It wasn't too long before uncle Charlie was walking through my front door. The sight of him brought tears to my eyes as I leaped up from the couch and ran over to give him a hug. His massive arms came around me, pulling me close to his chest. He had a smoky smell, as if he had been sitting close to a campfire. And like my father and I, he had dark brown hair that he kept short and neat. He looked so much like my father, it was almost painful to even meet his gaze. He was my father's youngest brother, but you could have sworn that they were twins.
"Hey kid, how are you?" His thick southern accent flooded the space of my apartment. He always spoke so loudly, it wasn't because he had a hearing problem, that was just his personality. Uncle Charlie wasn't a shy man, he was loud and proud.
"I'm doing good uncle Charlie, how was the drive up?" I smiled as we pulled apart from each other.
"It wasn't too big of a fuss, but these young pups don't know how to drive 'round this place. I had half a mind to knock some of these fellas out," He gruffled, before moving past me and into the kitchen. "Wow, what a feast, you didn't go making this for little old me, did you kid?"
It would be best not to mention having company last night. My uncle didn't need to know about my sex life, or any guys in my life in general. He wasn't the biggest fan of me dating, or even being in the same room as a man. He almost didn't allow me to move into this apartment, just because of the fact that some of the other tenants here were men around my age.
"I sure did, it isn't much, but I figured you would be hungry after the long drive up here." I lied smoothly.
Uncle Charlie sat down at the table and picked at some of the fruits. He was more of a meat and potatoes guy, but he never turned down food that was prepared for him. But that didn't stop him from wrinkling up his nose.
"This is exactly why you are getting too skinny. There is no meat on your bones any more kid. It's worrying your mother a great deal." He said wagging his finger at me. "Well just look, a fart could blow you away." He didn't hide the concern on his face.
"It's not that bad, I'm probably a healthier weight now than I was when I moved here." I said pointedly. "Maybe you should think of cutting back a bit, or one of your boys is going to mistake you for the livestock."
Uncle Charlie left a barking laugh, so hard that tears came to his eyes. "You got me there," Any sign of him worrying had disappeared.
This was just how we were, we promised to always be straightforward with each other. No sugarcoating things, or hiding things. We were family. So if we had something to say, we didn't hold back.
Uncle Charlie finished off probably half of the fruit and a few muffins before he considered himself full. Afterwards, he helped me clean up the leftovers. We decided to sit out on the balcony now. In the living room there was a pair of sliding glass doors that opened out to a small balcony. It was only big enough for two foldable chairs. I didn't come out here often, really only on warm nights that I have trouble sleeping, or when Uncle Charlie came over. He couldn't stand being inside, so even when he came to visit me, we had to spend a majority of the time outside. It made him feel a little more comfortable, so I didn't mind at all.
I handed him the envelope, with all the money. "How is Ana feeling? Do you think the medication is working?"
Uncle Charlie sighed, rubbed the back of his neck. His eyes, similar to mine, but reflecting deep worry. "It's hard to say, she has good days and bad days. This new medication is really kicking her little ass."
My entire body pained to hear my sister struggle. Ana and I had always been extremely close, even growing up. I remembered her blazing red head of curls bouncing as she chased me around. She wanted to follow me everywhere I went. And copy everything I did. Ana was the one that it hit the hardest when I left. I wonder if she will ever forgive me?
"Her next appointment is coming up soon, isn't it?"
"Tomorrow, bright and early Monday morning. Rene is fixin' to have you come back home, if the medication isn't working for Ana this time 'round." His mouth tightened into a firm line as he watched me.
"Yeah, that's the deal. I promised mom that I'd come back," I sighed, looking away from him and out to the busy streets. It was noisy today. The sounds of cars squealing to a stop at the busy intersection, sirens off in the distance, too far away to tell what where they were coming from, the city was very much alive today. As far as the eye could see, huge buildings littered our view. There was an apartment building just across the road from this building, and in each little window you could see thousands of others, living their lives. A woman, running her vacuum cleaner, a child sitting in front of a television, a man standing out on his balcony with a coffee mug in his hands. I could never understand how these people looked so peaceful. Didn't they hear all this noise? Didn't they care?
"I've been doing a lot of extra work, trying to keep up with both houses, the boys have been helping me out a lot as well. But I'm starting to have my doubts about Rene." Uncle Charlie glanced over at me, hesitantly. I could see that something was really bothering him. His laid back smile was gone, replaced with an emotion that I couldn't quite decipher.
"What do you mean, is something wrong with her?"
"Well, the other day, I noticed a bit of a collection of beer cans. There was about a doze pushed in the corner in the barn, under some hay." He replied quietly.
"You think my mom is drinking again?" The disappointment hit me like a ton of bricks. But anger was the first thing I was about to express. "She promised me that she would do better. For Ana's sake. And mine." There was some venom in my words, that didn't escape uncle Charlie.
"She is trying, but you have to be understanding kid, she has a young one, that's very sick. Even on Ana's good days, she needs a lot of help to do, just basic things. And her other girl is a thousand miles away, in a dangerous city. I can't imagine the stress she is trying to deal with." He was quick to come to her defense.
"I know she has a lot going on, but there has to be another way for her to deal with stress. How can she take care of Ana, if she is drunk all day, every day?"
He made a face at my reply, but nodded slowly, letting his head rest back. "I've thought about it and decided that if things fall apart back home, my Sue and I will bring Ana in to live with us for a while. Until things get straightened out."
As relieving as that was, I knew that this was asking too much of him. He already was doing so much for us. "You don't have to do that. If things really are going downhill, I'll come back home and try to get things back in order." I said that, but at the same time I wasn't sure if that was the best idea. My mother and I didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things. We fought often. Me being there, might only add to her stress. Plus, I wouldn't be able to make enough money back home to pay for Ana's medications.
"Nah, don't worry about it. Sue has always wanted a daughter. All we ever got was three knucklehead boys. It will work out. I'm just hoping Rene will pull herself out of it, before she takes another step down that road. I was there last time, I was able to pull her out of it. But I'm not so sure I could do it again."
I hoped that things would work out as well. I was working my ass off to make this money and it felt like my mom had already given up. I didn't know what she was going through, but didn't she see that we had a chance to save Ana's life? We didn't have to lose her. There was still a chance that things would work out. Did she really want to jeopardize all this hard work? And it wasn't just me. Uncle Charlie, aunt Sue and their kids are all helping out, any way that they can.
In truth, I was livid. But I tried to contain myself. I wasn't sure when I would have the money to make the trip home, but I would have to do it soon. Maybe I could talk some sense into her… without driving her to the point of wanting to drink more. Either way, I needed to see all this with my own eyes.
Sensing my discomfort, uncle Charlie changed the subject, we spoke of lighter topics. The weather, my job and of course he wondered if I 'found myself a boyfriend yet'. The relief on his face was almost comical when I denied dating of any type. Like usual, he did some tinkering in my apartment, fixing some minor issues that popped up during the month, such as my leaky sink. He also reinforced the broken section of my couch. Now at least it was sturdy enough, that when I had visitors, they had a slightly safer place to sit. And when he was just about ready to leave, he did some maintenance work on my scooter.
Uncle Charlie was always looking after me, he was the only father figure I had left in this life. So when he pulled me in for a goodbye hug, I held onto him a little tighter. A few tears rolled down my cheeks as we let each other go.
"Now, none of that crying 'lil brownie," He cleared his throat, giving his eyes a quick wipe, before placing a single hand at the top of my head.
My heart broke even further. That's exactly what my dad had done when I was crying, or upset. It almost felt like he was right here with me. It felt like someone had ripped my heart from my chest as I watched him drive away in his old truck. Just like that, the only family I had here with me was gone. Loneliness settled inside of me, almost instantly. I had wished that I could have gone with him. And never returned to this filthy metropolis. I had started out my day on a positive note, but now my mood had soured.
But I didn't have time to whine and complain over my sorrow. I had to meet up with Emmett. It was getting close to the time he had wanted to meet up. Uncle Charlie had brought me a few things this time, some groceries, that I had already packed away in my apartment. And a helmet that he laid on my seat, before he had left.
I placed the helmet on my head, it was a little too big, but it did beat the alternative, if I would end up in a wreck. My chest clenched uncomfortably, at his kindness. It was a nice reminder that someone was looking out for my well-being. I had someone that cared enough, to want me to be safe.
The ride to the park was relatively quick, luckily the rain had stopped and the sun had completely broken free of the clouds. I could feel the heat lay over my skin, like a blanket. I should have put sunscreen on. On a day like this, I would end up as red as a lobster. It was too late to turn back now, I had already made it to Liberty park. I tried to park in a shaded area under some trees.
A few people nearby threw looks of annoyance in my direction. I had parked next to a couple that was seated on a large picnic blanket, enjoying a few drinks and what looked to be a late morning bunch. The man eyed me with a familiar look, his eyes trailing up and down my exposed legs. While the woman glared at me, not enjoying the fact that I had pulled my scooter so close to their little private date. I would have considered moving, but there was nowhere else to get out of the sun, so I did my best to ignore them. Instead, I took a seat at the base of the tree, just a few steps away from them and waited.
The ground was a bit damp, but I didn't mind, it cooled me down a good bit. The clock in the park began to chime loudly, forcing my attention. It was Ten o'clock. Emmett should be here. I scanned the area, taking note of everyone within my line of vision. It was a Sunday morning, so the crowd of people here were mostly elderly, although there were a few sets of families here as well. Kids chased each other around the fountain. Some people were throwing a frisbee back and forth. The overall noise here was annoying.
"What does that look mean?" A voice started from right next to me. The sudden sound made me jump and turn quickly. Emmett stood over me, dressed in a high-end business suit, navy blue, black slacks with a shiny pair of loafers. His brown curls dripped, as if he had been walking in the rain, yet his clothing was bone dry. He was gorgeous.
"You shouldn't go sneaking up on people. Do you want me to have a heart attack?" I snipped at him as I quickly pulled myself up to my feet.
He chuckled in response, tilting his head back slightly as he did. "Of course not, I apologize." His dark eyes met my gaze. "You didn't answer my question, why do you look so… irate?"
I shrugged my shoulders, letting my eyes fall to the space between us. "I'm just not a huge fan of all the noise,"
He raised a brow, appearing puzzled by my statement. His eyes swept the area, before coming back to me. "What noise?"
"The people, the cars, everything. It's hard for me to get used to. I lived on an isolated farm for most of my life. There wasn't so much going on, all the time."
Emmett nodded, chewing over my words. "You don't like the city, do you?"
"I thought that much was obvious." I chuckled bitterly. My mood hasn't improved since my visit with uncle Charlie. It was difficult for me to fake it. I couldn't pretend that I was happy, or enjoying myself, even standing here with Emmett, probably the most handsome man I've come into contact with. Well… maybe not the most handsome…
My thoughts returned to Edward for a moment and I felt a dull ache surface from my chest. He was just as good-looking. But I'd never see him again.
"Did something happen, you look a bit agitated."
"I'd rather not talk about it. Let's just get going and get these markings off my arms." I sighed.
Emmett frowned slightly. "As you wish," He gestured for me to follow him.
Without a second thought, I did as he asked. We walked back towards the highway, where a black SUV was parked. Someone was waiting for us in the driver's seat, but the windows were tinted, so I couldn't quite make out what they looked like. I was suddenly on edge as I entered the car and the door was shut tightly behind me. Emmett sat in the backseat with me, although he appeared completely at peace. No sign of distress. It caused me to relax, just slightly.
This car had a luxurious interior, leather seats, a powerful AC blasting frigid air and above my head was a crystal clear sunroof. It was probably the most comfortable car I've ever been in. It even had that new car smell. I felt out of place riding around in such an expensive vehicle. It felt like my mere presence here would ruin it.
"Bella, this is my driver, Stenton." Emmett introduced us with a pleasant smile.
Stenton appeared to be an old, gray headed man. He had a rough-looking appearance. He looked fragile, but with that look on his face suggested he could rip someone apart if he had to.
"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Bella." His voice sounded more like a growl.
"Nice to meet you…" I said awkwardly.
Emmett's lips pulled into a smirk as he watched us. "Stenton is part of my support team, has been for many years. And before me, he was my mother's support as well."
"So he is… a reaper…" I spoke quietly.
Stenton raised his brows, glancing back at the two of us in his rearview mirror, but he didn't comment.
"That's right, he may seem like an ill-tempered old guy, but I assure you, there is no one with a bigger heart."
Stenton snorted. "Flattery will not work on me this time, Emmett. Because of your carelessness, I was nearly late to my job this morning. I thought you of all people wouldn't make a mistake like this." Wrinkles surrounded his eyes as he looked back at me for a moment.
Was he referring to me? Was I the mistake? Obviously I was, I was human, I shouldn't even be here. I shouldn't know that reapers even exist.
"I am sorry, if I caused any trouble for you." I spoke out with a little courage.
Stenton's eyes narrowed slightly at me, but it appeared that some tension leaked from his body. "You are a young, beautiful woman, you should value yourself more. Don't leave the bar with strange men. You put yourself in serious danger."
He had a very father-like tone. For a moment, it felt like I was getting scolded by my father. I hung my head in shame, unable to stop myself from reacting to his words. He was absolutely right. I had to break this cycle. Or I would be no better than my mother. Alcohol hasn't done me any favors in the past, it only seems to drag me further into a mess. I mean, look where I am now. On some kind of supernatural journey to who knows where.
Emmett watched the two of us for a moment, remaining silent. I couldn't read his expression.
"You're right, I promise I won't do it again."
Stenton sighed and for the first time, offered me a smile. "Well Emmett, at the very least, you found quite a wonderful lady to mark. As long as she keeps her wits, she will go far in life."
His kind words brought a smile of relief to my face. Maybe he didn't hate me after all. Emmett was right, he had a big heart.
"Like I said Stenton, we are taking her into the office to get the marks removed." He turned away from the both of us now, looking out the window. Something was bothering him, but it was clear that he wasn't in the mood to keep on this subject.
"Ahh yes of course," He replied, turning his attention back to the road. "We shall see how that turns out."
It seemed like the two of them had their own conversation going on. I felt like I didn't have all the information. I played through my previous conversation with Emmett this morning, when he was explaining the marking. One marking was weak, easily removed, it wasn't a permanent connection. It could be removed easily. But, there was a second marking that happened as well. The other marking happens naturally, when a reaper finds their life partner. It's a permanent mark. A solid connection between two people that last for eternity.
Did Stenton suspect that Emmett's mark couldn't be removed? Did he think that the two of us were life partners? I knew that wasn't the case, Emmett said so himself. This new mark was one of friendship and loyalty. However I couldn't help but imagine how I would respond if this marking actually was the kind that would link the two of us together as life partners.
My heart flipped in my chest at the thought of that. I wasn't so sure I could accept it. Sure, Emmett seemed like a wonderful person. He was wealthy and handsome, probably the perfect man. But the fact that I wouldn't have a choice in any of this didn't sit well with me. I didn't want to be told who to fall in love with. It should be up to me. And if it was the case, that we couldn't remove these two marks… I would fight like hell against it.
By the time the car finally came to a stop, we had made it to the other side of the city. Thanks to Stenton's smooth, flawless driving, we made it in just under two hours. I've never been this far from my apartment. This end of town was the residence of the most elite citizens, the mayor, senators, judges and greedy politicians. Someone like me had no business being here.
Skyscrapers lined every street, it gave the illusion that you were surrounded in an impenetrable cage. But surprisingly, it wasn't quite as noisy here. There were less people around and those who were walking around moved silently, like lifeless zombies. Everyone was dressed to impress, I noticed the name brand clothes instantly. Women dressed in trendy dresses, makeup painted their faces and jewelry that probably would cost more than my entire apartment building.
Envy crawled around in my stomach, bringing a frown to my face as Emmett opened the door for me to get out of the backseat. We were standing in front of a huge glass tower now. I bent my head all the way back to attempt to see the top of the structure, but I couldn't see it.
Swallowing hard, I looked to Emmett. "Don't tell me, we are going to this place."
He raised a brow, amusement coming to his face. "Yep, is there a problem with that?"
"It's enormous," I concluded as I attempted to straighten out my outfit. "I'm not even dressed appropriately to take a step inside this place."
Emmett rolled his eyes. "You look beautiful. Don't worry so much. You're here with me, no one will give you any issues."
His compliment brought a shudder down my spine and a faint blush to cover my cheeks. I couldn't find my voice, so I just nodded. After a wave to Stenton, the two of us walked into the glass castle. My anxiety was thick enough, that everyone that passed us could have probably sensed my distress. But to my relief, no one looked my way. Emmett was right, no one was interested in me.
All eyes were on him once we entered. The women would pause in the middle of what they were doing to stare at him. You could practically see them drooling. With some quick shifting around, I noticed a few of them fixing their hair, or applying an extra layer of lip gloss to their lips. Clearly he was popular among the ladies at this office. The men were a different story, they appeared tense, almost as if they were terrified of Emmett. They watched us pass, bowing their heads in respect. The way they acted, it was like a group of men watching a bomb about to go off. Their panicked expressions and quick movements towards the closest exit was almost comical.
I glanced at Emmett. "What did you do to the men around here?"
"What do you mean?" Emmett smirked, folding his arms across his chest. "I didn't do a thing to them, yet."
"Why don't I believe you?" I muttered as he led me to the elevators.
Emmett chuckled quietly, but I noticed his body tense as someone approached us. He stood a bit taller as a man made his way over. Emmett's demeanor changed instantly, he glared coldly at the man. The switch was so swift it left me in a state of shock.
"Master, sorry to bother you, but I found a slight issue with my reaping list. Could you spare a moment?" The man trembled slightly as he pushed his glasses from the edge of his nose, back in place.
Like Emmett, this man had dark eyes, lifeless and empty. It was unsettling. He was a thin, dorky-looking man. And it was obvious that he was petrified.
"Name and position." Emmett snarled, with a look of impatience. He towered over this poor guy, waves of authority were seeping through his pores. Even I began to tremble.
"Alec, second class support core." He replied, taking a single step back from the both of us.
"Under whose supervision?" Emmett continued impatiently.
"Y-yours sir," He stuttered.
Emmett scoffed, turning away from him as the elevator doors finally opened. "If you failed to notice, I'm in the middle of something. Speak with the books-keeper."
The man quickly bowed his head. "Yes master," Quickly he walked away from us as we entered the elevator.
As soon as the doors closed, I turned to him with a glare. "Well, that was rude. That poor guy was asking for help."
"I warned all my subordinates to leave me alone for today. I only wanted to be bothered if there was an emergency." He replied, his voice still cold.
"It probably was something you could have done for him, it wouldn't have taken that long, it's not like we are on a schedule here."
"Doesn't matter," He glared down at me now. "He disobeyed my direct order. I should have terminated him."
I glared back at him, not affected by his growing anger. "If you treat all your workers like that… well no wonder they don't listen to you."
Emmett turned away from me, exhaling noisily as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "They have to fear me. I am the boss, the best way to keep control over others is fear. This is something you wouldn't understand."
"But that's not who you are. You are kind and gentle, maybe if you showed just an ounce of that compassion, your men would be more willing to follow your orders."
My thoughts returned to our intimate night together. Emmett's touches were so light and sweet. I've never had sex with such a gentle man. This whole tough guy act wasn't fooling me. He didn't have the heart to be a cold-hearted jerk. However, I didn't know him, not really. Maybe this was his true nature. That was a painful possibility.
I sighed, letting my shoulders slump.
He noticed and visibly appeared to relax. His hand lightly touched my shoulder. I reluctantly met his gaze. His eyes had softened even further.
"Look, I'm sorry I was so rough with you."
I kept my expression hard. "You should be saying that to Alec. He was just trying to do this job."
Emmett shook his head slowly. "You are something else." He turned his attention back to the elevator doors now as they glided smoothly open. We were on the top floor, which apparently was just one huge room, divided in half. The door on the right had a single cursive E written.
He turned to me, pausing as we reached the outside of the other door. "If you think my temper is bad, my brother is on another level. So please, just allow me to do the talking please." There was a nervousness coming to his eyes.
I nodded, chewing at my bottom lip. If his brother really put him on edge, he must be some kind of monster. Was he going to scream at me? Would we be in serious trouble?
I didn't have a chance to compose myself, Emmett opened the door, pulling a confident look to his face as he escorted me into the room.
This office was gigantic and decorated as if I was stepping foot inside a celebrity's home. Beautiful artwork hung on the walls, animal fur rugs, a grand fireplace illuminating blue flames and right in the center of it all was a sleek black desk. A man was standing behind it with his back to us. It looked like he was watching out the window as he spoke on his cell phone. By the sounds of it, he was in the process of firing someone.
"Enough, I don't want to see you step foot in this building again." His tone was so harsh, I flinched in response. But his voice sounded so familiar.
I took a cautious step forward, but Emmett took my arm, holding me back from getting any closer. Instead he simply cleared his throat.
The man exhaled loudly before hanging up his phone and shoving it in his pocket. "What the hell do you want? I thought I told you not to disturb me today, Emmett."
Well they were definitely brothers. They acted the same.
"I wouldn't be here, if it wasn't important." Emmett remained calm, but I could see him silently grinding his teeth together.
Finally the man turned to face us, his eyes a piercing emerald. I felt my entire body freeze at the sight of him. I couldn't believe it. My heart was racing in my chest, butterflies smashing against the walls of my stomach. I took another step closer. Again, Emmett stopped me.
"Edward?" I asked with a pinch of doubt.
What do you guys think so far? Reviews would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all for reading!