EPOV
"Mr. Cullen, the doctor is running behind, but you can feel free to wait in her office," the receptionist says with a smile.
I nod before standing and going into the office.
When I have the door closed I take the opportunity to take a look around.
The doctor's degrees occupy only a small section of the wall behind her desk, there is a large amount of children's artwork framed on the wall making the degrees an afterthought.
I step around the desk taking in all of the photos of the Doc's happy family.
A little girl no more than six sitting at a piano for her first recital.
The girl stars in mostly all the photos until a baby joins the growing collection with her. The man in the pictures has eyes that are dark and wise with the way he gazes into the lens.
I land at the last photo closer to the computer screen, it's of a beautiful strawberry blonde-haired toddler resting against his father's chest on the beach. My chest. My eyes are hidden by my shades.
I smile at this newest photo of me and Masen.
The door opens and Doc enters with her hand on her bulging belly.
"When Claire said I had an appointment waiting, I almost throttled her," she says, closing her door.
I watch her waddle over to me, giving me a quick kiss before she carefully takes a seat.
"You made an appointment?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.
I take a seat on the edge of her desk.
"I was trying to be funny," I say with a shrug.
"I'm about to pop your baby out, Edward. Nothing is funny to me these days," she says dryly.
I roll my eyes.
"She's only my baby now?" I ask amused.
She might not think anything is funny, but pregnant Doc is a hoot.
When she was pregnant with Mase, she'd threaten my life on a daily basis. Cullen babies, it turns out, are big babies and take their morning sickness into the day and evening. Though the current one that's cooking is a little on the small side. The doctor assured us that she's not too concerned, but I've been on edge since her last appointment.
Doc laid her head tiredly against her chair while she looked up at me. "I think this is the last one," she tells me.
"Three is enough," I shrug with a smile.
It truly was, because with Coco entering her pre-teens and Mase now into almost everything, I think we might barely be able to enjoy this last and final baby.
"So, what's with the visit, I was about to head out before she told me I had a last-minute patient," she teases.
"I have dinner plans with Emmett, so I just thought I'd stop in," I tell her leaning in to cup her cheek.
She eyes me for a minute before she brushes off any questions she might want to ask.
Our offices are located in the same building, and though she's the department head of the Psychiatric Division for Cullen Medical and I'm the CEO, our paths rarely cross unless it's a scheduled rendezvous.
"So, it's just me and the kids tonight?"
I hear the sigh in her question.
It didn't happen often, but on occasion, I'd have a night out with Emmett and I knew Bella was uneasy about it.
"Carlisle was going to stop by tonight, said he wanted to have dinner with you and the kiddos," I say lightly, trying to ease her suspicions.
She has every right to be suspicious, because even though we have taken our business in a new direction, sometimes I am called upon to make decisions as the head of the family. Carlisle never fully recovered after the events with Aro, becoming a shell of his former self.
Now he lives alone with a nurse who checks in on him daily. His original crew is still loyal to him, getting him where he needs to be. He is a proud grandfather to our children, but I now oversee the business full time.
"I feel like you are keeping something from me," she says, her brown eyes boring into me.
It's my turn to sigh.
"It's just a boys' night out," I lied.
She squints.
Six years of marriage and she knows me better than anyone.
"What is going on, Edward? And don't even think about using the "c" word and blame my paranoia on this pregnancy," she snips.
I blink trying to act like she scares me.
She does, but I'd rather fake fear to throw her off my scent.
"You just said paranoia which must mean you think you're reaching," I deflect.
She blinks, which I would chalk up to the pregnancy brain.
"It's just dinner, Doc," I murmur.
She still looks skeptical when she finally drops it, I lean down giving her a kiss.
"I love you," I tell her when I pull back.
She smiles softly before she adds, "You better be home for bath time."
I nod knowing Mase was a handful on a good day, but with Doc eight and a half months pregnant, no way was I letting her try and wrangle that little wild man in the tub.
"I'll be there, so don't even try it," I warn.
I knew even if she tried anything too crazy that Coco would text me to tattle. She was good like that, especially since she worries so much about my wife. It took months for her to detach herself from Bella after Aro kidnapped her.
She was basically a new kid once we got her into pre-k, it was mostly Charlie's idea that she needed to be around other kids and find her independence that way instead of always staying glued to Bella.
He was right, that's all it took.
The kid has been a social butterfly ever since, just like— just like Alice.
She looks exactly like her too, but with Jazz's curls.
It's something that Bella says I need to deal with and I need to realize that she isn't her parents. We are raising her to be an outstanding human being.
I'm not sure if Bella sees it though, but as soon as we told the kids the baby was a girl, I saw the flash in Coco's eyes. There was resentment, the same kind Alice held toward me and Rose. Bella brushed me off when I brought it up. She just thinks she's jealous about not being the only girl, which I agree is normal but I just couldn't shake this feeling.
"Want me to walk you down to your car?" I ask her.
She looks relieved at my offer.
I help her gather her things and carry her bags down to her car. She sees Em parked a few spots over and waves.
I help her get situated in her seat.
"Please behave tonight," she pleads quietly.
"You need to relax, Doc. I'm a good boy," I tease with a grin.
"Yes, such a boy scout," she says dryly, rolling her eyes. "If you get caught doing whatever you are doing… without hesitation call Jenks."
"Oh." Peck. "Ye." Peck. "Of." Peck. "Little." Peck. "Faith," I seal with one last peck.
"Please lawyer up," she begs with her parting words.
This time I roll my eyes, giving her one last kiss before shutting her door.
She pulls out waving at me sadly.
I jog over to Em's SUV and hop in.
"She knows something's up," I mumble, buckling my seat belt.
"I told you, you should have said something to her," he said with a sigh. "You can't get nothing past B, Ed."
"Did you tell Ro?" I ask.
He nods.
"I can't just walk in with a baby and not have my wife know about it in advance," he says with a disbelieving snort. "She'd question my ass every day for the rest of my life"
He's right.
For years they had been trying for a baby but Rose was unable to carry to term, losing her last three pregnancies.
It was last week when I saw Ben's murder on the news.
I knew Ang was behind it and it was confirmed when she and their newborn daughter couldn't be found.
I would see Angela from time to time at events her eyes would narrow in on me when she saw me. I would never in a million years think she'd do Ben in.
Though she was running away, it wasn't to say that she wouldn't try and exact her revenge on our family. I wasn't taking any chances.
I wouldn't let my psycho ex-wife near my children for a second.
She has seen Bella through the years and even then Ben kept her at a distance.
Angela ran, but we of course caught her.
My story with her ends tonight.
We drive down to the warehouse on the docks that I took back from Aro. Emmett turns his headlights off about a block down from my property. The place had security but I didn't need to alert a guard to my presence and my ass be connected to this.
Em gets out rolling the door up enough so he can pull in. I get out once he's parked pulling the door back down.
We maneuver around the Cullen Medical distribution center heading down to the boiler room. I open the door and see the guest of honor looking so small in the chair.
She's bound and gagged with a blindfold on.
Carmen was the one to find her for me, but she told me Ang put up quite the fight, which surprised me. I see that Carmen won the fight, because other than being caught, Angela is battered.
I yank her blindfold off.
Her eyes widen before her defiance shows.
This will be fun.
I remove the gag.
"So, you shanked, Ben," I say casually.
"Fuck you, Edward," she spits. "Where is Lucy?"
"Your daughter?" I ask with a shrug.
Coco and Mase have softened me considerably, but no way was I gonna let Ang raise her kid to be vengeful and possibly come after us.
"She is none of your concern, this is the end of the road for you," I say.
She cries out trying to pull at her binds.
"Ang, you think I'm gonna let you wander the world planning your next move against my family? I have a wife and kids to protect."
"I was once your wife," she argues.
"Not by choice," I mumble.
Em lets out a laugh.
"You shouldn't have run," I say.
"You would have let me live as a widow?"
Now I laugh.
"No, I would have married you off to Cousin Jamie."
"To a junkie," she shrieks.
"Recovering junkie," I scold. "But let's be honest you killed Ben, who works for the family. There is no way we were going to let you live."
She starts with the waterworks while I roll my eyes.
I hold my hand out to Em for my Glock.
He places it in my hand.
"Any last words, Ang?" I ask tilting my hand.
She spits at me and I pop her between the eyes.
I hand my Glock back to Em wordlessly. It wasn't allowed in the house so he's its keeper.
"I need to grab a shower at your place before we head to my house," I tell Em once we leave the boiler room.
Felix and Liam pass us for the cleanup. We nod but keep going to the SUV. I text Brady letting him know we are heading to Em's house.
It's only six, so I'd say I'm doing great on time.
"She's gonna know something's up with the change of clothes," Em sings.
I shoot him the stink eye.
I'm not explaining myself, but I thought of that and packed a change of clothes that looked exactly like what I was wearing, a black button-down and black slacks.
We pull up to his and Rose's house ten minutes later with Brady parked in the driveway. When he sees us he gets out and opens the back door of his car grabbing a baby carrier.
I peek in once he's close enough, seeing the sleeping girl.
Her features are dark like Angela.
Em's hand is on my shoulder as he looks at her too.
"She's ours," he murmurs.
"Jenks is getting the paperwork drawn up and should have a birth certificate for you in the morning," I tell him.
I hear the front door open and Rose approaching us.
"What are the three of you doing crowding my driveway?" she asks with her hand on her hips.
They drop when she sees Em is now holding the carrier.
"Who is that?" she whispers.
"This is our daughter, Rosie," he says with a smile.
Brady and I look at each other moving away from the new family without a word.
After they walk into the house, I signal Brady that I'm going to grab a quick shower and be right out.
After I'm finished and quietly leaving the house to get into Brady's passenger seat, Rose stops me.
"Ed," she calls, running over to me and throwing her arms around me. "I don't want to know the specifics but, thank you," she says before kissing my cheek.
I nod.
I don't need to respond.
I know that this kid will be safe with them and that Angela is now one less thing I need to worry about.
Also, I know Em has a ton of baby shit in his back seat just waiting to be used.
I get in Brady's car and let him take me three streets over to my house where the lights are still on and madness is probably ensuing.
I say goodbye to Brady before going in.
I hear Coco in the living room and peek my head in, she's on the couch playing Uno with Carlisle.
"Who's winning?" I ask.
"Dad," Coco says, her whole face lighting up.
I walk in taking a seat beside her, she side arm hugs me.
"She is," Carlisle says softly. "I think you're raising a card shark."
I laugh at this.
"Maybe we are," I say, placing my hand on top of Coco's head.
She looks up at me with a smile.
"Where's your mom?" I ask.
Carlisle gives me a weary glance.
I hear a squeal rip from upstairs.
"Goddammit," I mumble under my breath before standing to rush up the stairs.
"Masen Anthony Cullen," Bella groans from where I assume is his room.
A naked Masen runs past me down the hall.
He's quick but I'm quicker.
I grab him, scooping him up under my arm. He squeals and wiggles the whole way back to his room.
Bella's sitting on his bed trying to pick up his discarded clothes. I see the tears and her frustration radiating off her.
"Daddy got me," Mase announces with a laugh.
Her head whips up and her eyes meet mine.
"Were you trying to give him a bath or is he a nudist now?" I ask, setting him down.
"I nakey, Daddy," Mase declares.
"I can see that bud," I say, grabbing his clothes off the floor.
I lean down kissing Doc's head before grabbing Mase's hooded dragon towel off the hook on the back of his door.
"Bath time," I shout enthusiastically.
Mase fist pumps sharing my enthusiasm.
I lead the way to the bathroom glad the tub wasn't filled yet, so it was clear she hadn't gotten very far yet.
I turn the water on and make sure to dump his bubble bath in knowing that the bubble is the draw for him.
I hear Bella walk in, she sits on the closed toilet lid.
"Mama's not awwowed to gives me baths, wight Daddy?" Mase asks knowing the ongoing argument that has been going on lately.
"Right, bud," I confirm.
"That why I ran," he admits.
I turn to Bella, giving her a smirk.
She huffs.
"Mama you too big," he says.
I freeze at her hurt expression.
"Mase," I bark.
"My bubs weady?" he asks clearly not knowing the weight of his words.
"Hey," I say a little gentler to him.
His big brown eyes meet my green ones.
"We don't call Mama big, remember?"
"Cause it not nice and she has a baby in dere?" he asks but remembers the spiel everyone gives him when he has made comments about how big his Mama is.
He doesn't know any better but Doc is sensitive about it.
I think she's gorgeous.
Pregnant or not.
"Exactly."
He looks pitifully at her. "I sowwy."
"I know, Masen," she says softly with a sigh.
His bubbles are ready and he just about clambers into the tub. I roll up my sleeves but know I'm going to get wet either way.
I help him get situated, glancing back at Bella after Mase declares his bath toy dragons at war. She's eyeing me like she's trying to find something.
"What?"
"Your hair is damp, it's not raining," she says calmly.
"Bell—"
"Angela was on the news tonight," she says, still eerily calm.
"Fiiiiiiiaaaaaaa," Mase yells before crashing his dragons together.
I look at him rolling my eyes.
My stare drifts to Bella.
"Ben's dead."
"I know," I respond.
"Their baby is only a month old, Edward," she says flatly.
"The baby is safe," I say, brushing her off.
"You should have told me," she grits but keeps up her Mommy tone since Mase is in the room.
I usually call this fighting nicely when she does this. I hate it, it's like arguing with Mary Fucking Poppins. I've seen her kill, so this blog-mommy way of communicating drives me crazy.
I tell Mase to shut his eyes so I can wash his hair, he likes to dunk his head back until it gets wet. I lather up his hair with shampoo.
"No suds," he parrots what we usually tell him.
"Right, bud," I confirm, turning the faucet on and filling his shampoo cup with warm water.
I pour it over him shielding his eyes from the soap. I laugh at the way he holds his breath each time like he's actually going under.
"All done," I announce.
"I stay in," he demands.
"Nope, done," I say simply, draining the tub before wrapping him in his hooded towel.
He groans and wiggles letting me know he isn't happy.
Bella manages to stand and follows us into the hall. She doesn't follow us back to Mase's room but goes into ours.
I mostly have been doing his bedtime routine since he likes the voices I do when I read the stories.
Once he's in his pajamas and we're halfway through his book he zonks out on me. I lean down giving his head a kiss.
One of the proudest moments in my life is when he was placed in my arms. This squishy loud chaotic mess of a boy was something Doc and I created. I vowed on that day that I wouldn't let any harm come to him, I think I also understood more about my own father on that day and what he sacrificed. It couldn't have been easy on him walking away.
I knew I couldn't do that to Mase or Grace when she got here. It was also one of the reasons why I did what I did tonight. I wasn't chancing Angela, possibly coming after my children. I don't regret my decision.
I carefully stand, shutting Mase's light off and closing his door before I have to go face the judge and jury in my room.
I shuffle down the hall bracing for a fight.
Bella is sitting on her side resting against the headboard, I close the door not wanting Carlisle and Coco to hear us from downstairs.
"Were you able to get him down, Skip?" she asks letting the 'Skip' part come out venomously on her tongue.
"I'm not apologizing for tonight. She killed one of my men and who's to say she wouldn't try coming after me, you or the kids," I snap.
"What about her baby, Edward?"
"Do you think I was gonna leave her in the gutter for the cops to find, Bella? She's safe, Rose and Em took her in," I tell her hating that she thinks so little of me. "I'm a father, not a complete monster."
She bites her lip.
"You tell me everything," she murmurs quietly.
"You are about ready to pop Gracie out, Doc. I don't think it would have been smart on my part to have you ride along with me and your water break. The guys would have made me clean that up," I say honestly.
She smiles slightly at that.
"Are you okay?" she asks.
"No panic attacks," I tell her.
I've gotten better at dealing with my anxiety and taking meds regularly. Running a more legitimate business was not only better for me but for us overall.
Family time is important to us and we don't take it for granted.
"Was this a one-time thing?"
I nod.
From time to time our business has been on the unsavory side, but I don't want to let her know that this happens. I think this pregnancy has made her more observant, but maybe that says something about how Grace will be when she gets older.
She looks like she's weighing my response before she nods, holding her hand out to me. I pull her up off the bed holding her close to me.
My hands rub her back while she leans further in.
"I love you and that was a nice thing you did for Emmett and your sister," she says, bringing her arms around me before squeezing as best as she can.
"I wasn't going to let her be on the loose out there," I repeat.
She nods.
I never said I was the hero of our story, but I will forever protect my family at all costs.
A/N: The End.
I'm going to be honest this was an experiment to understand why the fandom loves Mob fics so much. The response to these fics is a little wild and I still don't think I figured out the why. Like I have said I love Mob genre but to me, it's odd in this fandom. So many reviews I read were about getting my WIP confused with another author's Mobward WIP. Like there are that many out there right now. Again, this story's experience was an odd one for me.
Anyway, I have a new fic in the works and I might post it within the next week or so. I don't know what the posting schedule is going to look like and the future of that fic is up to you all. I have no current plans for Long Roads I'm still in a writer's block with that.
I need to say thanks to CoppertopJ for her support and I appreciate all the help she's provided to this fic.
Thank you all for reading and thanks to those of you who take the time to review!