Caught in the Flames

Chapter One Hundred Sixteen

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 116

EPOV

I was in shock, standing on the street across from my building. Bella was huddled next to me, her fingers twined with mine. Garrett was speaking with the arson investigator, but nothing could be done until the smoke cleared. However, based on the description from the crew, my condo was a total loss. Everything was gone. Nothing was salvageable.

"Edward, I'll understand if you need to take some time to deal with all of this ..." Garrett muttered, moving to stand next to me. "I can't imagine what you're feeling."

"I don't even know," I said, holding Bella tighter. She rubbed my back, snuggled in my embrace. "I'm upset that my home has been burnt down, but relieved that I wasn't in it." I kissed Bella's forehead. "Do we know who was in the condo?"

"Yeah. Who was the victim?" Bella asked, her brows furrowed.

"We don't know. Like all of the other victims, the body is virtually unrecognizable," Garrett answered as he looked at the medical examiner rolled out a gurney with a black body bag placed on top of it. "We do know that the victim was a man. He was tall and well-built, but other than that, we don't know any more."

"What time will the arson investigator be here tomorrow?" I asked, wanting to see the damage to my home.

"Probably early afternoon," Garrett said, rubbing my arm. "Look, there's nothing more you can do now. Go back to Bella's and try to get some sleep. I'll call you once the investigator is ready to do his inspection."

He hugged Bella and urged us to leave the scene. In a daze, I followed my fiancée to my car. She drove us back to her house, parking in the garage. Once inside, Bella grabbed a bottle of water and picked out something from cabinet next to the fridge. Taking my hand, she led me upstairs and pushed me onto the bed. Handing me the water bottle, I saw what she had in her other hand. It was a prescription pill bottle. She shook out a pill, holding it out for me. "What's this?" I asked.

"A Xanax," she answered. "I can feel you trembling. It'll help you sleep and calm you down."

"Bella, this is not very legal," I frowned.

"You just lost your home, Edward. I understand that you probably are confused, but I just know that once you lay down, your mind is going to go a million miles a minute," she said. "Trust me? You may not think it, but you've been traumatized. This will help."

"It won't make me groggy, will it?" I asked, taking the pill.

"I don't think so. I'm usually a little slow the morning after taking a pill, but I'm significantly smaller than you," she smirked, opening the water bottle. "I solve it by taking half." She handed me the bottle, her eyes filled with trepidation and worry. I took the pill, swallowing it with the water. She kissed me softly, helping me remove my clothes. We didn't make love, but we did sleep naked. I needed to feel her. I had to feel her silky skin against me and her warmth all around me. She fell asleep quickly, mostly because she was physically exhausted from our sexual explorations between the sheets over the past few days.

I couldn't fall asleep. Even with the pill, I was thinking about who would purposely set fire to my home. Why would they target me? Was this another way to get to Bella? Was the arsonist behind this that set fire to the realtor's office and to Clear Waters?

Bella whimpered in my arms and I looked down at her. She was troubled and it showed on her beautiful face. Her brows were furrowed, her lips were pursed and her tiny hand was clenched into a tight fist on my chest. "No ... James ... don't hurt Edward ... Hmmmm, love him."

"I'm not going anywhere, sweet girl," I whispered, pulling her closer. But, I knew that whatever happened in my apartment was the beginning of something big. Something huge and it was going to affect both of us. I didn't know how. I hated that. This nebulous something was out there and we were the target. Pressing my lips, I clung to my fiancée, wanting to keep her safe and happy. I wanted to love her for the rest of my days, growing old with her. I wanted children with her, in whatever means possible.

I also just wanted this bullshit done.

I wanted my happily ever after, minus the drama. Would it happen or would this all explode in my face?

A/N: Up next, meeting with the arson investigator and Bella asking Edward an important question. Leave me some!