The rest of the day had gone by quickly, Alice introduced me to a couple of the reapers on Edward's squad. They seemed friendly enough, although they didn't seem thrilled. The team was mostly men, most of them looked middle-aged, but their bodies were toned, they looked like Olympians. Even the women, they all had very well built bodies, rippling muscles. These reapers were absolute warriors. If they wanted, they could snap me in half.
Looking down my myself, I couldn't help but feel inadequite. I never had muscles. Back home I was on the heavier side, like my mom. While Ana had my father's lanky frame. After moving out, I lost a good amount of weight, I was thin, but I never built any muscle.
Were these the kind of girls Edward went for? Buff chicks, that could rival any man in this building. Edward himself was very fit, the body of a man that put tireless hours in the gym. I wonder what he saw in a string bean like me. Maybe I could join a gym?
These were just some of the things in my head, as I clocked out for the day. Edward was waiting for me in his office. He had mentioned that he wanted to have a talk with me before I left. I knew this was coming. This must have to do with my stolen scooter.
I stood awkwardly outside of his door, giving it a couple quiet knocks. "Come in Bella," His voice sounded so deep and full of authority. I swallowed, but my mouth was completely dry. I opened the door, surprised to see that his office was back in perfect order. You couldn't even tell that a fight had taken place here yesterday. Even the glass window behind his desk had been repaired.
Edward sat at his desk, while a man was seated in one of the armchairs across from him. Emmett was leaning against the far wall, his arms folded across his chest. He didn't turn to face me, he kept his eyes out the window. The other man in the room glanced over in my direction with a raised brow. He was slightly handsome, not as much as Edward, or even Emmett. But all the same, he wasn't bad to look at.
"This is Bella, she is the book-keeper who will be taking control of your lists and scheduling," Edward said, keeping his attention focused on the man. "Any further questions Jacob?"
Jacob, huh. He must be the new member joining Edward's ranks. He would be replacing Tanya. He fit the pattern of the type of people Edward chose for his team. Jacob reminded me of the average lifeguard you would see at the beaches of Boswell. Tanned skin, muscles, dark raven hair, long enough to pull back into a bun at the top of his head. His eyes, dark shadows, flickered over to me, then back to Edward.
"She's human," He commented.
"Is that a problem?" Edward's expression remained somber.
"No, it's just… I never would have thought a human would be mixed in with reapers. She's nice to look at, but she must be a fool."
Edward glared at Jacob, but Emmett was the first to respond. He shifted his head to put a hard stare down on the man. "Careful, we don't run things like they do over in Galen. We don't take kindly to the old ways of thinking."
Jacob seemed startled, but quickly composed himself. "I do apologize. I meant no disrespect to the girl. I have nothing but the utmost respect for everyone in this business." He bowed his head.
Edward gestured for me to come over to him. I silently obeyed, moving to his side. In a swift motion, he pulled me into his lap, relaxing back in his seat. "She is the reason that you are here."
My cheeks warmed instantly, as Edward's hand slid down my arm, putting his marking out on display. Jacob eyed the mark, becoming tense. His eyes flashed a strange green, similar to Edward's, but so much lighter in color.
"This is an impressive eternal marking. I suppose it does make sense now, why my services were requested." Jacob nodded, looking up at Edward with a serious expression.
"What is he talking about?" I muttered to Edward.
He smirked at me slightly, letting his hands play with a few of my brunette curls. His touch is as gentle as the wings of a hummingbird. My heart skipped a beat. "Jacob is the best of the best. He will be the new guard of my team."
Alice had mentioned, of the group of ten reapers, there is a two-man team of reapers that are considered the guards. They are the first line of defense against anything that may threaten the group as a whole. If a devourer is spotted, they are the ones that alert the rest. They are the first ones on the battlefield.
"So, Jacob will be paired with Jasper?" I asked quietly.
Edward flinched at the mention of Jasper but shrugged his shoulders. A frown coming to his face. "No, I've taken Jasper off the guard team, he has lost my trust completely."
Understandable.
"Jacob will be paired with Katlyn." Emmett commented, shuffling over to hover over my shoulder. He remained aloof, but I caught his eyes lingering on me.
Katlyn was probably the only woman on the reaper team that seemed like it didn't matter that I was human. The rest of them just watched me with open hostility or jealousy. Like I feared, a lot of people noticed Edward and I during lunch. They had suspicions. I could only imagine the gossip forming around our relationship. But Katlyn was nice. She introduced herself and seemed very genuine. Out of the others, she was a wallflower. Quiet, subdued, maybe a bit shy. She reminded me so much of Ana.
"So, Edward, I'm guessing our missions are going to revolve mostly around this girl. Her safety." Jacob eyed me for a moment.
"That's right, when I'm not able to keep an eye on her, I'll be depending on you and Katlyn to watch over her." Edward said, lightly rubbing circles on my back. I shivered under his touch, but forced myself to stay attentive.
"I don't see the point in that. I'll be perfectly fine. I don't need some guards following me around." I grumbled.
"Unfortunately, that's out of the question. With a marking like that. You will be in constant danger. The fact that a devourer hasn't come along to eat your soul, is pure luck." Jacob scoffed.
I looked at Edward, anxiety shook through me. He shook his head, stroking my cheek delicately, before leaning in and pecking my forehead. "Nothing you need to worry about my sweet. I won't let anyone hurt you." He whispered in my ear.
I felt a little better, but the look on Jacob's face kept me on edge.
"That's why we called in the best man for the job. So what do you say Jacob, are you going to accept the position?" Emmett cleared his throat, his expression remained neutral.
Jacob exchanged a few looks between the brothers, before nodding his head with a sigh of defeat. "As much as I'd love to decline this offer, I can't refuse a challenge." He looked at me now, with an intensity that made me flinch.
"Excellent, you will be receiving your orders soon. For now, find Katlyn and fill her in." Edward demanded.
Jacob only bowed his head, before standing from his seat and marching from the room. He was massive, much taller than I had thought. Like Alice, he towered easily over me. Scars decorated his tanned skin. He had the appearance of a man that was in constant war.
When Jacob left, Emmett grumbled under his breath. "Galen trash, why should we put our trust in this reject?" He turned to Edward with a heated glare.
"Galen?" I asked curiously.
"The reapers of Galen, they are from a neighboring city. They are our allies. They run a similar business to us, although some of their methods aren't quite the same." Edward said, letting his arms wrap around me, to rest his hands on my thighs. A blanket of heat rolled between my legs. Desire. My thoughts clouded for a moment as my body reacted. I had the urge to rip Edward's clothes off right here.
Edward raised a brow, noticing my sudden change in demeanor. A smirk pulled at his perfect lips. His hand slowly began to slide up and down my thighs, careful and sneakily. Electricity is nipping at my skin. His hands shifted my dress up a little.
Emmett didn't appear to notice. "Galen reapers are trouble. We should have never agreed to the peace treaty between them. There is no way we can actually trust him, you do realize that, don't you brother?"
Edward sighed heavily, letting his breath roll over my neck. "Katlyn will keep her eyes on him. Like it or not, Jacob is the best at what he does." His fingers strayed just slightly, to brush against my dampened panties. The motion was so quick, but the response it left in me had me silently begging for more. I shuddered at the light pleasure it brought. I squeezed my legs together.
I glanced up at Edward, narrowing my eyes at his innocent look. Something dark was brewing in his eyes. Something animalistic. Did he feel it too? Were we just going to pretend nothing was happening right now?
Emmett, still oblivious, began to pace the room. "When Esme finds out about this, she is going to kill us both. You realize that right Edward?" There was a hint of panic in his words.
"It will be perfectly fine, she may not be the biggest fan of Galen either, but let's be honest. If we really want to strengthen our bond with our allies, we need to show them that we are willing to work together." Edward said, continuing to trail his hands under my dress. I rested my head back a little, holding myself back from making any sounds as his fingertips rubbed over the crotch of my panties. He hummed quietly, his eyes turning dark.
Emmett snorted as he made his way to the door. "I'll come back later to have a real conversation. Clearly you're too distracted to think clearly here." There was some venom in his tone.
Maybe he did notice.
My face was on fire as I met Emmett's gaze. His expression was blank, his hands shoved in his pockets. It didn't seem happy. Not one bit. The mark that he had placed on my arm was beginning to burn my skin. I bit down on my lip, not wanting to show any sign of distress. But it seemed like every time Emmett was around, this marking wanted to torture me. Was it connected to his emotions somehow? I couldn't wait until we got this whole thing figured out.
Suddenly I felt Edward's hand disappear. He placed his hands back onto his desk. Leaving me feeling a bit breathless. Underneath me, I could feel something firm pressing into my bottom. He adjusted his hips slightly, causing a bit of friction against my core. Sweat dripped down my neck. Again I squeezed my thighs together, trying to quiet the pulsating feeling this caused me. Sex wasn't something I usually craved. Not while I was sober. At this moment, I felt a bit overwhelmed. I didn't know how to react. I craved every touch.
"I'm not distracted, just hurry up and get to the point, Emmett. I'm listening." Edward said with a strained voice. His body was bound up so tight, he looked like he was about to become unhinged. He was fighting against his emotions as well. The air in this room was thick, I tried catching my breath, but I was still dizzy with arousal.
Emmett sighed, rubbing his chin as he glanced between the two of us. "I'm not saying we should just send the guy back home and not give him the position. But we should at least have someone watching him. I don't trust him. What if he is only agreeing to this, so he can spy on us?"
"We have nothing to hide." Edward muttered. "But if it makes you feel any better, we can put eyes on him for a while. Until we know for sure he isn't up to anything."
"I guess that's the best we can do for now. But if mom asks, this wasn't my idea. I don't want to be in the middle of this conversation when she gets here."
"I'll handle things with Esme, don't concern yourself. Is that all you wanted to say?" He sounded impatient.
Emmett rolled his eyes. "I guess so, I better get ready for the next job." He paused, turning to me with a weak smile. "I'll see you around Bella."
"See yeah Emmett," I waved to him nicely. I was embarrassed to admit how eager I was for Emmett to leave the room. I secretly was hoping Edward would continue his seductive touches. My body ached for it.
The moment that Emmett left the room, I turned to Edward. But it appeared that he had calmed down completely. He watched me with careful eyes. "There is something I should mention. Before things get a little… too crazy."
"What would that be?"
"Because of this mark that we share, sex isn't exactly just sex." He admitted, softly stroking my cheek.
My ears warmed along with my face. "What does that mean exactly?"
He leaned in, planting a few hot kisses against my neck. "If we start, there is no stopping. Our connection will grow even stronger. If you think things are hard now, it will get so much worse."
I closed my eyes, enjoying his lips against my skin. "Well, I guess that wouldn't be terrible."
"Every inch of your body and soul, would be mine. We wouldn't be able to just remain friends. The mark will root itself so deeply, there will be no escape from each other." He warned, his kisses going down to my shoulders.
I shivered in response. How could I possibly think clearly with him kissing me like this? I couldn't manage a single rational thought. The only thing I could focus on was my desire.
"I don't mind the sound of that." I said breathlessly.
He smirked, turning me around in his lap, so I was straddling him. His eyes were as dark as midnight. Leaning in, I felt his lips lightly press into mine. Passion with each movement of our locked lips. There was nothing better, then kissing Edward. The rest of the world seemed to fade around us. As the kiss deepened, my hands moved to unbutton his top. I moved as quickly as I could. He had the same thought in mind, as he pulled the zipper of my dress.
I let the top of the dress slide down, just enough to expose my breasts. His eyes focused on them for a minute, before meeting my gaze. "You are beautiful," His lips came back to mine, possessive and hungry. I was relieved by his compliment. His words gave me the courage to unzip the fly of his pants. He leaned his head back slightly, watching me. "Are you sure you are ready?" His expression was serious, but I could see it was hard for him to remain in control.
I nodded with a smile. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted this.
Edward's hands trembled as he cupped my breasts, giving them a soft squeeze. I closed my eyes, completely lost in bliss. Soon his hands worked their way to my hips, pushing me down tighter against the hard bulge growing in his pants. I felt his mouth traveling down to my boob, his tongue flicked my nipple. I arched my back in anticipation.
"You are so perfect," He growled, gazing up at me with intensity.
But suddenly I felt him freeze, he pulled me tightly to his chest as the door to his office came open. My heart dropped in my chest as I heard someone step inside.
"Master, I have urgent news." The voice of a man was heard, but I didn't dare turn around.
Edward glare murderously in the direction of the person that entered. "I told you to knock before stepping foot in this office. Get the fuck out and wait outside the door until I say you can enter." His voice was thick with aggression.
The man stuttered and stumbled out the door quickly. I heard a hard slam of the door, before Edward's arms loosened around me.
He sighed heavily as he buttoned his shirt, watching me with an unreadable expression. "I'm sorry about that." His glanced down at my exposed breasts for a moment, lightly squeezing two fingers around my nipple. I shivered at the delightful sensation. "We will finish were we left off later." It wasn't a question, it was a warning. He had no plans of forgetting what almost happened here.
I couldn't wait. Reluctantly, I pulled my dress back up and awkwardly climbed off his lap. He hands moved to my back, lightly zipping the back of my dress back up. His eyes roamed my body for a moment, seeming pleased. "Enter," He hissed towards the door.
I quickly tucked myself behind his seat, embarrassed as the man reentered the room. His face looked pale as his eyes flickered to me.
Edward glared at him, clearing his throat. "This better be important."
The man bowed his head, visibly swallowing hard. "There was a devourer spotted nearby, Ribbon's team just spotted it lurking the streets. What are our orders?" He spoke tensely.
"Has Stenton arrived,"
"Yes master, he is parked out front."
Edward lightly took my hand, getting my attention. "I need you to head home, it's not safe to be here right now. I'll come to you once we have deal with the devourer."
I nodded stiffly, giving his hand a squeeze. "I'll be waiting."
He gently kissed my hand, offering me a grin, before turning his sights on the man. "Escort Bella down to meet with Stenton. Then have the rest of the available reapers up to my office to begin a game plan."
The man merely bowed his head, keeping his eyes to the ground as I approached him. He looked a little older than me, tattoo's stretched down both of his massive arms. I recognized him from Edward's team. Alice mentioned that he was the only other reaper here that had also given his eternal mark. Although, it was to another reaper. She was on Emmett's squad. Their relationship was solid and unwavering. I couldn't remember his name. But he didn't appear too thrilled to meet me.
I couldn't bare to say goodbye to Edward. We only shared one last kiss, before parting ways. His scent lingered on me as I stood in the elevator with this man. My heart ached, but I knew this was for the best. I wasn't safe here. I had to go home. Even though every cell of my body was screaming at me to stay by Edward's side. I would only be in the way.
The ride down was quiet, but I could sense some discomfort from the man.
Finally he broke the silence. "I didn't know you and Edward were mated… I would have… be a bit more friendly if I would have known."
I wanted to ignore his statement. "I'd rather find out who my friends are here, without them knowing my connection to Edward. I don't need any fake kindness."
"Coming into contact with a human… well it's something we aren't used to. Usually we are only around to reap a human's soul. It's an unnatural feeling… to actually speak with one." He admitted, nervously shuffling his feet. "I meant nothing disrespectful by it."
I wondered if he was just trying to get back in Edward's good graces. It's hard to say if he really means that. In my mind it doesn't matter. My first impressions usually didn't change.
Instead of answering him, I just stared ahead of me. I didn't want to hear it. I just wanted to go back upstairs, back to Edward. The man continued to try and talk with me, until we reached the ground floor. At that point, he went quiet. His shoulders slumped as he followed me outside. Stenton's SUV was already running, I could hear music playing from the car. Something close to classic rock.
I felt a smile tug at my lips, as I noticed Stenton singing from the driver's seat. The windows were down, I could hear him trying to sing along to the song. His voice was rough and he couldn't carry much of a tune, but just by him being there, I felt a bit more comfortable.
"Stenton is a real weirdo, but a good guy. Safest support driver in this entire place. You don't have anything to worry about." The man commented.
"I know," I turned away from him. "Thanks for walking me down. You can go back."
The man turned, muttering under his breath. "Edward is going to kill me." He walked back inside without another look back. He appeared defeated. I didn't pity him. But I also wouldn't let Edward kill him. Even though I didn't think much of him, I knew he was a loyal man to Edward. I could tell by how he spoke about Edward. All of the reapers on Edward's squad had his commitment marking. That made them loyal soldiers. All of them showed unwavering devotion. But it wasn't out of actually knowing him, they just followed what their marking told them. Which was to serve Edward for eternity. He was a god to his people.
I didn't waste any time sliding into Stenton's car. He had already turned the music down to just a soft background noise. The lyrics could no longer be heard. Stenton offered me a pleased smile.
"How was your first day?" He asked as he began pulling away from the building.
"Not as bad as I thought it was going to be." I admitted, relaxing into the leather seats. The icy breeze coming from his AC was greatly appreciated.
This was the most relaxed I had seen Stenton. His wrinkled face was nothing but smiles. I wonder if something happened.
"How was your day?"
"It was glorious, master Emmett gave me the entire morning off. I got to catch up on my reading. I took a nap. Took a walk along the beach. It was a good day."
"Well that does sound nice." I nodded with a grin. "Do you get breaks like that often?"
"Not at all, I haven't had a break like this in decades."
"You deserve it,"
"I wouldn't go that far, but I'm not about to complain. Now, tell me, did anyone give you a hard time?" He asked, raising a brow.
Alice wasn't exactly easy on me at first, but I think we have came to a mutual understanding. I didn't see myself becoming gal-pals with her. But at the very least, we could speak openly to each other. In fact, no one really came outright and spoke to me on that level. They all tip-toed around me, like I was some kind of delicate flower. Except for one. Vex.
Just the thought of her, had my blood boiling.
"No one put up much of a fuss. I'm not the biggest fan of Vex." I muttered, more so to myself.
Stenton heard, and made a face. "Don't let that little tramp bother you. She has probably slept with every reaper in this company."
I looked at Stenton with slight surprise. "You mean… even you Stenton?"
His expression was hard for a minute, his eyes avoiding me now. "I did say, every reaper, didn't I?"
Was that a yes? She even slept with him? Not that there was anything wrong with him, but he was much older. At least in his seventies. I didn't know how to react to this conversation. For some reason, I found myself laughing.
Stenton sighed, shaking his head. "It wasn't my finest moment. Master Emmett almost fired me on the spot. But life gets a bit lonely."
"And Edward?" I asked, feeling my a jag to my heart.
"No, I don't think she sunk her claws into him. Vex came around the same time Edward was marrying Tanya. I don't think they have ever slept together. But that is something you will have to ask Edward."
I wasn't even sure I wanted to know, at this point. Best to just change the subject. Stenton didn't appear to want to talk about this anymore either.
We had almost made it back to my apartment now. I could just begin to see the roof of the building. The sun was beating down harshly. I knew the second that I got out of the car, it was going to be unbearable. I loved the summer time, but living in the city meant there was no trees. No shade. So unless there was a nice breeze, you roasted. Since I was done working for the day, maybe I'd attempt a trip to the beach. It was my favorite place to go on days like this.
I'd like to do some painting. I haven't had the time to do that in a while. When I found myself with a lot of things on my mind, painting gave me a creative outlet for all of my thoughts. But I was slightly worried. Everyone made it clear that I would be a target for devourers. So does that mean I should just hunker down and hide away in my apartment from now on?
Stenton pulled into the parking lot of my apartment, giving me a sly smile. "This will probably be the last time I'll have the pleasure of driving you around."
I paused, panic crawling around my stomach. "Oh no, why?"
Stenton turned around in his seat, passing over a set of car keys. "Master Edward found it necessary for you to have a car of your own." He nodded in the direction of a midnight blue sedan parked where my scooter used to sit.
My jaw dropped. "You're kidding."
Stenton chuckled quietly. "What do you expect, of course he wants you to be independant and capable of traveling by yourself."
I shook my head, passing the keys back to Stenton. "I don't want it. He can't just buy me a car. This is insane."
"Too late, it's yours now. I believe he mentioned to me, to not take no for an answer. This is a company car, you have the right to own it. If you don't, you won't be able to make it to work." Stenton said giving the keys back to me.
I groaned in annoyance. "This is too much, this is exactly why I didn't want him paying off the taxes on my parent's farm. I could never repay him for this."
"He doesn't want repaid, he wants to show you that he cares for you. This is just his way of expressing those emotions." Stenton said with a bright smile.
"Even so, I wish he would have asked… or at least gave me a heads up."
Stenton waved, before leaving me in the parking lot. I watched as he drove off into the distance. I glanced down at the set of keys in my hands, then over to the car. It was a nice looking car, nothing too flashy, to my relief. I walked over to inspect it. There was a single black rose on the driver's seat, with a note attached. Hesitantly, I unlocked the car and retrieved the flower and note. In beautiful cursave, a few words were written. Hope this doesn't piss you off, E.
So, he already had an idea of how I would react to this little surprise. I snorted, locking the car back up and made my way into the apartment entrance.
Pete was waiting at the desk, reading a newspapers. He looked completely exhausted. Even as I walked up to him, I could see there were dark circles under his eyes. As if he hasn't been sleeping well.
"How are you on this nice, sunny day?" He smiled weakly at me as he folded his newspaper.
"Pretty good, how about you?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I'm still breathing, so I guess I'm doing well enough."
"You don't look so good Pete, are you alright?"
"Oh sure I am, don't be worrying about me. Just feeling a bit under the weather." He said patting the top of my hand. "While I have you here, I should tell you. I think your boss stopped by this morning, looking for you."
My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. "Billy was here… great… I forgot to call him." I groaned, hanging my head.
"He wants you to call him, as soon as you can." Pete said with a nod. "Don't worry, he didn't seem mad, just worried."
Knowing Billy, I'm sure he was worried. I've never missed a day of work. I've never called off. Me not showing up randomly was out of character. I just can't believe that he drove the whole way over, to check on me. I hated disappointing anyone. I really didn't want to have to call and quit on him.
But I didn't see another way around it.
"Thanks for letting me know."
I guess I might as well get this over with. I made my way up the stairs, taking my time. I had to think about what I was going to say. I've never quit a job before. The diner was the first actual job that I ever had.
Once I got inside my apartment, I let out a sigh. It felt like a sauna in here. The air was thick, making it hard to breathe. I quickly began to open the windows, hoping there would be enough of a breeze outside to cool it down. I really need to get an air conditioner. Or at least buy a fan. I changed out of my dress, and just threw on an old pair of jean shorts and a spaghetti strap tank top. I dabbed at the sweat on the back of my neck as I flopped down on the couch. I stared at the company phone for a while. I knew I had to make the call soon. But after the long day I had, I was pretty tired. Maybe I would just close my eyes for a minute.
A/N: Thanks for those who are reading! Leave a review if you are enjoying it so far.