CHAPTER 24

I've been the archer, I've been the prey

Screaming, who could ever leave me, darling

But who could stay?

~ Taylor Swift, The Archer

BPOV

I knotted my hair up in a messy bun as I sat on the floor of the rehearsal space that had quickly become my second home. It was a warehouse outside of the city I had converted to a rehearsal space ages ago. It was rented out to various other people most of the time, but it currently had the monstrosity of a stage that was finally finished taking up the center. It was beautiful and magical and intimidating as hell.

Life took a very unexpected turn as soon as the FBI issued that apology.

I hadn't really realized it, I suppose, that the trial had still been holding me back. It was something I let go of a long time ago and I guess it was stupid to think everyone else had too. Even with all of the work I had done since, it was always lingering in the air. Always wrapped around my wrists like too-tight handcuffs digging into my skin.

The cuffs were gone. The air was clear. And my career was somehow at a peak not a single person had known was possible.

Folklore was released three weeks ago. The album charted at number one with nearly eight-hundred-thousand copies sold in the first week and four songs ending up on the Top 10 Chart. If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power was released a week later. Knocking Folklore down to number two. It debuted with 1.1 million copies sold and occupied the remaining six spots on the Top 10. Midnights came out last night, much to everyone's surprise.

It was an absurd amount of music to release in such a short span of time. It was insane to put together a show of this magnitude when I would probably benefit fm an extra month of rehearsals that I didn't have. But somehow even through all of the stress and work and anxiety it was all bringing, it also felt like everything was finally falling into place.

For the first time in my career I wasn't answering to anybody but myself. No label would have gone along with three albums in three weeks. Production companies would have scoffed at my timeline to film and release Folklore and If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power within months instead of years.

I knew I could do it. I knew the best people in the business to get the job done. And I knew if I gave Lawrence or anyone else the opportunity to tell the world my career was built on anything other than my own sacrifices I would regret it for the rest of my life.

That was what kept me going. The memory of standing on that stage months ago with an arena full of people booing me was what made every ache and pain as I squeezed three months of rehearsals into one and a half worth it.

I pulled my boots off with a wince, thanking the woman from the wardrobe department as she quickly scooped them up before I could even grab my well-worn tennis shoes out of my bag.

"Are you going straight home?" Delilah asked, slightly frantic as she slid to a stop in front of me.

"Yeah. Everything okay?"

"Everything except I'm late for set up Mom has planned for me."

I gave her a sympathetic smile and hopped up from my spot on the floor. I waved off the hands of five security guards that reached to take my gym bag from me and nodded toward the exit I knew my car was waiting outside of.

"Who is the lucky guy tonight?"

"I don't even know his name. A banker I think. Or maybe that was last week. This one might do something with stocks. I'm not sure."

Alistair held the door to the black SUV open for Delilah and I, gently closing it once we were in.

"You can blame your lateness on me. Or ditch it all together and blame it on me, too."

Delilah shook her head, brushing her fingers through her dark curls. "Mom means well. And always asks before she sets these dinners up. But I'm only twenty-seven. I'm not in a hurry to get married even though mom had already had me by now when she was my age."

I nodded. "Alice still has some of that old school upbringing engrained in her," I said quietly.

"I know," Delilah nodded. "Which is why I never tell her no. But I cannot imagine anyone more boring than a banker."

I snorted out a laugh. "Maybe you'll luck out and he'll be in stocks. Those guys know how to party."

Delilah chuckled before sobering up. "If Aiden hadn't met Adeline would you have tried to set him up?"

"No. Can you imagine? All of those socialites hate me."

Delilah gave me a sympathetic smile.

I brushed it off. It didn't phase me in the slightest that all of those uptight women who thought they were important because their husbands had money hated me. They had hated me from the moment they found out Edward and I were together. Mostly because it meant they couldn't have him.

But setting Aiden up had never once crossed my mind as he grew up. It was his life, his choice. I didn't care if she was from Chicago or Australia. If she came from money or just an average working class family.

Granted, Adeline's profession did cause us a few hiccups, but it all worked out in the end.

"I think…" Delilah started, shaking her head a moment later. "Never mind."

"What?"

She looked over at me, pale blue eyes of her fathers shining with sincerity. "I just think they don't understand. Even Mom and Dad, Aunt Rose and Uncle Emmett… I don't think they understand how epic everything you do is. How unprecedented it is. Maybe because they've known you for so long or because you make it look easy. Some of the things they say—it's nothing bad or mean. It's just, Oh, of course Folklore debuted at number one, or That Lifetime Achievement Academy Award is beautiful!

"I just… I don't think they understand. That none of it is a given. That you work your ass off. That the award is more than a decoration. That you're rehearsing for a three-and-a-half hour show when they get upset you can't make brunch.

"We see it, though. Me and Aiden and Maggie and Jared and Alec. Hell, it's probably because of you that we're not just as sheltered and… I love my mother to bits, but she does have her moments of vanity. A lot of them.

"You and Uncle Edward are different though. Changed things for the better. And I just wanted you to know that we see it. And appreciate it."

I had to swallow back the lump in my throat a few times before I could respond. "Is that what you guys talk about at those dinners without us?"

Delilah threw her head back with a laugh. "Sometimes."

We pulled up in front of Alice and Jaspers. I got out of the car with her, wrapping my arm through hers at her confused stare. "In case anybody gives you shit for being late."

Delilah gave me a smile as we walked in, one that faltered slightly as we heard the boisterous conversation coming from the living room.

"Maria told me that Rosemary told her that she heard from Amelia that her and that Lawrence fellow had an affair when she was nineteen. It's why he got divorced from wife number two at the time. That's where all of the… passion and hostility is coming from," a woman's voice floated around the corner.

I fought against a wave of nausea at the notion and grabbed Delilah's arm as she geared up to storm in.

"You're not going to gossip about my sister in my home, MaryAnn," Alice snapped, surprisingly stern for her. "You know better than to do that here of all places."

"Oh, it's just a harmless little rumor, Alice."

My anger flared, but I kept my composure as I led Delilah and I into the living room.

"There she is!" Alice clapped as she saw her daughter. Her eyes widened slightly when she realized I was beside her, most likely replaying the last sixty seconds of their conversation in her head. "Bella! Do you want to stay for dinner?"

I shook my head. "No, thank you. I've got dinner waiting for me at home. I just wanted to take the blame for Delilah's late arrival."

The living room had a handfulll of older couples, parents to the younger men I assumed. Evidently there was more than one suitor for Delilah to choose from tonight.

I was used to the sneers the women gave me as they eyed me up and down. These were women who never left the house without a face full of makeup or in anything less than a designer label. So the gray sweatpants hanging from my hips and the black sports bra that highlighted each of my tattoos would be nothing less than atrocious to them.

Alice shrugged it off. "No worries. You sure you don't want to stay for dinner?"

"I'm sure," I said with an appreciative smile. A slightly apologetic one as I took a guess as to which woman had been speaking before we walked in. I placed my bet on the one who wouldn't look in my direction.

She was just as prim and proper as I would have expected. The Chanel sweater in the summer in Chicago was just a pathetic attempt to make anyone else around her feel inadequate.

I held her gaze as I said, "You can tell Maria to tell Rosemary to tell Amelia that I wasn't fucking my boss when I was nineteen. I do appreciate your concern, though."

Jasper coughed out a laugh. Alice sighed. I left without another glance back.

Delilah shouted, "Thanks for the ride!"

–Love|Power–

Edward and Emmett rounded the corner into the kitchen just as I was pulling my food out of the oven. Having a private chef made me feel more pretentious than I'd like, but it was only for a while. And only because I had a nutritionist telling me exactly what to eat and when to eat it so I had the energy and endurance to be able to tour.

It was something Edward brought up weeks ago. Something he looked far too relieved about when I agreed to it.

I ignored the guilt and took a bite of the food. I wasn't even sure what it was exactly. Some kind of chicken that had me fighting against a moan as I chewed.

"Yum," Emmett sighed dreamily, eyes on the plate in front of me. He sat down at the counter across from me.

Edward shoved him out of his chair as his arm reached out toward my place.

"She got like half of a chicken," Emmett grumbled.

"Do you have any idea the stamina it takes to put on a three-and-a-half hour show?" Edward snapped. "If you're hungry, get your own fucking food."

I kept my mouth happily busy eating my dinner as I listened to them bicker some more. Edward was in a mood, as evidenced by every other word coming out of his mouth being one curse or another. Emmett wasn't fazed by whatever had Edward stressed and it only frustrated Edward more. It was a scenario I had seen the brothers play out a hundred times.

"Just get the fuck out," Edward finally sighed.

Emmett left with a jovial laugh that had my husband glaring at the door as he did.

"Everything okay?" I asked as I rinsed off my plate.

Edward was quiet for a few moments and I gave him the time I knew he needed to calm down. I cleaned up my dinner, put my dishes in the dishwasher, by the time I turned around the anger and frustration that had been evident in his face had disappeared.

It gave me a moment of pure, undiluted happiness. Seeing him there. Knowing I knew him better than anyone else ever would. Knowing he was mine even after all of the shit we had been through.

Maybe it was that we hardly had any time to ourselves these days or maybe it was all of the shit the documentary kept bringing up. But the one constant in my life since I was twenty was him.

He was the best part of my days. Even when he was grumpy.

"Give me fifteen minutes," I told him, ignoring the confused cock of his head as I pressed a kiss to his cheek on my way by.

He still had that confused tilt to his head as I led him into our en-suite fourteen minutes later. "What's all this for?"

I shrugged, suddenly—stupidly—nervous for some reason. "You. Us."

It wasn't anything too extravagant. If I had thought ahead I could have planned better. But the tub was full of warm water and the candles were flickering against the marble. It was peaceful and quiet.

He looked over at me, a hint of a crooked smile on his lips as he reached out for the wet strand of hair stuck to my collarbone. "You already showered?"

I shrugged again. "I was sweaty and gross."

He shook his head with a laugh. His arm wrapped securely around my waist as he pulled me close and kissed me until I nearly forgot about the bath and candles and dragged him to bed.

He didn't forget, though. He tugged his own clothing off with that crooked smirk that he knew got me to squirm and tugged at the belt of the robe I put on after my shower, too.

He pulled me into his chest, warm water surrounding us and the rest of the world fading away.

"Edward," I mumbled against his kiss eventually.

"Hmm," he sighed, moving his lips down to my collarbone. His hands were firm and tight on my hips, keeping them rocking in a steady rhythm against him. He was hard and I was desperate, but there was no rush.

I reluctantly pulled back far enough to get a good look at him. At the bright emerald eyes and copper hair that looked a few shades darker thanks to my wet fingers constantly tugging at it. I only had so much self control, so I peppered kisses down his jaw to the sweet spot where his neck met his shoulder.

"I love you," I breathed out. Three remarkably simple words for what I felt. I had tried my whole life to accurately articulate how much I felt for him. Every song, every film desperately tried to show him how much. It was never enough. Never would be.

His hold tightened on me, one hand reaching between us and lining his cock up just right while his other pushed me down on it.

I whimpered against his shoulder, his firm grip on my hips guiding me up and down in a sinfully slow rhythm.

"I love you," he said against my shoulder, his lips brushing against my skin and sending shivers down my spine. "More than you'll ever fucking know."

I shook my head. It was the other way around, but I didn't get a chance to argue. Edward stood from the bath, arms firm around me as he carried me through the en-suite and bedroom before dropping us both in the center of the bed.

We made a mess. Water dripping everywhere and sheets immediately soaked, but it was all inconsequential. My legs wrapped around his hips and he was back inside of me in a smooth thrust.

His hands were tight against my thighs, holding me in place. But his lips were a gentle brush against my throat as he whispered heartbreakingly sweet nothings into my skin.

My orgasm shot through my veins without warning and I savored every moan into my neck as his did the same.

–Love|Power–

"Are you sure this is what you want to do with your afternoon off?" Aiden asked for the tenth time since I walked in the door to his townhouse.

"Of course," I shrugged, smiling at the new picture of him, Adeline, and Ella that had been added to their mantle since the last time I had been here. The three of them at the zoo, nothing but smiles.

Ella zoomed around the corner before he could ask if I was sure again. She stopped right in front of me, a crooked smile that I knew all too well beaming up at me. "I'm ready!"

I held my hand out to her and she immediately grasped it.

"We'll see you at dinner," I told Aiden, who looked more relieved as we left than his constant questions earlier made him seem.

Ella chatted nonstop on the drive, and I soaked up every word. She was a smart little thing, nearly five and testing far above her age level. She went to the same expensive as hell school Aiden did. When I was five I was probably happily spending my days coloring. This school was advanced and expensive but she seemed happy and that was all that mattered.

Our drive was spent giving me a play by play of the 'fun' summer school activities she did the last few weeks.

We pulled up to the warehouse and Alistair immediately opened the door for us. He held his hand out with a goofy smile reserved only for Ella and helped her out. She was practically vibrating with excitement by the time we walked in the warehouse.

As requested, the stage was fully lit, the platform in the center of the diamond on full display, and the piano I'd play each night on the edge of the outer T.

"Wow," Ella gasped, her little hand squeezed tightly in mine. "Can I go on it?"

"You can't let go of my hand while we're up there. Okay?"

She nodded immediately and I knew she didn't hear a word I said, but I led her up the stairs around the corner and kept a firm grip on her hand.

She squealed with excitement as we sat on the center lift and the tech guys slowly raised and lowered us. She hopped up and down the stairs the other platforms made and gawked at the lights the production crew set off to the music they played softly through the speakers.

I figured she would be exhausted by the time we sat at the other end of the stage, near the piano. But her eyes kept dreamily roaming around the stage.

She was so young. So tiny and pure and good. And I hated myself for seeing how enamored she already was with my career. She loved the stages and dancing and sang her little heart out whenever she knew the words to a song playing whether we were in the car or a restaurant. She loved movies and nothing thrilled the girl more than recognizing a face in public to one she saw on screen.

Ella had far too much of myself in her. And it petrified me.

Because I'll be damned if she turned out like me. Went through half of what I did to get here.

I pulled over the paint and brushed, double checking the thick tarp was secure underneath us.

Her eyes lit up. "Paint?"

I nodded. "My piano is burning. I thought we could paint something for it together."

She beamed over at me, eagerly eying the dozen little bottles of paint surrounding us.

I sat back and watched her paint beautiful little flowers across the paper laid out for her. Her drawing would be recreated on the piano I'd play each night. I assumed it would have to be cleaned up a bit, but her flowers were more perfect than anything I could have done myself.

"Do you think I could do it, too? Be like you with the big stage and pretty dresses?"

My chest ached, but I smiled over at my granddaughter. "You can do whatever you set your pretty little mind to," I told her.

We ended our afternoon with ice cream before dinner. I stashed the evidence in the car as we pulled up to the house that I knew would already be full of the family.

Ella skipped in by my side, oblivious to the sudden silence as we walked in and the sharp glances in my direction from every adult in the room.

"Ella!" Delilah shouted from the other side of the room. "Come tell us about your day!"

Ella happily ran over to her Aunts and Uncles.

My stomach dropped as everyone else gave me careful, worried glances.

"What did he do this time?" I asked through clenched teeth.

Adeline cleared her throat, handing me a file. "He's suing you for breach of contract, claiming you had no right to sell the streaming rights to your first three projects while his company still had them. It's a shit case, he has no basis for it. He's just—"

"Just reminding me that he owns my life's work up to this point."

My eyes met Edward's as he stood across from me. His arms were crossed over his chest, hands in tight fists I knew meant he was fighting the urge to break something.

One nod.

That was all it would take to make Lawrence disappear. I wouldn't have to come home again to wary glances and I wouldn't have to wonder what other shit he had been holding on to for the last forty years in an attempt to tear me apart.

I was a second away from giving him that nod when I heard Ella giggle across the room.

I took three deep breaths and handed Adeline the file back. "Make this go away. And charge him with absolutely anything you can. Assault, slander, defamation, whatever the fuck you can throw at him. I want him to have to go on the record to say whether he was lying about the bribe. Do whatever you have to to make that happen."

Adeline nodded. Everyone besides Edward dispersed.

"Are you sure?"

I took a few moments to think before I nodded. "I need to know."

A/N: thank you guys for your patience on this one! I had my Eras Tour show last weekend (!) so I was a bit distracted all week. But I hope you guys enjoyed this one. See you next time!