Mafia Princess

Chapter One-Hundred Fifty-Three

Twilight...not mine (sigh).

Chapter 153

EPOV

"The reason why your dad hasn't been here is because he's in jail..."

"YOU ARRESTED HIM!" Bella screamed, her face red and angry.

"I didn't. He voluntarily went into custody. Bella, he was the mole. He was the one who contacted the FBI a year ago," I said.

"I don't believe you," she huffed, looking away from me.

"I don't expect you to, but I'm going to tell you everything about the case that you need to know," I said. She glowered at me, challenging me to continue. "I had just gotten off medical leave when an anonymous tip came to our office about the del Cigno Syndicate. Our team, consisting of me, Jasper, Alice, Rose and my adoptive father, Carlisle, began investigating the claim."

"What was it?" Bella asked.

"That the Syndicate was providing drugs to various drug dealers in the city of Seattle. We asked questions but we were met with roadblock after roadblock," I sighed.

"You said you were on medical leave. Why?"

"During my last case, I had gotten shot in the chest and it was touch and go for a while. I had just been medically cleared to return to duty. The lion on my chest covers the wound. I got that tattoo to cover the scars," I shrugged. Bella's eyes widened in shock. I continued. "Anyhow, Carlisle wanted someone to infiltrate the Syndicate. Ideally, we wanted it to be a man since we'd never saw women high up in the organization. Jasper wasn't all that comfortable with going under because that's not his area of expertise. We could have pulled another agent, which we did to try and infiltrate Aro's organization, but I was the most logical choice. I moved into that shithole apartment a year ago. I started going to the various clubs your father owned, asking for work. My back story was that I had moved to Seattle for a new start."

"I know. You told me that," she said flatly.

"And that was the truth. Everything I told you about my past was true," I said, fervently trying to get her to believe me. "I was born in Chicago. I was abused, tormented by my birth father. He killed my mother by beating her to a bloody pulp and I stabbed him to death. I was brought into Carlisle and Esme's home when I was thirteen as a foster child. However, I was adopted by them just prior to moving here in Seattle when I was fifteen. Touch still freaks me out and I'm still prone to panic attacks."

"But you lied about your job, Edward," she growled. "Why?"

"Because I had a cover to maintain. Bella, it killed me to not tell you everything. I didn't know until I told your dad about your abduction that he was our informant," I said, dropping my gaze to her bruised wrists.

"We're not done with this conversation, Edward," she said curtly. "I want to know about my dad."

"He sat down and told me everything that he had done and that he knew that I was sent by the FBI to infiltrate the Syndicate. He wasn't surprised when I showed up with my father and my badge showing. So, we worked together to bring down Aro. We didn't know at the time but he was an even bigger threat than your father. He's sloppy, crude and maniacal. I'm surprised that he wasn't caught before. Aro is being held at a maximum security prison under the charge terrorism among other lesser charges, including your abduction and attempted murder. The sheer amount of weaponry he was amassing was enough to wipe off a third-world country from the planet. He was planning on using it on Washington D.C., New York and Chicago."

Bella gasped, shocked at what I just told her. She had to know this because she was instrumental in keeping Aro behind bars for the rest of his life, if not sending him to his death.

"We worked out a deal with District Attorney that as soon as we completed the raid on Aro's compound in Portland, that Charlie would go into custody. We didn't take into account your condition. Carlisle tried to get an extension but was unable to do so. So, I called in a bunch of favors..." I trailed off, twisting my watch on my wrist. "Your dad needs to be here, but we're waiting on the judge to grant his release."

"So, Daddy's going to be here?" she asked, her brown eyes filling with tears.

"As soon as the order is carried out. I called a friend of mine who is the assistant to the deputy director of the FBI. We roomed together in Quantico. I also called a former professor who is a U.S. Attorney. He pled with a judge and got an extension. We're just waiting on the local judge in Sheridan to sign his release papers. After that, Charlie will have a month, roughly to be with you."

"Only a month?" she whimpered, the tears spilling onto her pink cheeks. "How long is his sentence?"

"He got a good deal with two years for a drug charge that he contacted the bureau about," I answered. "He confessed to distributing the drugs and signed the agreement for the plea deal. The judge also agreed to it, since Charlie got us Aro and eradicated his entire organization, including his brothers and smaller off-shoots."

"Won't Aro try and hurt Daddy?" Bella sniffled.

"Aro is in twenty-four hour lock-down in another prison in Seattle. He will be tried and most likely executed for his crimes along with his brothers. James and Riley were killed in the raid. Renata committed suicide after she discovered her mother disemboweled in the basement of their mansion on Mercer Island," I cringed. "Charlie is in the system under a pseudonym and is not linked to the Syndicate in any way."

"When he gets out, will he have to go into Witness Protection?" Bella asked, her hands wringing nervously.

"No. He will be released because by that time, Aro will have been executed, if he's tried and found guilty," I sighed. "The way the evidence is falling, the case is open and shut. He's going down."

"What about me? The house? Everything?" She began hyperventilating.

"Bella, calm down," I said, taking her hand in mine. She was so fragile right now. Not at all like the strong, spitfire of a girl I met in May. "It's all taken care of. Everything. The house is in your name and your dad set up an account for the utilities. If you don't want to stay, you can sell the house and start fresh." I reached into my pocket, handing her the paper that Charlie gave me while we were outside of the trauma room. "This explains it all. Charlie gave it to me. He made me promise to look out for you..."

"What if I don't want that?" she asked, her voice tight. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks as she stared at me.

"Then, I walk away." My heart crumbled and I was ready to leave the hospital. I flipped her hand over, kissing her palm before I got up. I picked up my small overnight bag and began packing up my belongings. I would drive back to Seattle and go through the motions of living before finishing my law degree. Tears pricked my eyes as I grabbed my bag and looked at her one last time. I reached to my neck and removed the pendant that I had given her in Italy, pressing it into her hand. I kissed her knuckles three times. "You still own my heart, Bella. I still love you..."

And with that, I turned to leave.

A/N: Don't hate me...it was tough for me write that. Stay with me. Please! Stay with me! ;-)

=)