按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
he’d hidden from me； the words he’d said to me in the woods beside his home。 。 。 。
“I never did；” he argued hotly。 “They told me I couldn’t tell you — that it wasn’t safe for you if we were
together。 But I never left； never！ I used to run around your house at night — like I do now。 Just making sure
you were okay。”
I wasn’t about to let him make me feel bad for him now。
“Take me home。 My hand hurts。”
He sighed； and started driving at a normal speed； watching the road。
“Just think about it； Bella。”
“No；” I said stubbornly。
“You will。 Tonight。 And I’ll be thinking about you while you’re thinking about me。”
“Like I said； a nightmare。”
He grinned over at me。 “You kissed me back。”
I gasped； unthinkingly balling my hands up into fists again； hissing when my broken hand reacted。
“Are you okay？” he asked。
“I did not。”
“I think I can tell the difference。”
“Obviously you can’t — that was not kissing back； that was trying to get you the hell off of me； you idiot。”
He laughed a low； throaty laugh。 “Touchy。 Almost overly defensive； I would say。”
I took a deep breath。 There was no point in arguing with him； he would twist anything I said。 I
concentrated on my hand； trying to stretch out my fingers； to ascertain where the broken parts were。 Sharp
pains stabbed along my knuckles。 I groaned。
“I’m really sorry about your hand；” Jacob said； sounding almost sincere。 “Next time you want to hit me；
use a baseball bat or a crowbar； okay？”
“Don’t think I’ll forget that；” I muttered。
I didn’t realize where we were going until we were on my road。
“Why are you taking me here？” I demanded。
He looked at me blankly。 “I thought you said you were going home？”
“Ugh。 I guess you can’t take me to Edward’s house； can you？” I ground my teeth in frustration。
Pain twisted across his face； and I could see that this affected him more than anything else I’d said。
“This is your home； Bella；” he said quietly。
“Yes； but do any doctors live here？” I asked； holding up my hand again。
“Oh。” He thought about that for a minute。 “I’ll take you to the hospital。 Or Charlie can。”
“I don’t want to go to the hospital。 It’s embarrassing and unnecessary。”
He let the Rabbit idle in front of the house； deliberating with an unsure expression。 Charlie’s cruiser was in
the driveway。
I sighed。 “Go home； Jacob。”
I climbed out of the car awkwardly； heading for the house。 The engine cut off behind me； and I was less
surprised than annoyed to find Jacob beside me again。
“What are you going to do？” he asked。
“I am going to get some ice on my hand； and then I am going to call Edward and tell him to e and get
me and take me to Carlisle so that he can fix my hand。 Then； if you’re still here； I am going to go hunt up a
crowbar。”
He didn’t answer。 He opened the front door and held it for me。
We walked silently past the front room where Charlie was lying on the sofa。
“Hey； kids；” he said； sitting forward。 “Nice to see you here； Jake。”
“Hey； Charlie；” Jacob answered casually； pausing。 I stalked on to the kitchen。
“What’s wrong with her？” Charlie wondered。
“She thinks she broke her hand；” I heard Jacob tell him。 I went to the freezer and pulled out a tray of ice
cubes。
“How did she do that？” As my father； I thought Charlie ought to sound a bit less amused and a bit more
concerned。
Jacob laughed。 “She hit me。”
Charlie laughed； too； and I scowled while I beat the tray against the edge of the sink。 The ice scattered
inside the basin； and I grabbed a handful with my good hand and wrapped the cubes in the dishcloth on the
counter。
“Why did she hit you？”
“Because I kissed her；” Jacob said； unashamed。
“Good for you； kid；” Charlie congratulated him。
I ground my teeth and went for the phone。 I dialed Edward’s cell。
“Bella？” he answered on the first ring。 He sounded more than relieved — he was delighted。 I could hear
the Volvo’s engine in the background； he was already in the car — that was good。 “You left the phone 。 。 。
I’m sorry； did Jacob drive you home？”
“Yes；” I grumbled。 “Will you e and get me； please？”
“I’m on my way；” he said at once。 “What’s wrong？”
“I want Carlisle to look at my hand。 I think it’s broken。”
It had gone quiet in the front room； and I wondered when Jacob would bolt。 I smiled a grim smile；
imagining his disfort。
“What happened？” Edward demanded； his voice going flat。
“I punched Jacob；” I admitted。
“Good；” Edward said bleakly。 “Though I’m sorry you’re hurt。”
I laughed once； because he sounded as pleased as Charlie had。
“I wish I’d hurt him。” I sighed in frustration。 “I didn’t do any damage at all。”
“I can fix that；” he offered。
“I was hoping you would say that。”
There was a slight pause。 “That doesn’t sound like you；” he said； wary now。 “What did he do？”
“He kissed me；” I growled。
All I heard on the other end of the line was the sound of an engine accelerating。
In the other room； Charlie spoke again。 “Maybe you ought to take off； Jake；” he suggested。
“I think I’ll hang out here； if you don’t mind。”
“Your funeral；” Charlie muttered。
“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 unfortable。 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
forted； 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