Author's note:
When I started writing this I did not have a beta. Now, I do! S/O to Sheri!
If, you're just now reading this story, welcome and I hope you enjoy!
If you're rereading this story, hopefully you'll be able to understand it a little bit better!
Also this story is not for the faint-hearted, those that cant handle angst, tough issues, and so on. It will have its good times but there will also be some tough times as well. I'm warning you now lol!
ENJOY!
Before I Die
Chapter 1: Should've said no
Edward POV
I pulled into the circular entry way of Cullen Enterprises making sure I had everything, I gave my valet the keys to my silver Maserati GranTurismo
"Don't even scratch it up or it's your head." I was not in the mood to have one of my prized possessions messed up.
"Got it Boss, nothing will happen to it" The skinny nervous valet said.
I watched that idiot go to the driver's side and get in it and watched him pull away while I started to walk into the building. My phone kept going off like it had been for a while, I looked at it while I walked to the elevators. It was mom and she had been calling me for the past hour. I put the phone back into my pocket. I was not in the mood to deal with her right now. It wasn't her fault that I was angry with her husband or that I haven't been able to deal with coming to dinners. It was his. I hit the button for the 12th Floor and waited as the elevator slowly made its climb.
I'm Edward Cullen, President of Cullen Enterprises, the company that I've built with my sweat and tears and actually went to school to learn Business for until it was time to take my role in my father's "other family". I'm actually the underboss of the Cullen Crime Family. I've been the "interim Boss" while my father has been away for health reasons. I actually could not wait to become "The Boss" when he stepped down.
The Cullen Family is one of the most powerful families in the mafia. We have become the "unofficial" leader to The Masen, The Denali, and The Volturi Families who are our allies. I plan to make it "official" when I fully take over from my father. I didn't trust the Volturi Family one bit. I considered them our enemy and that is why I'm angry at my father. He still thinks they are his friends even after I told him that I know in my gut they are stealing from us. He wants proof and I will give it to him but until then I'm to act like everything's gravy.
Fuck that.
Me being here is actually a fluke, I only come by some days to check on the workers and get updates from my Vice President Ben Cheney and oversee operations. I actually do most of my work from home, but I'm trying to keep busy since Dad came back to "work" last week. I also do work at my night club, Midnight Sun, which is where most of my "illegal activity" is conducted. I've kept Cullen Enterprises free of any criminal business because I won't see it fall due to my "other job". I've been thinking of letting Ben be in charge of all of it while I run things from the sidelines. I know soon there will be a time when I become the Boss I won't have much time for it. It's not like I don't love this place but I want to be the boss more.
I stepped off the elevator and was met by my assistant Angela Weber-Cheney. Yes, she was married to my vice president and currently expecting their first child. I forgot how far along she was. I guess I should know so I can think of getting someone to replace her while she is out on maternity leave. She is also very close to the Cullen Family especially my mom. Angela knew a little bit about my other family, nothing outstanding. I believe she was aware of more than she let on but she kept it to herself. I think my mom wanted me to marry her at some point, but no she was nothing more than a good friend.
"Good morning, Edward." Angela said, with a strange tone.
"Angela, any messages? And get it out, what's happened?"
"Your mother has called and she really wants you to call her back, although I can probably guess why she wants you to."
"Why?" I did not like the tone in her voice and for some reason I felt like I already knew the answer.
"Your father is in your office waiting for you, he has been here for the past hour. I tried to tell him to leave but umm…" She stopped talking knowing how my father can be. "I'll bring in some coffee?"
"No Angela he won't be here long" I left her and headed toward my office. I was LIVID. I knew avoiding going to the house ignoring both mom and his calls this would have probably happened. But no way did I think he would show up here, the one place where I try to keep things legal and civil. I knew he wouldn't have come to my house as that place is locked up and he wouldn't have been able to get in without me knowing.
I entered my office and slammed the door behind me. There he was Carlisle Cullen head of the Cullen Family and my father sitting in my chair behind my desk. That motherfucker.
"I know I taught you better manners and to not act like a brat" He said with an smile.
"You didn't teach me shit about manners, now what are you doing here?" I said, again I was pissed
"I thought I'd pay you a visit since you have been avoiding me and your mother" he said in a disgusted tone. "I know you can't stand me right now but don't take it out on her!"
"Out with it old man!" I was already done with this conversation, If he came all this way to demand an apology then he was out of his mind. He embarrassed me in front of everyone when he said my claims about the Volturi were irrelevant and just acted like I hadn't been running things for him lately. I don't even know why I'm surprised, it's been this way since I was 12. Nothing I ever did was good enough for him.
"Fine, I'm stepping down, for good"
"What? Why?" It didn't make sense, he came back last week?
"It's cancer stage 3. Doc thinks I'll beat it but if I don't I would like to spend this time with my family and make things right" he said remorsefully
"You've picked a hell of a time to make things right." I won't say I didn't feel a little bit sad after hearing that it was cancer but honestly this man hasn't been my father, not where it counted at least.
"Watch it! I'm still leader of this family and you will treat me with respect."
"Respect? Like what you gave me last week?"
"When you become Boss you will see that in some situations proof is the answer to a lot of your problems."
"You think Aro will do nothing against you because you're "Old friends?" We'll let me tell you his sons are definitely up to some shady shit."
"Enough Edward! That's not what I've come to talk about, I don't even know why I'm considering this with your hot headed attitude!"
"It's not hot headed! It's seeing the truth that you can't accept!" I hated that he would just shrug this off like it wasn't a big deal.
"Like I've said before, I'm stepping down. Do you know what that means?"
"I become "The Boss"." I said smugly.
"Yes, you become boss, but you do know there are some things that have to happen first before you officially take over?"
"Yes we have an exchange in order, meeting with families and so on."
"Ah, you're forgetting the most important one, the one that has to happen before I can fully hand the reins over to you."
I actually didn't know what he was going on about. I know how the ceremony goes. I've seen it when Old Edward Masen handed the reins over to his son Sean in the Masen family weeks after Sean married the love of his life….
Wait. A. fucking. Minute!
"NO!" I roared
"Ahh, there it is," Carlisle said, I guess he was waiting for me to finally figure it out.
"Marriage? Are you serious?! No way!" I don't want to get married, no way, I couldn't do it, I can't believe I forgot about the Mafia's rules on when power of leadership was being transferred. I was never more glad then now about having a soundproof room than at this moment.
"You know that is one rule that I can't change, but if you remember that I and the other families agreed that in the future there will be no arranged marriages after I took over."
Peter Cullen, my grandfather, had arranged my father to marry someone else when he was to take over for The Cullen Family. My father on the other hand was in love with Esme Platt, my mother. My father had to go through a bunch of bullshit to marry my mother. He wanted to elope, but he knew that would cause more of a headache than anything. When it comes to being the Don other families have to see the marriage take place. Yeah we have the means to produce a marriage license pretty fast, but no witnesses from other families makes it like it never happened. So my father finally convinced my grandfather and was able to marry my mother. When my father became Don, he met with the other families and they all agreed that any future don or donna should choose who they want to marry before taking over as long as they knew divorce would not be an option. This is why some leaders like Aro had goomahs.
But fuck me forgetting about having to be married first! Securing the bloodline and all. Shit..kids.. no way.
"I'm sorry Edward but rules are rules, I'm sure someone has caught your eye"
"I'm going to act like you just didn't say that to me" I was pissed. I knew if I did take over that would be the first thing I would change, but the damage would already be done. I would already be married and the only way out would be death and women and children are not to be harmed in this business. I went over to my bar and poured myself a drink.
"Sorry Edward, When you find that one, the one that makes your heart beat fast, the one you would do anything for, I promise you it's nothing like you have ever felt before."
"Stop! According to you, I don't have time to find the "one." I couldn't believe he was going on about love when he hadn't shown me any in years.
"You're right, I start treatment next week, I was hoping you could find one soon"
"Right! Like brides just fall out of thin air!" The audacity of this man.
"What about Tanya?"
I spit my drink out, Hell no I wouldn't marry that cunt. "Are you crazy? Have you lost your mind old man?"
"Ok, it was just a suggestion, Edward"
The Denali Family's Don was Eleazar Denali. He was actually good friends with my father. He was married to Carmen and had 3 girls Irina, Tanya, and Kate. Irina and Tanya were probably the dumbest women I had ever met in my life. Tanya had been after me for the past 2 years but I don't stick my dick in crazy so that sure as hell wasn't happening.
"Well, I've come to say what I had to say. Oh and call your mother, she worries about you"
"Glad one of you does"
"Edward…. " he hesitated, "see you later"
Then he just walked out. I poured another drink and tried to remember all that just went down in the short amount of time that I had been here. Don? Marriage?
A few hours later after going over some contracts for a new system, I realized I was too wound up to do anything. I needed some kind of way to get rid of my pent up anger. I emailed Ben all that I needed for him to complete this week and I picked up my phone and called the valet and told him to bring my car around. I knew if I headed to the club I could get rid of this anger somehow. I walked out of my office and headed for the elevator.
"Angela take the rest of the day off, see you next week."
"Yes Mr. Cullen"
I watched the floors go down slowly and thought about everything that just happened. My phone went off, a text from my brother Emmett. He was at Midnight Sun. Good.
I then made it to the bottom and went out to my car and inspected it for scratches. Good, the boy would live another day.
I put it in drive and headed to Midnight Sun where I would probably spend the rest of my night.
