Edward
"Felix, I hear what you're saying, but I need you to spell it out for me. I'm distracted as hell right now." I'm back at the hotel on the phone with my private eye, but my mind is with Bella, wondering how her appointment is going. I've texted her, asking how she's doing, but I haven't gotten a response yet.
"Sorry, Mr. Cullen, I realize you have a lot on your plate at the moment," Felix responds, and I sigh.
"No, I'm sorry. I'm listening."
"As I was saying, you asked me to keep an eye on any major plans for Eleazar Donnelly. He booked a last minute trip to Delaware. He has property there along with several vehicles. He has ties to Maria Xavier."
My hand holding the phone drops away from my ear to hang at my side as I take in this information. Rolling it around in my head I can't make it make sense. "Is Lauren with Donnelly?"
"It appears as if Miss Roberts is still in Seattle; I've found zero connection between her and Xavier. From my sources close to Donnelly, Miss Roberts was unhappy with his sudden departure." Felix goes silent on his end for a moment, and I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"I have confirmation from the DMV and Social Security. I've sent copies of everything to your email, but I'm texting you a picture now. Jane and Maria are the same person, Edward."
Pulling my phone away to click the speaker button, I open my texts to see two very different driver's license photos of the same woman. One is the Jane I knew: a short blonde bob, hazel eyes, a demure smile with porcelain skin. She's petite, even in the headshot you can tell how small she is. Slightly full cheeks and a broad forehead.
The photo stitched next to it is Maria, with jet black hair down to her shoulders and every single feature as Jane, down to the hazel eyes and demure smile.
I knew this woman; I slept with this woman. I invited her into my life, my heart, my home. I cared for her and treated her well. She's a complete stranger to me … and a threat.
Bringing the phone back up, I confirm that these two women are the same person. Felix promises to figure out who came first: Jane or Maria. He also advises that he will inform me of any movement between Maria/Jane and Eleazar.
Thanking him, I hang up, pacing in the suite. I desperately want Bella to be back so I can unload all of this information on her and get her take. She's smart and level-headed. She'll put something together that I can't see right now in my confusion.
Checking the time, I decided to call her when I hear the door to the suite opening and hear Bella call out for me. "Edward? Babe, are you here?" She's shrugging out of her coat as I meet her in the living room. She's smiling, but she has a look of trepidation etched on her face.
"What's wrong?" Walking to her, I guide her over to sit on one of the plush couches.
Rolling her eyes, she laughs, but her eyes start to tear up.
"I never should have left you alone. What did the doctor say?" I'm on my knees in a flash on the floor in front of her, ready for her to tell me the worst. Because that's it, isn't it? What else could it possibly be?
"I don't know how to tell you this really, and I don't know how you're going to respond. But I'm okay; nothing is wrong with me, at least not in a conventional way." She links her fingers with mine.
"Not really helping my anxiety here, baby. Please tell me? Whatever it is, we'll face it together." I tug her down gently to press a kiss to her lips. "I promise."
A tear escapes, rolling down her cheek. "You better keep that promise."
She takes a few deep breaths before locking her eyes with mine.
"Someone else is going to be calling you daddy." She releases one of my hands to pull something from her pocket, and it doesn't hit me until she hands me the folded strip of black and white photos.
Staring in shock at the pictures with a tiny oblong orb enclosed in a pouch, I look up at Bella, searching her eyes and face. "A baby? You're … we're having a baby?"
"Yeah," she whispers. "I hope you aren't mad. I know we were trying to be safe, and I—"
"Are you okay? Is the baby okay? You have an IUD; can't that hurt the baby?" She uses her free hand to cup my cheek.
"I lost the IUD at some point. I have a lot to tell you, but I need to know if you're mad. I need to know right now if you have a definite stance on this because … Edward, I know this isn't planned or maybe even wanted, but—"
"Bella, planned or not, it's ours." I crawl onto the couch next to her, cradling her in my arms, rocking her gently as she cries softly. "I love you. We're in this together. Just like everything else, remember?"
I can feel her nod against me. "Let me tell you everything."
She tells me all about her appointment over room service as I already begin to tease her about eating for two, and she flushes and flips me off. I count back the weeks and laugh when I tell her six weeks ago was Halloween. We both flush at the memory of that night and the aftermath.
"July next year? What a birthday present, huh?" Bella giggles as I tease her.
"It'll be the best," she says softly, eyes cast down as his hands caress her still flat stomach.
"Bella, baby?"
She tears her eyes away from her body to look at me. "I didn't even ask you about your phone call. What happened?"
"A lot, but I don't want to talk about that now. Right now, I really want to show you how much I love you." Standing, I move to pull her with me, but she hesitates. "What is it?"
Bella stands, laying her hands on my chest. "I need you to tell me that it's okay; that you aren't mad or disappointed."
Lifting her chin so I can look into her eyes, I smile gently. "This wasn't on my bingo card, and truth be told, at this point, I never thought I'd have children."
"I know you didn't want this." Bella sniffs.
"I've never said that."
"We had a deal from the very beginning. We used protection; I had to be on birth control." Her eyes meet mine again as she takes a deliberate step back. "I didn't do this on purpose."
"Who said you did? We had crazy drunk sex on Halloween. I don't remember using a condom except for in the parking garage before we went out to the island. Birth control is a two-person responsibility in a relationship. If anyone is to blame, we both are." Pulling her back to me and wrapping my arms around her, I rub her back.
"I'm not mad. How could I be when something amazing is coming out of this?" Dropping a kiss to the top of her head, I sigh. "I think we both need some time to come to terms with it, but whatever you decide, I'm with you."
"Edward, I've already decided. I never gave much, hell, any thought to having children, but here we are." She grabs my hand and places it gently on her abdomen, covering it with her own. "Our baby is going to be loved."
Dragging her lips to mine, I kiss her lightly at first, our joined hands trapped between us. But when she opens her mouth, sweeping her tongue over mine and inviting me in, the love I feel for her, the utter passion I've always felt for her, comes crashing into me.
Suddenly, we're just mouths gasping and hands roaming, tearing at each other, removing clothes until Bella is standing almost bare before me. Her pupils are blown out with desire as she gazes at me hungrily.
"You have entirely too many clothes on, Edward." Bella reaches for my belt as I grip her hips to hoist her up. She wraps her legs around my waist as I carry her into the bedroom.
I drop her onto the bed with a gentle plop, but as she begins to prop herself up on her elbows, I grab her by her ankles and pull her to the edge of the bed.
"I love having you spread out before me." I pull off my unbuttoned shirt before leaning over her.
Gently, I spread her legs so I can kneel as I begin to place soft kisses along her neck and clavicle, moving down her breasts and lingering on her nipples.
Bella's moaning and arching into my touch and raking her fingers through my hair.
"Edward, please."
My journey continues down her torso, and when I reach her abdomen, my kisses become lighter before I just begin to whisper. "I know you can't hear me yet, but I love you."
"Edward." Bella is looking down at me with glassy eyes. "You'll have plenty of time to talk to the baby. I need you."
Grinning, I reach for her underwear and swiftly pull them down her calves before lowering myself right where we both want me to be. The heat coming off of her is intense, and with the first swipe of my tongue, she's shuddering beneath me.
Curling my arms under her knees, I dive in, dedicating my time to teasing and tantalizing her most sensitive spot until she screams my name while grasping a fistful of my hair.
Her shuddering climax has only made me more keenly aware of how hard I am for her, but when she reaches for me, I brush her away.
"I might explode if you put your hands on me, baby," I say, wincing as I stand to pull my pants and boxers off.
Bella licks her lips. "I don't see the problem with that."
Chuckling, I stalk back toward the bed, crawling over her again. "It's no problem. I just want to be inside of you." Lining up with Bella, I rub my tip along her slit.
"Wait, do we need a condom?" I ask before sliding in.
"Baby, we're both still clean." Bella gasps as I bottom out slowly. "But maybe we can get different textures just for fun."
We laugh as I settle inside her, but when I start to move, her laughs turn to moans. Slowly pumping in and out of her, grinding my teeth, trying not to come as she tightens around me.
Her hands roam my body as she moans and whispers her love for me, her desire for me. When we come, it's hard and long, and it takes more than a few minutes for us to catch our breath.
Later while we're lounging in bed, I tell her all about my conversation with Felix and the fact that Eleazar is in Delaware.
Bella's head rests on my stomach, and I've been running my fingers through her hair when she rolls over to look at me. "Edward, what if Eleazar is involved with Jane or Maria?"
"But he's with Lauren."
She rolls her eyes. "What's your point? No one has ever cheated on anyone ever?"
"Okay, but how or why?" I ask her, sitting up slightly.
She moves with me. "I think the real question, if they are involved, is how long."
Bella gives me a pointed look. "Jane only had access to your house once unsupervised. You found out she went through your things like she was looking for something. She got a job at an internet security firm. Eleazar Donnelly is still holding onto a portion of your magazine."
"And now he randomly took a quick trip to Delaware of all places, right at the same time we're on the East Coast." I pick up her train of thought. "It's a lot of conjecture …"
"Or," Bella says as she curls up next to me again. "Everything is about to fall into place."
I climb out of bed, searching for my phone, which I left somewhere in the living room. Bella begs me to bring back the room service menu.
I grab my phone and call Felix.
"Mr. Cullen?"
I grab the menu as he answers.
"Find any link between Jane or Maria and Eleazar Donnelly."
"Already on it. I should have some answers in a few hours."
Walking back into the bedroom, I see Bella wrapped in the bedsheet, smiling with her hand outstretched. I offer him a brief response.
"I'll be waiting."