Hello everyone,
This has been a long time in coming, and I hope you all enjoy this because it was so awesome to write. I am so happy everyone appears to be enjoying the story for the most part. So thrilled to have you.
Thu will be a very long story because there is soo much going on. Thanks for reading, and I love having you all.
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Bella grimaced as Edward angrily slammed out of the gym. Slowly, she focused on the weight at her feet, cocking her head, she considered the object. Before he'd startled her, Bella had felt his breath on the back of her neck. The tiny hairs rose as goosebumps jogged down her spine.
Why had he been standing that close? When had he moved from the punching bag he'd been working over? Having Edward within inches of her being, another shiver slipped over her arms as she stared at the weight.
Huh?
He was an inquisitive man; she decided as her attention returned to the door still vibrating against the wall. The thud of the dumbbell hitting the floor still echoed in her ears, and she retrieved it and pushed back to her feet. After returning it to the rack, she grabbed the hand towel from the treadmill and dabbed the sweat from her brow.
Now, what the hell should she do? If she were wise, she'd let the beast calm in quiet, yet Bella was never one to let dead dogs lie. Tossing the towel into the basket next to the door, she slipped into the hallway and deciphered what direction Edward had taken as a thought struck her. "Probably his study," she mumbled to herself as she turned in that direction, or at least she hoped.
This mansion was so big, navigating the halls were still a trial by error. Luckily, she glimpsed the kitchen and hurried in that direction.
"Princess!" Lily cried with excitement as Bella appeared.
Bella smiled in Lily's direction as she fanned her skin to cool the burn from the workout. "Hello, baby, what are you doing?"
It was a stupid question, considering Lily wore riding clothes and matching boots. Still, Bella figured Lily would love to tell her exactly what she'd been doing.
"I took a carrot to Sage, and Nana let me ride." Her little chin tipped curiously. "You look hot, Princess. Were you playin' basketball with Uncle Emmett?"
"Nope," Bella smiled down at her as she headed to the fridge. Pulling the freezer open, she grabbed a tray of ice and laid it on the counter as she went on the hunt for a baggie to put it in. "I was running on the treadmill."
"Why?" Lily wanted to know, twisting her braid as her nose scrunched. "That doesn't sound fun."
Bella chuckled at that as she returned Lily's expression. "Sometimes it's not, but I needed the exercise. I love to run. It's a great release."
As Bella sorted through cabinets searching for a ziplock bag, she wasn't surprised when Emmett suddenly appeared. Putting her hand on her hip, she tossed him a glare. "I told you earlier; I don't need you lurking around."
"Isabella," Emmett started with a handsome pout. "Just consider me your new best friend. Where you go, I go. So, here I am." Gesturing to the cabinet Bella held open, Emmett's brow lifted. "Dinner is in approximately an hour. What are you looking for?"
"A baggie to put ice in," Bella snorted as she resumed her hunt. "I was working out and dropped a weight on Edward's foot. The least I could do is get him some ice."
"Princess, they're in the closet over here," Lily interjected, taking hold of Bella's fingers to tug her in that direction. "You hurt my daddy's toe?"
"Yeah." A pain-filled expression passed over Bella's face as she let Lily direct her to the pantry. "I didn't mean it, but …"
Emmett's laugh erupted throughout the kitchen, and Bella shot him another glare before ducking into the pantry, rocking back on her heels as the closet was big enough to be her bedroom. Shit, she thought as she went from shelf to shelf. "I don't think it's hilarious at all, Emmett. It probably broke his toe."
"Oh, I disagree," Emmett's thunderous laugh echoed off the walls as he came into the pantry and retrieved her bounty. "How did Edward respond? And why was he so close you managed to drop a weight on his foot?"
"I don't know, Emmett," Bella snapped, snatching the box from his hands. "And he was his normal angry self." Mindful of Lily's presence, she refrained from cursing. She continued, "I feel horrible, so just shut up."
Bella returned to the countertop and filled the baggie. Lily tugged at her arm. "Are you going to give my daddy ice for his foot?"
Bella was about to tell Lily yes when an idea struck her. "How about you take him some ice?" When a look of adulterated fear passed over Lily's face, Bella's jaw clenched as she said, "Don't worry, baby, I will go with you."
"Ok," she agreed in a small voice that knifed at Bella's heart. "He won't like it, though. He doesn't like me very much."
Bella shot Emmett a fleeting look before returning her attention to Lily. "Lily, I'm positive that isn't true. I think he just has a difficult time showing you how much he loves you."
The saddest look Bella had ever seen closed in on Lily's beautiful face. Unable to stand that look of loneliness in Lily's eyes, Bella caressed her cheek. "Look at me, Lily." When the little girl's chin tipped up to look at her, Bella smiled softly. "Your daddy bought you, Sage, right? Daddy's that don't love their daughters don't buy them ponies. I promise, your dad loves you very much. Do you believe me?"
"Yes," she mumbled softly as she took the bag of ice Bella offered.
"Good. Let's get a towel to wrap that in," Bella sighed, her heart in the middle of her throat. When she chanced a look in Emmett's direction, he was staring at her in a bit of wonderment. Tearing her eyes from his, she continued with her task, and then, with a hand on Lily's shoulder, she turned them both toward the doorway.
All the way to Edward's study, Bella played through all the possible scenarios. She made herself a promise as they came to stand before his door. If that man said one wayward remark to Lily, she would take his head right off his shoulders. Bracing herself for a million possibilities, Bella looked toward Emmett for reassurance before her hand settled on the doorknob; when the mammoth man merely shrugged, she pressed forward.
Edward stared at his throbbing foot as he lifted the glass to his lips. Sipping the liquor, he rolled it on his tongue as he considered the swelling limb. The whole top of his foot was turning an odd array of colors but mostly settling on black before his eyes. "Shit. Little she-devil …"
His rant would've continued had his door not creaked open at the precise moment and instantly alerted him to the intrusion; his lashes dropped into a glare. It was right on the tip of his tongue to bark at the invader when a little blonde head appeared, and the breath froze in his throat.
Hard blue eyes clashed with light blue, and a hesitant smile pulled at his daughter's lips. "I-I brought you some ice, Daddy. The princess said …"
Edward couldn't take his eyes off of the creature before him. Her expression was a mixture of fear and desperation on her face. Edward felt as if someone kicked him in the chest as he realized he was, in fact the one who influenced that worry etched in her tiny brow. Not trusting himself to speak past the well of emotion, he held Lily's gaze and nodded for her to continue.
Very slowly, as if she were approaching a dragon, Lily moved into the office, coming to a standstill near the head of his desk. In a small, nearly inaudible voice, she murmured as she lifted the ice pack for him to see. "I hope it feels better."
Edward cleared his throat in an effort to speak in a softer tone. "Thank you, L-lily. I'm sure it will make it much better."
Her head tilted as she studied him with wide eyes. "I can kiss it. Nana kisses my ouchies, and it's all gone."
Edward's heart pinched at Lily's explanation, and his jaw worked with indecision as his gaze flashed to Bella's. For a long silent moment, they merely stared at one another, and then Edward ripped his eyes away to focus on Lily. Swallowing past the frog in his throat, his head bobbed. "I don't think you should kiss my foot," Edward started, and the crestfallen look that entered her pale eyes wrenched at his heart. Leaning down, he mumbled, "Maybe a kiss on the cheek would do the trick."
The brightest smile he'd ever seen spread across her lips, and giggling, she hurried around the desk. Lily crept forward with a twinkle in her eyes, and her lips puckered and brushed her daddy's cheek. Jerking back, she rubbed at her lips, saying, "You are all prickly."
Bella watched the encounter between father and daughter. Lily was seconds away from hopping right out of her skin, while Edward looked like a frightened turtle, and he was moments away from shrinking into himself. She was fairly positive she would pay dearly for her meddling, yet whatever Edward would have to say to her was completely worth the tongue lashing sure to follow.
Bella had to look away to keep her eyes from misting. This was such a groundbreaking step, and she felt so many conflicting emotions. She could only imagine how Lily must feel, and while she wanted to be happy about her part in it, Bella couldn't forget the miles these two had to go.
For the life of her, Bella had no idea why she gave a shit. Yes, in large part, the four-year-old standing in the shadow of her father was a huge reason. But there was no way to ignore the sadness in Edward's face, and invisible strings seemed to draw her forward until she was standing inches from the pair.
Edward took the ice pack from Lily's hands, and a twinge of a smile pulled at his mouth. "Thank you, L-lily. I feel much better. Can you run and tell Nana I need some medicine for my toe. I need to talk to the princess."
Bella cringed as Lily hopped with excitement, yelling, "Yep." And she almost wished she could run right out of the room behind Lily. As soon as the study door slammed shut, Bella sent a silent prayer as thunder crackled before her in the form of the muscle in Edward's jaw ticking as he regarded her.
"What part of staying away from my family did you not understand?" Edward could literally chew nails, not because Lily had brought him ice, but because the woman before him seemed to take great measures to thwart him at every turn. "I specifically told you yesterday that you weren't to be spending time with L-lily …"
Bella's hand lifted to stop him in his speech. "Wait a minute. Do you have a stutter, or is it just when you say her name?"
Taken aback by Bella's question, he tsked under his breath, his pupils narrowing. "There is nothing wrong with my speech. I have been more than hospitable to you since you've entered my home, and you've done nothing but piss me off. I'm seconds away from locking you in a dark hole somewhere …"
Bella grunted at the threat, not backing down. Her arms folded over her chest, and her lips drew tight. "That little girl just told me she doesn't think you love her. Do you? Do you love your daughter, Edward?"
Edward moved so fast as he leapt from his chair, Bella stumbling backward as his face dropped nose to nose with her. A sliver of fear jolted down her spine as his gaze crackled with anger. His exhale skated over her lips, and Bella had to refrain from fleeing. "I'm just saying if you care for her, you should do better about letting her know that."
"You have no business interfering in my family life. If you keep … meddling," Edward growled as he limped forward, ignoring the throbbing pain in the top of his foot, following Bella as she retreated, inching backward. Her floral scent swirled around him, and he felt the familiar pull in his loins. Cursing under his breath, "I swear to fuck."
"I know; I'm just here until you collect your money. You have made that abundantly clear, but …" Bella nervously gnawed on her lower lip. "She is so sad, Edward. I'm sorry her presence causes you pain, but it's not her fault."
"Isabella, I specifically remember telling you to stay out of my office. Remember? When you begged me to let you roam the house …"
"I didn't beg," Bella started and stopped abruptly when the vein in his head looked like it might explode. She flinched slightly when his arms came up to cage her in, and his face bent low until he was only an inch away.
"Twice. Twice you've come into my study uninvited, and I'm very close to losing my shit and forgetting about the Goddamn money," Edward growled between clenched teeth. When a rush of air sifted over his lips from her startled exhale, a tingle raced over his skin. Unbidden, his gaze dropped to her mouth, and his teeth ground together when he noted how soft they looked.
"I didn't mean to, I just wanted to bring you a piece of cheesecake, and then, you needed ice for your foot," Bella explained, trying not to wilt under his frothy gaze. For reasons beyond her understanding, she was tempted to touch the harsh lines on his face. "I just wanted to help."
Edward was completely baffled by her adamant defense of her actions. A strand of honey-colored hair had worked free from her ponytail and now dangled in her eyes. Edward's fingertips curled toward his palm as he resisted the urge to push it aside. Then there was the way her lips formed each syllable as she spoke, drawing his attention to her mouth, and Edward vaguely wondered what they tasted like.
What the fuck was up with him? He should be seething, throwing shit, cursing, but instead, he was standing here contemplating sticking his tongue so far down her throat he was sure to choke her.
Before he could lose complete control, Edward pushed away from the wall and away from the temptation of her lips. Raking a hand through his hair, he stared at her, a bit bewildered.
He'd taken Isabella Swan captive, locked her in a room, and paddled her ass, yet still, she stood before him expressing a desire to help him. He was at a loss as to what to do with the tempting little baggage. With one last long glance at her, he turned and limped back to his desk. His hand fell to the ice pack and gingerly placed it on his foot. "I don't need your help, Ms. Swan. Everything was going perfectly …"
"I beg to differ." Bella wasn't sure if she were stupid or what, but once she found a challenge, she persisted until she unraveled the mystery. "I think you need a lot of help, and I'm not the only one. Your whole family …"
"I could care less what my family thinks," Edward mumbled as he rearranged the pack on his foot. Satisfied, he sat back in his chair, his fingers pinching his nose as he sought to cool his temper.
Fascinated by the dangerous King, Bella pushed away from the wall and strode forward when she realized he wasn't going to rip her head off. Approaching his desk, bravely, she plopped into a chair placed a foot away from the solid oak. Tucking the strand of hair behind her ear, she leaned forward until Edward met her gaze.
Taking a chance, Bella passed him a half-smile. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are? I would give my left leg to have anyone in my family care about me, and you have a household full of them. Sadly, you keep pushing everyone and everything away. Your daughter is scared, confused, and so lonely that she made friends with a stranger locked in a room. Is that what you want? Lily searching for affection from strangers because her dad is so bitter he can't even say her name?"
Edward silently stared at the daring woman before him. He'd cut the tongue from people's mouths for less. Instead of getting angry, however, he merely studied her, inwardly reflecting on what she had to say. Basically, Isabella was telling him everything Emmett, Alice, and his mother had repeated for years.
Is that what he wanted? Did he want his daughter to seek out attention from strangers? Fuck, no. Fleetingly, he shifted his attention to the picture of Irene before returning to Isabella.
Bella chewed the inside of her cheek as she contemplated pushing forward. Throwing caution to the wind, she continued softly, "I'm sorry for what happened to your wife, but it's no one's fault, especially that cute little girl."
Edward released a pent-up breath, his fingers playing across his lips as the words penetrated the steel woven within his chest. His hand fell to his desktop, and he drummed his fingertips on the smooth surface as he considered her closely. How many times had he argued with his mother about Lily? During that first year, almost daily. The conversations about Lily's education came to mind, and another troubled sigh slipped from his lips. "It said in your file you were in college for education. If you would like to spend more time with L-lily, then you can start by teaching her things she would learn at school. Her numbers, letters, how to write, and simple math."
Her file? Edward, had her investigated? Of course, he had, Bella scoffed. She supposed it was the smartest thing to do, and then, his decision penetrated her thoughts. He was giving her permission to spend time with Lily. A light smile played across her lips. While it wasn't where she'd been headed with this conversation, she would take it for now. "Okay. I can do that."
Before they could discuss anything further, the door to the study opened, and Lily reappeared with Esme in tow. Edward refrained from rolling his eyes as his mother's surprised eyes landed on him. Well, if nothing else, Edward was pleased by his ability to shock his mother. "You will be happy to know Isabella has agreed to tutor Lily, so you can finally cease harassing me about her education at every turn."
Esme placed a bottle of pain reliever on his desk. Her attention went from her son to the woman sitting across from him. Finally, there was someone able to penetrate that heavy armor Edward wore. Clapping her hands before her, she wrung her hands as she nodded. "That sounds wonderful. Maybe next, we can discuss her socialization, Edward."
"One thing at a time." Edward grabbed the bottle, and as his frustration started to well once again, he struggled with the cap. He was so focused on getting the damn bottle open he didn't notice Isabella lift from the chair and round his desk until her hand reached forward and retrieved the bottle.
He glared up at her as she pried the lid off and handed it back. Muttering, "I am not an invalid."
Bella didn't bother to answer, merely turning away to ignore the sting of his hard gaze. "I have to go change for dinner. I will see you later, baby."
Edward knew Isabella was speaking to Lily because she kissed his daughter's cheek before leaving the study, but when she said baby, a spear of lust shot through his abdomen. The appendage between his legs twitched, and irritation followed the unexpected heat. Passing a look at Esme and Lily, he flicked his hand toward the door. Remembering what Isabella had just said about being kinder to his family, he said, "You two should go get ready for supper as well. Leave me in peace to deal with my throbbing foot and the headache that's starting."
"Will we see you at dinner?" Esme wanted to know as she took Lily's hand and steered them toward the door.
"No."
Esme grunted as she turned the knob, surprised when Lily's hand tugged free, and she said, "Hold on, Nana."
Both Esme and Edward watched as Lily trotted across the study, and she reached for Edward. When he bent toward her, Lily wound her arms around his neck, and she brushed another kiss to his cheek. "I hope you feel better, Daddy."
Edward's heart pulsed in his throat as those tiny arms squeezed his neck. Something in his chest shifted, and before he knew what was happening, he wound one arm around her little waist as he pulled her against his chest. Briefly, he returned her embrace, the organ protected by his rib cage thawing slightly.
Tears filled eyes Esme's as she witnessed the exchange. How long has she been waiting for some human compassion from her son? So, so long. When father and daughter parted, she cleared her throat, wiggling her fingers to Lily. "Come on, honey, let's go get cleaned up."
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