Disclaimer - SM owns Twilight but I own their guns.

Thanks to everyone. :) I hope everyone is enyjoying the story as much as I am. Things are on the ball now. Stay tuned! :)

"Don't carry a gun. It's nice to have them close by, but don't carry them. You might get arrested." - John Gotti

Edward's POV

"Scoprire chi è stato ora!" (Find out who it was now!) My father yells pacing the room. His crew is here along with part of Emmett's. Our whole family is in outrage and I can feel my own anger boiling to the point I literally see red.

Someone shot at our daughters, sisters, future wifes. Women and children are off limits and they fall into the catergory at the moment. I wonder if the dumb motherfucker even realized one was the Chief's daughter?

They said it a a black guy with dreads. As far as I knew we had no beef with anyone like that. Aside from killing Laurent, but wait a minute.

"Does Laurent have family? Brothers? Cousins?" I asked looking at Jasper and a patched up Santiago.

"I'll find out." Jasper said grabbing a laptop.

"Che cosa è con questo Laurent, Edward?" (What is with this Laurent, Edward?) My father asked pouring himself a scotch.

"He was attempting to run some business in the clubs. Taken care of Sunday night." I replied.

"Hanno Jasper scoprire tutto quello che puoi." (Have Jasper find out all you can.) He said before turning to address Paulie.

"I want these girls watched at all times. They are not to be unprotected ever. Someone has attack our family and this means war."

Paulie and the other guys nodded before walking out of the room to check the property. Paulie had worked for my father for many years and he knew how to lock shit down. The women of this family would never again go without bodyguards.

After everyone had left and it was only my father, Cauis, Emmett, and I my father poured two more scotches. Handing them to Emmett and I he found his seat again at his desk.

"What about this Swan girl?" He asked.

Cauis rubbed his hands over his face. He had been outraged at Mary Alice inviting her to hang around without checking her background first. Alice saw friendship in her though and I would never bet against Alice.

Emmett sat there staring at me. Silently prodding me to speak.

I sipped my scotch before speaking.

"She's cool. She won't speak about anything that happens here." I vouched for her.

"Come si fa a saperlo? Lei è una bambina sedicenne!" (How can you know this? She is a sixteen year old child!)

"She ended up with my gun accidently Sunday and she didn't say a word to anyone. Promptly returned it to me. Isabella may not have grown up with this life or family but Mary Alice has a good eye, Isabella is loyal. As far as for sixteen year old children, Esme took out a threat tonight which could have ended very badly." I explained to him.

"Ti garantire per lei?" (Do you vouch for her?) Cauis asked me.

"Yes sir."

Why did I vouch for Isabella? Because she was in my head constantly. Because deep down somewhere in my soul I knew I could trust her with my life, as sappy as that shit sounds.

"I don't believe in harming children and I see nothing to worry about if Edward believes she is ok." My father said downing his scotch. "Now, Santiago needs less responiblity. Obviously, he is going to climb the ladder in the same way his brother did. Thank God I taught Esme to use a weapon."

"Agreed." Cauis said standing. "It's late. I'm going to take Mary Alice home to her mother. The lawyers should have Aro out shortly and I want to be there to retrieve him."

My father nodded dismissing us all.

Marcus didn't show up but I assumed they would have a big meeting in the morning. I couldn't believe Aro got pinched. It happens but we typically fly under the radar until we are older. They were trying to use him to get to his father. Cauis Luciano had killed hundreds of men without blinking and now was over half of this borgada, my father the other half.

Emmett and I would need to watch our backs constantly. Shit was getting crazy.

Aro's POV

After a couple of hours of bogus bullshit with the pigs they put me in a solitary cell. It wasn't long before someone came and let me out. The lawyers sprung me no problem and all charges were dropped because they didn't mirandize me. Dumb fucking jerks. The charges were bogus anyway. Lame small bit drug charges.

I walked out to find my father looking very unhappy. I knew he couldn't be unhappy with me. This was part of the life. He jerked his chin for me to follow him and we made our way outside to his towncar, Vinny at the wheel. We got in and Vinny pulled away from the curb.

"What's up papà?" I asked picking us his nervous vibe.

"There an attack on the girls while Santiago was taking them home."

My stomach sank but my face never faltered.

"How are they?" I asked.

"Not a scratch. Santiago recieved a gift but it was small."

I nodded wondering how my sister was coping, how Esme was.

"Was Isabella with them?"

"Rosalie also." He nodded.

A smile played on his lips.

"Esme squashed the bug."

My eyes bugged out. Damn girl!

"Esme? Are you serious?" I asked stunned.

"Yes."

I sat back letting my brain absorb it all. I was seeing Esme in a new light. She was always the mellow one of the girls. Real laid back, easy going. She was also more quiet than the other but that just goes to show you killers don't talk. The girl had covered my ass then saved the other girls and herself.

I needed to see her. I wanted to check on her and get my piece.

When we got to the house, men were standing guard everywhere. No doubt security would at least be doubled up now. Women were off limits. Someone was a dumb sonofabitch.

I nodded at them and made my way into the house and up the stairs. Alice's bedroom door was open and she was laying on the bed. She had the tv on but was just looking at the ceiling.

"Hey Ally." I greeted walking in and laying on the bed next to door.

"Hey." She said rolling over to face me.

"They rough you up too bad?" She asked smiling.

"I should be asking you that." I told her straight faced.

"It was scary. Not what it looks like in the movies when the bullets are coming towards you. Esme was incrediable. Santiago went stupid. It was crazy. They came out of nowhere and cut us off in the middle of this fucking neighborhood."

"It'll all be taken care of very soon. Don't you worry about a thing."

"Grazie fratello." (Thank you brother.)

"Riposati un po '. Ti amo." (Get some rest. I love you.)

"Ti amo, Aronni."

I smiled at her and left the room, walking down the hallway to my room. I grabbed my back up .45 and changed into a black suit with a red button up, black silk tie. I couldn't sleep and it would be a long day.

I walked down to the bar and grabbed a bottle of Jack and went out to my Range. I got in and started it up, pulling out of the drive. All that was on my mind was seeing Esme. I don't know what was wrong with me but I had an overwhelming desire to see her, make sure she was good.

I made it to the Cullens in under ten minutes. I punched the code in the gate and drove up the drive. Again, men were standing everywhere watching everything. I nodded at Paulie as I walked in to the door.

"Emmett and Edward are in the basement." Paulie said as I walked past.

"Thanks." I hollered over my shoulder. I walked down the steps to find Emmett and Edward will tall drinks, playing pool.

"Sup?" Emmett said leaning over the table to take a shot never looking up.

"How was the joint?" Edward asked handing me a cigar. I took it but didn't light it.

"Bullshit. They wanted into on the big dogs. Fuck 'em." I twirled the cigar around in my fingers before laying it on the table beside me. I pulled out my bottle of Jack and took a long gulp. I needed a bump.

"So I hear ya sister is bone certified now." I comment in the silence.

"Total badass mama jama." Emmett said beaming with pride.

"Let's hope she handles it well." Edward said. "She is in her room. Ma was fussing over her but she wanted to be left alone. Isabella is asleep in the guest room."

That caught my attention.

"Isabella is here?"

Edward nodded chalking his pool stick.

"What all did she see?"

"Everything, they were taking her home when it went down. The girls talk to her. She was shaken up when they got here but Eddie boy made her a big stiff drink and got her settled down. It was so sweet." Emmett said raising his voice at the end to mimmick a girl.

Edward chucked a pool ball at him. Emmett dodged it laughing.

"Does she know, about this thing of ours?" I asked taking another drink out of my bottle.

"No, but she'll have to soon." Edward said looking grim.

I think Eddie boy was starting to feel something for the innocent little girl. I wasn't about to poke fun because I had no idea what was going on in my head about my best friend's sister. I wasn't ready to have that conversation with the Cullen men yet.

"I'm going to go see Esme, get my piece back." I told them standing up.

"She is just becoming one hell of a gangsta." Emmett laughed again as Edward rolled his eyes.

I picked up my bottle and walked upstairs. I knocked softly on her door.

No answer.

I knocked again, a little louder.

No answer.

I waited a couple of minutes and turned to walk away when the door opened.

"Hey Aro." Esme said.

My breath caught. She was standing there wrapped in a lime green towel that popped against her caramel skin. Her hair was wet and hanging down, leaving little water droplets on her bare shoulders. All I could think about was what was under that towel. I should not be looking at my best friend's little sister this way.

"Aro?" Esme said breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Yea, sorry." I said standing there waiting to see if that towel would magically fall.

"Sorry it took so long. I just got out of the shower. If you wait just a minute I'll get your piece." She said smiling at me. I had never noticed how beautiful her smile was.

"Sure ma."

"Great."

She closed the door and I leaned against it trying to cool my crazy thoughts. Esme was turning out to be a badass chick, that kind of girl that was ride or die. I had always thought she was beautiful but I was noticing more and more.

She opened the door and I smiled at how cute she looked in her purple fleece pajama pants with lime green polka dots. She had on a cute little satin purple tank top and the top of her tits were showing. Her hair was piled on top of her head exposing her delicious looking neck. I wanted to run my tongue down in. Kill me now.

"You coming in?" She asked looking at me.

"Yea, yea."

"Are you alright?" She asked looking concerned. Everything she had been through tonight and she was concerned about me.

"Just tired. It's been a long day and I doubt I'm going to get any sleep. Shit is hectic right now." I told her walking into her room. I sat down in the chair next to her bed. She closed her door and walked over to her dresser picking up a hoodie and pulling my gun out of it.

"I dropped it in the floorboard, I don't think I scratched it. I remembered to grab it when we got here. I don't know how but I did. Things were crazy." She said handing it to me.

"I bet. You did good. I'm proud." I told her laying the gun next to me on the table. After what she did for me I wouldn't care what she did to my gun. I was just glad she was ok and so thankful to God she had my gun to defend them with. I was going to kick Santiago's teeth in for this shit.

"Thanks for earlier, by the way. That's was a class act." I smiled at her holding out my bottle of Jack.

"I didn't want to see you get in trouble, we're all in this life together." She said taking the bottle and drinking from it. She scrutched her face up a little at the burn but it didn't stop her from taking another sip.

"That will help you calm down enough to sleep." I told her taking the bottle back.

"Yea. I hope so." She said sitting down her bed.

"You wanna talk about it?" I asked.

"It was crazy. I still can't believe it happened. All of my instincts kicked in. It was do or die. I know our fathers have preached that to you guys all your lives but in that moment it applied to me and I rolled with it." She said looking down.

"One thought running through my head was that I might not ever see you again." She continued still looking down.

Oh hell. Ma was feeling deep on me. I did the only thing I could think of.

I reached over and put my finger under her chin lifting her face up to look me eye to eye.

Her eyes looked so unsure, completely different from how I imagined her face to be only hours earlier.

I looked into them, searching for anything before I said fuck it.

I leaned in bringing my lips just shy of hers.

"Es, Everything will be ok. I promise. I got you." I told her before kissing her.

It wasn't a I'mma fuck you type kiss, not at all. It was a slow, passionate kiss. A I wanted her to know what she meant kiss. I was ready. She had proven herself tonight and I wanted to see where this could go.

I would deal with Edward and Emmett later.

She never moved except for her lips and tongue against mine.

I pulled back and look down at her. Her eyes were dark and hooded but now wasn't the time. She had a huge life altering experience tonight. Before I laid down with Esme I wanted to know where we stood.

I pulled back allowing her to catch her breath.

She closed her eyes and leaned against my chest.

"Wow." she murmered into my shirt.

"Yea." I said. I placed a kiss on her forehead. "Es, I gotta go. We have a meeting but can I call you later?"

She leaned back and looked up at me. A small smile played on her lips followed by a yawn. She nodded laying back on the bed.

I grabbed her covers and brought them up around her. I felt the need to make sure she was safe and cared for. I sat the bottle of Jack between her bed and the nightstand.

"I'm leaving this for you. If you want or need to talk, text me. You need rest now." I told her standing up.

She was laying there looking at me with her eyes half opened.

I couldn't resist.

I leaned over placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Goodnight Ma." I said before leaving her room.

I closed the door quietlt and started back downstairs.

What the hell was happening to me?