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Chapter Nineteen-Jacob's Vow

Jacob had overheard the row between Bella and Renee and it saddened him. He held out his arms and Bella ran straight into them. He held her close as she cried softly. "It's okay, honey." He said gently.

"She wants us to leave." Bella sobbed. "I can't believe she said that."

"Your mom is angry and hurting right now, Bells." Jacob stroked her hair soothingly. "I don't think she really means it; she's just lashing out."

"Maybe, but I can't stay here any longer." Bella pulled away and looked up at him with tear filled eyes. "We have to go."

"Where to?" Jacob asked. "The flights home aren't until tomorrow."

"I'll sell off that jewellery I told you about." Bella reminded him. "We can get a cheap room for the night."

Jacob held her face between his hands. "Are you sure about this?" He checked. "You could try talking to Renee again."

"I'm done talking to her." Bella stated adamantly. "I just want to go."

"Okay, let's get our stuff and get out of here." Jacob kissed her quickly and then began to help Bella to gather her things together.

Phil came back from the local store holding some fresh milk in his hand. He was startled to see them packing up. "What's going on?" He asked in alarm.

Bella couldn't answer as fresh tears began to leak out of her eyes. Jacob put a steadying arm around her shoulders. "I am afraid Bells and Renee had a disagreement. Renee asked us to leave."

Phil's face darkened. "Ren said this?" He looked toward Bella for conformation.

"Yes." She mumbled, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

"I can't believe this; she has gone too far this time." Phil was angry. He dumped the milk onto the table. "Wait here, all of you, while I have a word with her."

"Please don't, Phil." Bella pleaded with him. "It's not worth it. We'll just go. I don't want to cause trouble between you and mom."

"It's not you causing trouble though, Bella. It's her. I am tired of her childishness. Please just wait here." Phil marched out of the room and through the patio doors, closing them behind him.

"No, I didn't want this." Bella protested as she stared after him.

"Bells, calm down, this is none of your doing. He's right. Your mom is acting like a spoiled child, you know she is." Jacob pulled her back into his comforting embrace. "It's going to be alright."

Bella nodded her head against his chest. She felt so tired and just wanted to get out of Florida and back home where she felt safe. The same eerie feeling from earlier, when she had been outside by the pool, returned. She could swear that someone was watching them. She pressed herself closer to Jacob. His strong arms encircling her was the only reason she was able to hold it together.

They sat on the cream sofa waiting for Phil to return. Loud yells could be heard coming from the back of the house as Renee and Phil argued loudly. The noise disturbed Ethan, and he woke and began to wail. Bella picked him up and cuddled him, rocking him gently in her arms as she sat beside Jacob.

"This is terrible, Jake. They are really going at it." Bella said sadly. "I wish we hadn't promised Phil we would wait."

"I know." Jacob agreed. "It doesn't sound like this is the first time they've had this argument, though."

"No." Bella lay her head on his shoulder as she continued to rock Ethan.

After another ten minutes passed, with both of them feeling increasingly uncomfortable, the patio doors slid open and Phil, followed by a distraught Renee, came back inside.

Renee caught hold of her husband's arm, but he shrugged off. "No, Ren, I've had enough."

"Please, Phil, don't go." Renee whined.

Phil stopped for a moment and turned to look at her. She tried to reach out to him again, but he stepped back. "I don't know who you are anymore, Ren. I've tried to put up with your moods and your constant neediness but it's just wearing me down. I'm going to leave for a few days. I need to get my head together and think about what I really want." He turned and walked away without another word.

"Phil, I need you! Come back!" Renee cried.

Phil didn't respond, instead he went straight to their room and slammed the door.

Jacob and Bella exchanged a shocked glance. She carefully handed Ethan to him before getting up and cautiously approaching her mother. "Mom, are you okay?"

Renee turned to look at her, her bottom lip was trembling and her face was awash with tears. "This is all your fault, Bella." She said bitterly. "What vile things have you been saying to Phil about me?"

Bella backed away from her mother in shock. "I haven't said a thing."

"You must have!" Renee yelled at her, her hands clenching into fists. "Phil and I were fine until you spread your poison."

Jacob stood up; he was beyond livid at the rubbish that was spewing forth from Renee's mouth. He came to stand beside Bella in support. "Maybe you should look in the mirror." He snapped, finally losing his patience with the childish woman. "Then you'll see who is truly to blame. You're a disgrace."

Renee was stunned at his outburst. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times to issue a retort, but nothing came out.

"Come on, Bells, let's go." Jacob told her. He took her hand and passed Ethan to her. "I'll get your cases."

Bella nodded dumbly. She gave her mother one last sad glance, before cradling Ethan to her chest and walking out of the front door. Renee didn't follow her.

They had to go into the main shopping mall before they found anywhere to pawn Bella's jewellery. She didn't get much for them, but it was enough to pay for a cheap motel room on the outskirts of Jacksonville, and also some food. Bella fed Ethan first and made him comfortable before quickly preparing some snacks for her and Jake. They sat on the bed, Ethan between them, as they ate and talked.

"I'll be glad to see the back of this place." Jacob said as he polished off a sandwich.

"Me too." Bella passed him her sandwich; she didn't feel hungry in the slightest.

Jacob took it from her with a worried frown. "Honey, you need to eat because of the baby."

"I know. I've just lost my appetite."

Jacob handed her the other half of the sandwich. "Come on we'll have half each."

Bella gave him a small smile. "You are so pushy."

"Too right I am." He grinned at her as she began to take small bites out of the bread.

While she chewed her food slowly, Bella recalled the eerie feeling from her mom's next door neighbour's house. "To be honest I feel much better being here than at my mom's house."

"What you like seedy little motel rooms?" Jacob teased her.

"No." Bella slapped his chest playfully. "The house next door was freaking me out."

"Why?" Jacob finished his half of the sandwich and looked at her expectantly.

"It felt like I was being watched. My mom said the house belonged to a middle-aged bachelor. I got the feeling he was spying." Bella said nonchalantly.

Jacob felt his insides lurch at her words. He kept his expression neutral; he didn't want to alarm Bella. "I see. Was this when you were by the pool?"

Bella nodded as she took another bite. "Yeah. Why?"

"Nothing." Jacob replied, keeping his tone casual. "I just need to call my dad and let him know what's going on. Can I borrow your cell?"

"Yeah." Bella pulled it from the pocket of her jeans and handed it to him. She looked at him curiously as he got up and headed for the door to their room. "Why are you going out of the room?"

Jacob pointed at Ethan; their son had fallen asleep. "I don't want to disturb him."

"Okay." Bella gave him a smile before glancing down fondly at her son.

Jacob quickly exited the room and leaned against the concrete wall of the motel. It was dark outside, the heat from the day turning into a humid night. He wiped the perspiration from his forehead as he tried to regain his composure. He now knew where Edward had been hiding. He must have sneaked next door, that is why he had disappeared so quickly after the fight. Jacob felt sick thinking about what Cullen had done to the guy who lived in the house, and worst of all, he must have been listening in to their private conversations too. Edward Cullen was one sick, twisted bastard.

Even though his instincts were telling him to go back and investigate, Jacob could not leave Bella and Ethan unprotected, but what about the poor man who lived next door? There was only one course of action open to him, he needed to ring the police anonymously and report an intruder. Jacob walked a little further from his room, just to make doubly sure that Bella couldn't hear him. He quickly dialled 911 and waited for the phone to ring.

Jacob and Bella lay in the small bed. Ethan was sleeping peacefully between them. Bella could see that Jacob looked worried about something. He had been very quiet when he had returned after calling his dad. "What's wrong, Jake?"

He forced a smile onto his face. "Nothing, honey. I'm just tired."

"I know you're hiding something. Don't keep me in the dark, Jake. I want to know. We're partners, aren't we?" Bella reached across and put her hand on his cheek, stroking his warm skin softly.

"I wasn't keeping anything from you deliberately, Bells. I just didn't want you to worry." Jacob put his hand over hers.

"I know, and I love you for shouldering all the burden, but I would rather know the truth. I assume it wasn't Billy you spoke to earlier, was it?" She guessed.

"No, it wasn't." Jacob confessed. "It was the police."

Bella's brown eyes widened in surprise. "The police? Why?"

Jacob pressed her hand harder against his cheek. "I don't want you to freak out, but when you told me that you felt like the neighbour was spying on you, I had a feeling it was someone else."

Bella gasped as she finally realised who he meant. "Edward?"

"Yes. It seems the most likely possibility." Jacob admitted.

Bella felt sickness well up in her throat. "Mr Crabbs? Do you think he might have done something to him?"

"I don't know." Jacob said quietly. "That's why I rang the police. I couldn't leave you and Ethan unprotected while I went to investigate, so they were the next best thing."

"Oh my god, this is a nightmare." Bella whispered. Her eyes drifted to her sleeping son. "I wish I had never met him or the Cullens. I want it all to be over."

Jacob reached across Ethan and cupped the back of Bella's head. He looked directly into her scared eyes. "I will never let anything happen to you or any part of our family, Bells. I promise." He vowed.

"I love you, Jake." Bella whispered tearfully.

"I love you too, honey." Jacob gave her a reassuring smile as he moved closer so that Bella and Ethan were wrapped safely in his arms.

A/N-thanks for reading!