CHAPTER 9

08/04/2016

To Jasper,

I can't put into words my relief when I read your second letter, not to say I didn't deserve the first. I certainly did, and much worse. I have betrayed you and clearly, I lacked faith in you and your self-preservation. From the deepest reaches of my heart, I am so sorry. Sorry I hurt you and I'm sorry for any embarrassment that you felt. But rest assured, I will never make that mistake again.

I still have your file, I noticed that your forwarding address is a postal box, do you wish for me to forward your file to it? I can't hold on to it forever you know.

As for the begging, well, you and I both know that it is I who should be begging for the forgiveness, you have done nothing.

In my last letter, I harshly pointed out our lack of acquaintance when I was trying to rationalise my actions, so I'd like to offer an olive branch and finally tell you a bit about myself.

I am twenty-five and an introvert, but my sister calls me a troglodyte. Regardless of a title though, most people either scare or annoy me, but mostly annoy. I live in my fathers house, it used to be by myself, but now it is with Rose and Emmett. He passed away in my senior year of school, so I suppose it is our house, it just feels weird saying/writing that.

To pay my bills, I convert classical literature into digital format for a free ebook website so the world can download it all for nothing. But my passion is to write my own stories, I'd never submit them though, I put too much of myself into them, and exposing that much of myself to people scares me. There really isn't all that much else to me… I live a very quiet life.

Waiting anxiously,

Bella

I walk out front and place it in the mail box where Emmett seems to be loitering about.

"Hello sister in-law," he greets.

"You're not married to my sister yet, criminal," I retort, humour in my tone.

"Speaking of criminals, I have a favour to ask."

"I'm listening."

"Well," he rubs the back of his neck, a trait I have come to associate with stress for him. "Rose is going to Seattle this weekend to pay a loan payment, and you and I both know that the people she got the loan from are bad news, so I was wondering if you could go with her, because I can't."

"Emmett, there is nothing I can do if something goes wrong," I point out.

"I know, but two people is less of a target than just one."

"Okay… is there anyway to get her loan paid off quicker?"

"We could shed a couple of years off it if we put everything we have towards it, or we can try to get a bank loan to pay it out, but I don't think we can do that, we are still high-risk clients, which is why she went to them in the first place."

"So for the time being, we're stuck?"

"Yes," he clarifies.

"I'll go, but you really need to figure something out, I don't like having any association with those people."

"I agree, and thank you. I have two months left, then I am free to wander the state, so only two more payments to be made after this one until I can go with her."

I can't help but notice the solemn look on his face, his drawn in brow, his stress tick… he is really worried.

"Emmett," he looks into my eyes, waiting. "Just don't do anything stupid, okay. I may give you crap, but you are more useful to us here than in prison. If worse comes to worse, we'll mortgage the house or sell it… "

"This was your fathers house, Bella. Everything he worked hard for."

"No, he worked hard for us girls, this house was for us, to keep us safe and to help us in our futures. If selling it keeps us safe, he wouldn't care a shred."

"I'm sorry I never got to meet him, he sounds wonderful."

"Yeah, he was…"

I turn around and leave him to his thought, hopefully his clearer head can help find a solution to our woes, preferably one that doesn't involve selling the house.

I walk into the kitchen and call Rose. I don't know if Emmett has told Rose he prefers me to join her, but it seems to me he'd like to avoid Rose knowing just how rotten the Volturi's really are.

"Nick's Mechanical," Rose answers with.

"Why on Earth are you still calling it Nick's?" I ask.

"Because I'm far too lazy to do the paperwork to change it, besides, most of the clientele were checking who they rang when I answer, so they are clearly used to the name."

"Flawless logic as usual Rosie."

"Of course, so what has brought on this strange bout of sisterly love?"

"Well, Emmett just mentioned earlier that this is the weekend you are going to Seattle, and I wanted to grill you for not inviting me."

"Please bitch, you barely leave to house to go to the letter box, what's your motive?"

"My motive, bitch, is that I haven't spent alone time with you since we packed up your apartment… Richelle Mead may also coincidentally be having a book signing too, but that's beside the point."

"You warm my heart Bella. Fine, but you're buying lunch."

"Deal, I'll even pay for half the gas."

"Alright, I've got to go, give Emmett a kiss for me."

"Definitely not… God only knows where he's been."