DISCLAIMER: THE STORY DOESN'T BELONG TO ME; THE CHARACTERS ARE PROPERTY OF S. MEYER AND THE PLOT BELONGS TO ANN ARSTON ARA.

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¡GRACIAS ANN, POR DARME ESTA OPORTUNIDAD!

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Chapter 6

The Dance of a Mermaid (Part Two)

POV Edward

"Kate Arias is on the line and so are all the tabloid vultures. I don't know how they saw Isabella going in and out of the building. She caught their attention, and they want to know who the girl is." I dropped into my seat and ran my hand through my already messy hair. Leaning back in my seat I sighed heavily.

"I told Alec that this would happen. We will be the laughingstock of the whole world..."

"Including your dearest mother, isn't it, Eddie?" Rosalie interrupted me, annoyed. "I can't believe that after all this time, the great Elizabeth Cullen is influencing her eldest son's life. It's good to know, at least, that I hate her as much as she hates me and that she doesn't try to make it seem otherwise." I knew she was right. I knew it and I also knew that my mother hated her. Alec walked in as if this were his office, all cheery, and plopped down in the chair across the desk.

"Life is wonderful, isn't it? Edward," I raised an eyebrow when I heard Alec sighing.

"You look happy," I said as I settled back in my seat, ignoring Rosalie for the moment, who snorted and kept looking at me. Alec smiled but as soon as he saw Rosalie he frowned and asked:

"What's wrong with you two?"

"Happens that long-legged Kate Arias still wants to have your ass as a trophy on her bookshelf Curtis," Rosalie replied furiously. Alec sighed and straightened up in the chair he was sitting in.

"What's the problem, Rosalie?"

"Isabella. The press wants to know who she is," I commented feeling instantly sick. Rosalie frowned at me, and Alec said.

"The girl is the only one who has taught the blondes what to do. No one needs to know she's a pole dancer, a cheap prostitute." Rosalie looked at Alec and, if looks could kill, I'd have to find a new manager.

"Don't call her that, you don't even know her." Alec smiled the way he did when he knew the girl more than he should and that filled me with fury.

"Edward told me that she called him beautiful, and she undressed to me in the dressing rooms of that horrible place. What can you expect from a woman like that?"

"Resignation" Isabella exclaimed, walking into my studio, surprising us all. "I'm a pole dancer, not a cheap prostitute. I called Mr. Cullen beautiful because I love his music and I admire him. I'll make it clear to you right now, you bastard." Alec stood up pale and stepped back when he saw her approach. I smiled happily. I could help Isabella rip the bastard's balls off and I love peace.

"I won't rip your balls off because it would waste my time, but… If I see you at the club, I'll enjoy telling all the girls that you have it really small you, idiot, degenerated bastard, even if I haven't seen it. And, above all, I'll tell them that you are gay." Alec swallowed thickly and I would have if the fury was directed at me. Fuck, the angel has a temper.

"You wouldn't do it." Now he was babbling. I'm sure the poor thing will have to change his diaper.

"You do not know me. Tell the truth or I will make sure that they won't even let you into The Dolls Salon," Isabella demanded vehemently. She turned to leave but before she did, she looked at Rosalie and me. The look on her face was one of disappointment.

"It's a shame that people who make music that I listen to on the radio happy and proud, are stupid and prejudiced." She paused and I felt bad, very bad, when her eyes filled with tears, but she had determination. No one could take that away from her.

"I am a Pole dancer," she said with great conviction, then added the motto that James Wallace had already told me. "And I do not do sexual favors, and everyone who has stopped to ask knows that. With your permission."

My studio was silent after that. No one said anything, they didn't even move. Rosalie sighed, forcing us to look at her, then opened her mouth, but seemed to think better of it and said nothing. She walked to my desk, put the papers she was carrying on it, and left.

Alec followed her with his eyes and then burst out laughing as if nothing had happened.

"Can you tell me the joke?" I asked grunting and standing up. Alec closed his mouth and scowled at me before answering.

"Are you upset?" I rounded my desk and without him expecting it I hit him, knocking him to the floor.

"There she goes," I growled at him, "our best choreographer, Alec. She just quit, and if you still can't get it through your miserable head. We are SHORT OF FUCKING TIME!" I shouted angrily. Rosalie quickly opened the door to my study. I had never, ever, raised my voice before, let alone gone around hitting others. I had thrown several punches at various schoolmates, defending myself, but I didn't like violence.

Alec stood up and raised his hands as if asking for calm.

"I can offer her more money. No one could deny refusing a tempting offer." I took a step toward him, ready to finish with the idiot, but Rosalie got in the way.

"Edward, no." I stopped and inhaled fury and exhaled love. Oh, fuck it, I thought, approaching Alec again.

"Do you know what your stupidity can cost us? You would have to work for me for free for years to be able to pay me. We have one more month to make the video. The radio stations are advertising it all over the place since the news leaked and they're even making stupid comments about whether it will be as good as my other songs. I'm sick of your bullshit Alec! You're not a fucking kid, damn it!" I looked up and Rosalie was looking at me with a strange gleam in her eyes.

"What do you want me to do then Edward?" I walked over to him and grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket.

"Stop sticking your dick where it doesn't fucking belong. Women deserve respect, shove it up to your ass if you have to but get it straight. If you ever again mess with any woman who comes to work here and treat her badly, I'll gladly give you your fucking liquidation."

Alec released from my grip and frowned at me.

"Are you serious?" I laughed humorlessly and adjusted my glasses.

"I need people who have their heads and feet on the ground Alec, not stupid people who get me in trouble because of a skirt. We're a month late because you fucked all the dancers and now Isabella is gone because you, stupid brainless fool, fucked her too." Alec reached his hand to his tie and loosened it, as if he was choking.

"I didn't sleep with Bella," Alec growled. "She doesn't do sexual favors. She's a fucking prude who thinks she's a saint dancing on a fucking tu..." I hit him again and he fell back to the floor. This time Rosalie stepped in.

"Edward, I think this has been enough, stop trying to kill Alec. You, asshole, get out of here." She looked at both of us in fear, but I ignored her and turned to the jerk who was trying to get up.

"If Isabella comes back, you will kiss her damn shoes, you will bow to her, and you will treat her like Miss Swan. She's no longer Bella to you. Do you understand?"

"Whatever you say bro," said Alec finally standing up and storming out of my office. Rosalie looked at me as if I had two heads and I snarled at her.

"What?"

"Since when have you been defending Bella, Edward-the-girl-is-not-to-my-liking?" She asked looking at me carefully. "I remind you, that only five minutes before, you were upset because we had hired her and she could give us bad publicity."

It was only then that I realized what I had done and felt my cheeks heat up. Rosalie smiled and said:

"You like her." She didn't ask it. She affirmed it. I turned around so I could sit at my desk and, so she wouldn't see my hands shaking, answer. Do I really like her?

.

.

.

.

I got out of my car as soon as I had it parked at the club. The Dolls' Salon was overflowing. Out of the corner of my eye I could see a car that looked a lot like Rosalie's. I took a better look and realized it was hers. I rolled my eyes. I was supposed to be the one talking to Isabella today.

James smiled at me at the bar as soon as he saw me, and I asked him for a drink to build up my courage. There were many people sitting at the bar and enjoying the sight of waitresses and bartenders pouring drinks all around. The lights went out and another blond introduced the dolls. Several men whistled, some hit the table with their glass as they watched them dance. Isabella on the other hand just danced with her eyes closed. Suddenly she jumped and I couldn't help but sigh. Her eyes opened and she smiled at me before returning to her place.

I looked around the bar, it wasn't so bad after all. There were security people and cameras too. Everything was tastefully decorated, nothing vulgar. And there wasn't much more skin in sight than there would be in a normal bar. What there was a lot of sensuality, though. I watched Rosalie talk to Isabella and gave them their time. Then I watched them walk away, so I followed them.

"… if I can tell Edward Cullen he's gorgeous, I can tell these jerks they're hot, but I'm not a slut, Rose. I don't do sexual favors unless they're Chris Evans. Oh yeah, I would give that bastard a private lap dance dressed as a captain or just with the round shield covering my private bits."

Fucking Captain America was a lucky guy. I thought that, but I also realized that he acknowledged telling me I was gorgeous.

"Do you really think I'm handsome?" Isabella turned and looked at me impressed or something, as I didn't know how to gauge her reaction.

"And a prejudiced idiot too," she replied a little annoyed.

"I'm not prejudiced," I clarified, since I deserved the idiot thing a little bit. "I couldn't judge you when I don't have the power to do so. There are thirty percent of women who dance like you, and they are not prostitutes, nor do they do sexual favors."

Rosalie rolled her eyes and Isabella looked at me with a frown.

"I'm going to see who will buy me a drink over there. I'm making a bad third" Rosalie said quickly, uncomfortably. I sighed internally, thanking that the blonde was leaving.

"Tell James to serve it to you and put it on my count, order whatever you want," Rosalie rolled her eyes but got out and I didn't dare look Isabella in the face.

"I'm not going back," she said shortly after. I focused my gaze on her and sat up so I could take off my glasses. I closed my eyes for a moment.

"Fuck," I heard her say. I smiled as I put my glasses back on, because even though I didn't know why I was making that exclamation, I knew she was a little upset.

"You want to come back, and I can make Alec kiss your feet begging for forgiveness if necessary to get you back. I'm not going to waste that much money to pay that asshole for him to be brainless. You are a woman, and you deserve respect." I stopped as soon as I looked up and saw her eyes sparkle as she smiled strangely.

"Isabella, are you listening to me?" saying her name was like drinking the best coffee in town. I smiled at that, I had to write down in my notebook that phrase to put it in a song.

"So, should I look for a new choreographer or will you come back, Isabella?"

"Bella," she corrected me, wrinkling her nose. "I'll be back, but only because I love to dance, let's make that clear." Perfect, that would give me enough time to find out why I was so attracted to this beautiful dancer. I stood up and turned around, but I couldn't leave without saying something else.

"By the way" I started to say and then paused. "You're beautiful too." I wanted to tell him that she was more than beautiful, but that was for another time. With that, I turned to leave this place.

"And you have a nice ass," she whispered, and I smiled openly at that.

Hello! Here we are again. It seems that in the end Edward did listen to Bella tell him that he has a nice ass. And this Edward, though shy and rather nerdy, does have what it takes to put people in their place. Also, being myself a Marvel fan, Bella's motto always makes me laugh, it's hard to blame her for that.

So, I just want to clear some things up: if you don't like the story, you're totally free to leave and find another one. I'm not obligating anyone to read this. In some Facebook groups, people share amazing stories if you're looking for something new. Just that.

See you tomorrow!