"God damn it James, get the dogs fucking started already! Hale's already been in here annoying me about it."

I pinched the bridge of my nose between his thumb and forefinger. My new assistant was slow and nervous. Not what I needed at all.

"R-right, sir. I'll go and inform them r-right away," the fool stuttered.

I nodded curtly as he scurried away, then as soon as he was out of earshot, screamed, "Who fucking screened that fool! I need people who are efficient, not stuttering and stammering! Jesus Christ!"

"Maybe if you didn't frighten them into submission, they would be more capable."

My half sister, Alice Brandon, smirked up at me from the corner. She was as blessed with the family genes as I was; striking blue eyes, high cheekbones, long lustrous ebony hair.

I smirked right back at her; another genetic trait we inherited was the typical arrogance of our mother; proud and haughty, no one had been surprised when both Alice and I possessed the same trait.

"If I can frighten them into submission, they clearly aren't very good in the first place," I shot back, eager to have a verbal wit match with my sister. She just rolled her eyes and got up, dusting imaginary lint off her skirt with her manicured nails.

"I'm going to find some unsuspecting punter to buy me a drink. Make sure my dog wins this round. As usual." My sibling glanced at me with questioning eyes and I nodded, to show her that I understood. She strode out of the room.

I was well aware my sister did not go downstairs just to see the drunk punters, but also to hit on Mr Jasper Hale. He was married, I was aware, to a striking young lady already - I knew her father, he was a good bettor - but that meager fact certainly didn't stop my sister and Jasper fucking like rabbits every time they saw each other.

Which was often, thanks to the club that Alice and I ran together, of which Mr Hale was a very good, loyal customer. Much to my chagrin.

"Sir?"

I turned to see that my measly assistant had come back in. I sighed. "Yes James?"

"The first round has begun...Dodger is winning, and Mr Hale says thank you for the dog..." he trailed off, hesitating and cringing, and I knew there was something else he was leaving out, something else he wasn't saying.

"What is it?"

James fidgeted. "Well...it's very rude, I'm sorry, sir...he also said to thank you for giving him the opportunity of fucking your sister."

I clenched my fists; Hale was really pushing his luck. I cared about my sister deeply - she was the only woman I did care for - and Jasper was dangerously close to getting a beating from me, for using such foul language straight to my face, and goading me deliberately.

"Was that all?" I would keep my temper under control...this time.

"Your sister...she laughed, at that comment, and whispered something to Mr Hale in French. It all seemed very...risque. I couldn't understand the French, of course, I don't have that gift. But your sister..." he trailed off, and I could once again tell the fool had slipped up, because he bit his lip hurriedly, falling silent as though the idiot had been struck down by God himself.

"My sister...what?" I repeated slowly, falsely calm. I was the shark leading in the baby seal.

James smiled uncertainly, deceptively thinking that he wasn't skating on very thin ice. Besides me, Emmett twitched with well-concealed laughter.

Little did the fool know.

"Your sister, she is very risque, very...promiscuous."

My right hand fisted, swung out, and connected with James' jaw. James let out a cry of pain and fell to the floor, clutching his mouth with both hands.

I loomed over him, lethal. James stared up at me with wide eyes. "Don't ever use the words promiscuous in the same sentence with my sister again, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

My voice had risen until I was screaming and James nodded, wincing painfully.

"Good." I kicked him lightly. "Now get the fuck out of my establishment. You're fired. Oh, and if you go to the police, Emmett will be visiting you." I gestured to the burly, heavily muscled man who was sitting in a chair in the corner, arms crossed, silent up until now. Emmett flexed his arms threateningly, and stared down at James. "Comprehend?"

James nodded once again and scrambled up, running for the door.

I collapsed back into my chair and flipped the television on, turning to the matches that were playing out right now, agitated. Fuck.

Emmett coughed pointedly. I frowned and turned to him. "You think I was too harsh?"

Emmett thought for a minute. "No, I just think you shouldn't have fired him. People like that...well they squeal, and that guy was smart enough - is smart enough - to consider police protection. You have to be cautious."

I considered Emmett's words. He had a point: James could run to the police. But then I decided it didn't matter; I owned the Head of Department down there. Nothing would come of it.

"Eh, fuck it. He's a slimy piece of shit. He deserved to get fired."

"But for that?" Emmett raised an eyebrow at me.

"You think I overreacted? That is my sister."

"Yes, but admit it, she can be a little...wild. Don't get angry at me, you know it's the truth."

"I wasn't going to get angry."

I truly wasn't. Emmett was loyal and had worked with me for many years. I wasn't that stupid as to throw him out just because he had said my sister was wild.

It was true, anyway. I had caught my sister partying wildly on more than one occasion, and countless times I had been her rescuer from drunk, horny gropers trying to grab a feel. But she had changed since she was with Jasper Hale; I hated to admit it, but she had become easier to control.

"I'm heading out, Emmett." I needed to get away from this place, cool down a bit. "I'll be back around eleven, okay?" A quick glance at the clock told me it was only eight thirty.

Emmett nodded his assent. "Watch the place, okay? Don't let any undesirables in."

Emmett knew what undesirables were. Any cops that weren't bought, extremely drunk punters, men on drugs - I didn't tolerate that shit in his businesses.

I grabbed my jacket and left the building, quickly racing out of the underground parking lot in his Aston Martin. I had bought it a few years ago; it was prime condition; my baby. I loved that car.

I slowed down when I reached the streets, because I really wasn't looking to run anyone over. So I drove slow, looking out the window, taking in the bright lights and night life of New York City.

I passed a few bars, and briefly considered going in, but then I decided against it. There was alcohol sold at any of my places, after all. I didn't need to go somewhere else for it, and besides, I wasn't really interested in getting piss roaring drunk.

The flashing lights of a stripper joint, Moan, caught my attention, and I toyed with the idea of going in. But I wasn't really interested in seeing other men leering at the same girls I would be.

I would pick up a hooker from a corner, I decided. It would be my first time picking up someone, as I had never needed to pay for sex before. But I was sure it would be enjoyable. After all, these girls were paid and experienced.

I cruised into Harlem, already bored. I saw a few blondes preening near street signs, their bodies almost wrapped around the poles, but they were downright ugly. I at least wanted a semi good looking face to look at while I was fucking her.

That was when I saw her.

She was framed in a doorstep, a big fur coat - probably fake leopard - wrapped around her. She had her head up, though, and a small smile painted on her lips, as well as bright red lipstick, drawn in a perfect Cupid's bow. Her hair was coloured mahogany and she seemed to exude an unidentifiable aura, something that hung about her that promised fulfilment and positively oozed sex.

I slammed on the brake, effectively jerking the Aston Martin to a stop. I continued to stare at her, enthralled, and when she glanced my way, startled by the noise of my car, our eyes met and I smiled at her. She smiled back, which brought out a dimple in her cheek. And that was when I realized that this girl was way too young to be a hooker.

I undid my seat belt and jumped out of the car, heading across the street towards her. She stood up as I approached, and I could see her coat really was leopard fur; it looked real. She was wearing a red lingerie set underneath, from what I could see through the crack.

How the fuck did a young prostitute have enough money to buy a real fur coat?

Maybe she was good in bed...

My mind was awash in fantasies before I could displace them. Me with her, bent over my bed, her grabbing at the headboard with both hands while I pounded her from behind...taking her up against the shower wall, her legs wrapped around my waist...

I frantically shook my head, trying to will away the sexual images and boner at the same time.

"Hi, do you need some company?" Her voice was low and sultry.

"Yes I do, as a matter of fact. How old are you, sweetheart?"

She pressed herself against me, looking up with chocolate eyes that were sinfully delicious.

"Nineteen, sir."

"Why does a beautiful nineteen year old girl like you need to be a prostitute?"

Fuck. I was flirting with her, despite her age. I was only twenty-three, but still - this girl was basically a teenager.

"Just to make a living. It's not something I want to do." Her accent was clearly straight from Harlem. No exotic breeding for this girl.

"Would you mind continuing this business back at my place?"

We were both well aware it was just a formality. I didn't need to ask, and she didn't need to offer. It was just a business deal.

But this girl...I found that I actually wanted to know her as well. Pussy was pussy, and I was no stranger to it, but she was different.

I wanted to laugh at the irony of it. Girl was a hooker, and yet she wasn't just pussy to me. It was classic.

"Sure," she responded, keeping her voice low. "Lead the way."

"Wait," I ordered, holding up one of my hands.

"What's your name?"

She smiled sexily, showing a sliver of white even teeth. "Bella."

I extended my hand to her, and she took it, intertwining it with her own silky palm. I looked down at our joined hands, and an unexplainable thrill shot through me.

"Nice to meet you, Bella. I'm Edward."