I can't wait until I can stop talking about Tanya.

Chapter Twenty
my girl

Bella

I feel soft lips on the back of my head before he moves away and out of bed. I hear the bathroom door close, and I finally open my eyes. I've been awake for a little over an hour just savoring the feel of Edward holding onto me.

The clock reads six in the morning, and I still feel exhausted, but I would get up at one in the morning to wait for my Maximoose to come home.

I roll out of bed and grab my robe before heading downstairs. I make Edward his own personal cup of coffee and grab a Dr. Pepper for myself. I'm staring inside the fridge when I hear Edward enter the kitchen.

He's in yesterday's clothes, his shoes on his feet, and his hair is bed hair messy and he's honestly never looked better.

"I'm gonna head home and wait for Max," he says, and I nod in understanding.

No way should Edward be here so early in the morning when Tanya drops Max off, and hopefully she is dropping him off soon, like now soon.

"I wonder when she'll come," I say, and he holds up my phone.

"She's on her way supposedly," he says.

I wish the bitch wasn't texting my phone like she knows I'm with Edward twenty-four seven or something.

I grab my phone from him and read her text: I'm bringing Max now. Tell Edward.

I wrap both arms around his waist and hug him tight. His hands are around my shoulders, and I mumble, "I can't promise I won't come out and beat the fucking hell out of her."

He kind of chuckles but doesn't tell me not to.

"Go home," I say to his chest. "And bring my Max over as soon as she's gone."

He squeezes the back of my neck before releasing me, and I instantly miss him.

"I'll bring him, Bella."

He leaves, and I feel anxious like I can't sit still, like I want to see Max home so bad I can't freaking stand it.

I get busy making breakfast for all of us; French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon, but I can't stop running to the living room window to see if Tanya's pulled up. It's not until the bacon's done frying that I hear a car door slam. I tense up, holding the last piece of bacon over the pan to drain the grease.

Don't go out there, Bella.

Don't fucking do it.

I toss the bacon on the plate and wash my hands, drying them on the dish towel hanging from the stove.

I move to the living room and peek out the window. Max is gripping one of Edward's legs, and Tanya is a few feet in front of them waving her arms, her face all twisted and ugly.

She's making a scene in front of my Max, and it pisses me off.

I pull open the front door, leaving it open as I walk barefoot onto the front stoop and all the way to Edward's front yard.

"You're so fucking stupid, Edward. I can't believe I wasted so much of my life with such a fucking worthless asshole."

That bitch!

Tanya's eyes move to me when I make it to Max's side. She watches me gently grab Max's shoulder, and she rolls her eyes. Max looks up at me, and he grins that cute little grin of his, saying, "Bella!" I tilt my head toward the house and smile, and he lets go of Edward and grabs my hand.

"Leave, Tanya," Edward says, and Tanya laughs, so fucking wicked I get the chills.

I didn't plan on staying out here. I only wanted Max away from Tanya's anger and filthy words, but Tanya's next words stop me.

"Don't fucking touch my son."

My son, yeah okay, Tanya.

Her hand is on my arm for only a second before I shake her off and pull Max behind me. His little fingers are gripping the back of my robe, and Edward steps in front of me.

"Max, buddy, go inside and see if Low's awake."

"Okay, daddy," he says quietly, and I hear his little feet move away from me as he races inside the house.

"Why don't you go inside too, Bella. None of this is any of your concern."

"She fucking stays," Edward growls, stepping halfway in front of me like he has to protect me. I can handle myself, thank you very much.

"Whatever, dickhead. Like I said, I'm fighting for Max. I can't have your money, so I'll fight for your son."

Your son.

My stomach plummets even though I'm 110 percent sure no judge in his right mind would ever give Tanya custody of a kid even if it was her own flesh and blood.

"You could try, but you'll fucking lose. He wants nothing to do with you, and you fucking pulling that shit yesterday, taking him from school, it won't happen again. If I have it my way, you'll never even see him again. Now get the fuck out of here."

Edward's voice is full out beast mode. I have never heard him so pissed before, but he has every reason to be.

"I have a good chance of winning. Think of what you'll be losing, all over your precious money."

I laugh, I can't help it, and her eyes snap to mine. I grab onto Edward's arm, saying, "Let's go, Edward."

"Yeah, go, Edward. Go fuck your whore in front of my son."

"Bella," Edward says, voice much more controlled than my deteriorating temper. "Go wait inside," he says, but I shake my head appalled that he's stopping me from ripping Tanya's hair out.

He grabs my arm and tries to drag me across the yard to my own house, but my mind is already made up. I'm going to beat that bitch's ass.

"Bella, don't," he says, his hand tightening on my arm. "She's provoking you on purpose."

I look over my shoulder, and Tanya's smirking like the fucking devil she is.

"I want to fucking kill her," I hiss. "I tried to be good, Edward, I really did, but she can't speak that way about me or Max, and the way she treats you, Edward. Fuck that."

"Bella, the kids are waiting," he reasons his voice real soft in my ear, throwing the only thing out there that would save Tanya's face from being smashed into the ground right now.

I look up at him, and his beautiful eyes are begging me to go inside and not start a full out brawl with his soon to be ex, ex, ex-wife.

Why, Edward? Why must you stop me?

"Bye, Tanya. You can see yourself to your car, hmm?" I say staring into green eyes, and Edward looks relieved that I'm giving in.

Only for him.

"You're fucking pathetic," Tanya sneers, and Edward completely ignores her, his hand gripping my arm for dear life until we're at my closed front door.

I hear a car door slam, and thank God that she's leaving.

"Edward," I say, watching her peel out, "I could have taken her. You don't have to protect me. My God, she deserved to get her ass kicked."

I'm offended, honestly.

"Babe, I know you can take her, but we don't need her to have anything on us. She wanted you to hit her. As much as I want you to give her everything she deserves, Max doesn't need to see that, and she will do anything to fuck with me."

Ohhhh.

"Well, you're much too calm, fella," I say, a little deflated. "I feel like steam is coming out of my ears. Can you believe the nerve of her? I wanted to knock her teeth out and then I wanted her to choke on them."

Edward shakes his head, his lips titled up in a small, mesmerizing grin, and he grabs by hand, saying, "Let's go check on our boy."

Our boy.

Oh Edward, I fucking love you.

…

…

…

Edward

Bella, the kids, and the puppies are all piled into Bella's bed when I get back upstairs. Max is cuddled up right next to Bella, his normal, happy self.

The only thing he said about this whole fucking disaster is that I didn't like going with mommy and she made me eat broccoli.

I don't know how the bitch can force feed my son vegetables like she's mother of the year when she doesn't give one shit about him.

Alice is in the process of making sure this never happens again, and she already made a house call to Judge Yorkie. She thinks I can have temporary full custody by Monday.

After Tanya left, we found Max asleep in Harlow's room, and I fucking swear Bella was about to start bawling her eyes out. I dragged her back downstairs and made her feed me breakfast instead. I get off on the fact that she loves to feed me and take care of me. It makes her that much sexier.

Eat more, Edward.

Come on, fella, one more. I made a shit ton.

And fella, goddamn if that doesn't make me want to kiss the fuck out of her.

I ate my breakfast with Bella sitting next to me, and we didn't say it but I know we were both relieved to have Max back under our roof.

Now to make sure it never happens again.

Bella was mostly quiet, not eating, but complaining I'm sorry, Edward, but I can't believe you married that or Max deserves so much better than that.

She's not wrong, and it kills me that Max has to go through this shit.

"Bubby, stop teasing the puppy. He's going to bite you," Bella says.

Leo points his little finger at Thor, and says, "No bite, Tor."

"Daddy," Max says when he spots me in the doorway, and Harlow jerks her head around to face me. "Bella says we get to go to the tramp place today."

Harlow nods her head, smiling that spoiled grin of hers, and says, "Yeah, Edward, mommy said."

Bella tilts her head to the side and shrugs her shoulders, her own grin matching Harlow's, and I shake my head and move closer to the bed.

I sit at the end, and Harlow jumps in my lap, asking, "So we can go, Edward, right?"

Like I'd fucking tell her no.

"Sure, Low, we can go," I say, and she jumps up screaming, "Yes!" and then, "Pizza, too?"

"I think your mommy is tired of pizza," I lie.

"I am not," Bella says, narrowing her eyes at me.

"See, she's not. So please can we have pizza?"

"Do you want pizza, Max?" I ask, and Bella leans over and whispers into his ear, and his smile is so fucking huge when he says, "I love pizza."

Bella is corrupting my kid, but I don't give a fuck.

"Edwud," Leo says, crawling into my lap. "Me want pizza, too."

"You can have pizza, bubby," I say, and he gives me a slobbery kiss on the cheek.

It doesn't escape me that Max doesn't leave Bella's side the entire day. She stole his heart from the start, and I don't mind, because she stole mine too.