A/N: Hello again!
I was planning on posting this a week ago but it's been so crazy with this whole covid-19 that I had to push the update. But I'm here now!
I hope you all are staying safe and staying home!
Thank you guys for patiently waiting. I tried to make it worth the wait with an extra long chapter and some lemony goodness!
Thank you to my betas Kenz, Fran, and Brittlyn on this chapter. You guys do some magic!
See y'all at the bottom!
THE INTRUDER DEBACLE
My eyes flutter and close as Edward's hand caresses my face. His fingers leave goosebumps in their wake.
"You're so beautiful." He murmurs, his hand resting on my neck as his thumb rubs my cheek.
Smiling, I peer up at him to find his face serious as it studies my own.
I know. I feel the same way.
"What are you doing to me, Bella Swan?"
I start to let out a soft chuckle, but it quickly dies in my throat.
What did he just call me?
I hastily attempt to sit up, but realize the hand that was once cradling my face now holds my throat tightly. My eyes widen as his other hand joins in the assault.
Edward's eyes darken and flash red, illuminated by the sliver of light peeking through blinds of the window. I watch as his smile turns into a malicious sneer. I blink rapidly, trying to make sense of what I am seeing; all while wondering if this is all some terrible nightmare.
"Ed—?" I start, but it comes out half gargled as his hold tightens further.
"Let me ask again." He grits out through clenched teeth, "What. Are. You. Doing. To me. Isabella Swan?"
Beginning to panic, my hands shoot to his, attempting to pry them off as I gasp for a single breath that does not come.
"Please," I manage, as my body starts to flail in it's attempt to dislodge his grip.
I jolt awake, gasping, and choking on the very air that, moments ago, I was sure I was going without. My own hands come up to my neck, needing physical proof that I am not in immediate danger. I can still feel his hands around my throat and the murderous look on his face. Squeezing my eyes closed, I soon realize the vision still floats behind my eyelids. Taking a few minutes to calm myself, I take a few deep breaths and slowly lie back down in hopes of calming my racing heart.
Just a dream. Just a stupid dream, Bella.
I repeat this mantra in my head until I hear a door creak in my loft. I sit back up quickly, and stop breathing immediately, listening intently.
I can hear the rustling of clothing accompanied by soft, shoeless footsteps.
Slipping the comforter off, I slide off the bed into a crouch. I slowly make my way to the living room.
It is pitch black, the moon too busy elsewhere in the night sky to cast any light through my apartment windows.
I scan my surroundings quickly in an attempt to remember where I have my gun stashed. Back home, I normally sleep with it under my bed or in my nightstand. Here, however, it would be hard to explain to Edward why Marie, a small-town florist, sleeps with a gun two feet away from her. With that in mind, I remember I chose to hide it in an expired Pizza Rolls box in the freezer. Classy, I know, but it keeps Edward away—he completely abhors processed foods.
Realizing my gun just is not an option, my mind goes to my baseball bat … Ugh, too far. I keep that in the towel closet in my bathroom.
I roll my eyes internally. I'm going to need to figure out how to put an easily accessible weapon near my bed.
I blink hard in an attempt to focus my eyes, but I still cannot see shit in front of me.
Fuck! What if I've been made?
Could this be Carlisle hiring one of his own clients to get rid of me without raising any suspicion of his involvement?
The floor creaks, and I hear a deep sigh followed by more unmistakable rustle of clothing. I deduce from the sound that the intruder is on the other side of the couch, directly behind where I am currently crouched.
I slow my breathing and mentally count to five before I pounce.
Launching myself over the couch, I manage to jump on top of them. We land on the floor with a loud 'oof!' that comes from the intruder.
He struggles against me, but I manage to gain the upper hand after a few seconds. I put what I have now deduced is a man into a chokehold, using my legs to pin his arms behind his back. I tighten my hold with ease—realizing it is almost embarrassing how easily I have overtaken this man.
"Fu—Ma … rie!" He croaks out, and his voice registers almost as fast as his scent does.
"Shit!" I jump up, letting go immediately. I scramble towards the light switch, stubbing my toe in the process on a side table. "Fuck, ow!" I grit as I flip the switch.
Breathlessly, I look back at a red-faced Edward on the ground as he clutches his neck, sputtering incoherently while gasping for air.
"What are you doing here?" I shriek, kneeling in front of him as my hands ghost over his upper body, not knowing how to help.
He looks up at me as if I have grown a third head—and six arms … and probably another head for good measure. "Where the hell did you learn how to do that?" He wheezes, still trying to regain his ability to breathe uninhibited.
"I thought you flew in tomorrow morning?" I ask, ignoring his line of questioning.
"It is morning!" He responds, exasperation apparent in his tone.
"How did you even get in here?"
"You gave me a key, remember? Are you some sort of black belt or something?"
I scoff, shaking my head as I stand above him extending out my hand to offer help. "Why didn't you text or call?"
"I did—it went straight to voicemail." He shrugs, testing his neck as he tilts his head left to right a few times, wincing slightly.
My phone must have died, or I forgot to take it off silent mode.
"Oh," I answer, my brain still attempting process that I almost killed Edward.
"Where the hell did you learn how to do that?" He repeats, not wanting to let the subject go.
I roll my eyes and wave him off, leading him to sit on the couch while I head towards the kitchen to make him some tea.
"Oh, that? I took a judo class for a year before I moved up here. I was a little afraid of never having lived in the city before. I wanted to be prepared." I shrug.
He raises his eyebrows with a unconvinced look on his face, muttering, "Prepared for the fucking Navy Seals, apparently." under his breath.
I squint my eyes and scowl at him to let him know I did, in fact, hear the comment.
"How was your trip?" I ask, steering the conversation in a different direction, as I busy myself gathering a mug, a tea bag, and some sugar.
"It was good, everything went better than expected."
My mind wanders to Carlisle's half of the conversation I overheard while in the Marion office. They were set to meet with Aro this business trip while Emmett and I were doing recon, later flying out to see Charlie.
"Really? That's great." I smile, handing him a steaming cup of peppermint tea as I plop down next to him on the couch. "Wanna tell me about it?"
"Just boring accountant stuff, I'm sure you don't want to hear." He laughs before blowing gently on the contents of the mug before tentatively taking a sip.
My eyes zero in on the way his lips form a tiny "o", and I am suddenly very aware of how much time Edward and I have spent apart. Granted, it has only been a few days, but it feels like an eternity since I have felt those lips on mine.
"One of our biggest clients had a major concern about their revenue being twenty-seven percent below their projected calculation for the year …" I tune him out—talk of finance honestly sounds like gibberish to me. I catch on to some words like 'balance sheet' and 'gross profit, but every other word is pretty much lost on me. I nod my head mindlessly, my focus alternating between his lips and his hands as they grip the mug.
"… And really, all that matters is that we figured out that they had way too many liabilities—those baby whales really cost a fortune in terms of upkeep, especially in those tiny cubicles."
"Right …" I agree, spaced-out and looking at his fingers, now free after setting the empty mug on the coffee table. I blink and process the last sentence, looking up at Edward as he smirks knowingly at me. "Wait, what?" I ask, obviously confused.
Edwards laughs, shaking his head as he wraps an arm around me, pulling me in close. He kisses my temple, "I missed you, too."
I give him a wry, side-eyed smile, "I was listening … mostly."
"Oh, I'm sure. It was a very captivating conversation."
I give a curt, serious nod. "You had me on the edge of my seat, Cullen."
Narrowing his eyes at me, I flutter my lashes innocently. I see his muscles tense, and I let him believe he has caught me off guard as he launches himself at me, tickling my sides. My reflexes are much faster than Marie's, but he does not need a second show of my strength and skill today.
"No, no, no!" I gasp, giggling uncontrollably and swatting at his hands as we fall to the floor, and he continues his playful assault, the earlier and more serious one long forgotten. "Please, please!" I beg.
"Please?! You need some payback for what you did, Miss Woods!" He snorts, and his hands continue on, eventually finding a particularly sensitive spot between my neck and shoulder. A spot that had been only discovered by my father and brothers in the past—which they never let me forget I possess. I let out a squeal, and my eyes water from laughing so hard.
"Okay, I'm sorry!" I gasp through giggles and snorts. "I didn't know it was you!"
Edward stops abruptly, out of breath, as he analyzes my face. "Who did you think I was?" He asks quietly, all playfulness from before drained from his face.
I look up at him gravely. "You don't know?"
He shakes his head slowly, eyes still gazing down at me expectantly.
I sit up from under him and move my face inches from his. "Chicago is a dangerous place for a little, small-town lady like myself, Mr. Cullen." I breathe, a slow smile creeps on to my face.
His eyes glint with renewed humor as he picks me up and walks us to my bed. "And just how dangerous?" He arches a curious eyebrow at me, prompting me to continue.
"Oh, very," I whisper, mock fear taking hold in my voice as I tighten my arms around his neck. He lays me on the bed and hovers above me, supporting his weight on his arms, as I continue, "There are evil creatures here, and monsters—"
"Monsters?" He interrupts, his lips brushing mine ever so gently.
I grin up at him, "But these aren't the kind of monsters that have tentacles and rotting skin." I quote from a children's book, "Nor are they the kind a seven-year-old might be able to wrap his mind around. These monsters? They are monsters with human faces, in crisp uniforms—so banal you don't even recognize them for what they are until it's too late."
I realize a moment too late how accurately this description fits my current situation, and I feel the realization tug on my heartstrings. I understand the same can be said for Edward in this situation. Are we two sides of the same coin? Two metaphorical monsters, neither believing they are truly bad, but convinced the other is?
He chuckles quietly, "I think you're judging Chicago a little too harshly, Miss Woods." Ducking his head, his lips find that favorite spot, where my ear meets my neck. "It's like no other place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger." My smile falters as I realize who he is quoting, but he misses the brief moment of panic that flashes through my eyes. Morphing my face back into a playful one, Edward trails kisses teasingly up and down my neck. My mind once again goes blank, savoring the moment and the touch.
"Some say to survive it, you need to be as Mad as a Hatter." He continues.
"But I don't want to go among mad people." I whimper breathlessly, playing along as he bites my earlobe.
His eyes smolder as they meet mine, and his next words are said with a hint of a growl. "Oh, you can't help that … We're all mad here."
I feel myself grow impossibly wet as he says this—A new, playful, and more commanding side of Edward I have not yet experienced.
If someone were to have told me six months ago that a man quoting a children's book to me as a form of foreplay would make me weak in the knees, I would have thought them completely mental. Behold, the sex symbol that is Edward.
Bringing his head down to meet mine again, I kiss him deeply while our tongues dance around each other's with renewed passion. Both making up for lost time, and expressing how much the other has been missed.
"Too long." I manage to grunt in between kisses, plunging my hand into his pants to grasp him firmly.
Edward lets out a hiss and abruptly stands. I am briefly disappointed—but it does not last long. Not wasting a moment, he grabs the edge of his shirt and unceremoniously pulls it over his head. While he makes quick work of his pants, I rip my own shirt off and shimmy out of my pants and underwear before scooting up the bed.
He joins me a moment later, settling himself in between my legs, supporting most of his weight on one arm while the other travels down my body and plunges his hand between my legs.
"Always ready." He murmurs reverently as his fingers explore my folds, finding them slick and soaked for him.
My mind becomes one track; focusing solely on the feel of his hands owning me, the way his breath tickles my nipple just before he wraps his warm lips around my aching peak. Fire and ice snake through my veins as he slides one, then two fingers inside me, drawing them out slowly before pushing them back in—increasing his tempo and my pleasure with every thrust.
My body is on the cusp, an orgasm threatening to burst out of me. In an attempt to slow down, I force words from my mouth in between my moans and gasps. "No … Not yet … I need you."
Edward somehow understands my garbled English and aligns himself with my entrance.
He pushes into me slowly, and every inch feels more glorious than the last. Once he is fully sheathed inside of me, I exhale a sigh of relief, feeling as though I am finally whole again.
Every time we are together this way, I lose all train of thought. The blood in my body rushes through my veins, clouding my mind and blurring my vision. Nothing else matters but Edward and his lips ravishing mine, his hands exploring my body, his hot breath tempting my sensitive skin, and his emerald eyes capturing my mind and heart in their dark depths.
My eyes wander down to where we connect, and my feelings at the sight overwhelm me. My breath comes out ragged and choppy as he increases the speed of his thrusts. I can not be the only one who feels this.
"I feel it, too," Edward says and my eyes snap back up, meeting his. "I feel it, too." He repeats, jaw clenched, pumping harder as if to emphasize each word..
Suddenly, wrapping an arm around my back, he sits up, and in doing so lifts me with him so I now straddle his lap.
I use his shoulders for leverage, meeting him thrust for thrust as he slides in deeper—penetrating my very being with this new angle. Helping add to our momentum, he grips my hips, forcing me down onto his shaft, our breaths and sweat mingling together at our closeness.
My eyes roll into the back of my head when his fingers find my clit and begin circling methodically.
"Edward." I plead, not recognizing the needy tone my voice has taken on.
"Let go." He states simply; and with that, I unravel.
My body tenses, and within moments I come apart. I cry out his name over and over, writhing in sheer ecstasy.
I hear him say Marie once in a half growl, half grunt, and I know without a doubt he has found his release right alongside my own.
Edward lets me fall back on to the bed as he slides out of me, pausing for a moment before standing to make his way to the bathroom.
I am out cold before he makes it back.
-TBK-
I wake to the smell of bacon wafting through my apartment. I can hear movement and humming coming from the direction of my kitchen.
Smiling, I sit up and stretch, finding a nice, dull ache in my muscles as I do so. A couple hours after we had gone to sleep, Edward had woken up to use the bathroom, inadvertently waking me up too. Needless to say, I did not waste any time initiating round two … Maybe a round three as well, but I can not exactly recall.
Making my way quietly over to him, I wrap my arms around his middle from behind and place a kiss in between his bare shoulder blades.
"Good morning." I utter hoarsely, my morning voice in full effect.
"Morning, beautiful." He chirps—and yes, I do mean chirps. I realized quickly at the start of this relationship that Edward is very much a morning person. Turning in my arms, he smiles that signature smile and plants a kiss on my forehead.
My eyes take in the sight before me. Edward wears my apron that he must have found in the pantry, which happens to be bright red with bold black lettering on the front that reads 'HOT AND SPICY' with three chili peppers. Underneath the peppers, the phrase continues 'and the food is good, too!' He completes the look by holding a spatula in his right hand.
I let out a half giggle, half snort. "A girl could get used to waking up to this every morning." I add in a wink, for good measure.
"You know? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're mocking me." He narrows his eyes in suspicion.
"Who me? Never! I'm simply laughing with you." I stretch up on my tiptoes, give him a quick peck on the nose, and skip over to the fridge in search of some creamer to pair with the freshly brewed coffee that is teasing my senses.
As I am bending down to retrieve the creamer from the bottom shelf, I feel Edward's hand firmly on my butt. I peek back from behind my shoulder at him with a smirk.
"If you continue to parade yourself around here naked, I'm afraid we're not going to make it to breakfast."
"I'm actually not that hungry anymore." I tease, pushing myself back into him.
He inhales sharply and shakes his head. "You're insatiable."
"You love it." I wink.
"I also love food." He laughs, smacking my ass cheek lightly. "Clothes, please. I'm starving, and you know what you sitting there all naked does to me."
Chuckling, I make my way over to the bedroom and grab his discarded long-sleeve T-shirt from the floor and a pair of clean underwear.
"I'm presentable!" I announce, plopping down in the chair by the small kitchen table.
"Hardly." Edward muses, setting the table with two plates stacked high with breakfast food.
We sit in comfortable silence while eating. Edward reads the Sunday newspaper that was dropped off in front of my door this morning, while I finish up a Flower Recipe book I managed to snag at a local book store a few weeks back.
"So …" I begin before I finish chewing. "What do you want to do today?"
"I have a few things I need to finish up at work. But the good news is that it should only take me a couple hours. After that, I'm all yours. What are you in the mood for?"
I tap my chin playfully with a finger as I think. "Hmm … I'm in the mood for an adventure."
"I can do adventure." He gives me a lopsided, indulgent grin.
"I do need some exercise, too, though. Have you heard of a place called Grant Park?"
Edward rolls his eyes at me. "Every Chicago native has, Marie."
"Well, I'm no Chicago native." I huff, feigning exasperation.
He chuckles at my show. "It's a beautiful place. I'm sure you'd like it. Did you want to go today?"
"Yeah, I figure we could bike around and then later have dinner there. Do they have rentals?"
He nods. Immediately after, our breakfast is interrupted by a loud ring coming from across the room.
Edward stands and walks over to the night side on his side of the bed, and glances at the screen before answering. "Hey, Mom … yes, I'm with her. Yeah, everything went great. Did Dad get home okay? … I'm glad … Oh. Well, I don't know." He looks over at me, suddenly unsure, and begins to slowly walk back towards the table. "I can ask her? Yes, but it's not someth—No, really, we only just discussed—Okay, Mom, let me ask her first."
He holds the phone away from his face and whispers. "Do you think we can take an adventure with Esme? She needs some help for our annual Halloween party this year and doesn't want to be running around town alone. Sounds like Dad and Rose both bailed on her."
"Sure! That sounds great." I answer, taking a sip of my now lukewarm coffee.
"You sure?" He asks, searching my face for any sign of annoyance.
I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Edward, I really don't mind. I like your mom, and if we're gonna be running around town, I can get my exercise in that way, too." I wink and stand, heading to the bathroom for a shower now that I have finished eating.
"Okay, I have to finish up some things at work, but how about Marie and I meet with you at your house at one? Okay, see ya then. Love you, too, Mom." I hear Edward say from the bathroom as I strip off my clothes and step in the shower.
I am joined two minutes later as Edward wraps his arms around me from behind.
"Don't you have work to do?" I say slyly, turning my head to look at him and arching an accusatory brow.
"Work can wait, I have more important things to do right now."
"Well then, by all means." I purr, turning around and letting my fingers find purchase in his hair.
After getting really dirty before getting anywhere remotely close to clean, we finally manage to step out of the shower. Edward quickly dresses and has to rush out of my apartment to finish up the things he needs to get done before we meet with Esme.
I walk over to the old record player this apartment came with and put on a random record from the shelf. satisfied with my choice, I turn the volume up all the way and begin cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast.
Carry On My Wayward Son starts blasting from my phone, and I almost miss it over my own music.
Answering, I pick up the stylus and stop Stevie Nicks' voice from coming through the record player's speaker.
"Hey, Jas."
"Have you managed to get the Royce file I asked for?"
"I'm great, thanks. How's Dad?"
I hear an impatient sigh, "Seriously, Bella. If you were here and Kate was up your ass as far as she's up mine, you'd be a little anxious to report some progress … Dad's better. They are still running tests in an attempt to determine the damage. It's going to take a few weeks while his body heals before they can get a better read."
"Thanks for the update. Tell Mom and Alice I said hi, and that I miss them! I'm sorry about Kate being up your ass, but I haven't had much luck either. I just got back yesterday, and Edward got back this morning."
"This morning? I didn't hear anything in his apart—oh, uh, nevermind." He finishes with an awkward mumble.
I blush and clear my throat, "Yeah, well, anyways… We're spending the day with Esme Cullen, so I might be able to try and get it today, but I can't make any promises."
"It's fine, I know you and Emmett are trying your best." I hear a chair creak, and I can picture him leaning back on it, probably rubbing his face with his hand.
"Yeah, we sort of apologized to each other last night." I sit down at the newly cleaned kitchen table and start picking at lint on Edward's shirt.
"How'd that go?"
I shrug as if he can see me, "As best as it can, I guess." I pause, then give a quick recap of our short exchange from last night.
"I mean, that's progress …"
"Some progress." I roll my eyes, "Honestly, I don't know that he will ever get over it. He'll probably request a partner reassignment when we're back home."
"Now you're just over-exaggerating, Bells. He loves you, you're his twin sister. I don't think he can picture a life without you in it." Jas replies earnestly.
"Oh, I'm sure he can—a perfect little life where Rosalie replaces the space I once occupied and they run off into the sunset together—"
"Bella … Are you jealous?" Jasper interrupts, and I swear I can hear him smirk through the receiver.
"What!?" I sit up straight, incredulous at his accusation. "Me? Jealous of Rosalie? For what? She's got some sort of fucking spell on him, and he just prances behind her everywhere she goes like some stupid lovesick puppy. Honestly, it's pathetic. I know he's not even pretending with her, Jasper. He basically confirmed he's in love wi—"
Jasper's loud guffaws cut me off.
"What." I grit, teeth clenched, "Are you laughing at, asshole?"
"Oh my God, you are so jealous!"
"Am not!" I stomp my foot.
"Bella, did you just stomp your foot?"
I scoff and start to pace. "No."
"Yeah, you're jealous. You know … You were a little jealous of Alice when we first started dating, too—"
"Okay, now you're just reaching." I cut him off indignantly.
"No, no. It's … cute. In a protective little sister way. I just remember you being unusually snippy with Alice the first year we dated. You'd get mad at her for the weirdest things."
"Yeah, well, she started to really test my nerves that first year of college. We'd never lived together."
"Bella—you guys were inseparable from the first day you met. I think it was pretty rare you guys spent more than two nights apart from each other without spending the night at one or the others' houses—"
"Yeah but this was different, we shared one space—"
"No, no." He chuckles, "Even Emmett noticed. It started when you wouldn't even make eye contact with her the night after your senior prom—and then, that summer before you guys started college? You would try to pick fights with her! I think one time you almost charged at her after she ate the last piece of pizza on family game night."
"Okay, first off: I remember that night. I was on my period, AND Trevor Wilson had just dumped me because he was 'ready to date college girls that actually put out'—I was a little testy, forgive my teenage hormones. And yes, you know what, I was just a little apprehensive about the two of you at first because I didn't want to change our dynamic. You guys also kept ditching me for date nights, and I was left alone with Mom and her hobby of the week."
"Jealous." He coughs.
"Ugh, shut up. Forgive me for actually caring about my big brother!"
"I'm just bustin' your balls, sis. But really, there's no replacing you. I can speak for both Emmett and myself. You'll always be our little sister, and no woman can walk into our lives and take away the relationship we have. You'll always be my best friend, and I know you'll always be Emmett's, too."
I gnaw at my lip as I start to admit to myself—just a little—that I may just be a bit jealous of Emmett's growing relationship with Rosalie, and in turn worried about what it could potentially cost us. "Okay. Thanks, Jazz … I love you, you know that?"
"Always." He says, and our touching moment is interrupted by my phone buzzing in my ear.
"Hold on, I have a text," I inform him, pulling the phone away from my face to look at the screen and putting him on speaker .
HOW R U DOING? - R
Jesus, what is she, eighty? Who texts in all caps?
"Fuck," I mutter as I type out a brief response.
"What?" Jasper asks, and I hear the creak again like he is sitting up from the chair.
I sigh, "Nothing. Rosalie Cullen thinks I'm running away from an abusive relationship."
"Wait, she what? What gave her that impression?"
Laying down on the couch, I give Jasper a recap of Rosalie walking in on Emmett and me the night after the whole warehouse debacle.
"Shit, Bella." He curses when I am finished. "You guys could have almost been made. Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"For this very reason. We're fine. You would have only become super paranoid and overprotective, and probably would try to pull us off the case. We covered up well. She really just made assumptions, I didn't give her much to go off of."
"Just make sure to keep me in the loop next time. I can't be prepared if you guys don't tell me these things."
"I know, I know. We're being more careful." I look up at the clock at jump up, "Shit, I'm late. I gotta go, Jas. I'll call you later if I find anything on that Royce file."
"Sounds good, Bells. Be safe."
"You too."
Now it is my turn to rush out of the apartment.
I pull on a simple white sweater and tuck it into a pair of high waisted maroon pants, shoving my feet in a pair of black, pointed-toe flats. Throwing my hair into a messy bun, I apply some powder, then mascara, and run out the door.
As I arrive at the Cullen home, an idea on how to get my hands on that Royce file forms in my head.
Edward arrives as I am putting the car in park, and Esme walks out the front door of the house.
"Good afternoon, Marie." She grins, pulling me into a hug as I am barely out of the car.
"Hi, Esme." I reply, hugging her back.
"Are you two ready to go? We have a few stops to make. I need to sample cakes, meet with the caterers for a final decision on the menu, and we have two restaurants to stop by—the two bands I'm considering are playing, and I want to hear how they sound live. I know we have one more thing, but I honestly can't remember right now. Let's just get on with it..." She waves us to Edward's car.
"Oh, uh, I'm sorry I just realized I have to use the bathroom. Do you mind?" I gesture to the front door, feigning minor embarrassment.
And suddenly, it seems as though all the bad Esme karma I have had to endure has paid me back for my suffering. She receives a phone call and digs her phone out of her purse, suddenly distracted.
"Oh, no dear, of course. Why don't you let yourself in? I have to take this." She nods as she hands me the keys to the front door, repeating the door code to me as I hurry up the porch steps.
I have just a few minutes before I arise enough suspicion before Edward or Esme come looking for me. Once the front door is closed behind me, I sprint towards Carlisle's office.
Taking out my mini lock-picking kit, I open the door in record time. I already know what I am looking for, so I set to the task.
After opening a few drawers in his desk and sifting through a few folders, I find the Royce files quickly, apparently still having luck on my side.
Getting into the office, finding the file, and taking pictures only takes me a little over four minutes. I take a few deep breaths to slow my heart rate down to normal before I step back outside and enter the waiting car.
"So, Marie. Any idea what you're going to dress up as?" Esme asks as Edward makes his way down the driveway.
"Dress up?"
"For the Halloween party, dear. Costumes are mandatory." She grins back at me. "There will also be awards for the best costume in the single, couple, and group categories. Whoever wins gets a donated piece of art made by a local artist."
"Oh … I'm not really sure. Any ideas, Edward?"
"As long as I don't have to wear a wig, I'm totally fine with anything you want."
"Hmm … That's quite a bit of creative freedom. You sure you want to give me that much power?" I joke, already having a few costume ideas pop into my head.
"You already have that much power," Edward replies.
A small squeal escapes Esme, and I start to wonder if she has a long-lost daughter named Alice that I am unaware of. "You two are just adorable! I hope you decide on a couples' costume."
"Of course we will. I've never actually dressed up with a partner for Halloween, but I'm actually excited to put something together." I say, looking out the window and watching the trees fly by.
"Speaking of together—" Esme starts, turning her whole body around in her seat to face me in the back.
"Mooooom." Edward groans, "Please don't start—"
"Now, now, Edward," She waves him off in typical Esme fashion, "Marie, I know it's over a month away, but I'd really like you to consider spending Thanksgiving with us this year."
My eyes bulge, and I am sure my eyebrows would fly off my face if they were not connected to it. Edward and I have been together for two months—barely I might add. Even I know spending the holidays with the family is a big step. "I, uh, er … I'm—I really appreciate the—"
Esme cuts me off by placing a hand on my knee. "Every year we spend Thanksgiving weekend in Vancouver. We stay four nights at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia. It's a tradition we started when the kids were young, and I know the Canadians don't celebrate our Thanksgiving, but we normally just eat at the hotel restaurant. It's sort of our anti-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving." She chortles.
I stare back at her, still speechless.
"I'd really love it if you came, Marie. I know this is very soon, but I can feel how right you and Edward are for each other. Will you at least consider it?" She gives me puppy dog eyes and I swear her lip juts out the tiniest bit.
At the mention of him, my eyes slide over to Edward, who still remains silent and is staring at the road with the deepest of concentration. Oh, of course. Just throw me to the wolves, thanks.
After a few minutes of deliberating, I give her my answer. "I'd love to go, Esme, thank you."
She squeals again and claps her hands, turning back around and talking a mile a minute about how this year's Thanksgiving will be the best one yet. I let her ramble and meet Edward's eyes in the rearview mirror. His eyes sparkle with happiness, and I smile back earnestly and lean my head back on the headrest.
My mind wanders to Emmett, and I wonder if Rosalie has invited him along to this Thanksgiving trip as well. I think about how deep we have gone into our respective relationships, and I am again filled with guilt at the thought of how this will all end. Will Edward ever forgive me for what I have done? These last couple of months I have truly gotten to know the Cullens, and they are genuinely good people. How can they be involved with all of this? How can they stand to do business with people like the Volturi? I hope I can find the answers to these questions.
We arrive at our first stop, a small bakery in downtown Chicago. I cannot help but let those questions be pushed to the back of my mind as we enter.
-TBK-
The next few weeks pass in a blur as I fall into a routine between Edward and work.
It is boring, but it is …. Nice. Totally mundane, but nice. I allow myself to enjoy the normalcy of my day to day life. For once, I am, for the most part—with the exception of the actual goal of this whole mission—stress-free. I wake up, either at my apartment or at Edward's. We have breakfast and go to work. Every night we have dinner together, enjoying each other's silent company while making dinner and falling into easy conversation afterward. On weekends, we explore Chicago together. Edward takes me to different galleries around town to see the up and coming artists in the area, and we spend hours debating the messages behind the art and the subsequent intentions behind the meanings.
It is the night before Esme's Halloween party, and I have a tomato bisque in the crockpot along with some grilled cheese sandwiches toasting on a skillet. I made Edward buy a crockpot for me a few weeks ago for when I am over at his apartment so I would not have to lug my own back and forth. I am enjoying a glass of Sauvignon Blanc that Esme brought over the previous week while finishing up dinner when Jasper calls.
"Hey, you," I answer.
"I've got something." Jaspers starts, sounding excited.
My back straightens to attention, and I glance at the front door, knowing Edward is due here within the next few minutes.
"Well, don't make me wait!" I prompt after a few seconds of silence, "Tell me!"
"I'm still reviewing it, but about a dozen bank accounts listed on those files you and Em were able to get have been tracked as having similar purchases."
"Similar how?" I ask, making my way over to turn off the stove and walk to the bathroom. After closing the door behind me, I turn on the sink faucet for good measure.
"They have all booked hotels in Vancouver—and what's weird is that these are people who aren't in the same circle. I have two accounts I've linked to possible Triad members, another three accounts I know for a fact belong to some Russians, about eight I've tied to small, Italian Mafia families, plus a few others that are based in the US."
"Vancouver? Which hotels?" I think to the Cullen's 'Thanksgiving' vacation, and wonder if there is some ulterior motive for their stay in Vancouver. "The Bookkeepers are spending four days in Vancouver for Thanksgiving—"
"I know," Jasper cuts me off, knowing this from when I informed him of Esme's invitation a few weeks prior. "But what's even weirder is that they're all booked within the same week. I mean, at least the ones I've checked. They're all the week of Christmas."
"Some sort of …what? Gangster family reunion?" I snort.
"Something like that. I don't know. This seems like something big. Why are they gathering like this? Why now? Some of these groups are mortal enemies, so why would they even agree to be in the same city—much less same hotels as one another? Has the Bookkeeper or his son mentioned anything about working or meeting up with anyone?"
They have not, but I still rack my brain for something they might have mentioned in passing.
"No, I would have brought it up to you. I don't want to ask Edward and raise any suspicion." I gnaw at my lip nervously.
"Just try and ask what he's doing for Christmas. Maybe you can find something out." Jasper offers.
"I can try." Just then, I hear the front door lock turn and the door open. "I have to go, I'll let you know what I find out."
"Marie?" I hear Edward call from the kitchen.
"I'm here!" I call out, "I was using the bathroom. You're just in time for dinner."
His smile is wide, and his eyes bright as I walk up to him. "God, I love coming home to this," he murmurs as he wraps an arm around my waist and kisses me.
I melt into his arms, and too soon, we are breaking apart and out of breath.
"We should probably eat before we get started on anything else." I laugh and stand on my tiptoes for one last quick kiss. "You haven't had my tomato bisque yet—it's absolutely sinful."
"I can think of a few things that involve you and sins," Edward growls.
"Do tell." I tease, plating the grilled cheeses and gathering bowls before grabbing the salad out of the fridge I prepared earlier.
"I thought you said you wanted to finish dinner?"
Laughing, I agree and finish setting the table.
"How was work?" I ask, digging in, and just like that, we fall into our normal afternoon conversation.
Edward lets out a long groan and rubs his stomach. "You weren't lying—that bisque was sinful. But now I'm so full I can't even move. Was this your plan all along?"
My head rests in my clasped hands as I giggle, nodding my head. "Yup. Got you right where I want ya, Cullen."
"You know, if Carlisle had told me about how Marie the florist was such a great cook, I wouldn't have waited as long as I had to meet you."
"Well, you—" I stop, processing his words. "Wait a second … You talked to Carlisle about me before you came into the shop?"
Edward suddenly looks very sheepish as a blush starts to creep over his face. "He might have … Mentioned you in passing a few times. I mean, you know, he saw you every day, and Esme really loves your flowers." He suddenly finds his fork very interesting.
"Edward Cullen. You hustler!" I screech, "You knew my name!" and point an accusing finger at him.
"Hey!" He protests defensively. "You know, you didn't give me much to work with. I did what I had to do to get the girl." Crossing his arms, he juts out his chin defiantly and almost childlike. All that is missing is a stomp of his foot and he would have it down to a T.
"Smooth, Cullen." I tease, "You know, I knew you were good—but I didn't know you were that good."
He eyes me warily, "Are you upset, I lied?"
My breath catches and I look back at him. He is genuinely concerned, and here I am … Nothing but a big fat liar. "No … I'm not mad at all," I laugh, but he does not catch how forced it is. "I think it's really sweet. Besides, I wouldn't have changed a thing about our first date."
He smiles in relief and reaches across the table for my hand. "It was a good first date, huh? Very … memorable."
I roll my eyes at him, "You just won't let that go, will you?"
"Nope."
"Come on, let's get these dishes cleaned up so we can make some more memorable moments." I wink and stand, grabbing our plates before heading to the kitchen sink.
"I'll show you memorable." I hear Edward mutter under his breath.
I slip out of bed sometime around two in the morning, giggling, as I dodge Edward's attempts at tickling me. "Oh, no! You're not going to catch me off guard again, Cullen."
He gives me a lazy smirk, propping his head on one hand. His hair is going in every possible direction, and his eyes shine with humor. The sheet covers very little of him, showcasing his toned muscles and that delicious V-cut that leads to my own personal heaven, and I have to quickly turn away before I pounce on him again.
Washing up and brushing my teeth, I finish the rest of my nightly routine and turn the lights off as I go.
"I'm getting a drink of water, you want one, too—?" I walk into Edward's bedroom to find him fast asleep, his breathing slow, and lips slightly parted.
I roll my eyes, chuckling quietly as I make my way into the dark kitchen. I do not bother turning on the light tonight, the bright moonlight filtering in from the windows illuminate the apartment enough.
At the last minute, I change my mind and boil the water instead, grabbing a chamomile tea bag from a jar on the counter. While I wait for the water to heat, I walk back into the room and grab one of Edward's shirts to slip on.
I sip my tea contentedly and walk over to my favorite painting. My admiration is tainted with sadness, knowing it's fate. Still, I take advantage of the time it has left on this wall.
To think I once believed the print in London was the original. That all seems silly now. It is so plainly clear that this masterpiece in front of me was once a blank canvas that sat in front of the magnificently talented Titian. Even the thick, golden, Victorian frame looks—
My eyes narrow as I further examine the frame, taking a step closer. I was so focused on the actual work of art, I never really noticed the frame that surrounds it, or the fact that the entire canvas and frame lay just an inch or so off the wall.
I take my free hand and place it on top of the frame, dragging my fingers behind it. When my suspicions are confirmed, I put down the cup of tea so I have both hands at my disposal.
Pulling on the frame carefully and gently, my eyes widen as it swings opens like a cabinet door.
Holy. Shit.
A small safe is hidden behind the painting with a little dial knob in the center that keeps me from opening it.
Jasper's words from a prior conversation ring in my ears.
Someplace important. At home. Close by.
Edward seldom has any visitors here—other than family. Although the apartment is not as secure as the Cullen home, there are not many people coming in and out to suspect anything about the painting. I am back to my original theory that the Cullen's rely on their cover of being so mundane that no one would ever take a second, closer look at them. Either that, or they are just some really confident people.
I stare at the tiny numbers inscribed around the knob, willing them to turn for me into the right combination. After a few minutes, I let out a longing sigh and push the frame back into place, promising to return to it tomorrow since I currently do not have the proper tools to open it.
I am slightly giddy as I slide back into Edward's arms at this new discovery.
This could be it!
Right before sleep consumes me, I become subconsciously aware of how this new piece of information will only take me one step further away from Edward. The thought causes me to turn in his arms and hold him even closer.
A/N:
So many more things to come and so many reveals! Stay tuned!
See you guys soon, in the mean time, reviews keep me goin' and they would be lovely! I love hearing what you guys think.
