Here's Chapter 3. I won't be updating another one for the next couple of days. Hopefully you enjoy this one in the meantime! Thanks!

******

Chapter 3

JPOV

"And you asked her out? And she said yes? No fuckin' way. Where the hell did that come from?" Emmett elbowed me in the ribs, keeping his focus on the TV. Usually Fridays are reserved to play XBOX with Emmett since he works ten-hour workdays and he had the day off. He was kicking my ass today in Call of Duty.

"I have no friggen' clue. I don't even know what I am going to do with myself. She's gorgeous and sweet. Bella's nothing like Alice," I sighed.

The match ended and Emmett set down his controller while taking mine from me simultaneously. Within a moment I was lifted into the air like a sack of potatoes over Emmett's shoulder as he spun me around and slammed me down onto the carpet. "What the fuck, bro?" I screamed, reaching out to put him in a headlock.

Emmett countered my move, flipped me on my stomach, grabbed my right leg, and sat on my thighs. He pulled up and pain shot through my thigh as I punched him in the lower back repeatedly. "Someone has to teach you to stop acting like such a patsy. Yell 'I am over Alice Fucking Cullen' and I will let you go."

I continued to pound on his back, "You have got to be kidding me! No, I won't..."

He yanked my leg up further while digging his thumbs into my calf muscle. I screamed in pain as I squirmed, but he had more strength than I anticipated. The military prepares you so much, but when you're in a submission hold like this it is hard to get out of. Finally, I gave in.

"I AM OVER ALICE FUCKING CULLEN!"

My legs were released and flopped to the floor. I massaged my calf and glared at Emmett. He smirked and huffed out a laugh, "Actually, her name is Alice Masen now."

I lunged at him instinctively and he held his hands out to grip my shoulders. He stared at me intently, "Someone needs to snap you out of it. It is time to move on, bud. Don't let her win by living like a pathetic loser." That just proved that he had been with my sister for so many years; he even picked up on her vocabulary.

My defenses flared in a final attempt, "I am not a..."

"You are if you let her consume you for another wasted year. This Bella girl sounds nice. Allow yourself to enjoy yourself," Emmett stunned me with his clear words. Usually he tried to throw something nasty in the mix as well. He breathed in quickly, "and get yourself laid in the meantime."

I spoke too soon.

******

My fingers ran through my thick hair yet again getting stuck in its mess of curls. I pulled my hand from my hair and closed my eyes, reaching my hand out to hit her doorbell. My fingers were on the button when I heard a voice call from behind me.

"Who the hell are you?" I turned to face a large, tan man with dark hair. His eyes locked with mine, sizing me up. I stood taller and spread my shoulders back and he continued to speak, "I said, who the hell are you?"

Before I had a chance to answer the door flew open and I turned to face the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen. My eyes dropped to take her in quickly: black open-toed heels, shapely legs that went on forever, a green mid-thigh short sleeved fitted dress that had too high of a neckline, and pink pouty lips that smiled to greet me. That is all I had time to soak up as she turned away from me and took another step out of her front door.

"Jacob, what are you doing here?" she demanded. It certainly was not a welcomed visit.

He swallowed thickly and furrowed his brows, "I came to see you. To apologize...."

Bella cut him off immediately and took another step forward. The dress cut low in back - too low for a bra. I refocused as she screamed, "Apologize for what? For sleeping with Leah, my BEST friend, for the past two years? For the $3000 worth of debt that you racked up on MY credit cards? For telling me that I am not good enough for you over and over and how you wished I could be like this girl and that girl? Which one, Jake?"

He stood there dumbfounded, brows furrowed and red-eyed. Jake's large hands fidgeted slightly, found his pockets, left his pockets and gestured out toward her.

Bella stomped her foot, "Which fucking one, Jake?" Her eyes rimmed with tears, but these weren't the un-shed kind that I was familiar with. These were tears of anger and exhaustion. She sighed as she continued, determined to get the point across, "You and I are through. Done. Please, go home and leave me the hell alone."

Jacob's eyes turned from sad to furious as her words sunk in. He stepped forward quickly, glaring at her the entire time. Bella took a step back and tripped over the welcome mat, falling backwards onto her ass, hitting her head on the door frame slightly. I tried to grab her hand to help cushion her fall, but my attention reminded me that there was a big angry man coming straight for her. I raised my left hand to this Jacob's approaching shoulder.

"I believe the lady would like for you to leave." I growled as my hand gripped his shirt. My eye twitched slightly as I starred daggers back at him, my southern draw challenging him to see what this cowboy was capable of. He breathed in heavily as he tried to step forward again. I took another step closer to him, my other hand grabbed onto his clothing and ripped the top of his shirt.

"You are no longer welcome here. Kindly get the FUCK out." I whispered. Jacob's lip trembled in both anger and defeat as he threw my hands off of him and turned away. I watched him huff off and out of site.

My adrenaline was pumping hard through my veins when I remembered Bella. When I was sure that Jacob was gone, I turned to kneel by her side. Her hands covered her eyes and hair sprawled across the floor. She breathed in short breaths and her bottom lip was turned down, quivering, "I am so sorry that you had to see that. I could so disappear right now..."

Bella made no attempts to get up as she basked in her own embarrassment. My left hand reached under her knees and my right hand slid underneath her shoulders, lifting her easily. Her hands fell to her stomach as she looked around and then up at me, eyes widening. Her hands reached above me and locked around my neck and pulled up gradually trying to get away. "Hang on, sugar. Almost there..."

I set her down onto her kitchen counter and reached up to feel the back of her head for any injuries, tangling my fingers in her hair. She turned her head to allow me to inspect further and I leaned in to inhale her delicious scent. Bella smelled like strawberries and summer. "Is it bad?" she whimpered, leaning into my touch.

My thumb rubbed against the small bump on the back of her head. She must have fallen a little harder than I thought, swallowing hard. "You will be just fine. It's just a small lump."

Bella turned to face me and peered up, searching my face for something. "Thank you for helping me...with him. I just broke up with him two weeks ago but it has been over for years. Finding out about the cheating was my breaking point. I am so sorry..."

My hands left her hair and cupped either side of her face. I leaned in close to her face, "You have nothing to apologize for." Bella's eyes dropped to my lips as she licked her own. I inched my head forward, angling her face up towards mine. My mouth began to water when I felt her breath against my skin; it smelled like mint and, well, Bella. My lips brushed against hers when...

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

I exhaled and dropped my forehead to lean against hers, cursing softly. Bella took a deep breath as her right hand grabbed onto my left forearm.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

"Dammit..." I cussed, again. My hands fell from her cheeks to take her hands in mine to help her jump down from the counter. After she was standing, I squeezed her hand and released it, reached into my pocket and removed my phone, viewing the screen.

Rosalie's cell - Accept or Decline? I glanced at Bella through my lashes as she smiled sheepishly, looking at her shoes and back up at me. She stepped forward to the dining room table to grab her purse and blue coat.

I glanced back at my phone.

Accept - click.