Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

Beta'd by HollettLA.

"Riders on the Storm"

Chapter Forty: On the Road

BELLA POV

When it comes to my husband, I learned a long time ago that I don't need to like him to fuck him. Even if things were cool between Edward and Sonny—they'd had that heart-to-heart—I was still upset with him, my husband. But it's kind of hard to remember why when he's about to go across the country, to do some shifty shit, and he's giving you orgasm after orgasm.

We fucked on top of a mountain of clothes, and I didn't care.

After all, they're just clothes.

Once we'd finished making love and I was about to pass out, Edward decided it was time to talk. I'd honestly felt we'd done enough talking, but then remembered something. Damion had called . . . and I hopped up to call him back. But then Edward said he was fine, just checking in, before he went on about my options for the next few days.

I didn't care about what I did. I could rearrange the kitchen cabinets, give this place a good cleaning, not like the once over I usually give it every week. Vacuum every square inch.

Basically, just do anything and everything to keep my ass busy.

But Edward had a better idea.

/=/=/=/=/

The alarm clock was set for six a.m., and I was surprised when it went off—surprised to see Edward's side empty. I knew he was leaving with Aro early, but I thought . . .

I thought I'd see him before he left.

My face crumbled and I cried, hugging his pillow close to my chest. We'd only gone to bed three hours prior, but if I had to guess . . . My husband never went to sleep. He waited until I fell out and then took off.

I knew he was leaving . . .

I just . . .

After wiping my eyes clean and composing myself, I noticed the note on Edward's nightstand. It was next to a clear, plastic bag filled with cash.

Bella,

I didn't wanna wake you. I'll be in touch, and you got my number.

Try not to use it. Be careful and listen to my brother.

Your nine is loaded and in your purse, and we'll be together before you know it.

You won't even miss my ass, that's how much fun you'll have with Kylie. I love you.

Stars in the sky,

Edward.

P.S. Stop crying and take ALL the money with you. Buy shit.

I giggled and kissed the piece of paper, my hand itching to grab my cell phone and call him. That's when I remembered I had a new prepaid cell I'd be using for the next five days. I wasn't even supposed to turn my regular cell on, nor was I to take it with me.

Being with Kylie for days without her cell was going to be torture.

But worth it.

Since I'd packed a small bag along with Edward's last night, I didn't have to do much besides shower and get dressed, and load all that cash, the nine, and my silencer into my huge purse before Carlisle arrived.

My husband left me ten grand in c-notes, and I had no idea what he thought I'd do with all that money.

At 7:30, Carlisle pulled into the driveway with a cranky Kylie in his passenger side. I opened the garage to let his car in.

Kylie opened her window. "What's going on? Where's Dad?"

I placed my finger to my mouth. "We'll talk."

She blew out a breath, leaning back. "What now?"

I jerked a thumb. "You get in the back."

"Duck," Carlisle added.

"Why?" My daughter was alarmed as she scooted into the backseat.

"So many questions." My brother-in-law shook his head. "Gimme your cell." He held his hand out for Kylie's. Surprisingly, my daughter didn't make a fuss and handed it right over. "Just put it wherever." He gave it to me.

In turn, I shut it off and placed it on the washing machine. It'd be just fine there until we returned.

"Mom, what's going on?" Kylie asked again. "What if Gio…?"

"Everything's fine." I fastened my baseball cap, putting my sunglasses on. "Just lay down, keep your head out of sight." Then I hopped into Carlisle's car.

Kylie did as instructed, but I felt badly. She looked scared out of her mind.

I made sure to keep myself from being seen, too, and made light conversation with them both as we drove along the quiet streets and then veered onto the highway. Carlisle spoke about how cute Kylie is with the twins, while my daughter laughed along and made faces.

Unfortunately, we didn't stop for coffee. We did, however, make it out of the city without being followed or seen. When we made it to Westchester, Carlisle pulled into a rest stop.

"The car's on the second level. You guys stay here while I get it." He left the car, and I placed my hand in my purse to grasp my silenced nine—just in case.

To be clear, we were actually hiding out from Feds, not necessarily enemies—although the F.B.I. aren't our allies . . . and Kylie and me being alone would make us easy targets.

"Can you tell me what's going on? Why I gotta wear this ugly thing?" Kylie pointed to the pink cadet hat on her head. I remembered when Alex bought it. She'd paid a fortune for it years back, only to realize she wasn't a hat person. My guess is Carlisle grabbed anything from her closet to disguise Kylie.

We were only shielding our hair and eyes, wearing shades, too.

"'Cause . . ." I had no idea what to tell her. "It's a safety precaution. You and me are going away for a few days—just us. We won't have a driver or anyone following us. It's just us."

"What?" She blinked, staring at me.

I grinned. "Just you—" I poked her nose "—and me."

The side of her mouth pulled into a lopsided smile. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." I nodded. "We can do anything you want."

She gasped. "Can we fly down to Texas—"

"No," I laughed, shooting that down real fast.

"Oh…" Her pout didn't last long. "What happened to Bermuda?"

I chewed my lip for a second. "It didn't work out. Something came up for Dad, so—"

She snorted. "Dude, we could go."

"I gave up the, um, our seats, the plane tickets." As she's gotten older, it's become increasingly harder to lie to her. Not because she knows I'm being dishonest, because I just don't like to. "So, what do you wanna do? I mean, Dad's not around. Gio's in Texas. We have no one following . . . Your uncle just went to get us some wheels."

"Wow." She beamed. "I—I—I have no idea. Can we pick up Dame? Or Maggie? She's having a tough time with Sonny—don't tell her I told you."

I shook my head, a frown on. "What's wrong with it being just us?"

"Nothing, I guess." She shrugged. "Nothing at all. I just figured—"

Our heads whipped to our right when a car pulled up. Carlisle was driving a black Chevy Silverado, and I wondered what my husband was thinking when he got us that. The windows were tinted; we could haul shit in the cab . . .

He figured we'd go shopping.

When Carlisle left the large truck, Kylie, our bags, and I scurried into it.

"I'll follow you a few miles—make sure no one's following us. Cool?" he asked, likely doing what Edward said. I know my husband wants to know exactly where we are.

I buckled my seatbelt. "Cool."

"You call me if anything…"

I nodded, adjusting the seat.

"If you're tired, there's a hotel in the cut out here. I could lead you there—you guys can figure out what's up...?" That didn't sound like a bad idea. Especially since we could hide out for a day and then take off without Carlisle knowing where we were going.

"Yeah, sounds good," I said. "Should I follow you . . .?"

"Yeah, follow me, and I'll keep a look out." He walked around his Mercedes and hopped in.

"You ready, kid?" I looked over to Kylie.

"Ready, Freddy!" She went to take off her hat.

I stopped her. "Not yet."

"Oh…" She slumped low as I pulled out of the parking spot.

My brother in-law lied. The hotel that was "only a few miles away" was actually more like fifty miles away. My eyes were getting droopy without my morning coffee and without any sleep . . .

Luckily, when I was just about to call Carlisle, he pulled onto a narrow road on the Pennsylvania border. We were north, just west of Middletown, actually.

My brows rose as I sighed and gave my sleeping daughter a fleeting glance. Carlisle led us all the way up here for a reason, and I wouldn't be surprised if my husband had already called Emmett—told my brother to look out for us, or to expect our arrival.

It wasn't a bad idea, to hide out in Middletown a couple of days. But there was no way we could stay at Emmett's for five whole days.

I figured we'd stay here at this hotel, check out the outlet malls, spend Edward's money—which will make Kylie's year—and then we could go stay with Emmett or Alice.

Suddenly, my stomach tied in knots, anxious and anticipating visiting my brother and Rosalie, and most of all Alice . . .

As we get older, we focus more on our immediate family. Priorities change. As the years rolled on, we all remained close, although we can go months without seeing each other.

"The Comfort Inn?" Kylie yawned. "Do you think they have room service?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so." It was a regular, no-frills hotel, which didn't bother me. I didn't need anything special.

At that moment, a thought came to me . . .

My mother rarely visits, and we'd never recovered from that fight we had when Kylie was a toddler. Renee still lives in that old house that's falling apart. Emmett does what he can when he can, but our mother is still stubborn, and now slowly losing her mind, I think.

Kylie has never been there. She's been to BBQs and shit at Alice's or Emmett's. And even if she doesn't think so, she's lived a very privileged and charmed life, one very different from my upbringing.

I wanted the next few days to be more of a reality check, not so much a vacation.

I didn't want to take her shopping . . .

"This place is great," I commented, leaving the cab with my purse.

Kylie followed as we walked over to the Mercedes. "But—"

I ignored her, facing Carlisle. "We can take it from here." There were other cars parked, but not a soul around. It was still very early in the morning.

"I'll check youse in. Be right back." Carlisle was going to be as chivalrous as Edward made him promise to be.

I sighed, reaching into his car for a cigarette, needing one to wake up my brain.

Kylie gasped. "Since when do you smoke cigarettes?"

I grinned, blowing my smoke out. "There's a lot of things you don't know about me…about us, your father and I."

She furrowed her brow. "What's there to know?"

I hummed, not saying more.

"When can you tell me—"

"Just relax. You're safe," I whispered.

She puffed her cheeks, looking around. "There's a Burger King . . . Can we get breakfast?"

I nodded. "We can do that. Go 'head." I pointed right across the street. "You have money, right? Get me a coffee. Light and sweet."

"Walk…?" she laughed. "Me, by myself?"

I beamed at my baby girl. "Remember to look both ways." It was more of a small highway, a road than a street. "Get your uncle a coffee, too."

"Um…" She stepped backward. "Are-are you—"

"I'm sure." I nodded. "If you're not back in fifteen, I know to go look." I flicked the ashes off the cigarette and shrugged a shoulder.

"Do you have money? Because—" She didn't want to spend her own.

I scrunched my nose. "I'd have to get to an ATM. You have cash. Dad gave you money."

"ATM…?" She knew that was bullshit.

"Just go."

Kylie was wary, but she eventually turned toward the fast food joint and walked on.

Trust me; I made sure to keep her in my line of sight until she entered the Burger King. Kylie was just fine.

"You're all set." Carlisle handed me the key card. "Two double beds…nothing special. I didn't think…I know there are fancier hotels—"

"This is perfect," I said.

"Where's Ky?" He looked around.

I jerked my head across the street. "Getting breakfast. She's bringing you back a coffee."

His eyes widened. "You—"

"She's fine," I giggled. "Geez."

He put his hands up. "She's your kid. You know better."

"She's not a kid," I disagreed, putting the cig out with my sneaker. "When I was her age, I had an apartment, a life…sort of."

"Struggling? Was that really a life?" he asked.

"I have no idea." I was honest. "I just—sometimes I wish she was more like me, more independent. When I married Edward, I started to rely too heavily on him for everything. I don't want that for Kylie. She needs to know that she can stand on her own if she has to."

"All right." His head bobbed. "I can agree to that, but Bella . . . Kylie's a mini B. She's just like you." He smiled. "She's tough, too, when it's necessary. I know you guys worry, but she's different when you two aren't around. She's cool."

"How is she when she's with you?" I asked.

He grinned, shaking his head and lighting his own cigarette. "Hilarious, genuine, always honest…but just too damn funny."

I laughed. "She is…a little wise-ass."

"That, she gets from Edward."

"No doubt." I snorted, watching Kylie come toward us with a drink tray.

That small feat is usually something a mom celebrates when their child is eight or maybe even younger—successfully crossing the street. But this was more than that. Even if we were paces away, ready at any moment if something happened, Kylie went into Burger King without an escort, without anybody right next to her.

It was something.

"How'd it go?" I asked.

Kylie was biting her lips together, trying not to smile. "No big deal." She scoffed, but we both knew how huge it was.

I squeezed her bicep to celebrate her victory, yet no one made it a production.

"I'll head back . . . See you guys soon." Carlisle kissed my forehead, and then landed on smooch in Kylie's hair before he entered his vehicle. "Thanks." He took his coffee from Kylie and then closed the door.

We watched as he drove away.

"What do we do now?"

I turned and started to unload our bags. "We relax. Take your own . . . I'll take mine."

Kylie juggled the crap in her hands and her duffle, but we made it to the hotel's entrance.

The room was on the small side—one chest of drawers with a TV on top and two queen-sized beds filled the space.

And I no longer cared about my coffee.

While Kylie got herself situated and turned on the television, I threw all my shit into the closet before I did a nose-dive for a bed. They looked crazy comfortable, made to perfection, although the mattress wasn't as comfortable as ours at home.

"What are we gonna do today?" Kylie asked.

I sighed, pulling the blanket around myself. "I dunno . . . We'll see. I just need a nap." After setting the prepaid cell on the nightstand, I closed my eyes.

/=/=/=/

I'd managed to fall asleep.

Not sure if it was hours or minutes later, my eyes widened as I stared into Kylie's. The girl was in my face, likely willing me to wake up.

"Good. You're up now." She backed off.

"What—" I cleared my throat, looking at the time on the alarm clock. It was ten to four in the afternoon, and I'd gotten some good sleep. "Shit…thanks for letting me sleep."

Kylie nodded. "I'm so thirsty . . . I've been drinking water from the faucet." She pointed.

"Nothing wrong with that." I scooted off the bed, grabbing for the cell to see that Edward hadn't called. "Why didn't you go to the vending machine down the hall?"

She looked down to the floor. "I wasn't sure . . . Like if I should have left or not. It's weird." Kylie plopped herself on my bed. "It's like…I know Daddy or anyone isn't here, but it's still weird," she laughed. "I can't explain it."

I pushed her messy hair back. "You need a haircut."

"I told you . . . I'm letting it grow."

"I know," I said. "Do you not feel safe? Why's it weird?" My hand tried to catch my yawn.

"No, I feel safe. I'm with you . . . but no one's watching for you either." She furrowed her brow. "We have to watch each other."

"Exactly." I nodded. "We'll be fine. I told you—"

"Dad says he has enemies he can see…and enemies he can't."

"Be that as it may . . ." I wasn't going to get into it, that I'd shield her with my own life if need be, or that I had a quiet nine for whoever tried to do us harm. "We're fine. If you're that worried, Cousin Jasper doesn't live that far from here. Uncle Emmett is twenty minutes away. I was going to suggest, after we spend some time together, we go visit them."

"We can do whatever you want." She shrugged, leaving the bed. "It was supposed to be your vacation . . ." She stepped into her sneakers. "But can we get food…like now? I'm thirsty and starving, but I don't want Burger King again."

I smiled, pulling my hair up into a ponytail. "I saw a sign for restaurants when we left the highway. We'll find something."

After cleaning up a bit, we left the room for the car, and we quickly pulled away. I knew the direct route to T.G.I. Friday's, but I went the long way to make sure we weren't being followed—by anyone.

I would not put it past my husband to still have someone tail us. It's not that I would have minded, I just needed to know—who or if someone was following.

We were cool, though. There was no suspicious activity.

Kylie got shrimp and steak, and I had grilled chicken. We didn't talk about much, and the quiet was welcomed. I dug it, just having a nice dinner with my daughter.

"I wonder how much they make…" She tapped her chin, staring at a server. "What compels someone to want to wait on tables?"

"I used to . . . I waitressed when I was in college. It's a cool gig. The cash is always awesome. The free food is a great bonus, and you meet a lot of people." I nodded. "It's not bad, but working in customer service . . . Well, you see some clients that come into the tanning salon. It's not easy trying to cater to people." I rolled my eyes, taking a sip of my Diet Coke.

"That's really cool—that you did that." She smiled.

"It's not like I had a choice. It was fast food or waiting tables . . . Trust me; waiting tables is better."

"I believe you," she giggled only to frown. "I haven't spoken to Gio or Maggie. I bet Gio's worried. I—"

"You can use the phone I have to call him. But you have to keep it short. Just tell him you're with your mom, and you'll call him when you get home."

"Sounds so infantile. I mean, I'm nineteen." She snorted.

"But he's your boyfriend and you know he's gonna give you shit 'cause you can't tell him where you are." I twirled my straw around my ice.

"True." She acquiesced.

After we paid the bill, Kylie was fast to call Gio as we made our way out to the truck. Knowing there was an outlet mall close, I started toward there.

"Say goodbye." She'd been on the phone for close to five minutes already. "Gio, she's with her momma!"

"Shhh," Kylie laughed. "No, not you." She spoke to Gio. "I love you, too. I'll try to call you tomorrow." She ended the call, and I felt her eyes on me as I pulled into the parking lot. "He doesn't understand why I can't tell him where we are. I don't fully understand it either . . . I might add."

"Oh, Kylie." I reached over to grab her jaw. "There's things in life we'll just never understand. You go with it—go with the flow." I smiled, parking close to the drugstore entrance. "We need disguises . . . We're not shopping. Just something to make us look different."

She gasped. "Can I dye my hair?"

I shook my head. "There are quite a few shops along here . . . We can find you a wig."

"That's even better! I want a bad one, so people know it's a wig," she laughed her ass off.

I glanced at my roots in the visor mirror. They were holding up pretty well, and Janine was going to be pissed . . . "What do you think about me dyeing my hair black?"

"It'd make you look goth."

"I'm serious," I said.

"So am I." She left the cab. "You're too pale for black . . . Maybe a really dark, dark brown, but not all the way black." She droned as she walked over to my side of the car.

"We'll figure something out."

From there, we went on our little shopping excursion.

/=/=/=/=/=/

EDWARD

/=/=/=/=/=/

Although I didn't get any sleep at home next to Bella, I slept plenty while Aro drove us out of New York. In fact, I woke up when we were driving out of West Virginia without a clue as to where we were. It was cool, though.

Aro was getting tired, so we stopped at a diner to get cleaned up.

I needed to call Bella anyway . . .

After speaking to Carlisle and learning where they were, I dialed Bella's new phone. She picked up right away.

"Baby…?"

"We're fine." I smiled, happy to hear her voice. The way shit was last night, I wasn't wary speaking to her. We'd managed to put our differences aside regarding Sonny and just spend some time together.

"Good." She sounded breathy. "C called you?"

"He did . . ." I hoped she'd go stay with Alice and Jasper or head to Emmett's; they were in the area. "I love you." She knows we can't say much on these calls. Even if the phones are untraceable, I still like to make sure we don't give anything away.

"I love you, too." Her voice was filled with emotion.

"Bella," I sighed. "You were fine before I called, weren't you?" I'm what's getting her upset, but it's all . . . out of sight, out of mind. We gotta watch our asses, but I know the both of us are concerned for the other. It's the way shit is, and now she's getting emotional hearing my voice.

"I'm changing my hair." She was trying to sound better, the vigor in her voice stronger and louder.

"Don't cut it!" My eyes landed on the electrical razor in Aro's hand. He had that shit in his duffle, wanted to shave his head wherever we stopped. I can't imagine why. It's cold. My hair is concealed with a skully.

"No, just the color."

"Oh…" I tore off my hat, ran my fingers through my hair. "I love you . . . I gotta drive now, so I'll call you when we stop."

"Okay. Love you. Love you. Baby girl says she loves you, too."

I smiled. "Give her a big smooch for me."

"I will," Bella giggled, ending the call.

I hummed, stuffing the cell into my pocket. "You're serious right now?" I gestured to my friend. "We're not that young any more. You shave it, it might not grow back." My hand reached to coif his do.

He pulled away. "It'll grow back. My forehead's bigger, but fuck you. So is yours."

I cackled. "It's called a receding hairline. You see my pop's. It'll turn white and gray before it gets thin and falls out."

"My father went bald in his late forties, fifties . . . It's gonna go, but if it's gotta go—" he looked to me "—I'd rather be the one to shave the shit off."

"Die on your feet instead of your knees." I nodded. "Take care of it yourself . . . It'll suit you, I think."

"I think so, too." He stared into the mirror.

There was a knock at the door.

"It's occupied!" Aro shouted, hitting the switch and making the razor come to life.

I chuckled. "Probably thinks you're fucking around in here with a vibrating dildo or some shit."

"What?" he asked, hadn't heard me.

"Nothing." I put my hands up, going over to the urinal to take a piss.

Everything was working out well. Bella and Kylie were out of sight. I had confirmation that Sonny and Maggie—or should I say Edward and Isabella Cullen—had made it to Bermuda like two hours ago. All that was left to handle was getting Aro and myself to Vegas within a timely manner. It all rested on us now.

While Aro got busy, going to town and chopping his hair off, I was about to use my cell to call Damion—just to check in on him. He had no idea what was going on. Sonny had told Carlisle that—that he didn't allude or tell Damion a thing, just that he and Maggie would be ghost for a few days.

Dame still thinks Bella and I were heading to Bermuda . . .

Kylie's supposedly at Carlisle's . . .

Before I hit send, I decided not to call him. If I did, it'd just needlessly worry him since I wouldn't be able to answer any of his questions.

And it's not like I'd call him as soon as I arrived at our resort. Calling him would be out of character for me, so I didn't.

"How long you gonna be?"

He massaged his head with his hand. "Shit's even?"

"Good enough."

"You didn't even look!" he hollered.

"It's good—what?" I showed him my palms. "Don't get cunty."

He smirked. "I look younger."

"You do," I agreed, because he did. He no longer had any salt in his pepper . . . he no longer had any hair at all. It looked like a buzz-cut, nice and even. "Fuck it. Do my shit, too." I shrugged.

"For real? 'Cause you can't take it back. I cut your shit and you don't like it, you'll try and fight me. We don't got time for that." He rushed out.

I took my hoodie off. "Just do it." My hair grows like weeds. Maybe the color has changed, but the prior fact remained true. I was one of the lucky ones. Even if he went down to the skin, I'd have hair to show Bella once I got back to New York.

I winced, thinking about my wife and what she might do . . .

"Don't move."

I opened my eyes to see only half my head was shaved.

"We should leave it like this . . . Skip going retro and shit." He chuckled.

"Shut up—get busy."

He rolled his eyes, getting the other side.

Truth be told, without hair, I looked about ten years younger, too. Combined with our casual outfits, we looked like two homeboys just riding . . . Two white boys with no hair driving below the Mason-Dixon Line . . .

I doubt anyone would think anything of it.

Nevertheless, it was still brick—cold as fuck—even if we were South, and I donned my hat anyway. I drove us to a steak house while Aro fought to stay awake now.

"Let's eat, and then I'll drive 'til I get tired—you sleep," I said.

Aro yawned. "Sounds good . . . Fuck. Remember when we could do this shit . . . not think nothing of it." He popped a pill into his mouth. "We were coked up, though." He pursed his lips. "Wanna be perked up?"

I smirked, staring at his palm where a pill sat. "Oxy?"

He shrugged. "They're from a legit doc. My knee's actin' up. I might need to have it replaced."

"No shit." I swallowed the medicine down without water. "Wow."

"Used to shoot kneecaps off, and now I need a new one . . . that's karma."

"That's—that's 'cause you injured it back in the day, because your old ass is a grandpa," I laughed, pulling into a parking spot.

"You're old, too."

"Never said I wasn't," I sighed. "I'm just sayin' . . . it's not karma."

"I think it is." He wouldn't let it go. "In roundabout ways, we get punished for the things we do. Maybe it's not karma. Maybe it's God?"

"Fuck that." I shut the engine and left the car.

He followed after me. "Think about it. When has shit ever been easy? We do one thing, we gotta do ten others to make sure that one thing—" he held up a finger "—doesn't come back to haunt you in the end. It's a never-ending cycle."

I stopped walking to look at him. "You tryin'a say you wanna retire. What?"

"Fuck, no." He grabbed the door, keeping it open for me. "Are you kidding? Going on a run like this…Keeps me young."

"Yeah, sure." I rubbed my hands together, happy for the warm air that hit me. "Two, please," I told the hostess.

"Right this way, sir." She gestured to her right.

Aro hit my back. "Remember before we got married? The broads on the road? The waitresses, the hostesses—madonn'." He bit his knuckle, getting real close to my face.

I laughed, pushing him away from me. "Shut up."

"Excuse me, doll?" the hostess asked.

"Not you, hon . . . He was rude to me, not you." Aro winked.

"Okay." She pulled a chair out for him. "The specials are on the board, and y'all have a nice night."

My buddy watched as she walked away.

I hit his arm. "Now, she could be your grandchild."

"Fuck that. My daughter, maybe. Stop exaggerating. Are we going to have any fun?"

I picked up my menu. "Wait 'til the meds perk me up." I was sarcastic, but I hoped it'd help me with the knot that had formed in my back. I'd never admit to it, nor would I ask my friend to put Ben Gay on me. Fuck that. Bella will rub the kink out when we get home.

"You've turned into a . . ."

"A, what?" I asked. "I'm no fun? Old? What?"

He nodded, hitting his nose. "Exactly that."

"We grow up . . ." I read along the menu, thinking I could go for a nice T-Bone. "Our priorities change. But we never change. The root of who we are . . . We're still around, our old selves. I dunno. Things change."

"Fuck. I know . . . Remember that ride-along you did with me? I was coming up . . . No, my first ride along was when we drove down to Miami with Lexi. But I mean when we went to Iowa?" He nodded. "Misone sent us out to Iowa to pull a job. We drove through mad fucking snow, dead of winter like now; meanwhile, we stopped how many times?" he laughed. "It took us a week, but Misone didn't give a fuck."

I shook my head. "He knew shit was cool, I guess."

"Nah, he trusted you back then . . . Fuck. How old were we?"

I tried to think back. "I was twenty-five. It was before we went down to South Carolina . . . When I hooked up with—" I stopped talking because Aro knew what I was about to say. We went out to Iowa right before I met Bella, before I hooked up with the Russians.

All of which started a domino effect . . .

"We came out on top, though. We're still on top." Aro smiled, looking up to the waitress. She wasn't truly anything to look at, so he just ordered his meal, and I was spared any bullshit comments that would follow. "Uh, a Heineken, too."

I nodded. "I'll have the same thing, actually . . . but make my steak medium."

She smiled, taking our menus and walking off.

"I'd still hit it . . . if I was single."

I laughed, because it seemed he couldn't help himself. Or maybe he couldn't let go of the past, wanted to relive our glory days.

"It's just an observation. And you would, too . . ."

"OK," I agreed, still chuckling. "Nah, you're right, though. We judge our kids, but . . . I mean, we used to judge Carlisle, too. But we were just as bad."

The server was back with our beers already.

"Thank you," Aro said.

"You're welcome." She left again.

My friend leaned toward me. "Yeah, but . . . Nah, no one was as much of a cooz-hound as C . . . No one. Your brother would fuck anything. We had standards."

"Did we?" I asked, because I honestly didn't remember us having any . . . or many.

"Look, I gotta tell you something. Remember the time we'd gone down to Miami with Lexi?"

I nodded, and I already knew what he was going to confess to.

"Youse were fucking, but she wasn't really your girl . . . She gave me road head on the way back."

"I know," I said, but he'd never know that was one of the main catalysts behind why I stopped fucking her. We had no relationship to speak of, yet I bought her new tits, gave her a job, a car, and she'd get anything she wanted outta me . . . I just liked the way she was back then . . . when she was mine. Lexi did that shit to fuck with my head, make me jealous. From that point on, I treated her like the ho she acted as.

Fuck if I know. My head was a jumbled mess back then.

However, once I cut ties with someone, that's it.

That's never changed.

When Dad married her, I honestly wished them the best. I never loved her. I never treated her with half the respect I gave Bella . . .

Lexi meant nothing, but I wouldn't touch her after I found out about her sucking Aro off.

All of which caused a domino effect as well . . .

Things changed after that Miami trip.

For me, they were all for the better; I can't say the same for Lexi.

"How do you know?" He spoke with his hands. "I never told you."

"First, I was in the car."

"You were snoring like a fucking hog. Don't go there." He chuckled. "She told you? Fucking sporca puttana—" he spat, quick to do the Sign of the Cross "—forgive me. God rest her soul."

I laughed. "She was a whore."

He shrugged. "Yeah…she gave good head, though."

I nodded, tapping my longneck to his. "Very true."

The both of us got quiet while the waitress dropped our food off. We were fast to dig in, fucking starving. That pill made me smiley, so I knew my stomach had been empty. It could have been the beer that went to my head. But I knew it wasn't that, maybe the combo . . .

It also made me feel like I should get a few things off my chest.

"Being on the road . . . even though it's boring now, I needed this, just a breather. You know? I'd hoped to be in Bermuda, but..." It'd only been hours, but I missed Bella already. There's miles between us, yet she was a whole world away.

"C told me about Sonny." He chewed, nodding.

I scoffed. "Youse are like two little girls. Youse fight over mad bullshit, but then you're gossiping on the phone. You tell each other everything."

"We've always been like that." He showed the waitress his empty bottle.

I pointed to mine as well. "I just never imagined Sonny having a problem like that. He's so fucking smart." I tapped my temple. "And it's my fault—"

"Don't go there." He waved his steak knife.

"Nah, for real . . ." Silence fell upon the table. "We're not old-old, but we're not young anymore either. You ever feel like you lived like…four lifetimes in one?"

Aro nodded, still stuffing his face. "I do."

I laughed. "Being a kid was…it was what it was, but then getting into this . . ." I widened my arms. "We were always on the move. From the time I was seventeen up until I got married, I never, never ever stopped. How much living did we pack into eight years?"

"A lot. We were always hustling, always doing whatever, always with the different women . . . but then you settle down. We all settled down." He shrugged. "It happens."

"It felt like everything stopped . . . only nothing stopped. Roles changed, shit got reversed, and here I was . . . a kid in charge of everything. You know how overwhelming it was? How…No matter how much 'living' I'd done before that, nothing prepared me for taking the reins."

Aro nodded along. "I was there for the ride. You did a bang-up job. Best Skip there ever was." He toasted to me with his new beer.

I smiled, picking up mine as well. "Thanks for that . . . Then, sometimes, it feels like it all flashed within a blink of an eye. Bella married me . . . Next thing I know we're having kids, yet I was still going . . . Maybe I wasn't there as much as I should have been. I'm there for my kids now. I'm the person Dame and Sonny come to when they need help . . . At least, I used to be." I furrowed my brow.

"Skip...Sonny did go to you."

"I know." I cringed where I sat.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. You were trying to teach him a tough lesson...It's sink or swim."

I knew that deep down also. "Maybe I was never a daddy to them? Maybe that's where I fucked up?"

"Are you kidding? You were a good dad. We all do what we can . . . We love our kids . . . Hey, I remember you clearing snot, dirty diapers . . . No matter how fucked Dame's pictures were, your face would light up like he'd just painted the Mona Lisa." He wiped his hands clean, which made me laugh. "You went to school plays—shit at school when you could. I know Bella picked up the slack. She was like Super Mom and shit, always there. But you were a good dad, and you're an even better father now."

"Thank you for saying that." It still didn't help me swallow the knot in my throat—the shit with Sonny yesterday still weighing on my mind.

"Truth of the matter is our kids are adults now. And they're going to make their own decisions whether we agree with them or not. We can't blame ourselves. They have free will and all that."

"But…" Thinking back, I could say this honestly. "Maybe I helped push Sonny into the business? Maybe if I hadn't—"

"I don't think so," he said.

"I regret it now . . . now that it's too late, I regret it, which was why I was so against Dame doing a thing. I used to sell it to Bella—that I didn't want my life for Sonny, Dame, or hers for Kylie. But the truth? Back when Sonny turned eighteen, I had it in my head that I wasn't getting any younger, and I wanted Sonny to carry it on." I shrugged. "That was like…my mid-life crisis mistake, I'd say."

"Well put." He pursed his lips. "We have our moments when we panic. We all do. I have thoughts like that all the time. I used to be what I used to be—a ladies' man."

"You were never a ladies' man," I laughed. "You used to literally get lucky. You were with me; you reaped the benefits." I started eating again.

"I don't think so. I had game, but . . . I'm not turning heads like I used to. It's not about the actual fucking. It's about…having game."

"Right." I could see his point. "I still got it."

"Without your title, would you?"

I hummed. "I don't know."

"You lucked out, though . . . taking that ride with C." His brow rose. "Ever wonder if—"

"Bella would've never fucked Carlisle. Don't even say that shit. She knew he was nasty from jump. My wife's got it like that—almost psychic and shit with her intuition—"

"Take it easy!" he laughed.

"Nah…you sittin' there saying Bella—"

"It was…It was…just relax. Okay?" He put his palms up. "You almost ready to go?"

Silently, I stared at him while I caught my breath. Fuck. He got me so heated so quick.

"Skip…"

"I'm good. No worries." I sipped my beer and then wiped my mouth. "I'm not stopping, so piss—shit now."

"Bet." He gave me a fist pound before throwing some money onto the table.

Thank you for reading.

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