Chapter 13: A Seat at the Table – Part II

The problem, of course, was she was still watching him.

Bella, ever herself, smirked slightly, reaching for more food."Okay, your turn. Tell me something you don't usually talk about."

Edward huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head."That's not how this works."

Bella raised an eyebrow, chewing thoughtfully."Oh? And here I thought we were bonding." Edward rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched upward. Impossible.

But for some reason, he found that he didn't mind. As the meal progressed, Edward found himself disarmed by her warmth. She was quick-witted and playful, her laughter light and easy. She talked about her favourite travel memories, her art, and the way her mother had always encouraged her to dream big.

"You're not what I expected," Edward admitted suddenly, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

Bella raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a curious smile. "What did you expect?"

Edward hesitated, searching for the right words. "Someone... different."

Bella laughed softly. "I'll take that as a compliment." Bella swirled the last of her wine, her gaze flicking toward Edward, thoughtful but hesitant.

"I don't want to pry," she said softly, "but… what about your family?"

Edward glanced up at her, his expression unreadable.

Bella tilted her head slightly, offering a small smile. "I mean, I know your brother, Will, right? You talk about him like he's half the reason you're still sane." She rested her elbow on the table, playing with the rim of her glass. "But what about your parents?"

Edward didn't move for a moment. He wasn't surprised by the question. The Bureau crafted their story way before they got in and so far, they have shared it with everyone in this business and now, it was her time to hear that well-crafted lie. For sure, he couldn't tell her that his parents were alive, healthy and happily married. Dad probably reading some medical journal, and Mom, talking his ear to death about some foundation or some foster family. No, their story was different.

He exhaled slowly, letting the lie roll out smoothly.

He leaned back slightly, "They died when I was seventeen."

Bella's brows furrowed, the flicker of sympathy flashing in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I did not know that."

Edward shrugged like it didn't matter. "It was a long time ago. We were living in South Boston back then, my dad worked docks, loading freight. It wasn't anything glamorous, but he was honest." He let out a humourless chuckle. "Which is probably why he got himself killed."

Bella frowned. "What happened?"

"He got in deep with the wrong people. Loan sharks, guys connected to the Irish mob. He was trying to keep us afloat, but the debts piled up. One night, he didn't come home. Cops found his body in an alley two days later, execution-style. Mom didn't last much longer after that. Stroke. Stress, I guess."

He kept his voice even, and factual. A story that wasn't too tragic, too dramatic, just enough to be believable in this world.

Bella's gaze softened. "That must've been hell. For you and Will."

Edward nodded slightly. "Yeah. It was. Social workers wanted to split us up; and stick us in different homes. We weren't having it, so… we ran."

What she did not know was that no birth record or paper trail was leading back to their real identity because the FBI made sure to erase it.

Bella blinked. "Ran? Where?"

"Anywhere that wasn't Boston," Edward said simply. "We bounced around, did what we had to do to survive. Nothing major at first, small jobs, working under the table. But the streets don't give a shit how old you are. You either learn fast or you don't make it."

Bella stayed quiet, letting him talk.

"We started running errands for guys who did have money. Whatever paid. The bigger jobs came along like security and muscle. We had a knack for it, believe it or not." Edward smirked slightly. "Talks our way out of trouble."

Bella smiled faintly. "Sounds like a useful skill."

"Yeah. Kept us fed." Edward exhaled, tilting his head slightly. "Eventually, we worked our way into bigger circles. Some are good, some… not so good. That's how we ended up in New York."

"And how did you get…here," Bella guessed. Alluding to working for her dad.

Edward nodded. "We were working for a guy who ran protection rackets on the West Side. One night, one of his guys tried to shake down the wrong place, a bar your father owned. Let's just say it didn't go well for him."

Bella arched a brow. "And you?"

Edward smirked slightly. "Will and I made the smart call. Walked in, saw how things were going, and cut our losses. Simon must've seen something in us because he didn't have us killed. Instead, he gave us a job."

Bella leaned forward slightly, intrigued now. "Just like that?"

Edward chuckled. "Not quite. He tested us first. Had us handle collections, and watch over shipments. Small stuff. But we kept our heads down, didn't ask stupid questions, and did what we were told. The rest is history."

Bella sat back in her chair, watching him carefully. "You tell it so… casually."

Edward shrugged, forcing another smirk. "When you've lived it long enough, it stops feeling like a story."

Bella studied him, her light brown eyes flickering with something unreadable. Then she gave him a small smile, reaching for a piece of garlic bread.

Their eyes met, and Edward's breath caught as he noticed the way the light danced in her gaze. She tilted her head slightly, her expression turning thoughtful. Studying him like she was seeing something new, something she wasn't sure she should say out loud.

"You have really green eyes," Bella said, her voice quieter now. Almost hesitant.

Edward blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

Bella's lips parted like she was second-guessing herself, but then she exhaled, pushing forward. "Your eyes." Her gaze flickered over his face, the corners of her mouth curving slightly, but there was something more behind it. Something charged. "They're... striking. Hard to miss."

A beat of silence.

Edward cleared his throat, shifting in his seat, suddenly hyperaware of the heat crawling up the back of his neck. She was looking at him like that. And he wasn't used to that.

"Thanks," he said, his voice gruffer than he intended.

Bella smiled, leaning back in her chair, but the weight of her gaze didn't lift "You're not used to compliments, are you?"

Edward's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Not really."

That wasn't true. He knew exactly what women saw when they looked at him. He'd used it before, let it work in his this. This wasn't that. He wanted her to look at him like that. And that thought alone was enough to unnerve him.

"Well," Bella said, her voice light but sincere, "you should be."

The space between them crackled, like an unlit match waiting for a spark.

Edward studied her. The way the light caught in her eyes, the way her lips curled slightly when she smiled. Her freckles, the soft flush on her cheeks. He wasn't sure why, but at that moment, he wanted to say something back. Something real.

He let the silence stretch just long enough to make her shift in her seat like she could feel the weight of his gaze. Then, low and deliberate, he said:

"You have the most beautiful smile I've ever seen."

Bella blinked, startled by the sudden turn. Her lips parted slightly, her breath catching, just for a second.

Edward smirked, he leaned in slightly, his voice quieter. "It's… destabilizing."

She ducked her head, and there it was. The blush. She picked up another piece of pasta, her fingers just barely trembling, but the smile was still there. Edward exhaled slowly, settling back in his chair.

For the first time today, he had flipped the script on her. And damn, did he like that.

By the time they finished their meal, Edward felt like the ground beneath him had shifted. Bella wasn't at all what he'd imagined—she was friendly, relaxed, and fun, with a depth that made him question everything he thought he knew about her. How could someone not be affected by this beautiful woman? As they walked back to his car, the cool air brushed against them. Bella wrapped her arms around herself, and without thinking, Edward slipped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

"You don't have to do that," Bella said, though her smile was warm.

"It's fine," Edward replied. "I don't want you to catch a cold."

Bella chuckled, pulling the jacket tighter around herself. "Chivalry isn't dead after all."

When they reached her condo, Bella lingered by the car, her light brown eyes meeting his.

"Thanks for tonight," she said softly.

"Anytime," Edward replied. His words were steady, but inside, it felt like a storm had cracked open. Bella didn't move right away. She just… looked at him.

The streetlight caught in her eyes, turning them to honey and embers, and for a moment, Edward thought she might say something else. That may be, if he just took one step closer.

But then she smiled, small and knowing.

"Goodnight, Masen." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it sank into him.

Edward exhaled slowly. "Goodnight, Bella."

And he stood there, watching as she disappeared inside, his jacket still draped over her shoulders.

And there you go. Their first one-on-one conversation. What do you think? Things are murky right now for Edward. What would you like to happen in the future or maybe some predictions? Love to hear your thoughts :) Until next week!