Million Dollar Baby (complete)

Longing

JPOV

It had been nearly two weeks since I'd seen her. Two very long, very unbearable weeks since I'd taken Bella back to Forks. I was irritable at best. Sleep deprivation at the absence of the one he loves will do that to a man.

I'd talked to my girl every day though. Some normality had returned to their household; her mother was up and about and seemed to be fairing well, her father was back at the police station, and that was a good thing. Even I had to admit that Charlie deserved the break. And, according to Bella, he wasn't nearly as grumpy, but he still hated to leave his wife. Although it was for different reasons entirely, I understood how the man felt; I hated not being by Bella's side.

As if the first week without her hadn't been bad enough, I had been called out of town on business and had to miss our weekend together. The thing is, I would've just said fūck the whole son of a coçk blocking whôre of a trip and gone to her anyway, but there was a board meeting coming up and I'd already missed so much work. And that didn't look good on me at all, especially with the intensity that Jason Scott was breathing down my neck.

Fuckeř. If it wasn't for the fact that I knew he was a whoremonger of epic proportions, I'd swear he wanted to fūck me...which would only earn him a trip to the morgue.

He had been acting even more arrogant than he normally was, if that were even possible, and I was beginning to get suspicious. It was like he knew something that I didn't; something big. I chalked it up to his threat to tattle on me to the board about our little run-in the morning after the Scarlet Lotus ball, but I wasn't too concerned about that. The board members had a lot of respect for my parents, which trickled down to me by default. More than likely, they'd say he deserved it.

I had half a mind to just go ahead and sell my half of the company to the bastard just so that I could move closer to Bella, but I just couldn't do that to my parents. That company was their dream, and although I knew my happiness would have meant more to them, I just couldn't be that selfish.

Yeah, I know...all of a sudden, I was a real saint. But since admitting my feelings to Bella, I just wanted to be the kind of man she deserved; a man who was just as self-sacrificing as she was.

Bella was very understanding, insisting that I go on my trip and get my shìt done, but I knew it was all a façade, one that she put up because she knew it was something I had to do. Still, the way that she covered her cracking voice with a perkiness that sounded more like Alice was a dead giveaway, proof that the hardship of our separation was affecting her the same way it was affecting me. It was torture...pure, unadulterated torture. But the anticipation of how great it was going to be when we finally did get to be together again...it was enough fuel to keep us both going.

I'd tried to busy myself with work in hopes that it would take my mind off the fact that she wasn't there, but that didn't work either. Admittedly, I was a bit snappy with my employees; Joseph, Alice and Riley, included. Alice snapped right back at me, which really wasn't a very good idea, but I respected her for it. She wasn't one to put up with my bullshit when she knew it was uncalled for. I granted her a reprieve because I knew that she missed Bella almost as much as I did. Her friend was gone, and she didn't have many. Being an annoying pıss ant sort of limited the number of people willing to put up with her ass. Plus, I sort of forced Joseph to go along with me on my business trip as well. She really hated me for that, but she got over it...I think.

Two more days.

Two more excruciating, long-ass, miserable days until I would get to see her again. Hold her in my arms, taste her luscious lips, feel her soft skin. It would be enough to get me through at least the board meeting on the following Monday.