I'd like to thank two ladies; obsessedmom for all her help up until this point, and jkane180 for offering her help from this point on. Thank you both for everything!
Sorry this chapter took awhile, the next one won't take long.
Chapter 10
I'd sat in my car for a good hour before driving to the penthouse and dropping my bag on the bed. Bella and I made our children in that bed, and I just couldn't believe how unreal it all felt now.
I knew what we shared was too good to be true. I trusted her way too much. I let myself get soft. I gave her everything I am. She knew me better than anyone, yet she went around kissing. . . Edward.
I knew I never liked that fucker. He had serious problems—not just that when I got my hands on him he'd be dead, but for coming on to a married, pregnant woman. It only hurt more, knowing someone else touched and kissed her while she was more mine than she'd ever been. Maybe it was wrong of me to think it, but carrying my child meant her actions were as much mine as they were hers. It was her responsibility to protect my child.
But... It was mine to protect her, yet, I'd just left without a second thought.
I dropped down on the bed and covered my face with both hands. What the fuck was I supposed to do now?
Go home and fucking listen to her lie to me by saying it meant nothing? She and Edward had become close friends, and I allowed it because I'd be the biggest hypocrite if I didn't, having developed a friendship with Rosalie myself.
I should have known not all men had the strength to hold themselves back around women as beautiful as Bella and Rosalie. If I didn't care for Bella and my life with her as much as I did, I'd have tried something with Rosalie a long time ago.
I didn't know if I cared anymore. Why was I the only one holding back?
Pulling my cell from my pocket, I brought up Rosalie's cell number and stared at it for awhile before sighing and looking up at the ceiling. Suddenly, I had an intense feeling of déjà vu of when I lived here alone and had no family to think of. It felt like a lifetime ago and like I was a completely different person back then. I was.
I sighed, and it sounded so much louder than it should have. My head was a mess.
I thought Bella and I were okay—perfect even. We hardly ever had any problems, and when we did, it was nothing a good fucking couldn't fix.
I was so fucking angry and hurt. I felt like I didn't mean anything to her. I wondered if she thought about him while we made love. I wondered if it went further than a kiss. Did she want it to? I wondered if I'd been neglecting her.
I was angry at myself for not seeing this was coming. Angry I'd acted the way I had when she told me. Angry because I knew the boys had probably heard all my yelling. Angry I'd left my crying wife carrying my unborn child without a second thought. It was my job to make sure she was as healthy and stable as she could be while with our child.
I needed time away from her though.
Yet, I didn't want her to cry. I didn't want her to feel alone. I wanted to kneel before her and talk to my baby. I missed her small belly already. I felt like I was missing out, and I didn't want to miss one second.
But she fucked it all up. She didn't care if she hurt me and us. She acted on her attraction towards another man. I mean, fuck, I worked with Rosalie, who was almost as beautiful as Bella, and never acted on my attraction to her. It wasn't professional, and I cared about my wife too much.
Suddenly, my phone began ringing. I expected to see Bella's or Alice's name and frowned when I saw Rosalie's. It was almost midnight; I knew she wouldn't call if it wasn't important.
"Hello," I answered as I put my cell to my ear, still looking at the white ceiling.
"Emmett." My heart sank as soon as I heard her voice. I didn't know what was wrong, but I knew something definitely was.
"Rose, what's wrong?"
She cried into the phone and sniffled. "I'm sorry I'm calling. I didn't know who else. . ."
"It's fine; of course you can call me. Are you okay?" I forgot all my own problems, focusing on her. It was so much easier. My head was clear.
"I'm really scared. I'm sorry... I shouldn't have called."
"Of course you should have," I interrupted. I was sitting up by this point, ready to go get her from wherever the fuck she was. "Where are you?"
"At home... My apartment. I'm sorry; can you please come? I'm scared."
I knew right away he'd done something to her. I always had a bad feeling about Royce, but it wasn't my place to ask her about it or accuse her boyfriend of anything.
"I'll be right there. I'm leaving now."
"Thank you," she said in a small voice.
I didn't want to hang up with her, so I told her I'd stay on the line with her while I drove over, and she thanked me for that too.
"What did he do, Rose? Is he there now?"
"How do you know?"
"Know that Royce is a dick?"
She simply sniffled.
"I see the way you two are... You're scared of him, and I have no idea why... Does he hit you?"
Her increased crying told me I was right. I'd fucking kill him too. I'd hunt him down like the animal he was. How could anyone hurt someone so beautiful and pure?
"I'm sorry, Emmett... I can't believe I called you. You're my boss."
"I'm your friend, never apologize for that."
She sniffled and gave a small, "Okay."
I talked mostly, telling her she'd be okay and that I was only minutes away. She briefly explained that she didn't want to call her brother because he and Jessica had the new baby and also because she didn't want him to tell her, "I told you so." Apparently Mike saw something bad in Royce too.
I told her not to worry about it; I was happy to be in the position to help her.
Soon, I arrived at her apartment building and made my way up to her floor as quickly as humanly possible.
Her door was unlocked when I reached it. I hadn't ever been inside her apartment, but the bedroom was easy enough to find. She was beside her bed and dresser, curled into herself, with a face red from crying and hair a mess.
I got on the floor with her and pulled her into my chest. She cried more and kept telling me she was sorry. My presence only seemed to cause her more tears.
I shushed her, and we just sat for a minute.
"Where is he now?" I questioned, knowing I should probably get her somewhere that Royce wouldn't expect her to be.
She shook her head and wiped her face. "I don't know."
"Okay, you're coming with me," I told her, pulling her up and sitting her on the bed. I handed her my sweatshirt, telling her to put it on. "Where's your handbag?" I looked around for it.
She pointed to her closet, and I grabbed it, pulling her into my side and leaving the apartment. I didn't want to make her spend another minute there – even to gather any of her belongings. The best thing to do now was obviously to get her out of this place.
The mess of the bed and the lamp knocked to the floor scared me. It scared me because I wondered what he did to her, and it scared me because I was pretty sure I'd left Bella in a bigger mess than Royce had left Rosalie.
I considered myself to be a pretty good guy, but not so much today.
Rosalie didn't talk on the ride over to the penthouse, and neither did I. The silence forced my own worries to mix into the concerns I had for Rosalie. It was a horrible combination.
"Where are we?" she asked when we arrived.
"My penthouse."
She just looked at me and nodded, but I knew she was scared of being alone right now. Here was better than anywhere else.
"Don't worry; I'm going to stay... I don't exactly want to be home right now."
She didn't respond, and we made our way up. She asked if I'd mind if she had a shower. I gave her towels and left her to it.
The silence continued and was even worse now that I was alone in the living room. My mind didn't really figure anything out. I wasn't sure what I was angry at more; myself or what Bella had done.
I was sitting in the living room when Rosalie finally came out, giving me a little smile. She looked so small and like she was trying to put herself together. But she was obviously broken.
"I'm sorry I'm being such a bother," she told me.
"Fuck, you're not. You could never be. Come sit down. I'll make you tea if you want. I think I have some here."
I loved this place, and I never sold it after Bella and I moved into The Estate. I wasn't sure what my thinking was, but it had come in handy a few times with different visitors coming for the company, as well as friends.
"Thanks, but I'm okay," she told me, sitting down on the couch beside me and looking into her lap.
"You want to tell me what happened?" I asked. I didn't mean to push, and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to in situations like this one.
She glanced at me and shook her head, looking down again. I knew more tears were coming.
My anger had left me, and my feelings somehow softened towards her. I lifted my hand to her chin, my thumb running across her jaw and picking up the tear that had begun falling. I wished I knew what to do to make all the hurt go away for her.
"It's okay now," I told her, hoping it helped just a little.
As I sat closer, she leaned into my chest. I gently wrapped my arm around her and stroked her hair. After a minute of her cries, she mumbled something into my chest.
"What was that?" I asked.
"Why can't all guys be like you? Bella's so lucky." She looked up at me from my chest.
Yes, I realized I had another woman in my arms. In this moment, I wanted to want to hurt Bella. I wanted to give in like she had. But I couldn't hurt Rosalie by doing it for only that reason. And more importantly, even if I wanted to want to hurt my wife, I didn't think I truly had it in me. But hey, I was finding that I didn't know myself very well tonight after all. Who knew what I had in me anymore.
"What did he do?" I tried again.
She shook her head. "Emmett, please don't?"
"Tell me."
She shook her head.
I told Rosalie to stay at the penthouse today while I went into the office to do what needed doing.
I went to get my own morning coffee for the first time in a long time, pissed at all the assholes doing the same thing and taking up my time. How long did it take to get a cup of coffee anyway?
"Excuse me?" I heard someone close by say.
I turned to see some random young dude looking at me.
"Yeah?" I asked, unable to appear less irritated than I was. I was fucking irritated; I didn't care who knew.
"Are you Emmett McCarty?"
"Yeah," I responded.
"Oh, it's so nice to meet you. I'm friends with your wife. I'm Riley." He smiled, offering me his hand.
I ignored it and shook my head as I smiled to myself. "You into her too?" I knew it was way out of line and definitely the wrong thing to say.
"Am I... What? She sold me some art... I just wanted to... I thought I wanted to meet you."
Before I did anything I'd regret, I left the fucking shop—coffee-less, stressed, tired, and angry as fuck.
When I got to the office, Bella was sitting on my couch.
She stood up quickly, seeming like she wanted to rush over but was holding back.
"Hey," she said softly, looking scared and like she'd been crying all night.
I felt bad, but I wished I didn't. She was the one that hurt me.
"Hey," I responded.
"I thought Rose would be here to let me in. I used my key… hope it's okay."
I shrugged, going over to my desk.
She just stood there for awhile before following me and standing across from me at my desk.
"I'm really sorry," she simply said.
I nodded, sitting down and turning my laptop on.
"Can we please talk?"
"I'm real busy. Rosalie's not here today, and I've got all this shit I need to get done."
She looked like she didn't know what to say for awhile then finally asked, "Are you coming home tonight?"
"Nah," I responded, amazed at how cold I could sound toward her. I loved her so much, and for the first time, she made me regret it.
"We really need to talk, Em. Please?"
"Right now, Bella, I really need you not to be here. I really need you to go off and talk to Edward or Riley, okay?" I said, giving her a stare.
She seemed taken back at my words and asked, "What's Riley have to do with anything?"
"Nothing." I sighed. "He fucking came up to me while I was trying to get coffee."
"He's just a buyer, Em. He's a nice kid."
"Yeah, I'm sure he is. Why don't you go bother him for a while? I have work to do."
I felt horrible for making her eyes water like that. "Fine. I'm guessing you won't be picking the boys up from school, then?"
"I'll do it if you have plans with Edward you want to keep." Fuck, who the hell was this asshole talking through my mouth right now? He sounded like a child.
She sighed and nodded. "Don't worry; I'll pick them up."
"Good," I answered, not really meaning it. Of course I wanted to pick my kids up from school, but what was I supposed to say to them when I didn't stay home? Besides, I had too much work to do.
She was disappointed in the way I was acting, and so was I.
My eyes dropped to her stomach when she turned her head away from me, quickly looking back up when she looked t to me again.
"The doctor's appointment is tomorrow," she reminded me.
I didn't say anything, watching her leave with a soft, "Goodbye."
