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Eleven

Dreams, Strikes and Secrets

BPOV

I stormed into the living room, my face burning with a mix of embarrassment and indignation. Rosalie was lounging on the couch, flipping through a magazine with a look of pure contentment. When she saw me, her eyes sparkled with amusement, clearly expecting the outburst that was about to follow.

"You told him I had dream sex with him? In front of his brother?" I practically shouted, my hands planted on my hips.

Rosalie tried to suppress a grin but failed miserably. "Oops?"

"'Oops'?" I repeated, incredulous. "That's all you've got to say?"

She finally let out a laugh, setting the magazine aside. "Oh, come on, Bella. It was too good not to share. And besides, they both thought it was hilarious."

I groaned, flopping down on the couch beside her. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"

Rosalie patted my shoulder sympathetically, though her eyes were still twinkling with mischief. "Probably not. But hey, at least now he knows you're dreaming about him."

I buried my face in my hands, mortified. "That's not the point! I mean, what if he thinks I'm obsessed or something?"

Rosalie shrugged, unbothered. "So what if he does? He's clearly into you, Bella. And from what I've seen, you're definitely into him too."

I sighed, knowing she had a point. Things between Edward and me had been getting more serious, and as much as I tried to focus on finding evidence for my dad's investigation, I couldn't help but hope that Edward was innocent. The more time we spent together, the more I wanted to believe that he wasn't involved in anything shady.

Rosalie nudged me playfully. "So, speaking of brothers. You didn't tell me his brother was sex walking. I put my totally fine car into his shop and Jesus he can flirt."

"Edward mentioned a double date. He said you two we're seconds away from humping on the hood of your car," my mood lifts, "We're going bowling and then grabbing dinner at that burger shack down by the pier. They've got an arcade there too."

Rosalie's face lit up. "That sounds perfect. I haven't been bowling in ages. And maybe I'll pretend I don't know how to handle balls. He can let me practice with his."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help smiling. "Umm you're disgusting. But you also do know, he's been bugging Edward to death about you."

Rosalie's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really?"

I pulled out my phone, showing her the text I'd just received from Edward.

Edward: Emmett's bugging me to death about Rosalie. He's worse than a kid on Christmas morning. Any chance you could get her to text him? Might save my sanity.

Rosalie read the text, then let out a squeal of delight. "Oh my God, he's so into me!"

I laughed at her excitement, feeling a bit of my earlier embarrassment fade away. "Well, you might want to text him before he drives Edward completely nuts."

I give her his number, Rosalie quickly typing away in no time. "Done. And don't worry, Bella. Tonight's going to be fun. I have a good feeling about it."

As I watched her, I couldn't help but feel a bit of that excitement too. The idea of spending more time with Edward, along with seeing Rosalie and Emmett hit it off, made me look forward to the evening ahead. Maybe, just maybe, everything was starting to fall into place.

The familiar sound of crashing pins filled the air as Emmett sent yet another ball straight down the lane, knocking all ten pins down with effortless precision. He turned around with a triumphant grin, his broad shoulders practically radiating confidence.

"Another strike!" Emmett announced, clearly enjoying himself. "That makes, what, five in a row?"

Rosalie, standing next to me, clapped her hands, genuinely impressed. "You're really good at this, Emmett!"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, though I did it with a smile. "Yeah, yeah, we get it. You're the bowling king."

Edward, standing on my other side, crossed his arms, looking equally unimpressed. "You know, Emmett, it's supposed to be a friendly game. You could at least pretend to be human and let someone else have a chance."

As I glanced at Edward, I couldn't help but notice how different he looked tonight—casual in a way I hadn't seen before. He wore a baseball cap pulled low over his hair, a baseball shirt left unbuttoned over a simple tee, and a pair of well-worn jeans. The look suited him, making him appear more relaxed, more approachable. It was a side of him I was quickly falling for.

Emmett, equally casual in a hoodie and jeans, just laughed, grabbing his drink from the nearby table. "Hey, I'm just playing the game. It's not my fault you two can't keep up."

Rosalie nudged him playfully. "Come on, Emmett, we can't let them show us up. Let's get that competitive spirit going."

I gave her a determined look. "I think we'd make a sensational team, gorgeous. If we came together… unstoppable."

Edward scoffed, glancing over at me as he reached for my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine. "I like the sound of that. The competitive side I should clarify. Maybe we should team up, Bella. Show these two what real competition looks like."

I smiled back, feeling a surge of camaraderie as his hand held mine. "You're on. Let's take them down."

As we prepared for the next round, I couldn't help but feel the warmth of Edward's hand in mine, the casual way he kept reaching for me whenever he could. It was comforting, grounding me in the moment, even as Emmett's dominance on the lanes kept the pressure on. But despite the challenge, the connection between Edward and me felt like a victory all on its own.

Rosalie sashayed over up to the lane, picking up a bowling ball and examining it with a dramatic frown. "You know," she said, her voice laced with playful innocence, "I'm not really sure how to do this. Emmett, do you think you could help me out?"

Emmett's eyes lit up at the opportunity, and he was by her side in an instant. "Of course! Here, let me show you."

Edward and I exchanged a knowing look, both of us trying to stifle our laughter as we watched Emmett position himself behind Rosalie, guiding her hands on the ball. Rosalie shot us a quick, mischievous grin over her shoulder before turning her attention back to the task at hand, all while playing up her supposed struggle.

Rosalie playfully leaned back into Emmett's muscular frame, pretending to struggle with the ball as she swung her hips seductively. "Is this how you do it?" she purred, batting her long lashes at him.

Emmett was completely lost in the moment, his eyes fixated on Rosalie's every move, hands low on her hips. "Yes, just like that," he responded huskily. "And then you release it at the perfect moment."

Edward squeezed my hand, trying to suppress his laughter. "She's really turning up the charm, isn't she?"

I nodded, biting my lip to hide my own amusement. "Poor Emmett doesn't stand a chance."

With a flick of her wrist, Rosalie sent the ball careening down the lane, narrowly missing a strike but still knocking down a respectable number of pins. She turned to Emmett with a flirtatious grin and embraced him tightly. "You're my lucky charm," she purred.

Emmett's chest puffed out in pride. "I'm always here to help perfect technique, beautiful."

Edward and I couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing, the sound of our shared amusement filling the alley. Rosalie winked at us, clearly satisfied with her little performance.

"You're such a show-off," I teased as she walked back to us, her steps light and carefree.

Rosalie just shrugged, a playful smirk on her face. "What can I say? A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do."

Edward chuckled, shaking his head. "You're dangerous, Rosalie. Emmett doesn't know what he's in for."

She flashed a grin, clearly enjoying the attention. "Oh, he'll figure it out soon enough. Perhaps it's time he buried his head in something other than a car hood."

As we all settled back into the game, the atmosphere was light and full of laughter, the perfect setup for what promised to be a memorable night.

After we finished bowling, we headed over to the burger shack by the pier. The place had a laid-back vibe, with the smell of sizzling burgers and crispy fries filling the air. We found a booth in the corner and dug into our food, the conversation flowing easily as we recounted the night's highlights.

Emmett, still basking in his bowling victory, couldn't resist teasing me and Edward about our less-than-stellar scores. "You two better step up your game next time. Rosalie and I are only going to get better."

Rosalie playfully nudged him. "Oh, please. I think you secretly love showing off to them."

Edward leaned back in his seat, a smirk playing on his lips. "Just wait until we hit the arcade. I've got some skills of my own."

I raised an eyebrow at him, intrigued. "Oh yeah? What kind of skills?"

"You'll see," he said with a wink, his tone full of playful confidence.

After dinner, we made our way to the arcade section of the burger shack, the neon lights and sounds of various games creating a lively atmosphere. Edward led me over to the basketball hoops game, his competitive side clearly kicking in.

"Ready to see what I can do?" he asked, flashing me a grin.

I tried my best to look confident as I grabbed a basketball. "Sure, but don't get too cocky. I might surprise you, you know."

We started the game, and it quickly became apparent that while Edward was effortlessly sinking shot after shot, I was struggling just to get the ball through the hoop. The scoreboard wasn't even close—Edward was winning by a landslide.

Frustrated but determined, I decided to change tactics. Instead of focusing on my own shots, I started swatting at Edward's ball whenever he tried to shoot, doing my best to throw him off his game.

"Hey!" he protested, laughing as I managed to knock one of his shots off course. "That's cheating!"

"Who ever said I play fair?" I teased, grinning up at him.

Edward shook his head, a mock-serious expression on his face. "Oh, so that's how it's going to be?"

Before I could react, he reached out, his hands grabbing me by the waist. In one swift motion, he lifted me off the ground, his fingers finding that ticklish spot just above my hips.

I shrieked in surprise, wriggling in his grasp as I tried to squirm away. "No, stop! That's not fair!"

Edward just laughed, his grip gentle but firm as he continued to tickle me. "Payback's fair game, Bella."

I could barely breathe through my laughter, the combination of his playful attack and my futile attempts to escape leaving me breathless. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he set me back down, both of us grinning from ear to ear.

"You're impossible," I said, still trying to catch my breath.

"And you're a terrible cheater," he shot back, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

I crossed my arms, pretending to be indignant. "Well, maybe I wouldn't have to cheat if you weren't so annoyingly good at everything."

Edward's smile softened as he reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "I'm not good at everything, you know. Just lucky enough to have you on my team."

I felt a warm blush creep up my cheeks at his words, the playful banter giving way to something a little more serious, a little more real. Before I could respond, Emmett and Rosalie appeared, fresh from their own arcade battle, with Rosalie gloating over a victory in skee-ball. Rosalie clutched a teddy bear that Emmett had won for her.

"Looks like you two had fun," Rosalie observed, eyeing our flushed faces and rumpled clothes.

"Oh, you know, just a little friendly competition," Edward said, slipping his hand back into mine.

Emmett chuckled, clearly amused by the sight. "You guys ready for round two? There's a racing game over there with our names on it."

As we moved to the racing game, I noticed Rosalie showed off her massive teddy bear that Emmett had won for her earlier. She had a triumphant look on her face, and Emmett couldn't stop grinning, clearly pleased with himself for winning the prize

Rosalie laughed, hugging the bear closer. "Emmett's got some serious skills. I might have to keep him around."

Emmett winked at her. "I'm just getting started."

We all laughed, the night feeling lighter and more carefree than any I'd had in a long time. But just as we were settling in to play the next game, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, seeing Alice's name flash on the screen. My heart sank at the sight—Alice never called during work unless it was something serious.

"Give me a second," I said to the group, stepping away to answer. "Hey, Alice. What's up?"

The moment I heard her voice, I knew something was wrong. Alice was crying, her words barely coherent through her sobs. "Bella, the interview… it went to shit. The journalist was brutal, and now they're saying horrible things about my collection. I don't know what to do!"

My stomach dropped. "What happened? Why did it go so badly?"

"It's all because of that stupid merger Edward's involved in. Having brothers is a curse," she cried. "The journalist—she's related to the owner of an account Tanya must have axed behind Edward's back. They're taking it out on me, Bella! They're writing horrible things, discouraging people from buying my clothes. They said I'm cursed because I'm associated with Edward!"

"Tanya?" I repeated, my mind racing. "She axed an account? When?"

"I don't know all the details, but from what I overheard, Tanya went behind Edward's back and offed the account. That company had ties to the magazine, and now they're using the article to smear me. It's a complete hit piece!"

My heart pounded as I processed what Alice was saying. "Okay, Alice, I'm on my way over there right now. We'll figure this out together. I swear I will fix this."

As I ended the call, Edward was by my side in an instant. "What's going on?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "It's Alice. Her interview went horribly wrong, and now there's a smear article out about her collection. It's connected to your merger somehow."

Edward's expression darkened, his jaw clenching. "What the hell? How could this be tied to the merger?"

"A woman named Tanya," I explained quickly. "She cancelled an account behind your back. The company had ties to the magazine, and the journalist who interviewed Alice is tied to the owner of that account. They're using the article to discourage people from buying her clothes."

For a moment, Edward just stood there, seething with rage. Then, without a word, he pulled out his phone, his fingers moving rapidly. "I'm going to handle this," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

"I know you will," I replied, touching his arm gently before stepping back. "But I have to go help Alice. She's a mess, and she needs someone there to keep things from getting worse. I have to go into damage control mode and go snap this journalist's asshole in half."

He nodded, his eyes still burning with anger but softened slightly as he looked at me. "I'm sorry, Bella. This shouldn't have happened. I will fix this on my end too."

"I know," I said quietly. "Just… take care of can pick this up another time. I'll see you later."

As I turned to leave, I heard Edward's voice rise as Tanya answered his call, the fury in his tone unmistakable. I couldn't bear to listen any longer as the beast awoke, so I hurried out of the arcade, my mind already shifting into crisis management mode. Alice needed me, and I couldn't let her down, not when so much was at stake.

EPOV

The next day, I stormed into my office, my mind still reeling from the chaos of the previous night. The moment I entered, I saw Tanya sitting at her desk, looking tense.

"My office. Right now, Tanya," my tone is venom.

She follows like a wounded dog, taking a seat by my desk. I didn't waste any time. I slammed the door behind me and picked up the phone to call Felix.

The phone rang twice before Felix picked up, his voice as smooth as ever. "Edward, good morning. What can I do for you?"

"Cut the shit, Felix," I snapped, not bothering to mask my anger. "I just found out that Tanya axed an account—an account tied to a magazine that just published a hit piece on my sister's collection. What the hell is going on?"

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Felix responded, his tone annoyingly calm. "I'm aware of the situation, Edward. The account wasn't profitable. It was a necessary cut. I instructed her to do it."

"A necessary cut?" I repeated, my voice rising. "You went behind my back and made a decision that's now affecting my family! My sister, Felix! This is not how I operate. My family shouldn't ever be collateral in your damn business moves, that weren't yours to make in the first place!"

Tanya shifted uncomfortably in her seat, but I ignored her, my focus entirely on Felix.

"I understand your frustration, Cullen" Felix said, though his voice lacked any real sympathy. "But you need to look at the bigger picture. The company needed to make tough decisions to stay afloat. Sometimes, that means taking risks."

"Risks?" I spat, my grip tightening on the phone. "You call screwing over my sister a risk? This isn't just business, Felix. This has crossed the line into personal. You don't get to use my family as pawns in your corporate game."

Felix sighed, as if he were dealing with a petulant child. "Edward, you're getting emotional. We've discussed this before—family and business don't mix. Tanya made a call that was best for the company, and you need to trust that. If your sister gets stung along the way then that's none of my concern."

I could feel the anger bubbling inside me, ready to explode. "Trust? How the hell am I supposed to trust you when your selfish decisions are ruining my sister's career? You've crossed a line, Felix. Your lack of care is painfully obvious, but I won't let you ruin someone I love. Fix this shit or our deal is over. Get that client back by any means necessary, even if it means getting on your knees and sucking someone off. And don't you dare talk down to me."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I wondered if Felix was actually reconsidering his stance. But when he finally spoke, his voice was cold and final.

"The decision stands, Edward. You need to get your emotions in check and focus on what's important—keeping this company alive. If that means making sacrifices, so be it."

I clenched my teeth, barely able to contain my fury. "You seem to be forgetting something, Felix."

"Oh? And what's that?" he asked, his tone condescending.

"I own the majority of this company," I said, my voice dangerously calm. "That means I make the final decisions. The merger hasn't even passed through. It's my call. Not yours. Not Tanya's. Mine. And if you or anyone else tries to undermine my authority again, you'll be out the door faster than you can say 'merger.' Do I make myself fucking clear?"

Felix's silence spoke volumes. When he finally spoke, his tone had lost its earlier confidence. "Edward, I think you're overreacting—"

"Tell me I am overreacting one more time and I'll ," I cut him off, my voice as cold as ice. "You made a mistake. A big one. And now I have to clean it up. But let me make this perfectly clear—this is the last time you or anyone else makes a decision behind my back. The next time you even think about pulling a stunt like this, you'll find yourself out of a job."

Before Felix could respond, I hung up the phone, the tension in my office thick enough to cut with a knife. I turned to Tanya, who was now staring at me with wide eyes.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous. "You've put my family in the crossfire of a business war they have nothing to do with."

Tanya swallowed hard, clearly struggling to find the right words. "I… I was just following orders, Edward. Felix said it was necessary."

"Felix can take a long walk off a short cliff as far as I'm concerned. You can fucking join him if you think what you've done here is by any means okay. Your loyalty should be to me," I repeated, the word feeling like acid on my tongue. "You've jeopardised my sister's livelihood. You should have come to me first."

Tanya looked down, unable to meet my eyes. "I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't think—"

"No," I interrupted, my tone icy. "You didn't think."

The silence in the room was deafening, the weight of the situation pressing down on both of us. I could feel the anger simmering beneath the surface, but I knew I needed to channel it into something productive. There was no undoing what had been done, but I'd be damned if I let it get any worse.

"Get out of my office," I finally said, my voice cold and hard. "Pray that I don't decide to fire you in the time it takes you to get back to work. I want every fucking file from that client, every email, every single minute of interaction on my desk by noon. I want a call set up with them today so that you can personally say sorry. But go get me my coffee first."

"That's your assistant's job," she dares to challenge.

"Now it's yours. Go," I dismiss her with a flick of my hand, "make sure that coffee is strong. I fucking need it."

Tanya nodded quickly, scrambling out of the office without another word. As the door closed behind her, I let out a long, shaky breath, running a hand through my hair.

This was far from over.

I leaned back in my chair, staring blankly at the papers scattered across my desk. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't focus. The fallout from the account cancellation was weighing heavily on me, and the thought of Alice's career being jeopardised because of a decision I wasn't even aware of made my blood boil. I'd already had a heated conversation with Felix, but it didn't do much to alleviate the stress.

A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Before I could respond, the door opened, and Bella stepped into the office, a bright smile on her face. She was a sight for sore eyes—dressed in a soft pink blouse that hugged her curves just right, tucked into high-waisted black trousers that accentuated her figure. Her hair was loose, cascading over her shoulders in gentle waves, and in her hands, she held a box of brownies.

"Surprise," she said, her voice warm and comforting.

I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. "Bella, what are you doing here?"

"I came to give you an update on Alice," she replied, walking over to my desk. "And to bring you these." She held up the box of brownies, placing them on the desk in front of me.

My smile widened slightly at the gesture, but the weight of the morning still hung over me. "How is she?" I asked, leaning forward.

"She's doing a lot better," Bella said, her tone reassuring. "I managed to convince the journalist to write a redaction, and I also got a few other fashion magazines to defend Alice's collection. The article will still be out there, but it won't have nearly as much impact now."

Relief washed over me, though it was tempered by the lingering frustration. "Thank you, Bella. You've no idea how much this means to me—and to Alice. I've had to be angry boss all morning."

She smiled, clearly pleased with herself. "Alice sent a big email to my boss, singing my praises. So, it looks like I'll be in the good books for a while. Angry boss sounds kinda scary. I'd hate to meet him."

I chuckled softly, but the sound was hollow, even to my own ears. Bella seemed to notice, her expression softening with concern.

"Hey," she said gently, leaning forward to place a hand on mine. "I brought these brownies to cheer you up, you know. I didn't expect you to look so… defeated. Maybe you should try some? Sugar is good for the soul."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It's just been a rough day. That mess with the account, everything with Alice… It's all weighing on me. Thank you for the gift. This is thoughtful, Bella."

Bella frowned, her brow furrowing as she studied me. Then, without a word, she stood up and walked around the desk. With a determined look in her eyes, she pushed all the papers aside, making space for herself on the edge of the desk. She sat down, her legs crossing as she leaned in closer, her presence intoxicating.

"Edward," she murmured, her voice taking on a more sultry tone, "you're not alone in this. We'll get through it together. I'm here."

She reached out, brushing her fingers through my hair, and I couldn't help but close my eyes at the comforting sensation. But when I opened them again, I saw the fire in her gaze, something that sent a jolt of desire through me. Before I could react, she leaned down, capturing my lips in a kiss that was anything but gentle.

The kiss began gently, a delicate brush of her lips against mine, but soon it became fervent. Her hands slid down my body, grasping me with urgency as she pressed herself closer to me. I reveled in the heat of her mouth, a primal growl rumbling from within me. My body tensed at the sudden passion, my senses ablaze with the intoxicating scent of her fragrance and the delicious taste of her on my tongue.

I stand very aware of my pants tightening at my groin. This woman could bring me to my knees while the rest of the world saw me stand proud. We don't break the kiss. Our tongues lock, dancing eagerly as desire courses through us. I lift her leg up, bringing her closer to the heat of my body. Gently, I guide her back until she is leaning back on my desk with her palms.

A soft moan leaves her, just like the one from that night at her door. It tests my will power. I want to relieve all the pressure and tension inside me. Do what I haven't done in way too long. Pour my emotions out into her. Let her support me in a way I hadn't let anyone since I was a teenager.

But this wasn't the right place. I didn't need a HR issue on top of my other issues.

I pulled back slightly, catching my breath, and looked down at Bella, who was still perched on the edge of my desk. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips slightly swollen from the intensity of our kiss. She looked up at me with those wide, brown eyes, and I felt something shift inside me—something that made all the stress and anger from the day seem less important.

"Bella," I murmured, brushing a thumb across her cheek. "You have no idea how much I needed that. No idea how much I need you."

She smiled softly, her hand resting on my chest. "I'm glad. You looked like you were carrying the weight of the world. Let me help you."

I sighed, still feeling the remnants of tension in my muscles. "It feels that way sometimes. But when you're here… it's like the world doesn't seem so heavy. You help me carry it."

Her smile widened, and she leaned forward to press another, softer kiss to my lips. "Then let's make it lighter. Take the rest of the day off with me? Alice is under control right now and I don't want to go back into the office."

I don't hesitate as my hand hit the button on the intercom. "Linda, cancel my meetings for the rest of the day. Something really important has come up."

There was a pause on the other end before my assistant responded, "Of course, Mr. Cullen. I'll take care of it."

I turned back to Bella, meeting her sultry gaze. "Let's get out of here."

She tilted her head slightly. "Anything you have in mind?"

"I want to go home," I said, my voice softening. "I'll cook for you. We'll relax, talk… I just need to get away from all this for a while."

She smiled, a warmth in her eyes that made my heart skip a beat. "That sounds perfect."

I stood up, reaching out to take her hand. "Let's go, then. I need you, baby."

She squeezed my hand gently, a reassuring smile on her face. "I'm right here, Edward. Let's go."

As we left the office together, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. I knew the problems would still be there tomorrow, but for now, I had Bella. And that was more than enough.