A/N: It's Wednesday somewhere, right?

Big thanks to my ladies Sherry, Paige, Tiffany & Cristina for their help.

As always, thanks for your reviews/follows/favs x x

Chapter 16

I must have fallen asleep at some point because I woke up with my head on Edward's lap. The room was dark, but I could tell by his deep breathing that he was sound asleep. I gently got off the sofa, trying my best not to wake him and headed through to the kitchen, turning on the lights as I went. I looked in the fridge, knowing that I should probably eat. I hadn't eaten since yesterday, but I didn't see anything I liked. So I settled for a can of coke instead. I grabbed a couple of painkillers from the drawer for my headache and headed to one of the various dining tables. I sat with my back to the large window, staring at the can in my hand.

My thoughts dwelled on my parents and how I had left things with them. I would never be able to fix things or take back how I had acted. I prayed that they knew I loved them, and I had only acted out of anger. The truth was I loved them deeply. Yes, I was a spoiled brat and used to getting my own way, especially after Kate had moved out of the house; but after showing them how upset I was about my circumstances, I would have forgiven them because I loved them.

They had always been good parents. Sure, these past few weeks had been hell, but two bad weeks didn't take away from years and years of love, and now that I knew their reasoning, it was a little easier to bear. Though, I do wish my father had come to me, talked to me. I knew the only reason he didn't was because of his pride. He was a proud man, and like Kate had said, he was embarrassed. Embarrassed that he made a mistake, but God knows I would have forgiven him. I wouldn't have thought any less of him. If only he had come to me.

The truth was I knew I had been unreasonable these past two weeks. It wasn't like I didn't know an arranged marriage was in my future. I had merely acted out because things hadn't gone down the way I had planned, but my father had never made me any promises that I would have a marriage like Kate's. I had just assumed that I would because that was what I had wanted. I was sure, in fact, I was more than sure, I was certain that these past two weeks wouldn't have been nearly as bad if I had only tried to work with Edward instead of against him. I had pushed his buttons and he had pushed mine. We had both hit each other and said some pretty nasty things. It wasn't the best start to a marriage, but it was what it was. I honestly wasn't sure where we would go from here. I still hated him in a way, even though I now knew that everything wasn't entirely his fault. He had still treated me unfairly, but I knew he wasn't going anywhere and neither was I. We were stuck with each other for better or worse.

I decided to take a bath to pass the time because sitting here, dwelling on things, I couldn't change certainly wasn't doing me any favors. There was a bathroom downstairs with a large tub and a view of the city. I had wanted to use it since I had moved here, but had always opted to use the shower in my en suite instead for various reasons.

I turned the dimmer switch on to low as I entered the room and began to run the bath. While I was waiting for the water to fill I checked my cell phone to see if Kate had messaged. She hadn't. I hoped that meant she and Garrett were safe. I'll admit I didn't understand why she and Garrett's needed to be alone, partly because I had never been in a relationship myself. I didn't know what it was like being that close to someone. I hoped that I would find out one day. I hoped that Edward would become that someone, because it wasn't as if I could go out and find someone else. He was it for me. Our kind didn't believe in divorce and I honestly didn't think I could survive being stuck in a loveless marriage.

When the bath was ready, I took off my clothes and placed them on the counter before stepping into the warm water. As I began to sit down something outside caught my eye. It was a shadow moving in the darkness. It took me a few seconds before I realized that shadow was a person.

There was someone outside.

Fear gripped a hold of me as my thoughts turned towards the Russians, who were responsible for killing my parents. Was it them? Had they come to kill me too? Had they already gotten to Kate? I let out a strangled cry as I stumbled from the bath, my wet feet slipping on the tiles as I hurried to grab a towel. I wanted to call to Edward for help, but I couldn't seem to find my voice.

I quickly wrapped the towel around me and ran out of the bathroom; hurrying towards the last place I had seen Edward, the living room. I didn't get that far. I found him in the kitchen, with his head stuck in the fridge. He turned to face me as I approached him. His eyes went wide as he looked me over. I could only imagine how I looked. "Isabella, what's wrong?"

"There's someone outside," I cried, looking behind me, half expecting someone to be following me. My heart was pounding and my entire body was shaking. I truly believed we were both in danger.

Edward caught my chin and turned me to face him. "What happened?" he said softly.

"I, uh, I was going to take a bath, and as I was getting in I saw something moving around outside. When I realized that something was someone I came running out here."

Edward sighed, "It was just my security team."

"Security team?" I said, repeating the words. In all the time I had been here I had never known him to have a security team. It had only ever been Marcus and the man at the gate.

"Yeah," Edward replied. "I'm sorry I should have told you. I was going to tell you. I guess with everything that's been going on, it just slipped my mind… I've increased the security around the house for the time being."

I took a deep breath, nodding my head, willing myself to calm down. It was just his security. I should have known that. I gripped the towel, pulling it tighter around me, realizing how stupid I must have looked. My eyes filled with tears as I shook my head. I was an idiot.

"Hey," Edward said, rubbing my arm. "It's okay. There is no need to get upset. You're bound to be on edge with everything that has happened, and I am sorry, I should have told you. I didn't think."

"It's not your fault," I muttered, though I wasn't annoyed with him, only myself.

"Why don't you go and get dressed and I'll make us something to eat?"

I shook my head. "I'm not hungry."

"Maybe not, but you need to eat to keep your strength up," he said, putting his hands on my shoulders and turning me around. "C'mon, I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Okay," I said, sighing in defeat.

"Oh, and Isabella," Edward called after me.

"Yeah?"

"I would appreciate it if you didn't use the downstairs bathroom again, at least while the extra security is here. I don't want my men seeing any more of my wife than they should."

I was sure my face was scarlet as I turned around and walked away from him. Had his men seen me in all my glory? God, I hoped not. Surely they would have had the decency to look away once they saw me in the bathroom running a bath. I hoped so. The lights had been dimmed so maybe even if they had looked they couldn't see anything. I prayed that was the case. God, I was mortified. I would never have gone in there if I knew he had men patrolling outside.

When I returned to the bathroom, I unplugged the bath and turned off the light, collecting my clothes on the way out. I had thought of putting them back on, but I didn't want to risk getting changed in that room again. It would be just as quick to go to my room and change.

As I got dressed, in a strappy top and yoga pants, my thoughts drifted back to how I had reacted to the shadow. It wasn't like me to act that way. I had never been timid in my life, but then I had always felt able to defend myself. When I thought there was someone outside I knew I had no way of protecting myself. I was defenseless. I didn't like it and I didn't like having to go to Edward to save me. I wanted my gun back. I wanted to be able to protect myself. I wasn't sure if Edward would like the idea, but I was more than willing to argue my point.

When I went back into the kitchen, Edward was standing at the stove, with a wok skillet in his hand tossing fresh noodles and vegetables. I had to admit it smelled divine, even if I didn't feel hungry.

"Take a seat," he said, glancing at me. "It'll be ready in a minute."

"Actually," I said, shifting from foot to foot, wondering how he was going to react. I thought I might as well get it over with now. "There was something I wanted to say." Edward motioned for me to continue. "I was thinking about it and I would like my gun back and before you say no, you really had no right to take it in the first place. My father-"

"Okay."

"Okay?" I said, surprised that he had agreed so easily.

"Okay," Edward said, nodding.

"Aren't you going to say no?" I asked, confused.

"Do you want me to say no?"

"No."

"Well then, no, I'm not going to say no," he said, smirking at me. "Are you going to sit down?" he asked, motioning towards the counter. "Or do you want the gun now?"

"I, uh, would like it now," I said, figuring I should get it back sbefore he changes his mind.

Edward turned off the stove and sat the wok down, motioning for me to follow him. He led me down the hall to his office, where he crossed the room to a large landscape painting. He pulled it back to reveal a safe, which he opened with a few twists of the dial. "I want you to know," he said as he retrieved my gun, and turned to face me. "I am only giving you this back for your peace of mind. I don't intend for you to ever need it. I plan to do everything within my power to keep you safe. As your husband, I am willing to lay my life down for yours."

"I, ah." I didn't know what to say. What did you say to that? I was speechless. I was a stranger to him and yet he was willing to die for me. Why? It didn't make sense. Yes, I was his wife, but it wasn't as if I wasn't replaceable, not to him at least. I was sure he knew me just as well as the next woman to come along, into his life.

"Shall we go and eat?" Edward asked, placing the gun in my open hand. He walked out of the room, not waiting for an answer. I stared after him for several minutes before quietly following him.

One thing was for sure. I didn't know my husband at all.