A/N: Happy Wednesday. Thank you for your support…from those of you who've stuck around. I know I lost readers because they told me, but if you're still with me, thank you.
SMeyer owns all Twilight characters. No copyright infringement intended.
With nerves….here's your next installment….
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12.
When we pulled up the driveway of the Platte house, I noticed Edward's car in front of the house and saw him sitting on the front porch in one of the fan-backed wicker chairs that I'd purchased for him. They actually lent an air of a southern plantation to the place, and I loved the aesthetic.
Alice wanted to go with more rustic furniture for the front porch, but I was able to persuade her that it would be more welcoming on the back patio due to the view of the mountains. After I described a romantic evening with wine and the fire pit watching a sunset from the Adirondack chairs, she was on board.
I saw Edward rise from the chair, and I could see the look of disdain on his face as Peter parked the car next to Edward's Mercedes SLS AMG…I'd asked Alice what it was, and she'd done the research. The damn thing cost over $200,000. No wonder he always frowned when he climbed into my little CRV.
Peter quickly climbed out and glided around the car, opening my door for me before Edward was off the porch. I wasn't looking forward to the tour with the two of them in the least. I took a deep breath as I climbed out of the car, having batted Peter's hand away as he'd offered it, and I braced myself for the clash of the jealous suitors. It wasn't going to be pretty by anyone's estimation.
"Love, I'd have picked you up. Is something wrong with your car?" Edward asked as he pulled me into his body for a hug. God, it was a pathetic show of machismo, but it was exactly what I expected.
I heard Peter clear his throat, and I pulled…forcefully…away from Edward. "Edward Cullen, this is Peter O'Rourke, your architect. Peter, this is Dr. Edward Cullen. Now, gentlemen, let's go inside and look around," I instructed as I made my way to the front porch without waiting for them. I pulled the keys from my purse and opened the door, waiting for their staring contest on the sidewalk to end.
After the stalemate was acknowledged, the two of them followed me inside. "Okay, knowing you the way I do and seeing the photos from when your grandmother lived here, I went with a more traditional motif. The walls are neutral in color because I thought it was more you than the gold it was originally painted, but I tried to bring in some of the warm elements that your grandmother had in the décor," I explained as I led him through the grand foyer.
The tile in the foyer was black and white marble, and there was a chandelier in the center of the room over a round cherry wood table. To the left was the formal living room in different shades of green and chocolate brown. To the right, was the dining room with the widened doorway which led to the gourmet kitchen. The family room and kitchen area were opened up into a great room, and it was decorated in shades of taupe and coffee. I was quite proud of it, but it remained to be seen whether he liked it or not.
"This is spectacular," Edward commented as he grabbed my hand while we made our way around the kitchen. Aaannnd…the cocky strutting had begun.
"The laundry room was moved from the basement. It's through there, now. The other room is a cook's quarters, should you ever find yourself in need of such a space. Now, let's continue," I remarked as I pointed out various aspects of the room. He seemed to like the large French doors that led to the patio, which made me happy, and then the three of us made our way upstairs.
I was pleased with the staircase, and Edward seemed to notice it right away. "This is beautiful. I remember sliding down this banister as a young boy. Thank you for keeping this intact, love. It seems you do know me as well as I know myself," he commented. I could hear Peter chuckle behind us.
We made our way around the bedrooms upstairs. Peter explained the logic behind absorbing the nursery in the primary master suite, and Edward seemed to like the larger master bath. We continued exploring the upstairs, and when I got to a bedroom that I thought would be perfect for Chelsea, I offered, "Okay, when we designed this room, Alice and I had no idea that your daughter would be here with you, but I think this room would be perfect for her. I'd be happy to work with Chelsea and let her pick out colors and fabrics. It could be my welcome home gift to her," I offered.
The room was two doors down from the bedroom that would be Edward's, and the view of the mountains was spectacular in my opinion. It had a door that opened to the second floor balcony, and I thought a small table for her with some flower boxes would make the space feel more like a terrace in Italy.
"I think that sounds perfect. Well, you two have certainly earned your money. I absolutely love it all, and with the exception of perhaps personalizing this room for Chelsea, I wouldn't change a thing. I truly appreciate everything you've done," Edward offered. I was quite proud of it, and I was very happy that it pleased him.
"Glad you like it. Now, Bella and I are long overdue for a celebratory luncheon, so I'll send you my bill for the final third of my fee. Bella and Alice will forward theirs' soon, I'm sure," Peter commented. I could see the anger on Edward's face, and I knew I had to stop the crazy train before its fires got stoked any further.
Unfortunately, before I could open my mouth, Edward opened his. "Actually, Bella and I are having lunch to discuss some personal issues. I believe my request trumps yours, O'Rourke, because when I spoke with her last night, she mentioned nothing about a luncheon with you. Feel free to leave anytime. I'll take Bella home to pick up her car and we'll pick Jax up from Charlie and Renee's house this evening. Thank you for your hard work. I'll be happy to give you a recommendation anytime you need one," Edward dismissed.
I heard Peter chuckle next to me and then he smiled. "Point goes to you, Cullen. Bella, walk me out," he announced. I moved toward the door, and when I heard Edward walking behind us, I turned around and shot him a look that I hoped would stun him. Apparently, it did because he stopped dead in his tracks.
When Peter and I reached the front door, I felt that I needed to apologize to him. "I'm sorry for all of this, but I do need to clear up some things with him. I'll talk to you tomorrow," I informed him.
"Look, I know the guy still has feelings for you, but I'd never leave you like he did, Bella. Think about Mexico. I think your daughter and I would get along well, and I'm just asking for a chance to get to know her. I'm not the bad guy, you know," he responded. He kissed my cheek and left without further comment. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for "The Interrogation" that I was certain was coming my way.
When I walked into the great room where he was sitting on the chocolate brown/taupe striped microfiber couch, I could tell I wasn't going to be disappointed. "So, Mexico? You two eloping?" he snapped. I wasn't really in the mood for it, but he was just getting started, so I sunk down into the tan leather Queen Anne near the fireplace and waited. He wanted to pitch a fit…I was ready for him.
"No, not eloping. It would be a working vacation for a job that we're going to start after the first of the year. The client wants a Mexican theme and the accessories are very important to her, so it makes sense for me to go to Mexico. He wants to go to get a feel for the architecture, and I need to look for tile. His family has a timeshare down there so he invited us. I haven's said yes or no," I answered.
"WHAT? YOU'RE CONSIDERING THIS?" he shouted. It reverberated off the walls in the house, and I could swear I heard it echo upstairs.
"Slow your roll, Cullen. You need to remember that you left me…without a fucking word, by the way. I understand why, but the fact that you seemed to lose the dexterity in your fingers to dial a mother fucking phone isn't something I've forgotten. Before you get all self-righteous on me, you need to remember the facts, friend," I snapped back. He wasn't going to make me feel guilty about anything. I'd done nothing wrong.
I saw him sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose, which I'd come to know as his signature "I'm getting nowhere" move. I was very fluent in Cullen speak...both verbal and non-verbal.
"I know that, Bella. I kick my own ass every day for that shit. Look, here's what happened. You showed me that article, and I completely lost it. The fact that my daughter might be alive somewhere and I'd been lied to about it was more than I could handle. I went home and pulled up the article again, and I contacted a friend of mine who spoke French. He translated it for me, and I found out that Chelsea was in boarding school in Switzerland. That's where I started.
"When I got there, the term was already out, but Didi had to give them an address to contact her over the summer, and after I convinced them that I was Chelsea's father and I'd sue them for every fucking penny they had, they gave me the last address they had for Didi. It was in France…Nice. I contacted someone who I remembered meeting when Gianna and I were together who knew Didi. He told me that he'd seen her a week earlier at a restaurant near the address I had for her, so I went to France, but she was already gone by the time I arrived. From there, I was sent on a fucking goose chase to Germany, and when I found someone there who knew Finn, they told me he was supposed to meet Didi in Rome. That's how I ended up there. The three of them were about to leave for safari in Africa the next week so I got there just in time," he began. His story fit with what Esme told me, so I didn't open my mouth. I merely nodded that I was listening, and he continued.
"I still had some contacts with the American Consulate in Rome, and they got me in touch with some people at Interpol. I was able to get the accident report from when Gianna was killed, and I found out that Gianna wasn't on her way to her parents' place in the country. She was on her way back to Rome to get on a plane to go for a modeling job in Milan. Didi and Marcus had Chelsea at their house, and when Gianna was killed, they hid Chelsea and claimed she was in the car with Gianna. They knew I'd take her, and they didn't want to give her up because they'd lost Gianna. Anyway, when Marcus took the death so hard and lost all of his money, Didi hunted up Finn and they struck a deal. He would take care of Didi and Chelsea in exchange for adopting Chelsea. Didi lied to the authorities and the adoption went through uncontested. The two of them raised my daughter until she was old enough to go to school, and then they sent her to Switzerland to boarding school.
"Long story short, Didi is in a lot of trouble in Italy for more charges than I can count. Finn took off again, likely for Venezuela, and I was able to prove that Chelsea was my daughter and get her back here with me. I'm sorry that I didn't call you or keep you up-to-date with what was going on, but I could only concentrate on getting my daughter back. I know it was horrible and it was selfish, and I'm very sorry about that. If I could go back and think things through, trust me, I'd have handled it differently.
"After I found out for sure that Gianna was killed in the accident, I finally had to deal with her death. Didi did eventually tell me where she was buried, and I had a scene very much like the one I walked up on when you were at Jacob's graveside. I wish I'd have been smart enough to call you and have you with me to help me get through it, but I'm not smart. I finally got to say good-bye to her, and after a lot of introspection, I felt that I could heal.
"You gave me the example that I used every day when I was over there, Bella. I know that Jacob was the love of your life, but you were able to work through the pain, and I knew that I could too because I needed to be better for you and Jax.
"Gianna is gone, and she's never coming back. I have a gift I never thought I'd have, and it's the fact that my daughter is alive and well. I have more to be thankful for than I ever imagined, and after I figured that out, I couldn't get back here fast enough to you and Jax. I love you both, and I'm just asking you to give me another chance. I believe what you and I have together is special, and I'd be a fool to ever stop pursuing you because I believe, with all of my heart, that you and Jax are meant to be with us. I know you've seen the girls together, and I know you see that they've bonded in a very short time. Please, please, give me another chance," he finished.
I felt the tears come unbidden, and I couldn't stop them. He was so damn sincere that I had to believe him. He had never lied to me, but he'd left, and I had to keep that in mind. I didn't foresee a situation that would take him away from us again, but what the hell did I know?
I also couldn't forget everything he'd done for me with regard to Billy, and how he was still obligated to Lifeflight for the air ambulance that took Billy to Seattle. I knew I needed to buy out that contract because with the shifts he was going to pull at the hospital, he didn't need any additional distractions to keep him from his daughter. They needed time together, and I had the money to make sure he'd have it.
"Give me the name of the person you dealt with at Lifeflight. I'm going to buy out the contract. I have enough money to do it, and with the jobs I have coming up, it won't make a dent in the money I'm going to be making, so I want to take that burden away from you," I announced.
"I already bought it out when I got back. Don't worry about it…it wasn't that big of a deal. So, are you really interested in O'Rourke, or are you just using him to torture me?" he asked cockily.
Ah, there was my arrogant Dr. Fuck-Em-All that I'd missed. With one statement, he let me know that he'd be all right. I could play with Dr. Fuck-Em-All…it was Edward Cullen, new father of an eight-year old daughter, who scared the shit out of me.
I couldn't help but laugh. Of course, Dr. Fuck-Em-All would be affronted by the prospect that I could be interested in anyone other than him. He didn't know that I was still irrevocably, unconditionally, and ultimately in love with him, but I didn't need to turn my hand just yet. Taunting him was going to be delicious fun for me.
"I'm not using Peter. We're business associates. I've developed a very lucrative business with his help, and I don't plan to give that up just because you're back . I've got to look out for my daughter and I only have so much money as a cushion. Since I quit my job at the hospital, I've found a more pleasant way to make money doing something I love. You're just going to have to adjust to that," I answered. That time, it was his turn to laugh.
"I see you've made some changes. I'm very proud of you for that. So, where does that leave us?" he asked. It was a heavy question that I wasn't yet prepared to answer.
"I believe I was promised lunch," I announced quite confidently. He smiled and walked outside to his car, returning with the familiar picnic basket. I walked over to the counter and pulled out a stool and sat down as he unloaded it.
"Well, if I remember correctly, you like turkey and cheddar on croissant. I have my ham and Swiss, and there are chips and pink lemonade. Bon appetite!" he announced as he handed me a sandwich. We ate in comfortable silence, and it was actually nice.
When I got home that night, Alice and Rosalie were sitting on my front porch. Alice and I hadn't hashed out the part she'd played in the whole Halloween night disaster, and I knew Rosalie was pissed off at Edward because she'd voiced her opinion regarding me going to Italy quite vehemently to me when I returned.
I'd called Mom, and she was going to drop Jax off later, so I knew we had a few minutes to hash things out. "Ladies," I greeted.
"Bella, I'm so, so sorry about what happened here yesterday. Look, Edward called me earlier and begged me to pick Jax up and bring her home so he could apologize to her for taking off like he did. I know that I stuck my nose in things when I suggested that you go to Italy in the first place, so I should have left things alone and told him no, but I just couldn't. I mean, I've known him for a while, and I've never heard him so emotional in my life. I know he's heartbroken by what happened, Bella. He was crying on the phone, and I just couldn't tell him no. Then, when he got here, he was on the floor on his knees hugging Jax and kissing her cheeks. He was so hysterical with how sorry he was for everything that had happened that Chelsea actually took his cell phone and called Esme, who was able to get him calmed down before you got home. That's why she was here in the first place.
"He explained to Jax how much he loves her and how sorry he was for not calling her while he was gone, and hell, you know Jax, she was just happy to have her Redward back. She made him promise that he was never going to leave again, and then she hugged him and climbed down from his lap and started playing Barbies with Chelsea. I'm really sorry for my part in it, and I hope you don't hate me. If you want me out, I'll go," Alice confessed rather rapidly.
I looked at Rosalie because I knew my skeptical neighbor had a lot to say. "Mrs. McCarty?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow. She looked like she was about to explode.
"I have one thing I'm going to say and then I'm out of it, and I'll support you on however you want to play this. Four words…I...TOLD…YOU…SO," she annunciated. It was what I expected, actually. She'd warned me about getting hurt by him and I'd disregarded her words. Of course, none of us could have ever foreseen the reason he'd hurt me, but she had been right.
I stood there looking at the two of them, and none of us were without sin, so I decided to forgive Alice's butting in and maybe we could all just move on to a better place. "Alice, from this day forward, you are not to meddle in my personal life. I don't want you to move, and I suppose I can see your fucked-up logic for doing what you did, but from now on, stay out of my personal life. If you can't promise that, then you and I are done being friends and business partners," I demanded.
"May God strike me dead if I ever meddle in your business again," Alice vowed with her right hand in the air. I was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to keep her word because she seemed like a meddler, but I cared too much for her as a friend and partner to hold the grudge. After the day I'd had, I just didn't have it in me.
That night when I went to bed, I was thought about all of the information I'd learned that day and I came to a decision. I hoped Edward was on board with it because I was certain it would benefit us both. Only time would tell.
"No, Memmett, that's cheating. You have to do it this-a-way," Jax scolded. She and Emmett were playing Chutes and Ladders with Chelsea and Alice. Apparently, Emmett was as big a cheat as my daughter, and I could only laugh from the kitchen.
It was the weekend before Thanksgiving, and Edward had been working like a mad man. He'd accepted my idea of Chelsea staying with me when he was on duty because his mother and father were both busy, and I had to take Jax to pre-school every day which was just up the street from Forks Elementary where he'd enrolled Chelsea. We were friends again, but nothing more had transpired between us except for good-bye cheek kisses every now and then. Peter was ecstatic that I hadn't just taken him back and didn't fail to let me know. I'd told him that Edward and I were friends much in the same way he and I were friends, and that news didn't make him quite as happy.
He, Alice, and I were busy working on design ideas for several upcoming jobs and even with my continued reminders that we were just friends he continued to ask me out. I kept it professional because I was in a state of limbo. I loved Edward Cullen, and I knew he loved me, but my heart was still healing from his disappearance so I wasn't able to move forward in the relationship. It was extremely frustrating to both, Peter and Edward, but I wasn't sure what to do about it.
"When's the boy wonder getting home? I'm starving?" Emmett called from the family room. Edward was finishing up a shift and we were all at Platte house. My parents were coming over for the party…a house warming for Edward and Chelsea…and I'd made lasagnas and salad. Rosalie was showing a house and was due to show up at any moment, and Jasper had gotten called into the hospital so we didn't know if he'd show or not.
"He gets off at four," I reminded as I buttered the garlic bread. Everyone had brought gifts for him and Chelsea, and my parents actually offered to help with babysitting Chelsea because my job was busy. Mom said that it wasn't a big deal to pick her up from school on the days I had to stay late, and when Edward took them up on it, I was happy because he was very protective of her. The fact that he trusted my parents with her was remarkable to me.
Chelsea had acclimated to life in Forks. She constantly amazed me with her maturity, but Edward chalked it up to going to boarding school, which pissed him off to the nth degree, and he commented that he'd like to choke his grandfather for sending her there in the first place on more than one occasion.
Esme had speculated that Finn was intending to mold Chelsea into a copy of himself…cool, calm and ruthless…and he would have used her the way he tried to use Edward before he gave up…oh, and got indicted for tax fraud. That pissed Edward off to the point that he broke a vase at his mother's house, and the subject wasn't brought up again.
"Mr. McCarty, you have to slide down the chute when you land on that particular square," I heard Chelsea correct. Alice's ringing laugh told me that Emmett was trying to cheat again, and he wasn't going to get away with it because Chelsea Cullen was very astute. I couldn't help but smile.
"Watch him girls. He's a cheater," I called from the kitchen as I heard the doorbell. Jax jumped up and made a run for it before I could say anything. I heard my parents in the hallway, and I was happy they'd agreed to come to the party. I was actually anxious to show off what Alice and I had done there because my mother had made a comment that had pissed me off about the fact that she didn't realize that I had the mindset for interior design based on the way I dressed.
"Wow, this is beautiful. I had no idea," I heard my mother comment to my father. I wished I had some ipecac to put on her portion of lasagna because a night in the bathroom puking was just what I thought she needed for her comments.
I chose to take the high road, for the sake of the young ears in the room, and I made no remark. As I wrapped the bread in foil, I heard the front door open and I heard Edward call, "Where are my girls?" That had become his standard greeting when we were all together, and Chelsea and Jax raced to the door to find him. He always scooped both of them up and kissed them loudly on the cheeks. I could never help the smile that found its way on my face. He could charm anyone of the fairer sex, as I'd witnessed many times, and his daughter and my daughter weren't immune to his charms any more than any other woman.
He walked into the kitchen where I was making the Italian dressing for the salad and when I got a look at him, only three words came to mind…sexy fucking beast. His hair was messy. He was wearing a pair of very sexy jeans and a button down shirt, and his smile was like sunshine on a cloudy day. I wasn't immune to his charms either.
"Mrs. Black. You look very natural in my kitchen. I'm glad to be home to witness it firsthand," he announced as he set the girls down and pulled me into a hug. I had balsamic vinegar in one hand and olive oil in the other, and I was completely surprised by his actions because he hadn't done anything like that since he'd returned from Italy.
"Kiss her," I heard Chelsea call behind him. Then, of course, Jax got in on the act, and when Emmett and Alice heard it, it became a chant. Before I knew what was happening, his lips met mine, and I was lost in the land of Edward Cullen, yet again. I was a goner and I saw no way back. He had me in his hold, and there wasn't anything in me that wanted out. I was in trouble.
He ended the kiss and looked into my eyes. "We should do more of that, you know. Now, I'm going to shower and change, and I'll set the table," he remarked. I could feel the confidence rolling off him, and I was right there with him. He had me back whether I was ready to admit it or not, and I was once again ready to give him my damaged heart. If he broke it again, there wasn't enough duct tape and super glue in the world to fix it, I was certain.
I heard him go to the sound system and turn it on before he went upstairs, and I heard Lifehouse singing over the speakers. It was a song I loved, "Hanging by a Moment," and I knew exactly what the significance of it was, damn him. The man was evil, and he knew just how to get to me. I should have grabbed my daughter and my keys and left at that moment, but I couldn't. I loved him too much, and it would probably come back to haunt me in the future, but I couldn't stop myself.
I finished the salad dressing and slipped upstairs when everyone was distracted as Jasper arrived. I went to Edward's bedroom and sat on the bed as I heard him in the shower. I chewed my nails, which was something I hadn't done for a long time, and I waited for him to come out.
When the shower was turned off, I steeled myself for the sight I knew I'd be met with …Edward Cullen in nothing but a towel was a magnificent sight to behold. When he walked out, he seemed unfazed to find me sitting on his bed. It was as if he expected it, the jackass.
"Something on your mind?" he asked as he went to his dresser and pulled open a drawer, retrieving a pair of boxers and dropping the towel from his waist. I got a gander at the bitable ass again, and I almost bit off my own tongue.
It was my turn to stun the doctor. "Um, I need you to figure out who can help with Chelsea while Jax and I are in Mexico over the holidays," I announced. I was tired of pussyfooting around the subject, and we needed to come to some sort of a decision with regard to where we were and where we were going. I really needed to know what the kiss in the kitchen meant before I let my heart get too far ahead of my head.
"Oh, that. Well, I'm still on probation, but I'd guess that you can find what you need for the job on the internet, and we can go to Mexico for spring break. By then, I'll be off probation, I fucking hope, and the four of us can rent a house down there," he answered as he walked into the large walk-in closet Alice had insisted on designing for him.
So, he wasn't taking the bait. I was guessing that he wanted me to make a declaration first, and I wanted him to make his intentions known clearly, so I pushed him again. "Um, I actually need to go there before then. I can't just buy textiles off the internet. I need to see the fabrics and the pottery. The job starts the second week of January, so…" I answered.
He came out of his closet in a sweater and jeans, and bare feet. Sexy bare feet, by the way. He walked over to the bed and sat down and then flopped back on it, pulling me with him. "Bella, Bella, Bella. You have a business partner, you know. I believe her name is Alice Brandon, and she has a boyfriend who isn't on probation at the hospital.
"Whitlock has a lot of vacation time stored up, and I'd guess that if you didn't trust her judgment, you'd have never partnered up with her. Alice and Jasper can go to Mexico with your friend Peter and pick out whatever shit some crazy client wants, and if you still want to go to Mexico, the four of us can go when Jax and Chelsea are on spring break.
"You're your own boss, and you can take off when you want," he answered as he pulled me on top of him. I hated that I was so fucking gutless to just be straight with him and I'd never been one to play games because I'd never had to, so I needed to pull up my big girl pants and just be straight with him. I took a deep breath and jumped in.
"Edward, what are we doing? Where are we in this?" I asked as I rested on top of him. I didn't want to move, but I needed answers, and if he didn't get rid of the glazed-over look on his face, I'd have to climb off of him and wait for the blood to begin recirculating to his brain from where it had pooled in his crotch.
I waited and when he didn't answer, I moved to get off of him but he seized my hips and held me in place. "Isabella Marie Swan Black…What are we doing? We're trying to get back to the place we were before I left you without a word to go to Europe. I'm trying to get you to trust that I'm never going to leave you again. I'm trying to get you to see that I love you with my whole, slightly damaged, heart. I'm trying to get you to understand that I can't live without you in my life. My daughter and I need you and your daughter with us. You two are the completion of our family, and I'm waiting for you to come to the realization that I came to the first time I saw you speak with my daughter. It was like a lightning bolt struck me, and I can see the four of us as a family. I'm waiting for you to see it, don't you see that?" he asked.
I was awe-struck by his words. I had nothing to say, so I leaned down and kissed him gently on his lips. When I felt his mouth on mine, I knew what I needed to say to him. He was an arrogant, selfish jackass, but he was what I wanted…what I needed. I broke the kiss and looked deeply into his eyes. He needed to understand how profound my next words were going to be for me. He looked nervous, and that's when I knew I had his attention.
Just then, the timer went off on the oven and signaled that dinner was ready. I moved to get off of him, but he held me in place. "Oh no. You're not running away from this discussion, Miss Passive-Aggressive. Surely someone down there has enough sense to go into the kitchen before the oven starts smoking. You were about to tell me something, and I need to fucking hear it. I know you love us, Bella. I hear it when you talk to my daughter, and I hear it when you talk to me on the phone when I'm at work. Fuck, I walk around this house and I see you in every goddamn room. You love me, goddammit, and you're not going anywhere until you admit it to me. I need to hear it more than I need to breathe or drink water or eat. Nothing in my life means anything if I don't have you in it, don't you see that?" he asked.
"Fine. I love you with everything inside of me. I love Chelsea, and I love you, and I don't know what I'd ever do without the two of you in my life. Jax thinks of you as the closest thing to a father that she'll ever have, but when you left her, fuck Edward, I can't see my little girl hurt like that again. If you're not going to stay around, you need to tell me so we can get away from you. Neither of us will survive that again," I told him as the tears rolled down my face.
He placed his hands on my cheeks and smiled. I saw tears roll down the side of his face toward his temples and I waited. "Bella, honey, I'm not going anywhere ever again. It tore my heart out to leave the two of you, and I was completely wrong the way I did it, but I promise you with everything in me that I'll never, ever do it again. You and Jax are my family…well, mine and Chelsea's. Those girls have bonded, whether you can see it or not, and if we left you, I'd be hurting my daughter as much as I'd be hurting you or Jax. I couldn't do that to any of us. I'm sorry for what I did, and I swear I'll never do it again. Please tell me you believe me. I love you, Bella," he whispered as he pulled me into him and kissed me. The kiss told me everything I needed to know. He loved us, and we were going to be okay. We'd be a family and we'd figure it out. He was mine, and I was his. One kiss never conveyed so much in the history of kisses, I was certain.
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E/N: Thank you for reading.
Till next time…xoxo
