Crosshairs

Chapter Fifteen—Locked and Loaded


Edward set the water in the shower to nearly scalding, wanting to wash away his blood, his brother's, and those who betrayed the Center's rules. Since the moment Edward, his brother, and Phoenix entered a safe house they used often in the area, it had been mayhem.

Coordinated mayhem, yet still overwhelming.

Isabella had disappeared to debrief her crew and the bloodthirsty investors. Edward and Jasper had sought treatment by a team of medical staff. Jacob, aka Bird Brain, had joined Edward and his brother, having caught a bullet graze on his left arm. His wife Leah was a dictator who ran the medical facility like a fucking machine. Several other crewmembers were being assessed for injuries.

Edward had taken the opportunity to inform Leah and her staff that Phoenix had been in a car accident and had removed a piece of metal debris from a wound in her right flank.

"Of course, she didn't come straight to medical!" Leah had sighed, gathered up some supplies, and left someone else to finish the stitching on his leg so she could check on Phoenix.

It had been over an hour since he'd last seen Isabella, and if she hadn't returned after his shower, he'd go find her. No one would stop him if they wanted to live another day. No one would keep her from him.

Edward made quick work of washing the blood out of his hair. He flicked a sliver of bone from the asshole he shot in the neck. Someone informed him that once he finished his shower, he could be moved to another location so they could remove all traces of blood from the room and drain.

Fucking efficient and smart.

Charlie ran a tight ship, and Edward finally understood the manpower he had behind his crew. They not only had a crew of assassins, they had teams for extraction, reconnaissance, cleaning, staging, and security. Probably a few he didn't know about. They never took a job under two hundred thousand, so the type of advance tech they had made sense. They could afford it.

It seemed a good time as any to sit down and talk with Charlie and his father. Now that Isabella would become his wife, they needed to discuss how they would proceed. Merge the two families together, including their businesses? Or continue to operate as separate entities? Would marrying Isabella and making it known they were bringing Charlie's crew into the fold inform outsiders of who the Phoenix was? Would it make her a target?

As if being your wife wouldn't do that already.

There were no photos of Phoenix in action. Edward had searched for one for years when he tried to tell his father they couldn't trust a group they knew so little about.

"Your ability to stay alert is fucking lacking, Cullen." The words were delivered with passion, right behind him.

Her passionate anger was a hundred times better than the coldness he heard after he fucked up at the Center.

Edward slowly turned, his hands rubbing the last of the shampoo from his hair. In all her naked glory, Isabella stood, leaning against the white subway tile on one shoulder.

"I knew I was safe here."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Never let your guard down, Cullen. Ever."

"You speak from experience." He knew that was true—something in her past made her who she was today. He knew her mother had been murdered. Her killer shot by the woman standing before him.

"Yes." She advanced toward him; the white gauze along one side of her torso appeared stark against her skin. The entire bandage covered in something shiny that was waterproof and looked similar to the patch he wore on his thigh.

He wouldn't dare bring up the past yet, but it would come up soon. If they wanted to get to know each other, they had to, and for the first time in a long time, he was honestly scared to face it. How could two people with horrific pasts be together?

Was it possible?

Yes.

As he'd let shit from his past keep him from the only woman he wanted. He wasn't stupid, nor was he selfless enough to send her away. The Phoenix had retired; she had wanted a simpler, normal life. Could he let her go if it was what she still wanted?

"Stop thinking so hard, Cullen."

Edward's lips curled into a scowl. "Stop calling me that. You're just pissed."

"Pissed would be when you forget to pick up your dirty socks or leaving the car on empty, or maybe leaving the toilet seat up." She was within reach and he craved to grab her. "I'm not pissed, I'm fucking furious!"

Isabella moved quickly, shoving her hands into his chest. He stumbled slightly, but he stood his ground, putting on a poker face.

"You could've gotten killed!" She pushed him again, poking him in the chest with a short-clipped fingernail. "When I say shut up, you're supposed to shut up. If I tell you to run, you fucking run. If I tell you not to get shot, it means to be aware of your surroundings." She continued to list everything he did wrong, mentioning several times that he was loud and he had no concept of stealth. "You could've gotten your brother killed!"

Not once in her little rant did she mention the danger to her. As if her life didn't matter.

The next time she tried to push him, he grabbed her wrists, pulling her closer. They both moaned when her chest met his.

"What about how I put your life in danger?" That was the crux of the situation; his mistake could've cost her life. His breathing was harsh, matching each of her breathy pants. "You don't think I'm beating myself up about how close I could've come to losing you. I would've never forgiven myself. I would've hunted down all those bastards, even if it meant my own destruction."

"You don't think I would've done the same for you! After searching for a connection to something, other than death for years, do you think I would've let you go? Death wouldn't keep me away for you."

Something in her eyes and in her words scared the fuck out of him. She would've followed him if he had died, but not before everyone involved in his death were dead. In her own way, she was warning him, not only about before, but in the future.

If he died, she would too.

He closed his eyes in fear and regret, pulling her into his arms.

"Let me go! I'm not done screaming at you!" She laid a bevy of brutal fists on his chest. Her angry tears mingled with water almost brought him to his knees.

Edward moved until they were both under the spray of the shower. He murmured soft words in her ear, her nails digging into the flesh of his back. His hiss as she drew blood seemed to fuel her. His protests for whatever reason let her know he was alive and well. Understanding what she was feeling, he needed to know she was alive too. His hold was too hard; bruises would bloom under the grip of his fingertips before the end of the night. His teeth would leave impressions as he bit her shoulder when she delivered a sharp poke to his thigh. The bad one.

She moaned.

"Fuck, Bella." He rarely used her informal name, but he was desperate to feel her, to love her. She was warning him for another reason though, but he couldn't figure out what. Only that it didn't matter, not when she was in his arms after they'd gone through hell.

Her kidnapping.

The car accident.

Facing off with Phoenix.

Saving his brother.

Saving him.

The rest of the world fell away, and nothing else mattered except them. Nowhere else existed besides the space around them. Fingers dug into skin, teeth nipped and bit, tongues soothed the ache. Yet, they needed more.

He hissed in pleasure and pain as he backed her against the tile, lifting her up on unsteady legs. Ecstasy rippled through his body as she sucked on his shoulder, no doubt leaving a mark. His hand rose up her water-slicked back, loving the feel of her tight nipples brushing his chest. His fingers curled into her hair then he pulled her head back.

Dark eyes met his own—anger, fear, lust, and love mingled within them. He thrust inside her, hard and fast, yet she held back the need to cry out. She was punishing him. She knew how much he loved her sounds as he fucked her. Intent on breaking her silence, he set an equally punishing rhythm.

She met each of his thrusts, her gaze on him, glaring and so full of fury. Not one sound emitted from her lips, but he saw the slight clench of her jaw, the way her eyes would widen when he thrust harder. The hitch in her breathing whenever he dipped down to suck and bite on her nipples.

She delivered her own brand of payback by her squeezing the fuck out of his dick. It felt so damn good; he was ready to explode.

Edward groaned then his wounded leg started to buckle. She pushed at his chest once more, until he released her. Grunting at the loss of heat, she surprised him by forcing him on his back, and slipped his cock inside her again.

"You will never break me, Cullen." She hissed, her head thrown back, allowing him the pleasure of watching her lose herself. "No one ever has, no one ever will."

He glared at her then smirked. "I wouldn't dare."

In response, she rode him hard. Every time he thought he would come, she slowed the roll of her hips, to prevent it. Curses flew from his lips, I love yous and fucks and everything in between. She was the only person capable of bringing him to his knees.

Isabella bent forward, her hands slapping against the tiled floor on either side of his head, her hair curtaining around them. "Stay with me," she whispered on his lips. Her words sounded like a plea.

"Always."

Their gaze held as she quickened her hips, his fingers tightening around her, helping her move. She pulled back, the tips of her nails marking his chest, her eyes on his face. His thumbs slipped between her thighs, her hips circling and making him groan. Desperate for release, he sat up to wrap his arms around her, his lips on her ear.

"I'm not letting you go, Isabella."

She threw back her head, her body tightening around him.

He spilled inside her with a few more thrusts from him. "Never letting you go." He had to make her understand. No matter how angry she was at him, he'd fight for her.

It took several minutes before either of them had the capacity to talk again. Isabella spoke first, her hands lifting from his chest to take hold of his face. "If you do leave me, I'd have to kill you." She meant what she said; it was definitive in her midnight gaze. Then her eyes softened after delivering the devastating blow. In killing him, his family would destroy her. She captured his face in her hands, kissing him with a featherlight kiss. "Don't hurt me."

The "Or I'll kill you," didn't have to be said, it was implied. Her identity was crucial to her and her father.

Family came first.

"I'll piss you off."

She smirked, shaking her head. "As long as it's not as bad as today, we'll be okay."

He could've gotten her killed for the stunt he pulled. "I'll fuck up."

She bit his bottom lip, sucking on it. Fuck. "I'll knock you off your high horse when you do."

One of her hands fell from his cheek, grasping his cock that had slipped from her when she shifted on his lap. Stroking with a firm grip, she tightened her fingers enough to make him flinch. "You ever cheat on me, the flash of my bullet will be the last thing you'll ever see."

He hissed at the pressure, curling his own hand over hers. Together they stroked his cock until he was hard again. "Who could ever compare to you?"

A loud knock punctured the bubble they had created. Each of them groaned with displeasure.

"Uh, Ph-Phoenix, your p-presence is requested. Situation Room 3 in ten minutes."

"Who the fuck was that?" Edward cursed as she turned off the water. The transformation from Isabella to Phoenix was happening before his eyes. Gone was any lust and desire, even anger took a back seat as she settled into her role. Any break through the exterior he managed in the last couple of minutes disappeared.

Phoenix had once again risen.

.

.

.


Edward was told to remain off view of the cameras to keep his involvement a secret. The fact he worked with Charlie's crew could make him a target. Many had tried to find out their identities over the years, few succeeded. Other than Carlisle Cullen, and only due to their loyalty to the Cullen Family, was still alive. The rest either disappeared or died in horrific accidents.

In other words, don't fuck with the Phoenix.

Phoenix stood in front of a large flat screen, thirteen windows showed the investors for the Center. Including Aro Rossi and Edward's father. Her mask had been replaced by a clean one, and it covered her entire face; even with that precaution, they had software that disguised her voice and blurred her image to the investors.

"Ladies and gentlemen, under the clause, my crew and I have an obligation to fulfill to maintain the sanctity of the facility. The Center, the only neutral ground other than the Island for our kind, had almost been compromised earlier today."

"This is an outrage!"

"It's supposed to be a sanctuary!"

"Who were they after?"

Her hands rose from her hips in a gesture that she wanted them to calm down. They stopped immediately. "At approximately 9:15 this morning, twelve armed men entered the facility through the south-facing window." She delivered her words swift and firm; yet, there was an accusation in them too. "The same window I had already indicated needed to be upgraded as it was a weakness in the security."

Several of the investors looked uncomfortable, shifting around in their windows on screen.

"We'll get back to that later. Another group, smaller than the other, entered the facility through the labyrinth."

More curses and questions came from the investors, all except for Aro. His breathing was harsher, sweat coated his brow and over his top lip. He made a few inquiries like the others, but no aggravation filled his words like them.

"The east entrance will be destroyed and we'll open up one of the others once we eliminate the threat." Several of the investors pounded their fists on their desk, their thirst for blood increasing with every word from Isabella. She knew how to command a room, to incite a crowd with ease. "An undercover member of our security team removed Jasper Cullen, son to Carlisle Cullen of the Cullen Family based in Chicago, from his room as a precaution after we received a disturbing call that someone had set up a hit on one of the residents, someone within the Families."

"No!"

"How dare they!"

Phoenix, once more, silenced them with a flick of her hand along her neck. "These known associates split into groups, one to keep Edward Cullen occupied with the kidnapping of his fiancée."

More shocked gasps and expletives.

"Made aware that there were only a handful involved in the kidnapping, Edward Cullen placed a call to me to ensure the safety of his brother, Jasper."

"Smart kid, he had his head in the game."

"What is the status of his fiancée?"

"His fiancée is safe, as is Edward Cullen," Isabella answered Aro's question.

"That is so good to hear," Aro said, nodding. "It would've been a shame after he's searched for a suitable wife for months."

Isabella merely acknowledged him with a nod. "A crew was dispatched immediately to the Center and when we lost all communication with them, another was sent to find the residents and get them to safety at any cost."

"Good! My daughter is in there!"

"My nephew, he's still a child for fuck's sake!"

Isabella ignored the outbursts, understanding where they were coming from; family was everything to these people. "Every resident was accounted for and taken to safety. No one was hurt. Mostly spooked."

"And what of Jasper Cullen?" Again, it was Aro who asked the status, considering the entire crew he sent was dead. Even his nephews.

"Jasper Cullen is also safe." Phoenix went on to explain that they were still identifying the dead, and they would all soon know the identity of the one who had betrayed the Center's sacred oath.

"How, my dear, do you plan to find out who betrayed you, if you killed everyone?" Aro continued his questioning, his voice somewhat condescending.

The other investors all added their two cents, agreeing that Phoenix should've kept one of them alive.

"Interrogation of one of those involved has already concluded and now he is dead." She tapped something on a keyboard, then looked back at the investors. "I forwarded the video of the interrogation of Laurent, the Center's former curator."

Isabella played it in a separate window. "You can watch the full-length version later, but here is his confession."

A bloodied, almost naked Laurent was hanging from above, his body coated with sweat on the screen. Edward watched with pleasure as Phoenix circled around Laurent, her touch making him flinch each time she slipped a gloved finger over a wound. "I will put a bullet between your eyes if you tell me who orchestrated the kidnapping of Isabella Marie Swan, Edward Cullen's fiancée, and attempted kidnapping of Jasper Cullen? Who betrayed the Center other than you?"

Laurent sobbed, shaking his head. "I can't, I'm as good as dead."

"You are, and no matter what, it's up to you to determine if you'll die a slow, painful death or quick." She stood in front of Laurent, lowering him with a press of a button on a device in her hand. "Tell us who." She enunciated each word.

Laurent gasped and sucked in a breath before he gritted out the words. "Aro Rossi wanted to use Jasper Cullen as payback for the death of his son." The video ended with Phoenix standing farther back and shooting him in the head.

"You have your answer." Phoenix stood back and crossed her arms over her chest. "All in favor of the elimination of Aro Rossi and his organization, say I."

Edward awaited the answers, but he knew Isabella would destroy the entire Rossi Family for what they did, with or without their permission.


AN: That went well. LOL Thanks to Midnight Cougar for her help with the chapter. I had some trouble writing this chapter, kept rewriting the shower scene. Still so much has to happen now, phew. The confrontation between E/B and their parents. The "you're not working as an assassin" discussion. Gah! I can't wait to write all of that. Thanks!