3 eclipse月食-第53节
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It had gone quiet in the front room; and I wondered when Jacob would bolt。 I smiled a grim smile;
imagining his discomfort。
“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 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 was like iron around me。
He sighed。 “They’re betting on how many times you 。 。 。 slip up in the first year。”
“Oh。” I grimaced; trying to hide my sudden horror as I realized what he meant。 “They have a bet about
how many people I’ll kill?”
“Yes;” he admitted unwillingly。 “Rosalie thinks your temper will turn the odds in Jasper’s favor。”
I felt a little high。 “Jasper’s betting high。”
“It will make him feel better if you have a hard time adjusting。 He’s tired of being the weakest link。”
“Sure。 Of course it will。 I guess I could throw in a few extra homicides; if it makes Jasper happy。 Why
not?” I was babbling; my voice a blank monotone。 In my head; I was seeing newspaper headlines; lists of
names。 。 。 。
He squeezed me。 “You don’t need to worry about it now。 In fact; you don’t have to worry about it ever; if
you don’t want to。”
I groaned; and Edward; thinking it was the pain in my hand that bothered me; pulled me faster toward the
house。
My hand was broken; but there