Author's note: Twilight belongs to its creator (not me). No copyright infringement intended.
This story will contain corporal punishment, erotic spanking, and lemons. If you are an adult and can handle that, I hope you enjoy.
My beta reader, sisterglitch, to whom I have confessed all, encouraged and inspired me to write (and rewrite) this story.
The plot is a few leagues out of her kingdom, but she's being very gracious to indulge and include me in her realm.
Thank you, Your Royal Highness of Angst. I humbly bow to your expertise.
I returned alone in the late afternoon to the cottage I share with my wife and daughter.
Carlisle and I had taken a short day trip—just the two of us—to the Three Sisters Wilderness in Oregon. It was sunny and cool and absolutely beautiful. We ran and hunted and even played in the snow. Recalling the old man ridiculously stuffing ice in my hood (like I wouldn't know…) made me think I would have to take Bella and Nessie there soon.
As good as it was to spend much-needed bonding time with my father, I missed my girls. So after greeting my mother and leaving Carlisle at the big house, I sprinted to my little home in the woods.
I knew before arriving that the cottage was empty. No lights or voices or Nessie's rapid heartbeat. It was a big letdown. I glanced around for a message or sign as to where my family might be but nothing surfaced. When I checked the closet, I remembered Bella walking around in there last night wearing just a tiny pair of white panties and a tissue-thin yellow tee shirt. Sublime! She wiggled her hips seductively and then we enjoyed a lengthy romp on the floor.
However fantastic the memories, without my companions I did not want to stay there. Disappointed, I took off back toward my parents' house to see what Esme knew about Bella's whereabouts. With a quick detour to the garage, I noted that my wife's Ferrari was gone.
I hesitantly surveyed the amorous thoughts radiating from inside the house. Once I was certain I wasn't interrupting anything too personal, I sped upstairs to the master suite where Esme was helping Carlisle unpack. I knocked on the doorframe before I entered. Both my parents looked up at me and smiled graciously.
"Bella and Nessie not home?" Carlisle asked, guessing the reason for my reappearance.
"No. Sorry to interrupt, but I thought Esme might know something."
My mother's brows came together as she shook her head. "No, Edward. I assumed Bella was at the cottage. Neither she nor Nessie left with the others. She probably wrote you a note, though, to let you know where she would be. We expected you back about this time…"
"No, there was no note," I reported, confused. "I'm sure she's close by. Don't mind me. I'm going to see if I can reach her phone."
"I had a nice time today," Carlisle thought my way.
"It was a great day, Carlisle. Let's do it again soon."
I took out my mobile as I walked slowly back downstairs. When I dialed Bella's number, the call was forwarded straight to her voicemail. She was either out of range or the power was turned off. Hmmm… I thought I might know where she was hiding—but surely not, I told myself.
Before I could leave a message for my wife, the phone at my ear indicated I was getting another call. I ended the other to answer to my psychic sister.
"What."
"Edward. Bella's not home," she said flatly.
"Yes, I know that, Alice. Where is she?"
"She and Nessie are fine. They won't be too late."
She hadn't answered my question. "Alice, do you know where they are?" I repeated. Of course Alice knew where they are. Unless, there was a wolf in the way…
"Um…yes," she said slowly. "But Bella told me not to say. I'm only calling because I see you were starting to worry."
Well, that settled it. I was certain I knew where she was now.
Bella and I had been revisiting the same argument lately. My wife loved the sun, and although we didn't see much of it here, the beach—cloudy or not—reminded her of growing up in the desert.
I had caught her a couple weeks ago at First Beach in La Push. When Alice told on her, as she will always inevitably do, I drove to fetch Bella, who I found walking along the road wearing a large, wide-brimmed hat and oversized sunglasses. She was absolutely stunning—in an uncooperative, headstrong sort of way.
For quite some time she walked beside my car defiantly as I urged her through the open window to get in with me. Once I had her in my passenger seat, I lectured most of the way home about how foolish she was being. Even disguised, if another beachgoer had recognized her, it could have been disastrous. Not to mention if the clouds had parted, even for a second! The shoreline offered no shade.
Of course, she protested, saying she was being especially careful.
Still, I argued, if she wanted to go to the beach, we could plan another trip to Esme's island, where she could sunbathe safely.
"I would like that, Edward. But I am also fond of First Beach. Charlie used to take me there when I was a child, and I would like to take Nessie."
When we disagreed about something, it was always more productive if I didn't directly refuse. I had learned the hard way that enforcing restrictions on Bella only compelled her to extremes. So she was feeling nostalgic… I could understand that. However, beaches were pretty much off-limits to vampires—well, during the day anyway. There had to be a compromise in this somewhere.
"All right. We'll figure something out," I had promised her, with a kiss to the back of her hand.
I felt my temper start to heat knowing she probably was at the beach with Ness now. She waited precisely for the first moment I would be away and then she defied me. Well, I hadn't officially told her not to go to the beach…nevertheless, she was being deceitful.
A man of my day would have hided such a disobedient wife. Not Edward Cullen, though. I could only cringe when I imagined Bella's reaction if I tried.
I'll admit the thought had crossed my mind before. Riding motorbikes, diving off cliffs… The memory alone made me want to take her over my knee. Of course, all that was essentially my fault. I left her; I drove her to recklessness.
Later she would sneak away to go visit Jake after I told her it was dangerous. Even with all that had changed, the recollection still made my chest rumble. But I supposed that was my fault, too. I had tried to control her, forcing her to break my rules—rules, I admit, set up to assuage my jealousy.
Don't misunderstand. Jacob's like a son to me now. And it's a lot easier to like him these days without his constant scorn. It wasn't but a few months ago that I had entrusted him with my daughter during the Volturi's wrathful visit.
Now that specific memory further intensified my anger about Bella's beach trip. After all that happened then, how could she risk it? Taking Nessie with her, too?
I suspected Jake was with them, as he wanted to be wherever Renesmee was.
The images of Bella's earlier misadventures with Jacob flashed inside my head. I swear, if Nessie ever gets on the back of that bike with him… Don't get distracted, Cullen. I didn't really think that would happen anyway. Jake was extra vigilant with Ness and her safety.
But that's just it. Bella was so fragile back then. I was her protector. Her safety was my first priority. I wouldn't have hurt her, even to teach a lesson. I still wouldn't. Of course, she's not so breakable anymore…
There was also the rest of my family to consider. A coven such as ours, which kept close proximity with the human world, needed to be discreet, and we established boundaries for that purpose. These rules were enforced, and we could expect consequences if we pushed too far.
If another member of the family thought Bella was endangering our coven, they would intervene and she would be subject to their prosecution, which was mainly Carlisle's jurisdiction. Fortunately, I hadn't picked up on any distrust from my parents or siblings. Still, I needed to show my family that I was in control, and that Bella could be handled.
"Where are the little women, brother?" Emmett queried—he and Rosalie just coming in from their day out.
"Absent without leave," I replied grumpily.
"Nessie's not here?" Rosalie questioned, her disappointment evident.
I shook my head.
I sat at the piano and let my fingers play while my mind plotted.
"You didn't find Bella, dear?" Esme asked when she and Carlisle joined the rest of us downstairs.
"No," I frowned.
My mother clicked her tongue, but she was actually covering her concern. "Well, that's inconsiderate. I hope she has a good explanation."
"Me, too. Don't worry—Alice called to say they were safe."
Just then I could hear Nessie's and Jacob's thoughts. The little girl's mind was energetic and full of imaginary play. Jake was tired and hungry, and worried because Ness was jumping around in the backseat. He was telling her to sit still because "with the way your mother drives, you could fly up and hit the windshield with your head."
I laughed and divulged their arrival to the occupants of the house. "They're almost home…including Jake, and he's hungry." Jacob's constant worry was bordering on delusional; Bella drove ridiculously slow for a vampire.
"I'll go prepare something," Esme responded and exited for the kitchen.
I stopped playing and prepared myself for the inevitable confrontation and subsequent backlash. I was going to have to teach my smart-mouthed, twenty-first-century, independent wife a lesson.