Happy New Year, Harpies! Not too long of a wait for this chapter so that's an improvement. My goal is to finish this by June so here's hoping. Thanks to all of you who have made this last year great for me. I thank you for your continued support.

TAP

Chapter 18

EPOV

My alarm sounds off but I'm already awake. I aggressively tap the alarm off button on my phone and toss it next to me, in the space Bella should be occupying now. Instead, she is across the hall.

I contemplate relieving my painful hard on but decide against it. I'm sure she is objectified enough in her line of work without me adding to it even if she would never know.

Then again, Bella seems to be more astute than most women I have known. She's more everything than any woman I have ever known. And therein lies the problem. Nothing about us should make sense but it works. I laugh more, I smile more, I joke more than I can ever remember doing since I reached puberty.

So, what to do? Keep on or let her go. I can barely finish the last thought.

I've always been a selfish person when it comes to things I want.

And I want her too much to let her go.

There's a way to have it all and I will find it. If it's the last thing I do as the Crowned Prince of England.

And it just very well may be.

***TAP***

"Bella, your bra is on securely today, right? Don't need it flying off like last night."

I clear my throat and look up to see Bella throwing a piece of toast at Emmett. He catches it and takes a bite, winking at her.

"Don't be a hater, Emmett. You know you're jealous."

Emmett looks at me and shakes his head. "He's not really my type, Bells."

"No, but my sister is." I raise my eyebrow at him.

"What? No. Huh? I don't know where you got that idea from. Is it hot in here to you?" He fidgets with his shirt collar.

Bella giggles- the one that stops my heart.

"I'm just saying. Drop this and I won't proceed with my interrogation."

"No offence, but it's not you I'm worried about. It's Daddy Carl and his wicked side kick, Marcus. I see how he terrorizes Bella and I do not want to be in her size seven Manalo's."

"I can handle him." Bella assures Emmett.

"Can you though?"

"I am, aren't I?"

"Does it really not bother you?" I ask.

"The way he sees it I am taking something away from him, which I'm not. He's like a toddler with his favorite toy. The toy being you."

"I have no problem with you taking me away from him and playing with me."

Bella chokes on her tea as Emmett scrapes his chair on the floor and disappears with a 'not today, Satan'.

She dabs at the moisture dotting her blouse and smirks at me. "You're so bad."

"You have no idea how bad I can be, Bella, but I can be patient."

She smiles softly at me in thanks and throws the napkin down. "I need to go change. I can't be looking slovenly in front of the royals. Whatever would they think of me?" She teases as she gets up.

I grab her hand as she walks by and hold it until she looks at me. "You know their opinion doesn't matter, right?"

She sighs. "It doesn't matter to me, Edward. But it should matter to you." And with that, she is walking away from me for the second time in twelve hours.

****TAP****

"Lovely of you to have dressed up, Miss Swan," was my droll greeting from Marcus as I enter the dining room, referring to my white button up, ripped jeans and flats- the shoes, I mean, not the apartments. British words vs American words can be very confusing.

"Well, I didn't want to compete with all this opulence, Marky Mark." I start humming the song 'Good Vibrations' for good measure.

"Marcus, behave." Edward instructs.

"Roll over. Play dead. Good boy. Edward get him a treat." I taunt quietly then turn to greet Esme and Alice with a cheerful display of distant affection.

Edward snickers behind me before doing the same.

We settle in and wait for Carlisle to make his grand entrance. Cue eye roll. He sits in his normal place- at the head of the table.

We start to eat and I start stealing food off Edward's plate.

"You know we have the exact same food, right?"

"Yeah, but your tomato looks better than mine."

"Nice picture of you both on the front page of The Daily Mail this morning." Carlisle interrupts our banter.

Here we go.

"That's a kind thing you did, Ms. Swan." He continues. "You don't have to accompany my son in his charitable endeavors, but you do, and you contribute nicely. Well done."

King Daddy say what?

It's safe to say that we are all in shock.

"Thank you, Sir." I murmur graciously.

However, Edward isn't letting this go.

"Why are you being nice to her?"

Carlisle levels a censoring look towards him.

"Do you want me to make an effort or don't you? You've went on and on about how I'm being horrible to your friend and when I try to play nice, you want to question me?"

Edward levels his own look towards him. This one says, 'I call bullshit'.

"Besides, you've been upholding your duties quite nicely lately. You've never been this enthusiastic about anything until recently. I'm sure the credit for that goes to Ms. Swan. And I've always given credit where credit is due."

Edward backs down. He's told me before that his father is usually fair in his dealings unless it comes to him. Of course, that could just be petulance doing the talking.

Everyone starts eating again.

I'm chatting with Alice about an up and coming fashion designer when Carlisle speaks once again.

"Ms. Swan, would you please accompany me to my office. It will only take a moment."

"Of course, Sir."

Edward stands when I do.

"Just Ms. Swan, Edward."

"No way."

"I promise to bring her back just the way she is now." Carlisle promises.

"It's okay, Charming. Like I said, I can handle him." I whisper with a smile. I grab his hand and squeeze it before following Carlisle. Marcus growls at me as I pass him.

"No treat for you, then." I wink.

His answering glare is brutal.

I think he's starting to come around.

"Please make yourself comfortable." Carlisle gestures towards the seat in front of his massive desk.

I do as he asks and lean back with my legs crossed.

"What can I do for you, Sir?"

"Call me Carlisle."

"How about Carl?'

"How about no?"

"Oh well, worth a try." I shrug.

"Do you take anything seriously, Ms. Swan?"

"Not if I can help it. Life is serious all on its own and I find humor to be a refreshing respite from all the drama."

"I'm not in the position to adopt that frame of mind, I'm afraid."

"That sucks for you."

"As well as that may be, I have a proposition for you."

"Is this the part where you write me a check to go away?"

"Would that work?"

"No."

"I didn't think so seeing as you have acquired quite the fortune yourself. In fact, I watched one of your films last night in order to have a better understanding of you."

"Which one?"

"The one where you portray a prostitute."

"You couldn't have watched the one where I portrayed Snow White?"

"You are quite talented." He says, ignoring my question.

"Thank you. So…"

"You know this can't go anywhere…"

I sigh. "I'm getting Deja vu, here." I complaim, rubbing my now aching temples.

"But even I can acknowledge that your presence has been very good for Edward. As much as I abhor the rags, every one of the them is of the opinion that he is changing for the good. Which brings me to what I brought you in here for."

He pauses for effect.

"I want to hire you to be his consultant of sorts, but instead of paying you with money, I will pay you with the right to stay with him a little while longer."

"I'm sorry but I'm not leaving until he sends me away and I doubt you're barbaric enough to stuff me in the dungeons or physically throw my ass on a plane. Though Marcus would definitely enjoy that."

"Okay I could have worded that differently. I will continue this truce for as long as Edward plays his role correctly."

"Okay, I'll bite. What exactly would I have to do?"

"Exactly what you're doing now. Accompany him to his various duties and continue to enchant everyone you meet."

"Okay." I shrug.

"That was a rather quick decision. Shouldn't you take the time to think about it?"

"Well, as you said, I'm already doing it. And if it will make things easier for Edward, I'm all in."

He regards very carefully.

"You care about him, don't you?"

"Yes. Otherwise I wouldn't put up with your ornery ass."

He ignores that. "But when it's time for you to take your leave…"

"I will do what I have to do when it's time to do it." I assure him. Vague though as it may be. I may have a future career in politics. It worked for Raegan, after all. Oh wait, he got shot though. Never mind.

"Then we have an agreement?" Carl interrupt my inner monologue and stands up to extend his hand toward me.

"Yes, I suppose we do." I shake his hand but can't shake the feeling that I've just made a deal with the devil.

New Recs- Indelible by banner day just completed. I'm enthralled. Writing at it's best.

Million Reasons by Missliss15- cheat fic but with each other not on each other.

A Snack Cake Kind of Love by Honeymoon Edward. As sweet as the snacks listed in this story.

Old recs: Fridays at Noon by the incomparable Trouble Follows.

Show and Don't Tell by Brits23

Lost Half by Lyrical Kris.

Book recs: Hate Notes by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. I loved this and may write fic based on it.

That Guy by Kim Jones. Fellow Mississippian with a wicked sense of humor.

Anything by Jiffy Kate.