Thank you all for the amazing feedback.

As always, big 'thank you' to CoppertopJ for all the help. Mwah! All mistakes are still mine, because I can't help and change/add stuff in the chapter before posting it.

Aro is still in the dark regarding Liam. He's not the bad guy - only his children are.

I hope this chapter answers many of your questions about Bella and her past. I'm sure the trigger warnings are something to be aware of...we all know what happened to Bella, by now.

The first thing Bella became aware of when she opened her eyes was loud voices around her. She was on a soft couch, with no recollection how she'd gotten there.

Then, she remembered the reason she'd most likely fainted.

Liam Finneas. In flesh. Several feet away from her.

She glanced up to see Edward's pink ass in front of her eyes. The muscles in his back moved sinuously as he gesticulated, screaming at someone. Bella spotted Jacob next to Edward, keeping a hand on his bicep.

She sat up slowly, and wished she hadn't moved when she noticed who was in front of Edward and Jacob.

Edward spun around, crouching at her side. "Lie back down. You hit your head. We called an ambulance."

"There's no need," she groaned, but her head was pounding.

Edward touched her shoulder. "Please, Mistress." His voice was so raw, it made her listen to him.

She watched Jacob blocking Liam's view to her, pushing him backwards. Liam complained loudly that damsels in distress were his specialty. Edward sprung to his feet, rounding onto him, he charged at him, around Jacob, grabbing a fistful of Liam's shirt then knocking his other fist into his jaw.

"Edward!" Bella shouted, beyond shocked at his behavior.

"Stay the fuck away from my Mistress. And stay the fuck away from me if you don't want to leave Chicago in a bag."

Liam laughed. "Still sore about Lizzie and her joke of a Dom's sorry fate?"

"I'm going to murder you," Edward spat, knocking Liam to the ground. Thankfully, Jacob stopped him, but not before he got a few good swigs.

Bella was trying to wrap her head around what was going on, when a couple of doctors approached their group. One of them stopped to check on Liam, and the other one came to her. It proved how professional doctors were, because none of them commented about the freaks in this club. Her doctor deemed her good to go home, but she instructed Edward to keep an eye on Bella, when she asked if there was anyone with her and he'd promptly joined them.

"If the police don't arrest him," Liam spat from somewhere behind.

Bella seized Edward's hand. "Get dressed. Bring my coat."

His jaw clenched, and as he got up, he turned to Jacob. "Please stay with her, Sir."

Jacob nodded seriously, keeping his arms crossed across his chest, glaring at Liam. He was hauled by the doctors to the ambulance.

"What the fuck happened?" Bella demanded once they were alone again.

"Edward will explain to you. As for your reputation, I'll take care of it."

"Thanks, Jake."

"Tell Edward tonight," Jacob said gravely, as Edward returned dressed in his street clothes, holding her coat and her purse.

Bella allowed Edward to help her in her coat, then he wrapped an arm around her. She leaned into him, feeling unsteady on her legs, as they walked out of the club.

Thankfully, the ambulance was just leaving with Liam, so she didn't have to see him again.

She got in the passenger seat of her car, watching Edward search through her purse for something, then frowned and got behind the wheel.

"What's wrong? You were holding the keys in your hand," she pointed out.

"Why don't you have pepper spray on you?"

"Excuse me?"

He gripped the steering wheel. "What if he'd come on to you while I was running late? What if he'd have cornered you when you went to the bathroom?" He rocked on his spot, glaring out the window.

"Hey, nothing happened. Let's go home and talk. I have to tell you something."

"No, I have to tell you something I've kept a secret," he said in a small voice. "I lied about my parents, Mistress."

"Drive home. I don't want to have this conversation here," she demanded, feeling her stomach turning.

All she tried to rationalize was that Liam wasn't old enough to be Edward's father.

For once, Bella didn't comment on how fast Edward drove. They arrived home in record time.

Bella led him to the sofa, pointing to it, while she went to bring two glasses of water. "Talk to me," she said gently.

Edward braced his elbows on his thighs with his head pressed against his palms. "Liam has friends in the Irish mob. He had my parents murdered because they had the perfect life, the life he'd failed to have when things had gone south with some girl he wanted to make his own."

Bella cupped her mouth, breathing harshly.

"Are you going to be sick?" Edward asked carefully.

Bella wasn't sure. She felt like she was having an out-of-body experience. She was the reason why Edward's parents had been murdered. "Why," she gasped.

"Uh, my mom was his sister. Dad had met her during a visit…similar to this one tonight…when he'd gone to Dublin. They fell in love, and he brought her home."

"God," Bella sobbed into her hands. Liam was a disturbed, sick fuck.

"I vowed on their graves to repay them if I ever run into him."

"What happened to that girl he wanted for himself?" Bella asked, barely hearing herself.

"I've no idea. No one knew who she was. It's like…she never existed. I feel sorry for her."

Bella pulled her legs up and hugged them. "Me too," she choked out.

"Luckily, she escaped him. I hope she'll never see him again, because it sounds like he didn't treat her well, from what I know about him," Edward said bitterly.

The churning in her stomach intensified, but Bella swallowed her bile. "I lied, too," she gasped out. She met Edward's confused eyes. "That kid you saw in the bookstore in Seattle…he's…Liam's son…and mine."

Edward stared at her in horror. "Holy fuck. Oh fuck. Oh no! Fuck, no."

"Edward…"

"Fuck." He scooted closer, hugging her tightly. "Fuck. Tell me it was just a mistake, like…the condom broke."

Bella sobbed into his shoulder, unable to get a grip on her nerves. He rubbed her back, rocking them on spot, kissing her hairline.

"Don't interrupt me. I'm not likely to ever speak about this again," she said in warning. "Liam was in Chicago for a visit…I was in my first year of college. Jake and I found Black Velvet on the internet, because he was curious about the lifestyle. Like a good bestie, I accompanied him. He found a boy within the hour, then I got talking to Liam."

"Fuck," Edward said, pained.

"For several weeks, I met him in this private room he liked to rent for us at some club that rented BDSM equipment. They are no longer in business."

"You were his Sub?" he guessed.

"I tried. Nothing felt right. Then, I saw a Domme putting her boy in place during one of those scenes at the club, and I knew that's who I was. When I brought up the subject with Liam…he challenged me to prove to him I was a badass." Bella pressed her face into his shoulder. "We hadn't fucked yet." She swallowed hard. "He raped me that night," she whispered into his shirt. "The next day he caught his plane back home."

"Fucking piece of shit. I'm going to kill him," Edward growled, hugging her tightly. "Fuck. I'm so sorry, Mistress. So fucking sorry." He sounded close to tears.

"Shh. I'm in a better place now."

"Why did you keep the baby?"

That had never been an option in her head. "I found out too late. I was busy with school, and I delayed my visit to the doctor when my period didn't come and when I felt like shit. For summer break, I went home," she said, pulling away slightly. "I had Riley, left him with my dad, then came back to school."

"I should have noticed he looked like you…like…my uncle."

"You barely saw him, Edward. I refused to acknowledge his existence until he was three. Dad made Jacob bring me home for Christmas. I brought Eric along, my first Sub. That whole debacle is something I wish to never remember."

"You're not close," he guessed.

"I willingly hugged him for the first time last month. I can see he's not Liam…but he looks so much like Liam…" Bella shuddered.

Edward pressed her against his chest, rubbing her back. "I can't even imagine. I'm so fucking angry right now. I'd have hit him harder if I'd known."

"Edward, I don't want you to fight," Bella said sternly, pulling away. "I appreciate your care for me, but I don't want you arrested."

"I'll try to listen to you, Mistress."

She took his hand, squeezing it. "My dad invited both of us for Christmas."

"If it's what you want, Mistress."

"It is. Come and help me out of my dress."

He shuffled after her on the stairs, silently unzipping her dress. He didn't make any move to leave when he was done.

"I hope not to overstep any lines, but I'd like to stay here with you tonight. I'll be close to you in case you have nightmares, Mistress," he whispered.

"Undress. Get in bed. I'll be in the bathroom, removing my makeup."

Once she was done in the bathroom, she went to her bed. Edward kept the blanket up for her to get in. Unlike their nights during her tour, he wrapped the blanket around her, throwing a strong arm around her waist. Bella turned around to face him and her eyes landed on his collar.

"Lift your head. I'm a terrible Mistress tonight."

"You're the best," he promised, as she undid the collar.

She felt safe in his arms, and felt sleep claiming her faster than other nights. She thought she heard Edward talking again, but she based it on her overactive mind. He couldn't have said what she thought she heard. She'd been under a lot of stress tonight.

"I love you, Mistress."

Unwanted hands dragged down her tied up body, before they roughly parted her legs. Cold, mean pale green eyes bore into hers as his fingers pushed into her body. She jerked, trying to escape.

For once, this nightmare evaporated and her body relaxed when she became aware of Edward's strong arms holding her tightly and his soft voice in her ear, bringing her back. She lay on her side, with her back to him, for minutes on end after she woke up.

"I'm here. You're safe, Mistress," he kept repeating. His lips mouthed the words against her shoulders and down her spine as he kissed her, never parting from her skin with either his hands or lips.

Bella pressed her face into the pillow, allowing her tears to fall once again. She hadn't cried in front of anyone in years. She wasn't sure if Jake or her therapist had been the last to see her so vulnerable. And allowing Edward to see her so weak might not be a bright idea for their future. He understood what was going on, and was there for her, but would he still trust her implicitly when they played.

"Try to get more sleep, please," he murmured against her skin, caressing her arm. "I'm right here."

Bella flipped over, snuggling into his warm chest, not daring to look at him in the dark room. She found his hand and squeezed it. "And I'm here, if you ever want to talk about what he did to you," she said in a rough voice.

"There's nothing more to say on the subject. Especially now that I know you were the one he'd failed to take home. How was he even allowed to be near you? You weren't even legal."

"I was nineteen, Edward. It was legal."

"Christ." Edward pressed her closer to his chest. "The asshole was so much older than you. He should have talked to you more about the lifestyle, before assuming you were a Sub and diving head first into a session."

Bella gnawed at her bottom lip, daring to look up at him. His blazing eyes met her, softening considerably. Edward blew a deep breath, before kissing her forehead.

"Does he know…Did you ever try telling him…about Riley?" he asked quietly.

"No," Bella gasped. "He mustn't know. It was one of my biggest worries back in the day."

"So, you care about that child."

"It's complicated," she said in a small voice, pressing her forehead against his shoulder.

"It's okay. We don't have to talk about this anymore if it upsets you, Mistress."

She trailed a hand over his ribs, thrilled to hear him inhale sharply. "When I came around to you punching Liam, I thought you knew," she admitted.

"He'd breathe no longer if I'd known your story. No one could have kept me off him, not even Master Jacob."

"But it's over now. I don't want to talk about this anymore. Let's hope Aro sends him back to Ireland and we never have to see him again."

"The Irish mob is more dreadful than the Italian mob, Mistress. I might have declared war."

"Let's not worry about it now. Part of me doesn't believe he's that stupid to come back after the scene in the club last night."

"I hope you're right, Mistress."

Bella rubbed a hand over his back, enjoying the way his muscles tensed and loosened under her touch. "Now, sleep some more."

Don't worry about Liam. I have plans for him.

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