A/N: I want to thank everyone for all of the reviews. I love reading them. So I'm going to answer some reviews before I dive right into the next chapter.

Decadenceofmysoul: Thanks for reading.

Sillygabby: I probably should have clarified this before but yes, this story is all human. There are no vampires or werewolves. I am trying to figure out how to work all of the characters in but they will appear at some point. Hope that your enjoying the story.

Brittany08forever: Hope that your enjoying the story. Bella and Jax are going to build their friendship but you also need to remember that their cousins. Things are definitely going to start heating up between Opie and Bella.

Chapter 7

Bella POV

When Opie and I had gotten back to the house after the fireworks and we'd gotten the kids in bed, we'd settled in Opie's bed. We'd briefly talked about Kyle and the fact that I knew that Opie had disappeared earlier in the day but it wasn't until he'd taken his shirt off that I'd realized exactly what had happened. Opie assured me that he was okay and that it was something that needed to be done. In the short time that I'd been around everyone in the club, I'd learned sometimes the things that the guys did was necessary. It had to be done.

We were laying in bed with my head on Opie's chest and he was running his fingers through my hair. "So, I've been doing some thinking." He said. I didn't say anything, unsure of where this conversation was going. "And, I really like the way that things are going with us."

I couldn't help the smile that crept up on my face. "Me too." I said.

"And I know that with everything that the club does that this life isn't easy and that you have to appreciate the quiet moments when we get them." Ope said. I sat up wanting to see his face and where he was going with this. "If I've learned anything from Jax's situation with Abel, it's that life is short and we don't know what's going to happen, one day to the next." I nodded agreeing with him. "Bells, I know that we haven't been together long, but… I love you." He said.

I felt butterflies in my stomach. Ope was right we hadn't been together long, but when I was with him it felt like everything was perfect. It felt like we were the only two people in the world. I'd been wrestling with my own feelings waiting for the perfect time to have this same conversation with him, and it never seemed like the right time. Apparently he'd had the same thoughts. "I love you too." I said, leaning up and kissing him.

Edward POV

I'd watched Bella leave the fundraiser and I'd followed her to a house. The tall man had pulled in behind her and she walked into the house with him. I assumed that it was his house because I couldn't picture her living in something like that. I still didn't understand why she was even still in California. I mean I could understand coming to meet her biological father, but why stay… her entire life was in Forks. I was in Forks.

I sat parked where I could see the driveway but I wasn't noticeable. I would sit there until she left and follow her. At some point she'd be alone. That's when I'd make my move and take her home.

Bella POV

The next morning when I woke up, I'd fixed breakfast for Ope and the kids before I headed out to go see my Dad. I hadn't seen him much since he'd gotten back from Nevada. I was cleaning up the dishes when my cell rang in my back pocket. I pulled it out and saw that Charlie was calling. I flipped the phone open. "Hey." I said.

"Hey kid. How are you?" He said.

I stopped what I was doing and leaned against the kitchen counter. "I'm good. Things are good. How about you?" I said.

"I'm good. I wanted you to know that Cullen came by the house a few days ago." Charlie said.

I felt my heart stop. "Did.. Did you tell him anything?" I asked.

"No. I just told him that you didn't live here anymore, but Bells… that family has a lot of connections it's probably not going to take him long to find out where you are."

"I know." I said, thinking about how deep the Cullens' connections went.

"I just want you to be careful, be safe." He said.

"Thanks. I will." I said, hanging up. This changed everything.

When I'd walked out to my car, I'd noticed a car parked down the street that hadn't been there the night before. I made a mental note to mention it to my dad. I climbed in my car and headed home, although these days it seemed like I spent more time at Ope's. As I was driving through town, I noticed that there was a car following me. I turned onto my Dad's street and the car followed me. This wasn't good. I pulled into the driveway and hurriedly made my way into the house. I quickly closed and locked the door. When I turned around, Dad was standing there staring at me. "You okay?" He asked me.

I ran my hand through my hair. "I don't know." I said. I could feel the tears building up.

"Bells, what's wrong? Did something happen with Ope? Do you need me to kick his ass?" Dad asked me.

I shook my head. "It has nothing to do with Ope. It's about my ex in Forks." I said.

Dad grabbed my hand and led me over to the couch. "Okay. What happened?" He asked.

I wiped the tears from my face. "Charlie just called and said that Edward had come by the house a few days ago, looking for me. Charlie told him that I didn't live there anymore but it's not gonna take him long to find me. Dad, his family … they have ties to the Volturi in Italy." I told him.

I saw a flash of fear on his face. "Don't worry Bells. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you okay?" He said.

I nodded. "Thanks Dad." I said. He kissed my forehead before getting up and limping over to the fridge. "Why are you limping?" I asked him.

He came back with a coke and handed it to me. He sat back down. "I sort of got bit in the ass by a drugged up Doberman." Dad said.

"Huh?" I said.

"Never mind. It's not important. How're things with Ope?" He said.

I opened my coke and took a drink. "There good. He uh he told me he loved me last night." I said, looking over at my Dad trying to judge his reaction.

"Oh. That's big." He said. I nodded. "You've been spending a lot of time over there."

I nodded, looking at the floor. "Yeah."

Dad put his arm around my shoulders. "You know kid, I know that you and Ope haven't been together long, but I can see how much the two of you care about each other. It wouldn't be a bad thing if the two of you wanted to… I don't know… settle down." Dad said. I could see that this was hard for him.

"Dad, if Ope and I decide to settle down you'll be the first to know." I said.

It had been nice spending some time with Dad. Despite my little meltdown about Edward it had been good to see my Dad. Since I'd been spending so much time at Ope's lately, I was missing my Dad. Dad knew that I was feeling paranoid about Edward so he'd walked me out to the driveway. I hugged my Dad before I climbed in my car and headed to TM. I was seriously worried about Edward finding out where I was and coming after me. As I drove through town I thought about when I found out about his family's connection to the Volturi.

***Flashback***

Charlie was working late at the station. There had been several missing persons cases that he'd been working on. I had called Alice to come pick me up because there was something going on with my truck, I just hadn't had time to mention it to Charlie. When Alice had pulled into the driveway I could sense that something was wrong. "Are you okay?" I asked her.

"Not exactly." She said.

"What's going on?" I asked her.

"I probably shouldn't even be bringing you to the house right now, let alone telling you any of this." Alice said.

"Alice, your starting to freak me out." I said.

"Have you ever heard of the Volturi?" She asked me.

I shook my head. "No. Who are they?" I said.

Alice sighed. "The Volturi are based out of Italy. Their part of the Italian Mafia." Alice told me. "Our family has connections to them."

"What kind of connections?" I asked as Alice drove us through town.

"When Carlisle was younger, he lived in Italy for a while. The way he tells it, he met Aro who is the shotcaller of the Volturi. Apparently Carlisle had made an impression and they welcomed him into the fold." She said.

"Wait a minute… are you telling me that your family is part of the Mafia?" I asked.

She turned and looked at me when we stopped at a red light. "Yeah, we are." She said. "Carlisle has been grooming Edward, Emmett and Jasper to be inducted… the only catch is that Edward needs someone by his side, like I am with Jasper and Rosalie is with Emmett." Alice told me.

"What does Edward think about this?" I asked, I'd now become curious with this supposed match up.

"He objected at first, but then Carlisle explained to him that the Volturi could make our lives hell." She told me.

"Why hasn't Edward told me any of this?" I asked.

"He's afraid that if he says anything that your going to run." Alice said.

Alice pulled into the driveway and drove up to the house. When she parked the car, I sat there for a minute. "Alice." I said, causing her to turn and look at me. "What do you think that I should do?" I asked her.

She sighed. "Honestly Bells? I love you and I already feel as if your my sister…" She said trailing off.

"But…"

"Sometimes I wished that even I wasn't in this life." Alice said. I nodded.

Alice and I climbed out of the car and made our way inside. Everyone was gather in the living room. Alice and I shared a look. There was a man and a woman that I didn't recognize. "Bella this is my brother Aro and his daughter Jane." Carlisle said.

I put a fake smile on my face. "It's nice to meet you." I said, even though I was unsure.

Jane stood up and walked over to me, taking a look at me. I thought maybe she was trying to size me up, but I wasn't sure. "Hmm…" Jane said as I walked around me taking in my appearance. "Yes, she'll do nicely." She walked back over and sat back on the couch next to her father.

Edward stood up. "I think Bella and I are gonna go for a walk." He said.

"That sounds lovely." Esme said.

Edward walked over, grabbed my hand and led me back outside. We started walking through the woods. "I can explain." He said.

"There's no need. Alice already did." I said.

"I won't do it to you." He said.

"You won't do what?" I asked.

"I won't bring you into this life of chaos with the knowledge that you could possibly get hurt." He said.

I nodded. "So then where do we go from here?" I asked.

"The only way I see for us to go is for me to let you go." Edward reached for my hand. "As much as it pains me to lose you I won't let you get hurt because of me."

"So your solution is to break up with me?" I asked.

He nodded. "It's the only way to keep you safe from the Volturi." He said. "Come on I'll take you home."

***Flashback***

Thinking back on that day, I wished that I hadn't called Alice to pick me up. Had I known then what I knew now, I wouldn't have done it. After Edward had dropped me off at my house, Aro's nephew Alec had followed us and taken me into the woods and raped me. I'd never told Charlie about that part, just that Edward had broken up with me. Part of me knew that the reason that he was looking for me was because the Volturi were pushing him to.

When I pulled into the lot at TM, I parked my car next to Aunt Gem's just like I always did. I climbed out of my car and walked into the office. "Hey baby. What're you doing here? I thought it was your day off." She said.

I nodded. I reached onto the desk and grabbed her pack of smokes, pulling one out and lighting it. Since I'd been in Charming I'd started smoking occasionally. "It is. I uhh, I went by and saw Dad. I hadn't seen him since he'd been back from Nevada. But I mainly went over there to tell him something." I said, blowing out a puff of smoke.

I guess that Gem could tell that I was freaked out about something. "Bells, what's wrong?" She asked me. I told her about my phone call with Charlie, the car that was following me and my conversation with Dad. "Oh honey. Have you told Ope?" She said. I shook my head. "You have to tell him baby." She told me.

"Tell me what?" I turned toward the door and saw Ope standing there.

"Why don't we go in the clubhouse and talk?" I said and he nodded.

Ope and I walked out of the office and over to the clubhouse. When we walked in, I grabbed a bottle of whiskey from behind the bar as we walked back to Ope's dorm room. When we walked into the room, I walked over and sat on top of the desk while Ope closed the door. I opened the whiskey and took a drink. I was going to need some liquid courage for what I was about to tell Ope. He walked over and put his hands on my thighs. "Bells, what's going on?" He asked me.

"Ope, first of all I want you to know that I love you." I said. He leaned forward and kissed me gently. "Charlie called me this morning. He told me that my ex-boyfriend, Edward, is probably on his way to Charming to look for me or he's already here. When I left the house this morning, I noticed that there was a car parked a little ways down from the house that hadn't been there the night before when we got home. So, I went over to my dad's to talk to him about it. On the way over there I noticed that I was being followed. When I pulled into the driveway, I freaked out. Ope, these people are dangerous. They have connections with the Volturi." I told him. I picked the whiskey back up and took another drink.

Ope grabbed my legs and pulled me toward the edge of the desk. "Baby, I will not let anything happen to you. Do you hear me? They are gonna have to go through me before they can get to you." He said.

In that moment, Ope had never looked more sexy. I grabbed the bottom of his Kutte and pulled him to me. I leaned up and kissed him. At first the kissed was gentle as he leaned down to me. But then the need for more began to overpower me. I leaned back letting him go when the need for air became necessary. When I looked into his eyes, I could see the same thing that I was feeling. Desire. I grabbed the bottom of my tank top and pulled it over my head. He stared at me. I was about to regret what I was doing when he picked me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. "Are you sure?" He asked me. I nodded and then kissed him.

Ope turned us around and sat down on the bed with me straddling his lap. "You are so beautiful." He said stroking my hair. I leaned forward and gently kissed him.

He reached around my back and undid the clasp of my bra, sliding the straps down my shoulders and tossing it on the floor. He leaned forward and kissed my neck, then moving down to my shoulder before making his way down to my breast. I couldn't help the moan that escaped. I reached up and grabbed the top of Ope's Kutte pushing it off his shoulders and tossing it to the side. Then I grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head. Ope kissed me again, flipping us so that I was laying on the bed and he was hovering over me. He unbuttoned my shorts grabbing them and my panties and pulling them down in one swift motion. He stood up and finished stripping before climbing back on top of me and hovering. "Bells, your absolutely sure right? It's not to late to stop." He said.

I leaned up on my elbows. "Do you not want to?" I asked him.

"Of course I do baby. You have no idea how much I want to.. I just want to make sure that it's what you want." Ope said.

"You're the only one that I want this with." I told him.

It was like it was the only thing that he needed to hear. He spread my legs with his knee before taking his thumb against my clit. The sensation was overpowering. "Ope." I whimpered.

"Tell me baby. What do you want?" He whispered into my ear.

"You. I want you." I panted.

Ope lined himself up and inserted himself inside me. It took me a minute to adjust being the first time that we were having sex. Once I'd adjusted to having Ope inside me, he started moving slowly. I bucked my hips up to meet him thrust for thrust. "Ope." I moaned.

It didn't take long until we found a rhythm with me gripping his shoulders and digging my nails into them. "Baby…" I moaned. I could feel myself starting to tighten around him. "Ope, I'm about to cum." I told him. As soon I said it, every emotion that I felt for him came crashing around me. Ope came right after I did. He didn't move immediately though. He rested his forehead against mine as we both came down from our orgasms. Once our breathing had leveled back out, he pulled out of me and rolled to my side pulling me to him. "I love you." I said.

"I love you." Ope said. "I think you should stay here. I'd feel better if you stayed here." He said a few minutes later while stroking my hair.

"And what if I need to go somewhere?" I asked.

"Then you take a prospect with you. Me and your dad can talk to Clay about it." He said.

I nodded. "Okay." I said reluctantly. I really wasn't sure about spending the foreseeable future in the clubhouse but I knew that Ope was doing it to keep me safe. I knew that once he and Dad talked to Clay that they would get Juice to start trying to track Edward. I just hoped that they would find him before he found me.

Edward POV

I'd followed Bella to the clubhouse of the Sons. I'd parked outside of the fence but I could see where the entrance was. I'd seen her walk into the clubhouse with the tall man but they hadn't been back out. I would continue to follow her until she was alone. One way or another I was going to get her. I didn't have a choice.

I sat here waiting when my phone rang. It was Alice. I answered. "What?" I said.

"Don't take that tone with me. You caused this situation." She said.

"I'm aware of that Alice. I didn't know when I pushed her away that Jane was going to take Jasper and hold him hostage." I said. And it was the truth. After I'd broken up with Bella and dropped her back off at her house, Jane had been waiting for me. She'd been expecting me to show back up with Bella with the intent on making her my wife. That however had not been the case. She'd held me at gunpoint and told me that I needed to find her and bring her back. Then she took Jasper. Told me that if I didn't bring Bella back she'd kill him. "I'll get Bella back Alice."

"You better." She said before she hung up.

Opie POV

After Bells and I had gotten dressed, I went in search of Clay. I told him everything that Bells had told me. Needless to say he wasn't happy that the Volturi was after his niece. He'd called everyone in for Church. "Okay so we have a situation." He said. "It's been brought to my attention that Bella's ex-boyfriend is connected to the Volturi."

"What?" Jax asked.

Tig and I both nodded from our seats. "Charlie called her this morning and said that the shithead had come by his house looking for her. Bells is worried that either he's on his way to Charming to find her or that he's already here." Tig said.

"When she left the house this morning, she spotted a car following her. She thinks that it might be him." I said.

"What do we know about this guy?" Bobby asked.

I sat back in my chair and lit a cigarette. "Guy's name is Edward Cullen. We don't really know a whole lot about the guy. Might need Juice to get some intel. I think that she should stay at the clubhouse until we can figure this out." I said leaning back and blowing a puff of smoke out.

Jax and Clay shared a look. "I'll agree to that. Bells is a part of us. We're gonna do everything we can to protect her." He said to me and Tig. "We'll keep Bells here. Who's staying here for protection?" He said looking around the table. Tig and I shared a look.

"If someone can help me with the kids, I can do it." I said.

"I'm sure Gem wouldn't mind." Clay said. I nodded. "So it's decided."

When Clay dismissed Church, I made my way over to the office where I knew that Bells and Gemma were. When I walked in Bells was sitting on the couch and Gemma was busy with a customer. I walked over and sat beside Bells. When Gemma was finished with the customer, she sat back down in her desk chair. "Well what's the verdict." Gemma said.

"Bells is gonna stay here till we solve this. I was wondering if the kids could stay with you while I stayed with Bells for protection." I said to Gemma.

"You talk to Clay about it?"

"His idea." I said.

"I'll do it." Gemma said.

"Thanks." I said.

Bella POV

I was sitting outside the clubhouse on the picnic table. Everyone was doing various things. I had just finished a cigarette when I looked out towards the gate and I saw the car from this morning. I quickly jumped down from the table and took off to the garage. I quickly scanned the garage for my dad or Opie. The only one I found was Jax. I ran over to him. "Jax."

He turned and looked at me. "Bells, what's wrong?" He asked me.

"He's here." I said.

Jax POV

"Where?" I asked.

"Parked just outside the gate. Black sedan tinted windows." She said.

I nodded. "Go into the clubhouse and stay there." I told her. She nodded and ran to the clubhouse. I put the wrench down that I had in my hand. I walked out of the garage as Clay and Tig pulled into the lot and parked their bikes. I walked over to them.

"Hey whats up?" Clay said.

"See that black sedan with the tinted windows?" I said, they both nodded. "Bells said that's the guy."

"She's sure?" Tig asked me.

"Seems to be." I said.

"So let's get the fucker." Tig said. "This guy is scaring the crap out of my daughter."

I thought about it for a minute. Snatching the guy in broad daylight probably wasn't the best idea. "Wait. We can't snatch him in broad daylight. He knows that Bells is here so we know that he's not going anywhere. He doesn't know that she knows that he's coming after her. Right now we have the element of surprise. I say we wait until dark." I told them.

"Use the element of surprise." Clay said. I nodded. "Get everyone. Including Bells." I nodded.

Bella POV

I can't believe that I agreed to this. When they'd called me into the Chapel I'd been completely confused until they'd told me their plan. They were planning to use me as bait to lure Edward. I was completely terrified. I had no idea if this plan was going to work.

Edward POV

I'd been sitting here all day. Bella hadn't gone anywhere. She'd stayed there at the clubhouse all day. I'd watched people come and go all day until they finally closed the place. I'd watched Bella stand around with the tall man until he finally led her over to her car. She climbed into the car and cranked it up. I called Emmett.

"Yeah." He said when he answered it.

"This is it. Be ready." I told him.

"Got it." Emmett said before hanging up.

I watched Bella pull out of the parking lot and I waited a minute before I started to follow her. I had no idea where she was going but I was going to follow her and hope that it was the moment that I'd been waiting for.

I followed her through Charming until she turned off onto a dirt road. I followed her down the dirt road. We continued down the dirt road until we came to a cabin sitting at the edge of the woods. Her car was turned off so I assumed that she'd gone inside. I cut the engine to my car and reached into the glove box. I grabbed the sedative dart that was in there. I climbed out of the car closing the door quietly. I quietly made my way up the steps to the door. I eased the door open and snuck inside. I didn't see anyone when I walked in but I heard water running in the bathroom. I walked towards where the running water was coming from. I slowly opened the door and made my way in. I carefully walked over to the shower, I grabbed the shower curtain and quickly pulled it back. Where the fuck was she?

I turned around to make my way out of the bathroom when I came face to face with the tall one. "Looking for something?" He said.

I smirked at him. "Nothing of your concern." I said.

He had a big grin on his face. "I beg to differ." He said before his fist collided with my jaw. Everything went black.

Opie POV

That was too easy. I grabbed the guy by his ankles and pulled him into the living room. Bells was standing on the other side. Tig helped me pick him up and put him in the chair. Tig handcuffed him to the chair. I looked over at Bells. "Go get the others." I told her and she nodded.

Tig and I stepped back to take a look at the guy. "Did the others get the other one?" He asked me.

I nodded. A few minutes later Bells came back in followed by the rest of the guys. Bells came over and stood behind me while the others brought in the other guy and handcuffed him to another chair. Bells grabbed my arm. "He's one of them too. That's Emmett." She said.

I nodded. It took about ten minutes before they came to. "Morning boys." Jax said.

The guys looked at each other. The one that I'd caught in the bathroom glared at the other one. "What the fuck did you do Emmett?" He said.

"Fuck off." Emmett said.

"Now now, there's a lady present." Clay said.

"She's not a lady, she's my fucking whore." The shithead said. I walked over and backhanded him.

"Not nice." I said.

"Why are you following me?" I heard Bells say from behind me.

"Trust me it wasn't my idea." Edward said.

Bella POV

"Then why? The Volturi?" I asked.

Edward didn't say anything so in a quick motion I grabbed Dad's knife from his side and held it to Emmett's throat. "Is it the Volturi?" I asked Emmett.

"Fuck off Bella." He said.

"Hmm I guess Rose is gonna be sad when you don't come home." I said pushing the knife further against his throat. I could see a little bit of blood running down where I'd nicked him. He looked over at Edward who shook his head. "He can't help you now." I said.

"Fine!" He yelled. "The Volturi wasn't thrilled that Edward had broken up with you. They sent us to bring you back to Forks where you'll marry Edward."

"Over my dead body. What did Alec have to do with it?" I asked Emmett. I was hoping that they didn't know what Alec had done, but I wasn't sure.

"Alec suspected that Edward was going to push you away from the life so he followed the two of you." Emmett said, causing Edward to roll his eyes.

"Did you know?" I asked. Emmett looked down at the floor. "Answer me! Did you know that he was going to rape me!" I yelled at him.

"Yes!" He replied as I applied more pressure to his throat. Without thinking, I slit his throat then I dropped the knife.

Ope grabbed me by my shoulders and pulled me to him. I looked up at him and nodded. "Hap, make him suffer." Ope said.

"My pleasure." Hap said.

"Come on we need to get you cleaned up." Ope said leading me toward the bathroom. When we walked into the bathroom, he shut the door and I walked over and closed the lid on the toilet and sat down. "Are you okay?" He asked me.

"You know this isn't over yet don't you?" I asked him.

"I know. We'll get the others." He said and I nodded. He reached into the shower and turned the water on. "Why didn't you tell me about the rape?" He asked me.

I sighed. "I guess part of me just pushed it down, trying not to think about it." I said.

Ope grabbed my hand and pulled me up, wrapping his arms around me. "We're gonna get through this." He said.

"I hope so." I said, before stripping and climbing into the shower to clean up.

A/N: And that's chapter 7. Things are definitely heating up in Charming. Merry Christmas everyone!