just a warning: this chapter is angsty.

also: a note on the review bribe for the last chapter, i messed up the link and it disappeared. so here it is, instead: h t t p : / / i856 . / albums / ab129 / appletreesfall / bennettwhitlock . png

*I don't own Twilight.*

Chapter Twenty-Six

Edward Cullen

Once Bella was in the house, I'd shut the door and locked it. I was trying to keep my movements careful, the baby had been in a fussy mood all afternoon and she'd just fallen asleep. I wondered if she realized her mommy wasn't there.

I turned and watched B walk up the stairs and walked behind her, stopping in Audrey's room and laying her in her crib before heading for the master bedroom.

"Hey," I mumbled.

"Hi," she sighed, wiggling out of her dress and letting it fall to the floor. The see-thru white strapless bra and panties were plain but incredibly sexy. I watched silently as she walked over to her dresser and removed her B necklace and took out the diamonds in her ears.

Deciding to take a chance in avoiding this talk, I walked behind her and ran my hands gently up and down her sides. Bella shivered and I could see her worrying her rosy lip between her pearly teeth as I continued the movements.

"You look gorgeous, love. You're glowing," I moved her hair to one side and left open mouthed kisses along the length of her neck, leaning into me little by little. Suddenly, I turned her and picked her up bridal style. Bella squealed and kicked her feet and I felt proud of myself for distracting her.

Walking over to the bed, I gently tossed her to the center before stripping off my short and khakis and climbing onto the bed next to her.

"Did you find a dress, baby?" I asked as I got on all fours, hovering over her. Her flush started at her cheeks and disappeared down her bra. Bella wrapped her arms around my neck and long legs around my waist so she was practically hanging off me. She pulled my face down to hers and kissed me, hard and slow.

"Third one I tried on," she told me, her sweet voice slightly breathless, trying to rub against me but it was difficult in this position so I collapsed down on top of her, giving her easy access to grind. I slid my hands down to her ass so my dick was grinding harder against her. I loved when I could feel my girl's wetness between my boxers and her panties.

Bella groaned softly as I slid my hands down the back of her panties and squeezed her firm ass.

"Bridesmaid dresses?" I ground out, knowing I had to get in her soon or I'd have a sticky situation in my boxers.

"Uh huh… I'll… ugh… yes, right there! I'll show you… mmmph, oh fuck… the color later," Bella cried out and whimpered her way through the sentence. I changed the angle of my hips, so I'd hit the spot that always made her cum almost instantly and it did the trick. She nails scratched down my back as she threw her head back, my name leaving her lips over and over as she went over the edge.

"Was that good, love?" I asked, working her panties down. Her legs were locked around my waist and it took a little effort to get her to left go and I tossed them onto the floor before doing the same with my boxers.

"Mmm, Edward… you're so good," Bella mumbled somewhat coherently. I pulled away to get a look at her and my jaw dropped. Her entire body was bare of hair, including her pussy.

"Holy shit, Bella," I mumbled, running my fingers down her slit, "Did you do this for me?"

She let out a small whimper, spreading her legs wide, "Yes… and I like it," Bella clarified.

"God, I want to be in you," I told her and she nodded. I was still scared of hurting her so I pushed my dick in slowly, groaning and having to stop a few times so I didn't cum right there and then. "I love how you feel," I grunted against her ear as I started pumping slowly. Her hips met mine in a slow, sensual rhythm as we kissed. I angled my hips so they hit the spongy spot inside of her again and she cried out as she constricted around me. I groaned, somehow managing not to come. We were both covered in sweat and I began to thrust harder and faster, hoping she'd tell me if it was too much. Instead, she begged for more. Reaching between our bodies, I found her clit. I knew I wasn't lasting much longer and I was taking her over the edge with me.

I pinched and rubbed roughly, "Do you want me to pull out?"

Please say no. I'll die.

Bella groaned softly, pushing against my fingers. She shook her head, "No, there's no point in worrying,"

I wondered what that meant but ignored it as I leaned down and kissed her hard on the lips at the same time as I hit her g-spot and rubbed her clit. She screamed and came around me at the same time as I roared her name and buried myself deep inside her as I came.

The room was silent, except for the sounds of our breathing. Finally, we both evened out. I even pulled away to make sure Bella was still awake and she was, playing with the hair at the nape of my neck.

"You really do look beautiful, Bella. Not that you always don't but… wow," I murmured against her sweet, swollen lips.

"Mmm, we need to talk but I want to shower and put some clothes on… feed Audrey and stuff, first," Bella mumbled. I nodded, pulling out and off of her and helping her off the bed.

She disappeared into the bathroom so I headed to the guest bath which had somewhere along the line become mine. I peeked in and saw that Audrey was still around asleep but grabbed the monitor because I knew I'd be quicker than my fiancée.

I quickly showered and washed my hair. I might have cheated a little because I pulled on Bella's favorite outfit on me, a brown polo and another pair of khaki shorts. Then I took the time to try to do my hair but whenever I did it, it looked exactly the same.

Audrey started fussing and I took her downstairs. When she turned to full out crying, I called Bella down, "Babe? Audrey's hungry, I think,"

"I'm on my way!" Bella yelled down and came down a few minutes later, looking… amazing. It was a simple outfit but her hair and make up looked beautiful. She was wearing a gray v-neck shirt that was a deep V and kind of baggy along with dark jean cut off shorts. Not the kind that you cut off yourself though – the kind you paid a hundred bucks and they're bought like that.

Her hair was curling but the new cut was amazing and I loved her hangs and her make up was simple but highlighted her beast features. She immediately took our girl from me and lifted her shirt, making it clear that she wasn't wearing a bra, which didn't surprise me.

"How was she today?" Bella asked as Audrey suckled on Bella's breast as though she had never eaten before.

"Uh, fussy. I thought maybe she realized that you were out for so long but I tried to keep telling her that it's good for mommy to have time out and she deserves it because you do and I'm not trying to make you feel guilty but… she's a baby, so of course she didn't understand. She's fascinated by the other kids, though," I rambled, suddenly nervous.

"I missed her but I'm glad. The dress… I can't tell you details but I'm in love with it. And I have pictures of the bridesmaids dresses and I have and idea for a second color. I know you said you didn't care but I want you to be involved in some ways," B insisted.

I nodded my head yes, "Sure, that'll be good. Maybe I'll come to the floral arrangements appointment, if it's good with you and my mom."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Bella smiled and burped Audrey before switching sides, rocking slowly.

"After she's down again, we can talk," I suggested, not wanting to wait one more day before telling her about the practice. Ever since I'd given into the thought of more kids, it made me want a son almost desperately. I imagined him becoming a lawyer and having a law firm: Cullen and Cullen.

We sat in silence as Audrey ate and it was almost like the calm before the storm. Once Audrey was finished, Bella disappeared out of the room, returning a few minutes later and I could tell she'd put a bra on.

"So…" I started.

"So…" she repeated, playing with her hair and pulling it over her right shoulder.

"I don't…" I started but Bella interrupted me, her dark eyes determined.

"No, let me go first. Edward," Bella sighed, shaking her head, "I think we need to lay our problems out on the table. Just, let each other know how we feel about everything and I hope you don't mind if I go first. I feel like… like you intentionally do things to provoke me."

Well, she was diving right in.

"Provoke you?" I asked, my voice defensive. I took a deep breath and tried again this time without the edge in my voice, "What is that even supposed to mean? What have I provoked you with for instance?"

"It means, you provoke me to make me angry or to get some sort of reaction out of me. You'll know there's stuff I like certain ways and you change them around… like Audrey's bedroom. It's a small thing; all of the things are small. But you do things without mentioning or discussing them with me and how do you think our marriage is going to last like that?"

Oh, fuck. If she was angry over the fact that I'd moved Audrey's bedroom around, she was going to kill me when she found out about the law firm.

"You're mad because I moved the nursery around? She hadn't even slept in it before today, it's not like she was used to it being one way and I fucked that up," I mumbled.

"I know it sounds stupid but I loved the way it was set up, Edward. From the moment I gave into buying this house, I had this image in my head of how her room would be as a baby and toddler," Bella said softly.

"And that's another thing…" Bella continued, playing with the ends of her shiny hair. "Audrey's first times doing things – you don't feel the need to let me know. You could have let me know you were putting her in the crib for the first time," she said.

"All right, Bella. I'm sorry. I'll try to make sure you're more aware of Audrey's firsts. But let's face it, you're never away from her and you said earlier that you wanted to put her in the crib today. You never said you wanted to be there, but I'll try to make sure you're here for everything."

I said calmly, able to keep the sarcasm in my voice to a minimum. Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice. I avoided her gaze and started playing with a thread that was loose on the arm of the couch.

"Thank you… and then there's money. God, the money," Bella paused, sucking in a deep breath, "Edward, I haven't been honest about the amount of money I have… those accounts you've seen are barely a portion of what's accumulated over the years." I looked up at her, furrowing my brows. Why would she lie about this? Was it lying or just an omission? Could I play the practice that way?

No, Bella. I haven't been lying to you about all the phone calls I've been making and why I've been looking at business rental properties.

"Are you sure? B, you're loaded. I'm sure I've seen everything."

"You know I hate talking about this. I have an accountant because I was eighteen when I inherited most of it and had no idea what to do," Bella got up and walked over to the coffee table, opening the drawer for a few seconds before she put down the paper in front of me. It was a list of accounts with the total at the bottom. She wasn't lying when she said there was a lot more.

"Are you fucking with me?" I asked her. I felt like someone had just sucker punched me. My fiancée wasn't just rich, she was… what, a billionaire?

"No, I wish I was," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"This is why I don't need you to call ahead and pay for spa days, Edward. I'd rather the money you make be the money that supports us. If it's something extravagant, then we'll have it taken out of one of my accounts, why can't we agree on that? Or, let's just open a joint account?" Bella asked with a shaking voice.

I nodded silently, because I still felt like the wind was knocked out of me from the piece of paper in my shaking hand.

"And, um… the Chicago Sun's Times thing, Edward…"

"Listen, that's something my parents have been doing for years and I never thought to tell you about it. When I came to visit from New York, there were some incriminating pictures, let's leave it like that. To keep them from running more of the same picture of anything similar…" I trailed off, shrugging.

"I don't like it," Bella said. Her voice was final but it was nothing that either of us could control.

"Bella, if they take a picture of us on a walk with Audrey… we can't do shit about it. If they start writing slander, we'll talk about it again," I told her.

"This is what I hate, Edward! You're not giving me room for opinion. I don't want my picture or our daughter's picture in any sort of paper or magazine!" B raised her voice and I couldn't help raise mine back.

"B, it's not anything I control, it's my parents!

"Then talk to them, Edward," Bella crossed her arms over her chest.

"Bella? It's not a big deal, chill the fuck out."

My temper had officially arrived and I was fucking angry.

"You just feel the need to control everything, Edward! Or go against what I say or to fight with me. It's your favorite thing to do, isn't it? All you do is talk to your parents and I know they'd gladly take care of it!" Bella cried out.

"I don't want it taken care of. All right, how about this: I like that Chicago is interested in the fucking Cullen family!"

"Well, if you want me to be a part of that family, it has to change." Bella wiped her eyes and I knew she was crying more of out anger than anything else.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Bella?"

I couldn't stop running my hands through my hair, tugging at it when I reached the end. I was pretty sure I was losing Bella over some bullshit and I wasn't sure how it had lead to that.

"I'm giving you options. Have I been given any options, Edward? No!"

"Well then I'm so fucking sorry I've forced you into this relationship… oh, wait. Other way around, wasn't it?"

"Oh, yes, I admit it! I knew all about Edward Cullen and the great Cullen fortune because I'm so broke and I'm psychic that I knew you'd be at Twilight that night and bumped into you on purpose. Then I made sure you were nice and drunk and fucked you… and surprise, I was ovulating and everyone gets pregnant the first time they don't use a condom! I was disgusted with myself for days after it happened, Edward. You have to stop holding it over my head, do you regret her? Do you regret our little girl who you wrote a lullaby for?" Bella was pacing the room, yelling louder than I'd ever heard before.

"Stop being such a sarcastic bitch, Isabella! You're so… hypocritical. This not having her in the paper… you want Audrey to have a normal life but you buy her the most expensive clothes and shoes and shit I've ever seen for babies! Like she's Suri Cruise or Shiloh Pitt or some bullshit like that! You dress her like you want her to be seen!"

"I want our baby to have nice things, Edward! If we can afford to dress her in the best clothes, send her to the best schools, give her the best childhood… why not, Edward? Please, tell me!"

"Because, B… Goddamn, you're so fucking self-righteous. Oh, poor Isabella, grew up going between her parents like most fucking children in this day and age. Poor Isabella, didn't have any siblings… well, make some fucking friends! Poor Isabella, didn't have any money until she was eighteen and inherited billions of dollars.

"Why don't you help other kids, if you're such a good person? Do you know how shitty you probably make our friends feel when you insist on buying their kids designer clothes? It's like saying, 'I can fucking afford it for everyone and you can't for yourself!'"

I could tell the moment Bella lost it because her arm shot out to hit me or smack me or maybe even flick a piece of lint off my shirt but I was quicker and I grabbed her by her skinny upper arms and squeezed, something I'd never done to any woman. She cried out in pain and I immediately dropped my hands, pushing forward a little and my jaw dropped as Isabella landed on the couch. I didn't do that shit. Yet there I was, hurting the woman who is the love of my life. Or supposed to be.

Bella's eyes were wide and she was rubbing her arms, like she wasn't sure what had just happened before she got off the couch and ran out of the room and up the stairs. I stood still, staring at the spot where I'd pushed her until ten minutes later when I heard her come back down the stairs, Audrey in her carrier and bags on her shoulders.

"Wait, fuck… Bella, don't go, that was an accident!" I rushed to the stairs.

Bella was crying so hard she couldn't talk. After a few minutes of sobs and loud hiccups, she finally spoke, "I can't believe… I… you hurt me… and I can't believe… I… I never thought you'd do that. You said you wanted to do pro-bono work and I pictured you saving battered and abused women or making sure abusive parents didn't win their kids back because I could see you saving the world, Edward," she let out another loud sob and flinched away when I reached for her, "I could see you being Audrey's and my hero!"

"Bella… please, God, I'm sorry. I never… I thought you were going to hit me and baby that is what I'm going to do. I'm going to open a law practice with my friend from law school. Felix. You met him at my party, right? We've been working on setting everything up and getting everything planned out. We found the perfect space for offices, I figured we can make one of the smaller offices a room for you and Audrey when you come and hang out. Baby, I promise, I'd never… it was a reflex.

Wiping her dark chocolate eyes, Bella finally looked up at me, "How long have you been planning this?"

"Just… since I mentioned it and then it evolved," I said, trying to keep my voice soothing but even I could hear the shakiness in it. I could tell I was fucked. I was going to lose my fiancée.

"You've been lying to me?" B's voice sounded so tiny and unsure and it made me feel even shittier.

"No, no. I just… I wanted it to be a surprise," I begged for her to believe me.

"Why? 'Surprise, Bella, you'll be spending a whole lot of time alone with that baby and any other babies that we have because a law firm – even though I say it won't – is going to eat up all of my waking hours?'" Bella shook her head, "I see what Rosalie goes through with Emmett owning a bar and he has people that can run it. I see how Alice is so exhausted and barely has time to feed herself while managing to keep the house clean and run after Charlotte… in fact, they were just talking…" Bella froze and began shaking her head and mumbling something about trusting people.

"What? I can't understand…"

"They knew! My two best friends knew and they didn't…" Bella broke into a fresh round of sobs. Every time I made a move to touch her, she dodged my hand until she calmed down enough to find her keys in her purse.

"Bella, please… you stay here, I'll leave for the night and give you time to think," I suggested but she kept shaking her head.

"You promised you'd never take her from me like your mom took you from your father, Bella! You're breaking your fucking promise," I yelled.

I kept begging her as she walked out to the garage and got Audrey in the car. I begged her around the window as she opened the garage door and backed out. And I ran down the street after her car screaming as she left with our daughter.

Bella didn't come home.

Bella didn't go to Alice's.

Bella didn't go to Rosalie's.

Bella didn't go to my parents'.

Bella didn't go to her mother's.

Bella didn't feel the need to let me know she was alright.

Bella didn't feel the need to let Alice know she was alright.

Or Rose.

Or my parents.

Or her mother.

Worst of all, Bella didn't feel the need to let me know how Audrey was. To let me see her or hold her or smell her sweet, sweet natural baby scent.

Bella had seemed to basically fallen off the face of the Earth.

If I weren't able to view her credit card statements and banking account online, I might think that was true.

I spent my days tracking her days.

She spent five days at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel. She didn't do much those first few days. Mostly stayed in the hotel and ordered room service.

The five days after that were spent at the Four Seasons Chicago.

Those days, she did some shopping. She went to Saks. She went to the drug store, I was guessing to get diapers for the baby.

She ordered room service, every day. She used the same username and password for everything so I was able to log into the account she'd created at Four Seasons.

Room Service – Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast.

She ate the same meal for breakfast and dinner every day and usually a salad or tuna for lunch.

I called everyday.

Everyday, I was told she was not accepting any calls.

Everyday, it hurt a little bit more.

The only thing I had in my grasp was on day eleven.

Bella had her six-week post-baby check up at noon. I remember we picked noon because we weren't sure how Audrey would be sleeping and how tired we would be. I knew she didn't cancel it because they called to confirm and I quickly told them that yes, yes she would be there.

Seeing her at this appointment was the only thing I could think of for exactly twenty-seven hours and eighteen minutes, the amount of time before the appointment that they'd called.

If I didn't see her now, I didn't know what I would do.

I couldn't go without seeing her now because I now knew what I had suspected for a while: I couldn't live without Isabella Marie Swan in my life.

i know, angsty and dramatic. we all need a little of that in our lives.

review and get some of bpov from her stays at the hotels and thoughts during this time.