Chapter 14

~Back to Reality~

The next hour went by in a whirlwind. I donned my Kelly disguise and started packing. My fingers shook and I had heart palpitations as I folded clothes and shoved toiletries into my bag. Tony was on the phone in Jasper's office. He was all business, and an uneasy feeling settled into my gut.

Angela returned to the penthouse dressed as Gina. Her face was flushed, and she seemed to be walking on air. I met her at the elevator, and she pulled me into a tight hug.

"Thank you for encouraging me to go to Santo's. We had the most magical night." Angela's eyes sparkled with happiness.

"I'm thrilled for you!"

"How was your night with Tony?"

My face fell before I could stop it. "He got called home by his father, but we made up for lost time when he got back."

"Yeah?" Angela wiggled her eyebrows. "You can tell me all about it later."

Once our things were in the foyer next to the elevator, I went into the office to say goodbye to Tony. He sat at the desk, gazing out the window, deep in thought. I took the opportunity to take in his handsome profile. His posture was tense, fist clenched on top of the desk. My stomach rolled. We were about to go our separate ways, and I didn't know what the future held.

Tony glanced over at me, and his demeanor immediately changed. He smiled, holding his hand out in invitation. "Come here, princess."

I went to him, and he pulled me down onto his lap, strong arms surrounding me. I looped my arm around his neck and leaned into him.

"It's going to be okay. The worry is coming off you in waves. You have to get it under control, or your father will know something is up." He caressed my face with a gentle touch.

"You read me too well. I promise to hold it together. I know what's at stake."

"I know you do, my beautiful girl. We have to be very careful, especially until we discover the identity of the assassin." His green eyes were filled with tenderness and concern for me. He hugged me tight, nuzzling his lips against the side of my neck. "I'll think about you every minute we're apart," he whispered.

A shiver tingled through me, a combination of pleasure, anticipation, and fear. "I'll think of you all the time too. How are we going to manage this?" I tried to keep my voice even and sound brave even though I was terrified.

"Do you trust me, princess?"

"Of course!"

He looked deeply into my eyes. "Only death will keep me from you. I promise, we will find a way."

His expression held such conviction, I had no choice but to believe him. Tony was a force of nature, and I felt sorry for anyone who dared to oppose him.

After more whispered promises and kisses, Tony saw me and Angela off by the elevators. As the doors were starting to close, Tony stopped them and reached for me. He held my face between his hands, looking down at me tenderly, and kissed me long and slow.

On the ride down, Angela held a hand against her chest with a dramatic sigh. "You guys have such a beautiful connection."

"We do." I felt giddy, and butterflies erupted in my abdomen. It felt so good to know I was the one Tony loved, that he would go to great measures for me. I grabbed Angela's hand, swinging our arms back and forth. "Tell me about Santo."

"God, Bella, he's so dreamy. He's tough and strong but has this soft side that makes me melt. He was such a gentleman last night, even offered to sleep in another room and take things slow."

"So you guys slept apart?"

Angela looked at me like I was daft. "Hell, no! I climbed him like a tree. I'm just saying he was willing to take it slow. I wasn't—not when my other option is a cheater." Angela fluffed her wig, looking smug. "I rocked his world, if I do say so myself."

We hugged each other and giggled. When the doors opened, we hurried across the garage to Angela's car and took off for home, stopping in a Walmart parking lot to remove our disguises and tuck them away.

As we drove up to my house, my heart clenched and my palms grew sweaty. Angela shifted the car into park and put her hand on my arm. "It's going to be okay. You're not alone. I'm behind you all the way."

"I know. Not sure what I would do without you!" I leaned over to give her a hug.

We stood looking up at Aro's mansion, holding hands, then climbed the front steps. As I fumbled for my key, the door swung open, and Caius stood in the doorway.

"Ladies, welcome home."

"Hey, Caius. Where's my dad?"

"He's waiting for you both in the study. You can leave your bags here, and I'll have them brought to your room."

"Thanks."

Angela and I continued to hold hands as we walked into Aro's study. For some reason, The Wizard of Oz flitted through my mind. It felt like we were seeking an audience with The Great and Powerful Oz, and my insides quivered.

My father and Uncle Marcus sat before the fire, drinking whiskey and talking in hushed tones. Aro looked up and smiled when we entered, his dark eyes glittering with something I couldn't name.

"Girls, come sit. Would you like a drink?"

I was surprised; Aro had never offered me liquor before. Both of us eagerly accepted, and Uncle Marcus poured glasses for us. The four of us sat by the fire, sipping our whiskey. The alcohol warmed my belly and calmed my nerves. I felt at peace, like things might be okay.

"The two of you are old enough to understand what's happening, and I'm hoping you're mature enough to accept different facets of this life. Our family was accused of putting a hit on Edward Masen's son. The assassin fingered me as the person who hired him."

Angela and I gasped, feigning surprise.

Aro held a hand up and continued. "We received a package from Masen—an accusation of sorts. I set up a meeting with Masen's boys, and we discussed the reasons it's unlikely that I was the one to put the hit on Edward Junior. We have a tentative alliance focused on discovering the true identity of the assassin. You're no longer in danger of retaliation, so you can feel safe to go back to work. Of course, you are free to continue your courtship with Santiago Lanzo."

Angela stiffened when Aro mentioned my potential marriage to Santo. Aro didn't notice, but I was pretty sure Uncle Marcus did.

"That's such good news, Dad! I'm eager to get back to normal life and—"

Aro smiled but shook his head. "Slow down, Isabella Marie! The immediate danger has passed, but I don't fully trust the word of the Masens. Besides, the fucker who tried to set me up is still out there and very much a threat. So while you may resume work and your courtship, you will both have a security detail."

"What? No!" I protested, standing up from my chair.

Angela shook her head. "Dad! What the hell? We're not babies!"

Aro rose to his feet and glared down at me. "Control yourself. Sit down, and be respectful."

I swallowed hard and returned to my seat, chastened. "Sorry."

Uncle Marcus watched Angela with curiosity but didn't say anything. We certainly didn't need our fathers looking too closely at our recent activities. I prayed she wouldn't make him any more suspicious.

Angela's jaw was tight, but she also apologized for her outburst. She probably had the same concerns I did about drawing attention.

Aro sat down again, picking up his drink. He swirled the amber liquid around for a moment before addressing us again. "This life isn't easy. We all know this. Sacrifices will be made, and there are a lot of rules to follow. Your lives aren't just your own. When we face a threat, we will do whatever is necessary. The sooner you accept it, the better for us all. Do you understand where I'm coming from?"

"Yes, I think so." I would have given anything for the answer to be different.

"Yes," Angela whispered, looking away.

Aro clapped his hands. "Excellent. You will be assigned a security detail, and they need to know where you are at all times. If you're with Santo, security can stay back to give you some privacy." He looked at Angela. "The same goes for you and Lou."

Uncle Marcus remained stoic, watching Angela closely. She didn't seem to notice, and I couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't make our behavior seem more suspicious.

We finished our drinks, made small talk with our fathers, and escaped to my room when it was safe.

Angela stalked over to my bed and grabbed a pillow, screaming into it. "Motherfucker! Our lives are going to be hell."

I glared at her balefully. "At least the guy you want is one of the people we're allowed to have relaxed security around! How the fuck am I going to see Tony?" Just saying the words caused me to lose my breath.

"Don't worry. We'll figure this out." She grabbed my hands, and when I looked into her eyes, I found confidence there. "This is just a minor setback. We will find ways around it."

"We have to."

I pulled out my burner phone and texted Tony.

Aro is putting security on me and Angela. :-( ~B

Shit. Don't worry. We'll make it work. ~T

I miss you already. ~B

I missed you before you left. ~T

Tears sprang to my eyes. He was so romantic, it made my heart melt.

I don't know how I'm going to get through the days without you. ~B

Keep busy. Your father and I still need to figure out who's trying to start a war. We have to be very careful for a while, and there may be times I'm out of touch. ~T

I know there's a lot going on. I'll do whatever I have to. ~B

That's my girl. I love you. Don't say it back! You say it when you're ready and NOT by text. Have to go. TTYL ~T

I hugged the phone to my chest.

Angela smiled and shook her head. "You two. I hope Santo and I can be like that." Her expression grew serious. "I hope my dad lets me out of the engagement with Lou. I just can't spend my life with that two-timing piece of shit."

Time went by quicker than expected, and the rest of the week seemed to fly by. Angela insisted we spend extra hours at the gun range practicing. We cleaned our guns and made sure they were loaded and ready. We also started carrying mace and pocketknives.

Angela wanted to practice handling the knives. I resisted until she challenged me to pretend I needed to whip my knife out during an attack. I fumbled it, found it awkward to open, and had a hard time closing it.

Angela insisted we get familiar with our weapons—knowing where they were and handling them deftly until it became second nature.

"Chica, in an emergency when the adrenaline starts flowing, there's no time to think—" Angela tapped her temple "—only to act."

I realized she was right. In a crisis, our bodyguards might be distracted or taken out, leaving us responsible for saving ourselves. We made a pact to practice daily.

Returning to work was therapeutic. The desk was busy, and I needed to keep my mind occupied. Thursday evening, Lorenzo Denali's daughter, Tanya, stopped by. With untamed, wild hair and a haughty attitude she was nothing like Kate.

"Tanya Denali. There are no hot towels in the spa."

"Good evening, Ms. Denali. Apologies, but the spa closed at ten."

She rolled her big, blue eyes and snorted with disgust. "Outrageous! The brochure says extended hours!"

"If you'd like, I'll have someone bring some hot towels to your room."

"And charge me an extra fee, I'm sure," she muttered. "You know what—just forget it."

"Can I offer you a comp?" I pulled out a list of extras we offered and tried to hand it to her.

Tanya held her hand up. "Sweetheart . . . do I look like I need charity? I just want what was promised. Rest and relaxation? What bullshit."

I was tempted to tell her what she needed was a swift kick in the ass, but that wouldn't be good customer service. "I'm sorry you're unhappy. Please let me know if there's anything—"

"Stop trying to 'handle' me!" She pointed in my face. "I want your name!"

I put both hands down on the counter a little harder than necessary and stared her in the eye. "I'm simply trying to assist you. My name is Isabella." I couldn't stop myself from tapping my nametag.

"I'm reporting you to Aro Volturi! He's a family friend, you know."

"You're going to report me to Aro?" I pulled out my phone and brought up DAD in my contact list, turning the screen so Tanya could see. "Want me to dial him for you?"

"You little—ugh!" Tanya sputtered.

Kate came out of the locker room. "T, what's taking you so long? Oh hey, Bella! How are you?"

"Great. How are you, Kate?"

Tanya flung her hands in the air and glared at me. "I'll be in the lounge—unless that closes early too!" She stalked away.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Sorry about her. Nothing is ever good enough, and I mean nothing. I hope she wasn't too rude."

I waved a hand. "Nothing I haven't dealt with before."

"Well, I apologize on behalf of the wicked witch. If you ever want to hang out or have a drink sometime—you know, when you're not working—let me know."

"Sure, that sounds like fun!"

We exchanged numbers and Kate followed Tanya to the lounge. I ruminated about how different the siblings were. Tanya was as beautiful as Kate, but she must have been holding the door when manners and graciousness were being handed out.

When my shift was over, one of my bodyguards showed up. I was feeling petulant. "Rick, let's go to the lounge for a drink."

"Miss—"

"If you don't call me Bella, I'm going to tell Aro you suck at your job."

"Bella, I'm not supposed to drink on the job."

"I won't tell. One drink."

Rick was a handsome, well-built guy in his early thirties. He started working for Aro when he was fifteen, and I knew his loyalty was unquestionable. I was pretty sure he had a crush on me though I would never admit it to my father. If Aro knew, he'd pull him off my detail. Rick was a decent guy, and I felt comfortable with him.

"Bella…" Rick gave me a stern look.

"I'm getting a drink." I strode toward the lounge, leaving him no choice but to follow.

Matt was working the bar. When he saw me, he smiled. "Hey, Bella! White Zinfandel?"

"Please! It's been a long night."

"How about you?" Matt looked to Rick.

"Whatever you've got on tap would be great."

We slid into a high-backed booth with our drinks. An older man played the piano in the corner. The music was soothing, and I started to relax.

A familiar voice came from the booth next to us. "This place is supposed to have entertainment! Not some old guy tinkering with a baby grand."

Tanya Denali. Great.

Kate's annoyed voice answered in response. "T, cut it out! It's a Thursday night. Tomorrow they have a comedian, Saturday a local band. Just stop yourself."

"You see the sunny side of everything. Ew."

"And you sound like a grouchy eighty-year-old. There must be something you like about this trip!"

"Actually, there is. Daddy is setting me up with someone from another family. We're supposed to have a date this weekend."

"Well, see? That sounds promising!"

"He's smokin' hot, Katie. I'm really looking forward to this one."

"Who is it?"

"Edward Masen Junior. He's being groomed to be the head of the Masen family, and I could rule by his side."

My stomach did a sickening roll, and I clenched my fists. Like hell, you will.

~oOo~

Things are about to get dicey and complicated. Who else loves to hate Tanya? *waves hands* Love reading all the thoughts and theories you guys send my way! Mwah!

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