Buying Love Teaser

Staring out the window of the private jet, I watched as we approached the airport just outside of Seattle. Bella was sleeping next to me, her head cradled in my lap. She woke up sick the morning we left. It was a cold or a sinus infection, but she was miserable. Her loud snores filled the cabin, almost waking up but whimpering in her deep, husky voice, raspy from the sore throat.

“Mr. Masen, I’m sorry,” said the flight attendant. “We’re getting ready to land. If you could wake up Ms. Swan and have her put on her seat belt.”

“Thank you,” I replied, giving her a friendly smile. She moved back to the front of the cabin I shook Bella awake and she grumbled. Begrudgingly, she sat up and put on her seatbelt. However, she did put her cheek on my shoulder and continued to snore in my ear. No human should make those noises. Even a gorgeous human such as my bellissima. Ignoring her obnoxious snarling, I gazed back out the window. My mind was racing about how much my life has changed in almost a year.

I had found love.

I was free of Esme’s almost daily torture.

Esme was found guilty of her crimes and will be sentenced according to the law.

My mom, while my relationship with her was still strained, was getting stronger every day. She was almost back the woman I remembered from my childhood. But, I was still bitter about her retreating into her mind. I probably always will be.

I lived through hell to provide medical care for her and it was all in her head.

Well, and Esme’s deal with the doctors keeping my mom medicated.

On top of all that, Bella’s dad, who had been my dad’s best friend, dropped this bombshell that I’m a multi-gazillionaire. I owned half of Swan Hotels, LLC. Bella and I were business partners.

Once I sign the paperwork that Charlie gave to us prior to our departure to Kauai. If I want to sign the paperwork.

Who are you kidding? You’re signing the paperwork. 

Buying Love Teaser

I was chilled to the bone, thanks to my hasty exit to get to Edward after he ran out of the conference room in the Seattle courthouse. Despite taking a long, scalding hot shower, I could not stop shivering. I was wearing leggings, loose pajama pants, a long-sleeved t-shirt, hoodie and covered in a blanket. Edward was in the bathroom and I could hear him crying inside of the shower. The loss of Jared had hit him to the core.

“Here, Bells,” Rose said, handing me a large cup of tea. “Hold it for a few minutes. Maybe it’ll help warm your hands.”

“Thanks,” I replied, taking the tea and wrapping my fingers around the mug. I inhaled it, smiling at the spicy orange flavor she’d chosen. “Rose, I want you to do some digging about Jared. Find out if he has family.”

“Already on it,” Rose smirked. “Carlisle actually beat me to it, using Emmett and his contacts at the Seattle PD. The preliminary findings indicate that Jared was alone in the world. His wife left him when their son died. She disappeared, it seemed. My guess is that she went back to her maiden name and flew across country.”

“What about that family he worked for? The Volturis?” I asked. “Do we know why Jared stopped working for them?”

“Hold on,” Rose said, flipping through her notebook. “Ah, got it. Aro Volturi had to go to Italy to care for his dying father, Caius and his mother, Maria, who suffered a stroke. He’s been in Italy ever since late 2015. Marcus gave Jared the option to stay, but since Marcus preferred to drive himself, Jared left the company and began working for Esme shortly after.”

“Find out as much as you can, Rose. But, I want to help out and pay for the funeral, if no one claims the body,” I sighed, taking a sip of the orange spice tea.

“I’ll make the necessary arrangements,” Rose said. She kissed my cheek and got up. “I’ll leave you with Edward. I don’t want to intrude on whatever is going to happen. If you need anything, I’m just a call away. And take your medicine. I really don’t want you back in the hospital, Isabella Marie.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said. She kissed my forehead and left me in the living room, looking at the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. I got up from my cocoon of blankets, taking the time to admire the elegant decorations, ornaments and details that Edward chose for our first holiday together. I reached for a crystal ornament of two angels, twined together with their foreheads touching. Half of the angel was a clear, faceted crystal and the other was smooth, but frosted.

“You are the one with the sparkle,” Edward said, his voice somber and gruff. “You always had this glow about you, pulling me in and giving me hope.”

“And the other?” I asked, turning to look at him.

“It’s me, but I’m no angel. My life was dim and lifeless before I met you,” he murmured. “I don’t know. I saw it on a website and fell in love with it. It was very expensive, but Rose ordered it for me for our tree. I need to pay her back.”

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“He won’t wake up, Esme,” came the fuzzy voice of Felix. He kicked my back, causing me to groan. “Why won’t he wake up?”

“We’ve been working him over for the past eight weeks. His body must have just given out,” Esme cooed.

“But, I wanted to fuck him until he bled,” Felix snarled.

“Felix, that’s too much, too far,” Esme snapped. “Because of your insolence, you lost your privilege to claim his ass. Besides, I’d rather he enjoy it. Now, he’s running a fever and delirious. Go get Dr. Gerandy. He can help us out.”

“So, no playtime with Edward?” Felix asked.

“Nope. I’d rather my victims be coherent and active participants,” Esme snickered, sitting on my bed and wiping brow with a damp cloth. I shifted, trying to get away from her. But, I was weak and sore and so tired. “Are you still here? Go!”

“Fine,” Felix snapped, stomping out of my room.

“It was a matter of time before you fell apart, Edward,” Esme said, her voice sickeningly sweet. Her hand threaded in my hair, pulling it harshly. “You are so pitiful. You know that this illness will be added to your bill. If you keep this up, you’ll never be able to pay me back, Edward.”

I opened my eyes. Esme was blurry and every part of my body was in excruciating pain. “I know that I will owe you, but please. Give me some time to heal, Mistress.”

She pursed her lips, getting up from her perch on my bed. “I shouldn’t be so accommodating, Edward. However, like I said before, I prefer my victims to be coherent and active participants,” she said. With a scowl, she left and came back with a bottle of water and some Advil. “You have two days to get better, Edward. Dr. Gerandy will see to all of your needs.” She got up, leaving me in my room. I collapsed against the bed and closed my eyes again. 

Buying Love Teaser

“He won’t wake up, Esme,” came the fuzzy voice of Felix. He kicked my back, causing me to groan. “Why won’t he wake up?”

“We’ve been working him over for the past eight weeks. His body must have just given out,” Esme cooed.

“But, I wanted to fuck him until he bled,” Felix snarled.

“Felix, that’s too much, too far,” Esme snapped. “Because of your insolence, you lost your privilege to claim his ass. Besides, I’d rather he enjoy it. Now, he’s running a fever and delirious. Go get Dr. Gerandy. He can help us out.”

“So, no playtime with Edward?” Felix asked.

“Nope. I’d rather my victims be coherent and active participants,” Esme snickered, sitting on my bed and wiping brow with a damp cloth. I shifted, trying to get away from her. But, I was weak and sore and so tired. “Are you still here? Go!”

“Fine,” Felix snapped, stomping out of my room.

“It was a matter of time before you fell apart, Edward,” Esme said, her voice sickeningly sweet. Her hand threaded in my hair, pulling it harshly. “You are so pitiful. You know that this illness will be added to your bill. If you keep this up, you’ll never be able to pay me back, Edward.”

I opened my eyes. Esme was blurry and every part of my body was in excruciating pain. “I know that I will owe you, but please. Give me some time to heal, Mistress.”

She pursed her lips, getting up from her perch on my bed. “I shouldn’t be so accommodating, Edward. However, like I said before, I prefer my victims to be coherent and active participants,” she said. With a scowl, she left and came back with a bottle of water and some Advil. “You have two days to get better, Edward. Dr. Gerandy will see to all of your needs.” She got up, leaving me in my room. I collapsed against the bed and closed my eyes again. 

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Buying Love Chapter 30 Update on TWCS

Jared drove me to the nursing home. He didn’t say much, but I could tell he was worried about me. I nibbled on my fingernails, my anxiety getting best of me. I was sick to my stomach at seeing my mom being so ill and terrified of Esme’s wrath.

Deep breaths, Masen.

Parking in front of the nursing facility, I handed Jared some cash to pick up my mom some food from a nearby drive-thru. Jared nodded, pulling away and I walked inside. I spoke quietly to the nurse I didn’t care for, Ruth. She was mean and looked at me like I was no better than the dirt underneath her shoes.

That’s because you are, Edward.

Ruth walked back with me to see my mom. She was now in a private room since the other woman, Agnes, had been switched to a ward for more ambulatory patients. I knew that I was paying for this luxury, thanks Esme’s bill she gave me regarding my mother’s care. Ruth grunted, stomping out of the room and I pulled up a chair to my mom’s bedside. She looked like she hadn’t been bathed in days. She wore a nasal cannula, but I could the wheezing with each breath she took. I checked her temperature, feeling her flushed skin. 

Buying Love Teaser

Jared drove me to the nursing home. He didn’t say much, but I could tell he was worried about me. I nibbled on my fingernails, my anxiety getting best of me. I was sick to my stomach at seeing my mom being so ill and terrified of Esme’s wrath.

Deep breaths, Masen.

Parking in front of the nursing facility, I handed Jared some cash to pick up my mom some food from a nearby drive-thru. Jared nodded, pulling away and I walked inside. I spoke quietly to the nurse I didn’t care for, Ruth. She was mean and looked at me like I was no better than the dirt underneath her shoes.

That’s because you are, Edward.

Ruth walked back with me to see my mom. She was now in a private room since the other woman, Agnes, had been switched to a ward for more ambulatory patients. I knew that I was paying for this luxury, thanks Esme’s bill she gave me regarding my mother’s care. Ruth grunted, stomping out of the room and I pulled up a chair to my mom’s bedside. She looked like she hadn’t been bathed in days. She wore a nasal cannula, but I could the wheezing with each breath she took. I checked her temperature, feeling her flushed skin.

“Mom,” I whispered, closing my eyes. “I’ll get you better. I’m so sorry that I wasn’t here.” I stepped away and got a washcloth, running it under some cool water. Gently, I patted her skin, trying to keep the tears at bay.