Chapter 5: It's Been A While

It's been a while
since I could say that I wasn't addicted and
It's been a while
Since I could say I love myself as well and
It's been a while
Since I've gone and fucked things up just like I always do
It's been a while
But all that shit seems to disappear when I'm with you
But everything I can't remember as fucked up as it may seem
the consequences that I've rendered
I've gone and fucked things up again

‘It’s Been A While’ by Staind


EPOV


It was 5pm. We’d slept for two hours. I woke up from the worst, yet most fucking amazing dream I ever had. And then I found it was reality. She was still there in my arms, her chest rising and falling as she breathed slowly. Her hair was matted to her face and I noticed that the jumper I’d slipped on her now had a dark red patch on her arm. I hissed the scar, for what caused it, and for the horrific mess it was now. I gingerly picked up her arm. I rolled her sleeve up until I could just see the cut. Luckily it had stopped bleeding but it still looked horrendous. There was dried blood surrounding it and the long, deep cut was partly closed over. There was some light purple bruising around it and I cringed at the sight. I brought her arm slowly up to my lips and pressed them to it, blowing lightly on the cut, as if thinking that a kiss could make it better. What a fucking joke.


“What are you doing?”


I looked at Bella and her eyes were wide open, staring at me in confusion. My heart fell and I dropped her arm gently. She didn’t fucking like it.

Story of my life.

“Sorry; I didn’t mean to. I’ll go.” I climbed out of bed but her hand reached out and grabbed me. My skin burned where she touched me.


“Please don’t go. I was just...shocked.” The way she said it, made me think there was something more to what she was telling me. I turned back around and lost myself in her deep eyes.


“Why? Why would you be shocked?”


She hesitated, but I continued to look her in the eyes and just hope she’d answer.


“You...make it feel better.” Her face turned red and she quickly looked to the ground.


“Make what feel better?”


Surprisingly she looked up at me and the passion in her voice was clear when she replied.


“Everything,” she whispered.


I stared at her, my mind unable to comprehend. Had she just said what I thought she said? I made her feel better? Me? Edward fucking Cullen? She just looked at me, and fuck I knew how much that took to look me in the eyes. Her eyes were wide, and Jesus she looked gorgeous. Her lips were slightly wet and they were so full and God, I just leaned in subconsciously. But she leaned in too and I could almost taste her.

“Edward?”


Shit! That MOTHERFUCKER! GO TO HELL YOU DICKHEAD! COULDN’T YOU SEE I WAS BUSY!?


Bella quickly backed away from me and I turned around to face Carlisle.


“I see you two are awake?” Neither of us answered his rather obvious question.


“Edward, I would like a word. Bella, are you okay? How is the pain?”


She nodded and chanced a glance at me that Carlisle caught. I turned to face her and smiled. She blushed and I winked before following Carlisle out the room. He led me to his office where lo and behold! My dear mother sat along with the other bitches that ran this dump.


“Edward, we would like to talk to you about your relationship with Bella.” Carlisle was the first one to speak.


“Well I’d figured as much.” Wow, I managed to speak without swearing at him. That is definitely an improvement.


“Well we were discussing last night, the fact that you two have a rather...different relationship.”


“Different meaning I don’t want to fucking beat her up?” And there goes the swearing.


“Language, Edward, but yes.”


“And?” I asked. So what if I liked her. What was their problem? Carlisle looked over at Esme.


“We don’t think you should conduct a relationship with her,” he told me simply.


What the fucking hell?


“You mean you don’t want me to have sex with her,” I snorted and Carlisle looked away from me, the tension in the room obvious.


“It doesn’t matter what it is. We don’t want you to go any further than being friends.”


“Well fuck that. I like her, I like her a lot. And you are not taking her away from me. Plus she likes me too. You really want to upset her?” I smirked at him and he glared back.


“Edward, I have said what I wanted to. Do NOT mess with Bella, do you understand me? I don’t want you to have a relationship with her.”


“Yes, I fucking understand you. Doesn’t mean I’m going to obey you.” Hell if after today I wasn’t going to fucking kiss her. I’ve never wanted to kiss someone so much before, and fuck me but I knew she wanted it too.


“Edward!”


“Carlisle, calm down.” Esme placed a hand on his arm and he managed to get his temper back under control. I rolled my eyes. This was like a fucking soap opera.


“Second thing, and this is serious, Edward, has she told you anything about her past? About her breakdown today, or about the pain in her head? Anything at all?” Elizabeth’s voice was much calmer and I was able to speak more politely to her. I thought about the cutting, but I’d promised Bella I wouldn’t tell. Fuck me if I was going to break her trust.


“No, nothing at all.” But holy shit, was I going to find out.


“If she tells you anything of importance please come to one of us so we can help her.” I nodded, lying to them. I would only come to them if she said I could.


“And finally, about this incident with Mike.” Carlisle spoke up again and I growled at the name.


“Fuck Mike, I’d kill him if I could. He fucking kissed her! That is what started her breakdown! And if he does anything to her again, he will wish he was never fucking born!” They stared at me in shock, probably surprised at the amount of emotion I was showing. But if anyone hurt her, I would kill them slowly and painfully. No one else would ruin her life. Esme glanced at Carlisle and then Elizabeth, giving them a look I didn’t understand.


“Thank you for telling us what upset Bella,” Esme said. “Just stay away from Mike.”


I nodded. I would quite happily do that.


“Um, you might want to speak to Lauren about her behavior to Bella. She didn’t eat breakfast because of Lauren. I don’t know what happened though,” I added, trying to be civil. Esme nodded in understanding.


“Thank you, Edward. And please try and be less of a...”


“Dick?” I suggested. Esme looked at me reproachingly.


“Be nice around Bella okay? Just be careful. She’s had a rough life.” Esme finished and I nodded. It wasn’t until Carlisle started talking that my temper began to rise again.

“Edward-”

I stood up angrily, interrupting him, without even knowing what he was going to say. I knew it was stupid, but I was sick of being told what to do.


“Well tough, Carlisle, because if she wants it, then guess what, we’ll have one. I’ll be whatever she fucking wants me to be,” I said as I stormed out the room.


“Edward!” An arm was flung over my shoulder and I growled at Emmett.


“Leave me alone. I’m going to see Bella. I’ll bring her down and we can talk.”


“Edward, she’s not three; she can walk herself down the stairs.”


I glared at him, threw his arm off me and walked up the stairs. Bella was sitting on the bed, with her knees pulled up to her chest and staring into the distance. She’d changed her jumper so the blood red patch on her arm wasn’t there anymore. I could tell she was struggling to keep herself together; her breathing was erratic and very fast.


“Bella?” I ran over to her and wrapped my arms around her. I rocked her against me, stroking her hair. “What happened?”


“I could see them, Edward. I could see them.”


“See who, Bella?” She looked up at me, her eyes dark and hooded.


“Them, Edward! Them!” She started getting worked up and panicky so I just nodded and calmed her down again.


“Okay, Bella, it’s okay. I won’t let them hurt you. No one will hurt you again.” I would find out who fucking hurt her. I would find out everything.


“Bella, Alice and everyone are waiting for us downstairs, they all want to make sure you are okay.” She nodded and I wiped away the tears she hadn’t shed. She looked up at me and I couldn’t understand the look in her eyes.


I helped her stand up and wrapped an arm around her waist, winking at her from the side. She giggled slightly and I smiled. That was what I was after. We walked down and into the living room. Thank fuck that Lauren and that god-damned bastard Mike weren’t there.


As soon as we entered the room Bella dropped her head to the floor and moved her hair to cover her face. I frowned and resisted the urge to move it out of her eyes. She was obviously not comfortable. Alice smiled brightly at Bella; I saw Bella’s eyes dart around the room and she looked up a bit more when she saw who was in the room. No one to be fucking afraid of. I pulled her onto the sofa and kept my arm wrapped around her.


“So, Bella! Are you feeling better now?” Alice asked chirpily.


Bella nodded and blushed darkly, her eyes dropping to the floor again.


“Anyway, we were thinking of going out this weekend. Do you two want to come? I can dress you up in some of your new clothes! We’ll have so much fun!”


Bella looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I stifled a laugh.


“Where exactly are you thinking of going?” I asked Alice.


“You know the club one3one? Well it has an all ages night every Friday so everyone will be able to get in. Even Bella and I! So I was thinking we could go there! And it’s stiletto night! So, Bella, we can go shopping again! We need to get you some club clothes!” I looked over at Bella who was still frozen.


“But you got me that dress…” she stuttered. Alice tutted and shook her head.


“That’s for Elizabeth’s party on Wednesday night.”


“So what do you think, Bella?” I asked her. She looked over at me, her eyes wide.


I leaned in and whispered in her ear, “It’ll be fun, beautiful; I’ll look after you.” I leaned back to look at her eyes and she slowly nodded.


“Fine, I’ll go.”


I smiled at her brightly. For once I couldn’t fucking wait. I’d have Bella and it would be amazing. Oh and fuck we could dance, and grind, and-oh shit. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as I tried to re-adjust my pants after that thought. Get your mind out of the fucking gutter, Cullen. I saw Jasper look sideways at me and then he burst out laughing. I glared at him.


“Cut it out,” I said under my breath as everyone else looked at him.


“Jazz, what’s so funny?” Alice asked. I narrowed my eyes at him, daring him to say anything.


“It doesn’t matter,” he said, highlighting his southern drawl to placate Alice. Her eyes softened and she didn’t inquire anymore into it. Jasper sniggered silently at me once Alice had turned around but thankfully, he didn’t say anything. Maybe this club thing wouldn’t be as good an idea as I’d previously thought.


I turned back to Bella and was once again consumed by those deep brown eyes. I would do anything to see them peeking up at me through her lashes as she wrapped her luscious lips—HOLY FUCK! Get a grip, Edward. She is not someone you just fuck! Jesus, everything she did made me want to kiss her. Fucking Carlisle. He was the one who brought this up!


“So, Bella, what was your life like in Phoenix?” Emmett asked a simple question but Bella froze and her eyes glazed over. My hands clenched slightly as she winced. And again, and again, and again , she kept on wincing. What the hell had just happened?


“Bella?” She didn’t hear me. “Bella?” She didn’t even glance my way. Fuck it, I thought and I took matters into my own hands. I was not going to watch her in pain. I knelt in front of her, ignoring the weird looks from the others, and took her face in my hands.


“Bella, listen to me. You’re safe, I’m here, no one will hurt you,” I said quietly, trying not to let the others hear my words. I saw her eyes fill with confusion when she saw me and she struggled to realize something. But then they filled with relief, focusing on me, and she let out a breath I hadn’t realized she’d been holding. I climbed back onto the sofa and pulled her onto my lap. I wrapped my arms around her tight, and sent everyone in the room a look so they knew not to mention it. Emmett looked horrified at what he’d done.


“Don’t worry bro,” I mouthed at him. He nodded but still looked a bit upset. Bella looked up at me, her eyes back to normal but with something still lurking in the background. I raised my hand to her cheek and stroked down her cool skin. Her skin turned a gorgeous shade of pink and her eyes grew hot as she smiled up at me, for once unembarrassed by my attention and keeping my gaze. I smiled back at her and this time she looked down again, but her eyes met by chest and she blushed again.


“Sorry, I’ll move,” she started but I held her tight and wouldn’t let her go. I smirked at her and she blushed and tried to look anywhere but me, but as she looked around the room she was met with winks and knowing smiles. She settled for my chest in the end and leaned her head against me. Her aroma of strawberries and freesia filled the air and I brought her hair to my nose and inhaled. Alice looked at me weirdly again but didn’t say anything.


“So anyway, as I was saying, Bella, we can leave tomorrow morning. Rose, do you want to come?” I held my breath and waited as I looked at Rose. I wasn’t sure what she would say but if she fucking upset Bella...


But we were all surprised by what Rose did. She smiled brightly at Bella.


“Sure I’ll come. I think you’d look good in dark blue ,Bella, maybe we can find a dress or top in that colour. What do you think, Alice?” Bella sat up slightly and looked at Rosalie in shock, but Rosalie just smiled at her and Bella leaned against me again, though she glanced up at me, confused, a couple of times. I smiled innocently at her and she eventually just shrugged it off.


“So, what do you say to wearing a skirt?” Alice asked bouncing on her seat with excitement. Bella just looked at her.


“I don’t really do skirts—”


“Oh but you’d look great in one. At least, Edward would think so,” Alice said cheekily. I growled at her and she laughed her stupid tinkling laugh. It wasn’t fucking like that. Not that I didn’t want it to be more. After that stupid talk it was all I could think about. But I would have to leave that to Bella. I wouldn’t make her more uncomfortable.


Bella had blushed redder at Alice’s words.


“I’m sure he wouldn’t, Alice,” she said, fidgeting in my lap.


What the fuck? Jesus, she would look fucking gorgeous in a skirt! I frowned.


“Bella, you would look amazing in a skirt,” I whispered to her, making her shiver when my breath hit her ear. I ran my fingers gently up her thigh and along her hip. My hands were fucking burning and my groin was getting painful. Bella’s breathing hitched and I smirked slightly and brought my hand back. She shook her head slightly and I resisted the urge to press myself against her and kiss the fucking daylights out of her. She scooted slightly in my lap and my hand unconsciously fisted into the chair and I stifled a groan, though I’m sure I still made a noise by the way Jasper looked at me.


I was tense for the rest of the conversation; I never relaxed my hands and my face must have been a fucking picture. Bella kept moving in my lap and she kept waving her hair about. Every so often she would turn slightly so I would see her gorgeous eyes and her fucking lips. Not good.


When Esme came to ‘announce’ dinner, I breathed a sigh of relief as Bella moved off me. I saw Esme glance at me and frown when she saw Bella sitting on me. I glared at her and she didn’t say anything. Bella looked back at me and I stood up quickly and wrapped a protecting arm around her as we walked to the kitchen. I sat her next to me, and to my surprise, Rosalie sat down on her other side with a friendly smile . Rosalie really was making an effort. I smiled gratefully at her.


Lauren came in and frowned when she saw who I was sitting next to, but a look from Esme halted her and she sank meekly into a different seat. Well thank fuck that they had talked to her.


When Mike walked in, I tried not to growl at him. He had a two black eyes and his nose looked like it had just been re-set. His jaw was bruised and he looked like hell. He winced with every step.


Bella’s head flung around to look at me. “What happened to him?”


“I’ll tell you later,” I whispered. She turned around but shrank closer to me when Mike walked past her. I glared at him and he walked on quickly. It was a very awkward meal. Bella was embarrassed after her breakdown and wouldn’t look up from the table. Mike and Lauren were angry and kept trying to say something but stopped when Carlisle met their eyes. And then there was me, trying to keep Bella calm. I rubbed her back every so often and she would always smile and look up, but as soon as I brought my hand away, she looked back down at the table.


Every adult in the room had their eyes on us and even I was getting fucking uncomfortable. They would glance at us whenever I would touch her and the electricity filled the whole room. Even Emmett, still slightly upset over the incident with Bella didn’t make any stupid comments. The room was silent, and it was freaking me out.


We all ate quickly, and no one spoke until the end.


“So Esme, Rose, Bella and I are going shopping tomorrow. We’re going out to the one3one on Friday and we need to get clothes. Is that okay?” Alice asked.


Esme nodded yes, then asked, “Bella, will you be okay?” Bella blushed and nodded.


“I’ll look after her, Esme,” I said sincerely, hoping she could see how much Bella meant to me. She glanced at Carlisle who was frowning but she nodded anyway. Thank goodness. At least she had some sort of trust in me. Mike left the table quickly and once Lauren and Jessica had followed him out, Bella turned to me.


“What happened?”


“Right, well after you know, he um, kissed you.” Bella flinched at the reminder. “Well I kind of…..punched him.”


Emmett snorted, “You did more than punch him Edward. You left him in a bloody heap on the ground.”


Bella looked at me her eyes wide. And then she stood up and ran out the room. I stared after her shell-shocked. And then my eyes narrowed.


“Fuck it.” And I walked out the room after her. I knocked on the door and when she didn’t answer I opened the door and went in. She was lying, curled up into a ball on the bed, her cheeks glistening in the light with tears that were silently falling.


“Bella, please don’t cry.” I walked over to her and reached out to touch her, but she flinched away.


“Bella,” I gasped, pain filling the rejection. Did she really think I would fucking hurt her?


“Bella, I would never hurt you, ever! You know that! I was so angry at Mike, at what he did to you. I did it because of you. So he wouldn’t hurt you again. I’m so sorry, Bella, please!” I reached out again and this time she didn’t flinch when I touched her face but her eyes still held a tiny bit of fear in them. It killed me to see her scared of me.


“I thought I’d left that behind. I never thought that even here, that it would all still continue,” she said blankly.


“Bella, I’m so sorry. I would never hurt you. I couldn’t. Bella, you are everything to me. Please, believe me. Trust me.” She looked up into my eyes and nodded slightly.


“I trust you, Edward. It was just… scary,” she whispered. I climbed up next to her and her breathing hitched as she unrolled from her small ball. I kept my hand against her face as the air around us hummed. Her eyes were burning into mine and her lips parted lightly. I could feel her hot breath against my face and my body was screaming at me to kiss her. I leaned in.


BPOV


“You did more than punch him, Edward. He was left on a bloody heap on the ground.” Emmett made this statement but I couldn’t turn to look at him. Edward was like...them? No, there had to be a mistake. He couldn’t be like them. He couldn’t! I had to get away from him, so I ran. I was always running from something. I didn’t even notice the tears on my face. I sank onto the bed, curling up, hoping to stop the hole inside my chest from growing. I’d thought I was safe, and yet, the person I was closest to was the one who I couldn’t trust. Someone knocked on the door but I couldn’t answer; my throat was too constricted.


“Bella, please don’t cry.” I heard his footsteps cross over to my bed. He reached out and tried to touch me but I jumped back, to afraid that he would do something to me too.


“Bella,” he said. And his voice made me stop in my tracks. He sounded like I felt. Broken.


“Bella, I would never hurt you, ever! You know that! I was so angry at Mike, at what he did to you. I did it because of you; so he wouldn’t hurt you again. I’m so sorry Bella, please!” I looked at him properly and what I saw in his eyes made me believe him. He was looking at me with such honesty and care; I knew he was telling the truth. When he reached out this time, I let him touch me, and my skin felt on fire when he did touch me. I had to explain.


“I thought I’d left that behind. I never thought that even here, that it would all still continue,” I said blankly, trying to bypass the memories that were hitting me.


“Bella, I’m so sorry. I would never hurt you. I couldn’t. Bella, you are everything to me. Please, believe me. Trust me.” I looked into his eyes again and I nodded at him


“I trust you Edward. It was just… a shock,” I whispered. Seeing someone that I relied on so much, do so much damage, so much familiar damage threw me. But I couldn’t stop trusting him. He was everything. I know it was just the second day, but already I knew I couldn’t live without him. He made me think there was hope. He climbed up next to me and lay alongside me. I straightened my legs out and all of a sudden my whole body was blazing with the feel of him against him. I looked into his scorching eyes and I stopped breathing. He leaned in towards me.


“Breathe, Bella,” he whispered as his breath brushed against my lips. Heat was radiating from me and I took a ragged breath. He ran his hand up my waist leaving a searing trail behind. When he got to my neck he bent my head upwards and leaned in further.


“Bella,” he whispered as he stared at me. A silent question. I nodded and closed the distance. His lips brushed over mine, very slightly, and the spark flew around the room, bouncing off the walls. He smiled up at me as he moved in to do it again.


“Bella?”


Okay, what? Who? I turned around, my brain still muddled, and saw Alice standing in the doorway.


“Oops, sorry! I’ll leave you to continue whatever you were doing...” she trailed off.


“No, no. Sorry, Alice.” I sat up biting my lip, my face a deep red. Edward sat up too and it was only then that I noticed his breathing was just as uneven as mine.


“Um…” she hesitated in the doorway, “…I was just going to ask if you wanted to watch a film in my room. But, it doesn’t matter.”


“No, Alice, we’ll come watch,” Edward told her, taking my hand and making the fire light up again within me. I followed him rather dazed into Alice’s room.


I blinked and somehow I was on Edward’s knee and he had his arms around me again. Rose was smiling suspiciously at me and she and Alice shared a knowing look. Rosalie had been so much nicer today since I’d gotten back and I didn’t know why. I was glad though.


When the lights went out, all I became aware of was Edward. I could feel everything from where I was sitting and the fire kept getting hotter and hotter. I was trembling and the heat went to my face. I inhaled sharply when Edward started stroking the back of my neck, which really didn’t help. I hadn’t a clue what the film was about. I tried to concentrate on breathing normally, but it wasn’t working. And then he pressed his lips to my neck. And I moaned, shifting in his lap, my reaction shocking me. Shouldn’t I be scared of that? It was like James all over again. But with Edward, it felt…good.


“Fuck,” I heard Edward say quietly and then my eyes went wide. I glanced around the room and they were all looking at us. Oh crap. I could feel myself going a deep red as they all stared at us.


“Sorry,” I murmured before turning away from them all, but my eyes met Edward’s whose were burning with need. I had to turn away from him. The feelings were overwhelming me, and I didn’t know what to do, or what to feel; scared or lustful, terrified or expectant. As I shifted back around to face the others Edward groaned. Really loud. And his hand went into my hair and pulled it gently. What did I do? Did I hurt him?



And then Emmett started sniggering and soon Jasper started too. Finally Rosalie and Alice joined in when they saw our faces.


“Sorry,” I whispered to him, not looking up and I made to move across the room. But he held me back and sat me down next him, not on his lap though. I noticed his hand was still clenched to the arm of the sofa.


“Bella, it’s not your fault his mind is in the gutter!” Emmett hollered, while laughing like a madman. What? Ohhhh. That made sense now. I blushed even harder and looked down at my knees, playing with my hands.


“Bella, it’s my fault. I’m sorry. You are just far too beautiful for your own good,” Edward said quietly to me. I snorted at that and he frowned. He didn’t say anything though, because Jasper started in.


“Alice? You want to know what I was laughing about earlier?” She nodded eagerly and I turned to face Jasper, curious. Edward on the other hand let out a low snarl.


“Don’t you fucking dare, Jasper Whitlock.” Jasper looked at him and then shook his head.


“Well, when you were talking about going out to the club, Edward over there had that same little problem, though I’m not sure if it was that little. We could always ask Bella!” Edward glared at him and turned away. I couldn’t blush any deeper but if I could, I would have. Everyone but me laughed. I felt embarrassed for him. He was looking anywhere but me. I took his hand and interlocked my fingers. He looked at me and I smiled slightly. I stroked his hand and this time, instead of a fire burning everywhere all at once, it gradually worked up as we stared at each other. Edward was my life now, and I knew I could not live without him.


EPOV


I’d kissed her. Okay it wasn’t exactly a kiss. More a slight touch of lips. Her fucking beautiful lips. I sat up, slightly out of breath and tried to comprehend what Alice was saying, I was still thinking about that almost kiss. The electricity was still fucking flowing and I wanted to pull Bella into my arms and make out until nightfall. Jesus, I am really acting like a hormonal fucking teenager. You are a hormonal fucking teenager, Edward.


“Um,” Alice hesitated in the doorway. “I was just going to ask if you wanted to watch a film in my room. But, it doesn’t matter.” It took my brain a minute to catch up with what Alice said.


“No, Alice, we’ll come watch.” Anything to get away from the stupid charge that was still running through the room. I stood up and took Bella’s hand. Bad fucking idea. The charge I felt between us multiplied and I quickly pulled Bella to Alice’s room. She was sort of out of it, her eyes were glazed over but she was smiling so I didn’t think anything of it. I didn’t allow myself to think it may have been the almost-kiss. I pulled her onto my lap and thirty seconds later she looked around, puzzled by where she was. I tried not to laugh and squeezed her tighter.


Then the lights went out. Fuck. My whole body charged and it all went straight to my groin. My eyes zoned in on Bella. Her hair was over one shoulder and I could see her beautiful slender neck. I brought my hand and stroked her skin, smiling when she shivered. My fingers were trembling like a fucking girl as my heart rate accelerated and I even moved forward slightly before I could stop myself. But I caught the smell of her hair and I couldn’t resist. I leaned right to her and I pressed my lips against her neck. What I wasn’t expecting was Bella’s reaction. She moaned and shifted against me.


“Fuck,” I said hoarsely. I clenched my fists into the sofa, trying to stop from moving against her.


“Sorry,” Bella murmured. Bella looked round at me but quickly turned away. But as she did so she moved in my lap again and this time my hand fisted into her hair and I groaned, my eyes rolling back in my head. And then they all started fucking laughing.



“Sorry,” she whispered to me, refusing to look at me. She tried to get up but I pulled her back, just sitting her next to me rather than on top.


“Bella, it’s not your fault his mind is in the gutter!” Emmett shouted, while laughing like a fucking dickhead. And that just made Bella redder.


“Bella, it’s my fault. I’m sorry. You are just far too beautiful for your own good,” I told her, leaning in to her. She was fucking stunning. I’d never seen anyone like her. She snorted at me and I frowned darkly. She was gorgeous she just didn’t see it. I opened my mouth to tell her again but Jasper started talking.


“Alice? You want to know what I was laughing about earlier?” She nodded eagerly and I narrowed my eyes at Jasper and snarled like some kind of fucking animal at him. Jesus, Edward, calm down, he’s not fucking Mike.


“Don’t you fucking dare, Jasper Whitlock,” I ground out. Jasper looked at me and grinned, shaking his head. Oh fuck. This would not be pleasant for poor Bella.


“Well earlier, when you were talking about the club, Edward over there had that same little problem, though I’m not sure if it was that little. We could always ask Bella.” I growled at him and turned away from Bella. Fuck, it wasn’t her fault I found her way too beautiful. But she took my hand and interlocked her fingers. I looked up at her, my eyes apologetic but she just smiled at me and I smiled back. This girl was amazing. My life seemed complete now that she was here. And Jesus, I couldn’t wait to kiss her.



AN: Thanks for reading, please leave a review. Thank you to my beta’s (darknesofthemoon and the girls over at ProjectTeamBeta).