Thank you to everyone who has been reading, following, and reviewing. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Several people asked to know about Edward…and what his deal is.

It's okay that you're confused about him. That's sort of my plan. You will find out about Edward at the same time Bella does, Mkay?

Also…sorry for the late update!

Chapter Ten

Awkwardness had permeated the air as Isabella put her shirt on once more and Edward willed his erection to go down. Both had slick skin, shaky limbs, and disappointed hearts.

But Isabella thought she understood what Edward wanted.

An emotional connection.

A relationship.

Meaningful sex.

She just couldn't for the life of her understand why he had come to her to receive these things.

Could he possibly want all of them – in this fake setting – to avoid heartbreak? To avoid the messy aftermath that almost all relationships fall into? Was it possible that he just wanted to try it out? See how he would do in a relationship setting?

Maybe he had been in some doozies.

Maybe this was the reason why he had obviously gone to Dr. Cullen.

Isabella nodded to herself.

A relationship-phobe.

It made sense.

She thought.

But she couldn't be sure. At all.

And if that really was the case, where did it leave her?

Edward and Isabella looked to one another once they had each calmed down, and with a nod of agreement to Edward's head jerk towards the door, Isabella stood to lead him out.

"I'll need your number, you know," Edward said quietly, a small shrug to his shoulders.

Isabella grabbed her phone from the kitchen counter, handing it to him.

Only after he had recorded her number into his phone and passed her back her own, did she realize.

Never before had a client had her personal phone number.

Dr. Cullen had always arranged everything.

So why had she given Edward Masen it?

Isabella shook her head. She would really need to think things through.

She felt cool, soft fingers grip her own. Looking up, Isabella stared into the vivid green, the intensity, of Edward's eyes. She didn't know what to make of what she saw in them, but whatever it was, it caused her stomach to tighten. Standing in front of her, looking down, Edward appeared the perfect vision of calm determination. His lips set in a firm line. His scruffy jaw tight. His fingers squeezing hers.

His eyes held the answers to all the questions that Isabella so wished she could ask him.

"I'll see you soon, Isabella," he whispered before gently placing his mouth on hers.

With just the smallest amount of suction to her bottom lip and the perfect amount of moisture, Isabella didn't think she could remember a sweeter kiss.

But Edward was out the door before she could reply.

MA~TWIW~MA

Whenever Isabella's time of the month came, Dr. Cullen knew. He made sure that she had no appointments booked for those six days and even usually gave her a few days off just before the event as well.

It was something Isabella was both embarrassed about and appreciated greatly.

So on a particularly warm July day only two days after her time with Edward, when Isabella picked up the phone amidst a bout of cramps, she was slightly confused.

Dr. Cullen hadn't forgotten, had he?

Unless the person on the phone was…

"Isabella,"

Her eyes closed.

"Y-yes, Dr. Cullen?"

"I've booked you a flight to Victoria in one day's time where you will stay until next Sunday for your return flight. You are staying in the Wingate Hotel. A car will pick you up and take you there."

Her heart immediately leapt up into her throat.

It took a few quick gulps to settle the emotions back down before Isabella could reply.

"Dr. Cullen... Thank you. So much. I can't even-"

"Don't mention it, Bella."

His voice was suddenly much softer than usual, and a part of Isabella felt like perhaps this thoughtfulness and care that was apparent in his words and actions was something he had always managed to keep at bay with his brusque, short conversations.

And then there was his use of "Bella"; not "Isabella".

Could it be that he legitimately cared about her after tending to her and her struggles for the past two years? Because this overwhelming act of kindness…

Isabella hadn't thought she would make it to Victoria until Thanksgiving at least. She had been saving every extra penny for the trip; skimping on groceries just to have those few extra dollars.

And now Dr. Cullen had taken care of it for her.

After mumbling a quick goodbye and hanging up the phone, Isabella let her emotions finally spill over.

Because there was simply too much.

First.

How Edward Masen had treated her.

With respect. With genuine affection.

It was so different, so foreign, from how she was treated by every other male she saw.

The ones who used her. Who used her body like they did bottles of pills. Sure, they didn't do anything to really harm her. Some even treated her quite courteously. But they all knew what they were really there for.

Second.

Dr. Cullen.

The man was still a mystery to her.

He had her in the most vulnerable way; she was completely and utterly dependent on him. Yet, he never took advantage of her. He always thought of her safety and wellbeing before anything else. Even if it led to his own business suffering.

Being that Isabella had only relied on herself since the age of sixteen, it was foreign to her to receive such comfort.

And third.

Her father.

Whom she would be seeing in only two days.

Tears spilled onto Isabella's cheeks.

And before she knew it, she was outright sobbing. Great, heaving breaths. Nose pressed into her pillow. Loud, guttural noises escaping from her throat. Her body curled into a tight ball.

It was the release of months of tension. Of stress. Of hideous guilt and self-hate.

All because of this one, courteous act by her pimp.

And there was nothing she could do to hide it when her phone rang…again.

"H-hello?" Her voice cracked.

"Isabella? What's wrong?"

Edward's concern couldn't be more apparent if he was standing right next to her.

"Nothing. I-I'm fine…" She stuttered, completely contradicting her words.

"You are not, Isabella. What is wrong?"

She gulped at the serious, no-nonsense tone.

And a part of her really did want to tell him. She needed to tell someone; anyone.

About the fact that her fifty year old father might not recognize her when she sees him for the first time in several months. That the once strong, noble chief of police who loved to hunt and fish now only went outdoors for scheduled periods of time. That his joy of eating a burger from The Lodge or fish fry in their tiny, yellow kitchen was forgotten.

He now had to settle for three balanced meals served to him each day.

And she couldn't even really ask him if that was okay.

Because it was already forgotten.

But as much as Isabella would love to unload everything onto Edward, the man who she had felt instantly comfortable with, safe with even, she knew. She knew she couldn't.

Edward was a client.

And they both knew what he really wanted from her. In the end.

And that definitely wasn't her life story.

"I'm fine, really, Edward. Just watching a sad movie, is all."

"Okay…" Uncertainty dripped from his tone, "Well, can I see you? Maybe we can –"

"I'm out of town for the next week," she cut him off.

He sighed over the phone, and she could almost feel the warm breathe that would've escaped through his mouth.

And instantly, Isabella knew that she would miss him.

"Well, when you want to see me, or just talk even, give me a call. Okay?"

"Okay."

The promise wasn't to him.

It was to herself.

A/N: Let me know what you think. I love to hear from you!