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A week had passed since my testimony. Harold finally apologized to me and I was given the opportunity to finish my statement with Liam redirecting me. Once I was done with my testimony, I was excused and the defense started calling their witnesses.

There weren’t many.

A few of her former clients said that she was being framed by the FBI and Harold even provided fabricated evidence. Liam cut the witnesses down and obliterated the evidence with proof from the biggest and best forensic scientists. After two days of defense witnesses, closing summations were given and the trial was handed over to the jury.

Esme’s fate was in the hands of nine women and three men.

I was sick to my stomach, terrified that they would find her not guilty.

However, Bella, Rose, Carlisle, Uncle Peter, Emmett, my mother … they were all in my corner and did their best to distract me while the jury was deliberating. Carlisle and Emmett gave me driving lessons. Rose and I worked on the Swan Towers website. Uncle Peter got me out of the hotel or Jared’s home. He took me to his gym and we worked out. Or, we’d go on random trips around Seattle. Uncle Peter was very athletic and we bonded over that, working out, running along the many paths in Seattle or geeking out at the local public library. My mom shared memories about my dad, from when they started dating and their first few years of marriage, before I was born.

And Bella … my Bella … she was my saving grace. After my explosion in the gym in the hotel, she had been my rock. Even more so now. She helped me continue to heal, with talking to me, encouraging me to journal, spending time with me after I had sessions with Dr. Benson and just making me feel like a normal man.

A few days after the jury began deliberations, I got a text on my cell phone while I was reading in the living room of Jared’s, erm, my house. It was Liam. Jury’s back. Court is reconvening tomorrow morning at nine. Bella walked into the living room, her phone in her hand. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Nervous,” I said, putting the phone on the cocktail table. “Do you think that the jury found her guilty?”

“We’ll find out tomorrow, baby,” she said, sitting down on my lap. I burrowed my nose against her soft hair. 

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“Please state your name for the record,” Liam said, arching a brow over his horn-rimmed glasses.

“My name is Edward Anthony Masen, Jr.,” I replied, sitting back in the seat and folding my hands in my lap.

“How do you know the defendant, Esme Platt?” Lim asked.

“I was introduced to Esme ten years ago after I was attacked on the streets. I sold my body because I was an uneducated teenager who lost his home, his father and care for his sick, ailing mother. I had to make ends meet and with my real job working in a supermarket, along with prostitution, I was able to do what I needed to do. However, I was beaten almost to death and a police officer breathing down my throat about arresting me. Instead, the police officer contacted Esme and she took over my bills, moved my mom out of my shithole apartment and I thought I was getting a new life,” I said coldly.

“But, you didn’t get a new life,” Liam said. “What happened after you moved in with Esme?”

“I was given time to heal since my injuries were quite extensive. My mom was moved to a private, exclusive nursing facility, one known for working with patients with early-onset Alzheimer’s. After I healed, Esme approached me and handed me a bill. I asked her what it was and she said that it was my debt, what I owed her. I had to work for her as an escort in order to pay the bill off,” I explained. “The bill was exorbitant, but I had no way to prove that it was falsified. I signed a contract and began working for her.”

“Your honor, here is a copy of the bill and the contract that Esme asked Mr. Masen to sign. This is people’s evidence numbers eighty-four and eighty-five,” Liam said, handing the copies to the jury. “How much was the bill, Mr. Masen?”

“Over two million dollars,” I answered. “I didn’t know any better. I was eighteen and naïve. When most people were eighteen they were making fools of themselves in college. I was trying to provide for my sick mother. I just didn’t know.”

“So, when you started as an escort, what did you do? Did Esme tell you to sleep with clients?”

“At first, no. The women I went on dates with were older and I was just glorified arm candy,” I said. “However, a few of the guys said that you get paid more for the sexual dates. After about six months, I asked Esme to up my client load. I wanted to move forward in my payments. And then, my mom got sick. The debt grew more with her hospitalization and move to the other nursing home. It was spiraling out of control and I knew that I’d never get out from Esme’s hold.”

“What happened after Mr. Whitlock was released from Esme’s employ?” Liam asked softly, looking at me.

“Esme made me her special pet. I was moved out of the shared apartment with a few of the other guys and into her condo,” I snarled. I clenched my hands, taking a few breaths. “That’s when Esme began raping me.”

Liam McKenzie

Forks Cemetery

Buying Love Teaser

“Please state your name for the record,” Liam said, arching a brow over his horn-rimmed glasses.

“My name is Edward Anthony Masen, Jr.,” I replied, sitting back in the seat and folding my hands in my lap.

“How do you know the defendant, Esme Platt?” Lim asked.

“I was introduced to Esme ten years ago after I was attacked on the streets. I sold my body because I was an uneducated teenager who lost his home, his father and care for his sick, ailing mother. I had to make ends meet and with my real job working in a supermarket, along with prostitution, I was able to do what I needed to do. However, I was beaten almost to death and a police officer breathing down my throat about arresting me. Instead, the police officer contacted Esme and she took over my bills, moved my mom out of my shithole apartment and I thought I was getting a new life,” I said coldly.

“But, you didn’t get a new life,” Liam said. “What happened after you moved in with Esme?”

“I was given time to heal since my injuries were quite extensive. My mom was moved to a private, exclusive nursing facility, one known for working with patients with early-onset Alzheimer’s. After I healed, Esme approached me and handed me a bill. I asked her what it was and she said that it was my debt, what I owed her. I had to work for her as an escort in order to pay the bill off,” I explained. “The bill was exorbitant, but I had no way to prove that it was falsified. I signed a contract and began working for her.”

“Your honor, here is a copy of the bill and the contract that Esme asked Mr. Masen to sign. This is people’s evidence numbers eighty-four and eighty-five,” Liam said, handing the copies to the jury. “How much was the bill, Mr. Masen?”

“Over two million dollars,” I answered. “I didn’t know any better. I was eighteen and naïve. When most people were eighteen they were making fools of themselves in college. I was trying to provide for my sick mother. I just didn’t know.”

“So, when you started as an escort, what did you do? Did Esme tell you to sleep with clients?”

“At first, no. The women I went on dates with were older and I was just glorified arm candy,” I said. “However, a few of the guys said that you get paid more for the sexual dates. After about six months, I asked Esme to up my client load. I wanted to move forward in my payments. And then, my mom got sick. The debt grew more with her hospitalization and move to the other nursing home. It was spiraling out of control and I knew that I’d never get out from Esme’s hold.”

“What happened after Mr. Whitlock was released from Esme’s employ?” Liam asked softly, looking at me.

“Esme made me her special pet. I was moved out of the shared apartment with a few of the other guys and into her condo,” I snarled. I clenched my hands, taking a few breaths. “That’s when Esme began raping me.”

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“Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

“I do,” I murmured. The bailiff indicated for me to sit and I sat in the witness box. Liam was at his table, across from me, looking over his notes. The judge was to my right. He was an older gentleman with kind brown eyes and thick salt and pepper hair. Across the courtroom, Esme sat at the table, wearing an ugly suit and her blonde hair growing out from when she was arrested. She looked like shit, not even remotely appearing like the suave woman she once was. Her lawyer was young, barely out of law school, but he seemed determined to get his client off.

“Ms. Swan. Thank you for being here today,” Liam said, standing up and smoothing out his tie. “Can you please tell me your relationship to the defendant?”

“I contacted her in August to make arrangements to use one of her escorts for a party that I was required to attend,” I answered. “I chose Edward Masen from her website. We had several phone conversations, confirming dates and times, as well as payment for services rendered.”

“Was she professional on the phone?”

“A little cold, but professional, yes,” I replied.

“And how was your date with Edward Masen? Did he live up to expectations?” Liam asked.

“He arrived on time, with a rose, and he was well-spoken, respectful and kind,” I smiled. “He played the part of my boyfriend perfectly and I was pleased with him.”

“Did you notice if there was anything wrong with Mr. Masen?”

“Objection! Leading the witness!” Esme’s attorney, a young, angry man named Harold, barked.

“Sustained,” the judge replied. “Mr. Mackenzie, you know better.”

“My apologies,” Liam smiled tightly. Taking a breath, he turned back to me and asked, “How long did Mr. Masen stay? Did he stay for the whole party?”

“He did and afterward, we went up to my room,” I answered. “Esme was adamant on him spending the night.”

“Did you have sex with him?” Liam questioned.

“No, but we did fool around. I was attracted to Mr. Masen. He was everything that liked in a man: tall, lean, handsome, smart, sexy. We had chemistry,” I blushed. “I’m a single woman and he was a single man. Most people fool around at the end of a date.”

“And what happened after your date with Edward?”

“I called Esme and made arrangements to use Edward as a long-term escort for upcoming events, acting as my boyfriend. As mentioned earlier, we had chemistry and we had a lot of fun together. However, with each date we had, I noticed that he became more and more detached. He was jumpy and he didn’t like to be touched,” I frowned. 

Buying Love Teaser

“Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

“I do,” I murmured. The bailiff indicated for me to sit and I sat in the witness box. Liam was at his table, across from me, looking over his notes. The judge was to my right. He was an older gentleman with kind brown eyes and thick salt and pepper hair. Across the courtroom, Esme sat at the table, wearing an ugly suit and her blonde hair growing out from when she was arrested. She looked like shit, not even remotely appearing like the suave woman she once was. Her lawyer was young, barely out of law school, but he seemed determined to get his client off.

“Ms. Swan. Thank you for being here today,” Liam said, standing up and smoothing out his tie. “Can you please tell me your relationship to the defendant?”

“I contacted her in August to make arrangements to use one of her escorts for a party that I was required to attend,” I answered. “I chose Edward Masen from her website. We had several phone conversations, confirming dates and times, as well as payment for services rendered.”

“Was she professional on the phone?”

“A little cold, but professional, yes,” I replied.

“And how was your date with Edward Masen? Did he live up to expectations?” Liam asked.

“He arrived on time, with a rose, and he was well-spoken, respectful and kind,” I smiled. “He played the part of my boyfriend perfectly and I was pleased with him.”

“Did you notice if there was anything wrong with Mr. Masen?”

“Objection! Leading the witness!” Esme’s attorney, a young, angry man named Harold, barked.

“Sustained,” the judge replied. “Mr. Mackenzie, you know better.”

“My apologies,” Liam smiled tightly. Taking a breath, he turned back to me and asked, “How long did Mr. Masen stay? Did he stay for the whole party?”

“He did and afterward, we went up to my room,” I answered. “Esme was adamant on him spending the night.”

“Did you have sex with him?” Liam questioned.

“No, but we did fool around. I was attracted to Mr. Masen. He was everything that liked in a man: tall, lean, handsome, smart, sexy. We had chemistry,” I blushed. “I’m a single woman and he was a single man. Most people fool around at the end of a date.”

“And what happened after your date with Edward?”

“I called Esme and made arrangements to use Edward as a long-term escort for upcoming events, acting as my boyfriend. As mentioned earlier, we had chemistry and we had a lot of fun together. However, with each date we had, I noticed that he became more and more detached. He was jumpy and he didn’t like to be touched,” I frowned.

Liam strolled, glaring at Harold, challenging him to object. I had opened the door to where Liam could ask his previous question. “Seeing the change in his behavior, did you ask Edward why?”

“He never told me, but I did notice that he was thinner and he was always covered with bruises,” I replied, “especially around his wrists and scars on his back.”

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Parking behind the garage, I got out of the car and went into Jared, now Edward’s, home. It was quiet, but I could see that Edward and Marina were there. Her bag was next to the door and Edward’s running shoes were just inside. I checked the fridge, noting that it was pretty empty. I logged into PeaPod and ordered some basics like milk, eggs, bacon and some other things. I scheduled the order to arrive in a couple of hours. I’d make dinner and hopefully talk to a calmer Edward.

Marina came downstairs, her long brown hair pulled up in a low ponytail. “He’s resting,” she said, putting down some gauze and tape. “I’m surprised that he exploded.”

“Really?” I asked, guiding her to the living room.

“Okay, let me rephrase. I expected him to explode a lot sooner,” she sighed. “He’s had a few setbacks, the first when you were injured. His progress should have had more jagged edges, I suppose.”

“What can I do?”

“Be there for him. He told me about his shame and how he hates the fact that the world will know it,” Marina replied, crossing her legs. “That was his trigger. He wanted to punish himself and it came out of nowhere.”

“I should have seen this coming,” I grumbled.

“You’re also battling your own demons, Bella. Granted, you’re almost back to normal …”

“Physically? Yes. But, I’m ashamed of my body. I used to be so proud of it. I’m littered with scars and I feel ugly,” I shrugged.

“Edward has his own scars. He loves you regardless,” Marina smiled.

“Does he really?” I asked. “Or does he feel like he has to love me because I saved him.”

“That was my initial fear, but he does adore you,” Marina nodded. “He said that you are the shining light in his life. You are the one thing that’s going well for him. Granted, right now he doesn’t feel like he’s worthy of you, but he loves you so much.”

“Will he be able to testify?”

“He will. I’ll be there in case he needs sedation,” Marina said, taking my hand. “But, after this, he will finally be able to move forward.” She pursed her lips, looking out the window. “He was trying to be strong for everyone else, but his body and mind just crumbled when he got the notification to testify.”

“That makes sense,” I frowned. “It was Rose who mentioned to me that Edward may freak out because of his past. I should have seen it.”

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It was a few days before Christmas. Liam Mackenzie was trying to wrap up the grand jury testimony before the holidays. With all of the witnesses, it was tough. I was scheduled to go this afternoon. I was dressed in a black business suit and a crisp, subtle blouse. I would have killed to wear my black, patent-leather Jimmy Choo platform pumps with this outfit. However, I was still stuck in flats. Edward found them for me on Zappos. They were cute, black with some sort of sparkle, but not my nut-busters.

“Bella, are you almost ready?” asked Uncle Peter.

“Yeah,” I said, smoothing out my hair and picking up my purse. I grabbed my black, polished cane for support. I knew I’d be walking a lot today and I wanted to make sure that I was not going to end up back in the rehab facility. Moving slowly, I walked to the living room. Edward was sitting on the couch, scrolling through his cell phone. He wore a sleek black suit with a light blue shirt and a black and blue paisley tie. His hair was recently cut, since he testified the day previous for the grand jury. When I stumbled over one of the area rugs, Edward hopped up and steadied me with a strong arm and warm grin. “This is really frustrating. I want to walk normally. This suit does not go well with flats!”

“Bella, the jury is not looking at your shoes,” Edward quipped, tucking a hair behind my ear. “They want to hear what you have say about Bitchme.”

“Is the grand jury almost done?” I asked.

“You’re going today. Alice, Jasper and Jared are going tomorrow. However, once we get home, I’ve got a surprise for you,” Edward smirked. “Uncle Peter helped me.”

“Should I be afraid?” I giggled.

“Trembling in your flats,” he snorted. “Come on. Traffic sucks and I don’t want to be late.”

Edward helped me into my red winter coat with matching Burberry scarf. He put on an overcoat, looking some sort of Mafia don. He was so sexy and lithe. Plus, he’d come such a long way in the few weeks that I’ve been home. Granted, almost daily appointments with Dr. Benson and his therapist, Michele, helped him tremendously.

There were still things that Edward freaked out about. He didn’t like to be touched by anyone but me. He also couldn’t wear a belt since it reminded him too much of the whips and chains that he was beaten with. Uncle Peter got him suspenders so his pants for his suits wouldn’t fall down. Edward still harbored a great deal of anger and resentment toward his mother. She was a victim in this, almost as much as he was, but she gave up when he was fourteen, when he needed her the most. Edward did have some huge anger issues. For the most part, he was easy-going, but if something made him pissed, he would stomp around like a bull and things would get broken. Michele is working with him on that, having him use various calming techniques.

Finally, there was the guilt and pain associated with anything sexual. Edward’s introduction to sex was violent and cruel. He knew how to pleasure a woman, but now, the mere thought of doing anything other than kissing, hugging or cuddling, made his stomach churn. Dr. Benson said that was a normal response for someone who underwent such long-term sexual abuse and rape. When the time was right, both Edward and I would go to couple’s therapy. I would do anything for him to ensure that he was happy, healthy and most importantly, safe. 

Edward, looking like a Mafia don

Bella's suit, but in black

Bella's winter coat

Seattle Courthouse

Edward's Christmas Decoration Surprise