Hello, people!
Happy Wednesday!
Usual housekeeping:
- I still don't own any of it.
- Team Momo wouldn't exist without Midnight Cougar and Alice's White Rabbit with their red pens, or without AGoodWitch, Maplestyle, Mel, and Eternally Addicted who pre-read and tell me if I'm off my rocker or not.
- thank you for all the reviews and alerts! I'm humbled and grateful and treasure each of them.
Reminder that the nominations for the Golden Onion Awards are still underway and will be open until July 31. All the pertinent info and the link to the nomination and awards website is in their FB group, The Golden Onion Awards (type in the search bar to find it). Don't forget to go and show your favorites some love with the nominations :)
Shit's about to hit the crocheted, Rebitch-shaped fan. Let's hear from LawyerWard today.
Chapter 39 – EPOV
Mechanically, at the pace and with the demeanor of a man on a mission, I barely remembered the walk back to my garage from Bella's possible new building.
The news my father had relayed on the phone was devastating for our business, and if we didn't take decisive, swift action, we could all lose our law licenses. Our firm would crumble before our eyes—but we had the power to stop this. We needed to stop her.
After his hasty explanation of Rebecca's latest debacle—and betrayal—he mumbled something about a meeting at their house and said Bella would know more.
Still seething, and with all kinds of nightmare scenarios swirling in my head, I'd raced back to the underground garage in my building at a punishing speed, forgetting for a moment that Bella was there with me.
"Shit," I murmured under my breath, hoping she wouldn't hear me.
The rubber soles of her sneakers squeaked on the cement floor of the garage, following the harried rhythm she'd had to keep to catch up with me.
"Will you fucking stop and talk to me, Edward?"
She had heard me. Of course, she had. And she had a million reasons not to be happy with my behavior right now. Her voice sounded closer than I expected, even though I'd stopped in my tracks as soon as she'd spoken.
More than anything, I wished she'd reach out her hand and grasp mine. Her touch grounded and electrified me at the same time, and now it would be the balm on the stinging wound.
I'd never trusted Rebecca, but the thought that in her vindictive, self-centered behavior, she'd go as far as attempting to destroy the firm for her own benefit had short-circuited my temper.
"I'm sorry, love."
"Don't. Not now," Bella spat. Those words hit me like whiplash—sudden and vicious.
Neither of us had a hold on their temper at the moment, and it was all my fault.
"This is just what I was afraid of," she continued. "With the first difficulty at work, you're closing up on yourself like an angry turtle. So terrifying."
The visual and the sarcastic words that came along with it managed one thing—they made me chuckle, defusing the tension momentarily.
I turned to face her. "Angry turtle, you said?"
She huffed, glorious and unapproachable in her fury. I'd done that—not Rebecca, not the job, not anything else. I'd done that. I'd shut her out, and I hadn't even realized it.
The mere memory of it tortured me, and I reached for her with my hand. "My behavior in the last half-hour has been … appalling, to say the least. I'm not—I'm not used to leaning on someone else in a crisis. Normally, this is what I do—I clam up like an angry turtle. But it was unfair to you and horribly rude. I apologize, my love."
The thought that my behavior could cost me Bella tore me up inside, and as I spoke, my voice broke, and my vision blurred through my tears. "Will you forgive me, please? I can't … I can't lose you."
She took one step closer to me and laced her fingers through mine. My outstretched hand was no longer alone and lost. "You won't lose me. I'm here for the long haul, but please … learn to lean on me if things turn to shit. That's what being by your side means to me—that neither of us will have to deal with the curve balls of life alone."
Her free hand went to cradle my cheek, and she tenderly wiped away my tears. I heaved a shuddering, liberating breath and engulfed her in my arms.
"Oh, Bella. I'm so sorry, baby. I shouldn't have ignored you," I whispered, as I kissed her head and caressed her luscious hair.
"No, you shouldn't have. But I'm here now."
I planted one last kiss on her forehead, then cupped her face in my hands. "I love you so fucking much. What would I do without you?"
She stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips to mine. "Love you, too. And you won't have to find out. Let's go show that bitch who's boss."
I chuckled. Rebecca had picked the wrong fight with the wrong crowd.
"By all means. After you, love."
Our favorite lawyer got into a bit of a tizzy. Luckily his Bella brought him back to earth.
Next stop, we're driving to a very important, very cloak and dagger meeting on Saturday.
And now, I'm off to work.
Catch y'all on Saturday!