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.
*Tissue Warning*
Chapter Thirty-Six
BPOV
The doorbell rang and Rose opened the door.
"Good afternoon. I'm Edward Masen and I'm here to make all of your dreams come true," Edward said quietly, woodenly, staring at Rose's feet.
"Eddie," Rose murmured. His eyes shot up and he gasped. He started to move away. "Don't go. Please?"
"I can't be here," he choked out. "Esme told me that I couldn't have any sort of communication with you or ... or ..."
"Bella?" Rose said, reaching for his arm. He whimpered when her fingers wrapped around his wrist. "Shit, please come inside, Edward. Your driver is giving you the evil eye. You don't want Esme to know that you didn't make my dreams come true."
Begrudgingly, Edward walked inside. Once the door shut, his posture deflated and he leaned against the wooden doorway. The rose he held fell to the ground and he let out a shuddering breath. Rose looked at me through the sheer curtains of my father's office. I opened the door and stepped out into the foyer. Rose moved back and I stood in front of him. I reached for his face, but he flinched away from me, similar to how Jasper did. "No," he whispered.
"Edward, please," I choked out. "I know ..."
"You can't know," he said, his eyes clamping shut. He stood up taller, trying to appear stronger than he was. "You can't!" His voice grew louder and he glared at me. "You cannot know everything!"
"I don't know everything, but I know enough, Edward," I snapped back. "I know your secret."
EPOV
Rose had backed out of the room and it was just me and Bella. Seeing her, it made my heart sputter back to life, but I was never going to see her again after today. Esme threatened my mother that if I saw Bella, regardless of the cost to her company, my mom would pay the ultimate price. I couldn't let that happen.
That didn't even come close to the physical, bodily harm she threatened. Even worse than what I'm feeling now.
My body was aching and sore, swimming in my clothes. My stomach was snarling from the lack of food. Esme was withholding food from me if called out in pain during my nightly round of torture. I was a broken man and I couldn't let Bella see me like this. I had to break her heart and ultimately shatter mine so I could save my mother. She stared at me, her eyes swirling with anger, determination and something else. With great difficulty, I stood as tall as I could and glared at her. "You know nothing," I snarled. "You couldn't even fathom what I have to fucking deal with, Ms. Swan. I let my heart get involved and I was weak."
"Like you are now?" she sneered. "I see what she's done to you! What she's doing to your mother!"
Fuck! I moved so I was caging her with my arms, anger coursing through me. "You don't know a god damned thing," I screamed. She shuddered, her eyes filling with fear. I wouldn't hit her. I didn't want to cause her physical pain.
Liar. She's just as wrecked as you.
Blinking, she shoved me away. "I know more than you think, Edward," she growled.
I stumbled, gasping for breath as her hands pressed on my bruised and battered ribs. Felix had kicked me so often that I'm surprised that they're not cracked and broken. I clenched my fists, narrowing my eyes at her. "This was a mistake. What we shared was a mistake."
"No, it wasn't," Bella countered, crossing her arms defiantly. "I know so much more than you give me credit for, Edward. I have my resources. Do you remember Jasper?"
My eyes widened, remembering when he left with Alice. It was when Esme turned her attention to me; when I became her personal plaything.
"The look on your face indicates that you do," she snorted, putting her hands on her hips. "I met with him, Edward. I spoke with him and he told me what Esme did to him. What she's most likely doing to you. I want to help you!"
"What Jasper endured is nothing," I said, biting out the words, though I wanted to throw up. Compared to what Jasper had to contend with, I definitely had it worse. There was no part of Esme's torture chamber that wasn't covered in my blood. I was humiliated, beaten and tortured for almost six weeks straight. From the moment I returned until she released me for the requested date today. Esme reminded me, time and time again that I was hers. She owned me. She owned my mind, my body and my soul. She would show me pictures of my mother as she was barely cared for in the nursing home. She would fuck me until I was raw and Felix would beat me to a bloody pulp, forcing me to do things to him that I never wanted to do to anyone, especially a man.
I couldn't handle any of this. I had to leave.
Bella can save you, you moron.
Shaking my head, I took out my cell phone, preparing to call Felix. I couldn't stay here. I had to go back to Bitchme. If she knew that it was Rose who requested me, she would fucking kill me, kill my mother! Though death would preferable to what I'm living through currently. Bella swatted the phone away, taking my face in her hands. She pressed her lips to mine and for a fraction of second, I felt okay, healed and whole. The walls I'd built up to protect me fell, but I was lost in the illusion.
I couldn't go back to what we had before. I couldn't let my idealistic beliefs of love cloud my judgment. I pulled away, wiping her kiss from my mouth and glaring at her angrily. Tears were in her eyes. "How dare you," she spat, slapping me across the face.
The pain that I felt from her slap was nothing compared to what Esme inflicted upon me previously, but it shattered me. With that, something clicked in my brain and I fell to my knees. All the fight left me and I was broken once again. I didn't see what was in front of me. My vision was blurred with tears and pain. My face was stinging but I couldn't register the agony. I was done. "I'm so sorry, Mistress," I chanted, rocking back and forth. "Please forgive me." I gulped down the bile churning in my stomach. "Please don't hurt my mother. I'll do anything, Mistress. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
A/N: Short chapter, but a lot happened. I didn't want to make it longer. As a result, the next chapter will be longer but it will be in Bella's POV. Edward's mind isn't safe right now. You know? Leave me some and give Edward a virtual hug.
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