneously look in my direction—one filled with worry and maybe a little fear, and the other with curiosity and possibly a hint of recognition.

I notice the way Edward sweeps his gaze back to our guest, his control impeccable. His voice is steady and his hands are shoved inside the pockets of his pants, showing no outward signs of his true emotions.

"James," Edward acknowledges.

A/N:

Jenny Kate: Dun dun dun . . . was that who you were expecting?

Jiff: Are you referring to James at the end of the chapter or are you asking the readers if they were surprised to finally get an update? :-)

Jenny Kate: Both! LOL. But it's not like we've been total slackers! We've been busy!

Jiff: It's true! We've written for two different contests, plus the quick fic that we started posting yesterday...anything else I'm missing, JK?

Jenny Kate: We're working on one other contest entry . . . and I think that's about it! But it's enough!

Jiff: So, don't fret! We haven't gone anywhere or stopped writing! We do have an announcement to make! *clears throat* We are Jiffy Kate and we are….review reply failures. Whew! It feels good to admit that. Now, we just have to commit to being better...you know, like we used to be!

Jenny Kate: I've been trying! I'm almost caught up on the review replies for Removed, our new quick fic, and I promise *holds up two fingers* to do better from here on out. Hoor's honor.

Jiff: We do read every single review - some of them, a few times - and we love and appreciate them all. We just got to a point where it was either replying or writing and we assumed you lovely people would rather we keep writing.

Jenny Kate: Bella Donna is up for FOTW at The Lemonade Stand again this week and we'd love your vote! You can find the link to the poll on our FB page or our Twitter feeds . . . or go to .net -it is spelled incorrectly on purpose.

Jiff: Lastly, we have entries in the Age of Edward and Dior Rob contests and, if you're looking for some great O/Ss, you should check them out! Don't read just for US (we can't tell you which ones are ours anyway), read all of them because they're so good! LOL Thank you, also, to anyone and everyone who nominated and/or voted for us in the TwiFic Fandom Awards! We were completely shocked!

Mauigirl60 is our amazing beta and she so totally rocks!