I don't own Twilight or its characters. Stephenie Meyer does.
April and Gabby, thank you for pre-reading, and Fran, thank you for editing. Any mistakes left are my own.
Ch. 11
"What are you two idiots waiting for, an engraved invitation? I want the results in an hour," Da snapped at Embry and Paul.
"Yes, Boss," they said in unison and headed for the bookcase.
My father hit the button under his desk, and a section popped out. They slipped behind it, and then Emmett pushed it closed with a sounding smack. He banged his fist against the wall before turning around, fuming.
"I'm going to strangle the bitch," he growled.
"You'll do no such thing," Da ordered.
"Why the hell not? She kidnapped my son, not to mention what she did to Carmen." He seethed.
"This all has to be handled delicately. She's Aro's daughter, she's virtually untouchable, we have to have proof before we act. We have never harmed a woman before, and I don't take the decision to do so lightly," Da reminded him. "Not to mention, if she's guilty we need to know why?"
"If she's guilty she forfeits any protection the Volturi's can give her, right?" Emmett asked with fists clenched.
"She did have access to the building the day of the attack. She dropped off presents to Emmett and Rose's penthouse an hour before the security cameras went out of whack," Peter recalled.
"Victoria was last seen getting off the elevator in the lobby. She didn't have the baby with her," Jasper mentioned. "Tyler would've had to let her back in."
"Perhaps Tyler isn't as faithful as we believe." I shrugged.
"Get me Tyler, I want a word with him after dinner," Da ordered. "Until then, we go downstairs and eat as if nothing has happened."
"You mean I have to sit and eat with that bitch and pretend everything is hunky-dory?" Emmett sneered.
"Yes, in fact, I don't want her leaving until we hear back about the fingerprints and have spoken with Tyler." Da turned to me. "It's up to you to keep her distracted until then."
"Lovely," I said tersely.
On the bright side, at least I would finally have the excuse to toss Victoria to the curb and not play nice. She always had an obsession with me, and my parents insisted I spend time with her to keep the peace with her father. There had even been talk of combining our families; however, it had mainly been Aro's pushing since he only had daughters and no sons. My father was a romantic at heart though, and wouldn't force me to marry if I truly didn't care for her.
"Let's just get through tonight peacefully. Your Ma doesn't deserve to have her meal ruined by bad tempers." Da stood and fixed his tie.
"Yes, sir," Emmett mumbled in agreement.
"What's one more night?" I sighed.
LS
"Eddie!" Victoria let loose an ear-piercing squeal as she threw her arms around me as soon as I entered the dining room. "Did you miss me? I hardly heard from you." She pouted.
"Victoria, you're looking well. I'm sorry, but things have been very busy here." I gave her a charming smile.
"Oh, yes, I heard about the poor itty baby." She turned to my brother, who seemed to be struggling to stay composed. "I'm so sorry you had to go through this, Emmett. I don't know what I would do if it were our little one."
He stared at her a second too long before he plastered a fake smile on his face. "No worries, Vic, we will not rest until we find out who was dumb enough to take him. And when we do, it won't be pretty." His grin became dark.
I was close enough to notice her flinch and falter ever so slightly. She grabbed my arm and gave it a squeeze.
"In the meantime, Edward and I will be so happy to watch him so you and Rose can have a night out," she said brightly.
"No need for that. Taking care of Junior is what I'm paid for, and I am very good at my job." Bella entered the room with her eyes staring intently at Victoria.
I saw the stubborn and protective woman who greeted me at her house, refusing to let me in—she was a force to be reckoned with. Victoria took a half step back, digging her nails into my arm. I was worried for a moment that Bella would hinder everything by openly accusing Victoria in front of everyone. Jasper came into the room after her with a smug grin.
"That's right, Emmett and Rose couldn't have hired anyone better for the job. Isabella is an expert in Judo and a marksman or should be a markswoman," Jasper told Victoria.
"Is that so?" Victoria's voice got high.
"Well, not completely. I know Taekwondo, not Judo." Isabella shrugged.
"Could everyone take your seats, please. Dinner is ready." Ma came into the room, carrying a platter of chicken.
I took it from her and brought it to the table, setting it in the center. I noticed there were two potato dishes, mashed and roasted, which I found to be odd. Victoria took Isabella's normal seat, and Jasper had taken Alice's.
"Where is Alice?" I asked, sitting in my chair.
"She wasn't feeling too well, so she is lying down," Ma explained.
Rosalie came in just before Da started grace and Emmett helped her with her seat. As she was setting the monitor on the table, she looked between Bella and Victoria and frowned. She ducked her head as Da started to speak.
When he was done, we started passing around the platters and bowls of food. Victoria dumped a big spoonful of the mashed potatoes on my plate with a huge splat.
"Eat up, baby, I made your favorite myself." She smiled brightly.
"Thanks." I pushed it around with my fork. The truth was I hated mashed potatoes, I preferred my Ma's roasted potatoes.
"Victoria, how was your vacation? Where did you go again, Bahamas?" Da asked.
"The Alps, the skiing was wonderful." She didn't fall for his trap.
I took a bite of the potatoes, and something about the texture and taste seemed off, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I looked around the table to see if anyone else had tried them in time to see Bella's reaction. A strange look crossed her face, and she took a moment before swallowing. She glanced over at Rosalie and grabbed her wrist just before she took a bite.
"Rosalie, don't eat the mashed potatoes," Bella said before turning to Victoria. "Did you put milk in this?"
Victoria flipped her hair off her shoulder. "No, I put cream in them, makes them smoother."
Rose dropped her fork like a hot potato. Emmett glanced at her frantically.
"Did you eat any, Rosie?" he asked.
"No, Bella caught me in time." Rosalie looked relieved.
"What is the big deal?" Victoria huffed.
"Rosalie is lactose intolerant," I said.
"Oops, I forgot." Victoria fluttered her eyelashes innocently.
Emmett's hands tightened around his knife, and a vein nearly popped out of his forehead. Da tried to catch his attention, but Emmett was ignoring him. Peter shifted in his seat, looking ready to hold Emmett back. Rosalie thankfully reached over and covered his hand with her own.
"It's fine, Emmett. I'm okay, there's no harm done. I'm sure it was an honest oversight, traditionally there is milk in mashed potatoes. I should've double checked instead of assuming," Rosalie said calmly.
My brother looked down at her, and his eyes softened. He let go of the knife and dropped his hands to the side. The rest of the dinner was uneasy, but the tension seemed to go noticed by Victoria as she talked my ear off. Emmett's dinner went untouched, which didn't go unnoticed by Ma, Rosalie, and Bella.
After the meal, Ma invited Victoria to watch a musical with her. At first, I didn't think she would, until I suggested I take her out for drinks after I finished my meeting with Da. Her eyes lit up, and she agreed readily. I didn't miss Isabella's curious and concerned look before she disappeared into the kitchen.
LS
Da led the way to the cellar to the storage room. The back of the room was connected to a panic room, only a few knew about.
"Let's make this quick. I promised your mother she would only have to entertain Victoria for a bit," Da said.
"You told Ma what was happening?" I asked in surprise.
"Not exactly. I told her we had a lead and that it was best Victoria didn't leave until we were done. Your mother never questions me. If I had told her my suspicions Esme might have killed Victoria herself," he said with a chuckle.
Da unlocked the hidden panel to open into the room that would go undetected to the naked eye. In the center was a single chair, where Tyler sat nervously with both wrists cuffed to the armrests. Leaning against the walls waiting for us, was Embry, Paul, Felix, and Corin.
"Boss, what is this about? I swear I have told you everything." Tyler begged.
"Shut up, muppet. Don't speak unless you're spoken too." Felix took a step towards him, and Tyler flinched.
"Well?" Da snapped, looking at Paul and Embry.
"Prints match, boss," Embry spoke, handing over some papers. "We also took the liberty of searching her cah and purse. We found a few interesting receipts from Washington, Idaho, and Victoria, Canada in her purse, and in the trunk, we found a hidden compartment; inside was a passport and ID for a Margret O'Brien."
"Thank you, boys, you're dismissed." Da nodded curtly to Paul and Embry.
They disappeared into the trap door in the floor that was connected to a tunnel, which led to the garage. It was an escape route for emergencies and for when we needed to leave undetected.
"I'm breaking some skulls tonight," Emmett hissed. "Starting with you." He lunged for Tyler.
He lifted Tyler, chair and all with one hand, so his legs were dangling in the air. Jasper and I each placed a hand his shoulder to restrain him, but he shook us off.
"Emmett, control yourself. We need more answers," Da ordered.
Emmett let go of Tyler, and he went crashing down, the chair now pinning him to the concrete floor. I glanced at Felix and Corin, and they righted Tyler, so he was facing Da.
"I swear, I didn't help Victoria." Tyler gulped.
"Who said we were talking about Victoria?" Da cocked his head to the side.
"Um…uh..." Tyler squirmed in his seat. "Paul."
"Nu-uh. I doubt it. He may not be the brightest bulb, but he knows better than to give you a heads up." Da shook his head.
"She made me do it," he insisted.
"Why did she take my grandson," Da demanded.
"Victoria said it would hopefully prove to Edward that she was good with kids and if she rescued the baby, it would show her commitment to the family," Tyler stuttered. "Vicky told me if I helped her, that when she married Edward, and he became boss, I would be made a Lieutenant." He shot a glance at me
"Fuggedaboutit," I scoffed.
"You gotta be an igit if you think that would've happened." Emmett sneered.
Da held up his hand to silence us and stared at Tyler. The longer the silence lasted, the more Tyler started to squirm. Finally, Da smiled coldly, and I knew by the look in his eye Tyler's fate had been decided.
"I'll make you a deal, Tyler. You help me catch the bitch who stole my grandson, and I'll let you go," he said smoothly.
Emmett's jaw tensed, and he stuffed his clenched fists under his armpits before he did something stupid. He knew better than to interrupt Da. He chose instead to glower at Tyler.
Tyler looked at him shakily then back at Da. "Anything, Boss. What do I need to do?"
"Tomorrow night, you'll call...text Victoria that you two have to meet in private. Tell her you heard some information regarding the investigation she needs to know. When she arrives, kill her, and your debt will be repaid," Da said.
"That's it? I'll do it." Tyler agreed quickly.
"Until then, he doesn't take a piss or a shit without the two of you watching. I won't have him warning Victoria that it's a trap," Da ordered Felix and Corin.
"Yes, Boss," they said in unison.
"Where shall we bring him?" Felix asked.
"I don't care as long as it can't be traced back to this family. The more secluded, the better. No witnesses," Da answered. "Now get him out of my sight."
They left the same way as the men before, and Jasper slid the lid to the tunnel on tight before shoving the floor safe over it. He took a seat, looking out of breath. Jasper wasn't used to the physical aspects of the job; he was more of a computer nerd.
"Please, tell me he isn't going to get off," Emmett grumbled.
"I'm sure Da has a plan." I was waiting to hear it myself.
"Of course, I do," Da said smugly.
Peter chuckled. "Well share with the class, old friend."
"It's rather simple. Tyler gets Victoria where we want her, and then we end them both. Tyler will leave a suicide note admitting his love for her, and how he couldn't live in a world without her or let Edward have her. It will appear that he shot her then himself in a murder-suicide." Da grinned maliciously.
"What if Aro complains that Tyler was one of our men?" Jasper asked.
"Tyler was fired by us a month ago for failing to protect the baby. He was only a security guard hired to protect an apartment building. Aro can't prove Tyler worked for us in any other capacity," I answered. "It's a brilliant plan. Both are killed, and the blood won't be on our hands. Only one problem."
"What?" Da looked irritated to be questioned.
"Miss Swan is a very intelligent woman. What if this raises her suspicions?" I asked.
The room was silent as we all thought this over. Da and Peter exchanged a look of silent communication. I briefly wondered if Jasper and I would reach that point. I glanced over at him as he rubbed his chin.
"It can take a day or two to get fingerprints back from a lab and get a warrant for an arrest, right? We just have to make sure that they are wacked first. When the results are back, we can pull Isabella aside and tell her the suspicions she had were correct, but in respect to the grieving family, we have let sleeping dogs lie since Victoria is dead and can't be punished further," Jasper suggested. "She didn't question me when I told her we had to pretend we weren't on to Victoria."
"And what do I tell Rosie? She is still living in fear that Junior may be taken again at some point?" Emmett asked.
"The same thing we will tell Isabella. I'm sure Rosalie will rest better knowing that Victoria is dead, and we had nothing to do with it." Da clapped a hand on Emmett's shoulder. "I know you want to pull that trigger, son. But this is the best solution I can think of to keep us from war and yet, get justice."
Emmett heaved a big sigh. "I understand, sir. I trust your decision."
LS
We left the safe room and headed back upstairs. My mother was in the parlor with Victoria and Bella, watching one of her musicals. I was oddly relieved to see that Bella had seated herself between the two.
"I just don't get musicals. They make no sense. No one breaks out into song like that." Victoria criticized.
"Movies are meant to be entertaining not always to make sense. Thor isn't going to travel down to earth on a lightning bolt to save us anymore more than Freddy Kruger is going to show up on Elm Street," Bella stated.
Victoria glared at her, but when she saw me, her smile brightened. "Are we ready to go?"
"We are. Are you enjoying the movie I got you for Christmas, Ma? I wasn't sure if you had seen this one," I asked.
"I am, dear. I saw it long ago with my grandmother, it brings back memories. Will you be late tonight?" Ma side-eyed Victoria.
"No, Ma." I kissed her cheek. "Have a good night. You too, Miss Swan."
Bella looked up and gave me a curious smile. "Have fun."
"We will," Victoria claimed, standing quickly and grabbing on to my arm.
We were barely in the hallway when Victoria unleashed her thoughts.
"I want you to fire her," she demanded.
"Fire whom?" I asked.
"Miss Swine. You saw it, she was rude and embarrassed me in front of your mother," Victoria whined.
"Her name is Swan, not Swine. And she didn't embarrass you. You did that yourself when you insulted one of my mother's favorite movies. Besides, since she's Junior's nanny, then Emmett and Rosalie are her bosses, not me." I took my coat from Eleazar.
"Well, at least she's ugly, so Rosalie doesn't have to worry about your brother sleeping with the help." She slipped on the coat that Eleazar held out for her.
I knew she was baiting me, trying to figure out if I found Bella attractive. Victoria, like most women in our social circle, needed to feel reassured that they were better than the others around them. I grew tired of the games and being tested.
"Emmett only has eyes for Rosalie since the day he met her. He, like my father, is deeply in love with his wife and no other female exists. Quite like Eleazar and his wife, Carmen. How is she?" I asked him.
He smiled warmly. "She is doing well, sir. Thank you for asking."
"Well, then tell her to hurry back to work. I'm sure Miss Swan would like to go back home." Victoria slipped without noticing.
"As much as we would all love for Carmen to return; Miss Swan is here for the foreseeable future, Victoria. Rosalie and Junior seem to love her. Alice has also taken a liking to her," I said.
I wisely left out my own feelings. Miss Swan has grown on me and has continuously kept me intrigued. She had a good heart and wasn't shy about standing up to what she felt was right. She was helping Alice in ways I didn't know how. She rightfully called me out for mistreating Alice on New Year's Eve and set me straight. I had been a tyrant to my sister in both frustration and lack of sleep. The fact that I scared Alice made me sick with myself.
After apparently not getting the answer she wanted, Victoria stormed out of the house.
"I apologize on her behalf," I said to Eleazar.
"No need, sir. I know better than to expect manners from a Volturi." Eleazar smirked.
I followed Victoria to her car. She waited for me to open her door for her. I stood a few feet away, not willing to let the woman who kidnapped my nephew drive me anywhere.
"I thought we would take mine. I can have someone drive yours back to your place," I suggested.
She came closer and played with my tie. "Or a better idea, we can skip drinks and go back to my place."
"Not going to happen, Vic." I shook my head.
"Why, cause your mother expects you back home tonight? You're an adult…or is it this ridiculous notion you're still holding on to about saving yourself for marriage. No one waits these days." She laughed then turned serious. "Our dads want it. Oh, and Edward, I'm a woman who knows our world, but that little girl in there never will."
"I don't have romantic feelings for Miss Swan, Victoria," I said.
"Fine, you think about it. Meanwhile, I'm going home to drink and contemplate what to tell Daddy." She turned on her heel and stormed to her car. She looked over her shoulder before opening her door. "By the way, your sister stole my bottle of champagne. I'll send you the bill."
She got in and drove off down the driveway. Da would be upset, but I was relieved to be rid of her. I turned to enter the house only to find Da in the doorway. I got ready to apologize when he glanced at me while lighting up a cigarette.
"Is she right about, Isabella?" he asked.
"That Miss Swan doesn't belong in our world? She's right about that," I answered.
Da watched me closely as he brought a cigarette to his lips.
"Ma is going to have your head if she catches you." I smirked.
He raised an eyebrow and took another puff.
"Worry about your own head boy."
A/N:
A lot of you have been curious as to why Edward is with Victoria, and hopefully, his POV gives you some answers. Yes, Edward is a virgin, there will be more answers to that later on. He has his reasons.
It is also not Victoria's complete fault for not warning Rose. Rose holds responsibility to check food brought/served by others. She got to use to Esme making sure milk wasn't used in anything she would eat.
What do you think of Carlisle plans for Victoria?
Thank you for sharing all your thoughts and love with me.
