“That’s not fair-”

“I’m the one doing the talking tonight, Edward.” She smoothed a shaky hand down her jeans as she fought for control over her anger.

“I heard every vile thing you said to Alice. You broke her heart, you know that, don’t ya? She loved you in a way she never loved another, not even Jasper, and you destroyed her more thoroughly than her human family ever could…or James, for that matter.”

I couldn’t bear to look at her, the weight of the guilt that her words stirred in me was crippling. The things I’d said to Alice were deplorable, but somehow Alice had managed to forgive me my moment of lunacy. Apparently, Bella hadn’t. At least Alice had Bella in her corner. She would always look after her and have her back. Going back to New York would be a little easier knowing that.

“I’d apologize, but like you said, it won’t undo the damage my ill words caused, will it?”

“No. Maybe you should learn to think before you speak,” she chided me. Her lip curved up. “Don’t worry; I’ll give you plenty of time to work on that tonight.”

I smiled in response to her, but otherwise kept quiet. See, I was learning.

“Now that wasn’t so difficult, was it?” She crossed her legs and seemed lost in her thoughts as her eyes roamed over me like she was trying to burn my image into her mind.

“If you truly knew how much I loved you we wouldn’t be here now,” she said her words so full of sorrow I could almost taste her unshed tears on my tongue. “It’s funny how completely love can be twisted into something else. Some days I hate you.” She closed her eyes her head shaking back and forth slowly. “And other days my heart aches from how full of love it is for you. I prefer the cold hatred. You being here…makes holding on to my hatred nearly impossible. Being a vampire hasn’t lessened my attraction to you. Being in the same room as you has the same affect on me as it did when I was human.”

I tried to follow her train of thought, but a few minutes ago I’d been certain she was going to send me back to New York and now she was admitting she still loved me. And hates you, don’t forget that part.