PRM ch29
A/N: So, a lot of you are anxious to see what Jake has to say but rest assured that this IS Edward's story...so I continue to ask for your understanding as he comes to grip with the life he now has to face. I had originally planned to finish this fic at ch25, IDK WTF I was thinking on that timeline, LOL. But, I will continue to write it as he lays it out for me. Enjoy the journey.
That which does not kill us will only make us stronger...
EPOV
Jake intimidated me a little and I was ever so thankful that Bella was there because she made me feel a little more at ease in his presence.
"Edward, I need to ask you some questions and I'm going to record our conversation, is that okay?" Jake's voice broke through my thoughts and brought me back to the present.
"Su...sure." I stammered. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and prepared for the humiliation that was sure to come my way with his questions.
"Edward, how much do you know about these friends of Tanya's, the man and woman that always follow her around?" He asked with a business matter to his voice.
"Do you mean Eleazar and Carmen?" I asked as I cut my eyes from him to Bella. This was going to be a true test for me to open up and tell them what happened to me that awful night.
"Yes. I do." He said softly.
"I know that she's been friends with them for a long time, our whole relationship, maybe. She um...she brought them to the house about three years ago..." I had to stop and take some deep breathes as I could feel a panic attack as it built up in my body, at the mere thought of talking about that night.
"It's okay, Edward. Take your time, we aren't here to judge you, we just need the details so that we can set a trap for her." Bella's soft voice rang through my ears as her small hand took mine into hers.
I opened my eyes and willed my tears to stay in my eyes as the soft care that shone in her eyes hit me.
"She drugged me. She brought them home and forced me to do things to them. As I'm sure they did things to me, as well. I don't know for sure but I've seen the pictures." I said with a rush of breath as it left my body.
"Did you talk to them afterwards? Do they know you were drugged?" Jake asked.
"Oh, um, I'm sure they were a part of it, but that's not all. They all signed statements that I raped them. The pictures..." I had to stop and breathe, again. I closed my eyes and squeezed Bella's hand for comfort.
"It wasn't your fault, Edward." Bella said as she ran her fingers over my forehead as if to sweep my hair out of the way.
I felt the tear fall down my cheek as I stared at Bella. "I know but I allowed it to happen to me. They portrayed me as a rapist. Me. I would never..." I gasped and felt the tension once again build in my chest.
"Edward, did she show you all of this before or after she forced you to cut off your relationship with your family?" Jake asked and I tried to focus on his question.
"She showed me the pictures and documents after my dad cut my inheritance off. Once she realized that the pictures weren't going to work to get her the money back, she forced me to cut them off permanently. She threatened to take the evidence to the media unless I kept her in the lifestyle I had previously afforded her and continued on our relationship as it was." I said as I felt a little bit of strength as it returned to me.
"And how often would she hit you, beat you or injure you?" He asked as he started to write some notes on a pad of paper I hadn't seen him with before.
"On a pretty regular basis, she liked to see me humiliated. She threatened me regularly and reminded me that she could have any of my family members killed at any moment." I answered with a sudden burst of anger that coursed through me. I continued so that they could hear all she had done, I wanted to make sure that I gave them enough to get her out of my life for good.
"She belittled me. She made me feel weak. She used me for sex when she felt like it, but I don't understand why since she apparently got all the sex she wanted from others, too. Plus, she kept my bank account empty. Tanya never gave me the option of walking away... alive or with my family's name intact." I said and laid my head back, it was easy for exhaustion to take its toll on my body.
"Jake, I think that's enough for now." Bella said as she raised a glass of water to my lips. I was grateful for her care as I took a sip through the straw.
"I'm going to get the rest of your family, if that's alright? They need to be here to hear what I've found out." He waited for my nod and then walked to the door to escort my family back into the room.
"Do you need a minute before we begin?" Jake asked as my parents and sister came in and surrounded my bed, all their hands found a way to touch and comfort me. After so many years with just Tanya in my life, it felt beyond description to look around the room and see all the people that cared for me.
"Yes, let's just get this over with." I said and attempted to sit up a little before my mom noticed and adjusted my bed.
Everyone got settled and Jake took a folder out of his bag, "Now, I have made contact with the suspect. She has very clear instruction on what she wants to happen. Carlisle, as we suspected she has a hit out on you. However, I have secured the hit with half the payment in my possession already. So, as long as we maintain the fact that you don't know me then we should be home free on setting the trap for her to be arrested. We will need to keep my cover under wraps from everyone but the immediate people in this room." He said as he laid out some surveillance pictures on my bed.
"She's actually paid you to kill my dad?" I asked in disbelief.
"She has Edward and she's given me very clear instructions as to how she wants things to happen." Jake said as he crossed his arms over his chest, which made his appearance even more intimidating than before.
"Why?" I asked, unsure how to connect the dots for her end game.
"She seems to think that with your dad dead, you'll get complete control over your money and you'll pay her off, so that she can leave the country. Her accomplices will go with her, as they have quite the little side scam with their blackmail racket they also have." Jake showed no emotion as he laid out more pictures of everything that he'd just told us.
"So what do we do now?" My dad asked as I noticed that all of my family had huddled together in a embrace. Their arms were all locked around one another and I immediately felt the years of separation from them.
Bella noticed and grasped my one hand with both of hers, her tiny hand gave mine a tender squeeze.
The enormity of this situation built up and my chest got tighter as I fought to keep the sob at bay.
My mother caught my expression and leaned over to rest her hand on my shoulder and I felt my body go stiff. It had been too long without the affections of my mother or more specifically my entire family that I couldn't hold back anymore.
I broke down in a loud sob.
Jake faded into the background as my entire family, as well as Bella surrounded me and we spent the next few minutes locked in an embrace of tears, words of regret for time lost and words of love to move forward on.
Once we had all regained our composure Jake came back into view.
"Are we ready to discuss our plans of action?" His voice was all and business whn he took charge again..
"Yes, let's bring this bitch down." I said with a new found strength that I wasn't familiar with.
But, damn, it sure felt good.
A/N: So, we're about to get into some of the action...buckle up...
It'll probably be one update a day for a while, as I'm still trying to catch up on my writing. As writing this fic takes a very specific mindset to write, I ask for your continued patience as I strive to get it accurate and precisely written like I want it to be.
PSA: If you or anyone you know is in a situation similar to what I am writing about, please get help. Leaving is the only the answer. While in the heat of the battle it may feel hopeless please know that there ARE people out there to help you. A family member, the police, protective shelters...there is SOMEONE in this world that WILL help you and protect you.
On a personal note, yes, I have been in a similar situation. It has taken me years to get over the insecurities and lack of self-worth that my abusers bestowed upon me. I am a standing testament that help is out there. You just have to hang on to the one piece of hope that resides deep within your soul that life can change.
Thanks for reading, supporting this fic and giving me your feedback. While this is a work of fiction it has sparked many of you to share your stories with me through PM's and reviews. Please know that I am now trying to go back and answer/respond to all of those PM's and reviews and that I do read each and every one of them. I cry, scream, yell and hurt just like all of you do when reading/writing this fic. So, thank you for taking this journey with me and Batteredward.
Kyla