BPOV
Awakening in the cold, damp warehouse, I kept my body still and my eyes closed despite the panic racing through my veins. My head was swimming, colors and shapes shifting against the dark side of my eyelids. I remembered being prodded awake long enough for someone to call Edward, but nothing else. I used my other senses, listening to the movements around me. Several pairs of shoes moved, echoing on the concrete. One within arm's length, the others farther away. I had a vicious headache, throbbing behind my eyes with its own pulse. My jaw ached like a son of a bitch, and my lips were split and coated with dried blood. The taste left in my mouth was overly sweet and sugary. I ran my tongue around my mouth, trying to wet the sticky interior. It was useless, so I focused on what I could smell. Mildew, which matched the sound of dripping water; someone's cologne, and leather. Not terribly helpful.
I squinted, keeping my head dropped over my chest so my hair would hide my face. My eyes ached, so I blinked several times. I couldn't quite focus, but there was a figure a few feet in front of me. Was it Jacob? I thought so, but I couldn't quite tell. I breathed quietly and slowly, trying to force my eyes to focus. My hands were bound in front of me, and I found that with some maneuvering I was able to loosen the rope. I just needed a little bit of wiggle room to reach my thigh holster. I didn't get the chance to try before I felt a hand on my hair. First a caress, then a jerk of the strands until I was face to face with Jacob Black.
"Awake yet, principessa? You have any idea how much trouble you caused me? All you had to do was come with me, but no, you had to fight me. You were supposed to trust me with your life, and you didn't."
"Obviously I was right, you idiot," I replied. My voice was not my own, sounding thick and slurred to my ears.
"This idiot is going to be your husband soon," he sneered. "As soon as your imbecile drops the papers signing his company over to Aro and they make you a widow, you'll be my prize. Maybe you should show some respect to your new spouse!"
I spat, hoping it landed on him. "I'd rather die."
"Not going to happen. Come on, we have to move you." He leaned down and untied my ankles; as soon as my legs were free I brought my knee up hard into his nose. He screamed, blood pouring from his face as he stumbled backwards and bent at the waist, gasping.
I had to unbutton my pants to get my hands in them, but I stepped back behind the chair before leaving myself so vulnerable. I heard footsteps followed by gunfire, so I hastily grabbed my Sig out of its thigh holster and re-buttoned my pants. I backed up to the nearest wall to give myself a modicum of coverage, though my finger itched to squeeze the trigger and put a bullet in Jacob Black's face. I had no way of knowing how many other men were in the warehouse at this very moment, so I had to be careful.
The footsteps stopped, making the only sound left the sobbing of the bleeding pansy on the floor. I held my breath, listening, prepared to fight.
"You are the dumbest cunt, goddamn it! You broke my fucking nose, you whore!" he screamed at me, oblivious to whatever was going on in the main part of the warehouse.
"The only cunt here is your traitorous ass, Jacob Black." The voice was cold with deadly fury, and I'd never been happier to hear it.
"Edward!" I cried from where I was poised to fight whomever was coming. I hoped it wouldn't be him I was forced to face off against.
"Isabella," he answered in a hard, controlled voice that made me shiver. "Are you injured?"
I nodded vigorously, swiping at the tears that sprung free and ran in rivulets down my face. His voice was so unfriendly. "Clearly you're only here to recover your property, so I hate to tell you it's been damaged," I responded.
There wasn't enough light to decipher the look that flitted across his face before the mask resettled in place. "The aforementioned property is still in peril and needs to be relocated. Can you walk unassisted?"
My chin came up. "I can." I left the safety of the wall, moving to the direction of the men flanking my husband.
"Somebody take out the trash my wife has so kindly disposed of." He flicked a dismissive hand at Jacob, and I knew that meant for the men to bundle him up and take him to the Benbrook warehouse for questioning, which of course meant torture. I normally would want to be in on it, but at this moment I just wanted everything to rewind by seventy-two hours. I needed to take responsibility for my actions, I knew, but I wanted nothing more than a hot bath and a much less angry Edward.
"Let's go," he growled.
I trailed behind him, suddenly feeling quite nauseated and sluggish. Emmett took hold of my elbow and led me along, but I had to stop and shrug him off as we stepped outside.
Leaning over and holding the wall for support, I vomited what little remained in my stomach. I heaved, the sickly sweet taste of the chloroform coating my mouth and my throat. My head swam, and I lost my balance. Just before my face hit the pavement, strong arms gathered me up and held me tight against a muscled chest.
"I'm fine, Em. Let me down," I mumbled feebly, my eyes screwed tightly shut.
"Have you so easily forgotten the feel of your husband's arms, Isabella?" Edward's barely controlled fury startled me, and my eyes popped open. His gaze was averted from my face as he walked with me down the street in the hazy light from the morning sun.
Instead of answering him, I clutched the heavy leather of his jacket and burrowed my nose into his scent. It might be the last time I was able to be this close to him.
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