Mafia Princess

Chapter One-Hundred Ninety-Seven

Twilight...not mine (sigh).

Chapter 197

BPOV

"Girl, you've got to stop moping," Felipe snickered. "You're almost done with your classes and you've officially hired by Simon and Schuster."

"I know, I know," I said, typing on my laptop. "I'm just bummed. Edward was going to try to come out for my graduation, but the case that he's working on fell apart and he's working nonstop to try and fix it with his boss, Leslie. Then, it's going to trial. I'm almost tempted to not walk at graduation. What's the point? My dad is in prison and won't see me. My brother doesn't really care and my boyfriend is stuck in Boston."

"When is your graduation?" Felipe asked.

"Two weeks. Nothing is set in stone in regards to Edward, but it just sucks," I grumbled. It had been nearly two and half months since Edward surprised me at my condo. I still flew out to visit him over spring break and we did the touristy thing in Boston, as best as we could do while he was studying for exams, working at the law firm and consulting via Skype with Jasper and Carlisle over a case he did research for prior to his departure from the FBI. We made the best out of a less than ideal situation, managing to have a good time. When I left, it felt more painful than before, though. I was, at least, a functioning member of society.

Kind of.

We made our situation work by setting aside at least two nights a week, one day during the week and another on the weekend, to spend time with each other on the phone or on Skype. That made our time apart better, especially Edward was stuck in Boston for the duration of his time there. Including my graduation.

Grrrr!

"Okay, enough work. Let's go out to get a drink. It'll be fun," Felipe smirked, offering me a hand and breaking me from my reverie. I saved my work and loaded up my laptop into my bag. Felipe drove to a local hole in the wall that served some cheap beer and great margaritas. I followed him in my car. I was in the mood for some tequila. Once in the bar, I ordered a strawberry margarita while Felipe flirted with the bartender to get an extra shot of tequila in his drink. It succeeded. He skipped to our booth and poured the extra booze into the margarita glass. "Tell me about your Edward. I've only seen pictures and the remark here and there. I know that you love him, but I want to know more about him."

"He's...amazing," I sighed, licking the sugar off the rim of my glass. "He's the one who found me in that warehouse."

"Okay, back up. How? He's a law student," Felipe said, arching a brow.

"He wasn't always a law student. Edward was an agent for the FBI and was assigned to be undercover to take down my family."

"I read about that in the papers," Felipe replied, sipping his drink. "Your dad is Charlie del Cigno?"

"Yep. However, he's not the bad guy that the papers made him out to be. He wouldn't have gotten two years in club fed if he was," I said dryly. "In fact, my father was the one who contacted the FBI in the first place, encouraging the infiltration of the feds. Edward worked his way through the ranks and was eventually assigned to me as my personal bodyguard. What started off as friends, morphed into something more and we fell in love. Unfortunately, the day after we said those three little words, I discovered his true identity and went apeshit. I was captured outside of his cover apartment."

"And you're still with him?" Felipe asked, completely shocked.

"Even when he was undercover, he was amazing. You have no idea how wonderful he is, Felipe. Edward is my best friend and he was the only one through all of this, besides my brother and father, who stayed with me. Even after I pushed him away, too," I smiled sadly. "Anyhow, he decided to leave the bureau after the conclusion of my case and he's back in school, getting his law degree from Harvard."

"Handsome and smart," Felipe quipped. "Nice."

"More than nice," I snickered.

"Bella?" I heard behind me. I turned and saw Angie. She was holding Ben's hand, looking at me with uncertain eyes. "I thought that was you. Where's Edward?"

"In Cambridge, completing his law degree," I said, my voice sounding cold.

"Who's your friend?" Angie asked, raising an eyebrow at Felipe.

"My boss, Felipe. Felipe Santiago, this is my cousin, Angie Cristifiori," I said, sipping my margarita.

"Nice to meet you," Felipe replied, holding out his hand. They all shook hands before Felipe made a grimace. "I'm going to go to the little boy's room; let you guys catch up." He bounced out of the booth, dragging a shocked Ben with him. Angie slid into the booth, toying with the paper napkin that Felipe's drink sat on.

"I thought you were in New York," I said blandly.

"Jessica invited me to the graduation and to her big graduation party," Angie replied.

"Huh, I must have lost my invite," I sneered. Like you would go, Bella.

"Jessica said she would have invited you but you've fallen off the planet," Angie frowned.

"I wonder why?" God, that sounded bitchy. "Sorry. It's just that you and Jessica have forgotten about me once I got released from Aro's clutches. I could have used your help. Your friendship."

"We tried to come, but you were always with him," Angie said snidely.

"Who? Edward? Of course, I'm with him. He's my boyfriend," I said, arching a brow.

"But he put your dad in jail," she hissed.

"No, my dad turned himself in. He didn't want to be a part of the business anymore. It weighed on him. Because of his connections with the mafia, he lost his wife and nearly lost me. He was done, Angie. So, he worked out a deal with the feds."

"Oh," Angie whispered, sitting back in the booth. "Have you talked to Uncle Charlie?"

"Every week," I answered, waving down the bartender for another margarita. "Look, Angie..."

"I'm sorry, Bella. Jessica and I, we should have been better friends. Better family," she mumbled.

"You should have, but you can't go back and fix it. Maybe we'll be able to be around each other without this awkwardness, but right now, I can't...I can't deal with this and with your looks of faux sympathy," I sighed, tugging on my hair. Felipe and Ben walked back, laughing like old buddies. "Angie, I wish you the best, but just forget me. The girl you knew, she's dead. She died in that warehouse." I threw down a twenty and stomped out of the bar, Felipe on my heels.

"What was that about?" he asked, his black eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"Family drama," I deadpanned, stumbling over my own feet. Felipe caught me, arching a perfectly sculpted brow. "It's been awhile since I'd had hard liquor."

"Okay, chickie, I'm driving you home," he said, plucking my keys from my hands. "And we're going to have a long sit-down. You're going to tell Uncle Felipe all about your family drama."

A/N: Felipe is fun. I like him...Three more real chapters. Two Bella and one Edward. Leave me some!