1,441Beauty Takes on the Beast
Chapter Two—Masochist
Bella walked over to one of those fancy coffee machines to make herself some coffee. "Stop with the flirting; I'm not into mixed signals."
"I don't flirt." I rolled my eyes, grabbing a mug from the cabinet beside her.
She was quick to move away.
"All right," she said, looking over her shoulder at me. "Stop talking to me like…" She couldn't seem to find the words.
I guessed she wasn't so smart after all. She was stupid enough to let you in the house. "Like what? Like an asshole? Like a man who wants you?"
She straightened her shoulders. "You made it perfectly clear the other night that you don't want me."
Without another word, she set up the coffee machine to brew me a cup of a good, strong coffee. None of the fancy shit. Taking the cup from me, she placed it in the coffee maker, and finally gave me her full attention.
"I never said I didn't…"
She held up her hand. "Don't . . . please."
It was the crack in her voice that made me walk out of the kitchen; though, I wasn't sure what I was going to do next. I didn't get far, choosing to pace around in the living room. I had no idea how to talk to her; it was one my many faults, according to my ex-girlfriend and ex-wife.
"Your coffee is ready." Bella walked past me, setting my mug on the coffee table beside one end, and took the farthest seat from me.
"Are you going to let me explain?"
"I don't need you to, Edward. It meant nothing to you, and it'll mean nothing to me, too." She looked away and reached for the television remote, turning it down. "What did you want to talk to me about?"
I wanted to convince her we could have fun together for a while, that there was no reason to stop. When the time came, we would pretend nothing happened for her brother's sake.
"There's still a lot of plumbing and electrical work I need to complete. I'm sure you can handle some of the simpler things, but there are several projects that require a contractor."
She nodded. "I agree, but I made it clear that you wouldn't be the one finishing those projects."
The indifference in her voice, the way she cowardly wouldn't meet my eyes, pissed me off.
"Grow up, Baby Bella!" I tugged on my hair, glaring down at her. "We fucked; that was it. Nothing more, nothing less. Why are you acting like an immature bra—?"
"Edward." I recognized the voice behind me, and he sounded pissed. "Are you all right, Bella?"
Bella looked away from me, shaking her head. "I'd like to be alone, please."
Tyler put a hand on my shoulder, and I knew I'd have to face him, but I kept my eyes on Bella as she turned off the television. She looked past me and offered Tyler a small smile. "Thanks for coming, Tyler. I need to call the police; in the meantime, can you do me a favor?"
"Anything for you, Bella."
Bella's lip curled slightly, her eyes meeting mine. "Take out the trash."
Fuck, she meant me.
.
.
.
I shrugged out of Tyler's hold and jumped off the porch, stomping toward my truck. As I passed Tyler's, I glared at it. He had asked for a couple days off out of the blue, and though he was practically a partner, he rarely took time off. I accommodated his time, and now I knew why he requested it.
Bella asked Tyler for help instead of me.
I didn't like it.
I knew they were friends, but the image of her always hugging him and whispering in his ear at the barbeque kept coming back. Maybe there wasn't anything between them in the past, but there could be now.
I rounded on my friend and tipped up my chin, but he didn't look too happy with me. Tough fucking shit.
"I see you fixed your truck." Tyler crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at me, one of the few men who could.
"I thought you had time off." I played dumb, considering what he walked in on moments ago. Had he heard me say I fucked Bella?
"I do." Tyler didn't offer anything else.
"I don't have time for this shit. I need to talk to Bella." I climbed the steps up to the porch again, trying to pass him.
He put a hand on my chest, holding me back. "She made it clear she's not ready to talk to you."
I stepped back, looking away. "I see."
Tyler laughed. "Yeah, you don't see shit. Look, Edward, Bella's a big girl; she'll get over it and pretend nothing happened. I can't. You shouldn't have touched her, if you planned to use her."
I cringed; his words felt like arrows. "Like you're one to talk."
"My demons don't exactly make me feel like I'm worth someone's love." Tyler scoffed and averted his gaze.
I swallowed, remembering how he explained the thick cuts around his wrists and an arm shortly after coming to work for me all those years ago. He'd been just a kid when he tried to take his own life.
"Yeah, well, I have similar demons, Ty."
Tyler nodded to follow him farther down the driveway, giving us a little more privacy. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but the main reason her relationships all ended badly is because she can't have kids."
The scars, I had seen them on her stomach and hips, even knew it was a tough subject for all the guys.
"The accident happened in the high school parking lot. Someone had been going too fast, hit some black ice, pinning her pelvis against her truck. She actually was pronounced dead at the scene, but then she just started breathing."
Tyler cleared his throat, looking away.
I didn't know what to say. I couldn't imagine what it was like for Emmett, for the guys, or for Bella. Considering how horrible their mother was to them growing up, it was probably a lot worse than Tyler stated.
"I-I was the one who hit her."
"Jesus." I shook my head, rubbing my hands over my face.
"She was in the hospital and rehab for months. When she finally told me they had to remove everything, ruining her dream of having children someday…"
I nodded, understanding. It made sense now. Bella was probably the one who helped Tyler after his suicide attempt.
"Her last two boyfriends told her she wasn't marriage material because she can't have kids, opening old wounds." Tyler blew out a deep breath. "I had hoped she'd open up your heart, man." He shook his head, rubbing the top of it and chuckling. "Thought if anyone could handle your bullshit, it was her."
She could, maybe. Did I want her to?
Something didn't add up. "Her last boyfriend wants her back, but why, if nothing has changed?"
"Not that it's any of your business," she said behind us, shocking the shit out of Tyler and me. She ignored the way we awkwardly avoided looking at her and each other. We had been talking about her, and she'd known it. "I sold my patent to Delta Medical Sources for twenty-five million dollars. The asshole wants me back for my money."
She turned away from me and looked at Tyler, rubbing his arm, sensing he needed the comfort. "Paul called me earlier, so I tracked his cell just in case. He's close by according to the information I gathered."
That shit instantly put us on alert; all of us looking down the street.
"You can track his phone?" Tyler asked, sounding impressed.
Medical patents? Cell phone tracking? Who was this woman? You'll never know, asshole.
"I have no idea what you're talking about…" She shrugged, indicating it wasn't exactly legal.
"Bella, listen," I said, hoping to talk to her. Not that I had any clue what I should say.
She turned and gave me a lethal glare. "Like I said earlier, I'm not ready to talk to you yet, Edward. It will happen, but give me time."
I tried to interrupt. "But—"
"I swear to God, if you suddenly decide that you want me now after finding out how much I'm worth, you're asking for it."
Considering she took revenge to a whole other level, I wouldn't want to be on her bad side. Too late, asshole.
"Give me a little credit, Beauty." I shoved my hands in my pockets, unsure what to say with Tyler as the audience.
"Are you fucking kidding me right now? You want me to give you credit after making me feel like a cheap slut. Get the fuck off my property."
She stormed off, leaving me with my mouth hanging open, clueless what else to say.
"I'll help," Tyler said loud enough for Bella to hear, making her laugh.
Perhaps she didn't completely hate me, if she could laugh about the situation.
I made a face. "What the fuck, Ty? What happened to bros…?"
Tyler stepped closer and fucking growled. "Finish that sentence, I dare you."
I threw up my hands and backed away, because yeah, he had every right to be pissed. Bella was like a little sister to him.
Too bad it couldn't be that way between us, too.
"Fuck! I just wanted to talk to her, and I have no fucking clue what to say, but I can't stop thinking about her. I feel awful, not sorry for her." I thrust my finger in Tyler's chest, feeling angry and frustrated. "And you know I don't give a fuck about her money after what Heidi and Irina did to me."
Tyler nodded. "I know that, Edward, and the rest of the guys know all about it, too. But Bella, she doesn't know the bullshit those women put you through and how what they did made you afraid of commitment. If she had she wouldn't have slept with you."
"I'm not afraid of commitment." I had to make that clear to him, to her. "I don't want one; there's a huge difference."
"Whatever you want to tell yourself, man." He told me to shut up, when I tried to protest. "I know Bella; she'll let it go, but give her some time. Get to know her, see if you can just move on from what happened. Emmett called this morning. He confirmed he's coming home in thirty-two days. Fix it. And be quick."
"How am I supposed to do that if she can't even look at me without glaring?"
Tyler glanced at his watch and smiled. "Will you look at that? I need to get to another job. Bella!"
"What?" she screamed from inside the house. What was it about her screaming that instantly put my dick on alert?
"I'm not going to be able to work for you," Tyler called out.
She ran outside onto the porch, hands on her hips, looking like a fucking Avenger. "Don't do this to me, Tyler."
He shrugged, not even looking sorry. "You once told me sometimes tough love is what it takes to help someone heal. You did that for me for years. Now, it's my turn."
Her eyes teared up, her lips pursing, but she gave him a quick nod.
Tyler left, patting me on the back. "Don't fuck up, man."
I looked up at Bella and tried to smile, but it made the one on her face fall.
"You don't have to be here, Edward. I can have Jake or James come by. They're looking for some extra cash, according to Tyler."
I stepped closer, her scent invading my senses. "Over my fucking dead body will those guys come anywhere near you."
She cocked a slim brow. "That can be arranged, Beastie." She batted her lashes, crossing her arms over her chest, popping her sexy as fuck hip.
I wanted to drop to my knees and lick her pussy until she came in my mouth.
She grinned. "I know a guy who owes me a favor."
I stepped even closer, invading her senses.
Her pupils dilated, her nipples hardened under her shirt, and her breathing was a bit faster.
"From the sounds of it, you know a lot of guys." The implication was clear, even to me.
Next thing I knew I was on my knees for a whole other reason than my little fantasy, cupping my crotch and groaning in pain.
She fucking kneed me . . . in my fucking big dick! What the fuck?
"Fuck, you bring out the worst in me, Beastie!" I heard her curse and flail around me, but I was in too much pain to understand one word out of her mouth. I wanted to hate her. I really wanted to hate her.
I didn't.
My aching dick was a masochist, and so was I.
AB: This doesn't look like its going to be easy, does it? Thanks to Midnight Cougar for your help with the chapter. Okay, after the next few days I managed to somehow clear four hours a day for me to write! OMG! Let's hope nothing ruins that, anyway, I wanted to let you know I'm working on the next chapter of Crosshairs, editing The Haunting of Bella Swan, and just working on what talks to me over the next few weeks. Hopefully, I can pick up a good rhythm and routine.