Chapter 60

Chapter 60

BPOV

Thinking about the events of that night wasn’t on my list of things to do. Ever since Paul mentioned getting lost in the cave there was no stopping my brain from recalling it in perfect detail. School had just let out for the summer, I had a part-time job but had the whole day off so as usual, I spent it at LaPush. Being in the cave it’s self was daunting but we were all together and I knew that we would find our way out.

Paul on the other hand started hyperventilating with panic. We sat on the ground with his head on my lap while I ran my fingers through his hair until he became calm. Jacob and Leah stayed with us while Quil, Emery and Jared went down the different passageways to find the entrance. When they finally came back to get us, Paul had relaxed and was drawing on my jeans with a Sharpie. The pants were ruined but that didn’t matter to me, just so that Paul was composed enough to think rationally.

By the time we had gotten out of the cave and back to Jacob’s house I needed to leave right way so that I would be ready when James came to pick me up. He had graduated that year and just started working fulltime at his parent’s store. It was suppose to be a celebration, he was using his first real paycheck to take me out for dinner and a movie.

We weren’t going to go anywhere fancy, just to The Italian Restaurant in Port Angeles but I was still looking forward to it. After the prom, our relationship had become more physical, much to my dismay. I always felt like he was expecting me to give into is sexual advances, although I had on occasion, it wasn’t my favorite thing to do. Getting naked in the back of his car while he basically speared me with his penis while groping my breast and biting my neck was not enjoyable to me.

Whenever I would try to change the subject he would call me a cock-tease, ignore my protest and do whatever he wanted to anyway. Maybe I was naïve about the whole thing but I kept thinking eventually I would know enough about what I was doing so that it could at least be tolerable. Try as I might nothing ever got better and there was just no one for me to talk with about it.

Leah was as inexperienced as I was; she and Jake had been virgins until prom night. Her experience was similar to mine in that it hurt enough to leave her vag sore. Yet different in that she said it only lasted a few minutes and she wasn’t coved in bruises or bite marks, at least none that I ever saw. Then again it wasn’t like I showed her the marks on me either, it was just too embarrassing.

At home in the shower I realized that the black marker had bled through my jeans, leaving ink on my upper thigh. Scrubbing it with a loofah until my skin was red didn’t remove it, yet because of the location my kaki skirt kept it covered. Besides I honestly didn’t think anything of the ink, figuring that it in a few days time, it would wear off.

Charlie was working the night shift so the only one home when James beeped the horn was Sue. She found him rude making a comment about good manners and ringing the door bell like a gentleman. That just wasn’t the way James behaved, the only time he ever came to get me at the door was the first time we went out. According to James, Charlie gave him the third degree, wanting to know where we were going and reminding me about curfew. It didn’t seem that invasive to me but James took it as a personal attack.

Taking my purse I held on to the hand rail so that I didn’t fall going down the wet stairs but I still managed to stumble as I opened the car door. James was wearing jeans and a dark green polo shirt, the unmistakable smell of strong cologne filled the interior making my nose burn.

“Hi” I smiled in greeting as James nodded giving my appearance the once over.

“Couldn’t you do something else with your hair?” my hands automatically felt the barrette that held the two sides in place at the back of my head while he started to drive.

James didn’t speak another word and I was getting anxious at the uncomfortable silence so just to make small talk I asked how his day was. “It sucked, I hate working there”

“Well, maybe you could get a job…”

“There is no maybe nothing Bella, I’m stuck there” he sounded so defeated. James had just graduated high school; he could do anything he wanted to do.

“Why don’t you take some classes at …”

He cut me off again with a scoffing huff “Yeah, and who exactly is going to pay for that? Just face the fact that my life is going to be wasted away at a sporting goods store.”

“It could be worse” I was trying to get him to look on the bright side, he had a job and one day the store would his but he must not have thought that a good thing because he yelled back “How could it be any fucking worse!”

The anger in his tone caused me to cringe away, when I moved my skirt must have slipped up my thigh revealing a portion of the ink just as James looked in my direction. “What the fuck is on your leg, can’t you even fucking shower?”

“I did shower...” I told him with a nervous laugh. In the six months that we had been going out I had learned more about his anger problems than anything else. Up until that point he had never really hit me, there was a lot of pushing and shoving, he would grab my arm or pull my hair and there were always threats, but no actual hitting.

I started telling him about my day among the snide comments about ‘it must be nice’ and ‘the fucking tribal boys.’ Ignoring him as best I could my story continued until Paul was mentioned.
His eyes flared “what the fuck do you mean, you were holding him?”

“N…Not anything bad and we weren’t ever alone” I could feel the tension rising in my voice and was glad that we had gotten into town.

Being in the restaurant was better, after eating his mood seemed to improve and I didn’t think anymore about it. When we left I was surprised to be escorted back to the car because I thought we were going to a movie, instead I was met with a glare. “I spent enough money, besides we can’t all be spoiled brats some of us have to work tomorrow”

The movie wasn’t really important to me moreover with the mood James was in it would have been better to just go home. And although I had to work the next day, I didn’t mention it. My mistake came about ten miles outside of town when I reached down on the floor to get my purse, something gold caught my eye.

“What’s this?” I asked holding up the lipstick.

“What the fuck are you doing snooping around my car!” the accusation was overshadowed by the anger.

“I …I wasn’t …it was just lying on the floor” I was taken aback by what was being said that I didn’t even notice that the car had left the main road.

James pulled to a stop in a small dense wooded area, putting the car in park he got out slamming the door, leaving me stunned as I watched him walk around to my side. If I would have been thinking or had some kind of forewarning I would have locked the doors in an attempt to keep him away from me. But before I could think James ripped open my door and was pulling me by the hair yelling at me “Who the fuck do you think you are!”

The seatbelt was still connected keeping me where I was as my hands grabbed a hold of his to stop the pain from the grip he had on my hair. James was yelling at me while I pleaded with him to please leave go. I don’t know how the seatbelt got unfastened but the next thing I knew he threw me up against the hood of the car.

“You fucking little bitch! You’re out running around with all kinds of guys while I’m at work, and you have the fucking nerve to accuse me!”

The tears were running down my face as I tried to get my breath from the gasping sobs “I…I…didn’t mean…”

“You fucking whore! You’re laying around with tribal boy, letting him mark you all up…”

The fear shot through me as I tried to get away from the car while I watched James open the buckle on his belt. “You want fucking marks …I’ll fucking mark you!”

There is a distinct sound that a belt makes as it slides along the material while it is released from the loops. My heart was beating so fast and I tried pleading with him through my tears but it was no use. The swish of air accompanied the thwack as a searing pain ripped through my body from the leather belt hitting my thigh.

The scream hadn’t even left my throat when the leather made contact with my skin once again. James had me wedged between the still open door and the hood of the car as he hit me repeatedly over my thighs and hips. My screams and sobs were drown out by his angry words, calling me spoiled, whore and useless bitch along with the constant thwack of the belt against my lower body. I don’t know how many times he hit me all I knew was that my thighs felt like they were on fire while I cried begging him to stop.

James grabbed the back of my neck yelling in my face “Don’t you ever fucking accuse me!”

I couldn’t answer him through the gasping breaths as he shoved me towards the open door “Get in the fucking car!”

He threw the belt in the back seat as he got in the driver’s side yelling at me to stop crying or go to my tribal boys and let them comfort me since I love the dogs so much. The whole way home I rested my overheated forehead against the cool glass of the window trying to calm down my shuddering breaths. My thighs burned as my hands rubbed them through the material of my skirt, while my stomach wretched with nausea.

When we pulled up to Charlie’s house all I wanted to do was get as far away from James as possible. Opening the door he jerked my arm making me look at him “Thanks for ruining my night”

Running in the house I didn’t stop to say hi to Sue as I went straight to our room. Leah was sitting on her bed talking into the phone. When she saw my face she asked if I was alright, but all I told her was that James and I had a fight. She told he was an asshole and that I could do better but I didn’t want to stand there talking for fear I would say too much.

I was humiliated beyond belief by what happen; she didn’t need to know anything more then what I told her. Besides what was Leah going to do? Nothing she could have said or done would have taken it away and I was afraid that if someone said anything to James he would do it again. It was my own private hell that no one else needed to be a party to.

The arms around my waist pulled a little tighter bringing me back from the memories that had me in their wake. The scent of Edward’s skin was enough to pull me through the darkest recesses of my mind, telling me I was safe and loved.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go back to the house?” The concern was clear in both the words and his tone.

“Can we stay just a little longer?” Edward answered with a kiss on top of my head “We can stay as long as you like. But why don’t you go to the bathroom and wash your face, while I refill our glasses.”

I was just going to agree with that idea when Paul’s voice traveled through the room “Hey are you two going to have your own private party over there?”

“Is he always annoying?” I giggled at the question

“He grows on you” as I moved away Edward turned me to look at him. Cupping his palm against my face while his eyes bore into mine, there were no words needed for him to express what he was feeling, but I wanted him to know that I understood. My own hand rested softly against the back of his.

“I know” it was all I said as a bright smile formed on his face and Edward winked at me causing my face to heat up with a blush that made him chuckle.

We stayed at Sam’s for another hour talking about what everyone’s plans were for the next day. We had to be at Charlie’s for an early lunch then everyone was going to meet up on Main Street for the parade. When we left to go back home it was almost mid-night, Jake was slightly drunk and started singing ‘The Summer of 69’ which we all joined in with him on the trek through the woods back to the house.

Seth needed to go out before we went to bed, but I didn’t want him running off into the woods so I put his leash on to walk him around. Edward was sitting on the porch with Jake when I came out; he took the leash from me saying that he would handle the dog so I could get ready for bed.
I said goodnight to Jake leaving the three of them outside while I met Leah in the bathroom. It might seem weird to others but when you only have one bathroom there is no privacy.

Standing there brushing our teeth she kept looking at me in the mirror. I thought for sure she wanted to say something about what happened at Sam’s so she surprised me with her whiney words. “Are you going to be really loud?”

I had to stop mid-brush to glare at her “Is that your main concern?”

“Yes…” she said seriously.

I couldn’t help myself but to reply “You know Leah you need to put a bunch of pillows under your belly, lean over the bed and take one for the team. You’ll feel better” I added patting her back as I left the bathroom.

Just as I was shutting the curtains in the bedroom the door opened, Seth came in first going right for his bed on the floor while Edward picked up the toiletry bag. “Isabella wait on the bed, facing the door”

“Yes Sir” He left the room while I continued to get undressed.

There is always an excitement inside me whenever I’m preparing myself for Master, but this night I was even more excited. I knew that he had been waiting all day to give me my task and frankly my mind was running rampant with the possibilities.

Turning out all the lights except for the small one on the night stand I situated myself in the center of the bed listening to the squeak as my full weight settled into the mattress. My mind was in overdrive making it difficult for me to relax. The day had been filled with all kinds of revelations. Between Leah’s worries, my private life being aired in front of other people and then the memories of the cave I couldn’t seem to get into the right frame of mind.

Using the last few minutes I focused on my position, squaring my shoulders while my bottom sank further into the bed. My eyes glued to the patchwork quilt I heard the door open telling me that my Master was near. Something inside me settled, there was shift in my focus and nothing else matter but him, it was as if his raw essence put me at ease.

I didn’t look up but from the corner of my eye I could see him walking around the room, removing his shoes and then his clothes. My heart rate picked up in anticipation and I could feel the slick wetness filling my center as he moved to sit on the bed behind me. The shifting of the mattress caused me to readjust my own weight in order to keep upright as he leaned towards me. Edward’s body didn’t come in contact with mine but he was close enough that I could feel the heat coming off him. His hand gathered all my hair bringing it over my left shoulder to leave my back completely exposed.

“Tell me Isabella, who do you belong to?” the feel of his finger running down the length of my spine along with the stir of his words spoken so close to the back of my neck, sent a shiver through my body.

“This girl belongs to you Master” his finger moved back up my spine to the spot of the closure on my collar.

“What part of this girl belongs to me?” I didn’t know what he was getting at or why he felt the need to ask these questions but it wasn’t my place to try and guess so I answered him honestly.

“Every part is yours”

“Every part?” it was as if Edward was asking for clarification and I couldn’t help but to answer.

“Yes Sir, body, hea…” I stopped talking on my own, unsure if he wanted me to speak out or not.

“Go on” he prompted while his finger ran down the length of my side making my breath quicken.

“Your girl just wanted to say that she is yours body, heart and soul.” my stomach muscles tighten as his body moved closer to me while his hand slid down to the wetness between my thighs.

“That would include your words?”

I tried to think if I said something inappropriate to him or anyone else, my hesitation cause him to question me further. “Is that something that requires thought?”

“No Sir that would include words…” I answered immediately then added “…did this girl say…”

Edward cut be off “What did I tell you about trying to think for me?” at my silence Edward responded. “You are to answer the questions as they are given. If there is something that needs to be taken care of, do you have doubt that I will do it?”

If there was one thing I could count on it was Edward taking care of my mistakes. “No Sir”

He was quiet while his fingers slid along my outer lips making me fill with even more wetness. After a moment he sighed “So then back to your words, they also belong to me?”

“Yes Sir”

“Hmmm…” His nose moved slowly between shoulder blades making me take in a sharp breath and bite into my bottom lip to keep quiet.

“That is good to know Isabella because normally you would not be allowed at anytime to use my proper name. However due to the circumstances of meeting everyone for the first time, that simply is not a possibility. That means you have to be extra careful of how you say it.” His finger continued to skim up and down over my outer lips while he talked against my skin.

“You are to make sure that whenever you say my proper name, it is spoken with reverence. My name coming from your lips should sound like a prayer, reminding you of you place. Along with standing as a witness of your devotion to me to everyone who hears it. Do you understand?”

That seemed easy enough “Yes Sir”

Slipping one finger between my folds Edward groaned softly against my ear “Ugh…so wet, so ready.”

His words and actions were driving me crazy with need making me have to concentrate on what he was saying. “For the rest of the weekend Isabella you are to always be ready for me.”

Ready for him?

Unsure what he meant I wanted to ask, but he continued to explain as the finger began circling my clit. “At any given time, when I require the use of my property it should be primed to receive me. Do I make myself clear?”

Clear?

I understood what he was saying, however, was that possible? As I thought about it the only thing that came to my mind was the way my body reacts to him. How with a simple look, word or gesture he sends my pulse racing and my body responds with a yearning desire. I had no idea why he would want me to be in a constant state of arousal but he wasn’t asking me that, so I answered the only way I possibly could “Yes Master”

“Good girl” his finger twirled around through the wetness before he slid the tip along my stomach and between my breasts before bringing it to my mouth. “Don’t suck; use your tongue to lick it clean.” Opening my mouth the tangy flavor hit my tongue as it curled around his finger, my lips started to close making Edward admonish me.

“No…only your tongue” as he said the words his hand rotated to give me access to the other side before removing it from my mouth to hold out in front of my face. “Look at my finger Isabella…” the forefinger pointed straight in the air “…this is what I’m going to control you with tonight…one finger.” My eyes narrowed as I stared in wonder.

How the hell is he going to do that?

“It’s going to require you to pay attention and failure to do so will result in my extreme displeasure.” Edward pointed the finger downwards twirling it, telling me to turn around.

Once I faced Edward he moved back slightly putting more space between us. “There are two rules you have to follow. One, at no time is your mouth to be removed from my cock. And two, you are not allowed to release until after I have.”

That didn’t sound so hard

I still didn’t grasp what he meant about the whole one finger thing but when he asked me if I understood I answered with a “Yes Sir”

Edward had me lay on my side with my knee bent and my foot flat on the bed while he laid flat on his back with his head on the pillows. His beautifully hard dick was directly in my line of sight and I’m not embarrassed to say that I actually started to salivate.

Edward chuckled “What do you want to do Isabella?”

My breathing was increasing by the second, all I really wanted to do was take him into my mouth and keep him there, but I didn’t say that. “Your girl wants only to please you”

That wasn’t really a lie because I was sure that my actions would be pleasing to him but he chuckled deviously rubbing his hand down my leg to the junction between my thighs. “Somehow I think my girl is telling me a fib, but go ahead. Just remember the two rules while I explain the rest.”

What else was there to explain? I knew how to suck cock.

My tongue licked from the bottom of his shaft to the top as I did this Edward’s finger swept slowly along my clit. “When my finger is not penetrating you, are to pleasure me with your tongue parallel to what I am doing to you. So if I do this…” his finger moved in the opposite direction “…what would you do?”

Without thinking , my tongue moved slowly back down his shaft and I was rewarded with a ‘Good girl” and his finger moving back up over my clit while I moved my tongue back up him.

“Now if I do this…” his finger circled slowly around my clit and my mouth hovered over top of his dick as my tongue circled the head.

“Good girl. The only time your lips are actually wrapped around me is when you are being penetrated…” His finger circled around my entrance and my lips tighten around his velvety head “…then you are to go down on me as deeply as I have entered you coming back up when I do.”

His finger dipped inside me just a little bit and my mouth moved down him to mimic his actions coming back up when his finger came out of me. Then going half way down when his finger pushed that far into me. On the next pass his finger plunged deep inside me making me take him as deeply as I could.

It wasn’t a hard concept to understand however it became increasingly difficult to follow his lead. Edward would have me bring him to the point of where I thought for sure he would cum. Then stop penetrating me so he could manipulate my clit making my actions change to a licking motion. This would give him time to get back under control while driving me into frenzy where I would get so close to orgasm only to have him go back to the slow building penetration.

After the third time of my body screaming for release his finger slowly circled my entrance. So as my lips wrapped around him, my head moved side to side in the same motion. His finger circled inside me as it moved down and my head followed the same action. As his finger got deeper the circular motions increased in pressure hitting that spot making me moan against him.

I could feel the twitch of his dick against my lips as he grew harder and I expected him to remove his finger but he didn’t. Edward grunted making a noise that sounded like a rush of air escaping through clinched teeth. Pushing his finger deeper inside me my mouth clamped down on him and I moaned from the feel of his cum hitting the back of my throat.

His finger was still inside me moving in slow steady strokes so my mouth followed his lead while I swallowed around him. Edward’s other hand pulled my hips closer to him, lifted my leg and put his mouth on me. The warm feeling of his tongue moving against my over sensitive clit along with his finger inside me was too much. Using his thigh to muffle my cries, my jaw went slack as the rest of my body tensed while I rode out the bliss of my orgasm.

My body was spent as I laid there enjoying the numbness from the release. Edward lifted me up by my arms handing over a bottle of water. Taking a drink I realized my jaw was tender and I wondered what time it was. The clock on the night stand was facing the opposite direction and I was just too tired to worry about it. Edward took a drink from the bottle I handed back to him, and then gave it me again.

“Take another drink” After I complied he put the lid on before sitting it on the nightstand and turning the clock around. One –eighteen.

No wonder my jaw hurt.

Edward got to his knees pulling the blanket up for me to crawl underneath then moved over to his side of the bed, turned out the light and pulled me into the shelter of his arms. It had been a long day my body was relaxed, listening to the steady beating of his heart I could feel myself slipping of f into sleep. His arms tighten around me causing me to stir enough to think of something.

“Master?”

“Hmmm”

“Does that mean that your girl is wrapped around your finger?”

He chuckled making the sound echo in my ear “I suppose it does, now go to sleep.”

I felt his lips against my hair “Good night sweet girl.”

“Good night Master” I settled my head back into the nook of his neck and let his steady breathing lull me into a peaceful slumber.


EPOV

The room was still dark when I felt Seth’s paw tapping on the bed. He doesn’t normally have to go out in the middle of the night so I tried to ignore him by nuzzling my face into Bella’s hair. Unfortunately that didn’t seem to be working because the dog was persistent in his attempts to get me up. Glancing over my shoulder at the clock I understand why, it was after eight o’clock and past his normal time to be left out.

Bella made a sound of protest as I dislodged myself to sit on the edge of the bed. As my senses started to awaken I realized that the room was dark due to the drawn curtains, along with the gray sky that surly accompanied the rain that was pelting the roof.

While I dressed in my discarded clothes from last night I could hear the soft mummer of voices coming from the kitchen along with the alluring aroma of fresh coffee and bacon. Glancing over at Bella as I open the bedroom door she had tucked the pillow under her arm and remained asleep.

“Come on boy” Seth was out the of the room and around the corner that lead into the kitchen before I could shut the door leaving Bella in privacy. The voices were much clearer in the hallway and as I came around the corner the bright florescent kitchen light made me squint.

“Good morning Edward” Leah said from her place in front of the stove while Jacob greeted me with a simple ‘morning’ watching me as I opened the door to leave the dog out. Seth came in from the living room clapping my shoulder on his way to the coffee pot. “Dude you get doggy duty?”

“Usually” I answered while Leah turned to look at me asking where Bella was.

“She’s still sleeping” Seth handed me a cup while Leah narrowed her eyes in contemplation.

“Does she sleep better?” her question made me think as I poured coffee into the cup.

She has been sleeping better

“Lately yes…” I answered then clarified as I sat down across from Jacob “…it took a few weeks and she still has an occasional nightmare…” I didn’t think I was telling them something they didn’t already know “…but for the most part, her sleep has improved”

“No more two am walks around the neighborhood?” Jacob’s question made me remember when he told me about that – the day he fixed the tire – and I shook my head “nope”

I could feel Leah continue to watch me when I looked at her she smiled warmly “Do you want some chocolate chip pancakes?”

“No thank you” I was never one to eat dessert for breakfast besides Bella would be getting up soon and I would wait to see what she wanted to do.

Leah set a plate of pancakes on the table along with a tray of bacon before sitting down next to her husband. As she put a hotcake on her plate she looked at me again with what appeared to be concern. “Was Bella alright last night?”

I nodded knowing damn well what she was talking about but Seth who was digging into a plate of food had no clue and wanted to know “What happen?”

“Paul brought up the cave” Jacob announced taking a bite of bacon like it was common knowledge of what occurred. That thought unsettled me.

“You all knew what happened?” the accusation was clear in my tone. How could they have known and not done something?

“Not at first…” the sadness in Leah’s voice was tangible. “…Bella hid it for a while. Making excuses for bruises, and she used to be really klutzy so I didn’t question it. But then…”

“Why didn’t you tell her father?” I couldn’t understand how they knew and didn’t talk to the one person who could have stopped it before the abuse became worse.

Jacob got a distant look in his eye “I should have done that, instead of confronting James…”

Leah patted his hand in a comforting manner “At least you tried to do something…”

“No…that just made things worse for Bella.” he told her with conviction before her eyes came back to me.

“We were seventeen, parents were the enemy and once the guys knew what was happening, they went after James. But like Jake said, it just made it worse and Bella isolated herself from all of us. Which is what James wanted, it was like we played right into his hands. I tried so hard to talk Bella out of marring him…” the tears were forming in her eyes as Jacob rubbed her back trying to sooth his wife. “But she is sooo damn stubborn”

Stubborn? That’s an understatement

“I hate that fucker” Seth fumed under his breath. “I seen this documentary once about a guy who advocated that every city should have a sniper on the payroll”

My head turned to look at him in amazement. Apparently I wasn’t the only one because Jacob asked in wonder “What the fuck does that have to do with it?”

Seth answered as if it should be obvious “Dude the guy said that there are ‘some people who just need to be shot’ and that mother-fucker is one of them”

The three of us sat there looking at Seth and if the others were thinking the same thing I was, we were in agreement with him. The only thing was that in my opinion the great city of Forks needed to employ a sniper years ago, before all the turmoil and heartache had ever taken place. At the present time it was a matter of healing, not just for Bella but the whole family.

While we were at Sam’s the night before it occurred to me that Bella isolated herself from anyone who could have helped her. Leah had just confirmed my suspicions, calling Bella stubborn. I wasn’t so sure that was the only reason for her withdrawal. I would agree that there are times when Bella has the tenacity of a mule. However in this case I believe that she acted more out of fear and shame then obstinacy. She found herself in a situation that she didn’t know how to get out of and the people who could have helped were as Leah said, the enemy.

The subject was dropped with the sound of the bedroom door shutting and Bella coming into the kitchen yawning. She was wearing a pair of yoga pants with a sweat shirt and bright pink fuzzy slipper socks. Her hair was kind of wild and her eyes were still glassy from sleep but she was still the most beautiful woman I ever seen.

“Good morning” the words were garbled by another yawn as she moved to get herself coffee before sitting down next to me with a small kiss. “You should have woke me up”

I didn’t get a chance to reply because Seth injected “I was going to wake you up soon because I need to get ready to go if we have to be at moms by eleven”

“That wouldn’t have been good…” Bella answered while Seth reassured her “I would have knocked...” He thought for a second then added “…did you defile my bed?”

Jacob cough under his breath while saying one word “couch”

Seth rolled his eyes getting up to put his plate in the sink muttering something about ‘people needing to shut the fuck up’ while he headed into the bedroom.

Leah started cleaning up from breakfast while Bella left Seth in and then toasted some bagels for the two of us. While we ate and drank a few more cups of coffee everyone took turns in the shower. I had never lived in a house where there was only one bathroom. Bella on the other hand had never known anything different and assured me that it was all in the timing.

She and Leah explained that when they all lived at Charlie’s each person had a set time in the morning to shower and if someone over slept that was their loss. They either had to wait until the end hoping that there was hot water left or they went without. I asked what happened if someone needed to use the toilet. Leah made me laugh when she shrugged saying ‘that’s what shower curtains are for.’ Bella also explained that the only person that was never interrupted in the bathroom was Charlie.

The whole concept seemed very mid-evil to me however I could see how the lack of privacy could have helped shape Bella’s exhibitionist tendencies. If throughout her whole life there was never a feeling of shame attached to human needs it would be feasible that those notions carried over into adulthood.

By the time everyone was dressed for the day we only had an hour or so before the time we were to arrive for brunch. We had decided that it would be a good time to take the tour around Forks. Leah had told her mom that she would get a dessert from the bakery and Jacob wanted to get a case of beer because he refused to drink Charlie’s ‘cheap ass shit.’

I knew the town wasn’t very big, Main street consisted of the Municipal building which housed all of the civil offices, including the police and a few holding cells. There was a library, two banks, two pizza shops and various other businesses that the good people of Forks would need. While the four of us walked down the sidewalk with Seth on his leash a police officer and a municipal employee were setting barricades at the cross street. I assumed that they were to block off access to the main road for the parade.

While we were waiting at the crosswalk Bella introduced me to Officer Mark – Charlie’s deputy- along with Dennis. Some of the business along Main Street were setting up stands for the parade and as we walked by Bella always said hello before making an introduction. I was beginning to see what she meant about small towns gossip. More than a few people commented about either ‘finally getting to met me’ or saying outright ‘so this is the young man I heard so much about’.

When this happened Bella would give me a look of remorse while Leah or Jacob would comment right back ‘this is him’ or ‘now you know he’s not a gigolo.’

The first time Leah made the gigolo comment was to the woman who ran the bookstore. I thought poor Bella’s eyes were going to pop out of her head while I bite down on my tongue to keep from laughing. The woman’s face turned bright red telling me she had either believed that rumor or had helped to spread it.

“You shouldn’t say that to Mrs. Murray” Bella admonished her sister when we walked away.

“Oh Bella, she’s an old busy body, besides you asked me to squash the rumors…now it’s squashed”

Leah truly had no remorse for her comments and I wondered how Bella being meek ever stood up to her sister’s obvious dominating character. We walked by the dinner and Leah wanted to go inside to get some kind of sticky bun much to Bella’s protest. “You just ate. And we are going to Charlie’s to eat again”

Leah was pulling on her arm imploring “Come on…the baby wants a sticky bun”

“Why do I have to go in? I don’t want one”

“Bella you know damn well once you see them with that gooey shit hanging all over them with the nuts and raisins, you’re going to want one. And I’m not sharing mine”

Bella looked up at me silently asking if it was alright to get the sweet treat. While I took the leash from her hand I leaned in to kiss her cheek and whisper. “We’ll share it”

The girls went up the three stairs into the building leaving me outside with Jacob. I hadn’t spent very much time with Bella and Leah while they so freely interacted together so the last twenty-four hours had been eye opening. “Are they always like this?”

Jacob nodded at my question “Leah will push Bella and keep pushing until she fights back. Then Leah is happy because she feels like Bella is standing up for herself. But Bella gets all…”

“Guilty?” I asked

“Yeah…and she’ll just shut down which just frustrates Leah even more. She wants Bella to be happy but she thinks the only way for that to happen is for her to be assertive and aggressive.”

“That’s not Bella” I was telling him something Jacob already knew that much was clear from the look I got.

“That’s why I think it’s good that you are here this weekend. My wife thinks you’re…”

I cut off his train of thought “I know what she thinks, Bella told me”

“Sorry man”

I shrugged because there was nothing I could do about what Leah thought other then be myself and let time tell her the truth. But even that didn’t matter because regardless, Leah was going to think whatever she wanted.

“Look Edward, give Leah some time and she’ll come around. In the mean time she sees the difference in Bella, she laughs, she eats and she hasn’t thrown up once since she’s been here.”

Thrown up?

I didn’t get to dwell on that comment because Jacob continued talking “So my man whatever you are doing you have my blessing to keep doing it. Because the Bella I know and love is coming back to life” Jacob looked to door of the dinner “Where the hell are they?”

“There is probably some old woman in there wondering how Bella could fall victim to my charming ways” I smirked

“Fuck you, you’re not that god-damn charming” he laughed going up the stairs to see what was taking the women so long.

I wasn’t really paying much attention as I thought about what Jacob had said about the changes in Bella when Seth growled. Thinking that he was just getting antsy from waiting I squatted down to pet him when a pair of black boots and jeans filled my vision.

“Vicious little thing isn’t he”

Standing back up the dog continued to growl making me pull his leash tightly and caution him with a stern voice “Seth quiet”

He calmed some but still didn’t relax as I looked at the man in front of me. He was about my height, slightly broader through the shoulders with blond hair cut in military fashion and blue eyes that held more grey then actual blue. He continued to glance at Seth for a moment then his eyes fully met mine. “Too bad we can’t get women to listen like that”

My mind was so focused on Seth’s unusual behavior that I didn’t pay attention to what was being said “What?”

“I said…” his words were interrupted by Jacob’s voice coming from behind me “Keep walking Asshole!”

The guy smirked with a devious chuckle “Black…”

The two of them continued to stare each other down until the guy smirked “You still her little lap dog? I would have thought that with a new stud, she’d stop spreading her legs for you. Or maybe you both do her, she likes that” he added with a wink.

“What the fuck did you just say?” I could feel the bile rising in my stomach as his eyes moved from Jacob back to me.

He chuckled boldly keeping his eyes on me while Jacob asked “What the fuck do you want?”

The shrug of nonchalance was annoying as hell “I was just passing by, thought I would introduce myself, you know, being friendly”

“You aren’t my friend so there was no need to stop” Jacob answered with a menacing tone.

“I wasn’t talking about you Black. I was referring to Edward here”

“How the fuck do you know my name?” he laughed darkly making my fist clench together in anger.

“Anyway, I thought maybe I could introduce myself and give you some pointers. After all I did break her in for you.” the sarcastic tone of his voice pissed me off but not as much as when he put his hand up and patted my chest.

“Get your fucking hand off me!” I said gripping his wrist and wrenching it away from my body making him laugh dryly “Oh, you think you’re a big man”

“I’m not a woman that’s for sure” the smugness on his face was replaced with a scowl. He opened his mouth to say something but another voice came from behind me. “Is there a problem here?”

The grin was back on his face as he muttered under his breath ‘daddy’s calvary to the rescue’ then raised his voice to speak “No problem Officer Mark. I was just welcoming a stranger to our peaceful little town”

The officer was buying his story “Where’s Bella?”

“Inside” I answered coldly without hesitation watching as his eyes narrowed in disdain.

“Is that less than five hundred feet Mr. Cummings?” officer Mark didn’t even question what was happening. Something told me he already knew.

He huffed “I’m not physic, I don’t know where she is”

“Well now you do. So move along” the officer wasn’t giving him any choice

“Yes Sir” He turned to leave with that same damn smug-ass grin “See you around”

“Was that a threat Mr. Cummings?” Officer Mark called after him

“Absolutely not, just a parting goodbye” He said over his shoulder as he crossed the street with Officer Mark following him.

With them gone my worry was back on Bella “Where is she?”

“They were waiting for a fresh pan”

I nodded watching the two men walk down the street. Taking a few deep breaths to calm down I could feel the muscles in my face and chest relaxing. “James I presume”

“The one and only”

After a moment I felt more at ease “I really hate that son-of –a-bitch”

Jacob put his arm over my shoulder and laughed “Edward my man. I’m starting to like you more and more”