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Here's Edward...
Jesus Christ! I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that my girl was a fucking Cigno.
I mean, only me. I wasn't a relationship fucker before, but now three words were on the tip of my fucking tongue.
It was a problem. I had this urge to tell Bella how I felt, but then my chest started to clench and my palms would clam up.
I wasn't a nervous guy. I mean, I iced people for a living. But I only ever told my family that I loved them. No chick has ever reached me on this level.
Now that the truth had come out, she really wasn't like other girls.
We shared this niche connection about mafia life. The good, the bad, and the really bad.
Nobody else could understand the loyalty and devotion that went into the organization, not to mention the respect required.
I would say Bella had a pretty decent sense of what it took to survive.
Despite my accusations on the day I found out about her true identity, I knew she was the real deal.
I was hurt…betrayed. Usually I was the one who did the hurting before anybody even had an opportunity to do shit to disturb me.
She'd gotten under my skin, and for some fucking reason, I liked it.
"What are you thinking so hard about?" Bella inquired, sitting up in bed, not bothering to cover her tits with a blanket.
Perfect example of how she was genuine. I also benefited because I was pretty partial to the girls.
I shook my head, choosing not to say those words just yet. "Just hate funerals," I muttered, giving her a quick peck.
Not yet, cazzo.
If I met me now, I wouldn't know me.
"I don't suppose you have time to handle other business this morning," Bella taunted, giving her chest a little shake.
"You're trying to kill me, woman." I breathed, shooting out of bed before I pinned her down on the mattress. "As much as I really fucking want to, I'm already late. I don't want Marcus to send one of his low men over here to snoop."
She nodded in understanding, lying back down on the bed and leaving me to get ready.
While we decided to not let our names get between us, that didn't mean we were free and clear to skip down the fucking street together.
We had to be smart. Now wasn't the time to be stunad and get whacked.
Rival families were typically forbidden. It wasn't even an option to entertain. This shit wasn't taken lightly, and if found out, you were considered a fucking traitor and you'd be killed like one.
Well first tortured then your partner would be tortured in front of you, then you'd be tortured again, then your partner would be killed in front of you, and then they'd torture you a bit more before killing you. Probably cutting off your hands too.
Real romantic right!
Love was great, but I was pretty attached to my appendages, thank you very much.
I called Alistair and got no answer. I started to get nervous because he had been acting strange—well even more strange for him—ever since the Cignos blew up the warehouse. Bastard was probably still salty about my shooting him. Not sure why he was stuck in his feels—it was just a flesh wound for christ's sake.
I chalked it up to him being apprehensive about this lifestyle now that he saw how quickly life could be taken away.
Sure he'd killed a motherfucker or two, but it wasn't real until you lost people you'd gotten to know on a personal level.
This one hit hard for me because Dirty Harry was one of the men we lost.
Marcus had stationed him at that warehouse, trying to get some yak runners in shape. Harry didn't play around, so he was perfect for the job.
He didn't make it out in time. Dirty Harry wasn't granted a proper burial or funeral. Marcus wanted to reduce the backlash from the Feds as much as possible, so drawing attention to the warehouse and the casualties attached would only backfire.
Felix was pissed that Alec wasn't afforded a funeral as well. He even caused a scene at a debrief between Marcus and a few of the higher-ranking capos. Marcus might have been a little suspicious, but I tried to cover for the poor schmuck.
I felt badly for Felix. Nobody apart from me knew how close he and Alec truly were. So he wasn't given the proper condolences or time to mourn his lover and partner in this life.
This made me think of Bella and how dangerous both our lives were.
I couldn't lose her. I just couldn't.
"Mr. Whitlock, Mr. Whitlock, Mr. Whitlock, finally. You're a hard man to track down," Agent Scavone commented, tossing a file across the cold metal table. "According to these copies of your phone records, you've been in contact with the Cigno family quite a lot."
Jasper shook his head, nervous about being in a federal interrogation room. Sweat broke out across his forehead as his leg bounced underneath the table. " I don't know what you're talking about," he stuttered. Pull it together, man.
"I see. How about you turn to page two. Maybe that will refresh your memory," Agent Scavone instructed, smirking down at Jasper, who was shitting a brick.
There it was. Tangible. In Jasper's hands. Can't deny a black and white photograph.
"Then why were you out getting bagels with Isabella Cigno?" he questioned and jutted his chin out to the photo in front of them. It was Bella and Jasper at Bergen Bagels.
"Which brings me to my next question. Why the fuck are you going all the way to Bergen Bagels when there are a thousand freaking bagel shops in Bay Ridge?" Agent Scavone scoffed, acting almost offended.
Jasper looked at him wide-eyed and muttered, "I like their sesame." He cast his eyes down, embarrassed for traveling twenty minutes for a bagel when there were bagel shops on nearly every corner in the neighborhood.
"Fucking bullshit." Then the federal agent turned the page to another photo where Bella and Jasper were grabbing sandwiches. Bella was leaning into Jasper to speak. The photos looked intimate. "Is she your girl?" Agent Scavone taunted, running his fingers through his hair.
Jasper shook his head again, staying mute now. He only wished Bella were his. "Do I need to call my lawyer?"
"Have you been here before?" Bella asked, smiling up at me.
Damn, the way she looked at me. It made me feel things that I was afraid of.
I should tell her. Maybe soon. Maybe.
I shook my head, tightening my grasp on her hand as we approached the restaurant.
I wanted to take her somewhere that could be ours. Somewhere not tainted with places I'd been with other bitches or places that I'd done business.
Annabelle's Pastaria was an Italian restaurant that made their pasta from scratch. Really they made everything from scratch. I was excited to try it.
Pops was going to be pissed because he'd been wanting to try this joint for a while. Ma didn't like eating out. I could hear her saying, "What the fuck you need to eat out for? You don't like my cooking?" Her hands would be thrown up in the air, and she'd start muttering in Italian, then we'd be called ungrateful gavones or some shit.
Finally an establishment where the hostess wasn't a bitchy chick. Instead it was an older woman who resembled a grandma. At least I didn't have to worry about Bella getting jealous over the old lady. Last time we went to dinner, I thought she might kill the waitress for batting her eyes at me.
I couldn't give a shit about the girl, and I brushed her off as overly friendly until I saw the death glare Bella was throwing her way along with her accusing me of wanting fuck her. Needless to say, I was wrong, and she was right. I was sensing a theme.
"Let me know if you need anything, sweets." The older hostess winked at me, walking away.
I sunk down in my seat and looked at Bella sheepishly, praying that she didn't notice.
"Even the old people want to fuck you," she grumbled, looking in the direction of the hostess stand, no doubt planning an attack.
"Well too bad, because I only want to fuck you." I waggled my eyebrows suggestively, hoping I'd get lucky if I played my cards right. Who was I kidding? Of course I'd get lucky. Sometimes I think Bella was hornier than me.
The waitress came and took our drink orders. Thank the lord that she didn't eye-fuck me, since Bella was clutching her knife a little too firmly for my liking.
After finishing our first round, we were looking around the restaurant for the waitress when Bella ducked in her chair and squeaked out, "Oh shit!"
I had never seen Bella so frazzled. She looked in the direction of the bar and then back to me nervously.
Was somebody starting trouble? Would I have to kill someone? Yippie, because it had honestly been too fucking long.
She looked again in the direction of the bar, so I followed her gaze and saw none other than Liam Murphy, the head capo from the Irish. I'd been tailing his ass for weeks, not getting close enough to do proper recon. Now he was closer than ever, walking in our table's direction.
I wonder if he caught me eyeing his ass—not in that way, you perv.
"Well, isn't this cozy?" Liam remarked, smirked, and looked down between Bella and me. I stood and shook his hand, roughly. I had at least twenty pounds on the fucker. Not to mention I was older.
"Liam," I said, curtly. The fucker better not expect to stay for dessert.
He nodded once in my direction and then turned his attention to Bella, kissing her hand. She tried to pull it away quickly, and luckily he was smart enough not to try to hold onto her.
"Bella, beautiful as ever. What are you doing with this asshole?" he half-joked, crooking his finger in my direction.
What the fuck?
They knew each other that was clear by Bella's little performance leading up to Liam walking up to the table. Judging by their body language, they knew each other a little too well for my liking.
"Bella." I gave her a pointed look, and when Liam grinned back at me, I shot him a death glare. Fucker better step back. I already got enough issues with the shitbirds Cignos. I didn't need to kill an Irish asshole too.
Bella inhaled sharply, avoiding my eyes. "You two know each other?" Bella wheezed out, picking at her napkin.
I nodded again. "Yea business and shit." I didn't need to explain. She should know this shit.
No, she did know this shit.
"We go way back, right, Bells." Liam laughed, grabbing her hand in his again.
I reached behind my back into my pants for my nine. Ow! I looked under the table to find Bella's foot stepping on my own.
"What the fuck?" I muttered. She better have not fucked this asshole.
Liam looked in the direction of the hostess stand, and when I followed his gaze, I spotted another one of the Irish's cohorts. Liam and the guy exchanged a subtle nod. "Well, I hate to run, but duty calls," he explained, looking at Bella.
She nodded quickly. "Of course," she whispered, looking at me now. Yeah, you're in trouble, I thought to myself.
"Bye, Cullen. Give Marcus my regards." The fucker laughed and walked away.
As Liam sat at the bar, I looked at Bella expectantly. After a moment of silence, I gestured for her to speak. I didn't trust my mouth not to yell and accuse her of shit.
"Hi," she choked out, attempting to be cute. Okay fine, she was cute, but not the point at all.
"'Hi'? Yeah hi. What the fuck was that about?" I demanded as the woman sitting at the next table gasped. She must have heard my harsh tone.
"Liam and I are friendly," she started. I could tell she was choosing her words carefully.
"Friendly? Friendly how? Friendly like how Casper the ghost wants to be friendly and fuck you? Or did you and Liam already skip to that part?" I hissed, leaning into her across the table. It was taking everything out of me not to cause a scene. She slammed her glass down and stormed off.
Madonna mia.
I threw a hundred on the table and ran after the broad. She was already out of the dining room as I quickly walked behind her.
Bella was out of my sight as she went outside.
"Bella!" I yelled as I yanked open the restaurant door. I looked around the parking lot and couldn't spot her.
"Bella!" Now I was worried. I walked toward the next block, thinking she might take a walk to escape telling me whatever she was afraid to.
I walked a little more before I heard her calling my name from the alley.
"Edward," she cried out. I spun around and found her inching toward me. Behind her was a masked guy with a gun pointed at her back.
They picked the wrong girl to try to mug. But I had to be careful. I didn't want Bella to end up in the crossfire and get hurt or worse.
"Listen, man, let the lady go." I pulled out my wallet and tossed it at the guy as a diversion, giving me a minute to pull my Glock out.
"It's always about money with you pricks, isn't it? What about retribution? An eye for an eye." The hooded figure ran his hand down Bella's body. "Maybe not an eye…" he suggested, not even attempting to grab my wallet from the cobblestone pavement.
My grip on my nine tightened at my side, as I kept it out of sight.
Bella whimpered, looking at me and mouthing, "shoot him." I shook my head subtly.
"She's a pretty little thing. A little too good looking for you, Mr. Frowny Face," the motherfucker taunted.
I took a step forward as he jimmied the gun further into her back, no doubt creating a welt.
The masked greaseball roughly grabbed the collar of Bella's blouse and started tearing it in half.
I was screaming on the inside, but I still didn't have a good shot of Bella's attacker.
Bella took initiative and elbowed the fucker in the stomach, causing him to bounce back and release her.
She ran behind me, and he stumbled forward, screaming, "Bitch!"
I took my shot. Well shots. One in between his eyes and one between his legs for good measure.
Bella clutched my side for dear life.
"I love you!" She breathed, sniffing my shirt for comfort I guess. I was too wrapped up in getting this shit sorted to respond.
I wrapped my arm around her waist and moved her away from the dead douchebag. Pulling out my phone, I shot a quick text to Felix in code that I needed a cleaner and quick.
"Give me a minute." I loosened Bella's death grip on my shirt, giving her forehead a kiss.
I walked over to the vile excuse for a human being and gingerly lifted the waste of space's mask.
I heard a gasp behind me, no doubt from Bella seeing the blood oozing from the dude's face.
I peered closer in the darkness to get a better view, and now it was my turn to gasp.
What the fuck?!
It was none other than Demetri Volturi, a low man on the roster, and none other than Aro and Marcus's second cousin.
Oh Bella. What did this mean? Did they know about Bella and me? If not, why did Bella have a hit on her?
If the boss so much as touched a hair on Bella's head, it would cause a war. Did Marcus want that?
Once I got the okay to leave the scene by Felix, I took Bella's hand in mine and ushered her toward where I parked the car.
Bella just glided by and let me lead her into the car. She just stood there.
We drove in silence to my crib, and Bella looked petrified the whole time. I didn't want to push her. She was in shock and needed time to process what almost happened to her. What did in fact happen.
"Stay here." I locked her in the car and ran up my stairs to unlock the door, greeting Bear quickly and then heading back to the car to get Bella.
We walked wordlessly up the stairs and through the house. Bella sat herself on my bed, taking off her shoes.
Moments passed and she sat there quietly. I looked at her, worried but I understood not everyone could be a cold motherfucker like me.
Hell, I was even a little rattled after my girl was practically assaulted by someone in the"family" no less.
Bella opened her mouth to say something and instead started laughing maniacally. She was cackling to the point where her whole body shook.
"Bella?" I asked, nervously running my fingers through my hair.
She just kept laughing. I sat on the bed across from her, grabbing her thigh.
That snapped her out of her hysterics. Bella looked me in the eye, pursing her lips. "I lost my virginity to Liam. He was my 'boyfriend' until my dad found out. Dad thought I broke it off, but we kept seeing each other for like six months and one thing led to another and yeah." She cast her gaze down on the comforter.
After a moment passed, she peered up at me with those brown doe eyes. "Please say something," Bella pleaded, taking my face in her hands. I could tell the attack had an effect on her, but she, like me, was raised not to dwell on emotion too hard, so I'd let her grieve in whatever way she knew how.
I nodded once, palming her cheek now. "Okay." I eyed her, grimly smiling at her.
"Okay?" she asked, gulping and chewing on the inside of her cheek.
"Yes, okay. It's in the past." I leaned in so we were nose to nose, and I gave her eskimo kisses. "'sides you're mine now." I breathed, giving her a peck. I didn't want to overwhelm her with the physical aspect of our relationship so soon after this horrible night.
She straddled my lap. Apparently she didn't have the same thought process as I did because as usual, I got lucky. Damn, I was lucky.
A/N: Let us know your thoughts:) Also be sure to check out Swan Dive on samviolawrite's page:)