Chapter 5

A/N: Wow So, somebody recommended this story, so thank you to whoever did. We are blown away by the response to this story. It is incredible. That said, the more you review the faster we want to post this story, so review and tell us what you think of Assward and Stripperella. This story is over half pre-written so it's coming regardless, but as you can see from the early update, we get super excited. Thank you to our AMAZING prereaders Maplestyle, SassyNoles, and 2brown-eyes, they give us great suggestions and comments. Also thank you to Alice'sWhiteRabbit because she helps us make this readable. Love all you girls. So, are you ready to see what Assward has to say?

Songs- Ex's and Oh's by Elle King, Numb by Linkin Park

Please Review

The taste of her lips still lingered on mine as she pushed away from me. I took several calming breaths to stifle the desire to go after her as she paced closer to the door. When she would've turned the knob and jerked it open, the flat of my palm came down against the wood to keep her from escaping. "Did I tell you to leave?"

"What did I tell you the other day?" Bella growled up at me with a glare. One of her perfectly arched brows lifted in question at me. Leaning in close, she whispered in a defiant tone, "I am not your dog …"

"Oh, I remember you telling me something to that effect," I returned, my hand still resting against the door. Pressing the full length of my front against her back, I tilted my head close to her ear. "I bet you think you're pretty cute, huh? Talking back to the boss? And don't, for one minute, think I didn't see your little teasing ass up on that stage."

"Yes … Yes … And I don't care." Bella stomped a booted heel close to my toe; fire burned in her eyes as she regarded me. Turning around, she rested against the door, boldly staring up at me.

"If those heels touch my new shoes," I growled, next to her ear, "I will tan that nice ass of yours."

"Don't threaten me with a good time," she quickly threw back.

Her hand lifted, trailing the silk of my tie. While everything in me screamed to lean into that teasing touch, I pushed away from the door. Pacing a few steps away, I whirled around to look at her as my hand dove into my hair. I gripped the strands hard, liking the pinch against my scalp. It was either inflict this mild pain upon myself or reach for the damnable woman with her gloating eyes and that fucking smile.

She'd ended our kiss because I'd stated I didn't fuck virgins, which was the absolute truth. I'd never let myself take a woman's innocence before, and to be honest, I had no desire to start now. These hands had spilled enough blood, and I didn't need any other part of my body stealing her fucking maidenhead. Taking a deep breath, I waved my fingers toward the door. "Go back to work and stay away from Alec. He's a no-good piece of shit. If I see him sniffing around you again, I might break his fucking nose."

Bella passed me a weary stare before that flash of heat returned. This time she pushed away from the door, approaching me with a quick stride. "What do you mean I can't do private shows? Isn't that where most of the money comes from in a place like this? I don't think you're being fair. How am I supposed to make a living if I'm prohibited from doing private dances?"

There were a few emotions her defiance inspired. Anger just for the plain audacity this chick took when she talked to me. No one—no one—ever spoke to me like she was now doing. The rage in her gaze sparked my own temper, and I leaned in close enough for my nose to graze hers. "You can do all the private shows you want. Right here in this office."

Even though she rattled my fucking temper, at the same time, I felt a flare of respect for the woman regarding me. She dared many things since coming to DarkStrip. She'd brazenly danced for me in this office, thoroughly surprising me with the skill I hadn't thought she possessed. Then that quick annoyance she was more than willing to toss my way. This warmth spread in my chest as I continued to contemplate her effects on me. The heat rippling through my veins was confusing as shit. What the fuck did it mean? Why couldn't I shake her from me? Maybe I should just give in and release some of this lust fisting in my gut. When I saw the flash of confusion pinch her face, satisfaction roared to life in my chest, effectively stifling the passion springing like a slinky to my cock. So fucking back and forth, these torrid, conflicting sensations were.

"Who the fuck am I supposed to dance for in here? The wall? You're fucking nuts; you know that, right?" She huffed up at me, and her hands found purchase on her hips.

Just to piss her off even more, I turned around and headed for my desk. Calmly, I managed to sit back in my chair, grabbing the mouse to the computer. I played the keyboard as I worked through the playlist. "You wanna dance, Bella?"

I could literally feel the daggers lancing from my gaze as she spouted her worries about cash. Did she need the money? Of course, she needed the fucking money. I had no idea why this should fucking bother me, but I didn't like the idea of her going without the baser things in life. Without looking like I gave a shit, I dug deep in my pocket and slammed several bills on my desk. "Then fucking dance."

The way her lashes fluttered slightly as she flinched when my hand hit the deck sent a new thrill shooting through my abdomen. I am a man in control of all things. In my world, I say what goes, and in my bed, things were no different. That was pretty much why I didn't fuck with virgins. I didn't want to deal with all those fucking emotions that came with handling someone so fragile. And let's face it, virgins had this unrealistic fairy tale fluttering in their heads.

The last thing I wanted was some virgin imaging they were in love with me. Having a clingy woman at my side was not appealing in the least, but something told me this woman wasn't insecure by any means. While she might not realize her own power quite yet, something told me she was far from dependent. If I wanted to be truthful with myself—which I didn't—I kind of admired her self-determination.

While she'd faltered slightly, she lifted her head high on her shoulders and met my challenge boldly. "Ex's and Oh's" by Elle King filled my office, and the minx in front of me skirted my desk and came to stand next to my chair. She hesitated at my side when I didn't attempt to make her quest any more manageable. My jaw clenched, and the muscle near my temple began to throb, my gaze never wavering from hers. "Bella, if you want something, take it. Don't let anyone or anything stand in the way of what you want. That's the best lesson I can teach you."

A grit I'd witnessed in few people slipped across her face. Her lips drew tight, and within seconds, she took control of the situation. With a strength I hadn't envisioned, she pulled my chair back and swiveled it to face her.

"Well, I had me a boy, turned him into a man. I showed him all the things that he didn't understand. Whoa, and then I let him go. Now, there's one in California who's been cursing my name. 'Cause I found me a better lover in the UK. Hey, hey, until I made my getaway."

As the words filled my office, Bella's head dipped close to me, and her hot breath shot down my neck, and the weirdest thing happened. Goosebumps raced down my arms. What the fuck was that? I'd fucked plenty of women in my time, but none of them stimulated this type of reaction from my body.

With the top of her head, she nudged my chin back, rubbing her face across mine. Her skin felt like fucking velvet as her cheek slipped across my nose, and her fucking scent was spellbinding—tantalizingly. I couldn't even begin to explain. She smelled like vanilla icing, and I just wanted to lick the shit out of her.

Yeah—okay, I had one weakness, and that was anything fucking sweet. Currently, even though she had the gaze of a viper, ready to plant her venomous fangs in my neck, her scent was utterly edible. My fingers curled over the arms of the chair to keep from reaching for Bella, even as a growl welled up in my chest. When her fingers darted into my hair and yanked my head back, her lips floated down the scruff on my cheek, and I could fucking swear her sharp teeth bit lightly into my flesh.

Unable to quell the urge, my face turned in her direction as she slipped down my body. Aggressively, she shoved my knees apart and stepped between them, her warm breast pressing into my face, her hypnotic perfume causing my chest to constrict. I could literally feel my eyes roll as I fought to resist the temptation to touch her.

With a determined snarl, she whispered in my ear, "How am I doing, boss? Any special instructions?"

She didn't give me a chance to respond; turning abruptly, she ground down onto my lap. Completely against my will, the flesh between my thighs leaped to attention as her creamy ass pressed down hard, rotating her hips provocatively. I licked dry lips, my nostrils flared as I followed the path of her G-string between perfect butt cheeks, and my knuckles turned white as my hold on the chair tightened.

She'd asked if I had any special instructions. She'd wanted to know how she was doing. As her pussy came in contact with my zipper, I grunted with approval, saying, "Just like that … You are asking for me to pull that string aside, huh?"

Bella flipped her head around to pass me a glare, and with a flutter of her lashes, she rolled her hips before reaching for her top. With her breasts turned away from me, she slowly removed the trappings that kept her flesh at bay. The second her top fell to the floor, I sat up fast in my chair, my nose coming within inches of her tailbone. I think my fucking fingertips were about to fall off; whitening, they turned numb as my superiority refused to let me reach for her.

"I had a summer lover down in New Orleans. Kept him warm in the winter, left him frozen in the spring. My, my, how the seasons go by. I get high, and I love to get low. So, the hearts keep breaking, and the heads just roll. You know that's how the story goes."

The corner of Bella's lip tipped as the words to the song seemed to be shining down at me through her eyes. On impulse, my lip curled under that coy, teasing expression she wore like a second skin. "Break a lot of hearts, Bella? Maybe this innocence is just a façade. Maybe, you're playing fucking games you have no idea about."

That did the trick. That teasing smile she'd had on her lips melted into a frown. Pleased by the sudden falter in her composure, I felt more in control somehow as her eye darted away from mine. Feeling some of the edge holding me within its fiery grasp slip, I sat back in my seat, turning my nose as if I'd grown bored. Without looking toward her again, I reached for the computer mouse and clicked the stop button.

My jaw clenched as I forcibly kept my gaze averted from all her pliant flesh. "Take your top and get out. You're boring me."

"You didn't feel very bored minutes ago," Bella returned, gesturing to my crotch. "Felt like you were enjoying yourself. Felt it all over my ass, Mr. Cullen?"

"I wouldn't have employed you if you couldn't make a dick hard, Bella." That pissed her off, and once again, I blocked the flash of hurt I saw cross her face momentarily before she regained her composure. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her gather her top, and with a ramrod-straight spine, beat a hasty retreat to the door. Just when she would've ripped it open and stepped into the hall, I hammered the final nail into the proverbial coffin. "Don't forget your money, Bella. That is, after all, why you are here … Remember?"

Angrily, she pivoted on her heel and stomped back to the desk as I shoved to money closer to the edge. Even though I watched her face for any type of emotion, I found none as she shoved the money into her panties before retracing her steps to the door. Without a backward glance, she yanked it open and slammed it hard, rattling the wall.

Contentment settled in my chest as the familiar ice wound through my veins. As all the feeling left me, I finally felt … comfortable.

Refusing to think about that woman another second, I turned my attention to the monitors, and who the fuck catches my attention? Alec Bianci from the Volturi. What the actual fuck was he even doing here?

Still fuming from my encounter with Bella, I shoot Emmett a call. "Why don't you and Zeus escort Bianci into my office?"

"Can I rough him up on the way, boss?"

Pleasure at the mention of beating the prick to a pulp zipped through me. "You can put his brains all over the fucking wall as long as it doesn't get traced back here."

"Be there in a minute." Emmett chuckled before hanging up.

Scratching at the scruff on my chin, I follow Alec's every move as Emmett headed in his direction. It was a well-known fact in our dark little world that I did hits for anyone with enough cash to acquire my services … everyone except the Volturi. That was an unspoken law between the Celtics and the Volturi, considering a large part of my business came from the Celtics.

My fingers drummed on the desktop as I watched Emmett and Zeus direct Alec to my office. With every turn they took, my gaze shifted from monitor to monitor to measure his progress; a slow boil of fury mounted in my gut as I watched Alec come up beside Bella. At this angle, it looked as though the man was asking about her wellbeing, and vague remorse wiggled into my fortification.

Had I offended the woman? Duh, asshole, you insult everyone with your arrogance.

I tried to tell myself it was for the best. Pushing her away and denying this baser need for human warmth, especially when it created this stew of unfamiliar emotion—it was for the best. For who's best? Mine? Hers? I have this distinct impression I'm guarding myself just as much as I'm guarding her. I could lie to her all day long, but disputing her effect on me to myself was a whole different ballpark.

None of the shit mattered one way or another. She is absolutely nothing to me. I don't care how many mind-numbing kisses we shared; she would remain nothing to me. I would be damned if I let some chick walk into my life and change my whole world in the space of a few days. Not happening—now, or ever.

Emmett's gaze shot to the monitor, knowing full-well I am watching, and as his eyes fell away from the camera, he urged Alec past Bella with a heavy hand on his shoulder. Moments later, there was a knock on the door, and the structure swung open to permit Alec into my cave.

I felt my lashes drop as I regarded my adversary through wary eyes. As he moved closer to my desk, Emmett and Zeus hang back, their hands folding in front of them as they prepared to observe the situation, completely ready to handle any hostility that might arise. Cutting to the purpose of this visit, I leaned forward in my chair, and with a snarl on my lips, I growled, "Why are you in my club, Bianci?"

Amusement seemed to dance across his face as he stood watching me. Shrugging, he said, "I just thought I'd stop by and see what all the hype was about. Marcus sends his regards. Said to wave the white flag to Sheamus."

"Why would Sheamus give a shit about any white flag?" I wasn't buying the shit he was selling. Whatever brought him here to DarkStrip tonight was on a deeper level than checking out my girls—talking to Bella like he had a right to touch her. "What are you really doing here?"

"I'd think when his money starts disappearing, he might care a little bit about that, wouldn't you?" Alec pulled the large trench coat around himself, a flash of his gun making an appearance, which I took immediate offense to.

Nodding my head in the direction of Emmett and Zeus, they instantly took action, drawing their guns and holding them close. Alec took notice of his position, yet he chuckled a dry laugh. Another rumble emitted from my chest. "The way you're saying that I would assume you have a hand in Sheamus's money coming up missing. What would you know about it?"

"Just tell Sheamus if he wants his money, he'll have to take it up with Marcus." There was a gloating light aimed in my direction.

"You know what? I will give Sheamus a call and fill him in on that fact." My fingers slipped under my desk and grabbed the handle of my gun. I really just wanted to draw it out and put one in his chest, yet the desire to clean up the mess wasn't particularly an incentive. "It sounds to me like you don't have any useful information. Get the fuck out of my office, and don't let me see you in my club again. Also, if you don't keep your fingers to yourself … I will break them all … one by fucking one."

I'd barely finished speaking before Emmett's hand fell over Alec's shoulder and directed him to the door. Before Alec slipped through, however, he cast a fleeting glance over his shoulder at me, saying, "She is a hot piece of ass, huh?"

Please Review

A/N: So, how are we feeling? Edward is in a sad state of denial lol. Let us know your thoughts and how you feel. Next chapter is supposed to post Friday but really, let's be honest, it'll probably be before that. Thanks so much lovelies and see you later!