Caught in the Flames

Chapter Eighty-Eight

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.

On with it!

Chapter Eighty-Eight

EPOV

We stayed on the floor of her new office bathroom as she began shaking uncontrollably. I held her tightly until she asked if I could get her anti-anxiety medication from the top right drawer from her desk. I kissed her forehead, leaving her in the bathroom for a few moments. She closed the door, presumably to pull herself together while I grabbed her bottle of Ativan. I sat down at her desk, waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. When she did, I saw her and her struggle to maintain control. Her eyes were wide with fright and she was so pale.

Shooting up, I enfolded her into a hug. She clung to me, her fingers digging into my arms. "Let's get you back to your house, Bella. I don't want you passing out on me," I said.

"Can you drive?" she whispered, her voice shaky.

"Of course, love," I replied, helping her out the back door. Placing her in the car, I went back inside to lock up the office and set the alarm that I insisted that Emmett install. Locking the back door, I clambered into the driver's seat of Bella's Land Rover. She was curled up on the leather seat, her eyes squeezed shut. Smoothly, I backed out of the spot and drove to Bella's brownstone. Parking in the garage, I helped her out of the car and we walked into the house. Bella collapsed in the guest bedroom near her home office on the first floor of her home. She clutched a pillow, looking absolutely haunted. I crawled into bed with her, brushing her curled hair from her face. "Talk to me, Bella. Why do you think that James started the fire?"

"James...he..." she trailed off. "He was a bit of a pyromaniac. He was obsessed with fire. In his house, he demanded that there needed to be a fireplace despite the fact we lived in Florida. He always had candles going and he loved wax play. I hated it, but he never listened to me. He got off when I screamed in pain."

"Did he hurt you? Scar you?" I was angry at James for hurting the sweet, wonderful woman who was shattering. "Bella, tell me!"

"No, he didn't scar me with his wax play and you know the story about how he hurt me," Bella said, shooting me a look. You're an idiot, Cullen. "In regards to lighting fires, I wouldn't put it past him." She snuggled closer to me.

"Why do you think that?" I asked.

"It's a hunch. When we dated, he would stay out late and sometimes when he came over, he smelled like a bonfire," Bella said, her voice drifting slightly. "Or like he smoked a million packs of cigarettes."

"Was he a smoker?"

"Socially," Bella replied. "And when he was upset and angry." She bristled, sitting up abruptly. "The smell of cigarette smoke still makes me queasy." Turning around, she pleaded with me. "Promise me you'll never start smoking."

"I promise, Bella," I answered. "I'm around enough smoke at work. I'm surprised that you haven't made any complaints about the smell of smoke on my clothes and in my hair."

"You do not smell like smoke. You always smell so good," Bella murmured, cupping my cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut and she got up from the bed. Pacing the length of the room, she rung her hands. "He's back. He's come back for me. He said that he was never going to let me go. That I'd be dead before I was free from him. My mom must have told him where I lived. She must have, Edward. I cannot go back to that. I refuse to live my life in fear, but he's never get let me go."

"You can stay with me," I offered.

"Edward, that's...I don't want to put you out," she muttered. "I want to stay here."

Getting up from the bed, I gently put my hands on her shoulders. "Bella, you won't put me out. I do not want you to be in any danger. If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. I love you so much," I said fervently. "If James did that to Victoria, a perfect stranger, imagine what he'd do to you."

Her gaze dropped to my polo shirt that I had swiped from my locker. Her fingers were tracing the embroidery of the Chicago Fire Department logo. "Edward, I don't want to leave my home. This is my home. James took away one home from me. I left Florida because of his actions toward me. I refuse to leave Chicago. I'm happy. For the first time in my life, I'm happy. Truly, genuinely happy."

"Then, let me stay with you," I suggested. The thought of losing Bella made me sick to my stomach. She had quickly become the center of my world. In my heart, my mind and my soul, she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. If something happened to her, I wouldn't know what to do. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around my waist. "What, Bella?"

"It's not fair for you. You have this beautiful condo. I don't want you to stay with me because of all of this," she argued weakly.

Cupping her chin, I looked into her terrified eyes, still lost in the beauty of her chocolate depths. "It's fair when I'm offering, Bella. Please?" I begged. "You're not alone anymore."

"I know," she rasped. "Just...let me think about it?" Two fat tears fell down her cheeks.

"Do you want me to go tonight?" I asked, my heart stammering against my ribs and a pit in my stomach forming, afraid that she'd push me away again. However, she clung to me, nodding eagerly. I could feel her tears soaking my shirt. "Okay, love. I'm not going anywhere. Why don't you go upstairs and soak in the tub while I make us some dinner? Celebrate your opening day?"

She nodded, shakily stepping out of my arms. "Thank you, Edward. You have no idea how much it means to me that you're so understanding with all of my crazy," she quipped sadly. Her hands moved up my arms and she threaded her fingers into my hair. "I love you, Edward. More than words can say."

"I love you, too," I whispered back, leaning down to kiss her tenderly. Brushing my lips with hers, I poured my adoration out into that one kiss. Our lips moved sweetly together until Bella pulled away to catch her breath. I drew her into an embrace, lost in her sweet smell.

I needed her as much as she needed me and I had to convince her to let me stay. For my own sanity.

A/N: What do you think Bella will do with Edward's suggestion? Will she let him 'move in'? Will she be stubborn and tell him to stay at his condo? You'll just have to wait and see. Leave me some!