On we go!
Chapter 38
Tuesday 6th August 2013
Edward heads up in the elevator; he knows this route very well. His mind turning over and over. He mostly thinks about Bella and the kids.
"Mr. Cullen" Aro's assistant greets with a smile. "It is lovely seeing you again, how are things?"
"Good" Edward smiles before running a hand through his hair. "Good, I'm here to see…"
"Yes, Mr. Volturi is expecting you" She beams. "Go right in sir"
"Thank you" Edward nods before turning and heading to the office. His hand is placed lightly on the knob; he takes a deep breath and opens one side of the double doors.
"Ah Edward Cullen as I live and breathe, do come in, do come in"
Edward looks at Aro now standing with a smile on his face. His hands are clasps as he waits for Edward to shut the door and come forward.
Walking through Aro watches Edward stand. "Please sit Edward, we have so much to discuss"
"Do we?" Edward sits slowly.
"Oh yes my dear boy, we do" Aro's voice turns serious. He sits and gets comfortable once Edward has taken a seat across from him.
"What do we need to talk about?" Edward says wanting to get right to it.
"Last year you pulled in Two Million dollars in profits"
"Okay"
"You are a star"
"Yes, yet I didn't get hired by anyone else" He says pointedly knowing full well his leg work to find a new job in Seattle didn't happen due to Aro's pull.
"No…pity" Aro pouts like a child.
"What is this about Aro?"
"Come back and work for me"
"I can't" He can't nor does he want to.
"You know poor Mr. Witherdale, suffered a broken collar bone and three ribs" He still doesn't know why Edward beat the man up but he will use the attack to his benefit.
Edward widens his eyes. "Wh-how…"
"Edward, you know how much money I have…power?" Aro stares before speaking again. "I didn't get where I am today without some brains, I know everything about the people that I employ"
Edward stares almost shell shocked, but not fully because he knows Aro, knows that the man is powerful. But hearing it and fully knowing is still somewhat shocking. "I-I, Aro"
"Come and work for me, and this nasty little mess will just go away" Aro smiles and says simply.
"Bella, I can't, I can't" He drops his head and rubs his forehead.
"Oh Edward, I know about Jane" Aro shakes his head. "Nasty little mess you and my niece got into"
Lifting his head Edward stares slack jawed at his former boss. "What?"
"Oh yes, like I said I know everything about people that work for me"
"Did you hire her knowing?" Edward wonders if Aro has been playing him the whole time, testing him, pushing him.
"No, no, but I did find out" Aro smiles a bit. "It was rather fun to have you both working together, you are a strong man, Jane is shall we say a spitfire of a girl…that is why I hired her after all"
"If I come and work for you, with Jane again, my wife will rightfully leave me" Edward puts it out there. If he knows about Jane, and James, he knows about his problems with Bella. The problems they have both fought so hard to overcome.
"Shall we sit here and ponder another solution then?" Aro purses his lips and taps them with a finger for a moment.
"There is no solution, I can't do that, can't hurt her, I won't"
"So Mr. Cullen what do we do then, I can't very well have you out there not making my company money, millions"
"I won't ruin my marriage" He says.
Aro drums his fingers. "Shall we call up the Seattle police, oh I know we should call your brother, Emmett he was your travel companion on this little beat down wasn't he?"
His ears burn as he sits looking at Aro make light of all this. Like he can just uproot his family again to move back to Seattle and hurt Bella again by going back to Volturi.
"Oh I know, we should call Chief Swan out in Forks; maybe he can be of service" Aro says thoughtfully. "I'm sure that rinky dinky station in Forks has finger printing equipment for that bloody bat that was found in the dumpster"
"Why are you doing this, why are you trying to hurt my family?" He feels stuck and tired.
"I want you back on my payroll as of yesterday Edward" Aro says roughly, there is no hint of faux joy in his tone at all this time. He is done playing. "I have worked hard to make this company, to take the best men from other companies, now the very best has left and I want him back, if that means blackmail so be it, choose!" He stands and slams his hand on his desk glaring.
The man's eyes are almost red, he looks like the devil. "Bella!" Edward stands shouting mimicking the hand slam on the desk. "My wife, my family, he raped her and you are threatening to put me in jail if I don't come back and work for you, because I broke his ribs, go to hell!"
Aro stands shocked; he stares back at the fuming man. "Raped?" Aro looks confused now.
He doesn't owe him any explanations about Bella, none. With all his knowledge he should have known. "If this meeting is over I would like to get back to my wife that forgave me time and time again, my wife that I love, my wife that I will not hurt again, do what you want, but Bella is my life and you and your company can go find someone else to fuck with" Edward glares before turning and leaving the office.
In the elevator he bangs his head against the metal door a few times. He feels torn because he doesn't want Bella to be hurt if Aro goes to the police or gets James, or whatever the two have planned with each other. He imagines Aro has bought James' silence in hopes Edward would come back in fear of this coming out. But Edward is only afraid for Bella, Bella having to face this.
Bella laughs as Rose, Alice and Esme are over; Sadie is bouncing on Bella's knee with a huge smile on her face.
"So when is my son back?" Esme comes in carrying some tea. She brought over some food items when she came.
"Um" Bella shrugs; she hopes he is sorting whatever it is out. And hopes he is back soon.
"Are we doing dinner tonight, how long are you in town for?" Alice questions, she takes Sadie into her arms as the little girl is just a ball of worms. "Hi you" Alice kisses and lifts her.
"Um, we" Bella frowns and rubs her head. "Until Thursday, Charlie and Sue are being so great watching the kids while we are out here"
"Why are you both here?" Esme sips her tea.
"Um, Edward had to take a meeting" She half lies. "His new job actually calls for a Seattle meeting"
"Crazy" Rose smiles before stroke down Sadie's head as her daughter is now in her lap.
"Tell me you are alright, Edward are you crazy!" Carlisle exclaims when his son walks into his office. His last patient just left. "Going to confront James"
"I had to"
Carlisle sighs and rubs his neck. "Okay, now Aro knows and wants what?"
"Me back"
"And?"
"I told him to go to hell"
"Edward"
"I know you don't expect me to go back and work for him with Jane, Bella…"
"No I don't but Edward" Carlisle tries to maul over things, everything. "Is he going to go to the police?"
"James raped her"
"There is no evidence, the only evidence is you beating James up, the bat Aro has with your prints and James' blood and an eye witness clearly as Aro knows" Carlisle speaks calmly but clearly making sure Edward understands the degree of this.
"James raped Bella, he made her afraid, he hurt her, I don't give a damn about anything else, and he got what he deserved" He will never forget what her body looked like, never.
"But Edward the law is not on your side here, nothing will hold up"
"So you think I should go back to Volturi, work for Aro work with Jane, and tell my wife what?"
"I'm sorry son, I-I" Carlisle sighs in his chair. "Despite the law side of it, you did the right thing, if it were Esme he would be dead" He speaks honestly to his son. "Dead"
"I will just have to wait and see if the police arrive on our door step" Edward points out.
"I guess so"
"Well, look what the cat dragged in" Rose greets Edward when he walks in with Carlisle.
Carlisle smiles and claps his son on his back. "Hi honey" Carlisle greets Esme with a kiss.
"How was today?" She strokes down his chest.
"Long"
Smiling she kisses her husband again.
Bella watches Edward greet Rose and Alice with hugs and kisses. He scoops up Sadie and throws her into the air making her squeal with delight.
"Emmett and Jasper are on their way over" Alice read her phone. "Dinner?" She questions.
"Sounds great" Edward snuggles his niece before looking at his wife. She looks worried, he is worried but he will talk her down soon.
"What happened?" She questions quickly, everyone just left as they are going to dinner in a few hours. "Edward, tell me" She pushes on his chest as she stares into his eyes. She had a good day; a great day, even if in the back of her mind what was going on between Aro and Edward was still playing in loop. It was great to spend time with Rose, Alice and Esme, of course Sadie as well. And tonight she looks forward to Alice and Jasper picking them up for dinner. But now she wants to speak to Edward.
"It is fine"
Bella grabs his face and makes him look at her, really look at her. "You are lying, tell me"
"He knows" His hands pull hers away from the sides of his face and he kisses them both before holding them between their chests. "Everything"
"Everything?"
"He didn't know about the rape…at least I don't think he did, he looked shocked when I said it…yelled it" Edward stares at his wife's wide worried eyes.
"What does this mean, what did he want?"
"Me, to go back to Volturi, I told him to go to hell"
"Edward, is he going to the police, because what James did can't be proved, what you did…can it?"
"He has the bat"
"Oh my god" She widens her eyes. "A bat?"
"It should have been a gun"
"Sh, stop it, no" Bella shakes her head and pushes against his chest. "Don't talk like that"
Pulling her into a hug he drops his head to her shoulder. "I'm sorry about all this"
"I'm not mad" She pushes on her toes and hugs around his neck. "I just want this to go away" She whispers into his neck.
"We just have to wait and see what he does, I'm not going back"
"I don't want you too"
"I might go to jail"
Bella squeezes her eyes tight. "Don't say that please" She pushes more against him and feels him pick her up, her legs go around his hips and she is moving. The bed is soft under her.
He lies on top of her and drops his head in the space on the bed between her ear and shoulder. "I'm sorry"
"You don't have to keep apologizing"
"What if going to see James ruined us?" He whispers
Bella stares at the ceiling and scratches the back of his head, she sighs. "Edward if we made it this far, we can make it through this"
"I got Emmett involved"
Bella licks her lips. "Should we speak to Jasper?"
"I don't know" He answers lifting his head to look down at her. He presses a soft kiss to her lips.
"More" She begs when he pulls back, her hands at his ears ready to pull him back down.
He complies kissing her deeply, like he can't get enough of her, and he can't. "I love you sweetheart"
"I love you" Bella mutters between their sloppy but sweet kisses.
Thursday 15th August 2013
The rest of the short trip was eventful and before they knew it they were heading back to Forks without a word from Aro.
Edward holds her hand as they drive towards Forks, his eyes land on the sign 'Welcome To Forks' and he smiles to himself.
Bella glances at him. "Charlie said the kids are good, Ava is getting a bit clingy"
"I imagine" Edward watches her rest her phone on her lap with one hand. He honestly didn't even know she was on the phone with her dad. His was busy thinking about what Aro may or may not do, how settled their life was before all this. How happy he is here, really happy, not stressed there is no added stress in Forks. It is a peaceful life. And then he was thinking about how it all can be ripped away and he has no way to fight back.
"It is okay Edward" Bella squeezes his hand.
He smiles when he glances at her. "I'm fine"
"We will be fine" She knows it.
"Mommy!" Paget squeals when she sees her parents. She makes a mad dash towards her mother and father as they get out of the car.
Edward smiles as he watches his little girl running towards them. He spots his son and other two daughters running.
Bella sweeps down and scoops up her daughter. "Hi" She smiles kissing Paget all over.
"I missed you, so much!" Paget exclaims holding her mother's face still from the kisses.
Bella laughs; she looks down and sees Paget at her legs. "Hi baby" Bella scoops down and lifts Ava with one arm, holding both are girls up.
Edward laughs holding Lucy in his arm and he scoops Masen up on his back. Well Masen climbs up his back.
Charlie and Sue walk out. "We couldn't contain them" He laughs.
"Not at all" Sue smiles kissing Edward on the cheek.
"Were they good?" Edward questions.
"Very" Sue smiles.
"She lies" Charlie says gruffly.
"Granny Sue said Grandpa Charlie was the naughty one" Paget informs her mother.
Bella widens her eyes. "Really now?"
"Oh yes" Paget nods quickly.
"So did you and Edward sort everything out Bells?" Charlie says clearing his throat.
"No, not at all" Bella sighs with a small smile. "But it will be fine"
"You can tell me anything, anything Bella"
"I know" She rubs her forehead. "I just"
"Hey, the kids want you…do you mind if I talk to Charlie for a bit?" Edward looks at his wife.
"No" She stands quickly and goes to him, her hands at his chest. "Edward"
"It's alright" He assures her. He needs to tell Charlie what happened, just in case something does happen with Aro. He spoke to Jasper before they left, Jasper couldn't offer much because there is no evidence that James raped Bella, only evidence that Edward beat him. Everyone seems to be on the same page, don't make a move until Aro moves, if he moves at all.
Bella looks at him for a moment before touching his chest and leaving her husband and father alone.
"What is going on Edward?" Charlie says in an even somber tone.
Two more then we are done!
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