Chapter Twelve – Cullen's Eight Beauty and The Beast

It was there. He was sure of it. He had seen the mist filling her eyes and now for the first time in a long time Edward was utterly and completely consumed with joy. He knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he definitely DID have a fighting chance to win her back. At this … he would refuse failure.

As Edward exited the restaurant, he began snapping his fingers and stepping lightly to a rhythm no one else heard, but it pulsed like liquid oxygen in his head. It was a song that he and Bella had adopted as one of "their" favorites when they first heard it on their honeymoon. It had a snappy happy light move your feet to the beat …

Dreamed last night about a time and place…

Where from our troubles we had escaped….

I held your hand and I felt complete….

As you turned and said to me…

From now on… From now on…. You and me… we will be…

Meanwhile Back in the Picasso Restaurant…

Just as Jacob and Bella had settled into light conversation and their meal, The Maitre D' approached Jacob. "Mr. Black, please pardon my intrusion but you have an urgent call on the secure line from the Governor concerning his arrival this evening."

Jacob looked apologetically at Bella as he lightly dabbed his mouth with his napkin. "Darling, I'm so sorry, if you will excuse me." Jacob stood and followed the Maître D' to take the phone call in private.

Once again, Bella found herself sitting alone in a crowded restaurant, but this time her mood is different. She's been too affected from Edward's impromptu appearance to sulk over being left alone.

She became deeply reflective and she absentmindedly allowed her fingers to reach out and take his glass of whiskey. Her finger tips gently began to trace over the rim of the glass that had been pressed against Edward's lips only minutes ago. She shut her eyes and without thinking about what she was doing, she brought her fingers to her lips … Searching…. Wishing….. STOP THIS… She demanded of herself. He's trouble with a capital T and I'm done with that chapter of my life. Or was she?

Bella's inner dialogue was all over the place. Was she pissed that Edward had the nerve to show his face after all that he had put her through or was she happy to see him? She felt like a laundry machine on the wishy washy cycle before she finally decided it was a little of both.

She decided to finish both glasses of whiskey, her wine and her veal. Jacob had been gone for at least twenty minutes at this point and Bella was ready to go. She looked around for Jacob and there was no sign of him.

She pondered if she should wait for his return or just leave and go up to the Penthouse? It was hard to gauge Jacob's mood swings. Bella drummed her fingers on the table mindlessly while her eyes eagerly searched for Jacob to reemerge on the scene. With her elbow propped on the table, bored, she turned her hand to examine her finger nails and as she did, she realized that she still had a faint indentation around the finger next to her pinky on her left hand.

She smiled to herself thinking about the fact that Edward still wore his wedding band. She mulled it over when suddenly it hit her like a light bulb and Bella's face burst into flames. It was something she hadn't given much thought to, but it now stuck out like a sore thumb. She had been with Jacob nearly two years and in all that time, her finger… the one with an indentation.. remained ringless. It was a disturbing revelation that she couldn't just simply dismiss.

Far enough away in the corner at a small table for two, sat one Seth Clearwater chewing on a cut of the most mouthwatering prime rib he had ever tasted. He kept a watchful eye on Bella. He was curious as to how Jasper knew her and he figured she was worth observation. He was even more curious than surprised when Edward showed up and by the fact that he seemed to know her quite well also.

Another ten minutes passed and Jacob had not returned. Bella decided to go up to the Penthouse to retire early. She was emotionally drained and the last thing she cared about at that moment was wasting her precious time fretting over whether he would be pleased or pissed.

Bella laid her napkin across her plate and she stood to leave the restaurant. Ever aware that there were always eyes on her every movement, she left word with Pierre that should Mr. Black return and inquire as to her whereabouts, she was retiring to the Penthouse.

Seth finished his meal and decided to get back to the warehouse and hopefully get some answers.

Bella's long legs glided across the carpets with the grace of a swan. As she stood in the corridor awaiting her elevator, she caught her reflection in the mirrored doors. There stood a dark haired beauty, with strikingly gorgeous features, adorned from head to toe in the finest that Jacob's money could buy. How had she gotten here? It seemed like another life time ago.

Where his hands had touched her shoulders, she could still faintly smell his cologne. It was her favorite, Polo Black. It had been a very long time since she had breathed his scent. She wondered why she hadn't picked up on it the minute he stood behind her.

As the doors to the elevator opened, Bella stepped in and she stared blankly at the numbers clicking by as she shot up to the top floor. When she arrived and the doors opened, she stepped into the lavishly decorated suite and looked around as if she had never really seen it before.

She lived in a fucking hotel room, albeit an ostentatious suite fit for royalty. Never the less it was nothing more than just a hotel room over a gambling casino. She walked over to the wall facing her, sheer glass ceiling to floor overlooking the neon city that never sleeps. It was beautiful, but it's beauty had lost it's luster. What was she doing?

She threw her wrap across an accent chair and walked over to the wet bar and poured herself a glass of Pinot Grigio and walked out to the balcony and starred off into space. She and Edward had a home once. A beautiful estate where she had planned on raising children. (She stopped and wiped a small tear from her eye). She wondered how a girl that once loved digging in the dirt and planting annuals and herb gardens had walked away from all that and welcomed cold hard concrete with open arms.

What was Edward doing here? She was sure he was up to no good. After all, once a thief always a thief. She took the last sip of her wine and returned to refill it while she slid off her Stuart Weitzman slings adored with genuine onyx stones affixed to the straps. She walked barefooted to the master suite, slings and wine in tow.

She placed her shoes on the elevated stand where the maids would return them to their rightful place inside a closet that was larger in square footage than a modest sized home. She unzipped the sequined black little number and let it fall to the floor and pool at her feet. She stepped over it, leaving it right where it sat, knowing fully good and well that if Jacob saw her Dior treated with such a lack of care, he was sure to be well... displeased to say the very least.

She glanced at her bare bodied reflection in the full length mirror still cupping her glass of wine. She eyed herself as she took a sip and smirked as she spun on her heel and headed for the master bath chambers.

When she entered, she shut the double French doors behind her and sat her glass down on the vanity. All she had to do was speak, the room was programmed to respond to her voice.

"Spa Run". And the large roman bath automatically plugged and water poured into its basin from four waterfall faucets. The water temperature was preprogrammed to Bella's suiting and would fill to exactly two hundred and fifty gallons of hot steaming water.

"Debussy le mer nocturnes". And the rich warmth of music surrounded her. Programmed to respond with a soothing volume that would melt her stress away.

Bella laughed aloud, alone. The sound was empty and hollow within the wall of her private bath chambers. It was a scoffing laugh, directed mainly at what had become of her. She uttered aloud, "No… Fuck You Sir!" And she stepped into the depths of the pooling spa.

"Jets Pulse". And the jets of the spa roared to life pulsing over her skin. She laid back with her head against the pillow that had been custom tailored to cradle her neck. "Drink". And a tile panel slid back to release a hydraulic lift that presented itself a bottle of Pinot Grigio and a glass from a built in chiller. She poured herself another glass of cold wine and pressed it to her perspired forehead then lowered it to her lips and took a large sip. Needless to say, Bella was filled with liquid bravery.

Letting the steam fill her nostrils, her lungs drew in a deep breath of air. Freesia and Strawberries, her favorite. The spa was of course programmed to dispense the exact amount of bath oils mixed to deliver an intoxicating aroma that pleased Bella's senses.

She let her mind wander and she began to relax. Bella wanted to feel the pulse of water more powerfully so she shifted sideways and raised her legs to let her feet rest on the tiled ledge of the spa. She shifted her hips and raised her pelvis only a bit and ah….. there. As the force of the water pulsed over her magic button she began to rock her bottom back and forth. She threw her head back and gave in to the sensations rocketing through her. If there was one thing she was particularly thankful for … it was water pressure! As the mindblowing waves shook her core, she shut her eyes and was reminded of the third night of her honeymoon with Edward.

It was nearing twilight as they ventured through the lush vegetation to reach their destination Trafalgar Falls. It was a one hundred forty foot waterfall located on a volcanic cliff on the Dominican Isle. It pooled into a natural hot spring and it was one of the most breath taking sights she or Edward had ever seen.

Bella and Edward removed their hiking threads and ventured into the springs to skinny dip. The sky above had turned to rich lavender and they frolicked in their own private paradise beneath the rush of water. Cold falls and hot springs – what a sensory rush she had felt. Edward had cradled her head and shoulders while she leaned back and let the waterfall pound it's full force of pressure over her delicate and most sensitive button. The orgasm shook her more forcefully than any other she had ever experienced. Edward pulled her into his arms, "Oh my that could become addictive." She had told him.

CRACK! CRACK! The leather strap slapped Jacobs palm twice.

Bella's eyes shot open immediately. He was standing over her with a not so pleased smirk on his face.