Okay, so we're going to embark on a journey. A darker journey, one that will be around a different kind of Edward, a snarky, bossy Bella and a new Esme. It will be a drabble-ish type fic. The chapters will be between 1000 to 2000 words. Updates will come on Mondays and Fridays with teasers on Tuesdays and Saturdays on my blog. The link for the blog will be on my profile. The story is planned, but not pre-written.
Chapter Fifty-Two
BPOV
I was making some grilled cheese and tomato soup. I remember loving that when I was feeling down. My mom made the best grilled cheese, with American, cheddar, provolone and mozzarella. It was decadent and I hoped that Edward would like it, too. As I was dishing up the grilled cheese and pouring the creamy tomato soup into an oversized mug, Rose and Emmett walked in.
"Hey, guys," I said. "I was just making Edward a snack. Obviously, today has been a cluster." I picked up the plates and moved toward the bedroom.
"Unfortunately, the clusterfuck is about to get even more fucked up," Emmett muttered his breath.
I looked at him, glaring at him. "What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my voice even.
"You can't not tell her, Emmett," Rose said, arching a brow.
"Sooooooo," he hedged, running his hand through his cropped hair. "We did the search on Esme's office and found a lot of damning evidence."
"That's good news," I said, my stomach churning.
"It would be great news if a newbie patrol cop hadn't fucking lost her," Emmett snarled. "We went to formalize her arrest and she was gone. All of the employees were placed in a conference room. Esme Platt was not in that fucking room."
The tray of food fell from my hands and I let out a god awful screech, clawing my hands into my hair. "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! HOW THE FUCK DID SHE GET OUT?!" I screamed, running toward Emmett and slapping at his arms. He covered his face as I wailed on him. I was angry, livid at him, at the cop, at fucking Bitchme. I felt a pair of arms around my waist, dragging me away from a cowering Emmett. We slipped onto the floor and were both covered in tomato soup. I glared at Emmett with ire and loathing.
"Bellisima," Edward said soothingly. "Breathe."
"Emmett, tell Edward what you told me," I sneered. "You're supposed to protect him from her, Detective McCarty!"
"I'm sorry! I thought she was under control with Officer Maruzek," Emmett frowned. "All of the employees, really. He's one of the best on the force."
"Apparently not, unless he's under her influence," I spat.
"Esme got away?" Edward asked quietly as he held me in his lap.
"Mr. Masen, I'm sorry, but she eluded capture. She was in the office when she was served the warrant for us to serve her office and residence. All of the employees were corralled into a conference room," Emmett muttered.
"The one right off the elevator?" Edward replied, his voice barely a whisper and his face as white as a sheet. Emmett nodded. "There's an 'escape route' from the closet in that conference room. There's access to the back stairwell. More than likely, she was ushered in there and threatened her employees if they told the cops where she went."
"Do you know if she has any other vehicles? A way to flee the country?"
"I don't know. Probably. She's got a lot of money at her disposal," Edward said woodenly, his arms tightening around me and his breathing becoming more haggard.
"Love, I'm sorry, but you have to calm down," I said soothingly, turning in his lap. "Look at me, baby."
"She's never going to give up. She won't stop until I'm dead," he said, his voice haunted and tiny.
"She may have just left, running away like the coward she is," Rose suggested.
"She's not a coward," Edward snarled, glaring at Rosalie. "She's a manipulative, backstabbing whore who takes what she wants kills a person with her hatred and soul-sucking poison. Each time she … she fucking raped me, I died more inside. She's not giving up. She won't give up. She has too much to lose if she runs away."
"Edward's right," Emmett said. "According to her books, she's got almost a quarter of a billion dollars locked away in various banks all over the world. Unfortunately, she can't access any of them since her assets have been frozen. Her 'business' is quite lucrative." Emmett gave us a concerned look. "I know that you probably don't want to talk to me. I have to get your statement, Edward."
He looked at me, his jade-colored orbs pleading with me for them to go away. His body was trembling. La mia forza, he was done. "Emmett, today, as you so aptly put it, has been a clusterfuck of epic proportions. Esme is on the loose, but she can't get in here. We have security. Can't you take his statement tomorrow?"
"Okay," Emmett said. "I'm sorry about …"
"Me, too. I didn't mean to fly off the handle like that," I said, giving Emmett a terse smile. "However, with all that happened, hearing that she had eluded capture …"
"Right," Emmett nodded. "I'm going to head back to the station and work on gathering more evidence on Esme. When she is caught, she will never see the light of day again. There are contracts, receipts, invoices … all proof her selling people."
"Did you manage to get that girl? Elianna?" I asked.
"We did. A US Marshal was on the plane that Esme put her on and flew back this morning. She's been reunited with her family," Emmett said.
"At least, she got a happy ending," I said.
"And so will you," Emmett murmured, looking at Edward. "I'll be by in the morning."
"Early afternoon," I argued. "I have a court appearance to take over Edward's mother's legal guardianship. Jenks and I are on the docket for nine with Judge Trask."
"He's the same guy who got us our search warrant with the help of Aro and Marcus Volturi," Emmett nodded. "He'll grant you the guardianship. He's a great judge, fair."
"I'll talk to you tomorrow, Bells," Rose said, taking Emmett's hand and guiding them out of the suite.
Edward had a vice grip around me, his cheek pressed to my hair. The trembling had calmed down, but his eyes were still haunted. I weaved my fingers with his, turning so I could hold him. As I moved, I noticed his feet. They were cut up from the shards of the plate on the floor. "Edward, baby, you're bleeding," I said.
"I had to make sure you were alright," he said, his voice having a singsong quality to it. "I don't want to lose you, too."
"I'm going to call Carlisle," I said, moving to get up.
"No, please …" he choked out, tightening his arms around my waist. Despite his weight loss, he still had a great deal of strength. "Just stay with me a few moments longer. It doesn't hurt."
"Okay, baby," I said, snuggling back in his embrace. That was hard since he was just skin and bones. When he calmed down, I got up and dialed Carlisle. He was staying in my dad's lavish suite in the hotel. He came down and helped me clean up the mess on the floor. Edward couldn't do much since both of his feet were now torn to shreds from rushing to get me. We just set him up on the couch while I went to work on making a fresh meal for him. Carlisle then worked on his feet, only bandaging them with gauze. Carlisle also gave Edward one of the sedatives that Dr. Banner had prescribed. He was still anxious and jittery, and understandably so, about Esme's bait and switch maneuver.
We ate our meals and eventually went into the bedroom. Carlisle decided to stay in my guest room while I slept with Edward. Though, I was terrified that he'd panic if I touched him. I lay down next to him, running my fingers through his hair. He gave me a timid, crooked smile. "It was you. My dreams of you that made me hold on," he whispered in the dim light of my bedroom. "I love you, Bella. I felt it when we were in Napa. You are such a wonderful, kind, gentle, patient and beautiful woman. I wanted to feel that again before I died."
"You're not going to die, Edward," I whispered. "I just got you back."
"Even if I died tomorrow, I know that I was with the woman I loved more than my own life," he said, moving closer and putting his arm around my waist. He sighed contentedly, tightening his grip. He was snoring before I knew it. I turned in his embrace, kissing his forehead, nose and oh, so gently on his lips. He smiled against my mouth, kissing me back before burrowing his nose into my neck.
With all he had been through, Edward was still a snuggler. A cuddler.
It gave me hope that he would eventually be okay. I prayed that he would be.
All we had to do was get his mother into our care. Then, find Bitchme and beat her to a bloody pulp. Oh, wait. Send her to jail where she can be beat to a bloody pulp and become Bertha's bitch.
Heh, heh.
She should endure the same torture she inflicted on her employees.
That would be poetic justice.
I smiled as drifted off to sleep, imagining all of the ways that Esme could be maimed. It was the best dream ever.
A/N: So, yeah. Esme pulled a Victoria. She got away. Where in the hell did she go? Evil bitch. She's not done yet. She ain't going down with a fight. Leave me suggestions of what you think should happen to her? I'm curious.
Really.
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