Mafia Princess

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Twilight...not mine (sigh).

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Bella slept with me every night since the bombing. She was also plagued with nightmares, screaming and waking up in a cold sweat. I'd just hold her until she calmed down and she eventually drifted off.

On Monday, I had to leave the house. Bella was not happy about it, but I told her that I needed to get my passport along with some other things from my apartment. She wanted to come with me, but knowing that Carlisle was going to be there, it wasn't feasible.

Charlie saw me struggling with Bella and decided to intervene before her pouting turned into a 'princess' moment. Willingly, Charlie offered to take her shopping. Based on Bella's reaction, it was not a regular occurrence. Once they left, I drove to my shithole apartment. Parking in front of my place, I walked up the stairs after I got my 'mail.' All of my real mail was being sent to the Bureau office in Seattle. I had already set up auto-pay for my assessments for my condo, my electricity and water. I didn't have cable since I wasn't there. The rent for the shithole was covered by the Bureau.

Opening the door, I noticed Carlisle sitting on the ratty old couch, looking very out of place. "Afraid that the rats will attack your three piece suit, old man?" I snorted.

"You have rats?" Carlisle squeaked.

"When I left, I did. Bobo, Wrigley and Comiskey," I smirked, dropping the mail onto the table. "How are you?"

"I'm good. You?" Carlisle asked.

"Sore and stiff, but it's getting better," I shrugged. "Have you read my report?"

"The one about Aro? Yes. He's brutal, Edward. We did some digging on him and he's sloppy, cruel and sadistic. I think you're right in trying to build a case against him," Carlisle said, furrowing his brow. "Who do you think planted that bomb in Isabella's car?"

"I identified one of Aro's assassins, Jane, sitting at the restaurant when I was out with Bella," I blushed.

"With Bella?" Carlisle asked.

"I've been assigned as her personal security guard, but..."

"You're involved with her," Carlisle finished. "Edward...you know that's dangerous."

"You know that touch thing I've got?" I asked. "It's gone, completely gone with her. I know I'm fucking up, Carlisle, but I...I want to feel normal. She makes me normal. She makes me happy."

He pressed his lips together, thinking deeply. "I don't like it. You better not let your feelings cloud your judgment."

"Have you seen any 'clouding' in my reports?" I asked.

"No."

"Then, don't question my integrity, Carlisle. My suspicions are as follows: I think that either Emmett or Charlie contacted the Bureau about infiltrating their organization. I think that they contacted us to try and take down Aro's mob. Yes, Charlie del Cigno is a criminal, but not to same caliber as Aro. You should work out a plea deal for Charlie. If he's willing to cooperate, and I'm thinking he will be, especially after the attack on his daughter, we can put an end to two mafia organizations, the del Cigno Syndicate and the Volturi."

"Do you have proof?" Carlisle asked.

I walked over to my safe, unlocked it and showed Carlisle all of my proof. All of it was drugs, guns and some paperwork that I'd swiped from when I worked on Emmett's crew. I also included information about James Cacciatore, Victoria Miller, Aro Volturi and his family.

"Let me see what I can do. You continue gathering information on Charlie. Now, I know that you're going out of the country. The Bureau wasn't too keen on that, but in order to maintain your cover they're allowing it. Submit reports as often as you can, Edward."

"I may have to encrypt them. I don't know how long I'm going to be in Italy," I said as I picked up my 'Masen' passport.

"Do what you have to do. Edward, I should pull you. You know that, right?" Carlisle chided.

"I know," I said as I stuffed my passport into my jacket. "You're not going to, though." I looked at him. "Your innate need as a father wants me to be happy."

"Are you happy?"

"Very happy, Dad," I murmured.

"Are you in love?" he smirked.

"I wouldn't go that far, but if things happen the way I want them to, I could fall in love with her. I can't...I'm afraid that once she finds out that I'm not Edward Masen, mafia thug but Special Agent Edward Cullen of the FBI, she'll never want to see me again."

"That's a risk you knew going into this, Edward. However, if she cares about you as much as I think and you think she does, it'll work out," Carlisle smiled. He stood up and shifted on his feet. "Can I hug you, son?"

I'd never been able to let Carlisle touch me except for a random handshake or a clasp on the shoulder. He was big like my biological father, but his eyes didn't hold the hatred. Psychologically, I was afraid of Carlisle. Seeing him stare at me with an expectant look on his face made my heart crumble. I nodded. Slowly, Carlisle wrapped his arms around my body. I stiffened immediately, remembering when Edward Masen Sr. tried to break all of my ribs by crushing my body like this. I was eight.

Carlisle must have noticed my reaction and he removed his arms. No. I want this. Carlisle would never hurt me. I hugged back to my body and put my head on his shoulder. "Oh, Edward," Carlisle sobbed. "I love you, son."

"I love you, Dad," I whispered. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. I know. I know," he murmured, rubbing his hands along my back. "You don't know how happy I am, Edward. I've wanted to do this since you came into our home. No child should ever be afraid of touch."

"I know," I said, pulling back. I wiped my face, realizing that I was crying too. Pussy. "I should go. Bella is nervous about packing and flying. She's been momentarily distracted by her dad and a shopping trip, but it's only a matter of time."

"When are you leaving?"

"Wednesday," I said. He opened his mouth. "I know. Be safe."

"I worry, Edward. Even more so now," he said as he gave me a grimace. "Call when you can and I love you."

"Love you, too, Dad," I said, hugging him briefly. With a smile, he left the shithole apartment and I finished up my 'business' in there, including typing up another report. I informed Rose, Alice and Jasper that I had let Carlisle know about my relationship with Bella and that they can come into my apartment to pick up the evidence I'd collected, under the guise of a search warrant.

Double checking to make sure that I had my 'Masen' passport, I left my apartment and drove back to Bella's home. I was excited to go to Italy, nervous about flying out of the country, and giddy to get to know Bella better and that Carlisle approved. In the back of mind, I was terrified of what would happen when she does find out. Will we survive?

I hoped so.

A/N: Denial isn't just a river in Egypt. Raise your hand if you think Edward is in love with Bella? *Counts hands...* That's what I thought. No pics with this one but I will have some pictures of the villa off the Amalfi Coast. Who wants to go to Italy??

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