Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Bodyguard

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 07:

Bella POV

Shit. Everybody was still staring. One woman in the front row crossed herself. Donna squeezed my hand tighter. Ty put a hand on my shoulder.

“Hi everybody.” Donna said with a smile. No one smiled back.

“Ty is back for a visit. And this is his fiancée. Bella. They getting married in a month. Can you believe it?” Donna tried with a smile.

Stares turned to frowns. A couple of teenage black girls at the front had looks of outrage on their faces. One old guy at the front actually nudged his old friend next to him and winked.

Nothing was sai…

“Welcome Donna and Ty! And welcome to our new sister. Everybody say hi and get to know them. Come on now. Don’t be shy.”

A man around my height walked forward. He had close cut grey hair, a completely black suit and a large very white smile. Reminded me I needed to set up appointments for me and Ty for the dentist when I get back to Tempe. If I ever get back.

At his words at least the hushed conversation returned.

“Bella this is Brother Richard Webb. Brother Webb this is my soon to be daughter in law Bella.” Donna said by way of introduction. It occurred to me how brave she had to be to bring me here.

“Bella it is a pleasure to meet you.” Brother Webb smiled at me.

“Same here.” I smiled in return.

“So when is the wedding?” He asked Ty, shaking his hand.

“Four weeks Reverend.” Donna answered.

“It is?” Ty asked. I guess I never really got around to telling him.

“Yep.” Donna said, turning and glaring at Ty.

“Cool. Four weeks brother.”

“Outstanding. So we will be having it here?”

“Of course Brother.” Donna answered.

“Well I didn’t know with the two of you living in Tempe if you would want your pastor there to officiate Ty. I understand the two of you are members of… Second Baptist, right Donna?”

“Right you are Brother.”

“You know I kind of foolishly pride myself on knowing all the Southern Baptist Churches in the Southwest. I go to a lot of conferences and such. I never heard of Second Baptist Ty.”

Yeah Ty.

“Uh, they kind of small Brother. Probably don’t have the money to be travelin to conferences and such. You know how it is. Recession and all.”

“I see. That was Pastor Jefferson right Donna?”

“Right Brother. Tell Brother Webb all about your pastor Ty.” Donna smiled at Ty. Ty was beginning to sweat.

“Pastor Jefferson? Yeah, he’s a good lookin guy. Short. Kind of fiery. Bout fifty years old or so. Bald on top. Uh…”

“What’s his first name Ty?” Webb asked.

“Uh… George?”

“I see. George Jefferson.” Brother Webb was looking at Ty suspiciously now.

“Yes sir…?”

“Uh huh. Maybe I should call Pastor Jefferson and invite him down?”

“Oh no! You don’t want to do that. The church caught fire last month you see. Anyway they been havin service at movie theaters and such. But they are gonna change the name. Second Baptist was just… I mean if you ain’t first you last right?”

Oh dear God Ty quoted Ricky Bobby in Church.

“I see. So what name did Reverend Jefferson decide on Tyrone?”

“I think… uh… he was gonna put it to a vote. I’ll probably find out when I get back.” Ty was nodding his head as if agreeing with something. Donna was holding her breath, rather to not laugh or cry I’m not sure.

“Well… that does sound wonderful. Of course we can talk after the service about the details but the Church is always open. Bella are you saved child?”

Donna damn near crushed my hand. Could I do this? Could I not only lie in Church but lie to a man of God?

“Yes sir. I am. Definitely sir. No doubt.”

I suppose I could. Donna’s grip lessened.

“Excellent. Then let’s start the service. We can talk more afterward. Don’t worry bout the crowd Bella. They will warm up to you. We just don’t get too many newcomers here.”

“Thank you Brother.” Donna practically dragged me to a seat in the middle of the pews. I sat between Ty and Donna, ignoring the few hostile glares I got from teenager girls as I sat.

Once the service started I was forgotten. Except for an old man who caught my eye and winked at me and then motioned with his hands for me to call him. His wife must have caught him because he had a quick look of pain and turned back to the front. I have to admit the service wasn’t bad. The singing was amazing. The choir sounded really beautiful. Reverend Webb despite his short stature had a powerful voice.

Everything was going great until…

“I have a treat for everyone today. Most everyone in this church has grown up in this church. We know each other. We have watched children and grandchildren grow together and come to know the Lord.”

A chorus of Amen’s arose. For once Donna didn’t say Amen. She grabbed my hand again.

“But today the Lord has blessed us. He has brought new blood into our congregation!”

Not so many Amen’s. A few looks my direction.

“Sister Bella will be marrying Ty in this church in four weeks. Four weeks. I can hardly believe it. I remember when Ty was two years old and only 5’10.”

A few laughs. No Amens. What happened to the Amen’s?

“Before the service I spoke to Bella and was delighted to find that she has accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Can I get an Amen?”

No Amen’s.

“Sister Bella? Would you come up here and testify? Give us your testimony child. Come on up here!”

“Oh God no.” I whispered. I looked at Donna who was just staring ahead and trying to break my hand.

“This shit ain’t good.” Ty whispered.

“Come on Bella. My pulpit is yours.”

“Uh… I’m not really good at public speaking…” I tried.

“Relax. We are family. You are the newest member. This is a safe place child. Come on up here.”

“Donna?” I whispered.

“Go on child.” She whispered back a fake smile planted back on her face.

I slowly stood. The twenty foot walk to the front was the longest in my life. Right now I believed I truly would have traded this moment for the one back in the ballet studio.

I turned around and looked straight at Ty. He was sweating. He didn’t look confidant.

I was pregnant. They couldn’t hurt me.

Oh shit. I couldn’t say I was pregnant.

Everyone was looking at me.

“Tell us Bella were you raised in the Church?” Brother Webb asked me, I suppose to prompt me into speaking.

“Uh… no?”

A few gasps. Couple of satisfied nods from some older women.

“How did you find Christ child?”

I looked at Ty who shrugged his shoulders. Fuck it. It didn’t look like he was going to grab me and run. May as well make the best of it.

“Actually I led a life of sin until two years ago Brother.” I told him, head down.

I heard a few told you so comments in the audience.

“I had never been in a Church. When I went to college I became involved in all sorts of evil. Drinking…”

Smoking pot

“cursing…”

Stole a couple of cop cars and a horse statue.

“sex out of wedlock…”

In public places.

“lewd dancing…”

With both sexes occasionally in various states of undress.

“And overall immoral behavior.”

I liked to have fun. Sue me. You live through a close encounter with a sadistic vampire and then date Edward Cullen. You would need fun too.

Okay I did incite a mob once. It was for a good cause. Those chickens had been through a lot and deserved a chance at freedom. I’m no vegan but this was a special case.

“I see. And what lead you to the light child?” Brother Webb asked me.

“One night as I was starting my junior year I was sitting in my room…”

With a dork. Okay Ty is right, he was a dork. But it had been a lonely summer in Florida and I needed to get laid. He was easy and he didn’t look like Jake or Edward. He qualified.

“Go on child.”

“I guess you could say the spirit blew right into my room.” In a black jock strap.

“The spirit of the Lord took you child! Amen.”

“Brother the Spirit lifted me to my feet and took me. Took me over and over again. I saw the light.”

“Like Paul on the road to Damascus!”

“Okay.” Who? When the hell was Paul… oh different Paul.

“What happened next sister?” Brother Webb was getting a bit excited.

“I definitely saw the light Brother. Over and over again. For weeks afterward I felt the power in me every time I turned around.

“You felt the Lord inside you!”

“Something was.” I agreed. “I’ve been feeling it every day since then.” Multiple times a day often.

“Praise Jesus!”

“I agree!” I shouted. I was kind of getting into the mood. I even thought I heard a few Amens and one hallelujah. I looked at Donna who was smiling. This was good. Ty had his fist in front of his mouth and his eyes closed. Asshole.

Brother Webb motioned to the choir so I took the chance and walked/ran back between Donna and Ty. People started standing and clapping so I stood slowly making sure I stayed between Ty and Donna. As long as I was between them I would be fine.

Thirty minutes later the ordeal was over. I saw a few nods from some of the older women. A few appraising glares from younger women and smiles at Ty. Bitches. Finally the Church emptied out after another hour or so and we were left alone. Brother Webb approached us.

“Donna I can’t thank you enough for bringing Bella today.”

“Oh you are definitely welcome Brother. It was an experience for all of us.” Donna agreed.

“Fucked up is what it was.” Ty whispered in my ear. He would pay for that.

“Sister before we talk about the wedding, if it is okay with Bella, I would like to speak to her one on one. Kind of a get to know you session.”

“Oh I don’t think…” Donna started.

“Excellent. Come with me to my office Bella. We will be just a moment Donna. You and Ty have a seat.”

I followed the good Reverend to the back into a very small sparse office. There were a few pictures on the wall. One caught my eye. Two teenage boys and a lovely woman smiling at the camera as if they didn’t have a care in the world. He must have followed my eyes.

“Those are my boys and wife. My boys are in the service. One is at Fort Bragg and the other is in Baghdad.”

“And your wife?”

He sighed. “The Lord called her home two years ago. Breast cancer.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” I told him honestly.

“The Lord has a plan for all of us. She raised two fine men. She gave me many years of love. I am grateful to the Lord for that.” He pulled a flask out of his desk drawer.

“Want a drink? You deserve it after what you went through.”

God yes I wanted a drink.

“No thank you, I don’t drink.”

He winked at me.

“Me either. Its root beer. Just wanted to find out if you were pregnant.”

Had I taken a drink it would have been spit out at that moment.

“So I know your Pastor in Tempe after all. I hear he is movin on up to the East side. Finally got his piece of the pie.”

“Yep. I heard the same thing.” I said not meeting his eyes.

“So that was a moving testimony you gave.” He smiled at me at least.

“Thank you.”

“Ty just burst in your room huh? Sounds like something that boy would do. He was always impulsive. Kicked the boy you had in there with you out didn’t he?”

I could feel the flames on my cheeks. I hope they were just a blush and not the flames of hell.

“Yes sir.” I said quietly.

“Bella relax girl. I know how Ty is. Its fine child. I just want us to start off on a platform of honesty. These people here are gonna come around. They gonna love you cause Donna does. I could tell that by the way she hovered over you like a mama bear over her cub. So why don’t you tell me the truth. You been saved?”

“This is the first time in my life I have entered a Church.”

He wanted honesty.

“I see.”

He started laughing. He kept laughing. I guess it broke the tension because I was laughing too.

When we both stopped I wiped the tears from my eyes.

“Well then we got some work to do I hope. I realize you and Ty and probably Donna and Jeff are going to be moving out of this neighborhood. But I hope the two of you will always consider this your home. Even if you ain’t saved that’s all right. I’m powerful good at persuasion. Either way it would be an honor to marry you and Ty.”

“Thank you.” I whispered, very relieved.

“Plus I think the two of us have something in common. Now ain’t the time. I’ve been invited over to the Bentley’s for lunch but I would love to know about the vampire scar on your wrist.”

“Oh of… wait what?”

He did not just say that. I met his eyes to see him pull back the collar from his neck. Holy shit.

He had a bite mark on his lower neck on the right side. It was larger than mine slightly.

“Yours is cold all the time right? What do you tell people? I go with the dog bite. How about you?”

“I’m uh… kind of sensitive about dog bites too. I just don’t talk about it.” I told him.

“I see… does Ty know?”

“Yeah. I just told him… how the hell?”

“In time Bella. No hurry. I hope we will be friends for years to come. I also hope that you come to see me as someone you can talk to if you ever need to get things off your chest. I am glad you have Ty but sometimes… it’s a horrific experience. Seemed like it bein drawn out was worse than it goin in. Sometimes it’s good to talk to someone who has been through it. Shall we call Donna and Ty in now? We need to get you two married.”

He stood to go to the door. In my shock something very important occurred to me. I didn’t know why. I just wanted him to know.

“Brother Webb?”

“Yes Bella?”

“He asked me to marry him before he knew I was pregnant.”

He chuckled a little and winked at me.

“Kid you ain’t got to tell me that. I know this ain’t a shotgun wedding. Any fool can see he is completely in love with you. But thank you for the information. I’ll be right back.”

Ty POV

What a fuckin day. Woman done gone and testified before God. Found out I was getting hitched in four weeks before the semester started. Came home and started grillin in our small ass backyard and the smell drew motherfuckers from houses around. Now I got ten people I didn’t invite sittin in my livin room, half of them old ass bastards tryin to hook up with my Shortie.

“That food almost done balla?”

And then there was Jeff. Motherfucker was smiling when we got home. Walkin around with his shirt off. Bella apologized to him for me leavin him holdin astronaut last night. Then he said it.

“Wasn’t no big thing Bella. Got to know your Momma real good. Did you know her and Phil had an open marriage? I didn’t even know what it was till she explained it to me. I swear only white folk can come up with that crazy shit.”

“What… what are you talkin about Jeff?” Bella asked him.

“Just sayin I got to know her. She told me all about Yoga and Pilates. You know about that Ty? Ya’ll do that at ASU? It makes you real flexible and firm.”

“Nah man. We lift weights and run. Why the hell you talkin to my Mom in law bout flexibility and shit?”

“It just came up. No thang. That woman is something else. Little astronaut fell asleep around 4 and we had time. Neither one of us felt like sleepin. She was all worked up from the exorcism she had to perform. I mean she got into it. Chest risen and fallin all night. Worked up a little sweat. Looked good on her.”

“Jeff please tell me you didn’t.” Bella begged. “You’re 16 years old.”

“Am I? I lost count. Math ain’t really my thing. I told her I was 18 when she asked. I should probably correct that notion one day huh?”

Nah. He’s full of shit. No fuckin way…

“You got that cute pink birthmark on your hip still Bells? The one that matches your Momma. She thought that was so cool that ya’ll had matchin birth marks when you was growin up.”

“How did you know that?!” Bella screamed in a whisper.

“I told you Bells, we got to know each other. Damn those ribs smell good brother. Hurry up with that grill. I got a powerful hunger. Feel like I been workin out all night. Course you know how that is.” He said winking at me and lookin at Bella.

I talked to Phil a bit later and only found out he was sleepin all night. He takes some sort of herbal tea Renee makes for him and says it gives him eight solid hours a night. Hard to wake him up.

Bella asked Renee about last night and she only said it was an eye opening experience. When Bella asked her if she was talkin bout whatever she did to little astronaut, she only smiled and walked away. Her, Jeff and Phil were whispering to each other all day and smiling.

No way.

Astronaut seemed to have recovered that spacey look he has all the time. Course he asked Bella twice for Kool Aid and she promptly picked him up and left the room before Renee could hear.

After dinner I shoed all the free loaders out. Thought I could enjoy an afternoon of quiet. Watch a little ESPN. Maybe sneak my shortie in the bathroom.

Till the doorbell rang. Bella checked the window and cursed.

This can’t be good.

“Who is it Doll?”

“Channel 6 News.” She told me. Momma just said oh shit.

“What the hell is the problem?” I asked the two women in my life.

“Ty remember what we talked about? With your interviews? You can’t say the first thing that comes to your mind. You are going to be the face of the city. They are looking for you to say something that makes you sound like an idiot. Vague general answers remember?”

Yeah. Shit. Bella and I had talked about this many times. I didn’t want to change who I was just because I was famous. She agreed and then asked if I ever heard Lebron James or Michael Jordan talk about dead presidents, sneezies and other idiosyncrasies I may have picked up off the street. I may have gotten a little gully in one interview at ASU and Momma called and told me I better start speakin the English I learned in her house and not the one on the streets. She said if I’m going to be a role model to millions of kids I better start speakin like one and not a thug.

“Oh can I talk to them?!” Renee asked.

“No!” Momma, me and Bella shouted at the same time. Momma was by the window with Bella now.

“Look I got this. No worries.”

I moved toward the door and Bells stopped me.

“What do we not talk about?” she asked.

“Sex.”

“What else?”

“Any sorts of illicit behavior we may have gotten up to.”

“And?”

“Jackin motherfuckas who disrespect me.”

“Okay. Go get them baby. I’m staying inside. You got this.”

“Why you stayin inside? I want you by my side woman.” I needed her with me. She calmed me.

“I’m the agent and the fiancée. I handle the background. You handle the front. You were born for this baby. I have faith in you.” She stood on her toes and gave me a quick kiss and then stood back. I guess it was showtime.

I walked outside and the lights damn near blinded me even though it was still daytime.

Some cute Mexican chick walked up lookin all smart in her red vest top and long red skirt.

“Tyrone Gavin, a pleasure to meet you. I am Jennifer Sauseda, Channel 6 News.”

“Pleasure ma’am.”

“We found out from the mayor that you were visiting your mother for the Holidays and were wondering if we could have an interview with you?”

I looked around and saw the sound mics were already hung, lighting bein adjusted and the camera guy was already filmin.

“Yes. That would be fine.”

“Thank you so much. Tom start rolling.”

Tom was already rolling bitch. She stood beside me, planted a big ass smile on her face and placed a mic between us.

“Good evening. Jennifer Sauseda for Channel 6 News Live, outside the residence of hometown hero Tyrone Gavin. Tyrone thank you for agreeing to this interview.”

“Of course Jennifer.”

Ambushed my ass. Live? That’s fucked up. This bitch could fake jacks with the best of them.

“Ty you have stayed in college two years longer than required by the NBA to enter the draft. Is there a reason for this?

Cause my woman needed her education to represent me and I can’t live without that pussy. Without her period. Like holdin air to long underwater. Uncomfortable at first then just fuckin hurts.

“I believe education is very important. When I entered college I had two goals. One was to play whatever part I could in the success of my team so that we could succeed at the highest level. The second was to graduate college. I believe that education is the key to solving the issues our community faces in regard to gang violence and drug abuse especially among youth. It would be difficult for me to preach education to our children if I didn’t follow through with it myself.”

Yeah. Bitch must have been shell shocked for a moment. Just stood there with her mouth hangin. Better recognize who you are fuckin with. I’m gonna drop science on your ass ho.

“Ty, the Houston Rockets have the first pick in this year’s draft. Are you expecting to be that pick and have you had any contact with the organization?”

Bitch please. Of course they gonna pick me. If they don’t that organization may as well take a nine, put it in its mouth and pull the fuckin trigger. Shut the doors at Toyota Center and turn that fucker into a giant Dollar store. All it’s gonna be worth.

“I don’t believe the NBA teams are allowed to contact potential draftees until the first week of February. As far as my standing in the draft, it has always been my dream to play in the NBA and God has blessed me with the ability to have a chance at that. Should Houston choose me with the number one pick it would of course be a huge honor and the fulfillment of a dream. I can only promise that should a team choose me they will get one hundred percent effort on every play. I leave the rest in God’s hands.”

And Bella. Cause she gonna stomp some fuckin nut sacks to get me mine.

“Could you tell us what agent will be representing you in the upcoming contract negotiations you will be facing? There have been strange rumors in regard to this.”

My woman is. She gonna come out here and stomp your face in the pavement you don’t get rid of that condescending tone.

“My representation is a private matter at this time and I don’t feel comfortable talking about any contract negotiations that may or may not be ongoing. I am just a college student trying to get past my last semester and graduate.”

Yep. That’s what Bella said. After contracts are signed then we talk. Before then we keep shit on the low. Play it mysterious and she burst on the public scene after everything is done. Nobody can say shit then.

“The Mayor mentioned that the two of you spoke yesterday and had a wonderful visit. Could you tell us the details of that conversation?”

I gonna kill that motherfucka. We talked about his crazy ass cops he got workin for him. Blowin their head’s off an shit. Why don’t you check that story? Crazy ass cop sexually molests my woman, gets suspended and blows his fuckin head off. Investigative reportin my ass. Mayor wants to play games? We gonna play. I always fuckin win. He gonna learn that.

“Yes, he wanted to know my thoughts on the great city I grew up in. I expressed my concern quite frankly over some policies that were in place. Specifically the 2.8 million taxpayer dollars earmarked to the proposed Toll road that would cut between Hardy and 610. My concern is that half this budgeted money was gathered by cuts to our educational systems. Certain programs and teachers jobs were cut in all our inner city schools. I believe it is actions like these that force Houston residents to move to the surrounding areas rather than live in this great city and further diminish the tax base. While I can certainly understand the Mayor’s desire to ease traffic, I have to wonder what effect it will truly have on driver safety when we have drivers who can’t read traffic signs. I have no doubt the Mayor is doing this in the best interest of the city and for no other reason despite whatever rumors have been reported by your station and others about possible illicit business dealings with local construction companies, and he assured me he would look into this funding issue. I reminded him that when the Hardy Toll road was built residents were told that a toll would be in place five years to pay for the road itself and then it would be opened to all. That five year period ended seven years ago and no plan is in place to end the tolls. They have actually increased in cost and according to public record the funds have been placed in the City’s general improvement fund. I simply suggested that the money from one toll road pay for another rather than harming our children’s educational opportunities. All in all it was a great meeting and I thanked the Mayor for taking the time to listen to the concerns of a citizen and have all the faith in the world that he will make the right decisions in regard to the toll road project.”

Yeah. Bitch is really speechless now. Dumb thug ain’t so dumb is he? Bring it bitch. What you got next?

Her cameraman cleared his throat and that seemed to snap her out of her daze.

“One final question Ty. Before you return to Arizona will you be visiting your father? He in incarcerated in the Walls Unit correct?”

That fucking bitch. I could feel my anger boiling. This was not good. I’m gonna cuss this whore out on live TV. I couldn’t help it. She went to the one fuckin place…

I took a breath and this feeling of calmness swept over me. My heart rate slowed down. It was okay. I was okay.

“Yes I will. My father made a mistake many years ago and was involved in a crime that tragically cost a good man his life. As a result he has been incarcerated for most of my life. I do however try to visit him as often as possible. Family is very important to me. It would be easy for me to ignore him and pretend he doesn’t exist but that is not who I am. Speaking of family I really need to get back to mine. My mother is preparing dinner. I would never hear the end of it if I was late.”

Bitch looked shocked. Guess she didn’t get what she wanted.

“Uh… thank you for your time Ty.”

“No problem Jennifer. It was a pleasure to meet you and God willing we will have many more interviews in the years to come.”

I gave a big smile to the camera, turned and walked back to the house before the bitch could think of anything else to say.

Opening the door I saw Momma still by the now open window next to Bella. She turned to me and I saw tears in her eyes. Bella just stared at me.

“How did I do?”

Bella grabbed my hand and began pulling me to the bedroom.

“Where we goin darlin?”

“Ty I really need to think right now. Think hard.”

Guess I did all right.

Bella POV

I never did get to think as much as I wanted to. I licked every inch of that man but he couldn’t stay quiet and these walls were too damn thin. He returned the favor though. I let him go an hour later when I heard Donna moving around the kitchen. Who else could it be?

Walking in I saw she was at the stove heating it up.

“You get your thinkin done?”

“Not as much as I would like.” I told her honestly.

“Thank God for that. Ty snuck a girl in his room one time when he thought I wasn’t home. I imagine you invest in earplugs don’t ya girl?”

I laughed a little. “No. I love him just as he is.”

“I know you do. You did good with that interview.”

“I didn’t do an interview.” I told her.

“I know. But Ty told me you have been working with him. Watchin other NBA players interviews and pickin up what they said and how they acted. Comparin the ones with big endorsement deals and the ones who nobody in their right mind would put on TV. Ty told me once that you said he can’t make any serious change in the world if nobody takes him seriously. You did good.”

“Thanks, but that was all him. I had no idea he had that in him. I’m so proud of him.”

“Me too. I got all my brothers and sisters callin me talkin about it. Everybody goin crazy. Especially how he went after the Mayor without goin after the Mayor.”

“Ty is a smart guy.” I agreed. It was so damn hot listening to him my panties were soaked. “What are you cooking?”

“Fried Chicken. You know how to make that?”

“Uh… I made it for Ty once. He didn’t like it so I never tried again.”

“He told you he didn’t like it?” she asked surprised.

“No he told me he loved it over and over again. That’s how I know Ty doesn’t like something. When he really loves something I cook he never stops eating long enough to say anything.”

Donna laughed quietly. “You do know my boy. Ty was raised on my fried chicken. I use certain spices that make it so damn good you want to lick the bone.”

“Yeah I can’t really compete with that.” I admitted.

“You don’t have to. He will always be my baby but he is yours now. Step on up to this stove. I’m gonna show you how this is done. You can’t tell anyone though. Family secret. Only me and now you gonna know. You got my Momma’s ring, you gonna learn her secrets too. Got it?”

I don’t know why but I felt like crying at that moment.

“Yeah. I got it. Our secret.”

Dinner went great. Everybody sat around the table and laughed. Donna even talked to Renee and made fun of wheat grass. Renee took it in good humor and even tried a piece of fried chicken, reasoning that since the chicken was already dead it wouldn’t matter.

Everything was great the rest of the night. They replayed Ty’s interview at ten. Everyone slowly moved to their rooms. I made sure Jeff moved to his. Ty was right. No way.

Right?

Jeff was just fucking with us to get us back for leaving Siris with him. That’s all. Ty went to take a shower and I took the opportunity to get some things straight.

Walking out into the backyard I noticed it was very cool. Supposedly winter weather was coming. In Texas that meant it would be below 50 degrees.

“We need to talk.” I said into the nothingness.

“I appreciate your help on that last question Ty had to handle. I know it was you. That subject always gets him worked up. No way he recovered that fast. I almost ran outside when she asked it. But killing that cop was taking it a little far.”

Nothing. Not a sound. I knew though. He could hear me.

“Cops like that don’t feel regret. Not right away at least. Guys like that don’t kill themselves. They love themselves and only themselves too much to do that. I can handle things like that. I don’t need you killing people who hurt me.”

Nothing. Fine. I came out here to say one thing so I would say it.

“I don’t belong to you. It’s not your place.”

I heard the grass move slightly behind me. I turned and there he was rushing out of my past with the same unkept hair and wicked grin.

“You’re right Bella. I think it is time we have a talk.”