CHAPTER 05

"So, how's it going? Missing us at the Black Ranch?" asked Jacob, leaning across the table, slightly, as he casually picked up his large coke filled with ice. I shivered and wrapped my gloved hands around my hot chocolate and smiled across at him.

"I miss you," I said, quietly. "Not so much the ranch to be honest." Jacob laughed, not offended in the slightest.

"Are they treating you right?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he said this. I smiled again and nodded.

"They treat us all really well. We get food, toiletries and clothes provided as well as a bit of a wage too, so it's a good way to live. And the other girls are nice." I chatted away, telling him about Rosalie and Alice, who had become the main people I talked with. He listened, a half smile on his face and then squeezed my hand across the table.

"It's great you're doing well, Bells. I was worried about leaving you there that first day; you looked so scared. But I knew you'd fit right in, didn't I?"

I nodded and then looked across at him, shaking my head.

"Jake, are you not cold? I mean it's minus ten out there today and you're in t-shirt and jeans. What gives?"

He glanced away, shiftily and seemed to stiffen for a moment, but then he visibly forced himself to relax.

"I'm a hot-blooded male; of course I'm warm enough. Not my fault you've turned into a sissy girl working at Twilight." He laughed when I slapped his arm lightly. "It's nice to see you smiling, Bells. Thought I'd lost you for a while there."

"Lost me?" I queried, but then dropped my gaze when I thought of how I had been when I lived with him. The months on the streets and what happened before that had made me edgy and defensive. He squeezed my hands.

"You want to get something to eat?" he asked, distracting me from my train of thought.

"Sure, why not? Might as well make the most of my day off," I said. He got up and led me out of the small cafe.

"I know a great steak house just down the way. They do chicken too if you'd rather."

"Sounds great," I replied, just happy to spend a bit of time with him. I followed him into the restaurant and we were taken to a table by a friendly waitress. Jacob ordered his steak rare and I ordered a chicken and pasta meal. We chatted amiably until our food arrived and then sat quietly, enjoying the food. When we were done, Jake ordered drinks and we stayed for a while at the table.

"Well, look who it isn't!" said a voice that made me cringe. I looked up, pleading that it not be who I thought it was. Luck was not on my side as I looked up into the blue eyes of Michael Newton. Jacob glanced across at me and could see by my face I was not happy at the interruption. "Not speaking to me, Isabella?"

"Excuse me, we are trying to enjoy a quiet drink," said Jacob, as politely as he could.

"You know, I was enjoying one of those the other month until your girlfriend poured a beer down me," replied Mike, his eyes narrowing.

"That was an accident," I said.

"Oh, now she speaks." He leaned across the table so that his face was close to mine. "Think I'll request your personal services next time I'm at Twilight. Maybe I'll pay for the manager's booth, keep you to myself all night long." He spat the words at me like a threat and I leaned back away from him.

"What the hell is your problem?" asked Jacob, getting to his feet. Mike turned around and raised an eyebrow at him cockily.

"At the moment, my problem is you. I'm trying to have a conversation here."

"Seems like a very one-sided one to me," said Jacob. "I don't think the lady has much to say to you."

"Lady?" sneered Mike and I realised at that point that he was drunk. Jacob grabbed him by the shirt, but I stood up.

"Jake, let's get out of here," I said, grabbing his sleeve. "Please. He isn't worth it."

"You go, but next time you're working, you'll be at my table, serving me all night," slurred Mike.

"I wouldn't count on it," muttered Jacob, but I pulled on his arm and pulled him out. When he was calm enough he whirled to face me. "Who the hell was that?

"Mike Newton. He's a regular at Twilight. He came in with a stag party a month ago and tried to get me in a whole heap of trouble after he barged into me and I dropped his drink down him. Don't worry; everyone knows he's a sleaze. They only let him in because of his wallet. If he does request me, Emmett will be there watching his every move. And it's not as if I haven't had to deal with a lot worse is it?"

His eyes narrowed at my added comment and I silently willed myself to believe the words I was saying. Jacob sighed and put his arm around me.

"If you're sure..." he said. I nodded.

"I'm sure. I'll be fine, Jake. Don't worry about me."

It was me that had to worry just a week later when, true to his word, Michael Newton paid for the manager's booth and insisted that I be his waitress for the night. He arrived just after eight and I could tell he was already a little inebriated as he took his seat in the booth.

"I will have a beer, preferably in a glass and not in my lap," he said, with a sneer, when I asked what I could get him. I just stopped myself from rolling my eyes in time and headed to the bar. Emmett sidled up beside me.

"Play nice, Isabella. I know the guy is a jerk, but he's paid a lot to have you to himself tonight."

"I don't know why," I muttered. Emmett grinned.

"Probably because you weren't dazzled by him when you first met him. I'm keeping a close eye on him, ok?"

"Thanks, Emmett," I said, shyly and then headed back to the booth.

"I want you to stand just there, Isabella," said Mike, leaning back in the seats and looking up at me over the brim of his glass. "And watch me while I drink my beer."

I did as he said without a word. If that was all he wanted me to do, I could manage it. But I kept my gaze lowered to his glass, not wanting to see his smug face. He suddenly moved his hand to his thigh and drummed his fingers there for a moment. I watched his hand as he moved it along the table in my direction, but he skimmed away before he touched me. Weirdo, I thought.

"Can I get you another drink, sir?" I asked, politely, when he had finished.

"Yes you can, Isabella, yes you can," he said. "And trust me I'll be watching that sweet ass of yours all the way to the bar."

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes and walked to the bar as quickly as I could. To my surprise, the man with the bronze hair was sat on a stool, drinking a Jack Daniels. He glanced up when I said my order and I flinched at the animosity in his gaze. His eyes were pure black. Keeping his eyes fixed on me, he suddenly slammed his glass down, pushed his stool back so hard it fell over, landing close to my foot and stormed away. With shaking hands, I picked the stool up and looked in the direction he had headed, but he was gone. Michael however was still leering at me from his seat in the booth, so with a sigh I picked up my tray with his drink and headed back, knowing I was in for a long night.

"I can't believe there's another two hours to go," I muttered to Rosalie, who was at the bar when I went back for his sixth drink. "He is such a jerk!"

"Why what's he done now?" she asked, glancing back at him.

"He keeps moving his glass further back along the table so I have to bend across to get it. Then he just sits there staring at my ass and groaning to himself. He's such a pervert!"

"He hasn't touched you though?"

"I think he knows Emmett is watching him," I replied, glancing across at the huge security man standing just feet from the table I was serving, his eyes flickering over to Newton every few minutes.

"Hang in there, Bella. I'm up next; maybe I can distract him."

"Maybe," I muttered as I headed back to my own private hell. Rosalie tried her best for me when the dancing started. She focussed her efforts on the manager's table and for twenty minutes, Newton's attention was taken by her beautiful figure wiggling provocatively right in front of him. A small smile formed on my lips until I saw the look on Emmett's face; he looked like he was ready to kill someone and at that moment my money was on Rosalie.

"Thanks," I whispered. "But watch out for Emmett. He didn't look too pleased."

"He never does when I do my lap dancer impression," she replied, with a grin, apparently a lot less concerned by the enforcer than I was. He stopped her as she went to walk backstage though and they seemed to be in a fairly heated discussion.

"Hey, waitress! Attention here if you don't mind," slurred Mike. "Get me another beer. Now."

"Of course, sir," I said, smoothly, though by now I could quite happily have poured a barrel of beer over his head, never mind a glass.

As I turned to head back to the bar, an eerie silence filled the club, as the double doors swung open. A red headed woman strode in, with a dark skinned man, whose dreadlocks hung to his waist. They both scanned the bar area and the woman's red lips curved into a sneer as she laid eyes on me. I took a step back, my heart thudding painfully in my chest.

"Please no," I whispered, but my attention was suddenly caught by Mike, grabbing my arm painfully in his hand. He twisted my skin when I didn't immediately respond to him and I gasped, but couldn't tear my eyes from the door.

"Hey, waitress, service!" he slurred. A figure walked in through the door between his companions, blonde hair tied into a ponytail at his nape, eyes hidden behind a pair of shades. His t-shirt was so tight fitting that his sculpted chest might as well have been bare. My hands were shaking so much that I dropped the silver tray I held with a clatter. Mike got to his feet. "Look, bitch, you're supposed to be serving me, not ogling other men..."

"Shut up," I murmured, my eyes never leaving the man who had just walked in.

"What the hell did you say?"

I glanced across at him.

"I said shut up," I snapped. Security were approaching the three figures at the door and I heard someone state that their kind wasn't welcome. The man at the door removed his sunglasses, his red eyes fixing on me briefly. He took a single step forward and pointed his shades at me, sneering, just as Mike Newton's closed fist struck me in the mouth. The trio who had walked in disappeared as swiftly as they had appeared, Newton was tackled to the floor by security and a pair of strong hands lifted me from the floor, carrying me back to the office area behind the club.