If the Boughs Break, Blood Will Flow

Chapter Six ~ Blood Ties

Edward couldn't believe that Bella had slapped him and called him a liar. Well, he did tell her his name was Tony, but that was for both of their protection. He felt his arm being pulled back and his mother stepped around him, placing her arms around Bella's shoulders before he could even ask where she had been.

"Sweetie, is there a room we can go to that is more private to straighten out this situation?" Esme said, keeping her voice calm even though she was pissed as hell. Being the quick thinker she was, Esme had surmised that her son left this lovely young woman carrying his children and gave her his alias, Tony. She had raised him and his brothers better than this.

Bella nodded her head, tears running down her face and pointed towards the back of the room.

Once they were away from the crowd of people who were all staring and murmuring among themselves concerning the outburst, Esme turned and gave Edward a look that he had only seen a few times in his life. One of them had been when he had broken her treasured vase that her grandmother had given her. He had thrown a football in the formal living room, which she had told all them not to do, but he did it anyway and it struck the vase dead on, causing it to teeter, then crash to the floor. He deserved an ass-whooping, fully expecting it; instead, she gave him something much worse. Reaching down, she picked up the largest piece and with unshed tears, she gave him a look of disappointment. He swore that day that he would never see that look again; however, he had today.

He followed Bella and his mom down a hallway, wishing it was him that had his arm around her shoulders. The few moments that he had seen her face, the memories of their night flooded his thoughts and somehow, she was even more beautiful than he had remembered. When they got to the door, he noticed her name on a plate beside the door. Isabella Swan Curator. She had been worried that she wouldn't find a job and here she was with her own office, planning huge events like tonight.

Esme opened the door and assisted Bella inside, once inside she saw a sofa against the one wall. "Bella, let's have a seat and talk."

"Alright," she whispered, her heart heavy. For months she had looked for Tony, wanting to tell him about the babies and all along he was here in New York. Why had he lied about his name? Esme was such a warm, loving woman and Carlisle seemed to be caring as well, so how had Edward turned out to be so cruel. Damn it, had he done this with other women. How many other children were out there without a father and no means to support them?

"Bella," Edward began but was quickly cut off by his mother.

"Blaigeard, duin do ghob," (Bastard, shut the fuck up) Esme growled. Bella wondered what she said, though the tone told her it was not nice.

Esme sat down beside Bella wrapping her arm around her once again, pulling her close. "Bella, I promise you that we will be here for you."

"You will?" Bella asked, sniffling and needing a tissue. She saw the box on the corner of her desk, so she stood and reached over. At the moment, she heard Edward's intake of a deep breath.

"YOU'RE PREGNANT!" He yelled.

Bella turned towards him, giving him a better view of her protruding stomach. "No shit, you Irish dick."

"Who's the daddy? Some other guy that you picked up at the bar, where you picked me up?" Edward threw out the insult with no regard, his jaw taut with anger. She had allowed someone else to touch her and he didn't like it one bit.

Bella was about to answer his extremely hurtful insinuation when she saw Esme jump to her feet, pull something from her bag and point it at Edward's head. Shit, it was a gun. Why did Esme have a gun?

"One more word, toll-thon (asshole)," she hissed, pointing her Jessie James Unlimited engraved 45 caliber 8-shot handgun at Edward's head. "She is five months pregnant with your twins."