Bookends By: Bella's Executioner.

Rating: M- this means if you're under 16 you are agreeing to break your own ToS by reading this and I'm not your mother so be responsible for yourself.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. She is Bella's creator. I am Bella's Executioner.

A/N: Bookends is the very first fanfiction I started writing. It's been on this site, moved and come back. It has errors, fuck ups and lots of proofs that I'm human but it also has all of my heart and soul in it. I welcome you into this world of pain and love and hope that you enjoy. I also welcome your thoughts as you read—pm me or review and I'll be happy to discuss the story with you.

Chapter 11: Ruling

-**-Bookends-**-

EPOV (Seattle, the day of Tanya's hearing, March 2007)

Please Edward.

It was a fucking dream.

I'd had the same one for the last three nights.

It was a nightmare of sorts but I welcomed it with open fucking arms. I didn't have the real Bella in my bed to say the words. I was one greedy fucking bitch when it came to hearing that voice-a fucking heroin addict in detox without her.

Please...

She whispered again, all fucking breathless and sexy.

I could feel my real body covered in sweat and my real dick hard and throbbing.

My mind stayed in the dream.

She was laying under me with that fucking desperate look that made me want to cry.

Why did I get off on making her feel like that?

Totally fucking wrong!

She pleaded with her eyes.

Fuck, those eyes.

I felt myself twitch in my real pants. But the me in the dream stayed celibate against her fucking irresistible pleas. She was completely naked beneath me. Every inch of her body was open to me. She was willing to give me everything.

She just asked for one thing in return... all of me.

Fuck.

Please...

I felt both versions of me lose his breath and my heart pounded like a drum in my ears. I really fucking wanted to do it. I wanted to feel myself inside of her. She was in every inch of me. Maybe it would finally fill that ache that pulsed in my chest each time she was silent after I told her I loved her. Perhaps if I felt her acceptance around that fucking desperate part of me I would finally feel like this was right.

Fuck.

Maybe I should just fucking do it to feel fucking wonderful for one minute in my life.

Bella would feel wonderful to fuck.

I had no real basis for comparison but I was pretty damn sure it was true. Real me moaned in his sleep.

It was fucking embarrassing since Jazz refused to get a separate room.

Oh fucking well!

I had to hear him beat off in the shower twice yesterday after his hour-long conversation with his precious Al. He could deal with my wet dream of my Bella.

Dream Bella reached her hand up and smoothed the wayward hair from my forehead.

Shit.

Now the dream me was fucking ramrod hard too. Maybe it was just because real me was about to juice his fucking pants.

I was fucking panting and sweaty and maybe even writhing a little in my sleep.

I need you too...she whispered in the darkness of my mind.

Fuck.

If I ever heard Bella say those fucking words to me out loud I would have no choice to but to fucking do it-give in and consummate this relationship we were drowning in. It's not that I didn't know she really did need me—it's just that she never said it. She was just as fucking scared as I was to admit that weakness. I was some fucking hypocrite because I never told her I needed her... in the literal turn of phrase.

I covered my need in some false fucking declaration of love.

The more I worked on Bella and the more she gave of herself for me to possess, the more I realized I didn't know shit above love. I confessed it to her fifty times a day and I made a point to say it with intense fucking conviction after each time I pleased her.

But it was just a word.

I was just a kid.

What the hell do I know of love? Other than what a fucking sting the absence of it feels like.

Fuck.

We were too fucking perfect for each other- too fucking screwed in the head to be able to be around anyone else.

Dream me felt imaginary-Bella arch her slight hips towards mine.

Fuck!

Dream me was just as naked as she was. I could practically feel her wetness touch my tip and then my real self was wet from a whole other substance. She melted away in my mind and I was alone in the darkness.

Fuck.

I sighed. My eyes opened to the dark room. Jazz was snoring pretty fucking convincingly.

Maybe my manic moaning wasn't as loud as it had sounded to me.

I dragged my sorry ass out of bed and grabbed a fresh change of clothes on the way to the bathroom.

I noted the time on the clock- five a.m.

Fuck.

Three more hours before Carlisle was going to come in here and get us ready for our day in court.

I hated waiting for shit like this.

I let the hot water run until the tiny room was filled with steam. I was thinking of Bella while I pissed and that fucking pissed me off so I stared at the god-awful wallpaper for the rest of the time with an empty mind.

Whoever picked out pastel flowers for bathroom walls should be fucking shot. It was cheerfully depressing to stare at while jacking off in the shower.

But then, I suppose no room was decorated with the male ejaculatory hobby in mind.

I rolled my eyes as I discarded my used clothes. Those boxers were going straight to the trash.

What Bella wouldn't do to me... She probably felt like some fucking freak to have a boyfriend who was willing to fuck her and fuck himself but never put the two together.

Fucking head-case!

She had to know what she did to me. She'd grabbed my fucking hard dick more than once over the years. But I never let her touch it without having clothes between her hand and my skin. I never let her touch me.

It was emasculating to think about but I stood in the shower limp and flaccid while I washed. I couldn't even imagine why I would want to get it up without Bella near me. The dream was one thing.

I couldn't fucking help it!

My body just naturally responded to anything Bella that way. But as I stood in that hotel bathroom, staring at the fucking pink pastel paisleys, my dick was unimpressed.

My mind was full of thoughts of her breasts and her hips and the way her heat felt on my fingertips. And nothing was happening to my body except an overwhelming panic of what I would do if something went wrong today.

If I didn't get to go back to Forks….back to her.

It was just nerves. I'd spend the next three hours trying to shake them and fool myself into believing that I was having them for nothing. Tanya's fucking parole hearing. It wasn't the first one that required my brother and I to be present.

I tried to not remember the other times-when we met our mother at the courthouse with hopes and dreams that her absence had changed her bad habits.

I used up all my hope back then. Stupid fucking childhood.

The fucking bug up Bella's ass for the last month was her own fears for this day. She knew better than to push me on it. But it was kind of fucking cute how she worried about me.

Shit, maybe I spoke too soon.

I felt the familiar twinge in my lower abdomen. I braced my hand against the wall and tensed for the surge. But nothing happened. It just wasn't fucking right. It was just an echo of my Bella. I stroked over myself to clean up from my very nice nightmare and dried off.

I got dressed and grabbed my smokes and phone, heading to the rooftop. It was just starting to rain as I leaned against the dilapidated landing and lit up. I was okay with the rain. My girl loved the fucking rain-naturally I loved the fucking rain. I took a deep pull of the scent of the fresh rain, closing my eyes. I imagined the faintest hint of heather on the drops. I smiled. Bella would always make me fucking smile.

I enjoyed the cigarette as I looked out over my old hometown. It was fucked up to even think of this place as home. I couldn't imagine wanting to bring Bella back here and make a life.

I drew in a breath with my smoke between my lips and smiled around the cig.

Fucking funny that I only considered things like that with her in mind. There was no life without Bella now.

I recognized the view as an inversion of what I used to see from my bedroom window. This wasn't the fucking Hilton downtown but it was a nicer hotel than the slums by our old house. I remembered watching the lights going on and off in the windows here when I was a kid. I always wondered what kinds of people traveled here.

The lucky fucking kind that got to pick up and leave when they were done.

And now, I was finally one of those lucky fucking bastards. I had a new home to go to. Carlisle was going to fight for us today and find a way to keep us.

He promised.

There goes that stupid fucking hope, again.

I sighed and tried to not think about it. Carlisle was rich, smart and when he was determined to do something he did it. Tanya was a drain on society. She was rude, abusive and neglectful. But she was technically our mother. The courts tended to side with that shit whether it meant what it was supposed to or not.

Stop fucking thinking about losing, idiot.

I stared out over Seattle, knowing that no matter who won today there would always be a part of me that would never get to leave this city.

I sat on the rooftop and turned my back to the view. The rain was just more of a mist than a shower but it was refreshing in my hair and on my arms. That shit felt good.

It was like a thousand little fucking Bella kisses. I smiled again—that crooked smile that was only fucking hers. I palmed my phone on my knee.

She wouldn't be asleep.

Even though we were facing a Monday morning, Bella would find a way to be excused for the entire week from… fuck, from just being Bella. She would not go to school and she would probably not even leave the fucking tree house. The girl was even more of a fucking head case than me. But I couldn't fucking blame her.

My insides were clenching at the thought of two more days without her.

Fuck.

Every part of me that would usually be burning and throbbing for just the sound of her name was cold and heavy. It was like a motherfucking death being away from Bella.

That couldn't be fucking healthy.

But then I had to keep reminding myself of what I was facing while having my source of fucking life removed.

Tanya.

Fuck.

Phone.

Bella.

The receiver buzzed and I was suddenly locked in fucking déjà vu. This time I wouldn't fucking waste the minutes not talking to my girl. I fucking loved talking to my girl.

"Edward?" she answered immediately on the first ring.

Fuck.

That's what I needed.

I nodded mutely at the phone with that fucking goofy ass grin on my face.

Shit. I may not understand love but I felt something totally all fucking consuming for this girl. She had some kind of power over me and I didn't give a fuck enough to want to fight it.

"Hey baby," I said.

Fuck. I had decided not to call her that anymore. I heard Newton calling his college tramp, Jessica or whatever the fuck her name was, that at Alice's last fashion show. Not only did I feel sleazy sounding like that little prick, but it made me feel like I was grouping my princess with those sluts.

Bella was no slut.

"Hey," was her depressed quiet reply.

Fuck. She sounded so fucking sad. My arms were suddenly aching like I had tried to lift a fucking car over my head last night. My chest was seizing with the need to hold her close and feel her heartbeat against me.

"How are you?" I asked.

She was always the fucking concerned one. I knew she was probably sitting up in her room right now. She'd be worried about me. Bella was too fucking good for me—or least she used to be, until I fucking dragged her down into the gutter with me.

I sighed.

"I…" Bella's voice was strained and I could tell she was trying to speak but nothing was fucking coming out. And I knew exactly what the fuck she wanted to say.

"I love you," I vowed simply. I could fucking speak for both of us. It really didn't mean anything anyway. We cared for each other. We'd fucking die without each other. But neither of us was capable of understanding love.

I could hear Bella sigh on her end of the phone.

Fuck.

I missed the fuck out of her. My leg started to hop up and down—I was so fucking restless without my Bella to calm me.

"Alice says Carlisle is shitting bricks," she offered. I barked out a laugh.

Fuck the girl had a way of making me smile.

I snickered again before I could compose myself enough to speak.

"Why is that?" I already knew but I preferred to hear her speak than to be alone with my fucking thoughts.

"She's not sure. She said his three lawyers have been at the house for the last two days and that he was having them over a lot right before you left town. You don't suppose…"

Bella trailed off because she fucking knew better than to even mention the possibility that Tanya regain custody.

It wasn't a fucking long shot. Kids in the house was a guaranteed fucking check every month.

She didn't stand a chance with me. I was four months away from turning eighteen.

Let her fucking try something with me. I would drop her ass so fucking hard… But I wasn't really the one I was fucking concerned about. My baby brother was two years younger than me. And he was not going to be able to walk out her fucking door come this summer.

Fuck.

It'd be just like that bitch to pull some shit to keep my brother—force me to have to make some shit-ass choice. I'd stay in that shit hole with her just to keep Jazz alive.

My leg was jumping with more ferocity now. The rain was falling a little harder too—like Bella was trying to cover me with the wet and douse me in her support. The sun might have been coming up. Who the fuck could tell? It was so fucking cloudy all you could see was the skyline lit by the street lamps and house lights.

"Sing to me…" she whispered in the darkness.

Fuck. It was her magic whisper. It probably was ridiculous to call it that, but when Bella talked to me that way my mind fucking melted.

Whatever she fucking wanted.

I started humming her lullaby. I liked that piece. She had talked me into playing for my audition next month. Fuck Bella and her magic fucking whisper. She was convincing me to follow my dream-fucking impossible as it really was.

"Got a light?"

I jumped at the sound of someone's voice in the darkness.

"Fuck," I cursed, making eye contact with my idiot brother.

Where was that fucking sixth sense of mine this time? Right… it was singing to Bella.

I considered telling him to fuck off. I hadn't had enough time to talk to my girl. But then I remembered that he was feeling just as shitty as I was. I couldn't do that to him either. So I just shrugged and motioned for him to join me, keeping Bella on the line.

The only two people who knew and tolerated the real fucking me.

"Thanks man," Jazz whispered. He sat on the opposite side from my phone. He didn't speak. He didn't smoke either. Asking me for a light was Jazz's commentary on the bad habit.

I'd cussed him up one side and down the other when he told me he was thinking about taking up smoking a year ago. He called me a hypocrite and I handed him a pack of smokes and told him to knock himself out.

The Cullen brothers would never be accused of solving problems with logic.

So Jazz and sat in silence, with a rather quiet Bella in my ear.

I sighed.

Fucking pussies—the whole lot of us.

"Edward," Bella suddenly whined…tried to whine. I think she was trying to be fucking funny and pretend to be one of those girls who whines to their boyfriend. It didn't suit her. Bella was a straight forward kind of girl. Prissy and whiny just wasn't fucking her. I never found it funny when she tried to mimic the vapid morons from our high school.

"Are you taking me to the prom or what?"

Sure. Fine. What the fuck. Whatever she wanted.

Prom was a stupid fucking social custom that I hadn't thought she wanted to be a part of. But if my Bella wanted to get all dressed up and stand in a crowd of judging fucking morons I would stand there next to her.

Totally fucked.

"Do I have to wear a tux?" I whined back. We all knew that whine wasn't put on. I hated suits with the stiff shirts and neck ties. Torture in the form of clothing.

Jazz snickered next to me.

Fucking prick. I scowled at him and scooted my butt two inches away. Trying for privacy without fucking with my brother too much. I turned my shoulder and spoke quieter.

Jazz fucking snickered again.

-**-Bookends-**-

Jazz POV

I chuckled to myself as I watched my big brother talk to his girlfriend. This is what I needed. The sight of the gruff hard-ass that was Edward Masen whispering about corsages and blue lace was in juxtaposition to the hell we were facing later today.

This was a happy climate to sit in. How I had missed such a peaceful feeling.

The rain was a little thick for my taste. But it seemed to sooth Edward. I hoped that it would do the same for me. My internal compass was off these days. I didn't really know what soothed me anymore.

Al had been acting so weird since that party. Not in a way anyone but me could tell, but it was there. Maybe it was because I'd seen her slip. I saw the exact moment that she put that smile back on her terrified face and sold it for all it was worth.

I saw the man behind the curtain.

It was hard for me to believe it-that Al wasn't just a naturally optimistic and happy person. It was like being told the sky was actually purple you just always looked at it a little too late to ever notice when it changed to blue. I had always admired and stood in awe of how well she handled the demons of her past with such levity.

But now I knew the truth. Knew how it she pulled it off. She was just like the rest of us-she didn't face any of it either. She just locked it away and put a smile over it. And she refused to even begin to discuss any of it with me.

It was disturbing at best.

And in the most selfishly heinous of ways I was becoming even more annoyed by the way my brother was changed at that party as well.

It wasn't fair. Edward had suffered more than me for much longer in his life. And Edward had lived with the weight of responsibility to provide for my well being too. But those lines around his brow, the ones that used to tell everyone how much he fucking hated the world, were gone. Not lessened. Not eased in to a smile. Just gone. He was by no means transformed into a happy person—sometimes he and Bella could go at it with words and actions that made tough guys cringe. But he didn't hate everything in the world around him anymore.

He'd found hope.

It should have been a reassuring thing. If Edward Fucking Masen could find hope there was hope for us all. But my appreciation of that fact was clouded by the knowledge that I had lost all of mine in the same instant that he found his. We were quite the pair.

I listened but tried to grant him his privacy too. He was making prom arrangements with Bella. It was sweet. I wondered if Al was interested in going to the prom. She didn't attend school with the rest of us—home schooled and brilliant to boot. And I wasn't a senior like Edward so it wasn't exactly my turn at that right of passage just yet. But she never used to shy away from an excuse to wear her designs in public.

I tried to smile at the memory of how her eyes would light up as she twirled around in one of her dresses. The smile was tight because I hadn't seen that light reach those eyes in months.

What was she doing right now? I could call her. But that would only be awkward. The call yesterday had been strange and uncomfortable. And when it was over I had felt like I had to purge some evil darkness from my body.

It had started off like any other conversation we had these days—Al was kind of empty and remote but willing to babble on about anything. But then I mentioned something about Edward's incessant moaning over Bella every night in his sleep. The guy had it bad. And then at the mention of how desperate Edward was for Bella… Al just changed.

She started talking dirty. She said things that shocked me and yet excited me too. Before I knew it I was joining in and saying the same crap back to her. It was wicked but it was kind of fun too.

She talked about touching herself and I actually couldn't help but touch myself when she did. She cussed. She moaned. She made sounds that I had never known I wanted to hear from her body. And she actually made herself come while we were on the phone.

At some point my mind splintered and I was disgusted at the greater part of my body that was enjoying it. What the hell was happening to us? Since when did Al and I have to resort to dirty sex calls that depraved us of our civility? Since when did I find it remotely attractive to have Alice's innocent voice discuss my cock in such detail?

We were more of a vibe-couple. We could be satisfied to just be with each other. Sure we'd fooled around for years, but nothing too dirty- just some innocent touching and kissing. I knew Edward and Bella were much more physical than Al and I ever were. I always believe that was because they craved the touch more than I thought we did.

When I finally was released from the call I felt like an abused child. I had only been beat by Ed once-he got one hit in on my face before Edward could put himself between us. But I recognized the same twisting in my guts and shaking in my soul. After talking to Alice, I sat in the tub and let the hot water from the shower burn the flesh on my back.

This wasn't exactly the same abuse like that what I'd felt from Ed. This was a violation of my mind. I wondered if Edward ever felt like this those nights that Tanya would abuse him verbally in her drunken rants. He never let me see his tears—but I knew she made him cry.

I sat there for God knows how long before my body did a one-eighty and I jumped to my feet feeling impossibly aroused from Alice's words. I gripped on to my suddenly throbbing cock and stroked with all of my might. They were desperate pumps that hurt with the force I was exerting from my hand. It was not for pleasure—there was something deep inside of me that could only come out this way.

When I was done I felt the desperation well inside of me one more time. I didn't even bother to wash off after the last time. I just threw on my clothes and got into bed. I felt so sick inside. But from what I couldn't say.

And then Edward had another dream of about his Bella again tonight. He would just whisper her name over and over. And he would plead, I need you. It was kind of heartbreaking to hear-an insight into the fact that though my brother seemed happier these days, he was still just as lost with his relationship as I was with mine.

He finished his cigarette and hung up the phone. He didn't look over at me. I didn't say anything to him. We had another hour before our uncle would come to get us and prepare us for whatever it was we walking into.

Neither of us relished the idea of seeing her again. She was so much less than a mother—a vicious harpy that just sucked the life out of both of us.

There was nothing in the early morning darkness but the sound of the rain falling on our shoulders and our steady breaths marking the passing of time.

We'd face this like we did everything else in life— together.

-**-Bookends-**-

EPOV (courthouse, conference room.)

I stared at the mahogany table. I didn't want to fucking look at her. I made the mistake of fucking looking at her when we walked in. It wasn't her. It was the cleaned up bitch that came out of jail with promises and kisses. The lying tramp that would disappear as soon as we walked back through her front fucking door.

I hated that bitch almost as much as I hated Tanya.

We'd been sitting in that fucking conference room for over an hour. We had moved in there with the lawyers after Tanya was granted her parole. Now they were discussing me and Jazz. I wasn't fucking paying attention to anything but the table and Jazz.

He was staring at her. His eyes wide and for a long while I didn't think they were even fucking blinking. He didn't move any other part of his body. He'd just blink his eyes slowly and stare at that fucking bitch across the table.

It was fucking ridiculous. The power one fucking person could have over another. It didn't matter how big or small you were. How fucking smart or dumb you were. Once someone wormed their way into your brain and controlled your thoughts you couldn't fight it.

It was like Bella with her father. Charlie Swan was an ass. A fucking ignorant fool who pissed away his opportunity to get to know his kids. That's why I got in trouble standing up to Emmett Fucking Swan every damn day that he told his sister to get a grip. I never had the nerve to swing a punch at him, but I wasn't afraid to get in his face and cuss out his lack of support. Charlie never abused Bella but she was in pain just the same.

And I knew all too well what it was like to have someone in your head making you feel less. Making you doubt everything goddamn thought you've ever had.

Tanya sat across from me in her pink sun dress and auburn ponytail and I cowered like a fucking dog. I kept trying to picture Bella's face. If I could just think about her eyes.

Fuck. Nothing. Where is she? I couldn't even remember what color her eyes were… Fuck.

I glanced back at Jazz-still just fucking staring across the table. He looked kind of fucking creepy like he was in pain, but trying to squish it down with the backs of his eyes. I shook my head and put my hands on the table.

Bella. Fuck. Where was Bella? My hands fidgeted together and my knee started jumping under the table.

Fuck. I needed my Bella something bad right now. Right. Fucking. Now.

"Mr. Turner I am fully aware of everyone's rights in this room," Carlisle was arguing with the bitch's lawyer. No big fucking surprise she was trying to claim custody of the two of us. Big fucking shock—it was because my uncle was officially filing for adoption.

He wanted to formally, legally and officially make us Cullens.

Fucking bleeding heart.

My leg was nearly vibrating the solid wood table with the desperate rocking.

Where the fuck was Bella?

"Mr. Cullen," the sleaze defended. "You're just going to have to understand the court's position on this. You are a divorced…"

"Unmarried," Carlisle corrected in a clipped tone.

"Ah, yes, that is yet another question that we have." Fucking prick sounded like he was getting pleasure out of this. "What happened to your wife?"

I actually perked up in a sadistic fucking interest at that question. A bit of Cullen family mystery—even Jake never knew what happened to Mary Alice Brandon, his mother. She kind of was gone before Jake took his first steps. And no one ever talked about it.

"She left." End-of-fucking-story was the tone in Carlisle's response now.

You just had to fucking love Carlisle.

"Yes…" Sleazy McSleazster responded. "You must see why the court would have an issue with you being granted guardianship of these two boys when there is just the one parent."

What the fuck! He had Alice.

"Then the court should recognize that I have not only my son, but my adopted daughter already in my care."

Fuck yah, Carlisle!

"Yes…" Fuck. That guy could truly make your skin crawl. "That is the point. Is it really necessary to force so many children into a single parent house? Wouldn't the boys have more freedom and security in a home with two caring adults and no other dependents?"

Fuck, I forgot about Tanya's in prison hook up. Joe Fuck-if-I-care was sitting in the corner, I think. I just kept staring at my fucking hands.

Fuck that bitch to hell where she belonged.

Where was Bella?

Carlisle alone was fucking better than a hundred Tanya's any day.

"No," Carlisle countered. "These boys have been abused in that situation before. They deserve any life that can keep them from it…"

"But I've changed." Fuck. The sugarcoated venom from that bitch's mouth was making every muscle in my body lock up. It was truly the fucking tongue of the Devil. "I want my boys to come home with me big brother." Fuck. I hated that she tainted the Cullen name with her heritage. She didn't deserve to be related to my uncle.

"That trick is not going to get you paid today, Tanya."

Fuck! You had to fucking love Carlisle.

"These boys were abused. You…"

I gripped my hands into white fucking knuckled fists. I could feel Carlisle's eyes on me.

Where the fuck was Bella?

"You beat Edward." His voice was somber and grave. "They were malnourished and you allowed men of questionable natures to be around them. They will not leave this place with you."

Fuck. I wanted more than anything in the world to trust those words. I wanted to be able to trust that if it were in his power, Carlisle would make that promise truth.

"Mr. Cullen," the other one of the bitch's lawyer spoke up. "With so many children in your house how can you promise that these boys will be properly raised? Edward has not had any fewer problems in school under your care. And it is apparent that both boys are prone to social outburst and misdemeanor behaviors."

Shit! I never considered us fucking around as reflection on Carlisle. We were the fuck ups—he was the saint.

"These boys are not leaving with you, Tanya." He didn't raise his voice but you could feel the force of that statement in the air of the conference room.

"Mr. Cullen," the lawyers began again. It suddenly struck me that I hadn't heard Carlisle's lawyers speak up. They were the best that money could buy and clearly they had counseled my uncle on everything that he could and could not say.

Pretty damn smart. I wold imagine it was truly fucking intimidating to sit across from Carlisle right now.

"No."

"Mr. Cullen, be reasonable."

Carlisle ignored the pleas of her lawyers, narrowing his eyes at his baby sister, he simply asked her, "how much?"

Fuck. The air left the room and for the first time I raised my head to see the bitch's face. I had to fucking know. How much were her precious fucking sons worth in her eyes. How little was the amount of monetary gain that she would waltz out of here with that replaced the motherly bond that she had crowed about for the last forty five fucking minutes?

I fucking glared in to her dark hazel eyes and waited.

How. Fucking. Much. Bitch.

She tried to look shocked for a second. Her wide eyes traveled to her precious baby. Jazz probably hadn't changed his facial expression at all. She seemed like she really was going to try and fucking sell it—bring in the biggest buck from the tears and the emotions and shit. But then she looked at me and I fucking broke her cool. Bitch had nothing on me anymore. I fucking had Bella. She could have all the fucking money in the world—she didn't get to fucking have me.

Tanya's face melted from sincere to sneer.

"Two million."

Short and fucking sweet. Million dollars babies—the two of us.

"Done," Carlisle agreed flatly, like this was some business deal and not a mother selling her sons.

Tanya's face fell slightly at the ease of the exchange.

"Mr. Cullen?"

Now Carlisle's lawyers chimed in.

"I must advise you that the adoption process will be under heavy review. You may give your sister this monetary stimulus as… a gift from her brother but the boys will still have to be formally adopted and the adoption will have to be handled in the proper way."

Yeah, cause if not it will be painfully obvious that the bitch just sold us like she was a pimp and we were just two fucking hookers she had up for auction.

I saw Carlisle nod out of the corner of my eye. The bitch was staring at her brother and I was staring at her.

"Also, Mr. Cullen, it is important for you to keep in mind that the boys' will be under review as well. If during the four week probation the boys are in any way found to be in substandard conditions they will be sent back to the full guardianship of their mother." As the lawyer spoke Tanya's face turned slowly to leer at me. Her face spread with an evil grin and her eyes narrowed on mine.

Like she was fucking daring me to not fuck this up.

Challenge fucking accepted bitch! I thought as I remembered the girl waiting for me back home.

"Agreed." Carlisle's voice was resolute and strong in the conference room.

We all signed papers and Jazz and I were put on probation to become Cullens. I didn't speak to her at all. We walked out with Carlisle and I didn't look back. My brother hung his head a little as we descended the steps of the courthouse. He hadn't won his fight with the demon bitch today. I don't know that I won, but I knew I would never hang my head over that woman again.

No fucking way.

I flipped out my phone as we got into the cab. Bella was on speed dial. I let her sweet voice and excitement calm my nerves. My heart was kind of racing and when we reached the airport I felt like throwing up. It was some kind of fucking relief to know that I would see her in less than an hour.

I fucking needed my Bella right now.

Carlisle prepped the jet and we didn't talk to each other as we took our seats. Jazz just stared down at the city as we pulled away from it. I sketched in my book—knowing that I would never feel a need to see this fucking place again. I drew a picture for my girl—a two headed monster decapitated and drained of all its blood. Bella liked mythology and fairy tales. She would fucking like the symbolism. I smiled as I thought about her.

My fingers twitched to feel her. My nose burned to smell her. And my arms ached to hold her.

I let out on sharp chuckle as I drew Tanya's eyes on the head of the beast. Fucking bitch deserved to go down. But my humor was short lived. The eyes shown up at me in ironic glee- Fucking daring me in an all knowing kind of way.

You will fuck this up, Edward.

Fuck.

Where the fuck was Bella?