Caught in the Flames

Chapter One Hundred Nineteen

As always, none of this is mine. I'm just the perv who want to make our beloved Twilight characters swear, drink, and go at it like horny rabbits. This story will be a combination of love, suspense, some violence and steamy, sweaty sex.

Chapter 119

EPOV

My dad came with me to Bella's brownstone while I picked up our clothes. He said he wanted to see Bella's place ... our place ... but, I think that he wanted to make sure that I didn't lose my shit. I had been walking a fine line of anger, sadness and frustration since I stepped into my condo. Rage was close to the surface, too. The fact that James was behind all of this, it made me sick and I wanted nothing more than to pound him into the next century. The man was a monster, preying on my sweet fiancée. I didn't want her to feel any more pain.

All she's felt since her relationship with James was pain and he was still causing her this unnecessary anguish. I was not happy in the slightest. Couple that with the loss of my condo? I was one angry motherfucker.

"Edward, it's okay to be pissed off," my dad said, his hand on my shoulder. I shot him a look. You think? "You've lost nearly everything and at the hand of Bella's ex-boyfriend, supposedly."

"What confuses the hell out of me is how they got in?" I grumbled, unlocking the back door to the brownstone and leading my father up to our bedroom. It still smelled like sex and just us. I couldn't find it in my heart to really care. In fact, I was strangely proud. Offering my dad a seat, I picked up my duffle bag from the floor of Bella's closet and stuffed in some boxers, a pair of jeans and a hoodie for me. I found some comfy yoga pants and another one of my hoodies for her, along with something to sleep in for Bella. I walked back into the bedroom, looking at my dad. He was comfortable on the chair opposite of the rumpled bed.

"Why does how they enter confuse you, Edward?" he asked.

"Because my condo is secured. The only way you can get in is if you have a key or the elevator code from the parking garage. From what Garrett told me, the door was locked from the inside. They had to force it open with the battering ram to put out the flames. How did someone get inside? The only people who have the key are you, Alice, Emmett and Bella," I said, walking to the bathroom to pick up our toiletries. I tossed them into my bag and put that into the duffle. "You were at work and Mom was hanging out with Alice. Emmett was at the fire house and Bella was with me. Who got into my condo?"

"That's something you'll need to discuss with the police," Dad said. "Do you have everything?"

"I think so," I replied, slinging the bag over my shoulder. I also picked up Bella's e-reader and my own book before going downstairs, getting into the driver's seat of my Mustang. We drove to my parent's place, parking on the driveway. Mom was waiting for us in the foyer, her eyes troubled. "Is everything okay? Bella?"

"She's sleeping. I gave her an anxiety pill because she got so worked up. She asked for it," Mom murmured, her green eyes shimmering with tears. "This is all so much for her. I know that you lost your condo, but the possibility that her ex-boyfriend and her mother are behind this? It's weighing her down."

"I know, Mom," I sighed, tugging on my hair. "Should I get a bodyguard? Some form of extra protection? This is too close for comfort."

"That's a conversation you need to have with Bella," Mom soothed, rubbing my back. "Now, why don't you go up to your room and lay down with Bella? She was exhausted, but fitful." I nodded, kissing my mom's cheek and going upstairs. Bella was curled around my pillow. Her beautiful face was covered with tear stains and she looked so troubled, even in sleep. I slipped off my clothes and pulled Bella into my arms. She whimpered, but settled quickly against my chest. Her fingers were pressed to my torso and her ear was right above my heart. She sighed, cuddling closer to me. I didn't sleep. I just held her, running my hands through her long, silky hair.