AN: I am writing several things at once. This, Chopping and Changing, and Game Changer. Game Changer chapter is close to being ready to send to pre-readers to post. I don't have any pre-readers on this, only because I feel like a bugaboo. Anyway, here's this, mainly just for me because I love reading and writing Edward's pov. And I have such a soft spot for Chopward. He's fun and gives more insight to the story.

All this belongs to SM. I am forever grateful to her for these characters and the Twilight universe.

Chapter Thirteen

Of course, when Bella and I got home, everyone was still in my fucking apartment, waiting like their intervention was going to fix anything. The usual—judgmental stares, crossed arms, and that simmering, self-righteous anger that made me want to punch a wall. If I weren't so exhausted, I might've laughed. Did they honestly think I'd sit there and let them lecture me?

The old Edward—the calculating, stay-in-line, don't-rock-the-boat Edward—was dead. In his place was someone who didn't give a damn about rules or appearances, especially when it came to Bella. I wasn't about to let anyone touch her, hurt her, or drag her through the mud, no matter the cost. And if my so-called family didn't like it, they could leave.

Bella started to drift toward the couch, like she thought she had to face them right away. I caught her wrist and steered her down the hall instead.

"Edward," she hissed, pulling back. "We should just—"

"Not now," I said firmly, guiding her toward my room.

She tugged again. "Edward—"

"Bella," I snapped, rounding on her. Her eyes widened, startled, but I softened my tone before she could turn that glare on me. "Please. Just listen to me for once, okay? I'll deal with them. Just… let me talk to you first."

She hesitated, biting her lip, before giving a reluctant nod. I exhaled in relief and got her into my room, shutting the door behind us.

"Five minutes," she muttered, arms crossed, but she wasn't angry. Not really.

I stepped closer, brushing my fingers over her cheek. "They don't get it. None of them do. And I need you to hear that, Bella. What I did back there? I'd do it again. A hundred times over."

Her gaze softened, but her brow furrowed in worry. "Edward, you can't—"

"Yes, I can." I cupped her face, tilting her chin up so she had to look at me. "He was choking you, Bella. You could've—" I stopped, my throat tightening at the thought. "I don't care what they think. You're alive. You're here. That's all that matters."

She sighed, leaning into my touch, and for a moment, I thought maybe we could just stay there, shut the rest of the world out. But the muffled sound of voices arguing in the living room broke the moment.

"They're not going to leave, are they?" Bella murmured, resigned.

"Nope," I muttered, brushing a quick kiss against her forehead. "Stay here. I'll deal with them."

She grabbed my arm before I could open the door. "Edward, don't go in there and make things worse. Please."

I smirked faintly. "I'm not making any promises."

When I walked back into the living room, Emmett was the first to turn, arms crossed and jaw tight like he was gearing up to stop me again.

"You finally done hiding?" he asked, his voice low and accusing.

"I wasn't hiding," I said, brushing past him to grab a bottle of water from the counter. "I was calming Bella down. Not that any of you care about that."

"Edward, this isn't about Bella," Rose started, her voice sharp.

"Everything I do is about Bella," I cut in, twisting the cap off the bottle with more force than necessary. "And if you can't wrap your heads around that, then I don't know what the hell you're doing here."

"Then maybe think about her next time you pull a gun in a police station," Jasper said, lounging on the couch like this was some kind of game. "You think this doesn't blow back on her too? On all of us?"

I slammed the bottle down on the counter, glaring at him. "You think I care about your blowback? He had his hands around her throat, Jasper. His hands. What would you have done?"

Jasper's smirk faltered, and I turned to Alice, who looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't meet my eyes.

"You're all so damn hypocritical," I said, my voice cold. "You think I'm reckless? Fine. You think I'm a loose cannon? Sure. But don't stand there and act like you wouldn't do the exact same thing if it was someone you loved."

The room fell silent, tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

Alice was the first to break. "We're just trying to keep you from getting yourself killed, Edward."

"Well, don't bother," I shot back, heading toward the door. "We're done here."

"Where are you going?" Emmett called after me.

"To bed. You want to sit here and bitch about my life choices, be my guest. But when I wake up, I expect you all to be gone."

I didn't wait for a response, slamming the door behind me as I rejoined Bella. She looked up at me, her worry etched into every line of her face.

"Well?" she asked quietly.

"They're still breathing, if that's what you're asking." I climbed onto the bed beside her, pulling her close. "But I wouldn't bet on them being here much longer."

She huffed a quiet laugh, resting her head against my chest. "You're impossible."

"Yeah," I murmured, kissing her hair. "But I'm yours."

By early morning, we were still awake, tangled in bed as the faint gray light of dawn slipped through the blinds. Bella was on her back, her head turned slightly toward me, her breathing slow and uneven. I lay on my side, tracing lazy patterns over her stomach, my fingers dipping to the curve of her hip. Her skin was warm, soft, pulling me back from the edge of everything that had gone down.

"You asleep?" I whispered, my lips close to her hair. She smelled like lavender and something else—something that was just her.

Her voice came soft, but clear. "No."

My hand drifted higher, brushing over her ribs, when something caught my eye. The fucking Colt. Her hand was wrapped around it like it was the only thing tethering her to reality.

The sight of it made my chest tighten. That damn gun was a reminder of everything we'd done, everything we'd fucked up. The faint morning light reflected off the polished metal, and for a second, her face stared back at her in the surface. Her eyes were shadowed, distant, but still mesmerizing. How the hell could she not see how captivating she was?

I reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"Thirteen more days," I murmured, more to myself than to her, exhaustion clawing at the edges of my mind.

She shifted closer, her body fitting against mine like it was made to be there.

I felt her smile against my chest. "It's not really a countdown anymore. The only thing I was looking forward to on that day—I already got."

I let out a quiet laugh, shaking my head. "You always have to get the last word."

"And I'm right."

"You are," I admitted, my voice heavy with a yawn. "I gave in too easily."

"You should've caved sooner," she teased.

"I did," I muttered, the words slipping out before I could stop them. "That first night."

She tilted her head up, her curiosity sharp. "What night?"

I hesitated, knowing I'd just stepped in it. "The night I brought you home. You passed out after smoking that shitty weed, and I… I kissed you."

Her body stiffened against mine, and I forced my heavy eyes open to meet hers. She stared at me, wide-eyed, her expression caught somewhere between disbelief and amusement.

"You kissed me?" she asked, her voice low and sharp.

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Yeah. It was just a peck. No tongue, I swear."

Her reaction was instant. She groaned, rubbing her face like she was trying to process my stupidity. "And I was unconscious for this kiss?"

I bit back a grin, my lip ring catching on my teeth. "You were… a little out of it."

Her glare could've killed a lesser man. "Out of it? How many times have you kissed me without me knowing?"

"Just the one time," I said quickly, sitting up to defend myself. "I swear."

She wasn't buying it. Her hand shot out, twisting hard at my nipple. I yelped, grabbing her wrist and yanking her back against me as I laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls.

"Why the hell are you so mad?" I asked, still grinning.

"Because," she huffed, struggling in my hold, "if you're gonna kiss someone, the least you can do is wake them up first!"

I kissed her neck lightly, trying to soothe her, though I was still laughing. "What does it matter? I've kissed you plenty since then, and you've been wide awake every time."

She made me crazy. She tore apart every bit of control I thought I had. How the hell was I supposed to be mad when all I could think about was the way her skin felt, the sound of her breath catching, the way she pressed closer to me without realizing it?

I rolled us back onto the bed, pinning her beneath me. My lips found her jaw, brushing soft kisses along her skin, and she gasped when I hit the spot near her ear. I worked my way to her lips, kissing her hard enough to leave no room for argument, and then up to her nose and eyelids. She was mine—every inch of her—and I wanted her to feel that.

Sliding my hand under her shirt, I cupped her breast, thumbing her nipple as she arched into me. The sound she made shot through me like a drug. I swallowed her moan with another kiss, pressing her harder into the mattress as her hands tangled in my hair, tugging just enough to make me lose my goddamn mind.

My hand slipped lower, yanking down the waistband of her yoga pants. I gripped her ass, squeezing hard enough to draw a gasp that I swallowed greedily. She hooked her leg around my waist, dragging me closer, and I didn't need any more encouragement.

I sat back, pulling her pants down in one motion as she lifted her hips to help me. They hit the floor somewhere—I didn't give a shit where.

And then, because life had it out for me, there was a loud, sharp banging on the door.

My head snapped up, my jaw clenching so hard it hurt. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"Edward? Bella?" Emmett's voice boomed, louder than the knock.

I growled, my hands still gripping her thighs. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Get out here. Now!"

I groaned, dropping my head onto Bella's stomach. She laughed softly, her fingers brushing through my hair like she wasn't as pissed off as I was.

"It's like he's got a sixth sense for this," she teased, her voice still breathless.

"He's just lucky," I muttered, sliding her pants back up her legs. My hands lingered, my thumb brushing her skin because, fuck it, I wasn't ready to let her go yet.

The fire between us wasn't out—not even close—but it would have to wait. For now.

Once Bella and I finally stepped out of the bedroom, the first thing I saw was the family still parked in the living room. A fresh wave of irritation hit me, sharp and fucking immediate.

What the hell? Don't these assholes have homes of their own?

Not one of them even looked our way. Their eyes were glued to the goddamn TV like it was airing the apocalypse. Bella shifted next to me, hesitating, too curious for her own good, but I wasn't about to entertain whatever bullshit this was.

I moved closer, needing to see what had them so glued, and my stomach fucking dropped.

The security footage was right there, clear as day, showing me pressing the Colt to Phil's head in the police station.

"What the fuck?" I hissed, stepping closer to the screen. "How is this even on the news? I didn't kill him!"

"You didn't kill him?" Jasper shot back from the couch, his voice soaked in that usual smug, sarcastic tone. "Yeah, no thanks to you. If I hadn't stepped in, you'd be facing murder one, dumbass."

I clenched my jaw, ignoring him, my eyes locked on the screen. "Big fucking deal. I didn't pull the trigger. I just held the gun to his head. Where's the part where he was strangling Bella? Why aren't they showing that?"

"They don't have it," Alice said quietly, sitting on the edge of the couch like she wanted to sink into the floor. "The camera didn't pan around in time. They only caught you."

"Fucking perfect," I muttered, dragging a hand through my hair.

Bella perched on the armrest of the couch, her face pale as she stared at the footage. "This is really bad," she whispered, her voice tight.

"No shit," Emmett snapped, his voice sharp and cutting. "What the fuck were you thinking, Eddie? Pulling that kind of stunt right outside a police station? Were you high or just stupid?"

I was done. So fucking done.

"That asshole was choking Bella," I snapped, my tone hard and final. I was sick of repeating myself, sick of having to explain shit to people who weren't even listening. "What the fuck else was I supposed to do? Just stand there and let him kill her?"

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Emmett said, rolling his eyes. "But maybe you don't jump straight to pulling a gun like you're starring in a Tarantino movie."

"Oh, shut the fuck up," I growled, glaring at him. "I didn't have time for your 'calm and reasonable' approach. If you think I'm gonna stand there and politely ask him to stop, you're fucking insane."

"No one's saying that," Rose cut in, arms crossed, her voice like ice. "But you don't go full-on lunatic with a gun either. Use your damn head for once."

I whipped around, my patience hanging on by a thread. "Oh, that's rich coming from you. What was it last time, Rose? Didn't you stab a guy in the leg?"

"God, you're such a fucking hypocrite," she groaned, brushing past me toward the kitchen. "Do whatever the hell you want. Just leave me out of it."

She shot Bella a quick look—some mix of pity and frustration—before disappearing.

"They've been talking about the Lamborghini all morning," Jasper added, his voice flat but pointed, because he just had to keep piling it on.

Bella stiffened next to me. "Do they… do they think it's us?"

"Not yet," Jasper said, still calm as ever. "But it's only a matter of time before they do."

"And then what?" Emmett shot back, his eyes drilling into me like he had all the answers. "You think they're gonna let that shit slide? They'll put two and two together, and you'll be sitting in a fucking cell."

"You're reaching," I muttered, brushing him off. I turned to Bella. "We cleaned it, didn't we?"

She nodded, but the flicker of doubt in her eyes said otherwise.

And then, just to twist the knife, the news switched to our mugshots. Mine was spot-on, but Bella's was almost unrecognizable—her hair short, streaked with blonde.

The room went dead quiet.

"When the fuck were you arrested?" I asked, sharper than I intended.

Bella hesitated, her gaze darting nervously. "Last year."

"For what?"

"Assault," she muttered, her face flushing.

"No fucking way!" Rose called from the kitchen, reappearing with a glass of water. "Little Bella got booked for throwing hands? Who'd you hit? Some chick flirting with Edward?"

Bella glanced at me, her face heating up, and shook her head. "Not exactly. I broke a vase over my stepdad's head."

"The same guy you kneed in the nuts in the video?" Emmett asked, raising an eyebrow.

Bella nodded. "Yeah. Him."

I froze, the pride I felt bubbling up quickly drowned out by the weight of her words.

"What the fuck did this guy do to deserve that?" Rose asked, sounding bored but curious.

"He's a dick, Rose. Drop it," I snapped, my tone harsher than I intended.

"Fine, whatever," she muttered, flopping onto Emmett's lap. "Sounds like he had it coming anyway."

"They know who you two are now," Alice said, pulling Bella into a side hug like she could shield her. "It's only a matter of time before they connect you to the Lamborghini."

"They won't," I said through clenched teeth. "We were careful."

"Careful doesn't mean shit," Jasper muttered. "If they arrest you for either, you're fucking done."

Bella's whole body tensed at that, and Jasper added, "Well, maybe not her. She's a minor. She might get off easy."

"No," I said sharply, my voice cutting through everyone's bullshit. "If they come for us, we'll fucking run."

Bella looked at me, her worry plastered all over her face, but she didn't argue.

The rest of them, though? They all lost their fucking minds at once.

"Shut the fuck up, man," Emmett said, laughing as he shook his head. "Where the fuck are you even gonna run? Mexico? Pretty sure the cartel's still pissed about that shitshow you pulled."

"I don't fucking know." I shrugged, pacing like a caged animal ready to snap. "We'll figure it out. Somewhere far enough away that they can't find us."

"You're fucking insane," Rose scoffed, leaning back with a smirk like she enjoyed watching me lose it. "It's an assault charge, Eddie, not the goddamn end of the world. What's that, Em? Five years, maybe?"

"Depends," Emmett said, deadpan. "If you hadn't pulled your fucking gun like a complete idiot, maybe five. But since you've got a rap sheet and a short fuse, it's more like ten to fifteen."

"Ten to fifteen?" Bella's voice cracked, and I stopped pacing. She looked like she was about to pass out, her hands gripping the couch like it was the only thing holding her up.

I didn't even think. I crossed the room and dropped to my knees in front of her, grabbing her hands. "That's not gonna fucking happen, okay?" I said, my voice sharp and firm. "We'll leave. We'll run. I don't care what it takes. We don't have a goddamn choice."

"And then what?" she shot back, her voice shaking. "We just live on the run? As fugitives? Forever?"

"What the fuck else are we supposed to do?" I snapped, throwing my hands up. I was so fucking tired of defending myself to everyone like I had some other magical solution.

"What about money? What about where we'd live?" she pressed, her voice cracking like she was two seconds away from spiraling.

I forced a smirk, trying to calm her down even though I was one wrong word away from losing it myself. "Anywhere we fucking want. We'll figure it out. If we need tape, we'll rob a goddamn hardware store."

She let out a sharp laugh despite herself, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, okay, Edward. That's a great plan."

"Come on, baby," I said, my tone softening as I held her gaze. "You know you want to."

"You're fucking crazy," she muttered, leaning forward, her forehead pressing against mine.

"Yeah, I know," I murmured, my lips brushing against hers, the frustration giving way to the only thing that mattered. "But think about it, Bella. Just imagine the trouble we'll cause."

Her hesitation melted away as her lips parted slightly, and I knew I had her when she whispered, "And the fun we'll have."

"Exactly," I said, smirking.

Behind us, Jasper groaned, muttering something about how this was going to end in disaster. I didn't give a shit. Bella was mine, and if we had to burn the world down to keep it that way, so be it.

"Can someone explain where sane and rational Edward went?" Emmett asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm as his eyes darted around the room.

Jasper leaned back in his chair, shaking his head like he always fucking knew better. Rose looked bored as hell, and Alice—Alice was grinning like this was some kind of road trip she was already planning.

"What the fuck are you even talking about?" I barked, forcing myself to pull away from Bella just long enough to address their bullshit.

"You're not acting like yourself, man," Emmett said, throwing his hands up like I was the one being irrational. "You're seriously gonna pack up and run because of this?" He gestured to the TV, where the grainy footage looped again. "It's a fucking assault charge."

"This is what I've been saying," Jasper chimed in, sitting forward, his elbows on his knees. "You're not thinking, Edward. You've got blinders on, and all you see is her."

I bristled, the way he said it—like Bella was a problem—making my skin crawl.

"Yeah, I see it now," Emmett added with a laugh, leaning back like he'd figured me out. "You're fucking whipped. And Jesus Christ, you're a goddamn hothead now. You can't even take a joke anymore."

"You assholes need to stop talking about me like I'm not standing right fucking here," I growled, rubbing the bridge of my nose as the headache that had been simmering finally hit full force.

Emmett smirked, nudging Rose. "See what I mean?"

"You're an idiot," Rose muttered, shoving him off her lap.

"Look," Jasper said, trying to sound calm and reasonable, which only pissed me off more. "All we're saying is you need to stop and think for a second. You've already made a big fucking mess. Don't make it worse by running blind into another one."

I exhaled hard, trying not to blow up on them. "Fine. Maybe you're right," I said, but my tone made it clear I didn't believe it. I turned to Bella, needing some kind of anchor. "But what the fuck am I supposed to do? Just sit here and wait for them to show up? You think they aired that footage for no reason? They're coming for us, Jazz. You don't plaster someone's face all over the news for a petty fucking assault charge unless there's more to it."

"Or because it's Arizona, and the media's bored as shit," Emmett shot back, shrugging.

I rolled my eyes. "Bullshit. You really think it's a coincidence the cameras only caught me holding a gun to Phil's head and not him choking Bella? That's not a fucking accident."

"Oh, please," Rose said, rolling her eyes. "You think the entire police department is out to get you? You're not that important, Edward."

How could they not see it? I wasn't being paranoid—something about this was wrong. But trying to explain it to them was a goddamn waste of time.

"Fine," I bit out, turning back to Bella. "Mock me all you want. I don't give a fuck. We're leaving, no matter what."

Bella didn't hesitate. "Just tell me when," she said, her voice steady.

"Man," Emmett groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "You're leaving us no fucking choice. I hate when you pull this shit."

I glared at him, already over it. "What the fuck are you talking about now?"

He shrugged, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We're coming with you."

"No. Fuck that," I snapped, shaking my head. "This isn't some goddamn group trip. It's me and Bella. That's it."

"But someone's gotta keep you in check," Emmett said, smirking like this was all a joke. "Otherwise, you'll blow up a building or some shit."

"Exactly why I don't want you coming!" I snapped. "I don't need a fucking babysitter."

Alice, of course, was already in her own world, probably planning the route like this was some family vacation. I ignored her.

"It's not like we'll be in the same car," Emmett said, grinning. "We can be like a gang."

I stared at him. "Are you fucking serious right now?"

"What?"

"Never mind," I muttered, shaking my head as I grabbed Bella's hand. "We're going back to bed. If the cops come knocking, tell them we're not here."

"Sure thing, Eddie," Emmett said with a laugh.

Back in the room, I locked the door and leaned against it, dragging my hands down my face. I was fucking done.

"We're leaving tomorrow," I said, my voice low but firm. "And they're not coming. Just you and me."

Bella's eyes softened, but I saw the guilt creeping in. "Edward," she said hesitantly. "I don't want you ditching your family for me. They're right—you're not the same anymore. And it's my fault."

I stepped closer, cupping her face in my hands. "Don't you fucking get it? You're the only thing that makes sense anymore. Yeah, I'm reckless. Yeah, I lose my shit when it comes to you. But this mess? It's not just on you. I fucked up too. This is our mess."

She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me in tight. "We're both to blame," she murmured.

I let out a long sigh, resting my chin on her head. "Maybe this is a fucked-up plan, but I don't see another way. It's you and me, kid. That's the only thing that makes any goddamn sense anymore."

She tilted her head up, a sly, mischievous grin spreading across her face. "And we're taking all of Emmett's weed with us."

I raised an eyebrow, caught somewhere between amusement and disbelief. "Oh yeah? And what the hell are we doing with Emmett's weed?"

"It's payback," she said, her grin widening. "For all the times he's cock-blocked us."

I shook my head, smirking despite myself. "You're fucking insane."

"Yeah, but you love it," she shot back without missing a beat.

And she was right. God help me, I did.

Thanks for reading!!