"Bella? Come on, open the door!" Edward pleaded, knocking loudly on the bathroom door.
"I'm not ready!" I shouted back, struggling not to blink as I finished applying a set of false eyelashes to my right eye. It had gone surprisingly well, considering how fiddly they were, and they actually didn't look too bad.
I'd been in the bathroom for the past hour (most of which had been spent curling my hair and pinning it up in a complicated up-do Didyme had taught me to do), and I knew Edward was getting impatient. He didn't know who I was dressing up as for Halloween, but I'd told him before I'd gone in the bathroom that I'd need his help doing my costume up; the bodice was boned and had false ribbons at the back so it looked like a proper corset, but it had hook and eye fasteners at the front which were awkward to do up by myself.
The bottom half of my outfit was a black and dark green tutu-skirt which matched the color of the bodice, black fishnet stockings and dark green heels with white pom poms stuck on the front of them. I looked… hot, if you liked that sort of stuff. I wasn't entirely convinced Edward would like so much of me being on display or accentuated the way it was, but we both had a part to play in this, and I was going all out for it. After my slip up last time we were at a party, I was determined not to make the same mistake again.
Once I was sure the eyelashes were firmly in place, I retouched my eyeshadow and eyeliner, then gave my hair one final go over with the glittery hairspray Corinne had lent me before removing the towel I'd placed around myself to protect my outfit and calling for Edward to come in.
"Finally!" he huffed as he pushed the door open. "I swear, you women take fucking forever to-" His eyes widened in shock as he took in my costume. "Holy shit."
I swallowed nervously, holding the front of the bodice closed with one hand so I wasn't completely exposed, and watched as he blinked a few times before looking up into my eyes and slowly beginning to walk towards me.
"Baby, you look…" He trailed off, shaking his head, then reached for my hand as he came to a stop a couple of feet away from me. He lifted our hands in the air, then turned me in a circle so he could look at my entire outfit.
"Do you like it?" I asked worriedly, then shivered slightly as he reached out and gently gripped my waist with both hands. "I mean, I can always just-"
"You look… incredibly beautiful right now, Bella," he said softly, sounding almost awed. "I'm assuming you went for the sexed-up Tinkerbell look?"
"Tinkerbella," I corrected, trying my hardest not to blush. "Didyme thought it would be a good idea to go as the Absinthe fairy, but I thought Tinkerbell fit better."
"I like it," he murmured, smiling widely. "But I have one question… Where are your wings?"
"In there," I told him, pointing to one of the bags on the floor. "I couldn't put them on until the bodice was done up since they hook into the back."
"I see," he replied, still smiling as I moved my hands from the bodice and slipped my arms around his neck. "And that's where I come in, right?"
"Yep," I murmured, then inhaled sharply as his hands slid up my waist to cup my barely covered breasts, pushing the bodice against my skin.
"Mmm…" His thumbs brushed over my nipples through the fabric as he took a step closer, his eyes locked on mine. "But what if I don't want to do it up?"
"Then I won't be able to go to the party," I pointed out, trying to keep my breathing steady so he wouldn't know just how much he was affecting me. It was a pointless exercise, though; somehow, he always knew.
"Why not?" he teased, deliberately pushing some of the fabric away from my breasts to give him better access.
"Because we both know that the moment I try to leave, you'll stop me," I said softly, making him laugh.
"That's true." He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to mine before trailing them across to the spot behind my ear that always made me squirm. "But why, exactly, is that a bad thing?"
"Edward," I breathed, biting down on my bottom lip to stifle the moan that threatened to escape me. "Baby, stop."
Ever since our talk in the shower, things between us had gotten much, much easier, both physically and mentally. After spending a while discussing Rosalie's key and the possible complications Royce created, we'd lain in bed together last night, learning what felt good to each other, where we were most sensitive, and committing it to memory. We hadn't had sex again yet, but we'd come close to it, and I knew it wouldn't be long before the ever-present tension between us became too much. Judging by the way he was acting now, it wouldn't take much.
"God, I want you," he murmured, then pressed his hips against me, letting me feel how hard he'd gotten.
"I have to finish getting ready," I whispered, but slid my fingers through his hair anyway and used my grip on it to pull his lips to mine. He groaned softly against my mouth, then coaxed my lips to part with his own and let the tip of his tongue tease mine as he backed me up against the counter beside the sink.
"Baby," I sighed, struggling to remember why this was a bad idea, then moaned as he picked me up and sat me down on the counter, moving to stand between my legs.
"Shhh," he breathed, then silenced my half-hearted protest with his lips before slowly sliding his hands up my legs and letting his fingertips dip beneath the sides of my lace thong.
"E-Edward," I stammered, gazing up at him with wide eyes as he gently pulled on the fabric.
"Lift up, baby," he coaxed, then smiled widely as I raised my hips without thinking, allowing him to pull the fabric down my legs before stepping between them again and pressing his lips to mine.
"What are you-" I mumbled against his lips as his hands began to trail up my legs again, his fingers teasing the inside of one of my thighs.
"Relax," he murmured, moving his hands higher and higher up my thighs until his fingers brushed against where I was already wet and aching for him. I choked back a groan, fighting the urge to push my hips into his touch, then clenched my fists in frustration when his hand moved back to my thigh again.
"Edward, please," I pleaded, not even sure quite what I was begging for anymore. All I knew was that I wanted him, every part of him, even if it meant being late to the party.
"Please what?" he teased back, shifting his hand up a little higher again, his fingertips barely touching where I needed him most.
"Touch me," I whispered, gazing into his eyes, then gasped when finally, blessedly, his fingertips pressed against me fully.
"Where do you want me to touch you?" he murmured, gently circling my clit with his middle finger. "Here?" I whimpered softly, unable to keep my eyes open any longer. "Or do you want me to touch you…" His fingers slipped down, teasing my entrance. "Here?"
"I-I…" I could barely think, let alone come up with a coherent answer for him, and I think he knew that, for I could feel him smile against my lips as he kissed me softly.
"Bella…" He ghosted his fingers over my folds, his touch firm enough for me to feel, but too light to give me any relief. "Come on, baby… Choose."
"Uhhh…" I groaned, then whimpered as he began to pull his hand away with a deep sigh.
"No, no, no," I protested, struggling to make up my mind. "Inside… I want to feel you inside…"
"Mmm…" He smiled widely, lowering his face to my neck and kissing the skin there before murmuring, "Wise choice."
Before I had the chance to steel myself for it, his fingers trailed down to tease me again, circling once, twice, before one of them finally slipped inside me, eliciting a soft cry from my throat which he quickly silenced with his lips, kissing me so gently, I almost didn't feel it.
"Shhhh," he breathed, moving his finger torturously slow. "If you can't keep quiet now, how will you keep quiet at the party later on?"
"Wh-what?" I stuttered, frowning slightly with confusion, but that confusion quickly melted away as a second finger joined the first and they both curved upwards with each push and pull inside of me. "Ohh…"
"We have a private booth," he murmured, kissing his way over to my ear as he moved even closer. "We can seal ourselves off from everybody else and just… be. We can do whatever we want… whenever we want… Would you like that, baby?"
I nodded instantly, pulling on his hair to try and bring him closer still. "Please…"
"And when we're out on that dance floor…" He laughed softly, moving his fingers faster as my hips began to shift of their own accord, seeking more friction, more contact… more. "Baby, open your eyes."
I lifted my head from his shoulder, struggling to keep my eyes open and locked on his; the pleasure from his touch was almost too much to bear. He smiled, enjoying my reactions to him, then whispered, "I'm the only one who can do this to you, aren't I?"
I nodded weakly, then let my eyes roll upwards as he curved his fingers again, hitting that spot that never failed to make me moan.
"Say it," he murmured, trailing his lips up my neck. "Out loud."
"Y-Yes," I managed to grind out, my breathing now embarrassingly heavy.
"And you'll let me do whatever I want to you, won't you?" His thumb pressed against my clit, moving in time with his fingers. I was so close now…
"Yes…" I pulled his lips to mine, kissing him slowly, deeply, desperate for him to ease the growing tension inside me.
"Trust me?" he breathed between kisses.
"You know I do," I told him, then groaned as his free hand moved up to cup my breast.
"Good," he whispered, moving his hand to the center of my chest, and it took me a few seconds to work out what he was doing.
"Edward… Why are you…" I mumbled, then whined in protest as he pulled his fingers from me, leaving me empty and unsatisfied.
"You need to finish getting ready," he said softly, a hint of smugness to his tone. I opened my eyes, completely bewildered, then watched as he slid his fingers in his mouth one at a time, tasting me, before bringing his hand down to my chest and doing up the bodice of my dress.
"You…" My mouth opened and closed as I stared down at my chest, struggling to comprehend what was happening. "You just… What… Why did… You stopped."
He shook his head, laughing softly as he did up the last few hooks.
"Why did you stop?" I asked, frowning.
"Well… You kept complaining about how you didn't want us to be late, and I realized that, if I'd kept going, we'd definitely be late, so…" He shrugged.
"Edward!" I stared at him, wide eyed. "That was before you… did that! I don't give a flying fuck if we're late now!"
"Oops," he replied, his expression sincere, though I could tell he was trying not to laugh.
"I… You're really fucking mean, Edward, you know that, right?" I told him, trying to sound angrier than I actually was as I scooted off the counter and readjusted my dress. "Thong, please."
He shook his head, smirking.
"Edward, come on." I held my hand out for them impatiently, struggling to keep a straight face. "Give it up."
"But, Bella…" He stepped forwards, sliding his arms around my waist as he pressed his hips against mine. I bit back a groan, feeling first-hand that what he'd just done had cock-blocked him as well as me. "Wouldn't it be so much easier for you to go without it?"
"No…" I replied, shaking my head. "It wouldn't be."
"Think about it," he murmured, leaning in closer so our lips were barely touching. "This way, there'd be no awkward shifting of underwear, no barrier blocking anything… All it would take is just…" He slid his hand beneath my dress, then slipped his fingers between my folds, making me moan softly. "And you'd be mine."
"E-Edward…" I looped my arms around his neck and threaded my fingers in his hair, gazing up into his eyes as I spoke. "I already am yours."
"I know, but I just…" He shook his head, frustration evident on his face. "Will you give me this? Just for tonight?" He pressed his lips to mine, kissing me softly. "Please, Bella…"
"Okay," I murmured, nodding. I didn't know what had brought this on so suddenly, but that no longer mattered; Edward needed this to get through the night, and I neither wanted nor cared to deny him that.
"Thank you," he breathed, letting out a shaky sigh before kissing me once more.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I whispered.
"Later," he promised, then pressed his forehead to mine briefly before straightening up and smiling. "Now… How exactly do we put these wings on?"
I laughed softly and shook my head before turning and pulling the wings from the bag Didyme had put them in for safe-keeping. If he wanted normalcy, I'd give him it.
"You see this pole thing here?" I asked, holding said pole up for him to see. He nodded in response, obviously confused. "It slots into the back of the bodice. And then…" I awkwardly turned to face him, handing him the pole so I could maneuver the wings better. "The plastic thing at the top of the pole clips here to hold the wings in place."
"Wouldn't it have been easier to just get some wings that had the elastic bits you slide your arms through?" he wondered, frowning as he took the wings from me and placed them on the floor before gesturing for me to turn around.
"Yeah, but it wouldn't have looked as nice," I admitted as I did as he'd instructed. Edward scoffed but didn't disagree, then leaned forwards and gently kissed my shoulder.
"You girls and your vanity," he teased, then awkwardly fumbled to pull the back of my bodice away from my skin as much as he could. "God, I really don't want to hurt you with this by accident."
"It's fine, Edward. Honestly," I assured him, pushing my shoulders back to make it easier for him. "Even if you do slip, the plastic won't hurt me – the end of it is rounded. Just be mega careful sliding it in place because the fabric's stupidly easy to rip."
"Alright. Just… don't move, okay?" he murmured, then moved closer behind me so that his hips were pressed against mine, acting like a guide to help me stay in position. I tried to relax as much as possible, but it took everything I had in me to keep still as he slowly slid the end of the pole into its slot and carefully pushed it into place.
"That tickles," I mumbled as the end of the pole gently brushed against the lower half of my spine.
"Sorry, baby. Almost there," he promised, then finally secured the pole in place and leaned down to kiss my shoulder again. "Done."
"Thank you," I sighed, reaching back to loosely wrap my arms around his waist. It was an awkward position, but he seemed to crave the extra closeness as much as I did, for he slipped his arms around my waist in return and murmured, "Turn around."
I did so instantly, then groaned softly as he pressed his chest against mine and wrapped his arms around me, wings in hand. I slipped my own arms around his waist again and rested my head on his chest, allowing him to attach the wings more easily. Once he was done, we stood there in silence for a few moments, neither of us wanting to move away.
"We need to get going," Edward eventually sighed, but made no move to let go of me, instead choosing to pull me even tighter against him and press his lips to the side of my head. I nodded in agreement, knowing full well that he was right, then lifted my head from his chest and gazed up at him. I opened my mouth to say something, but the words got lodged in my throat.
I hadn't grown complacent during our time alone together, but I'd certainly been less worried about everything – after we'd confessed our growing feelings for each other in that shower, our relationship just flowed, both in reality and in front of the cameras. When we were alone, I didn't have to put on so much of a front, and it had become easier to compartmentalize and detach myself from my role because of it.
But now, at this party? I'd have to put on my strongest front yet, and although it would be easier to fake mine and Edward's relationship now that we weren't really faking anymore, it would still be difficult to not let things affect me as much as they had previously. Like Rosalie, for example. I dreaded seeing her and Royce, and part of me hoped their costumes would make it hard for me to recognize them.
Then again, if something were to go wrong… We may need to locate Rosalie quickly and get the hell out of Dodge. Assuming Edward knew how, of course. And if he didn't… well, then we would be royally fucked.
"Bella, breathe," Edward murmured, bringing me back from my spiraling thought process. "It'll be fine."
"I'm scared," I confessed, then quickly added, "What if I end up drinking too much again? Or… Or what if nobody likes me this time? I mean, Chelsea didn't like me, and Victoria hates me, and…"
"That's not true," he soothed, but I could tell he had understood my real reasons for being fearful. "And, baby, you don't have to worry about the drinking side of things this time, okay? We'll be bringing our own stuff so we can monitor how much alcohol you actually consume."
"That makes me sound like I have a serious drinking problem," I groaned. "Am I really that bad?"
"Baby, you know I didn't mean it like that." He cupped my cheeks in his hands and pressed his forehead to mine. "I just don't want you to beat yourself up about things again. I, for one, think you're pretty… interesting when you're drunk. You tend to be a bit…"
"Touchy feely, idiotic and forgetful?" I suggested, reluctantly opening my eyes to gaze into his.
"Idiotic? No. Touchy feely? Yes, which is in no way a bad thing. But forgetful?" he murmured, his voice softening as he spoke. "The memories came back, didn't they?"
"Well… yeah, but-"
"But nothing," he sighed, then smiled as he moved back slightly to put some distance between us. "Come on, enough of the heavy. Do you want me to help with your shoes again or are you okay?"
"Umm…" I glanced over to the shoes then down at my feet. "I think I'll need you to help me."
"Okay, baby. Hop up on the counter."
"No funny business, okay?" I warned as I did as he'd instructed, then playfully glared at him when I held the shoes out for him to take. He put his hands up, acting innocent, then winked as he took the shoes from me and got down on one knee.
"Foot, please." He rested the heel of the foot I'd extended on his knee, then gently felt the base of each of my toes.
"Edward, they're fine," I assured him. The pain of having broken them was bearable now; I could pretty much block it out completely if I tried hard enough. The only problem was that the heels of these shoes weren't exactly low, and I knew that after several hours of walking and possibly dancing in them, I'd probably end up in quite a bit of pain. But, if me wearing the heels resulted in our act being more convincing… Well, it'd be worth it in the end.
"Do you have any flat shoes?" he asked as he carefully slid the shoe onto my foot, taking care not to put too much pressure on my toes.
"None that match the outfit, no," I replied truthfully, shrugging. "But I'll be fine."
Edward shook his head, then gestured for me to give him my other foot. "I can bring a pair of black hi-tops with us."
"Edward, we don't have a bag to put them in," I pointed out. "Baby, if it comes to it, I'll just take these shoes off and walk around bare foot."
"Or, you could just let me take care of you for once?" he suggested, suddenly way too interested in the shoe he was sliding on my foot.
"I do let you take care of me," I told him softly. "I'm letting you now, aren't I?"
"It's not…" He shook his head, still staring at my foot. "This is different."
"No, it isn't," I countered, then reached down and ran my fingers through his hair to try and make him look up at me again. He didn't. "Edward, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. It's just that…" He hesitated for a moment, seeming conflicted. "You're my girl. I don't want to risk anything happening to you, even if it's just a matter of your feet hurting."
"Look at me," I murmured, bringing my other hand down to his hair as I waited for him to tilt his head up. I had some idea of what was bothering him now, but wasn't sure what I could do to reassure him. When you worry about someone you care for, nothing anyone can do will stop you from feeling that way.
"Baby, look at me," I coaxed again after a few seconds, then smiled gently when his head eventually tilted upwards, allowing me to look him in the eyes. I knew what his genuine girlfriend would say to him right now, but I also knew that I couldn't say it to him. Not yet. Not until I was sure that was what I felt for him.
"Come here," I said softly, gesturing for him to stand up. He did so hesitantly, his gaze shifting to the floor automatically. It didn't take a genius to work out that this was really getting to him now.
Sighing softly, I reached up and cupped his cheeks in my hands, tilting his head back up so he'd look at me again and see the emotions in my eyes when I spoke.
"Talk to me."
He shook his head, glancing up to the ceiling where we both knew the microphone was.
"Fuck that," I told him, pulling him closer to me. "What's going on, baby?"
"If I tell you, you'll get mad because I'm doing something I told you not to," he confessed, but that didn't stop him from wrapping his arms around me as best he could anyway.
"I won't be mad," I promised, gently guiding his lips to mine and kissing him softly.
"We're gonna be late," he mumbled, but I quickly wrapped my legs around his waist to stop him from moving anywhere. This was more important than the party. Besides, even if we did leave now, whatever he was thinking would just circulate in his mind for the rest of the night, and we couldn't risk anything going wrong because he was distracted.
"Stop running away from me," I chided, shaking my head at him. "Just tell me and then we'll go. Or we'll stay here, if that's what you want."
"Bella…" He hesitated a moment, conflict evident on his face, but then he leaned in and whispered, "I promised myself I wouldn't let my feelings get in the way of our job, but James and Royce are gonna be there and I don't know if I can protect you if they try anything. And that scares me."
That newly familiar feeling settled in my chest again as I whispered back, "Nothing's going to happen to me, baby. I'll be fine."
"I know, but the fear's still there. It never goes away."
"It doesn't for me either," I admitted, holding him even tighter to me. "But that's why we need to do a kick ass job down there tonight. If we pull this off, if I can gain a little of their trust, then maybe… maybe you'll get the plans to this place and we can move things along."
He nodded against me, then let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry. I said I'd stop with the heavy stuff, and yet…"
"It's okay," I assured him. "We all need a moment sometimes."
"Yeah," he agreed, then smiled weakly before leaning in to kiss me. "Okay, I'm ready now. Let's go."
Oh, now I do recall
We were just getting to the part
Where the shock sets in, and the stomach acid finds a new way to make you get sick.
I hope you didn't expect that you'd get all of the attention.
Now, let's not get selfish
Did you really think I'd really let you kill this chorus?
"Call me stupid, but I never took these guys for Panic! fans," I told Edward as he returned from getting us some glasses from the bar and slipped into the booth beside me.
"Yeah, that's probably Riley's recommendation," Edward laughed as he handed me my glass and reached for the bottle of coke we'd brought with us.
"Who's Riley again?" I asked, frowning as he poured me my drink.
"He's the idiot dressed as Heavy Duty from G.I. Joe,"he replied with a roll of his eyes.
"Ah. The weapons expert whose sister is Bree," I remembered, nodding my head. "Right."
"You have a good memory," he said softly, then wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me in to his side. So far, the night was going pretty well. I'd be re-introduced to most of the people I'd met previously, and also been introduced to several people I'd never seen before. It had been hard, committing their names and roles to memory, but I'd tried my damn hardest anyway and knew I'd probably be able to recognize most of them if I saw them again, with or without the elaborate costumes some of them were wearing.
"I still don't get why most of the men haven't dressed up. Especially you," I sighed, frowning as I took in the crowd of people on the dance floor. Edward and I hadn't dared take a trip out there yet; we were too busy trying to locate and survey everyone. Victoria and James had shown up a few minutes after we had, but we'd been lucky enough to avoid them so far, and I hoped that luck would continue for the rest of the night. Royce and Rosalie hadn't turned up yet though, and I was starting to worry.
"We're not here for the party, Bella," Edward replied, bringing me out of my reverie. "None of them actually care for Halloween; it's just an excuse to ogle the women without getting in deep shit for it."
"That and the fact it gives them the chance to get high too, right?" I added, remembering the strong smell of pot when we'd walked past one of the private booths on our way in.
"That's part of the draw, yes," Edward murmured, nodding. "The Volturi aren't the only ones here though."
"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning deeply. Edward tilted his head in the direction of the private booth opposite ours that had the curtains drawn most of the way. I had to lean across him a little to see what he meant, then gasped in shock when I recognized the man sitting on a chair in the booth with his hands threaded through the hair of one of the dancers, guiding her head back and forth as she gave him what was obviously a blowjob.
"Is that Senator Stanley?" My eyes were unbelievably wide at this point. "But he's… Holy shit. I'm… How…"
"He's Jessica's father," Edward explained, looking disgusted as he watched Senator Stanley's head fall back in pleasure. "He comes in every so often and gets serviced by some of the girls. And it's not always one-on-one sessions he's after either."
"But Jessica's… I've done research on him before and her existence isn't documented anywhere."
"Exactly," he replied, turning to face me and blocking Senator Stanley from view in the process. "It's simple, really. The Volturi have enough dirt on him to ruin his career, so he turns a blind eye to everything he sees and, in return, he gets sex whenever he wants."
I nodded weakly, still in shock, then gritted my teeth as I reached into Edward's pant pocket and pulled out his phone without hesitation.
"What are you doing?" Edward tried to grab his phone from me, but I glared at him sharply and held it out of reach.
"Lean to the right and smile," I told him, holding the phone up like I was about to take a photo of him while actually aiming it at Senator Stanley's booth and zooming in to get a good photo of his face.
I smiled widely at Edward, keeping up my little charade in case anyone was looking, then called out, "Smile, baby!"
Edward did as I'd asked, and I hurriedly snapped a few photos of the senator while I could before checking to see if they'd come out okay. They had, so I grinned at Edward proudly before handing the phone back to him and ruffling my hair a little as if preparing to have my photo taken.
"Say cheese," Edward murmured softly, but I just poked my tongue out instead and laughed when Edward rolled his eyes at me. My laughter quickly died however, for he suddenly leaned forwards without warning and kissed me deeply, his lips parting mine instantly. I reached out and slid my hands through his hair to pull him closer, no longer caring about why he was kissing me, then groaned in protest when he pulled back again and held his phone up in front of his face, snapping a photo of me unexpectedly.
"Edward!" I cried indignantly, scrambling to take the phone back from him. All I ended up doing, however, was giving him the opportunity to pull me roughly into his lap and trap me in his arms.
"Edward, come on," I protested, struggling to escape his hold. He laughed softly, shaking his head, then slid his phone into his pocket before taking my hands in his and resting them on his shoulders.
"Baby, calm down," he murmured, waiting until I stopped fighting him before moving his hands to my hips. "I just wanted a photo of you for when I'm off on business."
"Bullshit," I teased, but blushed at the gesture anyway. It was kind of sweet.
"Bella!"
Edward and I jerked in surprise, turning our heads in the direction my name had come from.
"Oh! Hi, Corinne!" I tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible as I greeted her, but I'm pretty sure my shock came through anyway, for she frowned slightly as she took us both in.
"Oh, crap!" She blushed profusely, turning away slightly and shielding her eyes with her hand. "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you were in the middle of… Oh, my God, this is so embarrassing."
"What do you mean?" I wondered, confused. "We're not doing any-" Understanding suddenly sunk in. "Oh! No, no, we're not in the middle of that! Edward took a disgustingly ugly photo of me and I was trying to get him to delete it. We're not… you know. You can turn back around if you want?"
"Um…" She hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at us again, though she deliberately kept her gaze focused on our faces and not our hips. "Hi."
"Hey," Edward replied, smiling warmly at her. From what he'd said about her, I could tell he genuinely cared for her and even thought of her as the baby sister he never had at times. It was refreshing, seeing his face light up as he spoke about one of the residents here; usually, his expression would cloud over with disgust, anger or even sadness thanks to the darkness inside most the people he spoke about.
"Hey, um… I was just, um…" She seemed to choke on her own words a bit, clearly nervous, so I tried to quell her nerves a bit by asking about her Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas costume.
"Oh!" Her face lit up as she gazed down at her outfit. "I got the idea from Mom. She always talks about how she 'made me from scratch', so… yeah."
"That's really sweet," I told her softly, smiling as she blushed. "Did you tell her that?"
"No, um… She'd probably think it's really stupid," she muttered, looking down at her feet.
"I don't think she'd think it's stupid," I murmured, reaching out and placing my hand on her arm. "I think she'd really like it."
"Yeah, well, um…" She tucked her hair behind her ear, then seemed to suddenly remember what she came here for in the first place. "Oh! This is kinda random, I know, but Mom refused to come up with me and said you were nice so um… Wouldyoucomedancewithme?"
"Would I what?" I asked, frowning. Corinne blushed an even deeper shade of red, then took a few calming breaths before continuing.
"Would you come and dance with me, please?" she asked, chancing an awkward glance at each of our faces before staring down at the floor again.
"Of course I will," I told her happily, then looked back at Edward again. "If that's okay with you?"
"It's fine, baby," he assured me, smiling. "I might come and join you in a bit, if you want?"
"Please do!" Corinne blurted, then blushed once again. "Sorry, um… yeah, I'll, uh, I'll meet you out there." She waved her hand in the direction of the dance floor.
"Okay, Corinne. I'll be there in a sec," I promised, then turned back to Edward as Corinne hurriedly walked away from us.
"She likes you," Edward said softly, smiling brightly at me as he slid his hands up to my waist.
"I hope so," I sighed, giving him a weak smile in return. "I feel bad for her, you know? She's stuck here, clearly unhappy, and I wish we could do something for her."
"I know you do, Bella, but we can't take everyone with us when we go," Edward murmured sadly. "It'd be too risky."
"I know, but I just…" I shook my head, as if doing so would expel all those thoughts from my head. "I'm gonna go dance, okay? I'll see you in a bit?"
Edward nodded, his expression softening slightly, then reached up to cup my cheeks before guiding my lips down to his. He kissed me slowly, taking my upper then lower lip between both of his before tilting his head slightly and gently coaxing my mouth open with his own. Our tongue met languidly, and our lips moved together in a way that made my heart start to beat just that little bit faster. I doubted I'd ever get used to kissing Edward. Despite how often we'd been together in the past, everything we did seemed new yet familiar all at once, and I never wanted that feeling to go away.
With a soft groan, Edward eventually broke our kiss and leaned away from me, putting some much needed distance between us.
"You need to go," he sighed, and as I shifted my hips slightly, preparing to move off his lap, I felt the hard evidence of what our kiss had done to him between my thighs.
We can do whatever we want… whenever we want… Would you like that, baby?
"Oh, God," I breathed, clamping my eyes tightly shut as I desperately tried to resist the urge to roll my hips over him.
"Yeah, you really need to go before I do something I doubt I'll regret but will probably feel a bit bad about in the morning." He squeezed my waist, obviously reluctant to let me leave but not wanting to stop me either, then let out a breathy moan as I not-so-accidentally brushed against him again while climbing off his lap.
"You're a bit of a cock-tease. You know that, right?" he groaned as I straightened my skirt and readjusted my wings.
"Oh, I know." I smirked, then leaned down so my lips were near his ear, my hand straying dangerously close to his erection. "But think of it as payback for your little… pussy tease earlier."
"Fuck," he swore, then hissed in a breath as I teased the head of his erection with my fingertips through his suit and gently bit down on his earlobe, just the way I knew he liked.
"Bella…" he began, but I pulled away before he could say any more. He startled in shock, reaching out for me instinctually, but I just shook my head at him and winked before quickly walking out onto the dance floor, leaving him sitting there in a stunned silence.
It only took me a few moments to find Corinne, and once I had, I hurriedly made my way towards her, trying not to get my toes stepped on in the process. It was pretty fucking crowded out here now; I was surrounded by grinding couples and scantily clad women, all lost in their own worlds, completely unaware of what was going on around them. It was almost like we were suddenly in some cheap, rule-free stripper bar, and although I'd known there would be dancers up on stage here tonight, it still surprised me when I looked up and saw Nettie, Lucy and Lauren dancing topless around a set of poles.
"Jesus fuck," I mumbled, quickly refocusing my gaze on Corinne, who had yet to notice my approach. Once I got within earshot of her, I called out her name, and she turned round to face me before smiling widely and reaching out to take my hands in hers.
"I'm so glad you came out here!" she told me, seeming genuinely excited to see me.
"So am I!" I replied honestly, then smiled back at her before starting to move along with the music, trying to find my rhythm. I'd never really been one for dancing in this kind of situation, but after being sent undercover to infiltrate a dodgy club run by some sleazy drug dealer, I'd learnt the hard way how adapt as quickly as possible and soon found myself moving along with the rest of the crowd.
After a minute or so, the song blasting out from the overhead speakers changed to one I'd never heard before, and I frowned as I turned to Corinne, who'd begun to dance more freely now she had somebody with her.
"Hey, Sally?" I called, faltering slightly as someone bumped into me from behind, almost sending me straight into Corinne, who had perked up at the sound of the nickname.
"Whoa, there." She put her hands on my shoulders to steady me, and once she was sure I was okay again, asked, "What's up, Tink?"
"What's this song called?" I wondered, pointing up at the ceiling.
"Umm…" She paused for a second, listening, then nodded as though confirming her first thoughts. "It's called Stripper by Sohodolls, I think."
"It's… interesting," I told her, taking care not to say anything too harsh in case she liked the song. It wasn't that I disliked it, as such, but I didn't exactly love it either.
"It's okay to dance to," she replied, shrugging. "Especially for, uh…" She tilted her head in the direction of the stage, which she'd cleverly managed to keep her back to most of the time.
"Do your parents not… Don't they care if you're around that sort of thing?"
Corinne snorted. "It's hardly anything I've not seen before. I've lived here my entire life, and let's just say it doesn't take long for you to see too much."
"Yeah," I murmured, picking up on the double meaning in her words. She went quiet for a while, lost to her thoughts, and I tried my best to give her the space she clearly needed, but that got a bit difficult a few songs later when some drunken idiot in a tux backed into her and she stumbled towards me.
"Hey!" I shouted, wrapping my arm around Corinne's shoulder to help her recover. "Watch it!"
"Or you'll be trying what, Tink?" Corinne and I both stiffened. Royce.
"Bella, just leave it," she mumbled, straining to move away from him. I held my ground though, and pushed her behind me as I took a step towards him, only to have Rosalie move to stand between us, dressed in a pink ballerina costume
"Baby, calm down," she soothed, pressing her hands against Royce's chest.
"I'm not gonna fuckin' calm down," he spat, pointing drunkenly at Corinne. "She fuckin' bumped into me."
"It's just a misunderstanding," I quickly interjected, not wanting things to get too out of hand.
"Isabella? That you?" Royce gasped, then smiled widely before taking an unsteady step towards me.
"Hi, Royce," I mumbled, awkwardly accepting his hand and allowing him to kiss my knuckles.
"You look… Wow. Where's Eddie?"
Rosalie shot me a warning glance and shook her head slightly, warning me to be wary of my answer.
"He said he'd join us in a sec," I told him with a tight smile. Right on cue, I saw Edward approaching us from behind Royce with a concerned expression on his face. He couldn't have had better timing. "Oh! Here he is now!"
Royce turned to look at Edward in shock, and I quickly used the distraction to my advantage by mouthing to Rosalie, "Are you okay?"
"Things are better," she mouthed back, giving me a small smile. I smiled weakly back, glad our plan was holding out so far, then sighed with relief as Edward finally reached us, his eyes automatically seeking mine.
"I'm okay," I assured him silently, and saw some of the tension in his shoulders release. Evidently, he'd seen the entire thing go down with Royce and had decided to come over in case things escalated.
"Hey, Royce," he said, shifting his gaze to Royce momentarily as the pair shook hands. "Enjoying your evening so far?"
"What's not to enjoy?" Royce replied. It was disconcerting, how well he was able to hide his drunken state. If I hadn't already seen his behavior just moments beforehand, I'd have believed he was mostly sober.
"Sorry it took me so long to get out here." Edward looked pointedly at me before continuing, "I got a little… distracted."
"That's okay," I said softly, smiling. "You're here now."
"That I am," he replied, then closed the distance between us and slid his arm around my shoulders. I relaxed instantly at his touch, knowing I'd be safe now. It vaguely registered somewhere in the back of my mind that it shouldn't just take Edward's presence for me to feel safe, but the truth of the matter was… It did. And I neither wanted nor cared to question that.
"Now, if you don't mind, I promised Bella a dance or two and I really don't want to know what the consequences will be if I don't follow through, so…" Edward left the sentence open, but his intentions were clear.
"No, no, you two go and dance," Royce replied, wrapping his arm possessively around Rosalie, who appeared to melt into his touch. The tension in her neck gave her away though, so I gave her a small smile which she returned before resting her head on Royce's shoulder and pressing her lips to his neck.
If Royce was surprised by the sudden affection, it didn't show.
"Corinne, I think your mom was asking for you," Edward said softly, turning away from Royce and Rosalie and effectively cutting them out of the conversation.
"O-Okay," she mumbled, glancing anxiously over Edward's shoulder at Royce.
"Hey," Edward murmured as he placed his hand on her upper arm. Corinne's eyes immediately focused on us again, and Edward smiled reassuringly at her, having obviously picked up on the reason behind her nerves. "Let's go find her, yeah?"
"I'll go find us a spot to dance in," I told Edward as I moved his arm off my shoulders. Edward looked confused for a moment, but didn't question my intentions. Instead, he simply wrapped his arm around Corinne and smiled gratefully at me before guiding her off the dance floor to find Didyme.
Whatever had Corinne so spooked about Royce (aside from the obvious creepiness, that is) was clearly something she didn't want to talk about, but I had the feeling that if anyone knew what was going on, it'd be Edward. Me being there would just make things awkward for Corinne if she wanted to talk about anything – I knew that from experience. Sometimes, all you wanted was to do was be around a friend you trusted, not coddled like a child, even though she still technically was at age seventeen.
I watched Edward and Corinne until they were out of sight, then pushed my way through the crowd of people at the center of the dance floor, searching for a more secluded spot that was as far away from Royce as possible. Luckily, it didn't take long for me to find a darkened corner near the doors leading to the private restrooms downstairs, and I gasped in surprise as a song I actually knew the words to began to play.
I got a plan for you and I.
Let's journey across the Venetian skies.
Can I have some of your cookies?
Can I have some of your pie?
May I cut the first slice?
So won't you
Scream, at the top of your lungs, if your body's feeling right.
Scream, at the top of your lungs, if your body's feeling right.
I found myself singing along quietly to the chorus, swaying my hips slightly in time with the beat. I wasn't a huge fan of this song, but couldn't deny that it was pretty seductive, in a way. Apparently, neither could the rest of the couples on the dance floor, for their movements had become slower and more purposeful as they ground their hips together.
One of the couples nearest me had begun kissing the moment they recognized the intro of the song, and they'd stopped trying to keep up the pretense of 'dancing' pretty soon after that; now, they were just full on groping each other. It was kind of disturbing to watch, so I simply closed my eyes and tried to relax as best I could while still being on alert in case anyone tried to sneak up on me.
By the time the next chorus came around, I was dancing with my hands above my hand, no longer caring about whether or not I looked stupid. Alice had always told me that the best remedy for stress and pent up frustration of any kind was to 'dance it out', and I had to admit, it seemed to be working so far.
But then, just as the chorus was ending, I felt a shiver go up my spine, and it wasn't until a hand pushed my wings to one side of my back and a warm body pressed against me that I realized why.
"Mmm," I breathed, reaching back with one hand and sliding my hands through the hair of the person behind me. Soft lips pressed against my neck just seconds later, and I deliberately pushed my hips back, seeking the friction my body was suddenly craving.
"How'd you know it was me?" he murmured softly, bringing his hands down to grip my hips as he began to sway with me.
"I didn't at first," I admitted, still keeping my eyes closed for now. "But then you touched me and I just… knew."
"Mhmm," he hummed, then smiled against my neck and ground his hips into mine just a little bit harder as the next verse began.
I love it, babe
Got me here doing things I don't ever do
Can hold me down, that's why I'm here making sure things are up for you (Get it?)
Like a getaway, when the lights go off, you turn on
I love your place, 'cause I can hear the echo when you make me…
A series of moans played over the speakers as Edward and I found our rhythm, and I had to bite down hard on my bottom lip to stop a moan of my own escaping when he began to kiss and gently suck on my neck, occasionally pressing his teeth against my skin just to make me gasp.
"Next time you decide to dance like that?" Edward breathed, trailing his lips up to tease the sensitive area behind my ear as he continued, "You'll be dancing for my eyes only."
"Edward," I sighed, unsure of what else to say. He smiled against me, then slid one of his feet between mine and pushed, silently telling me to spread my legs. I did so without hesitation and opened my eyes, then gasped when his hand pressed against my bare thighs from behind.
There'd be no awkward shifting of underwear, no barrier blocking anything… All it would take is just… and you'd be mine.
"Do you tease me deliberately, Isabella?" Edward murmured, ghosting his fingertips up my thighs as he spoke. "Does it make you feel good, knowing how completely you now own me?"
"I-"
"See, I think it does," he continued, ignoring me. His fingertips were brushing over my ass now, low enough to tease, but high enough to give his touches an innocent quality, even though we both knew his intentions were far from it. "I think you like knowing that I can't fight this thing between us anymore. You've broken me down, Isabella, and now I can't fix myself without your help."
"Y-you're not the only one who feels that way," I told him weakly. We were still moving in time with the beat, shielding what we were doing from prying eyes, but we both knew that if anyone looked hard enough, they'd realize what was going on; it didn't take a genius to work it out.
"Oh, and you don't think I know that?" Edward replied, sliding his fingers between my ass cheeks and teasing the one place in my body he'd never been before. "You don't think I use that to my advantage as best I can, just so I can keep up with you?"
"I-I-" I stammered, then sucked in a sharp breath as his fingertip began to apply just the slightest bit of pressure, making my heart pound in my chest.
I'm the only one who can do this to you, aren't I?
"I was doing okay until you showed up." His tone wasn't accusing or harsh. He was simply stating what he was thinking, and I knew he wasn't angry at me anymore. He may have been at first, but not now. So much had changed since then. God, had it really only been a few weeks since I'd met him? "But then, against all the odds, you came for me, and that fucked everything up. Just being around you sent my thoughts into a downward spiral, and I started feeling things I thought I'd long forgotten how to."
The pressure from his fingertip eased up, and then his fingers moved even lower, sliding against my slickened folds with ease.
"God," he hissed, lowering his face to my neck. "You're so ready for me, aren't you, baby?"
I nodded weakly, more turned on than I'd ever been in my life.
"I do this to you, don't I?" he murmured, letting his fingertips circle my clit before moving them down to slide inside me. "I've got a hold on you that's as strong as the one you have on me."
"Edward, please," I pleaded. I couldn't take much more of this, but he seemed determined to drag it out for as long as possible, for he pulled his hand away and turned me round to face him.
"Bella," he whispered, bringing his hand up to cup my cheek. He hesitated for a moment, like he was unsure of himself, but then the current song ended and another one began to play instead, and he breathed out a soft laugh. "How fucking appropriate."
"What do you-" I began, but he cut me off with his lips before I could say any more, then gripped my hips and pulled me hard against him, letting me feel his body's reaction to me. On instinct, I reached down between us and palmed the front of his slacks, then smiled when he groaned softly against my lips.
You know that I want you, and you know that I need you
I want it bad, your bad romance
I want your love, and I want your revenge
You and me could write a bad romance
I want your love, and your lover's revenge
You and me could write a bad romance
The lyrics seemed to fit so fucking perfectly for us at that moment, it was startling. Trying not to think about it too much, I quickly unbuttoned and unzipped Edward's slacks, then slid my hand through the slit in the front of his boxers, wrapping my hand firmly around him.
"God, you're so warm," I mumbled as I began to move my hand up and down his shaft. He let out a muffled moan in response, his grip on my hips tightening deliciously painfully as he thrust towards my palm.
I want your horror, I want your design
'Cause you're a criminal as long as you're mine
I want your love
Love, love, love, I want your love
"Edward," I breathed. "Let's go back to the booth."
He shook his head. "Not yet."
I want your psycho, your vertigo stick
Want you in my rear window
Baby, you're sick
I want your love
Love, love, love, I want your love
I tried to tune out the song, channeling my attention towards Edward instead, but I wasn't able to do so for very long before he reached down and grabbed my wrist to stop me.
"Just…" he whispered, clearly struggling for words as he tucked himself back inside his boxers. He winced as he zipped and buttoned up his slacks; I knew he couldn't be comfortable like that, so what he had to say must have been important. "Stop distracting me. I… Please…"
"What do you want me to do?" I managed to get out, but instead of answering me, he simply kissed me again, much softer than before this time. The lyrics in the background were proclaiming that the singer was a 'free bitch, baby', but as she continued to sing, his kisses became more desperate, like he was trying to tell me something without actually saying it. About three seconds later, when he squeezed my hips harder than before and practically crushed his lips to mine, I finally understood. He wanted me to listen.
I want your love, and I want your revenge
I want your love; I don't wanna be friends
Je veux ton amor, et je veux ton revanche
Je veux ton amor; I don't wanna be friends
I moaned into his mouth and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Oh, God."
"I just… I wanted… I…" he managed to groan between kisses, but I shook my head to stop him. He didn't need to say any more.
"Booth," I told him, but this time it was his turn to shake his head.
"Come with me," he mumbled, then pulled away from me and tugged on my hand, bringing me along with him as he pushed through the doors just behind us and began to rush down a short flight of stairs.
Mid-way down, he came to a sudden stop, then turned and pushed me up against the wall, kissing me roughly. I gasped in shock, then groaned in protest as he pulled away just as suddenly as he'd begun. He tugged on my hand again, clearly desperate to get to where he planned, and as we turned a corner at the bottom of the staircase, I realized where he'd taken me.
"Come on, come on," he muttered, shaking his head angrily as he walked past several unmarked doors, searching for what he wanted. Once he'd found it, he pushed down on the door handle and switched on the light, pulling me into the room with him before slamming and locking the door behind us.
It was the bathroom. The same one we'd been in last time we'd visited The Den. The place I'd…
Heat spread through my veins like wildfire, and as Edward turned away from the door to face me, I couldn't stop myself from reaching out and pulling him to me again. Our lips met in a passionate kiss that I felt all the way down to my very core, and my hands couldn't seem to touch everywhere fast enough. Edward seemed to be feeling exactly the same way, for his hands never seemed to rest in one place for more than a few seconds, except for when he unclipped and removed my wings, and then somehow we were walking backwards further into the room, barely managing to keep our balance as we moved.
Before long, my back hit cool plaster, and I grunted in pain before crying out as Edward pushed my dress up and slid his fingers between my thighs. He groaned softly, breaking our kiss to press his forehead against mine as he murmured, "You want this."
It was a statement, not a question.
"You really want this." He seemed almost stunned by this realization, but I knew 'this' was more than just a reference to sex.
"I want you," I told him, nodding. He exhaled a sharp breath, then reached down and fumbled to undo his slacks with trembling fingers. I covered his hands with mine and hurriedly did the job for him, pushing the fabric to the ground along with his boxers.
"How do you want me?" I asked him. I knew he enjoyed feeling like he was the one in charge every once in a while, and I was all too willing to give him that power. It was an incredible feeling, giving control over to somebody else and not having to worry about restraining myself for once.
"Mirror," he mumbled, kicking his slacks away as I turned so my back was to him and I was facing the mirror.
"Like this?" I deliberately pushed my ass out and arched my back, looking at him over my shoulder as he moved to stand behind me.
"Bella… You deserve slow and loving and gentle, and I want to give you that so badly, but I just… I can't." His tone was almost pleading as he leaned down and pressed his chest against my back, gently kissing my shoulder blade. "This won't be any of that, and if you want me to stop…"
"I don't want you to stop," I assured him, spreading my legs a little to brace myself better.
"God," he whispered, feeling my shift of position. I could feel him hard against my ass now, and pushed back against him to try and make him do something. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."
"Baby, it's okay," I soothed, supporting myself with one hand on the mirror while the other was pressed against the counter below me. "Please."
Edward straightened up and leaned back as he ran his hands over my ass, then pushed my cheeks apart slightly and let the pad of his thumb brush against me. I shuddered, even though that wasn't where I wanted him to touch me the most, then inhaled sharply as he gently circled the sensitive skin there.
"Do you want me to take you here some day?" he murmured, gazing into my eyes through the mirror as he spoke.
"I… I've never… I don't…"
"It can be pleasurable," he said softly. "Or so I've heard. I mean, this…" He applied a little more pressure, making me moan softly. "This feels good, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, but…" I trailed off, nibbling on my bottom lip, unsure of myself.
"We don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with," he assured me, and I gasped as he pushed his hips forwards, causing his erection to slide against me. "I just want to make you feel good."
"You do make me feel good," I moaned, both my hands clenching into fists as he gently thrust his hips back and forth against me.
"That's all I want, Bella," he said softly, then leaned down again and kissed my spine. "I want to bring you pleasure in any way I can."
"Oh, God," I breathed, closing my eyes and letting my head drop. Edward smiled against my back, then straightened up and gently gripped my hips with his free hand, moving the other down to grasp his erection.
"Head up," he coaxed, waiting until our gazes were locked again before slowly and deliberately pushing his hips forward, his hand guiding his erection until the tip of it nudged against my clit. I whined softly, fed up with his teasing, then gasped when, with his next push forwards, he pressed against my entrance.
"Please," I begged, trying to push my hips back, but his hand held me firmly in place.
"Look at me," he murmured, then slowly thrust forwards, letting my body take him in inch by inch. My legs trembled from the intensity of the moment, and I fought to keep my eyes open and locked on his. The pleasure of having him inside me again was overwhelming.
Once he was fully seated within me, he paused, then smiled at me through the mirror. "Good girl."
His gaze dropped to where we were joined, and he watched as he slowly pulled out of me until only the head remained inside before pushing forward much faster than before, making me cry out in shock.
"You're so wet," he groaned, thrusting inside me again. "Always… For me."
"Yes," I panted, unable to stop myself from moaning as he eased into a gradual rhythm.
"I don't… You're so… I'm…" He shook his head, gripping my hips with both hands to keep me still, clearly needing to set the pace for this.
"Edward… Edward…" His name escaped my lips in a breathy moan, and he inhaled sharply, squeezing my hips, before loosening his hold on me slightly and allowing me to push back against him.
"Feel good?" he asked, looking up at me for confirmation.
"Y-Yes," I panted with a nod. Edward smirked, then pushed down on my back, making it arch more, and angled himself a little differently.
"This should feel even better, then," he murmured, not even a hint of arrogance to his tone, and with his next thrust, my arms almost gave out on me.
"Oh, my God," I whined, struggling to hold myself up as his thrusts became faster, hitting that same spot over and over again.
"Yes?" Edward groaned out, clearly just as affected by the new angle as I was.
"Yes!" I nodded weakly, then let my head drop again as one of his hands slipped round to rub my clit, sending sparks of pleasure straight through me. "Fuck!"
"I said, look at me," Edward chided, and before I could fully process the movement, he threaded his hands through some of my hair and tugged, forcing me to lift my head again. I groaned loudly, feeling myself tighten around him, and smiled as he tugged on my hair just a little bit harder than necessary. I hated that sort of thing usually, but when Edward did it, it was just so… Good.
"Keep your eyes on me," he all but growled, then let go of my hair and ghosted his hand down the arm bracing me against the counter before covering my hand with his and entwining our fingers. I squeezed his hand as best I could, and remembered to keep my eyes on him this time, even as I felt myself edge closer and closer to climax.
"Please," I pleaded. I needed just a little bit more to push me over, but didn't know how to ask for it. Edward didn't seem to need telling though; he knew my body better than I did, and gave my hand one final squeeze before running it down my back.
Now that both his hands were busy and not supporting me, all it would take was one surprisingly hard thrust, and my arms would give out on me. I adjusted the position of my arms, trying to get more stable, then groaned as Edward's hand smoothed over my ass as he thrust.
"Please," I whimpered. I was so close now, I was even willing to beg him to give me what I needed. But I didn't have to, because he already knew.
"Almost there, baby," he murmured, and then his thumb was pressing right there and I was spiraling over the edge into oblivion, crying out his name as my climax spread through me. Even though it was almost impossible to keep my eyes open, I somehow managed to keep my gaze locked on his the entire time, which seemed to trigger something within him, for he suddenly groaned and grasped my hips in both hands, his thrusts becoming more urgent than before.
"Yes, Edward," I moaned, reaching back with the hand that had been braced against the counter and lacing our fingers together at my hip. He squeezed my hand tightly, then gazed back down to where we were joined and groaned.
"Baby, I'm…" he mumbled. I nodded weakly, knowing he was getting close, then pulled our joined hands round my hip, letting our fingertips brush against my clit briefly before splaying our fingers and sliding them down until they rested on either side of him as he moved within me.
"Oh, God," he choked out as he clamped his eyes shut.
"Feel that?" I panted, looking at him over my shoulder now. "That's us. It's ours."
"Yes," he hissed, opening his eyes again as he tilted his head back. I used the arm braced against the mirror to help me push back against him as best I could, loving the muted sound it made when our hips met, and felt his grip on my hip tighten sporadically as he began to tense. I knew his body well now, knew the signs that betrayed when his release was near. And he was very, very close.
"Bella…" His tone was almost pleading, and somehow, I knew exactly what he wanted.
"Okay," I murmured, then shifted forwards, causing him to slip from me. I turned quickly and wrapped my arms around his neck as I pressed my lips to his, then inhaled sharply as he lifted me from the ground and pushed me up against the wall. I let him pull my legs around his waist, then waited until his hands were securely beneath me before reaching down and taking him in hand.
"Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God," he breathed, almost falling against me. I kissed him slowly, deeply, then lined him up against me and moaned as he pushed back inside me. It was so much better like this. More intimate.
"Bella…" I wrapped my arm around him again and slid my hands up into his hair as we continued to kiss until one angled thrust made me throw my head back and groan.
"Shit," I hissed. "Right there."
"Yeah?" he murmured, pressing his body more firmly against me as he thrust into me again and again at that same angle.
"Edward… Oh, fuck…" I brought my lips back to his, both of us getting breathless now, then cried out as he lowered one of his hands to where we were joined, doubling the pleasure. I could feel a second climax start to build within me at his touch, and couldn't help but moan in surprise.
"I need to feel you again," he told me softly, then leaned his head back a little so he could look into my eyes.
"I've never…"
"Yes, you have," he breathed. "With me, you have."
I tried to think back, and realized he was right. He'd brought me to climax twice once before, but I was drunk back then…
"Please, baby," he pleaded, his eyes filled with emotion. I nodded weakly and tried to relax into things, but we both needed more.
With trembling fingers, I hastily unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it open, then fumbled to undo my bodice and pushed that open too, and when he pressed his chest against mine again, I couldn't help but groan.
"So good," he murmured, then pulled his hand away from me and raised it to my chest, cupping one of my breasts as his thumb brushed over my nipple. "Bella?"
"Yes?" One of my hands returned to his hair, but the other flattened against his chest, feeling his heart pound beneath it.
"Touch yourself for me," he urged, adjusting his hold on me from below to stop me from slipping. I lowered my hand from his hair without hesitation and tentatively began to circle my clit with my fingertips, unsure if that was what he wanted.
"Come on, baby," he encouraged softly, pressing his forehead against mine. I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth and increased the pressure of my fingers, moving them in tighter circles now. Edward smiled, then leaned in and gently coaxed my bottom lip from my mouth and into his, carefully letting his teeth drag across it as he slowly released it. I groaned softly, surprised at how pleasurable that felt, then let out a breathy moan as he did it again.
"Oh!" My legs trembled slightly against his hips and my toes threatened to curl as I found myself balancing on the very edge once more. "Edward?"
"I'm there," he promised, and I forced myself to open my eyes and gaze at him as the wave of pleasure overtook me, but this time, I wasn't alone. Edward pushed deep inside me, holding himself still as he came with a groan, then softly rocked his hips against me, coaxing every ounce of pleasure from us both.
"I…" I trailed off, breathless and unsure of what to say, so settled for wrapping my arms tightly around him instead and buried my face in his neck. Edward kissed the side of my neck, moving his arm down to join the other so he could support my weight better, then began to pull back from me.
"Not yet," I pleaded, using my legs to try and hold him to me. He nodded gently, pushing forwards again, then carefully carried me over to the counter and put me down onto it. I still didn't loosen my grip on him though, with my arms nor my legs, and pressed slow, open-mouthed kisses to his neck.
"I love being with you like this," I confessed quietly, even though I knew I probably shouldn't have. The words came out almost of their own accord, but I knew they were the truth. It wasn't even about the sex, though that had been amazing. This, holding him and feeling his body against mine, was just… I didn't have the words to describe it.
"I love it, too," Edward murmured softly, then reached up and stroked my hair with one hand, even though I knew it couldn't have felt very nice. Sweat and hairspray were never a good mix.
"That was…" I trailed off, at a loss for words.
"Yeah," he agreed, and I could hear the smile in his voice. I exhaled a soft sigh, then pulled him even closer to me, bringing our chests flush together. Edward laughed quietly, then leaned his head back a bit and gazed at something beside us before moving his free hand away from me.
Two seconds later, I heard the sound of running water.
"What are you doing?" I wondered, frowning as I lifted my head and turned it in the direction of the water. It was the sink.
"I, um…" He swallowed audibly, moving his hand back to my waist. "I didn't bring anything with me, and you're not wearing any underwear so…"
I blushed. Oh. Clean up.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, leaning in and pressing his lips to my jaw. "I just didn't expect this to happen, and I…"
"Shhh," I soothed, then raised my hand and rested it against his cheek as I smiled up at him. "It's better this way."
He smiled back at me, gazing into my eyes as I gently stroked his cheek with my thumb for a few moments before leaning in and kissing me softly. This time, as our lips met, it felt different to how it had before. I couldn't quite place what had changed, but something definitely had, and as my chest swelled with an emotion I'd been experiencing more and more lately, an old memory from several years ago came to the forefront of my mind.
"Bella?" She looked anxious, like whatever she'd woken me up to say was threatening to spill out without her permission and she didn't know how to stop it.
"What is it, Alice?" I asked, concerned. She climbed into bed with me and snuggled under the duvet, rolling over to face me.
"I'm scared," she admitted, taking my hands in her tiny ones.
"Why?" I was wide awake now, desperate to know what was causing her so much anxiety.
"You know how, on your first day, the first thing they always say is 'never fall in love with a co-worker?" She bit down on her bottom lip, tears filling her eyes.
"Yeah?" I squeezed her hands tightly and shifted closer to her, trying to soothe her.
"I think I have." Her eyes were wide, but I could tell she was excited as well as scared about her revelation.
"Who is it, Ali?" I asked, even though I had already worked it out for myself.
"Jasper," she confessed. I smiled at her, genuinely pleased to hear it. "I think I love him."
"Took you long enough to figure it out!" I teased, laughing happily. "Does he know?"
She nodded. "I told him earlier, before lights out."
"What did he say?"
"Nothing," she replied, then grinned and said, "He kissed me. Really kissed me."
I let out a squeal, and she quickly reached up and put her hand over my mouth to shush me.
"Someone might hear!" she warned.
"Sorry!" I whispered. "I'm just… This is so amazing, Ali. I'm so happy for you two."
"Yeah," she murmured, blushing. "Me too."
We were silent for a few moments, soaking in the moment.
"Ali?"
"Yeah?"
"How did you know you were in love with him? Was there a moment or…"
"I don't know, really. I just… knew."
Alice and Jasper's story hadn't ended well. Career-wise, anyway. Since she was the boss' daughter, they'd tried to keep things hush-hush for a while, but two seconds was all it took for Carlisle to realize what was going on once they were in the same room together. He gave them a choice; they could move to separate sub-groups in The Agency and never see each other again, or they could leave and never come back. Alice and Jasper moved into a small house together near Seattle a week later, and had been looking after Jake for me ever since.
I blinked back tears I hadn't realized had gathered until that moment, then broke the kiss and pulled Edward into a tight embrace. I opened my eyes and stared at my surroundings. Fuck.
"Are you okay?" he murmured, sounding concerned.
"I'm fine," I choked out, kissing his shoulder to try and reassure him.
"Good," he said softly, but I could tell he didn't fully believe me. Deciding to drop it for now, he reached over to the sink with one hand and dampened the washcloth before squeezing out the excess water.
"Can you hold your dress up for me?" he asked, moving back from me slightly. I nodded, gathering the skirt and pulling it up to expose us. I gazed down to where we were still joined, though only barely, and watched as Edward carefully slowly pulled out of me and pressed the washcloth against me. I let out a soft sigh of pleasure and closed my eyes.
"Sore?" he asked worriedly. I shook my head and gazed up at him.
"The warmth just feels nice," I assured him, smiling. He grinned back at me, then leaned forwards to kiss my forehead. I was half expecting him to pull away from me and start to get dressed, but he just stood there with me for a few minutes, holding the washcloth in place for much longer than was probably necessary.
"I think I'm good now," I told him softly. He pulled away the washcloth and dumped it in the sink, then gently lowered my dress before helping me off the counter.
"Okay?" he asked, steadying me with his hands on his waist. I nodded, then sighed as he wrapped his arms around me more fully and held me close to him.
"I know we need to go out there and do our fucking job, but…" He exhaled harshly and shook his head. "Sorry."
"No," I murmured. "I'd rather stay here, too."
He laughed softly and kissed my temple, then took a step back and moved his hands to the front of my bodice to do it back up again. When he was done, he gestured for me to turn around, then walked over to where my wings had been haphazardly discarded on the floor before moving to stand behind me again.
"God, I look like a panda," I groaned as I took in my reflection in the mirror.
"No, you don't," Edward soothed, but that didn't stop me from trying to clear up the smudged eyeliner on my lower lids anyway and attempt to fix my hair, most of which had fallen from its up-do thanks to him.
Edward laughed, shaking his head, then carefully reattached my wings to my back and cursed when he realized that one of them was slightly bent.
"Don't worry about it," I told him, shrugging. "Nobody will notice."
"If you say so," he mumbled, winking. I grinned at him through the mirror, then turned to face him and pulled him close to me again as I began to button his shirt.
"I can do that," he protested, gripping my wrists to stop me from moving.
"I know," I replied with a smirk, pulling my hands free from his grasp so I could finish doing up the buttons as I raised myself up on my toes and pressed my lips to his.
"Are you sure you haven't been drinking at all tonight?" he teased as I pulled back from him again and grinned.
"Yeah. Why?" I asked, frowning. He stepped forwards and cupped my cheek in his hand, his expression softening as he looked me in the eyes.
"You seem less… restrained today," he told me softly.
"Yeah," I mumbled, looking down at his chest. "I guess I am."
"Hey," he chided, tilting my chin back up so I'd gaze into his eyes again. He gave me a small smile, then leaned in to kiss me gently, his lips lingering against mine for a few moments before he pulled back and sighed.
"You should probably leave before I do," he murmured, glancing at the door. "So they don't ask stupid questions or tease you."
"Yeah," I agreed, nodding. "Do you want me to wait until you're…"
"No, I'll be fine," he assured me with a smile.
"Alright, um… I'll see you up there, then?" I took an awkward step towards the door.
"You sure will," he promised. I smiled at him in response, then turned and headed for the door. I hesitated when I reached it, gripping the handle with one hand.
"Edward?" I called, turning to look at him.
"Mmm?" He straightened up from gathering his clothes and twisted round to face me. I sighed softly and shook my head.
"Nothing," I told him, then smiled weakly before exiting the bathroom and shutting the door behind me.
Assuming the way we'd come the first time we were here would take longer and give me more space to think, I headed in the opposite direction to which we'd come from. It was much darker down here than it had been last time, and Halloween decorations were hung from the ceiling and stuck to the walls, creating an eerie atmosphere. I wondered where they got them all from, and more importantly, who had been the one to put them there. It must have taken hours.
I rounded a corner at the end of the corridor and laughed when I saw a realistic-looking coffin propped up against the wall up ahead. It wasn't until I was only several feet away that I realized that they were, in fact, real.
"Creepy," I muttered.
"They are, aren't they?" I froze. "I'm pretty sure the one nearest you will soon belong to someone."
"Huh," I replied, then started to walk away from the coffins, towards the safety of The Den.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Edward's expecting me upstairs," I lied, speeding up a bit.
"Bullshit," came the reply. "You and I both know he's not up there."
"Whatever," I sighed, then cried out as arms grabbed me from behind and pushed me up against a nearby wall. I was roughly flipped round to face my attacker, and groaned when he pushed himself up against me and gripped my chin in his hand, forcing me to look at him.
"That's better," he cooed, smirking. "Well, aren't you just the prettiest bitch at the ball? I've missed you, ma petite putain."
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