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Here we go again. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I will see you next week with another. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 29

Bella-

I sat down next to Edward with Esme and Rose flanking my right side. I throw both women an appreciative smile. Rose held a special place in my heart. Not many people would take in a stray from the street and feed them fresh pastries every week, but Rose never acted like I was an imposition. She'd been warm and generous from the start, and having her next to me at this table helped elevate some of the pressure weighing heavily on my back.

My mother-in-law was very similar to Rose. She was sweet and welcoming. She didn't seem to care where Edward and I met. I glanced at the woman next to me and could envision bonding with her. I could only remember fragments of my own mother, and none of those memories were as warm as Esme's greeting. She didn't even hesitate to embrace me. Instantly, I felt a need to protect the woman at my side.

A noise at the servant's entrance drew my attention, and I watched half a dozen waiters enter the room, carrying trays full of plates, I sat ramrod straight when they placed an expensive-looking dish in front of me. I had the urge to stand up and help them pass out dinner, my hands gripping the edge of my seat to remain where I was. Having people serve me didn't quite sit well with me. One day I'm digging in the garbage for supper, and the next, I'm staring at white gloves placing fine china before me.

I stared at the food on my plate. I wasn't even sure what the hell it was. I imagined the black glistening beads had to be caviar, and maybe the slimy thing in the shell was an oyster. Did they really expect me to eat this? My nose wrinkled as the smell wafted to me, my stomach flipping as I considered putting it on my tongue. Leaning close to Edward, I whispered, "What is this?"

Amusement danced in his gaze, his attention darting between me and the plate. "It's caviar and oysters. It's a delicacy."

Edward didn't even pause as he scooped one up and sucked it from the shell. Chewing quickly, he swallowed the bite, my stomach rolling. "I don't care what it is, I'm not eating it." I glared back when he merely grinned at me. "Don't think you're kissing me with that mouth either."

Edward made a show of trying to draw me in close and steal the kiss I denied him. "Come here, princess. I bet the sweetness of your tongue will compliment the dish."

I forget about our surroundings, squealing as I attempted to avoid his searching lips, twisting away just in time for him to plant a sloppy kiss on my cheek. "Your breath is repugnant. Oh my." I pushed him away before I fell out of my seat. "Keep your raunchy breath over there."

Rose and Esme were entertained by the display, and I even heard Emmett chuckle from where he sat on Edward's left side. Delight and humor were evident in Edward's grin. Carlisle's crisp voice cut into the light moment stealing the joy from the atmosphere. "Is the dinner not up to your wife's standards, Edward?"

Sarcasm dripped from his statement. I knew he meant his remark as a cut-down, but I tilted my chin with stubbornness. I would not let Carlisle, the king of cheats, taint my experience. With as much prissiness as I could muster, I fixed him with a hard stare. "Not all of us can be hoity-toity shits. Some of us actually like food meant to feed humans and not birds."

"Better birds than rodents," he snipped back, taking a swig of the amber liquid in his grasp. "Perhaps your princess would like a cheeseburger. Want me to have Tomas run downtown to McDonald's?"

Ginerva and Mateo chuckled, obviously not having the same dilemma about dinner as I was, sucking down shell after shell of fresh seafood. Edward stiffened next to me, his hand dropping in my lap to hold my leg. He pinned Carlisle to the chair where he sat, his lips curling as he studied his father. "You would know about eating off the streets, probably better than anyone at this table."

Carlisle whipped his glass around in a tight circle, swirling the liquor inside his glass, annoyance in his eyes as he returned Edward's intense stare. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I knew instantly Edward was referring to Irene. A part of me wanted to be offended for my friend, but a tomato was a tomato, and so I bit my tongue.

"I think you know precisely what that means," Edward insisted without even blinking. His gravelly voice was a mere growl as he continued, "Why would someone dine on ground meat when he has a steak at home?"

Carlisle seemed to gather Edward's meaning, his pale blond brow shooting to his hairline, pale blues dancing around the table at the spectators. "At least I had the good sense to keep second-grade beef out of my house. If only my son had been so wise." He tsked under his breath, fighting the urge to fly over the table.

"What the hell are we talking about?" Rose wanted to know, her glittering gaze darting toward her husband for help.

Emmett gave a shrug and shake of his head. "Later, babe."

Esme looked as lost as Rose, and she leaned toward me. "Am I missing something, dear?"

I was about to answer her when Edward spoke next, his attention firmly focused on his father. "Sometimes the rarest of delicacies can be found in the most unlikely places. I would never sample burgers when I have a T-bone on my plate."

A cold silence enveloped the dining room. Three sets of eyes burned into my skin. I felt everywhere they touched, and if it weren't for Edward's firm, supportive grip on my thigh, I would've squirmed in my seat. Instead of letting the nerves eat me alive, I lifted my chin and straightened my spine, my husband's touch reassuring and fortifying. Through the fan of my lashes, I spied Carlisle's icy blues drilling into me. An unease accosted me, and in that instant, I had little doubt he wouldn't waste an opportunity to slit my throat.

The mere thought had my throat contracting. I could practically feel the cold blade slicing into my jugular. With a great amount of effort, I ripped my attention away from Carlisle to wander to his guests. Mateo's pupils dilated as he stared me down, his gaze roaming over every slope and curve. He leaned in close to his daughter whispering something in her ear. She nodded in response, and I had a feeling they were planning my demise.

Let them try, I thought, boldly meeting Ginerva's intense stare. She was beautiful. She was elegant and refined in a way I could never want to be. Every inch of her glowed as if she stood beneath some sort of spotlight, sleek and radiant, and it was rather intimidating. Would I let her know my confidence plummeted the second she'd stepped from the shadows of that parlor? Never. Fake until you make it, right?

The caress of Edward's thumb sliding over my thigh offered comfort, and with a great deal of willpower, I turned my attention to my husband. I watched his side profile. He never once tried to steal sneaking glances in the princess's direction. The battle of wills between father and son filled the room with tension as they stared at one another. While Edward was scary and extracted fear from those around him, there was a look of intent apparent on his face, turning his already sharp jawline to granite, thin nostrils flaring with temper, and stiffening his shoulders. No doubt his enemies found his murderous blues frightening, but he looked sexy as fuck at the moment.

I knew the intensity of that look. He'd looked at me exactly like that last night, only for an entirely different reason. I glimpsed the raw hunger in his navy gaze, and awareness popped and snapped under my skin, warmth flooding my panties at the memory. My hand fell to my lap, covering Edward's long fingers, lacing mine with his, letting his strength and power seep into my palm. He glanced in my direction, our eyes locking, and holding.

His comment when we climbed from the limo played through my mind and a real sliver of fear shot through me. 'We needed to talk about our arrangement.' What if Edward wanted to end things between us? What if he was ready to seek out his forever wife? Had I been delusional thinking this relationship was developing into something more?

I picked up the wine glass in front of my plate and sipped the red liquid. I knew next to nothing about wine, but the fruity brew tinged with alcohol absorbed into my tongue, the taste encouraging me to take another small sip. I exhaled, pulling my gaze away from Edward's to scan the dining room. I was completely out of place here, I realized. I was used to running the dingy streets of the city, and everything in this dining room sparkled, right down to the pretentious silverware sitting next to my plate.

I was so lost in all these thoughts that I didn't notice Edward lean toward me until I felt his warm breath caressing the shell of my ear. Steel edged his voice as he whispered, "As soon as we get home, I'm going to strip that dress off of you. I want to kiss every inch of your delicious body." He squeezed my thigh emphasizing his need. My blood thickened, melting bone and muscle until I felt like I might slide out of my seat. "Will you let me, princess? Can I taste you? All of you?"

My heart ramped up, knocking against my ribs causing my skin to burn. The image he created had my pulse leaping with excitement and another gush of warmth flooded my underwear. I was fairly sure my cheeks were flaming red and a shyness filled me. I darted a glance at Esme, who sat on my right, hoping like hell she hadn't overheard her son's comment. I surprised us both as my retort tumbled from my lips, boldly meeting his gaze. "Only if I can taste all of you."

Our private conversation was just heating up when Carlisle pinned Edward with a hard stare. "So, what are your plans, Edward?"

Edward straightened pulling away from me with a look of total astonishment on his face, slowly dragging his hungry eyes from me to focus on his father. "What do you mean by plans?"

"Surely, you have plans," Carlisle chuckled without humor. He gestured to the guests at his side. "If you had married Miss Ricco, your reach would have extended to Italy, but now you will be at a standstill here in Chicago. What now, Edward?"

Esme spoke up before Edward had a chance to process his question. "Carlisle, this is hardly appropriate conversation for dinner, don't you think?"

"I think any topic I choose is appropriate when I'm discussing the future of our livelihood." His hard stare drilled into Esme, and I had the overwhelming desire to embrace the woman at my side. "You've been unwell lately, and hardly able to crawl out of bed. Hell, you look like you need to go rest."

His statement was barely a mumble and barely audible across the large mahogany table. The woman at my side was ghostly pale and getting whiter by the second. I studied her plate long and hard as she fiddled with her food as if she didn't have an appetite. Her voice was weak when she responded to Carlisle's cool statement. "I would watch who you're speaking to husband. You wouldn't have any of this if it weren't for me."

Carlisle's complexion ashened upon her comeback. I studied husband and wife closely. Whatever Edward and Emmett had perceived as love couldn't have been further from the truth. Carlisle held many secrets and if what Esme said was true–if he wouldn't have anything without her, it must mean he'd married for a position long ago.

Esme's hand trembled as she lifted her forkful of pasta to her mouth. A horrible thought played through my mind as I watched her attempt to take the bite, failing as several noodles fell from the prongs. Before I could stop myself I bumped into her hard enough for her to drop the fork to her plate. When the fork's clatter filled the silence, and her startled eyes met mine, I gave my head a hard shake, mumbling a quick apology.

"Edward." His name came out sharp, but the tone succeeded in capturing his attention. He must've noticed I had something important on my mind because he leaned down close enough for me to speak in his ear. "What if your mother is being poisoned? She's pale, sick, barely able to lift a fork. I think we need to get her out of here."

Edward's head jerked up and his gaze flashed to his mother. I knew exactly when the puzzle pieces started to fit together because his eyebrows drew together and his entire body turned rigid. "Mom," he called, "don't eat another bite on that plate, and don't drink anything else."

Edward leaned toward Emmett and mumbled something quickly before he abruptly stood from the table and shoved his chair back. Without hesitation, he grabbed hold of my arm and with everyone watching, pulled me from the room. He walked quickly to a half-bath and shoved me inside, slamming the door in our wake. "Why would you think that? What happened to draw you to that conclusion?"

Distaste contorted his handsome face. With the need to soothe the troubled lines creasing his forehead, I reached up and stroked his cheeks. "She's been ill. She's weak, and fragile all of a sudden. What if he's been slowly poisoning her? She just said he wouldn't have all of this without her. What if he's trying to take control and get rid of her at the same time? His insistence for you to marry Ginerva. Maybe Mateo knows about it. He would know how much loyalty and devotion is to your organization, and he's using it to his advantage to get what he wants."

Edward's hands crushed mine to the point of breaking my fingers. I refused to flinch, knowing his vise-like grip was an effort to hold onto something sturdy. The muscle in his temple jumped as he considered what I said. Hatred and anger twisted his features, his jaw clenched and I could hear his teeth grinding together. He let go of my hand to delve into his pocket. Withdrawing his phone he scrolled for Emmett's contact, texting, 'I need you to take mom to your place. Dad may be poisoning her.'

'What the fuck? Where would you get an idea like that?'

'There's no time to talk about the shit here. Let's get her out of this house and see if she improves. We'll find a physician that isn't being paid by Carlisle to examine her.'

When Edward finished his text to Emmett, he returned his cell to his pocket, shoving a hand through his hair. "Of all the people I thought I had to worry about in this city, I never imagined it would be my own father."

My heart squeezed when I heard the obvious pain in his voice. I knew all too well how it felt to be betrayed by the most important person in your life. For years that betrayal had dictated my every move, not allowing me to trust anyone, sometimes not even those who truly cared for me. I placed my hand on the center of Edward's chest, feeling the steady thump of his heart beneath my fingers. I had this sudden need to pull the layers of his clothing off and soothe his bare skin, wanting to be as close to him as possible. I fisted his black button-up, denying myself the feel of his warm flesh. "I'm sorry, Edward."

He quietly staring down at me. His chest expanded under my hand as he sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it. "Let's get the hell out of here. I don't think I can stomach another moment in this house."

Even while I was eager to leave Carlisle and the Ricco's behind, I needed a moment to collect my thoughts. "I need to use the bathroom. I'll be out in a minute."

Edward cupped my cheeks in his large hands and dropped a kiss on my forehead. There was such a look of defeat on his face and a knife pierced my chest. "Take your time, princess. I'm not going anywhere without you."

I rested my weight on the sink staring at my reflection in the mirror. I was a very different person than I had been a few weeks ago. Listening to Carlisle refer to me as garbage stung in ways I couldn't explain. Edward had a real knack for making me feel like a rare jewel, and the way he stood up for me without hesitation soothed his father's harsh reference. A burst of warmth flooded my chest and I was eager to have Edward all to myself.

Gathering my wits, I left the bathroom, pausing in the hallway when I heard Ginerva speaking in a low voice, her accent drifting from the library. I stopped outside of the door that stood ajar. The bitch must've followed Edward and me when we left the table.

A spike of jealousy drove into my gut when I glanced into the room to find her a foot away from Edward. "I can offer you so much more than that girl, Edward. We could create a beautiful life." Her delicate hand came up to rest on Edward's chest and another hot brand of hate slid down my throat. Edward immediately stepped out of her reach, his hand locking around her wrist, but the witch wasn't done trying. Even while he gripped her thin wrist, she sank to her knees before him and started to reach for his crotch. "Let me show you how good it could be."

"Oh hell no," I gurgled, unable to quiet the rage burning in the back of my throat. I didn't care if I looked like a crazy sea hag. With a fury I didn't even recognize, I barged into the room, hardly noticing Edward's look of surprise or Ginerva's shocked gasp. Marching toward them, I didn't stop until my fingers curled in the smooth chocolate tresses of her hair. Yanking firmly, I pulled her to her feet, thrilled when she squealed in outrage. "You have your hands on something that's mine."

When I pulled her around to face me, I balled my fist and plowed into her perfect, snooty nose. Blood burst across her face, dripping over her lips to drip on her dress. Satisfaction filled me when tears glittered to life in her wide almond eyes. I stomped at her, laughing when she flinched, her hands immediately blocking her face. Edward's arm curled around my waist, bringing me tight against his chest, yet I kicked toward the barbie before me. I seethed through clenched teeth as I struggled against my husband's hold. "You might come from some palace where you get whatever you want, but if you ever touch my husband again, I will cut your damn fingers off."

The rumble of Edward's laughter vibrated against my back. His harsh breath filled my ear. "Calm down, princess, save some of that temper for later."

I went still against him, becoming very aware of his cock digging into my ass. A very real desire to claim this man as my husband in every sense of the word filled me. Staring at the crying woman a foot away, I cupped Edward's erection, squeezing until he grunted. I noticed Ginerva's gaze widen. "This is mine. Every fucking inch of it."

"Damn straight it is," he growled, nipping my ear as he thrust into my palm. "I'm taking you home, princess, so I can taste every last inch of you."

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