Chapter 27

~You First~

For Jimmy's welcome home, Bella decides we should barbecue on the patio at the farmhouse. She feels the conversation will go smoother over burgers and beer in his territory. It feels awkward to blindside Jimmy with my presence, not to mention a bit voyeuristic on my part. When I mention this to Bella, her face morphs into the mulish expression I'm getting to know so well. Guess who wins that debate?

I insist she at least tell Jimmy that I'm going to be here, and she agrees. Bella lets me help bring food out to the patio but insists on preparing everything herself. I'm two beers in by the time he gets home. Jimmy has always driven aggressively, and today is no exception. Gravel sprays into the air as he brings the car to an abrupt stop.

He's out of the car a second later, arms spread wide. "I'm back! Where are you, baby?"

Bella takes off the apron she's wearing and looks over at me nervously. "Can you keep an eye on the ribs?" she asks in a small voice.

"Sure."

She drops the apron on a chair and hurries toward Jimmy, reminding me of a timid bird. A transformation takes place before my eyes. Bella goes from a woman gaining confidence and taking back some control to a weak and subservient waif. Her shoulders slump, head down, and by the time she steps into Jimmy's arms, I don't recognize her.

Taking her face between his hands, he kisses her, long and slow. Her body arches toward his, and she loops her arms around his waist.

"What's my girl wearing? Do a turn for me."

Bella steps back and twirls, her flowing summer dress billowing out around her. "Do you like it?"

"Very much, baby." He makes a show of looking around. "Where's my boy?"

I bristle at him calling me his "boy," but isn't that what I am? He invested a lot of money in my shop, and he thought nothing of dropping his health-challenged girlfriend in my lap, expecting me to take good care of her. And I did.

I saunter across the lawn with a wave, attempting to appear casual. "Hey, Jimmy. Welcome home."

"What's that wave? Get over here, man!" Jimmy stalks forward and pulls me into a bear hug, a tight one that showcases how strong he is. He slams me on the back a few times before letting go. "That's better."

We sit around the table on the patio, eating ribs, corn, and cucumber salad. Jimmy and I drink beer, and Bella has a glass of merlot. She's not supposed to drink alcohol while on medication, so she nurses her wine throughout the meal. Jimmy and Bella sit close together, his hand often straying to her thigh, and I sit across from them.

After a bunch of nonsense small talk, I'm annoyed. And, hey, he's her master, not mine. I want some answers.

"So, where the fuck were you all this time, man?" I ask, tipping back my beer and taking a long pull from the bottle.

Jimmy goes still for a moment, and something sparks in his eyes that I can't quite describe. "I had some important financial business to attend to." He tilts his head, gauging my skeptical expression before going on. "If you must know, I was also working with a private investigator, tracking Phoenix."

My eyebrows shoot up. Good to know he is making it a priority to find the bastard. "Oh! Any success?"

Jimmy looks frustrated. "No. I didn't believe the PI when he said Phoenix is like a phantom, but he's right. We were hot on his trail a few times, and it suddenly went cold."

Bella takes in a breath. "Ming?" she whispers.

Jimmy shakes his head. "No, baby. I'm sorry."

Bella goes pale.

"What about her?" I question.

Jimmy hands curl into fists. "Ming is the only one other than Bella who has seen Phoenix's face, and she's the only one who knows his true identity. Nobody has heard from her in a few months. The PI is trying to help me track her down as well." Frustration darkens his features.

"Any clues? Do you think something happened to her?"

"I think she's in hiding—from Phoenix just as much as from us. After all, I paid her off so I could take Bella away from there."

Bella shudders. Jimmy wraps an arm around her shoulders, shushing her, and plants a kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry. I'll protect you."

She looks at him with such trusting adoration and whispers, "I know you will."

The unexpected sting of jealousy pricks me, quick and sharp. I stand abruptly, and they both look at me, startled. "I'm getting another beer. You guys want anything?"

They don't, so I keep my pace as normal as I can. I stalk through the kitchen to the living room and punch the brick around the fireplace. Pain jolts up my arm, and I grit my teeth. The discomfort does what I hoped it would, distracts me from the inappropriate feelings for my friend's girl. The dynamic between them is none of my business. Bella asked me to be here while she talks to him, so I will offer my support. I grab another beer and pop the top off. I polish off half of it before returning to the patio, keeping my freshly scraped knuckles concealed.

The two of them have their heads bent close, whispering intimately. When I sit, they pull apart, fingers still linked. The sun is low in the sky, casting shadows across the yard, making it difficult to discern Jimmy's expression.

"You have something you want to say while Edward is here?"

"Y-yes. When I ended up in the hospital, Edward's sister took care of me. She discovered that some of the meds I was on were making my condition worse. She's monitoring my meds now. Alice and Edward encouraged me to see a therapist, and it's been good for me. Really good." Bella caresses Jimmy's cheek. "Dr. Klein is coaching me to be strong, to be my own person and stop depending on others to make decisions for me. We've talked a lot about how I've been groomed by my father, Ming, and Phoenix—and how I look to you for guidance. You've been so good to me, giving me the direction I crave, but I've used that as a crutch." She looks up at him imploringly.

Jimmy nods slowly. "Okay, this all sounds like progress, so why do I feel like you're treating me with kid gloves? Do you think I want to lord it over you, that you need Edward here to run interference?"

"No, Jim. You only did what I needed you to, but now it's time for me to step up. It's scary as hell because I've always handed the reins over to someone else. I'm terrified"—she holds his face between her hands—"but I need to know you're okay with this, that we're okay."

Jimmy pulls her hands away from his face and holds them tight. "Bella, I love you. I only want what's best for you." He lifts one of her hands to his lips, placing a kiss across the knuckles. "I swear that I will always do what's best for you, even if it hurts."

"I don't know what to say." A soft sob hiccups out of Bella, and she climbs onto his lap. He cuddles her, and the moment is extremely intimate. I should leave, give them privacy, but I don't. I sit there and drink my beer, watching them together.

oOo

Jimmy won't let me leave because I've had too many drinks. He insists I crash in the guest room. I know he's right—I shouldn't be driving—but it takes some convincing before I agree.

The three of us sit around the kitchen island. Bella drinks warm milk. Jimmy drinks Bella. I drink the bitter nectar of envy and loneliness.

Bella shows me to the guest room on the first floor and makes sure I have what I need. The room is off-white with a cream and burgundy border around the ceiling and has a full-size bed, antique dresser, and nightstand. Sparse but cozy.

She stands beside the bed, holding a pile of extra blankets and a pillow she retrieved from the closet in the hall. "Edward, thank you . . . for everything." Her words are soft, almost apologetic.

"You're welcome, Bella."

She hovers awkwardly, looking as if she has more to say, but then she simply smiles and walks out, closing the door behind her.

I strip to my underwear and slide under the covers. I turn off the bedside lamp, but beams of moonlight shine brightly through the window, so I get up and pull the shade down. It's always difficult for me to sleep in a strange bed.

While I'm counting sheep, the soft murmur of voices drifts through the vent. I hear a word here and there, but the cadence of the conversation is intimate and soon morphs into soft sighs and moans.

I grit my teeth. I doubt they have any idea that I can hear what they're doing from down here. Even so, this is torture, and I resent having to lie here listening to Jimmy make love to Bella even though I have no right to. The worst part is knowing how much he has done for Bella and continues to do. Jimmy has the resources to take off and search for Phoenix; he had the resources to buy Bella's freedom from Fire Island. I can't offer anything like that.

Stop this train of thought, Cullen. Even if you had unlimited resources, Bella isn't with you, and Jimmy is a close friend. Friends don't pull shit like that.

Anger and frustration build inside me. Does part of me want Jimmy to be a bad guy so I can justify swooping in to save Bella? And if so, what kind of person does that make me?

I turn on my stomach and jam a pillow over my head, curving it around to muffle my hearing. I end up falling asleep that way. In the morning, I wake up just as the sun is rising and decide to go for a run through the wooded trails. Since I only have one shirt with me, I strip it off and run bare chested in my sweats.

The dewy morning air smells fresh and clean. My breath puffs in little clouds. The sun hasn't had time to warm the air or burn off the fog that hovers a few feet off the ground. I find myself jogging instead of running so I can take in the nature surrounding me. As I go deeper into the woods, a hush comes over the atmosphere. Aside from the twitter of birds or rustle of an occasional squirrel in the underbrush, the silence is almost complete. I take a break, sitting on a log and closing my eyes. This could be the middle of nowhere, and I feel as far from civilization as I ever have.

I'm away from the stresses of life, the stress of complicated relationships, or the stress of wondering who broke into Inkspiration or torched The Vault. The fire at The Vault weighs on me because I know Aro suspects me. If Aro had something to do with the break-in at the shop, his guilt might be leading him to believe I know what he did and decided to retaliate, which could lead to a dangerous game of revenge.

I breathe in and out, allowing my concerns to dissipate like the fog. Although no answers are forthcoming, I feel better and more in control by the time I'm ready to go back to the house.

Bella is in the kitchen, making breakfast, and Jimmy is at her side, helping. They banter back and forth, and Bella laughs, tossing something at him. So much for my inner peace; jealousy floods my veins.

I clear my throat. "Something smells good!"

Jimmy turns around, smiling. "Hey, man! I thought you were still sleeping. Breakfast is in ten. Did you have a good run?"

Bella's shoulders stiffen when Jimmy asks about my run. Fleetingly, I wonder why, but the moment passes almost as quickly as it came, and she continues cooking.

"Yeah, actually. It's so quiet out in the woods. Civilization seems so far away. It was a nice change of pace."

"Well, you know you're welcome to stay here, run here, whatever here anytime. You're family. Right, baby?" He leans in and nuzzles Bella's neck.

"Yes, of course."

Jimmy's words are genuine, his face open and friendly. Bella still has her back to me, but there's hesitation in her response. An almost palpable sense of discomfort hangs in the air—I'm just not sure if it's coming from her, me, or both of us.

Jimmy is too perceptive not to pick up on it, so I duck my head. "That's nice of you guys, but I don't want to intrude. Besides, I need to be close to the shop." I look at my watch. "I should really get going."

Jimmy walks toward me, placing his hands on the breakfast bar. "I already talked to Seth, and you have no clients until noon. We're eating on the patio." His tone leaves no room for argument.

"Okay. Thank you."

"Jesus, Ed! I owe you way more than breakfast after all you've done for us. Right, baby?"

This time Bella turns and looks me in the eye. "Yes, we do." She steps in behind Jimmy and rests her face against his arm. Her gaze roams over my naked upper body, quickly returning to my face, and her cheeks flush. "Jim's absence would have been much more difficult without your help—and Alice's too. Thank you, Edward." She smiles at me. There's something unreadable in her eyes, but I'm going to take this at face value and halt the mind-fuck right here.

"Glad I was able to help. You're with Jimmy, so you're part of the clan now. I'll get presentable for breakfast." My smile feels pasted on. I leave the room, and jog down the hall leading from the living room to the guest room.

I left my phone on the nightstand, and there are three notifications: two texts and a voicemail. I play the message first.

Hey, Edward, it's Sam Uley. Give me a call when you have a minute. There's something I need to run past you about the break-in.

Maybe they have footage from the street cams. I decide to call him after breakfast and move on to the texts.

When you get up, join us for breakfast ~Jimmy

What is your relationship to Jimmy and Bella? ~Unknown

I try to call the unfamiliar number, but it leads back to an anonymous texting app that doesn't accept calls.

Who is this? ~E

Within thirty seconds I receive a response.

What is your relationship to Jimmy and Bella? ~Unknown

You first ~E

I wait two more minutes with no response before heading out to the patio to join Jimmy and Bella for breakfast. There are platters of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toasted English muffins. The memory of Bella feeding me strips of bacon rises unbidden, and I tamp it down.

We eat and talk about mundane things. I'm digging into a pile of scrambled eggs when another text comes in.

I asked you first ~Unknown

A shiver works its way up my spine. Although the words are innocent enough, the response feels ominous.

~oOo~

A/N: A lot going on beneath the surface. It's hard not to feel sorry for Edward. Any guesses about our mystery texter? Would love to hear your thoughts and theories!

The next chapter of Princess is well underway and should post with a week.

I post teasers and links to updates on my blog and on Facebook in the No Rules Twilight Fan Fiction and It All Started With Twilight groups.

Thanks and gratefulness as always to my awesome betas, SassySue (chayasara) and Wendy wmr1601. These ladies make my stuff much more presentable! And Aleea (Aleeab4u) is prereading! She makes every chapter better. Mwah!

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PSA: Fanfic has made a ridiculous update that will turn email notifications OFF. This is the default setting. You will need to go to "settings" in your FF account and opt in to receive email notifications. Even if you do this, this setting will automatically default back to NO every six months, at which time you will need to change the setting again. Just one more way FF is making our lives difficult.