Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Edited by Sjdavis84 and StillDreaming85.
WARNING: This story contains mature themes and is intended for mature readers.
This chapter contains graphic violence and may offend some people. Please do not read if this offends you.
EDWARD CULLEN
Poor little Sofia hadn't left Rosalie or Emmett's side since they had returned, and who could blame the poor kid.
She was five, she was far too young to understand what had happened. She was too young to know of the world she had been born into, yet she had been traumatized by it at such a tender age.
"Are you gonna give me a hug? You gonna give mommy a break?" I said, holding my arms opened to little Sofia.
She shook her head, burying herself deeper into Rosalie's side.
"How about me?" Renta asked, but Sofia still refused. "Come on, dolcezza, I have the cake that you like with the candy in the middle."
Sofia peeked her head out from under Rosalie's arm, sucking on her little lip. She was debating with herself on whether a slice of her favorite cake was worth leaving her mother's side.
"Go with Renta, Sofia, and bring daddy back a big slice of cake too," Emmett said.
"Okay," Sofia said, giving in. "But you can only have a little piece, you get fat daddy."
Sofia finally left Rosalie and Emmett's side, but not before running back to kiss both of them on the cheek.
"And you have to watch Tangled with me tonight daddy or no cake," she said, shaking her little finger in his face.
"Okay," Emmett said, with a salute.
"No, you have to promise."
"Alright, I promise, cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye," Emmett said.
"Much better, daddy."
Renta gathered Sofia up into her arms and took her out of the room, closing the door behind her, my mother followed after and locked it securely.
"One of you two better tell me what the fuck is going on," Rosalie snapped, glaring between Anthony and I.
"Your guess is as good as ours, sister," Anthony said.
"Come on Anthony, don't play us for idiots. What did you do with her?" Emmett asked.
After the arrests and raid, Anthony and I had the home searched for bugs. Jacob found eighteen listening devices and three cameras, one of which was in this very room. We were safe to talk now, everything had been disposed of and removed.
The kick to our rear was that, throughout our life, our father, no matter what, had always kept the filthy creatures away from our home. There had never been a raid in his home, not even for his arrest. But now, for some little girl they invaded our only space, our only escape, the one place that was free and not tainted and they traumatized a child in the process.
"One of you start talking," our mother said.
"There is nothing to talk about, mother. They made a mistake," my brother shrugged, pouring himself a glass of liquor.
"Mistake?" Our mother yelled. "Mistake, Anthony? They defiled my home. They traumatized my grandchild." Mom continued to yell, her face becoming flushed.
"Mom, calm down please," Rosalie said, in a weak attempt to console our mother, she wrapped her arms around her.
"All this yelling and stress is not good for your health."
"Stop it, Rosalie. Are you in on this too? Did you agree to take that poor girl as well?" Our mother continued to yell, pushing Rosalie away. She stood in the middle of the room, turning around slowly, staring at the four of us in disbelief.
"You are blowing this way out of proportion, mother. Charles Swan has made a lot of enemies in his line of work, ourselves included, and given our very recent history, they would assume us at fault first," I said.
My mother had a strong arm, she slapped the taste right out of my mouth.
"Don't you dare lie to my face, Edward."
"Mother, stop this," Rosalie said, stepping in front of her.
"You. I expected more from you than this," mom said, pointing her finger in Rosalie's face.
"I have not done anything," Rosalie defended herself.
"Mrs. Cullen, none of us had anything to do with that girl's disappearance," Emmett said. "Charles has made a very large enemy list, he has helped put away some powerful people. The chances are someone else wants revenge, the timing is just unfortunate."
My brother-in-law was always the level headed one, he was always the one to see reason and the one to calm a room down if need be.
He and my sister had an arranged marriage. It was more the merger my father wanted out of the deal. Combining the families gave us the advantage over our enemies.
Emmett was a big surprise though. He was on our side and always eager to help whichever way he could. He left his honeymoon in order to help us take down a rival. He proved himself a useful little thing, and he made my sister happy, that earned him extra points from Anthony and I.
"I know my son's Emmett, better than anyone. They are every bit like their father, although I don't think even Carlisle would stoop as low as they have."
"I'm hurt mother," Anthony said. My twin had a talent for manipulating our mother. He was very good at guilting her to see his side. "You think so little of me, of us," he sighed, waving his hand between himself and me.
"Nobody wants revenge on Charles more than me, and I am not ashamed to admit that. But my business is with Charles and not his daughter. I have no use for an insignificant child, mother. when I get my hands on Charles Swan, he will pay dearly for his sins.
DINY
A sit down, defined as a meeting of members at the top administration, usually designed to settle disputes within the family or between families. Well, that's a formal definition. Right now, I would love formalities, right now, I would kill for formalities, literally.
It's not an uncommon sight in today's world to witness grown men act like fools. It is however, uncommon to see grown men acting like fools within this family given the positions that they hold.
I sat back in my father's chair, rubbing my temples, attempting to soothe my headache.
"Will you all shut the fuck up," Anthony said, throwing his glass against the wall.
"Anthony, come on," Emmett said, putting his hand on Anthony's back attempting to calm him down.
"I will agree with you, the situation is not ideal, however we must make do," I said.
"Make do, with a temporary Don, that is your solution, Edward?" Aro, my father's consigliere and lawyer said.
"My father's incarceration is only temporary, Aro."
"Temporary? He will receive twenty years as a minimum, Edward," Aro laughed.
"Yes, Aro, temporary," I said, grinding my teeth together.
"And how exactly will it be temporary?"
"That is none of your concern," Emmett said.
"The hell it isn't. I am his lawyer and I have a right to know what you three are playing at," Aro demanded, slamming both fists on the table.
"Maybe if you had done the job right the first time, we would not have to play at anything," Anthony said, as he blew out a puff of smoke from his cigar around us. He leaned back in his seat and propped his feet up on the table, crossing them at the ankles.
"I think you need to know your place, Aro. Bad things happen to those who don't fall in line," my brother warned.
"We will be the laughing stock. They will attack us. They will see this as the perfect opportunity to destroy your family, Edward," Aro stressed. "You cannot label yourself a temporary Don."
Part of me did not want this task. I did not want this position, the responsibility, not now at least and not like this.
Calling myself a temporary Don is not ideal, but it gave us time to plan our next move.
Rosalie believed she could build a strong case, she believed the majority of the evidence collected against my father had been illegally obtained, and should have never been allowed for use in court. The problem Rosalie would have was proving this, Aro had a hold of all the court documents and when my sister had contacted him about obtaining a copy, he flat out refused her.
"Besides, Edward, you are not even married. Emmett would be better suited for the temporary position, as you put it, or your family could step aside all together," Aro said.
Anthony removed his feet from the table, and rested his cigar against the ashtray.
Standing up, he circled the table once until he stopped behind Aro, resting his hands on his shoulders.
I leaned back in my seat and let my brother take over the show. Emmett, beside me leaned in on his elbows. Emmett enjoyed a good show just as much as he enjoyed creating one.
Now my brother, he had an intimidating presence. He was usually a wild one, but when he became like this, when he became calm, the outcome never ended well for his victim, it was simply unfortunate that Aro hadn't known his limitations.
"Funny you should say that, Aro. Do you mind telling me what other family you have in mind?" Anthony asked.
"Anthony, you know that's not what I meant. You and Edward are my godson's. I love you like my own children. I am only looking at this as if I were an outsider," Aro said, attempting to stand up but my brother held him down firmly.
"Oh godfather," Anthony sighed. "You of all people should know that we are not that gullible. Who did you think could take my brother's place? Hmm...your son maybe?"
"Anthony, you know that's not what I meant. Edward, you know me," Aro said, pleading with me. I shrugged none too impressed.
Aro's son, well, he wasn't the sharpest tool or the brightest bulb, in fact, it was a miracle he hadn't gotten himself killed yet.
He is a soldier, a simple soldier nothing more, nothing less and he will never become anything other than that.
But I know what Aro's hopes are. A glorious story for his family. His son's rise to the top, his rise to power. What a success that would be, what a story to tell if he overtook us.
Anthony and I, we have had this suspicion for awhile. Aro was loyal, yes, loyal to our father. But Anthony and me, he always thought of us as an inconvenience, even though he treated us as anything but.
You see, Rosalie and his son were the same age and at one point, before Emmett came into the picture, Aro assumed my father would arrange for my sister and his son to marry.
When things didn't work out that way, Aro hid his displeasure well, but not too well.
Right now, I cannot help but wonder if Aro helped put my father away so he could climb the ladder.
"That's the thing, godfather," Anthony said. "We do know you, we know every little single thing about you."
"Anthony," I called out, getting his attention I gestured with my hand for him to speed things along. My brother is the sort of individual that loves to drag his victim's pain out, and that was also one of the reasons I was somewhat worried about the girl in his captivity.
"Oh, Aro, we are wasting the Don's precious time," Anthony said dramatically.
Anthony roughly lifted Aro out of his seat and pushed him over the table. With his gun cocked into place, he put the barrel behind Aro's left knee cap. With the silencer on, all that was heard of the shot was a small puff of air, but Aro's scream of pain pierced through my eardrums.
"Next time your mind wanders, godfather, think of the name that crippled you," Anthony said, as he looked up at me. "Too much?" He asked with a shrug.
"I was expecting both knees," I said, standing up leaning over the table to see Aro crying in pain on the floor.
Anthony kicked him over onto his stomach and fired the shot into his right knee.
"Better, brother?"
"Much," I said. "Now, let that be a lesson. Business is to continue as usual, and if anyone else has an issue with the way things are handled from now on, take a look at your future," I said looking down at Aro's bloodied legs.
No one spoke, they nodded, they agreed, they kissed my hand.
Fear, it was key. To control men, people like these, to make them loyal, and keep that loyalty, they not only needed to trust you but they needed to fear you.
At a time like this my family needed to be strong, we needed to show our own and show others, outsiders, that we are strong and as united as ever.
"Where are you going?" I asked my brother as he wiped the blood from his shoes and put his coat on.
"I'm going to pay my little lamb a visit." He grinned.