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This will be a difficult chapter for some to read. I was as sensitive to the situation as I could be. I am putting a TRIGGER ALERT for this chapter.

TRIGGER ALERT-STRONG REFERENCE OF SEXUAL ABUSE-

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WARNING-Sensitive Content

CHAPTER 21

Bella-

I didn't want Edward to see me like this. Ever since we met, I had taken extra care to be strong and determined, even if I had to fake it. But right then, I didn't feel the strength that straightened my backbone daily, when the world tried to bring me down. Every inch of my body trembled and I knew he could feel my weakness.

I bent my head until my hair covered my face. Since I was sitting in his lap there was nowhere to hide, and honestly, I just wanted to crawl under my bed. Cool, deep dark blues bore into my skull like he heard everything, knew everything without me saying a word. Another shudder caused my muscles to convulse, and Edward's arm flexed around my waist anchoring me to his lap.

I would do anything to avoid telling this strong, powerful man the truth about my past.

I'm not an idiot. I saw the restraint Edward used with me every single day. He knew. He knew without me saying a damn word, yet speaking the words aloud—how could I do that?

Just remembering made me feel dirty. My skin was crawling, and I couldn't look up at him. I couldn't handle the thought of disappointing him, seeing the look in his gaze change when he learned the truth firsthand. His voice was demanding and firm but there was genuine concern and worry there too. The muscles in my back quivered as his broad hand slid down my spine in a comforting touch and I wanted to punch John right in his face for ruining my ability to enjoy such a warm gesture. Edward's fingers curled against my waist when he felt my body's reaction to the slide of his hand.

When Edward would've withdrawn his touch, my head jerked back until my eyes finally connected with his. "Don't. Don't do that." His thick eyebrows scrunched together and I saw the confusion mirrored in his eyes. Licking my lips nervously, I forced my chin up. "Don't stop touching me because you think you are scaring me." Then I paused. Maybe the truth made Edward not want to touch me. Maybe I was disgusting to him, maybe he would be like my dad and not believe me. "I guess maybe you might not want to … Shit, I don't want to do this." I became uneasy, squirming on his lap, once again staring at the arm of the recliner where we sat.

When I would've scooted off his lap, his arm clamped around my waist, his hand skimming the line of bare skin near the hem of the tank I wore. He pressed his mouth against my ear, "Princess, I want to touch you a lot more than you know. Don't ever think I will view you differently. Understand? Nothing that happened against your will was your fault. Ever!"

The way he adamantly stated that with such conviction had tears brimming my eyes threatening to escape. The fabric of the recliner wavered, blurring and wiping out my vision completely.

Edward had a way of letting things run their course with me. He gave me a version of himself he hid from the outside world. He didn't push, pry or demand. He just talked to me until I wanted to purge my soul. I relaxed back into his chest—the confidence to look at him wavered—until I felt his knuckle beneath my chin. With a gentleness I would've never associated with Edward Cullen, he urged me on. "Tell me, Bella. Let's squash those demons together. You're not alone with this anymore, princess."

A tear trickled from the corner of my eye and slipped down my cheek, my mind racing as I contemplated the best place to start. I guess if I was going to bare my soul, I might as well start from the beginning. Sniffing back the desire to let my emotions consume me, devour me, I cleared my throat. "It all started when I was like eight, maybe earlier than that."

Tension instantly filled the comforting form below me. I think he misunderstood and I shook my head at his assumption. "No. No, John moved in around then I think, and he was the coolest person. He took me to the movies, the playground, and sometimes even the zoo. He snuck me treats or candy all the time. I thought he was so awesome."

It wasn't until far later I realized what was actually happening. John hadn't been trying to be my buddy or my friend. Every action he'd taken then had led to everything that followed a few years later. My stomach rolled with nausea and I licked my dry lips, taking a deep breath to calm the whirl of emotion. "I didn't understand what he'd been doing, that he was trying to gain my trust … I don't know what the real purpose in him spoiling me was, I just soaked it up." I glanced toward Edward who sat silently listening, yet he was stiff as a board, anticipating what I hadn't said. Angrily I swiped the tears from my cheek. "I can't remember the night everything changed, maybe around nine or ten … I don't know …"

I broke off my explanation, not wanting to continue. I'd been a fool and I didn't want Edward to realize I'd been so stupid. He must've sensed my hesitation because his fingers tightened around my waist, determined to break through my barrier. "When doesn't matter, princess. I want to know what he did and you will feel a lot better once it's off your chest."

"I don't know about that," I mumbled. While his words were full of encouragement I couldn't forget the look on Charlie's face when I told him the truth about John. The father I had known and trusted had kicked me to the curb without a second thought. What if Edward reacted the same way? Even as the thought entered my mind, I shoved it away. He'd taken me in while I was pretending to be a hooker for fucks sake. If that hadn't deterred him, not much would. "I just remember waking up in the middle of the night and he was in my room, sitting on the edge of my bed. I'd been transfixed, cold everywhere and fear for whatever reason held me immobile. I should've yelled for him to get out of my room, but my throat locked up and I couldn't speak."

"What happened next?" Edward persisted, his arm feeling like a tree trunk around my waist, immovable. He pulled a lock of hair off my cheek and tucked it behind my ear.

Aggravation took hold of me, and the words spewed from my tongue before I could take them back. "He touched me. That first night it was above my clothes. I didn't know what he was doing but it felt wrong and dirty. I squeezed my eyes closed and tried to go back to sleep." Shifting nervously, I expelled a deep breath. "He caught me before breakfast the next morning and told me not to tell. He said if I did no one would believe me. Boy, was he right."

"Was it once?" His voice sounded sharp, anger lurking just on the edge of his tone. To my surprise, I sunk closer into the curve of his chest, finding unexpected comfort in being held by Edward.

I shook my head, becoming braver with each word. I whispered, "No. It seemed to progressively get worse every night until he wasn't even waiting until bedtime anymore."

"Motherfucker," Edward spit out, his teeth clenching and the large vein in his neck protruding with anger. "How far did it go, Bella?"

Tears freely fell, my gaze falling to my lap and my throat constricting. "He touched me everywhere. He put his fingers in me. Sometimes he made me dress up in these stupid outfits and took pictures. Sometimes he put makeup on me and did my hair."

As the memories consumed me, my stomach clenched and rolled. I was going to be sick. With a strength I didn't know I possessed I leapt from Edward's lap and ran for the bathroom. I barely made it to the threshold before I vomited all over the gray tile. I stumbled, falling to my knees …

Then I felt a warm hand on my back, pulling the hair out of my face. "Everything is alright, princess. He can't hurt you anymore."

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, my entire body shaking uncontrollably. "I-It's not that he can hurt me. I know he can't." Tears rushed down my face and I couldn't stop them. "I feel humiliated that I trusted him in the first place. I feel dirty and ashamed that I let it happen for so long. I'm such an idiot."

Edward didn't seem to care that puke was on the floor. He sat next to me, his hand cupping my hip, drawing me closer. "Nothing that happened to you was your fault, princess. He took advantage of a kid and betrayed your trust. You have every right to feel angry and violated." At the end of his speech, I felt him staring at me with such an intensity I could feel the heat emanating from his eyes. "How far did he go?"

Bile rose in my throat but I managed to swallow it down. Staring at the floor, I hugged my legs to my chest. "On my fifteen birthday, he made me touch him. He told me no one would believe me and I wanted it. Every time he did something I just heard his statement so fresh in my mind. I felt like I was dying and no one noticed. No one noticed. No one." I cleared the daze threatening to overtake me. "Mostly he touched himself and he wanted me to watch."

"He didn't just steal my childhood or my adolescence. Hell, that's bad enough but he's also stealing now. Before you, I couldn't stomach the thought of anyone touching me at all." I blinked the sheen of tears away, no longer embarrassed by this weak version of myself because, with each syllable I spoke, I felt freer than I ever had. I looked Edward in the eye. He gave me the courage to face these dragons and I slayed each one. "What happens when I really want to get married? A real marriage? What happens if I can't let my husband touch me?"

His lashes fluttered and his expression changed, his granite jaw turning to steel. His top lip curled in distaste and he snarled, "That's not going to happen."

"What do you mean? I told my dad and he called me a liar and a slut. He kicked me out onto the streets with nothing."

Before I could question the look on his face he leapt to his feet and held a hand out to me. "We're ending this tonight."

I stared at his outstretched hand like it was foreign. "What?"

"Do you trust me?" He was so fierce. His pupils burned into mine, holding my gaze like a magnet.

I looked at him from his head to his sleek black loafers. I trusted Edward Cullen more than I did any person walking this earth—which was amazing considering how we'd met. "Yes."

For a fraction of a second, his gaze softened before returning to shards of ice. He wiggled his fingers and on impulse I took them. He pulled me to my feet and his heavy arm fell around my shoulders. His lips brushed against my temple as he led me into the living room. "Get your shoes on, babe. We have a few things to do."

With the acid from bile coating my tongue, I gestured to my bedroom. "Can I brush my teeth first?"

He stared at my lips for a long minute before dipping his head. "Meet me in the living room in two minutes."

I didn't want to let him go. For the first time in my life, I wanted to hold on to a man and absorb his strength, and claim it as mine. Releasing his fingers, I hurried to my room and brushed my teeth and rinsed out my mouth. With my heart thumping wildly in my chest, I spit the water out and headed to the living room where I grabbed my shoes by the door.

Wait a minute. Why did I need my shoes? It was close to midnight—where the fuck were we going this late? I turned to question him, yet he had his phone pressed to his ear.

I sat on the edge of the couch and pushed my feet into my shoes when his deep angry voice filled the condo. "Em, I need you and Jasper." He glanced up at me, mouthing something about an address.

Wait. What? "What address?"

"What's your father's address, princess?" His stern expression left no room for an argument, and I rambled off my dad's address. He repeated the address into the phone, pacing the floor like a tiger in a too-small cage. "Yeah. Be there in twenty minutes. I will be waiting for you."

I finished lacing my shoes and pushed away from the sofa. When Edward shoved his phone into his breast pocket, I rushed forward blocking his path. "What are we doing, Edward? Why did you want Charlie's address?"

The answer was etched into his face. As long as I lived I would never forget the way Edward looked in that moment. He resembled a vicious wolf, his eyes glazed over and his jaw clenched. His shoulders were squared as if he were preparing for battle and his hands kept rolling into fists. "What are you going to do?"

His stance relaxed and he exhaled a strangled sigh. Two quick strides had him standing inches away, his fingertips lightly brushed my cheek. "I'm doing what should've been done when you told your father. You won't spend another night in fear, or haunted by things out of your control, Bella. Tonight you are going to reclaim your life and put the rest behind you."

My lashes fluttered when I saw the promise in his gaze. He made me feel safe and instinct told me I could believe what he said. Even so, I had to ask, "What does that mean?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed my fingers and tugged me to the door. I stared at him, mesmerized. He was scary. He was amazing. He was the most incredible person I'd ever met. I couldn't look away.

One minute we were standing in his living room, and the next, we were sitting outside of my father's house and I hadn't looked away from Edward once.

He reached across my lap and dove into his glove box. I watched him grab a pair of solid black gloves and dig into the back of the glove box. He withdrew some sort of firearm and screwed a silencer onto the tip.

I felt the color drain from my face, my eyes widening and I gulped down a breath. "What are you doing, Edward? Are you going to kill them?" The idea sent panic through my chest. Despite his need and desire to protect me, I didn't want him going to prison or hurt. I grabbed his arm in a vice-like grip. "Tell me you aren't going to do something stupid. Please. I don't want anything happening to you."

He glanced at me even as he checked the clip. Once he was satisfied with the firearm, he gave me his full attention. "These men, John and Charlie don't get to walk away from this for one more minute, Bella. As soon as Emmett gets here, I'm going inside that house, and either they will come with me willingly or by force. There isn't a third option for them."

His explanation was so matter of fact and a shiver of anticipation slithered down my spine. I wanted to argue the sanity of his actions. I wanted to stop him. In the same instance, however, I wanted to see them pay for what they did to me. I didn't reply because I didn't know what I should say. I was conflicted, and … a little freer.

We stared at one another intently, and I eagerly swam in those ocean depths. It was weird—sorta like I was drowning but I didn't even try to stay above the tide. There was an unforeseen power at work and it was unlike anything I had experienced. I felt like a fish out of water, my lips parting with words on the tip of my tongue, yet I couldn't speak.

The flash of headlights turning onto the street broke through the moment. When I would've looked away to see who was coming down the block, Edward grabbed and held my chin. His sharp angry voice cut through the silence, asking, "Do you know where John keeps the pictures? Or where would he keep them if he still has them?"

I thought back, searching my memory. "He had a lockbox I think in the back of his closet, but there was a tile that was loose on the ceiling above his toilet." The thought of Edward seeing those pictures made my stomach pitch. Grabbing his arm when he threw the car door open, I stopped him from getting out. "Edward, I don't want you seeing those pictures. I don't want you to see me like that. I don't want any of your men seeing me like that."

I blinked the humiliation away when tears fogged my vision. "Please, Edward, I don't want you seeing them."

He turned to me, clasping my hand and he squeezed my fingers. "I will just get whatever they are in. I will have you make sure they are the ones, okay?"

Without much choice, I nodded, watching him step out into the night. Emmett and Jasper rounded the black SUV and stopped in front of Edward. They spoke briefly and all three men pinned me with a look before turning their attention to the house.

I flinched when they spied me. I wondered if Edward was telling them what had happened, yet I didn't want to focus on that. Even though we were at the beginning of summer and it was unusually warm, I rubbed my hands together. My blood was frozen in my veins and I was freezing all of a sudden, and my fingers were pure ice.

All the windows in the house were dark, indicating everyone inside was asleep. A white lace curtain fluttered from the fan my dad always had running. Sadness crept in on me, and I pulled my gaze away from the house, scanning the neighborhood to see if anyone was around. I could hear a dog barking in the distance and the chirp of crickets. I had a feeling every moment of this night would be branded in my memory for the rest of eternity.

The crunch of gravel drew my attention to my husband. He seemed to be moving in slow motion as he rounded the car to open my door. He reached forward and grabbed the handle, opening the door, he held his hand out to me. "Let's go make those bastards pay, princess."

Oddly, I felt like a movie star. His fingers dangled out to me like he was about to lead me onto the red carpet. A smile teased the corners of his mouth and he winked at me. Transfixed, locked in the vortex of his blue eyes, I gripped the hand he offered, letting him pull me from the cab. Side by side we approached the dark house, Emmett and Jasper falling in step behind us, a strange calm descended and I felt like I was moving inside a dream.

"Is there a hide-a-key?" He wanted to know, leading me up the front steps.

I shook my head. "My dad's a cop. No way would he leave a key where anyone can get it."

"That's fine," he looked over his shoulder at Jasper. "Cut the security system and jimmy the lock."

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