After Alice downed her glass, she just continued to refill it. She had taken her seat at her desk. "Has Edward mentioned anyone by the name of Aro" She sounded much more casual now.

I shook my head, taking a tiny sip of the wine she offered me. It was very sweet, a delicious strawberry flavor. Not as good as the cocktails I usually got at the bar, but it wasn't bad. "No, who is that?"

"Esme's first husband, the original CEO of this shitty company. And my father." Alice shrugged her shoulders, a sour look coming to her face.

"You mean, Esme is your… mom?"

Alice snorted. "Unfortunately,"

"So you're Edward and Emmett's sister." I concluded.

"Half-sister, we had different fathers." Her gaze turned out towards her window. "I was five, when Edward came around. Damn, my father was pissed." She took another big gulp from her glass.

Family drama. I saw this coming.

"That must have been really hard… on both of you." I muttered quietly.

"Esme is a power-hungry whore, she resents me, because I remind her of my father. I have his eyes. She made it clear that the only reason I was still here was because I stayed loyal. When they divorced, I chose to stay with her and this company, instead of going with my dad to help him start his own company."

Esme was turning out to sound like a real monster. I wasn't looking forward to meeting her. What would she do to me? It seemed that every life she touched, she destroyed.

"What made her do it… the affair… I mean."

"She fell madly in love with a human. It was a twisted, unnatural love… close to an obsession. But she ruined him too. He committed suicide, just to get away from her." Alice turned back to me with cold eyes.

Sweat rolled down my neck. Her words brought a stinging cluster of goosebumps down my arms. "That's the most horrible thing I've ever heard."

"And it's one hundred percent true," She spoke, a sadness touching her features. "I can see history just keeps repeating itself. Now here you are."

No, she was wrong. It wasn't like that between Edward and I. Yes, I admit that I'm a little crazy about him. He is the first thing I think about waking up in the morning. And the last thing that crosses my mind at night. But our connection felt as natural as breathing. It wasn't forced, it flowed like a steady stream. There was no pressure. I wasn't sure what words I would use to define our relationship yet, but I didn't believe it was a bad thing.

"This isn't the same." I set my jaw.

"Well, I can't tell you if you are right or wrong. But that marking on your arm… it looks the same as the marking that Esme put on Edward and Emmett's father." She nodded over to the marking that Emmett had placed on me.

"Edward didn't give me that marking," I gestured over to the other arm. "This is the one Edward gave me." His marking was much larger, stretching from my wrist to my shoulder. It was intricate and beautiful. I wore it with pride, knowing the man who poured their soul into it.

Alice squinted, a frown coming to her face. "That's a very complex marking. Better than I thought Edward could ever produce." But her frown deepened as she turned her sights on Emmett's marking. "That one, is the one I'm concerned about."

"Well, I'm supposed to have Esme remove it sometime this week." I admitted.

Alice stiffened slightly but nodded. "Good luck with that," She now turned back to the files laid out on her desk. "Well, that's start over, I'll try to explain this all the best I can."

For the next few hours, Alice went into great detail of her position as book-keeper. She was clear, concise and to the point. Although she did still get annoyed with most of the questions I had, she answered them and moved along to the next topic. By the time noon came around, my head was pounding with all the information.

I learned that the replenishing stations were basically gas-stations for reapers. If they were running low on energy, there were hidden locations all around the city for them to regain some energy. She didn't go into great detail of what they consisted of. So in my mind, these little stations must have hot meals or some water for hydration. But who knows what reapers actually consider food. I've seen Edward and Emmett both eat human foods. And clearly alcohol is effective for them.

Overall I was catching onto the concept well. Even Alice thought so herself. She let me write a few sample lists for the support core. She didn't have any complaints, so she approved it and sent them out. Things were running along smoothly, up until Edward arrived to pick me up for lunch.

The sight of him in the doorway had me scuffling to my feet. I approached him with a smile. His eyes were a gorgeous emerald. And as he wrapped an arm around my waist, I felt like I had finally returned home. Leaning down, he pecked the top of my head, before locking eyes with Alice.

"I trust the rest of the day went fine," His tone was casual.

Alice bowed her head, avoiding his gaze. "She isn't without talent. I think she will do perfectly fine. I don't think she will need too many more days of training." Her voice was firm, without any emotion present.

"That's excellent to hear."

"So, when would you like for me to start packing my things?" Alice's teeth clicked together, her body tense.

I looked up at Edward, giving him a frown.

He lightly ran his fingers down through my hair, appearing distracted. "That won't be necessary."

Alice's head shot up, finally to look at Edward. "Really, you mean you aren't firing me?"

"What kind of heartless bastard do you think I am?" Edward glared at her coldly. "It's no secret that I don't particularly like you. But I'm not going to fire my own sister, as tempting as it may be."

Alice flinched at his words, I could see that she was in complete shock. Her eyes snapped between the two of us. A flicker of a smile came to her face. "I'll still be your book-keeper?"

"Hell no, I've gotten nothing but complaints since you've started taking care of the lists. Apparently not many of the others enjoy your condescending attitude." Edward smirked.

"Fuck them, 'm doing the best I can." She spit at him, her smile was instantly gone. Her eyes started turning darker.

I shifted nervously at Edward's side, but judging by his expression, her remarks didn't seem to faze him. He only rolled his eyes.

"Lucky for you, a new position has opened up, I need a very skilled support team member added to my ranks." He said, shrugging his shoulders. "The position is yours."

"You are demoting me?" She snapped, letting her fist slam down hard on her desk.

"Not at all, the support core is just as essential as any other position here."

"I thought all of the support teams were already paired up with the active reapers under you." She glared her brother down. Not at all intimidated by him.

Another bit of information that I learned was the dynamics of the reaper teams. Edward stood at the top, if comparing his place to a mafia, he was the boss of his squad. The reapers that work under him, were like henchmen. They followed his lead without question. Reapers were always paired, two reapers, with one supporter.

"Not the case anymore. A new recruit joined today and they are in need of a good support member. Someone to help them out and guide them." Edward said, sighing heavily. He was losing his patience.

"You already found someone to replace Tanya?" Alice said, raising a brow.

The mention of her name brought a feeling of anger to take hold of me. It wasn't something I could explain. I was never the jealous type. But ever since I've been marked by Edward, I find it harder and harder to control these feelings. I hated the woman, I've never met her. I didn't even know what she looked like. But if I ever ran into her, there is no telling what I might say.

Edward and Alice sensed my sudden foul mood. Alice seemed to find it amusing. She let out a few snickers. While Edward appeared nervous. Lightly he brushed his hand lightly across my cheek. His touch soothed me, but not enough to stop my arms from folding across my chest. I kept my eyes down to the floor as I tried to contain my fury.

"Let's avoid mentioning her, in the future, Alice." Edward muttered with a scowl at her.

"Alright, but I still don't understand why she was the only one to get fired. Why did you let Jasper stick around?" Alice leaned back in her seat.

"That's none of your business," Edward snapped at her.

"Mommy wouldn't let you fire our most skilled reaper, would she?" Alice mocked him.

"Enough," Edward growled at her, his arms trembling. He looked like he wanted to hit something. But the arm that was still wrapped around my waist, kept him grounded. "We are heading out to lunch now. Get back to your job."

Alice raised a brow, appearing disappointed that Edward wasn't going to lose control over his temper. As cocky as she was acting, I could still see the anxiety and fear behind her mask of indifference. If she was afraid of upsetting Edward, why was she doing her very best to get under his skin?

She bowed her head grandly. "Yes, master." Her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Edward didn't hesitate to adjust his arm, now his hand was on my back as he walked us out of the tiny office. Thankfully the room was completely empty, all the reapers must be out on jobs at the moment. He swept me inside the elevator and as the doors closed, he pulled me in for a tight hug.

I rested my head against his chest, letting my arms circle around his neck. He dipped his face down, planting one warm kiss on my shoulder. With a long sigh, his hand swooped down to curl one of my strands of hair around his finger. "Today was challenging,"

I nodded my head, closing my eyes to listen to his heartbeat. It was so strange, not a normal rhythm. It sounded more like the wings of a bird, fluttering against a harsh wind. So deep and frantic. "It was for me too,"

"I didn't think today would be easy, but I didn't expect to feel so distracted." He admitted, slowly breathing in. He let his hands lightly trail down my sides to rest on my hips. Electricity buzzed between us. I felt my legs going weak. Just the simplest touch sent my skin ablaze. I wanted him.

But too soon, he was pulling away from me. He stood a bit straighter, running his hand through his bronze locks. The elevator doors opened, he had regained his composure. But I couldn't say the same. I followed him dizzily, trying to catch my breath. I understood that he wanted to keep our connection on a need to know basis. He didn't want anyone thinking that I was getting special treatment. He wanted to give me a fair chance to make some friends while I was working here. The best chance of that, would be if they didn't know about us.

To be honest, it was a relief. The fact that I was human, was enough for everyone here to wrap their heads around. I didn't need to be labeled the boss's mistress either.

We ended up on the ground floor, everyone stopped what they were doing to stare. There was a tense atmosphere that you couldn't ignore. However, that only appeared to be true to the men of the room. Like when I had walked in with Emmett yesterday, the women began swarming us like vultures. They didn't get close enough to actually interact with Edward, but they all seemed to gravitate towards him.

One in particular bravely faced us, she didn't hesitate to block our path. She was cute, short, huge breasts, very upbeat and full of energy. With a flirtatious giggle she moved close to Edward. She squeezed her arms tightly together, trying to puff her chest out a little further.

"Good afternoon master Edward, you look handsome today." She had a high-pitched voice, almost child-like.

I gritted my teeth as envy chewed at me. I could pretend that I wasn't an insecure woman. But that would be a lie. Especially when it came to other girls with such a full chest. In the past, I remembered the boys in the neighborhood picking on me. Flat-chested Bella. She will never find a boyfriend.

Since then, I've tried everything I could think of to give my breasts a boost, without success. Stuffing, overeating, I even tried sculpting them with makeup. But nothing ever gave the illusion that I had anything special to offer in that particular area. By now, I've just accepted my B-cups. It's the hand I was dealt. I thought that I had gotten past this.

But here I was imagining myself getting a needle and popping her ridiculous balloons out of existence.

I glanced up to Edward, surprised to see he barely glanced at her. "Have you already lost interest in my brother, don't tell me you really think I'd lower myself to my brother's sloppy seconds." His tone was harsh.

Embarrassment and pain flickered across her face, before taking a slight step back at us. She acted as if I wasn't even here. But I reluctantly enjoyed this display.

"Don't be so cruel, Emmett was never really interested in me. We both knew that. He knows how I really feel… about you." She fluttered her eyes innocently. Her arm went out slowly.

"Don't-" Edward was about to speak, but instinctively my hand came out and with some force came down against her arm; whipping it away.

The three of us all froze.

I drew my hand back quickly, tucking it behind my back. I had know idea where that came from. It was as if my body had acted on its own. Edward smirked, letting out a quiet chuckle, but he didn't comment.

The girl glared at me, rubbing her arm. "Who the hell do you think you are?" She snipped, taking notice of me for the first time. I looked her over as well. She was head to toe in black leather. Dark, bold makeup. You would instantly think she was a reaper with her mysterious demeanor. She flipped her jet-black hair behind her shoulder, highlights of purple sprinkled throughout each lock. As she spoke, I noticed a flash on her tongue. She had a tongue ring. Damn she was cool.

The way she glared at me, only made my own anger grow. I refused to show how much this girl was pissing me off. I turned my icy stare away.

When neither of us spoke up Edward sighed warily. "Bella, this is Vex," He cleared his throat. "Emmett's… playmate…"

The girl rolled her eyes at Edward's choice of words. "Our relationship is complicated, but that isn't her business." She huffed before turning around. "I'm out of here."

Vex. My first impressions. I didn't like her. I didn't trust her. Yes, she dressed like a badass. I wished that I could have pulled off that outfit she was wearing. But it seems that she likes playing games. If she was in some kind of relationship with Emmett, why was she flirting with his brother? Nope. I would be avoiding her.

Edward raised a brow at me as we continued our walk through the lobby. "Didn't expect that,"

"I didn't either, it was completely out of my control. Just a thoughtless reflex."

His deep rich laugh, put a sour look on my face. "It's not funny."

He leaned down, his lips lightly brushing my ear. "I thought it was incredibly attractive."

I tried to stop my body from shivering, but failed miserably. For once, I wished that every time this man touched me, I wouldn't turn into a lovesick teenager. Clinging to his every word. It was starting to really get on my nerves. I was frustrated with myself. He could keep up appearances of being aloof and unbothered. But I was struggling. My emotions were all over the place. I felt like I was going insane.

At the very end of the lobby was a simple glass door that opened into a gorgeous outdoor picnic area. There were some places to sit, but Edward picked out a spot directly under a grand oak tree. It was comforting to be surrounded in such a rural place. It felt like we were outside of the city borders. The sun was shining brightly overhead, birds were chirping high up in the trees. I closed my eyes and sucked in a breath of fresh air. It didn't get any better than this.

We sat next to each other, but not close enough to touch. The wind blew through his ebony curls, bringing a sweet aroma. Something like vanilla or maybe butterscotch. He leaned his back against the massive tree and watched up at the clouds. He was nice to look at. Like a model, sculpted by the gods of art. There was a burning desire bubbling deep inside of me. I wished that I had my painting supplies. I wanted to paint him. He was too gorgeous not to paint.

"I hope you're hungry." He said after a while, but he didn't look in my direction.

"A little bit,"

"That's good, Emmett is bringing us a few slices of pizza from the little shop down the road. It's pretty good."

At the mention of his name, I felt the marking that Emmett left on me start to burn. Without thinking I winced, grabbing my arm. It was very uncomfortable, but manageable. I didn't want to upset Edward, by talking about it. Emmett's marking had proved to be a sore spot for him.

His eyes flickered to me now, concern on his face as he looked down at the arm that I was still clutching. "Is that bothering you again?"

"Just a little, it's not too bad. It just takes me by surprise sometimes." I forced a smile on my face. But the heat was burning hotter and hotter by the second.

Edward reached over, placing his hand over the mark, glaring down at it. He concentrated, but let out a heavy sigh once he saw that nothing was working. "That damn bastard,"

"He didn't do it on purpose, I really don't know what you have against your brother."

"Well, for one, he slept with you." Edward growled quietly with narrowed eyes. "Two, he marked you," His eyes lingered over Emmett's marking. "And three, I don't like the way he looks at you."

"And how does he look at me?"

"Like he wants to steal you away from me." Edward grumbled, reaching over to gently touch my face. His finger pressed into my chin slightly, pulling me closer. My heart was pounding out of my chest as we inched closer and closer. I felt his lips just barely graze against mine.

But suddenly Edward drew back away from me, leaving out a groan of frustration. I glanced around quickly, hoping to catch who or what interrupted us. That's when I saw a very annoyed looking Emmett come stalking over to us with a box of pizza in his hand.

"Really, you couldn't have waited a few seconds longer to show up?" Edward muttered.

"Well you know me brother, I make it my mission in life to inconvenience you." Emmett placed the pizza down in front of us, before eagerly sitting down across from me. His eyes sparkled, ocean blue. "I'm eager to hear how your first day is going so far."

"At least let her eat," Edward snipped, opening the box and handing me over a huge slice of pizza.

The pizza was delicious, ham, cheese, and pineapple. It was Hawaiian, my absolute favorite. I don't know how Emmett could have possibly known that.

My cheeks warmed as the two of them stared at me. Watching me eat. I was beginning to feel self conscious. "Aren't you two going to eat too?"

Edward and Emmett exchanged looks with each other.

"I'm fine, I hit a replenish station on my way back from my last job." Emmett said, shrugging his shoulders.

Edward frowned. "I'm not the biggest fan of pizza, so that one is just for my sweet."

"There is no way I can eat this entire thing." I protested. It was huge, I counted out twelve slices. I was lucky if I was going to be able to finish a single slice.

"Take it home with you for later," Emmett suggested withe a warm smile. "I'm sure the pizza will be good cold too."

He was right. Some pizza tasted even better cold. Although, I couldn't imagine a better tasting pizza. I don't know if I was really hungry, or if this was the best pizza I've had in a long time. It was hard to say at this point.

I finished off one slice and judging by how heavy I felt and the fact that it was getting hard to breathe, I decided that's all I would have for now. Instead, I had some questions. And with these two sitting here, I'm sure they would have the answers.

"So, I do have some questions," I said casually.

Edward smiled over at me. "Ask me anything," His eyes had been pointed down in his phone for a while, I was relieved to find his full attention again. Emmett on the other hand, kept his eyes focused on his phone, but tilted his head to the side, to flicker his eyes in my direction.

"About those replenishing stations… what's in them… I mean. Do reapers eat human food to replenish themselves?"

"No, actually there is a company in Norway that sells us a synthesized product, called soul-stones. They restock our stations monthly." Edward said simply.

"But what is it made out of?"

"Hard to say, but it works." He shrugged his shoulders.

Something told me that he wasn't willing to get into further details on this. His shoulders looked tense.

Emmett sighed. "Reapers naturally survive on the souls of living things. But there are souls that we reap and souls that we aren't permitted to reap."

Edward threw his brother a cold stare. "Of course, reapers in general don't eat the souls of humans, but any other living thing is permitted."

"So, the soul stones…"

"Mostly the souls of animals, insects, you name it. If it's alive and has a soul, it's in the stones." Emmett said with a small smile. "I see nothing shameful in that, do you?"

That would mean there were no resting places for animals? They thrive out in the wildness, to one day die and it's just over. They become a meal for a reaper. It was a little sad. Especially as the thought of my dog Molly came to me.

My little german shepherd. I loved her so much. My father said we would get to meet her again one day. Well, it looks like that wasn't going to happen. Her soul was probably eaten by a reaper by now.

I tried to hold back the tears, but I couldn't manage to keep them from running down my face. Both Edward and Emmett's eyes widened.

"Look what you did, you idiot." Edward growled at him.

"Bella, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you…" Emmett winced, reaching his hand out to take mine. As soon as he came into contact with me, I felt his marking cool down. There was a prickling feeling shooting up from my finger to my shoulder. It made me feel a little better. It was a distraction from my sorrows over my dog.

Edward gritted his teeth, watching down at our hands with open hostility. "If you want to keep that hand, I suggest you don't touch her again." He warned Emmett as he pulled his hand out of mine.

He scoffed. "You weren't this much of a prick when it came to Tanya."

I forced myself to not outwardly react to the mention of Tanya. But just like earlier, just hearing her name brought inner turmoil on my emotions. I wasn't aware of what happened between her and Edward. I really don't think I want to know the details. So I truly shouldn't be able to form an opinion of her. Yet, I wanted nothing more than to despise this woman. Was it because of my insecurity? Probably. I never claimed to be a saint. And with all these new thoughts, feelings and emotions, I was still trying to figure all of this out. I don't have much experience with relationships. Edward truly was the first person that I've ever felt like this for.

Edward was quick to look in my direction, discomfort clear on his face. But when he saw my lack of reaction, he calmed slightly. "My relationship with Bella is completely different, then what I had with Tanya."

Envy tumbled around in my stomach, but I swallowed back my irritation. I didn't even want to make a comment on this subject. I didn't want to think of his ex-wife. I wished that everyone would stop bringing her up in conversation. I was having a hard enough time with all of Edward's admirers. Vex, just to name one of them. That reminded me of another question.

"Speaking of relationships, what is your connection to Vex?" I asked, locking eyes with Emmett.

Emmett hesitated, nervousness in his eyes as he cleared his throat. "We hook up from time to time. Nothing serious. Just an outlet to blow off some steam. She is a good friend of mine."

I wasn't even sure why I asked. It wasn't my business. Emmett could sleep with whoever he wanted. But there was something pulling at my chest. It didn't feel good. I wasn't jealous. But I also wasn't thrilled. In a way, this was better. It made things clearer on what my connection was to Emmett. He probably looked at me the same way he looked at her. When he had taken me home from the bar. When his lips were all over me, so soft and gentle. In that moment, he wasn't having sex with me because he was interested in a relationship. It was just to blow off some steam.

"Oh, I get it," I nodded my head, keeping my expression completely blank of emotion. "Like what happened between us, at the bar. That makes sense. "Emmett's eyes widened, before turning away. "Actually, that was different."

Edward cleared his throat, glaring icily at Emmett. "Like that even matters. You aren't the one that put an eternal mark on her."

"How do you know it's not an eternal mark, you weren't able to remove it." Emmett grumbled, his eyes traveling over to the mark he had left on my arm. A soft smile tugged at his lips.

Edward narrowed his eyes, standing up for a moment and moving his hands to unbutton his top.

"What the hell are you doing?" Emmett rolled his eyes.

I felt my breath catch in my throat as Edward opened the front of his shirt, revealing his muscular body. Desire rolled over me as I openly stared at him. But there was something new. Right over the area of his heart, was a circular tattoo, matching the intricate line-work of my marking. It was solid black, and very complex.

"If you give someone an eternal marking, both will receive a marking, the connection works both ways." He casted a dark look on Emmett. "You don't have something like this. Do you?"

Now it was Emmett's turn to start unbuttoning his shirt. I attempted to avoid looking in his direction, but my eyes did wander over a few times to his equally nice body. He was a lot more muscular than Edward. Even though he was the younger of the two brothers, Emmett was just all-around bigger. Edward had more of a sleek body, sporty and strong. But very nice to look at all the same. They were two good looking men. Any woman would fall head over heels for these two.

He sighed heavily. "No, I don't have anything like that."

"Exactly, so why don't you do yourself a favor and back off." Edward hissed at him.

Emmett shrugged his shoulders, turning away from the both of us. He appeared conflicted and a bit angry. But he didn't make any further comments. The three of us became silent for a while, until a thought occurred to me. It was a little past noon now, so Ana would be home from her appointment. I needed to call her, to find out if that medication was working for her.

Sheepishly I turned to Edward, who was still silently fuming as he scrolled through his phone. Hesitantly I reached out, touching his arm. His body shivered as his eyes flickered up to me. A smile slid onto his face, as his hand moved over the top of mine. My heart squeezed in response.

"Could I use your phone for a few minutes?"

He passed it over to me instantly, a curious look coming to his face. "Of course."

"I just need to check in with how my sister's appointment went." I said quickly dialing the number for home. Edward and Emmett watched me closely, making me feel a little self conscious.

After only a few seconds, someone picked up. This time, it was my mother.

"Parker residence," She replied in a cold tone.

Well, it sounds like she is in a mood.

"Hey mom, how are you today?" I spoke softly.

I heard her snort. "Oh, just wonderful, how is your day going Bella?" Sarcasm was thick in her voice.

I frowned. "Did something happen? How was Ana's appointment?"

"Everything went well actually. The medication is working the way it should. The doctor is worried about all the weight she is losin' but other than that. Ana is in a better way."

Relief hit me, I felt my body relax a bit. "Well that's great news. So what has you in a mood?"

"Oh, your uncle is just damn ridiculous." She barked into the phone.

"Which one, Charlie or Henry?" I sighed, resting my head back against the tree. I let my eyes wander up to the sky. Dark gray clouds were moving slowly overhead, I could smell dampness in the air. It will be raining soon.

"Henry of course, he is always such a nosey bastard, wish he would just mind his business." She muttered bitterly.

It was always Henry or Charlie that seemed to get my mother annoyed. I knew they were both just trying to look out for her. It's been really hard on her since my father passed away. So they do everything they can to help out and make sure the farm is running smoothly.

Uncle Charlie was a gentle soul, he was never pushy, or rude. He didn't have an aggressive bone in his body. He was so much like my dad. But Henry was the opposite. If he thought something was bullshit, he would tell you straight out. He was always a little rough around the edges. And with my mother's temper, they bickered all the time.

"What happened this time?"

"Don't you worry about it either," She replied firmly. "I can damn well take care of myself. I don't need anyone getting in my business, telling me how to live my life."

By the sounds of it, she had been drinking today. This is exactly how my mother acted when alcohol got into her system. She was impossible to talk with. She was starting to really get me pissed.

"Are you drinking again, mom?"

There was silence on the other end of the phone now. I waited patiently. There was no way I was just going to let this slip. She would either come out and tell me the truth. Or she would deny that anything was happening, and continue down the destructive path she was walking.

"It's not your business," She answered finally, her voice strained. "It's no one's business what I do in my home, on my spare time."

"Listen, you have a sick kid at home, that is depending on you. My sister. And if you are starting your drinking again, how are you going to take care of her? That is my business. Why do you think I'm in the city, working my ass off to pay for this medication mom? For you to sit around the house and drink yourself to death. This whole thing is pointless if you aren't going to help take care of Ana."

I had said these exact words in the past. I had to give her this speech on several occasions. I thought she finally was getting her life together. But I had my doubts now. My mother really had a habit of being self-destructive.

Again, it was quiet on her end of the phone. I could hear her breathing and after a while I heard a soft sob.

My heart ached as I listened to her weep. But I had to stay strong in this moment. I couldn't pity her, or show her any signs of me letting this go. She had to understand. Tough love was the only way to get the point across.

"I know, it's just been a hard month, the tax man came around the other day. Threatening to put a lien on the farm, if we don't come up with the money soon," Her voice trembled. "I don't know what to do… uncle Charlie is going to the bank today, to see if he can get a loan, to pay off the taxes. I'm a nervous wreck."

I gulped, feeling anxiety smash into my chest. If it wasn't one thing, it was something else. It seemed that every time I turned around, I needed to get more money.

"How much do you need?" I sighed, rubbing the sweat rolling down the side of my face.

"Seven thousand, they gave us a thirty-day notice. After that, we will be homeless. Unless Charlie can get things figured out at the bank."

"Is that all, that's nothing." Emmett muttered quietly, digging in his pocket for his wallet.

Edward nodded quietly, getting out his wallet at all. They both pulled out a thick handful of neatly folded bills. I shook my head, feeling my chest get tight.

"I'll get you the money by the end of the month, alright mom? Don't worry about it."

"Isabella Marie, there is no way you could come up with that kind of money. You shouldn't have to be burdened with this."

"I can do it, I'll work some extra shifts, it's no big deal. Just trust me." I looked pointedly between the brothers.

My mother sighed heavily. "Fine, but I won't be holding my breath. I'm going to get back cleaning. If I don't hear from you by the end of the month, I'll assume it's time to start looking for a new place to live." She sounded bitter.

"I'll call you as soon as I get the money."

With that frustrating conversation coming to an end, I hung up the phone and handed it back to Edward.

He watched me carefully as he tucked it back in his pocket. "There is no need to worry, I have more than enough money to cover the owed taxes." He said holding out the money to me.

Emmett frowned, holding his money out as well. "I can cover it."

Edward shot Emmett a glare but didn't comment.

"No, the both of you have done so much to help me. I can't mooch any more money from you. It just doesn't feel right." I chewed my bottom lip.

It was so tempting to just take the money they were offering. But it went against everything my father ever taught me. Don't take from others that you can't give back. There would be no way I could pay them back. Even with this new job. All the money I made here would have to go to Ana medications and her surgery.

Emmett nodded, with a small smile. "You want to earn the money. You don't want to feel like you're getting a handout." He tucked his money away.

Edward on the other hand remained stubborn, still holding the money out to me. "Bella, I want you to take this money and save your home."

Gently I pushed his stack of cash back to him, shaking my head. "I'll earn the money myself. You have already given me money in the past, so I could pay for Ana's medication. I shouldn't have accepted that money."

Edward gave me a frustrated sigh. "Why don't you let me do this for you? I have the money. No need to take extra shifts and wear yourself out."

He wouldn't change my mind. He may be stubborn, but I was just as stubborn. At least when it comes to this. I wished that he understood.

"Because Edward, I moved out here on my own. I've been surviving on my own. Making money on my own. So I can do this on my own." I glared at him slightly.

He glared back at me. "But now I'm here, you aren't on your own anymore. You don't have to do all this alone. I want to help you."

His words brought tears to my eyes. I bit down on my bottom lip. Why did he have to say things like that? I've been alone for such a long time, it was just something that I thought I'd have to deal with from now on. I'd given up hope that I'd find someone who wanted to stand next to me through the hell called life.

This was difficult for me to wrap my head around. My heart ached as I wiped at my tears. Edwards's eyes softened as he quickly tucked his money away, he opened his arms out to me. "Come here,"

"B-but what if someone sees?" I muttered quietly.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Let them see, I want you close to me."

Eagerly I scooted closer to him, relaxing into his arms. I leaned my head on his shoulder, clinging to him tightly. I closed my eyes and tried to calm my frazzled nerves. His strong arms wrapped around me. He sighed calmly. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

I nodded my head.

He wanted to be with me. I was alone, but now, he was here. I'd never be alone again.

A/N: If you're enjoying this story so far, let me know! Many more updates to come.