Where did you come from, baby?
And were you sent to save me?
Ooh, there's God in every move
Ooh, and you're the living proof
~ Camila Cabello, Living Proof
EPOV
"See anything you like?" I pressed my lips to Bella's bare shoulder, my eyes drifting down to the jewelry counter she had been staring at for the last ten minutes. Long enough for me to make a purchase of my own without her noticing.
Bella shook her head, but thanked the employee as they handed her a bag and a receipt with a smile. "I got Alice some earrings. And a necklace for Lucy."
Our fingers intertwined as we left the shop and wandered back out into the mild Santorini afternoon. I had yet to see her pick out something for herself at any of the shops we had visited today. She spent twenty minutes in a small art shop having a small existential crisis and wondering if she was qualified enough to pick out a piece of art for Seth when he was an artist himself. I carried a bag full of keychains and magnets and t-shirts for our entire family. We had spent the last hour in a couple different jewelry shops as Bella picked pieces for my mother, Rosalie, Alice, and Lucy.
I didn't mind the shopping. And I couldn't blame her for taking advantage of our rare afternoon out. I hadn't given her much time out of our villa since we arrived last week.
I pulled Bella to a small overlook, out of the way of the crowd and held out my own purchase. That smile, the one that hadn't left her face since our wedding, stayed tugging at her lips. She took the box from my hand, opening it gently to reveal the simple, silver and sapphire necklace inside. It wasn't too big, not too ostentatious, but it was beautiful.
"Thank you," she sighed, flinging her braid over her shoulder and turning around to let me fasten it around her neck.
I let the chain fall against her pink-tinted skin before grabbing the sunscreen out of her tote. Her dress was beautiful, but the sleeves neglected her shoulders and instead wrapped around her upper bicep. It was a miracle she wasn't bright red yet.
With a fresh, generous layer of sunscreen on her shoulders she turned around and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek. It was a simple moment, a kiss I had gotten from her a hundred times, but the brush of her lips against my skin sent a dozen memories from the last week through my mind.
Her lips brushing against that exact spot, her breath coming in pants as I made love to her slowly. Those lips wrapped around my cock in the shower this morning, the muscles of her throat constricting around me as she swallowed. Every moan and whimper I had coaxed from her as we spent days sequestered in our villa.
The last week had been filled with every moment I had been petrified of losing. Every memory I was scared of never getting to create with her while I sat in that goddamn waiting room.
I had been trying to let it go, but the panic that had settled in me that evening had been reluctant to leave my system. Over the weeks as Bella got back to work and tried to return to her own life, I had been hesitant to return to mine. Every time I sat at my desk to film I felt the panicked tap on my shoulder from that night. My heart dropped whenever my phone rang. I got nervous if it had been too long since I had last heard from Bella or Masen or Lucy.
It had been an easy decision, starting therapy. And even the few sessions I had been to so far helped sort out to worries that clouded every corner of my mind. Because now, as I looked down at the peaceful smile on my wife's face, my chest didn't tighten at the idea that it might be the last time I got to see it. It was comforted in the knowledge that she was here and mine, sun burnt shoulders and all.
"You okay?"
I cleared my throat, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. "Yes."
We ended up at a tiny little local restaurant for dinner, a shared baklava on the table between us after we finished our meal.
"You're really not going to tell me anything beforehand?" Bella asked, eying me over her glass as she took a sip of wine.
"Where would the fun in that be?" I replied, taking a bite of our desert. She was adorably frustrated at the lack of information she had on her appearance on my show.
"It's—" she gave up, sitting back in her chair and eying me from across the table. "I'm not doing the thing where you eat gross stuff."
"I know. That segment is off the table. I came up with a couple new ones, just for you," I told her with a wink.
Even her frustration couldn't hide the pink that tinted her cheeks.
"It's just going to you and me talking, Bella. Just like this," I added quietly. It wasn't her thing, being in front of a camera. But I knew—knew once people saw her as herself and not a headline, they'd stop writing them. For the most part.
"In front of half a dozen cameras and an audience of two hundred."
"Well, yes." I watched her, fiddling with her napkin on the table. An obvious tell of her discomfort. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to, Bella. I just—"
"No," she grumbled. "It's an annoyingly good idea. I just… like knowing things ahead of time."
We ended our evening on a bench overlooking the cliffs beneath us. It was dark, but the lights of the city cast a glow on the water. Bella's head rested against my shoulder, my arm hooked around hers. We were quiet as we enjoyed the view.
"I'm going to drop the charges against Renee."
My arm tensed around her shoulder. "Why?"
Bella twisted her head, resting her chin on my shoulder to look over at me. There wasn't an ounce of the pain or sadness I would have expected to be on her face if that was where her mind had been. There was nothing but peace in her eyes. "Because I'm not going to let them take up any more of my life. Yeah, both of my parents probably deserve to be in prison but it won't change anything. And now I have you. And I get to go home to you every night and call you my husband and… that's all that matters now."
My throat constricted as I looked her over. Searching again for any sign of distress she might have been trying to hide but coming up empty. I brushed my thumb over her cheekbone and tried not to let my expression give away how utterly in awe of her I was.
The woman had been through hell. She had a childhood that made me sick to my stomach if I thought about it too much and had nearly died three months ago because of it. But she was sitting here, the picture of peace, willing to let it all go because she wanted a life with me.
I brushed my finger down the tip of her nose—killing off the urge I had to make sure her mother got whatever kind of punishment imaginable for how she treated her daughter. Trying to find that same peace with the idea of letting her get off without so much as a slap on the wrist.
"It is an honor to be your husband, Isabella Cullen," I sighed, my forehead falling against hers.
Bella's face lit up at her new name. I had a lifetime of those smiles ahead of me, I reminded myself. That was what mattered. Reaching down, I pressed my lips to hers and didn't pull away until oxygen became an issue.
Once we pulled apart, I grabbed her hand as we headed back in the direction of our villa. We didn't say anything as we walked, both of us knowing how our night would end. How every night since our second wedding had ended.
Our villa was all white stone walls and curved edges. There was a small, private pool in the back that overlooked the water and a shower big enough for whatever recreational activity we could imagine.
Bella disappeared to the shower as soon as we got in, mumbling something about the copious layers of sunscreen. I fell back onto the bed and debated whether I should join Bella as I heard the shower start. It would mean I didn't get to see whatever delicious piece of lingerie she was planning on wearing tonight, though, so I stayed put.
My patience was rewarded as Bella walked out a few minutes later, a short silky robe brushing against her thighs. She didn't hesitate settling herself in my lap, legs on either side of my hips as I leaned against the headboard.
"I do love unwrapping you every night," I mumbled, tugging at her robe until I caught a glimpse of the forest green lace that was waiting for me. I tossed the robe aside, taking in every curve twice over.
My thumb brushed against the raised flesh on her hip. The six inches of pale pink skin that was still slowly healing—that would always be there even when it was done. It had become a habit of mine, as soon as I realized I could gently touch the area without causing her any pain or discomfort. To brush my fingers over it to remind myself that she was real. Alive and mine.
Bella hated the scars. The disgust I saw on her face as she stared at them broke my fucking heart. They had faded a fraction since the first time I found her frowning at them that fateful afternoon before our first wedding. And even though I took every opportunity to tell her what I thought of when I saw those scars, I knew it would be a long time before she ever felt the same way about them. If she ever did.
We had time. Nothing but time now that we were married before more than a couple courthouse employees.
She squirmed in my lap, her fingers tugging at the hem of my t-shirt as I refused to let my own hands leave her skin. I trailed my palms along her thighs, stopping again to pay homage to the scar on her right hip before I brushed the tips of my fingers along the waistband of the lace around her hips.
"I like this one," I told her, as if I hadn't said that about every pretty piece of lace she had worn all week.
Bella smirked. "Then maybe you should try to keep from ripping it in two."
My palms slid up her abdomen, thumbs brushing over the rosy nipples barely peeking out beneath the dark lace of her bra. As beautiful as the lace was, a quick flick of my wrist had it tearing between my fingers. I tossed the scrap of material aside, Bella's exasperated sigh dying as I leaned forward and took her nipple between my teeth. She squirmed, grinding herself against my cock with each twist of her hips.
I flipped her over, tossing my own t-shirt away before admiring the view. I didn't have long before her hands were fumbling with my belt. They fell away quickly when my fingers slipped into the remaining lace around her hips and then slid into her.
We had spent nearly a week straight in this bed. In various states of undress, always intertwined even as we slept. It should have at least put a dent in that unrelenting need that had built up over the last few months. But as I watched my wife writhe underneath my touch, spread out and whimpering my name, I knew there would be no relief. I would crave her just as much tonight as I would in twenty years.
"Edward," she whined, hips bucking against my hand. "Please."
Leaning over, my lips brushed against her cheek. "What if I want to take my time?" I questioned, peppering feather light kisses down to her neck. "Make love to you for hours until you finally come undone?"
Wide brown eyes stared up at me, pretty pink lips already swollen from a few stolen kisses parted with a gasp. "Please."
My thumb pressed into her clit one last time before I got rid of my remaining clothing and lined my cock up with her entrance, sliding into her completely with one swift thrust. I had been severely overestimating my own self control if I thought I could draw this out for hours. Every whimper, every sting of her nails digging into my shoulders had my balls tightening.
My fingers knotted in Bella's hair, the braid she had been wearing long gone, and tugged until her eyes popped open to meet mine. "Never enough, Bella," I grunted, my hips snapping against her. "Never fucking enough."
Her teeth sank into my neck, muffling her moans as she came on my cock. I returned the favor I emptied myself inside her.
Once the feeling in my limbs returned and I tried to begrudgingly extract myself from her, Bella's arms tightened around me—her legs wrapping around my waist with an impressive amount of strength.
"I can't believe you're mine," she breathed into my neck, so quietly I almost missed it.
I pressed a kiss to her neck, over the angry red mark where my own teeth indentions still lingered. "Forever."
Bella gave me a lazy, satisfied smile. "Did you see your ring?"
I twisted us, falling onto my back and tugging Bella with me so she ended up lying comfortably on top of me. "My ring?"
"The engraving," she said quietly, reaching for my left hand and slowly tugging the wedding band off. She twisted it, finding just enough moonlight for the engraving on the inside I had never noticed. Never had the chance, considering I hadn't taken the ring off since our wedding.
Forever.
…Closure…
"Welcome home!"
A chorus of shouts erupted as soon as I pushed through the front door, my wife cradled in my arms. Bella's cheeks immediately turned red as she struggled to get herself back on her feet. My parents wrapped her in a joint hug as Lucy launched herself at me.
"Hey, Luc," I smiled, kissing the top of her head. I couldn't remember the last time I had gotten such an enthusiastic hug from her.
"I missed you."
I squeezed her tighter. "I missed you, too. Was everything okay with your mom?"
Lucy pulled away, a slight pink to her cheeks, and shrugged. "It was fine. I just… missed you."
I took my chances and gave her another tight hug that was quickly reciprocated. Masen wandered by, looking alarmingly nervous. I grabbed his shoulder, eying the kid who had turned out far too much like me.
He was a good kid. Excellent. But he had a mischevious side. Which meant whatever he looked nervous about should make me nervous.
"What'd you do?"
His eyes went wide. "Nothing."
"Masen."
The sound of paws running down the hall caught my attention. Double the noise Lady would have made.
I heard Bella gasp at the same moment I saw the grey body barrel down the hallway beside Lady. Bella fell to her knees, petting Lady as she practically threw herself in Bella's arms, her eyes also on her new companion. I eyed the dog, obviously too skinny for its size with its ribs too visible. Once they put on some weight, they'd be a good fifty pounds.
"Who are you?" Bella asked, smiling as the dog didn't hesitate to lick her face and nudge her hands for attention.
"Tramp," Masen said proudly.
Bella gasped again, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Really?"
"No," Masen added dejectedly. "I was hoping that would convince you to keep him, though. His name is Gus. He's three years old and he showed up at the shelter last week. He's a Pitbull, he never would have gotten adopted. So…"
"So you adopted him," I finished for him.
"Well, mom did. For me. She said I could keep him at her house, but…" Masen motioned down to where Bella sat, completely oblivious to the conversation as she played with both dogs. Even though Lady was so tiny compared to Gus they already seemed to be the best of friends.
Bella noticed the tension in everyone besides her and the dogs, standing slowly and doing her best to not look quite as in love with the new animal as I knew she was. She stepped back, standing by my side and not-so-subtly eying the dog every four seconds.
"You're in charge of him," I told Masen. "Clean up, feedings, everything."
"Done," Masen smiled.
I left our bags on the landing, my arm falling over Bella's shoulder as we followed the rest of the family to the kitchen.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
"For what?"
"I probably shouldn't have immediately fallen in love with the dog."
I chuckled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "That's okay. Lady has a friend now."
We all ended up in the backyard. The dogs running in circles and entertaining themselves as plates were filled with the bar-b-que that had been waiting for us. I sat, my arm around my wife's shoulders as I listened to Lucy recount the afternoon Masen called about Gus. Bella happily detailed every moment of our trip—outside of our room—to Rosalie and Alice and my mother.
I twisted my wedding band around my finger, watching as Bella sorted through her suitcase and gave everyone the souvenirs she had picked out. I had spent seventeen years hating the feeling of a wedding band, feeling like it was a noose around my finger.
The one I wore now felt like freedom. Like coming home after being lost for far too long.
A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this one. In case you missed it: I've also started part four of the Hopeless Series! If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power is now up on my profile. I'll be alternating between updating each story. Hope to see you all over there, too! Until next time :)