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“Is the dog still there？” Edward finally spoke again。
“Yes。”
“I’m around the corner；” he said darkly； and the line disconnected。
As I hung up the phone； smiling； I heard the sound of his car racing down the street。 The brakes protested
loudly as he slammed to a stop out front。 I went to get the door。
“How’s your hand？” Charlie asked as I walked by。 Charlie looked uncomfortable。 Jacob lolled next to
him on the sofa； perfectly at ease。
I lifted the ice pack to show it off。 “It’s swelling。”
“Maybe you should pick on people your own size；” Charlie suggested。
“Maybe；” I agreed。 I walked on to open the door。 Edward was waiting。
“Let me see；” he murmured。
He examined my hand gently； so carefully that it caused me no pain at all。 His hands were almost as cold
as the ice； and they felt good against my skin。
“I think you’re right about the break；” he said。 “I’m proud of you。 You must have put some force behind
this。”
“As much as I have。” I sighed。 “Not enough； apparently。”
He kissed my hand softly。 “I’ll take care of it；” he promised。 And then he called； “Jacob；” his voice still
quiet and even。
“Now； now；” Charlie cautioned。
I heard Charlie heave himself off of the sofa。 Jacob got to the hall first； and much more quietly； but Charlie
was not far behind him。 Jacob’s expression was alert and eager。
“I don’t want any fighting； do you understand？” Charlie looked only at Edward when he spoke。 “I can go
put my badge on if that makes my request more official。”
“That won’t be necessary；” Edward said in a restrained tone。
“Why don’t you arrest me； Dad？” I suggested。 “I’m the one throwing punches。”
Charlie raised an eyebrow。 “Do you want to press charges； Jake？”
“No。” Jacob grinned； incorrigible。 “I’ll take the trade any day。”
Edward grimaced。
“Dad； don’t you have a baseball bat somewhere in your room？ I want to borrow it for a minute。”
Charlie looked at me evenly。 “Enough； Bella。”
“Let’s go have Carlisle look at your hand before you wind up in a jail cell；” Edward said。 He put his arm
around me and pulled me toward the door。
“Fine；” I said； leaning against him。 I wasn’t so angry anymore； now that Edward was with me。 I felt
comforted； and my hand didn’t bother me as much。
We were walking down the sidewalk when I heard Charlie whispering anxiously behind me。
“What are you doing？ Are you crazy？”
“Give me a minute； Charlie；” Jacob answered。 “Don’t worry； I’ll be right back。”
I looked back and Jacob was following us； stopping to close the door in Charlie’s surprised and uneasy
face。
Edward ignored him at first； leading me to the car。 He helped me inside； shut the door； and then turned to
face Jacob on the sidewalk。
I leaned anxiously through the open window。 Charlie was visible in the house； peeking through the drapes
in the front room。
Jacob’s stance was casual； his arms folded across his chest； but the muscles in his jaw were tight。
Edward spoke in a voice so peaceful and gentle that it made the words strangely more threatening。 “I’m
not going to kill you now； because it would upset Bella。”
“Hmph；” I grumbled。
Edward turned slightly to throw me a quick smile。 His face was still calm。 “It would bother you in the
morning；” he said； brushing his fingers across my cheek。
Then he turned back to Jacob。 “But if you ever bring her back damaged again — and I don’t care whose
fault it is； I don’t care if she merely trips； or if a meteor falls out of the sky and hits her in the head — if you
return her to me in less than the perfect condition that I left her in； you will be running with three legs。 Do you
understand that； mongrel？”
Jacob rolled his eyes。
“Who’s going back？” I muttered。
Edward continued as if he hadn’t heard me。 “And if you ever kiss her again； I will break your jaw for
her；” he promised； his voice still gentle and velvet and deadly。
“What if she wants me to？” Jacob drawled； arrogant。
“Hah！” I snorted。
“If that’s what she wants； then I won’t object。” Edward shrugged； untroubled。 “You might want to wait for
her to say it； rather than trust your interpretation of body language — but it’s your face。”
Jacob grinned。
“You wish；” I grumbled。
“Yes； he does；” Edward murmured。
“Well； if you’re done rummaging through my head；” Jacob said with a thick edge of annoyance； “why
don’t you go take care of her hand？”
“One more thing；” Edward said slowly。 “I’ll be fighting for her； too。 You should know that。 I’m not taking
anything for granted； and I’ll be fighting twice as hard as you will。”
“Good；” Jacob growled。 “It’s no fun beating someone who forfeits。”
“She is mine。” Edward’s low voice was suddenly dark； not as composed as before。 “I didn’t say I would
fightfair。”
“Neither did I。”
“Best of luck。”
Jacob nodded。 “Yes； may the best man win。”
“That sounds about right 。 。 。 pup。”
Jacob grimaced briefly； then he composed his face and leaned around Edward to smile at me。 I glowered
back。
“I hope your hand feels better soon。 I’m really sorry you’re hurt。”
Childishly； I turned my face away from him。
I didn’t look up again as Edward walked around the car and climbed into the driver’s side； so I didn’t
know if Jacob went back into the house or continued to stand there； watching me。
“How do you feel？” Edward asked as we drove away。
“Irritated。”
He chuckled。 “I meant your hand。”
I shrugged。 “I’ve had worse。”
“True；” he agreed； and frowned。
Edward drove around the house to the garage。 Emmett and Rosalie were there； Rosalie’s perfect legs；
recognizable even sheathed in jeans； were sticking out from under the bottom of Emmett’s huge Jeep。 Emmett
was sitting beside her； one hand reached under the Jeep toward her。 It took me a moment to realize that he
was acting as the jack。
Emmett watched curiously as Edward helped me carefully out of the car。 His eyes zeroed in on the hand I
cradled against my chest。
Emmett grinned。 “Fall down again； Bella？”
I glared at him fiercely。 “No； Emmett。 I punched a werewolf in the face。”
Emmett blinked； and then burst into a roar of laughter。
As Edward led me past them； Rosalie spoke from under the car。
“Jasper’s going to win the bet；” she said smugly。
Emmett’s laughter stopped at once； and he studied me with appraising eyes。
“What bet？” I demanded； pausing。
“Let’s get you to Carlisle；” Edward urged。 He was staring at Emmett。 His head shook infinitesimally。
“What bet？” I insisted as I turned on him。
“Thanks； Rosalie；” he muttered as he tightened his arm around my waist and pulled me toward the house。
“Edward 。 。 。 ；” I grumbled。
“It’s infantile；” he shrugged。 “Emmett and Jasper like to gamble。”
“Emmett will tell me。” I tried to turn； but his arm