"Upstairs there is a bedroom, go get some sleep." He straightened himself, standing tall once more.

"Where will you sleep?"

"I have business to take care of, but when I do I will be using the mentioned bedroom."

"We can't share a bed!"

"If you are so insistent, then sleep on the floor." He growled at me.

There was a knock on the door that caused Edward to turn away from my shocked face and answer it.

"Emmett." He greeted, informing me my brother was now here.

"Where is she?" Emmett's voice was just as angry as Edward's.

"Behind me. I am going to go help for an hour or so, you staying with her or do you want me to call Jacob?"

"I'll stay. I just talked to Jake, they found the place. It was empty but they are there waiting for you. Directions are in my GPS, take my car."

"Grazie Fratello."

They patted each others back and Edward left without another look or word for me.

"Edward!" I called after him, feeling disoriented.

"We will talk more in the morning when I have calmed down." He said absentmindedly from the driveway he was now standing in as he opened a door to a Porsche 911 that I had never seen before.

Secrets Edward has been keeping were falling out of the wood work and leaving me dizzy.

"Emmett, are you going to allow him to speak to me like this? He has taken to manhandling me!"

"He can do as he pleases with you. Papa is angry, very angry. We had a meeting over the phone with Edward and Nonno Masini when we found out Edward knew where you were and that you were being followed."

"Papa is usually always angry with me." I said trying to play off the seriousness of his words.

"He said he is washing his hands of you and gave Edward full control of your well being. You are expected to give him the same respect you did Papa, though I don't think that was much considering what you have put him through tonight."

"He what?" Tears filling my eyes, my heart cracking at Emmett's words.

"Bells, he is just angry right now. Give him some time now that you are safe. You scared the hell out of him, out of everyone. First the call from Jacob saying you took off alone, and then the call from Edward saying you were being followed by an unknown. I have never seen our Papa as scared as he was this evening."

"I'm sorry Em." I sniffled lightly.

"Come here." He sighed, opening his arms to me.

I ran the two steps it took to be in his embrace, crying softly into his chest.

"I love you, but I am still furious with you. Edward asked Papa permission, though he had no need to. You will be staying here with him till he deems it time to come home."

"You will allow us to be alone for a period of time? Emmett, there is only one bedroom!"

"I am doing my best not to think along those lines." He grumbled, turning slightly red.

"What about the wedding?"

"You will be back before then. I'm assuming you did all this in hopes Papa would call it off? All it did was cause Mama to argue with him from moving it up. The only thing that saved you from being married tomorrow is Mama having a tantrum about the wedding preparations she has done."

"Em, who exactly is Edward?"

"He is Antonio Edward Masini Cullen." He winked at me.

"I'm serious. Why did you play me for a fool?"

He sighed and sat down in the chair I had vacated moments before.

"He wished it this way. He came to me and told me of what he knew four years ago when he became my roommate, making it aware it was no coincidence we were roomed together. He and Cauis have been having long conversations since they were children, at first a game of secrets to them. As they grew older they visited together often and the more Edward became aware of. When he approached me in college, it was to get his hands dirty."

"Why would you allow him to do such a thing?"

"Who was I to say no? He had a legacy, just as I did. He didn't want to hurt his mother which is why we kept it between the three of us and ones he worked with had no idea who he was except that he held some power. Nonno Masini and Papa didn't know for this reason. He finally told Nonno the truth when he moved with Esme and Carlisle after college."

"Nonno knew when we were on the phone that night?"

"He did."

"You three tricked the all of us!"

"For good reason."

"For no other reason than to indulge Edward and his desires."

"You can say what you will. The man I have been indulging is you future husband and the future Masini Capofamiglia." He said sternly, his elbows resting on his knees as he leaned forward and pointed a finger at me. "You are going to benefit the most when you realize Edward is a man of power, Isabella. I have known this life from day one, yet he has taken to it ten folds better than I. He is going to be a legend, I will bet anything on it. And you will be the one on his arm, his other half. Be proud of who you are and who you are going to be."

"Whatever." I muttered intelligently. "I am going to get my bag out of the car so I can shower and put on pajamas." I walked to the door, my hand hesitating as it rested on the door knob. My chest burned as I felt my breathing become hard as fear grew inside of me. It was a helpless feeling to be scared to walk into the night alone.

"It's alright, I got it." Emmett's soft voice reassured, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I held back a sob. It felt ridiculous to be afraid to go out the door when I knew Edward was interrogating the man who had taken me this very moment and while I had my brother with me. I had nothing to fear now. I left the open door that Emmett had just exited through and went to the stairs to wait in the bedroom for my bag, feeling defeated.

Someone must have been coming regularly because the rooms were aired and dust free. It should be dirty and musty for as long as it had been left unused. As Edward unnecessarily informed me, there was a single bedroom in the loft style upstairs and a bathroom. There was a smaller open area that held a set of bunk beds Rose and Jasper had used as children when they stayed here with their parents. The bedroom door was open, the light already on. Edward must have been up here while he was waiting for me.

"Bells." Emmett called from behind me, holding out my large bag.

"Thank you."

"I will be downstairs till Edward returns."

"Will you be here when I wake?"

"It depends on the time, I don't like leaving Rosie and Lucca alone this long."

"I'm sorry, I have put many people out tonight..."

"Get some rest Bella." He sighed, giving me a sad smile.

"Night."

I waited till he walked down the stairs and heard his body fall onto the living room couch before I turned to put my clothing away. I wanted to allow my stubbornness to win and refuse to unpack, demand Edward to bring me back to my father. Emmett's words had put that fire out. The first three drawers of the dresser were full of Edward's clothing already, everything neatly folded and separated by wear. He had been busy. I opened the last three drawers and emptied my clothing into them with no organization, leaving them in a crumpled mess. I held my bath bag and makeup case in one hand, throwing the now empty gym bag into the closet with my other. The bathroom was the same as the dresser, one half full of Edward's things. I looked into the drawer that held men shavers, his toothbrush sitting on the sink. Throwing my makeup into one of the empty drawers I pulled back the shower curtain and stared at the bottles of male shampoo and soap with a slight frown. It felt domesticated to mix our belongings together, setting my shampoo beside his. There were already towels hanging on the wall beside the tub and shower combo, I stripped where I stood and started the water.

The water was hot and soothing against my skin as I stood with my head hanging low, the beads of water hitting against my bare back. I stood under the stream till the water started to lose some of the burn and looked back up at the shampoo bottles. Before I could talk myself out of it I grabbed Edward's soap and sniffed, enveloping myself in his smell. It brought a sense of calm to me that I desperately wanted. I acted before I could talk myself out of it, filling my loofah with his soap and washed myself, allowing the air around me and my body to contain his scent. The calm was simultaneous.

"Bella?"

I screamed out at hearing my name abruptly in the previously silent room, unable to process who the voice belonged to.

"Isabella!" The curtain was ripped open, a crazed looking Edward standing before me.

"What are you doing?" I shrieked, trying to cover myself.

"Shit, I'm sorry!" He said as he closed the curtain once more. "You screamed and I just reacted. Are you alright?"

I turned the water off and stuck only my arm out, reaching for the towel. Edward helped out by placing it in my outstretched hand and I wrapped it around myself securely before stepping out of the tub.

"You came back quickly." I mumbled, unable to meet his eyes.

"Emmett said you have been in the shower for over an hour."

"What? That isn't possible." I shook my head.

"You are upset, it's natural to lose track of time."

I looked him over, taking in his appearance. He was in different clothes than he left in, which meant they had been to soiled to leave in. His knuckles appeared cut and scratched.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, are you?"

"I'm tired."

I felt blank, able to come up with only short sentences.

"We can go shopping for necessities tomorrow."

"Cauis said you had food delivered?"

"You used my soap, I am assuming you forgot to pack yours?"

"I should have asked, I'm sorry."

I didn't want to admit that it calmed me. He would find out I had my own.

"Soon enough it will be what's mine is yours, right?" He smirked. "Go get into pajamas before you catch a cold, I will be in after I clean up."

I nodded and left, holding the towel to me tighter.

I shifted through the mixed clothing and found a baggy tie dyed t– shirt and black yoga pants to sleep in, climbing into the bed to wait for Edward to appear.

The bed was so soft, the blankets smelling fresh and feeling comfortable as they settled around me. My eyes grew heavy and it became a struggle to keep them open, making me barely away of Edward turning of the bathroom light as he entered the bedroom and turned the light off in the bedroom also. The mattress shifted slightly as he climbed in behind me.

"Good night, dolce cuore."

I was to tired to respond and only hummed in response, finally allowing sleep to take over.

X

"Shh! Don't wake them!"

"You are going to get us into trouble, we aren't suppose to be here!"

"Who is going to yell at me, my future son in law? I'd like to see him try. They look so sweet together!"

"Wake the bambini for breakfast!"

Was that my grandmother?

"I want my food now, I wont wait any longer, Donna!"

"You will if you want to keep your fingers!"

Yup, that was my Nonna and Nonni Cigno.

My eyelids were heavy as I pried them open, feeling gritty. It felt as if I had just closed them.

I snuggled my face into the pillow, feeling to comfortable to move. Blinking a few times I frowned at the arm that lay over me, a hand resting on my stomach.

Mine were under my chin.

Following the hand up to a wrist connected to a bare arm, I turned slightly to find Edward had me cuddled against him, his arm holding me close to his body. He was snoring softly, completely unaware of our company.

"Did we wake her?"

"I think she's awake, we should leave them be."

"It is almost lunch time! Get them up before I have to throw away breakfast and start a new meal!"

"Don't you even think of throwing out this food, I'm hungry damn it!"

I heard them scamper down the stairs, knowing I had woken.

"Edward." I whispered loudly. "Wake up."

"Hmm." He hummed, his hand brushing against the bare spot of my stomach where my shirt had ridden up.

"Edward, everyone is here!"

He cracked one eye open and looked at me grumpily.

"Nonna made breakfast."

"Nonna Cigno?" He asked with a gravely voice full of sleep.

"She and Nonno are here. I am not sure of all who have come but Rose, Alice, and my mother were just in the doorway."

"They came into our bedroom?"

He seemed unaware of the way his arm stayed around me though he had rolled onto his back, his thumb brushing against my skin in a up and down pattern, or of his use of our in terms of the bedroom.

"I suppose we should show face, give them the update so they will be on their way and leave us alone. They didn't even send a message that they were coming."

He groaned loudly as he got out of the bed, stretching with his arms above his head. I was mesmerized by his bare chest, my eyes wandering over each line and ripple as he moved.

"You have forever to ogle me, get out of the bed." He smirked at me.

"You wish." I was growing irritated at myself and my teenager responses of late.

He just smiled wide and pulled a shirt on over his head.

I threw the blankets off and followed as he left the room and walked down the stairs.

The amount of people made both of us stop in our path and stare with wide eyes.

My grandparents, parents, brother, sister in law, nephew, and Jacob were here. Then there was Edward's grandfather, parents, sister, Jasper, and Cauis. All crowded together trying talk over one another, creating nothing but a lot of noise in too small of an area.

"Good morning." Edward's voice boomed out over the racket.

"They are awake, now feed me!" Nonno demanded, scowling at my grandmother.

"Was this a planned visit?" Edward asked with a slight frown.

"Do we need to ask permission now to visit with our daughter?" My father demanded.

"I do believe you gave me your blessing." Edward threw back at him.

They had each taken steps till they were toe to toe.

"She is still my daughter."

"And she is going to be my wife. You demanded it, remember? Are you trying to take back your word?"

"Are you trying to insinuate something about my loyalty?"

"Did I say that?"

"I should be questioning you. Making a fool of my family, acting as if you are a helpless child when you have been involved for years, going behind my back!"

"I didn't go behind anyone's back. Emmett made sure you got your cut."

"You played me for a fool!"

My father's face was red, spittle flying out of his mouth in anger. Edward seemed calm but the tightening of his fists told me otherwise.

"I think Isabella should come home with her parents."

"She will in a weeks time."

"Carlo and Antonio, basta!" Nonno Masini roared. "We are now family because of the upcoming marriage. We should be celebrating. You are Isabella's father and intended, she is unharmed and back with her family. Be joyful and shake hands over her safety and let's have breakfast, yes?"

"Hear hear!" Nonno Cigno cheered, grabbing a plate only to get his hand slapped by my grandmother.

"Let's eat." Edward said between his teeth, still eyeing my father.

My father said nothing and turned away to stand beside my mother.

For wanting me to leave with them, he ignored me completely. Emmett was right, our father was furious at me.

As we all sat and ate, the noise returned. Everyone yelling trying to hear one another over others. Edward and I sat next to each other quietly, taking in our family. I still received dirty looks from Esme, Carlisle refined as he chatted with my father. Alice was giving Jasper flirty eyes while Jasper blushed and looked around to see if anyone else had noticed, chocking slightly when he saw the glare Nonno Masini was sending his way. I giggled lightly and Edward looked at me curiously.

"Your grandfather is unhappy with the attention Jasper is receiving from Alice." I whispered to him.

He whipped his head in their direction, adding his own dark look to his grandfathers.

Poor Jasper.

"Bella, I have brought the dress. We need to get a fitting in after breakfast so I can begin working on the altering and design change.

I nodded my head and looked back to my still full plate.

"You need to eat." Edward's warm breath ticked against my ear, his nose skimming my temple lightly before pulling back.

"Have you decided you like me for now, then? Will you warn me when you change your mind? You are making my head hurt with your indecisiveness."

"You are going to keep life interesting." He chuckled. "I have never disliked you. I dislike what you are about."

"You have said something similar before. Tell me, was it all an act the first night after my father threatened you? You looked believably shocked and insistent to stay away from me."

"I vowed that no matter who my family was, I would never be forced into anything. And you changed that in many ways."

"I did no such thing."

"It was because of you that I was ordered to marry, and that I would be in charge much earlier than I thought; if I ever even decided I wanted to take over. I had my choices till you came into my life."

"You played me, making me feel guilty thinking you had no idea of what you were getting yourself into. All along you knew better than to risk being caught with me after my fathers warning. You have no one to blame but yourself. In fact, I should be blaming you also. It's not only who you is being told they are to marry."

"I could fight it if I truly desired to get out of this commitment."

"Then why haven't you?"

"Obviously I don't wish to be rid of you."

His last statement left me speechless, staring after him as he excused himself and went outside to smoke with his cousin. I watched the two men smile and laugh together from the door that was left open behind them, everything else around me disappearing.

"Are you ready?"

I felt Alice place a hand on my shoulder, shaking me from my trance.

"Is he always so confusing?" I asked, my eyes frozen as he turned and his eyes met mine.

"He has a heart of gold, try to remember that."

Our gaze held till his sister pulled me away from the table.

"Papa, Jasper, and Emmett, clear the table. All of us women will be upstairs working on the dress, do not allow Edward to step foot on a single stair!"

Emmett grumbled at the order to help clean up till Rose sent him a look which quieted him quickly enough.

X

I stood in middle of the room, Alice walking around me and pinning here and there. My grandmother and mother giggled on the bed together, clapping hands like children full of excitement.

"It is going to be beautiful!" My mother gushed.

"I am the happiest old woman knowing my precious nipote will be wearing my dress!" Nonna grinned at me, causing me to smile myself.

My smile quickly faded at the sight of Esme frowning from her spot in a chair that sat across the room from us.

"I found some antique lace to add along with my mother's veil that was her mothers, you are going to look exquisite. Edward wont know what hit him when he sees you."

"Thank you Esme." I spoke quietly.

She made a noise but otherwise didn't acknowledge me.

"Esme, knock it off." My mother scowled.

"She has brought my baby boy into the life I risked everything to keep him out of. Do you want me to thank her?"

"Your son was the one who pawed at her! He is to blame when he continued to chase after her after Carlo warned him to stay away unless he wanted the consequence." My mother yelled, standing up from the bed to face her.

"She trapped him! She is nothing but a-"

"You better think twice before you finish that sentence." My mother warned.

"Mom!" Emmett called from the doorway.

"Seriously Ma?" I heard Edward's voice groan.

"Get out!" Alice screeched, throwing a robe over me and tying it as she stood in front of me, blocking the dress from male viewing.

"Calm down, I didn't see the dress." Edward said with an eye roll.

"Like it matters, this mockery of a marriage is already doomed." Esme sneered.

"I think it's time you all leave." Edward said in a low voice, his eyes darkening as he looked at his mother. "I will see you at the wedding." He told her and walked away.

"See what you have done?" Esme hissed at me.

"No, this was your doing Mother." Alice said sadly as she helped me out of the dress.

Everyone but Alice left as the dress was taken off and put into a garment bag while I put my pajamas back on to go down and say goodbye to everyone after hearing Edward announce it was time for them to all leave.

Alice left before me and when I made it downstairs Esme and Carlisle had already left.

"I apologize for my figlia." Nonno Masini sighed as he kissed me goodbye. "All I can say is that Edward is her baby as you are your fathers."

"It's alright Nonno, we will see you soon." I smiled sadly at him.

"Don't allow my grandson to push you around, yes?" He winked.

Finally everyone was gone and Edward and I were once more left alone.

"Bella, I am sorry for what my mother said."

"It's not your fault Edward."

"That doesn't make it right. Did you enjoy your time, despite her?"

"Your sister knows what she is doing, she is going to make the dress beautiful."

"I look forward to seeing you in it."

"Do you? Truly look forward to our wedding?"

"Would I go through such effort last night if I didn't? Wouldn't it be easier for me to just allow you to leave and let your father and brother deal with you? I just don't like how it happened or that we are being forced rather than it happening naturally."

"Then why? I don't understand you, Edward."

"I don't understand myself." He mumbled. "All I know is there is something inside of me that is refusing to let you go."

X

Grazie Fratello – thank you brother

Capofamiglia – Boss

dolce cuore – sweetheart

bambini - children

donna – woman

Basta – enough

nipote – grandaughter

figlia – daughter