EPOV

One Week Later

Today is the first day back at work after mine and Bella's holiday. To say that I am thoroughly relaxed and happy wouldn't even begin to describe how I feel right now. It was the best week of my life. I never once took a holiday before I met Bella, didn't think I ever needed to have one. I think I will need to re-think having them with Bella now.

You're probably going to think I am shallow for saying this, but I used to think pregnant women were so not sexy and were a drag. However, after this last week I will never think that ever again because we had a week of nothing more than pregnancy sex, carefully exploring the island as best as Bella could because I didn't want her to over stress herself or anything like that, more sex, sitting on the couch cuddling, we slept in and just did everything as a couple expecting their first children do on a relaxing romantic holiday.

Again it was fucking bliss! I wish I could bottle this happiness up so I could relive it again and again. I sigh in contentment as I go through my morning routine before I go down to my office and start cleaning up the Volturi's affairs and what not that I brought before Aro left. Bella thought it would be best to stay at James' compound for at least another week or so just so as to 'clean house' so to speak.

Emmett is with her as well as Rose and Jasper along with my Aunt Esme, so while I tried to argue with her I know she will be safe and I have to admit that she may be right as we don't want word to get back to Aro just yet that we have more than a professional relationship. However, I will be making a visit there again later in the week so as to see how things are going myself and to finalise stuff there to basically either close it down or just re-staff it or whatever else Bella can think to do with the place.

Personally I want to knock it the fuck down except I want to keep the basement and the locking soundproofing mechanism on the doors. Bella knows this so she wants to see how we can use them in our places and anywhere else we build from now on and/ or improve on the systems.

I have to give Aro and James that much I guess. Anyway I finish getting ready for the day and enter my office right as the phone rings. I run to answer it trying to keep from sounding out of breath while trying to be professional

"Hello, Edward Mason Jr speaking"

"Hello, Edward, this is Jack Skellini. I am, well was, an associate to Aro Volturi that you left a message to call you back a week and a half ago whenever I was free."

Ah so this was the infamous Jack Skellini of the American-Italian Mafia. I have been trying to get him to become an associate of ours for a while now, but he was always seemingly loyal to Aro.

His tone was professional, but I could tell he wasn't a man to be crossed and I know that he may want an explanation of what happened to Aro because he was one contact that Aro told me to deal with personally because he was a sexist pig, according to Aro and a few rumours I have heard anyway, and Aro didn't want to insult him by getting Bella to deal with him.

"Good Morning, Mr. Skellini. It is really good to finally get to speak with you after all this time." I reply in a similar tone to him. I pray this goes well as it will make everything go so smoothly for transferring Aro's crappy mismanaged crime dealings that I am sure would have eventually caused the mafia so much embarrassment.

"What did you want to talk about? Your message mentioned that you had some information to relay to me. Don't think about lying to me as I have heard some very interesting and disturbing rumours as of late." He says in a clipped tone that had I have been a lesser man who wasn't hardened by our way of life I would have been shaking in my seat.

But I wasn't a lessor man and I wasn't going to intimidated by this guy, nor would I ever back down. I keep my tone as professional as it has been this whole time, but instead of it being light and almost friendly, I harden my voice so it drips authority however I make sure to keep an air of respect for my elder and potentially deadly adversary if I wasn't careful.

"I wanted to let you know about what happened to Aro Volturi and his family and why I was contacting you again, However, most of this information can't be told over the phone. I was hoping you could find time in your busy schedule to maybe have either lunch or dinner with me and Isabella Volturi, James Volturi's widow."

There is a pause and at first I thought that he had hung up and I was about to say something when he hummed in thought and then sighed.

"Ok are you free this evening? I thought you were just trying to get me to be your associate again. Do you no longer have a rivalry with the Volturi's?"

Shit! I have no clue if Bella would be free. I shoot her a quick text and hope that she answers soon while I answer his other questions stalling for a little longer.

"Well, while I do still want you as an associate, that is not only what this is about. The answers surrounding James, his father and family as well as my involvement with them are a part of what I need to tell you and I can't over the phone. However, I…"

I get a texted back from Bella right as I was about to continue and see that she will be free and I take a breath and finish what I was saying after issuing an apology for pausing.

"As I was saying both Isabella and myself need to speak to you in person and we are both free tonight as meeting with you will be best as soon as possible."

I can almost see the gears in his head move while he thinks over my answer and I wait with baited breath as to what he will say as we really need him on our side. Damn! I did not miss this stress while I was away.

I rub the back of my neck as it has started to hurt from the tension in it from the stress of just this phone call alone. I thought I had a bit of time before I had to deal with the heavy shit!

Fuck you Aro and James for the fucking god damn mess you left for us to deal with! I say in my head.

"Meet me at Silky Oaks on 5th and Vine at 7:30 sharp. I will not tolerate tardiness and make sure your dressed in formal business attire. Let the hostess at the door know your there to see me."

"See you then, Mr. Skellini."

"Oh and Edward?"

"Yes?"

"No funny business and no weapons are allowed" He hung up before I could say anything. I really didn't like not carrying a weapon on me. Nothing else for it though I guess. FUCK! What am I going to tell Bella now!

I groan as I hold my head in my hands. I don't even hear the door open or hear the footsteps until I feel a small hand on my shoulder. I jump slightly as I look at Alice's concerned face. I sigh in relief that it was only her and no one else, but I am a little disappointed it wasn't Bella.

"Edward are you ok?" She asks me as she hasn't ever seen me jump like that or seen me hold my head in my hands. I tell her about our meeting tonight and she jumps right into action saying she has the perfect dress for Bella and leaves.

I let out a chuckle that I couldn't hold in as I call Bella to tell her that Alice will most likely be there soon and what we will be doing this evening. She picks up on the second ring.

"Hi!" I smile at her tone as she sounds like she missed me.

"Hi!" I reply trying to let her know just how much I have missed her.

"Are you ok?" She asks just like Alice did not too long ago.

"Yeah I am, but I just got off the phone with Jack Skellini and we have to go to dinner with him tonight to tell him what has happened. I am sorry to have to stress you so soon after being back, but you will need to pretend to be Isabella Volturi tonight and not my fiancée."

I say to her in almost one breath. I hear her let out a breath and then chuckle. I pull back from the phone and just look at it for a moment before putting it back to my ear and ask

"Are you ok, Bella?"

"Yes Edward, I am ok. Just I don't know what you're so worried about, we knew that these things were going to happen till everything has been finalised. This is just the most crucially important one straight off the bench. We can do this and by this one being first the others should be easier. So what do I have to wear, when and where is this dinner and what is our plan of attack for tonight?"

I smile at her focus, here I was totally being out of it and she already had her head in the game. Fuck man now I remember why I never took holidays before. I take a deep breath to clear my head and answer

"Your right, this will be good. I just don't like not being able to take any weapons with me to something that has the potential to end in violence and with you being there I can't help my protective side coming out when it comes to you. Alice will be over there soon and it is at 7:30 sharp, he doesn't like people to be late so make sure you're on time and I'll meet you at the restaurant Silky Oaks on 5th and Vine.

Our plan of attack is for me to introduce you to him and then I'll tell him about Aro's deal with me and then I'll motion for you to let him know of your involvement and the fact that Aro named you as his heir till the babies are old enough to take over and that I was to look after you and mentor them and so on.

He is apparently very old school like Aro was and he didn't seem to even want you there tonight, not that he actually said that though, but I convinced him that the information I had to tell him in person was related to you too and that you needed to be there as well to tell it to him. I'm sorry if you feel like you're not my equal tonight, but it is really a play it by ear kind of situation while telling him the truth… well the truth according to the mission we just did.

God I hate having to be away from you!"

I hear her sigh and I know she feels the same. I smile at that and she replies with "Edward, stop stressing! It will only stress me more. At least we get to see each other tonight and I was going to be 'officially' calling you to have a meeting about some of the stuff happening with my end of this mess anyway later in the week so you'll see me soon again anyways.

I know that a lot of Aro's associates may not like the fact that he named me his heir so I already anticipate having to do a lot of proving myself to a whole bunch of sexist pigs and men who need to come into the 21st century, so I'm a big girl and if I could have Aro eating out of the palm of my hand then in my eyes everything else is a piece of cake. And before you say anything I know this guy is dangerous and I am not forgetting that or anything like that, but I am not going to let my worry or fears hold me back and neither should you.

I mean like seriously Edward, when did the roles get reversed here? You need to bring your hardened killer to the game tonight not the man that was on holiday with me last week."

She was right I need to man the fuck up and stop being so pussy whipped. I think I need to go a couple of rounds with Jasper and Emmett after this call. I tell her that she is right and that I will gather the paperwork and whatever else I feel may be needed for this meeting.

I make a mental note to bring a copy of the recording I did of Bella killing James, I didn't say that over the phone though and I also tell her to do the same as well as the fact that I love her and to call tomorrow at 11:30 and speak to Alice and that maybe we can organise for me to stay there the weekend to go over everything.

I let her know well work out those details later, but that I'll see her tonight and talk tomorrow. After I get off the phone I call Jasper and Emmett on a three way call and tell them to meet me at the training hall.

I quickly go up to my room and change into some black basketball shorts and deep red and black basketball type muscle shirt and my black Nike high top sneakers and then head down to the garage to go to the training hall. This is going to be gruelling as I haven't done any training for a few months now. Just got to make sure they leave my face alone as I don't want to have a black eye tonight.