AMOC:Chapter 25
JPOV:
The morning sun fell on my face, waking me up from a short but heavy slumber. Opening my eyes I tried to recall where I was. Scanning the small sterile white room I saw Bella lying peacefully in her bed. Flashes of last night began to play in my mind. Becca, my own sister, almost shot and killed my wife. With Becca's death, it would be hard to prove my suspicions that Edward was behind her disappearance and state of mind.
Although Becca was acting in a hysterical state she made it perfectly clear that she was connected to Edward and the things she said about Bella, no doubt, came straight from his very own mouth. How could my sister, a bit moody and hurtful at times, fall into the hands of such a corrupt and miserable bastard like Edward? One way or another I was going to make him pay not only for the pain he inflicted on Bella and Charlotte but also for the death of my sister.
Reaching into my pocket I retrieved my phone and saw a few missed messages, most if not all of all them from local friends who felt the need to tell me how sorry they were for my loss and hoped for Bella's quick recovery. Anger burned in the pit of my stomach like acid. No one around here really cared about my family's loss. They just wanted an update on the towns latest juicy gossip.
Putting my phone back, I stood up and reached above my head. Every muscle ached and screamed with agony. Between wrestling with my sister and sleeping in an uncomfortable chair all night it wasn't surprising that I felt like shit.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bella's hand twitching by her side. . A soft moan escaped her lips. Tears filled my eyes when I watched as her eyelashes fluttered for a moment or two before her eyelids opened and displayed the soft brown eyes that I prayed I would get to look upon once again.
"Bella. Oh my God! Bella."
Grabbing her hand I brought it up to my lips and tenderly kissed it.
"Jake." Bella answered with a groggy moan.
"Oh honey you don't know how happy I am to see you awake." I sighed while a single tear slipped out of the corner of my eye.
"What's wrong? Where am I?" Bella asked as she tried to sit up in bed.
"Ouch." She winced as she pulled her hand free from me and rubbed her forehead.
"Let me go get the nurse."
Taking off with lightening speed I made my way around the corner to the nurse's desk where luckily two of them set going over charts.
"Excuse me. My wife is awake." I announced happily and perhaps even too loudly.
"I got this." The young brunette informed the older nurse as she stood up and followed me back to the room.
Bella seemed as confused as when I left her. I stood back and watched as the nurse named Tori, began checking all her vitals and then announced she would inform the doctor on duty that his patient was awake.
Once she left the room Bella looked up at me and I could see the fear in her eyes.
"Where is Charlotte?" She asked.
"She is with Alice. They are both safe at her place. I didn't want Charlotte to go home until I could go home and clean up the place." I explained.
"What do you mean, clean up?" Bella continued to look confused.
"Don't you remember what happened with Becca?"
"Um...kinda." Bella answered.
"She tried to shoot you. I knocked her down and the gun went off. When I looked up I saw you lying on the floor bleeding. I was so sure you were shot somehow but then I realized my mistake. Becca was shot instead." I explained.
"Is she okay?"
"No. They tried to save her but …...it was too late. She died."
Closing my eyes I pressed back the kaleidoscope of emotions that I was feeling.
Anger, sadness, regret and relief all seem to struggle within my heart. Seeing Bella awake and well helped me keep my negative emotions in check.
"What? I ...how...I.." Bella stuttered as her face grew more pale.
"It's not your fault or mine Bella. At least I keep telling myself that." I sighed.
"It's just...crazy. I mean why would she do that?"
Tears spilled out of her eyes as she looked dumbfounded.
"It was Edward. She mentioned something that leads me to believe that our thoughts about her condition were all just a was probably hiding out instead. She told me that she got...well...some sort of proof to show the courts that our marriage was fake."
Her hands flew up to her mouth in shock. I couldn't blame her. I was still reeling with the aftermath of the situation. My own flesh and blood betrayed me. Edward once again infiltrated my life by using someone he knew I cared deeply about. The bastard rarely got his own damn hands dirty.
"How is your father?" Bella asked as more tears spilled down her face.
"I guess he is okay. I mean, he was pretty broken up last night but I haven't seen him since." I explained.
"You should go be with your family. I will be fine." Bella sniffled.
"I'm sure Paul and Rachel are with him."
"He will need you too. Go. Please." Bella laid her head back on the pillows and turned her face to the side.
"Bella you need me right now. They know that." I argued.
"No. You don't need this. This is all my fault."
Bella's hands curled up in fists by her side. I could see that she was angry but I didn't understand who it was directed toward.
"How is this your fault?"
"If I had just left town when I found out that I was pregnant, none of this would have happened to you or your family." Bella sobbed but her tone was laced with venom.
"Don't be ridiculous. Your father would have died alone. Plus why should you run away? You didn't do anything wrong."
"Sure I did. I slept with a monster and even when he revealed his true colors I let him defile me and now I must pay the consequences for that but you don't deserve it. I don't regret Charlotte for even a second but I do regret how my mistake has cost so many people so much pain."
Reaching over her, I forced her head to turn back to face me. I needed her to look me in the eye when I spoke the words that I never thought I would say to another woman again.
"Bella, I've been at war with Edward for sometime but worst of all I've been fighting myself for just as long. When I saw you fall on the floor and I thought she shot you, I wanted to die at that moment. I've grown so close to you and your daughter and you've both brought me to a place in my life that I swore wasn't possible for a guy like me."
I took a deep breath and hoped that what I was about to say next would be received with an open mind and open heart.
"I love you Bella. We are family now. You and Charlotte are everything to me and I won't let anyone or anything harm either of you."
Bella sucked in her breath while her eyes grew wide. I wasn't sure if she was happy about my confession or not.
"Jake I don't know what to say. I mean...I feel the same about you but I can't help but feel guilty for bringing all of my baggage to this relationship."
"Honey, you haven't seen my baggage yet." I smiled sheepishly.
"Do you mean it? Do you really love me?" Bella licked her lips and sat up in the bed.
"I mean it with all my heart. I want you to spend the rest of your life with me, because you want too and not because of some stupid contract." I promised.
"Me too." She replied tenderly.
Cupping her face in my hands I kissed her and let all my love flow into it. No matter what came up against us, Bella's love would keep me anchored and show me the way to becoming the kind of man she deserved.
XXX
EPOV:
The pounding on the door woke me up but it was the pounding in my head that made me feel sick to my to get out of bed I had to lift an unwanted arm off of me before I could slip into my robe. I made my way slowly to the door. Whoever stood outside was an unwanted and uninvited guest and they were about to receive an ear full from me.
"What the hell is wrong with you!" Emmett shouted. His hand still curled up in a fist from banging on the door or maybe he was using it to threaten me,I wasn't sure.
"Excuse me? You're the one banging on my door like a fucking lunatic." I growled.
"Funny you should use the term lunatic to describe my actions. YOU are one piece of shit little brother." Emmett snapped harshly. A vein pulsed in his neck while he ranted at me.
"Who pissed in your oats this morning? I haven't done a damn thing to you." I reply.
"No, you've just hurt everyone else in one way or another. I'm done. I'm so fucking done with you and protecting your sorry ass."
"What are you freaking out about now?" I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms as I tried to figure out what would have caused him to get in such a tiffy mood. As far as I knew I'd done nothing to cause him pain or anger at me.
"Becca Black showed up at her brother's house hell bent on killing Bella." Emmett answered.
My heart quicken for a moment and then I began to remember my last conversation with Becca before I left her. Becca was dead set on proving that Bella was only using her family for their fortune. I couldn't blame her for hating how Bella made a leech out of herself when it came to prominent families like our own.
"What does that have to do with me?" I demanded, hoping like hell no one knew about the part I played in hiding her out while she found the proof I needed to win my case in court.
"Don't play coy with me. I know good and damn well you were sleeping with her on the side. You influenced her somehow to do it. I know you brother. Our parents might be in denial but I'm not. You can't stand to lose and will do anything to prevent it."
"It's true I don't like to lose and I play dirty if necessary but I didn't put that gun in her hand and I sure as hell didn't tell her to kill Bella. Is she dead?"
I tried to pretend that I was greatly concerned for my ex but inside I was thrilled at the prospect of not having to deal with her ass any longer. In fact watching Jake grieve would be a bonus to my victory. The two of them acted as if they were better than me. It was such a stupid idea. How any court would give the two of them anything that rightfully belonged to me was such a ridiculous and naive notion. It would teach everyone in this town the power I had and the respect I deserved.
"No, Bella isn't dead but Becca is. Billy Black is going to want your head on a platter for this. I guarantee it. This isn't between you and Jake anymore. You have the whole Black family and a hell of alot of the community up against you now." He warned with a hissed.
"Once again I would like to point out that I didn't tell her to kill anyone." I rolled my eyes sarcastically.
"Good luck proving that in court." Emmett chuckled rudely before turning around and walking away.
There was an almost sinister gleam in my brother's eyes that reminded me of my own when I was cooking up a pot of revenge. What was he preparing to do now? Would Emmitt reveal that Becca and I were lovers? So what if he did, that didn't make me a bad guy. I'm sure she had plenty of other lovers besides myself.
The ringing of my phone broke me out of my weary thoughts. Closing the door behind me I strolled back into my room and picked up my phone and saw my father's number blinking. Either this call could go my way or against me. Did Emmitt already reveal to our parents what he knew about my connection to Becca?
"Just answer it already, will you." Lauren barked.
"Get up and get out of my house!" I shouted before storming out of my room and walking to my den where my conversation with my dad would be more private.
"Hello Dad." I answered, hoping I didn't sound as pissed as I was feeling.
"You need to come to the house now. Your lawyer has insisted we all meet at once."
Hearing the fear in my father's tone didn't give me much details to what he knew or what I would be facing once I arrived at their home.
"Why? What's going on that requires an urgent family meeting?" I asked curiously.
"Trust me Edward now isn't the time to play games with me. Get over here ASAP."
My dad hung up the call before I could reply. Scratching my head I realized that things were about to go from bad to worse, unless I found a way to turn this around to work with me winning, instead of signing my death sentence. The sound of my front door opening and slamming shut let me know that Lauren removed her presence from my home. Returning to my room I went to the bathroom to take a quick shower and contemplate on how I was going to fix the damage that dead, bitch Becca left me with.
XXX
Billy felt comforted with the security team he hired to stay close to the families summer cottage, to protect his secret, while he left to finish up some details at his home. Turning into the driveway he prepared himself for what would play out next. Family, friends and anyone else who ever knew him or Becca would soon be camped out on his doorstep wanting to express their condolences. It sicken him to think how one of his own flesh and blood could have turned out to be so sick with jealousy and greed that they would turn against their own family. Why didn't he see it before? Maybe this ordeal could've been prevented if he showed her more attention or gave her the love she required he thought to himself.
Sadly, he realized that when a heart was as darkened as Becca's had been, nothing would've have helped her believe in his love for her. A tear trickles out of the corner of his eye as he opened the truck door and made his way inside his home. Death seemed to be in every corner of the old house. He knew it was here for him and it just couldn't wait to take him away from the misery of this life. Although he loved his children and cared for many people, he was growing tired of acting as if he was so much stronger than he truly was. Eventually he would have to give it up and let those he loved take care of him until he spent his last breath.
Until that moment came, however, he was going to do whatever it took to make damn sure that Jake and Bella kept Charlotte away from the clutches of Edward Cullen. Billy resolved himself to do whatever it took to destroy the bastard who set out to tarnish his family's good name, even if it cost Billy his own life.
XXX
A/N: Sorry guys for taking so long to update but I was in the middle of working on a novel that will be published in August on . I co-wrote a book called Wayward Son by Dani Morgan and Angela Brooks. This story is close to an ending that I feel happy with so I will try to update as soon as I can. Thank you again for reading and for the wonderful reviews/emails encouraging me to continue this story. Hope you guys also take a look at the new book that will be available in August. I will give you more details once we have it set up on . Xoxo A