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Until Forever – A Twilight Fan Fiction by: JustineNicole6
Rated M for strong language and some adult themes.
A big, huge thank you to my beta, Red20881. You are my savior, and you make my words make sense. Big love to you, my pretty.
Prologue – The Wedding Day
"I do." My voice shakes with emotion.
"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."
I look at my wife and feel a fierce sense of pride swell within me. I reach out and pull her into my arms, bending her back for a completely mind blowing kiss. Releasing my all too willing captive, I turn to see all of our family and friends cheering for us.
The next few minutes pass in a blur, and we're whisked away to a waiting limousine. Sitting back against the seat, I watch my lovely wife as she reaches down to untie the straps of her delicate white shoes. I watch her struggle with the layers of tulle for a minute before I bend down to assist her.
"I love you, Edward," she sighs, laying her head back against the seat.
"I love you, too, Bella."
I lift the hem of her dress and place my hand on her slim calf. Raising her leg to rest on mine, I ease the shoe from her foot, and I find myself lost in thought. Memories of last night, the night of our rehearsal dinner, cloud my vision and I think of how close we came to not having a wedding at all.
The Rehearsal Dinner
"You are one lucky S.O.B., Edward." Emmett has never been one to mince words.
Chuckling, I respond, "I know I am, Em. Bella is perfection."
"Uh huh, and when she's nagging you to hang your coat on the hook or to put your shoes in the closet, will you still be saying that?" he asks me, scoffing.
"Ha ha, you're hilarious. Some best man you are, ass clown!" I shove him playfully.
"You know I'm just here for the chicks, right?" he informs me with a backward glance at the now-gathering wedding party.
Emmett's goal for this weekend is to nail a bridesmaid (or two, if he can swing it). Apparently he's pinpointed his first conquest, having already caught the eye of Bella's maid-of-honor as soon as he arrived.
"Rosalie, huh?" I ask him, with just a hint of sarcasm, adjusting the tie on my dark gray suit.
Emmett responds by waggling his eyebrows suggestively, smoothing the lapels of his own suit jacket.
Considering the volatile Rosalie, I decide Emmett has his work cut out for him. Besides, I'm too happy to be overly concerned with his antics. Now, if he was after Alice…we may have to have some words. Nobody screws around with my little sister. Lucky for me, she's pretty serious with Rose's brother, Jasper Hale.
A quick glance at the vestibule tells me I've lost Emmett's concentration. Rosalie is pointedly ignoring him.
Laughing, I roll my eyes and wander off to find my fiancée. I leave the entryway of the church, following the hallway that connects the chapel to the rest of the building. I walk past darkened Sunday school rooms and an office or two until I find what I'm searching for.
Standing with her back to me in the doorway of Pastor Banner's office, I hear Bella discussing decorations or music – something wedding related – with someone. Light shines through a window, adding a touch of red to her dark mahogany locks. Her brown eyes glow with warmth, even from this distance, and her pert mouth is pulled into a wide smile. She leans into the office, saying something too low for my ears to catch.
Alice's tinkling response is followed by Jasper's deep, musical laugh. I immediately wonder what my charming Bella has said now.
"Hello, beautiful," I call, catching her off guard.
Bella's small hand flies to her chest, covering her heart. "Oh, Edward, you scared me!"
"Is that my moronic brother?" Alice asks, peering at me around the frame of the door.
"Is that any way to speak to the groom?" I ask with a grin.
Jasper and Alice step from the office and the three of them move in my direction. I note how Jasper's arm doesn't leave my sister's waist. I think it may be time for me to have the talk with him. I have an inkling my sister will soon be saying yes to a certain "popped" question. I sigh and reach for Bella's hand.
"Where's Pastor Banner?" I ask, realizing he didn't leave the office with the rest of them.
"Oh, he's already in the chapel, preparing things for the rehearsal," Bella says, lightly squeezing my fingers with her own.
The four of us make our way back to the rest of the wedding party. Everyone smiles and laughs, greeting us, and setting the tone for the rest of the rehearsal.
When the formalities have finished and everyone knows their responsibilities, it's time to head to my parents' house across town to relax a little and indulge in some fine cuisine and wine.
Since Bella and I arrived separately, we're driving our own cars to dinner. I wish we were carpooling, but tonight I'm staying in my childhood bedroom so the girls can have our place – Bella's and mine – to primp and preen before the wedding. Unfortunately for me, Bella volunteered my car as transport for her mother. I've never cared much for Renee, but Bella doesn't know that. I've never let on how her mother hit on me, and continues to do so, since the first time I met her.
That first time I met Renee Swan, she seemed ordinary enough, perhaps a little juvenile, but nothing incredibly alarming. That is, until she started batting her heavily made-up lashes in my direction. All I could think about – other than the large glob of mascara in the corner of her eye – was how disgusting and inappropriate her behavior was. I was thoroughly repulsed.
I try to ignore her, however, each time we've had a function with her since, she's become more and more…amorous with me. Bella has never caught on, but Renee's always been careful to watch herself in front of her daughter. Fortunately, Bella's mother lives out-of-state, so we don't see her all that often.
With a sigh, I slip into the driver's seat and start the engine. Renee is taking her sweet time getting her ass into the car, waving to everyone with one vermillion high heel resting on the floorboard, and the other on the pavement.
I could just put the car in drive. Maybe if she's sitting on her duff in the parking lot, she'll get the picture.
Smiling to myself, I fiddle with the knobs on the radio until I find something to soothe my now frazzled nerves.
I look over to see Renee sliding her zebra-printed ass into my Volvo. I shudder and am overcome with a desire to have my car detailed first thing in the morning. The reek of her perfume permeates the air, thick and cloying.
Forcing bile back, I ask, "You have everything?" I hope she doesn't notice the irritation in my voice.
She turns to me with a pout on her brightly-colored lips and rests her hand, with matching reddish-orange fingernails, on my leg.
"Sure, Eddie, everything I need is right here," she purrs.
I grit my teeth and ask, "Would you please move your hand?"
Renee grins deviously and begins sliding her hand seductively up my thigh.
I push her hand away from me and growl, "Do not touch me again. I'm marrying your daughter tomorrow. Don't you think it a tad inappropriate to behave this way?"
She smiles and replies, "Don't you think it makes it all the more interesting?"
I glare at her, choosing to ignore her last comment, and mutter, "And my name is Edward, not 'Eddie.' Edward."
Throwing my car into gear, I tear out of the parking lot. Renee acts completely oblivious to my ambivalence, behaving as though our exchange was nothing out of the ordinary. My future mother-in-law is actually singing under breath, fluffing her hair, and applying yet another coat of her hideous lipstick to her already over-colored lips. She looks at me, giving me a demure smile. I notice she has lipstick on her front tooth. I smirk and a sly look crosses her face.
I feel a sense of satisfaction at the thought of her walking into dinner this way. Serves her right.
Turning into the driveway, I search for a spot to park. Wanting to be away from this woman as soon as possible, I hurl the car into the first available space. I turn off the engine, shove open the door and suck in as much fresh, clean air as my lungs can hold before letting it out in a slow breath. A click tells me Renee has already left the car, and a glance in her direction tells me she's now adjusting her pantyhose with a foot on the hood of my car.
That's nearly vomit-worthy right there. I squelch the thought, intent on ignoring her for the rest of the night. This weekend is about Bella and me.
Speaking of Bella…
My mouth drops at the sight of her in a cornflower blue silk dress draped off one shoulder, exposing her creamy skin. The material flows past her knees, stopping just shy of her feet. Her hair is thrown into some stylishly-messy knot. Her face is clean of all but a light shade of brown swept across her eyelids and a gloss on her beautiful mouth. Just looking at my Grecian princess washes away any grimy reminder of her whorishly overdone mother.
"Bella!" I call to her just as she's placing her gold-sandaled foot on the bottom stair of the porch.
She pauses, looking my direction. "Oh, hi, baby! You like my new dress?" she adds with a small smile and a wink.
I nod slowly approaching her. "You have no idea. Why did you change?"
"Your mother is giving us a beautiful dinner, and I wanted to look the part of the blushing bride." She giggles and places her hand on my proffered arm.
"Baby girl, don't forget your mama!" Renee's voice grates on my already raw nerves.
I see Bella cringe at her mother's chosen attire, but she would never say anything.
"Come on, Mom, we don't want to be late," she tells her with a smile.
Renee moves to my other side, taking my arm. "Be a dear and help your future mother in the house."
"Edward, will you come here, please?" my mother calls, allowing me to extract myself from Renee's grasp.
Bella stays at my side, greeting my mother warmly. "Esme, everything looks amazing. Thank you so much!"
Mother has outdone herself, as usual. Every surface gleams in our family home. Flowers fill the rooms with a wonderfully clean scent and clear twinkle lights are draped tastefully throughout the house, giving everything a dreamlike quality.
The evening passes with toasts and jokes, laughter and a few tears. Food comes and goes; wine bottles empty and champagne flows. My parents are incredible hosts, and it only highlights the glaring differences between them and my future mother-in-law. What Charlie ever saw in her I'll never know, because Bella's father passed away last year of a heart attack. He was a great man, sweet and gentle, and it was easy to see where Bella got her disposition and shyness from. It was a horrible loss, one I'm sure we'll feel forever, especially tomorrow when Bella walks down the aisle alone. She didn't want to be escorted by her mother, deciding instead to have me seat her when I seat my own parents.
"And that is why you'll never catch me opening a door without knocking first!" Emmett finishes his anecdote with a fist on the table.
Everyone is roaring with laughter, but I find myself distracted by my beautiful bride-to-be. Her pouty lips are pursed at the edge of her champagne flute, allowing the last of the golden liquid to flow into her waiting mouth. I shift in my seat, adjusting my growing erection to a more comfortable position.
I place my lips at Bella's ear and whisper suggestively, "Darling girl, you are making me extremely hot right now. I'm going to get you a fresh bottle from the cellar. Why don't you give me a couple of minutes and slip away for a little…rendezvous?" The alcohol is starting to go to my head in a delightfully fuzzy way.
She giggles, and the effects of her own drink loosen her normal inhibitions as she gropes me under the table.
I stifle a moan and push my chair away from the table, desperate for our weeklong honeymoon on the white, sandy beaches of Hawaii. I clear my throat and stand.
"I'm going to the cellar for some more champagne, does anyone want anything else?" I ask, glancing around the table at everyone's glasses and the remaining bottles.
Only a few people even pay me any attention, which is fine with me. I make my way down the cellar steps with a small list of vintages to locate. In the very dim light, I wander among the shelves, leaning close to the bottles in an attempt to read their labels. I should have brought a flashlight or turned on the brighter overhead lights. Shrugging, I decide it's better that I didn't. Now, when Bella finds me here, it will be more romantic.
I select a bottle off the nearest shelf and peel back the label, finding myself daunted by the cork set firmly in place. Remembering my father keeps a corkscrew in a desk nearby, I amble that way slowly. I rummage through the drawers until I find what I need. After several attempts, I finally manage to pour a mouthful of the cool, velvety liquid down my throat. Its full-bodied texture and heady aroma fill my senses and, before I realize it, I've downed half the bottle. My head is swimming, and I'm beginning to grow impatient for Bella.
I loosen my tie, letting it hang on either side of my neck, and unbutton the first few buttons of my shirt. I slip my jacket off my shoulders and drape it over the back of the chair beside my father's desk. On its smooth surface, I see a picture of him and my mother. It's their wedding day, and they're smiling into each other's eyes, their love for each other very clear on their faces. I vow to make Bella as happy as my parents make each other. She is my whole world.
Lost in thought, I don't hear the footsteps behind me until a satiny material is shielding my eyes.
I chuckle softly. "I didn't think you were coming, baby."
Bella giggles quietly in response, slowly turning me around. I feel her fingernails brush my happy trail as she opens the clasp at the top of my slacks. She lets her hands run along the elastic of my boxers before forcing both my pants and underwear down over my hips, dropping them to the floor. She pushes me back against the desk, and her hand gently massages my thigh. I hear the scraping of the chair being pulled near. It hits the backs of my knees and Bella shoves me onto the cushioned seat. My hands grope for her, to pull her into my lap, but she escapes my grasp and I feel both of her hands rest at the tops of my thighs. Her warm breath blows over my hardening erection before her soft, wet mouth closes over its weeping tip.
"Oh, jeez, Bella, you're amazing," I moan to her, feeling her tongue swirl around my length.
The sensation is like nothing I've ever known before; she seems so much less timid in her conquest. Soon I feel myself hit the back of her throat, and my head falls back in abandon. I reach down to caress her cheek, and she bites my finger.
"Ooh, someone's feeling naughty tonight," I murmur.
"Yes, I'll say," I hear Bella snap.
Lips leave my hard-on and I bolt to my feet. "What the hell?"
I rip the blindfold from my eyes and see my fiancée standing a few feet away from me and…Renee?
Jerking my pants up, I see her demurely wiping her mouth with a satin shawl – the blindfold.
"Renee, what the fuck are you doing?" I scream, looking at her in horror. "You—you slut!"
I hear Bella whimper, mumbling something, and I turn to find her with tears glistening on her eyelids, threatening to spill over.
"Bella, I swear, I thought she was you! I would never in a million years do this to you. Please, please believe me," I beg, taking a slow step toward her.
She stumbles backward. "No, stay right there. I want to know what the fuck is going on here, and I want to know right now."
Bella stands with her arms crossed over her chest, tears falling freely, not caring to dash them away. In the dim light, her gown glows, moisture glitters on her cheeks, and I feel my heart break into a million pieces. Her eyes are deep, dark pools of anguish, and her lips are trembling. I want to hold her in my arms, to erase the pain.
Renee gets to her feet and boldly faces her daughter. "You needed to know what he was capable of before you march down that aisle tomorrow. He's been hitting on me since the first day we met. Earlier tonight he hinted-"
I cut her off. "That is a bald-faced lie, Bella! You know I only want you. She's the one who's been hitting on me continuously these last two years. She's—she's vile!"
"Excuse me?" Renee screeches indignantly. "You weren't thinking that a couple of minutes ago!"
"Stop it, Mother!" Bella yells. "Just stop it!" She turns to look at me. "Edward, why didn't you say something, anything, before now?"
"Honey, I didn't want to upset you. I know how close you are with her, and I didn't want to come between you. I'm sorry, I truly am. If I could go back, I'd tell you the first time it happened. Please, please believe me."
"Oh, would you just grow a pair and admit you wanted it? I can't have my daughter marrying a promiscuous asshole. Besides, you probably never had it so g-" Renee stops cold, realizing her slip.
"What did you just say?" Bella's voice is like ice.
"Wha—I, it was a mistake. That's not what I meant, Bella darling," she simpers, trying desperately to backtrack.
Suddenly, I notice we have an audience. Standing at the end of the row, our closest friends and my parents are standing, slack-jawed, trying to ascertain what transpired here.
"Shit," I mumble before raising my voice to reassure them. "It's alright, guys. Just a misunderstanding."
"Are you sure, Edward?" my father, Carlisle, asks.
"Of course, Carlisle," Renee says impishly. "We'll be up in a few minutes."
"No," Bella says. "No, it's not alright. Emmett? Jasper?" They both step forward, and Bella turns to face Renee, her normally soft, kind eyes, hard and cold as stone. "Would you kindly escort my mother out? Rosalie will call you a cab, won't you, Rose?"
The tall, statuesque blonde nods her head, her eyes full of concern for her friend.
I can't help the sigh of relief that escapes my lips as the guys lead Renee out. Back upstairs, the party disperses quickly, leaving only my parents, Bella, and myself.
"Carlisle? Esme? Would you please excuse us? I need to speak with Edward alone," Bella says quietly, a few stray tears sliding down her cheek.
"Of course, darling," Esme says, pulling Bella to her in a tight hug.
My father gives me a look that clearly states I need to talk to Bella and apologize my ass off.
Bella walks woodenly to the stairs leading to my bedroom, and I move quickly to her side, lacing my fingers through hers, squeezing gently. Her fingers hang limply between us, and I feel my heart sink.
We reach my doorway and I release Bella to walk into the room. We sit, facing each other on my bed, my eyes imploring forgiveness, hers searching for truth.
"Edward, why?" she pleads, tears choking her voice.
I reach forward to hold her, and she shakes her head. Instead, I sigh and reply, "Bella, I meant what I said. I thought she was you."
"But, how could you possibly think I was her?" The hurt in Bella's voice cuts me to my core.
"Oh, sweet Bella, trust me, she's nothing like you. I was standing at Dad's desk, drinking a bottle of Bordeaux, when she blindfolded me from behind. She's built similarly to you – height wise – so I didn't really think anything of it. We were going to meet there anyway, and never did I imagine your mother, of all people, would attempt to seduce me! You do believe me, don't you?"
So quietly I'm not sure I hear her right, Bella whispers, "Yes, I do. But, how can I trust you?"
As quickly as I relax, fear tenses me again. "I thought you believed me. What did I do to lose your trust?"
"I guess I just can't understand why you wouldn't have trusted me enough to tell me what Renee was doing to you. I would have listened, you know."
"Yes, you would have listened, but what reason would you have to believe me?" I insist, resting a hand against her soft cheek.
Bella's eyes fall to the quilt covering my bed and fill with tears. "Because it's not the first time she's done something like this to me."
I gasp and pull her to my chest, cradling her in my lap like a child. "I'm so sorry, baby. Do you want to tell me about it?"
I feel her nod beneath my chin, and she pours her heart out to me, telling me about a boyfriend, Mike, she had in high school. Bella caught him in almost the same position as she'd found her mother and me earlier, except that time it was in her bedroom. Mike had been waiting there for Bella to come home from the library, and Renee propositioned him. He was a sixteen-year-old boy, fat chance he'd refuse. Listening to my bride sniffle, I remember my earlier silent vow and decide there is no time like the present.
I sit Bella back on the bed, shaking my head at the questions in her eyes, and I rest on the floor on my knees. I grasp her shaking fingers in mine and lock my gaze on hers.
"Isabella Marie Swan, if you'll do me the honor of marrying me tomorrow, I vow to make you as happy as I can possibly manage. I will give you anything you need, whether it be material, emotional, or physical. I am yours to command, my love. Please, say you'll be mine until the end of forever?"
Tears leak from her eyes as she jumps into my arms, effectively knocking us to the floor. We both laugh and cover each other in kisses, more than ready to begin our forever.
The Wedding Night
"Do you think you'll ever forgive her?" I ask Bella as we lie spent in each other's arms.
"Maybe…someday," she says, snuggling down into the soft down pillows. "But for now, I'd just like to think about you and me. Promise to always tell me the truth, Edward. Never be afraid of me or what I might say. Will you promise me?"
"Yes, darling wife, I promise. And speaking of truths, I do have something to admit."
Fear flashes in her eyes as she whispers, "What is it?"
"I've wanted to do this ever since I saw that damn garter on your leg this afternoon."
With a wicked laugh, I burrow beneath the covers and bury my face between her thighs, showing my wife just how much I worship her – over and over again…
Until forever.