Like a Moth to a Flame by CitizenCullen25 COMPLETE

Like a Moth to a Flame By CitizenCullen25

Summary: Mafia member Edward is the troubled and arrogant owner of Seattle's infamous Club HADES. Bella and Jasper are the brother and sister who go to work for him. Will Edward let Bella teach him to love or will he destroy her? A/H, OOC, Canon couples.

Chapter One ~ Square One "Is there anybody out there who Is lost and hurt and lonely too Are they bleeding all your colors into one? and if you come undone As if you've been run through Some catapult it fired you You wonder if your chance will ever come Or if you're stuck in square one" --‘Square One’ - Coldplay BPOV "Wake up Bella!" my brother Jasper yelled. He was jabbing me in the shoulder with his bony fingers. I rolled away from my comfortable pillow. "Dude, couldn't you just shake me a little because poking me is seriously annoying," I was used to my brother's antics. Since I wasn't a morning person and tended to break my alarm clocks, Jasper took it upon himself to wake me up each morning. It was extremely annoying, but my brother is all the family I have left. For that reason alone, I dragged my lazy butt out of bed. "Get up now Bells! You insisted on coming to my interview today. We're going to be late if you keep lazing in bed." I heard him walk out of the room. I assumed that he was going to get dressed.

The interview in question was important because it had a salary that would get us out of our current small crappy duplex apartment, and allow us to move into a new condo downtown. I didn't really care where we lived as long as we were together, but Jasper wanted the best for his baby sister. The reason I was so tired was because I hadn't been sleeping well at night. I still had nightmares about my mom and Charlie. Mostly, I saw them standing together beckoning me to join them but I'm always too far away. Then, they disappear and I'm left alone. I missed them so much sometimes, but I was thankful for Jaz. He kept me grounded. It was just us, a family of two. Jasper is 5 years older than me. I was twenty three and he was twenty eight going on fifty. He had to grow up fast after my father died. I was sixteen when it happened. Jasper had essentially become my surrogate father. When Charlie died, Jasper was working full time while earning a degree in Business. He'd gone through all the steps to become my legal guardian. I would never forget the sacrifices he made to take care of me. All the kids at school thought that my house would be the party house and that they could hang out anytime. They quickly found out that Jaz was stricter than most of their parents. He took his job as big brother and father very seriously. I graduated University of Washington a few months ago with a degree in English. I moved out of the dorms and back in with Jaz so that I could look for a job. I wanted to make some money, but I knew having an English degree in this day and time meant almost nothing. I loved reading and writing and that was what I wanted to study. I missed Jasper while living in the dorms, but I did it because he deserved to have a normal bachelor life for once. He had surprised me by practically begging me to move in with him after graduation. Hopefully, I could get an assistant job in a publishing company to start out with and then work my way up. My biggest dream in life was to be a published writer or editor. Jaz and I were far from wealthy, but we made our lives work. We were comfortable as long as we were together. Dragging myself out of bed, I went to the bathroom and plugged in my Ipod. I used my waterproof speaker that Jaz got me for my last birthday. I massaged shampoo in my long mahogany hair, which made the smell of strawberries waft all around the steamy bathroom. I set my Ipod to Weezer and sang along to "Buddy Holly" as I bathed. Jasper hated all the girly smells and feminine products in our bathroom. Because we shared the space, he'd learned to live with it. Sometimes, I left a box of Tampons out just to mess with him. I got out of the shower and watched as a brown moth circled around one of our sink lights. Poor things, what did they get from following the light and flames? It was like they were addicted and couldn't help themselves, even though the light could kill them. I caught the moth, opened the window, and threw it out. I hoped that it would find another bright light to stalk. Now that the bathroom was bug free, I could concentrate on trying to dry my hair. I considered makeup but ultimately decided against it because I didn't usually wear any. I tripped in the hallway heading back to my room; typical clumsy Bella. I dressed quickly in my black cotton creased Dockers and a fitted dark blue button down Zara shirt with ruffles. I left my hair hanging down to dry and sectioned it off. I added some blue pins to tie the front part back. I finished off my ensemble with my favorite black Calvin Klein ballet flats. Since I had a job interview later this afternoon, I figured that I might as well dress for success. Today called for typical Seattle weather; foggy, rainy, and cold. I would need to wear my heavy gray peacoat and scarf.

I headed downstairs to cook some breakfast for Jasper and me. I decided to make bacon, eggs and French toast because I didn't want him to have to have an empty stomach. He was nervous enough about the interview. I enjoyed cooking and Jaz liked eating whatever I made. Honestly, I could probably make mud soup and he'd eat it. "Hey Jaz, foods ready," I called upstairs, as I plated breakfast. Jasper entered the kitchen/dining room. "Mmmm, smells good Bells." Our duplex apartment was small and not in the best part of town, but we made it homey. It was always filled with the smell of fresh baked goods or candles. I bought small vintage items that made our apartment homier. We talked about random things while we ate. Thirty minutes later, we were in Jaz's black Range Rover headed downtown. The drive over went pretty smooth. We listened to music and told stupid jokes to each other. "Wow, Bella, you look almost like a girl," Jaz teased. "So do you Jazzie poo," I replied. I giggled when he rolled his eyes at me. When I was six and Jaz came to live with us, I started calling him Jazzie poo. I was a little girl and Jasper sounded too intimidating for the lanky boy with the blonde hair and big blue cornflower eyes that seemed to exude sadness. Jasper had been caught shoplifting and was taken in by Charlie. Most people only saw a little ruffian when they looked at him, but I saw a brave kind soul. "Alright Bella, we're here." I stared at the building in front of us. It was an industrial type that had about eight floors leading up. The sign out front said HADES, which I assumed was the name of this place. I got an eerie feeling. The building was clearly a night club but it had a menacing look to it. The name didn't do much to lessen my nervousness. "Um, Jaz, exactly what is this job for?" I wasn't sure if I wanted my brother working here or not. "The position is for manager of this club. It would be perfect for me Bells. It pays extremely well. The job starts at six figures and there are benefits included. I could finally take care of you in the manner you deserve." Jasper sounded confident but I still had doubts. "You do take care of me Jaz. I want you to be careful because I get a creepy vibe from this place." We drove into an underground parking garage. Jaz told the on duty security person his name and that he was here for the job interview. The guard gave Jasper a ticket and allowed him to park. There were some majorly fancy cars already in the lot, including a Mercedes Benz, an Audi, and a Cadillac. That's all I could make out, since I knew almost nothing about cars. A big guy with dark hair led us to an elevator and hit the button for the eighth floor. I glanced over at Jaz. He looked very handsome in his dark gray suit and white pressed shirt. He even wore the silver silk tie I had given him for Christmas. With his messy blonde curls and big blue eyes, he looked like he should have been in GQ or something.

When we reached our destination, the big guy, Felix was his name, led us to a waiting area. He went to see if the boss was ready. I could tell that Jaz was nervous so I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. We impatiently waited for him to be summoned. The room we were in was nice, much nicer than I expected for a night club office area. There were Persian rugs and cherry wood furnishings everywhere. It was a very masculine office but there were a few feminine touches, such as the vases and potpourri. There was also a Kings of Leon autographed poster on the wall. I assumed that the owner was either a younger guy or someone really into new artists. All of a sudden, I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck. It was like I was being shocked with a Taser gun all over my body. It was so intense that I rubbed my skin. I was making sure that nothing had bitten me. I heard a man enter the room. "Felix, you can go now. I'll take it from here." His voice was like velvet. When I saw the person that the voice belonged to, my life changed forever. I no longer thought that moths were stupid because I was being drawn by that same intense desire. Time stood still as I looked at the gorgeous creature in front of me. My heart rate tripled, and that tingly feeling was out of control. Usually I was never attracted to men. That was why I was still holding my V-card. Needless to say, my response to this stranger frightened me. He was beautiful; the kind of beautiful that you couldn't get from plastic surgery or makeup. The first thing I noticed about him was his height. He was tall, probably a little over six feet two inches. His hair was the most beautiful bronze color that I had ever seen. It stood up everywhere but managed to look sexy. His eyes were a crystal clear deep green. They reminded me of a lush forest. His lips were pink and made to look like he was pouting. He had an Aristocratic nose and pale smooth alabaster skin. All of this could have made him seem somewhat effeminate but he had a solid muscular body. His broad shoulders and strong jaw oozed power and dominance. I assumed that he was rich because he was wearing a black tailored suit with a white collared shirt and platinum cuff links. The cuff links had some kind of symbol on them..His shoes were shiny and looked expensive, like the rest of him. His feet were large. My mind went straight to the gutter considering what that meant. Don't go there Bella, I chided myself in my head. Overall, his outfit probably cost more than my first year of college. "Hi, my name is Edward Cullen, we spoke over the telephone. I presume you are Jasper Whitlock-Swan." The Whitlock-Swan made me smile. Jasper had taken on me and Charlie's last name to assure that there would always be a Swan in the world. I was grateful that I wasn't alone in namesake. Jasper shook Edward's hand. He took it upon himself to introduce the both of us. He told Edward that I had just graduated from UW with an English Degree. I vaguely heard him tell Mr. Cullen that I was also looking for employment. Edward stared at me strangely. He did manage to greet me just as professionally as he had done with Jasper. I could smell him and it was the greatest smell in the world. It was slightly sweet like vanilla and sandalwood. I caught a whiff of mint coming from his mouth. I had to resist the urge to sniff him relentlessly. He smelled like desire and sin, both rich and dark. I still felt that tingling feeling all over my skin. The sensation got worse when Edward looked at me. Thankfully, he didn't shake my hand. I would have collapsed like a ton of bricks. My heart was beating

out of my chest. I felt slightly dizzy. Pull yourself together Bella. He's only a guy for Christ's sake. "I see you brought your wife to the interview with you Jasper. You aren't trying to play on my sincere side are you? Because I can assure you, I don't fucking have one." Edward's voice was cold as he eyed Jasper and me. I cringed at his language but it wasn't my place to correct him. I spent enough time cleaning up Jaz's vocabulary. Besides, hearing him curse aroused me. I was stunned by my reaction to Edward. I felt my lower body getting wet. I didn't know why this stranger aroused such a sexual response in me. Jaz looked confused for a second before he figured out that Edward thought he and I were husband and wife. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen. Bella is my sister. She's too nosy for her own good. She insisted on coming to the interview with me. I hope it won't be a problem if she waits out here until we finish." It didn't escape my attention that Jaz was glaring at me. "I am sorry too Mr. Cullen, I honestly didn't think it would be a problem, I can wait in the car if…" Edward cut me off with a wave of his hand. "It's perfectly okay, Ms. Swan, just don't touch or break any of my shit." He practically snarled the words. Unfortunately, his eyes hadn't left my face. I wished that I wasn't so dull and plain so that he would have something to really look at. After hearing him speak, it was clear that he was arrogant and cocky. "I'm not a child," I mumbled under my breath, while shuffling my feet on the floor. Edward turned around. His eyes moved from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. He gawked at me for a several minutes. "That's pretty fucking obvious, Persephone." He had a small smirk on his lips. Persephone? Oh right, sweet virtuous Persephone that had been kidnapped and forced to serve as queen of the Underworld alongside Hades. Great, even Edward Cullen, a stranger whom I just met, could tell how sexually inexperienced I was. I felt a blush crawl up my cheeks. When I looked at Edward, he was still smirking; that only made me blush harder. I wished that I could fade into the background. Jasper tensed up at Edward's words and blatant sexual assessment of my body. Before he could say anything, I shook my head, signaling to him to let it go and get the interview finished. Edward gave me one last glance. Then he turned to lead Jasper into his office. I watched them walk away and close the door. The tingles were still tickling my skin and I didn't know why. I had just met Edward Cullen, Mr. Asshole himself, and yet I was kind of attracted to him. Me; shy, virginal, sweet Bella Swan attracted to Edward Cullen, night club owner. I chalked it up to my hormones being out of whack. He was so gorgeous that he could fluster any woman. A part of me hoped that Jaz got the job because he wanted it and it would get us our condo. The other part of me was afraid that if he worked here, I would see more of Mr. Cullen. The rational part said that being close to Edward was a bad thing. I could already tell that he didn't like me at all. The irrational and hormonal part, said it would be good because I would be close to Edward Maybe I'd even get to know him personally.. Ha! As if he'd let me breathe the same air, I thought bitterly. Usually, I listened to the rational part of my brain and did the right thing. After meeting Edward, I no longer wanted the mundane. I wanted to live for once and see where it took me. I knew that I wouldn't be able to stay away from Edward because just watching him leave the room made my heart ache. He could break me, and he probably would, but it was a risk that I was willing to take. This time I was going to be

an active participant in my life. ~*!*~

Chapter Two ~ Lover I Don’t Have To Love "I want a lover I don't have to love I want a girl who's too sad to give a fuck Where's the kid with the chemicals? I thought he said to meet him here but I'm not sure I've got the money if you've got the time You said it feels good I said, "I'll give it a try." --Lover I don't have to Love - Bright Eyes EPOV I was feeling fucking awful today. I had a hangover from drinking too much Vodka last night while entertaining the Russians. I hated those motherfuckers, but sometimes I had to entertain them for the sake of business. Alcohol eased the stress. To make matters worse, today was interview day. I'd already seen two Ivy League motherfuckers who wanted the management position. This shit was so beyond me. I had no fucking patience as it is, so throw in some boring question and answer bullshit, and I was about ready to go off. I did it though, because I was in the Organization, or Mafia as it's commonly called, and when your Godfather gives an order, you follow it. The last manager had to be fired because Marcus had found out he was stealing shit and selling it to outsiders. I didn't know how they killed him, but I knew the burial had been a closed casket. Marcus had me send the widow and the kid a check for two million, and just like that, it was over. The Italian Mafia still existed, but it was more discreet and there were better precautions taken to ensure that members didn't get caught by the Feds. Plus, now it was not only the Italians. The Russians were players, but they mostly dealt in the drug and white slavery part. You also had the Chinese and Japanese, which run most of the illegal electronic and bootleg shit. Then you had the Africans, who are the major up and comers, because they were major players in slavery, oil, diamonds, and weapons. However, the Italians were the only one with the image because of Hollywood. My dad, Edward Masen, Senior, had been a member of the Volturi Organization. It was started by Aro Volturi after he got off the boat from Naples, the hellhole of Italy. It was said that Aro stepped off the boat and some kid had tried to test him. Because in those days there were lots of poor Europeans migrating to America, and they were fucking animals. Most of the immigrants were fucking dirt poor and everyone was trying to stake their place in the New World. Aro had been small and skinny then, but he had beaten that other little shit to death right on the docks. Another made man witnessed it and told his boss. Later Aro began doing jobs for that Organization's leader. After the Don died, Aro took his place, married the boss' daughter, and started a new organization under his name. Thinking of Aro always made me fucking smile. He had been my surrogate grandfather and he was a lively motherfucker. Even when he was 90 years old, he was still getting pussy. He had wisdom that they could never teach in any school or put in any textbook. Damn, I really missed that arrogant son of a

bitch. He died three years ago, and they buried him in a private plot in Italy. I attended the funeral with the rest of the family. Marcus and Caius were Aro's sons. They headed the Volturi Organization today. They were like surrogate fathers to me. They had always spoiled me and my sister, Alice, rotten. I'd do anything for them and they would do the same for me. They always took care of my family. Unlike Aro, my father had been half Greek and half Italian. He grew up in New York City and took a post in Chicago after doing some odd jobs for the Organization. He quickly moved up the ranks because he had a quick wit, was good looking, and could put the fear of God in motherfuckers. He also had a photographic memory, which I inherited. He and my mother, Esme, had gotten married when he was twenty and she was eighteen. He said they were in love, but my mother said he had practically forced her to marry him. Either way, they had me a year later and my sister, Mary Alice, five years after that. With the addition of the family, my father moved up in rank because the Mafia liked all that family procreating shit. I had no desire to marry and create shitmakers, but I knew Marcus and Caius would be happy if I did. My mother and father never really got along. He was a good husband but he had a wandering dick. He wasn't discreet in his affairs, and there were many. My mom didn't care though, as long as he agreed not to have any children outside of their marriage. My dad agreed, and my mom and dad stayed married while basically leading separate lives. My mother hated the Organization but she toughed it out and participated for us. My dad was controlling, and he didn't want mom to work or attend school. She went to art school anyway and got her interior design degree. She didn't have to work because we had a shitload of money that my father made. Plus, Aro left us another huge amount in his will. She ended up taking on clients, mostly other Organization wives, and she garnered quite a name in Chicago and Seattle. Edward Masen, Sr. was never like a dad to me. He never disciplined me or tried to control me. I was like his best friend and brother. My dad got me my first pussy, my first drink, and taught me how to shoot a gun. I smoked cigars with him. He gave me my first fake I.D. He was my first real friend, and in my eyes, he was a god. My parents were always arguing about my upbringing. Esme said Dad was corrupting me, and Dad said he would be damned if he let his son grow up to be some 'faggot-ass pussy.' My mom used to cry at night when she gathered Alice and I to eat dinner, and my dad's place would be empty. When Ali and I were young, we thought dad was working, but when we got older, we realized he was out fucking some bitch when he wasn't at home with us for dinner. Although my father had his faults, I still loved him and missed him everyday. Alice did too. He treated her like a fucking princess. All the so called "bad things" he introduced me to were kept far away from his little pixie princess, as he called her. Too bad he didn't live long enough to protect her from everything though. Twelve years ago, when I was seventeen, my life changed for the worst. It was June in Chicago and it was fucking hot, and the city was gritty with crime and violence. My dad told me the gun and drug sales were through the roof because everyone was jumpy and scared. I didn't blame them. It was so fucking hostile on the streets that I never went anywhere without my gun. I had been in my silver custom made Corvette, getting head from some bitch that I went to high school

with. She was really going at it and I was watching her red hair swirl around my lap. All of a sudden, my phone buzzed with a text message. I waited until she got me off, and then pushed her off of me so she could clean up. I didn't remember that bitch's name, but I remember her thinking I was going to reciprocate. I informed her that I didn't even kiss bitches, let alone go down on them. She started to pout, so I made her get out of the car and told her to trek it home. I took off as she threw her fucking shoe at my car. She was fucking lucky that it missed my goddamn car or I would have went back, stripped her, and left her skanky ass naked in the park. The text was from my dad, and it asked if I could come pick him up so we could go out for lunch. He was at one of his whore's places so I typed the info in the GPS and headed over. I pulled up to the brownstone building and got into the elevator to get to the floor my father had given me. Sometimes, he liked me to come get him when some bitch was being clingy and didn't want him to leave. I immediately realized something was wrong when I got to the door. There was the smell of blood in the air and some motherfucker in black with a silencer on his gun was backing out of the door. He had dark hair and eyes, and when he looked at me, he appeared to have been crying. I didn't even think. I pulled out my SIG Sauer P228 9MM, my baby, and blew that motherfucker's head off before he could even get out a word. Someone in the hallway screamed to call the police. I barely heard them as I went inside the apartment to see what condition my dad was in. There was fucking blood everywhere. The bitch was naked in the living room area with two gunshots to her chest. It looked like she had been dragged there by someone; I guessed it was from the guy I'd just killed. She was bleeding all over the light beige carpet. I went into the bedroom; there I found my father. He was naked too, lying in the king sized bed, and he still had the condom on his dick. I removed the condom and immediately covered him up with the nearest blanket. I remembered tears clouding my vision as I just fucking stood there and looked at him. He had been shot four times, that I could see. He had a shocked and surprised look on his face. He hadn't expected anyone to come into the apartment. His gun was sitting on a table in the middle of the room. I wanted to close his eyes, but I couldn't stand to physically touch him again. I grabbed the nearest wastebasket and vomited until I was empty and dry heaving. My father, the great Edward Masen, Sr., was nothing but a lifeless corpse. The next thing I remembered was an officer coming in and telling me they needed to take me to the station for my statement. I asked to call someone before they took me away, and an officer let me use my cell phone to call Marcus. I explained what happened, and that my father had been murdered. He said he'd meet me at the station and that everything would be okay. When I got to the station, a lawyer with a twenty thousand dollar watch was waiting for me. He quickly told me my rights and what I could and could not say. They couldn't question me until my mother got there because I was technically a minor. While I was sipping the coffee the lawyer handed me, I saw my mother enter the station. I remembered that she was in tears until she got to see me and was assured I was alright. Marcus and Caius came in a little after her. Then the lawyer led me into the interview room while the officers questioned me. I told them everything that happened and that I had shot the cocksucker who murdered my father. They wanted to know why I was there in the first place. I told them that too and showed them the text message my father had sent me. After about five hours, they let me go and told me I would have to come back and give another official statement tomorrow. Marcus had his arm around my mother while she sobbed. She gave me a hug.

Marcus and Caius led us both out of the station. Marcus stopped to talk to the lawyer for a minute and then we went to the our mansion. Apparently, Alice had heard what happened on the news and she was up in her room crying so mom went up to comfort her. My godfathers assured me that they would take care of our family and that I wasn't in any trouble. Caius had some infidelity shit on the current D.A., so the shit about me shooting the guy was going to go nowhere in court. The guy I shot had been the bitch's fiance. It seemed that he'd figured out she was cheating and went on a rampage. Ironically, the Organization didn't get my father killed; his need to wet his dick had done it instead. I never went to court, and my fathers' death was ruled a homicide. They decided that I had killed the gunman in self defense fearing for my own life. Because I wasn't legally old enough to have a gun license, Marcus paid to have my SIG registered in my father's name. According to the official story, I arrived and was in the back room while my dad was fucking the whore. Her fiance burst through the door, dragged her out of the bed, and shot her in the living room. He then went into the room and shot my father. He was taking a break and didn't hear me come out of the back room. I supposedly had seen a gun in the living room and picked it up and shot the killer in the head. This was all a load of bullshit, but it kept me out of jail, and most of the cops even treated me like some kind of hero. It didn't escape my notice that the officers first on the scene lied and placed the gunman differently to make my story corroborate. I knew that it was because of Marcus and one of his payoffs. A year later, I officially joined the Volturi. They sent me to school to study business because that was what my mom wanted. They also needed a businessman that could work in the new age of organized crime. It was a win-win situation for everyone concerned. My mom and Alice moved to Seattle, and six months later, my mom married Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Carlisle Cullen. I hated that pussy-whipped motherfucker with a passion, but he was good to my mom and Ali. He and I didn't really get along because he was too fucking happy and goes out of his way to fix people. He was a respected surgeon and sat on lots of charitable boards. Personally, I thought he was full of bullshit, so I had had P.I.'s follow him to try and catch him doing something illegal or immoral. So far, nothing had come up. My mom fucking adored the prick though, so I couldn't really do anything to him. Esme and Carlisle had no shame. They were always touching and shit, right in public. I never saw my mother look at my father the way she looked at Carlisle. He had an adopted son, Emmett, my fucking step-brother. Apparently Dr. Cullen's first wife had been sickly and unable to have kids so they adopted. She died when Emmett was ten, and he and Dr. Cullen were left alone. Carlisle was lonely and threw himself into work until he met my mother. She said it had been love at first sight. Carlisle had hired her to do an interior design job on his home. When they met, they fell in love. Mom had essentially been paid to design her own house. I fucking loathed Emmett too. He was too much like Dr. Cullen. He was a doctor, a psychotherapist, and he was just as pussy whipped. He was huge and most people would be intimidated by his overly muscled physique. He was like a little boy making jokes and stuffing his face at every opportunity. His wife, Rosalie, was a first class cunt, and every time we'd been within ten feet of each other, I wanted to choke the bitch. They had identical twin shitmakers that look exactly like Emmett with Rosalie's eyes. I steered clear of my "family," and because of that, me and my mom weren't that close anymore. She wanted us all to be some happy Brady Bunch assholes, but it was never going to happen. I wasn't like Carlisle or Emmett. They lived in the civilized world. I lived in the motherfucking Underworld.

Esme already told Carlisle who my dad was. She had even hosted Marcus and Caius at her and Dr. Cullen's mansion a few times. I wasn't sure that Carlisle knew what I was and the true nature of my business. I assumed that he wouldn't tell anyone if he found out, because he knows it would break mom's heart. He loved her and Alice too much to hurt them. I couldn't be too fucking harsh on Carlisle or Emmett, because they both helped save Alice's life two years ago. She developed anorexia and was starving herself. She had passed out in the gym and almost died, but Dr. Cullen saved her life. After her release from rehab, Emmett became her therapist, and now she was getting better. She was nowhere near as vibrant as she used to be, but Emmett said that will take time. Just like my father, when Alice needed me the most, I wasn't there. I didn't have the fucking capacity to love and care for anyone or anything, so I simply didn't do that shit. Snap out of it, Masen, get back to the task at hand. I mentally checked myself, turning back to my desk. The sooner I got this interview shit done, the sooner I could go relieve some of the pent up stress I felt. I recalled that the two previous interviewees had been wearing Brooks Brothers suits. That alone made me want to kick their asses, but they had the nerve to also try to brag about alma maters. Why the fuck would I be impressed? I had a business degree from Dartmouth and an MBA from Harvard Business. I also made more fucking money in a year than they'd make in three lifetimes. I stood up from my desk and started pacing around, noticing that there was some stupid moth circling one of the wall sconces along the side of my office wall. I fucking hated those pathetic excuses for bugs. Shit, at least mosquitoes and bees could hurt a human. The most a damn moth could do was hang around your lights and annoy you. I watched it for a few minutes, before grabbing a glass sniffer and going over to the light and catching it. I turned the glass upside down and set it on my desk. With the mood I was in today, seeing a moth die slowly in a glass would provide me with some real fucking entertainment. Besides, something that fucking stupid deserved to suffer a slow death. Fuck PETA and those goddamn treehuggers who always try to save shit like moths. It was survival of the fittest, motherfucker, and I was definitely above a moth. I turned around as a knock sounded on my door. "Come in, Felix," I said feeling slightly better watching the moth struggle around in the glass. "Hey Boss, Mr. Whitlock-Swan is out front. He bought a girl with him, maybe his wife or girlfriend." He looked slightly annoyed about something. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Felix? You're looking at my desk like it's a goddamn science experiment." "Well um, boss, it's just that you could let me take that glass and let the moth outside, so you won't have to be bothered with it," he replied, looking a little sheepish that he even noticed or said anything. "You goddamn cocksucking pussy! You are the head of my security team, and you're worried about some moth." I was irritated that he'd even bring up that shit. "Sorry boss, I shouldn't have said anything." He practically ran out the door. I looked in the glass to see that the moth appeared to be dead. I used a tissue to scoop it out of the glass and then threw it away in the garbage can. One down, millions more to go. Honestly, why did something that dumb procreate?

I went back to my desk to look over the resume and information I had gotten about my next interviewee, Jasper Whitlock-Swan. What kind of man has a last name like Swan and why is it hyphenated? He was probably one of these new-age pussy whipped motherfuckers who took on their wife's last name. I couldn't talk though, because I had added Cullen to my last name so that my mom and Alice would be happy. I still thought of myself as a Masen though, but I'm better known as Edward Cullen, or Edward Anthony Masen Cullen to be more precise. I didn't feel like I was really a Cullen because my mom, Ali, Emmett and his family, and Dr. Cullen were a world away from me. Dr. Cullen's parents even called me their grandchild and sent me gifts on holidays and birthdays. I was not sure what kind of happy pills the Cullens were on, but I steered clear of them whenever I could. Most people would say that I was an asshole. A lot have told me that they truly hated my guts. I just didn't understand men like Emmett and Dr. Cullen, scrambling to settle down with some bitch and drop some little shitbags, when they could be banging multiple chicks. There were way more bitches than guys, so when you settled down with one, you were basically depriving all the rest. It's really fucking cruel. That's why I never settled down and didn't plan to anytime soon. You'll never catch me sniffling over some bitch. I got in, busted a nut, then got out, plain and simple. Jasper's resume was good. He had a Business degree from UW, graduated magna cum laude, and worked full time during those years. He also had references from some of the people who truly impressed me, figures of the Underworld. My right hand, Demetri, told me that Jasper had driven a few cars for them during college to earn extra money. In our world, if a car needs driven, that means it's got some illegal guns, drugs, or stolen shit hidden inside. We needed a guy or girl, not in the organization, to get it across state lines. He told me Jasper always did the job, kept his mouth shut, and never got caught. So basically, Jasper was a motherfucker to be trusted. The kind of guy that could take care of my club. For me, Demetri's recommendation for Jasper was worth a thousand percent more than that Ivy League asshole that brought a letter from some state Senator. Shit, my club was in the pussy, drug, gun, and illegal shit trade. I knew PLENTY of politicians. Marcus and Caius had quite a few of the Chicago and Washington elite in their debt. I put the resume down and headed out the door to the waiting area to meet Mr. Swan. He was sitting there with his tailored Versace suit while a girl with long brown hair was rubbing one of his hands. He looked well put together. He was a lanky son of a bitch with curly blonde hair. The closer I got to the two, the more I started feeling some kind of strange electricity shooting through my body. It was probably just the after shocks from my fucking hangover. I greeted Jasper first. Then he turned and introduced me to the girl sitting next to him. I looked over to the direction he was pointing and then I saw Her. All of a sudden, I became harder than I've ever been before. I had been with two bitches last night and they didn't get me this hard. Luckily, my suit was tailored so that you couldn't tell when I had an erection. The main question was why the fuck was I having this reaction to this girl? My mind was in a haze, but I heard Jasper say her name was Bella. Beautiful, I thought, as I kind of just stared at her. She was fucking magnificent. She was small, not as small as Alice, maybe 5'4", and she had perky breasts that I thought would be a little more than a handful when held. She had long mahogany hair with red and

gold highlights mixed in. She also had big chocolate doe eyes, a button nose, and luscious pink lips. Her bottom lip was slightly bigger than her top and it made it appear that she was pouting. Her skin was smooth and creamy white. She blushed and looked at me from under her long dark lashes. She didn't even have on makeup, just a little gloss on her lips. She looked young, younger than me anyways. Her clothes were pretty fucking prudish, but the dark blue shirt brought out her eyes and skin tone. Brought out her eyes? Fuck Masen, when did you become such a bitch? I snapped out of it with that thought because magnificent or not, she was just another cunt and she's married. Bella was gorgeous and she made me ache, but she was nothing special. I made some asshole comment about her being Jasper's wife. He quickly explained she was his sister and had insisted on sitting in to the interview. So she was stubborn. I bet I could break her out of that habit and quick. No one crossed Edward Cullen. I saw her flinch when I said a crass word, so I assumed that she must really be a prude, possibly even a virgin. Jasper and Bella didn't look alike, but maybe they had taken different traits from their parents. Lord knows me and Ali didn't look alike either. Bella attempted to apologize for accompanying Jasper to the interview. I cut her off with a comment telling her not to touch shit. She flinched again. I wanted to go apologize and hug her, but that couldn't have been right because I didn't do bitch ass shit like that for women. I needed to get away quickly before I forced myself on her. I didn't know why she'd gotten that reaction out of me but I forced it back. She was just another bitch like all the rest, nothing special. Although, something deep inside my mind told me I was wrong about that. It was fucking scared me. She surprised me by mumbling something about how she was not a child. I turned to look at her, really look at her. I imagined her with my dick in her mouth, her on her back, and me in her pussy. She and I fucking against a wall. I would bet that she was tight as fuck, and she smelled so fucking delicious; like strawberries and flowers. All these sexual fantasies played in my head on repeat for a minute. Then I smirked at her. I called her Persephone, because my mom used to read that mythology shit to me at night when I was little and I remembered the story. Just like Persephone, Bella looked fucking good and innocent, like she didn't belong here at HADES, here in my personal Hell. Jasper was giving me the death glare, so I decided to take him in the office and begin the interview. He basically threatened to castrate me with a rusty nail if I looked at his sister like that again and I apologized. He talked about his resume and previous work, but I didn't hear it, because my mind was still in the hallway with Bella. Sitting at my desk was only making me harder because I was imagining fucking Bella on the top of it. I tried to block these images so that I could focus on Jasper and the interview. I had already decided he was my man for the job. If his resume and references hadn't sealed the deal, his sister just had. I looked over at Jasper to share the good news. "Jasper, you're hired. You start this Friday." "Really, Mr. Cullen? Thank you so much, you don't know what this job means to me," Jasper said while a brilliant smile broke out on his face. I shook his hand as he held it out over my desk. "Don't fuck shit up, be honest, and loyal, and you'll go far here." I know I shouldn't do what I was about to do, but I couldn't fucking help it. I needed to see her, be near her, smell her, and fuck her. Shit. "Ah, Jasper, you mentioned something about Bella having an interview today. I am looking to fill a private secretary position."

Jasper was looking at me strangely as if he could see the fantasies playing out in my head. "Bella can't work here." I tried again. "She would only work for me and stay on the eighth floor with security. She would be here when you're here, so you can keep an eye on her. Also, the position comes with a good salary, health benefits, and a bonus." "What type of work would she have to do?" Jasper inquired, still giving me the evil eye. I thought it over what Jasper just asked. What type of job Bella would have to do? Yes, what would sweet, innocent Bella have to do as my private secretary. She could ride my dick and suck me off for starters. I couldn't tell Jasper that. "She would have to tally receipts at the end of the night and enter them, do payroll, fill out forms, assist in hiring, and all other office duties. You told me she has an English degree from UW, so I'm sure she could handle the job." He still didn't look like he would consider Bella working here, so I asked him to go get Bella and bring her inside so she could decide. I felt like a fucking fourteen year old waiting to see his first pair of tits. I hadn't been this horny since I hit high school. Fuck, wouldn't this hard on ever go down. My club had eight floors. The first five were pretty much just general dance club floors where most people went. The sixth floor was the strip club, where most of my whores worked out of. They did circulate to the other floors from time to time but always discretely in case there were any undercovers in the house. Marcus kept a lot of blue shield on the payroll, but everyone couldn't be bought off. The seventh floor was only for the high rollers. It was where they got high or got pussy. It had more VIP rooms that the stripper floor and tighter security. We'd had lots of celebrities drop by since the club opened, so it was important that they have their privacy. The eighth floor was my office area and where we currently were. Only people who worked for me were allowed up there. It was the most secure area of the club. I had a few other clubs spread out over the U.S, but HADES was my favorite and the only one I personally ran. Jasper returned with Bella, who stood in my office doorway biting her lip and blushing. I wanted to lick the apples of her cheeks to see if that would make them redder. I wanted her to strip and lay down on my desk. She looked just as good as I remembered from a few moments ago. My mind wandered back to the sexual fantasies. Luckily, my large desk was keeping Jasper and Bella from seeing my massive erection. It took all of my strength to concentrate and talk to Bella in a normal voice. "Bella, I assume Jasper's informed you about my proposition." I motioned her towards a chair next to her brother. She sat down in front of me. I had to beat back the urge to reach over the desk and fondle her cute little titties. "Um, yes sir," Bella replied, glancing around and looking at me shyly. She looked like little Red Riding Hood speaking to the wolf in the woods. "And would you be interested?" I stared holes into her eyes. I was sure I heard Jasper growl a couple of times. Bella looked to be in thought for a moment. Then she said the words I longed to hear. "Yes, I accept your

offer Mr. Cullen. I would have to be trained in payroll because I've never done it at any of my previous jobs." I had to resist quipping that she probably hadn't done a lot of things, including fuck, by the look of her. I struggled to hold that comment back. "Well I'd like you both to start on Friday, if that's all right with you. You'll be working from seven til two or three in the morning. Jasper you may have to work more hours sometimes, but Bella, you will generally keep that schedule. Fill out a copy of the W-2 forms and fax them back to me with copies of proper I.D." I handed both Jasper and Bella the forms. "Thank you, Mr. Cullen, but Bella will not be working here. She is not experienced enough for this job, and I don't want my baby sister around the shit that goes down here." Jasper eyed me furiously. Bella was scowling at him. She seemed to be just as angry as he was. I was about to intervene when my little tigress went off. "I will be working here! It's a great salary offer and I'd have medical benefits. I'm also not a morning person so the hours will be great for me. I'm a grown woman, and I was planning on working somewhere, so why not here? I'm tired of you bullying me and controlling my every move! I can take care of myself, and I want the job. Plus, you'll be here, so I'm sure I won't get into any trouble." Jasper just stood there, staring at her like she had three heads. Finally he conceded by throwing up his hands. Jasper eyed me coldly. He thanked me once again before he stood up to lead Bella out of my office. "Thank you Edward—I mean Mr. Cullen. I look forward to working with you," Bella said, blushing furiously at her slip up. She had no idea, she could say my name any day. Hopefully, someday soon, I would have her screaming it while she came. I watched Bella's ass as she departed and wished that I was going with her. Tired and still fucking hyped up and tingly, I decided I needed to get out of the office too. I had to be back at the club later tonight, but since it was only morning, I had hours to kill. I was going to need some major chemical motivation to get Bella out of my head. I was also going to need to fuck some bitch so my goddamn hard on would subside. I headed out to the garage and got into my Rolls Royce Phantom. It was bullet proof, bomb proof, and custom made. It had been a gift from Marcus after the club had hit the ten million dollar mark. I owned this club, but I had investments in lots of arenas, so I needed a club manager to help me out. I wonder if Bella would like to ride in this car, I thought. I mentally scolded myself. For fucks sake, who cares? I didn't let bitches ride in this car anyway. A lot of the girls at the club had asked and were turned down. Women on the street smiled and pushed out their tits hoping I would give them a ride, but I never had. There were very few men I'd even let in my car. My gun and my car were my babies. I was super fucking protective of them. I pulled out my Blackberry and used it to text Demetri. He was my right hand man and handled most of the drug shit that went down in the club. He was also the muscle if some john got out of control with one of the girls at the club. I once saw him beat a guy with a tire iron. The guy had hit some random bitch in the club and Demetri had gone off. He was known as a motherfucker not to be crossed. I needed some blow and pussy immediately. I knew that my man Dee could tell me where to find it. I got a text back a minute later. I typed the address he sent me into my GPS and headed over. It was a warehouse in the trendy section of Seattle. I got out of the car and knocked on the door. I knew that this warehouse would have video surveillance so I didn't need to say anything. Demetri answered

after two knocks and I was led into the room. It was nicely furnished with modern furniture and the walls were all painted a different color. There were lots of bitches inside and some Organization guys I knew. I waved at them as Demetri led me to the kitchen. "Primo quality and pure as the driven snow," Demetri said, handing me a sack of blow. I saw Lauren Mallory, one of my prostitutes from the club, enter and I had her sit down to prepare the heroin for me. I handed her my platinum Zippo and Demetri brought over some strips of foil. When I looked over at Lauren, I noticed that she had gotten fucking skinny. She must have been hitting the blow hard. I was going to have to tell my head bitch, Chanel, to make sure Lauren got into some kind of rehab program. I would also make sure no one in the club sold to her anymore. She chased the dragon after lighting the foil under the heroin and retrieving a straw. I was about to tell her to fuck off and reprimand her for hitting my shit first. I didn't though, because she looked so fucking sad. I vaguely remembered her telling me about some guy named Tyler she had dated that was getting married. This seemed to upset her as I listened to her ramble while we fucked a few weeks ago. After a minute she gave me the straw, so that I could take my goddamn hit. I wasn't an addict and I didn't use regularly, but sometimes I needed this shit to take me out of my own mind for a while. The first hit was good, so I knew the shit was gonna be sold out in one night at the club. I felt euphoric, really fucking fantastic, like nothing could touch me at that moment. Fifty Cent's "Baltimore Love Thing" was playing on the speakers. I bobbed my head to the beat. Lauren and I were still sitting at the kitchen table chasing the dragon. My body felt numb and relaxed. When all the blow was gone, Lauren stood up. She didn't have panties on and her skirt was basically a belt. She threw her top off and bent over the table. I got up and stood behind her, knowing what she wanted. I didn't bother to undress completely because we were in a semi public spot, and truthfully, I was too high to unbutton my shirt anyways. I still had on my black suit pants so I just slid them down my legs. I took a condom out of my jacket pocket and put it on my cock. I was still hard from thoughts about Bella and the high from the blow. I entered Lauren with one hard thrust. She was hardly tight anymore with all the dicks she had, but she was familiar. Right now, I needed that. After a while, Lauren's body transformed into Bella's. I started to get more into the sex. I imagined Bella's plump, tight little ass instead of Lauren's emaciated one and Bella's long dark hair. I imagined Bella moaning my name. I came hard in minutes. Lauren had already peaked and was still gripping the table and coming down from her orgasm. I pulled down her skirt and turned her around. She looked fucking pathetic and sad. I gave her a roll of hundreds. Then I found Demetri and told him to take her home and put her to bed. After that, I got the fuck out of there. I sat outside on a chair on the balcony breathing in the cold, wet, Seattle air. Some bitches were eyeing me, but I was still enjoying my high from the sex and the drugs. I just shook my head no and they seemed to get the hint and moved on. I wanted to throw up, I wanted to scream. Even with my high I was fucking disgusted with myself. I didn't deserve Esme or Alice's love. I didn't deserve Bella either, but I couldn't make myself stop trying to take it. I knew I was not going to be satisfied until I conquered Bella. The fact that I was pretty sure she was untouched, just made me want her more. I was too fucked up to love, too fucked up to give a woman anything but an orgasm. I could do lots of

things, but loving people wasn't on that list. I felt lust for Bella and nothing more. After I fucked her and got her out of my system, I would be okay. That was what I told my chemical addled mind, but really I didn't believe that. Bella was like my fucking wall sconce, and I was that pathetic moth that couldn't go away and leave her alone. Regardless, she would be working with me at HADES, and I hoped that she escaped with her soul intact. ~*!*~

Chapter Three ~ Some Unholy War "If my man was fighting some unholy war I would be behind him. Straight shook up beside him with strength he didn't know it's you I'm fighting for. He can't lose with me in tow I refuse to let him go. At his side and drunk on pride we wait for the blow." --Some Unholy War - Amy Winehouse BPOV Something was seriously wrong with me. I felt like there was something inside of me, and it was growing everyday. If I wasn't a virgin, I might have thought I was pregnant. I haven't been keeping any food down, my hormones were all over the place, and I felt like crying all the time. I was restless, and sleep evaded me even more so than usual. My heart physically hurt. I felt like I could barely breathe. It had gotten so bad yesterday that I had considered going to see my doctor. The truth was I knew what was wrong with me, and I knew no pill or medical procedure could fix it. I was in love with Edward Cullen. No, love was not a strong enough word. I craved him. I felt so stupid because I didn't know him, and he was going to be my future boss. I knew I was supposed to keep work and my personal life separate, but I didn't think I'd be able to do that with Edward. It had only been two days since I met him, and already he had consumed my soul. I was trying to survive until my first day of work Friday, but not seeing him was killing me. I suspected that Jasper knew something was wrong with me because he hadn't been teasing me, and he made sure not to upset me. I thought he was still freaked out about how I had yelled at him in Edward's office. I had demanded that Jaz let me take the job, even though he thought the place of employment was too risqué for me. He knew I was stubborn, but I usually didn't go against him on major decisions. The job offer surprised me too. I walked into Edward's office and it was like Jaz disappeared, and it was only Edward and me. His stare had been so piercing. I thought that maybe he was trying to read my soul. Of course my body betrayed me, and all I could do was blush like an idiot. He probably thought I had Rosacea or something. I was really shocked that Edward offered me the position in the first place, because during our first encounter in the waiting area, I was under the impression that he hated me. I was not going to lie; the thought of Edward Cullen hating me hurt me somewhere down deep. I was sitting in that waiting room holding back tears because of the way he had snapped at me. I usually was not sensitive to what people say about me or to me, but I wanted Edward to like me - no, love me - for some reason.

Then Jasper came out and told me that Edward had a job opening that he'd like me to take. The next thing I remembered was sitting in Edward's office and accepting the job of private secretary to the sexiest man I had ever laid eyes on. I believed that Edward just really wanted Jasper to work at the club, and he decided to hire me to make sure Jaz took the job. Whatever the reason was for his decision, I was grateful. I was not looking forward to going to multiple interviews and waiting around to be called. Plus, I knew I could do the job because I spent a few summers and breaks working as an office assistant in the Main Library. I didn't know payroll well, but I was sure that I could quickly pick up the basics. Also, the job at HADES had a very good starting salary and benefits. It would be nice to start building a nest egg now, so I could be self sufficient when Jaz decided to marry and start a family. I always felt so guilty because I was his burden, and I wasn't even his blood relative. After we agreed to Edward's joint job offers, Jaz and I walked to the garage and got into the Range Rover. The atmosphere between us had changed. We didn't talk the whole car ride, and we hadn't really talked since that day. Now, Jaz was staying out really late at night, and he came back looking stressed. I made sure he ate before he left every night, but I was still worried for him. This morning, Edward sent Felix over to give Jaz a ride to the airport, so he could catch a flight to Chicago to meet some investors that had an interest in the club. Of course, Jaz being Jaz, he initially protested, but eventually acquiesced. I knew the real reason he was pissed was because he didn't want to leave me alone on such short notice. Felix had assured him that he would stay over with me and make sure I was safe. My brother seemed to trust Felix, so once I told him that I had no problem with Felix staying over, he was in the car and gone. Felix was still out on an errand, but he made me promise that I would stay in and keep all my doors locked. I told him that I was a big girl and could stay out of trouble without his help. Oddly, even though Felix was a huge guy, he had a somewhat calming demeanor. He rarely spoke, but he watched everything. I noticed this trait in him when he had first led Jaz and I into the waiting area. I could see why he was Edward's head of security. I wondered what Edward thought of Felix "babysitting" me? Had it been his idea in the first place? Yeah right, as if Edward Cullen would be concerned about me, his mousy, future secretary to be. He may not have thought about me, but I sure thought about him all day and night. Every time I imagined him and his eyes, I would get wet. I'd never had erotic fantasies and dreams before, but ever since I met Edward, I'd been having them nonstop. My ultimate solace, reading, was not even working to ease my mind. Last night, I lay in bed for hours touching my breasts and nether regions, imagining my hands were Edwards. During one particularly hot fantasy, I had imagined Edward's lips and fingers between my legs. My body shook as I came so hard, I nearly blacked out. If imaginary sex with Edward was this great, what was I going to do if the real thing happened? Not that I suspected that would ever happen. For Christ's sake, Edward had never even physically touched me. Truthfully, I didn't know how I was going to handle being so close to Edward and not be able to touch him. I wasn't not stupid. I knew guys like Edward dated hot model types with a lot of sexual experience. I was hardly the model type, and of course I'm a virgin, so there was no chance in hell he was going to reciprocate my feelings. Still, a girl can dream, right? The other day, I Googled Club HADES, and I had been shocked. Some of the things reviewers posted about what went on inside the club were truly astonishing. It was a huge moneymaker though, and quite

popular with a lot of different types of people. There were private areas for the wealthy, but there were also general dance areas for the public. I was also surprised that one of the floors was a strip club. Luckily, Edward had said that I would only be working on the private eighth floor. Since Felix was likely to be gone a couple of hours, I decided to start making dinner. Felix struck me as the type of man that would appreciate a good meal. Last year, one of my girlfriends gave me a kitchen rotisserie cooker, so I decided to make my famous lemon and pepper baked chicken. I was going to add fresh cooked green beans with almonds and potato au gratin to the menu as sides. Lastly, I had my fresh baked buttermilk corn bread that I was sure would win Felix over for life. I loved to cook, and it has always helped ease my mind. My father Charlie had been so bad at cooking that Jasper and I made a No Dads Allowed sign for our kitchen door. My father died of a heart attack when I was sixteen. He had been Chief of Police in a small town outside Seattle named Forks. Jaz graduated college that year and came home to Forks to raise me. I knew he had job offers here in Seattle, but he'd taken a warehouse supervisor job in Forks so that I wouldn't have to be moved out of school and uprooted from the only home I'd ever known. The house was paid for, but Jaz had to pay the bills and buy everything. He never let me work during high school, insisting I focus on my grades. Thankfully, my father had a small life insurance policy that had given us just enough for me to attend college and have a small savings. Dad had been sick his last few months, so a lot of the savings he had went towards medical bills. Unlike my dad, my mom, Renee, had been a free spirit. She was always learning some ancient new healing practice or taking art classes. She was beautiful, and most people couldn't help but like her. She had been the total opposite of me and Charlie. Where we were generally reserved and passive, my mom had been loud, and eager to experience everything. She used to take me down to La Push Beach near Forks. The beach was always freezing and it was located on a Native American reservation. She knew lots of people down there, and she loved to hear the old myths of the people. I remember that for my third birthday, my mom compiled a list of the Native stories she'd heard and typed them out. She made a book out of the pages and some old worn leather. She had even drawn pictures to go along with the words. I couldn't read yet, but she would read it to me every night and show me the pictures. That book was my most valuable possession. I've never been big on things, but I loved simple and sentimental gifts. The fact that I hated designer labels and expensive gifts bugged Jaz, because he liked name brands and tried to spoil me. Over the years, he's learned that I'm not that kind of girl, so he would keep his gifts pretty simple. On my seventeenth birthday, he had actually given me a Tiffany locket. The minute I saw the blue box, I screeched and told him to take it back. After much arguing, he returned the gift and came home with a box from a local thrift store. Inside the box had been a silver chain with a silver swan hanging from it. The swan's eyes were my birthstone. I teared up and let Jaz put the necklace on me. I would never take it off, unless I was showering. My mom died when I was four, before Jaz came to live with us. Renee Swan had perished at three in the morning on an intersection in Forks. Charlie and I had been asleep, but my mom, forever the restless soul, decided she wanted to go for a drive. A drunk driver sped through a stop sign at an intersection, and she was killed instantly on impact. I could still remember my father's face when he left the house after he'd gotten the distress call. For the rest of his life, he blamed himself for not waking up and stopping her from going out so late. My dad died the day Renee died. He was physically there as my father, but never emotionally. I hadn't been hugged in years until Jasper came to live with us. My father seemed to sense Jaz and I shared a bond, so he became even more emotionally unattached.

Pulling myself out of the painful memories, I got back to the task at hand. Just as I was putting the cornbread in the oven to bake, I heard my doorbell ring. Thinking that it was probably Felix coming back to check up on me, I rushed to the door. I had been in the kitchen for hours, so I was sweating and had my hair up in a loose ponytail. I also had on some black yoga pants and my old faded UW sweatshirt. The weather forecast had called for severe thunderstorms and lightening this evening, so I doubted I'd be going anywhere. I didn't even look in the peephole before I opened the door. OH. MY. GOD. There on my porch was Edward Cullen himself. I couldn't even speak because I was sure I'd dozed off and this was one of my fantasies. He looked just as handsome as I remembered, maybe even more so. "Are you just going to fucking stand there with your mouth hanging open, or are you going to let me in?" Edward asked, pulling me out of my reverie. Looking at Edward was always great, until he opened his mouth, that is. "Um, oh yeah, Edw-, I mean Mr. Cullen, please come in." Great, he just got here and already I'm stammering like an idiot. I led Edward through the foyer, embarrassed about him seeing our apartment. It was cozy and some of the furniture was new, but it wasn't fancy. Edward's office had been expensive and sophisticated, so I was sure he was used to more elegant surroundings. When I turned around, Edward was staring at me intently. I groaned as I looked down at myself. My clothes were pretty old and covered in everything from flour to chicken grease. My feet were in white fuzzy socks, and my hair was a disaster. As if that wasn't bad enough, I could feel that my face was on fire. I mentally groaned, thinking of the image I must have portrayed. Edward was just standing there with a small smirk on his lips, watching me. "Mr. Cullen, may I ask why you are here? Not that it's a problem, but I was expecting Felix instead." Edward walked over and sat on Jaz's overstuffed leather recliner. My nerves were all over the place, so I continued to stand. "I'm goddamned sorry to intrude, Isabella, but I thought that since Jasper is out of town, and you don't start until Friday, we could go over some of the business procedure shit that you will need to know. Hopefully, you're not like that last motherfucking cunt that worked for me. She spent most of her time filing her nails and using petty cash to buy personal shit. She was a great fuck, though," Edward said, winking over at me. He didn't just tell me he slept with his last secretary, did he? His words made me feel small and insecure. Thinking of Edward being intimate with another woman caused a hole to grow in my chest. His last secretary had probably been some big breasted, blonde glamazon, and now he had just plain old petite Bella coming to work for him. He had to be disappointed, but that was probably why he hired me. He wanted a safe girl that he felt no attraction to, so the actual job would get done. I wrapped my arms around my body to hold myself together, because Edward's words had broken me. "Isabella, you look to be deep in thought over there. Are you picturing me and my last secretary fucking on my desk? To help you with your visual, I'll tell you she was a strawberry blonde and leggy, with the best pair of fake tits money can buy. She didn't get much work done, but she made me happy. I had to relocate her because she started getting too clingy, always trying to stay on my dick, and I don't like that

shit. I can tell that won't be a problem with you, though, because I can guarantee I'd never fuck you on my desk, or anywhere else for that matter." Edward's words made me angry, but they hurt too. I knew he'd never be interested in someone like me, but it felt worse to hear the confirmation coming out of his mouth. I felt some traitor tears leaking out my eyes, and I tried to brush them away from my cheeks. I would not give Edward the satisfaction of seeing me fall apart. My very soul ached to know he was lost to me forever. Edward just continued to lean back in the chair with a relaxed look on his face. I was rooted to the spot, because I knew if I moved an inch, I was going to start sobbing. Damn him for making me feel so sad and small. As if my humiliation wasn't deep enough, my body betrayed me and had a natural response to Edward. I was tingling all over, craving his touch even as his words lashed against my heart. When I glanced over at him, I noticed what he was wearing for the first time. He had on a pair of dark wash designer jeans, a sky blue button down, and a navy leather jacket. Even though he was being an asshole, he still looked gorgeous and completely at home, while I was falling apart. I could feel that strange electricity shooting sparks all over my skin. Gathering all the reserve I had, I went over and sat down on the couch across from Edward. "Enough, Mr. Cullen. You are going to be my boss in two days, so if you want our working relationship to go smoothly, I suggest you learn to speak to me with some respect." Wow. I couldn't believe I got that all out without breaking down. Edward just continued looking at me, and then he smiled. A minute later, he started laughing. "What is so funny, Mr. Cullen?" I asked, genuinely pissed at him for being such an asshole. He stopped laughing to look at me again. "Nothing, tigress, it's just that you looked like you really wanted to punch me in the face or some shit. There are few men who would have stood up to me like you just did. You're either extremely stupid or extremely naïve." At those words I turned to go back to the kitchen, because I refused to sit there and have this inane conversation with Edward. In fact, I didn't think I could bear to see Mr. Arrogant everyday after all. I steeled myself for what I was going to say next. I turned to face Edward. "Mr. Cullen, I can see that we are not going to suit. I was hasty in accepting your offer of employment. I would like to rescind the agreement right now. I would also like for you to leave my house immediately. We have no further business between us." I hadn't signed any of the salary or insurance forms, so I knew it wouldn't be a problem for Edward to get someone else for the job. I heard a snarl vibrate through the living room, and before I could think, Edward was up off the recliner and gripping my upper arm shaking me. "You little goddamned idiot! You think you can fucking agree to work for me and then decline because I say something you don't like? You already said yes, and if you don't work for me, then neither does your precious brother. Do you understand, Isabella?" He had practically spat my name like it was the vilest word he knew. I was all out crying now because Edward had yelled at me, and he was gripping my upper arm pretty hard. "Please, Edward," I choked out between sobs. "Don't fire Jasper. Please just let go of my arm." I was still whimpering while Edward continued gripping my arm. We were only about three inches from

each other, and I could feel his body heat. I was scared, but that electricity I felt when I was near Edward went haywire. Even though he was not touching me in soothing manner, my body responded to him. I looked up to see Edward gazing down at me with a look of mortification on his face. His eyes were no longer feral like they were when he grabbed me, and he looked scared. That couldn't be right though; why would Edward be scared? As I was pondering this, I felt Edward let go of my arm. He leaned forward, and before I knew what was happening, he gently lifted me into his arms and headed for the kitchen. His steps were sure and precise, and my weight seemed to be nothing at all for him to carry. I was about to ask him why he had done that when he walked over to the refrigerator. He reached into the freezer and pulled out an icepack. Edward picked up a towel and brought it and the icepack over to the table. "Please take your shirt off, Bella. I'm going to put some ice on your arm where I grabbed you." I started to refuse, but the minute I looked in Edward's eyes my protest died. He looked so lost and ashamed, and there was no way I would refuse his request. If Edward Cullen wanted to make amends, by god, I was going to let him. Besides, I had on a blue camisole with a built in bra underneath my sweatshirt, so it's not like I would be indecent. I took off my sweatshirt. Edward stared at me for a minute. He was looking at my breasts, probably thinking of how small they were. Great, one more strike against me. Edward picked up the ice pack and wrapped it in the light towel so it wouldn't be too cold on my skin. Thankfully, the kitchen was still warm and cozy. "Come here and let me see your arm, sweetheart," Edward cooed, looking at me with a shameful expression on his face. I stood up to take the chair next to him, but he pulled me down on his lap instead. Edward Cullen's lap was definitely not a safe place for me to be right then. My body just went up in flames. I could smell his delicious scent and see every detail of his face. He was gorgeous, but there was something off in his eyes. They were a little bloodshot, like he'd been drinking heavily, but I didn't smell any liquor on his breath. "I'm so fucking sorry, Bella. I'm such a goddamned asshole. I barged into your house. I spoke to you like a damn savage, and then when you stood up for yourself, I hurt you. Jasper's job is safe, and yours too, if you even still want it. Please don't be scared of me. I promise that I will never hurt you again." Edward was rocking gently when he said this, and his apology reassured me somewhat. I could tell he was not the kind of man that apologized often, so his words must have been sincere. I saw Edward look down at my arm. He winced when he saw it, and I heard him let out an audible sigh. I followed his gaze to my arm. There was a large purple bruise in the shape of a hand on my upper arm. I'm so damned pale that I would bruise easily, so I've had worse. "I'm a fucking monster. I fucking hurt you and left a mark on your skin. I can understand if you want me to leave, and if you don't want to work for me anymore. You shouldn't let me near you. If you want to call Jasper right now, I can give you the number to the home he's staying at. I fully expect him to kick my ass after you tell him what just happened, and I deserve a goddamned beatdown for putting hands on you. My mother raised me better than that, and I'd kill any motherfucker who bruised my mom or sister. I'm sure Jasper is the same way. I'm so sorry, Bella." He finished his apology with his head hanging down, staring at the floor.

I was stunned, completely flabbergasted. I was sitting in my kitchen with my ratty clothes on while Edward tended to me. He was also rubbing small circles on my back, leaving a trail of fire everywhere he touched. I'm pretty sure he didn't even know he was still touching me. I wanted to stand up and get off his lap, but I couldn't bring myself to move. Edward's body was solid and felt strong. I leaned back a little to settle more into his chest. This must be what heaven felt like, because I've never felt anything better. "Say something, Bella. Please, babydoll. I know you can't forgive me, but let me know whether or not you're alright." Wow, Edward Cullen just called me babydoll, and he said a whole sentence to me without cursing. "I'm okay, Mr. Cullen. I'm not scared of you, and my arm is really not that bad. I accept your apology, and suggest we put this incident behind us. Besides, I'm kind of clumsy anyways, so I've had plenty of scrapes and bruises over the years," I said while smiling and trying to get him to look up at me. "Call me Edward. Mr. Cullen is my stepfather." I had to fight back the urge to ask Edward about his stepfather. He didn't sound like that was a topic he'd like to discuss. Edward looked so pensive sitting there brooding, and the kitchen lights were making his hair practically glow. I couldn't resist anymore. That sexy bronze hair was just screaming to be touched, so I lifted my uninjured arm and gently started stroking Edward's hair. I loved the feel of it. I hadn't expected it would be so soft. I lightly scratched his scalp, and after a while I heard Edward moaning lightly. That sound brought a smile to my lips and sped up my heart rate. Our eyes met and we just stared at each other for what seemed like hours. We were brought out of our stupor by the beeping of my stove. I got up to go take the green beans out of the oven. They smelled great and the almonds were perfectly toasted. Looking at the food, I got an idea. "Edward, how would you like to stay for dinner? We can go over those business procedures and then have dinner, and maybe watch some TV?" I asked, stunned that I would be so bold as to ask him to stay. "You mean you're still going to take the job, Bella?" Edward asked, sounding genuinely surprised. "Yes, I told you I accept your apology. I would really like it if you would stay for dinner and we could get to know each other better, unless you have prior plans." The thought of Edward with prior plans, especially those that involved other women, made me feel sick. "Fuck no, I have no other plans at the moment, Bella. It smells fucking amazing in here, and I'd love to stay over for dinner. Just let me run out to the car and grab my laptop and paperwork." "What kind of car do you drive?" I asked absentmindedly as Edward got up to leave the kitchen. He smirked. "Well, usually I drive a Rolls Royce Phantom, but I fucking love my baby, so I don't bring her out all the time. Today, I'm driving my custom silver Corvette that I had while in high school. The bitches really love the 'vette, not that they don't go apeshit over the Phantom, though." He thought about what he just said and looked over at me sheepishly. "Shit, sorry Bella, that was an inappropriate thing to say. Please forgive me."

"Forget it, I'm not offended. Jasper has a rather colorful vocabulary, too." I picked up the cornbread and bent down to put it in the stove. When I turned around, Edward was still there, staring at me intensely. "Wha-what's wrong Edward?" I asked, afraid that I had made a mistake. "Did I drop anything?" He cleared his throat. "No, Bella, it's, uh, just that, never mind. I'm going out to the car. I'll be back in five minutes." Strange. He was probably staring because I was covered in filth. While he was gone, I decided to run up to the bathroom and wash off. I should also change into some clean clothes while I'm upstairs. I took my hair down and then washed the sweaty parts of my body and dried off. Since my bedroom was right next door, I didn't bother to put on my dirty clothes again. I just walked out into the hallway with no bra and my underwear on. All of a sudden, I hit something hard and felt a strong pair of arms come out to steady me. "What the hell?" I asked, surprised that there was someone else upstairs. Standing right in front of me looking like he'd gone into shock was Edward. I felt a deep blush travel up my face. Edward was staring at me hard. I looked down and realized what he was looking at. My breasts were completely exposed and my nipples were puckered. Great, I thought. I'm getting a female erection right in front of Edward. Please kill me now. I used my hair to cover my breasts, but sadly, it couldn't cover my panties too, and my robe was in my bedroom. To top it off, I was wearing a pair of black cotton underwear with yellow and pink smiley faces all over them. I must have looked like a six year old, and Edward was standing, there still holding me and staring. I heard a guffaw, and looked up to see Edward practically in tears from laughing so hard. "I bet I know why they're smiling," he said, pointing at my undies. Seriously, if there was a god, a hole would open up and swallow me into the floor. I could feel my eyes prickling, and I knew I was about to cry. I never cried in front of people, and yet I've cried in front of Edward two times already. "I'm, I'm so embarrassed, please just let me go Edward," I whimpered as I ran into my bedroom. He let me go, but before I could shut the door, he was inside my room. My room was modest, yet comfortable. I had a small TV on a glass stand, an old oak desk that had belonged to my mother, an oak wardrobe because this room didn't have a closet, two wooden night stands with matching lamps, and my one splurge: a queen pillowtop bed. The room colors were the greens and golds of the forest that reminded me of my hometown. "Please, Edward, get out," I said, grabbing my robe off of the desk chair and quickly throwing it on. I was scared to look up at Edward. I was embarrassed and feeling very uncomfortable with him having seen me nearly naked. He probably thought I was ugly. No wonder he laughed. Edward walked over to me slowly. I was rooted to the spot. When we were only inches apart. Edward stopped and wrapped his arms around me pulling into his chest. "Don't apologize, babydoll. You're fucking magnificent. You're beautiful. If I was the motherfucking poet type, I'd write you sonnets about how gorgeous you are. It's me who's sorry, for scaring you, and for making you feel uncomfortable in your own home. I can strip down now if you'd like, and then we'd be even." He finished chuckling.

Edward Cullen thought I was magnificent, beautiful, and gorgeous. He had to joking. How dare he make fun of me when I was so upset and vulnerable. "There's no need to patronize me, Edward," I said, still sniffling. Edward looked down at me with a confused look on his face. "How am I patronizing you? I just said what I was thinking at the moment." I blanched. Honestly, was he going to just stand there and lie to my face? "I know I'm not beautiful or magnificent. I'm just plain Bella. I may be okay looking, but I blend into the wallpaper. I'm sure you date models and actresses who are ten times more gorgeous than me, so please just don't lie. It's okay." I heard an angry noise reverberate through my bedroom. I looked up trying to figure out why Edward had made that sound. Then I felt him push me back against the wardrobe. "I don't want to fucking ever hear you put yourself down like that again. You are magnificent and beautiful. I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't the truth. I've never in my life met a woman sexier than you. I could get lost in your chocolate eyes and never want out." Then he did the last thing I expected him to do. He leaned forward and kissed me. Edward Cullen kissed me, and, so help me god, it was better than my dreams. It started off as a chaste kiss, but quickly evolved into an erotic sexually charged one. Edward licked my top lip and then my bottom one. One of his hands was in my hair and the other one was palming my ass. Everywhere he touched, he left a trail of fire. He licked my mouth until I opened up to him. The minute my mouth was open he put his tongue in and claimed me. Edward was hard and huge from what I could feel of his erection pressing against my lower stomach. I'd only been kissed three times in my life, and they had been slobbery and awkward, nothing like this. Edward was moaning loudly now and really pressing me into the wardrobe. It was wonderful. It was earth shattering. It was too much. I was still a virgin and I barely know Edward. Plus, he was my future boss. I didn't want him to think I was some sleazy whore, so I broke the kiss. "Mmm. Um, Edward," I said, panting. "I think we should stop now. We barely know each other, and I'm your employee, so it's inappropriate for us to be doing this. Besides, I have to get dressed and finish cooking dinner." Edward rested his forehead against mine for a minute and then removed his hand from my butt. His eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree, and he was breathing like he had run a marathon. I could also see he was still extremely hard, and he still had one hand tangled in my hair. I felt bad about letting our kiss go so far, so I tried to apologize, but before I got out a word, Edward started speaking. "Ambrosia, sweet nectar of the gods. Bella your mouth is ambrosia. There's no better taste in the world. And your body, Jesus fucking Christ, don't even get me started on that topic. Your little ass is so plump and tight. Your breasts would fit perfectly in my hands and your skin feels like rose petals. Your hair is so silky and you smell amazing. If you could see what I see looking at you, you would never doubt your beauty. "You're right, we barely know each other, but obviously there's a strong attraction between us. Just because I'm your boss doesn't mean we shouldn't explore our feelings. I'll leave now, while I still can, and let you get dressed." He gave me a soft kiss on my lips and another one on my cheek, and then left my room, closing the door behind him.

He had said the most beautiful words to me just then, and he sounded like he meant them. Maybe we could get to know each other and see where it leads us. I knew Edward could and probably would break me, and that I'd likely never recover, but I needed him, so I was willing to take the risk. There were three things I was absolutely certain about. One, I was going to give my virginity to Edward, and soon. Two, I needed to find out more about this man. And three, I was deeply in love with Edward Cullen, my future boss. Basically, I was screwed, but I couldn't stop my natural response to him. His words had been so sweet, and he went out of the way to apologize about his earlier behavior. Still reeling from my recent realization, I went over to my wardrobe and pulled out a pair of old comfortable dark wash skinny jeans. Because I was having dinner with Edward, I decided to be a little dressier, so I pulled my new fitted dark pink cardigan out of the wardrobe. I put on a plain white camisole underneath and left the first three pearl white buttons undone. I was showing a bit of cleavage, but my outfit was still extremely modest. The pink made me feel feminine, and I realized that I wanted to feel that way because of Edward. I used some copper clips to pin back the top part of my hair and left the rest hanging down. Next, I added my ballerina flats to the outfit. I wasn't model perfect or stunning, but I thought I looked pretty. I was still red from blushing and my eyes were brighter than usual. My lips were also swollen from Edward's kisses. I put on a dab of chapstick and headed downstairs. The sight that greeted me in the kitchen caused me to giggle. Edward was at the stove, trying to sneak some potatoes au gratin out of the pan. He looked so sweet and innocent, and he had no idea I was watching him. "Edward," I said shocking him. He turned around and swallowed quickly, clearly embarrassed that he had been caught. "Oh, hi Bella, I didn't hear you come in. I was just..." he trailed off, looking guilty. "It's perfectly alright, Edward. I can get you some homemade cookies to tide you over until dinner is done." "That'd be great, babydoll. Can I have milk too? What kind of cookies are they?" Edward asked, looking way too excited about the prospect of sugar. "Of course you can have milk, Edward." Lord knows I would give him anything he wanted. "The cookies are white chocolate and macadamia nut, and I baked them yesterday." I headed over to my blue Smurf cookie jar and took out a plateful for Edward. I always made a lot because Jaz ate them like tic tacs. I heated up the cookies a bit in the microwave, and then grabbed a glass and filled it with cold milk. Edward had been silent for a few minutes, but when I turned around he was gawking at me with a strange expression on his face. "You look gorgeous, babydoll. That pink you're wearing kind of matches your cheeks when you blush. You don't know how hard it is for me to resist licking your cheeks every time you turn pink. And please, for fucks sake, don't bend over in those jeans without giving me a warning, because your ass is way to sexy for it's own good." Wow. No one could accuse Edward of not speaking his mind, that's for sure. His compliments made me feel good. I was ecstatic that he found me physically pleasing. "Thank you, Edward. I'm glad you like my

outfit. I picked it out with you in mind." "I like everything you wear Bella, because it's you. A lot of the bitches I know spend a bunch of money on expensive shit, but they never look as beautiful as you look right now. You're a natural beauty, and that's rare." I absorbed his words while I walked the cookies and milk over to him. Edward started eating immediately. He was moaning with delight, and I saw his sparkling eyes look up at me. "Fuck Bella, you baked these from scratch? These are the best goddamned cookies I've ever had in my life, and I'm a picky motherfucker. If the dinner tastes anything like this, I'm going to be in heaven." Edward's words made me feel very good. I was glad to know he loved my cooking because cooking was very personal to me, and I liked to make special things for the people I love. I was sure this wouldn't be the last time I cooked for Edward. He had a look of pure bliss on his face as he dipped his cookies into his milk. I heard the stove ding and headed over to take the cornbread out. Remembering Edward's earlier suggestion, I turned and said, "Edward, you may want to avert your eyes, because I'm about to bend down and take out the cornbread." I heard him chuckle, but he must not have listened because I heard him give out a low groan behind me a second later. "You can't say I didn't warn you," I said, giggling at the noises Edward was making. Edward went into the living room and grabbed his laptop, iPod, and a portable speaker set. He also had two binders with him. He set it all up on the table and the kitchen was instantly filled with music. The acoustic version of "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters came on, and I felt relaxed because it was one of my favorite songs. Edward and I chatted about random stuff and went over all the business procedures. Edward had a filthy mouth, but he was funny and always apologized to me if he said something particularly vulgar. He was also extremely intelligent, and he answered my questions without being cocky or making me feel stupid. I felt safe and happy sitting next to him at my kitchen table. It was nearing six, so I decided that it was time to eat. I began plating the sides and cornbread. I put the chicken in the middle of the table. Edward insisted on cutting the meat for me, so I sat down and watched him. He had long elegant fingers. His hands were large and I could barely manage to sit still thinking of the orgasm I'd had last night while thinking of his hands. I could feel my cheeks start to redden. Edward looked over at me and smiled warmly. My heart stopped beating. "Babydoll, what part of the chicken do you prefer?" I told him I wanted some slivers of the breast meat. Edward made a cheeky joke about wanting some breast too and I laughed at him. We ate with the only sounds being Edward's grunts and moans and his music playing in the background. He had great musical taste, and I never heard a song on his iPod I disliked. For the fist time in two days, I had a healthy appetite and I ate heartily while trying to sneak glances at Edward when he wasn't looking. His eyes kept drifting to me too, and his lips were in a perpetual smirk when he wasn't eating. Edward ate a whole half of the chicken and then some. More than half of the green beans, potatoes, and cornbread were gone too. If I had been feeding him and Jasper, I would have been lucky to get a wing. After we finished, I cleared the dishes away and put them in the dishwasher. Edward wanted to help, but I refused, saying it would get done faster with just me working. I made him a desert of vanilla ice cream and more of the warm cookies with some added melted white chocolate. He kissed me again, lightly on

the lips, and headed out to the living room to turn on the TV. After awhile I heard some financial news in the background. I still couldn't believe how great my day had turned out. I went from arguing with Edward to being intimate with him, all in a few hours. With that thought, reality set in and I started to doubt myself again. Sure Edward was having a great time now, but he'd probably go back to his apartment tonight and make love to some other beautiful woman, and I'd be here alone with Felix. I cried a little bit at that thought. I put the leftovers away and decided to go join Edward in the living room. It was raining pretty hard outside then, and I could hear the booms of thunder overhead. Edward looked up as I entered. His eyes followed my body as I sat down beside him. He had chosen to sit on our big blue couch instead of the recliner this time. I sat far away from him and trained my eyes on the TV, not really concentrating as the stock ticker went by. I noticed Edward's desert bowl was empty, so I got up to clear it and add it to the dishwasher. When I returned, I sat in my same faraway spot on the couch. I didn't want to be close to Edward, not while the images of his mysterious nightly paramour were in my head. I felt Edward slide over to me. "What's wrong, babydoll? You're so quiet and you're sitting too far away from me. You don't think I have herpes or something, do you? I can assure you I'm a hundred percent STD free," Edward said, laughing lightly. "No, Edward, I just didn't think you'd want to be so close to me. I was trying to give you space," I said shyly. "Damn it Bella, you are not in my way. I don't want space from you. I want to touch and feel you as much as I can. Don't ever distance yourself from me. I care about you deeply, and it fucking hurts when you act like you don't want to be near me." I was shocked. "It's not like that at all. I want to be near you, too. I'm sorry I offended you." Edward still looked a little sad, so I leaned over and kissed him on his lips. It was the first time I had initiated a kiss between us. It was a deep kiss because I felt sexy and bold. Edward saying he wanted to be close had erased my insecurities. I placed my tongue in his mouth and he reciprocated. Our tongues slid over each other like old lovers. Edward pulled me over into his lap and I straddled him, feeling the hard bulge in his pants throb against my core. I started grinding my hips into him, and our moans came louder and faster. Edward's hand was on my butt again, and he was pressing my body into his. I began mewling softly as Edward left soft open mouthed kisses down my neck and onto my collar bones. He licked and sucked on my neck and I bucked against his hips hard. Edward stopped his kisses and looked up at me. "Fuck. Shit. Damn. I mean, fuck, babydoll." He babbled, trying to get himself under control. "Bella, you are going to fucking kill me." He released me so I could climb down out of his lap. I was about to apologize for losing my self control when Edward's cell phone rang. He got up to answer. I heard him cursing quietly and talking to some muffled voice on the other end. "Bella, Felix is stuck in Port Angeles. I sent him there for an errand and the storm has gotten worse, and they're closing off some of the roads. I was wondering if it would be alright if I stayed over with you tonight. I would feel better if you weren't alone during the storm. I have an overnight bag in my car, and I can sleep on the couch. I can get my man Demetri to hold down the club tonight, so it's no problem." Edward spending the night with me was not a good idea. I would probably have to fight the urge not to take advantage of him in his sleep. I wanted him to stay though, so I gave in. "Of course, you can stay

over. I would appreciate not being alone tonight. The couch folds out into a pretty comfortable bed, and I can get you fresh sheets and linens." For the rest of the night we talked about our likes and dislikes, occasionally eating cookies. Edward was going to give Jasper a run for his money in food consumption, so I was going to have to start cooking larger quantities of food. Edward didn't offer much into his personal life. He only told me his dad was dead and his mom was remarried, and he had a younger sister and a stepbrother. I told him about Charlie and Renee, and about Jaz being adopted. He seemed genuinely interested in my life. I asked why he called me babydoll, and he told me his sister had a French porcelain doll when they were younger, and that the doll looked like me. He told me I was sexier though, but I had the same hair and eyes as the doll. We ended up watching "Pillow Talk" because it was one of my favorite movies. Edward surprised me by knowing a few of the lines, and had me laughing even harder throughout the film. We didn't kiss anymore, but he sat with me cradled to his chest. Edward kept touching me throughout the film, and he looked content just sitting there watching television in my living room. Eventually, he asked about a large blue jar that I had in the corner that was filled with quarters. I told him it was my "cursing jar" and that every time Jaz uttered a curse word in my presence, he had to put a quarter in. Edward apologized for his language, but I told him it was okay because that's who he is. Jasper, on the other hand, was my brother, and I had to rib him whenever I got the chance. Around ten, I started yawning, and Edward seemed to get sluggish too. He looked like he wanted to ask me something, but he was hesitating. "Um babydoll, do you think it would be alright if I slept in your room tonight? I would feel better being upstairs with you, so I know that you're safe. We can share your bed, but I can sleep on top of the covers if you'd like. I could also keep all my clothes on if it would make you feel more comfortable." I didn't even think before I answered. "Sure, Edward, that would be nice. You can sleep under the covers though and wear whatever you'd like." Great going Bella, he might just come to bed nude, and I'd definitely not get any sleep with a naked Edward next to me. I turned off the TV and then led Edwards upstairs to my bedroom. I told him he could use the restroom first to prepare for bed. He came out twenty minutes later, looking freshly showered and wearing black silk pajama pants slung low on his hips. I started hyperventilating because his chest was bare. It was strong and muscled; he had toned abs and his skin was just as perfect. He had a small scar near his right pectoral that only made him look sexier. Also, he had a tattoo on his upper arm. It was some kind of symbol and a line of cursive text in another language. I practically ran from the bedroom so I could do my nightly routine in the bathroom and calm myself down. I put on my beige cotton tank top and boy short underwear set. I felt self conscious about wearing it in front of Edward, but I wanted to feel as much of my skin on his as possible. I re-entered the bedroom to find Edward had moved his music up here and was lying in my bed listening to something classical. He turned around and groaned when he saw me. "Bella, I'm not so sure I have the fucking strength to sleep next to you just wearing that." I giggled. "I know you do, Edward. Just be strong and you'll be asleep in no time." I was teasing him and he knew it. I turned off all the lights and lay down next to Edward. He smelled like desire, and I wanted to breathe

him in until my lungs exploded. He pulled me down to his chest and kissed my forehead. I felt his hand on my butt again. "Goodnight, lover," he whispered, caressing my hips. Clearly Edward is an ass man. It was strange because no one had ever touched me there before, but the sensations felt amazing. I was glad that Edward liked my body and I'd let him touch as much of it as he wanted. Within minutes, Edward had gone still and was breathing deeply. I knew he'd fallen asleep. I drifted off to sleep right after him with my fingers in his hair and the sounds of the storm outside. Sometime during the night, I awakened when Edward bolted up and let out a loud yell. I turned on the lamp and sat up to look at him. His eyes looked haunted and he was sweating lightly. He didn't say anything and I didn't ask. I coaxed him back down into the mattress and rubbed his back and shoulders until he fell into a deep slumber again. He had fallen asleep with his arms wrapped around my chest, and he was holding onto me for dear life. I didn't know what battle Edward fought in his sleep, but I knew that I wouldn't let him fight it alone. I would be strong and weather his unholy war with him. Because, surely, the war is unholy if the battles are against angels like my Edward. I drifted off to sleep with my love for Edward in my heart and a soft smile on my lips. When I awoke the next morning, my Edward was gone. Lying on the nightstand closest to me was a single morning lily and a black envelope. I sniffed the aroma of the lily and opened up the envelope. There was a note and a crisp $100 bill inside. I was curious about the money; surely Edward knew he didn't have to pay me for last night's meal. The note was in beautiful cursive and it read as follows: Babydoll, last night was the best of my life. I don't deserve you, but I'm going to do everything in my power to make you mine. Please don't be mad at me for not waking you up to say goodbye. You looked so calm and peaceful sleeping, and I didn't want to disturb your dreams. I'll miss you until I see you again Friday. Please keep all your curves and kisses for me until then. Love, Edward P.S. The $100 bill inside is my down payment for the "cursing jar" because I'm a filthytalking asshole. Silly Edward, didn't he know I already belonged to him and always would? I reread the letter, wondering how I ever lived without Edward in my life. ~*!*~

Chapter Four ~ Look After You "There now, steady love, so few come and don't go Will you won't you, be the one I always know When I'm losing my control, the city spins around You're the only one who knows, you slow it down

Oh, oh, oh Be my baby Oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh I'll look after you" --Look After You - The Fray JPOV "Jaz, I'll be fine with Felix. Since you're going to be on a private plane, I was able to pack you lots of food. Remember, I love you and I'll miss you." Bella said while handing me a large grocery bag. Fuck. I can't believe Mr. Cullen wants me to go to Chicago right now. I just got the job on Monday and it's only Wednesday and already he's got me on his puppet's string. To top it off, it's so goddamn early in the morning the streetlights are still on outside. I really didn't want to leave Bella now because she's been acting strange since that day at the interview. I'm not stupid; I know there's some kind of attraction between she and Edward. You could practically feel it vibrating off the walls of the office. Plus, my baby sis has never spoken to me the way she did at that office. Sure Bella can be stubborn, but she had never gone against my wishes in something so important. The lust on Edward Cullen's face had been plain as day. Because Bella's so innocent and trusting, she doesn't know what that look means. She's not ready for the kind of relationship, if that's what you want to call it, a man like Mr. Cullen gives a woman. I will not let him fuck my sister and leave her with a used body and broken heart. I bid Bella goodbye and made Felix promise to take care of her and then I was on a private plane headed to Chi-town. I took out the pancakes and bacon in the breakfast container Bella made for me to eat on the plane. While eating, my mind wandered to the past. Bella and Charlie were the first really good people I had ever known. I was born in Houston, Texas twenty eight years ago. The police found me in a dumpster in a park known to be frequented by prostitutes. They searched for my mother, but they never found anyone. Not that she would have wanted me anyways. For Christ sake, she had left me in the garbage to die. Like all abandoned and forgotten children I had been put in the foster care system. Since I was premature and sick most of my early life, I had never been adopted. I remember living in a host of different homes. Most of them had too many kids, too many beatings, and not enough food. When I was old enough, I started hanging with a gang. They were like the family I'd never had. Most of them were older than me, but they liked me because I was so calm and I could steal shit without getting caught. I felt glad to have a family even if we were all fucked up and using each other. After my latest foster father had beaten me so bad that I could barely walk, I decided to run away. There was an older girl in our group who had a car and she told me that if I could come up with some money, she'd drive us both cross country. I stole and hustled shit on the street and managed to make enough or the trip. I remembered seeing some special about different cities on television. There was one, Seattle, which had caught my eye. It looked really green and lush and it rained all the time, but it was still a large city. Since I loved the rain, I decided Seattle would be my destination. Rain made me feel like there was some force

that was cleansing the world for all its transgressions. When I was little, I used to sit outside in the rain for hours just feeling it calm my soul. Maria, the girl who drove me, was headed to L.A. She didn't want to leave because she had grown attached to, but I didn't want L.A. She liked me because I was the only guy in the group who didn't call her a whore. In my own way, I loved her, not like a boyfriend, but like a child. Even though she was only seventeen, she had kind of been my surrogate mother We got to Washington State in record time because we never stopped to take a break. We were in some hick town, Forks, Washington, when my life changed forever. I'd gone inside a small grocery store to try to lift some groceries while Maria was at the gas station across the street. I had money with me, but I was taught that you shouldn't pay for something if you can take it. I was just putting a round of expensive cheese in my backpack when I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder. In front of me was a tall man wearing a police uniform and he looked mad. "Son, please don't tell me you're shoplifting." He said while snatching my bookbag from me. I tried to run, but he wouldn't let me go. He unloaded my bag and glanced at the items i had taken. Then he'd done the last thing I expected of him, he grabbed a shopping basket and put the food in it. He asked me if there was anything else I wanted. I didn't trust people and I definitely didn't trust the police so I was wary of this guy buying me food. In my experience, no one did anything for you if they couldn't get something back. I remember that the cashier kept shooting me suspicious glances while the policeman paid for everything. Apparently, she knew him though, because they spoke like old friends. He never told her what he'd caught me doing, and I started to believe that I might get away with my attempted theft. When we got outside, I saw Maria staring at me from across the street. I smiled at her and waved goodbye. She started to come over, but I shook my head no and mouthed goodbye to her. She had tears in her eyes, but I saw her leave a minute later. I never saw Maria again, but I really hope that she got the life she'd always wanted. The officers' name turned out to be Charlie Swan and he wasn't just an officer, but the Chief of Police. He took me to his house, a two story white clapboard structure, surrounded by greenery. Once inside, he started asking me questions about where I was from and who I was. I told him the truth and he made some phone calls to confirm. He got in touch with my social worker in Houston. It seemed that my foster father hadn't even called me in missing, but had decided that he didn't want me anymore because I was trouble. Charlie suggested that instead of sending me back to Texas, my file be transferred to Washington State. He made some phone calls and got permission to keep me with him until a suitable placement could be made He told me that he had a six year old daughter named Bella, but he called her Bells sometimes. She was at school at the moment, but he wanted me to be nice to her and make myself at home. I asked him why he brought me home and why he would trust me with his daughter. Charlie told me he was good at reading people and he could see I was just a scared kid, and I had a good heart. No one had ever paid me a compliment before, so Charlie's words really struck a nerve. He cooked for me, or I should say he attempted. When he tried to put the can of tuna in the microwave, I interjected. Charlie had been nice, not overly talkative, but he was a good listener.

I was tired from my the drive, so I took a nap. Charlie had a den downstairs that he used as a guest room, so he put clean linen on the bed and let me rest. It was the first time in two years that I slept without being woken up violently. Most of my previous foster care homes had been abusive, if not from the parents, then from the kids. Thankfully, I had never been sexually abused, but I saw it done to some of the girls in the system and it made me sick. That day I had been awakened by the feel of hair on my face and the smell of strawberry jam. I opened my eyes and saw the cutest little girl leaning into my face studying me intently. She had big brown eyes and dark hair plaited on both sides. She looked enough like Charlie for me to deduce that this was his baby Bella. She'd confessed to me that she wasn't supposed to be in here, but since her dad was on the phone, she had decided to come in to meet me. She kept looking at my face and I realized she must be looking at my scars. They are pretty much non existent now, but then they had been noticeable. She had sighed after a while and handed me something. When I looked down there was a yellow blanket in my hands. She told me that the blanket was hers, but I looked like I needed it more. Then she took my hand and led me to the living room where we watched cartoons until Charlie got off the phone. Charlie thought I was still asleep, so he looked stunned to see that I was in the living room watching TV with Bella. She was sitting in my lap and laughing loudly with her sticky fingers playing with my hand ever so often. Bella told me her dad couldn't cook and that she had already learned to use the microwave, so she didn't have to rely on Charlie's cooking. For the first time in my life, I felt like a part of a real family. Charlie ended up legally adopting me. The fact that he was a police chief and already had a child, allowed him to bypass a lot of steps. Also, my social worker was glad to get rid of one of her kids permanently, so she got her supervisor to transfer my file to this State. So, at the age of twelve, I became a Swan. Over the years I grew to love Charlie and Bella more than I thought possible. They were there for me when I was sick and down. Charlie treated me just like his real son, and we spent lots of weekends fishing and talking about "man things". When I was a Junior in college, Charlie's health took a turn for the worse. His heart was wearing down and the doctors didn't hold out much hope for a recovery. He'd begged me to take care of Bells when he died, and I had promised him that I would. Bella was now sixteen and she had started to develop into a beauty. The summer I came home, I noticed men now looked at her with lust in their eyes and she told me that some guys at school had asked her out. I was furious and I spent most of the summer keeping guys away from my baby sister. Not that that was a problem though because I can be scary when I need to. Thankfully, Bella never dressed provocatively, and she basically kept to herself, reading or walking in the woods during her downtime. Charlie died that year, right after I graduated from college. I returned to Forks to take care of Bella and the rest is history. Bella is the most important thing in my life and I would die for her, so that's why I didn't want her near club HADES. I know what kind of shit goes down there. I had done "errands" for Mr. Cullen's right hand man for years. Bella thought her dad had a life insurance policy that paid for her education and that the house was paid for. Neither of these things were true though. Charlie's medical bills ate through his savings and he had put a second mortgage on the house to pay down some debt. I knew I had to take care of Bella and keep

everything as normal as possible for her, so I got in contact with some people I knew that had connections to organized crime. My job in he warehouse didn't pay enough, but I could make a couple of thousand dollars driving a car from one state to another so I did. I knew there was illegal shit inside and I'd go to jail if caught, but that was a risk I'd take for Bella. By running "errands", I was able to pay all the bills and save for Bella's education. I made sure she never had to work so she could concentrate on being a teenager and getting good grades. We made it and now she's a college graduate with a job of her own. I still do not like the fact that she took the job against my will, but I'll have to get over it, I guess. Leaving the past behind me, I look out my plane window to see that we are near the runway. I've never been to Chicago, but I know it's fucking cold right now, so I better pull out my wool over coat before we land. I'm here to meet Marcus and Caius, Edward's godfathers and members of the Volturi. I knew the Volturi was a Mafia organization and that Edward's father had been a member. Other than that, I didn't know who they were or why they wanted to meet me. Mr. Cullen had said it was a precaution because of the power I would have at the club. After the plane landed, I took my carry on Louis Vuitton luggage and headed down the stairs. It was super cold and windy and I was glad I had packed my warmest clothes. There was a Bentley on the curb and I a driver waiting at the passenger door. I could get used to this. The driver took my luggage and put it into the back and we were off. We eventually stopped in front of a palatial mansion somewhere in the suburbs of Chicago. The mansion had a huge gate in front and the driver was let through after he identified himself. Damn, these people had some serious money, I thought. I could imagine Bella and I living in a place like this someday. A man came outside to greet me and I was led inside. Everywhere I looked, there were expensive furnishings and paintings. The house spoke of old money and expensive taste. I don't think Bella would feel comfortable in a home like this, but I loved it. It lacked the hominess of our house, but it was so grand. I was taken to a parlor down the hallway. While I was looking around, a man entered. He was twirling a small dark haired girl around in a circle. She was tiny, but she moved gracefully and had a big smile on her face. She had a tinkling laugh like a wind chime, and her clothes were very colorful, but fashionable. As if sensing my presence she turned around and my breath hitched. She was beautiful. Her big blue eyes were full of wonder and she was scrunching up her nose a bit. "Who are you?" She asked causing the man she was dancing with to look over and notice me for the first time. "I'm Jasper Swan. I'm here to meet with Mr. Volturi. I'm Mr. Cullen's new club manager." I said while never once taking my eyes off her. The man that had been twirling her let go of her so he could shake my hand. "Hello son. My name is Marcus Volturi, it's a pleasure to meet you. My godson has told me great things about you. I'm pleased you'll be running the club. My brother Caius is upstairs and should be down shortly." I had not taken my eyes off of the girl and she was staring at me strangely too. Marcus noticed, so he introduced us.

"This lovely pixie here is Alice, Edward's sister and my goddaughter." He said beaming like a proud father. "It's a pleasure to meet you Alice." I said lifting her hand and kissing it. She giggled and replied that it was nice to meet me also. Marcus dismissed Alice telling her that he needed to discuss business right now, but that we all would be having dinner together. She left and I watched her until she disappeared from view. Damn, I thought, I've just gone and fallen in love. I'd never been in love, but I knew I loved Alice. Even though we just met, I wanted to be with her, protect her, and take care of her. I had to get to know this twirling pixie who had stolen my heart. I met Caius and the rest of the morning was spent talking business. I was briefed of the organization and what went down at the club. It was disturbing, but nothing more than I expected. There was lots of money to be made and I knew I could do the job asked of me. After the meeting ended, I was led to an opulent guest room and allowed to take a nap before dinner. When I awoke, I showered and dressed for the evening. Dinner was lovely and Marcus regaled us with stories of the old days while Alice and I drowned in each others eyes. She was wearing a dark green cocktail dress and she looked even more beautiful than before. After dinner Alice asked me to take a walk with her and took me outside. We talked about our likes and dislikes and about our pasts. Alice confided in me that she had developed an eating disorder two years prior and was in therapy with her stepbrother. I told her about me being an orphan and getting adopted by Charlie. We talked about me about Bella and Edward. She said that she loved him, but he'd become so withdrawn lately, and it made her worried. I told her about Bella and the private secretary job. She seemed really exited with the mention of Bella and made me promise to introduce her when we got back to Seattle. Alice had been visiting her godfathers' to get a break and spend some time shopping in Chicago. I told her she was beautiful and that I thought I was probably in love with her. She didn't freak out like I thought she would. Instead she told me about how she felt she had been waiting for something and that I was it. She said her soul had recognized me. We walked around the gardens holding hands and kissing. Although we had just met, I felt it was my responsibility to look out for Alice. I would make sure she never hurt herself again. I had come to Chicago thinking of my past and now I was thinking of my future with Alice and Bella. Alice was right, even if I didn't know her, my heart recognized her and we would be together now forever. Because I had to leave on Friday to start work with Bella, Alice decided to cut her vacation short and head home with me. She is now asleep on my shoulder as we head into Seattle. I don't know what the future will hold for me, but I do know that I have two women, that I love, to look after now. I know I won't fail Alice or Bella, because they are the most important people in my life. I'd do anything to keep them safe and happy for as long as I live. ~*!*~

Chapter Five ~ Lonesome Town "There's a place where lovers go To cry their troubles away And they call it Lonesome Town Where the broken hearts stay You can buy a dream or two, To last you all through the years And the only price you pay Is a heart full of tears." --Ricky Nelson - Lonesome Town EPOV I was a goddamned idiot. I just knew I was going to fuck this shit up sooner or later, but I still had to go and do it anyways. I was a member of the fucking Mafia. Women that dealt with our kind had to know what they were getting themselves into beforehand, or else the life would destroy them. I knew all of this, had heard this shit all of my life, and still I fuck shit up. Bella didn't know who I was or what I sold my soul for. I had no right to try to make her fall in love with me. She deserved more than what my mother had before she met Carlisle. I mean, I had strong feelings for Bella, but would that be enough to keep me from turning into a man like my father, a man who had put whores before his own family? I couldn't be the kind of man Bella needed, so I was going to end this shit before it went any further. After I left the party on Monday, Demetri took me back to my place to sleep off the rest of my high. All I felt was disgust and guilt for being with another woman, for doing drugs, and for imagining Bella while I was having sex with Lauren. I couldn't understand what the fuck had been wrong with me. I never regretted any of the fucked up shit I had done before, but one meeting with Bella, and I started to question my life and its meaning. Then I had to go and make shit worse by offering her that job so that I could see her everyday. Being near Bella and not touching her was going to be fucking torture. I slept most of the day on Tuesday, but Tuesday night I had been awake and jumpy. I contemplated going back to the warehouse and getting high again, but I decided against that because I would have only been repeating the process from Monday. I probably would have fucked some other bitch and felt just as bad, or maybe worse. Besides, some of the Organization guys that hung out there knew Marcus. If he ever found out I was doing drugs, he would fuck my shit up. He wouldn't kill me or anything, but he'd probably force me into rehab and take the club away. Also, Esme and Alice would be even more disappointed in me than they already were. Marcus and Caius may have sold drugs, but they sure as hell didn't condone any members of their family being users. That night, I wound up driving over to Bella and Jasper's duplex. It was small and in one of those sketchy bohemian neighborhoods you find in every major city. I knew Jasper wouldn't be home because I already had him working every night. We had a large shipment of guns coming through the club, so I needed him to be there to help out. Plus, it

was a chance for him to get acquainted with some of the other associates of the Organization. I felt bad about keeping him out and away from Bella so much, but I'd hired a personal bodyguard to look after her during the times Jasper was out. Of course, she didn't know this, and the guard was never to get too close to her or make his presence known, but he was still armed and ready in case she needed help. I felt protective of Bella, and I was sure as shit not going to risk her being harmed by anyone. I didn't fucking care if it was a tiny dog chasing her or a big guy trying to take her down; mess with my babydoll, and your life would be fucked up. Jesus fucking Christ, Edward, I thought, did you just call her babydoll? Eventually I got my stupid ass in the car and drove away before I did something idiotic, but the next day I cracked and totally fucked up. Wednesday had been a particularly shitty day. First, I concocted some bullshit reason to send Jasper to Chicago, to meet Marcus and Caius and discuss business. He hadn't really wanted to go, but I made it an order, and Jasper always took orders well. Unfortunately, Jasper asked Felix to "babysit" Bella. I definitely wasn't going to have that shit go down. Not that I didn't trust Felix, but I wanted to be the one to watch her. I knew Jasper would never let me stay home alone with Bella, so I had come up with a plan that got Felix out of the way later in the day. I sent him on some bullshit errand to Port Angeles, knowing that the weather was going to be bad and he'd likely get his ass stuck there overnight. After my plans were put in motion, I had come up with an excuse I would use to get Bella to let me in her house. I decided that the bullshit excuse of going over office procedures would work. I knew Bella's sweet ass was eager to please, so she certainly wouldn't turn her future boss away if he wanted to discuss work. Being the stupid motherfucker that I am, I smoked a joint laced with PCP before I headed over to see Bella. I had been fucking jumpy all day. As if my nerves weren't bad enough, some of my working girls, who had been on vacation, were due back soon, and I knew shit was gonna fly. Chanel kept those bitches in line for me. They were all over twenty-one, but they acted like a high school full of teenage bitches competing for prom queen. All of them were catty, vindictive, and saw me as their main prize. As if I'd fall in love with some motherfucking cunt that spread her legs for money. Sure I fucked most of them during the interview process to make sure they could cut it, but that was business. I didn't fuck them all though. I'd never done Chanel because she earned my respect long ago. She wasn't like those other bitches; she had a brain. Chanel and I already discussed Bella. I knew Bella would be a target because she was new, and she wasn't like those bitches. Chanel had promised to keep them all away from Bella, and report to me if any of them got fucking hostile with my babydoll. There was that term again, babydoll. I probably called her that because she reminded me of a doll Alice once owned. Bella is way sexier than that doll though. Lately, I'd spent so much time jizzing to the thought of Bella that I was surprised my hand hadn't fallen off. Every time I thought of her, I got a hard on. I thought of her almost every single minute of every day since we met. I dreamed of her in different positions. Her on top of me, me in back of her, her with my dick in her mouth. I really wanted to feel my cock in Bella's mouth someday, but the sensation would probably kill me. Hell, thinking about sex with Bella was killing me. I couldn't even go bust a nut with some other bitch because I would feel too guilty. So on Wednesday, I pulled up to her fucking apartment and knocked on the door. I took my silver

Corvette because I knew that if I drove the Phantom in this neighborhood, it might get stolen, or some asshole would drool over it and try to touch my shit. I wasn't having that, so the vette had been chosen as my stalker mobile instead. Bella answered after a couple of knocks. She was so goddamned innocent and naïve; she hadn't even looked through the peephole. I knew she hadn't looked because she was surprised to see me at the door. The fact that she was so unaware made me feel better about hiring the hidden bodyguard to watch her. She looked fucking amazing standing there in her old clothes with stains all over them. It appeared she had been cooking, and I could smell the most mouth watering scent coming from the kitchen. Being the douchebag that I was, I had snapped at her and told her some inappropriate shit. She had eventually called my ass out on that shit, and because of the PCP in my bloodstream, I reacted badly. Even now just thinking about it, I want to kick my own ass for the way I had grabbed her arm. When she started crying, I felt a tug in my chest and the PCP seemed to wear off. This was my fucking babydoll; no way should I have put my hands on her like that. I had tried to soothe her and she had let me, even going so far as to invite me for dinner. That fucking dinner, making out with, and sleeping with Bella were the highlights of my life so far. She was so fucking beautiful, and she didn't even know it. She was so surprised when I'd described how magnificent she was. And her kisses. She had been so responsive. I would bet that Bella hasn't had many kisses in her life. The fact that I was the first motherfucker she let feel her up didn't go unnoticed by me either. I didn't fucking deserve it, but Bella had given me a piece of her no other man had ever gotten the pleasure of having. To think that I could be her one and only made me fucking ecstatic. Bella was an excellent cook, and she was witty and well-read. I never got tired of talking with her. Also, she wasn't like some of the other bitches I knew. She never asked me about my money or threw herself at me. She did ask me about my car, but it had been an absentminded question, like she was just making conversation. That fucking chicken dinner was the best I ever had. I've eaten at five star restaurants and their food didn't come close to tasting as good as Bella's. She had been so sweet, feeding me cookies, and not letting me help cleanup. I sensed that she was kind of ashamed of her and Jasper's apartment, but it was homey, and everything was clean and orderly. I felt extremely comfortable there. I didn't mean to see her half naked. I had come back into the house, and not seeing her in the kitchen, I went upstairs to make sure she was okay. Seeing Bella's breasts was an image I would remember for the rest of my life. Her tiny pink nipples had been puckered and I had to physically restrain myself from taking one in my mouth. It took all my strength not to take her there. That kiss in her room and the one on the couch had given me the worst case of blue balls I ever had in my life. I had wanted her like I'd never wanted anything else, and I knew she would have let me take her, but I was being responsible. Me, Edward fucking Cullen being responsible... who would have thought. We watched a classic movie, and Bella laughed throughout the night. I fucking loved the sound of her laugh. I usually don't notice shit like that about bitches, but my babydoll was different. I craved Bella, all of her. I wanted her body, her mind, and her soul. I wouldn't have been happy fucking her, since we had only known each other two days. When she said I could sleep with her, I decided it would be that, just sleep. I hadn't slept in the same bed with anyone since I was eight, and that had been with my mom or Ali. The

bitches I had fucked weren't allowed in my apartment. I didn't sleep with them after the sex was over. Hell, I didn't even kiss them. Bella was the first woman I had kissed since I was a teenager. Her mouth was heaven on Earth. It was so warm and moist, and I could taste the cookies she had for desert still on her tongue. Bella's skin had been sweet too; it was her natural body taste, and I ate that shit up like it was my last supper. I had a nightmare, and my angel had held me all night in her arms. She protected me from my dreams. I awoke feeling better than I'd felt in forever. Bella's soft little ass was pressed right into my morning wood. I was sure as shit not going to wake her up, and I couldn't stay in bed because it was fucking painful to be so close and not get any release. In the end, I left her that note and that fucking hundred dollars. I knew she'd find the down payment funny, and I hoped she would use the money to buy her something. I took a picture of her sleeping, and that picture was my computer screensaver now. I managed to stay the fuck away from Bella on Thursday. I considered calling her, but decided it wasn't a good idea. Bella and I couldn't ever be together, and the sooner I got that shit out of my head, the better off we would both be. The only problem was that I couldn't get my heart or body to listen to my head, because all they wanted was Bella. Honestly all my head wanted was Bella too. She'd been in my every thought. Every particle of my being craved my babydoll, and longed to be near her. It was Friday, Bella and Jasper's first official day of work. I was nervous as hell. I was going to tell Bella Wednesday meant nothing and suggest that we put it behind us and act professionally. It was going to fucking kill me to lie and hurt my babydoll, but I knew it would be for the best in the long run. Bella deserved a normal life with a normal man that she could have kids with and be happy. Regardless, the thought of my Bella making love with some other man made me want to fucking off myself. As if shit wasn't fucked up enough that night, there were two fucking moths circling one of my lamps. I've never seen any other bugs up here, but these dumb motherfuckers managed to come and molest my lights at all times of the night. I was going to have to talk to Felix about getting an exterminator to spray some shit that would kill them. I was too stressed out to deal with the stupid moths right then, that night, so instead of trapping them in the glass, I decided to ignore their existence. My office had a balcony that leads outside. Bella would be in the outer office, and it had a small kitchenette, some plush chairs, and a projector. Bella's desk was facing the window, and I bought a lot of brand new computer shit for her to use. I got Esme to order a special ergonomically designed desk chair for Bella. It cost a shitload and was made in Italy. The chair was created from the finest Italian leather available. It was a fitting throne for my queen Bella. I made sure the office was extremely comfortable and looked sophisticated. Bella's desk, and lots of the other furniture, was made out of mahogany wood. I had even gotten her a new Macbook Air laptop that she could keep and use at home. I had seen her laptop in her room, and that shit had been ancient, but I'm pretty sure it was Bella's choice not to upgrade. She seemed like the type of person that didn't really like new stuff. Her room was full of personal, inexpensive belongings. I wanted to leave something of mine there too, but everything I have is impersonal and expensive. Even though I knew Bella would never be mine, I still felt like I had to take care of her. Besides, she deserved nice things, even if she didn't want them. I owned a condo building downtown, and I lived in the penthouse suite at the top. It was ostentatious and expensively decorated, but I have never really felt comfortable in it. I had never taken bitches there, and the only women that have slept in it are Mom and Ali. I had a feeling I would be adding Bella to that list soon, but just to sleep.

Luckily, my office had a secret apartment leading off to the side, so I could just crash here at the club. Marcus had the apartment built for me for security purposes. It's the coolest shit. It was like some kind of bat cave, and I would feel like a superhero when I'd go in there. Well, on second thought maybe more like the villain, as no one would ever mistake my sorry ass for a hero. To get into the secret apartment, you needed to put a code into a security system and do a fingerprint scan. Marcus and I were the only two whose fingerprints were registered, and he has never gone in there. The hidden panel to activate the keypad was behind my middle bookcase, and a certain lead book worked as the trigger. I was the only one that knew about the lead book and where it was located. After the security system beeps, the wall would open up, and right in front would be a bulletproof door. The door had to be unlocked, and I was the only one with the key. The apartment had a full sized kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. The lone bedroom was done in dark mahogany, just like the color of Bella's hair. It had a huge California king-sized canopy bed, and a large HDTV mounted on the front wall. There was a full sized bathroom with a Jacuzzi bathtub and two shower heads. There was also a living area that had a custom made Italian leather sectional, another HDTV, and my baby grand piano. I didn't play much anymore, but something about being around Bella made me want to start composing again. Plus, I wouldn't mind making love to her on top of the piano. Like that'll ever fucking happen. Still one can dream. I liked to think of my private apartment as the devil's lair. Everything was decorated in reds and blacks, and I never kept on much light inside. I was planning on giving Bella the code and adding her fingerprint, in case she wanted to cook or take a nap in there sometimes. I've never shown any of the other bitches my lair, but Bella is different. I would be breaking her heart soon, so she at least deserved something for my stupid ass messing up her life. I would have to talk to Alice about adding flowers and any other shit that would make the apartment more feminine. I was out on the balcony looking at the city when I felt them. Those fucking tingles were back. My babydoll must be here. Before I could even form that thought, I heard the outside door open and a tinkling laugh ring out. "Thanks for carrying my bags up, Felix. Tell Jasper I'll be down to see him during my lunch break," I heard Bella say. Jasper's office was on the fourth floor of the club. It was nicely furnished and in the middle of everything, just where I needed him to be. I gathered up all my control and turned to open the door. Standing there in all her fucking glory was my babydoll. Damn she looked fucking amazing. She had worn a dressier outfit than usual because she was probably unsure about what kind of attire she was supposed to wear to work. Being the fucking asshole I was, I had neglected to tell her. Still, she looked fucking amazing. She had on a black A-line skirt that stopped just above her knees. With the skirt, she wore a pale mint green low cut sweater that had small gold beading across the neckline. I could see the top swells of her beautiful breasts and I was sure she wore this outfit for me, just like that pink cardigan. As usual, Bella had on her ballet flats. To add to my already tortured dick, she had on pantyhose. Well, fuck me blind. My fucking babydoll in pantyhose. She really was trying to kill me. They were the sheer kind and I could see her perfect legs underneath. The skirt was fitted, and her tight little ass looked great in it. Her hair was in some kind of

messy updo with a few tendrils hanging down. I had to ball up my fists to stop myself from raking my fingers through her tresses. All of a sudden, Bella's shoulders tensed, and then she turned around to face me. She had been playing with her computer on the desk, so she hadn't noticed me before now. I was rooted to the spot, staring at her from the doorway. "Hi Edward, um, I really missed you," Bella said shyly, as she walked over and hugged me. She smelled like strawberries and flowers and her skin was so soft. I wanted to drown in Bella, but I couldn't, so I just stood there. I didn't return the hug. I couldn't lead her on anymore if I wanted to put any type of distance between us. This was going to fucking kill me, but I had to do it. She must have noticed that I wasn't hugging her back, because after a minute, she glanced up at me with confusion on her face. "Um, what's wrong Edward? Did I do something wrong? I just thought that after Wednesday…" she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. Let Operation Douchebag Edward Cullen begin. "Ms. Swan, I don't know what you think happened Wednesday, but I'm your boss, and because you will be working for me, I expect you to remember that and act accordingly," I said in the best snobby voice I could conjure up. "There has not been, and never will be, anything between us." Bella started backing away from me; I could feel the anger coming off of her in waves. "You asshole! So that night meant nothing to you? You kissed me and told me you cared for me. You said the sweetest things to me. You asked me to trust you. Was that all a lie, Edward?" She had tears in her eyes and she was visibly shaking. Fuck me. If I'm going to hell, I might as well earn my spot. "Of course it was a fucking lie, Ms. Swan! Yes, I kissed you. I was horny and you're about the only bitch I haven't fucked around here, so I thought, "Hey, I might as well go for it." You played perfectly into my hands writhing on me and shit. Hell, you even cooked me dinner." I was being an asshole and I knew it. I worked to keep my patent smirk on my face as I continued. "You know, your brother should have taught you that men will do and say anything to get into your pants. I knew I could have fucked you that night Bella, but after awhile I decided that it would be too much work. So consider yourself off the hook. You'll just have to be the first bitch that works for me that I haven't fucked. Not that anyone could blame me. I mean look at you, you're a fucking prude." Talking to Bella like this was fucking killing me, and I couldn't stand to see Bella cry. I knew it had to be done, but shit, this was painful. Bella looked utterly devastated, but under the sadness, I could see the disbelief and the anger too. "So, all the compliments about me being beautiful were a lie?" she snarled. I nodded my head yes to confirm. Bella began pacing the room; she looked like an angry tigress ready to pounce. I was getting a fucking hard on looking at her tight little ass in that skirt. She was mumbling to herself about how she knew it was too good to be true and about what a fool she had been. After about five minutes of pacing, Bella came back to stand in front of me. "I hate you, Edward Cullen! The only person I hate more than you is the drunk driver who killed my mother. I was such an idiot

thinking that I was maybe in love with you when it was only stupid lust I felt!" She seemed to be in thought for a minute, and then she asked, "What about the note, Edward, about making me yours? Was that part of your grand scheme too?" "Of course it was Ms. Swan. I was just leaving you with something in case I decided to come back on Thursday and fuck you. Thankfully I found an experienced bitch to spend the night with, so I didn't need you. After getting my dick wet and having a couple of orgasms with her, I came to my senses and realized that fucking you would be a waste of time. I've never had a virgin before, and I didn't want to put in the time and effort, but hey, I'm sure there's some other fucker who can pop your cherry for you." I'd like to see one try. I would kill the fucker first. Bella was all out sobbing now and I just wanted to hold her. The hell with this charade, I couldn't do it, not if it was causing my babydoll so much pain. I was about to hold out my arms and go to her when she stopped me. "You fucking pathetic piece of shit! I hate your guts Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! I wish you to the farthest recesses of hell. You came over to my home, ate dinner with me, kissed and touched my body, and slept in my bed, just to play some sort of sick game. Stay away from me! Don't ever touch me again! That night I even thought that you might be an angel, and you are, Lucifer. Don't worry though, you taught me a valuable lesson. I won't ever misconstrue anything you say to me again. I will still work for you because I promised. Also, I don't want you to hold Jasper's job over my head ever again." Bella was glaring daggers at me as she delivered this rant. "Wait, Bella, let's not... I'm…" Fuck. I couldn't get a coherent sentence out of my mouth. She cut me off with a wave of her hand. "Don't even try, Cullen. You've done enough damage to me. We will be professional to each other. Only speak to me if the topics are work related. Stay the hell away from me, and my apartment, at all other times. I don't ever want to have anything to do with you. I hope you have fun sleeping with all your whores. I hope you remember me when you're old and you die alone." What the fuck had I just done? I needed to apologize, but Bella wasn't even giving me a chance. This fucking hurt. My heart hurt and my lungs were so constricted I could barely breathe. My babydoll fucking hated my guts. She'd given me permission to fuck other bitches. I knew I was the one that set out to ruin us, but deep down I thought that we could at least stay friends. Looking at the hard set of her jaw and the glint of anger in her eyes, I knew Bella was never going to accept that now. I had lost my only reason for living and it was my own fucking fault. While I was standing there in a stupor, Bella stepped closer to me. She leaned in, and I idiotically thought that maybe she was going to give me one last kiss. Then I felt white hot searing pain on my right cheek. Bella, my little tigress, had fucking slapped the shit out of me. She must have put her entire weight behind that slap because it fucking hurt. Before I could recover and say anything, she slapped me again, on the same cheek but harder. I could feel my face swelling. I reached up, intending to grab her wrists and stop her, but she just kept hitting me. She was now using her fists and babbling incoherently. I started to fear that she might harm herself, so I put her body in a vice grip. Holding onto her only made my traitor dick even harder. She must have felt my erection because she stopped and looked up at me. My Bella was gone, and in her place was a woman scorned. "Mr. Cullen, I don't think that's appropriate for the workplace," she said palming my erection. "Let me help you with that." Before I could think, my babydoll kneed me hard in

the groin. "What the fuck, Bella!" I wheezed out, dropping to the ground. "Are you trying to fucking castrate me? I mean shit that fucking hurt!" The pain was making me dizzy, so I curled into a fetal position to protect myself in case she decided to kick me again. I looked up to try and see Bella's face. Her face was twisted in a mask of pain. Then she backed away and ran to the bathroom located outside of our office. I could hear the door slamming behind her and I wanted to go to her, but I was in pain, and she wouldn't want to see me anyways... I sat on the floor trying to compose myself. Fuck, fuckity, fuck. I didn't expect that from Bella. She was a damn formidable fighter. She was so damn small, but she had managed to kick my ass. Not that I ever tried to defend myself. I didn't hit women, and I'd never hit Bella. I had taken it like a man, but that shit still hurt. Finally, I was able to get my ass off the floor and limp back to my office. I closed the door and went into my private apartment to access the damage. I had a bruise forming on my face and my lip was busted. One of my eyes was turning purple and I had a large scratch mark on my neck. I felt the other bruises that would be forming on my body later. Although I was hurting like a son of a bitch, I found myself smiling. My fucking babydoll could really defend herself. Jasper had clearly taught her well. My smile faded when I thought about how the rest of the night was going to go. I was going to try and apologize again and hoped that Bella didn't fucking kill my ass. Twenty minutes later, I left my lair and returned to the office. I heard some shuffling around in the front, so I assumed that Bella had composed herself enough to come back. I reigned in my emotions and went out front to speak to her. She was sitting in her specially designed desk chair and typing something on the computer. I saw folders and binders set up on the table near her desk. I knew she was busy working on the filing system. She looked up when I entered and her eyes were bloodshot. That sight went straight to my heart and I winced. What the fuck had I done? "Mr. Cullen. I apologize for my previous actions. Even though you are an evil, lying bastard, and I don't think you deserve an apology, I'll give you one anyway. I don't condone violence, and I'm sorry for any injuries I caused you." She looked so damn hostile when she said that. If I thought she would let me, I would have tried to hug her. "There's no need to apologize, Ms. Swan. I was an asshole and I'm sorry too. Is there anything you need? Do you need me to show you where everything is?" I asked practically pleading, hoping that she would throw my sorry ass a scrap. "No, Mr. Cullen. I'm fine. There's no need for you to stay out here. I will come to your office if I need you," Bella replied while looking down at her keyboard. Great, she couldn't even bear the sight of me anymore. "You know, I'd like it if we could go back to Bella and Edward. Mr. Cullen and Ms. Swan sound too formal," I said conjuring up my best charming smile. It probably looked more like a grimace because of how fucking miserable I felt.

"No, that's okay. I prefer we keep it professional. Besides, it's not like we're friends or anything. You're just my boss and some guy that almost fucked me," Bella replied nonchalantly. I hated that fucking indifference in her voice. I hated the crass word she had used, and I hated that she wouldn't look at me. I would never have fucked you Bella, we would have made love, I thought, as if I wasn't already feeling low enough. I felt tears brimming at the corner of my eyes. "That's fucking fine with me, Ms. Swan. Let me know if you need help with anything." With that I stomped into my office, shutting the door behind me. What the fuck is wrong with me? I never cry. My doctor put me on antidepressants after my father died, and I had taken that shit for years. I never felt anything, but the words coming out of my Bella's mouth had fucking killed me. A part of my soul died knowing that she hated me so much. Hell, she said she hated me as much as the man that killed her mother. That shit had really burned. The worst part was that she sounded like she meant it. I went over to my bar and grabbed a bottle of cognac. I didn't even bother with a glass. I would drink it straight out the fucking bottle. Shit, my life was fucked up; my brain might as well join in the fun. When I was halfway through the bottle, I decided I might as well try to do some work. I opened my email and read the new messages. Most were from assholes wanting something or inviting me somewhere. There was one from Bella, but it was just an expense report she typed up. I replied and turned off my computer. I was too drunk to fucking concentrate. My babydoll was just a door away, but this shit was hard enough for her, so I would spare her the sight of my pathetic ass. I sat brooding and watching the moths play with their light for about twenty minutes, and then I heard a knock on my door. "Come in." I said knowing it was Bella. "Mr. Cullen, I just wanted to let you know that it's time for my break. I'll be down on the fourth floor with Jasper. Text me if you need me." She didn't wait for a reply before she turned and walked out. I thought that maybe she would want to go around the corner and get a snack or some coffee with me, but I knew it was a long shot. I was also planning to take her for a drive in the Phantom, but that would never happen now. Getting up from my desk, I put my keys and phone in my pocket and went to circulate around the club. The patrons always got a kick out of seeing me come down, and the bitches usually went crazy trying to get me to notice them. The only woman I wanted to notice me wasn't even fucking making eye contact with me though. I stopped in on the seventh floor first. The strip club was packed because there had been some college football game and a lot of the guys had come here afterward. All of the dancers seemed to be happy and making good tips. I engaged in a bit off small talk before heading downstairs. Next I went to the fourth floor to check on Jasper and see Bella. Even if she didn't want to talk to me, I had to catch a glimpse of her. I stayed hidden in the shadows outside his door and peeked into the office window. I saw Bella unwrapping a dish of what appeared to be steak and some other sides. I would fucking kill for what Jasper was eating. Bella looked happy that Jasper was eating. She began eating a piece of pie while they talked. I just stood there, watching her for a few minutes, and then I left. From there, I went to the sixth floor. There were some soap opera actors being led into the VIP area. Chanel was on the floor, and everything looked like it was going well. I nodded to her and she nodded

back to let me know everything was okay. I was feeling fucking restless again, so I took the elevator back to the fourth floor, hoping to see Bella again. When I got to Jasper's office, I looked inside, but I could only see Alice and Jasper sitting down eating. Where was my babydoll? And oh yeah, I still had to kick that fucker's ass about Alice. She and Jasper came back from Chicago all lovey dovey and shit. What was he pulling, a sister for a sister, tit for tat? Alice already confessed to me that she loved Jasper. I was happy if she was happy, but fuck, did it have to be Bella's brother she had fallen for? I knocked on the office door and heard a muffled, "Come in," before turning the knob. "Edward!" My pixie of a sister yelled while throwing herself at me. I caught her in the hug and she squeezed me with all her strength. "I was wondering if you would get your lazy ass down here to see me tonight. What the hell happened to your face?" she asked after she noticed my beat up face. "My face is fine; I got beat up play boxing with Demetri. You know I would come see my pixie princess." "Well, tell Demetri not to be so rough on your beautiful mug next time. You look horrible," Alice replied. "Yeah man, you don't look so good. You should probably put some ice on that eye. By the way, I just saw Bells. She said everything's going fine upstairs. We're all good down here. Was there anything you needed from me?" Jasper asked, never once taking his eyes off my sister. That fucker obviously did love Alice. It was so unfair, they could be together, would probably marry and have children, and I would die alone. Life wasn't fucking right. I asked Jasper where Bella was, and he told me that she went with Felix outside to get some fresh air. I said goodbye to Alice and Jasper and left to get Bella. When I got outside, I spotted her immediately or better yet, I felt her. Her body was like a honing beacon to me. She was wearing a black leather coat, but it was still fucking cold out there. She wasn't with Felix. Instead, she was with some guy with blonde hair. He was taller than Bella but shorter than me. He looked to be around her age, and his blue eyes were shining while he looked at my Bella. She was laughing and kind of leaning into his body. I was going to kill this motherfucker. Who was this prick? Had Bella moved on and forgotten me so quickly. Fuck, when had I started thinking like such a pussy whipped bitch? I was going to have to rethink my opinions of Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper if this shit kept up. By now loverboy had worked up the nerve to put his arm around my babydoll. I saw fucking red. I didn't stop to think. I just ran over and roughly removed his arm from Bella's shoulder. Then I shoved him hard into the pavement. "What the fuck?" he asked wincing in pain. I saw Bella turn around and gape at me like I had lost my mind. She bent over the fucker and helped him up. I heard her ask him if he was okay. So she was comforting him and ignoring me. What the fuck? After she was sure loverboy was okay, she acknowledged me. "Christ, Cullen. Why did you push Mike like that?"

So Mike was this fucker's name. Was he an old boyfriend? Obviously he hadn't been man enough to fuck her since she was still a virgin. If looks could kill, Mike had committed first degree murder. Bella held her arm protectively around his waist supporting his weight. I wanted to knock him down again, but I resisted because it would only make her angrier. "You know this asshole, Bella?" Mike asked still throwing death glares at me. "Unfortunately yes, this is Mr. Cullen, my boss and the owner of the club. Apparentally, he has the manners of a caveman. Allow me to apologize for his behavior." Bella's chocolate eyes were bright with anger and she was almost shaking. The sight of the two of them together was too much for me. "I do have fucking manners. I just saw some creep with his arm around you, and I thought you needed my help." I was trying to pacify Bella, but it didn't seem to be working. "Mike is not a creep. He and I went to high school together, and he's in the Army. He's on leave for the weekend and looked me up. He decided to come visit me here at the club. I wasn't aware I needed your permission to see my friends, Mr. Cullen," Bella said in a condescending voice. "You don't. I'm sorry, Ms. Swan. Continue reminiscing and I'll see you upstairs after your break." With that I turned and got the fuck out of there. I couldn't stand to see this asshole touch my Bella. If I stayed, I was going to kill him. I found Felix not far away from Bella. I told him to keep an eye on her and bring her up when she was ready. Then I went back up to the eighth floor and stood out on the balcony to smoke a cigar. The liquor I consumed earlier had already worn off. I needed something harder. I thought about calling Demetri for some drugs, but decided I didn't want to be high while I was alone with Bella. Besides, I might end up doing something stupid and hurt her again. When it got too fucking cold on the balcony, I went inside and cranked away on some work I had to get done. The gun shipment was going well, and there hadn't been any interference from the Feds. Not that I expected there would be. The Volturi Organization was known for its meticulous planning and ability to go unnoticed. Bella came in about thirty minutes later. I hadn't bothered to close the door, so I could see her perfectly. Her beautiful face was flushed and she had a small smile on her lips. So that fucker had made her smile, just another thing I couldn't do for her. The thought of Bella and Mike together made me nauseous. A little while later, Bella appeared at my door. She was carrying a tray that held a plate of food. There was New York Strip steak with blue cheese, steak fries, and a couple of buttery dinner rolls. There was a smaller bowl with what looked like ceasar salad. Bella sat the tray down on my desk and turned to walk out. "As much as I hate you right now, I can't stand to see anyone starve. I noticed that you had not eaten tonight. Plus, I made this for you, and it would be a pity for it to go to waste. There's apple crisp and ice cream in the kitchenette. You are welcome to help yourself after you finish," Bella said before she closed the door. Well fuck me. My babydoll had still fed me dinner even though I had been an ass and didn't deserve it. Maybe this meant that she would forgive me one day and let my sorry ass apologize. Yeah, like that would ever happen.

Bella was just taking pity on me, but I wasn't the fucker that would look a gift horse in the mouth. I ate with relish. The meal was fucking awesome, and I was going to ask Bella to cook for me every night. I could pay her extra, and she could use my secret apartment's kitchen. God knows I never used it. For the first time since Wednesday, I actually felt semi good. Once the food was gone, I got up to take the tray back out to the kitchen. While there, I planned to get some desert and thank Bella. "Babydoll, thank you so much for making me dinner. It was fucking awesome, and I appreciate it." I was just about to ask her about the apartment and cooking for me every night when she went off. "Don't you dare call me babydoll, Mr. Cullen! There's no need to suck up to me now since we both know I won't be sleeping with you. Save your fake charm for one of your other women because it won't work on me." "Bella, I'm sorry." I said, stunned that she thought I was just patronizing her. "Don't, Mr. Cullen, just don't," she whispered. "Let's just keep our working relationship as professional as possible." I was angry, so I stormed off to the kitchen before I said something that I would regret later. Only Bella could get to me that way. No one had ever made me feel so many emotions. I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to love her. Shit, that couldn't be right. I didn't know how to love. Something in my soul told me Bella could teach me that emotion. I put some pie into a bowl and scooped out some ice cream. Bella had already heated the pie in the toaster oven, so it was nice and warm. Her apple crisp was the best fucking dessert I'd eaten since those cookies she made for me. I had a feeling that I would like anything my babydoll cooked. That is, if she ever cooked for me again after the way I'd acted tonight. I sat at the small table and ate while I thought about Bella. After I finished, I returned to see my babydoll on the other side of the room looking out the window. She was standing still, and she appeared to be in deep thought. "Bella," I said, trying to get her attention. She turned around and I could see tears in her eyes. "Sorry, Mr. Cullen. I was just stretching my legs." Bella was sniffling and trying to hide her tears. "I'll get back to work now." "Bella, I…" I didn't know what to say. I felt so disgusted with myself because I hurt my babydoll. "It's okay. I'm fine. Please go on about your business and leave me alone," Bella whispered. I returned to my office, shutting the door. I put my iPod in my Bose speaker system and let the sounds of Bach drown out my troubled heart. I must have dozed off because when I woke up, the clock said it was one in the morning. I only had about an hour left with Bella. I was just about to go try and talk to her again, when I heard a knock on my door. Thinking it was Bella I told the person to come in. It was not Bella; it was fucking Jessica Stanley, one of the club's strippers. Her stripper name was Jess the

Best, not the brightest mind, obviously. Fuck, just kill me now. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of once fucking this bitch. She barely shut up long enough for me to finish, and since then, she kept throwing herself at me. I tried to push her off to Demetri, but even he didn't want her. As far as I knew, Felix didn't fuck with the club bitches, so I didn't have anyone else to pawn her off to. "Hey baby. I haven't seen you in awhile. Miss me?" Jessica cooed, looking at my crotch. I swear this bitch only thinks about cock. "No, Jessica, I did not miss you because you were never gone. You constantly harass me by texting and emailing me shit. I don't want anymore nude pictures of you. Hell, you're a goddamned stripper, everyone has seen it. Get over yourself," I said, trying to get rid of Jessica as quick as possible. Jess couldn't take the hint, so she walked over and sat on my lap. Of course I was still hard for Bella, but Jessica thought Mr. Happy was all for her. "Ooh baby, you do want me," she purred getting down on her knees and attempting to unbutton my pants. "Jessica, get the…" I trailed off realizing the door was still partially open. There in the doorway stood Bella, with a folder in her hands. She looked at me with my fly open and Jessica on her knees. Bella made a small gasp, dropped the folders on the small table, and then turned around and left, closing the door behind her. She must have been in the bathroom or something and hadn't seen Jess come in. "What's her problem, Eddie? I know you didn't fuck her, did you? She doesn't look like she'd be any good at it," Jessica said smiling. If she had been a man, I would have beaten her ass. Since she was a female, and one of my working girls, I decided to let Chanel handle her. I pushed her off of me and used my cell to text Chanel. I then marched Jessica past Bella and out to the elevator. I told her to go see Chanel NOW. I also warned her skanky ass not to ever come to my fucking office or say anything about Bella again. She pouted, but when she saw how serious I was, she sobered up and mumbled an apology. When I got back to the office area, I went over to Bella to apologize. "Bella, I'm sorry, that wasn't what it looked like. I didn't do anything with her. She came onto me. I'm really fucking sorry you had to walk in on it. I assure you it won't happen again." Bella just shrugged. "It's none of my business anyway, Mr. Cullen. I just ask that you please close the door and put a do not disturb sign out the next time it happens. I would really appreciate that." The next time it happens. Did she fucking think I would be banging whores right in the office with her outside the door? I had been such an asshole to her that she probably did think that. I didn't know what else to say, so I just went back into my office. For the remainder of the night, I drank cognac and observed the moths. They just kept circling that damn sconce over and over again, like it was some kind of god to be worshiped. I was just as fucking pathetic as they were, practically stalking Bella. Eventually it was two in the morning and Bella's shift was ending. She came in to tell me that she was leaving and would see me at work tomorrow. I told her the laptop was for work and that she could take it home. She thanked me and put it inside one of the bags she had brought up. I offered to drive her home, but of course she refused, saying she would ride with Jasper, as usual. We bid

each other a formal goodbye, and just like that my sunshine was gone. My reprieve was over; my personal hell had beckoned me home for another night without my Bella. I decided that I didn't want to go home to my lonely penthouse, so I slept in the club apartment instead. Thankfully, Bella left the apple crisp and ice cream, so I took it, and my bottle of liquor, and headed into my lair. It was dark, but I didn't bother turning any lights on. I just sat down on the bed and ate my desert. When I was done, I grabbed the bottle of cognac and followed my demons down to lonesome town, where the broken hearts stay. Being without my one true love had completely torn my heart into pieces. With thoughts of Bella on my mind and apple crisp crumbs on my bed sheets, I blacked out into oblivion, at least for tonight, if not eternity. ~*!*~

Chapter Six ~ Broken Hearted Girl "You're everything I thought you never were And nothing like I thought you could have been But still, you live inside of me, so tell me how is that? You're the only one I wish I could forget The only one I love to not forgive And though you break my heart, you're the only one And though there are times when I hate you 'Cause I can't erase The times that you hurt me and put tears on my face And even now, while I hate you, it pains me to say I know I'll be there at the end of the day." --Broken Hearted Girl - Beyonce Knowles BPOV I had been so stupid. I fell for everything Edward said hook, line, and sinker. I gave him pieces of me that I'd never given another man. The saddest thing was that I really loved him, and if I was honest with myself, I still did. I hated him for making me one of those women; the ones who loved some guy that felt absolutely nothing in return. He made me this pathetic pile of mush that I'd been lately, and I would never forgive him for that. After my first night at the club, I rode home with Jasper. He asked me how my day went and I told him. I confessed everything. Jasper stopped the car and wanted to turn around and go kill Edward, but I told him I would rather he took me home and stayed. He agreed only because of how emotionally drained I looked. He knew a confrontation between him and Edward would only add to my stress. When we got to our apartment, Jasper called Alice to tell her goodnight and that he would see her tomorrow. I heard him tell her that he loved her and that he would miss her. Hearing Jasper confess his love to Alice made me cry. Not because I didn't like Alice, I did, but because he could say those words to her and hear them back. Unfortunately, my heart had chosen a man that would never feel or say those words to me. Now I wished that I had stuck to my guns when I told Edward I didn't want to work at the club. Like the rat that he was, he had used my Achilles heel, Jasper, to thwart my decision. And now I would have to spend five days a week with the devil.

One good thing came out of our contact with Edward, though. Jasper met his soul mate. I'd met Alice when Jasper returned from Chicago. They couldn't bear to be apart, so she had spent the night at our apartment. I loved Alice from our first meeting. She hugged me and told me we were going to be great friends. Oddly enough, she was right. She was such a girlie girl, and usually I avoid her type, but Alice had a heart of gold underneath her superficial exterior. She liked expensive things and shopping, but she was loyal. Plus, she really loved my brother. She'd told me about her eating disorder and how she almost died. I had been shocked, and I promised her that I would make sure she always ate. Jasper assured her that I could be pretty stubborn. Alice had giggled and called me her food Nazi. Alice was so tiny, but she was a ball of energy that couldn't be stopped. I couldn't believe someone as great as her was related to Edward. He was the only topic we disagreed about. Alice believed her brother had led a difficult life and was misunderstood, but I believed that he was an evil, sadistic opportunist who preyed on women's emotions, specifically mine. Still I loved Alice, so I tried to keep my opinions to myself. I was so lost in thought that I didn't comprehend Jasper was speaking to me until he started waving his hands. He wanted me to take the phone so Alice could talk to me. We chatted for a bit about shopping and other random things. After about ten minutes, she was ready to hang up and go to bed. I handed the phone back to Jasper. He gave her one last 'I love you' and hung up. Jaz and I spent the rest of the night eating ice cream and watching movies. I fell asleep on the couch around five in the morning, and he carried me up to my room. I had nightmares about Edward all night. In one, that girl, he had called her Jess, the one who gave him a blowjob in his office, was having sex with Edward. He was taking her from behind while I was strapped to an office chair. In the nightmare, both of them taunted me. They said all kinds of filthy things as I squirmed, trying to escape. Eventually, dream Edward and Jess orgasmed, and Edward told me to clean it up. I was crying, and he called me a pathetic bitch. That dream ran into the one I always had; the one where my parents were beckoning me to join them, but I never made it in time. This time, my deterrent was quicksand that separated me from Charlie and Renee, who were standing on a beach. I awoke to a wet pillow and a heavy heart. I had a massive headache, so I reached into my nightstand and took out two Advil. I retrieved a water bottle from my desk and swallowed the pills in one gulp. When I looked over at the clock, I saw that it was two in the afternoon. I had been asleep for almost nine hours. Great, now I only had five hours until I had to see Edward Cullen. I decided to take a shower and then cook before it was time to head to the club. Tonight was Saturday, the biggest patronage night at most clubs. I knew that I was going to need some de-stressing before going into the lions den. I put on my robe and shuffled to the shower. Being in the water always helped me relax. When I was younger, I loved to swim and be in the water. I still went to UW's gym to get some laps every now and again. I wasn't tall enough to be a great swimmer, but I managed. I'd even been a swim instructor to some smaller kids before. I loved children, and teaching them to be safe in the water was very important to me. I put "Save Me" by Aimee Mann on my iPod speaker and sang along with her while I shampooed my hair. Sadly, it was too late to save myself from falling in love with an asshole. If there were some therapy to make me forget, like in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," I would give up everything I owned to get it. More than anything, I wanted Edward gone from my memories and my mind. I had known him less than a week, and he had already managed to ruin my life.

After the hot water ran out, I stepped out of the shower and threw on some comfy clothes, so I could go downstairs to cook. I knew I was doing things backwards by showering before I cooked, but I needed that heat so that I could function. I wasn't planning on making anything too complicated, so I probably wouldn't get dirty. I looked in the refrigerator for several minutes before I got the idea to make paninis for dinner. Yesterday, I had been happy when cooking, because I was making something special for Edward. Today, however, I was just going through the motions. I wouldn't be feeding Edward anymore. He wouldn't appreciate it, and he sure as hell didn't deserve the gift of my cooking skills after he tap-danced all over my heart. When I remembered the things Edward told me, like how he was just trying to 'fuck' me, and how I 'wasn't worth the effort,' my stomach would turn to ice. I would have to hug myself to get warm again. Edward Cullen had torn me apart, and I was just trying to hold whatever was left together. I finished the chicken, ham, and mozzarella paninis, added some salt and vinegar chips, and crudités, then wrapped everything up and placed it into a large picnic basket. I started making strawberry cheesecake for desert. When I was finished, I felt better than I had all day. Cooking really centered me. Jasper was out with Alice, but he was going to be by later to get me so that we could all ride to work together. Alice didn't officially work at the club, but she decorated most of the floors and helped some of the working girls pick out their outfits. I suspected Jasper would be too wrapped up in Alice to eat, so I had packed enough food for all of us, plus Felix. There would probably be leftovers, but I would certainly not be sharing with Edward. Jasper was shocked that I knew that the club employed prostitutes. I was not as naive as he and Edward liked to think. I knew what a working girl looked like, and I didn't look down on them or think it was wrong. If a grown woman or man wanted to make money by selling themselves for sex, then that was their choice. I only had a problem with it if people were forced into the lifestyle, or it involved underage children and teens. After I was done cooking, I went back upstairs to check my email. I didn't want to take the Macbook Edward bought me, but it was so cute and shiny. Besides, he said it was for work, so I felt justified in bringing it home. I opened it up and signed into my email account. I had several emails, mostly from old college friends and from parents of the kids I used to babysit. Many of them sent me pictures of their growing kids and well wishes. Jasper and I planned to visit Forks soon, so we could see our old hometown again. I started babysitting in high school. I had really wanted to work at Mike's family store, but Jasper didn't trust Mike to be alone with me, so he had forbid me from having any other job except babysitting. He even insisted on screening the parents. I loved all the kids, and I made enough money to buy my first laptop, the very one I still owned. Jasper wanted to get me one, but I felt he'd already done enough for me, so I worked to get my own. It was very new and state of the art six years ago, but now, not so much. Thinking of Mike made me smile. He had always been a good friend to me, and I knew he had a crush on me in high school, but I just didn't feel that way about him. He and I remained friends, though. I felt bad that Edward assaulted him simply because he touched me. I mean, I was not Cullen's property, and he had no right to try and stake his claim on me. He was the one that basically said he didn't want me, and then he went and acted like a Neanderthal. Mike had been at the club with some friends because it was his first night back from Iraq. He was married now. He'd told me about his wife and their little girl. He showed me pictures of his beautiful family. I was

truly glad to see Mike happy. We hadn't really kept in touch, but when he found out he would be in Seattle, he'd decided to look me up. He lived in South Carolina, but he told me that he missed the fog and rain of the Northwest. We'd stood outside reminiscing until Mike's buddies texted him to come back into the club. I told him goodnight and then went back to my office, where I proceeded to give Edward dinner. Cullen had been cruel and called me babydoll, reminding me of just how callous he was with my feelings. Well, tonight there would be no feeding Edward. In fact, if I could help it, I wasn't going to even talk to that prick. He touched my body like he wanted me, when all the time he had been having a bit of fun, toying with the stupid virgin. Well, just because I was a virgin didn't mean I was passive and weak. I had shown him. I had beaten the living daylights out of Edward. I felt kind of bad afterwards, but looking back on it now made me laugh. He hadn't expected it, and he didn't even try to fight. He accused me of trying to castrate him, and I should have. Assholes like Cullen didn't need to procreate. Besides, he would probably end up knocking up some whore like that Jess girl and get stuck with a kid he would just pass off to some expensive nanny. I was saving him all that trouble by kneeing him in the crotch. I had already decided that I was going to start showing Edward that I wasn't a doormat that he could walk all over. I pulled out one of my very few 'sexy' outfits my college roommate had picked out for me. Angela hadn't been one of those sexy girls herself. She was like me, and we preferred to be comfortable. I missed Angela all the time. She had married her college sweetheart, Ben, and they were now both in the Peace Corps. Her last postcard told me they were in Honduras. They travelled to some of the most remote places, but Angela always managed to get word to me that she was okay and happy. She and Ben would be coming for a visit in a few months. I was glad because I needed her insight into the whole Edward Cullen thing. One night, on a dare, Angela and I had gone to the local mall and picked out three sexy outfits for each other, promising to only wear them when we needed an extra boost of self esteem. I didn't really like guys drooling all over me, but I wouldn't mind making Edward jealous; not that he would be, but it would make me feel good. I would show him what he so easily passed up by choosing to be with some whore instead. I reached into the back of the closet and took out the outfit I knew would work. It consisted of a denim dark blue mini skirt that stopped mid thigh, a sleeveless silky black double bow tie halter top that left most of my back bare, and black leather thigh high boots with kitten heels. Since I planned on being inside all night, I wasn't going to bother with pantyhose. I stood in the mirror putting my long dark hair into cascading curls that would hang down my back. Usually, I didn't wear makeup, but tonight I was going all out. I pulled up a smoky eye makeup tutorial on Youtube and used the makeup kit someone had given me last Christmas to give myself what the video called 'sex eyes.' With that done, I dabbed some red lipstick on my lips, applied mascara, and spritzed on some perfume. I wasn't planning on wearing a bra because it would show, and besides, my breasts weren't all that big anyway. Maybe that was why Edward didn't desire me, I thought. It didn't matter, though. I liked myself, and looking in the mirror, I would say that I looked damn good, especially for the pathetic little virgin Mr. Cullen thought I was. The only jewelry I wore was my swan necklace. By the time I finished getting dressed and doing my hair and makeup, I only had thirty minutes until Jasper would be by to get me. When he pulled up, he was not pleased, to say the least. We spent twenty

minutes arguing because he wanted me to go back inside and change. I refused, saying I worked in a club, so I might was well dress the part. Jaz said he wouldn't let his baby sis be a whore. After that, I didn't talk to him for the rest of the drive, since he had basically called me a slut. When we got there, I handed Jaz the dinner I packed for Alice and him. Then I walked over to Felix. Felix looked at me strangely, but thankfully, he refrained from expressing his opinion on the matter. He just took my bags and helped me into the elevator. He and I had developed a somewhat strange relationship. He'd ended up sleeping over on Thursday. I cooked for him, but he never spoke. If I didn't know better, I would have thought that he was mute. He was extremely quiet, but he had a calm about him that made me feel safe, even though he was so much bigger than me. When I got to the office, my area was empty. I could hear Edward talking to someone in his office. Felix set down my bags, and then proceeded to leave, but before he could, I went into the kitchenette and grabbed a large Tupperware container. I put three paninis, some chips, and some cheesecake inside and handed it to him. He looked shocked but composed himself and thanked me before heading out. I was still unpacking when I heard a soft voice greet me. "Hello, you must be Bella. My name is Chanel. I work here too, and I thought I should introduce myself," a blonde woman said while holding her hand out to me. She was wearing a knee length fitted sweater dress with high heels. Everything she wore looked designer and expensive. I was immediately suspicious. Edward hadn't told me about a Chanel. Could she be one of his previous lovers? Maybe she and Edward had sex before I entered the office. Thinking of the two of them together made me sick. "Um, yes, it's nice to meet you too, Chanel. Do you work with Jasper?" She seemed conflicted for a moment, but then continued. "I wish. Jasper's a great guy. He's your brother right?" I nodded. "Bella, you are aware this club has escorts." I told her yes. "Well, I'm the head of them. I manage all the girls and keep things from getting too rowdy." I got it now. She was like the madame of Club HADES. Now I knew that she and Edward had slept together. He already confessed that he had been intimate with every woman that worked for him. He was a whore, plain and simple, but he didn't do it for money. He did it for control. Chanel must have sensed what I was thinking. "Before you ask, no, Edward and I have never slept together. I'm sure you know that he has slept with almost every other woman that works here. I find it vile, but that's just Edward. He does what and whom he wants." I knew Edward all right; I knew he was a cold, lying bastard. Chanel was smiling at me. I liked how honest she was being, so I offered her some dinner. She took a panini and some cheesecake, saying she had to watch her figure. She was already gorgeous. Chanel had blonde hair that was a little past her shoulders and big sparkling blue eyes. Her figure was slender, but she had full breasts and long legs. She was much taller than me. Her thinness made her look sophisticated. I, on the other hand, had hips that were too big and a prominent butt with smallish breasts. Edward had said he loved my body, but of course that had all been a lie. I could see him with someone like Chanel, someone that was professional and worldly. She may technically be a prostitute, but she carried herself well. Besides, Edward did say he liked experienced women. Chanel and I chatted about everything while she ate and I worked on the filing system. She told me all the

club secrets and listed all of Edward's scorned women that worked at HADES. She promised she would keep them away from me as much as possible. As it turned out, her real name was Kate Denali, but she used Chanel because it was her favorite designer, and it sounded more like an escort name. Her sister, Tanya, had been Edward's last secretary. I relayed to her what Edward previously told me about Tanya. Kate assured me it was all true. According to her, Tanya was a lazy gold digger that wanted to get things the easy way. A few months ago, Tanya had set her sights on Edward and would not take no for an answer. Kate had begged to have her transferred, so she would at least still have a job. Unfortunately, Tanya still insisted on contacting Edward. I thought about the phrase about not shitting where you eat. Someone should have told Edward that. We were so caught up in our conversation that we didn't see Edward come into the room. "Chanel, what the fuck are you still doing here, and why are you talking to Bella?" He looked devastatingly handsome in black dress pants and a blue button down that he had rolled up to the elbows. His bronze hair was in disarray as usual. His green eyes were alight with fire. I wished that my body didn't respond to him, but it did. I felt the wetness building between my thighs. Thankfully, my lower body was hidden from view by the massive desk. I just had to be strong and not let him know that he affected me, and then I would be all right. I had almost forgotten Chanel was still there until she spoke. "Well, Edward, unlike you, Bella has manners and fed me dinner. I was on my way out now." She picked up the container that held her cheesecake and put it into her purse. "Bye Bella. I'll come visit you some other time if your daddy lets you out to play," she said, winking at me. "Come see me anytime, and thanks, Kate." Edward looked surprised that I knew Chanel's real name. Kate kissed me on the cheek. Then she waved at Edward and left. He was looking at me with a mixture of apprehension and disgust on his face. I guess he didn't like me having other friends at the club, but he would have to get over that. Kate and Felix were my friends, and I wasn't going to give them up for Edward. "Bella, I need to see you in my office for a few minutes. Bring a binder and notebook with you. We need to go over liquor sales before we order a new shipment." So, I guess Edward was going to follow my earlier plea and keep our 'relationship' professional. That was fine with me. I didn't bother to reply. I was giving him the silent treatment because he was an asshole. I grabbed my things, added a dab of lip gloss, and headed into his office. I knew the second Edward noticed what I was wearing, because he made a noise that sounded like a half groan and half growl. "Fuck, Bella! Why the hell did Jasper let you go out of the house wearing that outfit? I mean fuck, you look like a slut. I forbid you to leave this office unless you change into something decent. You fucking know better! You can't wear shit like that inside this place. I mean, shit, I can almost see your clit in that skirt, and those heels scream 'dirty bathroom fuck girl.' Is that what you want, a cheap fuck in the one of the club's public restrooms? Are you that desperate to lose your virginity, or are you just too fucking horny, because if you are I'll let you go into petty cash to buy yourself a vibrator. Now please, Bella, just go change."

I was angry. How dare he try to control me! I didn't belong to him. I'd thought he would at least find me sexy, but he talked to me like he would a naïve teenage sister. I had sworn not speak to him tonight, but I was too pissed to hold out now. "You hypocritical asshole! You have some stripper give you a blowjob in your office with the door open-" he was trying to interrupt but I went on "-and you accuse me of being a slut. What, just because you're a man, you can't be a whore, is that it? To answer your question, no, Jasper didn't let me leave the house like this. He had the same reaction as you and I put him in his place. This is a club, and you never specified workplace attire in my contract, so my outfit is appropriate. I can and will wear what I want, where I want, and as long as it doesn't hinder my job performance, it's none of your damn business. "And no, Mr. Cullen, I am not desperate or horny because if I was, I could have sunk so low as to sleep with the manwhore that is Edward Cullen. You would know about 'bathroom fuck girls,' because you're the guy they're fucking. You're just as nasty and degenerate as you think they are. As for the vibrator, keep your money, because unlike you, I can get pleasure from more than just sex. Oh, and Mr. Cullen, if you ever forbid me to do something again, I will give you round two of our fight night." With that parting shot. I pulled out my binder and took the seat across from him, crossing my legs. Edward's eyes were glued to my thighs. It took several minutes before he composed himself enough to answer me. "Fine, if you want random guys to molest you, then go ahead and keep your skanky ass outfit on, but don't come crying to me when you get unwanted attention. By the way, the next time you wear this getup, you might want to remember to put on underwear." His voice was gritty as he was clenched and unclenched his fists. "Not that it's any of your business, but I am wearing underwear. I have on a thong. If you weren't so much of a prick, I might let you see it." I winked at Edward and slowly uncrossed and crossed my legs again, giving him a peek of said garment. It made me extremely proud to see Edward's green eyes turn dark with lust. Pricks like him always wanted what they couldn't have, and he definitely lost his chance at having me. "Fuck, Bella, I need a drink. Do you want one?" I guess he finally realized he wasn't going to win this argument, so we would be getting back to work. I didn't answer his question, because I had said all I would say tonight to Caveward. I giggled. Caveward, such a fitting name for the arrogant prick. He must have heard me because he turned around. He looked pissed. "What the fuck is so funny, Bella? Do you enjoy making me crazy?" "Immensely caveward," I mumbled. "Caveward? Why the fuck would you call me that?" Edward snarled. He looked dangerous, but I didn't care. He walked all over my feelings, so why should I spare him? "Yeah, you know, caveman and Edward equal Caveward. Seriously, I'm surprised you're not still dragging your knuckles and clubbing women over the head."

He moved so fast that I didn't have time to respond. He pulled me out of my chair roughly and smashed his lips to mine. I didn't want this, did I? I had only been trying to tease him, but now he was out of control. The kiss was hard and animalistic. He didn't lick my lips for permission, he just plunged his tongue into my mouth. One of his hands was in my curls as the other one massaged my breast. I moaned into his mouth. Even though this was Edward, and I hated him, my body was on fire. I needed much more. I wanted him to be as close to me as possible. I forgot about what happened last time at my apartment, and the way he'd yelled at me a minute ago. I only let myself feel the pleasure that he was giving me now. Edward's hand left my breast to travel down to my butt. He bunched up my skirt until my ass was completely exposed. Our tongues were fighting for dominance in each others mouths. I could feel my lower body's wetness soaking my inner thighs. I pressed my body closer to Edward, which caused him to let out a low groan. "Fuck, Bella! Don't stop, baby," he moaned. "Edward, we can't do this," I got out between moans and kisses. Edward ignored me and continued kneading my butt with his large hands. I felt disgusted with myself for letting him do this to me again, but he was a flaming fire, and I was the moth that flew too close for comfort. I felt Edward trying to remove my thong. He bent down to get it the rest of the way off, and I helped him. Finally, the thong was completely gone. I stood bare before Edward's eyes. Before I could change my mind, his fingers slid inside my warm core. I gasped, because no one had ever touched me there. The sensation felt amazing. "Don't worry, babydoll. I won't hurt you. I just want to touch you," Edward cooed. He backed us up to the large leather sofa in the corner of his office. Our lips and hands never left one other as we fell back into the buttersoft leather. I was trying to unbutton Edward's shirt but couldn't finish it, so he stopped for a minute to take it off. His chest was even better than I remembered, but he had bruises. A lot of bruises. There was no way that my punches had done that much damage. I broke our kiss so I could ask him about the injuries. "What happened, Edward? You look like you got hit by a truck. Surely, I didn't do all of that," I said, pointing at the large bruises on his stomach. "Don't worry about it, babydoll. Let's just say I got what I deserved for treating you like shit," he said, smirking. That could only mean one thing. "You mean Jasper did this to you?" He looked like he really didn't want to talk about this now, but he replied. "No, it wasn't just Jasper. Felix and Alice had a 'talk' with me too, once they found out what happened between us. Fucking Felix and Alice took your side over mine. I couldn't fucking believe it." I couldn't hold back any longer. I started laughing. Edward took that as his cue to start kissing me again. "You know, you can kiss it and make it better, babydoll."

I pushed him back onto the sofa and straddled his hips. I licked and kissed every part of him. I didn't have any experience with intimacy, but everything came natural with Edward and me. He was growling and moaning deep in his throat. I felt bold, so I moved my hand down to his pants and squeezed his erect penis. He opened his eyes. I was surprised to see that they were on fire. "Not yet, babydoll, you first," he said, gripping my hips hard in his hand. My underwear were already gone. Edward began removing my skirt. Once he got it off of me, he threw it down on the ground. Then, he untied the bows on my halter top. It fluttered down to my waist leaving my breasts exposed. "Christ, babydoll, you're more beautiful than I fucking remembered," he said. I could barely form a sentence, but I knew I shouldn't be letting him do this to me again. I was going to be really hurt when he threw me away. Sadly, I was like a crack addict that needed my high, and I didn't care what it cost me. Edward sucked my nipples into his mouth. I watched them get redder after he was done. He pulled my top over my head. I was completely naked, except for my thigh high boots. I went to take them off, but Edward stopped me. "No, babydoll. You're fucking sexy with those on and nothing else. I want you just like this." Edward spread my legs further apart, and then began kissing and licking my neck. My body was on fire. I was sure that I had to be soaking his pants. He must have thought so too, because he lifted me up so he could unbutton and kick off his bottoms. He was wearing dark blue silk boxers. I could see his erection poking out of them. Edward was big, very big, so big that I wasn't sure he would fit inside me. I bit Edward's earlobe. He moaned so loud it echoed through the room. Thank god no one else worked up here and that the door was closed. I needed to feel Edward. My body was on fire, and I just wanted a release. "Please, Edward, touch me where I need you most," I whimpered. "Babydoll, are you sure?" Edward asked, looking deep in my eyes. "Oh yes, Edward. Please just touch me down there," I begged, pointing at my dripping core. Edward glanced at me one more time before he dipped one of his long fingers into me. "Shit, babydoll. You're so fucking wet for me. Your pussy is so damn tight and hot. I can't wait to feel it on my cock." He pushed his finger in and out of me at a glorious pace, and then he added a second finger. I bucked and moaned hard. "More please, Edward! I need more," I moaned losing all my inhibitions at that moment. Edward added a third finger and pressed my clit at the same time while biting my neck. I couldn't hold it anymore. I exploded into a million little fragments of light. I made the most ridiculous noises and shook uncontrollably. It was the most intense feeling that I'd ever had in my life. Of course, I'd touched myself and had mini orgasms before, but this was different. This was filet mignon after a life of soy paste. I clung to Edward as I came down off my high. My bare breasts molded to his hard chest. I could feel his

heart beating against mine. I kissed him hard as the last shudders wracked though my body. "Edward, that was mind blowing. Thank you," I breathed. "You don't have to thank me, babydoll, it was my pleasure," he said while squeezing me tighter and tucking my head into his neck. "And I guess I'm not such a prick after all, because you let me see your thong." With that statement, cold hard reality came back to me. This whole thing had been a joke to him. He had just used me again to prove a point. He didn't care about me; he just wanted to prove to me that he was dominant. And like an idiot, once again, I had let him make a fool of me. I stiffened and lifted my head to look in Edward's face, his smirking smug face. That expression confirmed it. "What the hell did you just say, Cullen?" "I... what's wrong, Bella? Why are you getting up? What did I say? Whatever it is, I'm sorry. I don't want us to fight anymore." "Your innocent act is not going to work with me, Edward Cullen. Christ, I am so gullible when it comes to you. Let me go. I want to clean up," I pleaded as I squirmed, trying to escape Edward's arms. "I don't know what the fuck you're babbling about Bella, but you're wrong. Here, I'll take you to clean up." With that, he tossed me over his shoulder and went over to the bookcase. I was livid; how dare this bastard just cart me around like a sack of feed. I started kicking in an attempt to get him to release me. "Calm down, tigress. I'm just taking you to my lair so that you can freshen up. We can talk in there." "Your lair? Is that where you slaughter unsuspecting virgins and sacrifice them to your god?" I was still kicking. Edward reached up and slapped me hard on my bare ass. "Ouch, you prick, that hurt!" "I told you to calm down, but you didn't listen, so I had to discipline you, babydoll." He was laughing. I gave up fighting after that, afraid that he would spank me again. I heard him punch some numbers into a keypad. Then, there was the sound of keys unlocking a door. We were in some kind of apartment, but no one had told me there was an apartment up here. It must have been hidden. That would explain why we'd been at the bookcase. The room was behind the shelves. It was so dark that I couldn't see anything. Then, all of a sudden, a bright light filled the room. Edward put me down. I swayed because I was slightly dizzy. He caught and steadied me as I looked around. We were in a large bathroom with a huge Jacuzzi tub surrounded by plush cream carpet. This place really was a lair. The toilet, jacuzzi, and both sinks were black, and all of them had brass fixtures. The walls were painted a cream color and provided the only softness in the room. The floors and the counters were black marble. The tub faced a TV mounted on the wall. There were lots of red, black, and gold towels with the letters EC on them, and there was a towel warmer in the corner. The only feminine touch were the bowls filled with potpourri. "Wow," I breathed, stunned at how masculine and sinister the room looked.

"Do you like it?" Edward asked. He looked nervous for some reason. "It's kind of scary, but sexy too. I like it a lot, Edward." My words described not only the bathroom, but Edward too. He was both scary and sexy. His lips broke out into a brilliant smile. "That makes me so fucking happy, babydoll, because I want us to share this apartment." He left for a minute and then came back with a large Dartmouth shirt, white socks, and a pair of silky blue underwear. "These are for you. I'm sorry I messed up your clothes. The panties are brand new. I got them from one of the club's patrons that owns a lingerie boutique. He gave me lots of women's lingerie in exchange for VIP tickets. I was going to give them to Alice, but that just felt creepy, so I kept them. " His eyes were starting to get dark again, so I ushered him out of the bathroom so that I could freshen up before he grabbed me. I stripped off my boots and looked around the massive bathroom. It was bigger than my apartment. I don't understand Edward when he was like this. Most of the time, he acted like an asshole, but sometimes, like now, he could be playful and gentle. I wondered which man was the real Edward Cullen. Since I felt sticky, I took a quick shower. I used Edward's soap. My body tingled under the hot massaging cascade of water. I didn't wash my hair again, because it was still clean and curly. After I dried off, I slipped on Edward's big t-shirt and the panties. I ventured out into the rest of the apartment and spotted Edward at the table, eating from my picnic basket. He was relaxed with a smile on his lips. "Mr. Cullen, I did not give you permission to eat my food. Put it back now!" I was still a little angry at Edward. I would keep my promise and not pamper him. "I'm sorry, Bella, but I saw you fix a plate for Chanel and Felix. I assumed that you made dinner for us all tonight. Besides, this is fucking awesome." He attempted to stuff a whole panini in his mouth. I couldn't stay mad a him when he was being so adorable. He had set everything up on the kitchen bar. I reached over and grabbed some food and crudités. I added some of the raw vegetables to Edward's plate. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I pointed at it and mouthed eat. He mumbled something that sounded like 'fucking vegetables' and then popped a carrot in his mouth. I giggled even harder. We sat on tall kitchen stools, eating in relative silence. Edward was moaning, but there was no other noise. I felt a terrible sense of déjà vu, but I pushed it away to enjoy the moment. After his third slice of cheesecake, Edward declared himself full. "Finally." I muttered. He leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "You know you secretly love feeding me, don't you, babydoll?" I blushed as usual, and Edward smirked. He asked me about cooking for him regularly and suggested that he could pay me extra. I informed him that he could buy the groceries, but wouldn't have to give me any money. He argued but relented when I pointed out the mutual benefits. I would get to do something I loved, and he would pay for the materials. It was a win-win situation for both of us.

He showed me the bedroom and the living room. All the furniture was extremely expensive and well made. I blushed when he let me lay on the bed. Edward just smirked. The bedroom was too dangerous, so I asked him to continue the tour. We went out to the balcony. It had a small French bistro table. The living room was huge and had a big leather couch, another TV, a bookcase full of books, and some coffee tables. There was also a large baby grand piano in the corner. I walked over to it, letting my fingers graze lightly over the keys. "Do you play, Edward? I asked. "Yeah I fucking play, but not much lately. I'll have to play something for you someday," he replied. "I'll be waiting," I said, blushing. One of my fantasies was to be made love to on a piano. Edward must have been able to read my mind because he said, "You're going to fucking kill me, babydoll." I giggled. I thought about last night and that girl, and I had to ask. "Edward, did that girl, Jess, give you a blowjob? I just need to know. I mean, I know you've probably slept with her. Never mind." I couldn't go on. "Hell no! I fucking told you last night that it wasn't what it looked like. That bitch came onto me and you walked in while I was trying to pry her off my dick. Yes I fucked her before, way before I met you, but I'd never touch her skanky ass again. I haven't fucked anyone else since I kissed you." It made me feel good to know that Edward wasn't sleeping around anymore. I hated to admit that the thought of him with other women made me jealous. I wanted Edward all to myself. I walked over to kiss him. Our tongues mingled lazily while we held onto each other. We stood there making out for almost half an hour before the rest of the planet seeped in. Edward's cell phone buzzed, and he reached over to grab it. I could hear Jasper's loud voice on the other end. He was screaming at Edward, demanding to know where I was. Christ, I lost track of time and forgot I was supposed to meet he and Alice downstairs during my break. We were supposed to go and get coffee. Edward passed me the phone. I assured Jasper that I was fine. He said we'd talk about this later, and then told me to hand the phone back to Edward. He threatened Edward for a few more minutes and then hung up. "Your brother is really fucking intense, but he loves you." Edward was playing with a wayward curl of my hair. "Bella, what you said earlier, it wasn't true. I lied to you yesterday. Wednesday night was special to me. I didn't sleep with any other women. The truth is you're all I thought about the nights we were apart. I was just trying to protect you because you don't know who I really am, and what I'm involved in. If you did, you would be in danger. I was just trying to keep you safe, but I can't stay away from you any longer." "What do you mean, Edward? Who are you? I don't understand why you would lie to me." I was confused. Nothing he said made sense. "I can't tell you everything, babydoll, but I'm a dangerous man. I wouldn't be able to live if something happened to you because of what I am. I'm not good and innocent like you. I'm a goddamned killer. I've killed before. I don't fucking deserve you. You shouldn't let my sorry ass near you, but you do. Each time it kills me, because I'm condemning you to share my personal hell. I mean fuck, you're here in my fucking

lair. I usually don't let anyone inside." Edward looked utterly defeated. I didn't believe it. Sure Edward was vulgar and arrogant, but I couldn't imagine him being a murderer. I wrapped my arms around his waist. "Who did you kill, Edward?" I whispered. "Does it fucking matter?" I nodded. "If you must know I killed the goddamned, cocksucking bastard who murdered my father. I was seventeen at the time. I walked in on it, and I shot the son of a bitch in the head." I gasped loudly. Edward must have taken it as a sign of disgust, because he tried to pull away from me. I pulled his chin up so that I could look into his eyes. "Good for you, Edward. Thank you for telling me the truth." He was taken aback that I hadn't ridiculed him about it. "You're not disgusted with me, babydoll?" "Of course not, Edward. Do you know how many times I've wanted to kill the drunk driver that took my mother away from me? You were a teenager and you were scared. You saw your father dead and you panicked." He pulled away from me. "It wasn't like that Bella. I didn't see my father before I shot the guy. I didn't even fucking think. I'm a fucking monster. I've done drugs and fucked way too many bitches.I drink like a fucking fish and do lots of illegal shit. As if that isn't bad enough, I had to drag your innocent ass down to Hell with me." "You are not a monster, Edward. You sensed your father was dead and you protected yourself. That man could have killed you too or gotten away. I don't care about who you've slept with or how many drugs you've done, as long as it's in your past. You didn't drag me anywhere, I chose you." I was about to put it all on the line. I stood up and hugged Edward, forcing him to look at me. "I love you, Edward. Even when you were breaking my heart, I loved you. I know we've only known each other less than a week, but we are fated. I never felt attraction before I met you. It's like I recognized you in my soul." In response, Edward did the last thing I expected of him. He started crying. "Bella, I love you too. I'm not good at it, and I don't know how to not hurt you. I'm shit at caring about people, and I couldn't stand to cause you anymore pain. I love you, babydoll. It fucking scares me how much you mean to me." I held him while we both sobbed. Eventually, I noticed it was almost closing time, and we had yet to do any work. I asked Edward about that. He assured me that being here together was more important. I had to agree. There was still one question eating away at me. "Edward, who are you? You said who you are could hurt me. Please, I need to know. I love you, there shouldn't be any secrets between us." I kissed his jaw and waited for a response.

He stiffened. "I can't tell you that. Let's just go to bed, babydoll. We can talk in the morning." He stood up and tried to pull me along with him. I couldn't let this happen again. I needed answers now. "No, Edward. We need to talk now. Why can't you just let me know the real you?" He was angry now. I could see the hard set of his jaw. "Why can't you just let this fucking go? Do you have to be so goddamned nosy? If I say it's too dangerous for you to know, then it is, end of story. Let's go to bed. I won't tolerate disobedience from you, Bella." His words hit me like a cold cup of water. I couldn't be with Edward if he wouldn't give me everything. I could deal with a lot, but I demanded honesty and truth if we were going to be intimate. I snatched my arm away from him. "I'm not going to bed with you. You say you love me, but you keep secrets from me. You demand I do whatever you want and treat me like a child. I want you to let me out. I'm going to find Jasper so he can take me home." Edward hissed, cursed, and then let go of my hand. "Fine, if that's what you fucking want, then leave. You won't get another chance. I said I love you, but if you don't believe me when I say this shit is too dangerous for you, it's better we don't get involved any further. It's probably not love anyway. My hormones are probably making me say stupid shit, because my dick wants to feel you. Just spend the night with me. I can make you feel good, and you can make me feel good. Then, we can work better together without all of this sexual tension." I started to cry. Edward wrapped his arms around me. "Please Bella, just stay with me tonight." He was looking in my eyes. I felt a strong pull to him. I almost gave in because he looked so lonely, and he was begging me. "I'm sorry, Edward. I love you, and though that may not mean much to you, it means everything to me. I don't love easily or often because I'm afraid of being left alone, but when I do it's with all my heart. You're the first man I've ever loved and desired. I'm willing to trust you with my heart, soul, and body. Until you can trust me with the same, we can't be together," I said, wiping tears from m eyes. Edward let go of me and backed away. "You fucking cocktease! I don't need you. Just get out. I don't want to see you. You have tomorrow and Monday off-enjoy them. Go see Mike or any of the other fuckers you're probably leading on. I don't need you, I don't need anyone. I'm Edward fucking Cullen. I'm rich, good looking, and an excellent fuck. If you don't want to share my bed, I bet there are plenty of others who would be willing." He was trying to act tough, but I could see it was a facade. My refusal hurt him, and he didn't want me to know it. "I still love you, Edward, nothing you say will ever change that. When you're ready, I'll be waiting." I kissed him on the cheek. "Keep the food with you, and if you need a good meal, come by and see me. We are friends, and I know it will work out for us once you fight your demons. I'm not trying to be a tease. I fully intend to let you make love to me someday. It's just that I can't live with a broken heart anymore. I need it all, Edward." I was pleading, baring my soul for him, but he wasn't reciprocating. "I'll let you out, Bella."

He got up to open the door, and then I was standing in his office next to the bookcase. I picked up my skirt and put it on. I was about to hand Edward his shirt back when he stopped me. "Keep it, babydoll. You look damn sexy in my clothes and I'm happy that at least apart of me can sleep with you." "Edward…" I looked up, trying to convey to him that I was sorry. "Just go, darling. I'll see you Tuesday. Enjoy your days off." He turned to go back into his lair. "I love you, Edward," I whispered to his retreating form. It was almost soundless, but I could swear I heard him whisper, "I love you too, babydoll." I packed up my clothes, fixed my desk, and then called down for Felix to escort me to the garage. I wanted to go back to Edward, but I knew that if I did, we'd just end up having sex and our relationship would never go any further. I intended to have all of Edward, not just the pieces he chose to give me. With one last glance around the office, I turned the lights off and walked out. ~*!*~

Chapter Seven ~ Cold Desert "You told me you loved me, that I'd never die alone Hand over your heart, let's go home Everyone noticed, everyone has seen the signs I've always been known to cross lines I've never ever cried when I was feeling down I've always been scared of the sound Jesus don't love me, no one ever carried my load I'm too young to feel this old' --Cold Desert - Kings of Leon EPOV I sat in my Phantom, waiting for the fucking light to turn green. I could have made the last light, but the slow ass motherfucker in front of me stopped at the yellow light. As if that wasn't bad enough, it was a motherfucking minivan. I fucking hated minivans, because where there were minivans, there were shitmakers. It even had one of those fucking 'My child is on the Honor Roll' stickers. How fucking pathetic. Was I, some random driver, supposed to be impressed because their little asshole could read or regurgitate useless information? They should have different fucking lanes for different types of cars. One for breeders and their catastrophes, and the other for us smart people who chose not to add to the Earth's woes. Our lane would be fucking awesome, and there would be no minivans allowed. I should propose that shit the next time I attend a city meeting. "Hey dude, your car fucking rocks!" some fucking yuppie ass college prick yelled from the car next to me. I didn't even bother to answer. I just rolled my window up and continued smoking my cigar. My

fucking car was too good to be seen by the likes of these assholes. Normally, I didn't venture outside of the wealthier parts of town in my Rolls, because it stood out like a sore thumb. Today, however, was different because I had a special errand to run. Finally, the fucking light turned green and I pressed the gas. I couldn't wait to get to Bella's house and get this shit over with. She better fucking appreciate the fact that I was taking her out when I could be at my apartment getting drunk. I hadn't had a drink all fucking day because I didn't want my babydoll to be fucking pissed at me. I usually never did this kind of bitch ass stuff, but I was trying to get her to like me. She already told me that she loved me, but loving a person and liking them were two different things. I needed Bella to like me, so I could prove to myself that I was good enough for her. It had been a goddamned month since that night in the office. I fucking begged her to stay with me and she chose to leave, because I wouldn't tell her more about myself. Since then, our relationship was strained, to say the least. We were professional at work. We hadn't touched or kissed since that night. My need to be inside Bella's pussy was fucking excruciating. I couldn't remember the last time I had taken a hot shower. Having a fucking hard on twenty-four-seven had made my ass fucking impossible to be around. I snapped at everyone, especially Bella. My little tigress gave as good as she got, but I fucking hated to argue with her every night. I could barely stand to be in my office and look at that couch that I'd given Bella an orgasm on. Every night when I closed my eyes, I relived the image of my babydoll coming. She had been so fucking beautiful that day. I fully expected us to make love that night when I'd taken her to the lair. We were so fucking close, but then she got nosy and ruined shit. I kept telling myself that it was for the best, but my fucking heart hurt, thinking of her last words. She had promised me everything I ever wanted, but she asked for the one thing I couldn't give her. Why couldn't she be like any of the other bitches and just demand money or jewelry? Those things I could have gotten for her in a heartbeat. Instead, she wanted my fucking honesty. If I could condemn her to hell with me, I would tell her, but Bella is too fucking precious to enter my world. I was reminded just how fucking dangerous my world could be last week. It had been fucking hostile in Seattle's underworld. I had to hire twenty extra security officers to deal with all the bullshit. The fucking college students were filling up the bottom floors of the club every night. There'd been date rape, drunken brawls, and outside drug dealing galore. I really fucking appreciated Jasper because he had been handling that shit like a fucking pro. Marcus and Caius sent a mole to infiltrate the club and find out who dared to deal in our house. There had been a few people hospitalized, and my club doesn't sell date rape drugs, so we knew it was someone outside of the Volturi. Marcus suspected that the Russians might be trying to move in on my turf. I sure as hell wasn't going to let that fucking happen. I made sure Bella was always escorted when she went down to see Jasper. Besides those visits, she pretty much stayed off of the club floors. If some fucker tried to hurt her, I was going to kill his ass slowly and make sure he was buried in an unmarked grave. So far, the mole had only caught one guy selling inside the club, and he had been selling crappy illegal guns. Felix was ordered to take him to a warehouse and beat his ass for daring to encroach on my turf. I didn't join him because I'd seen enough people get beaten and tortured by the Organization. All of those fuckers had deserved it, though, because they dared to mess with our family. When the date rape drug guy was caught, I was going to handle his ass personally. I'd done some fucked up shit to women in my lifetime, but I had never forced myself on one. I didn't condone that shit either, and especially so close to Bella and Alice. The illegal gun seller could be punished, but the rapist would

have to die. Unfortunately, my babydoll had not been a whole lot of comfort to me. She didn't cook for me anymore, not since that night I'd taken her into my lair. She looked fucking jumpy all the time. I could tell she wasn't sleeping enough. I wanted to know what the fuck was bothering her, but she barely talked to me. However, she did manage to spend time and chat with everyone else that worked at HADES. I had been worrying about her fitting in, and she'd gone and become fucking queen bee or some shit. Bella's natural kindness was foreign to my world. She was seen as a unique being, one that has to be observed. Apparently, word had been getting around the club about me having a new secretary that was pretty and could cook. Since Chanel and Felix, two of the harshest motherfuckers that worked for me, liked Bella, everyone wanted to meet her for themselves. Those fuckers came up with all kinds of excuses and reasons that they needed to visit my office. I kept most of them away, but a few slipped through. For instance, I had come into my office last week and seen that fucker Demetri sitting in a chair next to her. She'd fixed him a drink. He was putting on all his best moves on her. She didn't even fucking know he was flirting. They had both been laughing at some shit he said, so neither one of them heard me come into the room. He touched her hair, and of course, I fucking went off and punched him. We fought for a while before Bella went and got Felix to break us up. Demetri and I had never fought over a woman before, but Bella belonged to me and no one else. I had to make sure he knew that. I would not be sharing my babydoll with anyone. Hell, I hadn't even feasted on the banquet that was Bella yet. I felt bad about alienating my right hand man, but he had no fucking right to touch my babydoll. As usual, she had gotten angry over my show of possessiveness and ignored my ass for the rest of the night. Bella hadn't told me she loved me since that night in my lair. I was starting to fear that maybe she decided I wasn't worth it after all and had given up on us ever being together. She was also being extremely fucking disobedient to my wishes. Lately, her clothes were too fucking revealing. A few nights ago, she wore a pair of jeans that looked they'd been painted on her body. Her tight little ass was barely contained in those pants. I'd wanted to strip her out of them and bend her ass over my desk. When she came to my office, I yelled at her about some stupid shit, because the sexual tension had made me a fucking maniac. To make matters worse, my mom had been inviting me to some stupid family dinner she was having tomorrow. She, like Bella, wanted what she couldn't have. It's not that I didn't love Esme and Ali, but I just couldn't do the whole family dinner thing. Plus, Emmett would be there with his wife and their spawn, so I'd be fucking uncomfortable anyway. Emmett's wife, Rosalie, and I were never cordial in the best of times, and with my current mood, we would probably end up knife fighting on top of my mom's perfect dinner table. I was planning on calling mom to officially decline. The only good thing I'd done lately was stay away from hard drugs. That didn't mean I could give up everything, though. I had taken to smoking weed, but I didn't feel bad about that, because I didn't consider it a bad drug. I smoked a joint before I got into my car to drive to Bella's, but it hadn't helped my mood at all. My eye caught some fucker in the car next to me gaping at my car. He actually took out his phone and snapped a picture. After the light changed, I gave him the finger and continued on my journey. I wondered if Bella would like the Phantom. She'd never seen it because I keep it enclosed in a special part of the garage at the club. As far as I could tell Bella, wasn't impressed by expensive shit like boats and cars. I had casually mentioned some of the things I owned when we discussed business, but she never asked me to elaborate. Most bitches would have killed to ride in this car, but Bella probably wouldn't be

fazed. Besides the infiltration, the club had been running extremely well. I had more free hours and could spend more time on my other investments. Jasper had been doing a fucking spectacular job, so to reward him, I gave him a custom made Mercedes Benz to use as his company car. He picked it out, and of course it was bulletproof, just like my Rolls. He already loved that fucking car like it was his baby. Honestly, I didn't get the car for only Jasper. I knew Bella wouldn't accept rides from me, and I wanted her to be in a comfortable and safe car when she went out. My plan had backfired, though. Bella had taken the Range Rover and now insisted on driving herself to and from work so that Jasper could spend more time with Alice. Thankfully, she hadn't discovered my personal bodyguard yet. If I had to worry about my babydoll being in a car accident, I would be even worse off then I was now. I knew that I fucking stalked her, but I couldn't help myself. I felt extremely protective of Bella. I would not let anything happen to her on my watch. That was the main reason I kept my involvement with the Volturi secret from her. Every day I was getting closer to cracking, though. When I remembered her last words to me, and the love and conviction in her voice, I wanted to break down and confess all of my sins. She was the only reason that my life had meaning. I'd fucked up every other relationship in my life. I wanted Bella and I to work, but her demand was unreasonable. Today, Bella and I were going to do something that I had never personally done in my life. We were going to the fucking grocery store. My babydoll was probably the type that could spend all fucking day looking at food, and it was going to be fucking torture, but I couldn't turn down the chance to spend some alone time with her. We were going because she'd decided to keep her promise and start cooking for me every night while we're at work. After shopping, we would be heading to the club to begin the night. I used to love fucking Saturdays, but now they only make me sad, because Bella had Sundays and Mondays off, so I had to wait two whole fucking days to see my babydoll. Pulling up to her driveway, I noticed that Jasper wasn't home. I was sure that he was off somewhere being lovey dovey with Alice. Those two seriously made me sick, always cooing and kissing in public. It was fucking disgusting how pathetic he became when my sister entered a room. He stopped cursing and began using vomit inducing pet names. Yeah, I called Bella babydoll, but Jasper's pet names were worse. Yesterday, I'd heard him call Alice 'pixie pie.' Yuck! Scanning the street to make sure no fucker looked like they were going to approach my baby, I stepped out of the Phantom and put out my cigar. I knocked on the front door and waited for Bella to answer. Jasper was planning on moving them out of this place in a month when their lease was up. I was going to use the time in between to get him to rent an apartment in my building. There weren't any vacancies, but I was planning to relocate one of the renters to make room. I needed my babydoll safe under my roof so that I could personally look out for her well being. It only took a minute for Bella to answer the door. I was disappointed once again to see that she hadn't looked through the peephole. "Damn it, Bella! I could be a fucking psychopath coming to chop you up. You have to look in the fucking peephole before you open the goddamned door!" It only took her one whole minute to piss me the fuck off. That didn't bode well for the rest of the day. "Hello to you too, Edward. Do you always have to curse and yell at me? Come in and wait in the living room while I finish getting ready." Bella gave me one last glare before heading upstairs. Finish getting

ready? Hopefully, she would put on something decent and not that revealing shit she'd been wearing lately. I went into the kitchen and looked around for something to nibble on while I waited. I spotted the Smurf cookie jar and opened it hoping to find some of Bella's amazing homemade cookies inside. There were lots of cookies, so I pulled out a plate and warmed some up. This batch was regular old fashioned chocolate chip with nothing else. I grabbed a glass of cold milk and sat at the table to eat. I was interrupted from my cookie heaven by a voice clearing. "Are you enjoying yourself, Mr. Cullen?" I turned around to see Bella standing in the doorway with a smile on her face. I was just about to answer her when I noticed what she was wearing. "Go back and change NOW! I'm not taking you out in pubic wearing that." She was wearing a fucking minidress. It was dark blue and had long sleeves and a V-neck that was low enough to show the very tops of her creamy tits. The dress only went to her thighs about 3 inches above the knee showing too much of her tempting legs that were clad in nude pantyhose. She paired it with some fucking black kitten heels. Her hair was completely down and curled naturally down her back. I could smell her strawberry wildflower scent from where I sat. I groaned in pain as I adjusted my cock. Bella just continued to stare at me blushing and biting her lower lip. "Why? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?" she asked with a note of apprehension in her voice. "For fuck sake babydoll, I'd be seen with you anywhere. I am not embarrassed of you by any means. I just don't want random motherfuckers eye-fucking my girl," I said. She rolled her eyes. "Why do you insist on being so overprotective, Edward? I am a grown woman and I can take care of myself. If you don't want me to go out with you in this dress, then I will drive myself to the store. You're in no position to dictate to me." I counted to ten before I answered because my quick reply would have ended our errand before it even started. "Okay, you can wear what you want. If you like other guys ogling you then that's your business. I'm fucking done." She was so fucking frustrating. Wasn't she the one going on about how she loved me and shit? If she really loved me, she would take the fucking hint and start doing what I told her to. "Well, um, I'm ready if you are," Bella said as she grabbed her purse from the table. I finished my last cookie before we headed out to the car. There were three fucking pricks checking out my Phantom. They were taking pictures and pointing. One of them must have known Bella, because he walked over and started talking to her. He was clearly appreciating her outfit. I didn't like the way she relaxed when he walked over. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your little friend, Bella?" The disgust was clear in my voice but random guy didn't seem to notice. "I'm Eric. Bella and I went to high school together in Forks. I live down the street. Your car is fucking awesome, dude." I nodded and went over to the passenger side and motioned for Bella to climb in. She hesitated for a moment before saying goodbye to Eric and taking her seat. I shut the door and raced over to my side,

eager to get my baby and my babydoll the fuck out of there. I accelerated quickly and we were on the road, headed to Whole Foods. Bella was being extremely quiet, and she had yet to move. She looked fucking sexy as hell sitting in my car with that tiny dress on and her legs crossed. I practiced inhaling and exhaling to keep my hard on from swelling. "Babydoll, are you okay? You're mighty quiet over there." She jumped when she heard the sound of my voice. "Sorry, my mind was somewhere else. You drive way too fast, Edward. You should slow down." I laughed. "Bella, I've always driven this speed limit and I've never had an accident. Trust me, I'll get us there safely." She was still just sitting there, fucking staring out the window. Why the hell wouldn't she look over at me? I was about to say something when I noticed that Bella had a few tears in her eyes. I thought back to what I could have said to make her cry, but I couldn't come up with anything that sounded offensive in our last conversation. I needed to talk to her now before this trip got any worse. I pulled into the nearest parking lot I could find and parked away from the other cars. When the car stopped, Bella looked over at me. "What are we doing here? This isn't the grocery store," she said, clearly confused by my actions. I reached over to take her hand and she flinched away. It hurt that she was trying to distance herself from me, but I tried again. This time she let me have her hand, squeezing mine lightly once our fingers were joined. She was all out crying now and I was freaking the fuck out. "Bella?" I knew something had to be terribly wrong if she was reacting like this. She let go of my hand and unbuckled her seatbelt. I never drove with mine on because I hate the way those fucking things restrict you. I like to be comfortable when driving. Besides, there aren't many cops in Seattle that would pull me over for such a small thing. I was staring at the side of Bella's face as she went back to looking out the window. Then all of a sudden, she turned and starting climbing over into my lap. I was shocked to say the least. Bella and I hadn't had any physical contact since that night in the club apartment. She straddled me and my hand went instantly to her lower back. I held her close and hugged her. Her scent overwhelmed me and we just sat there for a minute, looking into each others' eyes. There were fat tears running down Bella's cheeks and the sight broke my heart. I couldn't fucking stand to see my babydoll cry, so I started murmuring soothing words to her in an attempt to get her to calm down so she could talk to me. Eventually, I felt her body start to relax. She reached up and twisted one of her hands in my hair. The other one was on my chest. We never broke eye contact. I decided to take a chance. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to Bella's. Her lips conformed to mine and when I licked her bottom lip, she opened her mouth and accepted my tongue. I moaned because she tasted so sweet and warm. I pressed her more firmly to me and she shivered. My hands were everywhere. I gripped her hips tightly, settling one hand on her firm little ass. I couldn't get enough of Bella and she was really getting into the kiss, making these fucking amazing

purring sounds in the back of her throat. "Fuck babydoll, you're so damn beautiful, it hurts me to look at you," I murmured as I released her mouth to kiss her neck and collarbones. I licked the creamy skin there and nibbled on her earlobe and then made my way back to her mouth. She pressed her tongue to mine and explored my mouth. My dick was throbbing and Bella's sweet hot pussy was right over my bulge. I reached up and grabbed one of her breasts, squeezing it lightly through the fabric. Bella bucked her hips and grinded her pussy on my cock. It felt fucking amazing and I felt my dick jump in response. Bella was fisting my hair hard and the slight pain felt good. I never wanted her to release me but eventually she did. She pressed her forehead to mine and looked down. We were both so hot that the windows had started to fog up. I pressed the automatic to let the windows down a little. The cool Seattle air seemed to be what we both needed because some of the tension abated. I kissed Bella's temple and forehead. I had never been so tender with any other woman like I was with my babydoll. She intertwined our hands and then brought them up to her lips and kissed my knuckles. "I love you, Edward. I'm sorry for attacking you like that, but I needed to feel you. I hope you're not mad about me climbing over your car like that." She looked so goddamned sexy sitting on my lap, with her lips swollen from my kisses. I looked down at her neck and saw that I had left a love bite on her neck. I liked that, as it was a mark that let other motherfuckers know she was mine. I licked and sucked that spot again and again, staking my claim on my babydoll. Bella put her hand on my jaw and lifted my face. "Edward, we should stop. You're going to leave a hickey, and then I'll have to explain that to Jasper." "I don't care. Besides, it's too late. You already have a love bite, several in fact." I smirked. Bella reached up and touched her neck. Then, she started to back away from me. I held her tight. "It's okay, babydoll. I fucking like seeing you with my mark on your skin. It will let everyone know you belong to me." I heard her mumble 'Caveward' as she tried to climb off my lap, but I wouldn't let her go. "Bella, sweetheart, why were you crying just a minute ago? Did I say something that offended you?" I asked. "It's just that next week is the anniversary of my mother's death. When you said you'd never been in an accident, I thought of Mom. I know it's stupid. It's not your fault. It's just that during this time of year, I usually feel depressed. I'll be all right." She started squirming again, trying to get out of my grasp. I just held on tighter. I could be such a fucking dumbass sometimes. Here she was feeling sad about her mother, and I had gone and bragged about never being in an accident; the very thing that killed her mom. I felt like the most pathetic piece of shit on the Earth. I had unintentionally caused my babydoll hurt. I was determined to make it up to her. "Bella, my mom and stepdad are having a Sunday dinner tomorrow. My stepbrother and his family will be there, and so will Jasper and Alice. Would you like to come as my guest?" I asked, hoping she would say yes and join me. I hadn't planned on going, but I could kill two birds with one stone; make my mom happy and cheer Bella up. Besides, I knew that Esme would love Bella, and she'll be thrilled that I

accepted the invitation. I hadn't been to dinner at mom and Carlisle's house in almost a year. Mom had demanded that I spend Christmas with them, but I declined and went to Brazil instead. I spent those days getting drunk and fucking a slew of whores. I was fucking disgusted with myself afterwards. When Esme called and wished me a Merry Christmas, there were tears in her voice. That was the first time that Carlisle ever yelled at me. He had been angry because Esme was sad. He told me I ruined her holiday and that I was a selfish asshole. That conversation caused a rift between us that we had not yet repaired. I knew that he was just looking out for my mom, but I wasn't used to anyone speaking to me that way. I had lashed out, calling him the vilest names I could think of. Emmett had been there and heard my tirade, so he took the phone from his father and went off on me, too. I could hear Alice whimpering in the background. It got to be too much. I hung up the phone. I had avoided all communication with my family up until now. They may have hated me, but I knew that they would be cordial to Bella. She hadn't answered me yet. I started to get nervous. "Alice already invited me and Jasper. She said you never go, so I declined, but if you're going, I would honored to be your guest, Edward." I smiled and kissed her cheek one more time before letting her go. "Good. You can just spend the night with me in the lair tonight, and we can go straight from there. Is that all right with you?" My babydoll started biting her lip and a blush crept up on her cheeks. I licked it, which caused her to giggle. "Stop it, Edward. I guess I can spend the night with you, if you promise to behave yourself." I crossed my fingers behind my back. "Of course, you know I am the consummate gentleman when it comes to you, babydoll." Bella laughed, and then climbed back over into her seat. I leaned over and put her seatbelt back on. My fingertips grazed her cheek. I raised her head to look in her eyes. "Bella, I know the death of your mother makes you sad, but she wouldn't want that. She would want you to remember the good times with her and be thankful that you two got to spend time together." I spoke with conviction. Bella must have believed me because she turned her face into my hand and kissed my palm. For the rest of the drive, we talked and joked with one another. It felt fucking great to have playful Bella back, and I knew then that we could do anything as long as we did it together. I pulled into the grocery store parking garage and got my ticket. The parking lot was pretty full, but I found a space near the back, away from the other cars, and parked. I got out to open Bella's door. She thanked me for that chivalrous shit. I took her hand and held her close as we ascended the stairs. There was some motherfucker behind us that was ogling Bella's ass. I tensed. She must have felt it because she put her arm around my waist and squeezed. She looked up at me and mouthed 'behave' so I just gripped her hips harder and concentrated on her scent. Thankfully we made it into the store without incident, and the fucker that was behind us went to another aisle. He didn't know how close he had been to a beatdown. If I saw him eye-fuck her again, I would fuck him up. Bella grabbed a grocery cart and started pushing it around the aisles. I tried to take the cart from her, but

she slapped my hand away. "You can put whatever I point to in the cart. Is there anything that you particularly like?" she asked. "I'll eat anything you make, but I'm partial to Italian foods," I told her, picking up a loaf of fresh bread. There was some blonde fake titted bitch across from us that was eyeing me and swishing her hips. I just glared at the bitch, surprised by her boldness. Bella must have noticed because I saw a look of jealousy and sadness creep into her eyes. I wasn't fucking having that, so I walked up behind Bella and pulled her tight little body to mine. I put a hand on her stomach and then leaned down and kissed her neck. The bitch seemed to get the point. She walked away, huffing loudly. Bella laughed and turned to look at me. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and continued filling the cart. Two shopping carts and lots of bags later, we made it back to the Phantom. Thankfully, it was still untouched and no one had triggered the alarm. I opened the trunk and began depositing bags. Bella wanted to help, but I insisted that she sit in the car while I did everything. There were a few people in the lot near us. They noticed the car. One man, who was holding the hand of a little girl, approached. He started talking to me about the Phantom, asking about the horsepower, etc. I didn't fucking need this shit, but I knew Bella would get upset if I was rude, so I answered him. Unfortunately, he let go of the girl's hand. I could see that she was about to touch the car. I panicked. Bella must have seen my face through the window, because she got out of the car. My babydoll bent down and offered the little girl a piece of red licorice, which she took greedily. Bella kept the candymuncher occupied a few more minutes until the man finished his questioning and took her back. The little girl smiled and waved at Bella as she left. I looked over to see that Bella was laughing hysterically. "You are so funny, Edward. You were scared of that little girl because she was going to touch your car. I saw it in your eyes. The great Edward Cullen brought down by a kindergarten student," she howled. I joined in with Bella's laughter. It felt good to be so light and carefree. I was only twenty nine years old, but for so long I'd felt older than my years. With my father as my mentor, I was never really allowed to be a child. I had always felt older than my peers. Right now though, I felt young and carefree. I attributed that to the beautiful woman sitting next to me. She finally managed to stop laughing and the look she gave me was filled with so much love and longing that I nearly lost my concentration. "I love you, babydoll. You are the most important person in my life. Without you, there's no reason for me to go on." I had never spoken anything so true in my life. Bella just blushed. A huge smile engulfed her face. I couldn't wait to get to the club and in my apartment so that I could kiss her again. I was very excited that she was spending the night. I suspected that we might not get much work done. I pulled up to the underground entrance of the club. Felix was already there. He smiled and greeted us both and then let us through. I parked in my usual spot. Then, I asked Felix to unpack the trunk and bring up our bags. I held Bella's hand during the whole elevator ride. When we got to our floor, I reluctantly let her go. She went over to her desk to put her purse and laptop bag down. I went into my office to wait for her. Ten minutes later, she walked into my office with some papers she needed me to sign. I leaned over and kissed her while I put my signature on them. She giggled and swatted my ass before turning around and going back to her desk. I watched her hips sway as she left, letting my fantasies take over while I waited

for Felix to bring up our groceries. He, and two other guys that worked for me, arrived holding all the shopping bags. They didn't know about my lair, so I just had them put the bags on the table in the kitchenette. I saw Felix stop to chat with Bella. She laughed at something he said. He introduced the other two guys to her. She held out her hand, waiting for them to shake it. They were watching me from the corner of their eyes. I guess word had gotten around that Bella was not to be touched. I nodded at them, conveying that it was okay. They visibly relaxed and returned her handshake. Bella looked over at me and smiled. She was probably glad that I had behaved myself. I was just glad that none of those fuckers could see her legs that were safely under her desk. Thankfully, they kept their eyes above her chest. They all left a few minute later, leaving Bella and me alone. She was still blushing with a tiny smile on her lips. I walked over and kissed her on the cheek. "Are you ready to put the food up and start dinner, babydoll? I'm fucking starving." She got up and slipped off her heels and put on a pair of fuzzy ballerina slippers that she kept hidden under her desk. "I only wore the heels and that dress for you. You hadn't touched me in a while, and I'd been wearing all those outfits to try to break you down." I was fucking furious. That was the reason she had worn all of that shit, because she didn't think I wanted to touch her. "Bella I've wanted to touch you since that night, but I stepped back and respected your boundaries because that's what I thought you wanted me to do. You are sexy in whatever you wear. You don't have to impress me. I'm already infatuated with your sexy ass. Shit, you've given me more cases of blue balls this month that I've had my whole life." Bella reached over and stroked my cock through my pants. Her lips parted as she bit her lower lip. "Well I'll have to make that up to little Edward tonight," she said, squeezing me harder. She removed her hand and went over and started grabbing the grocery bags. I just stood there, trying to fucking compose myself so that I could walk. "You will pay for that later, babydoll, and there is nothing little about me," I said. "I'll look forward to it," she replied, blushing. I took the bags from her hands and led her to the keypad so that I could type in the code and let us in. Once inside, I deposited the bags on the counter. Bella began to unload them. Since I never cooked, the kitchen was brand new, and there wasn't anything in the refrigerator. I had a maid that came by two days a week to clean. She would be blindfolded and chaperoned until she got inside, and then blindfolded again until she got outside, so that she never knew where she was. I paid her a nice salary to agree to the terms. She worked out great. Bella continued to empty grocery bags while I made a couple trips until all the food was in the kitchen and put away. "Edward, I'm cooking lasagna tonight. What do you want for dessert?" Bella said while pulling ingredients from the cabinets. "You," I replied. She laughed. "You already have me. What do you want to eat?" "You", I replied once again. It was true too. I had never gone down on a woman before, but I fucking needed to taste and lick every inch of my babydoll.

She looked shy and a little bit nervous. "Oh," was all she said. I stood behind her, squeezing her little body close to mine. "I love you, Bella." She relaxed and shooed me away claiming that she couldn't finish with me distracting her. I went into the living room to watch TV. I got a text from Jasper asking me to meet him downstairs. I knew Bella would be safe in my lair, so I told her that I had to go see Jasper and that I would be right back. Before I could reach Jasper's office, I was assaulted by some bitch in a tight silver dress. I looked down and saw that it was Victoria, one of my working girls that Chanel had to fire. Victoria had been practically stalking my ass. Well, fuck me. "Oh Eddie, I'm so glad you're here. They wouldn't let me use the private elevator to come see you, so I came here and asked the new manager to call you down. I'm so happy to see you." She was trying to kiss me when Jasper came out of his office. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. I thought maybe you wanted to handle her personally." I nodded to Jasper to let him know it was all right. He went back into his office, closing the door. "Victoria, why the fuck are you here? I told your skanky ass to leave me alone. It's not like we were ever in a serious relationship. It was just fucking, and I wasn't the only guy you were diddling. I'm going to have Felix escort you out. You are hereby banned from the club." "Why, Edward? I can make you feel good, we used to have so much fun together," she pouted. As if the night couldn't get any worse, Jessica spotted me and came over to glare at Victoria. They had worked together briefly and had a deep-seeded hatred for one another. I was sick of this shit. My babydoll was upstairs waiting for me. I didn't want to deal with these bitches now. I waved down the nearest security guard and had him escort Victoria off of the premises. I ordered Jess to get back to her pole and then headed into Jasper's office. "Where's Alice?" I asked, because lately they had been joined at the hip. He smiled and told me that she was helping my mom prepare for the dinner. He looked like he wanted to talk, so I sat down. "Are you sleeping with my baby sister?" I hadn't expected him to ask that question, so I took a second too long to answer. "Not that it's any of your business, but no, I haven't slept with her yet, but I plan to." He was up and over his desk in a heartbeat. I stood up ready to defend myself if he started punching. Last time I had deserved a goddamn beating, but this time I wasn't in the wrong. "You bastard, I knew it was a mistake to let Bella work here. I am not going to let you pull a fuck and run on my Bells. You can fire me, you can take the car, you can do anything you want to me, but you're not getting Bella. I promised our dad that I would take care of her and you're not going to fuck that promise up, Edward Cullen." Jasper's lanky fame radiated heat and he looked like he was about to punch me. "Jesus Christ, Jasper, I am not going to pull a 'fuck and run' on Bella. I love her, and everything we do is consensual. She loves me, too. I promise you that I will never hurt her again. She is spending the night

with me tonight, and we'll be at the dinner party tomorrow. I hope that's okay with you." I silently prayed that he would relax and not go off on me. "Okay, Cullen. Bella is a grown woman, so I'll respect her wishes. I'm sure you know how damn stubborn she is, but the next time you hurt her or make her cry, I will kick you ass." "And I'll let you. Goodnight, Jaz. Hold the club down," I said, turning around to leave his office. I made it back to the eighth floor unscathed, but I felt fucking dirty because of my brief contact with those bitches. I stopped in my office to take a shot of Vodka and then headed back into my lair to join Bella. I could hear music coming from the kitchen. The sight that greeted me when I got there caused my hard on to expand even further. My babydoll was dancing to Enur and Nataja's "Calabria." Bella's dancing was naturally sexual. I was getting turned on seeing her hips sway to the music. She was so caught up in the song that she didn't notice me creep up behind her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and guided her body back to mine, while keeping the beat to the song. She ground her cute little ass against me and kept moving her hips back and forth. She was going up and down and back and forth, twisting her hips hard against my erection. I reached down and put my hand on her abdomen, pulling her closer to me. We continued our dance, grinding on each other and swaying to the beat. After awhile it felt so good that I knew that if I moved, I was going to come in my fucking pants. By the time the song ended, both of us were panting heavily and still molded to one another. "Bella, come with me to the bedroom, please," I turned her around to gauge her expression. Her eyes were heavy lidded and her face was completely flushed. "Okay. It will take the lasagna a little over an hour to be ready." She held out her hand to me. I took it and led her into the bedroom. I picked my babydoll up and tossed her on the bed. She giggled as I dove for her. She shrieked before our hands were all over each other. Our kisses were passionate and desperate. I stripped the dress off of her and tossed it somewhere on the floor. Unfortunately, she was wearing a bra, so I had to stop to remove that offending garment too. When her breasts were bared before me, I stopped to take a hard nipple into my mouth. I licked and sucked on it like it was a sweet candy. I did the same to the other nipple. Bella cried out. I licked and kissed my way down her creamy flat stomach. I dipped my tongue into her belly button. Her legs flew off of the bed. "Easy, babydoll. I won't hurt you." She whimpered and tangled her hands in my hair. I licked around Bella's panties before pulling them off and putting them in my pocket. They would join the thong that I'd taken off of her in my office that night I'd given her an orgasm. I was a sick fuck hoarding Bella's underwear, but it was fucking sexy. She was really writhing now, and when I blew on her exposed core, she bucked again. "Edward,"sShe whimpered. I shushed her and continued my torture by licking her outer lips. Bella's pussy was gorgeous. She waxed but she kept a little pubic hair, and it was soft and curly. I rubbed my cheek

against it. She moaned louder. I was glad she wasn't completely shaved. A lot of the bitches I had been with did that shit, but I wasn't a fan of baby pussy. I liked Bella's better. I inhaled the scent of her arousal and felt my boxers expand even more. I paused to get up and take my clothes off. Bella opened her eyes and just looked at me. She was so fucking sexy. I smiled and she smiled back, laying her head back on the pillow and staring at my chest. I smirked, glad to know that Bella thought I was sexy too. Her eyes were almost black now, and she was licking her lips. I leaned down and stuck my forefinger in her mouth. She sucked on it hard. My dick jumped at the sensation. I went back to Bella's thighs and placed them on each side of my head. I looked up at her one last time and then I devoured. I had never performed oral on a woman, but I'd seen plenty of pornos so I knew how it worked. I had also read many books about the G-spot and could find it in any woman. I had already found Bella's the last time. I was going to make her come so hard that she would forget her own name. Bella's cries were the most erotic sounds that I had ever heard. She babbled and moaned so loudly that I was sure the entire city heard her. I sucked on her clit and put one finger inside. She pulled my head closer to her body. She gripped my hair hard. The pain made my dick fucking throb. I sucked and licked Bella's wetness up as she rode my tongue. When I put in a second finger, she screamed. I stopped to look up at her and make sure she was okay. She looked shy, because she had made such noise. Her chocolate eyes were still dark and her face was flushed. I smiled, going back to work on her sweet pussy. I stuck a third finger inside Bella's molten core and found her golden spot. She bucked hard, almost throwing me off of her. I sucked on her clit and continued moving my fingers inside of her. I felt her muscles tense up before she let go. She screamed, "Edward!" to high heaven and shook uncontrollably. I continued licking her sweet honey until she was dry. Then, I climbed back up onto the bed and shared a long kiss with Bella. She was tasting herself on me, and that shit was hot. I had to resist the urge to plunge into her then. "Edward... I can't move... feels so good," Bella said. She was completely blissed out with a goofy smile on her face. She reached over and took my cock out of my boxers. I pulled them the rest of the way down so that I was completely naked. Her eyes widened when she took in my size. I smirked because I knew that I was bigger than most other guys. I was extremely proud that Bella had that reaction to my dick. She smiled and began stroking my cock with her hot little hand. I sat back and let her explore my body. She climbed on top of me and began kissing her way down my body. She licked my abs. I had to clench the sheets to keep still. "Fuck, Bella, you're going to fucking kill me if you keep that up." She just smiled coyly and continued her journey. Her hair was everywhere and it was like being bathed in silk. I reached down to take a tendril in my fingers. "Edward. I've never… want to…" and that's all I heard before Bella took my cock into her hot little mouth. I'd had this fucking fantasy so many times, but the real thing was a billion times better. She licked and sucked me like a popsicle and made the sexiest little moans deep in her throat. I wanted to thrust into her mouth, but I didn't because I didn't want to scare her. She solved my problem though, by taking more of my dick in her mouth. I felt myself hit the back of her throat, causing her to gag. I thought

she would stop after that but she didn't. She just continued stroking my shaft and balls while she milked me dry. I could feel pre-cum building on my cock. I knew that I was close. Bella began alternating between licking and sucking. Her tongue licked the head hard. When she went back down to take me in her mouth, I erupted shooting white hot squirts of cum deep down her throat. I screamed her name as I was coming down off my high, and she licked me until I was clean. I closed my eyes because I didn't want to look up and see Bella. I had spewed cum in her mouth without warning. I was afraid that she would be mad at me. She straddled me. I felt her lips caress my jaw. I opened my eyes to see Bella looking down at me with a brilliant smile on her face. "I liked that a lot, Edward. You taste amazing, and I love your cock." I was thankful that Bella had enjoyed giving me head. I had nothing to worry about after all. I kissed her deeply, and then ushered her into the bathroom so we could shower before dinner. We engaged in about fifteen minutes more of shower oral sex and then got dressed. I gave Bella one of my black silk pajama tops to wear and another pair of the underwear I had on reserve. She looked so fucking sexy standing there in my big clothes. I rolled up the sleeves for her as we headed in the kitchen. She took the lasagna out while I opened a bottle of wine. The lasagna was fucking awesome, even if Bella did make me eat a salad with it. She had made fresh garlic breadsticks. I ate a whole pan of those by myself. She teased me throughout the meal by licking her wine glass and looking at me seductively. I would make her pay later. After dinner, Bella pulled out a tub of chocolate gelato. She put both of our desserts in one bowl and added strawberries on the top. We went into the living room to eat. I pulled Bella down on my lap. She fed us both until the bowl was empty. I put it down on the table. Her body was lax and I knew she was going to fall asleep soon. "Edward, you aren't going to tell me who you really are, are you?" The look on her face was one between frustration and grief. I wanted to alleviate her fears so I opened the organ that had been iced over for so long; my heart. "Babydoll, before I met you I was no one. I remember going to Vegas last year to check up on one of my clubs. I'd decided to take a walk in the cold desert and realized that was what my life was; barren, empty, cold. You have changed all of that, and for the first time, I want to let someone into my life. I promise that I will give you all of me. I will tell you who I am in time, and I pray that you still love me when you find out. I hope you can live with that for now Bella, because I can't fucking live without you." She pulled my lips down to hers and kissed me passionately. "I'll always love you, Edward. You're mine." With that she yawned and fell gloriously into slumber. I carried her to bed and tucked her head onto my chest. Her skin was smooth and her hair smelt like strawberries, but also like my shampoo. I smiled down at my angel sleeping peacefully in my arms. Tomorrow we would be having dinner with Esme and Carlisle, and I knew that some piece of my puzzle would be revealed for Bella. I was fucking nervous, but right now I had my babydoll in my arms, and that was all I needed. I drifted to sleep after I heard Bella mumble, '...love Edward...' in her sleep. The miraculous thing was, I loved her too.

~*!*~

Chapter Eight ~ Transatlanticism "Those people were overjoyed; they took to their boats. I thought it less like a lake and more like a moat. The rhythm of my footsteps crossing flatlands to your door have been silenced forever more. The distance is quite simply much too far for me to row It seems farther than ever before Oh no. I need you so much closer I need you so much closer I need you so much closer I need you so much closer..." --Transatlanticism - Death Cab For Cutie BPOV I awoke to the sounds of heavy rain outside. I tried to get up out of bed but something heavy was over my waist, making it impossible to move. The room was bathed in blackness. The clock next to the bed indicated that it was a little after five in the morning. I was warm and I didn't want to get up, but I really had to pee. I blinked a few times and tried to clear the cobwebs out of my mind, and that's when it all came back to me. This was Edward's bed, and I had spent the night with him. When I looked over, I saw that his eyes were still closed and his breathing was regular. My angel was still sound asleep. He looked so peaceful laying there in all his glory. Edward only wore boxers to bed, and in the shadows I could see his pale hard chest rising and falling with every breath he took. His lips were in a perpetual pout and one of his big hands rested low on his toned stomach. His silky bronze hair was a mess. I had to bite down on my lip to stop myself from caressing it. Just thinking about the things that Edward and I did last night caused a deep blush to creep up my cheeks. No one had ever touched me there, but Edward's hands felt familiar, like they belonged inside of me. And when his sweet mouth had joined his hands, a fire had been lit inside of my body. I seriously thought I was going to spontaneously combust right in the middle of the bed. Edward had been so patient and kind with me. I still couldn't believe that I'd given him a blowjob. In college, Angela and I had wanted to learn more about sex, so we did some research. Angela's father was a minister, so she hadn't gotten a lot of education in sexual intimacy. Of course, with my mother being dead and my father being Chief of Police, I hadn't managed to learn that much about sex either. I mean I knew what happened, but I had no idea about the actual act, and how to make it enjoyable. One of our research opportunities came in the form of a class. We had been looking at the student boards and saw a handout announcing a class for 'Everything you ever wanted to know about sex.' We thought that the class would be perfect for us, and it was being held on campus. The class was full of both males and females, and the lecturer was a sex therapist. To say that the class had been enlightening would be an understatement; it had been mind blowing. We had watched porn, discussed proper blow job etiquette, established how to find the G-spot, watched a live sex session, and read the Kama Sutra. If Jasper knew I'd taken that lecture, he would have probably made me move off campus and back in with him. Luckily,

he never found out. About a month after the sex education class, Angela met Ben. It was pretty much love at first sight, and she then had an actual man to try all of our research on. Judging by how happy Ben looked all the time, I would say what we learned was helpful. Unfortunately, I didn't find a boyfriend that year. I got set up and went out on a few dates, but nothing felt right, and I definitely didn't want to sleep with any of the guys. For awhile I thought something was wrong with me for not having a sexual relationship in college. Everyone else seemed to be alright hooking up and having fun. Now I realize that the reason I never did is because I was waiting on my soulmate: Edward. I never thought that sucking on a man's penis could be erotic, but it was. Edward tasted amazing, and although he was big, I could get most of him in my mouth. Last night he made the most beautiful noises when I was suckling him. It made my chest swell to know that me, shy innocent Bella Swan, could make a man like Edward feel pleasure. He had come in my mouth, and I swallowed because I wanted as much of Edward inside me as possible. I knew that soon we'd be actually having sex, but hopefully we'd work up to that slowly. I need to know more about my lover before I gave him the last piece of me. Pulling myself from my overactive brain, I paddled across the hall to the bathroom. It was still a little strange to use a black toilet. After I released my bladder, I decided to look around a bit. I wasn't going to snoop, but if I came across something, then I would likely find out more about Edward. I started in the living room, where I saw his jacket from yesterday was on the couch. I picked it up so that I could hang it in the closet. It felt heavy so I decided to look in the pockets to see what was weighing it down. Inside the pocket was a shiny black gun and what looked like a holster. Even though Charlie had been Police Chief, I didn't know much about guns. Forks was small and there wasn't much crime, so dad didn't always carry his gun. I know Edward was a dangerous man. I had seen the way people looked at him, and I'd seen him beat up guys just for touching me, but still it was surprising to see that he carried a gun on him that freely. I didn't know if I should remove the gun and hang the jacket up or just hang the jacket up with the gun still inside. In the end, I decided to just leave the jacket and the gun where I found them. I was still feeling a little uneasy about what I just learned about Edward, so I decided now would be a great time to start breakfast. I was going to make fresh blueberry waffles, sausage, and eggs for Edward. Seeing Edward's gun was not the only thing that had me feeling nervous. Tonight was the dinner party, and I would be meeting Edward's family. He had already told me a little about them. I knew they were rich, and I didn't want to embarrass Edward by doing something stupid. Also, I was worried for Jasper because he had been stressed out about making a good impression on the parents. Jasper and Alice were serious, and he was going to introduce himself as her boyfriend, so he knew he would be getting grilled by the rest of her family. I just hoped I don't trip and that Edward's mother wouldn't call me a whore or something. I couldn't imagine what they would think of me if they knew I was sleeping with my boss. After I put the sausage in the oven, I went back into the room to grab my cell phone. I made sure to stay quiet so I wouldn't wake up Edward. I closed the door behind me and stepped back into the kitchen. My phone display said I had four missed text message. I scrolled through to see who they were from. Are you sure you want to spend the night with him?

-JCall me back, Bells. I can come upstairs to get you if you change your mind. -JObviously you didn't change your mind, so Alice and I are leaving. I love you. -JPlease, please, please use protection. Do you need me to take you to Planned Parenthood? -JGoodnight Bells. Tell Cullen I'll kill him if one hair on your pretty head is harmed. -JApparentally, Jasper had lost his mind. I was almost twenty four years old and a college graduate with a full time job, and he thought I need him to take me to get birth control. I reread his messages again and couldn't help but giggle. It was sweet of him to be so worried, but if I had to have a conversation about reproductive health with my brother, I was going to be sick. I erased all of his messages and sent him one back, letting him know that I was okay and that he wouldn't have to kill Edward. I told him we would see him at dinner tonight, and to make sure he got flowers for Mrs. Cullen. I was just about to start pouring batter into the waffle maker when I felt a pair of arms snake around my waist. "Hey babydoll, why the fuck are you up so early, and why didn't you stay in bed with me?" His voice was gravelly from sleep and it sounded like liquid sex. A low moan escaped my lips before I could stop it. I felt Edward's body grow tense, and then he lifted the hem of the nightshirt and touched my stomach. I felt myself getting hot, and I needed to finish breakfast, so I stepped away from him. "Not now, Edward. I got up to make breakfast. You looked tired, so I was going to let you sleep in longer." Edward's breathing had picked up, and I could feel his morning erection. I chanced a glance at him and saw that he was staring at me intently. "What?" I asked, hoping that he would let me finish breakfast before he jumped me. "Nothing, you just look so fucking beautiful standing there in my shirt cooking for me. I want to wake up with you every fucking day. You're mine, Bella. Promise you won't ever leave me." Edward looked concerned and his eyes were pleading with me. I put the spatula down and walked over to him. I pulled his lips down to mine in a hungry possessive kiss.

"I won't ever leave you, Edward. You're mine too, forever. I will be with you for as long as you want me." He kissed my eyelids, my forehead, and my cheeks. "I'll want you forever. Even when our souls no longer inhabit the Earth, we'll roam somewhere together." I felt tears falling down my cheeks. Edward leaned over and kissed them away and we just stood hugging each other for awhile. "What brought that on?" I asked, hoping he would tell me why he looked so scared a minute ago. He was rubbing circles on my lower back, and I could feel those tingles spreading all over my body already. "Nothing, babydoll. It's just that you may find out some shit about me at dinner tonight. Shit that would make you question me or our love. I just want you to be prepared." I tried to look at him, but he wouldn't make eye contact. "You know, if you told me the truth about yourself, you wouldn't have to worry about what someone else might tell me. I already saw the gun, and…" That's all I got out before he pushed me away. "Bella, you had no fucking right to rifle through my goddamn things! Are you fucking spying on me now? Do you not trust me? Don't you ever touch my fucking gun again. Do I make myself clear?" I was angry now. Why did he always have to assume the worst and lose his temper? Any normal person would have just explained, but no, he had to blow a gasket and curse at me. I was sick of it and wouldn't put up with it again. "Christ, Edward! You lie to me. You tell me to trust you, but you hide important things from me. You fly off the handle and yell at me instead of talking to me like an adult. No, I wasn't spying on you. I was going to hang up your jacket when I noticed it was heavy. I reached in and that's when I saw the gun. I didn't touch it, and I left the jacket where it was. "Don't worry, you have made yourself very clear; it's clear you don't trust me. I'm going to call a taxi to take me home." I left him standing there while I went to the bathroom to change into the dress I wore yesterday. I couldn't believe Edward. He said all those sweet things to me, and then turned around and ruined our moment by being an asshole. I needed to get away from him for a while. I still had the dinner to go to tonight, but I wasn't looking forward to it anymore. I heard pounding on the door. "Bella, get your ass back in here right now, and I'll forget about your disobedience. You are not leaving, and you're definitely not taking a taxi home. " I couldn't believe Edward was commanding me like I was a child and making demands. "I am leaving. You don't own me Edward Cullen. I am free to come and go as I please." "Damn it, Bella. I will break down this goddamn door if you don't come out here and apologize to me. You have five minutes." I could hear his footsteps retreat from the door. I put the blue dress back on, and since my pantyhose got ruined last night, I would have to go with bare

legs. I looked slutty. I had on last nights clothes, my lips were swollen, and my hair was a mess. Hopefully, the cab driver wouldn't say anything. I ran a brush through my hair and then called Yellow Cab, and told them I needed a pickup in fifteen minutes. That should give me enough time to argue with Edward and get out of here. When I got out of the bathroom, he was sitting at the kitchen island brooding. A pang went through my heart looking at him sitting there, practically naked. I had to stick to my decision though, and not let temptation get in the way. "My taxi will be here in fifteen minutes. Say what you need to say and then let me out of here." I looked at the ground and played with my swan necklace while I waited for his answer. He turned around to look at me and I saw it in his eyes. He was really angry. His hands were balled into fists and his nostrils were flaring. For the first time since I met him, I was truly afraid of Edward. "I told you not to fucking call the taxi! Why don't you ever listen to a goddamn word I say? Do you enjoy pissing me the fuck off! You just told me that you would never fucking leave me, and here you are doing it again. You're just a goddamn liar, just like all the other cunts." First of all, no one called me a cunt, and second of all, I wasn't a child or a piece of property that Edward could order around. My feet were moving before my brain could catch up, and before I knew it, I was standing in front of him. He had called me a cunt and he hurt my feelings. I wasn't going to take that lying down. I balled my fist up and then I hit him square in the jaw- hard. "Don't you ever call me a cunt again, Cullen! I am not leaving you; you are pushing me away. We could have had a perfectly happy Sunday morning, but you ruined it by being an asshole and yelling at me. You were clearly worried about something, but instead of talking to me, you ask me to trust you when you don't trust me enough to tell me the truth. I'm sick of your mood swings. You're only happy with me when I'm cooking or getting naked for you. Being in a relationship is about more than that, and until you figure out your mess, stay away from me. Please just go enter the code in the keypad so that I can leave." I felt drained and nauseous. The smell of the breakfast in the kitchen was turning my stomach. Edward was still rubbing his jaw and staring at me with a look of disgust on his face. "Fucking fine! If that's the way you want it, get the fuck out and stay out! You had your fun trying to change the bad boy. Too bad you couldn't get me to fuck you; we could have had fun, babydoll. It's your fucking loss. I don't want to see you unless it's at work. I'll have my lawyer add an appropriate workplace attire clause to your contract. If you ever come into work with any of those fucking skimpy clothes on again; I'll fire your ass. Have a great life, Isabella Swan." With that he walked over to the door and entered the code. There were so many tears in my eyes that I couldn't see straight. I had to get away from him now. He had just dismissed me like I was nothing but last week's trash. We've always fought before, but this was different; he sounded final and he refused to look at me. Edward closed the door behind him and I was left staring at the bookcase. I was all out sobbing now and my chest was heaving with the effort. I shouldn't have let him gotten to me like that. What if he never talked to me again? I gathered my things and went outside to meet the cab. I hopped in, and thankfully, the driver refrained from conversation.

I cried the whole way home, and I left the driver a large tip because he had been so nice not to comment on my predicament. As I was leaving, he told me I was too pretty of a girl to cry so much. I thanked him and went inside our apartment. It was empty because Jasper was spending the night with Alice. She had an apartment in Edward's condo building, and Jasper slept over there a couple of nights a week. I was glad he wasn't home because I wasn't in any mood for I told you so's and other lectures. After I drank a glass of orange juice, I crept upstairs to lie back down. I felt exhausted, and I thought it would help me to get a nap before the dinner party. Despite what occurred between Edward and me, I felt it was my duty to still show up as his guest and support Jasper. I called Jasper and asked him to give me a ride. He was curious to why I wasn't riding with Edward, but I told him I didn't want to talk about it. Alice was able to calm Jasper down so that I could hang up my phone. I set my alarm and fell into a restless sleep. My alarm woke me up at four, which meant I would have an hour to get ready before Jaz and Alice came by to get me. I reached into my closet and removed the white long sleeved silk trim babydoll dress I'd bought for a special occasion. It was short, shorter than the dress I wore yesterday, so I was going to pair it with jewel tone blue tights. The dress had a gathered bust line that would draw attention to my breasts, so I put on my dark blue push up bra. Originally, I had purchased this dress with Edward in mind, but with the way things were with us now, he probably wouldn't even notice me. I felt awful about what happened between us. I went to my phone and texted him because I was weak. I needed to keep the lines of communication open. Edward are you all right? I'm sorry for leaving. -BLike you fucking care. Leave me the hell alone, Bella. -EWell if Edward wanted to act like a child, he could go right ahead. I was done with it. Loving someone should not have been this difficult. If he wanted me, he was going to have to come get me. I was tired of trying to make us a couple when he wouldn't even contribute. I threw down my phone angrily and went back to curling my hair. I decided to put it all up on top of my head and add some blue and silver clips. I left a few tendrils hanging down to complete the look. Also, I put on my small round diamond earrings. They had been my mother's, and I only wore them on special occasions. I paired my babydoll dress and tights with my blue and silver flats. I did my eyes in the smoky look again and added nude lipstick and gloss. I had to use foundation to cover up Edward's love bites, and when I was done they were unnoticeable. After checking myself out in the mirror, I decided I looked good enough to eat with the Cullens. When I got downstairs, I grabbed my small evening bag from my storage space in the den, and put on my blue cardigan jacket. My phone buzzed, and it was Jasper letting me know they would be there in five minutes. I locked up the door and stood on the porch to wait for them. I heard the engine purr, and then the Mercedes was in the drive. I knew the car was a gift from Edward to Jasper for doing such a great job. Even though my relationship with Edward was probably over, I didn't want Jaz to get caught in the middle. My phone buzzed again and I realized it was a text from Edward.

Coming by to get you now. Wait for me. -EDon't bother. You told me to leave you alone, so I am. Alice and Jaz are here and I'm riding with them. -BI'm sorry. See you at dinner. -EWhatever -BI was tired of playing Edward's little games. He pissed me off and I didn't plan on riding with him in uncomfortable silence. Hopefully, he would ignore me at dinner tonight, and I would do the same to him. Jaz made a move to get out of the car, but I motioned for him to stay inside. I opened the back door and breathed a sigh of relief. Alice was giving me a sympathetic look while also keeping an eye on Jasper. "Bella, you look absolutely gorgeous. I will have to take you shopping with me sometimes. I'm so glad you're coming to meet my family. I know they'll love you and Jasper." Alice looked great too. She had on a purple tunic with white skinny jeans and stacked heels. Her hair was extra spiky and with her makeup, she looked like a runway model. I smiled weakly at her, clearly not in the mood to talk. That didn't stop Jasper from badgering me though. "Bella, you've been crying. I always know when you're hiding something from me. Tell me what that bastard did so I'll know what to yell at him while I'm kicking his ass." Alice gasped and turned around and looked at me again. "I'm so sorry, Bella. Edward throws these tantrums, and I can imagine what he said to you. He didn't mean it, I'm sure. Are you okay?" I felt like a child being chastised by her parents after running away in the park. "I don't want to talk about Edward or what happened between us. I don't want to hear about how you told me this would happen, or anything else regarding the subject. Let's just get this dinner over with so I can go sulk in bed." Jasper's hands were gripping the steering wheel hard, and I could see the anger in his eyes through the mirror. Alice grabbed his hand and he calmed down. When I saw their intertwined fingers, a slab of ice went through my stomach. Less than twenty four hours ago, Edward and I had been doing the same thing. The fact that he could dismiss me so easily showed me that he wasn't in love like he claimed to be. Well I don't need him, and he definitely doesn't need me. Then why did my heart hurt so much to think of him never talking to me again? I laid my head on the leather seats and dozed while Jasper made his way to the outskirts of Seattle.

We arrived at the Cullens a little over an hour later. I knew they were rich, but my god. The mansion was huge. It was white with stone overlays. It had huge colonial columns also done in white, and there looked to be at least three floors. The house was surrounded by the most beautiful garden I had ever seen in my life. The back area led out into a meadow, and I could see squirrels running in the trees. There were lots of cars in the garage area and I saw Edward's Phantom, so I knew he must already be inside. Jasper looked really taken aback by the opulence, so I took his hand and squeezed it to let him know I was here for him. He looked over at me and hugged my shoulders. Alice led us up the stairs, and the door was answered by a beautiful woman with a heart shaped face, light chestnut hair, and warm hazel eyes. "Mommy!" Alice squealed as she jumped into the woman's arms. Wow. I couldn't believe this gorgeous looking woman was Edward and Alice's mother. She looked more like their older sister. Alice introduced Jasper and then me. Esme gave us both hugs, and I saw Jasper relax after that. Esme was dressed in a green and blue flowing dress that showed off her gorgeous arms. Already I liked Esme; she seemed warm, motherly, and kind. She smelled like sunshine and Dior. I wondered how such a beautiful person could raise someone like Edward, but I refrained from asking that. Someone came up behind Esme and gave Alice a hug. "Hey Tinkerbell. Are these the Swans you've been going on so much about?" The man was absolutely gorgeous. He was tall with light blonde hair and baby blue eyes. His body looked like it got regular exercise and he was wearing an expensive looking sweater and slacks combo. I must have been staring at him for too long, because everyone was giggling and prodding me when I looked around. "Sorry, I'm Bella," I said, blushing. "Dr. Carlisle Cullen at your service, dear. You have the most beautiful blush, Bella," he said, winking at me. I blushed harder and looked down at the ground. Esme slapped her husband on the arm and told him to stop flirting. He apologized, and then they shared an intimate kiss. You could see the love that radiated between them. I felt sick, not because they were happy, but because I was never going to feel that again. I was broken out of my private thoughts by a booming laugh coming closer. I looked up, and one of the biggest men I had ever seen was in front of me. He was holding two small boys that looked enough like him for me to deduce they were his sons. He had dark curly hair and light brown eyes. The boys had his hair color, but their eyes were a sparking blue. They were all laughing, and he had them over his shoulders. He set them down so that he could introduce himself. "Hi, my name is Emmett. I'm Edward and Alice's brother. These are my sons Collin and Brady." He shook both me and Jasper's hands before retrieving Collin and Brady before they could make a run for it. A beautiful woman came out of the room he had just exited. She had gorgeous blue eyes, like the little boys, and she was tall with large breasts. Her blonde hair was hanging in curls down her back, and she had on a beautiful red cocktail dress. "Em, I could hear you all the way from the second floor. Try to keep it down." She then turned to me. "Hi, I'm Rosalie, Emmett's wife. You must be Bella."

I nodded. She looked me up and down and then gave me a small smile before turning to introduce herself to Jasper. Brady started to cry, so I reached into my purse and pulled out one of the emergency cookies I carried for when I needed a sugar rush. I looked at Rosalie to see if it was okay and she nodded her head yes. Not to be outdone, Collin began crying a minute later, and I produced another cookie for him. Rosalie told them to thank Bella for giving them the cookies. Neither one of them could say 'Bella' correctly, it came out sounding like "Bebba". They were both really cute, and I began to like them immediately. Rosalie looked over and gave me a genuine smile after that, and I felt like maybe I had made a friend. Esme and Carlisle led us into the sitting room. I had begun to wonder where Edward was; surely he was still in the house. Rosalie and Emmett went to put Collin and Brady to sleep, and Esme turned to chat with me. I told her about my home life, the death of my parents, and how Jasper was adopted. Esme had a genuinely compassionate heart, and I enjoyed talking to her. I was just about to ask where Edward was when I heard his voice. "Sorry, Mom, I just wanted to show Gianna the gardens. I see you've met my new secretary, Bella." He was holding the hand of a beautiful woman with tanned skin and green eyes. She was clearly Italian. She was tall with large rounded breasts and long legs. She had on a black jersey dress and high heels that accentuated her beauty. Her black hair was in an elegant bob and she wore diamonds on her fingers. She was sophisticated and gorgeous; everything I wasn't. He had called her Gianna, and from the casual way they were standing and holding hands, I could see that they had been intimate before. I felt bile rise up in the back of my throat. I wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. Besides, it would be rude of me to ruin Esme's dinner party by leaving. Gianna put her arm around Edward's waist and then turned to look at me. She held her hand out. "I'm Gianna. You are Edward's assistant? I am so happy to meet you." She said it in a sexy exotic accent. She was even smiling at me, probably laughing at how childlike I looked next to a woman like her. I mumbled a 'nice to meet you' and then trained my eyes to the window. I'd only been gone a couple of hours, and Edward had already replaced me with a better model. His words this morning had been a lie; he could live without me. I looked up to see that he was staring at me with a serious expression on his face. Gianna whispered something in his ear and he smiled. I couldn't take it anymore; I excused myself to go to the restroom. After I closed the door, I sat down on the large cushioned bench and started crying. Edward was here with another woman, and I was the only guest without a date. How could he be so cruel to me? I thought that we would at least be able to discuss our problems, but he had just gone and started sleeping with Gianna. They had probably made love on the same sheets that Edward and I shared last night. That thought caused a new rush of tears. I was about to reenter the living room when I heard a loud ruckus. It sounded like all the guys were arguing about something. I recognized Jasper's voice. "You goddamn bastard! You led her on and then you dumped her, after you promised me you wouldn't hurt her! How could you, Edward? Don't you see how sad she is? Do you care nothing for her? I'm going to beat your face in until you learn your lesson! You won't hurt my baby sister again." I heard Edward growl and what sounded like Emmett trying to calm him down. "Get your facts straight Jasper, she walked out on me. I fucking love Bella. Of course I care about her, she

is my life. She's the one making our relationship difficult." I heard more scuffling and yelling as I entered the room. I was so angry that I was shaking. How could he say I was his life when he refused to let me get to know him? He was the one ruining our relationship by cheating with another woman. "Don't you dare, Edward! I didn't walk out on you. You dismissed me and threw a tantrum, so I left. I am not making our relationship, if that's even what we have, difficult. I'm the one trying to build it. You are the one here with another woman. You claim to love me and you're sleeping with someone else after I've only been gone a few hours." Edward looked confused for a couple of minutes, then he turned to glare at me. "Babydoll, what the fuck are you talking about? Who am I sleeping with?" I couldn't believe he was really going to make me say it. "Gianna, you brought her as your date. You didn't even have the courtesy to call and tell me so I could have bowed out. You asked me to be your guest and then you…" By this point, I was all out crying. Alice and Esme came over and hugged me. Emmett and Carlisle were holding Jasper back. Rosalie looked pissed and Gianna looked bewildered. I was just about to ask someone to take me home when Edward and Gianna began laughing. Hot tears cascaded down my cheeks. I just wished this dinner was over so I could go cry somewhere for the rest of my days. Edward had a condescending smirk on his face that made me want to hit him again. I knew that would upset his mother, so I just stood there seething with anger. Finally, he stopped staring and walked over to me. Esme and Alice released me, but stayed close by. "How could you Edward? I gave you all of me. I loved you," I whimpered, trying to talk through my tears. He was trying to say something to me, but I couldn't hear him. Esme was sending him death glares and tiny little Alice had her fists balled up. I didn't want this; I didn't want his family to take sides between us. I needed to get out of here. Rosalie walked over to me and put her arms around my waist. "Get the hell away from her, Slutward. You've done enough damage for one night. Do you have to ruin everything you touch?" I buried my face into Rose's shoulder and let her walk me out to the gardens. I heard Jasper attack Edward, again but I didn't turn around. Edward yelled for me to wait, but I couldn't stand to look at him anymore. There was a light drizzle outside, but I didn't care. Rosalie led me to a gazebo in the middle of the garden. We both sat down on the bench and then I broke down again. I cried so hard that I curled up into a ball. Rose placed my head on her knee while I sobbed. "You know he isn't worth all this, don't you?" she asked, looking down at me. I just continued to cry. Rose began stroking my hair. "I tried to give Edward the benefit of the doubt when we first met. He was Emmett's brother, and I loved Em, so I thought we would all be friends. That never happened, though."

She stopped to pick at her nail, but then went on. "Emmett has always tried to get Edward to bond with him. Sure Em is a big guy, but underneath that he's a little boy. His mother abandoned him when he was young. Since then, he feels that he needs to be liked by everyone. Edward is the one person that Em never won over. He considers Edward his brother, but Edward goes out of his way to insist that they aren't related, and that hurts Em. I love him so much that I can't stand to see him hurt, so therefore, I hate Edward. He treats all of us like lepers, and he acts like we should be grateful to be in his presence. He is a jackass. I'm sorry no one warned you, Bella." I sniffled and shook my head. "My brother did warn me, but I didn't listen. I just thought that my heart wouldn't let me fall in love with a man like that. I mean, what does me loving Edward so much say about me?" I sat up and turned to face Rose. She looked deep in thought. "You can't help who you love. You just love them and hope they return the sentiment. I'm sorry your heart chose Edward." I smiled because she was right. When it came to love, you had little choice in the matter. We spent the rest of the hour talking about our lives. Rose's profession shocked me because she was a mechanic. She owned an auto body shop that catered to women. It had a daycare area for kids, and there were classes where women could learn about cars. They were thinking of adding a small salon onto the shop to draw more customers and expand the business. She told me that instead of the naked women you see at men's auto shops, they had naked baby calendars. I promised that I would bring my Range Rover in for her to look at. She then left to check on Em and the twins. I lay back down on the bench and must have dozed off. When I awoke, Esme was sitting next to me. "I'm sorry, Esme, how long was I asleep?" I stood up and stretched my legs. She smiled at me and patted my knee. "Only about fifteen minutes, dear. It will be another hour until dinner, so you have time to nap if you want. Feel free to come inside and take one of the spare bedrooms." "Thanks, Esme. I think that a little power nap will get me through the night." I hoped it would. Esme's face twisted, and then she let out a small sob. I pulled her to me the best I could. I was freaking out because Mrs. Cullen didn't look like the type who usually cried. "Bella, Edward asked me to speak to you." I stiffened and nodded for her to go on. "Gianna is not who you think she is; I will leave it up to Edward to explain. While you two were yelling at one another, I heard him say that he loves you, and you said that you loved him. Do you truly love my son?" My answer was automatic "Yes." Then I started crying along with Esme. "That's what I thought. I know Edward is difficult and can grate on the nerves, but it's not all his fault. His father pretty much raised him to be his clone. Edward never really had time to be a kid and he grew up fast. Did he tell you he was there the day his father died?" I nodded, remembering the story Edward told me about killing the man that killed his father. "Edward's father had a dangerous job. He found his pleasure with other women, and I looked the other way because he was the provider. Edward is the same way. I've heard the stories; I know how much he

gets around. I should have fought harder to take Edward away from his father, but I was weak. I feel guilty because I know that if I had of been stronger, Edward would be a better man today. I failed him as a mother, and because of my failure, I worry that he's incapable of love." Esme was crying again and I shushed her and rubbed her back. "Esme, I can guarantee you that you didn't fail Edward. He may be rough around the edges, but the capacity to love is there. Just because Edward and I didn't work out doesn't mean that you failed as a mother." Esme turned to me and clasped my hands. "Thank you, Bella. Carlisle and I like you and Jasper a lot. We're looking forward to spending more time with you both and welcoming you to our family. Alice and Edward had been so broken before you two. I want all my children to be happy and forget the past. Couldn't you at least give Edward another chance? I would love to one day have both you and Jasper join our family." I wanted to tell her yes, but right now I wasn't sure what the future might hold for Edward and me. "I'll think about it, Mrs. Cullen, but there are no promises." She thanked me. I had almost forgotten about Jasper and what she must have thought of him threatening her son. "Please Esme, I apologize on Jasper's behalf. He's usually very calm and non-violent. He's just overprotective of me because I've been his responsibility for so long. Don't hold it against him." Esme laughed and brushed her hair back. "I know, darling. Alice has talked my ear off about how great Jasper is, so you have nothing to worry about. Please do come in and lay down in one of the guest rooms before you catch the flu." We walked back inside, and Esme went to the kitchen to check on something. Rose was curled up in Emmett's lap watching the football game. Alice was in the kitchen with Esme. Jasper and Dr. Cullen were watching the game too, but they were also playing a heated game of chess. I sucked at the game, but Jasper was a pro, and Dr. Cullen seemed a natural. Jasper looked over at me and mouthed 'I'm sorry.' I blew him a kiss, which he caught. Emmett caught our play and complained that Jasper was ruining it for the rest of the male species. Dr. Cullen laughed loudly at that and wriggled his eyebrows at me. I blushed. Edward was sitting in a chair in the darkest corner, drinking what looked like brandy. When he caught my eye, he smiled and motioned for me to come sit by him. I scowled and asked Rose for an Advil. She retrieved her purse and bought me the bottle. She asked if I was okay. I told her I had a headache and would be upstairs lying down. She patted my shoulder and climbed back into Emmett's lap. I didn't see Gianna, but she was probably around there somewhere. When I got to the third floor, I took a room that had a large bed with a baby blue comforter. The walls were a pale gold and had intricate gold designs. I thought to make it a point to ask who decorated because everything was beautiful. I lay down on the comforter and gathered my knees to my chest and began crying again. I cried for all I had lost and I cried for the broken pieces of my heart. I imagined Edward and Gianna together, and my chest caved in with my broken sobs. "Bella, are you okay? I heard you tell Rose that you have a headache."

Oh god, why couldn't he just leave me alone? He had already broken my heart. "Go away, Edward," I muttered. "Babydoll, please talk to me. " He was begging, but I didn't answer him. I just lay there and let the tears flow. "Go find your new girlfriend. Leave me alone. We have nothing more to say to each other." My voice sounded hollow and scratchy from my crying. In the next instance, the door was thrown open, and I was left staring at a pissed off Edward. He kicked off his shoes and threw his jacket and tie on a chair before climbing in beside me. I didn't need this right now. I felt bad enough. I curled up further into myself and closed my eyes, praying he would leave. I had no such luck though, because a minute later I felt his finger's caressing my cheek. "You look so gorgeous tonight, babydoll. I know you wore that dress for me. I love all the sparkly clips in your hair. Please just look at me, Bella." My heart rate sped up and I cursed my body for its natural reaction to Edward's touch. "Get the hell away from me. I don't want to talk to you. Just let me make it through this dinner party. Go make love to Gianna." A loud snarl echoed across the room and then Edward kissed me. He sucked on my bottom lip hard before taking me. I felt his tongue probing the inside of my mouth and I moaned. My hands went around his neck and pulled him closer. Then I thought about him kissing Gianna and stopped our foreplay. He stared down at me with a hurt expression on his face. I sighed and shook my head. "We can't, Edward. You chose Gianna. Please go find her and leave me alone. I'm tired of this back and forth between us. Just let me go." I turned my back to him and stared at the walls again. After awhile it was so quiet I thought that maybe he'd left, but then he spoke. "Bella, Gianna is not my girlfriend. She is my godfather Caius' fiancée. They had a fight about something trivial, and she flew to Seattle last night to visit and do some shopping. I was busy with you and didn't check my phone until this morning, and it had a message from her. She was upset, so I invited her to the dinner party. Gianna and I have never slept together; we are just friends. I told her all about you, and she was excited to meet the woman that kicked my ass and stole my heart." He had a small smile tugging on the corner of his mouth. "By the way, she thinks you're beautiful. That's what she whispered in my ear downstairs." Could it be true? Did Edward still love me? He had said so in front of everyone, but I didn't trust him. "I don't need your lies, Edward Cullen. Leave me alone." I was not going to let him break me again. The bed shifted and I turned around to see Edward pulling his fingers through his hair. He looked hysterical.

"I know I fucked up this morning, Bella, and I'm sorry. It's just that the thought of you with my gun made me panic and I didn't think. I wanted to keep all that shit away from you. I'm sorry I yelled and ordered you around. I've been talking to Emmett downstairs, and he suggested I try taking an anger management class. Please just give me another chance. I'll go the class and work on my temper. I love you, Bella." I looked in his eyes, and they looked so sincere. "Edward, I want us to be together, but we spend most of our time fighting. How do you know it will get better before it gets worse? I'm already in too deep. Sometimes, I feel like we are one soul and that scares me. I've never needed anyone as much as I need you. If you decided to leave me, I couldn't go on." He took my hand and put it to his heart. "Bella, I'm not saying we won't ever fight again, but I'm willing to prove myself to you. I know I'm fucked up and that I don't deserve you. I meant what I said downstairs. You are my life. I am willing to do anything to make us better. Please, Bella, I need you to keep loving me." I wanted to reassure him, but I had been telling the truth when I said I couldn't go on if he left me. I just didn't want to need him so much. "Edward, I can't." It came out as a small whimper. Edward let go of my hand. I glanced up to see his expression and what I saw blew me away. He looked like a man that had been tortured thousands of times over. There were unshed tears in his eyes and he was breathing heavily. "Edward…" He held up his hand to stop me. "Can I just take you somewhere? There's something I want to show you in the meadow." He looked so broken that I would have agreed to anything. "Okay. It looks like the rain has stopped, but I'll need to get my cardigan." He retrieved his discarded suit jacket ad helped me into it. "You can just wear this. The last room at the right has a door that leads downstairs to the back meadow. We can go that way." Edward grabbed my hand and led me outside. We went a little ways into the woods and then he stopped. "What are we doing here, Edward? What did you want to show me?" I was a little nervous to be alone with Edward in the woods because of his current mood. He led me to a tree that had a swing hanging from it. He took off the vinyl cover and then sat down. He pulled me down with him and began swinging lightly. The meadow reminded me of the woods surrounding my childhood home. I was enveloped in the smell of honeysuckle and fresh rain; it was wonderful. I leaned back against Edward and just enjoyed my surroundings. Edward wrapped his arms around my waist. "Babydoll, I have done things I'm not proud of, and for that I'm sorry. There are lots of illegal activities that go on in my club, and I don't want you near them. I sold my soul a long time ago, and I've never regretted the decision I made until I met you. I'm going to tell you who I am, and if by some miracle you still want to be with me, we can go from there."

I wanted to turn around to gauge his mood, but he seemed to need my back facing him to make his confession. It was then that Edward told me all about his father, his membership in the Volturi, and trafficking through the club. He confessed everything, including how he had slept with a whore the night he met me. He told me about using hard drugs and how dirty he felt afterwards. He told me about his godfathers, and how he felt loyalty to them because they had always taken care of his family. Then he apologized for every tear he caused me to cry, and promised to become a better person so that he would be worthy of me. By the time he was done with his tale, I was in shock because of what I'd just learned. Edward was a mobster in the Volturi Organization based out of Chicago, there were lots of illegal things going on at my place of employment, and Edward wanted to improve because he felt he was unworthy of my love. As if that were possible. I love him no matter what. Mentally I sifted through everything Edward had just told me and came to a decision. I stood up to face Edward. His face was twisted in pain, and I could see that he thought I was about to walk out on him forever. I straddled his lap and wrapped my legs around his waist. Then I leaned in and kissed him. This kiss was different from all the others we had shared before. I poured all of my love, forgiveness, and devotion into that one kiss. I licked his tongue, the inside of his jaw, and all his teeth. I sucked his tongue into my mouth and I breathed in his soul. My hands went to his soft bronze hair and we both moaned loudly. Edward settled his hands on my hips and pulled me closer. I began to cry because the moment was so perfect, and nothing would ever feel better than this. I couldn't breathe anymore, but I refused to let go of Edward's mouth. Eventually, he pulled away to look up at me. He wiped the tears from my eyes and I saw that he had some of my teardrops on his fingertips. He licked them and then kissed the rest away. His eyes showed so much love and dedication that I started crying again. "I don't care about any of it. I love you with all my heart, Edward. We're in this together, and where you go, I go. Whatever happens to you happens to me. I'm never letting you go again." I hugged him hard and gave him another kiss. He sucked on my neck and collarbones before ending our kiss. A brilliant smile lit up Edward's face. He swung us harder and I smiled as he held me while the wind blew through our hair. I had never seen Edward so carefree and happy. I loved this man. He would be my lover, the father of my children, and my husband in time. He would die and I would be right behind him. After awhile, Edward put his feet to the ground to stop our swinging. The smile had never left his face. I touched his lips and he kissed my hand. "Babydoll, you have made me the happiest man in the world. I love you. You are the only thing I can't live without. We will be together forever, and then beyond. You are my soul. I would die a billion times over if it meant you could live. My heart beats as your heart beats, not a minute more, not a minute less." I began sobbing into Edward's shoulder. He was saying all the words that were in my heart too. I loved him more than any words could ever say. He was mine, and I was his forever. Edward shushed me and stood up. He gave me one more passionate kiss and then set my feet on the ground.

"I intend to marry you, Isabella Swan. I would like some time for us to work on our relationship, but if you want a ring, we can go buy one right now. We could announce our engagement tonight." I giggled and leaned in to kiss Edwards jaw. "I intend to marry you too, Edward. We don't need a ring. We'll take things slow and learn together. All that matters is that we love each other. Nothing will ever change that." Edward reached into his pants pockets and pulled out a Swiss Army knife. He glanced over at me and winked before carving 'E+B Forever' into the tree that the swing was hanging from. "If you ever tell anyone that I did this bitch ass shit, I will make you pay." I had to laugh because Edward would never hurt me. "I think it's sweet, hunny bunny." I was teasing him and he knew it. I ran and Edward lunged for me. Of course he was able to catch me easily because his legs were so much longer than mine. He picked me up and hoisted me onto his back. I held onto him for dear life as he jogged the rest of the way back to the house. When we got to the house, Esme and Carlisle were on the back porch looking for us. Esme saw us first. She took in our jovial manner and me on Edward's back and her face became engulfed in a beautiful smile. She jabbed Carlisle and pointed over to us, and he started smiling too. Edward set me down and grabbed my hand. We made our way over to Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. He kissed me on the cheek and I blushed. "Mom, Carlisle, I'd like you to meet the love of my life. My girlfriend, Isabella Marie Swan." Esme ran over and hugged us both. Carlisle winked at me and patted Edward on the shoulder. Esme asked me to come to the kitchen with her. Edward didn't want to let go of my hand, but I kissed him and assured him I would be back, and he finally let go. In the kitchen, Alice and Rosalie were sitting at a table reading a fashion magazine. They looked up when we entered. Alice looked at me from head to toe and then jumped up and ran for me. "Bella, I'm so happy. You will be so good for Edward. I can't wait until we're sisters." I hugged Alice and took a seat at the table. "How did you know, Alice? You weren't even outside." She just hummed and pointed to my collarbone. I looked down to see I had a large hickey blooming. I blushed, and then I started laughing and couldn't stop. After awhile I calmed myself down, but I felt so good that I'm sure everyone could see the joy on my face. Rosalie hadn't said anything. When I looked up she was staring at me. She must have saw whatever she needed to see in my eyes because she gave me a real smile. "Tell Edward that if he fucks with you, he'll have me to answer to, and I'm scarier than Emmett. Welcome to the family, Bella." I had an Alice moment and ran over to sit in Rose's lap. We hugged for a minute and then she shooed me away so she could finish her magazine. I stood up and walked over to the stove, where Esme was plating the antipasto. It looked delicious; there were all kinds of meats, cheeses, and olives.

"Can you help me, dear? I'm not much of a cook, so most of this dinner is catered. My Edward tells me you can cook though. I'm glad you make sure he eats because I used to worry about him. Now that he has you in his life, I won't have to be concerned." She squeezed my shoulder and I blushed. I grabbed some utensils and helped her finish plating the appetizers. Alice and Rosalie were arguing over whether or not the new line of some designer was good or bad. I felt like a part of the family, and that was one of the best feelings in the world. I excused myself so I could go find Jasper. He was playing a video game with Emmett and appeared to be having the time of his life. I was happy that Jasper fit so well into the family. "Um, Jaz, I'm sorry to interrupt. Can I talk to you a minute?" Emmett glanced over at me and his eyes widened when he took in my hickey. He snorted. "Looks like our little Bella's been ravaged. I didn't know little Eddie had it in him." I blushed even harder. Jasper followed Emmett's gaze, and when he saw me, he dropped the controller and ran over to me. "What the hell did that bastard do to you? Bella are you okay? I'm going to fucking kill him." I cut off his tirade by putting my hand on his arm. "Let's go in the back. We can talk there." I didn't see Edward anywhere, so I assumed he was with Dr. Cullen, who was also curiously missing. I led Jasper to the patio table and we sat down. "Jasper, I am in love with Edward. He's my heart and soul and I'm his. We are going to disagree and fight from time to time. Please know that he would never harm me and I'm safe with him. I would be very happy if you and he got along, because one day I plan to marry him and be with him forever. Please give us your blessing and end this feud." There. I had laid it all out. Besides Edward, Jasper was the most important person in my life, and I needed his assurance. He looked into my eyes before replying. "Okay, Bells. I trust you, but do you know what and who Cullen is?" I nodded. He seemed shocked that I did. "He confessed everything to me, and I love him anyway. He's my everything." I'm sure Jasper could see the honesty and love on my face. "Okay, baby sis, you have my blessing. Edward is Alice's brother, and if both you and she love him, there must be some good there." He smiled and pulled me into a hug. As we were coming in, I spotted Edward coming out of a room behind Dr. Cullen. Edward was laughing, but stopped once he saw Jasper. He walked over, and there was a silent question between them. Jasper released my hand and gave it to Edward, and all was said. Jasper looked at me one more time before returning to the living room. Edward kissed my palm. "I love you so goddamned much, Isabella Swan. You are mine forever." I hugged him and we just held each other for a while. Edward told me that Gianna had made up over the phone with Caius and took the first flight back to

Chicago. I asked him to apologize to her on my behalf next time he spoke to her. He said he already explained everything to her, and that it was okay. Dinner was served, and everyone sat around eating heartily. There was everything from baked mussels to fettuccine alfredo. Edward sat next to me and traced circles on my upper thigh as we fed each other. Alice sat in Jasper's lap to eat causing a couple of snickers from the table. Emmett made fun of Edward and Jasper for being so whipped, but when Rosalie declared she was cold, he almost broke his neck getting her a shawl from the living room. We all laughed at that. Carlisle and Esme were wonderful hosts and kept up the conversation throughout dinner. The guys made a date to all go fishing together in two weeks, and Alice set up a spa day for us girls. My heart swelled with happiness to see Edward so at home with his family. I was so caught up in the emotions around me that I began to cry. Edward looked concerned. "What's wrong babydoll? Are you okay?" I leaned over and kissed his forehead. "I'm just happy. That's all, Edward. I love you." We finished dinner and dessert and then retired to the sitting room. Esme convinced Edward to play the piano. He played an instrumental version of "Wild Horses" and all the couples danced. I sat on the piano bench next to Edward, my arm around his waist. When he was done, we shared a deep kiss, and of course I blushed when everyone applauded. After the music, it was time to go. We all set up a date to have dinner again soon. Rose, Emmett, and the twins were spending the night. Esme invited the rest of us to join them. Jasper and Alice accepted, but Edward and I declined. We needed to be alone together. Esme seemed to understand. She and Carlisle gave us one last hug, and then Edward took my hand. He helped me put my cardigan on and led me out to the car. By then I was exhausted, so when we got in the car, I started to fall asleep. I felt Edward pull me closer and whisper love words to me. There would be many obstacles for us, but I was willing to fight with everything I had to be with my love. For once, I welcomed my dreams, because I knew they would all be of Edward. He was close to me and no distance could tear us apart. ~*!*~

Chapter Nine ~ You And Me "All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right I'm tripping inwards you got my head spinning I don't know where to go from here cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do nothing to prove and it's you and me and all of the people and I don't know why

I can't keep my eyes off of you there's something about you now I can't quite figure out everything she does is beautiful everything she does is right." --You and Me - Lifehouse EPOV "Babydoll, wake up. You're having a bad dream." Bella had been writhing in her sleep and she was starting to make these pathetic whimpering noises. It made me fucking angry to know something plagued her in her dreams and I was helpless to stop it. She curled further into my chest. I could feel the wet tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. I shook her once more and she woke up. It took her a minute to focus on my face but when she did, she smiled. Her beautiful doe eyes looked up at me. Never in my life will I get used to the fact that such a pure and innocent creature loves me. Bella sat up and put her small hands on my chest. "I'm so sorry, Edward. I've been having more nightmares lately. I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep." She looked tired as fuck, and I could still see the dried tears on her silken cheeks. I couldn't stand to see my babydoll sad. The fact that she was in pain made me feel like a knife was being slashed through my heart. I would do anything in my fucking power to make her happy. I took Bella's hand from my chest and kissed her palm. "Babydoll, you don't need to apologize. You were there for me when I had a nightmare, and I'm here for you now. Tell me why you can't sleep, darling?" She just sat there, staring at our intertwined hands. She seemed to be in some kind of fucking trance. "Edward… I… just… hold me." I sat up and pulled Bella down to my chest. She put her head in the crook of my neck and drifted back to sleep. Her glorious scent surrounded me and I could feel her steady heartbeat. I held onto my babydoll for dear life, because I knew that my presence would soothe her. After Bella's nightmare, I couldn't get back to sleep. I just lay holding her and thinking about the past few days. I had nearly lost my babydoll before the dinner party because I had acted like a goddamn stupid motherfucker. That day she had been in the kitchen making breakfast after giving me the blowjob of a lifetime, and I had fucking yelled at her and pushed her away. I had been so angry when I thought about my sweet babydoll holding that gun, the same gun I used to kill the man that killed my father. Something had snapped inside of me, and I lashed out at Bella because she was the only other person there. I had accused her of not trusting me. I had fucking demanded that she do shit or else. I knew how stubborn Bella was and yet I goaded her on. The kicker had been when I inadvertently called her a cunt. She had balled her tiny little fist up and clipped me damn hard on the jaw. I saw fucking red, and if it had been anyone else besides my babydoll, I might have kicked their ass. It was good that Bella stood up to me. Oftentimes, I was a controlling, chauvinistic, arrogant motherfucker. No one had ever called me on

my bullshit before my babydoll. In that bedroom, I had thought that she was going to leave me forever. When she turned me down, I was scared shitless. I had taken her to the meadow and told her everything. I would never forget the look in her beautiful chocolate eyes when she accepted all of me for who I was. I had gone and done the most bitch ass shit in history and carved our initials in a tree, but Bella seemed to like that shit, so it was worth it in the end. She had been so beautiful in the meadow, with her white babydoll dress and those fucking sparkly hair clips. Her outfit and hair made her look so young and carefree. I had felt like a fucking pedophile groping her tight little body in that swing. I'd never been a religious motherfucker, but I felt like going to some kind of church and thanking whatever god it was that sent my fucking angel to me. That night I had made up with my family, and we put the past behind us. For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged in a real family. Emmett set me up with an anger management class. I already went to one session and I liked the guy that taught it. His name was Sam, and he was a huge Native American motherfucker with all kinds of tattoos. He was a fucking hard ass, ex military and such. He had said something to piss me off the first day and I'd gone off into a temper tantrum. He pulled some kind of martial arts move and I had been laid flat on my ass. From that day on, he had my respect. Sam used traditional psychological tools for anger management, but he also used some of the Native traditions. That motherfucker looked like he chewed fucking nails for breakfast, but when his wife and little girl dropped by to visit him, he turned into the most pussy whipped motherfucker around. That had made me laugh, so I signed up for six more sessions. I was determined to improve my goddamned disposition so Bella could stop kicking my ass all the time. Although, a part of me did get off on her going all dominatrix on me. Carlisle had saved my relationship with my babydoll. It had been him I talked to after Bella went upstairs. He convinced me that if I wanted her love and forgiveness, I was going to have to tell her the truth. We had discussed women, love, and feelings. I always thought Dr. Cullen was a pussy whipped motherfucker, but he was deep. He really was a good man and my mom was lucky to have him. The way he talked about her, you could tell that she was his life. I had even made plans to go fishing with him, Em, and Jasper, which was something I would have never done before Bella. Even fucking Rosalie liked my Bella, and lord knows that bitch is hard to please. My babydoll had taken her car to Rose's shop the other day, and they had lunch. I knew this because I had the personal bodyguard to follow her. I hated it when she went out her own, but she's so fucking stubborn. Because Rose and my babydoll seemed to be becoming great friends, I was going to have to make a point and be nice to the bitch, even though I still fucking hated her. She fucking called me Slutward for the past three years, but she was nice to Bella, and that's all that really fucking mattered. Seeing my mom so fucking happy had been another highlight of the day. I knew that Esme carried around guilt for what I had become, but I didn't know how deep it was until Bella told me about the conversation they had had inside the gazebo. Knowing that my mom had finally found some peace for our past made me feel ecstatic. We now had a bond that we never had before. There was still a lot of work for me to do, but I knew that I was on the right track. My relationship with Jasper was so much better than before. He was doing an excellent job at my club, and I was pretty sure that he and Ali would be getting married soon. Bella thought the sun rose and set on her brother, so I was determined to stay in that fucker's good graces.

Jasper and I had discovered that we have a lot in common. We both enjoyed war history, chess, and classical music. Bella called us geriatrics because in her opinion, we acted like sixty year olds. I took offense at that, and in retaliation I took off my shirt and asked if my chest looked sixty. As usual, my babydoll had stared transfixed at my pecs until her face turned tomato red. I would never get over her fucking sexy as hell blush. I fucking licked her cheeks so much that she was going to start chafing soon. Bella had surprised me the night of the dinner party. She incorrectly thought that Gianna was my girlfriend. I had seen the hurt, jealousy, and hate in her eyes when she saw us together. I hadn't wanted to bring Gianna, but she'd made up that story about fighting with Caius, and I agreed to let her meet Bella. The truth was that Marcus and Caius sent Gianna to spy on me. That gossiping motherfucker Demetri had let it slip that I was infatuated with my new secretary, and the Volturi were interested. Caius sent Gianna to spy because her father had been a made man, and she was good at reading people. She had confessed it all to me in the garden and apologized for having to do it. Gianna thought Bella was beautiful and not at all like the bitches that I usually fucked. I had told her of my love for Bella and the romantic in her had come out. She had taken an early flight back to Chicago and told Caius and Marcus the good news. Yesterday, Marcus sent a fucking diamond pendant for my babydoll, but I hadn't given it to her yet. I knew she didn't like expensive shit, and I was not sure how she'd react to finding out that they knew about our relationship. I leaned over and kissed Bella's forehead. She sighed and snuggled into me. I heard her muttering something in her sleep. She had a tendency to sleep talk and I thought it was the cutest thing ever. "Edward, more please. Feels good. Don't stop." I looked down at her to see if she was awake, but her eyes were closed and she appeared to be asleep. Every cell in my dick wanted me to wake her up and demonstrate what felt good, but she needed all the fucking sleep she could get. One of her small hands drifted to my upper thigh and my cock became so hard it felt like a steel rail. This was another one of my current problems. I hadn't made love to Bella yet, and my dick was in a fucking frenzy. I didn't blame it really, with all the willing temptation nearby every night. Usually, I fucked a bitch and never saw her again, but Bella was special. She was mine for life. She was also a fucking virgin, so I wanted her first time to be memorable and special. Her birthday was coming up in about a week and I was planning on popping her cherry on that day. Mom and Ali were helping me setup the special trip to Italy that I was planning for Bella. She'd never been out of the country. I knew she was going to fucking cream herself when she saw the villa we'd be staying at in Tuscany. My babydoll hadn't been making my decision to wait easy, though. She fucking threw herself at me, and I had so little willpower. Bella was becoming so goddamn sexy that just her presence in a room made me leak. The first time I met her, I misjudged her as a prude. She was far from that; it just took the right fucker to bring it out of her. Bella's reactions, movements, and body were naturally sexual. I had whores in the club downstairs that couldn't hold a candle to my babydoll's sexiness, and we hadn't even fucked yet.

I wasn't the only motherfucker who noticed her either. I caught guys eye-fucking her all the goddamned time. I almost hated to take her out in public. She called me 'Caveward' because of my possesiveness, but those fuckers knew better than to visually rape another man's woman. Bella's hot little hand started to creep higher. I contemplated waking her up again. I decided to try to sleep and just ignore her attempts to molest me. I moved her hand back to my chest, closed my eyes, and drifted to sleep. When I woke up my babydoll was gone. I panicked for a minute, but then I smelled something heavenly cooking and realized she was in the kitchen. We'd stayed another night in my lair because Bella likeed it, and it was pretty cozy now. It had become her second home. I loved having my babydoll here with me. I'd finally managed to convince her to move some of her stuff in, so now there was a bunch of feminine shit in my fucking bathroom. I had become such a dopey ass motherfucker that when I saw her body wash in my medicine cabinet, I had fucking smiled. If anyone would have told me I would care about fucking shit like that, I would have taken them to the nearest mental hospital. I went into the kitchen to see the object of my affection in person. She was standing near the stove reading a book. She had on one of my long sleeved Harvard T-shirts and a pair of my white gym socks. I loved seeing my babydoll in my clothes. It stirred something primal in me. Maybe I was a 'Caveward' after all. I walked over and took the book out of her hand. "Hey, I was getting to the good part." Her cute little nose scrunched up and she pouted her lips. I picked her up and sucked on her bottom lip. She opened her mouth and twisted her hands in my hair, pulling me closer. "Mmm Edward, you taste so good." That compliment went straight to my dick. I licked inside her hot sweet mouth for a few minutes before setting her back down on her feet. "What are you cooking, babydoll? It smells fucking delicious." She gave me a sexy smile and then went over to the stove. She lifted a portion of food on a fork, brought it over to me, and put it in my mouth. She looked so hot standing there in front of me that I almost forgot to breathe. I shook my head when I realized she was saying something. "It's a western omelet with real steak. I hope you like it." Of course I liked it, I liked everything my babydoll made. "It's fucking perfect. I love you, babydoll." Bella just stood there staring into my eyes and blushing. I left her to finish the cooking while I worked on some financial shit. Bella had quickly become the most important person in my life. It was time I started making plans for our future. I knew that eventually I was going to have to introduce her to Marcus and Caius in person, because I planned on proposing to Bella soon. She'd be joining my world, so there were some things I was going to need to teach her. My tigress was tough, and she could handle shit. Knowing that was the only thing that gave me the courage to make her mine. We were fated or some shit. There was no way my life would have continued on if I hadn't met her. The club and my investments were making me a lot of money. I wanted to buy my babydoll something special. The only problem was I didn't know what she wanted. She wouldn't fucking ask for anything

either. Ever time I brought up some item that other bitches were fawning over, Bella seemed uninterested. I was busy racking my brains for ideas when suddenly it came to me, the perfect gift for Bella. I got the number for a real estate agency in Forks and set everything up. I was going to take my babydoll to visit her hometown and the cemetery where her parents were buried. This week was the anniversary of her mother's death. I bet that was why she'd been having those goddamn nightmares every night. We could leave Friday and spend the whole weekend. I rented a spacious cabin and gave the agent special instructions to make sure it was cleaned and fully stocked. Hopefully Bella would be able put the past behind her so that we could move on with our future. After the arrangements for the trip were finalized, I went back into the kitchen. Bella had set everything up on the table and was back to reading her book. I walked over and sat down next to her. She had already made me a plate, so I began eating. The silence started to get to me. I was a little pissed that my babydoll was paying more attention to her book than me. "Put the book down, babydoll. Eat your food and talk to me." She looked like a frightened deer that had been caught in the headlights. "I'm sorry, Edward. I just really wanted to finish this before work tonight. What do you want to talk about?" I wanted to talk about us, our future, her nightmares, why she was shutting me out. However, I kept all of that to myself because I didn't want to get into a fight so early in the morning. I looked over at Bella to see she was eating vigorously. When she was halfway through, she put her fork down. Her mouth opened and closed a few times. It looked like she wanted to say something but kept changing her mind. "Edward, why haven't you made love to me? I know you've been with lots of women and I probably won't compare, but I still thought… never mind." She looked so fucking depressed. It broke my heart. She honestly thought I didn't want her, or that those other bitches were better. Fuck that shit. "Babydoll, you're so far above and beyond all those other women that it's laughable. They are my past. They meant nothing to me. You are my future, and you mean everything. "I want our first time to be memorable and special for the both of us. Trust that I have a plan, and you will be thoroughly deflowered soon. I love you, Bella. You are mine forever. You are the only woman I will ever hold, make love to, kiss, or touch for the rest of my life. "For your first time, I want to wait and make it something you won't ever forget. Please don't think that makes me want you any less. I ache for you, babydoll." I hoped that my confession would alleviate her fears and help her to understand why I wanted to wait. Bella stood up and came to sit in my lap. She had a small smile on her face. Her eyes were glassy and heavy lidded. "I love you so much, Edward. You are the sweetest man in the world. You like people to think you're a tough guy, but underneath it all, you're a gummy bear. That could be your new pet name; gummy bear." I was about to protest when she silenced me with light kisses all over my face. She ended the kiss on my

lips, taking time to suck on my top lip for a minute. Bella made me feel loved and extremely happy. I loved it when she teased me. "You will not call me gummy bear. I may be pussy whipped, but I have to draw the line somewhere. No grown man wants to be called a candy ass name like that." Bella just giggled and mumbled something about 'soft on the inside.' I patted her on the ass as she stood up to clean up our dishes. She never let me help her, but I always enjoyed the view. After breakfast, Bella and I went into the living room and started cuddling. We found a "Dr. Who" marathon on T.V and vegged out to watch it. I alternated between tickling Bella and doing impressions of the characters. I had her cracking up, and it felt fucking fantastic to hear her beautiful laugh again. She was trying to fight me off because she was laughing too hard. My dick was fucking hard as a rock, but I didn't want to ruin our moment with sex. We already had a strong physical attraction. "Edward, I have a surprise for you tonight after work." I looked down at Bella. She had a sly look in her eye. This couldn't be good. "What is it? Can you give me a hint?" My hands were lightly resting on her ribs. I felt her heartbeat speed up and her eyes got wide. "Um..no..it's a surprise for you. You have to be good and wait." Now I was really fucking curious. What kind of shit was she planning? She had that stubborn look in her eye, so I didn't bother pushing the issue further. I would find out soon enough. She curled up with her back to me and continued watching TV. In an hour, Bella fell asleep in my arms. I put her in our bed, locked up the lair, and went down to talk to Demetri. I planned on letting Bella sleep until lunchtime so she wouldn't be too sluggish tonight. Demetri had a shit eating grin on his face when I got downstairs. "Hey boss, you look properly fucked this morning. Is the lovely Bella the reason you kept me waiting so long?" Obviously this fucker forgot about his last beating. "Shut the fuck up, Dee. I don't want you noticing how lovely Bella is. She is MINE. I'll kick your ass again if you touch one hair on her pretty little head." He conceded by throwing his hands up. He had a tiny little smirk on his lips and I wanted to punch it off. "Point taken, Capo." I smiled at the Italian name for chief. I was fluent in French, Italian, Greek, and Spanish. I picked that shit up easily because of my photographic memory. I was looking forward to taking Bella to all those countries and dazzling her with my skills. Demetri and I went over the shipment of drugs that was coming into the club. A large amount of marijuana was due, and he wanted to know if I needed to take some off the top. I declined because since Bella and I declared ourselves, I hadn't touched that shit. Now I even felt bad about trafficking hard drugs through the club. I didn't want that shit near my babydoll. I was going to talk about it with the Volturi during our next meeting.

By the time we finished, it was close to one. Demetri told me to tell Bella that he said hello and would drop by to see her tonight. I gave him a hard glare and the finger before getting in the elevator to go upstairs. I typed the code in my keypad and entered the lair. Bella wasn't in bed, but I could hear the shower running. I contemplated going in and joining her but decided against it. I wanted to take her out for lunch and if we showered together, we'd never get out of the apartment. I sat down on the bed and put on some music while I waited for Bella to finish. I would take a quick shower, change, and then we would be off. I was planning on taking her to an authentic Spanish restaurant that one of my good friends owned. My babydoll stepped out of the bathroom in the tiniest fucking towel known to man. Small droplets of water were all over her lightly flushed skin. She made her way over to me and I smiled. I thought she was about to shoo me out so she could get dressed. I was getting up to leave but she blocked my path and fucking dropped the goddamned towel. I froze because in front of me was a vision: my Bella in all her fucking glory. I was mesmerized. I let out a low groan and she smiled. "Hello, Edward. Like what you see?" I had to get the fuck out of there. I managed to pick up the towel and hand it to her. I gave her one chaste kiss on the forehead and then made my way to the bathroom. I took the coldest goddamned shower I could stand. I didn't even fucking touch my dick because it was so hard it hurt. I tried to concentrate on something boring, but all I could see was my babydoll standing there naked: her perfect pink nipples protruding, her lickable belly button, the light sprinkling of soft curls covering her promised land, her tight little heart shaped ass. Great, I thought, my dick so hard that it could cut steel. I turned the water temperature down lower and pictured myself fucking Jessica Stanley. That did it. My hard on fled, and I was able to finish showering. Thankfully, when I got to the bedroom Bella was gone. I could hear the TV in the living room so I assumed she was watching a show. I put on one of my slate gray Prada suits and a black tie. I spritzed on some cologne and added my Prada loafers. I just ran my fingers through my hair because that's all I ever do. Besides, Bella grabbed onto it whenever she could so it always looked like I've been freshly fucked. I looked at myself in the mirror and decided I was a sexy motherfucker. Good enough to be seen with my babydoll. She was sitting on the far end of the leather couch staring out into space. Her chosen outfit consisted of a red scoop neck sheath dress and kitten heels. All of her hair was down and there was a red and black headband holding it back. Her makeup was minimal but she did have on lip gloss and mascara. As usual, she was fucking magnificent. I knew more about women's clothes and makeup than most men, because my father taught me that shit so I could woo women. My babydoll was a natural beauty. She could wear a sack and still hold my attention. Bella glanced at me when I walked in. Her eyes widened. She turned away from me and when she turned back, I could see the hurt in her eyes. I was kneeled in front of her in a heartbeat. "What's the matter, babydoll?" She wouldn't make eye contact with me. I held her small hand while I waited on her answer. "It's stupid, really. I just wondered why you turned me down in the bedroom." I was grateful that that was all to it. "Bella, believe me, I wanted to lick every inch of your skin, but we have a lunch reservation. If I started, we would miss everything, and I want you to meet some of my other

friends. I will make it up to you later." She leaned forward to kiss me. I wasn't expecting it, so I ended up flat on my back with Bella straddling me. My dick was instantly hard again. She started grinding herself against my erection. I pulled her head down for a kiss. Her lips automatically molded to mine. We stayed like that for a while. When she started moaning into my mouth, I broke the kiss and stood her up. She smiled and took my hand quietly. She was blushing, and I licked her cheeks. She tried to push me away but I started sucking on her neck. Since we would be out in public, I wanted to make sure every other fucker knew that she was taken. Giving her a couple of hickeys was the easiest way I could think of. She eventually unlatched my mouth from her neck and slapped me on the chest. "Christ, Caveward! I think they'll be able to tell I'm yours." She tried to sound angry but I saw the small smile she was trying to hide. Eventually, we rode the elevator to the Phantom. I pulled it out of the garage, and we headed to the restaurant. Bella sat quietly holding my hand. We pulled up to our destination thirty minutes later. A valet opened Bella's door and took my car keys. I caught him looking at Bella's ass, so I stomped on his foot hard before he entered the car. My babydoll fucking apologized for my behavior and then took my hand. I threatened to cut off his needle dick if looked at her again or wrecked my car. He looked scared shitless. I was satisfied. I went to a booth near the back that had been reserved for Bella and me. It was separate from the rest of the diners and would give us some privacy. The waiter came by to take our order and I let Bella go first. Her eyes got wide when she took in the prices. She tried to order something cheap, so I dismissed the waiter telling him we needed a minute. "Babydoll, you know that you can order anything you want. I know the owner and dinner is on me. You cook for me all the time. Let me treat you for once. Don't ever think that you can't have what you really want. I have plenty of money and I would like to use it to spoil you." She just stared at me while biting her bottom lip. "I just don't want you to always have to pay for stuff. I don't want you to think I like you because of your money, because I don't. I'd like you if you were just a regular broke guy. I'd probably like you better, because then I would feel we were on more of an equal footing. I just wish I had something to give you in return. Could you let me pay sometimes?" I was furious. I counted to ten and measured my breathing. "What the hell are you talking about Bella? I fucking know you aren't with me for money. You don't ask for a goddamned thing, even though I'd be more than happy if you did. You insist on paying all your own bills and you don't even sleep at my apartment every night. Money is just that, money. It means nothing if I don't have you. You have everything to offer me. You give me all of you, and that is priceless. "I'm old fashioned. I believe a man should be a man and pay. You are mine, babydoll. Paying for your fucking dinner is next to nothing compared to all you've done for me." Bella thought about what I said for a minute and then she smiled. "Thanks, Edward. I'm glad that I'm important to you. You mean everything to me too. I love you." I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer to me.

When the waiter came back, Bella ordered paella and lobster. I ordered zarangolo with cured beef and gazpacho. The portions here were large and I planned on sharing with Bella. For the wine, I went with a nice vintage Merlot. The waiter disappeared to start our order. Bella sat across from me, taking in he surroundings. She seemed to like the vivid paintings that hung from the wall. We got into a discussion about art. I found out she had eclectic taste in art. I was determined to buy her at least one art piece she admired, no matter what the cost. All of a sudden, I felt a large hand land on my shoulder. I turned around and saw my friend Eleazar standing over me smiling. Behind him was his beautiful wife Carmen. I invited them both to sit down so I could introduce Bella. Eleazar poked me in the ribs. "Bella, you are truly a beautiful creature. What are you doing with a jackass like Eddie here?" Bella giggled and blushed a bright shade of red. "He has his attributes, like the fact that he's so pretty. It takes my breath away." What the fuck? I know my babydoll didn't just call me pretty in front of Eleazar. I was never gong to live it down. Carmen leaned over and kissed Bella on the cheek. "Hear hear, darling. I know a thing or two about pretty men myself." Bella was looking at Eleazar with a twinkle in her brown eyes. I heard her mumble 'you surely do' and then looked away. I squeezed her knee to get her attention. She leaned over and kissed my cheek. I was a little jealous, but I got over it fast. I was the only man Bella ever allowed to touch her and it was going to stay that way. After much teasing and giggling, Eleazar and Carmen left us to go schmooze with some other diners. Our food came a few minutes later, and we took turns feeding each other. Everything was delicious. Bella made a point of being neat because she didn't want to mess up my expensive suit. I got distracted a couple of times and dropped some food on Bella's chest, which I would quickly lick clean. She tsked me and continued eating. After lunch, we decided to order desert. I needed to use the restroom, so I left Bella to order. When I re-entered the dining area, I stopped in my tracks. Sitting in front of my babydoll was a blonde guy with a ponytail. Upon closer inspection, I recognized him as one of the Russians we sometimes had business with. He was sitting right next to my babydoll and leaning close. She appeared to be trying to get away from him. I saw him put his goddamned hand on her breast and pull her hair. She gave a small whimper, trying to back away. I ran over and pulled that motherfucker out of the booth. I was going to fucking kill the bastard. I vaguely heard Eleazar calming the other patrons down. He pried me off of the blonde Russian and led us outside. Eleazar had one of his security men hold me back while he turned around to address me. "Edward, that is James. The Volturi do some business with his dad Stephan. I don't know what he did, but

please keep it out here." I wasn't listening. All I could see was him hurting my babydoll. I faked out the security men and lunged for James. He went down hard. I heard his ribs crack. I punched him in the nose until I heard another crack. I kicked him in the stomach multiple times. I blacked his eyes and watched them swell. He was trying to fight back, but he was no match for my anger. The security men recovered and tried to drag me off of James. I was a fucking animal. I was just about to crush his fingers when I heard my babydoll's voice. She sounded scared to death. "Edward. I'm okay. Please stop!" I turned around to see Carmen with her arm around Bella. My babydoll was fucking sobbing. I gave James one last punch in the mouth and walked over to Bella. I picked her little body up and held her tight. She put her arms around my shoulders and kissed me, letting me know she was really all right. I put her down and walked over to Eleazar. He looked angry once he saw that Bella was crying. I assumed he put two and two together and knew what happened. "Don't worry, Edward. I'll take care of this asshole. He won't come here again. Dinner's on me. Bella's dessert is wrapped up so you can take it to go." He had his men pick James up and put him in a car. James was covered in blood and couldn't walk on his own. "I'm going to get you for this, Cullen," he wheezed. I wasn't going to let this prick think he was even on my level. "Come near me or my girlfriend again and I will fucking kill you and feed you to the sharks." He had the sense to look scared after that. The security men managed to get him in the car and drove away. I took Bella's hand and we went out to the Phantom. Carmen put our leftovers in a stylish bag for us and gave Bella one last kiss. Eleazar apologized and told Bella he hoped to see her again. She smiled and thanked them both. Then the valet came to bring me my car. I tipped him because he didn't look at my babydoll and the car was unscathed. I was still too angry to drive, so I pulled into a nearby parking lot. I parked away from the other cars near the back. Then I turned to Bella. She was sitting with her hand held tightly in her lap. She had a couple of errant tears on her cheeks. I wiped them off, unbuckled her seat belt, and pulled her into my lap. "Babydoll. It's okay. I've got you now. I just want to know what happened." She hesitated before shaking her head. I kissed her forehead. "Please Bella. Just tell me. I need to know." She leaned into my neck and inhaled. "He... he… came over to the table while you were gone. He said you were a friend of his. He asked who I was, and I told him I was your girlfriend. He... said you fuck a lot but don't have any girlfriends. I started to get angry but I didn't want to make a scene. "I told him you had changed and that I was indeed your girlfriend. He grabbed my hand and tried to put it on his… penis. I pulled my hand away and slapped him. He said he 'liked em feisty' and that he could 'fuck me into the ground.' "I tried to get away from him but he grabbed my breast and started pulling my hair. Then you showed up…" She was sobbing again so I pulled her closer to me. James was a dead motherfucker walking. He had put his goddamned slimy hands on my Bella after she told him she was mine. That was a clear violation of

our rules. I was going to make sure the Volturi heard about this. I was so angry I squeezed Bella tightly to me but that wasn't enough. I growled several times and yelled a string of profanities. I must have been holding Bella too tightly, because she was trying to get away. "I'm sorry, babydoll. I need you to calm me down so I don't go kill him now." She put her hands in my hair and kissed me. I wasn't into it at first because I was so angry. I felt Bella's tongue go in my mouth and I reciprocated. Her lips molded against mine and I breathed her scent into my nose. I immediately started to calm down. She let go of me and looked me in the eye. "He's not worth it, Edward. Promise me that you won't kill him. I belong to you and no one else. Don't let him make you something you're not." Bella stared at me expectantly so I complied. "Fuck. Fine. I won't kill him now, but if he comes anywhere near you again, this promise is revoked. He won't ever hurt you again." She smiled and kissed my nose. "Thank you Edward. I don't want this to ruin the surprise I have for you later. I love you, baby." My face now held a dopey grin. Bella took that as her cue that the crisis was averted, for now. She climbed back into her seat and we took off. We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the mall. Bella let me buy her some antique books and a sweater. We stopped in the park to eat dessert. We held hands on a park bench and watched the people go by. Bella waved at all the babies and little kids and they waved back. I figured I was going to have to rethink my opinion on shitmakers because my babydoll seemed to be quite fond of them. Maybe our kids wouldn't be so bad, especially if they took after Bella. If they took after me, I was going to die an early death. One of the passing mothers was trying to retrieve something from her stroller. She was having a hard time so Bella went over to hold the baby. My babydoll had a wistful look in her eyes as she kissed the baby's chubby cheek. Eventually the woman got what she was looking for and took the baby from Bella. She thanked my babydoll, put the baby in the stroller, and continued walking. I stared hard at Bella, just recognizing this maternal side of her. "I didn't know you liked kids so much, babydoll. Do you want any?" I hated the nervous sound to my voice. She sat down next to me and took my hand. She was blushing. "I want a lot of kids. I've always wanted a big family so that I would never be alone. If it hadn't been for Jaz, I would have been very lonely growing up. I babysat in high school, and I still volunteer with children. I love them. I'd love to be a mother someday. "Don't you want kids, Edward?" Bella looked like she was scared of what my answer might be. "I never considered having shitmakers before, but I would if you wanted to." She was staring at me with a shocked look on her face. "Shitmakers? Is that what you call children? That's very juvenile and insensitive of you, Edward." She was fucking pissed. I could see that little line starting

to form on her forehead. "I didn't mean to offend you, babydoll. It's just that I haven't really been around children that much. I remember how Collin and Brady always seemed to need a diaper change when they were little. That is what that nickname is based on. I seriously don't mean anything by it." I fucking pleaded to whatever deity would listen to please make her accept my apology. I saw Bella's shoulders relax and she smiled at me. "You're going to be a great father to our children. As punishment for your disrespect, I will make sure you have diaper duty as much as possible. Don't ever let me hear you call children 'shitmakers' again. Got that, Cullen?" I nodded and kissed her cheek. I didn't want my babydoll to go all G.I Jane and kick my ass again. My jaw was still healing from the last time she beat me up. After the park, it was time to go into the office for the night. I was both nervous and excited to see what Bella's surprise was, but she wouldn't budge and tell me. I tried to get her to talk during the drive over, but she just hummed and changed the subject. We pulled up to the garage entrance. Felix was there, and Bella waved at him when he spotted her. He gave her a rare smile and continued walking over to the car. Felix was a huge motherfucker with dark eyes, dark hair, and he was quiet as a mouse. I had no fucking clue what he and my babydoll had in common. They seemed to have some kind of bond, and although I'm a jealous fucker, I saw no reason to break up their friendship. Bella bounced out of the car and handed Felix a book. He took it and smiled. I didn't even know that motherfucker could read and he was doing book exchange with my babydoll. Weird. I saw him inspect her face closely and her eyes must still have been a little red, because he gave me a murderous glance. I shook my head and mouthed 'later.' He got the hint and left it alone. The night flew by quickly, and all was going well downstairs. Bella was working on the A/R reports, so I went down to talk to Felix. He was angry when I told him what James did to my babydoll. We handed out James' picture to security and told them to make sure he was not allowed into the club. I also filled Jasper in on what happened. He wanted to go for James too, but I assured him I could take care of Bella. I finally caved and told him about the private bodyguard. "You're fucking kidding me, Cullen. Bella is going to kill your ass when she finds out. I mean, I'm grateful because I want her to be protected, but she's not going to see it that way. You better hope she never finds out." Jasper was right, but I would rather have Bella kick my ass again than have her get hurt. I talked to Jasper for a few more minutes until Alice walked in. She kissed me on the cheek and whispered in my ear, "Leave." I looked at Jasper and moved my finger across my throat, letting him know I would kill him if he hurt Alice. He smirked and did the same thing for Bella. It seemed we had reached an agreement. Neither one of our sisters were to be hurt, or else. I smiled and walked out of his office. I made my way to the seventh floor. Chanel was out of town, so the second in command, Heidi, was taking her place. I didn't really like Heidi because she had such a big mouth, but she was good at running

shit. She walked over and tried to flirt with me. I cut her off quick. I quizzed her on what was going on. She seemed to know the drill and answered all my questions with ease. I left her to go back to my babydoll. When I got there, Bella was still at her desk. Demetri had come in and joined her. He wasn't touching her, but he was eating a brownie and making her smile. I had to calm myself down before I did something stupid again. Sam told me to think of a happy memory when my temper got out of control. I thought about my babydoll on that tree swing in the woods and was able to calm down. "Babydoll, can you please go into the kitchen and get me a brownie and some milk?" Bella jumped because she hadn't noticed me come in. She nodded her head and excused herself. I saw Demetri mouth 'babydoll' before giving a hard snort. I gave him a grim look and he calmed down. Bella came back with my snack. I sat down in her chair and pulled her down into my lap. I continued talking to Demetri. I heard Bella mumble 'Caveward' again, which made me smile. I fed her some of my brownie before standing up and letting her go. I kissed her on the neck and beckoned Demetri to follow me to my office. I told him about James and the rule about him not being allowed in the club. I asked him to keep an eye on the Russians' reaction to what happened. Like Felix and Jasper, Dee was angry that someone had hurt Bella. I still didn't like Dee visiting Bella, but he made her smile. I wasn't going to take that away. As long as he kept his hands to himself, he was welcome. The rest of the night passed quickly. Bella spent her break downstairs with Jasper and Alice. I wrote a bunch of fucking checks to various vendors and before I knew it, it was closing time. The clock said it was a little after three-thirty in the morning. I saw that there were now three moths near my wall sconce. I had stopped killing them so they were starting to multiply. I was even thinking of buying some type of insect sanctuary thing they could live in. I put it on my list of things to do. Bella walked into my office with an overcoat on. I panicked because I didn't want this to be one of those nights where she stayed at her own apartment. She saw the fear on my face and smiled at me. "Edward, do you trust me?" I nodded. "Good. It's time for your surprise. I'm going to blindfold you so you don't see what we're going to do. Don't worry, we aren't leaving the club." I watched her walk over to me. She kissed me and then put a dark piece of silk over my eyes. No one had ever done this to me. It was fucking hot. I felt Bella take my hand and lead me out of the office. We got in the elevator and headed down. I was led somewhere where there was a comfortable padded chair. Bella sat me down and put.. what the fuck..handcuffs on me. Those fuckers must have been the real kind too because I couldn't break free. They had some type of soft material around them though, so they didn't hurt my wrists. I was really fucking nervous now. I had no idea what Bella was planning to do. My traitor dick was up for the occasion though. All of a sudden, the blindfold was ripped off and I came face to face with Bella. She still had on that coat but there was a white nurse's hat on her head. The hat was white and it had a red cross in the middle. Her hair was tucked under it. Oh. My. God. I had been to enough strip shows to figure out what Bella's 'surprise' was by now. Before I could articulate my thoughts the lights were dimmed and I heard the first chords of music.

Fuck me now. The song was "Nasty Naughty Boy" by Christina Aguilera. Bella took off her overcoat and I went into shock. My babydoll was wearing a skimpy ass naughty nurse uniform. It consisted of a barely there white skirt that had a red cross over her pussy. It didn't even go down enough to cover her ass cheeks. The bikini top was white with a red cross over each nipple. She had on white lace thigh highs and red platform stripper heels. My dick was so hard that it couldn't be contained in my pants. I could feel it trying to get free. I groaned in pain. Bella began gyrating her hips to the music. I groaned louder. She came over and grinded her pussy in my lap. "How do you like your surprise, Edward? You can look but you can't touch." I was trying to break free of the handcuffs. She just giggled and gyrated her tight little ass on my lap. She was grinding on my dick hard. She went back to the front of the room to dance some more. Her hips were going from side to side. I tried to concentrate on the song but that made it worse. "Oh baby for all it's worth I swear I'll be the first to blow your mind Now if you're ready, come and get me I'll give you that hot, sweet, sexy loving (loving) Hush now, don't say a word I'm gonna give you what you deserve Now you better give me a little taste Put your icing on my cake You nasty boy" I was so frustrated. Bella was touching herself between her legs and moving her hips to the beat. I was no longer myself. I was bucking into thin air and making the most god-awful noises known to man. Bella backed her ass up to my lap, grinding into my rock hard cock. She was moaning along with the song. She turned around slowly and stripped off the bikini top. I watched her in awe. She licked her lips and pulled my head down to her breasts. She put one of her nipples in my mouth. I sucked on it like it was my last supper. She moaned and grinded her pussy harder into my dick. I took the chance to suckle on her other nipple. Bella raised my chin and kissed me on the lips. Her lips wandered past my jaw to my earlobe. She bit down hard and I cried out. The song was almost over and Bella was now topless. I was in fucking heat. I couldn't form one coherent thought. All I knew was that I wanted my babydoll's pussy NOW. I wanted to lick her until she couldn't move. I could smell her arousal mixed with her other strawberry and flower scent. I knew she would be wet as a fucking lake. I heard the next lyrics: "I got you breaking into a sweat Got you hot, bothered, and wet You nasty boy Nasty naughty boy Naughty boy" Bella removed her skirt and tossed the hat letting her hair fall down. She was naked, save for the thigh highs and boots. I went into cardiac arrest. I couldn't see, smell, hear, or talk. All I could do was feel. I felt her kneel in front of me and unbutton my pants pulling them down. She took my cock out of my boxers. I felt the vibration as she moaned along to the song. I was sweating like a goddamned pig at this point.

She looked up at me and winked before taking my cock in her mouth. Each time felt better than the last. I wanted to run my fingers through her long silky hair that was sticking to my sweaty thighs. I was so fucking aroused that I knew I wouldn't' last long. I didn't want to last. I wanted a fucking release. Her tongue darted out and stroked the underside of my dick. She lightly scraped her nails across my balls and I whimpered out loud. She looked up at me for a minute before continuing. She stroked her silky hand up and down my shaft. She sucked on the head hard and took me down her throat. I moaned and bucked my hips. I felt myself hit the back of her throat and then I came. I shot load after load of cum down my babydoll's throat. Her perfect mouth never once left my dick as she swallowed it all. One of her hands accidentally squeezed on my balls at the same time that she sucked on me. I felt myself start to come again. Bella had just given me two fucking fantastic orgasms. I heard a pop as my dick left her mouth, then I must have passed out. I came to about twenty minutes later. My right hand was free and the key was in the slot. There was a little post it from Bella telling me she was upstairs. She was going to fucking pay for her 'surprise.' I stripped out of the rest of my clothes and took the elevator upstairs. I couldn't fucking wait to have my hands on Bella. I found her in the kitchen still naked except for the thigh highs and boots. She was reading that fucking book again. "Bella!" I thundered. She dropped her book and turned to look at me. I was completely nude and her eyes widened. She licked her lips and started to come over to me. I held up my hand to stop her. She looked confused. I picked her up and laid her on the kitchen island. She tried to sit up but I held her down. I put her wrists behind her back and placed the handcuffs on. She was scared but aroused. I could see the wetness leaking between her thighs. I went into the living room and grabbed a pillow which I placed under her head. "My sweet, sweet babydoll. Payback is a bitch." She was trying to protest so I put the blindfold in her mouth. I saw a fresh wave of honey leak from her core; that let me know she liked a little BDSM. I pulled the thigh highs down her legs and took off her stripper shoes kissing her along the way. I grabbed a jar of fudge from the fridge and put it in the microwave to warm a little. Then I placed the fudge into a gravy bowl and walked over to Bella. She was whimpering and trying to cross her legs to create some friction. I leaned over, kissing her neck and collarbones. The feel of her hard nipples against my chest caused us both to moan. I poured some of the chocolate on her chest and licked it up. I paid special attention to not lick her nipples because I was teasing her. She was squirming and crying out, so I finally gave her what she wanted. I took both nipples into my mouth. I poured more chocolate and sucked and bit them until she was crying out through the gag. Next I put chocolate on her flat creamy stomach. She started writhing, trying to get me to go further down. I bit her pelvic bone and she bucked off of the island. I used one of my arms to hold her down while I poured more fudge. This time, the sauce went into her pussy where it mixed with the wetness that was already there. I took her nether lips in my mouth and alternated between sucking and licking. Bella's legs were shaking so hard it looked like she was having a seizure. I poured more fudge and licked into her pussy. She tasted fucking amazing. It was like nothing I ever had before; ambrosia. My fingers gripped into her hips and I spread her pussy wider for the taking. Her natural flavor made the chocolate taste more potent. I stuck a finger inside of her sopping pussy and sucked on her clit. I heard a muffled sound come from her mouth. I

added a second finger and she began riding my hand. "So good, babydoll. You look so sexy," I murmured. I licked around her pussy, staying away from where she wanted me most. After awhile she started shaking, so I put a third finger in and licked her clit several times. She was really bucking now and I knew she was close. I curled my fingers up until I hit the fleshy tissue inside of her. At the same time, I sucked and then bit her clit. Her legs flew off the table. She came hard, throwing me off of her in the process. Her legs twitched for several minutes. Her head was thrashing from side to side. I was glad I'd added the pillow. Her hair was a mess and she looked like she had been fucked sideways. When she calmed down, I put the tip of my tongue on her clit again. I began licking her in a rhythm. I pressed her sensitive nub hard while I squeezed her beautiful pink nipples. She immediately came again, screaming her orgasm. I licked up every last drop of her sweet nectar. After that orgasm, I figured we were even. I reached down to undo the handcuffs. I took the gag from her mouth. Bella was completely limp. Her eyes were closed and I could hear a light snore coming from her lips. I couldn't help but smile. I had fucking exhausted my babydoll. My ego was growing by the minute. I picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. I used the built in seat in the shower to set Bella on so that I could bathe the both of us. She never stirred. I held her body to mine while I washed her hair and her body. I didn't want her to wake up stuck to the bed sheets so I made sure to get all the chocolate off her body. After we were clean, I put a T-shirt on Bella and carried her to our bed. I just threw on a pair of boxers and climbed in next to her. I pulled her to my chest and her hand found its way to my heart. I kissed her on the forehead and she sighed. I heard her mumble 'love Edward' again in her sleep. I would never get tired of that shit. I couldn't believe that my babydoll had given me a fucking lap dance and double orgasm. Bella was full of surprises and I wanted to be there to discover them all. Looking down at her, my heart swelled with love. I was never going to let anyone hurt her again. She was my fucking life and I needed her like oxygen. With that thought, I pulled her closer to me and drifted off to my dreams that undoubtedly would be full of my babydoll. ~*!*~

Chapter Ten ~ Underneath Your Clothes "I love you more than all that's on the planet Movin' talkin' walkin' breathing You know it's true Oh baby it's so funny You almost don't believe it As every voice is hanging from the silence Lamps are hanging from the ceiling Like a lady tied to her manners I'm tied up to this feeling Underneath Your Clothes There's an endless story

There's the man I chose There's my territory And all the things I deserve For being such a good girl honey" --Underneath Your Clothes - Shakira BPOV The sound of thunder woke me up from my restless sleep. I felt around for a minute, trying to find Edward, before I realized that he wasn't there. We'd had a big fight that night, all because he instead on being a chauvinistic jackass. Edward made me so angry sometimes, but I always loved him, no matter what. He told me that he was taking me on a surprise trip to Forks. I had been wanting to take a trip down there and revisit my old haunts. I also wanted to put flowers on my parents' graves. Sometimes when important stuff happened to me, I liked to go down and tell them. I knew that it was stupid, because they weren't physically there, but it always made me feel better. Besides, I liked to believe that although their bodies were gone, their souls were alive and could hear me. It was hard for me to revisit the painful memories, but I needed some closure. I planned on being with Edward forever, and he had already introduced me to his family. I wanted to open up a piece of my past to him. Edward gave me the night off so that we could leave early morning Friday. He told me that he rented a cabin and everything was set for our trip to my hometown. I was so excited that I had given him a very intense handjob right in his office. I loved giving Edward pleasure. It had become my new favorite pastime. It was too bad that he always had to open his mouth and ruin our perfect moments. The argument started when I asked if I could drive so that Edward could get some much needed rest. Also, I suggested that we take my Range Rover, which had been inspected by Rosalie this past week. It was only six years old, ran great, and was a perfectly good vehicle. Edward demanded that we take one of his custom cars. He also demanded that he be the only one to drive. I was so angry that he was insisting on treating me like a damsel in distress, so I refused his offer. I stood up to him and told him I would be the one driving and that we would take my car. That didn't go over very well. Edward-being Edward-lost his temper. We had a colossal argument in the middle of his office. Felix came in to see what the commotion was, but when he saw that I was poking Edward in the chest, he just smiled and went back out. I told Edward that I was sick of him bossing me around and he called me a 'stupid little brat.' I knew he didn't mean it, but it still hurt. The minute he registered what he said, he began trying to apologize. I admonished him and ran from the office. I declined his invitation to stay in the lair tonight. The kicker had been when I told him I was going to my own apartment to sleep in my own bed. When those words left my mouth, Edward's control slipped and he went into a verbal tirade. I asked Felix to take me home. So there I was, alone in bed and missing my lover. My cell phone has been buzzing all night with messages from Edward. Most of them were apologies but some were angry. I didn't want to act like a petulant child, but Edward's temper tantrums really pissed me off. Arguing with Edward made me feel sick. I loved him and I knew he loved me, but both of us were stubborn. He seemed to know just the right things to say that made me want to kick his ass.

I heard another beep, so I leaned over to retrieve my phone from my nightstand. There were seventy missed messages. Holy Jeebus. Edward must have one of those unlimited text plans. I rifled through them all until I got to the last one. Pickup the goddamn phone! I'm in no mood to play these games with you. -E-

I'm not playing a game with you Edward. You're acting like an ass. -B-

I'm coming over there. Open the fucking door when you hear me knock and don't forget to look through the goddamned peephole. -E-

Don't bother coming by because I won't let you in. -B-

I don't need you to LET me do anything. Be there in twenty minutes. -EI groaned as I picked myself up out of bed. My clock said it was a little after midnight, which meant I had been asleep for almost four hours. It also meant Jasper was still at work. I didn't want to call him and risk a confrontation between him and Edward. My stomach was growling, so I decided to go downstairs and get something to eat. Lately, our kitchen had been neglected because Jaz and I spent so much time with our significant others. There wasn't much in the refrigerator or cupboards. I did manage to find a large frozen pot pie I'd made two weeks before in the back of the freezer. I put it in the oven to heat up and made hot chamomile tea. I contemplated going up to change clothes, but decided against it. My blue boy shorts and pink long sleeved Valentine t-shirt would have to be enough for Mr. Cullen. My hair was a mess, so I just ran my fingers through it and let it be. Maybe I was being too hard on Edward. I knew he was so protective because of his love for me, but I didn't want him to make me a weakling. I have always thought of myself as a strong woman. People would underestimate me because of my looks and size, but I can take could of myself. I took some self defense classes in college and I did well. I had taken care of Jasper and my dad pretty much my whole life. I may have looked like a doll, but I was not fragile. I had taken whatever life handed to me and came out swinging. I needed Edward to understand that I was capable of taking care of the both of us if need be.

I forgot my book upstairs, so I went to retrieve it. I smiled when I saw the end of my sexy nurse costume hanging out of my bag. I still couldn't believe I had the courage to give Edward a lapdance. He enjoyed it and my subsequent blowjob so much so that he passed out for a minute. I was worried at first, but when I saw he was breathing regularly, I went upstairs to wait for the retaliation. I loved seeing Edward out of control for once. It was one of the most erotic experiences of my life so far. Just thinking about Edward's mouth on me and all that chocolate made my nipples hard. I cleaned up the island the next day, but I would never be able to cook in that kitchen again without reliving my fudgy cunnilingus. He'd been so sexy and controlling by making me his in every sense of the word. I was the one to pass out after multiple orgasms after Edward's ministrations. I remember vaguely feeling Edward bathing me, but I was so blissed out and tired that I couldn't move. Before our romp in the kitchen, I had been feeling kind of insecure because Edward hadn't made love to me yet, but after what happened between us that night, I would never again question his need for me. Everything had almost been ruined by that blonde guy that tried to molest me. I was so happy with Edward in the restaurant before that maniac approached me. It was odd, but when he grabbed me, I hadn't thought about my own safety. I had only thought of Edward. I didn't want him to get into a fight where he would get hurt. Edward took James outside and was beating him senseless. I asked Carmen to take me outside so I could try to calm Edward down, because I knew that I was the only one that could get through to him. After James was removed, I was able to relax because I was scared he would goad Edward into killing him. Even though I had seen the violent part of Edward, I felt safe with him. I know he would protect me from anything and anyone. I would do the same for him. I would die if it meant Edward could live. He owned my life the way no other ever had. Shaking myself from my thoughts, I grabbed my book and my favorite throw and headed back downstairs. I was just about to get to the part of the book where the couple confessed their love for one another, when I heard loud banging coming from the front door. I knew it was Edward because no one else would be pounding on my door so late at night without a care for the neighbors. I made sure to check the peephole before I opened the door because I didn't need him to be any angrier at me. Illuminated in the light of my porch was my lover. He was standing there with flowers and chocolates in his hands. He was wet from the torrential rain that was blowing outside. His gorgeous green eyes were so dark they were almost black. He didn't say anything as he muscled his way into my apartment. His long sleeved green tee was molded to his hard chest. His jeans hugged his powerful thighs and delectable ass in just the right way. His hair was the normal messy array and he smelled like desire. I wanted him so bad I could barely stand. I automatically licked my lips, thinking of the body beneath those clothes. Before I could articulate a single sentence, he lunged for me. He put the beautiful flowers and candy on the mail table. My sexual haze didn't allow me to even process what kind of flowers and chocolates they were. Edward picked me up and carried me into the living room. He laid me down on the couch as his body crushed mine. He leaned down to kiss me. His lips were rough and he claimed by tongue before I could take a breath. I sucked at his tongue and we both moaned. He reached down and put one of his big hands on my lower stomach. I jumped because of the electricity his touch created. Next he snaked his hand up my shirt until his fingers grazed my breast. When he realized I didn't have on a bra, he growled. I heard him mutter, "Mine all mine."

The next thing I felt was him trying to take my shirt off. Of course I sat up to give him easier access. After my shirt was discarded, I wanted the same for Edward. He must have read my mind because he stood up and took off his clothes. He removed everything except his sexy as hell red boxer briefs. His erection was poking through. I moaned and reached up to play with my own breasts. I pictured Edward on them instead, and got quite wet in the process. His eyes got even darker as he sat back down. "Let me, babydoll." With that, he attached his mouth to my left breast. The sensation was so amazing that it caused my toes to involuntarily curl. He took the whole breast in his hand and squeezed it hard. I bucked right into his groin and he bucked into me a little. He licked out his tongue and bathed my nipple in his sweet saliva. I was whimpering loudly, but he continued to tease me. He licked the underside of my breast before returning to the top. Finally, he took my other nipple into his sweet mouth. I reached up and tangled my hands in his soft copper hair. "Mmmh, Edward…feels amazing." My voice sounded rough even to my ears. He stopped long enough to look down at me. His expression held so much love and apology that I gasped. He took my other nipple into his mouth and gave it the same treatment. When I felt Edward's teeth nip lightly at my breasts, I almost came from the sensation. He moved back up my body. His mouth latched onto my neck and he bit and sucked until I started crying out. He stopped to glance down at me. There was a mixture of pleasure and apprehension in his eyes. "Babydoll, can I try something? I promise it won't hurt, and we can stop if you want to." I was so aroused that I had lost my ability to speak. I could only nod because I would never deny Edward any carnal pleasures he could take from my body. Edward pulled me up off of the couch. He kicked his boxers off and pulled my flimsy boy shorts off my hips. We were now both completely naked. I was beyond wet and standing there grinning like an idiot. I could feel the moisture sticking to my inner thighs. Edward's eyes fastened on that wetness as he leaned forward and kissed my bellybutton. "Come here, Bella. I want to try a new position with you. I need you to lower yourself on my face." I blanched because I knew what he wanted. I had read lots of sex books in that college class, and was very familiar with the sixty nine position. From what I had seen, it looked intimidating. He must have seen my hesitation. "Trust me, babydoll. We don't have to do it if it makes you uncomfortable." I wanted to please Edward. He was my lover, so there shouldn't be anything we couldn't do with each other. "No, Edward. I want to try it." I put a large blanket down on the floor. Edward smiled and laid down on one of my fluffy body pillows. I straddled his chest with my knees on either side. I didn't sit fully, I just squatted down. "Turn around Bella." I turned so my back and buttocks were facing Edward's head. I was still squatting. I was blushing

so hard that my face could have caught fire. Edward reached up and scooted me back until I was over his mouth. I squealed when he gave my buttocks a bite. I was just about to get up when he positioned my dripping core over his mouth. I lost all thought because it felt so good. His long wet tongue slid inside of me and I whined. It was the best feeling in the world. At this angle, I could really feel his tongue sliding over my inner walls. His nose hit my clit several times, and his long fingers were working magic inside of me. I felt my body tensing up. In front of me was Edward's long, thick, and throbbing manhood. I leaned down and took a hold of his shaft, putting it in my mouth. I felt Edward groan around my core. His fingers sped up to match the rhythym of my suckling. He bit my clit and I exploded, screaming his name. He waited for a minute for me to calm down before he continued his glorious licking and suckling. I gripped the head of Edward's erection hard. He stilled for a minute and then continued licking me in that lazy way that drove me crazy. I licked the long vein that ran down Edward's penis. Seeing that he liked that, I increased the pressure of my tongue. Edward thrust into my mouth. I was riding his tongue, loving the feel of it sliding over my sensitive core. I sucked Edward down my throat and then took him out again. His organ was huge, so it wouldn't all fit in my mouth. I took as much of him as I could before I felt myself gagging. My eyes began to water. I could barely breathe, but I wanted to keep Edward down my throat for as long as I could. When I couldn't take anymore, I released him completely so that I could take in some much needed oxygen. When I got myself under control, I went back to sucking Edward. He was throbbing and I could see the tip leaking pre-cum, which let me know he was close. I sucked the head into my mouth and swirled my tongue around the very top. Edward's strong hips were pushing up into my mouth with every stroke. I was close, but I wanted him to come with me this time. I took him into my mouth one last time and sucked hard. I cupped his balls while sliding my nails down his shaft. At that same moment, he curved his fingers up inside of me and I came again. I felt Edward's hot cum hit my mouth a second later. I tried to swallow it all, but some of it escaped my lips because I was panting so hard from my last orgasm. My bones felt like jelly, so I just collapsed on top of Edward, feeling the electricity sear my skin. My cheek was resting on his muscled thigh and my hair covered him like a blanket. I let the orgasm overtake me for a few more minutes before I sat up. Edward eased me back down to his chest. I managed to maneuver my legs over him so that I could sit beside him. I looked over at his face and he was smiling. His nose and lower jaw were covered in my wetness. The sight caused me to blush, but Edward just chuckled. He wiped some of my juices off his nose, bringing one finger into his mouth and licking it. "Ahhh… my favorite meal." My body stiffened at the sound of his sexy voice. Eventually, I shook myself out of my stupor so that I could pull Edward upstairs. We showered together in my much smaller bathtub. He put special effort into cleaning my nether regions and buttocks. I gave him a soapy handjob and he came again. After about an hour, we managed to get out of the bathroom. I put on another one of my boy short and cami sets. This one was dark blue. Edward must have liked it a lot because I had to fight him off of me. He went to his car to get his overnight bag. He put on a fresh pair of boxers and some J-Crew pajama pants. He left his chest bare, just the way I liked it. Edward came up behind me and snaked his hands around my waist. "I love you, babydoll. I'm so sorry for yelling at you. I loved having your tight pussy in my mouth. I can't wait to have all of you."

I blushed and put my hands over Edward's. "Thanks for apologizing, Edward. I loved… what we did, too." He squeezed me tighter and kissed my forehead. We went back downstairs so that we could eat the chicken pot pie. Edward went to the foyer to get my flowers and chocolates. When he returned, he was holding a gorgeous bouquet of sunflowers in a beautiful crystal vase. He looked nervous standing there, holding the flowers out to me. "Sunflowers signify adoration or some shit. You are my sun, thus you deserve these. I don't know anything about this pansy ass shit, so thank Alice next time you see her. She picked out the flowers and vase." I kissed him on the cheek and took the flowers. The candies were Godiva strawberry covered chocolates... my favorite. I took one out of the box and ate half. I fed the other half to Edward. He took both the candy and my finger into his mouth. A shudder ran through my body. "Thank you Edward, I love sunflowers. They're my favorite." He let out an audible sigh and hugged me. "I have to set up dinner so that we can eat. Follow me." In the kitchen, I went to the oven to take out the pot pie. I could hear Edward making humming noises as I bent and reached. I loved the fact that Edward found me attractive. The food smelled delicious. I plated up two large helpings and grabbed one of Jasper's imported beers. I poured the drink into a glass filled with ice. After I was done, I put it all in front of Edward. He smacked my butt as I passed, causing me to yelp loudly. "Keep your hands to yourself, mister." He just smirked and tucked into his dinner. I took a seat across from Edward and began to eat. I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. The fork going in and out of his mouth made me think of his tongue on my clit. I shifted my legs at that thought. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. A piece of his soft bronze hair fell forward and I wanted to reach out and stroke it. He was so sexy that just seeing him enjoy a simple meal made me wet. "Bella, why aren't you eating?" I looked down at my forgotten fork. I couldn't stop the color that rose to my cheeks. Edward winked at me and went back to his dinner. After three helpings, he put his fork down and reached across the table for my hand. "Babydoll, I love you more everyday. It made me sick to think about you here alone tonight. I need you, Bella. You erase the darkness in my life and make me truly happy." His honest words brought tears to my eyes. My fingers traced small circles around his hand. "Edward, I love you, you know that. I just want you to treat me fairly. I only want to drive so that you can get some rest. You've been working a lot lately, and I'm worried about you." Edward had a lot of money and employees, so there was a huge demand on his time. I just wanted to take care of my man. "Don't worry, babydoll. I'm fine as long as you're with me. You win, I'll let you drive on one condition: we take one of my cars. Is that okay?" I nodded. He came around the table to pick me up. We hugged and kissed passionately in the middle of my cozy kitchen.

Eventually we separated. I cleaned up and put everything away. I let Edward help me load the dishwasher, even though he didn't exactly know how to do it. He explained that they always had maids growing up, so he and Ali weren't great with domestic chores. I thanked him for trying, gave him a slice of blueberry pie, and kicked him out. We were supposed to leave for Forks early in the day, so we had to get some sleep. By the time we crawled under my sheets, it was almost three in the morning. "I love you, babydoll. Let's try not to fight anymore." I just hummed and crawled into his arms. "Goodnight, Edward. I love you too, even when you are being a jackass." He smacked me on the bottom and laughed. Minutes later, Edward's steady heartbeat lulled me to sleep. When I woke up, there was a note next to me. Edward had gone out to pickup the car and his luggage. I took out my carry-on bag and began to fill it with various items. Since we would only be gone one weekend, I only packed the necessities. I included one pretty dress because Edward would probably want to go out to a nice restaurant. The rest of the clothes consisted of my comfy sweaters, flannels, and jeans. Forks was not as dressy as Seattle because it was such a small town. The people were laid back and pretty much dressed like modern day lumberjacks. Poor Edward, he's going to stick out like a sore thumb. I carried my bag downstairs and put it by the front door. I packed some date bars and other food for Edward and I to eat in the car. Depending on traffic, it would take us between three and a half to four hours to get to Forks. I was excited about driving because I don't get to do it much- because of Edward. Jasper had never been a fan of cemeteries, but he had been taking me to visit my parents' graves at least once a year since we moved here. I was glad that he didn't have to leave Alice and inconvenience himself anymore. While waiting for Edward, I pulled out my book to read. I hoped that the car he chose wouldn't be too ostentatious. His Rolls Royce Phantom still made me nervous. I saw the way people looked at that car. Guys would stop in traffic just to take a picture. I was curious so I Googled it and found out that Phantoms cost a half million dollars or more. That amount of money blew me away. I mean, I knew Edward was rich, but who spends that much on a car? My phone buzzed with a text letting me know Edward was outside. "Bella, open up. It's time to go." I pulled on my jacket and opened the door. Edward was standing there, wearing a gray cashmere V-neck sweater and dark jeans. The rest of his outfit consisted of Timberland boots and a gray and blue scarf hanging around his neck. As usual, he looked utterly delectable. I took time to thoroughly kiss him before we went down the porch steps. My legs stopped working when I saw what was sitting outside. In our driveway was one of the biggest SUVs I had ever seen. I didn't know enough about cars to know what it was, so I asked Edward. "It's a Hummer H2. It's one of the best all terrain vehicles. We can go anywhere in this, babydoll."

The behemoth in front of me was black with slightly tinted windows. It was super shiny, like it had just been freshly cleaned. Half of my high school graduating class could fit inside this car. I hadn't moved from my spot. "Edward, are you sure I can drive this? I don't want to damage it because it looks really expensive." Edward walked over and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Don't worry about damaging the Hummer. You could take out almost anything on the road. I trust you, Bella." I smiled and leaned in to hug him closer. Edward finished loading my things and helped me into car. He had to adjust the driver's seat since I was so much shorter than him. I'm sure it looked funny to see a petite girl driving such a large vehicle. We headed out of Seattle on the highway to Forks. Edward plugged his iPod into the car's stereo system, and I heard the opening notes of Owl City's "Fireflies" blare from the speakers. I bobbed my head to the beat and gripped the steering wheel. Being behind the wheel of the Hummer made me feel invincible, but I was still careful to drive the speed limit. Edward began huffing quietly in the seat next to me. I glanced over to see him scowling. "What?" He inhaled and exhaled slowly before he answered me. "Do you have to drive so fucking slow? I would like to make it there before the weekend is over." I couldn't believe that he was seriously going to be this way. "I am driving the speed limit. I'm sorry if you don't like me following the law." I frowned and concentrated on my driving, ignoring Edward. He put his hand on my thigh. "I'm sorry, babydoll. It's just hard for me letting someone else be in control. I promise not to complain anymore." I was glad that he had been honest with me and not thrown a tantrum. He caressed my cheek. That tingly feeling he always created was there, so I leaned into his palm. Before we made it out of Seattle, we stopped at a diner to get some breakfast. A blonde waitress with large breasts was flirting with Edward. She leaned down trying to give him a peek of her ample bosom. I knew not to be insecure, but a part of me was still a little jealous. Edward's voice was cold as ice when he ordered. It was his way of letting her know he wasn't interested. After she left, a gangly teenage boy brought out our drinks. He flirted with me a bit until he looked over and saw Edward's face. He stumbled away a few seconds later, looking scared for his life. "Edward, stop. He's just a kid." Edward mumbled something that sounded like 'only mine' and stared out the window. We both ate hash browns, bacon, and eggs. Edward said that although the food was good, it had nothing

on my breakfasts. I blushed and continued eating. After we were done, the same blonde waitress came over to clear our plates. She gave Edward one last glance before returning to the kitchen. The teenage boy brought the bill, keeping his eyes to the ground the whole time. Edward and I got into a small scuffle over who would pay. I won after I pointed out the fact that Edward had already paid for the cabin and this whole weekend. He didn't want to relent, but I gave him my puppy dog eyes and he caved. "Fuck, Bella. You know I'd do anything you say when you look at me like that." I took out my wallet paid for the meal. I saw Edward eye the amount I left. I would bet that he planned to reimburse me when he got the chance. By the time we got back to the car, Edward was exhausted. He leaned his chair back so he could rest comfortably. I pulled my comfy green shamrock throw out of my bag and wrapped it around him. He looked so cute lying on the leather seats. I saw his eyes start to droop, and minutes later he fell asleep. His long eyelashes were resting against his cheek and his lips were in a perfect pout. Seeing him like that made me think of our children and what they might look like. I hoped that they would be like Edward, in looks at least. I drove for a little more than an hour before I had to pull over to get gas. The Hummer was definitely not a green car. I would have to make a donation to some environmental group to atone for the sin of driving a gas guzzler. I didn't want to wake Edward up, so I pumped the gas myself. A tall blonde guy was looking over at me. I didn't like his staring because he was doing it in a lewd manner. I was almost finished when he spoke. "Hey baby, what's a little girl like you doing driving that beast?" I ignored him. The credit card machine was broken, so I had to go inside to pay. The gas station was pretty full. I took a place in line. The same jerk that was outside came to stand behind me. "Hey honey, you're sexy as hell. Since you seem to know how to handle big things, I'll bet you can handle riding my monster cock. Would you like that?" His breath stank of beer and he was standing too close for comfort. I turned around to tell him to back off, but before I could, a shadow fell over both of us. When I looked up, I saw the enraged eyes of my lover. Oh no, I thought. Edward came to stand behind me and pulled me to his chest. He never broke eye contact with the pesky idiot. Edward bent down until his lips caressed my ear. "Is this asshole bothering you, babydoll? Just say the word and I'll kick his ass." I didn't want a confrontation so I shook my head. "It's nothing I can't handle. Besides, he was just leaving." Edward let me go to stand directly in front of anonymous bastard. He pulled the man's arm behind his back and twisted hard. His voice was deathly quiet as he said, "You're going to leave this store and not look back. If you think of doing something to my car, I'll kill you. Get the FUCK out of here now before I lose my fucking temper." After that, he dropped the guys arm. The jerk scrambled from the store so fast I'd have thought the devil

was chasing him. I put my arms around Edward and hugged him. "I love you, Caveward. I can take care of myself, but you going all Neanderthal is hot." He smirked and stroked my hair. "You should have woken me up to pump and pay. I don't like you going places without me." I shook my head and turned to face the front of the line. Edward and I got into an argument at the cash register when I tried to pay for the gas. Edward won this round because he flirted with the old cashier. She thought it was sweet that my 'beau' wanted to treat me. I kept my mouth shut. When we got outside, Edward inspected the Hummer. Deeming it okay, he helped me into the driver's seat. He kept sneaking glances at me as we made our way back onto the highway. "What did that asshole say to you, babydoll?" Shoot, I didn't want to tell him that. "Um, he just came onto me. He said something about me driving a big car so I would know how to handle his…manhood." Edward let out a litany of profanity before he was able to calm down. "It's okay, Edward. I'm a woman. There's always some jerk that will come onto me. I've been used to it since I grew breasts." I was smiling and trying to make it seem like no big deal. "I don't like that shit. A grown man should not throw himself at a woman who clearly doesn't want his ass. It's fucking pathetic." He took out his laptop and earphones and began watching a movie. I tried to concentrate on driving the Hummer but I kept turning to look at Edward. He must have been watching a comedy because he was smiling. I loved when he was relaxed and just enjoying himself. I saw a sign that advertised a park ahead. Since it was lunch time, I figured we might as well pull in and eat. Edward turned off his movie and repacked his laptop. I told him my plan and he agreed. I parked near some trees and we got out of the car. Because it was wet, we just lifted the back of the Hummer and sat there. I set our blanket and pillows up so we would be comfy. I opened a container filled with ravioli and gave it to Edward. "Babydoll, you rock. I love ravioli. This is fucking perfect." When I pulled out my homemade garlic bread, Edward almost went into a coma. I loved watching him eat my cooking. After we finished, I gave him the date bars that I packed. He loved those too, and ate almost half the container. We walked around the park a little bit and fed the ducks some scraps. There were a few families out, but it was too wet to do much. Edward and I returned to our car and continued our road trip. He was distracting me by twirling a piece of my hair and giving me googly eyes. Eventually he stopped and tried to take another nap. He had grown fond of my blanket so he wrapped it around himself. The next time I looked over, he was snoring lightly. I giggled and went back to driving. I stopped at one more gas station before we made it to our destination. Luckily Edward slept through that fill up and the credit card machine worked, so I didn't have to go inside. When we entered Forks, Edward woke up and yawned. "We're here. This is my hometown. I hope it doesn't bore you to tears."

He smirked and leaned over to kiss my cheek. "I could never hate any place that raised my babydoll." He always knew just the right thing to say. I saw lights in the mirror and realized we were about to be pulled over by the police. I checked to make sure I had been doing the speed limit. I had, so I wondered why we were being stopped. Edward sat up in his seat and looked behind us. I was scared that he might lose his temper on a cop and get arrested. Just then a knock sounded on my window. I opened my door to step out as Edward tried to grab my arm. Before I could ask the officer what the problem was, I was picked up off the ground and enclosed in a pair of strong arms. I looked up to see that it was Jacob, one of my high school friends, hugging me. I let out a relieved sigh and hugged him back. Unfortunately, I forgot about Edward. He was out of the car in a flash. Jacob was huge, but Edward pulled me out of his arms. He didn't even glance at me before he punched Jake in the nose. There was blood everywhere. "Edward, stop. This is Officer Jacob Black. He's my friend. Don't hurt him." Edward stopped long enough to gape at me. He looked angry and a little hurt. I helped Jacob up and went to the car to get a rag and cold water. I wet the cloth and tried to clean Jake up. Edward was leaning on the Hummer brooding while Jacob gave him the death eye. "I don't know who you are, but I should arrest you for assaulting an officer." Edward gave Jake a cocky grin."You can try, pig, but I'll be out before you process the goddamned papers." Jake was about to reach for his handcuffs so I diffused the situation. "Jake. This is Edward Cullen. He's my boyfriend. I assure you he meant no harm. He's just protective, and he thought you were hurting me. I promise that it won't happen again." Edward turned his angry glare on me. "Jake? Did you date this fucker, Bella? Is he an old boyfriend?" I squeezed my fists because Edward was trying really hard to piss me off. "No, Jake is my friend. His dad and my dad used to fish together before…" I broke off unable to finish the sentence that would end with mentioning my father's death. Jacob put one of his massive arms around my shoulders, trying to calm me down. He was sending Edward the most evil look known to man. Edward did have the sense to look ashamed. He walked over and removed Jake's arm from my shoulder. Jacob hesitated for a minute but then let me go. Edward took my hand. "Babydoll, I'm so fucking sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Please forgive me." He picked me up and cradled me to his chest before sitting me back down. "I forgive you, Edward, but stop jumping to conclusions. Talk to me before you make assumptions." Jake took in the gentle way Edward held me and his shoulders relaxed. He told me that he recognized me in the Hummer, and that was why he pulled me over. I decided that he should follow us to Sue Clearwater's diner so that we could catch up and grab some coffee. Edward looked like I had just keyed his car, but he agreed. We pulled in front of the diner and went inside. Jake and I stopped to talk to some of the townsfolk. Edward got plenty of admiring and suspicious glances, so I introduced him as my boyfriend. Since I had such a great reputation in town, they accepted Edward without too many questions. We took a booth and

my lover sat next to me. Jake sat on the other side. We ordered coffee and pie and sat around talking. Our coffee came by way of Seth Clearwater. I motioned for him to put the coffee pot down so I could give him a hug. I had been babysitting Seth since he was four. He was so tall now, but he still had his baby face. He picked me up off the ground and squeezed me. I saw him glance at the table. He put his body between mine and Edward when he saw the rage in Edward's eyes. "It's okay, Seth. This is my boyfriend." I introduced them both and Edward relaxed. I was getting sick of Caveward. I hoped that I wouldn't run into any more men today. Seth chatted for a while before he had to go take an order. Jake was looking at me anxiously. I met his stare head on. "So, Bells, how did you meet Mr. Cullen?" Edward was about to make a smart remark so I jumped in first. "I work for Edward. He owns several clubs. I'm his private secretary." Jacob snorted. "So he took advantage of you? Bella, he's your boss for Christ's sake." Edward pounded on the table causing several patrons to look our way. Jake was skating on thin ice. "Um… no. Edward just happens to be my boss. He did not take advantage of me in any way. Please don't say stuff like that, Jake. You know no one can make me do anything." Both Edward and Jake agreed with that, nodding their heads in unison. Jake was an officer for the Forks Police Department. We reminisced about old times we spent together. Edward went off when he found out I used to ride motorcycles with Jake. After he calmed down, Jake told us that he was dating Leah Clearwater and that they were happy. We made a few more jokes, and then Jake had to leave. I stood up to hug him goodbye and we made plans for him and Leah to come visit me in Seattle. He gave Edward a curt nod before leaving. I was watching his retreating form walk out of the diner when Edward interrupted me. "You look sad to see him go, babydoll. Was he more to you than you're telling me?" I kissed the back of Edward's hand. "Jake was just my older friend. He was like another big brother to me. We did kiss once…" Edward's fist started balling up "...but we decided to just stay friends. Our relationship was strictly platonic." We finished our coffee and Edward paid the bill. This time he insisted on driving. I was in no mood to argue so I let him. We pulled up to a large cabin with wood stacked out front. It had beautiful windows that faced the forest. I could see some beautiful wildflowers growing out front. I had never hung out on this part of Forks. The cabin looked fairly new, so it was probably built after I left. The house sat on a large portion of land and there were no neighbors nearby. Edward wouldn't let me help carry any bags in, so I took a tour of the cabin. There were five large bedrooms, a den with a large plasma TV, a state of the art kitchen, and three large bathrooms. There were glass doors that led to a backyard that had a huge hot tub. Everything was beautiful, but it was too big. We were only two people here for one weekend. After he was done unloading the bags, Edward came to stand beside me.

"How do you like it, babydoll? It's supposed to be the most luxurious cabin available for rent." I intertwined mine and Edward's fingers and glanced up at him. "I love it. It's so big, but it's perfect." He leaned down to kiss me. We broke apart before the kissing turned into more. We were still in the backyard holding hands. I knew it was time for me to do the dreaded task. "Edward, I'm ready to go to the graveyard now. You don't have to come with me if you don't want to." Edward hugged me to his chest and kissed my brow. "Of course I'm coming with you. I'm always here for you. I love you." I felt relieved. I was prepared to go by myself, but knowing that Edward would be by my side would make the journey bearable. "Okay, let me just grab a jacket." Edward went out to start the car while I changed. When I got outside, he was standing by the passenger door waiting to help me inside. He copped a feel as he lifted me into my seat. I just blushed and giggled. The drive to the cemetery was quiet. I was thankful because I was in no mood to talk. We parked in the visitor's space and walked to the plots that belonged to my parents. I was feeling emotional today, so when I saw Renee and Charlie's gravestones, I broke down. Deep sobs came out of my throat. Edward was holding me and trying to shush me, but I couldn't stop. Seeing my parents' plots hadn't affected me like this since I was eighteen and came to tell them goodbye. "I'm… sssorry… I… can't…" I really wanted to be strong, but I couldn't right then. Edward sat down on the ground between the plots and pulled me into his lap. "Don't cry, angel. I can't stand to see you cry. Please Bella. I'm here and I love you." I could feel Edward's heartbeat speed up. I knew my breakdown was freaking him out, so I reigned in my emotions. Edward went through my purse until he found some tissues. He handed one to me and watched as I wiped my eyes. I probably looked horrible, but Edward leaned in to give me a gentle kiss. I managed to smile in return. We put lilacs on the graves and I introduced them to Edward. I left out all the stuff about him being a mobster because I wouldn't want Charlie's law abiding soul to start haunting Edward. He promised to take care of me from now on. I told my parents about all that had happened since I was here last. It felt good to clear the air and let go of my past. We stayed in the graveyard for a little over an hour. Edward never left my side or let go of my hand. He offered to have my parents moved to a private plot in Seattle, but I declined. Charlie and Renee had both loved Forks, and this was where they would want to be. Oddly, I felt high after we left the graveyard. I wanted to do something exciting and reckless. I looked over at Edward. He was concentrating on driving, staring straight ahead. It was now or never. "Um, Edward. Do you want to go to Port Angeles and do something?" Edward looked worried. "Babydoll, are you sure you don't want to rest? You drove here and you haven't

had a nap all day." There was too much adrenaline pumping through my veins. I would never get to sleep. "No, I want to go. Pretty please, lover." He raised his eyebrow at the 'lover' part. I knew I had him when I heard him let out an exasperated sigh. "Fuck. Okay, but when we get to the cabin, I'm going to have my way with you." The thought of Edward's hands on my body almost made me want to cancel our trip. Edward put on his iPod and I was bouncing in my seat. "Calm down, babydoll. We'll be there soon." I took my seatbelt off and reached over the console to stroke Edward's junk. He let out a loud hiss and I giggled. "Bella, you're playing with fire here. I'm trying to drive." I winked at him and went back to staring out my window. Port Angeles was pretty popular tonight. The traffic was heavier than usual, and there were people out on the sidewalks. "So, babydoll, what do you want to do?" I looked out my window. There was a neon sign advertising a pleasure shop. Edward noticed me looking and grinned. "Are you sure, babydoll?" I nodded. He pulled into the parking lot and we walked into the store. It was pretty packed because it was Friday night. There were huge dildos and vibrators of all sizes. Some of the dildos were so big, I wondered how any woman could fit it inside her vagina. Edward was familiar with almost all the products. I teased him by calling him a freak, which caused him to smack me on the butt. I knew Edward was planning on making love to me on my birthday. He hadn't given me the details yet, but I saw it in his personal calendar. I was looking for something else but the picture of a broken cherry drawn on September thirteenth had caught my eye. I laughed for hours thinking about that drawing. Edward wrapped his arm around me and nibbled on my ear. He guided me to some massage oils and let me pick out the scents I liked. I ended up with twenty different bottles. Edward smirked. Next he picked up some Astroglide, which I'm sure was to be used for my first time. I had been blushing since we entered the shop, and it only got worse. A saleswoman came over to see if we needed any help. She and Edward got into a conversation about the best vibrators on the market. Edward was so sexually experienced that nothing she said embarrassed him. He kept his hand on my hip during the entire conversation. I zoned out after the word 'pussy' was used for the fiftieth time. I recited a Shakespearean sonnet in my head. Edward sensed my discomfort and leaned down to kiss my forehead. I let Edward choose the vibrator because I wasn't an expert. He ended up choosing the 'Adonis.' He also bought a lot of other stuff and when the cashier rang him up, the total was over three hundred dollars. I gasped at the bill, but Edward just smirked. We drove in relative silence because I was still trying to stop my heart from beating out of my chest.

Edward, however, had a huge smile on his face as he whistled. My adventurous spirit was satiated for now. We left Port Angeles after stopping to have a steak dinner. When we got back to Forks, I wanted to go to La Push. We walked on the beach hand in hand. Edward's large footprints beside my smaller ones left imprints in the sand. There was a full moon out, and he looked amazing in the light. Edward kissed me relentlessly, like he couldn't get enough. My lips were swollen and I was as wet as the water on the beach. "Let's go home, Edward." We couldn't keep our hands off of each other in the car. Once inside the house, we stripped and ran for the hot tub. Edward flipped the switch, and we kissed while waiting for the tub to start up. He ran to the house to get something. When he returned, he was holding my new vibrator in his hand. I blushed fire engine red. He laid a towel on the deck surrounding the tub and kissed me. His cool lips felt like heaven to my scorching hot skin. He nibbled on my hard nipples, earning several moans from me. I was writhing beneath him. "Please... need... more." He silenced my begging with a kiss. I heard the vibrator start up as Edward inserted it into my sopping core. I screamed when I came from the simulation. My legs shook hard. Edward lowered his body onto mine. "I'm sorry, babydoll. I probably need to turn down the vibration." I could only moan because there were still shards of electricity shooting across my skin. He put it into me again at a lower speed. This time, I came after five minutes. Edward enjoyed experimenting with the vibrator. He brought me to two more orgasms before I begged him to stop. "You like that, don't you, babydoll. I promise you, my cock is better." I couldn't wait for Edward to be inside of me. I had begun taking birth control the week after I met him because I didn't want to have to use a condom. I pulled him back down to me and ravaged his mouth. I did manage to give Edward a handjob. He came in record time because he was so aroused from watching me come so many times. When we could move again, he lifted us off of the ground and into the tub. He had to carry me because my legs were still boneless. Once in the hot tub, I straddled Edward and put my head on his neck. I sucked and licked his collarbones, leaving him with a hickey for once. He just laughed and teased me about being possessive too. For over an hour, we made out like horny teenagers. Edward dipped us down in the water for a minute. I came up laughing and sputtering. He held me tight and squeezed my butt. "I fucking love you, Isabella Swan. I can't wait to make love to you." I wiped some stray tears from my eyes before answering him. "I love you too, Edward Cullen. You will be my first, my last, and my only." He gripped me tighter after my words. I was still sensitive after my multiple orgasms, but Edward began fingering me. I lowered my hand and squeezed him. We kissed and lazily worked each other until we both came.

After that, Edward latched onto my nipples and suckled them until they were almost raw. I had to push him off of me. He looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Bella, I just want you so bad." I kissed along his jaw until I reached his ear and whispered, "You can have me now or anytime." I could feel him hardening again. "Not tonight, babydoll, but soon. Your first time is going to be something you won't ever forget." I kissed him roughly and pushed my breasts into his hard planed chest. He groaned and held me closer. Edward had to carry me up to bed because my bones were like jelly. He laid down, spooning me. He put one hand on my naked stomach and the other was buried in my hair. We drifted to sleep together, laying on the expensive silk sheets. That night, I didn't dream of my parents being too far away for me to reach. Instead, I dreamed of them lovingly waving at me as Edward carried me away on the beach. ~*!*~

Chapter Eleven ~ Crash Into Me "You've got your ball, You've got your chain Tied to me tight, tie me up again. Who's got their claws In you my friend? Into your heart I'll beat again Sweet like candy to my soul Sweet you rock, And sweet you roll Lost for you, I'm so lost for you Oh, and you come crash into me And I come into you And I come into you In a boy's dream In a boy's dream Touch your lips just so I know In your eyes, love, it glows so I'm bare-boned and crazy... for you. --Crash Into Me - Dave Matthews Band EPOV "Happy Birthday to You!" The last chorus of Bella's birthday song rang out in the room. I couldn't believe this day had finally come. It was midnight on September thirteenth, meaning my babydoll was officially twenty four years old. Bella and I would be leaving for Italy in two hours. Of course Alice couldn't let Bella's birthday go by without a fuss, so she set up this surprise party. She'd driven Jaz and I crazy for days trying to find out all Bella's likes and dislikes. Ali was a pesky little pixie but she knew her shit.

We were all in Eleazar and Carmen's restaurant, which had been closed for the night and decorated with a bunch of sparkly lights and other feminine shit. There were all kinds of appetizers and main dishes set out on linen covered tables. There was also expensive wine and champagne, which I picked out. I couldn't complain because Bella had squealed and crushed Alice and Esme when she saw the room. Felix, Demetri, and Chanel were all there celebrating with us. They were quite fond of Bella, so Alice made sure to invite them. Carlisle, Emmett, and Rosalie were also there for the festivities. Keeping the party a surprise had proven difficult. The closer that we got to her birthday, the more Bella insisted that we keep it simple. She had no idea we'd be leaving for Italy tonight. She was going to find out when she opened her second gift. Once again, my awesome little sis had taken it upon herself to help my pathetic ass out. She had found out all my babydoll's sizes and gotten her a whole vacation wardrobe. The only thing I had done was give Ali my black card and let her go wild. I knew how much Alice liked to spend, but money was no object when it came to my family or my babydoll. Personally, I couldn't wait for the party to be over so I could have my Bella to myself. I had snooped a little and seen some of the lingerie and bikinis Alice picked out for her. That day, I had gotten so hard that I attacked her damn near five times. Just thinking about her sweet mouth sucking me off in my office made me hard as stone again. To stop my erotic musings, I picked up a chocolate dipped cannoli and took a bite. I chewed as I watched her dance with her brother. She looked beyond beautiful tonight, with all the lights illuminating the reds and golds in her hair. Her creamy skin shone with a soft glow that made her eyes appear luminous. Alice picked out the dress under the guise that we were just going to have an intimate dinner. Bella was wearing a navy blue silk cocktail dress with an empire waist that drew attention to her perfect breasts. The fact that this angelic creature wanted me was fucking astounding. I had never done anything in my goddamn life to deserve such a miracle. After the music ended, Jasper and Bella broke apart. Esme came to the front to tell everyone that it was time for the gift giving. My babydoll was blushing and stammering about how she couldn't accept gifts. She should have known by now that we didn't give a fuck. She was special to all of us, and she deserved to have the best. She glanced over at me, her eyes pleading for me to rescue her. I just held up my hands and winked. I would not face the scary ass wrath of my mother and Alice for anyone, including my babydoll. Alice made Bella sit in a chair that was decorated like a Queen's throne. The gift giving started with Felix, who looked almost as nervous as Bella. I was finding out that he was more sensitive when it came to women. Rose, Chanel, Esme, and Alice had been in a circle talking to him all night. It was almost comical to see that huge fucker turn into a pansy ass, but I couldn't talk because now, I was just as pussy whipped as the motherfuckers I used to make fun of. Bella completely owned my ass, and I wouldn't have it any other way. She unwrapped Felix's gift first. Inside was the one of the thickest motherfucking books I'd ever seen in my life. She squealed and bounced over to hug him. I was a little jealous, but I used one of my anger management techniques to keep my cool. The next person to hand over her gift was Chanel. Her gift was a gorgeous black lace corset and matching panties. Bella blushed before going over to hug and thank her. I heard a few fucking cat calls from Emmett and Demetri, which stopped when I gave them the death eye. I would be the only fucker here to ever see my babydoll in that getup.

Eleazar and Carmen gave Bella one of the paintings she admired the day we'd eaten lunch here. It was painted by Carmen, who was an established artist. Bella wrapped her arms around both of them, smiling brightly. Demetri's turn was next. He handed over a large gift bag with a huge black leather purse inside. I heard all the women except Bella gasp, so I assumed that it was one of those fucking designer deals. She looked confused because she didn't know about shit like that, but she hugged and thanked the fucker anyway. He got caught up in the hug and kissed her on the cheek. I saw fucking red. I was just about to slam my fist in his face when Jasper put a heavy arm on my shoulder and shook his head. I inhaled and exhaled until I was able to calm the fuck down. My mom and Carlisle's gift was a joint affair. Esme handed Bella a pristinely wrapped silver box. Bella opened it up and leaped over to my parents before I could see what was inside. She started talking about making pastries, so I assumed it was some kind of kitchen item. Whatever it was, my babydoll loved it, and I would get to eat whatever she made with the machine. Em and Rose were up next. Like Mom and Carlisle, they gave the gift as a couple. Bella opened the large box they handed over. Inside was a large brown Velour teddy bear with a box tied around his neck that contained gift cards to various stores. Bella bounced over to hug and kiss Rosie and Em. She gave the bear a huge squeeze before going onto the next gift. It was Alice and Jasper's turn. They had decided to give her two separate gifts because Jasper was Bella's brother. She opened Alice's first, which of course was the most perfectly wrapped fucking gift of all. Inside the packaging was a strapless midnight blue floor length gown with a black bow around the waist and matching lingerie. I could already tell that it was going to look fucking amazing on my babydoll. I was going to have a blast peeling those silk panties off of Bella's sweet ass. She thanked Ali by kissing and squeezing her simultaneously. Jasper stopped to make a speech about how he had seen Bella grow up over the years and how proud he was that she was his sister. All the women in the room were in tears during the whole fucking thing. When he managed to man up a little, he presented Bella with her gift. She kissed him on the cheek before opening it. The box he handed her contained a beautiful heart shaped keychain with keys already on it. He explained that they were the keys to his and Bella's new condominium apartment. He also gave her a gorgeous sterling silver bracelet which she could wear her swan necklace charm on. Ali and Esme interrupted to tell her of how they had decorated the whole place and it was almost ready to move in. Bella looked overwhelmed, but she managed to hug Jasper. Their new apartment was in my building. My babydoll didn't want to live with me yet, which made me fucking angry, but she explained that she was used to living with Jaz and didn't want to give that up. Their three bedroom condo was just a floor below my Penthouse suite, and their only neighbor was Alice. Jaz would probably be spending most of his time with Ali, so I would have Bella to myself. I couldn't wait for her to be under my fucking roof. The personal bodyguard wouldn't have to watch her so much when she moved in because my building was very secure. Bella had only been to my penthouse once. She was a little floored by the opulence of the building and particularly my condo. I wanted her to take over and make it hers so that she would feel more comfortable there. I walked over to Bella and pulled her into my arms. She giggled and looked up at me with her beautiful doe eyes sparkling with excitement. "My turn," I whispered in her ear. She started to argue about the cabin in Forks being my gift to her, but I cut her off. I was the one that should be thanking her for that little trip. Bella had pleasured me in every

way that was possible while still remaining a virgin. I planned on going back to Bella's hometown at least once a year. Before I presented my gift to her, I wanted to make a toast. Everyone raised their glass while I spoke. "Bella, you have made me happier than I ever thought possible. You've put up with my bullshit all the while loving me and making me a better person. I love you so goddamn much, Isabella Marie Swan, and I always will. Happy birthday to you, and many more by my side." Bella kissed me long and hard in front of everyone. I could see my mom tearing up and burying her face in Carlisle's shoulder. I finally released her to go over and get my gift. It had been wrapped by Alice because I couldn't do that type of shit. Bella opened the medium sized box and I heard a collective gasp. Inside was a distinctive blue Tiffany's box. She slanted her eyes at me before opening the box. It contained a Jubilee necklace with sapphires, her birthstone, and diamonds. That fucking necklace cost over one hundred thousand dollars, but I was betting on Bella not knowing anything about jewelry. Alice knew, though; she winked at me and clapped her hands. My babydoll was fucking tongue tied. "Edward… I don't… um… how much…are they real?" I walked over and kissed her, lifting up her hair so I could remove the swan necklace and put mine on. I leaned in to kiss her neck. When I turned her around, I felt a lump rise in my throat. She was breathtaking. She smiled up at me shyly, blushing a bright pink. "Thank you Edward. I love you, but you know you don't have to buy me expensive things. Just you loving me is all I'll ever need." We kissed like there was no one else in the room until Jasper told me to cut it out. He put up with our relationship, but didn't like seeing his sis in intimate PDA. I was the same about Ali, so I reluctantly pulled away. Since the gift giving was over, Alice took over and started putting birthday cake on glass saucers. We had chosen Bella's favorite: chocolate butter cream. She sat in my lap while I fed her. I kept putting icing on her chest and neck so I could lick it off. She put some on my nose and kissed it off. I loved being young and playful with my babydoll. We eventually managed to disentangle ourselves long enough to chat with the rest of the party goers. When everyone was done eating, I announced my second gift to Bella. She was so shocked that she almost dropped her glass of champagne. Before she could protest, I presented her with a passport and an Italian vacation guide book. She looked confused for a moment before she gasped. "Edward, you're taking me to Italy? I've never been out of the country. How did you get this passport? When are we leaving?" I shut her up with a kiss. "We're leaving in thirty minutes. Ali packed enough clothes for a lifetime and we'll be gone a week. I have 'connections' that can make documents in a rush, and before you argue, it's perfectly legal." Her face was torn between excitement and anger. "Please, Bella. This is kind of a gift for both of us. I want to go away with you. I love you. Don't deny me this." She studied me long and hard before nodding. I picked her up and swung her around because I was so fucking happy.

Bella wanted to say her goodbyes so I put her down. I called my pilot to make sure the private jet was ready at the runway. Then, I went over and spoke to Jasper. He assured me that he could handle the club. He also told me that I better bring his baby sis back the way she left. I couldn't exactly agree to that because I was planning on taking her virginity, so I just hmmed and changed the subject. I was getting fucking impatient as I watched my babydoll talk to Esme and Carlisle. I wanted to go already. I had waited long enough to be inside her tight little pussy. Just as I was about to grab her and run, Alice walked over, taking Bella's hand and leading her upstairs. Jasper walked over to explain that Alice was going to get her dressed for the plane ride. I just hoped my sister wouldn't take as long as she usually did. I talked with Carlisle and my mom while I waited for Bella. My mom was almost as excited as I was about this trip. She and Dr. Cullen went to Italy at least four times a year, and my whole family has been. Finally, Alice finished with Bella and led her down the stairs. I was more than happy to see my babydoll in a lovely yellow tunic with black tights. Her hair had been put up but there were curls hanging loose. With the colors and her hair like that, she looked like a teenager. I hoped no one would think I was some dirty old fucker traveling with his much younger plaything. I kissed Bella and led her outside to our waiting Bentley. I had already loaded all of her gifts except the teddy bear and kitchen shit in the back. Jasper and Ali were going to take those to the new condo, which would be ready by the time we got back. My babydoll was waving goodbye like she was never going to see them again. Once in the car I pulled her into my lap and started nibbling on her ears. Because she drank so much champagne, she was a little tipsy. Bella rarely imbibed, so her system wasn't used to it. "Babydoll, I can't wait to show you my second favorite country. You're going to love Italy. We're going to have so much fun. That is if we ever get out of bed." Her body stiffened and she stopped making eye contact. I put my thumb under her chin and turned her around. I was fucking scared that she was shutting down on me. Her beautiful chocolate eyes bore into mine. "I love you Edward. It's just I'm scared." I wrapped my arms around her while she sobbed. What the fuck? I rubbed her back in silent encouragement. "What if you get tired of me after we have sex? What if I disappoint you and you end up hating me?" I couldn't fucking believe that she was even considering that shit. I was the fuckup, the one that could disappoint. She was fucking perfect. "Babydoll, I'm never going to leave you. You never have and never will disappoint me. I know I have a fucked up past with women, but what we have is different. You have to trust me when I say I will truly love you forever." Bella perked up at my words. She fisted her hands in my hair and kissed me harshly. I was so fucking turned on that I didn't notice the car had stopped. The driver was standing at my door trying to give us a minute. I was trying to pry my babydoll off but her hands were working magic on my cock and I was fucking hard as a rock. Unfortunately she too noticed that we were there and let go of me. I straightened my pants and tie and stepped out. I grabbed Bella's hand and pulled her out behind me. She blushed a deep shade of pink. I ignored the driver and leaned in to lick her cheeks. Our chauffeur had manners and pretended like he didn't notice.

I hoisted Bella on my back to carry her the short distance. She gasped when she got a look at the jet. "Wow! Are we really flying in that?" I nodded and put her down so she could walk up the stairs. When we got on the plane, she studied all our surroundings. It was a luxury jet, so it was furnished comfortably and even had a bedroom with a King sized bed. Bella sat down in one of the overstuffed reclining seats. I took the seat opposite her. We both buckled our seatbelts before takeoff. The pilot came back to chat with us and even gave my babydoll a pair of gold wings. She thanked him and put them in her new purse. Thirty minutes later we were up in the air. Flying made my babydoll nervous, so I held her hand tightly. Soon after that, we were high enough to move around. I wasted no time in carrying her to the bedroom. Our hands were all over each other. She was tired, so I just fingered her until she came. She fell into a deep sleep soon after. I took off her tunic and tights and folded them. I made sure she was comfortable under the comforter before going back out front to take care of some business. Fallout from my beating of that motherfucker James had already begun. His father, Stephan, was livid when he saw his son. He already hated the Italians, and my pummeling James had only facilitated his anger. To top it off, we had gotten a tip that the Russians were working with a rival Italian Mafia group to take over our gun trade. Currently guns were the Volturi's biggest money maker because of the assault weapons ban. The government should have learned by now that putting a ban on anything just makes people want more. Stephan hated the power that Marcus and Caius have in the Underworld. He wanted to become a major power player and he thought he can do that by making my Organization look weak. Eleazar and I had to recount our story to the Volturi. Of course, Marcus and Caius backed us up because they would do the same if someone touched their women. James, on the other hand, told his father a different tale. He made up a lie about Bella being a whore and coming on to him to make me jealous. When I found out about that, I almost went to kill him, before I remembered my promise to my babydoll. The Volturi and the Boston Irish Organization, led by my good friend Liam, got tired of Stephan's coup de tats and James' fuckups. We were all ready to take them out. It seemed that my babydoll was not the first woman James had fucking manhandled. Liam's daughter, Maggie, was also subjected to his unwanted advances. He barely escaped with his life when Liam's wife, Siobhan, found out and told her husband. I was just glad that we would have reinforcements when we removed Stephan from power. I was going to personally enjoy ruining James' life. I worked hard to keep all that bullshit away from my babydoll. Just because she knew I was a fucking mobster didn't mean I went around showing off. I had beefed up security on all my family, and my personal bodyguard still followed Bella when she was out alone. Sometimes I wished I had never met her, because I was so goddamned frightened that she was going to suffer for my sins. If something happened to her, I would lie down and fucking die. When I checked my iPhone, I noticed a voicemail from Marcus. I decided that I might as well call him, so I could enjoy the vacation and focus on Bella. He answered after two rings. "Hello, Edward. How are you and my future goddaughter doing? Did she get my gift?" I smiled when Marcus called her his future goddaughter. He and Caius both sent gifts last week.

"My babydoll doesn't really like presents so she's a little overwhelmed at the moment. I will give her your gifts when we return from Italy." He chuckled and asked me about the rest of my family. I assured him that they were all well. "Son, don't worry about the Russians, Stephan and James have angered many in their own group. Those people are willing to look the other way should something happen. I was just calling to tell you to be careful and enjoy your holiday. Also, don't forget to show Bella the wine vineyards." I assured him that I would and then hung up. Marcus had always been like a father to me and I trusted him with my life. "Edward." I turned around to see Bella yawning. She was wearing one of my t-shirts and she looked fuckworthy. My balls were going to kill me for my decision to wait. "Hey babydoll, come here." She walked over and sat in my lap. I closed my laptop and put my phone away. She buried her head in my neck and went back to sleep. I didn't know what had woken her up, but I was here to protect her when she needed me. I carried her back to the bed and tucked her into my chest. I sat there a long time, just listening to her breathe and mumble in her sleep. After I heard my favorite words, 'love Edward,' I found my slumber. I awoke to find that we were already in Tuscany. Bella was freshly showered and dressed in a lovely blue and white sundress with white sandals. She was sitting at the vanity brushing her hair. The moment she noticed that I was awake; she bounded over and thoroughly kissed me. I twisted my fingers in her hair and pulled her closer to me. She released my tongue so we could talk. "Mmhh, Edward, you taste amazing. I love you." I smiled and squeezed her ass. My dick could write a million poems about her tight plump ass. I went to the bathroom to shower and get dressed. I put on a fresh short sleeved Polo shirt and a pair of blue slacks so that Bella and I would match. She came in to run her fingers through my hair, and my look was complete. Eventually, the plane landed and we got into our waiting Rolls Royce. Bella looked out the window the whole time, pointing and asking questions about the various structures. I really wanted to be all engrossed and shit, but fuck, I was horny. All I could think about was that in less than twenty four hours, I would be inside Bella. I was planning to take her to see some sights and to the other villages, but that would be after we made love. I glanced over to see her smile at a passing child. He was holding a balloon and his mother's hand but he stopped to wave at my babydoll. She beamed and if I thought she was beautiful before, she was a goddess now. Everything about her drew me in, and I wanted to drown in her love and beauty. The strap on her sundress slipped down and I leaned over to kiss her shoulder. She took my hand and kissed my palm. She's my fucking center; with her I am complete. We arrived at the gates to the villa. It was on the outskirts of Florence with a view of River Arno. I heard Bella gasp loudly. "It's so beautiful, Edward. Thank you." I kissed her neck. The car stopped in the long driveway in front. I let Bella out of the car. She was still very shocked and almost fell before I caught her. A butler in white formal wear opened the door for us. "Buongiorno," he said in a friendly voice. My babydoll was enthralled. Her doe eyes lit up like fireflies as she turned around in circles. I wrapped

my arms around her waist and guided her around. I made sure that the maids knew to set up her wardrobe in our room. I showed Bella the various rooms of the villa. Most were done in reds, golds, and deep blues and purples, which were the colors of my ancestors. She especially liked our master bedroom, which had deep blue silk bedding and intricate gold Italian decals on the walls. The bathrooms had Jacuzzi tubs and double sinks. Every room had different art pieces. My babydoll fucking moaned when she saw the stacked library. I hoped I wouldn't have to drag her ass out of there every day while on vacation. "Edward, it's all so beautiful. I don't want to touch anything because it's perfect." I glanced over to see Bella hovering by a beige chaise lounge. "You deserve nothing but the best, babydoll. This won't be the last time we come here. This villa was left to me by my father. It belongs to you too now." She looked taken aback. "I couldn't… it's yours… thanks?" I laughed at how flustered she could become when given gifts. Walking over to my babydoll, I decided I had to let her know how I felt. "Everything I own belongs to you. Don't ever feel like you owe me anything." She kissed me chastely before letting me go. Outside was a huge pool that had a man made waterfall that my babydoll would look perfect under. She bit her lip and looked over at me. "Will you go for a swim with me sometime?" Bella in a bikini equals hell yeah. I nodded my head enthusiastically. She laughed at me as I led her to the living room. "Bella, tonight I'm taking you out to the opera. The dress Alice got for you would be perfect to wear." She looked super excited. Personally, I wasn't into that whole whiny ass opera shit outside of the music, but tonight was all about her. This would be an experience she would never forget. She bounced into my lap with a million questions."Which opera house? What are we going to see? Is dinner before or after? Should I wear my hair up or down?" I rubbed her upper thigh to calm her down."We're going to the Teatro della Pergola; it's supposed to be the oldest one in Italy. We will be seeing an update of Puccini's "La Bohème." Dinner is after, and text Alice to ask about your hair." She clapped her hands and sprinkled kisses all over my face. I spoke to the maids briefly in Italian giving them instructions to help Bella prepare for tonight. They led her upstairs so she could get ready. I made sure that everything had been done to my specifics. The old butler, Marcello, had been with us for years, he was a whiz at his job. I greeted him in Italian and thanked him for doing such a great job. All the help were to be gone when Bella and I returned, leaving us completely alone until I gave the word for them to come back. I wanted my babydoll to not have any inhibitions when screaming my name tonight. My suit was pressed and set out in one of the guest rooms. I took a long shower because I was fucking hard again and needed to rub one out so that I wouldn't molest Bella in public. My fucking cock hadn't

listened to my brain in ages. I came hard imagining my babydoll's perfect mouth on my dick. I took more time than usual getting ready because it was a special occasion. I chose a tailored black Gucci suit with a pressed white shirt. I added my Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks cuff links. I chose a gunmetal silk tie that Alice bought for me during one of her shopping jaunts. For shoes I went with Italian leather loafers. I looked fucking fine, if I'd say so myself. Tinkling laughter reached me as I waited at the base of the stairs. I looked up to see a vision of beauty that should have been painted and kept in a museum for all time. Bella was wearing that midnight silk dress. Her hair was done in an intricately braided updo with sparkly silver hair clips spread throughout. She was wearing the Jubilee necklace I bought her for her birthday and no other jewelry. Her porcelain skin was lightly flushed and had been brushed with some kind of sparkle. Her eyes were lined to make them appear even larger. On her lips was a pinkish lipstick that matched her blush. As I stood there dumbfounded, a maid led her safely down the stairs and kissed her cheek. I heard Bella say 'thank you' and then we were alone. I couldn't think of one single fucking thing to say. I had heard the term breathtaking, but she was beyond that. I must have worried her because she began to fidget. "Edward, what's wrong?" The only thing I could do was stand there, smiling like a fucking idiot. Eventually, I got a hold of myself and walked over to take her hand. I kissed her on the neck and she sighed. "You look beyond amazing tonight, babydoll. You took my fucking breath away. I cannot wait to consummate our love." Of course she blushed at my heartfelt words. She had no idea how fucking gorgeous she was, but I had no problem reminding her. We exited the house and got into our chauffeured car. I could barely keep my hands off of my babydoll, but she didn't want to ruin her hair and makeup. The driver dropped us off in front of the theatre before leaving to park. There were lots of couples standing out front talking and shit. One guy accidentally bumped into her. He turned around to say sorry, but then gave a double take. I gave him the finger and pulled her along. I knew the owner of this particular house, so he came out to greet us personally. I introduced him to Bella and practiced my calming skills when he kissed her hand. He led us to my box that was not shared. It was the best seat in the house, and I would have her all to myself. Her eyes were so lit up with so much happiness that she looked like she was going to burst. "This is amazing. Everyone looks gorgeous. I can't wait to show Jasper and everyone else my pictures." I was so enthralled with her that I hadn't realized she had a small digital camera and was taking pictures. "None of these fuckers holds a candle to us. We are the best looking people here tonight." Bella tsked me for being an 'arrogant prick' and continued taking pictures. A waiter came to serve us champagne while another server brought pastries. I took one of each for Bella and me. Not that she needed fucking sugar right now. She was bouncing so much, I almost thought she had been possessed by Alice. One of my personal bodyguards bought over our opera glasses. I had them specially made of gold and mother of pearl. They were another gift for Bella. I handed her set to her, and she leaned over and kissed me in front of him. He just smiled and moved on.

Sadly, some of the patrons felt the need to come over and 'mingle' before the show. One bitch leaned her whole upper body in my face to shake my hand. It looked like she was attempting to fucking breastfeed me. Another bitch was handsy and managed to 'accidentally' brush her fingers against my dick. To my surprise, my babydoll was leaning over and giving them the stink eye. I pulled her closer to me and kissed her because my Bella getting all jealous was fucking hot. It's too bad that the men didn't learn from those bitches. They were like fucking hyenas trying to slobber over Bella's hand. She hadn't removed her long opera gloves, thank God, so she didn't have to be contaminated with their shit. I turned for a minute to give a command to one of my bodyguards. Before I could finish, I heard a shriek and turned around to see some fucker with Bella in his arms kissing her neck. I pulled her roughly from him and handed her to the guard. I kicked the bastard in the balls and ribs hard and spat on him. He was begging in Italian but I wasn't fucking listening. His friends were speaking English trying to get me to let him go. I felt the hand of my guard on my back. He bent down to pickup the fucker and took him outside. I barked a harsh order that no one was to fucking touch us for the rest of the night and had the box secured from visitors. When I turned around, Bella looked fucking stunned. I reached for her, but she backed away. "That was too much, Edward. You seriously hurt him. He was drunk. I'm sure he meant me no harm. You're too violent." I was still pissed off at that asshole, but I wasn't about to let her stand there and defend him. "You are naive as fuck. You really think I was going to sit back and let him touch my fucking property in my face. I don't think so." She looked devastated, and then she did the last thing I expected: she fucking slapped me. I was stunned. "You bastard, you think you can just dress me up and parade me around with all these fancy baubles and then put me on a shelf. I am not your damned property. I'm your girlfriend, and I'm not naïve. I just happen to have a heart, which obviously you don't when it comes to others." She stood up and moved to the last chair in the box, ignoring my pathetic ass. I was such a dumb fuck. No wonder I needed therapy. I had ruined her night by making a scene when I could have dealt with it discreetly. She was right. Clearly, that man hadn't been a real threat. I could have just pulled him off of her, but no, I had to send the poor fuck to the hospital. I wasn't used to feeling this shit. I had never felt remorse for the shit I'd done. My babydoll was fucking changing me whether I wanted to be changed or not. I sat there sulking while Act One started. Knowing my luck, I had lost any chance I had of deflowering her. I wouldn't be surprised if she demanded to go back home after the fucking play. I seriously needed a fucking drink, something stronger than the bubbly shit. By the time intermission rolled around, I had decided to try to make amends. I called my guard over and asked him to do me a favor. I took out my checkbook and wrote a check for ten thousand dollars and told him to deliver it to the guy and to make sure his hospital bill was paid. I didn't know how to say sorry, but in my experience everyone liked money, so I went with what I knew. When I glanced over, I saw that Bella had been listening. She smiled at me softly and mouthed 'I love you.' She gathered her skirts and came to sit in my lap. "Babydoll, I'm so sorry. When it comes to you, I feel very protective. I need you to keep my ass in line and call me on my bullshit. I am working on my

weaknesses in therapy, but it takes time. Please don't go home early just because I was a stupid motherfucker." She kissed the corner of my mouth. "Of course I don't want to go home, Edward. I love you, and tonight we will make love. I guess I just overreacted because I hate to see the weak get beaten by the mighty. Next time, take a minute to think about what you're going to do before you do it. All is forgiven." We spent intermission kissing and feeding each other petite fours. During the rest of the opera, Bella was curled next to me. She started sobbing in the last act, so I held her closer and mumbled sweet words in her ear. I had read the story and seen the opera so I knew what was going to fucking happen. The instruments were beautiful, but I didn't care for the plot. The show ended with everyone giving a standing ovation. After our guard declared it safe, Bella and I went outside to the car. We were driven to one of my favorite restaurants to eat. I had specifically chosen a meal filled with aphrodisiacs. This was not lost on Bella as she swallowed an oyster. "Edward, are you hoping to get lucky tonight?" She fucking winked at me and continued eating. I for one didn't need any help to be in the mood, but I was fucking starving. Bella's cooking was what I wished for, but it would've been an asshole move to ask her to cook while on vacation. I watched as Bella slowly swirled a strawberry in her chocolate fondue. When she put the strawberry in her mouth, I almost had a heart attack. "Fuck, babydoll. You're too damn sexy." She smiled and continued eating. Tonight was a perfect night to test my therapy skills because there were so many fuckers eyeing her that I wanted to pull out an Uzi and do a mass execution. Some dark haired motherfucker two tables away had been looking at her like she was water in the desert. I ignored them all and focused on my goddess. After dinner, we walked a little in downtown Florence. My guards were close without hovering so we would be safe. I bought Bella some things she admired along the way. She insisted on paying me back, but I would never let her. She made sure to get gifts for everyone. Leave it to my babydoll to think of others during her trip. There was another full moon and it was casting shadows on the streets. Bella 'oohed' and 'ahhed' at every fucking thing. It was wonderful to see the city I often visited through new eyes. It was starting to get a little chilly, so I reached down and put my jacket over Bella's dress. She stopped long enough to kiss me before pulling out her camera and taking more pictures. I was the typical pussy whipped motherfucker holding her shopping bags and her clutch. She stopped at a cart to get a little Italian fig cake, which I was all for because figs were another passion food. When I was sure she had seen everything, I led her to our waiting car. She protested at first but stopped when she saw my face. I was in fucking agony. Not only was my dick hard as diamond, but my legs were also fucking killing me. Bella leaned over to kiss me. "Come on, old man, let's get you home." I raised all her skirts until I found her panty covered pussy. I put my thumb over her clit and pressed hard. She let out a moan. "I'm not that old, gorgeous." For the rest of the trip we laughed and teased each other.

When we got back to the villa, we practically ran from the car. The house was empty per my orders. Everything was just as clean as always. I took Bella's hand and led her upstairs. "Wait here, babydoll. I'll be right back,"I said. I went to take off my suit leaving me in my black silk boxers. I put my matching robe on over it. When I returned to the bedroom, Bella was reaching behind her back, trying to unzip her dress. "Let me, sweetheart." I pulled the zipper down, earning a deep moan from Bella. She stood still while I removed her bra and panties. "Feels so good, Edward." I could see the arousal between her thighs. I turned around so I could take off her necklace. Being careful not to drop it, I sat it in a glass jewelry case. Thankfully it was insured just in case. I went to the bathroom to run her a bath. I put lots of the wildflower bath crystals in the tub as well as her strawberry scented bubble bath. I lit candles all around the room until it was bathed in a soft glow. After that, I went back to the room to get Bella. She was sitting on a chair in the corner looking out the balcony windows. She had unplaited her hair so now it hung down her back. I walked over and picked her up. "Tonight is all about you, Bella. We're going to do everything that makes you feel good. If you ever feel uncomfortable and want to stop, we can. There's no pressure." She hummed a song from the opera while I carried her to the tub. After taking off my robe, I set Bella down in the Jacuzzi. She whined when she realized I wasn't joining her. I wanted to hop in, but I knew that if I got in now I would fuck her in the tub and never finish the night the way I planned. I began to kiss her as my fingers found her sopping core. She was moaning and thrashing in the water, getting me wet in the process. She came so violently and quickly that it shocked her. "Christ, Edward! Those aphrodisiacs must really work." I chuckled and continued bathing her. She was so fucking beautiful in the soft candle lighting. I used gentle touches and I even washed her hair. She loved it when I massaged her scalp. She stood so that I could rinse her off with the shower head. Seeing my babydoll so fucking wet and nude almost made my control slip. I picked her up and dried her off with a thick fluffy towel. She purred the whole time. I carried her into the adjoining room. A massage table and the oils she bought in Port Angeles had been set up on a table. "Ooohh, Edward. Are you going to give me a massage? This really is the best night of my life." I kissed her forehead and laid her down on her stomach. I had taken a massage therapy class because in my world there were a lot of fights, and it was good to know how to work out kinks and alleviate pain. I plugged in the Hitachi Magic Wand massager that I bought during our jaunt to the pleasure shop. I had been so fucking impressed that my innocent babydoll wanted to go in that shop. Lots of the items I bought were going to be used on this trip. Bella turned around at the whirring sound of the vibrator. "What's that?" she asked. "Just a massager, babydoll, to assist my hands in making you feel good." She nodded her head and turned back around. I turned off the massager so that I could oil her up. I used some of the apricot kernel oil she

had picked out. I started at her shoulders. She was fucking tense so I had to use pressure to unclench her muscles. She was alternating between sighs, purrs, and moans. By the time, I got to the middle of her back she was humping the fucking table. I kissed the small of her back and continued. Because I'm an ass man, I took extra time to knead and massage her buttocks. I worked out all the kinks in her legs and then messaged the back of her heels. My babydoll was blissed out by the time I finished her back. When I turned her over, she had a dopey grin on her face. Her eyes were unfocused and she was staring at my chest and licking her lips. I leaned down to nibble on a nipple and she grabbed my head. "There will be plenty of time later. Let's finish your massage first." She just stared at me dumbly. I massaged the front of her shoulders working down to her nipples, which I suckled and nipped on until she cried out. I continued to massage down her flat creamy stomach, keeping the pressure light. I kneaded my fingers into her upper thighs working the muscles until they were pliant. I plugged in the Hitachi again and re-massaged all the parts using the machine. Bella's moans grew louder. I put the tip of the Magic Wand on Bella's clit and she fucking screamed as she came. I had to hold her down as she rode her orgasm out. Because I was eager to taste her sweet pussy, I leaned down and licked her until she came again. I inserted one of the Hitachi's attachments inside of her, as far as it would go, to open her up a little. She was bucking and gripping the table. I decided that now was the time, so I picked Bella up and laid her down on the silk sheets. Her eyes were still unfocused and she was shaking a little. I lay down next to her and we began to kiss. I took her bottom lip in my mouth and sucked on it until she gave me her tongue. Our tongues danced together wildly while we clutched at each other. I kissed down her body, flicking her belly button with my tongue. I continued laying open mouthed kisses on Bella's skin until I reached her molten center. She was so wet that my fingers slid in easily. I finger fucked her hard, glorying in the rough groans her sweet mouth was emitting. I felt her walls clench as she came yet again. I climbed back up her body and kissed her passionately. She barely moved because she was still riding her last big O. "Babydoll, I need you now. I'm going to try not to hurt you. I love you." She just nodded her head and kissed me deeply. I reached down to align my cock with Bella's pussy. Tentatively, I pushed the tip in and almost died from the pleasure. Holymotherfuckingchrist! Just putting that small portion inside was setting me on fire. I had never been so worked up during sex in my life. I inhaled and exhaled a few times to calm down. "Edward," I heard Bella's raspy voice call out. "I need you too." Her demand gave me all the reassurance I needed. I started pushing my cock in slowly. With every inch, I heard bells ringing in my head. I had never believed in that shit before, but I sure as hell believed now. When I reached her barrier, I felt her stiffen up. I rubbed circles over her clit and started sucking and licking her neck. She moaned loudly, pulling my hair in the process. "Wrap your legs around me, babydoll." She complied. Finally, I plunged in, breaking her hymen. She screamed. "Fuck, Edward!" I stopped all rational thought. My babydoll never used that fucking word.

Her exclamation went straight to my cock, and I began to thrust in earnest. I slammed into her hard, harder than I should have considering it was her first time. I was fucking possessed. I was chanting over and over again."I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you." This wasn't sex; hell this wasn't even making love. What we were engaged in was a goddamned religious experience. With every thrust of my cock, I felt my soul being cleansed of my sins. I pounded into Bella's extremely tight pussy relentlessly. She was making sounds that I had never heard her make before. She was using all types of profanity. "Shit, fuck harder. Deeper Edward." I was so lost in my own pleasure that I barely registered half of what she said. "Ahhhh, I'm going to come." I felt her muscles clench as she found her release. However, I couldn't stop. I lifted my babydoll's body off the bed and pounded into her harder. I was still mumbling and thrusting like a madman. I was addicted, and this was my motherfucking fix. I gripped her hips and she scratched her nails down my back. The headboard and the walls were shaking with the force of my thrusts. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," I yelled because that was the only word left in my addled brain. I heard a noise that sounded like it belonged on Animal Planet. I was curious where it came from before I recognized it was me. I was fucking growling and snarling like a goddamned animal. I wanted to die in this moment because nothing was ever going to feel as good as being inside Bella like this. I vaguely registered her screaming as she came again. Her arms fell from my shoulders and her body went limp. I pressed her body deep into the bed and continued thrusting. Part of my brain was telling me that I was fucking hurting her, but I wasn't listening. I continued to slide my dick in and out of her slick folds. I was kissing her with such ferocity that her lips started to bleed. The blood only spurred me on more. I licked it off her lips, sticking my tongue inside every crevice of her sweet mouth. I raised her right leg up, holding the ankle with my hand. At this angle, she became even tighter and I slid my throbbing cock in and out over again. I couldn't even say 'fuck' anymore. All I could do was grunt like a pig. Somewhere in my primitive mind, I realized that Bella wasn't fucking moving. I kept thrusting, not wanting to lose the high I was on. Cocaine, heroin, and meth couldn't get me this fucking high, and I would know. I bit down on Bella's shoulder hard, drawing blood. At the same time, my cock went deep in her inner walls and I felt myself start to come. She screamed over and over again, but her sounds were barely heard over my hissing and snarling. I shot load after load after load of hot cum into her tight pussy before bonelessly collapsing on top of her. We must have both passed out because when I came to, I was still crushing her with my weight. "Fuck. I'm sorry babydoll." She was still fucking knocked out and didn't answer. I looked down at her to make sure she was still fucking breathing. I had planned all this shit, yet when the time came, I took her like a fucking john takes a whore. She was probably in so much pain that her body was sleeping so it could heal. I felt like throwing up. I looked around the room. It looked like a goddamned tornado had torn through it. I vaguely remembered tearing into pillows and throwing them around. The sheets and comforter were on the floor. They had claw marks marring the perfect silk. There was a dent in the wall where the brass handled headboard had hit it so hard. All I ever caused was fucking destruction. Finally, I worked up the nerve to look down at

the only woman I ever loved. My babydoll was covered in bluish purple bruises all over her body. She looked like she had been in a goddamned car accident. Her shoulder was still bleeding a little where my teeth marks went deep in the skin. Her lovely neck looked like it had been mauled by a fucking lion. We often joked about me leaving love bites on her, but this was just fucking sick. There couldn't have been love in that shit. I looked away with disgust. Me, who was always so worried about someone else hurting her, when I was the motherfucker that caused her pain. I pulled the sheet further down taking in every injury that I had caused her. There were fucking scratch marks on her upper thighs and pelvic bone. I didn't deserve to live after this shit. There was no way I could face her again. My eye caught the lines of blood between her thighs and I dry heaved. She had given me the most precious gift that a woman had to give, and I'd fucking hurt her. I looked down at my dick to see there was blood on it too. I ran to the bathroom and grabbed a basin, filling it with warm water. Next I grabbed a rag and took everything to the bedroom. Bella still hadn't stirred. She wasn't even mumbling in her sleep, which told me how fucking out of it she had to be. I cleaned off the blood on her neck and in between her legs. I winced when I saw my demon seed mixed with her pure blood. She whimpered a little and that broke what was left of my fucking heart. I covered her back up and went to the bathroom to shower. I stayed in there a long time thinking about what I'd just done. I knew that I was fucked up, and that I should stay away from my babydoll, but I honestly thought I could change. Seeing how I had utterly abused her innocent body showed me that no matter my intention, I was still a fucking monster. I pulled on a pair of boxers and went to the adjoining room to sleep. I hoped Bella would wake up and come in here to kick my ass. I completely deserved it after doing that shit to her. For the first time in a long time, I had nightmares. One began with Esme and the rest of my family looking at me with anger and contempt in their eyes. I followed their gaze to see my babydoll in a fucking casket. They began chanting, "It's all your fault." I ran over and dropped to my knees, not believing my reason to live was gone. There lay Bella as beautiful as ever with her eyes closed for eternity. All of a sudden, her clothes disappeared and I saw her body the way it looked after I fucked her. There was also a gunshot through her heart. She opened her dead brown eyes and looked at me. "How could you Edward? You promised." I woke up with a start. There in the doorway stood the real Bella. Her hair was a tangled mess hanging down her bruised back. She was clutching a sheet to her chest and there were tears running down her cheeks. I tried to walk over to her, but my legs wouldn't work. "You promised." Her voice sounded broken as she limped away. I couldn't follow because she had taken my soul with her. It's only right that the fucking devil should burn in hell for ruining an angel. ~*!*~

Chapter Twelve ~ Crash Into Me Part 2 "You've got your ball, You've got your chain Tied to me tight, tie me up again. Who's got their claws In you my friend? Into your heart I'll beat again Sweet like candy to my soul Sweet you rock, And sweet you roll Lost for you, I'm so lost for you Oh, and you come crash into me And I come into you And I come into you In a boy's dream In a boy's dream Touch your lips just so I know In your eyes, love, it glows so I'm bare-boned and crazy... for you." --Crash In To Me - Dave Matthews Band EPOV You Promised. Those two fucking words had been the death knell in our relationship. I couldn't be here with Bella in the next room. I had to leave, so I dressed quickly and grabbed my keys. The villa had a fleet of cars stored in the garage. I chose a black Maserati Quattroporte and pulled out of the driveway. I called Marcello, the butler, and ordered both he and the staff from last night to stay at the house for the day, and asked him to make sure that Bella ate and had everything she wanted. Next, I called the chauffeur and told him to offer his services to her in case she wanted to explore the city. I peeled out of the gates like a bat out of hell. I had no clue where I was going, but I knew that I would be getting piss ass drunk for most of the day. I drove to a small café in downtown Florence. It was frequented by various Organization members, and illegal goods were smuggled in from the basement. Lots of the Cosa Nostra nodded and welcomed me when I stepped through the door. They still remembered my father and had always shown the utmost respect to me when I visited. I walked over to greet Donato, the owner, and told him what I wanted. He led me to the back and boxed several bottles of Diesel 190 proof and black Sambuca for me to take. He had one of the stock boys carry it all out to my car. I slipped him a gold clip containing several hundred American dollars and shook his hand before leaving. With my liquor in tow, I headed to a small luxury inn where I had taken some bitch the last time that I was in Tuscany. Bella was the only woman, besides family, that I had ever taken to the villa. Just thinking about her caused a deep pain to form in my chest. I pushed the memory of her aside and pulled into the inn's gates. I parked in one of the few coveted parking spaces. Then I grabbed my overnight bag and stuffed it with some of my stash. Inside, I walked up to the reception desk and asked for a suite. The clerk looked like he was about to tell me some bullshit, so I slipped another clip of hundreds across the desk. He led me to their best room,

which had a living area and a bedroom with a huge King sized canopy bed. I gave him a large tip with orders that I was to be left the fuck alone. The fucker actually bowed to me as he was leaving. When the door closed, I stripped down to just my boxers and opened the Diesel. I wasn't even going to fucking bother with glasses; I'd just drink the shit straight out the bottle. The intense burn felt good going down my throat. With every sip, I saw my babydoll's battered and bruised body. I drank to numb the pain that formed every time I thought of her. She probably thought that I was a fucking psychopath because of the way I had used her. Gulp. She was so goddamned sweet and innocent and I ruined her. Gulp. How the fuck was I going to live without sunshine when I had finally adjusted to the light? Gulp. I was so much of a goddamned coward that I couldn't even fucking face her after what I'd done. Gulp. She deserved the fucking best, but she had let my pathetic ass touch her. Gulp. By now, I was so fucked up that I was stuck between the nightmare and the reality. I was half way between alert and passed out. I stumbled off of the bed to grab the bottle of Sambuca. I started drinking the shit like water. I just wanted to fall into unconsciousness so that I wouldn't have to see Bella's bruised body in my mind. In one fucking night I had managed to destroy the only thing that ever mattered to me. There was no way she was going to forgive me for that shit. I would be lucky if she didn't press charges for sexual assault. My brain was beginning to feel fuzzy. I went to the bathroom and heaved up the little that was left in my stomach, and then I went back to the bedroom and drank more Diesel. That shit was strong as fuck, just what I needed. Eventually I passed out. When I came to again, my fucking head was on fire and it was nighttime. According to the clock, I had been out for over 9 hours. My mouth was dry as fuck, so I grabbed my bottle of liquor and continued to drink. I decided to call Marcello to inquire about my babydoll. Just because I couldn't fucking face her, didn't mean I wasn't worried. He picked up on the first ring. "Marcello, I'm just calling to see how Bella is doing." His accented voice sounded sad even to my drunken ears. "She refused to eat, Maestro. The maid, Tazia, has a fondness for the little mistress, and has been trying to coax her out of bed all day. I am worried, Sir. Tazia said she has been lying in bed and sobbing uncontrollably all day. Tazia did finally manage to bathe her and change the sheets, but she's been comatose ever since. We will watch her closely tonight. Will you be home tomorrow, Sir?" My babydoll wasn't fucking eating or moving! I was frantic. She had to be fucking starving after all the energy she burned. Even worse, she was probably in excruciating pain because of her injuries. The fact that she wasn't even in the mood to go to the library told me how bad she must've been feeling. The thought of her crying in that bed where I had fucked her made my fucking chest constrict. I pulled myself together so that I could answer Marcello. "Yes, I'll be home tomorrow. My sincere apologies and thanks to both you and Tazia. I will make sure you all are compensated well for this. Please ask Tazia to keep trying to get Bella to eat. If there are any problems, don't hesitate to call me." I hung up after he promised me that he would do all they could to assist her. Bella was in physical and emotional pain, and I was the cause of it all. I couldn't fucking catch my breath. I felt a torrent of tears leak down my fucking face and I sobbed into the nearest pillow. Never in my goddamned life had I cried like I did at that moment. When there were no tears left, I went back to my fucking liquor. Before long, I was out of it again. I began to see a hazy image of my babydoll sitting on the bed next to me. I apologized to it and rambled on about how much I loved her and how sorry I was.

The hallucination disappeared and I was left alone. I passed out again. I had that same nightmare from before and it was more vivid than ever. I begged for the devil to take my demon soul so that I couldn't hurt my babydoll anymore. When I came to, I was sweating like a fucking animal. The clock said that it was five in the morning. I pulled out my phone and called Sam Uley, my anger management therapist. It was still night in Seattle, so he should be awake. He answered after a couple of rings. "Hello, Dr. Uley speaking. How can I help you?" I could hear his wife laughing in the background. The sound made me think of Bella and my stomach clenched. "Dr. Uley, this is Edward Cullen. I'm sorry to call you, but you said to call anytime day or night. I need your help. I fucked up. I hurt my girlfriend Bella really bad. I feel like doing everyone a favor and fucking offing myself. I have a gun and lots of liquor and…" My fucking voice broke. "Edward, calm down. Listen to me. Go into the bathroom and pour the liquor down the toilet. Stay on the line with me so I can hear the toilet flush." I went into the bathroom and did as he said. Normally I would argue about this shit, but my brain was all kinds of fucked up right then. "Thank you Edward. Is Bella there? Can I talk to her?" I told him about me leaving Bella and coming to the inn to drink. "That's okay. I need you to tell me exactly what happened, but before you do that, I want you to unload your gun and put it away in a drawer." Again I did as I was told. After that was done, I sat back down on the bed. "She was a fucking virgin. I fucked her too hard and hurt her. I saw the fucking bruises, scratches, and blood. I couldn't fucking stop. It was too much; she's in pain." Deep guttural cries came out of my throat. I could feel myself slipping again. "Listen, Edward, get yourself together. Don't be a selfish asshole and hurt her more by killing yourself. You have to go back to the villa and apologize to Bella. She's probably scared and worried sick about you. Don't think about yourself. Face up to what you think you've done and be there for her." He didn't fucking understand. "What I think I've done!" I shouted, throwing his words back at him. "You didn't fucking see her, she was a goddamned mess. She looked like she'd been to combat." I could hear Sam sigh on the other end. "Edward, it may not be as bad as you think. It sounds like you were rough with her, but from what you've told me, Bella loves you and you love her. Don't throw that away on an assumption." Could he be right? Could she really forgive my sorry ass for doing that shit to her? I couldn't hope because the disappointment would kill me. Dr. Uley hung up with me after I promised him that I would sober up and then go home to Bella. I called room service and ordered a pot of strong Italian coffee and some toast. My stomach was fucking burning because it was so empty. My food was delivered in less than ten minutes. I had left instructions to leave the cart outside my door, so I opened it and wheeled the cart in. I drank the coffee black and ate some toast. Immediately, I started to feel better. I had a bottle of painkillers in my bag, so I took two. When I was sober enough, I began to go over Sam's words. He was

right. I should be willing to fight for my babydoll. She was my fucking life and I wasn't going to lose her just because I was an asshole. I slept for a few more hours and then woke up to get dressed. I showered in the large bathroom and put on a fresh set of clothes. Looking at myself in the mirror caused me to grimace. My eyes were bloodshot and I was pale as a fucking ghost. I had a day's stubble on my chin, but my fucking hands were shaking so bad that I didn't want to try to shave. My hair was a bronzy mess as usual. I left the bathroom and ordered a fresh pot of coffee. When I was sure that I was sober, I grabbed my bag and headed for the Maserati. It was especially warm out today, and I thought of all the things I could be doing with Bella. This was her fucking birthday vacation and she was stuck inside because of me. I was going to apologize to her and make sure she was okay. If she wanted me to leave, I would make arrangements and return to Seattle. Jasper and the rest of my family were probably going to kill me, but I deserved it. With a new resolve, I headed back to the villa. The drive over went smoothly. I looked out the window at all the couples on honeymoons and shit, mauling each other in the goddamned street. That should have been me and my babydoll. A grave looking Marcello greeted me at the door. He told me that they had gotten Bella to eat a little breakfast, but she still hadn't left the room. I mustered up every bit of strength I had before going into that bedroom. Through the glass doors stood Bella, looking out over the balcony. Her lustrous mahogany hair was blowing in the soft breeze. She was even wearing one of my blue silk pajama tops. It hung past her uncovered knees and she was barefoot. I could have stayed there and observed her forever. As if she sensed me, she turned around and my fucking heart splintered. Her face was red and puffy, and yet she still had tears falling down her cheeks. Her beautiful doe eyes were dull and lifeless. She was even paler than I was, and there was no flush to her beautiful skin. "Edward. You… you… promised me." Her voice was rough and scratchy. I couldn't go to her, because if I did the last string holding me together would break. It was now or never. "Babydoll, I'm so fucking sorry for what I did to you. I know there's no excuse, but I couldn't control myself. I never meant to hurt you. The bruises… I can understand if you want to press charges or something. I will never forgive myself for fucking you like that. I… I… love you so goddamned much. I'm so very sorry." She was silent. I managed to pull my head up to look at her. She had stopped crying but she looked fucking confused. "What the hell are you talking about, Edward? Why would I press charges against you?" She was really going to make me fucking say it. "I hurt you, babydoll. I was too fucking rough. I saw the injuries. I always knew I was a fucking monster, but I never thought I would hurt you." My legs gave way as I fell to my knees on the Turkish rug. Bella came and sat in front of me. I couldn't bear to look at her so I kept my head lowered. Her scent enveloped me and I cried out. I felt her hand stroke my hair. I wasn't fucking worthy of her touch.

"Oh, Edward, you didn't hurt me. Sure I was sore and there were bruises, but you making love to me was the best moment of my life so far. Do you know how erotic it felt for me to be wanted so much? To know that I could make you feel so much pleasure made me feel invincible. I loved that you lost control and became uninhibited with me. I could feel how much you needed me, and I reveled in that. All the bites, bruises, and scratches were you claiming my body for all of eternity. The only other blood was from my virginity, which I was glad to shed for you. It was my sacrifice to show my complete devotion to you and only you. I loved every minute of our lovemaking. I came so many times that I died and went to heaven in your arms. I don't know if you noticed, but I marked you up too. I don't regret a damn thing. I love you so much, Edward." I didn't move for fear that this was a dream and I would awake soon. Bella's fingers were stroking my hair lovingly. I looked down to see her smiling up at me. Her eyes were lit again and there was a light blush on her cheeks. I reached out and grasped her other hand. "I… I… thought you were angry at me. I promised not to hurt you, but then I did it anyway." She fucking kissed me on the cheek. I didn't deserve her all consuming love. "Edward, I have told you time and time again about making assumptions. Didn't I just say you didn't hurt me? I was angry because when I woke up, I wasn't wrapped in your arms. You were in the other room, so I figured you didn't… want me anymore, even though you promised that you wouldn't get tired of me after we had sex." Fuck. That was what she meant. I was a goddamned idiot. All this time she had only been angry because she thought I abandoned her. A weight was lifted off my chest and I felt like I could breathe again. "I always fucking want you, babydoll. I love you more than words can say. You're the only thing that I can't live without. Don't ever think that I could get tired of you. I'm yours and only yours, forever." I couldn't stand to spend one more second apart, so I pulled her into my arms. We kissed like two drowning souls in a sea. I tangled my hands in her hair and moaned into her mouth. "I love you. I love you," we both chanted between kisses. Bella straddled my hips and pushed me down so that I was lying on the ground. "I don't think I can let you off too easy. I think you need to be punished. I mean, if I let you get away with stuff, how will you ever learn?" She rubbed her silken cheek along my stubbly jaw. "Mmmhhh, I like that. You should not shave more often, Edward." I put my hands on the back of her neck and directed her sweet mouth back to mine. Our tongues tangled together in a lazy dance. I was drunk on the potency of her. She reached up and pulled off her nightshirt. Her gorgeous breasts were bare and her pink nipples puckered eagerly. She leaned down to put one in my mouth. I sucked it into my mouth and savored the sweet taste. She moaned loudly and leaned more into me. I never broke eye contact as I took her other breast in my mouth. "Edward!"

I was obviously not the only one enjoying our play. I nipped her lightly as I continued to suckle her like a madman. "You are so delicious, babydoll. I won't ever get enough." She crushed her lips to mine again as we sucked in each other's breaths. I broke our kiss so I could take my clothes off. Bella did the honors of taking off my boxers. She stared at me while she slowly stroked my cock. "Lie back down on the floor, Edward." I did as I was fucking told because I was hers to command. She went over to closet and grabbed something out of her purse. My eyes bugged out when I saw what she was holding. She saw me gawking and winked. "I have been carrying these with me since that night. I was hoping I would get a repeat performance." In her hands were those fucking fluffy handcuffs that we used the night she gave me a lapdance. If possible, my already engorged cock got even larger. My babydoll sat down on the floor again. "Sit up so I can put these on, and then lie back down." I followed her orders. I felt the cuffs go around my wrists as she licked the back of my neck. I shivered from the sensation. When she finished, she came back around and straddled my hips. "Time for your punishment, big boy. I'm only doing it because I love you." God, I fucking loved it when my little tigress came out to play. I wanted to touch her but she was in control, so I let her do what she wanted. She trailed kisses down my chest until she reached my abdomen. I felt her tongue lick the V in my hips. I moaned out loud. "Fuck, you're going to kill me." She didn't stop until her tongue made contact with my shaft. She sucked me down her throat like I was her life's sustenance. I struggled to hold on as she obliterated my senses. Suddenly, she stopped and crawled back up my body. I looked down to see her core leaking wetness. There was a contented smile on her mouth. She was looking directly in my eyes as she licked her lips. She put her hand on my throbbing cock and stroked me softly. I dropped my head back on the rug. I was humping thin air in the attempt to get my dick where it most wanted to be. Heat emanated around my cock, and I felt Bella's honeyed center sliding down. She wouldn't put it in. She just kept sliding over me, making my cock brush against her pussy. Her hands were flat on my chest. I watched how her beautiful hair swirled around her body as she kept up her glorious torture. If she kept moving, I was going to fucking explode. "Fuck! Fuck! Please… please… babydoll. I need you to put my cock inside of you." Her eyes had been closed but now she opened them wide and a low moan came out of her throat. She had reached her orgasm and was panting hard. Her nails clawed into my chest as she crested. When she could move again, she took my cock and carefully guided it to her entrance. She took me in a little at a time. She would lower herself and then rise up a little until she got used to the size. Both our breaths were coming in short gasps. My handcuffed hands were digging into the carpet. I wanted to slam into her so fucking bad.

Finally, my dick was full encased in her warmth. She was just as tight and hot as I remembered. She leaned down and kissed me. Her nipples were pressed hard against my chest. I kissed around her mouth until I reached her neck. I was gentle because she was still bruised from our last session. "I love you, Edward." Those sweet words that I thought I would never hear. I thrust into her and she whined loudly. Because of her earlier revelation, I was no longer afraid of hurting her. She sat up and started riding my cock. I licked my lips so that I could savor her taste. She went slowly at first, but then she started getting into it. She rode me with abandon. Her eyes were closed again and she was humming. The only sound that could be heard was our sweaty bodies slapping together. This is what I craved. Here and now, I wasn't Edward Cullen. I wasn't a fucking mobster. I was just a man making love to his woman. My throbbing cock was stretching my babydoll to the hilt. She was crying out with every stroke. She maneuvered her body so that her hands were on either side of my head. She continued to ride me hard. I met her thrust for thrust. She opened her eyes and looked me deep in the eyes. I gazed at her, hoping she could see that my soul belonged to her now. She screamed, crushing her lips to mine. Her walls clenched and my cock exploded. I came so hard that I could only see flickering colors. Her body crushed mine as we laid there trying to catch our breath. My wrists would be fucking sore later, but right now I couldn't feel them. The only thing I could feel was my dick still buried deep in her sweet pussy. I would never move again if it meant I could stay in this blissful state forever. Bella kissed the base of my throat, causing my pulse to speed up. All I could smell was strawberries. We stayed like that for a long time. I had almost fallen asleep when she stirred and reached down to disconnect us. I groaned at the feel of the cool air on my cock. I wanted to be back inside of her. She pulled me up to remove the handcuffs. Her smooth lips ghosted over my hands. "Are you okay? Your wrists are a little red." I pulled my hands in front of me and worked out the kinks. I twisted a finger in a tendril of her hair pulling her closer. "I love you." She fucking blushed. "I love you, too." We sat there with cheesy grins on our faces, just touching each other. Eventually, I managed to stand and lead her over to the bed. I flexed my back to get some circulation flowing. We crawled in, and her head immediately went to my chest again. She played with my nipple a little before her hand stilled over my heart. Her breaths were coming slowly and regularly, so I knew she had fallen asleep. I looked down at my angel, and a warm feeling spread through my entire body. I stroked her hair and kissed her forehead, reveling in the feeling of being loved. Hearing her mumble in her sleep made me fucking buoyant. She murmured my favorite words as I found my slumber. We spent the rest of the afternoon in bed exploring each others bodies. We licked and stroked every inch of skin between us. Our breathless moans became one. Our hearts beat together. I plunged into Bella and she cried out. She scratched her nails down my back as I thrust inside of her over and over again.

"More," she moaned. I complied by putting her legs over my shoulder and embedding my dick in her wetness. Her walls clenched as she came. I pounded into her while she had another orgasm before reaching my release. Slowly, we kissed while still moving our joined hips. I lowered her legs and settled them on my hips. My cock started to harden again. Lazily, we rode each other to another climax. As we kissed, my babydoll harshly tugged my hair. I would've probably had a headache because of the strength she was using, but I couldn't stop her. We bruised each others lips with the force of our kisses. Neither one of us could get enough. We were no longer making love; we had ascended to a higher plane where our souls danced together. I couldn't tell where she ended and I began. We were one fucking being. We were equals in our love and need for one another. When I couldn't take any more rapture, I reached down and removed my dick from Bella. She whimpered with the loss and I immediately kissed her. I got up to use the intercom. I ordered Marcello to have the maid deliver a tray of food and leave it outside of our door. I told him that he and Tazia could leave after that. He had a slight chuckle in his voice, which I'm sure is because he heard us. We had made so much goddamned noise that we could probably be heard in Milan. I turned around to ask Bella what she wanted to eat. "I want a big bowl of spaghetti bolognaise, salad, and garlic bread." I ordered the same with a few added extras. I went into the adjoining room, which had a bar with a mini fridge, and grabbed two Godiva bars. My babydoll's eyes lit up when she saw what I was carrying. I held them both behind my back. She pouted and held out her hand. "Gimmie one, Edward." I teased her for a few minutes before opening it and putting a piece it into her mouth. She let out a guttural moan when the chocolate hit her tongue. "Yum, that tastes almost as good as you do." My cock jumped in response. I looked down at it. "Down boy, no fraternizing with the enemy. She's trying to kill us." Bella laughed and took another bite. She was so hungry that she ate her whole bar and half of mine. "Greedy little minx," I said, tickling her sides. She stuck her tongue out and I claimed it. We kissed for a minute before she pushed me away. "Edward, I can't take anymore either. I'm not even sure I can walk." I smirked and started whistling. She slapped me on the chest while mumbling 'cocky prick.' Bella wanted to watch a movie, so I turned on the mounted HDTV and gave her the remote so that she could pick. I couldn't tell what we were watching because I was sucking on her tits the whole time. After awhile, she got tired of fighting me off and went to put on a t-shirt. I scowled at her before going to the dresser to get a pair of boxers. When I got back to bed, she took my head in her hands. "Later, Edward. We have all the time in the world." I kissed her cheek before snuggling in to watch TV.

There was a knock on the door letting us know dinner was ready. I went out to the hallway and rolled in the cart. There was a reclining couch with a coffee table in front of it in the corner. Bella came over to help me set the food on the long table. We pulled out couch cushions and sat on the floor to eat. We were both fucking starving, so everything tasted extra good. I practically inhaled my fucking pasta, getting red sauce all over my chest. My babydoll, on the other hand, managed to not get one fucking drop on her t-shirt. I looked at her disbelievingly and she smirked. Since she was so much smaller than me, it didn't take long before she was full. I watched her eat her third piece of garlic bread and sigh. "I'm done, Edward. That was delicious." I continued eating while she lay on the floor with her hand on her stomach. I went over to the cart and retrieved the strawberry cheesecake that I'd requested. Bella somehow managed to find room to eat that. By the time the sun started to set, we had desecrated the cart. I felt full and happy. Bella's head was resting on my thigh and she had a small smile on her lips. I reached down and caressed her cheek. "I'm sorry, babydoll. We missed a whole fucking day of sightseeing because of me being an idiot. I promise we can do anything you want for the rest of the trip." She turned her head and kissed my fingers. "There's nothing I'd rather do than stay right in this room with you. I love you, Edward." I tickled her sides. "Liar. You're such a little bookworm, and there are lots of antique bookstores in the city. I know you want to explore, but thanks for stroking my ego." She kicked her legs and laughed harder. We wrestled on the floor for a bit before going to take a shower. The warm water felt wonderful to my sensitized skin. Bella bathed my front and back, paying special attention to my cock. We stayed under the massaging spray until our skin started to wrinkle. She really couldn't walk, so I carried her. I took her to the adjoining room and massaged her until her leg muscles were pliant again. After that, she felt so good that she bounced around getting dressed. She ended up choosing a pretty black and white pleated sundress with a matching black cardigan. I put her necklace around her neck. She brushed her hair and left it loose. She was beyond beautiful. Because I'm so pussy whipped now, I let her choose my outfit, which consisted of a pair of pleated black pants and a light white V-neck pullover. I wrapped my arm around her and led her to the mirror. We looked fucking perfect together. My natural arrogance was balanced out by her innate kindness. She smiled at our reflections. "We do make a good-looking couple. I wonder if our kids will look more like you or me or a mix of us both." The thought of shitmakers still slightly freaked me out, so I didn't answer. "Where would you like to go tonight? We can do anything you want." She turned around and kissed me on the lips. "Don't think I didn't notice how you changed the subject,

mister, but I'll let it slide for now. I would like to go to one of those bookstores, since I'm such a nerd." I nipped at her lips. "I called you a bookworm, not a nerd. Either way, you're sexy as hell." She squeezed my ass before pushing me away. "Good save, Cullen." She squealed with delight as I hoisted her onto my back and sped down the stairs. I decided to take the Maserati again. Bella liked it because the seats were comfortable. Once again, she had no clue she was in one of the best vehicles in the world. She relentlessly teased me during the whole trip. When we stopped, she clutched my hand and looked over at me. "Not that it's any of my business, but what did you do today?" I wanted to fucking lie to her, but I couldn't. "I got fucked up on liquor and had hallucinations of you. I'm sorry, babydoll. I talked to my therapist and he brought me around. I'm going to stop drinking so much. You deserve better." Her eyes were sad as she stroked my fingers. "Edward, you can talk to me about anything. I know you think I can't handle certain things, but I can. I'm not as fragile as you think. I'm here for you always. You don't have to turn to liquor or drugs. I love all of you, not just the easy parts." After that, I broke down and told her everything: about James, the Russians, and the problems with the smuggling. The only thing I didn't tell her about was the secret guard I paid to follow her. She stroked my cheek as she listened. To my utter amazement, she had some good ideas about how to catch whoever was selling in HADES without permission. She wasn't happy about learning what was planned for Stephan and James, but she understood. I had never been this fucking honest with anyone in my life. When we were done talking, Bella was no longer just my girlfriend, she was my partner. We spent the night exploring some of Florence's oldest bookstores. I bought Bella a first edition of a poetry book by Metastasio, which made her go into hysterics. I was almost afraid I would have to slap her get her to calm down. My trunk was weighed down with her classics as well as some modern literature by the time we got to the next shop. I must admit, my babydoll had good taste. Every now and then, she would read a passage from one of her books. It would make me feel like the author had been talking directly to me. She didn't have my photographic memory, but she was smart as fuck. I was so goddamned proud to have her as my girlfriend. I felt like I would burst with my love for her. Unfortunately, the bookseller at the next store was young and good looking. I held Bella's hip as they both gushed over some thick ass Philosophy book. I just stood there and mean mugged all the other men that dared to look at my babydoll. At one point, book guy got too close to her. I was about to make a threat until a man waltzed in the store and kissed him passionately on the lips. He introduced Bella and me to his boyfriend. I had no problems with him after that, but I heard some of the ladies mumbling about how all the good ones were either taken or gay. I just smirked and kissed the top of my babydoll's head. I was definitely taken. When we got back to the car, Bella was glancing over at me and giggling. I looked in the mirror and didn't see anything wrong.

"What?" She howled with laughter. "The bookseller was totally checking you out. He and his boyfriend are into threesomes, and they asked me if you were interested. I wasn't really sure, but I told them I didn't like to share." She was fucking serious. I grabbed her and pulled her into my lap. "I like pussy, and only pussy. The only dick I want to see and touch is my own. Got that, Swan?" She leaned in to whisper in my ear. "You only like my pussy. Isn't that right, Mr. Cullen?" All the blood in my body rushed to my tired cock. Bella saying 'pussy' was fucking hot. She kissed me again and climbed out of my lap while I struggled for control. If she got any sexier, I was going to have to get a replacement cock. Not that those imitations could ever match my natural junk. We parked the car again and walked to the nearby Cosabella store. The shop was full of new Italian womens lingerie. It was getting late, so there weren't many people inside. I walked up to a curvy dark haired retailer and gave her my black card. Her eyes lit up and she led Bella around the store picking out pieces to try on. I picked out a few of my favorites, praying that my babydoll would pick at least one of my choices. I sat outside the private dressing room while the retailer helped Bella try on different options. I used the time to check my email and voicemail. Thankfully, nothing important had happened since we'd been gone. I could hear the woman giving Bella compliments in Italian. I'm sure my babydoll's face was as red as an apple. After what felt like forever, the woman exited and winked at me. Bella came out two seconds later and I groaned when I saw her. She was wearing a dark pink lace push up bra and matching thong panties. My pants were suddenly too tight and I had to reach down and adjust myself. She turned around in a circle. Her tits and ass were absolutely edible. I bit down on my tongue. "Fuck. I mean fuck. You're so fucking hot." She winked at me and clucked her tongue. "Such language Mr. Cullen. I'm pretty sure you've already used up your cursing jar deposit. When we get home, I'm going to need you to make another donation." I pulled her in front of me. "You're going to pay for your teasing later. I am definitely buying you this set." She tried to argue about how she was going to pay until I sucked on a nipple, which caused her to shriek in embarrassment. "Not here, Edward." I just smirked and sent her back through the curtain. By the time she finished with her 'fashion show,' I wanted to bend her over and fuck her right in the goddamned store. Between Bella's stuff and gifts for mom and the girls, I ended buying half of the fucking store. I didn't look at any of the stuff she bought for my mom or sisters because that would be fucking pervy. The next stop was a pretty little café on the corner. I texted one of my guards to come take our bags. We shared a slice of tiramisu and shots of espresso while we talked. "So, how many bodyguards do you have?" Bella asked.

I smiled because my mom once asked me that same question. "Too many to count, babydoll. In my line of work, you can never be too careful." She seemed to think for a moment before she nodded. Her next question surprised me. "If you weren't a mobster, what would you be?" I had always wanted to take my father's place in the Volturi, so I never thought about it. I tried to imagine a job that I would want to do besides the one I had, but I came up blank. "I never wanted to anything else. Yes, I'm a mobster, but I'm also an investor and businessman. That's all I ever wanted to be." Bella began to frown. "I didn't mean to offend you, Edward. You know I don't care that you're in the Mafia. I know that's only part of who you really are. I love you. I was just curious." I smiled at her to let her know that it was okay. I was pleased that she had the courage to ask me honest questions. "What about you? If you weren't my private secretary, what would you be?" She blushed. "Um, I love my job, and especially my boss." I smirked. "But if I could do anything else, I would write. I have always wanted to be a published author." I knew my babydoll loved books, but I never guessed she wanted to write one. "You know, the Volturi have interests in some award winning publishing houses; I'm sure we could get you published." She shook her head. "No, Edward. If I get published, it will have to be on my own merits. I couldn't let you do it for me." She was so fucking noble. Most of the other bitches I knew only wanted to be gold diggers or trophy wives. "I know you'd be a great writer. I'll follow your wishes for now, but if you change your mind, the offer always stands." She leaned across the table to kiss me. We decided to head home to get some sleep so that we could see some of the daytime sights tomorrow. The bodyguard brought our car around. I made sure Bella was comfortably inside before running around to my side. My guard was still standing there. He was staring through the window at Bella. It was making me fucking angry. He knew better. "What the fuck is your problem, Alec?" He looked angry. "Did you give her drugs? She's looks high as a kite!" I looked over at my babydoll to see what the fuck he was talking about. I did a double take. Her eyes were really glassy and she had a stupid smile on her face. Her face was flushed and her pupils were dilated. I burst out laughing, causing Alec to scowl harder. He had been with me awhile because he was my best bodyguard, but he was a little sensitive.

"No, my man, that's just the look of a woman in love that has been thoroughly fucked. If you ever pulled the stick out of your ass and got laid, you might recognize it." He gave me a terse, "Goodnight, Mr. Cullen," before taking off. I loved messing with him sometimes. Bella looked over at me when I got into the car. "What took you so long?" I raised my eyebrow and looked her over. "You do look fucking high. If I hadn't been with you all day, I would think you were snorting coke." She gasped and pulled down her mirror. "Edward! You did this to me. No wonder so many people were giving me funny looks at the bookstore and café. They probably thought I was an addict." She buried her head in her head and groaned which only made me laugh harder. "Don't laugh! It's not fair, you look relaxed and I look slightly insane." I leaned over to give her a raspberry on her cheek. "You just have to adjust to the fuckawesome drug that is Edward Cullen." She pushed me away, huffed, and put up her mirror. "So you've already gotten over my equally great lovemaking, have you?" There was a dangerous glint in her eye. "Fuck, Bella. I spent the whole day after talking to myself and getting drunk. I will never get over making love to you. I just know how to hide it better." Satisfied with my answer, she leaned over and kissed me. This relationship shit was harder than I thought. I was going to have to ask Carlisle for more tips. I noticed that my babydoll was pouting when we pulled up the villa. "What's wrong? Did you want to go somewhere else tonight?" She gave me her sad eyes, which fucking killed me. "I'm so sorry Edward. I was selfish. We didn't do anything you wanted to do." Was that all that put that look in her eyes? "You are the least selfish person I've ever met. I've been here millions of times and seen everything. I'm happy as long as I'm with you. Now, if you insist on making it up to me, you can go upstairs and change in one of the bikini's Ali bought you and meet me by the pool." She ran from the car, leaving me to bring in all her fucking things. I swear those goddamned books weighed a ton. They made me regret sending the help away. I would have called a bodyguard to help, but I needed the fucking exercise. Eating all of my babydoll's delicious cooking was adding pounds to my body, and I didn't want to look like Tony fucking Soprano anytime soon. Eventually I dragged everything inside and up to our bedroom. I would let Bella pack it. She wasn't in the bedroom when I got there, so she must have already been outside. I pulled on a pair of black swim trunks and sprinted to the pool. When I got there, Bella was doing laps in the deep end. Her petite body was graceful as she flowed over

the waves. She was a little clumsy on land, but she was a fucking mermaid in the water. She saw me watching her and climbed out. My mouth went dry and I'm pretty sure I drooled. She had on a tiny white bikini that barely covered up the naughty bits. Note to self: thank Alice. Her hair was so wet it looked black. Her face was lightly flushed and her eyes were heavy lidded. She was majestic. Before she could say anything, I crashed into her, knocking us both into the pool. I laughed while I watched her sputter and flail. "Edward Cullen! You are so dead." She swam after me, but I was faster. When I noticed that her left breast was hanging out of her bikini, I let her catch me. I must have been staring dumbly because she kicked me in the shin. I ignored her and pulled her closer so that I could latch on to her nipple. She broke free and swam over to the waterfall, leaving me panting. "Ha, I win," she called. "You cheated, but I'll concede because I'm scared you might beat me up." She had the nerve to look affronted, like she hadn't kicked my ass before. I took my time getting over to her. She was doing the backstroke in a circle and both breasts were now exposed. I growled before grabbing her and pulling her to my chest. I kissed her hard, letting my lips linger on her neck and collar bones. She moaned and wrapped her arms around my neck. I clutched her core through her bottoms. She panted and bit down on my lip. I moved the spandex aside and added one finger. Her pussy was already hot and ready. In no time, I finger fucked her to orgasm. "Edward!" she screamed as she crested. I backed up into one of the large sandstone rocks, pulling my babydoll along. Next, I gripped her hips and aligned my cock until it was at her entrance. She smiled at me and I pushed in. I would never get used to the shock of being inside her. It surprised me every time. I used the motion of the water to create a rhythm for our lovemaking. I pounded her pussy like there was no tomorrow. I was gripping her hips and slamming her tight walls onto my engorged member. She was making a sound that was somewhere between a scream and a moan. I grunted with every thrust of my hips. I fucking tore the bikini bottoms in my haste to get them off. I kneaded my babydoll's ass cheeks as I moaned into her neck. Our lips never once broke apart. I was so fucking close, but I needed her to come with me. I rubbed circles around her hips and increased my force. I felt her walls clench a second before my seed started to spill. It felt so good that I could only snarl in her neck again. When we could move, we got out of the pool and dried off. I couldn't stop the smile that kept engulfing my face every time I looked at Bella. We decided to shower separately to save time and skin. After showering, we were both beyond exhausted. I fell asleep spooning my babydoll. The next day, I awoke to the smell of fresh breakfast. Bella was sitting next to me eating French toast and sausage. I didn't tell the help to come back yet, so I was unsure how she'd gotten breakfast. She was watching something on TV, but she glanced over when she noticed I was awake. "You're finally up, sleepyhead. I've been waiting forever. I guess I tired your old bones out."

I kissed that snide look off of her face. When she reached over to grab her juice, I stole her plate. "If I'm the old one, then why are your reflexes so bad?" She walked over to the coffee table and retrieved a tray that was piled with food. "Well I was going to give you this one, but if you insist on trading…" I snatched the tray and handed her back her plate. "Fuck, babydoll. This is the fucking best. You know you don't have to cook on vacation, but I'm glad you did." She reached over and ruffled my hair. After plenty of banter and food, we got dressed. Bella wore some tight fucking dark jeans that left little to the imagination. She paired it with a pair of black Chucks and a purple cap sleeved top. I helped her clip her hair to the top of head, and then we headed out. When Bella saw the black Ducati in the corner, she insisted that we take it. I agreed only if she wore the safety jacket and helmet. She looked damn sexy in the navy jacket and matching helmet. I kept putting it on her head, only to take it off a moment later and ravage her mouth. After this happened ten times, she pushed me away and directed me to the front of the bike. Halfway through the ride, she made me pull over so she could drive. I didn't want to let her, but she could be quite persuasive and stubborn. I for one didn't want to spend the rest of my fucking holiday with a raging case of blue balls. Surprisingly, she was a really good driver. I found myself relaxing more when she took turns. We stopped to explore some of the old cathedrals and museums. My babydoll loved every minute of it, and I kept her close by my side. I took her to Santa Croce so that she could view the tombs of Michelangelo and Dante. She took pictures of everything, while my pussy whipped ass held her bag. When she was done I bought a couple of souvenirs for everyone. There were too many bags to fit on our bike so I got Alec to take them in his car and deliver to the villa. He smiled at my babydoll before leaving. I was not going to formally introduce them because I had a hard enough time sharing her with the fuckers at the club. I took Bella to the Uffizi and laughed as she blushed at the nude paintings and sculptures. No matter how many times we made love, she never lost her natural innocence. I called another guard to take our bags. I drove as we headed to the outskirts of the city to explore some of the other villages. Bella was holding me tight while the Ducati hugged the road. Suddenly, I heard the only sound that could make my blood run cold. A bullet hit a tree about a hundred feet in front of me. I had to get off the road because we were too exposed. I looked in the mirror to see a big black Escalade was gaining on us. I could see a man leaning out firing bullets in our directions. There was a black Lincoln behind him firing at me from the other side. My babydoll was gripping me tightly. She was fucking scared. I careened off the shoulder of the road, which threw us into a nearby ditch. I didn't care about my own fucking life, but I'd be damned if my babydoll got hurt. We left the bike and ran into the nearby forest. I pulled my SIG out of my ankle holder. Since we had

bodyguards, it was the only weapon I usually carried. Right now I wished I had a whole fucking arsenal, though. I pulled my helmet off and turned to Bella. She had already taken hers off and was standing behind me panting. "Who was that? I'm so scared, Edward." She was sobbing and shaking uncontrollably. I hugged her to my chest to calm her down. We were fucked right now, and my phone had gotten destroyed in the crash. I heard footsteps coming and pushed her into the tree behind me. Then, I pointed my gun and aimed. "I don't know or care who's fucking out there, but trust that I'm going to kill you all! No one shoots at me or my girlfriend and lives!" The last thing I heard was Bella's frightened gasp before all hell broke loose. ~*!*~

Chapter Thirteen ~ By Your Side "You think I'd leave your side, baby? You know me better than that You think I'd leave when you're down on your knees? I wouldn't do that I'll do you right when your wrong I - ohhh, ohhh If only you could see into me oh, when you're cold I'll be there to hold you tight to me When you're on the outside baby and you can't get in I will show you, you're so much better than you know When you're lost, when you're alone and you can't get back again I will find you darling I'll bring you home If you want to cry I am here to dry your eyes And in no time you'll be fine..." --By Your Side - Sade BPOV "I don't know or care who's fucking out there, but trust that I'm going to kill you all! No one shoots at me or my girlfriend and lives!" The minute I heard those words my stomach dropped. I was lying on the ground trying to make sense of what was happening when gunfire erupted from every direction. I whimpered and covered my ears. Edward had shoved me behind a tree so I couldn't see anything, but I feared for his life. I wouldn't lose him now. "Haha, I killed you, you dumb motherfucker," Edward taunted. I was pleased that he had taken out one of our attackers, but I couldn't take joy in someone losing their life. I chanced a peek to see what was happening. A few of Edward's bodyguards had joined the melee, but the

bad guys still outnumbered them. Edward would probably be mad at me for not running, but I was not going to leave him. I realized that I still had on my messenger bag, meaning I had a weapon. Well, not exactly a weapon, but the pepper spray Charlie always insisted I carry around. I looked out again and what I saw filled me with terror. There were five men down in the clearing. Two were Edward's and the other three were our attackers. Edward's guys shot two of the bad guys, but one of Edward's men got killed in the process. As I stood shell shocked, the lone gunman fired a shot that hit Edward's personal guard. I didn't know his name, but I recognized his blue eyes and dark hair. Edward must have seen his protector go down because he began shooting with renewed vigor. "Who sent you, you fucking coward? Just give up and I may spare your life!" Edward's words only seemed to make the bad guy angrier. He fired a shot that came dangerously close to Edward's chest. I panicked and took out my spray. They were a good twenty feet in front of me. Edward fired his gun. All I heard was a click signaling that he was out of bullets. The other guy was obviously having the same problem because he dropped his gun and rammed into Edward. They tussled on the ground for several minutes. Both of them were going for blood. The bad guy was much bigger than Edward and was using his full strength to choke him. I had to get the attacker to come after me. Mustering up all my courage, I grabbed a stick and started banging on a tree. I knew my plan had worked when I heard the shooter's voice. "Well, well, Cullen. It looks like your bitch didn't run after all. You should have trained her better, but now it's too late." Edward pushed the bad guy off of him and went for his head. "Don't you ever call my babydoll a bitch, you asshole! You won't fucking touch her!" Just then the gunman's arm connected with his discarded gun. My blood froze as I watched him take the butt of the gun and hit Edward over the head. "I'll finish you later," he spat. The attacker climbed off of Edward and advanced toward me. "Come out, come out, wherever you are! We can have some fun, darling. I bet I could give you a better ride than Cullen here. If you're good to me, I'll give you an easy death." I listened to his taunts in fear, not for myself, but for my Edward. The longer he stayed there bleeding, the better chance there was that he would die. I could scarcely make out his chest still moving, so he had to be alive. Quietly, I tugged on my motorcycle helmet. I tapped the stick to the side of a tree before going to the opposite side. When the bad guy came to investigate, I was ready. "What the fu-?" He didn't even finish his sentence before I sprayed him straight in the eyes. He sputtered and screamed. "You goddamn bitch! You're dead!" He was thrashing around, but he couldn't see me because his eyes were on fire. Eventually he got dizzy and fell to his knees. I grabbed the large rock that I had spotted nearby and cracked it over his head. I kept doing it until he was lying unconscious. After that, my adrenaline ran out and I just collapsed. I couldn't stay still long though because someone else might be coming. I took out the fuzzy handcuffs because I still carried them around. I would miss

them, but I needed to tie up the bad guy. He had a faint pulse that let me know he was still alive. I had a feeling Edward and his 'people' were going to want to find out all they could about this ambush, and this was the only hostage we had. I took off my helmet and sprinted over to Edward. He was not moving, and his head was bleeding profusely. I'd taken first aid and CPR classes since I was twelve, so I knew what to do. I removed my jacket and took off my cap sleeved top. I retrieved a bottle of water from my bag and used it to wet the garment. Then I applied the cloth to Edward's wound, making sure not to add too much pressure. When he was cleaned sufficiently, I slapped his cheeks lightly in an attempt to get him to wake up. After almost a minute, he opened his eyes. "Bella? You have to get out of here." His words were slurred and he couldn't open his eyes all the way. I leaned down and laid a gentle kiss on his lips. "I'm not leaving you, Edward. I love you so much." That's when I broke down and started crying. Edward tried to soothe me, but he was barely conscious, so his attempts were half hearted. He started to drift off again. I paced back and forth, trying to come up with a way to get us out of this situation. I didn't have a cell phone with me because I rarely carried it when I was with Edward, and his had gotten destroyed. I was almost about to give up and just start carrying him when I had an epiphany. I sprinted over to Alec. He was bleeding from multiple bullet wounds. When I touched him he spoke. I thought he was dead, so it came as a surprise. "Ms. Swan? Are you okay?" I nodded, slightly confused as to why he was asking me about my health when he was the one dying. "Good. There's a phone in my right pocket. Call the contact number for Marcus Volturi. Talk to him and tell him what happened. The phone has a GPS tracker. He can send help. My gun has a few bullets left. Keep it with you just in case." I took his cell phone and dialed the number. A man, who I assumed was Mr. Volturi, picked up on the first ring. "Alec? What the fuck is happening. We were attacked. We'll be in Italy tonight. Where is Edward?" Obviously Edward hadn't been the only member of the Volturi to be targeted today. I had never personally met or spoken to Marcus, but Edward considered him his surrogate father, so I knew that I could trust him. "Mr. Volturi. This is Bella Swan. I'm Edward's girlfriend. We've been attacked on our vacation. Edward was hit over the head and can't move. Alec has been shot and his heart rate is slow. Two of Edward's other guards are dead. I'm sc-scared. Please send help." He spewed a stream of curses, which reminded me of Edward. "Bella, you've done well. I need you to stay strong for me. I have men close by and I will have them trace the call. They should be there in twenty minutes tops. I want you to stay with Edward and Alec and keep them calm. I am sending a lot of men so don't be alarmed. Don't alert them to you until you hear them say the word 'babydoll.' This will let you know they're mine. I have wanted to meet you for quite some time, but I wished it was under better circumstances. I'm going to hang up now because I have a crisis on my

own end. Be safe." I felt so relieved that I wanted to curl up and go to sleep with Edward. "Thank you Mr. Volturi. I won't leave Edward's side." He let out a strained laugh. "I never doubted you would. And please dear, call me Marcus." With that he hung up. I checked Alec to make sure he was breathing. There wasn't much I could do for him. I bunched my jacket up and placed it on his side wound. I put his hand over it to help staunch the bleeding. Then I pocketed the phone and gun, and ran back over to Edward. His skin was flushed and sweaty. I felt his head and it was as hot as a stove. He had a fever. I reached in my bag and pulled out my travel bottle of Tylenol. I put two in his mouth and poured some water down his throat. He choked a little but managed to get the medicine down. His eyes were still closed and his breathing was slower. "I'm here Edward. I love you. Don't leave me. We have so much left to do together." My words seemed to soothe him a little. I knew that he shouldn't be sleeping because he probably had a concussion, but I couldn't keep him awake because he was in too much pain. I hugged him to my chest and prayed for his safety. After what seemed like forever, I heard footsteps. I grabbed Alec's gun and pointed. Before I could really panic, I heard the safe word. "I'm here," I yelled, drawing attention to me and Edward. A big man with some kind of rifle came first. He was followed by a battalion of others, all carrying weapons. He looked at me, and then down at Edward. "Miss. We're taking you in. Mr. Cullen will be okay." I could only sob because I had been drained of all my energy. He handed me his jacket. I looked down at him in confusion until I remembered I was only wearing my bra, because I used my shirt and jacket to take care of Alec and Edward. I took it and mumbled a terse 'thank you.' Usually I would have been embarrassed by something like this, but since I was worried about Edward, I barely noticed. One of the men who rushed in was a doctor. He checked Edward and declared him okay, but unconscious with a head wound. He was more worried about Alec's gunshot wounds. The guard that had given me his jacket barked some orders to several of the others before picking Edward up and carrying him to a waiting SUV. I followed close behind. When we got to the car, he helped me arrange Edward so that his head was resting on my legs. We took off before the door was even shut. Edward was so pale just lying there. It was strange to see him like that, because he always looked so full of vitality. His thick eyelashes lay against his cheek and his perfect lips were pouting. I leaned down and kissed him, savoring his taste. I would have given anything to see his beautiful green eyes right then. I stroked his hair lovingly and murmured sweet nothings in his ear while we drove to our destination. I meant to ask where they were taking us, but the words never got past my lips. It couldn't end like this. Making love to Edward had been the best moment of my life, and I wasn't finished. He was mine and I wanted him for a lifetime. I knew that he was probably going to use what happened today to drive a wedge between us, but I was not going to let that happen. Before we made love, I might have been shaken, but after witnessing first hand the intensity of our love, I

would never doubt again. Edward had taken me so fully and thoroughly that there was no doubt left in my mind that he loved me. I longed to feel him big and hard inside of me again, and I wasn't going to let anything or anyone keep us from our happiness. As I continued stroking his hair, he started to wake up. "Babydoll, are you okay?" I leaned down and kissed his lips before answering. "Oh, Edward, I was so worried. I'm fine. It's you that I'm worried about." He took several deep breaths before sitting up fully. "Fuck, this shit hurts," he said as he touched his head gingerly. I had never been so happy to hear foul language in my life. He turned to look at me. Whatever he saw made him upset. "What the fuck happened to your clothes! Did… did… one of them touch you?" His hand was shaking as he leaned forward to caress my cheek. I leaned into his embrace. "No Edward, I'm fine. I took my shirt off and used it to clean your head wound, and I used my jacket to stop Alec's bleeding. No one touched me." He pulled me into a fierce hug, and I clung to him for dear life. After he shushed me, I told him everything that happened. He listened with rapt attention. "You could have fucking died! Why risk your life like that? I specifically told you to run." He was so angry that the words came out in a hiss. The guards in front turned around to look at him. Edward snapped. "What the fuck is your problem! What the hell happened back there?" Both of the men told him that they didn't know. They had just taken an order from Marcus and came at his request, and had no clue as to who attacked. They reiterated what I had already told Edward about the attack on the Volturi. "Fuck. Shit. Motherfuckers!" Edward was pissed, to say the least. "When we get to our safe house, I am putting you on the first plane back to Seattle." I had to let him know that I wouldn't be following that demand. "I'm not leaving without you, Edward. Where you go, I go. I love you." My statement caused a whole new round of yelling and cursing from Edward. The guard who was driving looked at me through the mirror. His eyes told me I was crazy for refusing an upset Edward, but I didn't care. I had done it before and lived. What's the worst he could do? "You never fucking listen, Isabella! It's fucking over! It was fun while it lasted. I always knew this goddamned day would come. No matter how much I wanted to keep you safe and separate from my world, it found you anyway. I will not get you killed." I knew that this was coming, but Edward calling me Isabella had hurt. No matter how mad he got at me, he never called me that. It wasn't that I didn't like my name, it was just the one people who didn't know

me used. Edward was my best friend and lover. I was Bella or babydoll to him. I grabbed his jaw and turned his face to mine. "Nothing is over, Edward! We are in love. I'm not leaving you. So I got shot at, big deal. I knew the risks when I fell in love with you, and I'm willing to take them. Don't shut me out again." He turned his head away, forcing me to drop my hand. I reached for him but he huddled on the other side of the SUV, closing me out. He stared out the window and refused to make eye contact. I turned to my window and let the tears flow. Low rough sobs came out of my mouth and filled the car. The two guards in the front looked back nervously, as if it made them uncomfortable to hear a woman cry. I didn't care. Edward's head whipped around, and what I saw in his eyes chilled me to the bone. He had been angry at me before, but now his eyes held something else: disgust. "Shut the fuck up, Isabella! You are a whiny, manipulative bitch! I will put you on that fucking plane myself, even if I have to drug your ass to do it. You have seen the gentled version of Edward Cullen, but that's not the real me. If you keep being stubborn and refuse to do what I fucking tell you, I will bring out the monster. So just sit there and be quiet, like a good girl." I wanted to slap him so bad, but he was injured. I was stunned. He had never spoken to me like that. Maybe I didn't know the real Edward Anthony Masen Cullen at all. "Go to hell, Edward! I have seen the monster, and he didn't scare me. Don't threaten me again." Apparentally, that was not a smart thing to say, because before I could blink, he had me shoved up against the door. "Pull the fuck over!" He barked to the guards. When they stopped, he pulled me out of the car. He signaled to a black car that was directly behind us, and they pulled over. A man got out, and Edward shoved me to him. "Benjamin, I need you to keep Ms. Swan safe. Make sure she gets to the house and keep her inside. You have my permission to sedate or tase her if she gets out of hand." I tried to pull away, but the guy's hold was impenetrable. "Wait Edward! Please don't leave me. I'll be quiet. I love you. I want to stay with you. Please." He turned to face me. In his eyes was the previous anger, but behind that I could see the vulnerability. "Just go, Bella. I'll see you at the house later." My eyes filled with tears as I watched him get into his SUV to be driven away. The guard, Benjamin, helped me into the car and buckled my seat belt before taking off. There were three men total in the car. One of them tried to make conversation with me, but I ignored them all and continued staring out my window. I had vowed not to leave Edward's side, and he'd made me break my promise. He called me a 'whiny, manipulative bitch.' Was that really how he saw me? Could all his declarations of love have been a lie? No. He was mad; there was no way that he meant those things. I held onto that thought as I drifted off to

sleep. I vaguely remembered someone carrying me inside a house and putting me into bed. Soft hands removed my clothes and braided my hair. Every time that I tried to wake up, a dense fog pulled me back in. I had nightmares about Edward leaving me and making love to other women. I cried until my throat burned. I must have slept through the night because when I awoke, there was sunlight streaming through the windows. The room I had been placed in was beautiful. It was done in purple and blue. Everything was silk and satin. The floors were covered with colorful rugs. There was a large flatscreen TV mounted to one wall. There was also a vanity area, large closet, and glass doors leading out to a balcony. The breeze flowing in through the doors was warm, so I knew I had to still be in Italy. I went over to a small table and took the glass of water that was sitting there. I drank it all down in two gulps. "Thirsty, are you, sweetheart? I can get you something to eat if you'd like." I spun around to locate who that voice belonged to. Standing in my doorway was a beautiful older Italian women with long dark hair pulled up into a bun. She had a voluptuous figure and glowing tanned skin. She was wearing a bright yellow dress, and I couldn't help but smile when I saw her. "Hello. I'm Bella... and you are?" Her smile was radiant as she walked over to me. "I'm so sorry, dear. I'm Didyme, Marcus' wife. Everyone calls me Di though." I took her hand, and I swear I felt instant happiness. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Edward's…" I broke off because I didn't know what I was anymore. For all I knew he was going to introduce me as his secretary. I broke out into a fresh wave of tears. Di wrapped her arms around me and rubbed my back. "Hush, hush dear. It's going to be alright. You're Edward's girlfriend. He is madly in love with you. My husband finds that quite amusing because Edward usually doesn't do relationships." I wanted to believe that Edward was still in love with me, but my mind kept going back to the fight we'd had in the car. "Edward hates me now. He wants to break up with me and send me home." Di stroked my hair. "Don't worry darling. I'm not going to let him send you anywhere. Edward is like my son, and he knows better than to go against me. Just let me handle everything." I had only known Di a few minutes, but I liked her. She reminded me of Esme. "Thank you, Di. I love him so much. I want him to marry me and for us to raise a family. He is my life." She smiled and patted my leg. "Men can be stubborn, dear. It's a woman's job to lead them in the right direction without them knowing it. If it wasn't for us, they would wander blindly, just fighting and killing each other all day long. You just have to have patience."

We chatted about a lot of stuff, including the attack in Chicago. It seems that Marcus was just about to handle the Russian situation when he got a call. James' father Stephen had been killed by one of his men, so James was now the head of that Organization. This hadn't gone over well with the other groups. James already killed the man that killed his father and declared his reign without getting permission. Marcus knew that it wasn't the Russians who attacked the Volturi because they were embroiled in their own crisis, and didn't have enough time to pull off something this big. Di told me that she and Marcus both believed it was someone inside the Volturi who attacked. I was surprised that she and Marcus talked so freely about his work. She assured me that it was essential that they be able to communicate when married to such a powerful man. I agreed, and hoped that one day Edward would let me in the way Marcus did Di. I must admit, knowing the enemy was in Marcus' Organization was scary. I hadn't met most of them, but it could be anyone. Di and I finished our conversation, and she left me alone to shower. I stayed in there a long time, just thinking about Edward. After I finished, I put on a robe and went to the bedroom to get dressed. I had hoped that Edward would be there waiting, but he wasn't. Thankfully, someone had brought our bags and clothes. I changed into a pair of fitted white capris. I added a hot pink strapless halter top and my ballerina flats. The top had rhinestones around the bust, so the only jewelry I put on was my old diamond earrings. I didn't wear Edward's necklace because it would make me sad. I used copper clips to pull the front part of my hair back. I glanced in the mirror and decided that I looked okay. When I was done, Di stepped back into the room. "You look lovely, sweetheart. Come and have lunch with Marcus and me. Gianna and Caius will join us. Gigi told me that you two already met. I'm sure Edward will be along shortly." If his godfathers were here, then where was Edward? I was so worried about him, and he hadn't even phoned anyone to give me a message. Di led me to a lovely parlor with antique as well as modern furniture. There were expensive Italian tapestries hanging from the walls. A lanky man stood up to greet us. He wrapped his arms around Di and kissed her on the forehead. His black hair hung to his shoulders and his eyes were dark and fathomless. He had an imposing aura about him. To be honest, he scared me. "Hello, you must be the lovely Bella. Edward is quite infatuated with you, my dear. You have been good for him. I owe you a debt of gratitude for keeping a calm head and calling me for help. You are quite the enchantress. I can see why my godson has fallen so deeply in love." He kissed my hand, and I started to cry again. He turned to Di to ask her what was wrong, but she just replied, "Women's things," and he left it alone. Marcus wanted to know all about my life. He was especially interested in the fact that my father had been Chief of Police. We all laughed at the irony of me falling for a man like Edward despite that. I started to like Marcus. He looked scary, but he was well read and had an easy wit. I could tell he worshiped the ground Di walked on. I finally worked up the nerve to ask the question I had been avoiding up until now.

"Marcus, do you know where Edward is? Has he called to ask about me? Is he okay?" He looked down at his shoes before answering me. "Bella, as I'm sure you well know, Edward can be difficult. He is understandably very upset right now. He has ordered me to send you back to Washington, but I refused because I think it's too dangerous. He and I disagreed on this matter, and he's gone off to stew. He is well protected and should be here later." I wanted him here now, but I was willing to take what I could get. Di and Marcus explained that we were at their wine vineyard in Chianti. The villa we were staying in was over a hundred years old and overlooked the valley. Marcus assured me that it was safer than the Pentagon. Many of the vineyard workers were armed and ready to defend if needed. Di promised to take me out to work in the fields if I felt like it. I loved grapes, and I'd always wanted to see how wine was made, so I agreed. Besides, it would be a welcome distraction to keep my mind off of Edward. Soon after our conversation, Caius and Gianna arrived. Gianna, or Gigi as she told me to call her, kissed me on the cheek and introduced me to her fiancee. I shrieked and jumped when I saw the man whose hand she was holding. He was the palest person I had ever seen. His hair was milk white and his eyes were slate gray. His lips were a dark pink and provided the only color on his body. His arms were hairless and just as white as the rest of him. Where Marcus was night, Caius was day. I knew what he was before he told me, so I felt I had to apologize for my actions. "I'm so sorry, sir. Edward speaks so highly of you, but he never told me you were an Albino. Please accept my sincere apology." He took my hand and kissed the back of it. "You are forgiven, Bella. I must say, you are even more unique than Edward led me to believe. Most people just call me a freak and cower in fear, but you didn't. You have guts. I like you." Of course I blushed. They all made comments about how lovely the color staining my cheeks made me look. It turned out Caius and I had a lot in common. We spent most of lunch talking about books. We had the same taste in the classics, and he promised to show me his collection at a later date. Surprisingly, I fit in and even managed to charm them. I was very happy because this was Edward's second family, and I wanted them to like me. We were on the dessert course when the dining room door swung open. Standing there was Edward. He was a site for sore eyes. He had stubble again, which made him look even sexier. He was wearing a dark blue pair of pants and a sky blue v-neck shirt. I could see the top part of his chest, and my panties became wet. My body had craved him last night. I missed his touch. His hair was a in its usual untamable mess. His eyes were dark and hooded. I hated that look because it meant Edward was brooding. He kissed Di and Gigi on the forehead before plopping down in the chair across from me. "Hello, Edward. I missed you." His eyes flickered my way for a moment before he went back to ignoring me. I was ashamed that he was treating me like I didn't matter.

Di saw my tears and spoke up on my behalf. "Edward, your girlfriend just said hello to you. I know dear Esme did not raise you to be such a rude man." He looked over at her. "She's my ex-girlfriend, Di, and I'm not speaking to her." I couldn't stop the loud sob that came out of my mouth. "Don't do this, Edward. I love you. Please." Marcus stood up to address Edward. "That's enough! You are being an asshole, young man. Bella has been nothing but kind and gracious. She spent the whole night tossing and turning worrying about you, and you're treating her like a leper. If you're going to be mad, be mad at me. Bella saved you and Alec's life. You owe her your respect." Edward snorted. "I don't owe her a goddamned thing. She doesn't belong here. She had her fun. Now either you put her on the fucking plane, or I will go over your head and do it my damn self." Caius broke up the argument. "Edward go to your office and stay there. That is an order. I will not listen to you speak to your godfather or Bella in such a manner. Don't leave until we give you permission." Edward stood up and pointed at me. "I see she's got you all under her little fucking fingers. By next week, she'll be a memory, but I'll still be here. Remember where your loyalty lies." He exited the room after that, shooting daggers at me the whole way. I had done nothing to deserve his hate, and I was sick of begging him to let me stay. I got up to follow him. "Excuse me. Marcus, Caius, do either of you mind if I go talk to Edward?" They shared a worried look but both nodded their heads. Caius gave me directions to Edward's office, because the villa was huge and easy to get lost in. After that I was off. When I got there, I saw Edward talking to a young woman. She was stroking his chest and whispering in his ear. He wasn't trying to fight her off. I got angry and ran up to them. I poked Edward in the chest. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He said something in Italian and the woman disappeared. She was pretty in a slutty kind of way. Edward pushed me into the office and then slammed the door. "Listen, Isabella, I'm going to make this as simple as I can for you. We are fucking over. You are my ex-girlfriend. I can fuck any bitch I want because I don't belong to you. Now get your ass back upstairs and start packing. You're leaving in an hour." I balled my fists up but I didn't punch him because, despite his show of arrogance, I didn't want to aggravate his head injury.

"I'm not going anywhere, Edward. Marcus said I can stay, so I'm not leaving. We are not over. You love me and I love you. You are just trying to push me away because of the ambush, but it won't work. You will not touch another woman while I'm around." I was shocked that my voice sounded so smug and sure, because I was a bundle of nerves on the inside. He walked over to the bar to pour himself a drink. Then he tilted his head and roared with laughter. When he calmed down he spoke. "Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do? You're just some little bitch that was determined to pop her cherry. Sure we shared some secrets and had some great times, but it's over now. I don't want you anymore. I've had you in bed, and although you're responsive, you lack the necessary skills to keep me interested." It was my turn to succumb to laughter. "You have to do better than that Cullen. You enjoyed making love to me and you do want me. You love me. All your actions show it." He gulped down the liquor and poured another. "I did enjoy fucking you, but I'm bored now. You're not going to learn any new tricks and I don't have the time to teach you. Besides, you're not my type. Sometimes a man just wants to get a piece of the strange; you know, different ass. Normally, I like huge breasts and narrow hips. Your tits aren't big enough to feed the shitmakers you supposedly want, your hips and ass should have their own zip code, and you're a shrimp. Sorry, but if I ever have kids, I don't want them to be freaks of nature." I could only stand there, gawking at him. "You… you… love my body. Your hands spend more time on my hips and ass than mine do. I am the same height as the average woman. When we have children, I guarantee you they will be well fed, that is if I can pry your mouth off my nipples. Our children will be beautiful. Sure I may not be model material, but I know you find me attractive." Something flashed in his eyes. It was brief but I still saw it. He smirked. "That woman you just met has sucked me dry in every way possible. After I get your stubborn ass on the plane, I am going to fuck her right on top of this desk. Oh, and by the way, you're fired. I'll pay the rest of your contract, and you can keep everything I bought for you. I can place you at one of my friend's companies. And try to keep your fucking legs closed this time. Screwing your boss is slutty." I walked over to the bar and poured myself a drink. The vodka burned going down but I needed it to keep my resolve. I didn't believe any of the shit Edward had just told me. He was purposely trying to make me leave him, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. My eyes never left Edward's as I drank the Stoli. When I was done, I licked the rim of the glass. Edward squirmed and lowered his eyes. He looked up when I started walking over to him. I put a little extra sway in my hips. They drew his eyes like a magnet. I could see his erection straining through his pants. Yeah right, he so didn't want me. Who was he fooling? "Who are you calling a slut? The last time I checked, you were the one who had banged everything with a vagina. I, on the other hand, have only slept with one man, and that's you. That girl may have pleasured you, but I owned you, and I still do. I am not getting on an airplane, and I am not leaving my job. I never plan to 'screw' anyone else but you. You're the only one that ever managed to pry my legs open. You're stuck with me. Deal with that, Mr. Cullen."

I was feeling good for standing up to Edward without using physical violence. That was until he called me a 'cunt,' and I lunged for him. We both crashed to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs. We wrestled around, both trying to subdue the other. I was so angry that I was going for Edward's eyes. He was trying to pin my arms. "You will fucking listen to me Isabella!" I spat in his face. "My name is Bella-or babydoll to you-and I'm not going anywhere." He let out a litany of curse words that would make an HBO comedian blush, but he never physically hurt me. Since he was stronger than me, he managed to drag me up. "You want to play with the grown ups, then I'm going to treat you like one. Turn the fuck around!" I did what he said. His hands roamed over my ass. "You like punishment, don't you, Isabella?" I didn't answer. He smacked me on the butt. "Mmm, that feels good, Edward." He cursed and smacked me again and again. After awhile I was meeting his hand because it felt amazing. He wasn't hitting me too hard. Edward's hands always sent a jolt of electricity through my body. He trailed his fingers down my side. Then he shocked me by tearing my capris and underwear off in one swoop. I looked down to see them in tatters. "Edward those were new. You're going to replace them." I heard him snort. I lost all thought after that, because he started smacking my butt again. I pushed back to give him better access. "You like that, don't you tigress?" He guided me to the desk. "Bend over the fucking desk and don't move until I tell you to." I was dripping, because despite his tone, this was the most erotic thing we'd done so far. I felt him lower the zipper to my halter top and slide it off. It fell to the floor in a heap. "Well, at least you didn't ruin my top." He responded by smacking my ass again. The desk was cold and smooth. It felt wonderful to my puckered nipples. I moaned loudly. "Shit. If you insist on being a whore, I'm going to fuck you like a whore. After this, we won't ever see each other again, so you better enjoy it. I doubt you'll ever meet another fucker who's going to pound you like I do. Enjoy, Ms. Swan." I called him a bastard, and he smacked me again. I heard him unzip his pants. His hands reached in front to play with my clit. I was so aroused that I came all over his fingers at once. "Mmm, Edward. That was so hot." He smacked me. "Did I tell you to fucking speak? Shut the fuck up!" His hands snaked around and he began playing with my nipples. I pressed my breasts into his fingers. His tongue was licking my ear,

causing the most amazing sensations. I reached around to touch him. "Keep your fucking fingers on the desk!" I followed his order. He was squeezing my supposedly non existent breasts and pulling my hair. "Fuck! You want it bad, don't you, Swan." I whimpered and nodded because I couldn't talk. He stuck a finger in my dripping center and I screamed. He put his hand over my mouth. "Hold it down!" I licked his hand until he dropped it. He put in two more fingers and I started riding them. "Bend over. I'm going to fuck you within an inch of your life, Swan. You'll be lucky if you can stand." His threats didn't scare me. Edward could be cruel, but he would never purposely hurt me. "Do your worst, Cullen." He entered me in one hard thrust. I cried out because it felt so good. He put his hand over my mouth again. He was grunting in my ear. I felt him lean down to kiss my neck. I became even wetter. I pushed my hips back to meet his thrusts. We were going at it like animals. Both of us were making a lot of noise. I couldn't stop the sounds that bubbled out of my mouth. Edward was saying 'fuck' over and over again as he pounded into me. The heavy desk was moving slightly with his pounding. His fingers twisted and pulled my hair. I felt that familiar coil. I was coming. My muscles tensed up before my body exploded. I gripped the desk and screamed Edward's name. He licked my neck and continued his thrusting. His movements were more frenzied now, and his breathing was irregular. He lifted me up a little so he could knead my breasts. I came again biting down on the wood. I wanted to touch him, but he wouldn't let me move. Edward never stopped pounding into my core. His manhood was made for me. He was large and filled me up to the brim. I loved the way he stretched my walls. I pushed back into him one last time and he shot his load. I was cumming over and over again. He wrapped his arms around my body as we shuddered together. He laid on my back for awhile until he could catch his breath. Edward lifted me up and turned me around. His eyes weren't hooded anymore. He was my Edward again. He wrapped his arms around me and we kissed until I felt dizzy. I sucked his tongue into my mouth and bit lightly. He groaned. We broke apart to sit down on the couch. He looked over at me. "I'm sorry, babydoll. You know I didn't mean any of that shit I said. I was trying to make you hate me so you'd leave. Are you okay? Was I too rough?" I kissed his cheek. "You're forgiven. I knew what you were up to. I'm fine, and I like it rough." His eyes bugged out of his head. I smiled. "You're stuck with my tiny breasts and huge ass for life." He groaned and took a nipple in his mouth. He stared into my eyes as he sucked it until it was red as an apple. My vagina moaned. "Bella, you know that shit was a lie. Your tits are perfect, and you have the finest ass of any woman I've ever met." I pretended to think it over. "Mmm, I don't know, maybe I should get implants so I look like that Jess girl that gave you a blowjob in your office." He bowed his head. "Fuck, babydoll. I told you we didn't do anything that night. The only woman I want to fuck in my office is you."

I pulled his head back down to my breast. "I know. I'm just messing with you." He bit down on the underside of my breast and sighed. "How is it that you always see through my bullshit? I fucking love you, Bella." I ran my fingers through his hair. "I have a good bullshit detector. I love you too, Edward, even though you are a pain in my huge ass." He chuckled. "You're never going to let that one go, are you?" I shook my head no. Edward lay down and pulled me on top of him. He hugged me hard. "I was so scared that you were going to be hurt. I never wanted my shit to interfere with your life. I want to thank you for staying with me and saving my life. Alec is out of surgery and should be fine too. That guy you cornered and handcuffed was questioned, but he didn't know anything useful. He's just a fucking patsy. I can't believe you used our sex cuffs to tie him down. The guys thought that was fucking hilarious. You're a goddamned heroine, Swan." I kissed his shoulder. "I'm not. You give me courage, Edward. I couldn't leave you behind. I love you. I am sad to lose our cuffs, though. We had some good memories with those things." He laughed and rubbed my back. "I promise to get you a whole trunk load." The thought of Edward and me having sexy play-time bondage made me as horny as a gerbil. I shimmied up so that I could reach his mouth. We touched and kissed for a long time. The tears over what happened came and went. When they were gone, we still had our love. I reached down and started playing with Edward's big boy. He was already hard again. I used my hand to guide him to my center. He had been dozing, but I got his full attention with that move. I put both hands on his chest and began riding him. I went down on him hard, taking in the whole length. His erection was hitting all the right places. I screamed his name as I came again. I continued to ride him, taking time to lean down and kiss his lips. I didn't stop there, though. I kissed his eyes, his ears, his nose, every piece of skin I could reach. He snarled when I sucked in his earlobe. "Fuck. Forget the guns and shit. You're going to be the death of me." I smiled and rode him harder. He reached up and started playing with my clit. I put both hands on his thigh and changed the angle. I was impaled on him. When I cupped his balls, he spewed. The feel of Edward's hot cum hitting my walls triggered my orgasm. I collapsed on top of him. Our hearts were beating out of our chests. Someone pounded on the door. "What the hell is going on in there? Bella, are you all right?" It was Marcus. I looked down at Edward and then I started giggling. He looked like a large satisfied lion. His bronze hair was everywhere and his eyes were lit up like a streetlight. He tried to shush me but that only made me laugh harder. "Well, you can hear her giggling like a goddamned fool, so I guess she's okay. We're fine, Marcus. We made up. Please send one of the maids to bring us both a robe down." I was still guffawing. Edward smacked my butt. Marcus apologized and said that he would send someone. I finally managed to get myself under control. When I looked up, Edward was staring at me intently. "You're a strange woman, Bella. You almost got killed the other day, and it doesn't even faze you."

I laid my hand on his cheek. "Edward, you can die at any time anywhere. Life is too short to have regrets. I love you, and I would rather spend one minute with you than a lifetime without you." He kissed me and I was working my hand down to his penis again when he stopped me. "Babydoll, if you want me to go on living, you will keep your hands to yourself." I just licked my lips and smiled. Edward groaned and went over to open the door and retrieve our robes. We had no problem with nudity around each other, but I didn't think his godfathers would appreciate us walking around naked all the time. He helped me into my robe and we exited. We snuck upstairs and sat down on the couch. There was already food on the table. A note was beside our trays. I thought you might need this after your 'session.' Bella, I told you it would all work out. See you later, darling. Oh and Edward, upset her again, and I will come after you. Love, Di My cheeks were blazing with the realization that they had indeed heard us. Edward read the note and smirked. He pulled me down in his lap and we took turns feeding each other. After awhile, we were full and happy, but I had questions. I was tired of being in the dark. "What is happening, Edward? Who attacked us? His fingers caressed my forearm. "We don't know. It wasn't the Russians because they have their own fuckery going on right now. I can't believe that motherfucker James took his father's place. There is no way in hell I would ever work with him. My friend Liam is investigating from his end. Most of the Italians are loyal to us and are appalled at the attack. If we can be infiltrated, they fear for their own safety. We're going to stay here until it's safe for us to return to America. I love you, babydoll, and I promise to keep you safe." I turned around to look him in the eye. "Do you trust all of your Organization? You said it was an inside job." He sighed. I could tell that this had been weighing on him too. "Can you really ever trust anyone besides yourself? I would like to think that everyone is loyal to us, but people can be corrupted." I kissed him. "You can trust me. I would die for you, Edward." He closed his eyes. "I know that Bella. I trust you too. I wouldn't want you to die for me though, because I can't live without you. I love you." We were turning into two sentimental fools, so I decided to lighten the mood. I leaned down and bit Edward on the chest. "Ouch! Fuck! What did you do that for?" For an answer, I punched him in the stomach. He bent over in pain. He was looking at me like I was demented.

"That, my love, is for calling me a 'cunt' and a 'bitch.' Remember revenge is swift, and always comes when you least expect it." With that I stood up and walked to the bathroom. It took five seconds for him to follow me. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean any of it," he said as he nibbled on my neck. I giggled. "Now if you don't mind, my gigantic ass, disfigured breasts, and I are going to take a shower." He scooped me up and smacked me on the butt. "Babydoll, you have the best tits and ass in the world, and I'll keep saying that until you let me live down my moment of shame." We engaged in some very sordid shower sex, which involved me being pounded against a tile wall. I was sure that my back was painted with bruises, but it felt too good to stop. Eventually, we managed to get out of the shower. I put on one of Edward's t-shirts and he put on his boxers. I set my alarm for six in the morning so that I could go the vineyard. Edward declined, saying he hated manual labor. I asked him if he was planning to keep his appointment with the girl that was trying to molest him earlier. He smacked my rear and told me to shut up. I turned to him. "How come you never told me your godfather Caius was an Albino? I was shocked when I saw him." He smirked at me. "Well, neither Jasper nor Alice told you either, so if you punish me, you have to do the same for them. Honestly, I didn't tell you because I've known him so long that I don't notice it. I'm sorry for keeping it from you. If it makes you feel any better, I can already tell you've won him over with your extreme nerd skills." I pulled Edward's hair hard and kissed his forehead. "I love you," we both said at the same time. We fell asleep spooning each other. All night I had erotic dreams about Edward. Some of them must have been real; because when I woke up my shirt was bunched up to my neck and my panties were curiously missing. There was also sticky wetness on my thighs. I glanced over at Edward. He had a small smile on his lips and his hand was on his abdomen. The sheet was pushed down to his stomach, so I raised it and looked down. He was gloriously naked. I thought about waking him up with a blowjob but decided against it. I grabbed my water off of the nightstand. I leaned over and poured it on the sheet near Edward's privates. I snickered. That would teach him to have fun when I was sleeping. I stood up and went to the bathroom to get dressed. I chose a pair of short blue jean shorts and a red t-shirt, which I tied at the waist, leaving my stomach on display. My hair was everywhere, so I just pulled it into a messy ponytail. When I got downstairs, Di and Gigi were waiting. We all took a breakfast pastry and coffee to go. The vineyards were wonderful. There was fertile land as far as the eye could see. It felt good to put my hands in the cool Earth. The workers were really nice. A lot of them brought their kids out to work or keep them company. I braided a little girls' hair during our break. Di was extremely well liked and

everyone treated her with respect. She told me funny stories about Edward when he was little. Gigi was less talkative, but she was still friendly. The day went by quickly and before I knew it, it was almost time for dinner. A woman next to me took off her handkerchief and asked if I could give it to her husband. I said yes and headed in the direction she pointed. Before I got there, I saw Gigi and some man standing off to the corner. They were in a heated discussion, but it was in Italian so I couldn't understand what was being said. Neither one of them noticed me so I continued on to the worker's husband. He thanked me and asked me to give his wife his thanks. I worked for another hour and a half before Di made me go in. Gigi had quit a while ago because she had a headache. It seemed Edward had been driving the vineyard foreman nuts by trying to come in to see me. Di had instructed the man to keep him away as a little payback for the way he treated me earlier. I laughed because he was going to be so pissed, which meant dirty, sweaty make up sex. I swear I could feel my clit flex in anticipation. The moment we got through the door, Edward wrapped his arms around me. His long fingers stoked my bare stomach and I moaned. He kissed me passionately until Di cleared her throat. He gave her a sheepish, 'sorry,' but didn't stop kissing and stroking my neck. She just laughed and ruffled his hair. "It's good to see you in love, bambino. It suits you." He gave me one of his adoring gazes which left me breathless. I couldn't resist. "Di, remember that story you told me about Edward wetting his bed when he was five." She nodded. "Well, I'm afraid he still has that problem." She looked shocked. Edward made a strangled noise. I laughed. "I'm just kidding, you guys. Edward, I poured water on you when you were asleep. That will teach you to play with me when I'm trying to sleep." His eyes got dark. I knew what was coming so I ran for the stairs. Edward caught me and lifted me over his shoulder. "You little devil. I was worried all fucking day that I might have kidney problems. You will make it up to me." I giggled and let him carry me the rest of the way. We spent one of the best hours of my life engaging in Jacuzzi bathtub sex. Edward grilled me about my day in the field. He wanted to know if any guys had touched or talked to me. He told me that he had paid a few to watch me, but had to make sure. I was angry that he put spies on me so I slapped him. He just smirked and kissed my hand. Caveward also chastised me for wearing a 'skimpy ass' outfit in public without him. I rolled my eyes as he droned on about how I belonged to him and he didn't want some guy 'eyefucking' me. I wasn't even sure what that meant, but I didn't ask. When he started complaining about me showing my bellybutton, I pulled his hair. That led to some intimate touching, a quiet Edward, and a very happy Bella. He dressed and went downstairs first, because he had to talk to Marcus. I put on a pretty golden sundress and piled my hair on top of my head. I added shoes and my birthday necklace before leaving the room. I was curious about the villa, so I decided to explore a little bit. All the rooms were magnificently furnished. A room on the second floor caught my attention. The door was partially opened and I could see a shelf of books. It was a library. I was just about to step in when I heard a voice. It was Gianna, and she was crying.

"I wished it could have been different Cai, but you Volturi took him away from me. They will all pay. It will all be mine, just as it should be." I didn't hear Caius answer. There had to be a reason that he wasn't replying. Who was she talking about? Was she going to kill every member of the Organization, including my Edward? I was starting to panic. I opened the door wider to get a better look. Inside Caius was lying unconscious on the floor. Gigi was poking him with her stiletto. There was a plate of food on the table in front of him. I deduced that she had poisoned it. I must have been breathing heavily because she looked up. Our eyes met. Hers were crazed and angry. I'm sure mine looked fearful. I turned to run, but even in high heels, Gianna was faster. I tripped on the carpet and she caught me. She stood over my quivering body. "Bella, I really wished you hadn't seen that. I really liked you. I was going to make your death painless, but now it's too late. You've seen too much." She had a small handgun pointed at my head. I watched her pull a vial out of her breast. "Drink this. It will take about ten minutes to kill you." I stared at her in horror. "It makes it look like you had a heart attack. Your precious Edward will suffer, but then I'll off him, too. His death will be more painful than yours so consider yourself lucky." I begged her not to hurt Edward, but she just shrugged and laughed. After that everything happened in slow motion. Gianna turned around, and I saw blood everywhere. There was a massive hole in her head when she fell to the ground. Her beautiful face was etched in terror and surprise. Behind her was Caius, holding a smoking gun. If possible, he looked even paler than usual. He smiled at me before he collapsed. I heard what sounded like a herd of bulls running up the stairs. When I looked over, Edward was kneeling at my side. He had his gun in his hand. His eyes were wide as he took in Gianna and Caius. "What the fuck happened, babydoll?" I didn't answer because the floor rushed up to meet my head and I blacked out. ~*!*~

Chapter Fourteen ~ This Woman’s Work "Pray God you can cope I stand outside This woman's work This woman's world Ohhh it's hard on the man Now his part is over Now starts the craft of the father I know you've got a little life in you left I know you've got a lotta strength left I know you've got a little life in you left I know you've got a lotta strength left I should be cryin' but I just can't let it show

I should be hopin' but I can't stop thinkin' All the things we should've said that are never said All the things we should've done that we never did All the things we should've given, but I didn't Oh darlin', make it go Make it go away." --This Woman's Work - Maxwell EPOV "Bella!" My voice was cracked from screaming her name so many times. She had passed out in the hallway and the doctor was in with her now. I checked her for wounds and blood, but I didn't see anything to indicate she was physically hurt. Before the doctor took her in, she looked so tiny and broken. I had been a fucking idiot. I should have told her every minute of every day how much I loved her. If something happened, I wouldn't be able to go on. She was my one true reason for living. Without her, I was nothing. Thankfully the Chianti Villa had a full service clinic housed in an outer building. Being in the Mafia meant we couldn't always go to a regular hospital because that would alert the authorities. Plus, we had lots of workers, and it was not uncommon for someone to have a heart attack or go into labor in the fields. I was just happy that my babydoll was being taken care of by one of our best doctors. He assured me that she would be okay. I wanted to believe him but until I saw her with my own eyes, I would not be resting easy. She would always my number one priority. I was still trying to wrap my head around what the fuck happened in that hallway. I had been in Marcus' office talking to him about Volturi business. I still had a smile on my face from the bathtub sex I'd had with Bella. I clutched my chest at the memory. She had been so beautiful all covered with bubbles. We were having a discussion about that skimpy ass shit she'd worn in the fields. When I'd seen her from afar, it had taken the foreman and five more men to hold me back. My own godmother, Di, had ordered them to keep me away because she felt that I needed to learn a lesson in how to treat Bella. I had been fucking pissed about that shit, but Di's plan worked. When Bella came in, I was all over her. Just being without her for ten hours could completely kill me. She had to be okay. I needed her like I need oxygen. I knew I don't deserve her, but she loved me as much as I loved her. Seeing her in that hallway with a dead Gianna and unconscious Caius almost stopped my heart and showed me how important true love really was. Marcus was downstairs trying to figure out what happened between those two. Cai had been so happy to meet and fall in love with Gigi, and now it was all over. The only reason he was still alive was because we found the vial still clutched in Gianna's hand. The doctor had taken him to the clinic and pumped his stomach until it was empty. He was expected to recover. Luckily, he didn't ingest much of the poison. I was just glad my godfather was going to be okay. After losing my father, I didn't want to go through the pain of watching one of my surrogate dad's die. "!" I yelled to no one in particular. I was feeling fucking useless. My babydoll was in a fucking hospital room, and I was out here being a pussy. They had kicked me out of the clinic when I threw a chair through one of the windows. I knew my temper was fucking horrible, but I didn't give a shit. She was hurt and I couldn't help her. I was returned to my office, where they locked me in until Marcus could gather some news. It was the worst place for me to be because everywhere I turned I saw something to remind

me of my babydoll. I thought I should shoot one of my toes off in penance for the shit I'd said to her. I was trying to make her leave me, and the vilest shit had come into my head. I thought I could make her hate me, hate the monster I was deep inside. In the car, I'd yelled at her and thrown her out. I spent the rest of the ride cursing and in hysterics. The bodyguards that I rode with had made me give up my gun, fearing for my sanity. I was fucking insane then too, so I'd given it to them. After watching Bella beg my pathetic ass not to leave her, I had wanted to fucking die. She saved not only my life, but also Alec's. She said she wasn't a heroine, but she was and so much more. She was fucking selfless. Many other people would have thought of themselves and gotten the fuck out of there, but not my babydoll. She fucking stayed because she loved me. And then, like a jackass, I had gone and treated her like the lowest piece of shit on the planet. She shouldn't have forgiven me for that shit. I had basically called her ugly and worthless. The things I said about her body had made bile rise in my throat. I was saying them, but my heart was elsewhere. I had to smoke a joint before I'd even been able to come into the house. Seeing her at the table with my godfathers had been surreal. She looked like she belonged, and she'd already charmed them. I had been a complete and utter dick to her and yet she fought for me. I gave up on our love and she didn't. I was never going to forget her sacrifice. I couldn't begin to fathom how she must have felt listening to me demean her. I had even flirted with that whore who worked as a secretary for the vineyard. I tried to make my babydoll think that bitch was better, just to get her to leave me. She hadn't even batted an eye, telling me that I was hers and she wasn't sharing. The sparring in this office had been the worst day of my life. When I realized Bella wouldn't leave without a fight, I was caught between feeling both scared and elated. My stupid fucking ass had even called her a 'bitch' and 'cunt.' She was so far from that shit that it was funny. I should have been calling her a queen and groveling on my knees. I was so fucking angry that she still wanted me, so I'd fucked her hard on the desk. I'd hoped that would make her hate me enough to leave but to my surprise, she fucking enjoyed it. Bella was everything. She pleased me to no end. There was nothing sexually that she wouldn't try with me. She gave me all her trust, and that was a fucking powerful thing. I knew that I had to be the one to stop if shit got out of hand because she wouldn't as long as I was happy. I had been cruel after our fight, fucking her like a whore. The moment my cock entered her pussy, my world became focused again. After feasting on her, there was no way I could go back to my old diet. It would take a lifetime and more for me to get enough of the drug that was my babydoll. Being inside of her made me feel like I was being put back together again. There were still lots of broken pieces of me, but she was the master of my puzzle, the only one that could make the picture into something worth seeing. When she recovered from whatever the fuck is wrong with her, I was going to worship the ground she walked on. I was done trying to convince her to leave. I'd been deluding myself by thinking that I could fucking live without her; I couldn't, and I wouldn't try either. She had my heart, body, and soul for as long as she wanted them. Just the thought of fucking another bitch made me feel fucking sick to my stomach. I never thought I'd be a one woman man, but I was now.

I would be a better husband and father than my dad ever was. Bella and our kids wouldn't have to wait at the dinner table wondering where Daddy is, because I wouldn't ever fucking leave them. And god, did I want it; I wanted all the shit I never thought I wanted before. I wanted a home with my babydoll, children, a dog, and a fucking picket fence. Well, a bulletproof fence in my case, because of my being a fucking Mobster. I wanted a family to call my own. I wanted to wake up with the love of my life everyday. I wanted to see her glowing, her belly round with our child inside. I wanted to fight and makeup for a lifetime. I just wanted Bella to be my wife. If that would be all we ever had, that would be enough. I knew it was going to take a shitload of work on my part, but I was willing to go the distance. I heard someone knock at door. I went over to open it. A pale and stressful looking Marcus entered. He gave me a hug, squeezing my shoulders lightly. "Is… is… it Bella?" I could barely choke out the fucking words. He looked at me and gave a tight smile. "No, Edward, the doctor wanted to let you know that she's fine, but because of the stress of the past few days, she has gone into shock. When I explained to him about the ambush and now this, he was astonished that she hadn't gone into it earlier. Her vitals are good and she's asleep. He told me that if you promise to control yourself and not cause any more damage, he will let you back in the clinic. She will be scared when she wakes up, and a comforting face will help." I stared down at my shoes. Of course she was in fucking shock. I had read about that shit and knew that it was caused when something traumatic happened to someone. It was the body's way of dealing with it. Her mind couldn't take all the shit she'd been through, so it had retreated to unconsciousness. I let out a sigh of relief because my babydoll wasn't seriously hurt. For a minute, I'd thought that she may have ingested some of the poison. There was no fucking way I could stay away from her. I would go to the clinic and stay by her side until she woke up. Though, there were still a few questions I had before I could go to Bella. Marcus was standing by the bar with two snifters of whiskey in his hands. I took one and we both sat down. He chugged his down before turning to me. "Son, I'm so sorry that Bella was hurt. Di is with her now and hasn't left her side. As you know, we consider her our goddaughter and a part of this family. Seeing my brother… I thought he was dead." He choked up. I went over and poured him another glass and grabbed the bottle for good measure. We were going through a lot of fucking liquor at this house. He got himself together and began speaking. "That bitch Gianna was playing us from the get beginning. Everything was orchestrated to bring our Organization down. I just got off the phone with Liam. He's holding one of the guys that worked with her. The fucker is singing like a canary. He's scared as shit and begging for his life. It appears Gigi was out for revenge." My eyes snapped up and I snorted. "Why the fuck would she need to get revenge on us? We've known her for years." He got up and began pacing the room. "Edward, I've just found out that Gianna was not who we originally thought. The man that raised her was not her biological father. Her real dad was Matteo Zimbelli."

I jumped up out of my seat. "Matteo the Bull? That fucker that you had put in prison for trying to kill my father?" He nodded. "The very one. He went down when Gigi was a baby. Her mom divorced him and married Francesco, who we believed to be her real dad up until now. Matteo wrote her letters her whole life. He sent her lavish gifts from prison, and in her eyes, he hung the goddamn moon. She loved him and worked most of her life to get revenge. We keep records on every member, but they slipped through our hands. "Francesco wasn't high level, so no one ever really dug into his background, and as far as we knew, Matteo had never fathered any children. It seems Gianna's mother was already fucking Francesco before Matteo went to the Pen. It was nothing for her to convince him to sign his name on the birth certificate as Gianna's father. She felt bad though, and still let Matteo keep in touch. "In his correspondence, he blamed the Volturi for everything bad that had happened in his life. He bemoaned the fact that he and his baby girl were separated while we lived well. She grew up hating the Volturi and everyone that was a member. When Matteo died in that prison fight, she assumed that we had had him killed. Of course that wasn't the case. I felt that him spending a couple of years in prison wasn't enough. Usually, we would have had him killed, but your father told me he didn't want another bad thing weighing on his conscious, so I didn't protest. However, Matteo got himself killed by starting shit with that Spanish Mobster." He stopped to make himself another drink. This was a lot of fucking shit to process. Gianna hadn't ever really been a part of our family at all. If you'd have asked me a few days ago if I trusted her, I would have said yes. To know that she was so close made me feel uneasy. How many other traitors were among us? History and movies taught me that anyone could fucking turn on you, but still this shit came as a surprise. Gigi's real father had stabbed my father when I was ten. Back then they'd told me, Mom, and Ali that he'd been in a car accident because they didn't want us to worry, but when I got older and joined up, my godfathers had confessed the truth to me. Marcus walked back over to his chair. "At your request, I've added extra security to your family in Washington. Gigi's visit was not accidental, and I would not risk anything happening to your mom or Alice. My men haven't received any threats yet." That was a fucking weight lifted off my shoulders. "How was Gigi planning on escaping?" I asked. He closed his eyes. "She drenched Caius' soup with a type of poison that would cause a heart attack. She used the money she received when her parents died to create an enterprise. We had been doing business with her umbrella corporation for years. It was hidden under several layers, and we never had a clue. She got close to my brother so she'd have a foot into our Organization. It's that old saying, 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.'" He snorted. "One of her henchmen is being questioned by Benjamin as we speak. He worked in the vineyard so he could be close when the time came. He was supposed to sneak the vial into the cook's private quarters so that when we searched, we'd find the bottle and think the chef was our traitor. I'm guessing that she was going to make Bella ingest the same food as Caius, so both deaths could be blamed on the cook. "Her plan was falling apart because she and the guy had an argument. He had gotten cold feet and wouldn't help her. She had her men attack us in Chicago and Italy so that she could get us all in the safe house. She was planning to have Di and I killed next. She was going to set it up as a car accident so there

wouldn't be any questions. "After that, she had planned to go for you while you were in mourning for Bella. Her man told me that she was confident that you were a whore and would easily fall for her charms. By that time, Caius and I would be dead, so you'd be the leader of the Volturi. She was supposed to marry you and then have you killed, so that she, as the grieving widow, could take your place. She thought that since she was business savvy and had lots of friends, she would be allowed to lead. Her ultimate coup would have been naming the Organization after her father. Gigi put a lot of time into her plans for revenge. She was a conniving and ruthless cunt." I threw my glass against the wall. My blood was fucking boiling. "That bitch! She was going to murder my babydoll and my whole fucking family. I'm going to fucking cut her up into little pieces and burn the ashes. I wish she wasn't dead so I could kill her ass again. That little cocksucking bitch! She honestly thought I would marry her ass if my babydoll was dead! She had to be out of her fucking mind!" I swore and paced until I started to feel dizzy. Marcus let me get the frustration and anger out of my system before he interrupted me. "Calm down, son. It's over now. We've got everyone that works for her in custody. Some escaped, but they are bit players and it's only a matter of time before we catch them anyway. Bella and your godfather need you to keep a level head and be there for them. Let me handle the tough shit. I wasn't there the day your father died, and I've always regretted not being the one to get revenge for you. Let me handle the Gianna situation. I owe it to you." Marcus looked older than I'd ever seen him. His face was drawn and there were deep circles under his eyes. I walked over to him and put my hand on his shoulder. "Marcus, I consider you my blood. You have never and will never fail me. You were the reason that I didn't go to prison for killing the bastard who murdered my father. I know I don't say the shit enough, but I love you, old man." He smiled before pushing me away, hating to get sentimental in front of people. "Go see Bella. Let her know I'm thinking of her." I turned and walked out. Our clinic was located a few miles from the actual house. It had all the best state of the art equipment, with three full time doctors and five nurses on staff. If we needed more people, we had contacts we could outsource from the main hospitals. My armed guard drove me to the building. Alec was also there with Bella and Caius; he was stable, so the doctor was going to release him soon. I hopped out of the car, wishing I had some damn flowers or something, but I had been apart from my babydoll for too long and I couldn't wait to see her. Dr. Moretti, the one who'd kicked me out, greeted me when I walked though the door. "Hello Mr. Cullen. I hope you've got your little problem under control. Your girlfriend is resting. Your godmother has her on the best sheets and is hovering around her like a mother hen. Try talking to her. She needs to wake up so we can monitor her." I promised him that I would. There was just one more question I had to ask. "Did you see her naked?"

He turned towards me, a small smile on his face. "Yes, but I am a doctor, and there was nothing sexual about it." I clenched my fists. "Forget whatever the fuck you saw. I'm going to make sure we add a female physician to this place because I'll be damned if you see her body again. Not that I plan on her needing to visit you in the future." He was staring at me in complete and utter shock. I just smirked and strode past him, bumping his shoulder as I went. I knew I shouldn't have said that shit, but it pissed me off that another man had laid eyes on my babydoll, even though it was for medical purposes. Men got boners all the fucking time; I hoped he didn't get a hard on while looking at her, but you never know. I had to put the good doctor in his place. A nurse led me to Bella's room. Di was asleep on the couch next to the bed. She had a book resting on her chest. I walked over and kissed her on the forehead, and insisted that she go home to Marcus. She didn't want to leave, but I assured her that her husband needed her more right now. She eventually conceded and allowed a guard to take her back to the house. I walked over and sat on the bed next to my babydoll. Her lustrous hair was spread around the firm pillows. She was as pale as a fucking ghost. She was attached to a heart monitor that beeped regularly. All she was wearing was a pair of sweats and a fucking tank top. She looked angelic. Her breasts were heaving slightly with every breath she took. I cursed my dick for getting hard while I stared at her. She didn't look sick at all. It just looked like she was sleeping. I longed to see her big chocolate eyes and that beautiful blush again. She was so fucking beautiful that it hurt to look at her. I had always enjoyed watching her sleep and tonight was no different. Sadly, she wasn't mumbling my favorite words. I needed to hear that shit or I might never go to sleep again. I leaned down to kiss her lips. She tasted just as sweet as ever. Her eyes opened slowly. I smiled, hoping that she could see the love in my eyes. She just stared up at me. Then she said the last thing I expected. "Go away, Edward. I want to be alone." I was so surprised that I blurted out the first thing that came to my goddamn mind. "I love you, babydoll." Bella continued to look at me, but there was no love or anything in her face. She had never looked at me like that before. I was starting to worry. What the fuck happened? My blood was turning cold. I could sense that some bad shit was about to occur. She turned her back to me. I looked down at her beautiful creamy porcelain neck. I wanted to touch her so bad. "You say you love me, but I know you're here to try to get me to leave you again. I don't have the strength to fight with you anymore, so do what you want." I gave in to my urge and kissed her neck. She tensed up. "Don't. Just leave. Please." This was not going the way I had planned at all. I thought she would wake up and we would re-affirm our love. I was going to start spoiling her like I should have done from the beginning. "Babydoll, I'm not going to do that again. I can't fucking live without you. I already apologized and you accepted. Remember? I don't want to fight. I just want to spend the rest of my life loving you. Don't send

me away." I heard a broken sob come out of Bella's throat. I reached down to stroke her hair but she cringed away from me. A pain shot through my heart. I felt like crying but I couldn't get the tears to fall. My eyes started to burn with the strain of trying to hold it in. I bit down on my fist to stop the noise that was bubbling in my throat. She sat up and turned around to face me. Fat teardrops were falling out of her doe eyes. I hated to see her fucking cry. Her chest was heaving because her breathing was erratic. She looked so defeated and sad. "Edward, I forgave you, but maybe I shouldn't have." I reached out to touch her but she shook her head. My heavy hand dropped to my side. "I came close to dying tonight. That experience put things into prospective. The stuff you said to me in your office... some of them must have been true or you wouldn't have said them. I know that you're sorry, but you're always sorry. I can't keep waiting for your next blowup or until you decide that you don't want me after all. I love you too much already. If you ever decided to leave me, I would fall apart never to be put back together again. I can't need you that much. "Look on the bright side: you finally got your wish, what you've wanted since the first time we met. I'm breaking up with you." I sat down in the nearest chair. It was hard to breathe. I started hypervenalating. I could hear Bella asking me if I was okay, but I couldn't fucking speak. She didn't fucking want me. Shit. My babydoll was leaving me. I was going back to being alone. I couldn't handle this shit. I stood up and went over to her. She looked worried and her eyes were swollen from crying so goddamn much. Before she could protest, I hugged her trembling body to mine. "Please, Bella. Don't do this. I told you that I didn't mean any of the shit I said. I'm sorry. I promise that I won't leave you. You and me are forever." She sighed and tangled her fingers into my hair. She started to gently scratch my scalp. A small moan escaped my lips before I could stop it. "Edward, you are the first man I have ever loved, and you will be the only one I ever will. I wish that were enough, but it's not anymore. We have an extreme physical attraction to one another, but we also spend a lot of time fighting. You always say you're sorry, but you continue to hurt me. I wanted a family with you. You've already made your thoughts clear on kids. What if you decided that you didn't want the same life as me? You would go away and I would never recover. Let's just end it now, before there are divorce papers and children to think about." She stopped to wipe her eyes. "You have no idea how hard it will be for me to live without your love, but worrying day after day that you might get tired of me or leave is worse. Twice, you have made fun of my body. Edward, you said our kids would be freaks. It made me sad that you thought so low of me. You talked about making love to another woman. How do I know that one day you won't follow through on that? "Yes, you say you didn't mean those things, but there's some truth in every statement. Maybe it was your subconscious saying what you've been thinking all along. I tried to be brave and pretend that it didn't hurt, but it did. Hell, it still does. Please, just go away. I want to be alone." She dropped her hand and turned

back towards the wall. My breath hitched. I couldn't fucking believe this shit. I was under the impression that she'd forgiven me, but she hadn't. Hell, I knew my pathetic ass had screwed up, but I didn't know it would fucking lose me my babydoll. I couldn't hold the anger in anymore. I picked up a table and chucked it against a wall. I threw vases, flowers, and pillows all over the room. All I could see was a red haze. I screamed and turned the couch over. "Fuck, fuckity, fuck! What in the hell do I have to do to make you believe me? I won't fucking leave you! Ever. I couldn't cheat on you because you're the only woman I want. I do want children with you. I want us to raise a family and grow old together. Yes, I've been an asshole in the past. I was trying to make you leave me then. I thought it would be for the best. Obviously I was a stupid fuck, but I've learned my lesson. You are so goddamn beautiful that it blinds me sometimes. Don't ever think that I find you unattractive. Do you know how hard it was to even think that shit, let alone say it aloud? I know I haven't been the best boyfriend, but give me one more fucking chance. I promise not to fuck it up this time. I love you too much. Please babydoll." Before she could answer, two security men rushed in to see what all the ruckus was about. I told them everything was fine and sent them on their way. Unfortunately Dr. Moretti came to stand in the doorway. He had a stern look on his face. "I warned you, Cullen. You are hereby banned from the clinic tonight. You can come back tomorrow when you've calmed down." I turned to face him. "Fuck you, asshole! I come and fucking go as I please. Shut the fuck up!" The doctor looked at me like I was a psyche patient. I was going to rip his fucking head off until I heard my babydoll's voice. "Just go, Edward. I don't want you here anymore. I'm going to sleep and then visit Caius. Leave before I ask Marcus to come and get you." All the fight left me. I nodded my head and turned around to leave. My fucking heart was in a million pieces. My fucking dream was over before it ever began. I stalked out of the clinic, ignoring everyone. My guard came to drive me back to the main house. Everything looked fuzzy. All I could see was my babydoll sending me away. When we pulled up to the house, I went over to the side yard and retched up everything that was in my fucking stomach. I hated to vomit, but I couldn't hold that shit in because of the way I was feeling. The guard asked me if I was okay. I waved him off. Di was walking down the stairs as I entered the villa. She took one look at me and picked up her steps. "What's wrong, bambino? Is Bella all right?" Her eyes were wide. I was fucking scaring her and that wasn't right. I took a few breaths to calm down. "Come to the kitchen with me. I need to talk to you." She linked her arm through mine. Di was like my fucking second mother. She had known my father and

was extremely fond of Esme. She treated me and Ali like her own kids. She and Marcus didn't have any children because she'd gotten raped when she was younger, and it messed up her reproductive organs. She didn't know us back then. She met my godfather four years after the crime and they fell in love and got married. Marcus had the asshole that had raped her castrated and killed in the prison yard. I'm not sure if he ever told her, but I was fucking glad that he got revenge for his woman. I'd do the same if some asshole ever assaulted my babydoll. Di's dark eyes looked up at me. She was taller than my babydoll but still much shorter than me. Like my mother, age agreed with her. They got more beautiful every year. Marcus and Carlisle were very lucky men. Would I get to be by Bella's side as she got older? Would we count each other's gray hairs one day? Considering a life without her in it didn't make any goddamn sense. She was mine. I wouldn't give her up. I went over to the cabinet to get some liquor. I poured two glasses of black Sambuca and took a chair next to my godmother. "I fucked up. Bella said she forgave me, but now she wants to break up with me. I've never done this relationship shit so I need some help. It can't be over because I fucking lover her more than life itself. Please tell me how to get her back." I drank greedily from my cup. I was going to be fucked up in the morning but I didn't fucking care anymore. Maybe I'd become a goddamn alcoholic and drink myself to death. Without my babydoll, life didn't matter. Di glanced over at me. "Edward, Bella went into shock. Sometimes when people come out of it, they become depressed or angry. After my… rape, I was angry at the world. I had been such a happy person, but afterwards I was just mad. I lashed out at all my family and friends. You have to give her time. "I know you love her and she loves you. Learn to woo her. Every woman wants romance. I'm not talking about expensive stuff. The best thing a man can give a woman is something heartfelt. My favorite gifts from Marcus were the ones that were original. Let her know you feel lucky to be her man." I heard what she was saying but it was hard for me. "I'm not good at planning shit that's thoughtful. I've never had to before because all of the other bit—women I've been with just liked stuff. I'm better at flashing my credit card or writing a check. I don't really know what my babydoll wants from me. I'm just so fucking frustrated." "She just wants you, bambino. I know it's hard for you. Give yourself to Bella. You've talked to her. You know what she likes. She is a woman in love and that's beautiful. I'd hate to see you two miss out on this chance. Love doesn't come around often, so do whatever you have to do to keep your happiness." I leaned over and kissed Di on the cheek. "I love you, godmother. I promise to stop being an idiot and do Bella right. Thanks for the advice." I walked Di up to her bedroom. I wanted to go and see my babydoll, but she was still angry. I would give her tonight without my stupid ass. Trying to go to sleep without Bella proved to be tough. I was used to having her lying on my chest. All I felt was emptiness when she wasn't with me. Of course my dick was fucking hard as a rock too. Now that it had been inside my babydoll's paradise, it didn't want to settle for my hand. When my erection got too painful, I stroked myself until I came. It didn't do a goddamn thing, though. I needed Bella. I tossed and turned for hours trying to go to sleep.

I eventually gave up and headed to the clinic. Even if Bella didn't want me there, I would sleep in the hall, just to be close to her. I knew I was a pussy whipped motherfucker, but I couldn't be without her now. Thankfully, Dr. Moretti was not on duty when I got there. A nurse batted her lashes and smiled at me as I headed to Bella's room. I kept my mouth in a grim line and didn't pay her any fucking attention. The only nurse I was into was sitting down the hall. My cock expanded with the memory of that fucking lapdance. Great, I thought. So now I was going to have to beg Bella to let me stay while sporting a massive erection. I stopped by to see Caius. He was asleep. His room was covered with flowers. I leaned down and kissed his forehead. He looked even paler than usual. I was just glad that he would be okay. I wrote him a letter in Italian and left it by his bed. It was just some encouraging words, shit from the heart. I touched his hand before leaving the room. When I got to my babydoll's room, I discovered that she wasn't there. I panicked. Where could she be? Had she gone back to the house without me? I was just going to ask a nurse where she was when I heard her laughter. It was coming from a room a couple of doors down from hers. I ran down the hallway and stopped when I got to the door. What I saw sent me in a rage. It took every one of my fucking calming methods to keep me from making a scene. Bella was sitting on the bed next to Alec with a book in her hand. His head was turned towards her and she was reading aloud. She was holding his hand and making small circles on the back of it. She was still in her sweats and tank top. Alec's chest was completely bare. They looked pretty fucking cozy for people that didn't know each other. White hot jealousy coursed through my veins. I knew the guy got shot trying to save us, but fuck, he was touching my babydoll. Or make that she was touching him. I cleared my throat to alert them to my presence. Alec was the first to speak. "Hello, Mr. Cullen. Bella here was kind enough to read to me, even though I'm the one that owes her for saving my life." She actually smiled at the fucker. I walked over and tried to kiss her on the cheek. She slipped past me and went to sit on a chair on the other side of the bed. That shit fucking hurt. She could be all chummy with my bodyguard, but she treated me like I had the fucking plague. I had been nice. I just wanted to see her and make sure she was okay. She went back to reading her book, silently this time. Alec was confused. He looked between Bella and I and then raised his eyebrows. I scowled at him and walked over to her. "Hello, Bella. I'm glad to see you up and about. Did you get some sleep?" See, I could have a conversation without cursing or acting like an idiot. She ignored my ass. I tried again, using an even friendlier tone. This time she answered me. "Yes, Mr. Cullen. I rested well. I look forward to going home tomorrow. I've missed Jasper and all of my friends." That wasn't the reply I was looking for, but I would take what I could get at this point. And why in the fuck was she calling me Mr. Cullen again? I loved her. We had fucked each other into the ground and I was back to just being her boss. I didn't like this shit at all. "Bella, I understand you're angry at me, but we can work it out. I don't like it when you call me Mr. Cullen. I'm your boyfriend and your lover. I love to hear you call me Edward. Please just stop being angry and talk to me. I know I messed up, but I love you. We have a future together. Let's not get hung up on the past." I reached down to stroke her hair, but once again she turned away. She put her book down and stood up to pace. I had almost forgotten Alec was still in the room until he spoke.

"Bella, I'm fine. Why don't you go and talk to Edward? You can come back later and finish reading to me. I was just going to take a nap anyways. They have me on so much pain medicine that I can only stay awake for a little while. Besides, you're much too beautiful. You'll distract me from my flowers." Once again she smiled at him. A lovely blush lit up her cheeks. That was my fucking blush. I was the one that got to see her like this. Was she attracted to this fucker? Had I completely lost her? The thought of her and Alec or Mike or some other fucker living happily ever after made my blood run cold. I had never been so jealous in my life. I've never had a reason to covet from another man, but right now I would have given anything to have Bella's blush directed at me. I heard her mumble something about coming back before we both exited the room. I took off my hoodie and put it over Bella's tank top. She wasn't wearing a fucking bra and I didn't want any other fuckers to see her like that. It was bad enough that Alec had. She must have seen how serious I looked because she took it without a word. We walked outside and a guard drove us back to the house. I spent the entire drive studying the beautiful girl-woman that sat next to me. In the light of the Italian sun, she was even more beautiful than I remembered. Her long silky hair was draped over one of her creamy shoulders. I longed to be the strap on her tank so that I could caress her skin. I almost groaned when she reached down to scratch her stomach, giving me a glimpse of the smooth flat skin. Her clothes were baggy and didn't give away her figure, but I knew what was under that shit. I had spent plenty of nights acquainting myself with her tight body. I knew how to make her scream and whimper from a simple touch. She was mine. That wasn't going to ever change. I was the only man she let inside her and it was going to stay that way. She didn't speak to me and I didn't press her. The least I could do was give her time to work out her feelings. Instead of going into the house, Bella wanted to go to the fields. Because of the other night's activities, work had been cancelled for today. Marcus was handling the fallout and had to question all of the workers. We walked until we reached a spot where she wanted to sit. I sat down on the dirt next to her. She played with her hands for a long time. I started to get antsy. "Spit it out, Bella," I said when I couldn't take the silence anymore. She turned around to look at me. Her big brown eyes held such contempt. It was the way she had looked at me in the clinic room. "I can't be your secretary anymore. I will write up a letter when we get back. We can't see each other anymore. I mean, I know Jasper is planning on asking Alice to marry him, so we would have to see each other for those events, but we can't date anymore. I love you, Edward, but I'm confused and everything is so overwhelming right now. It's better this way." I fucking lost it. "Better for who? Just the other day you were talking about children, a future, and our lives together. I can't help what I am. Are you scared to be with me because I'm in the Mafia?" She shook her head. "Then what the fuck is wrong? We made love in the bathtub. I left you to talk to Marcus and then I heard god knows what. I rushed upstairs and Gigi was dead. Caius was half dead and you fucking lost consciousness. I know you're scared, babydoll, but please, just help me understand." She began to cry. I pulled her over into my lap. She buried her face into my chest. I kissed her forehead. "Edward... I'm just so angry. I'm angry that someone tried to kill you and your family. I'm angry that I feel like we can't be together. I'm angry at you for what you said that day in your office. You don't know how badly I want to believe you when you say you won't leave me, but I just can't. What if something bad

happens again and you decide to break up with me to keep me safe? I'm not strong enough to go through that again. I thought I was, but I'm not. You were right all along. We can't be together." I lifted her head. "Don't ever fucking say that! We can't be apart. I was an asshole. I realize that I shouldn't have said that shit. I swear on my father's grave that I didn't mean any of it. I don't fucking deserve you or your love, babydoll, but I want it more than anything in this world. Don't end it. It will get better. Things won't always be like this. I can't live without you. I need you so goddamn much that it fucking scares me too." She kissed my lips but I could tell her heart wasn't into it because she pulled away after a second. "I'm sorry, Edward. You're a wonderful man. You will meet someone and fall in love again. You'll forget all about me. It was a fun experience, but you and I both know that it isn't long term. We have to stop deluding ourselves. I'll be in the house packing." With that she turned around and ran to the villa. I lay down on the dirt and cried. It was over. The best thing that had ever happened to me was gone. I fucking knew this shit would happen. I knew that I was incapable of loving someone the way she deserved, but I went against the grain and tried the shit anyways. She had said I would find someone else, but I wouldn't ever fucking recover. Bella would always have my heart and soul. I didn't even know I had those parts until she came along. I sobbed until my chest caved in and my eyes were dry. I had nothing else to give. I didn't eat dinner that night. I spent it in my room staring at the ceiling. When this trip began, we were so fucking happy. I had taken Bella's virginity and she had given me her undying love, only it had died. All the time we spent together was gone. The sex had been mind blowing. It was truly the best of my life. This trip was supposed to bring us closer together but it had only torn us apart. Sleep eluded me, so I went to the clinic to visit Caius. We talked for a while. His voice was weak and he was fucking exhausted but he showed a spark of energy when I mentioned the problems between Bella and I. He insisted that I not give up. He told me that after what happened with Gigi, he was aware how rare love could be. Marcus, Di, and he were planning to return to Chicago next week. I knew that finding out his lover's betrayal would always weigh on him, so I invited him to come stay with me in Seattle once he got out. He accepted. I figured we might as well be two sorry sacks of shit together. We said our goodbyes and I headed back to the villa. It was less than five hours until we would be on a plane. I decided to call Jasper and let him know what was happening. He was probably going to kill my ass for almost getting his baby sister killed, but I needed his help. Cai was right. I was going to have to fight to keep my babydoll. I knew I would never find a woman more perfect than her. I loved her and that couldn't just go away because she had doubts in us. We were meant to be together. I pulled out my phone and dialed Jaz's number. I wasn't surprised when my sister picked up. "Hey Ali Cat. Can I speak to your boyfriend?" She giggled. "You only call me Ali Cat when you're sad. What's the matter? Is Bella okay?" She was going to find out anyway. "Put the phone on speaker." I heard Jasper come into the room and ask her what was wrong. She told him I was on the phone. He fucking freaked. "What the fuck is wrong, Cullen? If you let something bad happen to my sister, I swear to god I will kill

your fucking ass. Where is Bells? Put her on right now!" I pulled my fingers through my hair. I could hear Jaz apologize to Alice for cursing in front of her. Is that what good boyfriends did? I used vulgar language with my babydoll all the damn time. Maybe that was one of the reasons she was leaving my ass. Before I told them anything, I swore them to secrecy. The last thing I needed was Esme and the rest of my family worrying. They promised so I told them everything. I let every detail pour out of me. Obviously I left out all the sex me and Bella had, but I told them all the rest of the details. Jasper was angry and Ali was scared. He made me promise to get Bella home safe by tomorrow or he would be on a flight to get her himself. Ali assured me that Bella did love me and was probably just reacting to the stress. After several threats from Jasper and love words from Ali, I hung up. Miraculously, I felt better after that conversation. I went to seek out my babydoll. She was in the dining room eating with Di and Marcus. I sat down across from her and the cook went to fetch me a plate. She had changed into a blue sundress with a white bow under the breast. Her hair was piled on top of her head and a silk ribbon was tied around it. My dick throbbed painfully. I wanted to fuck her there and then. I didn't even care that my godfather and godmother were here. I watched as she forked a pineapple into her mouth. Some of the juice clung to her bottom lip. I fucking moaned. Everyone turned to stare at me. "Are you okay, son?" Marcus asked. I coughed and then nodded. Di was worrying. I could see the lines in her forehead. Bella didn't say anything. My food came and I picked at it. I didn't have a fucking appetite anymore. Finally, Bella left to go finish packing and I followed her. We worked in companionable silence. It was nice just being in the same room with her. Every time she lifted something, her dress would rise a little and I could see her thighs. Her dress strap kept falling and a few times, I leaned over to fix it. It was an excuse to touch her. I was pathetic. After awhile, we finished and went to sleep in separate bedrooms. The rest of my night was spent tossing and turning in an empty bed. In the morning, we said our goodbyes to everyone. Marcus and Di were sad to see us go. We also went to the clinic to say goodbye to Cai and Alec. Their doctors assured us that they would make full recoveries. Bella left Alec the book she had been reading to him. He smiled and she kissed his forehead. That site made me sick to my stomach. Those lips were mine. I knew I was a caveman, but I didn't give a fuck anymore. One of the nurses was all too happy to assume the job of reader. Alec and Cai would be coming to Seattle, so it wouldn't be long before we saw them again. A car drove us to the airport and we boarded the jet. It was nothing like our first trip when Bella had let me pleasure her in the bedroom. This time I worked on my laptop while she read a book. The few times I struck up a conversation, she shot me down. It was fucking excruciating. I had to go to the bathroom a couple of times to rub one out. It was the only way I could keep myself from attacking my babydoll. We landed in Seattle at night. The moment we stepped off the plane, my pixie of a sister launched herself at us. "I missed you guys so much. You have to show me the pictures. Did you go shopping? Did you buy me anything? What did you wear? I love you guys." She was tiny but she had a vice grip on our shoulders. Jasper walked up behind her and gently pulled her away. "I'm sorry. She had way too much coffee and

sugar today." He walked over and hugged Bella. I noticed that he held onto her a lot longer than Ali had. He was studying her face and whispering something in her ear. She whispered something back to him. They both looked over at me. Fuck. He was going to kill my ass if she told him about me popping her cherry. Before I could form an excuse, he walked over and slapped me on the back. It would leave a bruise, but at least he didn't jump on me. "My baby sis said that you showed her a good time, Cullen. I'm glad that I don't have to kill my future brother in law," he said smiling. Bella coughed and looked away. Ali took this as her cue. "Bella, why don't you ride with me? We can leave the boys to do man stuff and go get some lunch. Does that sound good?" My babydoll nodded. "Great, my Lambo is this way. Leave your stuff with Edward." That car was so fucking shiny happy people. It was bright yellow and all Ali. I had given it to her after she completed rehab for her eating disorder. She loved it. My babydoll waved at Jaz before following. Since it was cold here, she had changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and a silver sweater. Her hair was in a mess of shiny curls. I fucking wanted her again. Watching her ass as she walked over to Alice's car almost killed me. My balls were so fucking blue that they were in danger of falling off. I didn't want her going off without me, but her personal guard was back on duty and would keep her safe. The chauffer opened the door for me and Jasper. He loaded some of our things into the trunk. The rest would be loaded into the SUV behind us. I looked over at Jaz to see that he was studying me intently. "She didn't even say goodbye to you. She must be really angry." I knew he would pick up on that. I had told him how it was but I guess seeing it in person was different. "Yeah, I'm not going to lie. I fucked up. Do you have any suggestions of how I can get her to forgive me?" I asked. He searched my face for a minute. Then the fucker laughed. "Nope. You're on your own. My baby sis can be stubborn, as I'm sure you know. It's going to take a grand gesture to get her back. Personally I would rather she join a nunnery and never talk to men again, but that's not going to happen. You make her happy. Don't give up just because you hit a rough patch." I don't know how that fucker did it, but his words made me feel calmer. For the first time in as many days, I felt okay. I had a goal. I always reached my goals. That was one of the reasons I was so successful in business. We went to the club to get ready for tonight. I texted Bella and told her that she had the night off but she insisted on coming in. She was still going to try to quit but I wasn't fucking having that shit. I needed her. The club needed her. She was the best goddamn secretary I ever had. Shit was finally running smoothly. I left Jaz at the club so I could run a few errands. I took my Phantom because I had to go pick up mom and Rosie to help me with something. I told them my situation, and they were more than happy to help me win over Bella. Alice was going to kill my ass for not including her, but she would have plenty of work later. Besides, my babydoll needed her now. When that was done, I dropped them off and went back to the club to get ready for tonight.

My lair seemed morose and empty without my sunshine. It was as much hers and it was mine. I hoped that by tonight she would be naked in bed next to me. I stroked myself to climax because that was the only way I could get my pants zipped, and then I showered and changed. I wore black slacks and a green V-neck cashmere pullover because my babydoll liked to ogle my chest. I did the usual to my hair and pulled on some Italian loafers. My babydoll walked in an hour after I got ready. Felix, Demetri, and Chanel came to chat as soon as they heard we were back. Bella had bought a cheesecake during her lunch with Alice, so she doled out slices as they chatted. She was wearing a clingy black dress that was backless. Dee was practically slobbering over her, but he wasn't touching. Her face was radiant as she made jokes with them. Would she ever look at me like that again? I rubbed my chest because my fucking dead heart was hurting again. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her, kissing her neck. She tried to pull away, but I held her in place. She smelled wonderful, like her usual strawberries and wildflowers. She wasn't wearing my necklace. That made me fucking angry, but I held it in. Chanel pulled Bella away from me. "Edward, share. You've had her to yourself for over a week. We missed her." I snorted. "Didn't anyone miss me? I am your fucking boss." They all made smart ass comments about how I didn't cook or look good in a dress. I smirked and kissed the top of my babydoll's head. Once again she tried to pull away from me but I held tight. Eventually, they got their fill and went to do some work, leaving Bella and I alone. The first words out of her mouth shocked me. "This is my two weeks notice. I have a formal letter of resignation that I will leave on you desk. If you hire someone soon, I promise to train them for you." I laughed. "You're not quitting and I don't want another secretary. Why don't you just give up this fucking charade and forgive me? We both know you will. You always do. Please, don't make this harder than it has to be." Apparentally, that was the wrong fucking thing to say. "You arrogant asshole! That is one of the many reasons I'm breaking up with you. You think I'll forgive you for anything…" That's all she got out before I grabbed her. I kissed her hard, sucking on her lower lip until she gave me her tongue. I licked into her mouth and she groaned. Her hands fisted in my hair, causing my dick to leap in anticipation. I cupped her ass and pressed her into my erection. I kissed down her neck until I reached her breasts. I took a nipple in mouth through the flimsy fabric. Once again she wasn't wearing a fucking bra. My hand went to her bare lower back. She bucked against me. I massaged her until she whimpered. We leaned our foreheads together to catch our breaths. "We can't keep doing this, Edward. It's not good for either of us. We fight and makeup over and over again. It's not healthy." "I don't want to ever stop doing that. I want you forever. You're mine and no one else's. So we fight. What couple doesn't? I'll never stop loving you, Bella." I was a drowning man trying to hold onto the only thing that could save me. I licked her neck. "Tell me you don't feel it. The electricity that goes through your body when I touch you. That same feeling courses through my veins too. We need each other."

I kissed her again. We clung to each other. She had one hand on my chest and the other in my hair. My dick was trying to get to her core. I wanted to fuck Bella until she couldn't remember anything. She broke away and smiled at me. It was my smile; the one that melted the ice in my blood. I was so happy that I picked her up and twirled her around. "Let's go to the lair. I want to make love to you, babydoll. We've never done it in there before. It will be a christening." She giggled. "That's blasphemous, Edward. And here I thought you were a saint." We both laughed at that. I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. It took all of two seconds for me to put in the code and let us in. I sat Bella down. "Edward, we still have a lot to talk about. I'm still unsure of where we stand, but I can't be without you tonight. My vibrator is no match for your lovemaking." My eyes bugged out of my head. She had tried to masturbate without me. That was not fucking kosher. She only had to ask and I would have gotten her off. "Bella, you never have to turn to electronic devices. I'm always willing and ready." She walked over and stroked my cock. "I know," she breathed. "Can you do me one favor?" I nodded dumbly. I would do any fucking thing she asked. "Will you play the piano for me?" Christ, I needed my cock in her molten pussy now. I took a couple of breaths to calm down before agreeing. We both undressed and changed into pajamas. I wore a pair of blue silk pants and Bella wore the top. I kissed her all the way to the piano. I dipped a finger into her pussy and licked the juices. Her eyes went wide. I smirked. "What do you want to hear? I can play lots of things. I was accepted to Julliard after high school, but I turned them down to go into business." She looked impressed. "I can't decide. Just play me something you like. We have similar tastes," she said. I guided her to the bench. She sat beside me as I began to play. I chose Chopin's Nocturne because it had trills that would allow me to show off. It was also a sad piece, but I thought it sounded hopeful towards the end. The music flowed out of my fingers. I added a few of my own changes. Bella fucking loved it. She kissed my jaw and kept her arm around my waist the whole time. When it was over, she had tears in her eyes. I leaned over and kissed her. "Edward, that was beautiful. Thank you so much." She stood up to straddle my lap. She was grinding her pussy into me and making all kinds of erotic noises. I wrapped my arms around her and deepened our kiss. I pulled the top over her head exposing her gorgeous peaks. I took one of her breasts into my mouth. She arched her back to give me better access. I licked and nipped every inch of her chest. My pants were constraining me, so I stood up. I put the top down and laid her on the piano.

One of my babydoll's hands was playing in her dripping pussy. I got my pants off in record time. I moved her hand and replaced it with my tongue. I licked her clit until she cried out. I inserted a finger and she came. "Fuck, Edward. More please." I fucking loved it when she cursed. I resumed my stroking and licking, this time adding fingers. When I got three in she started riding my hand. She looked sexy as fuck laying on my black piano while I pleasured her. It was one of our mutual fantasies. The reality was much better. I pulled her legs over my shoulders so I could bury my head deeper. Bella was leaning on her elbows so she could look down at me. "You're so sexy, Edward. I love you. Don't stop baby." Her words spurred me on. I licked and sucked her to two orgasms before he legs gave out. "You're so fucking beautiful, babydoll. I love you. You don't know how much I missed that. You are my favorite meal." She fucking blushed. I smiled because that was my blush. It was back. She loved me again. I pulled her off the piano and kissed her mouth. She went for my tongue like it was the secret to life. My dick was resting on her naked stomach, begging for access. She reached down to stroke me. I already had pre cum. I wouldn't last long. I was pulling her to me when she stopped. "No, I want you to hit it doggy style, Edward. I love that shit." I swear I fucking died. I was stunned. My babydoll saying shit like that sent me into overdrive. I spun her around, pushing her head onto the piano top. I bent down to kiss and knead her ass. She was still dripping, despite the licking I'd given her. I stood up and plunged into her heat. We both moaned. "Fuck, babydoll. You're always so fucking tight." Her pussy had my dick in a vice grip. She was heaven and home. I needed this like I needed water. I pulled her hair as I pounded into her. Her creamy skin bunched and contracted with the force of my thrusts. I was pounding her so hard that the piano moved a little bit. She met me thrust for thrust. Her whimpers and moans were my favorite song. I reached around so I could play with her clit. She screamed as she came. I wasn't there yet so I kept pounding into her. I trailed light kisses on her back and neck. She was whining again. I pushed harder, letting her feel my entire length. I made sure to hit her G-spot. She was close again. I grabbed her breasts and alternated between squeezing and cupping them. We were making primal sounds. Every time we made love, it sounded like something you'd hear on a safari. "Edward, I'm close. Harder. Fuck me harder." I complied. I bit her neck as I thrust up into her tight pussy over and over again. I didn't want our fucking to ever end. Bella's walls clenched again as she came hard. She screamed my name. "Edward! I can't!" I pulled her closer to me. "Yes you can. You're my lover. I love you, babydoll. You're the sexiest woman alive. I want you to be mine forever. Your pussy is the best I've ever had. Come one more time for me. Get me off." My words must have worked because she started pushing her hips towards me. The sound of our flesh

slapping together reverberated around the room. I buried my head in her hair, breathing in her unique scent. She reached around to grip my thighs, which helped guide the pace. I was so fucking close. I growled and bit down on her neck. My jizz erupted deep in Bella's walls, triggering her orgasm. We both screamed. "Fuck, Bella!" That's all I could get out because it felt so goddamn good. She collapsed on the piano top and I fell on top of her. We stayed connected until we calmed down. I pulled my dick out of Bella and turned her around. I kissed her so hard that I'm sure it would leave bruises. She just clung to me and returned my kiss. "So, do you still want to quit? I need you, babydoll. I would never let you go. I would stalk you and follow you to the ends of the Earth. You know I would." She smiled. "I see Caveward is back in full force. I love you, but it's complicated. I still think we need some time apart." I pulled her back to me. "No we don't! I dream about being with you forever, babydoll. Well, that and you naked and writhing. I want everything you want. Don't give up on us." She kissed my chest. "Edward, no matter what happens, this has been one of the best nights of my life. Most of my most memorable moments involve you. Remember that I love you forever. You deserve to be loved and you aren't a monster." She was looking up at me with her soulful eyes. Something was wrong. Why hadn't she forgiven me? I was scared shitless, but I put it out of my mind to enjoy tonight. We would have tomorrow to talk. I had the ring, and I was going to spend the day with her and then pop the question. She took my hand and let me into the bathroom. "How do you want to bust a nut, Mr. Cullen?" I pushed her up against the wall and proceeded to show her what talking dirty would get her. After several orgasms between us, we got out of the shower. We ate leftovers and chatted. I was starving, and she scolded me for being a little piggy. I just kissed her cheek. She was my reason for being. The days without my babydoll just showed me how important she was to me. I was now a humbled man. This was the woman for me. There would never be another. We watched a little television before heading to bed. I thought we would sleep, but my babydoll was voracious. She couldn't get enough. My dick barely had time to recover before she attacked me again. I wasn't fucking complaining though. She rode me for hours. I fell asleep still inside her sweet pussy. We fucked in every position we knew. My back was fucking sore and my legs were killing me. She wasn't going to be able to walk in the morning. Her beautiful face was glowing with her bliss. I smiled. I'd do anything to make her happy. Our lovemaking was almost feverish. Every time I thought I had tired her out, she woke up and went for me again. Eventually, I couldn't take anymore and had to ask her to stop. She pouted at first, but curled on my chest and fell asleep later. I heard her mumbling my favorite words before I passed out for good. I was so tired that I fell into a dreamless sleep. When I awoke, my babydoll was gone. I had a goofy smile on my face. The clock said it was after eleven in the morning. We had spent over twelve hours making love. I could barely move, but I felt rejuvenated. I didn't hear anyone in the bathroom, so I dragged my

ass up and went to the kitchen. She wasn't in there either. Maybe she went to get us something for breakfast. I texted her but her phone was out of service. My stomach dropped. Something bad had happened. I returned to the bedroom. That's when I saw it, an envelope. The Tiffany's box was sitting on top of it. I opened it to reveal Bella's birthday gift. My heart broke. I knew what this shit meant. I read the note. Dear Edward, I love you so much. You were my first lover. You awakened my body to pleasures I didn't even know existed. I will never forget you. It's just all too hard right now. I thought I could handle what we had, but I can't. It's not even the Mafia thing that scares me. It's my insecure belief that you'll leave me. I can't take the risk. I know you mean well now, but what about in the future? I wanted us more than anything, but I have to be realistic. You were right all along. We're too different. Love can come on strongly and then fizzle out quickly. I didn't want that to happen with us. You're an amazing man, Edward Cullen. Please forget me and move on. I'm leaving the city next week. If you love me, you'll let me go. I promise to keep myself safe. I won't ever forget you. You made me happier than I've ever been in my life. Please don't come after me. There's nothing you can say that will change my decision. Making love to you last night was amazing. There will never be another, I promise. It breaks my heart to do this to you, but it's for the best. Hug your family for me. I love you so much. I love you. I love you. I always will. My letter of resignation is on your desk. Every gift you ever bought for me will be left at your penthouse. Your love was enough. I don't need any reminders. We will probably have to see each other again eventually, but hopefully not soon. Please don't hate me for leaving you like this. You don't know how hard it was for me to pull myself away from you. I knew that you would never let me go otherwise. You were truly my best friend. I will always love you. You have my heart forever.

Love, Your babydoll I cried like a fucking baby. She was gone. The fucking darkness was back. I was in hell again, and this time no angel would come to rescue me. ~*!*~

Chapter Fifteen ~ Need I'm not quite sure how to breathe without you here.. I'm not quite sure if I'm ready to say goodbye to all we were...

Be with me Stay with me Just for now Let the time decide When I won't need you My hand searches for your hand In a dark room I can't find you Help me Are you looking for me? Can I feel anymore? Lie to me, I'm fading I can't drop you Tell me, I don't need you" --Need - Hana Pestle BPOV It had been almost three months since the night I left Edward. I'd been completely miserable the whole time. I missed working at the club. I missed our friends and the Cullens. Not being able to see Jasper everyday was killing me. I brought the misery to myself though. I had to leave Seattle to get away from Edward. I knew he'd never let me go otherwise. After Gigi tried to kill us, I had woken up in the clinic. I remember being more afraid that Edward would try to break up with me again than I was about my health. I couldn't bear to hear his hurtful words. I thought I was strong, but I wasn't. I'd waited for him to come see me that day. My stomach had been in knots since I opened my eyes. When I saw him standing over me smiling, I knew what I had to do. As much as I loved him, I couldn't put myself through the rollercoaster again. Edward didn't believe me. He had tried to talk me out of the breakup. I started ignoring him but that didn't work. I had thought he would get angry, and he did. He destroyed my hospital room. Dr. Moretti had to ban him again. After he left, I cried myself to sleep. I loved him so much, but he was constantly questioning our relationship. I couldn't marry him and build a family if he had so little faith in what we meant to each other. In the clinic, I sat with Caius and talked to Alec. I didn't mean to go to Alec's room but I heard him calling out for his mother. The sad sound of his voice had broken my heart. He reminded me of Jasper when he first came to live with us. He had nightmares all the time. I'm a sucker for a man in pain. I had gotten a book of poetry from Di and read it to Alec. I'd never met him before, but anyone that was willing to die for my Edward was golden as far as I was concerned. Edward had burst through the door. I could sense the anger and jealously that was rolling off of him in waves. That was another problem with Edward. I had never even thought of cheating on him but he treated me like he didn't trust me. He said it was because he didn't trust other guys, but it felt like he didn't believe in me. I should have learned my lesson the day he beat down Mike Newton in front of the club. It's true that I did

love Caveward sometimes, but he started to grate on the nerves after awhile. Once again, I'd ignored Edward. He'd actually managed to speak to me like a normal human being. I was shocked but I couldn't let that show of chivalry break my focus. Alec had flirted with me, which pissed Edward off more. I didn't feel anything for Alec. Hell, I didn't even know him. Lying in the wine vineyard pouring my heart out to Edward had been rough. I had to leave him midway through our talk because I couldn't stand his touch. I felt myself caving and I wanted to be strong. Edward had helped me pack, stealing touches the entire time. I wanted to lay him down on the bed and have my way with him. I missed Di and Marcus. They were so different from what I had expected. I had always heard that the Mob was a family and it was. Edward's godfathers loved him. When we got back to Seattle my mind had been made up. I had to go. Alice cornered us when we got off the plane and had taken me to lunch. She tried to apologize for her brother but I wasn't hearing it. I told her my plan to leave. She was devastated. I told her that I didn't want to leave but I had no choice. I felt like I was drowning in Edward. That's not healthy for any person to feel. Alice had called Jasper and he tried to talk me out of it too, but no one could. Jaz's new apartment was in Edward's building, so I knew I couldn't stay there. We had planned to live together but I had to tell him that I wouldn't be moving in. All my stuff was still in boxes and Alice had painted my room. She cried the whole time as I got my stuff ready for storage. Jasper was angry. He wanted to kick Edward's ass for causing me to leave, but I begged him to let me be the one to break the news to Edward. Alice, Jasper, and I held each other and cried for a long time. I was planning on staying in Forks for a week until I made it to my new destination. I had moved to Spokane, Washington. One of my professors from UW had started working for Gonzaga University. He'd emailed me the month before, asking me if I was looking for a job. He had a friend who ran a local magazine and needed an editor. He also told me he could pull a few strings and get me into the Graduate writing program at Gonzaga. I'd turned him down before because my life had been in Seattle, but now I had no reason to stay. He'd set everything up, and I would move in a week. I felt bad about not giving Edward a two weeks notice but he would only try to talk me out of moving. I stayed in Forks for a week. I visited my parent's graves almost every day, and stayed with Jake and Leah. They had been gracious hosts but they tried to talk me out of leaving too. Of course, Edward found out where I was and came to confront me. It had taken three officers to drag him away. I begged Jake not to throw him in jail. He'd yelled and thrown everything in the yard. He declared his love to me and asked me why I was breaking his heart. I'd been a coward that day and stayed in the house. I couldn't bear to see him again, but I sure as hell heard the commotion he caused. Leah had to give me sleeping pills that night because I was so distraught. The week went by without another visit from Edward because Jacob banned him from his property. I didn't go out much after that, but every time I did, it felt like someone was watching me. I shrugged it off. Even though we'd had trouble in Italy, I felt pretty safe. Before I left, Alice and Jasper came to tell me goodbye. Alice told me her mom and the rest of the Cullens were distraught over my departure. She didn't say anything about her brother and I didn't ask. Jaz had insisted that he drive me to Spokane. It's around four hours from Seattle, so he and Ali wouldn't be able to visit much. Our drive had been somber. I'd wanted to ask about Edward but I figured it was better for me to have a clean break from him. I hoped that he wasn't turning to drugs and alcohol again, but I didn't feel guilty for the decision I made. Edward

was a grown man. He had to start taking care of his own self. I couldn't live for him anymore. I made it out of Forks without seeing Edward again. So many times I wanted to go back and proclaim my love to him. I spent everyday crying my eyes out, and reminisced on the time we spent together and his touch. Jasper and Alice made sure I was settled in Spokane before they left. I had stayed in a hotel for a week before the studio apartment my professor had hooked me up with was ready. I had money saved from working at the club, and Jasper insisted on putting some of his money in my savings account. Moneywise I would be fine. Mentally, I was a train wreck. I missed sleeping in Edward's arms and waking up to him. I missed our joking and bantering. I'd given him my birthday present back. That day he showed up at Jacob's, he tried to get me to take it back but I refused. The necklace was gorgeous and no doubt expensive, but it wasn't me. That last night, in his lair when we'd made love on the piano. He'd played so beautifully. I asked him to play for me because I wanted to have that memory for the rest of my life. It had been a fantasy of mine to be taken on top of a piano, and he made it happen. We spent all night making love. I didn't give him a moment to rest because I wanted to get as much of him as I could. He'd whispered love words in my ear and I'd almost believed him. All I could think about was having a family and watching from the front door as Edward left us. I wasn't strong enough to deal with something like that. I never would be. It was better to end it now before our lives got too complicated. I had written him a note and left. I couldn't even walk that morning because we'd made love so many times. I hobbled to the bathroom and threw on my clothes. It had taken me three tries to get out of his lair because of the security system. I don't think I'll ever be able to give myself to any man the way I gave myself to Edward. He will always own my body. Our lovemaking was electric and it was once in a lifetime. We had craved each other. I did and said things to him that I used to think were shameful. I kept the vibrator that he bought me that day in Port Angeles. It had been the only thing he bought me that I didn't return. The first few weeks I was gone, I would turn it on and pleasure myself. My orgasms never came anywhere close to the ones Edward gave me, so I threw the Adonis away. When you've had a real life Adonis, it's hard to switch to the imitation. My first few weeks in Spokane were hard. My job was enjoyable but I still missed HADES. I sent emails to Chanel, Felix, and Demetri letting them know I was okay and missed them. We email each other every week. Thankfully none of them ever talked about Edward. My new co-workers were more stilted, all older than me. One of the guys asked me out to a movie. I wasn't ready to date and even if I was, I wouldn't date him. We had nothing in common except the fact that we liked to read books. I'd been nice and turned him down. That didn't stop him from flirting with me every chance he got. Jasper and Alice called me everyday. When I told Jaz about the guy asking me out, he wanted to come and get me. I assured him I was a grown woman and I could take care of myself. I still felt like someone was watching me but I chalked that up to being paranoid. My life was empty. I had no family here, no real friends, and I missed home. I trudged on day after day though and after awhile it wasn't so bad. I thought about Edward constantly but I didn't cry so much. I met people at the University and made plans to start school in January. I didn't hear from Edward that whole time. I never should have underestimated him. In early October I started receiving packages. They didn't have any forwarding address. At first I thought that maybe some stalker had his sights set on me, but when I'd gotten the nerve and opened up the first package, I realized it was from Edward. Inside was a large wooden box filled with fuzzy handcuffs. There was also an envelope. He'd written me an original love poem. I was shocked because I figured he would be angry at me. The poem was beautiful and it expressed all the love in his heart. The letter was signed simply 'your lover.' I cried for hours after reading it, and thought about sending the handcuffs back, but decided to keep them as a souvenir of my time with Edward.

Every week I received another package from Edward. He also sent me emails telling me how he was doing. He had graduated from his anger management class and Dr. Uley had taken him as a regular therapy patient. He was working on himself. I was so proud of him. I never answered any of his letters and emails though. I thought it would be better if I let him express himself without having to deal with my baggage. As time went on the gifts got more and more personal. One week he had over two hundred sunflowers delivered to my apartment. I lived in a studio so I didn't have room. I'd taken one vase and asked that the rest be delivered to a local hospital. Another week he had a fancy restaurant cater my dinner. All the foods were aphrodisiacs. I ended up taking most of it to work and giving it away. I didn't need help to feel horny. I touched myself all the time thinking of Edward. I wanted to feel his manhood inside of me. I had erotic dreams every night. Edward never called me, and for that I was grateful. I would have just changed my number if he had. The packages kept coming. There were first edition poetry books by Virgil, and small knick knacks like a new Smurf's cookie jar. I had left mine with Jasper so he would have something to remember me by. I kept everything Edward sent me in a prominent place in my small space. I would smile when I looked at the things. Edward's emails made it seem like he was starving to death. He missed me cooking for him. I missed enjoying Edward in the kitchen. Halloween came and went. Edward sent me a huge gift basket filled with all of my favorite candies. There were Godiva chocolate covered strawberries, Milk Duds, Thin Mints, and many more. At the bottom of the basket were two jars of that chocolate syrup Edward had licked off my body in the lair. My panties had gotten so wet that I swear people could hear me sloshing. Of course my cheeks sported a permanent blush that day. My co-workers thought I was coming down with a cold. Edward also sent me a holiday email with pictures. He had been Dracula with the fangs and crazy eyes to boot. I giggled when I saw his outfit. He still begged me to come home or at least write back to him, but I didn't. In November, he started to lose hope that I would come back. His emails were depressing. I wanted to write him so many times. He told me that he felt like he was in hell again and that he deserved to rot. He asked me if I was dating again. He expressed anger at me for my lack of response. He kept sending packages though. He sent me the Macbook Air that I used to work on. He'd had my initials engraved under the Apple sign and he bought me a new laptop bag. I sent it back because I couldn't accept something so expensive from him. His email after that was angry, so I stopped reading. The next package I received was a piece of bark with Edward and my initials engraved in a heart. It wasn't from Esme and Carlisle's tree because he said it would have been bad luck to tamper with that. The bark was made of petrified wood. It had a solid gold base. It was beautiful. I sent it back to the club address. I didn't need a reminder like that. I'm sure he sent me another angry email but I had changed my address by then. The last package I got from him was the one that I loved the most. He had a French porcelain doll made to look just like me. She had on a white babydoll dress like I'd worn the day he told me the truth in the meadow. The doll even had sparkly clips in her hair and her cheeks were permanently flushed. It was gorgeous. He'd captured my every detail. There was a card announcing her as the Bella Swan doll with an authenticity seal. I'm sure it was expensive, but this was a gift I would be keeping. Also in the package was an old fashioned scroll tied with a black ribbon. I unrolled it to see beautiful calligraphy on the page. Edward had handwritten it himself. The letter read: My Dearest Babydoll,

I've missed you so much these past few months. I want you to know that I'm sorry for all the times I made you cry. You are the most important person in my life. I love you with all my heart. I'm beginning to think you won't ever forgive me and I can't blame you for that. No matter what happens you will always have my heart. I remember the first time I saw your beautiful face, I was confused because I wanted to be soft and kind to you. I wasn't used to feeling that way about women. It made me angry that you, a little innocent, could make my heart beat again. Before you, I was dead. I spent every night drowning myself in drugs, booze, and women. I was in hell. Then you showed up and changed me. I found myself wanting to be a better man. I wanted a family and a life with you. I still do. You teased me, fed me, and fought with me. It may not have seemed like it, but I appreciated everything you did for me. The most precious gifts I ever received are from you, babydoll. You trusted me enough to let me make love to you. I claimed the territory that is your body. I hope no other man ever gets to know your secrets. At night is when I miss you the most. You fit so perfectly in my arms. I used to stay up after you'd fallen asleep so I could hear you mumble 'love Edward' in your sleep. I pray everyday that you still love me. Bella, you own my body, heart, and soul. Without you in my life, I might as well be dead. I'm so sorry for making you doubt us. I should have been a stronger man and fought for your love. I imagine you and I getting married, your belly swollen with our children, raising a family, and counting our gray hairs together. Please don't make me miss out on all of that. I will never love another woman after you. I didn't even know what love was until I met you. You make every experience I have that much better. I know you've gotten the packages I sent you and hope you liked all of them. It made me sad when you sent the bark and computer back, but I understand. I'm begging you not to give up on us. I know I have a lot of work to do but I'll do it for you. I need you by my side. Without you, I'm nothing. Every minute of every day I picture your big brown eyes and I dream of you every night. I haven't washed the sleep shirt you wore the last night we spent together, because it smells like you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Please, I'm begging you to give me one more chance. You will never find anyone who loves and cares for you as much as I do. You are my life, Isabella Marie Swan. Come back to me. My heart won't beat until you do. The poem enclosed is by Keats. I read it and thought of you. I love you with everything within me. I love you. Your Soulmate, Edward I cried so much after reading his words that I couldn't breathe. It took me several hours before I could open the other envelope. The poem was "Bright Star, Would I Were Steadfast as Thou Art." I read the words out loud.

“Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night, And watching, with eternal lids apart, Like nature's patient sleepless eremite, The moving waters at their p riestlike task Of pure ablution round earth's human shores, Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask Of snow upon the mountains and the moors; No yet still steadfast, still unchangeable, Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast, To feel for ever its soft fall and swell, Awake for ever in a sweet unrest, Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath, And so live ever or else swoon to death.” I broke down and emailed him after that. I simply said 'thank you.' It wasn't much, but I knew that he would be happy that I'd written back. I fell asleep re-reading Edward's letter and the poem. They became covered in teardrops. I kept them close to my heart as I slept. A week before Thanksgiving, I received an invitation from Jasper and Alice. They were formally announcing their engagement at the Cullens and they wanted me to be there. I was torn. Yes, I wanted to show my support for Alice and Jasper, but I wasn't sure I was ready to see Edward. I called Alice that night. She was on cloud nine, and had already sent me pictures of her engagement ring. Of course she'd insisted on picking it out herself because she didn't trust Jaz's judgment. We talked well into the night and ended up calling Rosie and putting her on three-way. I missed my girls and they missed me. Emmett kept trying to join in on our gossip and I could hear Rosie threatening him. Their two boys wanted to talk to me too. Before the night ended, I talked to Esme and Carlisle both. They insisted that I stay with them for the holidays. I agreed because I felt bad about making Esme cry. After I hung up with them I called Jasper at the club to congratulate him. I told him I would be there for the dinner and his announcement. He was so excited that he had an Alice moment. I couldn't make out half the gibberish he was babbling about. He was going to come to Spokane to pick me up. He told me that he hoped I would consider moving back. I changed the subject so I could avoid the argument we'd been having off and on since I moved. Tomorrow, Jasper would be coming to pick me up. Our office was closed, so I had Thanksgiving week off. Sadly, my co-worker tried to ask me out again but I shot him down. I did, however, manage to set him up with a girl that works at the coffee shop. She'd confided in me that she had a crush on him for a long time. I was glad that some romances were working. I spent most of the day after work visiting thrift stores and catching up on emails. I was super nervous about seeing Edward again. My wardrobe was fine because I hadn't worn half of the stuff that Alice bought for me. Most of it still had the tags attached. Unfortunately, I dealt with the stress of moving by eating so I'd gained a little weight. Nothing major, like five pounds. Luckily my clothes still fit. I had been sick too. Some days I would pig out and other days I would feel nauseous. This happened to me after each of my parent's deaths so I didn't worry. It was my body's way of dealing with stress. When I got home that night, I went to pack. A man was sitting on the couch. I panicked. I hadn't turned

on the light yet so I couldn't tell who it was. My pepper spray was in my purse, and so was my cell phone. I had no other weapons. The man turned around. I bolted for the door. A strong hand caught my arm and flung me backwards. I was so scared. I tried to scream but he covered my mouth. I kicked and fought to no avail. I was trying to knee him in the groin when he spoke. "Good god, Bella. Please calm down. I'm not here to hurt you." I knew that voice. "Alec? Why are you here? Did Edward send you? You scared me to death you asshole." I continued fighting him. He let me go so that he could turn on the light. He was rubbing his chest and wincing in pain. I felt bad for hurting him because he'd been shot, but he had frightened me. "Edward's right. You are a tigress. You're small but you pack a mean punch." He smiled at me. I didn't return it. "Answer my questions now or I will call the police. You have no right to be here." He reached into his pocket. I stared in disbelief as he pulled out a badge. "I am the police, Bella. I'm Special Agent Alexander Smith." I swayed on my feet and he caught me. I felt sick. "Take it easy, darling. I didn't mean to freak you out." Alec helped me to sit down on a chair. He went into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water. I drank greedily. This couldn't be happening. Alec was undercover. He wasn't the man Edward thought he was. "I'm not going to help you bring Edward down. We may be broken up, but I don't want to see anything bad happen to him." Alec stood up and started pacing the room. In a studio the size of mine he didn't have far to go. "Bella, I'm not trying to bring Edward down. I couldn't if I tried. The Volturi are very good at what they do. They also have some very prominent people in their pockets." I frowned. I vaguely remembered Edward telling me something similar. "Then why are you lying to him by pretending to be a bodyguard?" He looked at me. "I'm so sorry to have to tell you, but there aren't many I can trust. I work for the Drug Enforcement Agency. I was originally put undercover to bring down the illegal drug trade in the club. Nothing can be traced to Edward specifically, so my job was to gather evidence on HADES and his second in command Demetri. My boss figured that me being his bodyguard would keep us close to the action." I held up my hand. "So let me get this straight. You can't arrest Edward." He nodded his head. "But you can close the club down and put Dee away." He nodded again. My head hurt. "Bella, I never meant for you to get involved. I could tell you weren't like the rest of them, so I checked you out. I was shocked when I found out your dad had been a Police Chief. I thought Edward might be forcing you to be there or plying you with drugs so I kept my eye on him."

I interrupted him. "You… you thought Edward hurt me? He loved me. Sure we fought, but he kept most of the Mafia business away from me. I don't know anything and I won't help you." He pulled on his dark brown hair. Obviously he had picked up on some of Edward's traits. His electric blue eyes were on fire. "It's not about that anymore. A few weeks ago I saw my boss and some other DEA agents accepting payouts from that Russian mobster Stephan. My unit is crooked. Now that Stephen is dead, they are working with James. Their plan is to take the club down so that the Russians can take over Seattle. They don't care about the drugs. That doesn't bring in the most money. They need the guns. The Volturi already have San Francisco and several of the other waterfronts. The Russians need docks to bring their products in and a place to filter it. With Edward and his club out of the way, they become major players." My heart was beating out of my chest. This situation was over my head. "Are they planning to hurt Edward?" He nodded. "Yes, the DEA has nothing on the Volturi or Edward, but James has a personal vendetta. He plans to goad Edward into trying to kill him. When Edward takes the bait, James will kill him. The death will be ruled as a self defense homicide. James and the Russians will own the West Coast and the Volturi will be weakened and eventually picked off." Tears were streaming down my face. "How will James goad Edward into going for him?" I asked but I already knew. Alec confirmed it by staring at me. "After that day in the restaurant he began gathering details about you. He knows how important you are to Edward. He plans on using you as his bait. Don't worry, though. Right now he's still reeling from his father's death and the subsequent fallout. I have people watching him, people that can't be bought. We will keep you safe." I wouldn't let anything happen to Edward. He had to live. "I… I have to go away. You can put me underground into some kind of program, right?" Alec shook his head. "Bella, there are law enforcement involved in this. If I tried to take you away they would know. I couldn't protect you. Go about your business as usual. I would also advise you to move back to Seattle because you're less vulnerable there." I nodded my head. I had a lot to think over, but right now I was too tired and hungry. "Alec, can you get my phone, I'd like to order Chinese." He retrieved the phone and handed it to me. I was starving. My stomach felt like it was turning in on itself even though I'd eaten a large lunch. I ordered the dinner for two. I asked Alec if he wanted to stay. He said yes and gave me his order. He had cash and insisted on paying, so I let him. He was staring at me. "I'm so sorry that you got dragged into this. I promise to do all I can to keep you safe. You look a little pale, Bella. Are you feeling okay?" I put on the best smile I could muster. "I'm just scared. What you told me is a lot to take in." He smiled back at me. "I know, but you're safe. Edward pays personal guards to follow you." "He what? He pays people to watch me?" I shrieked. I knew it. I had always felt like I was being followed.

"Don't be angry. He just does it to keep you safe. They are there in case you need help." I wasn't happy that strangers were watching me, but I guess Edward meant well. Our food came and I began eating before everything was unloaded. I thought I was going to have to join a gym if I kept packing it in like that. Alec laughed at me. "Wow, you can really put it away. Who knew someone so little could eat so much?" I ate the whole dinner for two and all the appetizers, and yet I still had room for desert. I decided to go with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Alec watched in amazement as I cleared two bowls. "What? I'm nervous about seeing everyone again and it's making me eat." He just raised his eyebrows and went back to his chicken moo shoo. He was still on the main course. I ended up finishing his dinner before I declared myself full. After we ate, I began to get sleepy so I walked Alec out. Edward didn't know he was here, and he wanted to get back before someone came looking for him. I still had one more question. "Why did you come clean to me, Alec? Why not just tell Edward?" He bent down and kissed my forehead. "In the clinic, you comforted me when I was in pain. I knew then that I could trust you. I plan on telling Edward but I need your help. He'll want to have me killed when he finds out. You're the only person he listens to. I want you to talk him out of it. You have to give me the chance to explain myself to him. I hate to ask it of you, but there's no one else." I looked up at him. "I don't know. We broke up. He probably doesn't value my opinion anymore." Alec shook his head. "He has been a broken man. He still loves you, Bella. Please, I just need a chance to get him on my side. Think about it. Don't tell Edward anything about our conversation until I tell you it's okay." I nodded my head. We said our goodbyes and he left. I double bolted the door. My apartment was in a nice safe area of town, but crime happens everywhere. I went to my room and fell into a deep sleep. I dreamt of Edward lying bloody on the ground and woke up in a sweat. I had drunk a lot of green tea with dinner so I was constantly waking up to pee. That's why I didn't hear my alarm go off. Loud banging woke me up. I was tired but I got up to answer it. In the doorway stood a chipper looking Jasper. "Hey baby sis. Rise and shine. I'm here to take you home." He wrapped his arms around me. I caught a whiff of Pine Sol from the hallway. The smell made me feel sick. I bolted to the bathroom. I dry heaved over the toilet for a few minutes. Jasper came in to stand beside me. He looked worried. "What's wrong? Are you sick?" There was a tiny thought in the back of my head but it was so preposterous that I couldn't dwell on it. "I may be coming down with the flu."

He helped me to my feet. "Well I'm going to take you out to breakfast. Are you all packed?" I nodded. Jasper carried my stuff down and I went to get dressed. I tried to put on a pair of dark skinny jeans but they wouldn't button. I was definitely joining a gym when I got back. I ended up wearing a pair of black leggings and an oversized red cashmere sweater. I was too tired to do much with my hair so I just clipped it all up, leaving some tendrils hanging down. Jaz was waiting for me in the living room. He locked up my apartment and we got in the car. We stopped at one of my favorite diners to get breakfast. I had the blueberry waffles plus sausage and eggs. I was over my morning nausea and my appetite was back in full force. Jasper seemed surprised that I was eating so much; I polished off my meal and got a side of waffles to go. The drive went smoothly. We told funny childhood stories and listened to the radio. We sang along to our favorite songs. We didn't talk about Edward. Alice was busy setting up for the engagement announcement party tonight so she couldn't come to pick me up. She had already apologized. We arrived in Seattle around lunchtime. I was starving again even though I'd polished off my waffles miles ago. Jasper had orders to take me straight to the Cullens' house. I didn't argue because I had missed everyone. The Cullen mansion was even more beautiful than I remembered. Workers were outside preparing the grounds for Christmas decoration. I saw Emmett and Rosie's car already in the garage. I didn't see Edward's and for that I was grateful. I wasn't ready to see him yet. Jasper opened my door and grabbed my bags out of the trunk. Esme and Alice both tackled me the moment I stepped through the door. We hugged and cried all over each other until Jasper interrupted. He took Alice upstairs so Mrs. Cullen and I could have a moment alone. I thought she would be mad at me for leaving Edward, but she wasn't. "I missed you, Bella. I'm so glad you agreed to stay with us over the holidays. You're always welcome at our home." She looked stunning. She was wearing a purple silk button down shirt dress. Her hair was done in an intricate updo, and she had diamonds in her ears. I smiled at her. "Thanks, Esme. I'm glad to be back. I missed you guys." We talked about food and recipes for a few minutes before Dr. Cullen came to join our conversation. He hugged and cooed over me too. Edward and Ali were lucky to have such wonderful parents. Eventually Rosalie, Emmett, and their boys came to greet me. Em made jokes about my 'little girl tights' before Rosie slapped him on the back of the head. He pouted and headed outside with the boys. Carlisle went to join them because he wanted to make sure the Christmas decorations were being put up right. All of us women went to the kitchen. Thankfully there was food set up. I didn't even ask permission before I dug in. I practically gulped down the baked chicken and potato salad. After my third plate I noticed that everyone was watching me. I blushed. "Sorry. Lately I've been drowning my sorrows in food. I know I need to stop. Maybe we can go running in the mornings while I'm here to help me shed the pounds I put on." Alice piped up. "Sure, Bella, that would be awesome. There were women in rehab with me that were overeaters. It's often caused by stress. You just need to learn to channel your need to eat into other things.

I can help you set up a healthy diet plan." I thanked Alice for her help. Rosie said she'd be my personal trainer. I was sure with her tenacity I'd lose weight quickly. Esme just stared at me. She had a funny look on her face. "Bella dear, Edward will be here later today. He's staying over for the holidays, too. If that's going to be a problem you're welcome to take the guest house, or I can ask him to move out there," she said. I almost groaned. I had to stay in the same house as Edward. Of course he would choose to stay here because he knew where I would be. I would just have to be strong. I told Esme that I didn't have a problem with it. She beamed and fixed me desert. After my pig out session, I was sleepy again. I hadn't gotten too much sleep last night because of my bladder and my nightmares. I asked Carlisle if he thought I was coming down with the flu. He said as long as I wasn't coughing, sneezing, or feeling feverish he doubted it. I didn't have any of those symptoms so we chalked it up to stress. Esme had already set up my room. I took my clothes off and put on one of Jaz's old t-shirts that I'd stolen a while back. Esme tucked me in and even kissed my forehead. I fell asleep immediately. When I woke up it was almost time to get dressed for the night. I didn't know who was keeping Alice away, but I was going to kiss whoever it was. I sat up and stretched. That's when I saw him. Sitting on the corner of my bed was Edward Cullen in the flesh. He was smiling at me. "Hello, babydoll. Did you sleep well?" he asked. I rubbed my eyes and made sure my legs were covered. I wasn't ready to see him. Damn Edward for infringing on my personal space yet again. And why did he have to look so damn sexy? I'd destroyed all the pictures I had of him so all I had to rely on was my memory. Obviously that had been a poor substitution. His hair made him look like he'd been freshly fucked, and for all I knew he was. He was more muscular, like he'd been working out. Great, I was getting fat and he was getting toned. His emerald eyes looked clearer than usual. His lips were their same glorious pouty perfection. He was wearing a dark blue wool sweater that hugged his chest and black jeans. He still had the power to completely soak my panties. "Edward. Get out! You can't just invade my personal space all the time. I have to get dressed, so I'd appreciate it if you just leave." He moved closer to me. "Bella, I've been waiting to see you for months. Please don't be this way. I missed you." He leaned over to kiss me but I pulled away. I had to stand up to get away from him. He looked hurt. "Edward, please leave now. I'm going to take a shower and get dressed. I'm sure Alice will insist on helping me. I promise you that we will talk later." His eyes flashed. He was angry. "Don't send me away! These past few months you've been treating me like a fucking leper. What the fuck do I have to do to make you see how much I love you? Do I have to cut off my fucking arm, because I'll do it if it gets me a second chance."

My addled mind wasn't ready for this. I was still half asleep and I really had to pee. "We can talk later. I have to use the restroom." I ran into the adjoined bathroom, did my business, and came back out. Edward was still sitting on the bed. He was frowning. He looked up at me when I entered. His eyes went straight to my bare legs, then to my chest, and finally to my face before they darkened. My clit groaned in pain. No matter how long we spent apart we still craved each other. I licked my lips and he groaned. "Fuck, babydoll. Please don't do that. It's taking all the strength I have not to push you down on the bed and plunge into your sweet pussy. I want you so fucking bad. I've wanted you all these months. You standing there in that t-shirt is making my fucking steel cock jump. The only thing that would make you sexier is if you were wearing my clothes." Edward talking dirty to me was hot. I mentally fanned myself. This could not happen again. I wasn't going to let the sexual haze gloss over our problems. I decided to use his words against him. If I got him angry enough he would leave. This was exactly why I'd wanted to postpone our inevitable conversation. "That's no surprise, Edward. All we ever had was sex. We were never in love, we were in lust. You no longer have privilege over my body. I would appreciate it if you didn't touch me. I'm here this week for Alice and Jasper. Your mother invited me to stay before I knew you would be here too. If we're going to have a problem, I'll volunteer to leave." He balled up his fists and closed his eyes. I could tell he was fighting an internal war to stay calm. "Is that what you fucking think? That all we had was the fucking? Yes, we had a lot of sex but it was an extension of our love. You wanted it as much as I did. And no, you don't have to leave just because I'm here. Has it really come to this, Bella? Do you hate me that fucking much?" I began to cry. "Edward, I don't hate you. I never could. I already told you why we can't be together. Can't we just try and be cordial to one another while I'm here? I'll be going back to Spokane in a week and you won't have to deal with me anymore for a while." Edward stood up. He walked until he was right in front of me. I had my head down. I didn't want to see his eyes. He lifted my chin and tried to kiss me. I turned my head away. If I let him in, he would destroy me. He dropped his arms. "I… I thought that maybe you still loved me. I can see now that that's not the case. You're breaking my fucking heart all over again." How dare he make me feel guilty. He was the one always trying to leave. He was the one that said things to hurt me. He'd broken my heart more times than I could count. "Don't try to throw it all back on me, Edward. You'd been trying to make me leave from the first time we met. Is it any wonder that I left to protect myself? You've said some pretty cruel things to me and I took it but now I'm done. We're over. You are no longer my boyfriend. Stop throwing a tantrum and get the hell out of my room." He grabbed my arm. "I've fucking apologized to you over and over again. I poured my heart out to you and you didn't even give me a fucking phone call. You've made it clear that you don't give a fuck about me anymore. I'm through with this shit. Fuck you, Isabella!" he spat.

I sneered at him. "You won't ever be fucking me again, that's for sure. Get the hell out of my room before I call Jasper and make him physically remove you." He dropped my arm. Before he left, he turned back to me. "I never thought we would end up like this. I wish I never met you." "Me too," I said. I heard the door slam shut and he was gone. I laid down on the bed and let the tears flow. He still had the power to make me cry. I had gotten better over the last few months but this fight had broken me again. Someone was knocking on the door. I went over to answer it. Alice was standing there with a huge smile on her face. It turned to a frown when she saw me. "What's wrong, Bella? Did my brother say something to hurt you because I swear…" I cut her off my wrapping my arms around her shoulders and pulling her inside. She was smaller than me but she was sturdy. She let me cry on her for a few minutes before she sat me down. She pulled out her cell and asked Rosalie to come upstairs and to bring Esme. They were there within minutes. Esme was worried. "What's wrong with her? I knew having both Bella and Edward under the same roof wouldn't work." I pulled away from Alice so that I could talk to Esme. "No, I'm fine. We just had a difficult conversation. I promise that we can get along for the holidays. " She smiled at me and kissed my cheek. "Bella, I'm not going to lie. I invited both of you here because I want you two to get back together. I already love you like a daughter and want you to be a part of my family. I'm not going to pressure you, but promise me that you'll try." I didn't want to give her false hope so I stayed quiet. She left us a few minutes later. Rosalie and Alice stayed behind to help me get dressed. Rosie and Ali were whispering about something. "What? I asked. Before Alice could stop her, Rosie piped up. "We know something awful happened between you and Edward in Italy. Did he hurt you? Is that why you moved away?" I bowed my head. Of course they would think that. I hadn't really explained my reasons for leaving. "No, he didn't physically hurt me. Look, it's complicated. Edward's a powerful man. I knew he'd never let me go, so I took myself out of the equation." Thankfully Rosie didn't press. It turned out Alice had already bought me a dress to wear for the evening. It was gorgeous. It was made of a purple blue satin with a silk chiffon overlay. It came down past my feet so I could wear flats, which was great because my feet had been killing me lately. It had a V neck and empire waist with a jeweled broach. I loved the style because it was flowy enough to hide the extra pounds I'd gained. I hugged Alice and thanked her. She shrugged it off, insisting it was as much for her as me. She had picked out all of our dresses for the announcement party.

Ali and Rose left me to go get their dresses. They were going to bring them to my room so we could get dressed together. I used the time to take a shower. I used my favorite strawberry body wash and shampoo. My muscles were sore and I was hungry again. I rubbed my flat stomach. It wouldn't be flat much longer if I keep eating everything in sight. I dried off and went back into the bedroom. I put on the dark blue lace underwear that Alice had included with the dress. Then I slathered on some of my expensive lilac scented lotion. Rosalie and Alice came back freshly showered and with their clothes. They helped me into my dress and then oohed and ahhed about how great it looked. Their dresses were both shorter than mine to show off their shoes. Unlike me, they enjoyed wearing heels. Rosie's dress was short and gold. It showed off her killer legs to perfection. She matched it with an expensive looking pair of glittery gold stilettos. She was definitely a hot mama. She looked like a super model. To me Alice's dress was the most beautiful. It was white and strapless and had a lower empire waist than mine. It had a full tiered skirt and was floral embroidered organza. It really was a pixie outfit. She added six inch heels to top off the look. We all helped each other with hair and makeup. Ali insisted that we all go for the smoky eye look so we did that and pale lips. Rosie didn't like the pale lipstick though so she put on her signature red. Of course it looked great. I straightened Alice's spiky hair so that it was tamed. Then I added a white silk ribbon that I'd bought for her in Italy. She looked amazing. Jasper was not going to be able to keep his hands to himself. Rosie wanted to wear her golden curls hanging down so we just made them extra bouncy and added shine. She was a knockout. My hair was the longest. It's grown to almost my mid back now. Alice curled and shined it and Rosie put it in an elegant side pony that hung over my shoulder. A blue studded clip held it in place. Alice was bouncing by the time we were done. "We're some pretty hot bitches!" she squealed. Rosalie and I both tackled her in a bear hug. Esme came in to see what we were wearing and to take pictures. She was sophisticated elegance in her backless black column gown. We all gushed over how pretty she looked. I giggled when I thought about how hard it was going to be for Dr. Cullen to keep his hands to himself. For the first time all day, I felt really happy. Esme informed us that the men were dressed and waiting downstairs for us. We went to descend the staircase. Esme went first. She smiled and waved away the compliments she received. Rosie was next. I heard Emmett whistle and catcall. Her boys thought their mama looked 'pwetty.' I went next. Jaz, Dr. Cullen, and Em all complimented me. Edward wasn't down there yet, and for that I was grateful. Jaz kissed me on the cheek. We all turned to watch Alice make her grand entrance. I saw Jasper's eyes light up before he broke into a huge smile. "You are a vision Alice. I can't wait until you're my wife." I swear she sprinted down those stairs like they were made of waves. She bounced in Jaz's arms and we clapped while they kissed. Esme asked me to go get Edward and tell him that we were heading out. I didn't want to do it, but she'd been so nice to me. I asked her where he was and she told me he was in the piano room. I definitely didn't want to go in there but I did. The sight of Edward playing the piano while wearing a black tux almost knocked me to the floor. He was dead sexy. His long beautiful fingers flew over the keys as he played Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

I felt my nipples pucker. I thanked God that this dress allowed me to wear a bra. I stood there and watched him play the whole song. "Edward, that was absolutely beautiful." He spun around at the sound of my voice. His eyes widened when he took in what I was wearing. He studied me from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. Then he smiled. "It pales in comparison to your beauty, babydoll. You are stunning." I blushed. "Thank you, Edward. You look very handsome." It was then that I noticed his vest matched my dress. Damn Alice and her meddling pixie ways. I looked down. "About earlier…" He cut me off. "We can talk later. Tonight is for Jasper and Alice. Let's put us aside and be there for them." I nodded in agreement. He walked over and took my hand. I tried to pull away but he held on tight. "Please, babydoll, just pretend for tonight." I couldn't deny him that, so I let him hold my hand. Esme beamed when she saw us. Everyone was herded into their prospective cars. I was riding with Edward, Jasper, and Alice. The others were riding in Dr. Cullen's new luxury SUV. We were all going out to eat at SkyCity at the Space Needle. The restaurant revolved around so you could take in the view. I'd only been there once when Jasper took me after I graduated college. It was wonderful from what I remembered. Edward helped me into his Phantom. Jaz and Alice were too busy sucking face to pay much attention to where they were. I was nervous about being in a car with Edward, but since we had the engaged couple in the back, I figured it would be all right. Edward made polite conversation during the drive. He even put on the classical music to down out the moans going on in the back. I was so happy for Jasper. If anyone deserved to be happy it was him. As we drove, I took in the scenery. I really missed Seattle. Maybe Alec was right; I should move back here. I would have to think about it, though. Edward kept sneaking glances at me. He would smile and I would blush and turn away. His scent permeated the front of the car. He was freshly shaved and I wanted to lean over and kiss his jaw. I resisted that urge. He told me about the club and his godfathers. Caius had stayed with him for a while before returning to Chicago. I was glad that he got to spend some time with his family. When we arrived at the restaurant, a valet came to take our car. It took a few minutes to pry Jasper and Alice off of each other. Edward and I smiled. We met the rest of the Cullens out front then we all went in together. Our party consisted of eight people. A babysitter had come by to stay with Em and Rosie's boys.

Carlisle had treated the head Chef at his hospital, so we got preferential treatment. A divine menu had been put together for our enjoyment. It allowed us to sample all of the specialties. I was starving. My stomach was starting to make embarrassing noises. Edward heard and leaned over. "Are you okay, babydoll? When was the last time you've eaten?" I assured him that I was all right. "I ate lunch but it smells so wonderful in here that I guess my stomach's impatient." He smirked and patted me on the knee. The appetizers started coming after that. I ate everything in sight. I particularly liked the crab pasta and cheese. My plate was piled high with everything from beef tips to prawns. I couldn't get the food in my mouth quick enough. I felt eyes on me so I looked up. Everyone was eating and having their own conversations, but Edward was staring at me. "What?" I asked with my mouth half full. I was getting tired of people looking at me like I was a circus freak. He smiled at me. "It's nothing. I've just never seen you eat so much. Emmett must be rubbing off on you." I looked down the table to see Emmett sitting with three huge plates in front of him. Rosie was trying to grab a shrimp off of one of them but he slapped her hand away. I giggled. Before the main courses were brought out, the waiter came to pour us champagne. Esme thought I looked a little flushed and insisted that I not drink any. I agreed with her because I was eating a lot. The last thing I needed was to throw up in front of all the fancy diners. I had sparkling water instead. Esme and Dr. Cullen stood up to make a toast to the happy couple. We clinked our glasses. Alice showed off her princess cut diamond ring. We all complimented her on it. Jasper said some lovely words and I began to cry. My hormones were all over the place lately. For some reason Edward was frowning. I patted his hand but that didn't seem to help. He wouldn't make eye contact with me. I assumed that he was sad that Alice would be a married woman soon. I knew how guys were about their baby sisters. After the food was brought out, I forgot about everything else. I ate with relish. Thankfully, everyone else was too busy enjoying dinner to pay me too much attention. Edward did keep sneaking glances at me, though. Halfway through the meal, I caught a whiff of fresh sea bass. I became nauseated. I dropped my fork and clutched my stomach. Edward noticed and wrapped his arms around me. "Bella, what's wrong? Are you sick?" I leaned in to him and sniffed. His scent calmed my stomach. "No, I'm fine now. That's what happens when I overindulge," I said smiling. That didn't alleviate his concern. He worriedly stared at me. I told him that I needed to use the restroom.

Esme volunteered to come along. She wrapped her arms around me and led me to the back. I had to pee like a racehorse. I did my business and then came out of the stall. Esme was standing by the sink clutching her hands. We were the only two in the plush bathroom. "Bella, I hate to pry in your personal life but I've noticed some things. You are eating voraciously, you go to the bathroom a lot, and you're crying more often. Now, I know I don't know you very well but it seems like something is wrong." She was right, but it was just the stress from the move. I was eating like a maniac to help me cope. I'd been drinking more fluids, so of course I had to pee a lot. The next words out of her mouth brought to light that little worry that had been clawing in the back of my mind. "Bella, honey, is there a possibility that you might be pregnant?" "No, I'm just stressed out!" I shrieked before I ran to the toilet and threw up my insides. Shit. I can't be pregnant. I'm on birth control. There is no way that I am having Edward Cullen's baby. Is there? ~*!*~

Chapter Sixteen ~ Wicked Game "The world was on fire and no one could save me but you. It's strange what desire will make foolish people do. I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you. And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you. No, I don't want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart) No, I don't want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart) With you (This world is only gonna break your heart) What a wicked game to play, to make me feel this way. What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you. What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way. What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you and, I want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart) No, I want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart) With you." --Wicked Game - Chris Isaak EPOV Ever since the night Bella left me, I'd been a changed man. I gave up hard liquor, worked on my temper, and started working out. Unfortunately none of that shit helped me win back the love of my life. I was so fucking devastated after I read that letter. I had fucked up big time. My babydoll didn't love me anymore. If it wasn't for my family, I'm not sure I would have made it these last few months. Caius came to stay

with me a week after Bella left. He was sad that she was gone and made me promise to get her back. We tried to get over our broken hearts by doing man things like fishing and football. We had what my mom called 'testosterone weekends' with Em, Carlisle, and Jaz. They all had women to go back home to, but Cai and I didn't. I missed my babydoll every goddamn night, and not just for the sex; I missed just laughing and talking with her. The story of our breakup had spread through the club like wildfire. Bitches were all over my ass even more than usual. When I ventured outside of my office, I was practically raped by Jess and Victoria. They definitely didn't know the meaning of the words 'fuck off.' I hadn't hired a new secretary because no one would live up to my babydoll. Alice had taken pity on my pathetic ass and taken over. She kept the skanks away from my office and for that I was grateful. Of course I hadn't let Bella go without a fight. She'd run to her hometown and I followed her. When I saw her at Jacob's house, I wanted to kill him. Thankfully, his girlfriend had come outside and made her presence known. Bella didn't want to talk to me, and it had taken half of Forks PD to get my ass off of Officer Black's property. I had declared my undying love for her, but she left me anyway. Of all the fucking cities in Washington, Bella chose to relocate to Spokane. I hate that fucking city. It's no Seattle by any means. It's full of pretentious over-read arrogant assholes. I could just see some fucker in a tweed dress jacket hitting on my girl in the library. The thought made me fucking nauseous. I still employed a personal guard to look out for Bella. So far she'd managed not to get herself into any trouble, but I worried about her every goddamn day. Through my spies, I learned that she lived in a studio, edited a local magazine, and had a few new friends. Some fucker at her job kept asking her out. I was going to send Dee to threaten him this weekend. That shit wouldn't be going on much longer. Bella is MINE. No other man is going to touch her. In the beginning, I thought Bella was just trying to teach me a lesson and that she would come back soon. When the rest of September went by and she still hadn't come home, I started to panic. We didn't have any contact with each other. I began to lose hope. Alice had been my cheerleader. She kept me up to date on Bella's life and cheered me on in my efforts to get her to return. She and Jaz were lucky. They got to talk to my babydoll every fucking night. I would have tried to call her but I knew she would have just hung up. Hell, she didn't even answer my fucking emails. Work kept me busy when I wasn't thinking of Bella. The vineyard was being expanded and Marcus wanted me to take a greater stake in the business. Since Jaz would be joining my family, I convinced my godfathers to let him in on some of the investments. The fucker missed Bella almost as much as I did. He was always mentioning his little sis and worrying about her. The Russians were still going ape shit over Stephan's death. We heard that James made an alliance with one of the Jamaican families. This was bad news because it meant his Organization was becoming more powerful. The last thing we needed was the Russians making a play for the Volturi territory. In October, I'd gone to Esme's for family dinner. My mom was so happy that she formulated a plan. She and Di talked for hours about how they could get Bella to come back to me. At first I thought it was a lost cause but their enthusiasm grew on me. They both agreed that I should go for grand gestures, so that's what I did.

I started sending Bella personal gifts that represented our time together. I sent everything from flowers to that chocolate sauce I ate off of her that night in my lair. When I closed my eyes I could still see her pretty pink nipples and her swollen... Focus Cullen. Lately, I had a lot of wet dreams. My dick was constantly in pain. All I wanted was my babydoll back. I stopped spending the night in the lair because every fucking thing reminded me of her. Her scent was everywhere. The only good thing that came from our separation was that it allowed me to see my faults. There were so goddamn many, though. I flew off the handle, I was too possessive, and I cursed way too much, just to name a few. Thankfully, Dr. Uley took me on as a patient full time. So every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, I sat in his office and tried to make myself into a better man; someone that was worthy of my babydoll. I loved her with everything in my heart. If she needed me to change, I'd gladly comply. I was such an emo bitch without Bella. Some nights, I'd lay and cry because I couldn't get to sleep without her in my arms. I deleted all the upbeat songs off of my iTunes and replaced it with every sad fucking pathetic song I could find. There were many days that I wanted to use drugs or get piss ass drunk. I refrained because I knew that would have only set me back from O.G.B.B or 'Operation Get Babydoll Back' as I'd dubbed it. Yeah, I was still pussy whipped. For Halloween, we'd had a costume party at the club. I knew that Jaz invited Bella but she declined because she didn't want to see me. It hurt but I pushed it aside. I'd sent her pictures of me in costume though. I hoped that it made her smile. From what my spies were telling me, my babydoll didn't seem too happy being in Spokane. I thought that maybe she missed me too. I still had her engagement ring. I was thinking of a special way to propose to her, but I knew I wasn't strong enough yet to face a denial. I loved Bella too fucking much to picture a life without her in it. I'd handwritten a letter pouring my heart out to her, and she didn't even fucking call me. I was upset. She also returned two of the gifts I sent her. My temper got the best of me and I went off in all caps. I apologized by email two hours later, but she ignored my ass. The best present that I'd sent her was the replica doll. It had been designed by a French artist that was a school friend of Alice's. I'd had the exact same one made, and it sat in a glass case on my dresser in my penthouse bedroom. Every time I had a particularly hard day, I would look at it and smile. It didn't do justice to the real Bella, but it was damn close. Last week Jasper had marched into my office, gotten down on his knee, and proposed to my little sister. She was so fucking happy. Jaz looked nervous as hell, even though Ali had picked out her own ring. I wondered if he knew that he wouldn't get to make a major decision for the rest of his life. I love Alice, but she's bossy as shit. I'd taken them out to celebrate, but I could tell they weren't really happy because too many people were missing. Alice had gotten the brilliant idea to have a formal announcement dinner three days before Thanksgiving. Of course Jasper was all for that. I was ecstatic when she told me she'd invited Bella and that Bella said yes. I spent the rest of the day on cloud fucking nine. My babydoll was coming home. My mom asked if I wanted to stay at her and Dr. Cullen's house Thanksgiving week. The rest of the family would be there and she wanted me to come. I was going to weasel my way out of it until she said the words that could make me go to fucking Antarctica with swim trunks on: Bella would be there. A full week under the same room as my babydoll; hell yeah I was in. I wanted to go with Jasper to pick Bella up, but he didn't think that would be a good idea, so I'd stayed

behind. I counted the hours until she would be there in person. A few week prior to that, I had started working out with Emmett. I did it to relieve stress and tone my muscles. I wasn't fat before, but now I had some nice definition on my pecs and abs. My babydoll always had a fondness for my chest, and I was not above using my body to win her over. I had Alice buy me a new wardrobe that would show off my muscles to perfection. Unfortunately I was still at work when Bella got in. Chanel was having problems out of Jess and Heidi fighting all the damn time. They both liked some lame ass actor that frequented the club and were having public catfights. I didn't care what the hell they did in private, but when customers were in danger of being hurt, the shit had to stop. We'd settled the problem by promoting Heidi to Chanel's assistant and Jess to lead stripper. The girl was as dumb as a box of rocks, but she performed a damn good lap dance. She had nothing on my babydoll, but then again, no one did. The minute that shit and the new gun shipment were settled, I was on my way to Carlisle and Esme's. When my mom told me Bella was upstairs sleeping, I sprinted up to her room. Seeing Bella in the flesh had buckled my knees. I had millions of pictures of her but they never did her justice. She was fucking amazing. I laid down and watched the rise and fall of her breasts. I had to clamp my hands together to fight the urge to touch her. She was lying on her back and the covers had ridden down to her calves. Sadly, she wasn't mumbling my favorite words. Looking at her creamy thighs made my dick throb, so I covered her up and sat at the end of the bed. It was hard to distance myself from her side while she slept. My control was slipping. The moment Bella woke up I tried to get closer. She'd backed away and asked me to leave. I felt that familiar pain in my chest. All my improvements meant nothing if she wouldn't be mine again. I'd tried to kiss her, and she acted like I was a frog. We had a colossal argument. The hateful words she spewed at me only made me angry. I ended up saying things I didn't mean. She threw all my past faults back at me and that hurt. I'd told her that I wished we never met. Of course that was a fucking lie. Her reply of, 'Me too,' stabbed the stake through my cold heart. She didn't love me anymore. No matter what I did, she was never going to be mine. In a funk, I went to get dressed and shower. It didn't take long before I was done. Alice had chosen some purple blue vest for me to wear. I started to protest and thought better of it. The pixie was truly a princess in this house. You either wore what she wanted you to wear or got out. I felt like drinking after that. In a past session Dr. Uley told me that every time I felt like drinking to resist the urge, and put the passion into something else, so I'd played the piano. Every time I felt like drinking, I resisted the urge and channeled my passion into playing the piano. When I finished, I heard the sweet voice of my angel. She was a sight to behold. Her dress color matched my vest. Bella had been nice, complimenting me on my playing. That praise went straight to my dick and I had to repress a moan. I could barely look at a piano without seeing her all spread out and wet for me. That was of the hottest sex of my life. All the sex I had with Bella was the hottest. She stoked a fire in me that would never be contained. It was too bad that I was left to burn alone. I'd grabbed her hand and she let me. She even rode with me in the car. I kept up conversation while trying to block the image of Jaz mauling my baby sister out of my head. I prayed that I would get a chance to pay him back. Bella was distant the whole drive. She kept staring out the window with a thoughtful look on her face. At one point, she put her lip into her mouth. I barely managed to keep the car on the road. It was bad enough that the whole car smelled like strawberries and she had those shiny curls lying on her shoulder. I wanted to lick every inch of her creamy skin.

Bella still looked pretty much the same, except that she'd gained a few pounds. I'd say four or five at the most. No one else would probably notice, but I knew her body like the back of my hand. I was in no way complaining though, because the weight had been distributed to her lush hips and ass. I wanted to bend her over and pound her until we both passed out. Luckily we managed to make it to the restaurant without me fucking Bella in the front seat. The dinner at SkyCity was wonderful. Alice was so fucking happy. I'd been worried about her after the whole eating disorder scare, but I could tell she was in a better place now. She ate, laughed, and joked like the old Ali. Jasper brought that sparkle back in her eyes, and for that I was thankful. Mom was crying so much that she had soaked through two handkerchiefs before the appetizers came. I found myself wondering if she would cry for Bella and me like that. Would I even get the chance to propose? Probably not, if today was any evidence. I paid close attention to Bella while we ate. She was putting food in her mouth like it was her last meal. I'd learned all about bulimia and stress eating when Ali went through rehab. To me Bella was showing the classic signs of having an eating disorder. I planned to confront her when dinner was over. She'd gotten sick halfway through the meal, and my mom took her to the restroom. I wanted to follow them, but Carlisle told me to let Esme handle it. I acquiesced because I didn't want to upset my babydoll. After what seemed like forever, Bella returned with my mom. Both of them were tight lipped and quiet. My babydoll's breath smelled strongly of mint, like she was covering up vomit. The thought of her hurting herself made me angry. She was stronger than that. And why the hell hadn't my mom stopped her? I spent the rest of the dinner picking at my food and brooding. I kept sneaking glances at her, but she seemed to be all right. Unfortunately, she kept engorging herself with food until I was sure she'd pass out. I put my hand under the table and began rubbing circles around her knee. She jumped and pulled her leg away. "Babydoll, you know you can talk to me. Is there something going on with you? Are you not feeling well?" Her eyes widened. She looked scared. What the hell put that fear in her eyes? "For the millionth time, I'm fine. Eat your dinner and stop worrying about me." She turned away and struck up a conversation with Alice. My fucking appetite was completely diminished. I noticed that my mom kept sneaking curious glances at Bella. She looked like she was waiting to pounce. I hated secrets. Something was going on and I was going to get to the bottom of it. Eventually dinner ended. I watched in awe as Bella cleared two sample dessert plates without batting an eye. She had to go to the restroom again after that. I was going to protest until Rosie and Ali volunteered to join her. I trusted them not to let her harm herself. Besides, Ali was my confidant in O.G.B.B; she'd tell me if something was seriously wrong. They returned several minutes later looking happy and refreshed. I kissed Bella's cheek when she sat back down. Of course she fucking blushed. Damn, I'd missed that shit. If there was something wrong with Bella, I was going to stand beside her. I didn't care what obstacles she threw in my way. I wasn't leaving. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my babydoll grab another cream puff. She had to be fucking stuffed. I interjected. "Bella, sweetheart, maybe you shouldn't eat anymore. I think you've had enough. You might get sick."

Carlisle was across the table and heard what I said. He lowered his head and sighed. What the fuck was that about? Before I could decipher what that defeated look meant, my tigress went off on me. "Are you calling me fat, Edward? The food here just happens to be really good, so I'm enjoying it. Is that a crime? If you don't want to see me eat, then avert your eyes. I'm not a child and you're not my father, so leave me the hell alone!" Everyone at the table stopped to look at Bella. She rarely raised her voice in the company of others. My mom and the rest of the women were sending me death glares. Jasper stood up. "Cullen, outside now!" He turned around to leave. I tried to apologize to Bella before leaving, but she turned away. There were tears in her beautiful chocolate eyes. I felt like a total dick. Carlisle and Em exited with us. The women stayed behind to comfort Bella. We got as far as the outside lobby before Jasper went off on me. "Edward, you fucker! You have a lot of nerve upsetting my baby sister. You claim to want her back, but you're still making her cry." I looked down at my shoes. I felt bad enough. I didn't need his shit. Carlisle was eyeing us warily. "Listen boys, this is Alice's engagement dinner party. It would be a shame to ruin it with fighting and name calling. Edward, you were wrong. Never tell a woman what to do, son, especially when it comes to eating habits. You're only asking for trouble. I know your intention wasn't to upset Bella, but you did. Try to apologize." Somehow Emmett had managed to bring his dessert plate into the lobby. He stopped eating long enough to add his two cents. "Yeah, Edward, that was a dick move, my man. Bella's vulnerable right now. Seeing you after all of these months has to be hard on her. It's possible she's eating more to cope with the stress. Don't aggravate her about it because that will only make it worse. Let her come to you if she feels she has a problem. Try just being there for her in case she wants to talk." They all made a lot of sense. The last thing I needed was for my babydoll to hate me. "Thanks guys. It's just really fucking hard for me. I've never been in a relationship. I don't know the rules, and it's fucking scary. I feel like I'm always walking on eggshells, afraid that she'll hate me more than she already does." Dr. Cullen patted me on the back. "Welcome to the club, Edward. It only gets more confusing and scary from here on out. Women are different from us, not only in the biological sense, but in the way they think. I've been married to your mom for a decade, and even I still mess up." His admission made me feel better. I fist bumped Jaz, letting him know that we were cool. He accepted. We talked for a few more minutes before making our way back to the dining area. There was a table full of attractive women in the corner. They hooted and cat called as we passed. "We're all taken, and our girls won't be too happy if they hear you," Em said. The women pouted, causing us men to laugh quietly. When I got to the table, I noticed that my mom was sitting beside Bella. Her eyes were dry but she still looked angry. I took Esme's old seat next to Carlisle. My babydoll avoided eye contact with me. My mom

smiled at both Carlisle and me before continuing to rub Bella's shoulders. That should have been my job and, once again, I'd failed. After dessert, the Chef came to wish us goodbye. He gave Jaz and Ali a bottle of the house wine as a gift. Everyone wanted to go out dancing after dinner. Plans were made to go to HADES. I wasn't in the mood to spend hours in a loud club. I needed to talk to Bella. I was about to refuse when I heard her small voice pipe up. "You guys go on without me. I'm kind of tired. I think I'll just go home." Jasper and Alice asked her if she was okay, and she nodded. My mom and Dr. Cullen volunteered to take her, but I cut them off. "No. You guys go ahead. You should enjoy the rest of the night. I'll take Bella home." Bella tried to protest, but she didn't succeed. It was decided that Jaz and Alice would ride with the rest of them in the SUV. There was plenty of room. The valet brought Carlisle's car first. We all said our goodbyes. I put my hand on the small of Bella's back as we waited for the Phantom. She stepped away from me. "Don't touch me, Edward." I gritted my teeth and pulled away. I was getting sick of her making me feel like a diseased miscreant. Thankfully, the valet brought my baby back to me unscathed. I helped Bella into the car before tipping him and getting in the driver's seat. We made our way out of the restaurant and on the road. The heavy silence in the car was driving me bat shit. "I just want you to know that I'm really sorry, Bella. I wasn't trying to be rude to you in the restaurant. You're perfect. Please forgive me." My babydoll gave a bitter little laugh. I didn't like that fucking sound at all. "You're always sorry, Edward. Just save your damn apologies for someone who cares. We both know you don't think I'm perfect. Remember my tiny breasts and huge hips and ass? Stop trying to patronize me with lies." I squeezed the steering wheel so hard that I was surprised it didn't break into a million fucking pieces. I was tired of Bella throwing the shit I'd said in Italy in my face, I was tired of apologizing, but most of all I was tired of the animosity that had formed between the two of us. I looked over at Bella. She was staring out the window again. I sighed and turned on some music, hoping that it would help me keep my sanity. "Nothing Better" by The Postal Service blared from the speakers. I absentmindedly started singing along: "Will someone please call a surgeon Who can crack my ribs and repair this broken heart That you're deserting for better company? I can't accept that it's over... And I will block the door like a goalie tending the net In the third quarter of a tied-game rivalry So just say how to make it right And I swear I'll do my best to comply Tell me am I right to think that there could be nothing better Than making you my bride and slowly growing old together."

Bella surprised me by singing the next line: "I feel I must interject here you're getting carried away feeling sorry for yourself With these revisions and gaps in history So let me help you remember. I've made charts and graphs that should finally make it clear. I've prepared a lecture on why I have to leave So please back away and let me go." I stopped staring at her and continued: "I can't my darling I love you so... Oh, oh Tell me am I right to think that there could be nothing better Than making you my bride and slowly growing old together" Bella's sweet voice took over: "Don't you feed me lines about some idealistic future Your heart won't heal right if you keep tearing out the sutures." I looked deep in her eyes before delivering the next lines: "I know that I have made mistakes and I swear I'll never wrong you again." She looked away and sang the words that broke my already shattered heart: "You've got a lure I can't deny, But you've had your chance, so say goodbye Say goodbye." Obviously my plan to alleviate the tension with music didn't work. After 'Edward and Bella: The Musical,' I decided not to try and engage her in conversation anymore. We made it to my mom's house in record time. My babydoll bolted from the car the moment I put it in park. I locked the doors before going inside. Our rooms were across the hall from one another. I had kissed my mom when I found out. I casually stood in Bella's doorway watching her pace. She was mumbling unintelligible things. I didn't have to be a rocket scientist to know that something was seriously wrong. She stopped pacing when she noticed me staring at her. She moved towards the door. "If you don't mind, I'd like to go to sleep now." She tried to shut the door, but I wasn't budging. "The least I can do is help you take off your dress. It doesn't look like you'll be able to reach the clasp." I could tell she was about to protest, so I stepped behind her and put my hand on the zipper. I felt Bella tremble as my hand made contact with her skin. She was still as smooth as silk. My dick did a happy dance. I leaned down and kissed her neck as I undid the dress. I couldn't resist licking the sensitive skin. I

heard Bella moan, and my pulse rate increased tenfold. I wanted her bad. "Um...Edward...that's good enough. I can take it from here. Why don't you go get some rest?" Rest? The last thing I wanted was to go to sleep without her in my arms. She was holding the dress to her chest to shield her breasts from me. I could see the lace of her dark blue bra and panties. My hand was on her lower back. A rush of desire ran through my blood. My voice was labored and rough when I answered. "I'm not tired. Besides, you look a little tense. I could help you out with that." Bella stepped out of my grasp. She turned around to look at me. Her eyes went to my crotch and she looked away. "There's nothing you can do for me, Cullen. Please go to your room so I can get some sleep." I didn't need a repeat of our last fight, so I turned around and left. She gently closed the door after me. I stood in the hall stewing for a couple of minutes. None of this was going the way I'd planned. I was losing O.G.B.B. She had an artillery of weapons to use against me, and I was defenseless. I went downstairs and poured myself a glass of brandy. I let the liquid burn down my throat. Alcohol wasn't going to improve my mood so I decided to head to bed. I awoke hours later in a cold sweat. I'd dreamt about Bella marrying another fucker and leaving for good. I glanced over at the clock. It was after three in the morning. Since I hadn't eaten much at dinner, I decided to go downstairs to get a snack. When I got there, I noticed that the kitchen lights were on. Standing in front of the counter was my babydoll. She was making a sandwich. She had on a pink t-shirt and plaid pajama shorts that clung to her shapely ass. Of course I popped a boner. I couldn't believe that she was still hungry after the spread she'd eaten today. I walked up behind her. She appeared to be in a daze and didn't acknowledge me. I put one of my hands on her lower stomach and pulled her into me until her back touched my chest. "I love you, Bella. It's hard sleeping without you. I miss you." She put down the package she'd been holding and tried to turn around, but I wouldn't let her. "Edward..." That's all she got out before I ravaged her neck. After my nightmare, I felt an extreme need to claim her as mine again. She whimpered and clutched the edge of the granite countertop. I took her earlobe in my mouth and sucked on it. The hand that was on her lower stomach traveled under her shirt to her bare breast. We both moaned. "Please, babydoll," I begged before lowering my hand to her panties. I silently prayed that she would let me continue. She had on the same underwear as before. I could feel the lace. My hand reached her hot pussy. I cupped it. A rush of moisture coated my fingers. She was so fucking wet for me. At least her body still desired me, even if her heart did not. "Mmm, babydoll. Your tight pussy is so fucking wet. I want to make you come. Is that okay?" She gave a weak nod. That was all the assurance I needed. I rubbed on her clit. She moaned again. I

pushed my hand farther into her panties so that I could insert a finger in her sopping wet core. She bucked against me. "Ooohh, Edward. That feels good. Don't stop." Her words spurred me on. I applied more pressure to her clit and added a second finger. Her hips started to thrust against me. I added a third finger and she began riding my hand. I knew that she was close. I was still cupping and kneading her breast. I assaulted her neck again and pushed my fingers in deeper. I felt her walls clench a minute before she came. My whole hand was soaked with her sweet juices. She was still panting when I turned her around to face me. I put my fingers in my mouth and sucked on them. "Fuck, Bella. You taste even better than I remembered." Her eyes lowered. She looked...embarrassed. We had performed some of the hottest sexual acts on each other, but I'd never seen her look that way. She pushed past me and ran upstairs. What the fuck just happened? Since all the food was still out, I made me a sandwich and finished making hers. I added chips and pickles to both our plates. I may not be able to cook, but even I couldn't fuck up a sandwich. I grabbed a bottle of sparkling grape juice and some cups and loaded it all onto a tray. Then I put everything away before going upstairs. Bella's door was closed. I tried the handle but it was locked. "Bella, I have your snack out here. Let me in please." I heard a muffled, "Go away." I sighed. "Please, it's a really good sandwich. It'd be a shame for it to go to waste." I was about to give up and go to my room when she opened the door. She held her hand out for her plate. "That's my girl. I was thinking that maybe we could eat together, and maybe watch some TV. Would that be all right?" "I don't know if that's such a good idea, Edward." I stared deep in her eyes. "Please, babydoll. I promise to keep my hands to myself." She stepped aside and let me into the room. I put the tray down on a small table. Bella took her plate and sat on the bed. I poured her a glass of grape juice and set it by the nightstand. "Thanks, Edward. You...you can sit on the bed if you want." I smiled, took my plate, and sat down beside her. I grabbed the remote and flipped on the television. We started watching reruns of "Entourage." It felt good just to be in Bella's presence. She still wasn't talking that much, but she didn't have that bitter look on her face either. My life felt like a black hole sometimes, but every minute I spent with Bella was full of sunshine. Everything was going fine until I glanced over at my babydoll. She was eating her gherkin. Her luscious lips wrapped around the green rind, taking it into her mouth as she bit down. My already pained cock strained against my pants. I coughed and put a pillow over my lap. I tried to watch the show and forget

about Bella's pickle blowjob but it was too fucking hard. By the time she finished, I was gripping the sheets to try to maintain control. Luckily, she was too riveted with her food and the show to pay me any attention. I barely managed to finish my sandwich. "Babydoll, I need to run to the restroom for a minute. I'll be right back." She nodded at me and continued to eat. I ran across the hall to my bedroom. There was no fucking way I could stay in the room with her without busting a nut. I was already leaking. I grabbed the bottle of strawberry scented lotion I used to jerk off and laid down on the bed. I pushed my pajama pants and boxers off in one swoop. I gripped my cock and felt it jump in my hand. "Fuck!" I screamed, hoping that Bella couldn't hear me. I thought of her pink lips wrapped around my cock, her head bobbing up and down on my lap. Apparently in my haste to get off, I'd forgotten to close the door all the way. "Edward, are you...oh, I'm sorry." Fuck, caught in the act. She turned and ran back to her room. I was trying to put my clothes back on when she came back. She closed the door and walked over to me. One of my legs was in my boxers. Bella pulled the black silk down, exposing my dick again. She licked her lips. "Let me. It's the least I can do." I told her that she didn't have to reciprocate, but she insisted. I only made that comment to be a gentleman. I wanted my babydoll on my cock right then. She kneeled on the ground and leaned forward. Her lips opened as she took in my cock. It felt so fucking good, better than ever because it had been so long. I watched as my earlier fantasy came to life. Bella licked the underside of my shaft. I moaned in ecstasy. She held onto my thighs while she bobbed her head up and down, gently sucking on the head. I was going to come any minute. It just felt too good. One of her hot little hands left my thigh to cup my balls. She took my cock out of her mouth and began sucking on my nuts as she stroked the shaft. My eyes rolled back into my head. I reached down to play in her silken tresses. She was making the cutest little sounds as she licked and sucked me. She left my balls and put my cock back in her mouth. I felt myself hit the back of her throat. She gagged a little but didn't spit me out. I loosened my hold on her head. She pulled back so she could take a breath. Her cute tongue swirled around the head before she took me again. My hips were bucking hard against her face. She opened her eyes and looked straight up at me. That was it. I shot a massive amount of spunk down her throat. As usual, she swallowed every last drop. She licked me for a few minutes until my shuddering stopped. I'd just experienced the blowjob of a lifetime. I'd had professional bitches blow me, but my babydoll was hands down the best. She's a goddamn natural at that shit. "That was so fucking good, babydoll. Thank you very much." I was just glad that the rooms in this house were soundproof. No one was on our floor, but I made so much noise I didn't doubt that they would have heard me otherwise. She blushed and smiled at me. "I'm...glad you liked it. I love feeling you inside my mouth." That was the hottest thing she could have said. I reached down and pulled her up on the bed. She pulled

her shirt off before lying down on my chest. "It's a little hot in here, Edward. Mind if I sleep like this?" Did I mind? If I had my fucking way, Bella would never wear a damn shirt or any other clothes for that matter. "Of course you can. You know I love your tits." She gave me a tiny slap on the chest and then yawned. "I'm so tired. Can we just go to sleep now." I kissed her on the forehead. "I love you. Your wish is my command." She fell asleep five minutes later. I wasn't sure what had changed between Bella and me, but I wasn't going to question it. Her being in my arms again was heaven on Earth. I looked down at my angel. Her breasts were a little bigger. I reached over and pinched one of her nipples. I watched as it puckered. She snuggled deeper into my chest but didn't wake up. God I love this woman. She is truly my soul mate. I continued to stroke and play with Bella's naked torso. I knew that it was wrong of me to do this while she was sleeping, but I couldn't stop myself. She mumbled all types of shit in her sleep. I caught the words 'secret' and 'Alec.' I pushed Bella off of me and sat up. I looked down at her. She was still sleeping deeply. Why the fuck would she be dreaming about Alec? I had a queasy feeling in my stomach. A thought festered at the base of my brain. I picked up my phone and left the room. I called Alec and told him I needed for him to spend the night tomorrow. He could stay in one of the guesthouse cottages, as Carlisle and Esme had four. It took every bit of strength I had not to threaten him over the phone. Next, I called Bella's personal bodyguard. I chose a female guard because I didn't like the idea of some fucker peeping at my babydoll. "Jane, are you still up?" A sleepy voice greeted me on the other end. "Cullen, it's five in the morning. You better have a good excuse for waking me up." "You're on my payroll, Jane. I own your ass 24/7." She huffed. "Has Bella had any visitors at her apartment lately, specifically any males?" I heard the bed groan as Jane sat up. "You know she never has any one over." She seemed to think for a minute. "Well, there was your bodyguard, Alec or whatever his name is. He was over the night before she left. He stayed for around an hour and a half and they ate takeout. Then she walked him to the door and he...kissed her on the head." My blood was boiling. That fucker touched my babydoll. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me that?" "Lower your voice, man. I thought you sent him. I know that he's your bodyguard, so I figured-" I hung up before she finished. That motherfucker! How had they even gotten together? Was it love at first sight? Had they both been playing me the whole time? I punched my fist into the wall. It hurt like a son of

a bitch but I didn't care. I had to get out of the house before I did some major damage. I grabbed my keys, went outside, and hopped into my Phantom. I drove to my Penthouse. I was seething with barely controlled anger. I got onto my private elevator and went to my apartment. When I got inside I ran to the bathroom and retched. I was fucking empty. Bella had lied to me. No wonder she left. She didn't want to be caught fucking my bodyguard. Had she used her mouth to pleasure him the day before coming. The thought made me sicker and I dry heaved over the sink. I was such a fucking idiot, believing in that love shit. I should have learned my fucking lesson after Gigi, but no, I believed that Bella was different. Now I find out that she's just another bitch itching to get laid. She had fucking promised me, in her letter, that there would never be another. I bet she and Alec had a great time laughing over that. I had even been a great boss and given him time off so he could heal because I felt guilty that he got shot in Italy. He'd healed all right. An image of Bella riding his cock popped into my head. I pulled my hair and slammed my head against the wall. Was he better than me? I was sure she had fucked his brains out. No wonder he seemed so concerned in Italy. He wanted to know how his woman was doing. I took out a bottle of whiskey and drank until the bottle was half empty. Fuck the wagon. I was going to go back to being the old Edward Cullen, the one who lived life to the fullest and didn't give a fuck. I tried to be 'normal' but that shit didn't work. Alec and Bella had made a fool of me. I passed out. When I awoke, it was raining. I picked up my phone. I had several missed messages from Bella. She wanted to know where I was and why I'd left. I didn't answer. She didn't deserve a response. All the time she'd been away, I had wanted her to call or text me. Of course she had been too busy fucking Alec to care about my feelings. I ate some dry toast and coffee to sober up before heading back to my mom's house. By the time I got there Bella was gone. She, my mom, and Dr. Cullen had gone shopping. I avoided everyone before going upstairs. I went to Bella's rooms and pawed though her bags, looking for evidence. There was nothing out of the ordinary. I got a text from Alec saying that he would be here in thirty minutes. I went out to my car to wait. I palmed my gun. I was going to kill that asshole. He knew Bella was mine, and he'd fucked her anyway. Alec showed up half an hour later. I hid my Phantom and followed him to the guest house. He was unpacking. I was just about to confront the bastard when I heard a car pull up. I hid in the deep shrubbery surrounding the guest house. I saw Bella get out of Carlisle's car. Alec came out and went to give my mother a handshake. I watched as he chatted with her and Dr. Cullen for a few minutes before they left. Bella stayed behind. I clenched my fists. He whispered something to her. She nodded and followed him into the guest house. I went around to the back. There were no open windows so I couldn't hear what they were saying. Bella was gesturing wildly and Alec looked to be trying to calm her down. Maybe she was coming clean about the blow job she'd given me earlier. He said something to her that made her cry. I pulled out my gun. Maybe I wouldn't kill him, but I'd definitely shoot out a knee cap or toe. After that everything happened in slow motion. Alec grabbed Bella and pulled her into his arms. She didn't fight him. Instead, she leaned forward until her head rested on his chest. His piercing blue eyes looked concerned. He wrapped his arms around her. I'd seen enough. There was no way I was going to stand there and watch them fuck each other. I put my gun away and ran to my Rolls. Tears were marring

my vision as I drove. It was really over. She'd chosen a fucking bodyguard over me. His job was just as dangerous as mine, but she didn't fucking care. I wiped my eyes. Edward Cullen doesn't cry like a pussy. She'd made me into something I wasn't. I pulled out my phone and called a familiar number. The girl I was looking for picked up. "Hey Heidi, I want you to grab two girls and meet me at the Fairmount Olympic Hotel. Prepare to stay the whole night because we're having an orgy. Make sure they're dressed appropriately." She fucking purred. "Ooohh, Eddie, I knew you'd get over that little bitch and want some real pussy. We'll be there in an hour." If Bella could fuck other people, so could I. I had been such a fool, begging her ass for pussy when I could get it from someone else. I was going to fuck those bitches until Bella became a distant memory. Maybe I'd even tape it and give it to her. I went back to my Penthouse to shower and change. I grabbed a bottle of Viagra along with a case of Red Bull and bottle of Stolichnaya. I wanted to have a lot of stamina for tonight. I had three more missed calls from Bella. I changed her contact name from 'babydoll' to 'LB or lying bitch' because that's all she was to me now. I called my friend at the Fairmount and booked a suite. They were filled for the holidays, but I payed in cash and tipped well, so they always made an exception for me. I tried to do something with my hair but it wouldn't comply so I just ran my fingers through it. The bitches would mess it up anyway. I hoped that Heidi chose the new big titted blondes to bring. I hadn't fucked them yet because I was still pining over Bella the slut. I looked in the mirror. I looked good, like the old Edward. My father would be so fucking proud. I pulled up to the hotel and parked my car in the garage. My key was waiting for me at the front desk. I gave the bellhop instructions to lead my guests up when they came. Thirty minutes later I heard a knock on the door. I opened it to find Heidi and the two bitches I'd hoped she would bring. "Hi, Eddie. Me, Diamond and Goldie are here to fuck you senseless." They were all wearing sexy barely there dresses and heels. D&G both had huge fake tits. They were bottle blondes and looked like they'd just stepped off of the cover of Playboy. My dick didn't even harden. Fuck Bella for ruining me for other bitches. "Come in, ladies." They all stroked my cock as they passed. Still nothing. Heidi had a huge bag of toys and shit that she began taking out. D&G were busy exploring the room. They squealed like little girls when they saw the hot tub. "Diamond, Goldie, why don't you two play with each other while I watch." They nodded and headed into the bedroom. Heidi wrapped her arms around me and we followed. They wasted no time in going at it. They were sucking and licking each other's clits before I sat down. Sadly, it wasn't turning me on. Heidi sat in my lap and tried to kiss my lips. I pushed the back of her head down to my neck. I didn't kiss bitches in the mouth before Bella, and I wasn't going back to it now. She sucked and bit on my neck. I was sure that it would leave marks. Her hand went inside my pants. I hissed when her fake nails scratched my cock.

"Fuck, Heidi. I need a minute." She kissed my neck before letting me up. I went to the bathroom to pop some Viagra. Before I got the pill in my mouth I noticed a missed call on my phone. It was from my mom. She rarely ever called me. Maybe something was wrong. I hit reply. "Mom, are you okay? I'm sorry I missed your call." "Hello, Edward, it's Bella. Why have you been avoiding me all day? I really need to talk to you about something important. Can you please come home?" Maybe she was going to come clean. I decided that my orgy could wait. "I'll be there in half an hour." She was trying to say something else but I hung up. I put the V away and went back to the front. "Heidi, I have an errand to run. You guys can order room service, just charge it to the room. I looked over at D&G lapping each other in the mouth. "Feel free to join them if you want. I'll be back later." She pouted. "I'll miss you, Eddie. I've been craving your cock. Hurry back, baby." I gave her a half smile before exiting. Traffic was pretty bad so the drive over took longer than expected. Thanksgiving was two days away, so the city was packed. Somehow I managed to make it to my mom's house without killing anyone. When I got inside, everyone was in the living room playing games and eating. My mom looked at me as I passed. She looked happy extremely about something. I stopped to ask where Bella was. She told me that Bella was out on the back deck. I kissed Esme on the cheek before heading outside. It had stopped raining, but there was still a chill in the air. The 'lying bitch' was sitting out there reading a book. She had on dark blue tights and an oversized beige sweater. Her mahogany hair was cascading down her back. I could see the light flush on her cheeks. My cock stirred. Great, watching two hot bitches engage in hardcore porn couldn't get me hard, but Bella reading could. I was so fucked up. I cleared my throat to alert her of my presence. "I'm busy, so say what you need to say so I can get the fuck out of here." She turned around. Her eyes widened when she noticed my wrinkled suit and angry eyes. She asked me to have a seat. I took the chair across from her. "Um...what I have to tell you may be hard for you to hear but you need to know. I will understand if it makes you angry. I just want you to know that I didn't plan it." So, she was finally going to come clean. This ought to be good. "Um...I don't know how to tell you this. Edward, I'm... pregnant." I had to be hearing things. "What?" "I'm pregnant. I'm going to have a baby," she repeated. I stood up and threw my chair over the deck. Bella started crying. I was so fucking angry. She was on

birth control when we were together but she'd let Alec hit it without any type of protection. She must have really trusted that son of a bitch. Bella was pregnant. Nothing made any goddamn sense anymore. After this bombshell, I didn't trust anyone to remain loyal. Ironically, this shocked me even more than the Gigi incident. "Edward, please talk to me. I knew you'd be mad, but your mom and Dr. Cullen said it'd be best to go ahead and tell you before I got too far along." I turned around. "My mom knew about this? It's all just been a big secret and lie fest for you guys. Am I the last to know?" She shook her head. "No. Besides you, only Carlisle and Esme know. Dr. Cullen gave me the test and my first checkup." She started to pace back and forth. She was biting her lower lip and shooting glances in my direction. "You really fucked me over, Isabella. I guess I never knew you at all. Was it all a set up from the start? Were you out for money?" She walked over and punched me in the jaw. I balled my fists up and stepped away. I was angry but I had a rule about never hitting women, even lying conniving bitches like Isabella Swan. She poked me in the chest. "I never asked you for a damn thing. You think I care about your money, well I don't! I'm not a gold digger." I pushed her hand away. "I know about you and Alec. I saw you two in the pool house. Did you really think you could hide it from me?" Her cheeks flushed and her eyes widened. That was all the confirmation I needed. "It wasn't... I didn't know... He wanted me to wait and tell you." I bet they had a good laugh watching me play the fool, begging Bella to take me back. Has she been fucking both of us at the same time? The thought filled me with disgust. "You're nothing but a nasty whore. I can't stand the sight of you." She sobbed loudly. I started to soften and for that I was angry. "Don't cry now. You did this to yourself. I hope you rot in Hell, Isabella!" I turned to walk away but she grabbed my arm. I snatched it away. "You may hate me, but don't you care about the baby?" Is she serious? Why the fuck would I care about she and Alec's spawn? I smirked. "Why the fuck would I care about your baby? You don't honestly expect me to take care of it, do you? Congrats, Swan, you're finally getting the shitmaker you've always wanted. I hope you enjoy becoming a gross, fat beached whale. Good luck getting someone to fuck you when your pussy gets too loose." She was crying so hard that she had to clutch her chest. I wanted her to hurt as much as I did. I planned on marrying this woman. I'd loved her with all my heart, and she stabbed me in the back by having an affair.

To me, her betrayal was worse than Gianna's. I turned away in disgust and walked to the door. "Let me know when the little bastard is born. I'll send you some diapers." With that parting shot, I left. My mom ran after me but I shrugged her off and got into the car. Bella cheated on me and was now having another man's baby. There was nothing my mom could say to make it better. I felt wetness soaking my dress shirt. Fuck, I'm crying over Isabella again. I wiped my face and headed back to the Hotel. There were three bitches waiting for me to fuck them into oblivion. Bella wasn't mine anymore. I may as well go and enjoy my orgy and get back to being the old Edward Cullen. ~*!*~

Chapter Seventeen ~ Fix You "And high up above or down below When you're too in love to let it go But if you never try you'll never know Just what you're worth Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you Tears stream down your face When you lose something you cannot replace Tears stream down your face And I…" --Fix You - Coldplay EsPOV I was so excited to learn that Bella was expecting. I had already called Di to gush about the birth of my first official grandchild. I made her promise to keep it a secret until Edward found out. It's not that I don't consider Em and Rose's kids as my grandchildren, it's just different. Edward and Alice came from my body. They had been nursed at my breasts. To know that my bambino was going to bring life into this world thrilled me to no end. Carlisle checked Bella out and confirmed that everything looked good to him. When my husband did the ultrasound and I'd heard the first heartbeat, I thought my chest would burst. I was so happy for Bella. She's going to be a wonderful mother. From the questions she asked, I knew that she cared about her baby and wanted it to be healthy. Carlisle tried to ask about sexual history but I'd admonished him. My future daughter in law blushed until she was the color of a tomato. She assured us both that she had only one sexual partner in her life and that was Edward. I already knew as much. They were so beautiful together. I knew my grandchild was going to be lovely. Best of all, Bella changed Edward so I thought that he was ready to be a father. She was worried about telling him because she had been on birth control and the pregnancy was unplanned, but Carlisle and I talked her into telling him sooner than later. Later that night, Edward stormed into the house and demanded to see Bella. I immediately told him where

she could be found. I could barely hide the smile on my face as he rushed to find her. After ten minutes my curiosity got the best of me and I went to check on them. I watched in horror as Bella punched Edward in the jaw. He turned to her and said something that must have been cruel because she began crying and clutching her chest. Edward was coming to the door. I didn't want to be caught so I hid in the corner. He had tears in his eyes and he looked upset. I tried to get him to talk to me but he rushed out and left the house. I went to check on Bella. She was curled onto the floor of the deck in the fetal position. Her eyes were swollen with tears and her nose was runny. I tried to pick her up but she just curled up and whined. That sound broke my heart. "I told you…I told you that he wouldn't want the baby. He…called me a whore. He doesn't want to have anything to do with me or his child. Oh Esme, it….hurts too much. I loved him…this hurts." I laid right down on the floor and cried with her. I really thought Edward had changed. Seeing firsthand how he hurt this sweet girl showed me that he was still his father's son. That was something that I couldn't live with. I would be damned if Bella was forced to live the life I had to endure before Carlisle. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called my husband. I didn't say anything. It only took ten seconds before he was by my side. He took in the sight of Bella and I crying on the ground and his jaw clenched. He was angry. I'd only seen him like this one other time and that was last year when Edward had broken my heart by refusing to spend the holidays with us. He helped me up. He kissed me on the lips before kneeling down to get Bella. She was still sobbing. Deep broken sounds escaped her throat. Carlisle carried her upstairs to her bedroom. We took the deck steps to avoid any confrontations. If Jasper saw her in this condition, I might not be able to stop him from doing serious harm to Edward. I asked Carlisle to give us a minute. He left the room and I undressed Bella. She was catatonic. I'm not even sure she knew I was in the room with her. I put on her pajamas and braided her thick hair. Tears were still falling out of her eyes. "Don't worry dear, I'm going to fix this for you. You just calm down and get some rest." She squeezed my hand to let me know that she had heard. I kissed her on the forehead and smoothed the blanket around her shoulders before leaving. My husband was in the hallway pacing. His beautiful blue eyes were full of worry and concern. I said a silent 'thank you' to God for sending me such a precious creature. The minute he saw me, he pulled me into his arms. "Esme, are you all right sweetheart? Is Bella okay? I can give her something to sooth her nerves." I hugged him closer. "No honey, she'll be fine. Just let her cry it out. She's almost asleep now. We have to go find Edward. I'm going to kick his ass." Carlisle was taken aback by my use of language. I rarely cursed or showed such extreme anger. He agreed to help me. We went out back to see Edward's bodyguard. I asked him to tell me where Edward was. I was sure that he would know. He pulled out some electronic device that Carlisle said was a tracker. The device gave the exact location of Edward's car. He was at the Fairmount. Alec insisted on driving us there. We accepted.

I rocked back and forth during the whole drive. I was just so damn angry with my son for ruining his chance at love yet again. The months that Bella had been gone had been hard on all of us. He wasn't the only one that missed her. In the little time that we'd known each other, she became a part of our family. I wasn't going to let my daughter go without a fight. The moment the car stopped I got out and ran into the hotel. The manager knew me because I'd done the interior design on one of their honeymoon suites. I asked for Edward Cullen's room and was given a key. I took the elevator up. I'm sure Carlisle was wondering where I'd gotten off to but I didn't have time to wait on him. When I got to Edward's room, I put my card in the slot and stepped inside. I could hear female laughter coming from the room. He had behaved just like his father; when times got rough he'd run to the company of whores. My blood surged with rage. "Whoever is in there has five minutes to get the hell out of this hotel room. I need to talk to my son, Now!" I heard the voice of a female pouting but Edward told her to leave. Three blonde women, who had obviously been engaging in sex, filed past me. I was so disgusted that I had to turn away. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, get your ass out here NOW! You have a lot of explaining to do! My son came out a minute later. He looked like death warmed over. His eyes were bloodshot, his skin was pale, and his jaw was swelling. His emerald eyes were dark and filled with dread. He was wearing a robe. He had cheated on Bella. She was never going to get over this and I would have no choice but to tell her. My stomach dropped. "What do you want mother? I'm in no mood to talk. Nothing you can say is going to make it better." I couldn't hold it in any longer. I walked over to him and slapped him on the cheek. I did it again and again until he pushed my hand away. "Damn mom, that fucking hurt. Why are you hitting me?" I went to sit in a chair in the corner. "Don't use that vulgar language with me young man! Edward, your girlfriend just told you that she's having your baby and you call her names and make her cry. I'm ashamed of you. Sometimes, I wish you were never born. Your father may have been a god in your eyes but he was never there for you when you needed him the most. I was the one that changed all your diapers. I was the one that sat up with you and Ali when you got the flu or the chicken pox. And I was the one that was forced to watch helplessly as he corrupted you and destroyed our family." I didn't really mean the part about regretting Edward's birth but it came out before I could stop it. Edward came to kneel in front of me. I looked up and what I saw blew me away. He was frantic. Tears sprung from his eyes and he screamed out in pain. "It's…it's…mine. Bella's having my…baby? But…she was on birth control?" I explained to him about the medicine she had taken that counteracted her birth control. He buried his head in my lap. I could feel his tears soaking through my cotton pants.

"I didn't know mom. I…saw her with Alec…I thought that him and her…" He couldn't finish. I patted his head and let him cry it out. My bambino was in so much pain. The chair began to shake with the force of his sobs. "Shhh, mommy is here. I'm going to help you fix things. I didn't mean what I said earlier. You're my best boy, like always." Alec and Carlisle burst through the door. Edward's head popped up and he glared in their direction. I helped my son stand up so we could all talk. Edward pushed Alec against the wall. Carlisle tried to intervene but I held him back. Edward needed to find out the truth. "You motherfucker! I saw you, in the guesthouse with Bella. I have an eyewitness that saw you enter and leave her apartment. Did you threaten her? I'm going to kill you for touching my babydoll." Alec pushed Edward off of him. "Of course I didn't threaten Bella. She saved my life. You can't honestly think...that she would...How could you even think such a thing? She loves you so much. I'm sorry for going behind your back but I needed Bella's help with something. We can all talk about it later. I swear to you that it's not what you think." Edward seemed to be confused. "You mean…you and Bella never…she didn't cheat. Fuck, I'm such a fucking idiot. I hurt her again." I knew the moment that it all came together for him. His jaw dropped and he turned to face me. I nodded my head. Bella had never cheated; he was the only man she'd ever been with. He ran over and hugged me. "Bella loves me. I'm going to be a daddy. I've never been so happy." He smiled brilliantly. It made him look years younger. Suddenly, his face fell and the desolation returned. "She's never going to forgive me. I said the vilest things to her. I don't deserve her or our baby. She's going to go away and never speak to me again." He started sobbing again. Carlisle patted him on the back. Edward was squeezing me so tight that I could barely breathe. "Edward, I promise to help you get a chance to talk to Bella but I'm not sure how she'll respond. Carlisle and I are both here for you no matter what. Regrettably, I'm going to have to tell Bella what I witnessed here tonight . I just wish you had of talked to me before you slept with those bimbos." He raised his head and looked me in the eyes. "Mom, I swear to you that nothing happened. I didn't have sex with those women. I couldn't do it. I love Bella too much." Thank God. That was a weight lifted off my shoulders. Alec told us that he was going to head out. Edward apologized and they agreed to talk at a later date. Carlisle and I gave Edward a few minutes to shower and change. "You have to try and apologize tonight Edward. If you let this situation sit and fester it's only going to get worse." He nodded his head and walked over to kiss me on the cheek. I tried to hold my tears back as he and Carlisle embraced. My son was back. My world would be right again. I may have failed Edward growing up but I wasn't going to fail him now. My grandchild would have two parents that loved and cared for it, and, if I was lucky, I could restore Bella and Edward's relationship.

He went to go get his stuff. When he came back out he was whistling and smiling again. "My babydoll is going to have my baby. She's pregnant with our child. I'm going to be a father. I'm going to be there for every second of my her pregnancy and our child's life. I love her so much." His enthusiasm made me smile. I watched as his expression turned to panic. He turned to look at my husband. "Carlisle, was she okay? Was she scared? What about the baby?" My husband patted him on the shoulder. "Calm down Edward, she's fine and so is the baby. Everything is developing normally. Bella is in good health and I see no reason to panic. If all goes according to plan, she's going to deliver a perfectly healthy child." My son's eyes lit up. I giggled because he puffed out his chest. He was proud. I went to the table to retrieve my purse. I took out my most current prized possession and handed it to Edward. He opened the envelope and his eyes filled with tears. I clutched his hand. "Edward Cullen, I'd like you to meet your baby." My heart swelled with love as I watched him kiss the blurry sonogram and whisper, "I love you. I'm going to make everything right with mommy." Maybe things weren't perfect yet, but I vowed to do my best to make them that way. ~*!*~

Chapter Eighteen ~ Simple Kind Of Life "For a long time I was in love Not only in love, I was obsessed with a friendship that no one else could touch It didn't work out, I'm covered in shells And all I wanted was the simple things A simple kind of life And all I needed was a simple man So I could be a wife I'm so ashamed, I've been so mean I don't know how it got to this point I always was the one with all the love You came along, I'm hunting you down Like a sick domestic abuser looking for a fight And all I wanted was the simple things A simple kind of life If we met tomorrow for the very first time Would it start all over again? Would I try to make you mine?" --Simple Kind of Life - No Doubt BPOV There had been moments in the past that defined my life. The death of my mother when I was three, my father's passing when I was a teenager, and Jasper legally becoming my brother. All of those events paled in comparison to what happened to me a few hours ago when I found out that I was pregnant.

Esme was right when she suspected it in the bathroom. I hadn't wanted to entertain the possibility but my sudden nausea, food cravings, and weight gain all pointed to the obvious, I was going to have a baby. We'd gone back to the table after Esme made me promise to let Dr. Cullen give me a test and check. I was so scared because I though that Edward would be able to see it on my face. I had never been good at hiding things from others. My face was an open book. The dinner was going well and Edward seemed oblivious to what occurred in the bathroom so I started to relax. That was until he basically tried to get between me and my desert. I'd gone off on him and caused a riff at the table. I felt so bad afterwards. It was just that my hormones were all over the place. I'd forgone dancing and decided to turn in early. Of course Edward volunteered to drive me back to the house. Our drive was awkward, especially when we broke out in song. I hated to admit it but being back around Edward was causing my old feelings to stir and that frightened me. We had gone back to the mansion and Edward surprised me by being a gentleman. He helped me out of my dress and respected my boundaries when I told him to leave. The kitchen incident ended up really bringing us closer together. He had fingered me as I clutched the counter. It felt so good to have his hands back inside of my body. I'd missed our intimacy. Of course I'd gotten embarrassed when I realized that we performed a sexual act in his mother's kitchen, so I ran to my room. Edward came upstairs to check on me. He was so sincere and sweet, bringing me my sandwich. He'd even added a pickle and chips. I was impressed because I knew that Edward was domestically challenged. I let him watch television with me and I felt our friendship return. He had to go to the restroom halfway through our time together and excused himself. I was glad because it was hard trying to ignore him when he was so close. I was trying to sneak some chips off of Edward's plate when I heart him let loose an expletive. I thought that something might be wrong so I'd gone to check on him. He was pleasuring himself so I apologized and left the room. I paced in the hallway for a minute before returning. He had pleasured me in the kitchen and I was going to return the favor. Edward's penis in my mouth was a feeling I had greatly missed. From the way he responded, I assumed that he had missed it too. That night, I went to sleep in Edward's arms. I planned to invite him to the doctor's appointment. Something must have gone wrong in the night because when I awoke, Edward was gone. I panicked, thinking that maybe I'd done something wrong. I tried calling him all day but he never returned my calls. I was racking my brain trying to remember what I could have done to piss him off but I came up with nothing. Esme and Dr. Cullen drove me to the hospital. He set me up in an exam room. I had to take off my clothes and put on one of those awful paper gowns. Esme was so sweet, holding my hand and reassuring me. Although I appreciated what they were doing for me, I wished that Edward was there. Carlisle distracted me while he stuck a needle in my arm to draw blood. He explained to me that the blood test was more accurate than the over the counter urine tests when it came to predicting pregnancy. A lab tech came and took the sample. I was beyond scared by that point. I tried calling Edward again but he still wasn't picking up. I left him several voicemails but still he didn't answer me. That was my cue that something really bad had happened. While we waited for the results, Dr. Cullen questioned me on my sexual history. I assured him that I'd only been with one person and that it had been Edward. Esme gave her husband the death eye for even asking me such a question.

Since I had been on birth control, we had to figure out how I conceived. Dr. Cullen went over the list of medicines I'd taken over the last few months. He figured out that it had to be the Temazepam I'd taken that counteracted the contraceptives. The drug was used to treat anxiety and help sleep problems. Dr. Moretti had given me a few in the clinic and I'd taken one on the plane ride back. Carlisle and Esme didn't know about what happened with Gianna in Italy. The Volturi had decided not to tell them unless absolutely necessary. That meant I had to make up a story about why I'd taken medicine in Italy. I told them that I was given the drug to relieve my nervousness about flying. Luckily they bought my story. The test came back positive. I was almost ten weeks pregnant. That meant that I conceived that night in Edward's lair. Maybe even during the piano sex, though I couldn't be sure. We'd engaged in so much intercourse that night that it could have occurred anytime. Esme was over the moon that she was going to have another grandchild. I even saw Carlisle beaming at me. They both encouraged me to tell Edward as soon as possible. I told Esme about how I hadn't been able to contact Edward all day and she said I could use her phone when we got back to the house. After that, Dr. Cullen called a technician into the room and I was given my very first ultrasound. The tech looked to be in her late fifties. Her name was Mrs. Cope and she had the sweetest smile on her face as she squeezed some cold jelly on my exposed belly and moved the machine around. It wasn't as scary as I'd thought it would be. The moment I heard my baby's heartbeat, I fell completely in love. I couldn't make out much from the blurry image on screen but Dr. Cullen said it was a normal healthy fetus and I believed him. I cried right along with Esme as we watched the developing baby on screen. Carlisle and Mrs. Cope left so that Esme could help me get dressed. She wiped off my stomach and hugged me. I was sad that my mother couldn't be here for this moment but Esme was the next best thing. She was so supportive and loving and that made me feel safe. I went into the bathroom so I could change out of the gown and put my clothes back on. I stood in the mirror for several minutes looking at my belly. Pretty soon it would be swollen with my beautiful child. As I rubbed my stomach, I felt a strong sense of protectiveness and tenderness sweep over my body. I was going to do everything in my power to make sure my child was healthy, loved, and happy. Dr. Cullen returned and passed Esme an envelope that contained several ultrasound pictures. Her face lit up like he'd just given her the biggest diamond on Earth. I smiled as they embraced each other. I was still worried about telling Edward but I knew that as long as Carlisle and Esme were there for me, I would be okay. They both fussed over me as we went downstairs and got into the car. Carlisle gave me the name and phone number of the hospital's top OBGYN. He had already made me an appointment to see her next week. We stopped to eat lunch at a local restaurant before heading back. When we got to the house, Alec came out to greet us. He chatted with the Cullens for awhile before they left us alone. He told me that he needed to talk to me. I got angry at him because I wanted to tell Edward everything and he still wanted to wait. I'd broken down and told him about my pregnancy. He tried to convince me that everything would be all right. I broke down in his arms sobbing. It was nothing like being in Edward's arms but it comforted me somewhat. I went into the house and used Esme's phone to call Edward. He was short with me and butterflies began to form in my stomach. He told me that he would come see me in thirty minutes. I was so nervous as I waited for him. The rest of the family was playing games in he living room but I didn't want to see them until I told Edward. I'd gone out to the back deck to read while I waited. The minute Edward came through the door, I knew that our conversation wasn't going to end well. He

was dressed up in a wrinkled suit and he looked off. He looked more like the man I'd met on that first day when he gave me the secretary job. That wasn't the Edward I needed right now. I sucked up all my insecurities and told him I was pregnant. Nothing could have prepared me for his reaction. He was pissed off. He yelled at me and threw his chair over the deck. I couldn't stop the tears that came out of my eyes. Deep in my heart I'd known that Edward wouldn't be happy. The few times we discussed children, he either changed the subject or made derogatory remarks. He told me that he knew about Alec. I thought that maybe that was why he was so angry. Edward slung some of the vilest accusations at me. He called me a slut and accused me of being a gold digger. That had stoked my anger because I'd never once asked him for money or anything else for that matter. I punched him hard in the jaw. He tried to leave but I stopped him and asked about his feelings for the baby. He called my unborn child a 'shitmaker' and a 'bastard'. It hurt so bad to know that he didn't want to have anything to do with our child. I didn't think it could get much worse until his parting words. He basically told me I was going to become unattractive and ugly and that him and no other man would ever want to touch me again. When he left, I laid on the cold deck floor and cried as my heart broke. Edward didn't want me anymore and he wouldn't be there for the baby. Esme came out and cried with me until Carlisle carried me up to my room. I sat motionless as she dressed me and braided my hair. Even though Edward and I were technically broken up, I had held a tiny hope that we would get back together. I still loved him and couldn't believe that he would hurt me so badly. Esme left and I cried until I fell asleep. I slept for almost three hours before a nightmare woke me up. I had dreamt of Edward and one of his bimbos pointing and laughing at my pregnant belly. In my dream, he called me the same names and taunted me while the bimbo gave him a blowjob. I had to pee so I went to the restroom. My body was bathed in sweat and I felt awful. I cringed when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I had to pull myself together. Someone knocked on the door. I went to open it and saw Alice on the other side. She took one look at me and her big blue eyes filled with concern. She wasted no time walking into the room and hugging me. "What's wrong Bella? Are you hurt?" I wrapped my arms around her tiny shoulders and resumed crying. She led us to the bed where we sat down. She tried to shush me but I was beyond inconsolable. I ended up telling her everything. "I'm…I'm…pregnant Alice. Edward…he's the father….but…he doesn't want me…or the baby." I heard Alice gasp. "Are you sure Bella? I just can't believe that he would be that cruel." I repeated what he'd said to me on the patio. I felt her tense up by the time I got to the end. She was so angry that her small body was trembling. "That asshole! Don't worry Bella. We're going to get to the bottom of this. All this time, I…tried to help him get you back. Oh Bella, it's my fault too." She began to cry. I promised her that it wasn't her fault that Edward was acting like a douchebag. She excused herself to the restroom while I tidied up the room. I doubted that I would be going back to sleep anytime soon.

I was folding up my favorite throw when Jasper burst through the door. He took one look at me and rushed to my side. He sat down on the bed and pulled me into his lap. I buried my head into his neck and let the rest of the tears escape my heart. Alice came out of the restroom carrying her cell phone. "I already told him what you told me Bella. I thought that you would want your big brother at a time like this." They were both so great. I was ruining their holiday and they weren't even mad at me. Alice sat on the other side of Jasper and patted my hand. It was oddly very comforting. Jaz asked me some questions about the pregnancy. He and Ali were super excited about being an Aunt and Uncle. They promised me that they would be there for me and the baby. So far, everyone had taken the news of my pregnancy well, except for the one that should have cared the most, Edward. Alice made plans to go baby shopping as soon as possible. I almost groaned. Jaz and Alice left the room. I knew that he had been calm for my benefit. The dam would burst soon. I was reading a book when the flood began. My door was still open so I heard everything. Edward was downstairs demanding to speak to me. Thankfully someone was holding him back. I had nothing more to say to him. Hadn't he broken me enough? "Damnit Jasper, I need to see her. It was all a misunderstanding! If I don't talk to her now she's going to think the wrong thing!" I crept downstairs so that I could see what was happening. I hid behind a tall indoor tree. Jasper had Edward pinned up against the wall. His arm was on Edward's neck. Esme and Alice were crying softly. Rosalie was glaring daggers at Edward and Emmett was trying to break up the fight. I didn't see Dr. Cullen anywhere. Jasper was yelling expletives and pressing Edward harder into the wall. "I'm not letting you near by baby sister again! I knew from the beginning that it was a bad idea for her to get involved with you, but she was in love and wouldn't listen to me. I should have never let it get this far. Do you even know how broken she is? No, you don't because you don't fucking care about her. I seriously thought you'd changed and wanted to be with her. You had me fooled but no more. I promised Charlie that I would take care of Bella for the rest of my life and that's what I'm going to do." Emmett finally managed to pull Jasper's arm off of Edward's throat. Edward coughed and clutched his neck. "Please Jasper, I need to talk to Bella. I need to apologize so that we can make plans for the future." He was lieing. He didn't want me or the baby. He was just trying to do the right thing because his mother had probably spoken to him. I didn't need his pity. We were done. I was no longer in love with Edward. In fact I hated him with a deep seeded passion. "No! You will stay far away from her. I am going to take care of my sister and her baby. She doesn't need you. She told me what you said to her when she told you she was pregnant. How could you, you fucker? I should have known something was seriously wrong when she left and went to Spokane but I chalked it up to a lover's tiff. There's no telling what kinds of vile things you've said and done to her that she's kept secret from me. The only thing preventing me from killing you is the fact that you're the father of my future niece or nephew." Everyone was suddenly quiet. Emmett let go of Jasper. Rosalie's eyes widened and she gasped.

Two sets of voices yelled at the same time. It was Em and Rosie. "Bella's pregnant?" Jasper nodded his head. "Yes and this fucker called her a slut and her unborn child a bastard. He told her that he didn't want to have anything to do with their baby. She's upstairs crying her eyes out." Rose stepped forward. She balled her fist up and punched Edward in the stomach. He doubled over in pain. Emmett was too shocked to stop her. "You piece of shit! I thought you changed. You're still the same selfish prick you always were. Do you know how scary it is for a woman to find out she's pregnant? Poor Bella, she must feel so bad." Emmett pulled Rose into his arms. He glared at Edward. "You really screwed up this time. What you did to Bella is definitely not cool." Edward stood up. He held his arms out. "Alice?" She went to stand beside Jasper. "Don't Alice me, you dick! I saw Bella. She didn't deserve to be treated that way Edward. You're just as selfish as you always were. You weren't there for me when I developed my eating disorder and you've already shown that you won't be there for Bella and her baby. I wish you weren't my brother." With that she took Jasper's hand and tried to lead him away. He turned around to face Edward. "I'm quitting the club. Find yourself a new manager. Don't come near my sister again or I promise that I will fuck you up. You're dead to me Edward." After that Alice managed to pull him into the kitchen. Rose and Em gave Edward disgusted looks before following. Edward looked after them with a pained expression on his face. He lowered his eyes and I saw tears cover his face. He looked horrible. His jaw was swollen and his hair was a complete mess. He also had a black eye and other facial bruises from Jasper's beating. I felt bad for him until I remembered what he'd said to me on the deck. Dr. Cullen entered the room. He went to stand beside Esme. She was trying to wipe Edward's face. "It's probably best if you go honey. I don't want to cause any more problems." Edward started to protest until his mom whispered something in his ear. He nodded once and bid her and Carlisle goodnight. His usual swagger was full of defeat. He looked like a shell of the Edward I knew. I went to the kitchen to get a snack. Everyone gave me a hug and asked about the baby. Esme came inside and passed out the sonogram pictures. Emmett made jokes about me being knocked up. Rosie hit him on the head a few times. The women almost fought over who would make me a snack. The men made sure I was comfortable before leaving to have a talk. I was sure that it was going to be a conversation about Edward and me. After I finished eating, I went upstairs to read. I fell asleep a little after eleven. I was so tired all of the time. I knew that it was because of the baby but it was going to take some getting used to. I was sleeping heavily when I felt a hand caress my forehead. It felt soft and wonderful so I didn't want to climb out of my slumber. I vaguely felt someone lift me and carry me somewhere. The next thing I knew I was sleeping in something that moved. I thought that I must be dreaming so I snuggled deeper into my blanket.

When I woke up, Esme and Carlisle were leaning over me. Esme kissed me on the cheek. "Bella, I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do, but it's for your own good. I just want my grandchild to be born into a peaceful situation so that's why I kidnapped you." My eyes widened. "You what?" She turned to Dr. Cullen. "Bella, Esme promised Edward that she would help him get the chance to explain himself to you. We knew that he'd never be able to do it at our house because everyone is angry at him. We're going to lock you and Edward together in his penthouse for twenty four hours. Use the time to talk about your futures and the baby. We will come back to get you at eight in the morning on Thanksgiving Day. We're not forcing you to forgive Edward but please, talk to him." I bit down on my lip. Surely they were kidding. I looked at both of them. They looked serious. "You can't….you…think…this…is wrong on so many levels. Jasper will come looking for me." Esme smiled sadly at me. "Please don't hate us for this Bella. It will all work out in the end. I told Jasper that I was taking you away for the night so you could calm down. Dr. Cullen and I will be downstairs in Alice's apartment. Please use your time together to straighten out your feelings." I turned my head away from the both of them. My greatest champions had chosen Edward over me. I was beyond upset. Dr. Cullen carried me up to the private elevator doors. I demanded that he put me down. He shared a look with Esme before complying. I ignored both of them as we rode up to Edward's penthouse. Edward was waiting at the door when we got to his floor. He gave me his signature crooked grin. I just glared at him. He walked over to hug his mom and Carlisle. "Thank you both so much. This means the world to me. I'll owe you guys forever." Esme handed me an overnight bag. She tried to kiss me on the forehead but I pulled away. I knew that I was acting childish but I was still angry about her betrayal. She smiled at me before leaving with Dr. Cullen. Edward turned to me and gave me a toothy smile. "Babydoll, I'm so damn sorry. I got everything wrong and acted like an asshole. Please forgive me Bella. I love you and our baby. My mom showed me the sonogram picture. Our baby is beautiful. We're going to be wonderful parents." He tried to take my hand. I stepped away. "Stay the hell away from me Edward! You're always so sorry. You're a pathetic piece of shit. I hate you and I wish the father of my child was anyone else but you. It is not 'our' baby, it's mine. I will never forgive you for as long as I live!" I turned to go to one of the bedrooms but Edward blocked my path. A wave of intense hatred consumed my body. I stepped right into his face. I raised my leg and kneed him in the balls. He bent down to cup himself. "Fuck Bella! Please, we're not going to get anywhere like this." I kicked him again. He fell to the floor. I kept kicking him in the groin until my foot started to ache. I was only wearing my ballet flats. Edward's face was completely red and he was rolling on the ground while

breathing heavily. I kicked him one last time, square in the balls. He made a horrific noise and then retched. I spat on him. "That's what you can do with your apology! I hope your dick shrivels up and falls off! For the last time, stay the hell away from me!" I left him on the floor in the pool of vomit. I set myself up in one of his guest rooms. It had a queen sized bed, tasteful furniture, and a big screen TV mounted on the wall. I planned to hole myself up in here until Esme and Carlisle came back for me. I went into the bathroom and put on a pair of short black pajama shorts and a white camisole. When I rifled through my overnight bag, I saw that Esme had included my Ipod but no phone. I guessed that they didn't want to risk me calling anyone for help. I put my headphones on and laid down on the bed. "To Zion" by Lauryn Hill started to play. I sang along to the song. The lyrics made me cry because I now understood what she'd been talking about. It was so overwhelming to find out you were pregnant. I rubbed my belly and cooed to the baby as the song surrounded me. Around one in the morning, my stomach started to rumble. It seems my little angel was hungry all the time. If I kept up all this eating, I was going to be a house by the time I gave birth. That thought caused me to remember Edward's words about me becoming a whale and I began to cry again. My emotions went from zero to sixty all the time now. I started to get that feeling that my stomach was turning in on itself. I was shaking. I would have to leave the room and get some food. I hoped that Edward had cleaned up his vomit because that was sure to set me off and I didn't want to spend the night puking over the toilet. I opened my door as quietly as I could and tiptoed out to the hallway. Edward's penthouse was huge and the kitchen was state of the art. It wasn't fair that he had the best of everything. He sure as hell didn't deserve it. I passed the spot I'd left Edward at on the floor. Everything was cleaned up and smelled strongly of some kind of chemical cleaner. I had to hold my nose. The lights in the kitchen were on. When I saw Edward standing next to the stove, I started to leave but my stomach had other plans. I would just ignore him. He turned around when he heard me enter. If possible, he looked even worse than before. He was wearing low slung jeans and a white t-shirt. His eyes were bloodshot and had deep circles underneath. He was as pale as I'd ever seen him. He looked like a corpse. "Babydoll, I…um…my mom…helped me….I made you something to eat," he said as he gestured to a covered dish. I ignored him and opened the refrigerator. "Please just talk to me Bella. I can make you a plate. It's chicken cordon bleu. I made mashed potatoes and green beans to go along with it. I can put some rolls in the oven if you like." I closed the refrigerator and glared at him. He looked sad but hopeful. The food smelled delicious. My stomach gave a leap when I sniffed the air. Although I was hungry, I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of feeding me. Edward had to suffer. "Don't call me 'babydoll' Cullen. In fact don't even call me Bella because that's reserved for my friends. You no longer fit into that category. When referring to me use Isabella or Ms. Swan. And I don't want any food that you made. I hate you." I stomped over to the dishes he pointed to. I used an oven mitt to lift the chicken. I walked over to the garbage can and threw it in, pan and all. I did the same to the containers of green beans and mashed

potatoes. I hated to waste food but I wanted to hurt Edward. The hope in his eyes died. One of his eyes was swollen shut. He looked grotesque. I grinned. "Not so handsome right now, are you Cullen? You look like shit." He lowered his head and sat down on a bar stool. I searched the freezer until I found a frozen Supreme pizza. I put it on a pan and then put it in the oven to warm. Then I got ingredients for a salad. I thought that Edward would leave once I grabbed the knife but he stayed. "Isabella, when you told me you were pregnant, I thought that you were having an affair with Alec. During the night when you were sleeping, I heard you mumble something about Alec and then a secret. A reliable source told me that he'd been to your apartment in Spokane. Then I saw you two arguing in the guesthouse. I thought that you were cheating on me, so when you told me you were pregnant, I assumed it was by him." I put down the knife and turned around. My eyes must have looked wild because Edward scooted his chair farther back. "You stupid asshole! You didn't even bother to talk to me! You just assumed the worst about me and about Alec. He took a bullet for you and I saved your life and you thought…. You are the dumbest prick on the face of the Earth! Did you honestly think your explanation would make me hate you less? Go to hell Edward! I'm sure your father is saving a spot for you!" That last part was cruel. I watched as Edward's eyes hardened. He stood up. "Say what you want about me, but leave my father out of it! You didn't know him and you have no right to speak ill of the dead." I got up into his face. "You don't tell me what I can and can't say. Your father was a lying bastard just like you. I feel bad for Esme, having such a pathetic piece of shit for a husband and the same for a son. At least Alice is human." He glared at me. His nostrils were flaring. I almost thought that he might hit me but he didn't. Instead he went to sit back down. "There's more. I was so angry when I thought you and Alec cheated that I called Heidi and a few girls from the club. I was planning on having an orgy to forget you. In the end I couldn't do it. The girls engaged in sex and I watched but nothing happened. Well, almost nothing. Heidi kissed my neck and fondled my cock a little. I swear to you that that's all that occurred." I popped a cherry tomato into my mouth. There was no way I would believe that story. He'd set up an orgy and then not participated, yeah right. "Edward, Edward, Edward, how dumb do you think I am? Never mind, don't bother to answer that. I'm sure you had fun with your little whores. I bet they were blonde and busty just like you like. I'm not even mad at you. Who you fuck is no longer my concern. Just keep the skanks away from me and my baby." He made an exasperated noise. "I swear to you that nothing happened. Those bitches don't mean anything to me. It was a mistake on my part. I'm sorry for all of it. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I want to be a good father to our baby. I want to be there for you during this pregnancy and to raise

our child. Please, please, please forgive me Bella. I love you so much." I was quiet while I finished making my salad. I heard Edward stand up and start pacing. I didn't turn around because I didn't want to see his cheating lying face. "I can't keep you away from the baby Edward, but you will not come near me. I hate you with every cell of my being. I honestly wouldn't care if you dropped dead at this moment. You once said that you wished we never met and I wholeheartedly agree. You have done nothing but ruin my life and almost get me killed. You're not the only one to blame though. I was the one that slept with you without protection; I was the one that convinced myself that I loved you and that you loved me; And I was the one that trusted you. I hope you have fun with your whores. Whatever we had is long gone." He must have had enough because he exited the kitchen. Usually I would have cried but I had no more tears left for Edward or for our failed relationship. I ate my salad in silence. It tasted kind of bland so I added some chocolate chips. For some reason ranch dressing and chocolate tasted awesome together. I knew that the combination was due to one of my cravings. My pizza finished and I took it out of the oven. I pinched some cheese off of the corners. It burned my tongue but I was so hungry. I thought about cutting the pizza into slices but decided that I'd probably eat the whole thing. I cut it in half and placed it on a large tray. Then I grabbed a bottle of Pellegrino and headed back to the room. Edward was sitting on the couch with his head down when I passed. He hadn't even bothered to turn on any lights or the television. I ignored him and continued onto my destination. I finished my snack in five minutes flat. The simple fact that I had eaten a whole pizza at two in the morning didn't escape me. I was truly knocked up. I rubbed my stomach. "Baby Swan, I hope that you are finished for the night because I'm beat. Mommy loves you sweetheart." A warm feeling spread though my body. It was almost as if the baby was telling me that it loved me too. I smiled until my cheeks hurt. Somehow I managed to roll out of bed and brush my teeth. I didn't want to risk seeing Edward again so I just put my dirty dishes back onto the tray and set it on the coffee table. It's funny; I always thought that I would get married and then have children. When I imagined my husband, the image was always of a faceless man that loved and adored me and our children. I used to dream of having a big family with lots of kids. Now here I was, twenty four years old, knocked up from an unplanned pregnancy, and a single woman. My parents would probably be ashamed if they saw me now. I couldn't even blame it all on Edward. I had been the one to want to have sex without a condom. I had loved him beyond reason and I was being punished for it. The only good thing that could come out of this mess was the baby. I was almost asleep when a brilliant idea came to me. Since Edward was playing the sad suitor, I would make him truly hurt. That was how I came up with O.T.E.D or Operation Take Edward Down. I spent the next hour thinking of ways to torture him. He had called my baby and me names. He could insult me but no one, and I mean no one, insulted Baby Swan. I was going to make his life so miserable that he would rue the day he met me. I fell asleep with thoughts of torturing Edward in my head. When I woke up the sun was out. I looked at my bedside clock. It was nine in the morning the day before Thanksgiving. Carlisle and Esme would be by to get me tomorrow, so I just had to hold out until then. I decided that I would work on O.T.E.D for the rest of my stay. I went to the restroom to brush my teeth. I grabbed a cup and swallowed one of my prenatal vitamins. I liked what I saw in the mirror. I was definitely gaining weight but I was glowing. My cheeks were slightly flushed. I looked good. I lifted up

my tank top and said hello to Baby Swan. I heard someone knock on the door. Of course it was Edward; we were the only two in the apartment. "Hey Isabella, I made breakfast for you. Can you stop being angry for one minute and come out here to eat with me?" I rolled my eyes. Was he seriously trying to impress me again? "Go play in traffic Edward." I heard him mumble something and then walk away. I grabbed a pair of blue stretch pants out of my bag. I paired them with a Sailor Moon t-shirt and blue hoodie. There was no one here that I wanted to impress so I was dressing for comfort. I put on my ballet slippers and headed out the door. I didn't see Edward so I continued to the kitchen. Unfortunately, my luck ran out because he was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee when I entered. I noticed that there were two large glasses set out. One contained orange juice and the other contained milk. I assumed they were for me. I left them sitting and poured myself a new glass of juice. There was also a plate of waffles, sausage, and eggs sitting on the counter. I ignored all of that too. I went to the cupboard and pulled out a box of Cheerios. I poured some in a bowl and added milk. Then I went to the refrigerator and retrieved two strawberry yogurt cups. The waffles and eggs smelt so good that I almost broke down and ate them but then I remembered O.T.E.D and stopped. I gathered my breakfast and put it on the table. I took the seat across from Edward. He still looked bad but at least he'd showered. He was wearing a different pair of dark wash jeans and a long sleeved v-neck black sweater. His eye was a little less swollen but it was still a bluish purple color. His jaw was bruised. I smiled, hoping that his privates matched his face. "Could you leave or cover up your ugly face? It's making me lose my appetite. He grimaced. I knew that Edward was really vain. My jab at his looks had hurt him. "I'm sorry. Please don't look at me since I'm so grotesque to you. Listen, we need to talk before you hole yourself up in your room for the rest of the day." I put a big spoonful of yogurt in my mouth. I did it slowly so it looked more erotic than it should have. Edward's eyes went instantly to my mouth. He gulped. I licked the spoon clean. My ministrations were meant to remind him of his last blowjob. I hoped that he was enjoying the show because he'd never get the real thing again; at least not from me. He managed to shake himself out of the trance. "Um…Bel—Isabella… you….um…should eat the breakfast I made for you. It took me three hours to make it. I kept messing up and burning things. I never knew cooking could be so difficult. I really appreciate you cooking for me all the time. I love you babydoll." I stabbed my spoon in my cereal. I put a spoonful in my mouth. My plan was not working. Edward almost looked happy. That wouldn't do at all. "I'm glad you enjoyed the food I made for you because you won't ever get it again. I told you that I would not be eating anything you made and I meant it. Stop trying to pretend like you're a great boyfriend taking care of your girlfriend. We are not in a relationship. We're just two people that happen to be having a baby with each other. Do yourself and me a favor and refrain from speaking to me."

He threw his napkin down. "I'm trying here Isabella. I can't go back and change the past. All I can do Is try to be a better person in the future. Can't you at least meet me halfway?" I went back to eating my Cheerios. I ignored Edward for the rest of breakfast. He stared at me the whole time. I stared back at him with a raised eyebrow, daring him to say something. He kept quiet. It was starting to get hot so I took off my hoodie. Edward gawked at my chest. I wasn't wearing a bra under my tiny t-shirt. My breasts had grown a little but I still liked going braless when I was lounging around. I absentmindedly rubbed my stomach as I drank my juice. Edward's eyes followed my hand movement. He had a cheesy grin on his face. "God you're beautiful. May I see your stomach? I would like to say hello to the baby." I might have let him if he hadn't of said that line about me being 'beautiful'. He had already made it clear that he didn't find me attractive. It made me angry that he would lie to me to try to get something he wanted. I tensed up. "No, you may not 'see my stomach'. Keep your grubby diseased fingers to yourself. Baby Swan doesn't want to hear your voice and neither do I." He just stared at me. "Baby Cullen. The baby is as much mine as yours." I stood up and threw my yogurt cup at his head. It got all over his bronze hair. He looked ridiculous. "Just because you're the sperm donor doesn't mean you have any rights to my baby. You are not the one carrying it. You will not be the one that is there for it when it's born. The law can make me give you visitation but that's it." He stood up and went to the sink. He grabbed some dish towels and started wiping the Yoplait out of his hair. Then he turned to me. "I'm going to get a hell of a lot more than visitation. I don't want to fight you Isabella but if you insist on being stubborn, I will take you to court and petition for partial custody." He was going to try to take my baby. That would never happen. I would die first. "Try it motherfucker! I will ask Carlisle and Esme to hire the best lawyer money can buy. I would spend the rest of my life paying them back if I had to. Do you really want me to get on a stand and testify to all your verbal and emotional abuse? You're the one in anger management for his temper. You're the mobster who engages in illegal activities. When I got done with you, you'd be lucky to have supervised visitations. Try me Cullen. Bella may have been easily manipulated by your lies but Mama Swan is not. When it comes to my baby, I will do anything." Edward stared at me. He was stunned that I'd threatened him. I smirked. "I concede. Can we stop arguing for a second and talk about this like rational adults? It's probably not good for you or the baby when you get so enraged. I know you hate me but please, we need to discuss some important matters."

He tried talking to me while I ate the rest of my breakfast. I zoned out. Eventually he got tired of me not answering and stormed out of the kitchen. Maybe Edward was right. The anger couldn't be good for the baby but I didn't know how else to feel. I was scared of being a single mother. Even with the help of the Cullens and my brother, it was going to be difficult. I had been thinking of returning to school but now I would have to wait. I was also going to have to move back to Seattle. Then there was the whole Russian Mafia thing that Alec told me about. I would have to keep my baby safe from all of that stuff. I couldn't live with Jasper or Alice because they lived in this building and it belonged to Edward. I would have to ask Carlisle and Esme to let me move in with them. I could pay them rent. Since my job was in Spokane, I would need to quit and find a new one in Seattle. It would have to be done soon because there were few employers willing to hire pregnant women. All these thoughts overwhelmed me as I washed my breakfast dishes. I left Edward's stuff out on the stove. I was passing Edward's room when I noticed something on his dresser. It was the Bella Swan doll. The exact same one he gave to me. His was in a glass case sitting on his dresser. I went to the storage closet and pulled out what I needed. I went back to his room and opened the glass case. I began hammering the doll into little pieces. Edward rushed into the room. "Stop Bella! Are you crazy? Don't do that." I didn't listen, I just kept destroying his monument of the past me. Each shattered piece represented our broken love vows that day. He tried to grab the hammer away from me but failed. I hit his fingers a few times, causing him to swear loudly. I didn't stop until the doll was completely destroyed. A single tear ran down Edward's cheek. "I loved that doll Isabella. The artist who made it doesn't like making duplicates. I had to beg him to do two and I don't know anyone else that can create such high quality." He was acting like such a baby. "Don't get your boxers in a twist Cullen. You can have mine. I don't want it." If possible, he looked even sadder when I said that. I felt a flutter go through my veins. It felt good to be hurting Edward for once. I was in control and I loved it. O.T.E.D was a success so far. I left him to sweep up the pieces of the doll. My anger was satiated for the moment. I watched a little TV in my room. When that became boring, I went to Edward's library to get a book. He had an excellent collection that I'm sure he took for granted. I ended up choosing "Persuasion" by Jane Austen. I hadn't read it in a while. I sat down on one of the overstuffed loveseats and read. I spotted a cashmere throw in the corner. I curled up and wrapped it around my shoulders. I must have drifted off to sleep because when I woke up it was raining. I realized that I was sitting in someone's lap. Edward. I jumped up. "Don't touch me! I don't want to catch any of the filthy diseases you're carrying around. I can't believe I let you fuck me bareback." He pulled me back into his arms. "Damnit Bella, I don't have any fucking diseases! I'll get Carlisle to give test me for STD's if that makes you feel better. I never cheated on you. I haven't touched another woman since that first day when I met you. We weren't together then and I already confessed. I never cheated on

you. I love you too fucking much, even though you seem to hate my guts." I didn't believe him. I kept struggling in his arms. He still wouldn't let me go. I wiggled my arms out of the blanket and punched him square in the mouth. His lip swelled and started to bleed. I used his momentary paralysis to stand up. I grabbed my book and ran to my room before he could get me again. A few minutes later, he was pounding the door. "Open this fucking door right now Swan! I've tried to play nice but you threw that shit in my face. Either open the door or I will break it the fuck down. You have two minutes." I didn't move from my perch on the bed. He had made this threat before. He was just trying to manipulate me to get what he wanted. The next thing I knew, my door was being broken down. I could hear a power drill and what sounded like a hammer. Edward was breaking down the door. I started to panic. I ran to the bathroom to hide. I heard him enter the room. He came and knocked on the bathroom door. "Do I have to break down this door too because I will! Come out now!" I wasn't about to let him intimidate me. I opened the door. He was standing there waiting for me. He looked deep in my eyes. I sneered at him. He looked down at his shoes. "How did we come to this Isabella? We were so in love. Remember the night I took you to the opera. You were so beautiful and then when we made love…." I cut him off. "Don't you mean when you fucked me and left." He pulled on his bronze mane. I had an odd urge to pull it all out until he was bald. I chalked that up to my out of control hormones. "Is that all you remember Bella? The bad times, because there were plenty of good ones too. I know what we had wasn't perfect but don't throw it away so easily. I am still madly in love with you. I want to be with you and our baby forever. I want to have more children with you and grow old together. I want you to be mine again. I can't take much more of this fighting and arguing bullshit. I love you." I started to cry. I cursed him for bringing my tears back. "Yes, that's all I remember because that's all we had. I remember you making fun of my body, almost getting me killed, threatening to bang other whores, breaking my heart, and calling me and your unborn child names. Don't play the victim Edward. You brought this on yourself. Our volatile romance is over. There is no forever for us. Maybe there never was. Please just leave me alone to my thoughts." I looked up. Edward's eyes were tortured. He looked like he hadn't slept in a long time. His shoulders sagged with fatigue. I felt kind of bad for him but not bad enough to apologize. "Okay, I won't bother you for the rest of the time you're here. I won't stop fighting for you and our future family. I truly love you. I'm going to lay down. Let me know if you need anything. I'll see you at Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow." I breathed a sigh of relief when he left. My room was now doorless but I had a feeling Edward would stay out. I made myself a quick dinner in the kitchen and then went to sleep. I was emotionally drained for the day.

I woke up at seven in the morning. I rubbed my stomach and told Baby Swan 'Happy Thanksgiving'. I took a shower to wash all the sweat off of my body. I was starting to have hot flashes during the night, which was another unfortunate symptom of pregnancy. I put on my only other change of clothes. A green sweater and tan tights. I was going to have to go shopping with Alice to get some jeans that fit. I packed up my overnight bag and went to the kitchen to get breakfast. As usual Edward was there. He'd made me a large omelet that smelled heavenly. I wondered how many tries it took him before it came out right but I didn't ask. I bypassed his culinary efforts and made myself a pan of scrambled eggs and some toast. I heard him groan in frustration. "Good morning Bella and baby. Happy Thanksgiving. You look so cute babydoll." I glared at him. "Well….um…I got some books about pregnancy and childbirth. I thought that maybe we could look at them together later today. My mom also told me about a prenatal couples' yoga class we could take. Then there are the Lamaze classes…" I interrupted. "I'm sure Jasper will be glad to take me to all of that. You have nothing to do for the next six months. Go back to doing what you love; have sex with your bimbos, buy useless expensive crap, and go on a vacation. I'll be fine." His smile fell. "Please, let me be involved in your pregnancy. Jasper and Alice have to plan for a wedding. They might not have time to take you to all those classes. The only thing I love doing is being with you. Don't leave me again Bella." I ate my eggs out of the pan, using my toast to scoop them up. Edward stared at me with a hurt expression on his face. I stuck my tongue out at him. It was childish but it made him look away. We continued our tense standoff until Carlisle and Esme returned. Edward went to let them in and I followed. I was in a hurry to get out of the Penthouse and away from him. Esme smiled sheepishly at me. "Did you two get to talk? Is everything okay?" Edward shook his head. He looked so defeated. If I didn't know him, I would have thought he was for real. Dr. Cullen grabbed my bag. I didn't even say goodbye as I sauntered past all of them. I heard Edward say that he loved me. I took the elevator down to the private garage. I didn't even wait for the Cullens. I walked over to Dr. Cullens Mercedes. He and Esme came to join me ten minutes later. They both smiled at me sadly before getting into the car. "Esme, Carlisle, I want you to know that I'm not mad at you guys. Edward and I are over. Please don't hate me. I really tried but we were never meant to be together. I'm going to need your help raising the baby. Please just say that you don't hate me." Esme got out of the car and came to the back. She held me as I cried. She told me that they lovd me and that I was a part of the family no matter what. Dr. Cullen pulled away and we headed home. Alice assaulted me at the door. She said that I looked better than I did yesterday. They all thought Esme had taken me to an overnight spa or something. I went along with the charade. The pixie followed me

upstairs so she could show me the dress she'd picked out for me to wear. It was black and short. It was strapless with a sequined bodice. The dress would show off a lot of leg. I began to worry. Alice saw me studying the dress. "Bella it's going to look awesome on you. You do want to be a hot mama, don't you? I promise you that if wear this dress you'll look hot. Plus you'll get to prove Edward wrong." After that speech I couldn't resist. I was allowed to go back to sleep for a couple hours. When I woke up both Alice and Rosalie were in my room getting dressed. They were both already in their robes. Thanksgiving dinner at the Cullen's was traditionally a formal affair so the men wore suits and the women wore dresses. The food we were going to eat was made by a popular catering company. I had offered to make something but Esme insisted that we should just enjoy our holiday and not be stuck in the kitchen. Alice noticed I was awake and sent me to the bathroom. I showered for fifteen minutes. She was getting impatient so I took my seat in the vanity mirror. I was allowed to put on my own black lace panties and matching strapless bra. We each took turns helping each other with hair and makeup. When we finished, we looked damn good. Rosalie was my new idol. She was a mother but she was smoking hot. She was wearing a sleeveless red bubble dress with an embroidered empire waist. Alice and I had curled her golden locks and put them in an updo. We left some to frame her face. She did a twirl in front of the mirror. Ali and I catcalled, causing her to roll her eyes and laugh. Alice took her turn in the lighted floor length three way mirror next. She had chosen a high fashion sleeveless red and black taffeta dress. Her short spiky hair was given extra body and held back with a black rose headband. She looked absolutely beautiful. The dress made her big blue eyes stand out. Both Rosie and Alice were wearing black stilettos. I didn't want to take my twirl in the mirror but they made me. I was shocked that I looked so good. The dress fit perfectly on my petite frame. I rubbed my belly and cooed to the baby. Rosie and Alice came to stand next to me. They were truly my sisters. I started to cry. "Pregnant woman hormones coming through people. Don't be alarmed." Rose said. I giggled. My hair was parted to the side and left hanging down in soft waves. I wore my mom's old diamond earrings and nothing else. I noticed Alice's and Rosalie's wedding and engagement rings. That sight caused a deep pain to pass through my heart. I was alone in the world. I had no mate. Instead of continuing to mope, I decided to focus on the good things. The Cullens loved me. I was in good health and so was my baby. I had a brother who loved and cared for me. I was blessed. Esme came in to see what we were wearing. She had on a three fourth sleeved fashionable short black dress. I hoped my legs looked as good as hers when I was her age. She was another hot mama. If she and Rose could pull off motherhood so gracefully then so could I. Esme was wearing stands of pearls that crisscrossed her neck. Her light brown hair was in a braided updo. She bent down to help me put on the silver heels that Ali picked out for me. They were only two inches but that was a lot for me. Alice had picked out the men's clothes too. They would all be wearing black wool Hugo Boss suits and ties that matched their eye colors. Carlisle and Jasper both had blue eyes but Jasper's were more cornflower blue where Carlisle's were aqua. Emmet's tie would be a light brown golden color, and he who must not be named would be wearing green.

Esme took a few pictures of us girls before we headed downstairs. All the men were waiting in the living room. Each came to compliment and hug their respective spouse as we entered. I giggled when I saw that Dr. Cullen was nibbling on Esme's neck. She was half heartedly trying to fight him off. Emmet's eyes bugged out and he kept trying to pull Rose upstairs. She smacked him. Jaz and Alice were making out with their arms around each other. Colin and Brady were wearing matching little boy suits. They came to tell me hello I took turns picking them up and kissing them on their cheeks. Emmett made a joke about how they were already ladies men. I stuck my tongue out at him, which caused Colin and Brady to do the same. Everyone laughed while Em continued to fake pout. The doorbell rang. Esme went to answer it. When she came back, Edward was with her. He looked good. Even with the half swollen eye and lip, he was still extremely beautiful. He looked like an angel that had gotten into an accident. My clit started to tingle. I was ashamed that he still had that effect on me. He gave Esme a beautiful arrangement of white flowers. She went to sit it on the dining room table. Edward sauntered over to me. He was carrying a glass vase of assorted roses. The colors were beautiful. His face lit up with a smile. "My God Bella. You're absolutely gorgeous. That dress looks perfect on you. I hope you're feeling good today. The baby isn't giving you any problems, is it? I brought these for you." He held out the flowers to me. I made no move to accept them. He leaned in and tried to kiss me but I dodged him. That hurt expression came back to his face again. I left him standing there with the flowers while I went to mingle with the rest of the Cullens. Jasper was shooting Edward death glares and so was Rosalie. Esme went to stand by Edward. She and Dr. Cullen were the only two talking to him. One of the Cullen's maids came in to announce that dinner was ready. We all went to the dining room. It was beautiful. There was fancy China with blue flowers and white doves sitting on white linen placemats. Our napkins were folded into swans. I rubbed my stomach. There was a large cornucopia in the middle of the table along with the centerpiece Edward bought. There were two large turkeys that looked to be over twenty five pounds each. "Why two turkeys? I asked. Esme chuckled. "We have an Emmett and a pregnant woman to feed. It's better to be safe than sorry." Everyone laughed and I blushed. The place setting put me next to Edward. I complained and Alice switched seats with me. Jasper sat on the other side of her, which left two people between Edward and I. He stood up. "Bella, I would be really happy if you would sit next to me. I promise not to bother you." I ignored Edward and helped Jaz tuck his napkin into his collar. He could be a real messy eater sometimes. I saw Esme give Edward a look, he nodded his head and then sat down. I didn't want to ruin the dinner so I kept my mouth shut. Esme wanted us all to go around the table and say what we were thankful for. Everyone took their turns saying they were thankful for family, etc. Em caused laughter by saying that he was thankful for Rosie's breasts. She tried to cover the boy's ears. Em protested and said that they benefited from her knockers too. After that, she threatened no 'cuddle time' and he shutup. His comment made me think of Edward and

how he'd said my breasts were too small to feed a child. I shouldn't have forgiven him for that. I was so naive back then. It must have been my turn because everyone was staring at me. I cleared my throat. "I'm thankful that God has chosen to bless me with his greatest gift, a baby. I'm also thankful for being here with my new family. All of you, except for one green eyed devil, are special to me." A few people gasped. I mentally chastised myself for using the moment to prod Edward. Everyone was looking at him. His head was hanging low. He had a sad expression on his face. Alice wrapped her arm around his shoulder. He looked like he was about to cry. Esme broke the tension by asking Edward to go next. He took Alice's hand and lifted his head. "I'm thankful for being here with everyone I love. I'm most thankful for Bella and our unborn child. Contrary to popular belief, I love and care for them both deeply." Dr. Cullen and Esme smiled at him. I played with my napkin. The food came after that. It seemed like Emmett and I were having a contest of who could eat the most. My mouth was too tiny to take in the food as fast as him. He winked at me as we both bit into a drumstick. I giggled. Edward caught our play and smiled at me. My smile became a scowl. He turned away. I chatted happily with everyone. Every time Edward attempted to make conversation I would leave the discussion and concentrate on my food. I knew he was getting frustrated because he'd stopped eating. He was just passing the food around his plate. Desert came next. Em and I managed to eat a whole pie each. After that I was stuffed. I watched in amazement as Emmett kept eating. Collin and Brady were young gluttons in the makings. They would be on their father's level one day. I wondered if I would have a boy or a girl and if they'd be tiny or big like Rosie's sons. I really had no preference. As long as my baby was healthy and happy I would be fine. Jasper made small talk with me throughout dinner. I saw Alice talking to Edward so I guessed that they made up. He would sneak a glance at me every now and then. After we all ate, Esme and Alice announced another family tradition. Edward was going to play the piano while we all sang Christmas carols. Alice had song books and there was going to be hot chocolate and Christmas cookies. I declined when I heard Edward's name. Both Ali and Esme tried to get me to reconsider but I refused. Edward gave his patented dejected look before going into the piano room. Jasper stayed out to talk to me. "Bella, I know you're mad at Edward. I was mad too but the guy seems to be really trying. Maybe you should lay off of him a little. He looks terrible." I poked out my lip. "So, you're on his side now. He was the one who hurt me!" Jasper shook his head. "I think the both of you have hurt each other. Maybe it's time to forget the past and call a truce. I'm going to apologize to Edward and I think you should too." I sighed. "Do what you want Jasper. I'm not going to forgive Edward. He deserves to suffer. Go carol with Alice. I'm sure she's missing you." He hugged me. "Think about what I said Bella. This isn't you. The hate will only consume you and make

you do rash things. I'm not saying you should forgive Edward overnight, but at least give him a chance." Jasper left me sitting in the parlor. I chewed over what he said. Maybe he was right but the only thing I had left to hold onto was my anger. If I let that go, reality would set in and I would see how hopeless and alone I really was. My greatest fear in life had always been of being completely alone. I wouldn't have to worry about that now because of the baby but I still felt lonely. I heard footsteps so I looked up. Edward was in the doorway. He was holding a saucer filled with cookies and a mug with hot chocolate. I almost smiled before I remembered who he was. He really did look good in his suit. I decided to play a little game with him. I made sure that there were no blankets in the room. There weren't. I stood up and walked over until I was standing a foot away from him. His eyes took in my legs before moving up to my chest. Eventually he got to my eyes. By that time he was panting loudly. I flipped my hair over my shoulder and licked my lips. Edward growled. "Edward, why don't you put the food down and come sit by me on the couch for a minute. I'm ready to talk now." I was practically cooing. He moved with superhuman speed. He pulled me onto his lap. I let him because it played well with my game. "Thank you babydoll. I knew you would come around eventually. Have I told you how drop dead sexy you look?" I almost gagged on his blatant lies. He'd cheated on me. He didn't want me. He was just trying to trick me into taking him back so he could break my heart again. Maybe he got off on it. He reached down to caress my upper thigh. My body was going crazy with the sensations he evoked. I had to shake my head to clear the haze. "That feels so good Edward baby," I moaned. He tried to kiss my mouth but I gave him my neck instead. He sucked and licked until I was sure he'd left a mark. His hands were creeping up to my underwear. I stopped him. "Not yet baby. Let's just touch first." Edward smirked. "Whatever you want my Queen. I love you babydoll." I started grinding my hips onto Edward's erection. I was surprised he could even form one after the kicking I'd given him, but maybe the male appendage was resilient. I let my dress ride up until my panties were showing. My core was right over Edward's cock. He started to thrust into my panty covered buttocks. "Bella that feels so fucking good. I promise to be gentle with you babydoll. I missed this so much." I pulled his hair and kept bucking onto him. He pulled my dress down until my breasts showed. He looked me in the eye as he took a nipple in his mouth. I let out a low groan. My flimsy panties were soaked through. If I didn't end this soon, Edward Cullen was going to end up fucking me in his mother's parlor. His hands were starting to creep to my panties again. I looked at him. His eyes were closed and his breathing was erratic.I hopped down off of his lap and got to my knees.

"Let me take care of this for you," I said pointing to his penis. He looked like I'd just promised to give him a billion dollars. I smirked. I stripped off his pants and boxers. He got rid of his jacket and shirt. I looked up at him before dipping my head. His manhood was throbbing and leaking precum. I touched the tip and he bucked. "Bella, you're killing me. I want to taste your pussy and come inside of you this time. I can't do that if you blow me. Please." I smiled at him. "Close your eyes Edward." He did as I said. I went around the room gathering his clothes. I threw them all into the burning fireplace. When I was done I told him he could look now. He was so aroused that he didn't even notice his clothes were missing. I leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "You really want me. Don't you Edward." He nodded his head eagerly. "God, you don't know how much I want to be inside your sweet pussy. I've been dreaming about it for months." His eyes were heavy lidded, his cock was jumping, he was sweating, and he was leaking. O.T.E.D. was a complete success. He would have to go through the piano room to get out of this one, which meant everyone would see him naked. I hated to make Esme and my sisters uncomfortable but it would teach Edward a lesson. "Edward, I'm so sorry but bestiality is against the law. I would hate for you to go to prison for fucking a 'gross fat beached whale'. Goodnight Quasimodo." I left to join the rest of the family. I couldn't be sure but it sounded like Edward was crying. I whistled a happy tune all the way to the piano room. If Edward thought this was bad, it was about to get a whole lot worse. ~*!*~

Chapter Nineteen ~ Simple Kind Of Life Part 2 "For a long time I was in love Not only in love, I was obsessed with a friendship that no one else could touch It didn't work out, I'm covered in shells. And all I wanted was the simple things A simple kind of life And all I needed was a simple man So I could be a wife I'm so ashamed, I've been so mean I don't know how it got to this point I always was the one with all the love You came along, I'm hunting you down Like a sick domestic abuser looking for a fight And all I wanted was the simple things A simple kind of life

If we met tomorrow for the very first time Would it start all over again? Would I try to make you mine?" --Simple Kind of Life - No Doubt BPOV Dr. Cullen ended up being the one to find Edward nude in the parlor. He sent Emmett to get Edward a change of clothes. I didn't feel the least bit guilty over what I'd done. Edward deserved everything he'd gotten so far. He hurt me and for that he had to suffer. I avoided everyone's curiosity and headed upstairs to get ready for bed. Somehow I managed to get out of my dress without any help. I was just about to brush my teeth when someone knocked on my door. I set my toothbrush down and went to answer. It was Alice. She still had her dress on. "Bella, we need to talk. Do you have a minute?" I nodded. She sat down on the edge of my bed. She was wringing her hands together. I had never seen Alice so agitated. Usually she was bouncy and full of excitement. The change in her demeanor worried me. She turned to me. "Bella, I love you but you need to lay off Edward. I'm not exactly sure what happened between you two downstairs but he's in bad shape. I've never seen him like this. He had dried tears on his face when Carlisle led him away. Also, what you said at dinner was inappropriate. You really hurt him." First Esme and now Alice; I should have known they'd take up for him. Alice's defense of her brother made me angry. "So you're on his side. Edward has said and done some reprehensible things to me. I was lenient with him. I believed that he loved me but he didn't. He cheated on me when I needed him the most. Don't paint me out to be the bad guy now that I'm finally standing up for myself. I'm glad that he's hurt. I hope everything I'm doing pierces his black heart." She gaped at me with her mouth open. "I am not choosing sides. So it's either Team Edward or Team Bella now? I love both of you guys. You and Edward are having a baby together. It's not healthy for a child to be brought up in such a volatile situation. I don't know exactly what happened for you two to break up, but I do know that my brother is sorry. He's seriously suffering. He loves you Bella, whether you believe it or not. You don't have to go back to being his girlfriend but please treat him like a normal human being." I balled my fists up and got in Alice's face. She was my sister and I didn't want to fight with her but the things she said made me angry. She made it seem like it was all my fault. I felt the familiar strings of fury prickling my fingertips. I pointed to the door. "Get out Alice! Go pacify your brother. You chose him over me and that hurts more than Edward's words. I thought you were my friend. I thought you were my sister." My pixie started to cry. "B-Bella, I wasn't choosing anyone. You are my sister and my friend. Please just think about what I said. What time do you want to go shopping tomorrow? Black Friday sales start early."

I turned away from her. I couldn't stand to see her cry. I wished that the anger and pain in my heart would go away but it wouldn't. "I'm not going shopping with you. Take Esme and Rosalie. Goodnight Alice." I heard Alice sobbing quietly behind me. "Fine. I hope you reconsider. Sweet dreams Bella.' I didn't turn around until I heard the door close. I sat down on my bed and cried. I felt awful for treating Alice like that. She had been nothing but sweet and kind to me. She didn't deserve to have my hatred spewed at her. I wanted to go apologize but I was scared that she would rebuff me. I went into the restroom and finished brushing my teeth. I didn't like who I saw in the mirror. When did I become so mean and hateful? I was always the one people counted on, everyone's best friend. Now I was a monster that hurt the people I loved. As expected, Jasper came to visit me. The minute I opened the door I could see the anger on his face. He was rarely cross with me. All of my life he had been my indulgent older brother. In his eyes I could do no wrong. "Isabella Marie Swan, I am ashamed of you!" I winced at his use of my whole name and his tone. I knew what he was here about. I felt bad enough as it was. "Alice has been nothing but a friend to you. She came to our room in tears! You owe her an apology! I warned you earlier that your anger would pollute you and it's done just that. The old Bella would never have hurt her friends. The old Bella would have been able to see that Edward is sorry and has had enough. I know you're pregnant and your hormones are going crazy but that's no excuse. You have to let your fury dissipate. It's not good for you or the baby." I ran into his arms. He hugged me tightly to his chest. "I'm so sorry Jasper. I didn't mean to hurt Alice. I'll go apologize now." He shook his head. "No, give her the night. She is quite upset. Wait until the morning when you both have a clear head. Think about what I said Bella. What you're doing to Edward is wrong. Despite your feelings for him, he's still the father of your unborn child. You need to apologize and discuss your future together. Even if you don't continue your relationship, the baby will need two parents. I love you Bells and I'm always here for you." After Jasper left, I laid down with my thoughts. I was going to apologize to Alice first thing in the morning. Edward, on the other hand, didn't deserve an apology. He was trying to make everyone think he was some perfect dad to be and that I was the mean one. They were all slowly taking his side. Well, they could believe his lies but I wouldn't. O.T.E.D was still in full effect and it was about to reach fever pitch. When I woke up, it was well after eight in the morning. I showered and dressed. I hadn't been shopping since I got to Seattle so I was still wearing tights. They were the only thing that fit me. I put on a black pair. I decided to wear the long sleeved red babydoll dress that I'd gotten in Spokane during one of my rare shopping jaunts. It had a black bow that tied just under my breasts. I piled my hair up into a messy updo. My ankles were starting to swell a little so I went with my comfy flats. I looked much younger than I was in the outfit but it suited me. I grabbed my purse and some chapstick before going to find Alice.

I met up with Jasper at the landing. I asked him where Alice was. He told me that she and Esme had gone shopping before five in the morning. It served me right. Alice was probably still mad at me. Jaz said that he and Dr. Cullen had a chess tournament set up for this morning but he could cancel if I needed him. I declined. He gave me a kiss on the forehead before joining Dr. Cullen. My stomach growled so I went to get something to eat. There was bound to be plenty of leftovers from last night. Turkey, stuffing, and cranberries sounded like a perfectly good breakfast to me. I rounded the corner to the kitchen. I forgot I was carrying my purse and dropped it. Before I could bend down to pick it up, a large hand retrieved it. Edward. "Good morning Bella. You look very pretty today. Esme helped me make you breakfast bread pudding before she left. It's already set up at the table. I hope you like it." He handed me the purse. I snatched it out of his hand. "I have told you over and over again that I will not eat anything you cook. Stop trying to get on my good side. You're only embarrassing yourself. Now leave me alone so I can eat breakfast in peace. Didn't you learn your lesson from last night? I hate you." Edward's eyes narrowed. To say he looked good today would be an understatement. He was sexy as hell. He had a little stubble on his jaw. His bruised face was pretty much cleared up except for some discoloring around the eye. He was wearing navy blue khakis and a long sleeved v-necked striped blue and slate sweater. He looked like he stepped off of the cover of the Polo catalogue. I wanted to hop into his arms and let him pound me against the door. I gulped. "What you did last night was cruel Bella, but I deserved it for how I've treated you. I love you. I don't care what mean and hurtful things you do, I'm not leaving. In the past I've been weak and for that I'm sorry. It's my fault that our relationship has turned into this…monstrosity. It doesn't have to remain that way though. You and our baby are my first priorities. No matter how many times you break me, I'm going to keep trying to make you love me again. I don't care if it takes the rest of my life." His words brought tears to my eyes. It was hard to stay mad at him when he said stuff like that. I latched onto the image of him having an orgy with those blonde whores. That caused my fleeting anger to grow again. No matter how many nice things he did or said, he didn't love me. Maybe he wanted the baby but he would never want me. It would be best if I kept my feelings the way they were when it came to Edward. Maybe then losing him wouldn't hurt so bad. I walked past him into the kitchen. Of course he followed me. He went over to the table and held the chair out for me. Breakfast bread pudding was one of my favorites but I wasn't about to tell him that. I ignored him and warmed up some turkey and stuffing instead. I added cranberry sauce and then joined him at the table. I took the plate he had set out for me and put it on the counter so someone else could eat it. Edward frowned at me before digging into his breakfast. "Bella, would you like to spend the day with me? We can go shopping, see a movie, and eat an early dinner. There are a lot of great sales going on today. I found this new bookstore that you would love. It's made to look like a French cottage and they have an extensive collection." Edward looked so enthusiastic. I just shook my head. His shoulders slumped. He dropped his fork onto the table.

"Why not? I promise not to make you feel uncomfortable. We don't even have to talk if you don't want to. Please Bella, I just want to spend some time with you." I shook my head again. He sighed and stood up. He walked around the table and put a credit card in front of me. I stopped eating to glance at him. "That's my American Express black card. Buy whatever you want. It has no limit. Rosalie is still here, so she can go shopping with you. If you have any problems with the card, call me and I'll fix it." How dare he? Wasn't he the one that accused me of using him for his money? It would be a cold day in hell before I took any money from Edward. If he wanted to, he could buy the baby stuff, but I wouldn't accept any gifts from him. I threw the Amex back at him. "Keep your damn card Edward! I don't want a damn thing from you! I'm not a gold digger!" He bent down to pickup the card. "Damnit Bella, I know you aren't a gold digger! I made a mistake that night. I said things I didn't mean because I was upset. I'm sorry that you think I feel that way about you." "Here," he pulled out his wallet. "Take the whole thing. There's cash and cards. Use whichever you want. Please buy yourself something. You're going to need some maternity clothes. Let me pay for that at least." I turned away from him and finished eating. Then I stood up to take my dirty dishes to the sink. There was no need to wash or load them because the help would do that later. When I turned around, Edward was still standing in the same spot. He had put his wallet away and was staring at me. I gave him the meanest glare I could muster. "I already know that I'm gaining weight. You don't have to remind me that I need a new wardrobe. I have a bank account and a job. I'm perfectly capable of buying whatever I need. I'm sure your other whores would be happy to accompany you on a shopping trip today. Please go call one of them and stop trying to suck up to me." Edward rushed to my side and lifted me into his arms. He shook me slightly. "Stop it! This isn't you! I'm tired of all this fucking anger! You've made your point. You hate me, I get it already. Let this shit go so we can move on. I'm tired of begging you for forgiveness. You're acting like a fucking brat!" I kicked him in the knee. He wrapped his arms around my body so that I wouldn't fall. My feet were dangling off of the ground. He rested his forehead against mine. "Put me down!" I screamed. He continued to hold me to his body. I could feel the rapid beat of our hearts. Edward's breathing was ragged. I felt wetness fall against my face. He was crying. I had a strong urge to pull him closer but I didn't. I stayed limp in his arms, not returning his embrace. "What in the world is going on in here? Bella, are you okay? Edward released me. When I stepped away I could see Rosalie standing by the table. She looked concerned. Colin and Brady were each holding one of her hands. I walked over and kissed the boys on the forehead.

"I'm fine Rose. Would you like to go shopping with me? Esme and Alice already left and I don't want to miss the bargains." She nodded. "Just let me feed C&B here and I'll meet you in the living room. Emmett can watch them for the day." I heard Edward say something to Rosalie and the boys. They started to chat. I took that as my cue to leave. I went out on the deck to get some fresh air. I wasn't there for five minutes before Edward showed up. I remembered that Rose had once told me that she'd love to drive his Phantom and get a look under the hood. Since she and I would be spending the day together, I decided to do something that would make her happy. "Edward, can I borrow the Rolls Royce? Rosalie has been wanting to take it for a spin. I would appreciate it if you would let us use it to go shopping. I promise I won't do anything to damage your car." I thought that he would protest because I knew how much he loved his car, but he didn't. He just took the keys out of his pocket and tossed them to me. I caught them. "Have fun Bella. The Phantom is yours too. I will have you a set of keys made. You can take it anytime you want." My jaw dropped. Edward didn't let anyone drive his car and yet he was letting me be co-owner. "Thank you Edward." He smiled. It didn't reach his eyes. Then he turned around and left me standing there. His gait didn't carry any confidence. He looked like a man that awaited the gallows. Some of the fire in my blood started to cool. Rosalie was elated when I gave her keys to the Phantom. She purred and petted the car like it was one of her kids. When she lifted the hood, I heard her let out a low moan. She was in heaven. I felt happy that I could do something nice for one of my sisters. Now all I had to do was get Alice to forgive me. We took off and headed for downtown Seattle. Traffic was a nightmare. It seemed that everyone wanted to partake in the clearance prices. Rosie and I sang along to girl power anthems as we waited. She turned to look at me. "You must really be kicking Edward's ass this week. I don't think I've ever seen Slutward so low. Even I'm starting to feel sorry for him." She rolled her eyes and I groaned. "Not you too Rose." "I'm not telling you what to do Bella but the guy is a mess. I know he fucked up and said some majorly disrespectful shit to you but he's sorry. I talked to him in the kitchen and he asked me for help. I never thought I would see the day when Edward got his heart broken." I snorted. "His heart isn't broken because he doesn't have one. He's just pretending to care about me so he won't upset Esme. I'm sure by next week he'll be back to his old self." Thankfully traffic started to flow so that we could avoid any further conversation. I stared out my window. There were families walking together holding shopping bags. Some were single mothers out with their kids. They had that annoyed look that you see on women's faces when they have too much to

deal with. Would I look that way after my baby was born? The happiest kids were the ones that were with two parents. It didn't matter whether it was two dads, a lesbian couple, or a woman and a man. I vowed to give my baby that sense of normalcy. Just because I hated Edward didn't mean I would keep him out of his child's life. We pulled into the parking garage at Pacific Place. I had never shopped here before because it's more of an upscale mall. A lot of men turned around to look at Edward's Phantom. I would never understand the drooling that went on over cars. Rosalie parked and we got out. A short guy with cropped hair almost fell over when he saw us. "Hey sexy ladies! How would you like to give me a spin in your Rolls?" Rose and I both rolled our eyes at each other. She got up into the guys face. "Touch this car or think about touching this car and I will break my heel off in your ass. Is that clear?" The guy practically sprinted from the garage. Rose was almost as good as Edward. I gave her props for being so brave. I usually ignored people who made comments like that. We took the elevator up to the Coach store. The clerks knew Rosalie by name. She asked for a bunch of things and people ran to get them for her. The purses were pretty expensive so I sat down while she perused. She noticed that I wasn't shopping. "Bella, what's wrong? Don't you see anything you like?" I blushed. "Um…I don't really think I can afford any of the stuff in here. You enjoy. I'll just sit here and read my book until you finish." She looked at me like I took the short bus to school. "Bella, Bella, Bella, you do know who you're dating, don't you? Your boyfriend is fucking loaded." I nodded my head. "Yes, but that's his money. I don't ask him for anything. He already accused me of being after his money and I don't want to give him any reason to think I am. Besides, I don't need a bunch of fancy things. I'm perfectly happy with what I've got." Rose pulled out her cell phone. I thought that maybe she was calling Emmett until I heard the conversation. "Yes Edward. No, she won't buy anything. Yes, I explained that to her. She says you called her a golddigger. God Edward, you're such a fucking idiot. Yes, I will do that. Bye." I gave her a questioning look. "What was that about?" She sighed and came over to sit by me. "Bella, Edward gave me his credit card to use for you. I know you're against it but I would feel better if you really shopped with me. If it makes you feel better, only buy stuff for the baby on his card." I bowed my head in defeat. I was going to have to spend some of his money. Rose was right. As long as it was for the baby it should be fine. I stood up to go look at some diaper bags on the wall. A sales clerk helped me pick out a large black leather one that had the Coach symbol all over it. I only owned one designer purse and that had been a gift from Jasper. Rose bought almost all the new arrivals. She definitely didn't have a problem spending Emmett's money. She told me it was the least he could do for her after pushing out his two big headed kids. I giggled. When it was time to pay, Rose handed me Edward's black card and his ID. She said he gave her both just

in case there were problems. The clerk's eyes widened when she saw the Amex. She tried to sell me some accessories but I declined. The baby didn't need a new wallet or umbrella. Next we went to Tiffany's. Rose saw several pieces she liked. She used her Blackberry to send pictures to Emmett. The things she took pictures of were possible Christmas presents that she might want. Most of the stuff was really over the top. There were so many diamonds that I needed sunglasses. I flipped through the catalog. I found the necklace Edward had given me for my birthday. I gasped when I saw the price. The necklace cost one hundred and forty thousand dollars! I was hypervenalating. Thank god I'd given it back to him. That was way too much to spend on me. When I calmed down, I sauntered around the store looking at miscellaneous things. There wasn't much in there that I could afford. A pretty diamond necklace in a flower shape caught my eye. I asked the salesperson if I could have a closer look. It was beautiful upon further inspection. I inquired about the price. The thing was over six thousand dollars. I thanked the clerk for letting me see it and then went to find Rosalie. She was buying an earring and necklace ruby set. It looked great on her. She asked me if I found anything I liked. I told her no. She raised her eyebrows at me but didn't comment. After that we went to some high end dress stores. I didn't buy anything at those places either. I would have to wait until we got to the more domestic mall to buy jeans. I would be using my own credit card for that purchase and it did have a limit. The only store that we visited that held my interest was Barnes and Noble. It wasn't like the independent book stores that I preferred but they had a few things I liked. I bought some baby books and a baby calendar. Before the day was over, we visited Bellevue Square and Westlake Center. The latter had a few stores that were reasonably priced. I was able to purchase some new jeans and other things that would fit when I got bigger. Rose was upset because I wouldn't use the card for any of my purchases. She threatened to tell Edward. I told her to go ahead. The whole day I was eating. I ate everything from hot dog on a stick to sesame chicken. Luckily no one seemed to mind that I was eating in the stores. I made sure to stay clean and be discreet. I got to know where each bathroom on every floor was too. I swore that my kid was doing jumping jacks on my bladder. Rosalie was great company. She kept me entertained with stories of Em and the boys. She also helped ease my nerves about childbirth. I wasn't sure what type of birth I wanted yet so her suggestions helped. We ate dinner at a new Thai restaurant before leaving the mall. Two guys a table away tried to flirt with us. Rose leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. We pretended like we were deeply in love by holding hands and staring into each other's eyes. The guy's mouths were hanging open by the time we left. We laughed all the way to the parking lot. On the way back we stopped at a pleasure shop. Rose wanted to get some 'toys' for her and Emmett to use later. I tried not to thing of the two of them being intimate. Like Edward, she wasn't shy at all. She knew what everything was before the salesperson could tell her. I wandered around the store trying to keep the deep blush off my face. I didn't have a significant other so there was nothing to interest me. That was until I saw something that changed my mind. Since Edward was the father of my baby, it would be all right for us to engage in intercourse. I quickly formulated a plan that would keep O.T.E.D going and get me laid. I grabbed the items I would need and hurried up to pay before Rosalie could see. I used my own credit card. I hid all the items in purse before going to meet her. I was beat after that last stop so we headed straight home.

When we got to the house, everyone was in the living room. I ran up to Alice and hugged her from behind. "I'm so sorry pixie. I was such an idiot. Can you please forgive me?" She giggled and then turned around. I smothered her tiny face in kisses. Emmett laughed. "Isn't she supposed to be marrying your brother? You look like you're about to strip her clothes off." Thankfully Rosie slapped him on the back of the head. Alice and I chatted about what we'd missed. Her shopping trip had gone well but she missed me. She was the one that asked Rose to stay behind because she thought I might want to go shopping. I hugged and thanked her for being so kind to me. I showed her my new baby bag. She liked it but insisted I needed more than one. Jasper came to join us. He was so happy that we'd made up. Esme stopped by to give me a hug. She asked if I wanted anything to eat. I told her that Rose and I already had dinner. I spent almost an hour chatting with everyone. Carlisle was in full doctor mode, asking if I was taking my vitamins and eating properly. I showed him some of the books I bought and he agreed that they were helpful. Rose gave me Edward's credit card and ID. She told me to return them to him. I asked Esme if he was still here. He was in one of the guesthouses. Jasper walked me out there and left me at the door. I knocked. Edward had been sleeping. His hair was mussed. He wasn't wearing anything except a low slung pair of pajama pants. His defined abs looked even better than I remembered. I wanted to lick down his body until I got to the prize. To say I was horny would be an understatement. I craved him. Well not him per se, but definitely his manhood. His eyes widened when he noticed it was me. "Hey Bella, did you just get home?" I nodded. "I'm here to give you back your credit card and I.D. I only made one purchase and I plan to pay you back for that." He glared at me. "Come inside babydoll. You know damn well that you don't have to pay me back for anything. Why in the hell didn't you buy more?" I walked into the cozy cottage. There was a fire going. This particular guesthouse had two bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms. It was very cozy and comfortable. Of course Esme had decorated it so that it was gorgeous. Edward motioned me to the large beige couch in the corner. I handed him his cards. We stared at each other in uncomfortable silence. I decided that I would break the ice. "Edward, I was thinking that even though we aren't together, you might be able to help me out from time to time." He leaned forward. "Bella, you know I'd do anything for you. What do you need sweetheart?" I almost gagged on his fake sweetness. "Um…it's…it's…just that I have urges…you know because of the hormones. If you….if…we…could continue to um…be…intimate that would help me out a lot." Edward's eyes bugged out of his head. "Are you asking me to…Fuck Bella! You know you never have to ask. I'm always willing and ready." He tried to grab me but I moved out of his reach. "Edward, it would only be sex. I have rules. First, you can't touch me. I will bind your hands behind your back. Second, we use condoms. I don't know where your dick has been and I won't risk catching something. Third, you have to cover your face. I bought you a bondage hood that you can wear. I hate your guts and if I had to look at you I wouldn't be able to cum.

And fourth, no kissing. It's too intimate for what we'll be doing." He stood up to pace. "You don't honestly expect me to comply to that list, do you? I told you a million times that I'm clean. I didn't fucking cheat on you! Why can't you get that through your thick head? Oh, and thanks for telling me you hate me for the millionth time this week. That should do wonders for my cock." I sneered at him. "Take it or leave it. You can follow my rules or no sex. I'm sure it won't be a great loss to you, because you're a manwhore, but I'm pregnant. I wouldn't feel right sleeping with a man that wasn't the baby's father." He pulled at his hair. "If another man tried to touch you, I'd rip off his fucking dick! You are mine whether you want to be or not! I am not a fucking 'manwhore'. You are the only woman I've been with since we met. Fucking holy hell, I'll take it! If it's the only way you'll let me get close to you, I'll take it." My answering smile was blinding. "If you don't have any objections, we can start right now. I've been aroused all day. An orgasm will relieve my stress so that I can sleep." I walked into the main bedroom. Edward followed me. The bed sheets were messed up from his sleep. He reached for me. I stepped away. "This is clinical sex Edward. We both get off and then we go our separate ways. That means that you undress yourself and I undress myself." He mumbled some choice words under his breath but complied. Since he wasn't wearing much, it didn't take him long to get undressed. He spent the rest of his time watching me. I didn't undress seductively like I would have done in the past. His eyes darkened when I finished. I pulled out a pair of fuzzy handcuffs and used them to secure his hands behind his back. Then I came around to the front and put a condom on his cock. I wasn't sure what size he wore so I'd just gotten the biggest size they had. It giggled because it fit. Edward continued to stare at me. When I pulled out the black bondage hood he shook his head. "There's no way Bella. It doesn't even have eye holes. I won't be able to see you." He was right. It covered up his hair and eyes and that's why I'd chosen it. I didn't want to be reminded that it was Edward Cullen I was having sex with. The hood did have a cutout for the mouth. This was something I wouldn't compromise on. Either he wore the hood or the deal was off. "We can't do it without the hood Edward. I don't want to see your eyes. All you are is a human dildo to me. Either let me put it on you or I'm done. It's your choice." Unfathomable sadness passed through his eyes. The look was so intense that I almost regretted what I was about to do. He lowered his head and nodded. I placed the spandex over his head and helped him lay down. I straddled Edward's hips. His body squirmed. I licked and bit on his neck. He moaned. I leaned up so I could put my nipples in his mouth. He sucked on them greedily before I pulled away. It felt amazing but I was determined not to make any noise. I didn't want Edward to know how much I enjoyed having sex with him. By the time he finished on my breasts, my pussy was dripping. I glided his engorged cock inside me. It felt so good after all this time. I bit my lip to stifle the moan threatening to escape my throat. Edward

thrust his hips, which drove his dick deep inside of me. He was hitting all the right spots. My walls clenched as I came hard. I couldn't hold back the tiny noise that escaped from my mouth. I put my hands on Edward chest to change the angle. I dug my nails into his skin. He groaned out loud. "Fuck babydoll. That fucking stings. Lay off a bit please." His words made me scratch harder. I didn't stop there though. I pounded his chest with my fists. I continued to glide my hips up and down on his erection. The more I hurt him, the closer my climax came. I bit down on his neck leaving a mark. My hips moved at lightening speed. His dick was throbbing deep inside of me. With every downward motion, he would hit my clit. I felt powerful. Edward was whimpering below me but I kept hitting him. It was like I couldn't stop. "I hate you Edward Cullen! This… means… absolutely… nothing! I loathe you! Our skin was slapping together at lightening speed. I used every synonym for the word hate. I called Edward the vilest names that came to mind. I rode him hard. "Fuck you Edward! You're worthless!" The coil within me broke. I came hard bringing Edward with me. I screamed, "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" over and over again as I crested. I rolled off of Edward. When I could move again, I threw on one of his nightshirts. Then I went to the restroom to get some tissue. I used it to remove the condom and wipe off Edward's cock. I missed feeling his cum hit my walls. Next, I helped him sit up so that I could remove the handcuffs. He brought his arms in front and began massaging his wrists. I kneeled into him until I could touch his face. Then I took off the bondage hood. That was when I knew I had gone way too far. Edward's green eyes were dead. Silent tears were running down his face. His forehead was creased. He stared right through me. It was like he couldn't even see my face. All of the hate and anger I'd been holding inside disappeared. He didn't deserve what I'd done. I'd finally broken him. "Edward, I'm so sorry," I whispered. He didn't answer. The flood of tears were still flowing from his eyes mingling with the blood on his chest. There were scratches and bruises across his torso. I had done that to him. I excused myself to go pee. I ran to the bathroom, used the toilet, and cleaned myself up. When I got back to the room, Edward wasn't on the bed. I panicked until I heard a deep sobbing noise. It was coming from the other side of the bed. Edward was sitting on the floor with his knees up to his chest. His head was resting on them. He had wrapped his arms around his legs and was rocking back and forth. A deeply guttural noise was coming out of his mouth. I knelt beside him and touched his soft hair. "I'm so sorry Edward. I went too far. I don't hate you. Please look at me." Still nothing. I began to cry. The sounds that Edward was making were eating away at my heart. He was in so much pain and it was all my fault. If I had of listened to everyone and stopped acting childish, my Edward wouldn't be hurting. "Edward. I didn't mean what I said. I'm so sorry that I've been so mean to you. I'm sorry that I did that to you. You didn't deserve it. I still…I still love you. Please talk to me. I'm scared." I gently massaged his scalp as I told him I was sorry multiple times. Eventually he lifted his head. I

littered his face with soft kisses. "I'm sorry, I love you Edward," I whispered again. He lifted his head and put it on my shoulder. I gave him one last kiss before helping him stand. Then I grabbed his sleep pants and boxers. He put them on without a word. I led him to the other bedroom. We both laid on the bed facing each other. I caressed his cheek lovingly. "Edward, what I did….I didn't mean any of it. You are so special to me. You are the father of my baby. Please don't give up on me. I'm so sorry. I love you." He pulled me closer to his body. "I would never give up on you. We have both done things that we're not proud of but we still care for one another. I love you and our baby. We can get through this." We sat there in silence just looking at each other for a long time. Edward fell asleep first. I kissed his lips and moved the fringe of bronze hair from his forehead. My fingers lingered on his cool skin. After awhile I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer and joined him. When I woke up, the bed was empty. I could smell something cooking in the other room. Of course I was hungry. I went to the restroom to do my usual stuff. When that was done, I padded into the kitchen. Standing in front of the stove was Edward. His chest was still bare and he had the sleep pants on from last night. I was mesmerized as I watched the way his back muscles strained over his skin. I drank him in like he was a fine wine. When my eyes lowered to his backside I almost swooned. I had to fan my face because it was so overheated. I was kind of worried about approaching Edward. I had been horrible to him yesterday. Maybe he wouldn't want to see me at all anymore. The thought of not seeing him made my stomach hurt. I turned around to go back to the bedroom. This was too hard. I couldn't do it. "Babydoll, I'm glad you're awake. Breakfast is almost ready. Grab a seat and I'll serve you." I turned around to face Edward. He was smiling brightly. His emerald eyes shone like beacons out of his face. I was shocked that he was being so nice to me. I walked over to the table. Edward stopped what he was doing and pulled my chair out for me. He even kissed me on both cheeks. "Um….what's for breakfast?" My voice sounded nervous. I had to grip the seat to keep from bolting. Edward knelt down in front of me. He clasped both of my hands in his. Our eyes made contact and I was lost. My heart rate doubled. With his long copper eyelashes and dark pink lips, he looked like an angel. "I'll tell you what's for breakfast if you do me a favor." I nodded. "May I see your stomach?" My blush was so deep that I probably looked like a stop sign. I knew that I had no reason to be shy around Edward but after last night, I couldn't define our relationship. Regardless, he looked so adamant that I wouldn't have denied him anything. I still had on one of Edward's sleep shirts, so I had to stand up to reveal my stomach. Luckily I'd put my panties back on this morning. I felt kind of silly standing in the kitchen half naked, until I saw Edward's face. He reverently stared at me, like my body was something to be worshipped. He trailed his fingers along my lower abdomen. Then he placed his whole palm on my stomach. The sensation was strangely erotic. I stifled a moan. He quickly replaced his hands with his lips. He lightly kissed and caressed my entire stomach. He flicked his tongue into my bellybutton. I had to clutch his head to keep my balance.

"Hello baby. It's your Daddy. I can't wait to meet you. I love you so much," he cooed, while rubbing his cheek against me. My heart melted into a puddle of water. The moment was just so perfect. My hormones got the best of me causing me to cry. My tears fell in Edward's hair. He stood up and pulled me into his arms. "Shhh Bella, don't cry. I love you." I buried my face in his chest. "Edward…there's….we have….there's so much to talk about. We…need….we need to make plans. It's…so overwhelming." He put his finger over my lips. "Hush. We'll talk after you eat. Right now, let's just enjoy each other's company." I gave him the best smile I could muster. He kissed me soundly. "We're having scrambled eggs with cheese for breakfast. I hope you don't mind but I ran to the main house and got some leftover bread pudding. There's also lots of fresh fruit." My mouth watered with the descriptions. I was so hungry that I could have eaten the wooden leg off of the table. Edward finished cooking. I waited in anticipation as he made me a plate. The bread pudding smelled even better than it did yesterday. The dishes that Edward set in front of me looked more suited for a museum than a kitchen table. He had meticulously placed everything so that it was visually pleasing. "Edward, this is too beautiful to eat. How in the world did you learn to cook and do all of this? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it, it's just amazing." When I looked up, he was staring at me. He actually looked…shy. The Edward Cullen I knew was never sheepish. "I am learning to cook for you. My mom has been teaching me a few things. I also watched a bunch of tutorials on Food Network and bought some cook books. I'm still not great at it but it took me less tries than before to make the eggs. Oh, and thank you for the compliment." "Why? Why would you suddenly learn to cook? I can feed myself. I'm not ungrateful; I just don't want you to feel obligated…." He shut me up by stuffing a spoonful of pudding in my mouth. "Babydoll, you're my girlfriend and you're pregnant. The least I can do is prepare a meal or two. You're giving me the greatest gift on Earth. Let me feed you sometimes. I love you." I wanted to talk more but once the food gates were open, they couldn't be closed. I ate with relish. Everything was delicious. Edward kept glancing over at me and smiling. His face lit up every time I touched my stomach. It was cute. After breakfast, I went to shower. Edward wanted to join me but I told him that it wouldn't be such a good idea. I stood under the hot water letting it ease the tension out of my muscles. I shampooed my hair twice because the strawberry scent calmed my nerves. Edward's behavior was confusing. I had expected anger or indifference but had gotten love instead. He even called me his girlfriend, which I didn't think I was anymore. I contemplated his attitude as I took my prenatal vitamins. Thankfully, when I got to the bedroom, Edward was gone. There was a bag on the bed containing one of my new pairs of dark skinny jeans, underwear, and a white cowl neck sweater. I smiled because I knew that Alice was the one to bring it. I dried off and then hung my towel over a chair.

"Babydoll…." I screamed. He wasn't supposed to still be here. "Get out Edward! I'm getting dressed!" As usual he didn't listen to me. He began walking to me. I backed up until I reached the wall. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. He laid soft kisses all over my body from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. My bones turned to mush. His lips left an electric sensation everywhere they touched. "I've wanted to do that for months now babydoll. Your skin is so fucking soft. I'm going to take my shower. Wait for me." He exited the room, whistling happily. That was weird. I still wasn't sure why Edward was in such a good mood, but I wasn't complaining. I dressed and went into the living room to wait on him. My mind was going crazy with the thought of everything to come. We had a lot to discuss. I would be having a baby in six months, so we didn't have much time to resolve our problems. By the time Edward came out of the bedroom, I was a ball of nerves. He was dressed in jeans and a green sweater that brought out his eyes. He suggested that we go to the meadow to talk. I grabbed two thick blankets and some snacks that we could take with us. Edward insisted on carrying it all for me. Our walk to the meadow was quiet. We were both just taking in the surroundings. The day was pretty chilly but it wasn't raining. We ended up at the swing. I traced my fingers over our initials in the tree. We had been so happy and in love that day. Edward noticed what I was doing and came to stand beside me. "It's still E&B. What we have if forever. Don't doubt us Bella." I didn't know how to respond so I turned away from him. He took my hand and guided me to the swing. I sat down and let him push me. It was nice. He never let me get too high. I found myself giggling when he picked up the speed. My dad used to push me in the swing when I was little. It was one of my fondest memories from childhood. Eventually the swinging stopped. I looked behind me to see Edward staring at me intently. I blushed under his scrutiny. Even though we had sex, if that's what you could that mess that happened last night, I hadn't been around him in a while and felt a little self conscious. "Bella, you're so beautiful. The sound of your laughter lights up my heart. A minute with you is more precious than gold." He slapped himself on the forehead. "Fuck! I'm not good at this shit. If you tell anyone I said that bullshit, I'll tickle you to death." I was too stunned to even reply. Edward was being very romantic. He had said such things before but after our breakup, I was afraid that he didn't feel them anymore. All of his actions were confusing. We spread our blanket in front of a nearby tree. Edward pulled me into his lap and smoothed the extra blanket over the two of us. He wrapped his muscular arms around me. I was in heaven. It was so cozy that I was on the verge of falling asleep. My pregnancy made me tired all of the time. I was amazed that I didn't fall asleep at the mall yesterday. I laid my head on his shoulder. The warm smells of vanilla, sandalwood, and amber surrounded me. It was Edward's scent and it calmed my nerves. I inhaled greedily. "Edward, I need to come clean with you. The thing…Alec…he's…he's a DEA Agent…"

Edward's arms dropped from around my waist. I moved back so that I could look at him. I knew he was going to be angry but the look in his eyes was so cold. I couldn't hold back the shudder that racked my body. "Motherfucker! All this fucking time! It's like a traitor party going on lately. Who's next? Is my tailor a Fed? Is my maid a hired spy? I can't take anymore of this shit! Everyone is a fucking liar! I'm going to clean house. If someone can't be accounted for, they're going to fucking disappear. The Volturi can't have this shit. Alec was my fucking bodyguard!" I knew what was coming. He was going to blame me. It would hurt beyond words. I put my hands over my face to stifle my sobs. I shouldn't have started our talk with this information but I didn't want us to have secrets. I wanted to clear the air so that we could talk about personal problems. That would never happen now. I tried to stand up, but before I could, Edward grabbed my arm. He pulled me back into his lap. He kissed my lips softly and rubbed small circles on my lower back. His touches lulled me into a blissful peace. "Edward, I'm so sorry about everything. I swear to you that I didn't know until I moved to Spokane. The day before I came here, Alec knocked on my door. He confessed everything. His unit is dirty. They're taking payoffs from James and the Russians. They…they…want to goad you into going after James. They…are planning on him…ki-killing you and saying it was self defense. Alec came to me because…because…he wants me to get you to promise…promise not to kill him for his betrayal. " Edward squeezed me so hard that I yelped. He loosened his arms a little but not by much. "Fuck Bella! Do you know what this means? How serious it is? That fucker James is not getting near you or me. I will have to beef up security and warn my godfather's. I'm so fucking sorry that this shit was put on your shoulders. Don't worry about anything. I'll take care of it." I was still surprised that he wasn't mad at me. I had fully expected him to throw a full on tantrum. It didn't escape my mind that he hadn't said anything about what would happen to Alec. The man had saved my Edward's life. I owed it to him to return the favor. I kissed Edward's rigid jaw. He trembled with his anger. It was a tangible force that surrounded us. I kept kissing him until I felt his body relax. "Edward, I need you to promise me. Swear to me that you will not kill Alec." He looked down at me. His eyes were wide. "You don't know what you're asking me babydoll. Alec betrayed me and my Organization. In my world, that's grounds for death. I can't just let it go. I don't know how much information he's gathered. He could be dangerous to all of us." I shook my head. "No! He told me that they never had anything on you or the Volturi. He was sent to take down HADES and Demetri. He said you were too powerful to get to so they had to go after your right hand man. Now that he knows his unit is bad, he doesn't care about the investigation. He's not a danger to you." The curses that poured from Edward's lips made me want to cover my ears. "Bella, I have to deal with this. The Volturi have every right to sentence Alec to death. He lied before. How do you know he's not lieing again? I'm sorry but I can't save his life."

I was hysterical. I crushed my lips to Edward's and begged him over and over again to let Alec live. I knew that he'd messed up by going after the Volturi's business but he didn't deserve to die. I used the only ace I had. "If it wasn't for Alec…if he hadn't of taken that bullet, our baby might not have been conceived. I got pregnant that night in the lair after we returned from Italy. Alec saved your life and possibly mine too. You're a powerful man Edward. Don't do this for me. Do it for our baby. If you truly love our unborn child, you'll save Alec." Edward twirled a lock of my hair around his finger. He appeared to be in deep thought. I silently prayed that he would make the right decision. I felt guilty about what I'd just asked him but if it saved Alec's life, it was worth it. "You've given me no choice. You know I'd do anything for you and our baby. I give you my word that I won't kill him and I won't let anyone else kill him. He will have to be punished though. He will no longer be my personal guard. I'll probably have to make him go underground so he'll be safe. You don't know the headache that this is going to cause, but I'll do it. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you." He reached into his pocket to get his cell phone. He called Demetri and asked him to pickup Alec. I listened as he explained everything I'd just told him. Demetri wasn't pleased. I could hear his angry voice screaming obscenities. Edward made him swear not to hurt Alec. Dee promised that he would wait for Edward's orders. After the phone call, Edward pulled me back into his arms. "Babydoll, I won't let anyone hurt you or the baby. Nothing bad will happen to you. I'll make sure of that. In the meantime, I insist that you move into my Penthouse." I shook my head. He grabbed my chin and looked me in the eye. "I will not negotiate on this Bella. You've just asked me to go against my way of life for you. Now I'm asking you to trust me. You can have a separate bedroom from me if you want. You can even decorate the place to your liking. I vow to protect you and our baby from any harm. To do that, I need you close to me." I accepted his offer. He was right. My main priority was to protect our baby. If that meant living with Edward, I would do it. Besides, I had been planning on moving back to Seattle anyway. "There's just so much Edward. It's overwhelming. I…I…need to officially quit my job in Spokane. Then I need to find a job here so that I can pay you rent. I don't have many things but I want to keep my bed. Then there's…. He shut me up with a kiss. "Bella what in the hell are you babbling about? I don't need rent money. I own the fucking building. There's no way I'm charging the mother of my child to live with me. If you really want to keep working, you can come back to the club. That way I can keep an eye on you and you can see all of your friends again. Don't worry. I'll take care of everything. I'll call someone to go to your apartment and pack your stuff. I'll have it delivered to our Penthouse tomorrow." It was all happening way too fast. I had my doubts about living with Edward. That was a big step in a relationship. Of course our situation was different because of the baby, but still it seemed like we were moving fast. "Edward living together is a big step. We…we need a lot of help before the baby comes. Our relationship is…pretty extreme. I don't want you to feel like you have to do this. I know how you feel about children. I would feel guilty for uprooting your life. It wasn't your fault I got pregnant. I should have asked questions before I took those pills in Italy. Don't feel that you have to…"

That's as far as I got before Edward pushed me back and straddled my waist. He was careful to keep most of his weight off of me. He looked like a dangerous predator as he leaned down and claimed my mouth. The kiss was full of lust. He coaxed my tongue out and claimed it. I gripped his shoulders to keep myself from floating away. When we cooled down, he spoke. "Babydoll, I love you and Baby Swan-Cullen. You're not making me do anything I don't want to do. I don't blame you for getting pregnant. I'm ecstatic that I'm going to be a father. I know my views on kids haven't been the best in the past but I've changed. The minute I found out that the baby was mine, I began to feel a sense of euphoria. There's nothing I would rather do than raise a family with you. I know that we have lots of work. We'll go to counseling. We'll get the help we need. I promise to make myself worthy of your love. You didn't uproot my life. You enhanced it and gave it meaning. Without you, I'm nothing. You, our baby, and our future are all that matter to me. As long as we're together we can do anything. I love you." His words brought tears to my eyes. I felt a warm feeling flow through my blood. Edward's words reassured me the way nothing else could. "I love you too Edward. I…I think it would be best if we took things slowly. We should just be friends for a while. That will give us both time to work on our…relationship. I agree that we should go to counseling. I've been so mean to you these past few days. It…it…was just that I was so angry after what you said that night on the deck. Then when I thought of all the other times…I… I wanted to make you hurt as much as I did. I'm sorry. I should have been more mature. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?" Edward maneuvered our bodies so that I was on top of him. I rested my head over his beating heart. The gentle vibration was oddly calming. "I'm the one that has to ask for forgiveness. I hurt you so many times and yet you still love me. I'm so sorry for all the cruel words I've said to you. I'm sorry for putting tears on your beautiful face. But most of all, I'm sorry for making you think I didn't love you. I want to spend the rest of my life making up to you. I deserved everything you threw at me and that was why I took it. You had to get your anger out so you could heal. I would never deny you that. I promise to never hurt you again. From now on, I only want to put smiles on your face. If there is something wrong, I won't jump to conclusions. I'll sit down and talk with you. I have faith in our love for one another. Let's vow to leave all of the bad stuff in the past and start over. Is that okay with you?" "Yes, I...I want us to be happy too. I love you Edward. Our baby will be better off with parents that love each other and have a strong relationship. I do have to ask one thing. We...shouldn't have sex. I'm not saying we won't ever be intimate again. I just think we need to work us before we go there again." Edward's answering groan was so loud that the tree shook. "I think that's a bad idea. There's no reason that we can't still make love. I've been going crazy without you. I swear to you that I never fucked those whores or anyone else. And when you say no sex, does that include touching and oral? Please don't make me do this babydoll. I'll have to take so many cold showers that I'll die of hypothermia." I had to laugh. From the way that he was pleading, you would think his life depended on the matter. It would probably kill me to not be intimate with Edward but I felt that this was what we needed. I believed his admission that he never cheated, but that didn't mean that we could just go back to the way things used to be. Everything was different now. It would do Edward and me some good to reacquaint ourselves with each other.

I kissed his pulse point before answering. "Edward, I love you so much. I trust you. I know that you would never cheat on me. That doesn't mean we can go right to where we left off. Let's just try being friends right now. We have a baby coming. That should be our main priority." Edward protested for several minutes until he saw that I wasn't going to change my mind. He huffed, and then grunted, before dropping the subject. I felt his big hand slide into my pants. He cupped my bare buttocks. I pushed away. "Stop! We can't do that either Edward. There will be no sexual touching, got it?" "Shit, you can't…how am I…Fuck! You are going to kill me Bella. I should at least be able to cop a feel. Fuck! Okay, I agree to your terms. The minute you change your mind just jump on my dick and ravage me. I don't care what I'm doing at the time." I giggled and slapped him on the chest. We stayed in the meadow for hours. The time was spent filling each other in on what we'd been doing during our time apart. It was nice just being there with Edward. I fell asleep in his arms. When I woke up, I was in the main house. Edward wasn't with me. I wondered if he was in the guesthouse. It was dark outside, which meant I had slept most of the day away. I sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. I was really hungry but I didn't feel like getting out of bed. I had one foot on the plush carpet when someone knocked. "Come in." Esme, Rosalie, and Alice all bounded into the room. Ali and Esme had smiles on their faces. Rose simply looked curious. I looked down at myself to make sure I wasn't glowing or something. Why would they all be here? Esme answered my silent question. "Bella dear, I'm so happy you're awake. When I saw Edward carry you into the house, I was worried, but then he explained…and…it's just so wonderful. I'm glad you two are back together." I didn't have the heart to tell we were just friends so I just smiled. She hugged me and then went to get my dinner. I could tell Alice wanted to talk so I looked at her. "Oh Bella, I'm so happy. You and Edward belong together. Your baby is going to be beautiful. I can't wait to help you decorate the Penthouse. I've wanted to do over again for months but Edward wouldn't let me. We can go on a major shopping trip to buy stuff. It's going to be so much fun. Edward has so much room. I can make a nursery. Then there's that sunroom…" Rose put her hand over Alice's mouth. I laughed as Rose threatened to tie Ali up. My sisters were wonderful. I never thought I would have such a large family. I rubbed my stomach and thanked god for sending me the Cullens. Esme brought me a dinner of lasagna and salad. I ate while the girls talked about babies and decorating. My mind was too busy thinking about Edward and our day in the meadow. I did manage to chime in with a few suggestions of my own. Eventually, Jasper came by to retrieve his overzealous fiancee. He told me about his talk with Edward.

They made up and everything was good again. Jasper was going to continue to work at HADES. Esme informed me that Edward requested that I be brought to the Penthouse tonight. She and Dr. Cullen were supposed to drive me there. It was a little after eight at night. Edward must be planning for me to sleepover. I was both nervous and elated. I packed my necessary things and then met Esme and Carlisle at the car. I read one of my new books the whole way there. When we arrived, Carlisle pulled into Edward's private garage. We took the private elevator to the top floor. I would never get over the opulence of Edward's building. It was very secure and expensive. I shuddered to think what a simple one bedroom would cost in this building. The Penthouse itself was massive and had a great view. To think, I, Bella Swan, would be living here was like a fairytale. Dr. Cullen and Esme stayed with me until Edward returned. We were watching a movie when we heard him come in. I sprinted for the door eager to see Edward. He wasn't alone though. I recognized his companion immediately. "Felix," I squealed, as I wrapped my arms around him. He awkwardly patted me on the back and kissed my hair. I heard Edward hiss at the display of affection. I guess Caveward wasn't dead after all. I let go of Felix before Edward pounced. The Cullens said their goodbyes. Carlisle whispered something in Edward's ear before he left. I didn't ask what it was about because it wasn't any of my business. I told Felix that I was pregnant. He was very happy for Edward and me. Surprisingly, he knew a thing or two abut babies. We talked, well I talked and Felix listened, until Edward sent him on an errand. I went into the kitchen to get a granola bar. I felt Edward's strong arms wrap around my waist. I leaned back into him, letting myself completely relax. He bent down and kissed my neck. "You smell so good babydoll. I missed you. I had some business to take care of today. Alec sends you his gratitude. He says that he's indebted to you for life. I can't tell you where I sent him but know he's alive and safe. You're an amazing woman Bella. I have a surprise for you. Let's go into the living room." He took my hand and let me to one of his large leather couches. We sat down. Edward went to his office and when he came back, he was holding a gift bag. He sat it down next to me. I tried to refuse but he shut me up. "I hope you like it babydoll." With nervous fingers, I pulled out the first item. It was a black baby's shirt that read: 'too cute to play with your ugly ass kid'. I laughed, realizing that it was meant for the baby. It was just the thing Edward would buy. I kissed him soundly. "You, Daddy Edward, are going to give our child an ego the size of Jupiter. I love it though. You even picked a color that can be used for a boy or girl." He beamed at my praise. The next gift was for me. It was a maternity shirt with the image of a baby over the stomach. The picture was formed from the words 'I love you' in several different languages. It was beautiful. I began to cry. Edward pulled me into his arms. "Don't cry babydoll. If you don't like it, I can have it returned and get you something else." I kissed his jaw. "Silly Edward, I love it. Thank you so much. It's perfect. I'm just crying because I'm happy."

He continued to pat my back until I calmed down. There was one more gift in the bag. I pulled it out. I gasped when I saw the familiar blue Tiffany box. "No Edward, I gave it back. It's too expensive. You should have told me that it cost over a hundred thousand dollars. I can't wear something like that everyday." Edward interrupted me. "Open it Bella. I think you'll like what's inside. Please babydoll, just trust me." He gave me his puppy dog look. After that I couldn't refuse. I opened the box. Inside was the diamond flower necklace I'd seen that day at the mall. It was even prettier than I remembered. "How…how did you…I never told you… I can't accept this, it cost too much." Edward removed the necklace from the box. He turned me so that he could place it around my neck. I felt the cool platinum settle on my chest. It wasn't heavy at all. Edward kissed the back of my neck. Then he turned me around to face him. "Rosalie saw you looking at the necklace. She took a picture and sent it to me. I knew that you'd never ask me for it so I took matters into my own hands. You are giving me something that is priceless. Nothing is too expensive. You deserve the best babydoll and I'm going to give it to you, whether you want it or not. Besides, it fits you. The diamonds are in bloom just like your body. It looks lovely." I ran to the bathroom so I could look at myself in the mirror. It was beautiful. Since it wasn't too ostentatious, I could wear it everyday. I did a few twirls before returning to Edward. He was smirking at the baby tee. I straddled his lap. We kissed until we were both panting. "I take it you like your gifts." I reached up and pulled his hair. "Christ, don't do that babydoll. My cock is hard enough as it is. This no sex thing seriously sucks. By the way, I still have your Jubilee necklace. I'm going to give it back to you. You can wear it on special occasions if that makes you feel better." We spent the rest of the night talking. I cooked steak and potatoes for our late dinner. Edward didn't want me to but I bribed him with kisses. I didn't want us to sleep in the same bed but Edward insisted. I agreed, because honestly, I wanted to be in his arms. I changed into a blue sleep short and cami set. Edward groaned when he saw me. I just kissed him on the lips and pulled the comforter over us. We fell asleep spooning. I woke up a couple of times during the night to pee. Edward was frantic every time. I had to assure him that it was normal for pregnant women to go to the bathroom a lot. That helped him relax a little but he still stirred every time I left the bed. When I awoke, I was still in his arms. He was already up and playing with my hair. Of course I had to pull myself away to go pee. I used the time to brush my teeth and wash my face. When I got back, Edward asked me what I wanted for breakfast. I chose blueberry oatmeal and he went to make it. I still couldn't believe that Edward Cullen was cooking for me. I dressed in a pair of black yoga pants and a red tank top. My boobs had gotten bigger and filled out the tank quite nicely. I was going to go braless but then I thought of Edward and change my mind. If he saw my puckered nipples, my no sex rule would be out the window. I left the bedroom. My mouth was watering with the thought of breakfast. Surprisingly, Edward was standing by the front door instead of in the kitchen. A huge guy with bright red hair was speaking to him.

The guy was even bigger than Emmett. When I got closer, I noticed that there were several other guys behind that man. They were all impressively built. No one had noticed me yet so I decided to turn around. Since Edward had guests, I wanted to change into something more appropriate for entertaining. I briefly wondered why he hadn't told me that people were coming over today. Before I was halfway to the bedroom, I heard something that knocked the air out of my lungs. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, you are under arrest." ~*!*~

Chapter Twenty ~ Fall For You "The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting Could it be that we have been this way before I know you don't think that I am trying I know you're wearing thin down to the core But hold your breath Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you Over again Don't make me change my mind Or I wont live to see another day I swear it's true Because a girl like you is impossible to find You're impossible to find" --Fall for You - Secondhand Serenade EPOV My babydoll was back with me. She had even let me touch her belly and introduce myself to our baby. My small family was safe and under my roof. That was the best feeling in the world. I would do anything to keep them safe from those that wanted to do us harm. I would gladly give up my life if it meant Bella and our baby could live. They were fucking innocent. I was not. This morning, I woke up before Bella. She'd gone to the fucking bathroom about a gazillion times during the night. I'd read shit about how pregnant women had to pee all the time but seeing it in person was different. My fucking heart jumped each and every time she left my arms. She was still resting so I stayed in bed and played with her hair. It still felt as silky soft as I remembered. I leaned down to kiss my angel on the lips. She purred. That sound went straight to my cock. Her no sex rule was fucking killing me. I wanted to be inside her tight pussy so bad. She was my addiction and I didn't want to go through withdrawals. I reached down and stroked myself through my pajama pants. I slid the blanket down a little so that I could see Bella's breasts. I checked to make sure that she was still asleep by raising her shirt a little. Thankfully, she didn't stir. I softly licked her nipples, watching them turn into dark pink nubs. Her body was so fucking amazing. I could already see that her tits were getting bigger. I cupped them gently while squeezing my dick. Bella's lips parted as she mumbled something in her sleep. I couldn't make out the words because I was

still jacking off. I ghosted my fingers over her smooth stomach. It was still mostly flat but there was the beginning of a small bump. I fucking smiled like a Cheshire cat. My babydoll being pregnant was fucking sexy. If possible, I wanted her even more. I felt like a fucking pervert feeling her up while she was sleeping but she gave me no choice. My fucking cock was going to fall off if it didn't get at least a little attention from Bella. She fucking owned my libido. I was already leaking from barely touching her. I massaged circles around her soft creamy thighs. A light shudder ran through her body. I fucking groaned like an idiot. She must have been sleeping deeply because she didn't wake up. I was so fucking close. In my desperation, I leaned my head down until it was right over Bella's crotch. Her thin sleep shorts didn't do much to conceal the prize inside. I inhaled her sweet intoxicating scent. She smelled like rain and strawberries. I licked over the shorts, wishing that she was naked. I had an urge to eat her pussy until she passed out. My dick twitched, shooting a load of sticky ejaculate all over my hands. After that, I ran to the bathroom to cleanup. My babydoll was still knocked out. I had talked to Carlisle about her pregnancy. He assured me that it was normal for her to be extremely fatigued these next few months. If I had my way, Bella would never leave the fucking apartment. Shit wasn't safe on the outside and I couldn't risk her or my child getting hurt. I laid down beside her and continued playing with her curls. I made sure that I pulled her cami down so that she wouldn't suspect what I'd done. The last thing I needed was an angry Bella. Speaking of angry Bella, she had really kicked my ass this week. I knew that I deserved whatever shit she threw at me but it was fucking rough. The ball kicking she gave me didn't even compare to her telling me that she hated my guts. I was used to physical pain but emotional trauma was foreign to me. Even when my father died, I had been emotionally detached, but my babydoll fucking mad at me totally killed my soul. After the night in the Penthouse, I was almost ready to give up. My mom and Carlisle talked me out of quitting. Every time Bella did something particularly horrendous, my stepdad would whisper in my ear, "Take it," so that's what I did. The fucking silent treatment was horrible. Then, when I thought things couldn't get any worse, they did. She fucking obliterated my handmade porcelain Bella Swan doll. That fucking broke my heart. Mom and I came up with a plan for me to cook for my babydoll. I was pretty goddamned useless in the kitchen, but Esme said it would work. It was supposed to show my babydoll that I was domestic or some shit. The first time that she rejected my food hurt my feelings. She said some pretty mean shit to me that caused me to feel bad about myself. When she left, I'd broken down and cried for hours. That was saying something because Bella is the only person in the world who could put tears in my eyes. Thanksgiving Dinner was a fucking nightmare. I had planned for our first official holiday to be spent together, but because I was a complete dumbass, that didn't happen. If I had of just stayed that night and talked to Bella, I could have saved myself a lot of heartache. I promised her that I wouldn't jump to conclusions again and I meant that shit. Losing my babydoll had me new man. If she wanted me to cut off all my hair and become a fucking Buddhist, I'd do it. I didn't think the holiday could get any worse until that scene after dinner. I hadn't eaten much because I was upset that Bella didn't want to sit by me. Her words about being thankful for everyone but me put another knife in my heart. She looked so fucking sexy in that dress. It was tiny and showed off her legs. Her collarbones were bare and the bodice was sequined. My cock jumped the minute I'd seen her. When she told me that she wanted to talk, I had damn near blown my load. She'd licked her lips when she asked.

Her tight sexy ass was right over my cock. I didn't even care that we were in my mother's parlor. I was going to fuck her right there. Then she had done the unthinkable, my little tigress fucking burned my clothes and left me butt ass fucking naked. Honestly, I wasn't sure that I would ever be able to look Carlisle in the eye again. He was the one to walk in on me. I was forever in his gratitude for saving my ass. If my mom or Ali had of seen me like that, it would have been even worse. Despite her cruelty, I still fucking wanted Bella. I spent the rest of that night whacking off to the image of her in that tiny ass dress. My breaking point came the other night. That fucking dirty sex, if that was what you wanted to call it, sent me over the edge. My babydoll beating me while screaming how much she hated me, was something that I couldn't handle. All I could do was cry the entire time she was fucking me. It felt good to my dick but the rest of my body was in pain. That bondage scene had to happen though, so that Bella could see that I still loved her. If I didn't care then the sex wouldn't have affected me. She apologized so many goddamned times. It wasn't her fault. I was the jackass that screwed up in the first place. That was the reason I took all the shit she put out. Yes, I was angry at her for treating me like shit, but I couldn't deny that I deserved all the shit I got. The meadow was where we had made up. I chose that spot because it was special to the both of us. Everything was going perfectly until Bella told me her fucking secret. I had been so fucking angry that if she hadn't of been there, I would have driven to Alec's and pulled the fucking trigger. He fucking betrayed me and the Volturi. I trusted that motherfucker with my life and it was all a lie. I was already thinking of ways to off the bastard when she made me promise not to kill him. Her demand was overstepping the boundaries of our relationship. Bella was my girlfriend but she had shit to do about Mafia business. She didn't really know the way of life yet and if I could help it, she never would. She'd used the one thing she had to save his life; our baby. She fucking knew I couldn't refuse after that guilt trip. While she was sleeping, I made good on my fucking word. I had to let Dee kick Alec's ass for lieing to us in the first place. I watched Dee knock some teeth out and break a kneecap before I intervened. I told Alec that he owed his fucking life to my babydoll and that he better live it like he remembered that shit. He agreed and asked me to thank her. I was never really one for the physical intimidation side of the Mob, so I rarely doled out punishment by myself. Demetri, on the other hand, lived for that shit. He had been an underground fighter when he was younger. For him, beating a fucker into mush was like playtime. When the interrogation was finished, I called 'The Scrub'. He had been in the family's employ for over twenty five years. He was one of the best plastic surgeons in the world but he catered to the Mafia world because it meant cash and no malpractice headaches. I booked an appointment for Alec. The only way that he would be able to stay alive was to completely die and live under a different identity. One of the Volturi's dirty cops had stolen a large amount of cash and drugs from Impound. The security tapes were to be doctored so that it would look like Alec was the thief. His burned out car was to be found at the bottom of a cliff. The missing teeth were going to be used to identify the burned corpse as Detective Alexander Smith. The DEA would assume that he had been dirty all along and gotten himself killed. The old Alec would legally be dead. Surprisingly, Alec didn't protest too much when I explained the plan. He was just happy that I was

allowing his ass to continue to walk the Earth. I couldn't let him off with the beating alone because that wasn't how shit went down in the Mafia. He was a traitor so I had to demand a piece of his body as penance. I was fucking gracious by letting him choose. He wound up choosing his pinky toe. Dee cut it off. It was put into a black lacquer case and given to me. I then threw it into the ocean. Alec was a lucky son of a bitch because we usually took a testicle as payment. When all that shit was done, I was fucking exhausted. My mom and Carlisle had done as I asked and brought my babydoll to me. Her face lit up the moment I was through the fucking door. It felt like a freight train hit me. I was so in love with her that I couldn't see anyone else. Of course she noticed Felix and hugged him. The possessive fucker in me came out when he kissed her head. She was mine and I would never fucking share. Thankfully, she let him go after a few seconds. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice Bella wake up. She smiled at me and then went to the bathroom. My kid must be pounding on her bladder. I was still pretty proud of myself for knocking her up. Even though Dr. Cullen said it was the counteractive drugs that did it, I liked to think it was because my boys were really potent. They had seen the quality of my babydoll's eggs and did their fucking thing. She would have probably gotten pregnant even if we had used condoms. When Bella came back, I offered to make her breakfast. She chose blueberry oatmeal, which was gong to be pretty easy to make. I didn't even bother to dress. I just threw on a shirt and went to the kitchen. If I was lucky, I would be able to keep my babydoll in bed a little longer. I was banking on getting lucky this morning. She wouldn't have to do anything but let me lick and suck on her pussy for a couple of hours. I missed seeing my babydoll come. While the water boiled, I ran to my office to get my phone. In my haste to get into bed, I'd left it there overnight. When I went to pick it up, it buzzed in my hand. There was a text from Felix. It said that he was bringing up some people. I didn't expect anyone so my fucking sixth sense went into overdrive. I trusted Felix and knew that he wouldn't let anyone up here unless they were safe but still. My babydoll was here. I rushed to the door to see who the guests were. The moment I saw the huge fucker with claret hair, I knew what was happening. He had an army with him this time. I wasn't surprised because shit was getting out of hand with the Organizations. Everyone was so fucking greedy. Plus, there seemed to be an overabundance of traitors in our mist as of late. That big motherfucker smiled like the cat that ate the fucking canary. I stood there waiting for him to approach. He still looked like a fucking linebacker after all these years. He never told anyone his age but he had to be in his sixties but he took excellent care of himself. Liam's Irish brogue filled my ears. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, you are under arrest." It was an old joke between us. Before he was a made man, he had been a real Boston Detective. He was as fucking dirty as a cheap whore but he managed to do some good. Back then he used to take on jobs for the Mafia. He was basically a fucking hitman. He knew just how to set it up so law enforcement wouldn't be left with any clues. He was a fucking legend in his city. Since his father hadn't been involved in organized crime, Liam had to work himself up the ranks. He advanced quickly because of his ruthlessness and skill. One day he'd done a job for the biggest Boston boss at the time. The boss' daughter, Siobhan, had taken an interest in him. He courted her like a fucking love sick puppy and a month later, they were married.

When Siobhan's father died, the Organization put Liam in charge. He had done enough shit to prove himself to those fuckers. Everyone could see that he loved his wife and would be good for the Family. He was now the head of the biggest Irish Organization on the East Coast. I was reaching out to shake his hand when a small object shot past me. It was my babydoll. She was in Liam's face looking like she was ready to cut that fucker's throat. I watched in amusement as he backed up a little. His men were torn between pulling her back or watching. They chose the latter. "You leave him alone! What is he under arrest for? You have no right to come to our home and take my man away. I am his alibi, he was with me all night, every night this week." My jaw dropped. Bella had just fucking lied for me. She thought Liam was a real cop and had risked perjury to save my ass. I fucking loved her even more. My cock hardened because what she had done was so fucking hot. And when she called me her 'man', I felt a sense of…pride. Liam winked at me, letting me know to play along. This was going to be good. A little payback would be good for my babydoll. "I'm sorry Miss but I'm going to have to ask you to step aside. Edward is being arrested for suspicion of being an asshole with a big dick. I'm afraid we're going to have to take him in." Bella's mouth opened to protest. It took all of two seconds before she got the joke. She turned to me. "Edward Cullen, that was not funny! I was really scared." All the men in the hallway started laughing. Bella blushed a deep shade of red. I picked her up and kissed her on the forehead. My little display earned me a bunch of fucking whistles and lewd comments. Unfortunately, I had to sit my babydoll down so that I could invite the fuckers in. She was wearing some tight ass pants and a tank that showed off her perky tits. That wouldn't do. She was going to have to change. There was no way that I was letting these perverted fuckers leer at my woman. I ushered Liam and his men into the living room. It's spacious and good for entertaining. Once the Irish were seated, I pulled Bella into the kitchen. Her ass looked so fucking perfect in those pants. I wanted to rip them off and fuck her over the counter. "Bella, I'm sorry for scaring you. I didn't know Liam was coming today. He likes to sneak up on me. He's the head of the Irish Organization in Boston. They're one of our biggest alliances so this meeting is very important. Why don't I finish making your breakfast? " She beamed at me. Her little pink tongue ran across her full bottom lip. My dick did a fucking cartwheel. "That sounds good Edward. I forgive you but don't make a habit of scaring the pregnant woman. My hormones are a mess as it is." I pulled her into my arms. Then, I leaned my head down and kissed her sweet lips. She tasted like mint and honey. I fucking growled and pulled her closer. My hands roamed all over her quivering flesh. She was trying to fight me off but I was in nirvana. I cupped her butt cheeks with my hands, bringing her closer. She was getting into the kiss. I heard her whimper. I removed one of my hands from her ass and laid it on her breast. Unfortunately she was wearing a fucking bra. I cursed my bad luck. Bella used my momentary lapse to pull away. "Edward, we can't. If we start having sex again, we won't work on our problems. I know it's hard but please stick to the plan."

Her chocolate orbs were pleading with me. She knew that I couldn't resist her sweet puppy dog look. "It's not fair Bella. We can work on our problems and still have orgasms. In fact, it would help us. I'm so fucking hard all the time. It feels like someone stuck a hot poker down my pants. Please, I'm begging you to let me hit it again. I'll be so fucking good to you. I'll make you come until you pass the fuck out. I've been wanting to lick your pussy again for ages." Bella put a finger over my lips to shut me up. I sucked it into my mouth. We both moaned. I licked her finger like I would do her clit. She actually moved closer to me. My babydoll put her hand over my clothed dick. I bucked into it. She added another finger to my mouth. I lost my shit. I picked her up and sat her on the counter. I was raising her tank top when I heard a throat clear. "I see you've got better things to do Eddie. I don't want to disturb you but we're waiting. Stop fucking the girl and get your pretty boy ass out here. Some of the guys may want to see you fuck but I'm not one of them." Cockblocked by fucking Liam. I reluctantly let Bella go. She was blushing up a storm. I licked her cheeks, which earned me a slap and hair pull. My tigress would pay for that shit later. I finished her food quickly and made her a bowl. I left her in the kitchen to finish eating. Liam and his men were making fun of me, which meant he had informed them of my kitchen activities. If I could have kicked his ass, I would have. "So Edward, your comare seems to make you happy. I'm shocked because I've never seen one up here. Is she new?" I snarled at him. "With all due respect, shut the fuck up Liam. Bella is not my mistress, she's my girlfriend and hopefully she'll be my wife soon. She's also pregnant with my baby. Show her some fucking respect or I'll kick your ass." Liam winked at me. "So, that's the infamous Bella. I've heard a lot about her from your godfathers. I didn't expect her to be here with you. I'm sorry. I'll apologize to her as soon as I get the chance." I was confused. "Why wouldn't you expect Bella to be here with me?" All the men rolled their eyes and smirked. "Eddie old boy, it's not a secret that you've fucked everything with a pussy. I just assumed that you were seeing this Bella and still fucking the rest of your comare on the side." I hung my head. In the past, that might have been true but I had changed. Bella would be the last woman I made love to for the rest of my life. I had bitches making a porno in that hotel room and all I'd thought about was her. One of her kisses were more potent than a million of their fucks. "No…um…I'm not like that anymore. I love Bella and only Bella. She's my fucking soul mate. She and our baby are all that matter to me now. That's why I asked you for your help with James. I have a feeling that he's going to go after her." Liam's whole body tensed when I mentioned James. He wanted to take that motherfucker down just as much as I did. "That Russian piece of shit! That Organization that he runs isn't fit to breathe the same air as us. I'm going

to castrate the fucker for touching my Maggie. He knows that we want his ass and that's why he's staying low." I nodded. I had figured as much. The Russians were out of control. They didn't seem to have any rules and that fucking worried me. Anarchy in our world was not good. Most of the fuckers involved in organized crime needed structure or they turned into fucking primates. Too many people had died the last time that happened. Bella came out of the kitchen. I shook my head at Liam to let him know not to talk while she was here. She smiled at Liam before sitting down next to me. He stood up, took her hand, and kissed it. I hissed like a fucking snake. Bella patted my knee to calm me down. "Allow me to introduce myself Bella. My name is Liam O' Sullivan. I am a friend of Edward's. I'm sorry that I startled you earlier." My babydoll accepted his apology. I listened to them chat about his wife and daughter. Bella expressed interest in meeting them. He promised to bring them next time. I was only half listening because every time Bella gestured her tits bobbed. I was fucking hypnotized. My eyes latched onto her pussy encased in those tight pants. I couldn't look away. My breath hitched. Bella reached over and closed my mouth. I shook my head to clear my vision. Liam and the other men were laughing at me. I had been so absorbed in her that I hadn't heard a word anyone said for the last several minutes. Bella stood up to leave. Before she could go I pulled her into my arms and gave her a heart pounding kiss. I didn't give a fuck that Liam and his men were watching but Bella did. She pushed me off of her. "Edward, that was beyond embarrassing! You can't just maul me in front of other people. I'm going to get dressed and then go down to Alice's. She and your mom are taking me shopping today. Please try to keep yourself out of trouble until I get back." The men whistled at Bella's chastisement. I gave her my panty dropper look. I smirked when her eyes clouded over. "I'm sorry babydoll but I love you so much. I want to kiss you all the time. I promise to behave myself if you do." She gave me one chaste kiss on the cheek. Then she left. I was relieved because if she had of sat by me any longer, this meeting would have ended before it began. I gazed at Bella's ass until she disappeared from sight. Liam gawked at me. "Babydoll? Now that's pussy whipped if I ever head it. Does she make you paint her toenails too?" I narrowed my eyes. "Shut the fuck up. That discussion is closed. Although you're not one to talk, Siobhan and Maggie have you wrapped around their fingers." "Touché, Edward. Touché." We both smiled at each other. Liam and I discussed forming a legitimate alliance. There were some other Families that would be willing to join. It was a good idea because it would make all of us stronger. Liam had the utmost respect or my godfathers. He was already willing to commit. We went to my office to work out some details.

Marcus and Caius are the true heads of the Volturi but they leave negotiations to me. Cai had studied Literature in school. He had no patience for the business world. Marcus liked forming partnerships but he was shit at negotiating. It tended to be his way or the highway. I was the only one that could do it all. Since neither Marcus nor Cai had any kids, I was the heir of the Volturi. They were grooming me to take their place. When we got back to the living room, Bella was there. She had on a pleated black skirt that came to the knee and a fitted sparkly silver cardigan. I could see a white tank underneath. Her hair was in a side ponytail. She was wearing nude pantyhose and her black flats. Even though her outfit was conservative, it turned me on. I didn't like the guy she was talking to. His name was Paul and he was as huge as the rest of the fuckers. The reason I didn't like him was because he once beat up Demetri. He claimed to not know that Dee was my right hand. I had never forgiven Paul for that shit. He fucking knew, he just wanted to cause problems. I put my hand on the small of Bella's back. She jumped at the contact. Paul's blue eyes turned dark. He looked like G.I. Joe. He even had the shorn black hair. I gave him a look that screamed, 'get the fuck away from her'. He said his goodbyes and moved on. "Babydoll, it would be best if you stay away from him. He's a dangerous man." "Yeah, I agree. He was looking at me like he wanted to snack on my limbs. I was only talking to him because I thought you would want me to. I don't want your associates to think I'm mean." I kissed her on the forehead. "You don't have to impress any of these motherfuckers. If you don't like them, ignore their ass. You're too good to even be in their company. Bella, I never want you to do something that makes you uncomfortable, understand?" She nodded. I sent for Felix to come get her. She didn't see the need for him to take her, when it was only one floor down. I gave her my mantra of better safe than sorry. She kissed my nose and called me Caveward before she left. I missed her instantly. The rest of my day was spent video conferencing with various Families. No one could agree on an alliance that worked for everyone. One party would give up something, then the other party wouldn't be willing to give up anything in return. It was a fucking mess. If I had still been a heavy drinker, I would have polished off several bottles. Liam and his crew didn't see the problem with alcohol. They drank so many bottles of my expensive shit that half of the bar was cleared. Anyone who swore that they could drink the Irish under the table was a fucking liar. Eventually, the O'Sullivan's and the Volturi hammered out a tentative agreement. We would let them in on some of our West Coast gun trade, if they gave us some of their best muscle. It's not that we didn't have a lot of men in our Outfit, but the Irish had the most motherfuckers that were big and easily controlled. Liam regaled me with stories of his past exploits. He knew a lot of dirty jokes. I was glad he had refrained from telling them to my babydoll. The Bostonian accent had always intrigued me. It was slight weird that when they said a word with the letter r, it came out sounding like an h. After the whiskey was poured, the guys started singing limericks. I used that time to text Bella. She was

having a good time with my mom and the girls. She said she had a surprise for me later. My heart picked up at those words. If it involved a naked Bella, I was going to be there with bells on. I was so excited after her text that I had to go to the bathroom and jack off. I hadn't masturbated so much since I was thirteen years old. My dad had found some of his old "Hustler" magazines under my bed. Instead of getting angry, he had congratulated me. He took me out for a drink at one of the bars he owned. I felt like a fucking King because everyone knew my father and sucked up to him. The bitches flashed him their tits before he got in the door. No one seemed to think it was strange that I was there. Maybe it was because I looked older. I had made out with high school seniors. I was tall for my age and I carried myself like a grownup. I remembered my father waving to a girl in the corner. She had long tanned legs and double D tits. My teenage hormones went crazy before I even saw her face. When I did notice her looks, I was pleased. She had deep set blue eyes and jet black hair that hung to her shoulders. Her lips were blood red. I watched in awe as my dad handed her a clip of money. I looked away. I knew my father cheated on my mother but I had never seen it. I felt disgusted. My dad put my hand in the girl's. He told me that he had bought her for the night. He was going to make up some story to tell my mother about why I wasn't at home. I was so scared that I nearly fucking pissed myself. The only thing my dad told me was to wear a condom. After that he left to find his own whore for the night. The girl's name was Makenna. She was nineteen years old and a part time stripper/hooker. She said that I wasn't her first virgin. I had never done more than kiss so being alone with her was frightening. She stripped and rubbed her body against mine. I shot my load in my pants the first time. She wanted to keep trying until I got it right. It took three tries before I got my dick in her actually pussy. It had felt so good that I came from the sensation. I was embarrassed that I couldn't last, so I worked harder. Before the night was over, I managed to make her come twice. She said I was a natural. I asked her if she ever slept with my father and she told me she hadn't. That made me feel better because sharing pussy with your dad was not fucking cool. My father came to pick me up the next day. He laughed when he saw me asleep in Makenna's tits. She bragged about how good I was, which made my dad proud. He told me that being good at fucking was genetic. Mak, as she asked me to call her, kissed me on the lips before I left. She told me that she would give me a freebie if I ever wanted to come back. Over the next few years, I fucked her a couple of times. It was never as good as the first time though. After awhile, she retired and married some fat Irish Mobster with a combover. I had sent her an expensive bottle of champagne for the wedding. Before I met Bella, I thought what my dad had done was great. I didn't see a problem with him taking his thirteen year old son to be banged by a whore. Now, when I look back on it, it was wrong. I would never do that to our son. A dad should give his son the sex talk, condoms, and information on women, but he shouldn't score his first time for him. Because of my father's actions that night, I became a slut. I fucked so many bitches that I couldn't keep count. I would have given anything to have lost my virginity to my babydoll but you couldn't go back. If she was willing to accept my past, then so was I. It was customary for the host to take the associates out for dinner when they came to his city. Liam wanted to go to Eleazar's so that's where we ended up. The Irish crew was loud and boisterous. I was sure that Eleazar and Carmen were getting noise complaints from the other tables. To avoid any fistfights or an

all out brawl, I comped some of the diner's meals. Liam was only in town for the night. He had to be in Portland in the morning. He gave me a bottle of rum that he'd gotten on his last trip to Ireland. We said out goodbyes. I was more than happy to see him and his crew leave. It's not that I didn't like their company, it was just that I was eager to pickup with Bella. We still had a lot of shit to work through. I drove through the streets of Seattle in a hurry to get home. I loved the way my fucking Phantom hugged the curves. I made it to the Penthouse in record time. Felix had already texted me to let me know Bella was home. He had orders to wait with her until I arrived. I got out of my car and took the elevator up. Those fucking doors couldn't open fast enough. When I got inside, I noticed that there were shopping bags everywhere. Alice, Bella, Felix, and Jasper were playing Monopoly. From the looks of it, my sprite of a sister was winning. Both she and Bella jumped up when they heard me enter. I kissed them both soundly on the cheek. Jasper and Felix just gave a nod. I politely kicked everyone out so that I could be alone with Bella. Alice whined about wanting to try on clothes, but when she saw my eyes she changed her mind. Jasper led her out by the hand. Finally, my babydoll and I were alone. She gave me shy smile. "How was your day Edward? I missed you. I'm sorry about all the bags but everyone ganged up on me. I felt like a mannequin." I leaned down and kissed her lips. She tasted faintly of chocolate. I sucked on her tongue. "It was boring without you babydoll. Don't be sorry about the stuff. This is your home too. You can make a mess if you want. I'm glad the girls got you some new stuff. You're too stubborn to buy anything for yourself." "I am not stubborn," she spat, causing us both to laugh. "So, did you guys to a titty bar, because they looked like the type that would enjoy that sort of thing." I smacked Bella on the ass. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you were jealous Ms. Swan. No, we didn't go to a strip club. The only titties I want to see are right here in this room." Bella looked up at me. "In this room? So, this is where you keep your porn stashed." She ran but I was quicker. I picked her up. We kissed passionately. The heat was building slowly. I was going to get some pussy tonight or die trying. Bella was making that fucking purring sound in the back of her throat. I knew that she was horny. I increased the pressure of my lips. Her hands fisted into my hair. She broke our kiss so that she could kiss my jaw. She flicked her tongue over my earlobe. I hissed into her neck. Her skin was so fucking soft and she felt so damn good. If we kept this up, I was going to come in my pants. Unfortunately, she broke away. "Sit down Edward. I want to give you your surprise." Unless it involved wet swollen pussy lips and a clit, I wasn't interested. I couldn't tell Bella that, so I did as I was told. She came out with a shopping bag in her hand. She looked excited so I played along. There were two t-shirts inside. One was black with 'D.I.L.F.' written in red letters across the chest. The other one was white and had the phrase 'Real men change diapers'. I fucking loved them both. They were something that I would actually wear and they told the world that I was going to be a father.

I turned to Bella. She was biting her lip nervously. "So, do you like them? I understand if you don't want to wear…" I silenced her with a sensual kiss. She moaned into my mouth. "Babydoll, they're fucking perfect. I will wear them all the time. I love you and our baby so much. I can't wait to be a father. I want everyone to know." Her answering smile was so bright that it fucking blinded me. My love for Bella was so deep that sometimes, like now, I got lost in it. We just stared at each other for a long time. I saw all her love for me in her eyes, and it made me feel like a superhero. Bella looked away first. Her voice was labored and husky. "So do you?" "What?" I asked. She pointed to the D.I.L.F shirt. "Do you want to fuck me Daddy Edward? I'd really like that." My eyes bugged out of my head. I swore that my dick clapped its imaginary hands. Every part of my body was ready. "Um….but….no sex…something else… Fuck! I can't think. Let's go to the bedroom." I sounded like a retard. She put her hand over my bulge. "I know what I said, but you were right. There's no point in us both missing out. I want you so bad that I ache. Please Edward, make the pain go away." I picked her up and ran to the bedroom. My clothes were off in nanoseconds. Bella giggled. "Wait here Edward. The t-shirts weren't your only surprise." She went back into the living room to get something. I heard her go into one of the guest rooms. If this was a fucking joke, I was going to ignore her for the rest of the week. My nuts were so fucking tight. My engorged cock stood tall and at attention. I laid down on top of the silk sheets. Even they didn't compare to my babydoll's skin. I almost fucking cried because I was finally going to get some pussy again. Fuck me. That was all that I could think when I looked in the door and saw Bella. She was wearing a black see through babydoll lingerie set with a G-string. There was flower embroidery on the crotch and breasts. Her long mahogany hair was in loose waves surrounding her shoulders. She had a little gloss on her lips but nothing else. In her hand was a set of fucking fuzzy handcuffs. Bella didn't move. She looked nervous. I was trying to control my heart rate before I passed out. Her eyes lowered. "I…um…know that I've gained some weight… and…maybe seeing me eat grossed you out. I…I can…um…understand if you can't…if you don't want…" I hopped out of the bed and knelt in front of her. She still wouldn't look at me. I kissed her bellybutton. "Bella, what are you talking about. You're so fucking gorgeous. You're the most beautiful woman in the world to me. I don't care how much fucking weight you gain. You're drop dead sexy. Seeing you eat turns me on beyond anything. It's my new fucking porno. You putting a spoon in your mouth makes me want to fucking come every time. Don't ever think that I find you unattractive. I want you so fucking bad. I want you all the time. I'm the lucky motherfucker. I'm thankful that you let me touch your body." She looked at me. There was moisture in her eyes. "That was beautiful Edward. It's just that when you didn't say anything for a while, I thought you were uninterested."

"Bella, I didn't say anything because you took my fucking breath away. Stay here while I get the camera. I want to take a picture of you in this, because I have a feeling that this particular outfit isn't going to make it through the night." I ran to my office to get my digital camera. Bella tried to hide but I got several flattering shots. When that was done, I lifted Bella and threw her on the bed. She squealed with delight. The sound did strange things to my heart. I loved making her happy. I put her hands behind her back and clicked the handcuffs in place. I made sure that they were not too tight. She fucking bucked against the mattress. My girl was a total sexpot. "Babydoll, remember what I promised you? About licking your pussy until you pass out? I'm going to make good on my word." She moaned quite loudly. "I want you Edward. I'm so wet for you baby." Her fucking words spurred me on. I could see her glistening folds through the flimsy G-string. I flipped her over, so that she was lying on her stomach. I kissed and licked up the back of her legs. Her skin was so flavorful, like a rich desert. I sucked on the skin at the back of her knees. She liked that a lot so I did it multiple times. She moaned into the bed. "What do you want babydoll? Where should I lick you?" "Everywhere! Lick me everywhere Edward. I'm so hot. Cool me off." I cupped her ass with both hands. I kissed the skin surrounding her G-string. I bit down into her juicy cheeks. Her head shot up. "Fuck Edward! I like that. Do it again." I was always surprised just how rough my innocent angel liked our sex. She was my fucking dream woman; a lady in the outside and a freak in the bedroom. I was gnawing on her luscious ass like a dog with a bone. I used my teeth to remove the G-string. Bella screamed when she heard the fabric tear. I chewed on it a little, soaking up my babydoll's addictive juices.. "Oh my god Edward! Did you just eat my panties?" I laughed because she sounded so panicked. "I told you that this fucking outfit wasn't going to make it through the night." The taste on the underwear whetted my appetite. Now I was ready for the real thing. I spread Bella's thighs apart. She was hot and glistening already. Her aroma was intoxicating. She was open and ready. My tongue dove in to her core. She bucked hard. I sucked and licked her to a quick orgasm. "Edward, so fucking good! More please!" "Your wish is my command babydoll." I turned her around so that was once again on her back. I lifted her legs over my shoulders. Then I buried my face in her pussy. It was heaven on Earth. Wetness oozed out of her snatch. I licked up every drop. I kissed her pussy like I would her lips. She made the most amazing sounds.

"Bella you taste so fucking good. You're my favorite fucking meal. I could O.D. on this shit." She was thrashing around, trying to get her hands free. I inserted a finger in her sopping pussy. It slid in easily because she was so wet. I added two more fingers. She screamed again. This time was louder than the last. I hadn't even got to her tits yet and she was close to her second orgasm. I lightly bit her clit. She came screaming my name. I was starting to feel a little smug. I decided to give her sensitive pussy a break and focus on her breasts. I opened the little babydoll top thingy that she was wearing. It didn't hide a goddamned thing. Her nipples were straining against the barely there fabric. I bit one of her nipples. Her eyes flew open. I looked up at her and then down at her breasts. "Watch me Bella. Look what I'm doing to you. I fucking own your body. No one else has or will ever see you like this. Say the fucking words babydoll. Say you belong to me." "I belong to you," she whispered. "Say it fucking louder! I want you to let the whole goddamned city know." I bit down on her other nipple. My hand went to her pussy. I flicked her clit with my thumb. "I fucking belong to you! I'm yours! Only you Edward, only you!" I tore the fabric of the chemise away with my teeth. It was in tatters around her body. I wasn't sure how much was spent on those little scraps of fabric but they were worth every penny. "Edward! You…ruined…the…whole…outfit!" I smirked. She was bare now. I went back to sucking on her beautiful tits. I opened my mouth wide so that I could suck in the whole breast. Bella's back arched off of the bed. I eased her back down. I bit the underside, savoring the salty taste of her sweat. It mixed with the sweet to create my ambrosia. My hand sped up in Bella's pussy. I was pushing my fingers in and out, in and out, and in and out at a frantic speed. I wanted to see her come again. Her heavy lidded eyes widened. Her body tensed. "Holy fucking shit! Edward! Edward! Stop, I can't!" She flew almost completely off of the bed. I had to put my arm over her chest to hold her down. I kissed her collarbones while she came down from her high. I licked up the juices that covered my hand. She was fucking better than any gourmet meal. My whole face was wet. Her cum was even in my fucking hair. I found that really fucking erotic. "Edward…I want your dick inside of me. I…I want you to fuck me from the front and back." I thought that she would need a little recovery time but clearly I was wrong. I flipped her again so that she was on her stomach. Both Bella and I really seemed to enjoy fucking doggy style. I raised her knees so that her ass was in the air again. I was so fucking close. I just hoped that I could make it good for Bella. I slid my dick over her slick opening, coating it with her wetness. She whined for me. I stuck the tip of my cock inside. It was the best fucking feeling in the world. I was surrounded by her wet heat. She was still so fucking tight. I could only push in a little of my cock at a time. My tigress was fucking impatient

though. She pushed her hips back, impaling her pussy on my dick. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Fuck my tight little pussy Edward! You know you want it. Let me give it to you!" I took time to thank whatever deity sent this little tigress to me. We never had to have that awkward discussion about dirty talk. She fucking loved it as much as I did. I thrust into her. Before she get used to the size, I pulled out. She moaned. I pushed in again, this time increasing the force. She met me thrust for thrust. I embedded my cock inside of her. "You are mine! Nothing has ever felt this good. Show me how much you want my dick. Fuck me Bella." She increased her movements with my words. My balls slapped against her ass. I was all the fucking way in. I placed my knees on either side of her. I leaned over until I could kiss her neck. I marked her for every fucker to see. I bit down and tasted blood. She screamed again. "Oh fuck! Fucking bite me again! Pour yourself into my body!" I bit the other side of her neck. She was getting fucking mauled but I couldn't stop. I sped up the pace of my hips. The bed was pounding into the wall. I reached down and pinched Bella's clit. Her walls clenched. The orgasm that she experienced was so strong that it repelled my cock from her body. She collapsed with me on top of her. I undid the handcuffs. "I'm not finished with you yet babydoll. You said front to back. Now I'm going to give it to you. Just hold onto me. I love you." I turned her onto her back. My babydoll's eyes were glassy and unfocused, like a heroin addicts. I could understand that because each time we fucked it was like getting high, only a billion times better. I was sure that my eyes looked wild too. "Do whatever you want Edward. It's all for you baby. You're mine. I love you." I licked inside her mouth. She gave me instant access to her delicious tongue. She moaned when she tasted herself in my mouth. That shit was so fucking hot. I licked the little bit of blood that was left on her neck. Bella had made me into a fucking vampire. We both loved biting each other. I had never been into that shit before but I was now. There was something about tasting her blood in my mouth that set me off. It was primal. "I'm going to fuck you until you pass out now babydoll. I'll see your sexy ass in the morning. I hope you dream of me fucking your sweet pussy all night long." I plunged back into Bella's heat. She wrapped her legs around my waist. I balanced myself on my forearms. She looked up at me. We shared a white hot kiss. My dick was doing exactly what my tongue was. I squeezed my babydoll's breasts. Our rhythm picked up. I was so fucking close. The only reason that I had lasted this long was because I wanted to give her what she wanted. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders. Her fingers played in my hair. She scratched the scalp lightly. I was making a sound between a purr and a growl. Bella laughed. I silenced her by rubbing her clit. She pulled my hair. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a patch in her hand. The pain felt good. I thrust into her faster. Our sweaty skin slapped against each other like ocean waves. "Fuck Edward! I'm going to fucking cum! I'm going to cover your huge cock in my cream. Make me

fucking come! Mark me!" I pumped two more times before we both fell apart. We screamed like two people facing the guillotine. I fucking growled into her neck. Her delicate teeth bit down into my shoulder. It felt like she took a chunk of skin. I kissed her. The faint taste of my blood was still on her tongue. Little balls of light danced in my eyes. I was a blind man and Bella was my guide. I slumped onto her little body. I didn't want to put too much weight on her, but I couldn't move. I was still inside of her but my dick was flaccid. I felt so fucking happy. She really was mine again. I had claimed her. Bella reached down and cupped my cock. "Welcome home Edward. You belong here. I love you." Her words and gentle rubbing got me hard again. I cursed a fucking blue steak. This time, we made love slowly. We rocked against each other until the pressure built. There was more love than need in this type of lovemaking. I bit the skin at the back of Bella's ear. She licked and bit my neck. We both held out until we couldn't take the pleasure anymore. We whispered 'I love you' in unison. This time our orgasms knocked the both of us unconscious. When I woke up, it was dawn. The lamps were still on. I got out of bed to turn them off. Bella sat up. She arched her back and yawned. "What time is it Edward?" "Almost six in the morning. We slept the whole fucking night." She batted her eyelashes at me. "I wonder what I did to make me so tired. If only I could remember." I lunged for her. She crawled away at the last minute. She was still fucking naked. My dick twitched. I stared at it. "Stay down man. You can't take any more fucking. I warned you before that she's trying to kill us." My babydoll fucking laughed at my antics. She excused herself to go to the bathroom. I slapped her bare ass as she passed. She rolled her eyes at me. I would make sure she paid for that shit later. Every part of my body was still tingling. I was fucking hungry too. Bella came back still butt ass naked. She ungracefully fell on top of me, barely missing my nuts. "Hey watch the boys. You almost took one out." "You don't need them anymore anyway. I'm already knocked up." I kissed her forehead. "You sure are, and it makes me so fucking happy. I pushed her down so that I could see her belly. I laid my cheek against the small roundness. "Hey little one. It's daddy again. I hope your mommy and me didn't make too much noise. Daddy loves you angel." I felt Bella's arm encircle my neck. She caressed my cheek. It was still surprising to me that an actual person was inside of her. Maybe it wouldn't be real until I actually saw our kid in person. My babydoll was in my fucking bed. We had just experienced mind blowing sex. And she was carrying my child. My life couldn't get any better.

We dressed and went to the kitchen to get something to eat. Bella fried bacon while I made eggs. She wanted waffles so I mixed the batter and put some in the machine. It didn't take that long before everything was done. I made her sit down so that I could pour her some juice. She mumbled something about me being 'controlling' but I ignored her. I watched in amazement as Bella drenched everything in syrup. She even licked the nozzle of the Mrs. Butterworth nozzle. She ate like it was her last fucking meal. I was so fucking pleased that I bounced in my seat. Alice and I were related after all. I made my babydoll a second plate. She ate this one sans syrup but she did make a sandwich out of her food. When she finished, she reached into her pocket and took out a small bottle of pills. "What are those?" It definitely wasn't Tylenol. "These are my prenatal vitamins. I have to take them every day." I held out my hand. "Give them to me. I'm going to put them into a pill counter. I'll make sure you take one every day." She handed them over. I knew the vitamins were helping her but I didn't like the fact that she had to take the thick pills daily. The bathroom trips, the mood swings, the cravings; it seemed to all be inconveniencing her life. "Bella…do…do you…regret getting pregnant by me. It just seems like it's a lot and you didn't have time to get used to us before it happened. I just want you to be happy." She stood up and walked to my chair. Then she straddled my lap. She buried her face in my neck. "I'm so very happy Edward. It's not perfect timing but it's what I always wanted. I love children and I can't wait to be a mother. As long as I'm with you, I'm perfect." "The same for me," I whispered. We were both still tired so we went back to sleep. As usual Bella used my chest as a pillow, not that I was fucking complaining. I heard her mumble my favorite words. My heart expanded. We slept for several hours until the sound of a phone buzzing woke us up. I answered it. It was Alice. She wanted to know when the couples prenatal yoga class was starting. Even though she wasn't pregnant, she insisted on taking it with Bella. Poor Jasper had to take it too because the instructor only taught in pairs. The classes were going to be held in my building. There were rooms in the gym that we could use. My babydoll took the phone. They discussed something called a 'onesie' for a few minutes. I had no clue what that fucking meant. They talked about Lamaze classes, epidurals, and a bunch of other things I knew next to shit about. My ears perked up when I heard Bella say that she would definitely be breastfeeding. I knew that some men had a fetish for lactation. I fully expected that I was going to be one of those men. The thought of sucking milk out of Bella's tits made me hard. Don't get me wrong, I didn't want to take away from my kid. I would just like to be able to enjoy too. Bella turned to me. "I have to go Alice. You're horny older brother got too excited listening to us talk about breastfeeding."

I heard Alice squeal, "TMI Bella! TMI," before my babydoll hung up. She licked her lips. "Now where were we Mr. Cullen? We have a lot of lost time to make up for. Make me pass out again." I pounced on her. We never left the bed that day. Bella did indeed pass out in my arms. There was something very important that I had to do. It was going to change our lives forever. I sent a text to the one person whose help I would need the most. Mom, I'm ready. Let Operation Propose to Bella begin. -Edward-

Oh sweetheart! I just knew it. I'll start first thing in the morning -EsmeI fell asleep with the future Mrs. Edward Masen Cullen in my arms. There was no place else I would have rather been. ~*!*~

Chapter Twenty-One ~ The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face "The first time ever I saw your face I thought the sun rose in your eyes And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave To the dark and the empty skies The first time ever I kissed your mouth I felt the earth move in my hands Like the trembling heart of a captive bird That was there at my command my love The first time ever I lay with you I felt your heart so close to mine And I knew our joy would fill the Earth And last, and last, and last till the end of time The first time ever I saw your face Your face Your face Your face" --The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Leona Lewis BPOV "Yes Edward! Oh God! Right there!" My sweaty body arched all the way in the air. I was cumming hard off of my second orgasm of the night. My gorgeous boyfriend was between my legs, pleasuring me with his gifted tongue. There were no words to describe how it felt when he licked me. If there were an award for cunnilingus, I'd nominate him for first prize.

The coil that had built in my muscles released. I fell bonelessly to the couch. Edward was still lapping at my sensitive clit. I pulled his hair a couple of times to let him know that I was done. He had been down there for over an hour, prolonging my release. He would suck me until I was close and then remove his mouth altogether. It was agonizing, but it made my orgasm a hundred times better. Finally, Edward removed his talented mouth from my dripping core. He had licked up almost everything. "Babydoll, I could eat your sweet pussy forever. You're the only woman Bella; the only woman that I've ever gone down on. I wish that you were my first everything but know you're my first in that." I pulled him up to my lips for a sloppy kiss. My juices were all over his lips and tongue but that just turned me on more. We took turns licking and exploring each other's mouths. Every time we kissed, it was better than the last. I was so in love with Edward that it even amazed me. I never knew that my heart had the capacity to love someone so much. His long fingers drew circles around my naked thighs, leaving a trail of heat etched into my skin. I fisted a handful of his copper hair to draw him closer. If I could, I would have consumed his whole body. I wanted Edward all the time. I wasn't sure if it was my pregnancy hormones or the time apart that made me lust after him so much. We'd had sex on almost every surface of the Penthouse. Our kisses were so desperate that we bruised each other's lips. Edward broke away so he could take a breath. His right hand moved to my puckered nipples. He pinched one, causing me to thrust into his boxer clad penis. He was so big and hard for me. "Fuck! You can't do that babydoll. I'm going to fucking jizz in my boxers." I thrust into him again, laughing when he let out an irritated sigh. "I want you to take your underwear off and fuck me hard, Edward." I bit down on his earlobe for emphasis. He tried to sit up but I had him in a vice grip. He was mine and I wasn't about to let him go. "You know I'm going to pound your sweet pussy until you see stars. Fuck! I just need a minute. If you want me to be good to you, you have to give me a minute to calm the fuck down. You don't have a fucking clue how crazy you make me." He was wrong. I had several clues. Edward went into a sort of frenzy when he was inside of me. I noticed it the first time we made love, but it was even more so now. He had started saying things in my ear; phrases in another language. The way he said the words in the heat of passion made them sound like they were wrenched from his very soul. There was also something…off about Edward lately. He would look at me like he wanted to say something but then he'd just shake his head. He was also extremely happy. I was glad that he was in a good mood but it was strange. The pregnancy had turned him into a big marshmallow. There was nothing that I could ask for that Edward wouldn't get for me. He bragged to everyone about how he knocked me up while I was on birth control. It was highly embarrassing but cute. Everything about him was brighter. He'd been eating healthier and working out. His chest was a work of art. He was always toned but now it was more pronounced. I licked my lips each time he took his shirt off. Unfortunately, other women noticed too and it made me jealous. I was turning into a beach ball and my boyfriend was becoming even more of a sex god. If I needed anymore evidence that God was a man, that fact provided it.

Deep in my gut, I knew it was silly to be jealous. Edward loved me and didn't show any interest in those other women who practically threw themselves at him. A part of me was flattered that someone like him could love me so much. The other part was worried that he would want to trade me in for a better model someday. The most astonishing thing of all was his need for me. We cuddled together all the time, just basking in our love for one another. At first, I felt almost guilty for my insatiable sexual craving for Edward, but when I saw that he wanted me just as much, I began to feel powerful. He worshiped my body. I had never felt sexier. Edward kissed my cheek. "Babydoll, where the fuck did you go? I've been asking the same fucking question for five minutes. Are you all right?" I blinked at him. I was so deep in thoughts that I hadn't heard a word he said. "I'm sorry Edward. I was just thinking. What were you asking me?" I let him go so he could sit up. Then, I put an arm over my breasts. I knew it was stupid after all that we'd done, but after my musings, I was feeling a little self conscious. He smiled that smile that made my nether regions tingle. "You're so fucking beautiful. I was asking you if you wanted to move to the bedroom. I don't want you do be uncomfortable." I reached down so that I could take Edward's cock out of his boxers, causing him to hiss loudly. I pushed him down so that I could straddle his waist. He let out a groan that shook the couch. We were going to ruin the beautiful Italian leather with our fierce lovemaking, but I didn't care and neither did Edward. I sucked on his strong jaw. "I'm comfortable right here. Just lay back and let me do all the work." A strong shudder went through his body as I licked his ear. We kissed until neither one of us had any oxygen. I licked and bit a trail down Edward's torso. When I sucked his nipples, he bucked against me. I bit down on his muscular abs, basking in the beauty of his body. I pulled his boxers away to reveal his manhood. It was thick and veined just like always. The tip had a little pre-cum. Edward lifted his hips so that I could pull the rest of the offending fabric off. We were both fully nude. I licked the drop of cum off of Edward's head. He groaned. "Shit! Shit! Bella, I'm being fucking serious here. If you keep doing that shit, I'm going blow my load and you won't get fucked properly." I just hummed and sucked him into my mouth. His curses filled the air. I gave his dick one last chaste kiss before letting it go. "Fine! You win, but only because I want to feel you in my pussy. I still owe you a blowjob though, and I always pay my dues." I crawled to the other side of the couch and perched myself over the arm rest. I wanted it to be hard and fast this time, because he had already done slow and gentle by licking me. I thought Edward would be right behind me but he wasn't. I craned my neck so that I could see him. He was still sitting in the same spot, staring at me with a funny look on his face. "What's the matter Edward?" I was starting to get nervous. Had I done something to gross him out? His cock was still rock hard so clearly he was still aroused. He started fidgeting and playing with his hands. "It's just…um…I have an urge…an urge to…never mind.

It's fucking stupid." My mind conjured up all kinds of things that Edward might want to do with me. We didn't have cookie-cutter sex by any means, but if he didn't even want to tell me what he was imagining, it must have been pretty out there. Still, I loved and trusted him to take care of me. I turned around so that I could look Edward in the eye. He met my gaze head on. We stared at each other for several minutes. The tension in the room was as thick as smoke. If he didn't make a move soon, I was going to start playing with myself. "Edward, you can tell me. Whatever it is, I won't get mad. Just spit it out." He grimaced. "Don't think I'm some kind of a fucking asshole. I mean, if you don't want to do it, it's fine. I was just wondering…if…if you would let me…cum on your ass. I know it fucking sounds misogynistic…" I let out the breath I had been holding. I had begun to think that he wanted me to take it up the ass. It wasn't that I might never do that with him, it was just something that we would have to work up to. I took my previous position over the armrest. "Cullen! Get your sexy ass over here and fuck me! You have permission to cum all over any part of my body." He was behind me in an instant. His hands reached under me so that he could palm my breasts. They were a little tender sometimes because of the pregnancy so Edward was always gentle. He laid a soft kiss on the back of my neck. I moved my hair to the side to give him better access. He dipped a finger into my core. I pushed back, urging him on. He must have gotten the hint because he added another finger. At the same time, his thumb squeezed my clit. I mewled like a kitten. Edward rested his head against my back. "I love you so fucking much Bella. It's never just sex with us. No matter what we do, it's never just fucking. It's the only way I can get as close as I need to be. You fucking own me babydoll." I felt the familiar trickle of tears behind my eyes. My hormones turned me into a blubbering mess sometimes. Edward didn't help my tear ducts by saying all those beautiful things all the time either. During my absence, he had become more romantic. The things he'd said to me lit an eternal fire in my heart. I reached behind me so that I could stroke his thigh. "Please Edward. I need to feel you inside of me. My love for you knows no bounds." He shook and held me closer. My hand stayed on his thigh while he guided himself to me. The sensation of being completely filled up was mesmerizing. Every cell in my body was attuned to the feel of Edward inside of me. I let out a small moan, which caused Edward to thrust. Before I could get used to the feel he pulled out. A second later he joined us again. "You're always so fucking tight Bella. This…this is why I'm alive. I never really lived until I had you." His arm snaked around to flick my clit. I was dangerously close to coming again. Edward sucked on my neck. He licked a trail to my shoulder. I came apart. "I'm going to cum! Harder Edward!" I made noise that would have embarrassed me had I heard them on

playback. My toes curled as the orgasm shook me to the core. Edward kept up his relentless pounding, pulling my hips to him. He was the only thing holding me up at that point. He was in so deep that I could feel his balls against my butt. I put my head down on the armrest and let him continue his pounding. It felt so good that all I could do was whimper. Edward was saying something in what sounded like another language. His whole body was against mine and he was pumping furiously. He bit my shoulder. He was mumbling. I listened closer so that I could make out what he was saying. I had only taken a little Spanish in school. I wasn't a linguist but I recognized that he was speaking Italian. "Voglio passare il resto della mia vita con te. Sei la mia anima gemella. You siete la donna che più bella ho visto mai. Non posso vivere senza voi." He was saying it over and over again, like a prayer. Even though I didn't know what the words meant, they were beautiful and spoken with so much emotion that I cried. My stomach tightened. Edward was ruining my neck yet again. I was going to have some major love bites. I smiled at the thought. I secretly liked the fact that he wanted to show everyone that I was his. My orgasm caught me by surprise. A billion lights exploded behind my eyes. I gripped the couch and screamed until I could see again. My body was boneless. I felt complete, like nothing could ever take me away from happiness. I vaguely felt Edward pull out of me. "I'm cumming! Fuck babydoll!" That's all he said before I felt his sticky ejaculate coat my buttocks. I was happy to let him coat me in his jizz. I stayed still as he finished. When he was done, he stood up. I wanted to ask where he was going but my voice didn't work yet. He came back a minute later with a digital camera. I watched in amazement as he took a picture of my ass. After a couple of clicks, he sat the camera on the coffee table and turned me around. I was still shocked that he wanted a picture of me like that. It shouldn't have surprised me though because throughout the week I'd been here, Edward had taken thousands of photos of me. He wrapped his arms around my body and I snuggled into his chest. "Um…Edward…why would you want a picture of that? It's okay that you took it but it's a little weird." "Bella, that was fucking amazing. I wanted a picture so I would always have that image; in case you never let me do that shit again. Thank you so fucking much. You…you were perfect. I love you." I kissed his chest, right over his beating heart. "You're very welcome, and I promise that you will get to cum on me again. Maybe we can try my tits next time." He smacked me on the ass. "I swear you're going to fucking kill me babydoll. I don't have the strength to fuck you again right now. Let's go take a normal shower and then go to bed. I'm tired as fuck." I giggled. My arms were at his lower back. I moved them down to cup his butt cheeks. I squeezed them as I sucked on his nipples. His cock hardened again. When I looked up, his eyes were dark again with lust. I slapped him on the ass and then I ran. He caught me before I made it to the bedroom. The next hour was spent making love in the shower. We made good use of the wall seat and the massaging shower head. By the time we got out, we were both spent. I felt like I could sleep forever. Edward helped me put on underwear and a pair of sleep shorts. We liked sleeping skin to skin so I didn't

bother with a top. Edward just threw on a pair of blue silk boxers. He scooped me up and carried me to the bed. It was so big and comfortable; like sleeping on a cloud. I snuggled down into my pillow. Edward crawled in, spooning me from the back. He laid his hand over my small bump. I felt loved. "Sweet dreams Bella and baby. I love you both so much that it hurts. You're mine forever and that makes me the luckiest man in the world." He kissed my naked shoulder, making goose bumps break out on my skin. He said something else but I was already half asleep. When I woke up, it was raining outside. I looked at the clock. It was a little after seven in the morning. Edward's hand was on my breast now. I smiled, gently removing him so that I could sit up. My body felt languid and I had to pee. Quietly, as to not wake up my lover, I tip toed to the bathroom. When I was done, I looked in the mirror. My hair was a mess because I was too tired to brush it last night. Edward liked to do that for me lately, but he was just as exhausted as me from our lovemaking. I brushed out what I could and put it in two loose braids. I was way too old for pigtails but it was a comfortable style and easy. The wardrobe closets were in an adjoining room. Edward had so many clothes that he needed extra space. Since I'd moved in, Esme and my sisters had taken me shopping several times, so now I had enough clothes to fill half of my side. Most of the outfits were things that I loved. Esme had a knack for finding elegant yet comfortable maternity clothes. I wasn't very big yet, but my old clothes didn't fit anymore. I had only been in the Penthouse a week and already it felt like home. I rubbed my bump and cooed to the baby as I searched for something to wear. We had therapy this morning and then lunch with Rosalie and Emmet. I was glad we were going to be spending some time with them because we saw Alice and Jasper all the time. My brother was so happy now. Alice decided that she wanted a Valentine's Day wedding in San Francisco, so that was what she was going to get. I had never been to the Bay Area and was super excited. By then, I would likely be waddling like a duck. Alice had asked me to be her maid of honor. I only agreed once she assured me that my bridesmaids dress would cover me, which probably meant a muumuu. I shuddered at the thought. I felt like taking a swim but that would have to wait until later. Our Penthouse had a private glass enclosed swimming pool and hot tub on the terrace. We had made love in both of them but it was nice to use them for recreational purposes too. I blushed, thinking of the things Edward had done to me in the water. Pulling my mind out of the gutter, I chose a new pair of black skinny jeans. I paired them with a cashmere scoop neck hunter green sweater with a sequined bodice. My boobs had gotten bigger and I liked showing them off a bit. Caveward didn't like it though. We'd had many an argument over me choosing clothes that would make other guys 'eyefuck' me in public. I didn't believe him when he claimed that guys were checking me out. I was pregnant for Christ's sake. I took my clothes to the bathroom so that I could change. I put on a plain black cotton underwear set. I was too lazy to attempt my hair on an empty stomach so I left it in the ponytails. I would loosen and straighten it later. I added a little gold shimmer to my eyelids. Edward didn't like me to wear much makeup, which was fine with me because I never wore much before I met him.

When I was done dressing, I went to the kitchen to start on breakfast. Edward and I had been taking turns making each other meals. He had come a long way from the man that burnt toast. He was a fast learner and perfectionist. He liked to decorate the plate until it looked like an art piece. I took out the steak that I'd marinated the night before. I put them in the oven to cook. Then, I started making scrambled eggs with cheese. That task didn't take too long so I moved on to the bagels. Edward liked dark rye and I liked cinnamon raisin. I made enough of both for each of us. The only thing that needed time to cook was the steak so I decided to write another chapter of my novel. I had started it while I was in Spokane, in hopes that I would be published someday. Since I wouldn't be going back to school, I had more time to devote to writing. I was grateful that Edward had given me my engraved Macbook Air back. Tonight, I would be returning to HADES. Edward didn't want me to work but I wanted to see my friends again. Plus, he needed the help. Alice was planning on opening a boutique and didn't have the time to commit. Also, I didn't want Edward to get another secretary that would spend her time drooling all over him. I was just as possessive of him as he was of me. Well, maybe not quite so much. When the buzzer went off, I stood up to take the steaks out of the oven. They smelled perfect and looked great. I'd already eaten two bagels while I was writing but I was still starving. I cut up some cantaloupe and pineapple. After that, I put everything on the table. Before I could sit down, I heard heavy boots coming toward the kitchen. My Edward was awake. I wanted to squeal like a silly school girl. I looked up as he entered the kitchen. He was heart stopping in his designer blue jeans that showed off how endowed he was. I blushed. He was wearing his DILF t-shirt and black Timberland boots. Overall, he looked like sex on a stick. I wanted to lick him until my mouth ran dry. I stood still while he walked over to me. He hugged me to his chest and kissed the top of my head. I inhaled his masculine scent before he let me go. He gave me a proper kiss on the lips. I almost melted into the floor. "Good morning babydoll. You look fucking amazing this morning, but those jeans have got to go. I'll be damned if I have to watch some motherfucker pitch a tent over your tight little ass. On second thought, change the whole damn outfit. I can see the tops of your tits in that sweater." I rolled my eyes and stepped away. I didn't have the energy to deal with Caveward this early. "Edward, I'm not changing. No one is looking at me. I'm pregnant and my ass is huge." He grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him. "You are fucking perfect, Bella. You're a beautiful woman. Too many fuckers notice you and I don't like it. And why in the fuck are you wearing pigtails? Are you trying to kill me?" My jaw dropped. "I just put my hair like this until I finished breakfast. Why would pigtails 'kill you? Seriously, you're being ridiculous Edward." He crushed his lip to mine. When he was finished, I was panting. "Those fucking pigtails make me think of naughty school girls and shit. I went to a private Catholic high school. All those supposedly good girls were sluts. I bagged more pussy…" He stopped and rubbed his neck. "Um…sorry Bella. I know you don't want to hear that shit." I wanted to know but it would only make me angry. Edward left me and took his seat. His emerald eyes

sparkled when he saw the steak. I smiled and put two on his plate. He put vanilla cream cheese on my bagel as I poured the juice. "I'm so jealous of you Edward. I'd kill to have coffee." He shook his head. "No fucking way babydoll. You heard what Carlisle said; too much caffeine can cause high blood pressure and a possible miscarriage. I'm not risking anything happening to you or our baby." I stuck my tongue out at him. "Thank you Mr. Responsible. I know I can't have coffee; I just wish that I could. I wouldn't ever do anything to harm our child." Edward sighed. "I know you wouldn't Bella. I just worry for you. All those fucking pregnancy books have made me paranoid. You are already a great mother." We started eating. I shoveled forkfuls of steak and eggs in mouth occasionally taking time to chew. Whatever I was carrying in my belly was making me incredibly hungry all the time. The only time I felt full was after lots of food or sex. Edward was watching me with a smile on his face. He did that a lot. I ignored him and finished my food. He got up to make me a second plate without being asked. He was so in tune with my needs and wants that it was scary sometimes. I thanked him and ate my second helping. Eventually, we finished and Edward loaded the dishwasher. He never let me do the tiniest little thing that he considered manual labor. It was easier just not to argue. That was why I'd made breakfast before he got up. I went back into the bedroom to do my hair. Edward walked up behind me holding the brush. We smiled at each other in the mirror. He undid my braids and pulled the bristles through my hair. It felt divine. He was always cautious so he wouldn't hurt me. I leaned back into his chest. When he was done, he twirled me around. I laughed up at him. It was one of my perfect moments to file away when life got tough again. We didn't have any music but we waltzed around the floor. Edward settled his hands on my hips and guided my steps. I glanced at the mirror to see how we looked. The image blew me away. In that moment I found something out about myself that I had forgotten; I wanted to be Mrs. Bella Cullen. The realization shocked me. I stumbled in my steps but Edward kept me in place. It wasn't that I never thought of marriage; I just hadn't thought of it lately. I thought that I was content in just being Edward's girlfriend and the mother of his child. After seeing us like this together made me think of our future wedding. My only fear was that I wasn't one hundred percent sure that Edward wanted to marry me. He expressed interest before but that was a while ago. A lot had changed between us since then. Maybe he was happy keeping our arrangement like it was. That thought filled me with sadness because I desperately wanted to be his wife. My emotions got the best of me. I started to cry. Edward noticed and stopped dancing. His eyes were full of questioning worry. "What's wrong babydoll? Are you sick?" He sounded hysterical. I managed to shake my head. "I'm okay. I was just feeling emotional watching us dance. My hormones have turned me into a teary mess."

He kissed my forehead. "Stop putting yourself down babydoll. If you feel like crying; then fucking cry. I can't even begin to imagine what your body and brain must be going through. I'm always here for you." I hugged him tightly. "You know what would make me really happy?" He shook his head. "Can I drive today? You've barely let me take out my Range Rover since I got here. Pretty please Edward." I batted my eyelashes and gave him my puppy dog look. He was visibly upset. His threaded his fingers through his hair over and over again. I just sat and watched the show. He would let me have my way eventually. I was smug enough to know that I had him wrapped around my pinky finger. "Shit! Okay, you can drive but not the Range. Um…how about my new Mercedes M-class hybrid? It's the same as Carlisle's but mine is bullet and bomb proof. It's good for the fucking environment too." I knew next to nothing about cars, but if it was the same as Dr. Cullen's, then it would be easy to drive. I agreed and we headed down to the garage. I had to fight Edward off of me in the elevator. His sneaky hands kept palming my ass. "Edward, stop! Do you want to be late like last week? I can barely look Dr. Russo in the eye. You could just tell that she knew what we'd been doing before we got there." Edward just smiled and tucked his hands into his pockets. He was wearing a new leather jacket that fit him perfectly. With the jeans and boots, he looked big and dangerous. His bronze hair had that sexed up look and his green eyes were bright. He had shaved so his face was as smooth as a baby's bottom. My panties were suddenly very damp. I was still in a daze by the time we got to the car. Edward opened the door and handed me the keys. The SUV was dark blue. It was sleek and looked very expensive. I adjusted my seat and rearview mirror. The smell of apples and cinnamon permeated the car. It was one of my calming smells because it reminded me of my mother. She had always kept something baking in the kitchen oven. "Edward, I really like this car. It's my favorite of all. I'm surprised you chose blue because most of your others are black. And why does it smell like pie? I like the scent but it seems kind of feminine for you." He turned to look at me. For some reason he seemed…scared. "Bella, don't kill me when I tell you this." I squinted my eyes. He was up to no good. "This is your car. The tag and title are in your name. I traded in your Range towards the cost so you really can't complain. I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep you from driving forever and I wanted you and our baby to be safe." I was angry that he hadn't discussed this with me but I could see the rationale. James was going to come for me eventually and I needed to do everything I could to keep my baby safe. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. It was rather sweet of him to be so concerned. Besides, I loved the car. It was the perfect color and everything. "You're forgiven. Just promise to never let me Google the price. I don't want to know how much you spent." I didn't even want to think how extra money he had to put up to get me the Mercedes. I'd never been into expensive things but Edward was, so I tried not to give him too much trouble. He smiled and nodded his head. On the ride over, we bantered while listening to the News. The Alec being a crooked Agent story had started to die down. I hated that his legacy as a cop was so corrupted, but

I understood that it was the only way to keep him alive. I was still nervous about my earlier wish. Even though Edward and I had problems, I really did want to marry him. I was scared that he would reject the idea. Our relationship already had cracks that needed to be fixed. We arrived at our destination with ten minutes to spare. Surprisingly, Edward didn't complain about how slow I'd driven. He was so patient that I wondered if he was still sitting next to me. I glanced over. He was still there all right, burning a hole in my head. I raised my eyebrow in question. He smirked. "It's nothing. It's just hard not to stare at you sometimes. You fascinate me. I've never let a woman drive me anywhere since I was a teenager. It just feels weird but you look so fucking hot. Watching you clutch the fucking steering wheel makes me hard every time." I swallowed. Edward got turned on from pretty much everything I did. If we had sex as much as he wanted to, we would never get anything done. I couldn't talk though because lately, I was just as bad. "Well…uh…thanks. I'm always happy to entertain you." When we got to our destination, I parked in the private visitor's lot. The building was small with only six floors. Dr. Russo's office was on the fifth one. She had turned out to be better than I thought. Edward was the one that chose her based on Emmett's recommendation. I was a little shy during our first meeting and spent most of the time listening. Edward had talked a lot about how he didn't feel worthy of my love. I'd told him that he was being stupid but he didn't listen. There were two men standing in the lobby waiting for the elevator. Edward wanted us to wait for the next one but I thought that would be a waste. One of the men turned to me and said hello. I smiled and returned his greeting. He was tall and looked to be in his thirties. He had very pale blonde hair that was almost the color of Caius'. Edward pulled me to his side. His arm encircled my waist like a chain. It was pretty embarrassing. The two men got into the elevator first. Edward and I followed. He kept turning around to look at them. The guy whom I hadn't spoken to, bolted the second the door opened on the third floor. Whatever stare Edward sent him had scared him badly. The second guy got out on the next floor. He winked at me before exiting. Edward tried to pull away but I held him tight. The last thing I needed was to have to bail him out of jail. We sat out in the hallway, waiting for Dr. Russo. Our hands automatically clasped together. We couldn't get enough of each other's touch. Edward was truly my soulmate. I smiled at the thought. She came out in a fitted black suit. She was in her early forties and still single. Her skin was a dusky olive and she had shoulder length dark red hair. Her eyes were light brown and friendly. Dr. Russo was a beautiful woman but she didn't flaunt it. I respected h er professionalism and poise. She reminded me of Di and Esme. They all oozed class and refinement. I hoped that one day I would be like them. We took seats on the white leather couch. Dr. Russo took a seat behind her desk. She was wearing her glasses today. "Bella, Edward, it's nice to see you both. Did you practice the intimacy exercise I suggested?" Edward and I looked at each other. She had asked us to have a romantic evening without sex. It had gone

well for awhile; okay for maybe like an hour. It was the first time we'd ever had sex in the Phantom. My breasts hardened at the memory. With one quick peek, I could see that Edward remembered too. His erection was straining his jeans. He took off his leather jacket and put it over his lap. Dr. Russo laughed. "I take it the no sex part didn't work for you guys." I blushed. "That's okay. It's important for a couple to have a healthy sex life, but you can't let it control your relationship. Bella, you barely said anything last time. What are your concerns dear?" I crossed my legs. "Um…I…I'm afraid that Edward will realize that he can do better and leave me. He has reassured me that he wouldn't do that but people change. I'm scared that he won't want me once I'm a mother." I had surprised myself by being so honest. Dr. Russo was about to comment but Edward stopped her. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look in his eyes. "I won't ever fucking leave you Bella! How many goddamn times do I have to say this shit? I love you. I can't live without you. I want you now and forever. I'll still want you when you're a great-great grandmother. You're my fucking life! It's you that can do better." I turned my head away. Dr. Russo wrote something down in her notepad. Edward growled his frustrations. He mumbled something that I couldn't decipher. Although I'd made him angry, it felt good to get my worries out in the open. "Edward, Bella is entitled to her feelings. Please refrain from yelling. This is a place to discuss your relationship rationally. If you want me to help you, you have to have some control." She focused her attention on Edward. "Now, why don't you tell me why Bella's statement made you so angry?" "Because it's fucking bullshit! She's the one that left me. I'm so fucking afraid that she's going to do it again. I survived it the first time but it was hell. My whole fucking life was empty. Yeah, I fucked up. I fucking drove her away by being an asshole, but I've learned my lesson. I'm just not sure that she's forgiven me for the shit I've said and done." My nerves were a mess so I played with my diamond necklace. I had forgiven Edward but a part of me was still kind of hurt that he'd wanted to cheat. I never told him that I had nightmares about him sleeping with other women but I did. I didn't know what I would do if he was ever unfaithful to me. I turned to Edward. His head was down and his hands were resting in his lap. He looked defeated. I placed one of my hands over his. We exchanged a look. I saw all that I needed to see in his eyes. He was telling the truth. "I'm sorry that I doubted you Edward. It's not your fault that I'm so insecure. I love you and I promise to never leave your side again. I'm here as long as you want me to be." He kissed the back of my hand. "I want you forever and then in the afterlife. A monster like me can't ask for heaven, but even the devil can gaze upon an angel now and again." I squeezed his fingers. "Edward, there's no heaven for me without you. If you truly believe I belong there, then so do you. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past. You're a good man and you're mine." Edward pulled me into his lap. We shared a heated kiss until Dr. Russo interrupted. I had forgotten that she was there. "Well it looks like you two are meant to be together. I'm glad that I got to see your deep bond. It won't be

hard for me to put you two back on track." I relaxed. We spent the rest of the session discussing trust. Edward told me how important I was to him repeatedly. I didn't know that my departure had affected him so profoundly. He confessed to not getting out of bed for days and spending nights getting sloppy drunk. Whatever happened, I vowed to never leave his side again. "Well that's all I have for you two today. I would like the both of you to spend an evening doing something wild. Not too wild because Bella is pregnant, but have fun. One of the biggest things that can kill a relationship is boredom. We will discuss what you did during our next session. Edward and I both nodded our heads. On the way out, I noticed the sign on the door. It said Dr. A. Russo. I looked over at her. "Doctor, what does the A. stand for?" She smiled. "Athenadora. My mother was a bit insane." We all laughed. It was an odd name but kind of beautiful. Thankfully, we were the only people in the elevator this time. Edward held me in his arms the whole ride. When we got to the car, he helped me in before taking the passenger's seat. I was thrilled that I didn't have to argue with him about driving. Couple's therapy was really working out well for us. We still had an hour to kill before lunch. Later, we were going to meet the woman that would be teaching us couples prenatal yoga. Edward seemed less than excited about taking the class but he was doing it for me. I, on the other hand, was very eager to begin. "Edward, you really don't have to take the yoga class with me. I can just ask Alice to be my partner so you and Jaz can be let off the hook. It's incredibly sweet that you were willing to." He looked at me like I was crazy. "I want to get closer to you, so I'm taking the fucking class. Besides, seeing you in those yoga shorts and exercise bra will keep me interested. Remember what I said Bella; there's nothing that I wouldn't do for you and our baby." I blushed. "Okay, but I hope your old bones can take it. You're nearly thirty now." I winked at him. He turned away from me. "Babydoll, does my age bother you? I'm only five fucking years older than you but…" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Edward was insecure about his age. Honestly, I only joked about it to make him laugh. For some reason, he'd started to take everything I said way too seriously. "Edward…I never…I never meant it to be like that. You're the perfect age for me. Thirty is still very young. I was only joking." He still looked a little down so I decided to do something that would cheer him up. I drove to Alki beach. It used to be one of me and Jaz's favorite places to hang out. The weather was nice today, which was a rarity in Seattle. There was somewhere that I wanted to take Edward. This would be my 'wild' thing to tell Dr. Russo next week. "Why are we headed to the beach Bella? I thought you wanted to go shopping at the mall." I winked at Edward. "I can go shopping anytime. This will be much better. Trust me." I knew that he could see the twinkle in my eyes.

He groaned. "I trust you to be up to no good. I love you so fucking much that I let you do anything." I giggled. When we got to the beach, I parked in one of the deserted spaces. Edward came around to open my door for me. He was such a gentleman. I kissed him on the lips. We joined hands as I led him to my special spot on the beach. We stopped in front of the Alki Point Lighthouse. It had a great view of Puget Sound. The only problem was that it wasn't open to the public anymore. I knew a way that we could sneak in though. "Edward, let's go around to the back fence. I hope you don't mind trespassing. I want to go inside." He nodded. "You know I don't fucking care about that shit. I've broken more serious laws but I'm surprised that a policeman's kid would be so reckless. You're a naughty girl Bella." I reached out and stroked him. "I'm only naughty with you. Besides, Dr. Russo said to do something wild. This is my idea. You get the next turn." I tried to pull my hand away but he held it in place. "Holy fucking hell, babydoll! You have no idea how fucking turned on I am. I swear that one day, my fucking dick is just going fall off." He had to inhale and exhale a few times before he let me go. I smiled, liking that I had that power over him. We snuck around to the back where someone had cut through the fence. Edward held it open so I could go in first. It was highly exhilarating to break the law, even if it was just trespassing. I wrapped my arms around his waist once he got through. Edward and I climbed the stairs until we reached the top. The view was spectacular. We held hands, looking out over the ocean. The water was very calming to me. This was another one of those moments that I would file away to keep forever. Edward's strong arms were around me. His sandalwood scent mixed with the sea salt air. I was in my own version of heaven. I rubbed my belly and coed love words to the baby. Edward put his hand over mine. I stood on my toes so that I could kiss him. Our tongues touched like old lovers. The heat between us was stifling. Edward put his hand on my buttocks and pulled me closer. I moaned in his mouth. He deepened the kiss. It was wild and electric. It was the essence of us; two people that couldn't live without each other. I pushed Edward against the wall. He started to speak but I covered his lips with my fingers. "Don't speak, just feel." I looked him in the eye as I unbuckled his pants. "I love you," I whispered. Then I got down on my knees. He leaned his head against the wall while I took him into my mouth. His hands went to my hair. I could feel him softly scratching the scalp. I stroked his cock with one hand, while cupping his balls with the other. He thrust into my mouth as I increased the pressure. His taste was always amazing but mixed with the ocean air, it was intoxicating. I licked up the underside just like he liked. He groaned and pushed my head down further. "Tu sei l'unico per me," he murmured. His hips were bucking rapidly. I took him down my throat. He screamed. "Fucking shit! That's so fucking good babydoll! Don't stop." I did it again until I couldn't breathe anymore. I removed my mouth from his shaft. I sucked and gently bit his balls. He made a strangled sound, like a wet cat. I kissed each one of his thighs. Then, I took him back

in my mouth. I sucked on the head. When my teeth gently scraped against his tip, he pulled my hair. I took him down my throat one last time. He exploded screaming my name. I swallowed every drop of his cum and licked him clean. He pulled me up to his chest. The intensity in his eyes almost floored me. He pulled me to his chest and sucked in my essence. It wasn't just a kiss; it was a declaration of deep love. His big body was still trembling from the aftershocks. He was beautiful in his post coital glow. The sun shining through the window highlighted his every feature. He was perfection defined. "You're so beautiful, Edward," I mumbled. He kissed me on both of my cheeks, which were as red as an apple. "I'm nothing special compared to you Bella. You're beauty is ethereal, like an angel come to life. " Of course I blushed harder at his words. Unfortunately my stomach growled and killed the moment. Edward laughed and rubbed my belly. "I take it my little mother is hungry. Let's get out of here so we can get you fed." He took my hand and led me out of the lighthouse. We made it back to the car without being stopped. Edward never took his eyes off of me. I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world. "Edward, what did you say to me in the lighthouse? It sounded Italian." He smiled. "You're right. Tu sei l'unico per me. It loosely translates to: you're the only one for me. I don't speak Italian that much anymore but you bring it out of me. It's the language of love." My heart beat faster. Watching Edward's lips move as he spoke in that accent was a major turn on. "What did you say last night while we were making love?" He placed my palm over his heart. ""Voglio passare il resto della mia vita con te. Sei la mia anima gemella. You siete la donna che più bella ho visto mai. Non posso vivere senza voi. My eyes watered because there was so much emotion in those words. He smiled at me. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You're my soulmate. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I can't live without you." I pulled his head to me so that I could kiss him. My teardrops made both of our lips salty. Eventually, we made it back on the road. We listened to music while driving to Red Mill. They had the best burgers in Seattle and it was close to Rosie's shop. She and Em were already seated when we arrived. They had chosen a booth near the back. Edward let me sit on the outside because I would be getting up to pee. Rose was wearing a long sleeved blue t-shirt and jeans. Even in the casual outfit, she looked gorgeous. I kissed her on the cheek. "I know what you've been doing," she whispered in my ear. I felt my face heat up. "Edward, can't you keep your damn hands off of her for a few minutes." He glared at her. "For your information, Bella is the one that jumped me. I was an innocent bystander." I poked my elbow in his ribs. Emmet laughed. "You two are cute." He winked at Edward. "I'm still proud of you bro. The Cullen sperm is potent. I wouldn't be surprised if you had twins too. I'm thinking of knocking Rosie up again so I can compete."

Rosalie slapped him on the back of the head. "Three children in the house are enough." Everyone laughed at Emmett's pout. The minute he'd mentioned twins, I had spit out my water. It was scary enough to think about pushing out one kid, but two. I didn't even want to imagine what that would be like. Edward's forhead was creased. He was in deep thought about something. "You really think we'll have twins, Em? That would be so fucking awesome. I'm thinking we could even do triplets. Maybe we should make a friendly wager, see who can have the most kids in ten years." They fist bumped over the table. Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Men, you can't live with them and you can't legally kill them." I was still freaked out that Edward mentioned triplets. Just how many kids did he want? "I'm not having twins or triplets. There is one baby inside of me and that's enough. I'm the one that has to carry any children that we have, so this may be the only one. I thought I wanted a lot of kids but after going through just the first stages of this pregnancy, I think I may have changed my mind." Edward put his arms around my shoulders. "Is it really that bad babydoll? I want us to have more kids. I want to give you that big family that you always wanted. If I could carry the kids for you then I would. Let's just leave the number of future kids for a later discussion." I nodded and glanced at the menu. The double cheeseburgers and fries were to die for. My mouth watered just thinking about the food. This restaurant was always busy, so we were lucky to get a booth. A waiter came to take our orders. He was young, like around sixteen or seventeen years old. His eyes popped out of his head when he saw Rose, but he composed himself enough to take our orders. Em put his arms around her waist in a show of possessiveness. I ended up ordering half the menu because I was starving. The kid looked at me and smiled. "Wow. You're so tiny. Are you sure you can eat all that, beautiful." I was shocked that he was flirting with me. He was a good looking kid and his smile was perfect. I felt Edward tense up. "Um…I'm pregnant. Right now I could probably win one of those eating contests." He nodded his head. Before he walked away, he mumbled, "Total MILF." Edward tried to go after the kid, but I held him in place. "It's like I wasn't even fucking here. If that little dipshit says anything else to you, I'm going to kick his scrawny little ass. He's super fucking lucky that I don't like to hurt minors. But I'll make a goddamn exception." Em and Rosie were laughing so hard that they were turning red. I smiled and patted Edward's hand. "My heart, my body, my soul belongs to you. You're the only one I'll ever fuck. You own me. I love you," I whispered in his ear. His eyes widened. I kissed him on the jaw. Rosalie groaned. "Can you two cut out the PDA for a minute? Now I see how Bella got knocked up." Emmett kissed her on the lips. She slapped his chest. "You're just as bad." About fifteen minutes later, the same waiter returned with our food. He winked at Rose and me as he set

our plates on the table. Both Edward and Emmett growled. The kid either had a death wish or a big ego. I chose the latter. We had a good conversation while we ate. I volunteered to babysit Colin and Brady so that Em and Rose could go out of town for the weekend. It would be good practice for me and Edward. I thought that he would complain but he didn't. He told Em that he looked forward to spending time with his nephews. Rose went to the bathroom with me. We had the usual female bathroom chat. When we got back to the table, the boys were smiling. Rose and I exchanged a look. "Why in the hell are you two so happy?" she asked. Edward and Em just smirked and looked away. The teenage boy came back to bring us our check. He kept his eyes on the floor the whole time. He pretty much ran away from the table. "What did you do Edward?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Let's just say that he's very fond of his balls and would like to keep them." Oh my god, he'd threatened to… The kid was cocky but he didn't deserve that. "Edward Anthony Cullen, you are going to pull out one of your many hundred dollar bills and leave it as a tip. Write I'm sorry on the bottom." Rose nodded at Em. "I'm sure you had a hand in this too, so you get the same punishment." They both grumbled but did as told. I winked at the boy on the way out. He turned away so quickly that he almost tripped. Edward laughed. I tsked him for thinking that it was funny. He apologized in the car. We said goodbye to Em and Rose and made plans for Sunday dinner at Carlisle and Esme's house. The next stop was to the couple's prenatal yoga class. We just observed the instructor and the pregnant women. I couldn't believe how big some of them were. My back was to Edward's chest. He kissed me on the forehead. "You're going to be fucking great at this. Not to mention completely gorgeous. I can't wait until your belly is bigger so that I can feel the baby kick." I was stunned. My Edward had just killed the worry without me even having to bring it up. The teacher was a middle aged woman with short honey blonde hair. She had five kids and a doting husband. I liked her. The classes would be taught in one of the gym rooms in Edward's building. We were going to start this weekend. She gave me a DVD that she made that showed various poses. Edward and I promised to practice. I was too tired to drive back so Edward took the wheel. I fell asleep in the car. He carried me up to bed. I dreamed that Edward was making love to me in a field of butterflies. The vision was really erotic. I could feel myself cumming. I woke up. My underwear was covered in my juices. I had orgasmed in my sleep. That both shocked and embarrassed me. I was just glad that Edward wasn't in bed with me. I went to the bathroom to take a shower. I stayed under the hot water until my muscles were pliant. My body was hairless because I had been freshly waxed at the spa a few days ago. I always kept a teeny amount of hair around my vag because Edward liked to rub his cheek against it. I wanted to dance with Edward at the club tonight. I had a new party dress that would look perfect. It was taffeta, magenta colored, and strapless with a bubble hem. Edward was probably going to complain that it was too short, but I wanted to look good in case we bumped into any of the women that he had slept with prior to me.

I slipped on a strapless lace champagne bra and matching thong. Alice bought me some black Dr. Scholl's heels last week that I could wear without my feet being in too much pain. I curled my hair and left it to hang freely. I added just a little purple shimmer on my eyelids. Then I put on blush colored lipstick. I looked really good. The dress had interior boning so you really couldn't see the baby bump. I grabbed my glittery black evening bag and new cropped leather jacket before going to find Edward. He was in his office on the phone. The minute he saw me, he dropped it. He managed to close his mouth and pick the Iphone up after a while. I heard him bark goodbye to whomever he was talking to. His eyes lingered on my legs before taking in the rest of my body. I twirled around so he could see the back. "No fucking way! You're not going out like that. Shit! Your dress is so fucking tiny that if you bent over, I could see your panties. Go change. Now!" I shook my head. "I want to dance tonight. I'm wearing this dress whether you like it or not. You can't order me around like a puppy." The heat in my eyes matched the anger in his. I hated to fight with Edward but I had to stand up for myself. He walked over and kissed me roughly. I clung to his shoulders. "Babydoll, if you wear that dress, I won't let you out of the office. Please just change so we can go." I pushed him away. He had been doing this all week. "Shutup Edward! I am wearing this dress whether you like it or not. I want to look sexy tonight. I'm going to dance in this dress with or without you." "You're going to do what you want anyway. Don't expect me to dance with you. That shit is just too fucking tiny to be seen in public and you know it. I don't know why you never fucking listen to me." I pulled my cell phone out of my purse. "Jasper, can I ride to the club with you and Alice tonight? No, he's here but he's being a caveman. Okay, I will meet you downstairs. Thanks." I hung up. Edward stomped his foot. He looked like an angry bull. "You are not leaving this apartment until you change Isabella. I'm not fucking playing with you." He ran his fingers through his hair, causing it to stand on end. I turned to leave but he grabbed me around the waist. I struggled in his arms. "Let me go Edward! You're being unfair right now. My dress is appropriate for dancing. I do listen to you, but I'm not going to do everything you say. I want a relationship with you, not a dictatorship." He loosened his grip. I kissed his cheek and left him to brood in peace. One of the new security guards took me down to the lobby. I assumed that Edward had called him up. Jasper and Alice were waiting for me. Ali loved the dress on me, but Jaz shared Edward's views. The ride to the club was fun. We sang along to eighties songs. I felt kind of bad that I'd fought with Edward. Maybe I should have listened and changed my outfit. I would make it up to him when he arrived. We shouldn't be arguing over something so petty. Felix met us at the elevator. Jaz and Ali got out on the fourth floor. I promised to visit them during my break. Felix surprised me by actually initiating conversation for once. We talked but I was the one that chose the topics. "You look lovely tonight, Bella. I'm glad you're back. The boss is a fucking Nazi without you around."

I figured as much. Edward was mean when he didn't get his way; case in point, our fight tonight about my outfit. I tried to be patient because I knew that he was in anger management but I hated when he tried to control me. "Well, I'm back and I'm not going anywhere again." The office was empty. Edward hadn't arrived yet. I was sad because I wanted to see him. Felix set my bags down on the floor. He left after I told him I didn't need anything else. I put away my coat and went to the restroom to pee. When that was done, I returned to the office, Demetri was sitting by my desk. He was wearing a designer suit and tie. His hair was a little longer than the last time I saw him. He stood up when I entered. "Glad to see you're back short stack. Edward is impossible without you. By the way, you look beautiful. Are you going downstairs to dance?" I nodded. "Great. Save me one." He winked at me. As I was walking to my desk, my foot got caught on something and I tripped. Dee grabbed me just in time. Unfortunately, Edward chose that moment to walk in the door. Intense hatred marred his features when he set eyes on me in Demetri's arms. Before I could explain, Edward pounced. Dee was doing a good job of holding him off but Edward's anger was no match. "I told you never to fucking touch her again! I fucking warned you asshole!" Eventually, I managed to pull Edward off of Demetri. "He didn't do anything wrong Edward. I tripped and he caught me. You should be thanking him." Edward apologized by giving Dee some type of gun. Dee winked at me as he left. Of course I blushed. Edward took in the whole scene in silence. He was still mad at me so I ignored him. He was being rude by staring at me in silence. "What do you want Edward?" "I want to say I'm sorry. I know I say it all the fucking time, but please forgive me. I shouldn't have yelled at you at the apartment. You're a grown woman and can wear whatever the fuck you want. I'm just looking out for you. Motherfuckers have dirty minds and I don't like other guys eye fucking my woman." "I accept your apology. I'm not trying to draw other men's attention. I wanted to look sexy for you." I stood up and walked over to him. He leaned down and kissed me. We clung to each other like a drowning couple. I sucked his bottom lip in my mouth. "Stop, babydoll! If you want me to take you downstairs to dance, you're going to have to stop now. I don't have too much fucking control left." He gave me another chaste kiss before pulling away. We took the elevator down to the dance floor. Felix stayed close in case we needed him. A lot of women tried to get Edward's attention. His eyes never left my body though. He wrapped his arms around my waist so that my back was facing his chest. I heard the first beats of "A Little Bit (The Remix)" by Lykke Li and Drake come on. My hips gyrated to the beat. Edward pulled me closer. Our hips were molded together. There were a few working girls that watched us with barely veiled contempt. I barely resisted the urge to

stick my tongue out at them. One blonde was only wearing a bikini top and skimpy jean skirt. She blew a kiss to Edward. I let out a tiny growl. "What the fuck was that babydoll?" He turned to see who I was glaring at. "You don't have to pay those bitches any mind. They were in my past Bella; you are my forever. I never loved any of them." His words didn't stop the anger and jealously. The blonde walked over to us. Edward snapped at her. "Get the fuck away from us Heidi! I swear, whatever shit you're about to pull is only going to end badly. Back the fuck off!" Felix came over. He tried to take her arm but she slapped him away. With her big breasts and blonde hair, she looked like a Playboy bunny. Her skin was darker than Jacob's; probably the result of a tanning bed. She was at least five foot nine. Most men would probably say she was sexy. "You weren't saying that during our little orgy Eddie." I gasped. Edward had already told me about it, but he said he didn't have sex. I recoiled from him. Heidi sneered at me. "That's right, I fucked Eddie in every way imaginable. You're just some stupid little bitch he's using. He's only being nice because he knocked you up. Don't worry though princess, once you have get all fat and bloated, I'll continue to fuck him." I looked up at Edward. If looks could kill, then Heidi would already be a ghost. He glanced over at me. His eyes were pleading. I squeezed his hand to let him know that I trusted him. He looked relieved. "Felix, escort this skank off of the premises right now. If she steps one foot back in this club, have her arrested." The blonde looked scared. She shuffled her feet on the floor. Felix took her arm and led her away. "This isn't over Eddie! You'll pay for this!" Her voice was full of fury. People had stopped to watch us. They started dancing again once Heidi was gone. Edward pulled me back into his arms. He kissed my neck. "I didn't fuck her, Bella. Thanks for believing me. I was so scared. The shit she said wasn't fucking true. I'm never going to leave you. I love you too fucking much." "Edward, do you remember the first time we met?" He groaned. "Don't fucking remind me. I was a real asshole. I'm surprised you let me near you after that introduction." I smiled at the memory. "I wanted you, even when I believed you were an arrogant bastard, I still wanted you. I always want you Edward. The first time you kissed me, my life changed. When you made love to me, my soul transcended. You're my first thought when I wake up and my last thought when I go to sleep. Ti amo." I kissed him hard. He picked me up. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders We were in a dark corner and no one was paying attention. Edward's hands massaged my inner thigh I moaned into his mouth. He cupped my ass, grinding his erection into me. I shivered in anticipation. "You feel that Bella. I'm going to use it to fuck your brains out. I'm going to make you come so hard that you forget your name. Every inch of your tight pussy is mine." He thrust into me again. My eyes rolled back into my head. "Let's go upstairs so that I can strip you naked and lick you dry. I want to fuck you with those heels on." He slid one of his hands underneath my dress. I felt a single finger enter my slick

folds. I whimpered. He removed his finger and sucked on it. "Mmm, so fucking good and all mine, babydoll." I was so turned on that I would have let him do me right where we stood. My knees were trembling. My useless thong was drenched. Edward took my hand. He nodded at Felix to let him know that we were leaving the floor. We made our way over to the private elevator. A woman walked up to us. Felix and Edward shared a wary look. She was medium height with curly strawberry blonde hair and big breasts. She was wearing a long black overcoat and boots. Her eyes were a light brown color. Edward snarled at her. "Did all of you bitches gather on Twitter and plan to make my life a living hell tonight? I banned you from the club Tanya. I don't know who let you in but they're fired. Get out before I have Felix throw you out." She batted her eyelashes at Edward. I must have made a noise because she looked at me for the first time. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed Edward's arm around my waist. She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Is that how you treat the mother of your child, Eddie? I expected more from you." Edward fisted his hands in his hair. "What the fuck are you talking about Tanya? I'm treating Bella just fine. I love her. She and our baby are my life now. I'm sure you're fucking at least two other dudes anyway. Go bother one of them." She looked at me. Her lips were turned up into an ugly smile. "So, you're pregnant?" I nodded. She began to laugh out loud. Then she turned back to Edward. "Well that makes two babies that you have on the way Eddie. Merry fucking Christmas to you." My mouth hung open as she opened her jacket to reveal a very rounded belly. Felix dropped his cell phone. I looked up at Edward. His eyes were huge. "Well, fuck me," he said. Tanya smirked. "I already have Edward. I already have." ~*!*~

Chapter Twenty-Two ~ All I Want Is You "If I was a flower growing wild and free All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee. And if I was a tree growing tall and green All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves If I was a flower growing wild and free All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee. And if I was a tree growing tall and green All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves All I want is you, will you be my bride Take me by the hand and stand by my side All I want is you, will you stay with me?Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea. If you were a river in the mountains tall, the rumble of your water would be my call. If you were the winter, I know I'd be the snow just as long as you were with me,when the cold winds blow."

--All I Want is You - Barry Louis Polisar EPOV No matter how hard I tried, I kept fucking shit up with Bella. When I saw Tanya in front of me, fully pregnant, I thought I was in a fucking nightmare. I doubted that the baby was mine, but there was always a tiny chance. I had never fucked the bitch without a condom because she was a goddamn golddigger. My biggest concern was whether or not Bella was going to believe me. Our relationship was still too rocky for this drama. We had moved to the office once that bombshell was dropped downstairs. Before Tanya came, Bella and I were about to go upstairs for a night of lovemaking in the lair. Now, I'd be lucky if I got a kiss from my babydoll in the next few months. Not that I deserved anything less for fucking up her life so goddamn much. I wasn't a heartless bastard, but I didn't want a baby by Tanya. She would use it to drive a wedge between me and Bella. Plus, Bella was going to be my wife. I wanted all my children to come from our union. My father had been a fucking manwhore, but he never knocked any of the bitches up. It was the one thing that my mom asked of him that he complied to. I hadn't even done that for my babydoll. I looked over at Tanya. She was sitting on my couch with her legs wide open. She had on a tiny white sleeveless dress. It looked like she'd gotten her lips done recently. I had no idea what the fuck I had ever seen in her. She was staring daggers at my babydoll. It was taking all my fucking strength not to kick her out. Bella smiled at the bitch. "Um…so, you're Edward's last secretary. It's nice to meet you. How far along are you?" Why the fuck was Bella using that sweet voice on the bitch? Tanya was startled that Bella was being so calm and collected. She glanced over to me. I shrugged my shoulders, indicating to her that I had no idea what my babydoll was up to. Tanya flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Well, obviously I was a little more than his secretary." She pointed to her protruding belly. "And, if you must know, I'm eight months pregnant. I could go into labor any day now." Bella gasped. I knew that she was doing the math. She and I had only known each other for a little over five months. That meant that Tanya could have gotten pregnant during one of our fuck sessions. I wished that I could take it back and never fuck the bitch. Then Bella and I wouldn't be going through this shit. Tanya nodded her head smugly. She looked Bella straight in the eye. The bitch even conjured up some fucking tears. "Eddie…Eddie told me that I was…special. He said that he loved me. Then, he just got rid of me. I've been trying to get in touch with him forever. I…I just want him to help me take care of our baby." The way she said 'our baby' made it sound like we were a couple. Bella hung her head. She was sitting in one of the office chairs. Her eyes were wet. She was fucking crying. I had promised to only put smiles on her face from now on. I'd fucking failed her yet again. I glared at Tanya. "You fucking bitch! How dare you sit there and lie to my babydoll! We didn't have shit. We fucked and you tried to rob me blind. I never fucking told you that I loved you. I don't believe a

fucking word that comes out of your nasty mouth." Tanya sobbed louder. "How could you Eddie. I trusted you." She looked at Bella. "I have it on record; Eddie saying that he loved me. I'll play it for you." My eyes widened as she took out her Blackberry. She pressed a button and my voice could be heard saying 'I love you'. There was no fucking way. I hadn't ever told the bitch that. She was fucking lying through her cosmetically enhanced teeth. I flipped out. "You motherfucking cunt! That recording is a fucking fabrication. I never even said I liked your ass, and yet you think I loved you? You're fucking sick. I'm calling Felix to escort your skanky ass out of the club." Bella turned to me. There was so much hurt and despair in her eyes that I almost keeled over. She fucking believed the bitch. She was going to leave me again. I dropped the phone. There was no way that I would survive another breakup. My babydoll held up her hand. Her voice was soft. "Edward, please apologize to Tanya. Whether or not she's lying or not remains to be seen. She is still a heavily pregnant woman that you previously had sex with. Don't call her names. Stay calm and we'll sort through this." I glared at the bitch. "I'm sorry Tanya. It won't happen again." She smiled and turned back to Bella. "Thank you, sweetie. You're not so bad after all. When you look at it, we're in the same position." I scoffed. "That's not fucking true. I'm in love with Bella. She lives and works with me. We're decorating our baby's nursery. She has never cheated on me or lied to my face. She also doesn't steal." Tanya rolled her eyes. "Eddie, it's not like you were faithful to me either. You fucked every willing pussy that came through the door. Don't put all the blame on me. I may have taken some stuff from you, but you're so rich, they wouldn't have mattered anyway." Felix walked in the door. He took in the scene in front of him in silence. I knew that he was very fond of Bella. I could only imagine what he thought of me now. "Hey boss, do you want me to escort Ms. Denali downstairs? Chanel's on her way to pick her up." Tanya huffed. "Just like old times Eddie. You have other people do your dirty work for you. Are you going to have my sister escort me out of Seattle again? I can tell you that I'm not going anywhere until I get you to acknowledge our baby." She smiled at Bella. "No offense to you of course." I pulled my fingers through my hair. Felix was standing next to Bella's chair. She was twirling her in bloom diamond necklace around her neck. She was fucking beautiful in her purple party dress. I wanted to pick her up and take her far away from these problems, but I knew that I couldn't. "Tanya, what exactly are you looking to get from me? Are you after my money?" She pouted. "Yes, I would like financial support, but I want emotional support too. It hasn't been easy going through this pregnancy alone. I would like to move back to the city. Maybe I could even stay with you. We can decorate a nursery for our baby too."

Bella stood up quickly. She wobbled on her feet before falling. Felix was able to catch her before she hit the floor. I ran over to her. I was so fucking scared that she was losing the baby. Her eyes were closed. Felix shook her gently. I pulled out my Iphone. "Carlisle, I need you to meet me at the Penthouse. It's…It's Bella. She just collapsed! Her eyes are closed. I'm so fucking scared. Please Carlisle." He assured me that she was going to be okay. I took Bella from Felix's arms. He was just as concerned as I was. I didn't see any blood on my babydoll's inner thighs. If she lost the baby, it would be all my fucking fault. I put her under too much fucking stress. I prayed to a God that I thought had deserted me long ago. I would do anything to make my babydoll better. Felix and I ran to the elevator. I didn't give a fuck about Tanya at the moment. She was part of the reason that my babydoll was hurt. Felix helped me put her in the car. I asked him to go tell Jasper to meet me at the condo. Bella would feel more comfortable if her brother was there. I took off like a bat out of hell. I pushed the fucking speed limit. Luckily, my building wasn't too far from the club. One of my security guys, Benjamin, came to escort us up. His eyes bugged out of his head when he saw Bella hanging limp in my arms. When I got to our apartment, he opened the door. Carlisle had sent me a text that he was ten minutes away. I laid Bella on our bed. "Please babydoll, please wakeup. I fucking need you. I can't live without you. Please for me." I rocked her gently in my lap. Her eyes fluttered open. "Edw—Edward? Did I faint? I remember getting dizzy and then I blacked out." Her words were slurred. That fucking scared me to death. I kissed her all over her face. She just looked up at me. She was thirsty, so I went to the kitchen to get her a bottle of juice. When I got back to the room, I took her dress off. I helped her put on a pink t-shirt and sleep shorts. They both had roses on them. She looked so fucking young and innocent. I kissed her forehead. Bella didn't want to lay down so I fluffed up lots of pillows and arranged them behind her. She was in the center of the bed. She looked like a queen holding court. I made sure that she was warm under the comforters. I couldn't hold the tears back any longer. "Bella, I'm sorry. This is all my fault. If…If something is wrong with you or the baby, I…I don't know what I'll do." My babydoll just stared at her nails. She wouldn't make eye contact with me. I knew that she was fucking angry. Silent tears ran down her cheeks. I couldn't bear it. I kissed her one last time and then left the room. I went to my office and shut the door. I threw shit all over the fucking room. Nothing mattered anymore. Bella was going to leave me for good, and I'd never recover. I would go back to being the asshole that I was before. I would be just like my father; a fucking failure to my family. I pulled my hair and cursed the fates. A few minutes later, Benjamin knocked on my door to tell me that Carlisle had arrived. I stood outside the room while he attended to Bella. The door was cracked so that I could see what they were doing. My

mom was sitting on the bed holding Bella's hand. They were doing what I couldn't do. I had never felt so worthless in my entire life. Carlisle removed a stethoscope from his bag. He pulled Bella's top up to expose her chest. A burst of extreme jealousy ran through my veins. I knew that it was stupid because Carlisle was just doing his job, but I didn't like any other man seeing her body. She was mine. He was very professional throughout the checkup. I watched him pull down her sleep shorts and feel her belly. I dug my nails into my palms to keep from running into the room and punching him. Whatever he was saying made her smile. Esme patted her hand in a motherly fashion. Bella put her hand over her bump and asked some questions. I was too far away to hear clearly. The checkup must have been going well because they were all smiling. Carlisle lowered my babydoll's shirt. He reached into his bag and took out a red lollipop. Bella giggled and gave him a peck on the cheek. I wanted to fucking kill the good doctor. He stood up and walked towards the door. I moved aside. My mom stayed in the room with my babydoll. I sat down on the floor and waited for Carlisle to update me. The urge to knock him out was strong. I had to keep reminding myself that he was a doctor and my stepfather. "Edward, I wondered where you got off to. Why are you sitting in the hallway son?" My first reaction was to snap that I wasn't his fucking 'son' but I held it back. He had been good to me and my family. Plus, he just fucking took care of my woman. I owed him so much. "It's my fault Carlisle. I'm the one that put too much fucking stress on her. She's mad at me. It's over. I should have known what we had was too good to last." Carlisle grabbed my hand to help me up. "Come to the kitchen. We need to talk about some things. It's going to be all right." I followed him. He took out a bottle of Perrier and poured both of us a glass. The bubbles felt good in my mouth. He turned to me. "Edward, Bella is going to be fine. She's in her second trimester. As you've probably read, that can be a critical time for a pregnant woman. It's not unusual for her to be dizzy or have an occasional fainting spell. The baby is pressing on her uterus and disrupting her blood vessels a bit. It's normal. What happened to Bella tonight is not your fault. She is a perfectly healthy woman. She and the baby are developing beautifully. I didn't detect any problems. You should go talk to her." I hung my head. "She won't want to see me. I'm going for a drive. Can you and my mom spend the night with her? I'm not in a good place right now. I need to be alone." Carlisle patted me on the shoulder. "I understand son but don't do anything wreckless. You love Bella and she loves you. Don't throw away everything you've worked so hard to build. Remember, you're going to be a father soon. Think about your baby. Esme and I will take care of Bella." I was about to thank him when Alice and Jasper burst through the door. Jasper was frantic. I pointed him to the bedroom. Alice stopped to hug me before following her fiancée. I envied them their easy relationship. They were free to love each other without all the obstacles that Bella and I faced.

Carlisle nodded to me. I grabbed my keys and went to the garage. I got into the Phantom. It still smelled of Bella. I thought back to a few nights ago when we'd made love in the backseat. She was my fucking soulmate. She was mine in every sense of the word. I pulled her underwear from out of the glove compartment. She'd forgotten all about them after our tryst. I fisted them in my hands. They were black with a pink bow on the front. I sucked the crotch in my mouth. Bella's taste was potent. My dick hardened in seconds. I used the underwear to stroke myself until I came. It didn't help my pain though. I wanted Bella. I started up the car and took off. I had no real destination, but I needed to be away from my babydoll. I couldn't stand to see her look at me like I was a fucking liar. I wanted a hit of blow so fucking bad. I could almost taste the smoke in my lungs. It would make me forget all of my problems. Fuck it, I took out my phone to dial Demetri. There was a picture of Bella sleeping as my phone's background. She looked so peaceful and angelic. Her right hand was over her baby bump. I'd taken it the first night she'd moved in with me. I pounded the fucking steering wheel. Carlisle was right. I couldn't fucking destroy us. With a new resolve, I drove to my friend Garret's tattoo parlor. His dad was low level Mafia and he did lots of tats for our Organization. He had the biggest crush on Chanel, but he was turned off by her profession. I'd had to ban him from the club because he jumped on any man that took her for the night. It was almost ten at night but his lot was still full. It was near campus so he got a lot of regular business. I parked in one of the reserved spots. A group of sorority girls made lewd comments to me. The bitches were as bad as the fuckers lately. I was lucky to find such an innocent girlfriend. I ignored them and entered the shop. Almost every chair was filled up. Some guy was getting tear drops tattooed on his biceps. He looked sad as fuck. I guessed that some woman had broken his heart. I could relate. Garrett ran over to me the second he saw me. He was a hugger. I dodged his arms. "Still a dodgy fucker, I see. What can I do you for?" Garrett was taller than me. His hair was long and hung down his back. The girls at the club thought he had some dreamy poet look going. I was glad that he hadn't met Bella yet. She loved poetry. He led me to the back. I took one of the chairs reserved for the Made Men. The back had a bar and the chairs were more comfortable. He poured me a glass of scotch. I drank greedily. The burn felt good. "I'm looking to get my girlfriend's name tattooed across my heart. I want it inside of one of those infinity bands you showed me last time." I wrote Bella's name down. " I want the name done in fancy cursive." He eyed me curiously and took the paper. "Edward Cullen is getting a woman's name tattooed across his chest. I have to meet this chick. She must be a fucking miracle worker." I snorted. "Bella is my fucking life. I'm gonna ask her to marry me this weekend. She's pregnant with my baby. She's so fucking sweet man. Everyone loves her. I knocked her up while she was on fucking birth control." Garrett laughed. "Aren't you the proud papa? Congrats Cullen. It's time you stopped fucking around and settled down."

I smirked. "What about you? Are you finally going to tell Kate how you feel about her? She's almost finished with dentistry school. I'm helping her look for buildings. She wants to be legit, Garrett. You should give her a chance." He busied himself with cleaning and setting up the instruments. I noticed how his eyes brightened when I said Kate's name. He was in love with her. "There's nothing for me and Kate. I…I tried but I couldn't do it. We'd never work. I'd always be throwing those johns in her face. She doesn't deserve that. I'm resigned to be a bachelor for the rest of my life." I sighed. "Listen bro, I'm the last fucker to be giving goddamn love advice, but I say go for it. You could miss out on something really great. Relationships are hard. I'm still fucking mines up. Believe me, it's better to be in love than be without it. It's up to you, but I know for a fact that Kate cares for you." He huffed and waved his hands. "Enough of this sappy shit. Let's get you tatted up." Three hours later, I had a brand new tattoo. I looked at it from all angles. I already had the symbol of the Volturi on my body. Bella was more important to me than even them, so I'd chosen to put her on my chest. It looked good. I hoped that she would like it. I planned on getting our child's name and birth date on my back once it was born. I stepped out of the back room with my shirt still off. Two teen girls that were picking out nose rings almost fainted. I winked at them. They burst into giggles. Garrett rolled his eyes and rang up my charge. "Put your fucking clothes on pretty boy. Those girls are probably not even legal." I smirked and buttoned my shirt. I threw a wad of cash at Garrett. He thanked me and then I left. There were fuckers slobbering over my car in the lot. I got in and drove away, leaving them in the dust. It was good to piss motherfuckers off sometimes. I stopped at a fast food joint and picked up a burger and fries. It wasn't healthy but tough shit. I ate while I was driving. I drove for hours. When I was tired, I headed back to the club. I would sleep in the lair tonight. Thankfully, no one was there to bother me. I spent the rest of the night thinking about Bella. Her smile. Her eyes. Her hair. Her pussy. Okay, I thought about that last thing most of the fucking time. It felt so fucking good when I was inside of her. Hands down, she was the best woman that I'd ever had sex with. I fell asleep with one of her t-shirts on my pillow. I awoke at dawn. My phone was buzzing. I had a missed text message. I touched the screen to see who it was from. Edward, where did you go? I miss you. Please come home. I love you. XOXO -BHoly shit! She wanted me with her and I'd been a fucking coward. She'd sent the message two hours ago. That meant that she wasn't sleeping. I felt a fresh wave of fucking guilt go through my body. I kept letting her down. I covered my tat and took a quick shower. I threw on some jeans and a long sleeved black sweatshirt. I

didn't bother to shave because I didn't want to waste time. I stopped at one of Bella's favorite bakeries to pick up a box of scones and donuts. I would make hot chocolate for her. She fucking loved my hot chocolate. When that was done, I drove home. Benjamin carried up the boxes for me. I went to the kitchen to make the Cioccolata Calda or Italian hot chocolate. I didn't use any of that packet shit. I took out a saucepan to heat the corn starch and cocoa powder. I mixed the rest of the ingredients. Then, I took out a large mug and poured some in. I added a generous dollop of cream for Bella. I took out two ladybug donuts and placed them on a tray. They were strawberry jelly filled donuts with red icing and chocolate chips on top. My babydoll loved them. I also poured her a glass of milk because she needed her calcium. It was hard to believe that I was the same man. I'd never made a fucking meal for anyone but Bella managed to turn my ass into a gourmet chef. I loved watching the way her eyes twinkled when she devoured something that I had made. It felt good to cater to her. She was doing all the hard work by carrying our kid. The least I could do was make her as comfortable as possible. I figured that Esme and Carlisle were probably in the guest bedrooms upstairs. I opened our bedroom door. Bella was awake reading a book. She was nude from the waist up. I almost dropped the fucking tray. Her perky tits were glorious. I watched her pink nipples pucker when she spotted me. A growl came from her lips. "Edward Cullen, where in the hell have you been? I was so worried. You just left. You didn't call. I couldn't sleep without you." My mouth turned up into a huge smile. My babydoll wanted me. I was so fucking excited that I felt like dancing. We still had a major problem named Tanya, but as long as we were together, we could work through anything. "Please accept my sincere apologies babydoll. I thought that you were mad at me, so I slept in the lair." I held the tray out. "I bought ladybugs and made you hot chocolate. There are more donuts in the kitchen." Bella giggled. "Get your sexy ass over here, Cullen. I need my morning kiss." I carefully set the tray on the nightstand before kissing Bella. Her mouth tasted like apple juice. Our tongues mingled lazily. One of my hands went to her tits. I massaged them until she pushed me away. My dick was straining against my pants. "Not right now Edward. I'm too hungry and tired. Take off your pants and come eat with me." I stripped but left on my shirt and boxers. Bella giggled as I jumped into bed. I pulled her into my lap. We took turns feeding each other. She moaned when she tasted her Cioccolata Calde. I winked at her. "Mmm, Edward. I swear you make the best hot chocolate. Thank you." She kissed my cheek. I ended up making her a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon too. Carlisle and Esme came out to eat before leaving. Carlisle wanted Bella to stay in bed and take it easy for a day. She had an appointment scheduled with her OBGYN for next week. It would be the first one that I would attend. If my babydoll was going to be in fucking bed all day, then I was going to stay with her. I cancelled all my previous engagements. We had a lot of shit to hammer out. I had already called my lawyer and he was going to meet with Tanya.

Tomorrow, I was planning on taking Bella to Thornewood Castle in Lakewood. I had rented out the whole fucking place so that I could propose to her. We'd be gone all weekend. Mom, Ali, and Rose had helped set it all up. If everything went according to plan, I would be bringing Bella back as my bride to be. The thought sent a tingle through my heart. I returned to our bedroom. I frowned when I noticed that Bella had put on a tank top. She was lying on her side, reading again. I took the book out of her hand. She looked up at me. I made sure to save her place before setting it aside. Her eyes were droopy so I pulled her to my chest. She was asleep before I pulled the blankets up. Her body felt perfect next to mine. The tattoo barely hurt at all. I would show her when she got up. I watched ESPN with the volume down while she mumbled in her sleep. She said my favorite words, but then she mumbled a bunch of other shit. I heard her say something that I would have waited a thousand lifetimes to hear. "Edward's…I belong to him. Want…want to marry Edward. Want to be his wife. Love Edward." I stared at her in amazement. She was in a deep sleep. There was no fucking way that mom or anyone else told her my plan. I had to resist the urge to wake her up and maul her sexy ass. She fucking wanted to be my wife. I kissed her rosy cheeks. She even blushed in slumber. I fell asleep soon after. My dreams were vivid and they all starred my babydoll. I dreamt of us holding a baby in our arms. I couldn't tell what gender it was, but it was beautiful. Next, I dreamt of Bella and me inside of a grand mansion. My babydoll was sitting in a rocking chair breastfeeding a baby with a smile on her face. Unfortunately my pleasant dreams changed to a nightmare. Bella stood in front of a tombstone. A little boy and a little girl held each of her hands. They had enough of our features for me to deduce that they were our children. I looked into the casket. It was me. I was in a black suit and my skin was ghost white. I didn't look that much older than I was now. I watched in horror as dream Bella leaned down to kiss my dead lips. She whispered, "I love you forever," her voice breaking at the end. Then, Jasper and Ali led her and the kids to a waiting car. I was screaming that I was still alive but no one could hear me. I bolted upright. The dream had been too real. My body was bathed in sweat. Bella sat up and rubbed my back. She handed me one of her bottled waters. I took a long drink. Her beautiful brown eyes searched my face for answers. I rubbed her back. She didn't need any more stress. I had to keep the dream a secret. "I'm okay babydoll, just a bad dream. It was really fucking stupid too. I dreamt that a werewolf was chasing me in the woods." She giggled. "That's what you get for watching that horror movie marathon last week." The nightmare freaked me out more than I thought. Bella went back to sleep but I stayed up. It wasn't going to happen. I wouldn't leave her a young widow and our kids fatherless. I hugged my babydoll for dear life. She centered me. As long as she was by my side, nothing could touch me. I fell asleep again, cradling my angel in my arms. When I woke up again, it was raining. Bella was sitting up watching TV and eating popcorn. She was only wearing a little pink camisole. She hadn't noticed me yet so I just watched her. Her back was to the headboard. Her silky white legs were crossed at the ankles. She had a tiny smile on her face, enjoying the

show. My dick throbbed when she licked her fingers. Her chocolate eyes were full of light and her hair was messily piled on top of her head. She reached out for her juice on the nightstand. I could see her tight little ass. I was so turned on that I gripped the sheet. Her pink tongue came out to lick the corner of her mouth. That sight almost caused me to lose it. I groaned deep in my throat. "Good afternoon babydoll. You're looking better." She pounced on me, covering my mouth in sweet kisses. I claimed her lips with a ferocity that almost scared me. We kissed for a long time. Bella crushed her whole body to me. I felt her nipples pucker and the wetness between her thighs. By the time we finished, we were both panting and sweaty. I gently lifted Bella off of me so that I could sit up. "Fuck, Bella. I want you so fucking bad right now, but we need to talk first." Her eyes were full of mischief. She rubbed my chest. I winced when she made contact with my tattoo. "I'm so sorry Edward. Where are you hurt? Let me see." I took my shirt off, tossing it on a nearby chair. Bella teared up when she saw her name over my heart. Tears fell down her beautiful face. She ghosted her fingertips over the marking. I reached out to stroke the inside of her wrist. "Edward…Edward…you…you put my name over your heart. It's beautiful," she sobbed. I kissed her palm. "I did it for you. You're always there, in my heart. You are the only reason I know that it still exists. I live only for you. I love you Bella." She straddled my lap, looking deep in my eyes. "I love you too Edward; so much. You own every part of me. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for you." She put my hand over her baby bump. "Our love created this, which proves that we can do anything together. I'd climb the highest mountains to get to you. Please stay with me forever." I answered her with a heated kiss. Her words went straight to my soul and settled there. I didn't think that it was possible for me to love Bella more than I already did, but I was wrong. She was my angel, come to save me from eternal damnation. Unfortunately, I had to break away. We needed to discuss the Tanya situation before we left for the weekend. "Bella, we…we need to talk about what happened with Tanya." She shivered. "Okay, Edward. Can you hand me my pajama pants?" I nodded. Bella put them on and then cuddled to my side. She turned the television off. The silence was deafening. Neither one of us wanted to have this conversation. I decided to start. "First off, I'd like to say that I'm sorry that you have to deal with this shit. I never fucked Tanya without a condom. I knew that she was a fucking golddigger so I was always really careful not to get her pregnant. I don't believe a fucking word she says. The bitch isn't important though. I'm worried about how you're handling the situation." Bella rubbed circles around my thigh. It was very comforting. "I'm…okay. It's a lot to take in. I don't like

Tanya, because I can tell that she wants you. It makes me jealous. On the other hand, she's pregnant and there's a chance that you're the father. I know that she's in your past but…" I put my hand over Bella's. "She never had a hold on me. That tape of me saying I love her is doctored. I never felt anything for Tanya. I'm sorry I was such a fucking manwhore. I'll…I'll understand if you need some time away from me. I can go stay at the lair. I'm so fucking sorry." My babydoll shook her head. "No…no, Edward! We can't be apart again. It almost destroyed the both of us last time. I love you. We can work this out, even if the child is yours." I hugged her. "You make me so fucking happy. I'm going to take you away this weekend. I rented out Thornewood Castle in Lakewood. We have it for the whole weekend. It'll be good to get out of the city for a couple of days." Bella bounced excitedly and kissed my fingers. "From the "Rose Red" movie?" I nodded. "That place is beautiful. I can't wait to walk in the secret garden. What room are we staying in?" "We can stay in any room that you like. Sit tight; I'll go grab my laptop. I downloaded the brochure." I got up and went to my office. There was a missed call on my direct line. I looked at the caller I.D. It was from my lawyer, Jason Jenks. It must have been important if he was calling me here, so I decided get back to him. He answered on the first ring. "Hello Mr. Cullen. I hope you're well today. I've been in my office with Mrs. Denali. I got her to confess the truth. You are not the father of her baby." I let out a huge sigh of relief. Bella was going to be so excited. I could propose to her without this shit hanging over our heads, but Tanya had lied. She caused my babydoll fucking stress and that was unacceptable. The bitch would have to pay. My teeth ground together thinking of that bitch in my office, lieing to Bella. "Jay, why in the hell did she do it? I could hear him swallow something. Jay was a fucking pig. He was the stereotypical Armani suited Italian lawyer who ate lasagna all the fucking time. But, he was fucking ruthless too. He had been my lawyer for several years. "There's a problem. Ms. Denali is scared. She says that the real father is someone of importance to you. She'll only confess his identity to you, in person. I can arrange a meeting today." I pulled my fingers through my hair. This shit just got worse and worse. "Okay. Pick up Ms. Denali and come to my condo. We can have the meeting here. My girlfriend will be present, so no yelling at Tanya. Bella doesn't like that shit. I'll see you both around five." I hung up. I lingered in my office for a few minutes. I regretted having to tell Bella that Tanya was on her way over. I needed some fucking liquid courage so I poured myself a shot of Stoli. After that, I felt better. I grabbed my Macbook and headed back to the bedroom. Bella was buck naked when I got to the room. My fucking knees almost gave out. She was just sitting on the bed nude, reading a fucking book. Her nipples were protruding. I saw wetness glistening in the place I wanted to be the most. My little tigress was a very bold creature. I watched in amazement as she fondled

herself. A tiny moan escaped her lips. I walked into the bedroom. "Bella, what in the fuck are you doing? I go to get my computer and you…you…" I couldn't finish the fucking sentence. She just hummed and continued playing with herself. I threw the laptop on the nearest table. Then, I sat beside my babydoll. She removed her hand and held a finger out to me. I wasted no time in licking up her sweet honey. The fucking taste drove me wild. I spread her legs wide and buried my face in her center. Her hands gently stroked my hair. I ate her pussy with relish. I enjoyed each and every one of her moans. When I felt her getting close, I sucked on her clit. She came hard. I continued licking her through two more orgasms. Her knees were squeezing my head by that point. Her gentle caresses had turned painful. When she was limp, I crawled up her body. We kissed passionately. I reached down so that I could insert my cock inside of her. She bucked into me. Bella's pussy was magical. All of my fears and cares went away while I was inside of her. I lose my fucking mind. The sensation of her tight pussy milking my rock hard cock was indescribable. I took her hard and quick this time because I knew I didn't have the strength to last. I rotated my hips so that I would hit her special spot every time. Her beautiful body trembled under me. She reached up and pulled me down for a kiss. I shot my load deep inside of her. We kissed lazily until I could move again. "That was great Edward. I love you." I kissed her rosy cheeks. "I love you too." We ended up spending a leisurely hour in the bathtub. We didn't make love, but we cuddled and bathed each other. It was very intimate. We shared ideas for the baby's nursery. I dried Bella off. Her bump was getting bigger every day. She was so fucking cute. "Edward, I picked up some…toys for us. We can use them this weekend. I really want you to cum on my tits." "Fuck! Bella, you can't say shit like that to me. Now that's all I'm going to be thinking of when Tanya and Jason get here." She froze in her tracks. "What? You didn't tell me they were coming. When? I rubbed the back of my neck. "Well, I was kind of distracted by my horny girlfriend." She let out a tiny growl. "They'll be here in about two hours. I'm…I'm not the father of Tanya's baby. She already confessed. Mr. Jenks, my private lawyer, is bringing her here. She wants to tell me who the father of the child is in person." Bella wrapped her arms around my waist. "I'm so glad Edward. I really want to be the mother of all your children. You're mine and I don't want to share you with any other woman." I picked her up and carried her to the wardrobe closet. We both dressed in front of the full length mirrors. It took longer than usual because I kept getting distracted with the sight of Bella's naked skin in the mirror. I fucking mauled her neck again. She pushed me away after the fifth time. I ended up choosing a navy pair of slacks with a black V-neck cashmere sweater. I let my babydoll do her thing with my hair. She chose a pair of black leggings and a gold glittery turtleneck sweater. The top set

off the highlights in her dark hair. I could spend hours looking at all the reds and golds in each strand. She was so fucking beautiful. Our kid would be lucky to get both its mother's looks and personality. We stood in the mirror looking at each other. I put my hand over Bella's bump and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes and smiled. We were perfect for this moment at least. Bella turned around and buried her face in my chest. "Edward, can you bring your old photo albums and stuff for the trip? I feel like I don't know you that well. I mean, I know who you are now, but I want to know about your past. I'll share with you too." There were lots of things in my past that I didn't want my babydoll privy to, but she had asked, and I couldn't fucking refuse her. "All right. But you have to promise not to get mad at me for past shit. If I could change it, I would. Please just give me a chance to explain it all." "I promise," she whispered. I carried her into the living room and made sure she was comfortable. We had a fucking argument because I wouldn't let her walk anywhere. I reminded her that Carlisle said that she was on bed rest for the day, so I was being fucking generous to let her out of it. She pouted until I felt like a fucking Nazi, but I didn't budge. I made her spaghetti and meatballs for lunch. All was forgiven after that. We were looking at the prenatal yoga DVD when Mr. Jenks and Tanya arrived. My bodyguard led them upstairs. Bella was tense so I massaged her neck until she loosened up. I placed her in my lap before the bitch came. I wanted Tanya to understand that Bella was my fucking life now and that sluts like her no longer had a place. Jay was the first one to enter. He introduced himself to my babydoll. He went to kiss her hand but I sent him a fucking look that clearly scared him half to death. Tanya followed behind him. She was dressed in a fucking green dress with pink spirals all over it. Her fake tits were on full display. I was disgusted with myself for ever touching the skank. They both took the couch across from us. I made Jenks a sour martini and got Tanya a bottle of juice at Bella's request. She was too fucking nice for her own good. I noticed the bitch eyeing my babydoll sitting in my lap. I wrapped my arms around her tighter and glared at Tanya. She turned away with an evil look on her face. J stood up. "Let's get this meeting started. Ms. Denali has signed papers stating that she lied about the paternity of her unborn child. In return, my office won't bring a defamation lawsuit against her. She wishes to apologize." Everyone looked at Tanya. She was picking at her manicured nails. "I'm sorry Eddie. I was just so scared." She gasped for dramatic effect. I rolled my eyes. "It's…it's just…you told me you loved me once and I thought that you would help me. Bella can't satisfy you the way I can. She won't do the things I will. Plus, I'm prettier. Please take me back Eddie. I still love you." I was about to say something when my little tigress jumped in. Her eyes were blazing and her cheeks were pink. "You bitch! I have tried to be nice and understanding but you don't deserve that! Edward, not Eddie, is with me. I love him and he loves me. We are soulmates. Don't presume you know what we do and don't do, Tanya. My Edward is very satisfied. You may think you're prettier than me but you're not. You're a fake bitch who sells her pussy to the highest bidder. I feel sorry for your kid. Now say what you need to say and then get out of our Penthouse."

That was the hottest fucking shit I had ever seen. Jenks was looking at Bella like she'd grown horns. Tanya was fuming. I kissed Bella deeply and massaged her lower back. She buried her face in my neck. "I'm sorry Edward." I patted her knee. "You have nothing to apologize for babydoll. She had no right talking to you like that. I'm so fucking proud of you for standing up for yourself." I turned to Tanya. "If you say one more fucking word to upset my babydoll, I will make sure your ass never sets foot in Seattle again. I won't physically hurt you, but I can make your life a living hell. I feel sorry for whatever fucker's seed you're carrying around. I'm ashamed that I ever laid a finger on you. Trust, it won't happen again." Jay composed himself enough to continue. "Well, we should get the show on the road. I wouldn't want to make the little missus angry." He winked at my babydoll. "Ms. Denali, why don't you tell Edward what you came to say so that we can leave." Tanya pouted for a minute. She looked ridiculous with her plastic lips. "The father of my baby is an enemy of yours. I found out that he only pursued me because he thought we were still together. Like you, he is a very rich and powerful man. Unfortunately, I can't get access to any of his money." I set Bella aside so I could stand up. I paced around the room, trying to wrap my head around this shit. "Tanya, are you telling me the father is James? You fucking bitch!" Tanya shook her head. "As if! That asshole is the reason I'm here in the first place. The baby's father was Stephen Sokolov. He died before he could change the will. I'm left with nothing and James refuses to acknowledge my child. It's a nightmare." Bella gasped. I collapsed onto the couch next to her. She gently stroked my hair to calm me down. This was the fucking news of the century. There was another heir to the Russian Organization. James wouldn't like that one fucking bit. Tanya suddenly became very useful to me. "Jenks, draw up a contract for Ms. Denali." I told him the details. The two pregnant women both had to use the restroom so we had the time alone. I would have to have my maid disinfect whatever Tanya used. Bella protested but I carried her to the bathroom. She complained about getting a fucking wheelchair so that I could get a break. I called her a 'smartass' before leaving. Tanya came back with a sweater on. I guess she got the point that I was no longer interested. I had asked Bella to text me when she was done, but she didn't. My eyes narrowed when I saw her saunter into the room. "Babydoll, why don't you listen to me? You're on bed rest. You were supposed to text me." She rolled her eyes. "Really Edward, walking a few feet isn't going to hurt me or the baby. You're too overprotective." I settled her in my lap and kissed her forehead. A light powdery scent was mixed with her usual strawberry and flowers. I inhaled deeply. My hand snaked under her shirt. I gently rubbed the baby bump. She put her hand over mine and smiled. It was a silent apology.

"I love you," we whispered at the same time. Tanya watched all of this with a sneer on her heavily made up face. I raised my eyebrow, daring the bitch to speak. Lucky for her, she kept quiet. She may not have been the brightest bulb in the lamp but she knew not to cross me. My wrath was fucking legendary. "Tanya, I asked Jay to draw up a contract between us. If you promise to give me access to the DNA test once the baby is born, I'll provide you with financial compensation. You will be ordered to stay in Alaska. I have a large mansion in a quant town. I will provide for all your necessities and give you a monthly stipend for a year. After that, the Russians will be responsible for you and the baby. Do we have a deal?" She nodded. Bella looked confused. Jay had Tanya and I sign the papers. I put him in charge of making sure Tanya got to Alaska safely. When that was done, they both left. Bella was still staring at me. I had to explain. "Bella, there are things in my world that are fucking harsh. James is my enemy, therefore, I have to take him down before he makes a move against me. If Tanya's baby proves to be his biological brother, then he loses power. He has several uncles that don't want him to lead. They will use Tanya's baby to launch a coup. I promise you that I will do my best to keep Tanya and the baby safe. It's fucking cruel but it has to be done." She nodded. "I understand Edward. I just hope no one ever tries to use me or our baby against you. I couldn't bear it," she said, sobbing. I wiped her eyes. "There's no fucking way! I'd kill anyone who came close to you or our baby. I may be a Mobster, but I've always been very careful. The Volturi protect family at all costs." She sniffled a little. I hated to see her fucking cry. "I trust you Edward. You take really good care of me. I know you'll keep our family safe." My chest swelled when she said 'our family'. I was so fucking proud that this woman wanted to be with me for life. I hugged her little body to me. She fit perfectly in my arms. We were meant to be together. I would never let anyone take her away from me. I'd fucking die first. We were going to leave for Lakewood in the morning. We spent the night watching DVD's and eating pizza. I made sure that Bella didn't walk anywhere. She gave up fighting with me and let me take care of her. We made love in the bathtub before going to sleep. The next day, I woke up at six thirty. Bella wasn't beside me. I panicked for a minute before I saw the bathroom light on. Of course, I should have known she was in the fucking bathroom. I felt bad for her bladder. She came out in her cami and boy shorts. That's all she wore to bed lately because she had hot flashes. Her fucking hormones were all over the place. I had a morning woody. Bella sucked me off. She was so fucking good at that shit. If she wasn't a virgin when I met her, I would swear that she had done it before. I fucking came hard in her mouth. She swallowed and licked me clean like always. She was so cute, kissing the head of my cock and smiling saucily at me. She knew she fucking owned my ass. There were not enough fucking words to describe my love for my babydoll. When I could move again, I helped her dress and packed the SUV. We were taking the Hummer again but this time I would be driving. I made sure that I had her OBGYN on speed dial. Then, I packed some

pregnancy books, her pills, and other things that we would need. I wanted the weekend to not only be about sex, but also about me getting closer to my future wife; just thinking that fucking word made me grin. My babydoll was still sleepy, so I made a bed in the back for her. I used lots of fluffy pillows and blankets. She was out before I left the garage. My bodyguard, Benjamin, would be following us and staying close. I didn't expect any trouble because James was out of the country, but it was better to be safe than sorry. I texted mom, Ali, and Rose before I got out of Seattle. They wished me luck on O.P.T.B. I couldn't wait to bring my angel back with a ring on her pretty little finger. I set my Ipod to play light Classical music as I drove. I had read that it was good for the baby. Bella mumbled in her sleep. She was saying something about a pearl. I would have to ask Alice if my babydoll had looked at any pearl jewelry. I knew Bella wouldn't ask me for shit, so I used my sisters and Esme to tell me what she wanted. The drive to Lakewood wouldn't take long so I took the scenic route. I heard Bella's stomach rumble. It was still breakfast time. I pulled over to a nice looking restaurant with lots of cars out front. They advertised that they had waffles, which were one of my babydoll's favorites. I woke her up. She pushed me away at first, but the minute she smelled waffles and syrup, she woke up. I parked and we went inside. Our table was in a corner at the back. A blonde waitress kept eyefucking me. I subtly let her know that I wasn't interested. Bella was too fucking tired to notice our exchange. She had to pee again so I walked her over and waited. Several old ladies smiled at me. I told them about how I got Bella pregnant while she was on birth control. Unfortunately, my babydoll heard me. She greeted the elderly women and pulled me away. "Christ Edward! Do you have to tell everyone that story?" Her cheeks were red so I licked them. This earned me another round of yelling but I didn't fucking care. When we got back to the table, our drinks were waiting. I had ordered espresso, which caused my babydoll to glare at me. She had good old orange juice with pulp. A different waitress came to take our food order. Bella got the country fried steak breakfast as well as a plate of banana nut waffles. I ordered a Southwestern omelet. We talked while we waited for the food to arrive. We were discussing baby nursery colors when Bella gasped. She was looking at someone over my shoulder. I followed her gaze. Staring at her was a man that looked to be around our age. He had slate gray eyes and dark brown hair. I fucking hated the way his eyes drank in Bella. I wondered how she knew the fucker. He walked over to the table. Her eyes never left his face. I was so fucking jealous that I wanted to throw shit. He took her hand and kissed it. I kicked him in the shin. He looked at me like I was some kind of demented asshole. I stood up. "Don't fucking touch her, asshole! Who the fuck are you anyway?" Bella asked me to calm down. She invited the asshole to take the chair next to her. He happily complied. "Jared Daniels meet my boyfriend Edward Cullen. Edward, this is Jared, he and I used to…we used to date a little in college." She said the last part very fast. Neither Jared nor I wanted to shake hands. She may have dated this fucker, but she didn't give him any

pussy, that was for sure. We glared at each other. He turned to Bella, a huge smile plastered on his face. I was going to pound the shit out of this fucker. Unfortunately, the waitress saved his life. She must have felt the tension because she practically threw the food on the table before leaving. The asshole took in the large amount of food in front of Bella. He gestured to her plate. "Wow, princess, you must have really gained a hell of an appetite. I remember you not being able to finish a whole hamburger." I was seething. Did he just call her princess? She wasn't a fucking princess, she was my babydoll and I wasn't fucking sharing. I growled at the fucker. He was too engrossed in Bella to notice. She put her hand over her stomach and giggled. "No, J.D., I'm pregnant. That's why I'm eating so much. I'm hungry all the time." The fucker tensed up. "You're…you're pregnant. How…when…why? Who's the father?" I kicked him in the knee this time. He glared at me. If it wasn't for Bella, his ass would be on the fucking floor. "Um…my boyfriend…Edward is the father. It wasn't really planned but I'm really happy. I'm a little over four months." The fucker scoffed. "I really didn't expect this of you Bella. You had everything. You could have gotten into any Master's program. You wanted to be a writer, what happened?" He glared at me. His voice turned ugly. "No wonder you never returned my advances. I could barely kiss you without you running away. Now I know it was because I didn't have as much money as your pretty boy over there. You're throwing away all your potential to become some trophy breeder. I notice that your ring finger is bare. The asshole won't even marry you. You're going to end up being his mistress. He will marry some socialite and take the baby. I thought you were better than that princess. I'm ashamed of you." I lunged for his throat. I kicked and punched until he was covered with blood. Two off duty police officers pulled me off of him. They tried to ascertain what happened. Bella was crying and begging the officers not to take me. She explained the situation. They took Jared outside and made me promise to behave. In return, I slipped them five one hundred dollar bills each. They both winked before leaving. It never hurt to have cops in your fucking pocket. Bella was too upset to eat after that, so we took our food to go. When we got outside, she got in the passengers seat. She had a few tears on her cheeks. I texted Dee to give him instructions. I was going to have him pick up Jared. He was to take the fucker to a warehouse, scare him, and leave him naked tied to the docks. That would teach the asshole not to hurt my babydoll again. I pulled away from the restaurant. Bella took out her container and began to eat. She was still crying a little. I clutched the fucking steering wheel. I tried making conversation but she wasn't into it. She just looked out the window and forked food into her mouth. It was fucking depressing. "Bella, that fucker was a goddamned liar! I won't leave and marry someone else. You know that you're more than a 'breeder' for me. I've told you that if you want to go to school or write, I'll support you. You're my life babydoll. Don't let him plant seeds of doubt in your head. I love you." She broke down. "I'm…I'm…sorry. I'm not good enough for you. Maybe he's right. You could marry a socialite with a lot of money and use her to strengthen your businesses. I'm just a small town girl with no

money or family heritage. I….I…know you would never ask me, but even if you did, I would refuse. I…I love you so much. We…we can be together for as long as you want me, but I'll never make you ask that question. It's already a miracle that you love me. I…I would never force you into an unwanted marriage." I pulled the car over. This was a fucking nightmare. I pulled her into my lap. She protested but I wasn't letting to. I cupped her chin and looked in her eyes. I wasn't going to let that fucker goad me into proposing the wrong way, but I couldn't let Bella think she was fucking worthless. What she had said broke my heart. "Bella, I don't want anyone else. I only want you. I don't care about your family or how much money you have, I only care about us. I want you forever. When, not if, I ask you to marry me, I hope with all my heart that you accept. I don't take what we have lightly. I want you in every sense of the word. Don't let me ever hear you put yourself down again. You are the woman who makes people smile. You saved me from eternal damnation. You accepted an orphan as your brother. You light up every room you enter. You love my family as much as me. You are smart, sexy, and gorgeous. Plus, you're the mother of my baby and that alone makes you priceless. Don't let the haters separate us. We belong together forever. They're just jealous of what we have. Ti amo." She melted into my arms. "Thank you Edward." We kissed until the windows started to fog up. I helped Bella back into her seat. She fed me my forgotten omelet. It wasn't as good as hers but it was fucking delicious. I told her so, which caused her to blush and smile. She gasped when we pulled up to Thornewood Castle. A bellhop came to take our bags. I had requested that the help be there for our arrival. Bella twirled around in a circle, hugging me. She looked like a kid at Disneyworld. I led her to the secret garden. Beautiful winter flowers were in bloom everywhere. She took out her digital camera and began taking pictures. She even got me to pose for a few. I sat on the ground and pulled her on top of me. Her arms snaked around my neck. She kissed everywhere but my lips. I smacked her tight little ass. She bucked into me. I recognized the fire in her eyes. She was fucking horny as shit. My dick was pretty much always hard when Bella was near so I was ready. I just hoped no one would see us because I was going to fuck my babydoll right here and now. She saw the hunger in my eyes and pushed me away. "Wait! There's…there's something I need to ask you. She was kneeling between my legs. I sat up. She kissed me on the lips. "Edward, did you mean what you said in the car? About making me your wife someday?" "Every fucking word. I would never lie to you. What's this about Bella?" She was scaring me. "I…I…I…just want…" She paused to take something out of her pocket. It was a small black velvet jeweler's box. She opened it. Inside sat a thick silver ring with black diamonds. I didn't wear much bling but I would wear that. Bella took my hand. She placed the ring on my finger. To say I was fucking stunned would be an understatement. "It's…it's…not much but I bought it myself with my own money. It's a Tungsten ring. The jeweler assured me that it was indestructible; like our love. Nothing will ever destroy what I feel for you. You make me the happiest woman in the world. Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, will you marry

me?" She looked up with her puppy dog eyes. Intense love and devotion was written all over her face. My fucking eyes bugged out of my head. This was a fucking disaster. I tried to form words but the only thing that came out was, "Oh shit!" ~*!*~

Chapter Twenty-Three ~ All I Want Is You Part 2 "If I was a flower growing wild and free All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee. And if I was a tree growing tall and green All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves If I was a flower growing wild and free All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee. And if I was a tree growing tall and green All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves All I want is you, will you be my bride Take me by the hand and stand by my side All I want is you, will you stay with me? Hold me in your arms and sway me like a sea. If you were a river in the mountains tall, The rumble of your water would be my call. If you were the winter, I know I'd be the snow Just as long as you were with me, let the cold winds blow" --All I Want Is You - Barry Louis Polisar

EPOV Bella waved her hands in front of me. "Edward…Edward, are you okay? Say something." I had been sitting on the ground just staring at the ring for several minutes. All my fucking planning was ruined. Bella had proposed to me first. I was torn. I didn't know whether to be flattered that she'd asked me or upset that she had beat me to the punch. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. The last time I'd felt something like that was when Bella let me fuck her again after so many months apart. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I looked down at the ring that my babydoll had bought for me. I made my decision then and there. I smiled, until I felt my eyes crinkle. I pulled Bella into my arms for a passionate kiss. Her tiny hands fisted in my hair. She was wearing a tight pair of fucking jeans that hugged her delectable ass in all-the-right-ways. I put my hand there and squeezed. Bella moaned into my mouth and sucked on my tongue. We fought for dominance in each other's mouth. I willingly conceded when she cupped my cock. "Fuck! Babydoll, we have to fucking stop! I really….I can't right now. We need to talk." Bella squeezed me one more time before removing her hand. Her cheeks were dark pink. The gray sweater she was wearing was up around her breasts; I had fucking clawed at her when we kissed. Her eyes were as bright as the sun shining overhead. I fucking loved her to death. Bella was my beginning and my end. I swept a tendril of her silky hair behind her ear.

"That was a yes, right? I'm so happy Edward. I love you so much. I'm going to be the best wife to you. I promise to spend the rest of my life by your side, keeping you happy." She kissed me on the nose. "Bella, you trust me, right?" She nodded. "Good, then I need you to do me a favor." "Anything Edward," she breathed. "I need you take the ring back for now. Ask me again later tonight and I assure you that I will accept it. There is nothing that would make me happier than being married to you. Please, don't ask questions now. Everything will be revealed later." Bella sighed. "Okay, but I'm only agreeing because I'm so happy. You have until nine at night and then I'll ask again. I love you Edward Cullen." I smiled. "I love you too, Bella Cullen." She gasped and pulled me in for another kiss. We were rolling on the ground in no time. My babydoll's hips were pressing into my rock hard erection, causing me to get even harder. I was going to fuck her right out here in the open if she didn't let up. I rolled us so that I was on top. Bella looked up at me like I was a fucking god. I leaned down to lay soft kisses all over her neck and collarbones. She hummed and continued playing with my hair. My dick was throbbing. "Bella…Bella….we….we have to stop. I have a romantic day planned for us. Let's go change and then we can have a picnic." My little tigress stuck her hand down my pants and squeezed my cock. I looked deep into her chocolate eyes. She was so fucking horny as she thrust her hips at me. My fucking dick did jumping jacks as I felt the leaking begin. Bella continued stroking me. I felt her fingernails lightly scrape over the head. I pulled her hand out and buttoned my pants. "What's wrong Edward? Did…did I do something wrong?" Tears welled up in her eyes. I felt like a fucking asshole but if I fucked her now, I'd never stop. Then, she'd propose again and I would never get my chance. My mom and sisters had worked too fucking hard, for my libido to ruin it all. I wanted Bella to remember the night I proposed for all time. With shaky hands and an angry dick, I stood up, taking my babydoll with me. I kissed her forehead. "You're perfect Bella, but I have some…business to attend to so that we can enjoy the rest of the weekend. I promise that you will be fucked thoroughly later tonight. I'll do any goddamn thing you want. I even bought a fucking paddle that I'm sure you'll love." My babydoll's eyes lit up. She was so fucking kinky. Bella loved, and I do mean loved, when I took control and spanked her ass. I never thought that an innocent virgin would end up being the hottest pussy I'd ever gotten, but that was exactly what had happened. My babydoll was too fucking sexy for her own-good. There was nothing that I mentioned, that she wasn't willing and ready to try. Hell, she even initiated a lot of the shit we'd done lately. For example, a couple of days ago, I'd come home after a long day of meetings. Bella was sitting on the couch watching fucking "Lady and the Tramp". I'd sat down under the guise that I had wanted to watch the movie with her, but in reality, I was just eye-fucking her the entire time. She knew the words to every fucking song. She looked so cute wearing my t-shirt as she watched the movie.

When it ended, I was in fucking heat. I'd watched and fondled my babydoll during the whole motherfucking film. She stood up and excused herself before going to the rest room. I had gone to my office to send some emails. I remembered hearing the click of heels, before I saw her. Bella had been standing in my fucking doorway wearing a uniform from my old high school. The skirt hung low and the shirt was tied up to expose her baby bump. She'd even had two fucking pigtails secured with ribbons. My dick had practically burst out of my pants. It was pretty much all a fucking blur after that. My cock had taken control and I'd followed wherever the fuck it led me. Bella fucking sucked me dry in every possible way that night. I'd never be able to watch that Disney shit again, without getting a fucking boner. I pulled myself out of the memory and looked over at her. She was biting her lip and looking at my cock. Her nipples were puckered under her tight sweater. I bet if I slipped my fingers in her panties, I would feel the wetness from her arousal. She pouted a bit as I took her hand and led her to the castle. I kissed our interlocked fingers. I watched with sadness as Bella put my engagement ring back in her pocket. I wanted that fucking thing on my finger more than anything in the world, because it represented how much my babydoll wanted me. No one knew it, but I was fucking sensitive when it came to her. Everyone, including my babydoll, thought that I was a cocky motherfucker, but I was insecure. Sometimes I wondered if my love and devotion would be enough to keep Bella by my side. She could make or break my ass with a simple look. It fucking scared me to death to think of us being apart. Maybe she could live without me, but I couldn't fucking live without her- I would fucking die if she left me again. Thankfully, I'd never have to go through that shit again. Bella was going to be my wife, which meant that I would be with her and our children until the day we died. Then, hopefully, we'd be together somewhere in the afterlife. I wasn't fucking worthy to breathe the same air as my babydoll, but I fucking loved her to the point of insanity. I figured that that simple fact had to count for something. I led Bella into the castle. She stopped when she took in the decorations. "Oh, Edward, it's gorgeous! I love everything," she squealed as she twirled around. I smiled. I loved making my babydoll happy. She stopped to smell one of the white roses. I watched her close her eyes and inhale. She was too fucking cute. I would have to do something special to thank my mom and sisters for this shit. I wasn't good with decorations and flowers, so I'd enlisted the best. Ali, Esme, and Rose took over like they were commanding an army. Flowers were just prettier plants to me, but clearly, my babydoll was fond of them. I'd noticed that she liked gardens, meadows, and nature in general. The castle was supposed to be decorated for Christmas now, but I'd paid a fucking fortune for them to hold off. The Great Hall had an open floor plan with old fashioned wood floors that were polished to perfection. There were couches that faced the tall windows. There was a fucking fireplace that was the centerpiece of the room. Currently, it was strewn with gardenias. Alice told me that they were supposed to bring about peace or some shit. I couldn't help smiling as I watched Bella pick one up and put it in her hair. She turned around and smiled at me, causing my fucking heart to stop beating. She went through every flower in the room. I made mental notes of all the ones she seemed to particularly love, because I was a fucking asshole, and I was pretty damn sure that we'd have a fight sometime soon. I knew that flowers were one sure way for any fucker to get out of the doghouse. Fuck! I had to say that word, 'doghouse'. Now my fucking penis was throbbing again. At this rate, we'd never have a fucking

puppy. Bella put a pink moth orchid in her hair to join the gardenia before walking over to me. It always came back to those fucking moths with us. I watched the sway of her hips. She was fucking hypnotizing my ass. Her perky breasts bounced with every step. Seeing her belly, swollen with our child, almost brought tears to my eyes. No woman would ever be as beautiful as my babydoll. She wrapped her arms around me. "Thank you, Edward. I can see the colored lights hanging from the ceiling. They're going to look amazing tonight. Let's go upstairs so that we can change. I'm starving." I kissed her softly on the lips and the back of her hand. I took out a copy of the brochure so that she could pick. "What room do you want to stay in first?" Bella perused the pictures and captions for a minute before she chose. "That one," she said, pointing. "It's perfect for what I have planned for later." I saw the fucking gleam in her eye. "I fucking swear, Bella. You're going to kill my ass. My tombstone will read: Here rests Edward Cullen. He lived, he loved, and then his beautiful wife fucked him to death. You'll have to stick some socks down my crotch, because my dick will have fallen off by then." Bella playfully slapped my arm. "You're too funny, Edward. And I won't fuck you to death tonight, probably only just within an inch of your life. I promise to keep your cock intact, though. I'm rather fond of that part of you." I picked her sexy ass up and carried her to our chosen room. She giggled the whole way. We stopped in front of the Grand View Suite. It had a huge king sized brass bed in the center. The windows were sixteenth century and stained glass. There was also an antique cast-iron soaking tub that I was dying to fuck my babydoll in. The suite had a private deck with a view of American Lake and the garden. Overall, I'd say it was pretty fucking romantic, and from the purring sounds that Bella was making, I would venture to say that she agreed. I'd texted the bellhop with our room choice. He brought our luggage inside. I caught him looking at my babydoll's ass, so I lifted my jacket so he could see the SIG in my holster. The little fucker scurried away quickly after that. Bella was so enraptured with the room that she missed the whole exchange. I was thankful that the help would be leaving after everything was set up. I was going to make Bella scream her fucking lungs out tonight, and we didn't need an audience. She was busy gazing at the sunflowers that decorated the fireplace. Bella being this close to a fucking bed, made my dick start leaking again. I had to be strong, if I was going to get through the rest of the evening, because the next time I made love to my babydoll, she'd be my fiancé. I walked up behind her and wrapped my arm around her waist. She leaned back into me. I moved her hair aside so that I could nip at her ear. She moaned deep in her throat while pushing her hips into my painful erection. I stepped back to give my tortured cock some breathing room. Bella whimpered at the loss of contact. "Edward, remember the last time you gave me sunflowers?" I nodded. How could I fucking forget? "Remember what we did that night? I might be up to doing that again before we eat lunch." She batted her eyes prettily at me. My fucking dick waved goodbye. I squeezed my eyes shut and took a few deep breaths to calm myself down. It didn't do a fucking thing,

because all I could see was Bella and I in the sixty-nine position. "We…we… have to wait until later. If you want me to pound that sweet pussy all night, you'll stop torturing me." Bella huffed. "Okay, but I'm not going to show any mercy later." I kissed the column of her neck. "I wouldn't have it any other fucking way. Now, go to the bathroom and get dressed, so that we can have a picnic in the garden." She kissed me before going to put on something else. It was warm in Lakewood for this time of year. The weather channel had called it a fluke. Tomorrow, it was supposed to be cold outside. The weather services were predicting snow. I couldn't wait to take my babydoll out in it. I had an image of her making fucking snow angels in the garden. The old Edward Cullen didn't even know what a snow angel was, and now I had fantasies about that shit. She had really changed my ass for the better. I took off my coat and sweater before going across the hall. I used the restroom and washed up. Then, I slipped on a pair of khaki shorts and a short sleeved polo. I made sure to put lotion on my legs, because I didn't do ashy. I knew some fuckers that thought lotion was only for women and shaking their fucking hands was like rubbing against sandpaper. I slipped on a pair of leather sandals to complete the look. When I got back to our room, Bella was putting something away. Her back was to me. I took time to drink her in and then I fucking gasped. "Hell no! Go change now! There is still staff about. I'm not going to let those fuckers see you in that." Bella turned around and rolled her eyes. "Edward, I'll be fine. I wear less than this at the beach. Are you ready?" I tried to control my temper to no avail. She was wearing a pair of navy blue cotton stretch shorts that were so small, that I could almost see her fucking butt cheeks. She also had on a light blue short-sleeved Coldplay t-shirt that was tied at the waist. Her bump and belly button were left exposed. The outfit was fucking hot as shit, but I didn't want any other fuckers to see her in it. I inhaled. "Well, now that I know that, we won't be going to any public beaches anytime soon. We're not leaving until you put on something to cover up that outfit. Once we get to the private area of the garden, you can take it off." "Fine, Caveward. I don't care as long as you feed me," she huffed. I took out my long wool jacket and put it over Bella. She watched me with narrowed eyes the whole time. I heard her mumble some shit about being 'too hot' and how I was a fucking 'Neanderthal,' but I held my tongue. If I was a caveman, so be it, at least she was fucking covered up now. I kissed her on the forehead before we headed out. We had to stop downstairs in the kitchen to retrieve the picnic basket. Alice had picked the menu. It was supposed to contain some things that Bella loved to eat, so I wouldn't be surprised if there were pickles and cookie dough inside. Bella ate cookie dough like it was about to become non-existent. The female cook cocked an eyebrow when she saw what Bella was wearing, but she didn't say anything. When the basket was done, we followed a different bellhop outside. He set up some thick blankets and fluffy pillows in the garden. The top blanket was feathered. I wanted my babydoll to be as comfortable as possible. I dismissed the bellhop after everything was done. His eyes never once strayed to Bella, so I tipped him heavily.

She still wasn't talking to me, so I started unpacking the basket. I set up the wicker trays that the food would go on. There was a small glass vase with three yellow roses inside. I put them in the center of our outdoor pallet. Then, I started taking out the covered dishes one by one. I set my Iphone to play some Randm clasical music I looked over at Bella. She'd taken my coat off and placed it near the edge of the blankets. She was staring at me as I finished setting up. There was…something in the way that she was looking at me. It made me feel a little uneasy, because shit had been known to go horribly wrong where we were concerned. I stood up and motioned for her to take a seat. She sat down with her back facing the pillows. I was full-on worried now, because Bella still hadn't spoken to me. The real shocker was that she wasn't fucking making a move to eat yet. Usually, Bella couldn't wait to dig in. I knew that she was hungry, because it had been at least three hours since she last ate. I swallowed my nerves before turning to my babydoll. "Bella, what's wrong? Are you still mad about the coat? I'm sorry; it's just that I feel very protective of you. I love you." Her eyes welled up with tears. "You…you…don't want to marry me. I knew that it was a mistake asking. Please, don't dump me, Edward. I love you too." I sat down so that Bella was in my lap. My legs surrounded her on both sides. I wrapped my arms around her stomach and kissed her neck. "Why the fuck do you think I don't want to marry you? You…you…can't honestly believe I'm doing all of this just to dump you." "I don't know what to think, Edward. I proposed and you told me to wait until later. I tried but I'm worried that you don't want to. You don't have to do it for me. I'd never force you into anything. And…and…you won't touch me. Normally, you'd be all over me by now." I sighed. "Bella, you are my fucking heartbeat. I cannot and will not live in a world where you don't exist. I don't regret your proposal. I promise you that if you're just a little patient, everything will be revealed. Trust me; my surprise is going to be worth the hype. Now, stop second-guessing yourself. I love you and I'm going to make love to you, but not right now. Just give me a little time." She smiled as I kissed her collarbone. "I'm sorry, Edward. I'm just so hormonal and crazy right now. Thanks for putting up with me." I laughed. "It's a real chore, but the sex makes it all worth it." She elbowed me in the ribs. The cook had packed little porcelain plates with flowers for us to use, as well as utensils in fancy napkins. I let go of Bella so I could help put everything out. Whatever was inside smelled fucking amazing. My stomach jumped in anticipation. When all the containers were revealed, I heard Bella gasp. She flew across the blankets into my arms. She sprinkled tiny kisses all over my face. I didn't know why she was so fucking happy, but I was thrilled to see her beautiful smile. Her arms snaked around my neck. We kissed on the lips. "Bella, what brought that on, not that I'm complaining, but damn." She gave me one more deep kiss before pulling away. "You...you remembered." I must have looked confused, because she pointed at the dishes. "This is the exact meal we had the first night we spent

together. There's roasted chicken, green beans with almonds, scalloped potatoes, cornbread, and white macadamia nut cookies." Now, I remembered. I had been such a fucking ass that night and my babydoll had been so sweet, making me dinner and letting me sleep in her bed. I was going to owe Ali another car for this shit. Only a woman would think of something so…sentimental. If the rest of the planned events went this well, Bella would be riding my dick all fucking night. I smiled at the thought. While I was musing, my babydoll had begun to eat. I took a seat next to her. She had already made a plate for me. I kissed her rosy cheeks before digging into my food. We ate in silence, occasionally looking at one another and smiling. The air was fragrant with flowers. Bella's hair was in a high ponytail and the moth orchid and gardenia were tucked in it in some kind of way. Unfortunately, Alice really had packed some of Bella's favorites. I watched in awe as she ate a dill pickle. I swear that shit was made to torture my dick. Her lips closed around the outer green rind and I almost lost my shit. She took a bite and then licked her luscious lips. I made a strangled noise, which caused Bella to look at me. I averted my eyes and continued eating. After we finished, I helped Bella repack the leftovers, which were few, because my little babydoll could fucking eat. Our kid was going to be huge if she kept it up. I was glad though. As long as my angel and our baby were happy and healthy, my world was all perfect. Bella laid back on the pillows. I copied the movement. We played a game of 'name that cloud'. She was very imaginative, seeing everything from a unicorn, to the Burj Dubai skyscraper in the fucking clouds. She teased me because all I saw were fluffy clouds. The truth was that I didn't even see that, because I spent the whole time staring at her tits. My babydoll turned over onto her side. I arranged us so that her head rested on my chest. I curled one of my fingers in a loose curl of her hair. It was hot, but there was a light breeze. It felt really good. I prayed that nothing would mess up this peaceful moment we were in. My fingers caressed Bella's silken thighs. She sighed and closed her eyes. I couldn't stop there, so I palmed her ass. She moaned and bucked into me. I carefully laid her down on the pillows. She looked up at me with questions in her eyes. I fucking ate the inside of her mouth. By the time I was done, we were both panting. "Edward, that was…amazing. I thought you wanted to wait until tonight." I grabbed my Iphone and sent a text message. It was a request for all the workers to stay inside of the house until I gave orders. The manager agreed to comply. I had paid them so much fucking cash, that they would have let me do almost anything. I needed privacy for what we were about to do. "Bella, take off your shirt." It was off in a fucking heartbeat. She started to take off her bra, but I stilled her hands. It was just a plain cotton beige bra, but on my babydoll it looked sexy as hell. I pushed the cups down until her tits were fully exposed. Her beautiful pink nipples were at attention and begging for my mouth. I leaned down and took one in my mouth. Bella screamed and pulled my hair. I suckled on her sweet titties until she pushed me away. She looked up at me. "Edward…no more. They're too sensitive right now," she panted.

I kissed the skin over her heart, before moving down to lavish the rest of her body. I bit, licked, and sucked all of her delectable skin. I rubbed my cheek over her stomach and cooed to our unborn child. Her fingers scratched my scalp lightly. When I licked inside her bellybutton, she giggled. Eventually, my wandering took me to the Holy Grail, also known as Bella's pussy. I pulled off those tiny fucking shorts with one swoop. Then, I buried my face in her panty covered crotch. The smell drove me fucking crazy. I could never get enough of the potent mix of strawberries, honeysuckle, rain, and her natural arousal. I kissed her pelvic bone, before discarding the underwear. I would add them to my collection later. Bella's hips undulated under my gentle caress. I thumbed her clit to make her even wetter. Her swollen pink lips gleamed in the sunlight. I rubbed my cheek against the tiny bit of pubic hair she kept. It was just as silky and the same color as the hair on her head. I fucking loved that shit. It felt so good when I ran my cock over it, before putting it inside of her. A lot of bitches thought that it was cool to have baby girl pussy, but that shit was a turn off for me. I wasn't a fucking pedophile. I believed that a grown ass woman should look like a grown woman in all ways. If Ali or Rose ever waxed my babydoll bare, I would make them pay. I inserted a finger in Bella's drenched pussy. She moaned loud enough to scare the birds. I laughed as a few flew out of a nearby tree. She looked down to see what I was so happy about. I just winked and inserted another finger. "Edward…I need you to make me come. Please," she begged. I twisted my fingers in and out of her pussy. She was writhing and making fucking animalistic sounds. I curled my fingers so that I hit her g-spot. My babydoll's hips lifted clean off of the blanket as her first orgasm hit. I kissed her thighs as I waited for her to calm down. When she was still, I spread her legs wide. "Bella, I'm going to eat your delicious pussy now. All you have to do is come for me. I love you." She nodded her head weakly. "La mia stella brillante. My shining star," I mumbled against her skin. The fucking Italian made her even wetter. Tonight, I was planning to use as many Italian love words as it took to soak her fucking panties. Before Bella, I never knew that you could woo a woman with foreign words. The other bitches I'd been with hadn't been important enough to impress. I may have had a lot of sexual experience, but I was still a novice in the romance department. I spread Bella's pussy lips and blew on her sensitive nub. "Edward! Do that again," she cried out. I repeated the action. Her hips rose to meet my tongue. I playfully licked around her walls, staying away from where she wanted me the most. "Edward, put your tongue inside and make me fucking come!" With a request like that, how could I refuse? I sucked her clit into my mouth, biting lightly. Bella bucked into me. I held her legs down and buried my face in her pussy. I licked every area that I could see. I felt my babydoll tense up before she came like a fucking geyser. I licked up every bit of her sweet nectar. I didn't give her a chance to recover before I began to lick her clit again. Her knees clamped together, locking my head between her thighs. I reached up to spread them wide again. I ate her pussy relentlessly. I never let Bella stop coming. Every time she had an orgasm, I'd continue

licking and sucking until she had another one. I stuck my tongue as deep as it would go inside her hole. I knew that she was done when she stopped screaming. I gave her pussy one last gentle kiss and then sat up to access the damage. My babydoll was spread eagled on the fucking blankets. Her sweaty head rested on the fluffy pillows. Her hair was loose around her shoulders. I assumed that her ponytail thing had come off while she thrashed her head about. Her tits were still pushed up in the bra. They were flushed a beautiful pink. I kissed her belly but she didn't stir. My babydoll was out like a fucking light. I managed to put her shirt on and those tiny fucking shorts. I tucked her panties in the pocket of my pants. Then, I lifted Bella into my arms. She mumbled something, but I couldn't make it out. Her body was completely boneless. I covered her with my coat. I felt smug because I had knocked her ass out again. My dick was in fucking pain, but it was so worth it to give her pleasure. I went in through the private entrance since we didn't have to go to the kitchen again. I'd let the help clean up outside. I was very happy with the way the day was progressing. I squeezed Bella to my chest, inhaling her scent. She was my fucking soul-mate. When we arrived at the room, I opened the door. I walked over to the bed and tucked Bella in. I took off her bra so that she would be comfortable. She hadn't slept in one since she'd become pregnant. She said that they made her too hot now. I was just glad that she slept fucking topless most of the time. It was easier to fondle her without too many clothes in the way. I kissed her cheek and then I exited the room. I went downstairs to the Gentleman's Parlor. My laptop had been set up at the table. Someone had even set out a glass of ice. A bottle of expensive Scotch was next to it. I poured myself a glass. The burn felt good. I didn't drink much anymore, but I still enjoyed an alcoholic beverage every now and again. I opened my Macbook. Bella's beautiful face filled the screen. She was smiling and sticking out her tongue. I'd taken it the day we 'christened' the pool and hot tub. My little tigress really loved water. I ran my hand over my heart, knowing that my babydoll's name was etched into the skin. I had several work related emails, so I answered those first. A couple of them concerned Bella's wedding gift. It was going to be a surprise. I'd purchased a lucrative local bookstore/café. Jasper had been secretly interviewing for a manager all week. I figured that Bella could run the business and still have time to write or go to school if she wanted to. The business was to be completely hers, which meant that she could do with it as she pleased. I was going to miss her sexy ass at HADES, but I didn't want my wife working for me. She could visit, but I was going to hire a new secretary; preferably, someone older and married. I made sure that my lawyer, Jay, had our wedding certificate ready. He did, so that was one less thing that I had to worry about. He updated me on the Tanya situation. She had gotten to Alaska safely and was cooperating so far. I hoped it stayed that way but with Tanya, shit could go both ways. After all my correspondence was done, I hung up and dialed my mom. I had over twenty missed voicemails and texts from her. Her phone rang to the tune of "Chopsticks". I smiled. That had been the first song she ever taught me on piano. I surpassed my mom's piano skills at the age of ten, so she'd hired a professional to give me lessons. He thought I was a natural at that shit. That was why I'd applied to Julliard. My teacher had been very disappointed when I declined their offer to go study there. If I had of known my babydoll, maybe I would have chosen that life instead of the Mafia. It was too late for regrets now, though. Besides, the Volturi were my family and I owed my godfathers for all they'd done for me.

Eventually, Esme picked up. "Hi, mom. I'm just returning your call. What's up?" I could hear Rose and Alice in the background as she put me on speakerphone. There were a million questions at once. They wanted to know how it was going. I thanked Ali for the picnic and told her that Bella had really loved that shit. I also thanked them all for the flowers and decorations. When I told them about Bella proposing to me first, they all laughed. Alice was sending a stylist to dress Bella for tonight. Rose had gotten one of her photography friends to come do the pictures later tonight. My mom made me promise not to upset Bella before they all hung up. I fucking loved my family. I texted Jaz, Em, and Carlisle to let them know that everything was going well. They were all happy for us. Jasper called and fucking cried over the phone. He didn't want to let his baby sister go. The way he was blubbering you would have thought that she was a fucking five-year-old getting ready for her first day of kindergarten. I kind of understood, though. He had basically been her father since she was sixteen. I owed him a lot because he'd had a hand in raising my babydoll. For the rest of the afternoon, I assisted the help in making sure everything was perfect. The stylist, an elegantly dressed older woman, came around six in the evening. I woke Bella up and explained to her what was happening. She was actually excited that she'd be getting her hair and makeup done. I guess Ali had rubbed off on her after all. I kissed her and then left the stylist to work her magic, not that my babydoll needed it, because she was a natural beauty. Alice hadn't let me see the dress that Bella would be wearing tonight. I knew that it would be beautiful, because my sister had excellent taste. I went to another room to take a shower and get dressed. I resisted the urge to rub one out. I was going to let the tension build so that my orgasms would be stronger. It was fucking hard though. I had to bathe in the coldest temperature possible to make my erection go away. I used lots of Bvlgari AQVA shower gel because Bella loved that shit. I'd caught her sniffing it a few times in our bathroom. I made sure to gently clean my tat but not get it too wet. I washed my hair in the same Bvlgari scented shampoo. I decided to shave so that I would look suave for tonight. My babydoll liked me with or without stubble, but I wanted to be soft for her. I took my time dressing. Ali had picked out a tuxedo for me to wear. It was fitted and black with slim lapels. It had been tailored to fit me perfectly. I put it on and looked in the mirror. James Bond had nothing on me. I was a sexy motherfucker. I tried taming my hair but it was a lost cause, so I just pulled my fingers through it. Somehow, it looked perfect. I put on my diamond cuff links and Rolex for the special occasion. I paired the outfit with my favorite leather Gucci loafers. The finishing touch was a white handkerchief in the pocket. After that was done, I went downstairs to wait on Bella. My nerves were fucking shot. What if she didn't like what I had planned? What if she decided I wasn't worth it after all? What if she fucking decided to go home early? My mind was not a safe place at the moment. I took a long swallow of scotch to give me courage. The hired stylist came down the stairs first. She looked me up and down before nodding. I gathered that she was a woman of few words. "You're fiancé is beautiful. Brace yourself, honey. She's one of the most stunning women I've ever dressed. You're a very lucky young man." I smiled at her. "I know. I can't wait to see how she looks. Was she okay? Did she complain about anything?" The woman patted me on the back. "She was a perfect angel. Don't worry, she loves you. My husband

was just as nervous when he asked me to marry him," she said wistfully. I recalled Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper telling me the same thing. Poor Emmett had worked himself into such a tizzy that his ass actually vomited on Rose's heels. He'd been so fucking embarrassed, but his Rosalie thought it was funny. If he could get an acceptance with a proposal like that, then I had nothing to worry about. The stylist grabbed my arm, effectively pulling me out of my thoughts. "She's up there. Isn't she a vision?" I looked up. At the top of the staircase stood my babydoll in all her glory. I dropped the water bottle that I'd been holding. I opened and closed my mouth several times. Bella always looked gorgeous, but tonight, she was ethereal. My mouth hung open as I watched her descend the stairs. She was wearing a light blue dress that flowed over her legs and protruding stomach. The bodice and straps had sparkles that shone brightly against her pale skin. Her creamy tits sat front and center. I saw the very tops of the flawless mounds. My lips ached to suckle them. I could see matching satin slippers peeking out from the bottom of the dress. Bella's hair was arranged in an intricate braided up-do. Some curls had been left to hang loose around her face. Her makeup was light and shimmery and accented her natural beauty. She looked like a cross between a queen and an angel. Finally, she stood in front of me, blushing up a storm. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her deeply. "Bella, you're absolutely perfect. You are the most beautiful woman in the world. I'm so happy that you chose me. I love you." She leaned back to look at me. "Edward…you…you wore a tux. I don't think that I'm going to be able to keep my hands off of you. You look beyond handsome. I love you too." The stylist gave Bella some instructions and then prepared to leave. I made sure to slip an envelope full of money in her hand. She winked at me before going outside. Her services were worth every penny, because my babydoll looked wonderful. I twirled her around so that I could see the all of the dress. Her upper back was left bare. I planted soft kisses all over the exposed skin. She smelled wonderful and she tasted even better. Those chaste kisses set off my traitor dick again. I was painfully hard in an instant. "Bella, let's go to the ballroom. Dinner is set up in there for tonight." I pulled out a silk blue blindfold. "Will you wear this?" She nodded so I tied it her around her head. I swept her into my arms and carried her to the table. Everything was just as my mom said it would be. There were huge gleaming dishes of fancy treats as well as gourmet entrees. There was no fucking way that we'd eat it all. I set Bella in one of the padded antique chairs. She sniffed. "Mmm, Edward, something smells delicious. Can I take off my blindfold now?" Esme had given me specific instructions for the dinner. It was supposed to be intimate. "No, babydoll, keep it on for now. Just relax, I'll feed you." "Okay, I trust you, Edward. I'm super exited to see what you have planned," she replied cheerfully.

I grabbed the platter of assorted fruits first. I placed it on the table in front of my babydoll. Then, I took a seat next to her. I forked a chunk of pineapple and held it near Bella's lips. She opened her mouth to accept it. Some of the juice clung to her lips. I wanted to lick them dry. She moaned and opened her mouth for another chunk. I fed her a couple more before switching. The next fruit was strawberries. I repeated the same action that I'd done with the pineapples. It went on like this until she'd tried every fruit on the platter. "Edward, that was delicious. Because I couldn't see the fruit, my senses were heightened, which made everything taste better." She opened her mouth. "'What's next?" I couldn't resist sticking my finger inside. She sucked on my forefinger, licking it like she would my cock. I almost fucking came from the sensation. I ended up feeding her everything from pork tenderloin tips to jumbo prawns. I was too nervous to eat but I enjoyed the sounds she made more than I would have the food. I knew that she was turned on, because she kept rubbing her legs together to create friction. After I fed her the truffles and cakes, she declared herself full. I removed her blindfold and kissed her lips. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me closer. I stroked the top of her breasts, She guided my head so that my lips were on her neck. Our foreplay was getting hot and heavy so I broke away. Bella whined. "I need you now, Edward. Please, whatever you have planned can wait. I'm so horny that I'm tempted to hump your leg." I smirked. "Just wait a little bit longer, babydoll. Your orgasms will be longer if we wait. Do you want a glass of non-alcoholic champagne?" "I'd love a glass, Edward. This night has been so perfect so far. I'm not sure you can top the dinner, though." I poured her a flute. "Oh yea of little faith. I'm going to knock your fucking socks off. You'll remember this night for the rest of your life." She blushed and took a sip of her pregnancy approved drink. "I hope so, because this is amazing," she said gesturing to the room. It was decorated in sparkly lights and red and white roses. I bowed before Bella. "Care to dance, babydoll." A harpist and cellist had been hired for the evening. Both women were set up in the corner of the ballroom. Bella's eyes widened when she saw the two tiny women behind the large instruments. "Edward, how did you know I love the cello and harp music," she whispered. "Alice told me. I had no fucking clue until then. We need to spend this weekend playing twenty questions or some shit. I want to get to know you better." She blushed. "Okay, but I must warn you. I'm kind of nerdy. You'll be bored to tears after question number five." I cupped her ass. "Mmmhh, you are anything but boring, babydoll. And if you're a nerd, then you're the sexiest one on Earth. Ti amo. We kissed in the way that only true lovers could. The musicians started to play the opening lines of

"Kissing You". Bella squealed and buried her head in my chest. The music was absolutely beautiful. I could feel Bella's tears leaking though my shirt as I waltzed us around the ballroom. I wiped the wetness from her soft cheeks. "What's the matter, babydoll? Are you too tired to dance?" She shook her head. "Oh, Edward. It's all so beautiful and you did it for me. Thank you. You don't know how beautiful and loved I feel right now. I love you so much." My heart caught fire. Bella's simple thanks touched something deep inside of me. Our bodies were fused together as if we were one. The moment was perfect in every way. My babydoll cried through the whole song. I felt a few tears escape my own eyes. As the last notes of the music rang out, I leaned down and claimed her lips. She kissed me back enthusiastically, putting her whole heart into it. I could feel our baby between us. My shoulders shook with unshed tears as my babydoll sobbed in my arms. The musicians left quietly so that they could set up on the beach. That was where the actual proposal was set to take place. I helped Bella to a nearby chair so that she rest for a minute. We were both so overwhelmed with emotion that we could barely speak. I set the Bose speakers to play the next song. I'd chosen the Bryan Adams' song, "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" because it told my story. I had never loved until Bella came along, and now that I'd had her, I would never go back to being the asshole I used to be. I bowed in front of my her, asking permission. She put her small hand in mine. That always present jolt of electricity shot though my body. I led Bella around the room, our arms wrapped tightly around each other. I sang the lyrics softly in her ear: "To really love a woman To understand her - you gotta know it deep inside Hear every thought - see every dream And give her wings - when she wants to fly Then when you find yourself lyin' helpless in her arms You know you really love a woman When you love a woman you tell her that she's really wanted When you love a woman you tell her that she's the one she needs somebody to tell her that it's gonna last forever So tell me have you ever really really really ever loved a woman? To really love a woman Let her hold you til ya know how she needs to be touched You've gotta breathe her - really taste her Til you can feel her in your blood And when you can see your unborn children in her eyes You know you really love a woman When you love a woman you tell her that she's really wanted When you love a woman you tell her that she's the one she needs somebody to tell her

that you'll always be together So tell me have you ever really really really ever loved a woman? You got to give her some faith - hold her tight A little tenderness - gotta treat her right She will be there for you, takin' good care of you You really gotta love your woman... Then when you find yourself lyin' helpless in her arms You know you really love a woman When you love a woman you tell her that she's really wanted When you love a woman you tell her that she's the one she needs somebody to tell her that it's gonna last forever So tell me have you ever really really really ever loved a woman? Just tell me have you ever really, really, really, ever loved a woman? You got to tell me Just tell me have you ever really, really, really, ever loved a woman?" "I love you, Bella. You're the first and only woman that ever rendered me helpless. I love you past the point of desperation. My love for you is deep in my soul and it grows every day I'm with you. You make me a better man and I want to spend every day making myself worthy of you and our children." Bella stopped moving and raised her head. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. I kissed the remaining teardrops away. We'd been through so much shit, but it was all worth it to be here tonight. I could feel the love vibrating though the room. "Edward, I love you too. You're…you're the only man that I've ever wanted. I never thought I could truly have you, but you made my dreams a reality. My only wishes are to spend the rest of my days making babies with you and growing old together. You're my all." She waved her arms around. "If all of this was gone tomorrow, and I still had you, I'd be the happiest woman in the whole world. Only you, Edward; It's only ever going to be you." I knew the meaning behind her words. I was the only man she'd ever let make love to her. I knew that I was a lucky motherfucker. When she said she wanted to make babies with me, my heart filled with pride, because this angel wanted me forever. That in itself was a miracle. "Bella come to the music room with me. I have an urge to play for you." When we got there, Bella took a seat on the bench next to me. I began to play one of my favorite pieces, "The Swan" by Camille Saint-Saëns. Bella placed her hand on my knee. Her fingers moved to the melody of the music. After I finished, she lifted my hands and kissed every finger. "Edward, there are no words. I love to hear you play. Thank you." I pulled her in for a proper kiss, one that left us moaning. I had to change the subject before we ended up fucking on top of the piano. "Bella…Bella…umm… had you heard that piece before?" I was breathing so hard that it took a lot of concentration to get out the simple question.

My babydoll smiled. "Yes, my mom used to play "The Carnival of the Animals" CD for me. The Swan was always my favorite because of our last name." Her voice broke at the end. I felt horrible for reminding her of her dead parents at a time like this. "I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't mean…." She put her hand over my lips. "No, don't apologize. It's good to remember them sometimes. Tonight…everything has been perfect. I'm so happy with you, Edward. I love you." I put my hand over her stomach and kissed her. She jumped in surprise. My eyes widened in fear. I tried to pull my hand away but Bella held me in place. "Edward…Edward….I felt the baby move. It moved when you touched me. It already loves you as much as I do." I didn't feel anything. "Is…is that normal? I can't feel it moving? Does it hurt? Are you in pain?" I asked frantically. She shook her head. "No, it doesn't hurt. It feels like there's a butterfly trapped in my lower stomach, fluttering its wings. Carlisle said I would start to feel the baby move. It's amazing. You won't be able to feel it kicking until I'm further along." I was super fucking excited. My son or daughter moved under my touch. It was the best feeling in the world. I leaned down and placed my ear over Bella's bump. "I love you too, baby. I can't wait to meet you in person," I cooed. Bella ran her fingers through my hair. "I love you, Edward." I kissed her thoroughly. "There's just one more thing. Come outside with me. I have a surprise for you on the beach by the lake. You have to wear the blindfold again, though." She nodded. I carried Bella outside. "Edward, I can walk you know," she said, laughing. "I know, but I love to carry you. Besides, you look like an angel tonight, and angel's feet don't touch the ground." There was a private deck with a beach that was part of American Lake at the rear of the Castle. My mom and her design company had decorated that area for the special occasion. I'd also hired an orchestra to serenade my beautiful fiancé before I popped the question. As I carried my babydoll to our destination, my fucking nerves were all over the place. I didn't remember ever feeling so out of sorts. It wasn't that I had doubts about marrying Bella, it was just that I wanted everything to be perfect. I wanted her to tell the story of the night I proposed to our daughters when we got older. I looked down at my babydoll. Her hand rested lightly over my heart. All of my worries and fears flew out the window. She loved me and that was more than I fucking deserved. The beach was fucking beautiful. There were tall lighted torches in the sand, illuminating the area. The orchestra looked perfect in their black finery. The photographer was all set up for pictures off to the side. Even the fucking moon and stars were on my side tonight. I set Bella on her feet and uncovered her eyes. She swooned when she saw everything. I caught her in my arms. "Babydoll, are you okay? Do you need to lie down?"

She shook her head. "No, it's beautiful, Edward. I was just surprised is all. I mean there's an orchestra on the beach! Thank you for doing all of this for me. I don't think I can take any more surprises tonight." I inclined my head to the conductor. It was his clue for the orchestra to begin playing. The first notes of Erik Satie's, "Gymnopédie No.1" filled the beach. Bella looked up into my eyes. Hers were glassy and unfocused. A small smile graced her precious lips. I held out my hand. "May I have the last dance, babydoll?" She nodded as our hands connected. I put my arm around her. We danced in a circle. Bella was crying again so I held her tighter to my chest. My fucking shirt was soaked through with all the tears. She was too emotional to keep up with the dance steps so I was practically carrying her. I whispered Italian in her ear and kissed her neck, which only made her sob louder. The music was getting lower. Bella looked up at me. The stars shone in her chocolate orbs. I gently stroked a loose tendril of her hair. She really was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her skin glowed under the full moon. She was truly my treasure and I would keep her safe for all time. I kissed her flushed wet cheeks. "Please, babydoll, no more tears. Look up." As she did, I draped my jacket over her shoulders. There was a slight chill beginning to form in the air. Fireworks of every color went off in the night sky. I stood behind my babydoll and wrapped my arms around her waist, keeping my palm over our baby. She clapped her hands and squealed. I kissed her fragrant skin, enjoying her reaction. I got so lost in Bella that I almost missed the moment. The fireworks formed words that said, "Bella Swan, I love you. Will you marry me?" My babydoll turned around so quickly that the jacket dropped from her shoulder. I took her left hand and got down on one knee. She covered her mouth as tears fell down her gorgeous face. I kissed the soft palm of her hand. "Bella, you crashed into my world and changed every part of me. I never knew that I was capable of true love before you came along. You make me want to be a better man, someone that is worthy of your unwavering love. You are my whole life, my heartbeat, my soul. Without you, I'm nothing. You are the only woman for me. I'll never want anyone else but you. I want to grow old and make babies with you for the rest of my days. To me, you're a goddess and an angel. You're the sunshine that breaks through all my dark places. Will you let me be yours forever? Can I have your heart? Isabella Marie Swan, please walk through this life and the next with me, for all eternity. Babydoll, will you be my wife?" I placed the eight carat platinum Verragio couture ring on her fourth finger. The center diamond was round cut. It was surrounded by smaller diamonds that formed the infinity symbol on each side. There was an inscription on the inside with the words, 'Voglio stare con te per sempre.' I want to stay with you forever. I looked up at the love of my life. Deep, wrenching sobs escaped her mouth. "Yes! Oh God, Edward! Yes, I'll marry you. I…I…want to be your wife. I already belong to you, Edward. I love you, forever." I was so excited that I pulled her into my lap, not caring that I was getting her dress dirty. I put my hands on her head and ravaged her mouth. The sweet taste of her tongue drove me crazy. She was my wife. My mind could barely grasp the concept. Bella and I kissed for a very long time. I vaguely heard the orchestra applaud, before music filled the air again.

My hands were all over Bella. I couldn't get enough. She was just as enthusiastic, making the most erotic noises. I kissed the skin over her heart. "Tu sei la mia vita, la mia anima," I whispered in her ear. "You are my life, my soul. Ti amo con tutta l'anima. I love you with all my heart." Bella sighed and snuggled into my neck. I watched as she took my engagement ring out of her bra. She kissed my hand before slipping it on my ring finger. "Edward, I love you. I want to get old and wrinkled in your arms. I want lots of precious babies with you. I want to spend my life waking up in your arms and watching you fall asleep. Will you marry me, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen?" I smiled at the full use of my name. "Absolutely, yes. I can't imagine a life without you. I love you, Bella." Her answering smile was blinding. "I can get you a more expensive ring…" I shut her up with a kiss. "Don't you dare! I love this one. It's perfect and it's from your heart. I promise to never take it off." She held up her hand to study the ring. I was afraid that she was about to protest, but she surprised me. She placed her hand over her heart. "It's beautiful, Edward. I…I never thought…I never thought that someone would want…would want to marry me. You…you made me feel so special tonight. I'll never forget this for as long as I live. The ring…the ring is perfect. It will stay on my finger for all eternity." I owed my mom and sisters a lot for picking out the ring. I made a mental note to do something special for them all. Bella couldn't take her eyes off of her engagement ring. She studied it from every angle. I distracted her by pushing her down into the sand and attacking her mouth. Unfortunately, we were interrupted by loud feminine throat clearing. I looked up to see the photographer glaring at me. I could see why this woman was one of Rose's friends. She seemed to be just as brash and assertive. I reluctantly untangled myself from Bella and stood up, bringing her along with me. The photographer, Carol was her name, brushed the sand off of Bella's beautiful gown. She kept shooting death glares at me and mumbling about me getting Bella dirty. I smirked and winked at my babydoll. She blushed a gorgeous shade of pink. Esme and Alice would kill my ass if they didn't get perfect pictures, so I held in my fucking temper and let the bitch take pictures of us. We had to pose and stand at all kinds of odd angles. I almost went off a couple of times, but my babydoll would sense it and place my hand over her stomach. Touching our baby was soothing to me. I found it fascinating that there was a person inside of Bella. We took pictures in the Castle and in the gardens. Lighting and backgrounds had been set up while we were dining. Bella liked taking pictures about as much as I did, but she was doing it for mom and Alice too. The only bearable parts were when Carol wanted a photo of me kissing my babydoll. Eventually, everything was finished. I was fucking exhausted and my dick had been hard for most of the day without release. If I didn't get in Bella's sweet pussy soon, I was liable to just fucking die. The orchestra was to play until Bella and I departed. I picked her up and carried her back to our room. She was already falling asleep in my arms. When we made it to the bedroom, we both stripped and crawled under the cover. Bella kept on her beige slip but took off her bra. I was too tired to make love to her, so I suggested we take a nap. She fell asleep

on my chest with her hand over my tattoo. She mumbled my favorite words, and when she mentioned 'wife', my heart soared. I kissed her fingers before succumbing to sleep myself. I woke up disoriented. I was fucking confused, until I looked at my finger and saw my engagement ring. I smiled, remembering last night. It was just a little after five thirty in the morning, which meant that Bella and I had pretty much slept through the whole fucking night. I looked down, expecting to see my babydoll, but she wasn't there. I saw the light on in the bathroom and knew that was where she was. I scratched my stomach and stretched. I had only worn my boxers to bed. My dick was peeking through the front slit. It was so hard that I could barely touch it. I hoped that Bella was ready and in the mood, because I was horny as shit. I grabbed a bottle of water off of the nightstand and took a swig. I was too busy feeding Bella last night and hadn't eaten much. My stomach felt like it was caving in. I was just about to make a run to the kitchen, when my babydoll came out. Suddenly, the only meal I craved was between her thighs. She had on a tiniest piece of lingerie I'd ever seen. It consisted of a barely there pin-striped teddy that left her beautiful baby bump bare. Her pussy was covered with a tiny thong that matched the teddy. There were wrist cuffs as well as a collared one around her neck that had a tiny tie hanging from it. She was wearing black lace knee highs that were attached by white garters. Black stiletto heels made her legs look mile high. A felt black fedora had been placed over her mahogany curls and she was holding a toy Uzi. She was a fucking sexy as hell mobster. I almost fucking came in my boxers. Bella smiled at me. Then she turned and bent down, giving me a fuckawesome view of her luscious ass. I bit my lip so fucking hard that I tasted blood. My babydoll walked slowly over to the bed. She put a lot of sway in her tantalizing hips. I was panting like a fucking dog. She stopped right in front of me. "Do you like it, Edward? I bought it for you. I thought that you might find it funny." I nodded dumbly. Bella took the hat off and set the Uzi on the floor. My eyes never left her body. She was too fucking hot. My cock throbbed, causing me to whimper. It was fucking torture to be so close and not touch. I didn't want to come too quick and leave my babydoll wanting so I tried to calm myself down. When I could move again, I gently pushed Bella down on the bed. I traced my fingers over the sexy costume. She looked up at me, smiling. I moved the material aside and latched onto one of her breasts. She reached up and tugged on my hair. I licked and sucked her pointy nipples as she writhed underneath me. I traced her hard nipples with the palm of my hand. She rocked her hips into me, whimpering loudly. I kissed her sweet lips. She wrapped her arms around my neck so that my tongue could go deeper. My cock was right over her dripping pussy. I could feel the wetness through her thin thong. I kissed down her torso until I reached the promised-land. I pulled the fucking garters off with my teeth. Bella screamed and spread her legs wide. She lifted her hips so that I could slip the underwear off. I softly kissed her stomach. "Edward! Oh, Fuck! I need you, please," she begged. Neither one of us was going to last long this first time. Luckily, we had the castle to ourselves for the whole weekend. I propped myself up on my elbows and inhaled my babydoll's unique scent. My cock jumped in response. Bella was so fucking wet that her juices had coated her thighs. I licked the moisture there. She tried to swivel her hips to make my tongue go where she needed it most, but I held her in place. "Not yet, babydoll. You're such a bad girl, teasing me in that outfit. I'm going to make you pay."

She screamed in frustration. I licked from her thigh to her hip. Her hips came off the bed as the sensations hit her. I teasingly licked her clit once. She moaned. I opened her wider, drawing my tongue around her outer lips. Her smell drove me fucking crazy. I had to take a minute to shake my head. All I wanted to do was make her come. I knew that once I was inside of her pussy, that I wouldn't be able to last, so I had to make it good for her now. Bella slipped her fingers back into my hair and lifted her hips. She was trying to guide me to her. I licked and sucked her swollen nub. She thrashed and made animal noises that drove me crazy. Her hands tightened in my hair. I could feel her body as it tensed up. She was about to fucking come. I continued lapping her clit, focusing on that one spot. Bella's hips lifted uncontrollably as she screamed loud enough to wake up people in Seattle. When she started to pant loudly, I slipped my middle finger inside of her. My dick leaked as her tight inner walls clenched. I curled my finger so that I hit her g-spot. She spewed a string of curse words. My sweet, innocent babydoll cursed like a fucking sailor when she was close. I slid my index finger inside of her and curled it too. I used both fingers to thrust in and out of her while I licked her clit. She came hard, screaming my name. "Edward! Edwarrddd! Holy Shit! Fuck…fuck…I'm cuuuummming!" I licked up all the sweet nectar that she made. Eventually, her pussy must have gotten to sensitive because she pushed me away and curled up on her side. She was still wearing the stockings and the teddy. She had slipped off the shoes before I began my assault. I stripped her legs bare and kissed her delicate calf muscles. She barely moved. I pressed a soft kiss to her sensitive pussy and them moved back up her body. I had a dopey grin on my face because I was proud of myself for making her come so hard. I kissed her softly, trying to keep my fucking cock from spewing. At this rate, I wasn't even going to get the damn thing inside of her. Bella was taking in huge breaths of oxygen. Her cheeks were flushed and her silken skin was covered with sweat. My tongue explored Bella's mouth. She really got into the kiss, moaning and pulling me closer. She wrapped one of her legs over my hip, which brought my rock hard cock flush with her dripping pussy. I groaned. "Fuck, Bella! I'm so turned on. I…I want to make it good for you." My babydoll rolled us over so that she was on top. She looked in my eyes as she raised that tiny fucking chemise and threw it aside. Her gorgeous breasts bobbed with the movement. I licked my lips. She bent down and kissed me. Then, she moved down until she was eye level with my cock. "Mmmhhh, Edward, you're such a big boy. I want your huge cock to fill my mouth. It's my favorite meal." The words turned me on, not that I needed any help with that at the moment- Bella's delicate hand wrapped around my aching cock. My hips thrust into the air. I heard her giggle. Her hot little hand moved up and down the base of my cock as she sucked my balls. I grunted and made embarrassing noises. She licked the underside and then sucked in the sensitive head. I gripped the sheets so hard that my knuckles went numb. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Bella, you're going to fucking kill me!" I felt her smile against my dick. She let my cock slide into her mouth as far as it would go. My fucking body was ruled by pleasure. I didn't care anymore, I just wanted to fucking come. She caressed my balls

each time she took me down her throat. I wound my fingers into her shiny curls. She sucked on the sensitive head before sucking me down her throat again. I fucking came, screaming Italian curse words and my babydoll's name. She kissed my cock and climbed back up my body. She ghosted her lips over my tattoo. I wanted to say something, but my voice didn't work. I had screamed so much that it felt scratched up. Bella took a swig of water from the bottle and then held it to my lips. I sat up a little so that it wouldn't spill. "Babydoll, that was fucking amazing. You…you have a gift for fellatio. I'm truly happy that no other fucker will ever get the chance to experience that. I love you." She blushed. "Thank you, Edward. It's my pleasure and you're…you're the best at eating pussy." I choked on my fucking water. Bella winked. My little tigress was a handful. I sat up so that I could see her. She was fucking beautiful. Her cheeks were red. Her pouty lips were swollen from our kisses. Her breasts were perky and round. They had grown because of the pregnancy, but still fit perfectly in my hands. Her stomach swollen with the life that we'd created. I covered her little body with mine, careful to keep most of the weight off of her. I reached down to feel Bella's pussy. She was soaked again. I kissed her, thrusting my tongue deeper into her mouth. She moaned and pulled my hair again. My tongue intimately explored her mouth as I thrust into her. She screamed in surprise. She was so fucking tight that I almost came. I moved in and out slowly, letting my cock slide over her sensitive nub. I rocked my hips so that each thrust would hit Bella's g-spot- I knew that fucking spot like the back of my hand. She wound her fingers into my hair and pulled me back to her mouth. My tongue mimicked what my dick was doing to her pussy. I felt her grow wetter. Bella's legs were wrapped around my waist with her feet locked together. Her heels dug into my back, guiding my movements. I began forcefully shoving my dick into her sopping core. I would pull almost all the way out until only the tip was in before plunging into her again. Her head thrashed around the pillow. My strokes became stronger because I was fucking close. Bella's nails dug into my back. Bella came so hard that I felt her orgasm. Her walls clenched me tightly, triggering my own orgasm. I continued to thrust into her until my cock was flaccid again. I spiraled into extreme fucking ecstasy, screaming my wife's name. I never pulled out of Bella because I didn't want to leave her sweet pussy. I rolled so that she was on top of me. We stared deep in each other's eyes. No words were needed. Our lovemaking was always intense but this had been even more so. It wasn't just sex, it was a fucking promise for eternity. Bella kissed me and my cock started to harden inside of her again. "Lay back, Edward. I'll do all the work this time." She rode me slowly through another orgasm. When I saw her moving up and down on my cock, as her hands fondled her breasts, I came hard. It was the sight of that fucking ring that did me in. Bella just laughed and kissed me until I was hard again. This time I made her come several times. We slept off and on and made love all day. Bella showed me her childhood pictures and I showed her mine. She was the most beautiful little girl I'd ever seen. Even then, she'd been a blusher. We laughed and played twenty questions. I found out more about my babydoll. She was fucking amazing and I fell deeper in love with her.

It had started to snow lightly outside. I made her my famous hot chocolate, which earned me a fucking spectacular blow job by the fire in the Great Hall. She let me come on her tits and I took a picture for my porn collection. We had fucked in almost every room of the castle. If the place had of been for sale, I would have bought it, but it wasn't, so I was just going to have to build Bella her own castle. I had her against walls and trees, in bathtubs, on the dining table, and sometimes we even got to a bed. I woke up Sunday morning, barely able to move. Bella was already dressed in jeans and a sweater. I took her outside to play in the snow. She threw snowballs at me. We ran, kissed, and flirted with one another. It was fucking magical. I took lots of pictures of her making snow angels. She looked so young and carefree in her puffy white winter coat and matching cap. I almost fucked her in the snow. Later, Bella rode me on the piano bench after I played her an original melody. The only time we stopped making love, was when we ate or slept. Bella was just as insatiable as me. In the evening, she decided that she wanted to learn to play pool. I took her to the game room so that I could teach her. She changed into a pair of yoga pants and oversized sweatshirt, reminding me of that first night we spent together. I kissed her all the way to the game room. My babydoll was a horrible player, but what she lacked in skill, she made up for in form. I knew that she could feel my dick pressing into her ass because she started wiggling her hips. I was behind her, trying to teach her how to hold the pool stick. My dick jumped and I gave up on the game. I had a feeling that she'd only asked me so that she could seduce my ass. She was so fucking bad sometimes. I bit and sucked on her neck. She dropped the ball she'd been holding. "Edward?" The question hung in the air. I lifted her sweatshirt. She wasn't wearing a bra. I cupped and kneaded her smooth tits. She pushed her hips back into me. I pulled her pants down her legs. "Bend over the fucking table!" I commanded. My babydoll wasted no time in complying. "Put your hands on top and don't move them. If you do, you're punishment will be worse." Unfortunately, there wasn't time to get the paddle. I would have to use my hand. I slapped Bella on the ass. She moaned. "Did I tell you to make a fucking sound?" She shook her head. I smacked her again. Her juices ran down her legs. My babydoll was fucking kinky. She loved to be spanked. I pulled a tiny finger vibrator out of my pocket that I'd been keeping on me for just such an occasion. I slapped her ass cheeks until she screamed in frustration. "Edward! Please, put it in! I'm going to milk your fucking cock dry." I got down on my knees. Then, I spread Bella's ass cheek wide and inserted my index finger over her anus. I flicked the switch to turn on the vibrator. The minute it connected with her hole, she screamed and jumped. I turned it off to make sure that she was okay. "What the hell was that, Edward?" I felt like such a fucking idiot. Just because she said she wanted to try anal sex one day didn't mean she was ready for all of this now. "Bella, I'm sorry. You said that you wouldn't mind anal play so I thought… Never mind, I'm sorry." She never lifted her head off of the table. "No, I liked it, a lot. I was just curious. You…you can keep playing with the vibrator."

My eyes widened in surprise. I licked my lips and went back to rubbing the vibrator over her ass. I used my other hand to squeeze her clit. She came hard, her knees bucking. I caught her and held her body until she could stand again. I couldn't wait until she was ready to take my cock up her ass. Anal sex was one of my favorites, and Bella's sweet ass was fucking perfect. "Babydoll, that was fucking amazing. We'll go as fast or slow as you want, but hopefully, soon I'll get to fuck you up the ass." She shivered at my dirty words. "Edward…can you spank me again. My pussy is aching for you." I smacked her ass cheeks until they turned pink. Bella's nails were digging into the pool table. I smirked. She tried to lift her head but I pushed it back down. "I didn't give you permission to fucking move. Put your hands behind your back." I locked her wrists using a discarded handkerchief. There wasn't time to get the fucking fuzzy handcuffs either. I lined my cock up and thrust hard into Bella. She screamed. I rocked my hips in a circular motion, making sure to hit her special spot. I reached around so that I could tease her clit. She pushed back into me, meeting me thrust for thrust. We both came hard in a matter of minutes. I collapsed on my babydoll's back. We went upstairs to take a bath but ended up fucking until the water turned cold, forcing us to take a shower. My little tigress was so fucking bold, stroking my cock and sucking me off under the spray. After that, I couldn't move so we just laid in bed and watched movies. Bella fell asleep in my arms. When we next woke, the phone was ringing off of the hook. I picked it up and grunted at whoever had dared to interrupt our sleep. It was my mother. I passed Bella the phone and laid facedown. My babydoll had fucking worn my ass out, so the least that she could do was entertain my mom and sisters. She straddled my back and massaged me while she talked to my family. I prayed to god that my mom couldn't hear me moaning over the phone. Bella gushed about what happened last night and how much she loved her ring. I heard Alice and Rosalie squeal and ask for details as if they didn't fucking know. My babydoll wasn't wearing any fucking panties, so I could feel her pussy juices drip onto my back. She pressed the arches of her hands into my sore muscles. I buried my head in the pillow to muffle my grunts. My dick hardened painfully. Bella was still on the fucking phone, chatting happily. She shifted, causing her pussy to come into direct contact with my back. I could feel the cool wet spot she left. "Hang up, Bella. You can talk later," I said, my voice husky with lust. I heard a lot of giggling and catcalling before she hung up. It was beyond embarrassing that my mom knew that I was about to fuck my wife, well future wife, but in my eyes it was already final. Bella climbed off of my back. I sat up with my back to the headboard and pulled her into my lap. She was wearing one of my old Rolling Stone's t-shirts. Since we'd moved in together, she'd stolen half of my favorite fucking shirts, but she looked so damn sexy in them that I couldn't find it myself to complain. I kissed her passionately. She broke away. "Edward, I want to get married on Christmas Day. Is that okay with you?" I nodded. "Honestly, Bella, I don't fucking care. In my eyes, you're already my wife. All that wedding day shit is up to you, my mom, and my sisters. So, if you want Christmas, then that's what you'll get."

She shrieked and kissed me. "Thanks, Edward. That means that we only have a little over two weeks. Alice is going to kill me. Do you have any ideas of where we can have it? I don't want anything big, just our friends and family." I cupped her naked ass. "Mmmhh, yeah, I have a place. We own a huge cabin in Aspen. I can arrange jet transport for everyone. There's plenty of room for guests. You can invite anyone you want." Bella guided my cock inside of her. My hand was still on her ass. I hissed as her walls clenched around my shaft. The fucking thing was going to break off inside of her one day. We had fucked so much that I was in danger of getting a hernia. "Ahhh, that's perfect, Edward. I'll start making a list when we get home. I want a big Christmas tree, and lots of lights…." She droned on and one about some fucking shit. I just nodded my head, because all I'd be doing was giving her the credit card and showing up in a tux on the designated day. She rocked us to another wonderful orgasm. I buried my head in her shoulder and snarled as a hot stream of cum shot out of my cock. Bella hugged me and kissed my jaw until I came down. I was just about to fall asleep again when something she said caught my attention. "And we can't make love until after the wedding or he won't do the ceremony. I already told Esme that I'd sign the contract and you'll have to sign too." I held up my hand to stop her. "What? What are you talking about, Bella?" She rolled her eyes. "Edward, didn't you hear a thing I said on the phone." I shook my head. She sighed. "Your mom suggested her pastor be the one to perform the service. He was in charge of Esme's and Rose's wedding ceremony and he's going to do Alice's too. So, I want him to do ours. He'll only agree if we sign a contract that we won't have sex until the wedding night and we have to attend five counseling classes." I groaned. "Are you fucking serious?" She nodded. Why was God cockblocking my ass? Hadn't I suffered enough? "Okay, but I swear you have to be good, babydoll. No fucking teasing me." She saluted me. I smiled and kissed her neck. "If I'm not going to be inside that sweet pussy for over two weeks, then I better get my fill now. Lay down so that I can eat you out, and Bella, keep the phone close. I might need you to call 911." Later that night, when my wife was exhaustedly sleeping in my arms, I felt whole. For the first time in my fucking life, I felt like I deserved happiness. I cuddled close to my babydoll. She said my favorite words and I fell asleep in my version of heaven. ~*!*~

Chapter Twenty-Four ~ Every Time We Touch "Your arms are my castle, your heart is my sky. They wipe away tears that I cry. The good and the bad times, we've been through them all. You make me rise when I fall.

'Cause everytime we touch, I get this feeling. And everytime we kiss I swear I could fly. Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last. Need you by my side. 'Cause everytime we touch, I feel the static. And everytime we kiss, I reach for the sky. Can't you hear my heart beat so... I can't let you go. Want you in my life." --Every Time We Touch - Cascada ~*!*~ Mobward Interview 1. What's with the porn Bella collection? Fuck, LB. You would ask my ass about that now that I'm fucking celibate until the wedding. Well, I started the collection because I threw out all my other shit. Bella is the only thing that gets me hard anymore so I thought, hey, I might as well make a compilation of our sexcapades. When I'm not able to fuck her sweet pussy after the baby is born, I'm going to be relying heavily on my secret stash. I've already got over 300 pictures. 2. What's your favorite sex position? Definitely doggy style. I love hittin' it from the back. It gives me control, plus Bella loves it. I can't wait for my babydoll to let me come in her sweet ass. LB, you're almost as naughty as my babydoll. 3. What's your deepest, darkest fantasy? Hmm. I would like to go to one of those Dom/Sub balls with my babydoll. I want her sexy ass in a leather corset and stilhettos, leading me around with a leash. I would wear a fucking leather thong and be her bitch for the whole night. I'd come on her fucking shoes so she could punish me. Fuck LB, you did it again. 4. Do you want your kid to be a boy or a girl? I would be happy with either. I can see myself kicking some little shit's ass for fucking with my babygirl, and I can also see myself teaching my son to be the man my dad never taught me to be. It really doesn't fucking matter because I plan on keeping Bella knocked up as much as possible. She wanted a big family and I'm more than happy to do my part. I'm sure that we'll get a good mix of both. I gotta beat Em. He already has two on me. 5. What would make you laugh until you cried or a drink spilled out of your nose? Cutting off that fucker, James' balls with a scalpel and feeding them to him. Well, pretty much any torture of James and all my other enemies. I'm going to laugh when I see those motherfuckers die. He touched my babydoll and that is unacceptable. Fuck with my family and I fuck you up. Capish? ~*!*~ BPOV "So, when you say no sex, does that mean oral? Because technically we're not inside each other, so it should be fine." I buried my face in my hands. Edward was embarrassing the hell out of me. We were in the Pastor's private chambers having our first counseling session. He had asked the minister all types of inappropriate questions. I was one second away from bolting.

"Yes, Edward, that includes oral sex. I ask that my couples not engage in any type of intercourse until the actual wedding night. Believe me, it makes the experience much better," Pastor Randall said, shaking his head at Edward's antics. Edward huffed. "Fu-…" I glared at him. "Damnit! How is that holy? We have already made a commitment to marry each other. I even have the fu-…marriage license. Oh, and I doubt our sex life will get any better by waiting. It's already unbelievable now. I got Bella pregnant while she was on birth control. It doesn't get much better than that." My face heated to the temperature of boiling water. "Enough, Edward! This is beyond embarrassing. Pastor Randall asked us to wait, so we will. Stop asking stupid questions! He already said we can't have sex of any kind. The wedding is only two weeks away, so suck it up and shut-up!" Both Pastor Randall and Edward gaped at me. I looked down at my lap as I played with my diamonds-inbloom necklace. I hated being the center of attention, but I had to stop Edward's rant. He was making it seem like the Pastor had asked for him to go to War or something. Edward turned to me. "I'm sorry, babydoll. I wasn't trying to upset you." I didn't acknowledge him. His line of questioning was beyond disrespectful. And why did he have to be so damn sexy? I craved him, and now I would have to wait for almost two weeks. My clit throbbed, aching to be touched by its master. I clenched my thighs together. This action wasn't lost on Edward. He got that look, the 'come fuck me' look as his eyes darkened. We stared at each other, breathing heavily until the minister interrupted our eye porn. "Um…Edward, Bella? Did either of you hear my question?" I broke eye contact with Edward to look at Pastor Randall. My heart was still beating erratically, and I was incredibly wet. Now who's the embarrassing one? I took several deep breaths to compose myself. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of glancing over at Edward. He was gripping the chair so hard that I feared for his knuckles. "Pastor…Pastor Randall, can you repeat the question?" I asked, swallowing thickly. He smiled. "Yes, I was just asking if you two would like to have all of your counseling done this week, since the wedding is so close?" I turned to Edward to see what he was going to say. He was still staring at me with that feral look in his eyes, so I answered for the both of us. "Yes, we would like that. Also, I was wondering if you were available a few months from now for our baby's Christening." He nodded jovially. "It would be an honor to baptize your little miracle." He turned to Edward. "I also baptized your nephews, Colin and Brady. The weight of those kids almost brought me down." Both the Pastor and I giggled at his joke. Edward continued to look at me like I was a piece of meat. I narrowed my eyes at him. He looked away and put his jacket over his lap. I said a silent prayer to God not to let him go to Hell for sporting an erection in a Church. Not that I was any better, practically soaking my panties as I talked to a man of God. Pastor Randall gave us some marriage literature before we left. He took his time to remind us of that

damn contract. He was really a nice man and his couples had a high success rate. He'd also done Esme's and Rose's weddings, which they showed to me on DVD. Both were beautiful and his words were truly inspirational. So, if I wanted him to do me and Edward's ceremony, I could put my hormones aside. Edward grabbed me the moment we were in the Phantom. He pulled me to his chest and whispered, "We can cheat," in my ear. His tongue was doing glorious things to my earlobe, and his wandering hands were just a fraction away from my breast. I snatched my arm away. "Edward, don't. We can't make love." He smirked. "Touch yourself, Bella. Imagine it's me fucking you." The sad part was that I considered it for a moment. "Um…no, Edward. We…we both signed a contract. I think you would agree that we need all the blessings that we can get. I want to, believe me, I really want you, but no." He reluctantly released me. "Fuck! Fine, it's not like he'll know anyway, but if you want to play the sweet innocent, than go ahead. I know the real you, and you're just as fucking horny as me. I give it one day, tops." I glared at him. "The real me? What the hell is that supposed to mean, Edward?" He chuckled. "Let's just say, you love my cock. All of the bitches I've been with did, so who can blame you? Just let me know when you decide to stop playing the prude, and I'll fuck you good." What happened to my sweet, romantic Edward? Did I leave him at Thornewood? Unfortunately, the arrogant ass was back in full force now. I could barely believe the words that he'd just said to me. And why did he bring up his old sexcapades? It wasn't like I needed another image of him fucking a whore in my head. I was angry. I felt tears brimming in my eyes and that only stoked the fire. I buckled my seatbelt as Edward started the car. I didn't have time for his mood swings. I had a wedding to plan, counseling, and doctor's appointments all week. Edward Cullen could go play in traffic for all I cared. "Babydoll, are you hungry? It's lunchtime. We could stop somewhere and get something to eat." I ignored him. "Damnit- Bella, don't be like that! I'm sorry, okay. I will respect the contract. Now will you stop acting like a bitch and tell me where you want to eat," he growled. That did it. "Pull over and let me out now! How dare you call me a 'bitch', Edward Cullen. You can go straight to hell!" He shook his head angrily. "You know I can't let you out of the fucking car. It's not safe. And, for the record, I didn't call you a bitch; I said you were acting like one." I balled up my fists. "You did call me a bitch, and you're not forgiven. Just take me home! I want to drive myself to lunch. I don't want to eat with you right now." Edward cursed and pulled his fingers through his hair. His window was down a little, so the people in the next car looked at us. He gave them the finger and rolled it up. He was in a bad mood, but so was I. I was sick of Edward controlling me.

When we got to a red light, he glanced at me. "I give you fucking everything, Bella. All I ask in return is that you fucking listen to me, but you can't even do that shit! You will not disobey me anymore. You will drive when I say you can! Do I make myself fucking clear?" I blinked away some traitor tears. "Crystal. You pay for everything, so I should just be your puppy. Would you like me to wear a damn bell too?" He sighed loudly. "Fuck, Bella! That's…that's not what I meant. Let's just forget about all of this shit. I'll take you to that café you love so much." My mind was reeling. Was this what being married to Edward was going to be like? Him giving me rules and demanding that I follow through. I knew that he was bossy, but I thought he had changed. Oh, and now, because of his words, I felt like a gold-digger. Did Edward equate me to the equivalent of a Tanya, a woman only after him because of his money? I rubbed my baby bump. "No, Edward. I lost my appetite. Just take me home. Alice is coming over later to discuss wedding stuff, so I will need a nap. Besides, I wouldn't want to owe you more than I already do," I said sarcastically. Edward stared straight ahead. The rest of the drive was spent with me trying to keep my sobs low enough so that he couldn't hear them, and him shooting me curious glances. I barely resisted the urge to punch him in his stupid mouth. I bolted the minute we got to the Penthouse. Benjamin was surprised, but quickly followed me into the elevator. Apparently, taking a private elevator a couple of floors was too dangerous for me. Benjamin silently handed me a tissue. I gave him a watery smile in return. My stomach was turning in on itself. If I didn't get food into my mouth soon, I was probably going to faint. I went into the kitchen and warmed up some leftover roast and potatoes that we'd had the other night. The food didn't heat fast enough and I found myself eating some of the pot roast straight out of the Tupperware. Of course, Edward marched in before I could bolt to my room. He took one look at me, eating ravenously over the counter and his eyes darkened. "Why in the hell did you lie to me, Bella? I asked if you were hungry. We could have stopped somewhere, but no, you chose to be stubborn. You may punish my ass, but don't punish our baby." I threw a carrot at his head. "Don't you speak to me like that, Edward! You know I would never do anything to jeopardize my or the baby's health. I'm sick of your controlling ways and your bossy attitude. Just leave me the hell alone!" Edward slammed his fist down on the countertop. The sound startled me and I jumped. "Everything… everything I am doing is for you and our baby! I have a million therapy sessions and meetings this week. Every-fucking-body wants something from me right now. I go out of my way to spend as much time with you as possible, but you don't appreciate it. I'm taking your car away until you learn some fucking respect! I will not let you risk your or our baby's life." I knew the romantic weekend was too good to be true. When all your dreams turn into reality, the nightmare is not far behind. I knew this, but…still I got swept up. The one thing that I always promised Edward is that I wouldn't force him into anything he didn't want to do, and clearly, he didn't want to marry me. He had probably just asked out of some sense of guilt. I would have to be a big girl and say

goodbye to my fairytale. I took off my engagement ring and my necklace. Then, I walked over to Edward and put them on the counter in front of him. I felt like my heart was being ripped out. It wasn't the diamonds that I was going to miss, it was Edward's love. I sniffled. "Take the car back! I'll buy my own. I don't need anything from you, and that includes marriage. I'll be out of the Penthouse by the end of the week. I promised you that I'd never force you into anything, and I always keep my promises. You'll have a whole chunk of free time. I'll call Pastor Randall and Dr. Russo to cancel our therapy sessions. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to eat now." Edward lowered his head. When he lifted it again, he looked frantic. "Bella….wait…I…" I held up my hand to cut him off. "There's no need to say anything else, Edward. I wanted to be your wife, not your child. Today, you showed me what that would be like. You taking away things when I was 'disobedient' and forcing me to follow your rules. I told you a long time ago that I wanted a relationship and not a dictatorship. You aren't willing to give me that, so it's best if I move on."I vaguely heard Edward throw stuff and yell before I plated my food and left the kitchen. One of the bedrooms in the house had been made to look exactly like my old room. I curled up on my queen-sized pillow-top mattress and cried. How did it all go so wrong so quickly? Our relationship was perfect a few days ago. Edward was pounding at the locked door, but I ignored him. If he wanted to break down another one of his doors, then he could be my guest. I ate and fell asleep on a tear-drenched pillow. When I woke up, it was dark outside. I went to use the restroom. My belly had begun to grow rapidly. My earlier maternity clothes no longer fit. My back was sore and my ankles were swollen. It was also becoming difficult for me to sleep on my back. I had an appointment to see my OBGYN in two days. Even though my body felt rundown, I was excited because every day got me closer to meeting my baby. I took a quick shower and changed into a blue sweat-suit. Alice would be here at seven to discuss wedding stuff. I had basically called the wedding off today in the kitchen, so I didn't know what to tell her. I ordered a large Hawaiian and a supreme pizza for our girl's night in. Realizing that I could eat those two by myself, I ordered another large veggie pizza and cheese sticks. There was plenty of ice cream and chocolate already in the kitchen. Alice had been steadily gaining weight over the last few months, and I used every opportunity I had to gorge her on food. Thankfully, Edward was working tonight. He had to entertain some out-of-town Mafioso and wouldn't be in until late. Jasper was holding down the club. I missed my brother lately. Edward had let him in on more of the business, and between that and Ali, he was super busy. I was just glad that one of us had remembered our goals, because mine had gone out-the-window the moment I had heard Edward Cullen's voice. Alice arrived early as usual. She was carrying a tray of brownies. The minute she saw my puffy eyes, she dragged me over to the couch. I sobbed into her shoulder for several minutes, unable to articulate what was wrong with me. Alice, bless her pixie heart, didn't press me for details, but I ended up telling her everything anyway. She was mad at Edward on my behalf, but also worried about the wedding she had planned. "Bella, can't you two talk it out? I know my brother can be blunt and insensitive sometimes, but he loves you. I doubt he meant what he said. Please, just give him another chance. You two belong together. Besides, I already have most of your Christmas wedding planned and I'll be damned if no one sees it."

Benjamin knocked, bringing in the pizza. I took out a dish and put some food in it for him. He declined, until he saw that I wasn't letting him leave without some food. Alice took a huge bite of the veggie pizza and sighed. I'd already eaten two slice of the Hawaiian before she got her plate. I looked at her sheepishly and mouthed 'sorry'. She smiled. "It's okay, Bella. You eat as much as you want. This is one of the only times in life you'll be able to enjoy that." She grabbed two bottles of sparkling grape juice and plated several slices of the various pizzas. Alice was just as stubborn as her brother, only letting me carry the napkins. When we got back to the living room, Alice put a movie in. It was one of my favorites, "The Holiday." If only real life worked like the movies. We laughed and cried during all the appropriate parts. I ate more than half of the pizza and a lot of the brownies. Alice was texting someone throughout the movie. I assumed it was Jasper. Suddenly, she handed me her phone. "It's my brother. He's been calling and texting you all day. He wants to talk to you. Please, do it for me, Bella." How could I refuse? "Hello, Bella. Are you still mad at me? I'm so sorry, babydoll." Edward's velvet dulcet tone made my mouth water. "Yes, I'm still mad at you! Alice is over here to plan a wedding that we are no longer having. How do you think that makes me feel?" He snarled. "You are fucking marrying me. You are mine, Bella! That means for life. I asked, and you said yes. I left your necklace and ring in your glass jewelry box. I expect you to be wearing both of them when I get home. Don't ever take my ring off your finger again! Trust me, you won't like the consequences." "Fuck you, Edward Cullen!" I yelled, startling Alice and causing her to drop her brownie. I hung up the phone. Alice's phone rang and buzzed several times, but neither one of us made a move to answer it. We were silent for several minutes. I couldn't believe the nerve of Edward. He had been so sweet, lately. I should have known the real asshole was just lurking in the shadows. I curled up into Alice's lap and cried. "Bella, I want to tell you some things. Just listen to me and let me get it all out." I nodded weakly. "My…my father was a very hard man to love. When I was little, he seemed like the perfect man, but when I grew up, I recognized his flaws. He cheated on my mother relentlessly and he was never there for birthdays or holidays. I could have blamed the Mafia, but I saw the other Mobsters at birthday parties with their kids, and I knew that he simply didn't want us. I think the only reason he got married was to move up in the Volturi." She stopped to take a drink, while I digested her words. "My father saw Edward as his protégé and best friend. The moment he went through puberty, my dad took him away. It hurt because before that, Edward and I were inseparable. He used to play piano for me and draw pictures, but my dad called those things 'sissy', so Edward stopped. It broke me and my mom's heart to see him drawn into my dad's world. By the time he was in high school, he had been with a lot of women. He was proud of the fact that he was a player, but he was fiercely protective of me."

I sat up. "Alice, why are you telling me all of this? I know about Edward's past." She gently slapped me on the knee. "I'm telling you so that you can understand Edward and me better. We're going to be sisters soon, and I don't want us to have secrets." I smiled. "Continue, my dear." "Edward joined the Volturi at eighteen. It had only been a few months since our father was murdered. My mom went into depression, and I began taking pills and sleeping with random guys. Edward caught me and some guy fucking in my car and beat the guy bloody. I called him a hypocrite and lots of other vile names. After that, we barely spoke, except during holidays. I missed my brother. While I attending fashion school in New York, I met this guy. I knew that he was bad news, but he paid attention to me. I just wanted one man that would stay with me, and this guy did that, at first. After awhile, he started to put me down. I never did anything right in his eyes. I was too fat, too stupid, too untalented," her voice broke. I leaned in to wipe away her tears. "Go on," I prompted. "Well, long story short, he got me hooked on speed. I would not eat and just take the pills. I believed him when he put me down, and his criticisms made me work harder. No matter what I did, I couldn't please him. The day…the day I almost died at mom's house, I only weighed sixty-two pounds. I didn't care about my life anymore. Edward was gone and my mom had Carlisle. I wanted to die. Luckily, Em and Carlisle got to me in time. Edward came to visit me in rehab every day. He never forgave himself for not being there for me, but I forgave him. Since you entered his life, he has changed. Yes, there are still rough edges, but you're the only one that can work them out. Jasper has changed my life for the better, so I know how Edward feels. I mess up with Jazz, but I always love him. You were sent to my brother for a reason. Don't let a few silly arguments ruin your future. You two are going to be parents. Together, you and Edward can erase all the bad that was our childhood. I know he loves you. Please, Bella, don't throw away everything." I sobbed loudly. "Oh, Ali! I love him so much, but…but when he tells me to do things, it makes me so angry. I want to marry him, but I'm…I'm scared that it will always be this way." She hugged me closely. "Marriage is about risk, Bella. You are promising to give your heart and soul to someone else. That's scary. Believe me; I had my doubts when Jasper asked. Not because I didn't love him, but because I was scared that it wouldn't work out and he would leave. You have to decide if the pros outweigh the cons." I kissed Alice's fingers. "When did you get so smart?" She chuckled. "When did you get so stupid? Honestly, Bella. You gave the ring back. Do you know how long it took me to pick out?" I giggled. "I'm sorry. I do want to marry Edward. He just makes me so angry sometimes, but he's definitely worth it. Go get my laptop so that we can look at dresses." Alice squealed and sprinted to the bedroom. She came back carrying my Macbook under her arm. I ate another slice of pizza as I waited for the computer to boot. My belly had gotten so large that I could have used it as a table. I wasn't looking forward to my bellybutton turning in on itself and becoming an outie.

My email box was full because I hadn't checked it since before the engagement. I'd called Jacob and Angela to tell them the good news. They were both very happy for me. Them and their significant others would be flying to Aspen for my wedding. I couldn't wait to see what Angela thought about Edward. Her opinion was important to me. There was a message with a video attachment from Edward. I opened it up. Loud moaning filled the room- I was confused until I realized what I was watching. It was a tape of Edward having sex with three big-breasted blondes. He was very enthusiastic, enjoying himself. It was like a train-wreck. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. Two of the women, took turns sucking on Edward's dick while the third one fingered herself. The tape was crystal clear. I could see every lick and suck. I felt queasy. I watched in horror as Edward stood behind one the whores and thrust into her. I ran to the kitchen, barely managing to make it to the trashcan before I vomited everything I'd just eaten. Alice ran in and helped me off the floor. "Oh my god, Bella! Edward just found out. He's coming home now. He says he can explain." She took me to the bathroom where I proceeded to scrub my mouth out with toothpaste. My face was pale. I looked like someone that had just gone into heart failure, maybe I had. Alice and I were in the bedroom talking when the door banged open. "Edward," I sobbed. His eyes were black with rage. His bronze hair was even more disheveled than usual. He had a bit of stubble covering his jaw. He looked straight at me. "Alice, can you give us a minute. We need to talk." She nodded and rushed out after squeezing my hand. "Bella, I…" I shook my head. "Why? Why did you have to break…my heart? I was angry earlier, but we could have worked it out. Now…now I can't stand the sight of you!" Edward pulled me into his arms. I tried to fight, but he was too strong for me. "Babydoll, that tape was old. It was made a long time before I met you. Please, you have to believe me. Heidi got in touch with those bitches. I was supposed to have the only tape, but one of them stole it and made a copy. Heidi had someone hack into my email and send it to you. I'm so fucking sorry." "Why should I believe you, Edward? How do I know you aren't lying to me?" He kissed my forehead. "I've always been honest with you about my sexual past. I'm so fucking ashamed that you saw that. I swear to you that I've never cheated on you. Bella, I'm scared shitless here. First the fight earlier, and now this, I feel like you're going to disappear again. Please…please don't leave my sorry ass. I can change, and I will for you." I patted his knee. "I trust you, Edward, but I need time. To…to see you with those bimbos was…indescribable. Every time I close my eyes, I see their hands on you and it makes me sick. Just…just give me a day and then we can talk about it." He nodded but made no attempt to let me go. I felt his tears fall onto my face and mix with my own. Edward rarely cried, but when he did, it broke my heart. I reached up to wipe his eyes. He rubbed his cheek against my hand.

"Bella, I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. I'm just going through a lot with the Volturi and my other business investments. I took it out on you and that was wrong. You and our baby are always my number one priority. There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you. I'm sorry for ruining your mood by complaining and acting like a three year old. I'm also sorry for being a demanding motherfucker and threatening to take things away from you. Thank you for not kicking my ass, I could tell you wanted to, though. You're worth more than I can fucking give you. I'm such a lucky man to have you by my side. Please forgive me, babydoll. I love you, and I hope you still love me. I want you to be Mrs. Bella Cullen. Please…please…don't give up on me." I kissed the back of his hand. "I'm never going to give up on us, but right now, I need some time alone. I love you, Edward. I'm sorry for threatening to leave you again. I said it in the heat of anger. I…I want to be Bella Cullen too. Now, send Alice back in so that she can help me plan our wedding." Edward beamed. He had to go back to the club to finish up some business. Thankfully, he took my laptop along to purge it of that evil video. I spent the rest of the night wedding planning with Alice. Rose and Esme called in to assist us. We all chatted on speakerphone until I fell asleep. Sometime during the night, Edward came home. He wrapped his arms around me and spooned me from the back. His big hand splayed on my belly, causing the baby to move. I couldn't send him away, so I snuggled closer. We slept peacefully wrapped around each other, cocooned in our love. I woke up with a sore back. Edward was still asleep, so I went to the bathroom and took a long hot bath. I lit candles and read my book as the water soothed me. Edward came in ten minutes later, looking like a big hungry cat. He was only wearing his boxers and his chest and abs looked magnificent. He almost tripped over my pile of books. I giggled. "Babydoll, why are you up so early? I went to squeeze you and all I got was your fucking pillow." He sat down on the marble edge of the Jacuzzi tub and scooped up a blob of bubbles. I blew them so that they landed on his nose. He laughed and kissed my flushed cheeks. "Mind if I join you?" "Uh uh, Edward. We are going to keep our promise. I really want you in here, but we both know that neither of us is strong enough for a joint bath." He had the nerve to look affronted. "I can be a perfect fucking gentleman when I want to be. It's you that can't keep your hot little hands to yourself," he teased, tickling my underarms. I laughed and splashed water on him. "Perfect gentleman, my ass," I snorted. "You're the one who fondles me while I'm asleep. It's kind of stalkerish when you think about it." His emerald eyes widened. "You…you know about that? Why didn't you ever stop me?" I pulled him down for a sloppy kiss. "Because, I like watching you come. Most of the time when we make love, I'm too distracted to notice. But when you pleasure yourself, I can see everything. It's very sexy." "Fucking shit, Bella! You can't say that shit to me." He put my hand over his massive erection. "Do you feel how fucking hard I am for you." I squeezed, which caused him to hiss loudly. "Edward, can I take my car out today? I want to drive to the beach. I'll only be gone a couple of hours." I sucked his earlobe into my mouth. "Pretty please." He stood up and pulled off his boxer shorts. His big cock mesmerized me. I wanted my mouth all over it

and him. I wanted him inside of me, pounding my core until I saw stars. I wanted him behind me, spanking my butt as he plowed into me. My lower regions soaked themselves. Edward got in behind me so that my back was to his chest. I could feel his rock hard erection pressing into my back. "You don't play fair," he whispered in my ear. I shuddered. He soaped up a sponge and used it to bathe me, paying special attention to my breasts and inner thighs. I pushed my hips against him. By a sheer miracle, we managed to finish bathing without having sex. There was lots of heavy breathing though. Edward agreed to let me go out on my own if I took Benjamin along with me. I promised him that I would be careful. He had meetings all day, but would be texting and calling me to check up on my whereabouts. I made us a breakfast of eggs, French toast, and bacon before heading out. Benjamin was even quieter than Felix. He was one of those bodyguards trained to fade into the background. I turned up my music and pulled out of the garage. Edward texted me before I was even on the road. I handed my phone to Benjamin so that he could read the texts and type replies for me. "Are you okay, babydoll? You can let Benny drive if you get tired. Fuck! I miss you." -E-

"I'm fine, Edward. We're not even past your neighborhood yet. I miss you too." Xoxoxo -B-

"Keep me posted. Do you have your pepper spray? I need to get you a gun and teach you to shoot, so I'll worry less. Have fun and bring me back something. BTW, what does xo mean? -E-

"*Smiling* For someone so smart, you don't know anything about girls. XO means hugs and kisses. I love you. -B-

"All that flowery lettered shit to you too. Come back to me, babydoll. I love you too. I'm out." -EI smiled at Edward's last text. He was so funny. Benjamin seemed to be embarrassed that he had witnessed our banter. I turned the XM Satellite Radio to a talk station to alleviate the awkwardness. We arrived at the beach almost an hour later. I had worn my newest pair of maternity stretch skinny jeans and a big red oversized UW sweatshirt that hung to my knees. I also had on my black Crocs. They were very comfortable. It was still early and a little cold so the beach was pretty much empty. There were no cars near us. I

stepped out of my Mercedes and locked the door. My phone fell and the screen went black. I was trying to fix it when I heard Benjamin cry out. "Bella, get back in the car!" That's all he got out before he went down. There was blood all over the front of his suit. I was paralyzed with fear. Before I could get back into the car, strong arms grabbed me from behind. I tried to fight, but it was no use. I reached back to scratch my attacker's face. The man went to kick me in the stomach, but I rolled onto my side so that my back took the brunt of the force. My lower back was already sore and now it was on fire. I balled myself up into the fetal position. I was so scared, not for myself, but for my baby. I had to protect it at all costs. A blonde man picked me up by the hair. He was wearing an all black suit. '"So, you're Cullen's little bitch. If James didn't want you for himself, I'd fuck you raw." I had to hold back the bile that bubbled up after his crude words. I should have known James was behind this ambush. He was a coward, plain and simple. I prayed that nothing bad was happening to Edward. I couldn't bear to lose him. A dark skinned man with dreadlocks walked over to join us. "Put her down Alistair. You know James wants her untouched," he said in a thick Jamaican accent. He had on a black suit just like the other man, but his had a French flag on the front. Alistair dropped me. My knees were weak but I managed to stand. The dark skinned man ran his thumb across my cheek. His eyes lowered to look at my swollen stomach. I cringed. He winked at me. "You don't have to be afraid of me, darling. I'm Laurent. James sent me to kidnap you. I'm sure he has many things in store for you. Don't make him angry or he will kill you." I tried to run. Alistair tackled me to the ground. I scratched and kicked him for all that I was worth. "You bitch!" He bellowed, before backhanding me across the mouth. I could taste the blood on the corner of my mouth. He punched me again on my upper jaw. I saw stars. He could beat my face bloody, as long as he didn't hurt my stomach, I would take it. I rolled away from him to block some of his blows. My whole body hurt. I had only been hit once in my life and that was when I was seven years old. I had hit some girl for making fun of me for not having a mother. Unfortunately, she hit me back. Charlie had pretended to be angry, but when we got home, he and Jazz made me a huge ice cream sundae and taught me some boxing moves. Sadly, I wasn't any good. Laurent rushed over and pulled Alistair off of me. He was still cursing and trying to go for me. Laurent smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry. He doesn't have the best temper. Now, cooperate and I promise that no harm will come to you on my watch. I don't know what James has in store for you, but whatever it is, you deserve it for defiling yourself with the Volturi." Suddenly, I heard a woman scream. We all looked back to see who had made that noise. A tall blonde haired woman with a red dress on was holding a big gun with an eye scope. Alistair and Laurent were distracted. I used this as my chance to limp as far away as possible. My attackers were fast, but the woman had the element of surprise. She shot Alistair and Laurent in their knees. I looked away as the red blood coated the sand. They both dropped their guns from the impact. I

could hear Alistair screaming in pain. That made me happy. The woman ran over. She moved like a gazelle and she was just as beautiful. She searched Laurent and Alistair to make sure they had no more weapons. Then she took their guns and cell phones. She used handcuffs to secure them. They were both still screaming in agony. She punched each one hard in the face. I watched her in amazement. Eventually, she jogged over to me. I backed away because although she had just saved me from two attackers, I didn't know who she was or why she was on the beach. Surprisingly, she picked me and carried me to her SUV. It was big, black, and smelled like peppermint. I didn't know who this mystery woman was, but she was my angel. I let her cradle me in her arms a bit. She positioned us so that I was in her lap, which was weird, but it had been one of those days. I felt her lips lightly kiss my temples as she ran her fingers through my hair. I tried to scoot away, but she held me tighter. "Um…thanks for saving me. I'm alright now, just sore. Can I borrow your phone to call my fiancé? We have to get Benjamin some help. Please." The tall blonde Amazon looked down at me. I probably looked ridiculous curled in her lap. All of a sudden the door to my right was flung open to reveal my Edward. I flew out of the woman's lap and into his arms. He hugged and kissed me eagerly. I sobbed into his chest as he whispered soothing words in my ear. Some were in Italian and some were in English. They were all a balm to my troubled mind. Edward tipped my chin up so that he could survey the damage. A massive growl came out of his throat. "Who the fuck did this to you? Which one of those motherfuckers put hands on you?" My savior came out of the car. Edward looked at her and nodded. "Babydoll, I'd like you to meet Jane. She is your personal guard. I've been paying her to watch you since the first night we met." Normally I would complain, but now, seeing as to how she saved me, I couldn't. She held out her hand to me. "It's nice to finally meet you, sweetheart. I wanted to introduce myself for awhile now, but Cullen wouldn't let me." She bent down and kissed me softly on the cheek. Edward snarled and pulled me to his side. "Fuck off, Jane! Bella doesn't swing that way. You've got more pussy than you can handle as it is, so stay away from my babydoll. You're worse than the guys. They would have never tried that shit." She winked at me. I felt a little uncomfortable, but I was happy that she was one woman that Edward hadn't slept with. He looked away from her to study my face. His eyes narrowed to slits and his nostrils flared. My cheek felt swollen, but could it really be that bad? Jane spoke up, breaking his concentration on me. She nodded to Alistair. It was then that I noticed Demetri, Felix, and several of Edward's other men were there. There were SUV's and Town Cars flanked out all over the beach. It looked like the President was visiting. All of the men were heavily armed. "The blonde one, that's the one that hit little bee. He had her down on the ground when I arrived. The fucking coward, picking on a defenseless pregnant woman." Edward gnashed his teeth. The look in his eyes chilled me to the bone. I had a feeling that Alistair and Laurent wouldn't be walking the Earth much longer. Edward pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the corner of my mouth. He cupped my face and lightly stroked my cheek. I closed my eyes.

"Babydoll, I'm so fucking sorry. Those fucking animals will never come near you again. Tell me exactly what they did to you. I want to know, so that I can channel it into rage and grind their fucking asses into the dirt. I swear to God that if anyone dares to touch you again, I will fuck their shit up. Bite that, I will fuck their whole goddamn family's shit up. I tried giving these fuckers a chance, but now it's personal." I told him everything. He punched the hood of the SUV when he heard that Alistair had kicked me in the back. The more I talked, the angrier Edward became. I assured him that there was no vaginal bleeding, but he didn't look relieved. Honestly, the only thing I felt was soreness, and that was nothing new. He yelled something about castrating Alistair and making him eat his own penis. I didn't doubt for one minute that he would do it. After everything was said, Edward picked me up and put me back into Jane's car. I pulled him down to me and kissed him aggressively. "I love you, Edward Cullen. Do what you have to do for our family and then come home to me. I'll be waiting for you with open arms." He nodded. "Jane, keep Bella safe. Guard her with your life and stay with her until I get back." He hugged me one last time. "I love you, babydoll." I watched from the window as Laurent was loaded into one of the SUV's. Demetri put…brass knuckles on Edward. Then, Felix hoisted Alistair up to face Edward. I saw Edward land a mighty blow to Alistair's face. Thankfully, Jane let up the tinted windows before I could see anymore of the fight. I didn't have the stomach to watch my Edward beat the living crap out of someone. Jane was quiet the whole drive. I could tell that she was on high alert, because she kept checking the mirrors. Instead of going home, we pulled up to my OBGYN office. Carlisle and Esme were waiting for me there. Edward had called and asked Carlisle to perform an examination to make sure that I was okay. Esme was pale and looked sick. It hurt to see her in pain because in the few short months that I'd know her, she had become my mother. My regular OBGYN was delivering a baby so I had to see another doctor. Luckily, the replacement turned out to be a friendly female doctor with soft brown hair. Her name was Dr. Whitney, and she had worked with Carlisle on some consulting cases, so she had no problem with his input. The baby was perfectly healthy, but she did prescribe a couple of days of bed rest and light activity for me. I heard my baby's heart beat again. Each time, it felt better than the last. The OB used something called a Sonotrax to record the baby's heart beat so that we could each have a copy. I knew that Edward would be thrilled. Dr. Whitney wanted my regular OBGYN to perform all my scheduled testing. I had another appointment to come back in two days. Esme helped me re-dress and get cleaned up. Her mood had perked up considerably after hearing that the baby was fine. I hugged her and Carlisle and told them how thankful I was for their help. Dr. Cullen gave me some cream that was supposed to help with sore muscles. I was supposed to apply it to my back two times a day until it healed. Jane was waiting for me by the car when we got outside. I promised Esme and Carlisle that I would call them if I needed anymore help, and then they left. I was glad that they hadn't pressed me for details, because I was too emotional to talk about it again. By the time we got back to the Penthouse, Edward was already there. He opened the car door and carried me up me up to our apartment. The security was heavier than before. There were five men standing in our hallway with guns visible. Edward said something to Jane and she left. Apparently, Carlisle had called to assure him that the baby and I were fine. He tucked me into bed before

going to get us something to eat. I was starving. I ended up eating one of the king-sized Snickers bars that I kept in my nightstand drawer. I had a whole slew of junk food in there in case I got hungry and was too lazy to go to the kitchen. We also had a mini fridge that held vegetables, drinks, and cheeses. I was watching a re-run of some reality show when Edward got back to the bedroom. He held a tray that contained two huge bowls of soup and several sandwiches cut into triangles. I smiled at him, because he had arranged everything to look like a painting. I kissed him on the cheek. He smiled at me but it didn't reach his eyes. The food was from the café that I'd wanted to go to yesterday. Edward had gotten my favorite; tomato bisque soup and rosemary chicken sandwiches. He even remembered to include their tapioca pudding that I loved so much. We ate in the bed on top of the comforter. Edward wrapped several blankets around me to make sure I stayed warm. Carlisle had told him about the bed-rest, so I wouldn't be going anywhere or doing anything for the next few days. Edward and I ate our meal without talking. The silence was strangely comforting. After we finished, he loaded the dishes onto the tray and took them back into the kitchen. I knew that the inevitable talk was necessary, but I still dreaded it. I was extremely tired. The stress of the day and my normal pregnancy fatigue were pulling me under. By the time Edward got back to the room, I was half asleep. I watched with heavy lids as he put on a pair of pajama pants and hopped into bed with me. I felt him pull me to his chest before I fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat. It was late in the day when I next awoke. I did my usual in the bathroom, taking time to ice my jaw. Then, I went to get a snack. Edward always made sure that the kitchen was well stocked. I chose a frozen burrito, because it was easy to make. I took my snack back to the room with me. Edward was still asleep, but when he felt me get back into bed he woke up. I leaned over to caress his jaw. He looked like a man that had lived for over a hundred years and seen too much evil. I thought about Alice's story about their family. Edward had never really had a real childhood before he was forced to become a grown-up. Most men were jealous of Edward, but I kind of felt sorry for him, because he missed out on what should have been the best time of his life. He sat up and pulled me into his lap. "Babydoll, I'm…I'm so sorry that I didn't protect you. I feel…I feel like such a fucking failure. I let you down twice this week. First with that bitch Heidi and now those fucking animals attack you. I don't blame you if you hate my ass. I hate myself enough for the both of us." I asked him to let me up so that I could get his computer. When I returned, Edward had his head down. He thought that what happened was his fault, but I didn't blame him. It was that monster James that started all of this. I set the laptop between us and signed in as Edward. He had given me all his passwords, saying he had nothing to hide. I clicked on the WAV file from the OBGYN. A strong thumping sound filled the room. "Edward, this is our baby's heartbeat. I had the OB record it since you missed the first appointment and hadn't heard it yet. As you can hear, it's strong and steady. Please don't blame yourself for what happened today. You have never let me or our unborn child down. We both love you very much and can't live without you in our lives. I love you so much. In a couple of days, I will prove it by becoming your wife. Please, don't let this ruin our happiness. I need you now more than ever." Edward pulled me into his arms. "Oh God, Bella. When I thought…I didn't…I wouldn't know what to do if they had of taken you. You're my whole life, my soul. Thank you for bringing me the baby's heartbeat.

It's the best gift you could have given me. I can't wait to walk down the aisle with you, Bella Cullen." I kissed Edward's knuckles, remembering the weapon that adorned them a few hours ago. We took another leisurely bath together. After that, Edward insisted on giving me a full body massage. His hands were magical, working out all the kinks and sore spots. He cursed a blue streak when he saw the large purple bruise forming on my back, but I was able to calm him down enough to finish. His touch both centered and calmed me. I fell asleep on the massage table. Edward must have dressed me and put me into bed because when I woke up, I was wearing my favorite blue Smurf pajamas. I felt his strong arms around me. I was laying on his chest while he watched ESPN with the volume down low. I craned my neck so that I could kiss him. It got heated and he ended up fondling my ass before he set me aside. He turned over so that we were face to face. His big palm caressed my bruised jaw. He growled as I winced in pain. I told him that it wasn't as bad as it looked. He touched my cheek again, this time being careful not to apply pressure. I sighed in contentment. "Bella, after our honeymoon, I need to go to Europe. I'll be gone for a month. I need you to stay strong for me. The whole family, including the Volturi, will be checking up on you and keeping you occupied. Also, the best security has been hired to protect you twenty-four-seven. I don't want to leave you for that long, but it must be done." I buried my head in his shoulder. "Let…let me come with you. I…I can't be apart from you for that long again. Please, let me come." He rubbed my lower back and kissed my forehead. "Babydoll, I can't put you at risk. It's hard for me too, but your safety is my number one priority. Besides, I'm not going to Europe for pleasure. My actions today have escalated the Mafia War that has been building for a long time. I have to gain support from the Volturi's allies and end this shit once and for all." "How are you going to do that, Edward?" I asked in a watery voice. He kissed me on the lips. "By killing James and all his supporters. This shit is about to get bad, Bella. I'm going to have to do things that will probably disgust you. I'm going to kill people, some of them will be innocents who just get caught up in this fuckery, but they have to be exterminated. I pray that you can love the man that comes back to you." I made up my mind then and there. "I love you, Edward. No matter what. No matter what. I'll love you just as much when you come back. Just remember that once I marry you, it's forever, so you have to return to me. Don't make me a young widow left to raise our child alone." His eyes widened in surprise. "I'll try, Bella, but if it comes down to my life or yours, I'll gladly let those fuckers take me." ~*!*~

Chapter Twenty-Five ~ A Change Is Gonna Come "It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky

It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will I go to the movie and I go downtown somebody keep telling me don't hang around It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will Then I go to my brother And I say brother help me please But he winds up knockin' me Back down on my knees" --A Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke EPOV "Mmmhhh, yes, Edward. Deeper. Ugh, Oh God!" I almost fucking cried. My babydoll was having a fucking sex dream, and there was nothing I could do to make it a reality. My fucking patience had worn thin. I was either going to break the rule and fuck her or go insane. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, Bella screamed my name and shivered. She had just reached her peak without me. It was official, I was fucking worthless. I stared at her for several minutes before heading to the bathroom. The face that looked back at me in the mirror seemed foreign. It was older and more tired-looking than I'd ever seen it. In the last few days, I had come too fucking close to losing everything that mattered to me. I would never be the same again. I had done a lot of fucked up shit in my life, but I'd be damned if my wife would be the one to pay for my sins. I sat on the marble edge of the bathtub and scratched my chin. I had a full-on growth of stubble. Alice was already clamoring to have me shaved by the wedding. In two fucking days, it would be Christmas and my babydoll would officially be my wife. That fucking scared me to death. I stood up and paced the room. I had already shown that I couldn't protect her. Laurent and that monster, Alistair, had gotten too fucking close. Benjamin was in a damn coma, and I'd escalated the Mob War that had been building for the last ten years. Laurent was not only one of James' best friends; he was also a respected member of two old Organized Crime families. He held both French and American citizenship. His father had been one of the top members of France's Organized Crime families. The news of his demise by my hand had spread quickly in our inner circles. Alistair was mainly just fucking muscle, but he'd done a lot of jobs for people in high positions. The day that I'd gotten the call that Bella was in danger, I aged a hundred-fucking-years. My godfather, Caius, had received word from an old Russian snitch that James was planning something that involved Bella. I was so fucking worried, and the fact that she was out of my sight made it worse. Then, when I'd tried to call Benjamin and hadn't gotten an answer, I assembled my men, ready to fucking die for my babydoll. I had driven like a fucking maniac to get to her. All I could think about was my father, and how I'd been

too late to save his life. It felt like déjà vu. The only thing that kept me from crashing my car was my belief that Bella could hold her own. She'd proven to me time and time again that she was a fighter. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw when I got to the beach. Laurent and Alistair were on the ground with bullet wounds through their knees. The grainy sand was coated with fresh blood. I had been so fucking scared that some of it was Bella's. My heart actually stopped beating for several minutes. I had my men fan out on the beach to make sure that we weren't still under attack. Then, I went to find my true reason for living. Demetri and Felix were trying to talk to me, but my mind was only on one person, Bella. I'd spotted Jane's SUV and ripped the door open. My babydoll flew into my arms. It was like I had gotten permission to leave Hell and go to Heaven. I'd squeezed her for dear life. When she told me what those monsters did to her, I'd made up my mind. I didn't care about the fucking consequences. Laurent and Alistair were dead men. Jane had been ordered to take my babydoll to the doctor so that I could make sure she and the baby were okay. I couldn't believe that fucking piece of shit, Alistair, had kicked her in the back. What kind of a fucking man picks on a pregnant woman? Demetri put brass knuckles on me, and I went to town on Alistair's face. By the time Demetri and Felix drove me to the warehouse, I was a fucking animal. I had blood on my hands and in my nostrils. I kept picturing Bella's bruised cheek and scared eyes. That was all the fuel I needed to end the fucking bastards. They tried to kill my wife and child. Any man would have wanted revenge. Demetri killed Laurent with a bullet to the head. He begged to live, but he fucking lost that right the minute he followed James' orders. His head had been shaved bald and his body was dumped on the steps of his American house. Alistair's death wasn't as pleasant as Laurent's. I fucking beat his ass into the ground. I stepped on his bullet riddled knee until he passed out. Then, I had Demetri dump cold water on him to wake him up. He was such a fucking coward when faced with his own death. I beat him with the brass knuckles until my shoulders locked up. He had been halfway dead at that point, but my blood lust wasn't satiated. I ended up castrating him, before I shot him right through his fucking black heart. I'd used a surgical scalpel to cut his penis off. The screams had gotten so bad that Felix asked to be excused. Even Demetri looked shocked that I'd done it myself. I stuffed Alistair's penis in his dead mouth, and then had what was left of him, sent to James' house. The rotting body was discovered by one of the maids. The War was on. When I got back to my Penthouse, Jane and Bella had just been pulling up. Carlisle had already texted to say that Bella and the baby were okay. I breathed a sigh of relief. All the ugliness of my day melted when I held her in my arms. She was my light in the dark tunnel of life. Without Bella, there was no reason for me to exist; I would fucking die if she was taken away from me. I was so deep in thought that I hadn't heard my babydoll knocking on the door. I splashed my face with water and went to open it; in the doorway stood my angel. She was only wearing a blue tank top and matching panties. Her hair was piled on top of her head with lots of loose strands. She rubbed her swollen stomach and smiled at me. I was of worth after all. I pulled her into my arms. "Good morning, babydoll. I hope I didn't wake you up," I said, kissing her rosy

cheeks. She shook her head. "I have to pee. I'll just be a minute. Wait for me in the bedroom." She was going to hate my fucking guts, but I needed to do it. "No, I'm staying in here with you. We're going to be husband and wife. You can pee in front of me." Bella balked at what I'd just requested. "You have to be joking. I really have to go. Get out, Edward!" I held my ground. This was an important test. She had to fucking trust me with everything. I would do the same for her. Besides, it wasn't like I was asking her for a golden shower. I simply wanted my wife to be completely comfortable with me. "I'm not leaving until you pee, Bella." She tried to stomp past me, but I caught her arm. She snatched it away from me. "I'll go to another bathroom. I can't believe you're acting like this, Edward. Peeing in front of you would be beyond embarrassing." I stroked her cheek. "That's the whole point, babydoll. There should be nothing that you are embarrassed to do with me. I love you. Please, just allow me this." She sighed and walked over to the toilet. I watched as she lowered her panties and sat on the stool. She looked straight into my eyes as she emptied her bladder. I smiled to let her know that I didn't find it embarrassing at all. Bella finished her business and washed her hands. She glared at me as we exited the restroom. "I'm not happy that you made me do that, but I get it, Edward. Just don't be surprised when I walk in on you and return the favor." I sat down on my side of the bed and pulled her into my lap. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Mrs. Cullen. Thanks for being uninhibited with me." She softened at the 'Mrs. Cullen'. I used the moment to pull her closer and plant kisses all over her neck. My babydoll smelled and tasted so damn good. I wanted to slip down her panties and let her ride me until we both forgot our names. Bella pushed me away. "Edward, we can't. Besides, I'm hungry," she said, patting her rounded belly. I put my hand over hers. "Bella, do you have any idea how happy you make me? Any idea of how much I need you? You and the baby are the most precious things in this world to me. I love you." A torrent of tears fell from Bella's eyes. "I have some idea, because I feel exactly the same. It's always only been you, Edward. It's only ever going to be you. I love you with all my heart, and on Christmas Day, I will prove it by giving myself to you for all eternity." Warmth spread throughout my body. Things were bad, but as long as I had my babydoll, I could deal with anything. I pulled her down for a deep kiss. "It's time to start fulfilling my duty as husband and feed my little mother. What do you want for breakfast, babydoll?" "Hmmm, I think French toast, eggs, bacon, and hot chocolate will do."

I stood up and bowed. "Anything for you, babydoll. Wait here." As usual, Bella pouted. "I can help. Carlisle said I'm perfectly healthy." "I don't care. I'm not risking you over-exerting yourself. Now, keep your pretty little ass in that bed, or I will be forced to punish you." Bella's eyes twinkled and she smiled. I knew that she was thinking about her last spanking at Thornewood. My cock strained itself trying to get to her. I was so fucking stupid for bringing up that shit. "Not that kind of punishment, Bella. I meant making you stay in bed all day. You're so fucking naughty. I'm going to make you scream on our wedding night." She licked her lips. "I can't wait, Edward." I groaned before exiting the room and going into the kitchen. It still amazed me that I could cook a real breakfast. Bella brought out the best in me. I only hoped that I would do the same for her during our lifetime together. While the French toast was cooking, I pulled out my phone and called Marcus. He picked up immediately. "Hello, Edward. Are you ready for the big day? Caius, Di, and I are flying in tomorrow. Is there anything you need from Chicago?" I smiled. "No. The women have ordered stuff from six different continents. If Antarctica had any stores, they would have shopped the world. I'm really happy that you all are coming to the wedding. How's Mafia business? He sighed. "Edward, it's getting worse. I don't want to fuck up your happiness with it, though. How about you just concentrate on Bella and the baby?" I was fucking pissed that he was treating me like a civilian. "Fuck! Marcus, you know I'll only worry more if you keep shit from me. Tell me what's going on? I need to know so that I can protect my family." I heard him swallow something before he answered. "Edward, it's bad. James knows that you were the one that killed Laurent. He hasn't given up on his mission to take Bella. He's being bold right now, and that scares me. His Uncles have completely lifted their protections, so basically, he's gone rogue. James' father had a lot of KGB buddies, and they are just as loyal to the son. I beefed up security on Tanya, because she's a threat to James. He could go after her and try to kill the baby. We have the best on our side. I promise to do everything in my power to keep all members of the Family safe." I digested this information. Tanya was a gold digging bitch, but she was going to be a mother and didn't deserve to die. I would have to make sure she stayed safe during this whole ordeal. The fact that James wanted my babydoll worried me. It was one thing for him to want her dead, but he wanted her with him. I didn't know what he had planned, but I was positive that it was fucking sick and twisted, just like him. I would die before I let that motherfucker near my family. I pulled my fingers through my hair. "Thanks, Marcus. I appreciate everything. Keep me posted on the status of things. I don't want you to keep shit from me. I signed on to this for life. I can handle it."

"Ai mali estremi, mali rimedi," he said before disconnecting. It was a phrase my father had used often. James was the biggest fucking illness of my life. Me, killing his ass, was going to be the only cure. I knew what I had to do to make things better. Motherfuckers like James didn't deserve to live, and I was just the demon to send him to Hell for all eternity. I could almost taste his blood in my mouth. Pulling myself out of black thoughts, I finished fixing breakfast. By the time I made the tray and took it to Bella, I was under control. She smiled shyly as I entered the room. My babydoll was getting more and more beautiful with each day that passed. I gave her a large mug of Cioccolata Calda first. She took it eagerly and began sipping it. "It's so good, Edward. Who will make me hot chocolate when you're gone?" I sighed. "Bella, we've been over this. I have to leave for a while to make you safe. You know that I don't want to, right?" Bella looked away. "It's…it's just that I'll miss you so much. I had hoped that we would never be apart again. I'm scared that you'll get hurt or even worse. Please, let me come with you," she sobbed. I took the mug from her and set it on the nightstand. "Bella," I said, taking her tiny hand in mine. "I love you. The places where I have to go are not safe for you. I promise that I will return as soon as possible. I need you to stay strong for me. You're about to become a principessa di mafia. When you marry me, you marry my lifestyle. You will not only become a Cullen, but also a member of the Volturi. That means that you will be asked to make sacrifices. I wish I could let you go to live a normal life, but I can't. Please, you have to trust me. I don't want to leave you, but it's the only way, babydoll." She wiped her eyes and nodded. I could see the steel forging itself inside of her. I had never been more fucking proud of anyone as I was of Bella at that moment. I leaned in to give her a tight hug. She reached over and grabbed her mug. "I can make sacrifices, but I won't sacrifice you. Come back to me, Edward Cullen, or I will never forgive you. Now, give me my breakfast before I keel over from hunger." I tickled her before placing the try in her lap. She giggled and thanked me for the food. While Bella ate, I watched the financial news. Things may have been bad on the Organized Crime front, but I was making a fucking fortune in the Market. I'd already had Jenks to draw up a will for me. Besides a couple of cars and property that had special value to my mom and sister, Bella was to get everything. He'd been pressing me to get my babydoll to sign a prenuptial agreement, but I wasn't having that shit. If I ever fucked up enough that Bella left my ass, then she deserved everything I owned. Mom, Alice, and Rose arrived an hour later. They shooed me out of the bedroom so that they could discuss last minute wedding details with Bella. I didn't even try to argue, because I knew I would lose. I went into the living room. Carlisle, Em, and Jasper were sitting around playing a game of cards. I joined them. It wasn't lost on me that this was another facet of my life that Bella had changed for the better. Six months ago, I couldn't stand to be in the same room with my stepfather or stepbrother, but now, I would consider them best friends. I smiled at everyone as I took my seat.

Emmett slapped me on the back, almost knocking me over. That motherfucker needed to lie off of the weightlifting. I worked out, but I'd never be as big as him. As long as my babydoll loved my body, I was happy. "Eddie's getting married… I never thought I'd see the day. Rose is betting that you'll break the 'no sex' vow before the wedding." I nudged him in the ribs. "First off, my name is Edward, not Eddie. I haven't fucking touched Bella since we made that ridiculous promise. Tell Rose she better pay up. There's only 48 hours left until the wedding. I can wait that long." Emmett laughed. "Dude, you are so whipped. The old Edward would have never made a vow like that. You must really love Bella." I nodded. "More than anything." Jasper scowled at me and Emmett. "That's my baby sister you're talking about! She is as pure as the driven snow. I don't want to hear you talk about her like she's a piece of meat! She's…she's….," He sobbed, unable to finish the sentence. I looked at Carlisle. He shook his head, but I wasn't going to be deterred. "Um, Emmet and I were just joking, Jasper. You know how I feel about Bella. She's my whole life. I know it's hard for you to let her go, but I promise you that she's safe with me. I'll always take care of her." He nodded and threw down his cards. "If ya'll excuse me, I'd like to go check on Bella and see how she and the baby are doing." The minute he was out of earshot, Em turned to me. "Dude, I didn't mean to offend him. Can you, um, let him know that I'm sorry? I was only joking. I respect Bella. She's a good friend to Rose and the boys love her." I nodded. "It's cool, Em. Jasper is just sensitive when it comes to Bella. He's been responsible for her for so long. It's just a little hard for him to let her go. In his eyes, she's still that little girl with sticky hands. He'll be okay." Carlisle smiled at me. "You're a good man, Edward. You may not see it, but I do. I'm proud of you, son." His words meant more to me than any that my biological father had ever spoken. I choked up a little. "Thanks, Carl-…Dad." The room was so quiet; you could hear a pin drop. Then, all of a sudden, Emmett wrapped his huge arms around me. "Welcome to the family, bro. We've been waiting for you to join for a long time." Carlisle stood up. I disentangled myself from Emmett so that I could walk the remaining steps. We gave each other a man hug, which is really just an awkward shoulder grab. Em joined in to complete the moment. The only person missing was Jasper, but I planned to speak to him in private later. I needed my family to know that I trusted them, so I decided to come clean about my life. If they truly loved me, they could handle it. If not, then at least I would have gotten it off of my chest. "Dad, Emmett, there's something I need to tell you both. I'm in the Mafia. My godfather's, Marcus and

Caius Volturi, are Mafia Dons. My father was a member, and I joined when I was eighteen. I've done some pretty fucked up shit in my life, and I have a lot of enemies. Those enemies are going to come after everything I love. The Family and I are going to do everything in our power to keep everyone safe, but I thought that you should know what I am." I was so fucking ashamed. I couldn't look either of them in the eye. They both exchanged uneasy glances. Carlisle spoke first. "Edward, we've known about this for years. Your mother confessed everything on our second date. I told Emmett when I married your mother. We don't think any less of you. You love both your families' and that's all that matters. You can tell the measure of a man by seeing who he loves." I felt like a fucking truck had been lifted off my shoulders. "You…you know? I kind of figured my mom told you, but I wasn't sure. Thank you both for accepting me. I'm sorry to put our family in danger, but it couldn't be helped. One of my enemies, James, has gone after Bella twice. After the wedding, I need to go to Europe to end this shit. I'm going to need you to look after her and make sure she stays healthy and doesn't worry too much." They both agreed that they would. Jasper came back to join us. It seemed the women had kicked him out of the bedroom for picking an ugly place setting. Us men, sat around playing cards until the women decided that it was time for lunch. Bella had fallen asleep, so I was the odd man out. My mom made a fuss over me, making sure I ate my vegetables. Emmett teased me just like a big older brother was supposed to. Alice and Jasper did their usual cutesy eating shit, and Rosalie bantered good-naturedly with me. All in all, it was one of the best meals I'd had with my family. The only thing that would have made it better was Bella, but she needed her rest. After lunch, the women left to get ready for the trip. We were leaving for Aspen, Colorado tomorrow morning. I had a lot of shit to do, but all I really wanted was to sleep with my angel. I went to the room to lay down with her. She curled into my chest and mumbled my favorite words. I fell asleep to the sound of her heartbeat. I was awakened by little hands shaking me gently. I turned over to see Bella looking down at me worriedly. I sat up and looked around. I'd left my gun in my desk drawer, but if there was danger, I had a small handgun in the nightstand. "Edward, Marcus is on the phone. He says it's urgent," Bella said as she handed me the phone. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. I grabbed my Iphone from Bella and left the room. Whatever shit he had to tell me was not for her ears. I would do anything in my power to save my babydoll from worry. "Marcus," I barked the minute I was out of earshot of the bedroom. He took one long breath. I could feel the agitation through the phone. "Edward, the shit has hit the fan. I just got word that James put a hit out on you. There are only forty-eight hours until it becomes active. The only reason we know about it at all is because of a snitch in James' house. I'm sorry, son. We're going to do everything in our power to protect you." I sat down and put my head between my knees. "Who…who is he sending? I need to get Bella out of here tonight! I won't put her in danger. Don't worry about me. I need you to put every effort into keeping my babydoll safe. I need her out of here tonight."

"James is sending…The Executioner. He wants to make sure that you don't slip away this time. Liam is working on tracking him from his end, because it's most likely that he'll arrive on the East Coast. As you know, The Executioner is a fucking ghost. No one knows his real name or identity." I pulled my SIG out of my desk and made sure that it was loaded. I needed to be armed at all times from now on. Marcus said we had forty-eight hours, which really meant our time was up. The Executioner was a sneaky son of a bitch. He could already be in the country for all we knew. "Marcus, I'm sending everyone to Chicago tonight. Can you have the house ready in time?" He sighed. "Sure, Edward. You're like a son to me. I promise that we will keep your family safe. Are you planning to join everyone here?" My heart sank as I answered. "No, Marcus. I won't risk them. I'm the one that started this shit, and I'll be the one to end it. If that motherfucker wants me, he's going to have to come get me. I'm not going to wait like a sitting duck while he finishes off everyone I love. I'd fucking die a million times over first." "Damn it, Edward, you're going to get yourself killed! You need to stay with the Family so that we can protect you. I won't let your sacrifice yourself!" In my rage, I kicked my desk chair over. "Fine, send me away with guards, but I'm not going to hide like a fucking coward! James is a sick fuck. He wants Bella, and he won't stop until he has her. I can't risk her and the baby. Please, Marcus. I'm doing it whether you give me permission or not." He paused for a moment. I knew that he was grasping for something that he could use to get me to abandon my fucking kamikaze mission. "Do you want your child to be born fatherless? Because that's exactly what will happen if you dangle yourself to the wolves like a piece of meat! You need to trust me, Edward!" "I do fucking trust you! I've always been loyal to the Volturi. I'm asking you to do this one thing for me. Let me go, Marcus. I need to do this." I could tell he'd give up by his long sigh. "Okay, I will tell Caius your plans. We're giving you all the men we can spare to take along. Liam has volunteered his guard as well. He knows that if James succeeds, the tranquility between the Families will be broken forever. James is not like his father, he thrives on anarchy. The money and power will never be enough for him. I'll have cars waiting for everyone at our landing strip. I'm always here for you, Edward. Al fine." "Al fine, Marcus," I repeated. To the end. After the call, I stood in my library brooding. I always knew that something like this would happen one day. I should have never coveted something I didn't deserve. Now, my babydoll was in fucking danger. I could reconcile myself to death for my sins, but she was innocent. I would not let the choices I made ruin Bella's or my family's life. My child would be born free of this shit, even if I had to die to make it happen. When I got back to the bedroom, Bella was pacing the room. She knew that she wasn't supposed to get stressed out in her condition. I scooped her up and sat down on the bed. She must have seen the angry gleam in my eye because she looked wary. "Edward…Edward, what's wrong? Tell me!"

I tucked her head in my neck. I couldn't stand to see her eyes after my confession. "Bella, James has put a hit out on me. I have forty-eight hours. I'm sending you and the rest of the family to the Volturi compound in Chicago. You're leaving in a couple of hours." She pulled away from me and stood up. "No! I want to stay with you, Edward. It's Christmas Eve. We're supposed to be married tomorrow. You…you can't leave me. I won't let you!" I turned away to face the window. Usually, the view of Seattle made me smile, but today my face was set in stone as I looked at the skyline. There was a very real chance that I would never see this city again. I looked at my babydoll. She was sobbing so hard that her little shoulders shook. My fucking heart broke into a billion fragments. "Bella, it's done. I won't risk you and the baby. You promised that you would be strong. This is the first test. I need to know that you're safe or I'll make a mistake. We…we can get married before you get on the plane. I'll call Alice and have everything arranged. I'm so fucking sorry, Bella. I coveted you when I knew that you were too good for me. It's my entire fucking fault." I buried my face in my hands as I cried. Suddenly, my babydoll wrapped her arms around me from behind. I could feel the steady beat of her heart and even the firmness of her rounded belly through my silk shirt. I turned around to face her. If I lived to be one thousand, I would never forget the look on Bella's face at that moment. It was filled with so much inner peace and love that my knees nearly buckled. I always thought she was an angel, but never had she looked more like one than now. "I love you, Edward. If you need me to be strong, that's what I will do. My whole being, my whole life is tied up in you. You did deserve me, and you still do. Just because we're going through a rough patch now doesn't mean that we don't belong together. I need you forever. I know you can rise above the circumstances. You're not like James. You're a good man, and you're mine. I'm giving you my eternity today, Edward. I don't want any regrets. I love you." "I love you too, Bella. We…we can get married again later, anywhere you want. I'm so sorry that our first Christmas together is ruined. I feel like I'm always fucking up your life. You could have a normal life if it wasn't for me." She shook her head. "No, no, Edward. Don't say that! I only lived a half life until you. Sure, what we have hasn't been perfect, but it's real. I can't live without you. As long as I have your love and our baby, this Christmas will be perfect. The wedding location is not important as long as we're together." "I love you," we said in unison. I kissed her on the forehead. "Bella, I…I want to relieve some of your stress. Do you trust me?" She nodded. "Good, lie down on the bed and wait for me." I ran to one of her private closets and grabbed what I needed. Between my mom and sisters, Bella's possessions had grown a lot. She now had several versions of everything. I was happy that she allowed everyone to spoil her once in a while. Bella was on top of the comforter rubbing her baby bump when I got back. She gave me a blinding smile that nearly stopped my heart. I sat down and pulled her on top of me. Her soft weight rested against my

chest. I licked, nipped, and suckled her exposed neck. She cried out softly, spurring me on. "Bella," I rasped. "I want to bring you pleasure. We will still keep our vow, but I need to do this for you. I love you." She reached back to grab my jaw. "Thank you, sweet husband. I'll do anything for you." I helped her undress, which was easy because she was only wearing a tank top and sleep shorts. She tried to take off my clothes, but I stopped her. This was all about my babydoll. She didn't need to be stressed out today. The only way I knew to make her calm down quickly was to give her a form of release. I unzipped the canvas bag and took out 'the goodfella'. It was a dildo that had been a gift from Rose to Bella. My babydoll hadn't wanted a formal bridal shower, so all the girls had simply given her a gift. Her eyes lit up when she saw what I was holding. Bella did the hottest shit ever by taking it from me and putting it in her mouth. She looked directly in my eyes as she licked the fake cock, just as she would have done my real one. I was so fucking hard. I rubbed myself against her back to create some friction. She shivered and handed the dildo back to me. I used it to tease her clit a little before inserting it inside of her. She moaned and pressed her back into me. I slowly twisted the dildo inside of her pussy, wishing it was me the whole time. She came in no time at all. I continued my ministrations until Bella had two more orgasms. We were both in fucking heat by the time I finished. "Babydoll, do you feel better now?" I asked, sure of the answer. Bella placed my palm over her heart. "Yes, Edward. You always know just what I need. That felt so good, but not nearly as good as you." I nuzzled her neck. "I'm glad to hear it. I want you so bad, Bella. I'll have to leave a few hours after we're married, but we can still consummate everything. I wish I didn't…." She raised my other hand and kissed my palm. "I know, Edward. Remember, my heart beats as your heart beats, not a minute more, not a minute less. We..," she placed my palm over her rounded stomach, "need you to come back to us. We can't live without you." We stayed curled up with each other for several minutes. I stroked every section of Bella's skin, committing it to memory. She was over four months pregnant. We'd gone to her second trimester appointment together the other day. Everything was progressing beautifully. I'd been so proud of her for being brave during the whole thing. When I saw that big fucking needle that they wanted to stick into her belly, I'd gone apeshit. Carlisle had to hold me back. Bella's assurance that she barely felt it was the only thing that kept me from picking her up and running out. She had every test done that was available for her pregnancy level. They all showed that she and our baby were perfectly healthy and developing normally. I had been worried after that motherfucker attacked my babydoll, so seeing the ultrasound for myself was very important. Unfortunately, I was going to have to miss the next appointment because of this new shit. If it wasn't safe for Bella to come back to Seattle by then, I would have to get Carlisle to find a good OBGYN in Chicago. Not that I was worried, Chicago had some of the best hospitals in the country. I just didn't want my babydoll's life to be interrupted anymore than it had since she'd met my sorry ass.

I disentangled myself and kissed Bella on the cheek. "Why don't you call Alice and tell her the news. I'll call Pastor Randall." Alice was not happy that the wedding had been moved up. Plus, she was worried about why. I planned to tell everyone at once. Alice suggested that the wedding be done in Mom and Carlisle's meadow by our tree. It wasn't Aspen by any means, but it was kind of fucking perfect for my babydoll and me. My sister showed up thirty minutes later and whisked Bella away. I made sure that several security guards went with them. Benjamin was barely hanging on in the hospital. I hadn't told Bella yet, because I knew that she was fond of him. Besides, it's not like she needed any more bad news. I needed to talk to several people before I left out, so I spent the afternoon doing that. The first person I called into my office was Jane. She'd fucking saved my babydoll's life. I owed her. Jane walked in dressed in her black shit-kickers and designer jeans. She was a good-looking woman. I could see why the bitches at the club went crazy over her. Her body was feminine, but she had muscles. Also, she had this swagger that bitches found irresistible whether it was in a dude or a chick. She nodded to me. "Cullen, how's little Bee?" I smirked at the nickname. "She's good. That's actually what I need to talk to you about. James has put a hit out on me. I need to send Bella to Chicago for a while. You have been her guard for the longest and you've proven that you'd fucking die for her. I'd like for you to accompany her and be her main guard from now on. Are you up for the challenge?" Jane smiled. "Fuck, yeah! I'd love to spend some quality time alone with Bella." I rolled my eyes. "I already told you that my babydoll likes dick. I expect you to treat her with the utmost respect. If I find out that she's uncomfortable in any way, I'll revoke your position. Just because you're a woman doesn't mean you don't have to follow my rules. Capish?" She nodded. "I'm just fucking with you, dude. I'll keep little Bee safe. Was there anything else you needed from me?" "Yeah, Bella and I are getting married tonight because of my early departure. I would be honored if you could attend. I owe you for saving her life, Jane. I won't ever forget that." She bit her nails, seemingly in deep thought. "Of course, I'll come to your wedding. Can I bring a date?" I nodded. Jane left a few minutes later. Liam called to reiterate what Marcus had already told me. Caius phoned several times to try and talk me out of my mission, but I wasn't going to budge. Alice called with the details for the wedding. It was going to be later at eight at night. My mom and the girls were going to set up an outside gazebo that we would all stand under. After the ceremony, there would be a formal dinner inside the house. I was supposed to arrive around six to start getting ready. Ali tried to get information out of me, but I managed to hold her off. She did let me speak to my babydoll, but only for a few minutes. Jasper was the next person that I needed to see. He was busy handling business downstairs. I called him up to my office so that we could talk. He was Bella's only relative, so it was only right that I be honest

with him. The minute he entered the office, I could tell that he was worried. "What's going on, Edward? I get a call from Alice saying that the wedding is tonight at your Parent's house, instead of tomorrow in Aspen. Is there danger?" "Take a seat, Jasper," I commanded. I waited until he sat down to go on. "You know some of the events of the past few months. James didn't go away that day that I kicked his ass. He sent two men after Bella the other day. Now, he's put a hit out on me. He's made it clear that he wants Bella. I can't risk him hurting her or the baby, so I'm going to Europe to find and kill him." Jasper panicked. "I won't let that monster near my baby sister! Are you sure that you'll be able to find him in Europe? What if he sends someone after Bella again?" I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I am sending all of you to Chicago until I get out of the country. My Godfather will evaluate the situation and determine whether or not it will be safe for you to return. Jasper, I need you to stay calm and look after Bella. She already knows what's going on. She's going to need you more than ever once I leave. I'm sorry for putting all of you in danger. I know I don't have to ask you look after my sister also." "You definitely don't have to ask for that. I would give my life for Alice. I promise you that I'll take care of Bella. I've been doing it for practically her whole life. If you need anything from me, it's yours. You're already my brother in my eyes. I've never seen Bells as happy as she is with you." I grimaced. "I wish I could have been as good for her as she is for me. I'm sorry that I didn't fucking just let her go that day, but I couldn't. I love her. She and our baby are my only reasons for living. I will do anything to keep her safe. Right now, the only thing I need from you is what I already asked. And yeah, I'm your brother. Before I met my babydoll, I never thought I'd ever be close to my family. She not only gave that back to me, she added to it. I know she's excited about you giving her away tonight, so why don't you take off and go prepare." He left after promising to do everything in his power to protect Bella. I called Liam and discussed the situation. The Irish were behind us, because they didn't like the new type of Organization that James was trying to build. I also had to get all my business shit squared away before I left out. That meant getting Bella added to all my bank accounts and credit cards. I'd had my lawyer draw up a new will that left everything to her in case of my death. I knew that if I told Bella, she would have protested so I kept that information to myself. After everything was done, I took some time to calm down. A very skilled hit-man had been hired to come and kill my ass. I was fucking scared as shit, but I couldn't let the others see it, especially my babydoll. If she got upset again, I was afraid that she would miscarry. That was the last fucking thing I wanted to happen. I took out my photograph book to look at pictures of Bella. These were not the porn collection I'd started, but candids of her in everyday life. She was truly gorgeous. The pregnancy only highlighted her natural beauty. I listened to our baby's heart beat as I perused the photographs. I made a vow to myself that I would do anything to come back to them. I never wanted anything more than to see my son or daughter born. When I next looked at my watch, I saw that it was time for me to head to Mom's house. I had already texted Dee, Felix, and Kate. They would all be at the wedding. I'd also invited Garrett, although Kate

didn't know. I was turning into a fucking matchmaker. The drive to Carlisle and Esme's house went smoothly. I arrived ahead of time. Alice met me downstairs. She insisted that I couldn't be trusted not to seek out Bella, so she sent me to one of the guest cottages to get ready. When I got there, there was a fucking guy that was supposed to shave me and cut my hair. I let the fucker do it with minimal complaining because it would please my sister. My hair had gotten quite long because I hardly ever cut it. My babydoll liked to pull on it, so I kept as much as possible. Alice's stylist manscaped my ass to within an inch of my life, but when I saw my reflection, I had to admit that he'd done an awesome job. I looked fucking handsome as ever. Alice had chosen a classic black Armani tuxedo for me. It was tailored to my measurements, so it fit me perfectly. Since it was a special occasion, I took out my Volturi cuff links. They were platinum with the Family's symbol, which was a diamond encrusted Italian Horn. The Italian Horn was sometimes called Lucifer's Horn and was worn as protection against the 'evil eye' in Italy. Aro had taken it as the Volturi's symbol when he took over the Organization. When I was younger, I thought it was cool as fuck because it also stood for sexual power and good fortune. Now, my favorite piece of jewelry was the engagement ring that my babydoll had given me, because it stood for pure and indestructible love. By the time I finished getting ready, it was almost seven. In an hour, my babydoll would be mine in every way possible. I was nervous, but it just felt so right. All our fighting and pain had gotten us to the moment we were about to share. After tonight, we would be together forever. For that reason alone, it was the happiest day of my life. Armand, my stylist, was putting the finishing touches on my shoes when someone knocked on the door. The house and grounds were teeming with security people just in case the hit-man came early. I even had helicopters overhead. I opened the door to find Jasper, Carlisle, Emmett and two of my security men standing outside. I invited my brothers and Dad to come in, letting my guards know that it was okay. They were all wearing tailored black suits. Carlisle smiled and nodded when he saw me. "You look good, son. I heard that Alice relegated you to the guest house, so I came out to see how you were doing." Emmett plopped down on a nearby couch and loosened his tie a little. "Dude, I hate wearing these monkey suits, but they drive Rose wild. How're you holding up?" I sat down in the couch across from him. Carlisle and Jasper took chairs on either side of me. My right knee was shaking like a crack head's. "I'm really fucking happy. I wish that I could give Bella her dream wedding, but this will have to do for now. We'll get married again when it's safe." Jasper clapped me on the back. "I've seen Bella. She's glowing. I don't think she regrets the wedding. I know my sister, she doesn't like a fuss." We all laughed at that, remembering how embarrassed she'd been at her birthday party. We sat around the fire talking. Em and Carlisle gave me some advice that basically consisted of the woman is always right. It amazed me that I once thought they were pussy- whipped. Now my ass was the king of pussy-whipped motherfuckers, and I was the happiest I'd ever been.

Armand got a text from Alice saying that they were ready. The guys gave me one last pep talk before we headed out to the meadow. I didn't know what I was expecting, but the reality was ten times better. The fucking area had been transformed into a lighted paradise. There was a carpeted path surrounded by moth orchids, which was appropriate because moths were me and Bella's thing. Tall silver torches had been set up to light the way. They led to a fancy gazebo with white silk hanging from the sides. The gazebo was surrounded by all types of potted plants. The tree that I'd carved our names into was far to the right. The carpet stopped at a couple of grassy steps. Padded white chairs had been set up on either side for our guests. I was in fucking awe of the detail that had gone into making our meadow look so beautiful. My mom came to greet me the minute I stepped onto the carpet. She'd been crying. When she saw me, she burst into a new wave of tears. I hugged her to my chest until she stopped shaking. Carlisle walked up and took her into his arms. She smiled at me. "I'm just so happy for you, Edward. Bella loves you so much. I know you two are going to make wonderful parents. I…I never thought I would see this day. I want you to know that I love you very much. You're nothing like your father; you're your own man. For that I couldn't be prouder." I wanted to cry like a fucking baby. My mom had never expressed her pride for me. I'm sure she felt it at times, but we were always too estranged for her to articulate her feelings. I kissed her on the cheek before Carlisle led her to the front. Emmett was my best man, so I gave him the rings to hold. He promised not to fuck up, but I threatened him just in case he got any ideas to pull some stupid ass prank. I saw Kate and Garrett arrive. They were both surprised to see each other, but got over it quickly and ended up seated next to each other. My mom winked at me. She was the fucking Queen of the matchmakers. Pastor Randall was happy to perform the ceremony on short notice. He told me that he'd already talked to Bella and ascertained that we didn't break the contract. He also read me some fucking Bible scriptures about marriage. I'd read the Bible cover to cover when I was younger, but I chose not to adhere to all of its rules. I did like the scriptures on revenge, though, and Solomon was my fucking hero. He was the goddamned pimp of the Christianity world. Marcus and Di called to wish me luck. My mom was going to tape the wedding for them. Caius had left out of Chicago earlier and was going to make it just in time to witness the wedding in person. He entered a few minutes later dressed in his customary black tuxedo. The color looked even darker against his albino skin. I watched him greet my Mom and Carlisle. To my surprise, Esme introduced him to Dr. A. He appraised her for several minutes. I could tell that he was smitten, because he gave her one of his rare smiles. If my eyes weren't fucking with me, I could have sworn I saw her blush. They took seats right next to each other. Love was in the fucking air. I saw Jacob come in with a woman that I assumed was Leah. He was in a dark blue dress suit. I knew that he was a friend of Bella's, but I still saw him as fucking competition. He gave me a small wave before taking a seat. Dee arrived with one of the new girls from the club. Thankfully, he'd chosen one that I never fucked. I was shocked that he'd used such tact, but figured it had probably been for Bella's sake and not mine. He winked at me as he took his seat. Felix was the next to come. He'd brought a small woman with short dark

hair. I never knew that the fucker dated, so I was shocked to see him with a date. Eleazar and Carmen arrived arm in arm, looking like Spanish royalty. She was crying while he handed her Kleenex. Emmett was telling me a married guy joke when Jane arrived. My fucking eyes almost fell out when I saw who her date was. She brought fucking Jessica Stanley, the stripper from my club. I saw red as I marched over to them. "What the fuck, Jane? Why in the hell would you bring Jessica? You know our fucking history. I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Jessica wrapped her arm around Jane. For the first time since I'd met her, she looked like she had a real thought in her head. "Don't make us leave, Edward. I'm with Jane now. I promise that I won't do anything to ruin your wedding. I'm happy for you guys." I pulled my fingers through my hair. That shit was a lot to swallow. "You're a fucking lesbo now, Jessica? I hope that doesn't affect your work at the club." Jessica shrugged. "I don't know what I am, but I love Jane. She doesn't have a problem with me stripping, and I love the work." I shared a look with Jane. She smiled. "You heard her, Cullen. She loves me. Now, get your ass up on stage and marry Bella. I never thought I'd see this. It feels like I'm on an episode of "Ripley's Believe It or Not." I pretended to laugh. "Hahaha. What-the-fuck-ever, Jane. As long as you two behave yourselves and don't upset my babydoll, I'll be happy to have you." Jane licked her lips suggestively and took her seat. She patted Jessica's ass as she sat down. I turned away before the sight could cause me to lose my fucking lunch. I smiled and waved at everyone as I waited for my babydoll to arrive. Several minutes later, the harpist that had performed for my engagement started playing Schubert's, "Ave Maria". The children began their procession down the aisle. Colin and Brady shared the honors as ring bearer. I didn't recognize the flower girl but assumed that she'd been chosen by Alice. I was too nervous to take note of too much. My sister and Rose walked down the carpet holding bouquets of pink and white moth orchids. They both wore one-shoulder graphite gowns. Alice was so happy that she seemed to float down the carpet. I was stunned that Rose even looked excited. This really is a day for miracles. They reached their destination, smiling happily. Alice gave me the thumbs up sign. Rose winked playfully at Emmett. Suddenly the music changed. Shania Twain's, "From This Moment On" started to play. After that my vision got fuzzy because I entered heaven. At the end of the aisle stood the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My babydoll stood across the lawn, under the full moon. Every inch of her exposed skin glowed. To say that she was beautiful would have been an extreme understatement. She took my fucking breath away. Her dress was strapless. It flowed down past her feet. She looked like an angel come to life. The studded empire waist accentuated her baby bump. She had on a white veil that covered her shiny mahogany curls that were tamed with a princess crown.

Her makeup was minimal, only enough to bring out her features. I wanted to lick every inch of her collarbones. She was wearing the Jubilee diamond and sapphire necklace that I bought her for her birthday. The only other jewelry she wore was the pair of diamond earrings that she'd told me had been her mother's. I felt like I should have been down on my knees worshiping at her feet. She was too fucking good for me. When our eyes connected, a brilliant smile lit up her face. She whispered something to Jasper as he began leading her down the aisle. Her steps were sure and graceful. I could see her lips forming the lyrics of the song. She was singing it to me. The music, my babydoll, my family, it was all too much. I was in danger of becoming a fucking creampuff. If I wasn't careful, I was going to break down into tears and ruin the vows. Before I knew what was happening, Jasper placed Bella's hand in mine. He was unabashedly crying, but managed to say a gruff, "Take care of my baby sister." Alice squeezed his hand before he took his place next to Emmett. The electricity that was always between Bella and I was magnified by a trillion when our hands touched. My thumb rubbed small circles around her palm. I felt her pulse rate speed up at the contact. Pastor Randall began the ceremony. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today….." Honestly, that was all I heard. My whole being was focused on Bella. Her face was covered in tears as she looked at me. We mouthed, 'I love you' as the Pastor continued with his part. Finally, we got to the reading of the vows. I took Bella's hand and placed it over my heart. "Babydoll, I love you with everything that is within me. You saved me from a life of Hell and damnation. There are no Earthly gifts that I can ever give you to pay you back for what you've done for me. All I can do is spend the rest of my life loving you and treating you like the Queen that you are. Through all the fights, breakups, and hardships, one thing has remained true; our love. One of your smiles can sustain me for a lifetime. You brought my family back to me…" I placed my hand on her stomach …"and you even multiplied it. I love you so much that I think I'll burst with the feeling. Tonight, I give myself to you, forever. Thank you, Isabella Marie Swan, for choosing me. I'm not worthy, but I'll never stop trying to be. Sei tutto cio' di cui ho bisogn. Tu sei la mia anima gemella. Voglio stare con te per sempre." A broken sob escaped Bella's lips. I kissed the back of her hand. She beamed. Pastor Randall gave her a moment. Then, he indicated that she was to go next. She kissed the palm of my hand. "Edward, you are the love of my life. When I lost my parents, I didn't think I'd ever be truly happy again, but you made that possible. Every day I spend with you is special. Even when we fight, I know that you love me, and I always love you. You often say that you aren't worthy of my love, but I think we deserve each other. Fate brought us together. You are my soul-mate. There can never be a me, without you. I love everything about you. You are the only man that has ever had my body and that ever will. I also gave you my heart and soul, forever. It is an honor to be your wife and the mother of your children. I pray that we spend many happy days together. I dream of growing old in your arms. You are my life too. I love you so much." I heard a couple of the women choking up, but I couldn't move my eyes from Bella long enough to see what was going on. Pastor Randall asked for the rings. Emmet placed the platinum bands in my hand. Bella's was fully encircled with diamonds. The inscription on the inside read, Ti amo con tutta l'anima. We placed the rings on each other's fingers, never breaking eye contact. I barely heard Pastor Randall as

he announced us as husband and wife. I removed Bella's veil and pulled her into my arms. We kissed long and hard, both our tears soaking each other's faces. Everyone stood up and clapped. I continued to kiss my babydoll. I picked her up and nibbled on her neck. There were a few throat clearings, but neither of us wanted to break apart. My mom's voice eventually brought me out of the fog. I would have been happy making love to Bella right on the stage. The wedding march began to play. Bella and I stayed wrapped up in each other's arms as we were led to inside to the reception. There was food of every kind lining the table. I was sad when Bella's eyes wondered to the chocolate mousse cake more than me. She smiled and kissed my lips. "I love you, Edward, but I'm hungry. I was so nervous that I didn't eat. We can dance first, though." I played with one of her shiny curls. "I love you so much, Bella Cullen. I don't think there was ever a man as happy as I am today. Let's go dance." She wrapped her arms around my waist. "Bella Swan-Cullen. I'm so happy to be your wife, Edward. "Every time she said that word, my heart fluttered. She had chosen to keep her surname in honor of her parents. I supported the decision. Alice announced that it was time for the couples' dance. The first song was "I found my Everything," by Mary J. Blige. Bella had chosen it. I led her out to the floor. We never broke eye contact as we glided around the floor. Eventually, I noticed that the other couples had joined us. My song to Bella was, "True Companion" by Marc Cohn. She cried when I whispered the lyrics in her ear. Carlisle asked to dance with her after that. I was reluctant to give my babydoll up, but my mom waltzed me to the other side of the room. She was crying and saying something, but my eyes were all for Bella. I danced with Rose and Alice before my arms were around the love of my life again. She was flushed with happiness. Dee came to ask her to dance, but I fucking refused. I did let her do a short turn with Felix because she really wanted to, but I stayed close. Unfortunately, she asked to dance with Jacob. He waltzed her effortlessly around the room. I almost fucking punched him when he kissed her on the cheek. I claimed her the minute the song ended. He just raised his eyebrows and gave my babydoll a hug while I glared holes into his head. He was fucking lucky that I didn't have my gun. Of course, Bella and Jasper danced together the longest. She had her head buried in his chest the whole time. They were laughing together about some private joke. People came up to talk to me, but I couldn't take my thoughts or eyes away from my babydoll. Colin and Brady wanted a turn, so she held their tiny hands and spun them around the floor. She looked so maternal. I knew that she was going to make an amazing mother. Eventually, we were seated at an elaborate table. I filled Bella's plate with things that she pointed out. We took turns feeding each other the strawberry chocolate cream wedding cake. Alice threatened to kick my ass if I smashed it into Bella's face, so I carefully placed it into her mouth. Since it was Christmas Eve, there was a Christmas tree with lots of gifts. Everyone was going to take a present and a goody bag to go. I started to get sad when I thought of spending Christmas Day without Bella, but when she looked at me, I realized why I needed to go. My fucking mind was made up. I had to kill James so that Bella would be safe.

Lots of pictures were taken of the happy event. I made a speech to the guests about what was going to happen, even though they already knew. Everyone pledged their love and support. It turned out that our flower girl was Dr. A.'s adopted daughter. She was six years old. Caius took to both the mother and daughter. I didn't doubt that I'd be at his fucking wedding in a few months. I looked around at my friends and family, who were all safe and happy, and smiled. My babydoll ate like it was her last meal. I sneaked kisses every time she came up for air, which earned several complaints from Emmett. Rose helped me by smacking him on the back of the head and telling him to shut up. Alice and Jasper just held hands and smiled at us. They were going to be the next ones. I had to end James and his fuckery before their wedding. I'd be damned if I missed my sister's big day. She was always there for me. When the food was done, it was time for the other wedding activities. I wanted to carry Bella to the nearest room and fuck the hell out of her, but she insisted that we be kind to our guests. We got lots of wedding gifts. I was so fucking hard by that point that I let Bella open everything. She oohed and ahhed enough for the both of us. It wasn't that I was ungrateful; I just wanted to make love to my wife. Since the kids had been put in the playroom, I decided to spice up the garter toss. Instead of just lifting Bella's dress, I kissed up her leg starting at the ankle. When I got to the garter, I licked the skin around it. Bella's eyes glazed over as she shivered. I used my fucking teeth to remove and toss it away. Then, I rubbed my cheek against Bella's upper thigh. She reached down and pulled my hair. We must have gotten too inappropriate, because several people cleared their throats. Bella blushed and looked away. Garrett ended up being the one to catch the garter. He just held the lacy garment. I was worried that his ass had gone into shock. Before we left, Bella threw the bouquet. She aimed it straight for Kate, who looked just as shocked as Garrett. They both exchanged a glance before hugging. Bella took a step to go to them, but I led her away. We had to say goodbye to everyone. They all had to pack for the trip to Chicago. I noticed that the mention of it made my babydoll upset, so I tried to be fucking lighthearted about that shit. My mom had arranged a suite for us at a five star hotel, but my babydoll didn't want it. "I want to spend the night in the lair," she said. I tried to talk her out of it, but she was adamant. My Bella was nothing if not stubborn. I looked forward to spending the rest of my fucking life butting heads with her. We left in an armored Hummer limo that had been decorated with cans and other wedding shit. Bella stuck her head out the window and blew kisses. Jasper and Mom were the only two still crying. Everyone else was smiling and waving. I pulled my babydoll back inside as the car sped away. We kissed passionately, our hands all over each other. I tugged on the bodice of Bella's dress. She stopped my hands. "Edward, if you ruin this dress, your sister will kill you. Besides, I'd like to keep it to remember today. I'm so happy." I pulled her into my lap. "I'm happy too, babydoll. I love you. Let's put all our cares away for tonight and just enjoy ourselves." She licked her lips and winked at me. "I definitely plan on enjoying my husband tonight." I reached under her dress and pulled on her panties. "I want those to take with me."

She shivered. I inserted one finger in her wet pussy. It felt so good after two weeks of no touching. She rode my finger as I played with her clit. When I inserted my second finger she cried out. She was embarrassed, until I told her that the chauffeur couldn't hear anything; I used my fingers to fuck her until her climax hit. She collapsed on my chest with a mighty yell. "Oh. My. God. Edward, that was so amazing. I can't wait to milk your fucking cock dry." I kissed her overheated face. "We have all night, wife. I want to hear you scream my name. We'll be lucky if we don't break the fucking bed." The Club was closed tonight in honor of the holiday. Bella and I kissed the whole elevator ride. I made sure that security was set up, before I carried her over the threshold. She giggled and made a comment about being too heavy. I laughed and told her that she was as light as a fucking feather. When we got to the lair's bedroom, I washed up and changed into a black silk robe. I was naked underneath. Bella winked at me and then went to use the restroom. I set up a bunch of candles around the room. Then, I laid down on the bed and tried to calm myself down. If I didn't get control, I was going to jizz like a fucking first timer. After what seemed like forever, Bella came out of the bathroom. She had on a white babydoll with a crotchless thong. Her fucking tits looked bigger than ever in that beaded shit. She wore her hair down just the way I liked it. Seeing my rings on her fingers drove me all kinds of crazy. She smiled shyly at me and sauntered over. I crawled over until I reached the edge of the bed. Then, I laid open mouth kisses all over her baby bump. She tangled her fingers in my hair and giggled. I kissed and licked all over her delectable skin until we were both too hot to move. Then she said the words I'd been dying to hear. "Edward…I…I'm ready to try anal with you. I'm really scared, so if we could go slow, that would be really great." I pulled her on top of my chest and hugged the shit out of her. "Babydoll, I'm so fucking excited! If you feel scared or want to stop, I will. As long as you're honest with me, it will work." I reached into the nightstand and pulled out the Astroglide that I'd bought at that Port Angeles porn shop. I also grabbed one of the anal vibrators. Bella just looked up lovingly, like she had all the trust in the world in me. "Edward, I love you. I know that you would never hurt me. Relax, I want it to be good for you. Merry Christmas, husband." All I could do was nod I arranged her so that she was on all fours. She looked back at me and winked to let me know she was okay so far. Bella's ass was a fucking work of art. I immediately stripped her underwear off and attacked her ass. I sucked, licked, and bit it until she pushed back into me. When she moaned, I opened her legs wide and inserted my tongue in her pussy. She was fucking wetter than the Ocean. I didn't realize how much I'd really missed the taste of her, until I had it again; I licked her pussy like it was water in a desert. My babydoll came hard as I bit down on her clit. "Fuck! Edward! So fucking good..your…your tongue…. I can't take it!"

She collapsed onto the bed, leaving her ass up in the air. I pulled off my robe and kissed her shoulders and lower back. She barely moved. I squeezed my eyes shut and took several deep breaths. "Bella, I'm going to fuck your sweet ass so fucking good. I swear that you'll love it." She lifted her body so that she was back in the original position. I removed the babydoll top from her shoulders. She giggled as I flipped her over and feasted on her breasts. I looked her deep in the eyes as I sucked an engorged nipple into my mouth. She moaned and grabbed the back of my neck, locking me in place. All of my senses were full of Bella. I licked her whole body. She reached down and fisted my cock. I had to remove her hand, because I was so fucking close to losing my shit. Bella had begun to make little noises that sounded fucking weird. I checked her to make sure that she was okay. She just got back on her hands and knees and wiggled her ass at me. I took that as my cue. I buried my face between her ass cheeks. My tongue lapped at her sphincter, twisting and digging at her little knot. She pulled away in surprise. I gave her a few minutes before I continued. "Babydoll, there's nothing to be worried about. I love doing this to you. Does it feel good?" She screamed "Yes! I never want you to stop. I…I didn't know it would be this good." I reached around and pinched her clit, which caused her to pull the fucking silk sheets. I continued to rub her sensitive nub as I applied more pressure with my tongue. She was mumbling something over and over, but I was too fucking worked up to decipher it. Her small opening began to clench around my tongue. I took a chance and rubbed my finger around her sphincter. She bucked into me and yelled to high heaven. I inserted two fingers into Bella's pussy as I continued to assault her ass with my tongue. She came so hard that she threw me off of her. "Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit, Edward! I'm cuuuuuuuuummmmming," she screamed before completely passing out. I shook Bella lightly to wake her up. "Bella, are you okay?" Her chocolate eyes were unfocused and glassy when she opened them. I didn't kiss her, because I didn't know how she'd feel about that shit after I'd rimmed her ass. I shouldn't have been surprised when she pulled me down for a deep kiss, but I was. My babydoll was so fucking made for me that it wasn't even funny. She laid her upper body down on the pillows and raised her ass, offering it to me. I used the wetness from her pussy and lots of lube to get her ready. Then, I gave her one more chance to back out. She shook her head. "I want to do this, Edward. There isn't any sexual act that I wouldn't try with you." I was ashamed to admit that I'd done research to make sure that pregnant women could have anal sex. I was shocked to learn that some of them preferred it and had better orgasms that way. I hoped that my babydoll was one of those cases, because once I fucked her ass, I didn't think I'd be able to give it up. I kissed her lower back and buttocks and then pressed my cock against her rosebud. She squirmed a little to get comfortable. I rubbed my cock up and down the crease of her ass, coating it with lubricant Bella took a sharp breath. I gave her a minute before I continued.

"Relax, babydoll. I love you. If it hurts, we can stop. Don't hesitate to tell me." She nodded. I began to insert my dick into her hole. Her rosebud pulsed and stretched as her body began to accept me. I whispered Italian love words as I pushed inch after inch of my cock inside of her virgin hole. She made a pained noise. "Edward, can you…can you stop for a minute?" I gritted my teeth. "Yes, babydoll." My balls were fucking swollen. One move and I would blow my fucking load before I got it in. Bella took a couple of deep breaths and moved around a little. I gripped her hips so hard that I left indentations. Just when I thought she had given up on the whole idea, she turned around and smiled. "Okay, Edward. You can push again." My dick fucking throbbed. I nodded. I slid in slowly and carefully, paying very close attention to Bella's movement and breathing- her near constant moaning encouraged me to keep going. I pulled out of her and sank halfway in again. Bella gasped and reached back to grab my forearms. "That felt good, Edward. Do it again," she panted." I pinched her nipple. Your wish is my command, babydoll." I felt her ass squeeze and relax, each time allowing me to insert more of my cock. Bella's ass was pure nirvana. Anal sex had never felt so fucking good to me. I pulled her ass cheeks apart gently and looked at my cock almost halfway inside of her. I pulled out and plunged in again, slapping her ass as I went. Bella buried her face in the pillow and fucking snarled. I was stunned beyond belief. She thrashed her head so hard that I feared that she'd broken her neck. I sank further and deeper into her hole. She was as hot as a fucking fireplace. My balls started to constrict. I thought of various boring financial figures to hold off my orgasm. "Edward," Bella moaned. "So…so….fucking good! Put it all in or I'm going to scream." Immediately I ground myself into Bella's ass. She shook violently and clawed at the pillows as her orgasm overtook her body. I reached down and rubbed her clit to prolong it. She came for a long fucking time, making a sobbing noise as she rode her peak. I just held her to me until she calmed down. My dick was still buried deep in her spasming ass, making it hard for me to hold on. "Edward, you…you…fuckyourcock…lobals.," she trailed off, speaking gibberish. I had no fucking idea that my babydoll would have such an intense fucking reaction to anal sex. I had a feeling that in the future, I wouldn't have to be the one to initiate it. I kneaded Bella's hips to decrease some of the tension there. She pushed back into me. I pulled out and sank back into Bella over and over again. My mind went away, just like the first time I fucked her. All I wanted was to stay inside of paradise for as long as possible. I rammed into her with abandon. We never had a silent moment. I wouldn't have been surprised to find all our fucking champagne flutes broken after the high pitched noises my babydoll was making.

I spanked her harder, which caused her to scream even louder. "That's it, Edward! Spank my ass. I'm so fucking naughty. I'm your bad girl." Her fucking words were making it hard to keep from coming. Bella's ass just got tighter and tighter. I stuck my free hand into her pussy. She screamed to high heaven as her hole became as tight as a vice. I felt her pussy clench around my fingers as her ass milked my cock. I came harder than I ever had before. I squirted my cum deep into her bowels while we both continued snarling and moaning. If I hadn't been an active participant, the noises would have scared the shit out of me. I kept jetting cum into Bella's ass as she shook from her own orgasm. My cum wouldn't stop flowing. It leaked out of my babydoll's rosebud down her legs. My nuts started to fucking hurt. I was getting worried that something was wrong. The cum just kept coming. The force of it hitting Bella's walls triggered another orgasm for her. By that point, I was collapsed in back of her as we spooned. Neither one of us had the strength to move. Finally, my dick stopped squirting. I pulled my flaccid cock out of Bella's ass and held her close. We just kind of fucking passed out after that. I woke up to Bella pulling me into the bathroom. I was half asleep as she helped me into a hot bubble bath. She soaped me up and straddled my lap. I buried my face in her neck, because I was too groggy to keep my head up. That changed when I felt Bella's slippery fingers working my cock underwater. She kissed me hard. "I love you, Edward. Welcome home," she whispered, as she guided me into her wet pussy. I fucking cried like a baby. She did too. We fucked each other until the water was as cold as ice. Bella wanted me to play the piano for her so I did. I didn't know what the fuck I played, because my ass was wiped out. The five year age difference was going to kill me at this rate. Sometime during the night, Bella must have gotten us to the bed, because the next time I awoke, she was lying on my chest sleeping peacefully. I kissed her forehead. "Wake up, Bella. You can sleep on the plane. It's time babydoll." She rubbed her eyes, sobbing loudly. "No! It's Christmas. I don't want you to go." I kissed her eyelids, lips, and nose. "I don't want to go, but you know I must. Come on and get dressed, babydoll." I made us a light breakfast while she got dressed. Her clothes had already been packed and would be on the plane. We ate in silence. Every time Bella looked at me, her eyes filled with tears. On the way to the airstrip, I told her about the café and bookstore that I had bought for her wedding/Christmas gift. She barely showed any enthusiasm whatsoever. I'd also bought her more jewelry, but she was in too bad of a mood to bring that up. I tried kissing, touching, and reassuring her, but she just sat beside me in complete silence. I would have fucking paid a fortune to read her mind. Even though she didn't talk to me, she held my hand the entire drive.

Alice and Jasper were waiting for Bella on the tarmac. Jasper kissed and hugged her. Alice asked her about her wedding night. She mumbled answers to their questions. Jasper looked at me and shrugged. I pulled Bella into my arms and hugged her. "Babydoll, I'm doing this for us. I know that you love our baby. We have to keep it safe. Please, don't be mad at me. I never wanted to leave you, but I have no choice in the matter. I'll be back soon, and after that, I'll never be away from you again. I promise. I love you." She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and kissed me on the jaw. "I love you so much, Edward Cullen. I am your wife now, so you better not disappoint me. I'll spend every day waiting for you to return to my arms. Don't be cocky. Do what you need to do and then come back home where you belong. I love you. I love you. I love you." We kissed passionately right in front of everyone. The wind picked up and blew Bella's hair everywhere. She had on skinny jeans and a Rudolph sweater. I pressed the little button in the center of her chest, and the reindeer nose lit up. She looked up at me and smiled. I took my digital recorder out to capture our first Christmas together, even though it was too fucking short. She reminded me that her Christmas present to me was in my carry-on luggage. Much too soon, the Pilot announced that it was time to take off. My family came down to wish me luck and say goodbye. Carlisle had to hold my mom up. I hated to see her so hysterical. He promised me that he would give her something to help her sleep on the plane. Bella wouldn't let me go, so Jasper had to carry her up the steps into the jet. Alice kissed me on both cheeks and told me to be careful. The last image I had was of Bella kicking and screaming as Jasper and Carlisle carried her aboard the jet. When I got to the car, I broke down and cried. So many tears clouded my vision that for a minute, I didn't know where I was. I stayed in the same position, sobbing my heart out for what seemed like an eternity. Later, my chauffer knocked on the privacy glass to let me know that my plane was ready. My heart felt like it was going to leak out of my chest. I pulled out my phone so that I could see a picture of Bella. That only made it worse. With shaky legs and a depressed mind, I boarded my private jet. I took a fucking Ambien and drank my weight in Vodka so that I would sleep through the flight. All I dreamed of was my babydoll's stricken face as she was forced onto the jet. I woke up bathed in sweat. My cocktail had worked. I'd slept for sixteen fucking hours and was now entering London. It was one of my favorite cities. I was looking forward to bringing my babydoll here when times were good again. Usually, the sight of Big Ben excited me, but now I was emotionally dead without my reason for living. I went to the back and took a shower. I was so distraught that my cock didn't even harden. I dressed in all black to mirror how I felt on the inside. My hair was always a lost cause, so I just ran my fingers through it, missing Bella's touch. I didn't call her because I thought that it would make her worse. Instead, I wrote her a letter that I would send once it was safe. I talked of my love and devotion to her and how happy she made me. One of Liam's top men met me at the airstrip. Marcus had sent out the best fucking security he could spare. Three fucking giants flanked me as I got into the jet black Mercedes. We cruised through the underbelly of London until we reached out destination. An old abandoned Catholic Church in Westminster was where we stopped. My guards and I pulled out our guns before going in. I removed my jacket so that I could put on a bullet proof vest. If what I was told

was true, we were walking into a fucking war zone. The only advantage we had was the element of surprise. We barged into the Church in a hail of gunfire. It was like a fucking action movie, only it was fucking real. One of my men took a hit. I got down on my knees and scoped out the shooters. We had been told that there were three fuckers inhabiting the Church. They were James' British cousins. They'd helped Laurent plan the ambush on Bella, so they knew I was coming for their asses and had holed up in the sanctuary. Little did they know that God couldn't save their asses from my wrath. I came up on the side of one of the fuckers as he emptied his clip at my men. He never even saw me before I pulled the trigger. Red blood squirted out of the hole in his head and coated the old walls as he collapsed. My guards successfully took out another one of James' cousins. They captured the last one and brought him to me. I sat on a pew and indicated that I wanted him knelt before me. He had the same color hair and eyes as his motherfucking cousin. I kicked him in the fucking balls. "What is James planning? Do you know anything about The Executioner?" "Fuck you," he spat. I reached down and grabbed his hand. "I'm going to ask again. What the fuck do you know?" He smiled. "I know you're a pussy that sucks dick," he said in a proper British accent. I pulled my hunter's knife out of my coat and cut off two of his fingers. He screamed. Blood got on everyone, but I didn't fucking care. He tried to pull his hand away from my grasp. I held on and applied pressure, causing him to whimper in pain. "I only know one thing," he sobbed. I waved the knife. "Bella cosa tosto è rapita." He cackled it over and over again until I slit his throat out of anger. My blood ran cold. I knew that something was wrong. There was no fucking way that a Russian mobster would just quote random Italian. I took out my Iphone and dialed Marcus. No one answered. I tried again and again, but still no answer. My guards called the Cleaners to come dispose of the bodies of the men we had just sent to Hell. I paced back and forth calling everyone I knew. Finally, I got in touch with Caius. I knew something wasn't right when he picked up the phone. "Edward, he whispered. "All wrong, so many dead. All wrong." I sat down on the pew, rocking back and forth. "Tell me," I commanded. He said lots of curse words. I could hear him pouring something. Caius rarely drank alcohol, so I knew the news had to be bad. "Edward, our Intel was wrong. The Executioner was never sent for you. It was a set up. The…the Russians and their men attacked us hard. My brother…my brother is in a coma. Di suffered serious burns getting him out and is in ICU. Those motherfuckers…they fucking bombed the house. They hit Seattle

too. Demetri took a bullet to the head, he's on life support. Eleazar and Carmen are both dead. The fucking cowards gunned them down as they were closing up the restaurant." He cursed and threw something. I must have been having an out of body experience, because I felt completely numb. Caius hadn't mentioned the one person whose name I needed to hear the most. I bit down on my lip to keep from screaming out loud. "They waited until the plane landed and followed the cars. Jasper took a bullet in the shoulder saving Alice, who has a broken collarbone. Your mom suffered a concussion. Carlisle got a bullet in the leg. Fortunately, Emmett, Rose, and their sons were unhurt. They were on the later plane, so we managed to reroute them. They're with Liam in Boston." I lowered my head. "Bella, where is my babydoll?" I finally broke down and asked. He sighed heavily. "Edward, I'm so sorry. She was in the same car as Alice and Jasper. They jumped out, but she couldn't get out of her seatbelt. She…there…there was nothing anyone could do to save her. Jane was in the car too. There's nothing left but a bunch of charred metal. Those Russian motherfuckers forced their car off the road. The SUV crashed onto the cliffs in Lake Michigan. Edward, Bella…Bella is gone. There are no survivors. She died instantly. I'm so sorry, bambino. I'm so sorry." As I threw my phone against the stained glass window, I had one conscious thought, "So, this is what it feels like to die." ~*!*~ Relevant Chapter Translations: * Ai mali estremi, mali rimedi -For severe ills, severe remedies * Al fine- To the end. *Sei tutto cio' di cui ho bisogn-. You're everything I need. * Tu sei la mia anima gemella. -You are my soulmate. *Voglio stare con te per sempre.- I want to stay with you forever * Ti amo con tutta l'anima.- I love you with all my heart. *"Bella cosa tosto è rapita."-. A pretty thing is soon taken ~*!*~

Chapter Twenty-Six ~ Tonight, Tonight "Time is never time at all You can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth And our lives are forever changed We will never be the same The more you change the less you feel Believe, believe in me, believe That life can change, that you're not stuck in vain We're not the same, we're different tonight Tonight, so bright Tonight..." --Tonight, Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins APOV

"Jazzy, that tickles," I said as my fiancé nibbled on my ear. He gave me that dimpled smile that made me go weak in the knees. "You know you love it, babe." I giggled and wrapped my arms around his back. He continued to kiss down my tummy until he reached my special place, or as he called it, my diamond. When his tongue made contact with my clit, I pulled on his curly blonde locks and screamed. Since I was so small, it was easy for Jazzy to flip me over. He maneuvered us so that I was on his face. Jasper's tongue was super amazing. He sucked on my nub like a lollipop. I increased my movements. I knew that I was close. "Ride it, cowgirl," Jasper screamed between slurps. That was all it took. I locked my knees and came hard all over Jasper's face. I could feel him smiling below me. It took me a few minutes to regain the feeling in my legs. Jazzy just held me and lightly stroked my backside. When I could move again, he helped me lay down on his chest. The smooth yet rugged feel of his torso always drove me crazy. His clear blue eyes reflected love and lust. We shared a few smooches as I worked little Jazzy. "I love you, Alice. You make me so happy. I'm not good enough to lick your designer boots." I put my finger over his lips. "Jasper Whitlock-Swan, if I ever hear you say something like that again, I will burn your chess set. I love you, you….you big dummy!" He held up his hands and smiled. "I'm sorry, fairy. Let me make it up to you." He had a dangerous gleam in his eye. I yelped as he picked me up and pressed my body against the wall. My Jazzy was so much bigger than me, so it was easy for him to toss me around like a ragdoll. "Jazzy, put it in," I begged, squirming against his erection. Every time he slipped into my heat, a feeling of home and happiness filled my heart. I held on for dear life as he pounded me against the wall. He buried his face in my healthy D-cup and licked my nipples. I was in heaven. As all good things do, our lovemaking came to a glorious end. Jazzy spurted and twitched inside my cunny as I reached for the stars. He was always so good to me. After having such shit luck with men for most of my life, I had almost given up on love until I met him. Eventually, Jazzy moved us from the wall. I held onto his shoulders as he laid me gently on the bed. We made out until my stomach grumbled. I giggled and kissed his stubbled jaw. He kissed my bellybutton. "Looks like I need to feed you, lil darling," I loved when he used his Southern accent. Jazzy always made sure that I ate the calorie intake that my doctor had prescribed. It had been several months since my stint in rehab, but I had to continue to take care of myself or else I would get sick again.

We cleaned up and dressed. Jazzy ordered Chinese food and we shared it around our kitchen island. He couldn't use chopsticks; even though I'd tried repeatedly to teach him, so I made sure he had a fork. I also tucked a napkin in at his collar because he sometimes made a mess and ruined his beautiful clothes. We talked about Edward and Bella and their upcoming wedding. Jasper had pretty much raised Bella, so he was very overprotective of her. To hear him talk, you would have thought that she was six instead of twenty-five. He and I were just putting some new ornaments on our Christmas tree when my phone began to go off. I knew that it was Bella because I'd programmed, 'Here comes the Bride' to play when she called. I answered at once. "Hey, sis. What's up?" She was already my sister in my eyes. The moment she answered, I could tell that she'd been crying. Jazzy set the bag of ornaments on the floor. I assured him that it was only 'girl stuff' and that I would be back in a minute. Then, I went to my private office and closed the door. "Alice, we…we have to do the wedding tonight. Edward has to go away in the morning. I'm so sorry. I know you put in so much work, but it can't be helped," she sobbed into the phone." I was speechless. My brother was leaving after his wedding? I knew how much he loved Bella. Something must have been seriously wrong if he was leaving. Bella's tears also made me panic. "I'm not happy because I was so looking forward to Aspen, but we can put on the wedding tonight. Please, Bella, can you tell me what's going on? Is my brother in danger?" She sniffled. "Edward will tell everyone what is going on later. I guess that we can just do the wedding here in the Penthouse…." I scoffed. "There's no way I'm letting my new sister get married without some fuss." I closed my eyes and concentrated. My mom always said I was a little fey. Sometimes, I got visions of things before they happened. I saw a vision of Bella in my parent's meadow. The lush greenery was the perfect background for her blooming body. I smiled. "Bella, how do you feel about a wedding by Mom and Dad's meadow?" She stopped sniffling and perked up. "That would be lovely, but it's too late, Alice…" I tsked her. "Nothing is impossible for me. I will be upstairs to get you in thirty minutes. Wear something comfortable." After I hung up, I went to the living room to tell Jazzy the news. He was even more worried than me. I did my best at talking him down. He went to the club before I went to fetch Bella. I could feel the tension in the air the minute I stepped through the Penthouse. Edward kissed Bella and I on the forehead before sending us off with one of his huge bodyguards. Since I'd grown up in the Mafia life, I was used to having security present.

The guard put us in one of Edward's bulletproof eco-disasters and we set off. Bella buried her head in my shoulder and cried. I wiped her tears and assured her that everything was going to be okay. Esme and Rose met us at the car. I had texted them beforehand so they would be prepared. We all circled Bella into a huge group hug. She laughed and told us how much she loved being a member of the Cullens. My mom doted on Bella. She kept trying to get her to eat, but she didn't do much except nibble. That was very unlike pregnant Bella. I mean, this was the woman that carried a family-sized bag of Doritos in her oversized Gucci purse. Both mom and I had to use a lot of favors to get the things we needed to make the meadow beautiful. I called up the person who'd helped us at Thornewood to get a lst minute delivery of moth orchids. They were Edward and Bella's signature flower. Rose was in charge of getting the gazebo ready. She was handy with tools and had an eye for making things look good. The men were all absent, but Jazzy texted me to let me know that he'd had a talk with Edward. We let Bella nap for an hour because she was exhausted. After that, I had the same stylist from her engagement weekend come to help us get her ready. With the fee we agreed to pay, she was more than willing to come last minute. My sister protested being treated like a human doll, but I was able to get her on my side. I just told her about how much Edward would appreciate her getting all beautiful for the wedding. She was a perfect angel after that. Mom had one of the maids bring in tea and sandwiches before Bella's makeup was put on. She refused to do more than nibble. Rose and I shared a concerned look. My mom gave us a look that said, leave it alone', so we did. I was in charge of doing Bella's hair. I'd had a lot practice doing it for the models of my fashion line. Her mahogany mane was gorgeous. If I didn't like my own carefree style, I'd grow it out. Well, maybe not. Jazzy loved my current style. When I was halfway done with Bella's hair, she began to cry. "Alice, what…what if Edward doesn't really want to do this? What…what if I'm not a good wife or mother?" I set the hair instruments aside and hugged her. "Bella, Edward loves you so much. He's been a changed man since you came into his life. I know how you feel. I worry about the same thing with Jazzy. All you can do is follow your heart. You and Edward have been through so much already. You both deserve some happiness. Don't let your fears and doubts ruin today." She kissed my hand. "Thanks, sister. I promise to have fun tonight. Jazzy loves you too. You guys are soulmates." Eventually, Rose came back from the meadow. She filled me in on the progress outside. I was pleased. If all went according to plan, this was going to be a lovely wedding. Of course that wouldn't stop me from throwing them another one when the timing was better. I loved to plan parties. Rose winked at Bella. "I bet Slu—Edward is going to consume you tonight. Do you have anything special planned for the wedding night?"

Bella blushed and looked away. "Um, I…I was planning on giving Edward anal sex for the first time. It's about the only thing we haven't done." I spit out the sparkling water I was drinking and almost collapsed. "Ewww, Bella. That's my brother. You have just given me the worst visual image ever!" Suddenly those handcuffs I'd seen in Edward and Bella's Penthouse living room made sense. I always thought it was my brother who was into that stuff, but apparently, my new sis was a bit of a freak. I couldn't help but giggle at the thought. No wonder Edward looked so tired all the time. When Rose started giving Bella tips on how to make ass sex pleasurable, I went to find my mom. There were just some things you were better off not knowing about your brother. I found Mom in the kitchen pressed against Carlisle. They were making out like naughty school kids. I loved my Dad. He was so much more loving than my real Father. Plus, he put a sparkle in my mom's eyes that had never been there before. Carlisle reached down and pinched Mom's butt. I cleared my throat loudly before they could go any further. They jumped apart, looking embarrassed. I just laughed and went to hug them both. My dad twirled me around before excusing himself to go get dressed. He did stop to smack my mom's ass before he left. I pretended to now see because….ewwww. I knew that they had sex, but knowing and seeing were two different things. Mom and I went over the catering menu. It was a feast big enough to feed several world armies. We would need it to feed Bella and some of the big guys that would be at the wedding. My brother's head of security, Felix, and my brother, Em, were like giants. I'd heard that Bella's friend Jakes was a big guy too. Rosalie came to join us. She told me that the stylist was going to finish Bella so that we could get dressed. Our bridesmaid's dresses were granite, almost black, and only one shoulder. We would be understated and not take away any attention from the bride. After we dressed, we went downstairs to the styling station to see Bella. I gasped when I took her in. She was absolutely beautiful. If I knew Edward, this dress wasn't going to last the night unscathed. I made a mental note to ask Bella to make sure he didn't ruin it. The white silk strapless concoction flowed down Bella's body. The crystals accentuated her rounded stomach. Her shoulders were bare, as to not draw away from her hair and jewelry. She looked like a goddess. Rose, mom, and I surrounded her. The stylist left us alone so that we could have our moment. "Bella, you look amazing," I cooed. The other women agreed. Bella began to sob again. "This day is perfect so far. Thank you so much. I'm…I just miss my parents. They would have loved to be here today." Esme pulled Bella into a hug, careful not to mess up her dress. "Bella, your parents are looking down you on you now. They would want you to be happy. You are not alone. Carlisle and I are you parents too. When you join the Cullens, it's for life. I love you so much, darling. You brought my son back from

Hell." Bella curled into mom and let herself be held. Rose and I were fighting back tears. When I could compose myself, I took control again. "Okay, enough sap. If anyone gets their makeup smudged or messes up their dress, I will make their lives a living hell." The stylist came back with three boxes on a silver platter. She had to go do another wedding, so I made sure she was paid and we all bid her goodbye. Her services were good. She would be doing me and Jazzy's wedding in San Francisco too. Bella looked a little pale, so Mom made her eat some crackers and drink some grape juice. We all took a flute and toasted her. It was time to present the final pieces of her outfit. I went first. "Bella, I present to you something old," I said, handing Bella her mother's diamonds earrings, which I'd had cleaned to perfection. She cried softly as I leaned down to put them on her. Rose went next. "Bella, I present to you something new," Rose said as she placed the Jubilee necklace around Bella's neck. We'd had it cleaned and her initials engraved. Bella hugged Rose and cried even harder. I was going to have to touch up her makeup, but I didn't mind. My mom went last. Her face was almost as wet as Bella's. "To my dear daughter, I present something old." She reached into the garment box and pulled out a beautiful veil. I had belonged to my grandmother and all the women in the family got married in it. Rose and I attached it to Bella's hair as she hugged my mother. I couldn't stop the tears that fell from my own eyes. Even tough as nails, Rosalie, was crying. I wa so happy to have my sisters. Grandma and Grandpa Cullen were in Egypt and couldn't make it. They sent gifts and a video message for Bella and Edward, though. They promised to be at the baby's birth and the next wedding. I texted Armand, Edward's stylist, to inform the men that it was time. I knew that Edward was going to look amazing in his tux. My brother was a fashion designer's dream. He looked great in everything. Now if only I could get him to do something about that wild hair of his. Rose and I left Bella with Mom. I passed Jasper on my way out. He looked absolutely divine in his black suit. His pale blue eyes were red rimmed. He'd been crying again. I hugged him and whispered encouraging words in his ear. The rest of the night went by in a blur. Edward's vows were so sweet and full of love that I almost thought that he'd been replaced by a Doppelganger. His eyes were only for Bella as Jazzy led her down the aisle. I shared a secret smile with my soon to be husband. When it came time for the kiss, Edward got carried away. He picked Bella up and pretty much attacked her. Pastor Randall chuckled, Jazzy looked terrified, and Mom scolded Edward, which finally broke through the fog. Several guest looked away and cleared their throats. We ate, danced, and drank for a long time. Bella was famished from not eating sooner. Edward watched her like a bird watches his prey. Everytime she took a break from her meal, he kissed her.

Since it was Christmas Eve, we gave ot gifts to the guests also. My brother was pretty much gone by then. Jazzy and I went to wish him luck and he barely noticed us. The garter toss was as scandalous as the gazebo kiss. Edward used his teeth. The look that he shared with Bella was full of lust and need. He nibbled up her thighs a little before the guests started to clear their throats again. Eventually, Edward and Bella left. My mom had gotten them a suite at a local five star hotel. I managed to stop Jazzy from going after the car to make sure Bella was okay. Then, we went to attend to the rest of the guests. Something about weddings made me horny. Jazzy and I spent all night making love. We played our favorite role-playing game in which he was a cowboy and I was a damsel in distress. I rode Jazzy Jr. until my leg muscles gave out. We had to get up early in the morning to leave for Chicago. Jazzy was a morning person like me, so we meshed well. I made sure that everything we needed was packed. It might be at least two days before I could go shopping again. I slept on the car ride over. Jazzy held me in his lap and rubbed my tired muscles. We waited for Edward and Bella on the tarmac. Jazzy's eyes lit up when he saw his sister. He hugged Bella while I kissed Edward on the cheek. Bella was wearing this god-awful Rudolph sweater. Edward seemed to like it, though. They sucked face for what felt like eons. When they broke apart, he pressed the nose causing the red nose on the sweater to light up. They both smiled. Mom was going bonkers, so Dad had to drag her onto the plane. Bella was also going crazy. I kissed Edward on the cheek and wished him well. I would pray for his safety every night. Jazzy picked her up and carried her onto the plane. She fought and screamed as the airplane doors closed. The flight was emotionally draining. All the women were crying, and all the men were trying to comfort the sobbing women. Bella was inconsolable. Her chest heaving sobs broke my heart. Both she and I fell asleep on Jazzy's shoulders. When I woke up, we were landing in Chicago. Mom was doing a little better, but she was still shaking. I felt like a huge piece of myself was missing. Edward and I had been close when we were younger. We'd lost it over the years, but now we were bonding again. I loved my brother deeply. After we got off the plane, Jane, Bella's bodyguard led us to another bulletproof SUV. Jazzy carried Bella because she was still in a deep sleep. He told me it was her mind's way of coping. He recalled that she'd slept for days after their dad, Charlie, passed. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was just….off. I was glad that Rose, Em, and the boys were on another plane. I wanted them to be as safe as possible. I absolutely loved my nephews. Jane helped Jazzy recline the passenger's seat and make Bella comfortable. She never stirred. We took the backseat. Jane made sure that everyone had on their seatbelt, just in case there was trouble. I was glad that I wasn't the only one on alert.

Jazzy crushed my hand in his. "I love you, Alice. I promise to do everything I can to keep you safe. Don't worry, darling." I snuggled into his chest as we got on road. The cars had been instructed to use the back roads for security purposes. We passed a cliff with Lake Michigan on it's side. I could see my parent's SUV in front of us. All of a sudden, things started to go bad. Mom and Dad's SUV swerved. The driver sped up, trying to get them out of danger. I saw another fleet of eco-disasters rounding the corner. Jazzy and Jane cursed and pulled out their guns. Jane called someone for backup. Bella woke up disoriented and confused. Something large, hit us from behind. Jazzy rolled down his window, leaned out, and fired several shots. I almost fainted. Bella was screaming and using her hands to protect her baby. Jane sped up, but another car blocked out path. We were surrounded. I knew that there was only one way out of this. We had to get out of the car. Jane turned to Jazzy. "You get Alice out and I'll get Bella." He shook his head. "I'm not leaving my baby sis!" Bella scrunched up her face. "Go, Jasper! Jane can get me out. Save Alce!" We were hit by another huge SUV. Jazzy opened his door so that he could fire, but Jane swerved at the same time. He fell halfway out of our car. I grabbed onto his arm, but he was too heavy. Jane was trying to drive and get Bella out of her seatbelt. Jazzy tried to reach inside to help, but we hit a bump and he fell with me in tow. He rolled us mid drop so that he took the brunt of the fall. Something in my upper body cracked as searing pain spread through my body. By then, reinforcements had arrived to help. They were too late, though. The new guards fired several shots trying to draw the attackers away from us. I couldn't see the SUV my parents were in. When I looked down at Jasper, I saw that he was bleeding. I tried to move, but I couldn't. I had a sickening feeling that he was dead. I wouldn't live through his death. As I laid on my back, in the middle of the cold road, I watched my worst nightmare come to life. The car that we'd just been in was rammed hard from the side, causing it to go off of the cliff. The last thing I remembered was screaming in horror as I heard the explosion. There was absolutely no way that Jane got Bella out in time. My vision blurred with tears. The smoke burned my nostrils. My beloved sister and unborn nephew were dead. I only had one thought, This is going to kill us all. ~*!*~

Chapter Twenty-Seven ~ Demolition Lovers "All we are, all we are Is bullets I mean this All we are, all we are

Is bullets I mean this As lead rains, will pass on through our phantoms Forever, forever Like scarecrows that fuel this flame we're burning Forever, and ever Know how much I want to show you you're the only one Like a bed of roses there's a dozen reasons in this gun And as we're falling down, and in this pool of blood And as we're touching hands, and as we're falling down And in this pool of blood, and as we're falling down I'll see your eyes, and in this pool of blood I'll meet your eyes, I mean this forever…" --Demolition Lovers - My Chemical Romance EPOV Today, I finished work early so I decided to join Bella at the beach. When I got there, I saw her building a sandcastle with Benjamin. The colorful highlights in her hair sparkled. She was breathtaking in the beaming sun. Both she and Benjamin's backs were to me. I had the element of surprise. I made sure the sunflowers I bought for Bella were fine and headed over. The closer I got, the more I noticed that something was fucking wrong. Benjamin was a fucking bodyguard. He should have heard me by now. I stopped a few feet from my babydoll, ready to chew Benny's ass out. "Bella, are you okay?" When she turned around, I screamed my fucking lungs out. She was….the fucking walking-dead. There was no trace of life in this Bella. Benny was the same. I tried to move, but the ground grew fucking tentacles that held me in place. Bella walked towards me. She was soaking wet. Her skin was a deathly shade of white and her lips were blue. I had a sudden urge to throw up. She was wearing her wedding dress, but…the baby…the baby bump wasn't there. I tried to look away, but I couldn't. She pointed to her sunken in stomach. "You did this, Edward! You killed us! I'll never be a mother now! It should have been you that died. Why…why did you murder us? I loved you so much. How could you?" I tried to go to Bella. Even though she was some kind of corpse, she was all I had left. The tentacles tightened around my ankles. Benny walked up and wrapped his arm around my babydoll's waist. "It's time," he whispered. Bella turned away from me. I begged for her to stay, but she started walking towards the fucking water with Benny. I fought against my constraints and screamed until my fucking voice gave out. I just needed her to stay with me. She was my fucking soul. I watched in horror as Benny stepped into the waves and was taken under. When Bella was at the edge, she looked at me. The sadness in her soulless black eyes killed the last part of my fucking heart. I wouldn't survive life without my angel.

"Edward, we loved you so much. Our blood is on your hands." She threw something to me. The object landed at my feet. It was the last sonogram that was taken of our baby. When I bent down to pick it up, the picture caught fire and burned to ashes. "That was your son, Edward. I hope you spend the rest of your life knowing that you killed our baby boy." My babydoll let out a blood curdling scream before joining Benny in the fucking water. I bit, fought, kicked, and yelled, but nothing brought Bella back to me. Life no longer had any meaning. I wanted to die too. I needed to be under the waves with my babydoll. When I opened my eyes, I was in the fucking padded white room again. I didn't know how many days I'd been here, but it seemed like forever. I just wanted to fucking die, but no one would let me. My fucking life had been an empty black hole since…. There was nothing left on Earth for me. I felt like my blood had been replaced with fucking poisonous venom that was slowly killing my ass. That day, after I threw my fucking phone through the window, I reached for my SIG. I was about to blow my fucking brains out all over the Church pews, but there were no more fucking bullets. By the time I found some fucking bullets in my pocket, Caius had given the bodyguards orders to take all my weapons and put my ass on a plane to Chicago. I fought like hell, but I was no fucking match for the big ass guards. In the end, they drugged my ass and carried me onto the plane. When I woke up, I was in my guest room at the Volturi's main house. Caius came to see me. I called him every fucking name in the book. It wasn't his fault, but he was the only there for me to blame, so I lashed out at him. He took it all in stride. I lost count of how many times he apologized to me. Everyone was so fucking sorry. It didn't do shit to bring my babydoll back. Just that word, 'babydoll' made me want to slit my fucking wrists. The house had been cleaned up and repaired. It didn't even look like a fucking bombing had occurred. It made me angry. Everything was so fucking false. What good did it do to pretend that everything was okay when it wasn't? During my first few nights in the Volturi compound, I was watched like a hawk. Everything that could be used a fucking weapon had been taken from the room. They wouldn't even let me have a fucking knife to cut my steak. Not that I ate shit. Food turned my fucking stomach and brought back memories of all the dinners I'd shared with my babydoll. I didn't sleep at all. I spent my days and nights pacing the fucking floor and pulling my goddamn hair. I needed to fucking die so that I could see Bella again. It was pure fucking torture to be in the compound without her. Most of my family was still in the hospital those first days. I didn't visit anyone because I was in no fucking condition to provide any solace to anyone. I was the fucking reason that they were all suffering. No matter how many times everyone assured me it wasn't my fucking fault, I knew it was. My fucking beef with James had started all of this shit. After one particularly nasty nightmare, I decided that I was going to kill myself if I had to use my own

fucking hands to do it. I remembered that I had a baggie of heroin from when I used to do drugs hidden in the room. The sweepers hadn't managed to find it because it was in the air vent. Luckily I'd hidden a syringe and lighter with the dope. I kept one of the spoons from my dinner and heated up the fucking heroin. I was ready to die. I took out one of my favorite pictures of my babydoll. In it, she was lying down in the sun and smiling at me. It was taken during one of our beach trips. She looked so fucking happy- That was the way I wanted to remember her. My hands had been strong and sure as I filled the fucking needle. Shooting up wasn't my usual choice for getting high, but most of the heroin I'd ever bought came with a fresh needle. Dealers did their part to stop the spread of HIV. There wouldn't be any fucking product to sell, if all the fucking junkies were dead. I tied one of my navy Gucci ties around my upper arm before injecting the dope. The minute the drugs entered my bloodstream, I felt my first fucking sense of peace. I laid down on the bed and let all my memories of Bella run through my mind. The images were so real and fucking vivid. It was almost like she was still alive. I took turns heating and injecting, until I felt my body go numb. My heart rate was triple what it was supposed to be. I was imagining me and Bella's wedding night when everything went black. My suicide didn't work, though. One of the bodyguards had broken down the door when I never answered my hourly check. He did CPR on me. I was rushed to one of the Volturi's private hospitals. All I remembered was loud beeping noise and being shocked back to life. I fought the doctors and nurses, so they put my ass in restraints. I fucking hated them for making me come back to Hell. Mom and Carlisle came to see me when the doctors deemed it safe. Esme looked like she'd aged twenty fucking years and Carlisle was in a fucking wheelchair. I hated myself for what I'd done to them. My mom was as innocent of this shit as my babydoll had been. All men like me and my father did was bring fucking destruction. I'd had a fucking tube down my throat, so I couldn't say anything. Mom kissed my forehead and cried silently as Carlisle tried to give me some encouragement. I just closed my fucking eyes and pretended that they weren't there. While I was in the hospital, Caius arranged for Em, Rose, and the boys to be brought to the compound. Emmett came to visit my pathetic ass. He read a newspaper and told me how fucking sorry he was about what happened to Bella. I never acknowledged his presence. Because I was a suicide risk, I received around the clock supervision. I tried bribing people for shit, but my godfathers had thought ahead. No one would provide me anything that could be used to end my fucking life. I refused to eat a goddamn thing. They put a tube in my arm that pumped nutrients in my body. Nurses came in to bathe me because I wasn't about to do that shit. A few of them spent some extra time on my cock. It didn't' do them a bit of good, though. I hadn't gotten a hard on since I heard about Bella's death. It was only right; she owned my dick. It died with her. New Years came and went without me giving a shit. Alice and Jasper were released and came to see me. Ali cried the whole fucking time. She had been with my babydoll during her final moments. I had so many fucking questions, but they died on my tongue. Knowing the details would only hurt more.

Jasper was catatonic. The doctors had been able to remove the bullet from his shoulder, but he didn't move. He just sat in the ugly hospital chair and stared into space. I envied him. At least his mind was gone to some faraway place. Alice kept petting him and trying to get him to talk but he never moved. His body was so fucking still. I would have sworn that he was dead if his chest wasn't moving. Every now and again, tears would fall from his eyes. He was a fucking ghost, just like me. Marcus and Di came to see me after that; they were as fucking banged up as everyone else. My godmother had gauze covering up most of her body. She had been badly burned trying to get Marcus out. They were both in wheelchairs. Marcus would press her morphine drip every time she winced. He couldn't bare to see her in pain. They both sat with me for a long time. Di cried, like all the women, but neither Marcus nor I said a fucking word. We both knew that shit would never be the same. The Volturi had been compromised. Our hey-day was over. It was a new fucking era in the Mafia world. Benjamin died mid January. Caius came to tell me the news- Our Organization made sure that he got a proper burial and that his family was taken care of for life. His death was another nail on my fucking coffin. Liam arranged for Eleazar and Carmen's funeral. The restaurant was left to me to do with it as I pleased. When Jenks came to give me the papers, I fucking snarled and cursed him out. He smiled sadly before exiting the room. Demetri continued to live on life support. The doctors gave him a fifty-fifty chance of surviving his injuries. I was told that he was a fucking vegetable. The surgeons hadn't been able to remove the bullet from his brain. Felix came to see me towards the end of January. He was as fucking pale as I'd ever seen him. He talked to me about Dante, which he said was one of Bella's favorite authors. I felt even worse. I had never taken a real interest in her hobbies. I'd left Felix in Seattle to run the club. Sometimes I thought that if he had of been in the car instead of Jane, he might have been able to save Bella's life, but that was fucking stupid. From what I was told, nothing could have saved my babydoll. Caius had divers looking for Bella and Jane's bodies so that we could do a proper burial. They didn't hold much hope of finding any remains, because the car had fucking exploded. All that was left of my babydoll and our baby were fucking ashes at the bottom of Lake Michigan. I wished that I was down there with them. I had nightmares every fucking night. I screamed and thrashed so much that the doctors suggested that I be put in the psychiatric ward. My fucking mind was gone. I saw Bella's corpse everywhere. It taunted me all the fucking time. I'd tried to scratch my eyes out. My main doctor declared me mentally insane when he walked in and heard me talking to Bella. When a Don went crazy, his Organization couldn't risk him telling secrets, so we had our own private psychiatric hospitals. I was sent to one near our compound outside of Chicago.

I scratched myself bloody the first fucking night. They put me in a straight jacket after that. It had taken ten guys to get restrain me. I wondered why everyone was going through all the bullshit to keep me alive when I deserved to die. A fucking psychiatrist came to talk to me. I made the fucking bastard cry. There was nothing that he could say to make me feel any better. I had conversations with Bella right in front of his ass. He left when I was telling her how much I missed her and our baby. That was how I got to be here in the fucking padded white room. They let me out of my straight jacket to sleep, but kept my body restrained on the fucking bed. I just stared at the fucking ceiling until the nightmares began. They came every fucking night. When I opened my eyes again, Dr. A was in the room with me. Caius had flown her and her daughter to Chicago as an extra precaution. She was wearing jeans and a blue sweater. I'd never seen her in casual clothes. "Good morning, Edward. Are you feeling any better today," she asked politely. I turned away and closed my eyes. Her presence only reminded me of what I'd fucking lost. "Edward, please, you need to start communicating again. I know you want to get out of this room. I can't help you if you don't help yourself." I growled. "If you're not here to help me end my fucking life, then leave! That's the only fucking thing anyone can do for me now." "Edward, think of Bella. She wouldn't want…." I fought against the bindings, causing the bed to shake. "Don't say her fucking name! Don't you fucking dare! I failed her! I deserve to rot in Hell!" Several people came in to see what the ruckus was about. One of the nurses injected me with the shit they used to calm my ass down. After that, everything went fuzzy. Bella's corpse stood by the bed looking down at me until the blackness came. Mom came to visit me on Valentine's Day. She brought a miniature of Bella in her wedding dress. It was in a plastic frame with no glass. They couldn't risk me breaking it and trying to slit my fucking wrists. That night I cried myself into a stupor. Not even corpse Bella came to visit me. I was really all alone. Alice and Jasper had long ago called off their wedding. Jasper was in no condition or mood to get married. Plus, there was nothing to celebrate. Our light was gone. A bleak darkness surrounded the whole family. No one fucking smiled anymore. The next few days went by in a blur. The picture was all I had of my babydoll. I guarded it like a fucking rabid dog. One of the orderlies accidentally knocked it down when he was cleaning my space. I fucking flipped and bit the guy in the leg. That earned me a new straight jacket and another night in the padded white room. One day, Caius came to tell me that they were having a funeral for Bella. I was going to be allowed out to attend. There wasn't even a fucking body to bury. The Volturi still had men searching the lake, but so far, nothing had turned up.

Marcus came to sit with me a lot. He would tell me stories about my father and reminisce about the old days. I fucking tuned him out most of the time, but some things got through. I used to think losing my dad was the worst thing that would ever happen to me, but losing my babydoll was far worse. The workers at the asylum were worse than the fucking patients. The nurse in charge of my feeding and baths fondled me every fucking chance she got. I didn't know why bitches even tried anymore. I was allergic to every fucking vagina except for Bella's. There would never be another pussy for me. After one particularly enlightening session, my psychiatrist gave me a treat. I was allowed one of Bella's garments to keep. I requested that it be her garter. She'd packed it in my luggage for me to take on my trip. When it was brought to me, I fucking died again. It smelled just like her. I slept with it clutched in my hand every night. On the day of the funeral, Carlisle came to get me ready. Alice had picked out a black Armani suit for me to wear. I showered by myself, letting my tears flow down the fucking drain. How could they ask me to bury my heart and soul? I stayed under the spray until dad came to get me. He helped me dress in silence. I was weak because of my drastic weight loss. Since I'd been in the fucking hospital, I'd dropped twenty-five pounds. When I was dressed, I studied myself in the fucking mirror. I had a fucking beard and my eyes were bloodshot. My fucking hair missed Bella's fingers. It had grown long in the back and on the sides. No one bothered to cut it, because I didn't stay still long enough. I let Carlisle brush my hair and groom the fucking beard. I didn't even recognize myself anymore. Only Mom and Carlisle rode with me in the car. They were silent as we drove to my old childhood Catholic Church. I hadn't been to it in over fifteen years, but I still gave them lots of money every year. Bella's 'funeral' was actually a remembrance service. The Church was kept dark, but lit with white candles. There was a huge color photo of my babydoll hanging at the front. It was a full body shot of her smiling. I was told that Alice had taken it during one of their days together. Bella's beautiful chocolate eyes taunted me as I took my seat. Everyone wore black and took turns talking about their favorite Bella memories. Tough as shit, Rosalie, broke down and had to be carried away by Emmett. He gave me a sympathetic nod as he led her and the boys out of the service. Di talked about her first meeting with my babydoll. She'd loved her from the beginning. That wasn't surprising because Bella had been so easy to love. When Di talked about working with my babydoll in the wine vineyards in Italy, I buried my head in my mom's shoulder and sobbed. Marcus and Caius went next. They too had fond memories of my angel. They discussed her radiant beauty and loyalty to her Family. Marcus was still in pretty bad shape and walked with a cane. Felix read Dante's, "My Lady Carries Love Within Her Eyes." Each word was like a fucking stake to my already tortured heart. I dug my nails into my hands as his deep voice penetrated the sanctuary. "My lady carries love within her eyes;

All that she looks on is made pleasanter; Upon her path men turn to gaze at her; He whom she greeteth feels his heart to rise, And droops his troubled visage, full of sighs, And of his evil heart is then aware: Hate loves, and pride becomes a worshiper. O women, help to praise her in somewise. Humbleness, and the hope that hopeth well, By speech of hers into the mind are brought, And who beholds is blessèd oftenwhiles, The look she hath when she a little smiles Cannot be said, nor holden in the thought; 'Tis such a new and gracious miracle." He choked up in the middle. His girlfriend, who someone later told me was named Chelsea, had to finish for him. There wasn't a dry eye in the fucking Church by the last line. My soul wept tears of shame for taking away everyone's angel. Both Mom and Carlisle said some beautiful things about Bella. Esme expressed her sadness in losing a daughter. In such a short time, my babydoll had become her child. She collapsed from the stress when speaking of seeing her grandchild's first sonogram. Carlisle had to carry her away. The only people left were me, Ali, and Jasper. Alice told a funny story of a shopping trip that she'd taken with Bella. She wasn't able to finish, though, and left to join mom and dad. Jasper just sat on the pew across from me and stared above the altar at Bella's picture. Neither one of us took a turn at the podium. Eventually, the service was over. One of my new bodyguards came to lead me back to the car. Alice managed to drag Jasper away. He and I shared a look of infinite sadness before getting into our respective cars. I was taken back to the hospital and put into my straight jacket again. Someone came to put the nutrient drip back into my arm. I was so fucking tired of the pretense of living, especially after my babydoll's funeral. I made up my mind that I was going to use all my strength to find a way to commit suicide. I couldn't live with the ache in my chest much longer. The next week brought about March. I had been in the psyche ward for almost three months. I had my own private room that looked out over the gardens. Marcus got them to plant some moth orchids. Bella would have loved the garden.

I actually spoke to the fucking psychiatrist so he allowed me another treat. This time I asked for the sonogram and the baby's heart beat recording. The first night, I listened to it on repeat until I fell asleep. I put the sonogram into the same frame as my babydoll. Mid March, an unexpected person came to visit me. Jacob Black. He looked about as haggard as I felt. His long black hair was cropped short and his eyes held no light. Alice told me that he was taking Bella's death hard too, but to see it…. He sat down in my visitor's chair. I had been staring at my picture of Bella. I placed it on the nightstand and sat up. He eyed my surroundings, and then shook his head. I was fucking pissed that he was here in the first place. "Look, Edward, I know you don't like me, but please, hear me out." I nodded. "I loved Bella too. Not in the same way that you did, but I still loved her. She was my friend and confident. There was a time when I thought that I was in love with her, but she didn't return my feelings. I know now that she couldn't because he soulmate was out there all along." I closed my eyes and clenched my fists. "Why the fuck are you here, Jacob?" He sighed. "I turned in my badge yesterday." I shrugged. "Big-fucking-deal. You're no longer a pig, Congratulations." He stood up and grabbed Bella's picture. I lunged for his ass, knocking him against the wall. Two bodyguards came to pry us off of each other. I was trying to scratch out the motherfucker's eyes. "That's mine! Don't you fucking touch it! She…she belonged to me!" Jacob put a hand on my shoulder. His touch was oddly calming. "I wasn't…I didn't mean…to…" I dismissed the guards. Jacob handed me the picture and sat down next to me. We just stared at it in silence for several minutes. "She deserves revenge, Edward. That's why I turned in my badge. I want every person that had anything to do with Bella's death to die a miserable death. I don't care if it's illegal or immoral. She was innocent. She didn't deserve that." I bowed my head and cried. "I'm in. I'm tired of being in this fucking hospital. If they won't let me die, at least I can bring death and destruction to the motherfuckers that ruined my life. I only have one rule, and it's the rule of all distinguished Family's. No women and no children." Jake fist bumped me. "Agreed. When do you want to start?" I smirked. "As soon as I can get Marcus to let me out of this fucking place. I'll call and tell him to set up a room for you. Where's Leah?" He smiled. "She's still in Forks. I made sure that she was under constant watch and protection before I came here. She understands and supports my decision, but she's worried. I love her." I knew the feeling. It was hard for a man to be away from the woman he loved. I'd never understood that

until I met my babydoll. I used to think it was all about fucking. Pussy was important too, but there was so much more when you loved the woman. Just sleeping beside Bella had made me happier than I'd ever thought possible. After Jake left, I got on the phone with Caius and Marcus. I told them about my plans because it would have been fucking stupid to lie. Besides, I needed their help. We argued for hours, hashing out plans and other stuff. In the end, they agreed to get my psychiatrist to release me. The good doctor was getting a private Italian beach house for declaring me mentally competent. For the first time in forever, I took a bath on my own. I was allowed a plastic razor to shave my beard, but I had to do it supervised. They didn't really have to worry anymore. I had a mission now. I was disgusted with myself for not getting revenge earlier. By the time Mom and Carlisle came to get me, I was dressed and packed. I would not miss the small ass room that I'd called home for all those months. They let me take my straight jacket home with me. I threw it in the garbage on the way out. Esme was so happy that I was finally back to 'normal' again. I didn't tell her about my plans, because she didn't need anything else to worry about. I let her hug and kiss me as we rode to the Volturi compound. Alice jumped in my arms the minute I stepped out of the car. I caught her up in my arms and kissed her cheeks. She looked so fucking happy. She even took time out to tease me for my clothing choices. I'd worn a pair of jeans and a wrinkled t-shirt. Alice was appalled that no one had ironed my fucking clothes. Di had been undergoing skin graft surgery for her burns. She was almost back to normal, but some parts of her body were discolored. Marcus was even more protective of her than before. He'd made a full recovery and had his bounce back. The whole family came to see me. Emmett and Rose told me that I looked like shit. It was just like old times, except my heart was missing. Everyone stayed away from the topic of Bella's death. We all knew that if anyone mentioned it, we would breakdown again. When I got upstairs, I found out that Jacob had been given a room in my wing of the house. He came to say hello and talk. I started to understand why Bella had liked him. There was something strangely comforting about his disposition. Jake left a few minutes later and I laid down to take a nap. I was going to need my strength to bring terror to the motherfuckers responsible for my babydoll's murder. All I saw was her when I closed my eyes. "Edward, wake up," Bella's corpse said as she leaned over me. "There can be no rest for you until you get revenge for me and your son. I would have been six months and 2 weeks today if you hadn't of gotten us killed." I cried and reached for her skeletal fingers. "I know, babydoll. I'm so fucking sorry. I never did right by you. I never deserved your love. You were too fucking good for me. I miss you and the baby so fucking much. It feels like I died with you." She pressed her cold blue lips to mine. "Shhh, Edward. I'm sorry I've been so hard on you. I'm just angry. I really wanted to be a mother. I'll never stop loving you. Please, kill the bastards who killed our baby. When you're done, I'll be waiting for you. You belong in the ocean with me."

I cried. "That's all I want. I want to be with you forever. There is no life for me without you. Ti amo, Bella. Sempre." When I woke up, I was alone. I went into the closet and got my luggage from that day. No one had touched it per my request. Bella's Christmas gifts to me were still inside. I smiled at the colorful reindeer paper that she'd chosen. The first gift was in a garment box. I opened it to reveal a heavy, black wool Burberry trench coat. I tried it on. It fit me to a fucking tee. It even had a belt that tied at the waist. My babydoll had such good taste. The thought of her picking out a gift for me brought a new pain to my heart, but I pushed it aside. I would be with my angel soon. The second box was longer. I opened it to reveal a wooden case. When I opened that, I fucking gasped. My babydoll had gotten me a fucking Japanese sword. I collected them, but I didn't remember ever telling her that shit or showing her any of my favorites. The sword was a fucking beauty. It was a Thaitsuki Roiyaru Sanmai Katana or Samurai sword. The handle was ivory and my name was engraved in Edwardian script. It was one of the best made and most beautiful weapons that I'd ever seen. It fit perfectly in my palm. I took a few practice swipes in the air. It brought back memories of when I used to fence in high school. I had won several trophies before I gave up swordplay for my SIG. I used to enjoy shooting a gun more, but with Bella's death, I had an extreme urge to slice cool metal across some evil motherfucker's throats. My babydoll had even included chogi oil so that I could keep the blade clean and polished. The fucking floral inlay reminded me of her. She had known me so well. The sword would never leave my side while I was alive. The last gift was in a small box with an old fashioned scroll on the top. I opened it to read the last words that my babydoll wrote to me. My fucking tears blocked the writing, so I had to start and stop several times. Dear Edward, Merry Christmas! I am your wife, so you're stuck with me for life now. I promise to make it worth your while. What can I say that hasn't already been said? You know how much I love and care for you. Our little family is my whole world. All my dreams and happiness are in you. You make me so proud every day. We fight, but I know that you love me and that there's nothing that can change the way I fell about you. Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night to watch you sleep. It's the only time that you let go of weight on your shoulders. You always look so angelic and peaceful while you sleep. I hope that you dream of me. Even though you must go away physically, you are never far from my heart. I am so in love with you, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. You've made all my dreams come true and more. I hope you like the gifts I picked out for you. The coat is to keep you warm when my arms are not around you. Jasper told me that you collect swords. He and Emmett helped me to pick out yours. I hope that you like it. You are always saying that you're a monster, but I think of you as a hero. You're going on a death mission to protect your Family. That takes lots of heart. I love and hate you for it. All the things that you hate about yourself only make me love you more. You can be a Caveward and an asshat, but you're also loyal and loving. My heart, my soul, my body, my everything belongs to you. I pray each day that I will be enough for you. Our wedding

was the happiest moment of my life so far. And the sex, oh my god, the sex. You always consume me, Edward. I know you get jealous, but I never even think of another man. Your hands are the only ones I feel when I touch myself. Please, stay safe and come back to me. I can't live without you. I dreamed of our baby last night. It's a boy. He has your hair and eyes. I already love him more than words can say. Since I won't be with you, I included something of myself. In the box is a lock of my hair on a keychain. I hope you don't mind that I cut it. Alice made sure that it was from the bottom where you couldn't see. Well, I have to end this or I'll write forever. I love you. I love you. I love you, forever. Come back to me. I won't rest until you're back by my side. P.S. My wedding day underwear is in the front pocket of your duffel bag. Enjoy! Love, Your Babydoll I sobbed into the paper. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I should have kept you safe." The baby…the baby…it was a boy. I got my son killed before he took his first breath. I knew from that first day in HADES that I was bad for my babydoll. I just never thought…I never thought my shit would get her killed. I opened the fucking box and took out the keychain. The hair smelled just like I remembered. I sat on the floor twirling and sniffing that lock of hair for hours. I ended up putting it the keychain on a necklace and hanging it around my neck. I stared at Bella's name tattooed over my heart and her hair on my chest. She was all around me. I smiled. Reading the letter and smelling Bella's hair woke my cock up. I retrieved her underwear from my duffel bag. I looked at our wedding pictures as I stroked myself to completion. I licked the crotch because it tasted like her. I came hard three times before I put the panties away. Each time, I screamed Bella's name. Dinner was served to me in my room. Some members of my family came by to chat. Jasper stayed the longest. He still wasn't talking much and there had been whispers that he might need some time in the psychiatric hospital. When Alice left, he turned to me. "I know what you're planning. I want to help. She was my sister and best friend." I rubbed my eyes and motioned for him to take a seat. "What about Alice? She'll freak if you leave. I don't need any more blood on my hands." He stood up and kicked over his chair. "Fuck that! I have just as much right as you to get revenge. I practically raised Bella. Do…do you know how hard it is to know that I'll never see her again. She was the only family that I had left. Now…now there's nothing. I promised Charlie…. There's not even a body for me to bury beside her parents!" He collapsed onto the floor, sobbing loudly. I knelt down beside him and put my arm around his shoulders. "I know, Jaz, I know. It's all my fucking fault that she's gone. She loved you so much." I ran my fingers through my hair. "Okay, you're in. Jake and my godfathers are helping too. I'm leaving for Europe in two

days. You have to tell Alice and don't hurt her." He left after promising to be ready by the time we left out. I took off my clothes and changed into a pair of sweat pants. Then, I went to the state of the art gym and started exercising. I was still pretty weak, but my rage would give me all the strength I needed. I pushed my body, working it until I couldn't move. Jasper and Jake came to join me. We pounded the shit out of several punching bags. The room was filled with the scent of male sweat. When I pictured James' ugly face, I broke my fucking bag. For the next two days, I fenced, practiced shooting my SIG, and worked out. My whole mind and body were focused on getting revenge for my babydoll. I kept her lock of hair on me at all times. Marcus got word that it was okay for the rest of my family to return to Seattle. He sent Di to stay with mom and Carlisle until the War blew over. She didn't want to go, but Marcus gave her no choice. Caius made sure Dr. A. and her little girl, Penny, had plenty of bodyguards and put them on the plane too. Alice had to be drugged, because she refused to leave her Jazzy. He carried her small limp body onto the private plane. Mom and Di cried enough to fill up the Pacific. Dad promised that he would take care of them both. Emmett, Rosalie, and their boys all gave me a hug before boarding the plane. Once I got word that my Family had landed and were safe in their homes, I arranged for my departure. I was going on a fucking kamikaze mission. I didn't plan on coming back from this shit. That was fine with me. Since Jane didn't have any family, I arranged for Jessica to get her stuff. I made sure that she had enough money to take care of her for life. She'd taken Jane's death hard. She had loved her more than I thought. Jess agreed to stay on as the lead stripper at HADES. I had Jenks draw up my will. The club was to go to Jasper. I knew that he'd run it well. There was also money for Demetri, should he live, Felix, and Kate. My babydoll had loved them and considered them our friends. She would have wanted me to take care of them. Marcus and I were gathering Intel on our enemies when I got a call from Kate. She sounded tired and worried. I could hear Garrett speaking calming words in the background. I rubbed my forehead as I listened. "Hello, Edward. I'm sorry we missed Bella's….wake, but we were in Alaska with Tanya. Did you get the flowers we sent?" I smiled, remembering the wreaths of sunflowers. "Yes, thanks for that. Bella loved sunflowers." Kate whimpered. "I miss her so much…" I gave her a minute to calm down. "I'm just calling to let you know that…Tanya has passed. She suffered an aneurism while giving birth. It's…it's the same thing that killed our mother. The baby is fine and perfectly healthy. It's a girl. Garrett is with me. Can you get Jenks to draw up some adoption and wedding papers? We want to take her home with us." I cried. Tanya and I didn't get along, but she was still a mother and didn't' deserve to die. "Yes. I'll get Jenks on a private jet. He'll be there personally to handle everything. He'll pay for the funeral and everything else. I'm sorry for your loss. You and Garrett are going to make wonderful parents. What did you name her?"

I heard Garrett cooing to the baby in the background. A white, hot pain shot through my chest. I would never get to do that for my baby. I couldn't hold back the fucking sobs that escaped from my mouth. Kate sniffled. "We named her Sasha, after our mother. She's beautiful. She looks just like Tanya, but with bigger eyes." I smiled. "Sasha. That's very pretty. You do know that she is James' half sister. That puts her life in danger. I already took precautions for her safety. You guys will be heavily guarded. Please stay in Alaska at the compound until it is safe for you to leave." She promised that she would. Then, I asked her to put Garrett on the phone. "Hi, Edward. I never thought I'd hear your voice again. I can't believe I'm… I'm a father. Our daughter is beautiful. I don't mean to make you feel bad, but I need to brag to someone." I wiped the tears from my eyes. "Don't…don't feel bad. I'm glad some good came from all this bullshit. Kiss your baby girl on the cheek for me. Make sure that she and Kate stay safe. My Family is at your disposal. Good luck, Garrett." He sighed. "You're planning on getting yourself killed, aren't you? I expected it, but I wish you'd reconsider. You've always been a good friend to me, Cullen. Good luck to you too." I hung up after giving Garrett some information. Then, I poured myself a shot of Stoli in remembrance of Tanya. In the end, we hated each other's fucking guts, but we'd shared a few good times. When that was done, I went to make sure that Jacob and Jasper were ready. Jasper had cut off his blonde curls. He had a crop similar to Jacob. I was going to shave my hair too, but Bella had loved it so much. I couldn't bring myself to cut it off. I did let Marcus's barber trim it, though. We boarded my private jet at midnight. There was a full moon out and the air was still slightly chilly. I pulled my trench coat tightly to my body was I took my seat. No words were spoken during the flight. We all knew that our mission was important. There would be no peace for anyone as long as this War raged. The plane landed in Paris the next day. It was early morning. A fleet of big fucking SUV's was there to meet us. I made sure that my gun was loaded and that my knife was in my scabbard. Our first stop was a café in the North. I slipped out of the car and gave the men instructions. The café was just a front. The basement was a brothel. Laurent's men and some of his family were inside. Jasper, Jacob, and I slipped into the café and ordered everyone out. My godfathers had already paid off the police. Most of Europe's cops were as, if not more, corrupt than the ones in America. They got paid even less and didn't even get guns, so they were always willing to do a favor, especially if that favor got some scum off of their streets. Once again, my group had the element of surprise. The Madame of the brothel was an old friend of Caius'. She had offered a freebie night to lure the French Mobsters to the café. The girls were being brought up the stairs as we were going down. They kept their eyes on the floor as they exited. The ambush was almost too easy. Most of the fat motherfuckers were sleeping. The Madame didn't allow weapons in her rooms, so they didn't have defenses. I slaughtered one ugly motherfucker, who I knew to

be Laurent's cousin, as he tried to pull up his pants. I went from room to room, slaughtering the men responsible for my babydoll's death. I used my sword to cut throats and castrate motherfuckers who dared to fucking breathe the same air as me. The walls and carpet were coated with blood. Men screamed and fought, but we were the angels of death. Jasper and I shared a smile as we finished off one of James' personal henchman. I cut his cock off and stuffed it up his ass when I was finished. After an hour, there were only me and my men left. I had been worried about Jacob, but he handled himself like a motherfucking pro. He was so big that just his size terrified guys enough to give up. By the time we left the café, the sun had gone down. My head bodyguard called for the cleaners to come dispose of the shitheads below. The whores probably wouldn't be able to work for a week, so I made sure that their wages were covered. I owned a mansion on the Rue Mouffetard. It was guarded like the fucking Pentagon. We stopped there to eat and change. My clothes were covered with blood. I sent one of my fucking minions out to dry clean my trench coat while I showered. After that, I ate and thought of Bella. I'd planned to bring her to Paris and stay at this house, but I never got the fucking chance. That thought made me angrier. There was so much that we never got to experience together. The Volturi made sure that all of James' allies received word of the massacre. Those motherfuckers started going into hiding like a bunch of fucking rats. We exterminated all of them that were left in Paris. I killed so many men that my vision became tinged with red. I cut off cocks, arms, legs, tongues, and any other part that I could get to. There wasn't enough blood on the fucking Earth to satiate me. I felt like a fucking vampire. If the motherfuckers I was killing weren't so lowly, I would have drunk their fucking blood. Three days later, we left Paris. I read Dante's, "Inferno" on the plane. It was the book that Felix had given Bella for her birthday. She'd read it a lot and even underlined some key phrases. One of my favorite lines was, "I come into a region where is nothing that can give light" That was the way I'd felt since embarking on my suicide mission. All my light died with my babydoll. I would be in the dark until I was in the otherworld with her and our son. I just hoped that my soul wasn't cursed to Hell for my deeds. Our next stop was Barcelona, Spain. There was a Family, the Munoz's, that had provided the bombs that were used to take down the house in Chicago. The head, Carlos, was an old enemy of my father. I planned to torture his ass. We used their method against them. A bomb was planted outside of the gates and set to go off before we entered. Carlos' daughters were all grown and didn't live at home. He enjoyed fucking whores. Everything went according to plan. They were having a meeting when we burst through the door. One of his guards shot at me. All my men had on bullet proof vests, but that didn't protect your head, so we needed to be careful.

Jasper aimed and took that motherfucker out for me. I'd requested that my men leave Carlos for me. We went through the house, spilling blood in our wake. I castrated every cocky motherfucker that I could get my fucking hands on. My katana proved to be the perfect weapon for cutting motherfuckers to pieces. Bella had chosen well. Carlos was hiding in the closet when I found him. He begged me to spare his life as he kissed the crucifix around his neck. I ripped it away from him and kicked him in the head. I ended up cutting off all his fingers and toes before I castrated him. He was already dead by the time I used my SIG to put a hole in his head. We left Spain a few hours later. Marcus called to tell me that my Family and Liam's had taken down a large part of James' supporters in the States. Our Intel suggested that he was hiding out in a remote part of Russia. No one knew exactly where the motherfucker was, but I was going to find his ass. He would die by my hand. Then, I'd take my own life. I had supporters and family in Athens, Greece, so we went there next to get some more men. The city was sweltering, but I kept on my trench coat. I planned to be buried in it. Jasper and Jacob needed a fucking break, so I had them taken to one of my Family's hotels. Caius sent my Phantom for me to use while I was in Greece. I hadn't driven since Bella died. The car still smelled like her. I remembered the first night that we'd had sex in the backseat. After that, I broke down. I sat in back and cried for an hour. My babydoll's presence was in every fiber of the Phantom. It was as much hers as mine. I tried to pull myself together as I drove through the streets of my father's homeland. I was pulling up to one of our houses when gunfire began. Since the Phantom was bulletproof, I drove it into the fray. Bullets rained down from every direction. There were so many men that resembled each other. I could barely tell the good guys from the bad. When I saw one of the men that I knew sold weapons for James, I hopped out of my car and began firing. I killed three motherfuckers before I got to him. When he turned around, I raised my sword and slit his fucking throat. He slid down to the ground in a pool of blood. I stopped to spit on him. I was cleaning his filth off my katana, when I heard a familiar voice. I looked up to see Felix standing a few yards in front of me. He smiled and took out a motherfucker that was running towards me. Before I could aim my gun again, I felt a sharp pain go through my chest. I had been shot. I looked down and saw that I was bleeding. It was too fucking soon. I wasn't ready to die yet. I still had to fuck up James. Life never went the way it was supposed to. There were motherfucking surprises at every corner. As I fell to the ground, I saw my babydoll reflected in my pool of blood. She was smiling happily and holding out her hand for me. I smiled and asked God for forgiveness. If I was going to die, I was going to go to Heaven with my angel. I looked down at my Tungsten ring from Bella. It was indestructible, just like our love. The last words I whispered before the darkness took my soul were, "I'm coming to join you, babydoll. Meglio tardi che mai." ~*!*~ **Meglio tardi che mai—"Better late than never"

~*!*~

Chapter Twenty-Eight ~ Sullen Girl Part 1 "Days like this, I don't know what to do with myself All day - and all night I wander the halls along thewalls and under my breath I say to myselfI need fuel - to take flight And there's too much going on But it's calm under the waves,in the blue of my oblivion Under the waves in the blue of my oblivion Is that why they call me a sullen girl - sullen girl They don't know I used to sail the deep and tranquil sea But he washed me ashore and he took my pearl And left an empty shell of me…" --Sullen Girl – Fiona Apple BPOV "Bella, you can put your clothes back on now. He's gone," Riley said, handing me my sleep pants and shirt. I gave him a watery smile as I buttoned my top. When I finished, the tears began. They came all the time now. I hated James for what he'd done to me. I rubbed my hand over my rounded belly, remembering why I had to keep myself alive. "Thank you, Riley. You….you've been so good to me. I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you. I…I just hate James! I hate him for…" I began to sob and was unable to finish. "Shhh, sweetheart," Riley whispered as he rubbed my back. He stood up to slide into his pajamas. I couldn't help staring at the St. Michael tattoo on his chest. It was oddly fitting for the task he'd taken upon himself. He was my guard, just like St. Michael had guarded Eve. I wiped my eyes. "I don't know how long I can keep doing this, Riley. Do you think he knows? He never asked to watch before." "I'm sure that he doesn't. He's just being a sadistic asshole. I didn't hurt you, did I? I wanted to make it seem real, but I would never hurt you on purpose." I stood up so that I could kiss him on the cheek. "No. You never hurt me, Riley." We got into bed, and Riley went to sleep soon after. James was likely gone for the week. He never stayed long anymore. As long as he thought I was being sufficiently abused and humiliated, he was happy. I was just glad that he wasn't the one doling out my 'punishment' anymore. I never fell asleep easily, despite the safe feeling that Riley provided me. It was hard to believe that he

and James were half brothers. They were absolutely nothing alike. Riley was calm and sweet. He'd kept me safe these last few months. My mind conjured up all kinds of scenarios about how I ended up as a prisoner in James' house, but I didn't really know. Everything was a blank up until I woke up on a cold hospital table. I didn't even know I was pregnant until I felt my stomach. Even though my memory was gone, I still held a lot of love in my heart for my baby and knew that I had to protect it at all costs. I made sure that Riley was warm before leaving the room. When I was first brought to the house, I was kept in a cold basement. James would come down to do my 'punishments', as he called them. Those mainly consisted of him hitting me or worse. One day, he'd come home angry. He made me strip. I was so scared that he was going to rape me. We fought, or I fought as much as a pregnant woman could. In the end, he'd chosen to urinate on me. I was humiliated and disgusted, but anything was better than being raped by that asshole. The last straw came when James tied me up and stopped letting anyone bring me food. I was in the basement, in pain for several days. I prayed and talked to my baby to keep sane. I was so scared that I was going to lose my child. That almost killed me. Thankfully, Riley came back from University that week. He was angry when he found out that James was treating me so badly. The first time he visited, I was scared, but he bought me a big bowl of soup, a sandwich, and juice. James hadn't let me go to the bathroom, so I was filthy. Riley had the maid, Bree, bathe me and put me in his room. He told James that he wanted to 'fuck me'. I was so scared that I passed out. When I came to, Bree was putting my clothes on. She smiled sadly before leaving the room. After that, Riley and I were left alone in the bedroom. He pulled my hair, which made me scream loudly. He then ripped my shirt and kissed me on the lips. I clawed and punched him until he tied me up. All I could do was tremble and pray for my baby. A few minutes later, he bought James into the room and let him see me. James was pleased with his brother. He said he had some business out of the country to take care of and would be happy if Riley took over making sure I stayed in line. Riley called me a 'cunt' and slapped me on the ass, assuring James that he would be just as rough. When James left, I'd been prepared to fight to the death to save me and my child. Riley surprised me by apologizing and getting me some food. He told me that he would take care of me and make sure James never hurt me, but he had to pretend to be rough or James would catch on and kill the both of us. That night, Riley and I stayed up talking about everything. He helped me fill in the blanks. I'd suffered a head trauma and couldn't remember my past. James kidnapped me because my husband, who Riley said was named Edward, was his enemy. He said my name was Isabella Marie Cullen and that I'd just been married. My husband was an Italian Mobster, and James was a Russian Mobster from a rival family. Apparently, everyone thought that I died in the accident that allowed James to apprehend me. Riley promised that he would find a way to get me out of harms way. James was paranoid and good at tracking people, so we had to be careful. James' uncles, however, were tired of the way that he was

handing the Organization. They wanted Riley to take over so that there would be peace again. They were old and didn't want this Mafia War that was going on between James and my husband. Supposedly, Edward, had killed one of James' best friends and colleagues. As penance, James was going to keep me a prisoner to draw Edward to him. He wanted my husband to believe that I was dead so that he would suffer. Then, when he came for revenge, he planned to reveal me right before he ended my life. He wanted Edward to watch me die a painful death. James had also talked about raping me in front of Edward and cutting the baby out of my stomach. He said that Edward deserved to watch me die because he'd taken away Laurent. The way he talked about 'his Laurent', I got the feeling that they'd been more than just friends. Riley kept me informed of everything. When James was at the house, he pretended to be mean, but as soon as James left, he went back to being a gentleman. Riley never hit me hard enough to hurt. He was also very careful of the baby. Tonight, James requested to watch Riley 'fuck the shit out of me'. Riley pretended to be rough. I played my part by crying and trying to get away from him. He'd even pinched me so that I would yelp when he supposedly entered me. We kept the sheet over us. Riley told James it was because he didn't want his brother to see his cock. James laughed and said that he didn't want his baby brother 'fucking the Cullen whore', but if that was what Riley wanted, he was more than happy to let him have me. Then, he threatened me and my unborn child. Luckily, he'd left for another few weeks. I prayed that he never came back. While wandering the hallway, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I ran into Bree. She was on her hands and knees scrubbing the floor. I really liked her. She talked to my baby and helped me bathe. My stomach was rather large and it was hard maneuvering myself in and out of the bathtub. Most of the time, I took showers, but sometimes, I liked to sit in the water. It was peaceful to me. "Bree. Why are you still up?" I asked, startling the poor girl. She looked up at me with her big cerulean blue eyes. She'd confessed to me that she was only eighteen. She was really a beautiful girl with long, straight blonde hair and a nice figure. The only imperfection she had was a slight limp. I wanted to ask her about it, but she went through great pains to appear normal, so I left it alone. We all had secrets. "Sorry, miss. James want me to clean the floor again. He is never happy with work. I try to spare myself beating when he come home," she said in her thick Russian accent. I reached out my hand for her to take. I suspected that James beat her too, but to hear it broke my heart. She was just a girl and smaller than me. I didn't know if it was my pregnancy or if I'd always had a soft spot for the weak, but I felt protective of Bree. We went into the kitchen and made some sandwiches. A few of James' guards made lewd comments to Bree. They had been given stern orders by Riley not to talk or touch me. When one of the men came over and tried to drag Bree away, I slapped him. He was just about to hit me when Riley walked into the kitchen. "What the fuck is going on here? Didn't I tell you not to touch my property?" He nodded to one of the men. "Take this asshole into the basement. I'll be down there to deal with him later." Riley sighed and

then turned to face all the men. "Let this be a lesson to the rest of you grunts. Bella and Bree are not to be bothered. They both belong to me when James is not here. If I catch any of you breaking the rule again, death will be your only friend. Das vi danya." The men scurried away after Riley's speech. I didn't blame them. Riley was over six-foot four and all muscle. Plus, his ice blue eyes and blonde hair made him look enough like James to scare anyone. Thankfully, he got all the compassion that his brother lacked. Bree tried to pull away from me, but I held her tight. She was trembling and nervously biting her nails. The poor girl was frightened out of her mind. I hated James' men for scaring her so much. "Bree, sweetheart, are you okay? Have…have those men hurt you before?" She nodded. "Bad men. Very bad. They kick me. One time, push me down the stairs. Thank god, no rape me yet." I hugged her small body to mine. "It's okay. We won't let them hurt you again." She raised her head from my shoulder to look at Riley. I felt her heart rate speed up. She licked her top lip. She was staring at Riley like she….like she was in love with him. I couldn't hold back my giggles. Riley looked at me like I'd truly lost my mind. Then he turned to Bree. "I'm so sorry those assholes hurt you, Bree. I haven't been at the house since my father died. I promise you that I'm going to get both you and Bella out of here. This is no place for a young woman like you." Bree smiled. "I have no where else to go. Mama wanted me to be whore, but I fell off wagon when I was six. Mama say no man buy me because of limp. She sell me to your father. I have nothing." I gasped. "You were sold? I swear to you that I will get you out. Riley says that my husband is very wealthy. You can come live with me. I won't leave you." Riley hunched his shoulders and took a seat at the table. I motioned for Bree to go and join him. They appraised each other silently. I took that time to warm up some beef stew. For some reason, cooking calmed my mind. I was pretty sure that it was one of my favorite hobbies. When I was finished, I ladled the soup into big bowls for each of us. Riley was saying something to Bree that made her laugh. For the first time since I'd met her, she looked truly happy. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes were lit up. "So," Riley said, turning to me. "Why didn't you wake me up? You know you're not to walk the hallways unaccompanied at night. If something had of happened to you or the baby, I would never have forgiven myself." I kissed him on the cheek as I sat the bowl on his placemat. I harbored no sexual feelings for Riley. I loved him more like a cherished friend. "I'm fine and so is the baby. I'm sorry for not waking you up. I didn't think the men would bother me. I promise not to worry you again. It's been three months and not one memory has come back. It's just hard to sleep when your whole life is a blank."

Bree reached over to squeeze my hand. "You are good person, Bella. I never had friend before you came here. Whatever happens, you are special to me." Fat droplets of tears rolled down both of our cheeks. Riley groaned. "Can you two please stop crying? I can't stand to see women cry. It makes me feel sick." I wiped my eyes and handed Bree a napkin so she could do the same. We both said 'sorry' at the same time, which made everyone laugh. The sounds and the food made the baby kick. I pressed Bree's hand to my lower belly so that she could feel it. "Amazing," she cooed, with a look of awe on her face. Riley smiled at us before digging into his food. He ate even more than I did. Even though my life was imperfect, I felt safe with Bree and Riley. They were the only people in the whole world who I actually knew. When our bowls were empty, Bree took them to the dishwasher. She put the leftovers away and swept the floor. The poor girl worked twenty-four-seven to keep everything clean. She also had to cook and do other chores because this was James' fortress, and he couldn't trust other people to come in and work. I hated the mansion. It reminded me of its violent owner. The house overlooked the Black Sea. It was a fortress with water, cliffs, and guards at every corner. Riley tried to tell me what part of Russia we were in, but I had no head for geography. All I knew was that this place wasn't where I belonged. I had to escape before my baby was born. Riley snapped his fingers to get my attention, drawing me out of my dark thoughts. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking. How are you going to get us out of here? James has an army." Bree gave a small hiccup. She blushed in embarrassment as Riley smiled at her. "Sorry," she mumbled, before taking her seat. Riley continued to stare at Bree while she played with the sleeve on her robe. They were just too cute. My heart expanded with joy. Sure things weren't anywhere near okay, but sometimes flowers bloomed in the desert. We were all having a nice conversation when several of James' guards rushed into the kitchen. One of them pulled Riley from his chair and bashed him in the head. I was scared for my life. "Leave him alone! What are you doing? James will not be happy when he finds out that you manhandled…." The big guard slapped me hard across the face. I stumbled back a few steps. Bree pushed my tormenter, earning her a punch in the jaw. Riley tried to fight off the guards, but they were armed. "I fucking knew that you were lying to me, Riley. Your cunt of a mother didn't raise you the way that she should have. Our father was too much of a faggot ass wimp to take you away from her. It's ashamed. You could have been my protégé," James said, entering the room.

He was wearing the same ugly green Russian military uniform. It had been his father's and he thought it made him look powerful. In my opinion, he looked like a jackass. He was far from a brave hero. He was just a sadistic bastard that preyed on those that were weaker than him. Bree and I watched in horror as James shot his brother in the kneecap and motioned for the guards to take him away. I tried to go to Riley, but one of the men pointed a gun at my swollen stomach. Bree cried softly as Riley screamed for James not to hurt us. After that, James walked towards me. Bree stood in front of me as my protector. James was not pleased. "You stupid-fucking-gimp! Get out of my way. This house is filthy. I'm going to give you a hundred lashes so you fucking remember who the hell you belong to. You're lucky I don't kill you, bitch. Who would care if I did? You're just a fucking piece of white trash." Bree tied the sahs on her robe. "You have to go through me to get to Bella." James laughed. It was deep, menacing, and scared the hell out of me. The baby went crazy. It felt like he/she was trying to claw it's way out. I was just about to pull Bree back when James sucker punched her in the stomach. She crumpled to the ground, moaning in pain. I knelt down beside her and tried to offer comfort. James had the big bodyguard hold me as he ruthlessly kicked and stomped on Bree. I fought, cried, and screamed, but he didn't stop. Eventually, she stopped moving. I knew that she was dead. He got another hired gun to carry her away. "You asshole! She was just a girl. You're nothing but a filthy coward! You're going to pay for this. I will kill you!" I screamed. The henchman had my arms and legs pinned. I couldn't move to fight. I felt lightheaded, but I knew that I needed to stay alert for my baby's sake. James pulled my hair roughly, yanking out a big chunk. "Cullen loves this shit. I wonder if he'd still want to fuck you if you were bald; probably not. He probably doesn't even fuck you now because you're such a fatass. I should have know my brother wasn't sticking his dick into you. You're fucking disgusting." I snarled. "I'd rather be fat and bald any day than someone like you. You're going straight to Hell, where you belong. Mark my words, your days are numbered." My anger at Bree's death was giving me courage that I didn't know I possessed. James punched me in the breast. It hurt really bad because my breasts were sensitive due to the pregnancy. I swooned in the guard's arms. He held me up as James punched me in the face. He'd done that before, but never with so much strength. My head throbbed in pain. "You little whore! You can't touch me! The only reason that I've let you live these last few months is so you can complete my opera." He asked the guard to put me down. The man dumped me on the floor like a sack of feed. I felt severe pain in my knees. I protectively covered my stomach as I waited for the next round of torture. James tried to kick me in the stomach. I curled into a little ball, so his foot ended up hitting my thigh. He

laughed. "What's the matter, Isabella? Are you scared I'm going to hurt the Cullen spawn? Don't worry. I need that little piece of shit to carry out my plan. You're safe for now." Bile rose up in my throat causing me to vomit all over the floor. I didn't care that I was laying in it. I had bigger problems. James cursed and called me vile names. He had the guard cart me to some cold and dark room in the basement. There was just a sliver of moonlight and a nasty old single bed in the corner. The man threw me on the mattress and left. James punched me in the head before leaving. I passed out. When I woke up again, the sun was out. With the light, I could see more of my surroundings. They were dismal. The floor was cement and there were bugs everywhere. The thin blanket wasn't doing anything to keep me warm. I was sick, tired, and extremely hungry. I curled into the fetal position and sobbed until I fell asleep again. "Bitch! Wake the fuck up! I'm not done playing with you," James said. He was sitting on the corner of my bed looking down at me. It was dark outside again. James had brought a kerosene lamp with him. He set it on the floor as he paced the room. I watched as he stepped on a couple of bugs. He enjoyed killing things. He pulled his hair back into his signature ponytail and smirked at me. "Well, well, well, how the mighty have fallen. You're fucking nasty. I could smell you from the doorway. Would you like a bath, Isabella? Perhaps a change of clothes or some food?" I was beyond incoherent. I nodded my head. James clapped. "Good! What would you be willing to do for it?" I could only croak out, "Anything." He came over to me and ripped off my pajamas. I was so frightened that I could only tremble. My body was covered in dried blood, vomit, and dirt. There were also ants on the mattress so I had a lot of bites. "Please…I'm…I'm sorry for…for what I said before. Please," I begged. James stroked my bloody scalp. "Please, what?" I bowed my head. "Please, James. I'll… I'll do anything. Just at least let me eat. The baby…" I trailed off unable to finish. He smiled. "Well, I am feeling generous today. Your motherfucking husband has finally dragged his ass out of the loony bin and he's on his way. It's ashamed that so much of my family has to die, but they are unimportant. Once I kill you, that bastard you're carrying, and your precious Edward, the Mafia world will know that I'm not to be fucked with. I will own both American coasts and all the European ports. With my law enforcement connections, I'll be unstoppable. Don't get me wrong, I loved my father, but he was weak. I'm the one that had him killed." I gasped. "You….you killed your dad?"

James nodded his head. "Yeah, sometimes you have to sacrifice something to get what you want, or in my case, all the time." I looked up at his ice blue gaze. There was only a monster inside. "Why…why haven't you killed me already? If my husband is coming anyway, you don't need me." He slapped me across the cheek. "You stupid cunt! I'm going for a fucking show piece. I'm going to tape it in HD! After everyone finds out about how I killed the great Edward Cullen and ruined his life, I'll be the most powerful Mafia boss on the planet. No motherfucker will ever cross me again! I'll kill the rest of the Volturi too." He knelt down in front of me and pinched my arm. "I plan to rape you in front of him. Then, I'll cut the baby out of your stomach and feed it to my Rottweilers. After that, I'll kill you slowly before I end Cullen's life. He'll be begging for death." I dry heaved. There was no food left in my stomach to upchuck. The baby wasn't kicking anymore. I was so afraid that I may have miscarried. My heart broke into a million pieces. "I know that I'm not going to make it out of here alive. Please, just let me eat, bathe, and get warm," I begged. James liked it when I pleaded with him. He waved his hands. "Okay, but first you need to do that thing for me." I looked away as he unbuttoned his pants. So far, I hadn't been raped. I should have known that it wasn't going to last. All I could do was take my mind away to a faraway place until it was over. I wished that I had my memory back so that I could form a happy thought or image. Tears fell from my eyes as I weakly nodded my head. I would do anything for the baby. There was still a chance that it was alive. James turned me around so that my buttocks faced him. "You're disgusting, but you'll do for now. I want to see why Cullen chose you over the other bitches. Maybe you have some hidden talents." His naked penis made contact with my lower back. I said a prayer to God and squeezed my eyes shut. I was ready for the pain, but instead I felt…wetness. James was peeing on me again. Sure, it was gross and demeaning, but still better than rape. He didn't miss a spot. The acidic urine aggravated my ant bites. It burned really badly. I kept my mouth shut, though. If I complained, he might do something worse. After he was finished coating my hair, he helped me up. "Good, bitch. Now you can have some treats. I'll have your little bitch bring down some stuff to clean you up with. She'll also take you to the kitchen to eat. You'll stay in the mirror room until your husband comes. You might as well be comfortable before you die," he snickered. I shook my head to clear the cobwebs. He'd said something about my 'little bitch'. "Bree! She's…she's alive?" James was putting his pants back on. "Yes, that gimpy bitch has nine lives. I think she knows her place

now. You bitches are all the same. You have to be broken, or you think you matter. Lucky for you, and that cunt, I love breaking in bitches." Even though I was naked on the floor and covered in James' piss, I was happy that Bree was alive. I cooed to my stomach, saying prayers and love words. I hoped that somehow my baby could hear me. I dozed off on the floor. When I came to, Bree was kneeling beside me. There were several buckets of steaming water, towel, and soap. Bree was crying as she tried to help me up. She turned on a small lamp. I cringed when I saw her face. She was all black and blue. I touched her cheek. "I'm so sorry, Bree. I…I thought you were dead. What… what else did he do to you?" We hugged each other. Bree didn't seem to be bothered by my filth. "He beat me. Not so bad. You are worse. At least I'm not pregnant. I want to kill him. I saw Riley. They let me attend to him. He's in so much pain." Her limp was more profound as she prepared my bath. Bree was so gentle with me, scrubbing off all the filth on my body and washing my hair. When she was done, she applied ointment to my bites. I breathed a sigh of relief. Bree dressed me in a blue pair of long pajamas and gave me a white robe to wear. After days of freezing, the heat felt magnificent. I inhaled the scent of fresh soap on my skin. Bree smiled at me. We took a minute to hug again. We both needed the comfort. We held onto each other as we half waddled, half limped into the kitchen. Several men laughed when they saw us. I kept my eyes on the ground and so did Bree. Life was bad enough .We didn't need any more punishment. She made us both big bowls of some kind of Russian chicken stew. It was delicious. We were being watched, so we barely talked during the meal. I ate until the ache in my stomach went away. I still couldn't feel my baby kicking, though. I told Bree and she expressed worry. After dinner, she took me upstairs. The room that James wanted me to stay in was covered in mirrors from the floor to the ceiling. The only furniture in the room was a full size bed in the middle. Bree helped me use the restroom before helping me into bed. She took out a book to read. "Dante is my favorite writer. I read to you now. Then, you sleep." I curled up in her lap as her Russian accent. filtered through the room. "It is called, Of Beauty and Duty. I like it," Bree said, giving me a rare genuine smile. "Two ladies to the summit of my mind Have clomb, to hold an argument of love. The one has wisdom with her from above, For every noblest virtue well designed:

The other, beauty's tempting power refined And the high charm of perfect grace approve: And I, as my sweet Master's will doth move, At feet of both their favors am reclined. Beauty and Duty in my soul keep strife, At question if the heart such course can take And 'twixt the two ladies hold its love complete. The fount of gentle speech yields answer meet, That Beauty may be loved for gladness sake, And Duty in the lofty ends of life." I dozed off and had my first peaceful nights sleep in a long time. We spent the next few days pretty much the same. Even though Bree was badly injured, she still cooked, cleaned, and did all of her chores. Despite her protests, I helped her the best that I could. James was often gone for most of the day. He was dealing with the War that my husband had started. I didn't care what kept him away, as long as he wasn't near Bree and me. We weren't allowed to visit Riley together, but Bree told me that a doctor was looking after him. There was talk of amputation. I'd gotten sick after she told me that. I was partly to blame for him being hurt. If he hadn't tired to help me… James came to see me a few times. He would pinch, slap, or punch me, but nothing too bad. Thankfully, he didn't urinate on me again. I got used to the pain and was able to block it out. One day, he came to my room with a small compact mirror. He sat on the corner of my bed and sniffed a line of cocaine. His eyes were a bright, feral electric blue by the time he finished. He stared at me for a long time. I was so scared that I wet myself. He must have noticed because he laughed and left me alone. Bree came to clean me up and change my sheets. We spent the rest of the night reading Dante and Steinbeck. I really liked to read and to hear Bree read to me. It was the only thing getting us through the pain. Fortunately, Bree was able to sneak me some prenatal vitamins, the same ones that Riley had given me. I hadn't felt movement from my baby since the basement. I was about to give up hope that it was still alive when I felt a light fluttering in my lower belly. "I love you, sweetheart. You're my everything," I cooed to my rounded stomach. The kicking increased. My baby was still alive! I praised the heavens. Someone or something was still on my side. When Bree came, I had her fell for movement, just to make sure that I wasn't imagining things.

She felt it too. We ate chocolate cake and ice cream to celebrate. A few days later, I was coming out of the restroom, when a man entered my room. He was very big with brown eyes and blonde hair. He was wearing a lab coat. It was James' personal doctor. I hadn't seen him since the day I woke up on the stretcher. I backed up to the wall. "Please, don't hurt me," I pleaded. He lowered his head. When he looked up again, I noticed that there were…tears in his eyes. Why is he crying? I wondered. "Bella, I know you don't remember me, but you once saved my life. I'm here to return the favor. I'm getting you and Bree out of here tonight." I couldn't believe it. Maybe James had paid this 'doctor' to play with me. He liked sick games like this. "No! He won't…he'll kill us all! Who are you? Please, just go." The man walked over to me. He gently squeezed my hand. "I promise to get you out of here, Bella. My name is Alexander Smith, or Alec as everyone used to call me. Now, come. We have to get you back to Edward and your family." I was so scared, but what choice did I have. I took his hand and let him lead me out of Satan's palace, and hopefully back to a home that I couldn't remember but was bound to be better than this Hell. ~*!*~

Chapter Twenty-Nine ~ Sullen Girl Part 2 "Days like this, I don't know what to do with myself All day - and all night I wander the halls along the walls and under my breath I say to myself I need fuel - to take flight And there's too much going on But it's calm under the waves, in the blue of my oblivion Under the waves in the blue of my oblivion Is that why they call me a sullen girl - sullen girl They don't know I used to sail the deep and tranquil sea But he washed me ashore and he took my pearl And left an empty shell of me…" --Sullen Girl – Fiona Apple BPOV

I followed Alec down a set of dark stairs to the basement. He held onto my hand like I was going to run away. Admittedly, I was frightened. Besides Riley and Bree, I knew no one. The baby kicked, as if to say that I should trust this strange man that seemed bent on helping me escape purgatory. Bree was already down there, pacing back and forth. We ran into each other's arms. "Bella, I was scared. This man says he can get you home. I just want to help," she said, patting me on the back. I shook my head vehemently. "No! I'm not leaving you, Bree. You go where I go." Alec cleared his throat and stepped between both of us. I pushed Bree behind my back. In the little time that we'd known each other, I'd become very protective of her. I could only imagine what she'd suffered at the hands of James and his cruel cohorts. Alec held up his hands. "Hey, I don't bite. I'm going to get both of you out. " "Bella, your husband, Edward, is out of intensive care. He's gotten a tip on this location. All hell is about to break loose if we wait for him to come, James or one of his men will kill you. In less than twenty four hours, this house will be a warzone. Time is of the essence." I shivered from the cold dampness of the room. "My husband sounds like a scary man. How do you know that Bree and I will be safe with him?" Alec chuckled. "I really wish you could remember, Bella. Edward can be down right brutal, but you're his weak spot. He loves you more than life itself. There's a reason that James kept you all these months. He wanted Edward to suffer, and there's no better way to make a man suffer than by taking the thing he cherishes most in the world. In Edward's case, that's you." It was strange, but each time Alec said my husband's name, the baby went wild. I put my palm over my swollen belly to calm my little bundle down. I really hoped that meeting Edward would help me to get my full memory back. Having amnesia was like being lost in the dark without any guide to help. Bree squeezed my hand and stepped forward. "It will be better for me to stay here, no? My limp is worse than ever. I will only slow the both of you down. All I care about is Bella and her baby going home. I'm not important." I wrapped my arms around her tiny waist. "Don't ever say that! You are very important to me. If it wasn't for you, neither I nor my baby would have made it this long. Your limp is no worse than my pregnancy waddle. I'm not leaving you. Ever.." We hugged each other again. When I looked up, Alec was watching us curiously. I glared at him. "What?" He shrugged and scratched his head. "It's nothing. You're going to make a wonderful mother, Bella. You may not remember who you are, but you're still the same woman that I knew. You're very brave and selfless." I pondered his words quietly. Am I really brave or selfless? Maybe I was just stupid. We walked through a complex maze of stairs. Alec had a flashlight, but it was still pretty dark. Both he

and Bree held onto me to make sure that I wouldn't slip. I inhaled and exhaled slowly to keep the panic out of my system. My swollen ankles and legs were killing me. I was about to give up and ask for a break when we came to an outside door. I greedily breathed in the refreshing sea salt air. It was pitch black outside. Even the stars dared not to shine on James' territory. Alec picked me up and carried me down the rocky path that led to the Black Sea. After he was done, he went back and got Bree, bringing her down the same path. I had on an old sweatshirt and a jacket that Bree had gotten for me, but I was still freezing. A tall man appeared from the shadows. He motioned for us to follow him. We were led to a large boat. There were other men on the deck, loading stuff. I stopped in my tracks. Had Alec led us into a trap? Before I could speak, the man that was leading us turned around. His face was wrinkled and rough. He had a small feminine locket around his neck that stood out of place against his rough visage. "Hello, my name is Vladimir. This is my grain boat. We smuggle for James, but we do not like him. This is finally our chance to get rid of him for good. He is a disease on the good people of Russia." His accent was even thicker than Bree's. I had to read his lips to understand what he was saying. Another man came to stand beside Vladimir. He handed Alec a black duffle bag. Bree eyed the men warily. They didn't look like people that we should trust, but something told me that I was wrong. It was a moot point, though, because right now, we needed all the help that we could get. There were two heavy coats inside the bag. Alec handed one to Bree and the other to me. Mine was quilted with a fur hood. Bree's was the same except that it was blue. We helped each other zip them up and put the hoods over our heads. I was just glad that mine fit. Even though I'd suffered extreme cruelty the last few months, I'd eaten well. Bree and Riley made sure of that. After we were all bundled up, Alec turned to me. His eyes were sad and lost. I knew then that he wouldn't be going on the journey with us. My fear increased exponentially. "Bella, you and Bree will be led to the bottom of the ship. There is a tiny room with a bed and small table that you will sleep in until you reach the port city of, Novorossiysk." "I have been there," Bree interrupted. Alec nodded. "Good, you'll be able to help Bella. James smuggles drugs and guns from the port. He has a lot of friends in the city, so it's very important that neither one of you deviate from the plan. Listen to Vladimir; he's going to help you. Unfortunately, I can't go with you. I need to keep James' men from finding out that you're gone for as long as I can. I'm going to make up a story about Bella bleeding and needing an operation. As for you, Bree, I'm going to tell him that you're assisting me. I wish you both the best of luck and I'm sorry that I couldn't help you sooner. The voyage that you guys are embarking on is very dangerous. Keep your wits about you and stay together." Bree and I took turns hugging Alec. He was as big as…. "Alec, what about Riley? We can't leave him. Is there any way you can get him out?" "Please! You have to help him also. He is not like his brother," Bree added.

"Don't worry, ladies. Riley is fine. James would never kill him, because he considers Riley his heir. That's a very important thing to have in the Mafia world, and since James can't have sex with a woman, he needs Riley to continue his legacy. I will do what I can to get him out." I frowned. "What do you mean James can't have sex with a woman?" "I know he did bad things to you, but you were never raped. James is gay. His father caught him in the act with a man when he was younger and sent him to some deprogramming camp, but it didn't work. That's the reason that James hates women so much. He blames females for his homosexuality. I couldn't keep you safe, but I knew that at least you'd be spared that brutality." I nodded. It all started to make sense. The way he talked about Laurent… He'd loved him; not as a friend but as a lover. "Enough talking, Bree, Bella, this is goodbye for me. I sincerely hope that you make it home safely. Oh, and Bella, in the bag are some snacks and the book that you read to me when I was sick. You don't remember, but you comforted me when I needed it most. I want you to live to be an old woman, have lots of babies, and continue to keep Cullen in line. That goes for you too, Bree, minus the Edward part. Now, get on the boat. May God be with you." After a lot of blubbering from me, we followed Vladimir onto the boat. The men stared at us as if we were ghosts. Some took off their hats when we passed. Bree and I kept our arms wrapped around each other. The thick coats were doing a wonderful job at keeping us warm. When we got to the hull of the ship, Vladimir opened the door to a small room. It was exactly like Alec had described. There wasn't a lot of room, but it would do. At least we wouldn't have to worry about James coming to torture us. The bed was clean and there were a bunch of thick blankets folded on top of the mattress. In the corner was a tiny wooden table and a single chair. Bree made up the bed while I rested in the chair. I wanted to help but my body was too fatigued. My bladder was also full. "Um, Vladimir, sir, where can I use the restroom?" He smiled and opened a tiny adjacent door. Inside was a toilet and sink. Thankfully, there were towels and soap. "You have to use restroom a lot because of baby. My wife was the same. When she was pregnant with my boys, she spent most of her time by the toilet." He stopped talking and helped me into the bathroom. I closed the door and sat down to do my business. The ship's rocking made it hard to keep balance, so I held onto the sink as I washed my face. To me, I looked okay. My skin wasn't as bruised as before. I even had a light flush to my cheeks. My hair was braided around my head so that it wouldn't be a burden. It was silly of me to be concerned with my looks, because my stomach drew all the attention away from my face. I was huge. The baby moved, letting me know that it was okay and that my girth was serving a purpose. I laughed and exited the bathroom.

When I stepped back into the 'bedroom', Bree was fluffing the blankets. She'd actually managed to make the small room look cozy. I helped her with the top layer and then we laid down to rest. Because of the stress of the day, both of us fell asleep immediately. We were awakened to the sounds of someone knocking at the door. Bree jumped up to answer it. Her hood had fallen down revealing her long blonde hair. She looked beyond tired. I felt guilty for not helping her more. "Hello, I come to feed you," Vladimir said, bringing in a tray. He set everything down on the table. Bree handed me one of the bottles of juice. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until the sweet apple liquid hit my tongue. Suddenly, I was ravenous. Thankfully, Bree handed me a plate. It had various meats and cheeses along with fresh bread. There was also a big bowl of something she called' borscht'. It was good, hot, and filling. I downed the whole thing before Bree sat down. Both she and Vladimir laughed. I felt my cheeks heat up. "Sorry, I'm just incredibly hungry. Thanks for this. It's really good." Vladimir left us a few minutes later. Bree made me another bowl of soup and began to eat her own food. After my third plate of cheese and meat, I was finally full so I laid down on the bed. A few minutes later, I fell asleep again. I dreamt of a baby boy with odd colored hair that wouldn't stay down no matter how many times I brushed it. He had chubby reddened cheeks and beautiful emerald eyes. I cuddled him to my breast and hummed softly until he fell asleep. When I woke up again, the sun was shining through the tiny window. I sat up and went to the bathroom. There were tears in the corner of my eyes. The dream had been so real that I'd been sad to wake up. Bree was still asleep and snoring softly. I kissed her on the forehead before going to find Vladimir. The ship was rocking too much for me to go very fast. I tripped and was about to fall, when sturdy arms caught me. "Thanks, I'm just so big and clumsy," I said, turning around to see who had saved me. It was one of the crew. He had dark olive skin, black hair, and beautiful eyes that were the color of wood. I blushed and tried to step away. I was shocked when he picked me up in his arms and carried me to a small room. There was a desk surrounded by a few chairs and a portable TV in the corner. "Um, listen, I didn't mean to bump into you. If we could…" He held up his hand and retrieved a notebook. I sat in the chair as he scribbled away. His size and mannerisms were enough to frighten me. I was just about to scream for help when he thrust the notebook into my lap. I looked down at the words: "My name is Nahuel. I am Vladamir's son. I wanted to meet you and the pretty blond girl yesterday, but father said that I shouldn't bother you. You are very pretty. You remind me of my mother." Nahuel was openly staring at me when I finished.

I held out my hand. "My name is Bella, and the pretty blond girl is Bree. She's still asleep. It's nice to meet you." He grabbed the notebook and began to write again. He really was handsome. His almond shaped eyes were a much lighter brown than my own. They stood out against his ink black hair. He must have looked like his mother because he barely resembled Vladimir. After a few minutes, he thrust the notebook back into my lap. "Thank you, Bella. I don't mean to be a burden. Father and I travel for much of the year. We don't see too many women. Would you like to play cards later? Bree can play too. I have my own deck." I glanced up. Nahuel's eyes bored holes into mine. "Sure, um, right now I'm hungry, though. Do you think you could help me back to the room and bring Bree and I something to eat?" He nodded enthusiastically and carried me to the bedroom. Bree was awake and pacing the small room nervously. "Bella, where did you go? I was afraid something bad happened to you or baby. You must wake me next time," she said, hugging me. I nodded and introduced her to Nahuel. He smiled brightly. I was just about to ask him why he couldn't speak when Vladimir came into the room. He was carrying storage containers filled with food. "I see I wasn't able to keep my son away. I hope he has been gentleman," Vladimir said, giving Nahuel a look. "Oh, he was so sweet. I went out to look for you and almost fell, but he caught me. Don't be mad at him. If it's alright, he can come back later tonight and play cards with us." Nahuel's whole face lit up. Vladimir sent him to do some work. Nahuel bowed before leaving us all. When he was out of earshot, Vladmir turned to me. "Thank you for being kind. He has taken a liking to you because you remind him of his mother. You look a little like her. She was pregnant with twins when she was murdered. Nahuel was only three." I gasped and grabbed my stomach. I had come so close to losing my life and baby; to hear about someone that had devastated me. My lip quivered as I began to sob. Bree handed me a washcloth and rubbed my shoulders. "I'm sorry, Vladimir. How did your wife die?" Bree asked. The older man lowered his eyes. "Pire, my wife, was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was immigrant from South America. We met at school and fell in love. There was much hate for immigrant so I taught her Russian so hers would be good enough that no one would know. When she graduated, we moved to Novorossiysk…" He stopped to hand both Bree and me the food. I popped the lid and began eating the oatmeal, eggs, and bacon. The baby did karate lessons in my stomach as I swallowed my breakfast without chewing.

"Please, let mama eat, little one," I cooed softly. Almost immediately my angel calmed down. Vladimir looked away and continued his story. "We were happy. Pire have baby, Huilen, Nahuel's sister. I was lucky man. My wife got sick and almost died. I ask God for miracle and she live. Later she conceive two babies. One day, Pire went to market to get me special dinner. Chechen Rebel suicide bomber blow up the market. Pire die with many other people. Later, I find out that Stefan, James' father, was responsible for selling bombs to Rebels. I vow then to help take down his Organization. I do not want my daughter to have same fate as her mother." I had never stopped crying, so by the end of Vladimir's tale, my face was very wet. It was hard trying to swallow past the lump in my throat. Bree was sniffling softly beside me. Vladimir patted us both on the knee. "Do not cry. My wife spread happiness everywhere she went. I was proud that she choose me for husband. Now, enough with the past. We should arrive in Novorossiysk a few hours. You will stay with my family. We tell people that you are cousin. Bella, you are not to speak. I will say you are like Nahuel and cannot speak. Okay?" I nodded. "Yes, that makes sense. My accent would give me away." "Yes, and James has many men around city. Alec is trying to get word to Edward Cullen so that he will come to my house first. It is not easy. All communication is monitored. Stefan had KGB ties and they still keep the city on lockdown. Several men lose life for disagreeing with James." I shuddered at the name. I knew that James was evil, but apparently he was even more dangerous than I'd given him credit for. Bree clutched my hand until I calmed down. Vladimir made sure that we were okay before going back to the deck. Bree and I spent the rest of the day reading Dante, suggesting baby names, and braiding each other's hair. I ate every three hours and slept more than usual. Thankfully, Alec had included my prenatal vitamins in the bag. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get comfortable. Poor Bree tried her hardest to help but nothing worked. Eventually, I ended up curled on my side in the fetal position. My lower back was on fire and I had a migraine. There was no doctor on the ship but Vladimir remembered that Pire used to take Tylenol when she was pregnant. Luckily, they had some on the ship. After I took the pills and drank some juice, I fell into a peaceful sleep. I was dreaming about my precious baby boy again when someone woke me up. I huffed and sat up, blinking sleepily. "What? Where are we?" I asked Bree helped me stand and led me to the bathroom. I did my business and came out. She was putting on her jacket. "Vladimir came. We are here. He want us to stay here and be quiet until he come to get us." I waddled to her so that she could help me put on my jacket. I really hoped that there was a bath in our

future. My body was covered with sweat. We waited for what seemed like forever. I ate some of the candy that was in the bag that Alec had packed. The constant chewing helped me to stay calm. I was dozing on Bree's shoulder when our door opened. It was Nahuel. He grabbed our bags and helped us up to the deck. There were several men with guns drawn speaking in Russian. I remembered what Vladimir had told us and kept my head down, not speaking. The man that had been talking turned to us. His military uniform was slightly different from the others, so I assumed that he was the leader. He licked his lips when he saw Bree. I wanted to scratch out his eyes. The man said something in Russian to Bree. Whatever he said scared her. I kept my arm around her waist, offering comfort. Nahuel growled. Thankfully, Vladimir kept his wits. "I am sorry gentleman. These are my nieces. They will be staying with us for a time. Please, do not bother them. The young one is cripple and the other is with child. They both have sexual disease." The men grunted and turned away, ignoring us. I was glad that Vladimir had thought this out. As long as the soldiers thought we had some kind of STD, they were sure to leave us alone. I felt Bree relax next to me. We were given a wide berth as Nahuel led us off the ship. Not one of the men even looked at our faces. We walked to a waiting car. There was a beautiful dark haired girl behind the wheel. She had the same eyes and hair as Nahuel, but her face looked slightly older. When she spotted us, she jumped out of the car. I watched as she hugged her father and Nahuel. Something about the action triggered a flash of a memory. I saw a younger version of myself hugging a boy with curly blond hair and an older man with dark hair and a mustache. Sadly, it was gone before I could grasp it. Eventually, the girl disentangled herself and walked over to Bree and me. "Hello, I am Huilen," she said, shaking our hands. There were still a few men watching us so I just smiled as Huilen and Bree greeted each other in Russian. Vladimir gave orders to his men to unload the ship, and then we took off. Even though it was nighttime, there were still people out walking and doing various things. The air was colder and I was glad for the heat in the car. Huilen kept looking back at me through the mirror. I smiled to let her know that I was okay. Nahuel never took his eyes off of Bree. I suspected that he had a crush on her, but she was already taken. I just hoped that Riley would live so that they could finally get their chance. In my mind, I'd already planned their first date. During the drive, my baby boy was very active. It felt like he was playing soccer in my tummy. I rubbed my belly to calm him down. Huilen drove us out of the city and towards the mountains. Bree stared out of the window with wide,

interested eyes as we drove up a winding rode. Eventually, we got to a small village. It was very beautiful. At the gate, were two men with guns. Vladimir made small talk before they opened it and let us in. It was too dark to see clearly, but I could make out several flowers and lush green grass. It was so different from James' fortress. Vladimir's home sat at the edge of the village. It was a large two story with a big front porch. Huilen led Bree and I upstairs to a bedroom. Nahuel and Vladimir went to shower and unpack. We were all going to have dinner once everyone got settled in. .As usual, my little kicker was right over my bladder. The first thing I did was go to the restroom. While there, I decided to run myself a bubble bath. Bree knocked at the door before stepping in to bring me a robe and some pajamas. She stayed to help me into the tub before excusing herself. The hot water felt wonderful to my aching muscles. My breasts were very sensitive and engorged. When my thumb accidentally grazed my nipple, it hardened. I moaned and leaned my head back against the wall. During my time in James' fortress, I never felt aroused, but now… I was embarrassed at the noises I was making as I touched myself. I dipped my fingers into my wet folds. My clit was hard and needy. I rubbed it hard, willing myself to orgasm. I saw another vision. This one was of long, thick masculine fingers inside of my core. I pinched my nipples and came hard as I thought of those elusive fingers. The rest of my bath time was spent with me bringing myself to orgasm over and over again. Stress does strange things to people. By the time, I finished bathing and got out of the tub, I was exhausted. Bree came to chastise me for not calling her to help me out. I apologized. My body felt wonderful and boneless. Huilen brought my dinner upstairs. The baked chicken and Borscht was delicious. After dinner Nahuel came to play a few hands of cards with Bree and me. Vladimir sent his apologies. He'd had to go back down to the docks to supervise something. Huilen and Nahuel assured us that they were excellent shooters. There was also a secret room where Bree and I could hide if necessary. Nahuel, Huilen, and Bree made Russian jokes at my expense. My baby boy, not wanting to left out, flipped and and flopped every which way. The game turned out to be a bust. We played for candy and everyone kept letting me win. I fell asleep during the third game. My dreams were filled with more of my precious baby. Sometimes, I would get a snippet of a memory back. I saw my younger self swinging with a pretty brown haired woman and the same man I'd seen earlier. I assumed that these were my parents. Riley had already told me that they were dead. I'd cried the whole night after that. I awoke at Twilight. From my window, I could see the sliver of light in the darkness. Someone had put cheese crackers and juice out for me. I was eating when I heard a loud explosion. Bree and Huilen ran into the room. Minutes later, Nahuel joined us. He was carrying a big gun. Bree grabbed some blankets and Huilen led us down to the secret room. It was some kind of a bomb shelter. I begged Huilen to stay, but she insisted that she had to help her brother. My heart was pounding out of

my chest. It sounded like we were in the middle of a battleground. Bree alternated between rubbing my back and my stomach as we listened. The pop of bullets sounded nearby. Then, all of a sudden, we heard a commotion upstairs. There must have been some kind of vent in the room, because Bree and I could hear clearly. "Where is your father? Cooperate with me and I might let you live," someone barked. The voice was bone-chillingly scary and clearly American. Apparently, my little angel was frightened too because he went wild. No matter how many times I tried to soothe the baby, he wouldn't calm down. I eventually gave up. "Leave him alone. He cannot speak. Please. My father is at the docks. He will be back soon," Huilen said. Bree's big blue eyes were wide and terror-stricken. I also tried my best to calm her down, but she was as restless as the baby. Everything was quiet for a few minutes before we heard something heavy crash upstairs. "I warned you, boy! I guess your father will have to come home to a dead son. Hey, it's no skin off my back. " It was the same man. My mind snapped. All I knew was that enough people were in danger because of me. Vladimir had already lost his wife. I'd be damned if he lost his son because of my cowardice. Before my brain could catch up to my legs, I was waddling up the stairs and wrenching the door open. Bree screamed and ran after me, but with her limp, I beat her to the top. My baby boy kicked harder than ever. I winced in pain. I didn't want to put my little one in danger, but I couldn't sit back and let my friends die. A man grabbed me before my eyes adjusted to the light. He practically dragged me into the living room. Nahuel was on the ground with Huilen was hunched over him. There was blood all over his handsome face. "Stop! It's me you want. I'll go with you. Just leave my friends alone." All the fight was gone. Fatigue was the only thing left in its place. I expected to be dragged out the door, but instead, everyone just kind of stopped. It was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop. The meathead that had been holding me dropped his arms and stepped back. When I dared to look up, I saw a room full of big, armed men gaping at me. One did the sign of the crucifix and got down on his knees. They were all staring at me like…like I was a ghost. "Bella?" I looked around to see who'd spoken. When I made eye contact with the man, I gasped. He looked like a human mountain. His dark brown eyes and hair only added to the menacing look. "Bella. Isabella Swan?" He repeated, this time stepping closer. My whole body began to shake uncontrollably. This was too much stress for me and the baby. Before I

could form a coherent thought, I passed out. The last sound I heard was Bree screaming. My sweet baby boy gurgled as I changed his diaper. I finished the task and held his tiny bronze-colored head to my breast. He immediately latched on and began sucking quietly, looking up at me with his bright green eyes. Feeding my baby was the most natural thing in the world. My heart was so full and light when I felt his little lips on my skin. "I love you, Dante. Mama will always take care of you. You're my precious little angel." Soft piano music played nearby as baby Dante and I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, I was still in the rocking chair. I looked down expecting to see my baby, but my arms were empty. I went from room to room searching for my angel, but I didn't have any luck. I screamed his name and cried for help but no one came. I was just about to give up hope, when I saw a light under a nearby door. Without thinking, I rushed into the room. It was covered in mirrors and the only exposed walls were red. I had been here before. A movement in the corner caught my eye. It was…James, and he was holding… "Give him back, you bastard! I'll kill you!" I screamed, running forward. James easily sidestepped me, laughing the whole time. "Silly, Bella, did you really think you could escape me?" I lunged for his throat, but met with thin air. When I looked down at myself, I saw that there was blood all over the bottom of my white nightgown. "No, no, no! Not my angel! Please, take me. Not my angel," I sobbed. James only laughed. All I could do was watch in horror as my baby boy burst into flames. "Baby Cullen is dead and you are next, Bella." "No! No! No!" "Bella, sweetheart, you're safe. Wake up now. You're okay." I followed the thread of consciousness, slowly blinking my eyes open. Everything was too bright. Where was I? I looked around, recognizing my room at Vladimir's house. Several people were bent over me. I sat up, scanning the room for Bree. She was right next to me holding a bottle of water. I took it and drank almost half before I came up for air. The nightmare…. Immediately, I reached for my belly, sighing in relief when I felt my little angel moving. As long as my baby was alive, I could face anything. Bree gently took the water bottle out of my hand and began rubbing my back. It was then that I noticed some of the other people in the room. They were all armed men. Nahuel was in a corner with an icepack over his lip as Vladimir talked to one of the strangers. Huilen was on the other side

of Bree staring at me. They both fluffed pillows and helped me sit up. The big man with the dark eyes moved closer to my bed. I whimpered and clutched Bree's hand. She kissed my forehead, instantly calming me. The dark haired man fiddled smiled at me. "Bella, we all… All this time, we thought you were dead. Bree tells us that you have no memory. Can you really not remember anything?" I shook my head. "No, I only remember what has happened since I woke up in James' fortress. Who are you?" The man bowed. "I am Felix. I am your husband's head of security at his club and your friend. Today is a fucking miracle. When Edward finds out…," he trailed off excitedly. "Edward? Is my husband here?" I asked nervously. Felix frowned. "Not yet, but he'll be in Russia tonight. He's on a mission to kill James, but now everything has changed. We need to get you out of the city right now. It's not safe. James is in Iceland, but he's gotten word of your escape. We lost track of him. You aren't safe here." "The soldiers are blocking the roads and headed this way. We must go now," Vladimir said as he helped Huilen put on her coat. Felix barked orders to the other armed men. Many of them were still staring at me with shocked expressions. Bree asked the men to leave so she could get me dressed. Thankfully, Huilen had a pair of sweatpants that I could fit into. After I was bundled in layer upon layer, it was time to go. Felix picked me up and carried me to a black SUV that was waiting in the driveway. There were guns, cars, and debris everywhere. "I'm scared," I whispered as Felix helped me put on my seatbelt. "Don't be. You and the baby have survived for a reason. I doubt your luck will run out now, Bella. I promise I'm going to get you back to Edward." I nodded as he slammed the door and got behind the wheel. A blond armed man kissed a gold cross around his neck before taking the passenger seat. Bree took one of our favorite Dante books and began reading. If my baby boy and I made it out of this mess alive, I would name him after the great poet. The fact that I'd called him that in my dream was a sign. Luckily, Bree had time to pack me something to eat. I was craving pizza, but the hot ham and cheddar sandwiches she handed me were very welcome. I ate three, downing them with a bottle of grape juice. After I finished, Felix took off like a bat out of hell. There were gun shots, bomb blasts, and general chaos all around. The blond man kept assuring us that the car was bulletproof. We also had the other guards flanking us. When we got to the main road, things calmed down considerably. I took the book from Bree and began to read aloud. In no time at all, we were far away from Vladimir's village and on the road. Felix said that we were going to get on a private jet to be flown to Moscow, where we would meet up

with Edward. I was both excited and nervous. What if my husband didn't like amnesiac Bella? Would he put me away? Was he cruel? I was still pondering that when I heard a purring sound from under my seat. Felix looked at me through the rearview mirror with a sheepish grin on his face. "Don't worry, that's just some cat that I found by the docks. The men were going to kill it because they believe black cats are bad luck, so I took it. I don't know what I'm going to do with it, though. I smiled. Despite his size and general menacing aura, Felix was clearly a good man. "Here, kitty, kitty," I said, trying to coax the cat out of it's hiding space. The purring got closer until I was met with a pair of bright yellow eyes. Bree bent down and picked up the little kitten, placing it gently in my arms. My baby boy kicked, perhaps trying to touch his new future pet. The cat rubbed its soft furry head against my large stomach. I lifted and kissed its tiny head, causing it to purr louder. "Aren't you precious," I cooed. Bree reached over and scratched behind its ears before looking at the genitalia. "It is girl kitten; very pretty. It likes you." I unzipped my jacket so that my kitten could climb in. She immediately did, snuggling against my chest. "Hmmm, since she's black and so very precious, I vote we name her Onyx. What do you think, Bree?" She giggled and gave me the thumbs up. Felix and the guy in the front laughed. "Bella, you are the only woman that would be so calm in this situation. You haven't changed at all. You handle danger well, and obviously, so does your unborn child." I thought over those words as we pulled up to a runway. There were armed men waiting for us at a nearby plane. Felix put some kind of tarp over me and Onyx and ran us up the stairs. The other man did the same for Bree. It all happened really fast. When I was being buckled into the seat on the plane, I remembered to ask about my friends. Vladimir had risked his and his family's life to get me out of danger. Felix assured me that they were being taken to a safe place. I just hoped that I got to see them again under better circumstances. The plane took off almost immediately. I could hear some kind of commotion on the ground, but thankfully, it didn't affect our liftoff. Felix breathed a sigh of relief and plopped down in the seat next to me. I took Onyx out of my coat and handed her to Bree. They both fell asleep. I asked Felix to make her comfortable once we could move around. My body and brain were too wired to sleep.

"Felix, I need to know what kind of man is my husband? Be honest. Will he hurt me because I can't remember? The bastard chuckled. "Bella, Edward loves you very deeply. These last few months he's been in an asylum because he thought you were dead. He kept a picture of you and the baby's sonogram right on his nightstand. I was at your wedding and it was amazing. Rarely have I seen two people so in love. Cullen isn't anywhere near perfect, but you make him a better man." I still wasn't convinced. Even though Felix was kind, he still worked for my husband. He could be lying. I asked Felix tons of questions. It turned out that he and my husband's men were there to get Vladimir to smuggle them into James' fortress. Edward had been seriously wounded in Greece and had only just gotten out of hospital care. They'd gotten a tip on James whereabouts from one of his Uncles. "I still can't believe you're alive, Bella. I spoke at your wake," Felix said, handing me a box of candies. I stuffed three in my mouth before answering. "That's creepy." The rest of the flight was spent with me eating everything on the plane and Felix filling me in on some of my missing memories. Onyx woke up as we were landing. Felix got a bottle of milk and a medicine dropper so that I could feed her. She was just too cute as she ate her dinner. Felix left me to talk to the pilot. When he came back he had a huge smile on his face. "Edward is here, Bella. Our communication was watched closely on the port, but one of our men managed to get a message to him. Are you ready?" I looked down at my baggy clothes and protruding belly. There hadn't been any time to do my hair so it hung in tangled knots down my back. I knew that I looked awful, but there wasn't time to put on makeup or change clothes. I took Felix's hand, looking back to make sure that Bree was okay. She was still halfway asleep in the other guard's arms. I held Onyx in my arms as we departed the plane. Once again, Felix carried me down. It was dark outside. There were men with weapons everywhere. I saw several large trucks, cars, and SUV's behind them. My hood was over my head, so I couldn't get a really good look at anyone's face. All of a sudden, Felix put me down, making sure I was steady before letting me go. A tall curly haired blond man ran to me, pulling me into his arms. "Bella! Bella! Oh thank you God! Bella, it's me. I'm your brother Jasper." I handed Onyx to Felix so that I could return the hug. None of my memory was coming back, but I could feel the love that Jasper radiated. We cried all over each other before he let me go, wrapping his arm around my waist and stepping to the side. After that, everything got eerily quiet. I raise my head to see why everyone had suddenly stopped moving. When I did, I saw Felix walking through the crowd. Upon closer inspection, I realized that he was pushing something or…someone.

"Babydoll?" That one word spoken from a deep, rich velvet voice set my body on fire. It felt like I was being electrocuted. The baby kicked harder than he ever had before. My nipples also hardened. I took several deep breaths that ultimately did no good. Eventually, Felix made it to the front of the crowd of men. It was then that I saw…him. He had the same unruly bronze hair and jewel green eyes as my dream baby. Although he was in a wheelchair, he still looked formidable and strong. A lump in my throat made it hard to speak. "Babydoll? Oh my fucking god! Bella," he sobbed, standing from his wheelchair. He half limped, half ran to me. Jasper gently patted my back before letting me go. The beautiful man wrapped his arms around me, kissing me breathless. I melted into his soft but firm lips and gentle caresses. The baby continued to do jumping jacks. The man reached down and felt my stomach. His eyes glowed and a beautiful smile overtook his face upon feeling the baby's movement. Fat tears fell from my eyes as he laid open mouthed kisses on my neck and flushed cheeks. All I could do was cling to his massive shoulders and sob. Sadly, nothing was coming back. I didn't remember this man, and something told me that he was definitely worth remembering. He finally lifted his head and took a good look at my face. His piercing eyes bored deep into mine before he licked my lips, letting his tongue slip slowly into my mouth. I knew that I should have been embarrassed, but his touch felt too damn good. Besides, no one was complaining. After we made out for a few minutes, the man pulled away. "Babydoll, tell me this isn't a dream. Are you real?" He asked, stroking my cheek. "I'm real and so is our baby," I whispered. He wiped his face and beamed. "Jesus fucking Christ! What the fuck did I do to get so lucky? Babydoll…. You… Our baby…This is a motherfucking miracle! All this time… I love you so fucking much, Bella. I'll never let you go… I'll never let you go again. Forever, remember? Me and you are forever, babydoll," he cried, burying his tear-soaked face in my neck. I played with the soft hair on the nape of his neck while I whispered in his ear. Our tears drenched each other's clothes, but neither of us seemed to care. I vaguely heard people shuffling about. In that moment, it was only me and my husband. "I don't remember yet, but I swear to you that I will, Edward. I don't need my memory to know that I love you, too. Forever." ~*!*~

Chapter Thirty ~ I’m Yours Part 1

"You touch these tired eyes of mine And map my face out line by line And somehow growing old feels fine I listen close for I'm not smart You wrap you thoughts in works of art And they're hanging on the walls of my heart I may not have the softest touch I may not say the words as such And though I may not look like much I'm yours And though my edges may be rough And never feel I'm quite enough It may not seem like very much But I'm yours…" --I'm Yours - The Script EPOV "Babydoll…." The fucking word I thought I'd never say aloud again. My angel, my reason for being, my wife, the mother of all my future children, my life, my soul, the beat of my heart, and my whole fucking world…. She was back in my arms. Bella's hair was longer, and she was much bigger than the last time I saw her. The baby bump had grown considerably, and if I wasn't mistaken, so had her tits. She had on a bunch of layers of fucking clothes, but I knew her body like the back of my hand. For the first fucking time in forever, I felt my dick stir. I adjusted myself and pulled away from our tongue fuck. I wanted to be inside of her so bad, but we had a lot of shit to go over before that happened. If that motherfucker James…if he…fucking touched…. Mine! Mine! Mine! Just the very thought of that asswipe hurting my babydoll made me taste blood. I growled loudly. Bella gasped and looked up at me. "Are you okay, Edward? Did you just growl?" I inhaled her scent. It was all fucking wrong, but I could smell her underneath. That and the feel of my son kicking calmed me down. I rubbed my hands over Bella's lower stomach as she cooed to the baby, trying in vain to calm him down. My son was a fucking rowdy as hell. "I'm fucking A-okay. This is the best motherfucking day of my goddamned life, Bella." Even though the damn stitches were becoming loose, I lifted Bella into my arms and carried her towards the waiting car. Felix came forward to offer his help, but I waved him away. Jasper walked beside us beaming the whole damn time. "Please put me down, Edward. I'm too heavy. Besides, you're hurt," Bella said, trying to get loose. I took a shaky breath and tightened my grip. "I'm never letting you go again. You're fucking perfect, babydoll. Any goddamned loser who can't pick his wife up doesn't deserve to have a fucking dick." She shyly kissed me on the cheek. "Not to be rude, but do you always use such vulgar language?"

I laughed. It was the first real laughter that had come out of my mouth since I heard that my babydoll was dead. "Hmmm, I recall someone liking my filthy tongue, particularly in the bedroom," I said, winking at her. That amazingly beautiful blush covered her cheeks as I gently sat her in the car. I wasn't taking any fucking chances with my wife and baby's life so we were in a military issue bombproof SUV. Heavily armed men were fanned out all around the airstrip just in case shit went down. I watched Felix help a tiny blond girl into the third row seats. Bella turned around and squealed before introducing me to the child. "Edward, this is Bree. I know you don't know her, but she's one of the people that kept me alive all these months. She goes wherever I go, deal?" I turned around and stuck my hand out. "I'm Edward Cullen, Bella's husband. I owe you a fucking debt of gratitude. You're apart of my family now." Her frightened, big baby blue eyes cut to Bella before she took my hand. I didn't know what the poor girl had been through, but I knew that fucking monster James had probably instilled a deep seeded fear in her. That motherfucking cocksucker would die a slow and torturous death just as soon as my babydoll and my son were safe. Bree dropped my hand quickly and leaned forward to touch Bella's shoulder. The caress was startlingly maternal for someone so young. "Are you and baby, okay?" she whispered, studying my angel. Bella smiled and kissed my hand. "Yes. The baby recognized Edward even if I didn't. Plus…." she trailed off, looking embarrassed. I pulled her into my lap and kissed her soft neck. "Don't worry, babydoll. You'll remember me soon. I'm a motherfucking legend. No one has ever permanently forgotten Edward-fucking-Cullen." She laid her silken cheek in the crook of my neck as Felix got in the passenger seat. He took something out of his jacket and turned around to hand it to my babydoll. It was a fucking… "Jesus-fucking-Christ, Felix! Why in the hell do you have a cat? I hate those fucking monsters!" My babydoll squirmed until I let her go and leaned forward to retrieve the animal in question. My mouth dropped as she cuddled the small black kitten close to her chest, glaring angrily at me the whole time. "This is Onyx, Edward. She is my kitty. Please be nice to her." I tugged on my hair and groaned. "Fucking hell! You're the only goddamned woman in the world who would get kidnapped and gain a pet, babydoll. I didn't mean to make you mad. I'm fucking sorry." She smiled and held the cat out to me. I sure as shit didn't want to hold the rodent, but Bella's big brown, pleading eyes could make my ass jump off a fucking bridge. With a roll of my eyes, I reached forward.

"Meow!" That was all I heard before the little monster scratched me and scurried back to my babydoll's lap. "Fucking shit! We're going to have to get that thing declawed if you insist on keeping it," I said, checking my hand for blood. Felix and Mitchell, our driver, were laughing in the front seat. Jasper climbed in the back next to Bree and fucking guffawed when she relayed the story to him. I was fucking pissed. "My poor baby! You scared her, Edward," Bella said, cuddling the monster close to her breast. Eventually, I convinced her to let Bree hold our new fucking pet. After that, I pulled Bella back into my arms and we continued to cuddle. There had been a tight pain in my chest for so long, but now it was gone. "Where are we going, Edward? I'm scared. What if…" I snarled. "That fucking cocksucking, son of a bitch will never lay another finger on you again, babydoll. I swear it. We're going to a private residence. We'll spend the night here in Moscow, and then I'm putting you, and your entourage, on a plane to Seattle in the morning." An anguished cry came from the back. Bella sat up as I turned around. The small blond girl was trembling. Jasper put his arm around her and tugged her to his chest. Almost instantly, she began to calm down. That motherfucker had a way about him. It was no wonder he'd ended up with Ali. Mom had always said she was fey. Jasper and Ali were like two pieces of the same fucking puzzle. "What's wrong, Bree?" Bella asked, trying to turn herself around. "I…I can't go with you, Bella. I…um, I have no papers. Jam—he said that I don't exist." Jasper and I shared a look. There was something about the tiny girl that brought out my protective instincts. I recognized the same shit in Jasper. "Who gives a fuck what he said. I said you are a part of my family now and I meant that shit. We take care of our own. My godfathers will have an I.D. and birth certificate before you step off the motherfucking plane," I said, reassuring her. Jaz reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture. "This, here's my Ali. She's Edward's sister. I know she's going to be excited to meet you,' he said to Bree. He passed the picture to the front. "And you, Bells, oh god, I called her and she nearly broke my eardrum from her squeals. There are so many people that are waiting for you at home, sis. I love you." My babydoll kissed his hand before talking the photo of a smiling Alice. In it, Jaz's arms were wrapped around her waist and she looked happy as shit. I hoped that I would get to see my wife smile like that soon. I was about to say some romantic shit, but Bella squirmed putting her ass squarely over my semi-hard erection, and just like that I was in pain. I clamped my arms around her sweet body to hold her still.

"Holy shit, babydoll. Just….just don't move for a minute. I don't want to embarrass myself," I whispered, sucking on her earlobe. She shivered and stopped moving. "I'm so big, Edward, and, um, I don't think I can. I can, um, make you feel good when we get there." I kissed her forehead and rubbed her lower stomach. Our son was still breakdancing. "Bella, I want to make love to you so bad. Maybe it will trigger a memory or something. Are you scared because… Did he…," the word stuck in my goddamn throat. She lifted my hand and kissed the back of it. "He didn't rape me, but he did other stuff. I'm sorry. I couldn't stop him and poor Riley…" Her breathing sped up and she began to shake. Bree leaned forward and gently massaged her back, which seemed to help. I'd never wanted to kill as bad as I wanted at that moment. "Babydoll, I don't blame you! You're so brave and strong for surviving whatever shit he did to you. Don't ever think… don't ever think what happened to you makes you less in my fucking eyes. I love the fuck out of you." I vaguely heard Jaz and Felix curse as Bella recanted some of what happened to her. When she got the part about that motherfucker hitting her in the face, I had to ask her to stop. My temper was out of control. "Bella," I said, clutching my hands into fists. "Who the fuck is Riley?" She sat up and looked at me. "Um, don't you know? He's James' brother." That son of a bitch didn't have a brother, at least none the Volturi knew about. "And you have to get him out because he saved me, Edward…." I nodded, not really taking in what my babydoll was saying. Thankfully, we pulled up to the mansion a few minutes later. My blood was on fire and I didn't want to accidentally scare or hurt my babydoll. My fucking body was rundown, but once again I carried Bella in my arms. When we got inside, I took her to a corner room. There was an examination table set up. A female OBGYN and a nurse had been brought to the house to examine Bella and make sure that she and the baby were okay. I helped Bella take off her clothes so that the doctor could look at her. My babydoll was scared, so I kept kissing and whispering Italian love words in her ear. When I got to the last layer and saw a huge fucking bruise on her back, I went off. "Babydoll! Shit! I'm so sorry," I said, kissing the skin and wishing that I could make it disappear. The more skin I uncovered, the more marks and bruises I saw on my angels silken flesh. I kissed each one, committing them to my fucking memory. Not that I needed more reasons to want to castrate James'

pathetic ass. Bella cried softly as I continued to go inspect her. All I could do was apologize. She'd needed me and my dumbass had been sitting in an insane asylum. I would never forgive myself for this shit, never in a million fucking years. "I'm alright. It doesn't even hurt anymore. I'm just glad Dante is okay." I looked up. "Who the hell is Dante, Bella?" How many fucking men has she come into contact with? She smiled and put my hand over her bare, swollen belly. "Dante is our son, Edward. I hope you don't mind. Bree would read the poems to me when we were alone. They calmed him down, so I figured…" I kissed her hard, possessively. "That's actually pretty fucking perfect. Lately, I've been reading your Dante books." After I said that, Bella jumped. "Oh, he just kicked really hard, so I take it that he likes his name." I leaned down and laid open mouthed kissed all over the baby bump. "Hey, Dante, it's Daddy. I love you so much, son. I promise to be there for every day of your life. I'm never going to let anyone hurt you again. Your mom and I can't wait to hold you in our arms." When I glanced up, I saw that Bella had big, fat teardrops falling down her cheeks. I kissed them away and held her close to my chest. We stayed in each other's arms until the doctor came in to start the examination. According to the OB, other than being underweight, Bella was having a perfect pregnancy. My babydoll actually giggled when the doctor told her she had to gain at least eight more pounds before delivery. I looked at her oddly. "Why are you laughing, babydoll?" She blushed and looked away. "Um, well, I've been craving things. I mean, um, Bree fed me well and got me what I needed, but I couldn't indulge myself." I rubbed her shoulders and kissed her neck as the doctor spread the cold gunk on Bella's stomach. She was about to perform an ultrasound just to make sure our Dante was developing correctly. "You can have whatever you want from now on. Is there something in particular that you're craving?" I asked as I suckled her lips. "Pizza and cookie dough," she moaned. The sound went straight to my dick. I was probably the first motherfucker in history to get a goddamned boner when his wife was having an ultrasound. While the doctor asked Bella some questions, I took out my phone and texted Felix, asking him to send someone out to get food. Since I wasn't sure what kind of pizza my babydoll wanted, I told him to get all the specialty kind on the menu. With all the motherfuckers guarding this house, food wasn't going to go to waste. The OB guided the wand over my babydoll's stomach before a picture formed onscreen. The last time I'd seen my son, he'd basically been a blob, but now I could make out shit. I already knew he was going to be a handsome fucker because how could he not with me and Bella as parents.

"Do you want to know the sex," the woman asked, turning to us. Bella smiled. "We already know. It's a boy." The OB smiled and nodded. "Yep, a baby boy. His heart beat is strong and from what I can tell he's going to be big, probably over nine pounds." Both of our eyes popped out of our heads. "Nine… nine pounds! Oh god, Edward. How am I going to push that out of here?" my babydoll screamed, gesturing to her lower region. I kissed her all over her beautiful face. "I'd do it for you if I could, Bella. I'll be there with you through every step. You're strong and brave. I know you can do it." We kissed tenderly on the lips until the doctor cleared her through. Motherfucking cockblocker, I thought bitterly. I still had one major question. "Dr. Keroff, would it be okay if Bella and I had sex? I know that I have to be gentle with her, but can we..." Bella gasped and covered her face. The OB laughed so hard, her eyes began to water. "I get that question more than you think. Bella is at 32.5 weeks. As long as she isn't having Braxton Hicks contractions, I see no reason why you two can't be intimate." She went on to inform us of things to watch out for, what not to let my babydoll eat, and even described some sexual positions that were known to be comfortable for pregnant women. Bella's alternated between covering her face and listening intently. After the OB left, I pulled Bella's bra off and sucked one of her hardened nipples in my mouth. They had been jiggling as the doctor moved the wand over her belly and driving my ass fucking crazy. Her tits had grown at least a bra size. I peeked at the tag on her bra, which confirmed my suspicions. She was now a C-cup. I suckled Bella's supple breasts and rubbed circles over her stomach. She arched her back and held my head into place. I'd always loved her tits, and now there was that much more to love. I was in fucking paradise, listening to hear sweet moans. I tried to be gentle but that lasted for all of three seconds before I tugged hard on one nipple as I bit down on the other. Three things happened simultaneously: my dick throbbed, someone knocked on the door, and my babydoll fucking came. "Bella?" I asked in disbelief. She shyly looked up at me through those long eyelashes of hers that drove me insane. "Sorry, I just.. um, yesterday when I was in the bathtub, I, um, got aroused and I thought of someone's fingers, and um, I touched myself. Now I know the fingers were yours, but I didn't then. And in the car, when I felt...you, I… I'm such a mess," she sobbed. "Shhhh, babydoll. That was unexpected but fucking beautiful! You're not a mess, you're my sweet angel

and I love you. Does that mean that you'd be willing to try? I mean, we could stop if you can't…" She put her fingers over my lips. "I want to, but I need a bath first." Bella tried to hop down off of the table, but I held her in place. "Hold on, babydoll. There's another doctor coming to ask you some questions." The second doctor was older and didn't crack a smile the whole time. She said that Bella's vitals were good and that they didn't detect any swelling. Apparently, there wasn't a lot known about memory loss. All we could do was wait until something triggered my babydoll's memory again. When that was done, Bella turned to me and held out her arms. I walked into them and hugged her close. She looked so fucking young and innocent. I wanted to pick her up and carry her away from all the bullshit in our lives, but I knew that I couldn't do that. Jasper was waiting outside the door when we walked out. He wrapped his arm around Bella and handed her the monster. My babydoll beamed and kissed the mewling cat. I attempted to pet it, but as usual, the fucking thing damn near shredded my fingers. Bella smiled sympathetically and took Jasper's hand. Jasper and I had noticed Bree's awful hunch when she got out of the car, so I arranged for the doctor to look at her too. My babydoll was worried the whole fucking time. I showed her pictures of our wedding to distract her. Jasper and I took turns filling in the gaps of Bella's memory. It hurt me to see my wife so lost and broken. For the billionth time since I'd known her, I felt inadequate. Bella had already told me that she didn't remember anything except waking up wet in James' 'fortress' as she called it. Pretty soon it would be his fucking crematorium because I was about to burn that motherfucker alive after I tortured his ass. She told us about how Alec got her out. That shocked the fuck out of me. There were still a lot of motherfucking questions to be answered. We still didn't know how Bella got out of the car or what happened to Jane. There wasn't a body. When Felix called to say that he'd found Bella, I was laid up in a hospital in Greece. I'd gotten shot storming into the shit storm that was going on with our Family's connection there. Luckily the bullet passed straight through my chest and didn't hit any major organs. I didn't believe him. I thought my godfather's had put him up to some bullshit to keep me hanging on, but when he sent the picture… It was like I'd been in the gas chamber awaiting imminent death and at the last fucking moment, a reprieve came. My doctors had been upset because I made them stitch my ass up tight and got on a fucking plane to Moscow that same day. Jasper was beside himself and so was Jake. We'd left him in Athens to do recon. He cried hard when I sent him the picture text of 'Bells'. "Babydoll, you mentioned that James has a brother, but none of our intelligence shows that there is a brother." My angel scrunched up her cute little nose. "Hmmm, I'm not sure why. Riley looks a lot like James, but his blue eyes are kind, whereas James'…. Alec said James would never kill Riley because he needs him as

a heir, and because James is gay, he can't…" I stood up. "What? James is gay! Fucking hell! We don't know shit about the Russians, do we?" She shrugged. "That's why he took me. He would say stuff… You killed a man named Laurent? That was his lover." Jasper choked on his water. "My god! It explains so much when you think about it," he said. I nodded. "Yeah, the fucked up way he treated women…the retaliation.. I would bet Daddy Sokolov didn't condone James' homosexuality." "He didn't. That's why James hates women. He blames us because he can't get an erection with a female. That's why…" she stopped, clamming up. I knelt down in front of her. "That's why, what?" Jasper rubbed her back. "Go on, Bells. We're here for you; whatever you need." Sitting down on the couch, I pulled her into my lap. "Please, babydoll," I need to know it all," I whispered. "Before Riley and after he found out… He would take me down to this basement room. It only had one window facing the sea and there were bugs everywhere. He'd leave me down there for a few days on that filthy mattress and the ants… they'd bit me until I'd just pass out from the pain…" I pulled my hair until I got a fucking migraine. "Go on, babydoll." "Well, um, eventually, he'd decide that I had enough. He talked about raping me in front of you…" Both Jasper and I snarled. "and feeding our baby to his evil dogs. I was so scared…" I kissed her forehead, trying to keep back the fucking tears that threatened to fall. Jasper gave up on his fight and started all out sobbing as he stroked my babydoll's knee. "If I let him do stuff, he'd give me a reward. I'd strip and get down on the floor while he would lower his pants…" I cried out, squeezing Bella so hard she squeaked. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! He's a dead man! I'm going to…" she soothed me with a kiss so sweet, it could melt the coldest heart. "Then he…would…urinate on me," she finished. I was so angry that I thought I may have misunderstood her. "He fucking peed on you! That nasty ass piece of shit! The things I'm going to do to his ass will make that look like a day at the motherfucking park!" I bellowed. I scooped Bella into my arms and towards the stairs, barking orders to my men as I passed. My babydoll held her little kitten under her chin and leaned into me. I vaguely heard her ask about Bree. Jasper promised that he would take care of her. The mansion was decorated garishly. It belonged to a half Russian-half Italian Mobster that was a part of

our alliance. James' father had never considered him a part of the Russian outfit, so he befriended the Italians. Marcus had gotten into contact with him to arrange our stay. The bedroom had a king-sized bed covered in a brand new gold comforter set. There were two huge ass televisions mounted on the wall and a blue sectional with tables in the middle. It screamed Mafioso. I set Bella down on the bed so that I could run us a nice bubble bath. The jacuzzi tub was big enough for twelve people and the massing jets were going to be perfect for my babydoll's sore body. When I got back to the bedroom, Bella was using a medicine dropper to feed her kitten. My fucking ass was so pussy whipped that I almost said "Awww" aloud. Thank god I managed to catch myself. They were pretty fucking adorable, though. Bella wanted Onyx to be with Bree, so I called Felix up to come and take her down. He and Bella joked just like old times before he was off. Of all the people that worked for me, I felt Felix and Kate were the most loyal. Sadly my man Dee was still in a coma. I'd given up hope of him ever coming to. After that, I picked Bella up and carried her to the bathroom. She fussed over the blood seeping through my bandages. I promised her that I'd have someone re-stitch me after the bath. Honestly, I barely felt the fucking pain. All my senses were filled with my babydoll and her needs. She stood quietly as I undressed her. When she was fully nude, I stood up and kissed her hard. "I wish like hell that I could remember you, Edward," she sighed. I pulled her into my arms, kneading her ass cheeks as we tongue fucked each other. It had been too fucking long. I slanted my lips so that I could taste more of her delicious mouth. She ground her pussy into me and groaned. My hand dropped as I dipped one finger into her wet folds from the back. She was still fucking tight as hell and I loved that shit. I began working my fingers in and out of her slowly as she clung to me. "Babydoll, let's…. let's get in the bathtub before I fuck you right here," I said, gasping for air. She sauntered past me and stepped into the foamy water. "Who says I don't want you to 'fuck me right here'. My babydoll saying 'fuck' was the hottest shit ever. I was so fucking happy that my little tigress was still in there. My clothes came off in record time. Bella's deep chocolate eyes turned charcoal black as they traveled from my bare chest to my hard as hell cock. When she saw the tattoo of her name over my heart, she began to cry. "I love you, so it's only natural your name would be over my heart. I was fucking dead without you. I can't live in a world where you don't exist. You own every part of me. I'll never be worthy of the miracles you grant me, but I'll always try to make you happy. Ti amo, babydoll," I cooed, guiding her into my arms. Luckily, my son had decided to finally take a nap. I sat down in the water and helped Bella get comfortable in my lap. "Non posso vivere senza voi."

"What does that mean, Edward? It sounded beautiful." I kissed her smooth shoulder. "That's for me to know and you to find out. I'm going to have to teach you and Dante Italian at the same time." She giggled and rested her head on my shoulder. "Hmmm, that sounds good. In my dreams he's so beautiful. It breaks my heart to wake up without him. I can't wait until he's born." We bathed each other, talking and laughing just like we used to. I washed my babydoll's long, beautiful chestnut hair as I told her the story of us. I purposely left out all the parts where I was a fucking dumbass. I hoped that she wouldn't remember that shit. "So, I worked for you and now we're married? That's kind of weird. And you're the only man I've made love with?" I palmed her wet breasts. "Yep, the one and only, babydoll. I'm also the only man to see you naked besides that motherfucker…" Bella looked down and began playing with the bubbles. "Um, no you're not." I lifted her face with my thumb. "Who else has seen your body, babydoll?" She cringed from the roughness in my voice so I rubbed her back and asked again, this time with a softer voice. "Riley. James was going to keep punishing me. Riley came home from college and when he found out, he decided to help me. We, um, had to pretend to, um,… The last time James watched. He figured out that we were faking and he shot Riley in the kneecap. I haven't seen him ever since… Please, we have to help him, Edward!" She was crying and shaking again. So many emotions were going though my mind that I thought I would burst from it all. There was shame, guilt, sadness, but most of all, anger. I wasn't angry at Riley, just the whole fucked up situation in general. I promised her that I would do my best about Riley. It was still surprising that James had two siblings. If Riley was as good as Bella claimed, then he would be the prefect choice to lead the Russian outfit. Then, baby Sasha could take her place as a Mafia Princess, or Mafiya Princessiola as the Russians referred to them. Although Tanya and I hadn't gotten along, I felt like I owed it to her daughter to make sure that she'd have her rightful place in our world. Plus, it was a sort of fucking penance for all the shit I'd done lately. I rubbed Bella's back to calm her down. Those touches turned into heated kisses, and before I knew it, my babydoll was turned around trying to hump my knee. I caressed her belly as she continued to rub herself against me. Our tongues and bodies were on fire. We were probably at least ten fucking degrees hotter than the goddamn bathwater. My babydoll licked the inside of my ear and tugged on my hair. I almost lost my shit. Just when I thought the torture couldn't get any worse, she moved her hot little hand to my aching dick.

"Edward, I want you to make love to me. I want to forget everything and just feel you. Please," she begged, licking my neck. I squeezed her breast with one hand and her ass with the other. Everything was rounder and more defined. I loved the look and feel of her pregnant body. I'd always thought men who watched pregnant porn were perverts, but now… "Fuck, I want you!" I yelled, grabbing one of the bath pillows and putting it at the bottom of the tub. I positioned Bella so that she was on her knees leaning over the edge of the tub. I made sure that it was cushioned with a thick towel and another bath pillow, just in case. She reached back and played with my cock as I set us up. "Babydoll, if you want me to actually get my dick inside of you, you need to keep your hands to yourself." She laughed and laid her head on her crossed arms. "Okay, I'll be good, but only because I want you so bad." The need to taste her pussy was consuming me, but I knew there would be time for that later. I reached around front and dipped a finger in Bella's hot center. She moaned and backed into me. I rewarded her by rubbing her clit hard. She shivered and held my hand in place. I laved soft kisses over her delectable neck and collarbones. My dick was throbbing for attention, but I needed to give my babydoll some tenderness. She and I held hands as I guided my cock into her pussy. It was sweet-fucking-nirvana. Her pussy was even tighter and wetter than I remembered. I tried to go slow, thrusting into her easily, but her cries of bliss egged me on. "Edward! Fuck! I…I shouldn't say that… I'm going to be a mother…Harder!" She cried. She turned her face around so that we could kiss on the lips. We practically ate each other's fucking faces. Then, she reached down and played with my balls as I pounded her sweet pussy into oblivion. Water sloshed over the edge and got on the floor. Neither one of us gave a fuck. "Your pussy… heaven! Yeah…you're going to be a total MILF. I'll… Fuck! I'll have to fight the motherfuckers off your ass, just like usual," I said, gyrating my hips. My babydoll came hard. Her pussy squeezed my dick so hard, I was afraid it was going to fall off. "I love you, Edward," she screamed as pleasure rocked her body. I pumped two more times before my dick spewed. I held onto Bella, groaning in her neck as we milked each other dry. After that, I was spent. I pulled Bella into my arms and began to finger her again. She helped guide my hands and looked into my eyes the whole time. When her iris' turned black, I knew that she was done. Her orgasm shook the both of us. We were snoring lightly when someone knocked on the door.

I opened one eye. "Whoever is at the door has one minute to fuck off!" "Dude, I just came to see if you were done hogging my baby sis. Your mom and everyone back home is blowing up my phone. They want to see Bella too," Jasper said. My babydoll sighed. "Um, can I eat first? I''m really hungry, especially now." My ass was beat. I was about to be thirty in a month, but I felt like I was fucking ninety. At this rate, my babydoll was going to fucking kill me, but what a way to go." She managed to stand and help me up. Women were fucking better at shit than men. I had to admit it. That was why God gave them the hard jobs, such as carrying children and taming arrogant motherfuckers like me. Fortunately, I'd sent someone to buy us a bunch of clothes. I helped Bella put on a Hockey sleep shirt and a pair of boy shorts. Then I threw on some boxers and pajama pants, leaving my chest bare. One of our medical people came in a few minutes later and stitched me up. My babydoll watched me from the bed with wide eyes. I assured her that I didn't feel the shit. The guy left the bandage off so the wound could breathe. After that, I made a call to the kitchen downstairs. Ten minutes later, a tray of pizza was brought up. There was also a brand new package of chocolate chunk cookie dough, Bella's favorite, and sparkling grape juice. She clapped her hands and beamed at me. Her brown eyes sparkled as she lifted a slice of supreme pizza into the mouth. Oddly enough, when she was eating, she made the same noises that she made when we had sex. When she'd cleared two slices, Bree came into the room. She had on a new sweater and comfortable pants. Bella motioned her to take a seat, offering her a slice of pizza. We ate, laughed, and talked. Pretty soon, Jasper came in to join us, bringing his phone with him. My babydoll took turns talking to everyone when her mouth wasn't full. Di and my mom were probably soaking a goddamn ocean from all their blubbering. Alice was so excited that I could feel the electricity over the phone. I feared for Bella once they saw her again. Carlisle talked to his 'daughter in law' and asked some medical questions. He insisted on examining Bella for himself when she got home. Rose, Em, and their kids were also very happy to have Bella back. Even Kate and Garrett called. Bella was fascinated with the picture of Sasha they sent over. Her eyes watered. I kept reminding everyone that Bella had no memory, but no one seemed to care. She was our angel and she was back where she belonged. After awhile, the conversations turned to onesies, breast pumps, and birthing procedures. I lost my fucking appetite. However, my babydoll continued to shovel food in her mouth at an alarming speed as she answered questions. When I saw her trying to cover a fucking yawn, I told everyone that she had to go and that they'd see her the next day. They all pouted. Tough shit. Bree was also tired, so Jasper went to show her to the bedroom. Thankfully, she agreed to keep the demon with her for the night. When I called it that, Bella hit me on the arm and hissed. I kissed her to apologize.

A maid came to take our tray, leaving the cookie dough. She offered to cut it, but Bella insisted that it stay in its regular shape. I watched her peel back the wrapping and take a huge bite. She closed her eyes and shivered. "Thank you so much, Edward. I've been craving this for so long," she said, motioning to her desert. I crawled to the end of the bed until I was between her shapely thighs. "Hmmm, how would you like to give me what I've been craving?" Her eyes widened. "You want to… Now?" I nodded and stood up to fluff her pillows before resuming my spot. "Just keep eating your cookie dough and let me do all the fucking work, babydoll." Before she could protest further, I lowered her underwear and buried my face in her pussy. With the first lick, I was hooked again. My fucking cock began to get hard. Bella gasped and pulled on my hair. "That feels so good. More please." I nibbled lightly on her swollen outer lips before tonguing the slit forcefully. She moaned and continued eating, but her breathing sped up considerably. "Do you like this, Bella? Can you remember who owns your pussy?" I asked as I licked her clit. "You….you do, Edward. Only you." I kissed the sensitive skin of her silky thighs and inserted a finger inside of her. She bucked against me. As I inserted another finger, she began riding my tongue. I would stay just shy of where she wanted me. "I love you, babydoll. Come for daddy," I cooed. That was all it took. She clamped her thighs together and came hard around my fingers. I kept lapping her clit until she had another small orgasm. After awhile she stopped shaking and went limp. I disentangled myself and crawled up the bed. Bella's hair was covered in the cookie dough that she still had clutched to her breast. She was also completely passed out. I patted myself on the back, proud that I still had that effect on her ass. After I cleaned her up and put the cookie dough away in the minifridge, I crawled into bed, spooning my angel. "Goodnight, babydoll. I love you more than words can ever say," I whispered, pulling the comforter over us. Then I leaned down and kissed her stomach. "And I love you, too, son. Sorry if your mom and I made too much noise. You'll get used to it." That night, Bella woke up a million times. If it wasn't a trip to the bathroom to relieve her tortured bladder, it was a fucking nightmare. She'd wake up disoriented, not knowing where she was. One time, I had to call Bree to get her to calm down. I hated that shit. Bella had always talked in her sleep, but now she cried and begged. It always led to her waking up screaming, bathed in sweat. I washed her off with a cool cloth and put her back to bed.

When I awakened, we were spooning. There was a sliver of sun shining through the curtains. Bella had taken her underwear off during one of the bathroom trips so she was naked underneath the shirt. I stood up and took off my boxers. Then, I laid back down and lifted my babydoll's leg, guiding my dick into her center. I needed the connection after all the bullshit of the night. She stirred, opening her eyes. I was afraid that she would push me away, but she leaned back into me. We moved slowly, sensually, grinding into each other like it was the last time we'd ever fuck. I buried my hand in Bella's hair as I thrust into her over and over again. She squeezed my thigh. "Edward…so good. You make it go away. I love you," she whispered as I kissed her neck. I brought my arm around so that I could play with her nipples. I knew that they were sensitive due to the pregnancy. We both came at the same time. My hand was on Bella's stomach so I felt Dante kick as she orgasmed. I laughed. "Uh oh, I think we woke him up." Bella giggled and pulled me down for a kiss. "Don't you mean you woke him up? I think it's time for you to feed me." We fucked in the shower, which wasn't as hard as I thought it would be when we factored in the seat. My babydoll wanted to give me a blowjob, but I was too spent after making sure that she was happy, so I took a fucking rain check. After that, we dressed and went downstairs. Bree and Jasper were seated and already eating. Bella retrieved her pet and spent half of breakfast trying to get the demon to not scratch me. Onyx even liked Jasper. Bella blamed me and said that if I tried harder, I'd win the kitten over. I barely resisted rolling my eyes. Unfortunately, my babydoll protested going home without me. I promised her that I would stay safe. We kissed and talked for a long time. It bothered me that she didn't have her wedding rings or necklaces anymore. I was almost certain that James would have them and I was determined to get him back. It wasn't about the cost, it was about the sentiment. I wanted her to have the rings I'd given her on those special days. The drive to the air strip was quiet. We had to use a different one because there were even more spies and snitches in Moscow. I carried Bella onto the plane. This time I wasn't sad because I had a feeling in my fucking gut that we'd be fine. I kissed her until the Pilot came to tell us that it was time for takeoff. Jasper wanted to get revenge for his sister too, but I put him on the plane. I told him that Bella needed him more. Besides, the cold as hell revenge bullshit wasn't really for men like Jake and Jasper. They had the physical strength to do it, but it killed something deep inside of them. Walking away from my babydoll and our son again was the hardest fucking thing I'd ever had to do, but I did it for them. They deserved to have a happy future. Now that I had something to go home to, I planned to be a lot more careful. After the plane was in the air, I texted Bella.

"I love you, babydoll. You own me. Don't be sad because soon we'll be back in each other's arms. Ti amo," -EI knew that she would see it sometime later and that it would make her smile. My driver took off like a bat out of hell, the minute I entered the car. I knew shit was about to get ugly. Felix was at the front gate when we pulled up. He had the Uzi ready to fire. I nodded to him through the window as we passed. When we got to the driveway, I knew why there was so much security. Marcus, Caius, and many other members of our Family were at the table. I'd just stepped into a Cosa Notra meeting. Since this was a formal meeting, I kept my suit jacket on and kissed Marcus' ring finger before I took the seat at his right. Caius was on the other end of the table holding court. Everyone at the meeting was a Don. I briefly wondered why they'd travel to Russia instead of meeting in Chicago. We spoke in Italian the first few minutes, sharing the honorary quotes. Everyone was heavily armed. Marcus rang a bell and linguini was bought out. I didn't have an appetite so I played with my food. When everyone was done, Marcus stood up. "Edward, we are so happy to have our daughter and future grandson back. Your work, while bloody, was seen as necessary. You have shown yourself to be the man that I always knew that you could be." Caius stood up, taking a sip of his wine. "Today, we come to bestow an honor upon you that few will ever have the privilege to experience. Since neither Marcus nor I have children nor are likely to in the future, we'd like to offer you the position of Mafia Don. That means that you rule the Volturi with us. Should the day come when we are too ill or dead to contribute, you become leader of the Volturi Family. We know that you are a Cullen in namesake, and Carlisle is a good man, You don't have to change your name, but you do have to swear allegiance to the Family" I was stunned. I expected this one day, but not now. All the men stood up and held up their wine glasses towards me. "Chi lar dura la vince," they said in unison. I raised my glass with tears stinging my eyes. "I'm fucking honored. I gladly accept." Marcus clapped me on the back before I was stormed by the other men. Caius brought out the ceremonial knife with the Italian Horn embroidered on the front. Marcus cut my hand, spilling the blood into a chalice of wine. We passed around the cup, each man taking a sip. When it got to me I downed the whole thing. After that, my Family took turns ribbing me and giving me advice about being a good father and husband. Almost all the fucking men were married and had multiple kids. It was tradition to get a Sicilian cross tattooed on your arm when you became a Don, but since I'd been shot not too long ago, everyone agreed that I could put it off for a while. I told the Organization what I'd found out about James. It turned out that James' dad hadn't raised Riley. His real mother kept him away from the Sokolov's but after she died, James and his dad took control of

his finances and forced him into their fold. He hadn't grown up in the world so few people knew about him. I had someone fetch the champagne so that we could toast my new position. "Noi non potemo avere perfetta vita senza amici," When that was over, Marcus stood up. "There's just one more thing you have to do, Edward." He waved his hand and a guard brought out someone in a sac. The person was wiggling and trying to get loose. Caius walked over, opening the bag. I choked when I saw the wild, red, curly hair and realized who it was. "Victoria? What the fuck?" "This is the person that has been selling guns and spreading the date rape drug through HADES. We caught her red-handed. She was also taking payouts from the dirty DEA that were hoping to take you down." He put a semiautomatic Glock in my hand. "Shoot her in the head. We'll call someone to dispose of the body." Victoria's eyes popped. "Please, oh god, anything, but that!" "Why?" I asked dumbly. "I used to date James. I thought we had something, but he only used me so that I could get a job in the club. After we fucked and you dumped me, I decided to get even by running my own enterprise. I wanted to bring you down a notch. You and your little bitch!" I almost slapped her. "Well, you failed, cunt! Bella is alive and we're having a baby." She closed her eyes as I cocked the gun. I wanted to pull the trigger, but then I thought of my babydoll and our son. Could I look them in the eye after doing this? My rule had always been no women and no children. "Shit!" I yelled, handing the gun back to Marcus. "I can't. No women and no children. I want her ass to suffer, but I won't end her life. If that means I can't be a Don, then so be it." Caius clapped his hand and stepped forward. "Well done, Edward. Aro would be so proud. That was the test. Any man can show hate, but few can show compassion. Congratulations, son," he said, kissing my cheek. We decided that Russian prison was harsh enough for Victoria. One of our men drove her to the local authorities. She would come up in the database as a wanted fugitive and serve at least thirty years. We'd make sure she didn't get extradition. After that, we sat down to make plans on the best way to get into James' fortress. I was just coming from the bathroom when I heard a loud blast. "Oh shit!" I said, palming my SIG.

Sounds of gunfire and bombings filled the air. I could smell the smoke, meaning that the enemy was in the house. A bullet narrowly missed my head. I aimed my Sig and fired at the motherfucker's head. He was wearing an ugly ass Russian military uniform. As I went through the house, dodging bullets and taking out motherfuckers, I noticed that all the men had on a similar outfit. I crouched down low and crawled to the nearest exit as I refilled my clip. I was a little rusty, but I managed to take out four motherfuckers quick. An adrenaline rush swept through my body so that I felt no pain. Eventually, the whole army of Russians were either dead or injured. Felix had one of the live ones by the hair. Marcus demanded answers. The cocky little shit had a mouth full of blood that dribbled down his face, staining his uniform. "I asked you a question, you sack of shit!" Marcus barked, socking him in the stomach. The grunt's laughter turned maniacal. He was creeping me the fuck out. Felix dropped and kicked the guy in the stomach, but he still kept laughing. I figured that his ass was probably high on heroin or some shit. Suddenly another grunt ran into the room. I shot him in the head before he could get too far. The guy under Felix's shoe just laughed. I watched in horror as he took something out of his pocket. He looked from me to the dead guy and then laughed. "What is that word Americans say to describe bombing?" He asked in thick Russian brogue. "Shit!" I screamed. He laughed harder. "Now, you will let me and my men go, or we all go BOOM!" My phone buzzed, distracting me from the utter fuckery that was happening right now. Numbly, I clicked on the screen. There was a text from my babydoll. "I love you too, Edward. We're almost to Seattle. Please come home and never leave me and your son again. We miss you. He's kicking right now. Remember I still owe you a licking. xoxoxo" -BI pulled my fingers through my hair and raised my SIG. "Is that all you got, motherfucker? I'm the motherfucking angel of death and your time is up," I bellowed before pulling the trigger. ~*!*~ Relevant Chapter Translations: Noi non potemo avere perfetta vita senza amici—We cannot have a perfect life without friends (Dante) Chi lar dura la vince—He that endureth overcome Non posso vivere senza voi.—I can't live without you ~*!*~

Chapter Thirty-One ~ I’m Yours Part 2 "You touch these tired eyes of mine And map my face out line by line And somehow growing old feels fine I listen close for I'm not smart You wrap you thoughts in works of art And they're hanging on the walls of my heart I may not have the softest touch I may not say the words as such And though I may not look like much I'm yours And though my edges may be rough And never feel I'm quite enough It may not seem like very much But I'm yours…" --I'm Yours - The Script EPOV My bullet took out the dumb motherfucker in an instant. Felix pulled the detonator from his hand before the body took the last breath. The man that helped rescue my babydoll, Vladimir, had already warned us that he'd replaced James' bomb making materials with fakes. I knew that even if the bastard pressed the button, the dead guy wasn't going to blow up. Our men rounded up the motherfuckers left and lined them up for questioning. I wiped my brow, feeling fucking older than my years. All I wanted to do was kill James and go home to my babydoll. There was already an ache in my chest from her absence. "Edward, my boy, you are very much your father's son. He used to love to scare the shit out me too," Caius said, putting his gun away. I grinned. "My motto is go fucking big or take your ass home. Sorry, Cai. I knew that the asshole wasn't strapped with a real bomb." Marcus laughed. "That's why we asked you to head the Organization when we're gone. The Volturi didn't get to where it is today by doing things half-assed. I know that you're going to make me proud. Aro always used to say that you would grow up to be even better than your father." "I hope I'm a better father than my dad. He was a hero in our world, but he fucking left my mom to do all the major shit. I never realized how much she had to do alone until I got older. Now that I have Bella and Dante..." Marcus and Cai looked up. "Dante?" They said in unison. I combed my fingers through my fucking hair. No matter what I did, that shit never stayed down. "Yeah, Bella picked it. Dante is her favorite fucking poet. I think it fits."

They both smiled. "It does. Dante Cullen. It's a good strong name. Our Bella has exquisite taste. I really couldn't ask for a better wife for you, Edward," Marcus said fondly. Caius clapped me on the back. "I totally agree. Bella is strong, beautiful, and not afraid to kick your ass. She's going to make a wonderful mother." Hearing my godfathers say such wonderful things about my wife made my heart swell with pride. I knew how fucking fantastic my babydoll was and I was just glad that others could see it too. I would never get over the fact that someone as sweet and kind as her wanted my ass. All I could do was spend the rest of my days trying to be the man she needed me to be. I was still musing when Felix came over to interrupt our conversation. "Boss, we need to move you out of here. The local authorities are on their way. Some of them are on James payroll." Several guards loaded me, Marcus, and Caius into bulletproof cars. We were all so fucking pussy whipped now. Di had Marcus on a leash for years so he was used to the shit. Now, Caius had Dr. A. to add to the mix. I smirked at them before taking out my own phone to call Bella. She picked up on the second ring. "Edward," she said groggily. "Sorry, babydoll. I didn't know you were sleeping. Go back. I'll talk to you later." She sniffled. "No, I'm awake. I just had a hormonal pregnant woman moment when I saw a diaper commercial. Everyone is here. Your family is beautiful and so nice. Dr. Cullen keeps measuring my belly every few hours. No one will let me walk anywhere or do anything. It's all very overwhelming because I don't know them. They miss you. Bree is worried about Riley. Please, Edward, get him out alive if you can. I love you. Dante is kicking right now. He loves the sound of your voice." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I love you and Dante so fucking much, babydoll. I know my family can be...smothering, but they love you. Please, just be patient with them. I can't wait to be home with your and my son. I promise that I will do my best about Riley. James, however, is a fucking dead man. I'm going to make him pay for all the shit he's done to you. Just relax, eat, and rest. I'll be home in two days. Ti amo, babydoll." I heard a loud "meow" on the other end of the line. I listened patiently as my babydoll cooed and shuffled around. "Sorry, that's just Onyx. She misses you too, Edward." I rolled my eyes. That demon missed me like a fucker misses a tumor. I was not looking forward to Edward and kitten bonding part-fucking-two. "I have to go now, Bella. Get some rest. I'll be back with you before you know it." "I'll be counting the minutes. I love you. I love you. I love you. Stay alive! I swear if...if you...if you leave me alone, I'll never..." she trailed off, hiccuping. The phone clicked and then a new person came on. "Sorry, Edward. She's been crying every five minutes. I can't wait until you come home, dude. It kills me to see her in tears. Stay safe," Jasper advised before hanging up. When I looked up, both Cai and Marcus were staring at me.

"What?" I asked self consciously. Marcus shrugged. "It's nothing... You're just so different. The way you speak to Bella... Are you even aware that you shed a few tears while you were on the phone." I started to deny it, but when I reached up, I noticed that my eyes were indeed moist. It was fucking embarrassing to be caught crying in front of my godfathers, but I hadn't even noticed it at the time. Hearing my babydoll so sad and worried made me feel fucking sick. "We're not making fun of you, son. It's just strange for us to see. You've been a hard ass for son long. Is Bella all right?" Caius asked, handing me a silk handkerchief. I took the offered garment. "She's good. She just misses me. It's hard on her because she doesn't fucking know anyone. I don't how we're going to cope. What if her memory never comes back? We have a baby on the way, and we've missed a lot of shit because of her kidnapping. It's a lot to handle." Marcus tossed me a bottle water. "All that matters is that yo and Bella love each other. Di and I have been through a lot of shit. I'd go through it all again just to have her. Life isn't perfect by any means, but you have to make the most of it." Caius teased him for talking like their father. Aro had been a man of few words, but those few words were filled with good advice. I thought about their words all the way to our new location. We were headed to a warehouse to talk to Vladimir. It was time for us to infiltrate James' fortress and take his ass out. I vowed to burn the devil's pit to the ground before I left Russia or die trying. It was a half an hour later when we pulled up to a warehouse. I recognized some of my men as well as some members of our alliance out front. There were flags on some of the cars with the Russian one being the most prevalent. Several men stopped to stare as Marcus and Caius got out of the SUV. They were very well known in the Mafia world and treated with a lot of respect. Hands were kissed and backs pat as we walked into the building. A tall, stocky dark haired man with a thick Russian accent came to greet us. I noticed that he had a heart shaped locked around his neck. A taller and more muscular young man with dark eyes trailed behind him. Felix shook their hands before introducing us. "Edward, this is Vladimir Karenko and his son Nahuel. They are the grain boat operators who got Bella out of James' house. As you know Vladimir has been helping us." Caius and Marcus shook both of the men's hands before going to talk to some other Dons. I grasped Vladimir's hand tightly in my own. "You have no fucking clue how happy you made me. Thank you for what you risked to save my wife and baby. I promise that you'll never have to worry about a damn thing again." He nodded. "I just did for her what I wish I could have done for my own wife. The only thing I want is to see James and the empire his father built destroyed. They are responsible for many innocent deaths. Enough about those things. How is Bella? Did she make it home okay?" The son, Nahuel, began to sign furiously after his father's question. Vladimir laughed. "As you can see, my son is quite fond of Bella too. He's been asking about her since we got separated. What the fuck? How many fucking men am I going to have to fuck up for touching my babydoll, I thought bitterly.

I gritted my teeth to calm the fuck down. "She's at home with my family. I wanted her away from here before shit got too bad. She's doing great." Nahuel looked me in the eyes as he signed something to his dad. Vladimir looked afraid when he turned to face me again. "He wants to see Bree and Bella with his own yes. Uh, he does not trust your word. I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen. He is young..." I looked the fucker straight in the eye. I wanted to kick his ass because he obviously had a thing for my wife, but I held myself back. "I swear to you, Nahuel. I put Bella and my baby's safety way before mine. When all this shit is over...," I took a deep breath, "you can come to America and visit her. I do warn you that if you lay one fucking finger on my babydoll, I'll slit your throat." Vladimir growled before holding up his hand. "There is no need for threats, Mr. Cullen. Nahuel likes Bella because she reminds him of his mother, who died when she was pregnant. Bella has similar eyes. I do think he has a bit of a crush on Ms. Bree, though." Nahuel lowered his eyes and if his skin wasn't so dark, I would have bet that he blushed. After that, things were easier between us. Vladmir gave my men and our Russian allies, the coordinates for James' fortress. It was heavily armed but less so now that he'd launched his attacked. A few of James' uncles were at the meeting. They donated some men and guns to the cause. They were all as old as shit so they didn't want to be in the middle of a Mafia war. They were also greedy motherfuckers and wanted the money that James had been hiding from the Family. When the meeting was done, I called to check on Bella. She was asleep so I talked to my parents. Carlisle assured me that my babydoll was just fine. I trusted his fucking judgment over anyone because Dante was his grandchild. I knew that he would do anything to take care of Bella in case something happened. I spent the rest of the night practicing with my sword and getting ready for the morning raid. Marcus, Cai, and I announced our news to the Russian outfit. Since I was now a Don, men bent to kiss my ring. I knew some of them from childhood when they used to deal with my father. There were congratulations all around before bottles of a sweet Russian vodka called, arak, was passed around. I only took enough sips to make me brave. My stomach was fucking gnawing at itself so I didn't eat. When Marcus noticed, he gave me a plate of steak and borscht and demanded I eat it all. I had to admit that I did feel better after the dinner. Shortly after, I retired for a few hours of sleep. I fucking tossed and turned thinking of my babydoll. When I woke up, my dick was as hard as rock and I was hugging a fucking pillow for dear life. I wrapped my hands around my cock and took out phone, where I had a naked picture of Bella. I spit on my hand and got to work. Just remembering how it felt to be inside her sweet pussy got me off. I came in record time, sobbing her name. After that, I took a quick shower and got dressed. I chose a pair of black jeans, a Grim Reaper t-shirt, and the black Burberry jacket that I'd worn during all the stops on my death mission. I tucked my babydoll's hair into my suitcase. Now that I'd had the real thing in my hands again, I no longer needed the reminder. Bella was alive and well and waiting for my ass to man up, handle shit, and get home. I would not fail her again. Marcus and Caius were waiting for me when I came out of the room. I didn't consider myself fucking religious at all, but I allowed the priest there to say a rosary for my ass. After a bunch of Hail Mary's and

a large fucking check being cut, we were off. At least now if I die, I might actually go to heaven. We boarded several planes at a secret airbase. It was like a fucking military operation. Felix, who had served in the Marines, was perfectly suited for the mission. He commanded the men with an ease that surprised me. I knew that he would be my right hand man once we got back because Demetri was already fucking dead. His body was only being kept alive by god-damned chemicals. The flight seemed short. When we got off the plane, we were loaded onto boats. This was James' land so I didn't dare bring my phone. I trusted that my family and bodyguards were keeping my babydoll safe. My godfathers kept making sure I was prepared for what we were about to do. We were all wearing bullet proof vests under our clothes. Marcus told stories about the last Mafia war that he'd lived through. It was between rival Italians so it was different from the current shit. I read Dante all the way to the fortress. His poems spoke to my black soul. I was reading Purgatorio when our men announced that we'd arrived. I closed the book and took out my SIG. It was the same gun that had killed my previous greatest enemy, the man that killed my father, and now it would end James' life. I had a special silver bullet with my name engraved in the chamber for when that time came. It was only right because I'm the motherfucking angel of death. The Volturi guards and our allies spread out across the rocky cliff. We had climbers that were to place bombs at the entrance before we all went in. Thanks to Vladimir's instructions, they never saw us coming. I put in my earplugs when the first bomb went off. Massive chunks of rocks rained down from all sides. Then, the bullets started to fly. The important members stayed back while the fucking grunts cleared the paths. I kissed my wedding ring before going into the fray. My first shot took out two motherfuckers on the edge of the cliff. The bullet had hit one and the other got pulled down trying to help him. I let my rage take over. My photographic memory helped me replay my babydoll's words in my head. She had been take and tortured because of me. I would make them all fucking pay. Over the next two hours, I became the fucking devil. I slashed, shot, and pummeled more men than I could count. Blood, sinew, and even fucking teeth were all over my suit. I didn't think about anything except exacting revenge. By the time we made it to James' fortress, I was breathing heavily. Caius kissed my cheek before leading me to a bazooka."You'll do the honors, Edward. It's only right." I lifted the rocket launcher onto my shoulder and blew through James' fucking door. A bunch of men ran out with weapons. I saw Marcus wield his Uzi and then all hell broke loose. I had never been in the military, but I figured it was something like this shit, except with a lot more order. Bodies flew through the air as we occupied the house. James' men put up a decent fight but they were no us. I ran through the house looking for that motherfucker. Lucky for me, I found the asshole, cowering in a fucking blue room. He raised his gun and shot at me. I ducked behind an ugly statue of his father and rolled to my right. "I knew you'd come, Cullen! It's too bad your little bitch isn't here. I wanted to fuck her in front of you before you died. Oh well, I'll still fuck her when you're dead," James yelled, firing off a round. "You're the only asshole that's going to die today, James. You will never get your motherfucking hands on my babydoll again. She was never in danger of you fucking her anyways because you're a fag!"

The room was smokey from all the gunfire, but I could see Jame's ice blue eyes. There wasn't a soul left in them. The fucker really was a monster now. Too bad for him, I was also a fucking monster and I wanted blood. He stood up and began shooting in all directions. I crawled to a far corner and reloaded my gun. I wanted to torture his ass, but if he forced me, I was going to take him out quick. As he was reloading, I took my chance. I used all my strength to leap on him. We sounded like two boulders crashing as we attacked one another. James was no match for me. I wrapped my hands around his throat and squeezed until he passed out. Felix appeared a few minutes later with several other men. They aimed their guns at James. "'Stop! I want him alive," I said, standing up. James was carried out of the room. It was time for phase two of my plan. I was going to torture him for what he did to my babydoll. One of my new guards brought a blond man into the room. He was half dead with gashes all over his body. I assumed he was some type of doctor because he was wearing a lab coat. "Edward, it's...Alec," he squeaked. I walked up to the man and looked in his eyes. I saw no trace of my former bodyguard in the face. "Shoot him, he's lying," I bellowed. The man screamed. "No, it's me. I... I had surgery. I have a brother in the CIA. He helped me get into James' Organization. I... I did it for Bella. Remember, she saved my life." He took a shaky breath. "Remember...remember Italy, when I asked if Bella was high?" I knew then that it really was him. I ordered the men to stand down. "I owe you an apology, Alec, and a lot more. Thank you for getting my babydoll out. Your part is over. I'll take it from here." He closed his eyes and fell into further inspection, Alec was even worse off than I thought. He had several bullet wounds and was bleeding from the head. My men took him out. We had medics among us that could patch him up and get him on a plane. I found my godfathers on the second story of the house. We shared an uncharacteristic hug before rounding up our men. All of James' army was either dead or surrendered. "Congratulations, Edward. Today has been a success. Armed guards are holding James in one of his hospital rooms. I trust that you know what to do," Marcus said, handing me a cloth. I wiped the blood and guts off my face. "I do. Give me a few hours and then we can torch this shit. I want all our enemies to know that we are not to be fucked with. Never again, Marcus. I will never let another motherfucker near my family. I promise." "Necessità 'l ci 'nduce, e non diletto. You're a good man, Edward. You deserve revenge. Remember what you have to go home to. Marcus and I will deal with the fallout from this," Caius said. When my godfathers were gone, I sat down in an empty chair and looked around. The air was heavy with the rusted smell of blood and fresh smoke. I was in the belly of the beast and the beast was at my mercy. My bloodlust was not nearly sated. I craved James' demon blood.

I pulled my Ipod out of my pocket and put on Tool's, Parabola. It had always been of my favorite songs. The lyrics went through my head and washed over me. "We barely remember who or what came before this precious moment, We are choosing to be here right now. Hold on, stay inside This holy reality, this holy experience. Choosing to be here in This body. This body holding me. Be my reminder here that I am not alone in This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal All this pain is an illusion. Alive, I In this holy reality, in this holy experience. Choosing to be here in This body. This body holding me. Be my reminder here that I am not alone in This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal All this pain is an illusion. Twirling round with this familiar parabol. Spinning, weaving round each new experience. Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing. This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality. Embrace this moment. Remember. we are eternal. All this pain is an illusion." "All this pain is an allusion," I repeated quietly. It was time to free myself from this shit so that my family and I could have a brighter future. Later, my men led me to where James was being held. I stripped down to my boxers and handed my clothes to them. Then, I slipped on my brass knuckles and gripped my gun before opening the door. Felix looked me deeply in the eyes. "I'll be outside if you need me, boss. Remember, the sooner this is over, the sooner we can all get home to the club. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss the stripper fights. At least I could handle that shit." I fucking laughed. "Me too, Felix. I promise we'll leave in a few hours. I need to do this, though. It's for Bella and Dante." I opened the door and stepped into the room. It was hot as fuck inside the nine by nine beige colored room. James was nude and strapped down to a stretcher. Fortunately, he was beginning to come to. Let the fun begin. His whole body was covered in bruises and blood. I smiled the sight. I slapped him hard across the face. "Wake up and face your punishement like a man, motherfucker." He groaned and fought against the restraints. "Let me go, Cullen! You always were an arrogant piece of shit. It must kill you to know that I'm better. I've peed on your precious 'babydoll' and she liked it. I saw her nipples harden. She wanted me to fuck her." That did it. I balled my fist up and punched him in the ribs with my brass knuckles. He snarled, showing his sharp white teeth. The motherfucker really was a monster. "You'll pay for that, James. Bella wouldn't touch you if you were the last man on earth, and even if she did, what would you do? It must have ate your dad up inside to know that he had a queer for a son. Tell me, when you and Laurent fucked, were you on the top or the bottom?" I asked, laughing.

He tried his hardest to get to me. I continued pummeling his body, making sure to cause pain but no render him unconscious. I wanted the fucker to feel every bit of pain. "I fucking died! I thought she was dead and you had her the whole time. Bella is my fucking life. I wouldn't expect a piece of shit like you to know how it feels. I thought I lost my wife and baby! She said you were planning to feed our child to your fucking dogs. They're being slaughtered as we speak." The fucker began to laugh insanely. "You'll never get rid of me. Tell me, is she having nightmares? I bet she sees me each time she closes her eyes. I had so much fun with her. I remember one day I just sat by her and stared until she wet herself. I knew she was special that first day when I grabbed her tit. Bella and I will always be together. Forever." I snapped. "Fuck you, asshole," I screamed before socking him in the eye. I laughed when his eyeball disconnected from the socket. "You'll never have my babydoll. She's mine!" My fists pounded James over and over again until my arm gave out. I was covered in his blood and other matter. He alternated between laughing and screaming out in terror. It was a fucking sick scene. I had flashbacks of the day my father was killed and my mind left for a minute. I sat down on the floor and tried to get a fucking grip. When I looked up again, James was looking at me with the one eye that was left. The asshole even still had an ugly fucked-up smile on his face. A few minutes later, Felix walked in. He handed me a bag and piled some things into the corner. The smile dropped from James' face once he saw what the new items were. "Like these, fucker? These are my instruments of torture. You went out of your way to cause my pregnant wife pain and now I'm going to do the same for you." The first thing I saw in the bag was the taser. I set the voltage high enough to cause pain but not high enough to kill. James began to scream, but my mind was so gone that I barely registered it. After dousing him with a bottle of water, I tasered his chest. I planned to work my way down. "Motherfucker! You'll pay for this. My uncles will..." I laughed. "Your uncles are one of the reasons that we're here. How does it feel to know your whole Family betrayed you? They hate you almost as much as I do. You will never leave this room, motherfucker." He tried to get free again. When I got to his dick, he really began to fight. I licked my lips and shocked his balls. "Hmmm, I think I just eradicated all your fucking sperm. How does it feel, asswipe?" James fucking whimpered. "Just...kill...me." I clocked him in the mouth. "You are in no position to make demands. My babydoll begged you, didn't she? Did you stop? Did you give her a fucking break? No. Trust that I'm going to show you the same mercy you showed her." With that, I threw the taser and retrieved my katana. Then, I made deep cuts on James abdomen and thighs. His screams were starting to break through my wall so I stuffed a gag into his mouth.

When I untied him, he was too weak to even sit up. I pushed him off the table onto the ground. He fell hard. It made me happy to hear something crack. I hoped that it was his fucking kneecap. While he was trying to push himself up, I took my dick out of my boxers. "You like to pee on people, don't you, motherfucker? Well, let's see how it feels to be the toilet," I said before urinating all over his back and head. With the shallow cuts, the burn was a million times worse. He wheezed and crawled around, trying to escape. "Fuck...you...Edward and your little bitch too," he whispered, choking on my piss. I finished doing my business and tucked myself back in. All of a sudden, all I wanted was my babydoll. Was she really alive or was this all a dream? I fucking blacked out for a minute. When I came to, James was still in the same spot, but he'd rolled onto his back. I was propped against the corner wall. "It must have killed you that your father loved Riley more than you," I said lighting a cigar. "The Volturi wasn't aware you had any siblings besides Tanya's baby, your half sister. You'll never see that little angel, motherfucker, but I'm going to make sure she gets all the spoils that belong to a principessa." James snorted. "Daddy loved everyone more than me. Riley shouldn't have ever been born. His mom was my uncle's wife. My father, ever the gentleman, raped her when my uncle died. She found out she was pregnant and my fucking father asked her to marry him. Of course, like a cunt, she denied him. I'll never understand why he let her raise Riley. Most in the family believe Riley to be my cousin because he was born soon after my father died. Dear old dad paid that bitch a fortune to keep his secret. He was on thin ice with the Family, and if word of his rape got out, he would have been ruined. He...used to say he was glad that he had Riley so the family name would continue. Well, I have the last fucking laugh because Riley is dead!" I took a puff of my cigar. "You really are a sadistic motherfucker. You killed your father and now your brother. Did you have the fucking guts to shoot Riley or did you have a minion do it?" "I didn't shoot him. I pushed him off the cliff. He betrayed me with your bitch! I thought he was letting her have it and all the time they were playing with me. He had to go!" James bellowed. "Fuck!" It made me fucking sick to think of anyone touching...seeing... my babydoll naked. I fucking growled and picked up the katana. Then, I cut through James' flesh until his leg separated from his body. The amount of blood was unreal. It squirted everywhere, showering my body. I just wiped my eyes and continued sawing. This time I cut off an arm. A little while later, I heard James take his last breath. It was surreal. The blood monster in my soul was finally full. ""Chi la fa l'aspetti," I spat, before pulling the trigger of my SIG Hauer and sending James and his fucking black heart straight to Hell. "Tell the Devil I said hi, motherfucker!" I sat with James dead body for what seemed like hours but may have only been a few minutes. It was done, all the anger and bullshit left in this tiny ass room. Felix knocked on the door. I stood up to let him in. He took one look at me and shook his head. "It's time to go home, boss." I nodded. "It's finished. Has anyone recovered Riley? James said he threw him off the cliff."

"Yeah, we found him, but he's not dead. His knee has been blown to shit, and he's in bad shape, but very much alive. The Volturi want him held at a hospital and then debriefed before we fly him to America," Felix said stoically. I pulled my fingers through my bloody hair. I was fucking gross. "Yeah. I want this place torched, burned to the fucking ground. Riley can come to Seattle with us when he's better. I promised Bella that I would make sure he was safe." When we got outside, Marcus and Caius were surrounded by men. My godftathers always managed to look professional, even after a gunbattle. Marcus was wearing a white Armani suit and Caius was in black Gucci. They both hugged me when I came into view. "It's done?" Marcus asked with worry in his eyes. I slowly nodded. "Completely. I'm ready to go home. Bella could pop out my kid any day. I just want to be there for her." Caius helped me into the car. When we'd come it was dawn, but now it was pitch black outside and cold as shit. Felix handed me a thermos of Columbian coffee before I was hosed down and dried off. I was sleep before the car took off. "Babydoll, I love you so much," I said, watching our son suckle at her tit. She was so fucking sweet and gorgeous. Dante's big green eyes looked up at me. I played with his hair. It was unruly like mine but his had a bit of curl from his mom. He was like my fucking doppelganger or some shit. "I love you too, Edward. Why don't you get some rest. Dante and I will be here when you wake up. Sweet dreams," my angel said, kissing me on the lips. I fell asleep to the soft sounds of my wife's laughter and my son's gurgling. "Bella! Where is she?" I screamed, waking up in a sweat. Someone opened the door and turned on the light. It was Felix. I looked around, finally recognizing my surroundings. "Hey, Edward. We're about eight hours from Seattle. You've been out like a light. You'll be with Bella soon." After he left, I got out of bed and took a long shower. I let the hot water ease my sore muscles. I had lost a lot of weight in the psych ward, so I needed to get back to the gym once I got home. My babydoll loved my fucking chest and I wanted it to be in prime condition for her. Of course, with thoughts of Bella came an erection. I was too fucking tired to rub one out so I just changed the water temperature. Even the cold couldn't quite get rid of Mr. Happy, but it helped. "Soon, boy, soon. I miss pussy heaven just as much as you," I said, palming my cock. Marcus and Cai insisted that I eat, so I did. Our fucking phones were blowing up. The word had gotten out and motherfuckers were scared. They called to suck up, offer protection, and shoot the shit. I got several calls congratulating me on finding my wife alive. Only men in the Mafia and a few select FBI and CIA people knew the shit that had gone down. "Edward, what do you want to do about Jane? The doctor said she can't be moved until next week at the

earliest," Marcus asked, handing me a business card. "Jane? She's alive?" He nodded. "Sorry. There was so much shit going on, I just assumed someone told you. Alec got her out of the fortress. She was brought to Russia with Bella. They planned to sell her organs. Alec and Vladimir obtained organs through a third party and passed them off as Jane's. In reality, she was hidden in a small town near Moscow." I set my fork aside. "Fuck! How...how did she get Bella out of the car?" Caius took the reigns. "I've spoken to her over the phone. She jumped with Bella when the car went off the shoulder. They were clinging to the edge. James had men on the cliff. They were scooped up and taken away during the pandemonium. That's why we thought Bella and Jane died that day." "Holy shit, Jane! Yeah, have her flown to Seattle when she gets better. She saved my babydoll's life twice. I know we have rules about women in our world, but I want Jane named an official Volturi bodyguard. If she's well enough, I'd like her to guard Bella and Dante, Is that all right with you?" I asked, turning to my godfathers. They both agreed. Jane was alive. My babydoll was going to be so fucking happy. Of course, this meant that I would have to see more of Jessica Stanley, but since she didn't like dick anymore, even that shit was okay. Thankfully, Alec was okay too. I knew that he would never come back to America, so I planned to set up an offshore bank account and insert a shitload of money for him. Like, Jane, he'd proven himself. I'd already forgiven him for his earlier betrayal. There was no hate in my heart for anyone that loved my babydoll. I was dozing when I saw the Space Needle come into the view. It was good to be home. I stood up and stretched my legs before we landed. I hadn't called my family or Bella because I wanted to surprise them. A Russian bodyguard helped Marcus and Caius off the plane. He was given to the Volturi by one of James' very grateful uncles. Felix held out his hand to assist me, but I waved him away. As we cruised the familiar streets of my city, I felt happy as a fucking clam. When I rolled down my window, some bitches in the next car began to flirt. I just flashed my wedding band and mouthed, "I'm taken." They were still pouting when we sped away. Our SUV pulled up to mom and Carlisle's house in record time. Since it was almost summer, there were fucking flowers everywhere. My mom had won several awards for her garden. She put a lot of fucking work into i and I was proud of her. I planned to buy my babydoll her dream house so she could have a beautiful garden too. Jasper was in a porch swing with Alice curled in his lap. The minute he saw me, his eyes widened. He nudged my sis and she was off. Her tiny as hell body hit mine going a hundred miles an hour. I picked her up and kissed both of her cheeks. "Edward! It's you! I'm so happy. I've missed you so much," she sobbed, kissing my forehead. Jaz walked over and shook my hand. "Good to see you, Edward. Thank you for...for what you did. I

couldn't have asked for a better husband for my baby sister." I was in danger of having a pussy whipped moment, so I was glad when my mom and Di ran into my arms. They smothered me in kisses and fretted about how I needed a good meal. Eventually, Di spotted Marcus and went to tongue fuck him. Seeing my godparents kiss was like seeing my parents kiss so I looked away. "Oh, my sweet Edward! You're finally home. I'm so proud of you, bambino," mom said, squeezing me to death. Carlisle must have caught my panicked expression because he came to bail me out, pulling mom into his arms. "It's good to have you home, son," he said, giving me a one-armed hug. I smiled. "It's good to be home." Emmett, Rosalie, and their boys were next. I picked up Colin and Brady, kissing them both on their cheeks. They were Dante's cousins. I wanted our family to be close. Emmett gave me an awkward hug. "I'm so glad you're home. Can you take Bella home? I never get any of mom's food because she's eating it all, dude. She's like me times three." Rosalie rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the ribs. "Ignore this goofball, Edward. It's great having Bella back. I never thought I would say this... but i missed you and your fucked up hair. Give me a hug bro," she said, wrapping her arms around me. Soon after, Dr. A and her daughter Penny came out to welcome us home. Caius put the little girl on his shoulders as we stood outside sharing old times and laughing. "Where is my babydoll?" I asked, impatient to see her ass. Mom smiled. "She's sleeping. Alice and Rose had her up late looking at family videos and pictures. She woke up to eat and then went back to sleep." I turned to my dad. "She's okay, isn't she Carlisle?" He laughed. "Typical expectant father. Calm down. She's fine. I've been measuring her frequently. She only needs to gain another five pounds before the birth. I frowned. "Wow, she gained three pounds already! It's only been two days." Emmett groaned. "Which brings us back to my problem. Mom made chicken parmigiana, my favorite meal, last night and I barely got any. Bella ate the whole pan." Rosie huffed. "I thought you said my chicken casserole was your meal." All the men laughed as Emmett turned red. "Daddy in twouble," Colin and Brady chortled as Carlisle took their hands. "It does look that way. I guess me, Marcus, and Caius are going to have to school you young men on the finer points of women," he quipped.

Mom kissed him on the cheek. "Like how we're all perfect and always right?" He nodded. "That and how it's better to lie if it makes your life happy." My family's laughter followed me all the way to the house. I was seated at the table with a plate in front of me before I knew what was happening. Apparently, Di and Esme were having a contest over who could cook the most authentic Italian food. There was enough to feed an army. Plates were passed around and all our men fed. Emmett finally got to eat without my babydoll so he was happy. I told him that I was going to kick his ass for giving her grief. It was just like old times. In the span of a few days, I'd gone from a vicious killer and torturer back to a family man. Alice and Jasper were planning their wedding for the weekend. My sis decided to postpone San Francisco and get married at an exclusive inn by the Ocean. Marcus had a 'talk' with Jasper. He looked scared as shit when he returned, so I knew he'd gotten the Volturi threat. It basically said that if you fuck with one of our principessas, we fuck you up. Of course, Jasper didn't need hte talk, but it was tradition. We were watching ESPN when Bree appeared. She gave me a shy smile before taking a seat at the table. "Hello, Mr. Cullen. I am glad you are home." I leaned back in my chair. "What's up with the Mr. Cullen shit, Bree? Call me Edward. I insist. Are you adjusting well?" She looked at Alice. "Um, your sister has taken me shopping four times. I have more clothes than I ever have in my entire life." When she looked at Esme and Carlisle, her eyes softened. "I love your parents. You are a lucky man Mr.-Edward." "Now you're lucky too because you're a part of this family. Are you already sick of Emmett?" He threw a dinner roll at my head. "Bree bunny loves me, don't you sweetheart?" Her eyes widened. "Um..." Thankfully, Rose came to her rescue. "You don't have to lie. I'm the only idiot that loves this oaf." Emmett pouted until mom cut another slice of pie and placed it on his plate. Then, he was all smiles. Colin and Brady definitely liked Bree. They got in a fight over who would sit in her lap. "Fine! I go to Bebba," Brady said, throwing down his spoon. He started up the stairs with Rose after him. Before he went two steps, the world stopped. My angel was awake and walking down the stairs. Jasper and I almost broke our necks getting to her. I easily lifted her in my arms and carried her down the remaining steps. "Babydoll, you should have called downstairs. You shouldn't be walking." She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck out her pouty lips. I traced them with my tongue before ravaging her mouth. She buried her hand in my hair and moaned. "Ewww. Ed kiss Bebba, mommy," Colin said, looking terrified.

Emmett laughed. "My son is a genius. That was gross, guys. I swear you two always need a room. It's indecent." Alice stuck out her tongue. "Leave Edward and Bella alone, Em. I can't count how many times I watched you and Rose engage in tonsil hockey when I was a teenager." I laughed. "Remember that, because it's how we feel when we see you wrapped around Jasper." Ali blushed. "I... Mom, make Em and Eddie leave me alone!" My parents shared a look. Then they did the unthinkable. They fucking sucked face right at the table. All the kids groaned. Marcus and Cai followed in their example. By the time the kiss fest were over, we were all laughing. My babydoll was wearing a little half jacket thing. I played with her long silky hair and stole kisses when her mouth wasn't full. Suddenly, something moved on her chest. Oh, hell no! "Look, Edward. It's Onyx. She missed you so much," my babydoll squealed, passing the demon to me. I took the kitten and feigned happiness. "Uh, I missed you too, Onyx." True to form, the monster scratched at my fingers until I handed her back to my babydoll. "Oh, well, she'll get used to you soon." Emmett laughed and took the demon from Bella. "Dude, how can you not like, Onyx? She's so cute." "Why does that fucking cat like everyone except me? I don't think I want her around Dante, babydoll," I said, forcefully. She began to sob. "You can't! I love her. She just doesn't like you because she knows you hate her." Mom and Di gave me dirty looks as my babydoll struggled to climb out of my lap. I wrapped my arms around her trembling shoulders and kissed her rosy cheeks. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. No one is going to take Onyx away. Please forgive me, babydoll." After Bella ate about a million fucking cannoli and a pound of pasta, we adjourned to the living room. I was hard as fuck and I just wanted to be inside my babydoll, but the family had other plans. They took turns sharing stories with her. Thankfully, she passed the demon onto Bree. An hour later, Marcus and Caius asked me to meet them in Carlisle's office. I didn't want to leave my wife, but she was comfortably curled up between Bree and Alice. I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving the room. Marcus took something out of his pocket and handed it to me. "I thought our Bella might want these back." It was a velvet box. When I opened it, I almost fucking cried. My babydoll's wedding and engagement rings were inside. "Thank you... I didn't even think about them. Where the fuck were they?"

"Felix found them in James' office. He planned to keep them as a souvenir," Caius answered. "Fucking psycho. I'm not sorry I sent his ass straight to hell." Marcus laughed. "All that matters is that your home with your wife now. Don't fuck up, Edward. I know you have a propensity for sticking your foot down your throat. Bella is my daughter now, and I love her. I'll kick you ass if you make her cry again. Try to get along with the damn cat. It's important to her. Do you know how many times I've been forced to some pansy ass garden shit that Di wanted to go to? it's a small price to pay for what a good woman will give you in return." Caius nodded. "I know better than anyone how hard a good woman is to find. Look at Gianna, she tried to fucking kill me. I think Athena and I will last, though. I love her."I congratulated my godfather. His pale white hair and skin seemed to glow as he smiled. We talked Mafiosa shit before going back to the living room. Now that I was a Don, I had to move more illegal shit. I would also become the true head of the West Coast. We had shipments of heroin and guns coming in next week. I planned to work as much as possible so I could take some time off when Dante was born. "Are you good, Edward? Now that you're going to be a father, there will be no dipping in the product. If I hear about your ass buying or using drugs again, I will send you straight to rehab. Capish?" Marcus asked, giving me the eye. I put my hand over my heart. "You don't even have to say it. I'm done with all that shit. I don't want to lose my family. I haven't used in a long time." When we got back to the living room, my babydoll was laughing at something Bree said. I licked my lips. Like magnets, Bella's eyes met mine. Hers were dark with lust and something else. Unfortunately, Alice fucking cock blocked me. "Oh, you're back. Edward, I was just telling Bella about water birth. She loves the water and we could do it at the Penthouse. It's more natural and personal for the mother and baby." My angel nodded. "It would be better for me. I want to do it, Edward. Alice and Rose showed me tapes. It's so beautiful. Dante wouldn't have to be exposed to that harsh hospital light and strapped to a machine. I turned to Carlisle. "It it safe, dad." "It's not considered the best method, but a growing number of women are doing it. We could have Bella's OB here with my equipment just in case. I can say that the mother's I've known that had it liked it better than hospital birth. You can even be in the water with Bella, Edward." I almost fucking fainted. "In...in the fucking water!" My babydoll smiled and rubbed my knee. "It would be amazing. You can hold me while I push. Oh, please, Edward. I want it." My mom giggled. "I would be there too, bambino. It's perfectly safe and natural." I kissed my babydoll on the lips. "Like I can say no to your ass. Okay, as long as the OB can be there and

it's safe, I'm all for it." "Oh and Bella's friend Angela and her husband Ben are flying in tomorrow. Jake is bring Leah up too. I hope you remember something, Bella," Alice said, excitedly. My babydoll smiled. "I hope so, too. I'm really scared that I won't, but I'm too excited about finally having Dante to worry too much." Rose laughed. "You say that until he gets here and completely destroys your nipples." Us men groaned as all the women squealed and began talking about creating a calming birthing environment, whatever the fuck that was. Emmett winced as Rosalie recalled her birth and how she wished she had of done it in water. By the time the women began talking about breast pumps, my cock was soft. .A little while later, Dr. A. and Caius left. She had an appointment set for me and my babydoll. We needed couple's counseling more than ever because of the recent bullshit. I knew Bella felt bad that she couldn't remember shit. I was willing to do whatever it took to get her back. "Fuck! I almost forgot to tell you. Riley is alive. He's in the hospital in Russia. He should be arriving in a week. We have a lot of shit to work out," I said, kissing Bella's forehead. It made me fucking jealous as shit when both she and Bree screamed with joy. They'd already filled the rest of the family in about Riley. My mom made plans for yet another huge dinner. "I'm so happy! Thank you, Edward. Felix told me that Alec is fine too," my babydoll squealed. "Yeah, there's another surprise. Your personal bodyguard, Jane, is alive, babydoll. She got you out of the car. I know you don't remember her, but she's saved your life twice now. She'll be coming home too," I whispered. I answered Bella's questions patiently as she sat in my lap and played with my hair. We discussed our dreams about Dante. She smiled when I told her mine, rubbing her stomach. He kicked so hard, I feared he was going to get out. My babydoll giggled and kissed my fingers. "He loves you," she said softly. I smiled. "I love him and you. Our family is the most important thing in my life. That reminds me.." I got down on one knee and placed my babydoll's rings on her fingers. She squealed and showed them off to Bree. The women began to cry...again. Later, Marcus took Di to bed. I smiled as I watched my godparents walk up the stairs. Shortly after, Jasper and Ali left. He had to drag my sister away. Emmett, Rose, and the boys were spending the night, so they just went upstairs. Carlisle and my mom were full on making out on the couch, so I encouraged them to leave the room. My dad winked and smacked my mom on the ass as they walked up the stairs. I barely kept my food down. That left only Bella, Bree, me, and the demon kitten. I went to my bedroom and got a bag. After I left the hospital in Greece, I'd made some orders to a jewelry store and had them sent here.

"Happy Mother's Day, babydoll. I'm so proud of you," I said, handing her the box. She squealed. "Oh my god, Edward! It's beautiful." The gift was a rose-gold heart shaped locked sprinkled with diamonds. I lifted Bella's hair and fastened it around her neck. I assumed that her Tiffany tree necklace was in Lake Michigan with the SUV. I planned to buy her a new one, though. My wife would never want for fucking bling. "I'm shocked, babydoll. This is the easiest you've ever accepted a gift from me," I said, kissing her neck. True to form she did frown when I handed her a second box. It was a sterling silver bracelet, with charms that held pictures. I'd put a picture of Dante's last sonogram inside. Bella began to cry when she saw it. "I love you, Edward," she cooed, rubbing her belly. Bree was feeding Onxy when I surprised her with a gift box. She almost dropped the milk she was holding. "What is it?" I smirked. "Open up and see." Both she and Bella began to cry when they saw the necklace. It was a white gold angel wing necklace. My babydoll helped Bree fasten it around her neck. Then, Bree stood up. She walked over to me and kissed me on the cheek. "Thank you, Edward. No one has ever...," she broke off, sobbing. I kissed her forehead. "You are our angel. You've took care of my wife and baby when I couldn't. I can never repay you. I just want you to know that you're a part of this family, and I love you." My babydoll wrapped her arms around us. "I love you too, Bree, and so does Dante." After that, we went upstairs to get some sleep. Bree fingered her necklace the whole time. I wanted to fucking kiss her when she took Onyx into her room. Bella started to protest, but I gave her my patent smirk and she dropped it. Before we got in the room, I was all over my wife. I pushed her gently against the wall and attacked her lips. Then, I took off her shirts and latched onto her nipples. They were hard as shit and pointed straight at me. I looked Bella in the eye as I licked and suckled her slowly. "Edward! I...I want to do it outside. The smell of the trees in the meadow have been making me horny since I got here. I want you to bend me over and fuck me while I hold onto our tree," my tigress purred. "Holy shit! I'm glad to see that you're still in there, babydoll. You have no idea how bad I want to fuck you," I said, grabbing a blanket and carrying her outside. We took the side stairs. When we got to the deck, Bella asked me to set her down. She looked around, then frowned and stepped away from me. "You liar! Why didn't you tell me, Edward?" I was confused. "Tell you what, babydoll." She began to whimper, scaring the shit out of me. "You..you don't love me, and you don't want our son!"

"What the fuck?" I asked, reaching for her. Before our skin made contact, she said the words I hoped to never hear again. The words I didn't want her to ever remember. The words that had almost ended us before we started. The words that made me ashamed as shit. "I remember...I remember what you told me here, on this deck. You said, 'Why the fuck would I care about your baby? You don't honestly expect me to take care of it, do you? Congrats, Swan, you're finally getting the shitmaker you've always wanted. I hope you enjoy becoming a gross, fat beached whale. Good luck getting someone to fuck you when your pussy gets too loose..." I groaned. She finally remembered something and it had to be that shit. "Babydoll, I messed up. It was a fucking mistake. We already worked through this shit!" I screamed, tugging on my hair. "Well, I don't remember. All I can feel is the pain... How could you say that to me? Are you happy, Edward? It must have been hard for you to make love to a 'gross, fat beached whale! I'll put you out of your misery. You never have to touch me or my 'loose pussy' again. I...hate you," she spewed, before running into the house. A minute ago, I was about to have outdoor sex with my horny wife and now I was in the fucking doghouse again. Why can't I catch a motherfucking break?, I thought before going to find my babydoll. Sure, shit wasn't perfect, but I'd take anything as long as me and my family were together and safe from harm. ~*!*~ Relevant Chapter Translations: Necessità 'l ci 'nduce, e non diletto.-Necessity brings him here, not pleasure. (Dante) "Chi la fa l'aspetti."- What goes around, comes around. ~*!*~

Chapter Thirty-Two ~ I’m Yours Part 3 "You touch these tired eyes of mine And map my face out line by line And somehow growing old feels fine I listen close for I'm not smart You wrap you thoughts in works of art And they're hanging on the walls of my heart I may not have the softest touch I may not say the words as such And though I may not look like much I'm yours And though my edges may be rough And never feel I'm quite enough It may not seem like very much But I'm yours…" --I'm Yours - The Script

EPOV Fuck! I should have known that bringing my babydoll out on this deck would spur that memory. I was in so much fucking lust, I hadn't thought... "Bella, wait," I called, running up to catch her. She was attempting to waddle back up the side stairs. The sight made me laugh. Unfortunately, I couldn't fucking stop. That only made my little tigress angry. She turned around with fire in her beautiful chocolate eyes. "You think this is funny, Edward! What am I to you, some big joke? You're a jerk," she huffed. I scooped her up into my arms, kissing her rosy cheeks. "I'm a fucking jerk, but no, you're not a joke to me, babydoll. I fucking love you to death. Let's...let's just go back upstairs and talk." She crossed her tiny arms and kept herself stiff as I jogged us up the stairs. I almost fucking passed out, which let me know that I needed to get my ass back in shape. Our son would be here soon, and I'd be damned if I wasn't in optimum health. When we got to the room, I gently set Bella on the bed. She was fucking crying and it tore at my heart. The last thing I wanted was for my angel to be sad. "Babydoll, um... when I said that, I didn't know Dante was mine. You and I were broken up. You'd left , I saw you and Alec hugging... Well, it turned out that he was undercover and he'd told you so that you could get me to spare his life. I didn't know that at the time. I only knew that he was fucking touching you and it made me angry. I wanted to make you hurt as much as me..." She held up her hand. "You thought I cheated on you? I can't remember the past, but I doubt I'm the kind of woman that would..." "We were broken up! You left me and moved to another city. I know now that I was wrong, but at the time... Anyway, you made me pay and we made up. We were in relationship counseling with Dr. A before all the bullshit happened. I'm so fucking sorry you remember that shit, but I never meant it. I have always loved you, babydoll. I'm ecstatic about becoming a dad." I knelt on the ground, taking Bella's hands in my own. Her tears were gone and she was sniffling softly. "Why...why didn't you come see me when you got home? If you love me as much as you say, you should have been there when I woke up," she quietly said. I kissed her covered stomach and the palms of her hands. "Bella, I...I've been dead since you've been gone. I spent months in a psycho ward because I tried to kill myself. I cannot live in a world where you don't exist. After I came to my senses, I wanted nothing but revenge. I've...I've killed lots of people. I tortured men and did fucking horrific things. I needed...I needed to soak up the normalcy and love of my family before I saw you. I was scared, babydoll. I...I was scared that you would look in my eyes and see the monster. I never want you know that part of me. I love you too much." The room was deathly silent for several minutes. I laid my cheek against my babydoll's knee and just reveled in the feel of her. If there was one thing I hated, it was my own fucking vulnerability. Bella was

the only woman in the world that could bring it out of me. "Edward, I'm sorry. I...I just overeacted. I'm sorry. You've shown me that you love me. The baby loves you. He gets so excited when you're near," she said, stroking my cheek. I put my hand on her extended stomach. Sure enough, my son was kicking up a storm. "Bella, I love you and Dante so much. I'd go to Hell and fight the fucking devil if that's what it took to keep you safe. There is nothing I wouldn't do for my family." "Oh, Edward," Bella cooed, before pulling me onto the bed. We began to kiss passionately. Her moans spurred me on, and pretty soon I was hard as a fucking rock. I lightly squeezed my babydoll's breast as she strained against me. It wasn't long before her hot little hand slipped inside of my pants. "Fuck! We...we need to get you comfortable before we do this," I panted. "No, I want you now, like this! Just...just take me now. You won't hurt me," she promised. I pulled off her shirt and smirked. "You are going to fucking kill my ass, aren't you? Just lay there and get comfortable, wife. I'm about to fuck you until your body goes numb." "Oh, you are cockier than I thought you were, Edward," she giggled. With one swipe of my hand, her bra came off. I lowered my mouth and feasted on her puckered nipples. The taste of her was indescribable. I suckled on her and massaged her tit until she cried out. "Wait! They're...they're sensitive, Edward. I'm sorry, but could you be a little gentler?" I nodded. "I'm sorry, babydoll. Is this better?" I asked, nibbling on the side of her breast. She groaned, "Oh, god yes," and pulled on a tuft of my hair. I slowly licked around her nipples, caressing her baby bump with my free hand. We tongue fucked each other as the temperature in the room increased. When I flicked my babydoll's clit, she grabbed my wrists and ground her lower body into me. "You ready for me babydoll?" "So ready, Edward," I shed my own fucking clothes and looked down at my angel. Her eyes were black with lust and she was playing in her dripping pussy. I lowered my head and began to lick her slowly. She tasted like sweet honey and something slightly tangy. I spread her legs wide and feasted on the bounty before me. The fact that she was my wife made her taste that much sweeter. My babydoll came hard, her legs clenching my head. I had trouble breathing, but I let her ride out the orgasm before I separated her legs from my shoulders. She was panting and speaking fucking gibberish. I continued to lap her clit until she came again. "Edward! Damn!" She screamed, scratching her short nails down my back. I smiled down at her as she tried to calm down. Her chest was heaving, which only made her tits bounce

more. My already tortured cock jumped in response. I knew that I wouldn't last long once I got back into pussy paradise, but I wanted to at least make her come one last time. While she struggled to compose herself, I arranged us so that we were side by side with her in front. Suddenly, the memory of our wedding night flashed before my eyes. My cock jumped so hard, it looked like it was trying to give me a high five. I sucked my thumb until it was nice and wet, and then, I used it to massage my babydoll's little rosebud. She whimpered and pushed her ass back against me. "Edward, are we... Do we...do that?" she asked timidly. "We do it all, babydoll, but we've only had anal sex once and that was on our wedding night. You fucking loved it," I bragged, increasing the pressure. She moaned low and deep, sending another jolt to my cock. "We don't have to," I sighed, bringing my free hand up to cup her swollen bosom. "Mmmm, I trust you, Edward. Besides, what you're doing feels amazing..." The answering smile on my fucking face was about a mile wide. After that revelation, I began to slowly lick down the nape of Bella's neck to the middle of her back. I felt her tense up, so I gently kissed the places where my tongue had just been. Almost immediately, she relaxed. I took a chance and smacked her ass cheeks before licking inside the crease. Of course, my little tigress loved that shit, arching her back and reaching back to tug on my hair. I kept licking her rosebud until she was close to another orgasm. "Babydoll, the anus is one of the most sensitive areas of the human body. I want you to be comfortable with this and know that there is nothing to be ashamed about." When I replaced my tongue with my middle finger, she screamed and clutched the hand covering her breast. My fucking nuts were about to explode, so I lined myself up at her back entrance. Inch by fucking inch I pushed my hard steel into Bella's small rosebud. She responded by groaning, thrashing, and biting her lip. Then, I moved my free hand from her breast to her mouth. She sucked my two fingers hungrily, caressing them with her sweet tongue. After they were good and soaked, I lowered them to her clit and began to work her hard. Deep inside my babydoll's ass, my dick was getting the workout of a lifetime. To say the shit felt good would be a serious understatement. Neither one of us was fucking quiet. Thankfully, the walls were soundproof and we were in our own wing of the house. Bella came hard, almost breaking my fucking wrist in the process. That caused her rosebud to clamp down on my dick. My orgasm was so strong that my eyes crossed and I lost focus for several minutes. My heart felt like it was going to come out of my chest.

She screamed, "Holymotherfuckingshit!" and trembled uncontrollably. "Fuck me! Fuck me! Fuck me! Holy...shit," I answered. We came for what seemed like forever, soaking each other in our juices. After several long minutes, I raised my wet palm to my babydoll's stomach to make sure Dante was okay. A little foot kicked back at me. I grinned, thinking of my future son and what he must think of his parents. "I'm sorry, D.C., mommy and I are too loud. You better be a heavy sleeper," I teased. Bella tried to turn over on her own, but since she was so large, I had to help her. She just stared in my eyes like she was looking for something. I prayed like god that she didn't regret what we'd just done. "Did you just call our baby, D.C.? His name is Dante!" she screamed, punching me in the stomach. I grabbed her fists, laughing at her. "It's just a nickname. We call Collin and Brady, 'C and B'. Every man should has one." "Does that mean I can call you, Eddie or Ed?" she asked, kissing the spot she'd just hit. Before she knew what was happening, I began to tickle her. She laughed and tried to fight me off, but I was much stronger. The playfulness turned into lust in no time flat. I carried my angel to the bathtub, where we proceeded to fuck each other in every way possible. In just a few minutes, I had my babydoll back over the edge and screaming my fucking name. After we finished, I helped her get dressed, just like old times. She chose a pretty rose colored short and cami pj set. I threw on a pair of my trusty silk boxers and let her do her thing to my hair. She gave me what she called, 'sex hair'. When that was done, Bella looked up at me. "Will we be okay, Edward? I don't want to remember...remember the things with James. I...I still have nightmares. I just don't want Dante tainted by what happened. Tell me we'll be okay again," she begged. I laid her down tenderly on the bed before answering. "Bella, we'll never be the same as we were before, but the shit that happened didn't kill us or lessen our love for one another. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, and you and I are stronger than Teflon. We can get through anything together. Dante will be fine. We both love him and he's going to have a large family full of support. I'll never leave your side. We're forever." She smiled. "Forever and then some. I don't ever want to be away from you again, Edward. I love you so much. "And I love you, wife. Now enough of this depressing shit. Are you or are you not hungry and craving something?" It turned out that she was indeed hungry. She protested, but I refused to let her leave the bed. She wanted chicken tenders so I took some breasts out of the freezer, seasoned them, and put them in the deep fryer. I was just fixing a salad when my mom walked into the kitchen. She had on a long blue robe and her hair was up. She still looked really young and beautiful. People often mistook her for my older sister. There had been a few times where I wanted to kick motherfucker's asses for lusting after my mom. That shit

wasn't cool. "Hey, Edward. Bella hungry again? Carlisle says the baby is already very big. I hope she can have a natural birth," Esme said, taking a seat at the counter. "Yeah. I hope so, too. I really don't want her to have a C-section. She's been through enough shit the last few months." "I am so proud of you, Edward. You've already shown me that you are going to be a much better father than your dad was. I never thought I'd see the day where you cooked anything or settled down with one woman. I know you have obligations to the Volturi, but your family always comes first. Remember that, bambino," she said, kissing me on the cheek. "Thanks, mom. That means a lot coming from you. It just seems so overwhelming..." "Hush. Bella is the one under all the stress. She's about to push a baby out of her body for the first time. That can be very scary. Add to the fact, that she's been through torture and has memory loss. I know it's hard for you too, but please be patient, Edward. Bella and Dante are counting on you. I love you and I know you will continue to make me proud." I walked over and kissed my mom on the cheek. "I will. Bella and Dante are my life now." After our talk, mom stayed to help me finish everything, and then she grabbed a bottle of water and went back to her bedroom. She always seemed to know just what I needed, and I really needed that fucking pep talk. When I got upstairs, my babydoll had the demon in her lap. I groaned, but put on a happy-fucking-smile and trudged on. If Bella liked that damn monster, I was going to have to learn to love it. "I see the de-Onxy woke up." She smiled. "Yes, I sensed that she was awake, so I went to Bree's room and got her. She was just sitting at the foot of the bed looking around. I hope you don't mind if she sleeps with us." Bella ate while I tried to make friends with our new 'pet'. The thing bit me three times before I gave up on that shit. Onyx and I glared at each other when Bella wasn't looking. Something about that damn cat was pure evil. "Edward, I didn't want to tell you, but Onyx went potty on one of your shirts. I'm so sorry. I was looking for one to wear that smelled like you. I forgot to put the others back in the closet. She doesn't know any better. I'll replace it." Onyx fucking winked at me! I growled. "Don't bother, I can get another fucking shirt. I'm sorry, but Onyx hates my fucking guts, babydoll. She did that shit on purpose." "Please, don't make me give her up. I knew she was mine when I saw her. Please," she whined, throwing her tiny arms around me. I rubbed her lower back and rocked her softly. "Shhh, babydoll. I'm not taking Onyx away from you. I'll just... I'll try harder."

The demon climbed on Bella's lap and nuzzled her stomach, like a fucking perfect angel. If my son loved the monster, I would never get rid of it. After giving Onyx the finger, I pulled out my phone and checked for messages. "Hello, Mr. Cullen. This is Seattle Medical Center. We are calling to let you know that Demetri Costa has woken up from his coma. Since you are listed as next of kin..." "Holy fuck," I mumbled, hanging up the phone. I thought that motherfucker was dead. "What's wrong?" Bella asked, worriedly. "Nothing...just, my right hand man woke up from his coma. We both worked with him at the club and he's one of my friends. He took a bullet to the head and has been in a coma. I never expected him to recover." She clapped her hands and fed the demon a small piece of chicken. "That's great, Edward! Jasper told me that our friends, Eleazar and Carmen, got killed in this mess. He showed me pictures from my birthday... I'm just glad we didn't lose everyone." I kissed her forehead. "Me too, babydoll." We stayed up talking until almost four in the morning. I didn't want to close my eyes for fear that she was a mirage, waiting to disappear. I inhaled the scent of her long chocolate hair and massaged her silky soft skin until exhaustion caught up with me. I woke up with my hand on Bella's tit and someone banging on the fucking door. I threw my other arm over my wife's body and tried to go back to sleep. The banging got louder. I jumped out of bed and stalked to the door. "What the fuck do you want?" I seethed. My tiny baby sister was standing on the other side laughing at my ass. "Nice boxers, Edward. I prefer Jazz in boxer-briefs. Well, actually I like my Jazzy in nothing..." I held up my hand to cut her off. "Please spare my fucking stomach. I don't EVER want to hear about you and Jaz's personal business. What do you want, Ali?" She peeked into the room and smiled. "It's almost one in the afternoon. Bella's friend Angela and her her husband Ben are downstairs. They've been here for an hour and a half. They are demanding to see her now. It's not fair that you're hogging her. She's my sister and we all missed her. Oh, and I need you guys so we can finish planning my wedding. I'm so excited, Eddie." I closed my eyes. "Take a deep breath, little bit. I'll help Bella get dressed and we'll be down in a minute. Be the beautiful hostess that you were born to be. We'll go over the wedding together." Placated, she left the fucking room, dancing down the stairs. I had to smile. My sister was getting married. I still remembered when she used to steal CD's from my room so that I'd play with her. When I turned around, Bella was sitting up in bed looking at me. Being the motherfucker that I am, I'd taken her shirt off during the night so I could suck on her nipples. Honestly, I didn't know why she bothered to wear shit. Her sleep shorts were also gone.

She stretched her back and yawned. I licked my lips and winked at her, which caused my favorite fucking blush to cover her cheeks. My dick was hard in an instant. "Did you...um, did we... while I was sleeping? I had a really good dream, but...," she trailed off. I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her in for a deep kiss. Our lips molded together naturally. Bella's eyes were black as she stared deep into mine. She inserted her hand in my boxers and squeezed my cock. I groaned and nibbled on her neck. I was getting a great handjob when I heard it. "Meow!" Onyx bellowed, licking Bella's hand. My dick went flaccid. She pulled her hand away. "Sorry, Edward. I forgot she was here. We might as well get dressed. I heard Alice say we had company." "Yeah, we can finish our shit later," I snarled. My babydoll leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. "I love you, Edward. Your mom set up a litter box outside. Can you take Onyx? She probably has to go." After throwing on some jeans, I picked up the hairball and took the side stairs outside. A covered blue and white litter box was set up in a corner of the deck. I put the monster down, waiting for it to do its shit. She just looked from me to the litter box, not making a move to do a fucking thing. "You," I pointed, "Go to the bathroom. I swear to god, I'll 'accidentally' lose your ass if you ruin another one of my expensive shirts. You may have my babydoll wrapped around your paw, but not me." I felt stupid for talking to a kitten. Onyx licked her paw like she was fucking bored. I put her in the damn box. She started making some loud whining noise so I took her out. We tried the same fucking routine over and over again until I was frustrated. "Please, Onyx. Imagine how happy Bella will be if you learn to use your litter box," I pleaded. I picked her up, petting her tiny black head. She was fucking cute in her own way. I'd never had a pet because the old me wouldn't even commit to that. I nuzzled her nose, like I'd seen my babydoll do and spoke to her very nicely. This time when I put her in the box, she was silent. She moved around a little before squatting. Emmett and Jasper came outside to see what I was up to. When they saw Onyx, they started laughing. I death stared them. "Dude, trying to get Onyx to like you again?" Emmett asked, slapping me on the back. I moved several feet away from him. "Yes, and trying to get her to use her litter box." Jasper laughed and bent to peek in on the kitten. "I think she's going poo." "Poo?" Em and I laughed in unison. Jaz held up his hands. "Hey, I live with Alice. She does not like it referred to as 'shit'. We use the words 'poo' or 'number two' in our house."

"Edward will be getting acquainted with all different types and colors of 'poo' once Dante gets here," Emmet said, laughing like a fucking maniac. "I'm ready for that. I'm a new man." It didn't help that my fucking voice wavered. "Do you even know how to change a diaper, bro?" I glared at Em. "How hard could it be?" Jasper laughed. "In the foster homes, I changed a lot of diapers and it's never easy. The girls are a little better because they can't squirt you from far away, but no baby likes to stay still and stuff gets everywhere. They also cry really loud ifyou don't distract them." Emmett agreed. "I had to take a class before C and B were born and it still didn't prepare me. They never stopped crying those first few nights. Rosie got almost no sleep. When one got done with her breast, the other latched on. We walked around like zombies. I'm so glad they can walk and are almost potty trained now." I felt sick. "Em, do you still have the information for that class? I could probably use some tips." He pulled out his phone and emailed me the number, times, and addresses. We talked about dad stuff for several minutes. Emmett admitted to being scared that he was going to screw up his kids, and Jasper was scared he wouldn't be good enough to even have shitmakers. It helped me to know that I wasn't the only worried fucker. Onyx meowed and climbed out of her fancy toilet, letting us know that she was finished. I picked her up, told Jaz and Em I would be down in a few, and jogged up the side stairs. When I got there, I saw my babydoll in front of the mirror. She was wearing some fucking blue jean short shorts and a yellow sleeveless halter top that fell over her baby bump. She smiled when she saw Onyx in my arms. "Did she go poo, Edward?" I laughed. Women, if you can't beat them... "I think so. She went in the litter box, did something, and then came out." "Oh, that's so good. I knew you could win her over if you tried," she squealed. Handing Onyx to my babydoll, I went to the closet to find something to wear. I settled on a short sleeved white and gold striped Ralph Lauren polo shirt and navy slacks. After Bella kissed me and mussed my hair, we went downstairs. We heard the noise before we saw anyone. I could smell something fucking amazing that I was sure my mom had made. Alice's voice was high pitched like it always was when she was excited. When we got to the living room, I cleared my throat to let everyone know that we'd arrived. A tall, brunette with glasses rushed over and hugged my babydoll. My natural instinct to fuck someone up for touching my wife came out, but I quelled it. "Oh my god, Bella! You look amazing! It's me, Angela. We were coming to your wedding, but we got held up in Honduras. Then, I got a letter from Chicago saying that you'd died. I got so sick. I'm so glad

you're okay." she whimpered, bursting into tears. A sandy headed guy walked over and pulled her into his arms. "My name is Ben. I'm Angie's husband," he said, holding out his hand. My babydoll looked scared. "I'm sorry. I...I don't remember you, but..." She returned Angela's hug eagerly. We filled Ben and Angela in on what happened, leaving out the Volturi details. The woman clearly loved my babydoll. She and her husband kept looking at me and whispering. It made me feel fucking uncomfortable, but I didn't complain. Angela told stories about going to frat parties with my babydoll. When she talked about the hoochie outfits, they'd bought, I gritted my teeth. Imagining all those horny fuckers slobbering over my wife made me see blood again. It turned out that Ben was an okay motherfucker and already knew Jasper. Everyone shared their own Bella stories and talked for hours. We also went through mountains of food. I told everyone about the baby class and they encouraged us to go. Later in the afternoon, we were all sitting around the living room shooting the shit. I'd made arrangements to go visit D the next day. I'd also called to ask about Riley and found out he would be paying us a visit in a few days. Bree almost lost her shit because she was so fucking happy. Bella was sitting in my lap and distracting me. Every time she moved her little ass, I got harder. She would just smile shyly and move around until I was in pain. To keep from thinking about my cock, I threw myself into the conversation. "The funny thing is that I knocked Bella up while she was on birth control," I said, bumping fists with Emmett. She rolled her eyes. "Ugh! Do you have to tell everyone that story, Edward?" What the fuck? Does this mean...? "Oh my god, you remember, Bella," Alice squealed, coming out of nowhere to hug us both. Bella closed her eyes for a few minutes. She appeared to be deep in thought. When she opened them again, she looked up and cupped my cheek. I knew then that she was really home. She remembered me and our life. "Babydoll?" I asked, hesitantly. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "It's me, Edward. I remember...I remember everything. I love you so much. I missed you. I thought..." Everyone crowded around and took a turn hugging Bella. She cried the whole time, but I never let her go. Jasper took her from my arms. The way he touched her was so fucking gentle and loving. She melted into his arms as he whispered things in her ear. She pulled away after nodding and kissisng his cheek.

Mom went to the kitchen and got a bottle of champagne. Of course, my babydoll's was non alcoholic. Eventually, my godfathers and their women joined us. Bree got to talk to Riley on the phone. I got a call from Garrett informing me that he and Kate were on their way back to Seattle. Now that shit was settled, they could come home. There was so much to do, but all I wanted was to be alone with my wife. Unfortunately, there were cock blockers all around. Carlisle measured Bella and took her weight. He said that she could go into labor anytime. That scared the fuck out of me. My mom held my hand while dad made sure my babydoll's heartbeat was normal. It turned out that she was close to the weigt that was needed to a successful birth. With Esme and Di cooking big Italian dinners, I knew she would gain the four pounds needed. After the checkup, the cock gods finally smiled upon me. My mom suggested that everyone give Bella and I a night to ourselves. That didn't go over well with the others, though. "Aww, he's always hogging, Bella," Alice whined. "I know right? You're so selfish, Edward." Rose seethed. Emmett laughed. "Babe, they're still in the honeymoom phase. Remember us at that time?" That statement led to some very inappropriate PDA that made everyone groan. Were my babydoll and I this fucking bad? Maybe, but I doubted it. Jasper put his arm around Alice, who was busy bouncing around like a rabbit. "Let them have tonight, sweetheart. You have the rest of the week to do wedding stuff. Besides, maybe we can have some fun of our own..." I rolled my eyes. "We're leaving. Text me if there's a fucking emergency. Tomorrow we'll all do something." "Let's go to the beach and then we can shop for Dante," Bella said, reminding me of Alice. This caused squeals from all the ladies. They talked breast pumps, onesies, baby bottles, nursery items, and a lot more shit. After awhile, we were finally able to leave. Bree promised that she would take care of Onyx. I was glad that she seemed really comfortable with my family. My clean black Phantom was waiting for me out front. I smirked. It had been too fucking long since I cruised with my babydoll. The drive to our destination didn't take long at all. It was a miracle we made it in one piece because Bella kept putting her hot little hands on my cock. I ran two fucking red lights. "Edward, I want you so bad. I don't think I've ever need you so much," Bella moaned. I unbuckled her seat belt and helped her out of the car. We were at HADES. The club had been closed on weekdays while all this shit went down. I was really looking forward to reopening. Although I was now a father, I was still a fucking mobster. I didn't plan on ever giving up my club. When we were on the fifth floor, I pressed the stop button. My babydoll looked at me with lust filled eyes. I knew that we weren't even going to make it to the lair. I softly pushed her against the wall and got down on my knees.

"We've never done it in an elevator, babydoll. What better time than now." I kissed the inside of both of her thighs before sliding my fingers into her tiny shorts. She knotted her tiny fingers in my hair, pulling slightly. I snarled, pressing down on her needy clit in the process. As usual, she was already wet. "Hard, Edward I... I need it hard," she whimpered. Hooking my fingers into her shorts, I pulled them off in one swipe. The little flowered panties she was wearing came next. The scent of my babydoll's pussy so close to my nose made my cock jump. When she was bare and glistening in front of me, I buried my head and devoured. "Fuck! Edward...Oh god. You're so good!" A fresh spurt of sweet juice coated my tongue. The faster I swallowed, the more came. Strawberries, vanilla, and rain. I could drown in that shit. I flicked my tongue over her clit several times, causing her to cry out. I took off my clothes, using them for a blanket as I lay down on the floor. Bella and I stared at each other for a long time. Her chest was heaving as she fought to catch her breath. Slowly, still keeping eye contact, she shed her top. "Holy shit! They're so fucking big," I groaned, staring at her tits and protruding nipples. She smiled as I helped her down to the ground. I nibbled on her breast and slipped a finger into her slick folds. All of a sudden, she pushed me down. "You've had your fun, now it's my turn." I closed my eyes and just...felt. Hot, sticky, wetness covered my dick. She began to ride me slow and steady. After her first orgasm, she sped up. It felt so fucking good. She arched her back and took me in deep. The familiar tingling sensation started in my balls. When my babydoll Kegeled, I spewed deep inside of her. She came a minute later. We didn't bother to dress because I was hard again. I moaned into Bella's mouth as I placed open mouth kisses all over her neck. Somehow, we managed to make it into the lair. She soaked my fingers in her sweet cum before I punched in the fucking code. After that, I bent my angel over and fucked her next to the piano. The fact that it was the place where our son was conceived, turned me on to no end. I rammed my cock into Bella's dripping pussy repeatedly. "Edward, shit!" "Come for me, babydoll. I want you to fucking come all over my cock," I commanded. That did it, she came hard, making keening noises in the back of her throat. I barely managed to get us to the bathroom so we could shower. My babydoll's eyes were drooping so I didn't try any sexual shit. She fell asleep soon after I helped her into one of my shirts. When I woke up, Bella was sitting up in bed, eating and watching television. I watched her laugh at something and thought how lucky I was that she

was all mine. "What are you eating, babydoll?" I asked, sitting up. She jumped a bit. "Oh, um, just chips. I am really craving Chinese, though. I didn't know if I should order..." I grabbed my Iphone off of the nightstand and called one of my favorite all night delivery places. The Volturi sold birth certificates to Chinese immigrants through the restaurant, so they knew me. I always got the best fucking food. "What do you want, Bella?" Her whole face lit up. I couldn't help but smile like the lovesick pussy whipped motherfucker that I'd become. "Sesame chicken, lemon chicken, fried chicken and shrimp rice, won tons, egg rolls, sweet and sour pork, chow main..." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Holy shit. How about I order a little of everything?" "Good idea. Sorry, I just get so hungry, especially after all the sex," she quipped. My cock decided that it needed to get hard at that moment. I ordered in fucking Chinese, which really impressed my babydoll. I was rewarded with a very nice tongue fucking. We were almost on another round when I got a text from Felix. I threw on my black Armani and went to my office. Felix was outside the door waiting for me. "I assume this feast is for the lovely Bella. Tell her I said hello," I smirked. "I still owe your ass for giving Bella that fucking kitten." After giving me a speech on fucking animal rights, he left. There were major gun shipments coming into the club in a few days. Now that Riley was the head of the Russian Mafia, we were at peace. The uncles who hated James made sure my godfathers knew that they were okay with me becoming a Don. The truth was those motherfuckers were scared of me now. If I asked them to suck my cock, they'd ask 'how hard'. It took several trips before I managed to carry all the food into the lair. Bella was still the only person besides Marcus that knew of it. I planned to keep it that way. If some shit went down at the club, it was important that I had a place to hide or hide my babydoll. After the food was set up on the counter, I grabbed a white platter and filled it up with a little of everything. Then, I grabbed a try and carried it into the bedroom. Bella was on the phone, which made me suspicious. Who the fuck was she talking to this late? "I miss you too, Riley...Yes, she's doing really good. I can't wait until you get here! The baby kicks all the time..." She laughed for about five minutes after that. I stood on the side of the bed seething. That motherfucker had seen my wife naked. Technically, he'd also saved her and Dante's life, but I was still jealous. "Babydoll, you should hang up so you can eat." I hoped I didn't sound as angry as I felt.

She nodded. "Okay. I have to go Riley. Edward is standing over me looking like he wants to throw the phone off the balcony. See you soon. Goodnight." Fuck, she sees through all my bullshit. "Caveward is alive and well," she said before digging into her dinner. I stomped off to get my own between moo shoo and walnut prawns. After dinner, we made up from our mini fight. This led to me fucking Bella on the edge of the bed while she attempted to eat a fucking fortune cookie. The rest of the night was spent watching movies. Bella really liked the classics, so we watched "Another Thin Man". She liked it because the lead characters were married and had a baby. They solved a murder while funny shit happened with their kid. "I can't wait until Dante comes, Edward. I want to hold him in my arms and feed him. At least then I can see him and know he's okay." She was laying on her side with me spooning her. "He's fine. Our boy is a fucking fighter. He's strong, just like his mother." Apparently, our son agreed. He kicked my palm as I massaged my babydoll's belly. We fell asleep soon after. Bella woke up with heartburn during the night. I panicked at first, but then, I remembered that that shit was normal during pregnancy. After I fixed her some medicine, she went back to sleep. When we woke up again, it was around nine in the morning. Bella ate leftover Chinese for breakfast. After that, we showered and got ready for the beach. I groaned when I saw the fucking swimsuit she was wearing. "Hell no! Your tits are on display and so is your ass, just...no!" "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, this is a tankini. I am covered enough. It's going to be record heat day. I will not be stuck in a bunch of clothes because you are a caveman," she yelled. "You are my pregnant wife! Show some class and cover-the-fuck up. You can wear shorts and a tank top. I'm not going to let you go in public where men can get hard ons from looking at your ass!" My babydoll began to cry. "You don't...you don't think I have class? How dare you...? There isn't anything wrong with what I'm wearing. You're...you're still a big bully," she snarled, pushing past me. I grabbed her elbow. "Stop! I am your husband and that means I have a say in what you wear in public. After all the shit that we've been though, I can't believe that you are still so fucking disobedient!"That did it. "And I can't believe that you haven't changed one bit, Edward! You're still an ass! I'm going to the beach, and I'm wearing what I have on. If you don't like it, you can stay home and throw your damn pity party. Dante and I don't need this stress!" "Bella... I don't want to fight with you. Please, just change," I growled. She shook her head.

The ride to the beach was tense. It was really fucking hot outside. Through slanted eyes, I watched my babydoll apply suntan lotion to her skin. I hated that I had all this fucking rage inside but most of all I hated that we were having another fucking fight. "I'm sorry," I blurted, as the car screeched to a halt. Instead of the phantom we were in one of m Mercedes convertibles. Bella's hair was windblown and she looked fucking beautiful. "Whatever, Edward. I just want to play in the sand and go for a swim. I'm sure you are too embarrassed to be seen with your classless wife, so feel free to do what you want." I was about to argue, but Alice and Jasper pulled up. Bella wiggled out of the car and waddled over to them. Em, Rosie, and the boys showed up a few minutes later. After my mom and dad arrived, the women took Bella away. I tried to follow, but Carlisle shook his head. Of course, we were responsible for unpacking and laying out all the shit the women had brought to the beach. I saw poor Jasper carrying a huge bucket of fucking Barbie dolls. I knew they were Ali's. Unlike most women, she never stopped playing with hers. My babydoll was kind enough to let me put sunscreen on her back. I whispered my apology in her ear but she just shrugged and started helping Brady build a sandcastle. I sighed and walked back to our chairs. I was barely across the sand before four bitches came up to me. They were wearing barely there thong bikinis that left nothing to the imagination. I ignored them, but they were persistent. When I got to my destination, one of them took the suntan lotion out of my hands. "Want a rubdown, baby. We can make this a private party," she suggested. Not to be outdone, the other fake bimbo bitches joined in, fighting over who would oil my back. I pointed to my babydoll. "That's my wife. I'm married and even if I wasn't, I'm not interesting. Now, leave me the fuck alone." The blond looked in the direction I was pointing. "Ewww, that's your wife. She has like totally let herself go. I can be really quiet. We could be...secret lovers. I love that song!" Kill me now! Thankfully, Carlisle came to my rescue. Two of the fake bitches tried to get their claws in him, but he got them to move along quickly. From across the beach, I saw my mom raise her eyebrows and wave at us. Carlisle blew her a kiss. "Thanks, dad. Those bit-girls were persistent. Bella is already mad at me, so that shit is the last thing I need right now." Jasper, Emmett, and Ben came to join us. I spilled my fucking guts. There were laughs, slaps on the back of my head, and then advice. "Apologize," Carlisle said. "Buy her a pony," added Em. The saddest part was that he was serious.

"Edward, Bella loves the beach. Charlie used to take us every chance we got. She told me that she dreams of her parents on a beach. I know you are overprotective, and in a way that's a good thing, but you're pushing her away. My sister is stubborn, so ordering her to do things will always end in a fight. Besides all that, you were wrong. She's dressed appropriately. Have you seen what your sister is wearing? If anyone has a right to be upset, it's me." Jasper said, glaring at Alice. I was horrified to see that her bikini didn't cover shit. Rose's wasn't much better. "Shit! She's really mad. Maybe I should just let her have some fun and then go to her." Ben nodded. "Good idea. That usually works with Angie." A few guys on the beach wanted to start a flag football game and needed a few plays. Of course, they asked us. The other fuckers on the beach looked like a five minute job might kill them. I promised myself that I would always stay in shape. As I put on the belt, I noticed my babydoll's eyes on me. I wanted to drown in her dark brown pools. She looked so fucking sad, but she was putting on a happy front for everyone. Several kids on the beach had joined the girls to build a gigantic sandcastle. Alice was helping some girl dress her Barbie and Rose was driving a remote controlled car for a group of little boys. Bella was leading the building effort. The way she interacted with the children showed me how great of a mother she was going to be. I was chosen as the fucking quarterback for the team. I threw several passes that got caught and ran to the touchdown line. A group of bitches came to be our cheerleaders. One of them poured cold ass water all over my bare chest. I glared at her as I toweled off. Our team ended up winning by three touchdowns, so the other guys offered us beers. More bitches had joined by that point. One of them kept sliding her hands over my ass. I was just about to get one of my security men to have her removed when someone did it for me. "Excuse me, skank. That man who you are touching so intimately is my husband. I don't appreciate you putting your diseased hands on him. I may be pregnant, but I can still kick your ass. Walk away before it gets ugly." I was fucking stunned. My little tigress was jealous. Fuck me sideways! "Too late, hefer. It got ugly the minute you showed up. You should be glad I'm willing to take care of your husband for you. It's not like you can do anything for him." "You fucking bitch!" I snarled. My babydoll put her hand on my chest and winked. "I do it all for him. We spent all of last night fucking in his club. I know the exact taste, smell, and look of his ten inch dick. I know how he likes to be touched. He's addicted to me. I own him." Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, Bella yanked the skank's tiny bikini top off, exposing her breasts. The bitch had a boob job gone wrong. I was going to have nightmares about that shit. Several men yelled and cheered behind me. The bitch and her friends ran away, giving Bella angry looks.

The guys we had been playing football with, came up to give Bella high fives. Jasper, Emmett, and Carlisle took turns hugging her. "That's the funniest shit I've ever seen, Bella. I'm going over to tell Rosie," Em called, jogging away. Carlisle and Jasper followed him soon after. "Walk with me, Edward. We need to talk," she said, linking her hand in mine. That fucking talk last hours. We discussed all our issues. I promised to go back to anger managment with Dr. Uley. I apologized like the pussy whipped motherfucker that I am now. After that we went back to the sandcastle. After the beach, we went to my parents house, showered, and changed. Then, everyone was off to the mall. Alice, Rose, and Bella bought up half the shit in Baby Gap. Then, Alice insisted that they do wedding shit. I used that time to handle some club business. When Bella showed me some of the baby clothes, I started to get into it. I found a baby Armani suit and Dior set at Saks Fifth. I knew all my son's stuff didn't have to be designer but I wanted him to have the best. As usual, I had to fight my babydoll tooth and nail. Luckily, my mom and sisters were on my side. Bree had been with one of Carlisle's specialist friends all day. He believed that with a simple back surgery, her limp would be gone. My babydoll called her every five minutes. She took turns worrying over both Bree and Onyx. I rolled my eyes when she held up the phone so the cat could meow in my fucking ear. "Everything is set for me and Jazzy's wedding. I'm so excited! Bella is having a baby, and I'm getting married," Alice squealed. We were in a baby stroller store. I didn't like all the average looking shit so I asked for something custom. Bella insisted that it only needed to be usable, nothing fancy, but I ignored her. I was perusing the store when I saw it. It was big, black, and had bling. Since Dante wasn't going to be driving a Phantom anytime soon, this would have to do. Bella groaned. "It has skulls on it, Edward! Does Dante need diamonds on his stroller? "I want my son to have the best. Also, those aren't diamonds, they are crystals, but I'm having them replaced with diamonds. I will also need the body in platinum," I said, handing the salewoman my black card. She rushed off to put my order in the computer. Rose held up a little pink pillow. "This makes me want to get pregnant again. I would love a little girl," she said, wistfully. Emmett wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm all up for trying. We could use a little Emma running around the house. She would be daddy's little girl." My babydoll smiled at them. "A little girl sounds nice." "It does, doesn't it. A little Karena, Bethany, Gabriella, Anna.." Shit! I said that out loud. Bella's eyes widened. "You...you think about that? Those names are beautiful, Edward."

She and I tongue fucked right in the middle of the store. I was about to pick her up and carry her out but cockblockers-r-us, aka my family. had other ideas. We ended up eating an Italian restaurant near the mall. My godfathers and their respective others joined us. We discussed Eleazar and Carmen's restaurant and what we were going to do with it. Bella cried when they were mentioned, but sometime during the evening we started celebrating their life. My mom said that they were never really gone as long as we had good memories of them. I remembered her telling me and Ali the same shit after my father died. Strangely enough, it made me feel better. I told my babydoll about the bookstore-cafe I bought for her. She was very excited, mostly about the fucking books. I had my HR people interviewing someone for her manager. That way, she could pick and choose when she wanted to go in. There would also be plenty of time for her to finish writing here book. Plus, she could take Dante with her. We would have a nursery set up for him. There was no fucking way I wanted my baby at the club during operating hours, and I knew my babydoll would want to work. She was also against us hiring a nanny. Marcus bought several bottles of Dom so we could all toast. Bella had sparkling grape juice, but she looked as happy as everyone else. My hands were buried in her pussy under the table. We were trying to be discreet, but from the looks that Jasper was sending us, I knew we'd failed. I tried to remove my hand, but Bella held it in place, pleading with her eyes. I closed my eyes and used my thumb and forefinger to pinch her clit. She made a tiny noise, trembling quietly. Luckily, the other couples at the table were talking to each other. After I removed my hand, I licked all my fingers clean. "This was the best meal I've had in a long time," I smirked, looking at Bella. That night, we made love all over the Penthouse. It had been cleaned and restocked at my request. It felt so good to fuck my wife in our bed after all this time. We fell asleep tangled in each other's arms. The next week was a bunch of chaos. Jasper and Alice were getting married on a small island off the coast of Washington. Bella was whisked away for a bunch of wedding shit and I had Voluri business. We were so tired that we barely managed to give each other an orgasm by the end of the day. On Tuesday, we went back to marriage counseling. Bella was frisky so we ended up fucking in Dr. A's bathroom. I didn't regret it in the least, but my babydoll thought we should add a tip to Dr. A.'s bill. That night, I surprised Bella with a role playing fuck that left us exhausted. Wednesday, we went to the baby class that Em suggested. We were the youngest couple there. Bella smiled and made friends, but I just ignored everyone. I was answering some emails on my phone when the teacher started talking. She held up some odd looking pump thing. "This is a breast pump. I know every new mother wants to feed her baby from her breasts, but that's not always possible. We need to give daddy a turn." My eyes widened when I saw her demonstrate the breast pump method along with the DVD on the projector. I looked down at my babydoll's swollen tits. She was biting her lower lip and taking notes. My cock got impossibly hard. It was like we were in high school or some shit. I had a fantasy of us fucking in an empty classroom. "Edward, are you okay? Bella asked, tapping me on the knee.

I swallowed. "I'm fine." The teacher had a question and answer session. Bella raised her hand every fucking time. I answered when called on. My photographic memory worked, even when I wasn't paying attention. My babydoll began twirling the pen right on the swell of her breast. I tensed up, ready to fucking take her in front of all the fuckers. Then, the teacher called on me. "Mr. Cullen, your eyes should be facing front. I'm sure your wife would appreciate it if you made an effort."Several people laughed. "I think I know all I need to know about the tit juicer," i said through gritted teeth All the women in the room turned to me. "What? Did you just call the breast pump a 'tit juicer'?" Bella groaned and buried her head in her hands. "This is the hard on in church talk all over again," she mumbled. "Yeah. What's the fucking difference. I put an apple in a juicer I get apple juice. I put my wife's tit in that pump and milk comes out." A few guys laughed, but quickly turned it into a cough when they got the evil eye. The teacher looked stunned. She didn't call on me the rest of that class. The next part was about diapers and changing. I was a complete fucking failure at that shit. Bella did it as easily as tying her shoe. After several turns and wasted diapers, I finally got it. The next lesson was swaddling. I picked that up faster, because I concentrated hard. After that we watched birthing tapes. We both paid special attention during the water birth segment. By the end of class, I was exhausted. My babydoll's smile and the feel of our son kicking happily in her belly made it all worth it, though. I was fucking proud of myself when I heard a few men mumble 'tit juicer' and start laughing. After that, we met with the water birth coach. Bella listed the things she wanted, such as vanilla candles in the birthing room. The equipment for the birthing tub was brought in so we could have them when the time came. Our OB didn't see any reason why Bella couldn't have a natural water birth. I was scared to fucking death of being in that pool with her. Bella and I spent all of Thursday setting up the nursery. She was so meticulous about where everything should go. Folding the baby clothes and talking about Dante made me really fucking happy. It was better than any artificial high. It was like my love for my babydoll was multiplying. When Esme and Carlisle came to bring us a baby blanket made from me and Ali's old clothes, Bella broke down., I cried with her. To go from thinking your whole reason for living was dead to this...it was amazing. Before I knew it, it was Ali's wedding weekend. Bella and I had spent several days exploring the island and making love when we got the chance. My sister was persistent and kept my babydoll away most of the day.

After the impromptu bachlorette party, Bella came home with a white chocolate cock made to look like me. "What the hell is that, babydoll?" "One of the things we did was a chocolate penis sex kit. I told them I needed more chocolate for yours, but I made due," she grinned. That night we used our new fuzzy handcuffs. My babydoll rode me to some of the most intense fucking orgasms of my life. Dante was practically kicking his way out. I knew it would be soon. He was probably as excited about sucking milk from my babydoll's tits as I was. The day my sister got married, it was beautiful outside. Jasper was a bundle of nerves. We'd skipped the traditional bachelor party and just played cards and pigged out instead. None of use wanted to have a bunch of fake bitches rubbing all over us when we had the best at home. "Calm down, Jasper," Carlisle said for the fifth time. "I'm just... What if she doesn't come? I love Alice so much. I don't know how to be without her. Emmett laughed, already stuffing his fucking face with a twinkie. "She loves you. I've never seen Alice so happy. There is no way she would let her dress and all this go to waste." I agreed. "Don't sweat it, Jaz. She's going to probably run to you." We took a lot of pictures. The groomsmen were in classic black Armani suits. Jasper was in a tux with a silver bow tie and vest. His blonde hair was extra curly. Emmett kept making fun of him, but he insisted Alice wanted it that way, and he only cared about her opinion. The outdoor wedding setup was great, with the Ocean sparkling in the background. Mom cried her way down the carpet with Marcus and Di holding her up. Several prestigious Washington people showed up. I introduced them to my babydoll. Some of the bitched I'd fucked tried to be shitty, but Bella held her own. I was fucking proud. She looked beyond beautiful in her long pink one shouldered gown. Suddenly, the wedding march came on, Carlisle was at the entrance with Alice. My whole life with her flashed before my eyes. My sister had always been there for me. I shed a few fucking tears as she glided down the aisle. She looked like an angel, a princess, and a goddess all wrapped into one. She winked at me before taking Jasper's hand. My babydoll cried really hard during the vows. Jasper and Alice didn't mind, though. They just spoke up. By the time the minister pronounced them husband and wife, there wasn't a dry eye. Alice fucking pounced on Jasper. I looked away as they mauled each other. After the ceremony, we went to the tens for the reception. It was a lot like me and Bella's, expect with more people. I talked to some State Senators I knew. They knew my godfathers and we'd done favors for them. There was a Democratic seat opening up, and they thought I might be good for it. I promised that I would think about it. Alice and Jasper looked so perfect together. Bella took turns crying, eating, and crying some more. Bree was fascinated by the whole thing. She got asked to dance a lot, so I had to keep my fucking eye on her and my babydoll. I didn't know what the fuck I was going to do when I had a daughter.

I gave Jasper a Lambo as a wedding present. Alice loved to race, and since she had her Porsche, I thought it was only right Jasper have a toy car too. Jasper blubbered like a fucking baby, almost choking me. The newlyweds wanted to postpone their Paris honeymoon so they wouldn't miss Bella's birth. They retired to their private penthouse after the the rice was thrown. They were taken away on a horse drawn carriage. Alice was so happy tucked in Jaz's arms. My sister being a happily married woman was one of my oldest wishes. Since, Caius had bought me a brand new Phantom to celebrate my initiation as Don, so I gave the old one to Em and Rose. I told them it was a late wedding gift. Emmett and I weren't close when he got married, so I wasn't at their wedding. "I'm going to gut it and paint it red," Rose squealed, snatching the keys I held out. "Can I drive it too, baby?" Em whined, picking up C and B. Bella and I watched them walk away. The combination of good food, company, and the day had made me fucking horny. "How about we go 'christen' our new Rolls, babydoll?" "I thought you'd never ask, Edward." We drove to a secluded area of the island. I helped Bella into the back. Before I knew it, she was bent over, taking my hard dick in her mouth. "God, you taste good. I love you, Edward." "Fuck! Ti amo, babydoll." She licked along my vein, and then took me down her throat. She had gotten really fucking good at this shit. My fingers were pulling on her hair as she bobbed up and down on my swelled cock. I closed my eyes as she began playing with my nuts. I was so fucking close. Suddenly, she sat up and squeezed hard, a little too hard. I came immediately, soaking her long mahogany hair in my cum. Her pretty pink dress was bunched up around her knees. My jizz was covering the top half. I was about to apologize when I noticed the seat was wet, really fucking wet, and so was the floor... "What the hell?" Bella turned to me, her doe eyes as wide as the moon. "I...I think my water just broke, Edward." All the air rushed out of my lungs, and then I passed the fuck out. ~*!*~

Chapter Thirty-Three ~ Amazing Part 1 You're so amazing you shine like the stars

You're so amazing the beauty you are You came blazing right into my heart You're so amazing you are... You are You came from heaven shining Breath of God still flows from fresh on you The beating heart inside me rumbled at this one so new ohoh ohoh Oooh ooohhh No matter where or how far you wander For a thousand years or longer I will always be there for you Right here with you --Amazing - Janelle BPOV "Edward Cullen, wake up! I need you," I sobbed, digging my nails into his shoulders. He moaned, opening his eyes slowly. I tried to calm myself down, but I was scared out of my mind. Dante was a big baby and he was about to come out of a very tiny hole. The contractions hadn't started yet, but I knew they would soon. "Babydoll, what…what happened?" Edward asked, furrowing his brow. A minute later it must have hit him because he looked at the wet floor and seats before making eye contact with me again. "Holy fucking shit!" "I want Jasper," I sniffled. "I have cum on my clothes and in my hair! I'm not ready, Edward. We need to get home. Call the midwife, the doula, an ambulance…someone! I'm scared. What if I can't do it?" I asked, going into full freak out mode. "Shhh, Bella. I'm here, and I'm not going to leave you. Everything is going to be fine. You can do this. I love you so fucking much," Edward soothed, kissing my forehead. After that, he and I used water and some wet wipes to clean me up a bit. Edward still looked like he might faint again. His lightly tanned face had gone sheet white and his emerald eyes were overly bright. Every few minutes, he would tug on his hair and utter an obscenity. Moments later, Edward pulled out a phone and began speaking quickly. "Carlisle! Yeah…. We need a medevac helicopter to take us back to Seattle… Her water just broke…. No, we were, um, out exploring the island and shit… Yes… I'll have one of my men pick up the midwife, you can call our OB… Ten minutes tops…. Yeah, mom, she's okay, put dad back on… Okay, thanks dad." Edward helped me take my dress off before he started speeding to our destination. Thankfully, I had a decent slip underneath, but I was still wet. His worried green eyes kept darting to mine through the mirror. If he was already this out of it, I wasn't sure he was going to be able to be in the birthing pool with me. While he drove, I practiced breathing and rubbing my stomach. "I love you, Dante. Mommy and daddy are so happy that you're ready to come out. I will do anything to make sure you get everything you need, baby boy."

"That goes for me too, son," Edward said, lovingly When we got to a stop sign, he turned around. "Bella, are you sure you're okay right now?" I nodded. "Good, we're going to get you home in time. Carlisle says it will probably be many hours before you're ready for actual birth. I'm so proud of you, babydoll. I would do it for you if I could. I'm so fucking sorry I passed out. It just… Shit! I'm fucking scared, too." I leaned forward to take his hand in mine. "Teflon, remember? I know we can do it, Edward. We've been through so much to get here. Our son is coming!" He smiled, delicately kissing the palm of my hand. "Ti amo, bella mia. We're almost to the island's hospital. If you want to have Dante there, we can. It's your choice. If not, the air ambulance will be waiting to take us home." "I want to have him in our Penthouse like we planned. You do still want to be in the water with me, right? It's okay if you don't." "Of course, I'm going to be in there with you. Don't even worry about me, babydoll. I'm fine as long as you and Dante are doing well." Roughly, five minutes later, we pulled up to the hospital. The rush of excitement and adrenaline got the best of me, making me giggle uncontrollably. Edward smirked before lifting me into his arms. "This reminds me of that time we fucked on that stranger's boat and you couldn't stop laughing. I love you, Bella," he whispered, kissing the shell of my ear. Before I could reply, we were bombarded by hospital staff. Edward refused to put me in a wheelchair, so he carried me into the elevator, which led to the roof. His big strong arms and messy copper hair were calming to my frazzled mental state. I buried my head in his chest as a new wave of laughter bubbled in my throat. Maybe I can do this after all. The hospital's rooftop was windy. Thankfully, someone had thrown a blanket over my body as Edward rushed into the elevator. Carlisle and Esme were waiting for us. I was glad they were already here, but I really wanted my brother Carlisle was alternating between barking orders and asking questions. "Have the contractions started? How far apart are they? Dr. Whitney is waiting for us at the Penthouse. You'll ride with Bella. The rest of us are taking cars." Luckily, I was finally able to control myself enough to answer, but then Esme took over. "Bella, sweetheart, are you okay? I'm here for you. Remember to breathe and relax. I am so excited. My third grandson will be here soon. I'm going to kiss his little chubby cheeks until they're red. You know, Edward was a very handsome baby. People used to…" "Mom, I'm sure Bella wants to hear this story but not while she's about to have a baby," Edward said, shuffling me in his arms. "It's okay, Esme. So far I'm not feeling…." A really bad cramp in my lower back stole my breath.

"Motherfucker," I yelped, instantly regretting it and apologizing. "I…I think I just had my first contraction." Edward's heart rate tripled. "Oh shit! We need to get home NOW!" A few minutes later, a helicopter landed on the other side of the roof. A female EMT managed to pry me from Edward's arms so she could put me on a stretcher. I told them it wasn't necessary, but no one listened. While we waited for Edward to join us in the helicopter, I let my mind wander. I had never wanted Charlie and Renee so much. After all these years, I thought that I'd accepted everything but knowing that my mom and dad wouldn't be there to see Dante born caused a physical ache in my chest. All of my earlier laughter was forgotten as I began to cry violently. "What the fuck did you do to her?" Edward thundered, stepping into the helicopter. The two EMT's looked scared. My husband was a sight to behold when he was mad, but I knew his bark was worse than his bite; at least it was most of the time. "Nothing. I was just checking her vitals and she started crying," the female stated calmly. Edward bent down until we were eye level. "What's wrong, my angel? I can't stand to see you in pain." "I haven't had another contraction yet. It's just… I miss my mom and dad so much right now. I…need them." He sighed and softly kissed me all over my face. "Babydoll, I know you miss them, but they're here with you in spirit. I'm you husband and it's my duty to take care of you for the rest of your life." Edward was right. I owed it to Dante to welcome him into the world with happiness. My mom and dad had loved me with all their hearts. They wouldn't have wanted me to be sad on such a glorious day. "I love you, Edward. Do you think we're ready? We lost so much time because of…that monster. I don't know if I feel prepared." "Babydoll, whether we're prepared or not isn't important. Our son is ready to come out and meet us. From what I know about babies, all he's going to want is your tits and a couple of back pats from me," Edward replied, laughing softly. After seeing Edward's mood change, the EMT's relaxed. I tried to sit up, but six pairs of arms held me down. Crossing my arms over my chest, I huffed and rubbed my lower stomach. A few minutes later, another contraction hit. I hissed, squeezing Edward's hand until it looked mangled. "Shit! I'm going to need a fucking cast if the contractions get worse than that," he yelled, examining his hand. "Suck it up, asshole! I have to push a ten pound baby out of my VAGINA! I'd take a rough hand squeeze over that any day of the year!" The rest of the helicopter ride was quiet. My outburst had scared everyone, including Edward. He

apologized and stared at me until we landed. When the female EMT attempted to take my blood pressure again, I pushed her away. I knew I was being rude, but everyone was pissing me off. After we landed, Edward carried me off the helicopter and into a waiting car. He insisted that the female EMT ride with us to the Penthouse, just in case. I felt out of sorts, so I just held Edward's hand as the SUV traveled at the speed of light. I saw couples having date nights and girls my age going home after a long day of shopping. "Do you wish you were like them; that you were still single and carefree?" Edward asked, watching me closely. I smiled, pulling his hand to my lap. "No. I'm exactly where I want to be right now. Our… courtship may have been shorter than most people's but that's because we're soul mates." A few minutes later, we pulled into our private garage. Edward gave instructions to his men before carrying me to the elevator. My OBGYN, Dr. Whitney, was in our living room talking to the midwife. "Hello, Bella. I've been briefed by Carlisle over the phone. You are in the early stages of labor right now. Typically, that can last from eight to ten hours. Would you like to get cleaned up, walk around, or rest?" she asked, beaming. "Can I take a shower?" Both Dr. Whitney and Senna, my midwife laughed. "Yes, it's going to be a while yet." As usual, Edward carried me to the bathroom. He helped me take off my slip and adjusted the water temperature to a perfect setting. I smiled lovingly at him as he soaped me up with my favorite natural strawberry body wash. After that was done, I dressed in a long purple gown and robe. Edward still looked like a wild man. I made him leave me long enough to wash up and change. When he returned, there was a little color to his face. "Are you all right, Edward? You've been through a lot but I've never seen you look so…frightened." He chuckled. "I told you not to worry about me. I can handle this. I'm the fucker that knocked you up while you were on birth control, remember?" I rolled my eyes. "It was the antibiotics. How many times do I have to tell you?" "I guarantee that even if you never took those fucking antibiotics, you'd still be pregnant. My sperm is that fucking potent, babydoll. Get used to this. I think you're going to be knocked up many, many, many times," he said smugly. I was just about to burst his bubble when Dr. Whitney knocked on the door. Edward got up to let her inside. She was a nice woman. Her hair was light brown sprinkled with a couple of grays and her kind brown eyes were calming. She had on green scrubs and a pair of latex gloves. I automatically flinched. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm just going to check and see how many centimeters your cervix is dilated. How far apart are the contractions now?" She asked, spreading my legs wide.

"They come every 18 minutes." Edward replied, shocking me. When I looked over at him, he smiled. "That's good. There is still plenty of time before you'll enter active labor, Bella. Some women like to watch television or walk around. It's up to you." I felt her finger slide into my core. I winced, turning beat red in the process. Edward laughed and kissed my cheeks. "It's okay, babydoll. I know you're not used to anyone's fingers but mine inside your pussy. Since this is necessary, I'll allow it," he whispered, kissing the shell of my ear. "Well, you're only about two and a half centimeters. We don't want your contractions to stall, so I suggest you don't enter the birthing pool until you're at least four centimeters." She checked my heart rate and breathing, declaring them both great. Then, she went to go wash her hands while Edward and I talked. A few minutes later, she came back and assured us that everything was progressing normally. After that, we followed Dr. Whitney to the sunroom. It was one of my favorite places in our home. All of the furniture had been removed and replaced with large colorful pillows. Even the stained hardwood floors were waxed to perfection. Large glass holders containing LEED's apple incense and vanilla candles were set out on low lying tables. I'd chosen vanilla and apple as my calming scents to help me during labor. The sunroom windows faced our pool and gave an amazing view of Seattle. In the distance, the Space Needle stood out against the city lights. I signed, leaning into Edward. Everything was perfect for Dante's arrival. Edward kissed my forehead as he led me to the professional Eco birth pool. It had been custom made and was very comfortable. I liked that it was deep and allowed me to move around. Plus there was plenty of room for Edward. I was pretty sure that it was expensive, but my husband spared no expense when it came to Dante and me. My midwife, Senna, was tall and thin with dark brown skin and long, black loosely-braided hair. Her dark blue eyes lit up when she noticed us lurking. She was with another woman, whom I assumed was my doula. The other woman had the same features as Senna, but here eyes were dark brown. She shook Edward's hand before turning to me. "Hi, Bella. My name is Kachiri. I'm Senna's sister. We work as a team. I'll be your doula during this momentous occasion. Giving birth is a spiritual and emotional experience. I'm glad that you have chosen water birth," she said, kissing me on the cheek. Another contraction hit me, causing my knees to buckle. Edward effortlessly lifted me into his arms as I rode it out. After the pain subsided, Senna made me drink a bottle of cold water. My throat was extremely dry so I needed it. "Babydoll, are you okay? Is there anything I can do?" Edward asked, worriedly. "I'm good, baby. It's just a natural part of life. I wish it didn't hurt so damn much, though." Everyone in the room laughed while I finished my drink.

Soon after, Edward and I went to the nursery. We'd picked a pale green for the walls and Alice had one of her art friends do a mural of Rome, Italy with teddy bears dressed up as people walking the cobblestone streets. It was unique and beautiful. There was a massive 64 inch LCD television mounted high on the wall that was programmed to play only baby and children's shows. There were also expensive Bose speakers. Edward insisted that Dante have nothing but the best. Since our son was much too young for a car, Marcus had given him a handcrafted replica of Edward's Phantom. Caius' gift was a real Italian prince's crown with rubies. It sat on top of one of the corner book shelves. Dark green drawers and tall, beige armoires were filled with mountains of neatly folded baby clothes. Esme, and my sisters had gone all out. I liked cute things like Pooh Bear onesies, but Edward's family had more extravagant taste. I saw a lot of labels like Dior, Ralph Laurnen, and even Armani in Dante's new wardrobe. "Are you okay, babydoll?" Edward asked for the millionth time. "I'm fine. It's all so real. I just can't believe he's coming." Pulling me into his arms, Edward kissed my forehead. We stayed wrapped up into each other for several minutes. When the next contraction hit, Edward checked his Audemar to record the time. "Shit! Now they're only sixteen minutes apart. Everyone should be here in half an hour. Do you want to lay down?" "No, um, could you grab my birthing ball? I would really appreciate a good massage right now." Edward smirked before leaving the room. When he returned, he put on some of his calming piano music. Hearing Edward play made me think of the night that our son was conceived. I was so unsure of us back then, but now I couldn't picture a life without my Edward. After helping me sit on the ball, Edward began to massage my shoulders and lower back. Sometimes it was hard to believe that the long, elegant fingers kneading my muscles had been used to kill and inflict torture. My husband was many things, good and bad. I loved him through it all. "Babydoll, do you think I'll be a good father? I know I curse too much, and I'm a fucking Mobster, but…" I smiled, guiding his hand to my lips. "You'll be great, Edward. The main element needed to be a successful parent is love. You have that in spades. Sure, you're a Mafia Don, but that's only part of who you are. I'm not expecting you to change. You've proven time and time again that family is your first priority. I couldn't ask for a better mate.." "Damn, babydoll, that was fucking sweet. I think you transferred some of your estrogen shit to me because, seriously, I feel like crying." I laid my head down on the beige chenille loveseat that Esme bought for the nursery. We also had matching custom made oak mommy and daddy rocking chairs. Edward continued to massage my body while I rolled my hips back and forth. It helped ease some of the discomfort.

Dante's nursery was a masterpiece. The best feature of the room was his crib. It was over the top and very Italian. The headboards had intricate scroll designs that looked like they'd been forged by hand. Alice and Rose added a canopy bar with silk, green curtains to give it 'flair'. It was outfitted with high-priced 1500 thread count Egyptian cotton sateen sheets with an Italian finish, which were the same kind me and Edward slept on. There were also several green and beige pure cashmere baby blankets on top. "Edward, how much did this stuff cost? It seems a bit much for a baby?" He laughed. "I promise that I didn't spend more than two bucks fifty on the room." I frowned. "How much is that?" Before he could answer it dawned on me. "You spent a quarter of a million dollars on a baby things? Oh, my god!" "Calm down, babydoll. I'm counting the stroller, the car seats, toys, and other things. You want our son to have the best, don't you? It's not like we're hurting for money." Sighing softly, I closed my eyes. This was one part of Edward that was both a gift and a curse. I thought it was insane to spend so much money, but I did want Dante to have the best. My next contraction hit hard. It felt like someone kicked me hard in the back. I breathed deeply, clutching my lower stomach. This one was longer than the others. By the time it ended, Edward was kneeled in front of me with his hands on either side of my waist. He wiped my sweaty brow before making me drink more water. Half an hour later, our family arrived. It was pure and utter chaos. Esme and Di almost ran over poor Edward to get to me. They kissed my cheeks and took turns asking me if I was okay. "Bella?" Jasper asked, walking timidly into the room. I managed to get free from Di and Esme so that I could hug my brother. He looked almost as bad as Edward. Alice was clinging to his side, brushing my hair out of my face. She looked so happy. "I'm so glad you're here, Jaz. I can't do it without you. Are you ready to be an uncle?" My brother swayed on his feet. Thankfully, Emmett was right behind him. "Dude, you're not the father. Leave the fainting to Edward. From what I hear, that 's his department. Edward stood behind me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist. "Shut up, fucker. I told Dad that in hopes that he would keep it to himself. "Sorry, son," Carlisle said, sheepishly. "It was your mother. She has never been able to keep a secret." Esme goosed him. "I think you have that wrong, dear. It's you who can't keep a secret. The nurses actually go to you for gossip updates." We all laughed at Carlisle's feigned hurt expression. The room got quiet when Caius and Marcus entered. Although they were family, they exuded this air of danger and mystique. Caius' being an albino only added to that. They walked straight towards Edward, kissing him on both cheeks before doing the same to me. Edward hissed. "Calm down. I'm not going to take her from you," Marcus laughed, taking his place beside Di. She smiled

warmly as he took her hand. They were both so dark and regal looking, yet they were completely down to earth. Caius was the same. I was happy that they would all be in Dante's life. A few minutes later, Bree, Angela, and Ben joined the party. Luckily, Dante's nursery was large enough to accommodate everyone. I noticed Bree hanging back so I reached out for her. "I am so happy, Bella. I like babies. I cannot wait to hold Dante in my arms," she said, taking my hand. Edward fondly mussed her blond hair. Bree groaned and tried to get away. "Stop it, Eddie! You used to do that to me and it's not funny. I can't even remember how many times I went to school with bed head," Alice whined. Jasper smirked, pulling her into him. "Yeah, but your bed head is sexy as hell." Everyone in the room fake gagged, causing Alice and Jasper to stick their tongues out at us. Newlyweds were so annoying. Had Edward and I been that bad? Were we still that bad? As if he knew what I was thinking, Edward leaned down, whispering in my ear. "They're worse than us." Rose was staring at the room curiously. "All of these baby things makes me miss it. Colin and Brady are a handful but I love them. I guess I wouldn't mind doing it again." Emmett did some kind of stupid dance before pulling her down for a kiss. "We can start as soon as possible. I'm already one kid ahead of Edward." My husband scoffed. "Please. I'll have Bella knocked up again before Dante is on solid foods." Groaning, I elbowed him in the stomach. "I don't think so! In case you haven't noticed, this pregnancy thing isn't a walk in the park." Shortly thereafter, my contractions started to come quicker and last longer. People that say childbirth isn't painful are liars! It hurt. A lot. My fingernails left angry red marks on Edward's forearms but he never complained. "Breathe in, breathe out," The women chanted as Dr. Whitney checked my cervix. The men had been sent to the living room to wait. Jasper had protested because I didn't want him in the birthing room. Alice promised that she would take care of me. I loved my brother but there were just some things he shouldn't see, and my vajayjay was one of those things. I screamed as yet another round of severe pain hit my lower body. It would be a long time before I let Edward touch me again! In fact, I was planning on becoming celibate. "She's five minutes apart and her cervix is dilated six centimeters. It's time to move to the birthing pool," Dr. Whitney said, taking off her gloves. Again, Edward insisted on carrying me. When we got to the room, I took off my robe, leaving me nude except for a small bikini top. I blushed but everyone assured me that chid birth was natural and that it was all right to be naked in front of them. Quickly, Edward lowered me into the water. It had been heated to ninety-nine degrees to emulate human body temperature. I thought having my baby in the water was better because it was similar to baby's

natural habitat in the womb. I didn't want my child's first moments to be of harsh lights, beeping noises, and the smell of Clorox. That was the main reason I chose not to have him in a hospital. I watched quietly as my husband stripped down to a pair of blue Nike swim trunks. Esme and Di kissed his cheeks before he dipped down into the water, sitting behind me. I knew that as long as he was by my side, I could do anything. "I love you, Edward. Promise me that if something goes wrong, you will save Dante. Don't worry about me." He tensed, kissing my neck gently. "Nothing is going to go wrong, babydoll. I won't let it. You're strong. I know you can do this." After that, Kachiri entered the room. "It's time. I just want you all to know that childbirth is one of the most beautiful experiences of life. I've delivered hundreds of healthy babies and I have never lost one. We are about to begin a journey. A new and beautiful soul is joining the world. I hope you're all as excited as I am." "I'm very excited! My grandson is almost here. It seems like just yesterday I was powdering Edward's and Alice's little bottoms. Now they're all grown up and married. My baby boy is about to become a father," Esme sobbed, leaning into Di. Bree sat down on one of the pillows. Her blue eyes were infinitely sad. I almost got out of the pool to go to her. Before I could ask, she articulated what she'd been thinking. "I wish I could remember mother. She did not like me, but… I know she is alive and she doesn't want me, but I remember a few times when she took me to park. I was happy." Big droplets of tears fell from her eyes. Esme knelt on the floor beside her. "Shhh, don't cry sweetheart. I am your mother now. My children have adopted you as their sister. You are a part of our family. Carlisle and I love you very much." "That was beautiful. Everyone excuse me. I have an urgent need to call my mom. I'll be back in a minute," Angela said before leaving the room. Edward said something to Bree in Russian. Of course, I didn't understand but it made her smile brightly. It warmed my heart that he'd accepted her into our lives so freely. I just hoped he would do the same with Riley when he came to visit, but I doubted that would happen. .While Kachiri lit the incense and candles, Edward played with my fingers. He whispered sweet Italian words in my ear but when I asked him to translate he refused, promising that he'd tell me later. "Vaffanculo!" I screamed as another raging bitch of a contraction hit me. Di, Esme, Rose, and Alice laughed. Angela and Bree looked bewildered. "Shit, babydoll. Who taught you to say 'fuck you' in Italian?" I grimaced, pushing a strand of wet hair out of my eye. "I heard you say it on the phone one day and I looked it up."

"You have always had the worst language, Edward. I hope sweet Dante does not pick up those swear words," Esme chastised. Senna laughed as she checked my blood pressure and heart rate. Dr. Whitney was getting prepped just in case she was needed. Edward and Carlisle wanted all the bases covered. Active labor seemed to go on for hours. We sang, listened to music and Dante poems, and generally just put good vibes in the air. Edward never let go of me, caressing my shoulders as I cried from another contraction. I called him foul names but he didn't seem to mind. I felt like I was going to die. "Get out, Edward! I don't want you here. You did this to me! It hurts," I whimpered. Kachiri helped me to my knees. I sat at the edge of the pool crying while my sisters smoothed my hair. "No matter what you say, I'm not fucking leaving. I'm sorry, babydoll. I swear to god I'd do it for you if I could. Just breathe, my angel. We'll get through this." I let him pull me into his arms. The feel of his smooth, bare chest helped center me. He continued to hold me as I raged and screamed through many contractions. Just when I thought I couldn't go on anymore, an overwhelming sense of relief hit me. Senna reached into the water, dipping her fingers into my core. "Her cervix is completely open," she said to Dr. Whitney. "What does that mean?" Alice asked eagerly. Dr. Whitney smiled. "It means it's time for Bella to begin pushing. Little Dante should be making an appearance in about an hour." Senna laughed. "He's definitely not little. Dante is going to be one of my ten pounders. I have experience with preventing vaginal tearing. You will be fine, Bella." Tearing? I'd heard of it but I Really hoped it didn't happen to me. Stitches and surgery were my biggest fears. "Don't worry, babydoll. You'll be fine. Remember all those Kegels you did?" Edward whispered. Smiling through the pain, I nodded. "How could I forget? Most of them occurred on top of you while we were in the throes of passion." "No dirty talk during childbirth," he teased, kissing my nose. Since I'd opted for a natural birth, I felt every pain. Edward repositioned himself behind me, placing his large hands over my stomach. Dante responded to his father's touch. I pushed trying to expel the pain from my body. "Take it easy," Esme said, "Breathe and stay calm." I made whooshing sounds as I attempted to keep do just that.

"Push," Senna yelled, pressing down on my bump. "It fucking hurts!" I screamed, pressing my body into Edward's. "Babydoll, you can do it. Just push. Our son is almost here. He wants to see us. Help him," Edward pleaded. Scrunching up my face, I pushed hard. Soon, I began to feel Dante sliding out of the birth canal. I stopped, completely tired. I didn't have any more strength. Di put a cool cloth on my face as Edward continued to encourage me. "Oh my god, Bella! I can see the head," Alice squealed, practically leaping into the water. Rose nodded. "You're so close Bella. Damn, I can already see that he has Edward's hair. You're going to spend a fortune on gel." "Push, Bella, push," everyone encouraged. It seemed like I'd been in that pool for days when I reached down and felt my son sliding out. Edward held my hand as I gave one last final push. "Ugh! Oh my god," I panted breathlessly. A second later, I opened my teary eyes to the most beautiful sight in the world. Dante Emanuele Charles Anthony Cullen.. Senna helped me lift him out of the water and then suctioned out his nose. All I could do was cry, holding him securely in my arms. Our son had a pair of lungs on him. They could have probably heard his cries in the next state. I had almost forgotten about Edward until he reached around me, trying to peek at his son. "My god. I didn't know… This is fucking amazing," he mumbled, staring at Dante. "I love you so much, baby boy. I'm so happy you're here. I'm your mommy, Bella. Oh, god, you're so handsome," I sobbed, kissing his tiny cheeks. Meanwhile, Senna used a bath towel to wipe off some of the blood and fluids.. "Look at our baby, Edward," I said, turning so he could see him. "He's perfect. We made this perfect human being. He looks just like you." Everyone else in the room was squealing and talking about how happy they were, but Edward, Dante, and I were in our own little bubble. Excitedly, I watched my son open his eyes. They were a milky green now, but I knew that they would end up matching Edward's emerald orbs. Our son also had a head full of bronzed hair that was all over the place, just like his daddy. His nose and lips were all me, though. Edward cried, kissing his son's tiny cheeks carefully. "You are amazing, babydoll. I can never repay you for this. He's absolutely flawless." Like every new mother, I checked my baby's fingers and toes. They were all perfect. I smiled when I saw his little winky. Edward laughed at me for calling it that. "He's big and so gorgeous!" Di squealed.

"I love you, Dante," Edward and I repeated over and over again. It was important for the baby's first moments to be filled with love and security. Kachiri told us that he could hear our voices and it soothed him. Eventually, it was time for Edward to cut the umbilical chord. He was handed a pair of scissors with a ribbon wrapped around it. When Alice and Rose started snapping pictures, I felt like I was at a Hollywood premiere. After my body expelled the placenta, I was helped out of the water. I refused to let go of Dante. Edward protectively wrapped his arms around the both of us. Kachiri handed him a towel before helping me dry off. Dante was quiet, his little mouth suckling an imaginary teat. I kissed him and nuzzled his tiny nose. Never in my life had I felt so completely open. I loved this little baby with all my heart. "Waaaahhhh! Wahhhh!" he cried, snuggling into my chest. A little later, Esme convinced Edward to leave so that he could wash up and change clothes. After he left, Senna and Kachiri did Dante's foot and fingerprints. Then, they wrapped him in a green cashmere blanket. When that was finished, Esme took Dante from them while my sisters washed and clothed me in an ice blue silk gown and robe. Alice even brushed and re-braided my hair. "You look angelic," Rose said, handing me a mirror. I did have a kind of ethereal glow and my eyes were bright. After everyone took a turn, holding my son, he was passed back to me. Edward came back, clad in black sweats and a long sleeved white shirt. His eyes were intense as he took a seat on the side of me. "I love you , babydoll," he said, kissing my forehead. "You're beautiful. And our son…" We both looked down at our little bundle. He'd gone quiet and was now just staring at us. I knew that he would be ready for his first feeding soon. My breasts were already leaking. Edward gently rubbed Dante's cheek. "His skin is so fucking soft. He has your lips; the bottom one is larger than the top. He also has your nose. He's fucking adorable." "Wow, Bella, you cloned Edward," Rose said, smiling. As if to protest, Dante began to scream bloody murder, squirming to get free from his blanket. I kissed his tiny little hand, passing him to his daddy. At first, Edward looked frightened beyond belief, but then courage filled his eyes as he expertly held his son. "You're doing great, daddy. Remember to always support the head," I assured. He looked at our son in pure wonderment. "Hi, D.C. I'm your daddy, Edward. I promise to love you forever and long after. You're my firstborn, mi figlio. Ti amo, Dante. As if he understood the Italian, our baby boy wrapped his tiny little hand around Edward's finger. Everyone in the room melted. I barely noticed the men enter. It wasn't until Jasper spoke that I was

broken out of my trance. "Damn. My little sister is all grown up," he said, kissing my cheek. Edward kissed Dante all over his face before letting his godfather's hold him. Once again, the little man of the hour was passed around. He as already a dazzler, smiling, gurgling, and slobbering all over the place. "Today is June 2. Edward's birthday is in 18 days," Esme said, happily. Kissing my pulse point, Edward replied, "Dante is the best gift I could ever get, Thank you, Bella." My vision clouded with tears. Finally, just as I was about to get possessive and snatch my baby away, Esme deposited him back into my arms. He played with a loose strand of my hair as I looked into his eyes. He smelled so fresh and sweet. I couldn't stop kissing him, breathing in that unique newborn essence. All of a sudden, Emmett began to laugh boisterously. I looked down to make sure that I hadn't accidentally had a nipple slip. My boobs were huge. "What the fuck is so funny?" Edward seethed, tightening his arm around Dante and me. Em held up his hands. "Chill, bro. Look at your son. As if the fact he looks like you isn't proof enough…" We both looked down to see what he was yammering about. Then, I gasped. Dante's tiny fist lay balled up on my breast, but his middle finger was sticking straight up." Edward laughed heartily, tucking Dante's finger back into the palm. "Well, he's definitely my son." Shaking my head, I kissed both of my guys on the cheek. With Dante in my arms and my husband by my side, my life was perfect. I had everything I could ever want or need. My body felt as if it had been run over by an Army tank, but I was at peace and oh so very happy. "You're amazing, Dante, Mommy loves you," I cooed. Senna came in to usher everyone out. Dante had started to root, meaning he was hungry. My husband slid the thin nightgown strap down my shoulder, exposing my breasts. As usual, his eyes darkened. "Dante, I'd like you to remember I'm only loaning you these for a short time, and I expect to get them back in the same condition," he joked, nuzzling our son. I shook my head at Edward before helping Dante latch onto my nipple. My baby boy was healthy, safe, and in my arms. Today, I had officially taken on the most important job in the world. Mother. ~*!*~

Chapter Thirty-Four ~ Amazing Part 2 You're so amazing you shine like the stars You're so amazing the beauty you are

You came blazing right into my heart You're so amazing you are... You are You came from heaven shining Breath of God still flows from fresh on you The beating heart inside me rumbled at this one so new ohoh ohoh Oooh ooohhh No matter where or how far you wander For a thousand years or longer I will always be there for you Right here with you --Amazing - Janelle BPOV "Good morning, little guy," I said, lifting a fussy Dante from his bassinet. He didn't like sleeping in the crib yet, and because he was a newborn, Senna suggested he sleep in a bassinet for a little while. As usual, Edward insisted on buying Dante the best. It was a luxurious white confection of perfect pleats and expensive silk with green silk bows on the sides. Dante loved it. He slept like an angel. It had been five days since his birth, and he'd already grown so much. The moment I cradled him to my breast, he calmed down. I knew that that meant he was hungry. Then again, when wasn't my baby hungry. Thankfully, Rose and Esme had been very helpful preparing me for breastfeeding. It kind of hurt the first few times, but now I was starting to get used to it. Not that it mattered-I'd take all the pain if it meant my baby boy was healthy and happy. After taking a seat in my rocking chair, I unclasped the strap on my blue nursing tank. It was only four in the morning, so I was still in my pajama pants. Fortunately, my little sweetheart needed no help in finding the nipple. In an instant, he latched on and sucked hard. He's just like his daddy. Staring at his little copper head, I began to hum quietly. He stopped sucking for a minute to look up at me. I leaned down to kiss his soft forehead, repositioning his mouth on my nipple. Ever so often, Dante would tap my breast with his little fist and kick his legs. Yesterday, Rose told me that meant he was really enjoying the meal. Edward was beginning to insist that I pump so he could feed our soon too, but I was reluctant to give up my most important duty. Plus, I liked having my baby at my breast. The bottle just wasn't the same! After my baby boy finished, I grabbed my huge bottle of water from the nightstand. Senna had explained that it was very important for a new mother to stay hydrated. I was also eating a lot of healthy proteins and veggies. Dante would be taking a lot of nutrients out of my body from the constant feedings, so it was very important that I kept my calorie intake up. I covered my shoulder with a soft towel before lifting my angel. While he squirmed, I gently rubbed and pat his back, coaxing a burp out of him. His sweet scent was a combination of baby lotion and Mustela, which made the best and most highly recommended baby hygiene products. I used their stretch mark

cream on my body. Becoming a mother had been a glorious experience, but my body was no longer in prime condition. Lately, I had taken to leaving the room to change clothes. The only time I allowed Edward to see me nude was when I breastfed, and even that wasn't my choice. I just let him stay because Dante liked him there. I felt ugly, fat, and just plain gross. I seriously doubted that Edward would ever want to touch me again or that I would even let him. Eventually, Dante let out a loud burp. "Good boy! I am so proud of you, little man." He was only wearing a diaper so that we were chest to chest. One of his hand sewn cashmere blankets covered his small body. Kachiri was an advocate of this parent-child chest to chest bonding called the Kangaroo Method. It had been shown to improve breast milk production and was comforting to the baby. She'd read us a news report where a baby was stillborn. The poor mother kept holding the baby to her chest and to everyone's surprise, the little angel lived. After hearing that story, I cried for hours and refused to put Dante down. Edward had been forced to intervene when I began to feel faint. I couldn't help it though… just the thought of something happening to my little boy turned me into a nutcase. "I will never let anything happen to you, precious one. I love you so much," I cooed, stroking his silken cheek with my fingers. I was proud of the fact that he'd inherited my blush. I watched in adoration as his face reddened beautifully. "What the fuck, babydoll? I told you to wake me up if D.C. woke up again. I feel fucking useless. All you've let me do is change a few diapers," my husband whined, stepping into the room. His eyes were bright with anger as he sauntered over to the rocking chair, taking a seat on the fluffy rug in front. A few weeks ago, seeing my husband bare-chested in a pair of boxers would have made me want to jump his bones, but now…I felt nothing. Honestly, I just wanted him to go back to sleep. He reached up, trying to extract Dante from my arms. I pulled away possessively, not willing to give up my bundle of joy. Edward frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I am Dante's father. I have a right to hold him. Please, babydoll. You are doing such a great job, but we love him too. It's important that he bond with both of us." Huffing loudly, I handed over our son. He blew a spit bubble and flailed his little arms. Edward smiled, making me feel guilty about my earlier thoughts. He was right and I was wrong. This was one time that I would be willing to eat crow. "I'm sorry, Edward. I just… It's hard for me." He smiled, leaning back so Dante could lay his head on his bare chest. Our son made what we called one of his 'happy noises'. He and Edward looked just alike. I sighed happily as I watched my husband kiss our baby's head. He was so gentle and careful with him; really there was nothing for me to worry about. "Don't even worry about it, babydoll. I just want to be included, okay?" He smirked, bouncing Dante lightly. Dante squealed, turning his small head towards me. I leaned down to kiss both of my guy's cheeks A few minutes later, Dante's second favorite activity happened. "I think he went poo Edward."

My husband scrunched up his nose, holding our baby boy in front of him as if he was a deadly weapon. "I got it." While he held Dante, I smoothed a laminated changing pad on the luxury changing table. The pads were easy to clean and disinfect, yet soft enough for my little guy to be comfortable. He kicked up his tiny, wrinkled feet, sucking on his fist as Edward prepared to change the noxious diaper. "Dude, I swear if you weren't so fucking cute… This shit is scary enough to be in a horror movie," Edward said, holding Dante's legs and removing the diaper. I couldn't help but laugh as I used a wipe to clean our little's one tushy. The smell was awful but after so many changes, I was almost used to it. My little angel smiled, reaching for my hands. Shaking his head, Edward powdered Dante and put him on a fresh diaper. We used both disposable and organic cotton cloth diapers. Thankfully, we were wealthy enough to afford a launder service. I still preferred the disposables, though. When that was done, Edward hoisted Dante into his arms, kissing his forehead. We were addicted to touching and smooching our bambino. Between all the members of the family and our friends, Dante was quickly becoming spoiled rotten. Because I didn't want to be too far away, I asked Edward to move his bassinet to our bedroom. The nursery was right across the halls but I still had nightmares that caused me to wake up many times just to check on our son. The horror of being held captive by James would never leave, but I was dealing with it. Dr. A. and Dr. Uley had agreed to make weekly house calls. Edward paid for this luxury, but it was worth it not to have to take Dante out of the house too much. So far, we hadn't taken him anywhere. I was really worried about my angel catching a cold. Of course, Dante wasn't sleepy. He wanted to play. Edward and I laid down, putting one of his cashmere baby blankets in the center of the bed. Dante squealed. He loved being in the big bed, and truthfully, I loved having him so close. Edward snapped the clasp on our little man's teddy bear onesie. "Your mom dresses you like a wimp, but don't worry, son, dad has some tricks up his sleeve." I slapped Edward's arm, chastising him for picking on me. He leaned across Dante to kiss me on the lips. His mouth tasted divine, like mint and honey. Apparently, the kiss offended our baby boy. He yelled loudly as big fat tears fell down his cheeks. Without even thinking, I scooped him into my arms, cradling him to my breast. "Awww, sweetie. What's the matter?" I asked, almost frantically. My husband chuckled, crossing his arms over his muscular chest. "He's jealous, babydoll. Watch this." He leaned over to kiss me again. Sure enough, Dante went off. I grabbed a baby towel so that I could wipe my little angel's face. Edward took him from me, placing him back on his chest. Almost immediately, Dante quieted as his eyes began to droop.

We put on a tape of Edward playing his favorite Beethoven and Mozart pieces. I laid my head on the free side of Edward's chest so that Dante faced me. He inserted his pudgy little thumb into his mouth before closing his eyes. Edward began to hum softly. I wanted to ask him about the song, but my eyes were heavy. Yawning, I fell asleep after my son. When I woke up again, Dante was crying from his bassinet. Edward was spooning me from behind, and he had a major case of morning wood. Fortunately, since I'd give birth, he hadn't pressured me for oral sex. I knew that he was taking care of himself, and if that didn't work, taking long cold showers. It took me a minute to get free so that I could go to my baby. His chubby cheeks were pink. I lifted him, already knowing what he wanted. After unclasping my tank, I took a seat on the bed. It was only eight, meaning he'd only slept for a little over three hours. Edward stirred, opening one emerald eye. "Again?" He asked gruffly, rubbing his forehead. "Maybe we should hire a nanny, babydoll. That would make it easier on you." I frowned, helping Dante latch. "No. I want to be the one to take care of my son. Besides, you'd just get some hot little nanny that would spend more time trying to get inside your pants than anything else." "Hey! Where the hell is that coming from? I was thinking about someone older and more matronly. Don't tell me we're back on this trust bullshit again." "We never left it," I scoffed. "I read the news. Men claim to change all the time. They get the wife, the baby, the domestic life, and they get bored. The next thing you know, everyone is in divorce court and custody is being discussed." "I hope that is your fucking lack of sleep speaking, babydoll. I won't get bored and jeopardize my family. I worked too fucking hard to get it! I don't even like you saying the 'D' word. When I married you, I made a promise of forever, and I keep my fucking promises. Dante unlatched, craning his head to look at Edward. I juggled him a little, shifting him so that he was more comfortable. Moments later, he began suckling again. "If I have to put up with this shit every day, I might as well be at work. You don't let me do shit anyway," Edward griped, throwing on a tee shirt. "Go back then! Go sleep with your whores! Be happy, drink, smoke, destroy your life if you want. Dante and I won't stop you," I yelled, flailing my arms. After kissing our son, Edward left the room. He glared at me before walking out the door. I began to cry. The argument was all my fault, but I didn't think he'd leave. Dante, who had stopped feeding, gazed up at me. "I'm sorry, baby boy. I was mean to daddy. Please, forgive me." He did that thing babies do where they poke their little tongues out. Senna said it was to prevent choking, but I thought it was impossibly cute. Nuzzling my little one's nose, I started to doze again. The next time I awoke, the sun was shining brightly through our windows. I looked at the clock, gasping when I realized that it was almost six in the evening. That meant that I had been asleep for ten hours. Where is my baby? I thought, scrambling out of bed. He wasn't in the bassinet. I groaned, going through

my fuzzy memories. I'd fallen asleep with him in my arms. Oh my god! After throwing on a robe, I rushed to the living room. I was halfway there before I heard voices coming from the kitchen. Quickly, I changed my trajectory, practically flying though the door. Several pairs of eyes turned to look at me. I knew I looked crazy. My hair was a bird's nest and my clothes were wrinkled from sleep. In the center of the room, sitting at the island was Alice. She was holding Dante while Jasper made funny faces trying to get him to laugh. Esme rushed to my side, pulling me into her arms. She kissed me on the cheek before pulling back, looking worriedly into my eyes. I collapsed, letting her fully support me. Luckily, Edward picked me up before I could bring the both of us down. "I… I slept too long. Is he hungry? Why didn't anyone wake me up?" Rose, who was sitting with Emmett and the boys at a table, walked over to me. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, kissing my forehead. Di came over and did the same. It was all so comforting. I began to sob softly. "I'm sorry, everyone. I've just been…" Edward took my hand in his, before whispering in my ear. "Dante is fine. Since you didn't pump, mom gave him a little formula. Carlisle said it was okay. He's perfect. Look at him." Our boy was gurgling as his Aunt Ali and Uncle Jaz tickled his belly. He really was all right. Maybe he doesn't need me at all. I'm useless. The thought made me cry harder. Alice stood, walking over and taking the seat beside me. She and Jasper shared a concerned look. I tried to smile for them but it probably looked more like a grimace. Senna had warned me about post-pregnancy hormones, but I didn't think they'd be this bad. "Bella," she started," Um, I was wondering if you would let Jaz and I take Dante to our place for a few hours. That way you and Edward could spend some time alone and D.C. won't be too far away." My brother must have seen that I was about to refuse because he stepped forward. "Please, sis. It's good practice for when Ali and me have one of our own." "But you guys are newlyweds. You should be headed to Paris. Don't let us inconvenience you." Slinging his arm over my shoulder, Jaz leaned down to tickle me. "Stop being stubborn, Bells. Alice and I aren't leaving for Paris until after Edward's birthday. We have plenty of time to be newlyweds." Carlisle stepped forward, looking every bit the doctor. "That's' a good idea. If you won't let Alice and Jasper take him, at least let your mother and me. You need some TLC, Bella. I've seen new mothers hospitalized because of stress, and I don't want that for you." "Oh, that would be great, but who am I to begrudge my little girl. We'll steal him from you another night," Esme said, taking Carlisle's hand. Di, not to be left out also staked her claim. Marcus laughed, patting her on the back. There was a small squabble when Rose, Angela, and even Bree offered to take him for the night.

Edward spoke up. "Ali and Jaz, you can take him. I'll go pack a bag. We'll be down to get him later tonight." He exited the room to get everything together. Jasper followed him as Ali passed me my baby boy. Bree took Edward's vacated seat and began to play with Dante's fingers. It was then that I noticed Onyx was tucked into her hoodie. I scratched my kitten's tiny head. "How is she? I miss her so much?" Bree smiled, lifting Onyx out so Dante could see her. Our kitten rubbed her little head against Dante's cheeks. There was a lot of ahhhing around the room. Rose snapped a picture. "She is good. She uses the litter box without help sometimes. I like her a lot," Bree said, cuddling Onyx. "I miss you, Bree. Our offer still stands. Move in with us. Edward really wants you to." Esme tisked before taking a seat. "Nonsense. Carlisle and I love having Bree in the house. We need someone young around, especially since all my kids hog my grandchildren from me." Colin and Brady, who had been stuffing their faces, came over to greet their cousin. The first time they saw him, they were confused as to why he couldn't play yet. "Baby Te happy," Colin chortled, playing with my baby boy's feet. "Pway now, Bebba?" Brady asked, resting his head on my knee. I laughed. "I'm sorry guys. Dante won't be able to play for a while. He doesn't even crawl yet. I know that he wants to play with you and once he can, I'm sure all of you guys will drive both me and your mother crazy." A few minutes later, Edward returned. Jasper was carrying one of my new Dior diaper bags. I had an intense need to check it out to make sure they had everything, but I held it back. Bree started to stand up so Edward could sit back down, but he stopped her. "That's okay, dolcezza. Stay where you are. Well, I do have some news. Jacob has finished handling the situation in Athens. He and Leah will be here in a week. They're moving to Seattle." I clapped my hands, frightening my baby boy. He began to cry, so I passed him off to Esme. She had him quieted in under a minute. He loved his nana and papa. Carlisle wrapped his arm around Esme, moving in close so that he could inspect our little angel. When our eyes met, he smiled and shrugged. "I've missed Jake so much, and Leah too!" Edward glared at me. "Yeah, well, there's more. The Russians have done the ceremony for Riley to become head of the Sokolov family. He has a lot of power now. His uncles want him to stay in Russia where they can keep an eye on him, but he insists on seeing you, Bree, and Dante. He'll be here this weekend." "Oh no! What will I wear? What if Riley does not like my hair?" Bree asked, frantically.

I saw the twinkle in Alice's eye. "This calls for a shopping trip! Bella, are you in? We can take Dante. Rose?" "Rose is in. She could use some new lingerie. I think I've destroyed all the others. Plus, if we're going to practice on making another baby, I need some motivation," Emmett said, blowing his wife a kiss. She rolled her eyes, pulling him in for a kiss. "If I recall, the only motivation needed to conceive C and B was a beer and wandering hands." Edward smirked, winking at me across the table. "You needed that much, bro? All Bella and I had was a fucking piano." "Ewww!" Alice squealed, covering her ears. "I don't want to know these details." Everyone in the room began to laugh. Not to be outdone, Dante squealed the loudest, which led to another round of him being passed around and coddled. He ended up in Di's arms. Marcus, who was usually stoic, even made silly faces and sounds. Caius and Dr. A. were in Chicago. He'd been sad to leave Dante, but since he was planning on moving here, they needed to pack. Marcus and Di were staying in Chicago because it was the best thing for the Volturi, but they promised to make several yearly visits. I looked over at a still frowning Edward. "What's wrong?" "Riley is what's wrong. I… just. A part of me wants to kick his fucking ass and the other part wants to hug him or some shit." Colin walked over and plopped down in Edward's lap. Dante began to whimper until Di put him on her shoulder. "Unka Ed, what's ass?" Rose shook her head. "Remember what I told you boys? Ignore Uncle Eddie unless he is speaking to you. He has a potty mouth." Edward scoffed, tossing Colin in the air. "Listen to your mom, kid. When you're older I'll teach you all of my potty words. Chicks dig it." After kissing us all, Rose and Emmett went home. I was happy to see Edward and Rose share a small hug. They were finally getting along. Half an hour later, the rest of the family filed out. Di and Esme had hit yet another baby boutique and left us with a bunch of bags. Both Marcus and Carlisle apologized as they ushered the fussy nanas out of the Penthouse. Bree kissed me and promised to take care of Onyx, whom I kissed on her soft little head. When Alice walked out of the door with Dante, a piece of my heart broke. He would only be two floors away, but still… even that was too much. Jaz promised me that he would take care of my baby boy. "Don't look at me like that, Bella. I did a pretty good job or raising you, right? Remember Charlie and the microwaved canned tuna?" Despite my sadness, I laughed.

"Yeah, you did an excellent job, Jasper," I said, kissing him. Call us if you need anything." After the door closed, I turned around. Edward was standing behind me. His eyes went from electric green to dark as he raked in my form. I was still in my robe and pajamas. "Hmmm, how about I run you a bath, babydoll?" Shrugging, I walked past him. "That's okay. I'll just take a quick shower. I… I can fix us something to eat when I get out." I made it one step before he grabbed my elbow, pulling me flush against his body. He was as hard as steel, but I was in no mood to help with that problem. Truthfully, I felt like I could sleep again "Let me go," I whined, attempting to pull away. He pulled on his messy bronze hair. It had grown a bit since we got home. "Fuck this shit! I'm tired of fighting with you." Lifting me into his arms, he stomped to the bathroom. I kicked, screamed, and called him names. How dare he treat me like this! I just gave birth a few days ago. When we got to the bathroom, he turned on the tap, filling the tub with my favorite bubble bath and bath salts. The room smelled divine and some of my anger dissipated. "Thank you, Edward. Now, if you will leave me be, I can take a bath in peace." "Strip," he barked, advancing towards me. "No. Leave! I can take a bath by myself. I was doing it years before I met you." Incrediously, he began to forcefully remove the clothes from my body. By the time he removed my tank, I was all out crying. I didn't want him to see…this. I was still carrying twelve pounds of baby fat. I also had a few stretch marks. The cream was helping with the appearance, but it took time. "You're… an asshole! I said no, but you didn't listen! Get out," I screamed, beating on his chest. He sat on the edge of the tub, pulling me down into his lap. He was fully clothed and I was naked. Life just wasn't fair. His body remained perfect while mine had been mangled by pregnancy. I sniffled, burying my head into his neck. "I didn't want you to see me. I'm… I'm ugly." Edward snarled, raising my face so that we were eye to eye. "You are never fucking ugly, babydoll! So you gained some weight. Big fucking deal! You had our son. In my eyes, you've never been more beautiful. I love you no matter what. If the weight bothers you, we can do swim and do our gym time together. I just want you to know that it doesn't bother me. You are still the sexiest woman in the world." "You're just saying that because you know it's what I want to hear. Be honest, I'm disgusting. My boobs leak. I have hot flashes. I bleed off and on. I don't feel normal." Kissing my forehead, Edward lowered me into the water. "I talked to Carlisle. All that shit is to be expected. You are not disgusting. Your body provides our son the nutrients he needs to grow. I'm a little

fucking jealous." The bath turned out to be a great idea. Edward and I got time to really talk. He actually wanted to know how I was doing. The gentleness that he'd show me the last few weeks was amazing. I opened up, letting him in on my thoughts and feelings. To my amazement, he seemed to understand. As Edward gently washed my body, I leaned back, finally beginning to relax. He paid special attention to my breasts, which made me smile. They'd grown even larger since I started breastfeeding. "You're beautiful, babydoll," he mumbled, rinsing conditioner out of my hair. After the bath, Edward insisted on drying me off and helping me into my underwear. He rubbed Trilastin-SR over my stretch marks before coating me with a mix of Curel and my favorite strawberry lotion. At first, I was embarrassed again, but my husband told me that I shouldn't hide anything from him. Because I was still bleeding, I needed to wear a pad. Edward had a panic attack because we had so many different types in the cabinets. "What the fuck is overnight, regular, and…Pearl? I've been with a lot of bit-women, but I don't know fuck-all about this part." Giggling, I gave him a tutorial of the difference in pads as it relates to bleeding. He looked agitated when we got to the tampons. By the time I finished, he was groaning. I kissed his shoulder, letting him know that it was okay if he didn't want to discuss this ever again. "Wow. What are you going to do when we have daughters? You know, they will have to use these things once they hit puberty," I teased. Edward flipped the toilet lid, taking a seat as I finished getting dressed. His head was buried in his face. "Teenage daughters? Shit! I didn't think of all of that. Puberty brings breasts and horny fucking teenage boys. Promise that you'll handle the…pads and stuff. I'll make sure they stay as pure as the driven snow." "I giggled. "How will you do that? Girls date, you know?" "Not my little babydolls. I swear to god, I will fucking kill one of those horny little motherfuckers. If you let them date, I will tag along, with my fucking SIG, sit between them, and watch the boy like a hawk!" "Little babydolls?" I asked, shrugging into one of Edward's white Henleys. I loved stealing his clothes. "Yeah, you know little Bellas? I imagine they'll all be as beautiful as their mother. That is why I'm not letting them go on dates by themselves." "Oh, Edward. How about we cross that bridge when we get to it? Right now, we have the one to raise." "So, you admit you want more. I'm ready when you're ready," he smirked, guiding me into his strong arms. "Someday. Right now, I'm so sore I don't think I'll ever let you inside me again." Chuckling, he kissed my rosy cheeks. "Rose says every new mother feels that way. It will go away soon

and you'll be all over my cock." "You talked to Rose?" "Yeah. After our fight, when I left the room. I was fucking angry as hell at you, but I didn't want us to fight in front of D.C. I grew up watching my parents have intense arguments. I don't want that for our son, so I left." I squeezed him, silently offering an apology for my behavior. He nuzzled my slightly damp hair, sighing contentedly. Breastfeeding gave women dry hair and skin, so Esme bought me some specialty skin and hair products. They were undoubtedly expensive, but did wonders. My long brown hair shined and my skin had never looked healthier. "I'm sorry, Edward. You were right to leave." After cleaning up and braiding my hair, Edward sent one of his men to pick up dinner from my favorite Japanese restaurant. I had a craving for a California roll and chicken katsu. Edward teased me as we watched Snow White, which was obviously my pick. We were hugged up on the couch, just like old times, covered in one of our thick pure cashmere blankets. I felt safe, happy, and warm, but I still missed my baby. "Um, do you think we should call? What if something happened to Dante?" "Babydoll, it's only been an hour and a half. I'm sure he's fine. He's probably asleep." I went to the bedroom and grabbed my breast pump. I didn't like the idea of Dante consuming too much formula. I still thought breast was best. When I returned, Edward had put in another movie. He smiled sheepishly. After setting up a sterile work station on the den table, I plugged in the Medela double ease pump, preparing to fill a couple of bottles. Edward's eyes widened. "Is that your tit juicer? It looks like you're about to give yourself open heart surgery or some shit! Uh, can I help?" Beaming, I sent him to get the cold pack. Senna told me that it was best to freeze unused milk so it wouldn't get bacteria. Of course, it would be heated later for Dante. When he came back, I took off my shirt and lowered my nursing tank. Then, I prepared the breast shields before attaching them to the bottles. After that, Edward connected the tubes to the machine. The shields were then attached to my leaky breasts. I crossed one arm over my chest to keep them tight. Edward turned on the machine to the lowest setting. I winked at him before turning it up. The harder the suction, the more milk my body would expend. It really hurt, but like in most things, as long as I was doing it for the good of my child, I could take it. I pumped for the recommended ten minutes, managing to fill four eight ounce bottles. We used Dr. Brown's bottles because they were the best at preventing colic and maintaining nutrients from the breast milk. Carlisle and Esme bought us loads of them.

After I finished, Edward made me drink an entire glass of cranberry juice. He ran downstairs to deliver one of the bottles, while I put the rest in the freezer. I wanted to go, but we both knew I didn't have the willpower to come back without my baby boy. Edward returned with dinner. I asked him about Felix, who was currently holding things down at the club. He and his new girlfriend, Chelsea, had been by to see Dante a few days ago. Seeing my tiny son in Felix's massive arms made me happy, because I knew that he would be another protector to Dante. Demitri was still recovering, but he would be out of the hospital next week. Edward, being a proud daddy, sent him a picture of our son. Kate and Garrett were bringing baby Sasha in time for Dante's christening next week. I put my breast pump away, grabbing a couple of plates for Edward and me. We ate watching Goodfellas. It was one of Edward's favorite movies. He could quote every line. "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a ganster," he pantomimed, quoting Ray Liota's character. "I just hope our life is nothing like that, Edward. Henry cheated on his wife constantly. Then there were the drugs…" Edward sighed, using chopsticks to put a piece of sushi into my mouth. "It's just a movie. I would never cheat on you, babydoll." "Besides, things now are different for the Mafia. In the old days, you had to be one hundred percent Italian to be a made man. Some of the older families still work that way, but the Volturi don't. I'm Greek too, remember? That means I have alliances that make me more valuable than the average Don." Leaning back, I let him feed me a few more pieces of sushi roll. It was sooooo good to actually taste my food. Lately, I only ate when necessary and I was always too preoccupied to enjoy anything. "I trust you. It's just hard. You have the club and all those women would kill to get a ride on your dick." He choked on his hot sake. "Fuck those bitches. They don't mean anything and you know that. If you want, I can sell the club." I considered it. "No, you love HADES, and so do I. It's where we met and shared our first mutual orgasm. Our child was conceived in the lair. I couldn't part with those memories. We can work on my jealousy in treatment." "Good, I didn't want to give it up, but I would for you. If it ever gets too much, just ask," he said, lovingly. "I heard you on the phone the other day. Are you seriously thinking of running for State Senate?" "I wanted to talk to you about that, babydoll. It's… complicated. With my fucking background, I have a chance at winning. It would be a coup for the Volturi. The current State Senator has been a good buddy of ours for years. He's old now and wants to spend his remaining years with his wife. We need someone in State Senate to give us power and help pass laws that are favorable to our Allies. The Mafia has always worked closely with Congress. There have been few Congressmen who were actually made men."

While I digested this information, Edward went to put up the leftovers. When I married him, I knew there would be sacrifices and we'd made our share. Dante and I almost died because of it. I'd never considered myself a political wife, but I would be whatever Edward needed. He deserved that much and more. "I just want you to know that whatever you decide is good with me. I don't have any criminal record, not even a speeding ticket. Charlie as the Chief of Police and my mom was a schoolteacher. I won't embarrass you." Edward laughed. "I wouldn't care if your parents were the town's biggest fucking criminals and you had a rap sheet a mile long. I love you." After our talk, we sat on the couch and continued the DVD marathon. Edward held me, just content to be in my presence. I always knew that we had strong sexual chemistry, but intimacy was more than that. The fact that we could be intimate without sex gave me faith in our marriage. Alice and Jasper returned Dante at midnight. I noticed that he was wearing a new onsie with a stroller on the front and the words, 'that's how I roll' in green letters. Alice smiled guiltily as she placed my angel in my arms. Winking, Jaz hugged me. "He was perfect, sis. I love my little nephew. I can't wait to teach him stuff." I rolled my eyes. "Would this be the same 'stuff' you taught me, like how to hotwire a car and spit sunflower seeds?" Edward stepped behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Those are good things for any man to know. I don't think D.C. will need to learn to steal, though. I'll buy him any fucking car he wants." We said our goodbyes to Ali and Jaz before putting Dante into his bassinet. He stirred a little, but thankfully, didn't wake up. I was exhausted and so was Edward. We fell asleep a few minutes later. I woke up at six. My body was used to the early morning hour, so my breasts were leaking. Edward was watching the stock ticker and playing with Dante. I kissed him, taking our son and latching him to my breast. My little man fed hungrily, kicking his legs and gazing up at me with his big green eyes. "Good morning, Dante. Mommy missed you last night. Did you sleep well, angel?" In answer, he kneaded his pudgy fist against my breast. Edward kissed us. Then, he stretched, yawned, and went right back to sleep. "Men," I mumbled, waking up for the day. I shook Edward, placing Dante on his chest so that I could wash up and use the restroom. He cradled our boy protectively, smiling sleepily. They were too cute together. I couldn't resist getting a picture. When I returned to the room, Dante was asleep on Edward's bare chest. I lifted him. Edward tightened his grip but let go once he realized it was me. After putting Dante in his bassinet, I did my hair and fixed breakfast. Since I'd been home, there hadn't been too much time to write. I now had a story to tell. I was going to write about Vladimir's wife and the women like her. I just hoped that there was someone out there who

would publish my work. I refused to use Edward's connections. I wanted to do it on my terms. Three hours later, the baby monitor alerted me to a fussy Dante. I fed him again, changed his diaper, and dressed him in a tiny pair of button fly jeans, like Edward's, and a long sleeved Dior bodysuit and cap. He looked adorable. I couldn't wait until he was big enough to wear the cute baby Armani suit his daddy bought for him. Edward had even gotten him Gucci loafers. Bleary eyed and grumpy, Edward woke up half an hour later. I fixed him breakfast. He talked about hiring a cook. Usually, I would have protested, but now, it seemed like a good idea. "Um, Rose will be here in an hour to drive us to the mall. You can stay home and catch up on some sleep," I told Edward, pouring him a glass of orange juice. "Fuck that. If you insist on going, you're taking some of my men with you. They can follow Rose's car." "Do you really think…" I trailed off after his eyes went hard. "Okay. We'll be gone all afternoon. You should rest." He cut into his omelet before speaking. "I'm okay. It's you that needs to rest more. I just have a few things to talk over with my Godfathers. I put the new fucking black card with 'Bella Swan-Cullen' on it inside your purse. Use it or I swear I'll have a fucking aneurism. We can't take it with us, babydoll." Rose and the boys arrived early. Alice came upstairs to help me pack the diaper bag. Esme, Bree, and Di would be meeting us at the mall. After Edward rounded up his muscle, he let us go. His eyes followed me and Dante to the elevator. I lifted our son's fist, giving him a smile and a wave. The trip was fun. We sang silly kid songs all the way. C and B were ecstatic that Dante could at least ride in a car with them. It had taken us several minutes to get him situated in his deluxe carseat. One of Edward's men had actually been the one to put it into the correct position. I thanked the mountain of a man, promising to tell Edward about his help. Since school was out, the mall was packed. There were teenagers and young children everywhere. Alice put Dante into his Maclaren Grand Tour stroller. Many people had given us prams for gifts so my little man had lots. This one was best for cruising the mall. After Dante was covered with his favorite blanket and given a soft toy to play with, we set off. I attached my large Evian water bottle to the side of the stroller. Several women stopped to peek in on my angel and tell me how cute he was. I beamed from all the praise. We found Esme, Bree, and Di easily. They were all dressed in bright designer sundresses, and attracting a lot of male attention. I'd opted for a light blue maxi dress that hid my fat but was still comfortable. For shoes, I'd gone with a pair of white slide-ons, nothing fancy. My hair was curled down my back. "You look lovely!" Esme squealed before bending down to check on her grandson. We hit up a bunch of stores and boutiques. Edward called me every five minutes. I assured him that we were okay. His security tried to be inconspicuous, but in a mall full of moms, teenagers, and children, they stood out like a sore thumb. After awhile, Dante began to get fussy so I took him out of the stroller. At one of the baby stores we

bought a Moby wrap. The salesperson arranged it into a Kangaroo hold so that Dante was safe on my chest, allowing my arms free movement. I liked it a lot. When we got to a lingerie store, I tried to turn around. Bree took a sleeping Dante out of his wrap, before putting him back into his stroller. Then, Alice shoved me into a dressing room. I was given some sexier looking nursing bras and tanks to try on. I actually liked a lot of the stuff my sisters picked out. It was sexy, but practical. As I was trying on a pair of lacy boy shorts, my phone buzzed, alerting me to a new text message. How's my boy? Are you having fun? -EHe's fine. I'm trying on lingerie. Not that I fit into my normal sizes… -B-

Shit. Don't tempt me. I was actually about to whack off to that picture I took of you after I came on your ass. Remember that? -E-

You're so dirty, Edward. Just give me time. I know I've been neglecting you, but soon I'll be back to normal. -B-

No rush. I can wait for you. As I recall, you like dirty. Bye, babydoll. Call me if you need anything. -E-

I love you. Xoxo -BEventually, we paid for our purchases and went to find somewhere to eat at the food court. Di suggested Fridays so we went with that. Colin and Brady were given booster seats. I sat on the outside of the booth where we parked Dante's stroller. He was drinking from his bottle and just looking around. C and B tried to share their fries with Dante. Rose had to explain that he had no teeth, and therefore couldn't eat their food. I told them they were sweet for including their cousin. We were leaving when someone shoved me from the back. Luckily, Alice was the one pushing Dante's stroller. A strong arm caught me mid-air.

In an instant, Edward's security men surrounded the perpetrator. I turned to see who would have the audacity to do that to me in a public restaurant. "You fucking filthy bitch! It should have been me. That," she pointed to Dante, "should be my baby! If you had of never come along, I could have gotten him high enough to fuck me without a condom! You don't deserve any of it!" The screaming banchee had long blond hair. She was very thin with good sized breasts that I would guess were fake. Her skin was tanned in some places and pale in others. She was a hot mess. People stood up and gawked as one of our guards carried the woman out. The manager looked frightened, going out of his way to apologize. I had a feeling he recognized Di or Esme. The Volturi had friends everywhere. "I will fucking cut that bitch's throat," Rose seethed, covering C & B's ears. "Me too," Alice piped up. "Are you okay?" Di and Bree asked at the same time. After making sure my baby boy was unharmed, I turned to the other security guy. "Who the hell was that?" He looked visibly agitated. "Her name is Lauren Mallory. I'll let your husband explain more." Esme hugged me, checking me for injuries. "That… stronza. How dare she put her hands on you. When Edward hears about this…" On cue, my phone buzzed. The message read: That bitch put her fucking hands on you? She's a fucking corpse. I'll kill her. -E~*!*~

Relevant Chapter Translations: Stronza - whore, bitch Dolcezza - sweetheart ~*!*~

Chapter Thirty-Five ~ I’ll Be Your Lover Too I'll be your man I'll understand And do my best to take good care of you Yes I will

You'll be my queen I'll be your king And I'll be your lover too yes i will Derry down green Colors of my dreams A dream that's daily coming true (let me tell you) When day is through I will come to you And tell you of your many charms and You'll look at me With eyes that see And melt into each others arms And so I come To be the one Who's always standing next to you Reach out for me So I can be The one who's always reaching out for you yes i will You'll be my queen I'll be your king And I'll be your lover too. --I'll Be Your Lover Too - Van Morrison EPOV "Stupid ass motherfucking bitch! She put her fucking hands on my wife! I'm going to kill the bitch!" Marcus and I were having lunch at my Penthouse. We'd had one of our men pick up food from one of my favorite Italian restaurants. They made the best Insalata al Capriccio this side of Italy. It was also one of the Volturi's fronts; heroin was cut and bagged in the basement. Agitated, my Godfather stood up. "What's wrong, Edward? Did something happen to Bella? What about Di?" "Some strega I used to fuck pushed my babydoll. She's fucking dead meat! The guards are holding her. They said Bella never hit the ground but she was shaken. Dante is fine. Alice was holding the fucking stroller. All the other women are fine." "That's a serious matter, Edward. Years ago, when Di and I were dating, one of my whores got upset. She'd heard that I was wining and dining Di and she got jealous. She followed us to a restaurant and started screaming about how she'd fucked me the night before. Di was angry and I had to grovel for weeks. The shit wasn't even true." "What did you do to that bitch?" I asked, not sure I wanted the answer. "I let Di decide the punishment. The other woman was a clothes horse. They were her most prized possessions. I had my goons douse her closets with lighter fluid and used Di's favorite lighter to burn all her expensive designer things. After that, I had my men paint 'Don't fuck with me' on her pristine white

carpets. The bitch took whatever was left and fled the state. We never saw her again," he said, pouring another glass of Chianti. "So you're saying I should let Bella decide Lauren's punishment?" He paused to fork some chicken piccata into his mouth before speaking. "Of course. No women and no children, remember? I know you want to kill the whore, but use your head. Bella is not hurt. You are a Don now, mi famiglia in all ways. I've seen men ruined because of rash decisions. I won't let that happen to you." "Fuck this shit! My guards have Lauren locked in one of our warehouses. They are keeping her until I give my word." I took out my phone and sent a quick text to my babydoll. I'm not going to kill her, but trust me, she will pay for putting her nasty ass hands on you. -EI know. We're headed home now. I'm exhausted and Dante is cranky. See you in ten. -BMarcus laughed as I paced the floor for the next ten minutes. My fucking appetite was gone, but I was drinking like a motherfucking fish. Eventually, my Godfather took the bottle from me. I scowled, pulling my hands through my hair. I was just about to lose my shit when the door opened. I ran over, inspecting Bella's eyes for anger. "Babydoll, are you okay?" . "I'm fine," she replied tersely, walking past me. Always the peacekeeper, my mom tried to smooth things over. "Bella is a little shaken up, Edward. That stronza pushed her from behind. Go talk to her, sweetheart." I nodded to Marcus, letting him know that I would heed his advice. He smiled as Di began eating the remaining chicken picatta on his plate. My godmother loved food. It was a fucking miracle she stayed in shape. When I got to the nursery, Bella was in the rocking chair, tit out, cuddling D.C. She was such a good mother. This was going to be another one of those times that I had to apologize for my fucking past. I wished that all those bitches would fall off the face of the Earth. My babydoll's deep brown eyes met mine from across the room. D.C stopped eating to stare. It was like they were both judging me. I clenched my fists, ready for a fucking battle. "I'm sorry, Bella. That bitch.." She held up her hand. "Don't bother to apologize, Edward. We've been here before and we'll probably be here again. You have a past, I knew this when I decided to be with you." I was expecting fireworks, but this was almost worst. Her voice sounded so fucking resigned and defeated.

"My past shouldn't affect you. I'm sorry that she went after you. She's jealous of what you have. I never even liked the bitch!" Dante began to cry softly. Bella switched breasts, rocking slowly as she watched him latch on. My son was a fucking world class suckler. He was going to drive the girls wild when he grew up. "You never liked any of your whores, or so you claim, but that didn't stop you from sleeping with them. The muscle said her name is Lauren. She looks like a crack whore. I don't even know how you could...with her. It's just frustrating and embarrassing." "Are you blaming me for this shit, Bella?" My fucking fists were itching to put a hole in the wall so I stopped to take a deep breath. By then, Dante had finished eating. I lifted him out of Bella's arms, donned a small towel, and proceeded to burp my son. At that point, he was the only thing keeping me sane. My babydoll wiped her tit, repositioning the cup of her nursing bra. "Bring Dante to the bedroom. I want to take a nap." I followed without a word. She was fucking embarrassed to be Mrs. Edward Cullen, and truthfully, I couldn't blame her. I knew that my mom had been ashamed of my dad many times. It fucking hurt that my wife felt that way about me. D.C., who never had good timing, chose that moment to spit up on me. I groaned, grabbing a wipe so that I could clean him up. He looked so fucking innocent, like he'd done nothing wrong. When he was clean, I kissed his forehead. The way he stared at me only made me feel worse. It was like he was asking me, Why, daddy? After Bella slipped into some shorts, she reached for our son. "I've got him. You can go...do whatever," she said flippantly. Deciding to end this bullshit early, I took a seat on the bed. Bella spread one of Dante's little blankets and laid him in the middle. He reached for my fingers, kicking his chunky legs up in the air. I was putty in his little hands.. Mi figlio, I love him more than life itself. Pulling my eyes away, I turned to my wife. "Talk to me," I pleaded. "What do you want me to do with Lau-the bitch? She hurt you so it's your call." She scowled. "I want you to shave her head and put her on a bus out of Washington State. I never want to see her or any of your other whores again. I wish that there weren't so many women that had you before me." In a whoosh, all the fucking bravado left and my babydoll began to cry. Every time she shed tears, a piece of my black heart broke. Husbands were supposed to uplift their wives, but all I did was bring her down. My son didn't like to see his mom cry. He yelled, kicked, and screamed so loud that his whole face turned red. I winced as he began to do that hiccuping cry that people do when they're in pain. Still sobbing herself, Bella picked him up, placing his small body right on her luscious tits. It was too bad I wasn't enjoying those puppies. She'd barely let me touch her since the birth. A part of me understood but the

other part had a bad case of motherfucking blueballs. "I'm okay, baby boy. Don't cry. Mommy is here," she whispered. Sighing, I rubbed his back. "Daddy is here too, D.C., and I'm not going anywhere." The more we talked, the calmer Dante got. Eventually, he fell asleep. Bella walked over to put him in the bassinet, which I thought resembled a huge fucking wedding dress with all the silk and whitness. I tucked his favorite blanket around his body. Together we stared at our son, letting the tension ease. "Can we talk?" I asked, taking Bella's hand. She nodded, leading me back to our bed. "Edward, I'm out of my element here. I'm postpartum so my hormones are all over the place. I'm second guessing myself here. Will I ever be woman enough for you? It's going to be another month before we can have sex again. How do I know..." Cupping her chin, I kissed her sweetly on the lips. "Bella, you are more than enough woman for me. You wear my fucking ass out. We've gone without sex before, and I have never cheated on you! It's not like I'm inviting those bitches back into my life. It's...it's embarrassing that I ever fucked them at all." Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, she asked the last question I wanted to answer. "How many women have had you, Edward? I should know how many enemies I have out there." The bitterness and anger in her fucking voice was almost my undoing. There was just no way this shit was going to end well. Why do women ask shit like this when they know they'll overreact? "Fuck, you don't... I've been fucking for seventeen years, babydoll." I paused, waiting for her to call it off, but she continued to stare at me. "Close to nine hundred." I was waiting for the yelling to start but it didn't. Raising my eyes, I looked at my wife. She was twirling her wedding ring, seemingly deep in thought. It was a motherfucking nightmare! Anger would have been better. "Bella?" "Were you one...", she closed her eyes, "Were you one of those guys that kept names and scores?" All I could do was nod and hang my head. My fucking black book looked like the Yellow Pages. "Babydoll, I swear to god I wish it were only you. I don't even remember most of those bitches names." "And the one that pushed me, Lauren, when was the last time you saw her?" Fuck. I'm so fucking dead. "The day we met, I wanted you. Since you were out of my reach, I decided to get high and fuck someone else. I thought I could forget you. I went to a party and shot blow with Lauren. Then...Then I fucked her in the kitchen. I actually thought of you while I was doing it."

My babydoll was quiet for a long motherfucking time. When she finally spoke again, her voice was gravelly. " I just want her gone. I know you won't kill her, and I wouldn't want you to. Make sure that she never touches me again. Thanks for being honest, Edward." I reached for her, but she backed away, turning onto her side. I stayed in the room until she fell asleep. Before I left the room, I kissed my wife and son. Now I had to make an example of Lauren. I swore to myself that none of those goddamned skank ass bitches would bother us again. Most of my family was still in the living room when I came out. Di and Mom inquired about Bella. I fucking lied and told them that shit was okay. Ali must have known I was putting on a front because she hugged me extra tight. My sister had a sixth sense about things. As I was putting on my holster, Marcus walked over to me. "Edward, remember what I told you. Use your head. I'm still the capo dei capi so you better follow my orders, capish?We'll stay here until you get home, just in case Bella or Dante need us." After hugging my Godfather, I left the Penthouse. Two of my men accompanied me to the Phantom. I waved them off, preferring them to stay guarding the Penthouse. Since shit was now copacetic with the Russians, we really didn't need so much fucking muscle, but as today had shown me, it was fucking necessary. My ex-bitches were almost as bad as our motherfucking enemies. The Volturi owned several warehouses out by the docks. Nothing came into Seattle without us getting a piece of the pie. It was the way of the La Camorra, and the reason our Families were so hard for the Feds to catch. We had our fucking fingers in every pie. Our shit was hard to prove in court, not that it ever got that far. There was a large shipment of short range missiles due to be delivered the next day so my men were all over the dock. Some pro-American militant motherfuckers were stockpiling them in case the enemy attacked.. All I cared about was the payment. The deal was worth thirty million, all motherfucking cash. "Hey, Edward. Where have you been you pretty boy motherfucker?" D asked from his fucking wheelchair. I didn't even know the cocksucker had been released from the goddamned hospital. "Why the fuck didn't you call me D?" I asked, leaning down to give him a man hug. "I knew you were busy with the bambino and your bellissimo moglie. How is the lovely Bella. Is Dante letting her get any fucking sleep?" "They're good. I know for a fact that she would like to see your ass. If you promise to behave yourself, I'll send you an invite to Dante's Christening. A lot of the capos are coming for the event. You in, motherfucker?" He laughed. "Absolutely. Hey, um... I need to ask for a favor. Before you fucking refuse, hear me out." "Don't think that just because you took a bullet to your fucking hard-as-hell head that I'll let you walk all over me, asshole." I was fucking serious. D had been know to ask for some pretty fucked up shit. "You know Liam's daughter, Maggie," I nodded, already not liking where this shit was going, "Well, she and I kind of hooked up a few months ago when you sent me to Boston for that arms deal. We were discreet, but... She's been writing and calling me nonstop. I think she may be the one, Edward. I... I never forgot about her and she cares, you know? There aren't many people on Earth that give a shit about me,

but for some reason she does. After seeing you with Bella and now Dante, I want it." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "You want what exactly." He shrugged. "I don't know, to settle down, have one girl. She's special, but I know Liam won't accpet me. For one, I'm not Irish, and two, I'm not officially a made man..." Fucking shit. "Is this your way of asking me to help make you?" He nodded. "You know this shit is for life, Demetri. Once you take the Omertà, it's for life. Plus, even if you are made, I'm pretty fucking sure Liam is going to kill your ass for touching his precious Maggie." "I just want a chance, E. I'm in this shit neck deep. I almost died. At least this way I'll belong to something. I'm tired of being a low level dealer. I want some fucking glory." I thought long and hard. Honestly, there wasn't any reason for D not to join the Volturi. He already did enough shit for us. He had some Italian blood, and he was a motherfucking fighter. I knew that I could trust him with my life. "Okay, I'll talk to Marcus and Caius. Ultimately, it's up to them. I am a newly initiated Don. I can't throw around my power right now. It will make the other capos angry. All I can do is suggest and the rest is up to them and the rest of La Camorra. You're on your own with Liam. May God help your sorry ass because he's going to eat you for dinner. When will you be out of the chair?" "Probably in a month or two. I'm in physical therapy right now. My doctor said I was fucking lucky that the bullet didn't kill me," he said, rolling into the warehouse. "Do you need anything? Is the home nurse I sent working out for you?" The Volturi took care of our own. All of D's bills were paid in advance for two years and he'd been given a non traceable account, just in case shit got hot. "She's good, man. She definitely isn't a looker but I gotta respect a chick that can carry me," he said, laughing. "Yeah, she's pretty fucking huge. I remember she took care of Benny the first time he took a bullet. She's been working with the Family for years. We sent all of her nine kids to college." We took a moment to reminisce about Benny. I missed the fucker, but there was no bringing him back. The Volturi had taken care of his family, though. Life was a motherfucking war, and in war you lose soldiers. Benny was one of the fallen, but I would never forget his services to Bella and me. D rolled his chair alongside me. I didn't offer to help him open the door because I knew he would get angry. "So, I hear Lauren is in there. I can't believe the dumb bitch put her hands on Bella. I could have told her that was a death sentence." "Hey, D. Can you run out and get me some clippers and scissors? Leave them outside the door. Then, take your gimpy ass home. You are still on leave, motherfucker." "I see married life and fatherhood hasn't made you any nicer. I'm hurt," he said, feigning a pained expression. After he left, I went to the room that Lauren was being held in. She was tied to a chair with duct tape over

her fucking mouth. I could smell the fear. Her blue eyes were wide and pleading. I knew it wouldn't take much to scare the living shit out of her. Snatching the duct tape off her mouth roughly, I took a chair across from her. "What do you have to say for yourself, bitch?" I snarled. She jumped, trying to scoot the chair back to get away from me. Marcus always said I looked like the devil himself when I was interrogating someone. It was a trait I inherited from my father. He could go from nice motherfucker to Lucifer in no time flat. "Please, Edward... I... I keep in touch with some of the girls at HADES. They've been talking about Bella, your wife, so I was curious. I just got out of rehab. I... I saw her in the Mall before with your family. I had someone keep an eye... They were supposed to alert me when she came back. I followed them all day. People kept going up to her to say how beautiful your son is and I got angry. We... we had something, so I thought it could have been me." I laughed maniacally. "You motherfucking idiot! I fucked you when I was high. We had nothing. All we were was two fucked up individuals using each other. You worked for me. Do you think I'd let a woman I love sell her pussy for me? Fuck no!" She began to cry. "That's not true. You do love me. Why else would you send me to rehab, take care of me? I know you felt something, Edward." "Bitch, all I felt for you was pity. I sent you to rehab so you could get clean and get your ass back to work. All you are is a means to an end for me. Bella is my fucking life. I've killed for her, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I wouldn't even cross the motherfucking street for your dirty ass. I haven't thought about you since the last time we fucked, and even then I was thinking of Bella. My son could have never been yours. You can't honestly think I'd have a baby with a fucking druggie?" Sniffling, she glared at me. "You fucked a druggie, and it wasn't that long ago that you were a druggie. Just because you have your good girl you think you're better than me? Well you're not. In fact, you're worse. You come in here acting all righteous..." I reached over and slapped her across the cheek. She looked stunned. "Don't test me bitch. I used to do drugs, but I will never touch that shit again. Unlike you, I learned from my mistakes. I have a family that loves me. Nothing will jeopardize that." The bitch began to cackle. "Spare me, Edward. A month from now you'll be fucking new pussy at the club. Do you think Bella will want you then? Unless she's a fucking doormat, she wants to be the only pussy, and we both know you like a lot of variety." I hit her again, this time putting more force into it. "Shut the fuck up, asswipe! The new me isn't a fucking cheater. I'm a one pussy man. Forget the Edward Cullen you knew. He's dead and gone." She sighed. "Whatever? Can I go now?" I smirked. "After I heard what you did to my wife, I was prepared to make an inception and kill you," she blanched, turning pasty white, "but I let Bella decide your punishment." I went to the door, opening it to retrieve the tools. Good old D had them waiting for me. When I turned around, Lauren screamed. "No, please, no. I won't come near you again. It's all I have.

Please, Edward." I shook my head, making sure the clipper batteries were in correctly. "Too late, bitch. You put your hands on my wife, in front of my baby. You fucking bitches have tested me for the last time. I'm Edward-fucking-Cullen, Mafia Don to the Volturi, yet you bitches treat me like I'm your high school boyfriend." Now I had her fucking attention. "I always knew you were different... I mean the way people look at you, but you're... you're in the Mafia? Oh, god, what have I done?" "I'm not in the Mafia. I am the Mafia. Capos have killed people for touching their wives. Lucky for you, I don't murder women and children. You are barely a woman, but you have a pussy so you get put into that category." After I sharpened the scissors, I walked behind Lauren and began cutting off her precious blond hair. She screamed, wiggled, and tried to break free, but it was useless. Her filthy ass was at my mercy. I just chopped until it all fell to the floor. By then, she was whimpering. "Will you ever come near my wife or baby again, bitch?" I asked, kicking the fallen hair aside. She shook her head. "No... no. I promise! Please don't cut it all off. All I have is my hair." "It will grow back. Maybe this shit is what you need to get yourself straight." Once I turned on the clippers, she went quiet. I shaved her completely bald. I even buffed her head so that I could see my reflection. After changing the attachment, I shaved her eyebrows off. She called me every name in the book, but I took joy in this shit. "I hate you, Edward Cullen! I'm going to the FBI. I'm going to tell them what you are. You'll pay for this, asshole!" Stopping, I pinched her arm. "Watch what you say, bitch. If you even think about doing that, I won't be able to save your ass. La Camorra will kill you. All the Oufits aren't like mine. Some see nothing wrong with killing bitches that talk too much. Besides, my shit is air tight. People better than you have tried to take me down, but I'm still here." She shut her motherfucking mouth after that. I finished my work and took out a cigar. This was the last part of Lauren's lesson. When the cigar was hot enough, I put the lit tip under her eyes. She screamed as the smell of burnt flesh permeated the room. "Remember this, Lauren Mallory. The next time you want to get high, remember this. You are being spared. My men are going to make sure you get the next bus out of Washington tonight. If I ever see you or even hear about your ass in Seattle again, I will get someone to rub you out. Don't cross me again, bitch. Go home, get back in rehab, and make something of yourself. I'm fucking done with you." After texting my men to get rid of Lauren, I left the warehouse. Some of the men on the docks actually bowed before me. A Don commanded respect and they all knew I was their future. If they took care of me now, I'd take care of them for life. I shot the shit for a little bit before heading to the airport. Jacob was flying in from Greece and Leah had come up to meet him. I'd already reserved a suite for them at the Four Seasons.

On the ride over, I listened to my Ipod. Gravity, by John Mayer came on. I wasn't into his music before, but now the words made sense. I wouldn't let myself be pulled back into the darkness. Bella and Dante were my lights. My sole purpose in this life was to make them happy. Drugs, bitches, stupid shit-I was done with it all. Most people went though all the security bullshit and what not at the airport. I parked my Phantom where the fuck I pleased, paid off one of those parking Nazis, and strode inside. No one fucked with me. I'd once flown cross country with an Uzi in my bag. Airport people were some of the easiest to pay off. They didn't make shit so they were always willing to do a favor. I spotted Jacob right off. He and Leah were involved in a pretty fucking heavy make out session. People were stopping to stare. I sighed, not really wanting to see this shit. It had been forever since my babydoll tongued me. "He, Jake, Leah," I said, stepping into view. They broke apart. Leah looked embarrassed, but Jake didn't seem to care. He went for her again ,but she pushed him away. "Edward," she said, kissing me on both cheeks. Jake glared at me, squeezing the handles of his rolling luggage. I smirked. "Leah, it's so great to see you again." When she went to hug me, I mouthed, "Payback is a bitch" to Jake. He growled, pulling her out of my arms. "Enough with this. Let's go see Bells. I can't believe she's a mother. I'm just so happy that she made it. Thank you for bringing her home, Edward." The motherfucker made it real hard to hate him sometimes. As most guys did, Jake ogled the Phantom. Leah rolled her eyes and rushed us along. I made a mental note to get Jake something sick to drive, like a Maserati. Men were more loyal when you took care of them and their families. We arrived at the Penthouse thirty minutes later. We'd stopped to pick up some diapers and shit so one of my men came to carry the bags. Leah looked taken aback by all the security. Jacob comforted her, letting her know it was all right. The first thing I saw when we entered the living room was Bella holding Dante. She still looked fucking exhausted, but I could tell she was much happier than she'd been earlier. Mom and Ali were on either side of her, fawning over our son. "Bells?" Jake asked hesitantly, stepping into the room. A brilliant smile lit my babydoll's face. I was fucking jealous. Jake had been here for one minute and she'd smiled at him more than she'd smiled at me the whole week. I stuffed my hands into my pockets to keep from throwing shit. I really need to call Dr. Uley, I thought, restlessly. Jake waited until Bella beckoned him over. Leah followed quietly behind him, smiling the whole time. Ali changed seats to make room for them. "I missed you, Jake," Bella said, giving him a one arm hug. I growled again, causing several people to

gape. Shrugging, I took a seat next to Ali. "And you too, Leah. Would you guys like to hold my son. I promise that he won't bite." Leah nodded enthusiastically, taking Dante into her arms like a fucking pro. Jake looked at me, and then back at Dante. "Jesus, Bells. He looks like Edward's twin." He tickled D.C.'s stomach and was rewarded with a giggle. Great, even my son likes him better. "He's so beautiful, Bella. You did a wonderful job," Leah said, adjusting the blanket. When she lifted Dante, he laid his tiny head on her chest. She sighed. "Jakey-poo, do you think we could have one soon. He's so adorable." "Uh, oh," all them men in the room uttered at the same time. My mom laughed. "You men don't even have to go through the hard work. Leah, if you really want a baby, I have some books you can read to prepare. I can already see that you and Jacob would have beautiful bambinos." That wasn't saying much. My mom thought every baby was beautiful. Jake loosened his tie. "Uh, we aren't even married yet. Let's wait, Lee-Lee. We can talk about this later." She pouted and kissed Dante before handing him back to Bella. I knew that it was only a matter of time before Leah got her way. Women always got their way. No guy could go without pussy for too long. Plus, it was just easier not to argue most of the time. Alice slapped me on the knee. "I want one, too. If you stopped working my Jazzy like a slave, he and I could start. Couldn't you just imagine little Ali's running around. They would be so cute." Bella and the women began talking fertility and other shit that no man ever wants to hear, especially when the topic concerned his sister. I'd already had a lecture on pads and tampons. I'd gotten in touch with my feminine side and it was too fucking scary. Before we left the room, I kissed Bella and took Dante. She resisted, but once she saw my eyes, she relented. My son gurgled all the way to the den. He made the cutest fucking sounds, like he was trying to talk to me. It made me feel good, like we were bonding. A few minutes later, my men brought in some beers. I put a football game on for background noise It was fucking awkward being in a room with Marcus and Jake. I knew that my Godfather needed to talk to us, though. I busied myself with entertaining Dante, laying a blanket down on the couch and kissing and tickling his small body. Already, he had strong legs. I had high hopes that mi figlio would follow in my footsteps and be a quarterback one day. Marcus bent down to kiss Dante on the cheek. He started at him a minute before looking at me. "Take care of that woman of yours. She's an excellent mother. That's not easy to find. I barely remember my mother. She ran out on us when Caius was two. I never understood why Dad let her go until I met her. She wasn't the mothering type. She did us a favor. Bella's not like that. She's a good girl. I want you and her to have dozens of bambinos for me and Di to spoil. We can't have our own, so we live vicariously though you."

"I'll do my best. Right now, it isn't looking so good. Bella's mad at me again." Jake, who had been silent as a fucking ghost up until that point, laughed. "Sorry, dude. It's just that I know how it is. Leah gets mad at me all the time. From what I remember, Bella can be quite feisty when upset. When she was in high school, she punched me in the jaw." I frowned. "Why would she do that?" Marcus sighed, picking up Dante and swaying him. "Why do you think, son?" I thought for a minute. "You motherfucker. I'll kill you," I growled, leaping across the couch. Jake stood up. "I was dumb. I thought... I thought she liked me. I wouldn't do it again." "You better not," I warned, "I would kill you, but I think Leah would beat me to it." Taking my seat, I reached for my son again. Marcus handed him over before taking a sip of Peroni, the famed Italian beer. My boy began to suckle and rub his head against my chest. Bella called it 'rooting'. "Sorry, son, I have the wrong parts for that." Not finding what he wanted, he started to wail. Marcus and Jake tried to comfort him but he screamed louder. I left them to talk so that I could get a bottle. D.C. had the lung capacity of a swimmer. Bella met me in the hallway, already pulling her fucking top down. She had a million of those fucking nursing tanks and bras. One snap and her tit popped out. Quickly, I pulled her into the nursery where she immediately began feeding our son. He stopped crying and began playing with my babydoll's hair. "Oh, honey, mommy is here. Don't cry, little one," Bella said, nuzzling his little nose. There was something erotic about watching her feed my son. Sporting wood in your son's nursery probably wasn't considered normal, but I couldn't help it. My babydoll just did that shit to me. Dante must have been really fucking hungry because he fed for a long time. I read a book of nursery rhymes while Bella rubbed his back. After he burped, he began to yawn. A few minutes later, he closed his eyes. Bella put him in the crib and turned on a recording of his favorite lullaby. Then, she grabbed the baby monitor and we exited the room. She was still too fucking quiet. I was shocked when she grabbed my hand, leading me into our bedroom. "Edward, I'm sorry. I was unfair to you. It's not right for me to hold your past against you. I talked to Dr. A. over the phone. She said our marriage won't last if I keep alienating you, and she's right. The last thing I want is for us to separate, especially now that we have Dante." Separate? I'd fucking die first. There was so much I wanted to say, but I just couldn't get the words out, so I decided to express it physically. I pulled Bella into my arms and began ravaging her mouth, biting her bottom lip and squeezing her supple ass simultaneously. She punched me in the chest, trying to get away but I was a fucking animal.

"Get off me, Edward! What the hell are you doing?" Bella screamed, clawing at me. "What the fuck does it look like? I'm tasting you," I snarled, lowering my head. "Don't... don't, Edward. Please, don't touch me." It was too late. Before she could push me away again, I began to lick her nipples. The action went straight to my cock. I was as hard as ever. Something in the back of my mind told me I was wrong, but I fucking needed this shit. My babydoll was talking about divorce and separation too much. I had to show her that she was still mine and mine only. With the first draw, I was hooked. No wonder D.C. loved this shit. My eyes rolled back into my head as I adjusted my babydoll so that she was on top. Her milk was heady, sweet, and completely fucking addicting. I'd keep her knocked up all the time just to taste it. When I couldn't take anymore, I came up for air. She maneuvered herself so that she was straddling me. I expected her to kick my god damned ass, but she shocked me. Slowly, she lowered her mouth to mine. The kiss was fiery and electric. She used her sweet tongue to explore every crevice of my mouth. I grabbed her hips, pulling her flush against my erection. "Too much, Edward. I can't... at least not yet," she muttered, before pulling away. I needed something or I was going to go out of my fucking mind! My dick was in danger of imploding. "Fuck, can't you blow me or something? I'm dying here, Bella." Frowning, she reached down to unbuckle my pants. I knew that we really needed to talk, but I'm a fucking guy-my only concern was getting off. Finally, she started to suck me into her mouth, I put my hands over my eyes. If I saw it, I would jizz immediately. I had no motherfucking control anymore. Fuck, she felt fantastic, even better than I remembered. Her tongue licked around my pulsating head as she worked my shaft. I gripped the sheets for leverage. It did not good because next, my babydoll cupped my balls, tugging on them slightly. I reached down to bury my fingers in her long silky hair. Sucking noises were all that could be heard as she blew me like a fucking pro. I screamed, "Fuck!" when I felt myself enter the back of her throat. She pulled away, taking several shallow breaths before deep throating me gain. My balls got tight as shit, and then, my toes curled up. With a mighty yell, I came hard, emptying my spunk down my wife's beautiful throat. After that, she extracted my cock from her mouth, she lightly scraped her teeth against my shaft. When she got to the head, she sucked hard. I exploded again. My babydoll licked up ever last drop. Nirvana. By the time I was coherent and could move, she was gone. She'd barricaded herself in the bathroom. I discarded my pants before going to knock on the door. "Open up, babydoll. I need to clean up." I heard a click. Then, I pushed the door open. She was sitting on the edge of the bathtub in tears. Sighing, I took a seat next to her.

"I'm sorry, babydoll. I shouldn't have done that. I don't know... I just needed to feel close to you again. It feels like you're pushing me away." "You don't understand... I shouldn't be doing things like that anymore. I'm a mother for Christ's sake." "Things like what?" "Blowjobs, sex, and hand stuff. It just feels wrong." Laughing, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, kissing her cheeks. "Babydoll, just because you're a mom doesn't mean you're asexual." "But what about Dante?" "What about him? It's not like we're doing it in the nursery. Yes, you're a mother, a fucking wonderful mother, but you're also my wife. You can be both, Bella. Honestly, I find you sexier now that you've had my son." She smiled, snuggling into my chest. "Really?" "Really," I replied, kissing her nose, "I get hard when I watch you feed D.C. Your milk is delicious. If you are up for it, I'd like us to do that more often." We ended up taking a nice, long leisurely bath together. Luckily, D.C. did not wake up. I had completely forgotten about everyone. Bella, however, hadn't. She made me dress and go back to the den. Before we parted, she pulled me down for a kiss, fondling my ass the entire time. Smirking, I made my way back to Marcus and Jacob. They were deep into an old Bears game. My godfathers were huge Bears and Cubs fans. Growing up, I'd gone to many games. I couldn't wait until my son was old enough to witness a game at Wrigley Field. "Sorry, I got sidetracked," I said, plopping down on the couch and sipping my beer. Marcus and Jake shared a look before rolling their eyes. I knew my ass looked freshly fucked. Bella did excellent work. I felt lighter and freer than I had all week. My pants were a lot more comfortable too. Soon after, people started to head out. Mom., Di, and Alice had christening invitations to send. Marcus needed to stop by the club and check on shit since I was still officially on leave. From the look of Jake and Leah, they were about to go break a hotel bed. That night, I cooked for my babydoll. We sat in the kitchen with D.C. singing silly songs and watching Baby Einstein. I changed an appalling amount of diapers. It was nice, just being a real family. I'd missed all this shit growing up so I was determined for Dante to have it. Suddenly, my wife groaned. "He's flipping the bird again, Edward. I swear to god that if his first word is the f-word, I will kill you," she threatened. I walked over, opened Dante's hand, and kissed the palm. He got excited, sticking his tongue out. His eyes were greener and his bronze hair looked like it had grown even more. I felt kind of bad that he'd inherited my tousled mess. We'd never be able to tame it.

After a dinner of grilled steak, vegetables, and flan for dessert, we decided to give D.C. a bath. At first he was scared, but when Bella began to add bubbles and play with him, he quieted down and begun to enjoy it. There was no more beautiful sight in the world than seeing my wife interact with our child. They were beautiful together. Fortunately, Dante's umbilical thing had fallen off. It used to creep me out. I liked his bellybutton. While Bella entertained Dante, I washed his little member, or as my babydoll called it, his winky. It was hard to believe that any man was ever that small. I still thought he was quite impressive for a baby, though. He'd taken after me in that department too. My babydoll rolled her eyes, slapping me on the chest as if she knew what I was thinking. "What?" "Like father, like son. You're so obvious, Edward." I splashed water in her face. D.C., who was already very protective of his mom, started kicking and screaming. My babydoll kissed his cheeks to calm him down before lifting him out of the water. While she was busy drying him off, I picked out his pajamas. All he slept in was those onesie things and he seemed to have a billion. After another feeding and bedtime story from me, our bambino fell asleep. Bella and I were both really tired so we fell asleep easily too. Babies were the new fucking cure for insomnia. When I woke up, the sun was shining through our window. Apparent ally, Bella had woken up to feed Dante sometime during the night. I vaguely remembered him crying. My babydoll's chest was bare. I wanted to ravish her tits but she needed the rest. Getting out of bed, I noticed that my son was awake. He was just sucking on his toes and smiling. I lifted him, making sure to keep the blanket around him. Bella said babies got cold easily so we made sure he was always warm. "Good morning, son. How about you and me go make mommy some breakfast?" He poked out his tongue. I took that as a sign that he was game. After changing his soggy diaper and cleaning up, and swaddling him, we went to the kitchen. Carlisle and Esme had given us a Graco newborn soothing swing. Carlisle said it came highly recommended by mothers at his hospital. I sat Dante in it, putting it on the 'mom motion', which mimicked the way a mother would rock her child. It was battery operated, none of that crank shit that would drive us crazy. He fucking loved it. There were even a bunch of built in songs. While I cooked, my son and I discussed important things. "I noticed that you prefer your mom's right breast. That is a personal favorite of mine too. If you hadn't noticed, it's a little bigger than the left. Not that the left doesn't have its own good qualities." An unintelligible baby noise was his answer. "You're a handsome little dude. Pretty soon, some little pigtailed girl is going to be after you. Hell, probably a lot of little girls. I'll teach you to be a gentleman. Your mom will like that."

He gurgled. "Yeah, I do whatever mommy says, just like you. I don't know if you know this, son, but she's the boss. You're cute and new enough to get away with everything, but I have to watch my ass. Uh, forget that last word." After I finished cooking everything, Dante got restless. I grabbed one of his bottles from the freezer, heating it until it was a perfect temperature. Like any good parent, I tested it on the back of my hand. D.C. stuck his tongue out, crying quietly. The minute the nipple entered his mouth, his eyes became animated. I loved looking down at him as he fed. I was so fucking happy that my babydoll had begun to pump. That way, I could feed him more often. "I love you, Dante. Daddy isn't perfect, but I would kill and die for you. You and your mom are the best things that ever happened to me," I crooned, rocking him. "Edward?" I looked over to see a tired looking Bella standing in the doorway. She was beautiful, practically floating toward us. "Morning, babydoll. We were just fixing you breakfast." Dante turned his little head so he could see his mother. Bella loosened the blanket so that she could kiss his hands. I continued to rock him until he fell asleep. Then, Bella put him back into the swing so that he could sleep. After fixing us both plates, I took a seat at the table. My babydoll and I'd known each other long enough to know what each other liked. I passed her the fat free cream cheese as she passed me fresh blueberry jam. I thought Bella was fucking gorgeous as ever, but since she wanted to lose weight, I was helping. "Thanks for getting up with him. I was tired," she said, yawning. "It's not a problem, babydoll. You do so much already. The cook is going to come by tonight and make some dinners. He'll freeze them so that we can heat and eat during the week. I requested low fat and high protein. Is that okay?" She smiled. "God, I can't believe you're so rich. I've never even thought of having a cook in my life." "I'm not rich, Bella; we're rich. Everything that belongs to me, belongs to you and Dante, too. We're making a fuckload of money.. We might as well enjoy it. That reminds me..." I went to the den and grabbed my architecture book. It was time that Bella and I got serious about building our dream house. Our son needed lots of room to run and grow. We could keep the Penthouse, but we needed more space. When I returned, I opened a page before passing it to Bella. "What do you think? Are your tastes more modern or do you prefer classical colonial?" "I don't know, Edward. These houses are awfully big. Are you thinking of buying us a mansion?"

"No, babydoll. I'm thinking of building us a mansion. You can design it any way you like. It's all yours, every fucking detail. My mom can help. When you're healed, we can start looking at land." She sighed, biting her lower lip. "Let's not go overboard. I just want a safe place to raise our kids, nothing fancy." "Well, I was thinking that we'd initially go with fourteen bedrooms and ten bathrooms. I know a famous architect that can draw up some plans." My babydoll blanched. "Fourteen bedrooms! How many children do you think we'll have. I'm going back on birth control next week, you know." I smirked. "Babydoll, we both know that birth control won't stop my sperm, and neither of us like condoms. It's inevitable that you'll be knocked up again before D.C. is out of diapers." Standing up, Bella gathered our dirty breakfast plates before loading them in the dishwasher. She kept darting glances at me and shaking her head. My Iphone vibrated, letting me know I had a voicemail. I pressed the button and heard Marcus' voice. "Good morning, Edward. I got a call from the Sokolov's this morning. Riley will arrive at four this afternoon. It would be a show of good faith for you and I to meet him at the airfield. His uncles are concerned about him. Carlisle has agreed to host the meeting at their house. Please call me when you get this message." He answered on the second ring. I promised not to kick Riley's fucking ass for seeing my babydoll nude, and my Godfather promised me that the Russians would show my family respect. He also let me know that Liam, Siobhan, and Maggie were coming to town. .Of course, Alec couldn't come, but he'd sent a gift anyway. I knew my babydoll would be happy to hear from all the people that had risked their lives to save her and our son. Jane had already been moved to a private hospital here in the city. Jessica was taking care of her. My babydoll laid back down after supper. Dante slept the whole time. I conducted some calls to make sure my men weren't fucking shit up. So far, the missile shipment was going off without any problems. The club had been really busy the night before. Jasper and Alice were holding it down for me. I fucking appreciated it. Since my sister was about to launch her boutique, I needed to hire a new secretary. I'd worry about that shit later. Right now, it was all about mi famiglia, my family. I woke Bella up at two so she could get dressed. By then, Dante was awake and hungry. I fed him again, while my babydoll showered. When she got out, I went to bathe and change. My dick was painful again so I had to whack off. After that, I put on my black and gray Armani tracksuit. The meeting today was casual. Ali had gotten Dante the same exact outfit. I used to think that men who matched their kids were corny as shit, Em did that kind of stuff with his boys, but now, I liked it. When I got to the bedroom, Bella was slipping on a pair of sandals. She was wearing a pretty sleeveless black and white polka dot dress. She was showing a little too much tit for my taste, but I didn't want to start a fight so I held my tongue. Her hair was pinned up and she was wearing a pair of pearl earrings and

necklace, that had been a wedding gift from Cai. "You look gorgeous, babydoll," I said kissing her on the cheek. "You know it might be a little chilly today. Maybe you should wear a sweater." "You're so transparent, honey. There's nothing wrong with this dress, but I will put on a shrug if it makes you happy," she replied, kissing my neck. Unfortunately, the shrug didn't cover her breasts. To distract myself, I picked Dante up and posed in the mirror. We were a handsome pair. I could tell that Bella had tried to style his hair, but it was still sticking up like mine. My babydoll came to stand beside us, smiling happily. "My men are so handsome. I love you both, even if you are in a war for my breasts." Dante gurgled, reaching for his mommy. I passed him to her so that I could put on my shoes. Fifteen minutes later, Jasper and Ali showed up. I made up some bullshit excuse about needing to attend to some work shit, but promised to meet everyone at mom's house for dinner. Jasper promised me that he would take care of my babydoll and son. I sent security to trail them anyway. Reluctantly, I drove away from the Penthouse. When I arrived at the private air field, there was a jet on the tarmac. I hopped out of the car, jogging over to Marcus, who was shaking one of Riley's uncle's hands. He turned when he saw me. "Afternoon, Cullen. I trust that my nephew will be safe in Seattle. He is the leader of our Family. If any danger befalls him during this stay..." I held up my hand. "My war is done, Mr. Brushkov. Riley saved my wife and son's life. I promise you that he will be treated like a king. He is a guest of the Volturi. No one will fuck with him." Just then, a tall blonde man exited the plane.I knew it was Riley from the pictures. I'd hoped that he would be ugly, but he wasn't. Sucking it up, I put on a fake smile. "Hello, Edward Cullen, I've wanted to meet you for a long time. How are Bree and Bella?" He asked, shaking my hand. We both squeezed harder than was necessary. "My wife and Bree are fine. My son is almost two weeks old. We're having a christening for him this weekend. I would be honored if you would attend as a family guest." "Sure, anything for my Bella." I growled. "She is not yours. She is mine!" Riley laughed, patting me on the shoulder. "Dude, I'm just messing with you. I don't like Bella in that way." Even though he'd been shot in the knee, he looked well. There was a limp to his gait, and he looked like he'd lost weight, but overall he was healthy. Unfortunately, he chose to ride in the Phantom with me. One of his men and one of my men took the backseat. I gripped the steering wheel hard, barely containing my anger. "I know you saw my wife naked. I want

you to forget everything." The motherfucker smirked, playing with his seat belt. His guy in the back leaned forward. Riley glanced back at him. "Hold off, Michel, we're fine." "I swear to you that it wasn't sexual. My brother was a fucking monster. That was the only way I could keep Bella safe from his abuse. We slept in the same bed, but that is it. I don't think of Bella in that way. She is more like a sister to me." Relaxing, I passed him a stick of gum, which he accepted. "Good. What about Bree? I've had papers made up for her. Legally, she's my sister. I know that she likes you. Hurt her and I'll break your fucking face." He chuckled. "I'd never hurt Bree. I think I'm in love with her. We didn't get much time to know each other, but she could be the one. She's beautiful, kind, a hard worker, the kind of woman that I'd marry. "Marry? She's only eighteen! Give her time to live her life first. My babydoll is already planning your first date so beware. " By the time we arrived at Carlisle and Esme's, I had to admit that I liked the fucker. He was smart and easy to talk to. That still didn't mean that I wouldn't kick his ass if he touched my wife, though. My mom greeted us at the door, hugging Riley like she'd known him forever. His guards fanned out over the lawn. I understood them being on alert around me. Word had gotten out about all the people I'd killed on my rampage so motherfuckers were scared. Marcus was wright behind us, talking on his phone. He whispered, "Senator," in my ear. I knew that it wouldn't be long before I had to choose. It was beginning to look like I would be launching a campaign soon. Everyone was in the den. Di was holding Dante. Bella ran and jumped into Riley's arms. "I'm so happy to see you, Ri. When did you get in?" Sulking, I took a seat on the couch. Luckily, my wife noticed my mood and sat in my lap. I perked up considerably. "Just now. Is this the little nudger?" He asked, bending over Di. She handed him my son. "Wow, he's cute, Bella. He looks like Edward but he has some of you in him too." My babydoll beamed. "Thank you. I didn't do it alone, though," she said, making eyes at me. After Di retrieved Dante, Riley was introduced to everyone. Half an hour later, Rose and Alice came downstairs with Bree. The girl was beautiful. Her long blonde hair was done into a braid around her head. She wore a simple blue scoop neck shirt and black skinny jeans. I smiled when I saw that she was wearing my angel wings necklace. If I thought Bella's greeting was bad, Bree's was worse. She ran to him. Easily he caught her, twirling her slender body in a circle. "Damn, Bree. You look...amazing. I love your hair." She pulled away, looking embarrassed. "I am sorry. I just missed you so much."

Riley, not liking the distance corralled her back into his arms. "I missed you, too. Your phone calls and emails were the best part of my day. I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. I had things to take care of in Moscow." Dinner was fucking great. Bella was flirty and handsy. Dante, Colin, and Brady provided plenty of cute kid entertainment. The women had fun discussing weddings, parties, and clothes while the men talked business. Leah, Jake, Ben, and Angela showed up at dessert. Angela and Ben were leaving to finish their mission in Honduras. Bella was sad, shedding lots of tears as she said goodbye. Her friends promised that they would come home when they finished. I held my angel as she watched their car drive away. Emmett couldn't believe I knew how to change a diaper, so I had him watch me. Needless to say, he was fucking impressed. Even Rose liked me now. She no longer talked to me like I was Satan. Bella and I were tired so we decided to spend the night. My mom offered Riley a guest cottage, which he accepted so he could stay close to Bree. They were headed there when I stopped him. "Remember what I said, Riley. Bree is my sister. I leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. She blushed. Then, she hugged Bella. "I will be fine, Edward. Riley is gentleman." "Of course you'll be fine. Edward is just overprotective. Have fun you two," Bella squealed, waving them along. My babydoll gave me another blowjob in the shower before bed. Spooning her luscious ass, I fell asleep. Dante woke up about five times during the night. He just wanted to be walked and held. Lucky for him, there was a houseful of people that were more than willing. Two days later, Liam and his family arrived. Siobhan already knew my mom and Di. All the women got along. Maggie pulled me aside to ask about D. I filled her in on his progress. When she was leaving, Liam cornered me. "What the fuck was that about, Cullen! What did my Maggie want?" Resigned, I told him the whole story, leaving out the hook up parts. He was fucking livid. I swore to him that D had changed. Maggie returned with Siobhan. She'd told her mom the whole story. Liam was huge, but the two tiny women won in the end. The day of Dante's Christening was beautiful. There was hardly a fucking cloud in the sky. Bella cried like she was sending our boy off to college. She wanted him to wear this sissy looking dress, which she and Alice called traditional. I refused. In the end, we decided on a white tux with tails. The invitations stated that everyone was to wear white. I would also be in a whie tux, while my babydoll wore a tailored skirt suit. We bathed our baby boy, making sure that he was comfortable. Before we left, Bella gave me a handjob. We'd been talking the last few days and she'd gotten used to our post pregnancy sexuality. Bella said she pleasured me because she didn't want me to pop a boner in

Church and embarrass her again. I just smirked. It wasn't like I could help that shit. Many capos came to see my firstborn baptized. Jokes were made at my expense. They teased Bella, telling her that she could do better and other stupid shit. I walked proudly around the church with my son, letting people take pictures of him. The wives loved my bambino and he ate up the attention. Dr. A. and Caius flew in for the event. Her little girl, Penny was almost eight, but she fell in love with D.C. My son squealed happily as she held him. Not to be outdone, C&B were getting their own attention. Most of the capos had kids so there were children everywhere. Pastor Randall presided over the christening. He blessed my son, anointing his small head. Bella shed enough tears for a second baptism. I held her as our son was blessed before the Lord. I wasn't really religious, but I wanted Dante's soul safe, even if mine might never be golden. We got a ton of shit. Italians took christenings very seriously. Huge envelopes stuffed with cash were put inside our bag. There were too many toys and gift baskets to count. A few of the wives joked about stealing Dante, which caused Bella to snarl. My mama tigress was fucking hot as hell! I couldn't wait to be back inside pussy paradise again. My son did not care that it was an important day. He did his usual pooping, spitting up, and tit drinking. He refused his bottle, so my babydoll and I excused ourselves to a back room so she could feed him. I was so fucking proud of my family. Everybody loved my babydoll and Dante. Surprisingly, Demetri had shown up with Maggie. Liam was still upset. He spent half the service making the universal, 'I'll cut your fucking neck' sign to D. Unfazed, D put all his attention into Maggie. I had never seen the motherfucker treat anyone woman so well. I knew then that he was serious. Jane was unable to attend. She was still weak and healing. She and Jessica sent gifts and my babydoll talked to her on the phone. I almost broke down when I heard my wife thank Jane for saving her life. We made plans to visit her once she felt up for company. After the service, we convened to Eleazar and Carmen's old restaurant. I'd found a new authentic Spanish chef who would run it. My babydoll was sad again, so I cheered her up by telling her good stories about our old friends. We would never be able to bring them back, but they would have wanted us to celebrate their lives. I circled the room, shaking hands with all La Camorra Dons. A few Cosa Nostra that did business with our family showed up. They were cordial and gave gifts, but I didn't like the motherfuckers. They didn't fully accept me because I wasn't one hundred percent Italiano. The party ran long into the night. Bella and Dante fell asleep in the car on the way home. Looking in my mirror, I had to smile. If someone would have told me that I'd have a baby car seat in my Rolls a year ago, I would have called them a fucking nutjob. Being a father and husband changed me for the better. I would always be a Mobster, but now I had a higher purpose in life. On June twentieth, eighteen days after my son was born, I turned thirty. Bella and the women had planned a big surprise party. People from all over Seattle showed up, including some of the workers from my club. Thankfully, Jessica was doing a great job keeping the bitches in line There were no incidents. Bella, staking her claim, kept her tight little ass over my bulge most of the night. She and I had been working out and swimming together so she'd lost most of the weight and regained her confidence. We

still had days where we fought, but we were much better. Instead of leaving or throwing tantrums, we began to talk our problems out. Neither of us wanted Dante to grow up in a house full of anger. My babydoll had dressed our boy in a Burberry outfit that matched mine, right down to the trench she'd bought me for Christmas. I carried him around, working the room. The women loved D.C. His infectious little laugh filled every inch of the room. It was my best birthday party ever. Bella gave me another Katana sword, an inscribed book filled with pictures of me and Dante together, and tailored Armani wool winter coat. The baby book was my favorite. Our family had managed to capture some poignant moments of me and mi figlio. When the party was over, Bella let my Mom and Dad take Dante to their house for the night. She and I pushed each other into walls, sucking each other's mouths on our way to the bedroom. When we got there, Bella slipped into a pink nightgown. After I shed my clothes, she beckoned me over. She crawled across the bed, loosening the straps. Her breasts were glowingly white and full of milk. The dark pink nipples and aureole called to me. As she inserted her tit into my mouth, squeezing slightly to expel milk, I rubbed my dick. "You're so fucking sexy, babydoll." Since we couldn't have full on sex yet, Bella pleasured me with her hands and mouth. I came until I passed the fuck out. When I woke up, my babydoll was wrapped in my arms. After all this time, she whispered my favorite words in her sleep,"love, Edward." The next day, Garrett, Kate, and baby Sasha arrived. Bella was on cloud nine. Dante got jealous when his mom held Sasha, but once Kate picked him up, he calmed down. Garrett had even cut his hair. I could tell that he loved Sasha as much as I loved Dante. Alice was even more hyper now that she had a baby girl to dress. She encouraged both Rose and Bella to have girls. She also asked them to model some of her clothes for promotion for her new store. I refused to let my babydoll out on a runway in lingerie. Bella said she'd think about it. Over my dead motherfucking body. While the women fawned over the kids, Garrett tattooed my son's name on my back, Dante Emanuele Charles Anthony Cullen, in cursive script. My babydoll cried when she saw it. I carried her over my heart, and my son on my back. The day that Dr. Whitney cleared Bella for sex was one of the happiest days of my life. Rose and Em took Dante for the weekend. I took my wife away for a romantic getaway at a nice little bed and breakfast outside of Seattle. For three glorious days, we fucked our brains out. Bella's body had changed. Her pussy was just as tight, but her hips and tits were larger. I loved it! Our lovemaking was new and different, but just as passionate. She was as uninhibited with me as always. We did shit that we'd never done before. Eventually, our fuckcation had to end. We both missed our son. Plus, we were in danger of killing each other. "I love you so fucking much, Bella," I said before fastening her seat belt.

The next few weeks were exciting. Bella toured her cafe/bookstore and began to write again. Dante grew big and strong. He could roll over without help and make more sounds. He was our miracle and we cherished him. The Volturi gained more businesses and allies. My babydoll and I even double dated with Bree and Riley. Bree brought out my protective nature so it didn't go so well. They went on their next date alone. With Carlisle's and my help, Bree got accepted into the pre-med program at UW. Bella threw a party when she found out. Riley and Maggie officially transferred to Seattle to finish their college degrees. Since Maggie and Bree were college students, they decided to live together. I owned a luxury condo close to the school, which I rented out to them. I had to threaten D and Riley about spending the night. Liam told me that I was responsible for his Maggie while she was in my city. The first thing I did was make sure that Felix watched out for she and Bree when they hung at the club. Alice and Jasper had a month long honeymoon in Paris, France. I promised Bella that I would take her there when D.C. got a little bigger. Ali came home glowing and Jasper looked tired as hell. The poor fucker had been dragged to every god damned store in the city. Jane got better, and took on the job as Bella's and Dante's official bodyguard. My son loved her. Since Kate was now a dentist with her own family, I sent Jessica to managerial school so she could learn how to run the bitches. Shockingly, she was good at that shit. HADES was doing gangbusters from the pussy trade. Vladimir, Nahuel, and Huilen made plans to visit us in Seattle. Bella teleconferenced with them regularly, showing off our boy. He brought joy to all of those that came into contact with him. Our base of friends had expanded. Some nights, my babydoll had nightmares about James. I would hold her until she slept again. I had nightmares, too. We took comfort in each other. Many had tried to break us, but those motherfuckers had failed. We were still breathing and stronger than ever. By August, Bella and I had decided on a plot of land. With my parent's permission, I had our E+B tree dug up so that it could be planted on our property. I shoveled the first mound of Earth as my wife and son watched from the sidelines. My life was fucking perfect. "I love you, Edward. Thanks for all of this," Bella whispered, wrapping her arms around my waist. Dante blew a spit bubble before reaching out for me. Later that month, I was finishing a night of work at HADES when I got a text message. "Look outside you door." -BSmirking, I tucked Bella's thong back into my desk drawer. It was the very one she'd worn that first night I'd given her her very first Edward Cullen induced orgasm in my office. I'd kept it all this time. He wedding underwear were in my safe at home. Yeah, I'm still a sick fuck.

When I opened the door, my heart stopped. My babydoll was sitting there in a sexy as fuck outfit. I didn't know whether to yell or whip out my cock. She stood up, holding out her hand. "Hi, Mr. Cullen. I'm here about the secretary position." "Fuck me," I said, taking her hand to kiss. "With pleasure if you hire me." My mouth dropped as she sauntered past me. The gray pinstripe scrap of a skirt didn't cover anything. Her ass cheeks were smiling at me from the back. A tiny black shirt that tied at the apex of her tits, was the only thing keep her semi modest. She even had on black thigh highs and glasses. Her mahogany hair was up in a tight bun. Like a sick puppy, I followed her. She went straight to my office, taking a seat on my desk before crossing her fucktastic legs. I wanted to bury my head in her pussy and eat her out all night long. "This is a nice office, Mr. Cullen. Would you like to see my resume?" she asked, coyly. I nodded stupidly. The piece of paper read: Isabella Marie Swan-Cullen Experience: Fucking, sucking, licking, blowing, fondling, and driving men crazy. My cock jumped. "That's impressive, Ms. Swan. Perhaps you can show me some of this experience." She winked. "Certainly, Mr. Cullen." After those words, shit got real. I ripped the flimsy costume from her curvaceous body. She pushed her tits into my mouth, kneading them so that hot sweet milk squirted out. As I drank, she rubbed my dick hard. Turning her over, I smacked her ass before stripping off the thigh highs. Still on the desk, Bella got on her hands and knees. Her bare ass was right in front of me. I almost fucking came when I saw what was on her left ass cheek. The words: 'Property of Edward A. Cullen', within a circle. "Shit, babydoll! When did you get this?" She giggled. "At the spa the other day. It's only a temporary but I want to get a real one on my inner thigh, next to my pussy. I'm glad you like it." "Like it," I said, lowering my head, "I fucking love this shit. You belong to me." I bit down into her ass, causing her to push back into me. Then, I spread her pussy lips and went to town. She was fucking drenched. I sucked and nibbled her sweet pussy and rosebud. Before I entered her, I squeezed a generous amount of Astroglide inside her ass and on my cock. We hadn't had anal since she gave birth. After yanking her down, I entered her ass slowly, letting her body adjust to my ten inches. Once I was all

the way inside, she came hard, biting down on the desk. "Are you a good girl, Bella?" I whispered, spanking her ass. "Sometimes," she teased. I alternated between slapping her ass and squeezing her hips while keeping one hand inside her pussy the entire time. My fucking cock was in heaven. I pounded my wife for all I was worth. Seeing my name on her body only added fuel to the flames. Eventually, like all good things, our fucking had to end. I pulled Bella's back flush against my body before coming hard, gasping her name. "Bella, only you. It's only you. I love you," I chanted over and over again. Somehow, we managed to make it to my leather couch, where it had all began. I laid down, placing Bella on top of me. She had a soft smile on her face as we watched two moths hover near my lit sconces. It was only right that they'd be here on this night of reminiscing. "Remember the day we met, Edward? I think I was in love with you even then," Bella said, tickling my chest. "I was in love with you too, babydoll, and it scared the shit out of me. What we just did on our desk is what I wanted to do that first day." "I'm glad you didn't. I wouldn't have been ready for that," she said, blushing red. I licked her cheeks. "Do you sometimes wish that I'd let you go that day?" I asked, pensively. Shaking her head, she kissed me deeply, sucking my lips into her mouth before biting them gently. "Never, Edward. I'd do it all again to get you and Dante. I love you, husband." "And I love you wife." With a glint in her eye, Bella stood up. She walked over to my desk and pulled out a pair of black fuzzy handcuffs. I watched her ass cheeks flex and tits jiggle with each step. I was fucking hard again in an instant. "Let's go to the lair, old man. I think it's time I made you my slave. Do you think you can keep up?" She ran, but I caught her easily, throwing her over my shoulder before entering the code. For so long, I'd felt like I didn't belong, like my life had no purpose. Then, one day a beautiful virgin walked into my office and changed my life forever. Throughout all the bullshit, one thing remained; our love for one another. We never had a choice; just like the moths were drawn to the flame, we were drawn to each other. "Ti amo, Bella. I can keep up. I'll be keeping up with your sexy ass forever," I replied, opening the door to our future. ~*!*~

Relevant Chapter Translations: Ti amo - I love you. La Comarra - Mafia organization from Naples, Italy famiglia - family bellissimo moglie - beautiful wife Omerta - Code of Silence taken my Mafia members Cosa Notra - Sicilian Mafia capo dei capi - head boss figlio - son ~*!*~

~ The End ~