I don't own Twilight. What I own is my character's behavior, personality, background, and plot of the story.
Thanks to my Beta MadMooey18 for her constant support and help in making this story what it is today.
Edward should have seen it coming. He should have prepared in advance. He saw that gleam in Royce's eyes when he saw Bella. It was a gleam that only spelled trouble. Instead he was busy thinking of his brother being an asshole and how hot Bella looked in her dress. Now, he has no option but to go in all guns blazing.
"Finally. It took you long enough to answer, dad," Edward rants as he maneuvers the car around the New York traffic once his father answers.
"What is so important that you had to call me five times?" His father demands.
Edward pauses only for a second before he tells him, "I'm about to do something and I need to get the family for backup when I do."
"Why should I do that? You always spoke of how you can do it on your own. Now you want the family name?"
"Yes. Unless you want everyone in the underworld to think that the son of Royce's niece has more power in this town than Carlisle Cullen's son," Edward tells him, going straight to the jugular. There was no ass kissing in his vocabulary especially to his father, and especially now.
His father is quiet for a moment before he grinds through his teeth, "Whoever dares to say that is a dead man before he finishes."
"Exactly. That is why you gotta back me up. We can't let anyone think they are more powerful than Carlisle Cullen and his family," Edward tells him, taking a left to Bella's building and parking the car in front of it.
"What's going on?"
Edward explains to him what happened at Adam's school and is done by the time the elevator opens up and he gets in. "I didn't meet the little guy, but Bella is your girlfriend and any disrespect toward her is disrespect toward me. If Royce calls, I will give him a piece of my mind."
"There's more."
"More?" Carlisle asks in surprise.
Edward rubs his face with the palm of his hand and tells him, "The kid's behavior only started after Royce met Bella. Two weeks after I turned down his merger offer."
A thud is heard in the background before his father's voice comes to the speaker with an edge to it. "Are you saying it was intentional?"
"I don't have much proof, but I wouldn't put it past him thinking he can force my hand by making the life of the son of Bella a nightmare," Edward answers him truthfully. You can rarely prove such things. It all comes down to intent and that is hard to prove, but Edward knows men like Royce. He was raised by such a man. They never quit until they get what they want, and they view any disagreement as disrespect.
"You do whatever you gotta do to make sure Adam is not punished. Leave the rest to me," Carlisle finally tells him.
"What will you do?"
He hears a chuckle on the other end that makes a shiver run down his spine. "No one gets to fuck with a Cullen. Family is sacred. Someone's head has gotten too big and he has forgotten that. They are about to receive a reminder." Carlisle hangs up as soon as he answers Edward.
Edward rolls his eyes and exits the elevator and knocks on Bella's door. Seconds later he hears Bella's muffled voice tell him the door is open. He rubs his face with frustration at Bella's recklessness with leaving the door open as he calls out to her, "Y'know, leaving your door open is a smart move if you wanna get killed."
He looks through the kitchen and her living room but doesn't find her. He spots a silhouette through the crack in the doorway of one of the bedrooms and heads it's way.
He pushes the door open and the sight that greets him leaves him speechless for a moment. Bella is sitting on her bed, her back hunched in her pajamas with her hair in a lopsided ponytail. His initial thought is to make a joke about her being both the most sexy and adorable person he has met, but her red face and puffy eyes makes him realize that it might not be the most sensitive thing she needs to hear.
Instead, he walks to her bed and sits beside her in silence unsure of what to say. "You know, I am not suicidal. I don't leave the door open. The security guard gave me a call and told me you were coming up," she finally sniffs after a minute of silence.
"When do you need to be in the principal's office?" Edward asks her changing the subject.
Bella shrugs, unsure of what to say. The secretary didn't give her a specific time frame, but since her son is in the wrong, it goes without saying that she is supposed to show up as soon as possible.
Edward takes her hand in his, making her look at him, then he quietly asks, "What's wrong? Why aren't you dressed yet?"
"I can't find anything to wear," Bella tells him frowning.
Edward chuckles at her answer, but at the complete serious look on her face, he takes her chin in his hand, and asks her, "Are you trying to tell me that the Bella Swan can't find an outfit to wear? I don't believe that for a second."
"It's true. Every outfit I have tried didn't fit correctly. Something is off about each one of them," she tells him in a serious tone. She nods her head in the direction of the pile of clothes thrown on the lounge under the window.
Edward smiles encouragingly at her and tells her, "You're procrastinating. I am sure you can make any outfit happen."
"No can do, mister. If the outfit feels off, I won't feel good about myself, and I can't go into the hornet's nest not feeling my best," Bella tells him stubbornly.
Edward pushes a strand of hair behind her ear and tells her softly, "You know you're not going into this hornet's nest alone. You have me."
"Doesn't change that it's a hornet's nest."
Edward is quiet for a moment thinking of a way to appease her and get her out of the funk she is in. "So what, you just gave up?"
Bella glares at him and tells him, "Of course not. It's just that I have no idea what to wear."
"Then leave it to me. I'll pick an outfit for you," Edward tells her jumping to his feet and walking toward her closet.
Bella giggles at that and tells him, "And what do you know about dressing women?" Then adds second later, "Alice styling you doesn't count."
Edward turns to her, puts his hands on his hip the way Alice does and tells her in a scolding tone, "I will have you know that Cullen corporation has a lot of women in its ranks. Given that I work with many of them closely, I know what outfits women pick when they mean business."
Bella places her hands behind her back and leans into them as she asks him, "Is this the part where I'm supposed to be jealous and demand to know if you ogle them?"
Edward walks to her and kisses her lips chastely and whispers, "It will feed my ego, but it's not a requirement."
Bella wraps her arms around his neck and mumbles against his lips, "Since there is no one else to feed your ego, I have to." Then she stands up and holds his face in her hands and glares while telling him, "If I ever catch you staring at some lady in your office, I will make sure that is the last thing you see."
"You promise?" he asks her in all seriousness.
Bella bursts into laughter. "The only logical explanation for me to ogle anyone else is insanity. You would be doing me a favor," Edward tells her with a very serious look in his eyes.
A month or two ago, the look in Edward's eyes might have scared her, but Bella isn't a woman who is scared of love anymore. "You know, if you keep talking to me like that you will never be rid of me."
Edward nods his head and tells her, "That is what I call long term planning."
Bella's laugh is cut off by the kiss he lays on her lips followed by another, and another until the next one lasts too long and they have to pull apart for air. "Let's figure out what you will wear," Edward mutters huskily to himself as he takes a step back and appraises Bella for a moment then turns to the closet and starts leafing through the hangers.
The next ten minutes are spent with Edward pulling clothing items out of Bella's closet looking at them then shaking his head while Bella watches in amusement. "This is it!" Edward exclaims finally holding a pair of pants up for Bella to inspect.
"I don't see it," Bella tells him not that impressed by the form fitting white pants he is showing her.
Edward shakes his head in disappointment and tells her, "You'll see." Edward rummages through the pile on the lounge until he pulls out a wool blouse of the same color with small silver birds all over it.
He puts them above each other and when he doesn't get from Bella the reaction he was expecting he tells her, "It seems understated and it is, but the name of the game is the details. Tuck it in the pants and wear a super long coat over it and it will look great. It's an inoffensive color, but the outfit overall means business."
You know, he might be onto something. White is the color of innocence. You can disarm them by initially appearing harmless and then go for the jugular.
You act like I have that option. I am way over my head with the Kings. I will be lucky if they don't go after Adam.
Please, like they would wanna piss off the Cullens by harming your son. Plus, wasn't this the reason that made you wanna date Edward to begin with? To belong to a powerful family that people don't fuck with? There is no point in dating a Cullen and not taking advantage of the power that comes with it.
"With some silver jewelry, I think I can make it work," Bella states sighing in relief. For a moment there, he thought she was going to throw the whole outfit out of the window.
"Don't forget a silver belt and boots," Edward tells her as he hands her the outfit.
Bella frowns at that and tells him, "I don't own a silver belt."
"Yes you do. The other day, I liked a picture of you wearing it on instagram," Edward tells her, taking his phone out of his pocket and opening his Instagram to show her. Seeing the belt in question, Bella looks through her drawer until she finds it, then goes into the master bathroom to change into her clothes and get ready.
Edward decides to make himself useful by tackling the clothes on the lounge. He folds the ones that need folding and hangs up the rest. Once done, he looks around and realizes that in his haste to make sure Bella is okay, he completely forgot that this is the first time that he has been in her room.
He examines the room as he looks for clues that might help him understand Bella better. He spots a journal with a pencil and a book on her bedside table. Next he notices that her bed isn't made up. He almost reaches out to fix it then realizes that it would be intrusive to do so. Plus, it's not that much of a mess.
Next he notices how the other bedside table has toys on top of it, a sippy cup and a kids story. Peter is probably still attached to her, but that's okay. It is something he will probably outgrow soon. He walks toward the window and once closer notices how the lounge that was once covered up by clothes is probably as comfortable as her bed. Her closet takes the entire wall, but interestingly enough, it isn't filled to its capacity. There is plenty of space in it.
Edward suddenly freezes in his spot. He isn't just looking at her bedroom. He is figuring out how he fits in it. That realization makes him flee her room quickly.
He can't be thinking such thoughts. It's too early for that, or is it?
Edward shakes his head. Nope, too early for that.
"You folded the clothes," he hears behind him. He turns around and finds Bella twisting the rings on her fingers nervously.
Edward shrugs at her like it's no big deal and tells her, "Figured you have too many things to worry about already."
"Regardless, thank you," she tells him and heads to the door, but Edward stops her by taking her hand in his and pulls her to the couch. "There is something we need to talk about first."
She nods her head biting her lips which prompts him to continue. "There are rules on how mafia families operate. If two families aren't at war, they are expected to respect each other's members and their partners. Any act of disrespect, is a direct disrespect toward the family."
"I don't understand what that has to do with Adam," Bella asks him in confusion.
Edward takes her hands in his and tells her, "I need you to trust me when I tell you that this has everything to do with the Cullen family and nothing to do with Adam."
Bella nods her head and tells him, "So we go in guns blazing and you make it clear that if Jeremy fucks with Adam, he fucks with the Cullens. I understand that. That is specifically why I called you."
Edward shakes his head and solemnly says, "Jeremy should have known better than to fuck with Adam. Adam being your son and you being my girlfriend means that Adam is by proxy under the Cullen protection. Jeremy going against Adam is intentional. They did it to disrespect the Cullen family. Carlisle is going to give Royce King a call and give him a piece of his mind over Jeremy's actions. This isn't about Adam. It's about the Cullens."
Bella nods her head. "Let's go!" Then they get up and walk to the door. Edward asks her a couple of times on the way to the school, if she is okay and she answers him in affirmation. Edward isn't sure he believes that, but he doesn't push it.
You can't be mad at him for that. You specifically wanted to be with someone who has a powerful family behind him. It's only natural that one of the families wants to see how serious he is about you.
I am not. I am just surprised by the whole thing.
Then stop giving him the cold shoulder.
"So, are we going after the principal too, or just Jeremy's parents?" Bella asks, finally breaking her silence.
Edward turns to look at her, "You go after the principal and leave Jeremy's parents to me. I know how to deal with the garbage."
Bella gives him a thumbs up which gets a small smile out of him, and soon after, they reach Adam's school and walk into the principal's office hand in hand.
"Miss Swan, so nice of you to finally join us, and this is?" Principal Meyer asks as soon as they walk in.
Edward thrusts his hand forward to shake the principal's and tells him, "Edward Cullen, Miss Swan's partner."
Edward quickly shakes the hands of the Kings while Bella doesn't and instead sits after shaking the principal's hand.
"I am sure Miss Swan appreciates your support, but this is a matter of our kids. Boyfriends aren't needed," Jeremy's mother states directing her statement at Edward.
Edward turns toward her and replies, "We aren't married yet, but I consider myself Adam's father for all intents and purposes."
The Kings audibly gulp at his statement, but the principal, seemingly unaware of the tension, turns to Bella and says, "Since you finally arrived, we can talk about why I requested your presence. Adam shoving Jeremy and…"
"That's not why I came," Bella answers, cutting him off.
The principal blinks in surprise and pointingly asks ,"I don't understand? Then why did you come?"
Bella glances at Edward at her side for a second before turning to the principal and answers, "I am here because I would like to know what happened in my son's class that made him feel like violence was the only way to protect himself?"
"Now, now, Miss, this is a very safe school. Your son doesn't need to protect himself," the principal states at the same time that Jeremy's father yells at her, "Your son shoved my son unprompted and you call that protecting himself?"
Bella flinches at his loud voice. Against her will, she finds herself submerged in a memory from three years ago. Adam had made the fatal mistake of going into Charlie's office and messing up his papers. She ended up with two broken ribs then. It was a time she will never forget.
Quickly, just like her psyche sent her down memory lane, it brings her back to the present.
That son of a bitch is yelling at me like he fucking owns me. I will show him.
But before she opens her mouth, Edward snaps back at him. "You will shut your trap and lower your voice if you know what is good for you, Tyler. Your boy has been bullying my son for over a month now, and it's all thanks to the fact that you didn't teach him better than to do that. Just pray to god your wife's uncle doesn't tear you a new one by the time my father is done talking to him."
By the end of his rant, Edward is breathing heavily. He can't think of another time he was this angry in his life. The man in front of him thinks his son traumatizing Adam is a game and the sad part is that it's all his fault. Had he not dated Bella, this would not have happened to her son.
Bella tentatively places her hand on his arm and brings him back to earth.
He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a couple of seconds then turns to the principal and explains, "Things don't need to be complicated. Jeremy's parents will talk to him and we will talk to Adam. All you gotta do is make sure that if if a parent tells you that their child is being bullied, to take their claims seriously and not dismiss them."
From that point, nothing relevant is said in the principal's office and they leave soon after. They end up spending the rest of their day at her place together. They have a lively dinner with her kids and Seth, and somehow Adam swindles him into reading him a bedtime story.
He is wise enough by the time he finishes the second story to tell Adam no when he asks for a third, even though his adorable pout makes it extremely hard to do so.
"I am sorry buddy, but no matter how cute you look, I don't think your mummy will be happy with me keeping you up longer," he quietly tells Adam as he tucks him in properly.
Adam rolls his eyes and whispers, "I had to try."
In that moment, Edward can't help but notice the similarities between Bella and Adam. "Has anyone ever told you how much you look like your mummy?"
Adam shakes his head and asks him, "That's a good thing, right?"
"Yes. Your mummy is one of the most awesome people out there. Don't ever let anyone make you doubt that," Edward tells him, brushing Adam's hair away from his forehead.
Adam nods his head in understanding then Edward gets up and turns off the light, but before he closes the door, Adam asks him, "Do you like my mummy?"
"Very much," Edward replies, not missing a beat.
The light through the door illuminates Adam as he nods his head and tells him, "That's good. You make my mummy happy."
Edward smiles at that and tells him good night then closes the door. "He got you to read a second story, didn't he?"
Edward turns to the living room and finds Bella waiting for him. "Almost got me to read a third one, too. I hope you're not mad," he answers as he sits beside her.
"He thinks it's a game, seeing how many stories he can get a grown up to read to him," Bella tells him as she pushes the cup of tea she made for him into his hands.
He thanks her and takes a sip of his cup then turns to her and tells her, "He also thinks that I make you happy."
"You do," she tells him, then leans her chin against his shoulder and kisses his cheek. "You make me happy. Very happy."
Edward captures her lips in a long kiss then whispers to her, "I am very happy that I make you happy."
Bella rolls her shoulders back and her voice takes a serious tone as she confesses, "I need to thank you. You did so much for me today."
"How many times have I told you that you don't need to keep thanking me for being a good boyfriend?"
Bella shakes her head and tells him, "No, Edward, I need to say this. For most of my life I have known that I need to do things on my own. If something happens, it's my responsibility and mine alone to fix it. I can only count on myself. Sure I had my mum and she always looked out for me, but my mum was the type of a parent that early on decided that I needed to learn to be independent and do my own thing. Phil? He never did more than my mum allowed. You know how Charlie was. I guess what I am trying to say is, a long time ago I realized that I am on my own and I made peace with that, but then you came into my life and changed that. I don't feel like I am on my own anymore."
Edward stares at her unsure what to say. A part of him wants to yell at her parents for abandoning her. It also wants to tell her that it's fucked up that she made peace with being on her own. The other part of him realizes that her statement is fucked up, but also sees himself in what she said. He too has felt like he has been alone for most of his life.
How the fuck did it take him 28 years to realize that? And how can he explain to Bella that she should not be thanking him for supporting her when he just realized that Bella is the first person to ever support him?
Figuring there is no way for him to tackle that, he pulls her into a hug and whispers into her ear, "Of course Bella. That's what people who love you do: they make sure you never feel alone."
Hello lovely people,
Lines have been drown, threats have been made, realizations have been had, and confessions have been uttered.
What do you think will happen next? We are reaching a very focal point in the story and I can't wait for you guys to read it.
You can find me on Instagram as Aseel Ayelia and click the link in the bio to get to my blog.
Until my next update,
Stay Safe