Chapter 25
"Everything's Messier in Texas"
By the time we'd gotten to Houston, everyone on the plane was exhausted, myself included. I couldn't imagine what must have been going through Edward's head. I'm sure he was as distressed as I was, but I was wearing it a lot better.
It was sweltering in Houston - much, much, hotter than the humid-moisture rich atmosphere of Orlando. Out here, the air was dry and hot, sticking to the back of your throat anytime you took a deep breath. We took separate limos back to the hotel; Alice, Jenks, Scott and I riding together, and the Cullen's in one following ours.
The media frenzy waiting outside the hotel was becoming ritual. Bodyguards ushered us through the crowd as flashes of radiant light went off all around my head. I was damn near blinded by all of it.
It wasn't until that evening that I heard from Edward again. It had seemed like a decade since I'd gotten the chance to talk to him. He told me to be ready to go out by ten and he'd come to pick me up. Needless to say, when I asked him where we were going, he wasn't very forthcoming. He murmured "Somewhere nice" and hung up.
Ten o'clock on the dot, he was knocking at my hotel door. I'd chosen a tight, black dress and matching pumps, opting to pin my hair up this evening.
He eyed me from head to toe and licked his lips. "Ms. Swan, you look good enough to eat."
"Hm," I hummed. "Not until dessert."
"I shot him the best wink I could, considering the left half of my face was in serious pain, and took his arm. As we walked down the hallway to the elevators, I decided to test my luck and ask again. "Where are you taking me?" I mused.
"You'll see," he whispered.
"I just don't understand. Why the suspense? Are we meeting someone?"
"Possibly," he confessed with a laugh.
"Possibly?" I retorted. "Alright, I've got a different question."
"Of course you do," he teased.
I ignored that comment completely. "What was going on with you in the airplane?"
"I'm sorry about that. I was - angry."
"Angry? With whom?"
"Scott, mostly," Edward answered as the elevator doors opened. After we'd walked in, he added, "And my father," before pressing the button for the basement. "This is going to sound rude, and please don't take it the wrong way. But - do me a favor. For the next hour, try to say as little as possible."
"Excuse me?" Was he really expecting me to play the silent woman behind the gentleman tonight? Was he delusional? That was one role I'd never fill - for anyone.
"I asked you not to take it the wrong way. Listen, we've got dirty laundry to wash - you understand? And it's best if you just - don't implicate yourself," he explained with a half-hearted smile.
What?
That sounded incredibly too ominous for my liking.
I was tempted to say something about it.
But, he told me to shut up, and he meant with the best regards, if that was even possible. So, I tried my damnedest to keep quiet, to keep still, but I had to know what was going on. It was hardly five seconds before I looked back over to him and smiled. "One more?" I whispered.
He shook his head and sighed. "If you must."
"How are you supposed to take care of Eleazar?" I muttered.
"You'll see," he murmured.
"I'll see? What the hell does that mean?"
"Bella -" he started, grunting like he was suddenly frustrated and uncomfortable with this conversation.
But I insisted none the less. "You said no more secrets. If we're in this together, then we need to be on the same page."
His face tightened and his fingers pressed to the bridge of his nose. "Where do you think we're headed?"
My heart jumped into my throat. I didn't know what I was expecting or what he intended to do. Kill him? Beat him up? My imagination was running wild with the expression on his face. "What are we gonna do?"
"Shh!" he hissed.
"Edward! What are we gonna do?" my tone a little more persistent.
The doors chose that moment to open. He pulled my hand through the dimly lit corridor and down to a little room at the end. At first, I thought it was empty. But once I stepped all the way inside, I noticed a tiny light hanging in the middle of the room above a dinner table with one person seated at the end.
"What the hell -" I started.
"Shut. Up," Edward snarled.
The person's head perked up and turned our direction. Once this figure realized who we were, it stood and walked a little closer. I still didn't recognize it -
Eleazar?
What the fuck were we doing here?
"Cullen?" Eleazar squeaked.
"Mr. Michael. Good evening. Have my associates treated you kindly?" Edward cooed, walking closer to Eleazar with his right hand out.
"They snatched me out of my hotel room at nine thirty at night," Eleazar hissed, forcibly taking his hand. "What the fuck is this all about?"
Edward walked to the table and gestured for him to sit again. "Please, it'll only take a few minutes of your time."
"And why is she here?" Eleazar asked, pointing in my direction.
"This involves her too," Edward replied. "Please, sit, Mr. Michael."
Edward sat at the end opposite Eleazar and I was put in between them.
A waiter came over to our table and stood next to Edward, who instantly looked up to him and smiled. "A bottle of the House Merlot and the Flat-Iron for me. However the chef prefers to cook it, please," Edward ordered. "Mr. Michael? Anything to eat?"
"No, thank you. Just an explanation would be all, thanks."
"Bella?" Edward hummed.
Come to think of it, I was a little hungry.
"The filet Mignon, medium-rare," I sputtered.
The waiter nodded and turned to walk out of the ginormous room.
"The reason that I've woken you up and dragged you from your room tonight is because I have a special invitation for you," Edward announced.
Eleazar's eyebrows perked in response. "An invitation?"
"As you may or may not know, Bella's birthday is in two days. We'll be celebrating in Las Vegas. We'd like you to cover the party exclusively."
Eleazar, who had been taking a drink of his water, immediately choked and started coughing. "Excuse me?" he managed to mutter.
"Well, a smart gentleman like yourself has surely already found out our dirty little secret," Edward mocked. "Isn't that the deal you made with Scott Jenks?"
Eleazar immediately looked at me. "He tried to blackmail you, didn't he?"
"Did you really expect anything less?" I murmured.
"Hmm." Eleazar nodded and looked a little closer. "That his handy work?" he asked, pointing to my bruised face.
I nodded.
"And I suppose -" He looked to Edward. "- your handy work is splattered all across his broken nose?"
"No," I interrupted. "That would be mine."
Eleazar laughed, took off his glasses and placed them on the table. "Well done," he teased. "Look, I don't know what Scott told you, but I've already sold the picture rights to Wall Street. They're running the editorial Monday morning."
"So be it," Edward instantly muttered.
Wallstreet? As in - Wallstreet - mother fucking - Journal?
"So be it?" Eleazar spat. "Then what are we still doing here?"
"I understand that you have friends in the publicity business," Edward continued.
"Yeah?"
"Then, it would be safe to assume that you would have the privilege of putting a spin on a certain story, if you deemed it so."
"Possibly -" Eleazar was following along this far. Would he make the connection?
"Come to our party. Take the best shots you can. Show the world what's happened here. Then, make us look like America's fucking golden couple - you following me, Pap?"
"Modern day Romeo and Juliet?" Eleazar joked with a huge chuckle. "The public will hate it."
"Or they'll love it," Edward continued. "Either way, it puts our two companies in the lime light once and for all."
"Isn't there a merger planned? Didn't Scott say something about that too?" Eleazar continued. "Matter of fact, where is Scott? And what would he do if he knew you were down here with me?"
"Don't worry about Scott," Edward said in a dark, sinister tone. "He's - out of the picture."
My jaw almost hit the table.
What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
Out of the picture?
Exactly - how much - out of the picture?
Like dead - out of the picture?
It was at this moment that the waiter came around with our wine. He popped the cork, made this big show about pouring only a little and giving it to Edward to sniff and taste. Once agreed upon, the waiter poured each of us a glass and set the bottle in the cooler next to the table.
"Well, Mr. Cullen. All I hear in your plan is how I'll do these things for you. What's it in for me?"
"Besides being the first to get the exclusive on the CEO scandal? How's twenty thousand dollars?" Edward offered. When Eleazar didn't immediately respond, Edward continued. "Well, I suppose I could find a different paparazzi if you're tied up with other obligations. You ticks are dime a dozen," Edward smirked, taking a sip of his wine in the process.
I was stupefied. Even though I felt like I should be saying something, I knew Edward had a plan. It pissed me off that he didn't let me in on it to begin with, even more so that he'd made a point to tell me to be quiet. But maybe he was protecting me somehow. Maybe he knew that I was going to head this new company and my reputation meant more than his. Whatever the case, I sat there and sipped my drink, idly looking back and forth between them as they talked.
"Let me think about it. Let me call some people - see what they say," Eleazar groaned. "I can't make a decision like this overnight. I'm not sure I can spin the story, I'm not sure -"
"Pity," Edward interrupted. "Mr. Michael, I tell ya', I was really hoping it didn't have to come to this."
"Come to what?"
"I can and most likely will extort you if you continue to be uncooperative."
"Extort? What exactly do you have up your sleeve, son? I've done nothing wrong," Eleazar spat.
"Do you know where your daughter was at two am this morning?" Edward started. "Because - I do."
Eleazar's face seemed puzzled at first, as if he wasn't sure what to say or do. Just then, a movie started playing on the wall next to us from a projector above the table. I hadn't even noticed it was there until now. Then I realized it wasn't a movie. It was the footage I'd taken of his daughter and Scott. Eleazar was absolutely shocked.
After it finished, the three of us sat there in silence.
"Now, Eleazar. It is in your best interest to come to the party and do your job. You take photos. You make front page news. It all happens because of you. I mean, what would this world be like without having seen Britney Spear's crotch?"
Eleazar took a deep breath and leaned his head in his hands. "Thirty thousand and you give me that DVD. You'll have your spin."
"That's the spirit!" Edward exclaimed. "Caesar's Palace. Pure Nightclub. Tomorrow night after the banquet."
Nobody moved.
"You can go now," Edward snarled.
Eleazar stood and took a few steps back. "Where do I find Scott?" Eleazar finally whispered.
"You found us in the middle of Baltimore from a hotel room across the street. You want him, you sniff him out," Edward hissed, snapping his fingers insistently. All of a sudden, Tanya appeared out of the same door we'd come through and sauntered right up to the table. She reached above us, popped out the DVD and handed it to Eleazar.
Almost seething, he snatched it from her hands and stormed out of the room. Tanya laughed and followed behind him.
I was dumbstruck.
What the fuck had just happened?
Did we really just - seal the deal?
I was really about to out myself. We were really doing this.
The waiter came around with our steaks before either of us spoke. "Where's Scott?" I finally sputtered, looking longingly at my meal. Suddenly, I didn't feel hungry anymore. Sure, I hated the guy and I certainly didn't wish good things for him. But death at the hand of Edward Cullen was the last thing I'd ever want for both of them.
"What time is it?" he mused, cutting off a chunk of meat and shoving it into his mouth.
"Don't avoid the question. Just answer me. Where is he?"
"I don't know," he groaned. "Tell me what time it is, and I'd have a better idea."
Narrowing my eyes at him, I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone. "Ten forty five."
Edward finished chewing his steak and swallowed before answering. "I imagine he's being yanked out of bed right now and loaded into the back of a refrigerator truck. You should eat your steak," Edward explained.
I choked a laugh and rolled my eyes. "Stop fucking with me," I teased.
"I'm not fucking with you. You wanted the truth, this is the truth. You and I are going to eat our dinner in peace and then, we're going to scare the living shit out of that little prick so that he doesn't even think of touching you again." With that, he took another bite of his steak and smiled.
Absolutely stunned, I managed a small nod before taking a small bite of my meal. I chewed and swallowed it, instantly realizing that my stomach was in too many knots for food right now. I sat my silverware down and decided to get drunk instead, instantly picking up the wine and taking a huge gulp.
"Whoa there, killer. Calm down," Edward mused. "Eat more of your steak."
"I'm really not hungry anymore," I protested.
"Trust me, you're gonna wish you'd eaten it."
"No, I don't think so. Alice, Jasper and I ordered some room service earlier," I explained.
He put his silverware down and wiped his mouth, slowly taking my hand. "Bella, this is not going to be a good night. You will forever be haunted by what we do. You shouldn't be worried about the repercussions of your actions; you'll get away with everything. But you're going to need a strong stomach."
"Edward," I cooed.
"Yes?"
"Is Scott dead?" I whispered. "Are we - are we going to bury him?"
"Do you think I would have asked you to dress nice if I planned on taking you shoveling?"
I laughed.
"On a more serious note, I feel like I have to tell you that you might not feel the same way about me after tonight. And if that's the case -" he started.
"Edward, please share this with me. Please tell me what's going on."
"Let me finish," he insisted. "If you find that you don't feel the same way, I'll understand." He paused and took a deep breath. "No matter what happens, just know that you have awakened something inside me, something I thought died a long time ago. I love you, and probably will for the rest of my life." His face tensed momentarily, like he was seriously worried about what was going on tonight.
"I love you, too," I whispered. "And I don't think that's going to change anytime soon."
His lips tightened. "Don't be so quick to assume. Now, eat the rest of your dinner, and try to remember what I said about keeping quiet."
"Yes, your highness," I teased with a small chuckle.
He rolled his eyes and laughed, picking up a small piece of steak and placing it in his mouth.
We didn't say much throughout the rest of dinner. I sat idly by and pondered where the night would take me. How exactly would I come to see Edward differently? If he'd meant what he said, then I was probably going to see Edward kick Scott's ass tonight. But that wouldn't make me see him any different.
Would we be torturing the little prick? Assaulting him? Murdering him?
I had to admit. If I saw Edward kill someone right in front of me, I'd probably be pissed. And he was right, it would change the way I saw him. Killing someone in self defense was a lot more forgivable than murder in the name of money and capitalism, (even though it happened everyday.)
It suddenly clicked into place.
Jesus Christ!
I was going to watch Edward kill him tonight.
My heart started beating so fast, I could literally feel it pulsating in my head.
Fuck!
I didn't want this. I didn't want Edward to have to kill anymore people. Wasn't one enough? Edward was a good man, he didn't deserve this, he didn't do anything wrong. The whole thing just made me sick.
"Hey," Edward murmured. "You're going to be fine, okay? Stop worrying."
"Are you going to be fine?"
He shot me a crooked smile and shrugged. "Maybe, Maybe not," he answered with a wink.
"Stop fucking with me," I snorted. "I don't want anything to happen to you. Promise you'll be with me for my Birthday. I want you there."
"I'll be fine. I promise."
"Will you be there?" I asked again.
He sighed and gave me a small smile. "Yes. I promise I'll be there for your Birthday."
"I can't do this alone. If we put our relationship out in the open, I need you by my side, every step of the way."
"I promise," he said again.
"That's two times you've promised me. I'm holding you to it."
He laughed and nodded in my direction. "Okay, then. You ready to do this?" he asked, wiping his mouth and throwing the napkin down on the table next to his plate.
"Am I ready to go do something possibly illegal that I don't even know what it is? Sure, bring it on," I joked.
He grabbed my hand and led me out of the room through the same door we entered. We walked down the corridor and out the "Emergency Exit" by the elevators. A car was already waiting with Tanya in the driver's seat. It was a dark blue Lincoln Continental, something entirely too – normal – for Edward.
"You're really bringing her along?" Tanya shouted as she climbed out and slammed the door behind her.
"She deserves to know," Edward explained, immediately taking the spot Tanya once occupied. I climbed into the passenger seat as she hopped in the back.
"You're liable to get her arrested, Edward," Tanya chided.
"Something tells me she's smarter than that," Edward retorted, putting the car in reverse and taking off.
"Okay," I announced. "Now that we're in, what I'm assuming, is a safe car, anyone mind telling me what the hell is going on?"
Tanya's jaw just dropped. "You didn't even tell her where we're going?"
"She'll figure it out," he answered.
"Stop talking about me like I'm not here. Where are we going?" I persisted.
She looked up at him and he met eyes with her through the rearview.
"The desert," Tanya finally muttered.
"Far, far into the desert," Edward continued.
"For what?"
He smirked with a definite arrogance that permeated through us both. Tanya just glared at him.
"Revenge," Edward mumbled. "Now, shut up and hang on."
I didn't say anything else.
About forty five minutes into our ride, Tanya leaned forward and pressed her head in between the two seats, deciding to break the silent tension in the atmosphere. "So, what are you guys gonna do? I assume you're not planning on listening to Carlisle and Jenks."
Edward sighed. "Sit back in your seat, Tanya," he groaned.
"Are you gonna go public?"
"That's the plan," I answered.
"Eleazar?"
"He'll be putting a spin on the story, making us look as good as possible," I explained.
"And what will happen when you both get fired? Are you gonna run away and get married?" Tanya joked, looking right at Edward.
"What's with the twenty questions? Are you five again, all of a sudden?" Edward retorted. "Sit down."
"I'm just trying to figure what I'm going to have to do. If I need to make a play for your job, I'd rather get myself prepared now," Tanya exclaimed.
"Bella's not going anywhere," Edward said.
"What the hell does that mean?" I interrupted. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm not, but you are, right?"
"I didn't say that," he protested.
"You promised, Edward," I snapped.
"I know what I said," Edward hissed. "Can – both of you – just stop talking? Please?"
"Grump," Tanya teased. "He always gets so cranky before we torture someone."
"Torture?" I gasped.
"Tanya!" he shouted.
"You didn't tell her? You idiot! Why would you do that?" Tanya griped. "You can't just bring someone along to stand witness and not tell them what they're gonna see."
Edward slammed on the brakes and pulled to the side of the dirt road.
I almost couldn't believe my ears. Here I was, thinking the worst, thinking that we were just going to go kill the fucker and bury him somewhere in the sand. But it was much, much worse than that. We were going to torture him? I just wasn't sure I had the stomach for that.
"Alright, listen," Edward hissed, turning around to face Tanya. "We're not torturing anyone, so get that out of your head right now, Denali. And we're not going to kill anyone either," he said, turning to me. "Both of you, just chill the fuck out! You're driving me crazy."
"You sound just like your father," she instigated.
"Tanya, I swear to God," he snarled. "I'll leave you on the side of this abandoned road in the middle of Bumfuck Texas. The closest city is twenty miles back. You looking to walk that far tonight?"
She snorted a laugh and shook her head. "No, thank you."
"Then, both of you, please – shut the hell up," Edward hissed. "I've got a plan, alright? And the more you talk, the more I'm starting to think it was a bad idea bringing either of you along."
"Why did you bring both of us along?"
"I might need some man power, and Emmett's –- unable to make it," Edward answered delicately.
"Is he with Rose?" I asked quietly, which was immediately met by a glare from Edward.
"Rose? Rosalie Hale?" Tanya repeated, almost in shock.
"Yes, on both accounts," he explained.
"Pussy before profession. Wonderful," Tanya acidly spat.
I laughed and looked back at her with a smile. Edward just shook his head and sighed.
"Hey, not that I blame him. She's hot as shit. I'd fuck her until the sun came up," Tanya added, leaning back in her seat finally.
"You'd fuck anything until the sun came up," Edward teased.
"Hey! I'm not a whore, dickbag. I wouldn't fuck just anything."
"Oh, that's right," Edward continued. "As long as there's a place for you to shove your fingers, you'll fuck anything."
"Bite your tongue!" she shouted at him. "Don't let Edward fool you, Bella. I'm very much married to and in love with my partner Kate."
"Is that why you're sleeping in Irina's old apartment?" Edward prodded. "I thought it was because you preferred your dead sister's belongings to your own."
"You wanna start this? Right here? Right now?"
"No," he snapped. "I want you to shut the hell up already. Christ! Your babble never ends."
But Tanya had already gotten on a roll. "First of all, you're the one who closed off the whole fucking place like a damn tomb. All because you wanted a bedroom that faced your -"
"Needed, Tanya. Did you forget what Carlisle - You know what? This doesn't even matter. We're almost there."
"Dick," she smirked, crossing her arms at him.
I didn't push the issue. I just nodded and stared out my window, trying to decide exactly what tonight would do to me. I was getting glorious insight into the exact dynamic of Edward and Tanya's relationship. Clearly, she irritated the shit out of him – quite like a little sister. But, I could also tell that this was not her first time riding along with Edward on one of his little missions. This was something they'd done together several times, and I wouldn't be surprised if she was just as guilty as he was for half of the illegal activities he'd taken part in.
The three of them were in it together – Carlisle's little minions. Emmett, Tanya and Edward. Who knew? Irina was probably in on it too before it came back to bite her in the ass.
"We're here," Edward finally said, pulling off the road and into a dirt driveway, leading to what looked like an abandoned shack. It had a security light out front and a huge cargo van parked by the door, but the rest of it was falling apart. The tin siding had rusted out years ago and was practically falling off, not to mention the roof that was damn near caving in on itself.
"Whoa," Tanya exclaimed when we climbed out. "Where'd you find this place?"
"Classifieds," Edward answered sarcastically. "Under the 'Abandoned Shacks to Hide People' listings."
I laughed, Tanya rolled her eyes. When we went inside, I really got a good idea as to how miserable my night was going to be. The entire space was dark, save one light that was set up in the middle of the room. Under this light sat a chair, and in the chair, sat Scott Jenks with a black hood over his face. To our immediate left was a set of stairs that led to a wooden platform above this level. Tanya beckoned me to follow her up there.
Edward sighed, gave me a kiss on the head and gestured for me to go with her. As I walked, I watched him put his hands in his pockets and take a few steps closer to Scott.
"Cocaine's a hell of a drug," Edward antagonized.
"Who's there? Who is that?" Scott demanded.
For someone who'd just gotten kidnapped and taken forty five minutes away from any major city or civilization, he seemed rather calm and collected about the whole thing. No jitters, no bouncy knees, no shaking.
"Don't worry about that right now," Edward continued. "You should be spending this time worrying about what the great state of Texas might do with the half kilo of illegal substances in your hotel room at the moment."
"H - How do you know that?" Scott stuttered.
"Oh, I have my sources," Edward continued. "I can have you prosecuted in a heart beat."
Scott laughed and shook his head. "Do you know who I am?"
"Scott Jason Jenks. Born September 4, 1978. Heir to the Dyco Tech fortune provided your grandfather keeps your best interests at heart. Graduated from Stanford, Magna Cum Laude, with the highest honors in Business and Marketing Advancement Technologies. So what happened, Scott? Why aren't you the CEO of Dyco Tech already?"
"What the hell is this all about?" Scott snorted. "Look, can you just take the hood off my head and talk to me face to face like a real man?"
"Where would be the fun in that?" Edward instantly teased. "Besides, you wouldn't know what a real man was if one hit you in the face."
Scott started to laugh.
But Edward would have none of that. So he hit him – hard – probably rebreaking the nose I'd just broken yesterday.
To be honest, it scared me too. I couldn't help the jump of my shoulders or the gasp that formed in the back of my throat.
Scott groaned and shouted, "FUCKING HELL!" at the top of his lungs. "What the hell was that for?"
But Edward had fire burning behind his eyes. He glared at Scott with this intensity that I'd never seen on him before. He despised him, hated him with a passion. "You're not the one calling the shots here. Try to remember that as we go forward," Edward explained, kneeling down in front of him.
"Listen, I don't know who you are or what you want from me, but consider it yours. Money, drugs, fame, you name it," Scott started.
"Shut up," Edward continued. "I don't want your money and I have no use for drugs."
"Then – what – what do you want?" Scott sputtered.
"An apology."
"What did I do?" Scott trembled.
Edward hit him again, this time much harder and faster than before.
"Fuck! Stop hitting me, damn it!" Scott screamed.
"I told you to shut up," Edward commanded. "I have this associate who's quite fond of connecting her car battery to men's testicles. She's got her own little she-woman man hating club going on. Does that sound like fun?"
Scott started laughing again. "What is this? Something out of a bad spy movie?"
"No . . ." Edward started, twisting something on to his fingers. I couldn't tell what it was from this high up, but when his fist connected with Scott's face again, I got an instant clue. Metal knuckles make a sound on flesh unlike any other. It was like a car accident, like metal on metal, scratching against each other – almost like nails on a chalkboard, but louder and more violent. Scott cried out in pain. "This isn't a movie. This is reality. Are you ready to cooperate, now?" Edward asked in a high-pitched voice, like he was talking to a child.
There was something different about Edward. He was in a trance, an altered state. Almost as if he was actually - enjoying - beating the snot out of a man who was tied up. I knew I should have felt repulsed by this, but the mild sting in the bridge of my nose everytime I breathed instantly reminded me why this was necessary. I was just going to have to suck it up.
"Christ almighty," Scott whined. "Tell me what I did. Tell me what I can do. Just stop!"
"That's the spirit," Edward teased. "Now, Scott, you talked about a real man – what a real man would and wouldn't do. From this, I'm assuming you meant more than just what, scientifically, makes a man a man. So, let me tell you a little story." Edward started circling around Scott with his hands behind his back. "Growing up, I had two cousins that came to live with me. They moved in pretty young, so they became more like my sisters in relationship. One day, the eldest of the two girls snapped the arms and the legs off my favorite GI Joe. I was so angry, I could have killed her. Instead, I pushed her out my second story window."
"What does this have to do with me?" Scott snorted.
Edward didn't answer, just hit him again, causing a yelp and a loud groan from Scott. "I told you to shut up. You talk again and I'll bring in the girl with the jumper cables."
"Who are you?" Scott mumbled, sounding like he was in much more pain that he had been before. "Can you at least tell me that?"
"No," Edward muttered. "You don't deserve to know, yet. Back to my story, do you know what my father told me after all that had happened?"
"What?" Scott sputtered.
"A real man only picks on people his own size," Edward finally said. "Women rarely, if ever, qualify for that category. But I was pissed, ya know? I thought she deserved it." Edward came back to the front of Scott and knelt again. "You mind telling me what made you lash out on Ms. Swan?"
"Is that what this is all about? Christ! Is that you, Cullen?"
Edward punched him again in the face; this time, knocking him so hard that the whole chair tipped over to the side. Scott, obviously handcuffed, fell over with it.
He whined and groaned immediately following the punch, but ultimately started laughing. "You hit me now, but you have no idea what's in store for you when we get back to Houston."
"Who says you're going back to Houston?" Edward murmured. "You assume too much, Scott. That's the problem with you – assume, assume, assume. You're a smart man, you should know better than that by now."
"That little bitch. She deserved it, ya' know?" Scott squealed. "She stole my job from me, stole my grandfather, stole my whole life. A slap back to reality was hardly enough to put her in her place."
"Is that why you decided to blackmail her anyway, regardless of what Eleazar told you to do?" Edward sputtered.
"Eleazar's only in it for the money. He's a punk."
"Tell me. How did it feel to wrap your pathetic fingers around her throat? How did you feel when you punched her and realized you'd fucked her face up so badly?"
"Like I'd done the world a favor. I should have just finished the job right then and there."
Edward laughed and stood, immediately smashing his foot right into Scott's stomach. After he'd done so, he flipped the chair back on its four feet and lifted the hood off Scott's head.
Holy merciful shit!
Scott looked like he'd been hit by a train. The entire right side of his face was swollen and bruised. His nose, definitely re-broken, was gushing – literally staining the entirety of his once white, tux shirt with blood. Despite the fact that he must have felt like hell, Scott looked up to his attacker and smiled. "I knew it was you," he whispered. "Where's the little slut?" Scott looked around and made eyes with me up on the higher deck. "Hey, you should come leash your animal before someone gets rabies."
I went to say something, but Tanya put her hand on my arm to stop me, shaking her head as if that wasn't the best idea in the world.
"You wanted a fight?" Edward started. "Now, you've got one – a fair one – and judging by what Bella did to your face, I dare say it's probably not going to be a long one."
"Fight? You're gonna fight me?" Scott repeated.
"I didn't hit you in the ear, right? So you're not deaf? Oh, wonderful. I thought I'd really fucked you up for a second," Edward snorted.
"It's hardly fair. I can't even see out of my right fucking eye," Scott replied.
"Then, apologize," Edward spat. "That's what this whole thing is about. Apologize, then get the hell out of my business."
"Your business? This isn't your business, none of this concerns you."
"Bella is my business. Dyco Tech, after next month, will be my business. All of this concerns me," he continued. "In fact, you're my business as well. And you made yourself my business when I caught you snorting cocaine off Carmen Michael's tits last night."
Scott's face instantly dropped and twisted into a grimace. He knew he'd been caught. He knew he had nowhere else to go.
"I can't have a drug addict hanging around the board members of my company. You get caught, it makes you look bad, it makes everyone look bad. Sends the wrong message to the public, you understand," Edward explained. "So, here's what we're gonna do." He stood, took off his jacket and started rolling up his sleeves. "If you still have this irrational urge to destroy Ms. Swan, her company, or me, for some ridiculous reason, then have at it. I'll let you go and we can settle this like real men right here and now. Otherwise, you take your drugs, you take your fiancée, who may or may not still want to be with you after this, and move away to some place quiet – remote. I'm thinking somewhere like Vermont or Montana."
"You leave Bree out of this," he threatened.
"Oh, no," Edward continued. "You mean to tell me that she didn't know about your little habit?"
Scott's eyes – er, one good eye - practically pierced holes through Edward.
"Well, maybe you should have thought about her back in Baltimore before you beat the shit out of my girlfriend," Edward instantly snapped. "I've already sent her the footage I have."
"You're bluffing," Scott smirked.
Edward looked up at me. "Hey, Bella. Throw me your phone."
I did as he asked and dropped my Blackberry off the side of the balcony. Edward caught it and brought it over to Scott, holding it in front of his face so he could see exactly how much Edward was bluffing. About thirty seconds into the footage, Scott groaned and shook his head.
"I told you, Scott. I learned to fight fair a long time ago. You fuck with my things, I fuck with yours. That's how real men take care of business," Edward retorted. "So what's it gonna be? You wanna go Brad Pitt in this abandoned shack that smells like horseshit? Or are you ready to say you're sorry and put an end to this terrible mess that you've created."
Scott was literally trembling by this point. Where he once seemed collected and prepared for anything, he now seemed terrified of what Edward would do to him next. Perhaps he even believed that Edward would bring in the girl with the jumper cables, even though I knew that was a bluff as well.
Scott shook his head and looked down to his lap. "I apologize for hitting Bella," he moaned.
"I'm sorry, Edward, for destroying something that wasn't mine to touch," Edward corrected.
Scott glared up at him.
"Say it," Edward commanded.
"I'm sorry for destroying something that wasn't mine to touch," Scott whispered.
"There ya' go!" Edward announced. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" He looked up to me and gestured I come down. Almost too shaken to move, I forced myself to descend the stairs and move over to the solitary chair under the light.
As I got closer, I realized just how fucked up Scott really was. Edward had done a number on him with just a few hits. Surely, Scott should be hospitalized, he might even need surgery. And, as much as I hated him, as much as I wanted him to just disappear off the face of the Earth, I couldn't help but pity him. In this moment, he seemed like a frightened little mouse cowering in the corner of a house full of cats.
"Now, tell the lady you're sorry," Edward demanded, pulling me closer to him. "Say, 'Bella, I'm sorry I hit you and tried to ruin your life. I deserved to get kicked in the face.'"
Scott smirked and glared up at me. "Bella," he groaned.
I nodded, but didn't feel any better about forgiving him.
"I'm sorry you're a little bitch and you got what was coming to you," he added.
I couldn't hold back anymore. Edward had certainly given him what he deserved and more, but I was the one who took that initial punch. I was the one who needed avenged. So, I reached out with all I could and punched him square across the nose – the same spot I'd kicked just a few days ago. It hurt. I'm not gonna act like this wasn't the first time I'd ever punched someone, because it was. The pain of hitting his skull shot up my arm, but I didn't even blink twice. When I pulled my hand back, I had blood splattered up to my wrist. But I didn't even give that a second thought.
"You both are dead, you hear me? You're both – so – so dead. I know people, too, Cullen. Evil people," Scott spat.
Edward smirked and looked up to Tanya, who was still standing on the balcony. "Go get your jumper cables, Cos," he teased.
Tanya squealed like a kid on Christmas morning and bolted down the stairs. "Yes!" she screamed. "I was afraid he was gonna be a pussy and just give in. It's a good thing I rented the F350, huh? Got the max heavy duty battery – good for long, lasting power."
"Wait, wait, wait," Scott continued. "I'm sorry, Bella."
"Aw, man," Tanya grunted. "Don't do that, Scott. Be a prick! Come on."
"For?" Edward instigated.
"For hitting you and destroying your life or whatever," Scott reiterated. "I deserved what happened here tonight."
"You see, what you fail to realize is that it was your own self destructive habits that kept you from – well – being me," I explained. "You think Jenks doesn't know about your drug addiction? You think you've been that good about keeping it a secret? You see, it all makes sense now. When you used to come to the board meetings all twitchy, pupils dilated, and sniffing like you'd gotten a cold – he knew. He may have turned a blind eye, hoping you'd grow out of it. But he knew. That's why you don't get to be me."
Scott huffed and looked away. I didn't know if he was really hearing what I had to say or if he was just appeasing me. I didn't care in either case. But I did want him to understand the next thing off my lips, so I grabbed his chin and forced his face to look at me.
"I told you I'd have you murdered for what you did to me. You touch me again and I will. You try to blackmail me again and I will. It is in your best interest to disappear, Scott."
Scott said nothing in response. He just stared off into the abyss behind us, presumably at the wall. At this, Edward gestured to a guy standing in the corner who I hadn't even realized was there until just now. As a matter of fact, now that the excitement was all but over, there were at least three other people in here with us, none of whom I'd met before.
"Now, Scott," Edward started, taking a black piece of fabric from the Corner-guy. "Have you ever heard of an herb called the Indian Snakeroot?"
Scott didn't acknowledge him at all.
"No? Well, let me tell you a little about it. Originally, they used it to treat mental illness - ya' know, psychosis and the like. But as they continued their research, they found a number of different uses," Edward explained, pulling a little syringe out of the fabric and flicking it twice with his index finger. "One of which being a sedative." Edward jabbed the needle into Scott's shoulder. "It may also cause some permanent amnesia, if not given in the correct dosage." After he'd emptied the medication into Scott, he took a step back and handed the syringe to the Corner-guy. "So, sweet dreams and try to remember what we talked about in the morning."
Scott glared at Edward for a few seconds until his eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped over to the side. He was out like a god damned light.
"Clean him up," Edward grunted to the Corner-guy. "And put him on a plane back to New York. Make his room look – presentable – for his grandfather. You understand?"
Corner-guy nodded and turned to Scott, just as Edward grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me towards the door, gesturing for Tanya to follow along behind us.
"Well, this was a waste of time," she snorted once we'd gotten outside. "You never let me have any fun."
Edward smirked and shook his head as we hopped back in the Lincoln Continental and took off down the same dusty, dirt road that brought us here to begin with. I was sure I was still in shock. Part of me liked what I saw tonight. We didn't necessarily torture the guy, just – scared him, like Edward said we would do. And, honestly, he was right about one other thing as well. My opinion of him had changed drastically. He wasn't just my competitor anymore, and he definitely wasn't just my boyfriend. Edward had turned into my protector, my confidante, someone that no one in their right mind would mess with. And that, in turn, made me someone no one wanted to mess with.
I now knew that Edward had it in him to be evil, to be vengeful, to be down right cruel. He was dead serious when he turned around and told Tanya to grab the jumper cables. He would have let her do it. And, judging by her extreme disappointment in Scott's cooperation, this was something that she had done before, and something she'd do again if her cousin told her too.
This also told me something else about Edward. He was a man of duality. He could be loving and sweet and nurturing at times, but he could be violent and bloodthirsty when he needed to be. The man had balls of steel – which is probably why he was where he was, considering what he'd done in his lifetime.
"Did you see the way his face got all tense when you brought Bree into the conversation?" Tanya spoke up, ending the silent tension in the car. "What do you think he'll do when he finds out that you didn't send the video to her?"
"Tomorrow will be the best day of Scott's life," Edward started. "He'll wake up on a plane, only vaguely remembering what happened tonight, and worry about what she'll say when he gets there. He'll compromise with God to make this all go away, to forgive him of everything he's done to make her stay with him. He'll swear to never snort coke again, to never bother with us, to live a good, clean life. He may even mean it. And when he gets to her and realizes that she's as blissfully ignorant as she's ever been, he'll thank his lucky stars for keeping the best thing in his life from going to shit. His food will taste better, his wine sweeter. Their sex will be as it never has before."
"So, it may seem like we fucked him up pretty bad, but he'll thank us for it down the road," Tanya teased.
I was still dumbstruck. I couldn't focus on anything. What we'd just done seemed so – Casino. It seemed like something only bad guys did to people. Did that make me a bad guy? Edward? Would this come back to bite me in the ass? Would I serve jail time for being an accomplice to extortion and torture?
Edward looked over and ran his finger down the side of my cheek. "You alright?"
I didn't answer, just nodded solemnly and returned to looking out the window.
The ride back to Houston was relatively silent.
When we did ultimately get there, Tanya hopped back in the driver's seat, I assumed to return the car. I tried my best to be as focused as possible, but all I could see was Edward's hand smashing against Scott's face, and the look of satisfaction for having done so. It haunted me. It was side of him that I'd never seen before, a side I'm sure most men had but never showed the love of their lives. It was mildly terrifying, in some respect. But, he was doing it to avenge me - to help me - so I couldn't feel that upset about it, could I? I was so confused.
Edward escorted me into the hotel the back way and up to my room. I couldn't help but be unusually quiet.
"Bella, you haven't said a word since we left the shack. What's the matter?" he whispered once we were in the elevator.
I shrugged. "Nothing, I guess. Just, how do you know Scott will keep his mouth shut? He might call the cops for what we did."
Edward smiled and shook his head. "Scott's been a habitual cocaine user for over two years, Bella. The last thing he needs is law enforcement. I doubt he'll call the police."
"But - what if he does?"
"Remember when you asked if I was going to be okay? That was the condition. He may. And if he does, I'll take the fall for it."
"Edward," I started. "I won't agree to that. You fall, I fall. That's how we work now."
He just smirked and opened the door to my suite for me once we'd gotten on my floor. "No. If I fall, you take over the company. If I don't fall, you still take over the company."
"But -" I started. I was trying to tell him that plan was probably something I no longer wanted.
"No but's," Edward interrupted, taking a few steps inside. "And he'll be fine, by the way. I was just teasing about the amnesia bit. Mind if I use your shower?"
I gestured toward the bathroom door. "It's all yours."
Smiling, he started unbuttoning his shirt and headed in that direction. All I could do was slump on the side of my bed and look down to my lap.
Christ!
What had I gotten myself into? The anxiety and stress of tonight was starting to catch up to me. Perhaps I was still in shock while it was going on, perhaps I was too focused on the action. But now that everything was said and done - I felt like I was literally going to self destruct any second. What I saw tonight was merely child's play compared to what Edward was really capable of. And how exactly did I feel about that?
After everything I'd been through in the last month, I was really starting to debate going any further with the merger. I had absolutely no desire to work for Carlisle whatsoever. Nor did I want to have his influence anywhere near Edward again. I knew the love of my life was a big boy and he was more than able to handle his father by himself, but I suddenly found this insatiable urge to protect him, to keep him from doing things like this in the future. No one had the power to do that except for me. And once I was made the CEO of the hybrid corporation, nothing would happen without my knowledge.
My goal became crystal clear.
I had to get us away from all of this - Get us away or get Carlisle out of the picture.
Suddenly, the bathroom door opened again and a soaking wet, naked Edward appeared through it.
"I thought for sure that you were going to follow me," he teased, walking closer to the bed. He knelt between my legs and looked up at me, shooting that crooked grin in my direction. Then, he looked down at my hand. He ran his fingers over my bruised knuckles and raised an eyebrow. "Is that blood?"
I nodded.
He took a deep breath and wrapped his palm over mine, trying to cover it from my sight somehow. "Come on, love. Let's wash that off," he cooed.
Standing, I let him lead me into the bathroom, push my dress to the floor and guide me into the shower.
I took a deep breath and looked around while he ran the washcloth over my hand gently. My knuckles were bruised from having punched Scott, but I couldn't even feel it anymore. All I could think about was how we'd royally fucked up tonight, how I was gonna lose everything I'd worked so hard to build for myself.
I tried to pull my feelings together while he bathed me, carefully and softly running the soap over my face and chest. He did the same for himself before hopping out and throwing a towel around his waist. By the time I'd dried myself off and followed him back into the red room, he was already laying in bed - naked. He tapped the space next to him and smiled, gesturing for me to join him.
Hardly sure of what to say, I crawled into bed and rolled away from him. It wasn't long before he came up behind me and wrapped an arm around my waist. "That freaked you out a little bit, didn't it?"
I solemnly nodded.
"You're worried about tonight," he continued.
I looked over my shoulder and nervously met his gaze with another nod.
"You shouldn't be. You did nothing wrong."
"How is it that you're not worried?" I anxiously whispered.
He shrugged and gave me a small sigh. "It's not in my nature to be worried about things like this."
"You have to stop," I retorted, rolling to my back. "You can't just do whatever Carlisle tells you to do for the rest of your life. Especially when it's something like this."
"Carlisle didn't order tonight. I did," Edward started. He climbed on top of me and pried my legs apart, settling in between them. "Besides, tonight was nothing like - well - tonight was the last time."
"Didn't you say that about the last person?"
"The last person didn't treat your face like a punching bag. This was - This was personal," Edward mused, running his fingers lightly down the broken side of my face. "I knew this was going to change us, and now you know why I didn't want to tell you about it in the beginning. I mean," Edward shook his head. "who would actually want to love someone like me?"
"I didn't mean it like that," I added. "I - We have to get rid of Carlisle. He has to stop doing this to you. He has to stop putting you in these situations."
Edward chuckled and leaned up to kiss my cheek. "Carlisle's the only one protecting me."
"Not the only one," I mused.
"If I get caught, Carlisle's in good enough with the Fed's for them to release me. He won't let me be locked up for very long," Edward explained.
"What happens when we go public? Will he still protect you?"
"I'd like to think so," he continued.
"But you don't know. Did he tell you to seek revenge on Scott? Did he tell you to go easy on Eleazar?"
Edward sighed. "I already told you, Carlisle had nothing to do with tonight. This was my call."
"Right. So what will you do when he finds out about it? What will you do when he decides to stop protecting you?"
"He won't," Edward answered.
"How do you know?"
"He's my father, Bella. Blood's thicker than jail bars," Edward explained. He placed a gentle kiss on my knee cap and smiled. "I know you think he's a horrible man, and in some respects, he is. But when it comes to his children, Tanya and Irina included, he'd do anything to protect them."
"Oh," I snorted. "Like forcing them overseas to extort, rape and destroy the people who stand in his way? And I remember Tanya telling me something about your father not being too fond of his children prancing around with people he deemed unworthy."
"She told you that, huh?" Edward continued. "Look, I'm not saying he was right. There was a million different ways he could have gone about it. The man's not perfect. I'm just saying that, even though I was committing felony after felony, I knew Carlisle would stand by me no matter what. Stand by any of his children. You should have seen what he did to the man who was responsible for killing Irina."
"I thought you shot him."
"The man I shot wasn't the man behind the money, if you catch my drift," Edward explained. "It doesn't mean I like it. I doesn't mean I approve. It just is how it is."
I nodded and looked away, suddenly uneasy about all of this. Sure, Carlisle would protect his children to the hilt, but that didn't mean he was a good man. That didn't mean this would blow over the way Edward wanted it to. Scott was a snake, a bloodthirsty beast with no resemblance of a heart whatsoever. If he did seek his revenge, he would get it - by any recourse necessary. Perhaps the police would be willing to overlook his drug habit for information regarding the Cullens, Edward in particular.
"Let's just stop talking about all of that, huh?" he suggested. "I have other plans for my mouth." Then, he flashed that devious grin at me and slid down my body, flashing that feral look at me- the one that always sent chills down my back in the most enticing way. It seemed like ages ago that this all began as a playful strip tease in two office buildings. Now, here I was, writhing underneath him as my legs dragged up his back, all too willing to submit to his demands.
His lips slid down my body, caressing my neck and the top of my chest with delicate, sinful kisses. That bronze head then drifted lower south and, the next thing I knew, his mouth was wrapped around my clit in extraordinary bliss. Say what you will about his past, the man was a master when it came to getting me off. His fingers slid in and out of me with expert precision, and the only recourse for me was to grab a pillow and smash it over my face to keep from screaming. He sucked and licked and nibbled, and I grabbed a fistful of his wet hair to coerce him forward. It felt - it felt astounding. I was melting into him, urging him to continue, begging him to make me forget about everything else.
Here was a man who was capable of bringing the mighty to their knees, capable of seducing anything he wanted out of anybody, and I'd managed to bewitch him somehow. I'd managed to bring him to his knees. The thought made me feel even more turned on. I could feel myself getting so wet around his fingers, so desperate for him to fuck me. I almost couldn't take it any longer. I pulled his head toward my face. "Make love to me, Edward," I moaned into his lips.
And he didn't miss a beat. Without so much as a passing glance, his lips connected with mine and he pushed inside of me, stretching me with an insane intensity. I'd never felt closer to him. We'd fucked hundreds of times by now, and, even though I knew about his past, I hadn't stood witness to the allegation.
Now, I knew him - inside and out. Knew his fears and insecurities, knew that he saw himself incapable of being loved - and that made me love him even more, made me feel more connected to him. I pushed my pelvis up to meet his with each thrust into me. I wanted him deeper, harder. I wanted all of him.
He was slow and passionate, running his fingers over me like any wrong move would cause me pain. He simply wouldn't do that to me.
It was hard to keep my eyes open, I was in such an elevated state. His cock pushed on my G-Spot and I knew I was about to explode any second.
"Come with me," I murmured.
He didn't answer, just nodded his head and pressed his lips to mine again. My orgasm rushed over me with sinful bliss, absolutely pure and delightful. His face tightened and his cock twitched inside of me, letting me know he'd reached his own climax as well. I relished in these small moments with him. We didn't come together all of the time, but when we did, it was magical - like fucking Disney World and shit.
After we'd breathed down the intensity of our climax, I rolled to my side and closed my eyes. I was fighting sleep in the fiercest way.
"You shouldn't worry about anything," he started, kissing my shoulder. "Once you're in charge, none of this has to happen anymore. You'll be untouchable." He danced his fingers down the side of my waist.
The last thing I remember saying to him was, "That's not what I want anymore. All I want is you."
Then, that was it. Darkness. Nothingness. The ignorant bliss of sleep.
The next morning, I woke up alone next to a note.
"I couldn't bare to wake you.
See you in a few hours.
All my love,
The Spy."
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading. Please check out my blog, link on my profile.