A/n: I'm sorry for making a few of you cry. Trust me that I cried while writing most of this story. It was a bit therapuetic for me when I wrote it last month.

This is the last update of the day.

WARNING: There is a small bit of abuse at the beginning.

BTW, there is a DRABBLE WAR going on between me (A Love Unbound), Kitkat681 (Guilt) and JA Mash (THe not so secret life of a security guard)...it's been a lot of fun today and offers a more light-hearted story from me, if you are interested.

Ch10

I awoke to a knee in my kidney, "Who the fuck is Bella?" Tanya's drunk voice slurred loud in my ear as she yanked my hair back.

"Wha...what?" I screeched, my voice still thick from sleep.

"I did not stutter, Edward? Who. The. Fuck. Is. Bella?" She yanked my hair again.

"She...she's the neee...new attorney at woooo...work." I managed to stutter out through my pain.

"Oh that's fucking classic you moron. You have a crush on the new bitch in heat at the office. I suppose I need to stop by your office tomorrow to meet this slut since you were whimpering her name in your sleep." She pushed me away and crawled over to her side of the bed.

"I'll make sure that little whore knows that you belong to me, rest assured of that." Tanya said hatefully as she yanked all the covers and turned over.

I laid there and screamed inside my head. I can't let her meet Bella. I can't let her touch Bella.

I have to protect her.

I lay in the dark for hours as I tried to think of some way to get Bella out of the office for the day.

I got up before my alarm went off and took a shower, careful not to burn the scratches down my back.

I couldn't clean them by myself and I had noone to trust to do it for me, I just hoped I could keep them clean with soap and water. I would have to wear an undershirt with my dress shirt in case they bled through.

I had cleaned up last night before I went to bed and thankfully Tanya hadn't made to much of a mess in her drunken state when arrived home early this morning.

I noticed Bella's car in the parking garage as I pulled into my spot. It was two hours before the office opened so I was curious as to what she was doing in so early.

I met her in the breakroom as I went to grab a cup of coffee, "Good Morning, Edward." Her voice was tired and weary.

It immediately made the hairs stand on the back of my neck. "What's wrong, Bella?"

She eyed me, sadness pooled in her beautiful brown eyes. "One of the runaways that I was trying to place was killed last night. I've been trying to locate his parents since last night." She sighed as she plopped down on the sofa.

"I'm sorry to hear that, do you need help with anything?" I volunteered without thinking of what I had just offered.

I immediately regretted that decision.

"Could you go through his paperwork and see if you can find anything for me? I'm afraid I'll be out of the office most of the day as I try to track down a few boys I know of that he ran in a gang with."

I secretly jumped up and down inside. She wouldn't be here for the freak show that was Tanya.

"How are you this morning, Edward?" Bella said as she turned her attention to me.

"Me? Oh, I'm fine." I replied, suddenly feeling the heat from her gaze.

"Hmmmhmmm." She said as she took a sip of coffee.

"Well, I better get started for the day." I said quietly and stood to leave the room.

Bella was lost in thought and just nodded to me as I walked out of the room.

Three hours later I was going through client charts to file when Tanya burst into my office. "Hi darling, I'm here!" She announced loudly so that noone in the office missed her arrival.

I cringed and pinched my nose. "Hello, Tanya."

She walked in and walked around my desk to sit in my lap, only to add to the blatant display she had hoped to achieve.

Suddenly, Bella knocked on my wide open door and then stepped into my now crowded office space.

Fuck. I tensed under the evil woman that sat on my lap.

"Oh, sorry, Edward, I didn't realize you had company." She paused and met my eyes, "But I remembered that I forgot to give you the name of that client this morning." She said as she eyed Tanya with an almost jealous look on her face.

"Edward, aren't you going to introduce me?" Tanya said in her sickly sweet voice and wrapped her hands around my neck tighter.

"Bella Swan please meet Tanya Denali." I said quietly, unable to look Bella in the eyes.

"Pleased to meet you I'm sure," Bella's voice was off but I didn't dare look at her with Tanya scrutinizing everything going on between our interaction.

"I'm his girlfriend, Ms. Swan, which he failed to mention." Tanya said as she twirled my tie and made eye contact with me.

Tanya was angry and her eyes were on fire.

"Well, Edward, I'll come back later to give you that information." Bella said and abruptly left my office.

"Mission accomplished." Tanya said with a smirk as she stood up and straightened up her clothes.

A/n: see you tomorrow...