Buying Love

Chapter Fifty-Six

Okay, so we're going to embark on a journey. A darker journey, one that will be around a different kind of Edward, a snarky, bossy Bella and a new Esme. It will be a drabble-ish type fic. The chapters will be between 1000 to 2000 words. Updates will come on Mondays and Fridays with teasers on Tuesdays and Saturdays on my blog. The link for the blog will be on my profile. The story is planned, but not pre-written.

Chapter Fifty-Six

EPOV

I reread each journal entry from Carlisle, Rose and Bella. They were all on my side, all pulling for me. I was terrified, though, of putting my thoughts and feelings on paper. It would mean that I'd have to acknowledge them. That they were true. That my life wasn't some horrific nightmare, but my life.

Shaking my head, I figured I'd focus on the questions that Dr. Benson posed to me for my first journal entry. What did I want to do with my life and think about my relationship with Bella? Turning the page, I picked up a pen that was on the cocktail table. I marked down the date.

November 20th, 2015

Do I start with 'dear diary'? I've never done this shit before. It seems so foreign. The last time I wrote ANYTHING was in high school. Not that I even finished high school. I'm an uneducated, worthless human being ...

I put down the pen, scowling at what I put. I could still hear Esme's voice in my head, reminding me that I was nothing. I wasn't nothing, not any more. I had to become a better person – a better man – for my mom, for Bella, for ME! Gripping the pen with determination, I began writing again.

I'm not worthless. That's Esme talking. I'll lay into her shit later. I'm either going to need a lot of alcohol or some heavy-duty drugs to get me through that entry. I'll settle with the medications that Dr. Benson prescribed, though.

Anyhow, my name is Edward Masen and for the past fourteen years, my life has been hell. It all started ...

I wrote for over an hour until my hands started to cramp. I got through my childhood and my father's death when the door opened and Bella walked in with Detective McCarty and an older man with rectangular glasses on his face, who I assumed to be Jenks, her attorney. She was holding a file folder. I closed my journal, standing up and hobbling to Bella. She reached up, caressing my cheek and giving me a gorgeous smile. "Did it work? Is my mom free?" I asked.

"The judged granted me guardianship. Jenks is finalizing her transfer to a nicer facility just around the corner from the hotel," she said. "If all goes well, she'll be in her new home by this afternoon."

"I want to go see her," I breathed. "It's been so long."

"We will, baby," Bella said, kissing my lips. "We can go over to the county home and ride with her in the ambulance. But, unfortunately, Detective McCarty needs your statement."

"Now?" I growled, wrinkling my nose. "I'd rather go check on my mom. Can't we talk after she gets settled?"

"My Captain is giving me shit since I haven't gotten your statement, Edward. You're the main reason we were able to raid Esme's business," Detective McCarty sneered. "What you endured is nothing to what her other escorts lived with. It's just the tip of the iceberg. We need to document everything. I received the pictures from Dr. Banner, but I need a corroborating story to go along with it."

I clenched my fists and wanted to bolt, but I knew that in order to get the charges against Esme to stick, we all needed to talk. "Edward, I know that you want to see your mother. I get that. The sooner we talk, the sooner you can get to see her. Please?" Detective McCarty said sympathetically.

"I want Bella with me," I snarled. "And Carlisle. They both know my story."

"Okay, man," Detective McCarty said. "And call me Emmett, please."

I nodded. Bella threaded her fingers with mine as we settled back in the living room, Carlisle sitting opposite from me and Bella. Emmett took out a digital recorder and began my interview. I struggled through it, describing how I got roped in with Esme to the last clients I had been sent to, James and Victoria. Emmett did tell me that James and Victoria were in jail, along with Felix, for the assault they did to me. I was grateful for that and I pressed charges against the three of them.

My interview took over three hours. By the time I was done, I was an anxious, jittery mess. Telling Emmett my story was too much and I was sick to my stomach, upset at myself for allowing all of this to happen to me. I ran from the living room, barely making it to the bathroom before breakfast made a reappearance. Bella was next to me as I heaved up all of my food and then some. Sobbing, I fell back on my ass, curling up in a tiny ball.

"I'm so sorry, Edward," she whispered, sitting next to me and tenderly rubbing my arms. "I wish I could make this pain go away. I wish I could create a time machine, go back and prevent this from ever happening."

"I wouldn't have met you," I murmured, leaning my cheek against her soft, curled hair.

"I think that ... regardless of the circumstances, we would have met," she said, guiding my head down onto her lap. Her fingers massaged my scalp, calming me further. I looked up at her, arching a brow. "I believe in fate. We were destined to meet and to be together."

"Even though I'm a fucking mess," I spat, clenching my fists in anger.

"You're not a mess, baby. You're working through some significant issues and you're entitled to obviously fall apart, especially after describing what happened to you for the past three hours," she said quietly, her fingers massaging my scalp and playing with my hair. It felt so nice. I wrapped my arms around her legs and allowed her soothing touch to work its magic. I eventually drifted and woke up with a start when Bella shifted. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I was losing feeling in my toes."

"I didn't mean to fall asleep," I said, sitting up stiffly. "Your fingers in my hair ... it felt nice."

"Did it calm you down, love?" she asked, running her fingers down my cheek. I nodded, blushing.

She leaned forward, wanting to kiss me, but yeah, gross. "Not until I brush my teeth, Bella," I choked out, standing up and quickly brushing my teeth and swishing some mouthwash. Once I was minty and not tasting like ass, I helped her up and kissed her. She was shocked at the power behind the kiss. I wasn't tender, but rather forceful. She moaned, her fingers, again, finding my hair and pulling on it powerfully. We broke apart, both panting.

"Wow," she giggled, pressing her hand to my chest. "Where did that come from?"

"I don't know," I chuckled, my cheeks flaming. "I just wanted to kiss you."

"And you did kiss me, Edward. You nearly made my heart explode with your kiss, baby," she purred. "How about we go check on your mom? Jenks has made all the arrangements for her transfer to Sunrise Assisted Living. She's got a private room and everything."

I smiled crookedly, kissing her again and tasting her sweetness. I cupped her face, running my thumbs along her cheeks. She grinned against my mouth, pulling away. Taking my hand, she led me into the bedroom and into the closet. She handed me a pair of sneakers since my feet were still pretty torn up from my trek across broken pieces of ceramic and glass from last night. She changed as well, into a pair of a black jeans and a tunic. Threading our fingers together, we rode down to Bella's car. I was so excited to see my mom and ready for her to start her new life.

She deserved it, even more so than me.

But, why did I have a nervous twinge in the back of my mind?

Something couldn't go wrong. Could it?

A/N: Leave me some!

��g�̴2~^x