💍Ring💍


The final story in the Locke and Key Trilogy

First Chapter of Ring!
The First Chapter of Locke
Latest Chapter of Ring!
The first Chapter of Key

The trial may be over, but the tribulations aren’t.

With newfound success comes attention, but not all of it is good. After the death of the killer, Jasper and Bella thought they could finally move on with their lives, but a vandalized car is just the start of a rollercoaster of events that will change them for the rest of their lives- in both remarkable and catastrophic ways.

The best revenge is finding happiness in the face of real evil. But not is all as it seems, and there is more than one kind of mask. Will they be able to see who is behind it before it’s too late?

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


 
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12/11/2020

Ring: Chapter Fifteen: In the Engine

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Chapter Fifteen: In the Engine


Unsurprisingly, it took a little while to put a check that large into the bank. When Jasper saw the exact balances in my checking and savings, his eyes got gigantic. I had reached eight figures in about four months. And it was still coming, every new paycheck more than the last.

“We need to get you a financial advisor and an accountant, too,” he stated as he waved a hand towards the screen once the woman helping us got up to do something. “I’m sure Dad could probably help you with that,” he whispered while we sat in one of the cubicles. It was a quiet Tuesday, though. No one was paying attention to us.

She returned, a big smile on her face. “I’m sorry this is taking so long. We just need to make a call. It’ll only be a few more moments.”

“We’re in no rush,” I promised with a reassuring grin. 

Several minutes later, the manager, an old fat white man with no hair, came out with her following behind. She was holding a receipt and some papers for me to sign.

“Mrs. Hale, is there anything else you’d like us to help you with today?” He said eagerly after we finished up with the rest of the paperwork. It only took a couple of signatures. “Any services?”

“I’d like to add my husband to my account, get him a card, and order new checks, too, please.”

“Bella,” Jasper remarked in surprise. His eyes were wide as he looked down at his lap.

“What? What is mine is yours. It’s your money now too. You helped me.”

He quickly shook his head. “No, it’s not. That is yours. You worked very hard for it. I did nothing.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know we didn’t sign a prenup, right?” He blinked for a couple of seconds, his mouth hanging open. “So, it’s yours too.”

The poor woman didn’t know what to say. “We just need your ID and your Social Security number to get that started,” the manager who was still supervising our interaction interrupted our minor spat. I glared at Jasper until he huffed and pulled out his wallet. She took it from him slowly. “We’ll get that set up. Would you like a drink while you wait?”

“No, thank you,” I said politely. They left us alone again.

“We need to put you on my account then, too,” he stated quickly in a low tone.

Nodding, I adjusted my sweater. “That’s fine. I won’t ever use it, of course. But it might be wise to have me on it, anyway. Oh, we should start a retirement account together,” I replied unbothered. “Eh, I don’t know if we need it, but that’s what the accountant is for.”

“We’re getting a postnup,” he added.

“Nah,” I laughed. “We’re not getting divorced, and if I ever do anything to piss you off enough to leave me, I want you to take half of everything. None of it will matter without you. I don’t think I could live without you at this point, anyway. I’d die of a broken heart. It would be worse than that month.”

“Yes, exactly. That month. What if I screw up, hm?” He countered. Rolling my eyes again, I shook my head. “Isabella- Bella, be smart. I’m trying to protect you.”

“No,” I declared. He puffed again, his arms crossed over his chest.  “Okay, you know what? We’ll get one, but only if it says you’ll get seventy-five percent of everything.”

Jasper scoffed at my dramatics, smirking as he looked out the window. “I’m somewhere between totally annoyed and overjoyed that you feel so strongly about me.”

“Are you just now realizing that I like you?” I teased. “Jeez, honey. I thought I was coming on pretty strong.”

Laughing, he took my hand before giving it a gentle squeeze. “At least think about it.”

“Nope,” I repeated, smiling at him. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he muttered like he was mad at me, but he wasn’t, really. He didn’t understand why I wouldn’t do it, especially if we weren’t ever getting divorced, but it was more than that. I knew I didn’t need that piece of paper. It was an act of submission I couldn’t even voice, though he wouldn’t see it that way. I was in every way at his mercy, and I trusted him with my whole heart to do what was right for us.

The main lot Jasper was talking about just wasn’t one, but several connecting over a literal mile. Hale/McCarty was above almost every kind of vehicle you could think of, each with their own massive mechanic’s bay. They even owned a tire shop, an oil change, a gas station, and the detailing place mixed among them. Rose’s shop was behind one of the biggest buildings, beside one that sold motorcycles exclusively. Fantastic vintage vehicles sat in the parking lot, waiting to be serviced. 

He led the way since I had no idea where I was going. All the ladies at the front desk smiled at us as we went. They sent out a weekly newsletter, and they often spoke about what was happening in the family. My father-in-law even shared the news about my books and claimed that everyone loved it. He knocked on the door with ‘Justin Hale’ on a plaque. There were only two offices on the floor we were on, which was the third.

Emmett opened the door for us. He was in pressed slacks and a blue polo shirt. McCarty was sewn onto the breast. “Yo! There’s my favorite sister.” He picked me up to give me a tight hug. It made me giggle as my feet dragged the ground. “It’s so fun to shop when it’s family. It’s so much easier. I can just tell you what’s shit.”

“Oh, thank you. That’s helpful,” I laughed.

His dad chuckled. “So, what are you thinking about getting?”

My brother-in-law put me down. “Mm, I don’t know, honestly. A car, I think. Four-door. I need a bigger backseat, so if I want to take my friends out, I can. But I definitely don’t want a truck or an SUV. Preferably a hybrid.” Then I shrugged because that’s all I really had. 

“That’s a very good start,” he reassured me as he gave me a quick hug. “And what are you looking to spend?”

We walked towards the elevators after he locked up his office. “Well, the check from my insurance was just under eight hundred thousand, but I am not spending all that on a vehicle. I’d like to keep it under a hundred thousand for sure. I don’t know how much environmentally friendly cars are.”

“They’re definitely in that range.”

“If you wanted two-door, I have a hybrid Porsche and a Tesla about that. But I’m guessing you mean that with all the bells and whistles,” Emmett added. “That Tesla would just be standard, but it’s still nice. It’s at the very upper end of your scale.”

I nodded. “And I was thinking about getting a custom paint job, too. But I don’t know how much that is. Not that price is a real issue.”

“What color do you want?” Justin continued. He was making a mental list for me. “We can have that done here, too.”

“I’d have to see my options, but a purple maybe. Something iridescent. Not like sparkly, but- I don’t know how to explain it. I just like that sheen.” He nodded his head as if he understood my babbling. I felt my cheeks blush.

“Girl, we can hook you up,” my brother-in-law promised in a loud voice. “You sure you don’t want another super nice Jag, though? That beast was sexy.”

I laughed. “No. It was cursed. Now it’s time to get something a little more humble and practical. I want this to last me at least a decade, and I intend to get my money’s worth. I don’t know how you talked Eric into all of that.”

“It wasn’t his money, so it makes it easier,” he chuckled. “We gave him a good deal, too. I actually wondered what it was appraised at. We tricked it out in every way possible.”

“And we’ll have the same done to your new one, whatever you pick.” He shook his head. “It is such a shame,” my father-in-law sighed. “Have you found out anything about it?”

Jasper shook his too, pursing his lips as his arms crossed over his chest. “No. We can’t get an unobstructed view of their face, and it’s definitely not one of our neighbors. And none of them have kids. I’m positive it’s a short woman, but that’s not much to go on. It’s got to be one of the groupies close to him or at the trial.”

“Eh, at least it’s a little chick,” Emmett offered. He winked at one of the old secretaries as we walked past her desk. She grinned at him.

“A small female with a gun can kill as many people as a man. It’s one of those great equalizers. I won’t let my guard down because of it. It just makes me more paranoid of everyone now.”

“I think I could take her,” I joked to ease his tension. He rolled his eyes. “What? I hit hard.”

“I know you do, darlin,” he cooed at me playfully. It was sarcastic. I pushed him gently, making him laugh. “You do, but I don’t think that would matter. You’d be surprised how strong crazy is.”

“Sometimes, a good smack just solves problems,” I declared. “I’m bigger. Maybe if I rattled her brains, it would make her right again. Because we all know she ain’t now.”

Justin turned his head to look over his shoulder at me. “I agree with you. Whoever this person is, they need a swift kick in the seat of their pants.”

Snorting, I bit my lip to keep in my laughter. “I was thinking more like a two-by-four to the back of the skull, but sure. Kicking asses works, too.”

“I’ll keep my gun, thanks,” my husband mumbled anxiously. “I’ll have to get a new handgun once I turn in my service weapons. I should get you a taser.”

“But I’d tase myself!” I laughed. “You keep the weaponry. I’ll stick to my words. You have the training. Actually, you are my weapon.” He rolled his eyes dramatically.

We went around the different lots for two hours in the back of a fancy black golf cart. I saw features in some of them I liked, but I was waiting for one to speak to me. We were looking at a BMW when I was hit by a stomach cramp. It made me wince, sulking at the gurgling that followed it. I leaned against the car to catch my breath.

Jasper noticed. “What’s the matter?”

I waved him off. “Ugh, I’m just getting really hungry, and it’s making my tummy upset,” I pouted. “I’ll be fine.”

He looked at his watch. “Well, let’s see. You only ate a banana and had a cup of coffee this morning… six hours ago?”

“I wasn’t hungry then!” I complained.

Emmett grinned. “Let’s go get Rosie and get some lunch. Want cheesecake? There’s a Cheesecake Factory around here.”

Shrugging in response, I glanced at Jasper. “Sounds good. I’m not picky.”

Everyone lit up when we walked into the shop, greeting us loudly over the noises of the machines grinding. I recognized some of them from her birthday party. The bay doors were open, so we could see inside. Rosalie was in a blue jumpsuit, her entire body inside the engine of a truck from maybe the forties. Only her butt was hanging out, one leg higher than the other. She had grease all over them.

Her husband slowly snuck up behind her. “HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” He shouted at her. It made her jump and smack her head into the hood with a loud thud. She instantly looked furious. “Oops! Shit! Are you okay?”

She whacked him several times about the chest. “How many times have I told you not to do that to me?!” Then my sister-in-law noticed me. It immediately changed her mood. “Hey! There you are! How’s the car shopping going?”

“I think I need your help,” I admitted. The men were more about facts I didn’t care about, and I needed a female opinion. “We were going to go to lunch. Would you like to join us?”

“Yes! Let me go take this off and wash up. I’ll be right out.” She sent her husband a nasty look before she turned to do that. “I’ll get you later.” She pointed two fingers at her eyes and then one squarely at his nose. He looked terrified. It was a genuine threat.

Justin was laughing to himself as he walked back out of the bay. “You know better.”

“I do, but I’m stupid, though,” he said with a southern drawl, then blew out a raspberry from his thick lips. “One day, she’s going to sew me up in the sheets and beat me with a frying pan.”

“Do you own a frying pan?” Jasper dryly asked.

“Ha, I don’t know,” he smirked. “But I bet she doesn’t know either.”

The place was busy for lunch, so we had to wait. Since they were the bosses, they could take as long as they wanted to, though. We chatted pleasantly about what I preferred in a vehicle the entire time. After about fifteen minutes, Rose pushed herself off the wall. It seemed like a sudden surprise, her eyes getting bigger. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

“I’ll go with you,” I responded, grabbing my purse.

I only had to pee and wash my hands. It took less than a minute. I was in and out before Rosalie wiggled her skin tight blue jeans to her ankles.

There was a sharp intake of breath. “Dammit,” she whimpered.

“What’s the matter?”

“Oh… Um, I just started my period.”

I wrinkled my nose. That would explain the suddenness. “Oh, that sucks. I’m sorry, I don’t think I have anything on me.” Quickly, I looked in my bag to check. “I haven’t had one in months. I’ve been on the shot for over a year now.”

“No, I have something.” I heard the wrapper coming undone after she fished it from her purse. It was just a couple of moments later that she came out. Her eyes were red, and there were tears sliding down her cheeks. She was trying to pretend they weren’t there.

Touching her arm, I took a step closer. “Are you okay?”

She drew in a ragged, painful breath. “Yeah.”

“I do have some aspirin if you’re hurting that bad,” I offered. But she shook her head. She washed her hands. “What’s going on?”

She looked at her reflection for a moment. Her nose was pink, and snot was trying to come out of one nostril. She swiped it away. “I was just… hoping to not start, you know?” She smoothed her lips together as she soaked a towel and wiped her eyes. “I was a few days late this time, and I got my hopes up, which is stupid.”

Gently, I rubbed her back. “I’m sorry. You’re young, though. You’ve got plenty of time.”

“We’ve been trying for a literal decade.” She held onto the edge of the sink. “It’s not going to happen. Even with the shots and the pills and the fucking doctors.” She began to cry openly, bringing her fists up to her forehead. “I want a baby so damn bad. I can feel them in my arms when I dream about them every night. I want to look into his little face and kiss his nose,” she wept.

Bringing her into my arms, I held her to my chest. She rested her head on my shoulder as she let it out. Soothingly, I caressed comforting circles over her spine. “Okay. So, there are other options. If you can’t get pregnant yourself, maybe we can get some of your eggs, and I can be your surrogate. That way, it’ll be yours, even if you can’t carry it to term yourself.”

Rosalie pulled back in shock to look at me. “You would do that for us?”

“Yes, of course! I want to be an aunt, too! We were thinking in a few years we’d start trying ourselves. I can practice being pregnant.” I shrugged as if it was nothing. There were very few people in the world I would do this for, but she was at the top of the list.

Laughing, she rubbed her eyes. “We’ve actually been talking about that or adoption. I really do want a baby that looks like Emmett, though. I want a boy. With those dimples and curly hair. God, what would Jasper say about that?”

Again, I shrugged. “He’d understand why I want to help my sister, even if he doesn’t want his brother-in-law to knock me up.”

Rose cackled, giving me the reaction I wanted. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. “I love you. I don’t know if I’ll take you up on it. I need to try a little longer, but thank you so much for offering. You honestly don’t know what it means to me.”

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Thanks to Gina for proofreading!


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✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
will post on
December 15th!
💛See y'all then!💛

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12/7/2020

Ring: Chapter Fourteen: The Other Side of Fort Worth

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Chapter Fourteen:
​The Other Side of Fort Worth


Sam and his wife Emily lived on the other side of Fort Worth, so it was a bit of a drive, especially with the traffic. Everyone was heading home since the holiday season was finally over. It was a new week and a new year, so it was time to get on with real life. I would miss the lights. I was going to keep the ones that Jasper hung up for our anniversary in the sunroom. They just made me happy. They were a pleasant reminder of that night.

I spent the morning preparing some foods I knew our friend liked when I cooked for him in Albany. Potato salad, macaroni and cheese, and brownies. He said we didn’t need to bring anything, but we wouldn’t come empty-handed. They were all excellent things to have at a barbecue, anyway. Jasper also bought a case of beer. Sam would never argue with that.

They had a cute little house in the suburbs, wedged closely in a middle-class neighborhood. It was brick with yellow-painted shutters, and it looked like it was from the seventies. His car and truck were parked out front as well as a couple of dirt bikes underneath the carport. Some parts were laid out on a towel around them. Neither of them was in running order. 

Sam opened the door with an enormous smile. “WELCOME!” He said too loudly, holding his hands up. “Come in.” He beamed when he saw what I had in my hands. “You brought me food, too! God, I missed your cooking,” he mumbled as he drew me into a hug. “You smell like chocolate,” he added into my hair. Blushing, I giggled.

We followed him through the living room to the kitchen. It was a mismatched collection of Native American art and western designs. Everything was just so. His wife must have been good at keeping him in check because I knew he could make a mess.

There was a tiny woman with long straight black hair down to her waist standing at a stove. It was stunning, a solid sheet of shining ebony. She had olive skin, like Sam. They were almost the same shade. “Hey, baby! Where do you want me to put this stuff they brought?” He asked as he came into the room.

When she turned around, I realized that almost half of her face was horribly scarred and disfigured. It looked like it had been slashed by something sharp and large, drawing across her forehead, over one eye, and touching the corner of her lips. Automatically, I drew in a breath as my eyes got wide. It was a little too loud.

She took the plastic containers from him. “Hi!” She said pleasantly, then pointed at her face. “He didn’t warn you, did he?” I shook my head slowly. She rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue. Emily was smirking. “Uh, what an asshole. He knows better. I was mauled by a bear when I was on a camping trip when I was a teenager,” she stated calmly. My cheeks heated in embarrassment. I would have never asked, and I felt ashamed for acting as I did. It was just a split moment where I couldn’t control it. “It’s okay, everyone is surprised the first time they see if they haven’t been warned.” She purposefully glared at her husband.

Swallowing, he bowed his head as he looked at his feet. “I didn’t even think about it, and Bella is the last person to care.”

“Yes, but it’s still shocking!” She scolded, then turned to look at my man. “Jasper, you should have.”

He put his hands up in defense right away. “I’ve had things on my mind. And I’m not one to say anything about scars. Just most of mine aren’t on my face.” He pulled his collar away from the one on his throat by his ear.

“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. I didn’t mean to start anything. It made me feel guilty.

“No.” She walked to me and offered me her hand. When I took it, she put her other on top of mine. “I am so excited to meet you finally. He bragged about your food so much,” she giggled softly. It was a delicate, sweet sound. “Thank you for making sure he ate at least somewhat healthy.”

“It was my pleasure. Thank you for inviting us into your home.”

Smiling, she peeked over my head at the man right behind me. “The good doctor should know he’s always welcome here, and so is his wife,” she promised before looking at her husband. “Go start the charcoal before you have another beer, please. I don’t want you to set yourself on fire. Again.”

Instantly, he was offended. Sam pouted. “I did it once, and that was fifteen years ago.” He held up his finger. “One time.”

“You only have to do it once.” She wiggled her fingertip at him before booping his nose.

We followed him outside onto his deck. He had a massive grill and a big picnic table with a rainbow-colored umbrella. The patio was covered in small potted plants that seemed to be mostly herbs, and the entire backyard was a garden. Even with it being the middle of winter, there was still an abundance of things growing in it and producing. It was obvious it was something that Emily spent a lot of time working on. She must have had some time to spare since he was always traveling.

“Sorry about that,” Sam said to me after he shut the door in a low voice. “She’s obviously not shy about it, and I just don’t think about it. I don’t see scars when I see her face.” He shook his head. “I see my beautiful wife.”

I brought my thumbnail to my mouth to chew anxiously, but I caught myself before I could. “I’m sorry that I just automatically reacted. It was rude, and I feel like I should properly apologize.”

Sam snorted. “Trust me, you can’t not react. It’s a human thing. Don’t worry, it doesn’t upset her. It’s how you act after you get over the shock that matters. And people have done and said far worse.”

“People are jerks,” I complained as I sat down at the cast iron table. The metal chair scraped against the wooden deck.

“Yup, that’s why we have jobs.” He waggled his finger between him and Jasper.

“Why you have a job. I’m going to use up a little more of my paid time off, and then I’m done. I can’t do it anymore. If I had any doubts about it before, yesterday cleared it up for me.”

He paused to look at him, a container of lighter fluid in his hands. “Really?”

“My publishers are going to pay him to be my bodyguard,” I explained. “So, you still have one because people are the worst. It’s just that you’ve jumped specialties. You’re narrowing your focus.”

Snorting, he glanced at me. “I guess that’s true, but I don’t consider it a career.”

“Huh,” our friend said to himself, squirting the coals down liberally. He was shaking his head a little to himself, his eyes unseeing as he soaked them.

“What?” My husband questioned.

He peeked over his shoulder at us. “Uh, um… Well, they offered me that new gig you were supposed to start back to once the trial was over earlier this week. I haven’t responded yet since I’m on vacation right now.” He swallowed and looked back at the grill. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to say. I’m flattered, but I didn’t want you to lose your position. Though I can understand why they’re looking for someone to fill it. They’re drowning. I realize I’m not a doctor like you, but I am qualified for it.”

“Oh!” Jasper beamed, his smile surprisingly bright. “That’s fantastic! You should take it! I know you’ve been ready to find a more steady path for a while now. And that has got to be a good pay bump.”

“It is. I haven’t told Emily,” he whispered, then cleared his throat. “I didn’t want to kick you out of a job, but if you don’t want it… I’m a loyal colleague first and greedy bastard second.”

Jasper laughed. “I don’t. Not at all. That would be great. It means we’ll be able to hang out occasionally,” he encouraged. “You should take it.”

Licking his lips, he considered his words. His dark eyes peered over at his friend. “Are you sure?”

“Nothing would make me happier,” he stated as he put his hand on his heart. “You are an amazing agent. One of the best I’ve met. Texas would be safer for it.”

Sam smiled. “I’ll write them an email later, letting them know that I’ll accept it.”

Emily came out with a pitcher of tea, placing it in the center of the table. “How’s it going?”

“Still working on it,” her husband swore as he hurriedly tried to get his lighter going. When it finally caught, a small ball of flames almost licked his arm. It was like a mushroom cloud. He drew it away quickly, his eyes wide in surprise. “I’m fine,” he promised automatically. “It didn’t get me.”

Shaking my head, I looked over at his partner. I think the men needed to talk a little more on their own. “Do you need some help in the kitchen?”

“That would be fantastic, thanks!” I stood up to follow her. Grinning, she turned to look at me as she opened the backdoor. “By the way, I’ve already eaten a bowl of that mac and cheese you brought. It’s incredible. Can I have the recipe?”

“Oh! Sure! I’ll write it down for you. It’s really easy, and you can actually mix it up a lot to change the flavor,” I began, and once we started, we were off. She was friendly, pleasant, bold, and funny. She loved to eat as much as her husband did. And she teased him mercilessly. They were perfectly matched.

We stayed late into the evening, playing games and talking. Jasper needed it. Being around his family helped, but no one understood his trauma like his former partner. They went through it together, like soldiers in war. By the end, we promised to do it again soon. We would do it at our place once the landscaping was fixed. I couldn’t wait to entertain our friends at our home.

The garage door had already been cleaned, and the following day people would come by to look at the yard to start that process. It was tedious, but it gave me a chance to add more flowers and shrubs to our garden. Fruit trees in the back and maybe gardenia bushes in the front. I would make the best of an unpleasant situation because I wasn’t going to let them take away from my happiness. 

The mail came through a slot beside the solid door and landed on the small table with a decorative metal pail on it to catch them. When I put my purse away, I went to check it. Peeking over, I hung it on my hook. There were some coupons and a couple of sales papers. Picking through it, I wasn’t impressed. They would go into the recycling. A thin plain envelope was at the bottom of the pile.

I opened it with my key, ripping up the simple white paper. There was a check from my car insurance company. There was no note or any more information. It was for three-quarters of a million dollars.

“Oh, my god!” I gasped, dropping it onto the floor as if it burned me. Both of my hands flew to my mouth.

Jasper was hanging up his coat beside me. “What?” He said hastily, picking it up. His eyes scanned the page. When he got to the number, he laughed. “Holy shit! This is for your car?”

“I guess so. They mailed that?!” I questioned in shock. “That’s so much money! Are you fucking serious?”

“I guess when you go car shopping, you can get whatever you want,” he continued to chuckle at my reaction. “Wow! That’s more than what I was expecting. I wonder what Dad did to that thing. He must have given you a real family discount.”

“What am I going to do?”

He snorted. “Buy a new ride,” he said sarcastically, then shrugged. “What else is there to do?”

“I’m not dropping this much on a vehicle. That would be insane. No one needs a car like that. I can’t even imagine spending one hundred thousand.”

“That’s easier to do than you think.”

“I can’t wrap my head around it.” I took it from his grip so I could look at it again. My eyes kept tracing the numbers. All the zeroes made me dizzy. “What should I buy?” I had been too busy to research what I wanted to get.

“Darlin, you are asking the wrong Hale or McCarty for that.”

“Ohhh…” I drew out. “You’re right. I should talk to Emmett or Rose.”

He pointed at the paper. “We could go to the main lot tomorrow. I’m sure they’re all working. They’d all be pleased as punch to help you, and you know they’ll be honest with you since they’re family.”

It was funny that even he thought car salespeople and mechanics were shady. His dad was far from it, which is part of the reason he did so well. “Rosalie is one of the most trustworthy people I know.”

“I was talking about Emmett. He is a good salesman for a reason,” he sardonically declared. 

I giggled in response, folding the check and putting it in my purse. We would have to go to the bank the following day, anyway. I couldn’t keep it in the house. “Yeah, make sure we won’t be bothering them, but I think that’s a splendid idea. I’ve never picked out my own vehicle before, so this should be interesting. I’ll need some help.”

“Really?” He asked in surprise. I nodded, then shrugged. He saw my nearly seventy-year-old truck. And I certainly wouldn’t have chosen a million-dollar car for myself. “Well, hopefully, we’ll be able to find you exactly what you want.” 


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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 11th!
💛See y'all then!💛

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12/4/2020

Ring: Chapter Thirteen: Into the Dirt

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Chapter Thirteen: Into the Dirt


I wasn’t surprised to find Jasper awake beside me. Honestly, I figured he would be. He was drawing furiously. It wasn’t his usually careful movement and tiny strokes of his pencil. They were quick, angry slashes. The tip dragged hard against the paper. He was taking his frustration out on the tablet.

Quickly, I pushed myself up off my stomach to see what he was doing. He closed the book before I could. “Good morning, darlin. Happy New Year,” he attempted to say pleasantly. It wasn’t convincing.

“What are you working on?”

“Nothing,” he hastily replied, shaking his head as he tried to put it away. It wasn’t playfulness or embarrassment. This was something else. I took it from his grip before he could. “Don’t. You don’t want to see that.”

I ran my fingers over the leather cover. “What is it?”

He didn’t look at me as he frowned. “Nothing. Nothing you need to worry about. I was just trying to get it out of my head.”

That was not how we would operate. I wouldn’t allow him to hide anything from me, even if he thought it was for my own good. I opened the book, making him sigh. The first page was of bodies in the woods, all face down in the leaves. Their remains were maimed with rope marks around their feet and ankles. Each corpse was different, yet they were all women: one blond, one with short black hair, and the other long and lighter.

The next was a closeup of my face and shoulders, my head turned to the side. My neck was sliced open, and there was blood coming from my nose and mouth. The necklace that never left my person was in view, pushed into the open wound at parts. My left hand was by my forehead, my ring shining.

I shut it and put it to the side. “I am fine, and I’m right here,” I began in a calm voice. I took the pencil from his grip and set it on top of it. “I am happy, I am healthy, and I will be for a very long time. You will always keep me safe because you’re my hero.” I seized his hands, straddling his waist. He still wasn’t looking at me. “They’re just nightmares, and they will never become our reality. Royce is dead. And honestly, how likely am I really to come across another serial killer? Like statistically? You undoubtedly know that.”

“Less than ten times in your lifetime, but people like me probably skew the numbers.” He wove his fingers with mine, palm to palm. “You’ve already met your quota, and so have I.”

“I wonder how many you have,” I said thoughtfully.

“Dozens.” He snorted as he shook his head. “An unhealthy amount.”

Gnawing on my lip, I weighed my words. “I think we both need to go to therapy. Separately and as a couple. Not because we have any relationship problems, but a doctor might be able to give me tips to guide you when you have anxiety.”

Jasper smiled a little. “You actually do very well at that already.”

“But I can always improve. And if it makes your life even a bit easier, then I want to do it. A lot is changing right now.”

“You’re right.” He nodded his head. “Yeah, we can set that up soon.”

“Do you want to get out of going to your parents’ place? Maybe feign illness and fuck around all day instead?”

He laughed at my bluntness. “No. I want to go. It’ll be good food. I forget where Mama said she was ordering it from. And they’d be disappointed if we didn’t come. Dad already got two more kegs for us to try with him.”

“Yeah, we can’t disappoint him and not day drink with them,” I joked dryly. He pursed his lips for a moment before pinching my ribs. It made me squeal and laugh. “Oh, no! However will they recover?” I drawled in a southern accent.

“Day drinking wouldn’t be the worst way to spend the holiday. By the fire pit, eating smores, and listening to football. I need to relax. I just want things to be normal for a little while.”

Slowly, I moved my hands over his shoulders. “You’re really done with being a cop, huh? I think it’s starting to sink in for me.”

He looked off for a moment. “I hadn’t been in this last year. That wasn’t what I wanted to do.” He pointed off towards the past, wagging his finger at it in disappointment. “Being stuck in an office all day, repeating myself, or just sitting there in court. I didn’t do any damn good there.” Roughly, he pushed his hair off his forehead. “I could have flown back and forth when I needed to. But I don’t miss this either.” He picked up the book. Jasper ripped both pages out, balled them up in his fist, and threw them into the trash. “Fuck him. I’m glad he’s in hell. Monster.”

My husband was casting out his demons. 

“So, why don’t we get cleaned up, and we’ll run to pick up some desserts to take to your parents.”

Pulling me into a kiss, he pressed his hands to my naked back. “Sounds good. In a minute.”

A minute turned into two hours later. We weren’t in a rush, though. I didn’t apply any makeup, throwing my hair up after I blow-dried it. I figured we would be outside a lot of the day, so I put on a heavy knitted sweater and a long sleeve shirt.

He was in a much better mood as we made our way to his car in the garage. The truck was parked beside it, looking like a joke compared to his BMW. When he opened the door for me, he gave me a slow, drawn-out kiss before he allowed me to sit.

“So, what do you want to do tonight?” He asked conversationally as he started the engine and opened the garage door. He backed up carefully. “You know, I’ve been wanting to do some rope play. Maybe I could tie you up and draw you in your new collar. That would be nice,” he said almost to himself. Pausing, he clicked the button to close it behind us.

Softly, I giggled. “Sounds good. We have plenty we haven’t even opened yet. I’ve gotten silk in every possible color-” I stopped when red came into view on the white garage entrance. It was dripping like blood. 

Slowly, the message became clear. ‘Hello, Bella.’ It was as tall as I was.

Neither of us said anything for half a second as our mouths hung open.

“SON OF A BITCH!” Jasper roared in anger, killing the engine as we sat in the driveway.

I just continued to sit there, dumbfounded. “But why?” I asked loudly. “Just, but- UGH!” I groaned, looking away from the graffiti. It hurt my eyes. Then I realized that the yard and all of our landscaping was destroyed. Someone had shoved firecrackers after cherry bombs into our grass and trees. It was like a mini-battle was fought there. Black scorched the hibiscus that I loved so much. I flew out of the car and shouted, just as he did. Fury and anxiety boiled over the surface, bubbling as it ran down my body in a hot wave. “FUCKING FUCKS! I listened to them destroy our lawn! Goddammit! I thought it was the neighbors! Why didn’t someone call the cops?!”

“Because they probably thought it was the neighbors, too,” he stated with a sigh. “If I weren’t such a chickenshit, I could have at least looked outside to see-”

“No!” I stopped him. “You’re not! You can’t-”

“How can I protect you if I can’t even look-”

I whirled on him. “You are-”

We kept interrupting each other. “I’m doing a pretty shit job of being your bodyguard right now,” he snapped back, waving his hands around.

“Your job is to defend me, not the property! That’s why we have security stuff! Nobody tried to come into the house, so how could we have known? I’ve never spent a New Year or Fourth of July in Texas that I didn’t hear near-constant fireworks. I even remember thinking yesterday that I was surprised I didn’t hear them sooner in the night. Why would we think someone was doing anything wrong? Most people don’t just assume that there is a crime going on.”

“I’m still a federal agent. I’m taught to think like that. There is always something around the corner. And I’m supposed to pay fucking attention to keep my wife safe.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “It’s a good thing I’m quitting because I’m not up for the job anymore.” I wanted to argue, but the person on the other end answered. “Hey, Sam. Someone vandalized the house. I’m about to call 911. You might want to come over here to see this, too.” He paused. “Yeah, it’s… it’s something. You’ll see.” I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but he wasn’t happy. “I know. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you soon. See you in an hour.” He brought the cell away from his ear. “Let’s go inside for a minute while I call. And I’ll call my Mom and tell her-” Jasper sucked in a deep breath. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll let her know what’s going on.” I gripped his hand as we went inside together. Right away, he locked the door. He took every step slowly like he was ready for some to jump out at us at any moment. When we got to our room, he pulled out his service weapon from the gun safe.

“I’m going to check the rest of the house. Stay here until I come back or until the police come.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, almost automatically.

He paused to look at me. Coming to my side, he gave me a quick kiss. He hurried from the room with his phone pressed to his ear. “Hello? Yes, I’m a federal agent. My name is Dr. Jasper Hale, and I’d like to report a crime. My badge number is-” I heard him say as he went down the stairs, talking to the local police department. He might not have been on active duty, but he would use every advantage that he had.

I wasn’t scared like I was before. Just… annoyed and frustrated. What they did was risky and pointless. But it was all repairable. It wasn’t as if I didn’t have the income to have it all fixed within a couple of weeks, if not sooner. It just amazed me no one noticed. If it had been any other day than New Year’s, they would have. It was some smart planning on their part.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed Rosalie’s number first. She would be more reasonable and calmer than my mother-in-law. I didn’t need her panic attack to throw me into one, too. I needed to be calm for Jasper.

“Hey, girl!” She greeted me brightly. She was in a good mood.

“Hey. Um, I don’t think we’ll make it over. Someone vandalized the townhouse.”

She gasped. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine. They just fucked with our yard and spray-painted the garage.”

“What did it say?”

“Hello, Bella.”

There was a moment of silence. “So it’s the same person. Did you catch them on camera?”

“I don’t know. We just- just,” I stuttered, the stress starting to get to me. “We were just heading your way. Jasper is still looking around, and he’s talking on the phone.” I sniffled. “I don’t think we’ll be making it, but I honestly don’t know how long this will take or if he’ll be in the mood to. He might need the company. I don’t know. Is there any way you can tell your parents?”

“Yes, of course! We’re already here. I’ll let her know. Keep us updated, okay?”

“I will,” I promised before I hung up the phone. 

I looked out the window, but I couldn’t see anything but the messed up turf. The front door opened and closed, the lock clicking loudly. My husband’s footsteps came up the stairs. I knew them well enough just by sound already.

“They did the back and busted out all the security lights, too,” he complained as he put his gun away. “Motherfuckers. Police should be here in a minute.” He went to get his laptop from where it was charging. “I hope we can see something in the darkness. Hopefully the cameras got something before he did.”

I sat down beside him. In seconds, he had the video files for the night before up and running. He started it at sunrise and rewound it quickly. He stopped when the lights blinked on like magic. Slowing it down, he checked the time. It was around eleven. At ten-thirty, a tiny, hooded figure came onto the screen for just a moment with a can of paint, shaking it hastily. They didn’t look up at the camera. He went back until they disappeared. He tried all the different angles we had, catching them two more times. Whoever they were, they were very small. Petite. Maybe a teenager or possibly a child. It didn’t seem possible. The only glimpse of their face we caught, it was obvious they were wearing a black mask. Not even their eyes were visible. It was so eerie.

There was a knock on the door. Standing, he hurried to go answer it. “It’s a woman, and they look drunk,” he mumbled in thought, taking his laptop with him. “Small, I’d estimate shorter than you. Five-foot one, less than a hundred pounds. They’re wearing a lot of layers to hide their features. Groupie?” He questioned before throwing open the entrance. 

It was the same cop as before. It must have been his regular beat. His partner was already starting to take pictures of the bitch’s handiwork. “So, they’re back,” the officer began. “May I come in?”

“I’m going to start some coffee,” I informed the men before turning to go into the kitchen. I knew I wasn’t needed yet, and caffeine and some calories would probably help me from freaking out as much. We hadn’t eaten because we were saving room for the big lunch Caroline was bragging about ordering. It was all the traditional good luck food, ham, black-eyed peas, greens, cornbread, and so much more.

I pulled out a doughnut from a box we got a couple of days before and ate it in two bites. Shoving it in my cheeks like a hamster, I chewed as I made a large pot for everyone.

When Sam arrived, he blinked for several seconds as he looked over the grass and garage. He put his hands on his waist. He was in red flannel, ragged jeans, and was wearing a cowboy hat and boots. “Dadgum. What did they do? Stomp m80s into the dirt every two inches and blow the entire thing to kingdom come?”

“The whole fucking thing. Front and back,” Jasper replied with a frown. “It’s exactly what they did.”

“Were you not home last night?”

He shook his head. “Oh, no. We were.” His tone was almost sarcastic and very biting.

“We thought it was the neighbors, and we were doing other things. It was around midnight. It literally got louder at the stroke of-” I stopped. “They did that on purpose, too. If not to fool us, the neighbors. They planned it perfectly. I should have known they would cause trouble today.”

Our friend put his hand on my shoulder. “I am so sorry they’re coming after you like this. I promise I will do my best to find out who did this.”

“We don’t have much to go on, but we’ve got a little security footage,” Jasper informed him. “But it’s a start.”

“And a damn good one.” He clapped his buddy on the back. “Let’s go look at that. I’ve got some guys coming to take pictures and make a report. It looks like we’re not exactly done with this case yet.”

“It’s definitely not Royce, though. It’s a woman.”

Sam stopped in surprise. “Oh! That’s interesting,” he smirked. “I can’t wait to see this footage. That chick has got some money to blow and time to waste if she did this.”

“Actually, we should see if there are any recent reports of firework theft,” he added.

“Excellent idea.”

They set up in the living room. I made them each a mug of coffee. Both of them were bent in close to the screen. Jasper’s eyes were squinting, so I brought him his glasses.

“Thank you, darlin,” he cooed, rubbing my back as he put them on. His gaze never left the laptop.

I leaned against the couch and watched them silently study the footage. There were several officers roaming my property, and a couple of cars parked outside. Some of our neighbors came out to get a look. Not that I blamed them. I would have been curious, too. The cops would have to interview them.

“It’s the same jacket as the jogger in the video from last time. Black with dark gray bands over the arms. Looks like a Nike swoosh on the breast,” Sam declared after about a minute. He paused it and pointed at each thing.

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. “I’ll go to the office and check, but I’m pretty positive. Damn. I was going to grill out today, too.”

“I’m sorry. Look, it can wait-” Jasper began, but he cut him off.

“Hell no! Someone is doing some stupid shit to my friends, and I don’t like it. I will find out who, and I’m going to put a stop to it. I just gotta call Emily and let her know what’s going on. We can do it tomorrow. She’ll understand.” He pulled out his phone and paused. “Hey, if you have nothing going on, would you like to come over and join us? I miss having you around.”

My husband looked at me for reassurance, and I smiled. “Yeah. That would be great. I can’t wait to meet your wife,” I answered for us.

Four hours later, everyone was gone again, and it left only the destruction behind. Jasper texted his parents to let them know all the details. We plopped down on our rarely used couch at the same time. It had seen more action in the past day than it ever had. Slowly, we looked at each other and frowned. He took my hand and brought it to his lips to kiss. 

We stayed there silently for twenty minutes, just holding hands. I jumped when there was a knock on the door.

He stood to get it. I anxiously watched from the sofa. He peeked through the crack, then scoffed a little as he opened it wider. His mother, father, grandmother, sister, and brother-in-law were all standing on the other side with trays of food.

“We waited for you to eat,” his mom told him, holding up the three foil packages. It seemed heavy, the weight bowing the bottom of the pan. “I’m going to take these to the kitchen and get them heated up!” She didn’t wait for him to say anything, rushing to put it down. Everyone followed her inside in a line. Even his grandmother was clutching a bag.

She patted his arm. “Hey, baby. Are you doing okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine,” he said in a small voice. He hugged her tightly. She rubbed a soothing circle on his back.

“I don’t know who’s bothering you, but they’re real bastards.” He snorted and nodded in agreement. She went to put her sack down in the kitchen, too. 

Pushing off the couch, I rushed to my husband. He turned his face away, hastily wiping his cheeks. I brought him into an embrace, putting my arms around his waist. “See? Everything will be okay.”

Smiling genuinely, he closed his eyes as he rested his forehead against mine. A fat tear rolled down his cheek. “Yes, it is.” 


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Thanks to Gina for proofreading!


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12/1/2020

Ring: Chapter Twelve: An Aisle Filled with Glitter

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Chapter Twelve:
​An Aisle Filled with Glitter


Life was quiet for a few days.

We worked on unpacking and decorating our new house together, shopping to buy decor almost daily. Jasper would have preferred to skip that, but if he was going to be my bodyguard, he had to go wherever my random whims took me. Home improvement stores, craft shops, or Target. He never looked more like a hardass agent than in an aisle filled with glitter.

Watching his eyes roll back into his head at the overwhelming girly scent of Bath & Body Works as I bought soap, candles, and air fresheners for every room of the townhouse was delightfully fun in a mean way. Maybe I was easily entertained. He said nothing, but his nose kept wrinkling in mild disgust. After a while, I started asking his opinion on fragrances I knew he wouldn’t like, just to see his reaction.

“What about this one?” I questioned as I held a candle up. It was a high-powered honeysuckle, and I could barely bring it a foot from my face before my eyes watered from its strength.

He took a deep breath to steel himself, saying nothing as he leaned down to put his nose in it. Jasper instantly pulled away, taking a couple of steps back as his face turned to the side. His hands automatically went up. “Jesus Christ, no.”

Laughing so hard I wheezed, I placed it down before I doubled over. When he swatted my ass, I snorted. The noises were really unflattering.

“I ain’t sniffing another damn thing,” he grumbled as he leaned in so no one else could hear us. It wasn’t a very busy store, and it was slow because of the holiday. Everybody had other things to do on New Year’s Eve. He pinched my rear hard. “Laughing at me. Rude girl.”

“You can spank me for it when we get home,” I offered with a wicked grin.

He raised his eyebrows. “And give you exactly what you want?” Jasper stepped behind me and put his arms around my waist. Resting his chin on my shoulder, he pecked my temple. “Um… I was actually going to ask if you’d like to do a scene tonight, Goddess.”

We had been playing nonstop, and most of our evenings had been filled with role-playing, new toys, and positions. We were constantly switching back and forth. But I figured we wouldn’t do anything for the next few days. It was the first anniversary of the shooting, and I didn’t know if he could be in that mindset. I was planning on focusing on making life as comfortable for him as possible.

“What do you want to do?” I questioned softly, looking around to see if there was anyone close by. There were only two other women, and they were in different corners. Neither was paying attention to us.

“I want you to be in charge. I need to not think, and I want to enjoy the moment with you. This is an important day for us. We’re starting the new year together as partners.”

We declined invitations from his family and our friends to go out and party. Alice was disappointed but understood. All I intended for the night was making dinner. It would be comfort food, one of his favorites. The following day we would spend some time with his parents, enjoying the weird traditional meal Texans decided was good luck.

“We were last year, too, but it is different,” I admitted as my teeth worried my lip. “Are you certain?”

His face dropped a little. “If you don’t want-”

I brought my hand up. “No. I want to. I always do. But that’s not what I said. I asked if you were sure. There are a lot of triggers to worry about in the next few days. If you’re not emotionally in the right spot, it may be best if we just cuddled and went to sleep. Our celebration doesn’t have to be sexual.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to rest, anyway. We might as well have some fun. You’re right about the triggers, but I think it would help. You’re so good at distracting me, and that’s what I’ll need.”

“I don’t want to hurt you tonight.”

Sighing, he pressed his lips to my temple. “If you’re in control, we can do whatever you want. Truly.”

“I know you enjoy it, though.” He could take so much more pain than I could, and I considered myself tough. He liked it when I pushed his limits, but I was the only one who was allowed.

His head swayed from side to side with a little smirk. “I enjoy ice cream too. But that doesn’t mean I have to eat it every time I have dessert. If my Goddess is in the mood for vanilla, that’s fine. Or you can use me as a foot prop while you watch a movie. I don’t care.”

“You know, you keep bringing up me using you as furniture. I didn’t realize you were into that,” I dryly stated.

He smirked. “Um, yeah? I love it when you sit on me. My lap, my face… Let me be your chair.”

Softly, I giggled as I leaned into him, my back to his chest. His arms coiled around me. “Oh, that is true. Okay. If that’s what you want. But you better safe word if-”

“Darlin, I won’t have to, but I know. I trust you. You’ll take care of me and keep me safe,” he cooed the words. It was so seductive.

We stopped at the grocery store on the way home to get what I needed for dinner. After putting everything away, I gazed at my husband. “Would you like to start the scene now, or do you want to wait until after we eat?”

“Whatever you wish, Goddess.”

I rested against the counter with my palms on the marble. It was pleasantly cool on my skin. My nails tapped on it as I thought about what I wanted to do. It was about four in the afternoon. “Go get cleaned up. Put on blue jeans and a t-shirt. You’re going to help me cook. I was planning on making parmesan chicken with spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread. Oh, and dessert. I want a pleasant meal before I use you.”

He smiled a little. “Yes, ma’am.”

As I waited for him, I got things ready. I would test his desire for me to be in control, even if it wasn’t sexual, for as long as possible.

When he came back down, I could smell the mint of our toothpaste and the fresh cologne he spritzed on. Facing him, I brushed my fingers over his cheek. “What are our safe words?”

“Red and Yellow.”

I brought my thumb over his lip. “And we use them for whatever reason we feel necessary. If at any moment it becomes too much, you use them. And you may speak freely the entire night.” I held his chin and forced him to look into my eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he breathed. He quickly leaned forward to capture my lips. “I’m ready to serve you.”

Smiling, I went back to where I was working on the island. “Go start some music, and then I want you to make some banana pudding.”

His expression was so cute as he pulled out his phone to put on one of his favorite playlists. He was delighted, his cheeks a little pink. “Yes, ma’am,” he said in an amused tone. When he was done, he picked up the box and read the instructions.

I knew exactly what to do off the top of my head because I had made it so many times. “Two cups of cold milk. There’s a metal bowl in the freezer. You use the mixer for two minutes,” I explained as I opened a can of tomatoes. “Then slice the bananas and layer them with whipped cream and vanilla wafers.”

“You’re going to make me a better cook than my mama,” he mumbled under his breath as he went to the fridge.

I snorted. “It’s not all that hard.”

The sauce needed to simmer the longest, so I started some oil and butter in a large pot. Onions went into it first to brown before I worked on chopping the garlic. I would need a lot for it, the bread, and salad dressing. It made the room smell so delicious.

Jasper was just finishing our dessert when my knife slipped and sliced through the tip of my finger. I gasped in surprise, even if it was so sharp that it didn’t hurt instantly. “Ow, dammit,” I whimpered automatically as I dropped it onto the counter.

Right away, my husband went into action. He took my hand, holding it up in the air as he walked me over to the sink to rinse it off. “It’s not deep, so I don’t think you need stitches. Keep it up,” he ordered, going to where I had put all medicines. He got a cleanser, a cream, and a band-aid. I grinned as I watched him go. Jasper was ready to take charge at a moment’s notice if he needed to. “Here, let me see.”

He sanitized my finger, making sure there was nothing in it and dry before dabbing the ointment on my wound then bandaged it. When he was done, he brought it up to his lips to kiss. 

“Thank you,” I breathed, smiling at him. Giving him a deep kiss, I would reward him for his nurturing later in the evening. “Finish up the pudding and make us some drinks. I’d like wine.”

He went back to his bowl. “Red or white?”

“Red would go well with our meal.”

Instantly, he slipped back into his role. It was seamless. He brought me two bottles to choose from. I tapped the one I wanted with my nail. When he served me a glass, I grabbed his ass hard enough to make him squeak. It was a raw, unexpected noise. It made me wickedly giggle.

“Your nails are sharp,” he pouted at my teasing. “You don’t let them get this long normally.”

I glanced down at my hands, the band-aid on the ring finger of my left hand. “I’ve been busy, and I haven’t been chewing on them.” I poured some wine from the bottle into the pot. It hissed right away, sending steam into the air. “I’ve been taking my frustration out in other ways lately.” Quietly, I laughed as I looked over at him. “I’ve never had this much sex before. I think we’ve fucked every day since our anniversary.”

“Sometimes twice or three times a day,” he added as he sucked the whipped cream from his thumb. His eyes were gazing into mine, swirling with desire. 

Curling my finger, I beckoned him closer. “Let me have a taste.”

He scooped some onto his fingers and brought it to me. Rolling my tongue over the tips, I sucked them into my mouth. Jasper took his bottom lip between his teeth as he watched. He wanted so badly to push them further down my throat. I pulled away with a pop.

“Go prepare the bedroom and line up all the toys for pleasure on the dresser. When you get done, you can fix the salad.”

“Yes, Goddess,” he breathed as his cheeks turned slightly pink again. His pretty blue eyes focused on my lips for a moment. Carefully, he smudged away a tiny dab of cream that was in the corner of my mouth then sucked it off the pad of this thumb.

Cooking actually took a couple of hours, but not all of it was hard work. I kept Jasper busy, though. When it was time to eat, I sat on his lap.

“I want you to feed me,” I informed him as I got more comfortable, putting my napkin on my lap. This wasn’t the neatest meal to begin with.

“With pleasure, ma’am.”

He cut it into tiny pieces, so he wouldn’t drop huge chunks of chicken on the way to my mouth. Holding his hand under the fork, he slowly brought it to my lips. Every once in a while, I would give him a bite too. After I did, he would press a kiss to my cheek to thank me.

When we were almost done, he wrapped his arms around my waist while I chewed. “This was one of the first meals you ever made for me. It’s still one of my favorites, too. So good,” he hummed. He had a few glasses of wine because I kept pouring them for him. After a while, I wasn’t even certain if he noticed. Jasper was especially relaxed. I could feel it in his muscles, all the tension melting away.

I leaned back against him as I offered him a bite of garlic bread. “I’ll have to teach you how to make it for me.”

He laughed. “If you want burned poultry and gummy noodles. Sure.”

“You are an intelligent man, a doctor, and an artist. You can follow a recipe,” I teased.

“Let’s start with easier stuff before we jump into a homemade Italian feast. You had to tell me how to fix boxed nanner puddin,” he continued in a thick southern drawl.

Shaking my head, I snorted softly. “So, I don’t think I’m ready for dessert yet.” I rubbed my fingers over his jaw to get a speck of sauce off. We were a bit of a mess. “I think I’d like to take a bath. Start the water.”

I put the dishes away before making my way slowly to our bedroom. I wanted to give him the time he needed to prepare. Music was already playing in the background. The sound of the tub filling made it hard to hear.

“I want bubbles,” I added as I leaned against the doorframe. “The vanilla.” I pulled my shirt off and threw it into the hamper. My bra was next. I peered down at my hands. “You’re right. My nails are long.” I picked a color from the small collection I had. It was a quick-drying one, so it was less likely to mess up. I also got the clippers, the soap, and scrubs I wanted him to use. I passed him the paint bottle. It looked so tiny in his enormous hand. He gazed in it in almost confusion. I wasn’t sure he had ever held one before.

Pulling off my jeans with my underwear, I drew my hair up into a ponytail so it wouldn’t get wet. I stepped into the hot water, hissing in pleasure. He took my palm and helped me to sit without falling.

“I don’t know where to start,” he admitted as he continued to hold it.

Humming, I rested my arms on the rim. “Wash me first, then use the scrub on my feet before doing my nails. I want to be pampered and totally relaxed before I use you. It’s going to be a long night.”

Jasper poured a bunch of my shower gel onto the puff, lathering it until it was overflowing with suds. He rubbed it delicately over my back and arms, being as gentle and non-perverted as he could be. He wasn’t allowed to touch my breasts yet, and he knew it.

What I loved the most was what he did to my feet. He took so much time, rubbing the sugar scrub into my heels and massaging it with his strong thumbs in between my toes. It made me melt into the water with my head barely resting on the edge.

Carefully as possible, he clipped my finger and toenails to a much shorter length before picking up the bottle. He read it or attempted to. He brought it close to his eyes since he didn’t have his reading glasses on. His lips pushed to one side.

It was hard not to giggle. “Give it a solid shake. Two coats. Take the excess off on the sides, so it doesn’t drip,” I instructed.

Smirking, he shook it. “I was never good at painting.”

“You’ll get plenty of practice,” I teased as I wiggled my toes at him.

Kneeling beside the tub, he took my foot and placed it on his knee. Delicately, he painted each one with tiny strokes. He was trying so hard not to make a mess. When he was done, he blew on them.

Electric sparks ran right between my legs.

“Put the chair in the middle of the room and take off everything but your boxers,” I said as I got out finally. The water was getting cooler, and all the bubbles were gone. I wrapped the towel around me tightly so I wouldn’t get cold as I went to the closet.

He was eager to get to this part. It was getting close to eleven, and knew the real fun was about to begin. That was when I heard it. A familiar kind of explosion. It was a loud banging, like machine gunfire. Our neighbors were popping fireworks.

Immediately, Jasper went stiff. I had almost forgotten about them. Though the music muffled them, it wasn’t enough. Another went off, and it took everything in him not to jump.

I instantly moved to my bedside table and grabbed my AirPods. “Sit down,” I ordered. He had already stripped. I flew to the laptop and switched it, so the sound was playing on them instead. “Put these in now. They don’t come out until I say so.”

Placing one in each ear, he sat slowly like his body was heavy. His plush pink lips were pulled down. I brought my hand to his jaw to force him to look at me. “Do we need to stop?”

He shook his head quickly. “Distract me, Goddess. Please,” he begged.

Kissing his mouth hard, I dropped my towel to the floor. “I want you to close your eyes and take deep breaths for me while I finish getting prepared. Meditate and focus on your breathing and heartbeat.”

Hastily, I threw on a red lace teddy and sprayed on my perfume. Then I dimmed the lights. The fireworks continued outside, and I knew they wouldn’t stop for an hour. At least they waited until later in the evening.

I gazed at the selection he got for pleasure. It was pretty much everything but the paddles and the heavier riding crops. First, I chose something with feathers on the end. I rubbed it against my palm to feel its softness. 

Drawing it over his cheek, I leaned down to speak in his ear. “We’re going to start with a little sensory play.” I moved it over his lips and down his chin. “I’m going to ramp it up as slowly as possible.”

Keeping an eye on the time, I teased him with the feathers, then a crop, and a soft leather flogger. I hadn’t touched his cock or allowed him to open his eyes. He was aching with need, though. I put them away before coming to sit on his lap. It was five minutes till and someone had obviously spent a lot of money on fireworks around us. I was trying my best to ignore them.

I brought my hands to his neck as I pecked his lips softly, resting my forehead against his. “I want you to know that I am happier than I’ve ever been in my life. You bring me joy beyond what I knew was possible. You are literally my knight in shining armor. I am so proud to be yours, and though I didn’t realize at the beginning of the month that I would end the year as your wife, I am so grateful to be. Thank you for caring for me so thoroughly. And thank you for your submission, your love, and your never-ending confidence in me. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you like this.”

So many explosions went off outside I felt them in my chest. That was Texas for you. They sure loved their fireworks. “Look at me,” I implored. He opened his eyes. “I love you, Sir,” I whispered before I kissed him deeply.

“I love you, too, Goddess,” he breathed against my lips. His arms wrapped tightly around my back, pulling me close to him. It was so passionate and full of promise. When we pulled apart, he finally saw what I was wearing. It wasn’t something he had seen me in before and was one of my purchases from when I went shopping with his sister. “Unf,” he moaned the sound as his eyes moved over me. “I can’t wait to see you in this while you wear my collar. I’m going to draw-”

I put my finger over his lips to quiet him before pushing two past them like he wanted to do in the kitchen to me earlier in the evening. Automatically, he began to suck. “Shh, I’ve got better things for your mouth to do right now.”  


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Thanks to Gina for proofreading!


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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!


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✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
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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.

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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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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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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.


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💍Ring💍
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10/30/2020

Ring: Chapter Six: Around the House

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Chapter Six: Around the House


I didn’t want to go home.

It was such a reversal from just a month before, when we were in Albany.

Neither did Jasper. We couldn’t live in Vegas, though. It was too busy, too bright. 

He spoke to Sam before we left, making sure the house was fine and that everything that he ordered was installed and working correctly. The FBI was still looking into the car. The only camera in the neighborhood was four houses down, and all it caught was a woman jogging in the middle of the night. Her face was covered so we couldn’t even tell if she was one of our neighbors so we could ask if she saw anything. It wasn’t as if I would know them on sight, anyway. I hadn’t introduced myself yet.

The whole situation was extremely frustrating, and it made him feel out of control. 
The story hadn’t gotten onto the news, but people were calling Eric. They wanted statements from me, or to do interviews. Several local newspapers were especially interested in sitting down with me. I had no comment for any of them. I didn’t know what was going on, and I didn’t feel like reliving the stress of it repeatedly. Annoyingly, I knew I would talk about it for a long time, whether I wanted to or not.

I texted Alice and Tanya to let them know we were coming back into town. They were hanging out with Rosalie, shopping. They were all worried about me, which was sweet. I missed my friends. We agreed to meet up in a few days for lunch.

Our townhouse looked perfectly normal when we arrived back from the airport with ten times more than what we left with. Jasper was still concerned, though. He went through it, clearing each room like he was on an active scene. Once I was settled inside our bedroom with the door locked behind me, he went outside to go around it with his gun.

Our neighbors were going to think we were freaks.

We were, but not because my romantic partner was sneaking around the house at nine o’clock at night with a loaded handgun. He was actually trained to do that, and at least if the cops were called, we had a good excuse.

After coming back upstairs, he put it back in the safe that was hidden away in the closet. He had a small collection, but they were mostly for work. He wasn’t a gun nut. There were a couple that meant something to him, a BB gun from his childhood and his grandfather’s hunting rifle. He also had one that was a gift from his parents. It was engraved with the date of his graduation from West Point. It was an old-fashioned six-shooter with a mother-of-pearl handle. Jasper had gone through a cowboy phase as a child, which is why he wanted to be a ‘sheriff.’ The idea was very cute. He kept it clean but had only fired it a few times. It was more of a showpiece than a weapon. It stayed in the closet in his old bedroom until just a couple of weeks before.

I considered getting him a display case for it for Christmas. We could stick it up somewhere in the office. I could have it engraved, too. The day was approaching so quickly. I hoped I could find something else to go with it in New York.

My mind was lost in thought as I unpacked. When the doorbell rang, I jumped a mile. Just being in the house made me on edge. Jasper and I looked at each other. He pulled his gun right out and stuck it in his back pocket after making sure the safety was on. He tugged his shirt over it and went to go get it. I was grateful he wasn’t drawing his weapon on random people yet.

Following behind, I stopped at the top of the stairs. It was easy to observe from there, but anyone at the door wouldn’t be able to see me. The angle was too steep. The bell rang again. I could only see someone’s hair through the small glass window at the top of the door. It was a man or a very tall woman.

Jasper peeked through it, then groaned. “It’s fine,” he grumbled softly before opening it wide. It was Edward, appearing nervous with his hands shoved into his scrub pockets. He must have come from work. “What are you doing here?” He rudely greeted him. 

“I’m sorry. I just… Um,” he paused, staring down at his feet as he rocked. “I wanted to make sure you and Bella were alright. I know we’re not friends anymore, but she was terrified the other day and… And it scared me.”

I came down the steps, using the railing so I didn’t trip down them. “That’s nice. We’re fine, though. Thank you.” Nodding, Edward’s cheeks were slightly pink as he looked away in embarrassment. “Has everything been okay?”

“Yeah. Nothing has happened at the apartment. Tanya stayed with me for a couple of days, but she’s gone back. She prefers her bed,” he explained while still not looking at either of us.

“This might be the time to think about moving in together seriously,” I suggested.

He chuckled, nodding again. “Yeah. You’re probably right. But she enjoys having her personal space, though. You know her.”

“I’m going to put my gun away,” Jasper muttered in a low tone, trudging up the stairs. He didn’t want to be a part of the tedious small talk. He pulled it from his pocket and removed the clip, loudly taking each step. With a sigh, I shook my head. He was still in his work boots, so he used them to send a noisy message… which was ‘not welcome, go away.’ He wasn’t subtle.

“Oh, that’s a real pistol,” Edward murmured to himself, leaning over to watch him go up to our room. “He had-” He looked at me in surprise. His mouth opened and closed several times as he peered towards our bedroom.

I snorted because I couldn’t help it. “Yup, he did. Don’t worry, he won’t shoot you. Just make sure you properly announce yourself, and I would suggest visiting during the daylight hours. For your own protection.”

Laughing, he shook his head. “So, you’re okay?”

I leaned against the door frame with one shoulder and sighed. “Yeah. I’m a little stressed, but I’m really happy overall. Everything isn’t perfect, but some remarkable things have happened to me this month. The house and our trip. Other stuff.”

“Where did you end up going?” He inquired, continuing the small talk. I hadn’t spoken to my roommate much. He seemed genuinely curious.

“Vegas,” I replied with a smile, absently pushing my hair out of my eyes and behind my ear. “I’ve never gone. It was so much fun.”

His expression changed, and his face dropped. “Oh, that is a very big ring on your finger,” he breathed and became visibly redder. “Did- Did you… get engaged?” He gazed at my left hand. Then it fully dawned on him. “You got married in Las Vegas.”

“Um, yeah,” I grinned at his stumbling summary. “It’s not as cheesy as it sounds. We got married outside in the desert. Red Canyon. It was beautiful.” I took a deep breath. “Could you not tell T yet, please? We’re telling his family in a couple of days, and she’ll definitely tell Rosalie. Family needs to be the first to know.”

His eyes were a little glazed over, and he had an odd smile. When he glanced in my direction, it was somewhere past me. “Oh, yeah. Sure. Of course. I won’t say anything.” He laughed awkwardly. “God, Tanya would just tell everyone, wouldn’t she?”

“Oh, everyone,” I agreed with a laugh. “This is too dramatic and romantic not to share.”

“I hope you don’t plan on keeping it from her for long.”

I shook my head quickly. “Of course not. I was going to tell her and Alice at the same time. I’m not sure how either of them will react, so I’m nervous.”

“They’ll be thrilled for you, just like I am.” Jasper came down and sort of glared at him. He grimaced and swallowed before forcing a grin. “Congrats, man. That’s awesome. You are very, very lucky.”

“I am,” he remarked as he put his hand on my spine. I rolled my eyes at his possessiveness. It was silly.

“Hopefully, uh, we’ll be making that trip next year too. Down the aisle, I mean,” he added. “I was thinking of proposing either New Year’s or Valentine’s Day. Haven’t decided,” Edward blurted out as he looked down at his feet.

“Oh! Great! Let me know if you need any help setting that up. I’d love to make it special for her,” I offered right away. “I’ll be happy to distract or decorate or whatever.”

“Thank you,” he said in surprise. He bowed his head and cleared his throat. “Okay, so you’re good. That’s why I came. I just wanted to make sure. I’m certain you’re tired, so I’ll talk to you later.”

“Alright, bye,” I called softly, watching him turn around to go to his fancy silver sports car. It was too cold for his motorcycle, which he preferred. It was brand new, and I had never seen it before. He loved his shiny toys.

“Goodnight,” Jasper sarcastically sang in a thick southern accent. I glanced at him, and he raised his eyebrows innocently. Silently, I tilted my head to the side.

Suddenly, Edward turned back around. “Oh, wait.” He pulled a box from his jacket pocket. “I got you something. I got one for Tanya, too. Here.” He shoved it in my hand before rushing away. When I looked down, I realized it was a can of mace in a fancy silver metal key chain in the shape of a cat. The ears were slightly sharp for poking or stabbing in the eyes. It was heavy and would do some damage.

My husband took it from my grip. “I don’t like him giving you a gift, but I understand why he gave you this.”

“It’s nice,” I remarked with a smirk. “He’s trying harder to be a decent human.” Taking the box from his hands, I put it in my purse. “Do you want to order a pizza? I’m hungry, and there isn’t any food in the house.” 

After dinner, we went to bed. We woke up slowly in our new room. It felt like staying in a hotel. I wasn’t used to my surroundings and needed to make it our own. No place felt like home yet, and I didn’t like it.

The movers brought my things along with our pod. It didn’t take us long to take all our stuff out. It would go back the next day. After that, we showered and went to the market to fill our pantry with all the staple items we needed. There was nothing but some liquor in there from when he proposed.

Once we dropped off the groceries, we went to the kitchen store so I could buy some new pots and pans. Everything was perfect in our place, and my old things just wouldn’t do. I wanted everything to be pretty. When my mother-in-law came over for dinner, I wanted to show off. I had the money to change the world around me.

I needed a fresh start.

We were so tired afterward that we ordered a ton of Chinese. Sitting in the sunroom, we listened to music and enjoyed our meal. It was quiet and comfortable, but I still felt uneasy. My anxiety was on edge. Every movement in the backyard made me nervous, even though it was just the wind. I told myself it was only in my head. A million lights and alarms would go off if someone stepped foot on our property.
​
The next morning, I woke up determined to make Jasper a big breakfast. Muffins, eggs, bacon, and coffee with fruit. I put it on the tray he used for that special night and brought it up to the bedroom. He was still asleep. It was late in the day for him, almost nine. He was enjoying the rest. I loved seeing him like that. I liked watching him sleep, and I knew he enjoyed it too. His art books were proof of that.

I put the food on the dresser so I could kiss him awake. He grinned drowsily at me, his fingers coming to my hair. “I made you something. Go wash up real quick.”

“Thank you,” he mumbled, brushing his other hand over his face. When he saw the tray, he impishly smiled. “Oh, darlin. You are so damn good to me.”

Giggling, I brought it to the bed. I also arranged his laptop so we could watch something while we ate together.

We were about halfway through our feast when his phone dinged. He smirked a little. “Mama says to text her when you get a chance.”

“She could just text me.”

“She could, but she has to talk to as many people as possible,” he chuckled.

I sent her a message. I needed to speak to them about getting together that night, anyway. Everyone had already agreed, but we hadn’t discussed the spot. With something in mind, I only had to make reservations.

“Are you busy right now?” His mother asked promptly.

“Nope,” I responded. Almost instantly, my cell rang. Putting it on speaker, I answered while holding my husband’s gaze. “Hi, Caroline. How are you?”

“I’m so good, baby. How are y’all?”

I smiled. He was shaking his head as he nibbled at the end of a piece of bacon. “We’re great. I brought your wonderful son breakfast in bed, and we’re watching Netflix. So, it’s a perfect morning.”

“Aw, that’s sweet. I’m just so excited about tonight. I miss y’all so much,” she said in a thick Texan drawl.

“We miss you, too,” I replied softly.

I nudged Jasper. “We do. Very much so. We’re excited about tonight, too.”

“Is there anything I need to bring?” She questioned. “Did you decide on a place?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m working on that now. I’ll text you the name and directions when I get it all confirmed. You don’t need to bring anything. This evening is all my treat,” I informed her quickly. Jasper made a little face. I put my hand in it, pushing him away slightly. It made him snort. I didn’t care if he didn’t like me paying for things. I had the money, and I could do whatever the hell I wanted with it, which included taking my new in-laws to a fancy-ass steakhouse.

“Okay, honey. I only wanted to check and make sure everything was still on. Oh! Did y’all want to come to the house this weekend to grill out? Sunday? We can go to church first.”

I looked at her son and smiled. He did too. “Sure, Mama. Sounds good. Love you. See you tonight.”

“Love you both!” She cooed before she hung up.

We stared at each other for a moment. He smirked before he took a sip of his coffee. “Are you ready, Mrs. Hale?”

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Thanks to Gina for proofreading!


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