Intrigue
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 18
She stared at Edward when he’d finished speaking, her emotions a conflicted whirlwind. She’d never been so confused and angry in her life.
“You want me to move in with you and your family,” she stated flatly while meeting his remorseful amber gaze. He nodded and took her hand.
“Yes, it’s the safest option.”
She raised a brow. “Safest for whom?” She wasn’t stupid. She now clearly recalled all he’d told her of the Volturi, and knew the secrets she carried threatened them all. Put simply, she didn’t trust Edward’s motives and his sudden change of heart.
But the love she felt for him—the love that had nearly destroyed her—was still there.
‘Yes, but who can you trust?’ she asked herself.
That answer was clear. She trusted Jasper. He’d protected her—even killed for her. And she knew in her soul that he loved her. It was there in his eyes, every time he looked at her.
Edward raised his hand and brushed a stray curl from her cheek. “So, will you, love?”
Rising to her feet, she paced away before turning to stare at the one person, whom at one point, she thought she’d die without. And honestly, if her mind hadn’t shut down when he’d left, she wasn’t sure she’d still be here to ponder such things.
But she was still here. And now?
Well…now, she may still have feelings for the vampire seated on her couch, watching her so closely, but he wasn’t the be all and end all of her world.
Not anymore…
No, she now knew genuine love, and it wasn’t with Edward Cullen.
She smiled wanly and he returned it, hope flaring in his golden gaze. “There was a time when what you’re offering was all I’d ever wanted.”
He nodded and stood, striding to her and taking her hand to place a kiss to her fingers. “I know, love, and now there’s nothing standing in our way.”
With her free hand, she reached up and cupped his cheek, her voice soft as her thumb stroked his cheek. “That’s where you’re wrong. You see, even though my heart and mind now remember you, there’s another there—and I won’t toss him aside, not for anything. I can’t—I won’t do that to him.”
His lips thinned as his eyes hardened, bitterness leaking into his tone as he said, “You mean Jasper…”
Her eyes filled with warmth as her smile brightened. “Yes…Jasper.”
Her breath caught as he cupped her face with both hands and kissed her more forcefully than he ever had before and when he ended it, his tone was vehement as he said, “I won’t give you up, Bella. Not to him, not to anyone.”
And then he was gone, with only her bruised lips, his lingering scent, and the quiet click of her closing door to prove he’d even been there at all.
She stared at Edward when he’d finished speaking, her emotions a conflicted whirlwind. She’d never been so confused and angry in her life.
“You want me to move in with you and your family,” she stated flatly while meeting his remorseful amber gaze. He nodded and took her hand.
“Yes, it’s the safest option.”
She raised a brow. “Safest for whom?” She wasn’t stupid. She now clearly recalled all he’d told her of the Volturi, and knew the secrets she carried threatened them all. Put simply, she didn’t trust Edward’s motives and his sudden change of heart.
But the love she felt for him—the love that had nearly destroyed her—was still there.
‘Yes, but who can you trust?’ she asked herself.
That answer was clear. She trusted Jasper. He’d protected her—even killed for her. And she knew in her soul that he loved her. It was there in his eyes, every time he looked at her.
Edward raised his hand and brushed a stray curl from her cheek. “So, will you, love?”
Rising to her feet, she paced away before turning to stare at the one person, whom at one point, she thought she’d die without. And honestly, if her mind hadn’t shut down when he’d left, she wasn’t sure she’d still be here to ponder such things.
But she was still here. And now?
Well…now, she may still have feelings for the vampire seated on her couch, watching her so closely, but he wasn’t the be all and end all of her world.
Not anymore…
No, she now knew genuine love, and it wasn’t with Edward Cullen.
She smiled wanly and he returned it, hope flaring in his golden gaze. “There was a time when what you’re offering was all I’d ever wanted.”
He nodded and stood, striding to her and taking her hand to place a kiss to her fingers. “I know, love, and now there’s nothing standing in our way.”
With her free hand, she reached up and cupped his cheek, her voice soft as her thumb stroked his cheek. “That’s where you’re wrong. You see, even though my heart and mind now remember you, there’s another there—and I won’t toss him aside, not for anything. I can’t—I won’t do that to him.”
His lips thinned as his eyes hardened, bitterness leaking into his tone as he said, “You mean Jasper…”
Her eyes filled with warmth as her smile brightened. “Yes…Jasper.”
Her breath caught as he cupped her face with both hands and kissed her more forcefully than he ever had before and when he ended it, his tone was vehement as he said, “I won’t give you up, Bella. Not to him, not to anyone.”
And then he was gone, with only her bruised lips, his lingering scent, and the quiet click of her closing door to prove he’d even been there at all.
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.