A/N Regarding the previous chapter, I only have one thing to say. I know most of you are frustrated with Edward, but no matter how horrible Emmett, Esme and Rosalie have been to Bella, they are still his family and it's not easy for him to separate from. A few of you know what I'm talking about, since you've been going through the same thing with your husbands' families.

Oh, and in case you have forgotten, Edward still has quite the temper on him. I'm just reminding you so the second half of this chapter doesn't take you by surprise.

Enjoy!

~~ April 8th, 2012 ~~

~~ 0 ~~

~~ 0 ~~

~~ 0 ~~

I sat on the toilet seat with my face buried in my palms as I cried out my frustration and humiliation.

I was angry; angrier than I had been in a long time. I was mad at Esme, at Emmett, at Rosalie, at Edward, but mostly, I was mad at myself.

I had always considered myself a strong person who didn't take crap from anyone. If I was being attacked, I struck back without thinking twice. However, tonight, my behavior had proven the contrary. As the minutes sluggishly dragged by, I was reminded of how weak and absolutely pathetic I had been during the three hours spent at the Cullen's.

I was utterly disgusted with myself.

I had let those people mock me in the cruelest of ways. I just took a seat back, allowing them to trample my self-respect with the heavy, unmerciful boots of their vanity. Esme had practically called me a worthless orphan, while Rosalie hadn't missed the opportunity of implying that I was only after Edward's money. Instead of defending myself, I had kept my mouth shut, too baffled and perturbed for a witty come back.

That was what bothered me the most; the fact that I had looked feeble in their eyes, which was probably the main reason they had dared behaving so obnoxiously rude in the first place. If I had stood my ground, maybe the outcome would have been different.

On the other hand, Edward's attitude during dinner had me completely discombobulated. To be honest, I had expected him to stand up for me more firmly. Aside from a few frail attempts at parrying his family's offensive remarks, he had been pretty much as passive as I had. I was completely furious. Not at him exactly, but at my own persona. It infuriated me that I had gone to that dinner like an innocent white lamb, expecting Edward to jump to my aid and protect me from the big bad wolf.

It's not like he hadn't warned me about what I was in for. I should have been prepared for a gory confrontation; instead, I had strolled into that house as serene and full of world peace dreams as a hippie from the mid 60's. It had been stupid and fantasist of me to think that Edward was going to suddenly transform into some modern version of Prince Charming and slay the dragon, aka his mother.

I was no damsel in distress. I was Isabella Swan, daughter of Charlie Swan, chief of police. I could take care of myself. My father had taught me the most effective self-defense techniques. Heck, I even knew how to use a shotgun.

Of course, I could neither shoot Esme nor beat her to death, but Dad had also taught me to speak up for myself and never let others intimidate me. And what have I done? I had let her sweep the floor of her luxurious mansion with my dignity.

I was ashamed of myself.

Maybe she was right, after all. I wasn't worthy of her appreciation. There are few things a woman like her has respect for, and I think one of those things is inner strength. It's logical that she wouldn't want her son's other half to be lacking in that department. For all that I knew the whole event had been a strategic test which I had failed with flying colors. There was no one to blame for my failure but my own lame self.

I had underestimated everyone and overestimated myself.

That's not to say Edward couldn't have been more supportive. But I would be a hypocrite to put the blame on him for not getting into a fight with his family because of me. I should have been better at defending myself, and that's that.

At least Carlisle was nice. Maybe if I could win him on my side, I could also win over his wife. But that was something I had no energy left to think about.

As for Emmett and Rosalie, they seemed inoffensive compared to Esme. Of course, they had an important role to play in the whole acceptance thing, but they weren't my biggest concern at the moment. In fact, there was something about Rosalie that felt dissimulated, and I couldn't pinpoint whether the person I met was the real her or a mere façade. I really hoped it was the latter, because I didn't know if I could put up with two harpies at the same time. When it came to despising someone, women were two times scarier and more aggressive than men.

Sometime later -it could have been minutes; it could have been hours- I decided I had moped enough. Getting up from the toilet seat, I groaned as my numb legs almost gave up on me. Straightening up slowly, I dragged my way to the sink, risking a glance in the mirror above it. While my French twist was still pretty much in place, my make-up was ruined. My lipstick was completely gone, my cheeks were tear-stained and I had smudged mascara under my puffy eyes. I looked like a total mess.

Grabbing the bottle of make-up remover I kept on the vanity next to Edward's Givenchy cologne, I started wiping my face with a soft cotton pad. When I was done, I splashed cold water on my face and dabbed myself dry with a towel.

I took a deep breath while looking at my reflection, let my hair down and exited the bathroom with small, tentative steps. Edward wasn't in the living room where I had left him, so I made my way towards his bedroom. I found him lying on his stomach, facing the floor-to-ceiling windows. He must have sensed my presence, because his head suddenly turned in my direction. He jumped to his feet quickly, rushing over to my side but stopping a few feet away as if he wasn't sure whether it was okay to invade my personal space or not.

"Hey," he murmured softly, looking at me warily. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I nodded, pushing past him and sitting on the edge of the bed.

He came to stand in front of me, one of his hands tugging at his hair while the other took refuge in his front pocket. "You had me worried as hell."

"I'm sorry," I said with a sigh. Glancing at the digital clock on the nightstand, I noticed it was almost one a.m., which meant I had been in the bathroom for two hours.

"No, I'm sorry," he said, crunching down and placing his large palms on top of my thighs. "I'm sorry for everything. I shouldn't have let them treat you like that."

"What could you have done?" I replied weakly, although we both knew the answer to that.

He shook his head sadly. "I should have told them all to go fuck themselves."

"Maybe you'll have your chance next time."

"Will there even be a next time?" He peered up at me uncertainly.

Internally, I asked myself the same question. Will there be a next time?

A famous idiom said that if you can't join them, beat them, so that was exactly what I was planning to do.

And yeah, I knew it was the other way around, but I was putting my own personal twist to it.

"She practically threatened to make my life a living hell if I continued seeing you," I answered, and I could see Edward's shoulders sag. After a moment, I added, "I don't know if anyone ever dared defying her. If not, I guess I'll be the first one."

At my words, all tension seemed to leave his body. He let out a sigh of relief, resting his forehead against my stomach as he kneeled on the floor. "That's my girl," he murmured, wrapping his arms around my waist tightly. "Please know that I really am sorry."

"I know," I murmured back, stroking his hair. No matter how angry I had been, I just couldn't stay mad at him. I loved him like I had never loved another man before, and I had no intention of giving him up without a fight.

He looked up at me with remorseful eyes. "I should have scooped you up and left that house as soon as the first biting remark reached my ears. I should've ma-"

I shut him up with a lingering kiss.

"There's nothing you can do now, Edward," I said, pulling back from his moist lips. "Besides, I'm a big girl. I shouldn't hide behind your back and expect you to fight my battles for me."

"This is not your fight. It's ours. What affects you, affects me as well," he stressed, moving to sit beside me on the bed. "I can't believe I let them treat you like they did. I'm a fucking coward."

"Don't talk like that."

"It's the sad truth." He rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "The man you love is the biggest coward on the face of the Earth. I'm unworthy of you."

"Edward, they're your family. I don't expect you to fight with them because of me. Do you honestly think I'm the first woman who's ever had to deal with these kinds of problems?"

"Well, no, but…"

"But what?" I cut him off.

"If I allow the disrespect they showed you tonight continue, in the end they're going to drive us apart."

I nodded; deep inside thrilled that he had realized that. "What are you going to do about it?"

It sounded like a challenge, and it kind of was.

"For starters, I'm going to break off all contact with my mother," he said firmly, taking my left hand into his right one and kissing my knuckles.

I gaped at him, not expecting such radical measures. "Are you serious?"

"Very."

"But, Edward…"

"No," it was his turn to stop me. "It needs to be done in order to prove to her that I'm serious about our relationship. If she can't accept you, I can't be a part of her life either."

"What about your older brother?" I inquired tentatively.

"He'll come around."

"You sound pretty sure," I observed.

"I know him well. His bark is worse than his bite."

We were silent for a minute, during which I drew patterns in his palm with my nail.

"Your father seems nice," I said, trying to put a positive spin on our conversation.

"He is," Edward agreed. "Too bad he married my mother."

"Yeah, how does that work, by the way?" I asked curiously. "They are so different."

He let out a humorless chuckle. "I've been asking myself the same thing all of my life."

"I feel bad that I didn't get to say goodbye to him."

"Don't worry about it," he comforted, circling my waist and bringing me closer to him. "He understands why we left in such haste."

"And Jess…" I trailed off, staring blankly at the wall. "I had a book for her in my clutch that I forgot all about. She's such a good kid; it baffles me that she has such horrible parents."

"Rosalie is not usually like that," he defended, confirming my previous suspicion. "I have no idea what had gotten into her tonight."

We continued talking until approximately two a.m. when he let out a long yawn.

"I'm exhausted," he said, his head resting on my shoulder. "How about we go to bed and hopefully forget everything that has transpired at dinner by tomorrow morning?"

Chuckling, I turned to place a barely-there kiss on the tip of his nose. "Wishful thinking, much?"

~~ 0 ~~

I woke up the next morning to the sun peeking through the heavy curtains. Edward was wrapped around me like ivy, his soft snores filling the peaceful silence of the room. Last night's events came rushing to my mind, and I brushed them off, not wanting to put a damper on my day.

Stretching my arms over my head in order to reaffirm comfortable muscle tone, I felt Edward shift behind me, his long arms tightening around my torso.

I turned onto my other side to face him. "Good morning."

He smiled sleepily, his eyelids halfway open. "I love you."

I grinned in delight. "The feeling is so, so very mutual."

"I'm glad," he breathed, pushing me onto my back and getting on top of me.

His hands pinned mine to the mattress as he began peppering my neck with passionate wet kisses. I sighed and closed my eyes, enjoying his ministrations. After what had happened the previous evening and our minor fight, I needed this. I needed to feel him close; as close as any couple can get in their most intimate moments.

He must have felt the same way, because his hands released mine after a minute, traveled down to my shoulders and squeezed me to him with an air of urgency.

"I love you," he repeated, his voice a mere strangled whisper in my ear.

Shivers ran down my spine.

"I love you, too," I assured him, running my hands over his broad back.

"Look at me," he pleaded, and I obeyed, opening my eyes to see his green ones staring at me ardently.

Slowly, he lifted himself to his knees, his gaze never leaving mine. He took off the plain white t-shirt he usually slept in then proceeded to remove his flannel pants and boxer briefs. As he returned between my parted legs, I noticed that he was already hard.

Picking up the pace, he divested my body of the sheer thong and oversized undershirt I had on. He tossed the clothes to the floor haphazardly, his mouth and hands going straight to my breasts.

I moaned softly, my fingers locking into his reddish locks. He knew me so well that every touch he bestowed upon my skin elicited the most intense sensations. He alternated between each breast, licking and biting at the sensitive nipples until I was incoherent with want. His hand glided between our bodies until he found the sensitive spot above my entrance, starting to rub firm circles with his middle finger, and I spread my legs wider to encourage what he was doing.

He kept up the same rhythmic movements, all the while his luscious lips descending from my breast to my stomach and going up again towards my collarbone and finally wrapping around my own. In no time, I could feel myself getting closer and closer to the desired orgasmic bliss. I came hard; my quiet cry eclipsed by Edward's unrestrained groan. His cheeks were flushed, a clear sign of feverish arousal that could no longer be prolonged.

Unashamedly, I reached down and started stroking his throbbing erection with slow, deliberate caresses, wanting to reciprocate. I looked up into his eyes and saw that his pupils were beginning to dilate alarmingly. Without warning whatsoever, he grabbed my waist and yanked me to his chest, lifting both of us from the mattress. Letting out an embarrassing squeak, I anchored my arms and legs around him, and he chuckled, rising to his feet with me attached to him.

Supporting my weight with one hand, he used the other to hold the back of my neck and plant kiss after kiss upon my lips.

"I want you," he panted, his tone a bit hesitant, almost sounding as if he was asking for permission.

"Then have me," I said, kissing him back.

"In the shower," he replied, starting to walk in the direction of the bathroom.

Before Edward, I had to admit that I had never had shower sex or even bathtub sex. In fact, although I knew what I wanted and what I liked, I had never been too adventurous in that department. It wasn't because I was some kind of prude, but neither one of my two ex-boyfriends had been that great in bed. Mike had been too pushy in a time when I was too inexperienced, while Jacob belonged to the opposite category, refusing to try anything that wasn't missionary or other positions just as boring.

Once in the bathroom, Edward put me down so he could turn on the shower and adjust the water temperature. Then he motioned for me to step into the glass cabin first, slapping my ass playfully as I did so. I loved this vivacious side of him, so as soon as he joined me, I encircled his neck and attacked his mouth vigorously. He responded with equal amount of enthusiasm, and for the first time in many hours, I was glad that I hadn't given Esme the satisfaction of breaking us apart.

His hands rediscovered my body, his erection pressing against my stomach insistently. Once again, I closed my eyes, throwing my head back as his deft fingers found my entrance and his mouth found one of the jugular veins that popped out every time I was overly stimulated. Arching up towards him, my nails dug into his back as a suffering moan escaped me. I was more than ready for him.

"Edward," I whimpered, letting him know.

"I know," he whispered, kissing me through the water that kept falling over us incessantly.

He picked me up again, taking a step forward and pinning me against the transparent wall. Coldness hit my naked back, and I hissed, looking at him, only to see him watching me with such intensity, it made my heart slam against my rib cage violently.

His hard chest pressed against my taut nipples, and without further ado, he parted me with his fingers, aligning himself with my entrance. He thrust inside in one swift motion, and I cried out in both surprise and fulfilled expectation. He held still for a moment, his adoring eyes remaining glued to my face before he pulled out almost all the way and repeated the motion.

I moaned, clinging to him harder and wishing the rush of euphoria I always felt when we were together like this never ended. I started moving against him, meeting him thrust for thrust, and the sensations only grew stronger and more delicious. Our tongues swirled around each other in our own personal version of the timeless and passionate gesture of romantic affection invented by the French.

He was taking, and I was giving.

I was taking, and he was giving.

Pelvis hit against pelvis, causing rough, animalistic sounds to resonate in the confines of the small space. Moans and grunts and groans filled the humid air; the result of an erotic memory in the making. Water cascaded over our joined bodies, blessing our union and acting like a silent witness to a most primal behavior.

It was fervid.

It was zealous.

It was lustful, but ineffably affectionate.

It was simply us.

When I came a second time, he came with me, our harsh breaths mingling between the mere inches that separated our mouths.

Later, he dried me off, wrapped me in his thick, dark blue bathrobe and carried me back to bed. Finding refuge in each other's arms, we kissed some more, making up for last night.

"Edward?" I murmured softly, toying with the elastic band of his flannel pants.

"Hmmm?" he hummed questioningly, placing a peck on my forehead.

"Were you serious about moving in together?" I asked, voicing a thought that had been on my mind since he had mentioned the idea at the family dinner.

"Yes. It doesn't have to be now," he emphasized the last word. "It can be a week, two months or a year from now. Whenever you're ready."

"But… are you ready for such a big step?"

"I am," he replied, running his knuckles over my cheek and offering me a smile. "You have to understand that the older you get, the less you drag on the natural stages of a relationship. I want stability and I feel that with you I can achieve it."

He paused briefly before continuing hesitantly.

"What do you say? Would you consider moving in with me?"

"I guess." I shrugged uncertainly, biting on my lower lip. "But I'm not ready yet, and I don't know when I'm going to be."

I loved him, and the idea of living together was more appealing than I liked to admit, but there were still things we needed to work out before we took such an important step.

He nodded solemnly. "I can cope with that. I'll wait for you, because you're the best thing that has happened to me in years. And I swear to you that I'm never going to allow anyone to destroy what we have built in these wonderful eight months since you came into my life."

I looked at him, searching for reassurance. "Promise me."

"I promise you." He pulled me closer to him. "In a time of darkness, you brought me light and made me feel alive again. You brought new purpose to my life, and for that I'll be forever grateful."

~~ 0 ~~

That afternoon, as I was letting myself into the apartment Angela and I shared, I was genuinely happy. The dinner had been a total failure, but instead of driving us apart, it had the opposite effect. I felt more connected to Edward than ever, and it was all thanks to Esme and her faithful minions.

I hung my coat on the hallstand and tossed my heels to the side, frowning as I glanced down at them. I had hoped that by accepting Edward's offer to take me shopping, I was going to make a better impression. But no, I only gave them more ammunition to attack me. Naïve, stupid Bella.

Not wanting to ruin my good mood, I shook my head of these thoughts and headed towards the living room. Angela was lying on the couch, eating a Twix.

She sat up when she saw me, a few rebel strands falling from her messy bun. "How did it go?"

"How do you think?" I said with a roll of my eyes, joining her on the couch.

"That bad, huh?"

"Yeah." I sighed. "His mother hates me."

"You mean she dislikes you," she rectified, taking another bite of the chocolatey goodness.

"No, I'm pretty sure she absolutely hates me."

"Doesn't she need a good reason for that?"

"Apparently she doesn't." I smiled bitterly. "But I'll tell you all about it later. In other news, Edward asked me to move in with him."

She stared at me blankly. "Say what? His mother is completely against you, and he wants to live together?"

"Yeah."

"Is he insane?" she huffed, her brow furrowing.

When she noticed I was quiet, she tossed the half-eaten Twix on the table and angled her body towards mine. "Please tell me you said no."

Before I had time to reply, she let out an indignant sound. "You said yes? ! "

"I said maybe…"

"What the hell is wrong with you? You barely know him."

"I know him well enough, Angela," I said, getting annoyed. "And it's not like I'm marrying him."

"Marriage is just a formality," she argued. "Moving in with him is like marrying him."

"You're exaggerating. Besides, it's not going to happen for another three or four months, maybe more. On the good side, you and Ben can share the apartment."

"I don't want you gone," she said, her voice taking a softer tonality.

I smiled, patting her thigh and leaning in to kiss her cheek. It was nice to be reminded of how much she truly cared about me, although she rarely expressed it through words.

"Is this what you really want?"

"It is." I nodded, glancing at the TV where The Pirates of the Caribbean was playing. "I love him."

"You're starting to scare the shit out of me," she muttered. "I've never seen you like this."

I looked back at her in surprise. "Like what?"

"So… in love, I guess." She shrugged one shoulder, the scowl she was wearing gradually disappearing. "I really hope it's going to work out for you."

"Yeah, I hope so, too, Ang."

~~ 0 ~~

The following days, everything started to get back to normal. I spent my time between school, work and Edward's condo, the usual, comforting routine reinstalling in our lives.

However, there was something that did change. Every day, starting with Monday afternoon, I received a gorgeous flower arrangement.

On Monday, it was lilies of the valley in a tall glass vase with a card in Edward's handwriting saying return to happiness.

On Tuesday, it was purple hydrangea, white lisianthus, green celosia and hot pink peonies. The card said thank you for understanding.

A green trachelium and black beauty rose arrangement in a golden cube container awaited for me on Wednesday as I stepped through the bookstore's front door. New beginning was written in long, slightly italic letters on a red card. When he made an effort, Edward truly had beautiful handwriting.

The card attached to Thursday's irises contained a single word. Hope.

By the time Friday rolled around, I couldn't wait to see what he had in store for me. I arrived at work well after 3 p.m. flushed and out of breath, expecting to see flowers on the sales counter. But there was nothing there. Kate noticed the frown that immediately overtook my features, and she chuckled quietly, shaking her head in amusement.

"You know, I need to invite you two over for dinner sometime," she said. "I can count on one hand the number of times I exchanged words with the man."

"Yeah," I replied distractedly, tossing my school bag on the counter and starting to shrug out of my jean jacket.

Why didn't he send flowers today?

Is this it?

Should I call him and see if everything is alright?

He said to expect them the entire week. There are three more days until the week is over.

"… that I'm not going to behave like his witch of a mother, right?" Kate's question brought my attention back to her.

"Huh? I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Never mind," she muttered, rolling her eyes at me.

"Sorry," I repeated, scolding myself internally that I was getting paranoid over such an insignificant thing. Maybe he had forgotten about the flowers or maybe he simply wanted to deliver them in person.

I left the bookstore an hour later than usual. Kate and I had ordered pizza and sat on one of the tangier sofas in the reading area, chatting animatedly about everything and nothing.

As we said our goodbyes for the night, the Starbucks across the street caught my eye. I smiled, remembering my first encounter with Edward, and decided that I could use a cup of coffee.

As I stood in line, drumming my fingers against my bag and waiting for my turn, a hand came to rest on my shoulder as someone's warm breath fanned against my ear.

"Hey."

I whirled around at the sound of the masculine voice, surprised to see Angela's coworker staring back at me with a wide grin.

"Dr. Hall, right?"

"That's right." His grin got even wider if that was possible. "It's nice seeing you again."

"Yeah, it's nice seeing you too," I said politely, taking him in. He was dressed casually in jeans, brown suede shoes and a light blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"You know, since the day I met you, all I could think about was that delicious cake you so graciously let me have," he said flirtatiously.

I laughed quietly, crossing my arms over my chest. "Is this supposed to be a pick-up line?"

"Is it working?"

"No."

He tsked, imitating my posture. "That's too bad. I take it you still have a boyfriend?"

"Yes, I still have a boyfriend."

"Damn." He shook his head, putting on sad face. "You're breaking my heart."

I laughed again, arching an eyebrow at him. "Do girls usually fall for the obnoxiousness you're displaying when hitting on them?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Most of them do."

"Well, unfortunately for you, I'm not like most of them."

"I can see that. Maybe that's why I feel so attracted to you."

"Bluntness is not a problem with you, is it?"

He chuckled, his dark irises boring into mine intently. "It's my main quality. That and persistence."

"You consider those qualities?" I said, seeing in my peripheral that it was my turn to place my order. "Coffee, please. Tall," I addressed the barista.

"I'll have the same," he rushed to add, giving the girl a smile worthy of toothpaste commercials. "As a matter of fact, I do, Bella. I never give up when I want something."

The statement along with the way he said my name sounded more like a prediction to our future interactions, and I could feel my cheeks getting warm.

"Have I told you what beautiful eyes you have?"

The man really was persistent.

"Yes, you have," I answered, averting said eyes and choosing to concentrate on the barista's engagement ring.

He insisted paying for both coffees, and minutes later we were standing on the cement sidewalk just outside the entrance.

"So, you live in this area?" he inquired, sipping on the warm liquid.

"No, I actually work just across the street."

"Where?" He looked around curiously.

"That bookstore over there." I pointed with my forefinger.

"Good to know." He winked playfully.

"So, I have to head home." I took a step back, preparing to make my exit.

"Where did you leave your car?" he asked. "I had to park mine a block away."

"I don't have one. I'm headed towards the subway."

"Oh, let me give you a ride home then."

"Appealing offer, but no, thanks."

"I won't hit on you," he said, his voice suddenly growing serious. "I just want to see that you get home safely."

I looked at him hesitantly. I was tired after a long day, and not having to walk home would have definitely been nice, but my common sense screamed at me that it wasn't prudent to trust in strangers.

"I really shouldn't." I took another step back. "I don't even know you."

"I promise I'm not a serial killer," he tried again, cracking a smile.

"That's exactly what a serial killer would say."

"Come on, Bella. I'll just drop you off and then I'll go on my merry way. Believe it or not, I'm a gentleman and I would hate to think of you walking home at this hour of night. Chicago can be a dangerous city."

I still wasn't persuaded. He seemed like a decent guy and all, but you could never know…

An idea occurred to me, and I told him to wait a minute before pulling out my phone and dialing Angela's number.

"Yeah?" she answered, popping a piece gum.

"So, I just ran into Dr. Hall, and he offered to give me a ride home. Can he be trusted not to rape me and then dump my lifeless body in a dark alley?"

She laughed. "Yeah, he can be trusted. The only threatening thing about him is his big mouth."

"Okay, thanks. I'll see you soon." With that I hung up and looked back at Dr. Hall, only to see him smirk victoriously.

"So?"

"Fine," I huffed. "But keep the flirting to a minimum. I'm not interested."

"Alright, tiger, settle down." He held his hands up in armistice, motioning with his head towards the general direction of his car.

We walked side by side until we reached a white, sports Mercedes. He used a small remote to unlock the doors, and I just gaped at the expensive vehicle incredulously, thinking it was a bit over the top for an ER doctor. Like a true gentleman, he held the passenger door open for me then rounded the car to get behind the wheel.

"You know, your boyfriend is kind of an asshole for not picking you up," he observed, putting his seat belt on.

"He has to work," I defended, doing the same.

"Oh, yeah?" he challenged, turning on the engine. "What does he do?"

"He's a lawyer."

"Hmmm," he hummed disapprovingly, looking at his watch for the time. "It's a bit late for him to be at the office, don't you think?"

"Are you going to keep this up the entire drive?" I snapped, irritated. "You need to let me know while I can still get out of the car."

He laughed, checking his side mirror before pulling into the slow traffic. "I like you. You're feisty. So, where do you live?"

I gave him the address, and he started driving like a maniac on the run, making me grip each side of my seat like my life depended on it. He asked me about school and work, but I was too scared we were going to crash into one of the massive light poles on the sidewalk to give any coherent answers.

Not even ten minutes later, the car stopped with a screech in front of my apartment building, and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, thanks for the ride. Good night," I babbled hurriedly, bolting out and reigning in the urge to drop to my knees and kiss the cold asphalt. Edward was a fast driver as well, but this guy was suicidal.

"Bella, wait," he said, running to my side. "Are you okay?"

"I might vomit in your face in a few seconds, but other than that, I'm peachy."

"Sorry," he said, looking abashed. "I've been driving like this ever since I got my license. I can't help it."

I nodded, swallowing back a wave of nausea. "Okay."

He smiled sheepishly. "So, listen, I was wondering if I can see you again."

I was about to answer when a deep voice called behind us. "Isabella?"

I froze, my eyes going wide with shock. I heard the distinct sound of shoes stomping our way, and before I knew it, Edward was standing beside me, wearing a murderous expression. He was dressed in a gray suit and was holding a huge bouquet of pink tulips, but he wasn't looking at me. His stare was fixed on Dr. Hall.

"James?" he gritted through clenched teeth, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Edward," Dr. Hall said, his eyes narrowed.

"How do you two know each other?" I asked, looking from him to Edward questioningly.

"I could ask you the same thing," Edward hissed viciously. "What were you doing in his car?"

"So, you're the boyfriend," Dr. Hall, or better said, James, observed. "Man, you sure got over Tanya's death quickly."

"You knew Tanya?" I gaped at him, not understanding what was going on.

"She was my cousin," he stated, not tearing his glare from Edward's.

"How…" I started to say, but Edward took hold of my upper arm with his free hand, yanking me across the deserted street.

"Let's go."

"I'll see you, Bella!" James called, causing Edward to halt abruptly and spin around.

"You fucking stay away from her," he warned, his fingers tightening their hold on me. "Did you hear me, James? Stay away from her."

I didn't get to see James' reaction, because Edward dragged me inside, stopping in the middle of the quiet lobby.

"Edward, what the hell is wrong with you?" I protested, trying to pry his fingers away. "You're hurting me."

"What were you doing with him?" he demanded, but let go of my arm. "Answer me!"

He was furious, and it baffled me because I had never seen him so out of control.

"He simply offered to give me a ride home. I was buying coffee from that Starbucks across from work and I ran into him," I explained, trying to placate him.

Edward shoved his sleeve up roughly to find his watch. "It's nine o'clock. You got off work at seven. Don't tell me it takes two hours to get home by car."

"I left the bookstore well past eight, Edward," I said, my voice rising to a high pitch. I couldn't believe that he was pretty much accusing me of infidelity.

"How do you know him?" he went on, not missing a beat.

I took a calming breath to refrain from kicking him in the balls. "He works with Angela at the hospital. I met him one day while bringing her lunch. I'm sorry if I angered you, okay? He offered, and I was tired and…"

"I'm buying you a car," he announced, cutting me off.

"What?"

"You heard me," he said, passing by me to head towards the elevator.

"You can't do that!" I yelled, outraged, running after him.

"Watch me!" he yelled back over his shoulder, violently hitting the down button with his thumb.

"Are you insane?" I argued as we both stepped inside. "You can't buy me a car."

"I can and I will. End of discussion."

Okay, now it was my turn to be furious.

"Who are you to decide when this conversation is over?" I poked his chest with my forefinger, glaring up at him defiantly. "I don't want you to spend such a large amount of money on me. Isn't it enough that your family thinks I'm a gold-digger?"

"I don't give a fuck about what my family thinks."

"Oh, really?" I said sarcastically, just as the doors opened on my floor. "I think you do."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he squinted at me, but I turned my back on him, walking inside the apartment.

"Isabella!" he called, following close behind. "I asked you a fucking question."

Deciding to ignore him, I threw my bag to the floor, leaning down to take off my sneakers.

"Jesus, what is it with all the yelling?" Angela appeared from around the corner, holding a bowl of cereal.

"He wants to buy me a car," I spat, straightening up and jerking my head in Edward's direction.

"Oh, good." She smiled, leaning against the wall. "I think it's a great idea."

"Thank you, Angela," he replied, slamming the front door close and pushing the flowers into her arms.

"Whose side are you on, Judas?" I glared at my tulips that were now in her possession.

"Face it, Bella," she said, noticing my expression and shaking the bouquet in front of me. "You need a car, and he has the means, so I don't see what the big deal is."

I groaned in exasperation. "We've only been together a few months. Don't you think it's a bit early for that kind of gifts?"

"No," they both answered in unison.

"Ugh!" I threw my hands in the air, stomping towards my room. "I give up."

My bedroom was a bit messy, since I hadn't had enough time to clean up after myself that morning, but I couldn't have cared less. There were clothes scattered on my bed and on the back of my desk chair, while the contents of my make up bag were lying between books on my clustered desk.

Edward looked around briefly before shoving a pair of jeans to the side so he could sit down. In other circumstances, I would have been embarrassed about the disorder, but right now I was too pissed off to give a damn. I whirled around to face the open closet and started undressing.

"You're being stubborn without a reason," he said with a heavy sigh.

"I have a reason. It's too much, okay? I can't accept it."

"Do you love me?"

Frowning, I glanced at him over my shoulder. "You know I do."

"So do I." He got up, coming to stand behind me as his arms encircled my naked waist. "Accept this car as a token of my love for you."

"Don't be a hypocrite. A big chunk of expensive metal has nothing to do with love, Edward."

"Why won't you let me take care of you?" he demanded, getting annoyed. "Why are you so infuriating?"

"You want to know why?" I turned around in his embrace. "It's because this sudden impulse of yours has to do with Dr. Hall not with love. Or should I call him James?"

"That's not true," he said, his jaw set.

"Yes, it is. At least have the decency to admit it. You're jealous of him."

He let go of me, his hands going to his front pockets. "How else was I supposed to feel at seeing you come out of his car, huh? Tell me. What would you have done if you were in my shoes? How would you have felt?"

"I said I'm sorry. It won't happen again. And why are you so against him anyway?"

Edward looked away, seeming to concentrate his attention on the window. "I can't stand him. He'll hit on anything wearing a skirt."

"Are you jealous of him?" I asked, but my question was met with silence. "Answer me."

"Yes," he hissed, looking back at me. "Yes, I am. Are you happy now?"

"Yes. It's better to admit your frustration than to keep it to yourself," I said, placing my hand on his chest. "I told you it won't happen again and I intend to keep my word."

He sighed, placing his hand on top of mine. "Just… stay away from him. There's something about him I don't like, but I can't put my finger on it. I never could."

"You mean, aside from being a womanizer?" I joked.

Edward chuckled quietly. "Yeah, aside from that."

"Okay." I nodded gravely, leaning into him.

His arms came around me once again as he gave me a light peck. "Hi."

My face split into a goofy grin. "Hi."

The crisis had been averted just as quickly as it had begun. We never could stay angry with each other for long, no matter how heated our arguments were.

"Please let me buy you a car. I'll feel better knowing you get home safely."

"There's always the possibility of an accident happening," I argued weakly, because to be honest I was already getting tired of the subject.

Yeah, I missed driving and having a car at my disposal whenever I needed one, but it felt weird to get one as a gift. I had always imagined that I was going to buy my first real car with my own money, not my wealthy boyfriend's.

While living in Forks, I used to drive an old beat-up Chevy truck that always needed some kind of repairing, and now I was on the verge of being the future owner of a brand new vehicle that I did nothing to deserve.

Edward stared at me expectantly. He wasn't going to give up until I said yes.

I was annoyed with him, but at the same time I had to admit that deep down I was excited at the prospect of using my driver's license again, so I went with the first impulse.

"Okay, fine," I relented with a huff. "Buy me a damn car."

He beamed in return, looking pleased with himself. "What brand would you like?"

"I don't know." I shrugged, not really caring. "Something that's cheap and small."

"How about an Audi? I think you'd like the new A3."

"That's neither small nor cheap."

"I'm not buying you anything under thirty thousand dollars," he said firmly, daring me through narrowed eyes to fight him on it.

"That's a lot of money, Edward," I retorted, knowing that sooner or later I was going to give in and let him buy me whatever he wanted.

"Then how would you feel about a Volkswagen Scirocco?"

I searched my memory briefly. "Isn't that a sports car?"

"Mmhmm." He smirked knowingly. "You'd look good in it. Sexy."

"I like Volvo."

He craned his neck to the side for a second, seeming to be considering it. "That's actually a good choice. They make safe cars. Where's your laptop? I want to show you a few models."

And that's how, two weeks later, I had a shiny new Volvo in a burgundy color parked in front of Angela's old Toyota.

A/N So?

Let me know what you thought of it.

~ Andreea ~