☼Rising Sun☼

☼chapter three☼

JACOB

Edward and Bella are waiting for us in the living room, wearing matching blank expressions as they sit side by side on the couch.

My first instinct is to smile at my former best friend, but her too-calm-facade reminds me that we aren't on speaking terms right now. Not good ones, at least.

So I force myself to remain empty and stoic as Ness and I walk in, holding hands with our fingers laced together, and wait patiently for them to speak. They always speak first.

"How was your day Ness?" Bella asks softly. She's definitely the calmer one between her and Edward, and that's saying something. She almost murdered me when she first found out I imprinted on Renesmee.

A part of me loathed the idea of making her that angry with me again, but the larger part didn't give a fuck. At this point, Edward and Bella are acting completely unfair, and I'm not going to let them walk all over Ness and me.

"It was fine." Ness's voice is so quiet, so soft and sad and vulnerable, I feel my back stiffen and my upper lip pull back in anger.

Bella heard what happened in the garage; everyone in the house did.

Which means I don't have to repeat anything.

"I expected more from you, Bells," I sneer, letting go of Nessie's hand and wrapping my arm around her shoulders instead. Renesmee doesn't even hesitate in turning her body towards me, pressing her face into my chest as I hold her close. She's close to tears, and I don't blame her: if I was constantly fighting with my dad every day, and if I thought he was disappointed and angry with me, I'd be pretty upset too. "I mean, I thought that you, of all people, wouldn't turn bad once you became a bloodsucker. Looks like I was wrong."

Edward and Bella did this to her. They've pushed her into this corner, and I've had it.

Bella winces, a troubled look crossing her face. "Jake, you don't-"

"No, you don't," I growl, something stirring inside me, something I haven't felt in a really long time.

Rage. Unadulterated, indisputable rage. The kind of rage that leads to bad, bad decisions.

One of which I'm about to make.

Provoking Edward into nearly attacking me in the garage was much easier than expected; all it took were some not so appropriate thoughts and many, many curse words directed at him and his mate, and he was ready to pounce.

Of course, I hadn't expected Ness to step in like she did. But when she wrapped herself around me tightly, whispering in her perfect voice, her warm breath blowing against my ear, I couldn't help but calm down. I couldn't help but do exactly what she asked.

This time, however, I wouldn't be easily persuaded. And my actions might lead to every possible opportunity being ripped away from Ness and me, but at this point I don't have it in me to care.

Smirking, I maneuver my arms around Nessie and scoop her into my chest, holding her bridal style.

Renesmee, who had nearly fallen asleep against my chest, snuggles deeper into me, breathing in my cologne in one long, gentle inhale, and I feel chills racing up and down my skin.