A Family Of Conviction Ch 3
Chapter 3
EPOV
Lucian has been outside with Sam for a while, but I don’t question it. I trust my oldest unconditionally because he has never done anything to make me feel otherwise.
We head to our room after we put the little ones down. I know I’m in for an earful after trying to hide Damon’s whereabouts from Bella today. I know I shouldn’t have, but she’s been beating herself up since the day Damon decided he needed to be the rebellious one of our brood. I just wanted her not to stress for one day. She’s been working so hard, and now she has this idea to open a clinic to help with family planning, sexual education, and some other stuff, too. She’s going to work herself to death and beat herself up because she thinks she doesn’t spend enough time with the kids. I wanted to save her from that. She spends plenty of time with our kids. But she really does need to hire someone to help her out before she has a breakdown from all the stress. Unfortunately, I know my wife too well; she doesn’t like asking for help. She never has.
“You really should have told me what was going on, Edward.” She sighs, pulling her shirt off and exposing her creamy skin. I try to keep my focus on our conversation and not the shower sex we had this morning.
I turn away, taking my own shirt off and grabbing my sleep pants. “I was just trying to save you from stressing too much, love.”
Her teeth are clenched as she spits her words at me. “When it comes to our children, you should never keep anything from me, even if you think it’s going to cause me to have a meltdown.”
A long sigh escapes my lips, knowing she’s correct. I walk over, wrapping my arms around her. I pull Bella to my chest, kissing the top her head and breathing in her scent.
“I’m sorry, love, I won’t do it again.” I pray she lets it go. I know I fucked up, but I worry about her stress level.
Her body loosens up, and she wraps herself around me, letting out a content moan. “How did you punish him today?”
I chuckle, thinking about how my son was making copies and just all-around being Angela’s bitch for the day, all while wearing twenty-four-hour-plus old clothes that smelled ripe. “I handed him to Angela, and he worked for her today. He wasn’t allowed to nap or take a shower until I came home around four.”
Bella pulls away, looking at my face with a smirk. “That is a pretty good one.”
Some tension leaves my shoulders at her smile. “I also told him if he ever does this again, he’ll have a personal bodyguard twenty-four-seven and he’ll no longer own a phone. He won’t need one because his guard will do all his communicating.” I smile, pretty proud of myself for that idea.
She raises a brow. “Would you really do that?”
“I would. I’m done with his disappearing act. I’m done with him fucking stressing you out.”
She nods and climbs into bed, making sure the monitor is on so we can hear Wyatt.
“I’m going to say goodnight to our clan, then I’ll climb in next to you.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her.
She snorts and shakes her head at me. “You had your fun this morning.”
I laugh as I walk out of our room, heading to Wyatt’s just across from ours. For the time being, he’s out like a light with one little hand balled into a fist. I bend down as gently as I can, kissing his head before leaving his door open a crack. Down the hall is Lily’s room. Every stuffed animal she owns surrounds her. I take the stairs to the next floor where Masen, Maddi, and Damon are located. Masen is clutching his stuffed dog and little Maddie is wearing her pink tutu after I told her to take it off. I shake my head, letting it go. My girls have me wrapped around their pinkies; I don’t even have my man card anymore. Not that I care, because my kids are everything to me.
Damon is still up, listening to music through earbuds. His eyes meet mine and he pulls one out. “Going to bed?”
I nod, leaning against the door frame and crossing my arms over my chest. “I expect you at breakfast, and you can ride with Lucian and Mike in the morning to pick up your sisters.”
His jaw clenches and he blows air through his nose. “Fine.”
I’m glad he’s learning to just do as I ask. “I’m sure whoever you planned on meeting tonight can wait a day or two. Which leads me to my other thing; if you’re going to continue being like this, then you’re going to get tested, and you better be covering your shit. Last thing your mother needs is a grandbaby.”
His gaze falls to his phone. “Fine.”
I want to strangle him. “Fine.” I walk away, leaving his door open for being a little shit. I love him, he’s my boy, but his attitude is driving me insane.
I walk up to the last floor where Mike and Lucian crash. Mike is asleep, his book covering his chest. He’s not the same boy that came and joined the Cullen football team all those years ago. He’s come into his own. He’s working and taking care of his girl like she is the sun to his moon. I worried about him for a while, considering how his mom passed and then his dad didn’t want him.
I pull the book off his chest, set it on his desk, and shut the light off. I head to Lucian's room, where I find him pacing and mumbling to himself. I frown at my son; he’s never this upset unless it’s about an exam. “What’s wrong?” I ask, startling him.
He jumps a little, widening his eyes. “I… um…. Nothing, Dad.”
His shoulders fall and he won’t meet my gaze. If this were Mike or Damon, hell, any of my other kids, I would pry, but Lucian likes to think things through before asking for advice.
“Okay, you know where to find me if you need talk, day or night.”
He nods. “Love you, Dad. Good night.”
“Love you, too. Get some sleep. You have a busy day tomorrow getting your sisters. Damon is going to ride with you guys, okay?”
Lucian smiles. “OK.”
I close his door and make my way back to my gorgeous wife who is already out like a light. I snuggle close to her, thinking of ways to convince her to hire some help.
Lucian, Mike, and Damon are already on the road to pick up Sarah and Julie. My wife is on her way to the center with all the little ones, leaving me alone in our kitchen to drink my coffee in peace. I look through my phone, seeing what I need to do today before our two-week vacation that starts tomorrow. I haven’t told Bella I took off work for the full two weeks Julie and Sarah are going to be here. We need this; we’ve been so booked with work, especially her, for what seems like two years. Even last summer we didn’t take any time off when the girls were here. She was just getting a grant from the state to help fund the daycare and I had a few mergers I was overseeing.
No, this year we’re stepping away, and nothing related to work is happening while on vacation.
Eventually, I have to head to work. I find Emmett and Jasper nursing cups of coffee by the reception desk. “You two look worse for wear.”
Jasper’s eyes droop as he attempts to glare. “Jackson was up all night with the stomach flu.”
Emmett shudders. “Same with Emmie. Better watch out, Edward, your kids will be next, considering they all play together at the daycare.”
A whine escapes before I can stop it. They only have one kid each, the flu for them is nothing compared to what Bella and I go through if our kids get sick. It’s never-ending because of course they can't have it all at once; no, it’s one after another. It usually starts with Maddie, then Masen, and so on and so forth. It's hell.
They both laugh, walking away as I follow them while texting Bella about what Jasper and Emmett just told me.
She responds with, I know, there are four kids out with it. Don’t worry, we disinfected and the kids haven’t been around Jackson or Emmie for a few days.
My head falls back. I pray she’s right because we have two more kids joining our household, and I don’t want six little ones puking.
Angela is waiting with folders full of papers for me to go over. Bella trained her on how to cater to my particular ways, but Angela is a stern woman who doesn’t take shit. The moment Bella walked out and it was just the two of us, she told me I was a grown-ass man and she wasn’t going to baby me. I love her, really. I wouldn’t know what to do without her as my assistant.
“Hunter, Stiles, and Lewis have to be done today, and then you can leave. Everything else can wait until you get back.”
I nod my head, walking into my office. “Angela, can you start looking into housekeepers and personal assistants? I want some names for when I take on my wife.”
I hear her cackling at the phrasing I just used.
“Sure thing, boss.”
EPOV
Lucian has been outside with Sam for a while, but I don’t question it. I trust my oldest unconditionally because he has never done anything to make me feel otherwise.
We head to our room after we put the little ones down. I know I’m in for an earful after trying to hide Damon’s whereabouts from Bella today. I know I shouldn’t have, but she’s been beating herself up since the day Damon decided he needed to be the rebellious one of our brood. I just wanted her not to stress for one day. She’s been working so hard, and now she has this idea to open a clinic to help with family planning, sexual education, and some other stuff, too. She’s going to work herself to death and beat herself up because she thinks she doesn’t spend enough time with the kids. I wanted to save her from that. She spends plenty of time with our kids. But she really does need to hire someone to help her out before she has a breakdown from all the stress. Unfortunately, I know my wife too well; she doesn’t like asking for help. She never has.
“You really should have told me what was going on, Edward.” She sighs, pulling her shirt off and exposing her creamy skin. I try to keep my focus on our conversation and not the shower sex we had this morning.
I turn away, taking my own shirt off and grabbing my sleep pants. “I was just trying to save you from stressing too much, love.”
Her teeth are clenched as she spits her words at me. “When it comes to our children, you should never keep anything from me, even if you think it’s going to cause me to have a meltdown.”
A long sigh escapes my lips, knowing she’s correct. I walk over, wrapping my arms around her. I pull Bella to my chest, kissing the top her head and breathing in her scent.
“I’m sorry, love, I won’t do it again.” I pray she lets it go. I know I fucked up, but I worry about her stress level.
Her body loosens up, and she wraps herself around me, letting out a content moan. “How did you punish him today?”
I chuckle, thinking about how my son was making copies and just all-around being Angela’s bitch for the day, all while wearing twenty-four-hour-plus old clothes that smelled ripe. “I handed him to Angela, and he worked for her today. He wasn’t allowed to nap or take a shower until I came home around four.”
Bella pulls away, looking at my face with a smirk. “That is a pretty good one.”
Some tension leaves my shoulders at her smile. “I also told him if he ever does this again, he’ll have a personal bodyguard twenty-four-seven and he’ll no longer own a phone. He won’t need one because his guard will do all his communicating.” I smile, pretty proud of myself for that idea.
She raises a brow. “Would you really do that?”
“I would. I’m done with his disappearing act. I’m done with him fucking stressing you out.”
She nods and climbs into bed, making sure the monitor is on so we can hear Wyatt.
“I’m going to say goodnight to our clan, then I’ll climb in next to you.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her.
She snorts and shakes her head at me. “You had your fun this morning.”
I laugh as I walk out of our room, heading to Wyatt’s just across from ours. For the time being, he’s out like a light with one little hand balled into a fist. I bend down as gently as I can, kissing his head before leaving his door open a crack. Down the hall is Lily’s room. Every stuffed animal she owns surrounds her. I take the stairs to the next floor where Masen, Maddi, and Damon are located. Masen is clutching his stuffed dog and little Maddie is wearing her pink tutu after I told her to take it off. I shake my head, letting it go. My girls have me wrapped around their pinkies; I don’t even have my man card anymore. Not that I care, because my kids are everything to me.
Damon is still up, listening to music through earbuds. His eyes meet mine and he pulls one out. “Going to bed?”
I nod, leaning against the door frame and crossing my arms over my chest. “I expect you at breakfast, and you can ride with Lucian and Mike in the morning to pick up your sisters.”
His jaw clenches and he blows air through his nose. “Fine.”
I’m glad he’s learning to just do as I ask. “I’m sure whoever you planned on meeting tonight can wait a day or two. Which leads me to my other thing; if you’re going to continue being like this, then you’re going to get tested, and you better be covering your shit. Last thing your mother needs is a grandbaby.”
His gaze falls to his phone. “Fine.”
I want to strangle him. “Fine.” I walk away, leaving his door open for being a little shit. I love him, he’s my boy, but his attitude is driving me insane.
I walk up to the last floor where Mike and Lucian crash. Mike is asleep, his book covering his chest. He’s not the same boy that came and joined the Cullen football team all those years ago. He’s come into his own. He’s working and taking care of his girl like she is the sun to his moon. I worried about him for a while, considering how his mom passed and then his dad didn’t want him.
I pull the book off his chest, set it on his desk, and shut the light off. I head to Lucian's room, where I find him pacing and mumbling to himself. I frown at my son; he’s never this upset unless it’s about an exam. “What’s wrong?” I ask, startling him.
He jumps a little, widening his eyes. “I… um…. Nothing, Dad.”
His shoulders fall and he won’t meet my gaze. If this were Mike or Damon, hell, any of my other kids, I would pry, but Lucian likes to think things through before asking for advice.
“Okay, you know where to find me if you need talk, day or night.”
He nods. “Love you, Dad. Good night.”
“Love you, too. Get some sleep. You have a busy day tomorrow getting your sisters. Damon is going to ride with you guys, okay?”
Lucian smiles. “OK.”
I close his door and make my way back to my gorgeous wife who is already out like a light. I snuggle close to her, thinking of ways to convince her to hire some help.
~AFOC~
Lucian, Mike, and Damon are already on the road to pick up Sarah and Julie. My wife is on her way to the center with all the little ones, leaving me alone in our kitchen to drink my coffee in peace. I look through my phone, seeing what I need to do today before our two-week vacation that starts tomorrow. I haven’t told Bella I took off work for the full two weeks Julie and Sarah are going to be here. We need this; we’ve been so booked with work, especially her, for what seems like two years. Even last summer we didn’t take any time off when the girls were here. She was just getting a grant from the state to help fund the daycare and I had a few mergers I was overseeing.
No, this year we’re stepping away, and nothing related to work is happening while on vacation.
Eventually, I have to head to work. I find Emmett and Jasper nursing cups of coffee by the reception desk. “You two look worse for wear.”
Jasper’s eyes droop as he attempts to glare. “Jackson was up all night with the stomach flu.”
Emmett shudders. “Same with Emmie. Better watch out, Edward, your kids will be next, considering they all play together at the daycare.”
A whine escapes before I can stop it. They only have one kid each, the flu for them is nothing compared to what Bella and I go through if our kids get sick. It’s never-ending because of course they can't have it all at once; no, it’s one after another. It usually starts with Maddie, then Masen, and so on and so forth. It's hell.
They both laugh, walking away as I follow them while texting Bella about what Jasper and Emmett just told me.
She responds with, I know, there are four kids out with it. Don’t worry, we disinfected and the kids haven’t been around Jackson or Emmie for a few days.
My head falls back. I pray she’s right because we have two more kids joining our household, and I don’t want six little ones puking.
Angela is waiting with folders full of papers for me to go over. Bella trained her on how to cater to my particular ways, but Angela is a stern woman who doesn’t take shit. The moment Bella walked out and it was just the two of us, she told me I was a grown-ass man and she wasn’t going to baby me. I love her, really. I wouldn’t know what to do without her as my assistant.
“Hunter, Stiles, and Lewis have to be done today, and then you can leave. Everything else can wait until you get back.”
I nod my head, walking into my office. “Angela, can you start looking into housekeepers and personal assistants? I want some names for when I take on my wife.”
I hear her cackling at the phrasing I just used.
“Sure thing, boss.”
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