Ruthless

Chapter 17: Devious Minds

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight and unfortunately, never will.

[EPOV]

"How did it go?"

I straightened up and closed the refrigerator door behind me just as a petite figure hugged me around my midsection. The familiar bronze curls sent a warm ache through my chest and I wrapped my arms around her. I may a big boy who played with guns, but the presence of my mother still sent a feeling of safety through me.

"To plan, perfectly," I assured her.

She stepped back and gave me a fond smile before reaching up to tussle my already disastrous hair. It was quite funny seeing my small mother on her tip-toes to be able to touch the top of my six feet two frame.

"Good. Even knowing what you're like out there, I can't help but fear for your safety." She shooed me aside to pull out a plate of lasagna from the fridge and set about to warming it. "Are you hungry?"

I rolled my eyes at the pointless question and took a seat at the barstool, folding my arms on the cold granite. I rested my chin on my crossed wrists and followed her motions with sleepy eyes.

"Did you finish all your assignments before leaving? You may be an adult in the mafia world but you're a high school student first," she chided.

Cue another eye roll.

"Have you ever known me to not have straight A's in all my classes?"

"I know, sweetheart, but you have more responsibilities on your shoulders now."

"Speaking of responsibilities that resemble irritating, hotheaded flighty brunettes, did she give you any trouble?"

She threw me an unamused look and said, "She's been making her way through your bookshelf. Poor girl is bored out of her mind. How about you bring her homework back with you tomorrow? She's bound to have missed a stack of work and this'll keep her occupied."

I nodded, thinking over her words. "If she's busy with that, she won't be spending all her time trying to escape."

"Can you blame her?"

"Yes," I grumbled. "I don't understand what the problem is. She wants to go to university, and in any other case, she wouldn't be able to afford it if she even managed to get accepted. I'm more than willing to pay for her tuition and everything. She wants love but I know that even she's not stupid enough to believe she'll find it while starving on the streets."

"I know, darling. Bella just wants the freedom of choice. To be able to choose the man she spends her life with," she explained patiently.

I groaned, throwing my arms up in the air. "This girl is going to be the death of me. Does she really believe those crock-pot bull stories about romance and finding a man who sees her as an equal as if it were as common as the McDonalds on every street corner? I know she was your best friend, mom, but Renee fuckin' Swan is the cause of all this."

"Edward!"

"No, seriously, mom. She filled her head with all these lies. We both know that Renee Swan never actually left for the Freedom Colonies. Not a day after leaving her daughter without explanation, she was on her knees for Volturi."

"Edward, language! And keep your voice down. The poor girl might hear."

I froze, feeling a spark alight in my mind. The solution had been right before me all along; it was everything we had been trying to avoid.

"You're a genius, mom!" I kissed her on the cheek and grabbed my plate of lasagna before rushing out of the kitchen.

I took the stairs two at a time, excitement boiling in my gut. It was time to do my favourite thing - plot.

I wasn't surprised to see my bedroom empty; I didn't really expect that stubborn girl to stay put where she was told. It was amusing that she didn't want any of this or anything from us, but she would rather accept her own fully furnished bedroom instead of just sleeping on the couch in my room. Subconsciously, she wanted the comfort and ease of living that we could provide her. Now it was up to me to make her realize it.

Pulling out my phone, I scrolled through the contacts list until I found the man who would help me get the ball rolling for phase two of the plan. The entire mission was time sensitive, of course, but I wasn't the heir of an entire mafia for no reason. I was one sneaky son of a bitch. By the time Bella even recovered from the shock of phase one, phase two would come around to knock her off her feet. By that time, phase three will have been prepared take into effect and the poor girl won't even see it coming.

I almost pitied her for what was to come. Almost. The sort of life that awaited her afterwards would be worth the tumultuous ride.

"Theo, I have a job for you."

I could practically hear him sighing from all those miles away. "Even when I'm two states over, you still manage to drag me into your shit."

"Shut the fuck up. If you don't help me out here, you'll be stuck with the likes of Tanya Denali as your sister-in-law."

"Well it's a good thing I'm an only child then," he said drily.

"Will you do it or not?" I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger.

"Fine, but only because I'm bored off my ass here and you'll owe me one."

"I won't break up with any of your girls for you."

He barked out a laugh. "You won't be getting off that easy. I've got a bigger fish for you to fry."

Knowing him, he most definitely did. Theo was the heir of an oil tycoon and while his mother was estranged from his father, they both managed to drag him into their shit. He couldn't blow off his old man without risking his inheritance and lavish lifestyle, and his mother was a real piece of work. She had four ex-husbands and three of them had died in mysterious circumstances. While each of them had been powerful men, none could hold a candle to the cunning that was Theo's father. As irritating as her social ladder-climbing ways were to him, Theo couldn't resist it when she batted those blue eyes at him and simpered about how he was her favourite - and only - son.

Now you take a rich young man who had grown up learning from his parents' power games and just watch how much trouble he could cause. That was Theo Lockwood in a shiny, gold plated nutshell.

"You still have your contacts in the FBI?"

"What do you take me for? A commoner?" he snorted.

"Never."

"What happened to your contacts? Turn up dead or something?"

"Different division. This is a bit different from our usual intel extraction."

"Now we're getting somewhere interesting. Talk, Cullen."

"What's with the shit-eating smile?"

I looked away from the entrance of the parking lot that I'd been watching carefully and smirked at Jasper. "Don't you just love it when things start falling into place?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "What're you up to?"

I glanced away in time to see a dark-haired girl pull up in a civic. "You'll see." I straightened up from the hood of my car that I'd been leaning against.

The couple had already begun walking towards the school entrance, but Ben pulled her a stop when he caught sight of me strolling towards them with my hands in my pockets.

"Cullen," he greeted warily.

I nodded at him. "Cheney."

Angela was watching me with narrowed eyes and a scowl painted her lips when I turned my attention to her.

"Angela," I purred, ignoring the pointed stare of her intended. "I believe we can help each other. I have something you want, and in turn, you'll have to so a favour for me."

"What could I possibly want from you?" She was entirely too perplexed to remember to accompany her words with a glare.

"Have you forgotten your best friend so easily?" I asked mockingly, raising a hand to my chest.

Her eyes widened comically and she shrieked, "Bella!"

Damn, this girl wouldn't know subtlety if it hit her in the face.

"You - you know where Bella is? Did you kidnap her? Oh my god. You kidnapped her, didn't you? Are you going to torture her? This is payback, isn't it? Oh lord have mercy," she cried, clenching her hands into fists.

"You're a tad bit dramatic, don't you think?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

"And you're a monster," she snapped.

"Angie," Ben warned, his eyes flashing in my direction as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Well? What do you want?"

I pretended to think, tapping my chin and cocking my head to the side in contemplation. I swear I heard the girl growl before Ben squeezed her in warning.

"Nothing too big, really. You'll even enjoy it, I daresay," I mused.

Finally, a bit of fear creeped into her face and I smirked.

[BPOV]

The last two days had been blissful - well as blissful as hell could get. Satan and his minions were off destroying lives somewhere else, which meant I could move around the house without fear of running into one of them. Honestly, it was more of a mansion. Calling it a house wasn't even being humble, it was more of an insult.

I scowled at the 110" flat screen TV in the home theatre. Murdering was clearly a very lucrative business.

Initially, I'd been wary of touching anything in the enemy's lair, not wanting to show that I was caving in. Which I realized later was a very stupid move on my part. The best way to throw off the enemy was to give them a false sense of security. I had been going about that completely wrong too. Making a break for it in the middle of the night wasn't going to cut it. Nope. These motherfuckers were smart, so I had to be smarter.

Besides, wouldn't the look on Edward's face be hilarious when he saw how comfortable I was getting in his territory. He'd be so confused. A confused Edward was probably not a sly Edward. Sly Edward was the one I needed to watch out for. He may be a bastard but he was cunning. His intelligence was obvious with his impeccable grades in school and the complex textbooks that lined the shelves of his bedroom.

"Bella, dear?"

I turned my head to eye Esme's approaching form. There was a warm smile on her face as she crept down the stairs. Ugh. Why was it so easy to get wrapped up in this woman's loving aura? It was no surprise Edward was such a conniving ass. He probably learned all his tricks from this incredible woman.

That was another thing I realized. Esme was more than just Carlisle Cullen's arm candy. I had underestimated the sort of influence she held over her entire family. Her husband hung on her every word and her children worshiped her. It wasn't just the upper class society people who were victim to her charms. Of course, I didn't doubt that this charisma came naturally to her. I just hated that I gravitated towards her like anyone else. I hated any sort of silver lining in this hellish situation.

It seems having space from the devil really help me get my thoughts in order and have some clarity on this situation. It wasn't the end of the world. I could figure a way out of this situation. Charlie had shown his true colours, which was a good thing. I may not have a roof over my head anymore - thanks to the fucking Volturi - but I had one less burden. Charlie couldn't anchor me down to this place anymore. Just a shame that I had to find out after signing those documents.

Right, those documents were also another matter. Legally, I was Edward's even if we hadn't tied the knot yet. A contracted engagement was pretty damn binding and it would show on my record if I tried to get a job anywhere or enrol in a college. But there was always fake documents so I wasn't too worried about it.

I hummed questioningly, my eyes drifting back towards the riveting car chase taking place in the movie.

"There's someone here to see you."

"Me?" I mouthed, pointing at my chest in surprise.

That surprise turned into complete shock when Angela came down behind Esme and I let out an unladylike shriek before launching myself at her. Angela did the same and we crashed into a tangle of arms and tears.

"What the hell happened to you? Did Cullen kidnap you? Where's Charlie? Oh my god, are you okay? Did they hurt you? They probably know some extreme torture methods. Holy shit. Bella, are you hurt?"

Angela was crying out a mile a minute and it took me a moment to process everything. Instead of answering her, I grinned and shook my head. Pulling her over to the couch, I looked around to make sure Esme had left before launching into everything that had happened in the past week.

"Can't believe so much happened in just a week," she remarked disbelievingly after I'd finished telling my story and she had finally picked her jaw up off the floor.

"Tell me about it." I rolled my eyes.

"At least they haven't tortured you."

"Physically? No. Emotionally? Most definitely," I grumbled.

There was an indecipherable look on Angela's face as she contemplated my words. She shuffled on the spot uncomfortably and cleared her throat before whispering, "It could be worse."

I sputtered, coughing on my own disbelief. "Angela? What the hell?!"

Swallowing hard, she hurried to explain herself. "They could be like the Volturi. That would be a worst case scenario. You saw yourself how vicious they were. But the Cullens, they're different. Or at least with you they are. They're not hurting you and they're practically handing you opportunities on a silver platter."

"Are you kidding me? I didn't want any of this," I cried angrily, waving my arms around to punctuate my point. "I'd rather have freedom than luxury."

"Freedom?" She shook her head and snorted. "What freedom, Bella? We have no future. I'll be a housewife for the rest of my life. The only consolation is that my intended is Ben. That's the closest to freedom I've ever gotten. And you? These silly dreams you have about running away? Get real. At least Rosalie realized it in time, but you, you're so hell bent on a future that doesn't exist. It can't exist."

It was a good thing I was sitting down or my legs would've given away. How could…but…I thought…it wasn't possible. Since when was Angela the blunt one? The pessimistic? Those harsh words had seemed so odd coming out of her mouth and if it weren't for the redness of her cheeks or the fact that she seemed out of breath slightly, I would've thought I had imagined the last few minutes.

Well that escalated quickly.

I opened my mouth several times to speak, but each time I tried the words got lost on their way out. I imagined I looked like a gaping fish. In this end, I swallowed hard and pointed to the stairs that led up to the main floor.

"I'd like you to leave."

Angela nodded, pulling out a stack of papers to place on the coffee table before gathering the rest of her stuff. Fiddling with the clasp of her bag, she explained quietly, "Edward asked me to bring you all the work you missed. He also told your teachers that you'll be taking a couple more days off."

She took my silence as her answer and headed for the stairs. Hesitating at the foot of them, she added, "As your best friend, I can't stand back and watch you crash and burn."

I just barely resisted the urge to respond with, "A true friend wouldn't betray me like this," but even through my emotional haze of anger and hurt I knew it was way too petty and cliche.

Instead, I just kept quiet and stared resolutely at a spot one the carpet. My eyes burned with unshed tears and even after she left I wouldn't allow them to fall. I had cried enough in the last week.

[EPOV]

There was satisfied grin on my face when I walked through the front door. I had purposefully stayed out until late, wanting Bella's curiosity to build until it got too much for her to control. Not to mention, if Angela's call was anything to go by, Bella would be upset.

"You're a huge asshole," were the first words out of Angela's mouth when I answered her call.

"I never said I wasn't," I said cheerfully.

"Why would you do that to her when you want to marry her? That's just cruel."

"I have my reasons."

"She doesn't deserve this."

Ignoring that particular remark, I asked, "How did she react?"

Angela sighed heavily. "She hates me. Are you happy now? My best friend hates me."

"It's for the best. She'll be better in the long run, you'll see."

"Will I?"

I raised an eyebrow at the sharp tone. "Where exactly are you going with this?"

"What do you want with her? You hate her and now you've roped her into your sick little game."

Jesus, if this girl sounded so emotional then I wondered how bad Bella was.

"At which point did I give any indication that you would be privy to any part of my life?"

The insolent girl simply ignored it and ploughed on. "She won't survive your world. She's not built for your life of crime. I may love her, but even I understand that Renee filled her head with all these wild notions."

"How bad was it?" I asked carefully.

"I wouldn't know. I wasn't really friends with her until after the Rosalie debacle so you'll have to ask her about that. But I do know that her mom basically handicapped Bella. She's never even left Forks and still she's so sure of what the world is like out there. You wouldn't be able to tell with her headstrong, defensive attitude, but she's really naive."

"So basically, she's a scared little girl hiding behind her anger," I stated flatly.

Angela hesitated at first, not wanting to get carried away about her best friend, but eventually conceded. "I don't know you, Cullen, and what I do know of you isn't exactly reassuring. But Bella is going to need you. She won't pull through unless someone guides her. As her husband, you'll have all the power to destroy her and everyone would just pat you on the back. I really hope you're a decent guy. I'm counting on the fact that Rosalie Hale wouldn't have joined your family if you guys were evil."

Angela had simply confirmed everything I'd been thinking. It wasn't hard to figure Bella out. She tended to channel all her emotions through anger and I happened to be her favourite target to take it out on. Push the right buttons and she loses control of her words and actions.

I wasn't a decent guy. Some would consider me evil. I did plan on breaking Bella Swan. Most importantly, though, I was going to fix her, put her back together stronger than ever.

I had just come out of the shower, towel wrapped around my waist, when there was a quiet knock on my door. I knew exactly how each of my family members' knocks sounded. A grin crept onto my lips at the realization of who was on the other side of the door. I opened it just as the second knock sounded and leaned against the doorframe with my arms crossed over my chest. I took a moment to allow her to process the sight of her sexy, half-naked fiancé.

"Can I help you?" I asked smoothly, smirking at the blood rushing to her cheeks.

Snapping her wide eyes up to my face, she swallowed hard and nodded.

Taking pity on her - it was understandably overwhelming considering the poor girl had never seen a sight more tantalizing - I stepped back to allow her to pass. Of course, I was Edward fuckin' Cullen, so I only moved marginally, forcing her to press up against me to get through.

I closed the door and turned to find her standing in the centre of my room, arms on her hips and a scowl painted on her lips.

"Can you put a goddamn shirt on?" she muttered when I remained silent.

"And deprive you of all this?" I gestured at my near-naked body, chuckling when her eyes trailed down and the blush spread down to her neck.

Hmm, I wonder how far down that blush goes.

"Deprive me of PTSD more like it."

"Ah, there's the snark I missed."

Huffing loudly, she narrowed her eyes and said, "I'm to you, Cullen."

"Whatever do you mean, darling?" I batted my eyelashes and smiled innocently.

She actually growled. How cute.

"Why did you let Angela see me? And she said you got all my missed work."

"Can't a guy do something nice for his fiancée?" I shrugged.

"See, that right there! That's the thing I don't get. Why me? We hate each other."

Straightening up, I cocked my head at the adorably perplexed look on her face.

"Isn't it obvious by now?" I spoke quietly, stalking towards her slowly. "Do you think I have the patience for a meek mouse of a wife?"

"I'd think obedient would fit the bill for your controlling nature," she retorted, squaring her shoulders as I came near.

I barked out a laugh, starting to circle her. "Trust me, Princess. If I wanted you obedient, you've would've been long ago. I've broken stronger spirits than yours."

Instead of blowing up like I had expected, she froze. No doubt she was finally starting to realize I wasn't like her boyish classmates. She couldn't scare me off with her childish antics.

"I rather like the fiery kitty in you," I murmured against the back of her neck. She tried to hold back a shiver but the moment I pressed an openmouthed kiss to the crook of her shoulder it was a lost battle. "I can't wait to bring her out to play."

Stepping away from her, I headed towards my chaise lounge where my clothes were laid out, leaving her to sputter and fume. With my back to her, I let the towel drop and took my damn sweet time putting my boxers on. I heard her squeak and rush out of the room, much to my amusement.

After I got dressed, I headed down to dad's office, having gotten a text from him earlier. I knocked and waited for him to call me in before opening the large french doors. He looked up from the paperwork he was going over and smiled warmly.

"Everything went well, then?" he checked as I sunk into my seat.

"Mostly. He let slip that Aro has been meddling with our shipments. It wasn't James like I'd thought. I'm guessing he was a rat and Aro set him up to take the fall when we came sniffing," I explained, eyeing the bottle of scotch behind him. "I'll have Jasper look into that."

"Good. Make it quick. The Volturi are getting restless. They're plotting something and we need to figure it out and retaliate before they can do any serious damage."

I nodded, my mind already going over all the different contacts and moles I'd have to look into. With everything that was happening with Bella and then the upcoming Christmas Gala, and not to mention school, I had my work cut out for me. At times like this, I wished I was comfortable with delegating pieces of my work to others, but that wasn't the kind of leader I was.

"Now, your mother is getting restless. Have you thought about when you'd like to have the wedding?"

"I was hoping to have the wedding when the bride doesn't want to strangle the groom."

"Edward, in that case you won't have an heir until you're my age."

I scowled, knowing that he was kind of right.

"You really have your work cut out for you," he remarked.

"Tell me about it." I sighed.

Gesturing for the bottle I'd been eying, I waited for his amused nod and strutted over to make two glasses. Placing one in front of him, I fell back into my seat, a frown setting on my lips.

"I just…I just want her to pause for a second and listen. She's so busy being angry - which I admit is justified - that she won't give herself the chance to be happy."

"Do you really believe you can make her happy?" he inquired and leaned back with his elbows on the armrests and hands folded under his chin.

Staring at my glass sulkily, I said, "I can get her a college education. She'll never need to worry about debts or the like. I can fulfill her every whim."

"You're not wrong, son. But can you give her happiness?" he repeated evenly.

I exhaled loudly and met his sky blue eyes. Choosing my words carefully, I said, "I - I think that given the chance…if she lets herself, we could be something good - really good in fact."

He nodded and rubbed at his chin. "I didn't question you when you said you wanted her, and I trust you now that you'll make things the way they should be."

"Thanks, dad," I said honestly.

"Is it safe to assume that you have a plan?"

"Always," I promised with a wide smirk.

This was going to be much longer but I decided to keep the next part for the next chapter as it would've been way too long here...anyways!

Sorry for the long wait, but I did promise to complete this. Things got a little crazy with my HP fic and this blog I'm the admin for, and I never indented to take this long to update.

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