AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am so impressed with the amount of reviews and add there has been for the last chapter. Thank you all so much. I find it funny because there were a lot of people who felt that Bella was being ridiculous in the Part One but from what I am hearing it seems that now you feel that Edward is being the ridiculous one. Well I am just happy that you are as passionate about these characters as I am. I think you will find that this next chapter is something that many of you have been waiting for. THANK YOU AGAIN!

WARNING:

This story may contain content that could offend readers. Story will surround storylines involving acts of dominance such as domestic discipline. This story will not contain BDSM. This story will have spanking themes in later chapters. The following story will use mature language. This story has already been written and will contain character death in future follow ups. Lemons will not occur right away and not in every chapter this isn't Fifty Shades of fun. Please do not read this story if you think you may feel offended by the discussed themes.

Story is mine; the characters are borrowed from Stephenie Meyer.

CHAPTER FOUR

I managed to shower and put on my pajamas before it set in what had just happened. I felt incredibly hurt that Edward would try to reprimand me. I know that I may have gone a tad bit far with my insults toward Garrett, but narrow-minded people always sent me into a tizzy.

When Edward first explained to me these punishments of course I thought it was crazy, but maybe I was the crazy one for going along with it so willingly. I love Edward but was I able to be the girl he wanted me to be? I had to admit that I was prone to doing some really stupid or immature things in the past and maybe I did deserve it sometimes but I definitely didn't deserve to have every freedom taken away from me just because he stated it wasn't in my well-being to do something.

I heard a knock at the door. Angela wasn't home yet. I stared at the door contemplating whether or not I should open it.

"Bella please let me in. Can we please talk about this?" Of course it was Edward; I hadn't expected it to be anyone else. Part of me was relieved that some part of him wanted to come over here with the intension to fight for us. Another part of me was scared because I thought that if I opened that door it could very well be the last time we saw each other face to face.

I needed to be a big girl and like so many times Edward has said to me in the past, we needed to talk about our issues.

I undid the lock and pulled open the door. Edward looked like he had run here from his house, which I knew was impossible since he was a fifteen minute drive away. His once proud perfect posture sagged. His beautifully tousled hair was improperly disheveled. I didn't say anything. I couldn't say anything. I went and sat down on the couch and pulled my legs to my chest. He closed the door and came to sit near me.

"Bella, I'm sorry. You were completely right; I shouldn't have been upset with you. I'm really sorry." I was happy to know that he wasn't coming over to lay into me. He must have really understood what I was trying to relay to him.

"Thank you for your apology." I thought for a second before asking him a question that I had been afraid to ask myself.

"Edward, why did you choose me? I know that there has to be girls out there that would suit your needs better than I. Girls who you wouldn't have to train or punish, she would do everything right and on top of it she would look good on your arm as well. You wouldn't have to worry that she would go off on your friend at a dinner party; she would hang around with the proper people. She would listen to the music that you wanted her to listen to." I started to cry, imagining this perfect girl for Edward that wasn't me.

"I don't think I can ever be that girl. I don't know if I want to be. But its obvious to me that I can't make you happy, without giving up everything that makes me, me."

"Bella, the girl you just described is a robot. I don't want you to be a robot. I remember the first time you defied me. With the basketball. At the time I wanted nothing more than to pull you down from that ladder and spank you. I remember going home that night wondering why I cared so much. Girls have done stupid stuff in front of me before. Past girlfriends have gone against my wishes and although I may have been irritated no feeling rose up in my chest like it did that day. I would see you around the office and it would become the highlight of my day to see you walk past. You're so animated, everything you did or thought it just reads on your face. I kept telling myself that you were too young, too innocent, too fragile. Then that night at the bus stop happened and I knew then that you were it for me. Everything I had ever studied and prepared myself for I felt was true with you. You were my soul mate."

I couldn't fathom his words, I was beyond puzzled. What did he mean when he said he studied and prepared himself? I was sure that my face was full of confusion.

"Bella, I'm going to tell you something now. Something that I knew that someday I was going to have to explain to you. I pray that you will please just hear me out and let me finish. I pray that you will still love me and stay with me."

Oh god my heart had sped up. I knew that there had been something that he had been keeping from me. He had said things off and on throughout our time together that indicated as much.

"I refer to my friends and I as a group of people who live by a certain doctrine that we have chosen to practice. But it's more than that. We are members of a very exclusive society that has been practiced in secret for hundreds of years."

Ohhh…this is so not where I expected my night to go. Exclusive societies, secret handshakes, please don't tell me of sacrificing virgins or goats.

"Bella I can tell you are getting nervous, please just go with me for a moment." I realized that while he had been talking I had pulled myself a little further from him and my face was cringing. I tried to relax but all that played in my head was the Joshua Jackson movie, The Skulls.

"We call ourselves the Tria Fata…"

"The three fates." I interrupted him. "From Roman and Greek mythology, very cute."

Edward looked stunned for a moment, "Yes that's right. Birth, Marriage and Death."

"Depends on what version you read but yes." I answered.

"Anyway, our belief is that we hold certain things in high regard, marriage, respect and power. We hold prominent positions in our fields not because we seek respect and power for a selfish gain but to ensure above all else that our mate, the person we love will be protected, cared for and ensured the best possible life we can give them. When we choose a mate we cannot go back on this decision once it has been made. Certain actions go into motion to fulfill our duties. Before choosing the person we have to have a profound understanding of the oath we will take. Once we take that oath we cannot go back on it for any reason. Because not only do I have to swear certain things by you, but so other members. They have to make a promise that is unbreakable as well."

"So where does the corporal punishment come in?" I inquired.

"I just basically told you that I belong to a secret society and that's the part you're still hung up on?"

"Well yes because that is the part that seems to affect me." I argued.

I know that I wasn't in my right mind I should be weary on everything he had just told me but I couldn't grasp the big picture at the moment because I was sure that when I had really stopped to think about it I might pass out.

Edward seemed irritated but he answered the question anyway. "The corporal punishment was put in place when a founder realized that he had put all this work into doing everything he could to protect his wife, except protect her from herself. Apparently the story goes that she had run off one night to frolic at a local pub and it just so happened that a brawl broke out and she was killed accidentally. This man had done everything he could to ensure his wife the best possible chances at a long happy life and her own actions were her demise. Her husband went insane with grief and took his own life. After this happened the other members placed a new section in the doctrine and even though you have stressed about this over and over. It works."

"I'm not the one making an oath why should I be subjected to punishment?" I protested.

"You made me a promise. When I gave you that ring which you chose to wear, you promised me to love me, be faithful to me and trust me. Trust me Bella. Trust me to know what is best for you. Trust me to know that I will love you more than my own self and I would do anything to see to it that you live a long happy life."

I could tell that this conversation was exhausting him; I think his original strategy for relaying all this new information to me was not going as planned.

"So what if after you have taken this oath, the girl decided she no longer wants to be in a relationship with you? What then?" A good question I think.

"It's never happened. I mean I'm sure that there has been times throughout the history of the Tria Fata where a wife or mate decides that she would like to part, but it has always in the best interest for her man and even the other member to help her see reason."

"What happens if you break your oath? Or one of the other members breaks their oath?" The questions were just flying out of me now.

"It is a very serious offense. That person would be stripped of everything they own, they would be blacklisted and cast out. And there is enough dirt on everyone that they wouldn't dare tell others of our faction."

WOW! I sat there trying to process this; I really didn't know what to think I was so overwhelmed. I started thinking back to all his warnings.

"There are things about me that someday you will learn some things you may not like but there is one thing I wish I could tell you now. I won't tell you now because I don't think you are ready and it would hold no meaning to you at this point. If you knew this one thing and truly understood it, you would not be worried about my hopes for us and our future."

"There are a few of us who have adopted this lifestyle for one specific reason. I know that in our industry its common place for divorce and breakups to happen, the few of us who subscribe to this "belief system" would never allow a break up to happen. We feel that when we find the person who we are meant to spend the rest of our life with then there is a period of time we take to ensure that the love of our life will be taken care of in every way. I trust every single person in this… group; we all understand that it is all of our duty to protect each other's partners."

And then there was Emmett's counsel. "Edward loves you, and I made a vow if you will, a long time ago. I don't think you can even begin to understand just how many of us will always be here to support you. I knew he had feelings for you since the night at the bus stop; it was only a matter of time before he came to his senses and admitted it to himself. You became family to me even before you even knew it. So although I can be a dumbass, I will always be here for you."

That last one broke me out of thought, "So did you already make this oath? Did you already choose me so to speak?" I asked.

"Yes."

"So I don't get a choice in this?" I questioned.

"Of course you get a choice you can choose to love me, you choose to leave me. You have all the power. But I love you more than anything, and I will do everything in my power to get you to love me too."

"I love you Edward, but I still don't know how I feel about all this. I feel like there is this pressure on me to submit myself to a society where I can be punished for living my life freely. You tell me that your actions are for my benefit. I don't need money or power or friends of yours watching over me. I just want you. And yes I will admit that I have done some pretty stupid things in the past and maybe I can even see where I deserved some form of punishment. I can wrap my mind around that concept maybe. But having my music limited, being told whom I can socialize with. That's ridiculous."

"Okay first of all I would never tell you what to listen to or wear or eat or even who to be friends with. Garrett was being stupid; he doesn't even tell Kate what to listen to. You have it all wrong. I don't want to limit your freedoms. I just want you to make smart choices…"

I couldn't help but interrupt him, "You have spanked me before for my attitude. What about that? What about my attitude is dangerous to me?"

"You're right. I shouldn't have spanked you for that. Technically that brings no harm to you. I spanked you because I hope that you would come to learn some form of respect. Sometimes you allow your emotions to rule you. I wanted you to learn how to have a respectful conversation instead of a tantrum. By doing this, I know that not only will you be more respectful to me but even in your own career and life. If someone upsets you or says something that pisses you off, I have hopes that you can get to a point in your life where you can stop and think before you react. And in turn people will respect you more for it."

He had a point but I still needed to think about everything. "I need to think about all of this, I feel overwhelmed and I still feel like there is so much more to all of this then I know and somehow what I don't know will bite me in the ass." I said.

"Bella, I need you to talk to me, tell me what you're feeling, truly. I can't help if you don't talk with me." Edward pleaded.

I got up from the couch. "I don't know how I feel. To be honest, part of me is scared, you say secret society and my mind goes to the Skulls. Like you and your friends have all this power over me and if I don't comply I could be eliminated."

"You really think I would hurt you or that someone like Emmett would come after you and kill you?"

"I hope not, but I'm pretty sure Garrett would love to after tonight." Do I really think that Edward would be capable of hurting me? No. At least not like that. He could cheat on me someday and that would kill me even worse.

"Bella, the whole point of Tria Fata is to protect the ones we love. Why would any of us ever hurt you, even Garrett? I swore an oath to love you, protect you and care for you for all eternity. And Garrett has done the same." Edward sounded offended and I guess I didn't blame him, I pretty much said that I thought he would take me out.

"I need time to think. Alone." Edward looked broken. He slowly nodded his head and rose from the couch. I handed him his keys from the Mercedes.

"Keep them I want you to have reliable transportation." He muttered.

"Edward I'll be fine. I don't think you should keep that nice of a car in this neighborhood, something might happen and I don't want to be responsible."

"Bella, it's a fucking car. I don't need it." Edward said harshly. He went out the door, looked at me one last time and walked away.

I went to my bedroom and looked around. Everything looked so depressing, I couldn't even make it to the bed I fell to the floor and broke down. Everything was so great with Edward. Why did he have to be a part of this? Why couldn't he be normal? I ran back that entire conversation in my head while I laid there on my bedroom floor crying. I was determined to make sense of it all.

Okay Bella, yes our relationship was tad bit unconventional but what relationship out there was conventional? You have a man who loves you. According to him, this whole "society" is for your benefit. These members have pledged themselves to you. But on the other hand you are expected to act a certain way or you will be punished. Punishment. When it came down to it, I could handle the secret handshakes and virgin sacrifices so to speak but the punishment is where I got tripped up. But Bella you have already have been dealing with punishments for the past couple of months? Why are you all the sudden freaking out about it? Okay maybe I was a little worried because there were a couple of times when I could see just how much power he held. Like the Lauren Mallory and Tyler Crowley case. Power can be a dangerous thing. Maybe he really was like the godfather.

Angela came in to the apartment and walked to my bedroom probably checking on to see if I was there. She saw me on the floor.

"Bella, what happened?" she joined me on the floor.

"Edward and I kind of had a serious discussion tonight he told me something about himself and now I don't know if I can be with him anymore." I sniffled.

"Can you tell me about it?" she asked.

Yeah Angela my boyfriend belongs to a secret society, oh and he spanks me occasionally. Absolutely not.

"Sorry Ang it's kind of private." I said quietly.

"Okay" She sat there and rubbed my back for a minute.

"I think you should dump him." She stated.

"WHAT? Why?" I shrieked.

"Well Bella, I mean do you really love him? There are plenty of guys in the sea, don't just run off with your first catch."

"Angela, I love him. I don't want to live without him. He makes me feel like I matter. He makes me his first priority. He is an extremely busy man who has a lot on his plate, but when we are together it's like I'm all he thinks of. He's amazing."Tears were streaming down my face as I thought of all the times that Edward had told me that he loved me. The times we made love and he made me feel like the sexiest woman on the planet.

"Then why are you upset with him? If you truly loved him, no matter what his issue was, you would take it and move on with him. Nobody's perfect Bella, you will never find a man who meets every requirement on your checklist. Whatever has you worried, you and Edward can get through it but only if you do it together. Sitting here crying about it isn't going to help. So decide now, love him and work it out or stay here and forget about him." Angela said brutally.

"Did you just stoop to reverse psychology?"

"Did it work?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

I laughed, "Yes it did." She gave me a big hug.

"Go get him." She said.

"Thanks Ang. I love you."

"I know. I love you too." She smiled.

I picked myself up from off the ground, grabbed my purse and ran out the door. I jumped into the Mercedes, happy that Edward had left it for me and made my way to the hills. When I arrived at the gate I put my code in 0914, parked the car and ran up the steps. The doorbell rang throughout the house.


Edward came to the door; he opened it and seemed shocked to see me standing there.

"I love you. I want to work on this together." I blurted out. "Edward I'm sorry, I had my breakdown and Angela made me see reason and even though I was scared you were the godfather, I know you would never hurt me. Even though I have to admit the S.C.C. kind of scares me, but I would rather figure out a compromise then to break up. You're not perfect and you meet a hell of a lot of requirements on my checklist, so don't want to go fishing anymore."

Edward pulled me in from his doorstep, he looked so confused. I guess I don't blame him I think I managed to jam pack the last couple of hours of my critical thinking into three sentences.

"Okay baby, I don't understand half of what you just said. But all I care about is that you love me and you want to work this out with me." He looked to me for confirmation. I nodded my head.

He let out a breath and pulled me to him, nuzzling his face into my hair. "Thank you. Thank you." We held each other for a couple of minutes before he spoke. "Please tell me you're staying the night."

I nodded again. "Edward there is a lot I want to talk with you about still but I'm exhausted. Can it wait till tomorrow?"

"I think that is a great idea sweetheart." He said.

We climbed the stairs and went to his bedroom. I didn't have anything to wear; running out of your apartment does that to you sometimes. After the bathroom ritual I asked, "Can I borrow something to sleep in?"

"Sure baby. Have you given anymore thought to moving in?" Man I can't even ask a simple favor.

I cringed, "Not yet."

"How about we start off small." He took me to the closet; half of his clothes were gone. "This could be your half."

"Where are all your clothes, Edward?"

"In another closet. It's like I gave you a drawer, its a small step."

"Edward, you gave me a closet." I laughed.

"All part of my master plan."

I rolled my eyes and put on the shirt and boxers he gave me. We got into bed and I snuggled up to him. Part of me felt scared that he might disappear, even though I was the one who said I needed time. I fell into a sound sleep never stirring till morning.

I awoke the next morning to find Edward was missing. I got out of bed calling for him. There was no answer. I travelled downstairs in search for him, when I got to the kitchen I found Edward. He was talking with Alice.

"There's my sleepy head." Edward declared as he came over to give me a kiss.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Bella, the girls and I want to take you to lunch today." Alice announced.

"I can't I have to work." I replied.

"Well it's a good thing you know the boss. I want you to go." Edward said seriously.

"Edward people are going to start thinking that you pay me to do nothing." I protested.

"Bella, its lunch; we aren't asking for you to take off to Paris." Alice rolled her eyes. "I'm not taking no for an answer, we are picking you up at one pm. Be ready." She pointed her finger to me in a menacing way before turning around to leave.

I sighed. "What were you two talking about before I came down."

"Alice came over to make sure you were okay after last night, that we were okay. I told her that I finally had the discussion I needed to have. That's why the girls want to take you out. I want you to go, you can ask them whatever you like and it's important to have the female perspective of women who went through what you are going through."

I have to admit it would be nice to talk to someone other than Edward, but I knew I needed to talk with him as well.

"Edward I still want to talk with you about last night. I know that I am going to try and work through whatever issues I have but I still feel like maybe you and I could come to a consensus on a couple of things."

"Okay sweetheart but first I want to show you something since we are here in the kitchen." He took me by the hand and led me over to the walk in pantry.

"Honey, if there is ever an emergency, fire or intruder whatever it may be I want you to come here."

There was a panel that opened up so a person could dial a code.

"Press open and the door will open." He said as he pressed a button. All the sudden the wall opened up.

"You have a secret passage?" I gasped. "Well of course you do, every secret society has to have a secret passage."

"No Bella, it's not a secret passage. It is safe room or panic room." He rolled his eyes.

I peaked my head into the room. Sure enough there was about space for five or so people and a couple of containers on what I thought could be supplies.

"Wow how very Jodie Foster of you." I jested.

"Well all of us have one so even if you are over at Alice's house or Charlotte's and something happens you just go to this panel press the open button. Once the door opens you come inside press this red button here and then it will lock and seal itself up. It will send out a distress call to our security company and the police. No one will be able to open it until the correct code is entered and no one has the code except for the Tria Fata."

We walked back out of the safe room after Edward was done showing me the blankets and extra food he has placed inside. These boys either really thought of everything or were just plain paranoid.

We went to sit on the couch, Edward was waiting for the discussion I needed to have with him.

"First of all, I am willing to accept the corporal punishment thing but I don't feel like I should be punished for voicing my opinion or these tantrums you think I throw."

He sighed and nodded his head. "Okay honey, I will agree to that."

I moved on to my next concern. "Um the power thing kind of worries me, I mean you or your little group haven't ever…" I tried to spit it out; he narrowed his eyes probably confused as to where I was going.

"You haven't ever, like taken someone out right?" I cringed knowing how stupid I sounded.

He barked out a laugh, "Oh Bella. You really think I would kill someone? Is this where that godfather reference came in last night?" he started laughing harder.

"Well…I don't know you seemed pretty pissed over the whole James thing." He instantly stopped.

"I wouldn't have killed James, but I would have made him wish he was dead." He said serious again. His fists balled up unconsciously. Okay needed to steer him away from this topic.

"There isn't like some horrible bombshell that you plan on dropping on me in the future with your Tria Fata like I have to give up my first born or something like that?"

"No Bella, nothing like that?"

"Also these punishments, like the other members aren't allowed to punish me correct? Or you're never going to punish me in front of them? You all don't sit around talking about how red you turned my ass and fist bump each other afterwards right?"

"What?" Edward asked confused. "Bella, it's not a Super Bowl party, we don't high-five each other when our team scores a goal."

Sports metaphors how I hate thee.

"Secondly, I would never gather people around to watch as I spanked you. I swatted your butt once around Alice and Jasper but that was to move you upstairs. When I spank you, that is between you and me. So no! Also other people cannot punish you."

Safe from the S.C.C., I giggled thinking of my society.

"What?" Edward asked,

"Nothing, it's just I gave your little society a name long before I knew you were a society and it makes me laugh sometimes." I shook my head.

"What is it?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"Ohh I am soo not telling you that."

"I could make you tell me." He slowly changed his position like he was planning to pounce.

I sat there for a second and jumped off the couch running. It didn't take long for Edward to catch up he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder and climbed the stairs. I was screaming the whole time for him to put me down.

He tossed me on the bed, once we arrived at his bedroom. Edward proceeded to pounce on me and tickle me. I couldn't stop laughing and screaming. "Tell me, Tell me and this all stops." Edward laughed.

"Never!" I shouted.

He took his finger put it in his mouth and stuck it in my ear. Gross.

"EDWARD!"

"Tell me!"

"Okay Okay S.C.C. The society of the spanking celebs" His tickles stopped and he started cracking up. He stopped, looked at me and began laughing again. I sat on the bed pouting.

"I can't wait to tell the guys that one."

I jumped up, standing on the bed, "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen you better not say one word. I told you that in confidence."

Edward pulled me down with him and pulled me into a hug. "You are truly my mate, Isabella Swan."

I smiled. I guess I was.

"I have to say you had me a little worried for a minute, Swan." Edward said. I looked up at his face to see a smile upon it.

"I have planned this epic Valentine's Day and it would have really ruined it if you decided to leave me."

"Valentine's Day? I haven't even thought about it. I've never had to think about it before, I guess this means I have to get you some horribly ostentatious stuffed animal." I cringed.

God I have never been in a relationship before I guess I was going to have to start subscribing to these Hallmark holidays.

"You aren't getting me a thing. The best gift you can get me is to be my date on the fourteenth and no matter what happens you can't complain about how much money I spent or how cheesy I was. Just come and have a good time." Edward asked.

I sighed. He had asked me to not worry about the money but how could I. I was beginning to run low on funds. With all the money I was paying out to the bank, there would be a very good chance that soon I might not even have money to eat. I wonder if Cinderella ever had these problems after she met the Prince.