A/N: Sorry for the delay. Busy with holidays and new grand baby that lives with me. Hope you all had a safe and wonderful holiday! Also thank you for the reviews for this story. It let's me know that you still want me to continue writing on this story. Xoxo A

"Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed."
― Albert Einstein

Chapter 10: Good-bye Freedom

JPOV:

Today was the final day of my freedom. Well, until Bella and I came to an agreement that we no longer needed to hide behind our marriage to get what we both needed from it. Still, I couldn't shake this heaviness that seems to cling to me from the second I woke up this morning.

Rachel insisted I spend the night at her house so that I wouldn't see Bella until she walked down the aisle. She kept ranting about "traditions" and how it would look wrong if we didn't follow them. I thought it was all a bunch of nonsense personally but I kept my mouth shut and did as she ordered. It was just easier this way and I really didn't have the strength to argue with her. The night before Paul and a few of his friends took me out for a bachelor party that left me pretty hung over.

I was so tired that I didn't even bother to wonder what the girls planned for Bella's bachelorette party. Knowing the women who were invited, it was probably boring as hell.

Jumping in the shower I tried to focus on the task at hand but for some odd reason I kept hearing the wedding chimes in my head. Although my brain knew that this was all about an agreement to help Bella obtain sole custody of her daughter and for me to enact my plans for revenge, my heart didn't seem to believe it.

Climbing out of the shower I dried off and noticed that my hands were shaking in the process. Yeah, this must be the nerves the married guys were talking about the other night. There was no other way I could explain it. Closing my eyes I took a few deep breathes before opening them up and staring at my image in the fogged up mirror. Wiping it clear I looked at my reflection and wondered who I was looking at?

Normally I wouldn't feel even an ounce of fear even on a day as important as this one but for some unexplained reason, I couldn't shake this strange feeling of gloom. I heard a voice in my head asking myself if revenge and a crap load of money was really worth binding myself to Bella and Charlotte?

A few days ago I was confident about my decision and my future plans but now that the day had come for me to accomplish my task, I felt insecure and maybe even frightened. It was stupid of me and I knew it but it was still there, that feeling of gloom.

Putting on my tux and fixing my hair made me feel less nervous. I looked good. Hell, every woman there would wish they were Bella when they saw me in this attire. There it was, my confidence, man I needed it today more than ever. It was time to pay the piper. If I was going to finish what I started then I would need balls of steel to get me through this day.

Not only did I have to pretend to be anxious and excited but I also had to spend the night, later on, with my new bride in a honeymoon suite that Dad personally paid for. He informed me that we had to play the part of lovebirds. I wondered how Bella would feel about this when I revealed to her that we weren't going back to her house or hell, even our new home. Nope, I was going to spend the whole night with her alone. There was no way to escape it.

Buying our new house afforded us the space we both wanted but tonight we couldn't get out of our captivity together. She would no doubt give me some excuse as to why it wouldn't be a good idea for us to even lie next to one another.

I suddenly found myself laughing. Yeah, Bella, would be upset when she learned about this. It would be interesting to watch her try like hell to stay away from me.

Did I want her too? I mean, it was our wedding night. Shouldn't we both benefit from one night away from the rest of the world? Maybe we would discover that although we aren't in love our sexual desires for one another could appease the sexual tension between us. I knew Bella was longing to be in my bed, even if she didn't want to admit it to herself or anyone else. She was attracted to me and I was feeling turned on, especially when I imagined her in her virginal white dress. Tonight could be more fun if she would just let her guard down. Maybe I should even try to get her drunk at the reception. It seemed to help other women who weren't confident enough to approach me in the past.

Turning around in a full circle I smiled at my reflection and knew that tonight would be worth all the trouble I had to endure through the day.

XXX

BPOV:

I didn't understand it, the tears just kept leaking out of the corners of my eyes. Today was suppose to be a day of happiness but instead I kept thinking about my past and my father. I wished more than anything that he was here with me. He would know what to say to make this all better. Although Billy offered to walk me down the aisle in his place, my heart still longed for my dad to be here on this day of all days. Would he approve of what I was doing? Would he whisper words of encouragement or would he remind me he had a squad car parked out and we could leave if I said the word?

A smile slipped onto my face as I thought of his witty little comments and how he often made me feel good with his corny jokes. My Dad knew just what to say and when to say nothing at all. He was not only my Dad, my protector but also my best friend. More tears streamed down my cheeks with each thought but I was quick to wipe them away with the back of my hand before anyone could notice.

"Stop it!" I growled loudly as I stomped into the kitchen and pulled out a beer.

"Today is going to be a wonderful day and no matter what...I'm going to keep a smile plastered on my face." I say out loud.

I finished off the beer before making my way back upstairs to take the world's fastest shower. The girls were due to show up soon to help me dress. I couldn't afford to be late for my own wedding. Too many people were counting on me today and I just prayed I didn't fall on my face before the day was over.
XXX

The girls arrived promptly at nine o'clock. While Alice did her magic on me, Rachel helped Charlotte get dressed. Charlotte came bouncing into the room with us and showed me her pretty new dress. Watching her as she twirled around and smile, my heart warmed at her happiness.

God, how I wish I could feel even an ounce of what she was experiencing. I kept my smile in place like I promised myself but deep within the walls of my heart I felt nothing but dread.

Marriage was hard. It wasn't something you should go into easily and when you were planning on living in a marriage that was fake like mine, well it came with even harder times.

"I think you are ready." Alice looked into the wall length mirror behind me.

The image of myself wearing the dress that I adored made me quiver inwardly and outwardly.

"Do you need a xanax before we go? I have some." Alice offered.

I looked at her reflection and frowned. I wasn't sure if she was serious about her offer or worse if I should take her up on it.

"No." I exhaled long and loud.

"Breath hon. It's going to be okay. You look stunning and even if this marriage isn't...well...what you hoped for, your wedding will be wonderful." Alice smiled.

"I hope you are right. I had a nightmare that Edward showed up and announced our plans to everyone. Then a judge came out of nowhere and took Charlotte from me and gave her over to Edward." I revealed.

"Edward doesn't have a foot to stand on. You've been taking wonderful care of Charlotte since her birth. He hasn't done one damn thing to show her any real affection. People have noticed his lack of fatherly concern. Don't think for a second that people wouldn't come to support your case." Alice replied while giving my hand a quick supportive squeeze.

"Thanks Alice." I turned and hugged her.

"No problem. Now let's go make your soon to be husband hot and bothered." She giggled.

"What?" I gasped.

"Honey, when he sees you like this he will be rethinking the reasons he is marrying you. I mean it. You are beautiful but today you exceed your normal beauty."

I felt my cheeks grow warm as I tried to accept her kind compliment. Whenever I looked at myself I always saw an ordinary woman looking back at me. There wasn't one thing about myself that stood out as beautiful or extraordinary. I didn't mind being a wallflower. It made life easier without the unwanted attention of the male species. The men who noticed me always tended to hurt me or reject me.

"You are kind Alice." I gulped hard.

"I mean it." Alice sighed.

"I know you do." I pressed my lips together and forced a sincere smile.

"Good, now we can all head to the beach."

I followed her out of the room but before we left the house I turned and gave it one last look. When I returned I would no longer be Isabella Swan. The woman I grew up to be was about to be transformed and hopefully it was for the better.

XXX

JPOV:

Standing on the beach I looked around at the guests who arrived and noticed the wonderful job my family did to make the ordinary beach look like something out of a magazine. The chairs and flowers spruced it up and there was tiki lights lit up to give it that final ambiance as the sun would go down just as our ceremony came to an end. Bella liked the idea of our guests watching the sunset while we said our vows. If she was nothing else, she was indeed the romantic. Smiling inwardly I hoped that she would be pleased with her hard work. It was obvious as I looked around at all the details that she took our ceremony to heart. I put in my two cents from time to time but she executed the plan and it was stunning.

The music began to play out of the speakers behind me and I felt my heart jolt in my chest as I watched first Rachel and then Alice make their way down the sandy was Charlotte's turn to walk down the aisle, she was smiling from ear to ear. I couldn't stop myself from looking proudly at her. She scattered her petals like an expert all the while smiling at the guests. At last came Bella with my father on her arm.

Gulping hard I felt as if an elephant had sat upon my chest. It became harder to breathe as they drew closer. Her dress was not only lovely it also showed off her curves. My knees shook together as I watched my future wife come closer to me. My father's smile stretched from ear to ear. Anyone could see how proud he was to guide her down the path that would lead her directly to me. For a moment I envied him. Bella looked at him and her smile seemed to shift into a genuine one before she turned back toward me. I could see the fear that lit up her eyes and I knew the thought of marrying me still scared her.

Maybe if my plans went the way I hoped, she would let her guard down and let me show her the perks of having me in her life.

"Who gives the bride away?" the preacher announced.

"I do." My father placed her hand into mine. The contact of our skin made the hairs on my neck shoot straight up. Yeah, we definitely had a connection between us.

Bella looked directly into my eyes. Man, I could almost lose myself in them I thought to myself. She was trying to smile sweetly but I could sense her nervousness.

"You look beautiful." I whispered so that only she could hear me. Her shoulders slumped and the rest of her body followed as she relaxed next to me.

"Thank you. You do too." She whispered back before we turned our attention to the preacher.

For the next thirty minutes we listen to the minister preach about the importance of a happy marriage and why God gave man a woman. I knew a few other reason why God gave us the female specimen but I refrained from interrupting him. It felt like I was in a fog up until I place the ring on Bella's finger and heard my own voice make vows to protect, love and always be loyal to her come out of my mouth. It was the most surreal moment of my life.

Bella did the same thing. The feel of the cool metal as it slid over my skin until it reached it's final destination on my finger didn't feel nearly as dreadful as I imagined it would.

"You may kiss your bride."

Cupping Bella's face in my hands I lowered my head and pressed my lips against hers. I could hear the guests approval as they cheered and clapped behind us.

"I would like to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Black." The preacher added but I continued to kiss my bride. Not even the anxious guests behind me could tear me away from her. The feel of her lips as I nudge her mouth open to me was intoxicating. Our tongues touched and fireworks burst behind my closed eyelids. I knew I was attracted to her but I didn't expect my arousal from a kiss to be this strong. Her hands circled around my neck and I savored the feel of her pressed up against me as she enjoyed the kiss as much as I was.

"Um...I think...umm..." The preacher muttered and interrupted us.

Opening my eyes I stared into the light brown of Bella's eyes. We both smiled at the same time. Taking one of her hands from my neck I forced myself to turn us toward the crowd and walked us forward. I was starting to wish like hell we could skip the reception and head straight to the honeymoon suite. Our kiss was far more exciting than I anticipated. I really thought I was going to have to fake a blissful kiss for our guests but strangely it felt so natural. No, it was more than that. It was downright sensual and if I could manage it, I was going to try and retrieve more than a kiss from my beautiful wife later tonight.

XXX

EPOV:

My mother sat in her favorite chair sipping on her third cup of tea while I pretended to watch the game with my brother, Emmett while his wife and my father discussed new policies at the hospital.

"I just can't believe she married him." My mother mumbled under her breath.

"What?" I asked.

"I can't believe you let her marry him."

"Excuse me? I can't stop her from marrying anyone." I snorted.

"You don't act like you care about this. Now that she is married you have less of a chance to win custody of Charlotte."

"And?" I snorted again.

"What is wrong with you? I didn't raise you to act so cold and uncaring."

"Mom, I told you before that I don't want children. I've never cared for them. I only agreed to fight for custody so that you and father could spend time with her. I don't plan on doing a damn thing with her."

Emmett tore his attention away from the game and looked at me with an angry glare.

"Not you too! Shit!" I stood up and started to walk out of the room.

Emmett followed me out into the hallway and grabbed my arm, halting me from going anywhere.

"That is your flesh and blood Edward. How can you pretend not to love her?"

"I'm not pretending Emmett. Unlike you I don't want offspring."

"Then why did you get her pregnant?" He asked.

"I didn't mean too. I thought she was still on the pill. The bitch no doubt did it to try and win herself a husband. Well, she has one now and it's not me."

"I don't think Bella planned this pregnancy. She isn't the devious type. However, I think you hoped she would abort this one the way you have had the rest do in the past."

My mouth fell open as I stared in shock at my brother. How did he know about the other women? There had been several mistakes over the years but luckily I offered those women enough money that they were willing to get rid of their unborn child.

Not Bella. Oh no! She refused my money and ignored my threats. She deserved whatever happened to her and her child. I wasn't going to be forced to change my way of living for some kid I didn't even want.

"Yeah I know about them. I know a lot more than you give me credit for. I just hope our parents never learn of your true nature or you might find yourself penniless someday." Emmett let go of my arm and stormed away.

Who was he to judge me? I knew he was pissed at the irony of the situation. He and Rosalie had been trying for years to get pregnant with no success and yet here I was able to knock up not one but several women. It wasn't like they couldn't adopt. They both came from good families, made plenty of money, and there was no reason they wouldn't be accepted from any adoption agency. Emmett knew that Rosalie had her heart set on having a child of their own so he was willing to wait and give it a couple more years before he forced adoption on her.

The ringing of my phone brought me out of my thoughts.

"Hello."

"It's done. They got married." Lauren sobbed on the other end.

"Did you go to the wedding?"

"Sorta. I watched from up the hill."

"Why would you do that? Are you a glutton for punishment?" I rolled my eyes and wondered if perhaps she was more of a sadist than either of us knew.

"I...it...he loves her." Lauren cried.

"Are you stupid? He doesn't love her. I'm telling you Lauren he is only doing this to get even with me. Nothing more!" My voice rose as I struggled with my temper that was flaring up as I imagined Jake sleeping with Bella later tonight.

I didn't want Bella any longer but I loathed the thought of Jake putting his nasty hands all over my ex girlfriend.

"I don't know Edward. When they kissed he seemed really into it."

"Lauren stop it right now. You are only seeing what you want to see. It makes you feel less guilty for the part you played in breaking his heart. You shouldn't feel any guilt. You did the right thing."

"I don't know about that." Lauren whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. I have to go. I need a drink."

"Don't do anything stupid Lauren." I warned her.

"I won't."

Lauren hung up the phone and I stared at it for a few seconds before putting it back in my pocket.

Lauren would play a part in plans to ruin both Bella and Jake and I couldn't let her screw it all up by growing a conscience this late in the game.

Leaving my parents house I realized that I needed to make a few more calls to set something in motion before I met my lover for a few hours of sex and drugs.

XXX

BPOV:

Everything went as planned. I couldn't be more pleased and yet I still felt a lingering feeling of sadness in my heart as I sipped on my fourth glass of champagne. Everyone was dancing and enjoying themselves. Charlotte was growing tired and Rachel already offered to take her home with them. I agreed only because I knew everyone would expect Jake and I to spend the night alone.

"Molly the cake was delicious. Thank you!" I wrapped my arms around my employer and hugged her tightly.

"I knew you would enjoy it. I'm afraid it's not quite as good as you make it but I gave it my best effort." She chuckled.

"Whatever!" I rolled my eyes playfully.

"You look so happy Bella. I can't remember the last time I saw you smile so much." Molly happily at me.

"Me either." I swallowed hard hoping that the tears that stung my eyes didn't slip out of my eyes.

"He is a fine man. He has some growing up to do but so do you." Molly chuckled.

"What? I think I'm pretty mature for my age." I huffed.

"You are but you have more things to learn about life and yourself so don't be so hard on yourself. We all stumble and fall but we get back up and that's what makes us better people." Molly patted my cheeks before walking back into the crowd of people.

I wondered what she meant by that? Did she foresee me doing something stupid or was she predicting that Jake would hurt me? My head was filled with many thoughts when Jake arrived with a glass in his hand filled with something that I didn't recognize.

"Here. You need one of these." He took my half filled glass of champagne and put his drink in my hand.

"Uh, what is this?" I laughed softly.

"Just drink it. It's a native american drink that we all drink to celebrate our marriage."

Looking into his eyes I saw a sparkle in them that made the pit of my stomach sink and my heart to flutter like butterflies.

"A Native American tradition, uh?"

Some small part of me knew this was a joke but seeing him so happy and carefree I couldn't resist doing it anyways.

Opening my mouth I drank quickly and was glad I had. The liquor burned my throat as it slid down and emptied into my stomach that was feeling heavy and on fire instantly.

"What was in that?" I coughed.

Jake patted my back and laughed softly.

"The guys and I use to drink this after a victory game. We call it Indian Lighting." he replied with a smirk.

"Yuck! It has a horrible aftertaste."

"True but it will make you feel damn good soon." He winked at me before walking away.

Suddenly I felt nervous as hell. Why had he given me that drink? Was it really a tradition or was my new husband trying to get me drunk? If he was, why? What was he up to?

A few seconds later I started to feel the effects of the drink. Rachel was changing me out of my dress and pushing me out the door to meet Jake so that we could ride off on his motorcycle. The crowd of people surrounded us and blew bubbles around us while Jake helped me on. Waving at everyone I flung my bouquet behind me as we flew off into the night. I had no clue where we were heading and for the first time in a long time, I wasn't going to over analyze. What came next, who knew?

XXX