A half hour later, Bella came
into the kitchen. Emma squealed and hugged Bella fiercely. This was the reunion
I’d always envisioned for my family. I offered Bella some pizza. She wrinkled
her nose, politely declining my offer of cardboard covered with cheese and
mediocre pizza sauce. I didn’t blame her. I ended up pitching the rest of the
pizza. Emma suggested we go bowling after dinner. However, I decided against
it. I was personally sore as hell since the choreography rehearsal the day
before. Bella was also moving stiffly today.
We spent the night playing a
Scattergories until Emma had to go to sleep. Bella helped with Emma’s nightly
routine. While Emma and Bella were getting ready for bed, the doorbell rang. Fucking hell…now? I growled lowly and
skulked to the door. Wrenching it open, I glared at my ex-wife who was standing
on my doorstep. “You’re three hours late, Jessica.”
“I know,” she spat. “Work
emergency.”
“Sure, Jessica,” I said, my voice
filled with disbelief. “And I’m a girl.”
“Fuck you, Edward. Where’s my
kid?” she growled.
“Upstairs with Bella, getting
ready for bed,” I answered coolly.
“That tart is near my daughter?
Oh, hell no,” Jessica sneered as she tried to push past me. I blocked her entry
into my home. “What the hell, Edward?”
“You are not invited, Jessica.
You’re three hours late to a court mandated visitation with a social worker,” I
said menacingly. “She told me that I should not allow you entry into my home.
You’ve missed your time and we’ll have to reschedule at MY convenience.”
“That fucking whore is spending
time with my daughter, Edward,” she countered. “I don’t want her near Emma.”
“You lost that right when you
raised your hand to MY daughter, Jessica. She’s seven. You do not hit a child,”
I said, barely holding onto my temper.
“She’s lying.”
“Hmmm, who am I going to believe?”
I mused. “My daughter who has never lied a day in her life or my ex-wife who
has slept with half of Rush Medical Center along with half of the male faculty
at Springview Central? I’ll go with Emma. You have a minute to get yourself off
my property, Jessica. If you don’t, I will be calling the police. You’re
trespassing on private property.”
“You wouldn’t,” she squeaked.
I pulled out my phone. “Watch me.”
“This isn’t over, Edward. You’re
such a fucking asshole. This cunt is turning you against me,” she snarled.
“You will not call the woman who I
love more than my own life those words, Jessica. While I hated what you did to
me, I never disrespected Mike,” I yelled. “Get the hell off my property.”
“Fuck you, Cullen,” she snapped
as she turned on her heel, stomping toward her car. She pulled out of the
driveway, clipping Bella’s bumper as she sped away.
“God damn it,” I hissed as I
jogged out to the car. The bumper was now hanging off Bella’s car. “Stupid cow.”
“Edward?” Bella called from the
house. “Everything okay?”
“No. Hurricane Jessica rolled
through, causing drama and destruction in her path. Your car was a casualty,” I
pouted as I pointed to the now broken bumper. I held my phone to my ear. “She’ll
pay. I promise.”
“Fucking hell,” Bella snarled. “What
the hell am I going to drive?”
“You can use the Volvo until it’s
fixed, love,” I said. “Yeah, hi. My girlfriend’s car was the victim of a hit
and run…I know who the driver of the offending vehicle, too…great, see you in a
few minutes. The cops are on the way, Bella.”
“I don’t even know any garages,”
she pouted.
“I’ll arrange everything, Bella.
And don’t even think about arguing about money. Jessica will be paying for
this. She hit your car, she’s responsible for the repairs,” I said as I kissed
her forehead, pulling her shivering body to mine. “Let’s get you inside until
the cops come. Fuck, tonight has felt like a god damned Jerry Springer episode.”
“All we need is Jerry saying that
you’re pregnant and that I’m your baby daddy,” she giggled.
“That’s just fucked up, Bella. No. Just no,” I
groaned. “And trying to push a baby out of…I’m scarred, woman.”
so looking forward to the chapter !
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