**This is where the original One Shot begins. There will be changes from the original, and it will span three chapters.**
Just a quick nod to Ninkita for her amazing beta skills on the original contest entry. This is the first chance I've been able to publicly thank her for her hard work on it! Also a thank you to Life and Death's Lullabies and TheMetroDad for pre-reading the original contest entry.
Thanks to Fyrebyrd, Gabby1017, 2brown-eyes, and TheMetroDad for pre-reading the revised chapter, and to my beta, SunflowerFran. I fiddled a bit, so please remember, all mistakes are mine.
Edward
The sounds of Dropkick Murphy are streaming through the speakers of the pub, and there's laughter and conversation going on all around us. Emmett has a glass in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He has his cell phone wedged between his ear and shoulder; undoubtedly arguing with Rose again. To say she's been a little hormonal since Bree's birth would be an understatement.
The buzzing from my pocket gets my attention. Pulling my own phone out, I see I have a new text message. Opening it, I see 'Álainn' flash across the screen. I know she's at work right now, and would only contact me from this number if it were important.
'Éigeandála'
Emergency? Fuck, she must have something for me.
'PH, 2h'
I hit send, and check my watch. It's noon, and I know with midday traffic, it will take her a while to reach home.
"What's with the look on your fuckin' face?" Emmett's tucking his phone back into his pocket.
"I've got something I need to go take care of." I stub out my own cigarette and down the rest of my Jameson before scooting over and getting out of the booth. I pat my pockets to make sure I have what I need, checking that my piece is still securely in the waistband of my jeans at my back before throwing on my jacket. As I pass the bar, I toss down a few bills. Even though the place is mine, it doesn't hurt to let the guys know I appreciate them. Heading for my car, I can hear Emmett's footsteps hurriedly pounding behind me, trying to catch up.
"You need me to come along, Ed?" I turn to face him as I pull my keys from my pocket.
"Nah, this is something I need to take care of myself. But hey, I'll call ya if I need ya, yeah?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll see ya tonight, though?"
Giving it some thought, I know I need to let him know there may be a problem with tonight's shipment. I say what I can without saying too much.
"We'll see." I look him straight in the eyes, and see the moment it clicks.
"Shite," he says under his breath. "Yeah, okay. You'll call though?"
"Yeah, I'll be in touch." With that, I climb into my car and take off. The streets of downtown Boston are busy this time of day, so it takes me longer than it should to get to my destination. As I drive into the underground parking garage, passing the silver Lexus SUV in its assigned space, I know she's already in the building.
I pull into my own spot and kill the engine. I rest my head back on the seat, closing my eyes. I know she has bad news for me, so I take a few minutes to gather my thoughts and calm my ass down. She's been such an amazing asset to me, especially since I've taken over for my father, but I still find myself getting angry when credible tips get leaked to the BPD.
Steeling myself for whatever news she has, I get out of the car and head for the elevator. Once inside, I put my key into the slot, turn it, and press the button for the penthouse. Wishing I had the time to stop on the floor below mine, my finger hovers over that button as well. Resolving to take care of business first, I shove my hand into my pocket, resisting the urge.
When the elevator dings, I exit and walk the short distance to the door. No one besides a trusted few know this place is mine, so I don't have any extra security other than an alarm system. Unlocking the door and stepping inside, I disarm it. I toss my keys on the table in the foyer and remove my jacket, tossing that down as well.
"Álainn?" I yell out. "Where are you, beautiful?" When I don't get a response, I decide to pour myself another drink. She must be downstairs settling things for the evening. Sinking into the brown leather sofa, I savor the burn of the whiskey going down my throat. I'm just hoping it's enough to keep me level headed when she tells me whatever news it is she has.
I must've closed my eyes and nodded off because the click of the closing door wakes me. Turning my head, I see her coming from the direction of the hidden door in my closet. To this day, she's never been seen on security footage coming or going from the penthouse.
Watching her approach, I take a moment to appreciate her beauty. Her long dark hair, her slight but curvy figure, the deep brown of her eyes, it's all beautiful. But the sight of her beaming smile when her eyes meet mine is the most stunning thing about her.
"Hey, beautiful. How are you?" I rise to my feet and open my arms. She walks into them, wrapping her arms around me. I feel her take a deep breath and relax, even if only a bit.
"I'm better now."
I run my fingers through the ends of her hair before my hand finds the back of her neck, holding her to me. "Tell me."
She's quiet, collecting her thoughts. "They know about the shipment tonight."
She tenses a bit when my grip on her tightens. Knowing I need a minute to process the information she just shared, I release her. She watches me walk to the bar, pouring myself another drink. Walking over to the windows, I see her out of the corner of my eye taking a seat on the sofa.
"Do you know who the source is?" My voice is low, but calm. As I take a swig from my glass, I hear her clear her throat before she speaks.
"No. They're holding this one close to the chest. I read through the file, and there're no details on where the leak came from. But, Edward, there are things in there only a few people know. I mean, even Liam is mentioned."
"Shit."
"Yeah, shit is right. Do you have a plan-B? That delivery can't go as planned."
I simply nod, not giving anything away. She knows I won't say anything else. Since the responsibility of running the family business has fallen to me, I share very little with her these days. Tossing back what's left in my glass, I turn to look at her.
"I'll take care of it. Go have dinner together, get her settled for the night, and I'll be down to tuck her in." She nods in agreement before rising to her feet. "Come 'ere."
I open my arms once again, and she willingly steps into them. I hold her for a moment before pulling back just enough to take her face between my hands. I lean in and place a kiss on her lips. When they meet, it's soft at first, and then she deepens it. Opening her mouth, our tongues glide against each other. My hands begin to wander, roaming down to hold her close to me.
When our kiss becomes more heated, I know I need to stop before we get carried away. Pulling away from her is difficult, but necessary. I lean down, my forehead resting against hers. My hands are cupping her cheeks, her breath washing over me, as her hands are wrapped around my wrists.
"I should go." Her words are quiet; I know she doesn't want to leave. She looks up into my eyes. "She'll want to see you tonight."
"I know. I'll be down as soon as I get things settled here. I've got some calls to make."
She nods. "The file is already on your desk."
"Thank you," I whisper. I kiss her forehead and release her.
Watching her walk away is difficult, but I know I have work to do. When she disappears through the doorway leading to the hidden stairwell, I look at the clock on the wall. I only have about eight hours to clean up this cluster fuck and find the leak. There are only a few in my inner circle who knew the details of tonight, and losing any of them, well, all but one, is going to hurt.
Sitting down at the desk in my office, I get started on at least diverting the shipment coming in tonight. It might cost me extra, but it's worth the price. Dialing a familiar number, I wait for him to answer.
"Yeah? What can I do for ya? We're right on schedule for delivery tonight." Liam's gruff voice carries over the line.
"Looks like we need to make a few adjustments." Waiting for him to pick up on my meaning, I can hear him moving about the bridge of the boat, probably heading out to the deck.
"What the fuck do ya mean 'adjustments'? We're just hours from port, and you expect me to change course? Change boats for Christ's sake! Eddie, ye know I love ya like a brother, but how in the hell am I supposed to do that? I know we've got a plan 'B,' but it's down to the wire now. I'm not sure if I can make any changes." He's quiet for a moment, probably waiting to see if I'll change my mind. "It'll at least cost ya."
"Yeah, I know, Liam. Trouble is, I've sprung a leak, and I need to plug it." I can hear him curse on the other end, even over the sound of the wind whipping around him on the deck of the ship. "Now, you can make the delivery, I just need ya to make it elsewhere. If you and I are the only ones that know things have changed, it'll be easier to find the leak."
He's quiet for a bit, thinking things through, no doubt.
"All right. So, plan 'B'?"
"Yeah, and I'll be there. Let's move the drop off time a couple hours, say four a.m.? I'd like to get a look at what goes down at the docks."
"Yeah man. I'll be there." With no parting words, he ends the call. Sitting back in my chair, I rest my head against the cool leather. Closing my eyes, I wrack my brain for a plan to find out who's crossed me, betrayed the family. The possibilities are limited, as only a few knew what was happening tonight. In fact, the number is a whopping three. My suspicions are focused on one, but I'd rather rule out the other possibilities first.
Opening my laptop, I boot up the tracking software Jimmy designed and choose my first target. Once it's open and running, I place my first call.
"Yo! What's up boss?" Emmett's enthusiasm always makes me smile.
"Not much. I was just wondering if you had a minute."
"Sure. Is this about tonight?"
"Yeah, as a matter of fact, it is. Small change in plans. I need you to meet the boat tonight." There's silence on his end. He's quiet so long, I wonder if he's still there.
"Me? Eddie, they're counting on meeting you. Are you sure you want me to go in your place?" I hear him start the engine of his car. Now, there are two distinct possibilities. He's either headed to pick up his oldest daughter from daycare or, in the unlikely event he's my leak, off to see his contact to let them know there's a change in plans.
"Absolutely. Something came up that I need to take care of."
"Are the girls okay?" My brother has always had a soft spot for my girls.
"They're fine; I just need to stay home tonight." I don't give him any more information.
"All right, boss. I'll take care of it, and I'll call you when it's done."
"Thanks, man. I knew I could count on you." We say our goodbyes, and hang up. Watching the blip on the screen move as he drives, I can see he's heading toward the daycare. After he's been there for just a bit, the blip begins to move again, this time toward home. When he arrives, he stays. No other calls are made from any of his phones either.
Pulling up the next name on my list, I place a call to Da. After a somewhat similar conversation, telling him that I'm having Emmett take care of the handoff tonight, I watch for any suspicious activity. When enough time passes without any movement on his end, I move on to my final suspect; the one that was at the top of my list before I began making calls.
I've kept him at a distance since taking over for the family. But, at my father's insistence, he's been included in a few recent business ventures, namely being chief ass kisser in the world of politics. But recently, Da has insisted on Jasper being involved in more of the business side of things, therefore his knowledge of tonight's shipment. In his words, 'Jasper has suffered long enough. It's time to let go of the past.' As the phone rings, I brace myself for the conversation I'm about to have.
"Eddie! To what do I owe the pleasure?" His sarcasm is pouring through the phone. Since he made the choices he did all those years ago and was basically shunned by the family, he's been surprisingly arrogant. He's yet to get over the fact that I'm in charge and not him, even though he saw it happening years ago.
"Oh, I just wanted to touch base with you about tonight." I can hear him shuffling things around on his end. "I won't be able to make it, so I need you to take care of it." The shuffling noises stop, and I hear him take a deep breath.
"Oh, um, yeah. I can do that. Are you sure they'll meet with me? I haven't been the one to meet the boat in a lotta years, Ed."
"Yeah, it'll be fine. I'll just make a call."
"So, why can't you make it tonight?" He starts to laugh as he asks his next question. "You havin' trouble with that whore and her bast..." I hang up on him before he can finish his sentence. I think if I listened to him insult Bella and Kaitlin one more time, I'd go over there and throw him down another flight of stairs, Da's stipulations be damned.
Looking at the screen, I'm not disappointed. His signal was moving within minutes of hanging up. Watching his path, I'm actually surprised at first, and then I'm not. Nothing he does surprises me anymore.
Placing another call, I set things in motion.
"Yeah?"
"I need you to keep tabs on Jasper. Don't let him see you, but I need to know who he's meeting."
"Got it, boss." We both hang up, and I know that Jimmy will track him down. All the family cars have a hidden GPS unit in them, and Jimmy has access to them all.
Still watching the signal move on the screen, I settle back into my chair. Once he reaches his destination, I wait. I don't have to wait long before my phone is ringing. I pick up the phone, just listening.
"Um, boss? You're never gonna believe this. Your dumb fuck of a brother is meeting with a Voltolini. Looks like it's Caius. What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to follow Caius, and keep this afternoon's activities to yourself. I need to know what's going on before I make a move."
"Understood." The line clicks, and I lay down the phone. My head falls heavy once again, back into my chair. There are several thoughts swirling around in my head right now. I came to terms with Jasper's poor judgment years ago; his lack of motivation, his drug use, what he did to Bella what seems like a lifetime ago. But the betrayal he's committed this time...
I'm so fucking angry, it overrides every other emotion I have. The culmination of everything he's put us all through over the years is overwhelming. I really thought he'd quietly decided to step back and let us all live our lives... that he had atoned for his sins. But no, he hasn't changed a goddamn bit.
The sadness, the disappointment, the hurt I'm feeling, they all pale in comparison to my anger. He's chosen to sell out his family, but for what? What does he possibly have to gain?
Some time passes, and I get a call back from Jimmy. The news isn't good. After getting the details I need, we end the call.
Making what is hopefully my last call for the night, I get Emmett back on the phone.
"I need you to meet me at the office before you head out tonight."
"Everything okay?"
"We'll talk tonight."
"Yeah, all right. I'll see you later then." We make our plans and say our goodbyes.
Glancing at the clock, I see that it's nearing bedtime for my princess, so I proceed to shut down the laptop, turn off the lights, and walk into the hidden stairwell, heading for the one place that really feels like home.
When I walk through the doorway into Bella's walk-in closet, my ears are met with the sound of giggling. It makes me smile; something I don't do enough of, according to my girls. Walking through the hallway, I'm careful to steer clear of the guest room, where Carmen stays on Bella's long nights at the station. Her dislike of me has grown over the years, and she doesn't feel the need to keep it to herself, so I just avoid her if I can.
Standing in the doorway of my angel's room, I see them, the loves of my life. Bella is curled up next to Kaitlin. They're having a tickle battle, and it's beginning to get out of hand. When Kaitlin's eyes flash in my direction, her face lights up with a bright smile.
"Daddy!" She bolts up, practically knocking her mother out of bed in the process. "I missed you!" Running and jumping, her arms are around my neck, and she's in my arms in the blink of an eye. I close my eyes and take a deep breath of her bubblegum scented hair. She must've had a bubble bath. "Mommy said you were going to tuck me in tonight. Can you read me a story first?" As she pulls away from me, I look into her bright blue eyes, the eyes of her biological father, and smile. I've never been able to tell her no, and I'm not going to start now.
"Of course, Princess. Which book?" I set her back on her feet, and she runs over to her bookshelf to choose one. Looking over at Bella, she's smiling up at me, still snuggled in Kaitlin's bed, her arms wrapped around the pillow her head is resting on. The book being shoved in my face breaks my gaze.
"This one, Daddy!" It's a copy of Shakespeare's Hamlet for Kids, which makes me smile. She is definitely her mother's daughter.
"All right, then, let's get you back in bed." Glancing over at Bella, I give her a wink. "Think Mommy's gonna move over, Kaitlin?"
"Mommy, will you please move over so me and Daddy can be together?" she asks in her sing-song voice.
Scooting over in dramatic fashion, she answers with an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, I guess so."
Once all three of us are cuddled into the bed, I start reading. The story is an ironically appropriate end to the day I've had; the tale of a brother's betrayal.
The arms of both my girls are wrapped around my middle, with Kaitlin between Bella and me. Looking over her head between pages, I see Bella's eyes, not on the book, but on me, a smile on her face.
About halfway through the story, I hear the soft snores of my princess. Bella and I carefully pull away from her, leaving her room and quietly closing her door.
A/N: I apologize for not responding to reviews last week. With a house full of people, it was hard to find time to steal away. What time I did find I spent writing. Hopefully getting two chapters written will have been worth it.
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~Sunshine