The lights flashed as I focused solely on my target. I saw her lean a fraction of an inch to the right and quickly ducked her oncoming blow. I watched as her eyes widened with fear as she realized that she could not beat me. The crowd cheered and jumped to their feet, waiting for me to strike. I waited. I wasn't going to hit her just yet. In the back of my mind, I was watching for what I knew was about to come. Fear makes you strong, but foolish. I was right. Her fist flew out and I quickly dodged the blow. Now she was getting desperate. She kept throwing punches and using up energy while I calmly watched her. I was too strong, too fast. It was time to end this. She didn't even see me coming.

~oOo~

"Bella, sweetheart! You were great!" my mom's dick of a husband told me. He had an arm wrapped protectively around my Mom's waist.

"Oh, honey. It's so scary watching you! I'm so afraid you'll get hurt," My mom looked at me with sad eyes. I know she wants me to quit, but boxing is my life. Before I could answer, my trainer, Ethan, pulled me into a hug.

"You did great," he whispered into my ear.

"Thanks," I quietly told him. I pulled back and gathered my stuff to put put in my car. One of the men came up behind me and handed me a big wad of cash. They all place bets on who will win and I always do. Phil, my step-dad, doesn't know about the money or else he would force me to give it to him, spewing all this shit about giving me a home and how I owe him.

"Let's go," I said to Phil and my Mom, Renee. We loaded into my car and drove back home. As we pulled into the driveway, Phil turned around to face me.

"Isabella. We need to talk to you. You will meet us in the living room after you shower," he commanded. I rolled my eyes and got out of the car fast so I could get this over with.

"Just tell me now," I sighed and sat down on our overstuffed couch.

"Isabella, you're mother and I have decided that we worry too much about you when you get into that ring. We want you to stop all this nonsense about boxing," he said sternly.

"What?" I spluttered but quickly regained my composure. "I'm sure you want me to but that does not mean I will," I said stubbornly. What a fucker! He thinks he has all the fucking power in this house. Yeah right, buddy. I could kick your sorry ass without batting an eyelash.

"Young lady, you will not speak to your father like that!" my mother said while cringing into Phil. I lost it.

"Of course I wouldn't talk to him like that! But, do you see Charlie anywhere? Cause I don't!

"Isabella Dwyer! While you live under my roof, you will not raise your voice at me and I forbid you to ever set foot in that boxing gym EVER again!" Phil screamed.

"My name is Swan. Not Dwyer." I kindly flipped him the bird before stalking out of the room and up the stairs. I slammed the door shut and pulled out my secret box that contains all of my money. I easily had $300,000 in there so I stuffed it in my used backpack, grabbed all of my boxing equipment, took out a few sweatshirts, jeans, shorts, and T-shirts, and grabbed all of my makeup and toiletries before I threw my window open. I made sure I had my car keys, Ipod, and cell phone before I lithely jumped out and onto the rain pipe. Why we had one in Arizona, I'll never know.

I snuck out into the front yard before sliding smoothly into the cab of my monster truck and turning her on. I spun around and onto the road as the tires squealed. Time to get moving. My cell immediately started to ring and I peeked down at the caller I.D. I laughed at the idiocy of Phil actually thinking I would answer. I decided to humor him and I pressed the talk button.

"Hello?" I asked innocently.

"Isabella! You get back here right now! You are going to be grounded for a year when I'm through with you!" Phil screamed on the other end.

"But Phil, you can't ground me if I don't come back," I said sweetly before chuckling and shutting the phone. Ah. Freedom at last. I swung into the gyms parking lot and thanked whatever lord was up there that Ethan was still here.

"Bells?" He asked, confused.

"Hey. I'm moving," I blurted out. His face crumpled and I felt sad I was letting him go.

"Why?" he asked, quietly.

"Ask Phil," I muttered darkly before I hugged him. "I'm going to live with my dad."

"In La Push?" He asked, astonished. "But that's all the way in Washington!"

I quickly handed him my phone and grabbed his before typing in my number. "Stay in contact with me, Kay?"

"Sure thing,B," he said before pulling me into an even tighter hug than before. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too." I walked back to my car and pulled away. I looked back to see Ethan growing smaller, and smaller, before he completely disappeared altogether.

~oOo~

It was raining when I pulled up to my Dad's old brick house next to Uncle Billy's and Jacob's. I exited the car and stretched as I heard my joints popping. I had been in that fucking car for three days. I pulled out my bags and stumbled my way up to the front door. The key was, like always, under the welcome mat and I unlocked the door before climbing the stairs to my bedroom. The yellow paint was cracking and the old desk looked like it was about to fall apart. I sighed quietly to myself. Looks like I have some shopping to do.

I climbed back down the stairs and took a look around. No one seemed to be here so I locked the front door before heading out to the back yard. I quickly hopped the metal fence separating my house from my cousin, Jake's, house. I saw many people inside that I had never seen before but I did notice Jake's gigantic form. I sped up in hopes of seeing Jake faster. When I reached the door I, quietly slipped in. I went to stand behind my dad and reached down to grab his shoulders.

"Boo!" I shouted in his ear. He jumped and screamed while I was rolling on the floor, laughing. My dad was just too easy to scare. I looked up at his panicked face before it broke out into a huge grin and I was scooped up into his strong arms.

"Bella!" he shouted in my ear. I winced and he set me down.

"Daddy!" I shouted right back at him. I looked around and found my cousin in the crowd of people.

"Jakey!" I squealed and launched into his arms. Oh, how I love my family. He started to laugh and I felt it rumble through his chest.

"Belly!" he mocked me before setting me down, too. I took a step back and looked at my Jake. He had grown taller, more muscular, and his hair was now shorter.

"Holy shit, Jake. You look hot!" I giggled as he smiled my favorite smile.

"Too bad your my cousin, Bells. We could of hooked up," he winked at me and I laughed. I looked around at everyone's smiling faces before my eyes landed on an unfamiliar pair. His eyes were a deep black and had a mysterious look about them. His bronze skin seemed to glow in the dim light and his shaggy black hair looked silky. My eyes zeroed in on him and everything else just faded away. It was like looking at an angel.

"Bella? Bella?" Jake's voice broke me from my stupor and I stumbled back.

'What happened?" I asked tiredly. I was exhausted. Jake must of just realized that I hadn't slept in a while and asked me the question I was dreading.

"What are you doing here, Bella?"

I just looked at him. I had to force myself not to peek at the other man that had captured my attention before. "Um, well, you see...I had to cause Phil was being an ass and I couldn't stay there," I said really fast. Jake looked at me before his eyes grew darker.

"Did he hurt you?" He demanded. I cringed back and lowered my gaze. Everyone knew I was a horrible liar. "Bella!" he barked out and I took a step back.

"Yes," I whispered in defeat. Jake stepped toward me and grabbed my shoulders. He was shaking. I heard the rest of the group growling, wait, growling? What the hell? I looked back into the mysterious man's eyes and saw him clenching his fists and flaring his nostrils. He looked pissed. His black eyes seemed even darker.

"Where?" Jake ground out between clenched teeth. I pushed his hands off before yanking off the old T-shirt I was wearing. The only thing I had on underneath was a sports bra so you could clearly see the bruise on the left side of my stomach.

I heard Jake growl and he started muttering to himself. "I'm gonna kill him. Rip him apart slowly and painfully."

I grabbed Jake's shaking hand and that seemed to calm him down a bit. Not much, though.

"Jake, it's okay. I could handle it. I never fought because he made mom happy. She would not like me if I kicked his ass, now would she," I said, while giggling. Jake glared at me. Guess e didn't find that funny. Oh, well.

"Jake, will you help me unpack?" I asked him. He shrugged and I turned to wave at everyone while peeking at the mysterious man. He smiled at me and I managed to smile back before I was yanked out the door by Jake.