SIXTEEN
"Doctor Black," I cross my legs at the knee, as I sit on his examination table, "will it hurt?"
He pulls on a pair of plastic gloves, the face of a noteworthy profession. He smells like cedarwood and speaks deeply. He's attractive for sure, but the undertone of arrogance is offputting.
"Not at all," he smiles at me, "just a gentle pinch."
I'd faked needing a pregnancy test and demanded Doctor Black. My actions were slightly Karen-esk, but I had insisted on seeing only him.
"Can I ask you a question?" I ask.
He looks back at me, his hands stilling as he prepares my test.
"I was wondering how important your job is to you?" I ask.
"What?" He shakes his head taken back by the question.
"Well, I sort of googled you," I smile innocently, "your professional history is long. So many awards and you're still kind of young."
He twists to face me fully now. God, he loves a stroked ego.
"You did do your homework," he nods, "I guess you could say this is my life. I would say I do it to help women and whatever, but really I just love the pay packet. It's cleaner than an emergency ward and I get to have a company car."
Just the kind of thing you want from a doctor about to stab you with a needle.
"It must score you dates. Women come in and out of here all the time and doctor is a title that is pretty impressive," I flirt, "put the needle down and come closer."
His eyebrows rise, but I don't need to ask twice. When he's in arms reach I slowly stroke my hands up his forearms, against the fabric of his buttoned-up suit shirt.
"You work out too," Im hating every second of this flirtatious blackmail, but he doesn't notice at all.
"You look like you do too," his eyes dip to my chest.
Gross.
"So let me ask you this. If I let you fuck me after you illegally let me access eggs my husband also owns, but I became pregnant with your baby, would you get in some sort of trouble?" I whisper.
He stops, frozen beneath my touch.
"You could have me right here and right now if you tell me you'd keep your job if that got out," I say, "if you wouldn't go to prison."
Don't you dare call my bluff.
"How do you…" he steps back from me.
"I can help you out of it," I offer, dropping the act, "she is currently trying to destroy her ex-husband's life who I happen to actually love."
"She told me he cheated. That he was an awful person," the doctor shakes his head.
"She lied to you. She was the villain. She's going to come out and say the baby is Edward's and he has been cheating on her while she has been pregnant and all of this nonsense. She's already started her attack," I say, "but if you discredit her and say you slept with her, but the baby belongs to this guy…"
I pull out a photo of James and place it before him.
"She would seem like even more of a liar," I finish, "no matter what she tries to say about Edward will sound like nonsense."
"But what if it traces back to me?" He asks.
"It won't," I shake my head, "you're passing the buck onto James. He can take the fall for it. They've been sleeping together so no one can really discredit him. There's evidence. There's no evidence of you."
Minus that nurse.
"What do you need me to do?" He asks.
"Call this reporter," I say, "I had my best friend look into it and she said she is sniffing around since the social media post."
I hand him a card.
"Thanks," he takes it from me and looks at my face, "you wouldn't be free for dinner?"
I roll my eyes and shake my head.
"Sorry I have a boyfriend," I pick up my things, "but you sound like a guy who was pulled into something messy. I hope you can find happiness again."
"Thanks," he nods.
Phase three is officially underway.
"Has Edward spoken to you since?" Rosalie asks over the phone.
I've tried not to think about our fight. But I wasn't sorry for what I'd done. I'm not finished. I was one of the biggest catalysts within all of this mess and I really wanted to fix it. I had the power to. I have a way to bring down his ex-wife too while he does the big kid stuff of a lawsuit. To stop the strike of Edward with the missile she launched. I was the weapon she selected, but I'm self-destructing on her.
"I'm trying to protect my man," I sigh, "I tried calling this morning but he texted me saying 'not ready."
"I understand. I would take down any woman who wronged Emmett too," she says.
"I'm going to try going around his house tonight," I say, "I can fix it and he'll see that what I'm doing is helping."
"Let me know if I can help," she offers, "he'll come around. He was probably just taken off guard. Edward has never had someone look out for him. It's all new to him."
"I will babe," I say, "oh I have to go."
We hang up and James sits down in front of me sheepishly.
"James," I say sipping my coffee.
"Hey," he runs a hand through his air, nervously.
"Thanks for coming," I lean toward him, "I know it was short notice."
"Don't mention it," he shrugs, "I'm shocked that you've even given me the time of day twice as of late, let alone even muttered my name."
"That makes two of us," I nod.
"You're different," he studies me, "you were never this confident."
"Heartbreak can change a woman," I smile sourly, "but we aren't here for me. We are here for you. Are you still seeing Victoria?"
"She won't quit calling," he admits, "after that night at the bar… I only said yes because I wanted you. I missed you at that moment and what we had…"
"Was a mistake," I cut him off, hand raised toward him as if it would help to stop him.
"Bella," he sighs, "you know I loved you."
"I don't care," I glare at him, "so are you seeing Victoria or not?"
"When I want needs met," he nods.
Gross. He's using her. That means he doesn't care for her. This is good.
"You know she is pregnant right? And married?" I say.
His face pales.
"You see her husband is my boyfriend," I say, "and I have images of you two that don't really make you look great. They make you look like a soon-to-be father in fact."
"It's not mine," he snaps.
"Oh but it sure looks that way. I know who the actual father is," I say, "a journalist is sniffing around and I think it won't be long until the actual father tries to clear his name. Pin the blame on someone else."
"Okay we'll I'm innocent," he says.
"I guess you could discredit both of them. Confuse people with what the truth actually is? There's evidence Edward wiped his hands of her completely before she fell pregnant, and it'll come out," I promise, "there's no clear cross-over for the child to be Edward's. If people looked close enough they would see it isn't yours either. You just need to make them see."
"You're willing to work with me?" He asks.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get this woman out of my life," I say, "I want a shot at something real for once and she is in the way."
Just like that... I've changed the love triangle from Edward, Victoria and I. To Victoria, James and Doctor Black.
Thanks for reading!
