If there was one thing I thought I understood about Edward, it was this:
He wasn't the jealous type.
Sure, he was possessive in bed.
Sure, he didn't like me talking about my past.
Sure, he grumbled whenever Frank's name came up.
But jealousy?
Real, burning, territorial jealousy?
I genuinely didn't think he had it in him.
Until today.
After the chaos at the mall and Clarissa's dramatic meltdown, I needed air.
I needed something normal.
Something peaceful.
So when my neighbor, Michael, waved at me as I stepped out of the house, I didn't think twice.
Michael was one of those friendly, calm, soft-spoken men who lived three houses down.
Recently divorced.
Always kind.
Always polite.
He smiled as I approached.
"Hey, Leah. Haven't seen you around in a while."
"Yeah," I smiled back.
"Life's been… eventful."
"That's one word for it," he laughed.
"You heading somewhere?"
"Just to the convenience store."
"Oh? I was going too. Want to walk together?"
I didn't think anything was wrong with that.
I didn't think anyone could possibly misinterpret it.
So I said yes.
Big mistake.
We'd barely gotten halfway down the street when a sleek black car slowed to a stop beside us.
Edward.
He rolled down the window slowly.
Too slowly.
Like a predator studying his targets before attack.
His eyes didn't go to me first.
They went straight to Michael.
And God.
That look could've melted metal.
"Leah," Edward said calmly.
Too calmly.
"Yes?" I stepped forward.
His gaze flicked to me.
Still calm.
Still unreadable.
Then he looked back at Michael, head slightly tilted.
"Who's this?"
Michael smiled politely and extended a hand.
"I'm Michael. I live down the street. We were just walking to the store"
Edward didn't take the hand.
At all.
He didn't even glance at it.
The tension was instant. Electric. Dangerous.
"Oh," Edward said with a cold, sharp smile.
"A walk. Right."
I blinked.
Wait.
Was he…?
No.
No way.
"Edward," I said slowly, "this is my neighbor. My neighbor, not"
He opened the car door and stepped out.
One look at him and Michael took a step back.
Edward wasn't yelling.
He wasn't scowling.
But his entire body was radiating a silent message:
Mine.
Mine.
Mine.
Edward came to stand beside me, placing a hand on my lower back.
Not gently.
Not firmly.
But possessively.
"Leah," he said, eyes still on Michael,
"you didn't tell me you were going out."
I raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't know I needed permission."
Michael widened his eyes like he'd accidentally walked into a lovers' quarrel.
Edward didn't break eye contact with him.
"You don't," he said.
His voice was dangerously even.
"But you do need protection."
"We live in a safe neighborhood," I argued.
"Clarissa doesn't live in a safe mind," he shot back.
Fair point.
But that was not why he was bristling right now.
Michael laughed awkwardly.
"I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I was just being neighborly"
Edward's jaw tightened.
"Neighborly involves waving from your porch. Not walking down the street with my woman."
My.
Woman.
Oh God.
Michael blinked, surprised. "I wasn't"
"It's fine," I said quickly, hoping to smooth things over.
"Edward, you're overreacting"
"Am I?" He finally turned to me.
His eyes were hotter than jealousy they were possessive, territorial, almost wild.
"You didn't see the way he was looking at you."
I stared at him.
"He was looking at me like… a normal human being."
Edward scoffed.
"Sure."
Michael held up his hands.
"Maybe I should just go."
"You should," Edward said without hesitation.
I sighed. "Michael wait"
"No, it's okay," he said quickly.
"It's clear I've stepped somewhere I shouldn't."
He gave me an apologetic smile and walked back toward his house.
Only when he was safely far away did Edward turn fully toward me.
"What the hell was that?" I demanded.
"Me protecting what's mine," he said.
"You mean being jealous," I corrected.
He blinked like I'd slapped him.
"I'm not jealous."
"Edward, you just stared the poor man into panic."
"He was flirting with you."
"He wasn't!"
"He offered to walk with you."
"He was going the same direction!"
"He smiled too much."
"That's called being friendly!"
"He kept looking at you like… like"
He gestured wildly.
"Like he was interested!"
I stared at him.
He stared back.
Finally, I said, "So you are jealous."
He clenched his jaw.
"I'm not jealous," he repeated stubbornly.
"I just don't like men looking at you."
"That's literally the definition of jealousy."
He opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"Fine," he snapped.
"Maybe I didn't like it."
I smirked.
"Oh?"
"Maybe?"
He glared.
"You think this is funny?"
"A little."
"It's not."
"It kind of is."
He stepped closer, his chest brushing mine.
"It's not funny," he repeated, voice low.
"I saw him looking at you.
And all I could think was
'Why is he near her?'
'Why is she smiling at him?'
'Why is she walking with him and not with me?'
'Does he think he has a chance with her?'
'Does she think he's'"
"Edward," I interrupted gently.
"Stop."
He shut his mouth, breathing unevenly.
I placed both hands on his cheeks.
"You're the only man I want," I said softly.
"Stop creating insecurity where it doesn't exist."
His eyes slowly softened.
His hands slipped around my waist, pulling me closer.
"And if he had touched you?" he murmured.
"He didn't."
"But if he had?"
I smiled.
"You would've killed him."
Edward chuckled darkly.
"No. I wouldn't kill him."
"Thank God."
"I'd bury him first."
I snorted. "Edward!"
"What?" he shrugged.
"You're mine. He needs to understand that."
I kissed him gently.
"And you're mine," I whispered.
"No neighbor is going to change that."
He exhaled, finally relaxing as he wrapped his arms around me fully.
"Good," he murmured.
"Because I'm not sharing."
Then he added, quieter but more intense:
"And if another man tries flirting with you again, Leah…"
He leaned down, whispering against my ear.
"I will make sure he knows exactly why he doesn't stand a chance."
My breath hitched.
Because I knew what he meant.
I felt what he meant.
Edward's jealousy wasn't insecurity.
It was hunger.
Possession.
Love burning so hot it scorched everything around it.
And for the first time…
I loved it.