Emmett

Four Years Later
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“Fucking hell, Em.”  Jazz growled at me over the loud screaming speakers on stage.  “Couldn’t we take him somewhere quieter?”

I knew he’d be pissed about coming here.  This wasn’t Jasper’s scene at all but I had to do something to get him out of the house for something other than work.

“Loosen up, Jazz.  This place has the hottest girls in the city.”  I told him wincing before the whole statement ever left my mouth.

So not my winning argument.

I don’t know what I was really thinking when I suggested bringing him here but I couldn’t help but think that any chick would be better than the once a month meetings he was having with Tanya Denali.  I shuddered; how Jazzman could even entertain thoughts of fucking that skank is beyond me.

I had used Garrett’s bachelor party as a plausible excuse to get him here hoping he take home some fine piece at the end of the night.  It was a long shot but everything having to do with my brother’s social life, was.  Point being; he didn’t have one.  Not after, she left.  Her name had become a taboo between us and I think it was because it was physically painful for him to think about her.

At least in my mind I could still say her name.

Bella.

I missed her so much.  She was my lil’ sis but she forever changed my brother by coming into our lives.  She made him better and all the crazy shit that had haunted him for so long couldn’t touch him in her presence.

I had always suspected Jazz of having demons but it wasn’t until I was sixteen that I found out first hand what that entailed.  It was the first time I ever saw him take a life and short of explaining, I will say that I will never forget it.  He was so distant from himself but this new side seemed to enjoy what he was doing.  It was that day I knew my brother was a natural in profession.  He was a natural killer born to bring death.  I didn’t sleep well for months afterwards.

When I mentioned something to Dad about it, I was told Jasper’s “true” story.  Jasper’s parents did die in a vehicle accident of sorts but it was not how Jasper told us. Jazz had witnessed his parent’s death they were traveling to our house for Christmas when they were drawn into an ambush never meant for them on a deserted stretch of the highway.  The car was hammered with wave after wave of gun spray it was what killed his father but his mother was very much alive when the Mexican drug cartel raped and then later killed her.  Jasper was hidden under the seat where he was later found by the authorities that brought him to us.

Jasper would never speak of it not even with my dad.  He denies it ever happened, though I know he still has nightmares.

When Bella found us Jazz got better and the nightmares seem to stop altogether.  She was always an enigma to me so tough and soft all in the same gesture.  She made us all laugh with her insane antics and mouthy ways.  She even gave me a run for my money in the prank department.

Not easy to do.

Alice and I could never figure out how she ended up with Edward.  Alice thought Bella was enamored with Edward’s gentlemanly gestures and put her on a pedestal.

Not me.

I think Bella was caught up in Edward and when she realized how far Edward was already gone, she couldn’t get out without hurting him.  It was plain for everyone in our family to see how much Jazz meant to Bella and vice versa.  You could read it I ever gesture and look they gave one another.  The only people who didn’t see it was Jazz and Bella themselves.

It drove us crazy.

When Edward took Bella away it broke Jasper’s heart.  You couldn’t even say her name for a close to a year without him going off the deep end.  He would destroy everything around him.  The nightmares came back to him with a vengeance; he barely slept and ate very little.  He through himself into his work and started drinking heavily.  I was afraid he was lost to us.

He came out of it but he wasn’t the same Jasper.

In that same breath none of us were what I would call our normal selves after Bella and Edward left.

We all went through the motions of a monotonous living but the deep joy was gone.

My brother was dead inside.

I knew Jasper was something when he smiled at me; it was smug and suggested that he was going to fuck with me.

I was right.  He loved to tease me of all my fears dealing with my wife.  What can I say the woman is a scary bitch when she wants to be.

We both laughed as that dip-shit of a future brother-in-law about took a header into our table as he staggered back from hitting on one of the half-dressed servers that crossed his path.  I was hoping to win the bet Jazz and I had going.  I said it would take him more than an hour before he got smacked by either a dancer or a bouncer.  Jazz claims it would take him no time at all.

I dropped my head in defeat as I looked at Garrett now.  He was loudly gearing at anyone of the female persuasion and I could tell it wouldn’t be long before he did it to the wrong one.
Thankfully, the music started for the final show just as Garrett sloppily took his seat; sloshing the drinks on the table as he sat.

I heard the DJ announce something but I couldn’t really understand as I had Garrett chatting away in my ear.  I wanted to smack the shit out of him but I remembered it was my idea to bring him here.

I felt something tugging on my jacket but when I tried to turn my head Garrett started drooling all over himself about some dancer named the “Black Swan”.  I could give a shit less but he was relentless.

I shocked shitless when my face was met by a hard right hook from Jasper.

“Ow.”  I yelled.  “What the fuck bro?  Why-”  The words caught in my throat as I realized why he was desperate to gain my attention.

Holy shit!  It couldn’t be.  There was no fucking way my eyes were actually seeing this.

I choked out an “Oh God…”  as I watched the tiny brunette staring back at us with tears in her eyes.  It was fucking Bella.

I instantly felt wrong for looking at her.  Fuck she had nothing on!

I couldn’t help but to find her beautiful.  She was.

I had never really felt weird around Bella but I guess there’s always a first time for everything.  ‘Cause right now was weird.

The brother side of me wanted turn away from her undress but the man in me couldn’t tear my eyes away and I thank all my lucky stars that Jazz was to caught up in looking himself to notice me.

He would tear my eyes out.

I glad at first for the cat-calling that broke my concentration from Bella’s ass, that is.  Well that was until I recognized the voice was coming from our table and it wasn’t Jazz.

Garrett was crooning at the top of his lungs.  Waving a wad of cash in Bella’s direction.

I peeked out of the corner of my eye at Jasper and I let out a breath. He was letting it slide.

Garrett turned his foggy eyes to me and Jazz and started asking us if we thought Bella did private dances.

Oh fuck!

“Man, twenty bucks sys I could have her-”

I stood to my full height drawing his face to mine by the collar of his shirt.  “You finish that sentence and you’ll be wearing dentures on your honeymoon.”

It wasn’t a lie.  I would knock his fucking teeth out if he continued treating Bella like a common prostitute but my main concern was Jazz fuckin’ wasting him right here in the building.

Jazz was a little nuts when it came to Bella and I wasn’t really sure how he was going to react to seeing her like this.  I mean, come on, it was fucking jarring enough to see her shaking her ass on stage but to have Garrett making the comments he was…well, me knocking his teeth out should be the least of his worries.

I could already see it building in Jasper’s eyes.  He was fucking livid about this.  I couldn’t blame him.  We don’t hear from her in four years and we stumble upon her in this shit-hole.  Where the fuck is Edward?

I’m sure Jazzman was thinking along the same lines as we watched Bella finish her dance.

At the right of the stage I could see James standing with his arms crossed over his chest.  He didn’t look happy and he was shaking his head at Bella.  He crooked his finger at my sister and she bowed her head in submission not looking at me or Jazz as she walked off stage.

My blood was boiling as I stood; knocking my chair back.  Bella was scared.

I looked down at my brother.  “Are you set, Jazz?”  I growled throwing money down on the table.

He looked at me questioningly for a few seconds before realization crossed his features.  His eyes turned dark as he grinned at me.  “Let’s go.”

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Edward

Preface
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This was it.

Finally.

The day had finally come for us to depart.  Destination New York.  I could hardly contain my excitement I was supposed to acting torn and forlorn.  I wasn’t.  I had waited for this opportunity for most of my life and the look on Jasper’s face only sweetened the cherry on top.  I had finally bested that monster.

Jasper Whitlock Cullen.  What a joke. I’ve hated Jasper most of my life and when we met Bella the feeling tripled. Even as children I secretly hated him. I can’t explain the need to best him at everything.  When I was younger I thought it was just sibling rivalry but as we grew into adulthood I knew it was not the case.  I detested him and everything that he stood for.

The gleam in his eye when he looked at my Bella made my stomach churn.  He wanted her and I knew it.  I would even go so far to say that I knew he was in love with her.  My only aggravation is that she seemed to return those feelings.  She was supposed to love me.  Not him.

When Bella had come bumbling into our lives my world changed.  Things seemed so much brighter than the day before.  Sure she was a little vulgar but I could live with that.  She would make the perfect wife and the perfect babies.

I started trying harder.  Going on more assignments and participating in the family lifestyle.  The business aspect I could do and do well.  I had always been a haggler and it seemed I had a knack for it.  The other parts of the operation however, I could not.  I would not be some butcher at the commands of my father.  I’d leave that to the monster of our family.

Jasper was perfect for the job and the sick bastard even seemed to enjoy it.  Eagerly serving under the pretenses that he was protecting the family.

Whatever.

I can count on a smile now each and every time I thought about him.  Call me sadistic but I rather enjoyed watching my brother fall apart right before my very eyes.  Jasper was in tears as he begged me not leave the family.  Jasper was an idiot; a brainless marauder.  He really thought I would by his pleadings as him wanting me to stay.  Jasper wouldn’t care if I jumped off a cliff as long as his precious Bella was unharmed.

I could understand part of it.  Bella was precious and I refused to have her tainted by this family any longer.  If I left her here she would be married to Jasper inside a month.

Carlisle and my two brothers were still bickering at me to reconsider and I wanted so badly to chuckle at them.  They weren’t fooling anybody.  They all wanted Bella for themselves.  Not going to happen.  She was MINE.  I had seen her first not him.

That may sound childish to some but this was my life and I wasn’t going to have it ruined by some hick-inbred murderer.

“Edward, son, please if you feel you must do this than won’t you at least take some protection with you.”   My father pleaded pacing the length of his desk.  My father looked tired and worn. He had been up to long and been drinking heavily since my omission back during the winter break.

I shook my head to the negative.  If I didn’t get Bella completely away from this family and especially Jasper she would be gone.  A guard would only report to Jasper and if I knew him as well as I think I did Jasper would come swooping in at the first argument.

“Edward, you can’t take Bella away from the protection of the family.”  Jasper half pleaded and half commanded.

His face was stricken and I could see the dark bags of flesh under his eyes.  He was finally breaking and it was my dream come true.

I smiled smugly at him as I took another sip of my gin and tonic, letting him stew for a moment before I answered.  “Where going to college, Jasper, not war.”  and without you around I can be the hero for once.  I added mentally.

For as long as Jasper and Bella had know each other he had always been her knight when she couldn’t defend herself and it angered me to no end.

Reverently I watched his face shift from the concerned good son to the red faced monster I knew him to be.  Jasper was loosing his temper.

He crossed the room swiftly and pulled me to his face by my tie.  “If your stupidity gets her hurt, blood or no blood, I will end you.”  Jasper ground out as he yanked my tie harder putting us nose to nose.

I knew he keep his promise.  Jasper would end me without an excuse but with Bella I know what he would do. He would torture me to my long agonizing death and he would do it with a smile on his face.

To bad for him that his concern was neither needed nor wanted.

I smiled at him then.  I knew his game.  “Jasper, why don’t you leave what is best for Bella to me, her lover.  She’s none of your concern.”

I knew it was a bad idea to goad him this way when he was so close to loosing his mind but I couldn’t help myself.  I wanted to hurt him like he did me everyday of my life.

And like I expected from the brute he had me out of my chair and against the wall.  He repeatedly smashed my head against the plaster.  “YOU KNOW WELL THAT SHE IS VERY MUCH MY FUCKIN’ BUSINESS!”  he screamed spraying saliva as he raged.  He made me nervous and for a moment I wondered if maybe I had pushed him too far.

Then his face softened and I knew he had his animal at bay for the mean time.  He let me off the wall slowly backing away and apologizing to me and my father for losing his temper.

“Edward,”  Jasper called in a broken tone.  “I’m in love with her.”

I was a little shocked at how devoid of himself he was.  This was not the Jasper I knew and I couldn’t help but think that maybe this is how he tricks Bella.  It was very convincing but that’s all it was, an act to make me feel pity.

I had none.

I was done with this conversation and with this family.  I had plans to make and things to set in motion if I was to accomplish my goals.

Jasper was in tears again and his face was flushed with emotion.  I smirked at the bastard he was, “I know.”  I whispered as I turned to leave the room.

I found Bella weeping in Esme’s arms and I almost couldn’t hold back my growl.  I didn’t want Bella to find comfort in the arms of others.  That was what I was for.  Why couldn’t she see that?

It mattered not I had to tell myself.  Soon it will only be my shoulder she cried on and my face she looked to for comfort.

I let her say her goodbyes to everyone, even Jasper.  It would be the last time she would ever seen the Texas reject and I wanted him to get an eyeful of what he would always want but never have.

I said not a word to the family as I picked up the rest of Bella’s luggage and headed for the car.  I had nothing to say to any of them.  They were all traitors and someday I would make them all pay.