Crosshairs

Chapter Twenty-Three—New Generation

Edward and Isabella raided the kitchen for something to eat, suddenly ravenous considering they skipped dinner. They needed to use the time to regroup themselves and pinpoint what needed to be discussed other than long-held secrets. To strategize how to handle his parents if they tried to avoid the truth.

Edward and Isabella would be the future of the family, and it meant they needed to know every deep, dark secret no matter how disturbing.

"I need to call my father." Isabella went back to their room and grabbed her cell, finding no messages on it. "He should've been here by now."

"There's a chance your father has secrets of his own."

She looked up from her phone as Edward handed her some pasta.

"I know he does," she replied. "Our family history only goes back about sixty years, which has to mean something."

Edward's brow tightened. "And you let that go?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, but at every turn, my father ensured I wouldn't find anything. No matter how many precautions I took, he always got to the investigator and put a stop to it."

He had questions, but she asked for a minute. She dialed her father and waited for him to answer. The late, or too early morning hour, mattered little to her when secrets could get them killed.

"Dad, why aren't you in Chicago?" She kept her voice neutral, not warm, but not too cold either. Alienating her father would only prolong the inevitable. "I don't care if you need to take it easy. You are to be here by the end of the night." She paced away from the kitchen. "Yes, that's a goddamn threat." Returning, she sat beside Edward in a barstool for the huge kitchen island. "I will call Sue if that's the way you want to play it. You know she'd be on my side." For several seconds, she listened, taking a few bites of food. She winked at Edward who stared at her beautiful mouth, enjoying something he made. He found he rather enjoyed it. "Take the necessary precautions for travel. I'll see you tonight, no later."

"Why would your father's wife take your side?" Edward pushed a drink toward her, noticing how she avoided alcohol again. She hadn't taken any earlier, but it made sense then. She wanted a clear head to meet his parents.

"Her family kept some secrets to themselves, and it nearly cost her life and the lives of her children." She shook her head. "Her story isn't vital to your family, but if using her gets him here that much faster, the better." She stared at him and bluntly added. "We need to consider another family to add to the cartel."

There were, of course, stipulations Edward and his father insisted on when they had approached Jane with taking over for her family. Normally, her entire family of heir age would've been eliminated, for breaking the rules on The Center's property.

"Other than finding out who your father is, that needs to take priority today."

"I agree, but the last time there was an even number of families proved to be a mistake. That needs to be on the agenda, but not today. Something of that nature must be addressed with all six families."

Despite Jane taking over for her father, the organization and all its lines of business, both legal and illegal, would come under the Cullen rule. After ten years, if she proved herself loyal to all the families, she could petition for the Rossi Family to stand alone as one entity again.

"We need to look over Rossi businesses before the end of the week. Jane has a brilliant mind, graduated at the top of her class, and she has a wonderful idea for high-end hotels and cabins in various parts of the world. We could use that to our advantage."

"A luxury suite would be nice for our honeymoon." Edward smirked when she swallowed hard, eyeing his lips. "Why go to some exotic location if we're going to spend every second locked up to fuck all we want."

"That sounds amazing." She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss, loving the hint of whiskey on his lips. "I need you."

Edward pulled her off the barstool and onto his lap, groaning when he remembered she wore no underwear under the silk nightgown and robe.

"Smells good…" Emmett cleared his throat, expecting the couple to break apart. They did no such thing and Edward flipped him off instead. "I'm not in the mood to see your dick or ass, Edward, but Bella's on the other hand..."

"Fuck off, little brother." Edward pressed one last lingering kiss on Isabella's soft lips.

She huffed in annoyance and returned to her seat, taking an extra moment to redo the sash around her waist. Edward had undone it while his hands sought the warmth of her skin.

"Do you prefer Bella?" Emmett pulled a large bowl from a cabinet and proceeded to spoon a generous portion of pasta onto his plate.

"Yes." She looked at Edward's brother, noticing they shared the same features. He did look a lot like his grandfather, too. She really hoped Carlisle was Edward's father.

"Then why do you let him call you Isabella?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "Not that it's any of your business, but I'm the only one who will call her that." He pulled Isabella's plate and stool closer to his, keeping one hand on her at all times. A soft kiss to her shoulder made her shiver once again. "She likes how I say her name."

Emmett nodded. "Fair enough, Isabella does roll off the tongue."

Rosalie marched into the room and sent Emmett a withering glare. "You make one more remark in a sexual manner of my best friend, and I'll cut you."

"Why? Jealous much."

She snarled at him. "You wish."

Emmett didn't look fazed in the least by her anger. "I don't need to wish, you are jealous." He shrugged and took the stool beside his brother's fiancée, much to Rosalie's displeasure.

"I'd say get a fucking room, but we have business to discuss." Edward drank deeply from a glass of whiskey, the burn soothing his nerves.

"Am I allowed in this discussion?" Rosalie did her best to ignore the overgrown man-child and addressed Edward and her best friend.

"Some of it, yes." Edward looked at Isabella for confirmation. "You will be excused when and if it is necessary. You must understand that the fewer people who know our secrets, the less chance others will find out."

"I understand, but I insist on knowing all possible threats. I don't need to know why they're a threat, just their threat level and who they are."

"Agreed." Edward turned to Isabella. "Do you plan to continue using Rosalie as your personal security? Considering your position in the family now, her job will pose more danger…"

"Hey, listen here, asshole—" Rosalie started to screech.

"Enough," Edward snapped, pounding his fist on the counter. "You are a loyal associate to her, but also her best friend. I don't want her to experience the anguish should she lose you because you had to protect her."

"He's right, Rose." Isabella shook her head when her most loyal friend tried to talk. "Phoenix has been threatened before, but not on the open. Not like we will be as his wife. Before we could go out clubbing with some anonymity, but soon when we do go out, we'd need an entourage of security with us."

"Once I realized what you do for a living, and we eliminated a threat to my life, I insisted on being your personal bodyguard. I owe you my life. I went through grueling fucking training for this. You don't have to worry about me."

Emmett's brow furrowed. "Sorry, doll face, it can't be helped. My buddy Felix over there…" He pointed to a shadow near the doorway to the kitchen. "I'd take a bullet for that man."

"Which is why usually family and friends aren't personal bodyguards." Isabella shrugged when Rosalie sent her a withering glare. "I'm not going to sugarcoat shit, Rose. I'd take a bullet for you, too."

"Then it's settled; we'll find you another bodyguard." Edward put his hand up when both Isabella and Rosalie tried to protest. "To work with you, Rose, of course."

Rosalie addressed Edward. "If something happens to you because I can't be there for Bella, I'll kill you." She clearly did not like the change, but realized it would be for the best. They were back in Chicago and putting her friend in the Cullen crosshairs would put her in them, too. Royce's family could cause a problem when they found her, but it didn't matter anymore, she was done hiding.

"Watch your mouth, Rosie," Emmett hissed, sending Edward a small glance. His brother did not take threats lightly, even from friends, not that Rosalie was one yet. "That's my brother you just threatened. Besides, there's a good chance he'll ask you to kill him if she's gone. Once he destroyed everyone involved, of course."

Edward said nothing to Emmett's suicidal implication, just simply stared at Rosalie. "You will remain her personal guard for now. We'll have to see how coming out as a newly engaged couple will be taken by our enemies."

Rosalie rolled her eyes, reluctantly nodding. "Fine."

"We have three weeks to find a suitable partner for you, Rosalie." Isabella sighed, finishing the last of her food. "I expect by then the city will know exactly who I am, meaning enemies."

Rosalie crossed her arms over her chest, turning a hostile look to Isabella. "Are we going in our house or Edward's?"

"Both," Edward and Isabella said in unison.

Emmett snorted, working on another bowl of pasta. "Creepy." He rolled his eyes. "Now that you're both under our protection, what are we going to ask Mom and Dad?"

Rosalie thrust a finger in Emmett's chest. "Listen here, buddy. It's Rosalie, not Rose or Rosie to anyone who is not a friend, and you're the farthest…"

Before Rosalie could finish Emmett's tongue-lashing, Jasper walked into the kitchen, dressed in a pair of sweats, and with a limp due to Isabella shooting him in the leg. "How is anyone supposed to get any rest with all of you mouthing off?" He grabbed a bottle of orange juice from the fridge, proceeded to serve himself, only to find everyone staring at him. "What?"

"Was it all an act?" Emmett had to work to keep his features neutral.

Jasper attempted a shrug, but thought better of it. "Some of it wasn't, some of it was. I honestly can't tell you for sure because I let what happened with my bitch of a wife fuck with my head." He rubbed at his chest. "My heart."

"Did you love her?" Isabella stepped forward, refusing to allow Edward to stand guard, which he'd done the moment his brother joined them.

Jasper didn't appear ready to face Isabella, yet his eyes met her. Some anger, sadness, and some annoyance burned in his gaze for her. "I don't know you, and considering your connection to my wife's execution, not sure I want to get to know you…"

Edward stepped forward again, the lethal look on his face would make others step back, and Jasper was no different. "It was her job, big brother. You didn't want anyone close to you do it and didn't have the guts to do it yourself, as you claimed you would. I will not tolerate your speaking or disrespecting her like that again. Do we understand each other?"

Jasper chuckled and rolled his eyes. "You done? Because I wasn't yet. Just because I don't see us ever singing Kumbaya or anything, I will respect her place beside you."

"I gathered as much." Isabella gave a look to Edward, silently asking him if he was done, too. She returned her gaze to Jasper. "Please continue; your brothers deserve answers."

Jasper sighed. "I thought I loved her, but seeing how you two are, my parents, hell, even Rosalie and Emmett, maybe I was in love with the idea of her."

"What the fuck do you mean by me and Emmett?" Rosalie placed her hands on her hips, eyes narrowed in on Jasper.

He could only shrug and smirk. "You'll see it soon enough."

Emmett grinned, a dimple coming out to play on his cheek. "It's not just me then?"

Edward shook his head. "Not even close."

"Nope." Jasper started up some eggs, in the mood for breakfast.

Isabella grabbed Edward's whiskey and sipped. "I see it, as well."

Rosalie let out a frustrated growl and ignored them all, suddenly famished. The meeting with the Cullen patriarchs couldn't begin fast enough. She'd had enough of Emmett Cullen.

AN: Thanks to Midnight Cougar for her help with the chapter, any mistakes are mine. Sorry for the delay, for some reason I was really blocked with this fic, so I decided to show a scene of the new generation's dynamic before Mom and Pop join them. Hopefully, if I can get more cafe time, I can get some more writing done. Thanks for your patience and continued support.