Bring him home Chapter 36

BPOV

Yesterday had been an entertaining day in the end. We sat and watched as Claire and Jamie rode their way through the Scottish countryside, ate constantly all afternoon and finally both relaxed enough to actually giggle our way through a movie I put on later. It was lovely to hear, his relaxed chuckle, as he seemed to forget the burden on his shoulders and just be Edward.

It was finally time to call it a night, he had been on my couch for nine hours and I needed to get things ready for work tomorrow. He had also said he was going with Carlisle tomorrow to see the Dean at the University again to hear what was going to happen with his Degree.

"Ok you it's time for you to go home, I need to get ready for work tomorrow and you need to get ready to see the Dean" I said as I stood up and let the blood back into my legs, I don't think I've ever sat in one place for so long. As I was busy taking all the rubbish into the kitchen and picking up the dishes I realised we had actually talked for most of the afternoon and evening, nothing startling or news worthy, just a constant conversation.

First it had been about the box set and what was happening, then about me, my childhood, my college years and again all about my favourite things. I teased him that we had already had this conversation and he had the grace to look embarrassed as he explained that he had been so wound up the few times he'd been in my presence he hadn't taken a lot of it in.

"Well it's a good job I like you then isn't it? I don't mind repeating myself and I'm not offended in the slightest you took absolutely no notice of what I was telling you the first time around"

As soon as I said it I wondered if I'd gone too far but I looked at his face and thankfully the smile was there firmly in place.

"So you like me do you Miss Swan?"

"Maybe why, does that cause you a problem?"

"No, no problem, I'm just a little stunned that's all. It's been a long time since I've even thought about ‘liking someone, never mind anything else"

"Well I can assure you Edward, no matter how long it's been for you, it's a hell of a lot longer for me, so please don't worry about it".

Instinctively I leant forward and kissed him on the lips, just a quick peck, I did it without even thinking about it and before I could stop myself. The colour rushed into my face as I realised what I'd done and I just stood and waited for him to react. It took him a few seconds then I watched as his fingers came up and touched his lips, it was as if he was trying to feel the kiss I'd put there, but when he realised he couldn't he did something quite strange, he kissed his fingers and then placed them on my lips. A kiss without him actually touching me with his lips, I think I would have preferred the lips but it was very sweet.

"I'm going now Bella, thank you for a lovely day, it's been the best I've had in all the time I can remember"

With that he collected up his shoes and Jacket and after putting them on I followed him to the door.

"Make sure you lock up ok, I'll listen for the lock then I'll go".

He smiled as I closed the door in his face and I couldn't help but watch through the peep hole as he checked my door to make sure it was locked. I expected him to leave then but he didn't, he kissed his fingers again and placed them on the door just below the peephole. As I was squashed up against the door watching him, his fingers landed almost perfectly in line with my lips and I could swear I felt the pressure as the kiss landed on them.

I was in and ready to go the next morning at the office, for some reason I felt almost re energised and it obviously showed because Rosalie took one look at me and screamed,

"Oh fuck boss! You got laid last night didn't you?"

The volume and nature of the question caused the main office to come to a standstill as everyone tuned to look at me.

"Rosalie really" was all I managed to get out before Judy came marching into the office holding a huge package.

"Boss this just got delivered, it has strict instructions that it is to be opened by you and only you" she said as she placed it down on the big design desk in the centre of the office.

Whatever it was it was a weird shape, a big square shape but only about 15cm deep.

As I started to walk away, to get away from any more of Rosalie's questions mainly, Alice called me back

"Do you want me to call Jasper and see if you should open it?" she asked in all seriousness.

"Why on earth would I need Jasper to open a parcel, it's probably just some promotional material from a supplier or some samples from a client, ladies we get deliveries everyday why should we treat this one any different?"

"Because Boss this was delivered by a courier I didn't know and one who didn't need me to sign to say I'd received it, and also because of the instructions about you opening it, he was most insistent about it" Judy said as she took her trusty letter opener out of her pocket.

Before I could even go back at either of them Judy nodded at Alice and between them they started to pull the brown paper wrapping from the parcel. In a few seconds it was obvious that the parcel contained one of those huge boxes of cheap chocolates that people who think quantity is better than quality buy. It wasn't a named brand, and the box and graphics were cheap and flimsy.

"Oh shit! I hope this isn't a new client because believe me there is nothing you could do to get me to buy these" Kate said as she went to open the box.

"Just a minute, aren't all foods supposed to be wrapped and sealed before they go on sale?" Rosalie asked and I noticed what she was getting at, the clear wrapper had been removed from the box.

"Maybe it's come straight from the manufacturer, that would explain the strange courier and the lack of wrapping" Irina said as he leant in and reached for the lid.

"Judy was there no note or paperwork?" I asked knowing really that had there been any she would have said. In response she just looked at me and sighed.

Before I could apologise I heard Rosalie gasp and utter "Shit".

Turning back to the table I could see what Rosalie and the others could see, half the chocolates were missing, some actually had bite marks in them and the rest had been rummaged through, but what caught my eye was that the tray wasn't lying straight and I could see what looked like paper was sticking up at intervals around the box.

"Grab the tray and help me lift it out" I said and Irina reached for her end of the box, we lifted the cheap flimsy tray as best we could and placed it on the desk in the lid of the chocolate box. Turning my attention back all I could make out where lots of newspaper cuttings, photocopies of cuttings and what looked like copies of photographs.

"Don't touch anything I'm going to call Jasper" Alice said as she reached for her phone.

I could hear her talking to him, explaining what had happened, but I wasn't really listening, all I could see was the clipping on the top of the pile. There was no doubt who was in the picture I would have recognised him anywhere, a younger Edward being led away in handcuffs by two policemen and the headline declared

 PROMINENT LOCAL BUSINESSMAN'S SON ARRESTED FOR THE ASSULT AND RAPE OF AN UNDISCLOSED NUMBER OF FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS.

I reached into the box to see what else was in there and found different newspaper clippings of the same incident, some were more scandalous than others but all had the same ‘facts'. Edward had been arrested after several female college students had come forward together and accused him of assault and rape. I tried to keep my mind focused as I scanned everything to see if there was anything else in the box, something to tell me who had sent it at least. I picked up one of the photographs to look at I realised I was looking at a car that had obviously been in totalled in a wreck, I couldn't work out what it had to do with the rest of the clippings until I turned it over and saw a newspaper clipping glued onto the back.

HORRENDOUS DAY FOR PROMINENT LOCAL BUSINESSMAN AS WIFE IS KILLED RUSHING TO BAIL OUT ALLEGED RAPIST SON.

I dropped the clipping and rushed to the bathroom as my breakfast and coffee came back up at an incredible speed. I needed a minute to think and get my head together, there were so many thoughts and images floating around I felt dizzy.

"Bella are you ok?" Rosalie said as she slipped into the bathroom beside me.

"Before you say anything, let me just say something you already know. Carlisle has already told us that Edward had no charges to answer, it all went away a long time ago and before you even think it, Carlisle is not powerful enough to make multiple rape charges disappear"

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

As ever thanks to AJG and Edlovesme for their patience and a special thank you to Ladyletters for helping me finish this story.