Chapter 10: Buchanan, MI – Redbud – July 6th

The bus rattles down the road. We're headed for Michigan. But before we can even get halfway there, my phone starts blowing up.

I told Aro the deal is off and he's pissed–B

I stare at the screen and wonder why Aro is so put out. Riders have turned him down before and he doesn't usually bat an eyelash about it. Sure, Bella has some massive talent, but I can't see why he's losing his shit over it.

What'd he say? –E

I wait, drumming my fingers on the table top as the bus goes along.

He said he'd change my mind –B

"Fuck!" I yell, slamming my hand down.

"What's the matter?" Emmett wonders from the driver's seat.

"I had a talk with Bella."

Em turns slightly and raises an eyebrow at me. "'bout what?"

"Aro offered a deal. And I needed her to know who she was going in to business with before she signed," I explain, casting my eyes toward Jasper.

He doesn't know any details, but I'm sure, at this point, he assumes something is not quite so perfect and right about my deal with Aro.

"Yeah, and what'd she say?" Em asks.

"She was pissed, nervous, and said she would never sign with him. And apparently she told him this morning."

"And let me guess, he didn't take it well, right?"

"Pretty much. He told her he would change her mind."

"How the fuck is he planning on doing that?" Em wonders.

"You got me, but you know as well as I do exactly what his tactics are."

"Yeah," he says quietly.

I look over and see Jas looking sick.

"Listen, I know you guys have some kind of deal with this guy that I'm not supposed to know anything about, but gee-whiz, this doesn't sound good. I've seen this guy come right to your tent and threaten you. What is he going to do to poor Bella and Alice?" Jas worries.

"Man, shut the fuck up. They'll be fine," Em tells him, while I sit and fume.

I'm pissed mainly because there's not much I can do at this point. I'm stuck because Bella is with her father, and God only knows what Aro is planning. To add to that. I'm on this bus for another six hours until we finally reach Michigan.

Don't worry, baby –E

I type the message as soon as I remember to, I want her to know I have her best interests at heart and that I won't let this asshole, or any other one for that matter, bother her.

I'm not. I just hope he doesn't do anything foolish – B

I nod at my phone as I read her message, even though I know damn well she can't see that. I just need to get to Michigan so I fix all this shit.

Me too – E

I send her one last message before heading back to one of the bunks to try to sleep off my anger and frustration. I know this only comes with the territory when you start getting mixed up with the likes of Aro, but I never wanted Bella to get dragged into anything. Hell, I didn't even know when I made this deal with the devil.

RoD

Instead of letting his scare tactics go any further, I call a meeting with Aro. I should be out on the track, skirting around the edge of the other riders and getting a feel for the dirt beneath my tires, but I can't watch Bella worry like she is. It's not fair to her and her skills.

We need to talk –E

It's short and simple. I know he'll get the point and have me in some office before the day is even over.

I hop off the bike and barely get through taking my helmet off before my phone is ringing. And wouldn't you know it. It's Aro.

"Hello," I answer, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Edward, my boy, what can I help you with?" Aro's slithering voice asks.

"I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk this afternoon. If not, I'm sure Bevo Forti does; you know, the AMA committee chairman."

"Certainly; when would you like to meet?" he inquires with a frustrated sigh.

"Whenever you're available, Mr. Volturi."

"Give me a half hour and I'll be at your tent," he tells me.

"No," I shout. "In an office. Without your goons. I want to talk like human beings."

"Fine then," he agrees, sounding even more annoyed. Then he rattles off an address for me to meet him at.

I know it's dangerous, going to meet this prick by myself, but I need to help Bella out. He's going to keep her mentally caged in until he gets his way and that's not right.

I know the chairman of the racing association, and if I wasn't so fucking worried about my mother losing her house, I would be pounding down his door right now, but I can't. That can't happen. I have to handle this like a man. And Bella can't know.

"Where are you going?" Em asks as I start stripping out of my gear.

"I have a meeting," I tell him, trying not to snap.

"With who?" Jasper wonders.

I just shake my head.

"Do you want me to come along?" Em offers.

And as nice as it is of him to offer, I know I can't let him come along. For one, it'll just cause an even bigger shit storm from Aro, and for two, he needs to be here to give Bella excuses as to where I am.

"No man, I gotta do this on my own. And if he doesn't stick to his word, well, it was nice knowing you."

Em shakes his head and frowns. "For fuck's sake man. I just want to make sure you come home tonight."

"I know and I will. But this bullshit that he's pulling needs to stop."

He nods in understanding. Jasper keeps quiet, seemingly aware of what's going on, finally.

I pull off the rest of my gear and start to pack it up, because while it's only afternoon right now, I don't know when I'll be back to race. Aro's a loose cannon and pretty unpredictable.

"What do you want me to tell her when she asks?" Jas wonders.

I turn to him and smile. He's a good guy. He really is. And he's definitely been an asset to the team, as well as a friend.

"If you could cover for me that would be great. But I know you have a thing against lying, so I understand."

"Meeting with your tire vendor?" Jas asks with a small smile.

This guy.

"Like I said man, if you don't mind, I'd really appreciate it."

"I can handle that. No need to cause the young lady any more unneeded stress," Jas tells me.

"Thanks," I say as I grab my phone and a clean shirt.

"So we're going with tire vendor meeting?" Em asks.

"Yep."

"Okay, then, call me if the shit hits the fan, I'll find you," Em promises me.

"Will do; thanks again."

"No problem," they both say before laughing lightly.

I then turn and leave. I know I've got some shit to deal with, but I just hope I can get it taken care of. That's my only hope right now. Because Bella is pretty fucking important to me. This fact is becoming clearer and clearer to me as I go along.

My mind swirls on the ride there. I just want the day to be over. I know there's no way this meeting will go well. But as I pull in and find a parking space I know I need to do this.

I walk in, still mostly looking like I'm fresh off the track. Oh, well. It'll have to do because this needs to end right now.

The building is ultra-modern and quite fancy, but I don't let any of that bother me. I know what I came here to do so as I approach the broad front desk, holding my head up high. It doesn't matter what I look like.

"Can I help you?" the snooty looking woman asks.

I nod. "Yes, I have an appointment with Aro Volturi."

She shakes her head a bit, like she doesn't believe me, before clicking around on her computer.

"I'm sorry, I don't see any pending appointments for Mr. Volturi right now. I can let him know you stopped by though."

I smile. "It was a last minute meeting. Why don't you give him a call and he'll fill you in."

"He doesn't like to be bothered," she explains, as if to send me on my way.

"Trust me, he's waiting for me."

She huffs and picks up the phone.

After speaking with a few people, she finally understands that we do have an appointment and tells me where to go.

"Thank you," I say, then turn and waltz over to the bank of elevators.

The elevator shoots me up to the top floor, and when I walk out in to the main office area, the floor to ceiling windows are breathtaking. It's hard to believe that someone actually works here, let alone scum like Aro.

I walk over the secretary perched behind a grand glass desk and let her know I'm here to see Aro. She asks me to have a seat. I do as I'm told and wait.

But it isn't long before Aro is out, calling me over to large wooden doors.

The secretary looks like she's in the height of her glory watching me walk back there. She knows what a dick Aro is and she's probably just glad it's not her in the hot seat right now.

"Take a seat, Mr. Cullen," Aro says, once we're in his office.

I take a look around, seeing that his goons are nowhere to be seen and it pleases me. He's kept his word…so far.

"Can I get you anything? A drink perhaps?"

"No, thank you."

He takes his time making himself a drink before getting comfortable.

"Now," he begins, sighing. "What do I owe this visit to today?"

I take a deep breath before locking eyes with the man in front of me. "I'm sure you know why I'm here."

He smiles, taking a sip of the drink in his hand. "Oh, yes, I'm sure I do too, but how about you tell me anyway."

"I'm here because of Bella."

He chuckles lightly. "Ah yes, Isabella Swan, a fantastic rider—and if paired with the right sponsor she could really go places. But she won't sign. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you Edward dear?"

I stare off out the window of his highrise building. "Aro, Bella is a friend of mine. That's it. I don't make decisions for her. She decided on her own that Volturi Racing wasn't for her. And I think you should respect that decision."

"I should, huh?" His eyes narrow slightly.

"You would if it were any other rider. I've watched you try to recruit others and when you lose you don't act like this," I tell him. After all I've been on this godforsaken team for over two years.

He takes a long sip of his drink before setting down and turning to me. "Edward," he says quietly. "Is your back still bad, dear boy?"

I swallow, not sure where he's going with this shit. But nod.

"Well, you see, once you're done and your debt is paid I'll be in need of a new star rider. And from what I see, I won't be able to count on you for very long. Will I?"

"But, why do you want Bella so bad?"

"For all the reasons the other sponsors don't want her," he explains simply.

I give him a curious look.

"She's a girl, Edward. And to be honest, she's almost good enough to kick your ass. I need that. I need that determination; that fight to prove herself. It makes her work more; work harder. It makes her look like a hero in the sport. It's special."

I nod and understand his reasoning. I get it, I really do. But that doesn't negate the fact she turned him down.

"But why are you here? Why are you so curious about my dealings with her?" he asks calmly.

"Why the fuck does it matter?"

He laughs deeply and purses his lips. "Oh, you and that temper. You never seemed to shake that, did you?"

"No, and right now, you're really starting to irritate me."

He sighs happily to himself, just pissing me off more. "Well, that's too bad, isn't it Edward? You're going to have to deal with your emotions at another time. Because I'm going to sign Isabella and there's not a damn thing you can do about it," he says matter-of-fact.

I shake my head, trying to find a way to get Bella out of this mess. "I'll sign longer," I blurt out.

He cocks his head to the side and frowns. "You're not worth it."

"Well, you can't have her," I tell him. "She has rights and if she doesn't want to sign with you, she doesn't have to."

"You're right, but Edward dear, I have a feeling that she'll have no choice soon enough."

I narrow my eyes. "What the fuck do you mean by that?" I spit.

"Oh, come on now Edward, don't you wonder how I ever got you to sign?" He smiles wickedly at me.

My anger tops out and I hit the roof. "Fuck you, you fucking prick. I'll kill you if it's the last thing I ever do!" I shout, standing up and staring into his eyes.

"My boy, do keep it down, you wouldn't want Clarissa to signal to my, what did you call them? Oh, yes, my 'goons'."

"Fuck you, Aro," I spit, beyond pissed.

"Oh, Edward, there's no need for that kind of talk here," he warns.

"If you don't leave her alone I'll bring my own goons next time."

He chuckles darkly. "Now that would be a sight, wouldn't it?"

I fume, and he can see it. It pisses me off that he knows how angry I am. But there's nothing I can do. That man infuriates me.

He sighs, taking another sip of whatever he's drinking.

"I will say this, my determined rider, if you can make me an offer better than your precious Isabella, I'll leave her be. But only I decide what's better than her," he tells me.

"What the fuck is that even supposed to mean?"

He frowns. "It means, that if you want me to leave Isabella alone. You need to give me someone just as interesting to focus on. And they have to be ready to sign. That's the only way."

I shake my head, scrubbing my face. This fucker has me backed into yet another corner and there's no way I can get out.

"I'll try," I respond, turning and leaving.

There's no way I'm going to find anyone else. No one wants to sign with Aro because he's a prick. He has a reputation for setting impossible standards for his riders. And even with the kind of money he shells out, it's just not enough to sugar coat the way he treats everyone.

I just have to admit that I made a deal with the devil and I'm stuck.

"Fuck!" I scream after the elevator closes behind me.

What am I going to do?

RoD

Today's the fourth and Paul's camp is throwing a cookout. Em, Jas and myself are headed over there. He told me to ask Bella and Alice to tag along, but I didn't get a response from her when I sent it.

I'm sure she wants to get her time in on the track, but she's got to know we need to relax every now and then.

And after my eventful meeting with Aro I could use a few beers and some nice times with my friends.

But Bella does show up; her dad and Alice in tow. And while her dad still mostly scares the shit out of me, I'm glad he decided to come out as well. They needed a break and it'll be fun.

I take a long look at Bella as she crosses the field over to where I'm sitting. She looks gorgeous and I'm there biting my fist, wondering why I haven't done anything about her yet. I know if I wait long enough she's going to get swept off her feet by someone else.

Jasper even got a clue and officially started dating Alice. He only holds her hand, but it's more commitment than I've made to Bella.

"Hey, beautiful," I say softly, offering her a beer as she sits down next to me.

"Hi, handsome," she replies, happily taking the beer.

"How was your day?" I wonder, taking a swing of my own.

"It was good, but it was hot as fuck out there," she tells me, shaking her head.

"Yeah, I know, that's why I got my time in earlier," I comment with a grin.

She mutters something under her breath. But I just chuckle. It's not my fault she didn't get her ass out there earlier.

"Hey, Charlie," I shout, motioning him to the cooler full of his favorite beer.

I may or may not have asked Bella what it was last night. Not that I'm trying to score points, I just wanted him to have a good time too.

"Thanks, Edward," he says, pulling up a chair around the fire.

As the evening goes on we eat, play music, and drink. It's wonderful to have a group of friends out on the road, because honestly it's hard to be away from home on holidays.

Later on, we sit around a nice fire—Em got it roaring—and listen to each other's starter stories. From first sponsorships to first times through the circuit. All of the stories are very important and I'm glad Bella is here to hear them.

Sipping on a beer I lean back and have Bella come sit with me. I know her rules, but it doesn't mean I don't want to be close to her.

Her father gives me the side-eye, but he doesn't say anything.

And for the rest of the evening I'm happy as a lark with Bella leaning against me on my lap and my buddies chattering away.

RoD

I wake up to a nose full of Bella's hair on race day. The best feeling in the world is her warm body pressed against mine, and as much as I want to lie in bed with her all day, I know we need to get up. So, I rouse her with a few light kisses before heading for the shower.

I want her to follow me, but I'm respecting her decision not to have sex during the season.

Yesterday was a brutal practice and we ended coming back to my room for a movie and a pizza. I knew Bella wasn't dealing with the heat as well as she thought she could, so a low key night was exactly what both of us needed.

After we get to the track Bella disappears for a little while. I don't worry too much. I'm sure she's got her own pre-game ritual she focuses on. And while I get my last bit of time out on the track, Bella reappears looking proud. Her father is smiling like crazy, but I don't get a chance to ask her what happened.

The next time we see each other is when we're getting in our gate positions.

Bella is just to the left of me and I reach over, wishing her good luck before it drops.

When it does it's any man for themselves.

The heat is ridiculous. The track is dry, making for way too loose of dirt beneath my tires.

I almost lose my tire footing taking a corner and I shake my head, wondering why everything is so dry. Usually, the track officials wet it and make it a bit easier to get around. But not today, today is all about skill and seeing who is strong enough to make it to the bitter end.

Lap after lap we go, and I'm entirely too happy when the flag drops. And being first makes that happiness turn into excitement. I'm proud. Not only is my body killing me, proving how hard I worked out there, but right behind me is Bella. Showing how well she can hang with the boys. It's fascinating.

After the second heat and flag I know exactly where I stand. And I wait for the coordinator to come officially tell me. I smile to myself, watching Bella tell her father about how hard the track was and what she had to do to muddle through it.

After standing at the top of the podium and taking all the necessary press pictures, I spend a little time with fans, but it's cut short when Bella comes and finds me.

"What's up?" I wonder at her gorgeous smile.

"I just wanted to tell you that I had a meeting with Aro and his crew before the race today."

My eyebrows go up in surprise. I'm really not happy Bella went to see Aro without me, but she looks so happy I can't help being happy for you. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, I told him to fuck off and that there was no way in hell I was going to sign with him."

"And how did he take that?"

"He wasn't happy, but he seemed to accept it," she tells me.

I nod, keeping quiet—although I know there is more to Aro's easy acceptance of Bella's decision.

"But, I need to find a sponsor and quick," she continues quietly.

"Why?"

"Because he said he was going to fund the push for only sponsored riders to ride in the Moto."

I wince and shake my head. "Shit."

"Yeah," she breathes. "I'm pretty much fucked."