Author's note: Hi! Welcome back to Chapter 27. Another Edward POV and I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Unedited.

...

"What have I done?

With my heart on the floor

I must be out of my mind

To come back begging for more"

Litost - X Ambassadors

…

I can feel Aro's eyes burning holes into the back of my head as I walk away.

I didn't think ending ties with Aro would be easy but he seems more reactive to it than I thought he would be. I thought being miles away and not hearing from me would have let him know I am no longer a part of this world as I once was.

But maybe he was trying to bring me back?

This new deal is close to where I live and while it could just be convenient, Aro choosing this game to call me back doesn't only seem about the deal.

I need to focus on the game.

As long as I win, Aro has nothing on me.

I follow Felix to the table that sits in the middle of the basement.

"Good Luck Mr. Cullen," He nods and leaves me by myself on one side of the table.

Vladimir stands at the other end of the table wearing an all dark grey suit with a red scarf. His pure blond hair and pale skin looks even lighter under the room lighting. Stefan stands beside him in the same suit and scarf, his dark hair and eyes the only thing different about them.

"Players." The dealer stands in the middle of the table, waiting for us to pay attention.

She looks unamused as the crowd continues to gather around her table to watch. Her hands skillfully shuffle the cards as she explains the rules.

The goal is twenty one.

If you hit the goal number, you double your money.

We can bet as much as we want to reach the goal of one trillion.

Once you hit that goal or more, you win.

Each loss, you lose money.

The rules are simple.

"I will flip a coin to see who will go first. Mr. Dacian, please call it."

"Heads." Vladimir smiles.

The dealer flips the coin into the air but doesn't catch it. It rolls onto the green table and spins before landing tails side up.

"Mr. Cullen, you will go first."

I nod, ignoring the nervous feeling of having to go first.

I can choose whatever bet I want and his choice will be based on mine. I need to know how confident he is. His body language and the amount he bets will tell me all I need to know.

"Let the game begin,"

As soon as I sit, my fingers are twitching and my right leg is bouncing. My shoulders are back and my head is high. I am in a zone that I have not visited in a long time.

The dealer shuffles the cards one last time then hands one to me.

An ace of spades, not bad for a start.

I decide to start off small to see how high Vladimir will bet right off the bat. "Five hundred thousand dollars," I acknowledge the dealer.

She nods and gives me another card.

A three of hearts.

Thirteen or four.

"One million," Vladimir smiles, his dark eyes blinking.

I wonder if I should have bet higher instead or if I should increase it, but choose to stick with my initial gut choice.

I don't increase my bet but I do ask the dealer to hand me another card.

A nine of spades.

I sigh deeply, thankful for the ace also counting as one.

With all three of my cards, I am still at thirteen. I still choose to keep my same bet because I am unsure if I will get so lucky next time.

I have never been unsure of winning a game before. I also have never gone as long as I have without playing.

I try not to come off as nervous as I ask for another card and silently beg that it is nothing more than an eight.

Vladimir chose to hold with his two cards in his hand. His facial expression remains unchanged, but his dark eyes burn holes through me.

The dealer motions for us to lay our cards down so she can count them.

I lay my three cards down first then slowly laying down the fourth.

It's a six of diamonds making my total nineteen.

The crowd is cheering before I can see his cards but when the dealer points two fingers in his direction, I know he has won this round.

His cards are a perfect twenty one.

"Fuck," I mutter under my breath.

Not only has he won this round, he has doubled his money and I am starting off in the negatives.

I don't look in Aro's direction as I hand my cards back to the dealer. She hands me another card and I take a deep breath before looking at it.

A ten of diamonds.

My plan was to start off slow and see how Vladimir is playing but if he continues to bet high and win, I am screwed.

My leg continues to bounce but I can feel it getting tired. The fluorescent lights seem too bright and it has become hot all of the sudden. I feel sweat beading at the top of my forehead but I don't dare move my hand to wipe it away. Regardless of how I feel right now, I can't show it.

Fuck.

I can't start losing it now. It's too early.

I'm a little rusty, that's all.

Every play won't be like this. I just have to wage carefully. I guess what cards are left and what my next one could be by remembering what cards have already been played before being shuffled again.

It's a guessing game.

A calculation on what the chance is I will get the cards to equals a number that beats my opponent.

I know what I'm doing.

"Thirty million," I announce, asking for a third card.

A nine of hearts.

I choose to hold and I watch as Vladimir decides on what his next move will be.

He matched my offer of thirty thousand and by the subtle but noticeable look of defeat when the dealer hands him his next card, he regrets doing so.

His eyebrows furrow and his mouth twitches as he tries to keep his expression from faltering. He adjusts in his seat and tilts his head side to side then lays his cards down.

A seven of clubs, an eight of clubs, and a Jack of hearts.

The crowd reacts as they add up his cards.

Twenty five.

My nineteen is safe.

Some groan in defeat and others cheer for my win.

"Collect yourself, Brother!" Stefan shouts to Vladimir from the crowd.

Vladimir doesn't like losing but from the looks in his eyes, he is ready for a battle.

We're both skilled players but who will come out on top?

We deal our cards again, making bets and choosing whether to ask for another card or hold.

It feels like hours of us taking turns to win and increase our winnings.

He wins.

I win.

He wins again.

We tie and I win.

The crowd loves watching us go back and forth, keeping their interest when we bet high and double their money.

I am focused on the amount of money I have earned.

Each play we both get further away or closer to one trillion.

I am trying to play fast to not only throw Vladimir off but so this can be over.

The cheers of the crowd and the feeling of winning no longer feel the same.

I can't believe I used to consider this the best time of my life.

Betting my nights away and pulling Bella in this life with me.

"Bella?" I whisper to myself as I stare at the top of the stairs that lead into the basement.

I feel sick to my stomach as I make sure my eyes are adjusted and that I am seeing right.

But as I rub my eyes and squint them multiple times, I know that what and who I am seeing is real.

Bella continues to walk down the stairs wearing the same clothes she wore when I left earlier tonight. A petite blond woman walks in front of her, leading her through the crowd of people.

I don't take my eyes off of her as they walk to the table Aro and his brothers sit at.

Aro says something to her but I can't read his lips.

Her eyes find mine again before turning back and nodding at whatever Aro has just said.

I watch as all three brothers slide out of the booth and walk toward a door on the other side of the room. Felix follows behind Bella making sure she makes it all the way into the room before closing the door behind her.

"Time." I make my hands in a sideway "T" to call a timeout.

The dealer acknowledges me before she can hand out the next cards.

"Mr. Cullen has asked for a time out," she announces to the crowd. "Mr. Cullen is in the lead with twenty five billion while Mr. Dacian is behind at fifteen billion. We will resume in fifteen minutes."

I push myself away from the table and make a beeline for the door Bella just followed Aro and his brothers into by herself.

As soon as I am a few steps away from it, Felix opens the door and follows me into it, closing it behind us.

…

Author's note: I hope you all enjoyed a little game of blackjack. What do you think is going to happen behind that door in fifteen minutes? Leave a review and I will see you next chapter!