Sin & Innocence by drotuno

The sequel to Blood & Glory: Gravity's business is booming, but what happens when a ghost from the past shows up, taking the only thing that matters, can the team work together to fi it or will they rip apart at the seams! "ated # $%B

Table of Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty One Two Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty Three Four Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty Six Five Epilogue

CHAPTER 1
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&$dward, it's almost time for the toast,& "ose said from the balcony doorway' ( nodded at the poor thing as she held her lower back while she waddled back inside' )he was due within weeks' (n fact, getting her there, in a dress that fit, not to mention maintaining her disposition, had been a daunting fucking task for everyone involved * especially for $mmett and Bella' ( snickered to myself as ( walked back into the reception for my dad's wedding' (t had been a beautiful, but very fucking large event * a far cry from what the rest of us had done' Bella and ( had gotten married in )an +rancisco, with ,ust my father and $sme in attendance at the courthouse' $mmett and "ose had gotten married in -egas, right after the huge events took place in )eattle, and .asper and /lice had thrown a small party, invited ,ust close friends, and hired a 0otary to say their vows' /ll simple, all private' #y father, on the other hand, who was getting married for his second time, decided to go all out' ( knew most of it was for the public, because he was still very much involved in Twi Tech1 once the media got a hold of the information that he was engaged, it all got fucking out of hand * including the fact that his first wife had died from cancer' But more than that, he wanted to hand my now new step2mother, $sme, the world' /nd that ( fucking understood, because she was an ama3ing woman' / small miniature torpedo collided with my legs, and ( looked down to see a grumpy, but always adorable little three year old' Bethy never looked more like her mother than when she was mad' &4hat's this, little sweetness!& ( chuckled, scooping her up and rubbing her dramatically wrinkled brow with my thumb' $li3abeth "enee looked like a baby doll in her bright yellow dress and black patent leather shoes' 5er dark hair was half up and curled adorably at the ends, secured with a sweet, yellow bow at the back of her head' 5er legs wrapped around me, covered in now wrinkled white tights, as she grabbed my face with one hand and pointed behind her with another' )he'd been the flower girl for the wedding, the basket of rose petals long since discarded once we'd all made it to the reception' &626addy, .4 is b2bothering me,& she grumped and huffed, folding her arms across her chest in a gesture so much like Bella's that it took all ( had not to laugh, when obviously we were having an emergency of the utmost importance'

( glanced over her shoulder to see who she was talking about' .acob Black's son, .4 * or .acob 4illiam Black * who was ,ust a year older than Bethy, was rubbing his shin and tugging on his father's pant leg at the same time, and ( had a feeling my daughter had ,ust kicked the shit out of the poor boy' &4hat happened, pretty girl!& ( asked, walking around the dance floor with her in my arms' &5e was playing a game and wouldn't let me ,oin'''s2so ( k2kicked him,& she sputtered, her green eyes bla3ing and sounding more like me everyday' (f she got anything from me, it was my stutter, though hers was more prominent when she was e cited or in trouble, whereas mine was a tell of nerves' /nd she'd received a wonderful combination of mine and Bella's tempers' #y beautiful, sweet, ever so smart little girl could take 3ero bullshit * from anyone. &Tell him the real reason, Bethy,& Bella snorted from behind me, shaking her head and rolling her eyes' 5er amusement at our daughter could barely be contained' &7h, yeah8& she huffed, her eyes growing dark with ire' &/2/nd he tried to kiss me8& 5er arms spread wide as she gaped at me, like she couldn't believe someone could possibly have offended her in this most hideous of fashions' ( laughed out right at not only my little one's actions, but of who .4 belonged to, my wife ,oining me' .acob Black was my wife's e , and it wasn't a secret that he was not only afraid of me, but of Bella, too' .4 was the karmic result of his cheating on Bella during their relationship with his assistant, 9auren, and even though the little boy was a funny little kid, ( couldn't help but feel that .4 would genetically receive a &cheating& gene, so there was no way he was good enough for my Bethy' ( didn't give a fuck how young he was' &4ell, then, ( see nothing wrong with your reaction, little sweetness'& ( shrugged at her, smirking when Bella laughed again, kissing my cheek' &7f course you don't,& she chuckled against my ,aw' &:ersonally, ( hope she keeps that attitude permanently'& &#e, too,& ( snickered, kissing both my girls, before handing Bethy over to Bella' ( pointed to my daughter as ( raised my eyebrow' &0e t time he tries to kiss you, run away and tell him you'll bring your dad and your uncles back with you,& ( growled into her neck, loving the squeal that erupted from her' Bethy grinned and nodded, pushing and shoving at me' )he wriggled down from Bella's arms, running across the reception hall, yelling, &5ey, .4, guess what8& Bella snorted into a laugh, wrapping her arms around my waist' &;ou know she's told him that you, .a33, and $m are all soldiers, right! )he's about to scare the shit out of

that boy'& ( chuckled, kissing her forehead' &That's my girl,& ( snorted, looking down at my wife' &0ervous!& she asked, tilting her head at me' &0o,& ( sighed' &4ell, trying not to be, anyway' ;ou!& &0ot really,& she stated, shaking her head' 4e were the #atron of 5onor and Best #an, and it was time for the toast in front of a very large crowd * the one thing neither of us was particularly looking forward to, but were doing anyway, because we loved my dad and $sme' ( looked down at her, cupping her chin and bringing her lips to mine' )he looked ama3ing today * though all of the girls did, really' $sme had gone with a )pring color theme, because not one of the girls could decide what color to wear, so they wore them all, though every dress was made alike' #y Bella was in pale, icy blue, "ose in a light pink * a lot of light pink * /lice in lavender, #ickey in a sage green, and #akenna in a pale tangerine color' The guys and ( had all teased the shit out of them when we first heard about it, telling them that they all represented flavors of sherbert' But once the dresses were revealed, all flowy, form2fitting, and se y, we shut the fuck up' <uickly' &;ou're so beautiful, baby,& ( whispered against her lips, pressing my forehead to hers' &;ou're lookin' pretty good yourself there, $dward,& she giggled, wrapping her arms around my neck' &(f ( hadn't been the si3e of the Goodyear Blimp when we got married, then ('d feel like ( missed out on this tu situation'''& she teased, biting her bottom lip' &;ou,& ( growled in her ear, biting at her earlobe, &were gorgeous pregnant, sweetness'& &)o you told me'''repeatedly,& she chuckled, pulling back and looking behind me when our names were called' &(t's time,& she sighed, rolling her eyes up to mine' &This is one of those times when the 'ladies first' shit is for the birds' ( wish you'd go'''& ( grinned, holding my arm out for her, and guided her back to the wedding party table' &;ou'll be perfect, love' ('m sure'& ( kissed her temple as we stepped behind the table' &('ll be right ne t to you' 7r'''you can pretend everyone's naked'& &$dward8& she hissed, rolling her eyes' &That is somewhat disturbing, what with some of the people in this audience'& &But not for me,& ( chuckled, giving her whole being an appraising glance as ( dragged my tongue along my bottom lip' &That's because you have a one2track mind,& she laughed, kissing my lips' &7nly with you, #rs' =ullen,& ( said with a shit eating grin'

Bella took her place at my side, but stayed standing as "ose tapped her glass to get everyone's attention' )he held up her glass of champagne, looking over at my father and $sme, who were sitting beside her' The music quieted, and people took their seats back at their assigned tables, giving my girl their attention' &( met =arlisle for the first time when ( was twelve years old,& she started, giving my chuckling father a wink' &5e was my dad's best friend and business partner' 5e'd ,ust * and ( mean just * retired from the /ir +orce, so he was a little intimidating in full uniform,& she snorted, shaking her head' &(t wasn't until years later that ( really got to know =arlisle, got to see that he was far from intimidating, and that he held more than ,ust the titles of best friend, business partner, and retired /ir +orce =aptain'& )he took a deep breath, swallowing, and ( touched the side of her leg where no one could see it, because ('d heard her speech' ( knew where she was going with it' )he glanced down at me and took another deep breath, her little chin ,utting out in determination as she turned back to her audience' &5e's my godfather, my father2in2law, my child's grandfather * or Poppy, as he prefers' 5e's one of a handful of heroes that ( owe'''everything to,& she said, her voice filling with emotion, &and he's now the husband to a woman that ( love as much as my own mother' /nd ( know if my dad were still here, he'd be so very happy for you, =arlisle,& she said with a nod' )he swallowed thickly, wiping a tear away, and ('d never wanted to hold her more' &$sme,& she said, a sweet smile gracing her face' &)he and ( used to be neighbors, and she holds a few titles of her own,& she snickered, smiling down at the bride and groom' &)he's Gamma to my daughter, she's been my therapist, my cooking partner, and my nanny' )he's the glue to the cluster of people ('ve come to know as my family, because without her, ('m sure we would have all fallen apart at the seams a long, long time ago'& &7r killed each other,& ( muttered, smiling up at my wife when she heard me' &"ight, or killed each other,& she giggled, rolling her eyes at the laughter' )he turned back to my dad and $sme, holding up her glass, and we all followed suit' &( couldn't have picked two people who were more perfect for one another' To =arlisle and $sme,& she stated, and we all drank with her' )he hugged them both, nodding to whatever my dad was whispering to her, before sitting down' &:erfect8 )ee, love!& ( whispered against her ear, and she nodded' &But ('m glad you went first,& ( teased her, laughing when she punched my leg and rolled her eyes at me' ( stood up, looking around the room' The front few tables were filled with the closest of friends * the ones we considered almost more than family' The tables on either side of

the bride and groom table held the rest of the wedding party: $mmett, "ose, .asper, and /lice on the left, and #ickey, 7bie, #akenna, and 4es on the right' (n the middle of the front section of tables sat Benny, /ngela, /unt >ate, )am, and /lec, and the table beside them held $lea3ar * $sme's brother * +eli , $ric, and shockingly enough, $ric's sister, -ictoria, and her little girl, =helsea' $veryone else in the room seemed inconsequential to me, because they were either media, Twilight employees, or clients that my dad felt the need to invite' (t was really to the people up front that ( spoke, but ( finally let my ga3e fall to my dad' ( cleared my throat and took my own deep breath to calm my nerves * not for speaking in front of everyone, but for what ( was about to say' ( felt Bella's hand on the side of my leg, because she also knew what my speech was about' &( asked my mother once why my dad was gone a lot when ( was a little kid' )he told me that he was working really hard keeping us safe' )he said that his ,ob was so important that they needed him all over the world, and that we should appreciate the time we actually got to spend with him,& ( said with a small smile' &But something about that answer didn't sit well with me, so ( wrote him a letter' 5e was stationed in Germany at the time, and it seemed like forever before ( got an answer, but when he called me, his answer made much more sense' 5e told me'''and ( quote, 'because they fucking tell me to go, son''& ( smiled over at my dad, who was chuckling, along with the whole room, and shaking his head' &4hen we found out he was retiring'''& ( continued, bracing myself, &'''b2because my mom was sick, she gave me the best piece of advice when it came to my dad' )he said''' '.ust because he's gruff and impatient, doesn't mean he doesn't love you, $dward' 5e's the best friend you'll ever have, son''& ( sighed, looking over at him' &)he wasn't wrong' 5e's been there for me more times than ( can count, taught me everything ( know about being a good soldier, a good father, a good husband''',ust a good man' .ust after my mother passed away, my /unt >ate gave me a letter from my mother, and ('ve never let anyone read it, but ( wanted my dad to hear a part of it'& ( pulled out the letter, or at least the copy that Bella had been nice enough to make for me, even going as far as highlighting the part ( wanted to read' ( cleared my throat, looking at my dad's surprised face, but read the words to him ('d read many times to myself' &Edward, there may come a time that your father finds someone...someone that he may want to marry. Please understand that it isn't a an insult to me, or any memories you two have of me, but take comfort in the fact that maybe he's found someone that loves him just as much as I do. our father is a caring, loving soul and deserves to find happiness.

&!lways be a gentleman and treat her with respect, son, because if she's worthy enough to capture your father's heart, then she'll be worth getting to know." ( tucked the paper back into my pocket, lifting my glass' &( couldn't agree with her more, because my dad has never been happier since $sme walked into his life, and not only do ( respect her for it, ( love her for it' =ongratulations, 6ad'''$sme'& &5ere, here8& the front three tables bellowed, standing up when we downed our glasses of champagne' #y dad stood, hugging me close and saying, &Thank you, son'& ( nodded once at him, practically catching $sme as she dove into my arms' &( know that wasn't easy, sweetheart,& she whispered in my ear' &But it was beautiful'''thank you'&

%E&&#
&?nca /lec8 ;ou're doing it wrong8& my daughter huffed, looking up at /lec like he was cra3y' &;ou're n2not s2supposed to spin the noodles like that'''you suck them in8& ( grinned over at the ne t table as my daughter tried to teach an (talian how to eat spaghetti' &/h, #ambina,& he crooned to her, pulling her into his lap' &9et me show you how to really eat pasta'& 5e tucked a napkin into the front of her dress and proceeded to teach her how to twirl spaghetti around a fork, making sure that each noodle had the precise amount of sauce on it, before making her take a bite' 5er sweet, sharp green eyes lit up as she chewed, licking her lips, and ( couldn't help but giggle at her' There wasn't anything she wasn't willing to learn, but that face was her father's * that sweet, happy look of ,ust plain adorable goodness' 5er face practically glowed' &7h yeah'''you're so right8& "ose chuckled from the seat ne t to me, and ( turned to look at her' &)ometimes, ('m not sure who she's more like'''you or $dward'& ( snickered and shrugged' &(t's true' ( see us both in her'& ( reached out and rubbed her belly, getting rewarded with a hefty kick to my hand' &('m sure we can play the same game when =aleb gets here' 5ow are you feeling!& &+ucking e hausted,& she sighed, rolling her eyes at me' &( think $mmett threw my shoes off the balcony about two hours ago, because my feet are now three times bigger'&

( laughed, looking at her bare feet' &Glad we talked you into the pedicure, then'& &0o shit,& she snorted' 4e both looked up when /lice, #ickey, and #ack ,oined us' &6amn, damn, damn8 0ow ( know why we didn't have a big wedding,& /lice groaned, looking around the reception hall, which really was a giant ass ballroom on the top floor of a hotel in downtown )eattle &This is'''ridiculous8& &( said the same thing,& ( told her, pointing to =arlisle and $sme on the dance floor' &But she's happy'& &That's all that matters,& #ickey added' &( personally don't want this shit'''but to each their own'& 0ot one girl sitting at that table, with the possible e ception of #akenna, was a frilly girl' ( could see #ack having the traditional wedding, but as for the rest of us, not a chance' $very last one of us had a license for a concealed weapon, a black belt in martial arts, and had killed when necessary' #y girls were competent, skilled, and e tremely smart, which also made them very, very practical' +rilly'''was not practical' That wasn't to say my girls weren't feminine, because they were' $very last one of them could turn on the se y charm to catch a cheating husband or finagle information out of a cop concerning a missing person' /nd they all were very good at their ,obs' ( counted my blessings that they all worked for me at Gravity (nvestigations * even #ickey, who occasionally helped us out from time to time' &;eah, and when's that date!& "ose teased, because 7bie had asked #ickey to marry him ages ago, but they ,ust hadn't gotten around to it' &)hut it,& she growled, smirking when we all laughed at her' &There's no hurry' 4hat the hell!& ( grinned at her, shaking my head' &5ow long can you stay in )eattle this time!& ( asked her' &5ow long do you need! 7r should ( ask'''what do you need!& she countered, a wry smirk on her face' &( might have'''something ( could use you on' =an you come by the house tomorrow!& ( asked, knowing that she'd be perfect for what ( needed' There wasn't a lock or safe #ickey couldn't get in to' &;eah, definitely,& she said with a nod and a laugh' &;ou mean, you're not giving anyone a day off after this shit!& &?mmm, no8 )he's a freakin' slave driver,& /lice growled, but broke into a giggle when (

flipped her off' &(s this that cold case, Bellsy!& &;up,& ( sighed, playing with the flowers in the center of the table' &('m not sure, but ( really think there's something in that old warehouse' :erhaps''' ( need help getting inside,& ( said cryptically' #ickey's smile widened, and she nodded slowly' &:erhaps''' 4ell, let me know tomorrow, then'& &0o work at my wedding,& =arlisle growled low in my ear, making me ,ump, but he offered me his hand' &( suppose the only way to stop that is to make you dance with me'& ( looked around the dance floor, smiling at some of the strange pairings' /unt >ate was dwarfed in )am's presence, because she was no taller than me and he was a massive si3ed man, and ( could see that his scars were making some of the people that weren't used to him very nervous' $sme was dancing with $ric, but they were deep in conversation, and ( was pretty sure she was finding out the update on his sister, who $sme had counseled for quite some time after we removed her from under the threat of "oyce >ing' #y daughter had dragged her ?ncle /lec out to the dance floor, and he was dipping her dramatically, ,ust to hear her uncontrollable laugh' $dward, $mmett, .asper, and .acob were all leaning against the bar, deep in conversation' ( smiled when ( could see .ake rub the back of his head * his nervous tick' #y husband and his best friends made my e very fucking nervous, because he knew what they were capable of, and he was nowhere near that physical' )eeing .ake reminded me of 9auren, so ( found her sitting at a table, sharing a piece of wedding cake with her son, .4, as he sat in Billy's lap' .ake and 9auren had tried to work out a relationship for .4's sake, but they'd failed miserably' They were currently pretty damn good friends and roommates' (t was a weird kinship, but .4 was benefiting the most from it' .ake still worked for Twi Tech, under the heavy ga3e of =arlisle, and so did 9auren' )he was offered a position back at the company as soon as .4 was born and .ake had recovered from his gunshot wounds after trying to protect my father, =harlie' =arlisle placed an arm around my waist and took my hand in his as the orchestra changed to another song, but he caught my line of sight' &( think .ake can handle things while ('m gone,& he stated softly, and turned back to me' &(t's what he was born to do,& ( chuckled, shaking my head' &Between my dad and Billy, they were placing their bets on him, because they were pretty damn sure ( wasn't going to run the world'& =arlisle grinned, kissing my forehead' &They did a good ,ob with him, then' 5e's smart, innovative'&

&( still see the kid that ( went to high school with' The one that decided to toilet paper and shrink wrap the principal's car the week that a ,ournalist was writing an article on the high G:/s we all carried'& =arlisle laughed' &7h, Bells, remind me when ( get back to tell you a few stories about =harlie and me from back in the day' 4e were not innocent'& &626addy8& ( heard behind me, recogni3ing the stutter of my baby, but ( could hear it wasn't her usual call for her father1 it was her cry that something was wrong' =arlisle turned us so that he could watch his son scoop up Bethy and dust her off' )he apparently had slipped down, barely scraping her knees, but her hands took the brunt of the fall, because she held out both hands to him * palms up * so that he could kiss them all better' &('m going to miss that little thing,& =arlisle muttered, looking back at me' &/ whole month long honeymoon, "omeo,& ( teased him' &;our own doing, ( believe' 6id you actually buy the island, or are you ,ust renting it!& &('m ,ust renting it, silly,& he huffed, but he fought his smile, still staring at his son and granddaughter' &Though, ('m waiting to make my decision until ( actually see the damn thing,& he mumbled, rolling his eyes at my laughter' 4e were quiet for a bit, ,ust swaying to the music and watching $dward set Bethy on the tops of his feet to teach her how to dance' (t was moments like that, when he didn't even think about how perfect of a dad he was, that made me fall in love with him all over again' 5e didn't care that people were watching, that he was in a custom tailored tu edo, or even the fact that she was standing on really e pensive shoes' 4hat he cared about was watching her tears dry as he spun her on the dance floor' &5ow's that daycare in +orks working out!& =arlisle asked, the fierce business man and former mercenary coming out in him, but ( wasn't sure if they even came close to the protectiveness of Poppy' &#rs' =ope is really good with her,& ( replied with a nod' &Bethy only goes every other day1 she works with /lice the other two days' Both women want Bethy tested'& &(<!& &;eah,& ( sighed, smiling with pride, because the people that surrounded my child on a daily basis, along with her natural curiosity, made her brilliant' &)he's already reading, =arlisle' /nd ('m pretty sure by the time she makes it to kindergarten, she'll be fluent in )panish'& =arlisle grinned, nodded, and took a deep breath' &9et me guess,& he chuckled, shaking his head' &#akenna is teaching her art''' /lice, computers and language, .asper,

math'''& &/nd $dward has ,ust started teaching her how to cook,& ( giggled up at him' &0ow that is something to see' 5e sets her on a bar stool ne t to him, both in damned aprons''' 5e reads the recipe, and she carries it out to the letter' They baked a cake together for his birthday last week'& &0e t'''he'll be teaching her how to fly,& he snorted, rolling his eyes' &6on't think she hasn't asked8& ( laughed, my head falling back' &)he sits up in the pilot seat, pretending to shoot down enemies, like it's an /pache or something'& =arlisle chuckled' &( should thank you every day for her'''and my son' 9ook at them'& &( don't have to,& ( snickered, rolling my eyes, but ( looked anyway' &They are two peas in a pod,& ( sighed, looking at the two people that meant more to me than my own life, but ( knew what my father in law meant' Before ( came along, =arlisle was truly worried about $dward and the closed off personality he'd developed, but the truth of the matter was, $dward and ( had healed each other' &5ow's Gravity!& =arlisle asked, tilting his head at me' &( thought no work at your wedding!& ( teased, biting my bottom lip, but ( answered when he huffed sweetly but impatiently, because in all reality, he was my boss' &Busy,& ( stated with a shrug' &0ow that we've incorporated the security part of it, and with "ose bringing in new business, we're always working on something' /lec and $mmett have a governor they're meeting at the airport tomorrow' 5e's to be guarded while he's here for the ne t three days' $dward and ('''and possibly #ickey'''will be helping a guy try to find out what really happened to his brother' (t's a cold case that the police could never close, because the trail ran cold'& &(f you need anything, you call /ngela or )am' They can get messages to us while we're gone, okay!& he said, his voice taking on an urging tone' &=arlisle, we'll be fine,& ( sighed, smirking up at him, but looked down when there was a tug on my dress' &:retty girl, did 6addy dance with you!& &;2yup8& she beamed, looking like a little ray of sunshine dressed in yellow as ( gathered her into my arms' &5e s2said that it w2would make me forget ( fell'& ( smiled when the word fell somehow ended up with a 4 in it' &4ell, was he right!& &;eah,& she said, but a long, wide yawn escaped her as she held out her hands to show me the damage' There wasn't any broken skin, but both palms were bright pink' ( picked them up and kissed each one loudly, before she lay her head on my shoulder' ( could see /ngela talking to the wedding director, and she looked up to signal to me'

&Give :oppy and Gamma hugs and kisses, Bethy,& ( whispered to my sleepy girl' &They're leaving soon'& ( ,erked my chin for =arlisle to turn around so he could see they were signaling for him' &'>ay, #ommy,& she said with another yawn, reaching for her grandfather' &Bye, :oppy' ('ll draw you p2pictures while you're gone on your hummy2moon,& she muttered adorably as she hugged him tightly' &#iss #akenna is teaching me twees ne t'& &;ou better,& he growled at her, covering her in kisses until she was a giggly mess' &'=ause ('m gonna miss you, baby girl'& &9ove you, :oppy,& she said as he set her down' )he ran to $sme, who immediately scooped her up and kissed her like =arlisle had' 4arm, strong arms wrapped around me from behind, as ( felt kisses being placed to the back of my head' ( leaned back into $dward, sighing contentedly in the comfort he unknowingly brought with him' &;ou two take care of each other and my granddaughter,& =arlisle ordered with a pointing finger, before placing a kiss on my cheek and pulling me into a hug, only to place a strong hand on $dward's shoulder, giving it a squee3e' &4e will, 6ad,& $dward snorted' &Go'''have a good time' =heck in when you can'& $dward and ( both walked to $sme, who was wearing a beautiful dress in the prettiest of cream colors, and Bethy reached for me, snuggling into me sleepily and laying her head on my shoulder' &/ month is too long,& $sme sniffled, tears filling her eyes' &('ll miss you all too much'& &;ou won't have a chance,& $dward teased her, kissing her cheek' &6ad will keep you too busy' ('m pretty sure he's going to show you ,ust about every island down there in Bra3il'& &"ela , en,oy being away from whiny clients for a while, and you get =arlisle all to yourself,& ( chuckled, kissing her cheek' &#y clients have problems, (sabella,& $sme snorted, rolling her eyes at me' &7ne of them being 6elia, you know,& she growled, raising an eyebrow at me' ( winced, shaking my head and instinctively placing kisses to the top of Bethy's head' 6elia was "iley #iller's first victim, the man that had kidnapped and beaten me * the very same man that $dward and his dad had saved me from almost four years ago' 6elia was in a hospital for mental issues, but $sme worked with her as her psychiatrist twice a week out of the kindness of her own heart' )he'd done the very same with

-ictoria, but the latter was ever so much better off than 6elia, especially once the news of #iller's death had reached our ears' :oor 6elia had lived with #iller's abusive mother, until 4es #itchell went in there * per Benny's and $dward's requests * and used his +B( status to declare the whole house unfit, securing #rs' #iller in an assisted living facility and moving 6elia to a mental hospital' =arlisle, )am, and $lea3ar had stowed "iley #iller away in a prison down in )outh /merica, with the knowledge that he would never escape' 5e didn't' 5e had died si months to the day after we'd dropped him off' =arlisle had received &proof of death& from )am, by way of photographic evidence' #iller was practically unrecogni3able' 5e was covered in bruises, marks, scars, and burns, not to mention the loss of another digit to match the one he already had * all the things he'd used to torture his victims with' 5e was a tenacious bastard, surviving for so long under such circumstances, but ( supposed it had all gotten to him in the end, because he'd found something in his cell to slit open his wrists, causing him to bleed to death in the deep hole in the ground that his wardens had kept him in' &+air enough,& ( admitted, &but the rest are spoiled rich wives'& $sme grinned and shrugged, planting kisses on mine, Bethy's, and $dward's cheeks' &;ou guys be careful with that work you do, and don't hesitate to call us if you need us,& she urged, &but thank you both for everything'& $dward and ( smiled, because we knew she meant the wedding' =arlisle was so busy at Twi Tech that had we * our friends included * not helped her, she would have gone insane planning this enormous event' 4ith more hugs, more kisses, and a few dirty honeymoon innuendos thrown their way from $mmett and #ickey, =arlisle and $sme dove into the elevator with )am' 5e was their escort to the airport, overseas, and would be staying on the mainland throughout their stay on the island that =arlisle had rented' 4e wouldn't let them go out of the country any other way' =arlisle was way too high profile for that' &('m glad we rented a room here tonight,& $dward mumbled softly against my temple' &#y girls look tired'& &4e are,& ( snorted, looking up at him and rubbing Bethy's back as she slowly drifted off, despite how much she was fighting it' &$ hausted, actually' /nd we have to be back at the house tomorrow'& &4ell, head to the room, sweetness,& he sighed, placing kisses to Bethy's cheek' &Get her in bed' ('ll finish up with the wedding guy'& &=areful with him'& ( chuckled at $dward's eye roll' &5e thinks you're oh2so2cute'& &( am aware, Bella,& $dward answered dryly, snorting at my giggle' &Though, ( may be in

the clear, because ever since the pictures, he's been eying 4es'& &4ell, good' ;ou're mine,& ( sighed dramatically, smiling at his grunt of agreement' &=ome to us soon, $dward,& ( said, carrying my now completely unconscious child into the elevator, with my husband following us as far as the doors' &;ou know she'll fight sleep if you're not there,& ( told him, because ( knew as soon as ( changed Bethy from her dress to pa,amas, she'd ask for him, even though she was half asleep' )he always did' &( know, love' Give me twenty minutes,& he sighed, and the doors slipped closed'

E!"#$!
&Beautiful family,& ( heard behind me, and ( turned from the elevators to see a woman in her mid2 to late forties standing in the hallway' &Thank you'& ( smiled politely, though ( didn't recogni3e her at all' )he was dressed like she'd attended the wedding, but there were so many people that it was hard to say for sure whether ('d seen her there or not' &4ere you here for the wedding!& &0o, no,& she sighed, shaking her head' / small smile curled up on her face, but it didn't reach her eyes' &( was here for'''something else'& &5ey, $dward8& #ack gushed, rushing to the doorway of the reception hall' &The guys want to know if you'll help load the presents, so $m can take them to Twi Tower for your dad' /nd that )tephen guy needs someone * a $ullen someone * to sign that the whole she2bang is over and done with'& ( smiled and nodded, turning to look for the woman, but she was gone' 4hen ( looked back up at #akenna, she was staring down the hall' &4hat!& &)he looked'''familiar,& she mumbled, her brow wrinkling' &( thought you didn't forget faces,& ( teased her, walking back into the ballroom with her' &( don't,& she grumped, giving one more glance behind us' (t took me longer than the twenty minutes than ('d promised my girls' /fter narrowly escaping the gawking ga3es of )tephen, the wedding planner, ( had to make sure the hotel was notified that everything was done, that all the guests had left, and help .asper, $mmett, and 4es load up $mmett's .eep with all the presents to take back to Twi Towers to store at my dad's apartment' ( also escorted a very tired "ose to her hotel room, while $mmett made the present run'

&=an ( ride to the house with you guys tomorrow!& she asked wearily, looking down at her poor swollen bare feet as we rode the elevator' 9uckily, she was on the same floor as Bella, Bethy, and (' &;eah, sure, but don't you need to rest!& ( asked, remembering how my Bella had taken a little time towards the end of her pregnancy with Bethy' &( can't,& she sighed' &)taying home ,ust pisses me off' ( get bored' :lus, ( need to be there for the case that you and Bells are starting tomorrow' ('m pretty sure it's a waste of time, but the guy is begging for someone, anyone to try to find something out about his brother'& &/nd you want to listen in as /lec and $m pick up Governor :almer,& ( surmised, ,ust knowing that every girl in that office worked the same way' (f our spouses were separated on different ,obs, the other tended to monitor every movement with /lice's help' &;eah, there's that, too,& she sighed with a nod as we walked down the corridor' &But ('d rather be close to everyone if $m's going to be away for three days, especially since ('m due any freakin' minute'& ( grinned at her and waited until she got her door open' &( don't blame you' ;ou're welcome to stay with us'& &Thanks,& she said, rubbing her back, &but /lice has already claimed me' )he has a room ready and everything' ('ll be staying with her until $m's done with this ,ob'& ( snorted and shook my head' &=all us when you're ready in the morning, "ose' 4e'll roll you downstairs'& &+unny, ,ackass,& she laughed, shoving me back' ( waited until she was secure behind her door, before walking the rest of the way down the hall' ( stepped into our suite, to find the lights off in the sitting area, but a dim glow coming from the master bedroom' Both of my girls were curled up on the king si3e bed, dressed in pa,amas, and Bella had even gotten Bethy to sit still long enough to braid her hair to keep it from her face during the night' &6amn,& ( sighed, shaking my head, because they looked so sweet, so fucking perfect' There were times when ( thought my chest would e plode with the love ( had for them' ( shrugged out of my ,acket, vest, tu shirt, and tie, tossing them on the chair in the corner of the room' ( kicked out of my shoes and socks, leaving on my white undershirt and pants' &6addy,& ( heard softly behind me, and ( turned to see my sleepy girl sitting up and rubbing her eyes'

&)hh, little sweetness,& ( whispered, pointing to her mother' &#ommy's sleeping'& Bethy crawled to the end of the bed, and ( scooped her up' &(t's time for lights out, little soldier,& ( said softly, loving this routine with her' &;es, sir,& she said, yawning widely, wrapping her arms around my neck as ( carried her to the other bedroom and planting the sweetest of kisses to my cheek' )he smelled like clean soap, toothpaste, and whatever shampoo Bella was buying her these days as ( buried my nose in her hair' ( tugged back the covers and set her gently on the cool sheets' &7nly sweet dreams, okay!& &;es, sir,& she muttered, her eyes barely open' &9ove you'''& &9ove you, too,& ( whispered against her forehead as ( tucked the covers around her' ( watched as one deep sigh pushed her over the edge that she'd been fighting until she could see me' ( didn't close the door, because she liked to run to our bed first thing in the morning, and ( left the bathroom light on, ,ust in case she woke up and panicked from being in a strange place' Back in the master bedroom, ( carefully situated Bella under the covers, and after stripping down to ,ust my underwear, ( slipped in beside her' Bella turned over to face me, her legs tangling with mine and her face nu33ling the crook of my neck' &)he asleep!& she muttered sleepily' &#mhm,& ( hummed, &so go back to sleep, baby'& &( will'''( ,ust'''& )he sighed, and ( felt her lips press to my neck and her hand travel down my chest and around to the small of my back, pulling me to her' &;ou smell good * like scotch and cake icing'''all sweet and smoky'& ( chuckled, pressing myself closer to her' &( might have indulged in both before coming to the room' The bartender was cleaning up and had ,ust enough for a glass left over in a bottle' 5eaven forbid it go to waste'& &/nd the icing!& &( helped pack up that monstrosity for $mmett to take to my dad's'& #y girl giggled softly as she pushed at the waistband of my underwear, and ( caught up to her quickly' /pparently, she wasn't too tired' ( pulled her face back so that ( could see her in the dim light shining from the hallway' 5er eyes were dark as ( pressed my forehead to hers, my hands slipping underneath her nightshirt' &Bella'''& ( breathed, not wanting to force this, but fuck, if she didn't feel good' )he was all warm and clean, and she'd been pushing my limits throughout the entire wedding,

because she'd ,ust looked so fucking beautiful' &( want you,& she moaned, her eyes rolling back when on of my hands cupped her breast, while the other glided into the back of her underwear' That was all ( needed to hear' ( gathered up her t2shirt and tugged it off over her head, tossing it to the other side of the bed at the same time that she pulled me on top of her' 4e made quick work of ridding ourselves of our underwear, Bella using her toes to kick mine down and off of me, which made both of us laugh softly in the darkness of the room' &/re you wet for me, sweetness!& ( asked her, skimming my hand down her side and slipping my fingers through her folds' &;es,& she breathed, pulling me by the back of my neck and bringing my lips to hers' Bracing an arm by her head and continuing to kiss her, ( slid two fingers into her wet heat' )he was indeed ready for me, but ( wanted * no, ( needed * to see my girl come' ( found the spot that always made her breath catch at the same time my thumb swirled around her clit' ( knew e actly what would make my name spill from her lips, e actly how to draw out her clima , and e actly how long she could take the teasing' ( knew her body better than ( knew my own' (t was a good thing to know, because it never got fucking old to watch her fall apart under my touch, my mouth, my cock' There had been a time when she couldn't let me touch her, and every step we took on the road to her recovery after she'd been kidnapped was a step that ( didn't take for granted' /t one point in my life, ( couldn't imagine being with the same woman for the rest of my life, but now, ( couldn't imagine any woman but Bella' :eriod' ( needed no one else' &$dward,& she hissed, her head pressing back into her pillow as my fingers curled ,ust right inside of her' &=ome, baby,& ( commanded at the soft spot ,ust behind her ear, unable to stop my hips from grinding against her' &(f you really want this,& ( purred, pressing my throbbing dick against her leg, &then you'll come for me'& ( smiled against the sweet skin of her neck when little fingers dug into my back and twisted into my hair' 5er back arched up off the bed as her whole body shook with her orgasm' &7ne,& ( growled, dragging my lips across her cheek to capture her mouth with my own as ( lifted myself up, settling between her legs' Bella smiled against my lips, knowing what ( meant' &7h, it's like that, is it!& she

chuckled darkly, licking her lips as ( held myself above her' &5ow many!& &( need'''& ( said, wrinkling my nose and pretending to truly consider it, &at least three from you, love'''& &#mm,& she hummed, wrapping an arm around to my back and the other hand reaching for my face as ( slipped into her slowly' &4e'll see, $dward' 4e'll see'''&

&7kay, the way ( see it,& "ose stated from her desk in Gravity's office as she rubbed her swollen belly, &the best way to start with this case is to talk to the witnesses and friends again' (t's been ten years'& &;ou're probably right,& Bella said, looking out the window' &4e also still need to meet with Todd .ackson before we start' 4hat time is he available!& she asked distractedly, as she watched .asper push Bethy on the swing outside' 4ithout my dad and $sme around, everyone was taking up the slack when we needed a babysitter' 0ormally, they would take Bethy when we were starting a new case, but since they were off on their honeymoon, everyone stepped up to help us' &4e're supposed to meet him at a diner in )eattle later this afternoon,& ( told her, looking up at the schedule on the wall and back down at the file in front of me' &5e said he'd be bringing some of "ick's things so we can look through them'& &)o why am ( here!& #ickey chuckled, looking at the bulletin board that #akenna had set up ,ust for this case' &)ee that warehouse!& Bella asked, getting up from the table' &This was the last place anyone saw "ick .ackson alive' (t used to be a club back then, but it closed not long after the investigation cooled off' 5e used to work there as a bartender'& &4ho owned it!& ( asked, flipping through the file' &)imon :arker'''& ( mused, answering my own question' &(sn't he that'''& &;es, he made his money through porn' 9egit porn, but porn, nonetheless,& Bella snorted, rolling her eyes' &0ow he backs local film makers'''mainly independent film students from ?4'& &Gay porn,& "ose chuckled, holding up a picture of a 6-6 cover' &#en or women!& ( asked with a smirk, knowing the reaction ( would get from "ose and Bella'

&)hut it8& they both growled' &4e were drunk8& ( laughed, my head falling back' (t never failed to amuse me that the two of them had made out at one time, because they were trying to teach some guy in "ose's dating life a lesson' &/nyway,& Bella huffed, giving me a dangerously raised eyebrow before turning back to #ickey, &that warehouse is still owned by him and has never been cleaned out' (t's ,ust been'''locked'& &)o you're thinking that there are still records, security tapes'''that sort of thing in there!& #ickey clarified' &;eah, ( hope so,& Bella stated, pulling out a satellite image of the warehouse' &They were never granted a search warrant for the place, because they couldn't really narrow down whether "ick's death was suspicious or not'& &7h, gotcha,& #ickey mumbled with a nod' &7kay, ('m in' ('ll go with you guys'& &Good,& Bella huffed, but we all turned when /lice and #akenna erupted into an argument' They were in the computer room right across from us and had been awfully quiet throughout our meeting' &:ull it up, /lice8& #ack urged' &( need to know if ('m right8& &7kay, okay, okay,& /lice sighed, shaking her head' &But who gives a shit if you're right! )he was probably a guest at the wedding, or hitting on $dward'''& &5ey, hey,& Bella chided' &4hat's this all about!& #akenna stood up straight from where she'd been leaning over /lice's shoulder' &There was this woman last night in the hall ,ust outside of the reception hall' )he was talking to $dward, but ( swear to God that ( know her from somewhere'& )he handed Bella a drawing of the woman's face, the details all the way down to the small scar ,ust above the woman's eyebrow' &(t bothered me that ( couldn't remember who she was'& ( snorted, but looked at the picture when Bella held it up for me' &;eah, that's her' ( thought that she was there for the wedding, but she said no' /ll she said was that ( had a beautiful family' )he was there when ( walked you and Bethy to the elevators'& &;ou mean'''here!& /lice asked, pulling up the security footage from the hotel' &;up,& ( said with a nod as ( watched the silent conversation on the monitor' The woman and ( shared all of thirty seconds on the screen before #akenna interrupted her, but it was the woman's reaction to #ack that was interesting' 5er eyes widened, and she turned the other way, leaving the hallway instantly' &)he knows you,& ( stated, pointing to #ack' &That's for sure' :lay that again, 3oom in

on her face'& &5mm, ( don't recogni3e her, either,& Bella mused, tilting her head at the woman's actions' &/lice, can you run facial recognition on her!& &;eah, sure,& /lice replied, pulling up another screen on another computer' &(t'll take a while, because ('ve ,ust recently been able to tap into 4ashington's database, thanks to Benny and 4es' They gave me the parameters a few weeks back, and ( haven't been able to ad,ust the format for'''& &/lice8& Bella snorted, shaking her head' &.ust'''do it' )top trying to tell me how'''('ve never understood it'& ( chuckled with /lice on that one, because she was too damn smart for her own good sometimes' )he was registered as a fucking genius as it was, so when she really got to spewing knowledge, half of it barely made sense' &4hat's a while!& #akenna huffed, clearly upset that she couldn't remember this woman' &6ays!& /lice answered with a shrug, though it sounded like a guess' &( have to capture her picture from this video, map out her face, and then set it up to compare to the list of faces in the system' 4e have to hope she has a criminal record'& &'>ay,& #ack sighed, folding her arms across her chest and sitting down ne t to /lice, but she turned her attention to Bella' &;ou'd better get going' ('ll watch Bethy until you guys get back tonight' 4es is out of town, speaking at a convention in 9/' 5e left this morning'& &)peaking of'''& Bella chuckled when the office door slammed open and a whirlwind of energy came bounding into the room, with .asper barely able to keep up with her' &There's my pretty girl,& she gushed, scooping up our daughter and planting kisses to her face and neck' &#ommy, do you hafta work!& Bethy asked, giving her mother the full, undiluted power of the begging puppy face, and ( couldn't help but laugh, because ( had more than once used that same tactic' &( do, but guess what8& Bella gushed' &/unt #akenna is going to stay with you, so you know what that means8& &( get to paint8& our daughter squealed, not unlike /lice when she was e cited, and #akenna chuckled, shaking her head' $very last one of our friends adored Bethy on some level' )he was the first born, and they'd all taken some sort of ownership to her' There wasn't one of them that ( wouldn't trust her with, and not one of them my daughter didn't adore'

&That's right' /nd don't forget'''you promised :oppy and Gamma all sorts of pictures for when they come back,& ( told her, catching her when she wriggled down from Bella's arms and climbed up in my lap' &;ou're going, too, 626addy!& Bethy asked incredulously' &('m afraid so, little sweetness, but we're going to try to be back to tuck you in tonight, okay!& &:2:romise!& she whispered, grasping my face in both of her tiny ones' &( said we'd try, Bethy,& ( told her, kissing each hand before standing up with her in my arms' &(f we can't, then we'll call /unt #akenna, and ('ll tuck you in over the phone'& )he huffed, her eyes darkening with that statement, but she didn't argue' )he folded her arms across her chest as she watched her mother gather our things together, including pulling our guns out of the safe' ( set Bethy down on the edge of the conference table, taking my Glock from Bella and securing it in my waistband at the small of my back' Bella also reached in the locking cabinet and pulled out my bag, and /lice handed her the laptop' &Bethy, don't forget, you've got school tomorrow,& Bella reminded her, because Bethy adored #rs' =ope, the sweet older woman that ran the +orks daycare downtown * if +orks could even claim to have a downtown' &( know' ( want pudding for my snack,& she gushed, beaming up at me' &=hocolate or vanilla!& ( asked her, hoping to distract her so she wouldn't be too upset when we left for )eattle' &Both8& she giggled, squirming when ( tickled her sides' &4e'll see, little sweetness,& ( chuckled, looking over at Bella, who was ready to go' ( hoisted Bethy up into my arms, asking, &4hat do we say when we have to be apart from each other, baby!& &Be safe8& she answered like the little soldier that she loved to be with me' &/nd!& Bella and ( chuckled' &9ove you8& she said, squishing my face to kiss me as ( told her the same, and then she reached for Bella' &9ove you, too, Bethy,& Bella snickered, kissing her puckered lips' )he set her down on the floor, saying, &( want a picture, too, pretty girl'& &7kay, #ommy,& Bethy sang, immediately taking the paper that #akenna was pulling out for her'

4e took the opportunity to load up the car and leave while she was happily distracted'

%E&&#
The meeting with Todd .ackson didn't take long' 5e brought us a few letters, a couple of photographs, and the funeral sign2in book' &( didn't recogni3e some people at "ick's funeral,& he said, sitting back in his chair as we sat outside at a little cafe on the sidewalk' #ickey and $dward flipped through the things he'd brought as we listened to him' &There were our old friends from school, some distant cousins, and our family, but there was this whole group of people that stood towards the back at the cemetery,& he continued with a shake to his head' &( never knew what that meant, but the police never gave it much thought' They said due to his profession, it was likely that there were going to be people we didn't know'& &#akes sense,& ( agreed' &/nd it's possible they're right'& &( know,& he sighed, shrugging one shoulder' &( ,ust want you guys to have everything, ,ust in case' ( really appreciate you trying' They said he killed himself because he was deeply in debt from school loans, and then they considered that he had gotten in with the wrong crowd''' ;ou know, drugs and stuff' But that wasn't my brother's way' 5e was kind of a health nut' 5e liked eating right and e ercising'& Todd was a little older than $dward, with light brown curly hair and a spattering of freckles that made him seem younger than he actually was' 5e was thin, with a sad smile' &4hat about girlfriends'''e es!& $dward asked, tilting his head at a few pictures' &( mean, is it possible for him to have met someone and it went'''wrong! Because they're declaring him a suicide, but you don't believe it' ('m ,ust wondering if there were'''circumstances that you may not have known about'& &"ick dated in high school, but nothing really serious,& Todd answered, shaking his head' &( suppose it's possible, but that's not like him' 5e liked going home to his apartment' 5e liked ,ust hanging out, watching T-, maybe having a few beers' 5e wasn't a manwhore, either, if that's what you're thinking' ( can't see him treating anyone with any callousness' 5e was really kind to people' /ll around, he was a pretty happy guy'& $dward nodded, absorbing that information, but he wasn't finished' &/nd )imon :arker! 6id you ever meet him!&

&7nly at %tarlight,& Todd answered' &( went to the club every now and then, but ( never really talked to the man' 5e seemed pompous and snobby, to be honest,& he snorted' &4e don't come from a lot of money, so ('m not used to that scene'& &(t doesn't take money to make an asshole,& #ickey stated, almost under her breath, but we all chuckled' &( suppose that's true, but ( never asked "ick about him' 5e was his boss' Bosses can be'''difficult'& &0o kidding,& #ickey and $dward both teased, looking up at me' &)hut it, both of you,& ( snickered, pointing at them' /s $dward's hand caressed my thigh under the table, ( turned to Todd' &('m going to be honest with you' (t's been a long time, and people's memories fade with this amount of years,& ( said, my finger landing on the funeral sign2in book' &4e'll try, but ( don't want you to get your hopes up'& Todd nodded, like he was already preparing himself for that inevitable outcome' &This is my last ditch effort'''for our mother' #y dad died last year, and there's not a day goes by that #om doesn't ask about "ick's case' )he never believed he killed himself on some back alley of )eattle' )he never felt him capable of it'& #y nose wrinkled, but ( understood where he was coming from' &7kay, Todd, we'll be in touch'& &Thanks, #iss )wan,& he said, standing up and shaking my hand' ( used my maiden name with most clients, and $dward used his mother's * #asen' (t was a form of security that we'd all agreed on when we combined both his crew and mine' 4e tried not to use our real names or mention any family, and we didn't even allow anyone else on the crew to reveal those things about themselves' (t was a rule the boys and #ickey had used when they were mercenaries, and we'd incorporated it into Gravity' (t was something ( wished we'd used when ('d first opened the doors' Todd left us, and ( felt warm fingers tuck my hair behind my ear' &4hat do you think, sweetness!& $dward asked as ( sat back in my chair' ( sighed, picking up a photo of "ick with his brother, and then a picture of "ick with three people Todd said that he didn't know' +inally, ( cracked open the funeral sign2in book and tapped it with my finger' &('ve read )imon's statement to the police, and it was so'''vague,& ( stated, looking at the highlighted names that Todd had marked for me' &/lice wasn't able to get an employee list for this'''%tarlight club'& &('m not sure tackling every witness will be worth the work, Bells,& #ickey added' &('m

with you'''( think you need to compare the employee list to the names in that book in order to see who you need to talk to first'& &( think you're right,& ( mumbled, flipping through the police report again' &7kay,& $dward stated, standing up and tossing some money onto the table to take care of the bill' &The old warehouse it is'''&

CHAPTER 2
%E&&#
&/li's 6en of (niquity,& /lice said, answering her phone, causing the whole car to laugh' ( snorted, rolling my eyes' &5onestly, /lice,& ( sighed' &4e're at the warehouse' ( need you to take a look at it' (s there power! )ecurity!& &0o security that ( can see, but that doesn't mean there isn't some sort of old school bell system,& she mumbled over my speaker phone' &There is power, but the bill has been the same for years' (t's paid out of )imon :arker's office'''every month'''on time'& &4hich means no one has turned even a light bulb on in this place in like a decade,& #ickey concluded with a nod' &('m going to make one trek around this building'''look for the best entrance' ( don't want to pick the wrong one and set off an old ass fire alarm or some shit'& &4ell, you're lucky, because the surrounding warehouses are abandoned and up for auction ne t month,& /lice stated' &That will give you an e tra few minutes to get in, and then out again if you do happen to set something off' ( could kill the grid, if you want'''& &0o, /lice,& $dward said, stopping her' &0ot necessary' ( can't imagine this will take long' Tell me where the office is, while #ick does a prelim check'& 5e turned to #ickey' &"adio open,& he commanded, and we all tucked an earpiece in' 4ith that said, #ickey left the car, closing the back door behind her' &4est side of the building, up a flight of stairs' (t's one door, one room,& /lice finally answered $dward, typing away on her computer' &(t should sit opposite where the bar and kitchen are, according to the layout'& &Thank you, /lice,& he said, looking at his phone, which was showing a picture of the warehouse's plans' &4e'll be on the radio from this point on'& &7kie dokie,& she sang, ending the call' &4hat are you hoping to find in this place, love!& $dward asked, turning slightly in the driver's seat of his =hallenger' &( want to match these names,& ( said, holding up the funeral sign2in book, &to possible employees, because these names were not on the list of people that the police spoke to after "ick was found in his car with a bullet in his head' Then ( want to know why a perfectly happy boy * according to everyone that knew him * in his early twenties, ,ust up and dies of what looks like suicide' ( don't get it' /nd ( don't like it'&

$dward smirked, but reached into the back seat, pulling his bag to his lap' 5e rummaged around, only to find two flashlights and a few sets of late gloves, handing a set of each over to me' &4e'll need these' ( don't want to touch a single thing in there * not one light switch, and no fucking fingerprints left behind'& The sun was slowly setting behind another warehouse as he tugged his black baseball cap on backwards, only to pull his gun out, popping out the clip and checking the chamber' 4e may not have been in danger, but my $dward never took any chances' $ver' 5e treated even the simplest of ,obs with the utmost control and security' ('m not sure if he could ever change that about himself * nor would ( want him to' &7kay, guys,& #ickey called in over the radio' &7ur best bet'''back of the building, fire escape'''the door up top'& &9et's go,& $dward said, and we both got out of the car' 5e set the car's alarm as we darted across the deserted street of the old industrial area and around the back of the building' 4e looked up what looked like rusty old metal stairs, to see #ickey already working on the lock of the door' By the time we'd carefully climbed up to her, she was standing up straight and pulling her gun out' $dward motioned for #ickey to open the door, because he was going to take the back, letting us lead the way in' 7nce the door was closed behind us, we all turned on our flashlights, scanning the room' 4e were on some sort of catwalk that edged the side of the building, eventually leading around to the office or down to the main floor of what used to be a pretty damn big dance club' The air was musty and thick with dust motes, a fine film of it covering ,ust about everything' ( shined my light down below us, and the place was a mess' Tables and chairs were overturned' $mpty liquor bottles were everywhere, and some were even shattered across the floor' The door to the kitchen area was open, but seemed to be broken off of its hinges' &6amn,& #ickey snorted, shining her light around the room' &4hat in the blue fuck happened here!& &(t's like they ,ust closed one night without ever cleaning or opening back up,& ( noted, walking slowly to the end of the catwalk' ( tried the door, but it was locked' &;et'''this, they lock,& ( stated' #ickey immediately got to work, pulling out the little pouch containing her tools, which she always kept on her' &The whole place looks like the /pocalypse ravaged the ,oint, but they made sure to lock the fucking office,& ( muttered, smirking when $dward chuckled softly behind me'

&:erhaps they are hiding something,& he snorted, nudging me with his elbow' / soft click rang into the empty space, and #ickey opened the door, letting it glide open' /ll three of us peered inside, not knowing what to e pect' 9ike the rest of the place, the office was covered in a thick layer of dust, but unlike the club downstairs, the office was in damn neat * perfect * order' +ile cabinets lined the back wall, right behind a generic metal desk' There was no computer equipment, but a calculator and a desk pad still sat on top' Two folding chairs sat ,ust inside, also covered in dust, a ,acket slung hapha3ardly over the back of one of them, and two small bookcases were along the wall right by the doorway' &7kay,& ( sighed, shaking my head, but walked straight to the first file drawer and tugged it open' #ickey took the desk, opening drawers, careful not to stir up too much dust' $dward knelt down by the bookcases, reading the titles' The first drawer ( looked through was nothing but financial stuff * ta es, purchasing, bills' The second drawer was the ,ackpot' &Bingo,& ( sang to myself, pulling out the file containing payroll information' ( pressed my earpiece' &/lice'''& &Talk to me' 4hat'cha got for me!& she asked, typing away, and ( could hear my child in the background' &(s she singing!& ( laughed, and $dward snickered, standing up from the bookcases' &;eah, .asper's teaching her some old cowboy song,& /lice told us with a giggle' &0ice,& my husband drawled, rolling his eyes' &('m going downstairs to look for the video equipment,& he said, pointing to the upper corner of the room where an old camera sat completely still and covered in an impressive cobweb' &7kay,& #ickey and ( told him at the same time, and she came to look over my shoulder when ( turned my attention back to /lice' &/lice, ('m going to read you some names and social security numbers' ('ll need profiles on each of them'& &$asy2peasy, .apanesey,& she chuckled, typing away' &7kay'''hit me'& ( read off the names and their socials, making sure they were the same names in "ick's funeral sign2in book, before putting the file back where ( found it' &Thank you, /lice,& ( said over the radio' &5ow's that facial recognition thing coming for #ack!& &('ve pulled the pic, mapped the face, and ,ust started the search,& she answered' &9ike ( told her, it will take time'& &7kay,& ( sighed' &('m not sure why she's worried' (t wasn't like the woman tried

anything'& &(t was her reaction to #akenna,& $dward answered, instead of /lice' &That woman did not want #ack to see her' /t all' (t won't hurt to find out who she was'''& &True,& /lice and ( said at the same time' &4e should be home in plenty of time for Bethy, /lice,& ( said' &=ould you let #akenna know!& &)ure, sure, sure,& she chanted in her usual three time manner' &/lice,& $dward started with a grunt' &('ve got'''fucking old ass -5) security tapes dating all the way back to when this place opened' =an you do anything with them!& &/ncient fucking shit,& she mumbled, and ( could hear her rifling around on the other end' &;eah,& she huffed' &( still have my converter' =an you take them!& &( am taking them,& he countered gruffly, and we heard tapes being picked up and slapped back down' &This room hasn't been touched in ages, but ('m only taking the ones from when "ick worked here'& &=ool,& #ickey snickered' &That's really helpful, pretty boy,& she said sarcastically' ( grinned, shoving at her a bit, but ( did love it when she teased him' &)hut up, wild child,& he growled into the radio' &('m more than ,ust a pretty face' /sk Bella'& 5is amusement could not be missed, especially when ( cracked the fuck up over the radio' &/w,& ( crooned over the radio as #ickey and ( gave the office one more rifle2through' &5e does have a pretty face, though''' 5mmm'''what's for dinner, baby!& ( purred, smiling at #ickey's chuckle' $dward could cook better than most five star restaurant chefs' There wasn't a single one of us that complained about anything he made' /nd fuck, if ( hadn't benefited from it when ( was pregnant with Bethy' $dward chuckled se ily over the radio' &Bethy asked for homemade pi33a' But ('m not telling you what dessert is, (sabella'& 5is voice took on a low, dangerous tenor, the tone that screamed se iness and carnal promises' &7oh, hot damn,& #ickey giggled, shoving me out the office door' &6essert indeed, $dward,& ( snickered, shaking my head' &4e're done up here' 4hat about you!& &('m good,& he chuckled, coming out from underneath us on the first floor' 5e held up

three tapes, before tucking them away into the bag slung across his shoulder' &( can't imagine they'll be missed'& &0o, probably not,& ( agreed, making sure that the office door was locked behind me' &4ell, we've got a decent start on this case' /s soon as /lice has those profiles, ('ll know who to talk to ne t'& ( sighed, following #ickey toward the door in which we came in, but looked over the railing to see $dward staring back toward the door' &4e've got company, girls,& he breathed over the radio, motioning us to get out the door as he bolted silently but quickly for the stairs' &Get out' Get to the car' ('ll be right behind you'& 4e knew better than to argue with him, but ( hated leaving the building when he wasn't at my side' #ickey and ( slipped out the back door and practically slid down the outside metal stairs' 4e both gave the door a glance for a brief moment, before slipping around the corner, but ( found myself tugged back' &$d, we've got'''one, two cars outside' 9ooks like cops, and they're between us and the car,& she whispered into her headset' &Get your ass out of there'& &:robably the industrial park's security,& he breathed' &"ent2a2cops'''because they're not actually coming in yet' They're ,ust shining a light through the window of the front door' They'll see movement if ( move'& &Then stay still, $dward,& ( whispered' &Benny will kill you if we have to bail you out of ,ail'''again,& ( snorted' 5e chuckled softly, but it was true' (t was during the first year we were working together' Bethy had been ,ust a baby when we'd taken a ,ob to catch a woman accused of selling her company's secrets to the competition' 4e figured out that she did most of her'''meetings after work at her office in :ortland, so $dward went in as the buyer' The night she was supposed to meet with him, she never came to the door, so he broke in, ,ust to at least be able to look through the contents of her desk and files' 5e was totally busted by the building's security' (t all came out that it was the head of security that was selling information, not the woman' ('d called Benny and 4es, who both worked for the )eattle division of the +B(, in a fucking panic, because ( couldn't have my child's father in ,ail' They weren't happy about it, but they'd gone downtown to get him for me' ( didn't want to know what kind of strings they had to pull to do it, but he was home by that night, and no charges ever being filed' &6amn it,& he growled, and my eyes met #ickey's as we waited' &They're coming in'& &)hit,& #ickey hissed, looking around' &4hat we need is a distraction'''&

( peered around the corner and saw that we were clear to the car' &('ve got an idea,& ( told her, but knew that $dward was listening' &Two girls with car trouble should be enough to give him time to get out, huh!& &6on't break my fucking car, Bella,& he growled, but even though ( wasn't looking at him, ( knew he was smiling1 ( could hear the amusement in his voice' &5eaven forbid,& ( chuckled, tugging #ickey's shirt' &4e have to do this right' =ome on'''& 4e ran as quickly as we could to the car, and ( unlocked it, popping the hood' ( knew ,ust enough about cars from my dad to know what ( could fiddle with and make it look like it wouldn't start, without actually breaking $dward's precious 6odge' 7ne loose wire later, and we were two girls that were stuck with a broken down car' ( turned to look at the front of the building that we'd ,ust come out of, the same one $dward was now trapped in, and ( could see the two security boys * one shining a light in the front window, and the other pulling out a set of keys' ( smiled at what #ickey did ne t' &?mmm''' $ cuse me,& she called loudly, sounding like a vapid, helpless girl' &=an you help us!& Two heads spun like they were on a swivel, and ( snorted softly to myself, because from the look of their open mouthed stares, this was going to be all too easy' &7h 9ord, we ,ust made their day'& ( chuckled low' 7ne guy was skinny, with bad skin and a crooked smile' The other one was a little bigger and was sweating heavily through the armpits of his shirt' #ickey huffed a laugh, looking up at me' &This will be way too easy,& she muttered under her breath as they came closer, mirroring my thought from ,ust mere seconds before' &$dward, now's your chance' /t least get the fuck outside, okay!& ( whispered in a rush, falling down into the driver's seat' &;es, ma'am,& he grunted, and ( could hear him running along the metal catwalk in the background' &9adies,& the skinny boy crooned as he ogled the both of us' &4hat seems to be the problem!& 0ow that the two young men were closer, we could see their name tags' 7ne was 7' Brady, and the other was 6onaldson' &4e took a wrong turn' The car was acting funny, and now it won't even start,& ( huffed,

pouting like a spoiled rich girl, which was the only way to do it, considering the type of car we were dealing with and the fact that both #ickey and ( looked younger than we actually were' $dward's late model 6odge =hallenger was decked the fuck out' 5e'd had it before ( met him, so it had every bell and whistle known to the automotive industry, though ( couldn't ,udge him on it at all, because my #ustang was ,ust as bad' (t was ,ust one of the many, many ways that $dward and ( were very much alike1 we loved our muscle cars' &4ell, let's see what we can do about that,& the bigger boy, 6onaldson, sighed, looking under the hood' &('m out, ('m out,& $dward huffed in my ear, and a quick glance towards the back corner of the building confirmed it' &Battery cable!& he asked' &;eah, and he's about five seconds from finding it, so run to the end of the street, and we'll pick you up at the stop sign,& ( mumbled, looking up when 6onaldson peeked around the hood' &Try it now,& he said, after fiddling with the very cable ('d ,ust loosened' The car rumbled to life smoothly, of course, and 6onaldson closed the hood, dusting off his hands' &;our battery cable was loose' ;ou might want to have someone tighten that for you before it happens again'& &Thank you,& #ickey and ( sang at the same time, and ( could swear ( heard $dward chuckle as he ran' #ickey started to get into the passenger side, when 7' Brady stopped her' &4here were you girls headed that you were lost!& he asked, tilting his head at her' 5is blush could not be missed' &4e were looking for =arson's #otors,& she answered smoothly, knowing we'd passed that warehouse on our way into the damn comple ' &( have to pick up a boat part for my boyfriend before they close' The guy said he'd stick around for us'& &7h, well'''=arson's is on the other side of the park' Go to the stop sign right up there and take a right' ;ou can't miss it on the left hand side, ,ust before you hit the e it' ;ou girls passed right by it'& &Gotcha' Thanks, guys8& she said, beaming like a bright sunny morning, and ( had to hide my laugh' ( looked straight up the street, catching a shadow darting across' 0ight had fallen, and $dward was thoroughly concealed'

4e waved to the boys, and ( pulled out at the same time that #ickey dove into the back seat' /t the stop sign, ( looked into the rear view mirror to make sure the coast was clear' The guys had gone back to the front of the warehouse and were going inside' &Go, go,& ( said into the earpiece, and the passenger side door was yanked open, a heavily breathing $dward falling into the car' &/lways gotta make shit hard, huh!& &)hut it, sweetness,& he snorted, rolling his eyes at our laughter' &Get us out of here'& ( felt a kiss to my temple as ( drove us out of the industrial area, heading towards home'

&Bethy, let's go8& ( called down the hall' &;ou're going to be late for school, and ( still need to do your hair, silly girl8& $dward let a soft chuckle out from behind me in the kitchen' 5e'd made breakfast and was now putting Bethy's lunch together for school' &=oming, #ommy,& she yelled back, but ( heard slamming around from in her room' &;ou said that ten minutes ago,& ( muttered, rolling my eyes' &God help me when she's thirteen'& &But at thirteen, she won't want you to touch her hair,& $dward pointed out with a spatula in hand' &7r watch movies, or hold her hand'''& &6on't go there,& ( growled, hating that she was getting so big, so damn fast' &4e could have another one,& he chuckled, raising an eyebrow at me' &6on't go there, either, $dward,& ( huffed, rolling my eyes' ( looked up at his hopeful, but carefully masked face' &;ou didn't have lug ten pounds of baby and water around on your bladder and kidneys'''& &( would have'''& he grumped, frowning ,ust a bit' 4e did want another child' 4e'd talked about it when Bethy turned two, and again when she turned three, but it never got past the talking stage' ( was back on birth control and had been since the doctor cleared me for it after Bethy's birth' ( wasn't opposed to the idea, but ( certainly didn't know if we could do it again, because we were honestly really busy' But the thought of a little $dward clone was ,ust about my undoing * a little boy with cra3y hair and a wickedly charming smile' &5ere, #ommy,& my little girl gushed, running into the kitchen and clambering up onto

the stool in front of me' )he held out her brush and her bo of &hair thingies,& as $dward called them' &4ell, how do you want it, baby!& ( asked, dragging the brush down her long, thick hair, which reminded me so much of my own' &:2ponytail8& &7ne or two!& ( tugged on her hair to get her attention away from whatever toy she was fumbling with in her hands' &Two, #ommy, okay!& she sighed e asperatedly' &7kay8& ( answered back, shaking my head' &"ela , =aptain =ullen' ('m not ,ust your hair dresser'& &)2sorry, #ommy,& she huffed, settling down a bit, because she woke up at top speed and never slowed down all day' 5er little stutter was already starting to fade, though it still came through when she was tired or overly e cited' But the one thing she had in common with her father was that they both stuttered when they were in trouble' (t never failed to melt me * from both of them' ( was pretty sure Bethy hadn't caught on to it, but ( had suspicions $dward knew what it did to me' /s ( parted her hair and began to separate the two parts for ponytails, her head followed her daddy's every move in that kitchen' &/re you coming wif us, 62daddy!& &To school!& he clarified, 3ipping up her pink lunch bo and setting it in front of her' &;eah,& she whispered, nodding slowly, because ( was trying like hell to keep her still' &;ou want both of us to drop you off!& he chuckled, giving her a wink, because ( was pretty sure he was planning on riding with me this morning, before coming back to meet with /lice' 4e knew that /lice had already put together the three profiles we'd called in with from the warehouse the night before, but it had been late when we got back, and $dward and ( had ,ust wanted family time by the time we pulled in the driveway' 4e'd come home the night before to see the office locked up and Bethy and #akenna sitting on the floor of the living room, watching The &ittle 'ermaid' They were singing (iss the )irl as loud as they could, a ginormous bowl of popcorn between them' &:wease 6addy!& she begged, knowing he couldn't resist it' )he could play him better than ( could' &( don't know,& he sighed wearily, pretending to actually give it thought'

)he didn't even have to beg him again1 she ,ust looked up at him, like one of those lost puppies on the ):=/ commercial * all big, pitiful eyes and long eyelashes, her bottom lip popping out ,ust right, tilting her head a little' &That,& he huffed with a laugh, &she gets from you8& &(s that a yes, 6addy!& ( giggled, ignoring his ,ibe at me, because yeah, that was totally my face she was using' ('m pretty sure ( used that same face when ( asked him to work with me at Gravity, and he's been with me ever since' &( guess so,& he sighed dramatically' &;ay8& my girl cheered, pumping her fist in the air way too much like her ?ncle $mmett, which only made her father smile all the more' 4ith the last ponytail secured, ( said, &4ell, then, let's go' Go get your backpack, pretty girl' #rs' =ope doesn't like it when you're late' ;ou miss singing'& 4ith that said, Bethy burst out into *appy Trails, the song that .asper had taught her the day before, which made my husband bark out a laugh as he headed out to the )?-'

E!"#$!
+orks wasn't a big town' /t all' (n fact, it was quite the opposite1 everyone knows everyone else' (t was something ('d hated when ('d first moved here with my dad, ,ust after my mother died, but ('d grown to appreciate after coming back from the /ir +orce' There was something to be said about familiarity' ('d known #rs' =ope when ( attended +orks high, because she worked in the office' 4hen her daughter had twins the year ( left for military school, she'd decided she'd rather be around little kids all day, instead of teens, so she opened a day care and preschool' /nd she was really good at it' (t helped that she also taught )unday )chool at the church, which meant she had more patience than ( ever could with someone else's children' )he was one of a few preschools in the area, but ( really liked #rs' =ope' ( opened the back door to the )?-, noticing my very smart girl had already unbuckled her car seat' &Bethy,& ( warned her, raising an eyebrow' &;ou know ( don't like it when you do that'& &The car is parked,& she countered, holding out her hands for me to pick her up' &;2you said w2when the c2car was p2parked that it was o2okay'& &6ear 9ord,& Bella laughed, shaking her head' &Bethy, ,ust wait until we tell you it's okay'&

&'>2kay,& she huffed, but wrapped her arms around my neck as ( picked her up out of the car' /s ( set Bethy on her feet, ( glanced around' The daycare used to be a home, but #rs' =ope had been able to turn it into a fantastic place' The front yard was the playground, with a winding sidewalk leading to the front doors' $verything was painted bright colors, including the tables and chairs that ( had made for her ages ago' 4ord got around about my carpenter hobby once ('d settled back into +orks after my tour of duty in /fghanistan, especially once ( bought my house' )o when ( started becoming a regular at the local hardware shop, interest peaked, especially when ( gave #rs' Thompson, the wife of the owner of the hardware shop, her first rocking chair' #rs' =ope had left word with #rs' Thompson that she'd pay me for a set of si small tables with four chairs each for her daycare, but ( hadn't charged her' (t had been therapy for me to take the time to build them after coming home from one of my father's missions' (t had been my down time, my quiet time * but that was all before my Bella' &/h, #iss Bethy,& #rs' =ope greeted her, smiling brightly' &Go put your things up and give #iss -alerie your lunch, okay!& &7kay,& Bethy sang, starting to take off' &5ey,& Bella laughed' &9ittle #iss )ocial Butterfly, you want to tell your parents goodbye first!& &7h yeah,& she giggled' &Bye, #ommy' Bye, 6addy,& she said, rushing to me when ( knelt down' )he planted loud, wet kisses to my cheek, whispering, &9ove you' Be safe'& ( grinned, because she and Bella were my whole fucking world, and ('d taught her that almost from the minute she could talk' ( hated leaving either of them for any time period, so it was almost like a family code for us' #aybe it stemmed from all the shit that Bella had been through before Bethy was born' #aybe it came from my years of being a soldier and being overseas far away from everything' But ( was pretty sure it came from my mother, who never let my father leave for a tour without telling him to &be safe& and that she loved him fiercely' ( never wanted to leave either of my girls without them knowing that ( loved them, even if it were only for a few hours at school' &9ove you, too, little sweetness,& ( whispered back' )he rushed to Bella, saying the same thing as my wife played with her hair' 4ith one last kiss to Bethy's forehead, Bella let her go' &(t's good to see you both,& #rs' =ope said, smiling up at me, and then turning to Bella' &( wanted to remind you that the three and four year olds have a field trip to #r'

9afayette's farm this +riday' They get to see animals and see how a farm works' ( was wondering if either of you could come along'& &7h damn,& Bella groaned, rubbing her temple' &( totally forgot' ?mm, can ( let you know later today when ( pick her up!& &/bsolutely,& the older woman said, turning to me' &( know how you feel about outside activities, $dward' ( ,ust thought one of you might want to be there with her'& ( smiled and nodded, because she knew a little of our past, and she knew what we did for a living, so for her to take that into consideration meant a lot to me' (t wasn't that ( didn't trust her, but with my father's spotlighted career, and the fact that we used to be soldiers for hire, ( wasn't sure ('d trust anyone outside of my family and crew with the safety of my wife and daughter' (t was one thing to be in a one2room school1 it was another to take Bethy out of that school, where anything could happen, where anyone could approach the boisterous, friendly little girl, even though we'd fucking stressed the whole &don't talk to strangers& thing to Bethy' (f it made me paranoid, then so be it, but ( couldn't imagine what ( would do if something happened to my girls' :eriod' The fury and devastation that would incur would be equal to that of 4orld 4ar (((' &Thank you, #rs' =ope,& ( sighed, looking towards the building and back to her' &4e're working a case, so Bella's right''' 4e'll have to let you know later this afternoon' Bethy's grandparents are out of town'& &7h, that's right8& )he beamed, clapping her hands together' &5ow was the wedding!& &Beautiful,& Bella gushed' &;ou'll have to see the pictures' Bethy decided to dump the rest of the rose petals at the end of the aisle'& ( snorted at #rs' =ope's laughter, because it was funny' Bethy had done everything we'd taught her and asked of her concerning that wedding, but when there were flowers leftover at the end of the aisle, she'd been confused, so she'd ,ust dumped them, much to everyone's amusement in the wedding hall' Both mine and Bella's phones alerted us to te t messages1 she checked it out and sighed, looking up at me' &/lice'''those profiles are ready'''and "ose is staying home at their place today' )he's having pains'& ( sighed, shaking my head' &4e'd better go then' Thank you, #rs' =ope' 4e'll see you later this afternoon'& &.ust let me know about +riday, $dward,& she said sweetly' &;es, ma'am'& By the time we got back to the house, Bella had already called "ose, verified that we didn't need to take her to the hospital'''yet, and ('d called $mmett to calm him down'

5e was still stuck with Governor :almer for at least another day and night and was freaking the fuck out that his first child was so close to making his appearance' (t seemed =aleb $dward #c=arty was ,ust about ready for his big debut' Bella and ( walked into the office, where /lice was already hard at work and #akenna was stirring a cup of coffee' $very computer was up and running, each one processing something different, and ( couldn't help but watch the one that was searching for the woman that had approached me at the reception' 5er face had been captured from the security video, a few marks on certain features, while the picture ne t to it was constantly changing, trying to find a match' /t the top, ( could see that /lice wasn't ,ust searching through 4ashington, but a national database' 0o wonder it was taking a bit to process' &4here's .a33!& ( asked, looking around, even glancing outside' &( made him stay with "ose,& /lice stated firmly' &5er doctor said it's too soon to bring her in, because there's no set pattern to her contractions, but ('m not taking any chances with my ne t prodigy, so ( made him stay'& Bella giggled, kissing the top of her head' &;our first prodigy will be ,ealous if she hears you talking like that'& &6oubtful''' )oon, my little minions and ( will run the world,& /lice said, using a falsely evil voice as she rubbed her hands together, but she couldn't even get that out with a straight face, bursting into a laugh with the rest of us' /lthough in reality, she was probably right' Bethy adored /lice, because she was so smart' 7n many occasions, ('d caught /lice teaching Bethy simple chemistry' They'd both laugh when things popped or bubbled over' /lice had taught her to read, simply by teaching her how to use a computer, and had even gone as far as writing Bethy her very own program' (t was a simple game, using numbers, letters, shapes, and colors, not to mention pictures of animals and shit' (t wasn't long before Bethy had started reading simple words off of road signs and off of the T-' #y baby girl was fucking brilliant, but ( wasn't proud or anything' &)it, sit,& she chuckled, tossing three files into the center of the table we always sat around discussing cases' &('ve got what you asked for' (nteresting group of people, Bellsy'& Bella set down the stack of things that Todd .ackson had given us, including the funeral sign2in book' /pparently, we'd lucked out, because all three names were found in the employee files at the warehouse' .eff >elly, /dam 4eaver, and #oses #atthews all worked with "ick .ackson at the time he died and had attended his funeral' 4hat bothered me was that not one cop had bothered to find this shit out'

&4hat about the video tapes!& ( asked' &:atience,& /lice chided' &('m converting the last one as we speak,& she said, gesturing to one of the many computers on her giant desk' &They will be easier to scan through once they're digital' Tape is ,ust'''ugh8& Bella smiled, but said nothing as she pulled the files to her' &7kay then, pi ie, talk to me about these guys'& &9et's start with /dam 4eaver,& /lice sighed, sitting down across from us' &5e was a fellow bartender with "ick at the time he died' 5e's still working for )imon :arker, actually' 5e's the go2between for :arker and the rest of the world' (f you need an appointment to see him, you have to go through /dam first' (n the ten years that have passed, 4eaver was able to get himself back to school and graduate with a B/ in telecommunications and a minor in business management'& &But you've got down here that he was living in a shitty apartment, barely making ends meet ten years ago,& Bella stated, looking up at /lice' &"ight, )imon put /dam through school' ( was able to trace the finances'& &(nteresting' >eep going,& ( mused, looking over Bella's shoulder at the driver's license of the guy' 4eaver was si feet tall, weighing a hundred and seventy pounds' 5e had nondescript brown hair and ha3el eyes' /ccording to his most recent address, he lived in a fairly upscale part of town' (t was one of those neighborhoods that drew in the artists, the musicians, and the flamboyant' There were also a few photographs that /lice had printed from what looked like a social website, and /dam's lifestyle practically screamed out of them' &5e's gay,& ( stated, looking up at /lice' &5e is,& she said with a nod' &5e's also'''trouble' 5e has a very, very long list of past offenses with the state of 4ashington' (t ranges from indecent e posure to public into ication' There are a few possession charges, as well' /pparently, he lives a pretty damn fast life, with no intention of stopping, because his last arrest was ,ust last month * 6?(' 5is license has been suspended, and he's supposed to be attending // meetings, but according to his probation officer, he's missed one or two' )omehow, he's avoided having his sentence revoked and being put in ,ail, but a good lawyer can stop that shit'& &( don't want )imon :arker to know about us yet,& Bella stated, sliding /dam 4eaver's file to the side, &so this guy is on the back burner for now' 0e t'& &;ou'll love this one,& /lice giggled, pushing the ne t file to us' &#oses #atthews'''/>/ 'The :reacher,'& she started, raising her eyebrows up' &:reacher was a bouncer at

%tarlight' 9ook at him' 5e's ginormous' 5e's si foot five and weighs like close to three hundred pounds' 5e was * and still is * heavily into body building' There's not an ounce of fat on that big boy'& Bella and ( both took in the driver's license and some photos that /lice had provided us with, and :reacher was, indeed, a huge motherfucker' 5e was /frican /merican, with what looked like an easy smile and a bald head, but his si3e alone would scare most assholes away from the club' +rom the looks of him, ( could imagine he'd been very good at his ,ob controlling chaos at a popular bar' &:reacher!& Bella asked, flipping through the file' &5e's really a freakin' minister'''"everend #atthews' /nd he's got his own church now,& /lice replied' &5e lives a pretty clean life'''no current trouble, though he had some assault charges from back then' ( could imagine some drunk guy getting pissed off for being thrown out of a dance club'''literally thrown, from what ( could guess'& /lice flipped a page for us and pointed' &/s you can see, he's no longer associated with :arker in any way' 5e's trying his damnedest to clean up a rough side of town' 5is current pro,ect is a recreational community center, but he's having a hard time getting funds'& ( pulled the last file to me, and /lice changed gears along with me' &.eff >elly'''this is the interesting one''' 5e was found two years ago in the very same spot that "ick .ackson was'''in the very same condition'& &0o,& Bella gasped, pulling the file closer' )he flipped through, finding the pictures from the crime scene, and pulled out the autopsy report' &)ame fucking type of gun and everything,& she mused, biting her bottom lip as she read' &)uicide'''in his car''',ust like "ick'& &4ell, shit,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &6oes this mean they both committed suicide, or do we have a pattern of some asshole killing guys and making it look like suicide!& &)ee!& /lice huffed' &That's the question, because not an ounce of gunpowder was found on either mans' hands' ( checked both reports' /nd both were still wearing their seat belt' 4ho wears their seat belt when you're about to off yourself! )eriously' -ehicular safety would be about the furthest thing from your mind, ( would think,& she rambled' &There was also no note'''from either of them' ( know that most studies show that when someone makes up their mind to kill themselves, they all show the same signs' They start making peace with everyone they know, they start doling out their possessions * because they won't be needed * and they usually write a note or leave some kind of message' (t sounds terrible to say, but it's the truth' They want to be remembered' 6espite the fact that they are leaving this earth, they want someone somewhere to know'''why'&

Bella and ( ,ust nodded at this information that /lice was spewing, because that was what /lice did' )he retained the most obscure bits of fucking info, using it at the most needed moments' (t wouldn't shock me that /lice knew the steps a suicidal person took at the time they've made up their mind to end their own life' (t wasn't uncommon to catch /lice reading a psychology book, or a forensics te t book, or even studying old cases that Benny gave her the clearance to read' ( can't imagine what she knew about .effery 6ahmer, Ted Bundy, the ?nibomber, or even .ohn 4ayne Gacy, because she found serial killers to be fascinating' (t had something to do with how a fucked up childhood could turn a human being into a monster' )he told me once that one wrong in,ury to a child's psyche could ruin them as an adult, which gave me nightmares the first few weeks after Bethy was born' ('d been convinced ('d fuck up as a father' Bella slid .effery >elly's file back toward /lice, pulling #oses #atthews back to her' )he sat back in her chair' &( want to talk to this guy first,& she stated, tapping the folder with her finger' &('d be willing to bet that his ,ob as a bouncer allowed him to see all sorts of fucked up shit'& &4hat about /dam 4eaver!& ( asked, pulling that file closer' &('d rather not deal with )imon :arker ,ust yet,& she said, looking up at me' &5is police statement was ridiculously riddled with holes and vague accounts of "ick's employment' (t was too standoffish, like he was trying too hard to sound like he didn't know anything other than the fact that "ick worked for him as a faceless employee' (f we start with 4eaver, then :arker will know' (f :arker's hiding something, we can't have that'& ( took a deep breath, because we were about to go into a pretty fucking harsh part of town' ( nodded at her, and then turned to /lice' &;ou'll skim through the security footage!& &;up,& she sang with a nod, rolling her chair away from the table across the room to her desk' &They're all converted, so ('ll start looking through them while you guys head to the city' (f anything interesting happens, ('ll send it to your phones'& ( started to get up from the table, but Bella didn't' 5er attention was drawn to #akenna, who hadn't said anything the whole time1 her attention was utterly transfi ed to the screen that was looking for our mystery woman from the reception' &#ack,& Bella called softly, and the girl's head spun to look at her' &Tell me why she bothers you so much'& &( don't forget people,& she huffed, frowning down at her cup of coffee' &( know that face, but'''something's either changed about her, or she's aged or some shit' ( don't know' /nd her running away from me ,ust fucking confirms that there's something not

right with her' )he was more than willing to talk to $dward, but when ( appeared, she ran like the wind' ( want to know why'& Bella looked up at me' &6id you get a funky vibe from her, too!& &9ove, ('d talked to so many people that day'''everyone was giving me a funky vibe' ( was tired and ready for all of it to be over' ('d fucking hob2knobbed way past my personal limit'& Bella giggled, shaking her head' &/h'''right'''no people skills' ( forgot, baby' ('m sorry'& ( chuckled, nudging her with my elbow, because she'd teased me once about opening my own restaurant, but ('d e plained to her that ( didn't e actly have people skills' #y lack of patience, my inability to sugarcoat some shit, ,ust wouldn't allow it' Bella got up, walked to the desk, and sat down to look at the screen' )he was quiet for some time, before she took a deep breath, saying, &('d say she resembles'''9ilith 9aray'''but that's impossible' 9ilith is in )hady Glen'''& ( noticed both /lice and #akenna free3e, but it was my girl's voice that worried me' (t was haunted at the mention of that name * a name ('d never heard' &4ho!& ( asked, looking around the room' (t was quiet for a minute, before /lice answered' &9ilith 9aray was one of our first cases' The first year, actually'& )he stopped when Bella shot up out of her chair' &('m'''('ve got to get something from the house, $dward, and then we can go,& she stated, her voice sounding almost dead' &Bella!& ( looked up at her worriedly, but she ,ust held up her hand' &( hated that case,& she sighed, shaking her head' &( have no desire to hear about it'& /s soon as she was out the door, #ack spoke up' &(t is 9ilith,& she breathed, her eyes wide' &But she's scarred here'''& )he pointed to the mark along the woman's brow' &5er hair is a different color, and she's gained some weight' That's why ( didn't recogni3e her' )he's'''clean'''& ( spun to /lice, pointing to the window' &;ou have thirty seconds' Give me the =liff 0otes version' 0ow'& &9ilith 9aray was a drug addict that lost custody of her child,& /lice said, beginning to ramble, her eyes nervously flickering to the window * watching for Bella, ( assumed' &)he had a heroin problem, but wouldn't turn down anything else if it was offered to her' )he was encouraged to put her little girl, /shley, up for adoption, but she never did' The foster parents that had taken /shley in'''the Greenes''' 4ell, they wanted her' /nd who wouldn't! )he was such a sweet little girl' )he was five at the time'& /lice winced,

shaking her head' &Bella took the case, because 9ilith found a way to take /shley back' >idnapped her' )he'd been in a rehab facility, gotten clean * or so everyone thought * and then ran off with the little girl after a court granted visitation'& &/nd!& ( growled, not liking that my wife was upset at ,ust the mere idea of this woman' &/nd Bella found her' (t was a simple recovery' 9ilith fell off the wagon, going on a week long bender after snatching her little girl' /shley had to fend for herself, as her mother wallowed in a drug2induced stupor, so she was seen walking in a really shitty neighborhood * the same damn neighborhood that 9ilith had always crashed in' )he was either stupid, or ,ust damned desperate, but it didn't take long for Bella to ask the right people * a little grocery store owner, the cashier at a fast food restaurant, and 9ilith's drug dealer * before she found them' (n fact, it was the drug dealer, )harky, who gave her 9ilith's address, though Bella paid a lot of fucking money for that information' )he took "ose with her, and once she spotted /shley, she alerted the police'& &)o'''if that was a fucking happily ever after, then why is she'''& ( didn't finish, because /lice and #akenna were already shaking their heads' &4hat!& &4e all thought it was done, that the girl was safe' 9ilith was committed to )hady Glen'''permanently' )he was finally diagnosed with schi3ophrenia and manic depression' )he heard voices, and they made her sad,& /lice snorted, rolling her eyes' ( raised an eyebrow at her to continue' ( didn't have time for ,okes and shit' &7kay, so once 9ilith was put away, she signed over custody, so the Greenes finally got to adopt /shley' Bella became close with them' ( mean, .ason and /mber Greene were really sweet people' They were about our age, with decent ,obs, but the inability to have kids of their own' 4e became friends' .ason was a lawyer, and even sent some cases our way, but a year after /shley was recovered'''& ( watched as a sadness that rarely touched /lice's face draped over her like a thick, heavy blanket' /nd it didn't escape me that /lice had said &was& and not &is& when she spoke of these people' &(t had nothing to do with 9ilith' (t wasn't even .ason's fault' They were coming home one night from dinner, all three of them' They were stopped for a red light, when a drunk driver in one of those big 5ummers plowed through the intersection, taking out the Greenes' #ercedes' They never stood a chance, even with /shley in a safety seat, because the vehicle ne t to them was a gas tanker' The whole fucking intersection e ploded'& &5oly fucking shit,& ( breathed' &( remember that accident' ( watched the news about it' The drunk fucker lived8 (n fact, he was the only survivor, because he was bounced out

of his )?-'s open window when the the fucking thing rolled'& &;up,& #akenna sighed' &Bellsy was devastated' )he said that everything she'd done to get /shley back was for nothing' +or a long time, she treated clients pretty coldly, not getting close, ,ust doing the ,ob and getting it done' /nd she didn't take a missing child case for a really, really long time' )he'd refuse them, send them to someone else'& )he paused, looking at the screen, because it bleeped with an alert' &7h, fuck,& she groaned, looking to /lice' &9ilith #ary 9aray'''& she muttered, pointing to the screen' &Guess who's out of the nut house!& ( heard the screen door slam from the house, and my head shot up to see Bella heading our way' ( stood up, grabbed the files we'd need for the day, and tucked them under my arm' ( walked to the safe, grabbing my gun, Bella's gun, and two ear pieces, ,ust in case the neighborhood we were about to go in wasn't e actly friendly' ( turned back to the girls, pointing to the screen now filling with a police record that looked a mile fucking long on 9ilith 9aray' &( want it all on her,& ( stated gruffly' &Tell me why she's out, because there was a fucking reason that bitch was at the hotel' (f she knew you guys, then it wasn't fucking coincidence that she was there' +ind it' >eep it quiet, and send the info only to me for now, okay! /t least until Bella can handle dealing with it'& &)ure, $dward,& #ack said with a nod, tugging /lice's shirt sleeve' &4ork your magic, pi ie' 9et's see why they freed the dodo bird'& 4ith that said, ( walked out of the office, meeting Bella at her car' 5er face was grim, and she wouldn't meet my eye, but she was already getting in the #ustang before ( could protest' #y girl wanted to drive her frustrations out of her, so ( didn't argue when she turned the key, revved the engine, and left the house like a bat out of hell' Bella was eerily quiet the entire trip to the city' The only time she spoke was when she asked for directions, and even that was quick and to the point' 4hen "everend #atthews' church came into view, she parked the car, but before she could get out, ( stopped her' &5ey, sweetness, wait,& ( said, turning in my seat slightly' )he still wouldn't meet my eyes' ( winced, my nose wrinkling, because ( fucking knew that feeling' The three stars tattooed on my chest for the three men ('d lost overseas was proof of that, but we were beyond holding shit in' ( could recogni3e guilt when ( saw it' Bella blamed herself * maybe not directly, but at least somewhat * for the deaths of the little girl that she'd saved and her adopted parents' Though it might not have been her fault, their loss made her feel vulnerable, disgusted with herself that she got too close'

&9ook at me, please,& ( sighed, tilting my head at her as she turned to me' &They told you'& (t wasn't a question * merely a statement' &;es'& &God, she was such a bright girl, $dward,& she gushed in barely a whisper' &/nd her parents'''they were ,ust'''really fucking good people'& The last four words came out through gritted teeth' ( reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, but ( could see she wasn't going to say much else, but she needed to know the results of the search' &The search finished while you were in the house, love,& ( started, keeping my voice even, especially when her ga3e snapped up sharply to mine, her normally sweet brown eyes taking on a black, angry tinge' &(t's her' (t's 9ilith'& &That's why she ran from #akenna,& she muttered' &)he knew you wouldn't know her, and she could approach you, but she knew the rest of us' )he's out!& &('ve got the girls working on why, baby,& ( promised her, pulling out her gun and handing it to her' &They're going to keep me posted until you want to deal with it' But until then, we've got to interview this :reacher guy'& &/rmed!& &9ook around you, Bella,& ( said a little sharper, my eyes not leaving hers' &$very move we're making is being watched' This car screams money' 9ook at the neighborhood, love' There's no money here' This area has the highest crime rate in the fucking city' ('m not taking any chances with you'& )he gave a quick glance around and nodded, taking her gun, checking the clip and chamber, before stowing it in the small of her back' )he also took the earpiece ( was handing her and tucked it in, before looking up at me' #y heart broke with the sadness that was there * sadness that hadn't been there prior to the mention of this 9ilith bitch' &('m sorry,& ( whispered, shaking my head, because ( didn't know what else to say' #y Bella was sweet and kind and loving, and she lost someone she'd grown close to, and for that, ( was sorry' &( made so many mistakes on that case,& she groaned, shaking her head' &( ,ust'''( can't right now'& &( understand, and ('ll handle it until you can' Got me!& / flicker of a smile glimmered across her beautiful face' &;es, sir,& she snickered, but looked up at me one last time' &Thanks'& &( love you,& ( said with a chuckle, shaking my head' &0ow, let's go to church'&

CHAPTER 3
%E&&#
9ilith fucking 9aray' #y hatred for her could barely be contained, but ( ,ust didn't want to talk about her' )he'd come damn close to getting her little girl killed several years ago, and it had taken every resource ( had at the time to get her back to a safe place' But it had been all for fucking nothing' The Greenes had been an ama3ing couple, full of love and life, and had made even more ama3ing parents' /shley had adored them from the beginning' )he'd settled in to school, gotten her grades up, and had even started making friends, when her mother was granted a visit' 7ne moment they were at the park1 the ne t, 9ilith had made a run for it' 4e never did find out how she was able to get away so quickly, but getting /shley back had been a pathetic display of trial and error' ( shook my head, trying to focus on the case at hand as ( got out of the car' There were things about the Greenes that wracked my frame with guilt' /s if he could still sense my mood, $dward's large, warm hand slipped into mine as he led me across the street and down the sidewalk' 5e said nothing more about 9ilith, but his thumb rubbed soothingly across my knuckles, calming me more than ( could even e plain' The )unrise 4orship =enter sat on the west corner of one of the most crime infested areas of )eattle' (t was small and old, but at least it was well kept' (n fact, it was the cleanest building in sight, e cept for the rather large facility ne t door that was clearly under construction' /s $dward and ( crossed the street, ( was completely aware that we were being watched' $yes were on us from every angle * the group of young boys hanging out on the corner, the old woman tugging her groceries in a small cart behind her, and an older man trimming the dead branches from the small hedge that wrapped around the church itself' (t was to that man that $dward was aiming for' &#ornin',& the old man whee3ed, brushing off his hands' &#orning' ( was wondering where we might find "everend #atthews,& $dward said politely, but not without a touch of firmness to his voice' &7h, right about now, he'd be ne t door' 5e's been fighting the construction workers all week for permits,& the gentleman said as he wore a wry, sweet smile' &"ed tape has been givin' him hell since he started that community center'&

&Thank you, sir,& $dward said, before guiding me gently down the sidewalk' 5e stopped us a short distance away and pointed to a sign' &"emington =onstruction,& he muttered' &That's who my dad got to build Gravity's office' 4e had no problems with permits,& he noted, looking up at me, &because Twi Tech owns them'& &4ell, maybe we can help this place out,& ( chuckled, raising an eyebrow at him' &/ little help for information, you think!& $dward grinned, opening the front doors of the place and letting me in' The dirty, open area was filled with loud voices' 5owever, it wasn't hard to spot the man that we were looking for' #oses #atthews took up a large amount of space as he towered over what looked to be the construction manager' The inside of the building was in complete disarray' The floors were torn up, the walls were stripped, and the sound of dripping water echoed throughout the place' ( understood that he was depending on donations and charity for this place, but according to the information that /lice had given me, :reacher had started this pro,ect well over a year ago' There was no reason for it to be this far behind' &('m sorry, "everend, but ( ,ust can't start the plumbing without the permit,& the construction manager said, looking up with ,ust a touch of fear in his eye' &('ve ,umped through every hoop for those people downtown' 4hat more could they possibly want!& :reacher growled, throwing his hands up in e asperation' &( reali3e charities take longer, but ('m beginning to think it's more than that,& he sighed, turning his head and catching sight of me and $dward' ( could see him try to shake off his temper before greeting us' &=an ( help you!& he asked' &"everend #atthews! The name's $dward, and this is (sabella' ( was wondering if we could have a word with you,& $dward stated, holding his hand out, nodding a greeting as the large man took it firmly' (f my husband was intimidated by :reacher's si3e, he didn't show it' (t didn't escape me that ('d been introduced by my full name, but we never went into anything that $dward didn't have some sort of plan, so ( followed his lead' &)ure,& he mumbled, turning back to the man he'd been arguing with' &('ll be back, )onny' ('ll call over there one more time'& &0o problem, :reach,& )onny sighed, almost in relief of having the big man out of his face' &4hy don't we take this to my office,& :reacher suggested, leading us back out of the community center and across the parking lot to the church, his voice deep and rumbling, like rolling thunder' &('m sorry about that' (t's been like pulling teeth to get this pro,ect underway' (t's giving me ulcers and migraines' (t'll kill me before it's over'&

$dward chuckled softly and nodded in understanding, following #oses down a hallway and into a small, but cool office' +lipping on the lights, he gestured to two chairs in front of his desk' &5ave a seat' 4hat can ( do for you!& $dward took "ick .ackson's photo out of the inside pocket of his leather ,acket and slid it across the desk to him' &( was wondering if you remember this guy, "everend #atthews'& &7h, call me :reacher' $veryone does,& :reacher said offhandedly, pulling the photo closer, his brow wrinkling' &"icky'''& he whispered, and then looked up at us with a confused e pression' &( haven't thought about him in years'& 5e sighed' &Tragic, what happened to him' 4ho wants to know!& The last question came out a little gruff, but :reacher reined it in' &5is brother, Todd,& $dward stated with a nod' &5e hired us to find out what actually happened' 5e's given up on the police'& :reacher snorted a soft, but bitter laugh' &( imagine he has' +umbling idiots,& he muttered, shaking his head and looking at the picture again' &5ow did you find me! The police never approached me'& &The police wanted to declare his death a suicide, but the forensic evidence said no,& ( answered' &:ersonally, ( ,ust think they gave up' 4e know you worked with "ick' 4e ,ust wanted to know what happened the night he died'& :reacher leaned back in his office chair, appraising us for ,ust a moment' &( wasn't there that last night'''& he sighed, shaking his head' &( hated that ,ob,& he said, chuckling deeply, &but ( had a brand new baby'& 5e gestured to the photo of what was now a handsome preteen boy with short cropped hair' 5e had the same smile as his father' &( needed the money at the time, because my wife was on maternity leave from the hospital, and being a minister doesn't always pay the best'& 5e smiled softly at the memory, his eyes gla3ing ,ust a bit' &The place was )odom'''or Gomorrah'''or both, but it was a paycheck' ( tried to mind my own business and keep the people from tearing each other apart'''both the employees and the drunken patrons'& 5e pointed to the picture of "ick on his desk' &"ick was a good kid' 5e was there like me, to ,ust try to make enough money to pay the bills' 5e didn't get wrapped up in the politics of the place, or even the drugs or se ual deviance that happened, whether anyone wanted to admit it or not'& &)o there were drugs!& $dward clarified' &7h yeah,& :reacher snickered bitterly' &The owner, )imon :arker''' 6o you know him!& &4e know of him,& $dward answered' &4e know how he made his money, what he

does now'''& &;eah, now you do,& :reacher laughed, &but back then, it was all hushed up' 6o you know his family!& &0o, sir,& we both said, shaking our heads' &)imon :arker is the nephew of Barbara :arker'''the former ,udge,& he stated, &so he couldn't be associated with pornography, homose uality, and drugs' 7n more than one occasion, she bailed him out of small trouble, but he knew if he was e posed for what he really did, she'd be ruined' (t was all about pretenses' 7nce she retired, no one cared what he did, and it was easy to track his name to everything he'd touched' 0ot to mention, his fat trust fund had matured by then' &4hat you still don't know is that )imon :arker is gay,& he continued' &5e keeps it quiet, for some bi3arre reason, but back then'''he was absolutely petrified of someone finding out' 7f a'''fling telling on him,& he stated with a raised eyebrow' $dward's mouth opened, closed, and then he said, &"ick'& &7h,& ( groaned, wincing a bit, because ( was pretty damn certain that Todd didn't know his brother was gay' :reacher nodded and sighed' &(t's a tough lifestyle' .esus taught ',udge ye not, lest ye be ,udged,' or even better''''let the those without sin cast the first stone'' ( refuse to place an opinion on someone like that' There's plenty of others to do that ,ob' 5ell, people still ,udge on race alone1 forget se ual preference'& 5e took a deep breath and sat forward, resting his large arms on his desk' &"ick was a good kid'''kind, helpful' 5e had a sharp sense of humor' But he got trapped in )imon's clutches and was used'& &(s it possible "ick killed himself over this!& $dward asked, narrowing it down to the question ( was thinking' &( doubt it,& he replied with a one shouldered shrug, &but )imon wouldn't have done it, either' (t would have been'''beneath him to have gotten his hands dirty'& &4hat about .eff >elly!& ( asked, holding up the ne t photo' &5e definitely wouldn't have done it,& he stated firmly' &5e and "ick were really close' "oommates, best friends' #ore than once did ( catch them talking about opening their own place, their own restaurant' "ick could cook like no tomorrow, and .eff was e cellent with finances' .eff is gone now'''and if ('m not mistaken, the same way "ick went, though ('d be willing to bet that .eff killed himself' 5e was devastated when "ick was found' (t was why ( took him to the funeral'& &;ou took him!& ( asked, my eyebrows raising up' &4hat about /dam 4eaver!& /nother humorless laugh escaped him' &/dam is )imon's man until the end' )imon sent

him with us to keep us quiet from the family' 4e were to go, say nothing to nobody, and leave'''or we'd lose our ,obs, and at that point, he had us, because there wasn't a lot of work, and .eff was too distraught to think clearly' ( needed my ,ob' 0ot that it did any good''' )imon shut the place down without warning not long after that'& &)o let me see if ('m picking up on this,& ( started' &"ick and .eff were'''together, but )imon used "ick'& &;eah, that's kinda how it went down' )imon has a way of getting what he wants' 5e wanted "ick' ('m sure there was some sort of blackmail thrown in there' ('d heard him do it before' But .eff found out and lost his temper'& &( don't get it'''all the secrecy,& $dward muttered, looking up at :reacher' &9et's put it this way''' )imon :arker was married, with two young kids, but he still liked men' 5e was a part of a pretty powerful political family at the time'''a conservative political family' (f word got out that he wasn't ,ust filming gay se , but participating in it on the sly, he would have single handedly ruined his family's reputation, not to mention his marriage * a financially comfortable marriage' 5aving .eff catch them, or at least find out about "ick and )imon, would have been )imon's undoing' 5e would never have seen a dime of his trust fund'& &Guess we will have to talk with /dam after all,& ( told $dward, who was already nodding' &;ou should talk to Brenda 6avies, too,& :reacher added, grabbing a pen and paper and ,otting down an address for us' &)he was "ick's neighbor' )weet thing, used to come in to help out on the weekends when we were really busy' )he, "ick, and .eff were all pretty close' )he was so upset when he died that she couldn't even find the strength to go to the funeral, even when .eff begged her'& $dward took the paper, and we all stood up, but ( pulled out my phone, making a quick call' &/ngela, it's Bella,& ( said, smirking at $dward's chuckle and wink my way' &5ey, Bells, what can ( do for you!& /ngela sang back at me' )he was =arlisle's :ersonal /ssistant at Twi Tech, not to mention married to Benny, our good friend at the +B(' Twi Tech had been started by my father, =harlie )wan, and was now run by $dward's father' Both my maiden name and my married name still carried respect and power at the office' "arely did ( ever use it, but this was for a good cause' &Two things,& ( stated' &+irst, call that guy down at the permits department'''"obbins' Tell him there's a "emington =onstruction ,ob down on 5arper )treet that needs every last pending permit shot through' 9ike yesterday' /nd no more waiting on future ones,

either' They've dragged their feet long enough' (f fees need paying, send them to #akenna at my office'& &)ure, Bells' 4hat else!& &0e t, call over to 5annah's office' Tell her that $dward and ( want to support a charity, and that she should call a "everend #oses #atthews at the )unrise 4orship =enter for whatever he needs, but it's a community recreational center, so they'll need'''sports equipment, a computer center, furniture, a library, and volunteers to get it all here and set it up' 7kay!& &('m on it, sweetie,& /ngela said, already in focus mode' &7h8 /nd =arlisle checked in this morning' They landed ,ust fine' )am was about to take them to the island' ( was ,ust about to call you'& &$ cellent' Thanks, /ng,& ( said with a true smile, and then ended the call, looking up at $dward' &=arlisle and $sme landed ,ust fine,& ( told him' &Good,& $dward said, still highly amused at my phone call' &=arlisle'''as in $ullen!& :reacher asked, looking between us' &/s in Twilight Tech! ;ou know him!& &;es, sir,& $dward chuckled' &5e's my father' (sabella used to be )wan' /s in'''=harlie )wan's daughter'& &7h damn,& he muttered, smirking at the two of us' &)orry,& he snickered, still shaking his head when we laughed' There was a knock on his office door, and he e cused himself, before cracking it open' )onny was standing there, his face pale as he held up his phone' &?mm, :reach' 4e're'''um, we're good to go' 7n everything,& he stated, his voice a little raspy' 5e swallowed hard, and then said, &4e'll work the plumbing today, but ('ll bring a full crew tomorrow so we can pour the flours, install the insulation, and get the walls finished, okay!& &;eah, sure, )onny' Thanks,& :reacher chuckled, folding his big arms across his chest after he closed the office door' &;ou ,ust did that, didn't you!& &=onsider it a thank you'''for answering our questions,& ( laughed, waving him off' &;ou should also receive a call from a 5annah "odrigue3 today' )he's the head of our philanthropic division' )he'll ask you a few questions, but be honest with her' )he's about to take care of supplies for you' =onsider it a donation from Twi Tech' )he may ask to see your plans for the place, ,ust so you know'& &( don't know what to say,& he whispered, his voice filling with emotion' &('ve been fighting red tape, the community, and members of the church for this pro,ect for two

years' /ll ( wanted was a safe place for the kids in the area to hang out after school' / place they could play some basketball, get their homework done'''even talk to someone, if they needed' ;ou're giving me'''more'& &6on't say anything,& $dward said with a smirk, holding out his hand, which :reacher shook firmly' &4e're ,ust grateful' ;ou gave us more information than we were e pecting'& :reacher walked us back outside, towering over the both of us as he shook our hands one more time, saying, &(n my opinion, ( ,ust never saw "icky killing himself' 5e always had plans for the future, things he wanted to do' .eff, on the other hand, may have ,ust'''given up'& &Both autopsies stated that there was no gunshot residue on their hands, though,& $dward noted' &$ither of them!& :reacher verified' &$ actly,& my husband answered' &4ell, not that ( want to encourage it, but ( could ask around the neighborhood' )ome of these boys know'''things' They know guns and getting away with things ('m trying to stop' ( could let you know what they say' 6o you know what type of gun it was!& &Twenty2two,& $dward stated, handing :reacher his card' &)mall caliber, so we weren't sure if maybe the gun itself ,ust didn't put out that much gunpowder'''& &('ll see what ( can come up with, guys,& he said with a nod' &('ll call you'& 5e held up the card with a small smile' &/nd'''thanks again'& 7nce we were back in the car, $dward's phone chirped with several messages' / dark look crossed over his handsome face as he read through each one, but the last one made his eyebrows shoot up high' &/lice found something interesting on the security tapes,& he said, holding up his phone, his nose wrinkling ,ust a bit' &7h, damn,& ( breathed, narrowing my eyes at the screen as the video played' &)he said the recording had been compromised, but you get the idea,& he told me, as ( watched )imon :arker force "icky .ackson to his knees in front of the open 3ipper of his pants, ,ust before the screen went fu33y' The ne t segment of the video showed an e tremely irate .eff all up in )imon's face, his fist clenched around the collar of what looked to be an e pensive suit' &/nd the other messages!& ( asked, looking up at $dward' &0ot related to this case,& he said smoothly, but his eyes remained glued to mine'

&"ight' Got it'& ( took a deep breath and let it out' ( knew he'd want my side of the 9ilith 9aray story, but not yet' $dward cupped my chin and brought my lips to his' &4hat ne t, then, sweetness!& he whispered against my mouth, his tongue ,ust barely meeting mine' &Brenda 6avies,& ( stated as ( started the car, kissing him once more, ,ust because ( couldn't help myself' &Then it will be time to go get our girl, don't you think!& &(ndeed,& he chuckled, his eyes so very warm and green at the mention of Bethy' &)o who's taking the field trip with Bethy on +riday, love!& he asked' &Because we should be done with this case soon' ( don't e pect much in the way of e planations from /dam and )imon1 they've obviously covered some of this shit up' This Brenda 6avies may be our last and best bet'& &('ll take chaperon duty,& ( chuckled, pulling out onto the street'

&This is cute,& ( muttered, pulling up in front of the address that :reacher had given us' The neighborhood looked old, but refurbished, like every large homes had been turned into e pensive apartments' )ome were brick, some were wood, but they all had quaint porches and multiple mailbo es' $ven the roads were re2bricked, with large trees meeting high in the middle, giving off the feeling of being in a tunnel' &5mm!& $dward said distractedly, looking up from his phone, which continued to alert him' &( said aliens have landed, =ullen,& ( snarked back, unable to hold my giggle in, because his confused face was so fucking adorable' 5e grinned, shaking his head and stowing his phone in his pocket' &)2sorry, love,& he sighed, looking up at me through his long eyelashes * his most deadly weapon' ( smirked at him, but ( could see he was protecting me from whatever he had /lice working on concerning 9ilith, so with a deep breath, ( asked, &(s it'''( mean, do ( need to know!& 5e winced a bit, but reached up to touch my cheek with the backs of his fingers' &The question is''' 6o you want to know, baby! ;ou were pretty upset when we left' ( ,2,ust n2 never w2want y2you to b2be unhappy, B2Bella'& God, ( loved him, because he meant every fucking sputtered word he'd ,ust whispered'

/nd it never fucking failed to make my heart beat faster when he poured out pure honesty like that' ( nodded, swallowing thickly and taking a deep breath' &( need to tell you'''and ( want to know why she's out, but'''('d like to concentrate on "ick, for now'& &;es, ma'am,& he sighed, but brought my lips to his' &('m here when you're ready, love'& &Thanks'& 4e walked up the front steps of a red brick apartment building, ringing the bell for Brenda 6avies' place' The door opened to reveal a woman ,ust a little older than myself' )he had dark blonde hair, blue eyes, and an e pectant smile' &;es!& &Brenda 6avies!& ( verified, and she nodded' &('m Bella, and this is $dward' ( was wondering if you had a minute for us to ask you some questions about "ick .ackson'''& 5er smile fell, and ( immediately felt badly, because her eyes welled up with tears' &7h, "ick,& she sighed, shaking her head' &(t's been so long since ('ve thought about him' :lease'''come in'& )he stood back, allowing us into her apartment and gesturing for us to have a seat in her small living room' &4ho sent you!& &"ick's family hired us, #iss 6avies,& $dward stated softly' &They wanted to try one more time for some answers as to why he died, but it was :reacher that gave us your name'& )he nodded, sniffling a bit and taking a deep breath' &5e and .eff lived right there,& she said, a small but sad smile curling the corners of her lips as she leaned against her kitchen counter' )he pointed towards the door we'd ,ust entered, so ( understood her to mean that they'd lived right across the hallway' &5ow long did you know them!& ( asked her' &7h, a little over a year, but when ( first moved in, we were the only two apartments rented out, so we kind of hung out together'& )he huffed a sniffly laugh, looking up at us' &$ven when the other apartments filled up, we still stuck together' 4e became hall snobs against everyone else'& ( grinned, understanding that feeling' ('d done the same with my roommates in -irginia when ('d attended classes at <uantico' )he was quiet for a moment, but walked over to a book shelf and tugged a photo album down, cracking it open and handing it to us' &They never really wanted anyone to know they were together,& she stated softly, &but they could be themselves around me' ( didn't care' 5onestly, they got along better than any guy2girl couples that ( knew' .eff was devastated, of course'& )he paused for a moment as ( looked at the pictures of the

three of them, pictures of .eff and "ick, and ,ust silly shots of them individually doing the fun things that friends do * drinking, laughing, ,ust hanging out' &/nd you worked with them at %tarlight!& $dward asked' &;eah,& she said with a nod' &( worked there on the weekends while ( was taking some college classes' ( was there "ick's last night' )imon didn't know ( was listening, but ( was'''& &4e heard from :reacher that )imon was attracted to "ick,& ( stated, hoping to urge her on' &/ttracted wasn't the word' )imon was a terrible boss, even worse with money, and had serious drug and alcohol habits' 5e was abusive, both verbally and * to "ick and a few others * physically'& Brenda shook her head again, looking up at us' &)imon always wanted what he couldn't have'''and most of the time, he ,ust took it'& &/nd if someone threatened to report him'''or press charges!& $dward asked, picking up on something that ( hadn't given much thought to' &$ actly,& she stated with a firm nod' &"ick left %tarlight that night, threatening to yell, and yell loudly' 5e'd been used, threatened, and .eff had found out all about it'''came to his defense, actually'''though too late'& &;eah, but if "ick had reported him, or even told one person outside of that club, then )imon's reputation would have been destroyed,& ( mused aloud' &0ot only that, but )imon's cash cow would have gone up in smoke,& Brenda added' &(f )imon's lifestyle had truly been revealed, his aunt would have never given him a dime, but he wasn't the only one relying on porn for e tra cash'& &0ot "ick,& $dward groaned, shaking his head' &/dam8& Brenda laughed bitterly' &7f all the people that would stand to lose out on that money'''/dam' 5e was )imon's biggest star'& &7h,& $dward and ( both gasped' &)o,& ( sighed, rubbing my temples at the soap opera that was this case, &would /dam have harmed "ick in any way! Because there's not a single person ('ve spoken to that thinks that boy was suicidal'& &/dam didn't shoot "ick,& she stated, shaking her head' &.eff did'& &( thought you said .eff came to "ick's defense,& $dward mumbled, looking up at Brenda with confusion all over his face' &5e did, but only after he'd followed him out that night' 4hen )imon was'''finished with "ick, .eff walked in on them'''thought "ick was cheating' (t resulted in the fight of

the century' (n all reality, ( think "ick really was going to kill himself, ,ust over the humiliation of it all, but when he tried, .eff struggled with him, and the gun went off'& &/nd .eff couldn't live with the guilt!& ( asked' &0o, he couldn't' 5e left me a note, but ( didn't get to the alley in time,& Brenda sighed, folding her arms across her chest' &( know you're going to ask me''' 4hy didn't ( tell someone!& $dward and ( both nodded, because that question was on the tip of my tongue' &( didn't know until the night .eff left me his suicide note' 5e e plained everything' ?p until then, ( thought the same as everyone else, that "ick had killed himself' 4hen no one came around to ask questions, then ( ,ust assumed that it was suicide' By that time, it had been so long, ( wasn't sure anyone would care'& &7kay, okay, okay,& $dward chanted, sounding like /lice' &( ,ust'''let me get my facts straight' "ick and .eff were together, but )imon took advantage of "ick, which .eff saw' .eff'''he assumed that "ick was cheating, but in reality, he was about to scream to the world e actly what )imon was doing' 4hen "ick and .eff got into a fight, "ick pulled a gun to end it all'''or for reasons no one knows' 4hen they struggled, the gun went off, killing "ick accidentally' .eff kept all that shit bottled up inside for seven fucking years!& &$dward, language,& ( chided, shaking my head' &)orry,& he huffed, his cheeks tinging pink, but Brenda waved it off' &0o, that's it e actly,& she stated with a nod' &5ere'''& )he flipped to the back of the photo album that was still in front of us and pulling out a folded note' &Give "ick's family this note' (t's what .eff left me' (t e plains everything'& &Good, 'cause ('m not sure ( could e plain that again,& $dward mumbled, rolling his eyes at the whole damn thing' ( stood up, and $dward followed my lead' &Thank you, #iss 6avies,& ( sighed, shaking her hand' &;ou've been a huge help'& $dward shook her hand, too, and led us out the door' &( don't know if "ick was right, but he always said his family would never understand his'''se ual preference' 5e hid it from them,& she told us, shrugging one shoulder as she stood in her doorway' &('ve been doing this a long time,& ( started to e plain, &and despite how hard someone tries to hide things, the truth is always better than the unknown' (t's the not knowing that has plagued "ick's family'& 4ith that being said, she nodded, and we left her front steps'

E!"#$!
5ands down, the "ick .ackson case was the strangest case ('d worked on since ('d started working with Bella' (t was strange and twisted, and an all around accident' :reacher actually held true to his word and called us back to tell us what he'd found out about gun powder stippling' 5e'd asked around, and he was told that the lower the amount of gun powder in the actual bullet, the less stippling on the hand that was holding the gun' 5e also said that rain and snow could wash it away as well, so after a call to /lice, we discovered that while "ick's death was an accident, the stippling most likely would have shown up on .eff's hands, but when it came to .eff's suicide, there were different issues' .eff had shot himself at night, leaving the window down, but by the time he was found, a severe rainstorm had rolled in, washing away all evidence' The ne t day, we met with Todd .ackson, giving him everything that we had, including .eff's suicide note' )omehow, Bella had been right' The truth was ever so much better than the wondering, because Todd sighed with relief that it had been an accident' 5e even went as far as to say he felt badly that "ick had found some sort of happiness and someone like )imon :arker screwed it up' 4ith the .ackson case closed, ( had a few more issues' 7ne was "ose was going into labor, which couldn't have been better timing, because $mmett was done with his ,ob and the rest of us had ,ust closed a case' The other issue was'''9ilith 9aray' The things ( was hearing about this woman were disturbing, but not as disturbing as Bella's avoidance of the whole topic' /lice found out that 9ilith had been released from )hady Glen, pending follow up evaluations' )he'd showed progress in her therapy, gotten her medications regulated, and had proven herself to be trustworthy within the facility, so she was granted release * with stipulations' )he was supposed to check in with an out patient program, maintain her medication, and pass weekly drug tests' )he hadn't done any one of those things since she'd stepped out of )hady Glen' )he never showed up for her first therapy session, her prescriptions were never picked up, and there was no way to tell if she'd fallen off the wagon again' )he'd evaporated into thin air' That is''' until she showed up at the hotel where my father's wedding was held' 0ot that /lice wanted to connect the two incidents, and it seemed fishy to me, too, but the drunk driver that had killed /shley and her adopted parents was now missing' =hristopher 6ouglas never showed up at work two weeks ago and hadn't been seen at

his home on the west side of town, either' 5is car still sat in the driveway, when coworkers became concerned and called the police' 5e had also disappeared in a puff of smoke' 5ow the man wasn't doing a life sentence in prison was beyond me, but he'd only served two years on second degree manslaughter charges' (t had to have been a helluva lawyer that pulled that fucking shit off, because that drunk bastard drove so fast through a red light that he was able to flip the Greenes' car, rolling it into a fuel tanker' /nd the fucker was so drunk, he never even knew he'd killed three people and a child until he woke up two days later, handcuffed to a hospital bed' The file on the old case didn't give me much information, and /lice and #akenna only knew what Bella had allowed them to know, so ( still had no idea what things Bella had thought she'd done wrong' /ccording to her notes, it was an open and shut case' The Greenes reported /shley missing, hired Bella to work with the police, and /shley was found ,ust outside of a rundown motel * a motel that was used and usually paid for either hourly or weekly' There was no in between with a place like that, because you either lived there, or you used it with a hooker' "ose was present the day that they found the little girl, bringing her safe and sound back to her future adoptive parents' /nd that was who ( really wanted to talk to, but =aleb $dward #c=arty had decided ( had to wait' &)o /unt "ose and ?nca $m are gonna have a baby'''like me!& my sweet, curious girl asked, while sitting on her mother's lap in the waiting room of the maternity ward of the hospital' 5er little hand reached out and tapped the helium filled balloon that was tied to a baby blue teddy bear' &4ell, a lot smaller than you, pretty girl,& Bella chuckled, playing with Bethy's long, loose braid that fell over her shoulder' &But yes' 7nly, they are having a boy'& ( grinned when my daughter's nose wrinkled in disgust at the thought of the completely wrong gender' &5ey, ('m a boy,& ( argued dramatically' &0o8& she laughed, folding in on herself as if it was the funniest fucking thing in the world' &;ou're'''6addy8& /lec snickered softly ne t to me, shaking his head' &)he knows where babies come from at three years old!& &)he knows the birth process,& ( chuckled, flicking Bethy's nose ,ust to watch her bury herself in her mother's neck to get away from me' &)he's been to /unt >ate's, so she's seen puppies, kittens, baby rabbits, and all that' )he's even seen baby chicks hatch' But she can't grasp how they all'''came to be'& ( raised an eyebrow up at him, and he

grinned' &Got it,& he chuckled' &#ambina,& he called her, and she peeked up from Bella's neck to look at him' &)ince you were here first, you gotta show this new guy the ropes, yeah!& &5uh!& she asked, scrambling off of Bella's lap and walking to him' 5e pulled her to his lap to e plain' &7h yeah' )ee, you've had to learn all the cool stuff on your own' 9ike'''what the best flavor of ice cream there is'& &)trawberry8& she chirped, nodding like he should know this shit' &/nd how to eat pasta the right way,& he told her, shooting a wink at Bella when she laughed softly' &0o, no, no,& Bethy huffed, folding her arms across her chest' &Babies drink from bottles'& &4ell, yeah, at first, but =aleb will eventually get big like you' 5e's gonna need someone to show him,& /lec countered, wearing the best of smiles' &9ike who your favorite uncle is'''& he teased, knowing how she'd react' &( love all my uncles,& she growled, shooting a nervous glance across the room to .asper, who was fighting his smile' &6on't stir up'''shi'''trouble, you ,erk,& .asper snapped laughingly at /lec, pointing a finger at him' ( snorted, shaking my head at how we'd all had to tone down our language around Bethy, because we'd learned the hard way' )he'd gone through a phase where she'd repeated everything that anyone said' 4hen she was two, she got really pissed at her ?ncle $mmett for taking one of her toys, and she'd snapped, &5ey, g2give me that d2 damn thing back, asshole'& (, of course, couldn't breathe, because it was so fucking funny, especially the look of pride and shock on $mmett's face, but Bella had put an end to it instantly, telling us if we didn't start watching what we said, she was going to install a swear ,ar' /nd not ,ust any swear ,ar1 this bastard was e pensive' The fouler the word, the higher the price' /n f2bomb was a hundred bucks' )he told us it would be for Bethy's future therapy sessions if we didn't &cut it the fuck out8& (t took a week and almost a thousand dollars for us to get the hint' 4e'd started Bethy's savings account with it' Bethy adored her &uncles,& even though they weren't blood related' )he wasn't lying about that, but what ( noticed was that she went to them for different things' 4ith .asper, she could be calm, and he taught her outdoorsy things, like how to find the best wild blueberries or track a deer in the woods so she could see #ambi, and he loved to tell her stories' 4ith her ?ncle $mmett, she could be rowdy and loud, wrestling with

him or playing games' /nd with her ?ncle /lec, she really ,ust listened, like she was doing right then' 5e made her laugh with his teases and actually talked to her like a tiny adult, instead of a little kid' )he respected it, whether she knew what the word meant or not' )he liked 4es, #akenna's boyfriend and our friend at the +B(, and she liked Benny ,ust fine, because he brought her crime scene tape and rubber gloves so she could play cop for an hour or two' But she was nowhere as close to them as she was to /lec, .a33, and $m' 4ith her aunts, it was a completely different story' )he was learning all sorts of independence, strength, and snarkiness from each and every one of them' But it was Bella she was truly like, because she could spot bullshit a mile away' &;ou're t2twying to get me in t2twouble with ?nca .a33,& Bethy gasped, her mouth hanging open as she pointed to /lec, who dissolved into hysterics instantly when her eyebrows furrowed and her arms crossed over her chest' )he narrowed her eyes at him, not finding it funny at all' &;ou tell him, baby girl,& .asper said with pride, cracking the fuck up' &That's my girl,& Bella chuckled softly beside me, and ( turned to look at her' &)he's never fooled'& &That's very true,& ( snickered' &;ou guys are so stupid,& #akenna snorted, rolling her eyes' &;ou don't see us girls trying to see who she loves best' 4e know it's /lice,& she laughed, ,erking a thumb to her left, where /lice was sitting quietly, fighting her smile' &=ome on, Bethy' .ust for all that drama, ('ll buy you a hot chocolate,& she crooned, opening her arms when my daughter squealed with happiness and ran to her' &( could use a cup of coffee'& &4if whipped cream!& Bethy verified, her bright green eyes shining at the thought' &4ith whatever you want,& she stated, giving /lec a raised eyebrow' &4e should make both uncles come with us'''& &/w heck,& .asper drawled, grasping /lice's hand' &4e'll all go' ( could stand to stretch my legs anyway'& 4ithout even asking, they all took off to the hospital cafeteria with our daughter' &They like her better than us now,& ( pointed out dryly, which only caused Bella to giggle and lay her head on my shoulder' ( wrapped my arm around her, kissing the top of her head' &( love you, sweetness,& ( sighed, taking advantage of the fact that we were alone, even if it was in a hospital waiting room' )he got up and sat down sideways across my lap, curling into me' &( love you, too,

$dward,& she mumbled into my neck as she played with my hair at the back of my head' #y hands were immediately drawn to her legs, which were bare up to the hem of her short skirt' ?p and down and over her knees ( touched her' )tarting at her ankles, up her calves, and tracing a finger over her kneecap, my hands traveled, only to slip ever so slightly under the hem of her skirt and back down to start all over' 6espite being married for three years, despite having had a beautiful child, ( couldn't ever keep my fucking hands off of Bella' (t was nearly impossible, especially when her mouth opened wet and warm to the side of my neck' ( was completely insatiable when it came to her' )lipping my free hand into her hair, ( pulled her back from my neck, our eyes locking' &4e shouldn't,& ( groaned, watching as her tongue glided along her bottom lip slowly, erotically' &)omeone could walk in'''& &'>ay,& she breathed, nodding slightly, but she made no move to get down from my lap' (n fact, her eyes stayed glued to my mouth, her breathing a little heavy' )uddenly, ( ,ust needed to kiss the fucking shit out of her'''and then some' )he'd been so quiet the last few days, trying to avoid the 9ilith 9aray topic, but her nightmares didn't fool me' The fact that she'd wake up and run straight to Bethy's room didn't fool me, either' ( wanted some sort of reaction from her, even if it was twisted of me to want it inside that fucking hospital' ( wanted to see that spark, that flare of my naughty girl, ,ust for a moment, because ( knew she was punishing herself for something that was out of her hands from her past' ( picked her up, setting her on her feet and standing up in front of her' &=ome with me,& ( ordered, taking her hand and leading her out of the waiting room and down the hall' .ust before we got to the elevators, ( looked both ways up and down the hall and yanked open a ,anitor supply closet, pressing her back into the door and leaning all my weight on her, not only to keep her there, but to keep the door closed, as well' ( reached up, planting one hand by her head, the other reaching for the deadbolt' (t clicked closed loudly in the tiny room' &$dward,& she panted, looking up at me, but she wasn't protesting' )he was, however, threading her fingers into my hair to bring my face closer to hers' )kimming my hand down her sides, ( hooked my fingers under her knee, hitching her leg up around my hip' (t brought our bodies closer as ( nipped at her lips teasingly' #y tongue stroked across her top lip, along her bottom lip, causing her mouth to open for me' 7ur moans were quiet in the small space, muffled against each other's mouths as our tongues teased and tasted' #y girl was coffee and all things that ,ust made my cock stand to attention, and ( really ,ust wanted to really taste her' #y hand that was holding her leg around my hip skimmed up the back of her thigh,

finding no resistance, no cotton' ( grunted, pulling back to look at her, my breathing coming out in pants when ( caressed her closer and closer to where she was already wet for me' &#m, a thong, love,& ( purred, dragging my teeth down her neck and opening my mouth to the soft spot ,ust below her ear' &That makes this''' so fucking easy'''& &#aybe ( had intentions of fucking you in a closet, $dward,& she whispered, nipping at my ,aw' There was my naughty girl coming out to play' There was the Bella that could absolutely drive me insane with want and lust and ,ust the need to fuck the shit out of her' There was the girl that had given herself to me, even when she'd walked through the gates of hell ,ust to run into my arms on the other side' (t was the same girl that could walk into a room and with ,ust one look, have my cock standing at perfect attention' &#aybe,& ( chuckled darkly, feeling her whole body writhing under my touch as my fingers moved past the lace of her thong and through her hot pussy' &5ave you been wet for me all day!& &God, yes,& she gasped, her head falling back to the door with barely a thump' &/lways'''& ( smiled against her neck at that admission, loving that we still could do this to each other, still push each other's buttons until one of us snapped' 4hat usually faded with time had only gotten stronger with us, and ( often wondered if it was due to how we started, how we had to take things so slow with her that every kiss, every taste, every orgasm meant something' ( slid down her body, kneeling in front of her, my hands on her beautiful thighs' &;ou have to be so fucking quiet, sweetness,& ( warned her in a whisper as my fingers skimmed up her skirt, only to latch onto the sides of her underwear' ( tugged them down, and she held onto my shoulders as she stepped out of them' &( know ,ust what to do about this'''problem you have,& ( told her, shimmying her denim skirt up around her hips so that her se was bare and in front of me' &+uck, $dward,& she panted, her eyes on me as ( lifted one of her legs over my shoulder and dragged my nose up the inside of her thigh' &7h, we'll do that, too, baby,& ( purred, flicking my tongue over the sensitive crease where her thigh and hip met, &if we haven't been discovered by then'''so if you want me to fuck you against that door,& ( growled low, giving her ape one long lick from one opening to the other, &you'll keep quiet when you come on my tongue'& &)weet .esus,& Bella hissed, her eyes squee3ing closed as my tongue swirled around her entrance, only to flatten across her clit'

5er hips rolled, her leg pulled me closer, and her fingers gripped my hair to hold me where she wanted me' /nd ( let her guide me, let her show me what felt good, but when she got close, ( slowed down, only to slip two fingers deep inside of her' ( pulled back watching her face, watching as her normally sweet, chocolate eyes were practically black with lust' )he was fucking stunning as her mouth hung open ,ust a bit, her body ,ust feeling as ( curled my fingers to hit the spot that always made her breath catch and a squeak escape her' &)hh, baby,& ( chided gently, suckling her clit again and feeling her walls clench down on my fingers' #y girl was so, so close' ( was hard to the point of fucking painful as ( watched her unravel as quietly as she could against that door' &/s much as ( love to hear what ( do to you,& ( whispered, ,ust barely letting my teeth gra3e her sensitive flesh, &( need you quiet, Bella'''but come for me, love'& Bella's teeth sank down onto that gorgeous bottom lip of hers to keep from calling out, and her whole body shook as her clima wracked through her, causing the sweetest of shivers to tremble around me from her legs to the tips of her fingers' ( kissed her clit one more time, before standing up in front of her' &=an you still be quiet, sweetness!& ( asked, but she was already nodding and unbuckling my belt' &;es, $dward,& she answered breathlessly, shoving my pants down, along with my underwear, and wrapping her arms around my neck' &:lease, please'''baby, ( need to feel you'''& 5er forehead pressed to mine as ( lifted her up effortlessly' 5er strong legs wrapped around me, her eyes locked with mine, and we both muffled our cries in each other's mouths as ( slid her down over me, engulfing my cock in the sweetest feeling ('d ever had the pleasure of e periencing' 0o one, anywhere had ever felt as good as my girl did' ('d been lost to her the minute ('d met her, but ( was her slave the first time we'd finally consummated our relationship' &+uck, you're so fucking beautiful,& ( told her, nipping at her lips as ( buried myself inside of her as deep as ( could' &/nd feel'''so good, so damn good, baby'''& &#ore, $dward,& she whispered, and ( grasped her ass, thrusting as hard into her as ( could dare, considering where we were' (f we were discovered, it would be really bad' ( kept my rhythm deep, even, but not slow, with swiveling hips ,ust to brush my pelvic bone against her where ( knew she'd come quicker' ( wanted her to feel every inch of me, and ( needed to watch her come again' ( kissed up her neck, but she planted her hands on either side of my face, turning my head to kiss me so fucking hard, deep, and so full of passion that for a split second, ( lost my rhythm'

&Tell me, $dward'''tell me you love me,& she commanded in a whisper against my lips' &)o much, baby' ( love you like cra3y'& &Tell me always'& &'Til ( die, and way beyond,& ( answered her honestly, but her desperation was worrying me' &0o matter what!& she asked, leaning back against the door and using it for leverage to meet me thrust for thrust' 5er hand skimmed down the front of her stomach, and the very second her fingers ghosted across where we were connected, ( knew ( was going to come, and come fast' ( shook my head, because words were lost to me, and we both came' ( buried my cock as deep as ( could as my head fell to her shoulder' ( held her close as both of us came down from our high' ( turned my head, giving her sweet neck a long, slow, open mouth kiss' &0o matter what,& ( vowed, pulling back to look at her' Two tears leaked from her eyes, and ( kissed them away' &( know something's bothering you, sweetness' ('m here when you're ready, okay!& ( asked her, making sure she was looking at me' &( love you,& she said simply, nodding and holding me closer' &( love you, too, Bella,& ( sighed, wincing when ( set her down and we separated' 4e straightened our clothes, fi ed mussy hair, and Bella pulled her thong back on, but ( stopped her when she reached for the lock of the closet' &5ey, nothing will ever change that, love' $ver' 6o you know that!& ( asked her' &0othing you've done could ever change how ( feel about you, baby' ( promise' /nd there's nothing ( don't want to know about'& )he nodded, saying, &( know, $dward'''( ,ust'''& 4e both fro3e when someone tried the door, and ( couldn't help but smile when she snorted into the sweetest of giggles' ( held my finger to my lips as ( pressed my ear to the door, making sure whoever was on the other side was gone' =arefully, ( cracked the door open, and we slipped out unnoticed'

&9ook at you, handsome8& Bella cooed sweetly to =aleb, rocking him gently' /nd not for

the first time did ( let the desire to have another child flit through me' .ust watching Bella holding the noisy little bundle made me want to try again' =aleb $dward #c=arty was a healthy, almost ten pound baby boy' 5e had a shock of curly blond hair, a sweet chubby face, and two big, curious eyes that took in everything around him' 5e was the perfect blend of his parents * big and sturdy, like $mmett, and ,ust as fair and beautiful as "ose' &5e looks like a baby doll,& Bethy whispered to me, because she'd been told not to make a lot of noise' ( turned to her, squee3ing her closer on my lap' &;ou think so!& ( asked her, smiling at her enthusiastic nod' &;ou did, too, pretty girl' ;ou were the prettiest baby in the hospital,& ( told her' )he grinned, shaking her head' &#ommy says you say that because you can't see past me'''th2that we're p2peas in p2pods'& ( laughed, kissing her neck loudly' &#ommy may be right, little sweetness'& Bella giggled softly, looking up at the two of us as we all ,ust hung out in "ose's hospital room' 5er eyes were warmer now, more rela ed, but when she watched me and Bethy, an overflowing amount of love ,ust practically radiated from her very soul' (t happened every time' &0o, no,& "ose snickered wearily from her bed' &( can vouch for your utter cuteness, Bethy' ;ou were the prettiest in the hospital the day you were born' Today'''he is'& )he pointed towards =aleb with a wry smirk' $mmett and ( laughed, but we all looked up when a nurse came in' &#r' #c=arty, we need you to sign a few things up at the desk,& she told him as she wheeled in a bassinet' &/nd if #rs' #c=arty is feeling up to it, she can change into her own clothes'& &7h, umm,& $mmett started, rubbing the back of his neck after setting =aleb in the bassinet' &"osie, your bag is down in the car' ('ll ,ust'''& &('ll go get it,& Bella offered and took $mmett's car keys from him, turning to Bethy' &:retty girl, do you want to walk with me!& &;eah,& Bethy said with a nod, but her eyes were wide as she tugged her mother closer' &( have to potty, #ommy'& &( figured' ( was wondering when that hot chocolate was going to kick in,& Bella said with a sweet smile' &=ome on, we'll take care of both, huh!& ( chuckled at my girls, kissing them both as ( leaned back in the chair to watch them

leave the room' &4hat's wrong with her!& the ever perceptive and always sharp "ose asked, raising an eyebrow at me' They'd been friends since high school, so there wasn't much the two of them couldn't read off of each other' &( was hoping you could tell me,& ( sighed, sitting forward and resting my elbows on my knees as ( looked up at her' &;ou've been'''indisposed, but''' 4hat do you know about'''9ilith 9aray!& &That bitch!& "ose growled, looking over at =aleb when he stirred, so ( went over and scooped him up for her, placing him gently in her arms' &4here the hell did that name come from!& )o ( paced and e plained what ( knew to her quickly, while everyone was out of the room' ( started with when 9ilith approached me at the wedding reception, her reaction to #akenna, and the discovery of her name when #ack didn't quite recogni3e her due to the changes the woman had gone through' ( told her that Bella wouldn't even talk about it, and that /lice had given me the case file' ( also brought her up to speed on what 9ilith was now up to * or at least what /lice and ( suspected, concerning =hristopher 6ouglas' 4hen ( was done, "ose was shaking her head, her face fierce' &4hat!& ( asked, practically begging her with my eyes' &)pill it, "ose'& &)hit, $dward,& she sighed, leaning her head back to the pillows behind her' &;ou'd better up security, sweetie' ('m not kidding' (f 9ilith approached you, then it was really Bella she was after'& &4hy!& &Because Bella'''& "ose faltered, taking a deep breath' &Bella truly lost her shit on that woman after the Greenes died' )he blamed her for everything, even when Bella was blaming herself' ( think maybe she ,ust wanted someone else to'''hurt'& ( groaned, running a hand through my hair' &But why up security! (t was an accident'& &Because ( got a call from )hady Glen after Bella left, and 9ilith 9aray snapped after Bells told her that her daughter was dead, despite the fact that she'd given /shley up for adoption' The doctors said 9ilith kept repeating the same shit over and over''' '('ll kill her'''it's her fault' )he won't get away with taking my baby from me''''& "ose looked up at me, a frown turning her features into a dark look, even though she was cradling her son' &(f she's out, $dward'''she'll come for Bella' (t's not the first time that 9ilith has killed before'&

CHAPTER 4
E!"#$!
&4hat do you mean she's killed before!& ( snapped, my pacing stopping at the foot of "ose's bed and my hand gripping my hair' &)he means e actly that,& Bella stated from the doorway, and ( spun to look at her' &9ilith has'''hurt people' Badly'& Bethy was in her arms, so the conversation was on hold, and ( was totally busted, because from the look on my wife's face, she'd heard everything' Bella kissed Bethy's temple' &Go ask /unt /lice if she's about ready to go home' ;ou've got school tomorrow, pretty girl,& she told her, setting her on her feet' &7kay, #ommy,& Bethy sang, taking off down the hall' Bella's eyes landed on "ose, and then me' )he took a deep breath' &/shley wasn't 9ilith's only child' )he had another little girl * Bree' Bree was two years younger than /shley, and 9ilith let her drown in the bathtub, because a telephone call was more important than a toddler splashing around in a soapy, slippery tub'& #y wife's nostrils flared as she stated these things, but she paused for a moment' &(t was how 9ilith lost custody of /shley to the state to begin with,& "ose e plained, wincing up at me when Bella wasn't looking' &That would be her first victim,& my girl sighed, shaking her head' &5er second was at )hady Glen' )he beat a nurse so badly that they had to put her on a machine to breathe' 5er family eventually shut it off' ( blame myself for that one,& she stated, turning to the window' &Bella, you didn't know,& "ose countered' &;ou were upset'''and with every right'& &( was'''beyond upset, "ose,& Bella huffed bitterly' &( was livid'& )he spun around to glare at me' &(t was my fault the Greenes were out that night' They were meeting me for dinner' They wouldn't have been at that corner if they hadn't ,ust left the restaurant'& &Bella, that wasn't your fault,& ( stated firmly, placing my hands on her shoulders' &;ou had no way of knowing that a guy was going to drink himself fucking stupid and get behind the wheel of his car' That was not your fault, sweetness,& ( reiterated to her' &#aybe,& she sighed, shrugging a bit' &But the woman at )hady Glen'''that was my fault' ( sent 9ilith in to a psychotic episode'& (f ( knew my Bella, then she really let the woman have it, but ( couldn't imagine her

taking the blame for the whole thing' 9ilith was sick' The emotions flying around the whole situation would have been at an all time high' &4hat did you say to her, love!& ( asked, because the curiosity was killing me' ?nfortunately, she couldn't answer, because we were interrupted' &;o, $ddie,& $mmett called, ducking through the doorway, because he had my daughter firmly planted on his broad shoulders' &"osie gets to go home tomorrow, so can you drop that rocking chair off!& ( winced, looking to Bella, because ( was actually considering going with her and Bethy on that field trip to 9afayette's +arm' ('d thought it the minute "ose had said to up security, not to mention that my little sweetness would be seeing something new' )omething about that farm set back in the woods didn't feel right to me' 0ot that ( didn't trust the school, or even old man 9afayette, but ( ,ust didn't trust this 9ilith bitch' (f she found us at the wedding, then she could find us again' &4e'll be fine, $dward,& Bella told me, giving me a nod, but even she didn't sound so sure' &$m, why don't we let .asper bring it over,& "ose suggested, her eyes flickering from mine to Bella's, finally landing on $mmett's confused face' &7r at least wait until Bethy's out of school'& &0aw, $d's got to show me how to work the crib he built, babe,& $mmett countered' &;ou may know, but what if you're sleepin'!& &4e'll see, $m,& ( sighed, not promising him shit at this point' &('ve got something ( need to look into, man' 7kay!& &)ure, dude,& $mmett said, his brow wrinkling as he turned to "ose, setting Bethy down onto her feet' )he immediately ran to me, and ( scooped her up' &4hat's going on!& By now, everyone was in the room' ( was sure they were all about to bid "ose a good night, but they were all fro3en with $mmett's question' &+ine,& "ose sighed, shaking her head and breaking the silence' &('ll say it' 4e've got a problem' 9ilith 9aray is out of the mental facility that she was committed to, and we need to stay sharp' 5er hatred for Bella will be an issue'& )ince Bella wasn't giving the command, "ose would, and without shame' &/lice, #ack'''get everyone up to speed on e actly what that woman is capable of' /lec, don't take any protection charges for now' $m, you stay with me, and ('ll tell you all about it'& )he turned to Bella with a raised eyebrow, daring her to say differently' Then "ose's sharp blue, but very tired eyes fell to mine' &/nd you''' Go tomorrow'''if you let them go at all' #ake it a freakin' family day, okay!&

/s everyone agreed and told "ose and $mmett goodbye for the night, Bethy turned my face to hers' &;ou're going to the farm wif us tomorrow, 626addy!& &( was thinking about it,& ( chuckled at her, because her eyes were bright and happy' &4ould you like that!& )he grinned, nodding vehemently as ( tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear' &;eah'&

( smirked down at Bethy when she finally emerged from her room the ne t morning' )he was wearing dark blue overalls and a long sleeve pink shirt, but what capped it all off, besides the two long braids that fell down either shoulder, was the bright pink high2 top =hucks that peeked out from under the rolled up denim' ( could have kissed her to death, because she was beyond cute' &6id you pick this outfit! 7r did #ommy!& ( snickered, setting her on the counter to really get a good look at her' &#ommy helped,& she said, picking up a piece of toast and munching on it' ( chuckled, tugging one of her braids' &( figured as much,& ( muttered, kissing her forehead before swinging her down to a stool' &$at, little sweetness'& &'>ay, 6addy,& she sang, her little legs swinging as she moved on from toast to bacon' ( found Bella in our room, and ( leaned against the doorway, watching her' )he was dressed similarly to me today: ,eans, hiking boots, a thermal shirt with a plaid shirt over it' (t was technically summer in the :acific 0orthwest, but that didn't mean that mornings weren't chilly' Bella smiled, looking up at me' &)he knew the field trip was to a farm' )he insisted on overalls, like she wears at /unt >ate's' ( had to girly her up somehow'& ( laughed and nodded' &(t seems to suit her personality'& &( know, right!& )he giggled, rolling her eyes as she made our bed and stowed a few things in a bag' &)he's''',ust so'''animated'& ( grinned, reaching out ,ust as my wife walked by, tugging her quickly to me' ( couldn't help it' ( ,ust needed to kiss her' ( heard the bag thump to the floor and felt her hands glide up my chest and around my neck, as my mouth covered hers' )he tasted like toothpaste when my tongue slipped along hers, twisting erotically enough to make the two of us moan wantonly'

&( love you,& ( whispered as ( nipped her lips, down her ,aw, finally planting an open mouthed suckling kiss to her neck' &/nd ( love you,& she sighed, pulling back to look up at me' &#mm, coffee,& she hummed, closing her eyes and licking her lips' &( want some'& ( chuckled, bending down to grab the bag she'd dropped and tossing it and Bella over my shoulder' The bag was silent, but my girl squealed, much to our daughter's delight' ( set her down ne t to a giggly Bethy, before walking around the counter and making Bella a cup of coffee' ( leaned on the counter on my elbows, looking at both of my beautiful girls' &( have rules today, sweetnesses'& Bella's eyes snapped up to mine, but Bethy simply tilted her head at me curiously' &0o one goes anywhere without #ommy or 6addy with them,& ( told Bethy specifically' &7kay!& &7kay, 6addy,& she answered quickly, taking a huge bite of eggs' &That means the bathroom, the barn, not even with #rs' =ope, Bethy' ( want one of us with you all day'''at all times, okay!& &4e're suh2posed to have a b2buddy today, 626addy,& Bethy told me e citedly' &4e're suh2posed to hold hands wif them when we're at the f2farm'& &4ell, that's fine, little sweetness, but your buddy will be with us, too,& ( countered, thinking one e tra little girl wouldn't make a difference' &/bby is my best friend,& she mumbled around her bite of bacon' &6on't talk with your mouth full,& both Bella and ( chided softly' ( turned to Bella' &/nd we'll need to get into the safe before we leave,& ( stated, raising an eyebrow at her, because ( intended to be armed, despite the fact that it was a fucking preschool field trip' 4hen Bella started to argue, ( held up my hand' &4ait, and ('ll tell you why' That farm is situated on the outskirts of town' (t's surrounded by thick woods, and not far from it, there's an old camp grounds that have long since been shut down' 7ld man 9afayette may still have his fences up around most of the perimeter, but not along those back woods' ( should know, because he asked me to fly over his place when he lost those three cows last year'& &/ll done, 6addy,& Bethy stated proudly, pushing her plate away' &Good girl,& ( crooned, setting her on her feet' &Go get your ,acket, brush your teeth, and we'll get going'& &;ay,& she cheered, padding down the hallway'

( turned back to Bella' &(f this 9ilith woman recogni3ed you from all the hoopla that wedding brought about, then she can track our name,& ( started, raising another eyebrow at her' 6espite the fact that my house was hidden on paper, our names were all over that small ass town' Bethy was registered at school and the pediatrician's office' 7ur names were on accounts at the florist, the bookstore, the pharmacy, and the fucking hardware store, not to mention the goddamn library' ( knew from /lice that anyone could be found, if you knew where to look' &)he's not big, but if she did something to the drunk driver, then she's not working alone, because he wasn't e actly a small man' ('m not taking any fucking chances, Bella' ( can't'& The last two sentences came out in a hiss, because ( tried my damnedest not to curse in front of Bethy, but my nerves were ine plicably on edge, and my daughter's feet were thumping down the hallway' Bella silently studied my face, taking her last sip of coffee, before standing up with a nod' &+ine' ('ll go out to the safe' ;ou get her in the car'& &;es, ma'am,& ( told her, looking down when a tiny pink ,acket was being forced up at me' &=ome here, pretty girl,& ( grunted, grabbing her overall straps and hoisting Bethy up from the floor to the counter as Bella went outside to Gravity's office' &6addy8& Bethy giggled, trying to wrest my hands off of her clothes, but her laughter was too out of control for her to even accomplish anything' &7kay, okay,& ( sighed dramatically, rolling my eyes at her' &"ight arm out8& ( commanded, and she stuck it out immediately so ( could slip her ,acket on' &9eft arm out,& ( chuckled, tugging tiny fingers through and pulling her braids out' 4ith one last look around the house, ( tossed her over my shoulder, grabbed the bag Bella wanted to take, and set the alarm at the front door'

%E&&#
( sat down on a bale of hay, watching Bethy and /bby climb over and around a haystack along with two other kids from their class' There were maybe twenty2five kids at the farm' #rs' =ope and #r' 9afayette had coordinated with the other two preschools in the area to make it a pretty big event' 5e en,oyed having the little ones on his property and made it an annual thing' 5e'd set up a petting 3oo, with goats, ducks, rabbits, and even a deer that had wandered up on his property ages ago and never left' 5e blocked off one paddock to give pony rides on his two oldest mares, and the ama3ing smell of barbecue wafted

over the whole property' &( wonder if any kid has figured out that the food on the grill used to be a cow in the back field,& $dward mused, falling down ne t to me' &)hut up8& ( laughed, shaking my head' &( hope not, but don't start them thinking'& 5e chuckled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and kissing my forehead' &('m ,ust curious' /unt >ate let me figure that shit out the hard way'& &/www,& ( groaned, cupping his face and kissing his cheek' &6on't tell me she let you fatten the damn thing up all summer'''& &;up''')teve,& he sighed, his face almost too sad not to be funny' &%teve! "eally!& &4hat! )teve's a good name'''& &$dward, ( swear'''& ( giggled, still shaking my head at him' )ometimes, he was as silly as they got' /nd other times * like this morning at breakfast * ( knew he meant complete business' &6addy8& Bethy called him, and his head snapped around' &4e want to ride'''& )he pointed to the pony paddock, and we both nodded and stood up' 4e'd really ,ust been shadowing her all day'''well, her and /bby' They could pass for sisters, the two of them' Both had dark hair, fair skin, and were ,ust about the same height' /bby and Bethy had bright smiles and sweet, secretive giggles' But /bby had dimples and dark * almost black * eyes, where Bethy had a few freckles over her nose and cheeks and bright green eyes' 5owever, they were both dressed similarly, e cept /bby's overalls was a little ,umper dress, instead of ,eans' $dward and ( leaned on the paddock fence, waiting for /bby and Bethy as they stood in line' ( couldn't help but smile when they talked with the girls behind them e citedly' /bby's little giggle reminded me of /shley's, and ( sighed, leaning my head on $dward's shoulder' &;ou would have liked the Greenes,& ( told him softly, starting out of the blue, but if ( didn't, ('d never get the story out' &They were fun, easy going, and /shley loved them instantly' )he'''wanted to be adopted by them'& ( looked up and saw patience and understanding ga3ing right back at me, and ( nodded' &They really were out meeting me for dinner' ( always blamed myself, but you were right'''what you said yesterday' ( didn't make =hris 6ouglas drink'''or get into his car' But ( ,ust needed to blame someone,& ( whispered the last sentence, &so ( blamed 9ilith'&

( felt a hand on the top of my head and $dward's lips press to my forehead' &God, $dward' ('ve never hated someone like ( hated her' 0ever' )he'd wasted'''everything,& ( told him, because it was the truth' &)he'd allowed her addictions and men and everything else in her life to come before her two beautiful girls' )he'd already lost /shley to the state and Bree to death, and then, to have /shley die, too''' The day of the Greenes' funerals, ( ,ust'''lost it' =askets shouldn't be made so small,& ( mumbled, looking over at the little line of girls and boys waiting with Bethy' &They ,ust'''shouldn't'& &( know, baby,& he sighed, placing another soft kiss to my temple' &( drove to )hady Glen, because ( ,ust knew they hadn't told 9ilith,& ( whispered, looking up at him' &+uck, it was cruel what ( did, $dward'''( told her what happened' ( told her that she'd now lost both her children, that it was her fault' 5ad she done what a normal parent would do, she'd still have them both'''& ( shook my head, and $dward casually wiped the tears away with his thumbs' &)he was sick, baby'''and ( ,ust dumped it all on her, to make myself feel better'& &('m not saying you weren't wrong, love,& $dward said, soothing me with sweet touches to my face, &but'''& &0o, no, no8& we heard behind us, and ('d recogni3e Bethy's voice anywhere' $dward and ( turned to see that the man running the pony ride was trying to pick her up and put her in the saddle, but she wasn't having any part of it' The pure anger, the tentative steps away from the man were not like her at all' &0o8& she huffed, backing up again and glaring up at him' &9ook, kid'''you can't ride if ( can't get you up there,& the man told her, but her eyes were black fire as she turned to us' &6addy,& she huffed, looking up at him with frustration and a nervous glance to the farm worker, even when her dad knelt in front of her' &5e's scary,& she whispered to $dward' &7kay, well, do you still want to ride, little sweetness!& he asked her, smiling when she nodded frantically' 5e stood, scooping her up and swinging her into the saddle' 7nce $dward was sure she was okay, he turned to the guy' &4hen it's over, I'lltake her down' Got me!& he practically growled in the man's face, because whatever made her unhappy, made her father unhappy' &;eah, man' 4hatever you say,& he conceded, but the small smile that he gave $dward did not meet his eyes, and ( kind of understood what Bethy meant' The guy was a little unnerving, especially when his eyes landed on what my husband was concealing at the

small of his back in his waistband' $dward walked back to me, his face still a little dark' &;ou ever see her react like that!& &0o,& ( told him, shaking my head' &/nd ( can't blame her' 5e's creepy'''and he totally knows you're carrying'& &Good,& he sneered, but turned back to me' &4hat happened at )hady Glen, baby!& &7h, um''' 4ell, 9ilith snapped' )he blamed everything on me, told me that /shley would still be alive if ( hadn't taken her away' )he said if she ever got her hands on me again, she'd kill me,& ( said with a grimace' &To be honest, ( hadn't thought she'd ever get better' /nd there was a part of me that thought she was right * that if ( hadn't taken the case, /shley would have been found by someone else, and they'd all still be alive'& &4ell, now we have a problem, sweetness' )he's out, and she obviously intends to carry through with her threat, because it wasn't coincidence that she talked to me' 4hat do we do!& he asked, looking up when Bethy called for us, and we both waved at her' &( think we'd better talk to Benny and 4es,& ( guessed, shrugging one shoulder' &;ou know, handle this the right way'''& $dward stared down at me, took a deep breath, and nodded' &7kay, we'll call them'& 4hen the ride was over, we went to get her and /bby down from the saddles' &4hat's ne t, baby!& ( asked her, as she, /bby, and ( giggled into hysterics when $dward picked Bethy up by the back of her overalls, using her straps like a handle' &)he feels awful light to me,& $dward noted, pulling her up and letting her back down' 5e was doing curls with our daughter, who was loving every second of it' &( vote something to eat'& &6addy, put me down8& she commanded, sounding ,ust like him' 5e pulled her up to his face' &Tell me you love me first,& he bargained, wearing my favorite crooked smile' &9ove you8& she practically screamed, her little legs kicking behind her' &Good girl,& he chuckled, setting her on her feet as we approached the picnic tables' ( fi ed both girls a plate, letting them sit with their friends and #rs' =ope, while $dward and ( sat off to the side, sharing a piece of cake' &4hat if'''& ( mumbled, snickering when $dward kissed away a crumb of chocolate cake' &4hat if 9ilith wasn't supposed to be released!& ( asked him' &( mean, what if somehow she fooled them! ('ve seen that happen' 7r if she was somehow able to buy her way out'''& #y voice trailed off, because ( wasn't sure what ( was trying to prove, or if ( was even the right one to deal with 9ilith' ( was biased against her beyond comprehension'

&6o you really want to do this!& he countered, his brow wrinkling' &( mean, if she comes at us, we could ,ust call Benny, but to actually investigate her!& &( don't know,& ( told him honestly' &( can handle anything she throws at me, and you can handle yourself, but Bethy'''& ( said, pointing across the table' &)he's innocent in this' ('ll lose my mind if 9ilith tries to'''make shit even'& The darkest of looks crossed $dward's face, but he nodded' &7kay,& he sighed with one single nod, but it all faded into sweet love when Bethy walked up to us' &( have to potty, #ommy,& she whispered, her little cheeks tinging pink' &7kay,& ( whispered back' &4hat about #iss /bby! 5er, too!& Bethy nodded, waving /bby over' $dward chuckled, kissing mine and Bethy's temple' &Bathroom break it is,& he said with a sweet smile' &('ll call Benny and /lice while you're in there' )ee what they both say' ('ll have /lice and #ack start looking into )hady Glen, love' 4ill that make you feel better!& &Thank you, baby,& ( sighed, loving that he always had my back' &/nything for you, sweetness,& he chuckled, rolling his eyes, because that sounded trivial, but he meant every word' /s $dward stood up from the picnic table, pulling out his phone, ( took each girl's hand and walked to #rs' =ope' &Bathroom!& she guessed with a warm smile, and ( nodded' &They said to use the farmer's facilities in the barn' (t was easier for #rs' 9afayette not to have little ones traipsing through her house'& &7kay, gotcha,& ( chuckled, wondering how much longer the little old couple could actually run a full time farm' &/ll right, girls, the barn it is'''& 4e walked across the farm yard into the barn, which was large, although not as big as /unt >ate's, which made me think to call her' )he was up in /laska, living mostly with ,ust her and Tom, 7bie's brother, when 7bie and #ickey were down visiting us' 7f all the safe houses that $dward and =arlisle had taken me to, /unt >ate's had been one of my favorites' ('d never felt safer there' 0ot to mention, the woman told the best stories about $dward as a kid' &5ere you go, ladies,& ( told them, holding the bathroom door so that we could all go in' (t wasn't the grandest of bathrooms, but for the potty emergency that we were having, it would do' (t seemed to be all wood, with a toilet, sink, and a fiberglass shower * the latter of which looked fairly recent or refurbished'

Both girls did what they had to do, and ( stood behind them at the sink, helping them wash their hands' ( saw the movement out of the corner of my eye * the shower curtain * but before ( could open the door and get the girls out, a sweet smelling cloth wrapped around my face, covering my mouth and nose' ( heard the girls scream, before everything went black'

E!"#$!
&$dward, you ugly thing8 5ow are my girls!& Benny laughed over the phone' &Gorgeous, as always,& ( answered honestly, watching as my wife talked to #rs' =ope, before taking off across the property towards the barn' &9isten, you skinny ass, ( need you to look into something for me' ( think we may have a problem' / legit problem'& &Talk to me, bro' 9et me hear it,& he said, completely doing a one2eighty from playful and teasing to all +B( agent' ( gave him the rundown, telling him to call over to Gravity to get the files sent to him' ( e plained the entire situation that had started this shit, how 9ilith had ,ust shown up at the wedding reception' 5e was shocked that #akenna hadn't recogni3ed her, but even more shocked at what the woman had done back in the day to set off my wife' &=an't say that ( blame Bella,& he mumbled, typing away on his computer' &)o you think'''maybe she's carrying out an old threat!& &( don't know'& ( sighed, running a hand through my hair as ( paced slowly away from everyone' &( do know that Bella thinks maybe this bitch wasn't supposed to get out' ( was going to have my crew look into it'& &Go ahead,& he conceded' &(n fact, ('ll set up a restraining order now, ,ust in case''' and as a fucking favor'& ( grinned, shaking my head at him' &9et's do this,& he said, and the phone beeped once' &9et's three2way this call to /lice'& The phone rang once, before someone answered it' &Gravity,& #akenna chirped cheerfully' &5ey, #ack, it's Benny and $dward,& Benny stated' &( need /lice, please'& &5ey,& she sang' &7kay, hang on'& &5ow many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie :op!& /lice answered strangely'

&/lice,& both Benny and ( sighed' &0o seriously' ('m actually running this e periment,& she giggled, but ( could hear her crunching on the other end' &(t won't fucking work if you bite into it, pi ie,& ( snorted' &7h, yeah, damn,& she sighed, tsking to herself' &7h well, what can ( do for you!& Benny proceeded to tell her that what he was going to do on his end of the 9ilith situation, and gave /lice her own instructions to send him everything she had on the woman and the old Gravity case file' &;ou're sure that it was 9ilith 9aray!& he asked, after she had told him about using the facial recognition software' &;up, yup, yup,& she chimed three times' &7kay, well'''here it goes,& Benny stated, typing away, but he sighed deeply' &God, ( haven't been out to )hady Glen in years' (t's a state run facility, but the +B( has studied some of its'''more dangerous residents' (t's basically an asylum for the criminally insane, and a poorly run operation' (t's the low end of the nursing ,obs, where the head doctor is ,ust this shy of having his license pulled' 6r' "oss -ernon' &Give me some time, $d,& he continued' &('ll run a background on everyone at )hady Glen' /nd ('ll also work on 9ilith'''see what therapy sessions she's had' /lice, if ( have that facility send you a visitors list for the last few years, would you and #ack go through it! +lag anyone suspicious!& &6efinitely,& both girls answered over the phone that was now on speaker' /nd that was why ( loved the skinny shit' Benny had plenty of people he could ask to do this, but he trusted mine and Bella's crew e plicitly' &/nd where's Bells, 'cause ('d like to ask her a few questions!& Benny asked' &7h, um'''she was taking Bethy to the restroom,& ( stated, walking towards the barn, &but she should be out by now' 5ang on1 ('ll walk over there'& ( walked into the barn, seeing a small crowd of people gathered at the end of the building' #rs' =ope rushed to me' &7h, God, $dward'''we were ,ust about to go find you'''& The older woman's face was pale, not an ounce of blood in it to be found' )he was scared shitless' ( didn't wait for her to finish, but brushed past her, finding my wife on the floor' &Bella!& ( gasped, cupping her face, but keeping my phone at my ear' &Baby, wake up'''& #y wife squee3ed her eyes closed, finally squinting up at me' 4hen my hand came out

from behind her head, my fingers were covered in blood' 4hen she'd fallen, she must have smacked the piss out of her head' &Baby, where's Bethy! /nd /bby!& ( asked her, looking around' &7h fuck8& she gasped, trying to sit up, but blanched when she got about halfway up' &$dward, there was someone in here'''they'''they knocked me out with something'''& #y head swam and my breathing stopped as ( stood up' &Bethy!& ( called out' &$dward, talk to me,& Benny growled over the phone' &6id ( hear her right! 6id someone knock her out! /nd Bethy's not there!& &;eah''' #ethy8& ( yelled, running to the end of the building and looking out towards the woods' #y heart was truly in my fucking throat' &+uck, fuck, fuck,& /lice hissed over the phone' ( could hear her order instructions to call not only $mmett, but /lec and .asper, too' &=all .a33 first1 he's closer' 5e can get on the /T-s and haul ass over to the 9afayette farm' 0ow, #ack8& &5ang on,& ( said, spinning when Bella vomited behind me' ( rushed to her' &Bella, baby'''you're sure someone was in here'''& &;es,& she sobbed, squee3ing her eyes closed, but when she swayed on her feet, ( made her sit back down' &6on't move,& ( ordered, and then into the phone, ( yelled, &('m tracking the fucking woods' ( need'''everyone... )omeone took her, Ben,& ( breathed, trying not to lose it, trying my fucking damnedest to stay focused' &;ou've got it,& Benny said soothingly' &4e'll be there, man' 4e'll do a perimeter search, and we'll even get you in the air, okay!& he asked, but ( didn't answer him' #y eyes were scanning the entire farm' ( turned to #rs' =ope' &( need every child accounted for and in one spot' 0ow8 4e've got two girls missing'''so far'& &6ear .esus,& she prayed, running off to do e actly what ( said' 5er destination was the picnic tables' &$dward8& /lice yelled' &.asper is en route to you through the old trails, he said to tell you' $mmett was already heading this way, and even #ickey and 7bie were close by' /lec was here, so he went with .asper'''you'll have everyone soon'& &$d, ('ve got two units heading your way, complete with search dogs' They'll answer to 4es until ( can get to you, got me!& &;eah,& ( breathed, darting outside of the barn, but ( could barely see straight, because my baby was nowhere to be found' &/nd an ambulance, Benny,& ( muttered' &( don't know what they did to Bella'''&

&)ure, man,& he replied' &('m switching to radio,& ( told them, ending the call and trading my phone for the earpiece that Bella had gotten out of the safe that morning when she grabbed our guns' ( shoved the earpiece in my ear, punching it on' &4ho've ( got!& ( growled, finding the entry point at the edge of the woods where a branch was broken off' &('m here,& .asper said, checking in' &#e, too, kid,& /lec stated, and ( could hear the engines of .asper's /T-s in the background' &;ou two'''come around the west side' .asper, head through the campground' ('ll try to work the trail that way'& &)ir,& they both replied' &$dward, Benny said 4es is ten minutes to you,& /lice stated' &( haven't fucking got ten minutes, /lice8& ( snapped, finding a recently used trail' &(n ten minutes, ( could lose them'''& ( ran for a few more yards, finding a purple hair ribbon hanging from a bush' (t was /bby's' &+uck' 4hy would they take them both!& ( panted, turning in one spot, but the noise in my ear was killing me' &"adio silence'''& ( ordered, closing my eyes so that ( could hear everything * every noise, every gust of wind through the trees, and the snap of a dry twig in the distance' / muffled cry sounded from my left, and ( took off towards it' &('ve got sounds from the northwest,& ( panted over the ear piece, pushing my legs as hard as ( could, considering the uneven terrain' Tree branches snagged at my clothes, and my boots squelched down in mud as ( followed not only the sound, but the trail the assholes had left behind' (f ( knew my Bethy and she was aware of what was happening, she was most likely fighting like hell' ( found a few footprints through the mud and continued to follow the trail of snapped off twigs' The fuckers didn't seem to give a shit about covering their tracks' &$dward,& #akenna stated' &(t's only the two of them missing, according to #rs' =ope' ( ,ust checked in with Bella'''sweetie, she's a mess' )he thinks it was =hloroform they got her with, but she's got a helluva bump on her noggin'' )he's sick, but fucking determined to help you'& &Tell her to sit tight,& ( whispered, wanting my presence to stay a secret' &(f she can't fucking stand up, then she'll be useless out here'&

&'>ay,& #akenna mumbled' &$dward,& /lice growled' &('ve got thermal on you' There are'''three entities moving about forty yards from your location, but they aren't heading in the direction of the campground' #ore towards the @A@' /nd it looks like they've got a party waiting on them' $mmett'''what's your location!& &('m on the @A@,& he growled' &$ddie, keep pushing them that way' /lice, switch to satellite image and give me a make and model of that waiting party' /nd tell 4es and Benny to keep the cops off my speeding ass8& &9ooks like a +ord'''$ pedition,& /lice stated' &(t's dark in color' ( can't tell if it's black, blue, or what, but it's on the shoulder'''the same side of the road you'll be on'& &Gotcha8& $mmett stated' &$ddie8& .asper called' &('m at the campgrounds'''they were here' There are signs of what looks like a handful of people staying in these old ass cabins' /lice, report it to 4es, get a crew up here8& &7kay, okay, okay,& she chanted' &$dward, go straight from where you are for about four yards, and then turn north towards the @A@' ;ou may be able to split the distance with a diagonal line to them' Go8& &Ten2four,& ( muttered, trusting wholeheartedly in what she said, because at that point, she was my only eyes in the sky' /s ( ran, ( focused on my feet, not my nerves, not the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach' ( turned north when /lice told me to, pushing myself faster and harder' &)hit, fuck8& $mmett growled' &$d, ('m trapped' ('ve got a pile up on the @A@' 4ho's got him! /nswer me8& &#y $T/ is five from the farm,& #ickey answered, suddenly on the radio with us' &5ang in there, pretty boy'& &( need air support,& 4es ordered' &( need someone in the air'''yesterday8 Goddammit8 $dward, ('m pulling through +orks now, man' ('ve got a crew unloading on the @A@ and an ambulance that should already be pulling in'& ( had no energy to talk and keep running, so ( stayed quiet' To my left, ( heard the rumble of four wheelers, and ( knew that .asper and /lec were racing up the old trail not far from me' The sound of traffic met my ears about the same time that the forest fell away' )hots pinged off of the tree trunk ne t to my head, and ( dove for the ground, pulling my weapon out' ( could see the )?- that /lice had described sitting on the side of the highway'

&('ve got visual8& ( panted, barely able to speak' &('ve got two men'''one behind the wheel'& &=ooper, talk to me,& 4es ordered, &because ( know you're right there'& ( lifted my head to see a black sedan screech to a halt on the opposite side of the highway, and four +eds piled out, guns raising, hammers clicking back, the bastards getting ready to fire' &6on't fucking shoot8& ( yelled' &#y daughter's in that car8 5ave you lost your fucking minds8& &5old your fire8& 4es ordered' &+ollow $dward's lead on this shit, =ooper'& ( stood up, planting my back against the tree ne t to me, peering around towards the )?-' / young man with a scruffy face had a gun pointed to /bby's head' &6on't do it, asshole8& he yelled' &)he won't see )anta =laus this =hristmas'''( promise you'& / twig snapped to my right, and /lec put a finger to his lips as he crept closer to the edge of the tree line' 5is gun was drawn, his eyes sharp as he assessed the situation' &>eep him talking, $dward,& 4es urged' &4hat do you want, motherfucker!& ( yelled, stepping from the trees, my gun out to my side in a sign of surrender' &('ve got what ( came for,& he chuckled, shrugging one shoulder' &=all them off,& he stated, pointing across the road towards the +eds, &or this could get real ugly, real quick' ;ou have to let us go' 4e'll kill them, quicker than you can get to us, and you know it'& 5e shifted his hand, placing the mu33le of the gun ,ust under /bby's chin' &/re you willing to bet their lives with those odds!& The back door of the )?- was open' ( couldn't see what the driver looked like, but ( could see Bethy's profile, a revolver pointed directly at her forehead' &Back them off, 4es,& ( begged' &( can see inside the car' The driver's got a gun at Bethy, his partner on /bby'& &+uck, $d'''what do you want to do!& /lec asked softly' ( ran a hand through my hair, finally meeting his ga3e' &( can't'''( don't''' ( fucking know who this is,& ( eventually sputtered' &4ell, if you know, then we can find them,& he said soothingly' &They obviously don't want to kill the girls, because they need them' 4e'll call everyone in' Benny's on his way from )eattle' 4es ,ust got to the farm' 4e can find them,& he said again, raising his eyebrow at me' &(f it's a money thing, we've got that, too'& 5e looked across the grassy

area at the asshole with the gun pointed at a three year old's head' &Their days are numbered, kid, but if you fight now'''you may lose' ( know it's killing you, but look at them' These fuckers aren't in charge' They're ,ust the peons' They're pick up and delivery men'& ( couldn't see the driver, but ( could see what /lec was trying to say' The shifty eyes of the guy on the outside said it all' 5e knew going in that there was a real possibility that he could get caught' 5e stood like a thief, not a military man' 5e radiated defense, not offense' But he had no problems taking out a three year old child in order to get away' Tears of anger and frustration, of heartbreak and worry filled my eyes as ( thought it over' ( dropped my gun to the ground, pointing to the asshole leaning against the )?-' & ou'''will die,& ( promised him' &;ou've ,ust made the biggest fucking mistake you've ever made, cocksucker'& 5e grinned, cocky and bold' &4hatever you say, +ad' ('m sure we'll be in'''touch' But if they follow us, ( will throw these girls out of this truck while we're going si ty down this fucking highway'& &6addy8& ( heard from the )?-, and it was all ( could do * along with /lec's help * not to run to my daughter' &Back off8& ( told the officers across the street' &9et them go'& (t was the hardest words ('d ever spoken in my life' The most important thing ('d ever had a part in was ,ust about to drive away with people she didn't know' #y heart shattered when the asshole shoved a sobbing /bby into the back seat, crawling in behind her' ( felt like a part of my soul ,ust broke off and fell to the ground, withering away to nothing, as ( watched the )?- crank up and drive away, taking my Bethy with it' &=ome on, kid,& /lec said, placing a hand on my shoulder when my knees gave out and ( sank to the ground' &9et's go see about #ellissima, yeah!& ( nodded, but ( had nothing left, letting him lead me to the four2wheeler that was parked ne t to .asper, who was talking on his phone' /lec pulled out his own phone, speaking urgently, but quietly' &)am, you need to get me =arlisle'''/)/:8 0o, man'''now8&

%E&&#
( gagged again when the $#Ts moved me from the floor of the bathroom to the gurney' ( wasn't sure if it was my head in,ury, the chemical that had been used on me, or ,ust my nerves that were wracking my frame with nausea and lightheadedness, but

whatever it was made me di33y' &9et me see,& the young woman said softly, lifting my head gently to look at the spot where ( was hurting the most'''physically' &9ooks like they slammed you back into the shower when they knocked you out'& ( nodded, and then shrugged, tears welling up with the movement and the ache in my heart' &( don't think you need stitches, honey,& she stated, &but you need to sit up for me' )tay awake, okay! (f it's a concussion, then sleeping would result in further damage'& &('m okay,& ( sighed, sitting up on the edge of the gurney as she cleaned my wound and walked back to the ambulance' ( looked up when several +ederal vehicles pulled into the farm's driveway' 4es was out of his car and kneeling before me before ( could blink, as his officers walked to the picnic tables that was filled with worried teachers, parents, and fidgety kids' &Talk to me, Bella,& he said softly, taking my hands' 5is face radiated worry and ,ust plain anger, because he'd become a true friend since he helped us take down "oyce >ing * not to mention he was cra3y about my #akenna' &)he took them,& ( said, the sob ('d been holding back escaping out of my chest ,ust a bit' &)he's got my baby''' $dward's tracking them'& &9ilith,& he verified, and ( nodded, swiping at my tears' &Benny's on his way, but'''$dward'''he um'''he had to let them go, Bells' 5e had no choice,& he soothed when my sobs, my ability to breathe, became harder' &)weetie, they had a gun to those girls' heads' They would have killed them before we could blink' They told him they'd be in touch' ('ve got someone following them at a safe distance, but too far back and we could lose them'& #y phone rang in my pocket, and thinking it would be $dward, ( answered it' &Bells,& "ose sighed' &Talk to me, sweet2pea'''& &"ose, she's gone,& ( sobbed, my control slipping a little more' &They took her and her friend, /bby, and they're gone8& )he hissed a string of curses, but took a deep breath' &4here's $dward, Bellsy!& &5e chased them, but'''he couldn't'''he didn't'''& ( heaved a deep breath trying to get myself under control' &(t's my fault, "o' ( didn't check the shower'''( ,ust took them in'''& &=alm down for me, Bells,& she soothed on the other end, and ( could hear the murmurs and coos from =aleb on the other end' The sound was my undoing, because it only reminded me that she had her baby, and mine was'''gone' #y tears couldn't be stopped1 they coursed down my face unhindered'

/ sound of pure anguish met my ears, and 4es and ( looked across the farm to see a woman being held up by one of 4es' men' ( grimaced, understanding her pain' &#rs' =armichael,& ( told 4es' &/bby's mother'& 5e nodded, rubbing my hands' &( wouldn't mention a thing about what you know around her' Best let her think that you're in the same boat she is' (t could get ugly if she thinks your work brought this on her child'& ( nodded in agreement, and even "ose muttered to me, &That's not a bad idea, Bells'& 4es' phone beeped with a call, and he answered it quietly' &Benny'''& he said, but ,ust listened for a few moments, nodding in agreement' &Got it' ('ll call her now, Ben' .ust get here soon' ('m going to need all the help ( can get on this one''' 0o, ( tried to have them follow at a pretty far distance, but they lost them' ( couldn't risk them''' ;eah, ( know'& 5e paused again, his eyebrows raising high into his hairline' &0o shit!& he asked, turning away from me slightly' &7kay, so ( know that they'''right'''& he sighed, shaking his head' &This won't be pretty, then' 4ill he'''& 4es sighed again' &5ell, fuck'''no, ( don't blame him''' +ine, Benny'& 5e ended the call, walking away when one of his officers called him, but put his phone back up to his ear' &/lice, what've you got for me!& he asked, his voice trailing away the farther he got from me' &Bells, talk to me, sweetie,& "ose urged in my ear' &Take a breath and focus' /re you hurt!& &0ot really,& ( sniffled' &They knocked me out, bumping my head on the side of the shower'& &7kay, well, it's not your fault,& she stated, &and we've got everyone coming to you' $mmett should be pulling in any minute, 7bie and #ickey were in 7regon, but turned around, and /lec and .asper were tracking with $dward' ('ve talked to /lice, sweetie'''she's working with Benny and 4es to track the )?- and'''& ( head shot up when the rumble of /T-s pulled up in front of the barn' /lec, .asper, and $dward stepped off of them, walking my way' &"ose, $dward's back,& ( breathed, tears filling my eyes' &Go, Bellsy, and call me back when you know something'''& ( ended the call, leaving the phone on the gurney and standing up' &$dward,& ( sobbed, &what happened!& ('d never seen the light, the fire, e tinguished out of my husband's eyes, but when ( looked at him, there was ,ust'''nothing' 5e looked haunted and defeated and about five seconds from breaking something' 5e was a wreck, with his shirt torn, his shoes muddy, and his hair sticking up in every direction, despite the fact that he'd ,ust gotten it cut

before =arlisle and $sme's wedding' &$asy, baby,& $dward said, his voice rough, but he eased me back down onto the bed' &( had to let her go,& he whispered, and when his voice cracked and his eyes filled with tears, the dam didn't ,ust burst on my emotions, it completely disintegrated' &('m sorry,& he chanted over and over, but caught me in strong arms, which were still shaking' &4hat do we do!& ( ranted, gripping the front of his shirt' &4e have to get her back, $dward' ( didn't know someone was in there' ('m sorry'''& ( locked eyes with his' &( need my baby back'''( can't'''breathe'''without her'& &4e' 4ill' +ucking' Get' 5er' Back,& he snapped, his hand gripping my shirt' &They'''& 5e was cut off when my phone rang, and ( picked it up, answering it quickly' &5ello'''& There was a pause on the other end, until ( heard, &#ommy, 6addy8& &.esus, Bethy,& ( breathed, my hand flying to my heart, because my baby sounded scared' $dward snatched the phone from me, turning the speakerphone on' &Bella )wan'''$ullen,& a voice on the other end started' (t was neither male nor female' (n fact, it sounded filtered' &6o ( have your attention now, bitch!&

CHAPTER 5
%E&&#
&Bella )wan'''$ullen,& a voice on the other end started' (t was neither male nor female' (n fact, it sounded filtered' &6o ( have your attention now, bitch!& &;es,& ( breathed' &4ho is this!& &7h, ('m sure you have a clue,& the mechanical voice stated with a cra3ed chuckle' (t sounded broken, evil' 4es came to stand beside me and $dward, his face grim as he spoke low into his headset' &/lice'''trap and trace on Bella's phone'& &;ou won't catch me,& the voice sang to him over the line' &( ,ust wanted to make sure Bella was paying attention'& &4hat do you want!& ( snapped, snatching the phone from $dward's hand' &/ little of this'''a little of that,& the voice sighed dramatically' &/nd a whole lot of money' 4hat's the price for family these days! 4hat would you pay to get yours back! :ayback's a bitch, baby' )tay tuned'''& The call ended, but everyone around me was still and silent' ( looked to 4es, who was still on his own headset' &Throwaway phone,& he muttered, nodding like he'd guessed that would be the case' &Trace it as best you can, /lice' /nything on the )?-!& he asked her, sighing deeply' &4ell, let me know what you get'& 4hen he hung up, he knelt down' &The plates on the )?- were stolen, but /lice is running a search for anything or anyone connected to 9ilith 9aray that may have a car'''& &4hat about an /mber /lert!& $dward snapped, standing up from in front of me and starting to pace' &/lready done, man,& 4es said calmly' &('ve sent it out from here, to =anada, to (daho, all the way south to =alifornia'& &/nd fingerprints!& $dward asked, pointing to the bathroom behind us' &There's got to be something in that fucking shower'& 5e turned his fiery ga3e on me' &6id you see any,fucking,thing, Bella!& ( flinched, shaking my head' &0o, ('m sorry'& 4es nodded, turned to the officer standing ne t to him' &Get as many statements from those people as you can, and then release them' 5ave =ooper check in, because ( need him to walk the woods and process the campgrounds .asper found, and have Gibbons

start processing that bathroom' ( need this shit done now'& &4hat about #rs' =armichael!& the officer asked' &4e'll leave her for Benny, 5ardy,& 4es sighed wearily' &( want Bella and $dward back at Gravity' ( want /lice there with them the ne t time these assholes call'& &(s everyone accounted for!& $dward asked, looking around the farm' &;ou know, kids, teachers, farm employees'& &The pony ride guy is gone,& ( whispered, looking up at him when he spun to look at me' &The one that scared Bethy'''he's gone' ;ou didn't see him with her!& &0o, ( didn't fucking see him with her8& he growled' &(t was a different guy that had /bby, but ( couldn't see the driver'& &7kay, okay,& /lec stepped forward, placing a heavy hand on $dward's shoulder' &9et's get this shit back to Gravity'& &('ll find out the pony ride guy's name,& 4es said softly, looking between us' &;ou two,& he ordered, pointing to .asper and /lec, &get them back, and as soon as ('m done here, Benny and ( will be there' $mmett rerouted there already' 5e said he was upping your security' ( think the best course of action will be to set up shop at Gravity' (t'll be better than having to rely on the )eattle office' 7kay!& &Got it,& .asper said, giving $dward a strange look as he helped me to my feet' &9et's go, Bells' ( know you'''you'll work better from your own office'&

&)it,& #akenna ordered, pulling me down at the conference table at Gravity' &( need you to describe the pony ride guy to me' 4hat's his name!& ( could see she was trying to get me to focus, but it was hard' ( was riddled with guilt as ( looked up into her sweet, but patient face' This whole thing was my fault' ( should've never messed with 9ilith ages ago, ( should've never left the reception early or ( would've recogni3ed her, and ( could see it on my husband's face that he blamed me, too' The fact that he hadn't touched me or could barely look me in the eye proved it' &7ld man 9afayette said he went by >enny'''>enny :orter,& ( sighed, squee3ing my eyes shut, because my head was fucking pounding' (t didn't help that $dward was a pacing lion in the computer room with /lice' &7kay' >enny,& #ack sang, pulling her paper closer and getting her pencil ready' &7h,

Bellsy'''you have to focus for me' ( know it's hard'& ( felt lifeless, achy, and ,ust plain empty, but ( took a deep breath and nodded' &?m'''young, skinny' 5e was no more than mid twenties' 5e scared the shit out of Bethy,& ( whispered, locking ga3es with #akenna' &)he knew, #ack'& &7f course she did,& she agreed, smiling' &)he wouldn't be a kid of yours and $ddie's if she didn't'& )he paused for a moment, but forced the conversation' &>eep going, Bells' 4hat kind of hair'''curly, straight! 5ow were his eyes! Big! Too close together!& &5e was scruffy, unkempt, like he smelled bad if you got too close,& ( told her' &5e had shaggy hair, like it had been a while since he'd gotten it cut, but like it used to be bu33ed' Blue eyes, really light blue eyes' /nd he had ink on his face'& &4hat kind of ink!& she asked, looking up from the paper' &/ tear drop, coming from his left eye,& ( told her, looking over her shoulder' &5is ,aw was sharper, his eyes closer together'& &Good, honey'''good,& she praised, but her sole concentration was on the picture in front of her' &(nk on his face may mean he's been in prison' Good,& she praised again, her pencil gliding across the paper' 4ith a few more touches here and there, she got his face down on paper' )he slid it to me, and all ( could do was nod in approval, because it was perfect' &( need $ddie for the face of the guy he chased,& she whispered, pinning >enny's portrait to what had been an empty bulletin board, but which now held a photo of 9ilith, >enny, and a map of the area with pins in it where the last phone call was made' 4e both ,umped when his booming voice reached a new level of pissed off' &( don't give a fuck, /lice8& $dward barked from the other room' &There's got to be something on this bitch that we're not seeing'& &('m sure there is, $dward, but you've got to give me time to look at the mental hospital, its employees, and search for any relatives 9ilith may have' ('m already working on the )?-, the prepaid cell, and ('m waiting for Benny's rush on the fingerprints' ;ou have to wait,& she flat out told him, almost without apology' &4hen Benny gets here, he'll be able to work with me, but until then, ('m all alone here' 7kay!& &4aiting to hear about this shit is what got us here' ( should've heard about this fucking bitch ages ago,& $dward grumbled, and ( ,umped when /lec's hand rested gently on my shoulder' &( saw the guy, #ack,& he said softly' &('ll describe him for you'&

#akenna nodded, giving $dward a sideways glance, before pulling a clean sheet of paper to her' ( looked down at my hands, feeling useless and still groggy from my headache, but ( felt fingertips under my chin' /lec lifted my ga3e to his' &5e doesn't mean it, #ellissima,& he whispered, kissing my cheek' &5e's a hurting man, okay! ;ou didn't see the conflict he faced, amore' 5e watched a gun get pointed to #ambina's head, and he couldn't do a thing about it'& 5e wiped away a tear that escaped my eye, sighing deeply' &;ou know you and the little one mean the world to him, right!& ( nodded, swallowing thickly' &( know, but what happens when one part of your world is responsible for the loss of the other!& ( asked him, not waiting for his answer' ( got up from the table, swaying on my feet ,ust a little, and left the office in search of 4es, running into $mmett after leaving the room' &Bellsy,& he said, rushing to me from the front porch' 5e cupped my face' &/re you okay!& ( nodded with a mumbled, &;eah,& looking up at him' &7kay, well, ( went ahead and secured the perimeter, turning on $ddie's old sensors' ( made sure the gate would only open with the remotes that you've given to trusted people, and ( checked the house out, okay!& &;eah, thanks, $m'& &/lso, 4es and Benny have stationed some guys throughout the property, so don't panic if you see someone walking around' They've been told to keep their +B( vests on,& he stated, pointing toward the driveway so that ( could see one of the guys pacing' &4here's 4es!& ( asked him, rubbing my temples' &5e was called away to the campgrounds, but said he'd be right back'& ( nodded that ('d heard him and went inside my house' (t was quiet * too quiet' There was no T- blaring with cartoons, no laughter from the kitchen, no thumping of tiny feet on hardwood floors' #y heart shattered, and ( found myself standing in Bethy's bedroom doorway' 5er most recent favorite toy was laying on her made bed * a stuffed rabbit' $dward and ( had been reading the -elveteen .abbit to her at night, and that, too, was sitting on her nightstand, waiting to be cracked open again' ( fell down hard on the edge of the bed, bringing &#r' Bunny& to my nose' (t smelled like her, like soap and sugar, and ,ust little girl, and ( couldn't help but curl up with it, sobbing into Bethy's pillow'

&6amn it, $dward,& ( heard .asper in the hallway' &5as it been so long since you've had a head in,ury that you've forgotten that you need to wake Bella up! +uck' 4hat's the matter with you! )he could slip into a coma, asshole8& &('ve got her, so both of you can shut the fuck up8& ( sat up groggily, unsure of the voice ( thought ( was hearing, rubbing my face and looking up to see "ose standing in the door' &4hat are you doing here!& ( asked, rushing to her, my tears starting all over' &;ou should be with =aleb'& &#y parents are here,& she e plained, wrapping her arms around me' &They gave me a few hours reprieve, though ( will go back tonight' ( ,ust'''( needed to see you,& she whispered, and ( could hear her own tears start' &('m sorry, Bellsy'''& )he pulled me back down to the edge of the bed, keeping her arm around my shoulders' &5e's not handing this shit very well, is he!& &5e blames me,& ( stated, shrugging one shoulder' &5ell, I blame me, so ( can't say that he's wrong'& )he was quiet, but ( looked up at her' &( need her back, "ose' This bitch needs to call me, tell me what she wants, because ( need my baby back'& "ose held me tight as ( let another crying fit take over' 4hen ( settled down a bit, ( asked, &5ow long was ( asleep!& &/ few hours' They shouldn't have let you go that long,& she told me, taking a peek at the bump on my head' &Those motherfuckers did that shit on purpose, ( guarantee it' 9ilith would have told them you were'''a handful' #y guess is they knew you could kick their ass, so they had to take you out completely' They'd have done the same had it been $dward in that bathroom' 7nly with him, it would have been a bullet, because he's not the one she wants to torture' (t's you'& ( noticed that she was speaking ,ust loud enough that everyone in the living room could hear her' )he was protecting me, boosting me up, and warning them all at the same time, because ( could tell that she was ,ust plain pissed * at Bethy being taken, at $dward's attitude, at the fact that ('d gotten hurt * ,ust pissed' The conversations that ( could hear had come to a stop, but ( winced, shaking my head' &But why take both girls!& ( asked, because the question had been burning on my tongue since the second $dward returned from giving chase' &#y guess!& she asked, raising her eyebrows up until ( nodded' &('ve seen /bby'''those

two little munchkins are really similar' $ven worse when you don't know them at all' ( bet the ,ackoffs that she sent were only told what Bethy looked like, and there they see two little brown haired girls' Better safe than sorry'& ( nodded, because it made sense' But we both ,umped when my phone went off in my pocket, because it was the wee hours of the morning' &Bella, out here,& 4es called, and "ose and ( rushed into the living room' &(s it her!& The phone read, &?navailable'& ( nodded, looking back to him for instructions' 5e picked up his radio' &Benny, incoming call now8& 5e pointed back to me, mouthing, &Go8& ( answered the phone, but didn't even say hello before the creepy mechanical voice was singing' &"ing around the rosie, pocket full of posies'''& it warbled, taking a deep breath and chuckling slightly' &/shes, ashes'''we'''all'''fall'''down'& )he ended the song, having only sung parts of it, but it was fucking scary nonetheless' &7h, Beeellllaaaa,& she called out, still chuckling' &( know you're there, Bella' /nd ( know you're not alone, so any of your Gravity bitches, or the +B( you called so quickly, or even 6addy himself can answer for you''' /re you listening!& ( sneered, looking to 4es, who motioned for me to talk and set the phone on the coffee table, but the way that the voice spoke, the teasing manner, and the maniacal speech was absolute proof of who was talking to me over the phone' &4hat do you want, 9ilith!& ( asked, setting the phone down' / cra3ed, cackling laugh e ploded from my phone, only to end with, &4ell, it seems you haven't lost your touch'''& )he paused, like she needed a breath' &7ne, two, three, four, five, si , seven, eight, niiiiiiiinnnneeee''' Ten8& )he rattled off at top speed' &Ten million dollars' 6on't you think, Bella! +ive for each of my babies you killed'''equals five for these two little brats'& &4here!& $dward growled, practically shaking with hatred' &0ot so fast there, handsome,& she teased, and why she was still using the mechanical voice, ( had no idea' &('m not done yet,& she taunted' &( didn't kill Bree and /shley, 9ilith,& ( snapped, slamming my hands down on the table, unable to stop myself when it came to this bitch' &;our cra3y ass did' ( didn't put my two year old in a tub and turn my back on her8 ( didn't smoke crack until my brain was mush, and then let my four year old walk the streets of )eattle' ou did that' 0ot me' ;ou lost them'& )queals and cries of more than one child echoed in the background, and we all fro3e'

&6on't interrupt me again with your lies8& &( want my daughter back,& ( said through gritted teeth' &;es, yes,& she sighed dramatically' &<uite the healthy little thing you have' /nd ( know which one is yours, because she's got ,ust the same amount of attitude as her mother' The other one'''she's a little'''meeker' )he was a mistake, but a surprisingly fantastic bargaining chip'& There was a part of me that couldn't help but be proud of my baby, but the other part of me knew from my e perience with "iley #iller that attitude, while admirable in some state of affairs, could prove deadly in hostage situations' &6on't hurt her,& ( begged, shaking my head' &( won't'''if you follow the ne t steps, Bella,& she replied, sounding almost normal' &('ve got a plan, and we're going to stick to it' )tay tuned'''& 4ith that, the call ended, and ( bolted through my screen door out to Gravity's office' ( burst through the door to see what Benny and /lice made of that call' &$asy, Bella,& Benny said, making me sit beside him, but pointing to the screen as everyone followed me' &(t was another throwaway phone, but this time, there was something interesting' 9ook,& he stated, pointing to a phone number' &The first one had a 4ashington area code' /nd this new one!& he asked, waiting for everyone to catch up to him' &This one was 7regon, and that's e actly where the signal ended' )he's moved out of state, but hasn't gone far, okay!& $dward and ( both nodded, hanging on his every word' Benny sighed, his face looking forlorn' &( won't lie to you two' The fact that she's singing .ing !round the .osie doesn't sound good, because her emphasis happened to be on the ashes to ashes part' )he's out for revenge' )he wants to get even'''and ( think that she was originally going to ,ust take Bethy, but the fact that /bby got wrapped up in this''' 4ell, ( think it might have triggered something in her' )he's obviously off medication, because her speech pattern, her mood during your conversation, was all over the place' 4e'll ,ust have to see what her ne t request is'''& &4hat about the money! Because ( can'''& $dward fidgeted a bit, but shut up when Benny held up his hand' &( know you'd pay anything at this point, and ( don't blame you, but ( really want to see what her ne t request is, $dward' (f a trade can be made for those two girls, that's my goal'& Benny frowned up at $dward when he started to argue, holding his hand up again' &That's not to say we haven't been busy, because despite our wait to see what this cra3y bitch wants, ('d like to find her before she can accomplish much more of this

fucked up plan she's got,& he said, his voice coming out a little gruffer than he normally spoke, but he gestured to /lice' &9isten, listen, listen,& /lice said, her demeanor much more subdued than normal, because ( was pretty sure she hadn't slept' &4e ran a check on 6r' "oss -ernon, the head shrink of )hady Glen' 5e's clean * for the most part * e cept he ,ust caught up on a past due mortgage' ('m talking a fucking year past due'& /lice raised her eyebrow at us and continued' &5e also did something he should never have done' 5e treated his own family' 5is son was a resident of )hady Glen, a patient of his father's, and guess which dorm he resided in'''& &9ilith's,& ,ust about everyone in the room stated blandly' &$ actly,& she sighed with a nod' &>urt -ernon went into )hady Glen for bi2polar disorder and was released after about a year of intense therapy and a round of drugs ad,usted to suit him' 0e t,& she said, spinning in her chair and pointing up to the two drawings on the bulletin board' &>enny :orter''' This guy is a bottom feeder' 5e's done more time in ,ail than anyone at the age of twenty three should have, and it's everything from petty theft to assault, and from grand larceny to statutory rape'''& she said, but the whole office full of people e ploded' &4ait8& she yelled' &&et me finish''' That last charge was bogus, guys8& )he rolled her eyes, waving her hands for us to calm down' &5e was out of high school, but his girlfriend at the time wasn't' 5er parents didn't like him * with good reason, ( suppose * and pressed charges' &0ow,& she huffed, pointing to the picture of the guy that /lec had described to #akenna, &this guy looks an awful lot like >enny's last cellmate, "ussell =arnes * />/ "usty'& /lice stopped, giving Benny a pointed look, before taking a deep breath' &"usty =arnes'''he's listed on the birth certificate for Bree' )he was born Bree /nne =arnes'& #y head hit my hands, and ( rubbed my face with frustration' &)o'''let me get this straight,& ( mumbled behind my hands' &"usty and >enny were cellmates and have teamed up with 9ilith' )o what's 6r' -ernon's son got to do with anything!& &4ell, it seems when 9ilith filled out her discharge paperwork,& Benny said, pulling up a new screen on his laptop, &she stated the same address as >urt -ernon' They were going to be roommates in )eattle'& &7kay, well, who paid off the fucking doctor!& $dward asked, looking between the two' &Because two e 2cons and two fucking nut ,obs aren't e actly looking like they're swimming in it, and he caught up on his mortgage'& &They aren't swimming in it,& /lice concurred' &('ve pulled 6r' -ernon's financials, and it seems to come up as a loan, but ( don't think that's what it is' ('ve got to trace that money to its source, but it's convoluted and all over the place' That will take me a bit'&

4es stepped forward, slapping a file down on the conference table' &The campsite,& he sighed, shaking his head' &( didn't get much * ,ust a few set of prints, some clothes, garbage, and another used up phone' #y lab is processing all of it as we speak' (n fact, ( should have an answer by morn'''well, a few hours, actually'& &)ame goes for the bathroom prints,& Benny added, turning to $dward' &( need to know if you can get ahold of the that money, bro' ( don't want to pay a ransom''' ever' But having it on hand'''to show her'''well, it could be beneficial'& &( can have it,& $dward sighed, running a hand through his hair' &4hen the banks open'''& &0ot yet,& Benny said softly, his eyes flickering between the two of us' &( ,ust want to make sure it's accessible' ('ll give you plenty of notice when we need it' ('m waiting on a few things, besides the lab'& 5e spun around in his chair, pulling up a few reports' &('ve got a few men out there getting some information at )hady Glen' ('ve got a doctor that started his residency a year ago' 5e didn't have the best grades at ?4, so that e plains why he's at the lowest facility in the area, but he's got money''' 4ell, his parents did, and it seems they've cut him off' 4hile he's swimming in debt * student loans, rent, car payments, credit cards * his parents are a part of the posh society in :ortland' /nd he ran the group therapy sessions that both >urt and 9ilith attended, according to )hady Glen's records'& #y head gave a throb, but ( nodded, almost figuring out what the scenario could have been' 9ilith pours out her cra3ed, fucked up version of her life to her new, fresh out of college, but financially struggling therapist' (t doesn't take much to find out about me, who ('d become and what ('m worth, because 9ilith knew my real name' ('d signed it when ( went to visit her' /dd in the recent publicity for $sme and =arlisle's wedding, and the dollar signs shined in their eyes' 9ilith's threat for revenge becomes a plot for e tortion' The two of them can't do it alone, so they recruit "usty, probably the only person that 9ilith knows anymore, and he brings his old cellmate with him' $asy ,ob, easy money' &4hat's his name!& ( asked, rubbing my head, but "ose took over for me, pulling my hair away from my face and neck' &4alter Bridges,& Benny answered, &and ('m still waiting to hear from my men' (f he doesn't show up at work today or they can't find him at his apartment, then ('ll know something's up'& &5ere,& /lice said, tapping my leg' &5im'& )he pointed to the screen, and ( looked up to see an average guy' ( nodded, barely taking in his brown hair, brown eyes, or the cheesy smile he was

wearing on his employee badge' &( have a question,& .asper stated from the back of the room' 5e'd been quietly listening to everything, but when ( turned to look at him, ( reali3ed that ,ust about everyone was there * #ickey, 7bie, .asper, $mmett, #ack, and /lec * and suddenly, ( missed =arlisle and $sme with an all consuming sickness' &6o they have any idea who Bethy's other parent is'''( mean, really is!& Benny smiled, though it was sad' &That'''& he started, holding his finger' &That is our key, right there' ('m damn sure that they have no idea what $dward was, is, or even what he's capable of' /nd in all reality, ('m not sure they reali3e what Bella is really capable of, either' ( think 9ilith ,ust sees her as a :(, nothing more' 5er training at the +B( would be private, but it's $dward and =arlisle that are the unknown'& ( looked up at $dward, and his face was dark, but he locked eyes with me for a moment' There was no emotion, and ( saw what he was doing' #y husband was getting ready to go to war' 5e was preparing himself to kill, if only for the survival of two little girls * one of whom meant the world to him' 5e was slipping the mask on that he'd worn the first time ('d met him' The hard, unwavering, killing machine, the mercenary that wouldn't blink when he killed a man for lesser crimes' /nd for the first time since ('d known him, he scared me, because ( knew deep down, he blamed me for 9ilith's act of revenge' &( want =arlisle here,& ( muttered, looking back at my hands' The whole fucking room felt scattered and unorgani3ed without his presence' 4e'd never made a decent decision without him before, and this time, the sub,ect was so fucking important that ( needed him' ( needed his precise planning, his calm command of the room, and the control over his son, because $dward looked like he was about to blow, and ( was pretty sure it wasn't me that could calm him down this time' &5e's on his way, #ellissima,& /lec answered, coming to kneel beside me' &They're in the air, okay!& &7n paper,& Benny continued, &$dward and =arlisle ,ust look like they came from money' / regular background check on them both ,ust shows their tours in the /ir +orce, that =arlisle works for Twi Tech, while $dward is a partner in Gravity' Both married, both living in the state of 4ashington, and both trade heavily in the stock e change' $dward's pilot license is there' =arlisle's first marriage is there, and a few properties that he allows to stay in his name' $dward shows no property in his name' /nd that's good'& Benny turned to all of us, his face stern' &$verything that =arlisle did after his retirement from the /ir +orce, but before his position at TT, doesn't e ist'''and $dward's life is blank, up to the time that he married Bella' That's fucking perfect, because =arlisle never wanted his soldiers to be mainstream' There are companies out there that are mercenaries, but he never wanted that' 5e took the ,obs he was handed

in secret, and his clients respected him enough to keep it secret'& &(f we find these assholes, if we get a lock on them,& $mmett started, his fists clenching at his sides' &=arlisle won't ,ust'''follow your lead, Ben' 5e'll go in like hellfire' 5e'll take this as a personal hit on family'& &( am aware of that,& Benny sighed, shaking his head' &/nd ('m prepared for it' ( need you guys to trust me' (f it comes down to that, then we'll have to sit down and work it out' ( can't ,ust'''deputi3e you as agents'& &But $lea3ar can,& #ickey added' &5e's =(/, and he can work under the radar'& &( know this, too,& Benny snorted, rolling his eyes' &/nd he's on his way now' $sme's already called him, and he checked in with me'& /lice's computer beeped, and she spun to look at it' &They dumped the $ pedition, and the /mber /lert worked in 7lympia' Two men and two little girls were spotted ,ust outside of a shopping mall, where a minivan was reported stolen'& &Tell me it's one of those with the satellite systems in it,& 4es said, rushing to her side' &?mm, no,& /lice groaned, shaking her head' &7lder model =hevy, no G:)'& )he and 4es started mapping out where the van was taken, drifting off into their own hushed conversation' &4hat about the other little girl's mother!& /lec asked Benny' &;ou mean, what we're telling her!& he verified, and /lec nodded' &('ve stationed men at her home, waiting for a ransom call that ('m pretty sure will never come' )he's a single, working mother, so there's no money to be had there, but her daughter was not an original target, so she's a casualty in this whole mess' )he has been told it was a random act, that the kidnappers took advantage of Bella being alone with two children' )he's devastated, of course, but as far as her knowledge, it's limited' ('d like to be able to ,ust find /bigail =armichael and bring her back to her mother, without any of this bullshit hitting her ears'& &+uck,& ( sighed, standing up from my chair' &(t's not #rs' =armichael's fault,& ( groaned' &0o' (t's not,& $dward stated, his voice sharp and cold as his folded his arms across his chest, but he looked down at the floor' The whole room tensed, almost inhaling sharply together' ( knew ( could feel $dward's anger in the room like another entity, but if anyone was clueless before, they caught on now' 4hat ( wasn't e pecting was someone to come to my defense' &;o, pretty boy!& #ickey snapped, her (talian temper rising to the surface' &4hy don't you fucking direct that shit toward the right place! 0ot your wife, okay! ('ve heard ,ust

about enough nastiness from you ( can handle today' +ocus that shit on the enemy, not the mother of your child' ;ou're acting like this is totally her fault'& &(sn't it!& he muttered, stalking out the office door and slamming it behind him' ( swallowed thickly, fighting my tears and brushing off hands that were reaching for me' &5e's right' (t is my fault' ( made an enemy in 9ilith when ( lost my temper with her,& ( stated softly, shaking my head' &#aybe,& Benny said soothingly, &but 9ilith 9aray shouldn't have ever been released, Bella' ;ou thought she would be contained, and she wasn't' /ccording to my psych at the office, her file reads like a lifer' )he should never have been allowed to get out, because my psych thinks she's not schi3ophrenic or manic depressive'''but possibly a sociopath * which makes her very aware of everything she's doing, because her actions are matching with what's on paper' 4e're going to find her, and we're going to get those girls back'& &"ight now, it's the blame game between you two,& 4es sighed, his nose wrinkling' &( see it happen with every couple that goes through this type of situation''' ;ou're blaming yourselves and each other'& ( nodded, but said nothing, walking out the door' &9et's get you cleaned up and in bed, sweet2pea,& "ose urged, guiding me toward the house' &('m going to stay with you for a few more hours, and then go get =aleb' =an you handle seeing him if ( bring him here!& &;eah, you can set up in the spare bedroom,& ( said with a nod, unable to grant her access to Bethy's room' ( ,ust'''couldn't. &But you don't have to, "o'& &0o, ( think ( do'& )he took me into mine and $dward's room, pushing and urging me into the bathroom' 7nce the hot water spilled over my face, ( let the tears flow'

#y sleep was fitful and my dreams horrid, and they were filled with tables, knives, and whips' ( relived every minute of my own past of being held against my will * only, in my dreams, my daughter was with me' ( knew when "ose finally left me' The bed felt cold, empty, e cept for #r' Bunny that ( had seemed to cling to during what sleep ( did get' ( looked down at the long, ugly scar on my thigh * the one that #iller had left me * and ( prayed to God that Bethy came out of this unscathed' )he didn't deserve scars, and at

that moment, ( would have happily traded places with her' The house was silent as ( dressed in ,eans and a t2shirt, pulling on sneakers' ( looked at my phone that had been quiet since 9ilith's last call, tucking it into my pocket before heading out into the house' The sun was up, and it looked like someone had set off a bomb in my living room, because casualties were everywhere' #ickey and 7bie were sound asleep on the loveseat, .asper in the chair, and /lec looked like he'd fallen asleep on the floor, watching T-' :apers were strewn, laptops were left open, and the Tflickered, but without volume' 0o one was leaving, no one was giving up, but they crashed out where they fell' ( imagined that Benny, 4es, #ack, and /lice had all stayed in the office, working through the night, and a twinge of guilt caused me to shudder' But ( consoled myself with the knowledge that ('d do the same for any of them' =offee was brewed in the kitchen, and ( could see $dward had cooked in order to focus his frustration on something, though my stomach churned at the thought of anything other than caffeine at the moment' There were pancakes, eggs, a plate of sausages and bacon, not to mention a huge pitcher of orange ,uice' ( supposed it was his way of staying busy, of doing something productive, when we were all ,ust'''waiting' /ccording to the clock on the microwave, it was almost ten in the morning' 5ow had ( slept that long! But rubbing the back of my head answered that question' The bump was smaller, but the split in the skin was tender to the touch' ( hissed, wincing at my own contact, and pulled my hand away quickly' &)till sore!& ( heard behind me, and ( spun to see $dward sitting at our kitchen table, his e pression was unreadable' 5is long, beautiful fingers were wrapped around a coffee mug, and he looked like he hadn't slept at all' &;eah,& ( whispered, grabbing a coffee cup from the cabinet' &The $#Ts think that my head caught the edge of the shower when they slammed me back,& ( e plained as ( poured my coffee, adding sugar' &;ou should eat something,& $dward said, leaning back in his chair, but his ga3e was outside the kitchen window, not directed at me' &0ot hungry,& ( murmured, hating the tension between us, because we ,ust should've said what we were feeling, but we didn't, until it was too late' #aybe it was because we were completely surrounded by everyone we knew, and we'd always worked things out privately' #aybe it was because ( felt guilty and lost, when normally ( would be focused and working towards the ne t step, but the loss of my daughter felt like a lost limb, like only half of my brain was working' /nd $dward was so fucking pissed off that he couldn't fi any of it, it radiated off of him like a fever'

&7f course not,& he muttered, shaking his head' &6on't wait until you make yourself sick, Bella'& ( flinched at the sound of my name coming from him, because it spat out of his mouth like a foul word' &('m not,& ( countered, shaking my head and walking to the fridge' &('m still queasy'& &4ell, don't use all the milk, either,& he growled, standing up' &7ther people may want some when they get up, and ( can't e actly get to the store right now'& That was it' ( couldn't take it' ( spun around, slamming the refrigerator' &)top fucking snapping at me, $dward8 >eep the fucking milk8 .esus =hrist' 4hy don't you really say what you're thinking! 7r can you look me in the fucking eye long enough!& &4hy didn't you check the fucking bathroom, Bella!& he yelled, slamming his hands down on the counter, his eyes a fiery ire' &4hy didn't you watch the barn!& ( countered' &4e weren't e actly vigilant at the fucking farm, but they had to have run out the back'& &;ou should've at least noticed your fucking surroundings,& he stated, running a hand through his hair' &6amn, didn't your +B( training teach you anything!& ( barely noticed that the archway from the living room was now filling with everyone' $ven 4es and $mmett had flown in through the front door' &That's rich coming from the man that can out run everyone in this fucking room, yet you let her go, $dward8& ( yelled, and the sob that struck my body was actually painful from head to toe' ( had to lean on the counter to keep from falling to my knees and curling up' &They had a fucking gun to her head, Bella8& he shouted back, his face pained, and ( knew ('d hit the nail on the head with him' 5e was beating himself up over watching her drive away, but what he said ne t negated everything' &#aybe'''& he snapped, pointing to me, &maybe if you hadn't been such a vindictive bitch with this fucking lunatic, we wouldn't be in this fucking mess to begin with8& )everal things happened all at once' #y coffee cup hit the tile, shattering into a thousand pieces, and steamy coffee splashed throughout the kitchen' The front door slammed open at the same time my knees finally gave out, because the other half of my heart * the half that wasn't aching for my child, but the part that belonged to my husband * ,ust obliterated right there on the spot' 5ands grabbed me at the same time that ( heard yelling voices, slamming doors, and what sounded like fighting, but none of it mattered, because my vision went black'

E!"#$!
#y world was swimming in red, the same fucking red that ('d seen when ( reali3ed someone had hurt my wife, taken my child, and ( wasn't fast enough to stop any fucking bit of it' ( hated myself for all of it' ( ,ust felt so useless and out of control, and all ( could see was ,ust'''red' ( felt angry and heartbroken and ,ust fucking'''wrecked' ( fucking knew this shit wasn't completely Bella's fault, but it was easier to be mad than break down and fall at her feet, though neither of those things would get Bethy back' #ad, ( could do' #ad, ( was used to and ( fed off of, but wanting to sob, wanting to cry and scream and grip the only person in the room that completely understood * because Bella really knew me * made me feel weak, like ( could lose every,fucking,thing' ( couldn't lose her, too, damn it, but ( was pushing her away, nonetheless' )omething in me broke the very second ( watched a man point a gun at my Bethy's head' 5ad it been a member of my crew, or even Bella, ( would've fought, would've aimed my fucking gun and pulled the goddamn trigger, because my crew and my wife would have been able to fight with me' But not my three year old daughter' The odds were stacked against her, because ( couldn't have a stray bullet go near her, ( couldn't let an innocent like /bby die, and there was no way in hell ( could calculate getting to either of them before the man in the car fired his own weapon' ( couldn't take the chance, but the waiting * the motherfucking, tortuous waiting * was killing me' 4e had to do what this cra3y woman said to the letter, or ( could lose my child and someone else's' The soldier in me wanted blood, wanted revenge, wanted someone's head on a stick, but the father in me had to wait, and it was a conflict that ( couldn't reconcile' /t all' ( was at odds with myself in so many ways, ( was practically spinning' ( was ,ust'''treading water to stay afloat' ( was trying to help, but nothing ( said or thought of could work unless we knew all the information, and in order to get the information, ( had to rely on'''well, everyone' ( was angry at Bella for putting us in this situation in the first place, but ( knew that it had happened years before she met me' ( felt betrayed, though ( shouldn't have, but most of all, ( ,ust felt'''lost' ( needed to do something, and ( couldn't, and that led to the e plosion in my own kitchen with the one person ( needed the most' The very second ( saw her wander into the kitchen, ( wanted to grip her, pull her to me, beg her to ,ust'''let me hold her, but her emptiness, her lack of fight pissed me off' ( knew she was not only hurt physically, but the loss of Bethy was ,ust about to kill her, not to mention she had to be beating herself up, and ( wasn't helping by shutting myself off from her' ( should have been holding her up, with her holding me up in

return' ( should've been forcing her to plan and plot and focus her hurt into anger, but ( couldn't, because ( was right there with her' (t was only when she'd finally had enough of my shit that ( saw that ('d pushed past her limit' ( don't know why ('d said the things ( had' 4hy does any couple fight! 4hy is it when you're hurting, you want the rest of the world to suffer, too! /nd why, when you need that one person the most, do you try your damnedest to sabotage everything that used to be fucking perfect! ;eah, ( didn't have the answer, either, because ('d lost my ever loving mind' The very second the words were out of my mouth, ( regretted them, because ( broke her' /nd it wasn't fucking fair of me, because ('d sworn ages ago never to hurt her, and ( ,ust had * horribly' (t was cruel and wrong, but before ( could fall at her feet like ('d wanted to, my ass was snatched up from behind and thrown out my own front door and into my front yard' 4hen ( spun around to see who had grabbed me, a fist connected at full speed and force to my face, and ( fell to my knees with a grunt' &+uck8& ( snarled, holding my nose, only to pull my hand back to see blood on my fingers' &4hat the fucking hell!& ( sneered, looking up and flinching back when my father pulled his fist back again' &( told you once,& he said, his voice eerily calm, but laced with a threat, &that if you ever called Bella that, ('d break your nose, son' 4hat the holy fuck is wrong with you! ( could hear you all the way out to my fucking car'& &6ad,& ( breathed, though it wasn't easy, because ( think the asshole really had broken my nose' .ust seeing him, and the relief that he brought with him, caused me to come unhinged' &( don't know8& ( said, not even bothering to hide my emotions from him, my eyes swimming with blurry tears' &They fucking took her, 6ad' /nd we can't fucking find her'& Two steps, and he was standing in front of me, pulling me into his arms' ( was still on my knees, but ( wrapped my arms around him as his hands gripped my shoulders' &( know, son,& he sighed as ( ,ust utterly lost my shit, &but you can't blame her, $dward' (t's not her fault' This shit happened years ago' (f we went by those rules, then she should blame us all for =harlie's death,& he stated, his voice thicker, raspier than ( e pected' &6o you honestly think she did it on purpose!& &0o,& ( mumbled into his ,acket, but he pulled me back, giving me a dangerously raised eyebrow' &0o8& &But look what you've done,& he said through gritted teeth, pointing toward the house' &6o you have any fucking idea what she could possibly be thinking, because she's been there!& he growled, gripping my chin and forcing me to look up at his pissed off face,

only to turn it back at the house' &)he's got to be thinking the very worst case scenario, and it's probably scaring her to fucking death, $dward' ( know you love Bethy, but she's her mother' 5er mother, son8 They shared blood and heartbeats for nine fucking months8& Through my screen door, ( saw /lec carrying my wife, who was almost limp with e haustion and grief, through my living room, only to disappear down the hallway' I had done that * me * and ( pushed my father away, retching off to the side and losing everything out of my stomach' -isions of her sweet, trusting eyes as ( pulled her out of #iller's dungeon flooded me with memories, causing me to gag again' ( had ,ust destroyed that trust, that perfect thing we had, because if anyone knew what Bethy and /bby could possibly be going through, it was Bella, and ('d been so wrapped up in my own misery that ( hadn't even given it a thought' Bella's time in captivity had been the worst three days of torture and blood and abuse and ,ust plain hell, so her mind would automatically associate her e perience with this' /nd ( knew that she'd rather die than for our daughter to even know about those things, much less e perience them' &;ou're supposed to work together, son,& he started, his voice a little softer as he pulled me up onto my feet, &not tearing each other apart' (f you want to find your daughter, then you have to work with Bella, not against her'& ( spat vomit, blood, and snot down onto the ground, finally meeting my father's ga3e as ( ran a hand through my hair' &4e can't do anything until we hear from them, or until Benny can locate them,& ( told him, and even to my own ears, my voice sounded dead, but a touch whiny' &( know,& he said with a nod, looking back at me with a hard look, &and ('ll talk to Benny in a moment, but first'''('d like to see my goddaughter'& ( noticed he didn't say daughter2in2law, and ( grimaced at the tone he was using with me, as if ('d lose my temper again, ,ust to give him a reason to punch me one more time' 0o thank you' 5e might be retired and have a touch of gray at his temples, but the man had a helluva right fucking hook' &( should'''& ( started to say that ( needed to apologi3e, but he held his hand up' &6on't' +irst thing you're going to do is have $sme put your nose back, because despite how upset Bella probably is with you, she'll kick my ass for messing up your pretty face,& he ordered, pointing toward the house and rolling his eyes' &Go, and then the two of us are going to sit down with Benny' ( want to know every,fucking,thing'& ( stepped into my house, avoiding the angry glances .asper, #ickey, 7bie, and $mmett were casting in my direction, and ( didn't fucking dare look at )am, who was looming

,ust behind the doorway, because ( knew he'd kill me for hurting his &little one'& 7nly one person dared to walk up into my face' &( love you like a brother, kid,& /lec sneered, shaking his head, &but if you ever talk to her that way again, ('ll take you out myself' $apisce!& ( nodded, looking away from his livid face into my kitchen, where $sme was leaning against the counter' The pieces of Bella's coffee mug were piled into a little stack, and its spilled contents were already cleaned up' &=ome here, $dward,& she said softly, pointing to the chair ('d been sitting in when Bella had walked in only minutes before' &)it,& she ordered, taking a deep breath' 5er face held disappointment, weariness from travel, and a sadness that seemed to be contagious around this house' ( did as she asked, only after watching my dad disappear down my hall' $sme walked around my counter, opened a cabinet underneath, and came back, carrying a first aid kit' &This will really hurt, son,& she warned me' &( tried to stop him, but he was too angry'& &( deserved it,& ( sniffled, closing my eyes when her hands gently cupped my face' 5er thumbs braced on either side of my nose, wrenching quickly to the right' The resounding crack of my cartilage snapping back to where God had originally intended it to be echoed through the house' Groans from the other room, along with my own long growl of pain, followed right behind it' &6amn it8& ( hissed, squee3ing my eyes as tears of pain flowed down my face' &6on't move,& she commanded, taking two pieces of rolled up gau3e and shoving them up each nostril' &$sme'''( need to see her,& ( begged, now sounding all stuffy and nasally' &;ou will,& she assured me, carefully wiping my tears and blood away, only to continue to hold my face' &( know you didn't mean it, son' /nd ( know this is killing you, but you're not alone, sweetie'& &But ( left her that way,& ( murmured, finishing her thoughts for her and looking away from her calm face that was filled with patience and understanding' &;es, you did'& )he kissed my forehead' &( love you like you were my own, $dward' ('ve told you before, and ('ll say it again' /nger isn't always going to help you' Tilt your head back for a minute, 'til the bleeding slows,& she instructed, and ( found myself ga3ing up at my kitchen ceiling' &('ve always trusted the two of you to find your own way' ;ou've done it from the very beginning' ;ou trusted each other and talked everything out, even when Bella got pregnant'&

( started to look back at her, but she held me firm' &This is the hardest thing you've ever gone through together, but ( promise you, Bella would rather face #iller again than to lose her child,& $sme's voice carried with it a deep seated sadness' (t was a sadness from e perience, because she'd lost a child once' &( know,& ( sighed, swallowing nervously' &( ,ust''' ( felt so helpless, $sme' ( couldn't stop any of it'& &;ou're surrounded by the best people, the smartest people, the bravest people ('ve ever had the pleasure of knowing,& she said softly, checking the bridge of my nose with a careful but knowledgeable hand' &But you need us all'''and that includes your wife'& )he pulled my face back up, locking eyes with me' &4e'll get those girls back, but only if we're all on the same page'& )he paused, eying me for a moment' &/s a therapist, ( understand your anger and your need to lash out' /s a wife and a mother, though, if you ever do it again, this,&Bshe tweaked my nose gentlyB&will seem like nothing compared to what happens when ( get ahold of you, let alone what will happen if that group in the other room gets their hands on you'& 5er raised eyebrow at me did more damage than the punch my father put to my face, though ('m sure it was the latter that helped pull my head out of my ass' ( nodded at her as my father strolled back into the living room' &$veryone, outside,& he ordered, pointing toward the office' &( need to'''& ( started to argue, but his ga3e softened' &)he's fine and she's eaten something, but that bump on her head is really bad,& he stated, pulling me aside as everyone left through the screen door' &But she's asked me to tell you that she wants to see you after you've brought me up to speed, and she'd like to talk to $sme first'& #y heart clenched, but ( nodded in acquiescence, shoving my hands into my front pockets' ( sighed, reali3ing that at least one of us was thinking more clearly than the other, because we'd really needed my dad' 5e started to guide me out of the house, but ( stopped him' &?mm, thanks for coming,& ( murmured, feeling silly for saying it' &( really need you on this'''& #y voice trailed off, because despite how much he was probably fucking worried as hell for Bethy, he was really ama3ing at channeling that into a way to find her, whereas, ('d lost my mind' 5e stopped, gripped my shoulder, and nodded' &9et's see how we can get our girl back, huh!&

&6amn it, $dward,& my dad sighed in frustration' &+ocus, son8& 4e'd been bringing my father up to speed on everything we knew, but it had taken an hour' &( can't breathe with this shit,& ( huffed, tugging out the gau3e that $sme had shoved up my nose, much to the disgust of the girls in the room, and tossed them into the garbage' &/sshole didn't have to break my fucking nose,& ( muttered, shooting my father an angry glance' 5is face gla3ed over with a touch of amusement, before he said, &;ou're lucky that's all ( broke' 0ow'''tell me what 9ilith said to you in the last call'& &( can do better than that,& Benny said, spinning in his chair and playing the last call that we'd heard, because he'd been sharp enough to record it' The fact that we hadn't heard from her again was making the entire room on edge, but 4es and Benny kept telling us that it was a good thing, that it was giving us more time to find her first' The longer 9ilith took to set up &her plan,& the more time it gave us to find out more information about the people she knew' ( stood up abruptly from my chair when ( heard Bethy and /bby in the background' (t was worse the second time around, because /lice was able to isolate them away from 9ilith's electronically altered voice' &)hh, shh, shh,& /lice hissed, turning off 9ilith altogether and ,ust bringing up background sounds' &9isten'& &=ome on, kids,& a male voice urged' &;ou gotta eat something, and you gotta take this medicine'& / part of me wanted to re,oice when ( heard Bethy, but ( had to bite back my tears, too, because she sounded angry and scared' &('m n2not sick8& she snapped' &( want my mommy, and ( want my daddy' 5e w2won't like y2you,& she told him bravely' There were soft cries woven in there, as well, which ( could only assume to be /bby' The dynamic between the two little girls couldn't be greater, and ( imagined that my daughter was taking the forefront, because she knew her little friend was shy' Bethy was anything but shy'

( fell down hard into the closest chair, burying my hands into my hair' &+uck,& ( hissed, feeling so fucking helpless that it was stifling' &God, she sounds like Bella,& #ickey noted with a touch of pride' &But why were the voices muted like that!& &)ounds to me like the kids were in another room, being taken care of by the men, while 9ilith made the phone call,& /lice stated, studying her computer screen and not looking our way' &('ve tried to isolate other sounds, but ( could only pick up a few things'& This time, she did turn to us' &( could hear traffic, a bu33ing sign, and what sounded like the bell of a railroad crossing' But this was the best sound,& she said, hitting a button on the keyboard' &Go get some ice from the machine down at the end of the hall,& another male voice stated, and /lice stopped the playback' &/ hotel,& .asper nodded' &)weet .esus, that's perfect,& he breathed' &;es, ('m running a hotel check throughout the area where the van was taken,& Benny stated, but he didn't sound as hopeful as ('d thought he would' &('m not sure what name we're looking for, and ('m pretty sure that they'll have paid with cash' (f they've got a plan, they'll be ultra careful until they get back to us'& &But why haven't they called back!& ( asked, sitting forward and leaning my elbows on my knees' &#y guess is,& 4es mused as he paced along the back of the room, &that they have a goal as to where they want to be when they finally ask for the money' They'll want to set up' /nd it's not hurting them to make you sweat'& &7h $dward,& Benny winced, shaking his head' &:lease control yourself with what ('m about to say, but ('m willing to bet that'''Bella will be a negotiating stipulation when they finally ask' They'll want her and the money in trade for those girls'& ( was shaking my head no before he even finished the sentence' &0o, no, no8& ( yelled, standing back up' &( can't lose her, too8& &;ou won't'& #y dad stood up, placing a hand on my shoulder' &But Benny's right' This 9ilith may want Bella, instead, because it was Bella that offended her to begin with' Taking Bethy and /bby was ,ust a way to get to what they really wanted * Bella and the money'& ( shook my head again, because this time, ( ,ust couldn't take any more without talking to Bella' &( need''' ( have to talk to her,& ( finally said, begging my dad to finish this without me' 5e studied my face, took a deep breath, and let me go' ( ran across my yard and burst

into my house, meeting $sme in my living room' &5ow is she!& ( asked, letting $sme check my nose before she answered' &)he refused meds or anything that would settle her down,& she told me softly, &but ( did take a look at that cut on her head' (t's healing well, but ( imagine she's dealing with a concussion' )he may be asleep when you go back there'& &(s it''' ( mean, should she sleep!& &(t's been long enough since she received it, so she should be fine,& she said with a nod' &)he ,ust'''worried herself sick, $dward'& ( nodded, swallowing back guilt and fear' &( need to see her'''talk to her'& ( didn't wait for $sme's permission, but she stepped aside for me anyway' ( strode down the hallway, cracking our bedroom door open gently' 4hat ( saw broke my heart' Bella was sleeping on my side of the bed, her whole body curled around Bethy's #r' Bunny' 5er feet moved, kicking the covers off, and her entire frame wracked with a shiver as she called out in her sleep' &$dward'''& she whimpered' &;ou promised'''& ( flinched, shaking my head' ( had promised * so many fucking things. ('d promised to never hurt her, to always love her, wait for her, be patient for her' But my most recent promise that ('d shattered into oblivion was that ('d promised to be there for her when she finally told me about 9ilith''' &no matter what'& ('d promised her after making love to her in the hospital ,anitor's closet that nothing she could ever tell me would change my love for her' /nd ( was there for her, but ('d turned on her when things went to fucking hell' ( rushed to her, crawling up behind her and breathing her in as best ( could through my still very sore nose' &7h God, Bella, ('m sorry,& ( groaned, pulling her back to my chest and burying my face into her neck' &)o fucking sorry'& Bella stirred awake, rolling over to face me' &$dward,& she gasped, gripping me to her like a lifeline' &:lease don't hate me,& she begged' &('m sorry''' ( didn't mean any of it' ( should've told you sooner about 9ilith' ('m sorry ( didn't check the bathroom''' (t's all my fault' /ll of it8& &)top,& ( hushed her gently' &(2(t's me, baby' (2('m the one th2that should a2apologi3e,& ( sputtered, not even bothering to hide it or the fact that ( couldn't hold her tight enough' &( was an ass, Bella' ('m so fucking sorry'''& ( planted kisses to her forehead, nose, and chin' &( was ,ust''' ( feel so helpless, love' ( miss her''' so fucking much8& / tidal wave of emotions e ploded between us, and we held each other until we'd both calmed down' Bella buried her face in my neck, her arm wrapped around my head as

she gripped my hair' #ore apologies from each of us sniffled out between us, along with closer hugs and reassuring kisses' ( pulled back to look at her, brushing her hair from her face' &('''( c2can't d2do this without y2you, sweetness,& ( admitted softly as she wiped tears away from my face' &( ,ust c2can't' (''' ;ou''' (t was so fucking hard to watch her go, Bella'& &( know,& she cried, her own tears continuing to leak down her face so fast that it was impossible to stem the flow' &( know that must've killed you,& she soothed, running her fingers through my hair' 5ow she could soothe me after all that ('d said to her, ('d never understand, but she was comforting me and ( took it, because ( needed her more now than ever' /nd ( would always need her' &( couldn't get to her, baby,& ( purged, finally telling the one person that would really ,ust get it' &/nd ( couldn't risk stray bullets or mistakes' (f it had been you, ( would have fought my way to you, because you would have fought, too'''but Bethy'''she can't'''and ('''& &(t's okay, baby,& she sighed, kissing my lips to stop my rushing words' &( know you were scared, $dward, and ( know you were mad'& )he sat up, swiping at her tears with the back of her hand' &:lease don't hate me,& she begged again' &( don't8 ( could never,& ( vowed, sitting up in front of her' &( love you'''so fucking much' ( can't hate you' (2('''w2was ,ust s2so s2scared, baby' ( was''' a fucking idiot.& ( huffed in frustration, not knowing how to spit it out any other way, but ( looked up to see a ghost of a smile flicker across her face' &;ou were,& she agreed, kissing my lips quickly, &but ( was a coward for not telling you everything sooner'''and not very observant, it would seem'& )he paused, tilting her gorgeous head at me, and she was still beautiful to me, despite the red nose and puffy eyes' )he traced her finger gently under my eyes' &;ou need sleep, baby,& she whispered, her brow furrowing, &and is that'''blood!& she gasped, swiping her thumb under my nose, but pulling back when ( winced' &4hat the hell'''& &;our godfather defended your honor,& ( said dryly' &=arlisle'''punched you!& she yelled' &4hy!& &)top, sweetness,& ( soothed, cupping her sweet, but slowly angering face' &( deserved it' ( should never have called you what ( did'& &But he punched you!& she asked again incredulously' ( snorted into a chuckle, shaking my head, because my father was right' 0o matter how pissed Bella was at me, she would never want to see me hurt' &(' 6eserved' (t,& ( stated firmly' &/nd ( will live' 7kay!&

&5mph,& she huffed, rolling her eyes, before looking down at #r' Bunny, who was still in her lap' &( miss her,& she whispered' &#e, too,& ( sighed, playing with the rabbit's ear, before looking up at my wife' &/nd ( need you' ( need your help, baby'& &('m sorry ('ve been out of it,& she groaned, shaking her head and reaching back to touch the spot where she was hurt' &9et me see'& ( turned her a bit, pulling back her hair to see the pretty deep cut that was surrounded by a damn big bruise' ( kissed it ever so softly' &"ose was right,& ( admitted' &They did this shit on purpose'''to take you out completely'& &;ou were listening,& she said, not asking, but nodding like she'd suspected as much' &;eah,& ( said, my nose wrinkling a bit' &( was an ass, Bella, but ( wasn't far from you at any time'& )he nodded, playing with #r' Bunny' &4hat have ( missed!& &0ot much, but you should hear what /lice got out of the last phone call,& ( told her, unable to fight my smile' &7ur girl'''she's tough'& &;eah!& +or the first time since the farm, a true smile drifted up her face' (t was pride and love, with a touch of worry thrown in there' &=an ( hear!& &=ome on,& ( commanded, hopping off of the bed and holding my hand out for her' )he ,oined me, though #r' Bunny stayed in her clutches' ( linked our fingers together, bringing the back of her hand up to my lips' &Together, we can get her back, love,& ( whispered against the side of her head, pulling her to me' &;ou'll never know how sorry ( am' ( never meant a word ( said'& )he nodded against my lips, looking up at me and studying my face' &There's something else, isn't there!& ( nodded, vowing to myself not to hold back from her anymore' &;eah, there is' =ome on'''& ( squee3ed her hand' &4e really have to talk about it'& )he let me pull her from the house out to the office' 5ow could ( tell her that she could possibly be used for trade for her own daughter! 5ow could ( not! 4hat bothered me the most was that ( knew for a fucking fact that she would go without question, and that scared the living hell out of me'

CHAPTER 6
%ET'(
The light was bright when someone turned it on, and ( ,umped and covered my eyes with my hands' &Get up, you brats,& the mean man yelled' 5e was the man from the farm, who was there when ( wanted to ride the horse, and the car ride to where we were now' 5e wasn't nice at all' ( tried hard not to cry, because the last time /bby and ( did, it made the mean man so angry at us' 5e yelled and took away our dinner' The lady had to make him put away his gun' Guns were dangerous' ( knew that, 'cause 6addy said so' &.esus, >enny, could you be more of an ass!& the other man asked, pushing him away' &Go pack your shit'& ( sat up in bed ne t to /bby' ( was still sleepy, because ( didn't like strange beds' ( liked it when my mommy and daddy woke me up or when ( could wake them up' ( missed them' ( wanted #ommy's hugs and 6addy's breakfast' /bby wiggled away from them, closer to me' &6on't t2touch8& ( told him, because #ommy always told me no one could touch me if ( didn't want them to' >enny went back to the room ne t door and left us with the man with black hair like /unt /lice' This man wasn't as mean as >enny' ( didn't like him at all' &+ine, ( won't touch,& he said, holding up his hands and rolling his eyes' &But we gotta get going, so up' 7utta bed'& /bby tugged my shirt' &:otty,& she whispered' &;eah, yeah, potty,& the man said' &Go on'''the both of ya'& 4e ran to the bathroom and closed the door' /bby helped me with my overalls and whispered, &( wanna go home'& &#y daddy and mommy will come,& ( whispered back' &'=ause ('m not suh2posed to be away from home, e cept at :oppy's house' /nd he's wif Gamma on their hummy2 moon'& 4e washed our hands in the sink and came back out into the room' The black2haired man was eating a doughnut' &"eady now!& he asked, after taking a great big bite' &6on't t2talk wif your m2mouth full,& ( told him' &;2;ou'll ch2choke'&

&God, kid, gimme a break, will ya!& he sighed, kneeling down in front us' &( don't like this shit any more than you do, okay! 5ang in there for me'& &( want my daddy,& ( told him, folding my arms across my chest, because my daddy would never like these people' &/nd you said a bad word'& &Believe me, much longer with 9ilith, and I'll want your daddy,& he chuckled, holding out two doughnuts to me and /bby' &4e have a place we gotta go, kids' .ust'''eat for me' (t'll be over soon'& 5e stood up when we took our breakfast' &5ow we got through group therapy together, ('ll never know'& &#ister'''& ( said, tugging on his shirt until he knelt in front of me again' &>urt, Bethy, okay! ;ou can use my name,& he sighed, shaking his head' &(t won't make a difference'& &>2>urt'''where are we going!& ( asked' 5is nose wrinkled kind of funny' &4e're going to see if your mommy and daddy think you're worth a lot of money' But it's a long car ride to get there'& ( smiled' &#ommy says ('m priceless'& >urt snickered and nodded' &)ure, kid' 9et's hope so'&

%E&&#
( lightly brushed an errant curl from $dward's forehead' 5e hadn't slept in over twenty2 four hours, and had finally succumbed to his weariness about an hour after he'd had /lice play Bethy's voice for me' 5e was right1 our girl was tough, but she was scared, sounding almost belligerent with the people that were holding her' (t happened when she was tired, scared, and uncomfortable with her surroundings' (f she didn't like someone, she didn't hold back' /nd that thought scared the fucking hell out of me, because when the hostage didn't e actly cooperate, the kidnappers tended to lose their patience * and ( should know' $dward sighed, shifting in his sleep, and ( looked down at him' 4as ( still mad at him! 0o, ( needed him and loved him too much to hold anything against him' 5ad what he'd said hurt me! /bsolutely, but everything we'd spat at each other was only said in the heat of the moment * with our hearts hurting * and it wasn't anything ( wasn't already berating myself over' +ighting wasn't e actly foreign to $dward and me, but we'd always apologi3ed at the end of it, and always moved on' )ometimes, our thick2headed natures didn't always mesh' 4e were strong people independently from each other, but together, we were ,ust'''better' 4e'd forgotten that

in the blink of an eye' (t helped that ( ,ust knew $dward' ( could see what he was doing, see that he was putting up defensive walls' (t had ,ust been so long since the last time he'd done that with me that ('d totally forgotten how to deal with it' (t didn't help that ( was folding in on myself, either' The house was quiet again' There had been no word from 9ilith, no phone calls, and most of our crew and friends were taking advantage of either a few hours sleep or the chance to go home and freshen up' =arlisle, $sme, and /lice were still here, the latter of which finally took a break, let me feed her, shove her in a shower, and force a nap on her' But she didn't stay down long, launching herself up from the sofa to go back to her computers' $mmett and "ose were on their way back from their house' They went to get =aleb from "ose's parents' ('d already set up the spare room for them, including Bethy's old crib' They'd balked at first, because they thought =arlisle and $sme would need the room, but =arlisle opted to catnap when he could, and $sme said she'd sleep later in my bed, once $dward woke up' )am and /lec had gone to the airport to pick up $lea3ar, $ric, and +eli , a thought that ,ust made me shake my head' #y whole house was turning into a military base' )o much help was pouring in, and * as of right this moment * there was nowhere to direct it' 4es and Benny split their time in the office and out in the field' Benny paid a visit to #rs' =armichael, ,ust to check in, ,ust to show that he was investigating /bby's disappearance, but he didn't give her much information' ( could imagine she was having a worse time of it than $dward and ( were, because at least we knew something' )he was completely in the dark * and being a single parent, she was utterly alone' The lab results came in from everything the +eds had found at the campgrounds, the bathroom at the farm, and the )?- that 9ilith's men had dumped in 7lympia' /ll the fingerprints confirmed who we had assumed we were dealing with * >urt -ernon, >enny :orter, "usty =arnes, and 9ilith 9aray' The only one we couldn't tie in yet was 4alter Bridges, the young doctor from )hady Glen' (t was already late in the afternoon, but 4es had decided to pay the mental facility a visit himself' 5e was having a chat with 6r' -ernon about his son * >urt * and 9ilith, and ( was pretty sure 4es wasn't going to be kind about it, because he was nothing if not pissed about this whole fucking case' 6r' -ernon and 6r' Bridges were the only employees at that facility that had thrown up red flags when /lice and #akenna had poured through the files'

4ith one last kiss to $dward's smooth brow, ( slid off the bed, took a quick shower, and got dressed' ( tiptoed through my living room, trying my damnedest not to giggle at a cuddling =arlisle and $sme asleep in front on my T-' They were taking up the whole sofa' ( knew they were tired from traveling and grief at the loss of Bethy, not to mention having to come in and play refs between $dward and me, so ( stayed quiet as ( passed by' ( walked straight out to the office, finding it almost empty, e cept for /lice and a snoo3ing .asper in one of the conference table chairs' 5is feet were up on the table and his head was back, a soft snore escaping him every other breath' &4ake him, and ('ll cheerfully beat you,& /lice snickered, handing me a cup of coffee' &5e rarely sleeps as it is'& &;eah, $dward ,ust crashed, too,& ( told her, following her back into her office' &/nything!& &4es ,ust checked in' 5e's at )hady Glen,& she said, pulling up a spreadsheet on her screen' &('m still looking into hotels around the :ortland and 7lympia areas' ('m not having much luck, because if one person checked them in and someone else snuck the girls into the room, then no one is going to match the descriptions ('m sending them * which is the dead end ('m running into'& )he took a sip of coffee and sighed' &/re you and $dward okay!& &;es,& ( told her' &4e ,ust'''& &9ost it,& she finished for me' &(t's understandable, really' But ( was considering removing his balls forcefully and mounting them over my computers like a trophy'& ( grinned, nudging her with my elbow' &('d like to keep him in one piece, pi ie,& ( giggled, but sobered up quickly' &5e loves Bethy so much' )he's his little mini me, you know!& ( started, and /lice nodded for me to go on' &/nd remember, he's always panicked when it came to my safety since the beginning * you know, #iller' ( ,ust think the combination of me getting hurt, Bethy getting taken, and his inability to stop any of it was ,ust too much for him'& &;ou e pected it,& she stated, looking at me intently' &( don't know what to e pect, /lice,& ( sighed, shaking my head and looking down at my cup of coffee' &( ,ust know we need to get my baby back, and ( can't imagine how $dward felt when he watched Bethy drive away'& ( teared up for a second, leaning into /lice when she wrapped an arm around me' &/nd what's going to happen if 9ilith wants you in trade!& /lice asked in a whisper, because that had been the one thing $dward had held back from me'

7nce he'd told me Benny's theory, ('d accepted it, but ( wasn't sure how ( felt about it' ( really wasn't sure ( trusted 9ilith to make that kind of request' The bitch was cra3ier than a shit2house rat' ('d been in captivity before and it was the worst of the worst, so anything else seemed mild in comparison' &(f ('m prepared, ( could do it' The goal is to get the girls back, right!& ( asked her' )he stared at me for a moment, and then back at her screens, before ,umping up from her seat to start pacing' &7kay, okay, okay,& she muttered, rubbing her forehead' &4e could'''send you in packing'''well, everything' ( could rig your clothes with small knives, lock picks, and G:) trackers' ( could mark the money in a way they wouldn't see'''& )he paused, turning to me' &( could put it all on you in places that no one pats down' /nd with this group of nut ,obs and criminals, they'll never suspect it'& ( smirked up at her' &Good to know, /lice' .ust'''hold onto that thought, okay!& )he smiled and nodded, sitting back down ne t to me' &7kay' 0o prob'& 7ne of the computers signaled with an incoming email, and /lice glanced up at it, a small smile spreading over her face' &4ell, looky here,& she sang softly, pulling up the message' &(t seems our dear friend 6r' 4alter Bridges is a no show at home and work' Thank you, 4es,& she whispered to the screen' &4alter's parents have money, right!& ( asked, pulling a keyboard closer to me' &9et's see what property they own' .ust because they've cut the purse strings, doesn't mean he still can't use #om and 6ad another way'& ( pulled up a search, inputting in 4alter's parents' names' The list that pulled up was long and included several states' &4ell,& ( huffed, scrolling through the list' &They reside most of the time in :ortland' ;ou know, ,ust the simple three2point2two million dollar home, guard gate, four car garage, swimming pool'''& /lice giggled, looking over my shoulder' &#ust suck' 4hat else!& &/ beach cottage in =alifornia'''a few strip malls'''an apartment building in )eattle,& ( read off the list' The last one made me look over at her' &That address looks familiar' :ull it up'& &( don't have to,& /lice stated, pointing to the file in front of her' &That's the apartment that both >urt and 9ilith were supposedly moving to'& )he glanced back up at me' &6ear 6r' 4alter was their reference for moving in'''& &(magine that,& ( mumbled, moving on down the list' &0e t, there's a cabin in the preserve of 7regon'''and a warehouse ,ust this side of the =alifornia state line' 4ell, now'''& ( mused, rubbing my temple' &Those two are certainly something to look into'

6on't you think!& ( asked, and /lice nodded, but we both looked up when someone ,oined us' &6efinitely,& =arlisle said in answer to my question, coming in and sitting ne t to us' &;ou looked awfully cute on my couch, =arlisle,& ( teased him without taking my eyes off the computer screen' 5e chuckled, kissing the side of my head' &('ve slept in worse places, Bella' 5ow are you feeling!& ( turned to look at him' 5e was asking about more than the bump on my head1 he was asking about his son, as well' 4hen he'd shown up in my room ,ust after $dward and ( e ploded, ('d never been so glad to see him' ('d fallen into his arms, emotionally spent' 5e'd held me tight, whispering that he was sorry about Bethy, that $dward didn't mean it, that his son was more like him than he'd like to admit' 5e'd reminded me of $li3abeth's letter that $dward had read at the wedding, about how =arlisle had been gruff and sharp tongued' 5e'd said it wasn't right what $dward did, but tempers were apparently genetic' /nd the last thing he'd said to me was that he'd die finding Bethy for me * for us all' &Better,& ( answered him honestly with a nod' &/nd did you have to punch him in the freakin' face, =arlisle!& ( queried, cocking an eyebrow up at my godfather' &;es,& he stated firmly' &=onsider it like a slap to someone who was in hysterics, Bells' 5e needed to be brought back to his senses, because that's not who my son is''' now'& 5is statement was followed by his own raised eyebrow, and ( reali3ed that =arlisle truly loved his son and only wanted to see him happy, but he also needed his son in control in order to find Bethy' /nd despite his calm demeanor, Bethy's kidnapping was ,ust about to drive her Poppy insane' ( leaned over, kissing his cheek' &5e is finally getting some sleep, but ne t time, ,ust'''smack him upside the head or some shit' 6on't make him bleed,& ( sighed, pulling back' &There won't be a ne t time,& he snorted' /s /lice and ( manned the computers, the place started to fill back up with people' 4here ( was going to put them all, ( had no idea, but they didn't seem to care' (n fact, /lec and )am set up some temporary tents in the open space between the house and office once they came back with $lea3ar, placing a few military type cots inside so someone could take a break if they needed' They even went as far as relieving some of the +eds that were still keeping an eye around the property' =arlisle allowed a few minutes of greetings, but eventually took the three =(/ men into

the conference room to bring them up to speed' ( could hear him in the other room, going over every name and face and location we'd already looked through * everything that was posted on the board' ( was pretty sure the layout of 9afayette's farm was up there, showing where the campsite was located, along with $dward's path toward the @A@' ( found that working, that studying files and lists, evidence and backgrounds, was soothing' /ctually doing something, instead of sitting around in misery, gave me a chance to focus, to calm down for a bit' By the time 4es had returned from )hady Glen and Benny had returned from #rs' =armichael's and his office, night had fallen, and $sme, along with /lec, decided to feed the masses' $mmett and .asper set up our three long outdoor tables $dward had made so long ago, and even some of Benny's officers took a break to eat' ( poked at my food, not really wanting it' (t was hotdogs from the grill with all the fi ings, and it happened to be Bethy's favorite, because she loved her dad's chili, which /lec had found in the free3er' ( couldn't help but smile at how messy she'd get trying to take a bite, spilling half the contents down her front and wearing the other half on her face' / gentle, but warm kiss pressed to my shoulder as $dward's warm body slipped onto the bench beside me, though he straddled it in order to pull me into his arms' &)he'll be mad she missed chili dogs,& he said softly, so only ( could hear him' The table became tense at his arrival, but we ignored them' ( nodded, pushing my plate away that $sme had made me, and leaned into him' 5is strong arms engulfed me completely, and he smelled fresh from the shower, like shampoo and soap' 5e was calmer now, rested, and he felt like home and comfort and strength' Tears stung my eyes as ( fed off of it, burying my face in his chest' &Baby, please eat,& he begged' &;ou need''' ( know it's my fault'''but please, at least eat something'& 5e lifted my face with his fingers under my chin' &Try, okay! +or me! ( know ( d2don't d2deserve shit from y2you, but ( need you to stay strong, love'& 5is nose was a touch swollen and slightly bruised, giving him a wrecked and dangerous look' 5is eyes were earnest and a touch contrite, all bright green and not as tired looking as they had been before his nap, but ( finally heard what ('d needed from him since Bethy had been taken * his complete honesty, topped off with his in2control tone' ( needed that $dward * my $dward' The $dward that was able to fight like a lion, while at the same time holding me with strong, yet gentle arms, telling me that everything would be all right' &( can't'''the chili, $dward,& ( complained, looking at my plate and back to him' (t wasn't

the chili1 it was the memory of Bethy's love for the chili' (t ,ust made my soul hurt that she wasn't there' &Then ('ll make you a plain one, okay!& he whispered, and once again, ( reali3ed we were having this conversation in front of a shit2ton of people, but then again'''we weren't, because they were giving us this private moment' &7kay,& ( finally conceded softly, watching him get up, make three hotdogs, only to bring me back one with ,ust ketchup and mustard' 5e resumed his former position, keeping me close to his chest and between his legs, but silently urging me to eat by setting the hotdog on a clean paper plate in front of me' (t was a sweet, gentle request, but one that was not to be ignored, so ( took a tentative bite, though it tasted like cardboard' )wallowing it was like swallowing sand, but ( ate the damn thing anyway' / file slapped down in the middle of the table, and Benny took a seat across from us, but it was the looming presence of )am behind him that $dward's fierce ga3e locked on' )am was pissed, and ( knew what he was about to say' &)am, don't,& ( said, glaring up at him, but also mentally begging him not to start with $dward, because ( wasn't sure if either would back down at this point' There was too much stress and frustration floating around everyone' &9ittle one, he'''& he started, his fists opening and closing over and over at his side' )am didn't scare me, because ( could see his protective nature when it came to me, but it ,ust wasn't necessary' &)am,& =arlisle warned, looking up from his position at the head of the table' &That's my son'''( handled it'& &$ddie,& )am seethed, ignoring =arlisle altogether, &( will break more than your nose if you don't learn respect for the mother of your child' /m ( clear! +rom what ( could tell, she did nothing wrong'''but she did almost get her neck broken'''& $dward tensed, his fingers gripping the side of the table, but ( watched as he calmed himself down minutely' &=rystal clear, )am' (t won't'''happen again'& 5is voice was thick with his vow, his temper barely under control, but ( wriggled closer to my husband in order to get his attention, because )am didn't look appeased' &)top8& ( commanded' Though my voice wasn't that loud, the table came to a standstill' &( can't do this'''& ( begged, looking to =arlisle, and then Benny' &('m barely keeping it together as it is' Please8 ( need this'''& ( gestured to everyone at the table' &( need this to function together' 7therwise, ('ll lose it'& &Good girl,& $sme praised softly from the other side of "ose, who was sitting ne t to me

with little =aleb in her arms' &There's way too much fucking testosterone around here for my liking,& #ickey stated suddenly with a dramatic sniff from the opposite end, looking around the table, and 7bie tensed * waiting for her temper to e plode, ( supposed' &$veryone needs to calm the fuck down, or we'll never get anything done' :retty boy8& she called, and he spun to look at her' &;ou okay now!& she asked, raising an eyebrow at him' &;ou let off some steam, ( see' Bells, you okay, too!& &;eah,& $dward and ( both said at the same time' &)ee! That's all that matters,& she said, smiling her sarcastically crooked, but beautiful smile' &(t's not about you guys'''it's between them' This is some scary fucking shit, and they're allowed to lose it, and if they've worked shit out, then ('m okay' Benny, please continue,& she huffed, waving at the file he'd slapped onto the table' &('m sure we could all learn from whatever you've brought'& "ose chuckled softly ne t to me' &Better words could not have been spoken,& she chortled, shaking her head and kissing =aleb's forehead' 5e was happily asleep in her arms' =arlisle fought his smile and won, but opted to focus on his plate, instead of the people at the table' #akenna gave /lice a fist bump on the sly, but ( totally saw it' /nd .asper smirked, shaking his head' $mmett didn't look as placated as the rest of the table, but this was my family, my crew' 4e fought, we stated our opinions, and then we got over it' )am stared at #ickey for a split second, only to turn his attention to $dward and me' &)orry, #iss Bella,& he mumbled, before taking a seat' $dward huffed a small nervous laugh, kissing the side of my head' &;eah, sorry, baby,& he whispered to me' &#e, too'& ( nodded, linking our fingers together and turning my attention to Benny, who was clearing his throat' &4es was able to get some information out of 6r' -ernon that ( think you'll all find interesting,& he stated, setting his hotdog down when 4es took over e plaining' &The very second =ooper and ( walked into )hady Glen, that head doc started sweating bullets,& he chuckled, shaking his head, but turned to look at /lice' &That repayment on his mortgage!& he asked, and she nodded, wide eyed and e pectant' &5e's embe33ling money from the insurance companies of the patients'& &)top it8& she gasped, practically choking on her soda' &)o'''what! 5e's charging the insurance companies for treatments he's not giving the patients!&

&Treatments and meds'''and rooms'''& he finished for her' &(t's fucking ridiculous, that place' Two person rooms have four beds, patients are on the wrong meds * or watered down versions of what they should be on * and the staff is neglecting health and cleanliness issues' ( brought in my psych team, a warrant, and basically took over, but another +B( division was already building a case against the whole ,oint' ( arrested 6r' -ernon for the theft, and ('ve got a crew there now to evaluate each and every patient'& &4hat about 9ilith!& ( asked, glancing between Benny and 4es' &)ince we're talking about patients'''& &)he never should have left,& 4es groaned, shaking his head' &( asked -ernon about her and his son, not to mention 6r' Bridges' 6r' -ernon opened up like the best of books'& 5e chuckled, shaking his head again' &5e confessed to everything like ( was his priest' 5e told me >urt found out about the money, and 9ilith overheard an argument between them' %he took that shit to 6r' Bridges'& 5e paused for a moment and took at deep breath' &4alter and 9ilith'''they're'''& &9overs,& ( sneered, shaking my head when he nodded' &)o'''let me guess,& ( sighed, sitting forward a bit' &(n order to cover up their affair and release 9ilith from )hady Glen, they blackmailed 6r' -ernon' 4alter Bridges is backing her on the kidnapping and e tortion' 5e's fucking helping her'& &"ight in one, Bells,& 4es stated with a smile' &-ernon forged all the paperwork, fully aware what he was releasing out into the public, because he went in and changed her medical history, as well'& 5e pulled out a few pages from his file folder, laying it at my fingertips' &)he's a sociopath, with no conscience, no hope for ever being a normal human being' 0o medication will make that better' 6r' -ernon, who was a decent doctor at one time, said it stemmed from her abusive childhood, but the loss of Bree, and then /shley, was her breaking point' (t caused something in her to become'''unhinged'& &)he let that baby drown8& ( snapped, practically shaking' &)he let /shley roam the streets of a crime riddled neighborhood8& &$asy, sweetness,& $dward soothed, twirling my ponytail around his hand, finally resting it on the back of my neck' &4es, there has to be more to it than that'& 4es nodded, taking a deep breath before continuing' &6r' -ernon said the combination of her chemical imbalance prior to the deaths of her daughters, combined with the narcotics she was partaking in at the time, caused her to lose grip on reality,& he stated, reading it off of 9ilith's true medical history' &By the time Bella told her about /shley's death, she was battling her addictions and mental illness pretty hard'& &(t was my fault,& ( breathed, shaking my head in shame' &( ,ust'''&

&/dded fuel to the fire,& 4es concluded for me' &;eah, but Bella'''6r' -ernon said they'd been waiting for her to have a psychotic break at that point' They saw it coming' 9ook,& he said, tossing the pages in front of me' $dward and ( read the doctor's notes' 9ilith had indeed been biding her time, telling them what she thought they wanted to hear' )he was pretending to get better, taking her meds, acting like the model patient, but she was anything but getting better' 6r' -ernon even noted that he saw through her attempts and that he was considering another, more aggressive type of therapy to see if she would have some sort of breakthrough' 5is fear at the time was that if she was ever released, she'd become a threat to society' They actually saw my visit as a positive thing, because they were able to really break her down to the basics to try and build her back up' 5e really wanted to help her get better' 5owever, that all started to change once a 6r' 4alter Bridges took over for the group therapy sessions she attended three times a week' 4es said 6r' -ernon saw it all, but unfortunately, he was unable to finish what he started, because his illegal activities were found out by his son' (n order to save his own ass, he had no alternative but to change the status of her medical file, declare her sane, and release her1 otherwise, he would have been in a shitload of trouble * which clearly, he now was' &(n all reality, Bella,& 4es continued with a deep sigh, &if 4alter Bridges hadn't come along, none of this would be happening' (t was his questions, his dredging up of the past that got 9ilith thinking about you again'& &/nd she saw us on T-,& $dward concluded in a subdued voice' &:robably,& Benny said with a nod' &/t least, that's how we assume she found you, but that's what ( wanted to talk to you two about'& 5e pointed a finger at $dward and me' &('d like to see how 9ilith reacts if $dward takes the ne t call'& ( pulled back from $dward to look up into his concerned face as he said, &( really don't want to piss this bitch off, Ben' (f it's Bella that she'''& &( know,& Benny interrupted, holding up his hand to stop him' &But if she thinks someone else holds the key to the money, then she may be willing to negotiate quicker'& &7r she may get pissed off and hurt those girls, Ben8& $dward countered, trying really hard to maintain his fear and his temper' ( winced, but turned $dward's face to mine' &5ey, ( can answer if she freaks out,& ( said, shrugging one shoulder, &or we can both talk to her' )he's mad at me, but she felt she could approach you'&

&( can't fuck this up,& $dward whispered, but it was heard loud and clear around the table' 5e shook his head, running a hand through his still damp hair' &4e won't let you,& Benny stated with a shake of his head' &$d, this is what I do' :lease ,ust trust me on this' (f ( think we're about to lose her on the phone, we'll let Bella take the call back over, but ( honestly think because she's not truly upset with you in general, she'd be calmer talking to you'& #y husband nodded nervously in acquiescence, but said nothing more on the sub,ect'

E!"#$!
4e sat a bit longer at the table, going over some old facts and some new ones' /pparently, while ('d been asleep, /lice and Bella did their own research on 4alter Bridges * more specifically, on his parents' &('m actually going to talk to them tomorrow,& 4es stated with a nod' &( want to know e actly why they've cut off all ties with their son, if that's truly the case, and ( want to know what properties he has access to'& &4hat if they don't cooperate!& "ose asked, shifting a fussy =aleb around in her arms' &Then ('ll bring in a whole helluva lot of +eds ,ust to embarrass them in front of their posh society neighbors,& 4es chuckled with a shrug, which caused the whole table to laugh with him' &0othin' works better than the thought of the rumor mill going cra3y' 5eaven forbid the .ohnsons think the )miths are up to no good'''or in this case, the Bridges'& =aleb fussed some more, finally breaking into a wailing cry' &6id you ,ust feed him!& Bella asked, holding her arms out for the chunky thing' &;es, ,ust before ( came outside,& "ose answered, &but ( already burped him'& &Bethy used to hold a gas bubble back from me,& Bella snickered, placing =aleb up on her shoulder, and instead of patting his back, she rubbed it softly from his little bottom, up to his shoulders' 4ith one resounding hiccuping burp, his cries stopped' &0ice,& $mmett chuckled, his face full of pride' &4onder if he'll sound like that the first time we share a beer'& &$dward did,& my father snorted, looking up at me' &7h,& ( groaned, shaking my head' &4orst hangover'''of my life8& &;ou were old enough to ,oin the /ir +orce, but you couldn't hold your liquor,& my dad laughed, shaking his head'

&;ou were eighteen,& Bella giggled, rocking =aleb slowly' ( reached up to let the little man hold my finger as he grunted happily in her arms, and said, &;es, but ( was about to go overseas' 6ad's superiors were kind enough to let him go with me, so he thought he'd get me drunk once'& &Taught you a lesson, didn't it!& 6ad laughed from the head of the table' &(t did' ( rarely got that drunk over there,& ( said, smiling when =aleb squee3ed my finger with a surprising amount of strength, and then yawned widely' &5e's ,ust about ready to be put down'& &5e needs a bath,& "ose said softly, but her smile was warm and kind' #otherhood suited her, ,ust like it suited Bella' &=ome on,& Bella said, standing up' &4e'll get Bethy's old bath out of the closet' ('ll help you'& #ost of the women followed them in, e cept for /lice and #ickey, but it was the latter that asked the question that more than one of us had asked over the last few hours' &4hy hasn't she fucking called!& she groaned, watching Bella walk into the house, because #ickey had truly come to love my wife' They were similar in many ways * strong, snarky, tough in tight situations' (n fact, together in the field, they were an unstoppable force, because they could both think quickly on their feet' &( truly think 9ilith wants to make Bella and $dward sweat,& Benny said, getting up to start pacing' &/nd the fact that 4alter Bridges' fingerprints haven't been found on anything so far leads me to believe he's setting up somewhere for the rest to ,oin him' #y theory is we'll hear from her soon, that she'll set up for the ransom drop off, and then she'll want Bella in trade'& ( groaned, running my hand through my hair again' The thought that ( had to lose one to get the other was killing me' ( wanted my family back' ( wanted my daughter home safe, and her mother with her' ( couldn't handle the mere idea of what Bethy was going through, but ( also couldn't stand the thought of Bella ever being held captive again' ( couldn't imagine what it would do to her' &#y biggest concern is /bigail =armichael,& Benny sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets' &7f all the players in this game, she's''' well, she e pendable'& #y head shot up to glare at him' &God, ( fucking hope not,& ( breathed, shaking my head' &#e, too, but it's the truth,& he sighed, and he looked weary and worn out' &5er mother has no money, and she ,ust happened to be there when Bethy was attainable' (n all reality, 9ilith could use her as a negotiating tool'''a key to scare you'&

&('m already fucking scared, okay!& ( snapped, getting up from the table' &)he's achieved that goal'& Benny nodded, taking a deep breath, and then let it out slowly' 5e looked to my dad, before turning his ga3e back to me' &(t's time to get that money out, $d' 4e'll need to be prepared for whatever she comes up with, and be able to take this to the ne t step'& ( swallowed thickly, nodding once' &?m'''('ll call my bank in the morning'& &(t's already done,& my dad muttered, looking at his hands' &(t's in my car'& &6ad,& ( gasped, shaking my head' &( did it on the way here, son,& he sighed, holding up his hand when ( opened my mouth to speak' &( called from Bra3il, had them hold it for me' (t's already done,& he said again, but his face turned fierce' &( don't plan on her spending a dime of it' (n fact, ('ll happily pay for her funeral, once this shit is over' This was a hit on my family, a threat against my fucking granddaughter8 )he, my son, and my goddaughter are worth more than any bank account ( have, so it's done'''and ('ll get it when you're ready'& 0either my father, nor ( * or any of our crew, really * needed for money, but what he'd ,ust done was made this personal' (t was no longer a police matter, though Benny would most likely continue to run things, but it was now a mercenary hit' 5e would, without shame, kill every single participant in this kidnapping, and he'd order the rest of us to shoot to kill, as well' #y father had ,ust reopened his soldier for hire business again * if only to get his granddaughter back' The table was silent as we stared at him, most of us with open mouths, but it was $lea3ar that spoke up' &This will be ugly at the end, ('m afraid,& he sighed, sitting forward on the table' &( want to know about this (urt -ernon,& he said, looking around the table' &That's the only one in this shit that ( haven't gotten a fi on' ( get 9ilith and Bridges * that's money and revenge' ( even understand this e 2boyfriend, "usty, and his pal, >enny * also money' ( don't understand where this >urt fits in'& &( asked his father why he was with them,& 4es sighed, falling down onto one of the benches' &5e said >urt was there to make sure that they didn't go back on their word' >urt thinks he's guilty by association when it comes to his father, because in all reality, he should never have been treated by his dad' But'''& &5e was seduced by the money,& ( finished for him' &$ actly,& he agreed with a nod' &5owever, he is on his meds' (n fact, he picked up his prescription ,ust before the kidnapping' 4e checked his records' 5e's not a bad kid' 5e's been in trouble for normal stuff, some weed, some graffiti vandalism, but nothing

ma,or' The doc said he was trying to catch him before he got out of hand' 6oc said he knows >urt went with 9ilith as a way to get out of )hady Glen and to split the money, but he swears his son doesn't have a mean bone in his body'& &(nteresting,& $lea3ar mused, rubbing his chin' &5e may be 9ilith's weak link, especially if he finds out his father has been arrested'& &(t's all over the news,& Benny chortled' &5e'll find out sooner or later'& (t seemed everyone filed that away for later, but the table started to break apart' #y dad offered #ickey, 7bie, $lea3ar, +eli , and $ric a place to stay at our old house around the corner' #ickey and 7bie took him up on it, because they'd been going for thirty2si hours straight' $lea3ar and his men opted to crash on the cots )am and /lec had set up while ('d been sleeping' ( needed a fucking break, so ( walked away from them all, opening my wood shop' ( needed to rela in order to think, and not stew in my misery and pain' ( needed to think of something other than how conflicted ( was that 9ilith hadn't called, and ( needed to stay calm, because ( couldn't let my temper snap on Bella again' ('d hurt her too badly, and ( was worried the damage was beyond repair, though she didn't act it' (n the far back corner of my shop sat a cloth covered pro,ect ('d been working on for Bethy' (t was a surprise' +or what, ( didn't know' )he'd already had her birthday, and it was less than si months until =hristmas, but ( was building it anyway' #y heart and mind wouldn't even approach the idea that it could possibly be a welcome home present, because it seemed to feel like a ,in to me' ( lifted the dollhouse up onto my work bench, after tugging the tarp off, and then my shirt' (t was a detailed and intricately designed thing, but something that could take my mind away' ( draped my shirt over one of my chairs, pulling a beer out of my mini fridge as ( studied what ( needed to work on ne t' &4hoa,& ( heard from the doorway, and ( looked up to see .asper leaning there' &That's fucking awesome, $d' )eriously' )he'll love it'& ( smiled, took a long draw on my beer, and then nodded' &( hope so' )he was with Bella in the toy store and played with one for hours ,ust before the new year, so ( thought'''& #y voice trailed off, not knowing how to finish that sentence without letting my emotions take over' God, ( ,ust fucking missed my baby girl' &;ou gonna make the furniture, too!& he asked, bending down to take a look inside of it' &God, no8& ( laughed' &( thought she'd like to pick it out from the little hobby shop downtown'&

&6olls, too!& &;eah, dolls, too' 0ot that she doesn't have plenty of those'& .asper leaned on the worktable, opening the back of the little house and shaking his head' 5e wore a small smile when he finally looked up at me' &=an (''' ( mean'''do you need help!& ( huffed a small laugh, and ( could see he was having the same problem ( was' 5e ,ust needed a break from all the shit' &;eah, sure' =an you paint!& &( can try,& he countered with a chuckle and a shrug' ( grabbed him a beer, the paints, and some small brushes, setting him up to start painting while ( worked on the roof' ( still had walls, doors, windows, and shutters to put on, so we both ,ust'''worked' 4e barely talked, e cept when someone would come to the shop to see what we were doing, but for the most part, everyone left us alone' ( knew $mmett was probably with =aleb and "ose, and that $lea3ar and his crew had given some of the patrolling +eds a break around the property' #y 6ad, Benny, and 4es were in Gravity's office, but $sme had finally decided to take advantage of Bella's offer to sleep in our room' ( wasn't tired by the time /lice came to get .asper' )he was barely keeping her eyes open, complaining of a headache from all the computer work she'd done' )he said she ,ust needed to close her eyes for a moment and was staking claim to the sofa in the living room' ( cleaned up my shop after he left, storing the dollhouse back in its corner with its tarp covering it' 7nce ('d closed the shop doors, ( went in search of Bella' #y first thought was that she'd fallen asleep in Bethy's room like she'd done the very first night * and ( wasn't unaware that she wouldn't let anyone near our daughter's room * but as ( crossed the yard, ( discovered differently' / soft glow shone down from the tree house, casting strange shadows across the lawn' ( slowly climbed the steps, reminded of the time ('d first met Bella' 4e were ,ust kids, but we'd hung out for most of a day in her own tree house at her father's house' /nd much like then, she was using this fort as an escape' The radio was playing softly when ( quietly creaked open the door' #y Bella had fallen asleep in the beanbag chair under the ceiling fan, a book open in her hands' #r' Bunny wasn't far from her reach' )he'd been reading by the small lamp, her dark hair spread about her like a halo, but it was the wrinkle to her brow and the frown on her face that ( was drawn to' $ven in her sleep, a tear slipped slowly down her cheek' Guilt wracked my frame, causing me to physically quake, before ( closed the door and

crawled to her' ( should've been able to save Bethy, and ( should never have taken everything out on my wife' &7h, baby, ('m sorry,& ( sighed softly as ( lightly brushed a hair from her head' ( didn't blame her for anything * especially her reaction to 9ilith years ago' >nowing Bella like ( did, it was understandable for her to be upset' /nd even before Bethy was taken, my wife had shown nothing but remorse concerning her actions' )he regretted her temper, regretted deliberately hurting someone when she was hurting herself' 0o, this shit was not my girl's fault' 4arm, brown eyes blinked open, ga3ing up at me as ( laid down beside her' (t wasn't easy fitting my long frame onto a beanbag, but she scooted over to let me in' &5ey, sweetness,& ( whispered, kissing her lips softly' &( didn't mean to wake you, but you should sleep in Bethy's room, baby'& &( like it out here,& she said softly, cupping my face' &( ,ust needed'''a break from all these people'& ( nodded, because ('d done the same thing by going out to my shop' ( tucked her hair back behind her ear, leaning into her touch' &5ow's the dollhouse coming!& she asked, a small smile curling up on her face' ( snickered' &.asper painted it for me' The roof's done'& &('m sure it's beautiful, $dward,& she stated, wriggling a bit and laying her head down, still facing me' &4ell, when my girls finish decorating it,& ( chuckled, kissing her nose and mirroring her position, &it'll be even better'& 4e spoke quietly about a few things, but ( was ,ust reveling in her arms' ( needed her touch, for reasons ( couldn't even articulate' ( told her about my dad and the money, and about the discussion she'd missed concerning >urt -ernon' 0either topic surprised her' &/ family of sparrows moved into the birdhouse today,& she whispered as ( placed my hand on her waist and pulled her closer' &"eally!& ( snickered' &;eah,& she said, smiling and biting her lip' &( hear babies in there'& ('d told her my mother's story ages ago' #y mom had loved local legends and one that she'd passed on to me was about sparrows and how they chose to live in pine trees' Before my mother died, she said she'd always watch over me with the sparrows' Bella had loved the story, loved even more the birdhouses ('d built throughout the years, so

('d placed one in the pine tree by our front porch' &Good,& ( told her' &#aybe that's a good sign, yeah!& )he nodded, but didn't say anything for a few minutes' &('m sorry, $dward' +or everything'''& &6on't, baby,& ( said, stopping her with a soft kiss' &(t's not your fault' ( swear ( didn't mean anything ( said' God, ( love you' ( ,ust was going cra3y, love'& ( ran my fingers through her hair, bringing her forehead to mine' &5ow's that bump!& 5er nose wrinkled adorably, but she nodded, pulling back to study me' &(t's better' 5ow's your face!& she asked with a touch of amusement in her smile and her voice as she trailed her finger lightly down my nose' ( chuckled softly' &('ll live'& )he sat up, causing the beanbag to shift, but she crawled on top of me, straddling my lap' )he pulled me up into a sitting position, only to wrap herself around me in a strong, warm hug' )he snuggled her face into the crook of my neck, clinging to me like a limpet' &( miss her, $dward,& she mumbled against my skin, and ( held her tighter, placing random kisses to the side of her head, her ear, her cheek, and her neck' &( feel like a part of me is ,ust'''missing'& &The waiting is killing me,& ( admitted softly, pulling back and placing my hands on either side of her neck, rubbing her cheekbones gently with my thumbs' &4e'll get her back, love'& )he was so fucking beautiful as all she did was nod' 5er eyes flickered with flecks of gold in the soft glow of the tree house as ( brushed her hair from her face' )he was the essence of pain and sorrow, but also of love and home, and ( ,ust wanted to'''fucking fi/ it' /nd that last sentiment e ploded from me' &God, ( fucking wish ( could ,ust''' go get her8& ( gushed, pulling her forehead back to mine' &( wish ( hadn't let her go'''and that ('d run faster' ( wish ('d followed you guys to the bathroom' ( wish ('d shot the son of a bitch that dared put a fucking gun to her head'''& ( gasped, trying to get myself under control, but ( wasn't embarrassed, because ( could be me with her' 4hen ( had to maintain in front of our crew, she was the only person on this fucking planet that ,ust got me' &(2( w2wish w2we'd n2never gone to that f2fucking f2farm'''& Tears slipped down her face as she placed her hands on either side of my face' &)hh,& she whispered against my mouth to stop my emotional rant' &(t's not your fault, baby'& )he sniffled, kissing my lips roughly' 5er mouth was warm, her lips soft from her crying, and she tasted salty from her tears' &4e didn't know, $dward' 4e thought both of us

being there was enough'''& #y fingers wove themselves into her hair, mindful of her in,ury, but ( needed her to know one thing' &;ou and Bethy'''you're fucking everything to me' ;ou know that, right! ( love you both more than my own life' Tell me you fucking know that8& &( know8& she sobbed, nodding against me' &( knew it even when you were mad at me'& &( was never mad, baby,& ( vowed, kissing her lips and practically panting' &( love you'& &( love you, too,& she whispered, nipping at my bottom lip, and then my top' 4hat started out as soothing, comforting kisses, suddenly turned into something completely different' (t was anger and hurt1 it was desperate and needy' (t was tears and tongues, gasps and whimpers as my mouth welcomed her with a moan ( couldn't stop' ( turned her head slightly, claiming her, plundering her mouth with my tongue, using lips and teeth along her bottom lip' ( kissed her until ( thought ('d go mad with the want of her' ( kissed her because she always made everything okay' ( finally pulled back from her, panting from want and need and something altogether different * pure fear' &Bella!& ( breathed, looking to her for the answer, because ( wasn't sure where this was going' &$dward, ( need you,& she ground out through gritted teeth, gripping the bottom of my t2shirt' 4ith one swift tug, she swept it off over my head' &+or ,ust a moment, ( need to feel something'''other than pain' ( need you to love me'& ( had my answer, because apparently, ( wasn't alone' ( wasn't sure if it was the waiting on some word, any word, the fight we'd had, or ,ust the emptiness that seemed to fill my chest, but fuck, if ( didn't need her, too' ( kept her on my lap, gathering up the bottom of her shirt and tugging it off over her head' ?nderneath, ( was met with sweet pink and cotton and all things girly and se y * and ,ust #ella' (t reminded me of when we'd first started out, all simple and good and healing' ( tossed her shirt away, moaning when her hips wouldn't be still' 0ot that ( wanted them to' ( spread my fingers out, placing my palms flat on either side of her ribs, because ( needed to feel as much of her as ( could at one time' 0o words were spoken as ( locked eyes with hers, begging for permission to remove her bra' 4hen she nodded, ( flicked open the back clasp, tossing it away, as well' #y hands touched everywhere * cupping her, bending her slightly back, arching her up to my mouth, so that ( could consume every inch of her ( could reach' 4e didn't need to say anything, because this was something we fucking knew' This was years of our bodies knowing e actly what they needed' This was years of love making that was almost instinctual' /nd this was years of how we healed ourselves of

everything from fights between us, to burns and cuts from assholes that no longer e isted' (f nothing else, this was how we reconnected, how we let shit go * if only for a moment' Bella's ,eans rubbed against mine as her hips rolled wantonly over me' &$dward,& she panted desperately as ( switched from one nipple to the other, swirling my tongue over it, making it harder, more sensitive at the same time my fingers glided down her spine, only to grip her ass and pull it closer to me' )he was so fucking se y, so fucking beautiful, that ( found myself slipping my hand down between her legs, ,ust to hear her gasp, ,ust to see her head fall back when ( applied pressure over the seam at the e act place where ( knew she needed it the most' ( tugged open the fly of her ,eans, slowly kissing up her neck as my hands slipped into the back of them, cupping her ass fully' ( kneaded it, gripped it, used it to grind her against me' ( tried to roll her over, but the beanbag ,ust wasn't having it, so it spilled us out onto the floor, causing an adorable giggle to escape my wife as ( landed on top of her, my chest to her back' ( left a biting kiss to her shoulder, practically growling in want when her ass pressed against my cock in the most delicious of ways' 5er beautiful back arched gracefully, her muscles rolling under soft, smooth skin' 5er breath caught as ( gripped her waist, pulling her ass up a bit more and grinding against her' &;es'''$dward' +uck, yes'''like that,& she commanded, her forehead hitting the wood floor with a soft thump' &;eah!& ( verified, unbuckling my belt with one hand as ( pulled her hair to one side' &;ou want me to fuck you from behind, baby!& &God, yes,& she begged, and ( saw her nod against the floor' &( ,ust want to feel you all around me, baby,& she stated, barely shoving her ,eans down over that delicious ass of hers' &0ow, $dward'''& (t was her look back over her shoulder that ,ust about caused me to lose all control' (t was heady to see her want me that much, to need my touch, my body' ( barely got my own ,eans down far enough to let my cock spring free' ( fell forward, bracing my arms on either side of her, giving her neck and shoulder suckling kisses up to her ear' &9ike this!& ( asked, moaning shamelessly when her ass rose up off of the floor, causing my dick to slip through her wet folds' &=loser,& she pleaded, and ( let my chest press down onto her back' ( rolled my hips, coating myself in her wetness, finally slipping ,ust inside her entrance' &Bella,& ( gasped, my head falling to her shoulder' &( love you'''so fucking much,& ( ground out, because it was all ( could do not to ,ust bury myself as deep inside of her as

( could get' &#e, too,& she said, looking over her shoulder again, but this time, she raised up slightly on her hands, sinking herself down onto me' / whimper escaped her, and it sounded like relief and a plea for ,ust'''more' #y eyes locked with hers when my hips were flushed to her ass, and we both paused, letting that feeling of being one, of coming back to each other consume us' ( let the need grow, let it swell between us, my fingers practically gouging the wood floor beneath me' ( pulled slowly back, and she twisted ,ust enough so that ( could kiss the shit out of her when ( thrust forward again' / soft cry escaped her, ghosting into my mouth as ( did it again, this time swiveling my hips the way ( knew she liked' ( sat back on my heels ,ust long enough to tug her ,eans down a bit more, in order to wrench her leg out to the side' ( needed more, deeper, harder, and the ,eans were in the way, but ( took what ( could get' ( fell back over her, holding her leg with one hand and using the other to brace at her shoulder' )weat beaded on my forehead, falling down my nose and dropping down onto her back' 5er hips met mine over and over, until ( could feel the deep burn start to boil in the pit of my stomach, but ( could feel her fighting it, holding back' &7h, sweetness,& ( begged, placing a biting kiss to her shoulder blade' &=ome for me, baby' 9et it go'''& 5er hand snaked underneath her, and ( moaned as ( watched her touch herself' &;eah, love''',ust like that' 9et it go''' =ome,& ( finally commanded, because ( was so fucking close' The feel of her, the sight of her, even the sounds she was making, were pushing me closer and closer, and when she finally clenched down around me, my name breathlessly bursting forth from her mouth, ( smiled against the skin of her back' &That's my girl,& ( crooned, licking up her now sweaty neck and sucking the salty2sweet skin ,ust below her ear' )he clamped down again around my dick, and ( gasped in her ear' &+uck, baby'''('m gonna come'''& #y mouth gaped as ( buried myself as deep as ( could go, spilling inside of her' #y arms shook as my head fell to her shoulder again, and ( let go of her leg' &=ome here,& ( panted heavily, finally ridding us of our God forsaken ,eans, leaving my underwear on' Bella tugged her panties up, but pulled my t2shirt on over her head' ( settled somewhat into the beanbag, and she curled sweetly in against my side, laying her head on my chest as her small finger traced my tattoo like she did most times after we made love'

)he took a deep breath, looking up at me, and ( kissed her forehead as ( played with her hair' )he didn't need to say a word, because ( could read her face like a book' )he felt better, more rela ed, but her sadness was like a heavy blanket' (t would be there, laying over us, until we found Bethy' ( nodded, swallowing thickly, because ( felt the e act same way' &( know, love' #e, too'& ( rolled to my side, wrapping her up and holding her as close as ( could get her' The sounds of the night echoed through the little open windows and the ticking of the ceiling fan lulled me into a light sleep' (t felt like ('d ,ust closed my eyes, when we both were ,erked awake' &$dward8 Bells8& my dad called from somewhere outside' &+ront and center8& Bella groaned, rolling her eyes' &5e did that shit when you were a kid, didn't he!& &0ot like that,& ( stated, helping her stand up' &)omething's up'''& 4e tugged on our ,eans, and Bella tossed her se and sleep ravaged hair up into a pony tail' 4e rumbled quickly down the tree house steps and practically ran across the yard' (f he thought our sleeping in the tree house was strange, he didn't say a word about it' 5e only grabbed Bella by the shoulders' &;ou've got an email, sweetheart,& he said carefully, glancing up at me' &)hit,& ( hissed, running a hand through my hair' &4hat's she say!& #y dad grimaced, shaking his head slowly' &)he's finally given her demands, son' /nd this'''this shit won't be easy'&

CHAPTER 7
E!"#$!
&( was wrong,& Benny stated angrily when we rushed into Gravity's office' &( totally e pected a phone call, but she emailed Gravity's office account,& he huffed, typing furiously on the computer' /lice was right beside him, working ,ust as hard, and from what ( could tell, she was tracking the origin of the email, whereas he was researching what looked like a bus or train station' ( looked around the room, and though no one was saying anything, the room was slowly filling with people' /lec, )am, and $mmett took seats around the conference table' / bleary eyed .asper was standing ne t to #akenna, both stirring cups of coffee' $lea3ar leaned against the wall in the back of the room' The only one ( didn't see was 4es, and for a moment, ( wondered if he had already left to go talk to 4alter Bridges' parents' &Benny, please8& Bella begged in a whisper' &Give us the email'''& &5ere,& my dad said softly, pulling a page from the printer' 5e looked to me, his ga3e fierce, pointing to the paper' &( want you in the air for this'& That being said, ( was nervous when ( sat in a chair, tugging Bella to my lap so that we could read 9ilith's email together' 0h #ella, I know that being the spoiled rich bitch that you are, the ten million I'm asking for isn't much, so I've decided I need something else. ou. I think it's high time that we saw each other again, because there's so much I'd like to say to you. If you want to see these two girls ever again, you'll follow the steps below to the fucking letter, or I'll personally see to it that these kids end up in a shallow grave. 1ow that I have your attention, you have two days. 2. $ome to the train station in %an 3rancisco at noon on 4ednesday. 5. $ome alone 6 no 3eds, no cops, no handsome husband. !lone. The first sign of someone with you, and I'll put a bullet in the closest girl's head. 7. #ring the ten million in unmarked bills, placed in an inconspicuous bag, with you. 1o tricks8 9. 1o weapons8 :. &eave your cell phone behind.

;. %it down at the north end of the waiting area and wait until someone approaches you. <. $ome =uietly, or the two girls will not be released from a different location inside the train terminal. If you follow these simple rules, the two kids will be left at the train station to be found by the authorities, because that !mber !lert is still in full effect. +eviate even once from this plan, and not only will you live to regret it, but those two kids will pay the price...along with everyone at that train station. I will destroy the entire building and all that's in it if you don't follow my rules. +on't bother searching for a bomb. ou won't find one. #ella, you will pay for what you've done. Email back once you've received this notice. +on't bother tracing the IP address. ou won't find anything. )ood luck. Bella took a deep breath, but looked to Benny, holding up the paper' &This isn't 9ilith'& 5e turned around to look at her' &4hat makes you say that!& &Because''' )he's not this smart and organi3ed' /nd not once did this email say anything about the past * only that ('d pay' 9ilith would have thrown details in my face,& she stated, looking back to the letter, and then up at me' &=arlisle's right' ;ou have to fly for this,& she whispered, her brow furrowing' &;ou have to be close, whether 9ilith knows it or not' )he'll know you have a pilot license, but not your own means of flying'& #y first instinct was to protest, because ( wanted to be by Bella's side, but she had a point1 my chopper was registered like my house was: for privacy' &;ou might be right,& Benny stated with a shrug' &/bout it not being 9ilith' )omeone else may have written it for her'& 5e spun to /lice' &/ny luck with the (: address!& &0o,& she sighed, shaking her head' &They were right' (t bounces and bounces all over the place, only to end up at a free email account set up in a net cafe' =ould be anyone, anywhere'& &The chopper is a for sure thing, $d,& Benny said, giving me a pointed look' &(f this drop goes smoothly, we can move in on the whole crew and take them down'''& &0o8& Bella and ( interrupted' &0o,& ( groaned this time, shaking my head' &+uck' They'll spot your men, Benny8& &/nd they'll spot all my girls,& Bella groaned, getting up from my lap and beginning to pace' &"ose, /lice, #ack'''9ilith will know them all, because they were all present at the time of her arrest'&

&)he'll know me, but she won't know the boys and #ickey,& ( added, looking up at her as ( leaned my elbows on my knees' &4e could plant #ickey in that train station'& &The whole wedding party was in the paper, $dward,& she reminded me, her nose wrinkling' &(t wouldn't take much to remember someone like $mmett, and a +ed can be spotted a mile away, especially by people who are used to running from the cops'& ( looked to Benny, raising an eyebrow at him, because she was totally right' &#e in the air is fine, because ( can land to get the girls' ( could have .asper and /lec with me, but ( can't get the girls and follow Bella,& ( pointed out, looking up at my dad' &( will have a crew there,& Benny snapped, &because we can catch these fuckers8 ( can't have a fucking terrorist threat on a public building, $dward'& ( sighed, sitting back in my chair and running a hand through my hair' ( shook my head, looking up at Bella, whose face had gone dark and angry' &This'''& she huffed, shaking her head' &This could go so wrong,& she mumbled as she studied the email' &( ,ust have a really bad feeling about this' )he picked a public place for a fucking reason'& &Bellsy'''what about'''& /lice spun in her chair, her eyes wide, but Bella stopped her with a single shake of her head and a furrow of her brow' ( was ,ust about to ask both of them what the fuck that was all about, but Benny ,umped up from his chair' &5ere,& Benny said, pulling several sheets of paper off of the printer and walking to the conference table' 5e sorted them in a specific order, and suddenly, the plans for the train station terminal appeared before our eyes' &This'''is the north end of the station' This is where you're suppose to wait' 5ere and here,& he noted, pointing to two different spots on the plans' &Those are two employee entrances' ( could plant men there' This is the garage' =arlisle, you could be there with $mmett, $lea3ar, +eli , and $ric in different levels' 6epending on which escape route they take to get away, we could be prepared'& 5e looked around the room, his eyes landing on me' &$d, you're right' (f you take .asper with you, he could spot them from the air, using his scope'& 5is eyes finally landed on my father' &('ll call the )an +ran office, get them in there now, so that they won't stick out like a sore thumb' ('ll have bomb dogs do a sweep of the whole area' They'll wear employee uniforms, blend in' They'll already be there when everyone shows up'& &)o we're ,ust going to do everything the e act opposite as what they're telling us to, with my wife's and daughter's lives in the balance! 4ith innocent civilians' lives at stake!& ( seethed, standing slowly up from my chair' &Benny'''&

Bella's hand landed gently on my chest, and she stepped in front of me' &4ait,& she muttered, giving me a warning glance, before turning her beautiful, but stern face to the room' &('m okay''' ( mean, ( can handle 9ilith taking me' ( ,ust want those kids in $dward's possession' +inding me can be later' ( think we can'''come up with a way around these rules'''these steps, without having the entire +B( show up at the train station'& &.esus, Bella8& ( snapped, shaking my head' ( wanted to fucking grab her and shake her' #y hands were in claws in order not to steal her away from the room' #y heart couldn't wrap around my wife and daughter walking into this fucking bullshit' #y dad held up his hand, his face sympathetic, but he turned his attention to Bella' &4hat do you suggest, sweetheart!& he asked, leaning against the table and folding his arms across his chest' &The email said no cell phone, so ('ll wear a radio earpiece1 something ( can dump if ( had to,& she stated with a shrug' &/lice has a few ideas that will allow us to mark the money and will load me up with some things that can be hidden on my person' ( want to prepare for this going completely wrong' ( need to assume that all of hell opens up at that train station, and ( can't'''I won't allow Bethy and /bby to get caught in the middle'& 5er breath hitched when she said that last sentence, and ( couldn't help but reach out and wrap an arm around her, kissing the back of her head' )he was so very brave and strong in many, many ways, but ( knew this was hard for her' )he was basically suggesting walking in there and handing herself over to this bitch in order to get the girls back * in order to get our daughter back' The whole room fro3e in anticipation, but my dad stood up straight, biting the inside of his cheek before he spoke' &('d like $lea3ar in the chopper with $dward and .asper, because he's ,ust as good behind a sniper rifle' ( think Bella is right,& he sighed, turning his ga3e to Benny' &This is a trap' 9ilith wants Bella, the money, and total control' 5ave we found the drunk driver yet!& &0ope, =hristopher 6ouglas is still missing,& /lice piped up' &)o we have to ask ourselves, where the fuck is he! Because it's not coincidence that the other person that has offended 9ilith in some fucking fashion would go missing at the same time an attack on Bella starts'& #y dad shoved his hands into his pockets, studying the plans for the train station again, taking a deep breath' &They are way too fucking comfortable in thinking that they can ,ust'''take Bella' They've got some place that will hide them all'''& he muttered, rubbing his mouth with his fingertips' The room was silent with that last statement, but $lea3ar spoke softly from the back of

the room' &;ou can't send a bomb squad, or even the dogs, Ben' 4e have to step outside of the legal bo that you're stuck in' 4e need to treat this with military precision' / black2op, if you will'& Benny started to protest, but $l held up his hand and walked slowly to the front of the room' 5e pinned the train station plans to the board so everyone could get a good view of it' &;ou've got to consider the absolute worse case scenario here,& he sighed, facing the room' &There's an unstable woman out for revenge' )he's killed before, and ( have no fucking doubt she'll kill again' ;ou've got two e 2cons solely out for money'& 5e pointed to the pictures of >enny and "usty' &/nd a young man that may be in this without a choice,& he continued with a sigh, pointing to the picture of >urt -ernon' &9ast, but definitely not least''' the unknown player in this game''' 4alter Bridges'& 5e turned to Benny' &)on, you don't know what that man's motivation is yet' That's our problem' ;es, 9ilith wants Bella'''or even Bethy, too, but 4alter may have ulterior motives, another fucking agenda, using 9ilith as the driving vehicle, and ( can't see any other way but to treat this like'''a crash and grab'& &7r we wait to see what 4es comes back with,& /lice suggested' &There's no time for waiting,& /lec stated gruffly' &4e've got two fucking days to figure out how we want to approach this, get to )an +rancisco, and set the whole thing up'& Bella spun in one spot, her ga3e landing on /lice as she bit a her bottom lip' 5er eyes were gla3ed, but she finally blinked' &/lice'''do another search on the Bridges' 6ig deeper' #aybe there's some connection between Twi Tech or my father or something' )ee if 4alter has a ,uvenile record''' There's more there than meets the eye' There's got to be a damned good reason parents ,ust up and disown their son'& &7n it, on it, on it,& /lice sang, pulling two keyboards to her and using them both to type furiously' &#ack,& she called over her shoulder' &=ome tell me who we see'''& #akenna said nothing, but launched up from the chair she'd been silently sitting in, taking her place at /lice's side, their conversation now hushed and focused' &4e have to make this plan contingent on what 4es finds out,& my dad said, narrowing his eyes on the bulletin board' &Ben, the arrest is yours * if you have someone to arrest * but the operation is mine'& &)hit, =arlisle,& Benny groaned, shaking his head' &( need this as legal as possible' ('ve got two missing minors, a ransom, and five suspects in a fucking kidnapping8 (t was a fucking miracle that "oyce >ing's trial was legit, after all the shit we did'& &('ll cover for it,& $lea3ar said, not even looking at the room, waving a hand over his shoulder' &This shit'''& 5e suddenly turned around' &('m telling you, there's more to this

shit than we're seeing'& &$l,& Ben sighed, almost whining, because truly, his ass was on the line if this went horribly wrong' &(f we fuck up,& $lea3ar growled, his ga3e turning fierce, &('ll take responsibility, Ben' ( have more'''leeway than you do' ( have more resources to cover shit up, and ( can do it without the public ever knowing'& #y eyebrows rose high at that statement' $lea3ar's position at the =(/ made him a strong fucking ally to have, but his time spent as a 0avy )eal made him fucking deadly' ( couldn't imagine what he was thinking, what he could be planning, but ( could see that he was already setting shit in motion in his mind' (t was written all over his intense face' Bella snorted, rolling her eyes up to mine' &6on't we have any normal friends!& &0ormal friends won't go to war for us,& ( snickered, pulling her to me' &0ormal people are boring, sweetness,& ( teased in her ear, loving the small light feeling for ,ust the moment' /s $lea3ar sent $mmett to go get $ric and +eli to start the planning, Bella's forehead hit my chest' ( wrapped my arms around her, kissing the crown of her head, because ( knew she was scared and sick with worry' &( want to do this so you don't get taken, Bella,& ( said, my voice only meant for her' )he nodded against my chest, pulling back to look up at me' &+or Bethy, ( can do this'''& &('m worried at what it will do to you8& ( hissed, shaking my head and running my hand through my hair' &(t seems like you ,ust now got better from #iller, baby'& Bella cupped my face, forcing my ga3e to hers' &There's nothing that could be worse than what he did, $dward' 0othing' )o ( can face this, if it happens' 4e need Bethy home'& &( know'''& ( groaned, but she grabbed my hand and tugged me out of the office' / few paces away from everyone, ( unleashed my fear' &( can't let them take you8 ( ,ust can't8 (f ( lose you both'''& &6o you trust me!& she asked in a barely there whisper' &7f course8& ( hissed back' &(t's everyone else, baby8 (f this shit goes wrong, and ( can't follow you'''& &:lease, ,ust trust me,& she urged, still whispering' &(f ('ve got to do this, $dward, then ( need you to really trust me to assess my situation on the fly, and not panic if ( deviate' ( need to be able to trust that you'll follow through with the plans they're making in there, so that we can do what we need to in order to get Bethy home' 4e have to put

our faith in everyone in that room'& &4hat are you planning, Bella! ( saw that look you gave /lice' Tell me8& &( want to see what =arlisle and $lea3ar plan first,& she said, whispering when one of the +eds walked by' &Bella, please8& ( begged, tugging her closer to me' &Tell me now8& &(t's not a plan, but precautions,& she admitted, reaching up to run her fingers through my hair' &( ,ust think maybe there are some steps ( can take ,ust in case ( do get taken, in case they double cross us, or if the threat of innocent people at that train station becomes too great'& &:lease,& ( whispered, slipping my hands into her hair and pulling her forehead to mine' &( trust you e plicitly, but there's a part of me that thinks you're going to put yourself in danger to prove some point, Bella' 0one of this shit was your fault' ( know ( said'''& &)top,& she breathed against my lips' &.ust stop, $dward'& )he pulled back, eying me intensely' &( ,ust want Bethy back,& she whispered, tears filling her eyes' &4hatever it takes to do that, ('m in'& &#e, too,& ( said, surrendering, because in so many fucking ways, she was right' (f the roles were reversed and it was me that was the focus of this bitch's revenge, ('d throw myself in front of the oncoming train that seemed to be barreling straight for us' 5owever, there was a nagging feeling in my stomach that was telling me that my thoughtless words ('d spat at Bella had created a monster' )he now felt the need for penitence' &B2but w2why d2does it f2feel l2like ('m b2being p2punished!& ( muttered, looking across my lawn and shoving my hands into my pockets before ( grabbed her too hard' &( won't survive losing you both, Bella' ( ,ust won't'& &)it,& she ordered, pointing to the steps of the tree house' )he stood between my legs and grabbed my face more roughly than usual' &$dward =ullen, look at me,& she huffed, tears still trickling down her cheeks' &(f ( know anything, ( know that you can find me' That you'll fucking fight for me' 6on't you dare give up on Bethy and me' 6on't you dare8& ( pulled her to my lap when she released a heartbreaking sob' )he nu33led into my neck, gripping my shirt as ( kissed her forehead over and over' &4hy are you keeping this shit quiet, sweetness!& ( asked her, because it seemed that she was only telling me and /lice' &Because ( don't want Benny to rely on anything' 5e's out for ,ustice' =arlisle's out for revenge' 0one of that makes a fucking difference to me'''( ,ust want those girls safe at home' /nd ( have a really, really bad feeling about this drop off, $dward,& she

whispered' &$lea3ar is right'''we know nothing about this 4alter Bridges' That note'''& )he sniffled, sitting up to look me in the eye' &That note was written like a political threat' The focus was my wealth'''not personal revenge' To 9ilith, this would be personal' 6on't you think!& &(s that why you ordered /lice to dig deeper!& )he nodded, sniffling again, and swallowed thickly' &4e have to do what they say, because we have to try, but there's something else at stake here' )omething feels'''bigger than 9ilith' 4e may get outmaneuvered at that train station' (f ('m wrong, then great, but ('m telling you, my gut feels a shit storm coming'& )he cupped the side of my face' &4e have to'''set our emotions aside, baby, and ('m having a really hard time doing that, so you have to help me'& ( ran one hand through my hair and pulled her closer with the other, because my girl's gut was rarely wrong' /rmed with that knowledge, ( was scared for her, for me, for Bethy, and for our crew' Bella was tough, smart, innovative in tight situations, and ( trusted that gut feeling of hers' /nd there was a part of me that had to figure out how to turn off the personal feelings backing my decisions and focus on the logical way to tackle this shit' Thinking emotionally in this would only cause us to make terrible mistakes that would have devastating fucking consequences' 4ith one shaky breath and a nervous nod, ( tried my fucking best to help her' &;ou will wear a earpiece,& ( stated firmly, but softly' &The small one that you can toss if you need to' ( want to hear you the entire fucking time ('m in the air' ( assume that /lice has some sort of'''idea as to how to help you!& ( asked, raising an eyebrow at her' &;es,& she answered simply with a nod' ( took a deep breath, steadying myself for the ne t words' &('m with $lea3ar on this,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &#ilitary style operation, civilian clothes, heavily armed' / crash and grab' ('ll be in the air with him and .asper, monitoring all movement with that new camera /lice installed,& ( said, pointing to where my chopper was under a tarp, but it was the new ple iglass bubble underneath that ( was referring to' /lice wanted to be able to see what ( saw when ( was in the air, and the idea was intriguing' (t took a hideous amount of research to find e actly what we both wanted' The damn thing was e pensive as all fuck, but well worth it, because it could 3oom in on someone's fucking nostril hair, if we wanted' (t also had night2vision and infrared, and it was all connected to /lice's computer equipment' The little fucking genius could 3oom in on someone, record them, or run them through a database, all while ( was still fucking flying' Bella nodded, brushing my hair from my forehead' &6oing that'''going against what

they say''' $dward, we could get innocent people killed in that train station'& &They aren't my concern,& ( growled, shaking my head, because despite the fact that it was the truth, it made me feel like an asshole for saying it out loud' &;ou and those girls are my priority' 9et Benny, 4es, and $lea3ar worry about civilians' 7kay!& 4ith reluctance, Bella nodded' &7kay,& she sighed' &?mm, guys!& #akenna called softly ,ust a few paces away from us, and we both looked up at her' &/lice told me to get you both, and that she needs what you're going to wear the day of the drop off, Bells'& &Got it,& Bella said, getting up from my lap and tugging me up with her' &Go start planning' ('ll be right there'& ( pulled her to me, grasping her face in both of my hands' &( love you' :lease don't do anything dangerous ,ust because you think you owe it to anyone * especially me' .ust'''be smart, get those girls out'& / small smile ghosted across her face, but it didn't reach her eyes' &('m counting on my flyboy to help me' ('m pretty sure he'd fly to the sun for me'''& 4ith that said, she walked away toward the house' 4ith one more nervous hand through my hair, ( walked back into Gravity's office to start planning the most important mission ('d ever take part in'

( unlocked the cable that tied the tarps over my chopper, yanking it hard so that it 3ipped through the eyes threading them together' The two pieces fell in a soft swish down onto the helipad' ( needed to run through my checklist, fuel her up, and load up all the supplies .asper and $lea3ar would need for this flight to )an +rancisco' 4e were leaving in twenty2four hours, and ('d never been more nervous about a mission in all my life, because my reasons for living were in the center of it all' $veryone was still planning, e cept for 4es, who said he'd be back in time to leave and that he had huge news' &4ant some help!& ( heard behind me, and ( turned to see $mmett standing ,ust off the slab of concrete' &;eah, sure,& ( said with a nod' &Grab the tarps, store them behind the wood shed'& &7kay,& he agreed, starting to roll up the large piece of covering' &;ou kinda shot out of

the office, bro' ;ou all right!& &( don't need to go over and over the same thing' ('ve never needed that fucking shit,& ( grunted, sliding open the cabin doors' &;ou know that' To me, it ,ust makes shit worse, makes the crew nervous about making mistakes'& &=aptain +letcher from )audi /rabia,& he chuckled, shaking his head' &That asshole must've thought we were all imbeciles'& &5e was good in a fight,& ( laughed with him, &but damn''' repeat, repeat, repeat'& &That day you snapped on him was priceless,& $mmett snorted as he dropped the first tarp to the ground behind my work shop' 5e turned around and started on the second' &.a33 and ( were convinced that you'd get =ourt #arshaled for calling the guy '=aptain +ucking #emore ''& ( grinned, shaking my head' &>: duty in the #ess Tent for a month was my punishment,& ( chuckled' &0ot to mention he made me transport prisoners to /bu Grahib, no matter what pilot was available' (t was a threat'''& $mmett snorted and nodded' &;ou're ,ust lucky your 6ad knew him from basic,& he pointed out with a raised eyebrow' &+letch was an asshole,& we heard behind us, and ( looked up to see my dad leaning against the closest tree' &5e was an asshole at basic and stayed that way all the way up until his term was over'& &5e was that,& ( agreed, &but he could really fucking fly' 7ne of the best /pache pilots ('d ever seen'& &/nd he knew it,& $mmett added with a laugh' &:ompous bastard'& ( opened the pilot door, pulling myself up into the seat and starting my check list' $mmett tossed the ne t tarp on top of the other one and began refueling her for me' 5e knew as much about my chopper as ( did1 he ,ust didn't fly' #y dad ,oined in, setting the sniper equipment that .asper had gotten ready into the cabin' 4e worked in silence as we got her ready' By the time ( had started her up and shut her back down, my wife was standing ,ust off of the helipad' &5ey,& she said, waving me down' &=ome eat something'& &;es, ma'am,& ( told her, ,umping down from the pilot seat and slamming the doors' ( walked to Bella, kissing her forehead' &)he ready!& &)he is, but ( don't know if ( am,& ( admitted to her' &4hat did you make, sweetness!& ( asked, sniffing the air, because something smelled fucking ama3ing'

)he giggled slightly, grabbing my hand' &=harlie's barbecue chicken,& she said, tugging me along' &=ooking in mass quantities was proving daunting' The grill was the only way to go' /lec and $sme helped' =ome on'& /fter an ama3ing dinner * eaten outside, of course * and another round of &what if& scenarios tossed around the dinner table, ( found myself helping "ose with clean up' &;ou okay!& she asked, glancing up as $mmett bree3ed through the kitchen with a happy, gurgling =aleb in his arms' &;eah,& ( sighed, putting away as she washed and rinsed, though it was only the big shit, because we'd used as many disposable plates as we could to keep clean up to a fucking minimum' &( wish ( could go with you,& she said softly, looking behind her to make sure we were alone' &( never blamed Bella for her hatred for 9ilith' That bitch stepped up in my face the day we found her and /shley'& ( snickered, looking over at a woman that most men would consider a beauty queen, but she was tough and smart * deceptively so' &)mack her down, did you!& &7h, ( wanted to,& she huffed, rolling her eyes and shutting off the water' &('ll be in the computer room with /lice and #ack, but ( need you to do something for me, $dward'& &4hat's that!& ( asked, putting a large pot away in the bottom cabinet' &#ake sure my =aleb's father comes home to me,& she whispered, her worry practically palpable' &5e's determined to help you, because he gets it''' 5ell, we all get it' But he's looking for a fight' ( ,ust need him to stick to the plan and'''& &4e all feel that way, and he'll be with my dad, "ose,& ( said, leaning against the counter and folding my arms across my chest' &5e's in the best of hands, ( swear it' #y dad hasn't lost a man since ?ncle Garrett, and that was a health issue, not a lack of safety'& "ose nodded, pulling me into a hug' &('m glad you and Bells are better' ( was worried for a moment, because you two need each other more than you think' Good luck tomorrow,& she whispered, stepping back' &)he's asleep in Bethy's room'& / small, but sad smile played on her face' &Go'''be together before we all scatter tomorrow' )he says she sleeps better when you're with her, and she'll need all the rest she can get'& ( nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out' &Thanks, "ose,& ( whispered, gripping her shoulder before heading down my hallway' ( crept into Bethy's room, shutting the door behind me' Bella was curled up in a little ball on our daughter's bed, sound asleep' ( kicked off my shoes and socks, tugging my t2 shirt off over my head' There wasn't a lot of room, but ( managed to crawl in between

Bella and the wall' )he whimpered in her sleep, her body automatically snuggling closer to mine' ( wrapped an arm around her, pulling her back to my chest, and her hand immediately sought out mine, linking our fingers together' Tucking my hand under her cheek, my girl sighed the sweetest, deepest, most contented sigh ('d heard from her since all this shit started' ( closed my eyes, inhaling the flowery scent of her still damp from the shower hair' /s ,ust her nearness calmed me, ( silently prayed to God * or 4hoever was listening * to keep us all safe, to bring my girls home, and to give me the strength to keep my emotions in check and my mind sharp' /ll our lives depended on it'

%E&&#
&5ere, love,& $dward muttered, handing me one of his black bags at the same time 4es and /lice e ploded from the computer room' &Guys8 Get in here8& 4es called' 5e'd ,ust gotten back, but hadn't said a word e cept to /lice, who he'd pulled away from us to do some research' (t was so damned early that the sun wasn't even up yet, but the house, the yard, and the office were frantic with movement, hushed conversations, and the sounds of weapons being checked' ( shoved some clothes, my gun, and my cell phone into the bag and 3ipped it up' ( grabbed the another bag ,ust like it and slid it to #akenna' &:ut the money in this,& ( ordered softly' &But =arlisle's already got it in a bag,& she countered, looking at me like ( was cra3y' &5umor me,& ( huffed, leaving her to it and ,oining them in front of /lice's screens' &4e have a few issues,& 4es said, turning his back to the computers and leaning on the desk to face everyone in the room' &+irst thing''' ( have 3ero doubt in my mind that 4alter Bridges is in charge of this shit' )econd''' There's a reason they picked the train station'& / collective groan rumbled through the group of us as we waited for him to continue' &4alter Bridges' parents have enough money to have his record cleared,& he started, pointing to the screen' &4hile 4alter was in college, he became associated with a small, on2the2fringe militant group known as the 6'7'/' * or 6isciples of /merica' They aren't big and don't seem to have any real manifesto' (nstead, they focus on whatever hot topic is in the news at the time' They're anarchists that like stirring up trouble, but

hold themselves away from the rest of the country' /nd they don't do anything really violent, but will occasionally show up at events and bully people around'& &/ cult!& $mmett asked' &9ike .im .ones!& &( suppose you could call them that, but they don't have any real beliefs that they follow' +rom what ( can tell, they're basically a group of antisocial people that have removed themselves away from society,& he e plained' &9ike ( said, they're small, so they weren't even a blip on the +B('s radar' They like their guns, they like disruption of people's lives, and they like living away from large cities' &4alter was arrested for drunk and disorderly, disturbing the peace, and assault ,ust prior to his graduation' 5is father made it go away, but it was then that his parents cut him off from their support' 5e was an embarrassment to them'& 4es pointed to the screen again' &4alter )r' told us that his son has access to a piece of property that he can't control, because his son inherited it from his grandparents' (t's a rather large cabin set up in the mountains of 0orthern =alifornia, ,ust the other side of 7regon'& &9ook,& /lice stated, pointing to the large screen above' &(t's not ,ust for camping' (t's a compound' 4hat was a farm, kind of like /unt >ate's, is now set up like /rmy barracks'& &4alter's father thinks his son has taken charge' $ven worse, that his son was using his position at )hady Glen to recruit new members'''which may e plain young >urt' But that's ,ust a guess,& 4es said with a shrug' &5owever, there's a reason he's using 9ilith as the vehicle to this shit,& he sighed, his eyes landing warily on me, and then $dward' &They've asked for ten million dollars and Bella in trade for those two girls, but ('m willing to bet that the ne t amount he asks for will be more in e change for Bella back'& &4hy!& $dward snapped, taking my hand and gripping it' &Because 4alter has mouths to feed, followers to take care of, and a shit2ton of ta es to pay on that rather large piece of property, or he loses it' 5is father thinks he wants to e pand up there, but the price of land is steep, and he's repeatedly told his son no'& &That's where he's heading to,& =arlisle muttered, almost to himself, but 4es nodded in agreement' &(f they get away today, that's where they'll head' (t's where he'll feel comfortable and where he'll have backup'& $lea3ar took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving the satellite image of the mountain compound' &/nd the second issue we have today!& &)enator "ui3 is speaking right across the street from the train station,& 4es stated, raising an eyebrow' &;ou know, the one that's hiking property ta es throughout the state'''& &7h damn,& .asper huffed' &)o the angry little bullies have their target today'''&

&$ actly,& 4es grunted, folding his arms across his chest' &There's more at stake here than we thought'& $lea3ar's sharp, keen eyes landed on Benny, who looked beyond pissed' &7utside the legal bo , Ben,& he stated gruffly' &Tell me now'''& Benny sighed, shaking his head as he glanced around the room' &The plan stays the same' 0othing changes' =arlisle'''& he said, gesturing to my godfather in a sign of surrender' =arlisle walked a few paces, standing at my side, and placed an arm around my shoulders' &$mmett, $ric, +eli , and /lec'''you're with me on the perimeter and the garage' #ickey and )am, you're shadowing Bella from a distance' $dward'''the air is yours with .asper and $lea3ar' Benny, you and your men can set up across the street to protect the attendees of this'''political thing, but ( need you low profile inside that damn station' The arrest is yours'''if this goes smoothly'& /lice spun to $dward' &( have to set you up as media again, $dward' ;ou won't be the only chopper in the air, so watch yourself, okay!& &Thank you, /lice,& he said softly, his thumb rubbing a circular pattern over my knuckles' )he stood up, walked to her little work table that she used for small electronic pro,ects' &Bells,& she called, turning to hand me a few things' &5ere' This is ready, and so is this,& she said, handing me #r' Bunny and my earpiece as everyone around us broke away to load cars and the chopper' &Thanks, pi ie,& ( whispered, tucking #r' Bunny under my arm and placing the earpiece in my ear' ( held up the stuffed rabbit, asking, &=alibrated!& &=alibrated, but not activated' ;ou do that when you're ready'''same with the one in your boot' )quee3e them 'til you feel it click,& she whispered back' &4hy two!& she asked' &=all it a hunch, /lice,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &=an you tell the difference between them!& &;up, yup, yup,& she chanted, but her brow furrowed' &:lease be careful,& she begged, wrapping me in a hug' &( will,& ( breathed, kissing the side of her head' &)tay sharp and do your thing, /lice'& 4ith hugs to "ose and #akenna, ( left my office after shoving #r' Bunny into my bag' ( stepped out into my yard to a shit load of activity' +eds were loading up in black sedans and )?-s' =arlisle was having one last word with Benny and 4es' /nd $dward was giving the chopper one last check'

( walked to my #ustang, where the trunk was already open and the bag of infernal money was already there' ( dropped my personal bag on top of it and slammed the lid' ( was to drive alone, followed by'''well, everyone else, not to mention the angel in the air over me' 4arm, strong arms wrapped around me from behind, and ( turned in $dward's arms' 5e was already wearing his black baseball cap backwards, but his eyes were guarded, fierce' &;ou be so safe, sweetness,& he ordered, swallowing thickly' &( will, ( promise,& ( vowed, leaning up to kiss him' &;ou focus, $dward' :lease'& &( don't know what ('ll do if something goes wrong today,& he groaned, his head falling back with his stress' &;ou'll find me like you did the first time,& ( stated cryptically, raising an eyebrow at him' 5is ga3e snapped sharply to mine, his mouth gaping ,ust a bit' &;ou didn't,& he gasped' &( did'''or /lice did,& ( whispered to him' &(f something goes wrong'''you get with /lice, but stay close' Got me!& ( asked, using his same command' 5e smirked, nodding, and took a deep breath' &;es, ma'am'& &( love you, $dward,& ( breathed against his lips' &)o fucking much'& &( love you, too, baby,& he said, capturing my mouth with his' &/nd we'll get her back, love'& ( nodded, trying my damnedest not to let my heart run things' 4e both turned when =arlisle called our names' &9et's go8 9oad up8& 7ne more kiss, and ( let $dward go, watching him walk gracefully to his chopper' 7nce the purr and whine of his engine and blades started, ( fell into my driver's seat, cranking up my car'

The whole lot of us sped towards our destination, unhindered by the fear of getting caught for speeding' ( was pretty sure that the caravan behind me containing the +B( and the =(/ wouldn't allow it anyway' 7ccasionally along the way, ( caught sight of $dward's chopper off to my side, and ( was pretty sure that he was doing it on purpose

* speeding ahead, only to fall back to keep an eye on me' #y radio was filled with activity in my ear, communication with each other, with $dward, and with the local police to let them know we were coming through' By the time ( pulled into the parking garage at the )an +rancisco train station, the sun was up and ( had about forty2five minutes to be in the waiting area' ( listened intently as everyone called in with their locations, stated their observations, and /lice and #akenna played eye in the sky with $dward' The three of them lived for that fucking camera mounted underneath his chopper' &('ve got a fairly large crowd gathering across the street, but most of them are making their way towards the stage that's been set up in the park,& /lice stated' &The train yard looks convoluted' 5ow the hell does anyone know where they're all going! (t ,ust looks like chaos'''& &#ack, anything!& $dward called over the radio' &9et me 3oom in on the faces around the entrance and the atrium of the station, $dward,& she answered him' &Give me a few'& That was what ( was waiting on' ( wanted to see if #ack recogni3ed 9ilith, 4alter, or any of the others that were working with them' 4hat ( really wanted to know was if she spotted Bethy and /bby' ( was parked on the roof of the garage and watched as $dward slowly drifted by several yards in the air' ( stood up out of driver's side, slamming the door behind me' &=arlisle!& ( called, looking up when he stepped lightly from the steps that led to the ne t level down' &4aiting on #ack,& ( told him, and he stopped, giving me a brusque nod' &7n it, Bells,& she sang softly in my ear' &('ve got Benny and 4es'''north entrance' ('ve got #ickey and )am stepping through the food court' ('ve got you and :oppy on the top shelf of the garage,& she snickered, which caused =arlisle to shoot a wink my way from across the parking lot' &/nd $mmett on the first level of the garage'& )he paused as $dward swung her around one more pass, though this time, it was along the short term parking lot along across the street, followed by the drop off lane outside along the front entrance' &There it is8& she squealed' &The minivan that was stolen in 7lympia' Tan ugly thing pulling up to the entrance now'& &(nside, #ack,& ( growled, losing my patience and time before ( had to have my ass seated in the north end waiting area' &4ho's inside!& &('ve got 9ilith stepping out, along with'''"usty and 4alter' The driver looks like it may be >urt, but''' )hit8& she hissed' &0o girls'''no Bethy, no /bby' 4hat now!&

&+uck,& ( snapped, pushing away from my car where ('d been leaning and walked back to my trunk' &( fucking knew she'd fuck me over'''& ( grabbed my bag, slinging it over my shoulder' &/lice8& ( snapped, slamming the trunk' &;eah,& she answered sharply' &=heck every hotel that would be en route between here and that fucking compound of 4alter's' They've stashed the girls'''most likely with >enny the statutory rapist, but it would have to be close by' 6o it now8& ( ordered, spinning on my heel to walk toward =arlisle, whose face was fierce as ( tossed him the keys to my car' &4hat are you'''& he started, catching the keys deftly' &;ou might want to drive that home' ;our money is in it,& ( sneered, pissed off to no end, beyond reason, because my maternal instincts were saying ( was going to kill this bitch to get my daughter back, but the :( in me wanted to fight fire with fire' &(f she's going to double cross me, then turnabout's fair play,& ( grumbled, taking the steps downstairs at practically a run' &Bella, no8& $dward hissed in my ear' &Bella,& =arlisle said, catching up to me and pulling me to a stop on the ne t landing' &/re you sure this is the way you want to go! They could follow through with this bomb threat''' or'''or take you8& &0o matter what they fucking do, they're going to do it without that money,& ( stated, pointing a thumb behind me' &That still leaves me and the girls as a bargaining chip' +rom what 4es said'''this ridiculous 6'7'/' group isn't high violence, but they need this fucking money'''& &Bella'''.esus =hrist,& $dward groaned' &Baby, don't do this'''& ( sighed, trying not to hear the sheer anger and terror in his voice because he couldn't be down on the ground with me' &4hat do you suggest, $dward!& ( countered' &/nyone! Because if we capture them, let Benny arrest them, then we have no fucking clue where Bethy is, and they'll hold out that bit of information' /nd ,ust what will we have them on! /nyone!& ( asked again, but the radio stayed silent in my ear' &"ight'''nothing' )o, let's see what they say when they ask for payment for the girls they didn't bring and ( don't have it to give them'& ( looked up at =arlisle, who seemed to be running every scenario in his head, but was coming to the same fucking conclusion that ( had' &;ou're chipped,& he stated, giving me an approved once over as ( nodded' &Those girls will need me,& ( urged, silently begging him to let me go' &They'll take me, but at least ('ll be with Bethy and /bby'''& ( paused, closing my eyes' &$dward'''you

know what to do'''& #y godfather's free hand clenched and released at his side, ,ust like his son's did when he was pissed off and stressed out, but he released my arm' &Go, Bella'''your time is drawing close'''& &Bella,& $dward called one more time over the radio' &Be safe, love'& &( will,& ( whispered, squee3ing my eyes closed, before grabbing the door that lead into the train station'

%ET'(
/bby scooted closer to me when >enny ,umped up from his chair' 5e walked back and forth by the window of the hotel over and over' 5e would look at his phone, let out a big breath, and then sit back down again' 4e didn't want to be left with >enny' 4e liked >urt, but the mean lady and the new man, who told us to call him 4alter, took >urt with them' >enny was grumpy and said mean things to us' 5e'd take away our food if we cried, complained, or spoke out loud at all, but at least he left the T- on' ( missed my mommy and daddy' ( wanted to go home' ( wanted my :oppy and Gamma, my tree house, and my room' ( wanted movies on the couch with #ommy, where she brushed my hair and braided it' ( wanted to help 6addy cook, because he let me try it before it was dinner time' /nd ( wanted my own bed, because ( couldn't sleep without goodnight kisses from 6addy, without him telling me to have good dreams' ( ,umped when >enny's phone rang and he slammed the door to the ne t room over' &6id >urt mean it!& /bby whispered, keeping an eye on the door' &( hope so,& ( whispered back' &5e said he was going to get my mommy before we went to the last place'& >urt had been angry when the lady wanted him to go with her' 5e wanted to stay with us, but ( really thought it was because he didn't like >enny' /t all' They fought all the time' &( have to potty,& ( told /bby, scooting down the bed' &6on't leave me8& she squeaked, grabbing my hand and following me into the bathroom' 4e tiptoed to the bathroom, remembering to leave the door open, because the last time we shut it, >enny got really mad' ( went first, and then /bby went, and we both

washed our hands' )omething slammed behind us, and we turned around to see the window in the shower bang against the wall' (t was loose, and the wind outside was slamming it over and over' This was the scariest place we had been so far' The rooms were icky and old' They smelled funny, like smoke and the cleaner that #ommy used to mop the floors' The beds were covered in an ugly blanket with funny looking yellow and orange flowers on it' /nd the bed was lumpy' 4hen we walked back into the room, >enny did, too' &4hat did ( fucking tell you about getting up!& he yelled, and we ran back to the bed' /bby started to cry, but ( shushed her' &6on't cry'''it makes him yell more,& ( whispered to her, and then looked at >enny' &4e had t2to p2potty,& ( told him' &( d2don't c2care,& he said back, making fun of my voice' &( said don't move and ,ust watch the fucking T-' ;ou little runts make me nervous' Be still and stay the fuck quiet'& &( want my mommy,& ( told him, trying not to cry' &4e all want your mommy,& he sighed, falling into the chair again and looking at his phone' &)oon, you little shit' )oon'&

CHAPTER 8
%E&&#
The station was packed with people' )ome looked like they were heading off to work, some looked like vacationing families, and the rest seemed to be making their way out through the front doors toward the gathering for )enator "ui3's speech' (n my ear, my location, my every step, along with 9ilith and 4alter's position were rattled off one by one' ( shifted my bag higher onto my shoulder, taking a sweeping glance around the station' To my left sat #ickey and )am in the small food court area' ?p top along the balcony that surrounded the main atrium were a few of Benny's men' Through the large glass front doors, ( could see 4es standing by the drop off lane, scanning the crowd across the street and glancing inside every now and then' ( walked slowly towards the waiting area ,ust outside a small bar' The carpet was an ugly shade of maroon, the chairs all attached together and black vinyl' )mall flatscreen T-s were mounted up in the corners so that everyone could see them, playing the local news or sports * depending on which one you were watching' / small family of three sat by the windows, a businessman typed away on his laptop at the edge closest to the train platforms, but it was the last set of people my eyes finally fell on' 4alter and 9ilith were sitting together, but ( wasn't stupid enough to think that "usty wasn't near' ( glanced around again, finding him sitting at the bar, a bottle of beer in front of him' 5owever, his ga3e was trained behind me, back towards the food court' ( turned around, noticing a young man leaning against the wall by a book shop, a small duffle bag by his feet' &They aren't alone,& ( muttered in my earpiece' &('ve got a suspicious looking guy by the employee entrance' =amo ,acket, concert tee, and an i:od'& &7n it,& one of the +eds stated, and the gentleman at the far end of the balcony started making his way down the stairs' &=amo seems to be their signature,& Benny stated, &because ('ve got about si men making their way into the park' Two on the west side of the stage, two on the east, and the rest spreading throughout the crowd' #y men'''shadow them' The first sign of trouble, take them down'''=uietly'''and get them out of the crowd'& &('ve got the minivan making another pass through the drop off 3one,& $dward stated' &(t seems he's waiting for a command'& /s ( closed in on 9ilith and 4alter, ( said, &5ere we go'& ( dropped my bag in a seat and sat down across from them' #y eyes met 9ilith's, and (

saw'''pure hatred, no empathy, and a small wicked smile curling the edges of her mouth' &(sabella,& she sighed, sitting forward' &4here are the girls, 9ilith!& ( asked, not having the patience for niceties' &(n due time,& 4alter said, crossing one leg over the other at the ankle' &/nd you are!& ( asked, giving him a raised eyebrow, because letting him think we were ignorant was better than spooking him' (f he had any clue that we knew everything about him, he'd panic, and we couldn't have him make some rash decision, especially with those girls' lives at stake' &('m ,ust helping 9ilith get what's coming to her,& he answered smoothly, his eyes landing on the black bag at my side' &;ou'll need more than money for that,& ( countered snidely' &;ou'll need a cage and mu33le'''possibly a stun gun'''& ( muttered, rolling my eyes at the string of profanities that left her mouth' &9isten, bitch'''& 9ilith started to lunge for me, but 4alter stopped her' &)how us the money, and we'll bring the kids in,& he offered, pushing 9ilith back in her seat so hard that she grunted' 5e obviously knew how to handle her, though he looked like it wasn't out of any sort of caring emotion, but like a trainer with a dog' ( was shaking my head no before he even finished' &(t so doesn't work that way with me,& ( stated, my voice low' &( need to'''see what ('m paying for, or this meeting is over' ;ou can take your chances with other'''people'& &('m not fucking stupid, (sabella,& 4alter snapped, now starting to show his temper' &( know this place is fucking surrounded'& &Then let's fucking cut the shit8& ( growled back, my hands in fists in my lap, and ( was glad that someone was blaring a baseball game inside the bar to cover my raised voice' &('ve got what you want, and you've got what ( want' ( want to see the girls''' now8& &;es, but what you don't seem to reali3e is that you're coming with us,& 4alter chuckled' &=onsider it'''insurance on getting out of here,& he snorted, waving his hand toward the balcony and the front door' 5e lifted the front of his shirt, where a revolver was seated in the waistband of his ,eans' &/re we clear!& &('m not fucking going anywhere until you release my daughter and her friend inside this fucking station,& ( countered, knowing for a fact that he couldn't do it, but ( was surrounded by the best of the fucking best, so my confidence level was really high' 4alter smiled, looked over his shoulder toward the bar, and "usty nodded, pulling out a

cell phone and walking away' &;ou're coming,& he stated, standing up and pulling me up with him' 5e buried the mu33le of the gun in my ribs' &Grab that fucking bag, shut your fucking mouth, and walk'& The problem wasn't doing what he was telling me, or even not knowing where he was taking me1 it was the chaos that ensued throughout the building and outside' +ire alarms started to wail as billowing smoke began to fill the balcony, the atrium, and the loading platforms outside' The front doors slammed open with civilians pushing their way outside, at the same time the small radio in my ear began bu33ing with activity' The sound of gunfire outside the front doors and in the park across the street met my ears, and ( knew then that 4alter had ,ust started his distraction' (t was chaos in front of a political arena * the perfect way to get +ederal officers to ,ump' (t was harmless smoke bombs inside the station, but a fire alarm would always scare innocent people' &('ve guns in the park8& Benny yelled' &Take them down8 Take them down8 )omeone get to "ui3, now8 6on't let him get caught up in this shit'''& &('ve got an asshole making their way through the crowd, Benny,& .asper warned' &5e's heading straight for that senator'& &Take him down'''shoot to wound only, .,& $lea3ar ordered' &('ve got that minivan pulling up front8& &9eave it,& ( hissed as ( bent down to grab my black bag * a bag that was filled only with clothes for myself and the girls, not to mention #r' Bunny and my gun' 0ot one dime was going with us' &('m off the radio,& ( breathed, pulling it from my ear like ( was scratching it and standing up straight, because this was going to be tricky enough without the money, so ( couldn't see adding fuel to that fire by being wired' The last thing ( heard before ( pulled the earpiece out was, &Bella, no8& from $dward' The crowd outside started to scream and run from the activity' ( felt, rather than heard, $dward's chopper blades as he swooped closer for .asper and $lea3ar' ( could see 4es trying to guide innocent people out through the front doors as we got closer and closer to the e it, which was getting tougher to see with all the smoke inside the station' ( walked calmly out the doors, 4alter's gun still at my side, and ( gave 4es a minute shake of my head when he flinched at the sight of me' ( needed them to let me go' ( needed to get to Bethy, even if it was being held against my will' /nd ( needed to face the wrath of 4alter and 9ilith when they finally reali3ed that they didn't have a fucking dime' 4es' face held worry and anger, but it also held a vow that he would find me' 5is head

spun when screeching tires pulled to a halt in front of the three of us' The side door of the old tan minivan slammed open, and 4alter rushed me inside to the backseat' &Get in and get down,& he ordered, looking over his shoulder as "usty barreled his way out the front doors and dove in the van' $dward's chopper swung low and dangerous over the scattering crowd that was heading away from fire alarms and gunshots, the side doors open, with $lea3ar hanging out one side and .asper another' Both were aiming in different directions' 5is blades stirred up dust, debris, and tree leaves, causing it all to swirl around everyone and ,ust adding to the chaos' 5e should have been higher, but ( had a feeling $lea3ar was calling his movements' / woman screamed in the middle of the street when a camo wearing man wrapped her hair around his hand and pointed a gun to her temple, yelling something at a nearby +ed' The 6'7'/' member never stood a chance, because .asper never missed' 7ne resounding pop, and the man's head snapped back' 5e hit the asphalt, causing the woman to stumble forward' &4ho the fuck are they!& 9ilith gasped, her mouth hanging wide as she dove into the car beside me' &6oesn't matter,& 4alter growled, slamming the minivan's side door' &Go, >urt''' 6rive8 They won't shoot while this bitch is in this car' )he's worth too much'& The van lurched forward in another squealing of tires, and we bucked over a curb to avoid hitting a few +eds, as well as a small, crying child' The last face ( saw was =arlisle, who bolted from the garage, giving the van a face filled with hatred and worry' 9ilith shifted to the very back seat with "usty, allowing 4alter to sit ne t to me' 5e grabbed my ponytail, ,erking it roughly and practically spitting in my face' &;ou'll pay for this shit, (sabella,& he sneered, holding up a syringe' &;ou ,ust couldn't do as you were told, could you!& he asked, slamming the needle into my arm and depressing the plunger' #y world blurred completely out of focus into nothingness'

E!"#$!
&$dward, don't even fucking think about it,& $lea3ar warned as the van that contained my Bella sped away from the shit down below' &( get it'''( really do, but if you follow them, they may kill her' )he's strong as fucking shit' 9et her go for now'& &Goddamn son of a bitch8& ( growled, wanting to fucking punch someone or something'

/nything' &)he knew they'd fuck us over' )he ,ust fucking offered herself up8& &$d, she needs to get to the girls, and you know it' 0ow, your dad said land,& .asper said, pointing over to the garage where Bella's car was parked along the far wall' &)et this thing down over there' Benny is giving you clearance'& &/lice8& ( barked over the radio' &/s soon as ( see her turn them on, ('ll tell you, $dward,& she answered immediately' &Those G:) chips are off, per her request' )he wanted to get to Bethy first, okay!& &Ten2four,& ( sighed in fucking utter defeat, setting the chopper down' ( powered her down as $lea3ar and .asper piled out of her to run to my dad, who had ,ust emerged from the stairwell' 7nce she was off, ( scrambled down to ,oin them' &+ucking smoke bombs,& he hissed, shaking his head' &$very last one of them was a diversion tactic8 0othing but fucking smoke8& &=asualties!& $lea3ar asked him and everyone on the radio' The calls back were two 6'7'/' men dead, several civilians in,ured from trampling and assaults, and two 6'7'/' men in,ured and in Benny's custody' &/lec, )am, and #ickey'''get your asses to the top level of the garage, /)/:,& my dad ordered into the radio, and they all grunted with acknowledgment' 5e pointed his finger to me' &/s soon as they get here, you'll stay close, wait for /lice's word, and you can pounce when she says so' There's a small industrial airfield not far from here' ;ou can store the chopper there for now' Take the )?- that $mmett drove, stay low, stay connected'& 5e pointed to $lea3ar and .asper' &$l'''Benny's going to have to e plain this shit, so you'll help him' .asper, you'll come with me to question those two men that survived'& #y dad grabbed my arm, pulling me close' &)he didn't take the fucking money, and she won't turn those G:) chips on until she's ready for you' #y guess is they'll head to that compound, but it's several hours drive' $dward, they knocked her out as they drove past me, so they'll need a place to cool off before the last leg'& &+uck,& ( hissed, shaking my head as ( ran a hand roughly through my hair' &>nocked her out'''how!& &)omething in a needle' 0ow'''( think your best bet is to start north, lag back a bit, but be fucking ready for whatever Bella does, okay!& &)ir,& ( sighed with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, glancing up at /lec, #ickey, and )am as they double timed it across the parking lot' ( had planned to wait for her, because the thought of going home without either of my girls made me fucking sick' )o

it was time to get to work' &)am, take the keys to the )?- from my dad and meet us at the industrial airstrip ,ust across town' #ickey, /lec'''you're with me' 4e're hanging low in town until we hear from /lice' 9oad up,& ( ordered' &)ir,& they all grunted' /lec and #ickey ,ogged to the chopper, and )am took the keys from my dad' &)on'''& #y dad stopped me one more time with a grip to my shoulder' &)he's tough' Give her a chance, okay!& he asked, and ( nodded as he spun on his heel, barking into the radio, with .asper on his trail' &Benny, ( want those two suspects in a room, now8 ( have questions8& ( looked up at )am, who was waiting for me' &9et's go,& ( muttered, going back to my chopper' &('ll guide you into the airfield'& &)ure, $ddie,& he answered, his voice subdued, but ( knew he was worried' ( listened intently over the radio as different men checked in, calling an all clear' $mmett called the garage safe, 4es called that the inside of the station was now clear of smoke, but all trains and people were being routed elsewhere, and Benny stated that the senator was now safely away and in the custody of his own security' ( could already see the story they were going with: an attempted assassination on a political figure by an unstable militant group' (t was easy, and certainly not far from the fucking truth, though ( was pretty sure the 6'7'/''s intention wasn't to kill "ui3, considering they'd used smoke bombs, instead of e plosives' ( lifted smoothly off the garage, turning away from the train station and calling into the local airstrip' ( used the call sign that /lice had assigned my flight, acting like the media' They granted my access, and /lec spoke to )am to let him know where to follow me' The hurry up and fucking wait feel of things made me uneasy' The loss of my wife made me feel empty' ( wanted to storm the asshole's compound right then, taking the lives of anyone that had played ,ust the minimal part in this shit' &$asy, pretty boy,& #ickey soothed from the co2pilot seat' &)he'll let us know something soon' ;ou know that'& &( know,& ( stated firmly' 7f all the things ( knew, ( had faith that my Bella would fight to give us something' 5er determination to get to and protect Bethy was almost deadly' (t was all that was keeping her from losing it' /nd that ( completely understood'

%E&&#
#y tongue felt thick and dry, my head fu33y' ( could hear muffled voices nearby, and (

slowly * without trying to look awake * tried to take a physical inventory on my body' ( didn't open my eyes as ( tried to move, but ( seemed to be sitting up in a hard seat, my arms bound behind my back, my feet to the legs of the fairly wobbly chair' ( felt okay, ,ust groggy from whatever 4alter had in,ected into me, but my head was quickly clearing' ( peeked an eye open, taking a quick glance around at what seemed to be a very old, very cheap hotel room' (t stunk, like old cigarette smoke and cheap cleaner, like stale sheets and spilled beer * and pretty recent pi33a' +rom where ( was, ( couldn't see anything other than the window that was covered by old, heavy curtains, but ( could at least tell that the sun was about to set' ( closed my eyes again when voices rang in from the other room, because apparently, there was dissension among 4alter's little clan' &6amn it to hell, >enny,& a male voice hissed' &4hat the fuck did you give them!& &.ust some night time cold medicine' They wouldn't sit the fuck still8& >enny yelled back' &9ilith said ( could''' 5ell, they weren't sleeping well at night anyway'& &)hut up,& 9ilith snapped, &the both of you' >urt, take them in there with that bitch' :ut them to bed'& ( waited, holding my breath, because ( knew that they were talking about Bethy and /bby, and my heart was about to pound out of my chest' ( was going to at least be able to lay eyes on my baby' But a loud, long string of profanities and the sound of something smashing against the wall of the ne t hotel room caused me to snap my eyes open completely' +uck the ruse of being asleep1 4alter and 9ilith had ,ust discovered what was in my bag' The door between the two rooms was yanked open, and a fuming 9ilith stormed into the room' &;ou stupid fucking bitch8& she snarled, and ( braced myself, because her hand was raised before she was even close enough to me to strike' The hit was open handed and stung my cheek, my head snapping to the left' ( grimaced, feeling my chair rock on its legs briefly' &4hat is this shit!& she screamed, holding up clothes and #r' Bunny' &4ell,& ( started calmly, taking a deep breath and sitting up straighter, because ( knew there would be more hits, &( knew you were a piss poor mother with your own children, so ( assumed those girls would need all the help they could get' /m ( right!& ( asked her, glaring at her with pure hatred' God, ( really ,ust fucking hated that bitch, and there was no way for me to even try to attempt to hide it' )he threw the clothes and the stuffed animal on the closest bed and swung on me

again1 this time, the fist was closed' The legs of my chair gave an eerie creak, ( was happy to note' ( grunted, feeling the sting of a split lip and the warmth of the blood seeping from it running down my chin' ( sat up straight again and said, &5it me again, and ('ll kick your ass while ('m still cuffed and in this fucking chair'& ( was really, really hoping she'd hit me again, because ( was going to use the momentum in my favor' ( wasn't disappointed, because she came at me full force this time, despite the fact that three men were trying to stop her' 5er foot landed in the middle of my chest, and ( pushed back at the same time, using gravity and my weight to fall to the floor' #y chair gave a satisfying crack, collapsing underneath me, the back giving way to allow my handcuffs to slip off' The legs never stood a chance, and ( was rolling across the floor backwards, tucking my feet and legs through and bringing my hands to my front' 9aunching myself up, ( dove for her, driving my shoulder into her stomach and landing on her with a grunt from me and a cry out from her' ?sing my cuffed hands, ( braced myself over her, straddling her stomach' ( swung both hands at once, left to right, catching her mouth in a loud and really rewarding smack' ( was ,ust about to swing again, when ( found myself yanked away from her' &$nough8& 4alter growled, gripping my hair, but it was the soft click of the hammer of his gun that stopped me from fighting everyone in the fucking room' 5e pressed it to my temple, his breathing heavy' &4here's the fucking money, (sabella!& he asked, his voice low and menacing' &0o idea,& ( snickered, spitting blood to the floor' &4ith my husband! 5is father! The +B(! 0o clue'& ( smirked, looking at him over my shoulder' &=ould be with any of them'& ( shrugged a shoulder in an insolent manner, ,ust to piss him off' &;ou're the Twi Tech heiress,& he pointed out, his eyes dark with his anger' &=ouldn't you fucking spare it!& &#aybe,& ( said with a smile' &4ho double crossed whom, 4alter!& ( asked' &;ou didn't show with the girls'& &4ell'''now your family will pay double,& he growled, throwing me to the bed and reaching into his pocket' &('m pretty sure that the goddaughter2slash2daughter2in2law of the =$7 of a multi2million dollar company will bring a higher price than that little brat in the other room, but both of you'''('m pretty sure =arlisle =ullen won't be able to resist'& ( chuckled, shaking my head' &;ou really have no idea what you've done, do you!& ( asked, looking up at his now confused face' &Go ahead'''call =arlisle' =all my husband'

9et them know what you're asking'& &7h, we will, (sabella,& he told me, holding up another syringe' &But why don't we save that for tomorrow! ;ou need your rest, and we'll be traveling tomorrow'& 5is voice was snide and sarcastic, and without any hesitation, he sank the needle into my neck, once again plunging my world into darkness'

E!"#$!
&Thanks, kid' ( was starving,& /lec grunted as he took an enormous bite of a fast food burger' &;ou might as well park back here for now,& he mumbled with his mouth full' ( nodded, parking in the back shaded area of the restaurant's parking lot' (t faced the two lane highway we'd been traveling on, but once the sun had started to set, everyone in the car complained about empty fucking stomachs' &$at, pretty boy,& #ickey piped up from the back seat' &;ou're gonna need it, $d'& &+ine,& ( sighed, taking the burger she was handing me' 4hat ( wanted was a stiff drink, something to take the edge off, but ( couldn't do that' ( needed to stay sharp, stay alert' ( wanted /lice to call and tell me Bella had activated the G:) trackers' ( wanted to find both my girls and go the fuck home' /nd if * no, when * either of those things happened, ( needed to be sober and ready' 4e'd dropped off my chopper a few hours prior, making sure we had everything we needed out of it before leaving it' 7nce we'd checked back in with /lice, she told us to start north' /pparently, Bella had yet to turn on either of the G:) chips' &( fucking hate this waiting shit,& )am muttered, wadding up his burger wrapper and taking a long drink from his cup' &('d rather ,ust'''fucking fight'& ( snorted, turning toward the back seat to look at him' &0o shit,& ( huffed' &;ou should've seen my dad and me when we were looking for Bella the first time' )tuck at a rest area for hours' )omething went wrong with the G:) chip then'& &6amn, you don't think'''& he gasped, his eyes wide' &0o, definitely not this time,& ( chuckled, rolling my eyes' &Bella and /lice have tested those damn things so many times that they're fucking e perts'& &Tracked her ass to the damn grocery store,& /lec laughed, his head falling back to the headrest of the front seat' &Tracked her ass to the mall'''the movie theater'''the woods'''you name it' Those two have put those chips to the test, along with the rest of us'&

( grinned over at him, remembering it well' The girls were determined never to let history repeat itself when it came to an emergency' (t was like a statewide game of hide and seek around the time Bethy was a year old, which had resulted in /lice becoming damn good at narrowing down location, direction, and even satellite image' ( sighed deeply again, taking a sip of soda' &0o'''this is ,ust'''waiting'& The phone rang, breaking the silence that had settled over all of us' ( hit speakerphone, answering, &Talk to me, /lice'& &4hat road are you on!& &That county road you told us to stick to' 4hy!& ( asked her, taking another bite of burger that ( wasn't even fucking tasting' &Good, good, good,& she chanted, sounding worn out and frustrated' &)tay on that' /s you get farther north, you'll see some hotels' =all it a hunch, but ( have a feeling they stopped around there' They're old, nasty, cheap things from the looks of it, but they serve a purpose to truckers and shit'& &4hat have you heard from =arlisle!& /lec asked her' &0ot much,& she stated' &5e called to check in ,ust after he interrogated those 6'7'/' boys' They both were loyal to 4alter Bridges, but when they were threatened with being charged with acts of terrorism by $lea3ar and Benny, they opened up a bit'& There were a few chuckles in the car, but ( asked, &/nything useful!& &)ame shit we assumed,& she answered' &4alter's wealth had earned him a high spot in the 6'7'/', but when his parents cut the purse strings, that's when shit started to go to hell' They needed a place to live, and he provided it' 0ow'''the ta es on the place have piled up, and about thirty people may lose their home'& #ickey coughed from the backseat' &4hat! Thirty people! /re you fucking kidding me!& &;es, yes, yes,& /lice chortled' &Thirty misguided, angry, antisocial gunslingers that follow 4alter around like #ary's little lamb' (t's ridiculous' /nd the place seems to run like a little village or cult or'''or'''& &=ommune!& ( suggested, thinking she was starting to stutter like me' Before this was all over, poor /lice would have a nervous breakdown' )he barely slept, barely looked away from those computers of hers, and ( knew it was because she adored Bethy' /dding Bella into the mi may ,ust send her over the edge' &$ actly8 / commune,& she huffed e asperatedly' &('ve had the satellite on them since you guys finished at the train station' They live in little huts, though there is a main house' There's a barn, what looks like vegetable fields, a water well, and some

livestock' (n all reality, ('d be willing to bet that they don't need'''town'& ( took my baseball cap off, running my fingers through my hair, only to put the hat back on' &4hat's the access look like up there!& &Bleak,& she stated' &7ne scraggly little dirt road to get up there' /re you asking from an'''invasion standpoint!& she asked, giving a little giggle' ( grinned, because /lice and ( worked really well together1 it had been that way since the first time ('d spoken to her on the phone' &;eah, something like that, pi ie'& &(t would take your chopper, /T-s, and some tough fucking hiking to reach it' (t's set deep in the woods and pretty high up on the mountain,& she replied' &(t would be a bitch to go in'& &Thank you, /lice,& ( sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose' &$dward!& she called' &;eah'& &+rom what ( can tell'''they're heavily armed and fortified up there' (t would be a fucking battle,& she said, her voice sounding nervous' &7kay, thanks again' =all me when you know something,& ( told her, and she ended the call' ( shook my head, looking over at /lec' &4e'd better hope that Bella doesn't get taken to that cabin'& 5e nodded, wadding up his french fry container and tossing it into the bag with the rest of the garbage' &That won't stop us, kid,& he chuckled, gripping my shoulder' &5ell, ('m not even sure it would slow you and =arlisle down'& &0o shit,& )am and #ickey muttered from the backseat' ( smirked and nodded' &0o''' 0o, it wouldn't stop us'&

%E&&#
( woke up feeling the hits that 9ilith had put to my face, but at least 4alter had left me on the bed' #y hands were still cuffed, but he hadn't bothered to read,ust them to my back, so they were still cuffed in front of me' / quick glance around the room gave me a little relief' (t was late, and everyone seemed to be quiet for now' /sleep in a chair, his head back and mouth open, was the young man ( recogni3ed as >urt -ernon' 5is legs were stretched out in front of him, with his feet propped up in the chair on the other side of the table' 5e was young, rather handsome, and a little thin' / gun was sticking up out of his waistband, and his hair was short and almost black, his

,aw strong, with a touch of stubble' 5e snored softly, and ( rela ed a bit' ( rolled over to look at the other side of the room, and my heart soared' =uddled around each other were Bethy and /bby' They were sound asleep, a little messy, but completely unharmed, from what ( could see' They weren't even tied or restrained in any way' They were still completely dressed, down to their shoes, in the same clothes they'd been wearing since the 9afayette's farm' 9ilith's stupid ass hadn't even bothered to bathe them' /nother look to >urt, and ( sat up in bed as silently as ( could' There were doors leading to neighboring hotel rooms, but they were barely cracked open' The light from the Tflickered through the room, and the bathroom light gleamed brightly' ( looked down at myself, grimacing that my boots were missing' &+uck,& ( hissed to myself, ,ust barely letting the sound out, because the G:) chip was in the top portion of the right shoe' /t least ( still had #r' Bunny, who had been left by 9ilith after her temper tantrum' +eeling along the hem of my pants, ( found what ( was looking for and worked a long, thin metal strip from the material' /lice had hidden several things like that in the cargo pants ( was wearing' (n less than thirty seconds, ( had the cuffs off of my wrists and the metal strip stored back where ( had got it' ( really needed to thank #ickey for showing me a few of her tricks' ( inched off of the bed, giving a snoring >urt a wary glance before ( walked to the other bed' ( needed to see my daughter, touch her' ( needed to make sure she was really there, because ('d dreamed this type of shit more times than ( could count since she'd been taken from me' )he was on the outside of the bed, her face buried in her pillow, with /bby's hand twitching at her shoulder' ( knelt beside her, reaching up and lightly brushing her hair away from her face' 5er face rela ed in her sleep with a beautiful pout on her lips, much like her father's when he slept' 5er braids had been taken down, but her hair was a tangled mess' There were smudges of dirt on her nose, chin, and cheek, and her little fingernails were filthy, but otherwise, she was perfect' )he sighed contentedly, but suddenly, ( was looking into sweet, green eyes' &#om'''& she almost squealed, but ( placed a finger to her lips and pointed to >urt' )he nodded quietly, reaching for me and ( pulled her down into my lap, wrapping myself around her' )he hugged me ,ust as tightly as ( was hugging her, and ( reveled in the feel, the smell of her' ( wanted to talk to her, make sure she was okay, so with one more look >urt's way, ( scooped her up and carried her in the bathroom, sitting on the closed lid of the toilet with her firmly in my lap'

&:retty girl,& ( whispered, unable to stop my tears' &;ou have to be so quiet, okay!& )he nodded, planting kisses to my face, her little face beaming' )he reached up to wipe away my tears, giving me another kiss to my cheek' &( m2missed y2you, #2mommy,& she sputtered quietly, but sweetly' &7h, Bethy,& ( groaned, holding her closer and allowing more tears to fall' &4e missed you so very much8& ( cupped her face, kissing her forehead, her nose, and finally, her adorably puckered lips' &/re you okay! They didn't hurt you, did they!& &0o, #ommy,& she whispered back' &But they aren't very nice'''e cept >urt'& &That one!& ( verified, pointing back towards the room' &;eah,& she answered with a nod, and ( was proud my girl could stay quiet' &>urt gives us doughnuts for breakfast and keeps the mean man away' >enny hates us'& &4hat does >enny do, baby!& &;ells, calls us names, takes away our food if we make him mad,& she rambled, playing with my hair' &4hat about 9ilith!& &The lady!& she asked, and ( nodded' &)he doesn't like us, either, but she stays in the other room'& ( snorted, shaking my head' That sounded like 9ilith * ignoring children she was supposed to be taking care of' &But no one's hit you, touched you!& ( asked her, and it was the most important question ( needed answered' &0o,& she huffed, shaking her head' &( told them not to'& &Good, pretty girl' "eally good,& ( sighed in relief, kissing her forehead again and trying not to squee3e her too tightly' ( ,umped when a slamming sound came from my left, and ( looked up at the window' &(t's ,ust the loose window, #ommy,& Bethy soothed, pointing to the window' &(t bangs when the wind blows'& &"eally!& ( asked, setting her on her feet and climbing into the tub' ( pulled the screen away, setting it by my feet, and pushed open the window' (t was only a few feet to a planter below, and then down to the ground' ( studied the thing, thinking ( would never fit, but Bethy and /bby could' But ( wasn't sure ,ust how brave my girl could be and for how much longer' ( took a deep breath, stepping out of the tub and kneeling before her' &( need you to be

so brave for me,& ( said, my voice catching, because despite how much ( wanted her with me, ( needed her to get away' ( needed her safe with $dward' &7kay, #2#ommy,& she whispered, her little brow furrowing as she tilted her head at me' &)tay here, and don't move,& ( ordered her' )he sat down on the edge of the tub as ( backed away' ( snuck back into the room, thankful that apparently, >urt was the deepest of sleepers' ( grabbed #r' Bunny and the clothes that ('d thought to bring' ( grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, ,otting down a quick note, and tucked everything under my arm, kneeling beside /bby, who had rolled to the edge of the bed in Bethy's absence' 4ith soft caresses to her face, deep, dark brown eyes opened up to me' &)hh,& ( told her, smirking at her little smile and bending to her ear' &Bathroom, go,& ( whispered' )he clambered off of the bed and tiptoed into the bathroom, with me following behind her' &( told you they'd come,& Bethy whispered, and ( couldn't help but snicker at my little girl' )he was so much like me and $dward, it was scary' ( set the clothes on the lid of the toilet, picking up two little sweatshirts' &/rms up, both of you,& ( told them, tugging the hoodies over their heads' Both girls had ridiculously long hair, so with a quick twist, ( pulled their hair up so that it wouldn't catch on anything' The last thing ( did was pick up #r' Bunny, feeling around in his ear' 4ith a firm click, ( activated the G:) tracker' / small, red, 9$6 light glowed dimly through the material' &Bethy, look at me' ;ou're going to get 6addy, okay! But ( need you to do e actly what ( tell you'& ( waited until she nodded before ( continued' &('m going to lower you both down outside' ;ou take #r' Bunny, /bby's hand, and don't let go of either, understand me!& &;es, #ommy,& she sniffled, because she'd ,ust reali3ed what was happening' &=ome wif us,& she urged, big tears filling her eyes' &( can't fit, Bethy,& ( told her' &;ou have to go help 6addy, okay! 5e needs you to help come get me'& )he nodded solemnly, but looked up at the window and back at me' &7nce you're outside, ( need you to run, baby,& ( told her' &=an you both do that for me!&

&;eah,& they both said, nodding slowly' &;ou hold #r' Bunny, hold each other's hand, and run' Got me!& ( verified, before standing up' &4here do we run to!& /bby whispered, wide eyed and scared' &6oesn't matter' .ust run' (f one of these people follows you, ( want you to hide,& ( told them, stepping into the tub' ( reached for /bby' &Be brave, and #r' $dward will get you home to your #om, okay!& ( asked her, and she nodded' &7kay, stiff legs, and ('m going to shoot you out the window' 5old my hands'& ( held her tight until she was ,ust mere inches from the planter, and then ( let her drop' )he wobbled a bit, but held steady, looking up at me' /fter telling her to stay there, ( scooped Bethy up, who was now full on crying' &( wanna stay wif you,& she sniffled, gripping my shirt in two tight fists' &)hh, baby,& ( soothed her, rocking her a bit' &( really need you to be brave, pretty girl' :lease!& ( begged, wiping her tears away' &#r' Bunny will help you find 6addy, okay! )o don't let go of him, and don't lose /bby'& ( kissed her cheek, wiping at more tears' &;ou have to do this for me, Bethy' 0ow'''tell me,& ( urged softly, trying not to cry with her' &626on't l2lose #r' Bunny, h2hold /bby's hand' "2"un' 5ide if s2someone ch2chases us,& she rattled off to me perfectly, still sniffling' +inally, she whispered, &Go find 6addy'& ( knew that the second ('d activated #r' Bunny's G:), /lice was on it' ( also knew that =arlisle would never have taken everyone back to mine and $dward's house1 he would have left someone close' /nd if ( knew my godfather and my husband, it was $dward out there waiting' ( took the note ('d written and tucked it into Bethy's hoodie pocket, whispering, &+or 6addy, okay!& ( asked her' &/ love note, #ommy!& she snickered softly' &;up,& ( said with a grin' &#ake sure he gets it' 0ow'''& &( love you, and be safe,& she sang in a whisper' &;ou, too, Bethy,& ( sighed, kissing her one last time, before easing her out the window' ( poked my head out, point to my right' &9ove you' Go8& ( hissed' 7nce the girls were out of sight, disappearing into the darkness, ( pulled myself back in and replaced the screen in the window' ( stepped out of the tub, gasping when ( reali3ed >urt was leaning in the doorway' &They gone!& he asked, but ( didn't answer him' &)eriously, did you get them the fuck out of here!&

( nodded, unsure of what he'd do' Bethy had said he was nice, and everything we'd pulled up on him indicated that he was not a real bad guy, but still, ( was in his captivity, and ( could see the gun in his waistband' #y gun' &=ome here,& he sighed, holding up the handcuffs' &4e gotta make this shit look good,& he whispered, grabbing my wrist' &( never understood why 9ilith wanted those kids' (t's not like she spent any time with them,& he muttered, rolling his eyes' &(n rehab, she came this shy of saying she didn't miss the ones she had'& 5e put the cuffs around my wrists, but ( noticed that he'd left them fairly loose' ( smirked up at him' &;ou're done with her shit,& ( guessed' &9ike weeks ago,& he snorted' &But ( have to protect my dad''' These pieces of shit aren't e actly trustworthy'& &;our dad was caught, >urt,& ( told him, wincing at his shocked face' &5e's been helping us, though'& &5ow much trouble is he in!& &('m not sure, but'''('m sure we can work something out, since he's been cooperative'& &7kay,& he sighed, looking like a huge weight was lifted from him' &0ow'''let's make this shit look like you tried to get away' /s soon as we do this, they'll move you to the mountain cabin' They'll try to find those girls first, but we have to send them on a wild goose chase, because you're really who they wanted' "eady!& 5e smirked, giving me a wink, and ( nodded, liking him instantly' &7kay'''hit me8&

E!"#$!
#y knee bounced in the booth of the all2night diner' ('d had way too much fucking coffee and way too much time to think' #ickey and /lec were in the ne t booth over, babbling to each other over the merits of a good piece of pie, which only made shit worse for me' #y Bella made the best fucking apple pie on the goddamn planet' ( yanked my baseball cap off, slamming it down onto the table and running a nervous hand through my hair' &=an ( get you anything else!& the waitress asked, suddenly appearing at my side' 5er innuendo was hard to miss, and ( found myself trying damned hard not to roll my eyes at her' )he was young, with strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes' ('d put her somewhere between twenty and twenty2five, though ('d gotten really bad at nailing down ages on women, because ( ,ust fucking didn't look' ( didn't need to' Bella was everything to me'

This girl didn't hold a candle ne t to my wife' 5er name tag said 5arley, ( noted as ( pushed my coffee cup toward her, but said nothing as she refilled it' )am, who was sitting in the booth with me, did the same, but it was /lec that saved me' &/h, amore,& he crooned, causing her to blush almost redder than her hair' &( was wondering if you could please get me another piece of your'''cherry pie,& he said, leaning on the word cherry' ( grinned into my coffee cup, shaking my head' 4ho knew ( needed a wing man to avoid getting hit on! &/re you (talian!& she asked in a flirtatious manner' &%>, rosso, sono italiano ... tutto il senso alla mia anima,& he answered her, and ('d known him long enough to know that he'd ,ust called her &"ed& and that he'd said he was (talian to his very soul' ( wasn't fluent, but when you knew /lec, you picked up his bullshit' 5e spoke it flawlessly * bullshit, that is' )he squeaked and turned away from him, even more flustered than before, walking around the counter to get his dessert' &;ou have no shame,& #ickey laughed, putting her face in her hands' &.esus, /lec, did you teach $ddie that shit years ago! '=ause damn, he used to be able to do that everywhere we fucking went8& ( barked a laugh, looking up at her, and then him' Back in the day, he was fucking fantastic to go out with, especially for a barely in his twenties man' The women flocked to him, loving his sense of humor, ,ust like $mmett, but he was smooth * really fucking smooth' &9ook at the kid's face,& /lec chuckled' &( didn't need to teach him anything when he's walking around with a mug like that' / little guidance on the art of conversation, some sweet compliments, and a girl is putty in your hands'''right, kid!& ( sighed, rolling my eyes and smirking at him' &4hatever, /lec' 5owever, you are smoother than $mmett ever was, that's for sure'& &/w, $m's a clown'''but it worked for him,& he chuckled, shaking his head' &/nd .a33 has that )outhern charm shit going for him'''& #ickey rubbed her hands together, grinning from ear to ear' &7h, damn, ( can't wait to tell Bells this shit8& )am's impassive face finally broke into a smirk' &#iss Bella owns this man'''heart, body, and balls,& he chuckled, punching my arm as ( snorted at the truth of that statement' &( have a feeling she's well aware of what 9ittle $ddie here is capable of'&

( nodded, my smile falling, because Bella did own me' ( was ,ust about to go cra3y with worry for her' (t wasn't that she couldn't take care of herself, because she could' (t was the worry about what she could be put through' #iller had really messed her up a long time ago, and even though it had brought us together, ('d never fucking forget the fear that would fill her face over simple things like touching' ( worried about what she'd find when it came to our daughter, and'''fuck, ( was ,ust really worried' ( didn't know if it was strength and bravery that caused her to decide to go with 4alter and 9ilith, or fucking insanity over the loss of Bethy' ( couldn't ,udge her, though' /t all' 5arley, who actually had 5arley 6avidson ink on her leg, reappeared and dropped off /lec's pie with a smile, a giggle, and another blush, before she had to go greet another patron that was ,ust walking in' &$asy, $d,& )am said softly from across the table' &4e'll get them' (f we have to fucking climb that mountain, we'll fucking get them'& ( swallowed thickly, nodding a bit' &( know'''but fuck if ( didn't try to shelter them from shit like this,& ( sighed, sitting back in the booth' &0ot your fault, kid' /nd it's not #ellissima's, either,& /lec said, turning in his seat to face me' &Time, man'''time'& #y phone rang and vibrated across the table, and ( snatched it up when ( saw that it was /lice' The four of us fro3e' &:lease, God'''& ( breathed, squee3ing my eyes closed before answering it' &Talk to me, /lice'''& &5oly fucking shit,& /lice sqeaked over the phone, &#r' Bunny ,ust came online'& ( stood up, tossed way too many bills down onto the table to cover our tab, pulled my cap back on, and said, &4here! Tell me8& )am, /lec, and #ickey slid out quickly from their seats and followed me out to the )?-' 4e piled in, and ( started the engine' &Take a right out onto the road,& she said, and ( could hear her typing away furiously at her computer' &;ou're not far'''less than five miles' Go until ( tell you to stop, because #r' Bunny is on the move' )lowly, but moving, nonetheless,& she stated' &God, /lice, you're gorgeous,& ( breathed into the phone, smiling at her giggle' &/nd no more bullshit about facial grids' ;ou still haven't convinced me that science knows what's pretty or not'& &;ou were a nine,point,eight, you ,ackass8& she huffed, and ( could almost see her rolling her eyes' &0o woman has scored that high' 0o wonder #ick calls you pretty boy'&

&( did that shit to shut you up8& ( snorted, rolling my eyes at #ickey's laughter' &Talk to me, /lice'''('m closing in on five miles'& &)top the car,& she ordered' &;ou're right on top of the signal' 4hat's around you!& ( pulled the )?- into a parking lot of a boarded up gas station' &('ve got an old, closed up gas station, woods'''lots of woods on either side of me, and like a mile ahead, there are like three signs for motels'& ( scanned the area, deciding to get out' &$veryone out8 >eep your eyes peeled,& ( ordered, and the car emptied of everyone in it' &4eapons at the ready' 6on't take any chances,& ( commanded, motioning for them to spread out' &5ang on, $dward,& /lice said, typing away' &('m going to use your cell signal and narrow it down for you'& &7kay,& ( breathed, my eyes scanning the darkness' &Got it, got it, got it,& she sang' &Go forward about two yards, on your right' The signal is still moving'& &Ten2four,& ( huffed, breaking into a run, stopping when she told me to' ( pulled the phone away from my ear so that ( could hear what was around me and not /lice's furious typing skills' (t was then that ( heard the snap of a twig, the hushed whisper, and the pounding of footsteps on my right' ( spun to look, and my heart stopped' &Bethy!& ( called as ( unceremoniously ended the call, and the girls screamed' &=ome here, it's ,ust me,& ( told them, and they burst out of the darkness of the forest, their little legs running as fast ast they could' &626addy8& my daughter gushed, flying into my arms' )he was holding /bby's hand and didn't look like she was about to let it go, and #r' Bunny was firmly tucked under her arm like a running back with a football' &.esus, Bethy,& ( groaned, wrapping my arms all the way around her, because it seemed like ages since ('d seen her last' ( pulled her back from my neck to look at her' &/re you girls okay!& ( asked, pulling little /bby to me, because she looked lost and tired and like she could use a hug' &;es, 6addy,& Bethy said as /bby ,ust nodded' &;ou sure! /bby, sweetheart, you okay!& ( asked her, setting a girl on each of my knees' &( want to go home, #r' $dward,& /bby whispered, clinging to me fiercely' &7kay, sweetie,& ( sighed, kissing both of their foreheads' &4here's your mom, little sweetness!& ( asked' &Back there,& she said, pointing towards the motels'

( nodded and started to stand up with a girl in each arm, but #ickey suddenly appeared, offering her help' &=ome here, #iss /bby,& she crooned' &('m Bethy's /unt #ickey,& she said, introducing herself, but before /bby would move, she looked to Bethy, who was nodding' )am whistled from across the road, pointing towards the motels' &4e've got company,& he stated, and ( could see his worry, because the damned road had been dead since ,ust after one in the morning and that car was pulling out of a motel up the way' &Get them in the car8 0ow8& ( snapped to #ickey, and we turned to run' #ickey opened up the back door and ushered /bby into the )?-, turning to take Bethy from me' &Girls, get down onto the floor, and don't move, okay!& ( said, waiting until both little bodies were huddled behind the driver's side seat' &Good girls,& ( breathed, pulling my weapon from the small of my back' &/lec,& ( called' &Got you, $d,& he stated, bolting from behind the )?- to the other side of the road, because a beat up sedan was rumbling to a stop' 4e had the vehicle surrounded, though ( wasn't sure they knew it' ( could barely see from the shine of the )?-'s headlights combined with the shine of the sedan's' 4hen a bullet pinged off the asphalt at my feet, ( dove behind the gas station's old rusty sign pole' Glancing around, ( saw that #ickey was well hidden on the other side of the )?-'s fender' ( could see her face1 they'd have to get past her to get back those girls' ( heard another gunfire pop loud in the quiet night and the sound of breaking glass' 5owever, it was the sound of a man's scream that made me smile' ( took a chance and stepped away from my hiding spot, motioning for #ickey to stay put and for /lec and )am to approach with caution and weapons up' 4hen ( got to the shot out driver's side window, ( couldn't help but sneer' (t was the fucker that had dared put a gun to /bby's temple, the one that told me he'd throw the two girls out on the highway going si ty' (t was "usty fucking =arnes, and he was holding his shoulder as it bled beautifully down his arm' &7h hell,& /lec sighed, once he reali3ed who was driving' &4alking dead man,& he muttered to )am, who only shrugged' ?sing the butt of my gun, ( cleared away the rest of the glass from the window and smashed it into the motherfucker's face' &6on't move,& ( growled low' &)hit,& he spat, not able to hold his arm and his busted face at the same time' / quick scan of his car told me that when /lec had shot him, he'd been unable to hold his weapon' (t was lying on the floorboard on the passenger side, among fast food bags

and dirty clothes' &Gun,& ( muttered to )am, who smashed the passenger side window and grabbed "usty's weapon' &4hat did ( tell you when you took these girls!& ( asked "usty, gripping his shirt and smacking his face hard' 5e groaned and shook his head' &Tell me8& ( snapped, slamming him into the steering wheel' &Th2That ( was dead, okay! +uck, stop smashing my fucking face8& he cried out' &That's right'''dead,& ( said, looking over at /lec' &+ind me a stick, man' /bout the length of a broomstick,& ( told him, and he smiled, running off to the edge of the woods' &6id you think ( was lying, "usty!& ( asked, and his head snapped around to meet my ga3e' The look of shock that ( knew who he was was written all over his face' &7h, ( know you,& ( crooned, smiling evilly at him' &"usty =arnes'''stupid enough to have a child with a fucked up bitch * same bitch that killed her, too, if ('m not mistaken' $ 2 con'''did four years for narcotics possession, attempted robbery, and assault on a police officer' Tsk, tsk,& ( chuckled' &Tell me, "usty,& ( continued, smacking the lump that was forming on his forehead from the butt of my gun' &6id you think ( wouldn't follow through! 6id you think ( was ,ust some'''regular dad! 9ook around you, man' 0o one will know what happened to you' 0o one' +rom the smell of you, your past record, and the fact that there's not a soul out here to see it, they'll think you were ,ust another piece of shit drunk driver'& /lec appeared at my side, chuckling down at the man in front of me' &/ny last words!& he asked "usty as he handed me a stick' &;ou won't find her,& he sputtered, spitting blood out the window, ,ust barely missing me' &They've checked out already,& he snickered, trying to ,erk his thumb behind him toward the motel' &Boy, oh boy, were they ever pissed she set those girls free'''& ( smiled again, saying, &7h, ( bet they were' But guess what''' ( know where they're going, asshole' /nd by the time ( get my wife back, 4alter's little Boy )cout cabin on the mountain will be ash'& 5is eyes widened again, and his mouth gaped like a fish out of water at what ( knew about him' (f ( didn't have the answer before, ( certainly had it now' +rom the look on his face, ( was spot on with where they were headed' &)ay goodbye, "usty,& /lec sang like a child, waving at him' )am appeared at my side, holding his hand out' &9et me,& he grunted, his face dark and almost scary' 5e ,erked a chin toward the )?- and said, &6on't let them see you do this'

9et me, okay! :ick me up on your way back'& ( looked up at him, and then at two little faces peering around #ickey through the )?-'s windows' ( nodded back at him, handing the stick over' &=ome on, /lec,& ( sighed, walking away from the fucker that had dared point a fucking gun at two little girls * at my little girl' (t felt like unfinished business, but ( knew he was right' &;ou drive,& ( said, tossing him the keys' ( pulled out my phone, calling /lice, but it was my father that answered' &)on!& &5ey, ('ve got the girls,& ( said, crawling into the back seat with them' Bethy immediately clambered up in my lap' &/nd Bella!& &4e're going to check, but the'''guy we ,ust questioned said that they're gone,& ( told him, having to watch my language again' &('ll call you back'& &)ure, $dward,& he muttered, and we ended the call' /lec drove quickly up the street, but slowed down' &#ambina, which one, sweetheart!& &That one, ?nca /lec,& she answered' &"ooms two, three, and four'& &)mart girl,& ( chuckled, kissing her temple and vowing to myself that /lice deserved a medal for that computer game she'd written for Bethy' (t really fucking worked, because my three year old knew her numbers' 4hen we pulled in, all three doors were open, and what looked like a motel employee was wandering around' )he was an elderly woman, who looked up when we parked the car' &/re you the cops!& she growled as we piled out of the )?-' &)tay here, ladies,& ( told the girls, and they nodded, clinging to each other at the sight of the motel' &0ot e actly,& /lec answered the old woman, pointing to the rooms' &$mpty!& he asked, and she nodded' &5ell, yes, empty,& she huffed' &$mpty, with broken lamps, non payment for the last night, and they made a helluva lot of noise when they bolted out of here like bats out of hell'& ( grimaced, shaking my head' ( reached into my pocket and pulled out my wallet' &5ere, ma'am,& ( sighed, handing her more than enough to cover the three rooms and the damage' 5ell, from the look of the place, the amount ('d ,ust given her could have rented me a room for a fucking month' &0o need for the police' That should take care

of it'& )lightly placated, she sniffed, taking the money, and looked up at me' &Thanks,& she said, smiling a toothless smile and walking away' &)earch the rooms anyway,& ( told /lec and #ickey' &( need to tell Bethy'''& ( walked to the back door of the )?-, waving my daughter forward' &9ittle sweetness, are you about ready to go home!& ( asked her, trying to put this shit off * or cushion the blow''' ( wasn't sure which' &0ot wifout #ommy,& she huffed, looking at the motel rooms and back up to me' &#2 #ommy s2said that ( w2was suh2posed to help you c2come g2get her,& she stated, but my little girl wasn't stupid1 she could read me like a book * ,ust like her mother' &)he's not here, baby,& ( told her, catching her before she could storm inside the room' &0o, 6addy8& she cried, fighting me and reaching toward the motel' &)he said to bring you back' )he said, 6addy''' )he told me to be brave and to go get you8& &/nd you were brave, Bethy' ;ou did ,ust what she told you to,& ( told her, kissing her temple, because my girl was ,ust about to lose it' &4e'll find #ommy, ( promise'& &But ( want her now,& she said, finally losing her composure' &( want #ommy8& she screamed through hiccuping sobs and heartbreaking tears' Bethy never really pitched tantrums, and this wasn't one of those anyway' This was pure heartbreak, and probably a touch of e haustion thrown in on top of it all' This was huge tears and a trembling chin, and more sadness than ( could help her with' &( want #ommy, too, little sweetness, but we have to find her first,& ( whispered to her, trying not to cry with her, because she was fucking killing me' (n all fucking honesty, ( wanted Bella back ,ust as much as she did' ( wished ( could emotionally break down with her' &6addy'''no,& she sobbed, wrapping her arms around my neck and burying her face in my neck' &;ou hafta get her for me'''& ( looked up when #ickey and /lec emerged from their search, and both of them looked wrecked as they watch Bethy completely shatter' (t wasn't something that happened very often, because she was such a happy2go2lucky kid' &('m sorry, Bethy,& ( whispered, kissing the top her head and rubbing her back as she cried' &( promise to find her, baby' ( promise,& ( vowed to her over and over' ( ,erked my chin toward the )?-' (t was time to go' ( crawled into the very back seat, keeping a still crying Bethy in my arms' #ickey took the seat ne t to /bby and helped her strap in' /lec cranked the )?- and pulled back out on the highway, ,ust as a large

fireball loomed in the distance' &:ick up )am,& #ickey muttered wryly' &Guess that stick to the gas pedal worked, huh!& &;eah,& ( sighed, slouching down in the seat so that ( shifted Bethy onto my chest, because she was crying herself to sleep' &=all my dad, /lec' Tell him we're heading home'& 4ith one last glance at the motel, ( sighed and shook my head' 7nce again, ( had half my family, and despite how grateful ( was, ( wanted it whole' ( closed my eyes, inhaling my sad little girl's hair and sending up a silent message to Bella' I love you and be safe.

CHAPTER 9
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&5it me8& >urt said' 5is grin was infectious' ( huffed an incredulous laugh, shaking my head, and brought both my hands up' &/re you sure!& ( asked, raising an eyebrow at him' &;es, hurry8& he hissed, looking back into the room, and then back to me' &#ake it good, and then we're going to pretend ( caught you outside, okay!& ( gave him a warning with my eyes before swinging on him' ( made sure to clip the spot by his brow, causing the skin to split and bleed' &)hit,& he hissed, doubling over' 4hen he stood back up, he looked in the bathroom's mirror and fucking grinned' &:erfect' 9et's go'& 5e grabbed my wrist and tugged me out behind him, quietly opening the motel room door that led out to the parking lot' 5e urged me to the end of the property, and then turned me around' #y bare feet slapped the pavement, and that was the only sound that could be heard in the darkness' &0ow, fight me'''and be loud about it,& he snorted' ( stopped him, ,ust for a moment' &4hy are you doing this! 4hy are you helping me!& ( asked him, and surprisingly, he met my ga3e' &/dults can fuck with each other all they want, but it pissed me the fuck off when "usty and >enny showed up with two babies,& he grunted, rolling his eyes' &( have a little sister' That shit would not be cool if it was her, you know!& &Bethy said you were nice to her,& ( told him' 5e smiled, fondly ( noted, and said, &)he's something else' Brave little thing' 4ouldn't let no one touch her without permission, and even then, it was limited * picking her up, putting her in a car' >ept reminding me not to talk with my mouth full,& he chuckled' &The other one was scared to death' That shit wasn't right'& 5e paused and sighed' &Besides, ( hate 9ilith'''and 6r'''fuck that' 4alter is ,ust an asshole' ('d let you go, but they'll kill my mom and little sister' 4ithout me there, they have no protection' ( saw the people that were working with you' ( can't wait until you take them down for what they did * to me, to you, to my dad'& ( studied his face for a split second, and then nodded' &7kay'''let's do this'& 5e turned me around and grabbed my hair' &Go,& he whispered' &Get the fuck off of me8& ( yelled, reaching back and pretending to fight his grasp' &9et

me go8& &#aybe if you hadn't run on me, bitch,& he countered loudly' )uddenly, two motel room doors slammed open' &4hat the fuck are you doing!& 4alter hissed, looking up at one end of the motel to the other' &4hat the fuck happened!& &Bitch ran on me, 4alt' 6amn' 4hat the hell does it look like!& >urt snapped back' &)he set those kids free' ( barely caught this one' 9ook what she did to my eye, man8& &"usty8& 4alter yelled, and a scruffy looking, rather smelly man came forward' &Go track down those kids * they can't be far * and then follow us to the mountain'& 5e pointed a finger at >urt' &Get her shit and get her in the fucking van' Tie her down if you have to, and if she gives you any more shit, gag her' (t's time to go'& &/re you gonna give me shit!& >urt asked, barely keeping his smile at bay once 4alter had stormed back into his room' &/re you gonna give me my fucking shoes back!& ( countered with a real question, but ( laced it with a venomous tone' &4e'll see,& he whispered, guiding me into the room' &Get your stuff'& ( grabbed my ,acket and followed >urt back out to the van as he held my gun' (n seconds, >enny, 9ilith, and 4alter piled in with me' 4e pulled out without any lights on, and ( swore ( heard two gunshots behind me' )pinning around to look out the back window, ( could barely make out two sets of headlights in the middle of the street' &Think they made it!& >urt whispered from the seat ne t to me' &(f they did, then your pal "usty didn't,& ( breathed back, looking up as he smirked' (t was a good thing we were facing the wrong way' &Good,& he sighed with a nod' &This ne t part will be'''unpleasant, Bella' ('ll do my best to protect you,& he said, taking advantage of the fact that >enny had turned on the radio' ( nodded, swallowing thickly' &7kay'& There wasn't much more to say than that' ( was now on my own, and once again'''( was someone's prisoner'

E!"#$!
( don't think ('d ever been as grateful for $sme as ( was by the time ( landed the chopper at home' )am had opted to drive the )?- back, so he wouldn't arrive for several hours' 5owever, #ickey and /lec rode with me, taking care of the girls as ( flew us home' (t

had been a quiet flight, because both girls pretty much slept the whole time, and /lec and #ickey didn't want to disturb them' Benny and 4es immediately whisked /bby off to her mother, despite the early morning hour' ( had no fucking clue what story they were going to give #rs' =armichael, but ( was sure it pretty much didn't matter' The woman had her little girl back' $sme took a quiet and wrung out Bethy from me, saying a bath and some clean clothes would do her a world of good' &#aybe even some breakfast, huh!& she asked her as Bethy lay her head on $sme's shoulder' Bethy picked up her head and looked at me' &:ancakes, 626addy,& she muttered' &;eah!& ( chuckled, ,ust happy to see she wasn't crying anymore' &( think we can do something about that, little sweetness,& ( told her, kissing her temple and whispering a thank you to $sme' &Go get a bath and come see me about a stack of pancakes, baby'& &7kay, 6addy,& she sighed, clinging to her grandmother as they walked down my hall' By the time $sme had her in a warm bath filled to the brim with toys and bubbles, Bethy's spirits started to lift' )he babbled about doughnuts and cartoons, but when she mentioned >urt, my dad and ( fro3e in the living room' &>urt was nice,& she chirped, and ( could hear splashing in the tub' &5ow was that, sweet one!& $sme urged softly, though at this point, ('d be willing to bet she was in full doctor mode' &5e wouldn't let the mean man yell at us or take our food,& she stated' &5e let us watch all the cartoons we wanted'& &/nd who's the mean man, Bethy!& &>enny' ( didn't like him' 5e made /bby cry and pointed a gun like 6addy's at us'& &('m gonna kill a motherfucker,& ( muttered, shaking my head' #y hands fisted at my sides as my temper practically made me shake' #y dad smirked, placing a hand on my shoulder' &"ela ' 4hen Benny gets back, we'll talk about that mountain cabin'& &4hat about the lady!& $sme continued' &)he wasn't nice, either, but she didn't stay in the room wif us' ( don't think she likes kids,& Bethy whispered conspiratorially' &/nd what happened when you saw #ommy!& &#ommy woke me up,& Bethy said, and her demeanor changed to really e cited' &( gave her kisses on her bruises'&

&4hat bruises!& ( breathed at the same time $sme asked her the same thing, and my pacing started from the living room to the end of the hallway' &They were on her cheek,& Bethy answered' &Then she woke /bby' )he put us in sweatshirts, and'''0h8& she gasped' &#ommy gave 6addy a love note8 626addy8& &7h shit,& ( groaned, looking to my father before walking to the bathroom' &4here, little sweetness!& &#y front pouch,& she said, pointing to the pile of dirty clothes on the floor ne t to $sme' #y little one was covered in suds, and so was $sme, for the most part' &( forgot, 626addy'& ( fumbled around with her clothes, finding the folded piece of paper all crinkled and nestled in the corner of her hoodie's pocket' ( pulled it out, recogni3ing my wife's neat script' &(t's okay, baby,& ( told her, bending down to kiss her nose * the only place that didn't have suds on it' &;ou missed a spot,& ( chuckled, scooping up a handful of bubbles and plopping them on her nose and the top of her head' &6addy8& she squealed into an adorable giggle' ( was ,ust barely able to avoid her splashes as ( left the bathroom' ( opened the note and began reading, as my dad followed along over my shoulder' Edward, I'm sending the girls to you. I couldn't get them and myself out. I'm sorry...I didn't have a choice. They will most likely move me tomorrow, but they've taken my boots from me, so I can't set off the other chip yet. They will ask for double the amount and will call you or $arlisle. Try not to give in. Try not to give them any indication how much info we have on them. #aby, I don't know what that place will be like, but please know I can tough it out as long as it takes for you to come get me. I love you so very much. #e safe. #ella &6amn,& my father sighed, shaking his head and giving my shoulder a squee3e' &6on't worry about the money, son' ('ll take care of it,& he stated, making sure ( was listening' &4e'll get her back'& &( know,& ( sighed with pure nerves and worry' ( ran a hand through my hair, holding up the note' &)he sounds'''in control here,& ( told him' &9ike she's okay' %he's reassuring me'& &('m sure she is,& he agreed, &because she knows what your fear is when it comes to

this' The fact that she doesn't have access to that chip worries me, but her statement about not giving away anything to 4alter makes me think he has no clue as to what we know'& &They don't,& ( grunted, looking over at him' &That "usty guy was completely shocked that ( knew who he was and where 4alter was heading'& ( paused for a moment, skimming over Bella's letter again' &#aybe Benny's right,& ( said with a shrug' &They have no idea what's coming their way, because our'''identities aren't completely factual'& #y father smiled, and it was evil, wry, and completely smug' ( couldn't help but chuckle at him' &7h, son, ('m betting on that,& he snickered, looking over my shoulder as we read the letter one more time' &They'll never underestimate anyone again' 0ot that they'll live through this'''& /s we finished, a squeaky clean Bethy in bright purple pa,amas came running into the living room' 5er hair was still damp, but at least brushed out, and her skin practically gleamed' &:ancakes,& she ordered, wrapping her arms around my leg' &;es, ma'am,& ( said, pocketing Bella's note' &Blueberry or chocolate chip!& ( asked, walking with her still attached to my leg' &Boo2berry8&

%E&&#
(t was a long, agoni3ingly boring drive up the mountain, but ,ust as we neared the top, things became interesting' The road was dirt and bumpy' (t was crooked and winding, but it was also guarded at the very top' Two heavy metal gates met at the center of the road, chained and secured with a padlock' Two men stood sentry on either side, automatic weapons slung over their shoulders' But they looked'''amateurish' They looked like criminals and ruffians * .asper would call them rednecks' 7r maybe it was because ( was used to rock solid, disciplined, no2 nonsense, professional soldiers' ( was used to perfect postures, steely glances, and faces that screamed do not fuck with me. ( was used to real military garb, not plaid shirts, dirty tees, and ratty old ,eans' ( smiled to myself, shaking my head, because ( missed my husband and my family and crew, but ( could almost see their faces at the sight of this place'

6espite the fact that ( was held captive, ( wasn't as nervous as ('d e pected to be' 4alter wasn't driven to se ual dominance like #iller was' 5e wasn't a sadist' 5e was an asshole that was money hungry' ( could handle being locked up, and ( took solace in the fact that this guy had shown no inclination to fucking touch me' ( could survive anything but that' The gates were unlocked, and we were waved through' The road wound around a clump of trees, and we came out onto a really large piece of property' /lice had brought up the images, but it didn't really show the sheer si3e of the place until ( was actually on it' There was an e tremely large three story home that was the focal point of it all, but spreading over the entire piece of land were small hut2like buildings' They looked to be the si3e of the average hotel room, with a small front porch included' +rom where ( sat in the back of the van, there were about twenty five of them spread out' /t my far right was a building that looked like it had once been a horse paddock' (t was red with white trim, and the main doors were propped open' ( could see that this place was once a home * or at least a vacation home * but now, it was a compound' &9et's go8& 4alter growled, waving his gun at me as he stepped from the van' ( nodded and crawled my way out of the back of the van, hissing when my bare feet hit cold rock' &(t's fucking free3ing up here' =an ( at least have my shoes!& ( asked him, unable to hide my disdain' &4e'll see,& he said with an irritating smirk that ('d have liked to smack the fuck off of his face' &+ine, ,ackass' 4ait, then' 4hen ( die of pneumonia, there won't be any money to be had,& ( sighed dramatically, rolling my eyes at him' &;es, but maybe a little suffering will knock that spoiled rich girl out of your system,& 9ilith added with a laugh' &Bitch, ( can show you spoiled'''& ( growled, taking a step toward her, but >enny and 4alter stopped me' 4hat was satisfying was her fearful step back from me' 5andcuffed or not, ( could add another bruise to her face' /nd she knew it' &('ve never been spoiled,& ( snapped' ( pointed at her' &9ilith, one day, you won't have these guys to protect you'''& ( warned her with a raised eyebrow' ( heard >urt snicker quietly, but he said nothing' 5e couldn't really say anything, because he needed to act his part, if only to protect his sister and mother' ( understood what he'd meant when he said he couldn't let me go' 4alter could order a hit on his family, especially with as many men that he had under him' /nd now that >urt's father was under arrest, there would be nothing >urt could do' There would be no way for him to get to his mother and sister quickly enough'

&9et's go8& 4alter stated, losing his patience with the whole situation' 5e grabbed my arm roughly, shoving me so that ( would start to walk' &>enny,& he grunted, &show (sabella where she'll be staying'& &Gladly,& >enny chuckled, gripping my shoulder and marching me toward the side of the barn' &;ou'll love this,& he snorted, and ( could see where he was leading me' (t looked like a storm shelter, or a bomb shelter from the fifties' )teps led down to what was once a door and was now a steel barred gate' (t was a fucking ,ail cell underground' ( remembered a time when ( couldn't even step near a basement or anything underground * thanks to #iller * but ( eventually overcame that last fear ,ust before Bethy was born' >enny unlocked the gate and shoved me inside' &;o, asshole8 ( brought you company8& he yelled into the darkness of the cell' 5e flicked on a dim light, wearing a shit eating grin' &5ey'''5umpty 6umpty8& (nside were three more cells, all wrapped in steel bars' They were ,ust barely big enough for the cots, the toilets, and the sinks that filled them' (n fact, it looked like the ,ail from an old western movie, where the town drunk went to sleep it off for the night' ( caught movement in the dim light provided by a low watt bare bulb that hung from the ceiling' /s >enny led me into the cell on the far left, ( looked over at the one on the far right and sighed' =hristopher 6ouglas * the drunk driver who had killed the Greenes and 9ilith's daughter, /shley * was staring, ashen faced and nervous' ( shook my head as >enny slammed and locked my cell' (t didn't make sense why he was here, unless 9ilith really was out for revenge' ( had thrown that theory to the wayside when we figured out 4alter's part in all of this' =hristopher had no real money that ( knew of' (n fact, his criminal record was proving difficult for him to find a ,ob * not to mention he was still an alcoholic' ( looked back to >enny, who was staring me down' ( could remember with complete clarity my daughter's instant dislike of him, and for ,ust a moment, ( saw what she did: a lack of compassion, an evil smirk, and a love for watching others' fear' &4hat!& ( sneered' &;ou look like you know chubby2fat ass over there,& he stated, tilting his head at me' &( do,& ( snorted, rolling my eyes' &=hristopher 6ouglas from )eattle,& ( started, looking over at a rather shocked >enny, and an even more shocked =hristopher' &Thirty2two years old' +ive2foot2ten' Two2seventy2five'''give or take' /rrested a few years ago for drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter' >illed a family of three and a semi truck

driver' 5e's currently living with his mother and working part time at a local fast food restaurant' 6isappeared about two weeks ago, but ( guess we've found him'''& >enny huffed a laugh' &( guess we did'& 5e walked to =hristopher's cell and rattled the door' &)he sounds like she hates you ,ust as much as 9ilith there, Tubbo' 0ot e actly popular with the ladies, are you, bud!& &Go away, >enny,& =hristopher whined, sitting down on his cot, which gave a creak under the weight of him' >enny laughed, his head falling back as he left us, locking the main gate on his way out' ( heard his steps ascend up, only to fade away once he hit the grass' Thankfully, he left the light on' &6o ( know you!& =hristopher asked, standing up and walking to the side of his cell' 5e gripped the bars as he stared through the empty cell between us' &;eah, you probably do,& ( sighed, looking up at him' &;ou killed my friends'&

E!"#$!
&4ho are the babies, 6addy!& Bethy asked as ( carried her through the house' )he was pointing to the group of pictures on the wall in our living room' ( ,ust needed the contact with her' )he had been gone too long, and she smelled sweet and clean' )he seemed to only really want to talk to me, so ( humored her, and it helped that she looked so much like Bella when she tilted her curious head at me that it was comforting' /fter she took a quick nap and ( sat in on my father and $lea3ar's discussion concerning the ne t steps, ( hadn't been able to put her down' &;ou know who that is,& ( chuckled, kissing her temple as she gripped my shoulders' &Tell me'& &That's you and #ommy8& she giggled, continuing to stare at the picture that =harlie had left Bella in an album' (t showed the two of us the day that Bella was born, all curled up together in the same bassinet' 7ur parents loomed proudly around us' &That's my girl,& ( crooned, kissing her temple again' ( was trying to find the courage to leave her with $sme, because they needed me to run a reconnaissance flight in the chopper' /lice had studied the satellite images until she said she was going blind, but she wanted 3oomed in shots, thermal shots, and a full picture of what we had to deal with' Benny and 4es hadn't returned from their trip to #rs' =armichael's, so we weren't sure where we stood with them' 5owever, my father and $lea3ar weren't really waiting'

They wanted to start a plan, and soon' #y father was even contemplating calling in some old buddies to help us' But they needed detailed photos in order to do anything' &/nd that's you and #ommy,& she stated, pointing to mine and Bella's mothers on the front steps of /unt >ate's' )he was specifically pointing to the two rather large bellies' ( chuckled again' &;es, ma'am,& ( said, unable not to smile, because those pictures meant the world to me and Bella' Bethy studied a picture of our wedding day, my wife's belly huge with Bethy' &That's me,& she whispered, turning to look at me' &7h yeah,& ( said with a grin' &;ou made #ommy crave tacos and bananas * the weirdest thing ('ve ever seen someone eat at the same time, and ('ve seen men eat scorpions in the desert'& &$w8& she giggled, her little nose wrinkling so adorably that ( couldn't help but rub my own against it' &;ou aren't suh2posed to eat bugs8& ( laughed and shrugged' &( didn't' But they say scorpions taste like peanuts'& &;2;ucky,& she huffed, reaching up to touch the picture' &9ittle sweetness, ( have to go to work,& ( started softly' &( need you to stay with Gamma'& &0o, no,& she countered, shaking her head' &0o, 626addy8 ( come wif you8& &( won't be long''',ust a few hours,& ( told her, but ( never should've tried to reason with a three year old' &0o, p,please, 626addy,& she begged, grabbing both sides of my face as big tears filled her eyes' &;ou'll leave, like #ommy8& ( sighed, walking her to the sofa and sitting down with her in my lap' &$li3abeth "enee, listen to me' ;our mommy didn't leave you, baby' )he was taken' )he wouldn't leave you in a million years and for all the money in the world' 6o you understand me!& ( verified, and she nodded' &)he loves you more than anything'& &:2:lease!& she begged again, scooting closer on my lap' &('ll be good' ( promise' #ommy told me to help you8& ( heard chuckles from the doorway, and ( looked up to see my father and $sme watching us' /lec was leaning against the wall in the background, because he was supposed to fly with me' (t was the big, sad, green eyes looking up at me through really long, dark eyelashes that ,ust fucking killed me' (t was the slight tilt to her head, but most of all, it was the tenacious grip on my t2shirt that finally had me giving in' &0ot without a ,acket, little sweetness,& ( sighed in defeat, because ( ,ust fucking

couldn't tell her no' &But listen to me,& ( told her before she got down from my lap' &There will be a point where you can't go, baby' /nd ( need you to be strong for that, okay!& )he nodded, kissing my cheek, muttering, &.2.acket8& )he scuttled off down the hallway, and ( leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees' &)hit,& ( hissed softly, shaking my head' $sme sat ne t to me, putting a comforting arm around my shoulders' &;ou're doing the best you can, sweetheart,& she soothed' &(t's safe for her to go, yes!& &;eah,& ( sighed, looking up at her with a nod' &4e'll be pretty high up, so no one will get a good look at us' 7ne pass ,ust before sunset, and another after dark' 4e'll be right back'& &4ell, then take her, son,& my dad urged, wearing a sympathetic smile' &)he obviously needs you'& &)he's handling this remarkably well, $dward,& $sme stated softly' &)o far'''no nightmares during that nap, no lashing out''',ust'''& &=linging,& ( finished for her, looking down at my hands' &('m worrying about when ( have to leave her for this'''ne t phase'& ( glanced up at my father, and then $sme' &;ou're seriously underestimating my grandmother magic,& $sme huffed, rolling her eyes' &( can handle it, son'& #y dad and ( laughed, and ( raised my hands in surrender' &7kay, okay,& ( chuckled, opening my arms when Bethy came back into the living room' &"eady, little sweetness!& &;up,& she chirped, turning to the coffee table and picking up my baseball cap' )he reached up and put it on my head backwards, like ( always wore it when ( flew' &0ow mine, 626addy,& she commanded' God, she was cute' )he handed me her own little pink baseball cap and a hoodie' )he was wearing her hair half up, ,eans, and a pink camo t2shirt' /s much as Bella tried to dress her girly, sometimes, she was all tomboy' &/rms up8& ( ordered, and her little arms shot in the air' ( tugged the tiny, gray /ir +orce sweatshirt over her head, pulling her long hair out and straightening the hood' &:onytail through the cap!& ( asked, but she shook her head no' (f someone told me ,ust five years ago that my life would revolve around two beautiful brunettes, ponytails, and pink camo, ('d have laughed out loud and most likely cursed their asses out, but damn, if it wasn't the truth' ( fucking loved it, too' ( always envisioned a son, but Bethy was more than ('d ever dreamed of, so bring on skirts and

tights, ponytails, and hair thingys' ( could live with dolls and play makeup, because she was the best thing ('d ever accomplished, and ,ust looking at her made me miss my wife with an all consuming ache' &0ope, like yours,& she said with an eye roll, and ( swear to God, she looked identical to Bella when she would accuse me of being an idiot' 5er grandparents saw it instantly, trying their damnedest not to laugh out loud' ( grinned, pulling her hat on backwards and scooping her up in my arms' &>iss :oppy and Gamma, 'cause we gotta get going, okay!& )he reached out, hugging and kissing them both' &9ove you,& she sang sweetly' &#ambina,& /lec chortled, shaking his head at the whole thing he'd ,ust witnessed' &=ome with me while your dad gets the chopper ready' ('ll strap you in'& &I'm 626addy's co2pilot,& she stated with authority and a thumb to her chest as she went to him willingly' #y dad laughed, shaking his head' &=o2pilot, assistant chef, carpenter's apprentice'''the list is endless,& he muttered wryly' ( grinned over at him and shrugged' (t was true' There wasn't much ( did that Bethy didn't ,ust'''help' )he loved to ,ust be with me and Bella, no matter what we were up to' )he could play quietly with dolls or draw pictures while her mother worked on the computer, and she would bring me whatever ( asked for if ( was in my wood shop or cooking, so we allowed her to ,ust hang out with us' But flying with me was one of her favorite things, because ('d been taking her up for as long as she could remember' &;es, yes,& /lec laughed as she went to him' &6on't ( know it' ;ou'll be flying soon, mark my words,& he told her as we walked out the screen door' #ickey and $mmett, ,ust about the only two people ( would trust with my pre2flight checks and fueling, were ,ust finishing up as we walked out, but it was "ose that my eyes landed on as she walked out of Gravity's office with =aleb in her arms' )he looked tired, but determined' &4e have a problem,& she stated, her face unreadable as she looked to me, and then my father' &4es and Benny ,ust called' They can't get any authori3ation to go into 4alter's compound' 5ow we obtained the information wasn't e actly legal' 6espite the fact that Benny called it an anonymous threat on "ui3, the information regarding 4alter's compound was achieved illegally' 4es had no reason to speak to 4alter )r', so they can't get a warrant'& &But they have my wife,& ( growled low, not wanting Bethy to hear me' &6oesn't matter,& my dad grunted' &4e'll go without them'&

&That's what $lea3ar said,& "ose countered with a nod' &"ight now, he's on the phone with his own office'''so we'll see'''& )he looked to me, her eyes a touch sad' &/lice says you're good to go' The camera is calibrated, and your radio is set to some obscure channel' $ncrypted, if ('m not mistaken, because she doesn't want to take any chances'& &Thanks, "ose,& ( told her, sliding open the chopper's cabin door and watching as $mmett climbed on in' &4hat!& he asked, his eyes serious' &('m fucking going with you' ( need to see this shit for myself'& &9anguage,& "ose hissed, her eyes darting to Bethy, who was thankfully preoccupied with her ?ncle /lec on the other side of the chopper' &#y bad' ('ll pay the swear ,ar,& he sighed, looking sheepish, and ( chuckled at him' &But seriously' ( wanna go'& &Then go,& ( told him, waving him on' &=lose the door and strap in, then'& ( knew $mmett was going stir cra3y' 5e'd been like that when ( met him in /fghanistan' /ll we'd ever needed to do was tell him who the enemy was, put a weapon in his hands, and point him the right fucking direction' 5e was a strong, fighting, noble soldier, but he'd rather go in with guns bla3ing than to plan' ( understood it, but ('d prefer a plan to stick to this time around' /t least if he went, he felt like he was doing something' ( pulled myself up into the pilot's seat, putting on my headset' ( reached over and opened a door where Bethy's headset was stored' 4here Bella had found a small pair, ('d never know, but at least they didn't swallow her head whole like a regular pair would' /nd they were, of course, pink' 7nce /lec and $mmett were strapped in and the doors shut, ( waved to everyone and called in my flight' ( was a simple &sight seeing trip,& as far as my manifest was concerned' +lipping switches and checking gauges, ( started her up' ( turned to Bethy, who was playing with the strings on her hoodie' &"eady, little sweetness!& ( asked her through the headset' )he nodded, her little feet kicking a bit' &Good girl,& ( told her, and lifted off slowly from my yard'

%E&&#
The cells were dank and cold, and my feet had started to ache with the chill as the night fell around us' ( wrapped my ,acket around them as ( lay on my cot, glancing over at my

neighbor' =hristopher had fallen asleep after he reali3ed who ( was' 5e fumbled with an embarrassed apology for what he'd done to the Greenes and the truck driver, and then gone quiet on me' ( imagined that his guilt was more than he could bear, because he looked like he relived the shit every2fucking2day' There was a part of me that still hated him for it, but so much time had passed that ( probably had let it go long before ( reali3ed it' Besides, there were bigger problems than my feelings about something that had happened several years ago' =rickets chirped loudly through the main locked gate at the top of the stairs' (t had been a long fucking few hours, and my short nap was filled with dreams that were both scary and erotic' ( dreamed of dungeons, of sadistic men that couldn't keep their hands to themselves, and ( dreamed of long, slow kisses and murmurs of naughty things coming from a velvet voice' 6reams of strong arms and groping, calloused hands had woken me up with a need for $dward so large, it had brought tears to my eyes' ( wanted his warmth wrapped around me, and ( wanted to breathe in that perfect smell of him * fresh cut wood and clean soap' ( needed him to tell me that he was there, that he would never let anyone touch me again' 4alter ran hurriedly down the stairs, a worried >urt following behind him' ( didn't see 9ilith, but ( did see >enny walking in with fast food bags, tossing one through =hristopher's bars so that it landed on his rather large belly, which woke him up instantly, before he tossed a bag to me' +rom the look on 4alter's face, ( was pretty sure "usty had never made it with the girls' ( kept my face unreadable as ( glanced up at him from my dinner' &)omething wrong!& ( asked, and >urt smirked sightly, shaking his head at me' &5ow'd you do it!& he seethed, his temper barely under control' &5ow'd you get those girls away!& &0o idea what you're talking about,& ( muttered around a bite of sandwich' ( shrugged and blinked innocently up at him' (t was >enny that moved first, slamming his hands against the bars of my cell' &"usty's fucking dead, bitch'& &7h!& ( huffed in false surprise around another bite' &)orry about that' )uicide!& >urt had to rub his face in order to hide his smile' &0o, it wasn't fucking suicide,& 4alter sneered from behind a still panting >enny' &They found his car wrapped around a tree8& &6runk driving!& ( asked, shooting a glance over to =hristopher, who snorted softly, as he watched everything with rapt attention' Both >enny and 4alter shook their heads' &(

take it the girls weren't in this car,& ( stated, not even bothering to give them my full attention' &0o, he was alone,& 4alter answered' &Tell me how you did it'& &;ou let them get away,& ( accused, pointing a +rench fry at them' &5ell, they may still be wandering in the woods'& &7h no,& 4alter chuckled, pointing a finger at me' &('m not fucking stupid''' ( know for a fact that you wouldn't ,ust set two three2year2olds loose in the woods' 0o fucking way' ;ou were meeting someone'& &5ow could ( meet anyone, 4alter!& ( sighed, rolling my eyes up at him' &0o one knew where you took me' 0o one followed us' ;ou said so yourself'& &4ho were those people at the station, (sabella!& he yelled' &+riends'''family'''+B('''& ( took another bite, looking up at them all, but my ga3e fell to a very frustrated 4alter' &5ave you asked for the money yet! ('m curious as to what they say'& &+unny you should ask,& he said, pulling out a cell phone' &( was ,ust about to make the call' 4anna listen in!& &)ure,& ( sputtered around the last bite of my sandwich' &Tell them hello'& #y nonchalance was killing >enny' (n fact, 4alter stopped him from opening my cell door' &4hat's the matter, >enny! #iss your'''cellmate!& ( sneered as he called me every name in the book' They all fro3e like deer in headlights as they stared at me' >urt bit the inside of his cheek as he leaned against the wall behind >enny and 4alter, who were gaping like fish out of water' &;ou know, you can blame 9ilith,& ( sighed, scooting up on my cot so that ( could lean against the wall, crossing one leg over the other' &)howing up at the wedding was a huge mistake' 5uge' ('m a :'(', so ( checked on everyone she knows'& &)he's lying,& >enny yelled, turning to 4alter' &There's more to it than that' "usty didn't run into a tree by accident''' ('m telling you, 4alt8& &)hut up8& 4alter snapped at him' &('m calling now'& ( wasn't sure who he was calling, =arlisle or $dward, but ( did hope they'd play along, that Bethy had gotten my note to her father' 4alter put the phone on speaker, and we all held our breath as it rang' &=ullen,& $dward snapped on the phone, and ( couldn't help but smile, because he

sounded beautiful and frustrated, tired and angry * all things that were the epitome of se y to me' /nd all coming through the phone with one word said' ( totally swooned over my own husband' &5ey, baby8& ( called out, wearing a smile ten miles wide, because it pissed 4alter off something fierce' &)hut her up,& he growled, and >enny dove into action, opening my cell and yanking me up to press a hand to my mouth' &Bella!& &4ell, now you have proof of life, asshole,& he said over the phone' &)he fucked up, =ullen,& he told him' &)he was supposed to come alone'& &/nd you were supposed to bring those girls,& $dward countered, &but'''you didn't'& 5e said the last three words in a singing sigh, and at that point, ( knew he'd gotten my note' 5e was totally playing these guys' &( assume you've got them now,& 4alter growled, rolling his eyes' &7h, ( do,& my husband said, &and ( have a message for (enny'& &4hat's that, motherfucker!& >enny yelled, like his voice wouldn't carry, like we were talking on two tin cans and fucking piece of string' #y ear rang as he fucking did that right at my head' (diot' &( will personally see to it that you die,& $dward stated, his voice menacing, and ( knew he meant every word' &"usty cried like a bitch when ( was through with him'& &4ho the fuck are you!& 4alter asked, shaking his head' &)omeone you should have never fucked with,& he replied' &0ow, give me your demands for the return of my wife, and ('ll think it over'& )ood boy8 ( mentally fist punched the air, because that was e actly what ('d wanted him to do' 4alter thought he was in control, thought he was surrounded by protection, but he didn't know protection' /nd he damn well didn't know control' &Twenty million,& 4alter demanded, looking a little nervous, but he maintained his composure' &Twenty million, and you'll get her back'& $dward sniffed over the phone, like he was thinking about it' &4e'll see'''but know this''' (f one hair is out of place on her head, if there is one bruise on her, if she has a fucking paper cut, ( will see to it that you suffer, motherfucker' (t will be long, slow, and very, very fucking painful' ( shit you not'& ( swooned again and giggled a bit behind >enny's hand, because ( already had a bruise, and 4alter's wide eyed glance at my face showed it'

&=all me back in twenty2four hours with the time and place, and you'll have your answer,& $dward ordered over the speaker' &/nd one day, Bella'''('ll do it again' ( did it when we met, and ('ll fucking do it again' 4arn them if you want, sweetness' (t won't fucking matter'& 4ith that said, he ended the call' >enny let me go, and ( sat down on my cot as he left my cell and locked me back in' &4hat the fuck did that mean!& 4alter asked me, and ( looked up at him' ( knew e actly what that meant' $dward had ,ust told me that he was coming for me, that he would save me' /gain' 5e was coming in one day, and ( was pretty sure he would be bringing all the demons of hell with him' But on top of all that, he ,ust gave me permission to tell 4alter what was about to happen' ( shrugged, sitting back against the wall again' &/ bit cryptic for me,& ( lied smoothly, because ( didn't want to tell him ,ust yet' 4alter eyed me for a moment, but ( didn't break eye contact with him' 5e turned to >urt' &Give her back her shoes,& he ordered, and then left the building' >urt nodded, but waited until >enny and 4alter were far enough away before he spoke' &('ll get you your boots, but give me a few' They're at the main house'& &7kay,& ( sighed, closing my eyes for a moment' &4ho is your husband!& >urt asked, tilting his head at me' ( smiled, not opening my eyes yet' ( took a deep breath, letting myself rela , if only for a few seconds' &5e's'''my hero'&

E!"#$!
( set the phone down, bracing my arms on the conference table in Gravity's office' 5earing Bella's voice ,ust about broke me' ( had to channel all my anger, all my frustration toward the man that held her life in his hands' ( meant what ('d told her1 ( was coming for her, and ( could give two shits if she decided to tell them' 0othing could fucking stop me' &Twenty million!& #akenna asked no one in particular' &6amn'& &5e won't see a dime,& my dad answered her, placing a hand on my shoulder as ( hung my head' &)he sounded okay, son,& he soothed softly' &Tomorrow night,& he stated, turning to the room filled with fucking people' &By the time this asshole calls again, we'll be on his front doorstep'& &( can't help you'''legally, this time,& Benny stated, his voice sounding nervous' &The

case has been taken over, and ( don't know by who'''& &By me,& $lea3ar admitted as he came in from the computer room, slapping a file down' &This is now a 5omeland )ecurity problem,& he said, a wry grin spreading over his features' &(t's now my case, my problem, my mission'& ( stood up straight and leaned on the table, my arms crossed over my chest' &('m still going,& ( said, pointing a finger at him' &4e're all going,& $lea3ar snickered' &5ell, ( need all of you' /nd then some'''& he sighed, looking over at my dad' &=all them in, =arlisle' ('ve got some retired men coming in myself'& &( already have,& my father answered' &They'll be here in the morning' 4hat ('d like to go over is what $dward ,ust brought back'& &('m on it, ('m on it, ('m on it8& /lice sighed e asperatedly' &God, gimme a sec' ('ve been printing since he started back8& 4e all snickered at her, because she came out with a large stack of photos in her arms, slapping them down in front of her on the conference table' 4e all gathered around her so we could see as she spread them out for us' &7kay, first thing,& /lice started, laying out one section of the entire property in order' &This is what we're dealing with,& she said, pointing to an aerial view of the mountain itself, including the woods, a small stream, and the winding road up the side' &This,& she huffed, pulling the one picture away, only to replace it with several photos that, when placed together, not only took up the entire table, but showed the complete compound in high definition color' &This is 4alter's place' /s you can see, it was once a vacation home for his grandparents' The smaller buildings have recently been added throughout the property, but the original buildings still stand * the main house, the stables, and interestingly enough'''a bomb shelter'& &4hat!& ( growled, looking up at her' &;eah, ( thought that, too,& she groaned, her face filling with a combination of sadness and anger at the mere idea that Bella could be underground again' &(t's really a bomb shelter' The grandparents were a product of the cold war threat, so they installed an underground shelter' (t's on the original plans'& &=an you tell that's where Bella is, /lice!& .asper asked, pointing to the structure not far from the barn' &0o,& she stated firmly with a shake of her head' &( can't, but ('ll show you why'& #akenna quickly taped the overview of the compound together, pinning it to an open space on the wall as /lice spread out another view' (t was the thermal shots'

&This shows every warm body on that property' ( count about thirty2two, give or take one or two, but ('m not far off,& she said, gesturing to the house' &There's activity in the house, the barn, the small cottages or huts, and in the fields' But see this!& she asked, looking to me and my dad, and we nodded at where her finger was pointing' &4hen you were flying over, ( watched activity there' :eople go in, people come out, but ( can't see them once they're inside'& &(t's lead lined!& $lea3ar asked, bending closer to the picture' &(t would make sense,& $mmett piped up' &)ome of those old bomb shelters were built like that, because back then, people were told that lead protected you from radiation, never mind that thermonuclear blast that hits you so fast and hot that you're ash before you blink,& he said wryly, rolling his eyes' &(t's e pensive as hell to do, but it looks like Gramps could afford it'& &( hope not,& /lice groaned, shaking her head, &because even if Bella activates that last G:) chip, ( don't have a clue whether or not it will transmit through lead'& #akenna taped that set of shots together as well, putting it on the wall ne t to the other one so that /lice could toss out a few more pictures' &9astly, some 3oomed in shots' ;ou guys will love this,& she stated, rolling her eyes' &They've got weapons hidden all over the place' )omeone among them used to be military, because they've got an old machine gun here,& she said, pointing to ,ust in front of the main house' &They've got ra3or wire around the entire property, and they've got a cache of a bunch of shit inside that barn,& she stated, looking up at me' &;ou flew over ,ust right, so ( was able to 3oom in through the open barn doors' They've got it all'''grenades, ":Gs, automatic weapons, and plenty of fucking ammo'& &( thought these guys were non2violent,& #ickey huffed as she pulled the shot of the barn closer' &( thought they were ,ust some riff2raff group'& &They're stocking up for something,& Benny muttered, rubbing his chin' &;eah, but what!& $lea3ar asked no one in particular' &They have no mission, as far as ( can tell'& &#aybe they're those survival guys,& .asper suggested' &;ou know''' a country boy can survive type shit' Grow your own food, live your own way, no need for government or police, or even society'& &They look it,& ( sighed, picking up a picture of the guarded front gate' &They don't e actly look'''organi3ed'& &#aybe not,& $lea3ar mused, glancing up at the pictures on the wall, and then the ones on the table again, &but we're not giving them any time to find out ,ust how organi3ed

they could be'& 5e looked up at me' &$d, this is Bella we're talking about, so we need to decide e actly how you want to go in'& &( don't want to fly in,& ( stated, shaking my head and tossing the photos in my hand onto the table' &They'll hear us coming, and ( don't want that'& $lea3ar studied my face, but ( could tell he was mulling this shit over' +inally, he nodded' &)tealth, commando, a ground assault!& ( nodded, running a hand through my hair and walking to the main layout on the wall' &9ook how fucking close that bomb shelter is to all those weapons, all that ammunition in the barn' ( can't take a chance that someone will blow it, or set some shit off' (t's too close, and it could collapse if blown right' 0o' ('d rather walk in'& &5ow many are going with us!& .asper asked, tracing his finger over the winding road up to the guard gate' &4ell,& $lea3ar sighed, looking to Benny, &('d like to think fourteen' That's all of us,& he said, gesturing around the room, which included himself, $ric, +eli , /lec, $mmett, .asper, #ickey, )am, my father, and myself' &=arlisle, you've got two coming, yes!& &;es,& 6ad stated with a nod' &('ve called in 0ed =auldwell and his brother, 5arry'& &0o shit!& ( asked, my eyebrows raising up high' &6on't they run'''& &/ hunting shop in 4est -irginia, yes,& my dad replied' &/nd they've offered to help us out with some e tra weapons and ammo, not to mention the truck they're driving' They ,ust happened to be nearby in 0evada at a gun e po' They're coming straight from there'& &-ery fucking cool,& .asper said with a grin' &0ed and 5arry are great'& &:erfect,& $lea3ar whispered to himself' &('ve got two retired agents coming in'''some old 0avy buddies of mine''')pike 6evlin and $lam 5art' Both are e cellent shots and military trained'& 5e turned to Benny' &('d like you on information feed with /lice' 5er here, you with us' 4ill you do it!& Benny and 4es were already nodding' &6efinitely, because ( think /lice and ( can rig a few of you with cameras, so we can monitor your progress' 4ith #ack's and "ose's help, we should be able to get you anything you need'& &)weet .esus8& $mmett sang, clapping his hands together one time' &4ell, let's get to fucking work8& (t took almost three hours * well into the night * for us to form a basic plan' "ight around three in the morning, we all started getting punchy and drunk with weariness, so $lea3ar sent everyone off for a few hours' sleep, at least until the four e tra men arrived in the morning'

( walked into my house, pulling my baseball cap off and tossing it on the coffee table as ( fell tiredly onto my sofa' There was a part of me that knew ('d sleep better in my bed * funnily enough that voice sounded like Bella's * but ( ,ust couldn't find the heart to sleep alone in a bed that ( shared with my wife' The mere idea made a hole crack open in my chest' ( heard a shuffle of feet from the hallway, and ( glanced up to see Bethy standing there in an oversi3ed t2shirt that came down to her knees, #r' Bunny firmly clutched in her arm' 5er hair was down and hung in messy waves over her shoulders' &:retty girl, what are you doing up so late!& ( asked softly, opening my arms when she ran to me' &( miss #ommy,& she mumbled, crawling up into my lap' ( sat back in the sofa and pulled her face up so that ( could see it' &#e, too,& ( whispered, kissing her forehead' &But she wouldn't want us upset, little sweetness'& )he frowned down at me, reaching up to touch my face' &Gamma says you're going to find her'& &('m going to try,& ( said, trying not to promise anything, because ( was trying my damnedest not to get my own hopes up, not to mention my daughter's' &(n fact, ( need you to be brave and stay with Gamma tomorrow'& &( want to go wif you, 626addy,& she stated, setting #r' Bunny on my chest between us' &;ou can't, baby,& ( groaned, cupping her face' &( need your help here'& 5er eyes widened as she tilted her head at me' &4if what!& &;ou have to keep Gamma company, because :oppy is going, too,& ( e plained' &)o she'll be very worried, and you have to take care of her' =an you do that for me!& )he frowned again, her little brow wrinkling, but she studied #r' Bunny' +inally, she nodded' &7kay'& &7kay,& ( sighed with a nod' &Good girl,& ( praised softly, giving her little nose a kiss' &;ou should be in bed'& &('m not sleepy,& she said, as a large yawn erupted from her' &5mm, ( see that,& ( snickered, reaching over to grab the remote for the T-' &;ou want to stay with me!& )he nodded, bleary eyed and silent' &7kay, but you have to lay down,& ( told her, turning her around so that she was facing the T-, her head on a pillow by the arm of the sofa'

&9ay wif me!& &)ure, baby'& ( lay behind her, and she pulled my arm up, ,ust like her mother did, setting her chin on my knuckles, so ( was basically cuddling with her and #r' Bunny' ( placed a kiss to the top of her head, breathing deep the clean scent of her hair, as ( flipped through the channels' 7ld sitcoms seemed to catch both of our interest, so ( left it there with the sound pretty low' /t one point, she rolled to face me' &4ill you tell #ommy th2that (2( d2did wh2what sh2 she said!& ( smiled down at her and nodded, because despite the fact that her little stutter was starting to fade, it still showed up full force every now and then, ,ust like my own' &9ittle sweetness, that'll be the first thing ( tell her'& )he rolled back over, sighing contentedly, and fell asleep almost instantly' ( wasn't far behind her'

CHAPTER 10
%E&&#
( couldn't fucking sleep' 4hen ( did nod off, my dreams were horrific' ( was ,ust fucking glad daylight had finally dawned' Tell me who could have found you, bitch? ( squee3ed my eyes closed at the memory of #iller's voice, letting out a long, slow, calming breath and glancing over when =hristopher snorted in his deep slumber' #aybe it was being underground, maybe it was the waiting, or maybe it was ,ust being away from home, away from $dward and Bethy' ( never felt more powerful and in control than with $dward there to back me up' 4ithout him and when ( was alone with my thoughts, ( felt a little vulnerable' ( debated and debated telling 4alter what he had coming for him' ( wasn't kidding when ('d told him once that he had absolutely no idea what he'd done' 5e had no clue as to what he'd set in motion, because my husband's and his father's identities never really e isted' 4alter had pissed off the one group of people that could literally level this compound in the blink of an eye, barely breaking a sweat' ('d decided to wait, or maybe not tell 4alter at all, because he could panic and take me elsewhere' 4here ( was sitting was the best place, because ( knew at that moment, there was an angry group of men and women studying this place up one side and down the other' ( had to put my faith in them' >urt had eventually brought me my shoes, tossing them and my socks through the bars of my cage' 7nce ( had them on and he'd left me, ('d activated the G:) chip' ('d thought about the tools on me, about using them to escape, but ( wasn't stupid' ('d seen what ( would face trying to ,ust get outside the compound, much less down the fucking mountain' +ootsteps constantly walked by the top of the stairs, there were guards at ,ust about every point on the grounds, and the fences were not ,ust topped with ra3or wire''' (t went from top to bottom' ( didn't have tools to cut that shit, and there would be nowhere to hide if ( did get out of my cell' Then there was the matter of =hristopher, who snored again and rolled over in his sleep' 5e wasn't my new best friend, but he was being held against his will' 5e was verbally abused at ,ust about every turn, and ( was starting to feel sorry for the poor bastard' 5e'd paid his debt to society concerning the drunk driving incident, but holding him hostage here was ,ust 9ilith's sick addition to this game' The main cell door creaked open, and ( glanced up, rolling my eyes' &)peak of the devil,& ( muttered to myself as 9ilith strolled in alone' &;ou should be on a leash,& ( told

her' &4alter should chain you to a tree to make sure you stay out of trouble or don't wander where you shouldn't'& &Bitch,& she sneered, shaking her head' &(f we didn't need that money, ('d have kicked your ass already'& &;ou could try,& ( chuckled, shaking my head and sitting up on my cot' &( doubt very much that you'd succeed'& &=hristopher,& she sang, keeping her eyes on me' &Tell her ('m not a bad person'& ( didn't even reali3ed he'd woken up, but his eyebrows shot up high on his forehead' &('m in a cage,& he snorted, looking at her like she was insane' &4hat's nice about that!& &(t's her fault that you're here,& 9ilith pouted dramatically, pointing in my direction' &)he's the one that told me what you did to my baby'& ( couldn't fight my snort if ( tried' &(s that the game you're playing, 9ilith! ;ou want to set him against me! 4ell, fine,& ( snapped, standing up and grasping two bars facing the empty cell between mine and =hristopher's' &;eah'''it was all my fucking fault' 9ilith here had two beautiful little girls, =hris' Two'& ( held up two fingers, raising an eyebrow at 9ilith when she started to interrupt me' &5er youngest was Bree' Two years old, slipping around in a bathtub full of bubbles' (nstead of watching her child, she walked away' Guess what happened ne t'''& ( sang, looking between them' &Bree slipped and hit her head on the ceramic soap dish' )he was unconscious when she hit the water' )he could have been saved, but apparently, the phone call 9ilith took was more important'& &(t was about a ,ob8& 9ilith yelled' &(t was about a crack deal, bitch,& ( sighed, rolling my eyes' &( worm information out of people all fucking day' ( read your phone records' ( spoke to )harky, your dealer' =rack'''don't even try to spin it any other way'& ( turned back to =hristopher' &Bree had an older sister * /shley' )he was four at the time' /t four, she was smarter than her mother and tried to pull her baby sister out of the water * of course, failing miserably' )o instead, a four year old little girl bolted out of the apartment, down the hall, and pounded on an old man's door1 an old man that gave her and her sister paper flowers and airplanes as presents' &The cops were called, the 6epartment of =hildren's )ervices was called, and 9ilith was arrested' /shley was then placed in the foster care system,& ( continued, rolling my eyes' &9ilith pleaded substance abuse'& 9ilith shrugged, like it wasn't important, but at least she was quiet'

&.ason and /mber Greene were the foster parents that took /shley in,& ( told =hristopher' &They worked with /shley, worked with 9ilith's doctors, but 9ilith pulled the wool over everyone's eyes' )he pretended to get better' )he skated through rehab, and the very first fucking opportunity she got to see her daughter, she snatched her up'& 9ilith smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes' (t was slow and evil' &)he was my daughter8& &That you forgot about the minute you took the first hit of heroin,& ( countered, looking back to =hristopher' &6o you see where this is going yet, =hris!& ( asked him, and he nodded slowly' &('m a private investigator, and when /shley disappeared, a friend of mine from a law firm told me about an associate of his * someone he went to college with' 5e asked me for a favor, to help find /shley' )o ( did' /nd it wasn't hard,& ( added, glaring at 9ilith, who looked more concerned with her dirty fingernails' &( found /shley wandering around the parking lot of a ratty ass drug hotel' )he was filthy, hungry, and crying' 7nce ( got her back to the Greenes, 9ilith here * after a lot of persuasion from everyone * finally gave up custody,& ( growled the last three words' &The Greenes and ( became friends, =hris,& ( sighed, tilting my head at him' &( was so mad at you for killing them, at myself for getting too close, and at 9ilith for starting the shit in the first place'& ( sighed again, leaning my forehead against the bars' &)o'''yeah' (t's my fault you're here' The day of the Greenes' funeral, ( paid a visit to 9ilith at the mental hospital'& &7h, God,& =hristopher groaned' &( told her all of it,& ( whispered, looking up at him and avoiding her angry glare' &( blamed everything on her'''on you'''& =hristopher stood up and studied my face' &( can't say that ( blame you,& he sighed with a shrug' &('ve attended enough meetings, heard enough stories to know that what ( did was devastating''' for everyone'& 5e turned to 9ilith, his face cold and angry as he stepped toward her' &;ou, on the other hand, have no room to talk,& he stated firmly, looking at 9ilith' &Those kids were your responsibility' ( understand addiction * fuck, ( live it * but you should have gotten help'''and now, you don't have anyone' ;ou're all alone'& #y mouth fell open as he stood up to her' 5e'd only shown a meek personality since ('d been trapped in that bunker with him' &('m not alone,& she said through gritted teeth' &( have 4alter'& ( smirked, my brow wrinkling, because ( saw that she was lying' 4hether she didn't didn't actually need 4alter, or she didn't believe her own words, ( wasn't sure' But whatever it was, she knew =hris was right' )he was all alone'

&('m pretty sure 4alter ,ust recogni3ed my name when you told him the story,& ( chuckled' &/ll he sees is dollar signs'& &)o why am ( here!& =hris asked, his voice a touch whiny as he rolled his eyes' &( have no money, and ( can't bring back the dead'''& &=ome here, and ('ll tell you,& 9ilith smirked, and ( was shaking my head no before he took his first step' &6on't do it, =hris,& ( warned, but 9ilith moved quicker than ('d e pected her to' )he grabbed his shirt through the bars, pulling him off balance' 4hen he fell into the steel, a flash and a loud gunshot echoed through the small room, causing my ears to ring' =hristopher fell in a heap on the floor, holding his large stomach' The gate at the top of the stairs flew open, and 4alter, >enny, and >urt darted into the room, their eyes quickly assessing the situation with drawn weapons in their hands' &=hrist, 9ilith,& 4alter sighed e asperatedly' &;ou couldn't wait! ( said you could have them both once we had the money'& &5e was spewing lies8& she yelled, and ( finally saw for the first time what 6r' -ernon was talking about in his medical file on 9ilith' )he had absolutely no conscience, and everything she said or did was done with precise calculation' ( narrowed my eyes at her and wondered not for the first time if she really hadn't killed Bree herself' (t wouldn't be improbable when it came to this woman' &9ilith, get the fuck out of here,& 4alter sighed, shaking his head as she stomped up the stairs' ( rounded on 4alter' &5ave them both once you had the money!& ( repeated to him, my mouth hanging open' &;ou double cross them this time, and you won't live to see another day,& ( growled, gripping the bars in front of me' &;ou guys keep saying that,& 4alter chuckled, rolling his eyes' &( ,ust don't see that happening'& ( grinned up at him' &;ou obviously found out who ( was, so go look up my husband, my father2in2law' Then come back and tell me what you found' #aybe ( can'''fill in the blanks for you'& 4alter smirked and nodded his head' &+ine, (sabella, ('ll humor you,& he stated, turning around to >enny' &Get his fat ass up off the floor and see if you can stop his bleeding'& &5e needs a doctor8& ( growled' &4ell, that's tough shit, princess,& >enny sneered, shrugging one shoulder, before opening =hristopher's cell door' &There's a storm rolling in, and no one is going

anywhere' The road won't allow it'& ( absorbed that piece of information like a sponge soaking up water' #y eyebrows shot up as ( looked from >enny to >urt, the latter of whom was nodding apologetically' (f the road was closed, then 4alter couldn't take me anywhere' / rainstorm wouldn't stop $dward and my crew, and it damn well wouldn't stop =arlisle or $lea3ar' 5ell, $lea3ar was a former 0avy )eal, so a little rain wouldn't even phase him' ( watched >enny struggle with =hristopher, never missing an opportunity to berate and insult him' 7nce he had the large man on his cot, he made a half2assed attempt at placing a blanket over his wound' +rom what ( could see, 9ilith had caught him in his side, but ( couldn't tell ,ust how badly he was in,ured' &5ey,& >urt called from my cell door' &('ll try and sneak you some food' 7kay!& &;ou need to get him something to put pressure on that wound, or he'll bleed out,& ( whispered in a hiss' &('ll see what ( can do, but give me a few,& he replied, turning on his heel' ( shook my head, sighed, and fell down on my cot' #y head fell back as they left me with a moaning, possibly fatally in,ured man' This situation was getting more and more fucked up as time ticked on'

E!"#$!
( lifted the door of my wood shop, taking my keys out of my pocket' /long the far back wall was a line of double locked cabinets * cabinets that had nothing to do with my woodworking hobby' &7kay, load up,& ( ordered, stepping away from my own personal cache of weapons, kevlar vests, and ammunition' &$ cellent,& $mmett hissed, dodging past me to start handing out equipment to everyone' ( grabbed my own things, including an automatic rifle, ammunition, and a long, sharp bowie knife' ( tossed my keys to $mmett, telling him to lock it back when he was done' ( walked back into Gravity's office, setting my shit down on the conference table' ( was pulling my Glock out of the safe when Benny piped up' &4e have a problem,& he stated, spinning around from his computer' &4ell, two problems'& &4hat's that!& ( asked, glancing up at my father and $lea3ar, who were readying their own personal weapons, but we all gave Benny our attention'

&4e've got a storm moving in on that area,& he said, pointing to his screen' &5eavy rainfall, very little wind, possible hail' (t'll make traversing that mountain difficult'& &)o we get wet,& $lea3ar grunted, shrugging a shoulder and strapping on his shoulder harness' &4hat's the second problem!& &)till no sign of Bella's G:) chip,& he sighed, looking rather forlorn' &( don't know if it's because she hasn't activated it yet, or if the signal isn't coming through the lead of that bomb shelter'& &(s there still activity around it!& ( asked, tucking my black cargo pants into my boots and lacing them tight' &;es8& /lice called over her shoulder from the computer room' &( really think she's in there, $dward'& ( nodded, lacing up my other boot, and stood up straight' &( trust you, /lice' (t's mine and $mmett's number one destination' .asper, #ickey, and /lec are taking the barn'& &$l, $ric, and )pike will start at the huts on the west end of the property,& my dad said, pointing to the aerial shot on the wall' &)am, $lam, and +eli will handle the guard shack and the gate, and 0ed, 5arry, and myself will take the main house'& &4e'll be coming in from all sides,& $lea3ar e plained' &;ou girls need to know this, so you understand what you're watching on these night vision cameras you've rigged on a member of each team'& #akenna, /lice, and "ose, all came into the main area to listen to him' &4e'll be coming in from all sides of the property,& he said again' &/lice, you'll cut the power and communication on our signal' Benny, you'll be monitoring our communication with each other, making sure we don't stumble over each other'& 7nce /lice and Benny nodded, he went on' &4e're going in as quietly as we can' /s soon as the power goes, they may react'& By now, the whole office was filled with men dressed in long sleeve black tees, black cargo pants, and black military grade boots' )ome had already donned their vests, some were strapping on knives or grenades, and others were ,ust listening' &This is my mission, so you'll warn them, tell them to drop their weapon, but if they don't, then you have my permission to defend yourself' )pike,& he called, and a rather large, rugged gentleman with a bald head about $l's age stepped forward' &=areful with those huts, because there may be more inside' )am, that guard shack may be where the alarm is activated, so if you'''take out the guards, then so be it'& 5e turned to my dad' &That goes the same for you, =arlisle' The house may have a trigger, as well, so do what you have to'& 5e sighed, glancing around the room' &(f for some reason, an alarm

is triggered, we will be at war'& 4e all nodded, because we all knew from e perience that shit could go all sorts of fucking wrong on missions such as this one' &The primary goal here is to get Bella out of there,& $l continued, gesturing to me and $mmett' &The secondary goal is the capture and arrest of 9ilith 9aray, 4alter Bridges, >enny :orter, and >urt -ernon,& he stated, pointing to the pictures along the wall' &Though ( won't shed a tear if one of them happens to become a casualty'& 7nce more, he glanced up at the group of us' &Those of you that aren't under my legitimate command, this never happened' Those of you that are,& he said, looking at +eli and $ric, &4ell'''you know how this shit works' 6o your ,ob and keep your mouth shut about everything else'& 5e clapped his hands once' &4e need to go'''& The office door slammed open, and Bethy dodged black clad legs left and right in order to get to me' &626addy,& she huffed, and ( caught her up in my arms as she ran full force at me' &;ou can't l2leave yet,& she panted, and ( guessed she'd run all the way from the house' &( have to go, little sweetness,& ( told her, kissing her palm, which was on the side of my face' &;ou forgot your hat,& she said, holding it up with her other hand' ( grinned, ignoring the chuckles from around the room' &By all means, pretty girl,& ( said, letting her put it on my head' Backwards, of course' &Thank you,& ( whispered, giving her a wink' &0ow can ( go!& &;es,& she grunted, nodding her head once' &Tell me you love me,& ( commanded, tilting my head at her' &9ove you,& she sang, dragging out the last word and kissing my cheek' &Be safe'& &( love you, too, Bethy,& ( whispered against her forehead, watching my dad walk to us' &=ome here, baby girl,& he chuckled, holding his hands out for her' &Give me hugs and kisses'& )he went willingly with a giggle, and soon, my daughter was getting love from all her &uncles'& $mmett scooped her up and flipped her over, grinning when she squealed into hysterics' &('m ,ust makin' sure you're my good luck charm, that's all,& he chuckled, turning her back over so he could look her into her now very red face' &5ow can you tell!& she asked him' &(t's stamped on the back of your knee,& he answered, tickling the shit out of her leg

until she was writhing mess' ( watched as the men that didn't know her found themselves smiling at her, but the ones that loved her absolutely had to hug her before they left the room' 5er last conversation was with /lec' &#ambina,& he chuckled when she ran to him' &/ kiss for good luck, yeah!& he asked, pointing to his cheek, grinning like a fool when it was loud and sloppy' &;ou'll be so busy while we're gone, you know'& &4if what!& she asked, playing with the velcro on his kevlar vest' &;ou have to watch over baby =aleb, your Gamma, and you have to keep good thoughts in your mind the whole time we're gone,& he told her' &=an you do that! !ll of that!& &;up8& she said with a grin' &Good girl,& he said, kissing her fingers before handing her back to me' &=ome on, baby,& ( chuckled, shaking my head and picking up my gear' &9et's find Gamma' 6oes she know you left the house!& &)he told me to bring you your hat,& she answered' &)ee, there she is,& she said, pointing to the back of the truck we were all to ride in * the old school military truck that 0ed and 5arry had driven' $sme was cupping my father's face, and he nodded solemnly at whatever she was telling him' )he turned to Bethy and me as we approached' &=ome on, Bethy,& she said, holding her arms out' &626addy!& she whimpered, clinging to me' &Go with her, baby,& ( soothed' &('ll be back before you can miss me, okay!& )he frowned, but went to $sme' 5er eyes grew wide when her :oppy and ( climbed into the back of the truck' &4e gotta go, or she's gonna lose it,& ( muttered to my dad, who nodded and banged on the back of the cab' &0ed, get moving,& he ordered, and the truck rumbled into life as ( sat down beside .asper' ( gave Bethy one more wave, before tugging on my vest and watching $sme soothe her' ( heard one more cry of &6addy8& before we pulled out' &+uck,& ( hissed, rubbing my face' &)he'll be fine,& .asper said' &)he'll be bakin' cookies before the night is over'& ( smiled and nodded' &;eah, ( hope so,& ( sighed, leaning back'

/ deep rumbling chuckle met my ears, and ( looked up to see )pike shaking his bald head' &Goddamn, ( do not envy the first boyfriend that girl brings home' This fucking lot will scare the shit out of anyone'& &0o shit,& /lec snorted' &0o, it's fine,& ( said nonchalantly, &because she's not allow to date til she's thirty'& The truck erupted into laughter, my dad kicking my shoe' &;eah'''good luck with that, son'&

%E&&#
=hristopher was not going to make it' ( looked over at him, feeling helpless that ( couldn't at least comfort him' 5e was complaining about being cold, yet ( could see sweat pouring down his face' The fact that he was a big man might have been helping him, because ('d asked him to show me his belly, show me where he was hit' >urt had told me 9ilith had used a twenty2two, so the small caliber bullet went in on the left side of his stomach at an angle, and if ( was guessing, then ('d have said it lodged somewhere on his right side' That ,ust seemed to be the case, because of the way that he held himself' >urt came in with food for me and a first aid kit for =hristopher, cleaning the man up as best he could' /ll day, ('d listened to =hris, talked to him, but his pain was overwhelming for him' 5e'd stopped answering my questions about an hour ago, and my heart broke that the end was near for him' (t also pissed me the fuck off, because 9ilith hadn't shot to kill on purpose' #ore than once did she come to the cell door, ,ust to watch him, with some evil fascination plastered on her face' #y hands shook with the desire to ,ust knock her the fuck out' ( knew for a fact that if they hadn't needed the money, ( would be ne t' ( started pacing about sundown, because =hristopher started whimpering, his breathing shallow, until he finally called for me' &Bella!& he rasped, trying to look my way' &;es, =hris,& ( said, using a calm voice that reflected nothing close to what was going on inside of me' &('m sorry about your friends,& he whispered' &(t was my birthday'''( should never have driven home'& ( sighed, closing my eyes and leaning my forehead against the bars of my cell' &( forgave you a long time ago, =hris' ;ou have to forgive yourself'&

&;ou'll tell my mom, right!& he asked' 5e tried to take a deep breath, but seemed to fail, causing a wracking cough to erupt from him' &Tell her that ( didn't ,ust'''leave her'& #y nose wrinkled, and ( squee3ed my eyes shut' &( promise, sweetie'& &Good, because'''she was the only one that'''supported me,& he whee3ed' &)he deserves to not have to'''& &4onder,& ( finished for him' &;eah,& he sighed, and it was the last breath he took' / tear fell down my face at the waste of life that ,ust left the room' 5e wasn't a bad guy1 he'd ,ust made a mistake' 5e had seemed fairly sweet and somewhat sarcastic' (n another time and place, we might have been friends' 5e'd told me he had plans to go back to school * computers or something * and move him and his mom from )eattle to 7lympia' 0o one checked in on us for fucking hours, a fact that ,ust made my temper rise to the surface' By the time they all traipsed their happy asses down the stairs, ( was practically a pacing lioness in my cage' &;ou wretched whore8& ( snapped at 9ilith' &;ou fucking killed him' /nd for what!& &Because ( could'& 5er answer was smooth, without remorse' (n fact, she barely gave =hristopher's body a second glance once >enny pronounced him dead' &4ith you'''('ll take my time'& &Good luck with that,& ( warned her with a raised eyebrow' &;ou seriously underestimate me'& &4e're going to call your husband back and tell him where to meet us,& 4alter stated, pulling out a cell phone from his pocket' 7nce again, he turned on the speakerphone' &=ullen,& $dward answered sharply, and for a split second, ( heard people in the background' &Tomorrow, =ullen' 7lympia #all'''two o'clock,& 4alter stated, his eyes never leaving mine' &Those terms aren't good for me, because ('m not going to walk into a trap' #y money, my terms,& $dward replied, his voice calm, smooth, but ( could hear an underlying anger seething ,ust below the surface' &:ortland'''bus station'''noon,& he countered' 4alter closed his eyes, letting a hissing breath out in a rush' &+ine, but you'd better bring that money, or ('ll shoot (sabella in the head on the fucking street corner'& &0o, you won't,& $dward stated' &But you can try'& &(f you bring someone other than yourself, =ullen, she won't make it out of the car,&

4alter countered' $dward laughed' &aughed' (t made me smile and raise an eyebrow at my captor' &('m not particularly concerned,& $dward snickered' &('m pretty sure she can fight you and win' 5ell, ('d be willing to bet more than one of you is sporting a bruise from her'& 7h damn' #y eyebrows shot up, because he couldn't possibly know that' 5e had to be guessing'''or he ,ust knew me that fucking well' 4alter laughed' &/s a matter of fact''' they are,& he snorted, glancing at 9ilith and >urt, though 4alter didn't know that >urt's was by request' &Before ( do shit, ( want to hear her voice,& $dward stated, and 4alter waved to me' &$dward,& ( sighed, ,ust happy to be able to say his name' &)weetness, hang in there for me' (t won't be long now' The hour is drawing near,& he said cryptically, but he leaned on the word &hour,& ,ust like he had leaned on the words &one day& during the last phone call' $dward was fucking here' 5e was so close that ( would see him in an hour' #y heart soared with elation, but pounded with worry, because this would be a true fight' &9ove you,& ( told him' &Be safe'& &;ou, too, Bella,& he crooned, but his voice changed back to forceful when he addressed 4alter' &Tomorrow''':ortland'& 4ith that, he ended the call, and 4alter smirked, stepping closer to me' / stack of pages landed on my lap' 4alter had thrown them at me through the bars' &0othing,& he stated' &;our husband and his father are nothing but business men'& ( huffed a laugh, not even bothering to look at the pages' ( let them drop to the floor, e cept for one that caught my attention' #y husband's background' ( gripped it, walked to the bars, and thrust it into 4alter's face' &)ee that span of time between his dismissal from the /ir +orce to the day he married me! 6o you fucking see it!& ( yelled, waiting until they all nodded' &=arlisle has an even longer span of time than that' 6oesn't that even concern you! 7r are you too pompous to think outside the fucking bo !& They didn't answer, not one of them' &They were ghosts, 4alter,& ( told him, keeping my voice calm' &They lived under the radar, but they never, ever stopped being soldiers'& They stayed quiet, so ( finally decided to let them know what was coming' &;ou won't hear them, you know'''when they come' (t'll be silent when they walk up in here' They'll cut your power, your communication, and probably the throats of the guards at the gate, not to mention that

ra3or wire' They'll go hunting, seeking out every individual that ever had a part to play in this shit' $very man will be punished for ,ust having known you, 4alter' They are e perts in stealth, guns, e plosives, and torture' They carry with them an intense sense of family, of loyalty' (f you think you've gotten away, that's when the sniper gets you, or when the man hidden in the brush puts a knife to your throat' They are fast, smart, and e tremely deadly' They have 3ero problem killing, because it's what they do' They were 0avy )eals, Black27ps )pecialists, and /pache pilots' They are the +B(, the =(/, and they are coming for me' ('m not fucking kidding you' /nd you can prepare all you want, but you won't stop them' They'll know the layout of this place inside and out' They'll know e actly what they're looking for, and the rain won't even slow them down'& >enny shifted on his feet as the spatter of raindrops smacked against the concrete stairs, but 4alter stood his ground in front of me' >urt shook his head, looking slightly sick, and ( needed to make sure that he stayed alive, because he'd helped me when he didn't have to' 9ilith smirked, rolled her eyes, and glanced up at 4alter' 4ithout taking his eyes from me, he said, &>enny, go wake the reinforcements' 5ave them at the ready' (f she's lying, then it's no great loss, but if she's not, then these'''soldiers will have to fight their way in' /nd get someone in here for this'''shit'& 5e gestured toward =hristopher, giving 9ilith a sideways glance' ( laughed softly and humorlessly, rolling my eyes and shrugging' &>enny, wake them all' (t'll make it easier for them to be found'& ( pointed to 4alter' &#y husband wasn't shitting you, 4alter' 5e will make this personal'&

E!"#$!
Edward. ( ran a hand through my hair as we approached our destination' 4e'd had to pull over when 4alter called, shutting down all noise from the engine of the truck' #y name had never sounded so sweet, yet so scary, coming from Bella' $ver' )he sounded e hausted and scared' )he sounded pissed off and ,ust fucking over it' #ost of all, she sounded like she needed me' / hand landed on my shoulder, and ( looked up to see my dad handing over the face paint' 4e were going in as quietly as possible, traveling through a fair amount of forest, so ( had no alternative but to slap black, green, and brown on my face' (t was thick and greasy feeling, adding to the sweat that was already beading on my forehead and upper lip, but ( smeared it on anyway' &6o you remember stealing mine when you were little!& 6ad asked, chuckling a little'

&;ou were about Bethy's age'& ( grinned, nodded, and looked over at him' &;eah, ( do' #om said it took an entire tub of her face cream to get the shit off'& 5e laughed, as did .asper and $mmett, who were sitting closest to us' &;ou used all of it, that's why8& my dad snickered, still shaking his head at the memory' &)he sent me a picture'& ( nodded and looked in the mirror $mmett was holding up' ( made sure that my neck, around my eyes, and my ears were covered' &)he couldn't even punish me, because she was laughing too hard'& ( looked up at .a33 and $m and said, &5e had this whole stash of the coolest shit in the back of their closet' ( was looking for my birthday present, but found his gear, instead' ( came out of her room wearing 6ad's boots, ,acket, and an entire tube of face paint' ( had that shit everywhere'''including the walls of the closet and her clothes'& $mmett and .asper cracked the fuck up' &7h, please tell me you still have a picture of that,& .asper begged' #y dad chuckled and nodded' &;eah, ( ,ust found it again the other day' ('ve been meaning to show it to Bethy and Bella' ( think they'd like it'& ( groaned, shaking my head' &7h, ('m sure they would' 4here was it!& &(n a bo at the +orks house,& he chuckled' &( hung that picture in every locker ('ve ever had' (t traveled more than any other picture your mother ever sent me' (t saw several tours and more countries than ( could count'& ( smiled over at him, thinking Bella and Bethy had softened the old man, because a few years ago, he'd never have told me that shit' ( knew he loved me, that he was proud of me, but it wasn't something he showed when ( was younger' /fter my mother died, he had to retire from the /ir +orce to be with me, and we became close in our grief, in our feelings of loss' 5e'd taught me guns, and ('d taught myself how to cook, in order to avoid fast food and pi33a everyday' 5e taught me a love for cars, helicopters, and he fed my passion for building things, telling me that every man needed a hobby to get away from shit' 5e would say, &('m proud of you, son,& quicker than he'd say, &( love you,& but ( knew they meant the same' /nd he would squee3e my shoulder instead of giving me a hug' 4e had a good relationship, and ( knew him well enough to see what he was doing' 5e was trying to take my mind off of Bella, focus it on something else' But one look at his face, and ( could tell he was doing this ,ust as much for himself as he was for me' &7h, ( bet the baby girl would love to see 6ad at her own age,& .asper mused, a small

smile playing on his face' 0ow that thought made me laugh, turning to my dad' &;eah'''bring that shit over,& ( told him' &)he'll love that'& 6ad grinned, but it fell quickly when the truck came to a bumpy stop' /lec lifted the back tarp of the truck, and we were fuck deep in the woods, but fairly far up on the mountain' 4e all piled out as Benny and 4es pulled their communications van up behind us, the rain flickering off of their head lights' 0ed slammed the driver's side door, gesturing around him' &This looked like the best spot,& he said, his )outhern accent thicker than .asper's ever thought about being' &4e're off the main road, so even if someone comes looking, they won't see'& $veryone took a deep, collective breath and let it out as $lea3ar stood in front of us' &( want constant communication,& he stated, letting his eyes travel over us as we all put our earpieces in' &Those of you that /lice rigged with a camera, turn it on and make sure she can see you before heading out'& 7ne member of each small team had been designated to wear a camera' $mmett turned his on as )pike, )am, and my father followed suit' The radio beeped in our ears' &5ello, boys,& /lice sang, and we couldn't help but say it back to her' &=arlisle, ( need you to ad,ust yours, please, :oppy,& she told him, and he hitched it up higher, smiling like a loon at the nickname that we'd all given him the very minute Bella announced she was pregnant' &:erfect' $mmett, yours is foggy' )pike, yours is perfect' )am, ( need you to lower yours'& 7nce everyone had obeyed her without question, she thanked us' 5arry opened the tool bo on the back of the truck, saying, &4e're going to need these'& 5e passed out wire cutters a member of each team' &4ho's the demolitions e pert!& &$m is,& #ickey piped up, the smallest among us, but she, like Bella, used that to their advantage' To them, smaller meant mightier' 5arry handed $mmett four sticks of T0T, saying, &.ust in case'& 5e stowed it in his backpack without even batting an eye' &/re we planning on blowing this ,oint!& he asked, looking up to my dad for the answer' &4e're not sure, $m,& he answered' &/lice has looked at this place up one side and down the other and says that there's no other way off the mountain other than that road, but we're not taking any chances'& &Got it,& $mmett said, nodding once' $lea3ar checked his watch' &The witching hour is almost here, boys,& he stated, meaning

it was almost three o'clock in the morning, a time that was perfect to attack, because no one e pects it' 5e unrolled the map of the place that each of us was carrying and gathered us around him' &;ou know where you're headed' The four sides of this place' $dward, $m'''the very second you catch sight of Bella, ( want to know about it' That goes the same for Bridges, 9aray, :orter, and -ernon' 7kay!& &)ir,& we all grunted, picking up weapons, strapping on knifes and gun holsters, and tightening vests' ( slid my knife into the top of my boot, stood up straight, and came face to face with #ickey' &(f you need me, let me know' (f she's somewhere you need broken into, ,ust yell, pretty boy' ('m not kidding,& she stated, her eyes flickering to my dad and $lea3ar' &6on't fucking blow it up8& she snapped, pointing a finger to $mmett' &;ou could fucking hurt her'& 5e grinned, holding his hands up in surrender, but he would never put any of us, especially Bella, in danger' &4hat's she do!& )pike asked in a whisper as he watched her check her gear' &That girl can break into any,fucking,thing,& ( chuckled' &There's not a lock or safe she can't crack'& &0o shit!& he snickered' &=an she fight! ( mean, she's so'''small'& &/nd can take down men bigger than $mmett and $l,& ( added' &6on't let her fool you' #eaner than sin, aren't you, wild child!& ( asked, shooting her a wink' &/nd then some,& she laughed, shoving me' &=ome on, ('m missing my bud'& 4e all shut up at those words, because it brought home the reality of why we were standing in the middle of the fucking woods on a rainy night' $mmett slapped the back of his hand across my chest' &9et's go, $ddie' 4e have the longest run, because we're cracking open the opposite side of the fence from here'& &"adio checks' )ound off,& Benny commanded as we all split into the forest at a silent, but fast pace' /s we all checked in, the terrain became steeper' The trees were large and grew close together' /n owl hooted somewhere overhead, his call an eerie sound in the dead of night' / deer bolted at the sight of us, taking off into the rain soaked forest' /fter that, the only sounds we heard were the sounds of our own breathing and the spatter of rain falling around us'

%E&&#
( sneered at the two guards that now stood sentry at the main gate of the prison ( was in' Their backs were to me, but their conversation was loud and clear' They were talking about football, baseball, and women * the latter of topics going on way too long for my liking, though ( think they were doing it on purpose' (f they said the word &pussy& one more time, ( was going to dismantle my cot and throw it at them' (t was one thing when $dward whispered it, his voice dripping with se iness and dirty ideas' (t was a completely different thing when it was actually used to describe women, ob,ectifying them' :igs' They were dressed ,ust like everyone else ('d seen * plaid shirts, ,eans, hiking boots, and ratty tees, and they really had no discipline, because they truly weren't paying attention' 7ne was young, maybe late teens, and the other was old enough to be his father' 0either would have passed an (< test' /t all' ( could've opened my cell and choked them from behind, and they would never have heard me coming, as loud as they were talking' They were paying attention to their cell phones and each other, but not their surroundings' /s much as ( wanted to get rid of them, ( needed to wait until the right time' ( glanced over at =hristopher's body and sighed' They still hadn't removed him, and the sight of him made me nervous and sad' 0ervous, because ( wasn't sure what 9ilith and 4alter planned to do to me, and sad, because he'd gotten wrapped up in something that he should never have been close to' 5e'd been trying to move on with his life' &('m gonna take a piss,& the older one said, walking up the steps, the puddles of rain splashing under his heavy foot' ( felt around the pocket of my cargo pants, finding what ( was looking for ,ust behind the metal clasp' ( pulled out one of #ickey's lock picks, giving #r' Teenage 5ormones a quick glance, before reaching around through the bars of my cell' (t was harder to do when ( couldn't see, and ( damn well wasn't as good at it was #ickey was, but it wasn't long before the lock clicked back' #y eyes shot up to the main cell door, but the kid was too busy picking his nose to pay attention to what ( was doing' =arefully, centimeter by centimeter, ( opened the door' ( didn't want it to creak in any way' ( tiptoed up behind the kid, reaching slowly through the bars, and grabbed the back of his shirt' 4ith one hard and fast yank, ( pulled him back against the steel bars, knocking his ass out cold' 5e fell to the concrete with a soft thump' ( reached through the bars to open the ne t lock, trying to hurry, because :iss Boy

would be back soon' The lock clicked louder on the second one, echoing up the stairwell, and ( fro3e, waiting to see if someone up top had heard' 4hen no one came running, ( carefully and slowly tugged open the gate' ( climbed the stairs, keeping my eyes peeled and my ears straining to hear anything from above me' ( plastered myself on the right side of the wall, peering out over the grounds' There was an e ceptional amount of activity for how late it was' #en milled around the grounds, weapons shouldered' ( turned to the left, and my path was blocked, but when ( peeked around to the right, it was all clear' ( waited until the closest set of men turned around, and then ( pushed myself out of the stairwell, darting around the corner of the shelter' ( was aiming for the barn wall * more specifically, the haystack ne t to it * when a cry rang out' &5ey8& ( heard behind me, along with thumping and splashing boots through the rain soaked grass' &)on of a bitch8 )top her8& ( was tackled to the ground, and the two of us slid through the wet grass several feet, before coming to a stop' The rain was fucking cold, and ( was saturated instantly' "ough hands gripped me, trying to hold me down, but ( turned over, bringing my knee up to :iss Boy's groin and causing him to release his hold on me' 4ith another boot to his face, ( scooted away from him, only for my back to come into contact with someone's legs' &)hit,& ( hissed, when the sound of an automatic rifle was engaged in my ear' &6on't do it, princess,& >enny growled, gripping my hair and yanking me up' &Get up'& 5e marched me back to the top of the stairwell, only to shove me down' ( fell with a grunt, landing right beside the young boy ('d knocked out' &+uck8& ( snapped, glaring up at >enny as he casually descended the stairs' &Get your ass up,& he said, turning toward the opening' &;o, 9ewis8 Get me something that will keep this bitch in her cell'& >enny picked me up, half shoving, half dragging me back to my cage' 5e shoved me hard, securing the lock again, but when 9ewis showed up, ( sighed and sat down hard on my cot' 9ewis was a large man, his arms bulging as he lifted a long, metal bar and a tool bo ' 5e attached a hook on the wall across from my door, wedging the metal bar against it' 5e then took out a padlock, locking it all in place, so that even if ( picked my cell door again, there would be no way to reach the lock on the far wall that was holding my cage door closed' ( was trapped' >enny laughed as ( flipped him off, but everyone fro3e when the power shut off,

drowning us in darkness' &Go check the breakers,& >enny ordered 9ewis' &(t's probably ,ust the rain short circuiting something'''& 5is voice trailed off when rapid gunfire sounded in the distance' &(t's not the rain,& ( chuckled' &/nd it damn well isn't the breakers'& >enny and 9ewis bolted out of there when an alarm started to sound'

E!"#$!
( could see the compound through the trees' (t was well lit, with a shit2ton of activity going on' There were men stationed at various points on the grounds, and some were walking the same path over and over' They were heavily armed, ( noted, as $mmett and ( crouched down a few yards away' ( pulled out my binoculars, reporting what ( could see' &('ve got visual on what looks like'''forty men'''maybe' 9ooks like the entire place is on patrol, but ( can't see past the house from our location'& &Good,& Benny stated over the radio' &5ow 'bout anyone else! ;ou see forty!& &('m on point,& )am called out' &('m counting about that many' They're awfully busy tonight'& &4on't matter,& my dad countered' &4e're going on my signal' 4ait for it'& ( glanced over to my left, making sure that .asper, #ickey, and /lec were getting set to take the barn' They were crouched down ,ust inside the line of trees, where the shadows fell on them' (f you didn't know to look for them, you wouldn't know they were even there' / beeping alarm sounded * not from the compound, but through my earpiece' &4hat the hell'''& both Benny and "ose muttered' &7h shit, oh shit, oh shit,& /lice gasped, and ( could hear her typing' &7h, fuck''' Bella's chip ,ust popped online8& &$asy, /lice,& my dad soothed her' &Tell us what you see' 4here e actly is she!& &?m'''from what ( can tell, right between the barn and the bomb shel'''& /lice groaned, stopping in mid2sentence' (t was all ( could do to not snap at her' &7kay, okay, okay'''she must've tried to make a run for it, but the signal cut off again'& &4ell, that ,ust means we were right,& $lea3ar soothed us all' &4e'll be going in on =arlisle's mark'''&

&(f you have a clear path, get to the fence line' Go ahead and cut your opening,& my dad ordered, and .asper's team moved' $mmett and ( had a light pole casting a glow on the spot where we should've been cutting our way in' &4e'd be in the open,& $mmett stated' &4e're going in with .'& &Ten2four,& my dad acknowledged' &)am, you and your team get ready to take that guard shack' /lice, ( need you to kill the power and communications on my mark8& &7n it,& she answered him' $mmett and ( ran low ,ust inside the woods as we made our way to .asper's position' #ickey was already through the ra3or wire and working on the chain link fence' 4hen she was ,ust about finished, we rushed to her, falling flat onto our stomachs' &/lice'''now8& 6ad ordered, and the place went dark with a dull thump' &0o one move yet'''& he warned' &)am, you've got someone heading your way,& 4es warned, most likely seeing it from the camera' &('ve got a gate,& #ickey announced, pocketing the wire cutters' &4e're through,& $lea3ar said' &7ur opening is cut,& 6ad added' &)am, how's your company!& )ilence was the only answer we received, but 4es could see' &The guard is taking a piss so close to $lam that he could tell his religion,& he announced' ( shook my head, because that was dangerous as shit' 7ne right glimmer of light, one heavy breath, and the guy could see you' $lam had to have been holding his breath at this point' #y crew's heads snapped up when two men walked to the back of the barn' &>enny's fucking cra3y' (t's not fucking raining hard enough for it to kill the breakers' (t's not even fucking lightning8& 7ne was a rather large younger man, dressed in ,eans and a plaid shirt' The other man was older * ('d say late fifties * dressed similarly' &4e've got company, too,& .asper muttered as we all lay perfectly still along the fence line' &5old the line8& 6ad snapped in a hiss' &5ow'd that bitch get free!& the younger man asked'

&( don't know, but Bobby will be feeling that fucking headache a week from now' >nocked his ass into ne t week, she did,& the older man snorted' &/ll ( did was take a leak' 0e t thing ( know, she's makin' a run for it'& &4ell, she can't get out now,& the younger one sighed, shaking his head, &which is a shame, 'cause ('d tap that hard before 4alt turns her over to 9ilith'& #y anger flashed a deep crimson red, and my whole body tensed' /lec reached out a hand to steady me, gripping my shoulder so hard, it was almost painful, as he shook his head no' 5e put a finger to his lips, and then reached down to slowly and silently pull out his knife' 5e gestured for me to do the same, because we were going to take out these guys before they ever had a chance to report back what the electrical problem was' ( reached down to my boot, pulling mine out' The two men held a flashlight up to open the breaker bo , casting a singular circle of light on the backside of the barn' 0o one else was around them, no one else would hear them, and they'd never fucking see us coming' &Go, go, go8& 6ad commanded into the radio' /lec and ( were first through the fence and behind our two targets before they even had a chance to blink' The flashlight hit the ground as ( grabbed the younger man, while /lec controlled the older' 4e held their mouths as our knives gleamed against their throats' &4here is she!& /lec hissed in the man's ear, nicking his skin when he didn't answer' &Tell me, and ('ll let you live' (s she in the bomb shelter!& he asked, smiling when the man tried to nod under his heavy grip' &Good,& he said, locking eyes with me' 4ith a nod, knives sliced, and the men were no more, their bodies thumping to the ground' $mmett and .asper hid them behind the barn, but so much for silence, because gunshots and an alarm rang out into the air' &7h fuck,& 4es groaned' &The motherfucker lit a cigarette, and that's all she wrote' $lam's been spotted'& &$lam's down8 $lam's down8& )am grunted' &4e were spotted' The fucker shot him, but his pal hit the alarm'& &)hoot to maim, shoot to kill, but leave Bridges and 9aray alive,& $lea3ar ordered' &/nd watch that machine gun'& &.asper, get in that barn loft' 4e need you on high,& my dad ordered' &4e'll get you in that barn, and then ('m getting to Bella,& ( told the group around me, before pointing to .asper' &;ou can cover us, once you're up top'& 5e nodded, pulling out his handgun'

)hots rang out from the guard gate area, yells and cries hit the night, but we were pretty fucking clear to sneak into the barn' ( gestured for .asper and /lec to take the far door, so that $mmett, #ickey, and ( could take the closest end' &9ock and load,& ( snapped, and we all engaged our rifles' ( was pressed into the barn's back wall and peeked around the side to make sure we were still in the clear' 4e weren't, but with two quick shots, ( led us through the barn doors' ( plastered myself ,ust inside the doors, giving a sweeping glance around the barn for movement, but there was none' &., you're clear'& &5oly fucking shit,& $mmett breathed as he studied something in one of the stalls' &6o not fucking fire near here8& he growled, spinning to look at me' &There's enough T0T here to blow this mountain top off8 /nd it's fucking rigged'& &)hit,& #ickey hissed at the sight of bo es and bo es of dynamite stacked alongside a strange contraption, with what looked to be a timer' 4e all turned when shots rang closer to us on the other side of the barn wall' &=an you dismantle it!& ( asked $mmett, gesturing for .asper to get into position' 5e darted up the closest ladder of the hayloft' &;eah, it looks simple enough'''& he answered distractedly as he walked around it' &#ick, you stay with him,& ( commanded' &.asper, tell me when you're ready' /lec, you're with me'& &)hit8& Benny hissed' &$d'''that leaves me no camera on you, man8& &Tough shit' (t's the way that it has to be' ( can't have that shit going off until ( get to Bella,& ( growled, running to the barn doors that .asper had entered in' &;ou're ,ust sad you can see my pretty face,& ( teased him, grinning at his snort' &;ou're ugly, dude' ( still don't know what Bella sees in you,& he snapped back with a laugh' &0ow, that'''( can agree with you,& ( grunted, slamming my back against the barn door with /lec by my side' &( don't know what she sees in me, either'& /lec chuckled softly, checking our path to the bomb shelter' ( could hear everything that was being communicated throughout the grounds, but ( had to filter through it to catch the progress of individuals' #y dad almost had his team on the front steps and back porch of the house' )am had successfully removed every guard from the front gates and was taking his team * minus $lam * down to help $lea3ar with the living quarters' There were more than we had seen with my recon

mission * not to mention men hiding in them' /t a direct angle from the bomb shelter was the machine gun, and two men were manning it' &., that fifty cal8& ( snapped, ,ust as shots chewed up everything on the front porch' They were aiming for my dad' &7n it, $d,& he said calmly' 5ow he never panicked was beyond me, but he was fucking good at his ,ob, with a steady hand and the eye of a damn eagle' The gun swung around, chasing the footsteps of )am and +eli , only to swing toward me and /lec' 4e dove to the ground, ,ust behind a haystack, but the gunfire stopped ,ust as quickly as it started' &6one, $d' That nest is empty,& .asper stated, &but we've got issues on the top floor of that house and coming in from the woods'& &)tay on it, .,& ( ordered' &=over us' 4e're going down into that bunker'& /lec and ( bolted across the small distance between the haystack and the side wall of the shelter' ( could hear the loading of a gun and a man's voice' &( said, shut up8& he snapped, and ( swore ( could hear a weapon engaging' ( dropped to the ground, crawling to the edge to peer down the stairs' )tanding in front of what looked like an iron bar gate was a young man practically shaking with fear' +uck, he couldn't have been any older than nineteen' +rom what ( could see, he was the only one down there' ?sing silent signals, ( told /lec there was one man, one gate, one automatic weapon, but /lec decided to fuck with the kid' &;ou're outnumbered, pal,& he sang so that it echoed down the stairs' &=ome out, and we won't hurt you'& Ten rapid shots 3inged past my head, and ( rolled my eyes up at /lec, who was grinning' &#aybe he'll run out of ammo'& &('ll kill her8& the kid yelled back' &( don't care what that bitch and 4alter say8& &7h now,& ( growled, shaking my head' &(f you go and do that, ('ll make sure you're sitting at )atan's dinner table in less than thirty seconds'& &$dward8& ( heard my wife's voice echo up from the blackness of the shelter' &Baby, get low' Get under something if you can,& ( commanded, reaching into my bag for a little e tra help' &'>ay8& she called back'

&)on, we're giving you one last chance,& /lec warned, eying my hand as ( got ready' &('m not your son8 #y dad was an ass8& he countered, and ( rolled my eyes' &( suppose that's something for your therapist, but considering he's ,ust as fucked up as you are,& /lec chuckled, shaking his head, &you're shit out of luck, buddy'& ( grinned, because Bella's sweet giggle could ,ust barely be heard' ( turned the disk over in my hand' (t was a simple, but fucking fantastic, weapon' / little bigger than a half dollar, it was a small flash bomb' (t had a delayed trigger, and only enough oomph to catch a person off guard' (t could burn someone, but mainly, it ,ust blinded a person temporarily' ( pressed my thumb down on the button, engaging it' ( rolled it down the steps, hearing the plink, plunk, plink down each step' &Bella, brace yourself8& ( yelled, pulling /lec back' / bright flash and a loud pop burst out of the opening, and /lec and ( launched ourselves down the stairs, aiming for the sounds of the moaning kid' &Baby, you okay!& ( called, making sure that /lec had the kid under control' &;eah,& she said, her voice a little muffled' ( could see that he and ( were thinking along the same lines, that the kid was ,ust misguided and fucking scared' 4ith quick, nimble fingers, /lec had 3ip tied the boy's hands and feet, sitting him down on the lowest step' ( reached into my bag and pulled out a handful of glow sticks, cracking them into dull green life' The shelter was pitch fucking black, and ( needed to see Bella' ( tossed them in and finally saw the outline of her' &)hit, Bella'''are you okay!& ( asked again, gripping the bars' &;eah,& she said, stumbling over something in order to get as close as she could' &('d give you my lock pick, but ( sort of lost it in the mud outside,& she mumbled, sounding sheepish, but ( nodded in understanding, because she really had tried to escape' &=heck the kid for the key,& ( told /lec, but the guy was already shaking his head no' &;ou don't have the fucking key!& ( asked him, but he was still shaking his head no' &4ell, fuck,& ( growled, turning around' &#ick8 ( need you8& &7n my way,& she stated, but ( heard her ask $mmett if he was all right before she started running' )he appeared at the top of the steps, pulling out her kit' )he knelt in front of an old ass lock, making quick work of it' /lec and #ickey added a few more glow sticks to the room, giving us a better look at what we were dealing with'

/ bar was locked and braced against Bella's cell door, but with a hard kick from me and /lec, it clanged to the concrete floor' #ickey worked her magic on the ne t lock, swinging it open so that Bella could run to me' &$dward,& she sighed, wrapping herself around me' ( lifted her up as she buried her face in my neck' &;ou swear you're fucking okay! They didn't touch you!& ( verified in a rushed whisper' &0o, ('m fine,& she sighed, pulling back to look at me' &That's a new look for you,& she teased, kissing my lips quickly' &5ush, sweetness,& ( snorted, looking up when /lec cursed' &4hat the fuck happened to this guy!& he asked, pointing to the very first cell, where a large body was heaped on a cot' &9ilith,& Bella sneered, shaking her head' &That's =hristopher 6ouglas'''the drunk driver that killed the Greenes'''& ( grimaced, looking at the man, but it was the one single tear gliding down my wife's cheek that caught my attention' ( wiped it away and set her down' &5ere,& ( said, pulling out an earpiece from my pocket' +rom my bag, ( handed her a kevlar vest and a forty2five' &;ou'll need this shit' 4e still have to get you out of here' ('m sure we could use the e tra help'& Bella put on the earpiece as ( tightened the vest around her' )he checked the chamber of the gun, released the safety, and looked up at me for the ne t command' (nto the radio, my girl asked, &6id you guys miss me!& ( grinned when several voices rang out with, &Bells8& &4elcome back, sweetheart,& my dad chuckled' &Good ,ob, son'& 4e were ,ust about to tell him thank you, when $lea3ar's voice ripped through all of our ears' &4e've got another wave8 ( don't know where they're comin' from, but they're spreading out8& 4ith a deep breath, ( looked around at /lec, #ickey, and Bella' &"eady!& ( asked them' 4hen they nodded, ( said, &7kay'''let's do this'''&

CHAPTER 11
%E&&#
God, $dward had never looked so good'''or se y, in spite of the paint that was all over his face' 5e looked straight out of a movie, all ,agged stripes of black, green, and brown across his face, like a giant claw had swiped them there' #aybe it was because ('d missed him terribly, or maybe it was due to the commanding aura that he was e uding, but as we climbed up out of my cell, ( couldn't help but kiss his cheek' ( didn't give a shit if ( got paint on me or not at this point, because no matter the reason, he was saving me' /gain' &Thank you,& ( whispered, when his head snapped around to meet my ga3e' &6on't thank me yet, sweetness& he said, giving me that perfectly sweet, crooked grin of his' &(t sounds like we have to fight our way outta here'& &/nd Bethy!& &7h, she's perfect, love,& he whispered with an almost reverent sound to his voice, tugging me up the steps to the very edge so he and /lec could glance around each corner' &)he told me to tell you that she did everything you told her to'& ( smiled, tears filling my eyes, but ( swiped at them' ( could be proud of my girl later, but concentration was most important at the moment' 4e had to get through this shit in order to get back to her' &/w, fuck,& =arlisle growled over the radio' &/lice8& he barked' &Go ahead,& she answered him' &( need some sort of current thermal on this house and the surrounding area' =an you do that!& he asked' &Give me two minutes,& she replied, and ( could hear her muttering orders to "ose and #akenna' &$dward, get Bella and your team to the house with me' )am, )pike'''stick with $lea3ar,& he ordered' &4e've got a fucking tunnel running out of the basement and into the goddamn mountain8& &4hat do you want done about this bomb! /nd where do you want me!& .asper asked' &Bomb!& ( mouthed to #ickey, who was nodding with wide eyes' &., you stay high,& he stated, and seemed to falter when it came to the other question' &$m, can you take it apart!&

&/lmost there,& he grunted' &=hrist,& ( heard in my ear, and ('d be willing to bet it was "ose' &>eep me posted, then,& he replied' $dward turned in front of us, his face serious, but he was aiming his instructions more to me' &.a33 is in the hayloft' 5e'll cover us when we run' $l and his team are at the back of the property, and as you can hear, he ran into some trouble'& ( nodded, because rapid fire from automatic weapons sounded off faintly' &;ou will be by mine or /lec's side, no matter what' Got me!& &;es,& ( answered, trusting them both e plicitly' 4ithout looking away from us, he called, &.a33, how's my path to the front door!& &=rystal clear,& the answer came back, &but ('ll cover you anyway'& /lec turned toward the opening of the bomb shelter, scanning the front yard' &( say we do this in stages, kid' /im for the water well, then the machine gun nest, and then finally, the house'& $dward nodded once in agreement as we listened to )am's and $lea3ar's teams struggle over the radio' 5e held up his hand, hissing, &0ow8& $dward took lead, while /lec took the back, which put me and #ickey in the middle' 4e moved quickly at a crouched run a few yards, kneeling behind the bricks of the water well' 4e did the e act same thing as we dove behind sandbags, which were piled up around a machine gun' #y eyes fell on two men that had obviously met the wrong end of .asper's sniper, but the smell of gunpowder that hung heavily around the large weapon gave me a good indication as to why they had died' /nd it e plained the e tremely loud gun fire ('d heard ,ust moments before $dward and /lec had come to get me' &That's too far,& /lec mused, looking to $dward and back across the lawn' &( vote that clump of trees first,& he said, pointing to a thick part of the forest that had been allowed to stay on the property, ,ust to the right of the front porch' &There's a heat source in those trees,& /lice piped up' &(f you go, ('d surround it first'''& &Thank you, pi ie,& ( muttered, looking up at $dward' &)urround it, it is,& he sighed wearily, gesturing for /lec and #ickey to take the right' 5e and ( would take the left' &=arlisle!& /lice called as we approached the trees with caution' &?m, there are'''several heat sources underground' 9ike'''a lot' (t seems there is more than one

tunnel under there'& &)hit,& =arlisle hissed, and ( could ,ust imagine him shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration' &$dward, ( need you'''& &7n our way, 6ad,& he answered in a whisper, his head snapping around when bullets 3inged past us into the shrubbery' &6own8& he grunted, taking me with him' 4e dove behind two trees, staying low to the ground' &.a33, ('ve got company'& &4aiting for it'''& he sang low over the radio, humming what sounded to be !ma@ing )race' 7ne single pop, followed by a grunt, and he said, &;ou're all clear' /ll the assholes are out of my sight'& ( laughed once, rolling my eyes as $dward grinned over at me' &.ust like old times, huh, sweetness!& he whispered' &)o much for harmless detective work,& he snickered, dodging my punch to his arm' / twig snapped, along with a rustle of leaves, to our right, and we both stopped, slid up the trunks of our trees into a standing position, weapons at the ready' $dward gestured for me to take the back so that he could take the lead' &/bout a yard away, $dward,& /lice warned low in our ears' &+orty2five degree angle, behind what looks to be'''a large pine'& #y eyebrows shot up, because she had to have been looking at two screens in order to tell those kinds of details' $dward ad,usted his aim to the direction she mentioned, his voice ringing deep and commanding, the sound muted due to the greenery surrounding us' &=ome out, or ('ll toss a grenade in there, sure as shit8& 4e took a few more tentative steps, before a man popped up out of the bushes, his hands raised' +rom every angle, four guns aimed his way * three automatic rifles and one handgun * but ( lowered my weapon instantly' &6on't shoot8& ( ordered, stepping forward' &+uck, >urt'''what the hell!& &.esus =hrist, you weren't kidding8& he gasped, looking around him' &5ell, no, ( wasn't kidding,& ( sighed, shaking my head' Both $dward and /lec shifted uneasily on their feet, but ( held a hand up' &4ait,& ( told them' &5e's not'''what you think'''& &Bella,& $dward warned' &5e's got your gun'& &+uck8 Take it back''' ( didn't want it to begin with,& >urt stated, pointing to his waistband with his hands still raised'

( chuckled, taking back my nine mil' ( checked the chamber, the clip, and made sure the safety was on, before stowing it in the small of my back' ( turned to face $dward, making sure ( was between the two men' &('ll e plain details later, but ( will vouch for him, $dward'& #y husband didn't look placated with that statement' /t all' &+uck, baby''' 4ithout him, ('d never have gotten the girls to you8& ( urged in a whisper' &5e's protected me from the get go' 5e protected #ethy'& >urt was nodding fervently, but stayed quiet' &+ine,& $dward conceded with a sigh, only to point his gun at >urt one more time' &;ou fucking stay with us' 6on't get twitchy, or ( may ,ust change my mind' ?nderstood!& >urt paled, his mouth falling open' )weat poured down the poor boy's brow as he stood there, scared to fucking death' &('d answer him, kid,& /lec chuckled, nudging him with the mu33le of his gun' &5e's not always that'''giving'& #ickey smirked, shook her head, and rolled her eyes, but she came to stand on the other side of >urt' &)ay something, dude,& she snickered' &;2;eah'''whatever''' ,ust don't kill me8& >urt finally spat in a rush' $dward sighed, rolling his eyes, but finally dragged his ga3e away from >urt toward the house' 5e turned back' &/lec, take the back' /nd you,& he grunted at >urt, &stay between the girls'& >urt swallowed nervously and nodded' 4e took off at a run, bolting up the front porch steps and into the house' )everal guns raised in several different directions, but we quickly lowered them back down' ( didn't recogni3e the two men that were standing guard ,ust inside the front door' &The house is clear, $d,& one of them said, with the thickest )outhern accent ('d ever heard' &But your pop didn't want to chance those tunnels alone,& the other one said, finishing the first one's sentence' They were obviously related, because they looked way too much alike not to be' They were average looking men, and if ( had to guess, ('d say they were about $lea3ar's age' But it was the man coming up out of a basement that caught my attention' &Bella,& he sighed with relief at the sight of me, and he swung his weapon to his back as ( launched myself into his arms' &)weetheart, you okay!&

&;es,& ( said, kissing his painted cheek' &('m fine'& &Good,& he sighed again, letting me go, but gestured to the two men' &0ed and 5arry =auldwell'''meet (sabella =ullen'& &#a'am,& they both crooned, taking off their hats and bowing dramatically' &#orons,& $dward chuckled, shaking his head as #ickey and ( giggled at them' &4ho's this!& =arlisle asked, pointing to >urt, who had been hanging to the back of the room in silence' &This is >urt,& ( said, introducing them to my godfather' &;es, Bella has offered him'''asylum,& $dward said with an eye roll' &/h, >urt with the doughnuts'''the same one!& =arlisle asked with a wry smile' &5e helped me,& ( whispered, frowning at the fact that =arlisle's smile did not reach his eyes, which meant ( had to plead >urt's case again' &5e's'''trapped in this situation, =arlisle'& &4e'll see' +or now, he's with us'''but don't fuck up,& he warned him, ,ust like $dward had' 5e turned to his son, saying, &4e've got what looks to be fucking miles of tunnels down there'& &They're old mining tunnels, =arlisle,& /lice piped up' &( ,ust pulled the history on that mountain' /pparently, it was used to mine gold in the early eighteen hundreds' (n fact, ('d be willing to bet that's how 4alter's family got their money' (t's very old money'& &4ell, that would e plain the dynamite,& /lec mused, looking out the window' &But not the bomb,& #ickey added' &4hich reminds me'''$m, you okay, big guy!& &;up, the timer is dismantled' (t's ,ust a pile of T0T now,& he stated proudly' &Good,& =arlisle said' &;ou and .asper get your asses to the house' 4e're searching these tunnels'& &/nd /lice,& ( added' &(s there any map that you can find!& &('ll look,& she answered' &/nd Bells'''it's nice to have you back'& ( smiled, feeling $dward's fingers link with mine' &Thanks, pi ie,& ( muttered, looking to =arlisle' &4henever you're ready'''&

E!"#$!
&5ow do you want to do this!& ( asked, looking between a split in the tunnel'

Both ways were lit by dim bulbs every few yards, from what ( could see' (t left spaces filled with shadows' 7ne path descended and then veered off to the left, while the other went straight into darkness' (t was the fucking unknown either way' &=arlisle!& Benny piped in on the radio' &(f you split up, make sure that at least one person on each team has a camera on them' ( want to be able to see what you're seeing'& &That's me and $m,& 6ad mused, turning to me' &;ou take $mmett, /lec, #ickey, and Bella' ('ll take 0ed, 5arry, and .asper' /lice, any luck on some sort of map!& &;es, coming through on your phones now,& she stated' &>eep in mind that this is the original mining layout' ('m not sure what the current situation is'& &That's fine, /lice,& he said, pulling out his phone' 4e all followed suit' &9et me see,& Bella muttered softly, looking over my shoulder as ( opened the file' ( leaned over and kissed the top of her head, because fuck'''('d missed her like cra3y' .ust having her by my side made me calmer, more at ease, like none of the rest of this shit mattered' )he leaned into it, a ghost of a smile flickering across her features, but she said nothing as she wrapped an arm around my waist' &(t looks like there's an opening about a mile from here,& she muttered, tracing a path from where we were, to what looked like $lea3ar's position with her finger' &$l, check in,& ( stated over the radio' )am's team was down $lam, who had been shot by a guard at the front gate, so he and +eli had ,oined $lea3ar, )pike, and $ric as they struggled on the edge of the property' / new wave of 4alter's men had popped up out of nowhere as my team was making our way to the house' &('ve got three prisoners back at those shacks, four dead,& he stated, &and right now, we're tracking a trail to where they came from' ( sent +eli to guard the barn, ,ust in case'& #y dad's eyebrows shot up' &/re you about a mile out from the main gate!& &;eah,& he replied' &( got that map' ('m hoping to find the end of the mining shaft on this end''' There it is,& he sighed in relief' &('d like to work our way to each other1 that will reduce any risk of anymore attacks'& &+ine,& my dad stated with a nod' &7n this map, there's no split' /lice, where's the biggest concentration of thermal activity!& &+acing the entrance of the mine'''to the right'''which would be a northeast direction,& she replied' &('d count about ten more warm bodies, but don't hold me to it' (t's

underground, so ( may not be picking up everything down there' >eep in mind that there could be interference from underground water sources, ore, and ,ust the fact that it's too damn far under there'''& &Ten2four,& he sighed, looking to me' &;ou take that shaft, then, son,& he ordered, pointing to the left' &=arlisle,& Bella interrupted' &This is a guess, but'''( had a couple of guards on me' They were talking about women, kids''' That may be who's down here' They may have put them down here for their safety'& &That's my guess, too,& >urt piped up from behind us all, and he flinched when we spun to look at him' 5e'd been so fucking quiet that ('d forgotten all about him' 5e looked nervous, but there was something about the kid that seemed to scream''' harmless' ;eah, ('d warned him, and so had my dad, but Bella's vouching for him, not to mention Bethy's statement of how he'd treated her, meant something to me' ( was willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt' &;ou don't know!& Bella asked' &This is my first time here,& he said softly with a shrug' &('m telling you, Bella''' ( was only with 4alter to make sure he stayed away from my dad, mother, and sister' 9ilith is'''unstable' /nd for some reason, 4alter allows her'''leeway' ( couldn't risk them going back on their word' /s long as ( went along, my family was safe'& There it was' ('d been wondering e actly what had kept him with such foul people, especially when he'd been kind enough to help my girls' &?nstable! 0o shit, )herlock,& Bella muttered, rolling her eyes, and #ickey chuckled' &7kay, so ( think maybe'''if it's women and kids down that way,& she said, pointing to the tunnel on the right, &that maybe me and #ickey should go'''& &('m not a 0eanderthal, Bells,& my dad laughed' &)peak for yourself,& 0ed said with a chuckle, giving the girls a wink' &4e're cavemen, all the way down to our crotch scratching in front of the T-'& &0ice,& $mmett praised with a grin' &0o wonder you two never married,& .asper muttered wryly, rolling his eyes' 5arry grinned, but only shrugged' &9et me guess,& #ickey snickered' &;ou turn your underwear inside out to wear again another day'& &0ow you're catching on8& 5arry beamed when both girls groaned and giggled at the

same time' &7n that note,& 6ad snorted, pointing to the right side tunnel' &(t's yours, but be, fucking,careful8& he urged, raising an eyebrow up at her' &$l, we're going in' 4e may lose radio signal down here, so ,ust keep your eyes peeled'& &Ten2four,& $lea3ar replied back' &>urt,& ( barked, and he ,umped, looking up at me' &;ou're with me' =ome on'& ( turned to the rest of my crew' &#y team'''weapons out' 4e're going to take this nice and fucking easy'''slow. /lec, you've got the back' $mmett, take the lead, since you're'''& ( waved a hand at him' &=amera boy'''& &.ealous!& he asked, feigning a haughty attitude, but he still pulled his weapon from his back to lock and load it' &Get your ass in there,& ( growled, rolling my eyes' &#ove out,& ( ordered, keeping Bella at my side and >urt in front of us' #y dad's theory was correct1 the farther we went into the tunnel, the worse our radio reception was' 4e lost all communication once we reached a quarter mile in, and at that point, ( had no idea if the camera mounted on $mmett's chest was working' 4e took the tunnel at a slow pace, careful of niches and long spans of darkness' 7ur path was up and down, and it wound left and right' The walls were ,agged, rough stone, with large timbers mounted in archways every few feet' They looked old, but still doing their ,ob of holding up the mountain over our heads' 5owever, there was the occasional side tunnel that had collapsed, like they'd tried to split off again, only for it not to hold' /s we turned another corner about a half a mile in, a wailing baby's cry echoed down the tunnel, only to be hushed immediately' &7h, hell,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &$m, take this easy,& ( told him' &Be cautious, but don't get trigger happy' )ounds like Bella was right'& The tunnel opened up to a wider area' #y heart sank at the sight before me' 9ining every inch of the place were makeshift cots, bedrolls, and small fires' ( looked up to see an opening in the mountain, almost like it had formed with a cave that way' /lice was right' There were ten to twelve women and children in there' /nd our appearance was scaring the shit out of them' 4omen pulled toddlers closer, older children ran to their beds, elderly women flinched, and one woman scooped up an infant, trying to make a run for it, but coming in on the other side was $lea3ar and his team' &/lice, can you read me!& ( asked, thinking that the opening overhead would reinstate our communication' &;eah, and we see you, too,& she stated' &6amn, they look'''scared'&

&They are,& Bella sighed, looking to $lea3ar when he took control over the small crowd' &( need you all to please calm down' 4e're here to help you' 4e'll get you out of here shortly,& he stated, commanding the attention of everyone in the small space' &4here's 4alter!& one woman asked, standing up slowly from her bed roll' &4hich way did he go!& $l countered, stepping closer to her' )he pointed toward the way he had come in' &)hit,& he hissed, shaking his head' &5e escaped the same time that second wave came at me, ('d guarantee it'& &4as 9ilith with him!& Bella asked, her face dark with the anger that she could barely contain' The woman nodded slowly, her eyes wide' $lea3ar walked to me, his face grim' &( want them out of here, but ( need to talk to them' /ny word from your dad!& &0o,& ( said with a shake to my head' &4e lost him about a quarter mile back' 4e think this is the original tunnel' There's no telling how deep his goes'& 5e nodded, swallowed, and turned back to the group, as #ickey, Bella, and $ric checked the well being of everyone' &7h shit,& ( heard over the radio in a hiss from #akenna' &Tell me, #ack,& ( ordered, because she didn't normally say anything unless she recogni3ed someone' &$m, turn slightly to your left' )am'''you turn to the right ninety degrees,& she stated, and both men did as she asked' &)ee the old woman against the wall in front of $mmett!& she asked' &;eah,& ( said warily, walking to stand ne t to $mmett' &6on't you recogni3e her, $dward!& she asked incredulously' &That's the old homeless lady from that coffee shop in )eattle * the one we use when we go see =arlisle' )he was right around the corner from Twi Tech' )he'd been there for months' "emember! The last time we saw her, she gave Bethy a little bouquet of wildflowers!& ( tilted my head at the old woman, my eyebrows raising up' &7h yeah8 /nd who is )am looking at, #akenna!& ( asked, walking to his position' &=arla 6anvers and her son, #alcolm,& she stated, like ( was supposed to know who that was' &They've been missing for days out of :ortland8 5er husband's been on T-, asking for information' These are missing and homeless people, $dward8& /s ( skimmed over the lot of them, ( saw what she was saying' They were dirty and scared, they were actually comfortable down here, and they seemed to have no idea

that living like they were was wrong' &/w, you've got to be kidding me,& $lea3ar groaned, rubbing his face roughly' &This is some sort of cult, then,& he said softly to himself, only to turn to $ric' &7nce you make sure they can all move, ( want them out of here' 0ow8 4e'll get them back up to the house and make them comfortable, until ( can get a medical team up this fucking wet ass mountain'& &)ir,& $ric grunted with a nod' &/nd Benny,& he barked, probably more out of e asperation than anything, &get on the horn with :ortland' Tell them we may have found their missing woman and kid' +ind out the details on that shit'& &4es is calling them now,& Benny replied, and ( knew the man well enough to know that he was shocked at what he was seeing on camera' &Great,& he stated wryly' &9et's'''move them out' ( hate being in a fucking groundhog burrow' The shit's making me nervous'&

The sun had risen to a bright day, and we'd basically taken over 4alter's compound temporarily' 4e'd moved the women and children into spare rooms, allowing them to clean up a little' /lec had raided the kitchen, and though there wasn't much, he started making spaghetti to feed them all' 5owever, the fact that his sauce was coming from a ,ar was offending the (talian in him to no end' 4es and Benny hiked up to us, because when they tried to drive, their van wouldn't make it' The road was too slick, to unstable for them to drive it' They were currently talking to some of the women' +rom what we could gather, most of the people in the tunnel knew 4alter, or were seeing him professionally at )hady Glen * with the e ception of =arla 6anvers' )he was merely at the wrong place, at the wrong time' )he'd been filling up at a gas station when >enny and "usty had pulled in with /bby and Bethy' The /mber /lert had just gone out over the radio, and she had tried to call it in, but they'd stopped her, taking her and her son right then and there' )he'd been passed over to someone else along the way and had been a prisoner ever since' That conversation resulted in Bella's inability to hear another word, and she left the house in a rage'

4alter had been recruiting' (t was homeless single mothers * or as close to it as they could get * and it was women with harmless mental problems, like e tremely low self esteem or uneducated, so that they were easily manipulated' 4alter told them he had a place for them away from ,udgmental society' /nd some of the women were spouses of the men that had attacked us' They said their husbands had been duped by 4alter, because he played into a love of guns, hunting, and a hatred for government' Those women had been forced to go by their significant others, with a promise of a better life * or better yet'''a ,ob' /ll told, there were fourteen women and si children' (t was fucking ridiculous' ( lowered my head into one of the bathroom sinks, wetting my hair and finally washing the face paint off' ( scrubbed hard, making sure to get all of it, and dried my face on a spare shirt from my bag' ( looked up to see my dad standing in the doorway' &#y turn,& he grunted, starting to do the same' &$l put out an /:B on 9ilith and 4alter' 4e're not sure if they're on foot, or if they've acquired a car by now'& ( nodded, sighing with relief when ( could finally rip open the velcro of my kevlar vest' &$l and Benny seem to think he's not done' That he'll come for us again,& ( said, keeping my voice low' &5e may be right'& 5e shrugged, leaning a hip against the bathroom sink' &( was going to continue to help him' ( wanted to ask if you were in'& ( grimaced, looking down the hall as si 2year2old #alcolm 6anvers sat on the floor with a race car in his hand, but ( nodded' &('ll talk to Bella,& ( told him' &But the answer is probably yes, if only to capture 9ilith'& 5e nodded, like he'd suspected as much, pushing away from the sink' &4here's $l now!& &"ounding up every prisoner'& &5ow many were there!& &/lec and ( had one down in the bomb shelter, $l's team caught three, and ( think there was an in,ured man at the guard shack,& ( reported as we walked down the stairs to the living room' &4hat's he doing about >urt!& he asked' &5e's treating him as a witness, for now, though "ose spoke to his father, who's out on bail,& ( e plained' &The kid wasn't lying' 4alter had threatened the whole family, once he discovered that 6r' -ernon was on the take at )hady Glen' 5e went as far as killing the family dog, ,ust to prove he could get to them' )o >urt played along' ('d have done the same thing''',ust to make sure the asshole didn't touch my family'&

5e nodded once, rela ing a bit at that news, and sighed' &7kay, well, we're stuck here for a few more hours, at least until that road dries up, so settle in for a bit'& 4e stepped out onto the front porch, and he pulled out his phone, most likely to call $sme' &Tell her hello'& ( chuckled at his wry smile, making my way down the steps' ( wanted to find Bella' &7h,& ( said, turning back to him' &4hat's the story here!& ( asked, waving my hand around' &4aco gone terribly wrong,& he replied' &4ith 4alter's escape and the return of =arla and #alcolm 6anvers, it won't take long to pair it up with the train station fiasco, so this will be a media fren3y' 4e won't be mentioned,& he stated, &but $l is bringing in a clean up team' They'll make false statements, but what really happened'''the world will never know'& ( huffed a laugh and shook my head' &6oes he know who shot .+>!& #y dad chuckled' &;eah, probably,& he snorted' &But if he told us, he'd have to kill us'& ( grinned, holding my hands up in surrender' &"ight'''got it'& ( found Bella in the barn, leaning in the doorway, her ga3e sweeping over the cache of weapons, but more importantly, the stack of T0T' ( walked up behind her, swirling her ponytail around my hand and placing a kiss to the back of her neck' &;ou okay!& ( asked for the umpteenth time' )he nodded, humming, &#mhm'& )he leaned back against me, and ( wrapped my arms around her waist' &This was above me the entire time!& ( grimaced, because that same thought had gone through my mind the second ( saw it' &;es, love'& &4as the timer on!& she asked, pointing to the bomb that $mmett had disengaged' &0o, sweetness,& ( assured her' &(t looked like it was waiting to be put to use'& )he nodded, finally turning to face me, a smile lighting up her face' &/h, there's the face ( love,& she giggled, reaching up to cup my ,aw' &The face paint was hot, in a rugged, dirty sort of way, but ( love this,& she said with a grin, biting her bottom lip and squishing my face' ( chuckled, leaning in to kiss her lips lightly * smooshed face and all' &/nd ( love you' God, ( m2missed y2you,& ( sighed, pressing my forehead to hers and pulling her flush to me' &( w2was s2so w2worried, baby'& &( know,& she whispered, closing her eyes' &('m sorry, $dward'& &6on't be,& ( told her, kissing her nose' &5owever much ( hated it, it got us our girl

back'& )he swallowed thickly, nodding a bit' &(t was so fucking hard letting her go,& she breathed' &But ( knew you guys were waiting'& &4e were, baby' )he was fine'''they were both fine' )he did ,ust what you told her to'''& ( was about to tell her that when we went to get her at the hotel, poor Bethy fell apart, but loud voices from the other end of the barn cut me off' 4e turned to see $lea3ar walking his four prisoners at gunpoint' )am and +eli were walking with them' / skinny fucker tried to run, but made the mistake of picking )am's side to turn to' / large, unsympathetic fist caught him in the face, knocking his ass flat on the ground, where he writhed in pain' &0ot so fast, >enny,& )am rumbled with his deep voice' #y eyebrows shot up, and ( walked away from Bella, picking the motherfucker up off of the ground by his neck and slamming him into the nearest pole' &>enny,& ( sneered, pointing my Glock to his temple' &('m sure "usty misses you' "eady to be his cellmate in hell!& ( asked him' )everal pairs of hands pulled at me, but ( held my ground, staring at the asshole in my grip' /ll ( could see was Bethy with a gun pointed to her forehead, and this motherfucker's hand attached to the other end' ('d made sure that "usty had paid for the same sin * for /bby' But the same crime against my daughter would not go fucking unpunished' >enny tried to laugh, but his airway was suddenly cut off' 5e couldn't even fight against my grip, because his hands were 3ip tied behind his back, but his feet kicked out, trying to make purchase against me' 5is lips moved, but no sound came out' &4hat was that!& ( asked, letting up ,ust a bit' &( said'''whatever,& he rasped, trying to swallow' &4alter's gone, man'& &0ot for long,& ( chuckled with a shrug' &5ey, $d,& $lea3ar said, coming to stand by my side' &( get it, but ( need to ask him some questions' +eel free to ,oin in on the'''interrogation'& 5e gave me a raised eyebrow, and ( knew that $l would be using whatever means necessary to get this guy to talk' &5e keeps singing about how we won't find 4alter, but he hasn't met your dad yet'& ( smiled, dragging my tongue along my bottom lip' #y dad was deadly when it came to interrogations' 5e would slowly, methodically torture information out of men * men more dangerous than the little thief ( had in my hands' ( nodded and let go, snickering in amusement when >enny grunted with his hard fall' 5e landed awkwardly due to his bound hands and rolled to a sitting position'

&5ey, +ad8& he called mockingly' &5as she asked about me! 6oes Bethy miss me!& Bella started for him, but my fist flew before ( could think' ( caught him directly in the temple, and he sagged to the dusty floor of the barn' &0o, asshole,& ( told him, though he was out cold' )am sighed, tilting his head over at me with a sarcastic look plastered on his face' &Thanks, $ddie' 0ow ( have to carry his sorry ass'& &)orry,& ( muttered, still glaring at the man at my feet' &0o biggie,& he chuckled, hefting >enny onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes with ease' &( was ,ust saying'''& ( huffed a laugh at him as he walked away with $lea3ar and the rest of their prisoners' &('ll let you know when we're ready to begin,& $l called over his shoulder' The radio crackled in my ear as Bella and ( sat down on a bale of hay' (t had been quiet since we'd secured the compound, so ('d assumed the girls had been getting some much needed rest' They'd been up all night with us * well before we had e ited the truck about halfway down the mountain' &/lice,& ( sighed, pulling Bella to my side during a rare quiet moment' &;ou're gonna go blind if you stay on those computers any longer, pi ie'& /lice chuckled' &( think ( may need glasses,& she laughed softly' &('ve worn out my eyeballs the last few weeks' But ('m merely on here to relay a message'& &7kay,& ( groaned wearily, smiling into the top of Bella's head when she snickered into my chest' &#orning, 6addy8& Bethy chirped over the radio, sounding like sunshine and all things perfect and happy' Bella gasped, sitting up, her hands covering her mouth, and ( reali3ed that she hadn't talked to our little girl since she'd had to let the girls go at the hotel' (t had to have been the single hardest thing she'd ever done, and ( was still in awe of her' The pure fucking blind faith it must have taken to ,ust set the girls free was still something ( couldn't wrap my head around' &5ey, little sweetness,& ( said, unable to keep the smile off of my face' &6id you take care of Gamma for me and :oppy!& ( asked, wanting to surprise Bethy with her mother' &( did8& she squeaked' &4e watched movies, made pock2corn, and she let me play dress up' /nd we kept only happy thoughts''',ust like ?nca /lec told me' 6id it work, 6addy!& ( grinned, reaching up to wipe away the happy tears that were spilling down Bella's face and tucking a stray hair behind her ear that had escaped her ponytail' &;ou tell me,

baby' )omeone wants to say hi'& &5ey, pretty girl,& Bella sniffled' &#ommy8& Bethy practically screamed into the radio, causing us both to flinch, but chuckle at the same time' &6addy found you!& &5e did, baby,& she laughed and sniffled at the same time, leaning into me as ( wrapped an arm around her' &5e always does'& &Good' ;ou can come home now,& she stated, much like an order, and ( laughed, because she sounded ,ust like me' &)oon, Bethy,& ( told her' &0ot long' >eep taking care of Gamma for :oppy, okay!& &7kay, but ( want to see you,& she said, her voice dropping to a sad tone' &5urry!& &4e're doing the best we can, okay, baby!& Bella soothed softly' &5ow 'bout we call you every now and then to check in, huh!& &:romise!& &:romise,& we both vowed at the same time' &7kay, love you'''be safe,& she sang, and her voice was replaced with /lice's again' &9ove you, too,& we called back' &( thought you two could use that,& she giggled' &;eah,& Bella sighed, a smile playing on her face, but tears welled up in her eyes at the same time' ( smiled, pulling Bella to my lap, because she looked like she was about to lose it' &;eah, thanks, /lice'&

%E&&#
( sat on the water well, bringing my knees up to my chin' (t was late afternoon, and the road up to the compound had dried enough that vehicles could now get in' The place was chaos' /mbulances, coroners, and more of $lea3ar's men had arrived and were now in the process of cleaning up the place, checking the people that we'd found in the tunnels, and removing the bodies of 4alter's men' =arla and #alcolm 6anvers' reappearance had brought the media to the bottom of the mountain, and they were now being held back by 4es and Benny * not to mention a few local police' #r' 6anvers was being brought in at that moment' /nyone that wasn't =(/ was being kept hidden, because $lea3ar needed to keep some parts of this

operation secret, and that included $dward's and =arlisle's participation, not to mention the rest of our crew' #y eyes fell on the men that were pulling =hristopher 6ouglas out of the bomb shelter, and ( took a deep breath, letting it out slowly to try and keep my composure, but the tears came anyway' ( owed it to him to tell his mother' 5e didn't want her to go the rest of her life wondering what happened' &5ey, what's this!& $dward whispered, suddenly at my side' >neeling beside me, he cupped my face to wipe away my tears' &9ilith ,ust killed him, $dward,& ( breathed, gesturing to the gurney that two men were struggling with over the rough terrain and the weight of =hris' body' &)he ,ust'''pulled the trigger'''& ( sniffled, shaking my head' &)he wanted him to suffer' /nd he did'''for hours.& $dward turned me, pulled my legs down so that they were on either side of him, and looked up at me as he rubbed my thigh gently with one hand and continued to caress my face with the other' 5is touch was soothing, ,ust as it always had been from the beginning, even when my tolerance for it was limited, and ( unleashed emotionally on him' &5e'''5e made me promise to tell his mom,& ( hiccuped, playing with $dward's fingers on my leg until he ,ust linked our fingers together' &5e didn't want''' 5e wasn't a bad guy, $dward' 5e ,ust was young and made a stupid'''a horrible'''& &#istake,& he finished softly for me, and ( nodded frantically' &;es,& ( sobbed, nodding again' &( tried to stay'''confident and strong, but that''' )he was so fucking callous8& ( growled, practically shaking as ( balled up my fists' &There was no remorse' 0one' /nd when we e plained to =hris why he was there'''when we talked about her girls''' this'''this look came over her face, like maybe Bree hadn't been an accident, you know!& $dward stayed quiet like he always did when ( lost it like this' 5e brushed my hair from my face softly, his eyes locked on my face' They were sincere and as green as the forest surrounding us, and they showed an ancient worry that ( hadn't seen since "iley #iller was after me' 5e was afraid for me, that my captivity was too much' #aybe it was, or maybe ,ust $dward's presence was like a soothing balm on a burn that allowed me to rela ,ust a little' &;ou were strong, sweetness,& he soothed, ghosting his fingers along my cheek and under my chin' &(t's hard watching a man die like that, especially when it's pointless' 4e'll go see his mother, if that's what you want,& he stated, rubbing my hand until it rela ed, and then he kissed each finger'

&( promised him,& ( urged' &7kay, baby,& he said with a nod, placing another kiss to the middle of my palm' &Then we'll go'& ( nodded, reaching out to cup his face' 5e was all things strong and noble, soft and comforting' /nd his face was fucking beautiful as he ga3ed up worriedly at me' ( knew there was a part of him that was probably raging inside, because he couldn't fi whatever had hurt me, but he tamped it down in order to treat me like fragile glass, and at that moment, ( felt a little bit like that' &( love you' ('m sorry,& ( breathed, bringing his lips to mine' &6on't be sorry, love,& he whispered, kissing me once, before pulling back to look at me' &( know it wasn't easy down there'& ( shrugged, sniffling at the same time, but allowed my forehead to fall to his' &)weetness,& he started tentatively, &who gave you the bruise!& ( pulled back, and he traced a finger around the side of my eye and across my cheek' &9ilith, right after they discovered that my bag didn't have the money'''and ,ust before ( kicked her ass with my hands still cuffed'& 5e grinned beautifully crooked, shook his head once, and leaned up to kiss my bruise with a feather light touch' &That's my girl,& he chuckled' ( couldn't help but smile with him, because ( was willing to bet he'd been tossing that question around in his head since he laid eyes on me' ( probably needed to lay his fears to rest' &4alter didn't touch me,& ( stated firmly' &0o one did, e cept for that' ( promise, baby'& 5e let out a sigh of relief and said, &Good'& Two large )?-s with dark tinted windows pulled onto the property at the same time that $lea3ar and =arlisle came out of the house and walked toward us' &4e're being kicked off the mountain,& =arlisle snickered, giving both of us a wry smile' &.ust until morning,& $lea3ar countered' &There's an inn down the mountain in a small town' ('ve taken it over' Take your crew, get some rest, and come back up here in the morning'& &4hat about questioning :orter!& $dward asked, his brow furrowing' &Tomorrow,& $lea3ar urged, and then pointed to me' &)he's shattered, $dward' /nd you guys need to be off this property for the rest of the clean up' ( will need you tomorrow, though'&

( would've argued to stay, but he was right' ( was e hausted and in terrible need of a shower, so ( stood slowly and took $dward's hand' &Tomorrow,& ( conceded, pulling him up, ,ust as our whole crew e ited the house' ( looked up to $dward' &(t'll be fine' 9et's go'&

&5i, #ommy,& my pretty girl said with a yawn over the phone' &Gamma says you'll be home soon'& &4e will, baby,& ( sighed, stretching my legs out on the bed in our hotel room and straightening the robe ('d put on after my very much needed shower' &('m not sure when, but we're trying really hard to finish up' /re you getting in bed!& ( asked, missing the little routine we used to have before all the shit started' 0ormally, $dward or ( would read to her until she nodded off' 5is &little soldier& commands were her favorite of the night' /nd there were always lots of hugs and kisses before he'd fly her into her bed, tucking the covers around her' &;es'& )he audibly yawned again, fighting sleep, and ( looked up as $dward came out of the bathroom after his shower' ( bit back a swoon and a groan at the sight of him in ,ust a towel wrapped low on his hips' 4ater still glistened on his shoulders and arms, and his hair was a tumbled wet, se y mess' The two day stubble on his face, the dark green of his eyes as he scanned through his phone and set his clothes on a chair, and the fle ing and rolling of every muscle as he innocently moved about the room was ,ust killing me' )ometimes, he reminded me of that beautiful, untouchable man that ( first saw making me breakfast in ,ust a pair of basketball shorts after rescuing me from #iller * unknowingly se y' /nd then there were times he was the thirteen year old that ('d first met, that ('d hung out with all day in my tree house in )eattle, because when he heard his baby's voice over the phone, he smiled sweetly, crookedly, and lovingly, holding his hand out for the phone' &0ight2night, pretty girl,& ( told her, nodding to him' &Be good for Gamma, okay! ( love you'& &7kay, #ommy' 9ove you, too,& she muttered wearily on the other end of the line' ( handed over the phone to $dward, who immediately started with, &(s it lights out, little soldier!&

5e grinned when she snapped, &;es, sir8& ( giggled, shaking my head and padding into the bathroom to brush my teeth as he commanded her to only have good dreams' By the time ( came back in the room, he was sitting on the side of the bed, setting the hotel phone back in its cradle' &)he sounds like'''this shit didn't affect her,& ( stated softly, walking to him to stand between his legs' 5is hands immediately landed on my waist, and he looked up at me, his brow furrowing ,ust a touch' &)he kinda freaked out on me when you weren't at the motel room,& he sighed with a grimace, &but she calmed down once ( got her home' $sme says she's dealing with it perfectly' )he's a little'''clingy'& ( took a deep breath and let it out' #y worst fear for Bethy was that there would be irreparable damage from her kidnapping' ( knew what it was like, though her e perience came nowhere near what ('d gone through with #iller' Thank God' ( never wanted my baby to have fears of basements or touch' (t had taken me a very long time to work through my fears' (t had been painful, scary, and downright nerve wracking' 4ithout $dward there for every single fucking step, ('m not sure ('d be as comfortable in my own skin' ( ran my fingers through his soft, damp hair, sighing softly with contentment' &=lingy, ( can handle' ( might be a little clingy right back when we get home' ( need girl time with my baby' #aybe even a pa,ama picnic in the living room,& ( said with a grin and a bite to my bottom lip' $dward chuckled, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me flush to him' 5e set his chin on my stomach and ga3ed up at me' &)ounds like fun' ( may have to crash that pa,ama party'& &)hould ( sneak you in!& ( teased him' &4ant me to come in through a window, sweetness!& he snickered, his hands starting to travel over my back, over my bottom, giving it a squee3e, and down the backs of my legs' &4hy does that sound like something you've done before!& ( asked, narrowing my eyes at him when his cheeks tinged pink' &$dward =ullen8& ( gasped in false shock, my mouth hanging open' 5e huffed an embarrassed laugh' &7nce, okay! But ( almost got caught by the girl's father' )cared the shit out of me, because he had quite the e tensive gun collection'''& ( giggled, because ( couldn't help it' 5is past was no secret to me when it came to women, but he was mine now' ( didn't doubt it' (n fact, ( trusted his love for me

completely' (t was a crutch ( leaned on in order to make it through life' 4ithout it, ( wasn't sure ('d have made it through my most recent captivity' ( sighed, brushing his hair from his forehead so that ( could place a long, slow kiss there' &God, ( missed you,& ( moaned, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and another around his head when he buried his face into my stomach, ,ust holding me' &( had dreams about you when ( was gone, and it ,ust made shit so much worse,& ( admitted softly into his hair' 5is hands skimmed down my backside again * only this time, they traveled underneath the edge of my robe' /s he slowly brought them up to cup my ass, he pulled his head from my torso' &Tell me about them,& he commanded in a smooth, velvet voice, his eyes darkening when he discovered that ( was bare underneath' &;ou were kissing me,& ( whispered, already reacting to his touch' &Touching me'& &;ou had dirty dreams, baby!& he asked, a naughty crooked smile curling up on his lips' &#mhm,& ( said with a nod' &( did,& ( breathed, when he tugged the knot open on my robe' &6id it make you wet for me!& he asked, his voice like liquid sin and warm honey, dripping with want and se and carnal knowledge' &(t made me cry for you,& ( whispered the truth and nodded at the same time, which only caused his eyes to darken even more' The green was almost none istent at this point' 5e dropped the terrycloth belt to the floor and gently opened my robe, letting it hang loosely on my shoulders' 4ith a flat hand, he pressed it to my stomach and ghosted it up between my breasts to my neck and back down' 5e was taking his time on purpose, teasing me' 5e wasn't even kissing me yet, and ( was aching for him to the point my legs were almost shaking' &6id you come in your dream!& he asked, and my stomach tingled and clenched at the way that sounded, but ( shook my head no' &)o'''& he sighed dramatically as his brow furrowed in concentration, using both hands to glide up my upper body, purposefully skimming his palms over my hard nipples, to push my robe off of my shoulders' (t pooled silently at my feet' &6o you want to come, love!& &;es,& ( breathed, a sound barely escaping me, because ( needed to feel him, needed to reaffirm my aching love for him' &:lease'''& 5e leaned in to drag his nose over my skin from my bellybutton, around each nipple, and up my neck to my ear, where he finally opened his mouth' / long, deep moan

rumbled from him when he laved his tongue over the soft spot behind my ear, sucking lightly' #y fingers gripped his shoulder and wove themselves into his hair to hold him there' &( couldn't sleep in our bed without you,& he admitted in a whisper, his breath pushing softly against the wetness he'd ,ust left on my flesh, causing me to shiver' &(t seemed'''wrong, baby'& &$dward'''& &)hh,& he chided gently, shaking his head, because he didn't want to have that conversation' +rom the look on his face, he only wanted me' &( want to finish that dream for you,& he added in a rasping whisper, switching to the other side of my neck and leaving another long, slow kiss' &Then you really need to kiss me,& ( panted, tugging his hair so that he would look up at me' &.eally kiss me'& 9ong, talented fingers traced up my spine, almost tickling me from the small of my back, all the way up to my shoulder blades' $dward's other hand slipped into my hair at the base of my neck, weaving firmly and pulling me closer' #y forehead thumped to his, our eyes locked' There was need and want, relief, and a glimmer of rela ation that shifted between us, before ( nipped at his top lip, and then the bottom' Teeth and tongues slid lightly over skin, as ( dragged my fingers slowly down his chest, caressing each pec, each ab, and each vee ,ust above the towel he was still in' Tugging at the terrycloth, ( finally e posed him, only to crawl into his lap, straddling his thighs as he covered my mouth with his own' $dward pulled me closer, trapping his arousal between us, and a deep, breathtakingly erotic moan rumbled from his chest' 5e turned my head, moving us farther up on the bed and deepening the kiss' 7ur tongues swirled together as ( loomed over him, pushing at him to lay back, but he had other ideas in mind, and he pulled me down with him' )liding his flattened hands down my back, he gripped my ass, grinding me against him, only to finally break away from my mouth to ga3e up at me with pure heat in his eyes' &Bring that sweet pussy to me, baby,& he purred, his voice almost hypnoti3ing in its carnal sound' ( grinned, remembering the guards outside my cell, and my thoughts of how different the word pussy sounded when it was said the right the way * and $dward always said it the right fucking way' 5e shifted under me, bringing his legs up behind me as slipped me up his chest so that ( was straddling him, with my knees on either side of his head'

&4hat!& he asked, caressing the outside of my thighs, only to place a kiss ,ust shy of where ( needed his mouth the most' &0othing,& ( groaned, unable to keep my hips still as ( writhed to get closer to him' &Tell me, love,& he teased, trailing his tongue where my thigh creased' &4hat was that smile!& he asked, giving me a long, slow lick on the outside of my folds' #y eyes rolled back, and so did my head, at the same time ( breathed, &The word pussy, $dward' (t sounds so good the way you say it'& 5e moaned against my flesh * this time, slipping his tongue ,ust inside my folds to swirl the tip of it around my clit' 5is hands slipped under my ass to lift me, to bring me closer' &That's because it's such a beautiful pussy, baby' There's more than one reason ( call you sweetness...& he crooned, with an open mouth kiss and a swirl around my entrance' &0ow, open up for me, so ( can see all of it, beautiful'''& &7h fuck,& ( hissed, losing myself in the sensation of his mouth on me, his tongue in me, his hands holding me open, his stubble rubbing against my skin just right,and the ama3ing sounds that vibrated up my body as he hummed against me' #y clima started at my toes, causing a rolling wave to slither up my body, until ( was grinding against his face and gripping the covers of the bed in two tight fists as ( reclined back against his thighs' #y stomach muscles clenched as he sucked me hard into his mouth and slid two fingers deep inside of me, and my breath caught as my whole being shattered' ( shuddered in post2coital bliss as $dward gently rolled me over, settling between my legs and bracing his elbows on either side of my head' 5e brushed my hair from my face, dropping sweet, nipping kisses on the corner of my mouth, my chin, down my neck' &6id that beat the dream, sweetness!& he whispered against my collarbone' ( laughed weakly, nodding' &;eah,& ( sighed, threading my fingers into his hair' &#ost definitely'& ( pulled him closer, and he came willingly, giving me most of his weight and a long, breathtaking kiss' 5e tasted of me and a touch of mint' 5is hips shifted forward, causing my breath to catch when his cock brushed against my oversensitive clit as he slid through my slick heat' &God, Bella,& he grunted, squee3ing his eyes closed and pressing his forehead to mine' &Th2There was a p2part of m2me that th2thought''' th2that w2was afraid of n2never having this again'''of l2losing y2you'& &)hh'& (t was my turn to shush him softly, shaking my head, because the pure honesty

that came through in his stutter was sweet and scary and filled with a slight touch of sorrow' &('m here' 4e're here, $dward' #ake love to me, baby,& ( told him, gliding my hands over his strong shoulders and down his back, reveling in every sinewy muscle, finally reaching his ass and urging him to enter me' &:lease, $dward'''& 5is mouth covered mine, kissing me with an almost frantic feel behind it, but his hand traveled with a sweet, loving touch down my side to my leg, which he hitched up higher around him' 4ith one beautiful roll of his hips, he slipped into me, and we both moaned at the feel of that perfect connection, that feeling of fulfillment' ( couldn't imagine what $dward had gone through when both his wife and child had been taken from him' $ven though it might have been less than a day, ( knew it must've taken all that he had to maintain his sanity' 5e loved us and protected us with every fiber of his being' 5is very first concern in the morning and his last thought of the day was his family' $very ,ob we took, he treated with utmost security' $ven the food he cooked was done with us in mind * what we wanted, what we might like, and what was good for us' To have that snatched away * for even mere hours * must've killed him' 4ith every kiss, every gasp, every gripping hand, we reassured ourselves that we were okay' That our little family unit was safe, that our love was still fucking strong' The danger may not be over, but we would not make the same mistakes again' 4e would hold on stronger, fiercer, and with more determination to never let someone take what we had worked so hard to build' 4e fell apart together, coming hard, but somewhat subdued, clinging to each other fiercely' 6espite how we were covered in sweat, we didn't let go, but held each other close way into the night' 4e spoke softly about Bethy, about how we were needed back at the compound the ne t day, about how =arlisle had asked for our help' 4e both agreed that 9ilith and 4alter should be stopped, because there was no telling what they would do ne t' ( yawned widely sometime ,ust after two in the morning, mumbling about not wanting to stop talking, because ('d missed it' $dward chuckled, kissing my forehead, and said, &)leep, love' 4e'll pick up in the morning where we left off'& ( buried myself in his neck, closing my eyes, and ( knew no more'

CHAPTER 12
%E&&#
&/re you sure you want to be in there for this shit!& $dward asked, cupping my face as we stood ,ust outside the barn' ( nodded, but in truth, ( wasn't really sure' There was a part of me that was aware of what my husband, his father, and their crew were capable of when it came to interrogation, and having been a victim of torture once before, ( was a little nervous to watch, but the stronger part of me wanted to know what the men had to say' )ure, $dward could tell me after, but it wouldn't be the same' ( looked past $dward to see all four prisoners handcuffed to chairs, while /lec and )am stood with watchful eyes behind them' The in,ured man from the guard shack hadn't made it through the night' / table had been set up, and the only thing sitting on it was what looked like a black toolbo * or maybe a tackle bo ' $lea3ar and =arlisle were huddled together in deep conversation off to the side where the T0T had once been stored' (t had been safely removed by some of $lea3ar's men' +eli guarded one entrance to the barn, while $ric had the other' #ickey was sitting alone on a bale of hay, most likely waiting for me' ( rubbed my sweaty palms on my clean ,eans that $dward had been sweet enough to bring with him, showing he'd been more than hopeful when it came to rescuing me' ( nodded up at $dward again' &;eah'''yes, ('m sure'& &)weetness,& he sighed, and groaned at the same time' &6ad and ('''we aren't e actly'''kind when we do this shit'& &0or should you be,& ( huffed, taking a deep breath and glaring up at him' &( get it, baby' ( do' But ( want to hear what they have to say'& $dward studied my face, pulling me to him as he shook his head no' &( don't know,& he said, his grimace hard to miss' &This is'''torture, love''' something you've'''& &)een firsthand,& ( finished for him' ( swallowed thickly, but met his handsome ga3e' &( promise you, if it gets to be too much, ('ll leave'& 5is nose wrinkled, as did his brow, but ( saw the second he gave in' 5e pressed his lips hard to mine' &This isn't me you're about to see, Bella' :lease, please keep that in mind,& he pleaded against my mouth' &7kay,& ( whispered back, stepping away from him' ( watched as he practically morphed in front of me, from my sweet, worried husband,

to a soldier without remorse' 5is face, his ,aw, they became hard, rigid' 5is eyes took on a callous blackness, and his posture became straight, his shoulders broader' 5e shook his head one more time, before turning away from me' ( followed him in, reali3ing he wasn't dressed that much differently than yesterday, minus the mud and the face paint' Black cargo pants hugged him in all the right places, and every muscle of his upper body was enhanced by a tight gray t2shirt that was topped off with a shoulder harness containing his Glock' 5is boots thumped heavily across the barn floor' 5e wanted to look big, menacing' /nd from a glance around at every other member of the team, they did, too' They were there to scare information out of four men' ( took a seat on the bale of hay ne t to #ickey, who leaned in to whisper, &This shit ain't pretty, Bells' Brace yourself'& ( grimaced, looking over at her, because as long as ('d been with $dward, as long as ('d known =arlisle, ('d never seen them work a prisoner over, and now, there were four in front of us' Though, the main one that they wanted to interrogate was >enny, who was sitting with a smug smirk on his face as he lounged back in the chair he was handcuffed to' ( knew what they were worried about * my past e perience with #iller * but this was different' This wasn't personally happening to me, and the information we could possibly receive might possibly be used to stop 9ilith and 4alter from whatever they had planned ne t' ( did scoot closer to her, but we both looked up when a loud scraping sound echoed through the barn' $dward snatched up a long folding table, only to slam it down in front of all four men' Three of them ,umped1 >enny didn't' The first boy on the end was the guard from my cell that /lec and $dward had captured' 5e looked so young, so fucking nervous, that his shirt was completely drenched with sweat' The ne t two men couldn't decide who to keep their eyes on * a pacing =arlisle, a calm, casual $lea3ar, or $dward, who was nonchalantly setting the toolbo down on the table at the end near the cell guard' >enny, on the other hand, knew who was out for him, so his eyes stayed locked on my husband, despite the belligerent smirk on his face' 0o one had said a fucking word yet, and that made me nervous, so ( couldn't imagine what was going through the prisoners' minds' =arlisle stepped forward, taking position on the opposite side of the table' 5e slowly, deliberately pulled on black leather gloves, almost making a show of it' (f ( were to guess, ('d say he was picking out the weakest link, and that would be my guard from my cell'

$dward opened the toolbo , pulling out four lengths of rope, setting each one directly in front of a prisoner as )am and /lec stepped up behind the four men' =arlisle braced his hands on the table directly across from my cell guard' &( trust you slept well,& he stated, using a low, but wry tone to his voice' #ickey snickered, leaning into my ear' &They didn't sleep at all' They were tied in a standing position all night, with their hands above their heads and their feet chained to the floor' (f they even closed their eyes, someone would use a loud noise to wake them' (t's the first tactic used to start to breaking a prisoner'& #y eyebrows shot up as ( listened to her, but ( kept my eyes on my godfather and $lea3ar, the latter of whom pushed away from the pole he'd been leaning against' &0one of you were wearing identification, so give up your names,& $lea3ar commanded in a no2nonsense tone' &4hat's your name!& =arlisle asked the youngest man at the table when no one said anything, but it was the other men that reacted' &Tell him nothing8& one hissed, trying to lean over to look' &>eep your mouth shut,& the other growled' =arlisle stood up straight and gave $dward a pointed look' #y husband pushed himself away from the table, snatching up one length of rope, and grabbed one man, while )am picked up the other' They were roughly removed from the table * chairs and all * leaving a space between my former guard and >enny' $dward and )am dragged their prisoners toward the e it, but paused long enough to stash one in a horse stall, before taking the other outside' They made an obvious show of removing the man's cuffs, while replacing it with the length of rope, tossing the longer end over the well's pulley system' 4ith two boots to the back of the man's chair, he fell with a splash into the water, and )am secured a knot to the pole before he and $dward walked away' &That's called dipping,& #ickey told me in a hushed whisper' &The chair pulls him under, but the rope holds him up' (f he struggles against the rope and unties it, then he sinks under' (f he stays perfectly fucking still, then his head will stay above water'& ( nodded in acknowledgment, turning my attention to =arlisle, who addressed my guard' &0ame, son,& he commanded' &B2Bobby,& he sputtered, his eyes following $dward and )am as they proceeded to set up some sort of makeshift tilted table' &Bobby =urtis'''& >enny scoffed, glaring at Bobby, but everyone's attention was drawn to the struggle at the end of the room' )am and $dward secured their prisoner to the table with his head

at the lower angle of the table, his feet well above his head' #y fists clenched when two heavy straps were wrapped around his upper chest, including his arms, and his hips to hold them there' (t was almost too much to watch, because being strapped to a table was something ( was completely familiar with' &4aterboarding,& #ickey muttered ne t to me' &0ame,& $dward commanded softly, holding a piece of cellophane over the man's face' &0ow'& The idiot shook his head profusely, refusing to say anything, so $dward's hands quickly slapped the plastic wrap down over his face, as )am poured an entire bucket of water over him, causing the man to buck and scream' The man gasped when $dward pulled his hands back, gagging over the side of the table' &0ame,& he growled, holding the cellophane over his face again' #r' /nonymous continued to refuse, so down came the plastic again' $dward's whole body was fle ed with the strength he was using in order to fight the guy when another entire bucket of water came splashing down' ( knew the guy wasn't getting any actual water into his mouth or nose, but he was fighting it like he was' The way $dward and )am were doing it had a severe psychological effect on him' &)h2)hit,& the guy sputtered, after wretching off the side of the table again' &$arl,& he panted' &$arl =rawford'& &That wasn't so bad, was it!& $dward asked snidely, patting the guy's chest, before turning to =arlisle' &Go get the last one's name, and we can really get started,& =arlisle ordered, pointing toward the well' 6ipping had to be one of the scariest things ('d ever witnessed' (t wasn't unlike the )alem 4itch Trials ('d read about' $dward asked the man his name, even going so far as to tell him that he was the only one that hadn't given up a name' 4hen the man didn't answer, )am let the rope slacken, and the guy sank into the water under the weight of the chair he was still strapped to' ( didn't go watch up close, but ( could hear the splashes, the struggle, and the sputtering and coughing when )am pulled him back up' They dunked him three times like a giant teabag, before he finally gave up, &"oy +lowers,& on a coughing groan' &$ cellent,& =arlisle stated, beaming with false e citement' &0ow we all know each other' "ight, >enny!& &+uck you,& >enny spat' ( shook my head at the young man's false bravado, because ( could see the sweat

beading on his forehead and upper lip, and it wasn't that warm in the barn' =arlisle snickered humorlessly and walked to >enny' 5e brought his hand back, smacking him hard across the face, knocking >enny and his chair completely over' /lec immediately righted him' &This could go really smoothly, or could last for days' #ind your manners, >enny, and it'll all be over soon,& =arlisle chided, shaking his head as he walked back to the opposite end of the table to hover over Bobby' &4hat was the bomb for, Bobby!& Bobby didn't answer immediately, because $dward's presence was making him almost sick with nerves' #y husband grabbed another piece of rope as )am forced Bobby's arms up onto the table' )ecuring a loop around Bobby's wrists, $dward pulled the man's arms out straight, Bobby's chest hitting the edge of the table' =arlisle rummaged through the toolbo , pulling out a pair of pliers' &Bomb, Bobby,& =arlisle ordered again, picking up the boy's pinky finger and starting to tug at the boy's fingernail' ( could tell he wasn't actually removing it, but the illusion, the threat worked beautifully, because Bobby panicked' &0o, no, no8& Bobby practically cried, and =arlisle pulled the pliers away' &/ building downtown, okay! They didn't tell me which one8 9ook, you don't have to do this shit to me8 ('ll tell you what you want, what ( know''',ust'''don't8& &5e's ,ust a kid,& #ickey whispered, shaking her head' &4hat the hell was he doing here to begin with!& she asked, like she was thinking out loud' /lmost as if Bobby had heard her, he blurted out, &( ,ust wanted out of the city, away from doctors and my parents''' 4alter didn't tell me about this shit' ( didn't know what he was planning, ( swear'& &9et him go,& $lea3ar told $dward and )am, who rela ed their grip on him' &4here would 4alter go, Bob!& he asked him, using a calm, even tone of voice' &( don't know,& he answered immediately, shaking his head' &( only stayed here at the camp' 5ell, ('ve never even been inside the house,& he gushed' &( know that they needed money,& he continued, and his eyes looked up at me' &6on't look at her8& $dward snapped, bring his fist down onto the table, where it gave an eerie crack' 5is shoulders and arms seemed to e pand with his hatred, his protection of me as he loomed over Bobby' =arlisle smiled, and it was evil and controlled' &7kay, Bobby, then who among you would know!& &>enny,& the kid answered, ,erking his chin toward the other end of the table' &;ou stupid fucking bastard8& >enny snapped, trying to lunge for him, but was caught in

/lec's strong grip' &('ll fucking kill you8& he threatened, fighting against handcuffs and rough hands' &7h no, you don't,& /lec crooned, forcing >enny back down' &#ove again, and ('ll hang you from that hook'''right there'& /lec pointed to a large bent metal hook that was high on the closest wooden post' &5e's been with 4alter since the beginning,& Bobby stated, giving a sideways glance to >enny before continuing' &5e and "usty were brought in by 9ilith' )omething about revenge for a dead kid or something' ('m not sure' ( heard "usty's dead, though'''& &5e is,& =arlisle admitted to him' &4hat was the money for!& &?s'''everyone,& he replied, shrugging' &4e're broke' #ost of these people didn't have ,obs or houses' )ome of them had been laid off at the local lumberyard' They'd lost homes and shit' 4e could hunt and grow food, but not much else' There was a rumor that we were about to lose this place'& &)o what did 4alter have to do with a lumberyard!& =arlisle asked' &5e was a therapist at )hady Glen'''not a heavy laborer'& &( met 4alter at )hady Glen, but there were a few people in his group therapy that used to be employed at the mill'''& &)o let me guess,& #ickey muttered ever so softly in my ear' &4alter has no agenda of his fucking own' 5e latches on to whatever sad sob story anyone tells him' 9ilith with her kids'''and you...and then this lumber mill closing' 5e wants to fi shit, but he's going about it all wrong' (nstead of using therapy to help them, he promises to end the problem' This 6'7'/ shit has gone to his head'& =arlisle heard her and studied her face for a moment, waving her off when she mouthed, &)orry'& 5e huffed once, but nodded' &;ou might be right' /nd he combined the two problems in order to obtain money' (t's how he's using 9ilith in the first place'& &(nteresting,& $lea3ar mused, rubbing his stubbly chin' &Bobby, you've been an outstanding help,& he praised, and then turned to )am' &Take him inside the house, get him something to eat, and have one of my men stand guard over him'& )am removed the restraints from Bobby's legs, allowing him to stand up slowly' 4ith a large hand on the back of his neck, he guided him out of the barn and toward the house' &('m gonna fucking kill him8& >enny growled, shifting in his seat' &4hat did ( tell you!& /lec asked smoothly, not yelling, but using the low, rumbling tone that was fucking scary' 5e pulled out a large, sharp knife and cut >enny's leg restraints,

yanking him up from the chair' &/rms up, asshole,& he commanded, holding the knife to his throat' /lec lifted him effortlessly, catching >enny's cuffs on the hook on the post' 5is feet dangled about si inches from the ground' &0ow' 6on't fucking move, or ('ll gut you like a pig' Got me!& $dward's impassive face flickered with ,ust a touch of evil amusement, but he said nothing as he waited for =arlisle's ne t step, which was the man strapped to the table' ( suddenly understood the method that they were using1 they were saving >enny for last' (t took several buckets of water on $arl to find out that he was fairly new, but he had been responsible for security down in the mine tunnels' /side from the old homeless woman from )eattle and =arla and #alcolm 6anvers, most of the women and children down there had been dragged along by members of the 6'7'/' They were wives and children, which confirmed what they had told us already' (t was a sad thought to know that they were widows now' /ll over a stupid decision to follow one man' 4hen they were absolutely sure that he had no idea what building that bomb was going to be used on, they ceased their torture on him, moving on to "oy outside in the well' "oy knew even less, but he did give up the name of the lumberyard' 4ith a quick te t to /lice to research Bradlee 9umber #ill, ( turned my attention to >enny, who was hanging silently with his eyes locked onto the activity at the water well' ( turned to #ickey' &4alter was using them all,& ( stated, ,ust loudly enough so that ( could block out the screams from out at the well, because ( needed a break from it all, but also, ( wanted to make sure that >enny could hear me' &('d be willing to bet that these people wouldn't have ever seen a dime of money' ( bet he would have run off with every cent'& #ickey hummed in approval, her eyebrows shooting up' &;ou might be right' 5e may still run on them, leaving whoever he thinks is left to this fucking mess' $l's charging them with some sort of'''terrorist shit' ('m not sure what' They'll lose their rights the second he gets them behind bars' They'll be sent to =uba to live out the remainder of their lives' ( heard +eli talking this morning'''& ( glanced up at +eli , who was still guarding the doorway of the barn, and he was nodding slowly' &5uh,& ( breathed with a nod' &Guantanamo Bay!& ( verified, and they both nodded' &They're military prisoners now,& #ickey added with a shrug' &/ terrorist would be considered a threat to the country'''no matter how personal the reasons are'''& ( glanced up at >enny, and noted that he was listening with rapt attention' &This won't be 4ashington )tate :rison, >enny * or in this case, =alifornia,& ( told him, tilting my head at him' &(s 4alter worthy of your loyalty! ;ou won't see any money or him' $ver'&

#ickey snickered softly, shaking her head when he didn't answer me' &5onestly!& she asked, raising an eyebrow at me' &( don't think >enny will make it out of this barn' The others, yes' 5im'''no'& &;ou might be right,& ( sighed, leaning back against the haystack behind me' &;ou didn't see $dward with "usty,& she stated, grimacing a bit' &/nd he was the guy that held the gun to /bby's head' This asshole was the one that pointed a gun to Bethy's'& ( sneered, fighting my own temper' &But it's not ,ust that,& #ickey continued, locking eyes with >enny' &(t's every word Bethy said against him once $dward got her home' /pparently, >enny likes bullying little kids' 5e took their food away, made them stay quiet at all times, gave them cough medicine to knock them out when they bugged him' /nd Bethy said that one time, >urt had to stop >enny from shooting them when the girls wouldn't stop crying' )he called him The #ean #an'& &( really owe >urt a thank you,& ( sighed, keeping my voice only for her, and she nodded in agreement' &( hope he can'''stay out of this trouble'& 4e both looked up when we saw that they had pulled "oy completely up out of the well' =arlisle even patted him on the back as )am lead him away into the house, only to come right back out' / warm summer bree3e blew through the barn, the smell of more impending rain heading our way, but from the looks of the clouds outside, it was hours before it would be on us' ( shirked out of my hoodie as #ickey tugged off her ,acket' )he stood up and stretched, only to sit right back down ne t to me' >enny's eyes watched her every move, as she sat by me in a black tank and blue ,eans' &=ome on, princess,& >enny chuckled, trying to shift around as he hung there' &;ou gonna give me a show, too! (t's not like ( haven't touched you, because that drug 4alter gave you knocked you out cold'& #y temper flared to an all time high, and ( was up and across the barn before he could take another breath' +eli moved, calling for the men outside, but ( had already swung a fist across his face' /nother punch to his stomach and ( found myself restrained by strong arms that came with a velvet voice' &$asy, sweetness,& $dward crooned in my ear' &;ou don't want to use a fist' ;ou want to use an open hand' There's less chance of internal damage that way' 4hat did he say to you, love!& ( shook my head, shaking from head to toe as $dward held me back, but my glare at

>enny didn't waver as he coughed and groaned' ( noted with complete satisfaction that ('d split the skin ,ust above his eye' &Tell me, Bella,& he whispered in my ear, &and he will be punished for it' ( fucking swear'& &5e touched me'''while ( was knocked out' 5e said he fucking touched me8& ( whee3ed, shaking my head in denial' #y husband's entire demeanor instantly changed completely' 5e was rigid with his anger, his hands practically shaking claws that were digging into my skin' )am grunted, looking between me and $dward, and then finally looking to >enny' &;ou ,ust signed your death warrant, asshole,& he stated, taking me from $dward with surprisingly gentle hands and holding me as $dward stepped away from us' $dward reached down to the top of his boot and pulled out a long fucking knife with notches in it' 5e spun it in his hand once, his face dark, beautiful, and determined' 5e looked like a dark knight, an avenging angel, and 6eath come knocking, all rolled into one e traordinarily gorgeous being, because he knew how ( felt about being touched against my will' 5e knew what it would've done to me had ( been awake for it' /nd he wasn't fucking having it' &$dward,& =arlisle started, but his son held up a quick hand to shut him up' &6on't8& he growled, glaring at his father and shaking his head' &This asshole is mine8& $dward dragged the knife lightly around >enny's face, across his neck, and down his torso, as his upper lip curled into a hateful sneer' 4hen he reached the bottom of >enny's t2shirt, he slid the knife under it' 4ith one smooth, slow slice, >enny's shirt lay open, revealing several homemade and professional tattoos' )ome were grim, some were kind of pretty, but most were a continuous amount of ink spreading over his pecs and shoulders' $dward sliced again and again, and the shirt fell to the barn floor silently, ,ust below >enny's dangling feet' Taking the knife overhanded, $dward ,abbed it swiftly into the wood right ne t to >enny's face, causing him to flinch' 5e took one step back and turned to me' &7pen handed,& he stated, raising an eyebrow at me, ,ust before bringing his hand across >enny's face at full speed and strength' The smack that echoed in the barn made us all cringe, but $dward didn't stop' #ore slaps popped against >enny's stomach, pecs, and once more across his face' &+uck8& >enny gasped, trying to catch his breath before another hit came' &#ake him stop8& &4here's 4alter!& =arlisle asked, looking resigned at the direction this interrogation

was going now' &( don't know8& he yelled, bracing himself when another three hits slashed across his body' &4here would he hide, >enny!& $lea3ar asked, taking a step closer' >enny's skin was now a bright red, with perfect handprints across his pale stomach and face' 5is breathing was ragged, as his eyes flickered to $lea3ar, and then back to $dward's raised hand' &( swear, ( don't know8& he said through gritted teeth, wincing when another hit came to his chest' &4alter talked about a lot of places'''places his parents owned'''& /nother slap blurred across his face, this time causing his lip to split and bleed, but ( spun away from him to look at =arlisle' &4e have that list,& ( muttered to him with a nod' &Though we could talk to 4alter )r' again' 4e didn't check out of the country'& =arlisle placed a hand on his son's shoulder, halting his swinging arm' &5old on, son,& he said softly, turning back to me' &Get with /lice''' have her check outside the ?')' Then, once we get back, we'll have another chat with 4alter's parents'& #y godfather's eyes were dark, almost unfeeling, even though he was directing his attention to me' /nd ( knew right then, ( was being sent from the barn on purpose' ( was not to see what would happen ne t to >enny :orter' ( glanced up at the grunting, groaning, whee3ing man that was hanging like a piece of meat from a hook' ( took a deep breath and let it out, finally looking up at my $dward * but he wasn't'''my Edward' 5e was the pure essence of hatred and revenge at the moment' 5is eyes were black, his hands opening and closing over and over, and every muscle he owned seemed to be pumped up with the poison that was filling him as he glared at the man hanging in front of him' (f >enny hadn't taken Bethy, if he hadn't scared my little girl, if he hadn't put a gun to her head more than once, if he hadn't taken food from her, or bullied her in any way, ( would have been scared of $dward at that moment' But ( knew the combination of all that >enny did to Bethy, along with the fact that he'd admitted to touching me while ( was knocked out, was too much for my husband' (n fact, looking at him, ( wasn't even sure he could be reached' &7kay,& ( finally said to =arlisle, my brow wrinkling as )am pulled a battery from a tractor at the end of the barn' 5e snatched the cables that went with it, slamming it all down onto the table ne t to >enny' ?nrolling a piece of duct tape, he taped the black wire to the bare skin of >enny's chest, keeping the red one in his hand' +uck, if they weren't about to use

electric shock on the guy for more information' >enny seemed to come back to himself briefly, looking down at his chest and following the wire that was attached to the battery' 5is eyes widened, but his attention flickered from =arlisle, to $lea3ar, to $dward, and then finally to me' /nd damn, if he didn't have a death wish with the ne t words that popped out of his mouth' &They're real, right!& he panted, a tired, but cocky smirk playing on his beaten face' ( fro3e, afraid of where he was going with that question, but ( had a pretty good idea' &;our tits'''they're real, right! They felt real,& he rasped a harsh laugh' (t took four men to stop $dward as he lunged for the knife by >enny's head, and they still called for $mmett, who happened to be walking in from outside' &;ou stupid motherfucker8& $dward snarled, straining against his father, $lea3ar, +eli , and /lec, but $mmett was a force all on his own' 5e came around to $dward's front, wrapping his giant arms around my husband's middle to push him back' &('m gonna fucking kill you8& my husband yelled, pointing a finger over $mmett's shoulder' &0ot yet,& $lea3ar grunted, as $dward continued to try and fight them all' &( still need him, $d'& &$dward8& ( snapped, grabbing his face and trying to force him to look at me' &Baby, look at me'& ( stood up on my toes to whisper in his ear' &( love you' =ome back to me'''for ,ust a moment, $dward'& ( couldn't blame him, because ( was completely disgusted that >enny could've possibly touched me, but if we needed more from >enny, then $dward needed to get himself under control' $dward still strained against everyone, but his eyes flickered to mine' 5is breathing came out in heavy pants, as every cord in his neck was taut with tension' ( tugged at his face again, and he finally relented slightly' &)tep away from him for ,ust a moment, baby,& ( told him, using a calm voice' &(f ( wasn't awake, then it didn't count,& ( lied, but my husband didn't need to know that right then' ( looked up at $mmett, saying, &5elp me get him outside, $m' :lease'& $mmett nodded, practically picking $dward up as we forced him ,ust outside the barn doors' 5e slammed him against the wall, holding his shoulders with all his strength' &$dward, look at me,& ( ordered again, popping up between him and $mmett' ( reached up, snatching off his baseball cap and dropping it to the grass' Threading my fingers into $dward's hair, ( pulled his forehead to mine' &(t's okay'''I'm okay, baby'& &Bella'''& he rasped, squee3ing his eyes closed tightly, before opening them back up to

lock with mine' &5e'''& &( know,& ( whispered, nodding a bit against him' ( continued to run my fingers through his hair' &They need more from him, $dward,& ( told him' &5e fucking touched you,& he grunted through gritted teeth, but ( could feel the fight against me and $mmett leave him' 5is hands left the bracing hold he had on $m, and he reached for me' 5e grabbed me almost roughly at the waist and pulled me to him, and $mmett released us, taking a few steps back' &( fucking swore no one would ever touch you again, baby'''& $dward's voice almost sounded like a sob, but it was probably anger and guilt and worry, all rolled into one overwhelming emotion' &0ot your fault, $dward,& ( told him, kissing his ,aw, and then his lips' &;ou weren't there'''you couldn't know'''& &( should've been,& he breathed, wrapping me up so tightly that his arms crossed over my back and gripped my shoulders, and ( couldn't help but bury my face in his neck, letting the ama3ing smell of him waft over me' &('m sorry'''& &4e had to be apart for that,& ( consoled him, still keeping my fingers in his hair in a constant soothing motion' &;ou know ( needed to get to our girl, baby'& 5e nodded, his head finally falling to my shoulder' &(2('m s2sorry he d2did th2that,& he muttered against my neck' &/re you okay!& ( nodded, hearing $mmett's footsteps as he walked away from us' ('m sure he was giving us our privacy now that $dward had calmed down' $mmett was never comfortable when it came to my e perience with #iller' The big brother that he was to me ,ust couldn't handle it' &('m still yours, $dward,& ( e plained to him' &That won't change' ;ou can'''claim me back later,& ( said with a slight huffing laugh' ( grinned when ( felt his lips lift into a smile against my neck' &Bella'''it isn't funny,& he sighed, pulling back from me to cup my face' 5e shook his head' &(t's''',ust''' 3uck, ,ust swear to me you're all right,& he commanded, but the green was returning to his beautiful ga3e' &('m not okay that he touched me,& ( admitted, grimacing a bit and shaking my head' &But I will be,& ( urged, raising an eyebrow at him until he nodded in acknowledgment' &5e's ,ust a creepy kid, and ( wasn't awake for it' /m ( grossed out! 7h yeah,& ( huffed, rolling my eyes' &/m ( traumati3ed! 0o' (t's mild in'''comparison'& $dward e haled roughly, his brow furrowing, and he looked down at his feet' &;ou'''y2 you p2promise m2me!& he stuttered, finally looking into my eyes again, and ( nodded slowly, because $dward took his protection of me and Bethy so very fucking seriously'

&( promise,& ( vowed' &9et them ask their questions, $dward' #aybe you shouldn't touch him again, huh!& 5e grimaced, letting out a long, slow, calming breath, but he eventually nodded' &;eah, probably not'''& .asper popped out the barn, eying us with a concerned look on his face' &$ddie, you okay!& $dward nodded, running a hand through his hair, but the other hand stayed on my waist' &?m'''yeah, .a33,& he said, swallowing thickly' &Bells!& .asper verified, raising an eyebrow at me' &4e're okay,& ( sighed, practically singing the words to both him and $dward, but my eyes didn't leave my husband's face' &"ight!& $dward smirked, and he suddenly looked weary' &"ight, sweetness'& &Good,& ( confirmed, kissing his cheek' &0ow, can ( trust you to please not kill him'''at least until all the answers are heard!& ( asked, grabbing his face and making him look at me again' &( have to talk to /lice'& $dward gave me a tentative nod and a soft, &;es, ma'am'& ( let out a breath ( hadn't reali3ed ( was holding in and kissed him again' &( can't watch any more, baby,& ( admitted, &especially if they're going to shock him' Too much like'''burning for my taste'& $dward flinched, but nodded' &7kay, baby' ('ll come find you in a bit'& &;ou better,& ( warned him ,okingly, and he grinned that perfect, se y, crooked smile that was all mine' &4e can check in with the boss when you're done, too,& ( added, which only made him smile all the wider' 5e chuckled, low and sweet' &;eah, ( need to hear her'''& ( nodded in agreement, kissed him again, and finally stepped away from him' 5e seemed to shake ,ust a moment, and then steeled himself, before bending down to grab his hat from the ground' 5e tugged it on backwards and pushed away from the barn wall, giving me one last look as he walked back inside' ( tried not to look when ( heard =arlisle ask, &4here's the bomb going, >enny!& 4hen the only answer he got was, &+uck you,& a scream tore through the barn doors and out into the forest' ( shook my head and walked away'

&$dward!& /lice answered' &0o, it's me,& ( sighed, plopping down on the bank of a small creek a few yards away from the house, the barn, and all the cra3iness going on' &#y phone's lost, so ('m using his'& &7h, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha,& she chanted in her usual manner' &0eed me to get you a new one!& &;eah, one less thing, ( guess'& ( leaned back against a tree, feeling a little better' ('d taken an e tremely hot shower after >enny's confession of touching me' ('d scrubbed until my skin was raw, trying to shake the violated feelings that ('d been left with, but it gave me a chance to think about his personality' &( have work for you, pi ie'& &4ell, ( have answers for you about Bradlee 9umber #ill,& she stated, almost groaning' &(t was a division of Twi Tech'& &7h damn,& ( whined, shaking my head' &4hat happened! ( can't imagine =arlisle selling it, ,ust to send hundreds of people away ,obless'& &$nvironmentalists,& she answered' &(t was fruitless to keep it open, because almost all the forests around here are protected' But it's not like he didn't try to help them' 5e offered them placement ,ust about anywhere' 5e transferred about seventy2five people out of the state and into new ,obs' 5e even paid for moving them'& &)o stubbornness kept the rest here!& &)ome,& she replied, and ( could hear her typing away' &( mean, some found ,obs nearby'''something different, but ( guess the rest ended up following 4alter'& ( grimaced, picking up a stone and tossing it into the creek' &4ell, that's why ('m calling, /lice' ( need you to delve into the Bridges property again' 7nly this time, search outside the country'& &)ure, no prob,& she muttered, already preoccupied with her task' &5ow's it going over there!& she asked, and ( could almost see her all2knowing smirk' ( groaned and rolled my eyes' &6on't ask' (t's e hausting and foul' But ( know they want to finish up here in order to find 4alter and 9ilith'& &;eah, .a33 called'''said something about $dward losing his shit!& &That, my pi ie, is an understatement'& ( laughed humorlessly, remembering $dward's show of pure ire' Though, ( felt a touch of pride that ( could bring him back to me' &5e

was truly going to snap'& &)o ( heard,& she chuckled a bit' &=an you blame him, Bells! ( mean, really!& &0o,& ( stated firmly, thinking of all the shit >enny had done' &But they needed more from >enny, and $dward needed to back off'& /lice harrumphed, like it was a great disappointment that >enny was still breathing, but she said nothing else, e cept, &('ll let you know what ( find out about the Bridges, Bells'& &Thanks, /lice' 5ow's my baby!& / giggle chirped through the phone' &)he's currently telling her Gamma that a nap is completely unnecessary'& ( grinned, a chuckle erupting from me' &4ell, that's a battle in and of itself' ('ll call back when the dust settles,& ( laughed' &"ight!& /lice chortled' &('m not sure who is more determined, actually'& &$ actly' ('ll talk to you later, /lice' 9et me know what you come up with'& &'>ay, bye8& ( ended the call, staring down at $dward's phone' 5is wallpaper was a photo of me and Bethy curled up in the hammock of the back yard' 4e were laughing wildly, and ( could see the similarities between us' (n fact, we looked like my mother * all dark hair, laughing eyes, and wrinkled noses * but Bethy had ,ust the slightly crooked smile like her father' /dd in her shining bright green eyes and a touch of reddish highlights, and she was a brilliant combination of the two of us * a thought that made me smile, in spite of the fact that ( was alone, surrounded by nothing but trees and slow, trickling water' ( giggled a bit as to why $dward would have picked that particular picture, but ( didn't care' 5e had plenty of them saved, but he loved that one' 5is girls' 4e'd been laughing at him at the time, because he'd tried to ,oin us in the hammock, only the damn thing wouldn't cooperate' 5e'd almost fallen on his ass, but we'd been laughing so hard that he'd ,ust stopped and stared at us, taking the picture when we weren't looking' / few more touches to the screen, and ( was looking at the other pictures in his phone' )ome were of ,ust Bethy, and some of the two of us' There was even baby =aleb the day he was born, with all of us crowded around "ose's hospital bed' /nd then there was ,ust me' Glimpses of my sleeping face, or a smile caught when ( was on the phone, or even ,ust sitting on /unt >ate's front porch' The most beautiful one was of me sleeping, and he'd caught the morning sunlight gleaming across my bare back' #y hair was a dark splash across my pillow as my hand reached out to his empty place in our bed' (t was the mere hint of bare breast peeking out from underneath me, a bare leg

that had snaked out from under the covers that was hitched up and searching for him ,ust like my hand was, and it was the small, barely there love bite that was ,ust above my right butt cheek' (t was breathtaking and a touch embarrassing at the same time, because he saw me so differently than ( saw myself sometimes' &;ou don't have to snoop,& ( heard behind me' &;ou won't find any'''incriminating evidence,& he chuckled, kneeling down beside me, but when he saw what ( was looking at, he fro3e' &7h'''& ( wanted to laugh at the pink that touched his cheeks, but his se y ass crooked smile, along with the tilt of his head, stopped me' &;ou're beautiful, love,& he said without apology, shrugging' &( couldn't help it' That was the morning after our last anniversary'& ( smiled, because we didn't celebrate the day we got married1 we celebrated the day he came to get me from "iley #iller' That was our anniversary to us' ( studied the picture again, shifting forward as he took a seat behind me against the tree' ( remembered Bethy had spent the night with her :oppy and Gamma, giving us a free night out' ( barely remembered dinner, or dancing, but ( remembered not being able to stop touching $dward' 4e'd barely made it out of the car and inside the house before we lost ourselves' ( huffed a laugh, but his hand reached out and touched the screen, bringing another picture up' /nd then another and another' They were all similar, taken of me in some sort of state of undress' )ome ( remember him taking, because ('d laughed at his pervertedness for wanting them, but some were ,ust'''perfectly secret' &$dward,& ( breathed, unable to speak much more than that, due to how much ( could feel he loved me through each and every snapshot' &.ust you, sweetness,& he stated, kissing the back of my head' &(t's always you'& ( turned in his lap, draping my legs over one of his and leaning back against the other' 5e reached up and brushed a stray hair from my face, leaning in to kiss my temple as his other hand landed softly on my thigh to hold me close' &( wasn't searching for evidence of other women, $dward,& ( teased him, handing his phone back over, and he set it down beside him' &( ,ust saw your wallpaper and got curious'& 5e chuckled' &;eah, ( love that one' #y sweet girls'''& ( grinned, biting my bottom lip as ( ga3ed up at his handsome face' 5e seemed calmer now, in more control, and his sweet smile was melting me' &/re you done back there!& ( asked, reaching up to pull a leaf that had landed on his

shoulder' &+or now,& he answered, his voice a little gruff, but his hands were gentle as one caressed my thigh, while the other ran over the top of my head and down my ponytail' &( didn't kill him, if that's what you're asking, Bella'& ( shook my head, twirling the leaf between my thumb and forefinger' &0o, no'''( wasn't' /nd ('m not sure that ( care one way or the other,& ( muttered, shrugging one shoulder' 4rinkling my nose, ( looked up at him' &5e's an asshole, but if $l takes him, he'll never be released, so that works for me'& &5e'''put a gun'''he fucking touched you8& The fact that he couldn't finish his sentences meant that his anger was still ,ust under the surface' &( know,& ( rushed, shifting quickly so that ( was kneeling between $dward's legs' ( grasped either side of his face and kissed him roughly' &( know,& ( said again' &( was ,ust simply telling you how ( feel about it, baby' That's all'& ( studied $dward's face, tracing his eyebrow, his ,aw line and finally his bottom lip, and he slowly rela ed under my touch' &6id you stop to think that maybe he's lying about that! 5e seems to live for the negative reaction, $dward' 5e seems to like saying shit, ,ust to set people off'& $dward's brow furrowed as he absorbed what ( was saying' &6o you believe that!& he asked, and ( could hear it was an honest question, not a scoff coming from him' &( don't know,& ( said truthfully, &but ( do know when ( woke up the second time, it was >urt in the room with me'''not >enny' ( seemed to be in the same position as when ('d been knocked out' ( can't tell you if he's telling the truth, but >urt seems like the kind of person that wouldn't have allowed that sort of thing to happen' 4e could ask him'''& $dward took a deep breath and let it out' &4e could'''& he mumbled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear' &( was completely dressed when ( came to,& ( added with a shrug' &('ve been replaying the shit over and over in my mind, $dward'''& &5e has a charge of rape on his fucking record, Bella,& $dward snapped in barely controlled anger' ( sighed, shaking my head' &7kay,& ( surrendered, holding my hands up' &( don't want to fight' ( ,ust don't know if it's true, baby' #aybe ignorance really is bliss'''& ( started to get up, but strong hands grabbed my waist' &6on't,& he commanded, but it was filled with remorse as he tilted his head up at me' &('m not fighting, sweetness,& he murmured, his face almost in a pout' &('m sorry''' ( ,ust''' ( can't think of someone ever touching you against your will again, Bella' ( ,ust

can't'& 5e took another deep breath' &( need you happy, whole''' blissfully ignorant, in this case,& he said, breaking into a se y smirk when ( giggled' &)ee this!& ( asked, gesturing between us, and he nodded' &This is the happy, the whole, $dward' ;ou make me strong, baby' ;ou remember what it was like for me before' (t was the act of watching #iller touch me that was the worst part' (f ( didn't see this or e perience it, does it count!& &(t counts to me,& he whispered, &but ( understand what you're saying'& &('m offended that he may have touched me, $dward,& ( e plained, &but I'm okay'& ( knew that's what bothered him the most * the possibility that ( might slip into some sort of relapse' ( took solace in the fact that the people that held me were not se ually driven people' $ven /lice said that >enny's statutory rape charges were crap, because he'd been eighteen and his girlfriend had been si teen' The guy was an ass, yes, but ( believed he liked ,ust getting a rise out of people * no matter how dangerous those people might have been' The worry didn't leave his face, so ( snatched up his phone' ( scrolled through his contacts, hitting send, even though this person was ,ust yards away' (t rang once' &$dward!& &=arlisle, it's Bella,& ( huffed, rolling my eyes at $dward's fight for the phone' ( smacked at his hands and shushed him' &)weetheart, what's wrong!& &0othing' (s >urt anywhere near you!& &;eah, hold on,& he said, and ( could hear the shuffling of the phone' &(t's Bella,& he e plained softly' &5ello!& &>urt, ( have a question for you' /t any time, did >enny touch me while ( was unconscious!& &4hat! 0o8 >enny went to get the food while you were knocked out the first time' The second time, he was sleeping in the other room,& he e plained' &( would have kicked his ass, Bella' 4hy! 6id he tell you that! '=ause he's a fucking lying sack of shit if he did'''& ( grinned, liking >urt more and more the longer he was around, but the best was the look of relief that flickered over $dward's face' &Thanks, >urt,& ( said, meaning that for more than ,ust his honesty, but his integrity that seemed deeply ingrained in him, even though he was only in his early twenties' (t was rare to see, especially with all that he'd been through lately'

( ended the call, setting the phone down right back where it was before and folding my arms across my chest' &)ee!& &5e likes you, you know,& $dward mumbled with a frown and a furrowed brow, trying to tug at my arms, but ( wouldn't uncross them' &;ou'''& ( growled, raising an eyebrow at him, &,ust need something to bitch about right now' ;ou need something to be angry at'''& 5e e haled a light laugh, his eyebrows flicking up once as he shook his head' &#aybe'''& &5e's not my type, you know,& ( purred, knowing e actly what my husband needed' &0ot'''even'''close,& ( crooned, gripping his t2shirt in my hands and pulling myself closer to him' #y lips hovered barely over his as ( whispered, &6id ( thank you for coming to get me, $dward!& &;2;es,& he breathed, his hands gliding over my ,ean clad thighs' &5mm, ( don't think ( did it properly' 6o you!& 5e hummed against my lips, but seemed to come back to reality ,ust as quickly as he'd left it' 9ooking around and then back to me, he whispered, &5ere!& ( smiled, dragging my tongue across my bottom lip' &0o one is out here, are they!& &020o,& he sputtered, giving another glance around, but ( was already snaking my fingers under his t2shirt, pushing and tugging on it until he relented' "eaching behind him, he grasped a fistful of the material and swiftly pulled it off over his head' &Bella,& he breathed, his hands gripping my ass and pressing me closer, but his voice sounded like relief, like this was what he needed to ,ust let go' 0imble, knowing fingers released the top two buttons of my shirt, tugging at the collar and my bra strap until my shoulder was e posed' ( couldn't help the wanton moan that erupted from me when $dward was not so gentle, not so sweet, using teeth roughly over my collarbone, the curve of my shoulder, and the sensitive skin where my neck and shoulder met' #y hips rolled over his, the sensation dulled through my denim and his cargo pants, but ( could still feel his want, his need for this * for me' ( whimpered when his actions stayed almost frantic' +ingers dug into my ass cheek, gripped my hair at the base of my neck and practically yanked my mouth to his' $dward's breathing was heavy against my cheek, our noses brushing as he turned his head the other way' 5is tongue claimed my mouth, delving deep with such an erotic swirl that ( felt it everywhere' 5e broke away from my lips, dragging his tongue and teeth down my ,aw and back to my neck, whispering, &5e didn't touch you'& (t was a statement, an affirmation, not a question'

&5e didn't touch me,& ( told him, unable to to keep my hips still when he reached up to tug my bra cup down, e posing my hardened peaks through my barely buttoned shirt' 5e brushed his thumb across my nipple, his eyes dark and locked onto mine' 9eaning forward, his tongue took over the ,ob' &5e didn't touch what was''' mine'& ( panted and shook my head no, squee3ing my eyes closed, because ( reali3ed that this was more than ,ust anger $dward was dealing with' (t was everything that he'd been through since Bethy had been taken' (t was fighting, it was the loss of his family, the loss of his wife, and he couldn't be there to stop anything that had happened to either of us when out of his sight' (t was $dward's loss of control' /nd $dward didn't like not being in control' 5e was about to take it all back' #y back arched, offering myself to him, but really, ( ,ust couldn't help it' #y thighs gripped his as ( straddled him, bucking slightly when he tugged my other bra cup down' )low, tantali3ing circles around my nipples with his tongue brought them to tighter, more sensitive points, and ( was panting as ( watched his mouth on me' 5is eyes locked onto mine as he looked up through his long, dark eyelashes, with deep green eyes filled with such carnal promise that it made my heart sputter' ( watched as a slight twitch quirked up the corner of his mouth when ( cried out at the feel of his flattened tongue raking across my nipple' &$dward,& ( whimpered, gripping his shoulders as he shifted quickly, and ( found myself on my back, laying on his discarded shirt' 9eaves crunched under me, the water trickled ,ust mere feet away, but all that was lost in the feel of my husband settling between my legs and bracing a hand by my head' $dward grabbed the front of my ,eans, tugging me upwards and kissing me senseless, my body bowing to his will' &+uck,& he growled against my mouth, nipping at my bottom lip with his teeth' &Baby, ( want''' =hrist, ( ,ust fucking want you,& he gushed, his hand practically shaking as he lowered my hips back down' ( said nothing, but slipped the fingers of one hand into his hair and trailed down his muscular back with another' ( tried pulled him to me by a firm grip on his ass, but he suddenly launched back from me' /nother sharp glance around, and he flicked open the fly of my ,eans' ( lifted my hips as he ,erked them off of me, tossing them to the wayside, only to fall down back over me' ( was only in my practically open shirt and my underwear out there in the woods, but ( couldn't have cared less at that point, because $dward's hips bucked forward, causing me to call out his name again against his smooth shoulder when he nipped at the flesh

of my neck' 5is hard as hell arousal hit me perfectly through the thin fabric of my thong, and my whole body shuddered at the feel of him not holding back, of giving into whatever was guiding him' ( pushed and shoved at him until he finally fell onto his back, pulling me with him' ( straddled his stomach, pressing him into the leaves and ,ust ga3ing at him as ( caught my breath for ,ust a moment' 5is face was intense and slightly put2off that ('d taken a touch of his control, but he used it to his advantage in order to ogle right back' $dward gritted his teeth, his brow furrowing ,ust a little as he panted beneath me' $very muscle on his upper body was taut and large, like he'd been working out, but ( pushed away the thoughts of what he'd been doing most of the morning, because he was gaping up at me with hungry, desperate eyes' &Bella,& he groaned, reaching for me, but ( grabbed his wrists and held him back' &4hat, $dward!& ( asked, tilting my head at him' &Tell me what you want'& &;ou,& he grunted, his hips bucking under me as he brought his knees up behind me' &*ow!& ( growled, leaning over him and pinning his hands in the grass' &Tell me8& &( need'''to ,ust'''fuck you,& he snapped, and ( let go of his hands' 5e pushed himself up on one elbow, and with the other hand, he grasped my upper arm to hold me still' 5is kiss was searing, all consuming, and full of a need so deep that there may have been no stopping him' 0ot that ( ever had any intention to put an end to what he was doing, because ( was catching up to his fevered mood' <uickly' 5e fell back down, taking me with him, his hands gripping and grasping at my arms, my ass, even my shirt' 5is hips bucked under me again, and ( inhaled sharply at the feel of his belt buckle' &)hit,& he hissed, rolling us over again, so that my back was protected by his t2shirt' &)orry, baby,& he groaned, his forehead falling to mine' &7h, God, $dward'''don't stop,& ( pleaded, cupping either side of his face and kissing him stupid' Bracing one hand by my shoulder, his other traveled slowly, but firmly down my body, until he finally slid it between my legs' The sweet, deep moan that he let out in my mouth when he found me ready and wet for him caused my toes to curl' &( made you this wet,& he stated, pulling back and glaring at me with a heated, almost feral look in in his eye' &Tell me it was me that did this'''& &)weet God, yes,& ( grunted, my hips meeting the delicious rhythm that he was setting over the fabric of my underwear' &:lease, baby'''&

&( want to see you come,& he crooned, licking his lips as his fingers slipped inside the crotch of my panties' &0o, no,& ( panted, shaking my head profusely' &This,& ( begged, palming the outside of his now tented cargo pants' &+uck, $dward''' ( need this'''& ( ,ust wanted, neededhim inside of me' ( needed to feel connected to him, feel him want me, unrestrained, unhindered, without anyone or anything around us to hear him' ( wanted to watch him lose himself in me, because ,ust the mere thought of it caused my center to clench and my stomach to tingle with anticipation of being taken over by him' ( didn't give him a chance to argue or plan something else' #y hands were on his belt, his button, and his 3ipper before he could say another word' 5e was so hard that the tip of him was almost to the waistband of his bo er briefs' 5e was hard, warm, smooth, and already leaking from the tip' ( licked my lips as he held himself above me, finally locking ga3es with him' /s ( shoved his pants and underwear down over his ass, his cock sprang free of its confines, leaving his pants to protect his knees from the foliage underneath us' &( want to come around this, $dward,& ( told him, wrapping my hand around him and giving him one good, long, firm stroke' &+uck, Bella,& he grunted, using his thumb to push my thong to the side, which in turn caused my breath to catch when he brushed roughly across my clit' &#ove that hand, sweetness,& he commanded, and a drop of his sweat fell from his brow, down to my chest' 5e hooked an arm under my leg, bringing it up between us and lining up with my entrance' $dward paused, locking eyes with me and giving me the se iest, most panty2dropping smile, before sheathing himself completely' &5oly fucking hell8& ( hissed through gritted teeth, my eyes rolling back into my head and my neck arching upward as ( gripped his shoulders' (t was all ( could do to ,ust hang on, because his hips pulled back and pushed forward with a deep, swiveling rhythm' 5is forehead pressed to mine, but his eyes stayed locked onto my face' (t seemed he was taking in and memori3ing every whimper ( released and every moan that escaped' 5e'd hold back, using shallow strokes, only to push deep inside to hit the spot that always caused my breathing to stop momentarily' 5e'd stroke up when he wanted to press his pelvic bone against my clit, making sure ( came closer and closer to the edge' 9icking across my lips, down my ,aw to my neck, he started murmuring words that were my undoing' &;ou feel so fucking good, baby,& he crooned, nipping at my flesh lightly

enough that it didn't hurt, but with ,ust enough pressure to cause my limbs to pull him in closer' &)o tight, so wet, Bella' ;ou make all the bad shit'''so fucking good'& The emotions that had been building inside of me welled up to an overflowing amount, and ( came hard around him, biting down on his shoulder with ,ust enough teeth to achieve the erotic moan ( was searching for' 5e rode out my spasms, letting my leg go and slipping his arms underneath my back, gripping firmly onto my shoulders' 5is hips pounded against me, and the forest was filled with the sounds of skin slapping skin' $dward grunted when my legs wrapped high around his waist, my heels digging into his ass to bring him deeper, closer' ( knew that if he were to let go of my shoulders, my back would be skinned from the leaves under me, despite the t2shirt ( was on' $dward was losing himself in me, but his protection never ended' $ven from himself' But even with all of that, ( could tell he was holding back' That he was allowing all the shit he'd been through to surface' &Baby, let go,& ( urged, kissing up his shoulder to his ear' &(t's okay, $dward' ;ou can let it go now'''& ( gripped his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his head when he buried his face in my neck' 5is hips faltered in his rhythm, ,ust before he came with a deep, groaning, &Bella, fuck'''& 7ur bodies were sticky with perspiration, but ( kept him close as he breathed heavily against my neck, placing random kisses here and there' &(2( w2wanted to k2kill him for t2touching you,& he sputtered softly into my neck' ( felt him shake his head and sigh deeply' &( know, baby,& ( soothed, dragging my fingers up and down his spine' &5e didn't'& $dward's non2committal sound made me smile against his ,aw' ('m not sure if he'd ever change his over2protectiveness when it came to my past' /nd ('m not sure ('d ever want him to' &( love you,& ( whispered softly against his stubble, kissing his cheek and running my fingers through his hair over and over' &7h, God, sweetness, ( love you so much,& he sighed, finally pulling back to allow me to see his handsome face' &;ou okay!& he asked for the millionth time since he'd removed me from my cell' ( grinned up at him, biting my bottom lip' &;eah' :erfect'& 5e huffed a laugh, kissing my lips softly' &;ou know, ( came out here to tell you we were leaving the mountain in a few hours'''&

( giggled, shaking my head' &5mm''' ( like that ( can distract you, #r' =ullen'& &.esus,& he chuckled, looking around us and then back to me' &;ou really have no idea, love'& ( giggled again, burying my face in his neck' 5e hugged me closer, laughing with me' &=ome on, sweetness' Get your beautiful ass dressed' ( want to go home,& he ordered, popping his hand against my thigh lightly' &7h8& ( gasped, sitting up with him' &;ou mean we're leaving,leaving8& 5e laughed, cupping my face and kissing my lips quickly' &;es' ;ou would've known this, had you not seduced me in the woods'& &)hut it,& ( snapped teasingly, now in a hurry to tug my ,eans back on' &;ou loved it,& ( told him with authority, pointing a finger at him, before standing up to pull up my 3ipper' 5e grinned, pulling his shirt back over his head and grabbing my finger' 5e tugged, causing me to stumbled into him' &( did' /nd ('m pretty sure ( wasn't complaining, love' 0ow'''& he huffed, nodding once, &let's go see our girl'&

CHAPTER 13
E!"#$!
There wasn't much that could stop the breath of relief that came with pulling in my own fucking driveway, despite the +B( guards that let us in' The beautiful, fidgety woman at my side in the back seat of $lea3ar's )?- couldn't wait, either' Bella was about to burst open at the seams, she needed to see Bethy so badly' ( couldn't blame her, because the last time my wife had seen our daughter, she was setting her out a window in order to save her' The shit with 4alter and 9ilith was far from over' 4e still needed to find them, because we'd all promised $lea3ar that we'd help' /nd Bella wanted to catch 9ilith, simply to get her off the fucking streets' By now, there was no telling what that cra3y bitch was capable of' Bella's new theory on 9ilith was that she killed her youngest child, Bree' )he was convinced that it wasn't an accident, that /shley had simply found her little sister after the fact' /rmed with this new line of thinking, Bella ordered /lice to dive into 9ilith's life as deep as she could go, stating that in order to stop future issues, we needed to go back to the beginning' 4e needed to know what made 9ilith fall off the deep end mentally' (f 4alter was using 9ilith as a driving vehicle to this shit, then we needed to know everything' $lea3ar was continuing to run the investigation, in cooperation with Benny and 4es' 7ur suspects * "oy, $arl, Bobby, and >enny * were now being held in a military facility until further notice' $l wanted every single person attached to this threat before he finished prosecuting them, because he wanted them all' ( really think he moved >enny to a military base to keep his ass alive and safe from me' /s far as ( was concerned, he deserved no less than what his buddy, "usty, had received' :referably at my own hand' But they wanted to keep him around to continue to ask him questions' ( was pretty sure they were keeping him around to use as bait, but no one had confirmed that suspicion' >urt, however, wasn't to leave $lea3ar's side, at least until he was deemed safe from 4alter1 there were +eds already guarding his mother and sister, while his father, the good doctor, was awaiting trial' ( slipped my hand over Bella's bouncing knee, and she looked up at me with a pleading face' &( know' ('m sorry,& she giggled lightly' &)oon, love,& ( chuckled, leaning in to kiss her head' &(n fact''' ( believe who you're looking for is leading the welcoming committee'&

Bella grinned, her head snapping around to look at the front of the house, as /lice, #akenna, $sme, "ose * along with baby =aleb * all waited patiently for us, with Bethy ,umping up and down in front of them' ( wasn't sure who shot out of the cars quicker * Bella or $mmett * but both were out and running' &#ommy8& Bethy squealed, breaking away from her Gamma to rush to Bella, who immediately scooped her up to smother her in tears and kisses' ( felt my heart finally settle, finally heal closed at the sight of my girls back together' (t was almost an overwhelming feeling, because it had been too long since Bethy had been taken from us, and then right after that, Bella' ( shook my head' ( needed them here' ( needed them home' ( needed them together. /nd ( couldn't stop myself from ,oining them, despite some things that still needed to be discussed with $lea3ar and my father' ( stepped around a reunited /lice and .asper, and #ack and 4es, aiming for Bella, who was forehead to forehead with our little girl' &4ere you good for Gamma and 6addy while ( was gone!& my wife sniffled, trying her damnedest to keep from ,ust sobbing' &;eah,& Bethy breathed, nodding and grinning like a little ray of sunshine' &( helped 6addy wif a mission'''and Gamma and ( made cookies'''and ( took bubble baffs'& &4hat mission!& Bella chuckled, kissing her nose' &( was 6addy's co2pilot,& she stated with a firm, authoritative nod' &/ pilot's got to have someone he can depend on,& ( added, smiling when my baby squealed, reaching for me' &6addy8& she giggled, as Bella handed her over' Two small hands rubbed my two day stubble as ( whispered, &( missed you, little sweetness'& &( missed you, too, 6addy,& she whispered right back, tilting her head at me' &5ave you gotten bigger!& ( asked with a dramatic frown and wrinkle to my brow, grinning at Bella's laugh, because she knew what was coming' &0o8& Bethy yelled, smiling and squirming in my arms' )he pushed at my shoulders, trying to get away, but ( wouldn't let her' &0ope, ('m pretty sure you've gotten bigger, but ( have to check to make sure,& ( told her, bending her upside down so ( could blow raspberries on her belly, which was e posed when her shirt drifted up a bit' ( rubbed my scruffy face along her navel, ,ust to hear her scream into hysterics'

&626addy, no8& she laughed, finally relenting her grip on my t2shirt and holding my face' 4hen ( straightened back up, ( chuckled at her bright red face and panting breaths as she sagged in relief in my arms' &;ep8 6efinitely bigger,& ( confirmed, kissing her forehead' ( turned to Bella, who was smirking at the two of us' &( want this''',ust this'''tonight,& ( sighed' &0o one else' 0othing else, baby'& &#e, too,& Bella agreed softly, locking eyes with me' )he turned to Bethy and smiled' &5ow about a'''living room picnic!& she asked' &;es, yes, yes8& Bethy chanted, sounding like /lice and turning to me' &( want chilwi dogs, 626addy'& &;our wish is my command,& ( chuckled, shaking my head at her pronunciation of chili' &4ell, that means baths after dinner,& Bella muttered wryly, rolling her eyes at my laugh and holding out her arms for Bethy' &=ome with me, baby' 6addy's got some work before he sneaks into our pa,ama party,& she said, ,erking her chin toward $lea3ar, who was pacing on the phone as everyone reunited around him' Bethy went to her mother happily, looking between us' )he was all bright green eyes, her long hair half up and spilling around her shoulders' )he looked so fucking content to have both of us in front of her that it was all ( could do not to love on her some more' )he'd been miserable without Bella home, as was (' &( know we have to leave security here,& Bella said, using a soft tone and locking eyes with me' &But ( also know that these people are tired, $dward' They've been working nonstop since'''the beginning'& 5er careful choice of words on that last sentence reminded me of why we were all working together in the first place' )he also didn't want to dredge up anything for Bethy if she didn't have to' ( nodded, letting out a slow breath' &('ll see what ( can do' )ome of them won't want to stop,& ( warned her, &but you're right1 they should take at least tonight as a breather'& 4e both stopped our conversation as Bethy reached up and lightly touched the bruise on Bella's face' 5er little brow dipped slightly as she asked, &6oes it hurt, #ommy!& &0o, baby,& Bella said, pulling her curious fingers to her lips' &0o' (t looks worse than it feels'& &4ant me to kiss it!& she asked, shifting around so that she could lean forward, placing her lips to Bella's eye without waiting for an answer' &Better!& &:erfect, pretty girl,& Bella giggled' ( pulled them to me, kissing both their heads, because ( couldn't not hold them and (

wasn't sure it would ever be enough' &( love you both, so much' 6o you know!& ( whispered against Bella's forehead' &9ove you, too,& they both replied, ,ust making me smile all the more' God, they were my fucking world, and it was truly ,ust hitting me, now that they were back in my arms, ,ust how fucking close ( came to losing one or the both of them' The mere thought scared the shit out of me' &Go, $dward,& Bella urged, kissing my chin' &.ust'''fill me in later, okay!& ( nodded, swallowing thickly as they turned away from me' ( heard Bella say, &9et's help 6addy start dinner, huh!& as she walked into the house' &)on,& my dad stated from my side, and ( spun to look at him, his ga3e softening at my e pression' &( promise not to take you away from that too long, $dward, but we need to talk about the ne t steps' Give me'''an hour!& ( nodded' &;eah, and then, don't you think everyone needs one night off!& &$l's already told them that' 4e're to meet back here in twenty2four hours, but he wants to go over security with the teams now'& &7kay,& ( sighed, knowing that at least ('d have one day to not think about 4alter or 9ilith or bomb threats' &9et's do this,& ( grunted, following him and the rest of the team, minus $sme, into Gravity's office'

%E&&#
&5ere, pretty girl,& ( said, setting Bethy on a stool in the kitchen so she could draw while ( worked' &4e'll start the chili for 6addy' 5e can come in and make it perfect, yeah!& &;eah,& my baby sighed, grinning at the mention of $dward' ( turned to the fridge, tugging open the door to see it well stocked' &$sme,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &( figured one less worry, Bella,& she chuckled from behind me, opening her arms when ( ran to her' &;ou look like hell, sweetie,& she whispered against my temple, &but at least you're in one piece'& ( laughed, truly laughed, for the first time in a few days' 9eave it to my mother2in2law to point out the obvious and make it all okay' &Gee, thanks,& ( scoffed, rolling my eyes and pulling back to look at her' &#y self esteem ,ust plummeted'& $sme grinned, waving me away with a smirk' &;ou know what ( meant, silly,& she stated, starting to help me in the kitchen'

$dward liked to make some things his own way, but the basics could at least be started for him' $sme and ( set about chopping onions, dicing tomatoes, and browning the meat for his chili' ( knew Bethy would want macaroni salad, as well, and her big grin as she watched me pour the pasta into the boiling water was my confirmation' &5ow was she when she got home!& ( asked $sme softly, making sure Bethy was absorbed in her coloring' &0ot a scratch on her,& she stated, stirring in the tomatoes' &)he's strong, like you, but she clung to $dward like a second skin once he had her back here' )wore he would leave her like you did'& ( inhaled sharply, tears blurring my vision' &( had to get her away'''& &)he knows that' 5e e plained it to her, Bella' But when she told him where he could find you, they'd already taken you' (t was like you left' (t's how she saw it'& ( nodded, roughly swiping at my tears' &( didn't care what they did to me, but ( had to get those girls away from that hotel, $sme'& &(t was'''the best decision, and one that ( couldn't imagine making myself, sweetie,& $sme soothed with a kiss to the side of my head' &5ow's /bby!& ( asked, looking up at her after giving Bethy another glance' &Benny set it up so that ( could observe her on a professional level,& she started, pulling down spices from the rack over the sink' &#rs' =armichael brought /bby over the day before yesterday' / play date of sorts, but it really was for me to see if all three of them were handling things okay'& &/re they! /nd what do they know now!& &They are, and everything,& she stated with a shrug at my gasp' 4e'd tried so hard to keep #rs' =armichael out of the loop, because we didn't want her hurt or involved too closely' (t really was for her safety' )he was a single mother that worked in retail for a living, so it wasn't like she could handle any of this shit that came her way' &4es had no choice but to tell her what really happened,& $sme continued, &because /bby blurted out a lot of things once she was in the comfort of her own home' 5ow you came to save her, how '#r' $dward' stopped a bad guy, how >urt gave them doughnuts, but mostly, it was how Bethy kept her'''protected' )he told her mother that Bethy would stop the '#ean #an' from bothering them, how she wouldn't let them get separated'& &;ou got all that from a four year old!& ( asked'

&0o,& she chuckled' &( got it from listening to her mother, and then watching the interaction between Bethy and /bby' Bethy is the stronger of the two, more outgoing' ;ou and $dward made her that way, ,ust by being an e ample, and even /bby's mother noticed it'& &#rs' =armichael is pissed, huh!& &/t first, she was' But 4es e plained how you put yourself out there in harm's way to rectify the situation, and he elaborated that it's what you do for a living' 4hen she found out that you had taken the girls' place, she was horrified and offered any help, like babysitting, if you needed it'& ( sighed, shaking my head' &/bby was in the wrong place at the wrong time' ( think they took them both because >enny and "usty were too stupid to tell the difference between the two'& $sme chuckled softly, but her face sobered up ,ust as quickly' &4hat about you, sweetie! 6id they''' ( mean''' are you!& ( smiled and shook my head' &7h no, ('m fine' ( know what you're aiming at, and no''' They didn't hurt me that way' They basically ,ust locked me up'& &But this!& she asked, touching my bruised eye and cheek gently' &9ilith,& ( sneered, focusing more on stirring my pasta than $sme's e pression' &9et's ,ust say that she and ( aren't finished'& &+air enough,& she conceded, making me look at her' &( actually wouldn't mind having a word with her myself'& ( chuckled, loving the slightly evil look in her eye' &;ou mean you want root around in her cra3y head'''& &)ure, Bells, if that's what you want to call it'& )he grinned wider when ( giggled at her' &('m having /lice pull 9ilith's history, $sme' 4ould you take a look at it when she's put it together!& &6efinitely' 0ow, have you got this! Because if so, ('m going to pack our things' /s soon as that little meeting is done out there, ('m getting all of these people out of your house' /t least for the night'''& she said, giving Bethy a loving ga3e' &)he needs you two * ,ust you two * tonight'& &;eah,& ( sighed contentedly, smiling at my little one, who was happily humming, kicking her feet, and coloring away' &Thanks, $sme'&

The chili was simmering slowly, the hotdogs were ready to set on the flat grill, and the macaroni salad was chilling in the fridge when the front screen door opened and slammed back' &4here are my girls!& $dward growled, and Bethy and ( giggled' &)hh,& ( told her, pulling the covers up and over our heads as we lay on the makeshift pallet we'd spread out on the living room floor while we were waiting for him to ,oin us' Thudding boots thumped into the kitchen, and ( could hear him check dinner, making him chuckle softly' &4ell, they've been busy, anyway,& he muttered in humor' ( grinned at Bethy, who had both hands over her mouth to stop from laughing' &;ou won't like it if ( have to hunt you two down,& he warned teasingly' &( believe that's punishable by'''tickling'& Bethy squeaked, her eyes wide as she listened to more heavy footfalls' ( couldn't help but love how she fell for everything he ever threw at her * every taunt, tease, and innocent threat' )he couldn't take it''' the suspense' The hiding was killing her, so she threw back the covers, yelling, &5ere, 6addy8& 5owever, black military boots were right there when she e posed us, and she screamed, squirming off of me to get away' 5is amusement could barely be contained as he stepped over me to scoop her up' &4hy were you hiding!& he growled into her neck, sitting down ne t to me and tickling her relentlessly' )he squealed into hysterics, her little hands pushing at his hands to get him to stop' &#ommy said to8& she confessed breathlessly' &7h ho8& $dward sang, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline' &#ommy, huh!& he asked, setting her on her feet, only to attack my sides' &$dward, stop8& ( laughed, trying to get closer to him and away from him at the same time as ( writhed under his fingers' 5e chuckled, pulling me closer as ( breathed, &;ou're way too overdressed for a slumber party, +addy' Go change, and ('ll start the hotdogs' Then you can make sure your chili is up to scratch'& 5e smiled, kissing us both before standing up' &;es, ma'am,& he grunted like the soldier he was, and much to his daughter's amusement, he saluted me'

( shook my head and turned to Bethy' &Go wash your hands, baby' 4e're going to eat soon'& &7kay, #ommy,& she chirped' The sound of little thumping footfalls followed behind heavy masculine ones down the hallway, and my heart ,ust about e ploded' #y house had been too fucking quiet without her here' (t had felt wrong and off2kilter' Bethy completed $dward and me like nothing ever could' 4e were really fucking good before, but with her, we were damned near perfect' $dward was silly and fun with her, beaming with pride at ,ust about everything she did, and ( could cater to them both, because the minute ('d found out ( was pregnant with her, my heart had e panded to a whole other level of love' (t was full and ,ust more. ( padded into the kitchen to check the chili and to warm up the flat grill' ( could hear $dward tell Bethy to pick a movie, and &not the mermaid one again'& ( smiled when she debated the benefits of watching it again, but she finally settled for 3inding 1emo' ( didn't reali3e there were tears streaming down my face until $dward turned me around to face him in front of the stove' &5ey, what's this!& he asked, wiping them gently away with his thumbs as a sweet, loving e pression took over his handsome face' &( ,ust fucking missed her,& ( breathed, shaking my head' &.ust all of it' 5er chattering, her smell, her''',ust everything'& ( found myself pulled to him and wrapped in warm, strong arms as kisses were dropped to the top of my head' $dward had changed into pa,ama pants and a wife beater undershirt, and he smelled clean, like the detergent ( used, combined with that completely different smell that was ,ust'''$dward' ( melted into him, allowing his heartbeat ne t to my ear to settle my very soul' &The first day ( brought her home,& he started in a whisper, &( couldn't put her down' ( carried her around for hours' /nd she let me'& 5e chuckled once so very softly' &That 'mission' she told you about''' ( couldn't not take her with me, because she needed me ,ust as much as ( needed her' 4e flew over the compound to grab recon photos for /lice' /lec strapped her into the co2pilot seat'& ( grinned and sniffled at the same time, because ( knew Bethy loved nothing more than flying with her daddy' )he had to dress like him, wear a baseball cap like him, and ('d even found a little pink headset through Twi Tech for her to be able to hear him' &)o the fact that ( ,ust want to squee3e her and kiss her to death isn't wrong!& ( asked, sniffling a little more at his laugh'

&5ardly,& he said with a grin and a kiss to my forehead' &( feel that way about both of you right now'& &/re you coming, or what!& we heard from the living room, and we both laughed, turning toward the stove' &0o, sweetness,& $dward said with a shake of his head, turning me around' &Go be with her' ('ll bring this in'& ( stood up on my toes and kissed his lips softly, whispering, &( love you'& &9ove you, too, baby' Go8& he chuckled, patting my ass and shooing me from his kitchen'

E!"#$!
&6o it again, #ommy8& Bethy giggled, her happiness echoing out of the bathroom as ( cleaned up the dinner dishes' #y daughter, true to her nature, was a mess by the time she'd eaten one and a half chili dogs' )he'd had chili everywhere * on her face, her clothes, her hands' 7nce she'd stated she was full, Bella had scooped her up, practically setting her fully clothed into the bathtub' ( could hear toys clunking against the side of the tub, my wife's chuckle, and my little girl's innocent chatter' ( took a deep breath, letting it out as ( braced my arms on the counter' This was how my house was supposed to sound' The e cruciating days without one or both of them weren't such a faraway memory' (t wouldn't fucking happen again' #y only reason for continuing with $lea3ar was to insure that 9ilith or 4alter or anyone else they may recruit would never fucking touch my family again * or anyone else's' /nd my father was most likely thinking the same thing, because he adored my wife like his own daughter, and there wasn't a fucking thing Bethy could ask of him that he wouldn't give her' &7kay, silly girl, lean back so we can rinse your hair,& Bella chuckled as ( finished up with a wipe2down of the counter' ( tossed the rag into the sink, wiped my hands on my pants, and quietly walked down the hall to lean in the doorway' ( grinned, shaking my head' Bella's shirt was probably as wet as our slippery girl, as she wrapped Bethy in a big, fluffy pink towel and proceeded to rub her head to get rid of the e cess water from her hair' The room was damp, smelling of baby shampoo and soap and ,ust clean little girl' &5i, 6addy,& she giggled, because she could barely stand up as her mother dried her

hair roughly' &7h, there you are8& ( teased her, sighing with relief' &( couldn't find you under all that chili'& Bella barked a laugh, giving me a wry glance over her shoulder' &#ommy said ( ate l2like a p2pig,& she sputtered, grinning with pride' &4ell, ne t time, we'll ,ust use a trough like /unt >ate does,& ( told her with a shrug' &0o8& she argued, laughing as Bella set her on the bath mat to dress her in her favorite pa,amas * the /ir +orce ones my father had bought her' 7nce she was dressed and teeth brushed, Bethy ran to me, and ( scooped her up' &Better, 6addy! =an you see my face now!& &;up,& ( confirmed with a nod, &including one new freckle8& &0uh uh8& she argued, shaking her head' &4here!& &"ight'''here,& ( chuckled, kissing the tip of her nose' &(t's brand new' 0ever seen it before'& Bella snorted softly, rolling her eyes, and grabbed up towels and dirty clothes before slipping by me at the door' &)illy ass,& she muttered low enough only ( heard her, smacking my butt on her way by, but turned to Bethy, handing her a brush' &Take this in the living room, pretty girl' 4e'll brush you out in there'& &7kay, #ommy,& Bethy said, turning to me' &+ly me, 6addy8& ( grinned' &/rms out8& ( ordered, and she stuck both arms out to the side, one hand holding her hair brush in a tight little fist' &Back straight,& ( said, spinning her around, &and toes pointed'& ( swung her up above me so that her stomach was on my head, and then walked her back into the living room' &The landing 3one has been spotted' "eady to ,ump!& &;es, sir8& she giggled, because this was her favorite part' ( flipped her over my head, causing her to do a somersault and landing her softly onto her back in the middle of the pile of sheets and blankets they'd laid out earlier' )he laughed, &6o it again8& &0o, not again,& Bella sighed, coming into the room in a fresh, dry t2shirt, my bo ers sitting low on her hips' &Bethy, do you want another movie or a story!& &)tory8& she answered' &( figured,& she said with a smirk, handing me a book to read' &6addy can read to us, while ( brush out your hair'&

Bella sat down, patting the space between her legs, and Bethy crawled to her and sat down with her back to her mother' ( cracked open 4ind in the 4illows, a different book than the one we'd been reading when Bethy was taken' +or a brief moment, ( allowed myself to watch them, to watch Bella as she carefully picked up the ends of Bethy's hair, brushing out the tangles' )he'd move up higher, and then a little higher with one section of hair, making sure that not one snag hurt Bethy's head' ( started to read, losing myself in the story' )oon, hair was brushed and Bella settled onto her back, her head propped up on pillows' Bethy crawled up to settle onto her front, laying her head on Bella's chest, facing me, her legs on either side of Bella's hips' )tomach to stomach, they stayed quiet, tiny fingers playing with my wife's hair as Bella traced comforting fingers up and down Bethy's back' They'd been doing that since Bethy was born, laying that way' (t was almost like Bethy was trying to crawl back inside her mother, or maybe it was ,ust the sound of a familiar heartbeat, but ( knew my daughter wasn't going to be awake for much longer' /nother few pages, and ( looked over to see they were both out cold' ( closed the book and set it aside, ,ust looking at them' (t reminded me of the night of my dad's wedding, when ( came upstairs to our hotel suite to see them both curled together on the bed' Two brunettes' 7ne with the face of an angel, and the other was ,ust stunningly beautiful' 7ne with freckles, and the other with a face that could finally rela ' ( reached out, tucking a lock of hair behind Bethy's ear' 9eaning over, ( brushed the lightest of kisses to Bella's forehead' God, ( fucking loved them both with a tenacity that was almost insane' 4hen ('d rescued Bella from #iller's dungeon, ('d fallen for her instantly1 ( ,ust didn't know how it would work' 4hen we figured out what we were doing, even with all of Bella's healing that she had to do, ( swore to myself that ('d spend the rest of my life taking care of her' ('d never, ever felt the way about anyone like ( did my Bella' 4e ,ust'''fit' ( smiled down at my girls as Bethy shifted a bit and Bella encircled her with loving arms, even in sleep' ( remembered when Bella told me she was pregnant1 she'd been petrified * more petrified than with any mission or client she'd ever taken, ('d have been willing to bet' )he didn't know that ( was ready for it all with her' )he didn't know that my father and ( had discussed wives and grandkids on the way to get her, that ('d already come to terms with quitting the soldier for hire business, even before ( kissed her stupid in the stairwell of a law firm' ( knew Bella's fear then' ( hadn't e actly been on the straight and narrow when it came to women prior to her' ('d been a free and single soldier, only ever looking for the good time' That had all changed with her' )o by the time she'd gotten pregnant with Bethy, (

was so in' ( wanted it all' ( wanted love and family' ( wanted the comfort that Bella brought that ( hadn't felt since my mother was alive' /s ( looked down at the two of them and slipped down closer under the covers, ( reali3ed that ( had it all' $verything, and then some' ('d lost it for a bit, but ( was the most fucking grateful man that ever lived, because ( had them back'

( sipped my coffee, turning the page of the newspaper as quietly as ( could' ( was sitting at the kitchen counter, always up before Bethy and Bella' Those two could really sleep' The sun was ,ust peeking out on the other side of the woods, and ( glanced up through the window as three of $lea3ar's men grabbed themselves a cup of coffee ('d set out for them' They were guarding my property, my family1 the least ( could do is keep them fed and awake until their shift change * if they even got a shift change' The news was filled with articles on the fiasco at the train station, the compound on the mountain, and the return of =arla and #alcolm 6anvers' /ll those things were &supposedly linked to one man,& but the identity of the suspects were being withheld from the media' There was no mention of the 6'7'/', and miraculously, $lea3ar had kept all of the ties of the mountain property to 4alter Bridges out of the limelight' /s of right now, the 6anvers family was in protective custody until the unknown suspects were caught' 4arm arms wrapped around my waist from the side, and a kiss met my bare upper arm' ( smiled, turning to look at Bella, who had apparently been up long enough to toss her hair up into a ponytail and brush her teeth' &#orning, sweetness,& ( said, turning to face her' &5mm, morning,& she hummed against my lips, moving to stand between my legs on the bottom rung of the stool ( was sitting on' &)orry ( fell asleep last night'& &('m not,& ( admitted, shaking my head and rubbing my hands down her back to her bottom' &;ou were e hausted, love' ('d blame my monotone reading voice, but ( think it was ,ust being home'& )he giggled softly, wrapping her arms around my neck' &0ot monotone'''comforting'& ( chuckled' ?nable to resist her, ( pulled her all the way onto my lap so that her legs straddled mine' &Glad you and Bethy think so' 4here is she!& &=urled up on your pillow in the living room,& Bella sighed, running her fingers through

my hair' &;ou ran this morning!& she asked, noticing my freshly showered and still damp hair' &#mhm,& ( breathed into her neck, and then opened my mouth to her delicious skin' &( ran, ( finished the dollhouse, and ( made coffee,& ( murmured against the soft spot behind her ear, smiling when she shivered' &(t's true what they say then''' ;ou really do accomplish more before seven in the morning than most people do all day,& she chuckled, gliding her hands soft over my bare chest and trailing her fingers around the waistband of my ,eans' &That's the !rmy again, sweetness,& ( sighed dramatically' )he laughed softly, her head falling back' &7ops, sorry8& &Though you're right * the concept is the same,& ( said with a laugh, wrapping both my arms around her' &4hat are we doing today, love! 4e have until later this afternoon to ourselves'& &/nd the three guards outside,& she added with a smirk' &( don't care' 4e could stick around here' ( have the furniture for that dollhouse already, if you want to give it to her'& #y eyebrows rose' &( thought we were taking her to the hobby shop downtown'''& &5ave you ever taken her in there!& my wife huffed, rolling her eyes at me when ( shook my head no' &( can't get her out' #r' #c9endon may have adopted her as a grandchild8 5e shows her every new thing he can think of'& ( grinned, because the old man was damned cool' 5e could build the most detailed model train tracks ('d ever seen' 5e had an enormous display of radio controlled toys, from cars to helicopters, and his wife made the best brownies on earth' They were a really sweet old couple, and they'd been running that shop since before ('d moved to +orks with my dad' &( had #rs' #c9endon pick out her favorite things for the dollhouse, and she set them aside for me' ( picked them up a few weeks ago,& Bella e plained with a shrug' &Besides, it'll mean more that she can ,ust'''start playing with it' (t's like getting a toy that needs batteries and there aren't any to be found'& ( wrinkled my nose' ( hadn't thought about it like that' &Girl thing!& ( verified' &0o, little kid thing,& Bella giggled, leaning in to kiss my lips' &/ live2in2the2moment, no patience thing'& &/h, gotcha,& ( snickered, slipping my hands ,ust inside the hem of her bo ers' Bella reached over and picked up my coffee, taking a sip' ('d missed casual )unday

mornings like this' )he'd steal my coffee, or if she had to be up early, she'd have one waiting for me after my morning run' 4e'd sit in the kitchen or in the porch swing until Bethy woke up' 4e'd talk about whatever case she was working on or ,ust read the paper to each other' The sudden reappearance of that feeling of comfort made me lean in and kiss her cheek, her chin, and then her lips' )he let out a contented sigh, holding the coffee mug with both hands between us' &Tell me what ( missed in that meeting last night'& &0ot much,& ( stated with a shrug' &(t was basically a rundown of security measures we were to follow from this point on' $veryone is to be armed at all times' =ommunication at all times' >eep your eyes open for anyone that might even resemble 4alter or 9ilith' 4e weren't getting into anything big until this afternoon' $lea3ar ,ust wanted us to get some rest, but be careful' 5e thanked everyone for their help, and gave anyone that didn't want to continue an out'& &6id anyone quit!& &0o, not a one' (n fact, some may show up early, because they'll want this place as secure as possible,& ( stated, because /lec and $mmett had said that very thing' (n fact, everyone had stayed damn close last night' $mmett and "ose were with =aleb at my father's house right around the corner1 they hadn't wanted to go all the way back to their house in )eattle' /lec, #ickey, and 7bie were there, too' /lice and .asper had offered )am their spare bedroom, and he'd gratefully taken it' $lea3ar and his men were at a small inn ,ust inside town' 4es and #akenna had a small apartment downtown, and they'd offered their couch to Benny' 0o one was taking chances with this place, Bella, or Bethy again' 0o one would say it, but ( could tell that was why they were all sticking so fucking close' &/nd what happens if security is breached here!& she asked, taking another sip' ( could tell by her tone and from the look on her face that she didn't believe it could happen, but it was a fair question' &Then ( get you and Bethy to /unt >ate's' :eriod' 4e'll re2group up there, or something' ( won't'''( can't take any chances this time around, sweetness'& ( nearly begged with that last sentence, because ( could see that she was about to protest' &( need you with me on this, because you and Bethy could still be a target' (2( f2fucking c2can't go th2 through th2that a2again,& ( sputtered, because the thought made me sick' &7kay, okay,& she soothed, setting the coffee mug down and reaching up to run her fingers through my hair' &(t was only a question, baby'& ( nodded, allowing her touch to calm me and pulling her closer' &/nyway,& ( sighed, ga3ing up at her sweet brown eyes, &( imagine the real work starts today'&

)he nodded, leaning in to kiss my forehead, and said, &;eah, ( think ('ll work the computers with /lice today' >nowing her, she's already set up some sort of alert for the first time 4alter or 9ilith use their names, but ( want to research 9ilith's past' ( also want to know who started that ridiculous 6'7'/'& ( smirked up at her, because she was damned smart and brave, and ( couldn't imagine any other person that ('d rather have in my corner * whether it was doing research or holding a fucking gun' 0othing kept my girl down for long' 0othing' )he was tough and determined, and always willing to get back up, dust herself off, and start again' But all ( said was''' &+uck, you're beautiful,& ( breathed, almost incompetent with my love for her' )he smiled, slow and warm and sweet' &( love you, too, $dward'& ( chuckled softly, leaning in to kiss her, because she always knew what ( meant, even when ( didn't' ( captured her bottom lip, and then her top, allowing my tongue the mere teasing taste of her' #y hands slid farther into the legs of her bo ers, gripping her ass fully' Bella's hands glided up my arms, over my shoulders, to my neck, holding me where she wanted me so that she could turn her head' +uck, her kiss was deep and wet and all things that made me moan shamelessly' / little control left us when Bella's hips rolled ever so slowly and sensually over mine' #y hands were over her t2shirt and under it, in her bo ers and out, gripping them to pull her to me or stop her hips, ( wasn't sure which' +inally, my fingers made purchase in that ponytail of hers, wrapping it around my hand in order to pull her head to the side' / soft, se y whimper escaped her as my mouth assaulted her neck up to her ear, where ( nipped teasingly at her earlobe' #y other hand was up the back of her shirt, palm flat against the smooth skin between her shoulder blades' ( wanted to be everywhere at once with her, but a chilling sound stopped us both cold' &#ommy8& Bethy cried from the living room' 0ot ,ust cried, but wailed' &)hit,& Bella hissed, slipping hurriedly from my lap' &( didn't think about her waking up alone,& she muttered, giving me an apologetic look * for what, ( didn't know' )he never had to apologi3e for Bethy's well being coming first' $ver' #y not so innocent desire left me instantly, and ( followed her into the living room' Bethy was sitting in the middle of the pile of blankets, sheets, and pillows, tears streaming down her face, looking confused and heartbroken' &5ey, hey, pretty girl,& Bella soothed, scooping her up' &('m right here' 4hat's this all about!& Bethy ,ust shook her head, because a three year old couldn't e actly e plain that they

maybe thought the night before was really only a dream, because the way that my daughter was gripping my wife, ('d be willing to bet that was the case' 7ur daughter laid her head on Bella's shoulder as she rocked Bethy back and forth, her grip on Bella's shirt never letting up, but big, pitiful green eyes met mine as the last of her tears ebbed away' ( couldn't resist reaching out and wiping them away, nor could ( stop myself from dropping a kiss to the top of her head' &5ey, baby, sit up and let me look at you,& Bella told her' Bethy pulled back, tilting her head ,ust a little' &6o you need to potty!& she asked, as she brushed sleep rumpled hair back from Bethy's face' Bethy nodded slowly, rubbing her eyes' ( could see what Bella was doing1 she was trying to get back to the normal morning routine' (f the same question she asked every morning was asked now, then maybe Bethy would reali3e that things were okay' ( worried when or if we had to leave her with $sme or #akenna again, because it was inevitable' ( knew what that cry sounded like, and ( hated the thought of hearing it again' &4ell, let's go do that, get you dressed, and then we'll see what sort of trouble we can get your daddy in today, huh!& Bella chuckled, giving me a wink' Bethy cracked the merest hint of a smile my way when ( groaned dramatically for her benefit' ( pointed a finger at both of them' &0o trouble until after breakfast8& ( growled, smirking at Bella's laugh' Bethy sniffled a giggle at me, trying to catch my finger, but ( pulled it away too quickly' &=immanon rolls, 6addy,& she commanded in a voice raspy from sleep' ( laughed, because ( loved the way she said certain words' &;eah, well, maybe a bite of eggs in there, too, huh!& ( suggested, shaking my head at her wrinkled nose' &Go do your''' girly stuff, and ('ll see what ( can find'& Both of them laughed at that statement, and ( watched them walk down the hallway, before turning toward the kitchen to see if ( had anything close to &cimmanon rolls'&

%E&&#
( smiled, looking up from folding laundry' Bethy was babbling quietly as she lost herself to her own imagination on the front porch' )he'd been playing with her dollhouse for

hours' /fter $dward made us breakfast of cinnamon rolls, eggs, and sausage, he'd caved immediately, unable to hold back any longer from giving it to her' 4hatever plans he might have had for the day flew out the window as soon as her big green eyes widened at the sight of it' 7nce he showed her how to open it and ('d given her the dolls and furniture, it was all over' 5er fear, her slight ill temper, and her quiet demeanor that she'd woken up with had drifted away' (t was a beautiful day outside, so $dward had set her up on the front porch' ( was ,ust inside doing laundry, but he was never far from her in the yard' (f he wasn't talking with the security guys $lea3ar had left, then he was doing yard work or messing with the chopper, an ever watchful eye on her from us both' But even more importantly, she could see us' )he didn't always want us hovering when she played, but if she needed to see us, all she had to do was call for us, or look around her, and we were there' /nd $dward and ( were ,ust en,oying being home' (t was teasing, laughing, and getting things done that may have slipped to the wayside since Bethy was taken' (t was comfortable and comforting, and ( think it made us all ,ust a little more at ease' ( stowed the last of the clean towels in the laundry basket, leaving it on the table' ( eased out onto the front porch, smiling at her hum, her little feet kicking in the air behind her as she lay on the floor, and her constant moving of furniture and people inside that dollhouse' ( couldn't imagine what stories she was telling herself, or who those people were to her' /s ( sat down on the top step, leaning my back to the post, she peeked up at me' &5i, #ommy,& she whispered' &5ey, pretty girl' 4hy are we whispering!& ( asked her with a giggle' &)hh8& she chided with a frown' &The baby's sleepin''& ( leaned down ,ust enough to see that there was a little baby in a crib, and then nodded at her' &7kay, sorry,& ( said in a hushed voice' &4hat's the baby's name!& &=aleb $dward,& she said * only, the middle name came out as &$d2wurrd,& which was about as adorable as ( could take' &7h,& ( giggled, shaking my head as $dward ,oined me on the steps' &9ike ?ncle $m and /unt "ose's =aleb!& ( asked' &;up8& she chirped with a nod, but catching sight of her daddy, her little brow wrinkled, before asking, &4hy does =aleb have your name, 626addy!& &7h yeah, why is that!& ( asked, because no one had ever told the whole story surrounding the naming of =aleb'

$dward grinned, not ,ust with amusement, but with utter hilarity' &;ou mean "ose hasn't told you!& &( don't think she knows' 7nly that you saved $mmett in /fghanistan'& ( shrugged, opening my arms for Bethy when she came to sit in my lap' &7h, ( saved him, all right,& he laughed evilly, looking to Bethy' &;ou ask your ?ncle $mmett to tell you why, little sweetness' They'll be here soon'& &7kay,& she said with a grin, going back to her dollhouse' )he did ,ust that when they arrived not long after' $mmett, "ose, and =aleb weren't out of their car and seated on the front porch for two minutes, before Bethy was tugging his sleeve' &?nca $m8& she said, tugging again as he sat down beside $dward, who could barely contain his low chuckle from his seat on the front steps' "ose and ( had moved to the swing and were both cooing at =aleb' &4hat, baby girl!& he laughed, looking curiously at $dward' &4hy does =aleb have my daddy's name!& she asked him, and ( elbowed "ose to look at $dward's silent laughter' &/w, $d''' 6id you put her up to this!& $mmett groaned, shaking his head' &0o8& $dward barked a laugh' &But why don't you tell her'''tell them all, since you've kept it from even your wife'& "ose snorted and looked at me as ( shrugged at her' &)pill it, $m,& "ose ordered' &/pparently, we're missing the ,oke'& &$dward saved me in /fghanistan,& $mmett muttered to Bethy, but now we were all too curious' &0o way' #ore8& ( laughed' $dward smirked, waving Bethy over' &)ince your ?ncle $mmett is too chicken to say, ('ll tell you, little sweetness'& 5e set her on his lap, kissing her head and giving one more glance to $mmett, who was looking ashen' &;our ?ncle $m,& he started, only speaking to Bethy' &4ell, he had a lot of friends that were girls' /nd one day, he made the wrong one mad'& &5ow!& she asked, and "ose and ( chuckled, because ( wasn't sure if the story was even appropriate for her, and ( was pretty sure that both $mmett and $dward were about to dig their own graves' &5e ,ust'''um, stopped being her friend one day, and she got very upset,& my husband

continued, using a tone of voice as if this were a fucking fairy tale, but it was $mmett's slumped shoulders and hanging head that you couldn't miss' &(n fact, she got so upset, she told her older brother' /nd he decided to relieve your ?ncle $mmett of some'''very important body parts with a really big knife'''and ?ncle $mmett would have been forced to get married'& &7h 9ord,& ( groaned' &4as she a local over there, $mmett!& &;es,& both $dward and $mmett answered, though the former was with much more enthusiasm than the latter' "ose laughed, her head falling back' &7nly you, $m' ( swear,& she chortled' &4hat body parts, 6addy!& Bethy chimed in' &(t's not important,& $dward rushed, his cheeks tinging a touch of pink' &4hat is important was that ( had to swoop in and save the day by proving that this girl had more than one friend' 7therwise, your ?ncle $mmett would have been a little bit lighter, but he would have had a fine heard of camels'& "ose and ( collapsed in a heap of laughter, causing baby =aleb to gurgle up at us' &)o ( promised to name my first born son after him, okay!& $mmett growled, unable to not smile, because it was hilarious' &7h, wait, wait, wait,& ( sniffled, wiping the tears from my eyes and pointing to $dward' &Tell me, hero''' 5ow did you prove her'''other friendships!& ( asked, raising an eyebrow at him' $dward grinned like the cat that swallowed the damned canary' &#ickey took pictures of all her friends' )he liked her /merican soldiers'''lots of them'& &0ice8& "ose and ( guffawed, leaning on each other' ( shook my head, but we all looked up when several cars pulled in the driveway, the first being =arlisle and $sme' )oon, everyone was stepping out onto the lawn' &?nca /lec8& Bethy gushed, almost tripping down the steps to get to him' &#ambina,& he crooned, kneeling down so that she could plant his favorite loud, wet smooches to his cheek, and then she was gone' (t was funny to watch her with them all * her &aunts& and &uncles'& ( think she assumed they were all there to see her, because every last one of them gave her hugs and kisses' &9ittle darlin',& .asper greeted her, scooping her up' 5e whispered something in her ear, and she nodded like cra3y, before he set her down so that she could rush to her grandfather' &:oppy, come look8& she gushed, tugging his hand' &6addy made it8&

=arlisle shot $dward a wink and a squee3e to his shoulder on his way by, but his main focus was his granddaughter' )he showed him everything, and he indulged her ,ust like he always did' $lea3ar was the last car to pull in, and $ric and +eli piled out of the car when he parked it' /s he walked up to the house, $sme appeared in front of me and "ose' &('m on baby duty,& she chuckled sweetly, holding her hands out for =aleb' ( grimaced, giving Bethy a wary glance' &)he's been'''touchy today' (f she gives you any trouble, bring her to me' ( can keep her with me in the office, okay!& $sme nodded, like she'd e pected no less, but we all turned our attention to $lea3ar' 5e nodded to everyone, his face almost grim with seriousness' &7kay, people' 4e've got work to do'&

CHAPTER 14
%E&&#
&4ell, they'll have to fucking show themselves eventually,& =arlisle sighed, leaning back in one of the conference chairs in Gravity's office' &"ight,& .asper agreed, pointing to the board' &They have no money, and everyone they know is being monitored' (s 4es at 4alter's parent's house now!& &;eah, he left after he dropped #akenna off,& $dward murmured, his eyes locked onto pictures of 4alter and 9ilith' &#ickey went with him to see for herself what they were like' )he wants to know if he could be trusted'& &5ey, pi ie, did we ever find out if the Bridges have property outside the country!& $mmett asked, pulling down cleared aerial photos of properties that we'd had local police check into' &0ot mine,& she called out, typing furiously' ( chuckled, because there was so much research going on in the computer room that ( was afraid we'd blow the power and the internet' /lice was pulling everything she could * legal or not * concerning 9ilith 9aray, because we needed to know her complete history' "ose was doing the e act same for 4alter Bridges, even though we thought we had everything already1 we ,ust wanted to be sure' ( was tracing the history of the 6'7'/', trying to find out if there were other communes like the one on the mountain top' &That's mine8& #ack called out, typing away and clearly frustrated' &/nd no' ( haven't finished yet' ;ou know, it's a big damn globe, guys8& "ose and ( smirked at each other, especially when the boys apologi3ed behind us and moved on to the ne t question' &6id we ever find out what building they were going to attack!& /lec asked as he paced a little behind us' &0o,& $lea3ar answered' &( don't think 4alter told them, to be honest, because not one of those guys have that answer' 0ot even >enny' 5owever, ('m going to ask >urt again when he gets here'& &4here is he!& =arlisle asked' &4ith one of my men' ( allowed him a visit to his mother and sister today, because ('m pulling them into protective custody in about'''&Bhe paused, looking at his watch B&five minutes'&

&/nd his dad!& ( called out over my shoulder, getting to a stopping point on my screen in order to be able to turn around' &4hat about 6r' -ernon!& ( asked $lea3ar' &5e's in solitary, Bella' 5e's safer there than anywhere, because 4alter's not going to go anywhere near the police, a ,ail, or a +ederal building right now' 5is face is everywhere'& &5as anyone bothered to check on )hady Glen!& "ose piped up' &( mean, if ( were'''cra3y,& she said with a grin, &('d want to blow up the place that kept me locked up'& 0o one said anything, but /lice's head snapped up and looked around' &"eally! 0one of you bothered to think it might be )hady Glen!& she gasped, spinning around in her chair' &4ell, shit, shit, shit'''& )he turned back to her desk, pulling another keyboard to her, but we all stopped when a voice that rarely spoke out in these types of meetings rumbled softly' &( don't think it would be )hady Glen,& )am said, and we all turned to look at him' &( think it's Twi Towers'& #y eyebrows shot up, because he'd said the one building that ('d been afraid to think of' &(f this 4alter guy was seeking revenge for the closing of that lumber mill, then he'd want to go to the source, yeah!& he asked, and we all nodded a bit' &Twi Tech closed that mill' /nd despite the fact that you set up some sort of ,ob relocation program,& he urged, holding up his hand when =arlisle started to speak, &some of them didn't take so kindly to it' (f ( was a betting man, ('d put my money there'& =arlisle paled, and ( didn't even have to ask why' There were hundreds of lives on the line in that building * people he knew, people he liked, people that had worked there for years''' even for my father' &7h shit,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &7kay, okay, okay,& /lice chanted in a soothing tone' &/t least we dismantled the bomb, right! )o we have time to figure it out'& ( opened my mouth to speak, but snapped it closed' &4hat, Bella!& $dward asked, stepping forward to lean against the table' &4hatever you've found, let's hear it, sweetness'& ( grimaced, pulling my laptop from the desk and setting it on the conference table' &('m not sure, so don't take this shit as fact' ('m still following my line of thinking here' 7kay!& ( asked, making sure everyone was paying attention' &( wanted to know e actly where this group came from, but the problem ('m running into is'''they aren't e actly

technologically inclined' They don't post manifestos or goals or even any grievances online or in newspapers * or anywhere, for that matter' )o finding them has been difficult' &4hen 4es originally found out about them, we thought they were ,ust some locals gathering together,& ( continued, pulling up a map of the continental ?')' &( think this group started in the )outh * Te as, Georgia, and +lorida, specifically' (t's some leftover shit from the =ivil 4ar' ;ou know, like it e isted back then, and someone copied it now'''& .asper laughed, shaking his head and walking to stand behind me' &0o way, Bells' "eally!& &9ike ( said, ('m not sure,& ( told him with a shrug' &('m still looking into it' But if ('m right, then this little sunshine club is meeting in three other states'& ( held up my hands when they all started talking at once' &4ait' 0ow, 4alter wasn't the leader, if that's the case' There's a name that keeps popping up, no matter what state ('m looking in' .ohn 6wight $rvin'& ( pulled up a screen where ('d run a background check' &There's not much on him' 5e was born in Georgia, was moved to Te as due to his father's military career, and was arrested in +lorida for taking a minor across state lines' That's it on him' There's nothing else' (t's like he completely disappeared' 5e doesn't file ta es, doesn't own a home, never got married, and ( couldn't tell you what state he's in if ( tried' 5e's so far off the grid that it's scary' 5e could be anywhere''' if he's even still alive' But his name has popped up once or twice in some Te as police reports for having fundraisers without a permit or some shit' ('m still looking'''& &/nd you think this guy is the leader!& $dward verified' &( don't know, but his name goes further back than anyone's when ( search for 6'7'/'& ( sighed, shaking my head' &5e'd be in his si ties now' The most recent thing with his name on it was that Te as police report' ( have a call into that officer, but he's not in tonight' ( left a message for him to contact $lea3ar'& &Good, Bella,& $lea3ar praised' &;ou know,& he chuckled humorlessly' &('ve seen groups like this' $rvin could have started some protest group in college, but it most likely morphed into something he didn't recogni3e' :eople ,oin * anarchists, radicals, troublemakers * and the groups splinter off into something unlike what the original person wanted it to stand for'& &( know men like this guy,& )am added' &They don't trust anyone * government, police, even grocery stores' They hole up someplace and live off the land' The don't send their kids to school, and you wouldn't know they had any, because they would have been birthed at home' They find remote locations to live, where it's difficult for anyone to find them' They're almost like squatters, because they don't own the land where they

live, or they rent it from someone using cash, so nothing can be traced or recorded'& =arlisle sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose' &( know those men, too' They're usually e 2military' They suffer from :T)6, but it goes untreated, causing them to live in a world of paranoia and fear' They create this blockade against the world'& &This $rvin isn't military,& ( stated with a shrug' &But his father was,& $dward added, pointing to the screen' &5e could have been raised to be this way'& ( smirked when =arlisle scoffed at his son, who grinned back cockily' &+ace facts, old man' ;ou made me what ( am8& he chuckled, laughing even harder when =arlisle flipped him off' &)ee! ;ou're a terrible e ample for an impressionable mind'& ( giggled at the two of them, because despite their teasing of each other, they had a damn strong relationship' =arlisle shot me a wink, turning his attention to $lea3ar' &6o you think our witnesses would know about this .ohn $rvin!& &#aybe,& he replied, pulling out his phone' &('ll have >enny questioned about it'& &But how did this shit get from the )outh to 4ashington!& $mmett asked, pointing to the computer screen' &9ike $l said,& =arlisle started with a shrug' &(t could've started with one group, and then splintered off' #aybe someone got a ,ob or changed colleges, but they brought their beliefs with them, gathering a new group of people'& &:eople are sheep,& /lec murmured, his eyes on the large aerial photo of 4alter's compound' &They're either leaders, or they're followers' The followers need someone to tell them how to think, act, believe' The weaker the mind, the better the little soldier'& &4ell, hell,& "ose stated, shaking her head' &That could e plain 4alter' 5e's a doctor paid to fucking sort out weak minds' 5e would be able to spot the perfect candidate instantly' /nd guess where he lived for a year when he was si teen'''& &Te as!& ( asked' &0ope,& she said, popping the &p& dramatically' &Georgia' 4alter )r' has a brother that lives there' "ight in the middle of no2damn2where'& &5mm,& .asper mused, pulling my laptop to him' 5e pulled up a map of Georgia' &There are parts of that state that still have a full functioning, full fledged >lu >lu >lan order' There are parts where the movie +eliverance isn't that far from the fucking truth' (

mean, you have /tlanta, #acon, Tipton, )avannah'''those are all well known, well developed areas' But ('ve been through small towns that make .erry )pringer look like a debutante ball'& 4e all laughed at that' &But +lorida is no better,& he stated, smirking up at us all' &.acksonville, 7rlando, Tampa, #iami'''those are the cities that come to mind when you think of that state' Tourist shit, beaches' But there are parts of +lorida that still look like temporary fishing towns' There are areas that still look wild * forests, swamps, trees, lakes' (t's untouched, and someone could easily hide themselves there if they knew how to live off the land' &But Te as'''it's fucking huge,& .asper continued, pulling up the state' &There are large e panses there' )mall towns, open spaces' Big ranches aren't uncommon, and you could easily do what 4alter did, which was house several families on one piece of property' 0o one would think anything of it, especially if it was a working ranch'& &7kay, so ('ll keep digging,& ( muttered, taking my laptop back to the desk' &( found the connection between 4alter and 9ilith8& "ose gasped, scooting her chair back so we could all see her screen' &7h, nice feathered hair,& $mmett muttered, his eyebrows raising up high at the sight of 4alter and 9ilith in their high school yearbook' &7kay,& $lea3ar practically sang with a nod' &$ cellent' 0ow we know it was more than ,ust a therapist2slash2patient thing' Good to know' 0ow if we could ,ust find some sort of connection between them and Bradlee 9umber #ill'& &( got that8& /lice yelled, spinning around' &/nd holy shit8 (t's all fucking connected8& 5er eyes were wide with that last declaration' )he turned to =arlisle' &4ho did you buy Bradlee 9umber #ill from in the beginning!& &( didn't,& =arlisle replied' &=harlie already had obtained it by the time ( took over' (t was losing money,& he said, leaning back to the corner table and picking up a file folder' &( had /ngela pull the file for me' =harlie stopped it from closing years ago' 5e liked trying to save local businesses, and it worked, until the surrounding forests became too depleted and the environmentalists wanted to close it'& 5e sighed opening the folder' &=harlie bought it from a )hawn Bradlee'& 5e looked up at /lice with an almost confused e pression' &#mhm8& she chirped, posting a birth certificate up on the large screen so everyone could see it' &;uppers8 )hawn Bradlee' #arried to a .anet Thompson Bradlee' They gave birth to daughter Barbara first, and then'''9ilith'& &0o fucking way8& "ose and ( gasped, both of us gaping at the document on the screen'

&(t is all connected,& ( muttered, getting up and standing over /lice's shoulder' &7kay, so what happened to 9ilith, because that right there was her turning point' "ight!& &"ight,& /lice said, pulling up screen after screen of police reports' &)hawn Bradlee was an alcoholic, and when he drank'''he beat everyone in the fucking house' )elling Bradlee 9umber #ill only allowed him to drink more, stay home, and kick his family's asses'& &7h, damn,& $dward groaned from behind me' &5e blew through every dime he made off of that sale, too' 9ook,& he said, pointing to the financial report /lice was scrolling through' &5e never did anything with it, other than fucking blow it' /nd he blew through half a million in less than'''ten years8& &$ actly,& /lice agreed with a nod' &:oor investments, loans to too many friends and family, a powerful addiction problem * not to mention court costs for every time he was arrested, because 9ilith and her older sister Barbara were removed from that house no less than si/ times' /nd he always got them back8& &+ucking hell,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &0o wonder she's fucked up' 4ell, where the hell is Barbara now!& &4illow Brooke =emetery,& /lice stated, and the words fell to a silent room' &/nd .anet Bradlee!& ( asked almost in a whisper' &"ight ne t to her, one plot over,& /lice answered, looking up at me' &.anet was the one that always fought for the kids to come home, Bells' )he would bring them right back into that violent house' Barbara died the day after she graduated from high school' 6espite all that bullshit at home, she'd earned a full ride at ?4'& &4ho killed her!& ( asked' /lice shrugged' &They couldn't figure it out' They assumed that )hawn did, but everyone was home that night, and neither .anet nor 9ilith would say a word' The case went cold, because )hawn claimed someone broke into his home, and the police couldn't prove otherwise'& &7h, shit,& #akenna groaned, shaking her head' &4hat if 9ilith started killing then! ( mean, her sister was about to leave her with not so nice parents' 4hat if she couldn't live with that!& ( chuckled humorlessly, because that was a fucking ama3ing theory' &( wonder if Barbara tried to protect 9ilith when they were young,& ( sighed, reading some of the police reports' &('ve spoken to older siblings that come from abusive homes' They always tried to put the focus on themselves, not their younger brothers or sisters' Barbara's leaving would have caused 9ilith to panic'&

&7r .anet,& $dward added with a shrug' &:erhaps #om was in on all of it, too'& ( turned to =arlisle' &( need $sme to look at this' )eriously' 4e're out of our league on this abuse shit' )he'd know better'& 5e nodded silently and got up from the table' Then he left the office, returning ,ust a few minutes later with $sme, who was carrying =aleb in a carrier, sound asleep' /nd up on her :oppy's shoulders was a happy, babbling Bethy' &#ommy8& she squeaked, practically mauling her grandfather to put her down' &5ey, pretty girl,& ( chuckled, grateful for the break in such heavy conversation' 4e'd been working for hours, and the sun was ,ust about ready to set' &4hat have you been doing!& ( asked, pulling her onto my lap and tucking a loose hair behind her ear' &5elpin' Gamma wif'''apple pie,& she whispered the last two words conspiratorially, and ( giggled at $dward's hum of approval, because ('d taught $sme ages ago how to make my /unt .ane's apple pie that he loved so much' &/nd dinner,& $sme added with a chuckle' &4hen you brainiacs are ready for a break, ('ve got enough food to feed you all'& &0ice8& $mmett said with a grin, leaning over =aleb's carrier and popping his pacifier back into his mouth' /lice pulled a bunch of paperwork off of the printer and handed it over to $sme' &4e need you to take a look at this' 4e think that maybe 9ilith's problems started a long time ago'& /s $sme studied the file, ( whispered to Bethy, &6o you want to color, baby!& &?h uh,& she replied with a shake of her head, before laying it on my shoulder' ( kept her on my lap, turning back to my computer' )he played quietly with my hair as ( continued to try and track the 6'7'/''s origin' $sme and /lice spoke softly, /lice pulling up anything that $sme asked of her' But it was the sound of the door opening that had my daughter fro3en' ( looked up to see >urt walking in, his guard nodding to $lea3ar, but staying outside' ( glanced down at Bethy' (t wasn't >urt she was staring at' )he was looking behind him, looking everywhere around him' )he was looking for >enny and 9ilith' &Bethy,& ( said, making her look at me' &>urt's alone, pretty girl' The bad guys aren't with him'& $dward's head snapped around as he stood on the other side of the room' 5e seemed to grow slightly as he walked to us' >urt's face looked heartbroken at the sight of my daughter's fear' The last time he'd

seen her had been in the hotel room, ,ust before ( set her free' 5e really liked her and had done everything in his power to keep her as safe as he could' ( knew this was bugging him' $dward knelt beside us, cupping Bethy's face' &;ou okay, little sweetness!& &The mean man is here!& she asked him in a nervous whisper' &0o, baby,& he stated with a shake of his head' &5e's someplace he can never get to you, Bethy' ( promise'& The whole room came to a standstill, because they hadn't seen her reaction to anything that had happened to her' $sme had, and $dward and ( had, but not her :oppy or her uncles' #y girls were watching with carefully composed faces * even #ickey, who had ,ust walked in with 4es * but ( could see everyone's anger resurface with this blatant reminder of all that had happened' /ll eyes were flickering between >urt and Bethy' &;ou're safe, baby,& ( whispered against her head, my eyes locking with $dward's' &9ook around you, Bethy' 6o you think anyone here would let something happen to you! :oppy! 6addy! ?ncle $m! ?ncle .a33! ?ncle /lec! 5mm!& )he shook her head no slowly' &Good girl,& $dward crooned to her, kissing her forehead' &0ever, ever forget that, okay!& &7kay, 6addy,& she sighed, and ( could feel her rela a bit' )he slipped down off of my lap, and >urt knelt in front of her when he reali3ed she was coming to him' $dward tensed, but ( put my hand on his shoulder to soothe him' &5ey, Bethy,& >urt said, and it seemed to echo in the eerily silent room' &( don't have doughnuts this time' ('m sorry,& he said with a chuckle' )he smiled up at him' &Gamma made apple pie' (t's better8& &7h yeah! )ave a piece for me!& he asked, and she nodded profusely' &=ool8& 5e grinned, shaking his head and reaching in his pocket' &( did bring you something, though' They told me ( was coming to your house, so ( thought ('d better'& &4hat is it!& she gasped, her face lighting up like the brightest of mornings' &(t was my little sister's, actually,& he started with a one shoulder shrug' 5e pulled out a brightly colored, woven bracelet' &)he said you'd probably like it' )he made it for me a long time ago, and it never fit me, but ( bet it'll fit you'& (t was all the colors of the rainbow, and ( recogni3ed it as a friendship bracelet we'd all made or worn at some point in our lives' "ose and ( had worn matching ones back in school'

Bethy squeaked happily, holding out her arm, and >urt tied it on loosely' &4hat do you say, Bethy!& ( giggled, leaning into $dward, who was a little more rela ed and fighting a smile' &Th2Thank y2you8& she sang, running back to show $dward' 5e picked up her arm, turning over her hand and planted a loud smooch on her palm, which caused another giggle to burst forth from her' The entire room let out a collective breath, it seemed' (f anything proved that >urt was trustworthy, it was that brief moment, because if Bethy trusted him, everyone else could' 5e'd proven himself while she was in his care, and he'd ,ust proven it again'

E!"#$!
$sme stood up, file in hand, her face almost stern after what had ,ust taken place between my daughter and >urt' &6inner,& she stated, holding up the file' &('ll look at this afterward'& 0o one bothered to argue with her, because as ( scooped up Bethy, everyone around us was ,ust too fucking quiet' (t was quite the slap back to reality, the reason why we were still looking for 9ilith and 4alter' To see Bethy's fear, not of >urt, but of who might've been with >urt, was like lighting a stick of dynamite and tossing it into a room' $veryone was pissed' Two small hands cupped my face, making me turn my head, and ( chuckled at Bethy's sweet smile, because it was secretive and mischievous, looking much like my own when ( wanted something' &Guess what, 6addy,& she whispered, though it was more e aggerated than anything' &4hat, little sweetness!& &4e got ice cream, too8& she e claimed, grinning from ear to ear' ( chuckled, kissing her forehead, simply because there was a part of her that was like her mother * nothing kept her down for long' &That's the only way to eat warm apple pie, baby,& ( growled into her neck as we crossed the yard' &6on't you know that!& )he squealed into a peal of laughter, her head falling back as ( rubbed my stubble against her soft skin' Bella giggled ne t to us, and ( grinned over at her and shrugged, because ( lived for that sound' &=ome here, silly girl,& she snickered, taking Bethy from me' &9et's fi your plate, okay!& &7kay, #ommy,& she chirped, going to her happily' &But 6addy will share his pie wif

me'& &4ell, you're ,ust about the only one on the planet, baby,& Bella laughed, shooting a wink my way' &6id he tell you he ate whole pie all by himself!& Bethy gasped, her green eyes bright and wide as the looked up at me' &(t's good pie8& ( stated, ignoring their giggles at me as they skirted around several people once we were inside' &(s she okay!& ( heard by my side as ( watched Bethy and Bella get their plates ready' The house was now filling with chatter and debates and laughter' They were a little more rela ed now that they saw that Bethy was smiling and laughing' ( glanced to my right to see >urt with a worried e pression on his face' &)he will be,& ( sighed' &(t wasn't you she was scared of' (f that were the case, she wouldn't have gone anywhere near you' (t was who she'''associates with you'& &7h,& he muttered, his brow wrinkling a bit' &( didn't mean to scare her, but ( get it' ( really did my damnedest to keep her and /bby out of the cra3y 3one'& ( huffed a humorless laugh, but ga3ed over at him' 5e wasn't a bad kid' ( knew ( made him nervous, so for him to even approach me about Bethy showed he wasn't a coward' +rom both my wife's and daughter's actions around him and the things they'd said about him, ( knew that he'd ,ust been trying to protect his family by going along with 4alter and 9ilith, but he didn't put up with dangerous, irresponsible, or unnecessary bullshit' /nd for that, he was all right with me' &)he reminds me of $vie at that age' /ll happy and sweet'& 5is voice was soft, almost sad' &;our sister!& ( verified, smiling at his nod' &)he's what! Thirteen now!& ( asked, because ( knew there was a seven year space between them' &;eah, and still ,ust as fun, only now we can have real conversations,& he chuckled' &4e used to go to the movies ,ust about every week, until ( went into )hady Glen'& &/nd your dad put you there!& ( asked, because we only knew what little research we had on )hady Glen' &;eah, ( was a wreck, but he finally got me on the right meds and with the right therapist,& he snorted, rolling his eyes up to mine' &0ot 4alter'& ( laughed' &0o' ( can't imagine it was him'& ( pointed toward $sme' &;ou know my stepmother, $sme' )he's a therapist' (f you need to'''you know, talk' )he's great'& &7h, okay' Thanks,& he sighed, almost in relief' &)he's very'''private,& ( murmured, raising an eyebrow at him, so he'd understand that

despite the fact that he didn't know us that well, his confidences would still be kept with the utmost integrity' &=ome on, ('ll introduce you'& 5e followed me around the kitchen table, dodging people with full plates as they headed outside to eat at the long tables that seemed to be perpetually in use since Bethy's disappearance' &$ cuse me, $sme!& ( said, not wanting to interrupt her conversation with my dad, but >urt had yet to meet her, and she was someone that could help him' &This is >urt -ernon'''& $sme's eyebrows shot up, but a soft smile played on her face' &$sme =ullen,& she said, shaking his hand' &>urt with the doughnuts, >urt!& she verified, and my dad laughed, nodding to her' >urt chuckled, his face showing a touch of embarrassment' &( suppose Bethy would have been ,ust as happy with with chips and soda for breakfast,& he said with a grin' &(t's nice to meet you, #rs' =ullen'& &=all me $sme,& she said, guiding him toward the enormous amounts of food she'd prepared' &;ou're thin, >urt' $at something' /nd you'll make me proud if you come back for seconds'& )he smirked over at him' &9ook around you, son' These boys could eat a side of beef and still go back for the other half' They don't play around at dinner time'& /s if to emphasi3e a point, $mmett walked by with a plate almost stacked to his chin, and we all fro3e, staring at it' &4hat!& he mumbled around a dinner roll, where he'd ,ust shoved the whole thing in at one time' &)ee!& ( laughed' >urt smirked, shaking his head, but he finally looked at me' &4hy are you being so nice to me! ( would think you would hate me for going along with'''& ( held up my hand to stop him and took a deep breath' &;ou did the best you could under circumstances that were out of your control' But the way that you did it,& ( said, stopping him again, &was dangerous as hell' They could've killed you for letting those girls go, for protecting my wife'& ( shook my head slowly, my temper barely under control, until $sme's hand landed soothingly on my shoulder' &4ell, let's ,ust say''' ( owe you one, okay!& ( asked, with a raising eyebrow and stiff one shouldered shrug' &)o if feeding you, giving you someone to talk to, letting you into my home is being nice, then so be it'& >urt stayed quiet, but nodded solemnly, before taking a plate from $sme' &4hat's wrong!& Bella asked with a worried e pression as she studied my face' )he was walking by with a full plate for her and Bethy, my daughter holding a bowl of ice cream

and pie' ( shook my head, my brow wrinkling to let her know it wasn't the right time' &That better not be all the pie8& ( growled dramatically at Bethy' )he giggled and shook her head' &0o, 6addy, this is our pie,& she said, grinning and biting her bottom lip' ( harrumphed, folding my arms across my chest, until she leaned over to kiss my cheek and whisper, &#ommy said we could have dessert first'& ( smiled, kissing them both' &7kay'''('ll be right there' )ave me a seat, ladies'&

( bent down, placing a long kiss to Bethy's forehead' )he'd lasted as long as she could after dinner, but a full tummy and boring adult conversation lulled her to sleep in my arms at the table' Bella said not to even bother with baths or pa,amas * ,ust to take her socks and shoes off and tuck her in' ( left on her night light, made sure that the door was slightly cracked, and headed down the hall' /s soon as ('d gone to tuck her in, everyone had made their way back out to Gravity's office to get a little more work done' &)he's asleep!& "ose asked from the rocking chair in the corner of the living room' )he was feeding =aleb, taking the ne t babysitting shift inside the house so that $sme could sit in on the 9ilith research' 5e gurgled as he ga3ed wide eyed around the room, shifting his chubby legs, and ( couldn't help but smile down at him, because Bethy at that age had been ,ust as happy, ,ust as content' &;eah, she's ,ust'''out,& ( snickered' &/nything ( should know!& she asked, pointing toward the hallway' &)he's better than ( e pected, but may wake up calling for Bella,& ( sighed, &so ,ust come get us'& The blue in "ose's eyes darkened with anger and a touch of sadness as she nodded' &;ou're right'''it could be worse' 4hat will you do when we have to go after these people!& ( shook my head, because ( ,ust didn't fucking know' Bethy would be heartbroken to watch both of her parents leave' &$sme can handle her, but'''& ( shrugged and winced at the same time' &;ou saw her when ( had to get on the truck' Bella will be a wreck if she

sees that'& "ose sighed, rocking =aleb slowly as she thought for a moment' &Bella wants to stop 9ilith * and 4alter, for that matter * but maybe we can let Bethy hear you over the radios or something' ('d be willing to bet that /lice can set up some sort of #om2slash2 6ad2slash2Bethy link'& )he grinned up at me, and ( couldn't help but chuckle at her' &7r even better, those cameras were fantastic' 4e could see ,ust about everything'& &+ood for thought, "ose,& ( said with a light laugh' &4e'll figure something out, because these people have to be stopped'& &"ight'& )he nodded, watching me walk toward the door' &/nd a little revenge doesn't hurt, either,& she called out behind me' &0o''' 0o, it doesn't,& ( sneered to myself as ( walked across my yard' ( opened the door to the office to an e plosion of yelling voices' (t seemed they were all arguing at once' &)o where the fuck is this )hawn Bradlee now!& $mmett boomed' &Because if we're going to find out anything, it's going to start with him' 4hat he did, for how long, and what he turned 9ilith into,& he stated, ticking off each point on his hand' $veryone quieted ,ust a bit as ( made my way to an empty chair beside /lec' 5e looked up at me and shook his head' &4hat he turned her into was a raging bitch,& he murmured to me, which made me chuckle' &5e turned her into a remorseless killer' :eriod'& This time, everyone heard him and grunted in agreement' &"ight, so is talking to her father that necessary!& .asper asked, folding his arms across his chest' &( mean, shouldn't we be looking for 4alter!& &7kay, first things first,& $sme started softly as she read the file in her had, but she demanded everyone's attention simply out of respect' &The last known whereabouts of )hawn Bradlee is in a state run assisted living facility' 5e's suffering from emphysema and liver problems, due to his'''lifestyle' ;ears of not taking care of yourself'''& &('m pretty sure,& #akenna interrupted with a scowl, &that he's not suffering enough'& Bella grinned over at her, but then turned her attention back to $sme' &;ou think 9ilith is the driving force behind 4alter, don't you!& she surmised' &( do'& $sme's no bullshit answer fell like a flat basketball onto a gym floor1 it ,ust sat there for a minute while everyone thought about it' &( think that 4alter and 9ilith knew each other from high school, maybe dated, maybe hung out with the same crowd, but ( think 4alter always had a thing for her' )o, that being said, it may not have gone away'

)eeing her at )hady Glen would have ,ust opened all that up for him again' 5e's using his power with the 6'7'/' to help what he feels is a damsel in distress'& )he stressed the last few words, showing what she really thought of the idea' )he held up her hand when $lea3ar started to ask something, and then continued' &7n the other hand, you've got 9ilith, who obviously is a sociopath, a seasoned killer, and is out for revenge'& )he turned to Bella, asking, &6idn't you say that =hristopher 6ouglas accused her of being alone!& &5e did,& Bella answered with a nod' &)he told him she wasn't, that she had 4alter, but ( got the impression that she didn't really need 4alter'''or that she was lying somehow' That was ,ust before she killed him'& $sme wrinkled her nose, took a deep breath, and let it out' &)ee that!& she pointed out, looking around the room' &7ne person points out her fault, and she'''removes them from the equation'& ( sighed, shaking my head and looking over at Bella' &That's one idea, but Bella, didn't you say you constantly argued with her! $ven fought with her!& &;eah, but she needed me,& Bella sighed, looking up when $sme nodded in agreement' &7kay, this all fine,& my dad said, leaning back in his chair and pointing to Bella, &but ( only have one question''' (f 9ilith was the driving force behind 4alter, then which one needed the money!& &/ll of them,& ( stated with a shrug, &but ('d be willing to fucking bet that those 6'7'/' members would never have seen a dime'& &Then which one needed it! 4alter or 9ilith!& /lec countered' &9ilith,& /lice piped up from the computer room' &9ilith needs it' )he may be clean, but she wasn't at one point, and according to her last arrest report, she was carrying a lot of fucking money' (t's now evidence'& &7h,& Bella gasped, her eyebrows rising high' &)he was a drug mule'''& &;ou know what neighborhood she was in, don't you!& #akenna asked, scooting her chair around until she could tug a map of )eattle down and slam it onto the table' 5er finger landed on the paper, and she looked up at Bella' &5ere' :reacher's neighborhood' The same neighborhood that her drug dealer )harky runs with an iron fist'& Bella let out a little giggle' &( liked :reacher'& )he smiled, looking up at me' &4e should go talk to him again'& ( smiled back, because the big guy was damned cool' 5e was tough, but still held onto his faith, trying his best to clean up a neighborhood that didn't seem to want fi ing' The

people around him respected him, though their faith wasn't as strong' 5e only wanted a safe place for kids to hang out when home wasn't so safe' ( respected him for that' &4ell, we do need to see how that rec center is coming,& ( reasoned, shooting her a wink' &( bet he'd know all about 9ilith, if that's the case,& ( stated, pointing to the map' &Good,& $lea3ar grunted, pointing to us' &;ou two will do that tomorrow'& 5e spun to 4es, #ickey, and #akenna' &4hat did you guys find out about the Bridges!& &That there is another home'''=anada,& #ack stated, pointing to her computer screen' &(t's pretty fucking north'& &6oes 4alter )r' think his son will use it!& $lea3ar asked, eyeballing the map, and ( could almost tell what he was thinking, because it wasn't far from /unt >ate's' &5e thinks so,& 4es answered with a nod, sitting forward to rest his elbows on his knees' &(t's the one property they don't really watch' (t's an old cabin, and it's been on the market for years' 0o one cleans it or checks on it, because it's so damn deep in the woods' 5e said if 4alter was going into hiding, that would be the place to go' 0o one would know it' 5e also said that 4alter will eventually self destruct, that he'd forced his son to stay away from 9ilith back in school' #r' Bridges knew she was trouble then' (t was how 4alter got into trouble in the first place, requiring 6ad to come to the rescue and seal the records'& That seemed to make a helluva lot of fucking sense, and it all seemed to be coming together as far as 4alter and 9ilith's history together' &7kay, so what about this bomb threat!& ( asked, looking to Benny, who'd been damned quiet on his computer since he got here' 5e grimaced, looking up and around the room, finally landing his concerned ga3e on my father' &They scoped out Twi Towers,& he stated, spinning his laptop around and playing a video that clearly showed 4alter and 9ilith walking into the lobby from the parking garage' &)am was right' This falls back to Bradlee 9umber #ill' )he's going back to the beginning'& &5mm,& $sme grunted' &)he's seeking revenge for her childhood' (n her mind, if =harlie hadn't bought out her father, if her father hadn't become an addict, then )hawn Bradlee would have never beaten his family' )he's going back to the beginning' )he failed at taking Bella, so she'll go even farther back than that to seek retribution'& &7kay, so hold the fuck up,& my wife growled, shaking her head' &;ou mean, ( was ,ust for the money! Bethy was ,ust for fucking money! )he doesn't care about Bree or /shley, does she! This isn't for taking /shley away from her1 this all about her poor, pathetic life!&

&7oh2wee, Bellissima's feisty when she's pissed,& /lec sang low, almost to himself' &;ou have no idea,& ( muttered, shaking my head, because as scary as Bella's temper could be, she was simply fucking stunning when she was angry' &+rom what ( can tell'''no,& $sme sighed, looking over at Bella with sympathy' &9ilith didn't care about her kids8& >urt suddenly stated from the corner of the room' &0ot at all' )he used the deaths of Bree and /shley to get >enny and "usty to go along, because "usty was the dad, but she didn't give a shit8 )he all but said it in group therapy,& he grunted, shaking his head and folding his arms across his chest' &"usty was an idiot to fall for it, first of all, because ('m pretty sure even she doesn't know who the father was of either of those kids' )econd, the only reason she remembered you,& he stated, pointing to Bella, &was she saw your picture in the paper' / wedding or some shit'& &7h sure,& $mmett huffed, shaking his head, but a smile played on his face as he kicked my dad's chair' &;ou ,ust had to have the big deal wedding, didn't you, 6addy 4arbucks!& The tension in the air broke instantly, because there was nothing we could do about the wedding or the past' The whole room chuckled at my dad's red face, but even more at $sme's pride2filled smile' $lea3ar smirked, pushing off the wall he'd been leaning against' &( guess what we need to do now is find out if 4alter has the resources to re2group, to build another bomb' $dward, Bella, go talk to this preacher guy' +ind out what you can' 5ell, maybe they're holed up in that neighborhood somewhere, but ('m sure we're not that lucky' ( still need more about this 6'7'/' There might be another splinter group around here that we don't know about'& 5e sighed, looking tired, but he finally turned to Benny' &Get to Twi Towers tomorrow' ?p the security' Take #ickey, .asper, and )am with you to get them prepared' They'll need to know that there was a bomb threat, but not that there could possibly be another one' =arlisle, you should go, too' #aybe pull in a professional security team'& &4e are a professional security team,& /lec, .asper, and $mmett all countered, wearing the dumbest of smiles' &+ine, then all of you take your asses over there and show them how to limit access to unnecessary areas8& he snapped, rolling his eyes at them' &/nd remember,& he said, stopping us as the meeting broke, &armed at all times, and keep your wits about you, okay!& &)ir8& we all grunted out of habit'

%E&&#
&God, ( could kiss #akenna,& ( groaned, once we were on the road heading into )eattle' &( thought it was "ose you like to make out with,& $dward teased, shifting gears in his =hallenger' &7nce8& ( laughed' &;ou'll never let that go, will you!& 5e laughed, but said nothing else' #akenna had taken Bethy aside that morning and started her on some art pro,ect' By the time $dward and ( were ready to leave to go speak to :reacher, Bethy was so absorbed in whatever it was that she was making that our leaving didn't bother her' /t all' ('d been so worried what both of us walking away would do to her, but #ack had been a lifesaver' +orests eventually gave way to the suburbs, the city drawing closer and closer' )oon, we were surrounded by tall buildings and tons of traffic' (t didn't take long to navigate the streets, before we pulled to a stop ,ust outside :reacher's church, and ( smiled up at $dward' &9ooks like it's much further along than last time,& ( chuckled' $dward grinned, turning the car off' &4eapons, love,& he ordered softly, and ( reached under the seat to grab his Glock and my nine mil' &(t seems wrong to take a gun this close to a church,& ( muttered, shaking my head' &#aybe, but it's for the street between here and there that we've got them, Bella,& $dward reminded me, and ( looked around' 6espite :reacher's obvious hard work on the two buildings he worked in, there was no change to the neighborhood from the last time we were there' Broken down cars, shabby looking stores, and boarded up and abandoned homes lined each side of the street for as far as ( could see' :eople looked tired, wearing accepting e pressions on their faces, almost like they knew this would be all they'd see for the rest of their lives' (t was tough to see, because struggling on a day to day basis wore down people's souls' ( could see it in the blank, unfeeling e pressions on the faces of the young boys on the corner, the older man that was sitting on a milk crate in front of a closed store front, and the young woman that didn't look more than twenty that ( was sure was &working& the street' ( ,ust shook my head, because :reacher's efforts, while e tremely noble, seemed fruitless, like a salmon swimming upstream' ( looked up at $dward, the calm in my storm' 5e was checking his gun, popping the

chamber and clip, only to snap it all back together e pertly' 5e stowed it in the small of his back, as ( did the same with mine' Beautiful green eyes locked with mine, and $dward reached out and cupped my face' &4hat's this!& he asked, rubbing the dip that had appeared between my eyebrows' &6o you think'''& ( sighed, shaking my head and not knowing e actly what ( was about to ask' &6o you think society makes these people hard and desperate!& 5e wrinkled his nose, looked around at the street, and then back to me' &( don't know, sweetness,& he said softly with a shrug' &('ve seen a lot of shit in my life, and ( do know when there's no money, there's desperation' :eople will do anything to take care of what's theirs * lie, cheat, steal' $ven kill' (t happens everywhere, baby' (t's the animal in people, ( think * the instinct to fight for survival' /t least, that's what one of my commanding officers e plained once when ( was laid up in the infirmary after ( got through that rundown village' 5e was trying to e plain'''why.& ( looked around us again, thinking he was right' The neighborhood we were currently sitting in could be anywhere' /ny country, any place' )uddenly, ( was grateful that my husband no longer had to travel to such places anymore' ( wasn't sure ('d make a good military wife, because ('d wouldn't trust a fucking soul but myself to watch his back' ( leaned over and pressed my lips to his' &( bet you made a hellacious patient' /ll cute and grumpy'''& $dward smiled against my lips' &=ome on, silly, let's go see :reacher'& 4e e ited the car, and he immediately set the alarm and waited until ( ,oined him, before we crossed the street' &The center first, you think!& $dward asked as we stepped onto the sidewalk' &;eah, might as well,& ( sighed, taking $dward's hand when the &working girl& eyed him like a piece of meat as we walked by her' /s we passed, ( reali3ed that she was ,ust as young as ('d made her out to be, but her eyes were dark, lifeless' (gnoring her, $dward tugged open the door of the rec center, and we were met with laughter, taunting, and happy chatter' The place was filled with kids of every race and age, playing basketball, ping pong, and working on the computers' There was even a small corner filled with comfy chairs and sofas, where a few kids were reading' The place looked ama3ing' &4hoa,& $dward chuckled low, giving the place the once over' &$dward, (sabella8& :reacher boomed, standing up from his front row seat on the bleachers' 5is smile was wide and proud as he walked across the large place to greet us' )haking both of our hands, he asked, &(t's good to see you' /re you here to see the

place!& &;ou, too, :reacher,& $dward said with a smile as he glanced around' &;es and no' ( was wondering if we could talk again'& &4ell, let me give you the dime tour, and then ('m all yours,& he chuckled, placing a large warm hand on my shoulder' ( could see the pride, the happiness in :reacher's face as he pointed out all the new things the rec center had to offer' 5e was interrupted a few times by e cited kids asking questions, telling on someone, or ,ust showing off some pro,ect they'd been working on' ( could see the respect and love that they had for him, but the kids showed much more spark and light in their eyes than the adults we passed on our way in' (t was good to see, and it was good to watch someone's dream come to fruition' (t gave me hope for the neighborhood that not ten minutes prior had me questioning $dward' &( want to thank you again for 5annah,& :reacher said as we made our way out of the center and across the parking lot to his office in the church' &)he's been'''ama3ing'& ( smiled, because 5annah was a busy, busy bee' )he worked, set up, and negotiated with every charity that Twi Tech contributed to' )he was an organi3ed force to be reckoned with, but it was her sweet, &no problem& attitude that people fell in love with' /nd usually her ideas were fan2fucking2tastic' &5annah's great,& ( agreed with him' &6id she come in and throw ideas at you like a tornado!& :reacher laughed, and it sounded like a booming rumble' &;es, as a matter of fact, she did' 5er ideas beat mine ten fold, and ('m not sure she's done' )he wants to hold a fundraiser here when everything is totally finished,& he said, holding the door open to his office' 5e gestured to the two seats $dward and ( had sat in before and sat down in his desk chair' &4hat can ( do for you two! ;ou aren't still looking into "icky's death, are you!& &0o, we solved that case,& $dward stated, giving :reacher the short story of how "ick had been killed by accident by his boyfriend, .eff' &4e're here on a more personal investigation' This neighborhood''' 5ow long have you been here!& &4ell, ( grew up right around the corner' The only time ( wasn't here was when ( went off to seminary school,& he e plained' &/nd that was only for two years' #y mother still lives in the same house, though ( put bars on her windows years ago'& $dward reached into his ,acket and pulled out a few photos, lining them up on the desk' &6o you know any of these people!& he asked' :reacher leaned forward to glance over the pictures of 4alter, 9ilith, >enny, and "usty'

&('ve seen them all, ( think,& he mused, studying the photos hard, but he pulled the picture of 9ilith to him' &5er'''( definitely know' Terrible reputation around here' (nto all sorts of illegal stuff' 9aura'''9ayla'''& &9ilith,& $dward and ( said at the same time' &;eah, yeah8 That's it' 9ilith,& he said with a nod, ga3ing back up at us' &9aray, right!& he verified, and we both nodded' &)he was a mess' 6rugs, prostitution, battery'''and if ('m not mistaken, she lost two kids' 7ne died, and the other was taken from her'''& &They both died,& ( sighed, shaking my head, but $dward slipped his hand in mine, rubbing his thumb soothingly over my knuckles' &(t's a long story, :reacher, but ( need to know if she's been around here lately' (f you've seen or heard about her being back'& &5mm,& he mused, rubbing his chin' &( haven't, but ( bet who has'''& 5e stood up abruptly, saying, &+ollow me' 4e'll need to go see #iss Geneva'& $dward gathered up the pictures, and we followed :reacher through the church, coming out through the front doors' (nstead of taking a left to head to the parking lot, he took a right, walking a few blocks until we came to a small alleyway' 5e approached the doorway of a boarded up shop, kneeling in front of what looked like a pile of discarded blankets' &#iss Geneva,& he sang in his deep tone' &4ake up, sweetie' ( need to talk to you'& The blankets moved, and the sleepy face of an old, /frican /merican woman appeared at the top' )he blinked rapidly at the sunlight in her eyes, but her face beamed at the sight of :reacher' )he was small, toothless, and already chuckling sweetly at him' &#oses8& she said, reaching up to hug him, which he did, willingly and lovingly' &#iss Geneva, you look gorgeous, as ever,& he told her softly' &6id you eat last night!& &7h, ( had a bite,& she hedged, trying to wave him off, but he wouldn't have it' &4ell, when you're up and about, come see me' ( hate eating lunch alone, now * you know that * and Bonnie's at work,& he said with a sweet smile that reminded me of $mmett's' 7ne second, he's all tough and big, and the ne t thing you know, there's a boyish smile you can't help but mirror' &4hat we havin'!& she asked, sitting up straighter, now more awake, and her eyes glinted with a touch of childlike mischief' &4ell, if you're good, then fried chicken leftovers from last night's dinner, mashed potatoes, and corn,& he said with a smirk, because he knew he had her hook, line, and sinker' )he scoffed, rolled her eyes, and tsked at him' &(f you insist'''&

( couldn't help but giggle' )he was utterly adorable' $ven $dward chuckled quietly ne t to me' #iss Geneva spotted us over :reacher's shoulder, and she frowned' &They're here to take me away! ('m not going, #oses8 ;ou can't put me in a home8 They do things to me8& &('m not, sweetie,& he said soothingly' &( promised you that ('d never do that again, but you promised to eat for me' ( told you to come to me if you couldn't find something somewhere else'& 5e picked up her hand and rubbed the top of it' &These are friends of mine' They're looking for someone' /nd ('d be willing to bet you've seen them'& &4hat'choo say that for!& she grumped, obviously still mistrusting him' $dward apparently couldn't take it, so he knelt down in front of her' &#iss Geneva, my name's $dward, and this is my wife, Bella' 4e're looking for a woman' )he's'''well, she's done some bad things, and we need to find her before someone gets hurt,& he e plained, using the tone of voice that usually had women melting in the palm of his hand' (t totally worked on #iss Geneva' 5er ga3e softened as she looked up at him, taking a deep breath and letting it out' &4ho you lookin' for!& $dward held up the picture, stating, &9ilith 9aray'& )he grimaced, looking away from the picture, practically pushing $dward's hand away' &=ra3y woman,& she scoffed' &Thought the neighborhood was rid of her, ( did' 5eard she went into the nuthouse,& she said, pulling her blankets away' )he was wearing a football ,ersey that was two si3es too big for her and some ,eans that had seen better days' &But she showed up a couple of days ago, looking for )harky'& #y mouth hung open, and my eyebrows shot up' &5er dealer!& &7h, honey, he don't deal no more,& she stated, waving me off' &5e been taken over by "eggie''')harky's been missin' ever since'& $dward turned to look at me, his face serious and his eyes dark' &/re you thinking what ('m thinking!& ( sighed, shaking my head and looking around the alleyway, before locking ga3es with him again' &(f you're thinking that 9ilith ,ust snatched someone else that wronged her, then yeah'''& +irst, it was =hristopher 6ouglas, then myself, and now, it was )harky, 9ilith's dealer, who she owed a shit2ton of money to' /dd all of that to Twi Tech and the Bradlee 9umber #ill issue''' 9ilith truly was out to get revenge on everyone that ever wronged

her' &)he owed )harky a lot of money,& ( stated to $dward, but it was :reacher that replied' &0ot anymore,& he chuckled darkly' &"eggie took over this neighborhood last year, so all deals, all debts, and all payoffs go to him now' 5e bought )harky out'& &6amn,& $dward sighed, shaking his head, but he turned back to #iss Geneva' &6o you think she's still here!& he asked her softly' )he mulled it over, and then shrugged' &(f she is, then she'd be down at the old warehouse two blocks over'& :reacher nodded, looking up at me, and then $dward' &That would be the old shipping warehouse she's talking about' 9ots of people use that place to crash, come down from highs, or to hook up with prostitutes'& $dward huffed a humorless laugh, finally standing up' &;ou mean the warehouse 4alter Bridges %enior owns!& he asked me, and ( groaned' &/h hell,& ( sighed, pulling out my phone' &4e're going to need more than ,ust the two of us for this, because that place is enormous'& ( looked down at the little old lady that was being helped to her feet by both $dward and :reacher' &Thank you for your help, #iss Geneva'& )he giggled like a girl, gesturing to $dward' &7h, now''' 5ave you ever turned down that face!& ( laughed, shaking my head no' &0o, ma'am' ( haven't,& ( chuckled, patting $dward's pink tinged cheeks' &4ell, there you go,& she chortled, and then ga3ed lovingly up at :reacher' &0ow, about that fried chicken'''& /s they walked a few steps away, ( got /lice on the line' &:i ie, ( need whoever is available' $dward and ( have a warehouse to check out'''&

CHAPTER 15
E!"#$!
&$asy, sweetness,& ( whispered, catching Bella as we neared the corner' &4ait for $mmett and /lec, okay! They were ,ust leaving Twi Towers'& 5er face was pure unadulterated hate, and it was all aimed toward 9ilith as she pulled her gun from the small of her back' &4ho else is coming!& she asked, glaring up at me' &4ho else have we got to wait for!& ( grinned at her anger, because ( knew it wasn't directed at me' &9isten, you se y thing,& ( growled in her ear, leaving a biting kiss to the soft spot there' &( am not the enemy' /nd )am and #ickey are headed this way' ( can't risk ,ust the two of us in a building that si3e, Bella' (t's dangerous as fuck'& )he rela ed minutely in front of me, leaning back against my chest' &)orry,& she murmured, and ( kissed her neck again' &( ,ust want this done, $dward,& she sighed deeply' ( winced, because ( knew that as long as 9ilith and 4alter were still free, still alive, there were endless possibilities as to what could happen' They could take another victim like Bella, =hris 6ouglas, and now )harky' They could re2group with the 6'7'/' and build another bomb' There was no telling at this point what their agenda was, because we always seemed to be one fucking step behind them' /nd as long as those two assholes were out there, Bethy and Bella were still in danger, as far as ( was concerned' &( know, baby,& ( said softly, keeping an eye on the loosened board that #iss Geneva had said was the only way in' 4e watched a few people come and go, but no one of interest, including the young prostitute ('d seen outside the rec center' Though, this time, she wasn't alone' / man about her own age was with her, and it didn't take a genius like /lice to figure out what was going down there' Bella yawned widely, leaning back against me some more, and ( chuckled softly' &/m ( boring you, love!& )he giggled a little, shaking her head' &0o, ('m ,ust e hausted' ( can't seem to get enough sleep lately,& she murmured through another yawn' ( ran my hand over the top of her head and down her ponytail, knowing she was right' (t seemed that when my girl stopped long enough to rela , she was out like a light' The prime e ample was the first night we were all back as a family, and she fell asleep while we were reading to Bethy' ( leaned in, kissed her forehead, and wished this was all over

so we could go back to normal' &)orry to interrupt your beauty sleep, Bellsy,& $mmett teased over the radio' &4e'll try to kick ass quickly so you can get back to it'& Bella and ( both laughed, looking around the corner to see that he and /lec were in place on the opposite side of the block' &)tand down,& ( ordered, still smiling' &4e need )am and #ick to get here' )he's going to crack open that locked door on the south side of the building'& &/re we getting official back up for all the fun and frolic we're about to uncover in here! Because ( can imagine this entire building would be a ,udge's wet dream,& $mmett queried with another deep chuckle' &7fficial! 0o,& ( stated, shaking my head and pulling out my phone to check for updates' &But $l's got a team at the ready if this turns out'''bigger than we e pected' Technically, this is trespassing on our part' 4e have no right to be here, but neither do the people that are inside, so everybody's breaking rules right now'& 4e waited ,ust long enough for the young prostitute and her client to come back out of the building' They parted ways, the man heading toward the better part of town, and the girl in the direction of the church' &That was fast,& Bella muttered wryly' ( chuckled, reaching up and turning both our radios off for ,ust a moment, and leaned in to her ear' &0ot everyone likes to take their time, sweetness,& ( crooned low, placing a long, slow kiss to her neck' &0ot every man likes to''' hmm, savor every sound, taste, and feeling, Bella' 6on't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with a quick, fun fuck,& ( teased her, licking up the shell of her ear, &but it's better to take it slow and deep and hard, seeing ,ust how many times ( can make you call my name when you come'& Bella's head fell forward as she fought her smile, her dark chocolate ga3e finally looking back over her shoulder' &( love you,& she giggled, shaking her head at me' &But you're an ass for teasing right now8& ( grinned, kissing her cheek loudly' &9ove you, too, baby,& ( laughed, turning our ear pieces back on' God, ( loved that part of our relationship * the teasing, the flirting, the se ual tension that never died' ( liked that we nurtured it and fucking fed it all the time, because it cut the stress of nasty situations' (t kept me at her feet, begging for kisses and then some' /nd ( fucking loved that it had always been there from the beginning * from the re2 introduction of /unt .ane's apple pie, to fiery kisses in law office stairwells' (t was ,ust'''us'

(t wasn't long before )am's and #ickey's radios came into range, as they were nearing the south side of the building' &('m on it, pretty boy,& #ickey stated, &so get into position, because we can all go in at once'& Bella touched her earpiece and spoke softly' &/lice, ( need as much info as you can give me on this building, pi ie' :lease'& &7kay, okay, okay,& she chanted, her furious fingers working away over the airwaves' &)atellite imagery shows little activity * e cept for you si * around the surrounding area' (t's a dead end in that neighborhood' Gimme a sec, and ('ll have thermal up'& &:erfect, thank you,& ( said, giving $mmett and /lec a silent signal to approach the loose board' The four of us were going in the mainly used entryway, while )am and #ickey would use the old main doors' &#ick!& ( asked, as $m and Bella planted themselves on one side of the door' /lec and ( peered through a small opening, but there wasn't much to see in the shadows' &Twenty seconds'''& she grunted' &(t's an old, rusty padlock and an old, rusty double door deadbolt'& The slight clang of metal echoed over the radio, and ( glanced around us to make sure that the area was still clear' &/lice, you watching our backs from these streets!& &0o, ( thought ('d let the gang members get you,& she snapped back snidely, and we all chuckled' &7f course' ;ou're still clear'& &6one, $d,& #ickey called over the radio' &7n your word, pretty boy'& ( took a deep breath, looking at Bella, $mmett, and /lec, but ( spoke to everyone with me' &4e go in soft' 4e're only looking for our two targets' ( want weapons out, eyes sharp, and do not fucking shoot first' This is recon only, unless the targets are spotted' Got me!& &)ir,& they all answered back, including my Bella, which always made me roll my eyes, because she did that shit to put me back in my place' )he followed my orders because she trusted me, not because she answered to me' (t was a clash of personalities from the moment we met, and again, it was ,ust'''us' &There's no telling what we'll find in here, but we don't need to level the fucking building' ( ,ust want to find this bitch and go home,& ( added, waiting for my answer, and then ( pulled the board aside, saying, &Go, go, go,& softly in my earpiece'

%E&&#
The stench of urine and sweat and dankness hit me like a ton of bricks once we stepped through the warehouse's opening' (t was so close to the smell of #iller's basement that my whole body shivered with the memory' (n fact, ( fro3e for ,ust a second in order to focus, because the sounds of rats scurrying along the walls and dripping water somewhere in the distance had my mind reeling' &Bella!& $dward asked softly, placing a warm, soothing hand on my shoulder, but ( ,ust shook my head and waved him off' &('m okay,& ( told him' (n all honesty, ( was * but sometimes, memories were attached to smells and sounds that ,ust never went away' &/lice!& &That's a damn full building, guys,& she warned over the headset' &( mean it' ( don't have numbers, and ( don't have much movement, either'& / snore echoed through the large building from somewhere to our right, and we all spun' &This is a home for some people,& /lec muttered with a deep, sympathetic sigh' &4e'll have to be fucking careful up in here'& $dward, whose hand hadn't left my shoulder yet, took a long, slow look around' There wasn't much to see in the small hallway where we were standing, but at the end, ( could see that it opened up into a much bigger space that seemed too crowded, filled with old equipment, bo es, and makeshift walls' &)am, what's your location!& he asked over the radio, motioning for us to at least head toward the main part of the warehouse' &)outh side of the building, coming through some old offices' They were locked, so they're all clear,& )am's voice rumbled softly' &4e're looking out at what looks to be the main space'& &)ame here, but our visual is blocked to the west' ;ou!& he countered, trying to keep his voice low, because the sound of coughing met our ears' /lice was right1 it sounded like the place had a fair amount of people in it' &That far end has some heavy equipment, some metal stairs up to some sort of control panel type shit, and a couple of closed doors,& #ickey replied' &But right in front of us, there's'''well, shit, $ddie''' There are homes made out of fucking bo es and shit'& #y husband's nose wrinkled as he took a deep breath and let it out' &+uck it,& he groaned, shaking his head' &/gain'''go in soft' )tay in pairs, but spread out' $mmett,

/lec, you take the center' )am, #ick, stay on the south wall' Bella, you're with me, and we're taking this north wall all the way to the west end' $veryone, on me!& &)ir,& they all answered, e cept me' &;eah,& ( sighed, looking up at him' &('ll take the back' ;ou lead' /re we asking these people if they've seen 9ilith!& &;eah,& he said, finally reaching to his back for his Glock' &7pen radios, people' 9et's go'& $dward waited until /lec and $mmett had disappeared around a large stack of bo es and )am checked back in, before guiding us down the north side wall' ( kept $dward's broad, strong shoulders in my peripheral vision with every step that ( took, occasionally spinning to my back' 9ining each side of the aisle that we were trekking down were small makeshift homes' There were old mattresses, cardboard bo es, blankets, and tarps making up these areas' Their belongings surrounded them, whether in piles, crates, or homemade shelves, and ( even saw a few grocery carts stacked with ,ust'''shit' )ome people were sleeping, but ( felt eyes on me everywhere, which caused me to falter ,ust a bit' &;ou da cops!& we heard in a raspy voice down at our feet' $dward stopped, and we both looked down at a man that we could barely see' 5e was filthy and surrounded by piles of ,unk, but blinked up at us bravely through really thick, round glasses in plastic frames' The man was thin, older, and a little shaky, but he didn't even flinch when $dward knelt down before him' &0ah, man, not the cops,& he said, holding up a picture' &5ave you seen her!& The man pulled out a magnifying glass and pressed it to the lens of his already thick glasses' #y eyebrows rose up, and ( wondered if perhaps this was a bad e ample of a &witness'& /s if he could hear my thoughts, the guy looked up at me, locking ga3es with me perfectly' &( can see you'''there,& he grunted, but pointed to the picture' &( can't see this'& 5e turned to $dward' &;eah, ( seen her' )he was back that way' 6ownstairs' Been seein' her in this neighborhood for years'& &4hat's down there!& $dward asked, tilting his head at him' &The old boiler room' 0othin' on down there, but someone rigged some power,& he answered with a shrug' &)he's not alone, or wasn't''' 4hat she do!& &9ots of shit, man,& $dward huffed, standing up straight' &4hat's your name!& &/lbert,& he rasped, swallowing nervously at the sight of our guns'

$dward reached into his pocket, tossing a couple of folded bills down at the guy' &That's for the help, /lbert' Get outta here for a bit' Take some people with you'& ( grimaced, because that meant $dward had a bad feeling about something and he wanted to clear out whoever he could' /lbert held his magnifying glass up to two one hundred dollar bills, and his eyes widened' &7kay,& he gushed, standing up as quickly as he was able' &Take as many as you can, /lbert,& ( told him softly, making sure he nodded in acquiescence, before continuing on behind $dward, who ( was now swooning over a bit for helping out someone in need' ('d always ,oked that he was my hero, but at that moment, he truly was' /lbert scuttled around quietly, waking up friends and neighbors, telling them to, &)hut the fuck up and let's go8& $dward shot him a quick smile and a shake of his head, before turning his fierce ga3e on a ,unkie in the corner, who was shaking and muttering to herself' &4atch our backs, sweetness,& he whispered, ,erking his chin' ( nodded, looking above us to the catwalk that #ickey had mentioned earlier' (t was empty of people, but the cobwebs certainly had made themselves at home' &=heck in,& $dward barked softly as we neared the end, even though we'd been listening to /lec's soft conversation with what sounded like a young woman' )he knew 9ilith, too, and confirmed the same thing that /lbert had * the boiler room' &They're sayin' she's down below, $ddie,& #ickey stated' &)he's with a white guy and a black guy''' )harky, you think!& &#ost likely,& $dward conceded' &4e're taking the boiler room together' ?nderstood!& &)ir,& they answered' &Thirty seconds, and we'll be right ne t to you, kid,& /lec stated' &There's a skinny little bug2eyed fuck getting people the hell outta dodge' That your doing!& he asked with a chuckle' &;es'& $dward's answer was no nonsense as he studied the door that clearly had been ,immied open at some point' &;ou e pecting some nasty shit to go down!& /lec asked, as he and $mmett emerged from the center aisle' &/lways,& $dward grunted, frowning toward the last section of the warehouse, where )am and #ickey silently appeared' Getting nods from everyone, $dward opened the door to the boiler room' The smell

that hit me made me step back three paces' &)hit,& ( hissed, having not felt that basement fear in quite some time, not even when 4alter and 9ilith had kept me in a bomb shelter for two days' But it was the smell, the temperature, the dank feel of the air that had me reeling' 4hy it was bothering me right that second, ( had no idea' &#ellissima!& /lec whispered, placing a hand on my upper back' 5eads spun to look at me, but it was $dward's concerned ga3e ( locked with' &('m fine' (t's ,ust'''& ( started, but decided to e hale roughly, instead' &/ basement,& he finished for me, his eyes dark with what looked like a touch of anger * not at me, ,ust in general' ( wrinkled my nose, shook my head, and swallowed thickly' &('m not fucking scared, $dward' (t's ,ust'''the smell'''& $dward smirked ,ust a little' &0o one would ever accuse you of being scared, Bella' But can you do this!& &;eah''' ;es8& ( stated firmly, glaring down the stairwell that disappeared into some dark shadows' $dward eyed me for a moment, but nodded' &Then you're with me' 9et's go'& 0ot only did $dward keep me with him, but ( could practically feel him behind me with every step down we took into darkness' 5owever, his casual caresses to my waist, back, and shoulder * almost in a continuous loop * were more comforting than ( could possibly e plain, because ( was sort of pissed off at myself that ( was allowing these old feelings to resurface' Though, ( suspected he knew that' The stairs emptied out into a dark hallway with a low ceiling1 it seemed to stretch forever' (t felt like being inside a living thing, where the pipes that were mounted on the walls felt like veins surrounding us' They were on either side of the wall and right down the center, so we split into sets of three, /lec taking the right side with me and $dward' / long, low moan echoed down the pipes, causing all of us to come to a standstill' ?sing silent hand signals, $dward told us to go in quiet, no noise, no verbal communication' /s we came to the end of the hall, the room opened up into a larger space, though it was stuffed with boilers, bo es, and tipped over empty metal shelves' 5ushed whispers and urgent voices met our ears from around the large metal boiler in front of us' /gain, $dward silently told us to have weapons at the ready' #ickey, )am, and $mmett skirted quietly around the left, as we took the right' ( raised my nine mil at the same time ( heard a few voices' &('m tellin' you''' ;ou don't owe me''' ;our debt has been bought' ;ou belong to "eggie,

bitch8& / thick sounding thud met my ears, making me grimace, because ( knew the sound of fist meeting flesh' ( winced when )harky's grunt whooshed from him over and over' &9eave him,& a voice ordered, and ( fro3e, because ('d know 4alter's voice anywhere' &4e don't have time for this shit, 9ily,& he growled' &4e should've never come here in the first plB& he stated, though he cut the sentence short when the click of a gun hammer resounded around us' ( looked to /lec, and then $dward, both of whom had the safeties off, but their guns weren't engaged' ( peered around to $mmett, and he was raising his weapon with both hands' $dward seemed as conflicted as ( did, because there was a part of us that wanted 4alter or 9ilith to die for all that they did, yet if $mmett didn't have the shot, he was about to open up hell in a really fucking close space' &Be sure, be sure, be sure,& /lec breathed oh so quietly to no one in particular, watching $mmett with a hawk's glare' But all the silence, all the stealth that we'd gotten away with so far was fucking blown out the damn water when someone hit the top of the boiler room stairs' &;o, )harky, you down here8 4e gotta go, man' They say the cops are here8& someone called from above, which caused everyone in the room to ,ump and spin, including our two targets, who caught sight of all of us closing in' &7h fuck8& 4alter gasped, grabbing 9ilith and diving behind what looked to be a water heater or some shit' The bo es ne t to it wobbled ,ust a bit as $mmett's shot rang out in the tight space' The sound of commands, clanging, and pounding footsteps e ploded around us' #y only concern was 9ilith, maybe 4alter, but ( made sure to follow their every move as much as ( could' ( hoped they were trapped, because )am fell back to the door of the stairwell, but ( wasn't sure there was another e it to this place that we didn't know about' /nd it was hard to see, because the lights were dim, flickering a bit as $dward pulled me behind a wall of pipes' &Three o'clock, behind the water heater,& ( whispered to him, pulling back the hammer of my gun' &Take the right, Bella,& he said so softly that ( caught it more over the radio than ( did when it was said right beside me' &#y team, wait for my signal' 6rop back, watch for weapons, and see if there's another e it8& he hissed, pointing for me to take the right side, which was filled with stacks of bo es'

&Ten2four,& #ickey answered' ( stepped lightly, slowly, my arms stiff and aimed in front of me' #y eyes darted to $dward when he spoke loudly' &=ome out, 4alter' This shit's over8& he growled, and as soon as the name left his lips, my radio went into high alert, with /lice, $lea3ar, and =arlisle all snapping into action' 5ell, ('d forgotten they were even listening in' &#ickey, back e it'''far southwest corner,& /lice advised quickly' &(t climbs up and dumps out onto the alleyway behind the warehouse'& &('m lookin', /lice,& #ickey grunted, but ( could hear her running' &$d, ('ve got backup on the way,& $lea3ar stated, but my husband ignored him, gesturing me to stay low, be ready, and wait for his signal to turn the corner around the bo es in front of me' &('m set, $d,& /lec murmured, and ( looked past $dward to see him flanking the back aisle in the shadows' &('m not kidding, motherfucker8& $dward snapped' &)tep out, or we'll open fire on the whole back wall, asshole8 ;ou're surrounded'''there's no escape'& ( grimaced, because with all the metal down in that boiler room, that shit would be dangerous as hell' / bullet could ricochet off of a pipe and hit someone else by friendly fire' ( shook my head, but $dward rolled his eyes' 5e was bluffing' #y eyes narrowed on the stack of bo es, but then movement from )harky caught my peripheral vision' ( put my fingers to my lips when he started to move and speak' )haking my head vigorously, ( mentally willed him to be still' 5e stopped midway up into a sitting position, looking blearily around, but his eyes widened as he took in the sight before him' $dward's patience, however, had run out' )ilently gesturing for me to go, he engaged his weapon, walking around to the left' &7ne, two''' three'''& he grunted out, but before he could move or pull the trigger, the stack of bo es suddenly shot out toward me in a flash of fire and dust and water' ( fell back, my gun skidding away from me, as ( covered my face from falling debris' ( wasn't sure what had happened, but ( didn't have a chance to mull it over, because suddenly, 9ilith was right on top of me, along with bo es and chunks of concrete' )he reached for my neck, and ( deflected her hands ,ust in time, rolling away from her' #y earpiece was gone, so ( had no idea where everyone else was' ( barely had the sight to see 9ilith coming for me again' &;ou bitch8& she screamed, diving for me' 4e landed with grunts to the floor' &;ou ruin

everything8& 4e rolled, fighting and punching, until finally, ( was on top of her, getting two good punches to her face' ( barely heard calls of my name or registered that )harky was moving, because 9ilith grabbed a pipe ne t to her hand' &7h, hell no,& )harky snapped, diving for her hand at the same time ( did, but 9ilith was quicker' )he brought up the heel of her hand to my chin at the same time that her other hand made contact with my back' #y sight dimmed as my strength gave out, and as the darkness took over, 9ilith half shoved me off of her, even as it felt like someone yanked her away from me'

E!"#$!
&( need lights down here, now8& ( ordered, practically growling as ( pulled myself out from underneath the water heater that 4alter had ,ust blown all to hell' &$dward, check in,& my dad called over the earpiece' &The fucker used the gas line to blow his way out,& ( stated, giving a glance around' There was water spewing from pipes leading all the way to the stairwell' / fair chunk of the wall was cracked, and twisted metal and scattered bo es were everywhere' ( spun in one spot, looking for everyone' &#y team, check in8& ( snapped, running a hand through my hair' &('m okay,& /lec groaned, dumping a shitload of debris off of him as he sat up not far from me' &('m good,& )am rumbled, but he was rubbing his head' &+ucking metal hit my head, damn it'& &They're running, they're running,& $mmett snapped' &4e lost 'em, $d8 ('m on it, ( swear8& ( shook my head, wondering how the hell 4alter and 9ilith had gotten past us' 5ow the fuck $mmett had kept sight of them, ('d never know' &('m here,& #ickey said, and my heart plummeted into my stomach, because the one person that ( needed to hear the most wasn't saying anything' &Bella!& ( called, tripping over more pipes and pieces of the wall as ( made my way over to where ('d seen her last' &Bella, check in'& There must've been ,ust enough fear in my voice for everyone to pick up on, because

they all started calling her' ( heard /lice and =arlisle curse softly over the radio, but ( didn't pay it much attention' #ovement caught my eye at the end of the aisle' &7ver here8& someone called out, and ('d totally forgotten about )harky' &/w, hell,& /lec cursed quietly, as both of us ran toward the voice's direction' #y heart sank at the sight before me' ( fell to my knees ne t to Bella's unconscious body' &Bella!& ( breathed, brushing her hair from her face' )he was covered in dust, dirt, and blood, not moving at all' 5er face was rela ed, like she was asleep, but she wasn't waking up with anything that ( was saying or doing' &)he took a pretty nasty punch to the chin, man' /nd a pipe to her back,& )harky told me' &( tried to stop 9ilith, but ( wasn't fast enough'& &)hit,& ( hissed, looking up to #ickey' &Go8 $lea3ar's men should be here by now' Guide them in and tell them to call an ambulance'& &)ir8& she said, running fast down the middle aisle, because it had the least damage' / spark from the rigged electric that someone had run down into the boiler room popped to my right, and /lec groaned' &0ot waiting for them,& he growled, pointing to Bella' &Grab her' There could be more gas pipes'& 5e pointed to )harky' &Get the hell outta here' Go8& ( didn't have to be told twice' =arefully, ( scooped my wife into my arms, ,erking my chin to the right' &Get her gun, /lec,& ( told him, and he snatched it up, disengaged it, and stowed it in the front of his pants' =limbing the stairs as quickly as ( could, ( got us the fuck out of there' )am cleared the way in front of me, and /lec had my back' )urprisingly enough, )harky was still with us' &(s she gonna be okay!& he asked me' &( don't know,& ( sighed, looking down at my girl' &( need to get her outside to know how badly she's hurt'& &( remember her,& he said softly, his eyes on my wife' &)he stopped 9ilith before'& &)he tried,& ( grunted, blinking rapidly when we finally made it outside into the sunlight' There were more people outside than ( was e pecting, but ( imagined the gunfire and the e plosion had drawn the neighborhood in' ( could see the people /lbert had removed, but the biggest sight was running toward me at top speed with a blanket in his hands' &4hat happened, son!& :reacher asked, guiding me to a spot on the sidewalk' 5e spread the blanket out for me to lay Bella down' 5is eyes were fierce and sharp when

they landed on )harky' &Terrance, did you do this!& he growled' &/w, no, :reach, ( swear8& )harky said, suddenly turning into a kid' &0o, it was 9ilith and 4alter,& ( sighed, kneeling ne t to Bella, my eyes only on her' &They blew the gas line'& /lmost as the words came out of my mouth, another small e plosion came from deep inside the warehouse' ( rubbed my face in frustration, worry, and fatigue, but :reacher's hands reached toward Bella' &#ay (!& he asked, making sure he had my permission before touching her' &9iving in this neighborhood, you learn a thing or two about first aid,& he murmured, lifting her eyelid' 5e seemed to rela a bit when her pupils dilated' &)he's ,ust out'''& he said softly, picking up each arm and turning them over' &)he'll need stitches, for this,& he finally stated, showing me the inside of one arm, which was cut pretty deeply' ( groaned, shaking my head' &4hy won't she wake up!& ( asked him' &)weet spot,& )harky answered, tapping his chin' &7h,& :reacher sighed, looking up at me' &/ bo er's term' The sweet spot is the chin' :unch it ,ust right, and all the lights go out'& :ounding footsteps rushed toward me, and ( turned to see )am bringing the paramedics with him, $mmett hot on their trail' &4e've got her, sir,& a young guy with bright blond hair stated, as he and his partner rolled their gurney closer, but ( didn't move' &%ir, we'll take good care of her' ( promise,& he vowed, waiting for me to get out of his way' &=ome on, kid,& /lec urged, tugging me up with a fistful of my shirt' &4e'll ride with them, okay!& ( nodded, shoving my hands in my pockets in order to keep from snatching Bella out of the $#T's hands' )he wouldn't want them touching her without her knowledge' ( was shaking with that thought, trying my damnedest not to punch a fucker out' &$asy, $d,& $mmett said, physically pulling me back from the situation' &They're helping her, bro,& he soothed, knowing e actly what ( was thinking' ( followed the gurney to the ambulance, as the paramedic told us the name of the hospital we were going to' /lec spun in front of me to grab $mmett' &=all "ose and =arlisle' Tell them where to meet us' +ollow behind us, got it!& &;eah, got it,& he said, pulling out his phone' 5e was walking away with )am, when (

heard him say, &0o, =arlisle, ( lost them'''stole a car'''& /lec turned to )harky, pointing to him' &4e kinda need to talk to you again' =an you stick around!& :reacher stepped forward and landed a heavy, warning hand to )harky's shoulder, which made him flinch' &;ou have my word that when you need him, he'll be there,& he vowed, and ( almost laughed at )harky's comically nervous glance to :reacher, but ( ,ust didn't have it in me' &#r'''& the paramedic called, and ( spun around to look up into the back of the ambulance' &=ullen,& ( grunted, stepping up on the bumper' &#r' =ullen, she's comin' around,& he said, smiling a bit when ( practically dove into the seat ne t to her' &Baby!& ( whispered, unable to keep from touching her, despite the work the guy was doing to try and get her situated and strapped in' &$dward!& she rasped, squee3ing her eyes closed, but then they widened' &( can't move, $dward8& she cried, starting to fight us all' (n fact, the whole vehicle was shaking at the panic she was going through' &5ey, hey, hey,& ( said, forcing her face to look at me' &('m right here' /nd they need to keep you still, sweetness' ;ou got hurt, so let them fi you, okay!& &( don't want to be strapped down,& she sobbed' ( looked to the $#T with a grimace' &:lease8 :lease, take it off8& she wailed, tears coursing down her face' &4e have to,& he hedged, looking around the tight space' &(t's for safety'''& &)he'''she has a'''a fear,& ( told him, not elaborating, because she'd hate it if ( told him about #iller and basements and fucking torture' &=an you at least loosen it!& &7nly a little,& he conceded, grimacing at her cries, her continual fighting' &Bella, stop,& ( ordered as gently as ( could, again making her look at me' &5e's loosening it for you' +eel that, baby!& ( asked, sighing with relief when she settled down a bit' &;ou look at me and forget about everything else you hear and feel, okay!& &7kay,& she sniffled' &4e've been here before, you know,& ( teased her, leaning down to her ear' &(f you look at me, then nothing else hurts you, right!& &"ight'&

&Good girl,& ( praised her, giving her cheek a soft kiss and taking her hand' ( linked our fingers together, leaving my lips against her skin' &5ow do you feel!& &#y back hurts, and so does my head,& she answered me, her little hand trembling in mine' &But ( don't like the strap, $dward'''& she said, her tears picking back up again' ( squee3ed my eyes closed at the old fear that ( could hear in her voice' #y own tears threatened to well up, because fuck, ( hated it' 4ithout another word, ( sat up, yanking the strap off of her' &5ey8& the paramedic started to argue' &(f we get in a wreck, I'll fucking hold her, but she can't be fucking strapped down8& ( snapped, gathering my trembling girl into my arms as gently as ( could at the moment' #y fist opened and closed, itching to reach for my gun, but /lec took over' &5e's a good driver, yeah!& he asked, shaking us all with the change in direction and pointing to the guy's partner' 5e smiled when the $#T nodded' &/nd the hospital's close!& &;eah, we should almost be there,& he answered slowly' &0o worries, then,& /lec chuckled, but it was almost cold and humorless' &4e won't tell'''you won't tell' 9ife goes on'& (t was the most subtle threat he'd ever given, but it was understood completely by everyone in the back of that ambulance' ( looked down at my Bella, cupping her chin' &Better, love!& ( asked, and she nodded with a sigh' &Good' 0ow, let him see that arm, baby'& )he sat perfectly still and quiet as he cleaned the wound and covered it with a temporary bandage' )he leaned into me, slowly coming back down from the panic attack, something ( hadn't had to deal with for years' &They'll probably give her a =/T scan, #r' =ullen,& the paramedic, whose name was )anders, ( finally noticed' &;ou know, ,ust to make sure she's okay'& Bella groaned, but ( picked up her hand and kissed the back of it, saying, &4e'll do whatever it takes to make sure she's all right,& ( stated, because it wasn't up for argument, and from my tone of voice, Bella knew it as she sagged against me' 4e pulled into the $mergency "oom bay, and they unloaded her, keeping the straps of the bed ,ust draped over her for show' (mmediately, she was taken away from me, the nurses telling me to be patient, that they needed to get her set up for tests and shit' &)ir!& a young voice met my ears from my side, and ( looked down at a nurse, who was already blushing at me' &4e ,ust need you to do some paperwork on your'''&

&4ife,& ( stated, giving the $" one last glance with the hopes that ( could see Bella from where ( stood' &)he's in good hands, sir,& the nurse said softly' ( took a deep breath and let it out, swallowing thickly, nervously, but ( nodded to her' &7kay, paperwork'& &5ey, kid,& /lec called from the chair in the corner of the waiting room' &.ust do what you have to do, and don't worry about shit' ('ll call everyone, okay!& &Thanks, /lec,& ( said, watching him bree3e past me with his phone already out' ( was pretty sure the first call would be to my dad'

&=hrist, son,& my dad breathed, rushing to sit ne t to me in the waiting room, with $sme right behind him, sitting on the other side of me' &(s she okay! 4hat the hell happened in there!& Both of them put a hand on my shoulder as ( sat forward, bracing my elbows on my knees' &They're running some tests now' )he was awake when they took her from me' 9ilith got to her' /nd ( ,ust'''( think 4alter lit a gas line or some shit'& The specifics ,ust didn't feel all that fucking important at the moment' (t seemed like it had taken forty fucking forevers to fill out the paperwork ,ust to get Bella checked in' By the time ('d finished, they'd rushed her off to run a scan' ( knew she was probably over it, maybe a little scared, and in pain' The fact that ( couldn't see her, reach out to touch her, even for a moment, was bugging the ever loving shit out of me' &( need to see her,& ( groaned, my fingers gripping my hair' &)he had a fucking panic attack in the goddamn ambulance'& &7h, no,& $sme gasped' &4hy!& ( turned my head toward her' &They strapped her to the gurney' ( didn't even think about it'''& &6amn it,& my dad hissed, and his grip to my shoulder tightened' &( almost shot the fucking paramedic, $sme' ;ou should've seen her,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &( finally ,ust ripped the shit off of her'& $sme smirked, rubbing my shoulder a bit' &6id that help, son!& she asked, a slight chuckle escaping her'

&;eah,& ( grinned, despite the circumstances' &(s Bethy with "ose!& ( asked them, and they both nodded' &4hat were Bella's in,uries, sweetheart!& she asked, keeping me focused, because ( must've seemed all over the place' &?m,& ( said, sitting up straight' &/ pretty nasty cut on her arm, and )harky said that she was punched in the chin and took a pipe to the back'& #y dad huffed, shaking his head' &But she was awake!& ( nodded' &;eah' )ore, but awake' The docs said that they were ,ust going to run some tests to make sure everything was okay, before they stitched her arm'& &#r' =ullen!& ( heard from the door of the waiting room' &;es!& my dad and ( answered at the same time, which caused not only $sme to crack up, but )am and /lec, too' &( think she means me, old man,& ( chuckled, shaking my head at his laughter and standing' The very amused nurse looked up at me as ( approached her with a raised eyebrow' &;our father!& she laughed, and ( nodded with a smile' &;ou can see your wife now, #r' =ullen' They're ,ust about to stitch her arm, but that will give us time enough to get the rest of her test results back'& &7kay,& ( sighed, shoving my hands in my pockets as ( followed her down the corridor' )he led me to the end set of curtains, smiling when she nodded that ( could go on in' &)he's been asking for you,& she whispered' &'>ay,& ( mumbled, gently pulling back the curtain to see my wife sitting up in bed, her arm on a rolling table' &5ey, baby'& ( sighed with relief at the sight of her sweet face, despite the fact that she looked terribly tired and slightly irritated' &5ey,& she said, her tone matching my own' &They're about to fi my arm' )it with me'& ( sat on the edge of the bed, unable to refrain from leaning in and kissing her forehead' &5ow do you feel, sweetness!& ( whispered against her skin, pulling back only far enough to press my own forehead to hers' &( w2was r2really w2worried, love'& &( know' ('m sorry,& she whispered' &('m sore, but ( feel okay' ('m still tired' ( ,ust want to sleep,& she stated, giving a one shoulder shrug' &( don't know what happened' 7ne second, ( was waiting for your order, and the ne t, ('m on the ground and 9ilith was on me'& &4e think 4alter set off a gas pipe,& ( told her, pulling back to cup her face' &$mmett gave chase, but they got away'&

&4alter's little distractions are really starting to piss me off,& she growled, rolling her eyes at my chuckle, because leave it to my girl to go right back to work, even while sitting in a hospital bed' &9eave it for now, love,& ( told her, still smiling, because if she was pissed off, then she was ,ust fine' ( knew that much' &4e'll start over after we get home and get you some rest, okay!& &7kay,& she conceded, and we both looked up when a young man walked into her curtained area' &5ey, ('m $li,& he said with a smile' &('m gonna be taking care of that arm for you, #rs' =ullen' /fter that, 6r' :owell will talk to you' ( think all your test results are ,ust about back'& Bella nodded, her eyes only on me when ( stood up from the bed and sat in the chair' )he didn't want to watch what he was doing, even though he was kind of talking her through it' ( saw the wrinkle of her nose, her eyes grow wary, and her teeth automatically latch on to her bottom lip' &('m going to use a local, so you won't feel anything,& $li e plained, not really looking anywhere other than Bella's arm' &)ure, fine,& she ground out' ( pulled my chair closer' &$yes on me, sweetness,& ( whispered to her, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear' &This isn't'''then' ;ou know that' This is different'& &( know,& she said so low that she practically mouthed it' ( knew that she was thinking about #iller' (n fact, all day had been filled with subtle and not so subtle reminders of his twisted fucking ass' +rom the smell she'd reacted to at the warehouse, to her trepidation of going down into the boiler room, ('d watched as she'd shove the memories away ,ust to be able to get through' &;ou seem awful touchy about'''him today, Bella,& ( said softly' &4hat's wrong!& )he shook her head, looking a little frustrated about it, but took a deep breath' &( don't know,& she sighed, looking up at me with pleading eyes, like ( would have the answer' &7ne minute, ('m okay, and the ne t, ('m not'& ( picked up her free hand, kissing the back of it' &('m sorry, baby,& ( whispered against her knuckles' &4e'll take you home soon, okay!& )he nodded, giving $li a brief glance' 5e was respectfully ignoring us, going about his stitching with a passive look on his face' 5e glanced up to see her watching him, and smiled kindly'

&('m doing the smallest stitch ( can, to lessen the scarring,& he told her, and she grinned at him' &Thanks,& she chuckled softly, but turned to me with a raised eyebrow' &( can live with scars,& she said softly, pulling her hand from mine so that she could run her fingers through my hair' &5ave you checked in!& &4ith who!& ( laughed, ,erking a thumb behind me' &They're all here, e cept for Bethy' )he's with "ose'& )he smiled and blushed a little' &7kay, good'& &/ll set, #rs' =ullen,& $li piped up' 5e turned around and tugged open a drawer behind him, grabbing a few supplies' &('m going to wrap you up, and you should be able to get these out in a few weeks'& 5e wrapped her carefully from wrist to elbow, making sure that it was secure' 5e smiled again, giving us a wave on his way out the curtain' (mmediately, Bella was out of the bed and crawling in my lap' &('m so sorry for scaring you,& she gushed, burying her face in my neck' &('m sorry for freaking out in the ambulance, too'& &)hh, sweetness,& ( sighed, sitting back in the chair and cradling her' ( kissed the top of her head, smiling at the open back of the hospital gown as ( lightly traced my fingers down her spine, careful of her in,ury back there' &5ow else would ( see you dressed in such'''se y attire!& )he burst into a giggle' &)hut up, $dward,& she laughed and sniffled at the same time, making me grin' &0o, seriously,& ( argued, snaking my hand inside the open back to ,ust barely gra3e the side of her breast' &(t definitely has its advantages'& )he sat up, trying her damnedest to give me a stern look, but totally failed' &$dward, no8& she hissed, shaking her head, but she was still giggling * a sound ( fucking lived for' &+ine,& ( sighed dramatically, holding my hands up in surrender' )he smirked, grabbing both sides of my face and kissing me roughly' &( love you,& she whispered against my lips' &God, ( love you, too,& ( groaned, hugging her as tight as ( could for fear of hurting her' &('m ,ust glad you're okay' ;2;ou h2have n2no idea how f2fucking s2scared ( w2was w2 when you d2didn't ch2check in'& &( can imagine,& she soothed, running her fingers through my hair again over and over as she snuggled back into my neck' &( would feel the same way'&

)he got quiet, content to let me hold her, and if it weren't for her tiny fingers playing with the hair at the base of my neck, ('d have thought she'd fallen asleep' ( dropped random kisses to the top of her head, absolutely stupid with the fact that she was okay' There was a clearing of a throat at the curtain, and we both looked up' &#r' and #rs' =ullen, ('m 6r' :owell,& a short, balding man said with a smile' 5e tugged over the rolling tray and set her chart down' &( ,ust wanted to go over a few things with you'& &7kay,& Bella said, but made no move to get up from my lap' &;our =T scan came back fine' The 2rays on your spine, too' There's ,ust some bruising, so ( imagine you'll be sore for a few days'& 5e cleared his throat again, a smirk gracing his face' &( see that your arm has been taken care of''' 5ow does that feel!& &+ine,& she answered him' &Good' That's really good,& he said, noting the chart' &5ow about pain! 7n a scale of one to ten, how would you rank it!& &?m, a si or seven!& she guessed, shrugging a bit' &( mean, it's livable with'''& &0ow, with your condition''' we'll have to be careful with pain meds'''& he started, but we cut him off' &=ondition!& Bella and ( both gasped' &4hat condition!& ( asked, trying not to get loud, but the word didn't sound good' 5e smiled at both of us' &( guess you didn't know,& he murmured, glancing down at his chart again' &Glad we tested'''& 5e looked straight at us' &=ongratulations, #r' and #rs' =ullen' ;ou're pregnant'&

CHAPTER 16
%E&&#
&$ongratulations, 'r. and 'rs. $ullen. ou're pregnant." That sentence hung in the silent and now suddenly stifling air for a few seconds as 6r' :owell smiled at us, but my head spun to $dward' ( could see shock and relief, but mostly, ( saw happiness and pride practically radiating off of him' ( did a mental recount of the past few weeks and reali3ed that ( had probably discarded my pills about the time that Bethy had been taken' (t was grief and terror and anger that had caused my forgetfulness' ( turned back to the doctor with narrowed eyes' &;ou're sure!& ( breathed, not knowing whether ( was scared or fucking ecstatic' &;es, though you looked surprised,& he chuckled' &4e'll have to do a sonogram in order to see how far along you are' 4e could do that now, orB& &;es8& $dward and ( both urged at him * rather loudly, ( might add * and ( smiled apologetically at the poor doc' &+ine,& he laughed softly' &9et me set that up' ;ou might want to get back in bed, #rs' =ullen'& 5e left us, and suddenly, ( was lifted and set gently back into my hospital bed' / looming $dward pressed his forehead to mine, kissing my lips softly' &)cared!& he whispered' &Terrified,& ( countered, but locked my eyes with his' The green was almost gone, leaving me staring into a heated, dark, loving ga3e as his hand pressed lightly to my stomach, his fingers spread wide so that he could touch as much of me as possible' (t was the same thing he'd done the minute ('d told him ( was pregnant with Bethy' #y body reacted instantly to his touch, his kisses, and suddenly, it all made sense * my mood swings, my fatigue, and my need to be touching him at all times' #y hormones were in high gear' &(t seems ( can't be trusted with birth control,& ( ,oked, but tears welled up in my eyes' &=hrist, $dward, this is awful timing'''& $dward smiled warmly, reaching up to gently brush my tears away with his fingers' &)o was Bethy,& he countered, tilting his head at me as he sat on the edge of the bed' &That seemed to work out'''& ( nodded and sniffled, smiling a little' &( know, baby' ( ,ust'''&

&4asn't e pecting this!& he chuckled, brushing my hair from my face' &0o, not at all, but'''& ( sighed, unable to hide my smile' &But ('m so okay with it,& ( finished in a whisper, because looking up at $dward's happy face ,ust did things to me' ('d seen the same visions the very second ( knew ( was pregnant with Bethy as ( did now * a cherub faced, green eyed, squirming baby with cra3y hair' &/re you!& &;ou're kidding, right!& he scoffed, rolling his eyes at me' &('m more than okay, sweetness' /nd we'll work it out' 4e always do'& ( nodded, but looked up when the doc came in, followed by a nurse rolling a machine in front of her' ( took a deep breath and let it out as $dward got up from the bed to sit in the chair, his hand never letting go of mine' (t was dC,a vu' There was no other way to describe it' $dward had been there every step of the way with Bethy, and ( could see now that this little one would be the same way as the doctor started to squirt the ,elly onto my stomach' (t took a few minutes of probing and rubbing, but 6r' :owell's face lit up' &There we are,& he snickered' &(t's a bean'& $dward and ( chuckled, but our eyes were locked onto the screen as the nurse giggled at us' )he printed the picture for us, and the doctor shut off the monitor' &('d say three to four weeks along,& he stated, pointing to the picture' &;ou should see your regular doctor soon, #rs' =ullen' 7kay!& he asked, and both of us nodded stupidly, our eyes unable to leave the picture in my hand' &Take it easy for a few days, but now, you're clear to go, so you can go ahead and get dressed'& &Thanks,& $dward and ( whispered, barely taking our eyes off the picture, but something occurred to me suddenly, and my giggles couldn't be stopped' &7h shit,& ( chuckled, cupping $dward's face' &Three to four weeks!& ( asked with a raised eyebrow, and he nodded, clearly amused at my laughter' &That puts us in the tree house8& &7h damn,& he growled, kissing me soundly' &4hy is that so fucking perfect!& he gushed, his smile completely taking over his face' (t was the /ll /merican, panty dropping, se y ass, crooked smile, and it was fucking hot' ( grinned, because he was right' (t was perfect' (t was a complete circle of ,ust'''us' /nd our laughter could barely be contained as ( sat up to get dressed' ( wiped a tear away and looked up at him' &( think'''maybe we shouldn't say anything yet, baby,& ( suggested' &(t's still so early'''& 5e nodded, helping me to my feet' 5e looked a little disappointed, but he understood' 5e sat back down in the chair to wait for me to get dressed, and when ( was finished,

he tugged me to stand between his legs' 9eaning in, he lifted my shirt, placing the sweetest of kisses to my belly' #y heart sputtered out of control when he looked up at me through his long, dark eyelashes' &This changes everything, you know,& he said, his voice low, like smooth silk or warm chocolate' &1othing happens to you, Bella' ( mean it'& ( nodded, having come to the same conclusion myself the very second the doctor had told us the news' &0ew rules, new precautions,& he said, opening his mouth to the skin of my stomach' &( don't care if you have to sit ne t to /lice'''no more risky shit, sweetness'& ( opened my mouth to speak, but he stopped me' &( know no one has my back like you do, baby, but it's not ,ust'''you now'& &( know,& ( admitted with another nod' &( know, $dward,& ( reiterated' &('ll hate it, but ( understand it,& ( conceded, because it drove me cra3y to ,ust listen to him run whatever mission he was on' ( needed to be there, so with all the shit still left up in the air with 4alter and 9ilith, the mere possibilities were enough to drive me insane' &(nterviewing people is fine, computer work is fine, but none of the shit that happened today, Bella' Please,& he begged, wrapping his arms all the way around me' ( stifled a yawn, but nodded' &7kay, $dward,& ( told him, giving in, because he wasn't beyond locking me in a room to keep me safe, especially when it came to the safety of his family' &9et's get you home, love,& he murmured softly, standing up' 5e wrapped an arm around my shoulders to guide me out of the small room and chuckled once, looking down at me' &4hat will we tell Bethy when the time comes!& &7h, God,& ( groaned, shaking my head' &7ne thing at a time, please, baby' Though she's ,ust commanding enough like you that she may en,oy bossing a little brother or sister around,& ( teased him' 5is laugh was deep and sweet as he kissed the side of my head' &;ou might be right, sweetness' /nd maybe we should wait to spread the news,& he chuckled as he led me down the hallway so that we could go home'

( woke up with a sharp inhale, sitting straight up in bed' ( tried to look around my bedroom, but it was pitch black and the middle of the night, according to the clock on

$dward's nightstand' #y dreams were horrifying, and with a shaky hand, ( rubbed my face roughly' &Bella!& $dward called, sitting up beside me, and ( couldn't help but reach for him, because ('d been dreaming about him' &4hat's wrong, love!& he asked' &6ream,& ( mumbled, letting him lay us back down face to face, but ( tangled my legs with his, ,ust to be able to feel as much of him as possible' &(t's okay now,& he soothed, wiping the sweat from my brow with gentle sweeps of his fingers' &6o you want to talk about it!& ( shook my head, pulling his forehead to mine with one hand and his waist closer with the other' &0o'& The feel of his skin against my legs and under my fingers felt so fucking good' The smell of him, like clean soap and fresh cut lumber, invaded my senses' ( couldn't help but glide my hands through his hair and up and down his back' (t was soothing, it was helping chase away the dream, and it was making me want him like never before' (n fact, shamelessly, ( gripped his shoulder and rolled my hips over his, moaning at the feel of him growing hard against me as ( hitched my leg around his waist' &+uck, baby,& he whispered, nipping at my lips' &4hat are you doing to me!& &$dward,& was all ( could articulate, before my lips crashed into his' The deep, erotic moan that he released into my mouth ,ust spurred me on, causing me to almost assault his mouth with my lips, teeth, and tongue' $dward's hands gripped the t2shirt ( was wearing, tugging me closer, and then rolling us so that ( was on top of him, because he always caught up so very quickly' &=hrist, love,& he panted, gliding his hands over my ass, up my sides, to grab my face' &( don't want to hurt that back, sweetness, but fuck''' Tell me what you want'& ( needed him so badly that the sound that escaped me almost sounded like a sob as ( crashed back into him' ( gripped him fiercely with my thighs straddling either side of his waist, my hips rolling over him again' 5e felt so fucking perfect underneath me, hitting me e actly where ( needed him' 5e sat up with me on his lap, and when ( started to protest, he broke away from my mouth' &)hh, baby,& he crooned, slipping his hands inside my t2shirt so that he could gather it up, his fingers gra3ing teasingly up every inch of my body as he did so' 5e swiftly tugged it over my head and dropped it ne t to us, leaving me in ,ust a pair of underwear' &('m not stopping you''',ust slowing you down' ( really don't want to fucking hurt you'& ( whimpered, nodding that ('d heard him, and wrapped my arms around his neck as his

landed on my ass, dipping under the waistband of my panties' &+uck, ( ,ust need you,& ( was finally able to whisper, nipping at his lips' &/nd you have me,& he countered' That statement, combined with the dream ('d ,ust come out of, made me shiver in his arms and grip him tighter, tears truly welling up in my eyes, and ( gasped at how much ('d needed to hear those four simple words from him' $dward pulled his face away from mine, reaching over to turn on the side lamp with one hand, while the other never ceased sensual caresses, gentle squee3es, and light tugs up and down my side' 5e clicked it on to the lowest setting, and then turned back to me, his face filled with concern, but the lust, the love was still there, all highlighted in the dim glow of the lamp' &6on't stop, don't stop,& ( pleaded, shaking my head' "ough, strong hands gently grasped either side of my face to stop my protests' 4iping away my tears, he tilted his head at me' =alm, warm, green eyes studied me intently as he held me still' &;our dream was about me!& he asked, nipping at my lips, but not quite giving in, and ( nodded, more tears escaping' &4as it the one where you couldn't get to me! 7r the one where ( was ,ust'''gone!& 4ith every other word of each question, he dropped a kiss on my heated skin * on my cheek, my ,aw, below my ear, and finally, a long, slow, open mouthed kiss on my throat' &$dward,& ( whispered as ( gripped his shoulders like a lifeline, shaking my head profusely, because the word &gone& didn't come close to the dream, and ( didn't want to voice it out loud' The mere idea terrified me' +irm fingers threaded into my hair, and he forced me to look at him' &('m right here, love,& he stated, a little harsher than the voice he'd been using' &(t's all okay' (t was ,ust a fucking dream'& )omething about that voice knocked my panic down a notch or two, and ( took a deep breath, locking eyes with his, silently begging him to help me, because ( still needed him, wanted him, to the point ( thought ('d burst into flames' 6eep down, ( knew it was now hormones driving this feeling, but combined with the nightmare, ( wasn't able to stop myself' /t all' ( let out a breath ( didn't reali3e ( was holding in and nodded once, finally allowing myself to reach up with shaky hands and touch his gorgeous face' There was a slight touch of stubble growing in since his shave from the morning before, and feeling it under my fingertips for some reason rela ed me a bit more'

&( love you,& ( breathed, closing my eyes a bit' &?h uh,& he chided softly with a dark chuckle' &$yes open, sweetness' ;ou need to see me'''see what ('m going to do to you'& #indful of the bruise on my upper back, he arched my body slowly, his eyes never leaving mine as he bent to kiss my sternum' 5e used teeth and lips to kiss his way to my breast, making sure ( was still watching him when his tongue snaked out to swirl around my nipple' / deep, wanton moan escaped me, and ( writhed in his arms, hissing when my back pinched a sharp pain' &)low' 6own,& he commanded, his eyes dark, fierce, but still very much heated' >eeping my legs draped over his, he set me softly on the bed between them so that he could reach out and touch every inch of my upper body' Thumbs brushed over my nipples, bringing them to such tight peaks that it was almost painful' 9ong, knowing fingers with rough callouses tickled down each rib with an airy touch that almost made me giggle' 5e was calming me, making sure ( knew he was there, that he wasn't going anywhere' 5e was proving the difference between dreams and reality' 4hen his fingers finally made purchase on the waistband of my underwear, he tugged them down swiftly, making sure my legs went right back over his' ( was complete naked for him, spread open for him, and at his mercy' Bending over me, his mouth placed a sweet, almost reverent kiss to my belly' This time, tears of happiness pricked the corners of my eyes as ( slid my fingers into his hair to hold him there ,ust a touch longer' 5e was reminding me of what we'd made, of how much that meant to him' 5is hands rubbed up and down my thighs as he sat back up, giving my entire being a heated once over' 5e drank me in, dragging his tongue along his bottom lip slowly, until his fingers finally slipped lightly over my ape ' #y breath caught, my hips raising up to feel more, but he pressed me gently back down, spreading my legs wider' &#m2mm2mm,& he crooned, shaking his head once' &That is a fucking beautiful sight,& he purred, letting the fingers of one hand glide between my folds and cupping my breast with the other' &7h'''and she's so damn wet for me'''& ( was wet * almost embarrassingly so' ( was also throbbing, swollen, and aching for his touch' #y breathing was shallow, my fingers gripped the sheets of our bed, and my legs pulled at him to bring him closer, for him to ,ust do something' The shaky sigh of almost relief when he slid one long finger inside of me echoed through our room' #y eyes rolled back into my head as his thumb made a delicious circle over my clit, and when he added a second finger, curling them ,ust right, a long,

slow, & es,& hissed from my mouth' &$yes on me when you come, baby,& he commanded softly, but he was wearing a slightly smug smile as he worked in and out of me' ( was so wet that it could be heard throughout the room every time he sank deeper and deeper into me' #y eyes shot up to his, but he wasn't looking at me1 he was focused on what his fingers were doing' The sensual moan that rumbled from him * one of my most favorite sounds * caused me to clench down hard on his hand' 5is head shot up to lock ga3es with me' &7h, sweetness, you're close,& he sang low, his mouth quirking up into a half smile' &=ome for me, baby' 9et it all go' +eel only me when you come on my hand'& There were certain things about $dward ( couldn't resist, and one was my body's reaction to him, to his voice' (t owned me' ( had no control over the orgasm that shot through me like a freight train, because he pressed my clit at ,ust the right time, in ,ust the right spot that caused stars to e plode behind my eyelids' &5oly shit,& ( whimpered, shattering and shaking as he continued to use his hand to ride out my spasms' )uddenly, he was looming over me, bracing one arm by my head, but holding his body away from me' &6on't move, baby,& he warned with a se ily raised eyebrow' &4e're not done' 0ot a chance, love,& he purred, leaning down to give me a long, slow, deep kiss at the same time he was working his bo ers off' &( will take care of you'& 5e resumed his previous position * only now, he was gloriously naked, his cock standing strong and proud' $asing me closer to him, he slipped his tip ,ust inside my entrance' 4ith one perfect, delicious roll of his hips, he sank deep within me, both of us calling out' 4ith the position he was using, he was in control * of everything' $very thrust, every sweet touch of the sensitive spot deep inside of me, every thumb brushed across my nipples, every circle around my clit''' 5e was in charge of it all' 5ow he knew what ( needed, even when ( didn't, always seemed to take me by surprise' 5e was protecting my back by controlling every move' 5e lifted one of my legs, holding them open by the back of my knee so that he could hold me still and watch himself fuck me, but his mouth was his most deadly weapon'''and most soothing one' &0ow can you feel me right here, baby!& he asked, but it wasn't a harsh tone1 it was deep and smooth, almost like the strokes he was thrusting into me' &('m here, love'& &$dward,& ( called, wanting to hold him, needing my hands on him, so ( held them out'

5e shook his head, a deadly smile creeping over his handsome face' &0ot that way, Bella,& he panted, and using every muscle, he lifted me back up into his lap' &+uck,& ( growled, gripping his shoulders * not from pain, but from the pure bliss that came with sinking farther down onto him' &6amn, you feel so good,& ( moaned, rolling my hips over him and bracing my elbows on his strong shoulders' &#ake yourself come, baby,& he commanded, holding my ribcage with fingers spread wide' &?se me for what you need,& he told me, dragging his teeth over my neck, only to suckle lightly on the skin ,ust below my ear, causing my rhythm and breathing to falter' ( rolled my hips harder, gra3ing my clit over his pelvic bone, and we both gasped' &7h God, baby,& he groaned, his forehead hitting my shoulder' &:lease, please, come' ('m so fucking close''' ;ou feel too good, and ( love you too much'''& That last admission, that last declaration was all ( needed, and the coil inside me snapped, my clima completely taking over my body' +ingers wove into either side of my head, and $dward forced my ga3e on him' 5is mouth hung slightly open, sweat beaded on his forehead, and his ,aw clenched, ,ust before he came hard deep inside of me' 7ur sweaty foreheads bumped together, our breathing still heavy as we ,ust stared at each other' &$dward, ( love you so much,& ( panted, wrapping my arms all the way around his head, my emotional roller coaster taking off on a different emotion altogether * overwhelming, couldn't breathe, head over heels love for the man in my arms, the father of my children' $hildren'''as in more than one now, and my tears started anew' ( almost sobbed at the thought of losing him, because we weren't even close to catching 9ilith, and my dream was still fresh and bitter, ,ust under the surface' 7ne deep, but oh so sweet chuckle escaped him as he wrapped his arms around my body' &+uck, baby,& he chuckled again, still breathing rather heavily' &6amn, ('d forgotten about these cra3y hormones of yours'''& ( giggled, but sniffled, too, tugging on his hair' &6on't laugh at me8 ( can't help it'& 5e pulled back, and watching him trying to sober up was almost fucking comical' But his eyes glowed warm and sweet, a deep green in the low light' &7h, sweetness, ( love you, too' ('m right here, and it'll be okay' ( promise'& &#y dream scared me,& ( admitted softly' &( can't lose you'''& &;ou won't,& he assured me, reaching between us to place his hand on my belly' &('ve got ,ust as much to fight for, love' #ore than ( ever thought possible' )o if you don't think ('ll be careful, that ( won't avoid stupid, fucked up shit, then you don't know me'&

5is voice was sharp, but still loving, still soothing' 5e meant every word' /nd ( knew that this pregnancy was different, because we were still so very deep in danger' 4ith Bethy, it was ,ust simple cases * lost relatives, simple security details, and a few missing persons * and ( was able to work almost up until her delivery' This was so fucking different, because it was possible that we were all targets now' &( know, $dward' (t ,ust scared me,& ( sighed, trying my damnedest not to cry again' +ucking hormones' ( kissed him soundly on the mouth, pulling back to run my fingers through his hair' &( know it did, baby,& he soothed, running his nose up one side of mine and down the other' &9et it go' )hake it off, because it wasn't real' ('m right here'& 5e paused, before continuing, &( want you to get some more sleep, Bella'& 4ith that order, he laid us down, pulling me close once we were separated and ( had tugged my t2shirt back on * a habit that came with having Bethy able to walk in' 4ith soft, gentle sweeps of his fingers through my hair, it didn't take long for my eyelids to grow heavy and my breathing to deepen' 0u33ling farther into his neck, ( let his scent, his touch, and his heartbeat to lull me back to sleep'

E!"#$!
There was no more sleep for me' 7nce Bella was settled and sleeping much more peacefully, ( slipped out of bed' ( figured ( could start the coffee, go for a run, and by the time ( got back, ( could work with /lice in the office or some shit' ( tugged on my shorts and laced up my sneakers, silently opening our door, but it was the little shadow down the hall that ,ust about scared the shit out of me' &Bethy,& ( sighed, practically placing a hand over my heart, but ( knelt down when she ran to me, #r' Bunny in tow' &626addy,& she whimpered, clinging to me fiercely' &(t's too early, little sweetness' ;ou should be asleep,& ( said softly, pulling back to tuck her hair behind her ears' )he yawned widely, nodding, but ( could tell that my wife wasn't the only one having nightmares' &0ot yet,& she stated weakly' ( smiled at her, kissing her forehead, simply because she was ,ust adorably stubborn * a character trait she'd earned honestly from both of her parents' ( stood up with her in my arms, and she laid her head on my shoulder, her little fingers tracing the ink on my chest'

&('ll make a deal with you, baby,& ( crooned to her, dropping another kiss to her head' &;ou can stay up ,ust long enough for me to make coffee, but then''' 5ow about ( put you in our bed with #ommy!& &7kay,& she sighed, completely content in my arms, so ( held her all the way to the kitchen, during the entire coffee making process, finally setting her on the edge of the counter' That whole time, her fingers seemed fascinated with my tattoo' &4hat's it say!& she asked, watching her own fingers, and then looking up at me' &?)/+''' ?nited )tates /ir +orce' :oppy has one, too' )o does ?ncle $m,& ( told her, pointing to each letter' &:oppy's is on his arm,& she whispered, a little dip appearing between her eyebrows, and suddenly, she looked like Bella had the first time she saw my ink' &4hy do you have it!& ( smiled, kissing her nose, but swallowed thickly' )he didn't need to know the reason behind the stars, but the actual /ir +orce symbol was important' &/t one time, all ( wanted was to be like :oppy and ,oin the /ir +orce, to fly' )o when ( was about to ship out overseas, ( got this to match his' ( was very'''proud to be able to finally get it'& &6id it hurt!& &/ little,& ( chuckled' &4ere you scared!& &#ore about going away than the needle of getting this,& ( told her, still chuckling, and ( tapped my chest with a finger' &6id you miss #ommy!& she asked, and suddenly, this was turning into twenty questions' &( didn't know #ommy then,& ( e plained' &( wish ( had'& God, that was the fucking truth' Though, ('d never voiced it allowed, ( didn't think' ( wished many, many times after saving Bella from #iller's basement that ('d kept in contact with the ama3ing girl ('d met when we were ,ust kids' ( was pretty sure that my life would have been different, that ( wouldn't have done things for so many years that shamed me' /nd the mere thought of having my Bella to take care of me when ('d gotten hurt and released from the service ,ust made my loneliness back then all the sharper' )omething about that answer bothered her, because she frowned up at me, yawning at the same time' &6oes that make you sad, 6addy!& she asked, tilting her head at me' &0o,& ( said with a smile' &( have you and #ommy now' That's what's important' ;ou're

my girls,& ( said, my heart practically soaring with the secret news we'd found out the day before' Bethy giggled at that, and ( scooped her up off of the counter' &=an you do me a big favor!& ( whispered conspiratorially at her as ( carried her down the hall' &4hat!& she whispered back, gripping #r' Bunny' &#ommy doesn't feel so good, baby' =an you snuggle with her! #ake her feel better! 5mm! ;ou're really good at it'& Bethy grinned and nodded, but ( could see by her eyes that she was still sleepy' &7kay, 6addy'& ( put a finger to my lips ,ust before opening the door to the bedroom' The beauty of Bella asleep was breathtaking' (t always had been to me' 4aves of chocolate silk splashed across her pillow, her hand tucked under her chin, and an escaped from the covers, gorgeous, strong leg that always seemed to be searching for me * all of it was ,ust stunning to me' ( tucked my other brunette into my side of the bed, pulling the covers up around her chin' ( leaned over, kissing her forehead, and whispered, &( love you'& &9ove you, too, 6addy,& she said, yawning widely, her eyelids already falling heavily' ( leaned over her, pressing a light kiss to Bella's temple' &7nly sweet dreams, girls'&

( pushed my run hard' #aybe too hard' ( was worried about Bella's and Bethy's nightmares, about what all this shit was doing to them, and the added stress of Bella's pregnancy ,ust made it all the worse' ( ,ust wanted it fucking over' ( wanted 4alter and 9ilith si feet under, and ( still wasn't sure >enny would live to see =hristmas' 5ell, probably not even 5alloween, considering it was still the middle of the fucking summer' By the time ( got back through the woods, a few people were already arriving to continue their research' ( could see my father's car, $mmett's, and even .asper's truck, but $lea3ar wasn't there yet' &)tep off the fucking creamer, .a338& $mmett boomed, making himself a cup of coffee under the tent that had been set up for the security team $lea3ar had permanently placed at my home'

&4ell, give up the sugar, asshole8& .asper countered with a laugh, holding the ,ar of creamer back, and suddenly, it was a fucking condiment standoff' ( walked to the cooler, grabbing a bottle of water, and spun to the both of them' &4ake Bella, and ('ll rip your arms off and beat you with them'''both of you,& ( warned them with a raised eyebrow' &)hut the fuck up'''or at least fucking tone it down'& &7h, damn,& .asper sighed, looking sheepish as he stirred his coffee' &#y bad, $d' )orry' 5ow's she feeling!& &)ore,& ( said after downing the entire bottle and reaching for another one' &)he's got a helluva bruise on her back, and she's e hausted'& &:oor Bellsy,& $mmett groaned, shaking his head' &4hat the fuck happened down there!& &4e'll go over it all when she's up, ('m sure,& ( said with a shrug' &To be honest, ( don't know everything * ,ust that 9ilith got to her'& &But the tests came back okay, right!& .asper verified, looking nervous, because we were all a very tight group of friends, and they considered Bella their family' &( mean, she's cool, right!& ( smiled at him, because he had no clue' &;eah, she's cool' 0othing broken, no brain damage,& ( chuckled' &.ust roughed up a bit' The tests were'''perfect'& &Good,& $mmett sighed with relief' &4e'll keep it down, $d' )orry'& &;eah, sorry, man,& .asper added, looking contrite' &But when Bethy gets up, /lice wants to see her' ( think she upgraded her program or some shit' ;ou know'''since she can't go to #rs' =ope's'''& ( waved off the apologies and gave .asper a nod, heading toward the house' ( needed to check on my girls, grab a shower, and sit down with /lec when he arrived' /fter he'd found out that Bella was going to be okay, he'd taken off back to :reacher's to have a chat with )harky' ( wanted to know every fucking detail' ( walked in to hear my daughter chatting happily with her grandparents as they listened raptly to every word, even if it didn't make sense' )he was eating a bowl of cereal as $sme tried to braid her hair' &There she is,& ( said, kissing the top of Bethy's head' &5i, 6addy,& she mumbled around a mouth full of =heerios' ( chuckled, because she looked brighter, happier than she had a few hours prior' &#ommy still sleeping!& &?h huh,& she said with a nod'

&Good,& ( sighed, pouring myself a cup of coffee' &)he can sleep all day if she wants to'& #y dad chuckled' &5ow is she!& &Tired'& &/nd sore, ( bet,& $sme added, but there was something in her knowing glance up at me that caused me to smirk' )he knew' )he would never say it in front of anyone, but she knew' #y coffee cup paused about halfway to my mouth when we locked ga3es' There was such happiness and hope there, ( knew ('d better confirm her suspicions soon, or she'd bust open at the seams' $sme had to be, by far, our biggest supporter and help since the fucking beginning' 4e owed her everything, in all actuality' )he knew about Bethy way before anyone else, and she already was guessing about this one' (t almost made me laugh' ( turned to my dad' &4ould you please let me know when /lec gets here! ( want to know how that talk with )harky went'& &)ure, son,& he said, turning his loving ga3e on Bethy as she forced his shirt sleeve up, once again looking at the /ir +orce ink that we both had' &6addy's has stars,& she pointed out, taking another bite of cereal' &;ou don't'& ( wrinkled my nose at him' &)he was studying mine earlier' ('m not sure she would understand what they mean'& But $sme put it in a way that put us all at ease' &6addy has stars to honor some really brave men, sweet one' They are a sign of strength and sacrifice'& #y heart clenched, because ('d never really looked at it that way' To me, they represented loss and mistakes' Though, once again, ( supposed she knew that' $sme always had a way of making me see ,ust a touch clearer on things that had always bothered me' Bethy seemed to accept that e planation ,ust fine, though she still may not have truly understood it' )he stared at :oppy's ink, and then mine, finally looking up to my face' )he looked so much like Bella, ( could have ,ust kissed her silly' 5er little legs swung as she sat on the stool, her spoon blindly dipping back into the bowl' &( like the stars' They're pretty' ;ou should get some, :oppy,& she commanded without a second glance at him, and he laughed, kissing her temple' &(f ( did, baby girl, then they'd go all the way up my arm,& he chuckled, shaking his head' &('ve been around longer than your daddy'& )he giggled, rolling her eyes in such a way that we all laughed with her' ( shot her a

wink, because the older she got, the more ( could see her emerging' 5er own little self ,ust'''becoming' ;es, she was a beautiful mi of her mother and me, but now, she was shedding that copying phase and was starting to become'''#ethy' /nd that thought both scared me and sent me soaring, because ( hoped she would always stay this sweet and smart and strong, but ( also couldn't wait to see who she'd become' &+inished, little sweetness!& ( asked, and took the bowl from in front of her when she nodded' ( set it in the sink and scooped her up, placing her on the counter and kissing her adorably puckered lips' &( think,& ( teased her, &that /unt /lice has something for you'& )he gasped, her eyes widening with e citement' &4hat!& she whispered, like if she spoke aloud, it wouldn't happen' &( think,& ( started again with a chuckle, &that she's got a new game for you'''& &;ay8& she cheered, wriggling to get down' &4ait,& ( laughed, holding her steady' &( love you' 6o you know!& &;es, 6addy8& she sighed, rolling her eyes, like ( was dumb for asking' &( love you, too'& &Good,& ( grunted dramatically, giving her neck a loud smooch' &0ow,& ( whispered in her ear' &)ee if :oppy will take you to /unt /lice'& &:oppy8& she sang, and he cracked the fuck up' &6on't even start,& he snorted, plucking her off the counter' &('m a sucker for the puppy face' ('m not sure ( could handle it this morning, baby girl' )o ,ust let's go,& he growled, slinging her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, causing her to squeal into laughter and her face to turn red' ( could hear her laugh all the way across the damn yard' ( turned my back on $sme, making myself another cup of coffee, but ( knew she hadn't moved' &5ow far along!& she asked softly' &Three to four weeks,& ( said, chuckling when she gasped' &5ow'd you know!& ( asked her, finally facing her again' &5er fatigue, her emotions''' Those tests yesterday seemed to take way too long, not to mention that ( was going to check on you two and saw the sonogram machine being wheeled in,& she stated softly, but tears of ,oy welled up in her eyes as her hands covered her mouth' &( wasn't sure if she was keeping up with her pills, but then, it wasn't my place to ask if you two were actually trying again'& &/n error on the pill part,& ( chuckled, &but'''& &;ou don't care,& she finished for me, and ( nodded in agreement' &7h, God, $dward'''

)uch beautiful news during this time'''& ( grinned, because ( couldn't fucking help it' &4e aren't saying anything yet' ;ou know, like last time'''& &7f course, of course''' (t's early,& she breathed, walking around the counter' )he placed a kiss on my cheek' &4hatever you two need, you know ('ll help you'& &Thank you, $sme'& ( looked down at my cup, knowing ( could tell this woman anything' ( took a deep breath and finally met her ga3e' &('m so fucking scared, though' This'''this shit isn't over' ( can't let anything happen to them' They're everything to me'& )he reached up and brushed an errant curl from my forehead' &( know, son,& she soothed' &4e'll figure it out' )he'll ,ust have to be careful, that's all'& ( nodded again, but looked over at her' &Bethy and Bella'''they're''' 4ell, they're having nightmares, $sme' ('m not sure if they can take much more of this'& )he pursed her lips and took a deep breath' &(t's natural for Bethy to have them' )he's been through some really scary things' /s long as she's safe and secure at home, they should ease up' Bella, on the other hand,& she sighed, starting to pace' &( imagine she's terrified, $dward' )he's not stupid' )he knows that the physical part of this mission is now over for her, so she's got to sit back and watch you go alone' /nd ( know her''' )he truly trusts no one when it comes to protecting you'& ( wrinkled my nose, shaking my head, because fuck, if $sme hadn't hit the nail on the head with that one' &)tep back from the ,oy you're feeling, son,& she continued' &(f something happens to you, she would be alone with a young child and one on the way, both of whom would be reminders of the love you share' )he would go on, for them, but ('m not sure she'd ever really live again, $dward' (t would kill something inside of her if you didn't come home'& )he reached up and cupped my face' &;ou two have always taken such ama3ing care of each other' ;ou've always ,ust found your own way, and ('ve never seen anything like it, but you have to understand her fear' )he's not ,ust scared for herself1 she's scared for Bethy, too * and that new little one' ;ou're an ama3ing father, $dward, and she doesn't want her children to miss out on that' ;ou have to be ,ust as careful as she does' ?nderstand!& ( swallowed nervously and nodded' #y throat closed up, because ( knew she was right' This had been my worst fear when ( was a soldier for hire' 5aving a wife, a family, and leaving them behind on missions made shit so fucking dangerous, because mistakes could be made out of fear and self2preservation, simply to be able to get back home' 9ives could be lost1 people could get hurt' )uddenly, the room was too stuffy, the air too thick' ( needed to set eyes on my wife,

because only she could make this shit go away' &( need a shower,& ( whispered, looking out the kitchen window as $lea3ar pulled in, followed by Benny and 4es' $sme's eyes were warm and filled with understanding as she nodded at me' &Take your time,& she said with a smile' &('m pretty sure they'll wait for her'& ( nodded again, making another cup, because if Bella was awake, she'd want a cup of her own' ( heard the screen door shut as ( made my way down the hall' =racking open the door of our bedroom, ( peeked inside, smiling at the sight before me' /pparently, Bethy had felt that if she couldn't stay in bed to take care of her mother, then #r' Bunny would get the ,ob done' Bella was now curled up on my side of the bed on my pillow, her arms wrapped tightly around the stuffed animal' .ust being in the same room with her made my heart beat easier' ( let out a slow e hale, setting the coffee down on the dresser' ( wanted to crawl in beside her, wrapping myself around her, but ( was still sweaty and pretty rank, if ( were to be honest' Bella had on more than one occasion yelled at me for doing ,ust that * coming back to bed after a run' )he didn't want to change the sheets after my &sweaty ass had mauled them'& ( snorted to myself at that memory and walked into the bathroom'

%E&&#
( blinked blearily awake to the smell of coffee and the sound of the shower running' ( sat up in bed, setting #r' Bunny aside' /t one point, ( had woken up to Bethy cuddling with me * a sweet gesture on $dward's part' ( crawled to the edge of the bed, stealing his cup of still steaming coffee with a giggle and leaning back against the headboard' The shower shut off, and his teasing growl made me laugh even harder' &4oman, if you stole my coffee'''& ( grinned like the =heshire cat when he came out of the bathroom in ,ust a towel, wearing a dramatically stern face' &(t's my last cup, so let me steal it with pride, $dward,& ( told him, taking a sip' &=offee thief,& he muttered, smirking at my laugh' 5e crawled up the bed, plopping down on his side ne t to me' &;ou look better'& ( smiled, leaning over to kiss his scruffy ,aw' &( feel better' Thank you' Tell me you made breakfast'&

5e laughed, shaking his head' &0o, ma'am, ('m sorry' ( will, though' Bethy had ,ust a bowl of cereal'& &:lease,& ( gushed, feeling famished' &4hatever you want, baby,& he whispered, kissing my temple, his hand immediately finding purchase on my stomach' 5e dragged up my t2shirt, leaning down and kissing my belly, rubbing his scruff ,ust enough to make me giggle' &/re you gonna go easy on #om!& he asked against my skin, placing kiss after kiss to my stomach' &;our sister was hellfire, let me ,ust tell you'& ( laughed, my head falling back to the headboard of our bed' +uck, ('d forgotten ,ust how much ( loved him talking to my stomach that way' (t was like he was bonding with them already' ('m not sure that's not why he and Bethy were so freakin' close' /nd the bigger my belly had gotten, the more she had responded to his voice' By the time she arrived, it was like she already knew him' $dward chuckled low, tickling my skin with his stubble, brushes of his lips, and teases of his tongue' &#orning sickness, cra3y cravings, fits of rage,& he said, laughing when ( gasped and look down at him, but his face sobered quickly as he continued to speak to my tummy' &)he's the best mommy in the world, but you gotta go easy on her, little one'''& &$dward,& ( breathed, running my fingers through his damp hair' &)he's tired and scared'''and ('m pretty sure ( drive her cra3y'& 5e whispered the last part like it was a secret, and ( smirked down at him' &4e all need her safe and calm and healthy, because we all love her too much, so be good for 6addy, okay!& By the time he finished, ( had tears streaming down my face' 5appy ones, scared ones, and ones that were an overflow of everything else' ( pulled at him until he hovered over me' &( promise you, sweetness,& he whispered, pressing his forehead to mine' &('ll do the very best ( can to get us all safely out of this'& 5e gave my lips a quick kiss' &4e could walk away'''let 6ad and $l finish it' ( could take us to /unt >ate's' ( could fly us'''have us there by tonight, baby'& +uck, that was so damn tempting that ( actually considered it for a moment, but it wasn't fair' 4e couldn't ,ust run to keep ourselves safe, when no one had done that when we needed them' &These people were there when we needed them the most, $dward,& ( sniffled' &/s much as they would understand, it wouldn't be right to leave them in the middle of this' They need all of us'&

&( know,& he admitted, looking pained as he allowed some of his weight down on me' &( ,ust''' +2+uck, Bella' (2( c2can't th2think s2straight a2about th2this sh2shit' ( want to protect you, Bethy'''us, but'''& ( grabbed his face, making him focus on me' &(t's all right, baby,& ( soothed him' &9et's ,ust'''take this one step at a time' 7kay! 0kay!& ( urged, when he looked away guiltily' &0o decisions without running it by the other, no rash missions' ('ll work here * but $dward'''you have to be careful with everything you do' :lease'& 5e was nodding before ( finished' &( will, sweetness' ( have to'& &4e need to get out there, don't we!& ( sighed, wrapping my arms around his strong shoulders' &7nly if you feel up to it, baby,& he sighed, laying his head on my chest and wrapping his whole body around mine' &The quicker we help, the quicker we catch them, baby,& ( whispered against his hair, inhaling the clean scent of his shampoo' &'>ay,& he mumbled against my breast, which caused me to squirm' 4ith one more kiss to my stomach, he sat up on his knees' &Then let's see what we can do, sweetness'&

CHAPTER 17
%E&&#
&=hrist, Bella,& "ose sighed, watching me sit down ne t to $dward at the office conference table so he could re2wrap my arm after my shower, since $sme was taking care of baby =aleb in the house' &/re you okay!& &;eah,& ( said with a small smile and a nod' &('m okay' 9ilith got a lucky hit in' /nd did you say that was a gas line!& ( asked, my head spinning to $dward' The whole office was busy, but they'd come to a standstill when ( arrived' ( knew they'd been worried, but ('d been too damn tired to give them much after my visit to the hospital, not to mention ( was totally wrapped up in $dward and the news we'd received' &4e think so'''& he started, but we all looked up when /lice slapped a folder down in front of me, her face fierce, but so very upset' &#y fault,& she whispered, tears pooling in her eyes' &/ll of it' ( didn't catch that the utilities weren't off in that building' The power, yes, but the gas and the water, no' ('m so sorry, Bellsy'''& ( grimaced, because she was beating herself up needlessly, so ( pulled her to the chair ne t to mine with my free hand' &5ey''',ust don't, /li,& ( sighed, shaking my head at her' &There's so much information coming out of this office right now, ( can't even imagine how you can see clearly' 0o one blames you, sweetie' I certainly don't'& &( should've seen,& she urged, not comforted at all' )he shoved the file closer to me, and ( opened it' )he pointed a heavy finger to the top page' &4alter )r' has someone that ,ust automatically pays the bills for all of his properties' These should have been shut off, but they slipped through the cracks somehow'& ( smiled sadly and shook my head again, because this would have been impossible to catch immediately, especially with the little amount of time we'd given her before going in, but /lice e pected too much of herself' 4ithout looking away from her, ( called out to the crew that had been in the warehouse with me' &/lec, $m, )am, #ickey''' ;ou guys okay!& &;es, ma'am,& they all answered, and ( could hear their amusement with where ( was taking this' /lice glanced nervously around at all of them, and then her ga3e landed on $dward, who was ,ust about finished with my bandage' 5is opinion on this probably mattered most, because it was me that had ended up hurt, and that thought looked like it scared

her to death' &$dward!& ( asked, turning to look at him' &;ou okay!& 5e smiled down at my arm, and then looked up to shoot me a wink' &+ine,& he scoffed dramatically' &Though, ( do have this bruise on my elbow' 4anna kiss it!& he asked her' /lice snorted once, rolled her eyes, and the whole room burst into laughter' 5e got up, pushing his elbow closer to her face, and she laughed, shoving him away' &0o, seriously,& he chuckled' &(t really hurts'& &Get your wife to kiss it, ,erk,& she huffed, still giggling and fighting him, but he knelt down in front of her' &4e've all missed something at some point or another during this whole mess, /lice,& he told her, his face completely sober' &0o one e pects you to see it all'& &)he could've gotten killed'''you all could have,& she whispered back' &But we didn't,& he said, his voice soothing, even to me, and ( was used to it, so ( knew it was working on /lice' &Believe me, /lice, had things gone differently, ( wouldn't be this calm, but all of us were prepared for the worst, and we came out of it okay' ( have to be grateful ( was able to bring my wife and crew back' That's it' (t's that simple'& &4e all know the risks, /lice,& #ickey chimed in from across the room' &4e're not stupid' )hi'''& )he stopped and grinned, shooting a glance into the computer room, where Bethy was currently absorbed in her computer game, which caused a chuckle throughout the room' &%tuff happens, and we all know things could go wrong'& &4e're e tremely lucky and grateful to have you, /lice,& =arlisle said softly, which caused the whole room to turn to him' &There are a few missions ('ve been on where ( wish we'd had someone like you, so don't worry about mistakes' 4e all make them'& .asper shifted on his feet, and ( knew he wanted to come to her, if he hadn't been telling her these same things all night long' 5e caught my eye, mouthing, &Thank you'& ( smiled at him, turning back to /lice' &.ust because you're a freakin' genius doesn't mean you'll see it all, /lice' ( know you * you won't make the same mistake again'& )he finally rela ed, finally let out a long, slow breath' &"ight, right, right,& she sighed with a single nod' &0o, definitely not happening again'& &4ell, there you go,& $mmett chuckled, clapping his hands together once' &0ow'''( want to hear about )harky'& /lec stepped forward, but $dward leaned into /lice' &/nd my wife kissed more than my elbow, pi ie,& he whispered with an evil chuckle' &7h damn, get away from me,& she laughed, shoving at him until he let her up out her

chair' &T#(, $dward'''& she hissed back at him, with that little wicked gleam back in her eye' 5e grinned over at me, shooting me a se y ass wink, as ( laughed' They acted like siblings, the two of them' Though, in all honesty, we were all that close' (t was something that stemmed from our beginning, having to get to know each other, trust each other, all while living under one roof when we were fighting against "oyce >ing and "iley #iller' $dward took her chair with an amused smile up at her, pulling himself closer to me' 5e set his chin on my shoulder as /lec stood at the head of the table' ;es, my husband was hovering, but ( wasn't sure ( minded all that much' ( was still achy, tired, and a little emotionally wrung out, but his warm hand in mine, his calm breathing in my ear made things ,ust a little easier' &)harky didn't tell me anything ( hadn't already put together,& /lec started, his face ,ust a touch frustrated' &5e said that 9ilith and 4alter approached him on the street, told him they had something for him, luring him to that warehouse'& 5e sighed, smirking ,ust a little' &5e did say they wanted money from him, once they got him alone, but that he wasn't into loan sharking anymore' 5e told 9ilith that her debt was paid, that she'd have to see "eggie about it' 0ow'''& 5e chuckled a bit' &4hile #ellissima was indisposed, )harky was smart enough to reali3e who the good guys were here' :lus, he said he liked Bella when she'd come to him about 9ilith before'& ( laughed softly, rolling my eyes, because )harky had been a funny, flirty thing, despite his dangerous and illegal activities' 5e'd turned his charm all the way up to full potency to schmoo3e me back then' ( used it to my advantage to find /shley, which was easy, because )harky had almost 3ero respect for 9ilith, even way back then' "ose chuckled, most likely remembering the same thing ( was' &5ow many times did he propose!& &+our,& ( laughed, shaking my head at their laughter' &/ll in the span of an hour chat'& $dward huffed in my ear, but ( turned to him' &5e didn't mean a word of it, because his girlfriend at the time ,ust about beat him to death with a rolled up newspaper' 5e's ,ust funny' 5ell, he was more interested in getting back to the video game his boys were playing in the ne t room'& $dward smirked, sitting up straighter' &4hat did he do!& he asked /lec' &5e went to "eggie,& /lec laughed, shaking his head' &Told him all about 9ilith, reminded him of the debt and how much, and told him to be careful' "eggie put his boys out for her' They called in the debt, which has now almost doubled in si3e'& &7h,& ( groaned, shaking my head' &/ll's fair in love and gang warfare'&

&;ou'd think,& /lec said with another chuckle' &)o how'd they get out of there!& #akenna posed the question that had been rattling around in everyone's minds, ( was sure' /lec walked to the bulletin board and pointed to an aerial shot of the warehouse' &)harky showed me a tunnel that had been opened up from the warehouse to the building ne t door' 1o one would've known about this unless you were used to living on the streets' (t was an escape from police raids' )omeone had broken through the boiler room walls, which emptied out into the basement ne t door' (n fact, they tunneled all the way to the end of the block' 0o wonder $mmett lost them, because he went out the warehouse's e it, instead' 5e was practically an entire block away when he saw them snatch a car'& &7h,& $mmett huffed, folding his arms across his chest' &( saw them go by the end of the aisle, but ( ,ust assumed they went out the back e it' +or a minute there, ( thought ( was getting too slow'''or #ickey was losing her touch'''& 4e chuckled when she punched his arm, scowling up at him, but it totally made sense now' 4alter and 9ilith took the tunnel instead of the warehouse's e it, but they were so near each other that $mmett had made an honest mistake' (n fact, with the chaos that 4alter had left us in, ( wasn't sure we all wouldn't have fallen for that trick, especially since the tunnel wasn't on any intelligence we would've had access to' /lec turned to =arlisle and $lea3ar' &But )harky's pretty sure that they were heading into =anada ne t' 5e swears he heard them say something about crossing a border'& &)hit,& $lea3ar finally spoke in a hiss, shaking his head' &4alter's heading to that'''cabin up there,& he said, pausing mid2sentence to watch his language, because Bethy had ,ust ,oined the room' )he crawled up in my lap, quiet as $lea3ar paced at the end of the room' &That's my guess, too,& /lec sighed' &5ow will we know for sure!& .asper asked, looking from $lea3ar to =arlisle and back' &( mean, he could go looking for more 6'7'/ members' 5e could go south, like Bella said'& &(f he hasn't called them already,& =arlisle mused, rubbing his chin' 5e took a deep breath and let it out slowly' &( want to talk to >enny again,& he stated' &( want to know if 4alter communicated with any other members of this ridiculous group' /nd ( want to know what he knows about this cabin up there'& &('ll go with you,& $dward volunteered' $lea3ar's eyebrows raised up high, but he nodded, seeming pleased with the idea' &$d, you can't kill that boy on a military base,& he warned my husband, but he chuckled at

the same time' $dward laughed humorlessly, shaking his head' &5e won't be on base forever, $l,& was the only thing he said, his voice dark, menacing as he stood up' 5e turned to me and my girls, who were all sitting together' &9adies, ( trust you will be hitting the research pretty hard * the cabin and 6'7'/' Tell me what you find out' ( need coordinates, maps, layouts of that place''' /nd tell me how close it is to /unt >ate's'& &Good thinking, son,& =arlisle praised' &(f we have to move this entire lot up there, we will' ('ll call >ate when we head to the base' (f that's where we think he's going, you could do a recon flight over it, take some better pictures'& &$ actly,& $dward agreed, and as the meeting broke apart, $dward knelt in front of me and Bethy' &Tell #ommy not to overdo it today, little sweetness,& he said with a silly grin' &.ust computer work' /nything else, she has to ask Gamma for help, okay!& &7kay,& Bethy and ( giggled at the same time, and God, if he didn't drop the se iest, sweetest smile at us' &4h24here a2are y2you g2going, 626addy!& she sputtered, looking a bit worried, and ( ,ust noticed ( hadn't truly heard her stutter in some time' &4ork, baby,& he sighed, his smile falling when he reali3ed she didn't want him to go' &5e'll be right back' ;ou're going to stay with me, pretty girl,& ( told her, and her head spun around as she beamed at me' &)o what do you tell him!& &9ove you,& she sang, grabbing his face in both tiny hands' &Be safe'& $dward looked like he could ,ust about eat her up at that moment, but instead, he kissed us both, whispering, &9ove you, too'''so very much'& /fter a brief debate on who was staying at the office and who was accompanying $lea3ar, $dward, and =arlisle to the base, )am followed them out to $lea3ar's )?-' ( turned to my girls, my daughter still on my lap' &7kay, time to get to work,& ( told them, bracing myself for a long day of research'

E!"#$!
( stood in the back of the interrogation room, my arms folded across my chest, waiting for my dad and $lea3ar to come back in the room' #y hatred for the little cocky shit sitting at the table had not abated' (n fact, it had increased' 4ith every nightmare that Bethy woke up from, every time she panicked when Bella or ( left her, and with every nervous glance my wife gave when she couldn't immediately set eyes on our daughter, my hatred for >enny :orter grew and grew, until it almost had a heartbeat of its own'

&5e won't live to see twenty2two, will he!& )am chuckled in a whisper to me' ( shook my head slowly, my lip curling' &Bethy calls him'''the mean man, )am' /nd look at him,& ( growled, gesturing toward the table' &The motherfucker's so sure that he's in control and he's only looking at more prison time that nothing gets through to him' ( truly want to show him who is in fucking control here'& &5e's a little weasel,& )am snickered, shaking his head' &5e's the kind of guy who feels he has nothing to lose, that there's nothing that can be held against him or over his head, and he's not afraid of doin' time' The key is finding that one fucking thing that he doesn't want you to know about'& ( grinned, my head snapping over to stare at him' &;ou have something, don't you!& &( might,& he snickered, pulling out a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and handing it over to me' &4here did you get this!& ( gasped, glancing over it' &/lec gave it to me when he decided to stay back with the girls,& he chuckled' &?se it, $ddie' (f you use it right, this bird will sing so pretty,& he said with a big ass grin' ( smirked, holding up the piece of paper' &The girls did this shit' ('d bet my life on it' 5ell, ( bet even Bella doesn't know about this'& &0o idea, but you're probably right,& he replied with a shrug, and we both looked up when my dad and $lea3ar walked into the room' #y dad stopped at the table, and ( held my hand out to stop him' &('ve got this,& ( told him, and he conceded to me, stepping back to lean against the wall' ( tucked the paper into my back pocket and walked around to the other side of the table' Bracing my hands flat, ( looked >enny in the eye' &5ave you figured out what we fucking are yet, asshole!& ( asked him slowly, raising an eyebrow at him' >enny grinned, sitting back in his chair, and waved a hand around' &4ell, ( know that ,ackass is =(/,& he laughed, pointing to $lea3ar, who smirked back' &#aybe ( didn't clarify the question enough for you,& ( sighed, shaking my head and running my hand through my hair' &('ll use small words for you, >enny' 6o you have any fucking idea what we can do to you!& ( asked him, speaking even slower than before, like ( was talking to an infant' &;ou can't touch me on this base' ( know that much,& he answered, still calm, still cocky as shit' ( chuckled, dragging my tongue along my bottom lip' &This is true,& ( allowed, standing up straight and beginning to pace in front of him' &5owever, anyone say''' off this base would be free game, don't you think! ( mean, you remember "usty, don't you!&

That got to him, because he sneered up at me, his eyes flashing with hatred' &"usty wasn't drunk8& he growled, fighting the leg cuffs we had attached to the floor' &0o,& ( laughed' &0o, he definitely wasn't drunk' 5e was scared shitless, but he wasn't drunk' ;ou can thank the man in the back of the room for that sensational work'& >enny's head spun like it was on a swivel, and )am wiggled his fingers at him, wearing a smug grin' $lea3ar and my father snickered softly, but they didn't interrupt me' &)o'''figured it out yet!& ( asked again, pulling a chair closer and spinning it around so that ( could straddle it backwards' &Bella must've said something to you'''& >enny groaned, shaking his head' &;eah, she said something about soldiers'''=(/, +B('''that you were ghosts,& he mumbled, shaking his head' &( thought the bitch was full of shit'& )am tsked, taking a step forward, but ( held a hand up to stop him' 5e was nothing if not protective of her' 5e wouldn't stand for anything negative to be said of her, and ( totally respected him for it, but now was not the time to knock this fucker out, no matter how badly we wanted to do it for calling Bella a bitch' &0o, she wasn't full of shit' )he was telling you the truth, dipshit,& ( told him' & ou ,ust chose to ignore it'& ( rubbed my ,aw, feeling the stubble under my fingers, and studied his face' 5e really wasn't sure where ( was going with this line of questioning' &>enny, do you know what a mercenary is!& 5is eyes grew wide and his mouth gaped, but he gathered himself together quickly' &:aid soldier,& he muttered, but he said it like he was asking me' &-ery good' 0ow, if ( told you that ( could find anyone, that ( had access to ,ust about everything about you, what would you say!& ( asked him, tilting my head at him' 5e didn't answer me, so ( went on' &>nowing what we did to "usty, to every member of that fucked up 6'7'/' group, and how we tortured you and your little friends at the cabin'''what do you think ('d do if ( really wanted to know something important, >enny!& 5e glanced nervously around the room, obviously confused and unaware of ,ust what ( had on him' )am snickered, shaking his head, which caused $lea3ar and my father to look at him curiously' ( cleared my throat, tugging out the folded piece of paper' ( took my time spreading it out and smoothing it in front of me' ( locked ga3es with >enny, unable to hide my sneer at the ne t question ( asked' &4ho is'''"uby /brams!& ( grinned when >enny lost his shit' ( stood up from my chair, because the young man

was fighting the cuffs and chains that held him to the floor and table' ( laughed, glancing up at )am, who shot me a wink' &;ou leave her the fuck alone8& >enny spat at me, looking almost feral with his temper' &)he's got nothin' to do with this shit8& ( slammed my hands down onto the table' &;ou answer my fucking questions, and ('ll think about it8& ( growled back at him' &/nswer me honestly and without the goddamn attitude, and ( won't take a trip to'''&B( paused, reading the paper againB&"ising )un 0ursing 5ome and visit your little old grandmother'& &( should fucking kill you8& he screamed at me, his face garnet as he fought uselessly against his cuffs' ( wouldn't dare touch a hair on the old lady's head, but >enny didn't know that, and ( was about to use that shit to my fucking advantage' ( walked quickly around the table, slamming his head down onto the hard metal surface and holding him there' &;ou could try' 5ell, ('d love for them to take the restraints off of you, because ( can't wait to hear the sound of your neck breaking in my hands' ;ou touched my family, you stupid motherfucker,& ( snarled in his face' &('ve killed men for less offenses, and as far as ('m concerned, you've lived too fucking long' But ('m not fucking kidding you''' (f you don't give me what ( want, ('ll pay "uby a visit' ('ll sneak in through her window in the middle of the night or slip something into her morning meal''' #aybe ('ll ,ust cut off her o ygen supply' ?nderstand me!& ( asked, but he didn't say anything' &/re we fucking clear!& ( yelled in his ear, slamming his head onto the table again and squee3ing his neck harder' &;eah''';es8 .esus, fuck''' 4hat the hell do you want to know!& ( shoved off of him, barely able to stop myself from killing him right there' &4here the fuck is 4alter going ne t, >enny!& ( asked, having to take two steps back in order to maintain my control' &('m not sure,& he groaned, flinching when ( slammed my hand down on the table beside him' &0ot fucking good enough,& ( sneered' &Give me something, asshole'& ( slid the background check on "uby /brams closer to him, and he whimpered, his face now pouring sweat' /pparently, the only person on this goddamn planet that could get to >enny :orter was a little old lady in her eighties, currently living in a nursing home, who loved to play :enny Bingo on fucking #onday nights' /ccording to the background check on the table, she was the only one who gave two shits about the idiot in front of me' )he took care of him when no one else did' (t almost made me feel sorry for him' /lmost'

&9ook,& he whined, breaking his ga3e away from the picture of his grandmother to blink up at me' &('m not lying when ( say ( don't know what building he was gonna blow' ( know that 9ilith had her own shit to take care of with the money we were supposed to get from you guys' )ome drug thing' But 4alter told us about a place up north'''way up north' =anada' 5ow the fuck he was going to get us there without any money, ( had no fucking clue, but he said it would be his hideout until shit cooled down' /fter the train station, and then you guys showed up on the mountain, he knew he had to chill out for a bit'& ( stood up straight, turning to $lea3ar and my father, the latter of whom stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a squee3e' &>enny,& he said, using a much calmer tone that ('d been using, &if 4alter needed money, who would he go to! 4ho would loan it to him or back his operation!& &5is parents,& >enny stated with a shrug' &0o go on that one,& $lea3ar answered' &('ve got them in protective custody' ( thought the same thing, so ( pulled them the same day ( pulled >urt's family'& &;eah, he'd kill his dad for a dollar' 5e was pissed that +addy cut the purse strings,& >enny snorted, rolling his eyes' &Then, ( don't know''' ( mean, there was this call he'd take all the time' 5e'd never let us hear him * not even 9ilith' "usty and ( ,oked that he had another chick on the side, you know!& he chuckled nervously, looking up at my dad, who nodded for him to continue' &But the way he would answer it''' The calls made him nervous, like whoever was on the other line was in charge or some shit'& ( e haled roughly, looking up at my dad, and then back to >enny' &6id 4alter know any other 6'7'/' members! 9ike, groups from out of state!& ( asked, thinking maybe .asper's theory was right, that 4alter was being used by another splinter group' &#aybe,& >enny said with a shrug' &( mean, some of the guys on the mountain were from out of state' ;ou'll never know, because you killed them'& ( laughed softly' &0ot that you give a shit, right!& &/w, hell, no,& he scoffed, shaking his head' &( couldn't fucking care less' ( ,ust wanted in on the money'& 5e sighed, looking away from us' ( leaned into $lea3ar's ear, whispering, &4alter will re2group in =anada' 5e's got someone backing him or some shit * supplying him with fire and man power' )ounds like 4alter owes a lot of fucking people'& &( think you're right,& he sighed, shaking his head' &God, ( hope those girls can find out who, though'& ( smiled, slapping his shoulder' &5ave faith, $l' 5ave you ever seen all of them at work!&

%E&&#
&5ere, #ommy, ('ll do it8& Bethy chirped eagerly from the chair she was standing on' ( chuckled, handing her the picture /lice had ,ust printed' $ven my baby girl was working hard today' &Thanks, pretty girl,& ( said, still chuckling as she pinned the paper to the bulletin board' ( looked around the room, sighing in weariness' #y back gave a slight twinge, but ( shook it off' "ose was deep into research on the 6'7'/' in Te as, +lorida, and Georgia, /lice was using two computers at the same time, comparing images on the =anadian cabin, #akenna was on the phone, trying her best to get me in touch with the officer that had once arrested .ohn $rvin, and #ickey was pulling phone records for every phone that 4alter had ever used' &#ellissima, take a break, yeah!& /lec asked softly from my side' ( shook my head, taking a deep breath and looking up at him' &( can't, /lec' ( don't have time to rela ' ( want this over and done with' 7ne little piece of information could be the key to stopping 4alter and 9ilith, and ( don't want to miss it'& &/t least sit down,& he urged, not arguing with me' &$ddie'll kick my ass for letting you wear yourself out, especially after yesterday'& ( snickered, knowing he was probably right on some level' &7kay,& ( said with a smile, easing down into one of the conference chairs in front of my laptop' &Bells8& #ack called' &( got him8 5e's on line two8& &+inally,& ( growled, rolling my eyes and pulling the phone to me' &7fficer 6uncan!& ( asked, picking up my pen and dragging my notebook closer' &4ell, not anymore,& the deep voice sounded over the line with a chuckle' &(t's 9ieutenant 6uncan now'& &7h, sorry,& ( laughed softly' &#y name's (sabella =ullen with Gravity (nvestigations, and ('m looking into a group that call themselves the 6isciples of /merica' #y research led me to a man by the name of .ohn 6wight $rvin' ;ou arrested him once on a few things, and ( was wondering if you could tell me anything about him'& &$rvin, $rvin'''& he mused on the other end' &5ang on, ('ll pull up the name'& ( could hear him typing, humming a bit to himself' &.ohn $rvin''' 7h, yeah8 5e was arrested for not having a permit for a fundraiser, but'''there was more to it than that, if ('m remembering correctly' )omething about that fundraiser made the townsfolk nervous' / bunch of men, some of them armed to the teeth, all looking like they were about to

go hunting * and not for deer, if you catch my drift'& ( huffed, nodding to myself that it sounded like them' &/nyway,& he sighed, &we broke it up the best and most legal way we could'& &4hat do you remember about $rvin!& ( asked him' &)trange fellow' 6idn't like the police, that was for sure' 9ooked like he was about a decade behind in clothes' ( mean, this was what'''the late eighties! /nd he still looked like one of those hippies from the seventies * thick beard, long hair, sandals'& &6id he live around there that you know of!& ( asked, sounding frustrated, ( was sure, &because ('m not finding anything on him' (t's like he fell off the face of the $arth'& 6uncan chuckled' &There was a rumor that the group we broke up all lived on the same ranch ,ust outside town' There wasn't much we could do about it, and small town people will talk, you know!& &7kay'& ( brightened a bit, snapping my fingers to #akenna' ( wrote down the name of the town with the word &ranch& ne t to it, sending her back to her computer' &4hat about a wife and kids!& &;eah, a son' 5e was there when we made the arrest' ( remember that, because $rvin ,ust about pitched a fit when we threatened to call =hildren's )ervices on him' 6ifferent last name'''& he mused, typing on his computer again' &.ohn 6wight Thornhill''' that's it' "umor has it that $rvin got a woman pregnant, and he didn't know about his son until she ,ust showed up, dropping him off' ( guess the son kept his mother's name' Though'''& 5e paused, typing some more' &5e goes by .ohnny'& &0o wonder we couldn't find him,& ( gushed, setting the phone on my shoulder and tugging my computer to me' ( pulled up my own search' &.anice Thornhill didn't put $rvin on the birth certificate as the father'& ( clicked through, finding the same address of the ranch that 6uncan had mentioned' &9ieutenant, is that ranch still there! ( mean, is it still working!& &(t's still standing, if that's what you're asking,& he answered' &4e haven't been called out there in ages'& ( sighed, rubbing my temple' &;ou don't think they're both still there, do you! ( mean, this group'''this 6'7'/' seems to have spread up here to 4ashington, and it looks like they've become more intense'& &( could check it out, #rs' =ullen,& he suggested' &( have a few minutes today' :lus, ('ve got to head out that way to serve a summons to court'& &6o not go alone,& ( urged more harshly than ('d intended' &:lease, 9ieutenant' Take more than ,ust one officer with you'&

&4hat aren't you telling me!& he said, his voice growing a little stern' &That this group isn't as'''laid back as they let people think' (t's not about a love of guns or hunting or even a dislike for the government' The splinter group up here was planning a bomb threat'& &/w, hell,& he sighed' &)o much for my lunch date with "oberta'& ( smiled, because the 9ieutenant sounded like a pretty damn nice man' &)orry, sir'& 5e chuckled, saying, &/w, after twenty two years of being married to me, she's used to disappointment'& ( giggled, shaking my head' &4ill you do me a huge favor and call me after you go out there!& &;es, ma'am, ( sure will,& he said, and ( could still hear the smile in his voice' &/nd 9ieutenant, please'''please be careful,& ( begged, hating the thought of sending him out there without protection, other than whatever officers he decided to take with him' &;es, ma'am, sure will,& he assured me, and we ended the call' &Girls8& ( snapped, and the activity in the computer room came to a halt, all four girls coasting their chairs around me' &4e may have something,& ( sighed, pulling up a screen that held .ohnny Thornhill's background check on it' &This,& ( said, pointing to the screen, &is .ohn 6wight $rvin's son' ( need everything on him' "ose,& ( said, looking over my shoulder at her, &see what connections you find between him and the 6'7'/'& &7n it,& she said, pushing her way back to her computer' &#ickey, see if you can narrow phone records down to 4alter and this guy,& ( said with a shrug' &( don't know if you can, but give it a shot'& )he nodded and rolled away' &#ack,& ( sighed, rubbing my temple again' &;ou sit with me' 4e're about to scan through some criminal records' ( see that Thornhill's had some trouble'& &)ure, Bellsy,& she said, pulling herself closer to my right' &/lice, don't stop what you're doing' Get $dward all the info he needs' ( have a funny feeling about that cabin up north,& ( told her' &)omething tells me we're about to head that way'& &('m almost done,& she called, dragging her chair back to her desk and leaving it' )he picked up a few pages off the printer' &('ve got his coordinates, an aerial shot * though it's tough to see with all the trees around it * and his thermal image' There's no one up there now,& she stated, walking to the bulletin board, where my daughter helped her

pin the pages to the cork' ( pulled up a search screen, looking to #ack out of the corner of my eye' &;ou've seen pictures of all the members that we took care of at the mountain cabin, yes!& &;eah, yeah,& she said with a nod' &6efinitely' )o what are you looking to do! #atch someone from our raid to someone in Thornhill's past!& &That's e actly what we're going to do,& ( sighed, settling in for a frustrating search' /lec, $mmett, and .asper immediately started studying the cabin and the surrounding area in =anada' They sat at the other end of the conference table going over &what if& situations * if we had to go in, if $dward flew a recon flight over it, and if 4alter and 9ilith were up there' They were taking a military stance on it, but they wanted to be prepared' Bethy sat down ne t to me with her paper and her crayons, coloring away' (f she was bored, ( wouldn't have known it' (n all honesty, ( think she was ,ust happy that one of her parents was home' )he probably would have been ,ust as content had $dward been sitting in my chair instead' ( didn't know how long we all worked in almost silence, barely speaking' Bethy hummed to herself, the boys whispered to each other, drawing out scenarios, and the sound of keyboards tapping and mice clicking rattled around us all' The door opened, and we all looked up to see $sme bringing in a large tray of food with a baby monitor for =aleb clipped to her belt' )andwiches were stacked high on a platter that she set in the center of the conference table' &( wasn't sure if any of you were ever going to see the light of day, considering the sun is about to set, so ( thought ('d at least keep you nourished,& she chuckled, giving me a wink' &;ay8& Bethy cheered, hopping down from her chair and scurrying over to where the boys were already diving in' ( grinned when ( watched /lec help make her a plate' 4hen it came to food, my (talian friend took it oh so seriously' ( glanced up at $sme' &Thanks'& &#mhm,& she sighed with a smirk on her face, taking the seat that Bethy had ,ust vacated' 5er eyes followed #akenna as she left the two of us' &$at, Bella,& she commanded, pointing to the food' &('m not kidding'& #y eyebrows raised high, because ('d seen that knowing look before' (n fact, ('d seen it almost four years prior when she figured out ( was pregnant with Bethy'

&;ou know,& ( breathed, my mouth hanging open' &6id $dward'''& &7nly after ( beat it out of him,& she laughed, reaching up to tuck my hair behind my ear' &('m so happy for the two of you that it's all ( can do not to squee3e the stuffing out of you in front of everyone, but ( will snatch you up by the ear''' if you don't eat something8& ( laughed, leaning over to kiss her cheek' &( love you' 5ave ( told you lately!& )he scoffed, but she grinned up at me' &( want a boy,& she whispered urgently with a raised eyebrow, but her ga3e was warm and happy' ( laughed again, my head falling back' &;ou and me both,& ( giggled, thinking a tiny $dward clone would ,ust about be the cutest thing ever' -isions of little black baseball caps, small cargo shorts, and tiny hiking boots ,ust about caused me to squeal, but ( maintained, because it was still so damned early' ( got up and grabbed a sandwich, some chips, and a bottle of water, falling back down in the chair ne t to her' &5ow do you feel, sweetie!& she asked in all seriousness' &#y back is achy, my eyes are watering from staring at these computers, and ('m e hausted, but ('m okay,& ( told her, taking a big bite of sandwich' &/nd not being able to go on the ne t mission!& she asked, tilting her head at me' &(s killing me,& ( groaned, giving her a worried glance' &('ve never''' not been with him' That really scares me' /nd if this goes the way ( think it will, they'll be taking that =anadian cabin without me'& )he grimaced, probably ,ust as worried about =arlisle as ( was about $dward' )he took a deep breath and let it out' &But you'll run the information team!& &/t /unt >ate's'''yes'& ( took another drink of water' &( think he was e pecting me to fight him,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &/nd there's a part of me that wants to fight him on this, but'''& ( paused, glancing over at Bethy, who was happily feeding her ?ncle /lec potato chips one by one' &( can't do that to her' (f something goes wrong'''& &Then you leave her with no one,& $sme concluded sadly' &( can't do that to her, $sme,& ( breathed, tears filling my eyes, &but what if''' ( mean, if he doesn't come home'''& )he winced, taking my now empty plate from me and setting it on the table' 9oudly, she said, &=ome with me' ( want to check that back of yours'& )he was giving me an out, and she was getting me away from everyone so that we could truly talk' )he understood our wishes of keeping the pregnancy a secret, simply

because it was so soon, so she quietly led me from the office to my house' )he placed me gently on a stool in my kitchen, brushing my hair from my face' &('ll die if something happens to him,& ( sobbed, looking up at her' &Bethy needs her dad''' This one needs him,& ( cried, rubbing my stomach' )he wrapped me up in a hug, enveloping me in comfort' )he soothed me with kisses to the top of my head and gentle fingers through my hair, telling me that $dward was ,ust as scared, ,ust as determined to stay safe for me and Bethy and our new little one' &/nd it doesn't help that ('m this one second,& ( sniffled, gesturing to myself and wiping my eyes as ( rolled them, &and ,ust normal the ne t'& $sme chuckled, kissing my forehead' &(t's okay, Bella,& she said, still chuckling' &But ( want you to see your doctor before we leave'''if we leave' 7kay!& ( nodded, tucking my hair behind my ears' &0ow'''( wasn't kidding,& she huffed, turning me around' &9et me see that back'& ( started to lift my shirt, but the slamming of the screen door caught both of our attention' &#ommy8& Bethy called, looking frantic' &"ight here, pretty girl,& ( called her, and the sound of her little sneakers on the floor got closer' &5ey, hey,& ( said, getting down from the stool and scooping her up' &;ou're okay' ('m right here'& &( didn't know you left8& she chided, shaking her head, and ( couldn't help but smile, because left had started with a 4, but her little chin was trembling as she gripped my shirt in two tight fists' &('m sorry ( didn't tell you,& ( said, sitting back down' &Gamma was ,ust making sure my bruise was getting better' ;ou want to keep me company, make me feel better!& ( asked her, kissing her little nose' &;eah,& she whispered, nodding slowly and settling on my lap as $sme lifted the back of my shirt' &6oes it hurt!& &/ little, yeah,& ( giggled, wincing when $sme put a little pressure on it' Two small hands grabbed my face, making me look at her' &6addy says if you don't think about it, it doesn't hurt,& she said wisely' ( grinned down at her, hearing $sme's chuckle behind me' &6addy should know,& ( told Bethy' &5e's no stranger to being hurt'& Bethy smiled, all sweet and crooked, ,ust like $dward' 6eep green eyes watched my face as $sme e amined my back' )he soothed me with soft touches to my face and

fingers through my hair' )he even wiped away a tear ('d missed' &6on't cry, #ommy' (t's almost over,& Bethy whispered' &4hy's #ommy crying!& we heard from the doorway, and we all turned to see $dward walking in, his face filling with concern at the sight in front of him' &)he's not, baby,& ( told him' &5i, 6addy,& Bethy chirped, but made no move to get down' &5ey, my girls,& he purred, kissing us both, but looked over my head to $sme' &$verything okay!& &)he's fine, son,& $sme chuckled, pulling my shirt back down gently' &( ,ust wanted to see how that bruise looked'& )he walked around to face me' &( know it's tender, sweetie' Take a bath tonight1 it'll help you sleep' 7kay!& &7kay,& ( agreed, burying my nose in Bethy's hair, before placing a kiss to the top of her head' &Bethy, why don't you come with me! 5mm! ;ou can help me clean up after all the pigs that ,ust raided my food,& she told her, holding out a hand for her' &7kay, Gamma,& she said, wriggling down from my lap' &6oes that make me a pig! ( ate, too8& &/bsolutely,& $sme laughed, and they both disappeared through the screen door' &;ou were crying, love' 4hy!& $dward asked softly, tracing a finger gently under my eye' &/ minor freak out moment, $dward,& ( huffed, shrugging' &They're bound to happen with more frequency now'& 5e chuckled and stepped closer so that he was between my legs' 5e wrapped his arms around me, and ( buried my face in his chest, my fingers tugging him closer by his belt loops' God, he smelled like home and comfort, like se and want, like'''ketchup' ( pulled back, looking at his shirt' &:roblem with your lunch, baby!& &$lea3ar slammed on the brakes' ( lost a +rench fry,& he e plained with a grin' ( giggled up at him, shaking my head' )ometimes, he honestly reminded me of the thirteen year old ('d met so long ago * all goofy and awkward, simple and sweet' &5ow'd it go!& ( asked, wrapping my legs around his so he couldn't go anywhere' ( wanted him right where he was' &4e think it's =anada,& he murmured, ga3ing down at me' ( took a deep breath and let it out, nodding once' &( figured' ( think /lice has your

info'''& ( started, but the door slammed open, #akenna rushing in' &Bells, that Te as cop is on the line8 5e said he's got something for you,& she gushed, her cheeks pink from rushing to me' &)hit,& ( hissed, easing down from my stool' &That didn't take long'& &Baby, ('ll be right there,& $dward said, reaching back to grab his shirt and tug it off over his head as he walked into the laundry room' The office was much more crowded when ( walked back in' $lea3ar and =arlisle were huddled with >urt in the corner' )am was now looking over the cabin layout with /lec, $mmett, and .asper, and $dward rushed in, wearing a clean t2shirt' #y girls were huddled over one computer in the office, with Bethy and $sme, talking loudly' ( reached for the phone, but reali3ed that ( wouldn't have been able to hear shit' &Guys8& ( snapped, shaking my head, and the office sank into silence' ( picked up the receiver' &9ieutenant! $verything okay!& &#rs' =ullen, you were right,& he started' &.ohn $rvin was living out there, and from the looks of it, so were a lot of other people' (t was like a commune out there' =omplete with'''cemetery and everything'& &7h,& ( said, my eyebrows raising' &)o $rvin's dead!& &9ooks that way, ma'am, but it also looks like the place was ,ust abandoned' ( mean there was still fresh food in the fridge and the garbage hadn't even started to smell yet' /nd ('m no e pert, but ( think there was heavy ammo stored out there, including T0T'& ( let out a breath' &6amn,& ( groaned, thinking this shit was starting all over' &('m pretty sure where they went, too' 4hat about Thornhill!& &0o sign of him'& #ickey rushed to me, slapping down a piece of paper' )he had traced phone records to the ranch in Te as and back to )hady Glen during the time that 4alter had worked there' )he'd also traced calls to 4alter's parents and a cell phone he used to have' &Thank you, 9ieutenant,& ( sighed, because ( knew we'd found our answer' &/nytime, ma'am, and good luck,& he said, ending the call' /ll eyes were on me as ( hung up the phone, but ( turned to #ickey' &;ou're absolutely sure!& &;eah, definitely,& she said, turning to "ose and #akenna' &/nd that's not all'& #ack stepped forward, slapping down one picture after the other' &Te as, Te as, Georgia, +lorida, Te as'''all at the mountain cabin,& she stated, looking up at me' &/ll dead'&

&/nd all connected to Thornhill,& "ose added, slapping down another piece of paper on top of everything else' &/rrested multiple times for inciting riots, illegal gun trading, having a concealed weapon without a license'''on and on and on'& &But'''& /lice rushed forward and added the final piece of paper that completely sealed my suspicions' &5e's loaded'''more money than he knows what to do with' (t was the ranch that made it, and then he inherited it from $rvin' /ccording to this, it wasn't always in the bank, but now it is'& ( rubbed my face, and then shuffled through all of the evidence in front of me' ( shook my head slowly' &Then all we need is an alert when they cross the border,& ( mumbled' ( glanced up to =arlisle, and then $dward' &6id you get anything from >enny!& &;eah, we think someone is backing 4alter'''or that he's borrowing money from someone'''either way, he's answering to someone else, someone in charge' 5e's going to use the cabin in =anada to stay until the heat blows over,& $dward e plained, his eyes darting to the pile of paperwork in front of me' &( think he's answering to .ohnny Thornhill,& ( stated, looking around the room' &.ohn $rvin's son'& ( sorted all the paperwork into stacks as everyone took a seat at the table' ( slapped down the photos of the dead 6'7'/' members, pointing to each one' &These were at the mountain top cabin' /ll from out of state, all arrested with Thornhill or $rvin at some point,& ( stated, pushing the photos forward' &The ones from Te as came from this ranch * $rvin's ranch'& ( pulled down a picture of the large property and slapped it down onto the table' &The phone linked to this ranch made phone calls to )hady Glen and to 4alter's parents home,& ( added, setting down the page that #ickey had given me, &not to mention 4alter's legit cell phone before he shut it off' &The money 4alter needs is coming from this account,& ( continued, picking up the financial statement /lice had pulled' &But it's the phone call ( ,ust received that worries me,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &(f my original research is correct, then .ohn $rvin started the 6'7'/' in the mid2 to late seventies' 5e took himself away from society, opting to live off the land, avoid the government, and protest anti2gun laws' 5e was a hippie, basically' 0o harm, no foul' But his son, on the other hand, isn't so''' passive'& ( slapped down Thornhill's criminal record' &5e's been arrested in Te as, +lorida, and Georgia' (n fact, according to this, he's still wanted in +lorida' ( think he's 4alter's boss' ( think he's the one starting these splinter groups, but he's not doing it the way his father did' 5e's more violent, according to his record'& ( shook the page in my hand' &/nd the call, sweetness!& $dward asked tentatively'

( wrinkled my nose' &The ranch is abandoned' $mpty' 9ike in the last few days, empty' /nd that was .ohnny Thornhill's last know whereabouts'& They all started to talk, but ( held up my hands' &4ait'''('m not done' The officer ( ,ust got off the phone with found traces of heavy ammo and'''T0T' They're going to re2group'& ( sat down heavily in my chair, because ( was done, spent' /nd the mere thought of another fight like we'd already had ,ust scared the shit out of me, because ( couldn't help them more than over the radio this time' The room broke apart in several different conversations' $lea3ar was immediately on the phone, requesting alert at the border for Thornhill' /lec, )am, .asper, and $mmett all dove back into planning the cabin raid in earnest' But it was =arlisle's phone call that caught my attention1 he was already letting /unt >ate know we were coming' /ll of us' $dward appeared in front of me, kneeling down to look me in the eye' &;ou're done, love' That's enough for today, okay! ;ou girls did fantastic, baby, but ( want you to rest' ;ou didn't sleep well last night'& ( nodded, cupping his face' &('m so fucking scared, $dward,& ( whispered, shaking my head' &This will be different than the mountain cabin' This won't be homeless people and criminals and people recruited from )hady Glen' This will be people that have trained for this shit'& 5e picked up my hands and kissed each one, leaning in to then kiss my lips' &;up, you're probably right, sweetness' But so have ('& 5is eyes were fierce and dark, leaving no doubt that he was determined to end this' /s sweet as my husband was, ( could easily forget he had the ability to kill a man with his bare hands' 5e could fly a helicopter, take apart an automatic weapon and put it back together again in mere seconds, and still hold his daughter when she slept' 5e could build an infant's crib with astonishing detail, and had the knowledge to blow up a small village' 5e could pull the trigger at an enemy, and he could soothe my very soul when ( was falling apart' &( love you,& ( sighed, shaking my head, because ( ,ust didn't have anything else to say' &( love you, too, Bella,& he chuckled, sensing ( was losing it' 5e helped me to my feet, bending to my ear' &Bath' Bed' 0o arguing'& 5e turned from me, calling our daughter and scooping her up when she happily ran to him' &9et's go take care of #ommy' 4hat do you say, little sweetness!& )he grinned at him and nodded' &Gamma said she's suh2posed to take a baff'& $dward chuckled, kissing the side of her head' &That's right8 )he did,& he sang, giving me a pointed glare'

( rolled my eyes at the both of them ganging up on me, but giggled anyway, letting them lead me away from talks of fighting and weapons and planning * if only for one night'

CHAPTER 18
%E&&#
&Because that's how ( said it's fucking going to go8& $dward snapped, running a hand through his hair' &4e will ,oin you in /laska in two fucking days' 0ot even that * maybe a day and a half'& ( winced, because he was protecting me' ( needed to see the doctor before we went to /unt >ate's, but he wasn't e plaining why we would be late to =arlisle and $lea3ar, who had acquired a private flight for everyone to go and wanted $dward to fly as an escort over them once they landed' &5ey,& ( sighed, and $dward's head snapped around to look at me' &$asy, $dward'& ( turned to $l and =arlisle' &(f we leave in the morning, instead of now, then $dward and ( can fly over 4alter's cabin to get those pictures for you' /nd ( promised $sme that ('d see my regular doctor about my back before we left,& ( lied smoothly' $dward smirked, hiding it well even as he glared over at the two men, but he didn't say anything' &But you're okay, right, sweetheart!& =arlisle verified, his eyes changing from harsh and frustrated, to warm and worried' &('m fine, but ( promised her, =arlisle,& ( urged, pouring on the begging face' &7therwise, you can e plain to her why ( didn't do as she asked'& &7h, hell, no,& he chuckled, finally holding up his hands in surrender' &( ,ust didn't want you guys to worry, so ( asked $dward to keep it between us' 5e was only doing what ( asked of him' But in all reality, it works out for the better, because we can get those pics for you before we get there,& ( e plained, shrugging one shoulder' &Besides, ( need to get Bethy ready for this trip, Poppy'& &;ou,& =arlisle growled playfully, pointing a finger at me, &don't play fair'& &/nd you will have /merica's #ost 6eadly around you,& ( giggled back at him' &( think you'll be okay from the airport to the farm'& &( ,ust don't 4alter and these assholes from Te as to have too much time to get comfortable, Bella,& =arlisle e plained' &They think Thornhill passed through the border a few days ago'& &( know,& ( soothed him, &but if we give them this window of opportunity, then we'll catch that much more on $dward's camera when we finally fly over' 6on't you think!& =arlisle made a noise somewhere between a scoff and a growl' 5e wasn't angry1 ( knew

him well enough to know that' 5e was on the same page with $dward and me, ,ust wanting all this shit over before they had a chance to finish whatever little fucked up plans they started' $lea3ar sighed, a smile playing on his face' &(, for one, am not fighting my sister on this shit,& he snickered, shaking his head at our laughter' &0ot a chance in hell' /nd ('d rather have you ship2shape when we go anyway,& he muttered, and my eyes shot to $dward, who flinched and locked eyes with me briefly' ( knew they all assumed * aside from $sme * that ('d be right by $dward's side when they took that cabin, and ( really wasn't sure how they'd react when ( told them ( was leading the info team instead' /s much as ( wanted to fight fucking hard right by my husband's side, ( had Bethy to consider and now my new little one on the way if something went wrong' The closer we got to leaving for /laska, the better $dward's suggestion of letting $l and =arlisle finish it all sounded' ( was terrified to let $dward out of my sight' $lea3ar turned to $dward, saying, &+ine, no more than two days' (t's not the escort from the airport ('m worried about1 it's the leaving the three of you behind unprotected, because we're sealing your place up when we leave' ( need the men that have been stationed here'& $dward nodded, a dip appearing between his eyebrows' &4e'll be okay' (t seems they aren't willing to come to us again anyway'& 5e glanced up at me, and then to his dad' &(f we finish early, we'll call in and head your way immediately'& =arlisle considered it, looking from me to $dward and back again' 5is brow furrowed, but he nodded, walking to the door of the office and opening it to reveal everyone that had been avoiding the small blowup now standing in my yard, waiting' They had all scattered to the four winds once $dward and his dad had started yelling' They wanted no part of it' :ersonally, neither gruff, cranky men scared me' &9oad 'em up, and move 'em out,& he ordered, not looking back' :eople scattered in several directions, tearing down the temporary tent, packing up weapons and duffel bags, and loading computer equipment into the backs of $lea3ar's )?-s' The headquarters that my home had become was being dismantled' &)weetness, you ready!& $dward asked softly in my ear' &4e can pack when we get back from the doctor'& ( nodded, clearing my throat' &;eah, let's get Bethy, and we'll go'& 4e were taking Bethy with us, because ( ,ust couldn't stand the thought of seeing her leave with her grandparents' ( couldn't do it' ( had practically made myself sick with the decision, finally giving in to what ( wanted' )he was too vulnerable, too clingy to me

and $dward for me to send her on a fucking plane without us' ( took solace in the fact that the doctor's office had a small play area for her, and that she loved flying with $dward' 7therwise, ( would have waited for the e amination until after /laska altogether' 4e found our daughter talking poor ?ncle /lec's head off, while $sme looked on in amusement in our kitchen as Bethy ate a bowl of oatmeal' &( can't wait to see if /unt >ate has any new puppies and see the pigs and sheep and chickens' /nd ( hope Goliaff hasn't missed me,& she said, the last part making $dward chuckle softly behind me, because he adored Goliath, the gorgeous black horse that won me over instantly with his funny personality' &:retty girl,& ( chuckled, smiling when her head spun around' &Go get your shoes' 4e need to get going, so we can get back and pack up, okay!& &4e're not going wiff Gamma!& &0o, little sweetness,& $dward told her, scooping her up off the stool' &4e're meeting them at /unt >ate's, but we have to run an errand first' ('m flying us there when we're done'& &/nd I'm your co2pilot,& she stated with a thumb to her chest, which made me want to squee3e them both half to death' &/lways, baby,& he chuckled, bending her upside down so that he could kiss her neck loudly' )he was squealing mess by the time he brought her back up, her face crimson and happy' &Go' Get' )hoes,& he growled playfully at her' )he giggled, pushing at his shoulders until he set her on her bare feet, and ( could hear them slapping the hard floors all the way down the hallway' &God, ( love that kid,& /lec laughed, shaking his head and setting his coffee cup down' &( guess we'll see you up there' +ly safe, kid,& he said, slapping $dward on the shoulder' &;ou too, #ellissima,& he said with a kiss to my cheek, before ,oining the packing crew outside' ( looked to $sme' &( need to give you fair warning''' 4e kinda threw you under the bus with =arlisle' ( told him that you said ( had to see my doctor about my back before we left, so that's why we're going to be a day or so late getting up there'& )he laughed, setting Bethy's breakfast bowl in the sink' &('m sure he didn't argue'& &?h, no,& $dward and ( said at the same time' &)ee! 4ell, then, whatever works,& she chuckled' &( can take the heat, guys'& )he knelt down when Bethy reappeared, bright yellow =hucks in hand' &=ome love on me, sweet one' ('ve got to go'&

&9ove you,& Bethy sang, giggling when $sme smooched and tickled her at the same time' &=ome here, baby,& ( said, picking her up and setting her on the edge of the counter' &0ice match, pretty girl,& ( chuckled, holding up the yellow sneakers, because they matched with her bright yellow floral shirt and the rubber bands at the ends of her braids' ( pushed her ,eans up, tugging on her socks and shoes, tying them tight' By the time ( was done, $dward had pulled on a ,acket and was handing me my nine mil' &"eally!& ( asked, tucking it into the small of my back, concealed by my ,acket' &0owhere without it, love,& he reminded gently' &( meant it'& ( nodded, setting Bethy down onto the floor' &( can't imagine that ( need to shoot anyone at the doctor's office,& ( muttered, which caused $dward to chuckle' The drive into )eattle was quiet' Bethy babbled about things she could see out the window' 4e'd bought her one of those 6-6 players, but it ,ust wasn't her thing' )he liked real, she liked shit that she could see, and she liked anything her parents were doing, even if that was ,ust listening to the radio' &)he's recogni3ing every day words now,& ( chuckled, looking back at her with pride as Bethy pointed out fast food restaurants, stop signs, and billboards' &)he knew the numbers to the hotel rooms 9ilith was keeping you in,& he said with a laugh' &0othing shocks me anymore'& ( grinned, looking over at him as he pulled into the parking lot of my doctor's office' &"eady for this again!& ( giggled' &7h God, so ready, baby,& he groaned, turning off the engine, his face almost pained as he carefully placed his hand over my stomach, leaning across the )?-'s console and kissing my lips softly' 5e pressed his forehead to mine, and ( locked eyes with deep, loving green' $dward had so much love to give that adding to his family ,ust about made him insanely happy' &=ome on, handsome,& ( sighed softly, giving his lips a quick kiss' &9et's go get poked and prodded'& &(sn't that what got you here!& he asked wickedly, his mouth curling up into a naughty ass smile' ( laughed and shoved him away, opening my door' &/s a matter of fact, yes8& 5is deep, se y laugh barely stopped as he unbuckled our daughter from her car seat and set her down onto the asphalt' )he took both our hands, and $dward held the door

for us as we walked into the waiting room' 5e and Bethy took a seat while ( walked up to the desk to sign in' The nurse behind the counter looked like someone had stunned her, and my eyebrows shot up high when ( reali3ed it was my husband that had her completely mesmeri3ed' (t was something ( was used to, because he was absolutely gorgeous, without a doubt' /dd the little sweet clone on his lap, and he created fodder for fantasi3ing females everywhere' ( understood it' (n fact, ( couldn't blame them' The beautiful part was that all the credit went to $dward' 5e was completely and utterly ignorant to every stare, every gasp, every bite on a bottom lip, every roaming eye that took in his entire being, and every groan that he had the ability to bring out in women' 5is whole world was me and the little chatterbo on his lap, and anything outside of that ,ust wasn't important to him' That being said, that didn't mean that these women didn't'''try' ('d seen waitresses slip him phone numbers, cashiers drop every penny in their hand so they could show off their cleavage, and don't get me started on what his mere presence could do when he worked out at a hotel gym * something ('d almost put an end to the last time we took a trip' 7ne poor girl ,ust about fell off the fucking treadmill as he lifted weights in the corner' 5e was innocently deadly, and that ,ust made him all the more attractive' ( glanced back to the chairs, seeing what the nurse saw, and sighed, because he was ,ust breathtaking' 4earing black ,eans, a white, untucked button down, and a black leather ,acket, he spoke quietly with Bethy, keeping her occupied and happy' But it was more than that' (t was the tug on her braid, the deep chuckle she evoked out of him, or the poke to her little tummy' /nd it absolutely was the stunning, happy, panty dampening smile that he wore' ( turned back to the nurse, noting that her name was #indy' )he was looking at him differently than most women1 she looked at him like she knew him' ( cleared my throat, sliding the clipboard ('d signed back to her' #indy's eyes shot to mine, her cheeks reddening at having been caught staring' )he was a very pretty woman, about my own age, with long, light brown hair' )he glanced down at my name, her face paling at the sight of it' &5ave a seat, ','rs. $ullen,& she whispered, a sweat breaking out on her forehead' &4e'll call you when we're ready'& ( pursed my lips, tilting my head at her, because her eyes shot back to $dward briefly' &6o you know him!& ( asked, not upset about it, because ( was secure enough to know where $dward's heart lay' &7nce,& she said, but shook her head' &/ long time ago'&

)he greeted the ne t patient, a woman with a little boy, who Bethy was already making friends with, and ( smiled when she ran off to the small play area with him' #y daughter wasn't shy' /t all' #indy shot another glance our way as $dward draped an arm around my shoulders and placed a hand on my leg when ( took a seat ne t to him' ( frowned, folding my arms across my chest, shaking my head' ( knew of $dward's past with women' (n fact, we'd run into a few since we'd been married' Two had been pretty cool, with an &it's all in the past& type of attitude' 7ne had been angry at the sight of him, because he'd ,ilted her pretty badly' This one was different' &4hat's this!& $dward asked, rubbing at the dip between my brows' &6o you know her!& ( blurted out suddenly, turning my head to him' 5is eyebrows shot up, and his head turned toward the front desk as #indy spoke on the phone, his eyes narrowing in on her' ?sually when he ran into past lovers, his face would take on a look of guilt and regret' This time, his face darkened, his brow furrowed, and his ,aw clenched' &;es' #indy "yals'& &4here!& ( asked, trying not to let ,ealousy take over, because my mouth could not be reined in when my hormones were this out of control' &+orks 5igh, though ('d heard she went to ?4,& he sighed, ga3ing back at me, but his eyes were dark, almost angry' &)he'''& 5e sighed, running a hand through his hair' &;ou remember when we first met'''my stutter' (t was so bad then, worse because my mom had ,ust died, ( think'& ( nodded, rela ing a bit, because this wasn't a past lover' This was something else' &4hen ( first started at +orks, they made fun of the way ( talked,& he said softly, sounding hurt and vulnerable, and suddenly, ( needed to kick someone's ass over it' 5e nonchalantly pointed toward #indy' &%he was a part of the main group that did it'& &7h ho,& ( sang, smirking up at him' &4ell, she may regret that now'& &6on't fucking care,& he grunted softly with a frown, giving a glance over to where Bethy was playing with building blocks with the little boy' 5e turned back to me, saying, &7nce the speech therapy started to work, #indy changed her mind'& &7kay, let me see if ( can put this shit together,& ( said gruffly, cupping his still upset face' &;ou're thirteen, lonely, and stuttering' ;our mom ,ust died, your dad moved you to a whole new place, school, and life, but they didn't bother to see any of that' They fucking made fun of you instead,& ( sneered, my eyes glaring back at the front desk'

$dward smirked, kissing my forehead' &$asy, sweetness' ('m over it now' 0o need to go all protective about it'& &4ait,& ( sang, holding up my hand' &;ou also probably shot up about four inches overnight, the stutter disappeared, and #indy over there suddenly thinks you're damn cute'& $dward chuckled, his cheeks tinging a touch pink, but nodded his head' &;eah, that's about right, smart ass'& 9aughing softly at his name calling, ( kissed his cheek' &4ell, she got it all backwards' (t's the sweet boy with the stutter that ( was falling for in my tree house,& ( huffed, folding my arms across my chest again' 5is eyes warmed as he brushed a stray hair off of my face' &/nd ( love you for it, baby,& he purred in my ear, leaving an over too soon kiss to my neck' &5er loss,& ( growled low, glaring up at her and leaning into the nu33ling he was giving my neck' &#aybe ( will be shooting someone at the doctor's office'& $dward snorted into a deep laugh, not removing his lips from my skin, and he immediately reached back to my gun and took it from me' 5e stowed it quickly * so quickly, ( wasn't sure if anyone even saw the movement * in his ,acket pocket' &.ust in case,& he said, raising a se y ass eyebrow at me' &#aybe hormones and heavy weaponry isn't a good combo for you right now'& ( giggled, looking up when another nurse called my name from the doorway to the e amination rooms' ( turned back to $dward' &( don't need a gun, $dward,& ( whispered to him, raising my own eyebrow up at him' 5e hummed se ily, dragging his tongue across his bottom lip, his eyes darkening again' &/nd as se y as that thought is, love, she's not worthy of your anger' Go,& he said, ,erking his chin toward the door' &('ll be back there in a second' 9et me grab the little social butterfly over there'& ( chuckled, glancing at my daughter, who was knocking over a block tower with her little friend' &4e'll have to figure out how to distract her, you know'& &;es, ma'am,& he said, standing and still chuckling a bit' 4ith one last glance back at my handsome husband now talking to our daughter, ( followed the nurse through the doorway'

E!"#$!

&9et her sleep, baby,& Bella whispered as ( scooped Bethy up out of her car seat and gently cradled her to my neck, carrying her into the house' (t had been a long day, but a good one, despite the run in at the doctor's office with #indy, who ('d thoroughly ignored' Bella had guessed correctly, though ('m sure at first she thought the girl to be some past one night stand' +uck that shit' #indy had been mean when ('d first moved to +orks, but as ( grew and my stutter faded, she had pursued me' 9uckily, ( had left for military school some time around my ,unior year' 5owever, seeing her at the doctor's office only proved one thing to me1 the only girl that had ever seen through the awkward, stuttering boy was the one that was currently my wife' Bella had accepted me then, and she accepted me now' That's all that fucking mattered to me' $ver' /fter Bella's appointment, where the doctor said everything looked ,ust perfect, we drove back to +orks to stop off at the pharmacy to pick up Bella's prescriptions' Then the girls wanted to ,ust'''be' (t had been so long that they'd ,ust been able to be girls and shop, or stop off to eat ice cream, that ( couldn't say no' Bella wanted to get Bethy a few things for /laska, and ( felt safe in the small town' They were safe with me * that was a fucking fact' /nd ( loved showing off my girls1 ( had no shame in admitting it' ( tagged along, pretending to hate it, but really loving ,ust watching them' They both wore big smiles as they picked up books, clothes, and more furniture for Bethy's dollhouse, the latter of which ( was informed needed to be loaded onto the chopper to make the trip, or life ,ust couldn't go on' There weren't many shops, but ( was pretty sure we saw all of them, including the diner when my wife's stomach growled like an angry bear, much to mine and Bethy's amusement' By the time we made it home, my daughter was what ?ncle $mmett would say as &down for the count'& )he was so asleep, she didn't even wake up when ( yanked her socks and shoes off, tugged on her pa,amas, and tucked her into bed' ( walked back into the kitchen to see Bella sorting clothes, already dressed for bed in one of my shirts, and ( was sure she was getting some things ready to pack, but ( didn't care' &$nough, sweetness,& ( whispered, taking my t2shirt out of her hands and setting it back down in the laundry basket' &:acking can be done in the morning' ('ll help you,& ( told her, leading her out onto the front porch and settling her against me on the swing' &;ou have the chopper to get ready tomorrow, $dward,& she protested, but her head still fell to my shoulder' ( smiled, kissing the top of her head' &( can do both' ('m a big, strong boy, Bella'&

)he giggled, but finally said, &7kay'& ( shifted us around, laying down and pulling her on top of me, keeping a foot on the floor to push us' ( honestly thought she'd fallen asleep, but she finally lifted her head to look at me' &(t's really quiet,& she said softly, her nose wrinkling' ( nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear' &4ith everyone gone'''yeah'& ( sighed in contentment for the first time in a long time, tracing my fingers across her eyebrow, down her nose, and along her bottom lip' &;ou're so fucking beautiful, baby' ( swear it hurts to look at you sometimes'& )he smiled a placating smile, but said, &Thank you, $dward' ;ou know, you're not so bad yourself'& (t was always her answer back to me' ( chuckled at her, running my hands up and down her sides, avoiding that bruise on her back' )he leaned up, kissing me sweetly' /nd as much as ( wanted to ,ust ravish her right there on our front porch, ( held back' ( knew she was tired, and her occasional winces today told me she was plenty sore, but ( ,ust wanted to en,oy the first true alone time we'd had in what seemed to be ages' &6id you think #indy was'''& ( started, but she cut me off' &;eah,& she laughed, setting her chin on my chest' &( sure did' 4ell, until ( watched your face when you saw her, and then ( knew she was something else to you'& 5er nose wrinkled adorably, her eyes with a faraway look gla3ing over them' &God, ( don't get it' ( mean, ( remember you back then' ;ou were funny and smart, sweet, and so very shy'& )he sighed deeply' &>ids can be so cruel' .ake and ( never put up with that shit'& &;ou accept people as they are, love,& ( said with a shrug, thinking of her immediate acceptance of )am, specifically, but in all reality, it probably came from her father, =harlie' 5e and my dad had been friends their whole lives, and they didn't put with bullshit, either' &)ome kids don't' ( think ( turned out okay,& ( teased with a laugh' &Better than okay,& she huffed, rolling her eyes' &$ven if you still stuttered all the time, ('d still love you,& she crooned, kissing my nose' &/t least ( didn't shoot her,& she giggled' &/t least,& ( chuckled' &(t was touch and go there for a minute' ( wasn't so sure ( could stop you'& )he grinned, biting her bottom lip and shrugging one shoulder' )he was quiet for a minute, but finally whispered, &Thank you for today' ( know you were hating it'''& &0ah, not hating it,& ( told her, grinning at her' &(t's been so'''cra3y lately' (t was fun to watch you two rela , even if it was only for a day'&

Bella yawned widely, and ( chuckled, sitting up with her' &Bed, baby' (t'll be a long day tomorrow'& )he nodded, not even protesting when ( scooped her up and carried her back into the house'

(t was methodical, my process for getting the chopper ready' ( made sure ( went over the same fucking steps, every fucking time' ( fueled her up, storing e tra weapons and ammo in her cargo hold, and ( did a gauge check, making sure that everything read as it should' ( needed /lice before we took off for whatever flight plan she'd worked out for me, but ( was up way before any normal person should be' #y sleep was for shit, because the house was too fucking quiet without everyone there' ('d gotten used to the guards that paced my property and stood sentry at the front gate' (f this shit was all over, and 9ilith and 4alter were no longer a threat, ( probably would've slept like a baby wrapped around my wife, but they were still a threat, and ( didn't sleep' (t gave me time to get my shit done * checking the chopper and shutting up my place * before trying to help Bella pack when she got up' ( knew she was still achy, because ( felt her tension in her sleep' ( also knew that packing for two adults and one child for an undetermined amount of time was trying, at best * not to mention taking care of Bethy at the same time, getting her ready to go' By the time the sun was starting to peek up over the trees, the chopper was ready, Gravity's office was completely locked down, and the motion sensors were back in full operation, because even though we wouldn't be here, ( didn't want any2fucking2body trespassing' (t was the same process ( used to use when ('d leave for a mission with my dad' 4ith one last look around, ( snatched off my baseball cap and ran a rough hand through my hair, only to pull the hat back on before walking into the house to the smell of breakfast and coffee' &$li3abeth "enee8& Bella sighed e asperatedly' &4e're not taking every toy you own to /laska'& &( need these8& Bethy countered, looking forlorn, but fucking determined' ( had to chuckle, because my daughter was ,ust as stubborn as her mother, and there

was a stand off in the kitchen' (n fact, they pretty much were standing e actly the same way, though Bethy had an armload of toys in her hands' &;ou don't need them, Bethy,& Bella groaned, flipping the eggs in the pan' &;ou need breakfast and a bath and to pick three toys to take with you' That's it' /nd that includes, #r' Bunny8& she yelled as Bethy started to storm off' Bethy knew that Bella was the final word, and to watch the dynamic between the two was hilarious, but ( could also see that my wife was e tremely frustrated' ( caught Bethy in the living room, stopping her' &5ey, little sweetness' 4hat's wrong!& ( asked, kneeling in front of her' &#ommy won't let me take my stuff,& she growled, her brow furrowing, causing the most adorable dip between her brows' &/ll this!& ( chuckled, gesturing to her hands' &That's a lot of stuff'& &( need it, 6addy,& she argued fiercely' &4ell,& ( mused, rubbing my chin' &('m pretty sure you won't have time for all of this' ;ou'll be busy with #r' Tom and the animals' 0ot to mention that /unt >ate probably has some things for you'& Bethy's face of belligerence started to melt at the mention of the farm' &/nd ( don't think the chopper will lift off with all of this'''and your dollhouse'& That did it' ( watched her face as she mulled it over' )he was getting her dollhouse, which was already loaded, and she knew /unt >ate always had something special waiting on her every time we visited, but the chopper was a different story' )he took the rules, the things ( told her to do very seriously' )he shifted on her little bare feet, looking down at the items in her arms and back up to me' 5er hair was wavy due to the braids the day before, and she still had pillow imprints on her face, but her eyes were dark with concern' There were times ( ,ust couldn't tell her no' This was no different' &( tell you what,& ( whispered, leaning closer to her' &4e won't count the dollhouse as one, so besides #r' Bunny, what two other toys do you want!& )he looked back toward the kitchen, like Bella would catch us any second' &=oloring books and my cars'& ( smiled, shaking my head, because my sweet little girl was a tomboy to her very bones' &+ine, coloring books and cars, it is' Go put those two things on your bed so they can get packed, but put the rest of this stuff back in your toy bo ' Then, little soldier, you need breakfast and a bath,& ( grunted the last line to her, because she needed to know this was important'

&;es, sir,& she giggled' &=ome see me when you've put all that up' 4e'll eat with #ommy, okay!& ( said, keeping the commanding tone to my voice' & es, sir,& she laughed, practically running back to her room' ( looked up to see Bella leaning in the archway of the living room, a smirk playing on her face and spatula in hand' &;ou're shameless with her' ;ou know that!& &5ush, woman,& ( growled playfully at her, smacking her ass at the same time' &('m starving'& &4ell, then, get your ass in the kitchen,& she countered with a laugh and an eye roll' ( chuckled, taking a stool at the counter and looking up at her when she leaned in to kiss my cheek' &Thank you,& she sighed' &( wasn't sure how much longer ( could tell her no, either'& &( figured,& ( snickered, taking the cup of coffee she was handing me' &( almost hid them all in the storage compartment,& ( admitted with a laugh' &)he kills me with the face sometimes' our face, ( might add'& Bella grinned, making me a plate and setting it in front of me' &('m not so sure that it's not a face all her own' )he uses it brilliantly'& )he set another plate for Bethy when she ran back into the kitchen' ( set her up on the stool ne t to mine' &$at, baby,& ( told her' &4e've got lots to do before we leave'& &'>ay, 6addy'& ( took Bethy off my wife's hands, letting her pack us in peace' 7nce bags were packed and loaded, showers and bubble baths were over, and everyone was dressed, ( set the alarm and locked the front door' Bella was strapping Bethy into the co2pilot seat when ( approached' ( grinned at them both, because Bethy was wearing her little cap * backwards, of course * and Bella was putting the little headset over her ears' God, ( loved them both with a sickness, which only had increased and e panded in order to include the new addition my wife was carrying' ( pulled myself up into the pilot seat, tugging my own headset on and pulling out my phone' /lice had been kind enough to send me my flight plan, including the roundabout we were taking over 4alter's new hideout' +lipping switches, ( called my flight in, getting clearance to take off' ( glanced back to make sure Bella was strapped in and the door was closed, and over at

Bethy, noting that the theme was pink today * pink shirt, pink hat, and pink =hucks, of course' &"eady, ladies!& ( asked into the headset as the blades picked up speed' Bethy kicked her feet ,ust a bit, saying, &;es, 6addy'& ( turned to Bella' &)weetness!& &;es, $dward,& she sighed, fighting her smile' &9et's ,ust'''get this over'& 5er answer told me everything' This ne t stage was making her so nervous, she could barely contain it * her hormones not withstanding' ( didn't know how to make this any better, either, because ( knew ( was needed for this ne t stage' There was no possible way around it1 ( commanded the ground assaults, something the crew depended on' ( also knew that the thought of staying behind was killing Bella, because she, like me, liked to be in control when it came to missions such as this, and we worked flawlessly as a team' Breaking that up seemed wrong, until ( looked down at Bethy' ( couldn't let anything happen to my unborn child, and if this went terribly wrong, Bethy needed one of her parents to be there for her' (t was something Bella and ( had agreed upon immediately, but it ,ust didn't make this shit any easier' (n fact, it made it fucking harder' ( frowned, guiding us up and over our house' ( needed to focus on this mission, ( needed to make sure my crew and myself came back in one piece, and ( needed to stop these motherfuckers before innocent people got hurt' ( ,ust hoped the information we were about to grab would help us do that'

%E&&#
&7kay, /lice,& ( said, making sure everything was plugged in, &('m up and running' Tell me what you need'& &5ow far are you!& &/bout five minutes from the coordinates that you gave me,& $dward answered over the radio' &/ll right, ('m taking over your laptop now, Bells,& /lice stated, and ( could hear her typing like mad' ( looked out over the terrain that was below us, hardly able to make out much, because the sun was about to go completely down' 4e weren't far from the /laska%=anada border, so there wasn't much more than trees, low mountains, and more fucking trees' 7n the screen of my computer was a different story' The ground below came to life in a

split screen' 7n the left was thermal, and on the right was night vision' ( huffed a laugh when wildlife started to appear' They showed up as running deer or foraging bears, but they were there, despite the fact that the only thing below me was darkness' ( also saw a few scattered dwellings down below' They glowed red as heat sources or bright green through the night vision, but they popped out on the screen right in front of me' &Thirty seconds, pi ie,& $dward advised' &7n it, on it, on it,& she chanted, mainly to herself, because ( could see her taking over my computer screen by remote access' )he started the recording process, not only for the two windows up, but for a satellite image she was logged into, as well' &.esus, /li,& ( chuckled' &4hy don't you ,ust launch one of the military's bombs at them and be done with it!& &6o not think that ( haven't considered it' The algorithm is not that hard to break,& she growled over the radio, and ( could imagine her rolling her eyes at ,ust how simple something like that would be for her' &+or you,& $dward chuckled deeply, echoing my thoughts, now taking it slow over the land below us' &=an we be seen!& ( asked, ga3ing down out the window again, my stomach twisting ,ust a bit' &;eah, but /lice put us out here with enough traffic that they can't distinguish plane from chopper,& he said proudly' &4e're high enough that they can't tell' !nd'''('m not sure they're that smart' 5onestly'& ( laughed softly' &)o even if they knew we were over them, they couldn't do anything about it!& &$ actly,& he agreed, giving me a wry smile when he turned around briefly' &The setting sun will hide us, if any of them remember it from the train station, and the cameras don't need to be all that close in order to get the details we need'& #y eyebrows shot up, but ( took him for his word' Between his knowledge of flying and /lice's genius about the damn cameras, ( ,ust sat back in my seat and let them do what it was that they did best * stalk people' ( smirked to myself at that last thought, but turned back to the cameras when /lice gasped' &)hit, shit, shit,& she sighed, 3ooming in with the night vision camera' &7h boy, this will be a treat'& &Talk to me, /lice,& ( heard $dward's voice, but ( was pretty sure ( could hear =arlisle in the background'

&Bella, can you see this!& she asked, not answering him right away' ( leaned in, narrowing my eyes on the picture in front of me, only to widen them again' &6amn it,& ( breathed to myself, well aware that my daughter could hear me over the radio, but ( couldn't help it' &Trenches'''freshly dug ones, from what ( can tell' There are'''two, no three gun turrets, a perimeter fence, and they've cleared trees out from the last satellite image we saw'& $dward sighed heavily, but didn't say anything about what was below us' &Tell me when you've got enough, /lice' ( want to head your way'''and soon'& &Give me one more pass, please, $dward,& she begged' &( ,ust want to see this place from the opposite angle'& &;ou got it,& he grunted, banking slightly' &That's an awful lot of work done in a short amount of time,& ( murmured, turning to the thermal image, my eyes widening' &Two men per turret, guards pacing on every side fence, both inside of it and out, and several men in the woods,& ( noted aloud, not really thinking someone was listening to me' &;ou'll have to come in from every side with stealth, and you'll need more than ,ust guns * maybe grenades' There's an outlying building that seems to be holding ,ust as many in it as the main cabin'''& &('ll get us a number when you get here,& /lice stated firmly, but her voice sounded tight' &;ou're done, $dward' ('ve got all ( need' ;ou can head in'& $dward poked Bethy, who grinned up at him, singing, &Ten2four, /unt /lice8& /lice giggled, ,oined by a bunch of chuckles over the radio' &Thank you, baby girl' )ee you soon'& &7kay8& Bethy said, gripping her seat when her dad banked a little harder this time, which caused my stomach to plummet, and then do flip flops' $veryone met us as we gently touched down, waiting patiently near the front porch as $dward shut the engine down' 7nce the blades had stopped, he unbuckled Bethy, and then hopped down to slide the door open for me' 5owever, one look at my face, and he knew' &7h, my poor girl,& he crooned softly, gliding the backs of his fingers down my face, his eyes warm and sweet' &)ick!& &('ll be okay,& ( sighed, squee3ing my eyes shut tightly for ,ust a moment and trying my damnedest to not throw up' $dward chuckled in sympathy' &('m sorry, sweetness,& he whispered, kissing my forehead as ( sat on the edge of my seat' &#aybe if your feet are on solid ground!&

&?h huh,& ( said with a nod, and he carefully set me down onto the helipad, keeping a strong arm around me' ( wobbled briefly, breathing deep the cool night air and feeling my head clear some' &Thanks,& ( sighed, leaning into him for ,ust a moment' &/nytime, love, but brace yourself,& he warned as everyone approached us' &They'll figure it out soon, if you're not careful'& &( know,& ( snickered, ga3ing up at him and tugging on a curl that had escaped his baseball cap' &;ou need a haircut'& 5e grinned' &('m sure /unt >ate will help me out'& &#e ne t, 6addy,& Bethy said from behind us as she stood in the bay door' &)ure, little sweetness,& he told her, swinging her down to the ground as she squealed' &$li3abeth "enee, come see me8& /unt >ate called, kneeling down as Bethy rushed to her' &9ook at you8 ;ou've grown since =hristmas8& &:oppy calls me a weed,& Bethy told her, and =arlisle laughed, shaking his head' &4ell, you certainly grow like the ones around here, that's for sure,& /unt >ate chuckled, standing up with Bethy still in her arms' &$dward /nthony, ( need my hug, handsome' /nd you need a haircut'& ( laughed, along with everyone else, because we adored how she treated $dward, like he was still thirteen and her own son' 5e blushed, but kissed and hugged her anyway, saying, &(t's good to see you, /unt >ate'& &('m glad,& she huffed, rolling her eyes up to his' &('m craving that pot roast of yours, you know' (t's been too long'& 5e laughed when she shoved him away, opening her arms for me' &Bella2child, you look a little peaked' $verything okay!& &( banked too fast on the way here, /unt >ate,& $dward said, saving me from lying to her' &( didn't warn her'& &/h, cra3y piloting skills,& she teased him with narrowed eyes as ( giggled and kissed her cheek' &4ell, come in,& she sang, tickling Bethy's tummy' &9et's get you settled back in'& $dward stopped, turning to $mmett' &There's e tra weapons in the storage bay if we need them' )o ,ust add them to your inventory, okay!& &;eah, got it, $d,& $mmett grunted with a nod' &( saw those recon photos' 4e're in for a helluva fight,& he muttered, his usually happy face now grim' &;our dad and $l are bringing in e tra help again' They've already made the calls'& &Good,& $dward grunted with a single nod, but he tugged off his hat and ran his hand through his hair' &4e'll need it'&

&0o work yet8& /unt >ate scolded' &9et me feed you first, $dward8& $dward chuckled, shaking his head' &;es, ma'am,& he sang, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as we all slowly made our way to the house' 5e kissed my temple, and then bent to my ear' &5anging in there, baby!& ( nodded, sighing with relief that my stomach had stopped doing somersaults' &)olid ground,& ( stated' &Good girl,& he crooned, kissing my temple again' /unt >ate may have wanted a break from business, but she didn't get it for long' The dinner table was loud and boisterous, topics ranging from strategy, to weather, from how grateful #ickey was to be home with 7bie, back to strategy again' Bethy sat contentedly on my lap, coloring as the conversation warred around her' ( twirled a lock of her hair around my finger, letting her sweet hum soothe me' /lice was quiet, off in her own binary world at the end of the table, but ( knew my friend well enough to recogni3e the worry on her face when ( saw it as her eyes barely left the screen in front her' =arlisle, /lec, $lea3ar, and $dward were discussing the ne t steps' &#y men have set up outside,& $lea3ar stated, &but ( don't think we'll have much problem here' 4e'll be able to plan more when /lice is finished evaluating those videos and the rest of the men get here'& &)pike's already in the air,& =arlisle added with a nod' &5e'll be here by morning' The =auldwell brothers will be later in the afternoon'& ( smiled at the mention of 0ed and 5arry, the two brothers that had helped out the last time' They were funny and really good with weapons' )pike was ama3ing with stealth, so ( was glad those three were ,oining us' &4hat about Benny and 4es!& /lec asked, leaning around $mmett to look at $lea3ar' &They can't get away,& $l answered with a shrug' &This isn't in their ,urisdiction, and they caught a case ,ust before we left' ( can't hold it against them' They've done too much for us as it is' ( do have a crew on standby, ,ust in case'& &9et's see,& .asper sighed, looking around the table' &0ed, 5arry, and )pike added to the rest of us'''& he mused aloud' &5ow many in your standby crew!& he asked $lea3ar' &Two or three,& he replied, sipping his coffee' &That's fifteen or twenty'''give or take, with +eli , $ric, and the boys outside,& .asper stated with a nod' &4e could do five teams of four''' $l, you could take a high spot with me'''& ( flinched again, because ( could see by the numbers he was counting me in, and it

wasn't going to happen that way' They needed to plan accordingly' &6on't count me, .asper' ('m running the info team here,& ( stated, and the table came to standstill' &;ou're not going!& #ickey gasped, her mouth hanging open' $dward's warm hand landed gently on my leg underneath the table, giving it a soothing squee3e' 4e knew this would take some convincing, and ( wasn't sure they'd take whatever made up e cuse ( threw at them, but ( was going to try' &('m not going to the cabin,& ( stated a little more firmly this time with a shake of my head' They all started arguing at one time, voices raising in volume' $sme's face was the only passive one in the crowd' #y girls looked like ('d slapped them * especially "ose, who was watching me with narrowed eyes as she fed =aleb a bottle' =onvincing her would be the most difficult' .asper, $mmett, /lec, and )am almost looked hurt, like ( was betraying them in some way, but it was =arlisle that stopped the chaos' &$nough8& he yelled, making Bethy ,ump and look up at him, and =aleb squirm in "ose's embrace' &)orry, baby girl,& he sighed, looking sheepishly at her, and then "ose' &;ou, too, "ose'& 5e turned his fiery ga3e back to me' &4e need you out there, Bella' ( need that gun of yours' ;ou don't miss, sweetheart'& &;eah,& $mmett chimed in' &;ou and #ick can get in those small spaces''' 5ow can you not go!& &4e figured that without Benny and 4es, Bella could be better here,& $dward intervened, but /lice piped up' &('m counting seventy2five to a hundred warm bodies on this video,& she stated loudly, but we all turned to her' &('ve also got a semi truck with a full trailer on that property that we missed with the first fly over, so if they want to ship something, they're damn well going to be able to move it in that' 3our gun turrets, not three' The trenches are scattered throughout the property, and they're all manned'''heavily'& Tension suddenly filled the room to overflowing, because she wasn't even close to being finished yet' &The road up there is a simple one lane dirt road, overgrown with trees''' 5ow they got that semi up there, ('ll never know,& she muttered, her eyes never leaving the screen, until she spun the laptop around, free3ing an image' &Two buildings, ten large tents, and two bird nests on either side of the property that are big enough for four men to lay in wait'& )he sighed heavily, looking around to each of us' =arlisle got up and started pacing' &(t's set up with military precision' This group knows

what they're doing' These men have seen action, been trained for combat' 9ook at those trenches'''& 5e ga3ed at the screen for a long time' ( looked over Bethy's head at the screen, and then around the table, my eyes finally landing on my husband' This wouldn't be ,ust a simple mission' These men were prepared to fight for whatever it was that they planned to do' 4alter and 9ilith had finally surrounded themselves with people that knew what they were doing, and it was quite possible that someone at this table wouldn't come back' &.esus,& ( breathed, my lips against Bethy's hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo, because my worst fear was coming to fruition' 5owever, that ,ust seemed to spur the planning back into gear' :lates were cleared away, and pages of blank paper were filled with sketches and lists' Teams were mapped out, and ( saw that my name still made the list' #y hand came down onto the table' &( said ( wasn't going8& ( snapped, glaring at them' The only person that moved was $sme' )he walked around the table, holding her hands out for my daughter' &Bethy, let's go, sweet one' (t's time to get you ready for bed'& &But ( want'''& Bethy started to protest, but before she could even voice the words, $dward spun in his chair to take her face gently in his hands' &4e'll tuck you in, little sweetness' ( promise,& he soothed her' &.ust give us a few minutes, okay! ;ou can put a movie in until we get there'& )he puckered her lips for a kiss from her, and he gladly gave it and an e tra one to her forehead' &7kay, 6addy'& ;ou could've heard a pin drop at the silence that followed $sme's and Bethy's e it of the room' ( could feel my temper rising to the surface, because they weren't listening' +uck, it wasn't that ( didn't want to go, but ( ,ust couldn't chance it' &( said no, =arlisle,& ( finally whispered, locking eyes with him' &('m working here,& ( said, pointing a finger to the tabletop' &God, ( could really use you and .asper in one of those nests,& $lea3ar muttered, still staring at the screen' &4ith rifles in your hands, you could take out half the population of that place'''& &5ow hurt are you!& =arlisle asked suddenly, his eyes narrowing on me' &('m fine,& ( sighed, finally getting up from the table' &$dward's right, though' 4ithout Benny and 4es, you're going to need more than /lice, "ose, and #akenna' ;ou're going to need someone to watch the video feeds, monitor the radio, and make sure you're not on top of one another' ;ou'll need someone else to follow the thermal satellite images' /nother someone will have to be at the ready for any info you may need' #y

girls are damn good, but with me, they're better'& &=ome on, Bells,& .asper chuckled, shaking his head' &;ou've never backed down from a fight' ;ou're not lettin' a little ole bruise hold ya back, are ya!& ( knew he was teasing, and ('m sure that $dward did, too, but my husband couldn't ,ust stand by and watch them badger me' &$nough8 )he's not going8& he growled, bringing his hand down onto the table' &4ell, fuck, there goes my team partner,& #ickey sighed, sitting back in her chair and folding her arms across her chest' )he looked hurt, like ( was abandoning her' &#ick, no,& ( breathed, shaking my head' &( want to go' ( ,ust can't'& &4ell, ( want to know why,& "ose suddenly stated, tilting her head at me' &;ou would walk to hell and back in order to protect this crew' ( want to know why you won't this time'& &(t's not won't'''& ( started, but squee3ed my eyes closed, starting to lose a grip on my emotions, because they weren't going to accept anything but the truth' ( finally opened my eyes to find $dward ga3ing up at me, a grimace on his face, but his eyes so very warm, because he knew ( was about to do something ( wasn't ready for' &0o choice, baby,& ( whispered' 5e nodded, shooting me a wink' &( know, love' (t'll be okay'& /s simple as those three words were, ( believed him' 5ow could ( not! 5e always made everything okay' (t seemed so damn early to tell them, because the little one inside of me was only the si3e of a &bean,& as the doctor described him'''or her' /nything could go wrong at this point, but wasn't that the point of not fighting! 4ith a deep sigh, ( glanced around the room, bracing my hands on the table' &(t's not that ( don't want to fight' ( can't go'''& ( cried, finally losing a grip on my emotions' &('m pregnant'& $dward gathered me to him, pulling me onto his lap' 5e ignored the deafening silence, and then the sudden e plosion of voices, making me look only at him' &)hh, sweetness,& he soothed, his voice only meant for my ears' &(t's okay that they know, love'& 5e wiped away my tears and tucked my hair behind my ears' &( know it's early, but the doctor said things looked perfect' That you're right on track and your vitals were strong, baby'& ( pulled his forehead to mine, nodding against him, but he went on' &( know you're scared, Bella' ( see it when you look at me' :lease don't worry' :lease! +or me!& &( can't promise that, $dward,& ( sniffled, &but ( couldn't lie to them, either'&

5e smiled, kissing me softly, but bending to my ear' &(t'll be fine' :lease don't cry, love'& &( told you to watch out for the freak outs,& ( sniffled and chuckled at the same time' &6amn hormones,& he teased softly, and we both looked up when =arlisle cleared his throat, the room quiet again' 5e was fighting his smile, and doing a damn good ,ob, because he almost looked pissed as he shook his head' &Guess that settles it' ;ou won't be going'& >nowing he was ,ust about to e plode with pride, ( groaned dramatically, rolling my eyes' &That's what ('ve been trying to tell you8& (t seemed everyone was waiting on =arlisle to crack, because as soon as the big, wide, pride2filled grin spread over his face, the whole table broke into celebration' ( was pulled from $dward by several different pairs of hands' ( was hugged and kissed and congratulated, and suddenly, the tension in the room seemed to lift' They'd needed this news' They needed something good in the middle of all this fucked up bullshit' /nd as ( looked around at $mmett, .asper, )am, and /lec, and then to my girls, and finally to $dward, ( reali3ed they now had something to fight for' They'd done it before * fought like lions to get me and Bethy back * but things had become hard, tedious, and now daunting as the ne t fight loomed over us' These people's lives had been turned upside down * some, like #ickey, hadn't been home in months' 5ell, baby =aleb had barely seen his own home since he'd arrived' #y announcement gave them a new focus, something worth kicking ass for * getting me and $dward and everyone else home safely, and revenge for ever having touched us to begin with' (t was why $dward and ( couldn't walk away from this mission, either' The commitment, the loyalty that sat around the table was breathtaking' They were all willing to continue until the end' 0o matter what' (t seemed all of it combined was what kept us going * punishment for taking me and Bethy, anger over the disruption of our lives, and the sense of honor that came with knowing that we ,ust damn well needed to stop this group of people before innocents got hurt' /nd ( knew that as ( looked around the table, these people * my family and friends * were smart, brave, strong, and the best of the best' ( huffed a laugh to myself, thinking that if 4alter didn't know what was coming for him before'''he'd never see this shit coming' +amiliar, warm arms wrapped around me, and $dward pulled me to him' &=ome, love' 9et's go tuck in our girl'& 4anting every possible minute ( could get with $dward and Bethy, ( nodded and smiled' &;eah,& ( agreed, leaning into his kiss to my temple' &Besides, ( imagine the real planning starts in the morning'&

&6on't care,& he growled huskily in my ear as he guided me down the hallway toward our room' &"ight now, ( ,ust want time with my girls' /ll the other shit can wait'& ( smirked up at him, because again, we seemed to be on the same wave length when it came to our thoughts' ( leaned in, kissing his neck ,ust below his ear, purring, &;es, sir'&

CHAPTER 19
E!"#$!
&( wanna see Goliaff tomorrow, #ommy,& my baby girl said, yawning widely as Bella pulled the covers up to her chin' &4e will,& Bella chuckled softly' &('ve kinda missed him, too'& ( was leaning in the doorway of what used to be my mother's room, but which /unt >ate had now turned into a really pretty room for Bethy' (t was still flowers and lace and frilly2girly shit, but not so grown up' :aintings of landscapes had been replaced with princesses, pictures of me and my dad were now in brighter colored frames, not the silver ones my mom had put them in, and there was an overflowing toy chest in the corner that seemed to have grown since =hristmas' &('ll take you both out to the barn in the morning, little sweetness,& ( vowed, walking into the room' &#efore work,& ( added with a raised eyebrow to Bella' Both my girls beamed happily, and ( chuckled' &=ra3y old horse likes you two better than me, anyway,& ( muttered sourly, which was the fucking truth, although it didn't bother me one bit' They giggled at the same time, and the sound ,ust did things to me' ( sat on the edge of the bed, kissing Bethy's forehead, nose, and then her forehead again so that ( could breathe deep the sweet, clean smell of her' Tiny hands grabbed my face, and ( smiled down at her, because she was completely unaware of all the shit that was waging around her' )he was happy and content, without a fucking care in the world' #eanwhile, my looming mission was tearing me up on the inside, because the unknown could be fucking scary' ( was pretty damn sure that that was why my wife had wanted to keep our new little one a secret, though that shit was blown completely out of the water now' Bella had tried so fucking hard to ,ust get everyone in the dining room to back off, but they knew her1 they knew that she didn't back down from a fight, that she would fight tooth and nail right by my side' 5ell, she was stronger and braver than some men that had been stationed overseas with me' /nd our friends, our family knew that, so when she didn't give them a real reason that she wasn't going, they all called her on her bullshit' ( smiled against Bethy's forehead at ,ust what that little announcement had done' /t first, they were shocked, and then they e ploded, although they weren't sure e actly what to do about it' They wanted to be happy for us, had seen that we were ecstatic, but they weren't sure what it meant to the mission' (t took my dad's approval, his

sickening ,oy, for them to reali3e it was a good fucking thing' (n fact, when he finally congratulated me, he gave me a full hug for the first time in a long fucking time, telling me that he now understood my anger concerning staying behind' 5e also told me that Bella didn't have to work the mission at all * info team or not * if she didn't want to, but ( told him that he'd never keep her from it' &Go to sleep, baby,& ( whispered to Bethy' &('m not tired,& she argued, yawning widely again' Bella chuckled behind me, and ( smirked down at my daughter' &"ight,& ( said wryly' &('ll tell you what''' Go to sleep, and we'll see if ( can't put you up on Goliath tomorrow and walk you around the paddock' 7kay!& &7kay, 6addy,& she said, yawning again, her eyes brightening at that, but still so, so sleepy' &Good girl,& ( sighed, kissing her puckered lips' &7nly sweet dreams, little soldier'& &;es, sir'& &9ove you,& ( told her, standing up from the bed so Bella could kiss her, too' &9ove you, too, 6addy'& 5er voice was low, her lids heavy as Bella whispered her own good nights, but my heart hurt at the sight of it, because the &what ifs& wouldn't shut off in my head as ( looked at them both' Bella left the door cracked, and we walked to my old room' ( sat down hard on the edge of the bed, fisting my hands in my hair' &$dward!& ( shook my head, my emotions too much, but gentle fingers lifted my face' &Talk to me, $dward,& she said softly, but from the look in her eyes, she knew' &(2(''' ;2;ou n2need t2to p2promise m2me th2that y2you'll''' $2$verything y2you n2need i2is i2in the s2safe a2at h2home, if s2something'''& &7h,& Bella groaned, shaking her head' &4e aren't having this conversation right now, baby,& she stated firmly, making sure ( was looking at her' &4e will, but not now'& &;ou need to know, Bella,& ( said, finally finding my voice' &;ou have to fucking understand8& ( urged, gripping the sides of her shirt and pulling her closer' &( never, ever wanted you to have to deal with this shit' ( never wanted to leave you and pull missions like this' 0ot ever'& &( know'& 5er voice was calm as she ran her fingers through my hair' &('m scared, too, $dward'&

&(2( know y2you a2are,& ( sputtered, shaking my head, because this shit was too much' &( need you to understand that everything about me, everything that ( am''' (t begins and ends with you and Bethy'''and oh God, this one,& ( breathed, lifting her shirt so ( could place a kiss to her stomach' &$verything'& &4e know that,& she whispered back, emotion starting to take over' &4e never doubt it, baby'& ( sat up straight, keeping my hand on her stomach as ( looked her in the eye' &( fucking promise you that ( will do my best out there8& )he smiled and sniffled a bit' &('m pretty sure ('ve never seen you do a half2ass ,ob on anything, $dward'& ( snorted, seeing her point, but it didn't stop me from kissing her stomach again' ( ga3ed back up at her, saying, &.ust know this''' ;ou are completely taken care of, if something happens' That's all ('m saying on the sub,ect, love' But do you understand me!& &=hrist,& she sobbed, stepping away from me and holding her hair from her face' &( don't want fucking money, $dward' That's not what ( need' ( need you' ( need you focused, because they have to have you' ( need you smart and calm, baby' :lease' (t's bad enough that ( can't be with you8& ( tugged her roughly back to me, finally pulling her to my lap' )he buried her face in my neck, sobbing almost uncontrollably' 5er whole body wrapped itself around me * arms around my neck, and legs around my waist' )he clung to me, her body shaking with fear, and ( suddenly saw what ( was doing' ( was panicking, which was not helping the situation at all' &7kay, okay,& ( sighed, finally surrendering' &('m sorry, baby' ( ,ust''' ( saw you with Bethy, and ( flipped out' ( don't want miss anything, you know!& ( asked, and she nodded against my neck' &/nd the thought of leaving you alone''' ( hate it' ( hate that ( can't ,ust en,oy this new guy,& ( whispered, turning us on the bed and laying her down so ( could touch her' ( scooted down her body, pressing my lips to Bella's stomach' &5ey, you in there'''& ( said, smiling when Bella sniffled into a giggle' &('m sorry ( upset #ommy'& &$dward,& Bella snorted, rolling her eyes, but her hands threaded into my hair' &( tend to piss her off repeatedly, because ( don't listen,& ( spoke to her stomach, which was now shaking with Bella's laughter' &4ord to the wise, little one''' .ust listen to her, and all will be well'& Bella lost it, curling up with her sniffly giggles' &That's not always true, $dward'& ( pulled her back to me, smiling down at her, because damn it, ('d rather hear her laugh

than see her fucking tears' &#ostly,& ( chuckled, shrugging one shoulder' &('m sorry, love' ( ,ust'''& 4arm fingers met my lips, stopping me' Bella shook her head slowly' &There is really no need to e plain it to me, baby' 5onestly' ( understand'& )he took a deep breath, pulling me in for a brief kiss' &To be honest, ('m not sure how you've maintained this long * starting with Bethy's kidnapping' )o yes, $dward, you're allowed to freak out' .oin the hormone club'& ( laughed, hugging her closer' &=an you imagine! ('d shoot some2damn2body''' after cursing them the fuck out'& )he chuckled, but nodded in agreement' &)ee! ( should have shot #indy'& ( grinned, still not giving a shit about a mean bitch from my school days, because my girl loved my stutter' Bella sobered, and then sat up, cupping my face' &('m pretty sure this conversation,& she said, motioning between us, &is happening all over this house right now' "ose is terrified of losing $mmett now that =aleb is here, 7bie is probably going to go gray by the time its all over, and /lice may end up having a nervous breakdown' 6id you know 4es has called #akenna about ten times already!& she asked, and ( shook my head no' &4e're all really fucking nervous' /nd we should be, because these are terrible odds against men who don't look like they have anything to lose but their lives' Blind sheep, following a deranged leader'''& )he muttered the last words with a slow shake to her head' )he took a deep breath and let it out, playing with my fingers' 4hen she looked up at me, she was a little calmer, but hell, this was always how we'd worked'''together' &('m going to make you a promise,& she stated, her little chin ,utting out in defiance' &('m going to bust my ass to keep you guys a smoothly running machine while you're out there'& )mirking at her, ( pulled her in for a kiss' &( know you will, sweetness,& ( whispered against her lips' &('m sorry again,& ( said as she sat up straight' ( rubbed the outside of her ,eans, ga3ing up at her' &( haven't heard intelligence like that in a long time, baby,& ( e plained, swallowing nervously' &(t's going to be a helluva fucking fight'& ( shook my head slowly' &6o you want out, $dward!& she asked, tilting her head at me' ( opened my mouth to answer her, and then closed it again' Taking a deep breath, ( considered what she was offering me, because there wasn't a member of the crew that would think less of me for pulling out' They wouldn't ,udge $mmett, either' 4e both had kids, and now ( had another one on the way, but something about walking away

didn't sit right with me' &0o'& ( shook my head' &( want to finish this, Bella' /nd it's not even about revenge for taking you and Bethy anymore'''though that's a ma,or part of it for me' (t's about stopping these guys' (t's about helping out $lea3ar now, because he was there for us' ;ou know!& )he nodded, but ( could see tears welling up in her eyes' &(t is the right thing,& she whispered, picking at her ,eans' &( ,ust''' ( mean'''& )he huffed frustratedly, finally meeting my ga3e as big, fat tears coursed down her face' &6on't you dare do anything that could get you killed, $dward' .ust'''& )he sniffled, swiping at her face with the back of her hand' &.ust forget that ('ll be falling apart, and fucking focus,& she snorted, rolling her eyes' ( chuckled softly, tugging her to lay down beside me, facing me' &0o falling apart, sweetness' ( need this,& ( said, tapping her temple, &to get me through' ( may not have you at my side, but ('ll listen to everything you say' ( swear it' 4e'll map out a plan tomorrow, love'& )he nodded, letting out a deep breath' 5er eyes stayed focus on where her fingers were playing with my shirt' ( reached up, cupping her face and wiping away her remaining tears' 4e didn't say anything for a minute, but ( pulled her closer, slipping my arm under her head' )he pressed her forehead to mine, closing her eyes' &;ou should get some sleep, baby,& ( told her, because ( knew the pregnancy combined with all the stress ,ust had to be wearing her out' )he shook her head' &('m not tired'& ( chuckled, kissing her lips, but my hand absolutely could not stay away from the soft, smooth skin of her stomach' &;ou sound like Bethy' Both of you are stubborn as mules'& &/nd you two gang up on me,& she snickered, placing a sweet kiss to my ,aw' &#aybe this one will help even up the odds'& ( grinned, loving that thought, my thumb brushing over her bellybutton as the tips of my fingers made contact with the edge of her bra' &Two against two!& ( verified with a chuckle' &#mhm,& she hummed, her hands slipping under my t2shirt' &$dward,& she whined adorably when the material wouldn't cooperate because we were laying down' &7ff' Take it off'& ( smiled, sitting up and reaching back to snatch the thing off over my head, but instead of laying back down beside her, my hands immediately went to the button of her ,eans'

)he lifted her hips, allowing me to tug them down and toss them off the side of the bed, which left her in her underwear and a t2shirt' &)ince you're not tired,& ( sighed dramatically, &you can at least be comfortable'& ( chuckled at her smirk, ridding myself of my own ,eans and crawling up beside her, where she welcomed me with open arms and a deep, sweet sigh' /s ( ga3ed down at her, ( regretted again my moment of panic' )he was under enough strain as it was' )he was so fucking beautiful, as deep brown eyes focused more on her finger tracing my tattoo than looking up at me' ( leaned over, kissing the little worry dip between her brows' ( knew her1 she was ecstatic about the new baby, but was afraid to even fucking think about the future' )he was terrified that ( wouldn't be there, that something would go terribly wrong with this mission' The most disturbing part of that was that her intuition was sharp * ra3or fucking sharp * and that meant she really had a fucked up feeling about what we were about to do' &0o more thinking, sweetness,& ( whispered' &0ot here' 0ot in this room' Got me!& ( asked, tilting her head up with my fingers under her chin so she would meet my ga3e' &('m sorry ( panicked' ('m sorry they ganged up on you and made you tell them the truth, but maybe its best they know' /nd ('m sorry we can't ,ust en,oy this,& ( sighed deeply, my fingers spreading wide on her stomach' ( pushed her gently onto her back, leaning down to kiss her belly' &4hen this is all over, little one,& ( started, speaking to my newest addition and my wife, &we'll build you your own room, and your mom can shop until my cards melt' #ommy won't cry anymore'''unless it's because she's watching some sappy girly movie'& Bella giggled, looking down her body at me' ( lifted her shirt some more, trailing kisses from her bellybutton up to the edge of her ribcage, reveling in the sweet sound of her laugh, something ('d worked our whole relationship to try and evoke from her as many times as ( could' &4e'll make lists of names * boy and girl * and we'll fight over what we want to call you,& ( continued, smiling against her skin when Bella scoffed, because it had been damn simple to name Bethy once we knew we were having a girl' &4e'll sit down with your big sister and tell her all about you' /nd you're in for it, buddy' ('m ,ust giving you fair warning' )he's a force to be reckoned with'& &0o kidding,& Bella chuckled, her nails scratching deliciously over my scalp' &4orld domination,& Bella and ( said together, bursting into quiet laughter' &( know it seems cra3y right now, but we're doing our best, little one,& ( whispered, my forehead falling to Bella's chest' &(t won't always be like this, ( swear'&

#y hand snaked around to her lower back and pulled her closer, careful of her bruise' >issing her skin again, ( allowed my tongue one quick taste of her' God, ( still wanted her so fucking badly, ,ust like on the front porch swing the night before, but it felt wrong when she was so tired, so emotionally strung out * something that was partly my fault to begin with' ( was insatiable for her, not inconsiderate' #y fingers left her skin, gripping the covers beside her instead, in order to hold back, but ( had to kiss her' ( pushed myself up over her, locking ga3es with her' 5er breathing was heavy, her fingers pulling at my shoulders' 6ark eyes met my own through long eyelashes, her teeth biting down on that beautiful bottom lip, and her body rolled in the most gorgeous of waves' &7h fuck,& ( whispered, shaking my head and squee3ing my eyes closed briefly, because ( was afraid ( was reading her all fucking wrong' &:lease tell me''' )hit, tell me we're on the same page, baby'& )he didn't say anything, but her hands slipped up my chest slowly, over my shoulders, and into my hair, pulling me closer' 5er mouth was on mine before ( could think, and it was all fucking over' The moan ( let loose was shameless and deep, because fuck, ( needed her' #y body instinctively shifted between the cradle of her thighs, and ( fro3e when she gasped' ( didn't want to hurt her' &6on't you dare move,& Bella panted, holding me with a tenacious grip, even going as far as to wrap her legs around my waist' &('m okay' ;ou're not hurting me, baby,& she soothed, nipping at my lips, but ( held myself away from her' &( need to feel the weight, $dward' ;ou feel so good'& "emembering how she was when she was pregnant with Bethy, ( knew that her skin was ultra sensitive' Bracing one hand by her head, ( dove for her mouth again, my other released the comforter and ghosted back under her shirt' This time, ( cupped her breast, brushing a thumb across her nipple, causing the most gorgeous combination of a whimper and growl to escape her' /ll control, all gentle touches left us, giving way to the rough removal of her t2shirt, my bo ers, and lastly, her underwear' ( fell back down over her, my elbows dropping to the bed on either side of her head as ( kissed her senseless' $verything about her was responding so quickly * every roll of her hips, every tug to my hair and now my ass, and every nip of teeth, lips, and tongue to my mouth' Bella's head arched back, her breathing almost raspy as ( ravished her neck' 5er body bowed, her breasts pushing closer to my face, like a fucking offering' ( rolled my hips, smiling against her nipple when my cock brushed against her clit, causing another desperate sound to echo through the room'

&$dward, you're fucking teasing,& she accused, grasping either side of my face and pulling me back to her' &)top''' (nside, now' :lease'''& ( smiled again, dragging my tongue along my bottom lip and rolling my hips again' Trailing my lips across her cheek to her ear, ( whispered, &But are you wet enough, sweetness!& The sound she let out was almost like a laugh and a groan combined' &;ou have no idea''' $dward'''& #y cock slipped ,ust inside her entrance, and ( held completely still, fighting every desire to push forward, to claim her so fucking hard' &This''' This is okay!& ( whispered, nipping at her lips, one hand braced at her head, and the other slipping up and down her side' &%o okay,& she confirmed, nodding ,ust a bit' &The covers are protecting my back, baby'& 6espite how out of control we both were, it didn't stop us from taking care of each other, both physically and mentally' )he knew it would kill me to hurt her' 4ith that said, ( sheathed myself completely inside her, and my mouth gaped as my breathing stopped' God, she felt so fucking good after wanting her for two damn days' 4armth and wetness pulled me in, enveloping me' 5er whole body seemed to cinch down on me, from her arms and legs, to her sweet, fiery hot pussy' 5er mouth on my neck, her grip on my back and ass, and her hips urging me to move all made me want to come so fucking badly' &)hit, love, you're killing me,& ( panted' &Be still, be still''',ust for a second'& ( wanted to roll my eyes at her evil, yet se y ass smile, but ( couldn't' )he loved pushing my fucking limits, and that didn't take much' )he loved that ( couldn't tell her no or stay away from her, and she absolutely lived to make me lose my shit when it came to her' :ulling back and thrusting forward with a swivel of my hips wiped that smug grin off her face, causing her head to fall back and her moan to catch in her throat' ( did it again and again, over and over, watching her lose herself in the feel of my cock hitting the spot deep inside of her that she needed' Gliding my hand down her side to her leg, ( hitched it up, finally hooking it in the crook of my elbow, ,ust to feel more, deeper' (t didn't take long for her body to shiver, for her hands to grip me hard, and her eyes to roll back into her head' &7h, fuck yeah, baby,& ( urged softly in her ear, swirling my tongue over the soft spot that drove her cra3y' &=ome hard for me, love' +orget everything else but how my cock feels,& ( commanded, dragging my teeth across her skin lightly' &(t feels good, doesn't it! 4hen ( fuck you hard and slow and deep!& ( asked, thrusting ,ust a touch harder'

Bella's breath caught, and her hands shot to my face, her eyes rolling back in her head' &;es, shit'''& she gasped, nipping at my bottom lip' &$dward, baby'''('m so close'& &7h, ( know,& ( told her, hitching her leg to my shoulder so ( could brace my other hand down on the bed in order to take that much harder' &:lease, please, come with me,& she begged, and there was a desperation ( hadn't been prepared for, a need that hadn't been there before' &Then let go, baby,& ( told her, kissing her lips and dragging my tongue along hers' &('m right there'& ( wasn't sure there was anything on this fucking planet that more gorgeous than my wife when she came, because everything about her would free3e in a beautiful e pression' +ingers would dig into my back to pull me closer, and her legs would constrict around me' But it was when she gasped, &( love you,& that ( finally let go, a string of profanities and love yous right along with it' #y head hit her shoulder as ( let her leg drop back down onto the bed' ( worried that my weight was too much on that back of hers, but she made no move to shove me off of her' (f anything, she was holding me tighter' &Tell me ('m not squishing you,& ( whispered, and she smiled against the skin of my shoulder' &0o, ('m pretty good right now,& she said, and the amusement in her voice was impossible to fucking miss' ( chuckled softly, turning my head to kiss her neck' )he leaned into it, nu33ling my ,aw' ( pushed myself up, bracing my elbows by her head, but giving her the weight she seemed to want' ( brushed her hair away from her face, kissing her lips gently' ( could see every emotion flickering across her face * love, sated bliss, weariness, and fear' (t was that last emotion that matched my own' &;ou don't want to talk about it, do you!& ( asked vaguely, but she was pretty good at knowing what ( meant' &.ust this,& she sighed, shaking her head and looking away from me' &( know ('m taken care of'''financially, and yes, ('ll take care of our children if something happens, $dward' But there will never be anyone for me, but you' ;ou need to know that'& ( opened my mouth to speak, because ( understood her completely and totally fucking agreed with it, but she stopped me by placing her fingers over my lips' &( need this * you * tonight' 9ike this' ( need to feel you and talk to you and hold you,&

she said, swallowing nervously' &But ('m going to ask something of you when we get up'& &;ou want to ride on Goliath, too, sweetness!& ( teased her, trying to lighten up whatever it was she was about to tell me, because ( was scared to fucking death' &( do, actually,& she giggled, kissing me quickly as ( chuckled at her' &7kay, so after you play with your girls in the morning, ( need you to shut off this part of your personality, $dward' ( need you to put away the dad and husband in you for the planning process and only think with the soldier that came to get me from #iller'& ( huffed a deep sigh, knowing e actly what she was asking of me' &/nd then,& she continued without letting me say anything, &you need to do the e act same thing when you load up and head to the cabin' ('m going to try to do the same, but it's more important that you do it, baby' The soldier, the mercenary ( first met'''he was no nonsense and completely focused on whatever plan was about to take place' ;ou need to do that, $dward, because ( can't imagine that $lea3ar is going to let more than a few hours pass before he's loading up and heading to that cabin'& ( nodded, kissing her again' &7kay,& ( sighed, shrugging a bit' &( imagine we'll all have to focus like that' Bethy won't'''& &)he won't have a chance to see you, or her uncles, or even her :oppy like that' ('m pretty sure $sme and /unt >ate, not to mention 7bie and Tom, will keep her busy on this farm, and she'll be in bed when you leave,& she sighed, and ( could see her heart shattering at the thought' &)o ( have to make the morning count, huh!& ( asked, sounding almost bitter, but Bella was right1 both of us panicking, both of us scared shitless of the approaching mission wasn't helping a fucking thing' &( didn't mean it'''& ( kissed her roughly, finally rolling us to our sides, still facing one another' &( know,& ( told her' &But you're right' /ll of it'& &( know ( am,& she snickered, wearing a wry smirk' &( have you now, though,& she sighed, pulling me closer' &#ake it count, baby'& ( dove for her mouth again, wanting her again, without shame or apology' /nd she came to me willingly' (t all felt like goodbye, and ( fucking despised it, but my girl was so damn smart' )he knew we'd have to approach this mission with a callousness and control, the feeling of &fuck the consequences& that we used to carry' ?nfortunately, there were a fuck2ton of consequences now * wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, and children * that weren't there when we were doing this full time' Before, we were

alone, single, focused, and fucking deadly' 4e'd have to be that way again if we were going to take our small crew against such enormous odds' ( pulled her on top of me, guiding her back down over me, and losing myself, my emotions, and my worry deep inside of her'

%E&&#
( pulled my hands inside my hoodie's sleeves, giving a stray hair a half2ass brush from my face' ('d forgotten how chilly mornings could be on the farm, never mind that it was the fucking summer' ( pulled my knees up onto the bale of hay, wrapping my now handless arms around my legs' ( smirked, setting my chin on my knees, watching the two most important people in my life hash out some minor little argument' &0o saddle, 6addy,& Bethy growled, shaking her head' &.ust Goliaff'& &;ou need something to hold onto, baby,& he countered, shaking his head at her folded arm stance and stern face' &5is hair,& she urged, pointing to Goliath, who was watching both of them with calm, almost amused interest' 5e couldn't give a shit either way' &#ane, little sweetness,& he corrected automatically, but her eye roll and sigh basically told him, &4hat2ever'& &( can't wait 'til #ambina's a teenager,& /lec chuckled, plopping down beside me' &)he's going to be hell on wheels, ( swear to fucking God'& )am stood quietly beside him, watching everything with a keen eye' 5e never said much, but he didn't have to' ( grinned, but it fell quickly, because ( watched as $dward ,ust gave in to her' 5e scooped her up, laughing with her and kissing her temple, before setting her astride Goliath, who shifted on his feet ,ust a bit' / sharp, dark look of pain ghosted across my husband's face as he patted the horse's neck, speaking quietly to him' $dward took the reins and started a slow pace around the paddock as Bethy babbled and giggled instructions to both him and Goliath, black mane fisted in her hands' &(s he okay!& /lec asked' ( shook my head' &0o'& ( turned my head, resting my cheek on my knees in order to look at him' &5e doesn't have to do this,& /lec groaned, shaking his head' &5e could pull out''' help

us from here'& &5e won't,& ( sighed' &5e can't' They need him on the ground' They need his direction, /lec' /nd he wants to see the end of this'& 5e sighed, leaning back against the bale behind us' &)tubborn fools' $mmett's the same way inside' /nd you and "ose''' ;ou're okay with this shit!& ( laughed once humorlessly' &(f you guys can stay focused, plan perfectly, and come back in one fucking piece, then ('m okay' ?ntil then'''no'& &5e's preparing for worst case scenario,& )am said softly, but his dark eyes pulled away from the paddock and landed on me' &5e's been this way since the satellite images! 7r since you found out you're e pecting!& &Both, but as this shit looms closer, we're both ,ust'''& ( groaned, wrapping my hands around my middle instead of my knees' ( was trying my fucking best to calm the hell down, put myself in work mode, but it was too damn hard when ( was watching my little family across the yard' Both /lec and )am grinned like idiots, and ( couldn't help but snort at them' &;ou weren't supposed to know yet,& ( growled, rolling my eyes at their chuckles' &;ou couldn't ,ust let shit slide last night'& &;ou fight better than most men and like it, little one,& )am laughed' &0o one was buying that load you were pushing last night'& ( laughed, shaking my head' &;eah, ( guess'& &/nd oh my dear God, if Poppy ain't prancing around in the house this morning,& /lec chuckled, putting his forehead in his hand' &( half e pect him to start dancing around the fucking kitchen, singing, '('m gonna be a grandfather again''''& &That's kind of why ( didn't want to tell you' /ll of you need to focus,& ( snapped, pulling roughly at a straw of hay and tossing it into the cool bree3e' &7h now,& )ame chuckled, sitting down on my other side, &don't be sore at us' (f you don't think this new little guy isn't giving those people in there some new focus, then you don't know them'& &0o shit,& /lec piped in' &#ambina, =aleb, this one'''& he said, pointing to my stomach and shaking his head back and forth slowly' &7h boy, they are the real reason we're doing it' They're the reason for planning well, for stopping these assholes, and for making sure each of us comes home' (t's given them ,ust the best reason of all to get it done' /nd done right'& /lec raised his eyebrow at me until ( nodded' )am hummed in agreement, setting a large, firm hand to my shoulder' &4e're all kind of

lucky, you know' 4e can protect our own without even batting an eye, but not the people that this group is gunning for' They're in the dark, you see' They won't see it coming' /nd we can't let that happen, no matter where the target may be'& &;es, it's voluntary' ;es, we could let $l finish it with his =(/ group, but'''& /lec added, shrugging' &But they'd have to start all over, when we already know everything,& ( finished sadly for him' &$ actly,& they both chimed at the same time' &/nd don't forget,& )am grunted, a dark look passing over his face, &they made the biggest mistake ever by touching one of our own'& 5e pointed a finger across the yard toward the paddock to Bethy' &4e can't let that shit slide, little one' That's the God's honest truth'& ( groaned' "evenge' (t felt like all boiled down to fucking revenge, but it wasn't, not really' These were loyal, brave, hard working men with an e treme sense of right and wrong' They wouldn't stop until the threat * both against us and innocent people * was eradicated' #y $dward one of them' ( nodded at )am, not able to say much, because it didn't really matter anyway' This was getting done whether ( wanted it all to ,ust fucking go away or not' &4e came out here to tell you that $l was ready to start the meeting, but'''& /lec sighed, glancing up at $dward, who was now hoisting himself up onto the back of Goliath with his daughter in front of him' &.ust'''take your time, #ellissima'& &;eah, we'll stall them somehow,& )am said softly, giving my shoulder a gentle squee3e, before leaning down to my ear' &/nd congratulations, little one'& 5e pressed a kiss to my temple, whispering, &( will make sure $dward makes it home to you' ( swear it'& ( smiled, tears pooling in my eyes, because the meanest of our group had ,ust given me the best pep talk ever' &Thanks, guys,& ( whispered, dropping my legs down and standing when they walked away' ( hummed a groan at how deliciously sore my body was' $dward and ( had stayed wrapped around each other all night' ( wasn't sure either of us had slept all that much, but ('d never felt his love more than when ( could still feel him the ne t day' ( walked to the paddock fence, smiling as $dward had one firm hand on the reins and a strong arm wrapped around Bethy' &5ey, you two,& ( sang, and both heads spun to look at me' &=ome ride wif us, #ommy,& Bethy chirped, and ( grinned up at her as $dward pulled Goliath up beside me'

&0o, you guys do it,& ( told her, getting stretched kisses from the two of them and a nu33le from Goliath' &;ou sure!& $dward asked, his brow furrowing' &;eah,& ( said with a smile' &('m sure' 5ave fun,& ( told them, giving the horse one more pat on his neck' &Back too sore!& $dward's cocky, half smile and raised eyebrow did not go unnoticed, and ( knew that he was fucking with me' &0o''' 0o, not my back,& ( growled, punching his leg as he chuckled se ily' &Go' ('ll watch you guys,& ( snickered, rolling my eyes at his laughter that didn't stop' God, ( wanted to bottle them up and keep them safe' ( wanted to never let that sound out of my memory, because ( knew as soon as he let Bethy go, he was about to shut that beautiful part of himself down * probably more than he ever had * and ( needed to do the same'

( ga3ed out the window, watching $dward, $mmett, .asper, and /lec take inventory of weapons and ammo and load them in the large truck' $dward's and $mmett's faces looked cold, hard, and angry' 5ell, the other two men's faces did, as well' 4e'd hardly spoken a word to each other once our time in the paddock had come to an end' $dward had snatched up Bethy, whispered things ( couldn't hear, and reluctantly handed her over to /unt >ate and $sme' 5is shoulders had slumped slightly as he'd walked away, but now, they were broad and stiff' The first part of the meeting had been the basics * the wheres, the whats, and the how fars' The whos we fucking knew all about' 0e t, we studied the layout of the cabin and the surrounding area, something /lec and $mmett had already done and were able to get us caught up on quickly' 7nce we'd done that, a basic plan had started to form' /s usual, the crew was split up into smaller, more effective teams' /lec, )am, and $dward were on one team, and ( wasn't sure if that wasn't done on purpose for my benefit, to make me feel that he was much more protected' $lea3ar, .asper, and $ric were on another, because their sole purpose was to take one of the nests in the trees, to survey over everything with their snipers at the ready' )pike, #ickey, and =arlisle were together, using stealth and #ick's ability to break into anything' They were taking the cabin if they could get close enough to it' The most dangerous of ,obs went to the largest team' $mmett, +eli , 0ed, 5arry, and two of $lea3ar's men that ( didn't know,

6anny and :hillip, were all going to flood the compound with ":Gs and T0T, and they were going to fucking level the place to the ground when it was all over' There was an additional crew, as well' $l called him his beta team, because they would be the second wave of power once the fighting started, coming in from two sides' There were about si or seven of those men * men we weren't truly introduced to, because they didn't really e ist' /h, the =(/' But it all started with stealth, with sneaking through the woods and over some rough terrain to get them there' (t also started with .asper and $lea3ar behind scopes, killing the men in the trenches' The guys weren't fucking around on this mission' Their opinion this time was &kill 'em all, and let God sort 'em out'& Their only concern was to get to 4alter and 9ilith' $ven .ohnny Thornhill wouldn't make it out of this shit alive' 5is reign of the 6'7'/' was about to come to an end, ( was pretty sure' &Bells,& "ose stated from behind me' &4hat do you think!& &( think it'll work,& ( sighed, looking back to my girls' ('d been paying attention to what they'd been setting up, but my eyes had been glued out the window' &( want /lice and myself leading on the radio' ( want #akenna on the video for )pike's and .asper's cameras, and you on $m's and )am's' That should cover ,ust about everyone' /nd we'll have e tra help'& &4ho!& #ack asked, spinning around in her chair' &/unt >ate,& ( said with a smirk' &)he's going to help with the camera on $lea3ar's e tra crew' )he'll be able to guide them through the chaos'& &7kay,& "ose chuckled' &)he's damn sharp, so this should be a good setup,& she said, giving the dining room a good onceover' ( was used to working in a tight space * Gravity's office wasn't enormous * but this was different' 4e'd set up the satellite and thermal computers along the kitchen bar so we could all see them from our seats at the table' /lice had set each of us up along the same side of the table with laptops and radio access, not to mention tapped us into the satellite at our seats, as well' /long the far dining room wall were large, almost poster si3e pictures of the compound * both aerial and night vision' (t was to these my eyes fell' )omeone * ( think it was $mmett * had taken one of the photos and altered it with a red permanent marker, showing e actly what team would be where, and which direction they were going' (t was by far the most helpful of the pictures up on the wall, because we'd know e actly where everyone would be' /unt >ate strolled into the room, giving it a glance, but her eyes were back on me

instantly' &=arlisle said they're leaving out at sundown'& ( nodded, my stomach lurching slightly' &( figured'& &/nd ( want you to eat, Bella2child,& she ordered softly, walking into the kitchen' &( want my ne t adopted niece or nephew to be ,ust as healthy and stubborn as the first'& The girls chuckled around me, and ( couldn't help but smile and nod' /unt >ate had walked right into the room and addressed the elephant my girls were trying so hard not to ignore' They wanted so badly to say something, but ('d avoided it * but not /unt >ate1 she didn't avoid anything' /lice let out a squeal and a giggle, practically ,umping up and down on the balls of her feet' #ack grinned, poking my arm, but it was "ose my eyes fell to, because she was studying my face intently' &(t's okay to be happy about it, Bellsy,& she stated, smirking at me' ( shook my head at her' &0ot now, "o, okay!& ( begged her, and she nodded, kissing the side of my head' &( am, but ('m'''& ( started, not willing to give voice to my fear until the shit was over, and she completely understood' &;ou need a boy,& she chuckled low in my ear, which only made me laugh, because $sme had said the same thing' ( playfully shoved her away, ,oining /unt >ate in the kitchen, who was already heating me up a plate of $dward's pot roast' The microwave dinged, and she forced it and a fork into my hands, settling me on the stool' &4here is my stubborn girl!& ( asked her, taking a big bite of beef and mashed potatoes' &( believe she's learning all about sheep shearing, if ('m not mistaken,& /unt >ate chuckled, &though she was pleading a few of the lambs' cases the last ( heard, which ('m not sure #r' Tom was able to deny'& The room filled with laughter, because we all knew my daughter well enough to know that she had the power to melt the most hardened of hearts' Tom was e cellent with her, though, and she was willing to do ,ust about anything when it came to learning about the animals' ( took another bite, and then swallowed, gasping, &7h8 )peaking of shearing, $dward needs a haircut, and he should have it'''before'''& )he flinched at first, not worried that ( hadn't finished my sentence, but then a wicked smirk crossed her face as she walked to the front door' )he threw the screen door open, yelling, &$dward /nthony8 Get your behind in this house8& /nother wave of giggles and snorts filled the dining room and kitchen' 4e ,ust couldn't

fucking help it, because his face changed from concentrated anger, to barely contained belligerence' 5e wanted so badly to keep working, keep focused, but /unt >ate's personality and the way she treated him ,ust wouldn't allow it' &( didn't do it,& he huffed, stomping through the front door as she held it for him, and ( had to fight like all hell not to get the giggles again, because "ose, /lice, and #akenna had tears running down their faces, they were laughing so hard' &( know you didn't do it,& /unt >ate countered, pointing to a dining room chair' &)it' ;ou need a haircut'& 5is carefully placed mask fell ,ust a bit, and his eyes shot to me' &Tattletale,& he growled, rolling his eyes when we all e ploded' &;ou need to see,& ( stated, taking another bite of food and shrugging one shoulder' &/nd don't give me the hat e cuse' .ust sit and do what she says'& &'>ay,& he grunted, falling to the chair' (t didn't take her long to get started on his hair, and the girls and ( continued to work around them, testing cameras, refocusing the satellite, and checking earpieces' ( could feel his eyes on me the entire time he sat in that chair, though he didn't interrupt, and he never said a word' ( set the last earpiece to the side once it was tested, trying my fucking best to ignore the chills that ran up my spine when ( knew that he was watching me' ( sighed, pulling the cameras to me' &('m wondering if we need to add another camera or two to $m's team and the Beta team,& ( mused out loud, my eyes falling to /lice' &( mean, we've got a few e tras'& &That's more to watch,& #akenna said, but she shrugged, because we could all handle it' &0ot that ( care, but still'''& ( took a deep breath and let it out, studying the map with the teams planned out on it' &('m ,ust thinking the e tra eyes wouldn't hurt, because you've got a camera on this team,& ( said, pointing to where $lea3ar and .asper would be, &and ones here and here,& ( continued, pointing to the locations that $dward's and part of $mmett's team would be' &But we're kind of lacking on the west side' 4e could put one on 0ed or 5arry, and one on a member of the Beta team' That would cover this whole section'& &( say yes,& "ose stated, nodding once, and then shrugging' &('ll take one e tra feed'''/lice can take the other'& &+ine,& ( grunted' &4e'll tell them when they start to get ready'& By the time /unt >ate was done with $dward, everything was ,ust about ready, and it was late in the afternoon' ( could see most of the men gathering around outside,

though they weren't dressed yet' $dward stood up from the chair, brushing the e tra hair off of his shoulders, and ( finally met his ga3e' &;ou should put the camera on 5arry, not 0ed' 5e's the more focused one' /nd the other on the man named "eyes' 5e seems pretty sharp,& he said quietly' &But you do need more eyes on that side of the compound, Bella' ;ou're right about that'& ( nodded, looking up at him' 5is hair was styled the same, ,ust shorter on the top and pretty damn close on the sides, because he knew ( loved the length on top' (t wasn't tension between us, but pure nerves, pure fear for what was about to happen in ,ust a few short hours' /nd we were both trying so hard to stay calm, stay focused' &Thanks,& ( whispered, but my head spun toward the window when ( heard Bethy crying' &#ommy8& she howled, running across the yard' &)hit,& ( hissed, bolting out the door and down the steps, because ( could see that she'd hurt herself somehow1 both palms were red, one of them bleeding, and there was a tear in her ,eans at the knee' &7h, boy,& ( soothed, kneeling down when she finally made it to me' &4hat happened, pretty girl!& The sight in front of me ,ust about broke my heart, because my strong willed little girl didn't often wail like she was doing at that moment, so she was really hurt, or it had ,ust scared the shit out of her' &( fell,& she sobbed, hiccuping once' &+ell where, baby!& ( asked, scooping her up and carrying her straight into the house' &(2(n th2the b2barn,& she sputtered, new tears making their way down her cheeks' &( was suh2posed to help wif the sheep, and one bumped me'& &(t's all right, Bethy' ('m sure the sheep didn't mean it,& ( said, ignoring everything but my unhappy girl as ( made my way through the house' &9et's get you cleaned up, okay!& &4ill it hurt!& she asked, holding her hands close to her chest and shaking her head, like ( was about to set her on fire' ( smiled at her, because she wasn't stupid by any means' &( don't think so,& ( told her, but not promising anything' &9et's look first,& ( said, setting her on the bathroom floor in mine and $dward's bathroom' ( tugged off her shoes and socks, and then her ,eans, finally setting her bottom on the counter by the sink' ( turned on the water, leaving it cool' &4ash your hands, baby,& ( told her, grabbing a washcloth out of the cabinet, because

her knee was the worst of it' &0o, it'll burn8& she wailed again, and suddenly, ( wasn't alone with her in the bathroom' &5ey,& $dward crooned, kissing her forehead' &4hat did ( tell you about being hurt, little sweetness!& he asked her, making her look at him while ( stuck her hands under the water, rinsing the dirt and gravel and God knew what else off her palms' &6on't fink about it,& she stated adorably, looking only at him, big trusting green to overly protective green' &That's right' 6on't think about it,& he told her, and while he had her attention, ( cleaned the blood off of her knee' &4here you being a daredevil again!& he teased her, smiling at her reaction' &0o8& she practically yelled at him' &4e were shear2wing sheep, and /pollo bumped me'& ( let out a giggle, shaking my head, because God, ( loved the way she spoke sometimes' ( chanced a glance to $dward, who was ,ust as amused' ( put medicine on her knee quickly, holding up two different types of bandages' &:rincess or camo!& ( asked, unable to believe my little girl occasionally wanted camouflage anything, but there were times she had to be ,ust like her dad. &=amo,& she stated, and it was peeled open and on her knee before she could change her mind' &7kay, pretty girl,& ( sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear' &;our emergency room visit is officially over'& $dward chuckled, setting her on her feet' &Go get pa,amas on, and then you're going to get dinner,& ( called after her as she ran off toward her room' &7kay, #ommy8& she called back' ( leaned against the bathroom counter, ga3ing up at $dward' &;ou should be getting ready,& ( told him' 5e shook his head, letting out a deep breath' &( couldn't ignore that' ( tried, but'''& 5e stepped closer to me, bracing his hands on either side of my hips' &?ntil you two are out of my sight, ('ll never be able to not come to you when you need me'& ( smiled, gripping his t2shirt at the sides and pulling him to me' &( know, $dward,& ( sighed sadly, kissing his lips, &but it's time'&

5is lips were back on mine faster than ( could blink, his hands fisting my hair on either side of my head' (t was frantic, it was deep, and it was very much like a goodbye' ( pulled away first, my breathing coming out too fast, like ( couldn't get enough air' &6on't,& ( panted, glaring up at him' &.ust'''fight like fucking hell, $dward' That's all ('m asking'& 5is forehead fell to mine, and he nodded against it, his eyes locked with mine' 5is were a fierce green as they connected to my very soul' &( love you,& he whispered urgently' &;ou need to know, sweetness'& &7h, God, ( do, baby,& ( told him, cupping his face' &( love you, too' Go get our girl and take her to the kitchen, and then you need to get ready'& ( wanted him to have every possible second with Bethy, but then his ass needed to concentrate' 5e needed to not see her, not give into fear or what ifs' /nd ( wanted him strapped down with every possible weapon a human being could fucking carry * not to mention a kevlar vest' &7kay,& he finally acquiesced in a whisper' 4ith one last kiss to my lips, he linked our fingers together, and we stepped out to find our daughter' 5e sat with Bethy on his lap as she ate her dinner, occasionally taking bites she was willing to share with him' 4hen he set her down on the stool, he gave my temple one last kiss' &)tay sharp,& he whispered' &)tay safe,& ( whispered back, my eyes following him as he left to go change' &('m going to my room with her,& $sme stated softly, taking Bethy off her stool' &('m not sure even ( can watch them leave'& ( nodded, giving my daughter's sweet, puckered lips a kiss' They stopped by =arlisle on their way by, and he got in his own kisses' But it was when $dward returned, dressed fully in black, from his backwards baseball cap, all the way down to his military boots, that ( knew he'd finally shut it all out * every emotion, every worry' 5is face was fierce, angry as he strapped on his kevlar vest, and then his side arm holster' 5e strode to the table, picking up his earpiece and tucking it in, as the rest of the crew followed suit' $mmett handed $dward two e tra clips, and they immediately got tucked into one of the cargo pockets on the side of his leg' (t was eerily quiet as the boys strapped down, loaded themselves with weapons and ammo, and put on earpieces and cameras' $lea3ar stepped to the front of the room, clearing his throat, and we all came to a standstill'

&4e'll stop briefly for a camera check for the ladies,& he stated, ,erking his chin toward me and /lice as we leaned against the far wall ,ust to stay out of the way' &7nce we've been cleared, all teams will proceed to their starting point' /re we clear!& &)ir8& every man in the room barked, starting to make their way outside' The men ( considered friends and family * $dward included * all paused, giving us a quick glance, before e iting the house' ( took one deep breath and let it out, and then it was matched by "ose' ( looked up at her, and we nodded' &7kay, girls,& ( stated, pulling on my headset, &( want another check on communications as they drive' ( want to hear every2fucking2thing'&

CHAPTER 20
E!"#$!
The truck was eerily quiet as we trundled down the road' (t had been that way since we'd left the farm' The only sounds ( could hear were weapons checks, the shifting of boots, and the occasional sound of velcro ripping open as someone made sure they had all their gear' ( watched without really seeing as #ickey taped her wrists with black tape across from me, only to tug on the gloves she always wore' The fingers were e posed, leaving her knuckles and palms protected from the heat and kick a gun could generate' )he silently offered me the tape, but ( shook my head and waved it off' 5owever, .asper took it' 5e liked giving his fingers a non2skid surface when it came down to his sniper' (t kept sweat from making his grip slippery' #y eyes traveled down the line, and memories of missions before this came flying to the surface * both military and mercenary' ( snatched my hat off, running my hand through my hair, and tugged it back on' ('d been a cocky, ballsy motherfucker then' ('d been single, young, confident in my abilities, and ('d had absolutely no fucking fear' 0ow, ( wasn't any of those things' ( was a father and husband * two roles that took precedence above all fucking else * but for one night, ( needed to shut it all off' ( needed to lean on my abilities, find the confidence that ( still carried, which was currently hiding behind my fear of leaving my girls and my new little one on the way' Grimacing and swallowing thickly at that last thought, ( turned my head when )am nudged my shoulder' 5e offered me the face paint, and ( took it' #ickey held the mirror for me, and with every swipe of the greasy shit, ( let go of what was most important, what ('d left back at the farm' 7therwise, ('d get myself or someone else killed' (t really was all ( could do not to ,ump out the back of the motherfucking truck and walk back to the goddamn farm' 7nce my skin was covered, ( dug around in my pockets, pulling out a small plan that we all had of the layout of the cabin' ( clicked on a small flashlight, memori3ing it' 0ot that ( hadn't already done it, but it gave me something to focus on' &4e should take that trench by hand before we do anything,& )am rumbled as he loomed over my shoulder' &( was thinking the same thing,& ( murmured back, pointing to the front entrance, which was my team's entry point' &$l and . can take this one on the east, $m's got the back, so

in order to let 0ed and 5arry take these turrets, we're going to have to give them this opening,& ( told him, and he nodded in agreement' &('m not so sure that we all shouldn't take the trenches like that,& my dad added, and suddenly, everyone was leaning forward' &)tealth, quiet''' =lear the forest before we even come close to the fucking fences'& &7kay,& $l grunted in agreement' &4e'll go in silent' >nives only'& ( grunted and nodded, folding my map that ('d probably never look at again and tucking it and the flashlight back into one of my side pockets' &7nce we do that,& /lec said, sitting back in his seat, &once the outside perimeter is clear, then ( say light the fucking place up' Take that far bird's nest out with a big ass boom'& $mmett chuckled and nodded' &7h, hell, fuck''' ;eah'& &+ine,& $lea3ar said, a small smirk gracing his features' &6o it' 4e'll alert the girls of the change when we stop to unload, because that can be the beta team's signal to get into position'& The truck fell silent again as we accepted the change in plans' By the time we came to a stop, everyone was completely camouflaged, wearing faces of determination and pure hate' This type of group, this cult type situation never made sense to people like us' ;eah, sure''' 4e loved our guns, but we didn't hole ourselves away from society' 4e didn't have an agenda to take out some company or its building' /nd we never, ever wanted to harm or destroy innocent lives' There were no innocent lives at this cabin, as far as we were concerned' $veryone was guilty, and we were the ,udge, ,ury, and e ecutioner' (t ended tonight' The engine shut off, and we all piled out of the back of two trucks, falling in around $lea3ar' ( tugged my bag across my chest, un3ipping it for one last check' Grenades, plastic e plosives, and detonators were ,ust a few things ('d made sure to bring' ( secured my automatic rifle across my chest, as well, spinning it to my back' (t wouldn't be needed ,ust yet' &7kay, ladies,& my dad said over the radio' &Talk to us'& &5ello, boys,& /lice sang slowly through our earpieces, and the men chuckled a hello back' &( need to hear a hello from all you, please' 7ne at a time'& Twenty2one men checked in, calling their names over the radio' That was everyone that would be in contact to the girls back at the farm' &:erfect,& Bella chimed in, and ,ust hearing her voice put my mind at complete ease'

&$veryone is loud and clear' =ameras''' )am, ( need yours higher' $mmett, your shoes look good, but ( need to look straight out, big guy'& 4e all chuckled up at $mmett, who grinned like a kid as he straightened his camera' &)pike, please make sure yours is on, because ('m not getting anything,& she continued' &.asper and 5arry, yours are perfect'& &( try, #iss Bella' (t's hard to be humble when ('m this perfect,& 5arry said haughtily over the radio, which only resulted in a punch to his arm from his brother, 0ed, and a glorious laugh from my girl' &( know, 5arry, but do try to tone down your awesomeness for ,ust one night, okay!& she snarked right back at him, and we all laughed' &#anny!& she called' &;es, ma'am!& "eyes answered, his eyes wide' 5e'd been the man on the beta team ('d suggested to Bella to put a camera on' &;ou're either sweating to death, or you got face paint on my lens, sweetie' =an you wipe it down!& ( grinned, because she could command a whole group of men with ,ust that sweet voice' )am and /lec chuckled beside me at "eyes' pink face' &7h, shit, sorry,& "eyes gasped, tugging the camera off of his shoulder to wipe it down' &Better, ma'am!& &;es, thank you,& she chuckled' &/nd it's Bella' "ela , #anny' ;ou don't answer to me, so no ma'am necessary'& That broke the last of the tension quickly, because those of us that really knew her understood that she ,ust wanted to be a team player' 5er calm demeanor was helping me rela , even though ( knew she was practically sick with worry' )he had officially put herself in work mode, and if she could do it, ( could do it, too' ( would've loved to have her right beside me, but she could run the info team like no one's business' ( let out a breath ( hadn't reali3ed ( was holding as the tension slowly eased into the groove ('d always found during a mission' &Got me now, #iss Bella!& )pike asked, clipping his camera back in place on his shoulder' &There it is,& she sighed' &4e're good here, $l'& &Thanks, Bella,& $lea3ar answered her' &/nd ,ust to let you know, there's been a slight change in plans'& 7nce he e plained what we were doing, what they needed to watch out for, Bella's voice came back over the radio'

&(f that's the case, then we'll do our best to watch your background via thermal and the cameras' /nd all teams check in when you get to your entry point, yes!& she asked' &;es, ma'am,& we all grunted back to her' &+ine''' #a'am, it is,& she sighed dramatically, but ( could hear her smile through the earpiece' &;ou heard her,& $lea3ar barked' &Get to your point and check in'& &)ir,& we grunted, breaking off into our teams' The night was cool, almost chilly, as /lec, )am, and ( double2timed it through the woods' (t was actually a relief that it was a bit cooler, considering how much equipment we were wearing' (t was a little over two miles to my team's entry point, though we stopped way outside the line of sight from the cabin' &/lpha 7ne is in position,& ( breathed over the radio' &7kay, $dward,& /lice stated' &5ang tight'& &Ten2four,& ( answered, giving silent signals to )am and /lec, because ('d ,ust caught movement in the trench right ahead' Two more teams checked in * $lea3ar's and my father's * but they were the closest entry point' $mmett's, 5arry's, and the Beta team had farther to run' &;ou've got three heat sources in your trench, $dward,& /lice advised' &.asper, you've got two, but you've also got three up top in that nest' =arlisle, ('m looking at four'''and one taking a leak by a tree not far from where you are' ('d wait until his ass is back in that trench before moving'& 4e all answered her immediately, but waited to move until we finally heard the rest of the teams check in' &/lpha +our on target,& $mmett whispered' &Good,& Bella answered' &/nd #anny, ( see your team behind /lpha 7ne' :erfect' 6on't move'& &#a'am,& #anny whispered' &7n my mark,& $lea3ar grunted over the radio, &clear the first stage'& ( nodded to /lec, and he started his slow, silent approach toward our trench' 5e was taking the right, while )am was taking the guy in the middle, leaving me the man on the left' 4e had to navigate around the trees to make sure we were coming up behind them, between the trench and the cabin fence line' 7ur ,ob was to clear the trench so 5arry's team could make their approach' They would

use that to get inside the compound and take out the turrets, while we took care of the front gate guards' &0ow,& $l ordered' 5is command was quiet and calm, but there was no mistaking the urgency in that single word' /lec and )am split away from me as ( used the trees to hide out of sight' ( dropped to the ground behind some foliage, pulling my knife from my boot' The trenches were dug like old2school military * deep enough to hide a man if he crouched down when he walked' ( could see the closest man stationed behind an automatic weapon aimed out toward the forest' #ovement from my left caught my peripheral vision as a guard walked the fence' &/lpha 7ne stand still,& ( ordered quietly' &7n me,& ( grunted, pushing myself along the ground until ( was right behind my target' 4ith one last check to the fence behind me, ( looked to my left, this time seeing that my team was in place' ( nodded to them both, slipping silently into the trench behind the guard' 5e didn't hear me land behind him' 5e didn't hear me breathe' But he did struggle once when my hand wrapped around his mouth, bringing my knife to his throat' 4ith one quick ,erk, his blood spilled to the dirt of the trench' 5is body thudded softly, as did the other two bodies down the ditch line' &/lpha +ive,& ( grunted, kneeling down to look toward the cabin' &;ou're clear to proceed,& ( hissed' &Ten2four,& 5arry called, and it didn't take long until we were ,oined by him, 0ed, and :hillip, a fairly young agent of $lea3ar's, although he was holding his own ,ust fine' &Beta Teams 7ne and Two, move forward into your second positions and fucking hold them,& ( ordered' &Ten2four,& #anny answered, as did Beta Two's leader' &$dward, hold your position,& Bella ordered in my ear' &;ou've got a pair of heat sources walking the fence line and what looks like two more coming out the gate'& &7n it,& ( answered her, snapping my fingers to /lec and 5arry, because they were the farthest down the trench and could easily sneak up behind the two walking the fence' )am and :hillip took the two coming from the gate, and in less than thirty seconds, four more bodies fell to the bottom of the ditch' &4e're clear, sweetness,& ( told her, unable not to speak to her that way' 5aving her in my ear was giving me the same team feelings as if she were in the fucking trench with me' &Good,& she grunted' &=arlisle's still clearing his trench' $l's is clear, but they're taking

the first nest now' $mmett has cleared his, but he still needs to set up in position to take out that second nest'& &/m ( clear to take the gate!& ( asked her' &;es,& /lice chimed in' &;ou've got two at the gate'''two in the guard shack' Go, go, go'& /lec, )am, and ( crawled up out of the trench, leaving 5arry's team to watch our backs' There were two guards on either side of the gate and one guard station' #y ne t goal was to get us inside that fucking shack for cover first' )omeone would notice if the two at the gate suddenly were no longer there' 4e paused ,ust on the other side of the treeline at the same time that $lea3ar called the first nest captured' &/lphas 7ne, Three, and +ive'''& he barked' &;ou're covered' The southeast end of the compound is completely clear,& he stated, which meant he not only killed the men in his assigned trench, but he'd taken out every guard on the bird's nest and whoever was walking the fence line' 5e would be able to cover my team, my dad's, and 5arry's from his high perch' &('ve got a gun turret in my sight,& my dad stated, which meant he'd finally finished clearing his trench' &('ve also got movement in the tents closest to my fence line'& &6on't move, =arlisle,& /lice snapped' &$very last one of you needs to watch those tents once you're inside' Got me!& &#a'am,& $lea3ar answered for us' &( don't want to make a single fucking sound until the last minute, because if we can clear the trenches, the fence, and that guarded gate, then we can let $mmett take that last bird's nest'& 5e waited long enough to hear every team answer him, and then said, &/lpha 7ne'''take that guard shack' 0ow8& "unning at a crouch, /lec and ( made our way to the back door of the guard shack' Two men inside were seated on stools, drinking coffee' They were sitting facing the gate itself, but weren't paying all that much attention to ,ust who was coming in the door behind them1 their conversation about the last women they were with was more important' &The bitch was pissed that ('d tied her up and left her there,& one chuckled, and ( rolled my eyes to /lec, who was shaking his head' &/w, hell'''the hotel's cleaning lady would've found her' 4hat the fuck was she worried about!& the other one chuckled' &The +o 1ot +isturb sign ( left on the door,& the first one laughed' ( smirked, because ( knew /lec well enough to know that he ,ust couldn't let that conversation go without saying something, and ( was so fucking right'

&Tsk, tsk, that's no fucking way to treat a lady, boys,& he told them in a low voice, and as soon as the words were out of his mouth, we snatched them off of their stools, cutting their throats so that they couldn't make a fucking sound' 4e dropped their bodies to the shack floor' &0ice,& .asper chuckled over the radio, which meant he'd watched the whole thing through his scope' &/lec, is rudeness punishable by death!& &(t should be,& he chortled softly, looking out the guard shack window with me' &(f that's the case,& Bella chuckled, &there's this girl at my doctor's office'''& ( grinned, shaking my head' &Bella'''& &;ou name the time, #ellissima,& he snickered, squee3ing my shoulder' &7kay, /lpha +ive, get ready to cut the fence' ( want you ready to take out those turrets' 7kay!& $lea3ar stated, and for a split second, ( envied his overlooking view of the entire compound' ( turned to /lec, pointing out the window' &)am's in position on the other side of the gate' 4hen he moves, we move' Got me!& ( asked, and he nodded' ( turned back out the window' &)am, on you'& This would be the touchiest part of the first phase' 4e knew this' 4e knew that as out in the open as the the gate was, we were taking a chance at being seen' &$veryone, brace yourselves,& $lea3ar warned' &4hen /lpha 7ne takes that gate, $mmett, you blow that bird's nest away'& /gain, he waited until we all agreed, and then said, &0ow, $dward'& )am stepped from the shadows at the same time we walked out of the guard shack' Before either of them could react, someone from inside the compound called out' &The gate8 The gate8& &/w, fuck,& ( groaned, taking my Glock from my shoulder holster, and pulling the trigger at the man's head in front of me at the same time )am snapped the neck of the guard in front of him' &0ow, $m' 0ow8& $lea3ar said, and our silence was completely shattered' The sweet, hissing sound of the ":G that $mmett fired was followed by a huge e plosion and screams for backup' #en poured out of the cabin, the shed, the tents, and even the fucking tractor trailer at the back of the property' Gunfire sounded from every direction, including the machine gun turrets at three different locations' #y team dove for cover behind a fallen tree, lifting our automatic weapons into position at the same time 5arry called that his fence was open'

&Go, 5arry,& ( snapped, firing off several rounds at the men piling out of the house' They fell immediately to the porch floor' &4e'll cover your asses' Go8& /lec aimed toward the turret in the middle, taking out the gunner, who was quickly replaced by the man beside him' &$mmett, that ne t nest8 +ire, now8& $lea3ar ordered, because my dad's team was being held down at the fence line, due to the fire that was aimed his way' &7n it,& $mmett growled, and then grunted, as a fiery trail arched sweetly through the canopy, finally destroying a tree at the far end corner of the property' 5arry's team made it to the guard shack, and he pulled the pin on a grenade, tossing it at the closest turret' &/lpha 7ne and /lpha +our,& $lea3ar called' &( need those tents and that back shed cleared' Go, go, go'& (t was smart thinking on $l's part, really' 5e was sending my team in from the front and $mmett's team in from the back, catching the trailer, some of the tents, and the shed in the middle' 5arry's team, who was going straight up the middle, launched another grenade at the third turret at the same time my father called out that he'd taken the second' /ll the machine guns were ours' Bullets 3inged in from every direction, coming mostly from the house and the shed, as my team ran from safety point to safety point' 5owever, there were calls from the Beta team that they were catching a few runners' &+uck this shit8& #ickey growled, and ( watched from my location ,ust east of the guard shack as she threw a grenade through the cabin window so hard that a professional baseball pitcher would have envied her' / whole bedroom was now e posed, as well as several enemies' &Got 'em,& $lea3ar called, taking down three men at the same time #ickey and my father took down the rest' &$dward, watch yourself,& Bella warned' &;ou've got too much movement in that shed and behind it' $mmett, watch that trailer, but watch that friendly fire, too' ;ou don't want to kill each other8& &Ten2four,& we both answered her, my team sending a spray of bullets all through the treeline, fence, and tents surrounding the shed' &$m, stand your ground and watch the back side of the shed and trailer,& ( snapped, pulling the pin on a grenade and tossing it between two sets of tents, which took out a few hidden enemies, as my team and ( took cover behind some trees' &('m working my way to you' 4e'll take that shed at the same time' Got me!&

&Got it, $ddie,& he answered, calling out orders to his own team' &Take out that trailer, $mmett,& $lea3ar order' &Blow the whole thing to hell'& &=arlisle8& Bella called over the radio' &;ou've got movement out the rear entry of the house' Beta Team Two, watch it8& &( see 'em,& )pike answered, and something small e ploded inside the cabin' &)am, ( see movement on your right,& /lice advised' &+orty degrees east' The clump of trees' )ee him!& &( do,& ( answered her, mainly because ( was ,ust fucking used to her over the top details' To me, they were fucking perfect' &"ight'''there,& ( growled, aiming at the spot /lice was talking about' The three of us fired into the brush, ducking when a grenade went off, but a body fell forward, no longer moving' &/sshole was going to blow us up,& /lec scoffed, shaking his head' &=an't imagine why,& )am said wryly' ( grinned, ignoring their sarcasm' &$m, what's the status on the trailer!& &Thirty seconds and counting,& he grunted' &$veryone, brace yourselves'& &.asper, the second floor window,& Bella advised' &/nd would you look at that!& .asper drawled' &(f ( don't see our little cowardly friend 4alter up in there'''& &0o shit!& Bella gasp' &Take the fucking shot,& she ordered' &7h, #ellissima's out for blood,& /lec sang, grinning as we worked our way closer to where a handful of enemies were hiding behind a few old cars' &0o shot, no shot, but'''& .asper paused when the trailer that $mmett had set with e plosives lit up the night sky and the surrounding forest' &6amn, that's pretty,& $mmett crooned over the radio' &#akes me want to hum )lory, )lory, *allelujah,& he chuckled' &.a33!& Bella called again' &The shot!& &+uck, no need,& he gasped' &)omeone ,ust put a gun to his head inside that top room and pulled the fucking trigger' ( don't have a line of sight for who, but 4alter's down'''out' Gone'& &6o not underestimate 9ilith,& Bella snapped' &=arlisle8& &( know, Bells,& he said, trying to soothe her' &4e're closing in on the house' ( need Beta Team Two to rush forward'''watch the back'&

&Ten2four,& one of them said' &Beta 7ne, go ahead and close in on the front gate,& $lea3ar ordered' &4e're pushing through the front part of the compound' $dward, $mmett'''( need that shed taken'& )hots 3inged around us, and ( growled' &5ang on8 +uck, we're held down temporarily,& ( grumbled, taking the ":G that )am was handing me' &#aybe ('ll luck the fuck out and there will be gas still left in those old beater cars'& ( loaded the weapon, locked my sight on the first car, and pulled the trigger' The old Buick bowed up, sending three men scattering and four dead' #etal and glass, rubber and seat cushions rained down all around us, but at least the fuckers could no longer hide behind the fucking car' &('ve got strays,& ( ordered, and /lec and )am opened fire, as did a sniper shot from behind me' &;ou're clear to that fucking picnic table, $d,& $lea3ar grunted' &"ight, girls!& &;es,& Bella stated, &but you've got a shit2ton of activity in that shed' There's no telling what's in it' 4atch yourselves'& &;es, ma'am,& ( stated, weaving with )am and /lec to the overturned table' ( knelt behind it for cover' &$mmett, we're on point'& &4e are, too,& he answered right back' &Bella, give me an update on everyone else' 4hat do you see!& ( ordered' &)pike's setting charges on the cabin' =arlisle and #ickey are working through every room of the house, coming through the front, with Beta Two coming in the back' Beta 7ne is working their way to you, catching a few strays here and there, but your back is covered' $mmett is now at the back of the shed' 5arry's team is about forty yards from you, but is in position to help you,& she rattled off, and that shit couldn't have been easy' &:erfect, sweetness, thank you,& ( sighed, giving the shed door a wary glance' &5arry, move in toward the shed' 4e'll take it at the same time' 4atch for $m on the other side when we crack this bitch open like a lobster' Got me!& &5ow you want to do this, $d!& $mmett asked' &( want you to turn the lights on in the kitchen' #y team and 5arry's will step on the roaches,& ( ordered, pulling my rifle around from my back and setting it on the edge of the table' /lec and )am followed suit' &7n my mark, $m8& &)ir,& he grunted, and ( knew him well enough to know that his ":G was already loaded' 5e usually kept it that way'

&$l8 Two snipers my way,& ( called' &>eep one on that fucking cabin8& &4e've got you, $d,& $lea3ar stated, and then ordered Beta 7ne to move in and spread out behind me' &('m blowing this cabin the second you crack open that shed,& )pike advised' )hots rang out from inside the house, and we all fro3e for ,ust a moment, looking that way' #y father and #ickey came tumbling out the doors, #ickey ordering, &Blow it now8 That bitch is hiding inside somewhere8& 7ne or the both of them were hurt, ( couldn't quite tell, but they fell to the ground inside one of the machine gun turrets behind the safety of the sandbags' &6ad!& &('m okay, son''' Go8 +inish this shit8& he snapped' &$m, )pike'''on three,& ( growled, turning my head back to the shed and aiming my weapon' &7ne'''two'''three8& (t looked like fucking 4orld 4ar ((( when the entire place fucking blew' $m's ":G not only shattered the back wall of the shed, but it blew open the front, as well' The cabin, which )pike had rigged with plastic e plosives or T0T or some shit, actually shifted on its foundations' / ball of fire billowed high in the air when the rooftop of the cabin collapsed in on itself' &+ire at will8& ( ordered, because anyone that was inside that fucking shed started to run, firing at us with handguns, shotguns, and rifles' $lea3ar and $ric picked off plenty with smooth precision' /lec and )am opened fire on a group of about si men that decided to head for the woods' They didn't make it past the edge of the shed' +our men ran blindly * and shot blindly * straight out the shed's front door, and ( fired rapid shots, taking them down in a heap in front of me' 5arry's men caught another wave, and the place fell quiet' &6on't fucking move, $dward,& /lice and Bella both barked into the radio' &;ou've still got heat sources inside' Got me!& Bella snapped' &#a'am,& ( panted, not from weariness, but from the adrenaline that was coursing through me' / few shots rang out from the back of the shed, $mmett calling, &('ve got movement8& &They're heading your way, $dward,& Bella stated' &Two'''from behind the door'& ('m really not sure e actly what the fuck happened ne t' #y team got ready to take the two sons of bitches out, but the two that stepped into the doorway of the shed caused a panic in )am' 7ne man raised a rocket launcher at the same time the other opened

fire with an automatic rifle' The table we'd been hiding behind disintegrated' &$ddie, get down8& )am yelled, knocking me to the ground, his heavy body covering mine' / whirlwind of bullets opened fire all at once in a fairly short burst, and stopped ,ust as quickly as it started' (t was then that the pain hit me full force, and when ( noticed that )am wasn't moving'

%E&&#
(t seemed the whole dining room had stopped fucking breathing, because all communication over the radio had gone eerily silent' #y eyes scanned the cameras' .asper's team was suddenly on their feet, climbing down out of the bird's nest' )pike's camera showed that =arlisle and #ickey were wounded, but okay' #anny's camera shook as he and his team ran toward the shed' 5arry was holding his position' $mmett was still holding steady at the back of the property, but )am's camera showed'''nothing' &=hrist,& ( breathed, pacing behind my girls and /unt >ate, where ('m pretty sure ('d worn a groove in the carpet' &)omeone better start talking'''and ( mean right fucking now'''& ( muttered, mainly to my girls, but ('m pretty sure the sound traveled over the headset' /t that point, the radio e ploded with activity' &"eport in8 /ll of you8& $lea3ar ordered as he followed .asper's running form' &Beta 7ne is fine'''one minor in,ury,& #anny breathed heavily, and ( could see by his camera that he was kneeling over a man that was holding his arm' &Beta Two'''fine'& &/lpha Three'''two with minor in,uries,& =arlisle snapped, and from the look of his face through )pike's camera, he was pissed, but his attention was aimed elsewhere' &/lpha +ive'''clear,& 5arry added' &/lpha +our'''all accounted for' 0o in,uries,& $mmett panted, running through the destroyed shed' &#y section is clear'& ( could practically see "ose's body sag in relief, but then we all reali3ed that /lpha 7ne hadn't checked in' ( shook my head' &)omeone better give me a status on /lpha 7ne'''& &=lear,& /lec's voice came over the radio, and it was soft, subdued' &7ne casualty, one

in,ury'& The girls forced me into a chair when my knees gave out, my voice almost a squeak when ( said, &$dward!& &/nswer her8& $dward growled over the radio' &=hrist8& &)hit, Bells,& $mmett sighed' &$ddie's hurt, but )am'''he didn't make it'& #y head fell to my hands as ( wasn't really sure what ( was feeling' There was panic at the thought of $dward hurt, there was relief at the belligerent tone of his voice, and there was the ultimate sadness at the loss of a man that ( had truly come to love' &5ow hurt!& ( asked over the radio' &Give me my fucking earpiece, for fuck's sake,& $dward snapped, and ( almost smiled at his crankiness, if it weren't so fucking serious' &Baby, ('m fine, okay! (t's ,ust'''fuck, shrapnel'& &$mmett, show me8& ( commanded, leaning in toward the screen when $mmett knelt ne t to $dward' $dward had .asper, $lea3ar, and /lec holding his leg and tying a tourniquet around his upper thigh, where what looked to be a piece of wood was lodged' $dward was in pain, but the wound was on the outside of his leg, not near the femoral artery, and he was cursing like a fucking sailor' &+uck, baby,& he growled, fighting off everyone that was near him' &( swear ('ll be okay' :lease, please don't panic'''& ( nodded, though ( knew he couldn't see me, because he was more worried about me than his own personal well being' &/nd )am!& ( whispered, though ( knew he could hear me' The radio went quiet again, but this time, ( could see $dward give pointed looks to everyone, and /lec answered, &)am died'''protecting $d''' 5e saw them step from the shadows, shoved me out of the way, and launched himself at $dward' 5e took the bullet aimed for $dward at the same time we dove from the ":G'& ( shook my head, tugging off my headset and throwing it down onto the table' ( turned around to see $sme leaning in the doorway, practically gnawing on her thumbnail' ( flew to her, because ( didn't know what ( wanted more * to throw up, or scream' &>ate,& $sme said softly as her arms wrapped around me, &( know they need to clean up, sort through things at the cabin' But you tell them ( said to bring all in,ured men back to this house /)/:'& &( got it,& /lice said softly, and she switched the radio on to speaker' &$lea3ar, come in'&

&;es, /lice,& he sighed' &$sme wants all wounded back here immediately,& she told him' Through .asper's camera, ( watched as $lea3ar stood up, surveying his surroundings' 5e scratched his head, and then nodded' &+ine' ('ll see what ( can do' $d's losing some blood, and ( think =arlisle needs looking at' /nd they're not the only ones'& &=ome on, sweetie,& $sme sighed' &;ou can help me get ready for them'& ( nodded, but turned to my girls' &>eep watching the thermal' /nd tell me the second they're heading this way'& &Got it, Bells,& #ack said, her own nasty habit coming back as she practically chewed her nails down to nothing' 5ell, ( didn't even have it in me to stop her' "ose and /unt >ate got up from the table to ,oin us' 4ith 7bie's and Tom's help, we pulled out every towel, every medical supply, and every blanket /unt >ate owned, not to mention $sme's own supplies' "ose cleaned whatever equipment $sme handed her, disinfecting it with alcohol' The living room furniture was all moved aside, and 7bie set up folding tables' &They're on the way,& /lice said, peeking in the door' &They said to tell you that you've got three with minor in,uries, and two not so minor'& )he winced when she looked at me' &$dward's bleeding pretty badly, =arlisle and #ickey have some pretty bad bullet gra3es, a man named )mith got caught in the arm, and +eli was hit'''they didn't know it when $m checked in for his team' 5e's got a through and through, they said'& $sme nodded, spreading sheets over the tables' &4e'll handle it,& she stated, calmer than ('d e pected her to be, though she always handled emergencies better than any of us' &They also said to tell you that they're sending .asper and /lec with them to help you,& /lice continued' &The rest are going to clean up the compound before heading back'& &+ine,& ( sighed, sorting through bandages and meds' &( need one of you to stay on the radio and monitor the video as best you can, and one of you out here when they come in'& &0o prob,& /lice stated' &('ll see what #ack wants'''& &/nd shit,& ( sighed, glancing up at the clock' &By the time they get here, the sun will be coming up'& ( spun to look at $sme' &Bethy can't see her dad hurt or =arlisle' )he'll freak the hell out'& &4e'll figure it out, Bells,& "ose said calmly' &=aleb will be up by then, too'& (t was the longest fucking wait ('d ever had to endure' ( paced, ( threw up * twice * and

then ( paced some more' /lec checked in two times on the top of each hour as he drove, but he couldn't give updates on anyone, because .asper was in the back with them all' ( needed to fucking see my husband, needed to fucking touch him' ( knew he was worried more about me than himself, but every time they said he was losing blood, my heart sank' ( was rooted to the front steps of the house as ( wrapped my arms around my middle' &=hild, you need to calm down,& /unt >ate soothed, plopping down ne t to me' )he pulled me to her, whispering, &;ou can't make yourself sick, Bella' ;ou have to stay calm for the baby'& &( know,& ( sniffled, fighting with all that ( had not to panic' &(t's harder when he's not in front of me'& )he smiled, kissing the side of my head' &"ight, when he's fighting you tooth and nail'& ( chuckled, biting my bottom lip' &;es, well''' /t least then ( know he's okay'& &$ actly,& she chuckled, and we both looked up when one of the trucks pulled into the drive' 4e were up off the steps together instantly' /unt >ate ordered /lec to back up to the front door, which he did, practically tearing up the front lawn in the process' Tom and 7bie bolted out the front door, with $sme close behind them, as .asper slung the back door of the truck open' (nside was fucking chaos' &( can fucking walk, 7bie,& #ickey growled, pointing behind her' &5elp .asper get $dward in the house' Tom, help me with =arlisle'& &;ou got him!& ( asked, stopping them all to look at =arlisle's leg, and she nodded' &Talk to me, =arlisle'& &('ll live' (t's ,ust a gra3e, sweetheart, but if my son doesn't set eyes on you soon, he's going to tear the fucking truck apart,& he said, rolling his eyes' ( dove inside the truck, narrowly missing +eli and the man from Beta 7ne' +alling on my knees beside my husband, ( grabbed his face' &5ey,& ( said, giving his leg a glance' Two rough hands grasped my face' &9ove, ('m okay' ( promise'& ( kissed his palm and nodded, but he was pale and a little shaky' .asper started to move him, with 7bie at his shoulders, but ( said, &4ait8 6on't move him yet' 9et me see this leg'& ( wasn't $sme1 ( couldn't look at a wound and see ,ust how bad it was, but even ( could tell the shrapnel in $dward's leg was lodged in the muscle' ( could also see that even though he was losing blood, it wasn't in spurts' ( tightened his tourniquet a little tighter,

causing him to wince' &)orry, baby,& ( soothed, rubbing his arm' ( looked to .asper' &Get him inside onto one of the tables' $arefully' Try not to ,ar him too much, because ( don't want that'''thing moving until $sme can look at it'& &Got it,& .asper said, his face grim' &5ang on, $d'& 4ith a nod to 7bie, they lifted $dward up by his shoulders and lower legs' ( turned around, my heart sinking when ( saw a covered form at the very back of the truck behind the cab' &)am,& +eli said sadly, slipping off the end of the truck and offering me a hand' &$dward wouldn't be here without him,& he stated, waving me forward' 5e was holding his arm, but he seemed okay' &=ome on, ('ll help you out'& ( took his hand and stepped down' &9et me see,& ( said, reaching for his shoulder' &0o,& he grunted, moving away from me' &('ve had worse' Go inside' ('ll let you look after you've taken care of $dward'& &Goddamn it8& my husband's foul mouth echoed out the front door, and ( bolted inside' The living room was a mess' "ose and #ickey were cleaning up =arlisle's leg' /unt >ate was tending to the Beta team member, but it was taking three people to work on $dward' ( darted around everyone, grabbing his paint covered face again' &5ey, let them look at you,& ( growled low, yanking off his hat and tossing to the floor' &( know it hurts, baby, but your daughter is asleep right down the hall' ;ou do not want her seeing this'& 5e flinched, but nodded as ( wiped the sweat from his brow' &( need to see this wound,& $sme ordered, &and ( need to see if he's hurt anywhere else'& $dward winced, hissing at the movement when we started removing his vest and his boots' .asper and ( worked efficiently and as quickly as we could, while $sme cut his pants up the leg at the same time ( cut his shirt off' )he was ,ust about to remove the tourniquet, but gave me a pointed look first' &$dward, eyes on me, baby,& ( said, cupping his face with one hand and running my fingers through his hair with the other' &)he's going to give you something for the pain, okay!& ( asked him as $sme got a syringe ready, and he nodded slowly, deep, pain2filled eyes boring into mine' &('m sorry about )am,& he murmured, reaching for my face' &0ot now, baby,& ( sighed, shaking my head at him' &(t wasn't your fault, sweetheart'&

&;ou're keeping him calm, Bells,& .asper whispered in my ear, stepping ,ust close enough to block $dward's sight of his own leg' &>eep it up, because she's about to take that shard out' 5angin' in there, $d!& he asked, and $dward nodded sharply, his mouth in a tight, thin line' $dward's face scrunched up in pain when $sme plunged the needle into his leg' )he pulled away the belt that someone had strapped around his upper thigh, and with one last glance to me, she proceeded to work the piece of wood out of his leg' ( nodded, taking one of $dward's hands in mine' 5is eyes were now a little gla3ed, but he must've been able to feel something, because his whole body shook and a low, grunting growl escaped him through gritted teeth' &)quee3e our hands, baby,& ( whispered to him as ( placed kisses on $dward's ,aw, the face paint be damned' .asper picked up $dward's other hand, both of us wincing at the strength $dward squee3ed against us, his knuckles white with the pressure he was putting on us' ( could almost feel when $sme had gotten the biggest part of it out of him, because his whole body rela ed' &.asper, reach back and apply pressure for me,& $sme ordered' .asper did as he was told, pushing down on $dward's leg with a clean towel with one hand, while still holding $dward's hand with his other' &Good ,ob,& ( breathed against his skin' &9ook at me,& ( told him, and his tired eyes rolled my way' &)he's cleaning you up, $dward, and then you'll get stitched up' (t's almost over, baby'& &'>ay,& he sighed, and ( could tell that the morphine that she'd shot him up with was now really starting to work, because his eyes were a brilliant, but gla3ed over green' &9ove you, sweetness,& he mumbled' ( snickered, kissing his nose' &9ove you, too, $dward' >eep still for me, okay!& $sme numbed his leg in order to clean the wound of all debris' .ust before she made the first stitch, she glanced up to me' &0o ma,or blood vessels, but his muscle will have to heal on its own' 5e'll be fine, sweetie,& she soothed' &0o running for a while'& ( smiled in relief and her teasing of him, even though he was pretty out of it at this point' #y body sagged with it, and ( leaned over $dward, fighting my tears and letting out a breath ( hadn't reali3ed ('d been holding' &7h, shit, Bells,& .asper gasped, his eyes wide as they looked behind me'

#y head spun and my heart sank, because my daughter was taking in every,fucking, thing in that living room, with tears coursing down her face' &Bethy,& ( breathed, letting go of $dward's hand' &.a33, stay with him, please,& ( begged, and he nodded as ( scooped her up as quickly as ( could and took her into the kitchen' &626addy!& she gasped, tears filling her eyes' &4hat's wrong wif 6addy! 4hy's he bleedin'!& she asked, her voice getting louder' &)hh, pretty girl,& ( soothed her, setting her on the counter' &6addy got hurt, but he's okay'& &( want to see him,& she cried, fighting me to get down, but ( held her fast' &( want 6addy8& &)hh, baby,& ( said, my own tears threatening to fall' &0ot now, but soon, Bethy' ( promise'& &:oppy,& she sobbed as =arlisle hobbled into the kitchen, his face unreadable' &( want 6addy,& she told him, reaching for him' &$asy, little one,& he soothed her, coming to stand beside me' &Give Gamma and #ommy a chance to fi him up, and then you can see him'& &0o8& she wailed, and not for the first time was ( fucking grateful that $dward had made it home, even though he was hurt, because my daughter couldn't live without him' &9et's go for a walk,& he told her, and my head spun to look at him' 5e chuckled when ( raised an eyebrow at him, glancing down at his leg, before he kissed my cheek' &('m fine,& he snickered, pulling back to look at me' &('m okay' Get back in there' Bethy and ( are going to get some air'& &:oppy, no,& Bethy argued, shaking her head' &$li3abeth "enee,& ( said, cupping her face' &( promise as soon as Gamma says so, you can see 6addy, but he's sleeping right now, okay!& )he hiccuped a sob, sniffling a little, but finally wrapped her arms around =arlisle's neck, letting him pull her off the counter' 5e seemed to be walking gingerly, but made his way out the front door' ( walked back into the living room and checked on $dward first' &5e's out,& .asper chuckled' &9ike gone' $sme gave him a little more morphine after she finished the stitches and wrapped him up' 4ant him in his room!& &9et him stay for now,& ( sighed, running my fingers through $dward's hair' &4e'll move him in a bit, and ('ll have to clean him up before his daughter sees him again'& &"ight,& he agreed with a nod' &That face cream shit will take this off,& he told me,

pointing to his own painted face' &Got it,& ( murmured, catching a glimpse of +eli in the doorway' ( pointed to him and the closest table' &;ou ne t' )it'& 5e grinned and nodded, obeying me instantly' &('m yours to command'&

( wiped the last of the face paint away, ga3ing down at my husband's strong features' 5is long eyelashes rested against his skin' 5is stubble was thick and prickly' 5is mouth was almost in a pout as he continued to sleep' 4ith .asper's and /lec's help, we'd moved him into our bed, where ( stripped the rest of his ruined clothes off, leaving him in his bo ers' ('d washed his face and his hands, and still, he slept on' The bleeding had stopped once $sme had cleaned his wound and stitched it, and ( knew without looking that underneath the covers was a wide white bandage that wrapped around his thigh from ,ust above his knee almost to his hip' (t had been several hours since everyone had been patched up' $lea3ar had checked in, stating they were pretty sure they'd gotten everyone, and that even .ohnny Thornhill * the man behind my husband's wound * was dead' They were still cleaning up, having called in some e tra agents to wipe the area clean' =arlisle had eventually handed Bethy over to $sme, who'd fed her, dressed her, and calmed her down' (f ( wasn't mistaken, they were out with Tom, feeding Goliath and the rest of the horses' &I will make sure Edward makes it home to you. I swear it." )am's last words to me echoed through my mind, and my tears couldn't be stopped' 5e'd fulfilled his promise to me by sacrificing his own life so that mine could come home to me' ( traced $dward's features, thinking that he was my life * him and Bethy and my new little one' But $dward was a gift to me, because it could ,ust as easily have been him under a sheet inside that truck' 4ith that last thought, my tears came unhindered and unstoppable' ( crawled up on my side of the bed, aching to wrap myself around my husband, but not wanting to disturb him' ( closed my eyes, fighting tears and aftermath hysteria and panic and grief and all hormone related freakouts' &4hat's this, sweetness!& $dward's raspy voice met my ears, as a calloused finger wiped away a tear'

#y eyes opened to see his head turned my way, and all ( could do was shake my head' &=ome here,& he whispered, and as gently as we both could, we wrapped around each other' &('m okay, baby'& &( know'& &Then please don't cry,& he begged, and ( felt kisses drop to the top of my head' &=an't help it,& ( sniffled, nu33ling his neck and drowning in his pulse, his scent, and his warmth' 5e chuckled slightly, kissing my head again' &5ormones!& &/mong the many reasons,& ( said, unable to not smile when he was teasing me' &9et me see your face, baby,& he requested, pulling my chin up with his fingers' &Tell me the damage'& ( smiled at his nonchalance, but ( sat up a bit and faced him' &;ou're out of commission, sir''' /t least for a little while' ;our leg was easy to stitch, but the muscle will take time to mend itself, according to $sme' The bleeding has stopped, ( ,ust about had a nervous breakdown, and if it weren't for )am, you wouldn't be here'& / flicker of pain crossed his features, and he shook his head slowly' &+uck,& he sighed, his head falling back to the headboard' &)am' 4hat was he fucking thinking!& &5e was thinking that he'd made me a promise to me,& ( sobbed' &( didn't ask him to, but he did it anyway'& $dward's head lifted, and he reached for my face, wiping my tears away' 4arm, still a touch ha3y, green eyes ga3ed at me with sympathy and love' 5is thumb traveled under my eyes, and he tilted his head at me' &('m sorry, love,& he sighed' &('m really fucking sorry'& 5e pulled me to him, and ( finally let it all go * the worry, the panic, all of it * because $dward was safe, his arms wrapped around me' 5e was whispering that he loved me, that he was okay, and that he was sorry about )am, because he knew really ('d liked the gruff, dangerous looking man' 4hen my tears finally came to somewhat of an end, ( sat up straight' ( grasped his face, kissing his lips roughly' &0ever fucking scare me like that again,& ( growled against his mouth' 5e snorted a bit, but kissed me back' &;es, ma'am'& 5e winced when we both shifted, and ( pulled completely away from him' &0o, don't go,& he begged, sounding like a child' &('m okay' ;ou didn't hurt me' /nd shit, love'''you need to rest'& ( shook my head and sighed' &0o, you need to see someone that wants to make sure

you're okay' /re you up for visitors!& &=hrist8 Bethy,& he whispered, his face paling' &4hat happened!& &)he woke up right about the time you got knocked out,& ( told him, scrambling off the bed' &)he saw you, $dward'& &)hit,& he hissed' &.ust her'''no one else right now' 7kay!& ( nodded, opening the door and heading down the hallway' ( found her in the now clean living room, sitting on her :oppy's lap' They weren't alone1 they were surrounded by .asper, /lec, "ose, and #akenna, all watching baseball, and he was teaching her the game' &#ommy, :oppy's telling me what a h2home r2run is,& she struggled' ( grinned, but waved her to me' &)omeone wants to see you, pretty girl,& ( told her as she scrambled down from =arlisle's lap' &6addy!& she whispered, her eyes wide' 5eads spun my way, but it was =arlisle that asked the question' &5ow is he!& &)ore and weak, but awake,& ( said simply, turning back to Bethy' &;es, 6addy,& ( told her, scooping her up and stealing her from the room' .ust before ( opened the door, ( made her look at me' &5e's very sore, baby, so no bouncing on him or ,umping on the bed, okay!& &7kay, #ommy,& she said softly, her eyes a touch fearful' ( set her down and opened the door to our room' Bethy bolted in, but stopped ,ust before the bed' &5ey, little sweetness' =ome here,& he told her, pointing to the spot ('d ,ust left at his side' )he scrambled up onto the bed, crawling to him' &4h24hat happened, 626addy!& she asked him, letting him pull her as close as he wanted' 5er tiny hands touched his face, his chest, even his hair, giving him her own e amination' &( got hurt, but ('m okay, baby,& he told her, pulling the covers away a bit so she could see the bandage' &#y band2aid is bigger than yours,& he teased her, pointing to her knee from where she'd fallen in the barn' )he giggled, looking from his leg to his face' &;ou want princess or camo!& she asked him, and ( couldn't help but laugh' &Gamma didn't give me a choice,& he chuckled, kissing her head' &#ommy said ( scared both of you' ('m sorry about that,& he whispered against her head, but his eyes locked with mine as ( stood at the edge of the bed'

&;ou were bleedin',& she told him, tilting her head at him' &9ike when ( falled'& ( smiled at her, because that meant she didn't see all of the damage' &6oes he pass inspection, pretty girl!& ( asked her, and $dward chuckled as she sat up on her knees, grasping his face' &5e looks okay,& she told me seriously' &=an you walk, 6addy!& &0ot yet,& he said, still chuckling at her' )he was about to say something else, when $dward's stomach gave a fierce growl' )he gasped, and then giggled, pressing her ear to his stomach' &/ngry bears, 6addy,& she teased him' &9ike #ommy's did8& &('m starving,& he laughed, picking up her arm and pretending to gnaw on it, which only resulted in her squealing into laughter' ( could have smothered them both in kisses' )eriously' ( could already see that this wasn't like he'd described getting hurt in the /ir +orce' This time, he had two people to take care of him' &Bethy, go tell /unt >ate or ?ncle /lec to get something for 6addy to eat, okay!& )he turned to her dad, leaning on his chest' &( had a sandwich and tater chips,& she told him' &4ant that!& 5e grinned and nodded, wincing ,ust a bit when she bounded off the bed' &7kay, be wight back,& she yelled, bolting out the door and down the hallway' ( watched his face as the smile fell, and he looked up at me' &(n pain!& ( asked, and he nodded, but reached out for my hand before ( could go get $sme' &;ou need to rest, baby,& he pleaded, pulling me close enough to place a warm hand on my stomach' &:lease!& ( took a deep breath and let it out, but finally nodded' &4hen you've had something to eat and something for the pain, ('ll rela , $dward,& ( vowed to him, leaning over to kiss his forehead, nose, and chin' &?ntil then, ( ,ust''' ( can't'& 5e frowned and huffed out a frustrated sigh' &( promise to behave, to eat, and to stay still if you stay with me'& &;ou! Behave!& ( scoffed, rolling my eyes' &( sincerely doubt it, mister'& 5e grinned, looking up at me through long, dark eyelashes' &7kay, well, ('ll eat and be still'& ( giggled, because ( couldn't help it' 5e was safe and alive, silly and sweet, and not at all going to behave, ( could see that much' (n fact, ( could well imagine he was going to be

a hellacious patient' ( nodded, suddenly needing to do something' &9et me check on our girl and get $sme to give you something for pain' ('ll be right back, okay!& ( asked, kissing his lips softly' &)ure, love,& he said with a small nod' ( walked down the hallway, glancing out the window to see ,ust who ( needed to' /s ( ran through the kitchen, ( caught a glimpse of Bethy helping her ?ncle /lec make $dward's lunch' ( flew out the front door ,ust as Tom and 7bie were about to move )am's body under the direction of /unt >ate' &4hat are youB& ( asked, but /unt >ate stopped me' &$asy, child,& she crooned, tucking my hair back' &5e has no family' ( thought we'd put him ne t to Garrett' They were friends, you know'& )he pointed toward the back field where Garrett was buried' ( nodded, stepping closer to the truck' &=an ('''& ( huffed, turning to look at her with begging eyes' &7f course, Bella,& she said softly and sadly, waving both men to her' &=ome, boys' 4e'll see what we can dress him in'''& ( waited until they left me alone, and then crawled into the back of the truck' ( swallowed thickly, tugging the sheet away from )am's face' 5e looked like he was sleeping, like a slumbering gentle giant' ( reached out, touching the scars that frightened most people but had endeared him to me during a time when ( needed to not feel so alone' 5e'd taken on a protective fatherly role in my life * a guardian' 5e'd been kind and comforting, when most people wouldn't have talked to him' 5e'd told ama3ing stories about =arlisle, /lec, and $dward, making me laugh at their antics from years and years ago' But his most recent feat was his most noble one, and leaning down over him, ( placed a kiss to his forehead' &Thank you, )am'&

CHAPTER 21
E!"#$!
/s the sun set, ( shifted on my crutches' ( wasn't sure what ( was feeling as Bethy, Bella, and the rest of the girls placed flowers on a freshly covered grave' #y girls were beautiful and sad, and ( wasn't sure what my daughter understood, because this was her first taste of the reality of life' This was her first funeral' ( didn't know what she'd take away from it' #y own first taste came with the death of a grandparent at about her age, but it didn't really hit me until ( lost my mother' ( suddenly went from being a starry eyed kid, to seeing the world for what it really was * fucking cruel and harsh' /t least, sometimes it could be fucking cruel' /nd then there were moments when ( reali3ed that the world would try to make shit back up to you by handing you something ama3ing to keep, to hold' #y leg gave a dull, deep throb, and ( winced, shifting on my crutches again' (t had been three days since $sme had removed the shrapnel in my leg' (t had taken that long for everyone involved to catch up on sleep, because ('m pretty sure my wife wasn't the only one that had stayed up for practically two days straight' The men were no better' Those that had stuck around at the cabin had a shit2ton of work to do, cleaning up, making it look like something it actually wasn't * because technically, while $lea3ar had the authority to capture and destroy a threat, he didn't have the authority to do it in another country * and accounting for every body that we'd left there' 4e'd destroyed them all, and then some' 4alter's and .ohnny Thornhill's bodies were both recovered, and it seemed even 9ilith had fallen victim, because they'd found the burned remains of a woman inside the closet of the top floor bedroom' /nd there wasn't a life lost back at that fucking cabin that ( had remorse over * e/cept the man we were burying today' ( hadn't given much thought at the time as to why )am had requested to be on my team, why he'd stuck to me like glue and watched my ass like a hawk' /pparently, he'd seen Bella's worry and taken it on as his own personal mission to make sure his &little one& got everything she ever wanted, and what she wanted most was me home safe' 5e knew that' /nd ( was pretty fucking sure that Bella being pregnant ,ust made him all the more protective of her, which by pro y, included me' ( shifted again, frowning down at the ground, until a warm hand landed lightly on my shoulder' &;ou're in pain, son,& $sme whispered, her eyes filled with concern' &9et's get you back and off that leg'&

&4hen they're done, ('ll go,& ( sighed, begging her silently to understand, which, of course, she did' Bethy ran through the wildflowers, still holding a couple in her hands' )he was wearing a sweet yellow dress, something that was a rarity for my little tomboy' ( smiled down at her, hating the fucking fact that ( couldn't kneel down to her level or scoop her up, so $sme did it for me, lifting her up for me' &6id you see my flowers, 6addy!& she asked, holding them out for me' &( did, little sweetness,& ( told her, leaning on one crutch and tucking the ones she had into her hair' &There''' That's better'& &#ommy's sad,& she whispered, looking back over her shoulder, and then back to me' &)he is,& ( agreed' &)he's going to miss #r' )am' They were friends'& &7h,& she sighed, a little dip appearing between her brows' )he didn't say much else, but we all looked up when the girls walked away from the gravesite together' $sme looked up at me, but ,iggled Bethy' &9et's get 6addy back inside and off that leg of his, and we'll get you something to eat' 4hat do you say!& )he smiled, glancing up at me' &#ommy says you hafta behave,& she stated, pointing a finger at me' &6on't ( know it,& ( growled, leaning in to kiss her neck ,ust to hear her giggle' (t was the best fucking sound, and ( needed it in my ears' (t seemed too long since the last time ('d heard it, even though ( was sure it had only been hours' By the time ( made it back to the living room, my whole body seemed to be covered in sweat' ( was shaking with the e ertion' &=hrist, son,& my dad breathed, launching up from the chair and helping me to the sofa' &Too soon,& he whispered in my ear' &( couldn't not go,& ( hissed back at him' &5e fucking saved my life, 6ad'& 5e took my crutches, leaned them against the far wall, and helped me situate myself on the couch' &That's not what ( meant,& he growled back, aware that everyone was ,ust around the corner in the kitchen' &( meant, they would've waited for you' They buried him the ne t day, but they were waiting on the funeral until you said so'& &4ell, it's done now'& ( sighed in relief that my leg's throbbing had slowed down, my head falling back to the pillows behind me' &Bella needed closure'& &#aybe you did, too,& he murmured, raising an eyebrow at me when my head shot up to look at him'

( e haled roughly, shrugging one shoulder' &#aybe ( did,& ( told him' 5e frowned down at me' &;ou owe it to him not to feel guilty over this' 5e made a decision * one (, myself, am grateful for' 5e'd lived a long, dangerous life, killed many enemies' 9et him go out with this most e cellent of good deeds, $dward' ;ou are living the life he never got to have' Give him that'& ( wrinkled my nose and sighed again' ( looked into the kitchen to see my daughter laughing with her uncles as everyone made their plates for lunch' #y wife, though her grief was still there, was smirking at $mmett as he made a broccoli tree forest on his plate for Bethy's entertainment, using mashed potatoes as the foundation' /lec, of course, was dramatically insulted, because he'd cooked the food, which only resulted in a backhanded slap to $mmett's shoulder' /nd that e change got the results they both wanted * laughter from all the girls' ( huffed a small laugh, glancing up at my dad' &;ou're right'& &( know ('m right' ('m old, and ('ve seen too much shit,& he teased with a sharp laugh' &But ( do know about this situation' Trust me' ( knew )am for a long time' ;our life isn't the only one he saved * ,ust the last one'& ( nodded, swallowing thickly, because ( was truly grateful' ( ,ust wished the man was around for me to thank' &7h,& my dad said, before walking away' &/nd he left Bella a letter' /unt >ate's supposed to give it to her today' ( want to warn you' ( don't know what's in it, but ('m sure it won't be easy for her'& &7h, damn,& ( groaned' &7kay'& ( glanced past him to see Bella carrying a plate of food, heading my way' &)hh,& ( said, smacking at my dad to get out of the way' &#ove8 ('ve got this really hot nurse'''& &4ho's gonna kick your ass if you keep that shit up,& he chuckled, shaking his head and heading into the kitchen' &4ithout a doubt,& Bella giggled, sitting on the edge of the couch' &('m not your nurse, $dward,& she snorted, rolling her eyes' &;eah, but you'd look really fucking se y in those white stocking things'''& ( purred, leaning in to kiss her neck with an open mouth' &>eep it up, baby,& she warned, raising a very dangerous eyebrow at me and setting the plate of food on my chest' &(t's a long time before you're cleared for any'''physical activity'& &6ammit,& ( grumbled, my head falling back to the pillows' &+ucking tease''' This is torture' That's it8 ;ou're a teasing torture,& ( told her, pouting like a child, but ( couldn't

help but smile when she laughed' &$at, $dward,& she chuckled' &;ou need the protein, $sme said' ;ou lost a fair amount of blood, and you need your strength back'& ( opened my mouth to say something about strength and stamina and protein, but snapped it closed again when she gave me the &if you don't fucking cut that shit out while everyone's in the room& glare' ( smiled instead, picking up my fork' &Thank you, baby,& ( sang, blinking innocently up at her as she stood up' &#mhm,& she said, pursing her lips' &Behave, $dward'& ( grinned, because God, ( ,ust loved her, loved messing with her' )ometimes, she was easy to rattle, and other times, she could probably kick my ass for it' /nd then there were times when she could turn my bullshit around on me, and that was when she truly was a teasing torture' But it was us, and ( think she secretly adored it' By the time ('d taken my third bite, everyone had gathered in the living room' (t was ,ust our crew' 7ur family' $lea3ar and his men were still going strong, making sure that everything was getting cleaned up under the guise of a drug deal gone wrong, or a meth lab e plosion, or some shit' 4e trusted him completely to keep us out of it, to tell us if anything was fucked up, and to call us if he had any problems' 5e also was working on shutting down the Georgia and +lorida 6'7'/' groups' 5e wanted them all dispersed' Bethy sat on the floor, setting her plate on the coffee table in front of $sme' #y dad, /lec, .asper, and $mmett dragged a few chairs in from the dining room, and the rest of the girls all squee3ed in to the loveseat' ( felt badly that ( took up the whole sofa, but no one was complaining' Bella came back to me, sitting back down on the edge of the couch by my hip' =onversations ranged from future plans, to baby showers * which caused my wife to positively beam * to how soon Gravity would start taking cases after my recovery' (t was a subdued celebratory mood in the room' 4e so wanted to be happy that the shit was over, but )am's absence was never more obvious than in these moments' $ven though he was a quiet man by nature, he would almost absorb the laughter, the teasing, the snarky remarks like a sponge, usually from the back of the room as he wore a silly ass smile on his face' 4hen plates were cleared away, ( pulled Bella as close as ( could, watching Bethy through the doorway as she played with her dollhouse on the dining room table' Bella leaned back against my chest, and ( couldn't help but pull her closer, placing my hand on her stomach' /gain, ( was fucking grateful that ( was there, that ( was ,ust fucking able to touch my girls, my new little one' &9et me know if ( hurt you,& she said softly as talk of baseball waged around us, my dad

flipping on the T- to the game' &;ou're okay,& ( whispered against her head, dropping a kiss and inhaling the flowery%fruity smell of her' /nd she was okay' 5ell, she hardly weighed much to me to begin with, but my leg was propped up on a pillow, safely caged against the soft cushions of the couch' )he laid her head on my chest, resting her chin on her hands' &6id you mean what you said!& she asked, giggling when ( raised an eyebrow at her' &/bout how se y you'd be in a nurse's uniform! ;es8& ( said with a cheesy grin' &0o, you ass8& she laughed softly' &/bout building a new room for the baby'& ( chuckled, simply because ( loved that sound coming from her, but ( answered her honestly' &;eah, ( think it would be best' 6on't you! ( mean, we've got the room to e pand, we'll need the spare room for my dad and $sme'''or whoever, and this one will need their own space' ( can't imagine them sharing a room, baby,& ( told her, ,erking my chin toward Bethy' &That's like throwing 6aniel into the lions' den'& Bella grinned, giving our daughter a loving glance, but turned back to me' &)he is an independent soul, huh!& #y eyes fell to Bethy, who was completely content to play by herself, though she loved it when she was with us, too' )he hummed, moved dolls from the first floor to the second floor and back again' 5er eyes were happy, green, and ( could see the beginning stages of a habit that she shared with her mother * she was biting her bottom lip' ( smiled and shook my head' &)he gets that from us both,& ( stated, because ( was ,ust as content when ( was in my wood shop' &#mhm,& Bella hummed with a nod' &$veryone keeps telling me that we need a boy,& she giggled' &That would be'''ama3ing, but honestly, ( don't care,& ( chuckled, giving a glance over to $mmett, who was making silly faces at =aleb and smiling when tiny hands smacked at his face in e citement, only to turn him around to tell him about the game on T-' &/s long as you are healthy and he or she is healthy'''('m so fucking good that it's not even funny'& Bella nodded' &;eah, that's kinda how ( feel about it, too'& )he sighed, giving another long look over to Bethy' &4e need to tell her' )he's going to pick up on things soon' )he's not stupid'& ( huffed a laugh' &0o, she's definitely not stupid' )he scares me, actually' )he'll be smarter than us soon1 mark my words'&

Bella giggled again' &;ou're probably right'& ( took a deep breath and let it out' )omehow, telling Bethy that she was going to be a big sister made it all real' But ( didn't ,ust want to blurt it out' &4e need to'''plan that conversation, love,& ( started, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind Bella's ear' &.ust the two of us * alone * a day ,ust for her or something' ( don't want it thrown at her' )he's still so clingy to us after all she's been through'& &( agree,& Bella sighed' &( was thinking'''when you're better''' 4hy don't we take her to that little clearing where your birdhouses are! / picnic, away from the house'& 4e knew we were staying at /unt >ate's for at least a few weeks' 4e had no choice, until ( was stronger' ( needed to be able to fly us home, and at this point, ( couldn't even pull my ass up into the pilot seat' ( hated being in,ured, but we couldn't be at a better place for my recovery' &;eah,& ( said slowly, loving the fuck out of that idea' &:erfect, sweetness,& ( whispered, lifting my head ,ust enough in order to kiss her lips' &( like it'& ( glanced up when /unt >ate entered the room, my heart sinking at the sight of a folded piece of paper in her hand' ( wasn't sure what )am could have said to my wife, but ( didn't want her upset, either' The room came to a standstill when she knelt in front of Bella' &Bella2child, )am left this for you,& she said softly, her eyes a deep blue with grief' Bella sat up, a dip appearing between her brows and a long nervous sigh escaping her' )he took the note, turning to me, but all ( could do was run my hand over her hair and down her back' &;ou don't have to read it now, love,& ( told her, and it seemed to echo in the crowded room' &;ou can wait'& Bella shook her head and thanked /unt >ate' ( wasn't sure how long she stared at that innocent looking piece of fucking paper, but she finally unfolded it, holding it so that ( could read it over her shoulder' )he skimmed through it, and then read it aloud to everyone in the room' +ear 'iss #ella, If you're reading this, please don't be sad for me, little one. I regret many things in my life, but I don't regret this. I just hope that I succeeded in my promise to you and that Edward's reading this with you. I didn't have a wife or children, but I could see in you the little girl I'd always imagined...smart, sweet, and so very open. I didn't have much family to speak of, but what I did have was the chance to work alongside a group of the best soldiers, the

smartest women, and the closest friends I'd ever had. 'y only wish was that I'd known some of you longer than I did. 4hen we met the first time, after all that you'd been through, it shocked me that my face didn't send you running, but for the first time in many, many years, someone saw me...really saw me. I will forever be grateful for that, little one. I couldn't go into this fight, knowing how upset you were, knowing that you were about to bring another precious life into this world, and allow that happiness to shatter, should something happen to Edward. I've lived a long and sometimes lonely life, so I couldn't let that happen to you. ou don't deserve itA in fact, you never deserved any of the bad things that have happened to you. %o I had to make sure the one thing that made you the happiest came back to you. +o not feel guilty. +o not feel sad. I've never asked you for anything, little one, but I'm asking that you take this gift without guilt and run with it. &ive. &ove. #e happy. 3or me. !nd tell &ittle Eddie to take e/tra care of you, because I give you my permission to stomp him if he doesn't. Thank you, 'iss #ella, for making me remember the man behind the scars, %am Bella's voice hitched on his name, and ( pulled her to me as best ( could' ( knew he'd cared about her, but ( wasn't ever quite sure how he saw her' 0ow that ( did, my respect for him e ploded' 5e saw her as his own, he saw her like my own father saw her, and he saw her as someone that had walked through hell and deserved to never have to suffer it again' )uddenly, my chest felt lighter, because he'd prepared himself for e actly what had happened' 5e had gone into the fight by my side, but wholly my protector, if only to send me home to her' ( glanced around the room, my eyes locking with my dad's' 4ith one nod, ( told him he was right, and ( silently sent )am a final thank you'

%E&&#
&$dward =ullen, stop squirming,& ( scolded him, glaring up from changing the bandage on his leg' &( can't help it,& he grumped, frowning down at me' &(t fucking itches and tickles every time you do this shit' /nd ( think you're doing it on purpose'& ( fought my smile and won, because if he thought for a second that ( was laughing at

him, he would only get crankier' 4e'd learned the hard way that changing his bandages needed to be done at night, after Bethy was in bed, and while no one could hear his complaints, because the first few changes had been pretty bad' 5e was sore to the touch, the muscle ached, and he was already over ,ust sitting around' #y husband didn't ,ust sit around' )o add in bored to all of the above, and he was a real ray of fucking sunshine still a week and a half after he'd been hurt' &('m not doing it on purpose, baby,& ( said in the most calm and placating tone ( could muster' &( have to wrap the gau3e all the way around your leg' (t keeps it clean'& 5e harrumphed, rolling his eyes at me' &The least you could do is move your hand a few inches over'& ( sighed, finally allowing my eyes to take him in' #y poor, poor insatiable husband was having'''problems' /nd the worst part was that ( wanted it ,ust as badly, but we couldn't' /ny sudden movement to his leg, and he would cry out' 5is stitches were still so very tender, and ( didn't want him breaking any of them' ( couldn't even imagine e plaining that to $sme, though ('m sure with as agitated as $dward had been lately, she'd almost need no e planation' ( locked ga3es with dark and needy * a deep green filled with carnal knowledge so vast that my girly parts ached for him' #y whole body yearned for him' #y entire being wanted nothing more than to give in to him, to use him to calm my raging hormones, to revel that he was alive and still mine, and allow my desire to make him feel good' ( wanted nothing more, but ( couldn't risk hurting him further, and ( absolutely cringed every time he winced in pain' &6on't,& ( groaned, shaking my head' &6on't do that, $dward' That's not fair'& ( whispered the last three words, going back to his bandage' &( don't fucking like it any more than you do'& 5e shut up after that, his remorseful, but hungry eyes watching me as ( secured the gau3e wrap, gathered up the old dressing, and got up to throw it away in the bathroom' ( wasn't mad at him, though he hadn't e actly been pleasant all day, because he'd watched all of us work around him on the farm' $dward didn't like to feel helpless, so the more work that got done around him, the surlier he became' /nd when my husband was feeling off kilter, he liked to drown it in me, and therein lied the problem' 5e couldn't' (t wasn't like we hadn't tried, because $dward and ( were desperate for each other, but the first time ('d touched him, he'd hissed in pain' That had been a few days after )am's funeral, and even though $dward was getting stronger every day, ( couldn't stand the thought of hurting him, of causing further damage'

( ignored his stare as ( left the room and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge in the kitchen and the pain meds from the cabinet * which were now over the counter, because $dward refused anything stronger' ( came back in the room, dumped both items on his nightstand, and locked myself in the bathroom in order to stop myself from giving into him' (n all reality, ( needed a cold fucking shower, because a needy $dward ,ust did things to me, but instead, ( tossed my hair up into a messy bun and quickly showered the day away' By the time ( stepped back into the bedroom, dressed for bed in one of $dward's t2 shirts and a pair of his bo ers, the deep, hungry need in his eyes had been replaced with a childlike sadness' &;2;ou're m2mad a2at m2me,& he sputtered, looking down at his hands and back up at me' &('m not mad'''& ( snapped, closing my eyes, because it damn well sounded like ( was' &('m not,& ( sighed, shaking my head to clear it, because that sound * that sweet, honest stutter * could quite possibly be my undoing' ( rubbed my temple, before taking out a few pills' &5ere' (t's time for these,& ( instructed, finally allowing myself another glance at him' &(2(f ( t2take th2these, w2will y2you s2sit w2with m2me!& he bargained sweetly, though ( didn't answer him right away' &4e can put the T- on or something' ( promise to behave'& ( finally chuckled at him, because God, it must suck to be bored all damn day, in pain * and knowing $dward like ( did * horny' ( chuckled again at that last thought' &;eah, baby,& ( said with a nod, and immediately, he downed the pills and half the bottle of water' &.ust let me check on Bethy, and ('ll be right back' +ind something good on,& ( told him, putting the remote from his nightstand into his hands' Bethy was sound asleep, her little body curled around #r' Bunny' )he'd had a busy day, along with the rest of us, but the only brief break in $dward's bad mood had been given to us by her' )he'd fed him lunch with a sweet smile and giggle' )he'd perched herself on the arm of the recliner and fed him chicken nuggets one by fucking one, even going as far as dipping them in sauce for him' The only light in the bedroom was the bluish glow of the T- when ( walked back in the room' ( crawled gently into my side of the bed' &;our lunch partner is out cold,& ( told him, unable to not lay my head on his chest to watch T-' (t would've been like trying to sever a limb' 5e chuckled' &)he insisted on feeding me,& he said softly, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and dropping a long, heavy kiss to the top of my head'

&)he ,ust wants to take care of you' ;ou've ingrained it into her head that if you ignore the pain, it doesn't e ist,& ( e plained, because she basically had told me that when she stole his lunch plate and ran off with it' &)he wanted to distract you'& ( felt his smile against the crown of my head, but he didn't say anything' 5e'd apparently found a marathon of my favorite crime show, and we watched in silence for a little while' ( was pretty sure ( wasn't following the plot * at all * because ( was hyper2 aware of him' ( knew what he wanted, and ( could almost feel it rolling ,ust beneath the surface of his smooth, warm skin' ( could feel in the hand that rubbed my back from between my shoulder blades to ,ust this shy of my ass, gra3ing his fingers along the skin e posed at the small of my back due to my shirt riding up' ( could feel it in the way that he played with my fingers, feeling each one, tracing my bones, my palm, my wrist' (t was pure control between us' ( almost wanted to laugh about it, if ( didn't need him so much' ( was willing to take what ( was getting at ,ust that moment, until the scene changed on the screen' Two cops, obviously forever attracted to one another, finally consummated their relationship, and it was all on screen' $dward's whole body tensed, his fingers linked with mine, but ( wanted to groan when the hand on my back slipped ,ust under the waistband of the bo ers ( was wearing' #y own hand skimmed up the muscles of his stomach to his chest, where ( balled it up into a fist, fighting the last thin thread of my control' ( wanted to arch back against the hand on my ass, ( wanted to grind against his unin,ured leg, and ( wanted to fucking kiss him senseless' ( reali3ed there was no fighting it' ( ,ust didn't know how we could do it' #y head shot up, and $dward pulled his touch away quickly' &(2('m s2sorry, l2love,& he whispered, looking contrite, but the stutter was all ( could take' &+uck,& ( hissed, giving up all hope and diving for his mouth' There was no preamble to this kiss' 0o starting pecks, no nips, no chaste beginnings to it whatsoever' (t was open and wet, needy and deep' (t was out of control, with tongues slipping together' 5ums, whimpers, and sweet deep moans gushed from us both, and ( practically used my grip on his hair to pull myself up closer to his face' (t took all I fucking had not to crawl on top of him, straddle him' 5is strong fingers wove into my hair at the side of my head at the same time his hand glided completely into my bo ers' Gripping and squee3ing, he kneaded my bottom until ( was beginning to sweat as ( fought everything in me' ( broke away from his mouth, and we were panting as ( pressed my forehead to his' &5ow!& ( growled breathlessly' &.ust''' *ow, dammit!& ( thought he would laugh at my desperation, but he didn't' 5e seemed to take some sort of mental inventory, as his eyes never left mine' ('d considered the si ty2nine

position, but ( knew he'd never be able not to move with that one' :lus, ( didn't want to stop fucking kissing him' 4e seemed to be on the same page, because he barely blurted out, &God, please ,ust touch me,& before crashing back into me' 5is rough, calloused hands skimmed up my shirt, bunching it up until we finally broke for air, and then he tugged it off over my head' By now, ( was kneeling ne t to his torso, my hand ghosting down his chest and slipping under the waistband of his bo ers' ( whimpered, pulling back to look down at his cock, because 5oly fucking God, he was hard' &$dward,& ( breathed, arching closer to him when his hands splayed on my back, bringing my chest closer to his mouth' &That won't take long, sweetness,& he murmured, locking eyes with me as his mouth captured my nipple' &God, ( ,ust fucking want you'''& he mumbled against my skin' 4ith that said, his teeth dragged over my nipple, causing me to hiss' )kimming his hands down my back, he pushed at my shorts until they were down around my knees as ( knelt beside him' #y own hand wrapped around his cock, and he twitched hard and heavy in my hand at the same time his fingers discovered ,ust how much ('d been holding back' &.esus,& he gasped, looking up at me as his middle finger circled my very wet entrance' &+uck, baby,& he groaned as my hand gripped him firmly, gliding up and down his shaft' 5e slipped one hand back into my hair, nipping roughly at my neck' &Goddamn, slow down, sweetness' ( want to take care of you, too' :lease, please come for me hard and fast'& 5e sank two fingers deep inside of me, causing my rhythm on his cock to falter as my head fell back' 5is thumb swirled heavily over my clit, causing my hips to grind against his hand' ( pressed myself harder and harder against him' #y free hand gripped his neck, and ( bit down on my lip when his fingers curled inside me, hitting that ama3ing spot that only he could touch' &#m, look at you,& he crooned, his eyes dark and gleaming' &)o fucking beautiful'''& / sweet but cocky half smile quirked up on his beautiful face' &7h, baby''',ust fucking come for me' ('ve never been so damn close'''& )uddenly, ( reali3ed that this was so much like our beginning, a time when ( could barely let him touch me, that my breathing caught hard in my throat' #y clima hit me hard and fast, ,ust like he wanted, but with it came gratefulness, love, and a deluge of overwhelming memories' /ll of it crashed down over me like a tidal wave, because ( really didn't know how ('d have lived without the man in my arms that was currently telling me how fucking gorgeous ( was and that he loved me' ( ,ust didn't' 5e was my

rock, and ( was his' ( hid my face from him by burying my nose in his hair at the side of his head, because ( could feel the sob building in the back of my throat' ( could also feel him close * really close * and he came with a soft rumble to his voice, my name mi ed in with a plethora of curse words' ( felt his warm arms slip around me, his breathing heavy, but the tense, stiff feeling of his muscles was completely gone' /nd my sob ripped through me' &Baby''' did ( hurt you!& he asked, immediately trying to pull me back to look at me' ( wasn't having it' ( clung to him, wrapping my arm around his head and almost gripping his hair as ( ,ust inhaled him, everything about him' #aybe it was ,ust hitting me how close ('d come to losing him, and maybe it was the hormones, but fuck, ( didn't care, and ( wasn't really sure it mattered' &0o,& ( cried, finally letting him peel me off his head' ( went no farther than his face, grasping it gently in both hands' 5e was so fucking handsome, but it wasn't ,ust his looks1 it was that deep green that was ga3ing up at me, helpless as to why ( was crying' (t was the young boy looking up at me that ('d met so long ago' (t was all the history we had that could have ,ust fucking disappeared in the blink of a fucking eye' &( ,ust''' )hit, ( don't know,& ( groaned, kissing his lips roughly' &( could've lost you,& ( said weakly, sniffling a bit' &( can't'''& ( huffed a deep, deep breath, trying to rela , but it only took one thing said from him to make it all better' &But you didn't,& he soothed softly, lightly tracing his fingers across my cheeks, tucking my hair back, and wiping my tears away * a constant comforting touch and something he'd been doing for me for what seemed like a lifetime' (t grounded me, made me focus on him and the reality, not the panic' ( nodded, closing my eyes when he kissed my forehead, my cheek, and my nose' &( know'& ( slowly calmed down, letting his touches and sweet kisses do the ,ob' &( love you,& ( whispered' 5e chuckled softly' &7h, sweetness, ( love you, too'& &( need to get you something to clean up,& ( muttered, smirking when he grinned like an idiot, because he'd gotten his way' ( wanted to roll my eyes at him as ( tugged my t2shirt back on and pulled up my bo ers, but ( couldn't, because the harsh edge around his eyes, the clench to his ,aw that had been there for the last few days and that had slowly increased all day * it was all gone' 5e let me go, and ( grabbed a towel from the bathroom, handing it over to him' 4hen

he was finished, ( took the towel back, tossing it in the dirty clothes' By the time ( came back, he was wincing and shifting around' ( came to a standstill and grimaced as ( watched him, worrying my bottom lip' &( think the more important question is'''did I hurt you!& &0o, baby,& he grunted as he shifted again, gesturing to the bed for me to ,oin him' &( ,ust want to hold you, and ( needed to move to do that'& &'>ay,& ( said, sounding a little like Bethy, but ( didn't like him in pain, so ( didn't move yet' &;our sweet ass here' 0ow' <uit worrying,& he ordered, pointing to the spot beside him again, but it was laced with a laugh and topped off with a sweet smile' ( grinned, crawling in bed beside him and letting him pull me closer, mold me to where was most comfortable for him, which was his healthy side, his chest, his shoulder' )nuggling into his neck, ( felt the last of my freakout ebb away, but it completely vanished when $dward started talking' &('m right here' ('m not going anywhere'''obviously,& he whispered against my cheek' &('m okay, and thank you'& ( giggled a bit at the thank you' &('m sorry'''& &('m not,& he sighed, kissing my cheek again, his fingers making slow circles over my shoulder and back' &( get it' (t was a fucking scary close call'& ( nodded, running my hand down his arm' ( could tell by his voice that he still felt a little guilty over )am, despite the letter he'd left us, telling us not to be' /nd there was a part of me that wondered if both of us would always look at each other and ,ust''' know 6 know that we'd been given a true gift' ( hugged him closer and nodded again' ( tilted my head ,ust a bit in order to kiss his ,aw' &('m ,ust really glad ( have you'& &#e, too, love'& 4ith one last kiss to my forehead, with one more nu33le to his neck, we both sighed contentedly, pretty much falling asleep instantly'

&5ere, 6addy,& Bethy chirped, handing $dward a bottle of water'

5e couldn't kneel down to her yet, but he braced his hand on the cross bar of the fence to bend over, kissing the top of her head and putting all his weight on his strong leg' &Thank you, little sweetness,& he said, uncapping the bottle and practically draining the whole thing' 5e was ,ust in a pair of ,eans, work boots, and his backwards baseball cap, despite the coolness of the evening' ( bit my lip as droplets of water dripped down his chest, only to disappear into the top of those ,eans * into where ( had limited access as of late, due to his in,ury' &4here's mine!& .asper laughed, holding out his hands dramatically' &4hat am (! =hopped liver!& &)orry, ?nca .a338& she giggled, running across the yard, up the steps, and into the house, only to bolt out the screen door with another bottle' &Gosh8& .asper scoffed teasingly, rolling his eyes and taking the bottle from her' &6o ( have to hobble around here like some people to get better service!& he asked, ,erking a thumb behind him' $dward laughed, shaking his head and grabbing the ne t replacement board for the fence he and .asper were working on' &0o8& she giggled, and before she could move, .asper scooped her up and tickled her relentlessly' &)top8& she squealed happily, her little legs kicking' ( chuckled at the sight, because it didn't take long to draw :oppy, ?ncle /lec, and ?ncle $mmett into the situation' )oon, they were all loving on her, asking her where their water was, and ( couldn't resist' &$li3abeth "enee,& ( yelled from my seat on the front porch' &;ou tell those boys to get their own water' .ust because you're a girl doesn't mean you have to serve them'& 5er eyes lit up, and the green sparkled into sharp mischief' )he spun to all of them, pointing a warning finger' &;eah, wh2what #ommy s2said8& she snapped, turning on her heel to walk toward me' $dward beamed with pride, saying nothing as the boys groaned and muttered shit under their breath' ( caught phrases like &women's lib& and &bra burning bullshit'& ( giggled, wrapping up my girl when she made it to me' &That's my girl,& ( praised her, pulling her into my lap' &$ cept for 6addy, right!& she whispered with a giggle' &That's right' $ cept for 6addy,& ( chuckled, kissing her forehead' &;ou take him whatever you want to take him, pretty girl'&

)he'd spoiled him endlessly since he'd been hurt' )he lived to care for him, make him laugh, and take his mind off the pain, which had slowly decreased' 4e'd been at the farm now for about three weeks, and $dward was healing pretty quickly' 5e limped, because the muscle in his leg was weak, but mending' The stitches had come out a few days ago, leaving a scar, but ('m not sure $dward gave the thing much thought' 5e didn't need the crutches anymore, but he wasn't e actly running around, although he could do small chores now, which helped his crankiness level' 5e was limited on kneeling down, bending, and heavy lifting, not to mention steps and stairs were a challenge, but all in all, he was well on his way to recovery' &)wing, #ommy,& Bethy requested, picking up a lock of my hair and playing with it' &)ure, baby,& ( said, standing up with her in my arms' ( sat down on the swing, keeping her straddling my lap' Bethy focused more on trying to braid a lock of my hair than looking at me' #y heart seemed to e pand every time ( held her like this' )he was such a beautiful girl, and at this point, the blend of $dward and me was starting to create a look that was ,ust'''Bethy' 5er green eyes were framed with long, dark eyelashes, like $dward's, but their shape was like mine' (t didn't matter that she had my nose and freckles, or $dward's crooked little smile, because she was starting to lose that baby look, starting to look like a big girl, instead' )he was growing up, and it e cited me and scared me, but ( also wondered what kind of big sister she'd make, what kind of teenager, and then grown woman' ( shook my head at the thought' &4hat did you do with #r' Tom and #r' 7bie today!& ( asked her, because she'd taken #ickey's hand ,ust after breakfast and had been busy ever since' &Gave Goliaff and )2)amson a baff,& she stated as ( brushed her long hair off of her shoulders, sweeping my fingers through it down her back' &/nd then we got a place ready for #aia to have puppies'& ( grinned, because #aia was from Tia's last litter, the dog that ('d cared for the first time ('d come to the farm' Tia was no longer with us, but #aia looked ,ust like her, which was most likely the reason /unt >ate had kept her' &;eah!& ( asked, smiling at her fervent nod' &6id they say how long!& Bethy shrugged one shoulder' &#r' 7bie said soon'& &4ell, you wanted to see puppies before we came here' Guess you're getting that wish, huh!& &;eah,& she said slowly, beaming like the best of sunny days' /s ( ga3ed down at her happy face, ( reali3ed we needed to tell her about the new baby,

and soon' 4e'd put it off, and everyone had done a pretty good ,ob of not speaking about my being pregnant in front of her, but ( was afraid it would happen eventually' )he was aware of where babies came from, but not how they got there' ( was hoping to use that to our advantage when we finally did let her in on the news' ( pushed the swing with my toe, tugging Bethy closer' )he laid her head on my shoulder, nu33ling her forehead to my neck like she used to do when she was a baby' The gentle swinging and my fingers through her hair were slowly putting my baby girl out' ( smiled, kissing the top of her head when a sweet, deep contented sigh pushed out against my skin' &6inner's almost read''' 7h,& $sme said, cutting off when she saw Bethy was asleep' )he smiled, sitting down ne t to me' &( think #ickey wore her out today,& ( said softly, my fingers gliding gently up and down her back' &('ll wake her for dinner' 7therwise, she'll be up at the crack of dawn'& $sme chuckled and nodded, turning her attention to the fence repairs not far away' &5e's getting stronger' =an he fly yet!& she asked, turning back to me' &5e says no,& ( said with a shrug' &5onestly, ( ,ust think it hurts to get in'& &7r maybe he wants to be strong enough to take care of you when he gets you home,& she suggested, wearing that wise, knowing e pression she had when a conversation may be more than ,ust a chat' &;ou might be right,& ( allowed, placing another kiss to Bethy's head' &That wouldn't surprise me'& &/nd she needs to know,& $sme added, raising an eyebrow at me' ( nodded, inhaling Bethy's hair' )he smelled like hay and little girl and sunshine' &( was ,ust thinking about it' 4e wanted to do it together'''alone' )pend the day with her, you know!& &;ou should do it before you go home, sweetheart,& she sighed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders' &Give her time to get used to the idea'& ( nodded again, agreeing wholeheartedly' &)he's smart, but she's selfish when it comes to me and $dward' ( ,ust hope she can get used to it quickly'& &5mm,& $sme mused, running a hand lightly down Bethy's hair and back' &#aybe use =aleb as an e ample' )he's been really good with him'& &(s this an'''I want a boy thing!& ( snickered' &0o, it's a'''she's used to a baby around the house thing,& she teased, winking at my soft laugh' &)he's had no choice, because =aleb has been practically living with us since he

was born'& &5uh,& ( sighed, nodding slowly' &( hadn't thought of that'& &But ( still want a boy,& $sme whispered conspiratorially, causing me to giggle' #y ga3e slipped to the fence, watching my husband begin to clean up for the day' /t least he was trying to help' ( watched as he flinched, turning too quickly, almost dropping the two boards in his hand' =arlisle took them from him and set them down, pointing to the house with one hand and squee3ing $dward's shoulder with the other' ( didn't have to hear the conversation to know that he had ,ust been told to call it a day' The man didn't say it aloud, but ( knew that $dward's close call the night of the fight had scared the ever loving shit out of his dad' (t was all over his face every time he looked at him the first few days of $dward's recovery' $dward gingerly made his way toward the house, his limp pronounced, but not enough that he needed help' 4hen he got to the steps, $sme got up and ran to him' &('ve got this,& he grunted, gripping the post' &/nd ('ve got you,& she laughed, wrapping an arm around his waist' &0o need to kill yourself all damn day, son' ( know you want to be mean and tough, but that'll be hard to accomplish when you're flat on your ass'& 5e grinned, because she ,ust did that to him' 4rapping an arm around her shoulder, he leaned on her to get up the four steps of the front porch' ( snickered softly at the two of them, smothering it into Bethy's hair' 5e e haled roughly once he'd made it to the top, his eyes glancing up to me' /ll pain or weariness faded at the sight of his daughter out like a light' &7h, my girls,& he chuckled softly, his brow furrowed as he made his way to us' &#an, she's ,ust'''gone8& he whispered' &)it and rest,& $sme told him' &('ll call everyone in when dinner's ready'& ( stopped the swing long enough for $dward to sit down ne t to us' ( held back my groan when he wrapped an arm around me, because God, ( loved the smell of him when he'd worked around wood all day' (t was sweet, like fresh cut lumber, heavy, like all man, and comforting, like the smell of your own pillow' ( leaned my head back to his arm, turning toward him in order to receive a sweet kiss' &)he ,ust sort of'''settled in,& ( giggled, rubbing Bethy's back' &('ll wake her up in a minute, but ( miss holding her like this'& $dward grinned, kissing the side of my head' 5e placed his palm flat on his daughter's head, and then brushed a lock of hair from her face' ( watched him as he ,ust looked at her' The unconditional love there was ,ust breathtaking' ( don't even think he was

aware of the fact that it was written all over his face' ?nable to resist, ( leaned over, kissing his ,aw' &/re you working on that tomorrow!& ( asked him, ,erking my chin toward the fence' 5e shrugged, bending his arm and setting his head on his hand' &( suppose'& &4ell, can you cut out early or go in late!& ( giggled, like it was real damn ,ob' 5e chuckled' &)tealing me away, are you!& &4e are,& ( told him with a nod' &(t's time to tell her, $dward'& "eali3ing that we'd discussed having that particular conversation in the little clearing, ( spoke quickly' &4e don't have to go out there if you aren't up to it, but we need to tell her'& 5e took a deep breath, letting it out slowly' &Tomorrow,& he said with a nod' &( think the clearing would work' ( could ride )amson out there' 5e has a smoother gait'& &;ou sure!& &;eah'''( mean, ( use my strong leg to get on and off, so it should be okay,& he said, shrugging one shoulder' 5e paused for a moment, and then locked ga3es with me' &(2('d l2like t2to d2do i2it th2there,& he sputtered sweetly' &7kay'& ( didn't argue with that' /t all' ( knew it was an important, private place to him, and this was a very important, private conversation we were going to have as a family, so ( let him make the call' &The clearing, it is'& &)he can ride with you,& he added, leaning down to kiss the top of her head' 5e turned to me, kissing me again, only this time, it was deeper * a sweep of his tongue, a gra3e of his teeth' &Been wantin' to do that all damn day,& he whispered in my ear, before sitting back' 5e winced sharply, shaking his head' &Bath for you later, mister,& ( ordered, frowning at him, even though he was chuckling' ( worried that he'd pushed too hard, too fast, and ( couldn't slow him down if ( tried, but ( could make sure that he didn't wake up the ne t morning feeling like he'd been run over by a train' Bethy shifted a little at the sound of his laughter, and ( figured it was a good of time as any to wake her' &5ey, sleepy girl,& ( crooned, touching her face, her back, and her hands' &4ake up, baby' ;ou need dinner and bath'''& )he pushed herself up, using my shoulders' &5i, 6addy,& she said, yawning adorably' &5i, sleeping beauty,& he chuckled, cupping her face' &There's a rumor going around, little sweetness,& he started, pulling her to him'

&5uh!& she muttered sleepily, but went to him willingly' &( hear that /unt >ate made your favorite dinner,& he whispered to her' 5er eyebrows shot up so fast, ( couldn't help but laugh' &=hilwi dogs!& she whispered back, grasping his face as if she could force the truth from him' &That very thing,& he chuckled' &;ou know'''she's the one who taught me how to make the chili in the first place'''& )he grinned up at him, biting at her bottom lip' &But will you make mine for me!& &7h, yeah8& he sang back to her' &9ike ( could let someone mess it up,& he scoffed, rolling his eyes at her dramatically' ( laughed at the two of them, standing up from the swing' &=ome on, my sillies' 9et's get hands washed and help /unt >ate and $sme with the table,& ( said, scooping Bethy up off of $dward's lap, because he couldn't stand with her yet * something ( know bothered him greatly' ( smooched at her neck loudly, causing her to squeal and giggle, and then set her down' &Go wash those hands, Bethy' ( don't even want to know all that you've touched today8& ( yelled, as she was already yanking open the screen door' ( held out my hand, offering it to him to help him up' 5e took it, and together, we had him standing' 5e wrapped an arm around me, and ( could tell he was tired' &4hat did she touch all day!& he asked with a chuckle' &6on't ask,& ( snorted, shaking my head and opening the screen door, &but don't be surprised if in a week or so, she isn't asking for a puppy'& 5e groaned, shaking his head, but walked on into the house' &;eah''''cause that's ,ust what we need'''& ( smacked his ass and laughed' &$ actly, but consider yourself warned'&

E!"#$!
&;ou made these, 6addy!& Bethy asked as she wandered slowly around the clearing' )he was so fucking cute' 4e'd woken to a chilly morning, so she was dressed in ,eans, sneakers, and a little gray +B( hoodie that 4es had given her, which Bella loved for her to wear' 5er hands were shoved deep into her front pouch pocket as she ga3ed up at the birdhouses ('d made for my mother' &( did, baby,& ( said, looking around with her' &/ long time ago'''& #y voice trailed off, because the place ,ust meant something to me'

(t was the place my mother liked to escape, the place she'd bring me when there was a serious talk ahead of us, like my dad getting shipped back out, or her cancer, or even ,ust to ask me how school was' /nd it was the reason ('d wanted to bring Bethy here for this conversation' ( turned to see Bella tying the horses off to the side' 4e didn't run them, so they were still full of energy' &=ome on, little sweetness' 5elp me with the blanket'& ( held out my hand, and she took it, keeping pace with me as ( limped to the picnic basket' &4e don't need you and #ommy getting cold, right!& &0o,& she giggled, shaking her head' /s she helped me spread out the blanket, ( reali3ed ( was fucking clueless as to how to tell her' ( glanced up at Bella, who seemed to be well aware of my discomfort' &4e'll ,ust be simple and honest, baby,& she soothed, rubbing my arm' &6o you need help sitting!& ( shook my head and slowly maneuvered my body to the blanket, groaning when my leg gave a ,olt' ('d been warned by $sme that the sharp, stinging 3aps of pain that ( felt were my nerve endings reattaching' The dull throbbing ache was my muscle rebuilding, strengthening' 5onestly, it all fucking hurt, but it was nice to know the difference' Bella pulled out a thermos, pouring the three of us hot chocolate, simply because she missed coffee like a bitch and had to have something to replace it' (f ( didn't know what to say, it sure seemed Bella did, because she asked Bethy a question that ( wasn't e pecting' &:retty girl, how do you like having baby =aleb around!& ( smiled, hiding it behind my mug, as Bethy's face scrunched up as she thought it over' / wide range of emotions seemed to play on her face * disgust, intrigue, humor' (t was all there, but the answer was hilarious' &5e smells funny,& she stated with a shrug' Bella and ( laughed, and ( nudged Bethy with my shoe, because ( caught on to where Bella was coming from' &;eah, but ( think what #ommy's asking is''' 4hat would you think if there was another baby like =aleb around!& Bethy shrugged, indifferent to the question' &=aleb's always around'& &4ell, yes,& Bella said, playing with a lock of Bethy's hair' &But when we go home, =aleb will go home with /unt "ose and ?ncle $mmett' 4hat if another baby came to be with us! ;ou'd be a sister'&

Bethy looked between us' 5er eyebrows raised up slightly, and then they furrowed' &6o ( have to!& ( chuckled, looking to Bella, and then back to Bethy' &7kay, so yeah, little sweetness' ;ou kinda do' 4e wanted to tell you that soon, you'll have a little brother or sister'& /nd suddenly, my really smart girl caught on, because it wasn't that long ago that "ose had been pregnant, her big belly that kicked a fascination for Bethy' (t wasn't that long ago that we'd been in the hospital when =aleb was born' Bethy crawled to Bella, clambering up into her lap' &There's a baby in there!& she asked in a whisper, pointing to Bella's stomach' &4hoa,& Bella giggled, looking to me' )he turned back to our daughter, cupping her face and kissing her forehead' &;es, pretty girl'& &;our tummy's smaller than /unt "ose's was,& Bethy pointed out, looking skeptical' &0ot for long,& ( muttered' Bella kicked my shoe, much to Bethy's amusement' &#y tummy will get bigger as the baby grows, Bethy,& Bella e plained, giving me a dangerously raised eyebrow' &>ind of like #aia's tummy now that she's about to have puppies'& &;ou were gorgeous pregnant,& ( chuckled, laying down beside them on my good side' &That wasn't an insult, Bella'& ( placed my hand on Bella's stomach, remembering the feel of Bethy's kick1 suddenly, ( couldn't wait to feel this one' / tiny, cold hand pressed over mine, and Bethy asked, &5ere!& ( nodded, taking my hand from under hers and pressing it to Bella's stomach' &5ere' 5e's really small right now and sleeping, so we have to wait'& &5ow long!& she asked, leaning closer' &?ntil he's ready' #onths,& ( told her' &But we have to get ready for him' ;ou know, make room, buy lots of baby stuff, and you can tell him all about what to e pect when he gets here,& ( whispered' &( can!& Bethy asked, rubbing Bella's stomach' &#mhm, watch this,& ( said with a grin, because Bella laughed softly above me as ( leaned to her stomach' &5ey, little one,& ( called softly, placing a kiss over her shirt' &('d like you to meet your big sister, Bethy'& Bethy giggled, deciding to kiss Bella's stomach, too' &5i, baby8& she sang softly, and it

was all ( could do to not scoop her up and kiss her to death' ( felt Bella's kiss to the top of my head, and ( looked up to see tears welling up in her eyes as she looked away from us, out over the clearing' ( pushed myself up a bit, worried that ('d done something wrong' &4hat's this! 424as th2that t2too m2much!& ( asked, wiping a tear away and kissing her lips' )he sniffled, laughing a bit at the same time, and shook her head' &0o''' 0o, $dward' That was perfect'&

CHAPTER 22
E!"#$!
&4hat do you mean it wasn't 9ilith in that fucking cabin!& ( asked, speaking slow and deep, practically seething' $lea3ar flinched, tossing a file my way' #y wife caught it as it slid to her' &(t wasn't' 4e accounted for 4alter Bridges and .ohnny Thornhill, but the body of the woman inside that cabin was not 9ilith 9aray' The 60/ didn't match'& &4ho was she!& Bella asked softly from the end of the table' &/ .ane 6oe'''unknown,& he answered her' &)he could've been with Thornhill, but we're not sure'& &)he doesn't matter' 9ilith does,& ( growled, pacing in the dining room simply because ( could, because it didn't hurt my leg as much any more' &This bitch is dead' 9ilith needs to be, too'& &$dward, sit down, please,& Bella requested calmly without even looking my way, and then turned her attention to the file folder, speaking to $lea3ar' &/lice enhanced the camera that .asper was wearing the night of the fight' (t's impossible to see who shot 4alter' /ll you can tell is that it is a woman'''& #y head spun to her as ( took my seat beside her, because that shit was news to me' ( didn't think Bella or the girls had even looked back on that fight' They ,ust seemed so fucking relieved that it was over' ( felt small, warm fingers link with mine, giving them a squee3e' $lea3ar took a deep breath and let it out' 5e turned to my dad, who was looking over Bella's other shoulder at the file' &(t is quite possible that Thornhill decided 4alter and 9ilith were too much trouble, had drawn too much attention' (t would e plain why someone on their side shot 4alter, instead of letting us have him'& &/ hit!& my dad clarified, sitting up straighter' &)o then you're assuming 9ilith was already dead'''before we even approached the cabin'& &4e think so,& $l sighed, shaking his head, and then shrugging' &4e're not sure' )he's not popped up on any radar, but she's done that before' )he doesn't use credit cards, rent cars in her name, or even get hotel rooms'& Bella huffed a deep, frustrated sigh' &But you don't know'& 4hen $l shook his head no, she closed the file folder, but kept her hand on top of it' &/lice8& she called' &7n it already, Bells8& /lice gushed, rushing into the room with a laptop' )he plopped

down in a chair, typing furiously' &7kay, okay, okay''' 5ow do you want it done!& &+alse police search,& Bella sneered, glaring at $lea3ar' )he was daring him to counter her on this' &)end it out like a wanted poster, or even a missing person flier * whatever you think would get the most response' )end it to every police station between the cabin and )eattle' )he doesn't know any other place'& $lea3ar grinned evilly, nodding slowly' &/s you wish, Bella'& )he turned to my dad' &4hen we get home, ( want you to come take a look at something with me' ( have an idea' :lus, you need to meet :reacher'''& &;ou think she'd go back to her old neighborhood!& ( asked, my mouth hanging open' &)he'd be stupid to do it, but she always seems to go back there,& Bella chuckled' &That gang is looking for her, but it doesn't hurt to let them know she may be still around'& The wickedly se y, vengeful smile that curled up on my wife's face was fucking stunning' ( found myself shifting in my seat, though it didn't take much from her these days to make me hard' 4e hadn't been able to do much more than touch, due to my in,ury' ( still couldn't put the ma,ority of my weight on it, and certain pressures on it were e cruciating' ?nder normal circumstances, ( lived to see my wife's mouth wrapped around my cock, but really, ( ,ust wanted her' ( wanted to bury myself deep inside of her and never come out' 7f all the things that my in,ury didn't allow me to do, that was what bothered me the most' ( couldn't give a shit if ( never was able to fly again, but fuck, ( needed to be able to make love to my wife' &4ithout 4alter, she's kinda powerless,& ( stated, shrugging a bit and trying to focus on the conversation and not her hand rubbing innocently on my thigh' &0ot that she's a saint, but she's bat2shit cra3y, so without 4alter to guide her'''& &)he's likely to fuck up,& Bella finished for me' &That's if she's still alive'& &+or now! 9et's assume she is,& my dad concluded, a dark look passing over his face' ( didn't like the idea that the cra3y bitch could possibly still be out there' ?ntil 9ilith was on a slab in the morgue, security around my family would not relent, especially since ( could barely walk, much less fight to save them' &#ommy8& Bethy practically yelled, bursting into the screen door, poor /unt >ate right behind her' #y daughter was beaming like the brightest sunny day, and it changed the feel of the room instantly from tense to happy' &#y goodness,& Bella chuckled, catching her, because Bethy was running at top speed' &4hat's this all about, pretty girl!& she asked, scooping her up onto her lap' ( chuckled as Bethy, with bright pink cheeks, tried to catch her breath' )he grasped her mother's face, panting and swallowing, before she blurted out, &:2:2:uppies8&

Bella grinned and stood up' &4ell, this ( have to see' ( missed out the last time,& she said, hitching Bethy up onto her hip' &5ow many, baby!& she asked her' &+ive,& Bethy answered, holding up her hand and showing all five fingers as they walked back outside' The rest of us looked to /unt >ate, who was nodding with a surprised look on her face, most likely because Bethy could count' &0ever underestimate my minions,& /lice chuckled from behind her laptop, barely giving /unt >ate a glance' &.ust wait'''('ll get ahold of =aleb and the new little one, too8& ( laughed, ruffling her hair, and then kissed the top of her head' &;ou should sell that computer game of yours, pi ie' $very parent should be so lucky'& &:sh8& she scoffed, rolling her eyes' &(t's the parents that need training' #y own had no clue what to do with me when ( started talking in full sentences at nine months old' $ven less when ( was reading at two years old' /nd don't get me started about what they were like when ( graduated high school at eleven'& ( chuckled down at her, leaning to her ear' &/nd at twelve, you robbed the ?')' of two and a half million dollars' 5mmm, where is it, /li!& )he grinned, evil and secretive' &4here is what!& ( laughed, because no one knew that answer' ( wasn't even sure .asper knew' (t was one of those things about her that we ,ust loved' )he was so fucking smart, and the fact that she could possibly be sitting on money that she'd scammed * at twelve years old, mind you * out from under the smartest people in the country ,ust added to her whole persona' &;ou know,& my dad chuckled, pointing to her, &that shit is probably sitting in a bank somewhere, and now worth ten times more' But we'll never know'& 5e laughed, because she wasn't saying anything' &(t's like''' 4hatever happened to .immy 5offa!& ( laughed, my head falling back' &(sn't he buried in the end3one of Giants )tadium!& she asked, giving $lea3ar a raised eyebrow' 5e grinned, and ( could tell he probably knew shit due to his career that would blow all our minds' &Tell me where the money is, and I'll tell you ,ust what happened to .immy 5offa,& he bargained' &+orget 5offa''' 4as .effrey 6ahmer's shanking in prison a setup!& she asked, her eyes lighting up, because her thirst for serial killer knowledge was endless' &0o idea what you're talking about,& $lea3ar chuckled, shrugging dramatically'

&Then''' 4hat money!& she countered with another grin' &TouchD, /lice''' TouchD,& he snickered' &7h damn,& ( chuckled, shaking my head' &('m suddenly glad ( don't know shit'& #y dad chuckled' &0o kidding'& ( was ,ust about to walk out to the barn to ,oin my girls when he stopped me' &7h, $sme wanted to see you'& &7kay,& ( sighed, knowing she probably wanted to check my leg' (nstead of turning right to go outside, ( turned left and headed toward their room' ( knocked lightly on the door, hearing her tell me to come in' ( opened the door, finding her sitting on the bed, folding clothes' &6ad said you wanted to see me,& ( told her' &;es, son' =lose the door and come here,& she ordered' &)it,& she said, patting a spot on the bed in front of her' )he shoved all the clothes out of the way' &( wanted to see this leg'& ( nodded, pulling up the leg of my shorts so she could take a look' )he knelt in front of me, her strong, knowledgeable fingers tracing the angry red scar on the side of my leg' )he applied pressure around it, causing me to wince and hiss' )he wrapped her hands around my calf, lifting the entire leg up, bending it closer and closer until ( shook my head' )he sat back on her heels, pulling my shorts back down' &(t looks good, $dward' (t's right where it needs to be' ;ou're not limping as much, you're able to put some weight on it, and ( saw you were able to pick Bethy up yesterday'& ( nodded, frowning a bit' &;eah, it still hurts deep inside when ( do certain things' Turning a specific way, steps'''and no ladders'''at all'& &(nside,& she mused, her brow furrowing, but she nodded' &That's to be e pected, son' The muscle is reattaching itself' (t wasn't a large sever, but it was pretty far in there' (t heals on the inside, ,ust like the outside,& she said, making sure ( was listening' )he smirked, grabbing my bicep' &#ake a muscle, big guy,& she chuckled, and ( fle ed it for her' &;ou didn't get this overnight, sweetie' ?nderstand!& she asked, and ( nodded' &;ou had to work on it, build it up' ('m sure there were days when you could barely lift it after a workout'& ( grinned, nodding at her' &There were days ( couldn't get out of bed'& &$ actly,& she laughed, patting my arm and letting go' &7kay, so this leg works the same way' ;ou have to make it remember' #uscle has memory' (f you went a few days without working out, then when you finally did, the muscle would pump right back up' The problem you're having is that this muscle's memory was removed temporarily'

7nce it's truly back together, it will remember again'& &)o ( should push it!& ( asked as she stood up in front of me' &( mean'''like a workout' 9ike push through the pain'& &0ot to the point of agony, $dward,& she replied, shaking her head' &(t's one thing to feel the burn, as they say, but another to tear it while it's still healing'& ( frowned, because ladders, turning, and steps weren't my biggest concern' That shit would happen eventually' &4hat worries you!& she asked, sitting ne t to me' ( shook my head, not sure ( was comfortable even sharing this issue with her' (t wasn't that ( didn't trust her, because ( knew for a fucking fact that it would never leave the room' ( ,ust felt ( was being impatient with my own fucking body' &0othing,& ( sighed, starting to stand up' &( ,ust want to be back to what ( was before' That's all'& )he stopped me from getting up, studying my face intently' &;ou know anything you tell me'''& &( know,& ( interrupted her abruptly' &( know,& ( groaned, softening my tone and running a hand through my hair' &( ,ust''' ( can't'''& ( huffed, finally giving in and looking over at her' &( miss my wife,& ( muttered, begging her silently not to make me elaborate1 it ,ust wasn't me' ?nderstanding flickered over her features, and she nodded' &=an you'''& &/ few things'''but not'''& )he smiled warmly, patting my arm' &But not intercourse'& &/w, $sme,& ( whined at the word like a preteen boy, putting my head in my hands and fisting my hair' )he snickered softly, wrapping a loving arm around my shoulders' &Time, $dward' #ake the muscle in your leg remember' ;ou have to build back up to it, sweetie'& ( nodded, not bothering to look up yet' &'>ay'& &(s there a problem with erec'''& &0o8& ( snapped, shaking my head and looking up at her as she fought her smile' &There's no problem there' (n fact, she drives me cra3y, and half the time, she doesn't even know it'& The words came tumbling out of me, but fuck, it was the truth' &(f anything, ( have the opposite problem'''& &(s Bella pushing!&

&0o, she's perfect and patient' #ore patient than me' /nd she can't stand it if ('m hurting,& ( admitted softly' )he smiled again, but not in a teasing manner' &( believe ('ve had this conversation before with you two' ( said it then, and ('ll say it now''' Try,& she urged softly' &Bella was at her wits end when you were in that fight, even worse when she heard you were hurt' )he's probably terrified of even the mere idea of you in pain' ;ou forget so soon what her association with pain is!& ( grimaced, shaking my head' &0o, but ( didn't think of it that way'& &Try,& she said again' &;ou'll find a way, but she needs to know that you're okay' That she's not hurting you'& )he sighed, rubbing her finger across her bottom lip as she thought' &#y suggestion is to take it slow'''get to a certain point and stop' Then assess how you feel, how that leg feels' 6on't rush' (f you rush, then you really could cause yourself a set2back'& ( nodded, because that made much more sense than waiting or mauling poor Bella to death' $sme putting it into workout terms helped me, too' &Thanks,& ( sighed, finally standing up and wincing a bit at the movement' &/nytime, son,& she called after me as ( left the room' ( found my wife and daughter in the barn, giggling together over small, gray, grunting newborn puppies' ( smiled as ( took in the scene' Tom and 7bie had used bales of hay to create a safe place for #aia to give birth' They'd used one of the empty stalls, closing it off with a fence of hay in order to keep the wandering pups safely inside until the mother was ready for them to come out' Bella was sitting with her back to me with Bethy on her lap, their feet inside the pin, and ( couldn't help but ,oin them' #aneuvering the best ( could, ( straddled the hay, keeping them both between my legs' &5i, 6addy8 9ook8& she whispered, pointing to the litter' &( see, baby,& ( chuckled, wrapping my arms around them both and pressing my lips to Bella's temple' &4here'd you run off to!& Bella asked, smirking up at me' &( thought you were right behind us'& &$sme wanted to see my leg,& ( told her, setting my chin on her shoulder, and before she could ask, because ( knew she would, ( continued' &('m right where ('m supposed to be, she said'& &Good, $dward' That's really good,& she said with a bright smile'

( pressed my lips to her cheek, simply because ( couldn't resist when something so simple made her happy' &)he said ( needed to keep building the muscle,& ( said with a shrug' &9ike a workout'& &/nd the pain!& &/ll normal,& ( stated, kissing her again' &)he says you worry too much'& &)he did not8& Bella gasped, smacking my arm when ( laughed at her' &)he would never8& &0o, she didn't,& ( chuckled' &;ou got in twouble, 6addy8& Bethy pointed out, laughing like it was the funniest shit ever' ( grinned, tweaking her nose' &$very day, little sweetness' Trust me'& Bella giggled, shaking her head at us and patting Bethy's bottom' &(t's time to get washed up, pretty girl' ('m sure dinner's almost ready'& &/w,& she protested, giving the now sleeping pile of puppies a longing look' =upping her face and smiling at her, ( said, &They'll still be here in the morning, baby' ( promise'& Begrudgingly, she allowed Bella to set her outside the little pin' #y wife stood up, offering me a hand' &0ope,& ( grunted, pushing myself up with my arms first, and then letting my legs take over' &( got this'& 7nce ( was standing straight, ( scooped Bethy up, tossing her onto my shoulder' &=ome on, little sweetness' /re all puppies accounted for! ;ou're not sneaking any out, are you!& ( asked her, tickling her all over relentlessly until she squealed, her little legs kicking' &6on't make me pat you down against the wall'& &0o, 6addy8 They're all there8& &Good' Then dinner time, little soldier,& ( ordered in a growl against her neck' &;es, sir8&

( snapped awake from my dream, sweat pouring down my face' +uck, ( hadn't had the dream about the little (ranian girl in years' But it had changed, morphed into something else, something fucking scarier' ('d started out in the little desert village, but when the

kid pulled the pin on the grenade, it was )am that fell on her, not #ike 0ewton' 5owever, my goal to reach the other side of the small town was replaced with finding my girls' /nd ( couldn't' They weren't any,fucking,where' ('d stepped through a broken down doorway of what was once someone's home, but inside, it was my own house' (t was in a fucking shambles' )hattered windows, turned over furniture, pictures off the wall * all of it screamed trouble' The hallways and bedrooms were empty, and there was blood everywhere' $ven in a crib ('d never seen before' (t was Bella's and Bethy's calls for me from the edge of the woods outside that snapped me awake, because ( couldn't tell if it was coming from inside my mind or from reality' ( sat up in bed, rubbing my sore leg and giving a glance ne t to me' Bella was sound asleep on her stomach, her beautiful, peaceful face aimed my way' ( leaned down, kissing her hand that rested on my pillow, and then got up' 4alking silently to Bethy's room, ( peeked in' )he was ,ust as asleep, ,ust as peaceful as her mother was' )he'd kicked her covers off, so ( tugged them back over her and #r' Bunny, giving her head the lightest of kisses' .ust touching them both pushed the fear away that the dream had evoked in me' .ust seeing them, hearing their soft breathing made it all okay' #y heart settled down, my stomach stopped churning, and my breathing was easier' ( took a piss, washed my face with still slightly shaky hands, and then sat back down on the edge of the bed' (t was too early to get up, but ( had a feeling that it would be some time before ('d get back to fucking sleep' ( was deciding whether to lay back down or go watch T- in the other room, when Bella shifted behind me' &$dward,& she breathed, and for a split second, ( thought ('d woken her, but when ( shifted to lay beside her, ( could tell she was still asleep' 5er beautiful leg had escaped the covers, searching for me' 5er hand gripped my pillow, and ( wanted to moan when she called my name again' ( knew that sound' /nd as her whole body shifted again, her hips rolling ,ust slightly, ( knew why she was calling my name in her sleep' &+uck,& ( groaned, my head falling back to my pillow' /s if ( didn't want her ,ust as fucking badly' &Trade you dreams, sweetness,& ( muttered wryly to the ceiling, shaking my head and rolling my eyes' Bella shifted closer, and ( should have gotten up and left the room' ( should have let her sleep, because she needed it' ( should have let her have her dream in peace and privacy, but suddenly, ( was ,ealous of whatever the fuck was going on in that ama3ing head of hers'

&$dward,& she whispered again, and my good intentions, my last thread of control snapped' ( didn't know what ( could do about it, but ( had to give my girl something' "eaching down to her e posed ankle, ( skimmed my hand flat up her leg, pushing the covers completely out of the way' 5er shirt had ridden up, revealing smooth skin and her strong back' #y bo er shorts that she insisted on wearing to bed had dropped ,ust a bit, and my whole body shuddered at the sight of ,ust the mere hint of the crack of her ass' 9eaning forward, ( dropped a kiss to it, swirling my tongue from there up her spine' 4hen ( got to her ribs, my eyes glanced toward her face' &4hat am ( doing to you, sweetness!& ( asked her softly, not e pecting an answer, before sucking on her skin' :utting all my weight on my good side, ( tucked her hair behind her ear, taking her earlobe into my mouth' &#mm, ('d better be fucking you good, baby,& ( groaned when her whole body rolled again' &;ou make sure ( take care of you,& ( told her, dropping more kisses to her neck' ( wasn't sure what ( wanted more * to see the outcome of the dream, or to wake her up and take over' ( wanted to do what $sme had said and try' ( wanted to see Bella's face awake and aware when she said my name like she was currently doing' But the dirty bastard inside of me also wanted to see if she'd actually come in her sleep * a thought that made my dick so hard, it was almost painful' / whimper escaped her, and she rolled onto her back, her shirt still bunched up around her breasts' &=hrist,& ( breathed, shaking my head, because goddamn, she was ,ust fucking gorgeous, and so fucking turned on, ( could barely stand it' 5er nipples were hard, her hand was clenching by my head, and her legs shifted ,ust a bit' ( leaned down to her bare belly, whispering, &7h little one, please don't pay any attention to what happens ne t' ('m about to do really naughty things to your mom'''things you shouldn't know about yet'& ( leaned over my wife, my hand replacing my lips on her stomach, only to skim underneath that shirt to cup her breast' Bella arched up, offering me more, but ( nipped and licked up her neck to her ear' ( wanted her awake' +uck, ( needed her awake' /nd soon' &Bella, baby,& ( crooned in her ear, taking a chance and sliding my in,ured thigh between her legs' )he immediately ground her se against me' ( winced ,ust a little, hitching her leg higher so that it was around my hip and away from my in,ury' &God, you're killing me, love' :lease wake up,& ( begged softly, kissing her neck, her ,aw, her chin * all with long, wet, open mouth kisses' ( wanted my mouth on her everywhere'

( pinched her nipple lightly, rolling it between my thumb and forefinger, gently dragging my teeth across the soft spot ,ust behind her ear' That did it' That woke her up, because suddenly, small, warm fingers wove themselves into my hair' ( pulled back to see confused, but lust darkened eyes staring up at me' &$dward,& she panted, pulling me closer' &4hat are you'''& Before she could finish, my mouth was on hers, consuming her, claiming her' 7ne of my hands gripped her hair, while the other skimmed down her side and around to the waistband of her bo ers, sliding inside to cup and knead her ass and bringing her closer to my now throbbing dick' Twirling my tongue with hers, my hand slipped farther between her legs, and ( moaned shamelessly at how wet she was' Gliding my fingers over every inch of her folds and both entrances, my tongue assaulted her mouth, because she was absolutely fucking soaked' &+uck, baby,& ( panted, pressing my forehead to hers' &4hat was ( doing to you, sweetness!& (f ( thought she'd be embarrassed at having her dream discovered, ( was wrong, because all she said was, &$verything,& before pulling my mouth back to hers' #y eyes rolled back in my head when she ground her heat against me again, her leg slipping ,ust a little' ( reached back, hitching it up higher, and nipped at her neck' &That stays there,& ( commanded as softly as ( could' &$dward, we shouldn't'''& she started, but ( cut her off with another deep, devouring kiss' &7h, yes, we fucking should,& ( growled into her neck' &4e'll take it step by step, but ( have to fucking have you, Bella'''& ( felt her smile against my bare shoulder, and ( moaned when she dragged her teeth across my skin up to my neck' /rriving at my ear, she swirled an open mouth kiss, suckling slightly on my earlobe' &Then do you really want to know what you were doing to me in my dream, baby!& she asked, her voice so fucking se y that my head hit her shoulder' &;es, yes'''for God's sake''' es,& ( panted' / small giggle escaped her, but she pushed me back ,ust enough to tug her shirt off' &;our mouth'''it was everywhere, $dward,& she stated softly, falling back down flat on the bed and pulling me to her' ( cupped her breast, locking ga3es with her before dragging my tongue flat across her

nipple' 5er whole body shuddered' &9ike this, baby!& ( asked her, doing it again, only to switch to the other one' &;es,& she hissed, bucking slightly' ( nipped and licked down her sternum to her stomach, gripping the waistband of her shorts' &4hat about in here, love! 6id ( make it this far!& &7h yeah,& she purred, grinning and lifting her hips to help me tug the last of her clothes off' &;ou held me down, wouldn't let me move when you licked my pussy'& ( grunted a half2laugh, half2moan at her choice of words' #y girl could be so fucking naughty, and ( loved every second of it' )lipping a bit down her body, ( let my lower half lay flat, while bracing myself on my elbows' ( knew what she wanted, so running my hands lightly on the inside of her thighs, ( finally spread her legs, bending them up to her stomach' )he was spread wide open for me as ( held her by the back of her thighs, my hands and some of my weight holding her down' )he was so fucking wet, so turned on, that ( licked my lips in anticipation of tasting her' ( locked eyes with her again, asking, &9ike this, love!& as ( bent slowly toward where she smelled so fucking delicious, flicking my tongue out to the inside of her thigh to gather her ,uices, only to do it to the other side' &#ore, baby,& she breathed, gripping the sheets at her side' &;ou did more'& &7h,& ( chuckled, darkly against her mound' &( ,ust bet ( did'& +inally giving in to her begging eyes, her heavy breathing, even her hips that tried to fight me, ( swiped my tongue from one end of her to the other, my tongue flat, only to swirl it around her clit' #y eyes never left hers, never broke from her ga3e as ( did it again, stopping this time to suckle her flavor at the source, tongue delving inside of her as far as ( could' ( felt her clench around me, her thighs tensing' /ttaching my mouth to her clit and sucking hard, ( nipped lightly with my teeth, because all ( wanted was for her to come, and come hard' 4atching her fall apart while unable to move was ama3ing' 5ands gripped at our sheets, nipples hardened even further, and my girl's toes curled' Bella's head pressed back into her pillow as her breathing caught in her throat, my name escaping her in one long, slow, fucking se y, gasping cry' ( licked, ( sucked, and ( nipped at her, riding her clima spasms for as long as her body would give them to me' 4iping my mouth, ( moved back up to her as best ( could' ( grabbed her hand when it reached for me' &0o, not this,& ( said, kissing her fingers' &/nd not this,& ( growled against her mouth' &( really need you, baby'&

5er brow furrowed with worry for ,ust a second, giving my leg a quick glance' &Tell me, $dward'& ( knew ( couldn't kneel on my knees, so ( shifted until my back was propped up against the headboard of the bed' &=ome here,& ( sighed, pulling her face to mine with my hands on either side of her beautiful, worried face' &( need you to do this' (t has to be all you, sweetness, but God, ( need to fuck you'& )he whimpered, grasping my face and leaning over me' ( turned her head, sliding my tongue into her mouth, still tasting her pussy and now her sweet tongue, too' )mall, warm hands ghosted down my chest, over my abs, finally reaching the waistband of my bo ers' Bella pulled back from me, licking her lips and pressing her forehead to mine' &Then these have to go, baby'& ( nodded, almost frantically, and she eased down my body, careful of where she touched, where she braced her hands' Gripping the fabric, she looked up at me to lift, and ( did with my stronger leg, allowing her to quickly tug my underwear off' &4as ( fucking you in your dream, Bella!& ( asked her as she dragged her fingertips up my unin,ured thigh on her way back up to my face' &#mmhm,& she hummed, nodding slowly, her eyes almost black as ( threaded my fingers into her hair on either side of her face' &;up'& ( grinned when she popped the &p& of the word' &5ow, sweetness! 5ow was ( taking you!& &5mm,& she sighed, giving my body a hungry ga3e from my face all the way down to my feet and slowly dragging her eyes back to mine' &6oesn't matter,& she stated softly' &('m pretty sure that the reality is about to be far better'& ( nodded, agreeing to that without a problem' ( grasped her hips, pulling her to me' &Brace your hands on that headboard for a second, love,& ( told her' &4e're going to do this slow, baby' 7kay!& ( asked, and she nodded, letting me move her where ( wanted her' (t wasn't her weight or her movements1 it was where here legs were positioned that was important' 7ne wrong shift, and her foot could kick against my in,ury' ( was so fucking hard by the time my dick was trapped between my stomach and hers, ( was leaking like a sieve' &This leg,& ( said, patting the side of her thigh, &stays bent by my hip, baby' The other one doesn't matter'& )he nodded, swallowing nervously, her hands leaving the headboard to brace on my

shoulders instead' &( don't want to hurt you, sweetheart,& she whispered, cupping my face and running her fingers through my hair' &;ou won't,& ( vowed, turning my head and kissing her palm' &( trust you completely, love'& 5er whole body gave a shudder' &God, ( want you so badly, $dward'''but ( don't'''& ( swallowed and nodded, knowing the feeling' &#e, too'& 9ifting her up, we locked eyes when my tip slipped ,ust inside her entrance' #ost of her weight was braced onto my shoulders, her forehead pressed to mine, and we both let out a long, low moan as ( slid her down over me' ( gripped her ass, holding her still for ,ust a moment, and she seemed to know ( needed to control this part' #y breathing was heavy, because ( was surrounded by the heat, the grip, and the wetness that ('d missed so fucking much' #y eyes rolled back and my mouth fell open as her insides gave a sharp flutter around me' &$dward,& she breathed, and my eyes met hers when ( heard the emotion in it' &( love you'''& &7h God, baby, ( love you so much,& ( panted, kissing her wildly and gripping her hips to move' &+uck, ('ve missed you'''like this,& ( grunted against her lips' The last time we'd truly made love was the night before the fight' /fterward, it was touches and mouths, but there was nothing'''fucking nothing...that compared to being inside of her' (t had been weeks since we'd been together * a little over a month' 5ell, ( wasn't sure we'd ever gone that long' ( found that ( could move with her somewhat, using my stronger leg to push up' 0either of us were going to last long, because it had ,ust been too fucking long' 5er position allowed me to kiss the ever loving shit out of her, to cup her ass and squee3e, to pull her harder down onto me, and it allowed me wide open access to her clit' )he used my shoulders, my neck to ride me hard, and that was ,ust fine by me' But it was when she bent to my cheek, nipping with her teeth and swirling her tongue down to my ear that ( finally knew it was almost over' &=ome for me, $dward,& she whispered, licking up the shell of my ear' &:lease, baby' ( know you need it'''& 5er voice was soothing, se y, and all things ( needed to hear at one time' ( felt my dick harden even further, my balls constrict, because that sound alone could cause me to come undone' Gripping her ass with one hand and rubbing her clit with the other, ( said, &0ot without you''' 9et go, Bella'''&

7ur mouths were ,ust barely touching when we both let go' 5ard' #y hands on her ass were gripping so hard that ( was afraid she'd be bruised by morning, but she didn't seem to care as she shattered in my arms' ( spilled heavily inside of her, my head falling back to the headboard as we both came to a standstill' ( let out a long, shuddering breath as she ran her fingers through my hair' Bella's ga3e was filled with pride aimed my way, with love, with sated bliss' )he leaned in, kissing my nose sweetly, only to pull back again' ( wanted to thank her, kiss her, but my body was completely sated, numb, and not obeying any movement commands that ( was trying to give it' )he smirked, letting a small giggle out' &7h yeah''' That was definitely better than any damn dream'''&

%E&&#
&$dward,& ( sighed, knowing he was awake, and placed a kiss to his shoulder blade' &Baby, it's time to go home'& 5is large, warm hand picked up mine from his waist and twined our fingers together' &( know,& he sighed, rolling onto his back and ga3ing up at the ceiling' 5e wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me to his chest' &( was ,ust thinking about that'& &"ose and $m were talking about it last night' .asper needs to check on his father in Te as before he and /lice go back to 4ashington' 4es is going cra3y without #akenna' /nd ( think even =arlisle's been talking to his office,& she e plained in a hurry' &(f you can't fly'''& &0o, ( think ('m okay,& he interrupted softly' &#ickey's staying!& &;eah' )he wants time with /unt >ate and 7bie,& ( answered, resting my chin on my hands so that ( could look up at him' &/lec is coming back with us'& 5e nodded again, staying quiet for a moment' 5e looked back at me' &/nd what about 9ilith, baby!& ( wrinkled my nose, because ( had a feeling that we were still in /laska simply for safety reasons at this point' (t had been two weeks since ('d set /lice on the task of sending out alerts to police stations in both =anada and the ?')' There had barely been any results' 7ne station not far from the cabin called back, because they remembered seeing her, but they couldn't narrow down whether it was the time before the fight or after' $dward's leg had shown vast improvement' 5e treated every day, every chore around

the farm as a workout, strengthening it, using it' 5e'd grumbled and bitched the ne t day, but he barely walked with a limp, stairs and steps were no issue, and he could even kneel down to Bethy's level again' &)he's out there alone,& ( started with a shrug' &There's no one thinking for her, planning for her' /nd she isn't e actly stable' >nowing her, she probably took up drugs again after all this shit'& &/ren't you the one that said never to underestimate her!& he asked, his voice a little sharp' &( did,& ( admitted, finally sitting up completely ne t to him' &('m not giving her any slack, and Bethy is not going back to #rs' =ope's yet, but we can take precautions'& ( sighed at his frown, his furrowed brow, knowing he was worried, but he wasn't thinking logically' &)weetheart, ( need to get back to my doctor' /nd it's about to turn really cold up here' (t's ,ust turned 7ctober' ( really don't want Bethy here when the temperature drops'& / fierce face of determination crossed his handsome features, and he sat up ne t to me' &7kay, but ('m asking /lec to stay with us' .ust for a while, okay!& &That's perfectly fine, $dward' ( ,ust think we've kept these people from their lives long enough' They're kinda waiting for you,& ( told him' 5e scoffed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head, but ( stopped him, forcing him to look at me' &They are waiting for you, because they know it's our house, our office that we'll all be going back to' /nd even though $lea3ar is still hunting down the rest of the 6'7'/', he's also working with /lice to find 9ilith * or hopefully, the bitch's remains'& 5e grinned at my growling tone, but didn't interrupt me' &They know when it comes to her * meaning mine and Bethy's safety * that you're in charge' They've practically said it, baby' They want to make sure you're okay before they leave us' $ven your dad'& 5is ga3e snapped to mine when ( said those last three words' /nd suddenly, he grimaced and groaned' &#y dad,& he sighed' &5e and $sme never even got their fucking honeymoon'& ( giggled at that, but it was true' &They'd stop the world for us, and you know it' #aybe we can make it up to them at =hristmas or something' (t's at our house this year'& 5e chuckled, pointing a finger at me' &)omeplace warm, someplace quiet for them' #aybe a place where we can't call them'& &6one,& ( laughed, grabbing his finger and kissing the tip' 5e looked up at me with a raised eyebrow' &4hat are you working on with him, anyway!&

( smiled, biting my bottom lip, because ( had taken an idea to my godfather, something ( think he was really considering, because he'd already started making calls' &('ll tell you if he decides to do it' ( promise'& 5e shrugged, pulling me to his lap * a place ('d missed being able to sit for the weeks that he was hurt * and sobered quickly' &4hatever' ('m not worried about you two' ('m worried about 9ilith's cra3y ass'& &)ame rules as always, $dward' /rmed everywhere we go and constant sharp eyes,& ( stated' &6efinitely,& he agreed, looking down between us' 5is warm hand met my belly' &4h2 4hat a2about w2work!& he asked softly, ga3ing back up at me' 4hy he was nervously stuttering, ( had no clue, but ( kissed him for it anyway' #aybe he was concerned for my health and all ('d been through, or maybe the thought of working and running into 9ilith was too much to consider, but ( understood it all, either way' &"ight now, ( don't know,& ( answered as honestly as ( could' &('d like to get back to my doctor, get settled back home with Bethy on some sort of normal schedule, and take it from there' ( can't answer that any other way'& &+air enough, sweetness,& he said, kissing my lips softly' &('m with you, whatever you decide, love' But ( can't wait to see the little bean again,& he chuckled, his eyes so very bright, so very happy' ( giggled' &( know, right!& 5e smacked my bottom lightly, giving me that sweet, panty dropping, deliciously se y, crooked smile of his' &7kay, baby' 9et's go get our sleepy girl, make some breakfast, and we'll call a family meeting'&

&Tell us how you want to do this, son,& =arlisle stated, taking a bite of his eggs' &(f 9ilith is still out there, then you're right, she may still try something'& $dward nodded, and ( turned my ga3e out the dining room window' Bethy had already dressed, eaten breakfast, and was now running in the front yard with five very fat, very young 5usky puppies at her heels' ( couldn't help but shake my head and smile, because it seemed that #aia was ,ust as concerned with Bethy as she was all of her offspring' )he'd step in front of them all if it looked like they were going too far or

heading toward something she deemed dangerous, like the rose bushes' &$d, if you want to go home, ('ll station men at your place,& 4es offered over the phone' The discussion concerning everyone heading home had become a full blown meeting' $lea3ar, Benny, and 4es had all been called and were on speakerphone' $very member of our crew and family were ,ust as concerned about safety as they were about getting back to their lives' &/nd ( have no problem staying with you two for however long you need,& /lec added with a one shouldered shrug' &Thank you, /lec,& both $dward and ( said at the same time, my breath fogging up the window briefly' &Bethy and Bella would be the only target that 9ilith would try for,& "ose stated, and ( turned to face her as she fed =aleb a bottle' &But without 4alter, she's going to be struggling and unstable'& $dward paced, not saying anything as he ran a nervous hand through his hair' ( knew he was worried with 9ilith still being out there, almost to the point of being unreasonable' 5e wasn't unwilling to go home1 he ,ust didn't want to do so blindly' +or his own personal sanity, he needed to make sure that his wife, his child, and his crew were safe' ( completely understood him and was willing to concede this decision to him1 however, ( ,ust didn't want Bethy in /laska when the place started to get really fucking cold' (t probably didn't help that he felt weak, felt that his leg would keep him from being at his best' 5e'd never say it, but ( knew that was a part of his indecisiveness' 5e'd been the same way when he'd pulled the ligaments in his knee while #iller was still looking for me' $dward didn't like to be in situations where he felt himself weak' /t all' $dward liked control at all times' ( sighed, shaking my head' &4hat about the beach safe house, $dward! 4ould that make you feel better!& ( offered, and his head snapped up' &( thought you wanted to go home, Bella,& he countered' &( do, but this seems to have taken on a bigger debate than ( anticipated'& ( huffed a humorless laugh' &('m willing to place mine and Bethy's safety in your hands, but there are things we need to consider, baby'& &( know,& he groaned, his ga3e softening' &;ou have to get to your doctor, and we need to get Bethy out of the cold weather' ( get it' ( ,ust'''& 5e stopped, shook his head, and ran another hand through his hair' 5e finally turned to his dad' &4hat would you do!& 0ot one to ,ump to an answer, =arlisle looked around the room, his ga3e landing on

/lice, who hadn't looked up from her computer during the entire discussion' (n fact, she was taking a bite of toast without even looking at it' &/lice, any word! /t all!& he asked her' &Besides the one small police station not far from the cabin, no'& The finality to her voice practically echoed in the full room of people' =arlisle looked to me, and then to his son1 however, he spoke to the phone' &$l, you're currently dismantling the rest of 6'7'/', yes!& &Georgia is being raided today' +lorida is already done,& he said' &4ithout Thornhill, they were a mess' They were basically running blind, and they had no clue they were even being watched'& &Benny, 4es,& =arlisle continued' &;ou can set up how many men at the +orks house!& &4hatever you need,& Benny answered instantly' &( can put them on rotating shifts' 5ell, ( can put a man with Bella and Bethy, if that's what you want'& ( groaned, rolling my eyes, and /lec chuckled' ( wanted a bodyguard like ( wanted a hole in my head' &( think ( can handle that if $dward's not available,& /lec told them all, still laughing at my put2out face, and even $dward cracked a smile on that one' =arlisle rubbed his chin slowly, finally taking a deep breath and letting it out' &('d go home, son' ('d let /lice keep watching, let Benny station men at the house, and ( wouldn't let the girls go anywhere alone' ('d be cautious, but ( think that 9ilith is alone'& 5e glanced up at me when ( tsked at the the last statement he'd made' &('m not underestimating her, sweetheart, but ( have more faith in my son's, /lec's, and your ability to protect yourselves' ;ou're smarter, quicker, and obviously saner than she is' /ll of you have seen more, been through more, so you know what to e pect in certain situations, and that makes you more dangerous than she is' Go home, but be careful'& (t seemed we all turned to $dward at that statement, but his eyes left his dad to lock with mine' &0owhere alone,& he stated firmly, pointing a finger at me' &;ou'll be armed at all times, got me!& &That's fine, $dward,& ( told him, nodding a bit' &( mean it, Bella' (f you and Bethy are only going to the store, you'll take either myself or /lec with you'& 5is voice came out in the tone of an order, his face fierce' ( smirked, shaking my head' & es, sir'& 5e snorted and rolled his eyes, changing his tone when everyone chuckled' &:lease!& he asked simply'

&;es, $dward,& ( laughed softly, turning back to the window' &0ow, we ,ust have to tear our daughter away from her new friends'&

&;ou can't take him, little sweetness,& $dward said, kneeling in front of Bethy' &They're too young to be away from their mother, baby'& $veryone was waiting on us, the chopper checked, ready, and loaded' Bethy had only asked to say goodbye to the puppies, though once she had a hand on them, she wasn't willing to give them up' The deep dip between her eyebrows only increased as he spoke to her, and it didn't help that she had a tenacious grip on a happily sleeping, almost black puppy' &4hy can't we stay here!& she countered softly, ga3ing up at him for all the answers in the world' 5e smiled at her, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear' &Because it's time to go back home, Bethy' ( know you like the puppies, but he can't be away from his mom yet' 5e's way too young,& $dward reasoned again, this time placing a warm, gentle hand on the little dog' &;ou wouldn't want to be away from your mommy yet, right!& Big, sad, green eyes ga3ed up at me, and she slowly shook her head' )he shifted on her feet, kicking hay with her sneaker, only to ga3e back up at him, pressing her nose to the puppy's soft head' (t wasn't like he could cave to that look, because everything he was telling her was true' 5is head turned my way, his face pleading for help when she gave him the most pitiful face ('d ever seen her use on him' ( giggled softly to myself and knelt beside him' &:retty girl, we don't want you to leave him, but if you take him away from his mom, then he could get sick' 5e needs her more than you need him right now' ;ou want to be able to play with him the ne t time you come here, right!& ( asked her, cupping her face, and she nodded' &Then he has to stay, baby' ( know it's hard,& ( told her' $dward held out his hands, and reluctantly, she set the puppy gently down' &/nd you know what else!& he asked her in a whisper, absentmindedly running a soft hand over the dog' &4hat!& she asked him, mirroring his whisper' &5e can't be in the co2pilot seat, little sweetness' There's only room for one, and ( need you in it,& he told her firmly' &4hat will ( do without you!&

Boy, ( don't know who played whom more * her or him' 5e knew that she couldn't resist being his &co2pilot,& and she knew he could barely tell her no when she gave him &the face'& They truly were two peas in a pod' ( couldn't imagine what powers she'd wield over him once she truly understood what she was capable of' )he was quiet for a moment, and finally looked from the puppy to him' &( need my hat, 6addy,& she stated, which caused us both to chuckle' &;es, ma'am,& he said with a grin, standing up to nestle the puppy back into the pile of its siblings' &('m pretty sure we can take care of that, little sweetness,& he told her, scooping her up, &because you can't fly without it'& 5e tapped his own backwards cap, and she giggled up at him' 4e stepped out of the barn, and $dward set Bethy on her feet to run to /unt >ate' &$li3abeth "enee,& she crooned, kissing her cheek' &;ou be good' /nd stop growing8& &?nca $m says ( can't help it,& she argued with a smile' &5e says ('m getting too big on purpose'& &;ou are,& $mmett growled' &;ou're only growing because ( told you not to8& &0u2uh8& she laughed' &?h2huh8& he sang back' &0ice, $m,& ( sighed, rolling my eyes' &;ou ,ust sank to a three2year2old's level'& "ose raised an eyebrow at me, silently asking me if this fact surprised me, and ( couldn't help but laugh' &=ome on, #ambina,& /lec said, holding out his arms for her' &('ll get you strapped in'& )he went to him willingly, leaving the rest of us to hugs and goodbyes' $mmett, "ose, =aleb, #akenna, =arlisle, and $sme were all taking a private plane back to )eattle' .asper and /lice were flying out to Te as for a few days, ,ust to check on his father' /lec was riding with us, and #ickey was staying at the farm with 7bie' $dward opened the side door of the chopper, helping me up into the back, and ( turned to him, saying, &$asy on my stomach, fly boy, okay!& 5e grinned, biting at his bottom lip a bit, before placing a warm hand on my stomach' &('ll do my best, sweetness' ( promise'& ( kissed his lips softly, smiling against them' &;ou always do, $dward' ( never doubt it'& #y statement meant more than ,ust flying, more than ,ust prying puppies out of our daughter's hand, and ( locked ga3es with him to make sure that he knew that, because ( knew he was worried' 5is eyes were warm, sweet, and as green as the firs around us' 5e needed to know that we trusted him, depended on him, and we couldn't be more

grateful that we still had him' 5e also needed to know that we couldn't put him in danger any more than he could allow it to happen to us, that we'd all fight to keep each other safe' 5e nodded once, kissing me one more time a little more firmly' &)trap in, love' 9et's go home'&

CHAPTER 23
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&;ou know, ( didn't sign up for all this heavy labor,& /lec growled, rolling his eyes and hammering a nail into the board' &('m a special ops soldier, capesce! 0ot a construction worker'''not a farm hand,& he continued to bitch, but .asper's and $dward's unstoppable laughter ,ust made him smile' &5mm, but they look so freakin' good doing those things,& /lice muttered from the deck chair beside me, and we snorted into shameless giggles, because it was so fucking true' (t was ,ust me and /lice on the porch at the moment' "ose and $mmett were spending some time with their parents, showing off baby =aleb now that they could' #akenna and 4es probably hadn't seen the light of day since we got back to 4ashington, and =arlisle had gone back to Twi Towers with $sme' 4e'd been home for about two weeks' $dward had immediately gotten to work on the baby's new room' (nstead of hiring a crew, he wanted to work on it himself, only bringing in outside resources when it was something he couldn't do himself, like pouring the concrete foundation, the wiring, and he'd most likely get someone to do the roof, as well' $verything else, he insisted that he try' ( was proud of him, because he was treating it as a rehabilitation thing for his leg, but he was willing to admit when he couldn't do it alone, like today' Today, they were building the frames for the outer walls'''in ,ust ,eans, on a rare sunny day, sweating and fle ing' ( brought my mug of warm tea to my lips, trying to tamper down my horny hormones' They were out of control' &/nd he's so working the fact that /bby's mother is ,ust inside the house,& ( added in a mutter' &/lec's been salivating since she stepped onto the damn property'& ( chuckled, rubbing my hand over my now ,ust barely there baby bump' (t was ,ust big enough to make all my clothes not fit, and ,ust small enough that $dward's hand could still spread over it * though his hand wasn't the only thing he put there, because ,ust under my shirt was a love bite that would make a hooker blush' &0o shit, the sly dog,& /lice laughed softly, her eyes flickering from the computer screen on her lap, to the boys, and then back to me' &That's some thick2ass charm he's workin''& ( smirked, but it was true' &+ive bucks says he invites her to :reacher's 5alloween +undraiser'&

&7h yeah,& she agreed, going back to her computer, where she was still looking for 9ilith' =arlisle had finally agreed to my suggestion' 7nce he met :reacher, saw the neighborhood, and witnessed what a wonderful thing the rec center was, he latched on to my idea with a tenacity that only he could pull off' The two of us got together with 5annah in the charities department of Twi Tech, and she was right on board' =arlisle sought out 4alter Bridges )r', bought the big ass warehouse that was abandoned * not to mention a few other buildings * and it was now being turned into housing for the homeless' 0ot only would it help that rundown community, it would give them ,obs, stability, and something to take care of, because he was basically giving it to them' 5e also was putting in a few businesses * a small grocery store, a gas station, and a storage facility for Twi Tech' /ll of it meant more ,obs closer to home, easier shopping, and more security, because when =arlisle =ullen wanted to build something, the city of )eattle protected it' The shelter would be finished first, but it needed funds, so 5annah had set up a 5alloween party, turning the warehouse, the rec center, and the space in between into a small festival for the local kids and their families' Gravity would be working alongside Twi Tech's security people to make sure everyone stayed safe and no one decided to &act the fool,& as :reacher worried' &(s $dward going to let you work it!& /lice whispered' &?h'''no, not really,& ( chuckled, shaking my head' &('m going, but only because my name is on this whole thing * =arlisle insisted * and because :reacher fell in love with Bethy and invited her' )o she's determined to dress up, get candy, and see 'the big pweacher guy' again'& ( grinned at /lice's laugh' &;ou should've seen them' (t was hilarious, because she's so small and he's so damn big' )he comes to his kneecap8& &)o it's a family thing for you two!& ( shook my head after taking a sip of tea' &4e'll be armed, we'll patrol, but anything ma,or is all on him' 5e made me swear it' (n fact, he really wants me and Bethy with :reacher, =arlisle, /lec, or himself the whole time'& 4e both looked up when two little brunettes darted back into the yard, a colorful blur of squeals and laughter' )arah =armichael walked out right behind them, wearing a wry smile and shaking her head' )he'd offered to take the girls inside when the said they had to potty and wanted something to drink' )he took her seat ne t to me as the girls resumed their playing' +or everything that she'd been through, with the kidnapping of Bethy and /bby, ( had been afraid that she would hate us, but that simply wasn't the case' ;es, she'd been

frantic, but the story that little /bby had told her, plus the fact that we'd returned her daughter to her unharmed, had given her a little perspective' 7nce she'd heard the whole story from 4es and Benny, she'd understood completely and without anger, because apparently, her now deceased husband had been a cop in 7lympia' )he was well aware of the ha3ards of what a dangerous career could bring down on a family' 0athan =armichael had been interviewing witnesses for a murder case, had finished up for the day, and was meeting his wife and daughter for dinner' 5e'd been followed and had been shot down in the parking lot of the restaurant ,ust as they were about to head home' /bby had been less than a year old1 she didn't remember a thing, but )arah did' /ll of it' (n fact, it was the reason she'd moved to a small town after he'd died' /s soon as )arah had heard we were back in +orks, she'd called me, wanting to get the girls together' )he'd stopped mine and $dward's profuse apologies, because she said we'd more than made up for it by risking our lives to get /bby and Bethy back' )he wouldn't hear another word of it' 9ooking at her right then, ( truly felt for her, due to my own close call with $dward' )he was alone, raising a beautiful little girl, struggling ,ust to get through' )he was still young, very pretty, with long, dark hair and ha3el eyes' +rom what ( could gather from ,ust our casual conversations, she didn't make friends easily and she seemed fairly lonely' /gain, my heart went out to her, because as ( glanced across the porch, $dward's green ga3e locked with mine, causing my whole body to shake with the gratefulness that consumed me' #y hand rubbed my little bump softly as ( fought running to him' &5ow far along are you!& )arah asked, eying my hand knowingly' ( smiled, looking down, and then back to her' &/lmost three months'& )he grinned and nodded' &6uring all this, you get good news,& she chuckled, shaking her head, because /lice and ( had caught her up to speed on what was really going on with /bby's kidnappers' &=ongratulations,& she said, and ( thanked her' /lice giggled, looking up from her computer' &(t was a shock, that's for sure, though ( think $dward was ,ust about to e plode from pride'& 4e all chuckled, glancing over at the three working men' /lec and .asper were holding the first wall frame so $dward could secure it in place' #uscles fle ed, sweat dripped, smiles of pride flashed across handsome faces, and ( was pretty sure that ( was way too hormonal to be sitting there for much longer' &7h, he's really trying to kill me today,& ( muttered, shaking my head, which only caused /lice's head to fall back with her laughter' &)hut it, pi ie,& ( snorted, rolling my eyes as she only laughed harder'

&4hen ( was pregnant with /bby,& )arah said with a wry smile, chuckling at our e change, &0ate had to change clothes at the precinct'& )he grinned over at me' &There was something about the uniform that sent my hormones into overdrive' ( made him late ,ust about every day'& 4e all snorted into loud laughter, causing all the boys to look our way, as well as the girls to pause their pretend tea party from under the tree house' ( wiped tears away from my eyes, saying, &;eah, but this one'''& ( pointed toward the construction, keeping my voice low' &5e's been through this before, and he knows e/actly what he's doing to drive me cra3y'& )arah giggled' &( bet'& &5ey, #ellissima!& /lec called sweetly, and ( had to fight to keep from rolling my eyes' 4hen ( looked over at him, he asked, &4ould you check my sauce! (t should be ,ust about done'& &)top it,& )arah snorted' &5e cooks!& &They all do,& /lice and ( muttered wryly' &)ure, but you're in charge, ?ncle /lec,& ( yelled back, raising an eyebrow at him and pointing to the two girls' 5e grinned and nodded' The three of us went inside the kitchen' /lice and )arah sat down on stools, while ( checked the slow, simmering, yummy goodness that was /lec's spaghetti sauce' 5e made that shit from scratch, using his grandmother's old recipe, but he swore it had to cook all damn day' "eally, ( think he ,ust liked to drive the whole house into a fren3y with ,ust how good it smelled' &4hat's his story!& )arah asked, and /lice's head snapped around' ( smiled, pulling a pot out to start the water for the pasta' &5e's obviously (talian, former /ir +orce, been working with $dward's dad for years, but he now works for me in security' 5e's ama3ing with Bethy,& ( said, turning around to look at )arah' &!ma@ing,& ( reiterated' &5e's a ridiculous flirt, outrageously handsome, but one of the most loyal people ( know' ( don't know what we would have done without him these last few years' 5onestly'& That was the fucking truth' ('d met /lec ,ust after $dward and =arlisle had pulled me out of #iller's basement' 5e'd been semi2retired from working for =arlisle, but had come back and been with us ever since' 5e treated me with the utmost respect, adored Bethy beyond belief, and loved $dward like a younger brother' /lice nodded silently, looking over at )arah' &5e's ,ust shy of forty, owns his

grandmother's old house in Brooklyn, an apartment in )eattle, and drives a fi ed up, street racing "EF'''se iest car ('ve ever seen, though right now, he's driving a rental )?-' 0o wife, no kids, not even a dog' 5e's staying here right now to help with security'& &0ot even an e !& she gasped, glancing out the window and back' &0o,& /lice and ( both sighed sadly, because that very topic had come up with me and my girls more than once' 4e adored /lec, thinking his sweet, flirty ways were adorable' ( was pretty sure he'd left his fair share of broken hearts along the way, but ( got the feeling there were less than he bragged about in front of the guys' &( won't lie to you,& ( told her, pulling out a pan to start the garlic bread, simply because ( was fucking starving' &/lec'''he has a way with women'& &('m not blind, Bella,& )arah chuckled' &/nd ( haven't e actly been alone for three years * ,ust'''picky as to who my daughter sees'& ( smirked over at her, laying the bread out and sticking the tray in the oven' ( glanced out the window, motioning her to look' &But then there's this,& ( snickered, watching her face take in the front yard' ( cracked the window so she could hear them' &?nca /lec8& Bethy laughed, her face turning pink as he, $dward, and .asper sat with the girls on their picnic blanket' &;ou hafta put it on8& she told him, holding out the big floppy hat' &5ey, ('ve worn it'''you can, too,& .asper scolded him, wearing a shit2eating grin' 4e all chuckled as we watched, because $dward took the big pink feather boa and tied it around his head like a headband, and .asper slapped the hat onto /lec's head before donning a flowery apron' The two little girls were in hysterics, their little hands covering their faces' #y boys lived to hear that sound * especially $dward' &)hit, ( ,ust love it when Bethy makes them do that8& /lice giggled, going back to her stool' ( looked over at )arah' &5e's not a saint, but he's a damn good guy,& ( stated, shrugging one shoulder, because that pretty much summed up every man in my life * from =arlisle and $dward, to .asper, /lec, and $mmett' They were my family' &/nd he's ,ust about to trip over himself to flirt with you'& )he smiled, blushing a bit, but nodded that she'd heard me' .ust before ( closed the window, ( yelled, &=ome on, ladies, take a break and eat something8&

$dward's head fell back with his laugh, but he stood up, tugging the boa off his head' 5e shot a glance toward the house, telling the two girls to wash up' Tiny feet pounded through my house and down the hall, but three sets of heavy boots thumped into the kitchen' )uddenly, the kitchen was overwhelmingly full of tall, handsome men, all smelling like sun and grass and lumber, tugging their t2shirts on over their heads' &(t's good, #ellissima, yeah!& /lec asked, washing his hands and picking up the lid of the pot' &('m starving, /lec' (t could be a buffalo, and ('d be okay with it,& ( teased him' &( think you let it cook so long that ( eat like three plates before it's all over'& &That's my girl,& $dward chuckled, wrapping arms around me from behind, his hand immediately seeking out its place on my stomach for ,ust a moment' &( want him strong, love,& he growled huskily in my ear so that no one else heard him, placing a sweet, but over too soon kiss to my neck' &;ou want me huge,& ( countered with a laugh as he picked me up and set me on a stool' &That, too,& he said with a se y ass grin and a wink' &)it, baby' ('ll make yours'& *im' ( smirked, shaking my head at that' $ver since we'd told Bethy that ( was pregnant, our little bean had suddenly become a him' $dward was building his room, his crib' 5owever, discussions for names were mutually put on hold until we knew for sure' ('d teased $dward once over it, telling him that he could be offending another girl, but he'd only smiled sweetly and shrugged, saying that was fine, it was ,ust more girls for him to love' &#ommy8& Bethy gushed, rushing into the kitchen' &( w2want''' ( w2want to g2go as a c2 cat for 5alloween,& she sputtered e citedly' &4hen we go see :weacher again'& ( smiled down at her, pulling her to my lap' &/ cat, huh!& ( verified, and she nodded vehemently' &4ell, ( think we can do that'& &('m going as a ballerina,& /bby said softly, and we all looked at her' )he was still so very shy, but she was finally comfortable around us enough to speak up' &)he's coming wif us, wight, #ommy!& Bethy asked, looking around the room at all the adults, and finally landing on her dad' &(f she wants to, little sweetness,& he chuckled, setting two plates full of pasta and garlic bread in front of me and Bethy' &( think that's up to her mom'& &Trick or Treating!& )arah asked, but ,ust like ('d thought he would, /lec answered' &0o, there's a 5alloween block party that =arlisle's throwing as a fundraiser in )eattle' 4e'll be heading up security, but there'll be games, food, and ( think'''a haunted

house'& 5e growled the last words to Bethy, who grinned at him as she twirled her noodles ,ust like he'd taught her' &(f you'd like to go, ('d personally see to it that no ghosts, ghouls, or goblins bother you,& he vowed smoothly, placing a hand over his heart' &%arebbe il mio onore, signore... (t would be my honor, ladies'''& $dward smirked, popping a piece of garlic bread into his mouth and chewing it slowly while he watched them, as he sat down ne t to me and Bethy' .asper grinned, shaking his head as he stared down at his plate' ( wanted to laugh, because /lec was turning the (talian charm on thick, but one look at )arah, and ( knew she was done for' /bby giggled at him, and ( was sure that was all it took, because )arah glanced down at her, and then back to him' )arah spoke to her daughter first' &;ou want to go with Bethy!& she asked, and /bby nodded happily, causing Bethy to look up at )arah with a pleading face' )arah smiled shyly, but nodded at /lec' &7kay, that'd be great' Thank you'& /lec's smile could have lit the entire city of )eattle, and ( had to take an enormous bite of pasta to hide my amusement, but $dward caught it, leaning to my ear' &7h, he's smooth' .ust wait until that night'''& he whispered in a soft chuckle as the girls squealed in happiness, drowning him out a bit' ( grinned, giggling and leaning into him' 5e kissed my temple, smiling against my skin as he said, &)he won't know what hit her'& 4hen dinner was over, /lec walked )arah and /bby to their car, making sure the security that 4es had set up let them out okay' 7nce he was back inside the house, ( folded my arms across my chest, leaning a hip against my counter as $dward and .asper finally let out their laughter at his antics, but as funny as it was at the moment, ( wasn't so sure what his intentions were' /lec caught my stare, sobering up quickly' &6on't ,ust use her, /lec,& ( warned him, raising an eyebrow' &)he's been through some'''not so nice things' )he's not a toy' )he's a single mother''' That's two lives you're messing with'& 5e started to say something as he shook his head, but ( went on, and he snapped his mouth closed' &(t's all fun and games with adults, but /bby isn't along for the ride' Got me!& $dward and .asper sobered up quickly at the change in conversation, looking between us' &#ellissima, it's not like that,& he countered, holding up his hands in a surrendering gesture' &( would have already asked her out, but the timing was off, amore'& 5e frowned, shoving his hands into his front pockets' &(t was during all the kidnapping stuff' ( would have been an ass, asking her the day that Benny returned /bby back to her' /nd ( couldn't hurt the little one any more than ( could my #ambina'& $dward's eyebrows shot up when /lec ,erked his chin toward the living room where

Bethy was watching a movie' ( huffed, shaking my head' &( know your reputation, /lec' ('m ,ust thinking that's not what )arah's all about, okay!& &( consider myself completely warned, Bella,& he chuckled, his smile creeping back up on his face' &This isn't like that,& he said again' &( want'''more'& #y eyes flashed to $dward' &('ve heard that before, /lec,& ( murmured, rolling my eyes at $dward's chuckle' &4atch out, you'll be married soon'''& ( teased him, narrowing my eyes at my amused husband' &/nd then'''it's all over, buddy8& /lec smirked, shaking his head at me' &('ll be on my best behavior, #ellissima' ( promise'& ( shook my head, waving him off, not knowing if that was a good thing or not' /fter what ('d ,ust witnessed, ( was pretty sure that /lec's idea of behaving was somewhat similar to $dward's' They were both shamelessly charming, and ( could well imagine ,ust what they were capable of together back in the day' &5e was a bad influence on you,& ( playfully growled at $dward' 5e grinned, shooting a look to /lec' &;es, ma'am' 5e was'& /s ( left the room, ( heard $dward mutter, &(t's best to ,ust nod and smile, man' )eriously'&

E!"#$!
&4hile we're in town, ( need to make a stop at some point,& ( told Bella, glancing over at her as ( drove through the streets of )eattle' &)ure,& she sighed, but chuckled' &(t seems we'll be busy all day'& ( smiled at her chuckle, because it was true' 4e had a meeting with :reacher to go over the last minute guidelines for his security before the party tomorrow night' Bella had a check up at her doctor's office, and we had to pick Bethy up from my dad's apartment, because $sme was taking her to find the perfect cat costume for the fundraiser * thankfully, only the kids had to dress up' But ( needed to do one more thing before we went back home' ( pulled into the parking lot of the doctor's office, shutting off the engine' ( held my hand out to Bella' &Gun,& ( said wryly, which caused her to burst into sweet laughter' &0o,& she grumped dramatically' &(t'll be ,ustifiable homicide, baby'& ( grinned, shaking my head' &Gun, sweetness' ('m not having you arrested while

pregnant with my child' #indy isn't worth the hell ('d bring down on the county ,ail should something happen to you'& Bella scoffed at me, rolling her eyes, all while fighting her smile, and handed over her nine mil' &+ine'''whatever'& ( kissed her temple and got out of the car, stowing her gun in my inside ,acket pocket as ( walked around the )?- to help her out of the car' &=ome on, love' This will be the best part of the day'& #indy wasn't even at the front desk when we checked in, but we did see her on our way back to the e amination room' 5er eyes wouldn't meet mine, and that was ,ust fine with me, because ( wasn't sure what my wife would do to her if she stared like she had the last time' ( knew Bella' (t wasn't the fact that the girl had crushed on me later in high school, or maybe even found me attractive now1 it was the cruelty in which she treated me over my stutter, my being the new kid in school and being different' Bella had 3ero patience for that bullshit at twelve years old, so it only was e acerbated as an adult' /ccording to my wife, people were allowed * and should be encouraged * to be different' (t made us interesting1 it made us'''us' )tutters, scars, quirky personality traits, shocking intelligence, fierce and almost blind loyalty'''Bella surrounded herself with people with these traits' )he loved us all without trying to change us' ( kissed her forehead at that last thought, ,ust as the doctor walked in' &;ou know, that's what got you here,& 6r' )andler snarked, giving us a wry smile' Bella and ( chuckled, but ( sat back, linking our fingers together' 6r' )andler was a calm, sarcastic woman' )he'd delivered Bethy, so Bella wouldn't hear of going to anyone else' &;ou missed your last appointment, (sabella,& she stated, flipping through the chart and tsking at the same time' &)orry, family emergency,& Bella mumbled, and ( squee3ed her hand a bit' &4ell, then, this should be interesting, because there'll be huge differences this time'& The doctor lifted Bella's shirt and proceeded to smear the chilly goo over her belly' / heavy whirring met my ears, and ( knew enough, remembered enough from Bella being pregnant with Bethy to know that what we were listening to was a strong heartbeat' ( grinned, shaking my head, because right then, it was all too real' &)ounds good, 6ad,& 6r' )andler teased, most likely due to the shit2eating grin ( was wearing, but we all turned our attention to the small screen in front of us' &0ot a bean anymore, guys,& she chuckled, glancing at us' &('m seeing arms, legs, toes, fingers, a strong little heart'''but not quite everything' (t seems you've got a shy one'& Bella and ( both chuckled, but it was true' The baby seemed to be curled up, hiding his

or her face' 4e knew it was possible to find out this early what we were having, but it was rare' /nd ( wasn't disappointed by any means, because seeing the tiny version of my new little one was ,ust about my favorite thing' &9ooks perfect,& the doctor sighed contentedly, giving us a warm smile' &( still want to check a few things, but ( see no problems at this stage' ;ou're heading into the second trimester ,ust brilliantly'& Bella smiled and nodded, and as soon as her stomach was cleaned up and the picture was printed, the doctor &poked and prodded,& as my wife liked to say' /nd again, we got a thumbs up and an all clear' 7nce we were back in the car, ( handed Bella her gun back, which made her laugh again, but in all reality, she would need to have it on her when we got to :reacher's' ( chuckled against her temple as she stowed it away, but ( couldn't resist her stomach' &5e looked good, love''' )trong,& ( teased her' 5onestly, we didn't care whether it was a boy or a girl, but everyone seemed to be pulling for a boy, which was what had started the whole he thing in the first place' )he giggled, leaning her head back to the headrest' &6rive, $dward' That names list is still on hold, pal'& ( laughed, kissing her cheek and rubbing her belly one more time'

&( don't think we'll have any problem covering every section,& /lec said, pointing to the two main buildings and where the games and some small rides were currently being put together' &4e'll put a few men at each entrance, a few in the game area, and scatter the rest of us throughout the place'& This was what /lec was really good at' 5e'd been working security for years before he ,oined back up with me and my dad, so we let him lead' &( think we should look like security,& $mmett stated, his face serious' &( think that we should pose as a visual deterrent, as well as a physical one'& &( agree with that,& Bella added, giving the entire area a long, slow glance' &)houlder harnesses, name badges, and everyone dress the same'''& she murmured, her eyes dragging over each section' &The only one ( don't think that needs to do that is =arlisle, because he'll be a public figure here'& &0ow, we'll have local police working with us,& /lec said' &They'll patrol the streets

surrounding the neighborhood, and they are who we'll be calling should something happen'& 5e looked around at the twenty or so men and women that were listening to him' &;ou have the right to escort anyone causing a problem out of the function' ;ou have the right to suggest arrest once they are outside the party' ?nderstood!& There were murmurs of consent, but one guy spoke up' &6o you think there will be a lot of trouble!& he asked' (t was :reacher who answered' &;es and no,& he sighed, stepping forward' &There is a part of this community that is e tremely e cited about these ne t few things' They need the work, a place to live, a chance to get back on their feet' There are more of them than the troublemakers that are out there'& &5ow's "eggie feel!& Bella asked, turning to him' &7h, he's fine with it' 5is'''um, clientele range all over the city anyway,& :reacher scoffed, rolling his eyes' &5e's actually got a young cousin that wants to work in the shelter, so he can't really complain' 5owever, he was very interested with that last bit of news you had me pass on to )harky'& Bella grinned, patting his big arm' &( bet he was' 9ilith owes him how much!& &/ hundred grand, if not more,& he chuckled' &;ou really think she'll come back here!& &('m surprised )harky hasn't heard from her yet,& she stated with a shrug' &5e was always her connection, so ( think it's ,ust a waiting game for us' )he'll show up eventually'& ( sighed, shaking my head, because the mere thought of that cra3y bitch still roaming around the streets made me angry' ( looked to :reacher' &5er target would be Bella' :eriod'& ( turned to the security crew, as well as $mmett, .asper, and /lec' &>eep your eyes peeled, your heads clear' ('m not kidding' This is the perfect type of situation that she'd approach, because she could hide in the numbers'& ( wasn't fucking stupid' ( knew Bella was hoping this whole function would draw 9ilith in, like a fly to honey' (t wasn't that the community help wasn't a brilliant idea, because it was, but the fact that it was 9ilith's old neighborhood didn't help my nerves' &4ell,& .asper drawled, eying me, and then Bella' &)he's kinda on this committee, too, right!& he asked, and we all nodded, but he turned to me' &)o let's keep her with =arlisle and $sme' 4e'll post you with them, too' )tick to the main areas'& 5e pointed to Bella' &0owhere alone, Bells' (n fact, if you stayed in the rec center all night, ( wouldn't bitch about it'& )he chuckled, nodding' &( hadn't planned on a nighttime stroll through the back streets, .a33,& she snarked at him' &The only reason ('m coming is because we're all here, and

it's something that's needed here' 4es is =arlisle's personal guard on this' ('ll be surrounded every step, and it's only a few hours'& :reacher studied my face, because ( was shaking my head' &;ou're worried!& &;eah,& ( sighed, running a hand through my hair' &(f it were up to me, she and my daughter would be home'''if not locked in a room,& ( growled at her, rolling my eyes at her scoff' :reacher chuckled' &(s it the neighborhood! 7r 9ilith!& &The neighborhood is fine,& ( said, because as many times as we'd been there, we were always welcomed' &( really don't like that we haven't heard from 9ilith' 0othing's showing up on any searches, she hasn't popped up on any radar, and they haven't found her dead anywhere' ?ntil ( get my hands on her, even a trip to the store makes me nervous'& /lec chuckled, squee3ing my shoulder' &$asy, kid' 4e've got some media coverage making this pretty out in the open, we've got more than enough security, including the police, and we've got a local drug gang out for 9ilith's head' 4hat more do we need!& That caused a round of laughter, even from me, because all of that was true' 4e really couldn't be safer' )till''' ( turned to :reacher' &"eggie''' (s he coming!& ( asked him' &:robably not the way you mean,& :reacher snickered' &5e'll be controlling the streets around us, though' 5e already said it' 5e's getting the same vibe you are, son' 5e thinks this will draw 9ilith in'& &7kay,& ( sighed, thinking if ( couldn't catch her, at least someone could, and somehow, ( couldn't find it in me to give a shit whether it was a gang or not' &Then ( guess we'll see you back here tomorrow night'& ( stuck out my hand, and he took it firmly' &#iss (sabella8& we heard behind us, and ( couldn't help but smile' #iss Geneva was waddling her way quickly toward my wife' &9ook at you, child8& &5i, #iss Geneva,& Bella said, wrapping her up in a hug' &Green Bay :ackers today, ( see'& The old woman shrugged, grinning from ear to ear' &( likes my football players, girl' They're big, strong'''handsome,& she whispered with a wink, giving :reacher a side glance' &6on't care what color they are, neither' =ould ,ust about eat a quarterback up with a spoon'& Bella giggled, as did some of the other women on the security team' &5ow are you!& &('ve got me a ,ob8& she said, beaming' &Gonna run the kitchen at the shelter' .ust wait

until you taste my meatloaf'& ( chuckled, shaking my head, because she was a fantastic character' )he was spunky, full of life, even though she had to be well into her late seventies and had been living on the streets for who knew how long' )he never wore anything other than oversi3ed football ,erseys from every team, it seemed' )he didn't have a tooth in her head, but her smile was so fucking infectious that you couldn't help but like her' &( see you brought my handsome thing, (sabella,& she said, catching sight of me' )he cupped my face' &;ou doin' okay there, gorgeous!& ( laughed' &;es, ma'am' .ust fine'& &Good'& )he beamed, her eyes flickering back to Bella' &/nd ( can see why'''& she gasped, eying Bella's hand as she placed a hand on her stomach' &#mm, mmm, makin' pretty babies,& she crooned, grinning at Bella's laugh' &9et me see you,& she ordered, cupping my wife's face, giving her stomach the lightest of touches' &('m thinking girl, but it's too soon to tell' =ome back to me in a few months'''& &6on't believe her,& :reacher chuckled in my ear' &)he called my first son a girl, and that was after we'd already seen the sonogram'& ( laughed, but hid it behind my hand' &Got it' Thanks'& &9ord, #iss Geneva, what do you need!& :reacher sighed, but gave her a placating smile' $ven he couldn't get upset with her when she flitted from one sub,ect to the ne t at lightning speed' &They need you over at the rec center to tell them where you want something or other' ( don't know,& she huffed, folding her arms across her chest like a pouting child' &/nd )harky's here to see you'& That got our attention, but we looked to :reacher' &They probably want to know where the 6. is going, so tell them anywhere out of the way,& he said to the old woman' &;eah, that's it,& she grumped, shaking her head and waving at all of us as she waddled back across the parking lot' /lec dismissed everyone, but .asper, $mmett, /lec, Bella, and ( all followed :reacher toward the rec center, finding )harky, who was pacing nervously * that is, until he saw Bella' / smile lit his features' &/h, #iss Bella,& he crooned, bowing to her' &;ou look a lot better than the last time ( saw you'& )he chuckled, rolling her eyes' &('m pretty sure ( do, but ( owe you a thank you, ( think' ;ou pulled her away from me'&

5is tongue clucked, and he shook his head' &=ra3y cow,& he scoffed' &0ever did like the bi'''& 5e stopped, giving :reacher a side glance' &#y bad, :reach'& The large man smirked, waving him off' &4hat'choo got for me, Terrance!& )harky flinched at the sound of his real name, but ('d be willing to bet he'd never correct :reacher on it' $ver' &"eggie said to tell you he's been getting some strange reports back' There's a woman looking to buy, but no money' 0ot ,ust powder, either' )he wants a weapon'& &9ilith!& Bella asked, her eyebrows raising high' &#aybe' 5e's not sure,& )harky replied, shrugging a shoulder' &5e don't know her, but ( do' ( haven't heard nothin' from her'& &4ith what happened the last time, she may avoid you,& Bella told him, and he nodded at her' &/nyway,& )harky said, turning back to :reacher, &she's approaching the new guys' The last one tried to call me and "eggie, but she ran off before he could get us'& 5e grimaced before he said the ne t thing' &5e said to tell you that he's taking her, whether you like it or not'& :reacher snorted, looking to me, and then back to "eggie' &Those are the things ( don't want to know, Terrance'& &But ( do,& /lec added, stepping forward' &;ou tell him that if he wants to take her, that's fine, but we need to know about it' 4e need proof'& &5e figured that much,& )harky stated' &5e'll have boys in their cars driving these streets all day, all night'''not to mention that party you're throwin''& &( thought you were getting out of this life, )harky,& Bella said shrewdly, her eyes narrowing on him' &;eah, well''' ('ve recently found myself a freakin' middle man,& he huffed, shifting on his feet like an admonished child' &4e got you, #iss Bella' 6on't you sweat it' )ome of us remember what she did to her little girl, you know' >illin' babies don't fly around here'& #y eyebrows shot up, and ( looked to :reacher' 5is face was grim, letting me know that )harky was telling the truth' ('d completely forgotten that it was in this very neighborhood where all this shit started, where 9ilith had killed her youngest little girl and kidnapped her oldest from her foster parents' (t all came back to this very neighborhood' These people had seen her fucked up bullshit for a long time' &4hat'choo do to your own body is your thing'''what'choo do to a kid''' 4ell, that's a whole 'nother story here,& )harky finished' &)ee, "eggie's mom worked at that hotel

9ilith was livin' in' 5e knows all about her'& &7h,& Bella said, frowning a bit' &(t all comes full circle, doesn't it!& she muttered to herself, and ( couldn't help but pull her closer' :reacher huffed a heavy e hale' &(t can, Bella' (t certainly can'&

%E&&#
$dward and ( were quiet as he drove through the crowded city streets' ( knew he was worried' ( knew that placing us all in one spot was making him nervous, but ('d taken what =arlisle had said to heart' 4e were stronger, smarter, and quicker than 9ilith had ever thought about being' 4e were more e perienced, calmer, and in control' (t was these things that ( focused on, put my faith in, because ( knew ('d be surrounded by the best' (n all reality, ( wished that we didn't have to go to this function at all, but 5annah had convinced =arlisle that a holiday would bring in more money' (t wouldn't ,ust be the neighborhood people at the fundraiser1 people with pull and large bank accounts had been invited, too' The whole thing was to encourage the restructure of worn down areas of the city' &;ou're mad,& ( stated in a whisper, looking up at him when he stopped at a red light' &0ot at all, sweetness,& he sighed, picking up my hand and kissing the back of it' &('m worried, love' But ('m not sure that would change no matter what we were doing * even if we ,ust took Bethy trick2or2treating in +orks'& ( smiled and nodded' &To be honest''' ( don't want you far from us tomorrow night, $dward'& 5e turned to me, his eyes darkening ,ust a bit' &( wasn't planning on it' 7ur main crew will pretty much be around the entire time, Bella' /nd it wouldn't surprise me if 4es hasn't added a few undercovers in there'& &;eah, #akenna is pretty damn sure he's working something out'& 5e pulled into a parking lot, turning off the car and shifting my direction' &5ere's what ( want, baby' ( want you and Bethy in my sights at all times' 4e'll wear radios, go in armed, and work this function for the shortest time we can get away with' Got me!& &:erfectly,& ( answered him, leaning over and kissing his lips' &(n fact, ( want two guns on you' .ust in case,& he added, cupping my face and rubbing a thumb along my cheekbone' &Take your nine, but take the forty2five, too' )tash it in a purse or something, but take it'&

&7kay,& ( agreed' &6o you think we're nervous over nothing!& &0o'& 5e gave me almost a scathing look, because mine and Bethy's safety was his top priority' &0o, Bella' ( don't' ('d rather go in with a tank and not need anything'& ( giggled at the thought, which softened his features' &+ine, a tank, it is,& ( said, and he laughed, pulling the keys from the ignition of the -olvo' &4here are we!& ( asked, but stopped when ( reali3ed what we were doing' &7h,& ( sighed sadly' &( didn't even think'''& &(2(t's s2something (2( n2need t2to d2do,& he sputtered, giving the building in front of us a dark look' &(2(t's o2only r2right, Bella'& &7kay,& ( soothed, running my fingers through his hair' &6o you want me there! 7r to wait out here!& &020o, c2come,& he said, suddenly sounding like the young boy ('d first met' ( smiled, kissing his cheek softly' &(s this where you got the others!& &;es'& 5e looked to me, his eyes holding an old sadness' &( got them all here'& ( nodded, not saying anything, because there wasn't anything to say' This was all $dward' (t was something that meant something to him, and ( wouldn't take it away from him for all the money in the world' (t was his way of giving thanks, of paying homage, of showing respect' 4ithout a word, he led me into the tattoo shop' (t was dark, but clean, with only one person sitting at a table along the side' 5eavy music played from a small set of speakers on the table, but it was the man behind the desk that my eyes fell to, because he smiled widely at the sight of my husband' &=ullen8& he said with a grin, standing up and making his way toward us' &;ou swore to me no more tats, bro' ;ou finally getting that crest on your back we talked about!& The guy was about $dward's age, completely bald, and seemed to be covered in a rainbow of colorful ink * including his bald head' 5e had piercings in his eyebrows, his ears, his lips, and his chin' But his smile was warm and friendly as he took my husband's hand firmly while slapping his shoulder' &0o,& $dward laughed, placing a hand on my shoulder' &Barry, ('d like you to meet my wife, Bella' Bella, this is Barry Godwin' 5e and ( were stationed overseas together' 5is uncle owned the shop at that time'& ( smiled, shaking the man's hand' &(t's nice to meet you'& &5oly hell, me, too8& he gushed with a big ass grin' &7h, ( always knew someone would tie him down one day' 5ow'd you do it!& he asked in a e aggerated whisper'

( giggled, more at $dward's pink cheeks and eye roll than at Barry's amusement' &:ure talent,& ( told him, which caused $dward to bark out a laugh' &Thatta girl,& Barry said, winking at me, but he turned back to $dward' &4hat can ( do for you, bro!& &( need another star, Barry,& he said, his voice low, subdued, and his friend seemed to understand, his ,ovial face sobering ,ust a bit' &Gotcha' 4ell, off with the shirt, $d,& he ordered, gesturing to the closest chair' &('m sure ( can match ?ncle 5oward's work'''& he muttered' $dward shirked off his ,acket, unbuttoned his shirt, and draped them both across an empty chair' Barry walked to a file cabinet and tugged it open, pulling out a manila folder' &)ame shit, $d' ;ou gotta sign my papers first,& Barry muttered, leaving the file open' &;eah, no problem,& $dward said from the chair he was now sitting in' 7nce all the paperwork was signed, Barry leaned $dward back ,ust a bit, and they talked about where they were going to put the ne t star in honor of )am' / heavy sadness fell over me, and ( ,ust couldn't watch' Turning to face the walls that were covered in e amples, ( tried to drown out the noise of the needle by losing myself in the artwork' ( didn't like $dward in pain, and the reason he was doing it made it all a little worse for me' )am may have saved $dward's life, but in $dward's heart, he'd lost another man under his command' #y eyes fell to the counter, to a file folder with =ullen written on the tab' Barry had left its contents spread out along the top' There were permission forms and sketches of $dward's current tattoo, but there was also another sketch that caught my eye' ( picked it up, and my eyebrows shot up' ( thought right away that it must have been the crest that Barry had asked about when we first walked in' (t was beautiful work1 it was the =ullen crest, but it was more' The scroll work around the actual crest itself was gorgeous' The center had the pawing lion, a ribbon with the name written on it, and the three shamrocks that represented the (rish heritage that =arlisle had descended from' &:retty, huh!& Barry asked from across the room as he changed the ink in the needle' &Tell him he should get it' ( worked damn hard on that sketch'& ( huffed a laugh, looking at the drawing again, and then back up to $dward's amused face' &;ou don't want this!& ( asked, holding it up as ( walked to them' &( ,ust never got it,& $dward chuckled, clearly a touch embarrassed' &('d brought him the crest years ago, but ,ust decided that ( didn't really need it'&

( narrowed my eyes at my husband, and ( could tell that there was more to that answer than he was saying in front of his friend' ( wasn't a huge fan of what Barry looked like' =overing every inch of skin wasn't all that appealing to me, but to each their own' ( liked $dward's tattoo, because'''well, it was $dward1 it meant something' 5owever, the drawing in my hand had me intrigued' &4here!& ( asked, holding it up again and eying $dward's beautiful skin warily, because it shouldn't be allowed to cover up some of my favorite parts' &( said his shoulder blade,& Barry said, sitting $dward up straight as he pressed gau3e to my husband's new star' &9et me see,& ( said softly, and Barry lifted the gau3e gently' (t was positioned at the bottom, the /ir +orce ribbon now surrounded by four stars' (n a weird way, it balanced the whole thing out' ( wanted to kiss $dward, make this better, but ( knew nothing would, so ( simply touched his fingers with my own, letting him squee3e me for support' &;ou're done, $d,& Barry said, taking the cash $dward handed him once he was standing' ( looked at the sketch again, and then my husband's glorious back as he turned to pick up his shirt' Broad shoulders narrowed to his waist1 muscles rolled beautifully under smooth skin, and if ( wasn't mistaken, a couple of light nail scratches from the night before, which caused me to smirk' There wasn't a chance in hell ink was going to cover that pure, natural piece of art' 0ope' 0o way' &0o'''not the shoulder blade,& ( stated firmly, which caused both men to turn to me, both highly amused' ( handed Barry his sketch back, but $dward stopped me' &4here, love!& he asked, setting his shirt back down' &6o you want it!& ( countered, because ( didn't really have an answer, but he only shrugged at my question' &;ou must have at some point, baby'& &( did,& he sighed, taking the picture from Barry, who was quiet as he waited' &('d thought about it when ( started working for my dad'& 5e looked to Barry' &;ou did add to it' 9ooks good'& &Told you,& Barry chuckled, slapping his arm' $dward looked conflicted, but he looked to me' &(f you want me to'''& ( grinned, shaking my head' &(t's not my skin, $dward'& 5e chuckled, nodding, and handed the paper back to Barry before turning back to me' &;eah, but if ( did it''' 4here!& he asked'

( smirked at him, but studied his body * not that ( didn't have the damn thing memori3ed' &5ere,& ( said softly, placing a hand on his upper arm on the same side of his body as the other tattoo' &7oh, she's right, because the scroll work would wrap around your bicep like a cuff,& Barry said, smiling and holding the paper to $dward's arm' &0ice, Bella,& he muttered' 4e both looked to $dward, who seemed to be mulling it over' 5is brow was furrowed, and he swallowed thickly' &0ot today,& $dward stated with a finality to his voice, and ( knew what that meant' 5e was giving the day and the added star ,ust to )am' )omething fun or ,ust something $dward wanted could wait' 7nce he was dressed, we waved goodbye to Barry and got back in the car' ( turned to $dward, stopping him before he cranked the engine' &4hy that picture!& ( asked, knowing he didn't do much without meaning' &/nd why not get it!& $dward smiled a bit, though ( noted it was a touch sad' &#y mother loved that crest, used to tease my dad that it was the reason she wanted to become a =ullen * something about the proud lion, she always told me' #y dad's parents were proud of their lineage, so it was everywhere in their house when ( was young'& 5is voice was soft, the tone it usually took on when he spoke of his mother' &( thought she'd love the idea of me and my dad working together, that we were protecting each other' ( got the first one ,ust before ( went overseas' ( thought that one would represent a new start after my in,ury and dismissal from the /ir +orce'& &But you didn't do it''' 4hy!& ( urged, because $dward very rarely set his mind to something and didn't follow through with it' &Time, really,& he sighed, reaching up to brush a stray hair from my face' &( was working for him, out of the country, or simply rela ing at my house' ( ,ust never did it' Before ( knew it, it ,ust wasn't a priority'& 5e sighed, shrugged, but went on' &/nd then ( couldn't decide where,& he chuckled, giving me a wink when ( giggled' ( studied his handsome face and reached up to drag my fingertips lightly over his stubbly chin' &(f you still want it, get it'& &0ot today,& he said again with a shake of his head' &But thank you' ;ou really don't mind!& ( giggled, because in all honesty, the damn thing would be ama3ingly se y wrapped around his strong bicep' &0o, $dward,& ( said with a smile' &( don't mind' .ust not on your back,& ( growled, pointing a finger at him' 5e chuckled, kissing me quickly and cranking the car' &;es, ma'am'&

&That tickles, #ommy,& Bethy giggled, wriggling her nose as ( finished up her kitty nose and whiskers' ( laughed, kissing her forehead' &;eah, but you're so cute,& ( told her' &5old still for one more minute, my little wiggle worm'& 7nce her little black nose and whiskers were in place, ( picked up the headband and slipped in onto her head, using it to keep her hair away from her face' The little ears on top ,ust finished off her costume perfectly' &7h, your dad may ,ust kiss you to death, pretty girl,& ( giggled, setting her down' &Go show him'& &7kay,& she laughed, tearing out of my bathroom and down the hall, calling for $dward' ( grabbed my ,acket, and my nine mil, stowing it in the leg holster around my thigh and over my leggings * the only thing that really fit anymore thanks to my little bump * and then picked up the forty2five that $dward had insisted ( carry' ( tucked it into my coat, feeling slightly weighted down, but secure, nonetheless' ( walked into the kitchen to see both my loves in all black * my little cat, and my personal bodyguard' 5e'd picked her up and set her on the kitchen counter, smiling at her like he wanted to ,ust smooch her to pieces' 5e was wearing black dress pants, a tight, black, long sleeve shirt, and his gun was already strapped in his shoulder holster' 5e was going for large and intimidating, but at the moment, he ,ust looked too cute, tugging on his daughter's tail' &Gamma did awesome, little sweetness,& he chuckled, kissing her forehead' &#ommy did my whiskers,& she told him, playing with the name badge hanging from his belt' &But ( like my ears,& she giggled' &#e, too,& he told her, running a hand down her hair and patting her leotard clad legs' 5e looked up when ( walked into the room' &7h, too much,& he chuckled, shaking his head, his brow furrowing adorably' &( know, right!& ( laughed' &$sme ended up making most of her costume, because she didn't like the store ones'& 5e gave his daughter one last look, another kiss to her forehead, and then set her down on the floor' &4e'd better get going' /lec said he'd meet us there at the front,& he stated, picking up the keys from the counter' &$mmett and .asper are already there!& ( asked, smiling when $dward tugged me

closer' &;eah,& he sighed, dropping a sweet, but rather deep kiss to my mouth' &The girls, too,& he whispered, kissing me again1 this time, his hand covered my stomach' &This outfit actually shows him off,& he murmured se ily in my ear, before opening his mouth to the soft spot ,ust below it' ( grinned at the him again, shaking my head and pulling away from him ,ust a little' &God, if it's a girl, she's going to be so pissed at you'& 5e laughed' &('m sure she'll forgive me' ( can be very persuasive'& 5e bent down, placing a kiss over my dress, and then asked, &(sn't that right, little one!& &/in't that the truth,& ( muttered wryly, leaning in to his chuckling kiss to my head once he stood back up' The drive to the fundraiser was full of Bethy's e citable chatter' )he knew all her uncles, her grandparents, and even baby =aleb would be there, not to mention how happy it made her that /bby would be going, as well' By the time we arrived and caught sight of the small welcoming committee that was waiting for us, she was about to ,ump clean out of her skin' ( grinned at the sight of :reacher kneeling down to her and /bby's level to hug them and welcome them sweetly, because he still dwarfed them with his huge shoulders' $dward leaned into whatever /lec was telling him, nodding once before addressing me, )arah, $mmett, .asper, /lice, and "ose, who was holding baby =aleb, who was dressed in the cutest of teddy bear costumes' &#y dad's inside,& $dward started' &5e wants to speak to the press and give the media their pictures' /fter that, we'll walk the festival with him'& 4e all nodded in agreement, but then he knelt down to Bethy and /bby' &( have some rules, ladies' 7kay!& he said, his voice so very sweet when talking to them' Bethy nodded, used to his mannerisms, but /bby blinked up at him, wide2eyed' )he was too cute, dressed in all pink with a frilly tutu' 5er usual dark hair was twisted up into a tight bun' )he made an absolutely adorable ballerina' &Girls, ( don't want you going anywhere without a grownup, okay!& he asked, and waited until they nodded' &4e'll play all the games, do all the things you want, but you have to wait for one of us to be with you' /ll right!& &;es, #r' $dward,& /bby whispered, nodding slowly' &7kay, 6addy,& Bethy chirped, grabbing his hand' &9et's go see :oppy, and then we'll play'& 5e stood up, keeping Bethy's hand in his and reaching for mine'

.ust before we walked inside the fair, ( caught sight of )harky leaning casually against a light pole across the street' 5e tipped up his chin in greeting, his eyes flickering to a car that was slowly driving by * a car filled to capacity with very large men' )harky smirked, giving me a wink and silently telling me that the place was completely surrounded by both good and bad guys * though this time, we were all on the same page should something happen' 4e passed by witches, ghosts, and superheroes as we made our way to the front of the warehouse about to be turned homeless shelter' .ust before we ,oined the small crowd of media and business people standing around =arlisle, $mmett stopped us, holding out his hand' &Take these,& he said, giving each of us a small earpiece' &Good,& $dward praised, immediately putting his in' &4ho are we patched into!& &Benny,& 4es said, walking up with #akenna on his arm' &5e'll be listening in for me' 4e've got three e tra men roaming around already'& &$ven better,& /lec stated, tucking his into his ear' ( put mine in, chuckling, &5ey, Benny'& &/h, Bella' Try to stay out of trouble for me, huh!& he said softly in my ear' &4hat! /nd ruin everyone's fun!& ( laughed' &0ever8& They all chuckled * even $dward, who wrapped an arm around my shoulders' / noise from the podium drew our attention to =arlisle' $dward scooped Bethy up so she could see her :oppy, but gave the first of what ( was sure would be many commands before the night was over' &7kay, everyone'''on me' $yes sharp' )pread out' )tay safe'&

CHAPTER 24
E!"#$!
&4est entrance clear'& &Games area clear'& &6omestic disturbance at the rec center, but it's breaking up now'& &('ve got a group of teenagers ('m keepin' an eye on by the haunted house' They look like they're ,ust bein' pains in the asses'& ( snorted at that last check in, but looked over the gaming area' ( could see $mmett standing guard ,ust outside the rec center, the couple that had been fighting now gone' .asper was walking slowly along the line of small childrens' rides' /lec wasn't far from the main entrance or from the girls' Bella, /lice, "ose, )arah, and #akenna were all watching /bby, Bethy, and a handful of other little kids their age play some sort of treasure hunt, where they were all rooting around in some hay to find candy or pri3es or some shit' ( grinned, trying my damnedest to fight it, when my baby girl was ruthless in that game' )ometimes, she was way too much like me * though her cleverness at being able to find whatever she was hunting came from Bella, ( was sure' ( chuckled silently when she stood up * hay sticking to her everywhere * proclaiming to have found the big pri3e' &God, she's ,ust like you,& my dad chuckled from beside me' &( half e pect her to punch some2damn2body'& ( laughed, my head falling back to the post ( was leaning against' &4ait for it' 5igh school's a bitch,& ( chuckled, giving him a glance, before resuming my scan of the games' &That's very true,& he snickered quietly' &/nything!& he asked, because he wasn't wearing an earpiece' &0ah,& ( sighed, shaking my head' &/ few small things, but normal' )ome drunk and disorderlies, $m broke up a couple fighting over some stupid shit, and the guard at the east entrance has been keeping an eye on some rowdy kids, but nothing ma,or' )houldn't you be posing for pictures or something!& 5e grinned and shook his head' &Those are done' ( should be talking to that group right over there,& he said, ,erking his chin toward a small crowd of about eight people' They were dressed like they had money, carried themselves like they owned the fucking world, and gave some of the people around them a snobby, scathing look' &But they're kinda assholes,& he chuckled' &( ,ust want their money for this pro,ect, not idiots

inviting me to play golf and shit' 6o ( look like ( play golf!& ( grinned and shrugged' &0o, but hell, ( don't know' #aybe' They don't know you past the big office and the B#4, 6ad' ;ou'd really scare the shit out them if they knew what you used to do, what you're capable of'& &;ou think!& he asked, almost beaming like a kid, and ( rolled my eyes at him, causing him to squee3e my shoulder and laugh' &$d,& /lec called, and my head shot up to his position' &;ou've got a single woman, hood covering her face'''two o'clock'& ( spun my head to the right, locking sights on who he was talking about' ( narrowed my eyes on the woman, trying to see if it was 9ilith' ( couldn't quite tell with the hood blocking her face, but the body type seemed wrong' )he seemed too tall, her legs too muscular for 9ilith's skinny ass' / little kid ran by the woman, causing her to look up so ( could see her face, and ( shook my head' The girl was too young, too pretty to be the bitch we were looking for' &0egative,& ( answered' &0ot her'& &Ten2four,& he replied' #y dad and ( stayed quiet, ,ust watching the little kids playing, the parents smiling, and the neighborhood folks losing themselves in something fun for ,ust one night' &Gorgeous8& ( heard to my left, and ( didn't even have to look to know who it was' &;ou ,ust gotta meet this lady,& ( chuckled, shaking my head' &This one woman may be the reason behind Bella's whole idea for this neighborhood' ( swear to God'& #y dad grinned as he watched #iss Geneva waddle her way to us' &5i, #iss Geneva,& ( said, hugging her when she finally got to me' &/h, #iami 6olphins today'''& )he grinned, all toothless and mischievous' &('m going to retire down there one day' 4here's my girl!& &)he's with our daughter,& ( said, pointing at the cotton candy stall' &#iss Geneva, meet my father, =arlisle' 5e's the one that's doing all of this,& ( told her, waving a hand around and turning to my dad' &)he's going to be running the kitchen at the shelter once it's finished'& &Goodness gracious, 9ord /lmighty,& she gushed, beaming up at him' &4ell, now ( know where Gorgeous here gets his looks' 5ow you doin'!& ;up, you couldn't help but love her' #y dad chuckled, but shook her hand' &('m ,ust fine, #iss Geneva' (t's nice to meet

you'& 5e leaned to her ear' &/nd he got his looks from his mother'& ( grinned, rolling my eyes, and shook my head when she burst into a sweet, childlike giggle' #y eyes scanned the games area again, getting nods from $mmett and .asper, but my attention was at the tiny boulder that ran into my legs' &5i, 626addy8& Bethy panted, because she'd run all the way to me' &626id you s2see me w2win!& ( scooped her up, kissing her cheek and avoiding the face paint that made up her kitty nose and whiskers' &( did' 4hat'd you win, little sweetness!& )he held out her hand to show me a bag of candy' &=andy, but #ommy says ( can't have it yet'& ( smiled' &4ell, if #ommy says no'''& ( shrugged, because ( could see my little one was hyper on cotton candy and life alone, so ( was pretty sure chocolate would probably send her to the moon and back' &)he's the boss, you know,& ( whispered to her' #iss Geneva chuckled, ga3ing up at my daughter' &)ay hi to #iss Geneva, Bethy,& ( told her, and my little girl smiled and waved' &/ren't you ,ust a beautiful thing!& #iss Geneva gushed, patting Bethy's hand' &That's what 6addy says' 5e says ('m as pretty as #ommy,& Bethy answered, grabbing my face' &4ight!& &That's right,& ( grunted, kissing her neck ,ust to hear her giggle' #iss Geneva laughed at us' &Both my girls are beautiful,& ( told her, patting her leotard covered leg' &;ou cold, baby!& &?h uh,& she said, shaking her head and wrapping her arms around my neck' &('m okay'& &Good,& ( told her, turning my attention back to the games area and listening to a few more check ins' #y dad was telling #iss Geneva all about what to e pect once the shelter was opened, but he was slowly walking her toward the assholes he'd been avoiding' ( chuckled, thinking he was brilliant, because if anyone could win over those people for donations, it was #iss Geneva' &4hat's funny, 6addy!& Bethy asked, tilting her head at me' &;our :oppy' 5e's being silly,& ( told her, picking up her hand and kissing her fingers' ( looked up to see my wife walking our way' God, she was beautiful, starting to show that sweet little bump in the front' ( couldn't help but smile at her' )he was wearing a pretty, flowery dress covered in orange2ish, fall like colors, black legging things, and without even looking, ( knew she had her gun strapped to one of her fantastic thighs,

because there was no fucking way she had it anywhere else that ( could see' /nd ( was totally looking' )he brushed a hair away from her face, her skin practically glowing as she smiled at me and Bethy' &5ey,& Bella sighed, kissing us both, but turning to Bethy' &;ou're not bugging 6addy while he's working!& &0o,& ( answered for her' &)he's fine' )he was ,ust telling all about winning some big ole pri3e'& Bethy grinned, biting her bottom lip, before saying, &6addy says you're the boss'& ( chuckled at Bella's smirk and glance up to me' &"eally, $dward!& she laughed, shaking her head' &;ou ,ust didn't want to tell her she couldn't have a mountain of candy'& &;up,& ( said, nodding like a kid' &;ou're so right about that'& &=oward,& she snorted, but her smile at me was stunning' &4hat ( was coming over here to ask was''' 4ould you watch her for a minute! The girls and ( need the restroom'& ( chuckled' &;ou mean you need the restroom'& ( knew for a fact that she'd gone before we left the house and once along the way' #y poor girl's system was all out of whack' &0ot funny, baby,& she growled, rolling her eyes' &(t's not e actly a party going on in here,& she said, gesturing to her own body' &#mm, but it could be,& ( crooned in her ear, kissing her neck' &6on't tease, $dward,& she warned, but the se y ass little giggle that she let escape made me kiss her sweet skin again' &+ine, and yes, ('ve got her' But where!& ( asked, looking around for where the bathrooms could possibly be' &They said right inside the rec center,& she answered, pointing toward where $mmett was standing' &4e're all armed, e cept for )arah, so don't worry'& &('ll always worry,& ( muttered, ,erking my chin at $mmett, who could hear the conversation ,ust fine, so he knew ( was sending the girls his way' &4hat about /bby!& &)he's staying with /lec,& Bella answered, her amusement at that barely contained as she raised an eyebrow at me' &)o''' ;ou two can play the ne t game'& &4hich one!& ( asked Bethy, tickling her tummy' &The wing toss, 6addy,& she giggled, pointing to a game ,ust a few feet away' &;es, ma'am,& ( told her, handing Bethy's bag of candy to Bella, where it immediately

was stowed away in her ,acket pocket' &=ome on, little sweetness,& ( grunted, setting her on my shoulders' &9et's kick this game's butt8& &;eah8& Bethy cheered, her small hands holding onto my face for support' &$dward8& Bella chided, but laughed as she walked away from us to get back to the girls' ( made my way to the game that Bethy wanted to play, my eyes scanning around us' ( couldn't help but smirk when )arah handed /bby off to /lec' +or a split second, he looked a little lost, a little proud, and then e tremely happy when /bby giggled up at him' #y old friend was looking to settle down, and ('d had no clue, but ( could see it in his face, his eyes that he wanted more with )arah' The man was a lady killer' ('d seen him in action, but this''' This was different' 5e caught sight of me and Bethy and ,oined us at the ring toss game' &0ot one word, kid,& /lec warned, raising an eyebrow at me at the same time we set both girls down' &0ot one' #ellissima has already threatened my manhood'& ( laughed, slapping his shoulder' &7h, that she did,& ( chuckled' &;ou sure about this! )he's kinda right, you know' (t's not ,ust'''one woman'& 5e looked down at the two giggling girls who were waiting for us, and then back up to me' &;eah,& he said really slowly, a smile spreading over his face, &('m sure, kid'& (f ( could have told him how scary and perfect and fucking fantastic it was to have a family, we'd have been there all night' ( could see by the look on his face that he was in territory that he wasn't used to, but he was determined to try' 5e was also looking to me for help, because this was where ( had e perience and he didn't' ( knelt down behind Bethy, but looked to both girls' &7kay, ladies' 4hat are we playing for!& &The bear, 6addy,& Bethy said, pointing behind the woman that was running the game to a big brown bear wearing a red bow' &;ou, too, /bby!& ( asked, because she was a quiet little thing, not always speaking up when she was nervous' &;es, #r' $dward,& she whispered, nodding a bit' &7kay' Bears, it is,& ( said, standing up and paying the attendant, who was smiling at us all' )he was an older woman * she looked to be in her mid2fifties * and she set the girls up with rings, while ( spoke over the radio' &$veryone check in, please,& ( ordered, giving a long, slow scan around me' #ost

everyone checked in immediately with an all clear' &.!& ( asked, looking for .asper' &4e're good' .ust had to walk out a guy harassing a bunch of girls,& he sighed, and ( saw him make his way back through the entrance' &Benny! 4hat's going on out there!& ( asked, because he was parked down one of the old streets' &9ots of activity from "eggie's boys' )harky's left his post, but we lost sight of them,& he stated' &=ould be a deal gone bad, but ( put an agent on it'& &>eep me posted, Ben, okay!& ( asked, glancing back to the girls, but /lec was helping them and giving me a chance to check in' / few more check ins sounded over the radio, but ( didn't hear from the girls' &Bella! "ose!& &4e're in the rec center now, $dward,& /lice piped in over the earpiece' &Bella may kill someone, 'cause the line is a mile long'& ( grinned' &5ang in there, sweetness,& ( chuckled, knowing how she could be at this stage of her pregnancy' &('m trying,& she laughed, though ( could tell she was an ious' &('m up ne t' 0ote to =arlisle' They need bigger bathrooms' Three stalls aren't enough,& she growled dramatically' &('ll tell him,& ( said with a smile' &$mmett, keep an eye on that rec center'& &7n it, $d,& he replied back' The girls cheered, and ( spun to see that they'd both won, though ( was pretty sure that /lec had helped them' +rom the look on the attendant's face, ( was most likely right' &That's my girl8& ( laughed, picking up Bethy and teddy bear as she beamed at me' &/nother one, 6addy8& she commanded' ( laughed, kissing her cheek' &0o, that's enough toys for you, little sweetness,& ( growled playfully against her skin' ( set her down onto the asphalt, taking her hand in mine' /lec did the same with /bby, because ( was e pecting the girls back any second' ( looked to the rec center, and $mmett wasn't on post' ( glanced around to see .asper back in front of the rides, and my father and $sme, who was holding =aleb, talking to :reacher, but not the girls' .ust as ( was about to ask for $m to check in, he popped around the corner with what looked like one of "eggie's boys talking to him animatedly' )uddenly, Benny's voice sounded over the radio' &=hrist,& he snapped' &$d, we have a problem8 7ne of "eggie's boys was found dead in an alley' +rom what they can tell me, he's been dead about an hour' That was the last

time they heard from him'& &=opy,& ( snapped, turning to /lec' &They'll come in if it's her'''& #y sentence was cut off when ( heard something that gave me chills' &4ell, well, well''' 9ook who's pregnant'''& &9ilith'''& Bella's voice carried over the radio, but it was a mere whisper' /lec and ( fro3e, our eyes locked for ,ust a mere second, before the radio e ploded' ( spun to the opposite side of the game area' &6ad8& ( called, and his head shot up' )cooping the kids up, /lec and ( rushed to him' &Take them,& ( snapped, handing Bethy to my dad, while /lec handed /bby to :reacher' &)he's here,& ( hissed to my dad' :reacher's head snapped up' &9ilith!& &;es,& ( said, turning back to my dad' &;ou get them someplace safe' 6on't let them out of your sight,& ( ordered him' &6addy!& Bethy called, holding her arms out' &Baby, stay with :oppy, please' (t's really, really important that you do that for me' 7kay!& ( asked her, kissing her quickly' (t was all ( could do to keep my voice calm for her, because ( knew we were scaring her' ( spun away from her without waiting for her answer, /lec right by my side as we ran toward the rec center at full speed, doing our best not to run into anyone' &$mmett, check in, dammit8& &"ec center, $d,& he answered' &4here do you want me, bro!& &(nside' Go,& ( ordered, pulling my gun out of its holster, and the guys followed suit' &( want this building emptied' 0ow8& ( snapped, pointing to two other e its' ( turned to the closest worker' &Get these main lights on' /nd get all these kids outside as quickly as you can' 7kay!& 5e was a young kid, but he nodded, wide2eyed, spinning on his heel to slam open the breaker bo in the far corner' Bright lights glowed into life, and the music died' &7kay, ( need everyone to e it the building, calmly, but quickly,& $mmett ordered in his booming voice' &$verything's ,ust fine, but we need you outside,& he commanded, and thankfully, they were all listening to him' &( got that back e it, $d,& .asper stated, bursting through the doors, barely avoiding knocking over a little boy ,ust trying to do what $mmett was telling him' &9et's get this bitch,& he snapped, shaking his head as he ran toward the other side of the basketball

court' /lec and ( dodged kids left and right as we made our way to the back hallway, finding the girls trying to open a locked bathroom' "ose had pulled out her gun and was ,ust about to shoot the lock' &6on't8& ( snapped, shaking my head' &;ou could miss' (t could ricochet inside, "ose'& The girls backed away from the door, letting me through' &('m sorry, $dward' 4e didn't know the bitch was in there,& she said, putting her gun down' &)uddenly, this little kid got shoved out the door, and the lock clicked'& ( nodded, putting my ear to the door, but ( couldn't hear shit' 0othing' &+uck, Bella''' (f you can hear me, ( need to know what's up, sweetness,& ( breathed, trying to stay calm, but having a fuck2ton of trouble doing it' &('ll tear this fucking door off the fucking hinges' ( swear ( will' But ( need to know'''& #y girl only said one word' &Go'& ( waved everyone back, and my shoulder met the bathroom door with more force than ( probably needed, because the damn thing snapped off the door,amb, falling to the bathroom floor' +ive guns pointed inside what was a completely empty room' &)hit,& ( hissed, running a hand through my hair' &4here'd you go, baby!& ( asked, but ( was pretty damn sure she couldn't answer'

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God, ( had to pee so damn bad' ( was practically dancing in front of the door' $dward had told me to hang in there, but shit, ( was about to drown' The girls laughed at me, but ( knew they understood, because hell, they'd seen me go through this before' &)hut it,& ( snapped, smirking at #akenna's laughter' &(t's really not funny when they tap dance on your bladder like that,& )arah groaned in sympathy' &/bby drove me cra3y,& she stated with a laugh, shaking her head' &=aleb waited until the worse possible moment to shift around,& "ose said with a grin' &( swear, it was like he'd bide his time until ( was nowhere near a damn bathroom'& 4e all chuckled, but my head snapped up when the door opened' ( heard the girls' laughter as ( bolted in, finding the first empty stall' #y eyes practically rolled back with the relief that came' /s ( fi ed my clothes, ( heard the water run, a gasp, and then the door open and shut quickly' But it was the sound of the lock that brought my mind and nerves to complete attention'

Before ( could grab either gun on my person, my stall door was kicked open, and an old, rusty revolver was immediately pressed to my forehead' 9ilith had never looked so ragged as she did standing in front of me' )he looked totally on edge, completely wasted, and utterly insane' 5er eyes were wild as she took in my entire being, shaking her head slowly' &4ell, well, well''' 9ook who's pregnant,& she slurred, sneering at me' &9ilith,& ( started' ( could barely hear her tell me to shut up due to all the activity that e ploded inside my earpiece, but be damned if ( was taking it off' 9ilith put a finger to her lips, pointing toward a storage closet at the end of the room' Glancing inside, ( saw how she'd gotten into the bathroom * the ceiling' 7ne rectangular tile had been shoved aside, and she'd used the shelves to climb down' )he must've been waiting for me all night' .erking the gun toward the ceiling, 9ilith motioned for me to climb up' #y hands clenched at my sides, itching to ,ust grab one of the guns on me, but ( knew she'd flip the fuck out' )he'd kill me right there without hesitation, without remorse, so ( climbed, hearing my husband's voice call for $mmett, hearing Benny order the festival shut down, and fighting with all that ( had not to say anything with the ne t words $dward spoke to me' &+uck, Bella''' (f you can hear me, ( need to know what's up, sweetness,& he sang, and ( could tell he was trying to remain calm, but his close pro imity made me want to call out to him' 9ilith poked the mu33le of her gun to the back of my head, and ( climbed up the shelves quickly, wanting to give myself space and time, but she was right on my heels' (f she saw my leg holster, she didn't make mention of it' To be honest, she looked too tweaked out to be able to be that observant' &('ll tear this fucking door off the fucking hinges' ( swear ( will' But ( need to know'''& $dward warned softly in my ear, and ( could ,ust imagine his fierce ga3e narrowed in on the bathroom door' ( had to wait1 ( had to make sure that 9ilith didn't hear me, but that $dward followed' The problem was that 9ilith shut the closet door behind her' 7nce we were both crawling along the ceiling, ( finally gave him something' &Go'& (t was barely a whisper, but he heard me, and ( could faintly hear the door shatter down below' &4hat did you say!& 9ilith asked in a harsh whisper, gripping my hair'

&( said''' 4here are we going!& ( snapped back, my lip curling in hatred as ( glared at her over my shoulder' &To that ladder, and then climb down,& she stated, ,erking her chin toward the far wall in front of me' &Go, bitch, or ('ll kill you up here and leave your body to rot like a dead rat'& ( snorted, rolling my eyes at her dramatics, but ( continued to crawl across the ceiling' ( made my way to where the ceiling stopped, looking down to where there was an empty space between the walls, all the way down into darkness' There was a perfect view out a dusty window down to the festival below' )he had been watching all night' &Go,& she growled, poking my head again with her gun' 7ne quick glance at it, and ( saw that it was completely loaded, but so damn old that it looked like it would barely fire' &4here the fuck did you get that gun! The bottom of the damn bay!& ( asked her, unable to refrain from picking on her' That had been my problem with her from the very beginning, from the first time ('d met her' &=limb, Bella,& she snapped, looking over her shoulder' (t seemed to take forever to climb down to solid ground' /s soon as my feet hit the bottom, ( glanced around to see that we were in some sort of tunnel' ( shook my head, because ( was pretty sure no one knew about this shit' &)peaking of rats,& ( muttered, looking down the barrel of that gun again' &;ou sure do know your way around like one' 9ive in the sewer, too!& That earned me a blow to the head with the butt of that gun, and ( grunted with the dull throb it left me with, but ( met her ga3e again' &4alk,& she ordered, gesturing behind me' &6ammit, Bella,& $dward growled over the headset' &6o not egg her on, baby' 4e're right behind you' 7kay!& &7kay,& ( said, answering them both and giving the ladder ('d ,ust climbed down a longing glance upwards' &But if you get that one small chance, sweetness, you take it,& he ordered in my ear' &+ucking tear her apart' Got me!& ( grinned ahead of me, where 9ilith couldn't see' $dward's worry was there, laced in his tone, but his command, his faith in me boosted me ,ust a little' /s we walked, ( listened to my crew and the outside security people speak over the radio' &#ove, move, move8& /lice growled, and ( could hear her typing furiously' &6amn it,

Benny' 4e need satellite on this shit' :ull up street cameras' ('ll have the thermal up in thirty seconds'& &"aulson, ( need to know where )harky is,& Benny barked over the radio, also typing like a fiend' &4e think she's gone underground' ( need to know where that shit leads' 5ow many fucking tunnels do these people have under there!& &)ir8& the man answered' 9ilith and ( came to the end of the tunnel to see blocks broken and pulled away, leading into either another tunnel or another building' &(n, bitch,& she ordered, practically shoving me through' ( came out onto the other side to see we were back inside the boiler room of the warehouse' There was still damage from the small gas e plosion being cleaned up' The walls and the roof above us were sooty and black, there were pipes * both broken and new, waiting to be installed * laying everywhere, and all the water that had leaked was now gone' &( knew they wouldn't let anyone in here,& 9ilith chuckled maniacally, shaking her head' &This shit's still under construction'& ( laughed softly at her, because she ,ust totally gave my man the answer to where we were' ( had to turn away from her to hide it' &That's it8& /lice and $dward said at the same time' &The warehouse' Go, go, go' ( want that bitch surrounded,& $dward growled' &)he won't leave that building' ?nderstood!& &)ir,& ( heard copied back' $very voice ( knew answered him * .asper, /lec, $mmett, "ose, and #akenna' The only one ( didn't hear was =arlisle, though it didn't take long' &Bring them all with you8& $dward snapped' &)on, the festival is disbursed, the police are covering the surrounding streets, and you've got thirteen members of a )'4'/'T' Team at your command' They are on, in, and ne t to the surrounding buildings' =opy!& =arlisle stated, his voice sure, angry, and ,ust plain focused' &;es, sir, and Bethy!& he asked' &.ust fine,& he soothed his son, and my feet faltered when 9ilith shoved me toward the steps leading up into what was becoming a shelter instead of an old warehouse' &Bella, if you can hear me''' They need a clean shot, sweetheart' ;ou be so careful, but try and space yourself from her'& &$veryone on me,& $dward ordered' &6o not take any shot until my fucking say' /re we

clear!& &)ir8& it seemed a thousand voices called back to him' ( winced at the panic in $dward's tone, because ( hadn't said anything in awhile' But ( also knew that it was quite possible that my husband wanted to end this himself' 4hen ( reached the top of the steps, ( saw my one brief opportunity, because there was construction shit everywhere' )tacks of lumber, pallets of drywall, bo es of unopened furniture, and forklifts to move it all' (t was a large open space, but there were plenty of hiding spaces' ( couldn't fight her, knowing that a wrong punch, a stray bullet, or a bad fall could hurt my baby, but ( could damn well get away from this cra3y bitch' 9ilith ,abbed that gun into my head one more time, and ( made my move' )winging my elbow back as hard and as fast as ( could, ( nailed 9ilith in the stomach' )pinning quickly, ( brought my foot to her head, sending her reeling backward' ( didn't pull a gun1 ( ran' (t was the only way to keep her away from my unborn child' / loud pop echoed in the warehouse, and ( smiled as ( slid behind a forklift' &7ne'&

E!"#$!
&7ne,& my girl said over the radio' 4e all shut the fuck up1 even /lec and ( came to a standstill in the long, fucking dark ass tunnel we were running down' &7ne, one, one,& /lice chanted' &4hat'd she'''& &)he's counting bullets, $dward8& "ose stated' &Bells, what's she got!& &"evolver,& Bella panted, &and boy, she's pissed'& #y heart ,ust about shot up into my throat at the sound of Bella's voice finally able to really fucking answer us' ( wasn't sure what got her to that point, but fucking2/, ( was grateful' &;ou can't hide, Bella8& 9ilith yelled, firing off another round' &4hy didn't you ,ust leave me alone!& Bella chuckled, and ( shook my head, because she ,ust couldn't help herself with this bitch' &9ilith, ( was hired to find you' ;ou were a ,ob to me' (t's not like you gave two shits about those kids,& she answered, and then grunted' &Bella,& ( warned, finally reaching the end of the tunnel'

&('m keeping her back to that boiler room door,& she answered me' &( can't fire at her, $dward'& ( winced, looking over at /lec, whose face was pissed off and determined' &)he's protecting her whole body' 7ne wrong shot, one wrong fall, and she could hurt the baby'& &;es,& Bella sighed, and ( could hear her worry for ,ust a second' &7h, sweetness,& ( groaned, bracing my hand on the wall before stepping into the boiler room, because ( knew under normal circumstances, my girl would've already taken the bitch out' Bella couldn't take that chance with how this had all come down' &('ve got you, baby, okay!& &;eah,& she whispered again' &(t's not ,ust that8& 9ilith yelled, firing off another shot' &Three,& /lice and "ose chanted softly' &Three more,& Bella whispered, almost to herself' &;ou kept coming and fucking coming8& 9ilith continued, firing another' &4eren't you the one that showed up at my father2in2law's wedding! "eally!& Bella asked, and ( could hear her grunt again' /lec and ( plastered ourselves on either side of the doorway, waiting for our opportunity' &$dward, listen,& /lice said in my ear' &Go,& ( breathed' &( see where you and /lec are' Bella is straight out, almost a direct line from the office doors' 9ilith is pacing slowly, about a hundred and twenty five feet from where you are, one o'clock' Got me!& /lec peeked slowly around the corner, shaking his head' &5ow does she do that!& he mouthed to me' ( smiled, shrugging' &:erfect, /lice' Thank you' )till beautiful'''don't care what you say'& /lice's sweet giggle met my ears as ( took my own quick glimpse out into the warehouse' (t was dark, the only light filtering in coming from the street lamps outside' There were two small emergency lights at the far end, but they weren't helping my situation' ?sing silent hand signals, ( told /lec to take the left side of the building, to stay low, to wait for my command' 5e nodded, slipping silently past me and immediately darting

behind a few bo es' &6idn't you take my daughter!& Bella yelled, and ( watched a brief flash of orange dart from one stack of drywall to a pallet of insulation' &;ou were free, and you came to me, 9ilith' ;ou touched my family8& ( flinched as another shot echoed loudly in the warehouse' &7ne more,& Bella, /lice, and ( muttered to ourselves' &>eep her talking, love,& ( whispered, finally stepping a foot into that warehouse' &7ne more, and she's defenseless'& &( know, ( know,& she sighed, and ( glanced up when she bolted from her current hiding spot to a new one, much farther down from me' ( raised my weapon, flicking the safety off and using both hands to aim, but my view of 9ilith was blocked by a forklift' &( don't get it,& 9ilith growled, and ( ducked down when she spun in one spot' &5ow could you end up with everything and ( have nothing!& &By your own fucking choice, 9ilith,& Bella answered her' & ou chose to kill Bree' ou chose to take /shley from .ason and /mber, knowing that she was fucking safer with them than she ever was with you8 /nd you chose to make the biggest fucking mistake of them all and touch my child' ;ou brought this all on yourself, 9ilith' ( had nothing to do with it'& ( took a chance and glanced around the bo ( was hiding behind, seeing that ( had 9ilith in front of me' / straight fucking shot' ( raised my gun, but at the last second, 9ilith moved' &)hit,& ( breathed, plastering my back to the bo and slipping down to the other end to peek around the side' &0o shot, no shot'''& &('m about to give you one, $dward,& Bella stated softly, and before ( could protest, warn her, or even blink, she stood up from behind a stack of plywood' &But ( will make sure you pay for it,& Bella said, her voice even and deadly, and she lifted her nine mil, flicking the safety off' (t only took a second for me to see what she did' )he'd scared 9ilith by sneaking up behind her and closer to her than the other woman had e pected, causing that one final bullet to squee3e wildly out from her gun somewhere off into the warehouse' ( raised my gun, yelling, &Bella, down8& #y girl slid back behind the plywood at the same time 9ilith spun my way' ( smiled at her when all her gun did was click, an empty and hollow sound echoing in our ears, but

( pulled my own trigger' Three rapid shots fired off my gun before 9ilith hit the floor'

%E&&#
)ilence hung heavily for ,ust a moment, my ears ringing from the loud fire of $dward's weapon' ( shook my head, gave myself a quick assessment, only to finally peek out from my last hiding spot' $dward loomed angry and fierce over 9ilith's body, his weapon still at the ready' 5e nudged her with his foot, causing her head to loll to the side, but ( could see from where ( was that his shot had been perfect, right in the middle of her forehead, along with two to the center of her chest' )he'd never stood a chance against him' &=lear,& he grunted out, his voice raspy, his breathing heavy' ( couldn't move from ,ust the sight of him' (t was like watching a movie, where the lead guy finally takes a breath once all the fucking dust settled' 5e was beautiful and scary at the same time' 5e was tall and larger than life at the moment, because it seemed like every muscle he had was pumped, fle ed, and simmering hotly ,ust beneath his skin and the tight shirt he was wearing' 5is sharp ,aw clenched and unclenched as he glared down at her, his eyes barely containing the green ( loved so much' 5is empty hand was balled up into a tight fist, practically shaking with how hard he was squee3ing it' 5e never looked more the hero than he did in that single moment' &$dward,& ( breathed, and his head finally snapped up, his ga3e softening to warm, sweet, and concerned' &=hrist, Bella,& he groaned, running the few feet that was between us and falling to his knees in front of me' &Tell me you're okay'& ( nodded, letting him pull me onto his lap when he sat back on his heels' ( wrapped my arms around his neck, ,ust breathing him in' 5e smelled like his cologne and sweat, like freshly fired gun powder' The metallic sound of gun hitting concrete met my ears, and warm, firm hands rubbed my back, my sides, and finally, my shoulders' 5e cupped my face, pulling me back a bit so he could look into my eyes' &;ou're okay!& he asked again, kissing my forehead ever so lightly where 9ilith had hit me, rubbing my back, and finally rubbing our little bump gently' ( nodded again, grasping either side of his face and kissing him soundly' &;eah, ('m okay,& ( breathed against his mouth' 6oors burst open from what seemed like all directions at once, and a ton of people

piled into the warehouse, calling clear as they checked each section' /lec was the first to make it to us, and he was holding his arm' &4hat happened!& ( asked, refusing to remove myself from $dward's lap at the moment' &That last stray shot,& he growled, rolling his eyes' &:inged off a forklift' ('m fine' 6on't even ask,& he scoffed' $dward and ( laughed softly at him, because ( could see that it was ,ust a small gra3e' (n fact, there wasn't even much blood' ( leaned into my husband, wrapping my arms around him and glancing over his shoulder to watch several men check out 9ilith's body' )ome looked like police, others, +B(, but in the far back corner, ( saw )harky wearing a smug ass smile' 5e ,erked his chin my way, only to leave out the side door' &)he's gone, baby,& $dward soothed me, picking me up' ( sighed, touching my toes to the ground, because ( wasn't sure if he could carry me, no matter how badly ( wanted it' #y forehead hit his chest as the breath of relief left me in a rush, my knees giving out ,ust a little' &(t's over,& ( sighed, squee3ing back the tears of ,ust stress and worry and hormones' ( felt a kiss to my head and strong arms scooping me up again' &;es, sweetness' (t's over'&

&9ook up for me,& the $#T requested softly shining a light in my eyes' &Good' /re you hurt anywhere else, ma'am!& he asked, but ( shook my head no' &5ow far along are you!& &Twelve weeks,& ( said, barely seeing him, because ( felt a little numb that it was all over' But before he could suggest it, ( said, &('m fine' ( didn't fall or overdo it' (t was ,ust my head' 7kay!& 5e smiled warmly' &;es, ma'am' ( tell most women that they know their bodies better than anyone' (f you want, we can take you in, but it's up to you'& ( was shaking my head no before he even finished speaking' &0o, ( ,ust want my daughter' /nd how's /lec!& &The bullet gra3e!& he asked' &7h, he's fine' =ursed me out when ( cleaned him up, but

he didn't even need stitches' 9ooks like the bullet disintegrated when it bounced off something''' (t barely nicked him'& ( sighed, nodding when he handed me a cold pack, gesturing to my head' &?se that, and ( won't take you in,& he threatened with a sweet smile and a wink, because $dward was a pacing lion not four yards from us as he spoke to Benny, 4es, and =arlisle' ( heard a squeal of familiar laughter, and my head spun to find its whereabouts' ( couldn't help but smile, watching :reacher with two three2year2old little girls climbing all over him' 5e was so damn big that the man looked like a human ,ungle gym' 5e was play2fighting with them, teaching them how to ball up a fist and throw a punch at his open palm' #y daughter was currently draped over his shoulders, putting what looked like the sleeper hold on him, but he was so large that she could barely get her arms around him' /nd he looked like he was en,oying every single second of it' ( giggled, shaking my head, but kept the pack on it' &5e offered to watch the girls,& $sme said softly from beside me' &=arlisle was about to lose his mind not able to hear anything, so :reacher offered to help' 5e took the girls, and ( already had =aleb' 5e's a good man'& &5e's awesome,& ( chuckled, and it broke into a real laugh as the two girls tried to tackle him to the grass' ( could feel $sme's eyes on me, assessing me, so ( locked ga3es with her' &('m okay'& &Good,& she sighed, kissing the top of my head' ( sat quietly, watching everything' The carnival games and rides were being dismantled, the last few remaining security people left to go home, and my crew gave statements to officers' 5owever, Benny had taken charge of the night, because we'd filed a restraining order through him from the very beginning, so 9ilith's death was self defense * plain and simple' #y heart sank or clenched or some shit when the coroners emerged from the warehouse with a gurney' / black bag lay on top, 3ipped closed, and ( let out a long, slow breath' ( didn't know what ( was feeling more * relief that she was gone and out of our lives, sadness at the waste of life she'd had, because she'd had every,fucking,thing and threw it away, or gratefulness to the strong, noble man currently walking my way' $dward said nothing as he took the cold pack from me, pressing it gently to the knot ( was now sporting' 5e stepped between my legs, and ( pressed my cheek to his chest, letting his heavy, strong heartbeat soothe whatever ( was feeling, which was most likely all of the above'

&)he'll be fine, #r' =ullen,& the $#T told him from somewhere behind me' &)he should stay awake for a few hours, but other than that, she's fine'& &Thank you,& my husband said, his voice rumbling through his chest' (t seemed to surround me, ground me as ( gripped his shirt' &6ad wants us to stay at the apartment with them tonight, sweetness,& he whispered against the top of my head' &$sme wants to keep an eye on you' ( told them that was okay'& &7kay,& ( mumbled into his shirt' &;ou panicked,& he stated' &( did'& ( sighed, pulling back to ga3e up into beautiful, worried green' &(t wasn't ,ust me ( was protecting'& 5e nodded, like he had assumed as much' &( didn't e pect her in the damn bathroom,& ( huffed, rolling my eyes' &( e pected her at my house, really, or to show up at the opening of the shelter,& ( said, gesturing behind him' &0ot crawling around in ceilings and tunnels like a cockroach'& $dward swallowed nervously, but nodded again' 5e took a deep breath, shaking his head' &)he might have done that, but she was high, love' )he killed one of "eggie's young dealers and took his stash and his weapon' )he got in through a basement tunnel that no one knew about * not even )harky'& ( pursed my lips and shook my head' &)o if she'd have stayed clean, then she might have thought shit through! 0o, she was ,ust'''cra3y' )he never saw anything she did was wrong * going all the way back to Bree'& &9et's ,ust say the cocain she stole didn't e actly help that ailment,& he said wryly, raising a se y ass eyebrow' ( grinned, shaking my head' 9eave it to $dward to make me laugh at the end of it all' 5e broke into a wide smile, his head falling back a bit as he pulled me closer' 5e let out a soft laugh, shaking his own head' &=hrist, Bella,& he sighed against my hair' &('m ,ust glad you're okay'''both of you,& he said, his warm hand cupping my belly, my little bump' &#ommy, 6addy8& Bethy chirped, and $dward and ( both turned to look up at her * way up at her * because she was riding atop :reacher's shoulders while he carried /bby in his huge arms' :reacher set /bby down so that she could run to her mother, who was currently making sure that /lec's arm was okay' &5i, baby'& ( chuckled as she squeaked when :reacher playfully pretended to drop her,

only to set her on my lap' &( always wanted one little girl,& :reacher said wistfully' &(nstead, ( got two rough and tumble boys'& &('m rough and tumble,& Bethy countered, causing us all to laugh' &(ndeed you are, little sweetness,& $dward chuckled, kissing the top of her head, but he turned back to :reacher' &Thank you,& he said sincerely, shaking the big man's hand' &4hatever you need to finish this place, ,ust let us know'& &/nd ( think you owe me a bathroom door, too,& :reacher teased, clapping a grinning $dward on the shoulder and giving me a wink' &4e did pretty good tonight, despite the interruption, $dward, but ('ll keep the offer in mind' ;our father has offered to match whatever donations we brought in, so ( think we'll finish on time'& 5e started to walk away, but stopped and turned back to us' &( hope to see you at the ribbon cutting' ('d be interested to know if #iss Geneva's right or not'''boy or girl'& $dward and ( chuckled, nodding, and waved to him' &Boy,& Bethy piped up, grinning up at :reacher and rubbing my stomach' &Gamma says ('m gonna have a brother' ( hafta tell him to stay outta my room, though' 0o boys allowed'& 4e all chuckled at her, and ( couldn't help but wrap her up and smooch her face all over' #y stomach gave a fierce growl, which caused Bethy to gasp and $dward to chuckle' &7oh, angwy beaws again, #ommy,& Bethy giggled, cupping my face' &;eah, well, cotton candy ,ust doesn't do it for me, pretty girl,& ( laughed, scooping her up so that she was cradled in my arms' &#aybe ( need'''belly meat'''& &0o8& she screamed into hysterical laughter, kicking her feet as ( pretended to bite at her tummy' &0ot my belly meat8& $dward's deep, sweet chuckle met my ears' &=ome on, my pretty girls' 9et's go feed #ommy before she starts on arms and legs, huh!& he asked, giving me a wink and taking Bethy out of my arms, only to toss her over his strong shoulder like a sack of potatoes' ( slid carefully down from the gurney that ('d been sitting on, taking his free hand and linking our fingers together' ( gave one last glance to the coroner van, one more deep breath escaping me as $dward led us to the car' #y family was finally safe'

CHAPTER 25
%E&&#
&#rs' =ope says that Bethy hasn't missed much, that she's caught up ,ust fine in class,& $dward said, his back to me as he flipped over my eggs' ( nodded silently behind him, sleepily dipping my spoon back into the ,ar of peanut butter and bringing it straight to my mouth' ( was barely listening to a word he said, because he was cooking'''in ,ust basketball shorts and his backwards baseball cap * ,ust like he had the first time he'd cooked for me' 5is ass was so fucking perfect that ( was willing to bet a quarter would bounce off of it, and then ( tried to remember if ( had any quarters in my purse, because ( suddenly wanted to try that shit, for real * minus the shorts' ( smiled with the spoon still in my mouth, but my eyes traveled up his strong back to his broad shoulders, finally landing on the new, dark, ,ust about healed ink on his upper arm' 5e'd gone the day after the 5alloween fundraiser, considering we were already in )eattle, and gotten it done by Barry' 5e hadn't wanted to put it off any longer * something about &new starts& and &finished fucking business'& ( didn't care why1 the damn thing was fuck2hot on him' .ust se y and dark, bold and rough, all black and smooth scrolls * all cuffed around his bicep' (t was a touch of his history for him, a memory of his mother, and an enormous turn on for me, which only grew every time he fle ed that damn arm' ( wanted to trace my tongue over every curl, every inch of the lion, and every swirl, and ( found myself licking my lips as ( stared at it' &/re you listening!& he asked, taking the ,ar of peanut butter from me' &To what!& &?m, me,& he laughed' &/nd if you'll wait, love, ('m making your breakfast'& &( was hungry,& ( huffed, swinging my legs on either side of him as ( sat on the counter' &;ou let me sleep through breakfast with you and Bethy'& 5e'd already been up early, gone for a run, showered, woken up our daughter to get her ready to go #rs' =ope's, made her breakfast and her lunch, dropped her off, stopped at the hardware store, and was already back making my breakfast' The man didn't stop some mornings, and ('d slept through it all' 5ell, ( was still in ,ust his t2shirt and hadn't done a damn thing' &;ou needed the sleep,& he said, snatching up the ,ar and putting the lid on it before ( could stick my spoon back in it' &4e all eat out of this, you know'& &They make more, you know,& ( countered, grinning up at him' &/ million brands on one

shelf' (t's an ama3ing, but very /merican, over2indulgent concept'& 5e laughed, rolling his eyes, and stashed the ,ar back in the cabinet' &0evertheless, maybe ( don't want your slobber in it when ( make my midnight :B and .'& &;ou've never complained about my slobber before, $dward,& ( chuckled' &4hy start now!& 5e barked a laugh, his cheeks tinging a touch of pink as he plated my eggs, toast, and sausage' &$at'''real fucking food, sweetness,& he ordered with a se y ass raised eyebrow, taking away my licked clean spoon and handing me the plate and a fork' &/nd ('ll tell you where ( really want your slobber to be, besides in my ,ar of damn peanut butter'& ( giggled, taking a huge bite of eggs as he sat on the stool ne t to me' 5e shot me an amused look before opening the paper' God, ( ,ust fucking loved that man' 5e put up with two women twenty2four2seven' 5e tolerated my pregnant mood swings, my irrational food cravings that went so far beyond a simple ,ar of peanut butter that it wasn't even funny, and my most recent decision to give Gravity a few weeks rest * at least until after the holidays * because ( ,ust felt everyone involved with us needed a damn break for once, including us' 5e had no problem offering to cook * not ,ust for Thanksgiving, which was right around the corner, but for =hristmas, too' 5e never missed one doctor's appointment with me, nor did anything at Bethy's school go unnoticed' ( leaned over, pressing a kiss to his forehead, ,ust below his hat' &9ove you,& ( said simply, taking a bite of toast' / sweet, warm smile curled up on the corners of his mouth, and finally, his eyes shot to mine' &9ove you, too' 5ow did you sleep!& he asked, setting the paper down and pulling at me until ( slid with a squeak down the counter in front of him' &Better' 5eartburn's a bitch,& ( said, taking another bite of eggs' &'aybe tacos at one in the morning'''bad idea, sweetness,& he chuckled, shaking his head and rubbing the outside of my bare legs at the same time' &;eah,& ( grimaced' &6on't let me do that again' 0o matter how hard ( beg'& 5e laughed, picking up my leg and pressing a kiss to my knee' &(t beats barbecue ribs at two in the morning,& he said with a grin' &/t least this time, your cravings are easier to make in a snack emergency'& &( know' 4ith Bethy, ( was way out there,& ( giggled, setting my perfectly clean plate down on the counter ne t to us, leaving my hands free to cup his handsome face' &Think we'll find out today!& ( asked him, having no doubt he'd understand what (

meant' $dward smiled, pulling me to the edge of the counter so that my legs were on either side of his chest' 5e leaned in, pressing a long, sweet kiss to my growing bump' &5e's awfully shy, sweetness' /ren't you little man!& he crooned, dropping another kiss, before replacing it with his hand' ( giggled, because the he hadn't stopped, only ( had ,oined in' &5e's like his dad when ( first met him, then,& ( teased, rubbing my fingertips lightly over his stubble, down his neck to his shoulders' &7h,& he groaned, his brow wrinkling' &( was shy' Terribly shy'& &;ou were freakin' cute, was what you were,& ( laughed, tugging off his hat and setting on the counter' &/ll that cuteness'''and too shy to use it'& 5e nodded, smiling like the sweet boy ('d once met' &That's very true,& he agreed softly, leaning into kiss my belly again' &4e'll have work on that with you, little one' ;our sister will eat you up if you're too shy'& &0ah,& ( scoffed softly, shaking my head' &)he'll probably watch him like hawk, tear anyone up that dares mess with him, and we'll be called to school on a daily basis'& $dward laughed, his forehead pressing to my chest and his arms wrapping completely around me' &That's probably really close to the truth'''& &(t probably is,& ( chuckled, running my fingers through his hair again' ( pressed a kiss to the top of his head, setting my cheek there, only to glance down at his new tattoo' ( knew some parts of it were still tender and itchy, but for the most part, it was healed' ( traced my finger lightly along one of the smooth, flowing scrolls, and $dward pulled back to look' &(t's ,ust about healed,& ( said softly, and he nodded, looking between me and his arm' &;ou like it!& &(t's a little too late if ( don't,& he chuckled' &But yeah, it's better than what ('d brought to Barry'& 5e paused for a moment, watching my finger trace its edges' &4hen ( decided to get it, ( knew what ( was about to start doing for my dad' ( knew it was'''dangerous, but also ( knew men that lost themselves to it' They became killers, hitmen' ( didn't want that, but'''& &;ou thought this would remind you of where you came from * remind you of your mom!& 5e huffed, shaking his head and looking a touch pained, but he looked up at me' &( was damn close to becoming one of those men when ( came to get you, Bella' )o fucking close'''&

( smiled sadly at him, brushing his hair from his forehead and placing a kiss there' &4h24hen (2( sh2shot 929ilith,& he said, pausing when his stutter was too much, but it didn't help, &(2( d2did w2with a s2smile on m2my f2fucking f2face'''& &5ey,& ( soothed, cupping his face and making him look up at me' &That does not make you a monster, $dward' (t makes you my hero' ;ou saved me'''and this one'& ( pulled his hand from my hip, placing it on my stomach' &)o don't you dare tell me that you felt badly or that you were wrong' ;ou were so far from wrong, baby'& ( knew my $dward, but ( also knew from e perience the pride of finally catching a bad guy' 5is smile when he shot 9ilith was for that, not in any menacing way * simply pride at stopping someone that had hurt us * but $dward carried things differently than other people' &)o,& ( sighed, bringing his arm up a bit, &this is for me, too! To remind yourself that family comes first'''always!& 5e nodded, looking almost childlike when he did it' &/lways'& &0o matter if they eat peanut butter from the ,ar! $ven if they're cranky and pregnant and can't help themselves at ten o'clock in the morning!& 5e grinned, standing up in front of me, but not leaving the cage of my legs' &0o matter what'& ( chuckled softly, pressing my lips to the center of the lion with reverence and love' &Then its meaning outshines its beauty, $dward, because you've always put us first' (nk, or no ink'& 4arm, calloused hands slid softly on either side of my face, thumbs rubbing gently across my cheekbones' $dward's forehead thumped to mine, and his eyes closed' #y own hands couldn't stay away from his skin * soft and smooth along his ribs, hard and contoured over his chest and stomach, and warm and strong up and down his back' But it wasn't enough for me, so slowly ( tilted my head, pressing my lips to his as my fingers dipped stealthily ,ust under the waistband of his shorts and underwear at the small of his back' $dward threaded his fingers into my hair, and suddenly, we were lost' .ust gone' ( knew him well enough to know that this was a thank you, a relief of putting something that had been bugging him into a different perspective' 4arm, wet lips met my own' 5e tasted of coffee, and ( was sure ( tasted like breakfast, but neither of us cared' #y legs locked around his upper thighs, knowing that his in,ury was no longer an issue, and ( pulled him closer' /t the same time, he turned my head, his tongue claiming me, tasting me, and growing ravenous'

#y hips finally rolled, finding him hard and straining against me, causing both of us to moan wantonly' $dward broke away from my mouth, dragging long, slow kisses to my ear' &)weetness'''doctor appointment,& he reminded, not that he slowed down, not that his hands didn't slip under my shirt, finding me in ,ust a pair of underwear' &6on't stop,& ( gasped against his throat at the same time ( was pushing and shoving at his shorts' &4e have time' 4e'll make fucking time'& 5e chuckled so damn se ily, opening his mouth to the soft spot ,ust behind my ear as his hands slid up my skin, finally cupping my breasts' God, ( was so fucking sensitive when his thumbs brushed across my nipples that ( cried out' &+irst, you raid the peanut butter, and now, you want to be fucked on our counter!& he asked, and ( felt his wicked smile against the skin of my neck' &God, yes,& ( growled, pulling his face back' &(t's not the first time, $dward,& ( told him, gripping the front of his shorts' &?h, no,& he breathed, watching my hands as ( pushed his shorts down as far as ( could, using my feet to shove them father' &6efinitely not the first, and it better not be the fucking last,& he groaned, gathering up my t2shirt and tugging it off over my head' &9ay back all the way, baby,& he said, grasping my underwear' ( hissed when my back met the cold marble of the counter, but lifted my hips so that my underwear could be swiftly removed' $dward stepped back between my legs, his hands ghosting all over me * my breasts, my sides, my thighs, and finally my stomach, where it was undeniable that ( was pregnant' )ome days, ( felt fat and miserable, but when $dward ga3ed down at me like he was doing right then, ( never felt more beautiful, because he said it every time' &+uck, so gorgeous,& he whispered, shaking his head, both hands cupping our baby' 5e leaned over the counter, bracing those strong arms on either side of me, to place one long, slow kiss to my stomach, swirling his tongue over my skin, ,ust below my bellybutton' ( moaned at the sight of him, at the feeling of his hair lightly brushing across my skin as he kissed scars that had long been forgotten' 5e was looming over the lower half of my body, his biceps * and that se y ass fucking tattoo * fle ing and rolling under his skin' 5is chest twitched with how badly he was holding back, and his cock stood proudly at attention trapped between us' (t was so close, yet so fucking far away' &0ow, $dward' (nside, now8& ( whispered, gripping his wrists, because it was what ( could reach'

$dward stood up tall, rubbing the outside of my legs, only to slide slowly to the inside' &7pen up for me, sweetness,& he ordered in that low, carnal tone at the same time that he set my heels on the edge of the counter' &#mm,& he crooned, smiling as he dragged his tongue along his bottom lip, while slipping his cock teasingly through my folds' &7h, always so wet for me, love' #e, or hormones!& ( let out a breathy, but incredulous laugh, because it was him, hormones, stars in alignment, and the position of the sun, as far as ( was concerned' (t was every2fucking2 thing' The man merely had to smile my way, and ( fucking wanted him' 5e smiled, giving the inside of my thigh a kiss' &6on't answer that,& he chuckled se ily' &( don't care' .ust as long as you never stop wanting me'''& &$dward,& ( whispered, locking eyes with him as he positioned himself at my entrance' ( reached for him, and he gave me his hands, linking all our fingers together as he slid completely inside of me' &7h, God'''& #y back arched, and ( squee3ed his hands as that feeling of perfect completion took over my entire being' #y eyes rolled back into my head as we lost ourselves in our own damn kitchen'

E!"#$!
&6oes it hurt!& Bethy asked softly, and ( couldn't help but peek into the living room to see what my girls were up to' ( grinned as Bethy was giving her mother's growing belly a complete investigation as they lay on the sofa' Both were dressed for bed, both my brunettes had their hair down in long, soft waves, and both were ,ust fucking adorable as Bethy's tiny hands moved over Bella's almost four months along stomach, her little brow furrowed as pushed the shirt up a bit' The movie they'd been watching was over, the credits rolling silently up the screen, but apparently, my daughter had gotten curious' &0o, pretty girl,& Bella chuckled, reaching up to twirl a lock of Bethy's hair around her fingers' &(t's not a tummy2ache,& she told her, tickling her neck, which caused Bethy to squeak and fold in on herself' &( wanna know if it's a boy or a girl,& Bethy stated, practically pouting by folding her arms across her chest' 7ur daughter couldn't quite decide what she wanted * a brother or a sister' (t was a tough debate for her, really' 4ith a girl, they could share toys, dolls, and clothes * a built in future playmate' ;et, she was used to =aleb, so a boy was the easiest concept for her to imagine' (n fact, she missed having him around all the time now that

everyone had gone back to their normal routines and lives' &)oon, baby,& Bella giggled, meeting my eyes as ( stood in the hallway, because we knew, but the announcement wasn't to be made until the ne t day, when everyone would be at our house for Thanksgiving' &=an't we get a puppy instead!& Bethy huffed, looking rather belligerent about the whole thing' ( laughed along with Bella, who said, &0o, we can't' 7ne ma,or addition to the family at a time, please, #iss $li3abeth' 4hen you're older and when this one gets here, then we'll think about it, okay!& Bethy had not given up hope on the prospect of getting one of /unt >ate's puppies, but we ,ust thought the ad,ustment to the baby would be a big enough fucking deal without adding house training a 5usky into the mi ' /fter a long discussion, an angry three2year2old, and a call to /unt >ate, who told us she was most likely going to breed #aia again in the spring, we'd decided to wait' $sme said that once the baby arrived, Bethy might feel left out, so a puppy might give her something to focus on while our attention was on the new little one' Bella and ( were completely undecided' &#aybe for your birthday, little sweetness,& ( hedged, coming to kneel beside them by the couch' &;ou have to wait, baby'& &5ow old will you be!& Bella asked, slipping sweetly into another sub,ect in order to distract her' &+our,& she said, holding up all five fingers' ( grinned, tugging her tiny thumb down' &+our'& &7h yeah,& she giggled, sounding a little like her /unt /lice, which caused Bella and me to laugh with her' 5er big green eyes locked onto my face, and she reached up and rubbed my ,aw' &;ou got paint on you, 6addy'& &('m sure ( do,& ( sighed, rolling my eyes and shaking my head' &(f it's not paint, it's stain' (f it's not stain, it's wood glue'& ( leaned over and pressed a kiss to Bella's stomach, which was still e posed from Bethy's e amination' &;ou're high maintenance, little one' /nd you're not even here yet'& Both girls giggled, and Bella leaned over to kiss my forehead' &5ow's it going, handyman!& she chuckled against my skin' &(t's going fine, and no'''you can't help' 0o fumes, remember!& ( growled, pointing a finger at her' &( know, ( know,& she sighed, smirking at me' &('m ,ust making sure you're not killing yourself over it' )omeone can sleep on the couch tomorrow, if it comes down to it'&

&4ell, most likely, someone will have to, baby,& ( told her' &6ad and $sme will stay at his house here in +orks' (n fact, they're probably already there' /unt >ate can take the guest room, and we'll throw a blow up mattress in the new room for #ickey and 7bie, because ('ll air it out overnight' (f Tom decides to come, he can have the couch'& &4ell, that works,& she said, pushing herself up a bit' &"ose and $mmett are leaving early from )eattle in the morning' 4hen they're done here, they're going to :ortland to see "ose's parents for the rest of the weekend' /lec, if ('m not mistaken, is already in +orks,& she said, raising an eyebrow at me at that last statement' ( grinned and nodded, because /lec and )arah's relationship had only blossomed since 5alloween' /bby adored him, adopting the name ?ncle /lec for him, ,ust like Bethy' 5e loved it * every fucking second of it' ('m pretty sure hearts were breaking all over the fucking country, too, because that man was officially off the market * heart, body, and soul' 5e'd fallen for two really sweet girls' /nd as ( looked at my own, ( couldn't blame him one fucking bit, because sometimes, they made you feel like the best thing since sliced bread' &4ho does that leave!& ( asked, looking up at Bella, because the list was a mile fucking long this year' &4es and #akenna,& she answered, pulling Bethy closer and curling her to her side so that she could run her fingers lovingly through our daughter's hair' &They'll be here about the same time as "ose and $mmett' /lice and .asper will be here first thing' .asper promised to help you with the tables and setting up a fire pit, and /lice promised to help me get the guest rooms ready'& &0ot if the paint isn't dry,& ( warned her' &( get it8& she giggled softly' &/ll brain cells on mine and this one's part will stay intact' 5owever, you'll be stupid by the end of the week, $dward' =all it a night, baby'& ( chuckled and nodded in agreement, giving her tummy a loving caress, but noticed that our daughter was slowly fading out for the night' 5er eyes were drooping, getting heavier with each pass of her mother's fingers through her hair' &5ey,& ( purred softly, tilting Bethy's chin up' &Bedtime, little soldier,& ( whispered without much authority, because ( was pretty sure ( didn't need it' &;es, sir'& )he yawned widely, pushing herself up a bit and reaching for me after she kissed Bella goodnight' ( stood up, scooping her into my arms and placing a kiss to her temple when she lay her head on my shoulder' &7nly sweet dreams,& ( whispered, and she could only nod against my neck'

( walked her down the hall to her room, tucking her into bed' 4ith one last kiss to her forehead, ( said, &9ove you'& &9ove you, too, 6addy,& she mumbled, curling #r' Bunny to her, and ( was pretty sure she was out before ( was back down the hall' Bella hadn't moved from the sofa, but she shifted a bit so that ( could fall in between her and the back cushions' ( wrapped my arms around her, kissing the back of her head' &;ou're sure!& ( asked cryptically as ( spread my fingers out over her belly, because ( knew she'd understand' &7h, yeah,& she said, turning her head to nu33le my ,aw' &('m very sure' /re you okay with it!& ( chuckled, shaking my head and rolling my eyes, finally locking ga3es with her' &#ost definitely'& &Good,& she said with a sweet, sweet grin' &0ow, help me up, and you go shower' ;ou smell like a hardware store'& ( laughed, smooching her neck loudly, before helping her to her feet' &;eah,& ( said, standing up beside her' &/nd then bed, because tomorrow is going to be a long day'&

&/bby, /bby, bo2babby'''Banana fanna, fo fabby' +ee fi fo mabby''' !bby,& Bethy, /bby, and $mmett sang loudly from the front yard' ( snorted, rolled my eyes as the big lug taught them the 0ame Game' (t could only end badly, which was thirty seconds later, when he opened his fat fucking mouth' &0ow'''#uck8& he boomed, his head spinning when several voices bellowed' &$mmett, don't you dare8& "ose, Bella, and #ickey all snapped at the same time' 7h, but it was so too fucking late, because the girls burst into it' &Banana fanna fo fuck,& they chirped, not even giving it another thought, but /lec smacked $mmett on the back of the head' &%tunad,& he muttered, giving $mmett dark look after calling him stupid in (talian, and ( was pretty fucking sure that if /lec hadn't gotten to him, my dad would have, because his face was ,ust as appalled' /ll of this could be seen from the open windows as ( worked in the kitchen with /unt

>ate' $verything was ,ust about ready1 we were ,ust waiting on a few things, and the turkey needed to be cut' Bella, "ose, and #akenna were trying to get plastic table cloths to cover the length of three long tables pushed together, #ickey and .asper were adding wood to the fire pit, and my dad, $lea3ar, and >urt were all chatting on the front porch' &6ad8& ( called through the screen door' &=ome cut this thing'& 5e chuckled, shaking his head and tugging open the door' &(t's your house'& &(t's 'om's tradition,& ( countered with a laugh, slapping his back once he was over the threshold' &)o get to it, old man' ('ve been cooking the damn thing since four o'clock this morning' The least you could do is slice it8& &(t's a good thing ( taught you to cook, $dward /nthony,& /unt >ate chuckled, rolling her eyes at my dad' &;ou'd have grown up on delivery pi33a'& ( grinned, glad to have someone in my corner when it came to my father's lack of culinary talent' &;eah, see!& &)hut up, son' (t's not like you're malnourished,& he growled back, but he was fighting his smile' #y father picked up the knife and began to slice the turkey, but he glanced up at me' &(f ('m doing this, you have to do the toast'& &( know,& ( said, my voice serious, but ( went about setting out plates and silverware * all in plastic, because be damned if ( was washing this many fucking dishes' &( think he's hiding something, =arlisle,& /unt >ate whispered dramatically' &5e and Bella have been secretive all damn morning'& ( grinned, shooting a wink her way' &0osy thing,& ( teased her, which only caused her to chuckle and wrap an arm around my waist' #y dad, however, glared at me, studying me, and finally muttered, &This ought to be fucking good'& 7nce he finished cutting the bird, ( called everyone in to make their plates' There wasn't enough room inside my house for them to eat, so .asper had helped me set up the long tables outside, starting a fire in a pit close by in case the day turned chilly' 5owever, the weather was playing nice, for once' (t was a crisp, clear day, the fire only adding to everyone's happy moods' (t seemed the removal of threats had caused everyone to be almost giddy * $mmett more than anyone, because he was currently encouraging the two girls to roast marshmallows, which sent Bethy into the house like her hair was on fire' &626addy8& she gushed, her cheeks pink with having played outside ,ust about all

morning' &?nca $m says w2we sh2should woast marshmawwows,& she said, diving into the cabinets' &4hoa, slow down, little sweetness,& ( chuckled, because she was in high gear and the word marshmallow coming from her might have been the best pronunciation of a word yet' &6inner first' Then we'll talk s'mores, baby'& &/w, but'''& &0o''' 0o aw,buts,& ( laughed, shaking my head and setting her on a stool' &('ll make your plate, Bethy' ;ou're ,ust like your mother''' real food first' Then we'll talk dessert'& &5ey8& Bella laughed and chided at the same time, causing the house full of people to laugh' &( have an e/cuse8& she growled, rolling her eyes at me' &)o does she,& "ose chuckled' &)he's only three'& Bella walked up to Bethy, smooshing her face lovingly with her hands and kissing her sweet, puckered lips' &They're picking on us, pretty girl' .ust because chocolate and melted marshmallows are so very tempting, far beyond turkey and stuffing'& Bethy giggled and nodded' &6addy says dinner first'& &?nfortunately, he's right, baby,& Bella sighed dramatically' &But ('m with you on the s'mores thing' )ee me after dinner,& she whispered conspiratorially' &7kay,& my baby girl whispered back' (t didn't take long for everyone to make their plate, walk back to the table, and take a seat' (t was the largest party Bella and ( had thrown yet, but the absence of )am was glaringly obvious' ( sighed, ga3ing at friends that were considered family * our crew * and ( took in the new faces to the table, like >urt, )arah, and /bby' (t was holidays like this, when everyone was here, that the missing faces floated through my mind more' #y mother, who would have loved a big gathering like this, loved family and non2family alike' =harlie, who had sacrificed every,fucking,thing for Bella to live a somewhat happy and normal life1 ( knew she missed him, missed out on knowing the real him that had only been discovered after his death' /nd )am, who had no family to speak of, who had attached himself to us like a quiet guardian angel, who'd loved my wife like a daughter, and who would have sat at the farthest corner of the table, ,ust to be able to watch everyone in his usual silent way' 5e would have taken in everything, smiling at ,abs and insults and funny stories' ( felt a warm hand take mine, linking our fingers together' ( glanced over at Bella, swallowing nervously' &;ou'll be fine,& she whispered, leaning in to kiss my cheek'

( nodded, but stood up, holding up my beer' The conversations came to a pause as everyone looked up at me' &#y mother had a tradition,& ( started, bracing one hand on Bella's shoulder, but it was her soothing hand on mine that gave me strength at the mention of my mom' &)he wanted to truly give thanks on Thanksgiving' )he was grateful for a lot of things'& ( sighed, meeting $sme's warm, calm ga3e, and then my father's' &(t's been'''a really strange year,& ( said, looking down the table' ( sighed a deep breath, because someone had purposefully left an empty seat at the end of the table1 ('d have been willing to bet that /lec, $m, and .asper had coordinated it' &4e've had good things happen, like the addition of =aleb and my own little one on the way,& ( said, smiling when loud echoes of ,ovial agreement burst from the table' &4e've had close calls,& ( added, my voice deeper than ( meant it to be, because my eyes fell to my girls' &/nd we lost good men,& ( stated with a frown, because )am and $lam had lost their lives in this last mission' ( looked around the table, picking up my glass' &#y mom's tradition was to give a thank you toast for what we are grateful for, but ( don't have ,ust one this year' ( have three'& ( paused, looking to Bella for strength, because this shit wasn't easy for me' &#y first thank you is to all of you, for your help, your hard work, and the blood, sweat, and tears it took to get my girls back, to finish something that was bigger than we e pected'& $veryone raised their glass or beer, but they didn't drink' &#y second thank you is to )am,& ( rasped, swallowing again' &('m pretty damn sure that ( wouldn't be here without him, and ('m also pretty sure that some others are sitting at this table because of him, so he should be honored today,& ( stated, and we all raised our glasses again * although this time, silently' (t took me a second to speak again, because this was the biggest thank you ( had' ( looked down at my wife, offering her a hand' &)tand up for me, baby,& ( whispered, my brow furrowing' &/nd my last thank you is to my wife,& ( said, unable to keep the grin from spreading across my face' )he giggled and rolled her eyes at me as she leaned into me, which caused chuckles to erupt softly around the table' &)he's given me everything * a beautiful daughter, a perfect home, and now, she's giving meB& ( paused, laughing ,ust once and shaking my head, because ( was ,ust stupidly happy &Ba son'& ( looked up when the table e ploded in cheers, but ( held my hand up, so they tried their best to shut up' &('d like to introduce to youB& ( chuckled, rubbing Bella's stomach that was getting bigger and more beautiful by the day &B)amuel #asen =ullen'&

%E&&#
There was an almost comical pause, before the whole table erupted, because $dward

had slapped down the last sonogram pictures without shame, which caused me to laugh' They'd all placed their bets on boy or girl, ( was sure of it, so ( buried my face into $dward's chest the minute money started changing hands once everyone had taken their drink' #y girls squealed and launched themselves at me, tugging me away from $dward, who had been pulled into $sme's and =arlisle's arms' They all started babbling at one time' &+or real!& #akenna squeaked, her face bright and happy' &9ike for real, for real!& &/nd here ( was, betting pretty boy could only make girls,& #ickey teased, wrapping me in a tight hug' &0ice, Bells,& "ose chuckled, kissing the side of my head' &God, $dward looks like he's about to ,ust float away,& she whispered in my ear, and ( couldn't help but nod in agreement, because ( felt the same damn way' &/ boy, a boy, a boy,& /lice chanted in a squeal, while grinning like a loon, bouncing on her toes, and then diving into my arms' ( was passed around from .asper to $mmett, who lifted me up, only to be yelled at by $dward and =arlisle to not be so rough' /lec whispered a congratulations against my forehead, and then it was $lea3ar, who handed me off to /unt >ate' 7n and on it went * >urt, )arah, 7bie, Tom * until finally, ( was wrapped up by =arlisle's warm, strong arms that were practically shaking' &5ell, yes, a grandson,& he growled, cupping my face and grinning when ( giggled up at him, because he loved his grand title of :oppy' &7h, ('m so teaching him to fish,& he chuckled, shaking his head' &5e's not even here yet,& $sme chided, rolling her eyes and taking me from him' &7h ho,& she chuckled' &4e got our wish, huh, sweetie!& ( grinned and nodded, swiping at happy tears' /nd again, visions of little hiking boots, small cargo shorts, and tiny backwards baseball caps flew through my mind' ( saw chubby cheeks paired with a crooked smile and cra3y hair the same shade as $dward's' &4hy #asen, sweetheart! $dward wouldn't say,& =arlisle asked once $sme had taken a step back' 5is ga3e shot to his son on the other side of the table, but it seemed everyone heard the question and quieted for the answer' &Because Edward was already taken,& ( teased, swiping at tears, but grinned when $mmett chuckled' &)am gave me a gift' ( wanted some part of that gift to be attached to his name'& &5uh, and ( would've e pected =harles,& $sme mused' &=harlie hated his name,& =arlisle and ( stated at the same time, which caused us to

laugh together' &)omething about a tuna commercial on T- and the fact that the name had been overused in the family,& =arlisle said with a laugh' &;eah, there was a =harles in every generation,& ( stated, my nose wrinkling' &('m not sure if that's tradition or lack of imagination' ('m honoring him by not using his name'& =arlisle laughed, wrapping me in a hug again' &/nd we were not using /nthony,& $dward growled softly from behind me' &0ot a chance'& &That was your mother's doing,& =arlisle chuckled, squee3ing his shoulder' &(t's a strong name, you two' ('m so happy for you'& &;ou wanted grandkids, old man,& $dward teased, which made me look for Bethy' )he and /bby were sitting together at the table, but they were ,ust watching all the adults with wide2eyes' #y little girl looked slightly lost in it all, so ( waved her to me' )he scuttled around everyone, dodging adult sets of legs left and right, and ( scooped her up to walk her away from the table a bit, letting everyone sit back down to their plates' ( sat down with her on the front porch steps, brushing her hair from her face' &(t's a brother, pretty girl,& ( told her softly, watching as she tilted her head at me a bit' &4hat do you think!& )he smiled, biting her bottom lip' &/ boy, like =aleb!& ( nodded, and $dward came to kneel beside us, practically wrapping us up in his arms' &;up, a boy, ,ust like =aleb,& ( told her' &That's okay,& she sighed dramatically, which caused us to chuckle, but her warm hand met my belly' &;ou can't come in my room, 'cause #ommy says no boys allowed,& she said loudly' &/nd ('m still 6addy's co2pilot,& she huffed' / laugh barked out of me, but ( looked to $dward' 5e was looking at his daughter with so much love, it was breathtaking * and slightly heartbreaking, if ( were to be honest' 4e knew that this would be an ad,ustment for her, that it would be a gradual thing to show her that we loved her ,ust as much as )amuel' Bethy had to learn to share her parents with a little brother, and it probably wouldn't be easy, but at that moment, $dward gave it all to her, because there was no way he could take away the one thing the two of them loved so much' ( could see it in his face' 5e ,ust couldn't' 5e placed a hand on her head, leaning in to kiss the top of it' &7f course you are, little sweetness,& he whispered to her, because his voice was filled with emotion' &That will never change,& he sighed against her hair'

&;ou'll outrank him,& ( chuckled, kissing $dward's temple, but tilting Bethy's head up' &;ou're older, you've been here longer, and you'll be in charge, pretty girl,& ( e plained, giving $dward a second to rela , but he chuckled at the way ('d put it and nodded in agreement' Bethy's tummy gave a long growl, and we all laughed, but ( couldn't help myself' &7h, now who's hiding angry bears, huh!& ( chuckled, tickling her sides so that she squealed into hysterics, her little face turning pink as she laughed so hard, writhing on my lap' $dward scooped her up, but gave her a raised eyebrow' &;ou know what that means, don't you!& he asked her in a low, deep voice, and she shook her head frantically' &(t means'''you're'''growing,& he growled, bending her upside down so that he could ravish her belly with raspberries and tickle her with his stubble' &0o, no, no8& she screamed, her whole body squirming and wriggling his his grasp' 5er poor face was crimson, but her smile was infectious' &('m not, 6addy8& &;ou are,& he accused, making sure his stubbly chin teased her bellybutton ,ust right, and the poor thing couldn't decide whether to curl up or try and get away' 5e finally righted her, and she sagged in his arms, which caused him to chuckle' &Time to eat, little soldier,& he ordered, using his commanding tone' &;es, sir,& she sighed, still trying to catch her breath' )he grasped his face, frowning at him' &0o more tickling,& she ordered, sounding ,ust like him' &;es, ma'am,& he laughed, setting her on her feet, but he turned to me once she ran off' &=ome on, sweetness' ;ou need to eat, too'& ( grinned, kissing his sharp ,aw, purring, & es, sir.&

E!"#$!
&?h'''no, ('m so not going shopping on Black +riday,& Bella snorted, rolling her eyes, but she pulled Bethy back to her chest as they roasted marshmallows together' &There is nothing on this planet ( need to fight a million people in line for'& &('m ,ust thinking of this computer'''& /lice said dreamily' &(t's like half price'''& &0o, /lice,& .asper and Bella said at the same time' &;ou have enough computer equipment,& Bella added, kissing the top of Bethy's head when the marshmallows looked done' &/nything you need, we'll talk about after the new year'& )he pulled the stick from the fire, bouncing Bethy on her knee' &7kay, pretty girl' 5ave you got our chocolate and graham crackers ready!&

&;up8& Bethy chirped, eying those golden marshmallows with a look ,ust this shy of a hawk spotting a mouse' (n her hands was a paper plate with two sets of crackers and chocolate ,ust waiting to become the warm, gooey mess that only a s'more could be' ( grinned, shaking my head, because my girls loved their snacks * popcorn, chips, candy'''s'mores 6 and I loved them, so it was ,ust about impossible not to kiss them to death when they were up to no good together' There were less people at the house now' /unt >ate, #ickey, 7bie, and Tom were spending the night, before driving back to )eattle to catch their flight back to /laska the ne t day' /lice and .asper, who only lived right around the corner, were still there, and so were my dad and $sme' $veryone else had gone home or on to other family commitments' But we were all sitting quietly around the fire and roasting marshmallows, most likely for Bethy's sake' Bella and Bethy were sitting at the foot of the chaise, and ( was at the back, ,ust watching them' /ctually, ( was waiting for one of them to offer up a bite of one of those bad boys, because once they smooshed them together, ( had to admit they looked fucking delicious' &5ere, 6addy,& Bethy said, crawling up the chaise to my lap' &4ant some!& &4hich part!& ( chuckled, shaking my head' &The part smeared all over your face, or this hand!& ( asked her, holding up her arm that had her s'more in a tight, oo3ing grip' &;ou're wearing more of it than you're eating, little sweetness'& )he giggled from what used to be my in,ured leg, holding out her hand, and ( took a bite, knowing she wouldn't eat a whole one anyway' &6efinitely gonna need a bath before bed, pretty girl,& Bella chuckled, scooting back between my legs and leaning against my chest' &('ve got that,& $sme chuckled, having watched the whole e change' &+inish up, sweet one, and we'll get you cleaned up' (t's ,ust about bedtime, right!& &"ight,& ( said with a nod, taking another bite Bethy offered me' Both my girls giggled when it dripped messily down my chin' &0ice,& Bella chuckled, reaching up to wipe it off with her thumb, only to scoop it into her own mouth' ( smirked at her, shaking my head, because ( could practically read her mind * or her darkening eyes, really' &)hut it, $dward,& she huffed, rolling her eyes' &0ot letting it go to waste,& she muttered, squirming when ( tickled her side at the lie' &/ll done,& Bethy sang, holding up two empty, but chocolatey, sticky hands'

&6on't move, baby,& ( chuckled, grasping her wrists and standing her up' &0ow, let Gamma give you a bath, okay!& &7kay, 6addy,& she agreed, and started toward me for kisses' &7h no,& ( laughed, holding her back' &('ll smooch on you all you want'''when you're clean'& )he grinned, and it was evil and beautiful, ,ust like her mother when she got a cra3y idea' /nd Bella saw it instantly, bursting into laughter, ,oined by everyone else at the fire' &$li3abeth "enee, stop right there,& she ordered in a giggle' &6on't do it' (t's bad enough ('ll be fighting the chocolate stains on your clothes' ( don't need a whole load'& )he popped the last bite of her own dessert into her mouth and stood up from my lap' &=ome on, baby' ('ll strip you in the laundry room' :lus, ( need to get towels and stuff for everyone'& &Bells, we'll see you tomorrow,& /lice said, standing up from .asper's lap and hugging her' &;eah, we'll be here in time to see /unt >ate and #ickey off before they leave,& .asper added, giving me a fist bump' $veryone at the fire started to get up, following $sme, Bella, and Bethy into the house, leaving ,ust me and my dad' &=ome on, son,& he chuckled, standing up' &('ll help you put this fire out'& &( gotta lock up my wood shop, too,& ( sighed, groaning when ( stood, because it had been a long day' / good one, but a really fucking long one' &Go ahead' ('ve got this,& he said, picking up a bucket of water' ( nodded, ran a hand through my hair, and walked away' ( stepped under the awning of my wood shop, taking in the new crib ('d started the minute we'd gotten home from /laska' Bella had said we could use Bethy's, but it ,ust seemed like something ( needed to do' #aybe ( ,ust wanted each of my children to have something unique' Bethy's was currently sealed tight down in the basement, and it totally fit her * light wood, sturdy, but ornate' ( ran my hand slowly over the smooth wood, the subtle arch, and down the side' This one would be different * dark stain, simple curves, masculine' ( was using teak, instead of the maple that ('d used on Bethy's' &6amn, that's really good, son,& my dad said from the doorway' &Thanks,& ( said softly, picking up the tarp to cover it, but stopped' ( took one long look

at it, and then met my father's eyes' &4hy am ( more nervous about a boy than ( ever was with Bethy!& ( asked, practically blurting out the question, because this was the first time we'd had a minute for me to ask, and ( felt only he would understand' 5e smiled warmly and shook his head' &Because Bethy is an e tension of Bella,& he answered simply' &;ou've taken care of Bella since the beginning, so Bethy was easy' /nother little damsel in distress, so to speak'& ( grinned, huffing a laugh' &( guess'& &)ons are different,& he sighed, running his fingers over each little rail' &0ot better, or more1 ,ust different' They carry on the name, they take longer to figure themselves out, they end up carrying more responsibility on their shoulders, and they need guidance, because they have to become a man, a husband, a father, eventually'& 5e took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, and ( reali3ed he was talking about me, not my son that was on the way' &;ou're nervous, because you don't want to fuck that up'& ( snorted and nodded' &;eah' ( ,ust'''( don't want him to make the same mistakes ( did'& #y dad chuckled, locking eyes with me' &That's all ( wished for you, you know' But there's something that strokes the ego when your son wants to mimic everything you do'& 5e paused for a moment, leaning on the crib' &;our mother's last request of me was to let you be what you wanted, to ,ust be there for you when you fell' )he never wanted to stifle anything about you, $dward' $ver' (f you had wanted to play baseball the rest of your life, ('d have been in the fucking stands at every game' 6oes that make sense!& ( nodded, swallowing back emotions that had been building in me since ('d found out the baby was going to be a )amuel instead of a )amantha, because once Bella and ( truly talked names, neither of us could think of anything else but honoring )am * once again, we were always on the same damn page * but #asen was something she'd surprised me with' #y girl was determined to have my history, my name linked on our son somehow, someway' ( tossed the tarp over the crib, and he helped me make sure it was completely covered before speaking again' &9isten, son,& he said, placing a hand on my shoulder' &(f you love )amuel even a fucking fraction of how much you love Bethy, you'll be ,ust fine' ;ou are an ama3ing father, $dward' ('d like to take credit for some of that, but ( see $li3abeth in you when you're with Bethy'& ( knew he was ,ust e aggerating the e ample, because even ( knew it was written all over my fucking face that ( was already lost to )amuel, and he wasn't even here yet' )uddenly, ( missed my mother with an all consuming ache, which in turn made me need

my wife' ( needed to hear her voice telling me everything was okay, that we'd be fine, that ( wouldn't fuck this up' &9i3 had to be both father and mother to you while ( was overseas, and she did a damn good ,ob,& he whispered, squee3ing my shoulder' &6on't doubt yourself, son' But if you do, ,ust take a step back and listen to Bella, because she won't let you fuck up' ;ou know that'& &Thanks, 6ad,& ( sighed, reaching up to tug the wood shop door down, locking it' ( took a deep breath and let it out, because he'd helped ,ust like ('d thought he would' 4e didn't always talk like this when ( was younger, but ('d come to reali3e that as ( got older, ( was able to tell him shit that no one else would get * things about our ,obs, my fears' (t may have been ,ust my mother and me for the first part of my growing up, but once she was gone, he'd stepped in better than ( think he gave himself credit' &#mhm,& he hummed, and we walked back toward the house' 7nce we were inside, he grinned up at me' &('m totally stealing a turkey sandwich' 6on't tell $sme,& he whispered, giving me a slap on the back, before diving into the kitchen like it was a black ops mission' ( snorted into a soft laugh, rolling my eyes at him' &;ou're welcome to stay, but you'll have to bunk on the floor' There's an air mattress in the laundry room'& &0ah, but thanks' 4e're staying in town' 4e'll be back tomorrow to see >ate off,& he said, not even bothering to remove his head from inside the fridge' &But ('ll lock up when we leave'& &;es, sir,& ( chuckled, walking through the living room' Tom, 7bie, and #ickey were all camped out, watching a movie, and ( waved as ( passed them by' #y first stop down the hall was Bethy's room' ( leaned in the doorway, ,ust watching my girls' Bethy was situated between Bella's legs so that she could brush out our daughter's now clean hair' Bethy's wide yawns and watery eyes told me she was ,ust about done for the day' &5i, 6addy,& my little one said, yawning again' &('m clean now'& ( grinned, stepping into the room' &Good, because ( ,ust wasn't sure how much longer ( could live without kisses,& ( told her with a shrug, sitting down ne t to Bella, who was chuckling at us' )he set the brush down, and Bethy crawled up on my lap' )he grasped my face and kissed my cheek' &Better now, 6addy!& she asked, tilting her head ,ust a bit, but she yawned widely again'

&/bsolutely,& ( said, grinning at her' &Bedtime, little soldier,& ( told her, scooping her up, and Bella and ( pulled back the covers so that we could set her into bed' &;es, sir,& she giggled, puckering her lips adorably, and ( couldn't resist them' ( pressed my forehead to hers, whispering, &7nly sweet dreams, baby'& &'>ay,& she sighed, her eyes dropping farther and farther closed' &9ove you'& &9ove you, too,& Bella and ( both said, kissing her forehead one at a time' ( could hear $sme and /unt >ate in the guest room as Bella and ( made our way down the hall, laughing like they were lifetime friends' (t made me smile, because ( was pretty fucking sure that my /unt >ate missed my mother ,ust as much as my dad and ( did, but as she had a tendency to do, $sme was starting to fill that role' ( closed the door to our room, leaning back against it, almost weary with happiness and contentment' 6espite having an ama3ing set of friends and family, despite the beautiful little girl asleep down the hall curled around her #r' Bunny, and despite the son currently on his way that ( could barely wait to meet, my life all boiled down to the woman in front of me at the end of every day' &;ou okay, baby!& Bella asked, her brow wrinkling as she kicked off her sneakers and sat down on the edge of the bed' &;ou look'''lost'& ( smiled a little and shrugged' &(2( f2feel th2that w2way s2sometimes,& ( admitted softy, walking to her and tugging my t2shirt off over my head' &9ean back, love' ('ll help'& ( knew it was getting harder for her to bend down, to do simple things like taking off socks' Touching her toes had gone to the wayside about three weeks ago, something that made her ecstatic and frustrated at the same time' Bella scooted to the middle of the bed and lifted her feet for me with a giggle' &Thanks,& she snickered, when ( pulled off each sock and dropped them to the floor, but ( didn't stop there' Gliding my hands slowly up her leggings, ( grasped the waistband and removed those, as well, leaving her in an oversi3ed shirt2dress like thing' ( reached for the hem of that, too, and Bella chuckled' &$dward,& she chided in a whisper, most likely because we had a house full of fucking people, but ( didn't give a shit' #y house, my rules, my time, my wife' &(2( w2want t2to s2see him,& ( whispered back, and she sobered up, holding her arms up so that ( could take her shirt off' )he was wearing a pretty pink underwear set with black lace, and it seemed to be a fan2 fucking2tastic representative of her personality' )weet and naughty, strong and fragile,

perfect and flawed * all at the same damn time' /nd fuck, she was beautiful' ( crawled up her body, bracing one arm by her head and slipping the other underneath her back to scoot her farther up onto the bed' )he grinned up at me, biting on her bottom lip, but seemed to be letting me have the moment' ( sat back on my heels between her legs, ,ust looking at her' ( raked a thumb lightly over her old scar on her thigh, remembering how this had all started, how ('d obtained the best thing that had ever happened to me' ( bent forward, placing a kiss to her ever growing belly and dragging my lips across the scar that was left from Bethy's birth' &)weetheart, are you okay!& Bella asked softly, running her fingers through my hair' &Talk to me, baby'& ( smiled against her stomach, rubbing my stubble across her sensitive skin and chuckling when she writhed under me with a laugh' &)amuel, tell #ommy that she needs to rela '& Bella grinned down at me, shaking her head' &Tell her she's the prettiest thing 6addy's ever seen,& ( whispered, my eyes never leaving the sweet, chocolate brown in front of me' &Tell her that of all the things to give thanks for, it's her'& &$dward,& she whispered, reaching for me, but ( shook my head, because ( wasn't done' &4e aren't perfect, little man,& ( sighed, closing my eyes as ( placed soft, random kisses to her belly' &4e're kind of pains in the asses, actually, but we love you already'& ( smiled at Bella's laughter, but went on' &;ou can be, do, think, feel whatever you want to, )amuel,& ( said, remembering saying this very same thing to Bethy at about this stage in Bella's pregnancy' &The world is yours for the taking, pal' /nd ( promise that someone will always have your back'& /pparently, Bella couldn't take it, so she sat up enough to cup my face, only to fall back with me' )he kissed me softly, slowly merging into an urgent feel' )he tasted my top lip, my bottom lip, her tongue begging for entrance, and ( opened up for her, a moan leaving us both as we drank from each other like we'd never kissed before' ( shifted my weight to the side of her, not wanting to squish her, and ( threaded my fingers into her hair, pulling her head to the side so that ( could kiss that sweet spot that drove her cra3y' 4arm, wet kisses met the skin of my shoulder, and ( pulled back to watch as she pressed her sweet lips to the ink on my chest at the same time her fingers traced the new one on my arm' )he liked the significance of it, but ( knew fucking deep down that she found that shit se y, which wasn't a bad thing, either'

('d told my dad once that ( didn't think any woman would ever understand my ,ob, my past, my mistakes' 5is answer to me echoed back in my head as ( watched Bella remind me silently that we could always come back to us, to this, to each other, no matter how overwhelming shit could get' )he always seemed to ,ust get it 6 always seemed to understand that ( didn't always have words to e press myself in the right way' #y girl and ( kissed like two teens making out, but ( couldn't stop myself' )lowly, my shoes, my socks, my ,eans, and her underwear all hit the floor' )oft laughter ghosted out from us as we tried to be quiet, but teasing hands, nipping teeth, and wet lips caused gasps when certain places were touched a certain way' /nd that shit wasn't always easy to contain' ( felt my an iety, my worries, my fears of raising a son ebb away with each kiss, each giggle that ( could evoke from Bella' 0othing fucking mattered when we were together, because there wasn't a fucking thing we couldn't get through' /nd as ( finally slipped deep inside of her, my memory echoed back to me again' &The things I've doneBthat I've seenG" I grimaced, shaking my head. "1o one understands that shit. 3uck, I don't even understand it." &The right womanBshe'll take that all away," my dad said sagely. God, he was so fucking right'

CHAPTER 26 Epilogue
Three months later... January...

%E&&#
&5im moved, #ommy8& Bethy gasped, her eyes wide as her hand was splayed flat on my stomach' &5im did,& ( giggled, tucking her hair behind her ear' ( laughed, not because she hadn't felt )amuel kick before, but because he'd kicked her in the back while we were laying together on the couch' (t was like he was shoving her off of him' The sibling rivalry had already started' &4hat's so funny!& $dward asked, emerging from the hallway' 5e was dressed in heavy boots, ,eans, and a thick hoodie, because he said that if he didn't shovel the snow off the sidewalk, someone * and he wasn't naming names * would end up on their ass' :ersonally, ( think it was himself he was referring to, but he would never admit it' /nd he was a damn good sight for sore eyes, because he'd ,ust gotten back from helping .asper and $mmett make some emergency repairs to .asper's dad's house' / storm had damaged the roof pretty badly, and the boys offered to help' $dward had flown them all to Te as, and it had taken almost four days to get it finished' &5im kicked me8& Bethy told him, her voice incredulous and clearly offended, and ( had to hide my laugh behind my hand' $dward grinned, shaking his head and kneeling ne t to us' &/h, he did, huh!& he asked, placing a warm hand to my stomach, but ( moved it to where the wriggling was still going on' &There, baby,& ( told him, watching as his face softened to a loving e pression' &$asy, )amuel,& he crooned, placing a kiss over my shirt and rubbing my stomach soothingly' &4e all have to share #ommy' $n,oy having her all to yourself for now, buddy,& he chuckled, giving me a wink' &/nd you can totally blame the chili dogs for lunch on your sister'& &5e has to like chilwi dogs,& Bethy stated, and ( half e pected her to roll her eyes' &4ho doesn't like chilwi dogs!& &;ou tell him, little sweetness,& he chuckled, kissing her sweet nose before standing up' 5e cupped my face, bending down to kiss my lips' &('m going to shovel the snow' /nd then ('m going to try and finish the changing table' 7kay, love!&

&;ou're staining in the winter!& ( asked him' 5e laughed, shaking his head' &( had heaters in there, but it's stained' ( ,ust need to add the knobs and attach the top part' ( didn't get a chance before ( left'& &7h,& ( sighed, nodding a bit' &( should waddle out to the office and check on the girls' They had a few security ,obs and one prospective client call to make'& &.ust'''don't overdo it, sweetness,& he ordered, helping me to my feet' &The doc said'''& &( know,& ( whined, rolling my eyes up to his' &('m only walking in there' (t's not like ('m guarding some rock star' /nd ( should thank you for setting /lec on me for four days like a rabid mother hen'& 5e smirked, but nodded, walking me to the front door, because there wasn't a force of nature that could stop his over2protectiveness' 0ot that ( wanted him to stop, because it was one of his most loving features' &=ome on, Bethy,& ( called her' &#aybe /unt #akenna will have a new art pro,ect for you'& &;ay8& she sang, hopping down from the couch and bolting out the door, her little boots leaving sweet footprints in the snow all the way to Gravity's office door, which she swung open and darted in' $dward made sure ( didn't slip down the porch steps, keeping a firm hand on my elbow as he walked me across the yard' /gain, ( wasn't stopping him, because he was right about the doctor' 6r' )andler had made it perfectly clear when we went for my five month check up that ( was to take it easy' #y blood pressure was ,ust a touch too high, not to mention this baby was bigger than Bethy had been, so my feet were constantly swollen, and my back was throbbing by the end of the day' ( wasn't to really work, other than desk work, ( wasn't to pick Bethy up, nor was ( allowed to drive' ( was ,ust this shy of being ordered to bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy, so ( had to truly watch myself' ( took a deep breath at that last thought, looking up at $dward and pulling my oversi3ed ,acket closer around me' &( promise to sit inside and behave,& ( vowed, grinning up at him' &/s if that's possible,& he chuckled, cupping my face and kissing my lips' 5is nose wrinkled as he let out a deep e hale, causing his breath to puff around him in the cold, crisp air' &( know you're bored, baby' ( know this is hard' (t won't be much longer'& &('m not arguing, $dward, but )od, ( am really bored,& ( giggled, shaking my head' &/t least let me live vicariously through my employees,& ( begged, grabbing both sides of his face' &:lease!&

5e laughed and let me squish his face as ( kissed him roughly' &That's fine, baby,& he said, still laughing' &.ust don't walk back without someone with you' Got me!& & es, sir,& ( purred, kissing him again' 5e pointed a finger at me' &;ou're to be merely a figurehead in there' 0o stress, no pacing, no running off to save the world'& &('m si months pregnant, $dward' Besides the stress, how much of that other shit do you think ( could do!& ( laughed, my head falling back' &;ou'd find a way,& he muttered, pouting like a child' &.ust'''do something harmless, like paperwork or some shit'& &7kay,& ( chuckled, starting for the office door, but stopped and turned to him' &5ey''' ( really missed you, you know'& 5is smile could have lit up the sky on +ourth of .uly, but he closed the remaining distance, his hands slipping up either side of my face' 5e pressed his forehead to mine, capturing my mouth in a searing kiss' The things his lips and tongue did made the chilly weather non2e istent' 5e broke away from my mouth, which caused me to whimper, but his voice was sweet, smooth, se y, like melted chocolate' &7h, sweetness,& he sighed, his eyes still closed, &( fucking hated it' 5ow the blue hell did ( sleep before ( met you!& ( giggled, rubbing his scruffy ,aw lightly' &;ou had to suffer in order to appreciate the good shit,& ( said, chuckling when a laugh from him pushed out against my cheek' &;ou are the definition of good shit, baby,& he laughed, kissing me quickly and grabbing the doorknob' &5ere, love' Get inside before you catch a chill' ('ll be out here if you need me'& The place was its usual busy, noisy self' "ose was on the phone, leaning back in her chair as =aleb played in his playpen ne t to her desk' #akenna had already set Bethy up at the conference table with paper and crayons, having gone back into the computer room with /lice' /nd it was that room ( was aiming for' #akenna held my chair as ( sat down ne t to her, while /lice was busy on the radio' ?p on her screen was the layout of an arena marked with locations for where our security would be for a concert coming up that night in :ortland' 7ur boys had been hired to be the personal security for the band' &5ow's he doing!& ( whispered to #ack, because ( knew she'd understand who ( was talking about'

&>urt, check in,& she said over her headset, giving me a wry smile' &>urt here,& he stated' &('m with /lec' 4e're picking up the sub,ect now at the airport'& ( grinned, because he sounded good, calm, even though this was his first real ,ob' ('d told /lec that ( wanted >urt to shadow him for the first few ,obs, because he was our most e perienced' (t had been 4es' suggestion to hire him, train him, even teach him guns' >urt's record * both mental and criminal * had held him back, and he'd been having a hard time getting back to school and finding a decent ,ob' 5is father had worried that he'd fall back into the wrong crowd again' )o after a very long, very detailed discussion with my crew, we'd sat down and had a talk with him' .asper, $mmett, and $dward had taught >urt guns * how to shoot, clean, and handle them' ('d enrolled him in a martial arts class first thing, because he'd needed not only the discipline, but the ability to defend himself' /lice had taught him everything else * how our company worked, what type of ,obs we took, and how, no matter what, all things stay within the company' 5e'd taken to it like a fish to water' /ll of it' 5e was young, easy to teach, and eager as hell to prove himself' 5e also knew that he was filling some damn big shoes, because he was taking )am's place on the team, and >urt felt honored' #ack handed me a headset, and ( tugged it on, saying, &6eep breaths, >urt' ;ou'll be fine, honey'& &Thanks, Bella,& he chuckled nervously' &Bells8& ( heard over the radio' &5ow ya feelin', darlin'!& .asper crooned' &9ike a giant balloon,& ( chuckled' &But ('m good' ;ou boys be careful and have a good night, okay!& &;es, ma'am,& they all called back' ( pulled off the headset and set it down onto the desk, looking up at "ose as she leaned in the doorway' &;ou look like hell,& she teased with a wink' &Thanks' ;ou, too,& ( laughed, shrugging' &( don't sleep well without $dward' /nd there are only so many cartoon movies a mom can take without snapping,& ( said, tapping my temple' &4e should've ,ust stayed together,& /lice muttered, looking about the same as "ose' &The house was too damn quiet without .a33's snores'&

4e all laughed, but it was true' 7ur men were our guardians, sometimes our cooks, and our best friends' (t had been that way from the moment we'd met them' 4e looked up at the security camera when an alert sounded that the front gate was being opened' ( recogni3ed =arlisle's B#4 instantly, but he wasn't alone' /nother car pulled in right behind him, which turned out to be $lea3ar' Both men e ited their vehicles, but it was $lea3ar that spoke first' &( should kick your ass all over these damn woods, son,& he growled loud enough for us to hear him from our spots inside, pointing a finger at my husband' &;ou can fucking try,& $dward sneered, shrugging' &7h, hell,& "ose, /lice, and ( muttered together, heading for the door' &#akenna, stay with Bethy and =aleb, please,& "ose stated before letting us outside' &;eah, sure,& she said quietly, but ( was pretty sure her eyes weren't leaving the security cameras' 4e quietly fell out of the office doors, "ose holding onto me as we made our way closer to the three men through the snow' $dward was leaning against the outside wall of his wood shop, the snow shovel casually gripped in his hand' &5ow the fuck did you do it, $dward!& $lea3ar snapped, his face red with anger and venom as he glared at him' &6o what!& &;ou know fucking well what8 4here were you last week!& $lea3ar asked, his demeanor calming down ,ust a bit, because my husband wasn't flinching' /t all' &Te as,& $dward stated nonchalantly with a shrug' &.asper's father needed some repairs done on his house after a storm' $m, ., and ( flew down there to help'& &#mhm,& $l sneered, eying him with disbelief' &;ou ,ust happened to fly down to Te as at the same time ('m transporting prisoners to Guantanamo Bay, knowing that we stop off in Te as for a refuel'& #y eyebrows shot up, and my head spun to "ose' &They didn't,& ( hissed to her' )he sighed, shaking her head and shrugging' /lice grunted, folding her arms across her chest as we continued to listen' &5ow'd you know! 5ow'd you do it, $dward!& $l asked, now sounding resigned to it all' &$l,& =arlisle finally interrupted, placing a hand on his brother2in2law's shoulder' &=hrist, son, did you order and carry out a hit on >enny :orter!& The name alone seemed to cause $dward's smooth mask to slip and shatter, because

his fist pounded and cracked the shed wall ne t to him' &6id you think ('d fucking forget!& he yelled, throwing the shovel down to the ground' &5e put a fucking gun to my girls' heads' 5e threatened Bethy, starved her, gave her cough medicine to shut her up, and he laughed through it all, 6ad8 Bethy still has nightmares about 'The #ean #an''& ( grimaced, but he was right' Bethy would occasionally dart into our room late at night, squirming her way in between us after having a nightmare' They were fewer now than they were at the beginning, but ( knew they bothered $dward' 5ow much it bothered him, ('d had no idea' ?ntil now' $l sighed, his hands falling to his sides in a defeated gesture' &6ammit, $dward,& he groaned, rolling his eyes' &5e would have spent the remainder of his life locked up as a terrorist'& &0ot' Good' $nough,& $dward growled' /gain, his fist pounded the side of the wood shop' &;ou're ,ust lucky ( waited until you finished your case' ;ou can have the other two witnesses' >enny was dead the second he put the gun to Bethy's head the day he took her from me' .ight fucking in front of me.& $dward stood tall, practically swelling up as he stepped closer to $lea3ar' &0ow''' /re you here to arrest me for something!& &5ell, no8& $lea3ar scoffed, waving him off, but =arlisle stepped forward anyway, placing himself as a shield to his son' &( don't have any fucking proof it was you' (t was a flawless fucking hit' #ade it look like suicide'& $dward's mouth twitched in pride, but he said nothing as he picked his shovel back up, his eyes catching sight of us' )uddenly, guilt flooded his face' "ose sighed, saying, &( had a feeling something was up' Those three were awfully secretive the day before they left'& &( can't say that ( blame them,& /lice murmured, shrugging when we looked to her' &( can't, Bells' ('m sorry' .asper said he'd never seen $dward so broken as he watched Bethy with a gun to her head drive away' )omething about that kidnapping changed us all'& ( rubbed my stomach where )amuel was kicking ,ust a bit' 5e seemed to react when my emotions were flying high * good ones or bad' /nd at the moment, ( wasn't sure what ( was feeling, e cept a touch betrayed' $dward could've told me what he'd been planning' "ose and /lice went back inside the office as $dward made his way toward me, and ( had a feeling .asper and $mmett were about to get an ear full' =arlisle walked $lea3ar to his car, and they were still talking when my husband came to stand in front of me'

&Bella, ('''& he started, but ( held a hand up' &6on't,& ( said, eying his now bleeding hand' &Take me back to the house'& 5e huffed, but gently took my arm and guided me through the slippery snow and up the front porch steps' 7nce we were inside, ( turned on him' &Bathroom, now' ('ll clean that hand up,& ( told him' 5e nodded, his shoulders slumping a bit as ( followed him down the hall to our room' 5e said nothing until he plopped himself down on the closed toilet' 5e looked up at me, his eyes deep green and remorseful' &(2('m s2sorry (2( d2didn't t2tell y2you,& he sputtered softly, looking at his feet and not my eyes' ( reached up, grasping the 3ipper of his hoodie, and tugged it down, revealing a plain white t2shirt underneath' 5e shirked out of it, carefully working his now in,ured hand through the sleeve' ( set his arm on the vanity, and ( could feel his eyes on me as ( got out the first aid kit' &That was really fucking dumb, $dward,& ( said softly, shaking my head and starting to clean his knuckles' &;ou could've messed up' 5e could've arrested you, for real'& &( wouldn't have'''& ( raised an eyebrow at him' &0ow is not the time for you to get all smug and shit' 5ow'd you know when to go!& &+eli ,& he muttered, looking away from me' &5e knew what ( wanted, and he agreed' 5e did it behind $l's back as a favor to me * for #ethy' 5e was with the transporting team and allowed us a'''window of opportunity'& &/nd .asper's dad''' 4as that all bullshit!& &0o,& he snorted humorlessly' &0o, ,ust really good timing and an e cellent cover'& ( dabbed antibacterial medicine on the split skin, looking over at him' &( would think that you could let it go after 9ilith' That should've been enough,& ( told him, but he was still staring toward the shower and not me' &That's the last blatant hit you're pulling, $dward' ( mean it'& 5is head snapped around, and he finally met my ga3e' 5is eyes were sharp, but still filled with worry, like an admonished child' The man was terrified of my temper, but his ass was fearless when it came to going to prison for killing an insignificant idiot that had threatened his family' &9ook, ( get it,& ( sighed, picking up a roll of gau3e' &Believe me, ( almost pulled the trigger on >enny myself when you guys were interrogating him, but you are not a

mercenary anymore' ;ou wanted out' ;ou'll stay out' 0ow that everyone involved in that bullshit is gone, you can officially retire that case' Got me!& 5e nodded slowly, his eyes flickering from my face, to his hand, to my belly, but he still stayed quiet' 7nly his fingers twitched when ( wrapped his hand' ( let out a deep breath, grasping his strong ,aw and forcing him to look at me' &( almost lost you, $dward' ( won't go through that again' )omething could've gone wrong with ,ust the three of you,& ( said, picking up his wounded hand to make sure it was wrapped well enough' &( told you this before' ;ou work for me, or not at all, or even make furniture all damn day, but your sense of revenge is too much' ( thought the way things went down with 9ilith upset you, and then you go and pull this!& &(t's finished, Bella,& he stated simply, but firmly, his brow furrowing' &This was different' ( ,ust''' ( couldn't'''& &( know,& ( huffed, shaking my head' &To be honest, ('d forgotten all about him' 5e was a disgusting troll of a man' 5e could've rotted away in =uba, baby'& &0o,& he growled softly, his unin,ured hand balling in a fist, and ( saw what watching his child get taken had really done to my husband' (t had scared the shit out of him' 5e'd felt useless, like a failure, because he couldn't get to his baby when she'd needed him the most' 5e couldn't have prevented any of the shit that Bethy had gone through while she was out of his sight, and he probably would live out his whole life seeing the mu33le of a gun pressed to a three2year2old's head every time he closed his eyes' /nd it had probably all boiled over when +eli had called him' $dward had seen a means to an end' &('m sorry,& ( whispered, cupping his face' &(t's my fault all this shit with 9ilith started in the first place' ('m sorry about all of it' ;ou have no idea' Bethy, you, )am''' (t's all my doing, because ( ,ust couldn't keep my mouth shut back then'& &0o, Bella,& he gasped, pulling me between his legs' &0o one blames you, baby' ( swear' 9ilith made a choice, ,ust like >enny did'& 5e wrapped his arms around me, placing kisses on my belly, only to set his chin on top of it, like it was a shelf' &( had to end it, sweetness' ( ,ust couldn't let him get away with it, and he was still pompous at the end' ('m sorry ( didn't tell you the truth' ('m sorry that it upset you' (t's the last time it will ever happen again'& ( kissed his forehead, breathing in deep the smell of him * all crisp outdoors, sanded wood, and shampoo' &( love that you can protect us, $dward' ( love that you wouldn't let a fly near us' That's a part of you that ( love deeply, but a pure hit * without letting us in on it * could've ended badly'& &/lec knew'&

( huffed a humorless laugh' &7f course, he did'& $dward smirked, but let me pull back from him a bit to continue' &(n an emergency, our lives are in your hands' :romise me that you're done' ;ou wanted to be done, baby'& &( do' ( am,& he urged, his face the picture of sincerity' &>enny was the end of it'& ( studied his face and saw that he meant it' 5e could now tell his daughter that &The #ean #an& was completely gone, dead, and buried the ne t time she had a bad dream' 5e'd needed to fi it' /nd he had' :ermanently' (t wasn't what he'd done that had me upset1 it was that he'd gone behind my back' 5e could've gotten hurt or killed or even arrested, and ( wouldn't have known why until it was all over' ( caught a glimpse of his newest tattoo, the =ullen family crest, peeking out ,ust below his white t2shirt' (ts meaning was family first' /nd that's what he'd done * put his family ahead of everything else' 5e'd taken care of the last remaining threat * no matter that the asshole would've been in prison the rest of his life' (t didn't fucking matter to $dward' ( reached out and traced my finger along the graceful scroll, understanding completely' ;es, he'd been upset when he'd shot 9ilith, but he'd stopped her ,ust in time, pride filling him when he'd succeeded in catching her' ;es, he'd lied about where he'd been, but he'd done it protecting me, because stress was ,ust something that ( couldn't handle, and nothing could happen to me or )amuel as far as my husband was concerned' But it was Bethy's nightmares that had caused this hit, this hiccup in ,udgment, because it was the harshest reminder of it all' (t was a slap in his face every time she crawled up in our bed, clinging to her daddy like hell itself was on her tail' /nd for that alone, ( ,ust'''got it' &6on't lie to me again,& ( stated softly, letting it all go, because it was done and there wasn't anything ( could do about it' (n fact, deep down, ( was proud of him, in a way1 he'd completely closed the book on one scary ass turn of events' &( wouldn't have been able to get to you, to help you, if something had gone wrong'& &( won't, baby,& he vowed, shaking his head and pressing another kiss to my stomach' &)amuel, tell #ommy that no one has my back like she does, but thatB& he grinned up at me &Bshe shouldn't be stressed out'& &)hut up,& ( laughed and groaned at the same time, rolling my eyes' &Being all cute right now won't help you'& 5e chuckled, his cheeks turning a touch pink' &+ine,& he sighed, his forehead landing on my stomach' &( love you' ('m sorry' (t's all over, sweetness' ( needed to end it' /ll of it'& ( nodded and sighed, and again, ( couldn't blame him' /lice was right' Bethy's kidnapping had changed us all' 4e'd become vigilant and vengeful, angry, and so very scared' 5ell, ( could imagine that .asper and $mmett had only added fuel to the fire

once they'd found out about >enny's move from 4ashington to =uba' )amuel gave one good kick, ,ust about where $dward's forehead rested, and we both laughed' $dward pulled back and rubbed his fingers gently over the spot' ( giggled' &;eah, and that goes for me, too'& &+air enough'''both of you,& $dward chuckled, kissing my belly, and then pulling me down to his lips' &(t's you, love' /lways you that ( want to work with' 0ot make furniture, not bum about the house all day'''you'& &Good' Then behave, please'& &( will' ( promise'&

E!"#$!
Three months later... March &#r' =ullen!& ( heard behind me as ( paced like a fiend in Bella's hospital room' ( was still in the hospital scrubs ('d been wearing when they'd booted me from the delivery room' #y head snapped around to see 6r' )andler, and my heart flew and sank at the same time' &5e's perfectly healthy,& she said with a bright smile, handing )amuel over to me' &4e may have taken him early, but you wouldn't know it' 5e's eight pounds and ten ounces of strong boy'& ( blinked back tears, my arms shaking as ( took him gently from her' /nd God, he was ,ust fucking flawless' 5e blinked up at me with giant brown eyes ,ust like his mother's, and ( could see that his hair was ,ust a shade darker than mine' &Bella!& ( rasped, looking up at the doc' &)he's good and stable, but as you know, she's out' 4e'll bring her back in a few minutes,& she answered calmly, placing a hand on my shoulder' &)he's fine, $dward' 4e took him early, because he was putting too much stress on her'& ( nodded, swallowing nervously and looking back down at my son' Bella had tried so fucking hard to stay calm, even going as far as confining herself to bed the last few weeks, but )amuel had ,ust taken his toll on her, and as ( looked at him, ( could see why' 5e was big and strong' 5e squirmed against the blanket they had him swaddled in, murmuring his displeasure at being away from her' &:atience, buddy,& ( sighed, pressing my lips to his forehead' &( want to see her, too'& &;ou know,& 6r' )andler said with a wry smile, &there's this obno ious group of people

out in my waiting room'''& ( grinned, shaking my head' &;eah, ( can't take them anywhere, really'& )he chuckled and nodded' &;es, well''' :erhaps if you showed them proof, they might calm down' Because there's this short thing in there that can't be still to save her life,& she stated proudly, because she'd been the doc to deliver Bethy' &Got it,& ( chuckled, kissing )amuel's forehead again' ( looked back up at her' &Thank you' 4ill you'''& &( will personally come and get you when we bring Bella back to this room, $dward,& she urged, grasping my shoulders and steering me out into the hallway' &Go brag, 6ad' 5e's as pretty as his parents'& ( laughed, because we'd picked the best doctor for mine and Bella's personalities alone, not to mention she was a phenomenal 7B2G;0' )he'd known e actly what both of us had needed to hear for the last nine months' )he'd never held back her displeasure on something, but she'd stayed calm, used humor to get us to focus, and had never let us panic' &('m going, ('m going,& ( said, shooting her a wink on my way down the corridor' ( ga3ed down at )amuel, who seemed to be ,ust a touch overwhelmed at all the bright lights and movement, but whispered, &7h, brace yourself, little man' This will be'''something'& ?sing my shoulder, ( silently pushed the waiting room door open, shaking my head at the sight before me' #y entire family and crew had pretty much taken over the whole damn room' .asper sat with /lice in the farthest corner, her head on his shoulder' $mmett was on the floor with baby =aleb, who was the crawling definition of trouble these days, while #akenna, 4es, and "ose were all trying to occupy Bethy's time with books, toys, and crayons' /nd that was ,ust one side of the room' 7n the other side, there was /lec and )arah * who had ,ust gotten married the month prior in a quick little ceremony * and /bby, who was giggling with >urt over some game they were playing on his phone' /unt >ate, #ickey, and 7bie all were staring up at the T- in the corner, though all three of them had gla3ed2over eyes, obviously not seeing a damn thing that was playing' $sme and $lea3ar were huddled together in the corner, deep in quiet conversation' They were all worried, because this had been an emergency, and ( was pretty sure they'd all panicked when the doc said she was taking )amuel early' 0ot that my ass was any better, because ('d ,ust about fallen apart in the delivery room' But the most important figure was at the window, his forehead practically pressed to the glass as he ga3ed unseeingly out into the rainy )eattle weather' #y dad was

nervously wringing his hands behind his back, his color ,ust this shy of ashen, because his love for me and Bella knew no bounds' 5e was almost sick with worry' &6addy8& ( heard, and all eyes landed on me' ( put a finger to my lips, and Bethy grinned and nodded, but she was the first one to make it to us' ( knelt down, and she stepped closer to take a look' &5ere, big sis,& ( said, kissing her temple' &;our little brother is ,ust perfect,& ( told her, but it was for the rest of the room, as well, and ( could feel a touch of the tension leave them' &5e's cute,& she giggled, using my shoulder to pull herself closer' &5e still smells funny'& ( laughed, kissing her neck loudly' &;ou were cute and smelled funny, too'& &0uh uh,& she sang, still giggling' &4here's #ommy!& 9eave to the now four2year2old to ask the tough question, because despite my happiness with the bundle in my arms, ( was pretty damn sure my worry was all over my fucking face, like a neon sign' ( placed my hand on the back of her head, pressing my lips to her forehead, squee3ing my eyes closed as ( inhaled the sweet scent of her shampoo' The memories of alarms and beeping in the delivery room made my whole body shake' &$dward, son!& my dad urged, his voice ,ust a touch shaky' ( nodded that ('d heard him, but ( answered my daughter' &#ommy's sleeping,& ( told her' &)he started to get really weak, so they decided that )amuel should come home early with us' They had to give her something to calm down and go to sleep' )he'll be awake soon, little sweetness'& /nother release of tension left the room, and a few of the girls sat down in relief' $sme let a small sniffle out, and ( glanced up at her, and then back to Bethy, because my little girl was looking at me like she didn't believe me' )he could spot bullshit a mile away * ,ust like her mother' &"ela , baby,& ( sighed, cupping her face and making her look me in the eye' &('m worried, too, but they tell me #ommy will be ,ust fine'& )he nodded, blinking up at me with pure trust and hope' ( finally stood up to show off my son' #ost of the statements made me laugh, and they came at me from every direction' &5e looks ,ust like Bethy when she was born8& &7h, the chubby cheeks8& &5e's got Bella's eyes'&

&But your hair8& ( laughed at the last one, because we tugged off )amuel's little cap, and sure enough, his hair went everywhere, ,ust like my own' But it was my dad's voice that stopped us all' &5e looks ,ust like you the day you were born,& he said, begging me with silent, pleading eyes to let him hold my son' &5ere, :oppy,& ( sighed, handing him over' &=an you remember that far back, old man!& &)hut up, son,& he laughed, rolling his eyes' &;ou're not that old' 5ell, I'm not that old'& ( grinned, but felt a tug on my sleeve, and ( let $sme pull me away from everyone' &4hat happened!& she asked, cupping my face' &;ou look sick with worry'& &)he'''& ( sighed, shaking my head and looking down at my feet' &)he started to fail' )o it escalated from ,ust monitoring her cramping, to taking )amuel'''like that,& ( whispered, snapping my fingers' &+uck, $sme''' ('ve never been so scared' /ll these alarms went off, she couldn't speak''' $ven when Bella's had guns to her head, ('d never been that scared'& &(t was an enemy you couldn't fight, son' That's why,& she soothed, rubbing my upper arm' &4hat do they say!& &That she's fine, stable,& ( rasped, squee3ing my eyes closed' &)he's in recovery'& &Then you have to trust them, $dward,& she said, always the calm voice' ( was shaking my head before she even finished' &('ll feel better when she tells me what for' 4hen she's awake and ordering me around, then ('ll be okay'& )he grinned, letting a sniffly chuckle out' &+air enough, son'& &4ill you and 6ad stay!& ( suddenly burst out' &( know that everyone has to get back eventually, but will you'''& &7f course,& she stated, kissing my cheek' &4e'll keep Bethy, too' 7kay!& ( nodded, swallowing thickly, but we both looked up when 6r' )andler leaned in the door of the waiting room' &6o ( have to give you something to calm down, $dward!& she snarked, rolling her eyes' &%he's fine' /nd she's back in her room' )he's still sleeping, but she'll come around in a bit'& ( grinned, because the whole room had chuckled at her question to me' ( took )amuel back from my father, placing a relieved kiss to his little hand that had escaped his wrap' &=an ( see her!& ( asked'

&;es, of course'& &6addy,& Bethy gushed, rushing to me, but my dad scooped her up' &0ot yet, little one,& he crooned to her' &;ou can see #ommy soon, but let's go downstairs and see what kind of ice cream we can find, huh!& &)trawberry!& she asked him, and ( chuckled, because my baby girl couldn't get enough strawberry ice cream' &7ne can always hope for strawberry, #ambina,& /lec laughed, touching her chin with his fingers' &0o, chocolate,& /bby said softly, grinning up at /lec, who scooped her up with a laugh' &)crew this8& $mmett boomed' &There's a shop right around the corner' 4e're all going,& he sang, bouncing a giggling =aleb * who was the spitting image of his father, all the way down to his dimply grin * in his big arms, but on his way by, he whispered ,ust to me' &Go''' Go be with your girl' 4e'll get out of your hair for a few, huh!& ( nodded, following the doc back down to Bella's room'

%E&&#
( struggled to come up out of the deep foggy feeling that seemed to surround me' ( felt heavy and listless, unable to open my eyes ,ust yet' #y body felt like it was weighed down, achy and sore with every breath ( took, but it was the sharp sound of an infant's unhappiness that brought me back to the present' %amuel. &$asy, )amuel,& ( heard the sweetest voice soothe * a voice ( associated with calm and comfort' &)he'll wake up soon' )he's the strongest person ( know, pal' Trust me on that'& )amuel seemed to gurgle back an argument, which only caused my husband to chuckle softly' &7h, ( see how it is,& he snickered' &;ou're gonna be #ommy's boy, aren't you! =an't say that ( blame you'''& ( wanted to laugh at them both' (t took all ( had to wrench open my eyes, only to squee3e them shut again in order to make them focus' 4hen ( could finally see around my room, my ga3e locked on my two men' $dward was practically curled around )amuel, sitting lengthways along the sofa at the window' 5is knees were bent up, his feet flat, and his back propped against the arm, but his arms were wrapped around a

noisy, squirming bundle of blue blankets' &)he's beautiful and smart'''and so brave, little man' ;ou have no idea what she went through to get you here,& he whispered, but ( could hear the fear, the worry, the stress taking a toll on him' ( winced, remembering how ( hadn't been able to move, to speak' ( remembered them telling $dward they were taking )amuel right then, but after that, things were blurry' /lthough, ( was pretty sure that my husband had meant every difficult step throughout my pregnancy' &)h2)he already l2loves y2you s2so m2much,& he sputtered to )amuel, his voice cracking ,ust a bit' &/nd that's a big deal, buddy, because when #ommy loves someone, ('m not sure there's anything she won't do for them'& ( blinked back tears, shook my head, and finally said, &5ey'''& #y voice was soft and raspy, but his head shot up' &=hrist, Bella,& he gasped, carefully getting up from the sofa and leaning over me, our son still in the crook of his arm' &( was so worried, baby'& &(s he! ( mean''' (s everything'''& ( started, unsure of what ( was asking, because it had been really scary the last few moments ( was awake' &7h, God,& $dward said, his brow wrinkling, but the sweetest, biggest smile crept up his handsome face' &5e's fucking perfect, love' 5ere,& he said, sitting gingerly on the edge of my bed' &( think it's time you two met''' um, face to face,& he chuckled, shifting around until he could lay )amuel across my chest' Tears streamed down my face at the little clone of his father * all e cept for my eyes' )amuel was every dream, every imagining that ('d had since ('d found out ( was pregnant again, only more' 5e was $dward made over, and he was ,ust'''perfect' &5ey, )amuel,& ( sniffled and smiled at the same time, leaning into $dward's kiss to my temple' 4earily, ( lifted my arms in order to hold him' &;ou have to be the handsomest man ('ve ever seen,& ( giggled softly, tracing his sweet features' $dward laughed, pressing his forehead to my temple, but he let out a long, shaky breath in my ear, like he'd been holding it in forever' &+uck, sweetness, ('m glad you're okay' ;ou scared the shit out of me' 6on't ever fucking do that again'& ( nodded silently, turning to nu33le his scruffy face, because ( knew it had been pretty fucking hectic in the delivery room' &('m sorry,& ( whispered, trying to kiss whatever part of my husband ( could reach, finally making contact with his chin' &4hat happened!& 5e huffed, pushing himself up again and swallowing nervously as he fiddled with )amuel's blanket, his hat, only to finally let one tiny hand wrap around his finger, his

brow furrowing ,ust a bit' &5e was ready,& he said simply, shrugging one shoulder' &5e was draining you, Bella, but they tell me you're fine, and he's fine' 5e's over eight pounds of strong boy,& he said, grinning when )amuel let out a long contented sigh as he ga3ed up at me' &)ee, bud! ( told you #ommy was gorgeous,& he whispered, kissing my head again, only this time, his hand cupped my face, tucking my hair behind my ear' &( need to let them know you're awake, baby'& &0o'''not yet,& ( gushed, shaking my head' &9et me have you two''',ust for a minute' 7kay!& ( knew there was most likely a huge group of people waiting to hear something' ( knew my baby girl was probably climbing the walls' /nd ( knew eventually, life had to shift into a completely different gear, but ( ,ust wanted, for one quiet moment, to cuddle with my boys' &)ure, love,& $dward soothed, tracing his fingers down my cheek, under my chin, only to bring my lips softly to his' 5e shifted again, carefully and slowly laying himself along my side' 5e slipped his arm underneath my head, curling both of us to him' &4ho's here!& ( asked' &$veryone,& he chuckled' &/nd then some'& ( smiled and nodded, finally leaning down to kiss a drifting off )amuel' &/nd Bethy!& &Thinks he smells funny, but that he's 'cute''& ( giggled, my head falling back to his arm, and ( turned to face him' &6id you tell her she was both!& &( did,& he laughed' &)he didn't take the news so well'& &( bet not,& ( snickered' &;ou can't tell a girl she smells funny, $dward' 4hat's wrong with you!& 5e chuckled, burying his face in my hair' &)he wants to see you, baby' )he's probably climbing up one side of my dad and down the other, because he was brilliant enough to take all the kids for ice cream'& ( nodded, sighed, and looked up at him' &7kay,& ( finally relented, closing my eyes when his lips pressed to my forehead' 5e slowly e tricated himself from us, but reached for )amuel' &9et's let him sleep, Bella' 5e's had a busy day'& 5e grinned when ( giggled, shooting a wink my way, but he rolled the bassinet ne t to the hospital bed, laying )amuel down so gently that he barely even stirred' 5e stood up tall, and it was then ( noticed that he'd changed back into his regular

clothes * ,eans and a button2down black shirt with the sleeves rolled up' 5is shoulders were broad, proud as he ga3ed down at his son, though he carried himself like he was e hausted' 5is hair was in such a se y disarray that ( could only imagine how many times he'd pulled at it in frustration' 5e gave me my favorite crooked smile, ran hand through his hair probably for the millionth time, and said, &('ll be right back, sweetness'& .ust watching him walk toward the door made me reali3e that something was missing, something hadn't been acknowledged since ('d opened my eyes' 5is hand reached for the door, but ( stopped him, because he looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, like he was ,ust a touch lost, and like he'd ,ust run the length of forty football fields' 5e was strong and tall, he was handsome and sweet, and he was the pillar we all leaned on' )uddenly, my love for $dward was overwhelming' &$dward, wait,& ( said, tears streaming down my face' &('m really sorry ( scared you' ( love you so much'& 5e was across the room in an instant, his hands bracing on either side of my head as he pressed his lips to mine frantically' &God, Bella,& he rasped, emotions finally releasing from him' &(t's okay, love' ;ou don't have to apologi3e to me' ;ou did so fucking well,& he whispered urgently against my lips' &(2('m ,2,ust g2glad y2you're b2both o2okay,& he sputtered sweetly' &( love you, too'''so fucking much'& ( cupped both sides of his face, ga3ing up at him' &;ou needed to know'''& 5e smiled, shaking his head, but kissed me softly' &7h, ( know''' ;ou've done it all for me, love' ( really know'''& ( nodded, kissing him before he pulled away to stand back up' &0ow, let me go get them before we have a riot in the waiting room,& he said, rubbing his face roughly' 5e picked up my hand, kissing the top of it' &They've been worried about you'& 4ith that said, he gave me one last glance and walked out into the hallway' ( turned my head, watching my baby sleep, and sighed in perfect contentment' 4e'd made it through every bump you could possibly imagine, ,ust to get to where we were' #y nose wrinkled at the bad times, but ( chuckled at some of the good, all while staring at )amuel' The door swung open, and ( grinned as $dward came in with Bethy tossed over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and she was giving him hell' &6own, 6addy,& she commanded' &( want to see #ommy'''the right way. 0ot upside

down8& &;ou didn't tell me that,& he countered back to her, spinning her down to the floor' ( covered my mouth to smother my laugh when she glared up at him once before turning around' &#ommy8& she sang, rushing to the side of the bed' &5i, pretty girl,& ( said, reaching out to twirl her hair around my finger' &/re you being a good girl!& &;up8& she said, nodding fervently' &:oppy got us ice cweam, and ( arm westled ?nca $m in order to get to see you first'& ( laughed' &/nd you won!& &;up,& she said again, beaming like a ray of sunshine' &The matches are still going on,& $dward chuckled, ,erking a thumb behind him' &#y money's on $sme'& &( don't blame you,& ( giggled, looking up when a nurse came into the room' &=an we go home now, #ommy!& she asked, giving the nurse a scathing look when the woman stepped in front of her, but $dward scooped her up in order for her to see me' &)oon, little sweetness,& he crooned to her, kissing her neck' &4e all want #ommy home soon'''it's been a long twenty2four hours'& ( locked eyes with him for a moment, smiling softly at my family' ( wondered * if only for a moment * how much would change with the addition of )amuel' ( wondered where ('d have ended up without the strong, sweet, handsome man standing in front of me, currently telling his daughter in an adorable whisper what the nurse was doing to me' The nurse smirked, giving me a wink as she took my blood pressure' &Thought that man of yours was gonna blow the place up when you gave us a bit of trouble, #rs' =ullen,& she teased, though she was looking only at me' ( laughed, covering my face, because ( couldn't imagine what he'd have done had something gone wrong' 5e was sweet, polite, and kind' 5e was the best husband and father a woman could even conceive e isting, but he would have lost his mind had something gone wrong' )he had no idea how true her words were' $dward chuckled, rolling his eyes and shaking his head' ( waved her closer, giving $dward a wink' &('m sure we're all lucky that we didn't have to find out'&

$dward gave me warning in the the form of a deadly raised eyebrow and a se y ass tilt to his head, but before he could say anything, my hospital doors flew open, allowing in everyone' ( grinned up at them all, leaning into hugs, snickering at e aggerated hushes, and shaking my head at them all trying to get to me' They were * for all intents and purposes * my cra3y family, my closest friends' But it was the warm, firm hand linking its fingers with mine that ( held onto, and as ( glanced over to $dward, closing my eyes as he placed a long slow kiss to my forehead, ( couldn't feel luckier than ( did right then'

A year later... March #y eyes rolled back into my head when a warm, strong, calloused hand slipped stealthily underneath my t2shirt, cupping my breast fully and causing my nipple to peak high and hard' +or a brief moment, ( was reminded of the very first time ('d ever stayed at $dward's home over five years prior' 5e always seemed to wake up warm, snuggly, amorous' (f we happened to be in bed at the same time, he'd wake up groping, kissing, grinding' 5e was hard, pressing himself closer to me and dragging his teeth along the spot ,ust below my ear that drove me cra3y' 5e whispered of dangerous, naughty things in a raspy voice that dripped se , carnal longing, and love * things ( wanted every time he uttered them' 0othing had changed' &Baby, we have people coming'''& ( groaned, my ass arching back to him, seeking something, anything' #y body reacted against my will when it came to him, and it probably always would' &The only one ( care about'''coming is you, sweetness,& he rumbled in my ear, dragging his tongue up the shell of it' ( laughed softly and moaned at the same time, feeling his smile against the skin of my neck' &Birthday party, $dward''' "emember!& &;up,& he grunted, gliding his flattened hand down my stomach and diving underneath the waistband of my underwear' &( remember'''& #y breath caught sharply in my throat when his fingers seemed to seek out e actly where ( wanted him, so ( rolled onto my back, my legs falling open, despite how much we had to do today' #y eyes locked with dark, needy, and slightly mischievous ones, and ( couldn't help but pull him closer' Broad strong shoulders loomed over me, $dward's elbow braced at my head, while the other hand continued its e ploration of

,ust how much he affected me' &#m, so wet, love' 4ere you dreaming about me again!& he crooned, his voice velvet and smooth against my throat' &#aybe,& ( teased, weaving my fingers into his hair and pulling his face to mine' ( was ,ust about to kiss him stupid, despite the fact that neither of us had been up yet' #orning breath was not important when a hard, strong, se y ass man was grinding his cock against your leg as he told you how he wanted to take you si ways from )unday' ( ,ust couldn't care about the tiny details at that point' 5ell, ( could barely remember my name at the moment' But it was the sound of tiny thumping feet that caused everything to come to a standstill' ( grinned, but sighed in defeat, my head falling back to my pillow as poor $dward's fell to my chest, a small huffing laugh escaping him as he tried to calm himself down' #y girly parts screamed in protest when his hand left my underwear' 7ur door flew open, and ( watched as my handsome boy padded into the room on two chunky, yet still a touch wobbly legs' &Guess it's time for a big boy bed,& ( muttered, pushing $dward off of me' &;eah, it's finished,& he sighed back, but his loving ga3e at our little boy was hard to miss' &('ll set it up today'& 7ur one year old was too smart and too strong for his own good' 5e'd been escaping his crib for a few weeks now, and his most favorite morning activity was running to us first thing' )amuel loved his morning kisses' &#uh2ma8 6a'ee8& )amuel chirped from the side of the bed as he patted the mattress, wearing camo footie pa,ama bottoms and a camo shirt that read, &#y mommy loves bad boys& * a hilarious gift from his /unt /lice' &There's my birthday boy,& ( sang, reaching down and pulling him up onto the bed' 5e curled into me with a giggle, his little body wriggling closer and closer, because he was my cuddle monster' 4here Bethy was on the go twenty2four2seven, it seemed, )amuel was my sweet, snuggly one' 5e was shy and funny' 5e was quiet and so very smart' /nd he was still the spitting image of $dward, e cept for the deep, chocolate eyes that matched my own' $dward chuckled, stretching out beside us and propping his head up on his hand, his elbow on my pillow' &$scaped again, huh, little man!& &;eah,& )amuel said softly with a sweet grin and a tilt to his head' &Tell 6addy you're ,ust too cool to be contained,& ( giggled, smooching his neck until he

squealed and writhed in my lap' &=oo', 6a'ee'''& he giggled, which made his dad laugh' &('m convinced you're part'''monkey,& $dward growled, pulling his son to him and tickling his tummy' &0o8& )amuel laughed, sitting up straight between us when his dad stopped tickling him' ( giggled at them both, because ( couldn't help it' They were practically identical, and so very cute' ( reached up, trying to calm )amuel's hair, but it was of no use' )leep combined with its natural cra3iness made it impossible to keep down' &6on't bother,& $dward murmured wryly' &(t won't do any good'& ( laughed, kissing his cheek' &$ perience talking, baby!& &;ou have no idea,& he chuckled, shaking his head and sighing deeply as he pressed his lips to the top of )amuel's head' 5e turned to me, kissing the side of my neck' &)ince ( can't finish what ( so wanted to, ( might as well get shit started for the day,& he crooned in my ear, giving my skin one last open mouthed kiss' &)hit8& )amuel piped up, and ( rolled my eyes up to $dward' 5e barked a laugh, getting up from the bed' &5undred bucks in the swear ,ar' Got it,& he stated wryly, still wearing a ginormous grin' ( turned to my baby boy' &9et's get you changed and dressed, okay, buddy! ;ou've got peeps to see today,& ( told him, scooping him up and clambering off the bed' )amuel nodded, giving me a sweet giggling, &:eeps8&

&7h, it's like #ini2#e,& "ose chuckled, gesturing across the yard' &4ow, you're one to talk,& ( laughed, my head falling back' &5ave you looked at your two boys lately!& &( know, right!& she snickered, shaking her head' &$ven worse, =aleb has $mmett's sense of humor,& she chortled, pointing toward the grill ,ust as a now two2year2old =aleb decided to squirt his dad with a water gun, which only resulted in a chase through my yard' 5owever, $mmett was letting his son think he was getting away' But it was the wood shop my eyes fell back to, and ( couldn't help but grin' $dward was

pulling out the parts of )amuel's new big boy bed that he'd been working on for weeks, getting it ready to take into the house, but it was the shadow at his feet that was too much' Both were dressed in black cargo shorts, sneakers, white t2shirts, and of course, black backwards baseball caps' ( totally did that shit on purpose' .asper, =arlisle, and $dward slowly took apart )amuel's crib, storing it in the basement' :iece by piece, they carried the new bed in, setting it up with the mattress we'd bought a month back' 4e'd known it was time, though it seemed awful fitting to set it up on his first birthday' $mmett called that the hotdogs and burgers were done, and more people than ( knew what to do with ,oined him at the tables we'd pushed together' ( got up from my seat on the porch swing and walked down the hallway to see how )amuel's room looked' ( leaned in the doorway, watching $dward attach the safety rails to the new bed' /ll his help * including the tiny one * had left him at the mention of food' &They won't work,& ( chuckled, shrugging when he looked at me over his shoulder' &5e'll still escape'& &4ell, he sleeps like a ticking clock,& he laughed, standing up straight and ga3ing down at his work' &5e rotates all damn night'& #y eyes raked down my husband and right back up, because he'd started something that morning, and ( desperately needed him to finish it' 5e was ,ust hot, standing there in a shirt that clung to every muscle, his capable hands slowly picking up all his tools' &5mm, we should try that rotating thing'''every direction on the bed,& ( purred, leaning against the wall and looking up through my lashes' ( wanted to laugh when his head spun my way like it was on a swivel, his eyes darkening instantly' 5e smirked se ily, his eyebrow raising as he walked to me after dropping the tools back onto the mattress' &#mhm, we'''can,& he rumbled, bracing his hands on either side of my head' &('m sure we'''have'& ( grinned, nodding slowly' &7h, ('m sure we have, too' ('m ,ust'''saying'''& &( created a monster this morning, didn't (!& he asked, his voice taking on a whole different tone as he skimmed his nose down my cheek to my neck' &('m sorry ( couldn't finish what ( started, love' Believe me, ( so wanted to see you come for me' ( love hearing you cry out my name first thing in the fucking morning'& #y whole body shivered at the pure sensual mood that was practically oo3ing from him' (t was like the man could flip a switch' 7r maybe ('d flipped the switch, and he'd ,ust run with it'

( moaned, because ( couldn't help it when his body pressed to mine, when his fingers slipped into my hair almost forcefully, when his lips nipped with teasing kisses' ( definitely couldn't ignore the way he breathed me in, like he needed the scent on my skin in order to stay alive, and the way that he smelled like sunshine and cut lumber and smoke from the grill' The hint of beer on his tongue was the last straw' ( gripped the sides of his t2shirt, pulling him closer at the same time he dove for my mouth' +rantic, hurried, wet sounds filled the small room as we kissed like maniacs, like teens sneaking off from the adults, not wanting to get busted copping a feel' 4arm hands cupped my ass at the same time hips pressed to mine' Tongues slipped and swirled together, imitating what $dward wanted to do to me with other parts of our bodies' #y own fingers found their way to ,ust inside the back of $dward's shorts * kneading at his ass and causing him to buck into me a little * and not his hair, because for some twisted, kinky reason, ( wanted that damned hat to stay on when he took me hard' &#ommy8& Bethy's voice rang from the front door' &Gamma says it's time for )ammy's cake8& $dward's forehead fell to my shoulder, a hissing, but snickering, &+uck,& leaving his lips' ( couldn't help but laugh, my head falling back to the wall with a soft thump' &=hrist, $dward, this so isn't over'''& ( warned him, hugging his strong shoulders close when he laughed against my skin' &"ight,& he agreed, kissing my cheek, my nose, and finally, my lips, &but apparently, we shouldn't be alone together'''& ( grinned, pushing him off of me, calling, &=oming, Bethy'& &0o, you aren't,& $dward said with a pout, rolling his eyes at my laugh' &;ou could've been, but you're not'''& &(s that the word of the day, baby!& ( cracked up, leaving him alone in )amuel's room to clear his'''head' By the time ( reached the screen door, all ( heard was, &(t should be, dammit8& ( was still laughing by the time ( made it to the table'

E!"#$!
&)ammy started it8& Bethy protested as we marched both kids into the bathroom' &=ake8& )amuel chimed in ,ust to add fuel to the fire, ( was sure of it' 5e may have been

only a year old, but he'd already learned how to push his sister's buttons' &5e's a year old, Bethy,& Bella sighed, but her amusement could barely be contained, because the food fight had been hilarious' &/nd he threw cake at me8& my daughter countered, sounding ,ust like her mother when she argued back' ( had to bite back my laugh and my smile, only shaking my head as ( practically frog2 marched my daughter down the hall' 5ell, ( was afraid to barely touch her, because she was covered in cake and icing and what looked like potato salad' The party had been damn fun' 7ur whole family and crew had shown up, bringing their own kids' There had been hotdogs and burgers, sodas and beer, even chips and dip, but it was the birthday cake that had brought us to this moment, brought us to a tub filling with bubbles and warm water' #y son * while everyone's back was turned as they'd started to leave for the night, mind you * had decided that he'd needed more birthday cake'''by the tiny fistful, of course' 5owever, when his big sister had told him not to, he'd taken his tiny fist and tossed it at her' /nd boy, she'd been pissed, resulting in the cake fight of the fucking century' &)trip8& Bella ordered, pointing to Bethy, her voice leaving no room for argument as she proceeded to remove )amuel's clothes' ( chuckled softly at Bethy's put2out face, but knelt in front of her' &5ere, little sweetness,& ( sighed, still smiling, but gathering up her shirt in order to wrench it off her head' &5e started it,& she whispered ,ust to me, ,erking a thumb behind her, which made Bella finally crack a smile' &)ometimes, it's best not to interrupt a man and his snacks, baby,& ( chuckled, shrugging a shoulder' &(t would be like me taking away your bowl of popcorn when you're watching a movie'& &;ou wouldn't8& she gasped' &0o, but it's the same idea, Bethy,& ( laughed' &(t was his cake, his birthday' 5e was partying the best way he knew how'& &=ake8& )amuel piped up again, grabbing Bella's face with two pudgy hands' &( didn't throw cake when ( was a baby8& she huffed, holding up her arms once we had her stripped' &;es, you did,& Bella and ( chanted together as ( set her into the tub' The butterball that was my son was already in, covered in bubbles and happily

splashing with a toy helicopter in his hand' &Took me forever to get the cake off the walls of the kitchen,& Bella muttered, her eyes rolling when ( laughed again, but she looked up at me' &5ave you got'''this!& she huffed, gesturing to the slick kid filled tub' &( need to make up )amuel's new bed'& &;es, love,& ( snickered, smacking her behind on the way out the bathroom, which resulted in a glare from her and giggles from the kids' &#ommy's mad,& Bethy whispered, making a pyramid shaped tower of bubbles' &#ommy's'''frustrated' ('m pretty sure it's my fault,& ( whispered back as ( sat on the stool by the tub, because it was true' 4hat had started as a glorious make out session first thing that morning had turned into an all day tease' /ll day' !ll fucking day' ( wanted Bella almost to the point of pouting and tears, but there had been 3ero opportunity, and when there was, something or someone would interrupt' )he'd caught me alone in )amuel's room as ( put his bed together, ('d caught her in the laundry room as she rummaged around for candles in the ,unk drawer' )he'd cornered me in the wood shed, and on and on' (f we'd have gotten some sort of release, it might have been funny, but by now, all ( wanted was the kids in their beds and my wife in ours' (t didn't take long to get the two of them to get clean' Bethy was quite capable of washing herself, and )amuel was more than cooperative for me' 7nce ( had them out and wrapped in towels, ( set them free' &9ittle naked people on the loose,& ( called to Bella, who giggled from down the hall' &Got it8& she called back as ( let the water out of the tub' &Bethy'''pa,amas, please,& she ordered' &'>ay, #ommy'& /fter making )amuel's drink cup, ( made my way back into his room' 5e was a giggly, yet sleepy little mess as Bella smooched all over his belly' 5is chubby legs and arms writhed as he tried to roll away from her' ( sat down on the edge of the bed, handing over his sippy cup' (mmediately, he popped it into his mouth, and then dropped it on the bed for later' ( brushed his hair from his forehead, placing a long kiss there' &Goodnight, little soldier,& ( told him, though he hadn't quite gotten the grasp of the routine yet' &6a'ee,& he sang, smiling up at me' &9ove you,& ( whispered, kissing his hands and pulling the covers up around him, only

for Bella to take my place when ( left for Bethy's room' &Bed, little sergeant8& ( grunted, smiling when she giggled and dove under her covers' &;es, sir8& she laughed back, which caused Bella to chuckle from the doorway' Bethy had been rather upset when )amuel interrupted her bedtime routine, so the only way ( could placate her was to give her a promotion to )taff )ergeant * skipping three ranks, mind you' ( had told her that she was in charge, that she was more e perienced and had to show )amuel the ropes, and she'd latched onto it with a sweet giggle and an, &7kay, 6addy'& &7nly sweet dreams, little sweetness,& ( told her, kissing her adorably puckered lips' &;es, sir,& she said, a wide yawn taking over her face as ( tucked her in' &9ove you, 6addy'& &9ove you, too,& ( said, turning out her light once Bella had covered her in kisses' Bella started for the living room, but ( caught her' &?h, no,& ( ordered, spinning her around toward our own bedroom door' &/lec brought the presents in, $sme loaded the dishwasher, the garbage is bagged up' /nything else'''tomorrow,& ( growled low in her ear' / sweet laugh escaped her when once ( had our door shut, she found herself pressed against it' &$dward,& she giggled, her head falling back with a soft thump' &?h uh,& ( chastised her softly as my lips hovered over hers' &( have some serious making up to do'& )he grinned, happy and sweet, though her eyes darkened ,ust a touch as her hands slipped up around my neck' ( reached down, cupping her bottom and lifting her into my arms, only to press her back into the door' &4here was (!& ( asked her' &4hich time!& she laughed, kissing my lips roughly' &6oesn't fucking matter,& ( growled, unable to not kiss her stupid' 4ith almost a sigh of relief from both of us, ( finally claimed her mouth, grinding against her' 5ips rolled, whimpers pushed out against cheeks, and my cock grew hard and throbbing immediately' Bella pulled away from me with an almost gasp of air' )he was ,ust fucking gorgeous as she looked ravenous for me' 4ith already kiss2bruised lips and flushed cheeks, ( couldn't help but kiss her again, ,ust because ( finally fucking could' &Bed,& she finally ordered, panting as she lightly traced my ,aw, my chin, my bottom lip'

&;es, ma'am,& ( conceded gratefully, yanking her from the door, only to tumble her onto our bed' ( grinned down at her, bracing my arms on either side of her head, because ( loved that this part of our relationship had never waned, had never fi33led out' 4e had two beautiful kids, tough ,obs, and had been married for almost five years, and ( wanted the woman that was currently tugging at my t2shirt more now than ( had when ( first met her' /nd that was fucking saying something' &( love you, sweetness,& ( told her, pulling off my hat in order to reach behind me and tug my shirt off over my head' &9ove you, too, $dward,& she said with the sweetest of smiles' (t didn't take long for all our clothes to be scattered along the bed and the floor beside it' /nd ( fell back into her embrace with a chuckle, because we both seemed so damned desperate to finish what ('d started what seemed like forever ago' &9et's see now''' 4here was (!& ( asked with false sincerity and a furrow to my brow' &6oesn't matter, so start over,& she giggled, tracing her tongue along the ink on my arm, but her eyes were locked onto mine' 5owever, she reached blindly beside her, her hand grabbing my baseball cap and thrusting at me' &But the fucking hat stays on'&