Buying Love

Chapter Eighty-Two

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.

Christmas will start next chapter in Edward's POV and then, end in BPOV. Plus, we'll have Jared's memorial and the beginning of the trial. I will not be going through the entire process of the trial, but yeah, just saying. What should happen to Esme? And what about Charlie? Can he redeem himself?

Chapter Eighty-Two

BPOV

After a family photo in front of the tree, Christmas Eve dinner was a rousing success. Everyone enjoyed the meal that I had catered up to my penthouse suite. We sang Christmas songs, drank egg nog, had a white-elephant gift exchange and bonded as a strangely disjointed family. It was a total Norman Rockwell moment, complete with two ex-escorts, a cop, a retired cop, a US attorney, a couple of gay men, a reformed nun and Rose.

She wasn't the reformed nun. Uncle Peter's date, Sophia, she joined a convent when she was eighteen but decided to leave at twenty-two because of the whole celibacy thing. I wasn't surprised. She was gorgeous with long black hair and violet eyes. Too pretty to be a nun, if you ask me. But, that was a long time ago and she was obviously smitten with my uncle.

After Christmas Eve, everyone went to their hotel rooms. There was a little too much nog in everyone's systems, except for Edward, Jasper and me. I didn't want anyone to drive. Edward and I were on the couch, curled up underneath a warm blanket, staring at the gorgeous Christmas tree. "Today was a lot of fun," he said, idly playing with my hair. "I think the best thing was when Carlisle had to imitate having a baby for that movie in charades."

"Oh, Knocked Up," I giggled. "I thought he was going to pop a vein with all of the pushing and grunting he was doing."

"And it didn't help that he farted, stinking up the whole place," Edward laughed. "But, it was a memorable moment and probably the best time I've had on Christmas since my dad passed."

"I feel the same way, except it since my mom died," I sighed, kissing Edward's palm. "It's nice to feel like I belong to a family again. The holidays were always so dark and depressing for me. Dad always worked and the only other person I hung out with was Rose. She usually was fucking some random guy to get her holiday cheer."

"Esme would occasionally have a Christmas party," Edward murmured. "It was probably the most normal I'd ever seen her. She loved the holidays, but most of us usually had to work because with the holidays came holiday parties. Last Christmas, I was on the arm of an older woman, a socialite at some charity banquet. The Christmas before, I was in Esme's torture chamber, making sure that Esme got her holiday cheer while all I wanted to do was shove a lump of coal up her ass."

"Ouch," I snorted.

"Sorry," he mumbled, pressing his lips to my temple. "It's just weird knowing that she's behind bars and if found guilty, she'll stay there."

"With all that she's done, she should get the fucking death penalty," I snarled. "She's a walking crime against humanity. No one would cry if she is killed. Hell, I'd love to bring back hanging so I could hear her neck snap."

"Okay, down tiger," Edward said. "No more talk of the she-beast. What's on tap for tomorrow?"

"Our close family is coming again for another breakfast and we're opening presents," I said. "Then, our extended family is coming for Christmas dinner. We can have some real fun with Pictionary."