AN: So it has been a few more days than I would have liked but it is here. As always thank you for all the kind words I love it and I am glad y'all are enjoying this story I am having a blast writing it. I will try to update twice this week as we are hunkered down here in Japan from a typhoon. Thank you again ! Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight
Sitting on this plane with Jasper is nerve wracking Papa won't tell me anything about what will happen when we land in Italy but it will be fine he is ready to take the reins of his family. Jasper is asleep with his head in my lap the purple bags under his eyes are still present as I runs my hand across is cheek and down his jaw he hasn't shaved in days and has blonde facial hair that I may ask him to keep. He turns his face into my hand and I smile he is such a caring man and I am one of the only people on the planet that gets to see this Jasper.
I sit and read for a few hours glancing down at my mafioso husband who looks completely innocent while asleep. Landing is what I hate most about flying but this is also the last time I will see my husband for the next few days. I will be going to stay with Liz and Val while Rone goes with Jasper and Papa. I wish that Mary and Roma could have come with us and my niece and nephew could have met, but I am very happy to get to see my sister and nephew.
"I can feel you staring at me beautiful while I am glad that you like what you see is there a specific reason you are staring at me?" Jasper's gravelly voice comes from my lap and I hadn't realized that I had been staring. I lean down and plant my lips on his and he smiles against my lips.
"I am not staring for any reason other than that I am happy that you are laying in my lap right now. I missed you a lot while we were apart is all I am ready to get home and have one hell of a party to celebrate your ascension to the top and our life together." I say leaning down to kiss him again just because I can. Jasper just smiles at me and nods at me. Sitting up and pulling his hair back he looks more rested after his nap.
"The next few days are not going to be fun but after then we have our party and then the event that Esme and you have been working so hard on. I know that I read in the paper it was a sold out event already raising almost a million dollars in seat only." The pride on his face is palatable he is holding my hand rubbing his thumb across the back of my hand which still gives me butterflies.
"Also I have business in Tokyo here in a few weeks and I would like you to go with me we can stay and extra few days and do some sightseeing. A small vacation is about all either one of us can hope for right now and since I never gave you a honeymoon we can use this in lieu of one for now. Jasper finishes quickly as if I will be arguing. I nod and smile as I have never been to Japan and it sounds in Italy was bittersweet kissing Jasper before we disembarked because I wouldn't see him again until he was finished. Jasper cradled my face in his hands and kissed me long and deep before pulling back and running his nose up mine and kissing my forehead.
"I love you Isabella Whitlock and I will see you soon." He says to me and even now his words make my knees week. I knew that I would be married at some point but I had only hoped to have companionship, friendship and a parter in a husband but I had never hoped for love not a love like I have with Jasper. Getting into the town car that would take me to my brothers house and we pulled off of the tarmac. Stopping to pick up Elizabeth some flowers and me a chocolate bar at the grocery store I walked out with a whole bunch of crap I didn't need which was the problem with the store right?
"Oh Bells you are here finally." Elizabeth came running down the stairs toward the car. I stepped out as she ran flat into me wrapping her arms around me. I laughed at my exuberant sister where my brother was calm and sulky she was spunky and the life of any party. She kissed my cheeks and grabbed my hand dragging me along with her to the house I look back at Alec who is grinning shaking his head at me. I flipped him the bird and I heard his laugh as Elizabeth through the door open.
"I am so happy that you are here Val is napping but he has been looking at the door all day waiting for you." She said to me with a sly smile on her face and that make me think that she had more up her sleeve.
" I should go wake him I have missed him so much." I tell her and head for the stairs. Grabbing my elbow pulling me to a stop shaking her head.
"Best advice I can ever give you about becoming a mother is never wake a sleeping babe. So let the boy sleep woman and cup have a cup of coffee with me."
Sitting with Elizabeth and talking had always been as easy as breathing she was a sweet woman and was as loyal as they came. We sat for about an hour before my handsome nephew was standing at the top of the stairs with him mussed hair and blanket looking so much like Rone it was shocking. I have pictures of Rone dragging that same blanket everywhere when we were kids. I know that he is a fantastic father because he was a great big brother. Elizabeth went to stand to get him I reached for her hand and shook my head I wanted to get him. Taking the stairs quickly he smiles when I grab him and start kissing his face which of course makes me smile.
"No, No, No." Val says pushing my face back while laughing. I can't believe how quick he has grown this makes me sad. I stop kissing him and take his hand helping him descend the stairs one at a time and oh so slowly. I look up at the bottom and see Elizabeth standing there with her hand over her mouth with tears in her eyes and I am not sure why she would be sad.
"They grow so fast I can see why moms cry when there babies go to school it feels like he was just born yesterday and now here he is walking and saying No. By the way the no is all your brother he taught him to tell the dogs that." That made her laugh a bit but she still looked a little melancholy but I could see how it would make someone sad.
I patted her back and she lifted Val and kissed his chubby little cheek. Taking him in the den to change him and get him ready for lunch. I looked in the fridge and pantry deciding that I would make some antipasto salad for lunch. We had a nice quiet lunch and decided that when Val went down for the night we would camp in the media room upstairs and watch sappy movies and eat gelato which sounded like a plan. I found Alec coming from Rone's office while Elizabeth was bathing Val for the night.
"Hey I know that you cant tell me much but I only want to know if he is okay Alec. I don't want details just to know that he is okay." I rush out I know that he is not to tell me much but he is my friend he can tell me that my husband is okay.
He nods at me and says " Jasper will be okay Bella you know that I can't tell you anything else but he is fine." Alec walks around me and disappears. I sigh knowing that is all the information I will get from Alec and that will have to be enough. The night with Elizabeth is nice we sit and watch Gone with the wind followed by Pretty Woman and last but not least How to lose a guy in 10 days. I fell asleep full of gelato and chocolate knowing that I would need an extra long run tomorrow to burn those extra calories. The next two days were much like the first pretty mundane and very routine as my nephew had a set schedule and Elizabeth was like a drill sergeant with that time table. I did sit for a few hours with my kindle on the balcony soaking up some late summer sun reading a zombie book from a former indie author that I just hadn't gotten around to reading. I missed Jasper but the time with Elizabeth and Val was nice I was happy about it the morning of day four I heard yelling from the yard and Alec came running from some where in the house telling me to get away from the door.
Jasper POV
I really hated to leave Bella again so soon but the families in Italy were restless and the sooner we went the sooner it would be done. Charlie had told me some of what would happen in order for the fathers to grant me permission to take my fathers place and I wasn't nervous honestly I had been through worse things. My fear was that would not accept me and my father would remain in control and run everything my ancestors had worked for into the ground. He was hurting I had called him and asked him to accompany me to Italy and he didn't even seem like he understood what I had said. I would make an effort when we got home to go to his house and physically pull him from his drunken state. In the car to the home of Aro the leader of the oldest crime family known, I was calm because I had done all I could up to this point to prove my loyalty and it would be what it would be.
"Jasper when we exit this car there is nothing more I can do for you from here you will be on your own son. But I know that you can do this I gave you my only daughter because I believe in you son you can do this and you have earned it." Charlie pats me on the back and the car stops and he nods for me to get out of the car first. So I do and I am met with my fathers face shaven and his eyes a little red rimmed he looks hungover but hungover means sober. He puts his hands out to me and I shake it and nod at him it really means a lot to me that he is here.
"I know that I have been drowning in a bottle but I would not miss this for anything. I will do better Jasper you have my blessing to take your rightful place in this family." I nod at him and start to make my way in the home that we have pulled up in front of knowing that this will determine where and how I go on from here.
Walking in the house smells like fresh basil and bread I follow the man who opened the door for us down a hall way the house is well lived in and I can assume that this is Aro's home. We are lead into a large room that has a large table with 5 white haired men sitting at one end. They stop talking when I walk in and all turn my way. 10 eyes that have probably seen more than I ever will.
"Welcome Whitlock's and Swan's thank you for joining us at last." Who I am assuming is Aro stands and gestures for us to sit at the table. Charlie and my father make their way to the man who is standing and shake hands as they know who all these men. Coming back to sit next to me when they are done.
"Well Jasper no need for formality now is there we all know why we are here. I am Aro and these are the other members of the families. We have looked over all the information that we have been given and I have a few easy questions before this goes on." Aro nods and sits down looking directly at me and I am surprisingly not intimidated.
"Jasper I have heard rumor that you killed a member of your own family because he did not agree with the way that your father was running things is any of this true." Are asked with his fingers making a steeple on the table in front of him.
"No, it is not true, I did kill my uncle because he was a threat to my family he put a hit out on my wife and I. That is unforgivable he tried to take my wife from me and I will not let that happen family or no family that is being disloyal and if I had let him live that would have said I was weak and that I am not." I said looking at Aro straight in his eyes I knew that he could see the truth in my eyes because I would not allow anyone to take my wife from me. Are nods and so do the other members.
"Okay son I can see how that would be a viable problem in our organizations. So that brings us to the task thank we want from you. We have proof that Santiago who has been a freelance member for many of the families for years has been using and acquaintance of your wife to get information on some of your allies and is selling them. They happen to be here in Italy now we are not sure why but the timing is perfect. We want you to end it both of them we don't care how you do it but it is what we need from you to show that you are loyal to your family.I know that this will hurt your bride but you need to learn a lesson that we didn't teach your father that is now a problem, you need to be loyal to your family first no matter what emotion that invokes. Your family is always first and for most your comfort and love secondary."
I nod and rise from the table looking at Aro still and I round the table to take the folder that he has in his hands with all of the information that I will need to kill Santiago and Jessica. I will not be able to tell Bella about what has happened here and I pray that she never finds out that it was me that killed her friend.