Chapter 17

Songs:

Landmine, Three Days Grace
Carousel, Buckcherry
Scream It Out, Ellie Goulding
Crazy, From Ashes to New
Bulletproof, Godsmack
Force of Nature, Bea Miller

**Link to YouTube playlist in chapter 1.

**I fiddled ... a lot. All mistakes are mine.

Bella

I slam the passenger door and march around the front of the flatbed.

"What the hell is this, Edward Anthony Cullen?" I yell, waving the fat envelope of cash around in the air. I reach an amused-looking Edward and push against his chest. "I am not a goddamn charity case."

"No, you're not," he says, bracing his feet against the concrete as I push him again.

We're attracting an audience, so I lower my voice. "Then tell me why the hell you gave me almost ten thousand dollars!" I demand through gritted teeth.

"Because when I'm done with that bike, it'll go for at least twice that. Believe me, I'm getting the better end of the deal here."

I stare up at him with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw.

"Honest, Bella. I wouldn't bullshit you. I told you I'd give you what it's worth, and I have."

Angry, frustrated tears well in my eyes. "Are you telling me the truth?" My voice cracks, and I swallow hard, trying to keep it together.

"I am. Hey, what's wrong? You're not really mad at me, are you?"

"That bike was worth that much this whole time?"

Edward's shoulders slump. He reaches to pull me into his arms, but I back away.

"Don't."

"Bella, what—"

"No. Just … don't." I spin on my heel and scan the lot, zeroing in on the babysitter who followed the flatbed here. I march straight toward Hawk, and his eyes widen as I near. "I need you to take me to McCarty's."

He looks in Edward's direction, but I snap my fingers in front of his face.

"Don't look at him for permission. You're supposed to be protecting me, right?"

"Yeah, Bella, but—"

"But nothing. I need a ride to work." I sling the strap of my bag across my chest and throw a leg over the seat. As Hawk starts the bike, I look toward Edward. With his eyes narrowed and his jaw tight, he's clearly not happy with me.

"You ready?" Hawk calls out over the engine.

I wrap my arms around him and nod. "Yeah. Get me to work."

The weekend comes and goes. Sam helps me decide what he should pack for what could be weeks away from home, and more than once I tear up, thinking of how much I'm going to miss him. But every time I look at his smiling face, I tuck my feelings away. He's going to have far more fun with Seth than he'd have at home, and most importantly, he'll be safe.

My shadows are constant, with only their faces changing a few times a day. But one face has been noticeably absent. I haven't seen Edward since the day I stormed into Cullen and Sons to scream at him. I don't know if I'm thankful he's giving me distance or if I'm angry he's keeping it.

When I pick up Sam on the last day of school, he can't stop talking about everything he's going to do in Cali. He's so excited for tomorrow to come that he takes his bath and goes to bed without a fight. And before the sun rises, he's bouncing beside me on the bed, excited to leave.

"Mommy! It's vacation day! Wake up!"

"I don't wanna," I mumble into my pillow, fighting a smile. "Five more minutes."

"No, Mommy," he says, grabbing my shoulder. "It's time to get up. They're gonna be here soon!"

In a flash, I roll over and grab him. "Gotcha!" I pull him close and nuzzle my nose into the crook of his neck as I tickle him. His squeals only get louder.

"Stop, Mommy! Stop!" he screams as he giggles.

"No. You're mine, Sammy. I think I'll keep you here."

We both calm down and his head rests beside mine on my pillow. "But I wanna go with Seth, Mommy."

"I know you do, baby. So, we better get up and get you ready." I grab my phone from the nightstand to check the time. "And we better hurry. They'll be here in an hour."

"Mommy, did you pack my swim stuff?" Sam's voice floats down the hallway.

"Yeah, baby. I packed all of it. Your goggles too."

"Yes!" he hisses, making me smile.

"Are you done getting your extras? Seth and his mom should be here soon." I tuck the extra inhaler and box of albuterol vials in the backpack carrying his nebulizer … just in case.

"Just a minute!" he yells.

A few moments later, he comes fumbling down the hallway, dragging his overfilled duffel behind him.

"Do you think you have everything?"

"Uh huh," he says with a nod.

"Then come here." I open my arms, and he drops everything where he stands and runs to me. I pick him up and hold him close, breathing him in. "I'm gonna miss you, kiddo."

"Me too, Mommy. I wish you could come with us."

"I wish I could, too." I pull back and look into his eyes. "Maybe you and I can go on a trip somewhere soon. Just the two of us. Would you like that?"

His grin lights his entire face as he nods. "Yeah."

The slam of a car door sounds just a moment before an enthusiastic knock on our door.

"I bet that's Seth."

Sammy wiggles out of my arms and runs toward the door, letting his cousin inside. Angela stands behind him. "Morning, Bella."

"Hey, Ang."

She looks down at Sam as he bounces in place. "You ready to go?"

"Uh huh. I got all my stuff packed," he says, tugging at the duffel.

"Then let's get you loaded up."

Ben is already moving Sam's booster seat to their car when we walk outside. "Hey, Bella," he says, climbing out of the backseat.

"Hey." I look at both him and his wife. "I really appreciate you taking Sam with you. He's so excited to be going." I swallow past the lump forming in my throat. "Can you make sure he calls me every few days?"

"Oh, Bella," Angela says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Absolutely. We'll make sure he calls every night if that's what you need. I wish you were going with us."

"Me too."

"Are you sure you're going to be okay here by yourself?" she whispers. "Edward said things could get a little dicey the next few weeks."

"I'll be okay." I motion toward the pair of club members lingering in the shade at the end of the block and try to smile. "I've got my very own protection detail."

"I just worry about you."

"I'll be fine."

Angela releases me and I take a step back, handing her the backpack containing Sam's machine. I reach into my pocket for a folded stack of bills and hold it out to her. "This should cover his admission and food and—"

She takes the backpack but gently pushes away my other hand. "It's covered, Bella."

"But—"

"It's covered, okay? Don't worry about it. We got a good deal on a package, so it was next to nothing to add Sam to it."

I grip the money in my hand, resisting the urge to insist she take it. "You're sure?" I ask warily.

"I'm sure. Really."

"Okay." I nod, quietly slipping the cash into my back pocket. "Thank you," I say softly.

"You're welcome." Her smile is wide and genuine.

"Drive safe, and let me know when you get where you're going for the day, okay?"

"We will. Our first stop is San Diego. So, if you change your mind, we're only going to be about a six-hour drive away. You're welcome to join us at any time."

"Thanks, Angela."

The sound of an approaching motorcycle gets our attention, and we all watch as the bike rolls to a stop in front of my house.

"Dad!" Seth squeals as he takes off in a sprint toward Edward.

He barely has his helmet off before Seth tackle hugs him. "Hey, bud."

"What are you doing here?" Seth asks, looking up at his father.

"I had to come say goodbye, didn't I?"

Seth squeezes him tighter, and as I watch Sam look on with a fading smile, my heart breaks for him. It hurts to know he won't have moments like this in his future with his own father.

Edward gets off his bike and strides toward us, Seth held tightly to his side. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's fine," Angela says. "We haven't been here long. But we're all loaded up and really need to get on the road."

"Yeah, okay." Edward looks down at Seth and smiles. "You be good for your mom. And maybe pick up the phone and call your old man a few times."

Seth grins as Edward ruffles his hair. "I will. Promise."

Sammy tugs on my shirt, and I look down at his smiling face. "I'll call you, too, Mommy."

"You better." I reach for him, and he comes willingly into my arms. I squeeze him tight, and he gives it right back. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'm gonna miss you, too." He tolerates my attention for a few more seconds before wiggling out of my arms. He surprises me when he walks toward his uncle with open arms. "I'm gonna miss you, too, Uncle E."

Edward picks him up and hugs him. "You'll be having so much fun, you won't have time to miss me."

Sam slides down Edward's front, and when his feet hit the pavement, he bolts toward the backseat. "Time to go," he shouts as he climbs into his booster.

With misty eyes, I wave them off as they drive away. "Be safe," I whisper.

"You gonna be okay?" Edward asks, breaking the silence.

"I'll be fine." I wipe at my cheeks and turn to walk inside. I reach for the door handle, but before I can pull it open, Edward clears his throat.

"Can we talk?"

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever it is he wants to say, but I don't turn around. "About what? I have to get to work."

"I think we should talk about what happened last week."

"I really can't do this today, Edward. I think we should leave well enough alone for now."

"I really think it's best if we—"

I spin on my heel and meet his eyes. "And I really don't give a flying fuck what you think. I am so goddamn tired of people making decisions for me and decisions that affect my life." I take a measured step toward him, my eyes narrowed and my hands clenched at my sides. "Masen decided to fuck around on me. That affected my life in more ways than you could even comprehend. He decided to hide the fact that we had anything of any value that could have bettered our lives … our son's life. He chose to keep that from me. You knew all this time how much that bike was worth and didn't bother to tell me. You chose to keep that from me, too. So, don't come to me and tell me what you think is best for me, Edward. You can get right back on your goddamn bike and go back to wherever the fuck it is you've been hiding from me all week. Because right now, I don't think talking to me is a good idea."

He opens his mouth to speak, but I walk inside and slam the door behind me. With a pounding heart and a heaving chest, I just stand there. Several moments pass before I hear his bike start and several more before I hear it pull away. I'm both hurt and relieved that he didn't stick around and insist that we talk.

I'm in a foul mood, and everyone keeps their distance at the studio. When one of the actors makes the mistake of cornering me in the hallway to ask me out, I threaten to cut off his dick. That's the final straw for Rose. She drags me into her office and tells me to spill. Sitting at her rarely-used desk, she listens while I pace.

"I mean, can you believe that?" I throw my arms up in the air, more exasperated with the men in my life than when I first walked into the studio. "They all think they can make decisions for me! First, it was Masen. He thought it was better to hold on to a bike that could have meant us getting our own place years ago, or at the very least we wouldn't have had to scrimp and save every month to pay the bills. And Edward! He thought he had some kind of say over me working here. And then he goes and pays me almost ten thousand dollars, Rose. Ten fucking thousand!" I lower my voice. "What am I supposed to do with that?"

I finally turn to look at her, and her amused expression only makes me more irritated.

"You could be grateful."

"Grateful? How do I know he isn't doing it out of some twisted sense of duty or whatever?"

"Have you ever known Edward to lie to you?"

I plop my ass into a chair and cross my arms. "Only once."

"And when was that?"

"When we broke up."

"So, one lie in ten years." She raises a brow. "What did he lie about?"

I tilt my head back and groan. "Oh, come on, Rose." I meet her eyes. "You know the story. I'm sure you've heard all the gory details over the years."

"I want to hear them from you."

I huff a breath, not happy about rehashing this. "When we broke up, he promised he'd wait for me. Then he made the arbitrary decision that I was better off without him. Seth was on his way at that point, and Edward told me he didn't want me to be saddled with a kid at that age, especially one that wasn't mine. He wanted me to get away from this town and the life I'd have here if I stayed. But instead of talking to me, asking me what I wanted, he made the decision for both of us."

"And you're still upset with him?"

I look down at my feet. "We actually fought about it last week."

"What prompted that?" she asks, leaning forward in her chair.

"He asked me to stay with him while all this shit with the Kingsmen is settled, and I told him no. It just kind of snowballed from there, and we both brought up shit from ten years ago. We both started yelling, and then—" I stop, unsure if I should tell her how our argument ended.

"And then what?"

I shake my head. "Nothing."

She crosses her arms and leans back in her chair. "I call bullshit. But I won't push you to tell me. I will say this, though. You two need to talk. And I mean talk, not argue. You don't need to tell me there's more going on here than being angry over money, or even what Masen did by not selling that bike years ago. The history you share with Edward—and I'm not just talking about the history you shared ten years ago, either—is a huge part of your life. He is part of your life, right now, whether you like it or not. So, you need to figure out if he's going to be part of your future."

With my arms still crossed, I sit silently, unwilling to reply.

She stands and walks over, patting my shoulder. "And in the meantime, can you try to play nice with everyone and not threaten to cut off my actors' cocks?"

Edward and I spend the rest of the week avoiding each other. He still hasn't come back to take a shift as my shadow, at least not during the day. He could very well be out there while I'm sleeping, and I would never know it. The thought pisses me off.

I go to work, I come home; lather, rinse, repeat. The only silver lining to the time I'm spending away from Sammy is Rose has agreed to give me full-time hours until he comes home. But the extra work she's given me also means coming home later.

The sun has already set when I leave work on Friday. I'm exhausted and ready for a long soak in the tub, a momentary escape from my harsh reality. The offset headlights in my rearview remind me I still have babysitters following me around.

Since Edward has continued to hide from me since I blew up at him, I haven't heard any new details about the threat from the Kingsmen. But if I still have shadows following me around, Caius Volturi and his club must still be a threat.

I pull into the carport and cut the engine, happy to be home. I gather my bag and water bottle and get out of the car, waving in the direction of Buzz and Trigger.

"Have a good night, guys," I say over my shoulder, reaching into my bag for my house key. "Try to stay out of trouble."

I slide the key in the lock and open the door. The sight I'm greeted with confuses me for a moment. My darkened house is absolutely destroyed. Cushions are tossed. Cabinets and drawers are open and overturned. Our things are everywhere. I'm so focused on the mess that I don't notice the man standing in the corner behind me until he grabs me and places a hand over my mouth.

"Don't scream. Just tell me where it is."

My heart thunders in my chest and I frantically shake my head, mumbling against his palm.

"Your husband took something that didn't belong to him, and Caius wants it back." His warm, putrid breath wafts across my skin, and my stomach turns.

Again, I shake my head, all while desperately searching the inner pocket of my bag for my Beretta. I find it and wrap my hand around the grip, praying I get the chance to get a good shot.

"Tell me where it is," he growls. The man blessedly uncovers my mouth but holds a hand loosely around my throat.

"I don't know what you're talking about." My breaths come in heavy pants, and my mouth dries up.

He grasps my neck and shakes me. "It has to be here!"

I'm still shaking my head, my insides roiling. I swallow the bile trying to creep its way up my throat. "He wouldn't hide anything here. We have a son. He wouldn't have—"

"Where is it?" he shouts, pulling his hand from my neck and giving me a shove.

I fall to my knees, and before I can stand, I hear the unmistakable click of the hammer of a gun.

"Maybe this will refresh your memory, bitch. Now tell me where he hid the H!"

I close my eyes and swallow, breathing as evenly as I can. "I told you," I say, my voice trembling right along with the rest of me, "I don't know. If it was drugs, Masen wouldn't have brought it here for our son to find." I turn around slowly and look up at him. With my hand still hidden inside my bag, I wrap it around the grip of my M950, pulling slowly back on the hammer and disengaging the safety.

The neighbor's porch light shines through the kitchen window, and as the man takes a step toward me, there's just enough light to cast shadows on his face. His skin glistens with a sheen of sweat as he looms over me. "If you can't tell me, then maybe we'll sell you off to the highest bidder to cover the cost. How do you like the sound of that?"

A noise outside distracts him, and he turns his head for the briefest of moments.

Without giving it a second thought, I pull my gun from my bag and raise it, aiming it squarely at his chest and pulling the trigger. The pop of the first round is loud in the small space, but it doesn't stop me from emptying the magazine as he falls to the floor. Nine rounds fill his chest, and blood seeps out of him and onto the carpet.

I'm shaking so hard I can't maintain my grip and the gun slips from my hand, tumbling to the floor beside me.

The front door swings open, and I look up to find Trigger staring at me wide-eyed. "Holy shit, Bella! Are you okay?" He steps over the Kingsman's body and rushes to my side.

I'm unable to speak; my tongue is heavy and my stomach clenches and vibrates. I scramble backward, instinctually putting as much distance as I can between myself and the man on the floor, until my back hits the wall.

"Can you talk to me, sweetheart? Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Buzz rushes in behind him, his eyes bouncing between the dead man and me. "Fuck."

"Bella, did he hurt you?" Trigger repeats, smoothing the hair from my face as he checks me over.

I shake my head, still unable to form words. I look over at the dead man lying in my living room and back to Trigger, my eyes wide. My hands fly to his, and I squeeze, silently begging him not to leave me.

"Come on, hon. Let's get you outta here." He helps me to my feet, and on shaky legs, I walk outside. Their murmured voices barely register as I slide into the passenger seat of my Honda. Buzz gets behind the wheel and drives out of my neighborhood. Streetlights illuminate the window as we pass them, but I have no sense of where we're going. Thankfully, Buzz doesn't ask me any questions. I'm sure I wouldn't be able to answer him anyway.

By the time we pull into the lot of the clubhouse, I'm numb. The car door opens, and I'm led inside. It's a Friday night, so patch holders are everywhere. Old ladies and patch whores are everywhere, too, but I couldn't care less. When my eyes land on Edward sitting on a barstool, I want nothing more than for him to hold me and tell me everything is going to be okay.

He catches sight of me, and his brow furrows in confusion. "Bella?" He looks to Buzz at my side. "What is she doing here, Prospect? What the fuck happened?" He hops off the stool and steps toward us.

"There was ..." Buzz clears his throat. "There was someone in the house."

Edward's steps falter, and he looks from me back to Buzz. "Was?" he growls.

"Yeah, she, uh ..."

"Spit it the fuck out."

Buzz's voice lowers to a murmur, barely audible over the music in the background. "Bella shot him."

Edward charges at Buzz. "You stupid fuck!" His fists fly, and no one does anything to stop him. "Why did you let her go inside without checking the goddamn house first, huh?" Hit after hit, Edward takes out his anger on the poor prospect.

But Buzz gives as good as Edward does, and soon they're a tangle of limbs and testosterone as their scuffle turns into a full-fledged fistfight. The other club members egg them on, and I take a step back, needing to distance myself from all of it. My back hits a wall, and I slide down until I'm sitting on the floor. I close my eyes and cover my ears with my hands, tears finally welling behind my closed lids and spilling onto my cheeks.

Warm, large hands reach for me, one arm moving under my knees and the other behind my back, and I'm lifted into the air. The scent of leather and tobacco fills my nose. My eyes fly open, and I'm met with familiar, intense green. Without a word, he carries me down the hallway and into his room, kicking the door closed behind us.

A/N: Eep! Any thoughts on what might happen next? Things are heating up, that's for sure. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Shift, the prequel to this story, is posting on Fridays. So, be sure to check my profile for that one if you want to see how these two started out. I'm still deciding how much of Bella and Masen's story I'm going to write, but quite a few of you have said you'd like to read it, so ... we shall see.

There are some great contests going on right now. I'm a judge for The Perfect Date Contest, which is accepting entries until 5/23/20, as well as the A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words Contest, which is accepting entries now through 6/22. There are Facebook groups for each, so be sure to check them out. TwiFandom News is also hosting a Family Affairs Mafia fic contest. Be sure to check out all of these! And if you write or are even thinking of writing, get to it!

Remember, you can come chat with me in my Facebook group, Sunshine Fics. I also share teasers and chapter pics there every week. And you can follow me on Twitter at CSunshine1220, and on my blog sited in chapter 1. Thanks so much for reading!

Be kind.
Stay safe.
Stay well.

Lots of love
~Sunshine