AN: In light of crossing 600 reviews, you get the next chapter today. Enjoy.
THE MAFIA MISTRESS.
Chapter Thirteen: The Day of Chance and Change.
Edward's POV.
Judge me not for my sins and errors. Love me not for my smile or charm. Save me not for my soul or my worth.
With a heavy mind, I held Bella was we returned to her room. Matthew had already curled himself up onto the bed; hugging Bella's pillow with her ever watchful cat and very mischievous dog as company. Truly it was a heartwarming sight. Silently, Bella pulled away from me and made her way over to the sleeping child. With a shaky hand, she moved his hair away from his face before she leaned down to kiss him on his forehead. It was only when she pulled back that I saw the tears that had begun to fall.
Wordlessly and without invitation, I walked over and quickly pulled her into my chest. I knew the meeting had been hard on her but there was no way to prevent Tanya's death. It was one thing to say you wanted a person dead but to have it stare at you; to know that the woman who gave you your son was going to die….well it was a hard pill to swallow.
After Isabella had calmed down, she made her was to her dresser and pulled out some clothing before locking herself into the bathroom. Her cries broke free before she even turned on the water.
Sighing loudly, I lowered myself onto the bed. Things were not adding up. Things did not feel right. I did not know what to do or who to turn to and there was nothing a Don hated more than feeling powerless.
I stayed with my shoulders hunched and my head bowed as Isabella reentered to the room. I felt the bed shift and then I felt her hands gently rubbing my shoulders.
"Coming to bed?" She asked softly; her hands never stilling their movement.
My only response was a hum of sheer pleasure; pleasure in knowing that my son was safe and pleasure in knowing that through the sheer simplicity and innocence of her actions, I was falling in love with one Isabella Marie Swan.
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The early morning beams of light that peeked through the curtains successfully pulled me from my slumber. Bella was curled at my side; her back pressed against my chest. Some time during the night, she had pulled Matthew into her own arms and that was where he lay, merrily sucking on his thumb. My heart warmed at the sight but quickly plummeted into the deepest abyss when I saw the time.
Pulling myself from the warmth and comfort of that bed had been hard. I felt like a child's whose favorite toy had been taken. I wanted to turn and slip into the covers once more and bury myself in their scents and just close my eyes and fall back to sleep but I could not because I knew my father would be waiting.
Quickly, I ran into my office and pulled the velvet box from my safe. I had this piece of jewelry for so long that I had almost forgotten about it. I never saw it fit to give anyone this solely because of the rarity of the stone but it had occurred to me during the night when I held Isabella in my arms, that she was the one to receive this gift.
Smiling to myself, I made a quick stop at the lily garden my mother insisted on having. With the lily and box securely in my position, I made my way back to the room where my most precious of possessions were.
Bending down, I kissed them both on their foreheads before placing the gift I had for Isabella on her vanity with the lily.
"Edward," Isabella called as I slipped on my jacket.
"Shh." I cooed as I sat next to her. "I'm here." I said as I took one of her hands in mine and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"Are you leaving already?" She asked softly; her voice thick with sleep yet melodious and beautiful.
"Yes." I murmured as I allowed my thumb to caress her cheek. "I have to meet my father." I said softly.
"Oh." She answered. "When will I see you again?"
"Some time today." I replied. "Why don't you go back to sleep?" I said as her eyes drooped.
"Okay. Promise me you'll be okay." She said holding onto my hand.
"I promise you that." I said as I lowered my head onto her hands holding on for dear life.
Several minutes had passed before I let go of her hands and by then she had fallen back to sleep. Kissing her forehead again I left the room but not before ensuring that the guards were present.
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My father sat stoically by the window. He made no sound or movement as I entered. Jasper and Emmett were locked in what seemed to be a heated debate and I had neither the want or need to hear what they were saying.
"Good morning, father." I said with a slight bow of my head. "Jasper. Emmett." I acknowledged.
"My son." My father said as if my words had brought him back from a distant land.
"Edward, father, I think there is something you need to know." Jasper said as Emmett shook his head.
"What's the point?" Emmett quipped. "She's still dying."
"Still Emmett. Things are not going to be pretty." Jasper rebutted before standing and approaching us with two files; two very official files.
"A friend of mine was able to pull all the information on Agent Forrester. Apparently he no longer works for the feds. He was fired after his Mafia obsession started. Bella was right when she said she met his before. He was one of the agents who was working on the case that they had been building against the Kings. In retaliation to the digging the Feds were doing, the Kings had his entire family killed; the family that consisted of his wife and three children."
"Poor man." My father murmured in sympathy.
"After their deaths, he went on a rampage, trying to hit any crime family he could. When he approached Isabella….. that was when he was fired. His superiors saw what she saw. He had a vendetta and like Isabella said, the Feds could not allow for any mistakes."
"But that still doesn't explain why the Feds pulled the case." I interjected.
"Our guy was lying. The case is alive and well. It seems that our little stitch is in league with Forrester. After doing some background checks and a little family tree search, I have discovered that Santiago is a direct descendant of one Aro Volturi."
"So what are they playing at?" I asked again not liking where my mind was taking me.
"This is their attempt at starting a Mafia war." My father murmured as he closed his eyes.
"Exactly. They are trying to pit everyone against each other and then when the numbers have dwindled, Santiago will swoop in with the Feds and take out the heads."
"All the little fish would be dead so the big fish would have to do the dirty work." I murmured.
"And then we'll get caught with our hand in the cookie jar." My father completed.
"So how do we play through this mine field?" Emmett asked as he looked between my father and myself.
"Have you called the Russians?" I asked Jasper as he fiddled with his phone.
"Yes and they have called off their guy. Instead they are looking for Forrester. They said that they'll let us know what they find."
"I don't know if you just don't want to know the answer to that question or if you just haven't thought to ask it." My father said as he looked at me.
"And what question is that?" I asked as I ran my fingers through my very unruly hair.
"What was Tanya's role in all this? And did she really just squeal on us under the belief that Forrester worked for the Feds?"
"And the answer to that Jasper is…." I said turning to Jasper who had just taken on a sickly pale color.
"You are not going to like it." He commented as he shook his head. "She knew who they were and what they were doing. She was the one who found Forrester and she was the one who turned to Santiago. She knew what was going on from the very beginning. Tanya wanted this war to start then she could disappear and no one would look."
"Damn it." I sighed.
"The seating members of Il Trono will be here at the end of the week. These three did not just make an attempt on our family but the entire organization. They need to be dealt with. I should also let you know that none of the heads are angry at you. They offer their sympathies to you and some even their empathy. You are not the first one whose wife has betrayed him nor will you be the last." My father said offering me the comfort only he could give.
"So what do we do now?" Emmett asked as he crossed his legs, resting his right ankle on his left knee.
"We wait for Il Trono to act." My father shrugged. "Tanya will need to be detained and Santiago has to be brought in. I will contact the Russian Signore del Sangue and ensure that they leave Forrester alive so that we could deal with him accordingly."
"Is that…" I started to say before the doors flew up the reveal a panicked guard.
"Masters. Come quickly. It's the Prince." He said.
As soon as we heard the word prince, we all pulled out our guns and started running down the corridor.
"Where?" I shouted from the front.
"The dining room, Master Cullen." The guard responded.
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The sight that greeted me on entering the dining room was horrific. I felt the air leave me as my eyes desperately searched for my son.
"Matthew." I cried out as I saw him limp in Bella arms.
"What happened?" I asked as I hurried over to them.
"Tanya…." She stuttered out; her eyes wide with fright and her body shaking life a leaf.
"What did you do?" I roared, turning on the restrained woman. "Answer me Tanya, what did you do to my son?"
"Nothing." She squeaked out most likely seeing the anger that raged on inside me.
"Don't lie to me. I have no patience with you today." I said coldly as she quivered in fear.
"I'll tell you what happened, Edward," Rosalie growled from she was being held by Emmett. "We were having breakfast. Matthew was seated in Bella's lap eating of her plate. He was actually pointing to what he wanted to eat. It was nice seeing him so open to eating his food. Alice piped up about how Matthew's birthday was coming up and that she wanted to get started on planning the party but that she did not know what theme to use. Bella then suggested a carnival theme and that we could invite the children of the men who work with us. She said it would be nice for Matthew to have some friends. Mum squealed like a little girl and ran out the room to return with address books and directories so we could start planning. We were so into it that we had apparently been a little neglectful of Matthew and he wanted Bella. So he called for her but he didn't say La."
"What did he say?" I asked.
"He said Ma. Shocked we all turned to him thinking that he had mixed up his words or something but then he called her ma again and again until he was almost screaming the word. Tanya was furious and before any of us could get to Matthew, she had him in her arms and shaking him like a rag doll. She was screaming at him; telling him she was his mother and then she stopped. I remember her eyes widen when she realized what she had done and then she just dropped him. Bella caught him but then he started to seize."
"Jasper, is he alright?" I asked not turning away from Tanya.
"He'll be fine. I do want to get him checked out at the hospital though." He said as I could hear him rummage about in his bag. "Isabella will need some stitches as well."
"How did you get that, my dear?" I heard my father ask Bella softly
"When I lunged to catch Matthew, I hit my elbow on the ground." She murmured.
"Jasper, head over to the hospital with Isabella and Matthew. Emmett, send them with security. Seth, you know where to carry her." I said as I nodded my head in Tanya's direction.
"Is that all you all you going to do?" My mother shrieked. "She grabbed your son. She shook your son. Your son had a seizure because of her."
"I can't do anything. My hands are tied by both oath and the simple fact that she is a woman."
"Well maybe you can't but I can." And before I had time to process what my mother had said, I looked on as my mother grabbed a guard's gun and with the precision and accuracy that my father taught her, I looked on as she delivered one shot hitting Tanya directly on her forehead.
The chaos that ensued was expected. The women scream. My father rushed forward and pulled the gun from my mother's hand. I could here the steel sheeting being lowered to prevent anyone from seeing into the room but what shocked me the most was what I felt.
And I felt free.