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11/24/2020

Ring: Chapter Eleven: Against a Tree

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Chapter Eleven: Against a Tree

“Good Lord above,” Jasper wheezed dramatically as he shoved the second of the massive boxes filled with gifts into the trunk. The back seat was already overflowing too. They were even on the floorboards. “Why, woman?” He put a hand on his spine, pushing his back forward to crack it.

“It’s not that much,” I argued. “They’re just big.”

“You’re so full of shit,” he mumbled under his breath. I smacked his ass as he walked past me to go get some stuff. He wiggled his hips as he went back into the house.

I carefully set the cookies I made on the front seat. They were in decorated boxes. “Some of this is yours! I didn’t buy everything!”

He came back with another armful. “Yes, some of it. Like a tenth of it.”

“It’s a small car, too. It makes it look like more,” I continued.

“Stop trying to justify your insanity, Isabella,” he said in a teasing voice. It was the final load. It barely closed. He shook his head as he rearranged some things. “I’m glad Dad has a dolly. Those keg things are heavy.”

Emmett and Justin were sitting outside when we arrived, smoking cigars and drinking eggnog in wooden lawn chairs. Caroline got him a fire pit, and they set it up for the day. He stood from his chair with the tobacco dangling from his mouth.

“Hey! Are you going to eat toasted marshmallows with me later?” My brother-in-law yelled as they walked to the driveway. His heavy work boots broke acorns and branches under his heels. His red Christmas sweater was beyond ugly, with tinsel and ornaments hanging off of it.

“Um, of course,” I declared sarcastically. “Oo, I brought chocolate chip cookies. We could make sandwiches with them.”

He put one arm around my shoulder. “I love how you think.” He patted it hard. His cheeks were so pink.

“How much eggnog have you had?”

“Uhhh…” He drew out in thought. “Two.” He held up three fingers.

“We also have hot apple cider with Crown in it,” Justin smirked, going around him. “They’ve both got a kick.” He leaned over and looked inside the back of the car. “Good grief! Did you buy the whole mall?”

“All of Fifth Avenue, actually,” Jasper sighed. “Merry Christmas,” he mumbled as he hugged his father. “That smells nice.”

“I got a couple with your name on it,” he promised. “Let’s get these things in the house.”

I went straight into the kitchen to put away the food. Rosalie and Caroline were busily heating the catering they got for the day. She got too much stuff, and it covered all the counters in foil trays. No one wanted to cook, and neither of them was that good at it, anyway. Maybe next Christmas, I could for my family if I had the time. I hoped so.

Mamaw smiled at me. “Hey, baby! Come on in,” she encouraged from her spot at the small breakfast table that took up one corner of the room.

My mother-in-law rushed to me, bringing me into a tight embrace. She smelled of cinnamon and sweet potatoes. She beamed. “There’s my new daughter! I missed you.”

Rolling her eyes, Rosalie shook her head. She didn’t look up for her task. “You’d miss us even if you saw us every day.”

She looked over her shoulder, scrunching up her nose. “Not every day. Maybe every other day.”

I giggled softly at their exchange. “So, would you like one of your presents early?”

She turned her attention back to me. “Oh, baby, we can wait until everyone opens them. That’s okay,” she smiled as she patted my hand.

Pulling a flash drive with a red ribbon tied to it from my purse, I dangled it in front of my face. I swayed it back and forth. “Are you sure? You really, really certain you don’t want this right now? Because I think you do.”

Her eyes got big as she snatched it from my grip. “Your wedding pictures!” She held it to her heart in both of her fists.

“And video.”

She instantly began to tear up as she looked down at it again. “We’ll watch it after lunch, and then we can open presents. Thank you, sweetie.” She kissed my cheek, then rubbed away some of her bright pink lipstick with her thumb.

“We haven’t watched it yet, but the pictures are amazing,” I told her. Jasper came into the kitchen. I turned to gaze at him. “I’ve never seen your son happier to take a photo.”

“Well, I didn’t want to forget a single detail of how beautiful you looked or how overjoyed I was to be sharing that moment with you,” he answered smoothly. He went first to kiss his grandmother on the top of the head before hugging his sister.

“Awww!” Caroline and Rose said at the same time. One was sarcastic, and the other was not. I couldn’t help but laugh. He smirked at his twin.

She patted his stomach. “I love how you’ve made my hardass boring brother just the softest-”

“Hey!” He interrupted her. “I am not, nor was I ever, boring. Just because we have different interests-”

“Both of you stop it,” their mother said over them. She looked at her daughter. “Don’t be sassy.” Next, she gazed at Jasper. “You know to ignore her. They enjoy riling you. You always let them.”

Mamaw and I could not stop snickering. They really were children.

“You are not helping,” he scoffed at me, poking my ribs.

“I agree with you, honey. You’ve never been boring. You are the most entertaining person I know,” I spoke in a big voice. His expression became more bemused as his mouth pushed to one side.

“You don’t have to lie,” he grumbled as he went to the fridge to get something to drink. He automatically picked out a beer since we were going to be teasing him. “Eric is a thousand times more entertaining than me, and you two could chat for hours. That screenwriter, too,” he paused as he opened the top. “I wonder if he practiced those speeches in the mirror or if he pulled them out of his ass.”

Playfully, I rocked back and forth with a cheesy grin. “Either way, tell me I’m smart and pretty and give me all the cash,” I mischievously giggled. “I’m going to have to learn to control my ego with all these people telling me how awesome I am. This is why celebrities become monsters.”

“They certainly won’t stop while you’re making them money hand over fist,” Jasper smirked. “Enjoy it, you deserve it.” He meant it. “You’ve worked hard for years for this.”

“You’re the worst all,” I pointed at him. He came to my side and wrapped his arms around my waist before giving me a gentle kiss.

“Yeah, I’m not going to stop either,” he whispered. My husband brushed his nose against mine.

“That honeymoon phase hit y’all like a sack of bricks,” Mamaw declared in a thick Texan drawl. I giggled again, leaning into her grandson happily. “Baby, can you get me a cup of eggnog?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he chuckled.

After we ate, Caroline wasted no time having Emmett set up the video for her on the big television in the living room. She was trembling in place with her impatient joy. Justin sat beside her, putting a box of tissues between them.

The video started with soft piano music in the background. Jasper got out of the limo first and turned to help me stand with a bright smile on his handsome face. I was glowing, and my grin was huge. The wind whipped my curls around my head. I had never been filmed like it before, but it made me look like a princess.

“You’re so beautiful!” His mother sobbed. His father instantly pulled a Kleenex from the box and passed it to her without moving his eyes from the screen. “What a gorgeous setting! Oh!” She whimpered, her bottom lip pouting out. Tears were already pouring down her cheeks.

“You really are lovely,” Rose complimented from her spot on the floor beside her husband. She glanced at me, then back to the TV. “That dress is stunning. I like how you didn’t wear white.”

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s my style,” I remarked as I laid my head on Jasper’s shoulder. We were holding hands too, a slight smile on his content face. He squeezed my palm.

The way we stared at each other made butterflies spin around in my stomach. I had never seen a video of us like that. We honestly didn’t have many photos of us together, either. He wasn’t the type for a selfie. I bit my lip to keep my emotions in. When he said ‘I do,’ I felt my own tears soaking my turtleneck. His thumb moved over my knuckles comfortingly.

“My beautiful bride,” Jasper whispered in my ear. I turned my face to look at him. His eyes were glossy, but he wasn’t emotional. He brushed his fingers under my chin. “Why are you crying?”

“Because I’m so happy,” I breathed. My lips quivered. “I get to watch the best moment of my life over and over again.”

“I am so jealous of you two,” Emmett uttered to himself. “God, that looks so much better. Why didn’t we do that?” He questioned his wife.

“Because we’re dumb,” she replied, then shrugged. “Next time.” He nodded in agreement.

Caroline didn’t like it one bit. “Stop it! Someone needed to have a wedding for me.”

“For you?” The twins said at the same time, both turning in their spot to look at her in shock. They had the same disgusted face.

Justin shook his head. “Hun, you’re not helping yourself.” He handed her another tissue. She took it from him with a frown, blotting her nose.

After the video, we opened gifts, which took forever since we had so many. I wasn’t the only one who went overboard. His sister and mother both gave me a run for my money. The men didn’t understand, but they weren’t unhappy with their loot.

Once we were done, Jasper and I decided to take a walk around their gated property to stretch our legs. He just needed some air, really. His mom was especially weepy. Our steps crunched the broken brown leaves that littered the ground. It wasn’t too cold, but we still needed our coats. The sun was setting, and we would eat dinner soon before watching a movie or maybe playing a game.

“You know,” he began, looking at his feet as he spoke. His hands were in his pockets, my arms wrapped around one of his. “Last Christmas was the first time I seriously considered proposing to you. We really do keep coming full circle this month.”

I laughed softly. “But we had only been together a couple of weeks.”

Flushing, he chuckled. “Which is why I didn’t. But Mamaw gave me the ring that night. When I took her presents into her place. She rushed off to get it. I wasn’t going to accept it, but she said, ‘Well, you’re going to marry her, aren’t you?’ And I knew I was.” He sighed, and his breath came out as steam. Shaking his head, we continued to stroll along. “When we got to the hotel, I could feel it burning a hole in my pocket, and I wanted to see it on your finger so bad. Even if it was ugly as hell.”

Leaning against a tree, I gazed at him. “I don’t know if I would have said yes, even if I loved you with all my heart,” I told him truthfully.

“Good. That would have been the sensible thing,” he stated sarcastically. It made me giggle. He moved his hand over my chin, making me look into his beautiful blue eyes. “I love you with my entire soul. You were worth the wait.”

“I love you too,” I replied, pecking his lips. “We’re so sappy today,” I teased, curling my fingers around his lapels as I dragged him towards me.

“Ah, it’s the season for it,” he chuckled, kissing my cheek. He leaned his forehead against mine. “Um, so I actually have another gift for you, but I didn’t want you to open it in front of my parents.”

Wickedly, I grinned. “Oo, is it dirty?”

“Probably only to us.” He removed a large, flat square box from the inside of his coat pocket.
I recognized the baby blue shade right away. Inside was a chain-link necklace with a heavy diamond-encrusted lock. I drew in a sharp breath. “It’s platinum. I wanted to give you a collar you’d be proud to wear out when we play.”

My eyelashes fluttered as I touched my heart in surprise. “It’s so pretty, but I would be proud to wear whatever as long as it was yours.”

“I know,” he confidently smirked. “Will you wear it for me tomorrow, Isabella? Can we do a scene out? I’d like to take you somewhere and show you off.” I nodded my head eagerly. Jasper brought me into a kiss, pushing me against the rough bark of the tree. “As always, thank you for your submission,” he breathed as his eyes peered meaningfully into mine.

“Hey!” Emmett called to us from the porch at least a hundred yards away. “Dinner’s ready!” He waved his arm above his head. “I got the kegerator set up, too,” he continued to shout.

My husband pulled away from me with a sly grin on his handsome face. I was already looking forward to whatever he had planned for us the following day. He offered me his hand, palm up. “Shall we, darlin?”

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Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

Click to download the epub of this chapter!!

Click to download the pdf of this chapter!!

✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
will post on
December 1st!
💛See y'all then!💛

11/20/2020

Ring: Chapter Ten: By the End of the Night

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Chapter Ten: By the End of the Night

Though I didn’t set an alarm, I woke up extra early. I was excited to go shopping on Fifth Avenue a few days before Christmas. It was going to be an experience with people everywhere and bright, beautiful lights. The cold made it feel like the holiday season was really here, and the music seemed to float from every opened door.

I had already ordered some individual cases for Jasper’s special guns, his childhood BB, his grandfather’s rifle, and the engraved six-shooter, so he could display them in our shared office space. But I need to get him something else.

And I wanted him.

Stretching my arms above my head, I grinned as I popped my spine. Jasper was still asleep beside me on his stomach with his face shoved into the pillow. He had dozens of marks on his back as well as his ass and thighs. I could see where our new heavier riding crop bit at his skin, leaving little streaks. I leaned down to kiss one of them lightly, letting my lips linger against it. Then I moved to another. He groaned quietly as he rolled over, pushing his hand over his forehead. There were several hickies on his chest around his nipples. Tiny pink and red circles ringed each. I had spent a long time teasing him when he was tied to a chair. Playfully, I nipped one.

He drew in a hissing breath through his teeth as his fingers moved into my curls. “Mm, good morning, darlin.” He pulled me into a deep kiss.

“Good morning, Dr. Hale.”

A naughty smile tugged at his mouth. “Oh, is that the game we’re going to play tonight?”

“Doctor and patient?” I asked against his lips. I pecked them lightly as he nodded. “Therapy or a medical scene?”

He rolled us over so he was on top of me. “Hm… We could discuss your dark fantasies, Isabella,” his nose moved over my earlobe as he whispered in a low voice. “Tell me your deepest desires. All the filthy things that make you feel like a dirty little slut.”

Gasping, I attacked him. Neither of us was wearing clothing, so he was able just to push inside of me without having to stop. Every moment was so fluid.

“I need to be fucked hard.” I scratched my nails down his back to his ass. It caused his hips to flex, pressing him more deeply inside.

Spinning me onto my stomach, he wrapped a handful of my hair around his fist as he pushed into me from behind. I whimpered in pleasure. Tugging it forcefully, he made sure he was as deep as he could go. His hips pressed to my ass. He pulled back and slammed into me. My fingers twisted into the pillowcase. “Like that, whore?”

“Yes!” I whined, pushing back so that we were flush again. My body was lifted off the mattress just a little, my face and knees pressed to it.

“Play with your clit,” he gruffly ordered. I shoved my arm underneath me, between my legs and the bed. Already wet, it dripped down my fingers as he moved in me, pumping so hard that it was making the heavy bedframe shift and groan. It was so good. “Fuck, it’s hard to stay in, you get so tight.” He let go of my hair and wrapped both hands around my hips so he could have more control. His short nails dug into my fleshy ass. “Cum on my cock.” His voice was almost enough to get me there. My movements were erratic and desperate. “Damn… You make such a fucking mess.”

When my moment came, I screamed out into the mattress. He slapped my bottom hard. It didn’t quiet me down in the least. My toes curled into the sheets. But it didn’t bring the relief I desperately wanted. My body was still wound too tight, and I needed to feel him. “Pull out and cum on me,” I begged.

After a few more pumps, he withdrew and stroked himself. He grunted and hissed through his teeth as he let go. I could feel it run up my back and between my thighs as he purposefully spread it around. It was so warm and satisfying. Something about it made me want to melt with pleasure into the blankets.

When he was done, he moved his fingers between my legs. “You know, I don’t remember ordering a wake-up call, Mrs. Hale, but thank you.” He began to massage my clit. “I’ve enjoyed it immensely.”

“You’re welcome,” I answered breathlessly. I pushed my face into the pillows, trying to quiet the cries that were coming out of my mouth. “How do you know how to do that with your hands?”

He curled his fingers a certain way. “Practice and attention to your reactions. When you’re too sensitive and need me to slow down or arching your back for more. Your noises. It’s about keeping up the rhythm of your body. You’re leading, and I’m just following along, but if I do it right, I can make you dance.”

My next orgasm was gradual but powerful, drawn-out over a minute or two. It was so incredible, no sound came out of my mouth. Afterward, he laid beside me with a smile. I turned my face to the side to give him a soft kiss. We relaxed for several minutes, basking in the afterglow of perfect morning sex.

“Mm, today is going to be such a marvelous day. I get to spend it with you, buying gifts for all the people I love, and then I’m going to make a lot of money tonight,” I blurted out with a content sigh in my voice. I was still floating on air.

Jasper chuckled. “Yes, you are.” He kissed my temple. “I’m going to run to the bathroom and start the shower.”

“Mm… sounds good.”

After our leisurely breakfast, we started moving through the massive crowds. There was so much noise from the people and cars. The wind whipped my hair around my head, the cold biting at my nose, but I loved it. My husband held my hand, keeping a close eye on everyone near us. But in the throngs, we were just another couple, and no one cared about us. Between hats, scarfs, and heavy coats, it was hard to recognize anyone.

In the first hour of shopping, I bought AirPods for Alice and Tanya. I wanted to go to Tiffany’s to get things for my mother- and sister-in-law. Cartier, too. They were all fairly close together. We had so many bags already. Jasper said nothing, though. He was just happy I was having a good time. He would carry anything I asked.

We wandered around the jewelry store for a few moments before my husband cleared his throat. I was having trouble deciding. “Since we’re here, I’m going to do a little shopping myself.” He kissed my cheek. “Do you think you’ll be okay by yourself for a few minutes?”

I smirked. “Yeah, I think I’ll be fine. We’re surrounded by people, and there are cameras everywhere. It’s alright, honey. You should be more worried about me trying to figure out what you’re getting me.”

He returned my expression. “Who says it’s for you?” I purposefully played with my lock and key necklace that never left my neck. I knew exactly where he got it from, though the Tiffany’s in Dallas was much smaller. “You know what? You finish your shopping and worry about yourself.” I giggled at his playful tone and thick accent as his cheeks turned pink. I crossed my arms over my chest. He spun his fingers over my head. “Just turn around and keep your eyes to yourself, young lady.”

When I did, he swatted my ass before hurrying away. When I looked over my shoulder, he almost instantly got lost in the crowd.

Caroline and Mamaw were easy. I got them both beautiful cross necklaces in unique designs. Emmett and Rosalie got matching his and hers watches. Justin got a fancy key ring. I had also ordered them both home draft machines with a couple of small kegs in different flavors they liked. They were already at the house. Last Christmas, I had been unprepared, and that wouldn’t happen again. They had gone out of their way to make me feel like a part of their family, and I wanted to thank them for that.

I was still in the men’s section when I came across a pair of cuff links in the shape of a lock. They matched my necklace in the same rose gold. It instantly brought a smile to my face.

“May I have these, too?” I asked the saleswoman patiently following me around. She had a small basket filled with my choices hanging off of her arm. It was half-loaded with the baby blue packages.

“Of course!” She grinned. I wasn’t sure if they made commissions, but I was an easy customer. She didn’t have to talk me into anything.

“I think that’s probably it,” I informed her. “I might be going overboard now.”

She nodded her head quickly, her neat dreads bouncing around her shoulders. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get these rung up for you. Would you like them wrapped?”

“Yes, please,” I grinned. Anything that would save me the trouble of wrapping. I had bought too many things already and was creating a lot of work for myself once we got home. I wrote out who each gift was to go to before handing her my debit card. Not once did I look at the prices of anything. It was thrilling. I knew I was spending thousands, but it was our first Christmas together as a married couple, and I wanted it to be special in every single way.

Jasper still hadn’t returned, and it would take a little while for my presents to be wrapped, so I peered around more. Just as I turned to move to another case, I caught a glimpse of familiar red hair. It was only a flash, but I had sat behind it so much that I recognized it right away. It was one of the DAs, Ms. Rachelle. She was about twenty feet away with a man. I couldn’t think of her boyfriend’s name or even tell if it was the same person. I just remember his intense eyes and long mane. Turning, I tried to find her in the crowd, but she was gone as quickly as I saw her. There were too many people in the sea of heavily jacketed bodies.

Someone touched my back from behind. “What’s the matter, darlin?” Jasper questioned in my ear.

Jumping in shock, I automatically laughed at my reaction. “Oh! Nothing! I just thought I saw one of the lawyers from the trial, but I’m not sure. I don’t see her now.”

“That doesn’t surprise me too much,” he commented with a slight smile. “I imagine a lot of people around the Northeast come into the city to shop for Christmas.”

“If we see her again, we should say hi,” I remarked. He nodded in agreement. All the attorneys had been so kind to us. “I’m getting some stuff wrapped. It shouldn’t be too much longer.”

He touched my cheek, skimming his leather-gloved finger over my jaw. Jasper was looking at me in such a loving way. It made my heart skip a little beat. “Where else would you like to go?”

“Mm, let’s go to Times Square and the enormous candy stores there. I want to buy some sweets for everyone, too. Then we should probably head back to get cleaned up before the meeting.”

“Sounds good,” he agreed right away before pecking my lips.

Eric was waiting in front of the restaurant he picked for us. It was a Spanish place with pleasant Latin music playing softly over the speakers. I was looking forward to tapas. We skipped lunch, and I was hungry. My agent never disappointed me with his taste in food.

Right away, he pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek. “There’s my million dollar baby. You look stunning as always.”

“Ugh, you are so terrible for my ego,” I teased as I removed my coat. He helped me. “Thank you.”

“Dr. Hale,” he offered as he shook his hand when he was done. He took my jacket from his grip. “Did you have a good day?”

“It was quite pleasant,” he replied with a smile. “I was more there for heavy lifting than anything else.”

“And for looking sexy,” I sassed as I removed my gloves. He smirked over my agent’s head at me.

He snorted and wiggled his eyebrows playfully at me. “And he does both so well.” I swatted Eric’s arm with one of them, making him chuckle. “Mr. Von said he’ll be here in a few minutes, and we could go ahead and sit down.”

“Great, because my feet are killing me,” I complained. When we were at the table. I looked at my friend seriously. “Will I be signing any contracts tonight?”

“I don’t know about the signing, but we’ll probably be shaking on it. I’ll presumably send it to you next week to look over and sign. But let him woo you. Make him sell it. You are an artist, and you don’t waste your time on people who don’t take your art seriously.” He tapped his finger on the table during the final sentence, poking it between each word to make a point. His nail clicked on the tabletop.

Jasper glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. “Don’t be too wooed, please.” He said it so dryly. I snorted in response. But then his expression changed as his eyes got huge. I turned to see what he was looking at.

About five feet behind me was a massive olive-skinned fellow with choppy black hair. He was at least a few inches taller than either man and three times as broad. He reminded me of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“Hello, darling!” He spoke in a thick German accent. It was not what I was expecting. It was soft and smooth. “I am so pleased to meet you.” He brought me into a hug before I said anything. His cologne smelled expensive on his perfectly pressed shirt. “Your stunning pictures do not do you justice. You are much lovelier in person.”

“Oh, my goodness,” I giggled awkwardly. “Thank you.”

He put his hand up. “No, thank you for allowing me to sit down with you. You are a better writer than me, and I must ask you a million questions.”

“I doubt that,” I breathed. “I’m only a beginner. You’re a winner. There’s an enormous difference.”

“Yes, you are just beginning, and you are already incredible! Your award shelves will overflow by the time you’ve been in the business as long as I have.” He placed his hand on his heart. “I have a bookcase, but you’ll need an entire storage room. See, I have done this for twenty years, and I know a champion. I read your book, and I saw one. I saw our future best picture movie and a classic that will be taught in master-classes. ‘This, children, is how we build proper suspense. This is how we foreshadow.’”

Oh, he was going to do a fantastic job of wooing me. Blinking, I stared with my mouth hanging open just a little. My cheeks were on fire. I was stupidly easy to compliment. I was glad Eric was there to guide me through these decisions.

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” my agent said as he came around the table to shake his hand. “It is so good to meet you in person, Mr. Von.”

He took it in his massive paw right away. I think he was even bigger than Emmett. His jolly personality reminded me of him, too. “No, no. I’m Felix, please. I’m not that old.” He turned his attention to Jasper. “You must be the agent from the dedication page. Good evening, doctor.”

“I am. I’m also her biggest fan, and I agree with you, too.”

Grinning, he looked at me. We were still standing by the table. “Please help me write this masterpiece. No one else could do it justice but you.” He put his hands on my shoulders. I had to bend my head entirely back to look into his face.

“I’ve never written a screenplay before.”

“And before this year, you never had the best-selling novel in the entire world. There is a first time for everything.” He winked. “Come, let us eat and talk more.”

We sat down with our menus. I reached for Jasper’s hand under the table. I was so glad he was there. For some reason, I was feeling overwhelmed, though I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was just his sheer size, but I was afraid of him. But he did seem genuinely nice, or he was a superb actor.

“You should know that we’ve got a lot of other offers already, and we could afford to wait to see what else comes in,” Eric explained to him, flipping the menu page. There were several. He looked up at him with a cocky smile. “Yours is... extremely attractive, though.”

Felix nodded in understanding. “Yes. I would imagine you’d get many trying to buy this. Not all are good, though. In the wrong hands, it could just be another cheesy mystery. But I want to give the characters the same complex weight as the book. And I want their sins to show in the way they talk and the way they act. I want the reality of their personalities to shine through,” he spoke passionately. “I need my favorite book of the past five years to be the best movie I’ve ever made. It will be my greatest achievement. Ms. Swan, I can only accomplish that with you.”

“Mrs. Hale,” I corrected him automatically as I sat up straighter in my chair. I squared my shoulders more confidently as I remembered who I was. I wasn’t meek, and I wouldn’t be pushed around because I was worth this and deserved success. “But you can call me Bella.”

By the end of the night, Eric and I shook his hand in agreement.

Back

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

Click to download the epub of this chapter!!

Click to download the pdf of this chapter!!

✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
posts on
November 24th!
💛See ya'll then!💛

11/16/2020

Ring: Chapter Nine: Stopped for Autographs

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Chapter Nine: Stopped for Autographs

I signed three autographs before walking into the airport. Jasper escorted me like I was the president. He never looked more like an agent. Once again, I didn’t feel worried, though. We had only informed a couple of people where we were going and when, and none of them told anyone else. Even if they followed us to DFW, they wouldn’t be able to get past security without buying a ticket. It was a lot of steps to stalk someone.

While we were waiting for our flight, I read a book on scriptwriting. It was one of three I had brought with me, though I had purchased more. It was like cramming for college. Nibbling on my nail, I glanced over it at my husband as a random thought passed through my mind. “Should I go back to school?”

“For what?” He questioned, sitting up straight with his eyes scanning the first-class area. His hands were neatly folded in his lap, his arms stiff. All he needed was to put his shades back on and get an earwig, to let everyone know he was security.

“I don’t know. I’m sure there is something for screenwriting. I could probably get my masters.”

He waffled his head from side to side. “Mm, I think you could watch an online class and get the same from it. Or a workshop. You don’t have to go back to school and get a degree. But I’m sure you’ll do just fine, no matter what. Storytelling comes naturally to you. All you need to do is figure out the style. How it’s written.”

I smiled at his confidence. “You’ll have to help me. You know the story better than I do.”

Chuckling, he glanced over at me finally. “I’ll be an advisor or something. And I doubt that. You could probably recite it from memory.”

“Mm, no. But you could. You’ve read it more than I have, for sure.” I leaned my head against his shoulder, flipping to the next page. “I think I’ll practice writing one on my own and see what I can do. You’ll have to be honest with me.”

He took my hand, wrapping his fingers around my palm. “I will be, but I promise I’ll love it, darlin,” he replied, drawing me into a quick kiss. When I pulled back, he was smiling so sweetly at me. I bumped my forehead to his. They called our flight over the loudspeaker. “Don’t stress about it too much. Eric has been helpful at every step. He won’t let you fail now. Everyone will help you succeed.”

Outside the airport, I was once again stopped for autographs and pictures. Then in the lobby of the place we were staying. It took us forever to get to the counter. It stressed poor Jasper out, but I kind of enjoyed it. No one really recognized me or cared about me in Dallas, except for tourists, but I was something interesting in New York.

After we got checked into the Hotel Edison, we got cleaned up so we could meet with my agent down in one of the restaurants. He didn’t want us to have to go out in the cold after traveling all day. I was grateful for that.

He brought me into a hug as soon as he saw me. “Are you okay?” He questioned instead of saying hello. He patted my shoulder as he spoke.

Softly laughing, I pulled back with my hands on his forearms. “I’m fine. Really. How are you?”

Eric smiled, his face glowing with joy. “I am so excited about this movie!” He declared as he sat down beside us at the table. “This is one of the most beautiful offers I’ve ever seen. This is next-level stuff, Bella. They want you, and they’re willing to pay for success.”

“Are they really prepared to give a million dollars to someone who’s never written a script-”

He shook his head hard, but his gelled hair didn’t move an inch. “That doesn’t matter,” he interrupted. “You’ve already proven you can write. I’ve been talking to the scriptwriter they have in mind. He’ll also be one of the co-directors and producers of the film. Mr. Von is passionate about the source material. He loves your dialogue and wants to keep it as close to the book as possible. He’s an Oscar winner, too.”

“Who is he?”

“Felix Von. He’s won for the best-adapted screenplay as well as the best original. Both are incredible. He’s a big deal in the industry. And I gotta say, he seems like a really nice guy. Sometimes these Hollywood types are real pricks,” he continued until the waiter came to the table. Eric beamed. “Hi. I’m starving. Can we start with the short ribs? And your house white for me.”

I quickly glanced at the menu. He wasn’t the only one that was hungry. “Oh, let’s add the mozzarella and figs to that, too,” I remarked as I reached over to take Jasper’s hand. I knew he would like it. Especially since it came with prosciutto. “Pick a drink for me. I don’t know what I want.”

His thumb moved over the center of my palm as he looked at his options. “Hm, I’ll have a dirty martini with extra olives, and can you get her a Malibu and pineapple,” he answered confidently, squeezing my fingers back. I smiled to myself.

“So, where did you end up going out of town?” Eric asked casually as he read over his menu. There were so many wonderful choices. I was having a hard time deciding between steak and pasta.

“Vegas.”

“Oh, I love the Strip!” He eagerly declared. “I’m terribly unlucky, but I love the lights and the gaudiness. Have any luck?”

I put the paper down. I would switch it up with seafood linguine. “Well, we didn’t play that much. Jasper got a little ahead when he played blackjack, and I broke even. Though, who knows how much I lost putting money in random pretty slot machines,” I laughed. “Oo, bright colors, make the lights go blink-blink,” I joked.

Snorting, he shook his head. “How can you not gamble that much in Las Vegas? What else is there to do besides that and get married?” He teased. We said nothing, both of us looking at him with a slight smile. “You got married. YOU GOT MARRIED! Did you really? Oh, my god!” He gasped. “Why didn’t you tell me?!” He looked off into the distance suddenly. “I need to get you a wedding gift now.”

“Don’t,” I giggled. “That’s part of the reason why we eloped. We don’t need anyone to get us presents.”

Pouting, he pretended to get teary-eyed as he waved his fingers in front of his face playfully. “Aw! Congratulations! That is so incredible.” He stood from his seat to give me a big hug. He shook Jasper’s hand next.

“You know, come to think of it, you’ve already given me a gift. I wore the dress from the photoshoot. So, there you go,” I informed him jokingly once we sat again. The waiter came with our drinks.

“Really?! Ah, I can’t wait to see pictures!”

“I’ll put some up soon. I’m enjoying keeping it kind of quiet, though.” I looked over at my husband with a grin. “I love springing it on everyone. It’s fun.”

Jasper rolled his eyes. “If you call what my mother did in that restaurant fun, sure,” he replied with a laugh. “She wailed like a banshee in the middle of a fancy steakhouse in Dallas. God, I wish that woman wasn’t such a bloodhound. It took her less than five minutes to notice that ring.” He shook his head as he looked at Eric. “The entire place stared at us. She cried six times. Loudly.”

“And that’s the main reason why you eloped,” my agent said with a smirk.

“Exactly,” he chuckled.

We gave our order to the waiter once he brought our starters. “So, Felix is going to be in town tomorrow night and would like to have dinner with you to discuss possibly working together. I think we should at least hear him out, even if you’re not interested.”

“I am, though.”

“Good, but let’s not say anything until we hear his deal. Play it cool,” he added, moving his palm just above the table surface like it was gliding over ice. He was a bit of a nerd. “Rib, my dear?” He pointed at the plate. “Dr. Hale.” He waved his hand in his direction.

“Mm, thank you,” he said right away. He passed me one because he knew the answer was yes. He also plucked a fig from the other platter. “If Bella does this, what will it involve? Travel-wise. Will there be any?”

“Felix would like to work with you on it over the summer. He’s based out of Hollywood, and it would presumably be easier if you stayed there for a month or so to focus on it. They’ll provide food and lodging, too. You’d get the bulk of the work done then, then finish the edits later.”

“What about security?”

Eric sighed solemnly. “We can talk about that. It’s probably something we need to look into. I’ve never had to get any for my other authors, except for events.”

“I’d like Jasper to be my bodyguard,” I added into the conversation. “He’s more than qualified. Is there a way to get him on the payroll? I’m sure the publishers want to keep me safe. I’m making them a lot of money.” My man’s neck nearly snapped in surprise, it shot in my direction so quickly. I had just blurted out my thoughts. He would live off his savings for as long as he could before he took cash from me. This way, he wouldn’t have to.

Eric made a thoughtful face as he chewed, wiping the corner of his mouth. He had sauce on his chin. “Actually, that’s workable. I’ll talk to the bosses about what kind of salary we can offer. I don’t think it’s going to be as much as what you were making at the FBI-”

“That part doesn’t matter,” he swiftly answered. “I would do it for free.”

“But you shouldn’t have to. It’s an actual job, especially right now. You’re going to be with me at all times, anyway. This way, it’s official.”

“I think it can be done,” he smirked as he looked between us. “Who’s going to take better care of her than you? Sorry, no overtime, though.”

Jasper laughed, almost awkwardly as he glanced away. “Um, thank you.”

“We need to figure out insurances since we’re married,” I continued to think out loud. “I’ll pay for your healthcare now that it won’t be covered by the bureau. It’ll be easier to do it together. We really don’t need to worry about the money right now.”

“No, you don’t,” Eric agreed. “Honey, in a couple of years, you’re going to have more dough than you’ll know what to do with. And soon, The Cop’s Story will come out, and you’ll have two books in the top ten at the same time.”

“Do you really think Rabbit will be up there that long?”

“Projections are good. You are number one by a long shot. It’ll take a little while for all of this to quiet down. With what happened to King, it’s going to get so much media attention. It’s rare something this interesting happens to a decent author.” Then another thought popped into his head. “Oh! You’ve got another paycheck coming up soon, by the way, and it is much bigger than the last.”

The last one almost made me faint. “Oh?”

“Think triple, baby.”

Gasping, I put my hands over my mouth. I laughed hysterically for a brief second as my head fell forward. My brain couldn’t handle the amount. Jasper reached under the table and squeezed my thigh with his big hand. “This is really going to take some getting used to. My mind is having trouble with the numbers.”

“That many zeros is a beautiful thing,” my agent sighed, shaking his head playfully. “And this is just the beginning of a very long and profitable career, Ms. Swan.”

“Mrs. Hale,” I corrected him as I lifted my glass. I winked at my groom.

He chuckled, clinking his to mine. “That’s right! Oh, are we going to change what you publish under?” He looked between my man and me again.

I glanced at Jasper. He smiled encouragingly. “No. I’m going to keep it under Swan since that’s what I started as. A lot of authors don’t publish under their real names. It’s fine. I can be Bella Hale in private.” He brought my hand up to his mouth to kiss lightly.

After eating and a few more drinks, we said our goodbyes. My husband was quiet as we strolled to the elevator.

“Why did you do that?”

I didn’t have to ask what he was referring to. “I just blurted it out,” I admitted. “But I think it’ll work out.”

He sighed as he pressed the button. “I don’t need money to protect you.” The door opened.

I walked inside, pushing the number for our floor. “No. You don’t. You need it to pay for things like clothes, food, books, your art supplies. Because you get cranky when I buy them for you. This way, you get paid for your fantastic work watching my body without me doing it under the table.”

He grabbed me and shoved me against the wall so he could kiss me forcefully. I giggled against his mouth as my arms wrapped around his neck. “You had to say that as dirtily as possible,” he mumbled against my earlobe before taking it between his lips. One of his hands went to my thigh, pulling my leg up at the knee to his hip.

“I did.” I pushed him roughly off of me and thrust him against the wall beside us. He moaned against my mouth as I kissed him back just as hard. I didn’t want to give up control too easily. “Also, this way, I won’t be your boss. You’ll actually be working for them. I don’t think you’d like it very much if I was your supervisor,” I finished sarcastically.

“I think you might be very wrong about that, Goddess,” he whispered seductively just as the doors opened.

Shoving off of him, I seized his hand. “Well, let’s go test that. I think I know what we’re role-playing tonight.”

“Oh, I’m about to be a very bad employee, aren’t I?” He questioned dryly.

I threw my head back as I cackled. “You don’t have to be naughty, Dr. Hale. That’s your choice. You can be a good boy.”

He grabbed my ass before unlocking the door. “But where’s the fun in that?”

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Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

Click to download the epub of this chapter!!

Click to download the pdf of this chapter!!

✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
will post on
November 20th!
💛See y'all then!💛

11/13/2020

Ring: Chapter Eight: In his Face

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Chapter Eight: In his Face

Jasper pulled up in front of the restaurant where I was meeting my friends and his sister for lunch in his blue BMW that was always spotless. We were going to spend the afternoon out together while he spent some time with Emmett, just relaxing and watching sports. We both needed some time to unwind, separately, but he was still nervous about leaving me. He sighed as he looked at the entrance.

“I won’t be alone,” I offered with a slight smile. “It’s fine. Don’t worry, honey.” I rubbed his knee. “I can take care of myself, anyway.”

“Oh, I know,” he smiled slightly, his hand resting on my thigh. He gave it a gentle squeeze. “Everything is fine. I’m just protective. But, you’re right, you are a strong woman, and I feel sorry for anyone who tries to mess with you,” he flirted, sliding it down between my legs until he was almost touching my center. He leaned in for a kiss, pressing it slowly to my lips. It was innocent, but his touch was not. “Have fun, Goddess. I love you. Call me if you need anything.”

I pressed my forehead against his. “I love you, too, Sir,” I replied, pecking his lips again. Rubbing my fingers through his hair, I brushed my nose along his. “Just so you know, I’m going to buy lots of lingerie today,” I said seductively before changing my tone. “Have a great day!” I got out of the car quickly without saying anything else. I could hear him groan as I shut the door. I giggled meanly to myself. That’s what he got for turning me on.

Lowering the window, he pushed his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose as he wantonly gazed at me. “You are so mean sometimes.”

“You like it,” I teased. “It turns you on,” I breathed as I leaned down to look at him. I made sure my cleavage was giving him a splendid view the entire time. He raised his eyebrows, and his tongue subconsciously flicked out to moisten the corner of his mouth.

His sister came walking around the other side of the parking lot behind him. His eyes snapped up to the review mirror. Tanya was already with her, and they were striding towards us. He pulled his glasses up. “It does, but you’re still naughty,” he replied in a low voice before clearing his throat. “Ladies. Have fun shopping. Please be careful.”

“Oh, don’t worry! I’ll fuck up anyone who tries to touch my girl,” Rose grinned at him as she wrapped her arm around my shoulder. She bent down to wiggling her fingers at him in greeting before standing up to look at me. “Alice already got us a table and ordered the appetizer sampler.”

“Nice!” My stomach growled in agreement. I turned to my husband. “Go relax! Have fun! I’ll see you tonight.” I winked at him.

He grinned for a moment before nodding his head. “Right. See you this evening, darlin.”

I watched him drive away with a smile before I spun around to my friends. “Let’s have some sangria or something. Liquor, please. Holy shit, my week has been wild.”

“A little champagne,” my new sister-in-law said playfully as she elbowed me gently in the side. “We’ll need something to toast with.”

“What are we celebrating exactly?” Tanya questioned. She just knew we were meeting up to hang out. I hadn’t told Alice or her anything. They knew all about my car because I had explained it to them in more detail when I arranged the meetup, though.

I looked at Rose in shock. “You haven’t told them yet?” She shook her head, her long blond hair bouncing around her shoulders. “I’m surprised.”

“I won’t steal your thunder!” She giggled, patting my arm. “Besides, it was only a day. I didn’t have time.”

Tanya glanced between us. “Oh, my god! What? Did you sell another book or something?”

We made it to the table, just walking past the host’s stand since we could see Alice. I bit my lip, playing with my ring for a minute. “Actually… I got an offer to buy the film rights to Rabbit in the Snow. They want me to do the script, too. They’ve offered a million dollars plus gross profits, but I haven’t signed yet. So, it’s not official or anything.”

My best friend, who we hadn’t even greeted yet, slapped her hands on the tabletop in surprise as she leaned forward towards me. “What?! Are you fucking serious? Bella! That’s so awesome!”

Nodding, I giggled. “Yeah, it’s been a hectic week. We’re going up to New York City in a few days to talk to my agent about it. So, it’s not going to slow down until the end of the year. We’ll probably meet with the screenwriter I’ll be working with soon, too. I don’t want to get too excited about it yet. It’s an enormous deal, and the more I think about it, the more it makes me sick to my stomach,” I admitted. “I literally threw up after they told me about it.”

“That’s incredible!” Tanya stated sincerely, bending over to hug me tightly. “You are so talented. My mom read your book, by the way! She loved it! So did Edward’s mother. That’s so cool! Can I be in the movie?” She joked. “I don’t want lines or anything.”

“Um, yes. Everyone can be extras. I never thought I’d get this far, I’m bringing all my friends with me,” I snorted.

A waitress came to the table, and I ordered a glass of peach sangria and a bottle of champagne for everyone to share. When she left, I steeled myself with a deep breath.

My sister-in-law grinned at me, reaching for my hand and giving it a quick squeeze. “That’s not the only news she has to share, though.”

“No, it’s not.” I ducked my chin and let out another breath. So, the actual reason I’ve called you here today, ladies is...” I trailed off playfully. My heart was thudding in my chest with excitement. I lifted my left hand in the air. “So, uh... the ‘too long, didn’t read’ version is that I got engaged on my anniversary. Um, thank you for helping,” I interrupted myself to acknowledge Alice. She was grinning. “But you already know what happened to my car that night. Anyway, it freaked us out, and we might have overreacted a bit.” I shook my head, clearing the thought away. “We decided to skip town to take a breath and calm down. Get married. Have a little honeymoon.”

It took two seconds for my friends to understand what I had just said. Alice squealed, jumping from her seat and throwing her arms around me. I laughed as I hugged her back. Tanya wrapped hers around my waist while I was still being embraced from the other side. Rosalie joined in. There were so many limbs and weepy women.

A waiter brought our drinks to the table while we were still standing. My best friend turned to him and showed him my hand. “SHE GOT MARRIED! AND SHE’S MAKING A MOVIE!” She shouted in his face. I laughed at her excitement. “We have to throw a bachelorette party!”

“No!” I said right away. “We can have a calm evening of us drinking at someone’s house while watching movies and eating takeout. No strippers, no bars, and no penis straws.”

Tanya pouted as I sat back down. “That’s boring.”

“Uh, yeah? That’s exactly what I want. I’ve had enough excitement. I need some quiet time with my friends.” The waiter poured us each a glass before leaving the table. I picked up the flute. “I want to thank you for being so supportive and helping Jasper to make our anniversary so special. I am so happy to have a new sister, and I am incredibly proud to be a part of your family.”

“Congratulations, Mrs. Hale.” Alice clinked her drink to mine first. “I knew you were perfect for each other.”

“I had my doubts, but I admit he’s a pretty good guy. Still not my favorite person, but he’s learned from his mistakes,” Tanya added. She touched her glass to mine. “Congrats.”

“I always wished I had a sister instead of a brother, but now I get both,” Rosalie started with a sweet smile. “And I was right. Having a sister is so much more fun,” she continued dryly, making me laugh. “We are so happy to welcome you to our crazy clan.”

We ordered our food, enjoying our drinks over a leisurely lunch. I was going to ride with Rose to the mall, and Tanya and Alice were parked beside her. T pulled her keys from her purse, and I saw the matching mace canister that Edward got her. Hers was pink, and mine was silver.

“Oh! I need to put mine on my ring, too,” I mumbled, looking through my handbag to see if it was even in there. It was, but still in the box, where it was least helpful. “It was so nice of him to bring it by the other day.”

“What?” She asked in confusion.

Her reaction surprised me. “Edward dropped by the house, right after we got home. He was checking in to make sure we were alright. He brought me one of those kitty maces, too. Actually,” I awkwardly laughed, “he figured out I was married, and I made him promise not to tell you until I told the family.”

“Oh!” Tanya mumbled, looking away as she processed the information. She pursed her lips. “Huh. He didn’t tell me he came by. Though, if you asked him not to...” She nibbled on her nail, making a little face. She shook her head before she sheepishly smirked. “It’s probably for the best. I would have asked him a million questions and figured it out too. I’ve been dying to know what’s going on. It’s so dramatic! And romantic.” She playfully sighed. “It’s a whirlwind.”

“It is excellent story fodder is what it is,” Alice joked, resting against her little yellow sports car.

I giggled. “Ain’t that the truth. We’ll see you there.” I waved at both of them. Rosalie unlocked her SUV, groaning softly to herself as she sat. Her expression was sour, her lips puckered in distaste. “What?”

Faintly, she sighed. “Can I be honest with you?” I nodded right away. “I hate Edward so damn much.”

It made me snort. It was so out of left field. “Why? I noticed you two weren’t close at your birthday, but-” I shrugged. She said nothing else, and Tanya had never brought it up.

She stared out of the window for a long minute before starting the vehicle. “I went on a couple of dates with him in college when I was on a break with Emmett,” she mumbled. “I don’t think Jasper knows about it.”

“Does Tanya?” I gasped. She nodded. “What happened? Did it not go well? I mean, obviously, but what did he do?”

Rosalie scoffed. “The first date went really well, actually. The second, not so much. He was like two totally different people. One night he’s a gentleman, taking me out to drinks and dancing. The next we made out, and he… bit me.”

I cackled. It just came out. My hand flew over my mouth. She looked confused by my reaction. “Jasper and I call him Dr. Bitey,” I clarified.

“Oh, that’s perfect,” she stated with a brief shake of her head. “But I got mad and told him off. It hurt, and we had been drinking. There were teeth marks. I very loudly did it in the middle of a party. But he bit me like a toddler! Who does that?”

Very unflattering noises came out of my nose as I attempted poorly to control my amusement. “Oh, my god. Yeah, I can see that.”

She briefly laughed before she got more serious. “Why doesn’t Jasper like him anymore? Like… he hates him. Tanya won’t say why. She said it was personal and didn’t want to get into anyone’s business.”

“Well, she might like gossip, but at least she doesn’t spread it around dangerously,” I breathed. I looked out the window for a moment. Finally, I decided to tell her. “So, Edward is into BDSM, too. More aggressive than any of us. That’s why they were friends in the first place. Anyway, before we started dating, he found out I was into it and kind of… pushed himself on me. Grabbed my ass. I told him off. And Jasper ripped into him. Tanya, too. They have an open relationship, but she’s not okay with him doing that.”

“What an asshole!” She complained. “And she’s still with him? Ugh, I hate him even more now.”

Sighing, I didn’t know what to say. “He’s not a terrible guy, he just got overconfident and thought I would like it if he took a more aggressive role with me. Normally, I might have, but I was starting to have feelings for Jasper. He asked him permission to go after me, which he hated, but he wouldn’t stop me if that’s what I wanted. But it absolutely wasn’t.”

“He’s such an entitled brat. His mom is nice, though. It’s a shame.”

I wrinkled my nose as I glanced at her. “His dad is just as weird as him. It kind of makes me understand why he bites people to get off,” I said with a shudder. She giggled softly. “As long as Tanya’s happy, I’m thrilled for her. He was talking about proposing either on New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day, and I offered to help him.”

We stopped at a light, and she peered over at me. “He asked her to move in with him, and she told him no. Last week.”

This was news to me. “Oh, really? Did she say why?”

Rosalie shrugged. “She needs her own personal space.”

“They spend most of their time together, though!” I shook my head in surprise. “She’s even talked about becoming Mrs. Cullen someday. Why wouldn’t she jump at that?”

“Maybe she’s not so sure she wants to be Mrs. Bitey anymore. I’d have my doubts if he was going around grabbing other girl’s butts and dropping off gifts at her house without telling me, even with an open relationship.”

“It was mace,” I remarked in his defense. “But I see your point. Tanya’s also not into the scene at all. Like, she lets him take it pretty far for vanilla, but he’s into-” I stopped myself. “It’s gotta make you wonder if you can’t give your husband the sex he wants, how’s that marriage going to go? It would fuck with my confidence. You don’t need to be everything for your partner, but at least some things need to line up.”

“Right?” She agreed. “I don’t know. I worry about her.”

“She’s a big girl. She can take care of herself.” Smirking, I thought about that night when my man showed up at our door with flowers. “I’m glad he was a creep, to be honest. Jasper said it was the evening he realized he was in love with me, though it would be months before he told me. He didn’t want to tie me down since he worked and traveled so much.”

She blew out a raspberry. “Idiot. He just should have told you.”

I snickered as I nodded in agreement with my sister-in-law. “I think it all worked out for the best.”

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Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

Click to download the epub of this chapter!!

Click to download the pdf of this chapter!!

✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
will post on
November 17th!
💛See y'all then!💛

11/9/2020

Ring: Chapter Seven: Quite the Scene

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Chapter Seven: Quite the Scene

I made reservations for everyone in Jasper’s family at Knife. It seemed like a perfect place to tell them. Also, my new husband loved the aged steak so much the last time we came. We reserved one for each of us. If everything went well, we planned to inform his parents about our marriage right before dessert. We had ordered an elegant wedding cake to celebrate with them, as well as a giant bottle of lovely champagne for the whole table. It had already been delivered to the restaurant.

It was extremely chilly. The entire group was waiting for us outside on the sidewalk. I was wrapped in my heavy coat with a scarf around my neck and leather gloves on my hands. I had tried to look cute in a dress and was regretting my pantyhose covered legs. My knees were knocking together because of the temperature.

“I’ve missed you!” Caroline gushed as she hugged me to her tightly.

“You saw us last week!” Jasper laughed as he rolled his eyes. “Nine. Ten days ago?”

She scoffed. “Does it matter?”

He shook his head. “No. I guess not. Can we get inside? It’s cold.”

“So,” Emmett bellowed as he came over to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. He opened the door for his wife and me. “Nice choice. I love it. This place has a bacon tasting plate. Do you want to try that with me? Rosie said no.”

“Um, yes. Of course.”

“Do you need that much bacon?” She questioned him in annoyance.

He stared at her like she was silly. “Um, yes. Of course,” he repeated my words in the same girly tone. She and her twin rolled their eyes in the exact same way.

Mamaw wrapped her arm around Jasper’s waist, walking with him into the building. She always looked so tiny beside him. “It smells good for a fancy place.”

“That’s because it’s meat,” Justin answered with a chuckle. “This looks nice, Bella. Thank you for inviting us. I’ll try some bacon with you, too.” Emmett gave him a finger gun of approval.

There were a couple of people ahead of us, chatting with the hostess, so we waited our turn. It was a popular restaurant, almost completely full. It was a good thing I made reservations.

“You’re welcome. It’s the least I could do after how supportive all of you have been with my book,” I told them as I first unwound my scarf, leaving it hanging on my shoulders before pulling off my gloves and putting them in my pocket. My hair was stuck in my collar, so I pulled it free.

Rosalie came over for a hug, pushing her husband out of the way. “So, you, me, Alice, and Tanya all need to go shopping for Christmas. We’ve all missed you so-”

She didn’t get to finish that sentence. Caroline grabbed the hand that was embracing her daughter and sharply yanked me towards her. “Is this an engagement ring?” I was too stunned to say anything. She was so damn quick. She looked back at her son. “Is this an engagement ring?” She demanded louder.

He rubbed his forehead and sighed. Jasper’s cheeks were so pink. “I don’t know, Mama. What does it look like?”

She brought it maybe two inches from her eyes, squinting hard. “Is it?” She asked me directly. I slowly nodded. “YES! You’re engaged!” She shouted, bouncing up and down in place while still holding my hand. Once again, my mother-in-law pulled back to have a better look at it. Then her face changed as she moved her finger over my wedding band. “Did you get married? Is this…?”

Jasper poked his mother on the shoulder so she would look at him. He purposefully used his left so she could see his ring. “Let her go for a second. I’m your actual child.”

She then let out a wail that startled the hostess and half the restaurant. Caroline fell into his arms, crying into his shoulder. “You got married without me!”

“Yeah! And I’d do it again in a heartbeat, too,” he laughed as he held her. “She’s fine. She’s happy… I think,” he told the host. “The Hale party. Thanks, sorry,” he mumbled.

“Kind of,” she whimpered.

April made her way over to me. “Let me see.” I lifted my hand so she could look. Her mouth screwed up as she sniffled. “Aw, it looks so beautiful now. You did real good, boy. This thing used to be ugly as sin.”

I laughed at her words. “Thank you, by the way,” I told Rosalie. “For everything. I don’t think I’ll ever know everything you’ve done for me recently.”

She timidly shrugged. “So, I’ve got a sister now?” I nodded, and she pulled me into a sideways hug. “Okay, I totally wasn’t expecting that. I knew you were going to tell us you were engaged, but wow. Where?”

“Vegas,” I giggled happily. “It was beautiful. We have tons of videos and pictures. Don’t worry. We got married in the Red Rock Canyon at sunset. It was perfect. Every second of it.”

“I can’t wait to watch it,” Mamaw smiled. “I’m so glad I don’t have to sit through another wedding!” She patted my hand. “Thanks for that.”

“Mom,” Justin complained with a laugh. His wife was still crying on their son. He wasn’t sad about missing the ceremony either, but I never thought he would be.

Gingerly, my husband rubbed her back. “We were going to tell you tonight. We even got a cake to share with you. This is our reception!” He promised as he touched her forearms. She didn’t look at him. He lifted her chin with his fingers so she could gaze into his pretty azure eyes that matched hers. “This is the best part. The one we wanted to share with you.”

She finally let go of him and wrapped me in her arms. “You’re my daughter now,” she blubbered into my ear. “I love you so much.”

I squeezed her to me. “Aw, please. Don’t do that. You’re going to make me cry, too,” I whimpered as I held her, pushing my face into her neck. “I love you, too. I’m so glad I have you for a mother.”

She put her hands on my cheeks. “This is good! This is okay. This means you can have babies now.” Caroline was nodding as she spoke the words as if it would get me to nod along with her in agreement.

“It took her less than five minutes to get there,” Jasper murmured to me over her head, shaking his own. “Mama, please. I’m not knocking her up yet. Calm down. Let us have a slice of cake first.”

Emmett walked over to his best friend and patted him on the shoulder. He had said nothing, unusually quiet for him. He had tears in his eyes. “I had no idea it was coming. Good for you,” he offered in a gentle tone. He really was a big soft teddy bear.

“Rose, you didn’t tell him about the ring?” He asked his sister with a laugh. “You and Alice worked on that for like a month. How did you keep it from him?”

She shrugged. “It wasn’t hard. He’s a dope that can’t keep a secret, and I didn’t want him to tell Mom.” He nodded in understanding. It made her husband frown. “You have the biggest mouth. You’d tell half the lot by the end of lunch,” she insisted as she pointed at his nose.

“Whatever,” he mouthed off, looking at his brother-in-law. “So, let me see yours.” He motioned at his hand. Jasper lifted his fist to show him. He made a face of approval. “Subtle. I don’t think anyone will miss that.”

“I hope not,” he smirked as he looked at it, flexing his fingers. “I’ve never worn jewelry before, but I love this. Bella has great taste.”

His mother laughed a little hysterically with her eyes still watering. “Of course she does! She picked you, honey!” She scrubbed them with her palm. “Oh, my god. We got to throw a party. It’s so close to Christmas, though. It’ll have to wait until January.”

“Or,” Jasper interrupted, “we could skip that for now. We actually have some other stuff to tell you.”

“Please tell me you’re not leaving again,” she responded dramatically. If he did, she would have howled. We had already made her emotional.

“Um, your table is ready,” the poor hostess piped up. We were causing quite the scene at the front of the restaurant. There were people behind us, watching quietly.

“Thank you,” Justin stated gratefully.

“No, we’re not leaving,” her son promised. “Well, we may go on a honeymoon soon, and Bella has a meeting next week in New York City that we’re going to, but we’re not going anywhere for months again,” he explained in a rush as we walked to the table. He pulled out her chair before he did mine. “Uh, Bella’s new car was totaled by vandals, actually. Every line cut, every window broken. They also scratched messages into it.”

Her eyes got gigantic. This wasn’t what she was expecting. “What did they say?”

Jasper sat between us. “Hello, Bella.”

His mother looked confused. “That’s it?”

“Hundreds of times,” he responded. “One-thousand-two-hundred and fifty-two times to be precise. The poor intern who had to count all that.” He briskly shook his head. “It’s more about what it means.”

“And what does it mean?” His father asked as he sat at the end beside his wife. His grandmother was on the other side with his sister and brother-in-law. Everyone was carefully listening to what he had to say.

Licking his lips, he gathered his thoughts. Jasper cleared his throat. It was hard to explain. I took over for him. “Um, well… King kept talking to me and when I went to see him in jail-”

“You saw him in prison?” Rosalie gasped. “Why?”

They knew better than anyone what had happened during the trial and how he attacked me, but I wasn’t going to worry them anymore by telling them I had faced him again. Caroline freaked out on Jasper on the phone the morning after, before I woke up, but was able to keep her under wraps so I could enjoy the day. It was a big moment for me, and her sobbing wouldn’t have helped my mental state.

I bit my lip as I thought about it. “It was after the attack, and he wanted to rattle me some more or something, but he said he wanted to tell me about another case. And he did. I didn’t expect him to. But that’s all he did. It was a very short meeting.”

“What did he tell you?” His sister asked. She still seemed horrified I would be in the same room as him after everything we went through because of that evil bastard. My group of female friends told me they wanted to rip him to shreds for hurting me and ruining my birthday. But she could and would have done it, though.

I looked down at my lap before glancing up at her. “That he didn’t kill Bree Tanner… At least himself, which I believe and now it makes me think he had an accomplice we don’t know about. Maybe they did it instead.”

“Do you think that’s who did that to your car?” Caroline gasped.

“You think a serial killer’s helper is sending threats beyond the grave?” Emmett emotionlessly asked. Jasper didn’t look pleased as he shrugged. “That’s terrifying. No wonder you’ve been so wound up the last couple of years. Jesus.” He rubbed his hand over his mouth.

“Yeah, and I think I’m fucking done with it. Pardon my language,” my man murmured the last sentence to his mother. “I can’t take it anymore. This isn’t what I signed up for.”

“What do you mean?” His father pressed. His brow was furrowed as he leaned in to whisper.

He shook his head. “I don’t know if I want to continue working for the FBI or in law enforcement anymore at all. And right now, Bella needs a bodyguard to keep her safe until we know for sure what’s going on. If she’s in danger because of me, I need to protect her. And frankly, she requires one anyway with the success of the book, at least for now. But I don’t think fans are who we have to worry about.”

The older man stared at us for a long moment. “You really think she’s at risk? It’s not just an angry family member or someone trying to scare her? This is real?”

Sighing, he looked down at our joined hands. “Yes. My gut tells me this is only the beginning. I’ll fix this, though. I’ll protect my wife.” Jasper brought my knuckles up to his mouth to kiss as he held my gaze. “I will put a stop to this and make you feel safe again.”

“Why would they come after you?” Rose inquired in a grumble, leaning in to hear my answer. Both of her hands were in her lap with her shoulders hunched over, making her look smaller.

“There are a lot of reasons, but most of all, it’s probably because she’s in the public eye now. That’s what I suspect,” he answered for me. “That bastard loved the limelight and power, and she took both of them away from him.”

Placing her hand on Jasper’s arm, Caroline spoke up. “What are you going to do?”

“Well, we’ve upgraded all the security stuff on the townhouse. Good cameras in lots of places. Motion sensor lights. Better locks and alarms. And I’m going to act as Bella’s bodyguard… at least for now. Until after Christmas. I need to spend some time with my family.”

“Will you really quit the FBI?” Justin seemed so shocked. “This was your dream growing up. To be a cop.”

He squeezed my palm and took a deep breath. “Well, I grew up, and now that I’ve been one, it’s not the fantasy I hoped it would be. There are a lot more than a few bad apples, and the rules are designed to help those with money. This case has opened my eyes to a lot of problems I have been ignoring, thinking if I was a good one, I could fix them. But I feel ineffective. And it’s putting the reality I want in danger.”

“This is not your fault,” I promised for the hundredth time. “They’re coming after me, not you.”

Once again, he shook his head. “I never should have told you so much about the case and got you involved. That was unprofessional. I’ve made so many mistakes.”

“Oh, please. I was so curious. I wanted to know everything. You know I can get my way when I want to,” I quickly argued. “And if I hadn’t, more people would have died. But it doesn’t matter now.” I gripped his fingers.

Jasper nodded in agreement. “You’re right. But, um, if you guys could, please take extra precautions for me. Look into security for your homes. You’re in gated communities and have pretty good systems already, so it should be fine. But, maybe, don’t go places alone if you can help it. It would make me feel better.”

Justin reached over to touch his son’s arm. “Tell us what you think we need to do, and we’ll listen. You’re the expert.”

“I’m really not. I am in what happens when people don’t have these things. Just lock your doors and windows, okay?” His father nodded in understanding. “So, enough of this. It’s stressful, and that is not what tonight is about. I want to celebrate. Besides that bullshit, it’s been hands down the very best week of my life.”

His mother suddenly swatted his shoulder. “You got married without me there!”

“It’s called eloping, and I would recommend it to anyone,” he smirked at her. She continued to pout. “I’m not sorry at all, and I won’t apologize for it. I got to marry the woman of my dreams exactly how I wanted, and every aspect was perfect. You can be mad, but it wasn’t your moment to own just because you’re my mother. I’ve always been very upfront with my feelings on the matter, and you know I don’t like your events. Bella and I aren’t your puppets to play dress-up with. We humor you plenty. So, suck up that bottom lip and enjoy your steak and cake. And be satisfied with the fact that children are a consideration in the next decade, but if you mention them again, I swear we won’t tell you until after she’s given birth.”

My husband telling off his mother confidently shouldn’t have been so hot, but it was. I felt my cheeks heat at his scolding. He was so firm and direct, but gentle.

She made a little squeaking noise as she opened her mouth. April laughed, but her daughter-in-law made a face at her. “Oh, stop acting as if he did it to you. They did it for them. If I were you, I would have kept it to myself for a few months.” She pointed at her grandson.

“I’m not that brave,” he mumbled in return. The waiter finally came to the table. I think they were letting us talk. Or we scared them. We were getting a lot of looks from everyone around us. “Martini, please.”

“Pick something for me,” I whispered in his ear. He had turned me on, and I wanted him to be in control. It would be a nice role reversal from our last visit.

He glanced at me for a second from the corner of his eyes, a slight grin on his handsome face. “My wife would like a rum punch.” He didn’t look. He just knew. I smiled as I kissed his cheek.

Back

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

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💍Ring💍

Warnings: This story contains violence and graphic sexual content. 18+ only.

Posting starts October 13th!

Ring: Chapter Eleven: Against a Tree

Chapter Eleven: Against a Tree

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

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💍Ring💍
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Ring: Chapter Ten: By the End of the Night

Chapter Ten: By the End of the Night

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Ring: Chapter Nine: Stopped for Autographs

Chapter Nine: Stopped for Autographs

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💍Ring💍
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Ring: Chapter Eight: In his Face

Chapter Eight: In his Face

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Ring: Chapter Seven: Quite the Scene

Chapter Seven: Quite the Scene

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✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
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Archives

💍Ring💍

Warnings: This story contains violence and graphic sexual content. 18+ only.

Posting starts October 13th!

Ring: Chapter Eleven: Against a Tree

Chapter Eleven: Against a Tree

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

✨The next chapter of✨💍Ring💍will post onDecember 1st!💛See y'all then!💛

Ring: Chapter Ten: By the End of the Night

Chapter Ten: By the End of the Night

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

✨The next chapter of✨💍Ring💍posts on November 24th!💛See ya'll then!💛

Ring: Chapter Nine: Stopped for Autographs

Chapter Nine: Stopped for Autographs

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

✨The next chapter of✨💍Ring💍will post onNovember 20th!💛See y'all then!💛

Ring: Chapter Eight: In his Face

Chapter Eight: In his Face

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

✨The next chapter of✨💍Ring💍will post onNovember 17th!💛See y'all then!💛

Ring: Chapter Seven: Quite the Scene

Chapter Seven: Quite the Scene

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!

✨The next chapter of✨💍Ring💍will post onNovember 13th!💛See y'all then!💛

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