Submission

by Katrina-H-Creates

Edward returns to Forks to save Bella from the Volturi; she finds herself irresistibly drawn to his newly dominant and intense nature, igniting a fiery passion between the pair as he finally claims her virginity for his own.

5. Chapter 5

Submission

Chapter Five: Sinking Deeper

Bella Cullen

Things didn't go as well as I hoped when Leah, Angela, and I sat down last night. I'd spent the entire day trying to keep myself busy, and the second I wasn't, I tensed up and asked for a sit-down between all of us, which was a bad idea. I figured sleep would be the last thing I'd be capable of with my mind turning so much about the move, the Volturi, and the decisions we had made to get here, but exhaustion caught up with me. I fell asleep just after nine last night and didn't wake up until after eight this morning. I guess I really needed it.

I laid there in bed for a while, trying to make sense of everything that was happening. I knew I wasn't going to be able to forget the past and how it had ended up bringing us all here, but I also couldn't let it control me; I had to learn to live with it; I had to accept it. By now Jacob would be back from Canada with the rest of the wolves, and if we didn't suspect I was dead already, he would very soon, and that was for the best. I hadn't just performed a spell, and now I was a polygamist. The spell was a part of our past now, and we agreed that we all accepted that the spell wasn't what brought us together. It was our need for each other; it could take days, weeks, or even years for us to fully understand all that entailed. But at the very least, all I could say was we were going to make this work. I wasn't going to wake up tomorrow and suddenly be alright with what I had done. I'd faked my death, I'd never see my parents again, and I'd never be back in Forks, and that was all the decisions I had made for myself. I'd done my research on polygamy, but I was far from an expert. I'd taken the time, however, to read witness accounts of how brutal polygamy was in some cases. But there were people out there who sought out this lifestyle, and they lived happily with their partner or partners. We'd been gone from Forks for a few days, but already it felt longer, much longer, and that was a comfort to me.

Edward and I had a lot of healing to do, both as individuals and as a couple. We were no longer boyfriend and girlfriend; there was no naive girl and vampire hero; I was now one of his wives. This next phase of our lives was going to be focused on what came next for us and not what might go wrong. For so long we'd been living with the threat of people finding out about the Cullens, then Victoria and even the wolves. But now all of that was behind us; all that we had to focus on was our new family and our lives together in Utah. We'd all gotten off on a bad start; I wasn't going to pretend otherwise, not after seeing Leah's face last night. I'd never seen anyone in my entire life look so alone. It was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that we lived side by side, yet Leah, Angela, Edward, and I were completely alone now. No parents, siblings, or relatives; we only had each other, and in the future there might be, no, there would be children. All four of us had packed up our lives and fled in the night because we knew we were strong enough to endure the hardships because the end result was something worth fighting for.

When I got out of bed, I showered. I wanted to start each day in my new favorite place. The power shower was amazing. At first, it felt like you were being water boarded, but once you got used to it, it was incredible. I could have easily slipped on a t-shirt and jeans, but I managed to stop myself again this morning. I opted instead for a white flutter blouse with a soft green leaf embroidery pattern. I paired it with a pair of black wide-leg trousers and black ankle boots. But I didn't stop there either; I liked the idea of making the effort with each passing day, and so I sprayed a little perfume on myself and applied a light pink lipstick, soft brown eyeshadow, and mascara. When I stepped out into the hall, I had to smile. With no boxes in sight, I was off to a great start already. When I got downstairs before I'd even poured myself a drink of water, I sat down at the dining room table where I'd left my notebook and pen the night before. I'd made only small notes before Leah left, and after she did, Angela and I called it a night and didn't speak any further or make plans. But I was energized this morning, and I wanted to write out not only a list for myself but a list for Edward too.

Today I planned to speak to Leah and Angela and make it clear that even though Edward was going to run all three houses and make any of the tougher calls in the years to come, we still had a say. We'd be running each of our own houses, but it was important that Edward take on responsibility too for each of the homes. There were things I needed to do today and things I knew he could take care of for me when we had the time. No, it wasn't my day with him; today he was going to be staying at Angela's house for the first time, but that didn't mean he was off limits to helping Leah or me. All this meant was that tonight Edward was going to be sleeping in his house with Angela.

With my pen at the ready, I began to make him a list, starting with the station wagon and what he needed to do in regards to changing serial numbers, registration details, etc., so I could keep it. So I began my list, or should I call it Edward's list?

Edward's list:

-Buy new plates for my car (Bella)

-Change serial number

-Get rid of old plates.

-Book a photographer with a green screen; we need photographs to prove you and I have a history together (in case neighbors are ever in your house with me).

-Organize internet (for all three houses)

Just as I finished the list, I heard the backdoor unlocking and made my way into the kitchen expecting to find Edward when instead I found Angela.

"Morning."

"Hey," she said back.

"Sleep well?"

"Like a baby, you?"

"Yeah, me too."

Angela smiled. "It's good, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I've got to admit I didn't expect it to be this easy."

I looked down to the set of keys in her hand and noted immediately that they were Edward's keys.

I saw her looking at me. "Where did you get those?"

"Edward."

I looked over at the clock on the stove. "It's not nine yet; technically, it's still Leah's day with him. Is he over at your house already?"

Angela hesitated "I didn't ask; he just let himself in to my house this morning, and that was it."

"But we agreed," I pressed my lips together. "Our days swap at nine a.m."

Angela shrugged innocently. "I mean, I could ask him if you think I should. Or do you want to? Maybe it's better if it is you and not me."

"No, don't worry about it. I'm sure there's a reason. It's probably not something big."

"I hope not."

"So, do you want to do something today? Just me, you, and Leah?"

"I would; I've not talked to her yet, but I think she's up."

"I'll head over there now."

"Great. I'm just going to use the fridge for some ice." Angela said as we walked by each other.

I smiled at her, "Be my guest."

"Thanks."

I walked outside to the backyards and saw Edward already working away; he'd told me he was going to sod all the yards. He said it was best to do the backyard first given that it's used more by us coming and going out of each other's houses. He was using a power tool I couldn't even begin to pronounce when I made my way towards him. I placed my hand on his shoulder, and he turned to me.

"Morning."

"Good morning."

Edward tilted his head. "You," he stopped to smile. "You're all lit up. You look beautiful."

I smiled back. "Thank you."

He leaned down slowly, his eyes studying me for my reaction. I could feel my heart racing, but I didn't pull back. He pressed his lips gently to mine and kissed me softly. I placed my hand on the back of his neck and ran my fingers through the ends of his hair. It was different now; he was different. But it was a good different; his lips lingered, and it was okay that they did; I didn't mind.

I pulled back. "I missed you."

Instead of answering, Edward leaned in to kiss me again, but I stopped him, placing my hand against his chest.

"It's still Leah's day."

"And that means I can't kiss you?

I bit my lower lip and looked down at the ground. "Well, it's not fair to her, is it?"

"I have to keep things equal. I have to treat you all the same."

"And yet?"

"All I can think about is kissing you, kissing you here, kissing you inside, and kissing you tonight."

"It's not my night." I said and glanced at Angela's house to our right.

"How can I not think of you? Just tell me how."

I bit my lower lip before going onto my tiptoes and whispering in his ear, "I have a list for you."

Edward chuckled, "What kind of list?"

I reached into my pocket and took out the note from my notebook and handed it to him: "This kind of list."

Edward glanced at it before he sighed and disregarded it.

"I know we shouldn't be doing all of this so quickly. But it's little things that need to get done."

"All I want to do is make sure the Volturi."

I immediately covered his mouth with my palm and locked eyes with him until he focused on me.

"I don't want to talk about them again. Not ever. Not in my-" I paused. "Not in any of the houses."

Edward brought his forehead to mine for a moment before I dropped my hand from his mouth. He met my gaze and held onto it.

"At some point-"

"I know," I agreed. "We're going to have to talk. But I think if any of us stop right now, we're going to regret it later."

"We can't put off talking about this, about Utah and what is happening back in Forks."

He was right; I knew that. I knew there would be consequences for what we had done back in Forks and that we wouldn't be able to hide in our perfect bubble forever.

"Edward, we're not going to go back there. We're never going back to Forks again, and The Volturi are never going to find us; no one is."

I held his hand in mine at that point. "I know we need to address what we did that night; I know that. But for now, I need you to see what is happening around you."

Edward furrowed his brows, and I looked onto the three houses. "No matter what, this is our life now; these are your homes, and we will figure it all out." I turned and held his face in my hands. "I'm going to say it," I told him. "One day I know I'm going to not only know how to be a polygamist, I'm going to be proud to be one too."

"It's ridiculous, Bella."

"We chose this, all of us. No one forced anyone into anything. We all chose each other. It's not going to be easy, but it's going to be worth it."

I still saw the doubt in his eyes, the uncertainty. But I wasn't going to give up on him.

"You're saying one day you think I will be able to love both of them the way that I love you."

"It won't be the same. But yes, one day you will. No love is the exact same, but love is still love."

Edward closed his eyes. "I can't imagine that."

"No, not yet. But you will, you'll see. Because you're going to do the little things for me and for Angela and Leah, the little things that matter, and it will make you happy to do it."

"Right now it just feels like a distraction."

"You don't think you need a distraction? Do you honestly believe you can look me in the eye and tell me you don't miss your family too?"

Edward opened his eyes. "Of course I do. But I am trying to be strong; I'm trying to be what you need."

I shook my head "That's not what I need. I need you to be honest with me. I need you to be honest with yourself too. I need you to grieve, and I need you to stop looking at this as something that is going to destroy you but as something that is going to make us stronger."

"I'm sorry."

I shook my head "Don't apologize. We both lost so much, and that's the reason why we're here. But the good news is that we aren't alone anymore. We have each other, and we're going to build a future together."

Edward pulled me close and held me against him. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him back.

"We can do this." I promised him.

When we pulled away, I kept my hands on his shoulders. "But while we're being honest, there's some things you should know about."

"What things?"

I pressed my lips together. "The day we left, well, the night you arrived at the forest, did you read their thoughts?"

Edward nodded. "That's how I learned of your plans."

"There's more you didn't read." I dropped my hands from him and crossed my arms. "Listen," I softened my voice and stepped closer. "The day we left, Angela saw Eric and Jessica together."

"Together?"

"Yes, together." I clarified.

"How?"

I ducked my head.

"Oh," Edward said, and I thought I saw him glance over at my house and the direction he might have seen Angela go before I came over to him.

"But that's not all," I glanced over at Leah's house. "Harry Clearwater died; he actually died that same morning. The stress and grief were so intense for Leah it made her faze."

This time Edward did look over to his house with Leah, and he didn't turn back to me right away either.

"She's not angry just at adjusting to life here, Edward. She's grieving. She's feeling a lot of loss, and I know you can help her. I can't. I mean, I can listen, but you can help her. You can understand her. She needs you."

Edward turned back to me and shook his head. "I don't know what you think I can do. I can't hear her thoughts anymore; you know this."

"She needs you. You're the only one she has in her life now that can control her if she ever loses control," I said and placed my hand on his arm. "That's what she needs; she needs that assurance. But she'd probably sooner die than admit it." I said before dropping it back down.

I looked at the houses and smiled before I looked back at him. "I wanted to tell you this because you needed to know it. But after this, you're on your own."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't be a part of building your relationship with Leah or with Angela. After today, my focus is on making our lives together work. And focusing on me and you."

Edward smiled. "I like the last part. What about the first?"

"I mean it. I'm going to stay out of it. These are your houses, your marriages. You need to be the one to get to know them."

Edward sighed, and he leaned in to kiss me when I heard a backdoor slide open, and we both looked over to see Angela step outside.

"Morning," she said.

"Good morning."

Angela glanced between me and Edward before she focused on him. I didn't take a step back; I just shifted to the side slightly and held my breath as Edward leaned down and kissed Angela, who did not return his kiss and just smiled, to which I was grateful. I understood that this was Edward's way of making the effort each day and night. Edward was old school, and this small effort of making sure he kissed each of us daily was noted and appreciated.

"How are you?" Edward asked her.

"I'm good, thanks. How are you?"

Edward glanced at me before he looked back at Angela. "I'm well, thank you."

"That's good." Angela said, and then she looked over at me, "Did you tell him yet?"

"Actually, I was going to wait until..."

With that, I heard another backdoor slide open and turned to see Leah stepping outside; she was wearing high-waisted dark blue skinny jeans, dark flip-flops, and a black blouse.

"She looks great." Angela whispered beside me.

Leah looked over at us before she turned to lock her backdoor behind her; only then did I note the small black bag with chain strap she wore over her shoulder.

"Morning," I called out.

"Morning." She said back and made her way over to us.

"So, what are you going to do today?" Angela asked him.

Edward's attention remained on Leah as she made her way closer; when she stopped, she didn't look his way. Regardless of this, Edward leaned in, and instead of kissing her on the lips as he had with Angela and me, he pressed his lips to her cheek. Which caused Angela to look at me with the same curiosity I felt.

"Edward?" Angela said

He looked to her and said, "I'll be here most of the day, but I have a few things to attend to this afternoon."

Angela just nodded and smiled.

"You will accompany me." Edward said and shifted his attention back to Leah.

She was equally stunned. "Why me?"

"Because I said so."

I watched as Leah and Edward stared at one another for a moment longer before Leah sighed and gave in; she gave him a simple nod and nothing more.

"Okay." She said and then looked to Angela and me.

"I think the three of us are going to head out for a few hours." I said, and Leah nodded, though this was the first she'd heard of it.

I looked to Edward, "I'll need your car; until I have my name listed on the station wagon, it's got to remain inside the garage; otherwise, I'll be nervous every time I drive it."

Edward reached into his pocket and tossed me his keys.

"Thanks."

I smiled and then looked to Angela and Leah, "Shall we?"

They both nodded and followed me back into my house. I took them through to the garage and unlocked Edward's car.

"What are we doing?" Leah asked as she got into the passenger seat.

I waited until Angela was in the backseat before I turned to both of them. "I was thinking maybe we could go shopping and maybe book a hair appointment."

"You want to change your hair?" Angela asked

"Good because so do I." Leah admitted.

"You two don't think it's weird? That I want to get a new haircut so quickly?"

Leah shook her head "I think you should. It's a fresh start."

I smiled and started the car.

"Truth is, I think I want to get a haircut too." Angela admitted.

"Let's go get the appointments done first. Then shopping." I said and began to reverse.

Leah and Angela ducked down as we got further down the driveway, and I reversed into the street. Once we were out of the street, they relaxed back into their seats.

"We need to stop doing things like this in the future." Angela said

"She's right, the second anyone starts to suspect we're polygamists, we're done in this town."

"I know." I agreed, "But right now we don't have that many neighbors, so I think we're okay."

"But still, let's not go to the same city we went to last time. Use this thing, GPS, and we'll go somewhere else today, somewhere further out."

We drove far out of Sandy and even stopped along the way to pick up some drive-through because we were almost an hour and a half out of the city to make sure we got the privacy we deserved. Along the way, Angela and Leah had been calling up hair salons, and finally Angela had gotten lucky and booked all three of us an appointment for the next hour. The prices were extreme, but it was a one-time deal, and it felt completely necessary.

The salon was stunning; from the second we stepped inside, we were treated like guests of honor. We told our stylists we were co-workers and wouldn't mind sitting together for our appointments. We were brought to the waiting area, where there were fashion magazines, chilled ice water with limes, an assortment of fruit in golden dishes, and even wine and champagne. We could drink now; our new IDs stated we were all in our twenties, so it wasn't an issue, but regardless, none of us touched a thing.

"So you're not drinking either?" I asked them both.

"No, I'm good." Angela said.

"I don't feel like drinking." Leah said and then lowered her voice. "Besides, I'd be okay if drinking wasn't a thing we did, now or in the future."

I looked to Angela, who nodded.

"Well, it's not like it makes us morally better if we don't drink. We're already married to more than one man." I said.

"No, but it's our choice. If we don't want to drink, then we shouldn't." Leah said and then took a sip of her water.

"So if we don't want to drink, then we won't. End of story."

"It sounds like we're going Mormon." Angela said what we wouldn't.

"We're not. And religion is another thing we can table until we're further down the line." Leah said.

"Ok."

We were brought to our own vanity station; everything was so clean; the mirrors were lined with warm yellow lights that were gentle on the eyes; the hairbrushes, scissors, and other bottles were all placed in specific order; and there were several small cabinets underneath each chair that stored hair products.

"This is a nice place," Angela said.

"Yeah, it's pretty good." Leah said.

"Alright, Miss...oh, I'm sorry I didn't get your surname." Angela's stylist said to her, and she glanced at Leah and me in reaction.

"Uh, it's Cullen." Angela said.

It was her day with Edward, I realized, and I shot her a smile.

"That's right. Okay, Mrs. Cullen. Can I get you started with some champagne or a glass of wine?"

"Actually no, I'll have an iced tea if you have it."

"Of course, what about you ladies?"

"I'll have the same."

Angela's stylist was first back. "Now what are we doing today for you?"

Angela looked straight ahead at her reflection. "I'd like soft brown hair, short, like cut it to half way down my neck, and I'd like a side bang too."

"Hmm, I like it. Alright, we can do that for you."

"Thank you."

My stylist Becky arrived back with my iced tea. "Alright Isabella, what can I do for you today?"

I swallowed hard. "I'd like a soft perm in my hair; I'd like to go for a chocolate brown color with maybe some light brown highlights."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah."

"And what about length?"

"I'd like to keep the same length. Just soft curls and lighter color."

"Okay, we can do that."

I caught Leah's eye in the mirror, and she gave me a single nod before her stylist draped her over with a black cape.

Leah wasted no time telling him she wanted long, swept-back blond hair with a little ombre throughout. I knew I was taking a risk going for a soft perm, and Angela was cutting off a lot of her hair, but Leah was going blonde! I couldn't believe it. I also couldn't believe how quick they worked either. One minute they were blow-drying our hair; the next they were bleaching and coloring. After the colors were in, it was a matter of shampooing and conditioning, and then the styling.

"So ladies, whose got a man in their lives worth talking about?" Angela's stylist asked us as they worked.

Each of us stole a glance at the other, and when we knew it was safe, we smirked.

"I have a boyfriend," Angela said.

"Me too," Leah said.

I gulped, "Um, yeah, I do too."

"So what's your man like, girl?" Leah's stylist asked her.

Leah cleared her throat. "He's tall, handsome, and he's smart."

Did she actually mean that? Did she just say something nice about Edward?

"And what about you, Isabella?"

"Well, he's really sweet, smarter than he gives himself credit for, and very compassionate."

Leah scoffed, and I kicked her leg under the counter.

"Uh, oh, what's going on? You don't like her man?"

"No, he has his good points. But he's far from compassionate." Leah said

"What do you mean?" Angela asked before I could.

Leah shrugged. "He's arrogant and smug, and he doesn't care about anyone but himself."

"That's not true." Angela said.

"Right, it's just all in my head." Leah said.

"I didn't say that," Angela said.

"Look, it's fine. Whatever. It's not like I have to be best friends with him."

Our stylists continued to work miracles, and I watched the changes going on around me and the small smiles slowly grazing Leah and Angela's faces. When we finished at the salon, I couldn't believe how much my hair looked different—the way my curls fell along my face, the way my hair seemed to look thicker, healthier, and fuller. I loved it. We needed to go grocery shopping, but when we drove past a large retail mall, we decided to pull in for a while for a bit of clothes shopping.

When we arrived at the first boutique, we all split up and began to browse.

Jacob Black

We'd returned from the Canadian border and arrived home at the reservation early Monday morning. When I got back to my place, I crashed into bed and didn't wake up again until later that afternoon. My dad had shook me awake like the house was on fire and said we had to get over to Charlie's house right away.

Bella was gone.

I'd run through the forest with my heart threatening to burst out of my chest, and I wasn't the only one. Sam was running in the distance, but close enough that I could hear his thoughts, or rather his fears. He'd not gone to sleep like I had; he'd picked up on a new scent lingering in areas of the forest surrounding the reservation. Hearing me nearby, he'd caught up with me with little effort, and we'd taken the fastest possible route to Charlie's house only to come to a hard stop just a few feet from his backyard. That's when we both stopped breathing in the familiar scent of the forest and breathed in the unmistakable scent of blood.

When my dad arrived at Charlie's house with a few other of the guys from the reservation, they rushed into Charlie's house. No less than a minute later, one of the ground-floor windows opened, and a small duffel bag was dropped from it. One of them, knowing Sam and I were circling the forest, had brought us something to change into once we had fazed back. I was first to get dressed and first through the door at Charlie's house. I found him and the others in the sitting room; there weren't just guys from the reservation; a few of Charlie's deputies were also.

"The second I smelt all that bleach, I just knew this wasn't real," Charlie said, staring down at a folded piece of paper clasped in his hand. "I don't know if it's anything to do with the Cullens."

"But there is a possibility." My dad said, to which Charlie responded with a nod.

"But she wouldn't just leave me a letter saying she'd left; she'd tell me in person."

Not having been seen yet by Charlie or the other officers, I took a small step back into the hallway with ease and headed upstairs to Bella's bedroom, hearing Sam come in right behind me downstairs. Bella's bedroom door was open, and I glanced over at the empty bed and then stepped inside. I looked around her room, trying to remember what was there before now, only certain that the one thing I knew she didn't take was the dream catcher I'd bought for her birthday. There was nothing different about her room; if clothes were missing, I couldn't tell; none of the drawers were open; the bed was made and smelled clean, but nothing smelled like Bella.

"I can't pick up on her scent." I told Sam when he appeared at the bedroom door.

"Neither can I. There's so much bleach in this house it's making it hard to track."

That's when I looked at him, "Have you found the blood?" I asked, not knowing I wanted the answer.

"There are droplets, some on the staircase, but it's soaked into the wood; this didn't just happen."

I nodded. "Which means whoever took her has gotten more than a few days start." I confirmed.

Sam edged forward. "Jake, no one has taken her."

"Don't say she's already dead." I warned him through gritted teeth.

"You didn't read the letter," Sam said, and we locked eyes. "She's not the only one gone; there's another girl in town, Angela Webber, and that's not," he stopped himself.

"That's not all?"

Sam sighed heavily. "I found out when we got back, Emily was waiting for me," he stopped again. "Harry Clearwater is dead."

"What?"

Sam shook his head "Leah's gone."

"Leah? She would never leave. No, she's not gone."

"She's gone, Jake, and I don't think she's just Leah anymore. I could smell a wolf around the reservation, a new scent; not one of us, I'm certain of that."

This didn't make any sense; if he thought Leah had fazed, he was crazy. There hadn't been any female wolves in years, and even if she had, Leah would never have been able to handle the stress of being both human and beast.

"She's not a wolf."

"The grief from losing Harry, it would be too much for her."

"She's not a wolf!" I shouted.

"You think I want to believe it?!" Sam yelled back "But it's what I think happened. Leah's gone, and she's not coming back."

"Then we find all of them. But we start with Bella."

"She's not a priority."

"She's a priority to me."

"Not if she's dead," Sam said it, and I got in his face as a result. "Not if she crossed paths with Leah."

Angela Cullen

I made my way through the boutique until I found Bella in the shoe department trying on some flip-flops. She smiled seeing me there, and I held up the skirt I had brought with me.

"Leah says this is too short." I told her.

Bella got up from the seat and inspected the skirt; it was a denim blue mini skirt.

"Um," she bit her lip. "I don't know."

"If we start wearing really modest clothes, we will draw attention to ourselves more." I whispered into her ear.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we should dress like this either."

I glared at her. "It's a short skirt."

"It's a short skirt."

"See, it's not like I'm wearing a thong underneath." I said pulling up the skirt.

"Angela," Bella whispered. "It's just a skirt."

I huffed, "Fine. Maybe I'll get the other one."

"The other one that was just bought by that red head?" Leah asked from behind me.

"What? You said you'd watch it. She said she was putting it back."

"Oh, you are so naïve," Leah said.

I sighed and sat down on the leather bench beside Bella and watched Leah walk away. She had bras and pants slung over her shoulder, and I could see a tag hanging from her bra strap.

"She's getting more comfortable with shopping huh?" I asked.

"I guess so."

"Hey, did you really think I shouldn't buy the skirt?"

"It's just that you're going to be showing off your legs; you're going to get a lot of attention."

I sighed "Right, cause I'm not in school anymore either." I reminded myself

"It's going to take some time."

I looked over at Leah, looking at a really cute blouse.

"How do you think their first night together went?" I asked before turning to Bella, "Or is it just flat out cruel for me to ask you that?"

"I'm sure they both got through it with as little drama as possible."

Did Bella not want to acknowledge the fact that Leah was buying underwear?

"That's good."

"We have to give them time to adjust."

"Right, of course," I continued. "So asking her about it is out of the question, right?"

"I think so."

While we shopped together, I couldn't help but allow my attention to shift between Bella and Leah and the different clothes they picked out for themselves compared to mine. I wasn't sure if it was because I wasn't adjusting well to the new leather and felt hot all the time, but I wanted to wear less bulky items. Back in Forks, I'd always worn a skirt or a dress for church, and I didn't mind that at all. But the weather back there made wearing skirts, dresses, and shorts impossible. Now I was here in a place that was hot all the time. I was craving shorts, skirts, and tank tops. We'd been in Utah for three days, and already I was seeing little adjustments in Bella's wardrobe. I wasn't sure if it was due to the reality that she was now a first wife, but already she was wearing completely different styles. Normally she'd wear skinny jeans, a top, and maybe a flannel blouse to school, but since she got here, she'd not worn anything like that. She was dressing more modestly, but at the same time more like a woman and less like a teenager.

Leah had her own style, and I loved it. I loved how she could carry herself in whatever she wore; she was confident and sexy in everything she put on. It was just the way she carried herself. I envied her confidence and the way she knew how to dress her body. I wasn't sure how she dressed back home, as our paths had never crossed until that day, but she felt like Bella was making daily efforts. I didn't exactly want to walk around in anything that would grab anyone's attention. For the rest of my life, I was going to be Edward's third wife, and so I had to not stay out of sight completely, but I did want to draw attention to myself. Seeing Leah buy lingerie, however, was cause for concern; it was very early for such things to happen, and I didn't want her to make a mistake by making a move on Edward when he was so clearly fixed on Bella. But then again, my theory that the two of them might secretly be hot for each other had still not been ruled out.

Bella told us she and Edward had never had sex; she had explained to me in private the threat of what might happen if Edward lost control while he was with her. But now everything was different in Utah. Edward was always going to be a vampire, but as Bella explained it, he could now walk in sunlight without, I think she called it 'sparkling' and that his diet didn't have to consist only of animal blood, which meant his instincts and desires would also be dimmed now too.

I knew Edward would never have sex with me; anyone could see how deeply in love he was with Bella, and that was just fine with me. But I was only human, and sure, I did find him attractive. I mean, I would never have agreed to this if Edward wasn't the type of guy I could be around and be a wife too. He was a proper gentleman; he opened doors for you, he lifted stuff, and he had kissed us good morning and goodnight every single day since we got here. Although I would never dream of mentioning it to Bella, something told me one day, despite their differences, Edward and Leah would be sleeping together. I don't know if it would be what some people call 'hate sex' or if they would fall in love with one another, but I could see the sexual tension between them both growing. So far they'd been arguing non-stop; they fought constantly about nothing. I wouldn't say they hated each other, but I wouldn't say they were friends either. Leah had a feisty attitude, and sometimes her mouth didn't know when to quit, and Edward wasn't afraid to shut her up. He didn't shout at her, he didn't lose his temper, he didn't even raise his voice; he just had this dominance about him, and whenever he wanted to make a point, he did.

When Leah and Bella were distracted, I paid for the few items I'd bought in the boutique before I made my way out of the store to make a call. I hadn't used my phone since we got here, but it was always charged, and surely enough, Edward had set his number as speed dial one in each of our phones. Checking I was alone once more, I held the phone up to my ear and listened to the ringtone.

"Hello."

"Hi, it's me," I said and slapped myself on the forehead. "I meant it's me, Angela."

What did I expect that Edward would just know my voice? But then again he'd set these phones up, and there was no one else outside of Utah he'd be talking to anymore either.

Edward didn't say anything.

"Right," I said. "Um, I just wanted to talk to you."

"What about?"

I glanced around one more time before I crossed my legs together on the bench I was sitting on. "About tonight," I said.

"What about it?"

Did he not even register that it was the first time he was going to be sleeping at my house? Well, I guess it's our house because his name is on the deed, not mine.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay with everything."

Edward remained silent.

I bit my lower lip. "I mean, not that I expect," I continued. "I just meant that, if you feel more comfortable sleeping downstairs. That's completely fine with me, and maybe if you want, you could sleep in one of the other bedrooms because there's lots of them and-"

"Angela."

I stopped and then took a deep breath. "Yes?"

"I'll sleep in your bed with you."

My heart fluttered in my chest. "With me?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No, of course not. I just didn't think you would want to."

"Why wouldn't I?"

I looked down at the sidewalk and ran my hand through my hair. "Well, come on, I'm not stupid. I know this isn't easy, and you and Bella are meant for each other. I didn't want you to think I had expectations. I don't."

"I know."

I breathed out a sigh of relief. "Okay."

"Was that all?"

I pressed my lips together and couldn't respond, but he did.

"I didn't think so," he said calmly. "You can say it to me."

I closed my eyes. "I'm a virgin."

"I know."

My eyes sprang open, and I almost shot to my feet as a result.

"You knew?" I asked, "Again, look, I swear, I didn't tell you because I expect anything. I just, I guess, wanted you to know, in case, well, I don't know, in case you needed to know."

Edward went silent again, and I sighed.

"Look, you've spent your first night at Bella's and then last night with Leah. You could already be sleeping with both of them, and if you are, I swear I won't judge. I just need you to know that I'm still, and I'm okay with the reality that I might always be a... you know."

I nodded. "So yeah, that's it. I just wanted to tell you that. Bye."

I hung up the phone and slid it back into my purse before I headed back inside to rejoin Bella and Leah, who were both heading towards the changing rooms. I didn't see it as a bad thing that Edward didn't respond to me being a virgin; how he figured it out was a bit of a mystery. He knew I'd been dating Eric, so I figured he and everyone else at school had just assumed I'd given it to him already. But I wanted to wait; my parents had begged me to be responsible and to wait, but I didn't do it for them. There was always something inside my heart telling me that it would be worth the wait someday. It was moments like this that I began to think about fate and if I was always meant to be Edward Cullen's third wife. He was handsome, he was polite, he was chivalrous, he was kind, and he was smart. If there was ever a boy I would be able to date and not be embarrassed by he was him. It was no secret that a lot of girls had a crush on him back home, including Jessica. But he was in my life, not hers. I knew that no matter what, he was never going to hurt me, he was never going to abuse me, and he would never be the type of guy to force me to have sex with him. I wanted to be a wife to him, and I knew that someday, when I was ready, I was going to share that experience with him if he wanted it too.

I just hoped he wasn't secretly sleeping with Leah and Bella already. That was just asking for not only drama but also for a hell of a lot of jealousy to creep in.

At the register, I watched Bella and Leah as their items were put through at different counters; they were so far apart they couldn't see each other's items, but I could. I noticed right away that Bella was buying clothes that would be appropriate for work or college, a place she would likely be going to sooner than later. As for Leah, she was buying clothes more tailored for her height, but at the same time I did note that despite the lingerie, her choices were also very modest. When we were done shopping, all three of us had bags around our arms, but it didn't stop us from going to the food cart for some lemonade before we made our way back to the car.

"What do you think he's been doing all day?" Leah asked Bella as we made our way through the mall.

"I'm sure he's fine doing whatever it is."

"The less he's seen with all three of us, the better." I pointed out.

Leah took a sip of her lemonade through the yellow straw. "Have you spoken to him?" she asked Bella.

Bella looked down at her shoes. "Not since this morning."

"What about you?"

I swallowed hard. "Me? Why would I call him?"

"It's your day with him, isn't it?" Leah asked, "Or does that not start until nighttime in your mind?"

"Well, I mean, technically."

"Let's not talk about these things in public; any one of these people could be our future neighbors." Bella reminded us.

She was right. We had to be careful; we were far from Sandy right now, but we still had to keep our wits about us. We didn't have the same threats now that the barrier was around us, but we still had to be careful. Polygamy was illegal, and it was still looked down upon by a lot of people. I don't know why it bothered me; I mean, I'd grown up knowing it was a thing. I'd heard about it, but now I was living it. It wasn't something you hear about happening to real people in real life; it was more of a historical thing. We didn't drive back to Sandy for the grocery shopping; it wasn't a good idea for us to shop together in town, but there were no large food stores in our town that were combined with hardware and other home essentials. The nearest one was ten miles outside of Sandy and where our next stop was. When we arrived at the store, we got a cart each, and almost immediately through the door, Leah and Bella began to fill their carts while I watched. I'd never done food shopping for my house before; I'd pick up a loaf of bread sometimes on my way home from school, but that was it.

Bella wasn't only shopping, but she was ripping coupons out of a leaflet she'd been handed when we first entered the store.

"There's a deal on rice here; we should buy in bulk today. We'll buy four large bags, and we can store them and split them between.

"Between all three houses. I agree." Leah said to Bella as she brown bagged some green apples.

Bella put two of the bags into her cart. "We'll get more over time, but let's start with dry goods and tinned foods."

"We've got years before the kids," I found myself stopping cold.

Did I just say that? Did I just say, 'We've got years before the kids'? I'd not even been here a week, and yet my subcontractors had already made arrangements for the years to come. Did I truly believe in the next few years we'd be bulk buying because one or more of us would already have babies with Edward? I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer to that.

"Before the kids?" Bella asked as she raised an eyebrow at me.

"I just meant, well, I just assumed, that you'd be the first to have a baby."

I could feel Leah's eyes on me, but I didn't look at her; I didn't want to see the look on her face. I could only imagine it was one of disgust or anger.

"Why would you assume that?" Bella smiled back at me.

I shrugged, "You took care of me so well that day we left; you've got this natural motherly instinct."

Leah scoffed, "Are we here to discuss instincts or get food?"

"Sorry," I mumbled.

Bella walked forward and rested her hand on my forearm. "Don't be sorry; I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to mention such things."

I looked at Leah, and I could see her jaw was clenched.

"But," Bella added, "I think it's a little early to be discussing such things; I mean, it's been less than a week. Let's give it ten years at least."

We both laughed together and then headed down the aisle in front of us, leaving Leah to trail behind us. I know Bella meant that comment to be lighthearted, and it was, but I could see in her eyes that it was true. She wanted to wait until she became a mother; maybe she'd spoken to Edward about it, and they had agreed to wait. I didn't know and I didn't want to ask. The three of us managed to shop without getting into another argument, but I did notice that Leah's attitude seemed to change for the worst. While the two of them filled their carts and the bottom shelves of them, I bought only a bag full of groceries, which consisted of a box of cereal, milk, a frozen pizza, some eggs, and butter.

When we got back in Sandy, it was just after six, and the street lights were all lit up. Unlike the street lights back in Forks that were bright and almost awkward, our street here was lined with classic Victorian bollard lamps. I liked them; they gave the streets a classy feel, and when the sun went down, they looked really pretty. Leah and I ducked down out of sight as Bella drove us down the street and straight up her driveway and into their garage. We didn't slide up until the garage doors shut behind us. I got out first and took my one back towards the door that connected into Bella's kitchen.

Bella followed behind me and nestled her brown bags of food onto the kitchen island as I looked around.

"Where's Edward?" I asked as Leah entered the room carrying her own bags.

"It's not her night with him; it's yours." Leah snapped.

I looked at her and rolled my eyes. "I know that, but I just thought he might be here."

"He is," Edward said as he entered through the backdoor.

I turned to face him, and he mustered a smile before leaning in towards me. I went up onto my tiptoes on instinct and kissed him on the lips.

"Hi." I said and shamefully blushed.

"Hi."

"We didn't mean to be this late." Bella said and began to unload the ice cream from the top of her bags.

I watched Edward go to Leah and kiss her on the lips, seemingly to Leah's surprise. What was going on with them? I know Bella said they'd been fighting, but it was just strange that he'd greet her like that, given that he kissed her on the cheek this morning. Was he trying to show us he wasn't playing favorites? Or was he playing a game with her? I smiled at the sight of Bella smiling back at Edward as he came towards her next, kissing her on the lips before he helped her with the groceries.

"Did you get the station wagon sorted?"

"I'm taking to be done tomorrow morning."

"Early right? I don't want you getting pulled over."

"I'm meeting with someone to get it sorted at six. I'll be back with it before you wake up."

"What are you talking about?" Leah asked.

"I'm going to keep the station wagon, but we need to get everything about it changed, like the license plates, the engine, and stuff." Bella answered her.

I watched Edward helping Bella unload her bags without a care in the world. Why wasn't he even acknowledging tonight was our first night together? A simple smile or glance my way would be enough.

"You're going to keep the station wagon?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, I've always liked older cars."

"And older men." I said not being able to stop myself.

Edward, Bella, and Leah all turned to look at me.

"I'll, uh, just," I turned towards the backdoor. "Yeah." I laughed and headed out into the backyard.

The backyards were easier to walk across; I don't know what Edward had done all day, but the ground was solid; there wasn't any dirt going into my shoes with every step. I kept walking and walked around the side of the house and made my way up to the back door of my house. I paused before I reached for the handle, only to find it was locked. Before I could even begin to root around my pockets in search of my keys, I spotted them on the kitchen counter through the glass panel doors.

"Shit," I mumbled. "I mean shot." I quickly corrected myself.

I turned and retreated back to Bella's kitchen to find only Edward inside; he looked over at me from the kitchen island.

"I locked myself out," I said.

He nodded and began to head my way.

"You have a spare set, right?" I asked.

"Of course," he said as he passed me.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

I stood still and watched him leave the kitchen. I pressed my lips together and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked.

"Nothing," I said as I followed him.

I made my way out the back door and followed him down the steps of the deck and across the yard. I jogged to catch up to him and then walked alongside him.

"Surprised it took me this long to forget something important." I said.

I watched him retrieve his keys from his pocket and unlock the back door. "You've got to stop that," he said softly.

"Stop what?"

Edward slipped the door open before he slowly turned to face me.

"Stop believing you'll mess everything up."

Tears pricked my eyes, and I bit down on my bottom lip to stop myself from crying, "I'm not."

"Yes, you are." He said and motioned for me to enter the house.

I walked into the house, and I turned to find he was still outside.

"Aren't you coming in?"

Edward stared at me before he smiled slightly. "Do you want to go for a swim?"

"Right now?" I asked and looked beyond his shoulder to the pool outside.

"Right now."

"Sure, I guess, but I'll need a minute." I said.

"Of course."

I entered the house and made my way up the stairs to my room. I was nervous to be alone with him; I knew I wasn't going to be able to live up to Leah and Bella. They were experienced and had their night with him. I just hoped I was able to be a good wife to him. I closed the door to my room behind me and kicked off my shoes. I dropped my purse onto my bed and began to unbutton my shirt. Since it had been so hot, I'd left the bedroom windows open all day. I heard one of the backdoors open and made my way over to the window that overlooked the yards. That's when I saw Leah making her way over to her own backyard and how she almost blew right past Edward only to be stopped by him.

I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I knew it wasn't good since Leah was refusing to even look his way. I watched him whisper something into her ear that made her roll her eyes. As a result, Edward glanced over at Bella's house before he leaned away from Leah's ear to lock eyes with her. He then moved in closer, and her eyes drifted down to his lips before he kissed her. It was a simple kiss; it was the way he'd kissed each of us, the only difference this time being Leah closed her eyes and lingered there for a moment.

I dove out of sight when they parted ways and hoped whatever was going on with the two of them that they would soon sort it out. But for tonight it was my night with Edward, and I was going to enjoy it. After I had stripped down to my underwear and put my new white bikini on, I opened the door and made my way back down the stairs. I checked my appearance in the hallway mirror and felt proud of myself. I'd never been skinny; I was a healthy weight, and I knew my body wasn't perfect, but it wasn't bad either. My breasts were smaller than I would like, and sometimes my skin got dry, but none of that mattered. I grabbed a towel from one of the boxes downstairs I'd left there since this morning and wrapped myself in it.

I decided to grab a glass of water before heading outside to be with him. When I got to the kitchen sink, however, I caught sight of Edward with Bella. He had his hands on her hips as he talked to her. I wasn't jealous; seeing them together this way was normal for me, and I had no reason to worry. They'd been apart for so long, it was only natural that they wanted to be close to one another. I shut off the water, however, when Bella ran her hands up Edward's chest and the two locked lips. He didn't pull away like he had with Leah; he seemed to struggle for a moment, like he was trying to keep control, but I thought I saw his tongue enter her mouth then.

I wasn't jealous, but this was supposed to be my night with him, and he was with Bella. I didn't want to say anything; I didn't want to be a burden on them, but I couldn't ignore it. I thought maybe I'd witness a deep kiss and that would be the end of it, but the second Edward's hands dropped from cupping her face, he pulled away from her only to take her hand and lead her in between her house and mine. He pressed her back against the side of their property before he locked lips with her again. I had a smaller window to my left that I caught sight of this from. If the lights hadn't been shut off in the kitchen, I was sure one of them would have seen me.

I watched Bella's hand run through his hair; she pulled his head closer and kissed him harder. I frowned as I watched them. Why wasn't he stopping her? He was getting too into it; he was letting it go too far. I knew that if I didn't intervene now, I'd have to wait until one of them eventually stopped it. But their marriage was their business, and we'd discussed not getting involved in each other's lives like that while we were on the road. As softly as I could in my bare feet, I returned upstairs to my bedroom and got out of my towel and bikini. I tucked them both away in the closet behind my unpacked luggage out of sight before changing into my pajamas.

I crawled into my bed, which I hadn't even set on yet, and closed my eyes. I wasn't sure how much time passed before I heard movement downstairs, but when I heard the backdoor slide open and close, I knew it was Edward. I listened to him make his way upstairs and pause outside my door. I could hear his slower steps and the way he hesitated. I felt my heart beat in my chest. What was he waiting for? Was he coming into my room or not? He opened the door, and I kept my eyes locked shut; even if he asked me anything, I was going to pretend to be asleep. I wasn't going to ask or answer questions about what I'd seen tonight.

Instead, I listened; Edward didn't have any clothes here like he did at Bella and Leah's house. I didn't know what exactly he planned to sleep in, but I could hear him moving around in the room. I could hear the sound of a zipper, the rustling of fabric, and then the soft thud of something heavy hitting the floor. I tried not to imagine him undressing, but I could hear his movements and the sounds of clothes dropping. I held my breath when the mattress sank as he sat down on the edge of the bed. I heard him sigh before he got under the covers with me. I let out a slow breath when I felt his presence beside me.
He didn't say anything; he didn't try to touch me or move closer, which I appreciated. Edward rolled onto his back, and I could feel the heat radiating off of his body; it was comforting and made me feel safe. Bella said before the spell he'd been cold-skinned, so it was a good thing for him too. I wondered what he was thinking about—was he worried about being with me? I wondered how long it would be until he fell asleep. I had no idea what time it was, but I was exhausted. I shut my eyes and was lulled to sleep by the sound of his breathing; it was then that I knew that I didn't care about anything else but this.

When I woke up, I felt someone holding me; it took me a moment to remember I wasn't alone in the bed. I slowly opened my eyes and found Edward was lying on his side facing me; he was fast asleep and had his arm draped over my waist. I could feel the warmth of his chest and the coolness of his fingertips resting on my back. I didn't want to move; I was afraid if I did, I would wake him. I didn't know what time it was, but I figured it was late. I glanced over at the alarm clock on the bedside table and saw it was almost midnight. I must have talked myself back into falling asleep again because when I woke up again it was still late, pitch black outside it matched the room. Only this time when I woke up, I wasn't lying on my side anymore; I was lying across Edward's chest. Not only that, but my thigh was rested on his crotch, and his hand was on my ass.

I wasn't sure how it happened or why I hadn't woken up, but it was an awkward position to be in. I tried to slowly and carefully remove myself from him; I managed to get my leg off of him and to remove my arm from his chest, but my problem came when I tried to lift my head. It was right next to his; I was able to see his handsome features in the dark; I could hear the steady rise and fall of his chest and the scent of his skin. But to stay in the position was wrong, and I could never do that to Bella. I inched my head up and began to roll away from him, stopping only when I reached the other side of the bed where I had originally been.

When I woke up, it was just after seven, and I could hear the shower running in the bathroom. I decided not to be here when he got out. I threw the covers off and climbed out of bed and made my way to my closet. I quietly got dressed and brushed my hair before leaving my room to head downstairs. I took a slice of the cold pizza from the night before and chanced my luck having it for breakfast, taking a slice with me as I unlocked the backdoor and cut across the yard towards Leah's house.

I saw her through the glass panel doors in her kitchen; she was wearing a sports bra and was sweating harder than I had when I had exams back in Forks. She unlocked the backdoor for me, but I was the one to open it. She walked around to the other side of the counter to finish her water.

"You're up early; where is he?"

"Shower," I said.

Leah nodded, and as I watched her empty the bottle, I could see the sweat on her skin and the way her hair clung to the back of her neck. I was never envious of her; she had done something productive already. I watched her lean back against the counter, her stomach tensing as she took a few deep breaths.

"You've been working out?"

"Yeah."

Before I could say anything further, the backdoor opened behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to find Edward entering.

"Morning," he said.

I just nodded my head while Leah stared back at him as he walked around the kitchen counters closer to her. She brought the bottle away from her lips when he stopped in front of her and stared down at her.

"You're up early." He said he almost sounded angry about it.

"So?"

"Running again?"

"Just a few miles."

"No, it wasn't." Edward said his tone low; he leaned in, and I swear I heard him whisper, "We're going to talk about this."

It almost sounded like a threat; when he pulled away, he kissed her, again not on the cheek like he had been; it was on the lips. It wasn't the same as last night though; the kiss didn't linger and her eyes didn't close. She did however leave the second it ended, taking off upstairs and leaving us alone.

"I'm, uh, going to." I said.

Edward glanced back at me; he was still frowning, and it looked like he was trying to stop himself from going after Leah.

"I'll see you later," he asked.

"Yeah."

I left the kitchen and returned home, sliding the door shut behind me.

I sighed "Not that it matters." I whispered.

My day was over.

Bella Cullen
The next morning began early for me—well, actually for all of us. Edward had gotten up early to meet with his contact, who'd come all the way to Utah to take care of the station wagon. When Edward got back with the car, he began working on the backyard. I don't know what machine he was using, but you could probably hear it half way down the street. He was flattening all three yards to lay the sod he'd bought. I was eating mango yogurt and washing up the dishes when Angela came in.

"Morning." She shouted over the sound of the machine.

"Shoes." I called back.

Angela slid her sneakers off and left them at the back door and the dirt that came with them.

"He's been out there since six this morning; how long will it take?" Angela asked as she opened my fridge.

"Think of how slowly it would take a human to do it; he'll have everything done in a few days."

"Leah's about to flip; she's blasting music just to tune that thing out."

I looked over the window above the sink and out to Edward; he'd taken off his shirt, and the sound was bouncing against his back.

"He's going to have a great tan compared to us." Angela said behind me.

"Yeah, we really need to work on the whole milk bottle look," I said as I glanced back at her. "Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm okay." She turned, holding a glass of ice cubes.

"You can't live off ice."

Angela smiled and innocently shrugged. "So it's your night tonight?"

I nodded my head. "It is."

"What are you going to do?"

I felt my stomach sink at the question, "I was actually thinking Edward and I might go out for a few hours tonight, if you guys don't mind being left alone this early."

"Of course not; you guys should go out and enjoy yourselves."

I was glad she was fine with it; I needed some time alone with him. We hadn't had any since the first night, and I wasn't even sure how to be with him now.

"What did you think we'd have a problem with? I told you I don't do jealous." Angela smiled.

"No, I just meant if you were worried about him not being around and the whole Volturi thing."

"First of all, that's super sweet, and second, I won't be alone. Leah is here, and the barrier is up."

"Yeah, it is."

"It's a nice feeling, isn't it?"

"Strangely yes, at first it felt sort of like, like..."

"Like your clothes were on inside out?"

"Yes exactly."

I smiled; it was a good comparison.

"How did you sleep last night?" I asked.

"Good, I was so tired I was out like a light."

I knew she was being compassionate for my benefit; I hadn't asked Leah how her first night with Edward had gone because I worried she'd snap and remind me it wasn't my business. Not that I had the right to ask Angela, but I wanted to regardless. I needed to know the truth so I could start to accept the reality of our lives together and the lifestyle of being a polygamist.

"You can ask me." Angela said beside me with a reassuring smile.

"Ask you what?"

"About me and Edward."

I smiled, "I wasn't."

"Bella."

I sighed and smiled, "Alright, I was curious."

Angela met my gaze. "Are you sure you want to know?"

I thought about it; was I sure I wanted to know? I was asking for my own curiosity; it was better I knew than to spend my entire life wondering.

"I want to know; I need to know."

Angela nodded her head and leaned back against the counter.

"I was so exhausted I crashed in bed early, but when I woke up, he was there," Angela shared as gently as she could. "So yeah, we did share the same bed. I hope that's alright, not that I'm asking permission; I'm just letting you know what happened."

I smiled; she was so thoughtful.

"Of course that's alright." I said.

I wanted to know more; I couldn't help but be curious. Did they land up closer than expected during the night? Was there any contact between them? Did she wake up at all, or did he? What did they think about sharing a bed? Whose idea was it? These were the types of questions that could drive me crazy if I let them and I couldn't. I had to learn to accept that it was going to happen. I took a deep breath and washed the spoon before handing it to her.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How are you doing with all of this?"

Angela smiled "You mean being a polygamist or living in Utah? Because I am not loving the heat."

I smiled. "The whole marriage thing."

She nodded her head and played with the spoon in her hands, turning it over and over in her palm.

"I'm not going to lie, it was kind of overwhelming at first, but it's not like it's just me; it's all of us."

"But let's just focus on you for a minute. It's been a lot for you. Your parents divorced, and what Eric did happened just hours before you agreed to do the spell."

Angela glanced back at me, "Yeah."

"And now you're here."

"I'm here."

I gave her a moment to collect herself; I didn't want to push her into talking about things she wasn't ready for.

"I guess I've learned not to waste time dwelling on the past; I'm here, and I have a great life, and I can't ask for anything more."

She was being so brave.

"I do miss home sometimes," she continued. "I mean, I keep thinking how right now I should be in chemistry class, and instead I'm living in Utah; I have my own house," she paused to look out the window at Edward. "And I'm the third wife of the infamous Edward Cullen. It's like my life is a story and someone else wrote it."

I felt myself smile. "I get that."

"I know it sounds crazy, but I just can't believe it; it's too good to be true."

"Well, it's true; you're here, and we're in this together."

"Right."

I wanted to hug her, but I didn't want to cross a line; she was my sister's wife now.

"I'm, uh, I'm going to go get changed and get my day started."

I nodded my head, "Okay."

I watched her walk outside into the backyard; she was so strong, and I was proud of her. She walked over to Edward, who stopped the machine he was rolling along the ground as she approached him. I watched her talk to him and then watched as he rolled the machine to the side of the house before walking with her back into their house. Edward came out a few minutes later, and Angela placed a kiss on his cheek before she returned inside. Seeing me in the window, Edward stopped in his tracks to smile back at me. I raised my hand and waved him in, causing him to smirk.
When he entered, he shut the door behind him and took a few steps into the kitchen. I walked towards him and took my hand in his before I led him upstairs to our bedroom. He shut the door behind him, and I closed the blinds, blocking out the sunlight.

"You okay?" he asked.

I turned around and smiled at him. I walked over to him and pushed him back onto the bed. Edward sat back and rested on his elbows while I climbed on top of him, straddling his waist.

"Is this okay?" I asked.

He nodded his head, and I leaned in to kiss him. I held his face in my hands and could feel the warmth of his skin against mine. His tongue darted out of his mouth and over my lips; I parted them, allowing him to enter and taste me. I'd missed this. How good it felt just to kiss him and be kissed by him. I loved him more than anything, and I just needed to be with him. I slowly pulled away, and Edward released my lips with a gentle tug.

"Are you okay?" Edward whispered against my lips.

I answered by kissing him again; I didn't want to talk. I wanted to be with him; I needed to be with him. I held his face in my hands and ran my fingers through his hair. He used his right hand to hold my thigh while his other hand rested on my lower back. I pulled away from his lips and pressed my lips to his jawline and kissed my way down his neck. Edward tilted his head back, giving me access to his skin.

"Bella."

When he said my name, I brought my lips back against his. I kissed him deeply and slowly. He slid his hand up my back and under my hair; he fisted his hand in my hair and gently pulled my head back, breaking the kiss.

"Is this okay?" he asked.

I nodded my head, and he sat up, taking me with him. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and kissed him. I could feel the heat of his body against mine, and I could smell the fresh scent of his skin. He removed his hand from my hair, and I felt his hand slide down my back, but he stopped himself from going down further. I moved my hips over him, and I felt him beneath me; the sensation sent a wave of pleasure through me. Edward moaned against my lips, and I knew he had felt it too. I kissed him harder and faster; my heart was racing, and I was overcome with the need to have him. I ran my hand down his chest and down to the hem of his pants. Edward stopped kissing me and took my face in his hands; he kissed me once on the lips and then my forehead.

"We should stop."

I sighed but nodded my head. I climbed off of him and walked over to the dresser. I opened the drawer and took out a hair tie and tied my hair up into a messy bun. I walked back over to Edward, who was still sitting on the bed. He reached out and took my hand, and I allowed him to pull me back onto the bed. He laid back, and I lay beside him. He kept his arm around me, and I rested my head on his chest.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked

"As long as we lie like this, perfectly still."

He kissed the top of my head, and I took a deep breath. I needed to tell him everything that was on my mind.

"I'm not sure where to start."

"Wherever you want."

"Okay, I'm not jealous."

"Good, I wouldn't want you to be."

I smiled and took his hand in mine and linked my fingers through his.

"It's not going to get easier." I said

"I know."

"But it's going to be worth it in the end. I have a feeling that Alice had a vision of us in the future. I don't know what she saw, but it was what caused her to send us the spell."

"She didn't tell you what she saw."

"No, but I trust her, and I always have," I continued. "Plus, it's not about the spell or her vision. Everything that comes next is up to us. It's about making this work, about having a family and growing it all together. It's about protecting each other and standing together against the Volturi by having an amazing life despite what they tried to do to us."

Edward tightened his grip on my hand. "I know."

"This is it for me, Edward. You're it."

He took a deep breath. "Me too."

I raised my head and looked back at him. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Holding his hand tightly, I brushed my hand up and down his chest. "I'm going to say something now, and despite all the logic and what you're feeling right now is this second. I just need you to give me a response of okay. And I will never bring it up again."

"Alright."

I smiled and pressed a kiss on his shoulder. "You have to promise me."

"I promise."

I smiled and looked back down at his chest. I took a deep breath. "I need you to know it's okay to fall in love with Leah and Angela. That's not my blessing or my permission. It's just what it is."

I heard him take a deep breath.

"Okay."

"Okay."

I rested my head back on his chest, and we lay in silence for a few minutes. I listened to the sound of his breathing and the beat of his heart.

"Edward?"

"Yes?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"No."

"Okay."

I waited a few more minutes to summon the courage to say what I wanted next.

"There's something else I might need another okay response for."

"What is it?"

I closed my eyes and promised myself not to say it quickly like a naive child; I wanted to say what needed to be said as his wife and as an adult woman.

"I want to be with you," I swallowed hard and continued, "and when you finally start sleeping with Leah or Angela or both. I don't want to be told when the relationships changed," I said, though it did threaten to break my heart. "I know they might tell me, but I don't want you and I to ever discuss that. Not ever."

Edward was silent, and I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah."

I smiled and released his hand. I brought my hand to his chest and pressed my lips against his warm skin.

"Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me."

"I do."

"No, you don't."

"I do."

"Bella."

"Fine, I won't thank you."

"Good."

He hovered over me and kissed me on the lips; he smiled, and I felt my cheeks flush.

"Can we keep going?" I asked.

"What are you doing to me, Mrs. Cullen?"

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. "You have no idea how badly I want you right now."

"I can imagine."

I smiled and pressed my lips against his. I held his face in my hands and kissed him with everything I had. I wanted him so bad; I wanted to feel him against me. I wanted to know that he was mine. I wanted him to know that he was mine. Edward rolled us over, and I ended up on my back with him hovering above me. I closed my eyes and felt his hand on my thigh as he lifted my leg over his hip.

"Please." I breathed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Bella."

"I'm sure."

"You're not just doing this for me, are you?"

"No."

He kissed me once more before he brought his lips to my neck; he kissed his way down my neck to my collarbone and then across my chest. My heart was racing; I needed him to touch me. I wanted to feel him; I wanted him to be the one. Edward pulled away at that and smirked down at me before helping me back up to my feet.

"So, I spoke to Angela. And she said her and Leah would be fine if you went out for a few hours tonight."

"Good because I already booked us a table."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"What time is the table?"

"It's at seven," Edward said, then dipped his head. "If you'd prefer I pick you up, I could get dressed at their."

"Your other homes." I corrected him.

"My other homes," he said with a smile.

"I think I'd like that."

"Seven o'clock?"

"I'll be ready."

He smiled and kissed me on the cheek. "I should get back to work."

"Um," I said, and he stopped at the door. "Which house will you get ready at?"

"Whichever one you want me to."

"That's not an answer."

He sighed "I'll decide when it's closer to time."

"Okay."

Edward nodded his head and opened the door. I watched him walk down the stairs and out the door. I could feel my heart racing in my chest. I couldn't wait for our date tonight.

Leah Cullen
I had my Bluetooth from my phone connected to my new TV and was following along with a workout tutorial. I was on my back doing crunches when I heard footsteps approaching me. I stopped to look up as Edward stood over me, towering like a shadow.

"What do you want now?" I asked.

"I need to talk to you."

"I'm kind of busy here."

Edward shut off the screen with one slap to the touch pad on the side of the monitor; I didn't even know he knew where to find such a thing. I didn't move; I just lay there on the workout mat I had bought for myself and refused to give him what he wanted.

"You can either get up or—"

"Or what?" I challenged.

Edward sighed and squatted down to my level. He ran his hand through his hair and then ran his hand down his face.

"You're really starting to bother me."

"Good."

Edward's hand shot under my neck, and he pulled me up into a sitting position. He glared at me, and I glared back at him. He wasn't hurting me; he was applying pressure, but nothing more than that.

"Get your hands off of me." I growled.

"No."

"Fine, I'll move myself."

"You can't do anything but destroy yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Edward leaned in until our faces were inches apart. "That wolf is gotta come out, and we both know it."

I held his gaze and clenched my jaw; he was pushing me, and he knew it.

"You don't know anything about me."

"I know that look," his eyes flashed dangerously. "I've seen it before."

"I don't care what you think you know. You don't know me."

"I'm betting it feels like your skin is on fire, like sandpaper during the worst heat wave," his hand on my neck tightened, and he continued, "Like the itch you just can't scratch. Like the itch that's going to drive you crazy."

I could feel it, the anger building up inside of me. I hadn't phased since that day in the woods, and I knew it was only a matter of time. I was ready for it; I could handle it. I didn't need anyone to hold my hand.

"It's not something you can cage; it's not something I can either." Edward said his voice almost sounded seductive.

My eyes almost threatened to roll back into my head as his hand on my neck relaxed. I could feel the heat of his body, and I could smell the fresh scent of his skin. He was warm; I could see every single detail of his face.

"I'm not going to cage you." Edward said.

"So what are your big bad plans?" I asked

Edward's hand slid down from my neck and over my collarbone; my breath caught in my throat as he took his hand away. He rose up to his feet, his eyes never leaving mine, and when upright, he offered me his hand. I stared at him and his hand for what felt like the longest time before I finally reached my hand out for his to have to yank me up with minuscule effort.

"Let's go," Edward said.