"In almost every way, Mr. Cullen."

Her words gave me whiplash. In almost every way? Was this her first night? Was I her first customer, or her first to-be lover? Both? I couldn't choose a question to ask. She didn't give me the chance.

She lifted herself from me and returned to her vanity once again. Her safe place, I assumed.

"I think I understand now, Green Eyes. You may see yourself out. I will not be your feature in the morning's print." Her hands were shaking, her lips taught.

I did not move.

"Pardon me if I seem to overstep here, Isabella, but I'm tiring of this game we're playing. I am no feature writer and I have no interest in sharing you with anyone, let alone any soul who picks up a paper." I stood and walked the perimeter of the room, letting my fingers slide along the crown molding centered on the wall. "I don't know why I am so drawn to you. I intend to find out by the end of this night."

I took a moment to glance down at my pocket watch.

"And it looks to me that we still have six hours at least 'til sunrise."

I stopped my pace next to her vanity and laid out every last penny I had on me, which just so happened to be my entire cashed paycheck I'd received only that day.

She stood, turned, and placed her hand squarely in my chest.

"Mr. Cullen, if you think for one moment it is you who has chosen me, then you are gravely mistaken. I chose you. I've seen you, for months. You come in here and you order champagne. Four glasses, five on payday. You watch your mates choose a courtesan and you wait until the last one leaves the table. You tip Ada, you kiss Minna on the cheek, and you go."

She cried then. I watched, mesmerized, at the tears dropping from her jawline.

"You look at every woman here as a woman. Not as a purchase. You've never set foot on that damn stairwell until tonight. You've never stared longingly as if you couldn't afford. You only observe. I haven't the slightest idea as to what your intentions are, but I know that I see kindness in your eyes."

She reached up, ghosting her fingertips over my eyes, causing me to close them. Then, she placed both palms against my cheeks and tilted my head down. I opened my gaze again to her. I could swear at that moment I knew everything I needed to ever know about her just by the look in her eyes.

"I chose you. I need your help. But now I'm afraid. I'm afraid that I've watched you too long, planned so much and finally worked up the nerve to bring you to me, only to see that you are exactly as kind as I thought, and I've already gone and fallen in love with you."

I sucked in my breath and held it. Waited for the smile, the giggle, the punch line that told me this was all a part of her courtesan act. But it never came. I only saw the deepest sincerity I'd ever come across in my life.

"And yes, I know that is entirely preposterous and I'm a silly, silly girl. So tell me now if your intentions are anything but what you've said. Break my heart now before we go any further. After I tell you mine, it's not only my heart you would break, but my life as well."

I had no words. My body spoke for my faltering brain.

I took her in my arms and held on for my dear life. My world had changed in an instant and I wanted her. Isabella. Beauty.

I carried her to her bed and laid her down. Leaning down over her, I used my lips to clean the tears from her face. My caresses turned to kisses, soft and trailing down her face, across her jaw, along her neck.

My hands encircled her, pulling at the strings of the corset containing her. When she was finally free from it, my mouth sucked her nipple in swiftly, causing her back to arch and a soft moan to escape.

Her tiny hands planted in my hair, pulling and pushing, guiding me.

My mind began to catch up; I needed to speak to her.

I moved back up, placing my mouth against her ear.

"Everything inside me loves everything about you, Isabella. I want you, now…tomorrow, forever. Whatever it takes, I want to be yours, and I want you to be mine."

She tipped my face up to look at me. I did everything in my power to show her my sincerity. I had to believe she saw it, because she brought my face down and crashed my lips to hers. Something she seemed to avoid earlier.

I returned the fevered kiss, sweeping my tongue across her lips. She sucked it into her mouth instantly. Our tongues danced with each other, never pushing to dominate the other. Instead, they caressed each other.

Isabella's hands made quick work of my vest, opening each button one by one then doing the same on my shirt. When she finished, she pushed at my shoulders, bringing the fabric down onto my arms. Propping myself up one arm at a time, I removed the clothing while she did the same with my pants.

I couldn't find the power to take my lips from her; I was quickly becoming addicted to the sweet and spiced taste of her skin. If I was addicted, then I would consider Isabella my drug of choice for the rest of my life.

I threw myself into her, plunging deep. I stilled, realizing instantly that she was tighter than any woman I'd ever bedded. An odd thing, considering I was in a whore house. But no, not my Isabella. I think I'd always known she wasn't one of them.

I moved slowly, in and out. Feather-light breaths fell from her lips, a soft moan with every other one.

Kissing her eyelids once they fluttered closed, I switched between the two. I opened my mouth and moved down, kissing her cheek while moving south, letting my lip catch on her skin. I stopped at her jaw and bit down only slightly.

She threw her legs around my waist and tightened, holding me still, deep inside. She came on me, clenching tight, pulling me in deeper.

The sensation was overwhelming; almost enough to bring me to my own climax.

When her body relaxed, she pushed on my chest, forcing me to pull out of her. She sat up and whispered in my ear to lie down.

She straddled my waist and grabbed a hold my cock, lining me up, and then sinking down swiftly. I sucked in a breath of air, and pushed my hips up, lifting her from the bed, making her weight shift solely on me. I was as deep as I could possibly get at this angle.

I ran my hands up her thighs, her waist, finding prize on her perfect, taught breasts. I cupped them, and ran my thumb over her nipples.

When I sank back down onto the bed, Isabella rode me hard. Her breasts rocked in my hands, so I tightened my grip. Her silhouette above me was intensely beautiful. The soft light in the room accented her only slightly to me, but I could still see her soft facial features.

Eyes closed, mouth agape, all but the small piece of her lip being held by her teeth.

She was going to come again.

She screamed out, inhaling deep and stilling on top of me. This time, there was no holding back on my part. When I felt her close on me, I tensed and moved one hand to grab a hold of her hip, and emptied into her.

She leaned forward, resting her forehead against mine. Still inside of her as we came down from our climaxes.

"I need you," she whispered.

"You have me," I replied simply.

"No, Edward, I need your help. We have to leave."

"Pack," I said pointedly, relieved that she was already thinking the same thing I was.

"It's not that easy," she said, rolling off me, "Edward, there's another thing you should know about me."

I waved my hand for her to continue.

"My name is Isabella Everleigh."


A/N: Sorry about the impromptu hiatus :( It came out of nowhere but I'm back! I plan on writing the rest of this quickly, as it's only going to be about 10 chapters. Remember, this is rooted from a true story! If anything sounds familiar, it belongs to it's respected owner.

A million thank yous to my beta AcrossTheSkyInStars. She's my partner in crime for the story Stranger in the Elevator and all around an awesome friend.