Hey everyone! We are trying to get ourselves on a schedule with these stories, (VoR and Obsessed). We are planning on posting every other week. So here's your taste for today.

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Victims of Rage

Chapter 2

EPOV

I have the most amazing wife. She is so beautiful, sexy, and perfect. We were enjoying the afterglow of our love, lying on my office couch in the late afternoon sun. One of the perks of being your own boss, you can take a few hours for a bit of an afternoon delight. And my wife was never one to deny. When she came into my office this afternoon with that smile on her gorgeous face, I knew I was in for a treat. I immediately asked my assistant to clear my schedule and hold all calls.

It was during these quiet moments with Alice that I regretted the distance between myself and the other members of my family. It was just so much easier to relate to Alice. She understood me like no other. She taught me that although caring for other people can make you vulnerable, the benefits of the relationship far outweigh the risks. She made it easy to show affection. If only I could convince certain others that I cared for them too.

I missed my baby sister. I doubted she even knew that. Or that I thought of her constantly, worried about her, obsessed over protecting her. I could clearly remember pushing her on the swings at the park for hours, though again, I am sure she didn't. I just didn't know how to relax with Bella anymore. Once it became clear that Dad wanted me to take over "the business," I lost the ability to relate to her. Actually, if I was truthful about it, I lost the ability to relate to just about anyone. The lesson Dad drilled into me was to never show your emotions. To rule in this line of work, you needed to be heartless. Emotions got in the way, made you make rash decisions, took away your objectivity, and got you in trouble. Emotions make you weak. So I slowly shut all mine off. It didn't mean I stopped feeling, just that I stopped expressing.

I can see now that this wasn't the way to deal with my sensitive little sister. But by the point I understood, it was already too late. The only way I knew to show her how much I cared was to protect her. But in my attempt to keep her safe, I overdid it. Bella felt stifled by me. Perhaps I should have let her date. Perhaps I shouldn't have limited her friendships so much. Maybe she didn't need a personal driver who carried a gun to take her to and from class in high school. But I have never been a person to do things halfway, so of course I went overboard.

At least Bella was close with James. I know he let her do things I never would, but she needed that. She grew, got some life experience, without being at risk. I know he kept a close eye on everything. After all, I did too. Just because she didn't know, didn't mean there weren't people watching her. After all, not everyone in the business is obvious. Bella didn't know that her neighbor and acquaintance was actually one of the dancers at Alice's club. I paid her a monthly bonus to keep tabs and make sure Bella made it home all right.

The back of the adult-only shop Alice owned had a thriving business serving those who wanted to simply see and not touch. We had private, soundproof booths with windows, which led to a stage where a dancer could perform. We called the customers "Jack-in-the-boxes." It was all above board and legal too. Rose had a natural talent for picking the dancers. Some of them even went on to Vegas or Atlantic City to be showgirls. Of course, if the girls had a client who wished to touch as well, that could be arranged, off premises and for a 10% finders fee. The girls kept everything else. It was by no means a requirement to dance, but an allowed option; one that many of the girls took full advantage of. After all, we had a safe house around the corner, guarded at all times and it was much more profitable than bussing tables at a restaurant. A gentleman (or lady, though those were rare) simply needed to ask for a "guided tour" of the historical house at the checkout of the shop.

Sammi, the neighbor/dancer had called me last night to let me know that Bella's truck never made it into the tenants' lot before she got home. I was a little surprised at that, since I had no reason to think she would stay out all night anywhere. But I had promised Bella, and Alice, that I would let her live her life without my interference. Maybe she went to her friend Angela after work. Perhaps she was watching movies and stayed over. I was trying to keep my thoughts positive and convince myself there was no reason to worry. Of course, not worrying was nearly an impossibility when it came to Bella. But for now I was letting it go. However, if she didn't report in for her normal phone call to Mom, that would change, quickly. She usually called just around 6 o'clock. But I was terribly on edge about it. I just had a feeling.

It was with these thoughts coursing through my brain that my wife slowly sat up and started to put her clothes back on. Always a shame, that. If I had my way, Alice would spend all day with me, naked, maybe she could wear some high heels though. She had amazingly long legs for such a petite woman, and they were beyond description in a pair of her beloved stilettos from Jimmy Choo. Preferably in this fantasy, we would be on a deserted tropical island, where no one else would see her. Of course, she would never go along with that. She liked people, and designer clothes, far too much for that. Also, there was no way I could get away from everything for very long. And as much as I loved my wife, or perhaps because of that, I could never force her to deal with only me, without the respite and entertainment she derived from her shop and her friends.

Suddenly Alice turned my way.

"Have you talked to Bella?" she asked.

"No, but I did get a call from Sammi. She said Bella didn't come home last night. Why?" I responded.

"I'm not sure… I just have a funny feeling. I think you should call her."

"Alice, I don't think that's the best idea. I'm trying, really hard, to let her live her life. You know she won't welcome me butting in and trying to dictate to her."

I sighed, knowing that my relationship with my sister was probably broken beyond repair, though I was still hoping we could get around our differences. I knew Bella didn't approve of the business, or my leading it, but I didn't need her to. I was perfectly happy to have her as far removed from any of my business associates as possible, for her own safety. I just wish her disapproval of the way we made our money wasn't tied so much to her affection for me personally. Alice of course knew all of this and had been trying to bring Bella and I together for some time, convincing me to give her space and trying to tell Bella how much I cared about her and the community; how much charity work we did, and how we helped our neighborhood.

"I understand what you're saying, sweetheart, but I really think you need to check in on her. You need to contact her, now, to make sure she's all right. Please, just call her. Set my mind at ease? I'm worried." Alice was pleading with me, and I can never refuse my wife when she asks for something. And if Alice was worried, I was willing to bet my fortune and life on something being wrong. I trusted Alice more than anyone in the world and her "feelings" had never steered us in the wrong direction.

I gave in and rang Bella's cell, but it went directly to voicemail. After that I tried her landline and left a message at her apartment. Even then, Alice was not satisfied, and apparently wouldn't be until I spoke to Bella directly and heard her voice. Finally, I called the pharmacy where she worked.

"Swanson's Pharmacy, your local one-stop shop with the personal touch. This is Angela speaking, how can I help you?"

"Hello Angela, this is Edward, Bella's brother. May I speak with her please? Is she there?"

"Oh… Gee, Edward, we were hoping you could tell us where she is. Her truck is still in the lot where she was parked last night when we closed together, but she's not in today. She was supposed to be here at noon today, but she never showed. It's not like her to not call anyone to cover for her, but no one has heard from her. We've called her house and cell, but no answer. We were thinking of calling your mother, but we know she lives a couple of hours from here and didn't think it would do much good. I'm sorry, none of us knew how to get a hold of you, and we've been pretty busy in the store today, and short handed to boot!" Angela sounded nervous, worried, and a little exasperated. I looked at my watch. It was now 4 in the afternoon. That means she had been missing for at least 4 hours now.

"You say her truck is there in the lot, Angela? So she didn't do anything with you last night? Do you know if she had other plans with someone else last night? A girls' movie night, a date, grocery shopping even?" I was hoping against hope that there was some information to be had here that would help put my mind at ease.

Angela stammered out her answer. I knew I was nearly yelling, probably scaring the girl, but I couldn't help it.

"N-no. She was tired when we closed up together last night. She said she was going to go home and call your parents, take a bath, and go to bed. I don't know what could have happened to her. Normally I make sure she at least gets into her truck and out of the lot before I drive away, but my boyfriend was picking me up for a date last night and parked around the corner. Oh god, what do you think has happened to her?"

Shit! If she wasn't with Angela last night, and her truck never left the lot, what the hell happened to her?

"I don't know, Angela, but I can promise you this: I will find out. You can count on that!" With that, I hung up the phone.

I relayed the information to Alice as I put my shirt on. As soon as I was dressed, I called my assistant in and had her cancel all my appointments for the next day. I called Emmet and told him to get over here with Rose as soon as possible. It was time for strategy.

My mind was racing with possibilities. Was someone trying to get to me through Bella? Somehow that idea didn't seem to fit. There hadn't been any problems with anything lately and I didn't think most people even knew Bella existed and was associated with the family. I know my parents had been disappointed when she decided to change her name to our grandmother's maiden name, Conti, but I thought it was a great idea to distance herself from me. It was much easier to keep her safe when none of our enemies knew about her.

At this point though, none of that mattered. All that mattered was finding my baby sister. I swear, no allegiance would go untapped and no one in this city would sleep until Bella was back home where she belonged. And then, I was never letting her out of my sight again.