7. Cracking Skulls

THANKS TO.....Nicole aka Pattypattz & Dianne aka rdmickey1989

For all their time and help and took the time to Beta this story!!!

Shhhhh.....

Chapter 7

Cracking skulls

 

Carlisle Cullen caught the scent of his son before he strolled into the waiting room of the ER as he called out “Family for Isabella Swan?”

To his surprise a statuesque blond with tear stained cheeks stood up along with his son Emmett who was now standing next to her. He cocked his head wondering how Emmett knew the victim.

He couldn’t help but inhale the salty scent of the tears that poured down the cheeks of Rosalie and she was apparently Isabella's only next of kin.

He nodded at Emmett but didn’t say anything instead focusing on the distraught girl.

“Hello. I am Dr. Cullen. I am Isabella’s assigned physician, and will be handling her treatment. The injury to her head doesn’t appear to be too bad. We did x-rays and a CT on her head and everything appears to be fine. She was only knocked out for a few minutes, but these tests are fairly routine with an injury of this nature. Isabella is just finishing up with my nurse and we had to put in several stitches, but I wanted to make sure she had someone to watch over her for the next 24 hours. If she shows any signs of nausea, vomiting, or blurred vision or anything out of the ordinary please get her back here as soon as possible. We want to make sure she does not have a concussion. She can take Tylenol for her pain as directed, and she shouldn’t have a headache tonight because  we gave her a shot for pain.  Isabella is still a little loopy, and should be fine in a day or two.”

“Thank you!” Rosalie sighed with relief and Emmett smiled at his father and said,

“Thanks Dad.”

Rosalie looked at him with wide eyes, stuttering. “This….this is your father?”

“Yeah, Carlisle this is Rosalie Hale.”

“Hello Rosalie.”

“Can I see her?” Rosalie asks.

“She is almost finished and should be out in a few minutes. I have to get back to my patients so if you will excuse me.”

Carlisle nods to Emmett and quickly makes his way out of the waiting room.

In the meantime Edward is pacing in front of his burnt club recounting again his version of the events to the police and fire chief.

As they question him, one officer is extremely suspicious of Edward’s explanation as to why Isabella was knocked unconscious.

Edward could swear that if he had a heart beat, it would have stopped when he saw Isabella laying there unconscious. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Edward was the one that had done this to her. He realized later that she must have been on the other side of the door trying to warn him and he explained that to the officer.

“And you’re sure you don’t know her?”

“No. I told you I just met her last night.”

“We will get a statement from Miss Swan once she is available and if there are any more questions we will get back to you.”

Edward knew that someone was seriously trying to kill him now, and today was the closest he had come to this happening and although he was not hurt himself, they still caused a poor innocent girl to be a victim of their failed pathetic attempt.

God she was so fucking pale. It was unnerving to see Bella like that.

“So what happens now?” He asked.

“Call your insurance company in the meantime, and we will have an arson investigator come out to survey the damage and give us a report.”

Edward is standing in front of his club smelling the scent of burnt wood and ash that is still thick, and lingering in the air. A range of emotions run through him as he stands in the dark staring at what once was his pride and joy…now his club is sitting in a pile of ash, soot and water. He feels anger which is most prominent with a new emotion that he had yet to experience until recently. Fear.

 Edward starts to feel his anger build. His cell phone rings and he sees that it is Emmett and sighs with a hint of relief that he is finally going to know how Isabella is doing. He answers, “Emmett! How is she?” waiting with baited breath.

“She has some stitches, but is fine. Dad has released Bella to go home. Rosalie has agreed to stay with her tonight, and keep watch over her for 24 hours as per dad’s orders...he wants to make sure she does not have a concussion. I will drop them off at her house. I have already called triple A and they are towing both cars back to Isabella’s house for me so we don’t have to worry about them going anywhere near the club again. Goddamn it Edward, you better have some fucking answers when I see you!” Emmett’s anger surprised Edward.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean? I didn’t do this shit!”

“No you didn’t, but you did something to cause this shit to happen! What have you been getting yourself into that I have to be a Goddamn body guard for your ass?”

“What I do doesn’t concern you Emmett! It’s my fucking life! Don’t you dare try to blame this shit on me!”

Neither of them says a word as the silence builds between them until finally after a long drawn out moment Edward asks again “So you are sure she is okay?”

“Yes. I told Rosalie that you get sick at the sight of blood and you had to get away from there before you passed out.”

“You said what?! Are you kidding me?!! Fuck Emmett, that makes me sound like a fucking pussy!!!”

“What the hell else was I supposed to say? You didn’t give me much time to come up with an excuse! Besides…I have to go now. I see that Isabella has just come out of the ER, so I will talk to you later!”

Emmett hung up on his brother and was still angry. Edward stood there looking at his phone in disbelief, wondering, since when the fuck did Emmett ever hang up on him? He growled while running his fingers through his hair and decided to leave the club because he had to make sure Isabella was okay first. He walked over to get into Cherry but froze when he realized what had happened to his beloved Ferrari.

A slight whimper came out of his throat as he approached his baby. His eyes scanned over the length of Cherry and if he could have shed tears he probably would have when he noticed that she was covered in black ash, soot, and had several dents on the hood. Edward was so angry at what he saw on Cherry that his temper escalated at a speed that was faster than Cherry’s speedometer could go.

 Deep within Edward’s gut, a rumble started and only continued to grow in intensity as he roared out a thundering yell.

“MOTHERFUCK!!!!”

Edward Cullen yelled so loud that windows shook in the surrounding buildings. He was beyond pissed, as his entire body shook with rage, because not only had someone burned down his club, they fucked up his cherished car and what was worse was that something had scared him. That sweet innocent girl that he somehow couldn’t get out of his head was hurt in the midst of it all and he felt fear when he saw her laying there bleeding and unconscious. He was bewildered by this new, unfamiliar emotion.

Edward just realized this feeling of fear is not something he wanted to ever feel again. It is a strange emotion that he doesn’t understand and he only started to experience it since Isabella walked into his club.

He runs his hand over Cherry’s roof and pulled it back to look at a pile of wet soot and ash on his fingers. That is when his eyes scan past his beauty to the one parked directly behind it.

This is just fucking sacrilege.

Someone is going to die… of that he is certain. As soon as Edward figures out who has done this he is going to crack a few skulls of his own. He approaches the sexy as hell Vanquish parked behind his beauty Cherry and can’t help but apologize to her.

“I am so fucking sorry Halle…but fuck at least you don’t have any dents on your beautiful chassis. You’re such a dirty girl, nothing that some soap and good old fashioned love can’t take care of. I will make it up to you.” He checks to make sure Bella’s car is locked and notices that it isn’t when he pulls on the door handle and it opens. Isabella’s scent is like a blast of pure heaven in his face and he licks his lips as he leans down to see her keys dangling in the ignition.

Fuck.

He reaches in and pulls them out putting the keys in his pocket. Edward gets into Isabella’s car, shuts the door and just inhales. He closes his eyes as his head falls back against the headrest as he breathes in the scent of leather and everything that is of Isabella. Her scent is all encompassing as he sits there reflecting on images of her in his mind. Edward can not help but think of how she looked last night as she pleasured herself screaming his name. Edward’s cock strains against his pants with that recent memory. 

Fuck she smells so motherfucking delicious.

He turns around to see a tiny sweater on the backseat.

Don’t just go. You need to make sure she is all right.

It takes all of his willpower to not reach back and pick it up so he can bring it to his nose. Yet his hand is still caked in soot, so he climbs out quickly locking Halle up just as the two car carrier pulls up to pick up the cars parked near his.

He turns to walk across the street to a small diner that is open twenty-four hours. The bell on the door clanged when Edward walked in and several people turned to look at him.

He is hit with the overwhelming scent of greasy human food and his stomach turns in disgust.

How humans find grease appealing is beyond him as the thoughts of those sitting around the diner pounded into his skull.

That right there is trouble.

Holy shit…is he fucking for real? Who dresses like that?

What the fuck does he want?

He deserves to have that sex joint burned down. Pervert.

Edward gritted his teeth trying to tune out the thoughts of the customers and proceeded to approach the petite waitress who could only think of one thing as she gazed at him.

Sex! Sex on two legs! Sex hair! God is he fucking sexy! What I’d like to do with him!

Edward fought the grimace and asked the waitress, “Do you happen to have a bathroom I can use?”

Holy shit his voice is like sex too!

“Sure do sexy. Down the hallway, and to the right.”  She snaps her gum and he thanks her and turns to head for the bathroom.

Sweet baby Jesus his ass is sexy too! God I would love to squeeze that tush…mmm…mmm…mmmm.

She smirks to herself as he disappears behind the swinging door.

Edward steps inside of the disgusting restroom and he doesn’t know if he should just forget it and walk back out to Cherry or attempt to wash his hands in this filthy germ ridden sink. The rancid smells of humans burn his nostrils and if that is not bad enough, he hears grunts coming from the stall and scowls. He knows that germs are not a threat to him but his reasons in his mind are just.

Using vampire speed he pulls off his Armani jacket throws it over his shoulder, squirts soap in his hands, lathers them up far more than needed and then uses his jacket to dry his hands with and to open the door to get the fuck out of this shitty hellhole. He throws his jacket in the trash on the way out of the bathroom.

He cannot help but hear the sneers that come from the fry cook who is apparently still pissed about the fact that he was turned away from the club.

Punk ass Motherfucker thinks he is better than everyone.

If Edward had the time he would go back and kick the shit out of the guy just to vent some of this anger, but he only has one thing on his mind, and that is to get his ass in his beloved, but abused, Cherry and drive straight over to make sure that Isabella Swan is okay.

“Peter as soon as you get this message, call me back. It’s fucking important!” He flips his phone shut, shifts gears, driving Cherry harder than she deserves as he reaches over and flips open his on board computer. He has no problem bringing up the tracking program while driving and starts tracking Emmett in minutes. He programs the address for Isabella’s house into his GPS, turns down Lakeshore drive and floors the gas pedal as Cherry lunges forward under his heavy foot.

As Edward pulls up he realizes that Isabella not only has great taste in cars, but also in expensive real estate. He gapes at the lavish estate with the huge gated fence around it. No, if this is her place, then she has exquisite taste in homes too.

What really catches Edward’s eye is the fact that this home looks beyond fucking perfect. Everything is immaculate and the landscape is well manicured. He knew there was one thing for sure that whoever took care of this property for Isabella did an excellent fucking job and he would have to find out who did, so that he could hire them personally for his own place.

Edward almost feels guilty for bringing Cherry up the driveway in the condition she is in.

He pulls up to the intercom and presses the call button.

“Yeah.” A male voice yells into the system in an obnoxious tone and Edward glares at the speaker.

“I am here to see Isabella.”

“Is she expecting you?”

Who the fuck is this jackass?

“Uh no, actually she isn’t. I am Edward Cullen and I wanted to check up on her. She was injured outside of my club this afternoon.”

Edward hears his brother’s voice in the background and then suddenly the gate opens and he proceeds to drive in pulling up behind his brother’s jeep.

Edward takes a deep breath and tries to calm himself down  after the annoying voice from the intercom worked up his temper again.

He climbs out of Cherry, brushes off his pants, loosens his tie a little as he shuts the door and locks her. Edward proceeds to the front door when it flies open and Rosalie Hale comes marching down the steps with guns blazing.

“You did this to her didn’t you!?” She scowls.

Edward stands there and stutters. There is nothing he can say other than to admit it.

“I uh…I….I… hadn’t realized she was on the other side of the fucking door!” he finally gets his bearings and snaps back at the blonde she devil with daggers for eyes.

Feisty little human. What the hell do they feed these girls in Arizona?

“Do you always go kicking down doors when you leave a place?” She screeches.

“Well, I suppose I do when I am trapped in a building that is bursting into flames.” He towers over her getting really angry now from her verbal attack.

“I didn’t mean to hurt her... Fuck! If I had known, don’t you think I would have avoided it or had her fucking move out of the way?” he yelled in his defense. “Please tell me is she okay? I have been worried.”

“Oh have you? Really? As I seem to recall, I remember you were running away from her when she was bleeding and out cold!”

“Rosalie!” Bella’s voice interrupts their argument as she stands in the entryway with an ice pack held up to her head.

“I apologize for my friend Rosalie, Mr. Cullen she was just worried about me.” Bella glares at Rose as Emmett and a blonde guy are now standing behind Isabella watching the scene unfold.

“Please come in.” she offers and turns back without saying another word.

Rosalie glares at Edward as he passes and follows behind Isabella who cuts right between Mike and Emmett. Edward does the same as he follows her through to a large sitting room that is modestly decorated in neutral colors.

Edward would not choose this color scheme for his own house, but assumes it fits her taste. He would have gone with darker tones. He is at least a little relieved that the house is free of any clutter, and is just immaculate inside as it was outside.

Isabella sits down on a chaise lounge tucking her feet underneath her while still holding the ice pack to her sore head.

Edward hovered over her with his hands in his pockets and he registers the faint scent of her blood because it has collected just under the surface of her freshly stitched skin. His thirst is under control since the blood it is obviously mixed with some medication flowing through her bloodstream and the beta-dine cleaning solution  mixture that was used on the wound.

“I am so sorry Isabella. I had no idea that you were on the other side of that door. I will pay for any of your medical bills and whatever you need. Please, don’t hesitate to ask. I really am sorry.”

“Could you all leave us alone for a minute?” Bella asks as everyone is now standing around watching them.

They all nod and Rosalie pulls Emmett along with her as she follows behind Mike up the stairs.

Edward kneels down to her eye level and he asks her with genuine concern, “Are you really all right?”

“I will be fine.” She can’t help but notice that Edward’s eyes are not green. They are a dark golden tone. 

“I  am so sorry Isabella. I owe you my life. You didn’t have to risk your life for mine, but you did and I am really grateful for that. Thank you.”

Isabella can’t help but blush. “It was nothing. Anyone would have.”

“I doubt that highly. I am not the most well liked person around the neighborhood.” He smirks.

“Is there anything I can get you?” he asks and she can’t help but notice that he has dark circles around his eyes. Without even thinking about it, her hand reaches out and Edward freezes as she lets her thumb run along the shadow under his eyelid.

In all the years he has been a vampire no human has ever touched him. He halts all breathing and is completely mesmerized.

“You’re tired.” She says quietly. “And cold.”

Edward continues to kneel in front of her astonished by her action. The warmth of her touch is a slow burn on his cool skin and he wants to feel it once more.

“I have been outside for the last couple of hours. It’s a chilly night.” He says as his golden eyes are burning into her chocolate ones.

“Isabella, I am going to pay for your car as well. I am so fucking sorry. It just needs a really good detailing. She is a mess, but I swear I will fix it.”

“What happened to it?” she asked as her brow furrowed.

“Well you saw my car just now didn’t you? It’s just ash and soot, but it will clean off. If there is any further damage, I promise I will fix her. No matter what it costs to get her to the way she was before.”

Isabella smirks and says, “Her?”

“Halle.” Edward mutters looking down at his hands.

“Halle?” She questions with a hint of amusement in her tone.

Edward’s eyes meet with hers and he appears somewhat bashful. “She looks like a Halle. I sort of have a tendency of naming cars. Especially ones as bad ass like that beauty you own. That is one hot fucking car you have Miss Swan.” He fights the huge grin spreading across his face, only letting one side to curve up into a smirk.

Bella cocks her head to the side and can’t help but wonder. She wants to know more about him. Why is he so intriguing? “Why Halle?”

“She is the most beautiful shade of blue.” Edward says as he gazes off for a second thinking about the shine “It reminded me of a blueberry and well I thought of Halle Berry the actress.” His eyes meet with Isabella’s again and he cannot help but give her that dazzling smile that causes Isabella’s heart to speed up. This action did not go unnoticed by Edward.

 He loves hearing and sensing the effect that he has on Isabella, and wonders if she senses the effect she has on him. Edward marvels at thoughts of what this human has been doing to him. He still does not understand it in his mind, but the other head of his loves it! Edward needs to stop thinking of this while he is so close to Isabella or his cock will want to stand up and make a formal introduction. He chuckles on that last thought.

Then Isabella lets out the sweetest giggle he had ever heard. He couldn’t help but smile at her even more. When she finally stopped, she asked him, “Are you sure you’re all right?”

Edward looks at her puzzled. Why wouldn’t he be all right?

“I am fine.” He assures her. “Why do you ask?”

“You were in a burning building today in case you forgot.”

“Oh…yeah, no…I am fine. My building I can’t really say the same for but…the most important thing is that you are okay. Does your head hurt?”

“Not right now. I am still feeling the effect of a shot your dad gave me.” Then Bella’s tone changed and her voice lowered.

“I saw them you know.” She whispers and her eyes drop down to her lap with worry and fear. “I saw who did this to your club and I ran after the car to get a license plate number, but there was no plate on the car.” Her brow creased with worry as the thought of someone trying to hurt Edward suddenly bothered her. Bella cannot understand it because just last night she wanted to hang him by his balls and to think that he could have been seriously hurt really tore at her heart.

“Please tell me you didn’t chase after that car. You do realize how dangerous that was for  you?” He fights the anger from coming out in his tone. He wants to yell at her as it takes every ounce of his control not to.

How could she be so fucking reckless?

“I know it was stupid. I guess the police are going to send someone out in the morning to get my statement. I will tell them everything I saw. I wish I could be more helpful, but they were pretty well disguised and the car was just a black four door sedan. Like a Lincoln town car with tinted windows. They had a driver waiting for them though.”

“Isabella, please don’t worry about anything but taking care of you. Nothing is as important as yourself.”

“I really am fine Mr.Cullen.” She smiles softly. “Just a few stitches given to me by a very handsome doctor who I will be seeing again to have them removed.” She smirks.

“By the way… your dad is an excellent doctor.” Her cheeks flush with color.

Edward can’t help but chuckle at Bella’s statement. “Yeah he already has a big enough head as it is. We don’t need to tell him what you just said because his head will just get bigger.” He gives her a crooked smile.

“And about my car. You do not have to worry about it. I know it is being towed back to the house, thanks to Emmett and Rosalie owns an exotic auto repair shop that is her hobby on the weekends. She can take care of my car.”

“Well then, please have her send me the bill?”

“It wasn’t your fault Mr. Cullen.”

Edward stares at her and realizes that she does not know him at all, yet she is defending him, especially after the way he has treated her. He cannot believe that someone can be so…selfless.

Now more than ever he is dying to hear her thoughts. What goes on in that mind of hers? She is a mystery and for once, he hears nothing. He gets brief glimpses into her thoughts through her words and actions, but he really would like to know what is behind that beautiful face and snarky attitude of Bella’s. Edward wants to know what she thinks of him. Why was she thinking of him as she screamed out having a rather intense orgasm last night.

“Edward, please…call me Edward.”

Bella’s eyes gaze at his long thick lashes and her voice is but a whisper. “Okay Edward.”

They look soft and she wants to touch them with the tip of her finger.

Just then the intercom buzzes and the driver of the car carrier is asking to be granted access inside the gated estate to drop off the cars. Edward stands up and pulls out Isabella’s keys.

“Here. I was checking to make sure it was locked up before they took her away. It wasn’t and your keys were in the ignition, so I grabbed them for you.” He drops them in the palm of her hand and she looks up at him.

“Did you find a cell phone any where around there? Maybe I dropped it in the car.”

Edward stiffens and mutters, “No I did not see any cell phone.” Lying right through his teeth.

Isabella walks over and buzzes the driver in and opens the front door while turning on all the outside lights. The carrier pulls around and Isabella stands there with her mouth hanging open when her car was now pulling up onto the brightly lit driveway.

“Oh my God, look at my car!” She lets out a whimper and Edward feels even worse.

“Oh my God! What happened to yours? Why is the hood dented?” Suddenly everyone is standing there watching the driver release Rosalie’s car first. Surprisingly Rosalie’s has very little ash on it and came out pretty much unscathed.

Edward gives her a sad smile and shrugs, “Fire Department?” He desperately tries to act nonchalant about the whole thing but deep down in his gut, he is enraged beyond belief and the moment he is out of here and on the road, Edward is going on a hunt. 

“Fuck me! This just fucking sucks ass!” Bella curses and Edward’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise as he fights back a chuckle listening to her sweet, soft, voice throw out profanities worse than a drunken sailor.

She really is adorable. Edward can’t help but think about other profanities that he would love to hear spill out of Bella’s mouth. He can only imagine hearing her talk dirty to him, and again he is taken by surprise by this feisty, beautiful woman. Edward lets out a low groan he has been holding as he hears Bella’s voice while looking at Cherry. He is amazed by her passionate words on his behalf.

Shut the fuck up. She is a human for God sakes.

“Well…if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call.” He says as he makes his way down to Cherry.

“Yeah, sure. If I can ever find my phone.” She mumbles and again Edward is flooded with guilt. He will have one sent over to her first thing tomorrow.

Fuck.

“Don’t worry about me, I will be fine.” She apologizes and quickly excuses herself.

“I am sorry, if you will excuse me, I need to go lay down.” She turns and runs into the house and up the stairs, Edward and Emmett both know that before she has hit the first landing that Isabella is in tears as the scent of salt fills their nostrils. Isabella is overwhelmed by the days events and the fact that her car is a mess.

Emmett glares again at Edward. Edward turns quickly and shuts out his brother’s thoughts as he threatens to beat Edward’s ass for all of this. He climbs into Cherry and backs down the driveway to the gate waiting impatiently for it to open so he can leave, and peels out when he takes off.

Edward pulls out his phone and calls the one person he knows that should have been able to prevent this from happening.

“Jasper…tell her I am on my way, but I am damn sure she already knows this!”

He hangs up and dials another number.

“We need to talk.”

“Well it’s nice hearing from you too my dear Edward.”

“Cut the shit! I know that someone in your motherfucking organization tried to fucking kill me today. When I find out who, you better hope to God that it isn’t someone you are going to truly miss, because I assure you they are as good as dead!” 

Edward hangs up his phone and tosses it on the passenger seat and floors it speeding off into the night.

Meanwhile as Isabella is resting after her long day she has no clue that Edward is on a mission. A mission that he plans to succeed in, because failure is never an option.

Edward wasn’t through cracking skulls yet. He has only just begun.

© Robshandmonkey ~ All rights reserved.