Okay, so we're going to embark on a journey. A darker journey, one that will be around a different kind of Edward, a snarky, bossy Bella and a new Esme. It will be a drabble-ish type fic. The chapters will be between 1000 to 2000 words. Updates will come on Mondays and Fridays with teasers on Tuesdays and Saturdays on my blog. The link for the blog will be on my profile. The story is planned, but not pre-written.
Chapter Five
BPOV
"Bella?" came the distant voice of my best friend and assistant. I groaned, burrowing deeper into my bed. After I got off the phone with Edward, I opened up a bottle of wine.
Or four.
Four bottles of wine, at the time, seemed like a good idea.
Now?
Not so much.
"Isabella Marie Swan-Biers!" barked Rose, ripping the covers from my body. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"Leave me alone," I slurred, glaring at her. "And I'm not Biers anymore, bitch."
"Unfortunately, your ex-douchebag has yet to sign those divorce papers, so legally, you still are Isabella Biers," Rose snorted. "Why do you smell like a winery?" She sat down next to me and it made the bed move, which made my stomach lurch. I whimpered, falling out of the bed and crawling to my bathroom to worship the porcelain god. Rose followed me, turning on the shower. "Bells, you've got to leave in a half hour. Why are you still drunk? When did you start drinking?"
"Ugh, last night after I got off the phone with Edward," I said, clinging to my toilet like it was my life raft. "I kind of insulted his vocation and made him feel like a cheap whore. Oh, wait, that's because he is."
"Not so cheap, Bells. This guy is costing you more than I paid for my first car and that's with the blow job I gave the sales guy," Rose snorted.
"You are such a slut," I deadpanned, flushing the toilet and heaving my body up.
"I know and I don't dispute it," she smirked. "Regardless, are you second guessing your decision to use Buying Love?"
"No. We spoke for a little bit and he seems nice, but I'm struggling with the whole I'm-buying-my-date thing. I apologized to Edward for giving him grief, but then I felt like a huge asshole. So, I drowned my sorrows in merlot, followed by chardonnay and ending the evening with two bottles of ice wine," I said, clutching my stomach. "It tastes so much better going down than it does coming up."
"Yeah, gross, Bells. Look, take a shower and I'll make you some breakfast," Rose nodded.
"You can't cook, Rose. You'll burn down my penthouse," I grumbled.
"Okay, let me rephrase. I'll order you some breakfast and have it delivered," Rose chuckled. "The wonders of room service and living in a luxury hotel! And this shit will be greasy, Isabella Marie. Shower and get ready for your day of beauty. Your makeup artists will have their work cut out for them. You look like Frankenstein's bride on crack."
"Why am I friends with you?" I snapped, pushing her out of the bathroom.
"Because I don't put up with your shit and you love me," she guffawed, batting her eyelashes. I flipped her off, slamming the bathroom door in her face. She let out another guffaw, stomping out of my bedroom. I just shook my head, removing my rumpled sleep clothes and stepping into the very hot shower. It did help, but I was still pretty nauseous. I dressed in a pair of loose fitting yoga pants and a zipped hoodie, padding out into the kitchen. Rose glowered at me and my choice of attire. I stuck out my tongue, sitting down at the breakfast bar, helping myself to some eggs benedict and some fresh fruit. Rose handed me a huge mug of coffee. I sipped it, humming as the caffeine coursed through my system. She didn't say anything else as I forced my breakfast past my gullet. I probably should have had just toast since my stomach was making some odd noises and my meal threatened to make a reappearance.
Thankfully, it didn't. I was an unhealthy shade of green when we arrived at the spa, but my food stayed in my belly. At the spa, I asked for some ginger tea before we went back for our massages. That settled my stomach further and I felt somewhat human by the time we were settled onto the massage tables. "Are you going to tell me what you and lover boy talked about?" Rose asked.
"Other than me knocking his job?" I snorted derisively. "We just did the whole 'getting-to-know-you' thing. We're supposed to be this established couple tonight and we went over our cover stories and yeah."
"Bella, if you don't want to go through with having Edward as your date … Chuck is just being unreasonable. The entire world knows you're going through a divorce from the biggest asshat in the world," Rose said, taking my hand.
"I think this is how my dad needs to tell me to get my ass back out into the dating world," I frowned. "But, how can I? I don't trust men! Riley, over the course of our relationship, has fucked almost every single pretty woman and attractive man that has worked for me, for my family or is capable of breathing! I had to go through a battery of tests because of his skanky ass and this jerk has the balls to ask me for more money in our divorce settlement because of extreme emotional distress? Are you fucking kidding me? What about me? My distress? My medical bills for the litany of tests I had done because Riley couldn't keep it in his pants? He should be paying me!"
"Didn't you put an infidelity clause in his prenuptial agreement?" Rose asked.
"I did, but he's still contesting it. Jenks is earning his paycheck because of my ex-husband, but I just want it over," I pouted. "Unfortunately, my faith in men has been rocked to the core and I do not think I'll ever be able to open myself up to trust another man again. I think that's why I gave Edward grief about his job. I push him away and I won't have to deal with any sort of emotional distress. I'm over emotional distress. I want to be fucking numb."
"And so, killing your liver is the next logical choice?" Rose growled. "You were too good for Riley. I hated him from the moment I met him at that business seminar you took that last semester in your MBA. He had this smarmy way about him. I tried to tell you that he wasn't worth your time, but you were so over-the-moon with him."
"He can be very charming," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "I fell for his charms and I ended up getting burned in the end."
"You just need to find the right judge who will not listen to Riley's sob story. He's the man-whore and you are the woman who lost everything," Rose shrugged. "Now, let's stop obsessing over that asshole. Let's enjoy our spa day before we turn it on for the opening tonight."
I smiled and removed my robe, covering my lower half with a blanket and waited for my masseuse. Heidi came in and worked my muscles until they were the consistency of Jello. After the massage, we got waxed and then hung out in the sauna before showering. We went our separate ways after that so I could get my manicure and pedicure. Rose had had one earlier in the week when she got her hair colored. Rose found me after she got her hair straightened and makeup applied. She told me that she was going to check on the decorations and plans for the opening tonight, but would be back to pick me up in a couple of hours.
My hair was colored and straightened, pulled into a tight, sleek ponytail. My makeup was applied and it was simple with dark, smoky eyes. As I was changing back in the locker room, Rose arrived and we drove back to Swan Towers. She told me that the grand opening was ready to go, the decorations were completed and all we needed was the guests of honor. We ate an early dinner since we probably wouldn't be eating at the opening with all of the interviews and commiserating we'd have to do. Rose helped me into my dress before she darted to her smaller apartment on the floor below me to meet up with Jacob, my father's assistant. I was doing some last minute changes to the schedule when my private line in the penthouse rang. I picked it up. "Isabella Swan," I said, my tone business-like.
"Ms. Swan, you have a guest down in the basement with a limo. Edward Masen?" came the gruff voice of a security guard, Peter. "He says he's your date for the evening."
"Yes, Peter," I said, trying to take a deep breath. "Send him up, okay?"
"Of course, Ms. Swan," Peter replied, hanging up the phone.
I paced nervously as I waited for Edward to arrive. I didn't have to wait long. A quiet knock broke my anxious pacing. Stumbling to the doorway, I smoothed my dress and adjusted my breasts since I felt squished in my dress. With a deep breath, I opened the door and looked up at the tall man waiting for me, holding a single red rose. He was dressed impeccably, wearing a black Dior suit with a charcoal gray shirt and a black skinny tie. "Edward?" I asked, blinking up at me.
He looked at me with deep, verdant eyes and a crooked grin. "Bella?" he replied, his voice deeper and more resonant than on the phone. He reached for my hand, raising it to his lips and brushing them along my knuckles. His eyelashes were long and his face was absolutely perfect. When he looked up at me, his jade-colored eyes were twinkling. "You are far more gorgeous than your pictures, beautiful. You are truly an elegant, exquisite swan. I'm so looking forward to our evening together. A rose for my gorgeous girl, though your beauty is pales in comparison to this." He leaned forward, handing me my rose and caressing my lips with his. I felt something shoot through me and I wanted to be closer to him. When he pulled away, I whimpered. "Don't worry, beautiful, I promise you more kisses."
I blushed, holding the rose and giggling like an anxious school girl. "Thank you for the flower," I whispered. "It's lovely."
"You're lovelier," he replied, his finger tracing down my cheek. "And no, I'm not saying that because you're paying me to."
"I'm not going to live that down, am I?" I grumped, gesturing for him to come in. "I am sorry for my callous comments last night."
"Bella, you have every right to be wary of men. I've read the stories online about what your ex-husband did to you. I can promise you that my eyes will only be on you," Edward murmured, his fingers threading with mine. "All. Night. Long."
"Oh, boy," I choked out. "All night?"
"All night," he smiled, his perfect white teeth gleaming against his slightly tanned skin. "Now, shall we go to this opening? I want to show off my girlfriend."
"Girlfriend," I nodded. "Yes, let's go. I want to show the world that Riley didn't break me." I smiled up at Edward and he responded with another soft kiss to my mouth. I clutched his arm, moving closer to his muscular body. He chuckled as he pulled away. I pouted.
"Don't worry, beautiful. There's plenty more where that came from. Let's have some fun tonight and make your ex-husband eat crow," Edward replied, his brows waggling.
A/N: So, there we have it. They've met and Edward has already kissed her. Up next, we're going to switch over to Edward's POV to get into his mind. He may be all playful with her, but his head is in a dark place. Pictures of Bella and Edward are on my Buying Love blog. Link for that is on my profile. Leave me some lovin!