Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Thanks to Jenna and Missy for all their help. Hugs, kisses and strawberry shortcake! Thank you as well to all those who reviewed. I appreciated each and every one of them since they help to give me the confidence to continue writing.
Story Title: Dance with the Devil: A Mafia Tale.
Summary: Meet Isabella Marie Swan, a twenty year old, struggling college student with a bright future but a dark and painful past.
Meet Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, a convicted Mafioso serving time for his crimes.
Now join Isabella and Edward as actions, circumstances and consequences set them on a collision course. At the end of it all, will the pure and untainted Isabella survive the callous and seductive touch of a man no better than the Devil?
It is a dark tell of seduction, passion and lust. Blood will be shed. Lives will be lost. But what do you expect when you Dance with the Devil?
Chapter Number: 8
Chapter Title: How He Kills With Kindness.
Date Chapter Published: 29th December, 2013.
Chapter Rating: NC 17 for graphic content.
Word Count: 3,558.
Tanya Denali Cullen was in trouble. It was as if she could almost smell it in the air. Her grip tightened on the steering wheel of her new black Mercedes as she spied the two SUVs following her. She knew enough to know she had a tail, a tail that was making no attempt to hide the fact that they were following her.
Panicking, she quickly pulled out her phone and dialed her father.
"Come on! Pick up. Pick up. Pick up, Papa," Tanya muttered as she shot another quick glance at her tail through her rear view mirror.
A shot of mind numbing fear passed through Tanya yet again as the call went to voice mail. Swearing, Tanya decided to call her lover, Demetri. With practiced ease, she dialed the number and shifted impatiently as she waited for him to pick up.
But he never did. She got his voice mail just like her father, and it was in that moment she knew that Edward had found out.
Silent tears spilled from her eyes as she brought her car to an abrupt stop on the side of the road. In pure frustration, she beat her fist against the steering wheel, even popping the horn a few times.
She knew this day would come. She knew it from the first day she fell into bed with Demetri. She knew it from the first day her father and Demetri shared a bottle of scotch as they plotted away in her parents' house. She knew it from the day she betrayed the Cullen family.
Now sobbing profusely, she slumped down over in her seat, her entire body trembling. God only knew what Edward would do to her.
It could have been minutes or hours for all she knew, but eventually Tanya had cried herself out. She had made peace that her life was coming to an end, or so she thought.
Tanya was startled from her musing by a sharp knock on her car window and jumped back in shock when she saw Edward standing there looking at her. With trembling hands, she unlocked the door and stepped out of the car to meet him.
"You know," Tanya hiccupped, taking the handkerchief Edward offered her.
"Yes," Edward answered in a neutral voice as he gently cupped her face in his hands and wiped away a tear with his thumb.
"What is going to happen now?" Tanya asked, surprise colouring her voice at Edward's gentleness.
"Now, we go for a drive," Edward answered softly, walking Tanya over to the passenger door , ushering her into the seat before making his way over to the driver's side and slipping gracefully into the sleek car.
Quickly, he adjusted the seat and rearview mirror before he signaled his men to drive away and then followed quickly behind them.
Minutes passed in silence and Tanya found herself only staring at the man seated next to her. She had honestly thought that he would have put a bullet in her head the next time her saw her. Yet, here they sat in a car together, travelling to some unknown destination in a surprisingly comfortable silence.
"Relax, Tanya," Edward said softly as he took one of her hands in his own.
"Relax," she scoffed. "It is a bit difficult to relax when you are being driven to your death."
"I never said anything about killing you, Tanya," Edward muttered, throwing Tanya for an even greater loop.
"But I betrayed you. I betrayed the organization. Isn't that what you do with rats? Don't you get rid of them?" Tanya stuttered in disbelief, her eyes wide as she looked at Edward.
"That was not what I was made to understand, Tanya. What I heard is that you were simply in love with Demetri and that it was he and your father that plotted and went to the police with the hopes of watching the organization crumble," Edward stated bluntly, his eyes still trained on the road. "Was what I told untrue?"
"No. It's not untrue, but some things have been left out," Tanya admitted softly.
"What things, Tanya?" Edward questioned.
Wiping away a tear that slipped from her eye, she turned her head to look out the window before she began to tell him what happened.
"I never wanted you to go to prison, Edward. You were a good husband to me. You worshipped me. God! I still get goose bumps thinking about how you loved me. I remember my sisters laughing at me when I kept falling asleep because I was just so tired," she said with a watery laugh. "I never asked for anything, but you gave me everything. Houses, clothes, wealth, power, love, safety and I let it get to me. You placed me on a pedestal and I thought that made me untouchable. God! I was such a fool. I still am.
"The first night I saw Demetri, he was talking to you and I just remembered thinking that he looked delicious, but before I could think anything more about him and what I wanted to do to him or him to do to me, you kissed me so softly, so sweetly that I actually felt bad for even thinking about another man.
"The second time I saw him, he was at my parents' house. I tried to avoid him, but he was trying to find me. He eventually cornered me in the bathroom on the second floor. I remember looking at him and asking him what the hell he was doing. He didn't say anything to me. He just kept walking toward me until my back hit the tiles and then he kissed me," Tanya whispered out, bowing her head as silent tears fell onto her lap.
"When you kissed me, it was smoldering, but with him, it was like I had been thrown into an inferno. Every inch of my body felt like it had been on fire. I had never felt anything like that before and like a moth to a flame, I kept going back time and time again. I did not know they were plotting against you until it was too late. I was just there for the sex, believe it or not. I had gone to my parents' house and overheard the two of them. I flipped out. I actually threw a vase at my father before Demetri could hold me down. After he released me, I left. I didn't speak to them for weeks because no matter what was said and done, I could not betray you. You gave me everything and more and my greed for something else pulled me away from you and into the arms of another man.
"Then one night, my mother came to see me in tears. She told me that the Feds were going to arrest Daddy and Demetri because they had not done what they had promised. They had not handed the Feds enough to bring you down. I did not know what to do. I knew if I came to you that you would kill them both without asking a single question, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with Demetri even though I still loved you. She begged me. Begged me to give her something, anything she could use to keep Daddy out of jail. So, eventually I caved and I gave her everything I had and knew about the embezzlement Carlisle was involved with. I thought it would have turned the heat away from you and take my father and Demetri off the hook. Never in a million years did I expect for you to take the fall for it, but you did.
"Weeks after your imprisonment, I learned that my father had intentions of trying to take over, that he was planning to undermine your brothers by inciting a bit of mistrust between some of the lower members, but that never happened because he had not anticipated the fact that your brothers would hold things together so well. Sure, there were tiny holes that popped up when you left, but nothing large enough so that he could exploit it. So he had to keep quiet. I also stupidly fell back into Demetri's bed and even though the sex was great, I realized I was nothing more than a whore to him. He did not love me back.
"Demetri and my father started to plot again about seven months ago. In a couple of days, they were planning to put a hit on your mother. After all, we all know that she is your only weakness. I am sorry for my part in all of this, Edward. I should have just come to you in the beginning. You want to know why I never came to see you? Why I spent all that money? Why I did things to piss you off? It was because I felt guilty. Guilty, because of how I treated you. Guilty, because of what I did to you. Guilty, because I could not love you as deeply as you loved me. I had hoped that by my actions that you would soon grow to hate me because I knew that when you found out what had happened and when you took my life, I did not want you to carry around any grief about what you had done. It was the least I could have done for you, and I guess that I have succeeded," Tanya confessed, lifting a hand to gently touch her cheek.
It was eerily silent for the rest of the journey. Tanya could admit that she was lost. After all she had spent the rest of the ride staring at her hand that was still firmly clasped in Edward's and it was only when the car had come to a complete stop that she took a chance to look around.
They were in the middle of nowhere. All she could see on either side of them was a thick forested area. She knew that there would be no one for miles around and that fact once again caused fear to erupt within her.
"Now this is where you will stay until I sort this mess out," Edward said as he offered her his arm to lead her to the cabin. "Please, do not do anything stupid. It is well protected. I have men everywhere here and they will kill you and not ask any questions. I will be taking your phone and this car with me. I can't have you escaping. I'll come back for you when it is all sorted."
"Why are you being so kind to me, Edward?" Tanya asked in complete bewilderment.
"Because I loved you and this is the least I owed you," Edward replied, and smiled softly at her before leaving the house.
Just as he drove off, two armed guards walked into the living room where she stood. Neither said anything to her, but she had expected that much. Instead of trying to engage them in any conversation, she gracelessly fell down onto the plush couch close to her and sobbed out all the pain she felt for wronging the only man who apparently loved her.
Tanya must have cried herself to sleep that night. She woke up with an awful crick in her neck and a numb right arm. Her stomach summersaulted when she smelt delicious Italian food and her heart stuttered when she spied the disheveled form of her husband sprawled out on another chair, his eyes glued to the television in front of him.
"Edward, is that what I think it is?" Tanya murmured as she stood and made her way over to him.
"Yes, it is," Edward responded as he turned on the volume just in time for her to hear him recite his vows to her.
He was watching their wedding video, Tanya realized with a sickening sense of guilt.
"Tanya, baby. I honestly don't know what to say. I'm not a man of many words, but I have to find some way to tell you how much I love you. Tanya, I love you and I promise that I will never do wrong by you. I will love you, cherish you, and worship you and only you. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and give you everything you have ever asked for and needed. From now on, Tanya, there is only you. Only you."
With trembling hands, Tanya grabbed the remote from Edward's hand and turned off the television so that she would not have to see any more of their wedding video.
"No more," Tanya whispered, her voice cracking. "I don't want to see anymore."
"Come. I brought you dinner," Edward said in an equally soft voice as he stood from his chair. "I got you the lobster ravioli from Mystic. Is that okay? I know it was your favourite before I went to prison."
"And it still is," Tanya muttered as she accepted the take out box from Edward. She waited for him to get his own food before she began to eat.
Minutes passed by in silence with both of them solely focused on eating. Tanya could not help the giggle that slipped through her lips after Edward let out a loud belch.
"Excuse me," he muttered after, "but I can't help it. I forgot how good real food could be."
It was only with an ironclad will that Tanya was able to swallow back the sob that once again threatened to surface.
Ignorant to her suffering, Edward stood and gathered the empty containers and got rib rid of them before he handed Tanya a bag of clothing.
"I brought these for you. I know you would want to take a shower. I have to go out now, but I'll pass back in the morning to check on you," Edward informed. "The master bedroom is down the hall on your left. See you in the morning."
With a soft 'thank you', Tanya accepted the bag and a soft kiss on her forehead from Edward before she slowly made her way to the room. It was a luxurious room with a king sized bed taking up the majority of the space.
Touched by Edward's thoughtfulness, Tanya padded over to the bathroom and smiled when she saw that there was a spacious Jacuzzi bath tub.
Within minutes, Tanya submerged her body into the warm bath, feeling as if all her problems were melting away. Sighing softly, she began to make peace with all that happened to her and was going to happen to her eventually. Her father was going to die. Her lover was going to die. That much she knew. She also hoped that she would live. But in that case, only time would tell.
After her bath, Tanya put on one of the nightgowns Edward had purchased for her before slipping into bed and falling into a dreamless sleep.
Hours later, Tanya was startled awake by a very loud and pain-filled scream. Stifling her own scream, she cautiously made her way out of the room, looking for the source of the sound. It was then that another piercing scream echoed through the room, making it very clear that they were coming from the cabin.
Terrified, Tanya hurried to the living room in an attempt to get out the house, but was forced to stop when she noticed the relaxed form of her husband seated on one of couches with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other.
"Edward, what is going in? Who is screaming?" Tanya asked, her heart still racing.
"The person who was screaming would be your lover boy," Edward responded casually after taking a healthy drag from his cigarette.
"D-Demetri?" Tanya stuttered out, her eyes widening in horror.
"Yes, Demetri. Unless you have spread your legs for more than one person," Edward grunted.
"But why?"
"Now that is a stupid question. Did we not have this discussion already?" Edward taunted as he sat up straight in his chair. "He is a rat, so he has to die."
Edward's words were punctuated by another scream, though this one was different. It was deeper and more guttural.
"That, however, was not Demetri," Edward continued. "That was your father. The reason I brought you to this cabin is because every sound echoes. I was nice to you, Tanya, because you were my wife, but that does not spare you from your own punishment. I would not have spent five years in prison had it not been for you. Had you been faithful to me and told me what was happening I would not have wasted five years of my life. Make no mistake, Tanya, I would have freed you from this marriage had you told me you were unhappy, but you had to lie. You had to manipulate. There was a day not too long ago when I would have listened to your confession and not want to strangle you, but we have moved past that. I don't want to strangle you. I want you to suffer, and that starts tonight."
And just as those words left Edward's and he raised his hand to take a sip from his glass, two very different screams filled the air causing Tanya to fall to her knees.
Tanya stayed curled on the floor the entire night. Every scream, every blood curdling howl, brought her out of her light, tortured sleep, the sound of their cries burned into her subconscious. Their screams had carried on for hours. At times, she had run through the house, frantically searching the rooms to see if she could find the two men, but gut-wrenching pain filled her every time when she opened a door that led to an empty room.
Sometime around midnight, she had spent the better part of an hour cussing at Edward, calling him every swear word imaginable, but the bastard was unmoved by her grief. He sat silently through her beratement with a smug smile on his face, completely unperturbed by the ranting woman.
And then, when she had no energy left to cry or rant, she simply fell silent. This was the worst punishment that she had ever been forced to endure.
The sun was breaking on the horizon when Edward finally spoke again.
"And to think, Tanya, that you could have prevented all of this," Edward said in a very condescending voice. "Go get some rest and enjoy the peace and quiet."
When Edward's voice registered in her sleep deprived mind, Tanya sprang to her feet, adrenaline pumping through her body.
"Peace and quiet? What did you do?" Tanya shouted.
"What did I do?" Edward taunted. "It is what you did. How do you feel, Tanya, knowing that you could have prevented all this? How does it feel to know that you sent your husband away to prison for five years to save your daddy and your lover? How does it feel to have their blood on your hands?"
"Blood?" Tanya parroted back at him, looking down at her hands.
"Yes, Tanya. Blood. Their blood is on your hands," Edward sneered.
"Why are you doing this?" Tanya shrieked as she mercilessly tugged at her hair. "Why the mind games?"
"Because you deserve it," Edward spat back at her.
"Then why be nice to me? Why?" Tanya spun around, her eyes wild and her body trembling.
"Haven't you ever heard the term "kill with kindness," Tanya?" Edward smirked.
It was those words that broke her. Without thinking, Tanya launched herself at Edward, intent on beating him to death with her own two hands, but her dreams were cut short when instead to slamming into Edward, she ran head first into the wall.
The last thing she remembered hearing was an outraged yell telling her that she would not get to die so easily.