Bella didn't know who to call. Rose and Angela were back home and her assistant was on vacation and Bella wouldn't feel right bothering her with her problems. At times like these she would call upon Jacob, but even he was out of town. So her and Masen found themselves walking around aimlessly, trying to kill time before going back to her apartment where she was sure Edward was.
Masen begins to fuss in her arms and she looks down, seeing him rub his tired eyes. She had no choice but to go home. She turns to go back towards her building and when she lifts her eyes from her son's face, they meet his. His smile is just as dazzling as she remembered it to be and she finds her mouth tugging at the corners, her smile mimicking his.
"Bella Smith. It's been too long." he says once he's reached her.
"Hello, Riley. It has been too long. Long enough that I'm no longer Bella Smith. It's Bella Swan now." she says and the spark that ignites in him is enough to light the whole town.
Riley Jax had been the son of one of Bella's first clients. Back then, he was an 20 year old, scrawny punk living off his Mommy and Daddy's fortune and running amok throughout the city. The years had changed him. In amazing ways.
"Is that so?" she nods in return and he shifts his focus to the baby in her arms. "and who is this little guy?"
"This is my son Masen." It surprises him that Bella has a son and is divorced. Not to mention that the child looks nothing like Bella nor the man she had been married to before. So much has changed for her, but he knows better than to question her. She was a very private person when it came to her personal life.
"Hi Masen. Where are you two headed?"
"Masen is getting a little sleepy. It's passed his nap time, so I was just walking back towards my apartment."
"You live in the city now?" He asks and she nods, telling him the area where her apartment is. "That's kind of far. Would you like a ride there? My driver is right there, I'd be more than happy to have him take you home."
"I couldn't ask you to do that, Riley."
"You're not, I'm asking. Please." he says, holding out his hand. Bella looks back towards where her building is, knowing that it's at least a 30 minute walk, then looks to Riley and nods her head.
"Sure. Thank you."
Edward wandered the city for hours after leaving Tanya's hotel room. He knew what he had to do but he had to speak to Bella. He had to see if there was a chance for them. Just as the sun started to set, he found himself outside her building where he promptly took a seat on the bench and waited. His calls to her had gone unanswered and the doorman wouldn't let him up to her apartment so this was the only way.
Elbows on his knees, head in his hands, he waited. The slamming of a car door captured his attention and he jerked his head up at the sound, looking over at the sleek, expensive car that had just pulled up. The driver stood at the back door, opening it wide and thinking it was just another hot shot on his way up to his penthouse apartment, Edward almost looked away, but then he caught the flash of bronze hair.
Bella got out, Masen in her arms and then leaned back in through the opened door. Anger coursed through him as he watched her lips attach to the mystery man's cheek before pulling back. She smiled at them as the driver tipped his hat, and closed the door shut. Edward stood in the shadows, watching the car slowly pull away and Bella waving goodbye and once it was out of sight and Bella started walking towards the door, he walked into view.
"Edward!" Bella jumped, "What are you doing? You scared the hell out of me!"
"Who the fuck was that, Bella?" he found himself seething at her.
"Who do you think you are to be talking to me like that?" she asked, eyes narrowed as her heart began to beat harder and faster in her chest. She couldn't believe the nerve of this man.
"Who am I? I'm the father of your child, Bella, and I asked you a question. Who. The. Fuck. Was. That?"
Bella huffs, then pushes past him and walks up to the door. "You're the father of my child, Edward. You're not my father, my mother or my fiance. You have one of those already, remember?" She says, stinging him with the reality of their situation, then walks into the lobby. He follows her, grabbing her arm and turning her towards him.
"Bella, I... I'm sorry, it's just..."
"What, Edward? What do you want from me?" she says, eyes beginning to gloss over from tears.
"I want Masen. I want... I want to know that there's a chance. For us." his eyes plead, but hers blaze.
"I will never keep you from Masen ever again, Edward. He needs his father and I will never keep him from having one. But you're engaged. The look on her face when she saw us today... I know that feeling and I never want to be the cause of that." she says, tears finally spilling over. "You will still be Masen's father and I want you to be around as much as you want to be... but don't break someone's heart because of me."
She turns to walk away, and this time, Edward lets her go.
Tanya sits on the couch, wedding planning binder in her lap. It's just after midnight and she's starting to worry that her speech this afternoon didn't work as well as she had planned. Just then, headlights flash across the room from the window and she hears the garage door open, signaling Edward's return. Setting the binder on the coffee table, Tanya rushes off to the bedroom, jumping into bed and pulling out the eye drops from the nightstand and quickly dropping some in her eyes. She hears the door open outside and places the drops back in the drawer and lays back, eyes on the bedroom door.
"Tan. I'm home."
"Edward... I didn't hear you come in." she says, rubbing her eyes to make it seem as if she'd actually been crying and adding a sniffle or two as well to really sell it.
"Have you been crying?" he asks, flicking on the bedroom light.
"I'm sorry, it's just..." she starts, but in an instant he's at her side and his arms are wrapped around her.
"I'm sorry, Tanya. I'm so sorry." he says, reaching his hands up to her face and wiping away the wetness.
"Are you... Are you back for good?" she asks, adding a hiccup in the middle for a little extra oomph, but he goes for it. Nodding his head and leaning down to kiss her forehead, he whispers yes.
Minutes pass with her wrapped in his arms but soon, it's not enough. She pulls back and looks into his eyes.
"Make love to me, Edward." and he does.
But like the many times before, he doesn't see her. He sees brown hair where it should be blonde. He sees porcelain skin where it should be tan.
He sees Bella.
The following morning, Tanya works in the kitchen with a smile on her face. Normally she didn't do breakfast; usually leaving Edward to buy or make his own meal, but after the night they shared, she figured he deserved something.
They had talked last night after sharing themselves with one another. He had told her what had happened when he saw her after he left the hotel. With the information he gave her, she knew just how to play this so that by her wedding day, that woman and her kid would be out of their lives for good.
"Morning." Edward greets he walks into the kitchen.
"Morning, Handsome." she says, directing him to a seat and leaning over to pour eggs on his plate.
They eat in silence and once he's finished, she takes his plate to the sink. He finishes getting ready and then comes back to her to kiss her goodbye.
"Edward, I was thinking." she says once she realizes he's in the room with her. She stops the water on the sink and turns towards him, smile plastered on her face. "I think I should meet Bella and Masen."
This story got over 5,000 hits yesterday and 30 or so of you put this on your favorites or on story alert. Thank you!
Next chapter should be up on Friday. I'll see you then!
xoxo Ana