The Next Chapter Teaser

I turned and jogged up the stairs. The door to our bedroom was closed. I could hear Bella’s quiet sniffles through the door. Keep calm, Masen. She’s upset and doesn’t need you acting like an ass. I knocked on the door and called out to my wife. “Bella?”

“Go away, Edward,” she cried. “Leave me alone.”

“Nope,” I said as I opened the door, shutting it behind me. “You can’t just shut down, Bella. You need to talk to me. Why are you so upset?”

“Because you’re mad at me,” she said quietly and lamely.

“Bullshit,” I said. “Bella, is this because of your, um, Renee?”

“Partially,” she sniffled, wiping her nose with her hand. “Ugh, can I have a Kleenex?”

I grabbed the box from the bathroom and put it on the bed, sitting across from her. She blew her nose and curled up into a tiny ball. “Bella, please talk to me, baby?”

“It’s so much. First off, Renee is up to something. I don’t know what but she is. I could only fathom that she needs money or I don’t know…Secondly, I hate the fact that I’m questioning even wanting a relationship with her. She’s been nothing but evil and cruel to me since I was a kid. Why would I subject myself to her wrath if for no other reason than I’m a fucking lunatic. Finally, my wrist fucking hurts,” she growled.

“Give me your hand,” I said as I held out my hand. She placed her braced wrist into my hand. I removed the brace and it was quite swollen and discolored. “You should get an x-ray.”

“Your dad said the same thing but it’s just a sprain,” she grumbled.

“If it’s still hurting this much tomorrow, I’m dragging you to the ER to get an x-ray,” I said sternly. “It could just a sprain or it could be something more since you have such brittle bones.”

“Oh,” she said quietly.

“Now, in regards to Renee, she is up to something. I don’t trust her. You shouldn’t either but that’s your prerogative to make that call, Bella. I’m not going to tell you what to do,” I said. “But, there is something that you do need to know. I do NOT want Renee to come within breathing distance of our children.”

“I agree with you,” Bella said weakly. “She can fuck with my mind all she wants but she’s not coming near our kids.”

“Good,” I said as I pulled her toward me, curling her in my arms. “I do think you need to get a restraining order against her. She did hurt you.”

Bella nodded and nestled further into my arms. “I’m sorry, Edward,” she said.

“I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have been so harsh,” I replied, kissing her temple.