Chapter 9
A/N: Just an FYI, there is a lot of Spanish in this chapter.
After Edward told me everything, I wasn't sure what to say. I was livid that he would lie to me. Someone had actually been following me, and he chose to keep me in the dark and handle it on his own, leaving me helpless. But then he continued the story that he'd been led on and he'd gone to prison trying to prove himself to people who couldn't have cared any less. He was back at square one.
"You need to talk to your mom, Edward. You need to find out what she knows."
He groaned, throwing his head back against the couch. "I really don't want to bring her into this, but you're right. I just don't get why she'd lie to me."
"Are you sure she knows? Maybe she's been in the dark, as well."
"I guess there's only one way to find out. You wanna go with me? I feel like a pussy, but I don't know if I can handle this shit by myself."
I rolled my eyes at him. "Needing help doesn't make you a pussy, as you put it, Edward. I like that you have a vulnerable side, too." I straddled his lap.
"Oh yeah? You want me to cry during movies, or maybe I can paint your nails? I'm no puto, mami. I'm not used to needing support."
I kissed him on the lips. "Well, get use to it. We'll go see your mom in the morning. Oh, and Edward?"
"Yeah?"
I gripped his shirt collar. "Don't you ever keep shit like that from me again, you fuckin' hear me?"
I watched as he swallowed and nodded, his eyes filling with lust. I groaned and shook my head at him before letting him go with a shove.
—
He squeezed my hand before gripping it tightly as we walked up to his mom's house. It was a bit run down and could have used some new paint. Aside from that, though, it was well kept with flower boxes hanging from the windowsills filled with vibrant blooms that made it all feel very welcoming.
He opened the door to the house, walking in without knocking. "Hola, Mama, ¿dónde está sumercé?" he bellowed.
It was only a moment later when one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen came around the corner. It was easy to see where Edward got most of his looks. Aside from the green eyes and copper hair, he was the spitting image of his mom. "Eduardo, no hables tan fuerte. I can hear you come in, you know. This house isn't big. Y el beso para tu mamá," she said as she turned her cheek toward him and he gave her a small kiss. I covered my mouth to keep from laughing while I watched the tips of his ears turn red.
She turned toward me and then back to Edward. "Papito. ¿Y está quien es?"
"Mi novia, Bella."
"Your girlfriend!" she exclaimed. "¡Pensé que te había criado mejor que eso! You should have called me, Eduardo! I would have cooked! I'm sorry that my son has no manners. Sit down, make yourself comfortable." She gestured to the couch in the living room.
"Mama, necesito hablar contigo."
"In English, papito, Bella doesn't speak Spanish, do you, Bella?"
I smiled at her. "Un poco, Señora Cullen."
"None of that Mrs. Cullen, mierda. Call me Esme." She smiled back warmly before turning to Edward. "What do you need, mijo?"
I watched as he shifted in his seat before slipping his hand over mine and squeezing. He took a deep breath before speaking. "What do you know about Rosalie McCarty?"
She gave a small gasp but didn't attempt to hide anything. "I know that your papa found her beaten and bleeding out. Being the man he was, he tried to save her life. ¿Por qué? Why are you asking about her?"
"Why did you never tell me?"
"It happened a few months before he was shot. You were thirteen, Edward. Neither of us felt it was right to expose you to something like that. Why are you asking?"
"I work for Emmett, and I just found out he was married to Rosalie."
"Sí, yo sé."
"Well, he said something to me the other day. I don't think Dad died how we think, Mama. I think the same hijueputa that killed her, killed Dad."
"Ya déjalo así. Díselo a la policía!"
I bit my lip, watching as his expression hardened.
"Fuckin' sapos? You want me to tell them? They're goddamn useless, and you know it," he spat. I put my hand on his thigh, but he shoved it off. "Lo mato, Mama. If—no, when—I find out who it was, I'll kill him."
"No. No harás nada. You'll go to prison again. You understand me? You're my son, but I won't watch you rot in a cell."
"I gotta go." He jumped up and headed toward the door.
Esme gave me a sad smile. "Sorry you had to see that, Bella. It was nice meeting you." She wrapped me up in a warm hug.
"It was good meeting you, too. I'll try and talk to him."
—
The ride home from Esme's was silent. The few times I glanced over at him, I found him staring out the window, his jaw tense and his fists clenched.
I pulled into the parking lot, turning off the car. "Do you want to talk?"
"About what?" he grunted. "You just want me to tell the fuckin' sapos, too. Your father is a damn cop."
"I do think you should tell the police. You need to do this the right way. You want to get your revenge? You need to make sure the cops aren't looking at you."
He stared at me, his tongue poking out to wet his lips. "What are you saying, mami?"
I needed him to trust me. I wanted him to feel safe to talk to me. So I did the only thing I knew would work in the moment; I agreed with him. "Mátalo."
He inhaled deeply. "You're on my side?"
"I'm on your side. But do it right. Let the cops know, let them think you're a fuckin' snitch if you have to."
He gripped my face in his hands, pulling me toward him. I moaned as he pressed his lips roughly against mine. "Te necesito, Mami."
"Fuck. Do you know how hot it is when you speak Spanish?"
He smirked at me. "Let's go upstairs, and I can teach you some more Spanish. Do you remember learning the parts of the body in school?"
I nodded, pulling my lip between my teeth. "Yeah, but I'm rusty."
"Come on. I'll teach you in a way that you'll never forget."
Spanish:
¿Dónde está sumercé? - where are you?(Colombian term)
No hables tan fuerte - don't talk so loud
Y el beso para tu mamá - and the kiss for your mother
¿Y está quién es? - who is this?
Mi novia - my girlfriend
¡Pensé que te había criado mejor que eso! - I thought I'd raised you better than that
Necesito hablar contigo - I need to talk to you
Un poco - a little bit
Ya déjalo así. Díselo a la policía - just leave it like that. Say it to the police
No harás nada - You'll do nothing
Mátalo - kill him
Te necesito - I need you
Papito - endearment, similar to mami but masculine.