Chapter 25

~Shadow Play~

~*Bella*~

"Alec?" I echoed, tasting the name of my father's murderer on my tongue for the first time. "Who is he?"

"Alec Guerra is a hired gun. He's fucking deadly. Alec has something over everyone he does business with."

I brought the brandy to my lips with shaking hands and took a gulp. Tony grasped my wrist and plucked the drink from my hand. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"What?" I was taken aback by his angry stare.

"You're fucking pregnant! You can't drink!"

I was flustered and embarrassed. "Oh my god! I didn't even think!"

Angela leaned forward, looking remorseful. "That's my fault. My gran always said a drink to calm the nerves is better than stressing the baby. I shouldn't have . . ."

"No, you shouldn't have!" Tony glared at Angela. "Follow old wives tales if you want to, but don't fucking encourage Bella to!"

A tear slipped down Angela's cheek, and she got up and ran from the room.

"Tony, was that necessary? She feels bad, and it was my fault. I'm not used to this yet. I'm really sorry."

Jasper put a hand on Tony's shoulder. "Hey, man—go easy. It's not going to happen again, right?"

Tony pulled me into his arms, resting his chin on top of my head. "I'm sorry, princess. I'm not myself today."

"Yo, is that The Shadow?" Emmett pointed at the picture of Alec.

"Yeah."

A look passed between the brothers.

"The Shadow?" I queried.

Emmett nodded. "The most lethal hit man around, and he's earned the nickname—he operates in the shadows, and nobody knows how to find him. And if he fucking finds you . . . well, you better hope it's because you want to hire him!" He laughed.

Tony punched Emmett in the stomach. "Shut it, Em!"

"Ow! What was that for?"

My gut clenched, and I feared I might vomit. I dug my fingers into Tony's arm, and he turned to me with concern. "What is it, princess?"

I waited for the nausea to pass before speaking. "I have to tell you something. I think we should all be here for this."

Tony nodded. "I'll go get Angela. I have something I need to say to her anyway."

After he left the room, Jasper sat beside me and took my hand. "Listen, I know he can be intense, but it's only because he loves you and the baby so much."

"I'm not mad at him. I just don't understand why he attacked Angela that way."

"He just lived through your funeral, and he's been under a lot of stress."

"I know."

Tony and Angela walked into the living room together. There didn't appear to be any tension between them, which made me happy. Jasper got up so they could sit on either side of me, and Tony put his arm around me and kissed my temple. Angela held my hand and nodded, encouraging me to tell them about the moment I first heard Alec's voice.

"When I was a teenager, I took every opportunity to defy Aro. Sometimes I would hide under a desk at his club, writing in my journal. One night, I overheard a conversation between Aro and another man. They were arguing, and Aro was pissed that the man took out a cop who was getting too close during an investigation. Aro said he had the situation under control, and the man said, 'Like you had Swan under control? You're going soft, Aro.' Aro pulled a gun on him and told him to get out. Before the man left, he accused Aro of being soft again and said something like, 'If it wasn't for me, you probably still wouldn't have your daughter living under your roof. You need to learn how to be grateful, or things could be ripped away from you.' Aro yelled at him to get out before he put a bullet in his head. I never knew who the other man was, but I heard his voice again years later—the night I met you, Tony."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

I nodded, tears swimming in my eyes. "Yeah. Alec Guerra is the one who murdered the man who raised me. I want to kill the bastard!" My voice rose to a shriek.

"No, no, no, no! You will never go anywhere near Alec!" Tony gripped my arms and turned me toward him, eyes ablaze with rage and fear. "I'm not one to lay down rules, but this one isn't negotiable, Bella!"

The tears spilled down my cheeks, and I pulled from his grasp, pounding my fists against his chest. "He killed my daddy! He took my life away! I won't let him get away with that. I won't."

Tony banded his arms around me, pulling me closer so I couldn't hit him. "Princess, please calm down. Calm down. This isn't good for the baby. I swear on my life, I won't let Alec get away with killing your father. You have to let us handle this though. Promise me." He pulled back and cupped my face, capturing me with his intense gaze. "Promise me."

"Okay. I promise."

Jasper looked to his cousin. "Ro, can you look into this guy?"

Rose pursed her lips. "I've already got a file on him. He's a key player, so he's been on my radar. He won't be easy to get to." She fiddled with her glasses. "I'll see what I can dig up."

Emmett rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Just be careful, Rose. If he gets wind of what you're doing, he'll come after you."

Tony agreed. "Yeah. We appreciate any help you can offer, but this needs to be approached with extreme caution."

I grabbed Tony's hand. "You guys are talking about this guy like he's not human. Who does he work for?"

"That's the thing—he's freelance. Alec doesn't answer to anyone. His track record is unparalleled."

My stomach rolled, and fear clawed at me. "Have you ever hired him?"

Tony looked at me for a long moment. "Not me, but my father has done business with him, and so has yours. He's expensive. So expensive that you only hire him when you need a kill done with surgical precision—someone you can't easily touch. Alec can get to anyone anywhere, and he never leaves a trace. He's a fucking magician."

"It almost sounds like you admire this bastard!"

Tony cupped my cheek, looking at me earnestly. "In the same way I can admire someone who pulls off an elegant heist. That doesn't mean I condone what they've done."

"I guess. The night we met, you said he'd kill us both if he found us. Were you being dramatic or . . . I mean, why would he . . ."

"Alec is sadistic, but beyond that, he doesn't like to lose. I was running with a crew that was fucking with my father's business, and it must have interfered with Alec in some way."

Emmett watched us closely. "You wanna share something about how you two met?"

Tony shook his head. "Let's just say, Bella and I wound up hiding in an abandoned warehouse while Alec was searching for my crew."

Emmett grinned. "Sounds kinky, E. You dog!"

My face flushed at the memory of Tony holding me, kissing me . . . coaxing me to pleasure with his long fingers. Knowing Masen's men were searching for us only heightened the erotic moments for me. Little did I know I was in the arms of Masen's son, that I would fall in love with him, and that I would finally discover the identity of my father's assassin at my own funeral.

Tony watched me closely. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. This is just a lot." I relaxed into him, like a deflating balloon. A frightening thought struck me, and my heart beat fast. "Tony, do you think Alec is the one who tried to kill me? Do you think he's behind the fire?"

Tony stiffened, swearing under his breath.

Rose chimed in. "Statistically, Alec prefers an up-close-and-personal kill. He likes to look into the eyes of his prey as they die. Also, he researches his victims and meticulously plans his hits. There are too many unknowns with arson."

All of us turned to stare at Rose.

"Sorry. Should I keep those details to myself?" She fingered her glasses nervously.

Emmett shook his head. "Naw. We need every advantage we can get. That's some really good info." He glanced over at Tony. "Alec is probably off the table as the arsonist, but why the hell was he at Bella's funeral? Something we need to keep in mind." He tapped his temple.

"Yeah. We need to be really fucking careful until we figure this out. It would be bad if the arsonist found out Bella was still alive before we ferret them out."

The conversation continued on around me, but I started zoning out as exhaustion overtook me. Eventually, Tony lifted me in his arms and carried me to my room, laying me gently on the bed. He stretched out next to me and pulled me close.

I gripped his forearm and nestled my face in his neck, breathing in his masculine scent. "Please stay."

"I'm not going anywhere, princess." The rumble of his voice was as comforting as his words. I sighed deeply, drifting into a dreamless sleep.

oOo

~*Edward*~

Bella slept in my arms for hours. I didn't mind being trapped there listening to her even breaths, knowing she felt safe with me. I was thankful Aro agreed to let her stay at Jasper's. I wanted to put some bodyguards on her, but it was too dangerous to take a chance that word would leak that she was still alive. At least the penthouse had great security and a safe room in case of an emergency.

I grazed my palm over Bella's flat belly. Knowing my child was growing inside her evoked tender feelings that eclipsed my fears. "Hello, baby. I'm your father, and I already love you beyond measure. I'll do anything to protect you and your mama. You both mean everything to me," I whispered, tears pricking my eyes.

I didn't know how, but I intended to keep my promise. Whatever I had to do, whoever I had to kill, I would protect them.

Emmett's brawny form hovered in the doorway, and he beckoned me. I slid my arm out from under Bella. She mumbled in her sleep, and I waited a moment for her to settle before following Emmett to the living room.

Night had fallen, and city lights winked along the skyline. Pizza boxes and empty drinks littered the coffee table, a testament to the marathon research session that had taken place. Jasper and Rose sat in front of the laptop, conferring quietly.

Emmett leaned close and whispered, "Isn't she a goddess?"

I side-eyed my brother. "She's lovely and Jasper's secret weapon. We need her, so don't scare her off, yeah?"

His face twisted with annoyance. "Um, look what you've got going on, bro. You have no room to lecture me."

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "I didn't plan any of this, and it could still go so wrong." I stilled and drew a deep breath. "Look, I get it, but slow your roll. She seems a little intimidated."

"Do I look like a bulldozer?" He cleared his throat. "Scratch that. Do I look like a man that would force himself on a woman? I don't go where I'm not invited."

I smirked, shaking my head. "Good enough, Em. Where's Angela?"

"Santo's. They're"—he made air quotes—"grieving together."

I sat down across from Jasper and Rose. "Thank you for giving me time with Bella."

Jasper shrugged. "No prob. Rose makes most of the magic happen anyway."

Rose rolled her eyes and jabbed him in the side. "Don't listen to him. He's good at this too."

"I know he is. What do you guys have for me?"

Rose leaned forward. "Not much on Alec, but I found some interesting shit on Tanya Denali."

"Did you now?"

Rose disconnected a thumb drive from the laptop and handed it to me with a smirk. "This should solve one of your problems. I'll keep digging though. I sense there's a lot more to uncover."

After looking through what Rose gave me, I excused myself to the study to make a phone call. "Cricket, I'm going to send you some files. I need you to compile the data into a neat package for me. I'll pick it up in an hour."

"Sure, boss."

"I don't need to remind you this has to stay between us, right?"

"Nope. I'll get it done."

After speaking to Cricket, I called Tanya.

"Edward, I'm so happy to hear from you." Tanya drawled in a breathy voice that might have fooled me at one time, but no more.

"We should talk. Privately."

"I thought it would take longer for you to get over Aro's daughter."

I swallowed a string of curses and steeled myself for the lie. "There's nothing to get over. She was a way for me to get to Aro, and now I'll have to find another path."

"Ooh, you devious son of a bitch! We really are a match made in heaven."

"Does tonight around ten work?"

"Definitely. I look forward to seeing you. We've moved to another hotel since the fire damaged anything of interest at The Paradise. I'll text you the info."

"Perfect. And, Tanya? Make sure we won't be disturbed."

"Don't worry—we won't." Tanya's voice purred over the line.

I stood by the window for a few minutes, watching the space needle in the distance. How I wished Bella and I were up in that tower sipping drinks—hers would be nonalcoholic, of course—and enjoying one another's company. But we were so far from anything normal, especially since she was supposed to be dead. I clenched a fist, cursing this life and all the baggage that came with it.

When I checked on Bella, she was still asleep, so I returned to the living room to let everyone know what my plans were. Emmett reminded me we'd been MIA for most of the day, and our father expected a report. He agreed to stay at Jasper's to watch over Bella and continue researching Alec. I'd been avoiding my father lately, so he'd probably be less suspicious if I made an appearance.

When I arrived home, my parents were hosting a small dinner party. My mother seemed alert and happy, my father stoic.

"Sorry to interrupt. I didn't realize you were having company."

Mom hurried over to hug me. "Oh, stop it! You're never an interruption. Right, Eddie?"

My father smiled and nodded. "Of course. We're about to have dessert. Join us."

"Sure, but I can't stay long. Dad, can I speak with you?"

He rose, inclining his head toward the study. "Please excuse us for a few minutes, folks, while Tina brings dessert out."

I nodded to the three couples seated around the table. I'd seen them a few times but couldn't recall their names. This group was my mother's attempt at being normal—none of them had mafia ties. My mother had met them through her charity work. She said she enjoyed helping others, and I'm sure she did, but I suspected it was her way of trying to atone for my family's sins.

I followed my father into the study and shut the door. He collapsed into the chair behind his desk with a huff and immediately reached for a cigar.

"Jesus Christ! Your mother and her menagerie of normies." He clipped the end of the cigar and struck a match, rotating the end close to the flame. "Just let me get this going." When the end began to smolder, he brought the cigar to his lips and touched the flame to the end, taking a few puffs until acrid smoke curled around his head.

I wrinkled my nose as a haze filled the room but put up with it because my father was more at ease when puffing away on his favorite stogie. He didn't bother offering them to me anymore and was devastated that neither of his sons had an appreciation for a good cigar.

"How was the funeral?"

"Somber and depressing. Aro made quite the speech."

He grunted. "I heard."

"He also got in my face at the cemetery, asked if I was involved in his daughter's death."

Father stopped mid puff and stared at me. "Really. So he's trying to lay the blame at our feet."

I watched him carefully. "Do you know who did it?"

He scoffed. "Of course not! I prefer to be more subtle when waging a war."

"Like sending the head of a paid assassin in a box?"

"That was a warning shot. Besides, his daughter was far more useful to us alive. I was hoping you would bed the girl and get her to fall for you so we could turn her."

If you only knew the truth, Father. "Speaking of assassins, guess who I saw at the funeral?"

"Who?"

"Alec."

Father's eyebrows rose, deepening the lines on his broad forehead. "Are you fucking kidding me? Alec doesn't show his face anywhere unless he has a reason."

"Our thoughts exactly. He didn't kill Aro's daughter though—too sloppy."

He nodded slowly, taking another puff of the cigar. "Agreed. We need to keep a close eye on business. I don't trust Aro in his grief, and Alec . . . well, what can you say about him? He's a dangerous fuck with no conscience."

"We don't know if he has any weaknesses because he's always hidden in the wings."

"Edward, everyone has a weakness."

"Yeah? What's yours?"

He jerked a thumb toward the dining room. "Your mother. Let's not keep her waiting. She made some fancy dessert all by herself for the occasion."

I smiled. Despite his flaws, he did love my mother. "I'm glad you indulge Mom's normies. It's important to her."

"Your mother bewitched me the first time I laid eyes on her." His eyes glazed over as he recollected the past.

It took a great deal of self-control not to ask him if Eva Volturi had bewitched him the first time he had laid eyes on her too.

We returned to the dining room and had coffee and dessert with my mom's friends. The mood was light, and it was an enjoyable reprieve from what lay ahead.

~oOo~

A/N: A lot to unpack here. Alec is going to bring trouble, and it looks like Tanya is headed for some. Let the theories fly! You know how I love them.

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