TW: Violence.

Dame Fortuna

Chapter 12: Kindness

Eventually, the day finally came.

It was strangely bittersweet, to once again regard the familiar bright neon signs of Club Bluewave. He'd never stepped foot in the new main branch after the coup, but he was pleasantly satisfied when he noticed that his son did not forego any of the old aesthetics. The boy had only made it bigger and more imposing.

It was home, through and through.

Carlisle didn't fail to notice that the parking lot was very much full. That was…good. Most of the partners honored his request for their attendance. Or perhaps they were afraid of the consequences if they didn't come through.

"I'll handle it," he assured his chauffeur once they reached the driveway, sliding out of the car himself and opening his companion's door open for her.

The front doors of the club opened before the pair even took three steps, and a familiar stout man in a sharp formal attire stepped outside with a wary expression on his face. He was shadowed by four other men in suits.

"Bernard," Carlisle greeted with his signature, peaceful smile.

Atticus put his hands in his pockets on the front steps, his hazy eyes looking over the pair several times as they approached. His eyes eventually became fixed on the matching golden bands around their intertwined fingers.

"Hello, old friend," Atticus greeted gravely, nodding once. "My congratulations."

Carlisle wrapped an arm around Tanya's waist, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Well, sweetheart?"

Tanya's gaze was indecipherable as she stared at the man before them. She inhaled slowly before finally saying, "Atticus has always been loyal to Edward. His guards protected me."

"Hmm." Carlisle's eyes turned back to old man. "You're safe for now, I suppose. But don't think for one second that I've forgotten your role in the coup."

Atticus' gaze wandered to the ground, almost defeatedly. "Please, Carlisle. You must understand this is neutral ground. Edward's not in, but I'm here to represent his wishes to maintain the rules on his stead."

"Have you forgotten I'm the one who made the fucking rules in the first place?"

"You were also the first one who broke them."

There was a tense silence after that, and Tanya felt her husband's hand tighten around the red fabric of her dress, his nails slightly digging into her skin.

"It's a blessing I'm here then, don't you think?" Carlisle finally said, his tone fairly light. "After everything that's happened recently with our narcotics partners. Right now, I think you'll want someone with balls on your side if we want to maintain control over them and Bluewave."

Atticus sighed heavily. "Your son shares your sentiment. And Mrs. Cullen is right. I am loyal to him."

"Good," Carlisle decided.

Before the couple was able to step inside the doors, however, one of the guards blocked their path.

"S-Sir," the man in the suit said nervously, unable to look the imposing man in the eye. "We––have to make sure. That you're unarmed."

"Oh, for fuck's sake––" Tanya began.

"No worries," Carlisle said smoothly, his expression mildly amused. He stepped forward, meeting the man's gaze as he pulled out the silver revolver from his back pocket. He handed over the piece roughly on the man's open palms.

"Anything else, sir?"

"Would you really like to check?" Carlisle dared him.

The guard pursed his lips, sweat already accumulating on his brow. Eventually, he wordlessly stepped aside and opened the doors for the two.

Atticus and the suits followed closely behind as the couple made their way inside the club. There was a dancer already onstage––a new one, since Carlisle didn't recognize her. As soon as they reached the center tables, however, all conversations in the floor died down, until all that was heard was the music at low volume.

"Rosalie," Tanya called out to the dancer. "You can go to the dressing room for now."

"I––Okay," the girl replied, breaking away from the pole to speedily head backstage.

Carlisle continued to walk until he reached the closest table to the stage. It was occupied. However, one look at the newcomers caused the group to immediately scramble to their feet, nervously backing away as the blond leisurely pulled out one of the wooden chairs.

He swiveled the chair around and sat down with a deep sigh, facing the nervous crowd of partners and sponsors before him. He shot his wife a smile and pulled her by the arm towards him until she settled on his lap.

"Good evening," Carlisle greeted, his voice booming but friendly all the same. "It's a pleasure to be…welcomed back to Bluewave. Before anything else, I would like to introduce you all to my wife. Tanya."

There were several nervous shiftings around the room.

"Now, sweetheart," he murmured sweetly. "Go ahead and point them out for me."

Tanya took a long, uneven breath. She then raised a finger to point to several groups and figures in the vicinity. "The McKay's. Gordon Stiller. The Lester brothers. They––They were the some of the ones who threatened to kill me."

"Ah." Carlisle chuckled. "All narcotics. Very interesting."

"Neutral ground," Atticus reminded him from his right. "And…only few from that faction are present."

"You mean Wynona did not heed my call?" Carlisle asked, his lips curved into a smirk. "Gee, I wonder why."

"Mr. Cullen," a young man called out, stepping forward from the Lester group. "You know very well our reasons were founded. Dame Tanya––She betrayed the organization. But now that you have been inducted in, we…are willing to let bygones be bygones if you choose to do the same."

"Betrayed? Bygones?"

Carlisle stood up slowly, pushing his wife roughly to the side. Gone was the blitheness in his countenance; his angelic features were now contorted to pure rage. There was a flash of danger in his eyes, which was why as he strode forward, the crowd instinctively backed away.

"I was only called back in because you drug mover fuckers betrayed your own head," Carlisle roared, now only a foot away from the man. "Wynona has been stocking you up on enough ammunition for a war. I should fucking skin you right now for your nerve. And that's still on the table."

The Lester boy stood his ground. "We wouldn't have shown up here if we were involved."

Carlisle narrowed his eyes. "But you knew."

At that, the boy looked away and said nothing.

"Mr. Cullen."

He turned swiftly around towards the new voice. He raised a brow upon regarding the familiar tall, lanky man dressed in a lined purple suit. There were several bruises and fresh scars across his nose and cheeks. At the very least, he recalled this Bluewave partner remained neutral during the coup. "Garrett," Carlisle greeted slowly. "I heard you were the rat."

"I––would appreciate not to be called that," Garrett said, chuckling nervously as his eyes darted around the room. "But yes. I was the one who informed your son. I hope that proves something about my loyalty to the Cullens."

Carlisle leisurely walked over until he was face-to-face with the man. "I also hear my boy had to threaten you and do this"––he pointed towards the prominent wounds on Garrett's face––"to pry the information out of you. What loyalty?"

Garrett swallowed.

"I'm surrounded by a bunch of ungrateful fucking low-lives!" Carlisle yelled now, frenziedly pacing the room. "I don't see a single face in this room that would be successful or even alive if it wasn't for this organization. I stepped down because you all believed I was going to start an in-house war, and yet almost as soon as I did, you turned on your own head to start one yourselves."

"We weren't involved," Lester insisted again.

Carlisle took several heavy breaths, his hands still curled into fists, before he finally stepped back until he reached his chair again. He sat down slowly and leaned back. "Then explain," he demanded in a low voice.

It was Garrett who stepped forward to represent the wayward Bluewave faction. "We want to be ensured protection."

Carlisle's lips curved to a twisted smile. "I get to decide if your lives are worth protecting."

"Fair enough," Garrett sighed. "Wynona never cared about your sprees, Carlisle. She only supported Edward's coup because she believed she would be able to fully control the drug market across the US without your iron hand. She thought Bluewave would completely cut you off, and that Edward's trust in the council and lack of bloodlust would make her––freer, to manipulate the market however she wants."

Too easy, Carlisle had thought back then at Westfield when Edward had listed Wynona as a target. He had spoken too soon, apparently.

One of the McKay's stepped forward as well. "She benefited from Victor being a lone wolf. Her favored partners remained at the top of the trade because Victor stayed on his lane. But when you took him down and beat her in the coke trade yourself…Bottom line is she's a woman scorned. And she's too far gone with her plans that she's decided to fight Bluewave back herself. She only pulled in trusted partners with her––that excludes us––to widen her US stakes and expand externally. Once she gets enough support, she will start a war."

"But just because she didn't pull all narcotics partners in with her plan doesn't mean she's forgotten us," the Lester boy added grimly, his bitter gaze fixed on the ground. "She's already weaned off existing partners who wouldn't side with her or threatened to expose her. The…Delgados in Mexico, for example."

Carlisle's hands turned into fists. "What about the Delgados?"

"She seems to be fond of targeting the weak ones, especially…children," Lester said slowly. "They're––Don't make me describe it."

Tanya had to turn around from the conversation and hold the edge of the stage to keep herself steady. Carlisle, on the other hand, only blinked slowly, his angelic features blank as he processed the information.

"Do you understand now?" Garrett asked grimly. "As to why we ask for protection?"

Carlisle slowly rose to his feet. "Do you mean to say you fear Wynona more than Edward?"

Silence.

"I'm here to fix that," he continued, his voice strangely calm this time. He turned to Atticus to his right. "The boy isn't in for a reason. He knew what I would do, and didn't want to be here for it."

The old man's eyes widened. Before anyone could react, however, Carlisle reached down to the back of his right boot and pulled out a simple silver switchblade. He walked over to the table in front of the stage and sat in front of it.

There was a familiar manic glint in his cerulean eyes as he looked over the crowd. "If you seek my protection after threatening to kill my wife and betraying my son, I'm going to require payment. Your commitment to fight on our side…and a finger. One for every life to be saved."

Tanya's breath hitched at her husband's words.

"Carlisle…" Atticus began nervously.

"I'm not shooting anyone, am I?" he shrugged. "If anything, this is a kindness. I've been handing out quite a few of those recently."

He raised a brow when Garrett stepped forward slowly, lips quivering with fear and anxiety. "Your word?"

Carlisle smiled angelically. "All I have to do is make a call."

That was all it took for the other narcotics players to fall quietly and willingly in line behind Garrett.

Tanya remained silent, choosing to quietly watch her husband next to her in the backseat as he casually and slowly wiped off the blood off the blade with a handkerchief. His white dress shirt was still speckled with red.

She studied his expression as he did. Gone was mania and blood thirst in his eyes she'd seen earlier when he so easily chopped off at least fifteen fingers consecutively. Now, he looked…peaceful. Thoughtful.

"Did that scare you?" Carlisle suddenly murmured, his eyes still fixed at the task at hand.

Tanya pursed her lips. "I've seen you do worse. And I understand the intention."

"Good."

She hesitated for a while, before deciding to ask, "Well, what's your plan now? With Wynona?"

Her husband sighed, putting the now-clean blade back into his boot. "I'll have to confer that with Edward before anything else. I'm just his rabid lap dog, after all."

"Hmm. But if it were up to you…?"

"If it were up to me, half of the people in the club earlier would be dead by now," he said smoothly, cracking his neck. "But Edward requires manpower and support if we're to go head-to-head with Wynona. She has external support. We have these idiots."

"We have you," Tanya reminded him.

"Even I am humble enough to admit when I'm outmatched on my own," Carlisle chuckled. "I underestimated Wynona. The fact that even Edward wasn't able to get a whiff of her plans says a lot about her patience."

Tanya quirked a humorless smile. "Oh, sweetheart. Women have always been patient."

They eventually reached their destination, which was Carlisle's heavily manned and guarded mansion––and now Tanya's home––along the coastline. However, they were both surprised to find a familiar figure dressed in a casual pullover and jeans waiting for them in front of the tall white gate, casually smoking and leaning against the hood of a plain dark sedan.

"Interesting," Carlisle murmured before swiftly stepping out of the car.

Fresh murderess Bella Swan was clearly alone. She didn't even have a chauffeur with her, and seemed to have driven herself to the location. Her wide brown eyes narrowed as she regarded their arrival.

"Fortuna," Tanya greeted warily, staying a couple of paces behind Carlisle.

"Hey, Tanya," the woman greeted flatly, throwing her finished cigarette on the ground and crushing the butt with a heel. She swiveled her face to turn to the man. "Can I talk to you?"

He looked her over several times before deciding to say, "I have no reason to. If you're here to do something stupid––"

"I do have a reason. And it benefits you."

There was something familiar about the expression in the girl's eyes. At first glance, they were blank and devoid of emotion. But the way the corners of her lids were hardened…

"Sweetheart," Carlisle finally said, turning to his wife. "How about you make us some tea?"

The two eventually found themselves seated across from each other in Carlisle's home office. The man was in a more casual position in his chair, his legs crossed and his hand propped to support his head by the temple. Bella, on the other hand, sat more politely in the lounge across the desk, with her hands clasped loosely around the teacup on her lap.

"How did you find this place?" Carlisle finally asked.

"Because that matters."

"Hmm. Do you know where Edward is?"

"He told me he'll be out today. I don't think he'd want to see you, after what you'd done." A pause. "But he finally told me everything. And so did I."

The blond narrowed his eyes. "Everything?"

"I know he warned you to stay away from me," Bella said slowly. "I know about your…history in Oregon, to Jacksonville, then here. I know about your history with Tanya. I know about your original plan to cut off problematic Bluewave players. I know about your blunder with Victor. And in turn––I told him about how you and I first met."

Carlisle released a few amused chuckles. "Really? You told him how you practically proposed to sleep with his own father?"

Bella pursed her lips, looking slightly ashamed now. "It was an honest mistake. He understood that. And it helped in your favor that you didn't let it happen. Why is that?"

"He'd cut you loose if I did."

"Isn't that what you want?" Bella tilted her head. "After all, you told me you were sure I was going to be his downfall. Why didn't you just fuck me back then so he'd get rid of his weakness once and for all?"

Carlisle's eyes widened as he processed her straight-cut words. Her candor paired with her innocent face was…unexpected. "Tanya convinced me you were an invaluable asset. That you're capable of closing deals not all girls are capable of securing. I was curious to see how far you can go."

"Hmm. And what's your opinion of me now?"

Carlisle uncrossed his legs, leaning forward as he clasped his hands together on the desk. In a dangerously low tone, he said, "You're a feisty one by asking all these damn questions. How the fuck am I supposed to benefit from this exactly?"

Bella didn't look fazed by his words. She took a long sip of her tea before responding. "I need to know if you still me as an asset. That I've proven to you just how loyal I am to Bluewave."

She looked up at him then, and there was fire in her eyes.

"Even after everything I've learned, I know Edward's never going to pull me in, not completely. Not willingly. His judgment is impaired because he constantly thinks of me. I even think he missed the stirrings of a war because he was distracted with trying to protect me. The last thing I want is to be a liability."

Carlisle bit his lip, nodding very slowly as he digested her words. "I see now. And that's why you've come to me."

"He told me everything about you," she said, setting her cup down on the desk before crossing her arms. "Unlike everyone else, I don't see you as a loose cannon. I see you as someone without weaknesses."

"You flatter me," Carlisle chuckled.

"I mean it. I have a proposal that Edward would never agree to. Perhaps you would."

He couldn't help but smile widely at that. "I'm listening."

Bella inhaled slowly before she continued. "I'm not yet very well-versed with how war and your organization works…but at the very least, I understand that Wynona's the root of the problem. But I'm also getting the impression that she's not going to be very easy to take down."

"You're doing good so far."

"I also understand that your and Edward's plan involves gathering enough supporters within Bluewave to combat her eventual attack." She puckered her lips. "It's a very typical man approach. A fucking pissing contest, if you will. You've both forgotten that you're fighting a woman. Women would never willingly go to war without enough confidence, patience, and strategy. Which is why I believe you also need a woman's approach to counter hers."

Carlisle leaned forward, waiting patiently.

Bella suddenly quirked a small, but smug smile. "Garrett left Edward a breadcrumb that you seem to have overlooked. Laurent. Wynona's external supply for security and ammunition. I'm guessing he wouldn't be easy to hunt down, but if you manage to put him in a room with me…" She chuckled once. "You did say you were curious as to how far I can go, right? In closing deals?"

Carlisle was…speechless. He was genuinely astounded this time. "It will be dangerous," he finally said after a long while.

"I'm sure."

"Edward would never allow it."

"Definitely not."

"Isabella Swan," Carlisle chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're actually making me nervous."

Bella pursed her lips for a moment. She lifted her eyes to his––her eyes wide and innocent, like a lamb's––and said, "I hope you see I'm good for it. That I'm trustworthy."

Carlisle swallowed. Several seconds to a whole minute passed in silence as he processed and considered the girl's proposal. In the end, he decided to say softly, "It'll sink in eventually, you know."

Bella's confident expression wavered. "What do you mean?"

"Your first kill."

Carlisle watched as the girl's eyes began to twitch while her hands trembled on her lap.

"I'll always remember mine," he sighed, resting his chin on his propped hand on the armrest. "I was…thirteen, I think. A mugger. It wasn't very difficult to do it, since he was an idiot and an overall terrible person. But seeing the light leave a man's eyes for the first time by your hand––It stays with you."

She remained silent, her gaze dropping to the table.

"I can only imagine what it must feel for you," Carlisle continued. "I know who he is. Your––"

"Stop," Bella said, her voice strangled.

Carlisle considered it for a while. "It will sink in," he repeated calmly. "And I have to be sure that when it does, you won't do anything stupid."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"In the end, I made you do it. Bluewave made you do it. I've seen and outlived all sorts of revenge plots for lesser reasons than grief. Do you understand where I'm going with this? And why you can't ask me to trust you?"

Bella slowly raised her gaze to meet his. Her brown eyes were solemn. "What would it take, then?"

"Well," Carlisle sighed, clasping his hands together again on the desk. "What's your motive?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I thought it would be clear, since I'm only following through what you asked me to. I'm doing this for––"

"Edward?" There was a wicked smirk on the man's lips. "Don't be ridiculous, sweetheart. Not even the strongest love would be able to withstand the type of hell we live in. That I would know. And yet here you are, volunteering to damn your fucking soul for the same cause that's already made you lose so much. It makes no fucking sense. So I'll ask you one more time. I'll know if you lie. What's your motive?"

"I'm already damned regardless!"

Carlisle was taken aback once more, and even jumped in his seat when the woman suddenly rose to her feet and slammed both hands on the table. He wasn't only nervous now. No, the pure fury and madness in her eyes left him moderately afraid.

"And I'm too far gone to stop now, Carlisle Cullen," she growled. "You don't know what I've already done, not even Ed––God, no one does. And I can't––If this is what it takes for you to trust me, then you can't tell him. I'm begging you."

He eventually regained his composure. His eyes hardened as he, too, rose to his feet, planting his hands to mirror hers on the table. "Explain yourself."

Her lips quivered, as if she was struggling to release the words. "I didn't want to lie."

"To who?"

"The police," she said, her eyes slowly brimming with tears. "When they saw the body. But I did it anyway and I––I made it so believable that even I chose to believe it myself."

I can get anyone to talk about anything. Even buy anything. I look…trustworthy.

The day I saw his body in that bedroom, that part of me died along with him. And it has never been home to me since, nor will it ever be.

Carlisle leaned forward. "Whose body?"

"I also didn't mean to run," she whimpered. "But I still did."

I need to start clean. I'm––really done with Arizona.

The blond slowly walked around the desk until he was behind her. He pulled her by the arm to turn her to face him head-on. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Bella shut her eyes. "Jasper was never the first."

I never really knew who you were, Bella Swan, did I?

This time, there was no sharp pain. Just…emptiness.