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Chapter 3

I looked at my phone that was ringing incisively. Rosalie had called me five times now, but I wasn't going to answer. She knew I was ignoring her calls and I knew what she was going to tell me.

I switched of my phone and put it in my bag.

I slipped on my white wedges and headed for the door. When I got to the entrance of the hotel my driver was standing next to the Limo.

"Good morning miss Swan" he greeted me while opening the backseat door.

"Buenas dias Hendrick" I got in and told him I was going to LauraLee boutique which was at least three miles from the hotel. There was a mall that was nearer to the hotel, but I hated shopping in malls; it's too crowded and the people always bumped into me.

My mother had text me earlier telling me that she forgot to tell me that the dress code for tonight was all black. I had a couple of black dresses in the closet, but I wanted to wear something new.

LauraLee was one of the most expensive boutiques in the city and it catered for my type of style.

Hendrick opened the door for me when we arrived at the boutique. "Be here in one hour. Stay nearby I'll call you if you need to be here earlier" I told him and walked in the store. The boutique was quite small and really personal and gave of a warm and cozy feeling. Except for me there was only one other customer who was an old lady.

A woman well in her thirties appeared in front of me she smiled at me and I wasn't sure why, but I could tell it wasn't fake or mechanic.

"Good day my name is Lenore Stevens " she greeted with her thick London accent. She asked me if there was anything specific I had in mind.

"I'm looking for something black and sophisticated" I answered as I scanned and walked around the store.

"Is there someone you try to incorporate in your style"

I answered without even thinking about it "Audrey Hepburn" she was my fashion style icon and since I can remember I was obsessed with her.

"Good choice. What else can you tell me? What should the length of the dress be? ".

"It should end above my knees it's for an art gala I'm attending tonight" hopefully that should give her a better idea of what I was looking for. There was no way I was going in a long dress, that would be a disaster if I had to use my guns. I always had them strapped against my thighs.

Since the boutique was one of the most expensive boutiques in London she offered me a seat on a white leather couch and offered me a glass of champagne.

She appeared a short few minutes later with a couple of items in her hands. "This is the best items we currently have, but I'm going to suggest you take a look at the prices first" I almost laughed at her, but I was insulted that she couldn't see I'm worth millions "trust me money is not a problem."

"Well than this is my favorite one so far" she handed me a plain black tight strapless dress it would cover my whole chest, but would leave my legs open. I had no idea why that was her favorite it looked revolting and I would never wear it.

"No that thing is ugly" I told her.

Before she could hand me another item I walked to where she was earlier and found the most perfect dress. It was a simple black Lindy Bop midnight lace dress that screamed Isabella Swan in every way. I took it without a second thought. I spent a few more minutes looking for heels and accessories. When I was done I had bought a pair of white strap on stilettos with the dress and pearls that probably cost a good fortune.

Hendrick was waiting for me in front of the store, he held the door open for me as I climbed in. He was well aware that I never made idle chit chat and never spoke to me unless he had something he actually needed to say.

He dropped me off at the diner that I was at yesterday with Renee. I was meeting someone named Xavier. At first when he called me I had refused to meet with him telling him that I was done with the family business. He persuaded me by telling me that it would be in my best interest to meet with him.

I got out of the Limo and went to take an empty seat at the back of the diner. The waiter came up to me, but I didn't order anything, I was going to keep this meeting short and to the point. As soon as the waiter disappeared a tall guy took the seat in front of me. He wore an oversized hoodie and glasses that hid his face perfectly. He took off his glasses and looked amused as he eyed me.

"Isabella Swan" he said my name slowly I don't know if it was supposed to sound threatening, but he looked like a pansy so it wasn't intimidating at all. "You can't be serious" he said to himself laughing.

"What?" I asked.

He held up his hands as a sign of peace and stopped laughing "I'm sorry I just never imagined the famous Isabella Swan to be like this" he pointed towards me.

"And what might that be?" I inquired.

He leaned towards me and spoke softly "I've heard a lot of scary shit about you and I'm afraid to say this, but I almost didn't come here today. You're famous for having a raging temper I didn't want to risk anything by upsetting you" he stopped talking and smiled "I was expecting a tomboy. Now I'm not sure you're capable of hurting a fly."

I smirked at him his accent was disgusting and make my stomach turn he sounded like an actor in one of those low budget British movies. "It would be in your best interest to not underestimate me. Whatever you heard about me is true. If you say something like that again you won't live to see the dawn of a new day."

He cleared his throat and I could see the wheels in his head turning. If he had heard about me he should know I never made empty threats.

"What did you have to tell me?"

He looked around before he turned to me "I shouldn't be telling you this, I the people I'm working with new about this meeting they'll kill me" I didn't care it's not like I asked him to meet with me he was the one who contacted me.

"I used to move drugs for your father a few years back here in London" he looked embarrassed as he continued "he fired me when I messed up a shipment that came from Brazil. Yesterday I heard one of the guys I'm working with telling someone how they were planning to take a hit on you tomorrow night. They're under the impression you're alone and vulnerable. They wouldn't tell me the details, but I know they want you dead as soon as possible."

I had no doubt that people would never stop hunting me just because I didn't work with my family anymore "You expect me to fucking fall for that? My father fired you, there's a 99% chance that when I walk out of this diner you'll point a gun against my head trying to kill me. You won't succeed, but you'll try."

"I'm going to be honest at first I wouldn't have given a fuck, but I want my job back with your family. I get paid peanuts compared to what I used to earn. I was hoping if I told you this you could hook me up" his argument seemed reasonable, but I sure as fuck wasn't chancing anything.

"Who do you work for?"

"The Denalies" he answered. I should've known it would be them, but then again I had a fuck ton of enemies, it's not exactly easy pinpointing who wants you dead.

The Denalies is an English mob family; ever since the early nineteen hundreds our families have hated each other. James Denali was the head of the family, he had two daughters and two sons; Lauren, Tanya, Gareth and James Junior Denali. James had killed Charlie's father eighteen years ago at the mansion, in his office. Charlie told me it was a sick and twisted murder. I was there that day I just couldn't remember much. The only things I could remember were a horrible song that played in the background and the blood that had covered the entire room. When I was twelve years old Charlie told me that they were reason why I suffered from anxiety. My shrink had said the same thing she also added that since that day my mind was forever changed. I couldn't agree with her more.

I looked at Xavier he was waiting for me to say something back "I don't work for my father anymore. If you want your job back talk to Charles yourself, but I doubt he'll give it back. We Swan's don't accept failure."

I grabbed my bag and stood up "thanks for the information." I left him sitting there confused and probably mad at himself for snitching to me.

Despite my mother's obliviousness to almost everything I had to admit she really was talented. The people that came to the gala were mostly high profile businessmen and their wives.

Renee had gushed when she saw me and she even complimented my dress. Most of the men stared at me with hungry eyes despite having their wives on their arms. I didn't blame them though I was practically the youngest at the gala and I doubt they wanted to stare at their middle age wives the whole night.

After Renee had introduced me to almost everyone I walked around the room and took my time looking at the paintings. I came to a stop in front of one that I couldn't quite figure out, not that I could figure out what the others were about, but this particular one had my mind racing. In the painting was a little girl, but she was displayed as dark. That's the only thing I could come up with because she was painted with dark, somber colors. Looking at the painting made me feel depressed so I walked to something different.

I felt someone coming towards me before I saw him. Edward Cullen was walking towards me with two glasses of champagne, he look absolutely sexy with a grey suit. His hair was all over the place and as he came nearer I could see he hasn't shaved in days.

"If I didn't know any better I would have thought you're stalking me Mr. Cullen" he smirked and handed me one glass.

"Trust me love that's not the case" he came to stand next to me and I was slightly nervous that he'll hear how my breath hitched when he said 'love'.

"Are you going to buy any paintings?" he asked with his oh so perfect accent.

I snorted despite myself "No I don't like this type of art" sure my mother was talented, but her stuff was just too happy for me. If I would buy a painting it would be the one of the little girl, I'm sure Renee never painted such dark stuff, but there was just something familiar and unique about it. I glanced over where the painting was hanging and saw almost twenty people looking at it with wonder.

"Than what brought you here tonight?" he asked looking intrigued as if I was about so spill some dark secret.

"The artist she's my mother. She guilt-tripped me into coming" I answered.

"Your mother is really talented" he said. I wasn't sure what to say to that because he was complimenting her not me, so I just kept quiet.

"Would you mind taking a walk with me outside?" he asked hopeful.

Before I could answer I heard the most annoying voice ever "Edward there you are I was looking for you all over". Dressed like the hooker, that only I knew she was, Tanya Denali walked over to us and wrapped Edward in a tight embrace. Her dress was just barely covering her ass and he fake enormous boobs were displayed for the whole fucking world to see. I looked at Mr. Cullen who clearly looked uncomfortable; he didn't even wrap his arms around her. I'm sure my face looked gruesome to anyone who looked at me, but fuck I actually thought Edward Cullen was a good guy. If he was hanging out with the Denalies than he sure as hell was a part of my enemy list. I guess that explains the reason why he was so interested in me, not that that's the only reason he would be interested in me, I mean I was out of his league, but why would he flirt with me he should've know somehow I'd find out that he was part of their clan.

I knew I should have walked away, but that would be an idiot move, Tanya bumping into me was no coincidence. That Xavier guy wasn't taking me for a pussy after all.

Tanya unwrapped her hooker arms of off Mr. Cullen and only then turned to acknowledge me "Oh my word" she feigned surprise "Bella, what a coincidence" she put her hands on her enormous jugs that wanted to pop out of her dress. Fuck I wouldn't have thought Edward was into hookers.

"What the fuck ever we both know this isn't a coincidence" I snapped at her. She had nothing on me she would only talk back to me if there were others around and she knew I wouldn't try anything.

"How the hell do you know each other?" I vaguely registered Edward asking I was too focused on glaring the hell out of Tanya.

"We go way back" she answered glaring back at me.

Fuck this bitch "No we don't our family does. I don't associate myself with hookstars."

"What's a hookstar?" he asked.

"It stands for hooker slash porn star. I'm guessing that's how you met."

"Fuck you miss prim and proper" she turned to Edward and gave him a kiss on the cheek "she's lying baby she's always been a little bit jealous of me."

She knew that wasn't true "This is my mother's event and I wouldn't want to be the cause of a fight breaking out. I know your brothers or some of their lackeys are somewhere around, now you be a good sport and tell them I'm waiting for them. If they want to pick a fight with me I'm more than willing to play Russian roulette the entire fucking night."

"What the bloody hell is going on here, why would you want to shoot anyone and why would her brothers want to hurt you?" he sounded sincere as he spoke to me.

"Baby she's insane" Tanya said looking at me "she suffers from anxiety and what's that other thing called again uhm OCD something. She's been a mental nutcase since she was six. Am I right Bella?"

She was right and it only pissed me off more "I will fuck you up so bad your own 'daddy' won't be able to recognize you" she cringed as I got in her face.

"Would you really do that Bella?" she asked low so that only I could hear "Are you sure you want all of that blood to stain your hands and dress not to mention that beautiful pearls" she actually had the guts to put her hooker hands on my pearls. Without much thought I grabbed at her throat making her choke "That's never been a problem for me" I felt Edward tugging on me trying to make me stop, but I didn't want to, I wanted to choke the life out of her. I saw some of the guests looking at us and I immediately released her.

I looked at Mr. Cullen and he was absolutely stunned, his mouth formed a perfect 00.

I walked away without looking at them again. I called my driver who was always nearby and he was at the outside the gala in less than ten minutes.

I told him to drop me off at the hotel, but that he should wait for me outside. I wasn't going to be spending another night there.

When I got near the elevator I heard someone running towards me I turned around and saw that it was Mr. Cullen. I swear he was getting on my last nerve; I was battling with killing him or just leaving him.

"What do you want?" I asked when he was in front of me. I'm sure my face made it perfectly clear that I didn't want to talk to him.

"This is my hotel" he answered.

"What the fuck do you want?" I asked more menacingly. He flinched at my words.

"What the bloody hell happened back there?"

"Ask your hookstar of a girlfriend?" I don't know why that made me angry.

He looked agitated as he rubbed his stubble "Listen, she sure as hell is not my girlfriend. I don't even know her. I met her yesterday and she asked me to come to the gala tonight. I have no idea why she acted with me the way she did earlier."

Before I could stop myself I asked "did you have sex with her?" Fuck this bitch I didn't want to know that "don't answer that that's none of my business."

I turned away from him to leave, but he grabbed my arm "I didn't have sex with her, but she did uuuhhhh…"

"Don't finish that sentence" I did not want to hear about hookstars oral skills, thank you very much.

"I can see you're upset" he said softly.

"No I'm not. I hardly know you" I said quickly, yeah I was kinda, but he didn't need to know that.

"Why would her brother's want to hurt you?"

"They can't hurt me. They're almost dumber than my two idiot brothers" just thinking about Emmett and Jasper made my cringe. Fuck they were dumb, but I missed them. It's been an entire week without hearing their stupid ramblings.

"I know we don't know each other but…"

Before he could say anything else I cut him off "I'm not a good person Mr. Cullen its better if you stay clear of me."

"I don't believe that"

"Didn't you see what I did at the gala? I've don't a lot of bad things, stuff of which I'm proud of" I hoped that he understood what I was trying to say.

"Everyone does bad stuff" he looked to the floor before continuing "Ten years back I served the military, needless to say I did plenty of horrible stuff."

"Good bye Mr. Cullen" for some reason I couldn't look at him "I'm going back to the states tomorrow."

"Can't you stay a bit longer I was hoping that I can get to know you"

Without wanting to I smiled at him "I can't put my life on hold a second longer. I neglected all of by businesses and I need to make things right before I end up bankrupt."

"Well then I guess this is it" I didn't want to go, but knew it would only end badly if I stayed. Despite what he said, Mr. Cullen was a good guy, any sane person could see that, I wouldn't want anything to happen to him because of me.

Maybe if things were a bit different I would have given him a chance. I'm sure I was going to remember him for a while and fuck me if I wasn't going to give him something to remember me by.

I stepped closer to him and planted my lips softly against his. It took a few moments for him to respond, it was as if he went into shock or something. But when he did his lips moved in perfect synch with mine. He pulled me closer without breaking the intensity of the kiss and literally kissed me breathless. I pulled away before things could get more intense. There was no way I was going to break my five year celibate streak with a guy I don't know. I took too much pride in that little fact, which is why it made me so angry when my father had asked that horrible thing from me.

"May God bless and protect you always Mr. Cullen" I may be a horrible person, but I was a religious one.

He opened his mouth to say something else, but I silenced him by putting my finger to his lips.

Fuck he really was beautiful I just wish I could always remember him like this.

A/U So Bella is really leaving and going back to the states to get back to reality. Are you excited to meet Emmett and Jasper coz I am excited to be writing about them. Thoughts please. I apologise for any mistakes in grammer etc. Im writing this without a beta.

Don't be shy to drop a little review.

Stay safe mwaahh.