Chapter 27

Song:

"Snow White Queen," Evanescence

**Fiddling was had. All mistakes are mine.

Raindrops pelt the storefront windows, the late January weather system bringing the third day of steady showers. There haven't been any walk-ins today, and even if it weren't a Tuesday, we still aren't back to having a full appointment book after the lull during the holidays. We're all scattered around the studio room. I'm entertaining a very vocal Zoe as she discovers the joys of gnawing on her fist. Everyone else is either sketching, reading, or doing other things to keep themselves busy.

"That's not bad, B," Vlad says, peering over Bella's shoulder while she sketches at Stefan's empty station.

She looks up at him. "You think so?"

"I do."

"You know, any time you want to pick up a machine and give it a try, let me know," Liam chimes in.

Bella shakes her head. "Oh, I don't think—"

"We'll get you a practice skin to work on." Liam looks my way and grins. "That is, unless you want to practice on your old man."

I shrug. "I'm game." With Zoe's head on my shoulder, I lean forward and try to stretch my neck to see what she's working on. "Let me see."

I'm not surprised when she picks up the sketchbook and hides it against her chest.

"Don't be shy, B. It's good." Liam gently jostles her by the shoulder. "Show him."

I jerk my chin in her direction. "Let me see, baby."

She hesitates for a few moments before she gets up and walks over to my station. She sits on the rolling stool beside my chair and lays the sketchbook on her lap.

"It's a chrysanthemum," she says softly.

It's more detailed than I expected, and it's perfectly to scale. The multitude of delicate petals curl over each other, and the single stem holding it up looks almost too fragile to support the bloom. It's really simple, but it's beautiful in that simplicity.

"That's ... really good, Bella."

She bites at her lip, unsure, as she traces the design with her fingertip. "It's November's flower ... for Zoe." She looks up at me then, shy but a little hopeful. "I was thinking maybe you could do it for me?"

A little thrill shoots through me at the thought of finally putting my ink on her body. "You want me to do it?"

"Yeah."

With no clients scheduled for a while, Maggie is happy to take care of Zoe while Bella and I slip into the back room. Because it's her first one and my girl wants the flower inked along her ribs, I want to give her privacy.

She's lying on the table in her jeans and bra, her nervous eyes following my motions as I prep everything. She's seen me do this countless times, but she's never been the one in the chair.

"Are you nervous?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"A little."

I pull on my gloves and swivel toward her, inching closer. "About which part?"

She scrunches her nose. "Would you think I'm a wimp if I said I'm worried it'll hurt?"

"Says the woman who gave birth without any drugs." With a grin, I lean closer and peck her lips. "You'll be fine. And I'll go slow."

After cleaning the chosen spot, I shave off the baby fine hairs along her side. I place the transfer on her skin and walk her over to the mirror to check its placement.

She turns from side to side, making sure of the angle before smiling. "Looks good."

Back in the chair, she closes her eyes and tries to relax. When my gloved hand touches her skin, she winces.

She looks over her shoulder, a little contrite. "Sorry. I guess I'm more nervous than I thought."

"You don't need to apologize. But are you sure you want to do this? And even if you are, it doesn't have to be today. We can—"

"I want this."

Trusting her, I nod and get to work.

Music plays softly in the background as I talk her through what I'm doing, and by the time the needle touches her skin, she barely flinches. I take my time, carefully following the stencil. The longer I work, the more comfortable she seems to get. But the longer I have my hands on her, the more I curse the fact that there's latex between us. I'd like to think if we were anywhere else, alone, I could forgo the gloves, feel her bare skin on mine. But given what's bubbling inside me, the heated excitement I'm feeling at finally making my mark on her, maybe it's for the best.

When the outline is done, I ask if she still wants me to fill it in with the color she chose earlier.

When she hums her agreement, I switch out the smaller needle for a slightly wider brush style and dip it into the ink pot. Using the jewel tones of golden topaz, I fill in the petals. Deeper gold at the base fades into a yellow tone at the tips, and it's perfect against her pale skin.

When I'm all done, I wipe away the excess ink and help her out of the chair. Wordlessly, she walks over to the full-length mirror, her fingertips hovering over but not touching her skin. I'm practically vibrating in my seat waiting to hear what she thinks, but she doesn't say anything. When her eyes begin to shine, I'm worried she already regrets what she's done.

"You don't like it?"

She spins on her heel, shaking her head. My heart sinks.

She takes the few short steps toward me and holds my face in her hands. "No, Edward, I love it. It's exactly what I wanted."

Her arm slips around my neck and she settles into my lap. "And I'm already planning the next one."

I grin. "Oh really?"

She nods, grabbing my wrist and pulling my hand back to her side. "Really. I want more flowers, here," she says, pressing my fingers to the skin around the tattoo.

"Yeah? What kind of flowers?"

Her gaze drops, and her cheeks pinken a little. "Maybe an aster and a rose. They're the flowers for September and June."

"Our birth months."

"Yeah. Then I'd have something to represent my whole family." She rests her head on my arm, her fingertips tracing a line of my ink. "And maybe someday ..."

"Someday, what?"

She looks up then, her lower lip caught in her teeth, her eyes guarded. She opens her mouth once, twice, before saying, "Maybe someday, when we're ready, we can add to it."

It's the first time she's said anything about expanding our little family. And one might think the thought of adding to our trio would scare the shit out of me, but it doesn't.

"I think I like that idea."

Every day Zoe grows and changes. Over the last several weeks, her smiles and coos have turned into squeals and laughs. She's holding her head up and looking around. With some help, she can hold onto a rattle, and while her motions are jerky, her eyes get huge when she's able to make it make noise. She's becoming her own little person, and it's the coolest fucking thing I've ever been witness to.

It's almost enough to take my mind off the threat of Riley looming over us.

We haven't heard anything from him since he disappeared before Thanksgiving. But after Mom's visit and the information she had about Dad's visit to Forks, Riley's never far from my thoughts. Whenever we're out, I find myself looking over my shoulder, looking in the shadows when we walk out to the truck at night. I'm reluctant to let Bella out of my sight, even to run quick errands.

But when Valentine's Day rolls around, all of that changes.

The morning starts out like any other. Bella and I share some time in the shower before Zoe is awake for the day. Over breakfast she asks me to repeat my promise that I don't have anything planned for the holiday.

I reach for her as she tries to walk past me toward the sink. "I promise."

With a gentle kiss and a nod, she walks away, satisfied I'm not going to surprise her.

When she first asked me a few weeks ago, I was hurt that she didn't want to do any of the "coupley" things on Valentine's Day. But when she reminded me of the bad memories she has of her last Valentine's Day, I backed off. It just means I get to pick another day to spoil her with flowers and chocolate.

The shop is relatively busy, with clients scheduled for almost every time slot. It's a little bizarre to me that so many people want to get inked on a day that's supposed to be reserved for romance ... and more than likely getting their freak on. But to each their own.

I'm finishing up matching tattoos for yet another couple when Bella walks into the studio room, her face white as a ghost and her eyes red and panicked. She's holding Zoe in a death grip. I'm instantly on alert.

"What's wrong?" My gaze moves past my wife, and I spot Maggie behind her, a vase full of white flowers in her hand. "What are those?"

Bella can only shake her head in reply as they both walk past me toward the break room, disappearing through the doorway.

I rush through the finishing touches on the woman's tatt before wrapping it and asking Stefan to cash them out at the register.

I snap off my gloves and rush to the back. What I walk in on makes my heart seize. Bella is sobbing, still clutching Zoe to her chest, while Maggie holds onto them both.

"Will somebody tell me what the fuck happened?"

Maggie nods toward the vase of flowers. "There's a card."

A single black rose is surrounded by a dozen white blooms, the seemingly innocuous card held up in the middle. With a shaky hand, I pluck the card out of the bouquet. It's not the typical typed card florists usually include with arrangements. This one is hand-written, and I know exactly who wrote it. As I begin to read, my stomach falls to my feet as bile rises in my throat.

Isabella,

It's been a year since I last laid eyes on you. Does our daughter look like me? I can't wait to see her myself and have you both in my arms.

Soon.

~R

My heart pounds in my chest as the blood rushes in my ears, rage and absolute fucking fear wrestling inside me. My instincts battle each other, the desire to tear out of here and hunt down the maniac who sent it almost winning out over the need to comfort my wife. But seeing her crying in Maggie's arms makes my decision.

"Fuck." I crush the card in my hand and take the two steps needed to reach Bella, pulling her away from Maggie. "He won't touch you. Do you hear me, Bella? He won't touch you or Zoe."

She nods against my chest, but the only sounds to come out of her are her sobs. I hold her tighter, closing my eyes and trying to fight the urge to run off and kill the man hurting her.

Voices carry over Bella's cries, and I watch as Maggie, presumably, tells Liam what's happened. And when our eyes meet over Bella's head, no words need to be spoken; we're both on the same page.

Riley Biers needs to disappear.

Fear and anxiety can manifest in different ways. Some people have short tempers and lash out, while others withdraw into themselves. But the only way I seem to be able to deal with my mounting anxiety, to calm the screaming voices in my head, is being inside my wife.

We've only been home for an hour, but we're already going for round two, our need to crawl inside each other overpowering our need for sleep.

"Oh god." Bella presses her face into my neck to stifle her moan.

"You like that?" I pant out, my cock hitting her in just the right spot. My hands grip her ass as I thrust up into her, kneading, squeezing—holding onto what little restraint I have left. My instincts scream at me to flip her over and pound into her, but I'm still worried she'll freak out if I'm on top of her, especially after today. So, I hold onto her tighter, my grip on her ass more than likely leaving bruises, but I don't dare let her go.

I lick the side of her neck as she moves over me, nipping at her ear. "You like riding my cock, baby?"

"Yes! God, yes!"

The feel of her sweat-slicked skin sliding against mine, the sound of her gasps as her pleasure builds, and the way her pussy feels wrapped around my cock as she lifts and lowers herself—all of it is enough to make my balls tighten and my entire body coil.

"You gotta fucking come, baby. I ... fuck, Bella, I can't—"

With one more roll of her hips, her body stiffens above me. Her fingers grip my hair at the roots and a keening cry escapes her lips. The coil inside me snaps, her body's reaction shattering the last shred of restraint I have. I hold her tighter, thrust harder, and bury my face in her neck, groaning against her skin. Pure fucking ecstasy explodes throughout my entire body, from the tips of my toes to the top of my head, as my orgasm burns through me.

We're both left panting and spent, our bodies tangled together as we try to catch our breath.

"You okay?" I ask, gathering her limp body closer to mine and kissing her shoulder.

She nods but doesn't say anything.

I pull back and meet her glassy eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispers, a sad smile on her face.

A single tear slips past her lashes and spills onto her cheek, and I'm quick to wipe it away. "You're safe with me." I've lost count of how many times I've reassured her, but the vacant look in her eyes makes me worry she doesn't believe me.

With a nod and a soft kiss, she pulls away, mumbling she's going to shower.

As soon as she walks away, the anxiety simmering under my skin rises to the surface. When I'm not touching her, don't have her in my arms, it doesn't take long for that anxiety to boil over into the fear that's never far away.

Seeing Bella crumple before my eyes was the hardest thing I've ever had to watch. All the months of her coming out of her shell, growing stronger and more sure of herself were blown to shit the second those flowers were delivered. It pisses me off that he has that kind of power over her. And not knowing where Riley is only makes this shit worse. I'd almost rather he show himself, man up and make a move so I can kick his ass and send him back to the hole he crawled out of.

But I don't doubt for a second the fucker gets off on knowing he's terrorizing her.

I hear the water start in the other room. The need to have her in my arms, to see her with my own eyes is immense. It's also ridiculously illogical. But I can't shut it off. So many what-if scenarios play out in my head.

When I hear Bella's sobs over the sound of the cascading water, I can't fight the urge any longer.

I pull back the shower curtain and step inside the tub, pulling her into my arms.

"It'll be okay, baby," I tell her, doing my best to believe my own words. "You're so strong. You've gotten so fucking strong since you got here. That asshole doesn't stand a chance."

Everyone is on edge. Being constantly on is exhausting. I'm terrified to let Bella out of my sight. Even not seeing her when she's in the lobby at the front desk gives me fucking heart palpitations. The stress of not knowing when or where Riley will make his next appearance is enough to shred all our nerves.

Bella walks past me, heading for the back, and I automatically get up to follow her.

She spins on her heel, placing her hand on my chest. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I ..."

"Were you going to follow me into the bathroom?"

"No, I didn't—"

She yanks on my hand and pulls me into the break room where Zoe is napping in the old, spare playpen we keep here.

"Edward, you need to stop. You can't follow me around all day. Do you think he's going to pop out of a closet back there?" she asks, thumbing over her shoulder toward the bathroom.

"No, I just ... I get anxious when I can't see you."

She leans up on her tiptoes and kisses me. "I'm fine," she whispers. "I'm here with my family, probably as safe as I can be. You can relax."

I nod as she slips out of my reach, disappearing through the door.

In the days that follow, it's hard to do as she asked. But I do. I don't follow her around. I don't hover when she has to disappear into the storage room for supplies. I stay on the studio floor when she goes to the back to nurse Zoe. And with each passing day, I feel like my emotions are finally evening out.

She also hasn't had another breakdown since the one she did the night the flowers were delivered. And with the reassurance that everyone has her back, her confidence is returning.

But I'm still not comfortable with her going anywhere without one of us, which is why she's standing in front of me now with her arms crossed and a pissed off expression on her face.

"It's a block away," I remind her.

"And?"

"And nothing, Bella." I glance over her shoulder to make sure my client hasn't given up on me returning. "You know it's not a good idea for you to go anywhere by yourself."

"It's two in the afternoon! Broad daylight! He's not dumb enough to try anything right now."

I clench my jaw, my teeth grinding together. I hate arguing with her over this, especially after the strides we made for her independence, but I can't risk it. "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to wait for someone to go with you."

She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. "I hate this," she says softly. "I hate that he's controlling my life again."

I pull her into my arms, and thankfully, she comes willingly. "I'm sorry, baby. But I can't risk your safety. We can't let our guard down."

She presses her face into my chest. "I hate that you're right."

I hold her tightly and kiss her temple. "I hate that I'm right this time, too."

Pulling away, she wipes at her eyes. "When you have some free time, maybe we can walk down there together."

"Deal. I think I have some free time in a couple hours."

But in the end, none of it matters. All the vigilance in the world can't protect her from the way Riley decides to strike. It's a busy Friday when he finally makes his move, and none of us sees it coming.

"What did I hear you call that? A job killer?" Bella asks, perched on the counter at the front, Zoe wrapped against her chest. She may hate being "babysat" as she calls it, but Bella's never far from me or Liam while we're at work. She's even changed her schedule to be here the same days I am.

I scribble into the ledger and count out the tip my last client gave me. "Yeah."

She chuckles. "Why is it called a job killer?"

I turn my head and cock a brow. "How many places do you think will hire him with ink on his face?"

She purses her lips. "I guess you have a point."

I step between her legs, my hands running up her denim-clad thighs to her waist. "Of course I do."

She trails a finger along my shoulder, skimming the skin of my neck at my collar. "Are neck tattoos job killers?"

I smirk. "Depends on the job, I suppose."

She smiles in return. "Good thing my husband is a tattoo artist and ink in noticeable places is more than acceptable."

I lean in and kiss her, careful not to bump into the angel between us. "Love you," I murmur against her lips.

Before she can reply, the bell over the door rings, and a guy walks in. Bella hops off the counter and steps past me, a broad smile on her face.

"Welcome to Over the Moon. What brings you in?"

"Yeah, I'm looking for Isabella Masen."

Her brow furrows and she tilts her head. She glances at me and back to the guy. "That's me."

He hands over a large yellow envelope. "Isabella Masen, you are hereby served."

Stunned, Bella just stands there, mouth gaping, so I reach past her and snatch it out of his hand.

"What the fuck is this about?" I rip open the envelope and scan the forms, not believing what I'm seeing. Voices filter through my consciousness, but my eyes are glued to the words on the page.

Paternity

Pending results

Visitation

Custody

"What is it?" Bella asks, her voice shaky.

"He …" I look up and the words get stuck in my throat.

"He what?" She tries to pull the papers from my hands, but irrationally, I yank them away, thinking if she doesn't see them it's not real. "Tell me, damn it!"

"It's Riley," I rasp. "He wants Zoe."

A/N: *ducks for cover* So, that happened. The road to the end is going to be pretty bumpy, so buckle up and hang on to something. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Because of where I'm leaving you, I'm going to try to get back to weekly posting with this starting next week. We're heading into some intense chapters, and I really don't want to leave you all hanging for two weeks at a time. If I can complete the chapter I'm working on now in the next few days, I'll post next week. So, send me all the good writing mojo you got!

The Golden Onion Awards are still open for voting through 8/21, so be sure to pop over to goldenonionawards dot wixsite dot com to vote for your favorites. Along with Masen, all the Devil's Outcasts, and an especially dark and mysterious vamp, I would appreciate your votes!

The best way to stay up to date with what I'm up to is to check out my FB group, Sunshine Fics. I share exclusive teasers and teaser pics for this story and others. I'm most active on FB, but I'm also on Twitter at CSunshine1220. I'll do my best to keep you posted on my progress!

Fingers crossed I'll "see" you next week!

Be kind.
Stay safe.
Stay well.

Lots of love,
~Sunshine