Malicious Compliance Chapter Thirteen

A large part of Edward—a very large, throbbing part—wanted to give in to his urges. Being domestic with Bella brought back those good memories he'd long since buried. What he once thought could only be a physical relationship, full of quickies and no substance, had grown into much more. Edward had missed her, there was no denying that. If he put thoughts of Bella to the back of his mind, he could live his life without her. Perhaps it would be difficult. Maybe he would only be lying to himself that he was fully happy, but he could have a complete life without Bella Swan. He'd done it once and he could do it again.

Malicious Compliance Chapter Twelve

Feeling numb for the remainder of the dinner rush, Bella tried her best to block out the sound of their grating voices. Tanya and Vicky's reputations for being ruthless gossips had made them a large circle of fake friends, and Bella was more than happy to be excluded. No one needed friends who were prepared to stab them in the back at the slightest provocation just because it meant getting ahead by a tiny inch. Bella had a job to do, and she was damn good at it. Still, by the time the dinner crowd left, she had to sit in the break room and lower her head between her knees.

Malicious Compliance Chapter Eleven

Between Bella and Austin, they’d rescheduled the meeting with Seth for the evening so Edward could be there. Bella wasn't sure how she felt about his revelation from the night before. Not that he was better off financially, or even that he’d kept it from her.

Malicious Compliance Chapter Ten

Alice was . . . an entity of her own. She was cute, knowledgeable, and not afraid to make fun of herself. Bella thought Alice and Jasper would make a great couple, but that would require Jasper to stop putting his dick in every woman who glanced his way.

Malicious Compliance Chapter Nine

Edward couldn't help loving the way it felt when Bella wrapped her arms around him as they settled on his motorcycle. From long rides into the countryside to naughtier nights when they got a little frisky—maybe a little dangerous—he missed it all. They used to have fun when she wasn't free falling into despair over money; granted, they were young and stupid. Since his thoughts and feelings were on the surface lately, it was only expected that he would look back on all they’d had and done. With all that in mind, he purposely picked a small cafe they’d enjoyed plenty of times in the past.

Malicious Compliance Chapter Eight

Setting her mug down on the countertop with a snap, Bella sighed and ran her hands through her hair. She'd spent the morning crunching numbers, and no matter which way she added everything up, it was obvious she would need about half the start-up costs from Austin to supplement her savings. The night before, he'd left her with the promise of drawing up contracts to ensure his generous investment in her dessert shop was fair. He would take a small percentage of her earnings until the loan was paid off, unless she somehow came up with enough to pay him back outright. 

Devil Incarnate Epilogue

Turning a full circle, his gaze washed over the muted green walls of Bella’s childhood bedroom. The passing years hadn't been very kind to the Swan house, as evidenced by the peeling paint and sagging floorboards. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Thirty

The air was sultry with light summer rain, causing damp tendrils of hair to stick to the back of her neck. In irritation, she flagged down the server—of course he'd been checking her out the entire time she sat there—to pay her bill. Once she'd paid, she left the covered flagstone patio to meander through the crowd on the sidewalk, breathing deeply of the briny air coming off Elliott Bay.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty-nine

Once the dust settled, Quinn realized he was more than a little pissed at his parents. At first, he'd blamed his father. Edward told them the plan was to kill Bella; just dropped it like a bomb in their laps on the way to the lab.

Malicious Compliance Chapter Seven

Something told him to turn back around instead of leaving; some deep part of him long thought dead. Turn around, walk back to the table, and don't let her suffer alone. Edward knew part of the reason he left each time they interacted was to punish her for everything she'd done to him when they were together. He'd also suffered, to the point where his self esteem took a huge hit, but it wasn't the same as what she'd gone through to make her act that way. And he knew it. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty-eight

Bella thought maybe she was dreaming. Soon, she would awaken in a world where Zion had never targeted them and no one had died. If that happened, then she couldn't be standing in a room full of dead bodies, the President of the United States, her only son . . . and her mother.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty-seven

"Something’s not right."

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty-six

Legs planted and hands on his waist, Edward surveyed the surrounding area, not seeing anything of importance. Where fires burned at the last compound, there was nothing but darkness to greet them at the location near the bunker in Virginia. 

Malicious Compliance Chapter Six

“I’ve known for a long time.” When a server came over to ask if Bella wanted a drink, she ordered a whiskey neat.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty-five

Everything was covered in blood—his wife's blood. The floor, the wall, the chair, her clothing . . . their son. He clenched his jaw, exhaling the reeking sulfur still emanating from his Ruger.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty-four

With the French doors open to the sounds of the night, Bella heard the whir of the garage door opening. A few moments later, headlights cut through the oppressive darkness. She counted three sets before they rounded the curve in the driveway.

Malicious Compliance Chapter Five

It was physically painful to walk away. Teasing her was exciting enough to make him hard again just thinking about it, but she was toxic, and he knew it. Until Bella broke up with Austin, it wasn’t likely Edward could enjoy any serious time in her bed. The idea of fuck buddies was probably the best they could hope for even if she did break up with him, since all they did when they dated was argue. 

Malicious Compliance Chapter Four

"Where's your boy toy?" he asked, shoving the door closed behind him. 

Malicious Compliance Chapter Three

If Edward thought for one minute he could walk away from her a second time, he was sorely mistaken. Forcing herself to stand on shaky legs, she left the coffee shop and followed him down the sidewalk. A few women turned to stare when he passed, undoubtedly noticing a tall man with strong shoulders and his head held high. The nearly full body of artwork was an attention getter, his choice of chunky silver chains resting on a tight black t-shirt catching the light. Bella had once been privileged enough to know what was underneath his tough exterior, but that was a long time ago.

Malicious Compliance Chapter Two

Bella had no choice but to go back down to the party. To Austin, who had no idea what she was doing while she was gone—or what Edward had done to her. With her stomach trembling, she pushed her hair forward, ensuring she hid any marks he might have left. She'd been too distraught to think of bite marks in the bathroom, but she'd managed to quickly clean up her makeup and adjust her dress.

Malicious Compliance Chapter One

Growling in frustration, Edward dropped his cell on the end table and ran his hands through his hair. It was the third time in the past week he'd heard the same gossip from one of his friends. She was out there every night, at every party, trash talking him to anyone who would listen. And hadn't he seen the picture proof of who she was hanging out with every night? Her social media pages were public, and he was weak enough to look. Her new boyfriend was a finance mogul with an eight-figure inheritance, exactly the opposite of tattooed, motorcycle riding, aircraft mechanic Edward.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty-three

With her world crumbling around her, Bella didn't have the strength to get out of bed for days. Her emotions were all over the place, and there was nowhere to steady her balance. If needed, she knew she could turn to some of the others; to Rose, Angela, or Leah. Everyone had come to see her, including her husband. She was at the point where she hated him, hated herself, and hated what Zion had done to them. Somehow, in less time than she could comprehend, she could no longer stand the sight of her own spouse. Between what he might have done with Gianna to not securing a place for her mother and Afton to remain hidden, and many, many more offenses, Bella couldn't find it in herself to forgive him. It felt that every op they’d participated in from day one had only made everything worse, and he'd been in charge of each of them. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty-two

Bella had locked herself in their bedroom, and he couldn't blame her. A few people had visited with her, including the kids, but Edward hadn't even attempted to enter the room. The last words she’d spoken to him reverberated in his head several times a day. Hell, he’d said them often enough himself over the years; they were meant to be cutting, after all. That she blamed him was obvious, but he figured she needed some time to move past it and accept what had happened. They all understood the risks, and there’d been a few casualties along the way. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty-one

“Jesus Christ, what happened to you?” Quinn ran down the handful of steps into the garage as their contingent arrived home. “Have you seen a doctor?”

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twenty

The explosion didn't even make them jump. The enemy was nothing if not predictable in one thing; they wanted the Cullens dead by any means necessary. Weaving through the pillars, Bella dodged a bullet and ducked low. Checking her clip, she glanced around to see who was nearest. Kiernan, a few agency operatives, and Emmett were the closest to her location. Emmett appeared to struggle with finding ammunition, so Bella whistled at him. He glanced up, and she tossed her spare magazine in his direction. Nodding, he reloaded and aimed at the men shooting at them. The responding shout made it clear he’d hit at least one of them.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Nineteen

Morning did not bring peace of mind. Clarity was lost in the wind, and so was her sanity. Bella had known—known—sex wasn't the answer. They were on opposite sides of the planet emotionally, and being intimate physically couldn't fix that. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Eighteen

Storming from the house, Bella let her emotions fuel the pumping of her legs. She ran until she couldn't see the house, until the only vision in front of her was the endless green of the forest. Her lungs burned, sweat stung her eyes, but it didn’t matter. All she could focus on was getting away.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Seventeen

Blinking awake, Edward turned his head to watch Bella sleep. Bruises in varying colors covered her body, reminding him of why he had to put his plan in motion immediately. Her behavior had become erratic, and though part of him couldn't blame her with all the stress they were under, he knew what had to be done. It was his chef who'd told him of Bella's meltdown in the kitchen the previous day. She'd gone to Rose, hoping to find a sympathetic ear. Instead, Rosalie and Tyler were scared for her mental health. It pleased him to know they remained loyal to him, alerting him when something was amiss. Even if that something was a someone—a member of the family. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Sixteen

Holden assured them they could go home the following morning. Bella was stiff and sore, but Quinn seemed to be fine as long as he kept on top of his pain meds. Lola met them at the front steps of the Cullen home, throwing her arms around his waist. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Fifteen

By the time Holden arrived at the safe house, the doctor had come and gone. After giving them each several stitches, he administered stronger pain medication to Bella and Quinn and recommended a follow up with their regular physician, which nearly had Edward laughing. Next time, they would simply walk into an urgent care clinic and not bother to explain why they were shot by law enforcement impersonators. That would go over like a lead balloon. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Fourteen

A wrenching sound left Bella’s mouth at the sight of her son covered in blood. “Edward, we have to do something!”

Devil Incarnate Chapter Thirteen

Edward skipped breakfast. Everything about their daily rituals had gone to shit, but he couldn't eat with the mixture of feelings churning through his stomach, anyway. Bella had always been stubborn, it was true, and he would typically ignore his knee-jerk reactions and let her do what she wanted without complaint. But what she proposed was so dangerous, he simply couldn't allow it. He'd backed down when she insisted Garrett had to be the person who went to the phone booth, and he'd done it because he saw how important it was to her. There was more fear than common sense behind her insistence, but he'd agreed for the sake of her sanity. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Twelve

The sound of running water was all Bella heard when she woke early the next morning. Time was running out; they'd have to move quickly to inform Zion of their acquisition. A million things needed done, a hundred items checked off a list. More meetings, more decisions, more arguments. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Eleven

Bella’s heart felt more whole once she returned to Quinn and the girls. Back at the house, they made arrangements for Kiernan to sleep in one of the many guest rooms and scheduled a basement meeting. Everyone knew him and what his agenda was by then, but it would take time to integrate him into their brood. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Ten

When Bella opened her eyes in the morning, she found she was wrapped up in Edward’s arms. All she wanted with every fiber of her being was to remain in bed with him, to love away the day. To pretend nothing was wrong. The warmth of his skin invited her to touch him, but she settled for kissing his brow.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Nine

Stunned, Edward sat back in his chair and stared at the man claiming to be from the CIA. “Proof.”

Devil Incarnate Chapter Eight

Unknown POV

Shifting the scope, the man in the SUV observed the small group of people creeping closer to the back door of the nuclear physics lab. It took them mere minutes to bypass the security and open the door. Exiting the vehicle, he followed on foot while keeping the door in sight. His only job was to make contact, but he had a feeling things would go sideways quickly. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Seven

Craving some semblance of normalcy, Bella went to work the next day. Edward nearly begged her to stay home, too afraid of the dangers of Zion targeting her while out from under his protection. In the end, she’d won the argument.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Six

With a sigh, Bella arched into the soft tickle on her back. The feeling continued down until it caressed her bottom, then moved up to cup her breast. More alert, she shifted to her back and reveled in the pinch and roll of her nipple. The sheets whispered against her thighs as she rubbed them together. Another trip down and up, returning to tease the hard peaks created by his touch. The more attention he gave them, the more her breathing changed, puffing out in erotic moans.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Five

Edward didn't think he’d ever grow accustomed to the view from the plane as they flew over Ireland. Not for the first time, he wished he’d spent more time there after his grandfather passed away. It seemed as though his parents had specifically tried to prevent him from knowing his father’s extended family. Then again, considering how deranged his parents turned out to be, maybe the Irish Cullens had been the ones to cut ties.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Four

In perfect clarity, the monitor showed Garrett walking up to the derelict phone booth perched haphazardly on a downtown street. He wasn't in a friendly part of town; mostly, those present appeared to be surviving on the last dregs of their humanity. A man slouched on a front stoop wearing a coat several sizes too big and showcasing multiple holes. Another rail-thin man leaned against the side of a building, lost in the shadows looming from the overhanging roofline. Neither looked as though they’d remember their last hot meal if asked, and neither looked as though they would survive the year.

Devil Incarnate Chapter Three

After a thorough search of the grounds, Edward called an all-clear. There definitely had been activity outside the wall, and someone had managed to breach the gate. Nobody at the house was harmed, and there was no sign of anyone hanging around. As Bella had guessed, it was a scare tactic. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter Two

In the end, Quinn accompanied his parents to Forks while Renee and Afton stayed with the girls and Afton’s guards. There hadn't been any threats in over a decade, but they could never be too careful. Garrett, Phil, and five other guards had spent their years split between the house and the kids’ schools. Bella and Edward had worked together to operate a strictly legal business, opening the bookstore she'd always dreamed about. The concept of Bella’s Books became The Literary Bean when Edward decided the only way Bella could serve coffee was if he had a direct hand in producing it. They spent time in South America studying the best practices for growing and exporting coffee beans, then set about learning the most sophisticated technology for turning their crops into high-quality coffee. 

Devil Incarnate Chapter One

 3 months prior

Though the muscles in her legs burned, she continued to run. If she pushed herself that much further, she might be okay. Even a slight chance was better than nothing. Behind her, a twig snapped and sent her heart to her throat. In its holster, the weight of her gun mocked her. With him closing in on her, she'd never have time to stop and get off a shot.

Devil Incarnate Prologue

 20 years have passed, and the Cullen Family is now notorious for their legitimate business. From the outside, they appear to have an idyllic life, until an unforeseen threat throws their world into chaos. When loyalty and love are pushed to the limit, a line must be drawn between monsters and heroes.