25
Jasper's smile falters, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Bella smirk.
"Your days of manipulating your girlfriend's father are officially over, kid."
He glares and clenches his fists, his amber eyes darkening in his effort to fight her shield. I can't feel anything, and Bella isn't showing any sign that she's struggling, but he obviously is. She picks at nonexistent lint on her sweater. Calm, cool, and collected.
Angela moves to stand next to me. "Jasper," she warns. "You should know that a shield can be projected—"
Her words are cut off by Jasper's pain-filled cry as his knees buckle underneath him.
Alice screams that we broke her boyfriend, and Bella turns to me, unaffected by the situation.
"Did I forget to tell you that shields can be projected? I've heard it being described as being mentally backhanded. We get more powerful with practice. I've been practicing long enough that I'm more of a mental wrecking ball or maybe a Mack truck. We'll have to ask Jasper when he can talk again." She shrugs and turns toward the kitchen. "He'll recover in a few minutes. Send him to the kitchen for some blood. Rabbit, come help me wash the dishes, and I'll take you with me to the home goods store."
A giggling Angela follows her new best friend out of the room.
Alice is sobbing over Jasper's prone body, and he looks up at me with an evil glint in his pain-filled eyes.
"Some of us don't have to be in the same room as someone to use our abilities on them. Stop fighting it, fetus; you aren't getting through me," Bella calls.
Jasper must not have let up quickly enough for her because he crumbles again, squeezing his head.
My dramatic daughter continues screaming. The words spewing from her mouth would make any sailor blush. I decide that I won't be punishing her any further.
Watching her boyfriend cry like a little bitch is more than enough for me.