Disclaimer: Nope. Still pretty sure I live in Nowhere, North Carolina, not Scottsdale, Arizona with a ton of money. So, no, I'm not Stephanie Meyer and I don't own Twilight. Nor do I own any of the songs or their lyrics. Just FYI…

AN:Okay, no excuses, no lies. Life. It gets in the way. Forgive me and my lovely beta, BLilTXGrl. Shit, guys! I'm so freakin' sorry! B had surgery, then school got out and I don't even have time to take a piss by myself, let alone proofread smuttasticness such as M T. Forgive me, okay? Now that she and I are a bit more eye-to-eye and school starts a week early here (Thank FUCK the US OPEN is coming near here next year!) we can both focus on M T. And for those of you reading Charlie's Choice...yeah, I'll get back to it too. I've got a sexy/evil one-shot I'm planning and I also have some other stories I want to proof and re-post. Any suggestions? Review and let me know! Thanks for your understanding!

Bella POV

I was nervous. No, scratch that. Nervous is when you are shy and have to get up and take off your clothes in front of a bunch of drunken men. I had been there, done that, wrote the book and bought the tee-shirt. No, I was far beyond that.

Edward was sitting behind the wheel with a white-knuckled grip staring straight ahead. He must have been psyching himself up for tonight. I know I was. Things would be…different from now on and we both knew it.

I bit my lower lip. "Edward?"

He turned from me, and I didn't like the dark color his eyes had turned. "Yes?" he asked, his voice somewhat strangled.

"Um, well, are you okay?"

He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose and blew out a breath. "No," he answered.

Well, at least he was honest.

I took a deep breath and with a short, "I love you," I stepped from his car and walked toward the door to face the music. It was "Wasted Wednesday" tonight and I knew the men would be sloppy drunk by the time the night was over. Lucky for me I was on early tonight and then I could go home with Edward.

Home…in the span of one night his place already felt like it was mine. Down girl, I chided myself. "Don't go putting the cart before the horse," as my dad would say.

I didn't look back as I walked in, stopping to speak to Emmett, who was already at the door. "Hey, Em," I said with a smile.

He winked at me. "Still reeling from the disappointment of not being able to see 'Little Emmett'?"

I giggled. "Yes, my heart is just broken. I don't know how I'll go on."

He chuckled. "You know, that's why I like you, Bella. You're a smart ass."

I gave him a smirk and winked. "You know it."

"So, why the long face a moment ago?"

I bit my lip. "I'm nervous."

"Why? It's the usual Wednesday night, you know that."

I shook my head. "That's not why I'm nervous. You know how these guys are and now that Edward and I are…"

"That reminds me," he stated. "Just what exactly are you and Edward?"

I bit my lip again. "Together."

He grinned. "Damned glad to hear it, Bells," he let out a little exclamation of excitement as he wrapped his big paws around me for a bone-crushing hug.

I smiled as I leaned into his hug. He was such a teddy bear. I hoped Rose realized how lucky she was to have him. I thought I might need to remind her of that on occasion. Rose was a great friend, my best friend next to Alice, but she was a bit of a bitch on occasion. Of course, the same could be said of me, if you got me mad enough.

I pulled away from Emmett and my face grew serious. "Watch him tonight, okay? I don't need anyone's broken bodies on my conscience."

He nodded. "Consider it done."

I took another deep breath. Now…on to talk to James, I thought with an inward grimace. "Wish me luck, Em."

He chuckled. "Good luck, Bella."

I rolled my eyes and smiled as I made my way to James' office. I knocked on the door and was surprised when Victoria walked out, wiping her mouth daintily. Ugh. Did she actually…?

I guess so, I thought as James stood to zip his pants before sitting back down behind his desk. Well, I guess I'll have to inform the girls he can, in fact, get it up. We had always wondered. Of course, I didn't know how much "male enhancement" drugs he had downed to deliver, either. I shivered and briefly felt like washing my brain with bleach to get the idea and its images from my mind.

"You need to see me, Bella?" James asked as he pretended to look over paperwork.

I briefly thought, huh, he can read? Well, what a night for surprises, as I nodded. Let's get this over with. "James, I'm coming in to give my one week notice. I realize it's short, but it's more than most girls would give."

His jaw ticked. "It's that damn Laurent isn't it? Did he sway you over to The Fetish Farm? I'll kill him!"

I blinked at the violence in his voice, the cold malice that oozed from him, and automatically backed against the door. "No, no, it's not that at all. I'm going to be attending the Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School and I can't work here and have a full course schedule." Of course, that wasn't exactly true, but he didn't need to know about what had transpired between me and Edward.

"You bitch," he snarled. "You're just going to leave me in a lurch?"

I stiffened, immediately becoming irritated. I tried my damnedest to be nice to him and this was the thanks I got? "Fine, I'll walk out right now." I turned and grabbed the doorknob, but he quickly walked around and grabbed my hand. Ugh, he probably touched his dick with that. Nasty.

I sent him a cold look and said, "Either you remove your hand or I'm going to kick you in the nuts."

His face looked contrite. "Bella, I'm sorry, I apologize. That was rude of me. Can we please sit and talk?"

I looked at him before jerking my hand out of his; I'd have to boil it in acid later, and walked to the straight backed chair that sat in front of his desk.

He walked back around his desk and sat again. "I'm sorry. As I said, that was ungrateful of me. After all, you have given me a few great years, haven't you?"

Eighteen long ass months, I corrected mentally. I looked at him, bored already of this conversation. He was going to attempt to schmooze me. I could sense it.

"I'm going to need more than a week, Bella."

"Well, a week is all you get," I stated flatly.

"Bella, you know the busiest nights of the week are Friday and Saturday. Can't you please work two weeks?"

I felt my resolve breaking. I glanced at the Hooters calendar on his wall and said, "Today is the tenth. I'll work until the twenty-first. That should give you plenty of time to find a new girl. Apparently we're a dime a dozen." Okay, so, I was still pissed Edward had actually said something that stupid, but I was working past it.

"Thank you," he said cordially.

I stood. "If that's all…"

"One more thing," he threw out. I knew just by his tone I wasn't going to like what would come out of his mouth. "Just so you know I'll be firing Edward today."

My mouth fell open. "On what grounds?"

"The fact that he broke my cardinal rule…No fraternizing."

"How-how did you know that?" I was so mad I was shaking and I felt the tears in my eyes and the clogging at the back of my throat.

"I have my ways."

"You mean you have your spies," I spat at him. "Was that what that little bitch Victoria was in here doing? Giving you all the juicy details before she sucked your cock?" I was livid.

He smiled, and I knew I was right. "Perhaps…"

I snarled. I had heard the rumors. I knew Victoria had wanted to bed Edward and he'd turned her down. As a matter of fact, he had turned down all advances, from the girls that worked here as well as the few women that came in to drink and watch. I knew a few women got off on that kind of thing. Not that I'm condemning them, I enjoyed watching the other girls, too, but that was neither here nor there.

"So, I guess your relationship won't be a problem then, will it?" he sneered.

I knew Edward said he had enough money to send me to school, and I didn't really think he needed the money he made by working here. The sum was rather pitiful, but I knew he needed the job for experience. So I did what my dad had taught me. I played hardball.

I smiled at him. "I understand completely, James," I said in my sweetest voice. That seemed to throw him, so I went in for the kill. "I understand how mine and Edward's relationship might be a problem, so, I guess I'll just take my leave now."

He looked confused and said, "Wait, what?"

My smile was so sugary it could have given a person cavities and my tone matched. "Well, if Edward goes, I go, and didn't you tell me you didn't want me leaving you in a lurch?" I paused. "Well, if you fire Edward, you'll never see my ass here again. Ever. Do. We. Understand. Each. Other?" I drew it out, asking him slowly and deliberately.

He swallowed and seemed to realize he had lost this little battle. He sighed. "Fine."

I smiled again, this time, in victory. "Fine. And, uh, if you don't want to lose the best bartender you've ever had, then my suggestion to you is that you keep this conversation to yourself. Because if Edward ever found out that you had threatened me, you wouldn't have to worry about anyone sucking your dick, because you wouldn't have one anymore." And with that, I sailed out of his office, a smug look on my face.

Edward POV

It took me ten minutes to calm down before I could walk into the club. And then I was accosted by Emmett. "Whoa, you look like hell, Edward."

I blinked. I think that was the first time Emmett had willingly called me Edward since I met the man. "I feel like it, Em. How do you do it?"

He didn't ask, he knew what I was talking about. "It's just a job, man." he told me with a matter-of-fact tone.

Of course Emmett could handle things that way. But I tended to over think things, it was just my nature. "What am I going to do?" I asked him.

He shrugged his shoulders. "My suggestion is to talk to Jasper. Alice stripped for over a year after they hooked up. She loved it." He grinned. "Damned little pixie was great at it, too. The things she did on that pole…" His eyes glazed over and I had to clear my throat.

See? That was why I didn't want Bella stripping anymore. And it irritated me to no end that Emmett, and Jasper, too, for that matter, had seen almost as much of her as I had.

Emmett blinked as he came out of the fog and said, "Oh, sorry, well, anyway, talk to Jazz. Alice wouldn't have quit if it wasn't for the fact he knocked her up, but they were planning on getting married anyway, they were just saving up enough for her to have a dream wedding. Which, of course, they didn't have. They had a little wedding on the beach. Rose and Bella were her maids of honor and I stood up for Jazz. Man, even though it was a tiny wedding, she had it done up right man…I don't know how much beer I drank…" And I'd lost him again.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes as I walked away. I loved him like a brother, but sometimes I wondered if all the lights were on and no one was home. I made my way to the locker room and found Jasper on the phone with Alice. I tried not to listen in, but it was hard not to catch his end of the conversation.

"No, Ali, it's fine! Don't worry about it! He'll grow into it!" Jasper sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, I know you wanted him to wear the blue seersucker outfit for his first portrait, but if it's too big…" He paused. "Why don't you put him in that little football outfit my Mama sent? Then when we take him for his one month portrait he should be big enough for the seersucker one." She must have said something humorous, because he grinned. "Yeah, I know, baby. No, your fashion sense isn't off…baby…it's post partum hormones. I read about it." He paused yet again. "Yeah, I love you, too. How about I bring home some ice cream?" Apparently he said the wrong thing and he winced before exclaiming, "No, baby! Of course you're not fat! No…" Again, he sighed. "How about tomorrow afternoon, I'll take you and buy you a new dress?" That caused him to smile. "Great. I've got to go…yeah, talk to you later, baby. I love you, too." He took a deep breath and put his phone back in his pocket.

I couldn't help it and burst out in laughter. He turned to glare at me. "Laugh it up. God…and I thought the pregnancy hormones were bad! Now she's going through that post partum crap and calling me because Jack doesn't fit in the outfit she wants him to wear for his portrait tomorrow!"

My lip twitched.

"And if that wasn't bad enough, she got pissed at me because I offered her ice cream! God…she's got like two pounds to lose before she's back to her damned pre-baby weight and I could give a shit if she weighed two hundred pounds; I'd still love her! But no, she can't wait to get back into the gym to get her figure back and hell…I need a drink."

I laughed out loud. "Come with me. Let Doctor Edward calm your nerves." I went out to the bar and found the best whiskey we had and poured the frazzled man two fingers. Jasper flopped onto a bar stool and drank the liquor down like a man dying of thirst. He sat there a moment catching his breath and said, "Sorry to unload on you."

I shook my head. "What're friends for?"

Suddenly his head popped up and he grinned at me. "So, did Bella's plan work?"

I blinked. "What plan?"

"She shyly confided in me that she had plans to seduce you last night. Why else do you think she pulled "Lick" out of her arsenal? She had been holding on to that one until the time was right."

My mouth fell open. Bella planned last night? Oh that little…she and I would be having a talk before the night was over. But then the rest of his comment hit me. "What do you mean, 'until the time was right'?"

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, man. Seriously? You heard the two of them in that hospital room; I'm sure you did. And since then, it's all she and Alice have talked about. Personally, I think I might have developed a little crush on you, too, as much as they've talked about you lately."

I frowned at him. "Fuck you, Jasper."

He chuckled. "Love you, too, cupcake. So…how are you handling it?"

I knew what he meant by that and poured my own shot of liquor. I didn't have a long night tonight, but I knew it wasn't going to be a fun one. "Not well. How did you handle it?"

He rubbed his chin with his hand, thinking. "Well, not terrifically, to be honest. Emmett had to pull me off a guy that first night. But when I went outside to cool off, Alice came out and gave me a dressing down. She informed me it was her body and she would use it as she saw fit. She knew that she couldn't make enough money to live at her apartment if she didn't keep up the dancing. That was when I told her we should move in together. Do you know her response?"

I shook my head.

"She hit me. Broke my fucking nose and informed me that was not how she wanted me to ask such an important question and to come back to her when I was ready to not act like an ass."

I chuckled. I could see Alice doing that very thing. "So, did you?"

He nodded. "I popped my nose back into place, apologized, and then I proposed to her." Then he laughed. "We had just made love the night before. We'd known each other two weeks. She said yes. I moved into her place the next week and tried to talk her into quitting. But that was when she started talking about her dream wedding and how she wanted to work here until she saved up enough for it. Her parents threw her out of the house when she was seventeen because they caught her with some guy."

He shook his head at the memories. "They weren't even having sex. I was the one that took her virginity. The guy's dad had beaten him up and Alice had snuck him into the house so he could recuperate that night, before going to the cops the next morning. She tried to tell her parents what had happened to her friend, but they didn't believe her and threw her out because they didn't want that around their younger daughter, who was the apple of their eye. So Alice walked away."

I was hurt for the sweet, aggravatingly wonderful girl that was my friend. "So," Jasper said, continuing his story, "After she told me that, what could I say? What could I do but accept the fact that she wanted to continue until she got her dream?" He sighed. "And then she got pregnant. Not that I don't love Jack with all my heart, but she gave up so much. All because we got into the heat of the moment and forgot the fact that she'd been on antibiotics for her sinus infection." He rubbed his face with both hands. "So, she took all the money she'd saved and bought nursery furniture and baby clothes with it. She saved a small chunk for our wedding on the beach and didn't look back. But sometimes I wonder if she regrets it."

Alice never struck me as the type that regretted anything, and I told him that. "I think, knowing Alice, that if she would have had the foresight to see where your life has wound up, she still would have made Jack with you, even if it meant giving up her dream wedding."

Jasper looked at me and smiled. "Dude, you should become a therapist."

I chuckled. "That's alright. I like my job."

He reached across to clap me on the shoulder. "You'll do fine tonight, Edward. I'll make sure Emmett keeps an eye on you though, just in case."

"Thanks, Jazz. I need all the help I can get."

Bella POV

I strode into the dressing room to get ready, trying to calm myself. But I was pissed. How could Victoria do that to me? Sure, we weren't friends, but still… Was she pissed because she wanted a piece of Edward and I got him instead? And, furthermore, how could James be such a dick?

I took a deep breath and walked over to sit next to Rose. She smiled at me. "Have a good day?"

"Yes," I bit off in a clipped tone as Victoria walked into the room.

"Well?" Rose asked. "Am I going to get details about last night? Em said he saw you guys this morning."

"Not now," I shushed her.

She looked hurt for a moment before she caught the look on my face and narrowed her eyes at Victoria. "Do I need to kick her ass?" she asked under her breath as she inclined her head toward Victoria.

I smiled at that. "No, the situation was neutralized, but she's on my shit list and that's the truth."

Rose smiled. "I always hated that bitch."

"You and me both," I told her. "By the way…guess who she was doing a few moments ago?"

There were only four men that worked in Foxxxy and Rose's eyes grew before a look of disgust crossed her features. "Nuh-uh. What were they doing?"

"Well, I think she gave him head, but I don't actually have proof."

Rose looked a bit green. "Ugh, I think I might have just thrown up in my mouth a little bit."

I laughed at that. "Yeah, me, too."

"So, Bella," Rose said, lifting her voice. "Word is you bagged Edward last night. Was he good?"

My eyes widened, but Rose winked at me, so I played along. "Yeah," I raised my voice as well. "I decided to just go for it last night. I'm working my notice, anyway, so what's the worst James could do? Fire me?"

"Is that true?" Rose asked me quietly.

I nodded. "Let's go to Ali's for brunch tomorrow and we'll talk about everything that's happened since last night."

She nodded eagerly. "Okay." Then she lifted her voice again. "So, was he good?"

"Damn good. And big…oh my GOD! He was huge! I had four, Rose, count them, FOUR orgasms!" Okay, so, I don't normally share this much information, but well, what can I say? I wanted to get back at Victoria.

Rose's eyes grew. "Wow. And then what happened?"

I smirked. "Well, then we slept, snuggled in to each other all night long. After all, we were beyond exhausted and I had already gotten him off twice. And then this morning we had sex in the shower after he finger fucked me. Seriously, it was crazy."

Rose giggled and we both watched as Victoria paled, almost missing her cue to go out on stage. Rose and I high-fived each other and laughed long and hard before we got dressed for our own acts.

"Fucking priceless, Bella! Damn. I didn't know you had it in you."

I just grinned.

AN2: Next chapter will post tomorrow. After that, I'm cracking le whip at betalicious. Here's hoping the two of us can keep our shit together. *fingers crossed*