I do not own Twilight, Stephanie Meyer does.
Ok, sorry it took a while to get this one out but I was a bit distracted by other stuff going on. Not to mention that this chapter is a bit of a roller coaster. So be prepared.
A special curtsey goes out to those who reviewed and commented on Ch 20. You guys make me smile!
Oh, and I reference a cookie in here which is absolute heaven. I'll post the recipe on my blog.
Enjoy!
BPOV
When Edward and Felix showed up at my door, I didn't know what to think. Part of me was excited to see them again, another part of me was slightly concerned that Edward would show up to my place unannounced with his family lawyer, and still another part wished I hadn't just taken off my bra. But after the conversation started, I completely forgot about that. Not only was James Victoria's son, but James was in town. He was here. The panic hit me so strongly, I couldn't help but become sick. Even my stomach wanted to flee! Kneeling there on the cold tile floor of my bathroom, I hung my head and tried to assess what my real feelings were about the situation. I was physically weak from vomiting, shaking, and exhausted so if anything, this was my weakest point. My brain knew that Edward and I were in love with each other and were committed. But with James so close now, would I be crippled again? I tried to put everything out of my mind and see where my heart led me. All I saw and all I felt was Edward. Edward had helped me trust and love again. And there was nothing that either Victoria or James could do to shake that now. God, Victoria was such a bitch. She just seemed so desperate, like she would stop at nothing to hurt the Cullens. But I felt aligned with them now. I wouldn't let Victoria win and I couldn't imagine leaving Edward. The bitch was going down.
I checked myself out in the mirror and I looked horrible, but I cleaned myself up as best as possible. I hated vomiting. The weird feeling, taste, and smell stayed with you for ever and I just hated the way it made me feel. I decided to blame Victoria. Why not? Add it to the list. I brushed my teeth, gargled, and rinsed my sinuses with saline spray. Much better. Time to face Edward and Felix. I hoped Edward wasn't hurt by my losing it for a bit back there. I didn't want him to think that I wasn't confident in our feelings for one another. I needed to show him that I was in it for the long haul so I walked out of the bathroom with the strongest expression I could manage considering I had just lost my dinner.
"Well this is bullshit, I'm not leaving. What do we do?" Felix looked proud of me which I was glad for. I was beginning to really like Felix, even more now that I knew of his dedication to the Cullen family and to Edward. He was a good man. Edward looked relieved. I hated that I put him through so much worry. It showed me that he cared, but I still couldn't stand the thought that I was responsible for his stress. I had to work on my coping skills.
I didn't have the faintest idea about what to do about Victoria and James now. Do we even do anything? Did we have options? I mean, you can't exactly have people removed from an area just because you seriously dislike them. Law enforcement wouldn't… wait. Law enforcement. Charlie.
Edward and Felix were discussing something but I didn't hear a word. I thought I might just have a secret weapon here – an angry and protective father with connections. Getting Charlie involved would possibly do a one stone, three birds thing. It could help us get rid of Victoria, James, and bring Charlie and Edward closer together. The last part was the most important part to me, honestly. Edward was in my life now and would be for the foreseeable future. It would be fantastic if I could get them to coexist peacefully. Let's see what the boys have to say about this.
"Charlie." They both looked at me confused and I didn't blame them. I had a tendency to conduct an internal discussion and then just blurt out one or two words that would make perfect sense to someone had they been let in on the secret conversation. I continued.
"Charlie has connections in Phoenix and has been dying to go after James. If we let him know James has come here to cause trouble…" I could see the wheels were turning in both Edward and Felix's heads. Great minds at work! It was a beautiful thing. Edward looked lost in thought but a smile started to cross his face. Felix was the first to speak.
"Then maybe Charlie might be able to nail him for something. Bella, does James have a criminal record or anything like that?" Anything was possible with James and I wouldn't put it past him.
"Honestly, Felix, I don't know for sure. But it wouldn't surprise me. Guys, I think Charlie needs to hear this from all of us, by the way, not just me. It could be serious damage control for you as well when it comes to you and Charlie, Edward." Edward nodded. He looked apprehensive but I could tell he knew it was something he needed to do. Felix got up from the recliner and returned the empty bottle of beer to the kitchen.
"Ok, kids, I'm off to see what I can find out about this guy. We should meet up tomorrow morning to organize ourselves before we approach Chief Swan. My guys will find something. Don't worry." I liked Felix more every time he spoke.
"Thanks, Felix. The diner at 10am?" Edward and Felix hugged goodbye and I felt very safe. I was in good hands with these guys. In good hands with my Edward. After Felix left, Edward turned back to me with a cautious look on his face.
"Bella, are you ok with this?" I was so sure of this. I have been dying to get rid of this hold James had on me. If this worked, I would be rid of James, Edward and the Cullens would be rid of Victoria, and Charlie wouldn't be Bitter Bob anymore. I had so much hope and relief inside that I took the few steps to Edward, wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled him into a long deep kiss. One hand reached into his hair which I couldn't help but take a hold of while the other ran back down his chest and around his waist to pull him closer to me. I whimpered into his mouth when his arms started to wrap around me and I leaned my body against his to feel closer still. He broke the kiss to look in my eyes and was smiling that sexy as hell smile of his.
"So, I take it you're on board with all of this? Hm?" He ran his hands up and down my sides, then massaged my lower back all the while holding me firmly against his hips. Man, the things I wanted to do to this man. Well, to be completely honest about my selfishness, oh the things I wanted him to do to me.
"Yup. I'm so on board with this, you have no idea. But I don't want to think about them anymore. I want to think about you. You have no idea what you've done for me, Edward. How you've helped me. I couldn't imagine getting to this place without you. I hope you know that." And it was true. He had shown me what a real man was capable of and I was thankful for it. He took my face gently in his hands and kissed me gently on the forehead.
"Bella, you make me what I am. I can only hope that I'm able to give you everything you need. I'll do everything I can to keep you safe." Oh hell. Was he kidding me with this? He was in serious danger of being mauled at this moment. I ran my fingernails down his back lightly over his shirt making him take a deep breath in and close his eyes. Yeah, that shirt was in my way.
"What I need right now," I started unbuttoning his shirt slowly not shifting my gaze from his, "is no more talking." Grabbing the collar of his shirt, I pulled him toward me and kissed him like never before. I don't think I'd every been this forceful with Edward but there was just so much adrenaline shooting through me from tonight's revelations. Thankfully, he didn't seem to mind. In fact, I think he really liked it because he practically growled into my mouth, pulled my body into his hips, and wound my hair around his hand using that to hold me still. I finished removing his shirt, and moved onto his jeans. Holy shit, I had forgotten that he had gone commando tonight. So perfect. I ran my hand over his jeans and his very obvious erection gently at first but he swiveled his hips for more force. He was practically bursting out of his pants. One button at a time, I released him from his jeans and was able to hold all of him in my hands. He broke the kiss, breathless, and whimpered.
"Jesus, Bella. Yes… please." He was beautiful. I circled him with my hand lightly while watching his face, increasing my pressure and starting to stroke him. His eyes burned into mine with a different intensity than I'd seen before. Keeping our eyes locked, I started to kneel in front of him. He started to protest but stopped once he felt my breath on his skin. While slowly massaging him, I ran the tip of my tongue from the base of his cock to the head, swirled around it, flicked it gently with my tongue, and then took as much of him into my mouth as I could. The sound that came out of his mouth was just gorgeous. I kept a slow but firm rhythm taking frequent breaks to kiss and nibble where I could. Next thing I knew, Edward was pulling me up to standing and snatched my tank top over my head. He nudged my pajama bottoms and undies down past my hips then lifted me up so I had my legs wrapped around his waist. My center was directly aligned with his cock and I found myself grinding against it.
"Shit, Bella, I love how wet you get for me." It was true. I never got that wet with anyone before. It was like my body was sending a personalized engraved invitation to him. He walked me to the closest surface available which happened to be my brand new dining room table, and tossed aside the chair that was in his way. Shit, I loved this side of him. Up until now, every experience we had had with each other had been like we were worshipping each other. This wasn't exactly worshipping. This was urgent and almost primal. In other words, it was fucking awesome. My mail which had been on the table went flying and I could hear Walter take off to some other part of the apartment for safety. Edward attacked my mouth with his again, one hand was behind my neck and the other drifting from my collarbone down my chest and brushing over my breast. Once there, he trailed his lips down my throat to the spot between my breasts and nibbled the skin all the way down. That sent shivers through me that he could feel as he held me. He licked one of my nipples quickly, then circled it with his tongue to tease me. I brought my hand into his hair and took some into my fist. At this, Edward broke his lips from me, chuckled lightly, and then took my breast into his mouth sucking and grazing his teeth across the surface of the nipple. He knew that drove me crazy and I couldn't stifle a loud gasp. I leaned back more resting my hands on the table behind me allowing Edward greater access. His intensity seemed to change and grow deeper and I was guided by it as well. We were moving together without looking at each other. Our breathing was synchronized and deep. By this time, he had one hand behind my back while resting his forehead on my chest and the other around my waist scooting me toward the edge of the table. He slowly lifted his head so his cheek was to mine, I could feel his whispering breath on my ear.
"Are you mine, Bella? Tell me you're mine, honey…" Oh man, shivers again. The sound of his voice, the sound of how lost he was in this moment sent a shock through my lower belly. This was the unfiltered and uncensored Edward I was seeing now and I loved it. I nodded slightly and whispered as well.
"Yes… yours… I belong to you, love, take me." He slid the tip of his cock up and down my pussy and we both moaned at the contact. It was a painfully slow build-up but neither of us wanted to rush through any of this. It was beautiful torture. He moved to work on my other nipple, the sensory overload was immense and I instinctively dug my fingernails into the flesh of his back to pull him closer still. He took in a deep breath with a hiss and then trailed the tip of his tongue from my breast to my chin, finally looking me In the eye. His cock was now circling firmly around my clit and my vision was clouding.
"Do that again, Bella." Do what? The nails? Really? Because I didn't mean to do that, but hey. Give the man what he wants. I ran the palms of my hands over his back finally sinking close to his waist and dug in my fingernails in time with his teasing of my center. His face sank into the scoop between my shoulder and my neck, I could feel the pace of his breath quicken. Then I felt his tongue on my neck gliding up my neck. He stopped right over the pulse of my carotid and sucked the skin into his mouth and between his teeth. Shit, the feeling was intense! I think I now understood the whole nails thing. The excitement of the moment, the burning between my legs, feeling his hands all over me, and now this pain was incredible. I could have cum right then and I could only handle so much before I thought I would burst.
"Edward, yes… please!" He chuckled deeply again into my ear and then gently sucked my ear lobe into his mouth. Holy crap, my toes curled with that one.
"Mmm, you taste so… good. Mine." He entered me with one firm thrust and I thought I would split in half. More pain, but it felt so good to be filled like this. He was so strong, so in control, and I trusted him 100%. I knew he would never do anything to hurt me really and I relished the feeling of having him deep inside. He pulled out almost entirely and thrust deeply again. Holy shit, yeah. That was the ticket.
"Yes, Edward. Edw… yeah, like that. Honey, hon… oh, harder, Edward." He let out a loud whimper before he whispered in my ear.
"That's my girl." And with that, his thrusts came harder and faster. The table was definitely being broken in, that's for sure. I used my legs that were wrapped around his waist to encourage him as I rocked my hips forward each time to meet his. Just then, Edward slipped his hands under my thighs and lifted me from the table. Holy shit, I was in the air. I was having sex in the air. Not that I was complaining, but I gave him a questioning look.
"Table… moving… fuck, Bella…" Ok, I think I knew what he meant by that but It really didn't matter to me as long as he stayed inside of me for as long as possible. Next thing I knew, I was on the kitchen counter which was the next closest flat surface. He plunged into me hard and deep the instant my body made contact with the granite. Holy shit, it burned! My skin was so flushed that it felt like it was on fire when it touched the ice cold granite but it just added to the intensity of every other sensation I was feeling at the moment. I also loved the fact that the shade of the kitchen window was still pulled all the way open. I had officially lost every inhibition I had. Like ever. All gone. I never trusted anyone enough to do this kind of thing with. I always felt like my guard was up, like I had to portray a certain persona all the time. But not now. Now was liberating and real. And not that the other times with Edward weren't. They were all beautiful, meaningful, and unforgettable. This, however, was reckless abandon. And it was intoxicating. But Edward wasn't satisfied with this location either, supporting me under my thighs and carrying me into the bedroom. I didn't care, it just meant I got to have sex in the air again. Now that was a trip. This was also where Walter had tried to hide so we heard him scamper past us into the front room after we invaded his sanctuary. Edward set me down on the mattress but guided me back so I was sitting up against the headboard. Thank goodness it was padded. He crept closer to me with a hungry look in his eye and ran his hands up and down my legs gently.
"So soft." He whispered and then leaned in for a deep kiss. His forehead then pressed against mine as he gently brushed his hands over my belly and hips.
"So beautiful." Edward leaned in for another kiss that was still deep but slower and much more sensual. One of his hands guided him to my entrance while the other brought my hand to his hip.
"The greatest gift." Heavenly heavens. He wanted me to pull him into me. I immediately brought my other hand to his other hip and pulled him to me without a second thought. It felt like electricity in my belly. Our pace quickened and his thrusts came harder. He lifted me up so I sat on the tops of his thighs while he pinned me to the headboard of my bed. I was so close I didn't know how much longer I could hold out.
"Bella, I need you. Now, honey." Thank God. All I could do was let out a breathy sigh and nod in agreement. He brought his hand to my clit and used two fingers to slide and dig down on either side of it. That made me cry out loudly and I dug my fingers into the flesh of his arms. The burning heat collided with overwhelming pleasure and I could feel myself clamp down on his cock to keep him inside while I started to moan out my orgasm. He then rubbed furiously on my clit making the wave hit again and even more forcefully. I couldn't do anything else but gasp and let out a strangled whimper at that, it was so unexpected and mind blowing. He followed immediately with a loud moan and strongly thrust into me a few more times, pushing as deeply as possible. We stayed locked in the position for a few seconds unwilling to move and lose this connection. Finally we started to relax but we remained joined. I found his gaze and realized we had the same expression – bewilderment. Even my internal monologue was speechless. Neither of us spoke for a couple minutes, we just held each other as close as possible and he lowered us to lay down on the bed. I took his hand and placed it on my chest so he could feel what he had done to my heart. Edward smiled and lowered his head, pressing his ear to my chest to listen as well.
"Mmm, the most precious thing." I ran my fingers through his hair and felt his breath slowly even out on my skin. His fingers traced patterns on my hip bone and occasionally ghosted across my lower belly. He lifted up so his face was even with mine and placed a gentle kiss on my lips, nuzzling my nose with his. There really wasn't anything either of us could say at this moment. Words would have broken the spell, it seemed. We were connected at a level much deeper than that at that moment and we both knew it. Sleep came fast for both of us and I relished in the closeness we maintained. This was my heaven and there was nothing anyone could do to take that away from me.
EPOV
I awoke in Bella's bed with my head resting on her breast, my hand gripping her hip bone. It was such a wonderful way to wake up, honestly. The more I woke up, the more I remembered from last night. Holy shit. Where did that come from? I had never seen Bella so passionate and so… balls out, pardon the expression. Believe me, I'm not complaining because that sort of thing takes confidence in yourself and trust in the other person. And she rocked that shit. I was so proud of her and personally honored that she trusted me in that way. I certainly hadn't been with anyone who I felt close enough with to let that side of me out. I guess I hadn't trusted anyone as much either. Bella was teaching me so much without knowing it. I didn't think I could be more dedicated to this woman, but she proved me wrong again. Oh and revelation of the day: Bella likes it rough sometimes. When her fingernails dug into me like that, I almost wept in sheer joy. I felt like a little boy at Christmas. That might make me a bit freaky but I couldn't help it. A little pain never hurt anyone and I definitely got off on it. Apparently, so did she, but I would always let her guide me there. As much as I would like to explore that side of our physical relationship, I don't think either of us was ready for that yet. Not with everything that was going on, at least. Oh great, now I remember what was going on outside our little refuge. Yet another uphill battle for us to engage in. This time, at least, we were doing it together. And we had Felix, couldn't forget him. The question now became how to approach Charlie. Ideas were swimming in my head with their possible implications for our future. There was just too much. We needed to meet with Felix and sort through everything over breakfast. Yeah, food always made things better. Oh, the pancakes at the diner were calling my name. Pancakes, eggs, and a small slice of ham. Invoking Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent Dale Cooper, "Nothing quite beats the taste sensation when maple syrup collides with ham." Coop was right, it was a beautiful thing.
"Edward, what's wrong?" Did I say something out loud? I didn't think I did, at least. Damn, I woke her up. She must be exhausted.
"I'm sorry, Bella, did I wake you up?" I looked up to see her eyes still clouded with sleep.
"Not really. But your forehead was wrinkling and you were clenching your jaw. That means you're thinking about something that's not pleasant. So spill." Remind me never to play poker with her.
"No, I was just thinking about Felix and our breakfast meeting. Then I was thinking about breakfast itself…" I lifted myself up and smiled into her gorgeous first-thing-in-the-morning face. She was an angel. My angel brushed her fingers down my cheek and smiled back at me.
"Oooh, brekkie! Pancakes sound good, don't they? Pancakes and some sort of pork product. And eggs. And toast. I'm a hungry, hungry hippo, Edward. Hungry, I say!" She could always make me laugh even when she wasn't fully awake. Simply amazing. I buried my face in her neck as I laughed and she dug her fingers into my sides to tickle me which only made me laugh harder. Damn, my tickle spots! Her laughter joined mine and we turned into a pair of grade school children.
"I love hearing you laugh, Edward. I love seeing you happy." She smiled widely as she ran her fingers through my hair.
"Well, it's your doing, Miss Swan. And plan to see it for the foreseeable future. Pencil me into your appointment book."
"Already done, Mr Cullen. And entered in ink." I wrapped my arms around her and rolled her on top of me. Her legs straddled my hips as she bent down to kiss me deeply, her hands memorizing my chest, and her hair brushing over my face. There was that sensory overload again.
"We have some time before we meet up with Felix, right?" She said amid butterfly kisses on my neck. How did I become so fortunate?
"We always have time, Bella. But what exactly did you have in mind?" I know I was teasing a bit, but I wanted to hear her say it. She didn't have to say it, however, because she brushed her center up the length of my cock and then proceeded to grind against me. A devious smile crept over her angelic face.
"Well, Isabella Swan, I never!" She let out the cutest play-maniacal laugh, something along the lines of the Count from Sesame Street. The many sides of Bella Swan.
Bella and I made it to the diner before Felix did and claimed a booth. Bella looked calm but I could tell by the way she carried herself that she was apprehensive about the meeting. I reached my arm around her shoulder and pulled her into my side, kissing her at her temple. The tapping of her fingertips on the table slowed and I noticed her taking a couple deep breaths to calm herself. Where was Felix? I so wanted to get this over with. We placed the coffee orders just as he walked in the door. Felix looked exhausted like he hadn't slept at all. I don't think he did, either, because he was wearing the same thing as he did yesterday. That concerned me. Felix was dedicated to looking fantabulous regardless of what time of day it was or of the circumstances. He slid into the seat opposite us and took a long sip of the hot black coffee. We both sat and waited for him to speak, knowing it was going to be a long and possibly uncomfortable story.
"Ok, guys, what would you like to hear first. The bad news, or the even worse news?" Crap. He sure as hell didn't beat around the bush, that was for sure. He pulled a stuffed file folder out of his messenger bag and let it slap on the table top causing sugar from the top of the shaker to fly at all of us.
"Sorry. How about this? I'll just start at the beginning because it's all pretty much just plain shitty. James had a history of assault when you guys dated, Bella. The year before, he "touched" an exotic dancer inappropriately and then broke the bouncer's jaw on his way out. Did you know that James had an affinity for strip clubs, Bella?" I could see her whole body stiffen, she looked ill. Both Felix and I had seen that look before and it didn't end well. Thankfully, Felix took a softer route.
"James had a history of being a slime ball before he ever met you, Bellissima. He just became very good at hiding it. None of what happened to you was your fault." He reached over and squeezed her hand with his. She seemed to exhale then, knowing that she was safe with both of us.
"So let's move on before Eddie, here, has my balls for crossing over into his territory." He smirked at me, chuckled slightly, and opened the file. I glanced over at Bella out of the corner of my eye and saw that she was blushing. Yes, Felix had his ways.
"James became a regular at another strip club then since he wasn't allowed into the Bikini Bar anymore. Not surprisingly, this was the new place that that same dancer moved to after being convinced to quit by the owner. He followed her, guys. Stalking her became a game to him. A sick, sick game at that. Check it out. There are records of restraining orders, theft, breaking and entering, you name it he did it." Bella looked lost in thought before she spoke without taking her eyes off the documents in front of her.
"So… all of this was happening while we were… together? Even before we met? I thought the crazy shifts he was getting at work kept him out late…" She had no idea.
"Yeah, then there's that. Bella, James never worked. He's never held a job. He had been financed by Victoria's… shit, come si dice, 'handlers'? I guess you could call them?" Ok hold on there. Handlers? What the hell? Bella and I looked at each other in total confusion.
"Think, ok? After Alec died, she went to medical school. How did she afford that? She didn't exactly wait tables." Now this was getting crazy even for Victoria!
"Felix, are you trying to tell us that she was a hooker? And why is this all coming out now?" This could have been very useful information when she first started causing us problems.
"No, Eddie, think bigger. High priced escort for a service establishment which she eventually rose up in the ranks for. Now she runs it and is running it still! None of this would have surfaced for us without the James connection. We just followed the money trail and did some fancy investigation and convincing, as I like to call it." Holy shit. Victoria is a madam. This was surreal. I wouldn't put anything past Victoria, but prostitution? It seemed like it wouldn't sink in easily. Just this piece of information was too big to fit in my brain. The waitress showed up and took our orders. I had to order for both Bella and myself while Felix ordered almost everything on the breakfast menu. When the food came, we ate in silence for a while trying to let the dust settle. Surprisingly, Bella was the first to speak.
"Why is James here, though, Felix? Do you know anything about that?" Felix nodded while he finished chewing a giant hunk of steak and eggs. He still had a whole stack of pancakes, omelet, and biscuits and gravy left waiting for him when he was finished with that. I was seriously concerned for his health.
"Let's just say that James had to put some distance between him and the strip club scene for a while after the uh… the suicide." Bella dropped her fork into the pool of syrup on her plate causing a small drop to land on the back of my hand. I licked it off while searching her face for a sign of what was going on inside her head. She looked heart broken.
"Suicide? Not…" Oh man, I could see where this was going. It just kept getting worse.
"Sadly, yes. The dancer, Jessica, committed suicide a few months ago. That's when communication between James and Victoria started to spike. There wasn't a note or anything, just five empty pill bottles and a bottle of Jagermeister. Bleh! Next thing you know, James shows up here. He's wanted for questioning in the investigation considering their history but law enforcement down in Phoenix hasn't exactly been forthcoming with that bit of information. What I do know is that James should not have left Arizona. Now what he's here for, I'm not sure. But we're still working on it." That poor girl. No one deserves to be treated like that. It's sickening to think that there are people out there who take advantage of people just for the sake of doing it. To show their power over someone not as strong as them. Simply cowards. Bella leaned forward and whispered to Felix.
"When you say, 'We're still working on it,' who's we, Felix? This is all very James Bond." It was good to see Bella toughening up so quickly. Felix smiled and chuckled.
"Bellissima, if I told you, I'd have to kill you. Right? No, I know people. Don't worry." Felix was an intimidating person to know. Part of me felt sorry for those people. Bella, however, looked intrigued.
"And these people know people too? So awesome… I feel horribly about that girl though, Felix. Jessica? He told me about her when I left. He said he had been involved with her. But he was just stalking her. How sad. How terribly, terribly sad. And I got away." There she was, lost in thought again. I chimed in.
"You were too strong for him, Bella, and he knew that." She turned to me and smiled slightly, reached over and squeezed my hand. We were both very lucky. "So where do we go from here, Felix?" I wanted to get the ball rolling on this as soon as possible, to have a goal and a plan to accomplish it. We needed a purpose to keep us going. He put his fork down finally and wiped his mouth with his napkin.
"Well, we have to decide on our ultimate desired outcome and I think I'm not alone in this when I say that charges need to be brought against son and mommy dearest." Both Bella and I nodded, snuggling closer into each other.
"To do that, we need police involvement in both places, Phoenix and here in Forks. So, as Bellissima brilliantly pointed out, we need Chief Swan on our side. Unfortunately, he's not our biggest fan at the moment so we need to approach him with as much evidence as possible. Eddie, I think we need to bring Carlisle and Esme into this. Even my father. That might be the only way." Holy shit snacks. Everyone? This was not the plan I was hoping for. When I thought about it for a few minutes, though, I knew Felix was right. It was the only option. Charlie had to hear the truth from the people who actually experienced it. And he had to know that we all would do everything we could to keep Bella safe. This was going to be interesting.
"First, we need to bring my parents up to speed. This isn't going to be easy for them, that's for sure. How's your father doing, Felix? Would he be up for dinner tomorrow night at the house?" Felix reached for his wallet as the bill showed up.
"I already talked to him about it, he knows. And he's in. Lazio and Son at your service, my friends." Hot damn. We were truly honored to know Felix. So kick-ass!
BPOV
That next day dragged by. It was horrible. The feeling of impending doom seemed to weigh heavily on the whole hospital. It felt like each patient I saw sucked more and more energy out of me. The whole situation with the Cullens and the Lazios was a mess on it's own and here I was right in the middle of it. Even though my brain knew it wasn't my fault, I felt responsible for everyone having to dig up a very uncomfortable past. But it had to be done, for all of us. I would definitely be needing a drink the minute I walk in that front door of the Cullen house.
When I finally got home after work, I got changed in silence. Walter could tell something was up because he just sat there on my bed with his head on his paws and looking sympathetic. I didn't feel excessively fashionable either. I just threw on my favorite pair of nice dark jeans, tucked into my Charles David riding boots, and a soft light blue oversized sweater. Tonight was definitely not the night for any sort of fashion statement. There was a knock at the front door and it was the first time I ever dreaded seeing Edward on the other side of it. I was in the process of setting Walter up for the night when Edward stopped me.
"We should take him with us. He didn't fare so well last time and I don't want any other sexy undergarments to suffer for your absence. Besides, mom insisted. She loves dogs and she already has dinner ready for him." I almost cried at that moment. All the more reason to hate bringing this subject up.
"Edward, that's so wonderful of Esme. How are we going to tell them about this disaster with Victoria and James? It's just too horrible!" I was more upset about upsetting the Cullens and Paul Lazio than I was about dealing with Victoria and James.
"Don't worry, I kinda gave them a preview already. Tonight we'll be going over specifics and our plan. It won't be a surprise, I promise. Yeah, that wouldn't have been good. Mom would have skipped dinner all together and gone straight for the Sherry." Oh thank God. I think that was the first time I was able to exhale in a while. Even so, this was still going to suck. At least Edward and I would have Walter with us. He never liked James either.
Edward and I drove to his parents' house in silence but holding each other's hand over the center console of the car. I, for one, knew I needed his presence and strength to calm me. I was sure that once I got there, however, I would feel better. I tended to get myself worked up more than necessary. That would have to be something I worked on. Scale back the internal drama. It couldn't be good for me.
We pulled up and around the Cullen's expansive driveway finding many more cars than I expected which spiked my anxiety even more. Walter stirred in my lap when I stopped running my fingers through his fur, sensing my unease.
"Edward, what's going on? Who all is coming to this dinner?" Edward looked as confused as I was but I could tell he knew who the cars belonged to. He was just curious as to why they were there.
"Looks like Rose and Jasper are here… and uh…" And who? What was going on? We continued to walk toward the house and the front door swung open. Jake greeted us at the door.
"Hey guys, the gang's all here. Good to see you Edward." Jake and Edward shook hands and did that half hug thing that guys do. He took me into a secure hug and kissed me on the forehead before ushering us into the house. I was too taken aback by the new details of the situation that I didn't think twice about hugging Jake in front of Edward. Oh well, we had bigger fish to fry right now. And if Edward wanted to talk about it later, we could but now was so not the time.
Once inside the door, we were greeted by the smell of something heavenly smothered in tomato sauce. Mmm, I loved Italian food. Nothing beats an unlimited supply of carbs and cheese. It was actually a good thing that I could be distracted so easily by food. It didn't last that long, unfortunately. Alice came bouncing through the living room followed closely by Jasper, Rose, and Emmett. It looked like they all knew what was going on as well. I almost cried again at their support. They were all such incredible people and I felt lucky to know them, my anxiety level dropping slowly but steadily. Both Alice and Rose took me into a tight group hug after I handed off my contribution to the dessert for the night. Alice was the first to speak.
"Bella, we all feel so horrible about what's going on. We don't know all the details and you don't have to tell us until you're ready. But just know that we're all here for you. Is that your dog? He's precious!" At that, Walter was passed around, snuggled, and kissed and eventually rushed out of the room to meet Esme. My suspicion was confirmed by squeals coming from the kitchen. Poor dog might never want to leave this place. Jasper stepped close to me and observed the rush of activity in the house from my side.
"Overwhelmed yet?" He wasn't kidding. Coming from a divorced family and being an only child, this environment was definitely very foreign to me. "Don't worry, you get used to it. But it is a united front, that's for sure. They don't do this for just anyone, Bella. They consider you part of the family and did even before you and Edward became a thing. Rest comfortably in that." Wow, that was the longest speech I had ever heard from Jasper regarding anything not work related. My anxiety was almost completely gone. How did he do that? I'd have to try to sit next to him the whole night because he was amazing. Like if Xanax had a pulse and walked on two legs, it would be Jasper.
Edward took my hand tenderly and we made it through the wave of activity in the front room to find Esme, Carlisle, and Paul in the kitchen. Paul stood immediately upon seeing me, took my hand in his, and kissed it gently after introducing himself. Paul was a very attractive man. He was tall and lean but had a very powerful presence. That was in no small part due to his glorious deep voice. Hey, I loved Edward's voice and it did things to me that I couldn't discuss in the presence of his family. But listening to Paul talk was so dreamy. He could read the phone book for all I cared just as long as he kept talking.
"I'm deeply regret that you have to be involved in this horrid situation, Miss Swan. We are honored that you join us in this fight, however. Also I would like to add that I am personally grateful." He was almost too much to handle. Just unbelievably kind.
"Mr. Lazio, I'm so sorry… about everything. And I'm sorry that this all has to be brought up again. I can't imagine, just… ugh." He smiled compassionately at me and put his arm around my shoulders, speaking softly so only I could hear.
"Bella, Victoria would have found a way to attack us another way somewhere further along the line, believe me. She wouldn't just stop. We are the ones who should be apologizing to you because it's your pain and past suffering that's giving us a firm footing in bringing her down. Like I said, we are very grateful to you." And he kissed me on my temple. Esme was watching our exchange and her eyes began to well with tears. She took me into a tender hug rubbing my back and whispered.
"Don't worry, kiddo. We'll get the bitch, all of us together. And her little dog, too." I gasped and looked at Esme directly in shock. Esme swore! She just winked at me and untied her apron, moving now to put the last of the dishes on the table. Felix overheard and smiled widely at me, shaking his head. I officially loved this family.
The whole family converged on the loaded table, Emmett claiming the seat closest to Paul's lasagna. Rose followed him while rolling her eyes but never moving to remove her hand from his. Everyone else filed in and sat next to their respective partner, Edward pulling a chair out for me. It seemed as though both our fears and anxiety about tonight had melted away and his hand came to rest on my thigh under the table, I rested my hand on top of his. Everything was delicious from the lasagna (which was Antonia's recipe), to the green salad, roasted peppers in olive oil and balsamic, crusty bread, cold green bean salad, prime rib, and sauerkraut. I had never seen so much food at one family table before in my life. The conversation was easy and light, they shared family stories, Paul filled us in on his family news from Italy, and we all talked about new developments from town. After the dinner was finished and a couple wine bottles had been emptied, we all lumbered into the sprawling living room to enjoy the evening and continue nursing our wine glasses in front of the fire before the business aspect of the night commenced. Felix was the first to speak from his seated position on the floor leaning against the couch closest to his father. Wine glass in hand, and after asking my permission to relate some personal details which I readily agreed to, he provided a concise overview of the events leading up to tonight's meeting.
"Bella has suggested we take this information to her father, Chief Swan, in an effort to add law enforcement's resources both in Phoenix and here in Forks to our existing resources. I think this is the best course to take that will provide us with the most favorable outcome. I recommended tonight's meeting to get all of us on the same page and on board with this. Our next step is to bring this to Chief Swan who we know has sided with Victoria since the beginning. Any ideas?" Paul moved his hand to rest on Felix's shoulder, squeezing it gently in obvious pride. Their relationship was a beautiful thing to see. As far as bringing Charlie into this, I knew he wouldn't agree to any sort of meeting if he thought it was going to be an ambush. He wouldn't even show up if he knew what he was in for. We needed to get to him before he had a chance to build up resistance to talking to us. I had an idea.
"My place? Knowing my dad, he won't last through dinner with everyone. Carlisle? Esme? How about the four of us for dinner? Then Edward, Jake, Felix, and Paul can join as the night is winding down. His belly will be full, hopefully he'll have a few glasses of wine in him, and he'll have developed a respect for Carlisle as a colleague of mine. Esme, I'm positive he'll adore you. And Jake, you're golden to him. That should have him primed for the rest of you. As an aside, Charlie's a decent and level-headed guy. Once he knows the truth, he'll rally the cavalry around us. I just know it." I had to admit, I was quite proud of my plan. It was even a spur of the moment idea! I was so awesome. I looked around at the others to gauge their response and everyone was just nodding and smiling widely at me. They all looked impressed with my idea and that was important to me. I wanted to pull my weight here and be involved in helping them as much as they were helping me. Paul spoke in a whisper.
"I think it's perfect. We're lucky to have you with us, mio caro."
"Well, that's settled then. Who's up for dessert?" With that, Esme disappeared into the kitchen with Alice and Rose close behind her, and I got up to join them. We returned to the living room with a tray of tiny dishes with Esme's homemade lemon sorbet. I brought out my plate of kolachi with napkins for serving. I absolutely loved kolachi and I hoped the rest of them would enjoy it too. Turns out they did, Rose had to restrain Emmett from eating half the plate so everyone could have at least one. The cookies and the lemon sorbet were the perfect compliments to the gorgeous dinner we just had. We all sank into the seats we were in, enjoyed the crackling of the very large fire in the fireplace, and the Mozart coming from hidden speakers for a long while. Walter joined us and took up residence in my lap. He sure had a lot of action tonight, more than he was used to, I think, and he fell asleep immediately. I was getting there myself and Edward noticed.
"I think it's time Bella and I called it a night." He rose from the love seat we were squished into and took my hand to help me as well. Everyone rose to say their goodbyes and Edward and I left with a large container of leftovers for the both of us. I was going to miss them. They all were so easy to be around and so accepting. I noticed that the more time I spent with all of them, the more I wanted to be a part of this family. And the first step in making that happen was having a successful night with Charlie. I would have to pull out all the stops with this one which might require diving into grammy's recipe box. But first order of business would be to set up the event itself. Heaven help me.