Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything associated with it. Stephenie Meyer holds that honor.
Trigger Warning: Violent behaviors detailed within this chapter. There will be a trigger warning before the violence starts and a marker for the end of the violence as well if this is not your cup of tea. Please feel free to contact the author for a version in which the violence has been removed completely, if even knowing it's in the chapter is too much for you.
The villa was buzzing with energy. We hadn't told anyone where we were going, just that we were completing a training exercise. Not knowing who our mole was, we didn't dare be honest: We were going to get my Bella back. Emmett had found her, we were certain of it. There'd be no reason to leave a wedding ring lying about. Plus there were the family crests which had GPS signals too. So we might have gone a little overboard; I was so grateful we had! She seemed to be about an hour northeast of Volterra, and we'd decided to go in silent. That meant all cell phones, except for Carlisle's and Aro's, were handed over to mom, who checked a list. If your name didn't have a check, you didn't go. This was one thing mom was really good and organized with and no one dared argue with Esme Cullen.
I was armed to the teeth, with my favorite shotgun, my best knives hidden in my boots, and my butterflies in my sleeves. Eric wasn't going anywhere once we caught up to them. I wouldn't rest now until Bella was in my arms, her face serene and relaxed. Anything he did to her, would be returned to him before he was allowed the mercy of being killed. And, though I shuddered to think it, if he'd raped her, he would find himself wishing for death before we were done with him. Not that he would live regardless.
I threw on my sunglasses as I headed out into the setting sun to await dad and Charlie. Aro was already in the car, fidgeting. I found his presence soothing, since I knew he felt as guilty as I did. If only I'd gone with Bella, rather than thinking she was safe, maybe this wouldn't have happened. But why would I imagine her in danger here of all places? As dad had said, only true family knew, which meant: Carlisle, Esme, Charlie, Renee, Aro, Alice, Emmett, Jasper and her best friend Angela, who was like a sister to her. There wasn't a lot of room for error there, so it meant someone we trusted and loved had blabbed. Really, there were only two suspects on my list, one I know for sure would have been accidental if told, the other I shuddered to think on. Only time would tell, though. Eric would spill eventually.
Emmett and Jasper joined our vehicle, and I knew that the true tactical command was all in one location. And then started the strategizing. I'm not the best, I admit it. I'm the run in, shoot, and run out kind of guy. If we're there to kill, why wait? I knew this time was different though. There was precious cargo in there, and she couldn't be risked. Jasper took point on this, pointing out the two main exits in the villa, there were of course many others and men would be heading to those. I wasn't too worried about anything getting leaked despite my two main suspects. One would have no clue what was going on, and the other was being watched like a hawk anyways, just because she was acting like a little brat. Yes, I meant Alice. She was pissed off because dad told her she had to stay home, no shopping, and mom got her phone, just like everyone else. Even those holding down the fort had no cell phones, and any who had refused had been locked in the cellars for now, where there was no reception or wifi access. See, we're not dumb, at least not most of the time! Besides, it's not like they refused often. Usually it had more to do with men with expectant wives than any real reason to defy the family.
The drive felt slow as Jasper discussed how we were going to handle things. The men were taking the side exits, with Marcus and Alistair and a few men each taking the main entrances. There was a back entrance that dad, Charlie, Aro and I would go through, which led to a staircase. We weren't sure where in the building she was exactly, just that it seemed closer to the back entrance. Thankfully, there were only two floors we could see, so we just had to hope we found her quickly. There wasn't any sign of a ton of guards, so our guess is Eric wasn't planning on any kind of resistance, or he knew he wouldn't be supported.
There was this small part of me laughing at how often my Bella ran afoul of those in the mafia for her doms. She just seemed to flock to us, and never knew it. Another part of me hated knowing exactly who it was who had been with her, but I couldn't fault her or them, really, for what was in the past. At least I knew she was taken care of before me, and not abused. Once she was back, I'd show her how much I cared, how I could be the dom she needed. She'd never want for any need again. I'd come too close to losing her to deny her anything now. It was time to focus, though. Jasper said we were almost there.
I'd go in with dad, and Aro with Charlie. The plan was for dad and I to take the second floor, while Charlie and Aro took the first, with Emmett and Jasper watching our backs by guarding the doors. We all drew a weapon, dad and Charlie going in low first, with Aro and I high and right behind them. The kitchen was clear, which we'd expected that room to be. Dad pointed to his ear, then looked the other three of us in the eye one by one, and we each acknowledged his silent query with a nod, that yes, we had our earphones in and could communicate if need be. Dad and I then crept upstairs slowly, easing our way up the final steps as we both crouched, trying to be as silent and invisible as possible.
The hallway was clear, though, so now it was time to check the rooms. One by one we went, carefully searching bedrooms and bathrooms, and even a couple of studies. There were only two doors left and I was praying she was there. Just as we were about to enter the second to last room, Aro's voice sounded in my ear, "We got that rat bastard, Edward! No sign of our girl, though."
"None here yet, but in response to the bastard: YES! If she isn't in one of these last rooms we'll be right down. If she is, don't you dare get started without me!" I hear Aro chuckle in response before he says, "Aye, aye. After all, if she isn't there, we need him to find her. Go find our girl, Edward."
We opened the door to the second to last room, and it was so dark and dank it was nearly suffocating. I trained my flashlight around the room and there she was, curled up in a ball on a palette on the floor. This was how he'd treated my beautiful Bella? "Bella, oh dearest, what have they done to you?" I couldn't help myself from crying out as I rushed to her side. I was anything but the tough mafia man I needed to be as my hands fluttered above her, unsure if she'd be okay with my touch. Finally I settled on gently pulling her shoulder so she was on her back and I could see her better. I gasped at what I saw. Her beautiful face was bruised, her lips swollen and cracked, and it looked like something was wrong with her cheek. Her right eye was bruised and I leaned down to brush soft, light kisses over her forehead as I whispered, "Bella, sweetheart, please let me know you're okay, oh please be okay."
Her left eye fluttered open, her right too swollen to move and she stared at me in silence a moment. "E-Ed-Edward?" she finally stuttered out, wincing in pain from the movement.
"Shhh. Dad's here, he's going to look after you, and me? I won't leave your side yet. Not until I have a full report so I can go take care of that scumbag who hurt you." I took her hand in mine and watched as dad poked and prodded her a bit, asking her questions she didn't have to talk for. Not that it was easy no matter what, she was in so much pain even nodding caused her to grimace.
"Okay, Edward," dad said softly, "you can pick her up gently and take her to the car. We'll get her home and look her over more fully there." I picked her up, as slowly and gently as I could, but every hiss had me wanting to be wherever Eric was and showing him every pain she was feeling times ten. Soon, though. Soon, I would take care of him, and hopefully find out who had told Eric where we were.
Cradling her to my chest, her head on my shoulder, I made my way back out to the limo, where her dad and grandpa hovered, and even Jasper and Emmett looked ready to throw some punches if I let them. In the car, I gently ran my hand down her unbruised cheek, but even that caused her to wince. "What happened, sweetheart? What made him hit you?"
She smiled at me weakly, her voice frail, husky from disuse and dryness. We hadn't thought to bring water with us for some stupid reason. "I dared knee him in the balls… when he thought he could take what's yours. He got a little tetchy and did this to my face. Think he bruised or broke a couple of ribs, too, but I'm okay otherwise. Please… hurt him for me, Edward."
I smiled at her softly, running my fingers gently through her tangled hair before kissing her forehead again. "Your wish… my command, princess. I'm going to leave you with dad, and go take care of this. I'll be back before you know it, my wife."
Her smile could light up a room, I swear, but for now it was time to deal with the fucker who thought he'd kidnap my wife and then try to rape her. She was MINE, no one else's and I would make sure to show her how much I cared for her once she was feeling better. I rolled up my sleeves after setting her gently in the car, with Aro pointing me in the right direction. I knew we weren't going far, just to another abandoned villa a little way down the road. I commandeered a vehicle, ordering the driver to take me to where Eric was. The little rat would soon wish he'd never touched my wife.
TRIGGER WARNING: Violence to start beyond this point if you wish to skip it. Doesn't until the end of the chapter.
Arriving at the villa, I was shown to the cellar, where they'd stuck Eric. I grinned malevolently, as I entered the room, rolling my sleeves further up my muscular arms. I wasn't ripped like Emmett, but I had a decent amount of muscles, it was kind of needed in this lifestyle. Which is why Eric surprised me. He was a tiny thing, not ripped at all. I pulled my butterfly knife free, my favorite of all my knives, and stalked towards him. The coward was already quivering and I rolled my eyes at him. Pansy. Kidnap a woman but freak out when her man comes for you. What did he expect to happen?
"Eric, Eric, Eric. You've been a very naughty boy. Kidnapping another Family's woman, a wife of the next Don to be exact. What have you to say for yourself?"
"I loved her! She was supposed to be mine, not yours! So when I found out how to get her away from you, I took the chance!"
"She was never yours in that way. She was your submissive, not a relationship. She was yours to control to a certain extent, but she was never yours to love unless she chose to love you back! Now she is mine and you stole her! You hurt her!" I couldn't stop it, then. The knife flicked out, slashing his cheek, and over his lips, marring him much the same way he'd marred her, just with a blade instead of a fist. The fists would come.
Watching the thin lines bleed, I stepped back, merely to start stalking him, around and around in circles that drew ever closer before stopping directly in front of him. "I want to know who helped you. I have my suspicions of course, but I want to hear it from you!"
"Fuck you!" Eric hissed at me, blood droplets spitting through the air as he spoke. My grin was slow, lifting one corner of my mouth before the other as I reached my arm back, letting it fly to punch him in his right eye. I quickly pulled back again to get his left as well. He wouldn't be recognizable when I was done with him.
"Owwww! What the fuck, motherfucker? I'm not telling you shit, so you can just stop with the posturing!" It was almost reflexive as I pulled back and popped him in the cheek, hearing a satisfying "CRACK" with the motion. "Oh you won't? See, you took another's Family's daughter, too. They probably won't be gentle with you, either. In fact… Charlie, would you care to take a cut or a punch or something similar? Maybe even a shot?"
Eric's eyes widened with fear as Charlie came into view, his normally expressionless face glowering. "I don't think he needs those fingers, don't you agree, Edward?" And without even giving me a chance to blink, he drew his handgun and shot at Eric's hand, blowing off the ring and middle fingers of his left hand, and damaging the pinky and pointer fingers. Eric's cries of pain were loud and, honestly, a bit girly.
"Now, Eric. We know why you took her, no matter how misguided you might have been. We want to know who helped you take her. So spill and we will make this as painless as possible."
"M-make what as painless as possible?"
I leaned in to whisper softly in his ear, "Why, your death of course."
"You can't kill me! My Family won't approve of that!"
"Oh, how wrong you are. They already know what we're going to do to you and why, and while they will grieve publicly, you have disgraced them by your actions."
Eric swallowed visibly at that, but still didn't answer, so I called Aro over. He knew what I wanted. We still had wounds that hadn't been imitated. So Aro punched, kneed, and kicked him in the ribs multiple times, ensuring they were well and truly broken, even as Eric pleaded with us to stop.
My voice was a low growl as I commanded, "Tell. Us. Who. Told. You. Where. To. Find. Us."
"It was Alice, okay! Not that she meant any harm. She trusts the Families and she isn't really happy you didn't marry Tanya Denali! She just thought I wanted to congratulate you both and had free time on my hands. For having black hair, she acts a bit like a blonde at times."
"Alice!" The name hissed from my lips, confirming my worst fears. My rage couldn't be directed at her. She was Family, and my sister. Mom would have fun with this one. She was the only one able to punish Alice for this, as females could only be dealt with by the Don's wife, whether she was Donna or not. Since Esme didn't come from a rival Family, she wasn't Donna, just dad's wife, not that she minded.
Suddenly, I was just done. I wanted home with my Bella. I wanted Alice dealt with though I believed Eric that it wasn't really malicious, just Alice being the drama queen she is. I unholstered my shotgun, aimed, and shot Eric right through the forehead. He was gone. I was done. It was time to go home.