2brown-eyes is the jelly to my peanut butter!

Carlisle Cullen is in top form as Christmas descends on the Cullen clan. He finally agreed to Elizabeth's divorce demands after she gave him thirty-five years of her life, and word on the street is she's planning to move to New York as soon as she's free. That's where all the wealthy socialites want to be, and it's always been her life's mission.

My sources tell me that the elder Cullen has been having an affair at work for the past five years. It's an open secret, and one I'm willing to blab if someone doesn't get me the info I crave!

Where are the young Cullen couple, you ask?

One thousand dollars for the first person to spill!

Alice Knows All

"What do you see for us?" I tug my bottom lip between my teeth, waiting patiently.

On my powder room floor.

It's not where I imagined this conversation taking place.

"I want my wife back." The intensity in his gaze is unnerving. It's also electric.

"What about Tanya?" It's a valid question, and Fuck Tanya is not the proper answer.

The electricity sparks before fizzling into resignation. "She's moving to London."

"Her choice or yours?"

He shrugs. "Hers, I suppose."

That doesn't help.

At all.

So I say nothing.

He sighs eventually, clawing an agitated hand through his hair. "I'm … I live my life among sharks and wolves, so I've learned it's best to always keep my cards close to my chest. It's the reason I didn't fight you harder when you left, and the reason it's still hard to say all the things I need to now."

His admission, though small, is a truth he's never admitted to me, yet I've always known it—the part about keeping his cards close anyway. I also know that money didn't buy a good family. In fact, it may be the root of all their problems.

My heart breaks a little for him.

Though I'd probably still choose his upbringing over my own.

I hold out my hand. "How about I make us some cocoa and toast while you work up the nerve to say those things."

He grins, and it's small, but it's also soft and gentle and filled with all the things I dream about. My stomach flips when his hand touches mine, and it isn't in an upset way. As he stands, he pulls me to my feet, and there's too much fire for this small space.

His eyes meet mine, sure and serious, wanting. Needing. The tug in my chest is as persistent as ever when he's near, and my heart is begging me to fall face-first into his mouth.

I huff a small laugh, rolling my eyes to break the tension that's nearly choking us. "That's what got us into this mess."

His chuckle follows me up the hall. "What a beautiful mess it is."

I'm smiling, knowing he can't see.

In the kitchen, I make myself busy, doing anything to take my attention from him. He's too fucking gorgeous and soft and large in my space.

Like he belongs.

I stay silent for a few minutes, waiting, but he never starts. So I take the initiative, straying just beyond what I really want to discuss. "Alice Knows All, huh?" I set a plate with four pieces of toast and a softened stick of butter on the bar. "It doesn't bother you that she spills all your personal business to the public like that?"

"It never has in the past," he says, and he looks like he's giving it thought for the first time ever. "She's only fifteen, and it isn't like the press wouldn't get ahold of the information at some point anyway." My brows rise. Fifteen. So young still. "But now"—his eyes bore into mine—"her little pet project has the potential to hurt someone I l—" He clamps his lips shut and studies the toast like it's the most interesting thing in the world. He even nabs a piece and takes a bite, chewing slowly.

As if he didn't stop mid-sentence.

Mid-word even.

Meanwhile, my heart is thundering so hard it's the only thing I can hear. It's the reason my reply is way too loud in the quiet room. "I love you, too."

Both of us freeze, wide, panicked gazes locked as the words bounce off the walls.

Shit.

I know some of you aren't going to like this, but it's her truth whether they fix things or not.

So, AKA, is only fifteen. Do you still despise her or does that change things?

It's Dec 20... 5 chapters left *criesssssssss*

See ya tmr :)