Disclaimer - SM owns Twilight, but I make it bad in a good way.
Grazie! Grazie! The numbers are wonderful! Love the feedback.
Beta'd by who else, Miss MalloryKnoxx
"You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bull**** and you know it."
- Martin Scorsese, Mean Streets 1973
Edward's POV
Sunday, I reluctantly took Isabella home. I didn't think her father would put her in danger, and I had a meeting to attend. I hung around for a few minutes to plant a couple of bugs in the house. I had to be sneaky about it, and I couldn't get to Charlie's room with him there, so I put one on the phone, one in the kitchen, and one in the living room.
Time would soon tell what Charles Swan was up to.
I took my place at the table.
Marcus' chair sat empty, but it wouldn't be for long.
Demetri looked at my father with questioning eyes.
My father gave him a slight nod and stood up.
"We are all suffering a great loss. Marcus was our don and a very close friend to all of us. We can't sit back any longer when we are at war. There have been too many attacks against us, and our own." My father spoke to the room, before looking directly at Carlisle. "I know your father had plans for you to take over, but at this time, I don't think you're ready. You are still very young and you just opened your medical practice. I propose I take over as head of this family."
Carlisle stared at him hard.
He didn't want to give up his father's legacy when he had just lost him and his brother, but realistically, Carlisle was spread too thin and he wasn't in the right mindset to run this operation. He was capable of a lot, but he had his attention elsewhere.
Everyone sat waiting to see what response he would give, not that it would matter. If he got in the way, he would be taken out.
Carlisle rubbed his hand across his face.
"I don't want to dishonor my father." He began, all eyes on him. "However, I have Mary Alice and my bambino to think about. My medical practice is a legitimate career and my family will always be taking care of, I will step down from the position my father intended for me, but I have no intentions of leaving this thing of ours. I just don't want the full responsibility."
"Does anyone else have any objections?" Demetri asked glancing around.
Nobody else spoke so it was settled, my father was now the head of our family.
"I would like to say one more thing, before we continue with business." Carlisle said raising his head.
"Go on." My father nodded.
"When we find out who killed my father, my brother, I want them. I want to seek revenge on those who took my family from me, the only grandparent my children would have known." He spoke with heavy emotion in his voice.
If his father and brother hadn't been such dumbasses, I would have felt bad for him.
"As you wish." My father said.
We spent the rest of the meeting discussing details and plans to find out all we could about the Denali family, although we knew two murders they weren't responsible for, but we would never tell that. We would do a little research and take out the problem. We had to be careful, as our recent activities had drawn a lot of attention.
The week passed by quickly. We all attended Marcus funeral, along with all the other wiseguys. Everyone came to pay their respects, and they learned we had quickly appointed a new head, that we were as strong as ever.
School was boring, but sometimes we hung out in the student lounge instead of going to class. We just had to keep up appearances. Only four months left.
Emmett and I checked our tapes everyday for anything on Charlie, but there was nothing.
We would be taking Frank out very soon, and that bitch Renee as soon as we knew how involved Charlie was. Murder was nothing to us; however, we didn't want to all go to prison to have everything our family had spent decades building up crumble.
I had taken Isabella out to a nice dinner downtown. She had a few drinks and we danced before I took her home and buried it so deep she swore I had almost split her in half. She was quietly sleeping upstairs, while Emmett and I were drinking whiskey and spying on Charlie.
"How many fucking times is he gonna order pizza? Kate may be a whore, but she can cook. Can she not cook for him?" Emmett asked pouring more whiskey in his glass.
"Who the fuck cares?" I gave him a look.
"I'm just saying. This shit is boring. I could be at home with Rosalie sitting on my dick right now." He replied in a bored tone.
"Yea, yea." I rolled my eyes when Charlie making another call grabbed my attention.
"Hey baby." Kate purred into the phone.
"Sorry it took so long, I was finishing up some paperwork. When are you coming over?"
"As soon as I can get over there from my apartment. Bella gone?"
"Yea, she's with friends for the weekend." Charlie said. "Does your dad know about me yet?"
"No, he won't like it when he does. He would never approve of a cop, even though you're filthy. I'm sure Renee will throw a fit like no other. She is such a bitch, how could you stand her?" Kate laughed.
"I stayed with her because of Bella, not that I didn't escape to my other life to get away from her."
"Poor baby, I'll be there shortly to make it better." Kate cooed before hanging up.
"Filthy, huh?" Emmett raised his eyebrows.
"Filthy with what?" I asked closing the computer. I would listen to the house bugs later. I didn't feel like listening to them fucking when I could have Isabella in my arms.
"Fuck if I know! I'm going home to Rosie." Em stood up and put his jacket on.
When he left, I turned off most of the lights and crawled into bed. I planned on sleeping in. Isabella and I had no plans and if I had it my way, we wouldn't leave this bed tomorrow.
Mary Alice's POV
Carlisle had barely left my side all week. We spent time with his family after the funeral. He was keeping short hours at his office. He was private practice so he didn't stay open long hours. Everyone in his office was connected. His nurses and receptionists were made guys' daughters or nieces. I'm not sure if anyone coming in to see him wasn't connected.
We had plenty of money without him being a doctor, but it was a great cover. A doctor's salary explained big houses and nice cars. My children would go to school and say 'my dad is a doctor' not 'my dad owns clubs or construction businesses'. While it's true all made guys owned legitimate places, it was nowhere near the income they spent.
Carlisle had been very quiet.
He told me Emmetino was taking over as head and he was actually okay with it. All he cared about was getting revenge for Marcus and Alec. I was worried about who the next target would be, but security was beefed up and they would no doubt deal with Frank Denali.
"How are you doing, love?" Carlisle asked as I handed him a cup of coffee.
"I'm fine." I smiled at him rubbing my belly.
I sat down on the couch next to him. My back was killing me. I had another doctor's appointment tomorrow. We didn't get to find out what the baby was because he or she decided to hide their parts.
Carlisle took my feet in his lap and started massaging them and my calves.
"That feels so good." I told him laying my head back.
"I should be doing this every night." He spoke softly. "Mary Alice, I'm sorry for the way I have treated you. Ti amo con ogni po 'di me. Perdere mio padre e mio fratello mi ha mostrato che sei tutto quello che ho lasciato. Tu e il mio bambino." (I love you with every bit of me. Losing my father and my brother has showed me you're all I have left. You and my bambino.)
"I love you. Don't forget Jane." I reminded him. I couldn't stand her, but that was still his sister.
"She is flighty and a drama queen." He shrugged his shoulders.
I couldn't disagree with him.
"Let's watch a movie. We haven't done that in awhile." I smiled at him.
Maybe a comedy would lighten his mood.
"Whatever you want." He kissed my toes.
We spent the rest of the night watching funny movies, but he still didn't laugh much.
We went to bed and got up to go to my appointment.
We didn't have to wait, they took us straight back. Carlisle helped me onto the bed, and I laid back pulling my sweater up.
"Hi, I'm Chelsea. I'll be doing your ultrasound today." A blond tech walked in, smiling at us.
"Hi Chelsea." I said getting more and more excited about finding out the sex of the baby.
Carlisle nodded at her.
"This may be cold." She warned pouring the clear goo on my stomach.
I flinched a little at the temperature, causing Carlisle to lean forward.
I waved my hand letting him know I was ok.
As she moved the wand over my stomach, Carlisle paid rapt attention to the screen. He knew what everything meant before she told us.
"The baby looks very healthy. It's a little mover, do Mommy and Daddy want to know what the baby is?" She smiled at us.
"It's a girl." Carlisle said in awe.
"Yes it is." She looked at him suspiciously.
"He's a doctor." I explained to her as my mind wrapped around the fact my baby was as girl.
A daughter.
I couldn't wait to buy her dresses and bows.
I was too excited to think about Carlisle being disappointed.
After we left, we went out to lunch. Carlisle asked for a table in the very back and made sure our guards were standing around.
"Are you disappointed?" I asked sipping my water.
I knew he was, but I still had to hear what he would say.
"No, I'm really not. I've lost too much. " He said surprising me.
"I know you wanted a boy, but-"
"I will love my daughter as much as I would a son. We'll just try until we get a boy." he interrupted me.
"How many kids are you talking about?" I looked at him like he had lost his mind.
"However many it takes. I can more than provide for them all. You won't be working." He smiled at me.
I said nothing, instead I looked over the menu. I wanted a couple of kids, but I wasn't trying for our own reality show.
Rosalie's POV
Emmett and I had just come up for air after spending a couple of hours in the bed.
"Don't smoke that in here." I yelled at him as he lit a cigarette.
"I've always smoked in here." He retorted taking a long drag.
"I live here now. It makes the house stink." I complained.
"Whatever." He said taking another pull and stubbing it out.
"Thank you." I grinned at him.
"You'll thank me more later, cause we're going out tonight."
"Really?" I sat up. "Where?"
"The club. I need a break."
"About fucking time!" I hollered jumping out of the bed.
I started digging through the closet looking for a dress.
"What time are we going? I want to call the girls." I said over my shoulder.
"We'll leave around nine." Em laughed at me.
I called Esme and Isabella. Esme was as excited about getting out as me. I hadn't been out of this penthouse except to go to school, and believe me, that wasn't any fun.
I showered and curled my hair, slipping into a tight little red dress.
"Looking good, babe. Let's go." Emmett slapped my ass walking towards the door.
An hour later, I was sitting in VIP doing shots with the girls.
"I'm so glad to be out!" Esme shouted over the music.
"Me, too!" I picked up another shot.
Emmett shook his head and said something to the waitress. A couple of minutes later the music was turned down.
"What the hell?" Esme eyed him suspiciously.
"It was giving me a headache."
"You're no fun, brother!" She stuck her tongue out and we went back to our partying.
We spend the night drinking, dancing, and showing our asses.
We had been cooped up for far too long.
Emmett and I were the last to leave.
"Did you have as good night?" Emmett whispered in my ear as we walked outside.
"The best." I kissed his nose.
The night air whipped against my bare legs as we waited for the valet to bring the car around.
"When we get home, I'll make it even better." Emmett promised.
An engine revving brought took our eyes off each other as we looked up to see a dark green SUV speeding down the street.
"Rose, get back!" Emmett yelled, pushing me behind him. I could feel Emmett pulling out his gun while I heard shots ring out. I leaned into his back and groped his jacket, too scared to move. He and his guys shot back without hesitation.
It was only a matter of minutes, but it felt like a lifetime.
The gunfire stopped and we were all still standing.
"This is bullshit! Check the valets! Someone set this up!" Emmett screamed reaching around to hold me tightly.
"Rosie, you okay?"
"Yea." I said while nodding into his back.
He cringed as he turned to face me.
"Emmett, you look so pale!" I said starting to panic.
"I'm good. Don't worry."
"You can't see yourself." I told him running my hands across his chest checking him. When I ran my fingers down his side, I felt it. The sticky, hot feeling of blood.
The wound was a few inches under his right arm
"Oh my God!" I screamed pulling his jacket open.
He looked down at the blood spreading across his shirt.
"It's okay. Call Carlisle. Luke, get the car." He commanded in a calm voice.
I quickly called Alice and she said to apply pressure and Carlisle would be waiting for us at the emergency room.
When Luke pulls the car around, we all pile in and rushed across town.
Emmett lost more color the closer we got.
"Em, baby, talk to me." I spoke to him in a soothing tone trying to fight my tears.
"I'll be fine." He said quietly.
"You better be." I threatened him earning me a grin.
Right before we pulled in the hospital parking lot , Emmett went unconscious.
"Emmett? Emmett!" I asked my voice rising.
Carlisle was opening the door and directing the guys to get him inside.
"Is he going to be okay?" I followed Carlisle inside.
"I'm going to do my best. Stay here with Alice." He said disappearing in the back.
My tears started spilling over as Alice wrapped her tiny arms around me.
"Shh. Let Carlisle take care of him." She whispered in my ear.
Carlisle? More like God.
Please let him be okay! I can't loose him! I prayed over and over.
Charlie's POV
I was in my bed with Kate asleep on my chest. I tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, looking at her in a peaceful slumber. I really did love her, even if her father was a crime boss. We met one night at a bar. It wasn't a hip nightclub that most young twenty-somethings went to, it was a little sports bar on a side street downtown. I was meeting Billy there for a few beers and to catch the game. Renee had just told me she was leaving, and we had yet to tell Bella. I needed to blow off some steam.
I was a few beers in when this gorgeous, young woman sashayed in the joint wearing a tiny little black dress and thigh high boots. Her face held a very aggravated look, and she climbed up on the empty stool next to mine.
She was nice to look at and I left it at that.
"Two shots of Jose!" She called to the bartender at the end.
"Got it." He said putting two glasses on the bar and filling them up.
She picked one up in each hand and turned towards me.
"Would you mind? I don't like to drink alone."
"Um… sure." I couldn't let her drink alone.
I took the shot with her, and not sure what to say I stayed silent.
"Thanks. I'm sure you don't want to be bothered while your sports thing is on, but like I said, I don't like to drink alone." She smiled at me.
"Not a problem." I smiled back.
"So what's your name?" She asked waving at the bartender and pointed to the empty glasses.
"Charlie. Yours?"
"Kate." She smiled again.
"Nice to meet you Kate, this is my friend Billy."
"Hi, Billy." She waved at him before picking up the now full shot glasses.
"Another?" She asked with raised eyebrows.
"Why not?" I downed the shot.
We sat for a while talking about anything and everything. She was upset with her father about some woman he was seeing, and I was glad to know she was a rich kid instead of a hooker in that outfit.
Before I knew it, Billy was taking off, and I was left alone drunk with the very pretty young lady.
"I'll pay for these." My words were slightly slurred. I was raised to be a gentleman and I did have some money Renee hadn't spent. I actually had a lot of money she didn't know about.
"I have plenty of money. I insisted on them, so I'll pay. I better spend it before my father's gold digger does." She said throwing a wad of bills on the counter. "It was nice drinking with you, Charlie. Thanks for keeping me company."
"It was my pleasure."
She stood up and grabbed the counter when she couldn't quite find her balance.
I held her elbow to steady her.
"You really shouldn't drive. I can give you a lift if you need one."
"That would be really sweet of you." She held onto her purse, and I wrapped my arm around her waist to help her walk.
As we approached my truck, she turned and looked up at me. Hey eyes held a sparkle I hadn't seen in Renee's in a long time.
"Kiss me." She quietly demanded.
Who was I to deny a pretty woman?
I bent down, placing my lips against hers, moving them slowly.
Her moan hummed against my mouth.
"Are you busy in the morning?" She asked.
"I don't plan to be, why?" I asked not following.
"Care to wake up next to me?"
My dick got hard thinking about the hot motel sex we had that night. Kate had made me feel young again, and as time went on alive again.
I chuckled to myself thinking of the next morning.
"How do I know you're not a psychopath?" Kate asked rolling over looking at me wearing nothing but the sheet and the remains of last night's makeup.
"I'm not. Trust me, I'm a cop."
Her smile fell from her face.
"A cop?"
I nodded smiling.
"Is that a bad thing? Are you a criminal?" I teased her.
She shook her head, before smiling again.
"I just didn't peg you as a cop. You have a little bad boy vibe."
I didn't know at the time who her father was, or his gold digging whore for that matter, and she didn't know how much bad boy I had in me.
Kate had traded numbers with me, but it was a while before I saw her again.
One night she called and said she couldn't stay away. We would meet up at hotels and slowly swap small pieces of our lives. When she found out my last name she started piecing things together and broke down, telling me who her father was and that Renee was living with him.
I already knew the parts about Renee, but I didn't know she was Frank's daughter. I had no reason to have her followed, and I hadn't planned on falling in love with her.
Renee and I married young because she was pregnant. She had wanted much more in life than a cop's pay could buy. While she was digging us in debt, I would work all the extra hours I could to get overtime. It wasn't enough, nothing was ever enough for her.
She would shop and spend, all the time, usually on herself though. For all the illegal money I had acquired, Bella didn't show much for it. Not yet anyway.
I said nothing to Renee and let her spend my paycheck and then some, after I had finally given in and start accepting bribes from criminals, crooked lawyers, and even a judge or two to cover up their kids or mistresses mistakes.
I was high enough ranking at the time I could easily do it and nobody was any wiser.
I put most of the money away for Bella to inherit when I was gone. I wanted to know she was always taken care of.
Renee wanted to leave me, go ahead. She had no idea.
Kate knew. I trusted her.
She hated her father and gave me all kinds of information on his organization.
I wanted to take them down.
I wanted to take the Voluturi family down as well.
I suspected Edward and his family, but I had no proof. They were much smarter than Denali's bunch.
I would get what I needed.
Kate was helping me.
I plan to make the biggest mob bust in history and retire. Go out in a blaze of glory and all that jazz.
Bella would be off at college while Kate and I cruised down to some tropical island.