The next morning I showered, got dressed, and straightened my hair for a change, parting my hair to the side and swooped my eye-length bangs. I situated the thick straps to my black tank-top that I paired up with a pair of dark blue hollister jeans- the only jeans that fit my properly.
I dusted on a bit of blush, silver eyeshadow, mascara, and a peach tented lipgloss. This was pretty much the normal look when I actaully felt like getting pretty. Which wasn't often.
A knock on the door made me jump and I held my hand to my pounding heart.
"Are you done in there? I need to get ready too." Edward told me from the otherside.
I turned off the straightener and opened the door. "I'm done." I had to hold my breath. Edward was in just a pair of gray jogging pants that slung low on his hips. His hair was a sexy case of bedhead and when he caught me staring, he gave me his sexy smirk that was a bit lazy. Dear Lord.
"See something you like?" He asked.
"No." I smirked. "Nothing but arrogence and a giant ego."
He rolled his eyes. "I bet."
"Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going to order room service." I walked passed him and picked up the menu on my bedside table.
"It's already here. In the living room." And he shut the door.
I put down my menu and walked into the main room stairing at the silver cart that had a a covered plate. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep the smile off my face as I walked over. I uncovered the plate that had thick waffels, fresh strawberries, and bacon. I smothered my waffels in butter and syrup, grabbed a fork and my juice, and took it to the little table that over looked the foren city.
Somewhere, out there, in the city, a woman was being abused and her daughter was in danger. Anger boiled inside me as i thought about it. No woman deserved that. I starting counting backwards from to calm myself down and got to 57 when I heard Edward walk into the room.
"I hope what I got was okay? I'm not realy sure what you would like." He poured himself some cffee and sat infront of me.
"This is perfect." I tried to smile but it came out more as a grimice.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
I sighed and set my fork down. "I ws just thinking." I tooka drink of my juice.
"Not so good thoughts though, right?" He took a slurp of his coffee.
"NO." I shook my head. "I was thinking about Victoria and her daughter."
"The ones James abuses?"
I clenched my hands into fists.
"Hey," His fingers lightly thouched my hand. "I didn't mean to upset you."
I unclenched my fists a little. "I know. It just hits a little close. That's all."
"What do you mean?" He asked.
I shook my hand and stood up. "We need to clean your woud and get you a clean bandage."
I put my plate on the cart and got all the suplies while Edward took off this shirt and laid on the couch. I noticed what he was wearing when his black v-neck t-shirt landed on the floor. He was wearing gray low slung jeans that where a little frayed in some places. While he laid down I watched all this muscels ripple and flex and had to take a slow deep breath. Off limits,
He hissed slightly while I rubbed the antiseptic over his cut.
"You big baby." I smiled.
"Taht shit burns. I don't care what the label says. They lie." He argued.
I put Neosporen on it then covered it with a new bandage.
"How much longer do I have to have the stiches?" He asked as he sat up.
"It depends on haow it heals."
I put up all the suplies and took a seat beside a now shirted Edward.
"Now, since you changed the subject, what did you mean by it hit home?"
I had never told anyone this story. The only people that knew were my parents, well Esme and Carlisle, Emmett, and Seth. Did I really want to tell him? Did I trust him? Would he run and tell everyone he knew?
"If I tell you, you will be the only person outside my family that is here, that knows. You can't tell a soul. Not your father, your mother, or your borhters. Not even your granma."
"My grandma died when I was 12."
I smacked his chest.
"Okay." He chuckled. "You have my word. You can trust me."
I couldn't believe I was about to tell Masen my story. Edward Masen at that.
I got up and walked to the mini fridge, grabbing two beers, handing one to Edward. He popped both of the tops off using only his thumb.
"Carlisle and Esme aren't my real parents." I started out. "They are my aunt and uncle." Then I dove into my story. "My real parents were Renee and Charlie Swan. My mother was Esme's sister. My father was also in the Mob. He died in gun fire when I was 2. My mother remarried to a guy names Phil Dwyer. He was great then something just...changed. He strted beating my mom and would yell at her and call her names. And she was just say to me 'Don't worry my Bella. Things would get better.' But they never did. Things just got worse. He started making her fixdinner for us but wouldn't allow her to eat. He would lock her in their room during dinner and at night so she couldn't sneak food when he was sleeping. She was only let out if I needed her.
"Eventaully Esme caught on and Renee made her swear not to tell anyone. That it would go away and everything would get better. Phil, I guess had fianlly had enough of his game and took a baseball bat to Renee. He killed her. I was crying and scared. I was only 6. I knew Esme's number so I called her and she said she was on her way and to call 911 and tell the police what happened, and where I lived.
"But by the time they got there it was too late. She was dead. The police burst into the house and tackeled Phile to the ground, Esme rushed in and pulled me into her arms and brought me back to her and Carlisle. They adopted me and my last name changed. I'm still Isabella Marie Swan, but Cullen is at the end."
Edward didn't ask questions, he didn't comment, he just sat there and listened until I was finished.
"Do you miss them?" He asked.
"My parents?" He nodded.
"I miss my mom sometimes, but I didn' really know my dad. Sure there are pictures, but I didn't know him. And I was so young when my mom died I don't remember enough to miss her all the time. Esme and Carlisle have been my parents for 17 years. I've never felt depreived of a loving famliy. I have two brothers who love me, parents that treat me like the princess I am." I smiled and he chuckeled. "What more could I ask for?"
He smiled at me. "I hate that happened to you, but your much stronger than I took you for at the gun fire yesterday."
"What do you mean?"
"Seeing a such a fragile, beautiful, small girl face to face with one of the biggest Mobsters in the world,a gun pointed at her head, it was so hard not to run up there and try to save you. But the look on your face kept me on the first floor. And I have to admit, waching you kill the bastered was one of the hottest things I have ever seen." He laughed.
I smiled. "No, I'm not some fraglie glass figurine. I have a backbone and very little fear."
"And what fears do you have?"
"Dying alone. 18 cats. Living with my parents for the rest of my life."
He laughed a deep beautiful laugh. "Well, I can garentee that isn't going to happen. You're an amzing woman Bella Swan." He smiled at using my real name. "Any guy is crazy not to see that."
"Thank you." I told him.
"So does this count as my date?" He flashed he a smile and I punched his shoulder.
"You ass hat!" I got up and he grabbed my hand.
"I was kidding. But really, that you for telling me."
"Thank you for listening." Off limits, off limits, off limits. I chanted in my head and slipped my hand out of his. "We would see what's going on." I slipped on my black Converse Chucks and he did the same. I grabbed my white jacket that had PINK writting boldly across the back and walked infront of Edward to my fathers room.
I knocked on the door, our secret knock and the door opened to my smiling mother.
"Isabella." She pulled me in. "Good morning dear." She pulled Edward in for a hug as well. "Everyone is in the main room. Come on." She ushered us in and closed the door leading us to our group.
"What have we found out?" Edward sat down beside his father. Seeing them both together, with the same focused pout it was uncany that they were father and son. The only difference was hair color and eye color. Edward Sr. had light brown hair and electric blue eyes where as Edward had Elizabeth's hair wich consisted of reds, browns, and blonds, and bright green eyes.
"We have seen James around but it's only ofr a few seconds before he dissapears." Emmett piped in.
"What about Victoria and Kathlyn?" I asked.
"They are always no shows. We have no way to track them down because we can't track James's location." Jacob told me.
I sighed and sat down by Carlisle. "We need to find them before we get James. He's the only person that can lead us to them and we need to find them before anything serious happens." I felt Seth's hands on my shoulders.
Edward met my eyes. "We'll find them Bella." I could see the promise in his eyes and I nodded.
Off limits, off limits, off limits. But we could be friends...right?
Bella crys about Rosalie to Carlisle.
