Loan Shark

Chapter 1: Custom Italian Loafers

Click.

Edward turned away from the wooden door, His gaze settled upon the man sitting behind the magnificently carved desk who continued to adjust himself in the newly upholstered chair. The man's nose was rather large, drooping down at its edge. The top of the man's head still managed to reflect light from the dim lamp across the room. Edward's eyes twitched as he stared at the man's seams, his pinstriped suit was obviously two sizes small, and not because he was buff. The man's lips held no smile, his wary eyes caught Edward's, he intertwined his fingers as he spoke in his thick New York accent, "Sit down, will ya'?"

Edward loosened his cuff links, a habit he did when he was nervous, then obliged. He winced at the sound of squeaky leather when he settled down. Edward took in his surroundings, the wallpaper held very intricate European designs, the floor was dark stained wood, and the room held bookcases that reached the ceiling; it screamed money.

The large man may have been bigger than Edward, but he certainly wasn't taller and the glares he was sending Edward showed him he didn't like that. Without a word the man reached into a small compartment of his desk, revealing a row of cigars. His puffy fingers selected one and with the other he searched through his suit's pockets, his thick eyebrows furrowed, "Wouldn't happen to have matches, huh?" his eyes looked up to Edward expectantly.

Edward only nodded in response as he reached into the inside of his trench coat, his fingers felt for the box resting in his breast pocket. He slid the box onto the desk's top, as soon as it hit the counter the man snatched it off, sliding it open without so much as a glance of appreciation.

Columns of smoke hit the ceiling as the man tilted back on his chair. Edward frowned when a puff hit his nostrils; it was the same cigars his father used… Edward hated his father. It didn't bother him as much as it used to though, now that his father was laying in Fork's very own dumpster yard.

The man's eyesight focused on Edward's chiseled jaw, "Edward Masen. I knew you'd come, Jane told me you would. That Carlisle ain't nothing but a cheap shit, I bet he offered you 'round one grand, eh?" The man chuckled, sending smoke from his nostrils in short leaps. The man let out a few strangled coughs then went on, "I got five grand in this envelope here," he dabbed his pointer finger down at the manila envelope on his desk "I'll get you 'dat mansion back in Miami like you said you wanted, and your next contract by tomorrow."

Edward stared down at the dead bear skin lying at his feet throughout the man's entire speech. He tilted his neck over towards the wafting music behind him, "Do you mind if I turn that radio off?" his voice was soft, calm, reserved.

At Edward's request the man's face scrunched in irritation, "Ignore it," the man settled the cigar on his lower lip, "you got better stuff to worry about then some damn oldies hurtin' ya' ears. You got the proof of Carlisle's corpse or what? I don't see you with any package, and ya' know what I told ya' if you didn't deliver." The man's eyes flickered over Edward's empty hands.

Edward's hand slipped into his coat's right pocket and slid out, revealing a gold ring. He tossed the ring like a penny into the man's awaiting palms. The man held the ring towards the lamp's light across the room, his eyes squinted, and then he blinked a couple of times. His analyzing facial expression soon turned into a devious smirk; "Ha…" he began tracing the initial C.C. in the ring "HA! That bastard had it coming; always tellin' me I wasn't fit for this business. Well, look who came out on top? ME! Aro of the fucking Volturi." He threw both of his hands up in the air as if signaling a touchdown then slapped the ring down on his desk.

"I can't thank ya' enough Edward. You'll be raising the ranks fast, no doubt in me! Why don't you have a drink, huh? I got the finest wine in Italy, straight from Tuscany; you can taste the damn air from the 1860s in here."Aro quickly rose from his seat towards a case that held a wine bottle, he popped the cork out sending a flourish of foam onto the wooden floor, but he paid it no mind. He filled two glasses a quarter full, twisting the bottle slightly to finish off each pour.

Holding a glass in each hand and a cigar in his mouth he rose both glasses "Let's drink to the poor sap's death!"

x-x-x-x

"…and then - and then," Aro held back a laugh as he continued "I could've sworn I heard 'em dealt one before I popped a cap right into his eye socket." Aro broke into boisterous laughter then ended with a loud burp.

Edward lost count of the glasses Aro downed already, but it wasn't hard to guess he was completely wasted. Edward had to admit this wine was the finest brew he'd had in his short pathetic life, but he wasn't foolish enough to get intoxicated… yet. Edward heard a loud thump at the edge of the staircase. His neck snapped towards the door, Aro's gaze slowly followed. Aro gripped his desk for support as he rose from his seat, he stumbled over towards the sound.

Edward rose from his seat, and moved over to the nearest window. He pulled back the curtain lightly as he peeked through the foggy glass. He stared at his white Chevrolet at the edge of the sidewalk, under the streetlight, behind it stood a pale blue car.

"What's 'dat ruckus? I told those buffoons to keep it quiet down there, I'm-" Aro stopped as he heard his radio abruptly cut off.

His ears suddenly felt as if they'd caught on fire, "Why…didn't I tell you to keep your fucking paws off my-"

Edward found it morbidly amusing when Aro's cigar dropped from his lips onto the tips of his custom Italian loafers. His body swayed to the left and hit the nearest lamp sending a resounding clank, and then he tumbled onto his belly. The back of his suit was now stained with rich red. Edward lowered his revolver and walked graciously slow towards Aro's motionless form. He sent his aim to the back of body's head and squeezed the trigger. Splat. Edward nodded his head in satisfaction at the sight of the blood puddle that began to form beneath Aro's fat belly and head.

Edward sauntered over to Aro's desk and gripped the golden ring in his palm, he shoved the revolver into his pant's right pocket and stepped over the dead body, unlocking and swinging the door open. He walked down the staircase, in no hurry, sending out a box of cigarettes. He sent one to his mouth, holding it between his lips, as he light it up. He placed the ring back into the pocket it laid in before and walked pass the kitchen and the three dead bodies littering the floor then down towards the front porch. He silently shut the entrance door behind him and sent a column of smoke through his tight lips before pinching the cigarette out of his mouth.

He stood silently on the porch, observing the neighborhood around him. By the looks of things, it had just finished snowing; the ground had to be covered at least in snow two feet thick. His Chevy under the streetlight no longer had a blue car behind it, just a trail of tire tracks. Edward waltzed down the steps trudging towards his vehicle; he peered in the back of his truck again, viewing the tire tracks. He walked impatiently towards it, stomping on the patterns and shifting the leftovers around; he wasn't worried about evidence of him being there… just the others. He walked back to his truck's door, sending it open and swinging himself inside.

He had to give her a few tries before she started, but start she did. He pulled out onto the road, granting the mansion one last view; through the curtains on the second floor he could see the faint glow of fire. Edward smiled lightly to himself and pushed down on the gas pedal.

AUTHOR'S NOTE,

I understand this is a short chapter, but it's sort of an introduction of sorts. I've had these ideas of a story involving organized crime and Edward reeling in my head for quite some time now. I'm still not 100% sure of the time era I want, as you've seen I've given Edward a Chevy, so I'm probably leaning more towards the 50's/60's. I also am not sure how I'll introduce Isabella, but I'm hoping I can somehow bring her in the next chapter… as a prostitute or the town Chief's loyal daughter? Maybe somehow both? Just hit that review button and let me know someone is out there reading this and let me know what you'd like to see.