Chapter 11
EPOV
Sitting in the board room a bunch of jerk offs are staring at me like they have the upper hand and at the moment they do. Their company is worth this amount of money and I can't allow another company to buy it.
"So, this is our terms. If you don't agree with them we'll take this offer to the Danver's." The CEO smiles smugly.
"I don't think so." Bella steps in. We all look at her and Mr. Jon, the CEO, glares.
"What are you talking about little lady." Mr. Jon says. I open my mouth to correct him, but Bella continues.
"One its Miss. Swan. Secondly you and I both know why you're in such a big hurry to sell. Got a bit of gambling problem don't we? The Danver's won't buy because it's the Danver's that you owe. You were really slick at trying to hide this, but I'm just a bit slicker. If I were you I would stay away from their casinos and all the other ones, too." Bella smirks as Mr. Jon's face drains of all the blood.
The Danver's are fellow crime lords and definitely won't buy this crocks business if this ass wipe owes money. All the men on his side start to look uncomfortable and their eyes start to shift around the room. That confirms what Bella has said.
"I don't know what you're talking about." The ass wipe starts to play dumb, but my girl isn't having it.
"Don't patronize me. I've already got the papers from your transactions from the casinos and I've had a meeting with Mr. Danver himself. He is looking forward to seeing this deal to be done. He would really like his millions returned to his bank account. Very nice man, but doesn't like to see his money gone. He was very angry to see that it's taking so long and he is getting very impatient." She shuts him up and he sinks lower in his chair. It sounds like if the Danver's doen't get their money soon Mr. Jon will be missing.
"Lastly, go ahead and try to sell this company to someone else." Bella says.
I look at her calculating what's going through her head.
"You would be helping us take out the competition. I know your business isn't worth what you say. What you've been reporting to the government, to the public. The numbers were not adding up, so I did a little research. You've been tweaking your stock numbers and many other things. You're company is bankrupt and nobody knows it but you. Well, now I do. I'm pretty sure the legal authorities would love to know this, too. Considering what you've been doing is illegal. You can serve hard time. I'm talking a good two decades." She smiles condescendingly. My love is a shark. She really is a mafia queen in disguise.
"Are you threatening me?" Mr. Jon says trying to sound dangerous, but in reality he sounds scared and it is just too funny to bother putting him in his place.
"I'm merely informing you of the position you're in. Now, this is the number I think is more reasonable." She passes him a piece of paper.
"That is just enough to repay what you owe and stay afloat for a few months while you figure out your next move. I hope you think real hard and fast because you won't get a better offer. I also doubt this information will stay secret very long. Meeting adjourned. I truly hope to see you soon." Bella ends the meeting and opens the door for the 'men'. They all file out defeated.
"Good day gentlemen." Bella dismisses. She shuts the door. I open my arms for her and she sits in my lap.
"I'm sorry I took over your meeting." She apologizes.
"Please love, you were amazing. You have nothing to apologize for. You are my partner and have a right to voice your thoughts.." She smiles and kisses me. Her smell is intoxicating.
"Oh, I also wanted to talk to you about this." She hands me stock outlines from another company I've been eyeing.
"60% of the stock belongs to the public. The other 30% belong to the two CEOs." She grins and then I get what she is talking about.
"Hostile takeover." I whisper and she nods.
"Damn, you are good." I tell her proud.
"Yes, I know. Let's go grab some lunch that was the last meeting of the day and I handled all the paper work early. Cindy, the secretary, knows to call if we're needed." She gets up and glides out the room.
"You coming, honey?" Bella says turning looking over her shoulder and smoldering me with her big doe eyes.
"Yes, we can pick up Cathy, too. I'm sure she would like to go to lunch with us."
The house is loud with the hustle and bustle of preparing for the arrival of the top mob bosses of the tri state area. The women have just finished in the kitchen and are now getting ready. The maids are in a whirlwind of cleaning. This is not how I want to spend my Wednesday night, but it can't be avoided.
"So, how is Bella doing?" Carlisle asks.
"You know how she is; she is going to worry until it's all over. I know she'll be fine, but that's who she is." I answer.
"Yea, my Rosie was nervous for the first meeting, too." Em agrees.
"Okay we're ready." Bella says coming down the steps and fixing the front of her satin blue dress.
"You look lovely." I kiss her.
"Thank you," She whispers.
Ding,Dong.
"They're here." Bella gasp.
"Relax, love." I tell her and she takes a deep breath. I send a guard to escort them in, while we all sit in the formal dining room.
"I see you have gotten a chef." Eleazer Denali praises as the group of men and their families enter.
"No, but I did get somebody. Men, I would like you to meet the future Mrs. Cullen and my beautiful daughter Catherine." I introduce my girls.
"She is a little young for a daughter. How old are you, 15." Tanya says.
"I'm 19 and she is my niece. Her father, my brother, died of cancer so I assumed responsibility for her." Bella stayed strong.
"How tragic." Mr. Danver says.
"It is really nice to see you, again dear. I love the spread you placed on the table. I was really looking forward to dinner after sampling your food during our little meeting."
"Thank you, I'm glad you're excited about my food." Bella answers
"Did Edward pop the big question?" Mr. Jon asks
"Oh Derek don't encourage him. I would like to date a tad longer before I take the wife title." Bella says jokingly.
"What makes you think that he'll marry you?" Tanya asks smugly.
"I don't know, it could be the fact that he introduced me as the future Mrs. Cullen and the fact he got rid of his player ways to date me." Bella answers smirking at Tanya.
Tanya glares and strokes the knife and before I could say something a knife flies across the room brushing Tanya's face. The room goes quiet as a few golden strands hit the table. Bella's face is set in a dangerous smile.
"You should watch how you treat me in my house in front of my child and man. You know how us young ones are with our tempers, so you would do well not to threaten me. I can handle myself, but can you." Bell looks at Tanya coyly as Tanya's breath hitches. That's my girl.
"You got owned." Cathy joins before throwing her silk black curls over shoulder.
"I knew you had a dangerous one in your home, but I didn't realize how dangerous. Derek didn't tell me how wonderful she was." Aro laughs dementedly. James hunter lets out a cackle along with him.
"My mafia queen in disguise." I grin.
"Well, I was quite surprised to hear you are settling down. But after meeting her I can see why. She is your other half." Eleazer concludes and Tanya glares at him. She must not be happy with her father celebrating my love.
"Do not embarrass me further child." Eleazer hisses.
"Oh, Tanya always wanting what you can't have. It's nice to meet you Bella, I'm Kate." Kate says clearly impressed with my girl.
"It's nice to meet you, too Kate." Bella says quietly reverting back to her shy nature.
"I'm Carmen, Esme you didn't tell me how beautiful the new addition was." Carmen says.
"I thought I'd let you see for yourself." Esme smiles.
"Yes, she is quite sexy with a blade. Speaking of blades I hear you have a rat problem Edward. Did you clean up?" James asks, but it didn't mean he is responsible for it. He just loves to see people flounder.
"Yes, I also heard of your little problem. All handled I hope." Aro joins.
"Yes, we found the little shit quickly and with my angel handling the books and inventory with her quick eyes it will be that much harder for sticky fingers." I answer calm and collected.
"If we do find one again I'll have fun breaking them." Emmett laughs and Rose kisses his cheek lovingly.
"Yes, I'm sure you will." Aro says with a wicked glint in his eyes. A clash of glasses echo through the room. Irina has purposely poured her plate on Angela.
"Oops, clean that why don't you. Earn your pay." Irina says cruelly and Angela looks like she is going to cry. Bella breaks the champagne glass in her hand. Little drops of blood drip on the table.
"Don't you dare clean that up, Angela." Bella orders.
"Eleazer, Carmen, and Kate it was great meeting you, but I will not have your family disrespect my home further. I won't stand for it. You need to take your insolent children out of my home and do not return with them until you instill basic manners." Bella says calmly. Irina doesn't dare say anything.
"You heard my love. Get out. I won't have my family exposed to your boorish behavior." I back up Bella.
"I'm sorry for my children's behavior and assure you they will be hearing about this later." Carmen says red with embarrassment and turns to Irina and Tanya.
"Get up." Carmen hisses at them. The Denali clan leaves without another word. Eleazer is a big ally and will stay that way, but I won't have Bella being disrespected by his pack. Bella turns to me.
"You didn't tell me the women of this world lacked class and grace, Edward." Bella says to me with a cool smile.
"Don't be angry at me. I didn't birth them." I defend myself. Man if I'm kicked out the bed tonight the alliance is done. I'm going on these fuckers turf guns blazing.
"I'm sorry, you're right. I worked on that dinner all evening and a starving child could have enjoyed it." Bella whispers relaxing.
We all continue tense conversations with fake smiles. The entire night all the men assess each other. Looking for weaknesses and anyone who looks like they're up to something. The women also do their pretty wars watching each other. They look just as dangerous, if not more so, then us. After dinner we sendoff our guests with chocolate favors that Bella made.
"Oh, that was not what I expected." Bella says collapsing onto the couch.
"You did well, love. You commanded the room like a true don. You demanded respect, which every person in that room had no choice but to give." I tell her as I pull her into my lap.
"You really exceeded all expectation, Bella." Carlisle says with a quaint smile.
"You did way better than I did during my first reveal." Esme admires.
"Really, so I didn't start some kind of war did I?" Bella asks.
"No, the Denali clan needs us way more than we need them and they are fully aware of it." Jasper explains.
"Carmen definitely will deal with the two hoodlums they raised." Esme says irritated.
"Did you see Tanya? She look liked like a high class hooker." Rose snickers.
"You are so right. Her dress was so cheap and don't get me started on Irina." Alice giggles.
"Ooh, can I take the leftovers home." Emmett asks.
"Yes, Emmett." Bella laughs at his childishness.
"Hey, I want some of that coffee cake!" Alice yells chasing him. A clank of dishes sound from the kitchen.
"Don't break my kitchen." Bella calls out.
"Hurry up you brute. I'm sure Bella, Edward, and Cathy would like to unwind." Rose calls out while grabbing her coat.
"Bye, bye." A sleepy child whispers to Rosalie as she reaches up for a hug.
"Night, sweet girl." Rose says picking Cathy up and kissing her.
"Bye, munchkin." Emmett roars and walks out with his arm around Rose's waist.
"Bye, guys." Jasper says kissing Bella and Cathy's cheek. Alice jumps into Jasper's arms. He catches her bridal style and Alice manages to keep the cake in her arms. Cathy curls herself next to me and Bella.
"Well, it is time for us to leave, too. Bye, son." Carlisle says.
"Bye dad." I say
"Bye." Bella whispers tiredly.
"Bye, dears." Esme says before shutting the door.
"Come on girls, time for bed." I say and Bella nods bringing herself to her feet. I pick up my butterfly and head to the stairs holding Bella's hand.
"Lock up for us, please Jared." Bella whispers and Jared nods.
We get to the room and Bella pulls Cathy out of her dress, while I take my suit off.
"Pass me a pair of pajamas for her, please." Bella asks. I go through the bags that we haven't unpacked. We decided to wait till we put the rooms together this week. I pull out a bumble bee nightie and hand it to Bella. Bella dresses Cathy and Cathy falls asleep under the covers.
"Um, can you help?" Bella asks blushing as she points to the zipper in the back of her dress.
"The zipper is stuck." She whispers. I smile and I pull her hair to the side. I kiss her neck gently raising goose bumps from her sensitive skin. I give the dress a stiff tug before it comes down. I ghost her back before falling to my knees, kissing her to the curve of her butt. The material gathers at her dainty feet. She is left in nothing but her pretty purple underwear.
"Thank you." She whispers.
"Any time, love." I breathe before kissing her. I step back and head into the bathroom to put some clothes on before I do something to set us back. Before I shut the door Bella whispers
"That man sure knows how to make me weak." Same here angel.