DISCLAIMER: The story is mine, the characters of this story belong to Stephanie Meyers.

Song for the Chapter: Vampire Weekend - This life

Chapter 1

LPOV

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..

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From what I remembered he was such a fucking asshole, so I thought, but, he was absolutely gorgeous.

The night we first met wasn't ideal, but the night ended better than I could have imagine given the situation. I had traveled with my 'friend' downtown a couple cities over. We felt like being spontaneous, bar hoping was a fun endeavor I'd join in on if in the mood.

I'd spotted this mysterious sexy creature a couple times as I'd go to the bar for a shot, or as I danced on my boy toy at the time. His eyes were penetrating me. He had a kind of wild forest man vibe, had a slight beard, and his shoulder length hair was slicked back nice and classy like. Before approaching the bar for the last drink that night, I had accidentally bumped into him while trying to get past the crowd of people.

I saw him stare at me, his eyes burning a trail up my body. I instantly became wet, that was a given, but when I felt my legs wobbling and shivers went up my spine...I knew my life was going to change.

I tried, and failed to glance nonchalantly over my shoulder with a scowled face at this sexy being that was feet behind me. I could feel his gaze permeating my body. I felt as if my legs would betray me by shivering. I mustered the best darn bitch face I could. I was trying to be all hard, and look like I would kill you if you said a damn thing to me.

My eyes and body shifted back towards the pleasant bartender once I saw this sexy man's eyes sending daggers into my soul, I couldn't handle it. His eyes were a gorgeous, dark, and a seductive green, under a set of angry, furrowed, dirty blond hair.

I cleared my throat. "Can I get a Bud Light?" I asked wearily over the loud club music.

What the fuck has gotten into me?

Better question is what do I want in me right now?

The toothy bartender lurched forward as if to hear me better so I leaned over which probably caused a good sight for Mr. Sexy.

In the moment of me bending over the bar slightly to better hear, I was also showing off my Assets and my lack there of laced panties that I had ditched earlier in the car.

I had a rebel heart in my younger years.

No shame.

"A Bud Light," I raised my voice, fighting the trembling that would have been very noticeable had the music not been so loud.

I began reaching into my clutch for 20$ and slipping it into the bartenders shirt pocket.

And when I look back at moments as such I begin to regret the amount of money I would blow on the dumbest shit. Instead of going to school, getting a degree, etc...I went down the route of drinking, partying, and pure recklessness.

Again, no shame.

Bartender winked at me and smiled. "Sure thing, honey," he chuckled, patting his shirt pocket while walking over to the cooler.

As I watched him work I hear a voice that immediately made me spin on my heels.

"You'd better watch who the fuck you steppin' to bitch, pushing me out the way like that."

The voice boomed, reverberating through my ears, the word "bitch" hitting like a slap.

Nobody calls me a bitch and survives to tell the story.

I turned, my eyes narrowing as I took in the sight of the gorgeous man who had spoken. His face was twisted with anger, his body tense as if ready to pounce. The bar around us seemed to grow quieter, the usual hum of conversation and clinking glasses fading into the background.

I was not the one to let anyone talk to me like that, and this guy was no exception. I did not know at the time that he was THE Edward Masen. His father was one of the biggest coke dealers in the bay area, had all of the cops on a pay roll, no one could touch the guy or his family, including his oldest son, Edward.

But, at the time of this incident I named him Mr. Sexy. And although he may be sexy, it doesn't excuse his rudeness in speaking to a female like that.

"Excuse me?" I said, my voice steady but laced with a cold edge.

Mr. Sexy stepped closer, his posture and height overwhelming me. "You heard me," he spat. "You think you can just push past people like you own the place?"

I stood my ground, tilting my head up to meet his intense gaze. My hand slid over my side as I pushed my hip out. "I didn't push you," I replied, my tone firm. "But if you want to make this a problem, we can certainly go there."

His eyes flashed with a mix of surprise and something else I couldn't quite read. "Oh, you want to go there? Let's go there," that throaty voice set off something in me.

Before things could escalate further, the bartender returned with my drink, his presence a reminder of where we were. "Here you go," he said, sliding the glass towards me and casting a wary glance at the man.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. "Look," I said, addressing Mr. Sexy again, "this isn't the place for that. Let's just drop it and move on."

For a moment, he seemed to consider it, his eyes flickering with indecision.

And, before I had my chance to say something really clever, Josh, my boy toy at the time came out of nowhere, stood beside me and said, "You're not gonna disrespect my lady like that bro, apologize."

I sighed, Josh always had a knack for showing up when I had shit handled. He always tried to be macho, talked so much shit, and said I was like his chihuahua. He had to be the confrontational one.

I stared as Mr. Sexy licked his succulent pink lips and went from a grimace to a pretty cheerful smile. "You guys ain't from here, are you?"

I was barely paying attention at that point, this guys teeth were ridiculously perfect.

After that, all I remembered was the pandemonium that occurred. His fist flew right past my head. I heard and felt the wind from the whoosh as it zoomed past me and slammed right against Josh's jaw.

It all happened way too fast, but I basically tried to chuck my drink and an astray at Mr. Sexys head. Someone fortunately stopped me, mid-action.

The bar erupted into chaos, people shouting and pushing as the fight broke out. Mr. Sexy had a wild look in his eyes as he went after Josh again, but this time the bouncers intervened, grabbing him and pulling him away. Josh staggered back, holding his jaw with a mix of anger and shock.

"Let's go," I muttered to Josh, grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the exit. The last thing we needed was to get kicked out or worse. Arrested. Been there, done that, I had no panties on and was NOT about to sit in county for a night.

As we made our way out of the bar, I couldn't help but glance back at Mr. Sexy, who was now being escorted out by the bouncers. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and despite everything, I felt a strange connection, like an unfinished story hanging in the air.

Once outside, Josh muttered curses under his breath, still rubbing his jaw. "What the fuck, Leah?"

I shrugged, trying to shake off the adrenaline. "What?!"

"Every fucking time I go somewhere with you, I get into a fight," he complained.

I rolled my eyes. "Then you fuck off too!" I shouted, immediately striding in the opposite direction. "I will get a cab, Josh. Fuck you!"

"Fuck you!" he hollered back.

The night air was cool against my flushed skin as I walked away, my mind racing with anger and frustration. The streets were still lively with people enjoying their evening, but I barely noticed them. My thoughts were consumed by the confrontation and the mess that always seemed to follow me.

I pulled out my phone to call a cab, my hands still trembling slightly from the encounter. As I waited for the ride to arrive, I couldn't help but think about Mr. Sexy and the strange connection I had felt. What was it about him that had drawn me in, despite the chaos?

I didn't even know his name, and I don't think he knew mine.

As my walking slowed, I must have been about a half a block away from the bar at that point. Josh left, didn't even give a shit. Which I didn't either; I was happy to be rid of him. Such an imbecile.

I heard a whistle, my head turned slightly to see what the commotion was now.

Whatdoyaknow!?

Mr. Sexy comes jogging right up until he's about five feet away from me. My arms wrapped around myself, I felt so incredibly bare suddenly. His gaze flustered me. I decided to say something cohesive, afraid I might stutter.

"What you think you're so bad?" I was trying to sound serious, but, there was just something so strange and lighthearted about this, my wall was already down. Was it Mr. Sexy?

"Come and find out then," he grinned like the Cheshire cat. My smile mimicked his.

He made me feel primal when he looked at me. The streetlights cast a warm glow on his face, highlighting the mischief in his eyes. I felt a pull towards him, an urge to see where this strange connection might lead.

I took a step closer, my heart racing. "You gonna tell me your name, or do I have to guess?" I teased, raising an eyebrow.

He laughed, a deep, throaty sound that sent shivers down my spine. "It's Edward. And you?"

"Bitch," I replied sarcastically, feeling a thrill at finally knowing his name.

He took a sharp breath and winced.

Definitely wasn't expecting me to say that.

"I am so sorry about that," he apologized. And seemed genuine enough about it that I officially relented and gave him my name.

"Leah," he repeated, rolling it around in his mouth as if tasting it. "Nice to meet you, officially."

"I'm sorry about earlier." I held out my hand for him to shake it. Instead, he held it firmly in his palm and brought it up to his lips. His warm breath tickled my knuckles as he planted a soft kiss.

The cab arrived, pulling up to the curb. I hesitated, torn between leaving and staying. Edward seemed to sense my indecision and took a step closer, his hand gentle as he held mine.

"How about we continue this conversation somewhere else?" he suggested, his voice low and inviting.

I glanced at the cab, then back at Edward. The night had already been full of unexpected twists, and I found myself wanting to see where this one would lead. "Alright," I agreed, smiling. "Let's go."

Edward let my hand go for a moment to open the passenger door of the cab and let the driver know I had a ride already. There was some bickering, the fact that I had called but wasn't going to need the ride. But, I saw Edward reach into his back pocket and give the guy some cash.

We walked away together, the tension and excitement between us felt like shockwaves. As we wandered through the city streets, talking and laughing, I couldn't help but feel that this chance encounter was the start of something new and thrilling.

We had made it to his souped up Chevy. He opened the door for me and helped me climb in. As he drove, I tried to calm my mind and focus on something else. The smell of the interior leather had me woozy. The alcohol from earlier didn't help.

I was slightly panicking at my impulsivity.

This guy could be a serial killer.

Fucking handsome one at that.

But shit, what a situation.

We arrived at one of his places about twenty minutes after the initial incident. The feeling in the air was palpable. We made small talk, and tried to do just that. His apartment was immaculate. I almost wanted to ask him what he did for work, but decided at the time to not ask.

But, I didn't care about decency.

I wanted him.

And it felt like he wanted me too.

"So, Leah, tell me about yourself," Edward said, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

I shrugged, feeling a bit shy under his gaze. "Not much to tell. I used to be a bit of a wild child, still am in some ways, I guess. What about you?"

He smiled, a hint of mystery in his eyes. "Let's just say I've had my share of adventures. But tonight, I'm more interested in getting to know you."

We continued sharing little stories, laughing, my initial tension and suspicion of him being an American psycho eventually faded.

"I have to admit, I didn't expect tonight to turn out like this," I said, looking up at his emerald eyes.

Edward chuckled. "Neither did I. But I'm glad it did."

It seemed an instant went by and I was wrapped in his arms.

I couldn't fight it anymore. I just needed to have him.

I was ripping his shirt off, flinging it across the kitchen into the lounge area. Next thing you know I'm bent over the side of his countertop as he's plunging his thick hot member into me.

The first thing I remembered doing before the romp was just drooling because this man had one of the most beautiful cocks I had ever seen in my life. Just perfect, I actually wanted to wrap my lips around it and make him squirm. Stare up at him as I take him deeper in my mouth, watching him as his eyes glazed over to the back of his head, his hand raking through my hair, and humming to his guttural, strained breath.

So, although I usually was not one to go for oral sex because it just did absolutely nothing for me...I was still surprised at myself for wanting a total stranger this badly.

It was climax, after climax with him. He barely let me touch his gorgeous cock besides sucking it for a couple minutes before we began, and there was a part of me that hated him for that. I wanted to keep egging him on, I didn't think it was possible for him to look anymore attractive, but, he looked so sexy when he was aroused.

He was teasing me that night.

But, it was oh so good.

I remember my ass felt raw from him clutching and smacking the already flushed skin. "You gave me that little preview at the bar, huh? Who was that for?" He grunted against my ear.

I shouted out once wrapped his fingers through my long dark hair and tugged backwards.

"For you," I grinned.

"Oh.. God, yes! Fuck!" He spat out.

Feral. Very raw, and very real.

..

.

All these memories and I still had the same reaction that I always had when I spotted him in the crowded Foot Locker. Soaking wet panties and a very very dry mouth.

I had to get it together, I've changed, it's been some odd eight years.

My legs betrayed me, pulling me toward the same store before I could stop myself. There he was, glaring at a pair of Timberland boots. His hair was ruggedly messy, longer than I remembered. He had a five o'clock shadow that only added to his rough charm.

"Edward!" I blurted, immediately regretting it. My gaze darted away, heat rushing to my face. Why did I come in here? What did I expect to gain?

The silence was deafening. I risked a glance through my hair, only to find him staring at me, his eyes boring a hole through the side of my face.

"Lee?" His voice was softer now, the familiar tone making my chest tighten.

He placed the boots back on the rack, stepping closer.

"Holy shit..." His eyebrows shot up. "Leah?"

I nodded, smirking shyly, my pulse hammering in my ears.

"Le-Leah, oh my God, how are you?" His excitement was undeniable, but I instinctively stepped back. He noticed, his smile faltering for just a second.

"I'm good. You?" I glanced down, my voice barely steady.

"You look good, Lee..."

I looked up, following his gaze straight to my engagement ring. My stomach twisted.

"Settling down?" His grin turned sly, though his eyes betrayed a mix of emotions.

"Yeah, he's a good guy," I lied, hating how fake the words sounded.

Edward nodded, disappointment flickering in his expression. "Good. You need someone like that. That's awesome."

I crossed my arms, feeling exposed under his gaze. "What about you? What brings you back to town?"

"Got tired of the East Coast," he said with a shrug, his laugh light but strained.

I bit my lip, feeling the weight of my life pressing down on me. "We should catch up," I offered impulsively, even as alarms blared in my head.

He raised an eyebrow. "You think Mr. Perfect would be cool with that?"

I took a deep breath, my words tumbling out before I could stop them. "He won't be home for the next few days."

What the hell am I doing?

Edward's smirk deepened, and I couldn't tell if he was amused or conflicted.

"And frankly," I added, my voice low, "I know you don't care whether he'd be home or not."

His expression shifted—surprised, intrigued, maybe even impressed. The silence stretched between us, taut and electric.

"He doesn't have to know," I muttered, more to myself than to him.

Edward's eyes darkened as he stepped closer. "You sure about that, Lee? I'm not looking to stir up trouble."

I bit my lip again, fighting the pull I felt toward him. "I'm sure. Just catching up. As friends."

He studied me for a moment, his gaze piercing. Finally, he nodded. "Alright. As friends." The way he said it made my stomach flip.

"Let's hang out," I said quickly, my voice shaky but determined.

Edward smiled, that warm, familiar smile that felt like a punch to the gut. "Now?"

I nodded, turning toward the exit without waiting for his answer. He followed, his footsteps close behind.

As we stepped outside, the cool air hit my face, grounding me for a moment. What the hell was I doing? I was getting married soon, at some point, and here I was, inviting my ex to hang out like it was nothing.

"You still smoke?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Edward gave me a knowing look. "Yeah, every now and then."

"Then let's go." I shrugged, heading toward the parking lot. His chuckle trailed behind me, low and full of trouble.

...

We drove in separate cars and met at my house. He arrived a bit late cause he said he had to go back to his place to pick up something, which was fine by me, I took it upon myself to go ahead and change.

I tore my shirt over my head and stare at the pile of clothes on the bed. I was so nervous, and at the time, really didn't know why. I lived on a secluded rural plot of land, I had like two neighbors up the road from me, and I lived on a dead end. It was a creepy neighborhood, but convenient at times.

I rubbed my chin softly and sighed.

The buzzing of my phone snapped me back into reality as I searched under the mess of clothes to find that stupid phone. I finally spotted it and saw I had an incoming call from my best friend Jessica.

I snatched the phone up and answered quickly, "Jess, holy shit, you will not believe who I saw today!"

"Wow, no hey, how ya doing?" she retorted sarcastically.

"Edward, Edward Masen, bro!" I heard a clattering noise on the other end, like she had dropped something.

"Woah," she grunted. "What?"

"Edward, damnit you heard me! And he's currently on his way, to my motherfucking house!" I was speaking so fast I was sure Jess was confused.

"What about Sam? Wait, what?"

I heard a low rumble of a truck coming down the road. "Shit!" I yelled out excitedly.

"Leah?" Jess called out to me a couple more times, but I could barely contain myself. It was ridiculous.

I peeked out of the window through my black out velvet curtains to see Edward's truck parked.

"Leah...Hello? What's going on?"

"Fuck! Listen, I will call you later, I have literally no time to tell you right now."

"But-"

"I love you, boo. I'll call you back later." I began to run out my bedroom. "Don't be mad, I'm hanging up!" I pressed the end call button, and as I looked down I saw my breasts prominently display in my black lace bra.

I rolled my eyes, "Fucking hell!" I sputtered as I quickly snatched a loose pale pink tank top and ran down the stairs, grabbing my blunt I had rolled before trying to change my outfit.

The house was quiet, almost serene. As I ran through to reach the front door, I felt an involuntary smile tugging at my lips. I turned the knob quickly, stepping onto the porch as the late summer breeze wrapped around me, calming and electric all at once.

I pushed open the screen door and pulled the blunt from behind my ear, grinning wide when I spotted Edward waiting at the bottom of the steps. His face lit up the moment he saw me—and what I was holding.

"Aww, honey, you shouldn't have!"

"Just in time!" I shot back, holding the door open as he jogged up the steps and past me with that easy confidence I remembered too well.

"So," he said, pausing to take it all in, "this is casa del Clearwater?"

"Si," I quipped, smacking my lips for effect.

He chuckled, pulling his own blunt from behind his ear. "You know...I like it. Very country of you." With a flick of his lighter, he lit his blunt, holding the flame steady before taking a deep drag, his lips curling around it effortlessly.

"Ha-ha," I snorted, rolling my eyes as I turned to look out through the screen window.

The familiar, earthy scent of weed filled the air as I lit up my own, inhaling deeply. I needed a moment to think, to decide what to say next.

Should I go off on him? Tell him how much I hated him for what he put me through? How I'd fantasized about driving my car into a ditch just to forget the way he broke me? Or should I remind him about the women—the other women—and how I'd dealt with the fallout? A few of those girls had gotten exactly what they deserved, courtesy of my fists.

But I didn't want to go there. Not tonight.

No, tonight I just wanted to sit back, relax, and smoke with someone who used to know me better than anyone else. Civil—that's the way it had to be.

"How's your brother?" Edward exhaled, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his tone casual but genuinely curious.

I took another hit, letting the smoke escape as I spoke. "He's good. Just graduated from Brown with a PhD in engineering."

Edward's eyebrows shot up. "Holy shit. That's amazing. Is he staying up there or coming back to town?"

"He's still deciding," I said, shrugging. "Mostly for my mom, but I told him to stay. He's got a good thing going up there."

"Girlfriend?"

"Baby momma," I corrected, grinning at his dumbfounded expression. "Yup, I've got a niece now. Her mom's great—really good to my brother and the baby. Why should he come back here just so my mom can leech off him?"

Edward nodded slowly, processing.

We passed the blunts back and forth, catching up in a way that felt natural, almost effortless. It had been years since I'd laughed like that—deep, belly laughs that made my cheeks hurt. The weed probably helped, but there was something else, too. Edward's presence felt...lighter somehow.

He told me about his new life—how he'd gotten his CDL and moved back to town for a lucrative trucking job. He'd put a hefty deposit on a small house in the suburbs and was living comfortably now. No hardcore drugs, no heavy drinking, just the occasional glass of wine. He even still had the same ridiculous wine cup from eight years ago.

He wasn't the Edward I was expecting, and that was a good thing.

He was also, as he made a point of mentioning, currently single. And for reasons I didn't fully understand, I had to fight a smile the entire time he explained why.

"She was crazy," he said, shaking his head. "The whole situation just got out of hand."

"Like me?" The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. I wanted to smack myself for saying that.

Edward paused, the blunt smoldering in his hand as he studied me. I felt my cheeks flush, my stomach twisting.

"You weren't a mistake, Leah."

His words hung in the air, settling into the spaces I didn't even realize needed filling. I felt my heart swell. If that didn't give me any type of validation that he at least cared about what we had back in the day, then I don't know what will.

I just continued to stare at him, not really knowing how to respond to his statement. But then again, maybe I didn't really need to respond. By this time I was really high, so trying to keep my mind right was kind of a full time duty.

I watched him finish my blunt while mine had burned out. My mind was swimming now, the weed amplifying every sensation, every thought. Act natural, Leah. Act normal.

Edward opened his mouth like he was about to say something else, but I couldn't handle the weight of whatever it was going to be. I shot up from my seat, my voice frantic.

"Wine?"

His surprised laugh broke the tension as I hurried toward the kitchen, my heart doing somersaults.

Welp, it was a start.

Hey I'm glad you clicked on my story to give it a read. Hopefully you like how I wanted to start the story. This story does not follow the Twilight timeline or the actual plot of the book. This is just something I thought up and wanted to start writing. I revised this chapter, so it should be a lot more understandable and clear. ReadxReview Let me know if you'd like to read more of this!