As always, none of this is mine. This belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I just like to dabble in the playground she created.
When I started writing this, I had one idea, but it morphed into something else. So yeah, major cliffie. I promise not to leave you hanging. My hope is that by the time I post this, I can post the next update the following week.
Chapter Seventeen
Bella
"What's taking so long?" Alice asked, rubbing her belly. "I want my hamburger. And macaroni salad, potato salad, fruit salad … "
"You are obsessed, Alice," Lauren chided, with a wry snicker. She cast a judgmental look to Alice, who was all belly. Some of it was due to the baby. The rest of it was due to Alice just enjoying too much food and being on bed rest since she was so tiny in comparison to her daughter growing in her belly. "Why don't you have a piece of celery?"
"Are you calling me fat?" Alice growled, glowering at Lauren. Emmett walked over to Lauren and guided her down the dock overlooking the lake.
"Both of you, behave," I snapped. "They'll get here when they get here." I handed Alice a glass of lemonade before I walked to the chaise where Esme was sitting with Charlie, Uncle Jimmy and Sue.
Carlisle was manning the grill, cooking brats, hamburgers and hot dogs. He was sipping a beer while he flipped the meats on the grill. Leah and Claire were on the dock, talking with Lauren and Emmett, dipping their toes in the water.
I smiled, happy at my family enjoying a quiet holiday. It had been years since I'd last remembered a moment like this. I think the last time I'd enjoyed a barbecue was when my father was alive. My cell phone rang from my back pocket of my cutoff jeans. I rolled my eyes, walking back into the house and picked up my phone, not looking at the caller ID. "You better be on your way home, Capo."
"Not Edward," Jacob said, his voice low and trembling. "Bella … I …"
"What happened?" I asked. "Is everything okay? Talk to me."
"The meet went sideways. Both Jasper and Edward were hit, Bella," Jacob growled. "We're on the way to Moretti's office in the Consortium headquarters. Felix and Liam are on their way to pick you and Alice up. Liam will stay with the family, because we need Carlisle and Emmett."
"Is it bad?" I sniffled, wiping my cheeks.
"I'm not going to lie, Bells. It's bad," Jacob said softly. "I'm sorry."
"I'm on my way," I said, walking shakily to the garage. I swiped the keys to Edward's Volvo.
"Bells, you can't …" Jacob said. "Maas, your mom, they're still factors and you can't be on your own."
"Don't tell me what the fuck to do," I snapped back. "I'm coming and that's final." I opened the garage door, sliding into the driver's seat of the car. I was backing out of the garage when Carlisle came running around to the front. His eyes were swirling with concern. I rolled down the window. "Want a ride?"
"Bella, you can't just leave," he said. "Edward would completely lose his shit if something happened to you. What about Charlie?"
"Well, something happened to my husband. I need to be there for him, for me!" I rasped. "Charlie is with Uncle Jimmy, Sue and Esme, safe with them. I need to be with Edward. Jacob said it was bad. I can't … I need to be with him. I need to know that he's okay. Get in the god damned car or get the fuck out of my way, Carlisle. I love you and respect you, but …"
"Okay, figlia," Carlisle said, walking to the passenger seat. He slid inside the car, slamming the door.
I spun out of the driveway and made my way to the city. My father-in-law called Esme and told her that we were running an errand. I arched a brow at his lie, but after the call, he said that didn't want to panic his wife. He also contacted Felix and Liam, who were still driving to the house. He told them to tread carefully, not to raise suspicion. Liam was still planning on staying, while Felix would drive Alice and Emmett to Moretti's office upon his arrival.
The drive to the city was an absolute blur. I vaguely remembered driving down the highway until we got to the Consortium building. I parked in the garage, sprinting to the stairs. I didn't have the patience to wait for an elevator.
The sooner I got to my husband, the better.
"Bella, it's almost sixty floors," Carlisle said, pressing the elevator call button. I opened my mouth to respond, but trudged to stand next to Carlisle. He had a point. The elevator car arrived and we rode up to the floor that housed Dr. Manny Moretti's private medical practice and surgical suite. I paced the tiny box. When the doors opened, I darted out of the car and ran into Moretti's office. Jacob was waiting for us in the waiting area. He was wearing medical scrubs and his black hair was sticking up every which direction.
"Jake?" I choked out.
He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly. I felt his tears on my shoulders. My heart shattered.
No! No! No!
It can't be.
Edward was dead?
"No, Bells," Jake said, releasing me from his tight embrace. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out."
"Did I say that out loud?" I asked, staring at my friend and protector. Jake took my hand, leading me and Carlisle into one of the examination rooms. The office was closed, but still open through windows to the hallway. "Talk to me, Jake."
"We arrived about a half hour ago. One of Moretti's colleagues, Dr. Robert Mosley, is taking care of Jasper. Moretti is tending to Edward," Jake explained. "Jasper was shot in the gut, beneath the vest. Dr. Mosley said that Jasper was lucky. It didn't hit anything vital, going directly through him. He will be monitored, of course, but he should be released tomorrow at the earliest, but probably by Wednesday or Thursday at the latest."
"Can this Dr. Mosley be trusted?" Carlisle asked. "This is the first time I've heard of this Mosley character. If this is to replace Alice while she has her daughter … I …"
"Yes, Carlisle," Jake nodded. "Moretti and Mosley both worked for Volturi. This office and their staff were under the employ of the Volturi Organization. They were all vetted and have proven their loyalty."
"What about Edward?" I asked sharply.
"He was hit in the thigh. Moretti is performing surgery to remove the bullet since it was embedded close to the bone. However, his heart rate was really high and he was rubbing his chest the entire time we were at the apartment building, meeting with Felipe," Jake breathed. "Seth was afraid that Boss was having a heart attack."
I sat down heavily on a stool, trying not to explode into hysterical sobs. My Edward was shot. He was having a heart attack.
Too fucking young to be dealing with all of this!
"Mrs. Cullen?" came a deep voice.
"Yes?" I asked, blinking up to see a handsome doctor, tugging off a surgeon's cap and giving us a tender smile. "Dr. Moretti?"
"Manny, please," he said, holding out his hand and shaking my hand. "I overheard what Jacob said. I can say, definitively, that your husband did not have a heart attack."
"Panic attack?" Carlisle asked.
"A severe one, exasperated by the gunshot," Manny said. "Have you experienced anxiety attacks, Mr. Cullen?"
"When I was much, much younger," Carlisle answered. "And shortly after my father's death." He pressed a hand to my shoulder, squeezing it tightly. "What's my son's prognosis?"
"It's not his first battle with anxiety. He's battled panic attacks after his abduction," I whispered, twisting my wedding set.
"In regard to his gunshot wound, it was deep and was embedded close to his femur. I've removed the bullet and disposed of it," Manny said. "Most of the damage is muscular and Mr. Cullen will need to take it easy for the foreseeable future. He will need some physical therapy to help with rebuilding the damage in his thigh. In regard to the anxiety attack, medication is the first step. I'm going to prescribe a low-dose anti-depressant, an anti-anxiety pill and a sleeping pill, if needed."
"He won't like all that," I muttered.
"Understandable," Manny chuckled. "If anything, the anxiety pill should be the one he should rely on."
"Again, he won't like all that," I sighed. "What about therapy?"
"Who could he talk to?" Jacob asked. "It's not like he could go to a shrink to describe the stress he's under. He'll be arrested."
"He can talk to me. I was halfway through my master's degree in psychology. I may not have received my accreditation, but I know how to …" I said, only to be interrupted by Carlisle.
"Bella, I get what you're trying to say," Carlisle said. "However, remember what Edward said … plausible deniability."
"I can't testify against my own husband, Carlisle. Spousal privilege. Additionally, I'd treat our conversations the same as a therapist and patient. They would be privileged."
"Mrs. Cullen," Manny said, sitting down on the examination table and leaning forward. "I know a bit about your education and what you're offering would be amazing, to any other patient except your husband. He needs you to be his wife, not his shrink. However, I get what you're saying about therapy. I agree with your assessment. Mr. Volturi had needed therapy, as well. I have a brother, Vincent, who is a therapist. He turned to Vincent after the death of his son." He arched a brow at me.
"Which my husband was responsible for since he killed Matteo. He'd been involved in a raid that killed one of our men," I sneered. "Are you certain you're loyal to our family?" I turned to Jake, swiping his gun from the waistband of his scrubs, cocking the hammer.
"Bella," Carlisle said, his voice low. "I know you're upset, but this is not the answer."
"I want fucking proof," I hissed. Manny held up his hands, his eyes wide and sweat forming on his forehead.
Carlisle took the gun from my hand, giving it back to Jacob and cupped my face. "Figlia, I need you to relax. I know your emotions are out of control, but I trust my son in his decision to hire Dr. Moretti."
"Mrs. Cullen, I swore my allegiance to the Cullen Consortium. Marcus, he bore no ill will toward Edward or his organization. Matteo was a loose cannon, to be honest. He was a boy of action, not thought. It was his undoing," Manny explained. "Marcus just needed to come to grips with his son's death and his anger for how Matteo acted, without honor, toward your family. My former employer held your family in high regard. He felt that your family honored the old ways and it's why he helped you when Mr. Cullen, Edward, was taken by Royce and Stephan."
I started to cry, sliding down the wall and curling into a tiny ball. That casual reference brought back all of the dark memories of the day that should have been my wedding day. Instead, I was driving all over northern Illinois in hopes of saving my husband, killing Royce King because he was the mastermind behind that nightmare. Jacob sat down next to me and pulled me into his lap, hugging me as I completely lost it.
"Dr. Moretti, thank you for keeping us updated on Edward," Carlisle said. "If you could give us a moment, please?"
"Of course," Manny said, nodding curtly. "I need to check on my patient. Both Mr. Cullen and Mr. Whitlock are recovering in our private suites." He looked at me, giving me a tender smile before ducking out of the examination room.
"Jacob, can you give us a moment?" Carlisle asked, gently tugging on my hand. I stood up and Jacob left the room. I stalked to the window, glaring out of it. Tears were streaming down my face and I clenched my fists. "Bella, I know you're upset. You have every right to be. I also get your trepidation in trusting Dr. Moretti. In this life, it's difficult to open up to outsiders."
"Look what happened to Edward," I said, my voice rough. "He was fucking shot. Hurt … again … and things are in the hands of him. This doctor who worked with Volturi … I'm terrified that something will happen to my husband." I wiped my cheeks, crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm sorry that I crossed a line."
"Moretti needed to have a gut check. Little did he expect to get it from a petite brunette with a sharp tongue," Carlisle snorted. He moved closer to me, his fingers gliding down my bare arm. I turned abruptly and hugged him tightly. I broke down, clinging to Carlisle's button-down shirt. He swayed us slowly as I lost it, broken and angry at what had happened to my husband.
There was a quiet knock and a nurse poked her head inside. She was older with dark brown eyes and rich chocolate skin. Her smile was somber, but understanding. "Mr. Cullen and Mr. Whitlock are both comfortably in recovery. If you would like to come with me, you can check on them," she said, her voice raspy and deep.
"Thank you, Nurse …" Carlisle trailed off.
"Ellen," she replied. "If you'll follow me, please?" We nodded. She led us to the recovery room. Jasper was intubated and obviously asleep. Edward was not intubated, but his face was covered by an oxygen mask. He was pale and his leg was elevated by several pillows. "Mr. Whitlock's surgery was a bit more invasive and he's being sedated until we can control his pain and blood loss. Mr. Cullen is resting comfortably, but will need to stay off his feet for a couple of weeks as the wound heals."
"We may need a nurse for Jasper," Carlisle said. "His wife is heavily pregnant and is on bed rest because she's so tiny."
"Mr. Black mentioned that. I've already volunteered my services, if Mrs. Whitlock is okay with it. I was told she was on her way to the office," Ellen replied. "Now, I'm going to give you a few moments with Mr. Cullen. He should be okay to leave tomorrow." Ellen checked Edward's IVs and walked over to Jasper's bed.
"I'm going to wait for Felix, Emmett and Alice in the waiting room," Carlisle explained, kissing my forehead.
"Call Esme, too," I murmured, sitting down next to Edward. I picked up his hand and threaded our fingers together. His fingers were bare and I looked around his gurney for his personal effects.
"What are you looking for?" Manny asked.
"His wedding band, signet ring and watch," I replied.
"We had to remove them while in surgery," Manny answered, walking over to a nightstand and pulling out a small wooden box. "Here you go."
"His clothing?" I asked. I opened the box and put his ring back onto his left hand, rubbing my thumb over the platinum band. I blew out a breath, threading my fingers with Edward's.
"All of the clothes from Mr. Whitlock and Mr. Cullen, along with Mr. Black, have been destroyed. No evidence," he said. "We have an incinerator for the bloody linens and medical waste."
"Smart," I said, nodding and leaning my cheek against Edward's cool hand. He was so still, so cold. "I'm sorry for what I did in the examination room. Emotions were running hot and I … I shouldn't have done that."
"Mrs. Cullen, I get it," Manny breathed. "I've been a part of this life shortly after I completed my residency in Los Angeles … well over fifteen years. Marcus paid me very well to be his private physician, along with the doctor for his organization. Working under the guise of being a concierge doctor, I've made my life and my choices. When Marcus retired, I was a bit lost until he pointed me in the direction of the Consortium. I respect your husband and what he's doing for his organization. I respected him while I worked for Marcus Volturi because Edward Cullen was a man of honor." He was quiet as he checked Edward's vital signs. "Your husband is a lucky man to have a woman protect him so much. I respect you for that, Mrs. Cullen."
"Call me Bella," I said, kissing my husband's palm. "I nearly shot you in the head. I think we can dispense with the formality."
He chuckled, tapping something on his tablet. "I'll do my best to remember that, Bella."
"How is he?"
"He lost a fair amount of blood and he's pretty hopped up on pain killers," Manny explained. "However, he'll make a full recovery. Also, have him consider talking to my brother, Vincent. He's a good guy and an excellent therapist." Manny handed me his brother's contact information. I shoved it into my pocket. "Once he's more lucid, we'll move him to a private room. He'll be discharged tomorrow."
"Thank you," I said.
"There's some food in the lounge. Please, make sure you take care of yourself, Bella," Manny said. I nodded and turned back to Edward, sitting by his side and praying that I'd see his gorgeous green eyes soon.
xx MOTM:FFF xx
Edward
I blinked open my eyes and groaned. It was bright. Too bright.
"Relax, Capo," came the honeyed voice of my wife. The lights were dimmed and I felt Bella's hand on my face. "It's darker."
I opened my eyes and tried to focus. Bella walked over to me, putting my glasses onto my face. "Dolce," I said, my voice raspy. A straw was pressed between my lips and I slurped down some of the coolness down my throat. I sighed, blinking at my wife. It was dark outside and Bella looked a little worse for wear, with dark circles and her hair tossed up into a messy bun. She also wore an oversized sweatshirt, that came to her knees. She looked so young, but so lost. "I'm sorry I ruined our Memorial Day barbecue."
She snorted, smacking my arm and rolling her eyes. "You ass."
"I do try," I said, lifting my arm to cup her face. "Are you okay?"
"We got to stop with these medical issues, capo," Bella said.
"Excuse me for having a heart attack and being shot," I deadpanned.
"It wasn't a heart attack. You had a panic attack. From what Dr. Moretti said, it was a massive one. They can mimic the symptoms of a heart attack," Bella replied, twisting my wedding band. "Panic attacks can assert themselves in different ways. The one you had today was more physical … it was your body's way of saying that something was wrong with today's meeting." She threaded our fingers together. "And getting shot? It's just a reason for me to give you sponge baths."
"I feel like I've been run over by a truck and the truck decided to use my body like the Joliet Speedway," I groaned. I shifted and pulled at the hospital gown. I looked down at my chest, seeing several dark bruises on my chest from the shots to my vest.
"Well, you get use crutches until the stitches come out," Bella said. "Moretti said two weeks and then, physical therapy."
"I'm counting the moments," I sighed. "It was a deep wound and I know it's going to hurt like a son of a bitch while it's healing."
"We also have to discuss this whole panic attack thing, Edward," Bella said, arching a brow while she curled up next to me. Her gently laid her arm across my belly and put her head on my shoulder. "Talk to me, Capo."
"Bella, I know I'm fucked in the head," I snorted. "I just woke up from surgery and my head is throbbing. I really want to hold you and eat a brat."
"You're obsessed," Bella said. "The barbecue is rescheduled for next weekend, by the way. That way we can have everyone together."
"How's Jasper?" I asked, holding my wife close to my body. "I heard he was shot and hit underneath the vest."
"Recovering in another room. Alice is there, trying to take control. However, Dr. Moretti and his partner, Dr. Mosley, are trying to calm Alice down. She's having contractions," Bella murmured. "If she doesn't relax, she may go into labor."
"Oh, fuck," I breathed. "Isn't it too early?"
"A bit … the baby isn't due until early July, late June," Bella explained, shooting a worried look out the closed door of my private medical suite. "I texted Dr. Myerson, just in case. Felix is ready to drop everything and drive her to Med if she goes into labor."
"Why not here?" I asked.
"Moretti's strength is in trauma surgery and emergency medicine," Bella said. "Mosley's strength is … well, I'm not sure, but it's not obstetrics." She idly glided her fingers along my arms. "We need to focus on you. Esme, Sue, Lauren and everyone else is going to deal with Alice and Jasper. A nurse is going to be hired for the duration of Alice's pregnancy and Jasper's convalescence. He's fine. Thankfully, the bullet didn't cause any major damage. They're just monitoring his recovery and blood loss."
"Fuck," I spat.
"That's off the table for a while, Capo," Bella deadpanned, looking up at me. She had a smirk on her face, but her eyes were flat, worried. She closed her eyes, tears spilling out and splashing onto her cheeks. She sat up, swiping blindly at her face. "I'm sorry. I'm just being an emotional girl."
"Don't apologize, Bella. I'm very sorry for causing you stress and scaring the shit out of you," I murmured, trying to pull her back but wincing in pain from the tug on my arm with the IVs. My chest was also in pain from the bruises littering my body.
"You need to get some rest," Bella chided gently. "I'm going to wrestle up some food for you and call your mother … she's a bit of a wreck, to be honest. I'll send your father inside. He's eager to talk to you."
"Thanks, cara," I mumbled sleepily. She kissed me and ducked out of the room.
It was a few moments before my dad came inside. We spoke briefly about the meet with Los Muertos. Felipe, as it turned out, called my now destroyed cell phone to agree to an alliance. He managed to contact my father, since he had worked with Felipe previously. They had not agreed to alliance, but had had war councils and meetings.
"What did Felipe say?" I asked.
"He felt awful about what Roberto had done," Dad said. "He said that he knew his nephew was a few chips short of a bag, but not homicidal, or suicidal."
"How's Esteban?"
"Torn up that he had to shoot his own child," Dad whispered. "But, Roberto made his choice. He ran off, half-cocked and almost caused a war with the Consortium and our allies." He looked at me, staring into my eyes. "I'm proud of you, son. I'm worried about you, though."
"I'll be okay, Dad," I argued. "Dr. Moretti said it was a panic attack."
"It could turn into something worse. What happens if you have a panic attack in the middle of a …"
"I won't!" I sighed. "Dad, I know my body. I was just … I knew something wasn't right. In the long run, it turned that I was correct in that assessment. We ended up getting ambushed by Roberto. And due to his actions, his own father offed him. It's not the first time a father had to shoot his own child."
"My child that was being held by my psychotic half-brother," Dad deadpanned. "I aimed for a non-vital area, Edward."
"I'm certain that my wife appreciates that," I snorted, yawning.
"You get some sleep, Edward. We'll talk more about this tomorrow," he said, standing up and staring at me. In a move he'd never done before, he bent down and kissed my forehead. "I love you, and I'm so proud of you, son." He patted my cheek before scurrying out of the room.
I blinked at him, in shock. My dad was never demonstrative with me or Emmett. Mom was the nurturer. Dad was the disciplinarian. I knew he loved me, but it was so rare for him to show it. I didn't really have a chance to think about it, as I drifted off, exhausted from the remaining sedatives in my system and pain killers from my surgery.
xx MOTM:FFF xx
I was back home in a couple of days. My overnight stay ended up lasting longer due to a mild fever and infection. Manny had to go in and clean out my incision. Thankfully, it would heal fully and I would need some physical therapy once the internal sutures had dissolved.
Jasper was still under the care of Manny and his partner. He had drains inserted in his wounds and needed them removed before he could return home.
His wife, however, was on complete bedrest and was admitted to Chicago Med for the remainder of her pregnancy. She had started pre-term labor. However, with medications, they were able to stop it. Jasper hated being away from her, but his parents were spending time with her, along with my mother and Bella, when she wasn't taking care of my crabby ass.
Being injured sucked.
Big. Time.
"Edward, it's time for your pain medication," Bella said, carrying Charlie on her hip and holding my pain pills. She was dressed in a pretty dress and a pair of sparkly flats. Charlie was squirming, whimpering as he shifted in Bella's arms. "Come on, little man. I already have one cranky boy. I don't need another one."
"I'm not cranky," I argued, shifting on the couch and tugging on my shorts to hide the massive bandage around my thigh.
"And I'm a natural blonde," Bella deadpanned, putting Charlie onto the floor. He took off almost immediately and used his chubby arms to stand up next to me. He babbled, reaching for me. I put my leg down and scooped him into my arms. I balanced him on my good leg, nuzzling my son. He babbled and patted his hands on my cheeks. "Edward, you know I love you. You're my best friend and I would do anything for you. When you're injured, or sick, or not 100%, you're an a-hole."
I went to argue, but Bella stopped me with an arched brow. I had been a whiney bitch. "I'm sorry. You're all dressed up, dolce. Hot date?"
"Pssh, I wish. My date is gimpy with a hole in his leg. Time alone is long overdue, Capo," Bella retorted. "I'm going to Lauren's boutique for my final fitting for my bridesmaid dress for Sue and Uncle Jimmy's wedding. Then, we're going out to eat with Claire to talk about her upcoming nuptials to Seth."
"Who's going with you?" I asked. There was still a very real threat against our family, namely my wife.
"Jake will be watching us and Seth is joining us for lunch, along with Jimmy. Emmett wanted to come, but he's too busy running the Consortium while you recuperate. He has a meeting that he couldn't get out of," Bella explained, bending down to pick up Charlie. "This little nugget also needs to get an outfit for the wedding, too. He's the ring bearer. So, technically, Charlie's my date."
"I can come," I said, struggling to stand up and reach for my crutches.
"Baby, I love you, but you need to rest. Besides, your mom is coming over with Felix and Liam," Bella explained. She stared at me, her eyes swirling with concern. "She's going to talk to you about Dr. Moretti's brother, Vincent. He's a therapist, working for our family. I had him vetted with Emmett and Billy's help, and made him swear on his only child that if something happens where our secrets are shared, I'd kill him myself." She arched a dangerous brow while she pursed her lips, meaning business.
"Oh, fuck!" I laughed in shock. "Bella!"
"Language, Capo," Bella chided. "Charlie just loves to mimic words, without any concern of their meaning. He started chanting a word that Jake had muttered under his breath when he stubbed his toe last week. It was not appropriate by any stretch of the imagination. 'See you next Tuesday'? Yeah, not good."
"Right," I said, wrinkling my nose. As soon as I did, Charlie started saying fuck over and over again.
"Great, another word I have to purge from his tiny vocabulary. Thanks, Edward," she grumbled. "No, Charlie. Bad word. No-no word."
"Fuck!" he chirped, leaning forward and kissing Bella's cheek.
"How can I be mad at so much cuteness?" she whined. "We're starting a swear jar, Edward Anthony. For you and your potty mouth."
"You love my potty mouth," I purred.
"In bed, when it's just the two of us. No little ears," she said, giving me a smirk. "And I can't wait until we can put that potty mouth to work."
"I can use my tongue, cara," I said, waggling my brows. "I'd happily plant myself between your legs …"
"Edward, just … please," she breathed, giving me a hungry, desperate look. "I want that. I want you. But, not now. I have to go be a fine, upstanding bridesmaid." Jake honked the horn. "Now." She walked over to me and kissed me deeply, but too briefly. "I love you, very much. We can put that tongue theory to the test tonight."
She scurried out of the house, balancing her purse, Charlie's car seat and a squirming infant. As she was putting Charlie into the car, my mom pulled up with Felix and Liam. They kissed quickly and my wife was gone with her bodyguard and my son.
"Edward!" sang my mother as she let herself into the house.
"In the family room," I responded. She walked inside and beamed at me. Her arms were filled with bags. Behind her, Felix and Liam were carrying more packages and bags. "Hi, Mom. Did you bring enough to feed an army?"
"Some of it is for Jasper and Alice when they are both home, more than likely with their little one. Liam, put that into the freezer in the garage, sweetie," Mom ordered gently. Liam gave my mother a warm smile and ducked into the garage. "All of Jasper and Alice's favorites for when they come home. Dr. Mosley said that Jasper should be released in a couple of days, once the drains are removed."
"He's not going home. You know that, right?" I snorted. "He's going to spend his time, suctioned to Alice's side."
"Wouldn't you do the same?" Mom asked, shuffling in the kitchen and making something. "You were very protective of Bella while she was pregnant with Charlie."
"I'm protective of Bella. Period," I countered. "I'd do anything to keep her safe."
"This is true. You're a lot like your father in that way," Mom said, walking into the family room with a tray of food, some pasta salad, a delicious-looking sandwich and a soda. "Eat up, Edward. You need to keep up your strength to help with your leg."
"Thanks, Mom," I smiled. "This looks good. New recipe for pasta salad?"
"The pasta has added protein," she answered, sitting next to me and curling up on the couch.
"Why do I think that this meal comes with an ulterior motive?" I asked, tucking into my lunch.
"You're too smart for your own good, Edward," she snickered, sipping from her water. "I know that your father keeps me in the dark for a reason, but this situation with Bella and Maas and her mother. What's going on? Is there a real threat with them? There's a point in time where the 'plausible deniability' clause becomes moot. This is my daughter and grandson. Please, tell me?"
I sighed, adjusting myself on the couch. "How much do you know?"
"That Maas is trying to pin something on Bella. Those trumped up charges of shoplifting around the time of the benefit? I think they were trying to get to you, through her," Mom explained. "And her mother … she's a piece of work. I know she's in town. I saw a text to your father from Jake, mentioning something about Renee. Plus, all the extra protection? Something's up, Edward."
"Okay, so, Renee came to see me shortly before Charlie was born, demanding money from me. She said that Bella 'owed her' for whatever bullshit reason," I said. "I threw her out and banned her from the building. It would seem that Renee Dwyer has partnered up with Peter Maas."
"How is he involved? Is he a part of the organized crime division of the police department?" Mom frowned. "Why is he so focused on our family?"
"Maas … he was on Royce's payroll," I answered. "It was his sister who told me that the bathrooms were out of order at the club where I had my bachelor party. He believes that I killed her. In reality, I know that Royce killed her, after he'd raped her and his crew raped her. Regardless, his sister's involvement with my abduction put me on Maas's radar and he's determined to bring me down, using Bella to do it."
"How so?" Mom asked, her brows furrowed. "Bella's innocent. She hasn't done anything wrong."
"She murdered Royce in cold blood, seeking revenge for taking me," I sighed. "About a month ago, Eli told me that the bodies of Stephan and Royce were exhumed from the unmarked grave in Elburn. The crew hired to bury them … well, they've been dealt with. They betrayed our family."
"What do you mean? The bodies of Stephan and Royce are floating around?" Mom breathed.
"Not floating. They're currently in the city morgue, ruled as homicides, thanks to our buddy, Maas. They're bodies were discovered in a fire, hidden in an industrial refrigerator," I grumbled. "It was clear that they were shot, but their bodies were badly decomposed."
"So, what's the next step?" Mom growled. "We can't kill a cop …"
"No, we can't. Even with our connections, we'd go down," I replied, settling back on the couch and pulling my good leg up onto the couch. "We need to pin, find proof that Maas was on the take, ending his career. We also need to neutralize Renee."
"That woman is a piece of work," Mom muttered, narrowing her eyes. "How such a sweet, lovely woman like Bella could be born from such a bitch? Mind-boggling."
"Exactly," I sighed.
"How are you doing? How's your injury?"
"Fucking hurts," I grumped.
"Edward, language," Mom chided.
"My son isn't here, parroting everything I say," I snorted. Mom gave me 'the look.' I held up my hands with a chuckle. "Okay, okay, sorry. But, it hurts. Moretti said that the wound will take time to heal. The bullet was embedded deep in my thigh and the infection didn't help matters. I go in next week to have a wound check. I also have to go into the office to do work. Emmett is kicking ass when it comes to our company, but …"
"He's not you," she snickered. "I get it, Edward." She looked at me, her eyes swirling with motherly love, pride and a great deal of concern. "I take it Bella told you about my visit and my reasoning behind it?"
"Other than to see your oldest, most handsome son?" I snorted.
"Oldest, yes. Most handsome? Both you and your brother are very handsome. I can't choose," she scoffed, picking up the tray off the side table and carried it back to the kitchen. She came back with a plate of cookies. "Don't eat all of these. You're not exactly mobile."
"Are you calling me fat?" I asked, swiping a cookie.
"Never, but you can't work it off like you normally do, Edward," she teased with a wry grin, but she sobered quickly. "I'm worried about you. I'm worried about how the mantle of leadership is impacting you. It's aging you." She ran her fingers through my hair, which I knew had more greys mixed in. "And that panic attack the day you were injured? I know that Bella has offered to talk to you, but there are some things that you cannot share with your wife, your partner. Dr. Moretti's brother …"
"I know," I sighed. "Bella mentioned him to me. I'll consider it. I don't … I don't want to appear weak."
"Self-care is important, Edward," Mom murmured, taking my hand. "Take from someone who worried endlessly about your father when he was in the thick of things. I also worried for you, Emmett and everyone in our family, even more so now. I know that due to the nature of our family, we're in a great deal of danger. Things settled down after Royce and Stephan's deaths, but … you need to focus on you, on your family. I think you need to talk to Dr. Moretti."
"I'll consider it, Mom. I promise. I just want to focus on recovering from my leg injury," I answered. "After Jimmy's wedding, I'll make an appointment with Dr. Moretti." She pursed her lips, clearly not happy with my response. "Mom, I love you and I want to do this my way. Let me do that." I leaned forward, kissing her cheek before I stood up and hobbled to the bathroom.
"I'm just afraid that your way won't be enough," she said under her breath.
A/N: I'm happy that I finally figured out how to get to the climax of the story. Woo hoo! I'm also happy that Mobward is on his way to healing. Up next will be some happier times … the calm before the storm, if you will.
Pictures are on my blog. You can access that from my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79. Leave me some loving … Dolce and Mobward need it. Thanks for reading!