A proposal? What the fuck was he talking about?

My orgasm-addled brain could barely think straight as it was, I think the sight of Isabella on her knees before me was permanently etched into my mind. God, that was the most erotic experience of my life. Those beautiful lips wrapped around my cock looked so perfect. And those fucking amazing innocent brown eyes looking up at me…. I felt my cock twitch at the mere memory. My hands kept moving towards her with no conscious command to do so and I had to restrain myself from reaching out and touching her. The caveman in me just wanted to grab her, run and keep her for my own. She was amazing. Stunning. Perfection.

"…. What do you say Mr Masen?"

Shit. I had completely missed whatever Cullen had said whilst fantasising over his girlfriend.. Or whatever the hell she was.

"Sor…" My voice cracked pitifully and I cleared my throat, trying again, "Excuse me… I missed that Mr Cullen…" I couldn't make the words come out as strongly as I'd intended. Instead I sounded like a whiny, chastised little boy.

"I asked how you'd feel having Isabella for your own?"

Huh?

"Umm… Sorry…?"

"What am I not making clear here Mr Masen? Are you interested or not?"

I frowned, had I missed an entire fucking conversation? I glanced towards Isabella where she knelt still as a statue at my side. No help from there….

"Im sorry Mr Cullen, I'm not sure I understand exactly what you're proposing… you want me to do what exactly?"

Carlisle Cullen sighed exaggeratedly, running his hands through his hair. I grimaced internally, not wanting to piss him off. I remembered what happened last time. He had told me I could touch his Isabella this time though, practically forced her on me dammit!

"Its quite simple Masen. Isabella is now surplus to requirements. I have replaced her with Esme here", he looked at the woman almost cowering at his side, I could swear his gaze held affection but it was clearly not returned, "and she is proving to be a most acceptable replacement, yes my love?" he questioned the woman, stroking his hand gently through her hair. She physically flinched away from him. I couldn't work out what the hell their relationship was. Clearly some dom/sub thing, though she acted more like a slave. Each to their own I guess… But… did that mean, Carlisle, Esme AND Isabella had…. The thought made me shudder, I didn't want to think about Cullen like that at all.

"Anyway, as I was saying Masen, I have no more need of Isabella. I have had an offer for her from the Volturi's but I've seen you looking at her and I had an idea you'd be interested, what do you say?"

I just gaped at him. Was he offering for me to buy Isabella? Like a fucking used car? No longer needed so pass her off to the next owner?

"You want me to… to… purchase her? Buy her from you?" I don't think I disguised the shock in my voice very well if Carlisle's irritated retort was anything to go by.

"Masen, do you have any idea what that little slut at your feet cost me? Two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars boy! Not to mention the four years I have spent turning her into the perfection you see before you. What exactly do you expect me to do with her? This is business Masen" he snapped.

"Umm.. yeah, I suppose so.. But.. I cant afford a quarter of a million dollars Mr Cullen, not even close".

Cullen did another one of his exaggerated sighs and I felt like an idiotic child not understanding simple math. I didn't like it one bit, it always felt as though Cullen had the upper hand in every one of our interactions. I guess, in reality, he did.

"Masen, don't be stupid. Even Isabella cant hold her value that much unfortunately. No, she is going for a rock bottom, bargain price… but I sure as hell am not handing her over to the Volturi's for that fucking price they offered me…"

He seemed to be talking to himself more than me, ranting on a tangent. I had heard of the Volturi's. I knew enough to know that you didn't cross them. They were bad news and into some fucking horrendous shit. Drug smuggling, arms dealing, human trafficking… wait… was that what was going on here? Cullen had bought Isabella, that's what he said. He wants to sell her to me… Where the fuck did this girl come from? I'd always assumed she was his girlfriend from our limited interactions, he sure was possessive as hell of her. But this… I couldn't get involved in this, could I? I looked over at Isabella, I could see the slight tremble in her body. Whether from fear or from having to hold the uncomfortable, rigid position for so long I didn't know. I gave in to my desire and let a finger run gently down the length of her arm to where her hands were clasped behind her back. I pried them gently apart, taking her left hand in my right and rubbing slow circles into the palm. It seemed to soothe her as the trembling ceased. That pleased me. I looked back up to see Cullen staring intently at our joined hands.

"So… If I didn't purchase her… and she went back to the Volturi's, what would happen to her?"

I noticed Isabella flinch in my peripheral vision. Was this something she feared, being returned to the Volturi?

"Well… The offer they gave me was a fucking insult considering how beautiful and well trained she is", Carlisle huffed, "they always have a list of people wanting returned goods at discount prices, people who cant afford the freshly plucked virgins…" his gaze fell upon Isabella, full of lust and plenty of smugness. Fucker. "They'd sell her on at a profit, more than likely to some high-class brothel.. a pimp maybe… Fuck, theres plenty of sick people who'll pay just to have a sexy young body to torture and fuck…. I don't know where she'd end up, it would be out of my hands…"

I looked over to Isabella again, and saw a single tear sliding down her cheek. She didn't make a sound, no sobbing or wailing like I was used to dealing with whenever I was around crying women. She just suffered in silence. I reached over and wiped the tear away, her eyes flashes briefly in my direction before falling to the floor again. I finally dropped her hand and sat forward in the chair, resting my elbows on my knees.

"Ok Mr Cullen… What sort of figure are we looking at here?"

He smiled at me. Ever the perfect businessman.

"For you Masen, I'd let you have her for 30k".

I drew in a breath. I knew it would be something like that. I sighed as I sank back against the chair.

"I cant afford that Mr Cullen…." My voice was quiet but he heard me.

"That is a fucking bargain for her Masen", he snapped angrily.

I rubbed my hands roughly over my face – thoroughly deflated now. A wonderful gift dangled so tantalisingly within reach then snatched away…

"I know it is… I know.. But I just cant afford that. I work in fucking finance Cullen, and not the profitable side either! I barely make more than that in a year…. I just cant find that kind of money however much as I may want to… I plug numbers into a fucking computer for a living… I just… cant…"

I looked over at Isabella and she looked… disappointed…? Great. Had I let her down too? Fucking perfect. I was such a fucking failure.

"I know very well what you do for a living Mr Masen", that got my attention and my eyes snapped up to meet Cullen's, "just as I know that your father is the Chief of Surgery in the largest hospital in Chicago, and your mother is the only daughter of the most wealthy man in Chicago".

It briefly crossed my mind that I should be angry at Cullen digging through my past but then, what did I expect? If he associates with the Volturi, God knows what else he's into. Of course he would want to know everything about everyone. Best not to make a scene about it, I found that I very much valued the use of my fingers these days.

"With all due respect Mr Cullen, that means exactly fuck all. I have not seen nor spoken to either of my parents, or my extended family, in over 5 years. I am completely cut off from their money. And even if I wasn't, I couldn't really go to them and ask for thirty grand to buy myself a woman to fuck could I?"

Cullen laughed. The bastard laughed at me!

"No, that wouldn't be advisable I'm sure. But, I'm also sure that a smart young man such as yourself could find a perfectly reasonable excuse to need that money… with the right incentive…" he smirked at me again,"Is our lovely Isabella not incentive enough?"

I couldn't do it. I could not ask my father for money. I wouldn't do it.

"Is there nothing else I can do? Another arrangement we can make?" I fully realised I sounded like a whiny little asshole. I was beyond caring. I desperately wanted Isabella. Just the thought of her being handed around like a common whore made my blood boil. She was MINE dammit. I wouldn't have her changing hands like a piece of fucking meat.

Cullen sat back into his chair, smug smirk on his face. He reached his hand out to Esme again, gripping around the back of her neck and pulling her towards his crotch. She didn't need any further instruction, just started unzipping his pants before pulling his already hardening cock out and stroking it. I swallowed thickly, not sure where to look. My eyes flashed back up to meet Cullen's, his smirk was still in place as Esme lowered her head to take him into her mouth. He closed his eyes briefly, groaning softly before looking back at me intently.

"There is something you could do to sweeten the deal Masen…."

CHxCHxCHxCHxCHxCHx

Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter, your comments are much appreciated as always, but… I need more reviews! They help motivate me to get on and write! Lets have a deal… 6 reviews for this chapter and then I'll update? With the amount of readers this story is getting it shouldn't be difficult at all but people seem to be reading, but too shy to review! Come on, I don't bite…! Maybe some thoughts on where you see the story going? What you like or don't like? Anything…?

May I also apologise for the slow update, I didn't lose power (yay!) but I did have an exhausting weekend after an exhausting week at work and just didn't have the motivation to sit down and write – I need to be in the right mood it seems!

Oh, and for those of you reading and thinking this is disturbing and crazy, maybe I should share with you the truly traumatising movie I watched this weekend. I am a really horror movie lover and do enjoy a bit of gore in my movies, I cant deny it. But this film… Wow. It was one of the most disturbing things I've ever sat down and watched, but I couldn't stop watching! Not gory exactly, but I have never even come close to feeling physically sick whilst watching a movie – until this one. I think I actually retched at one point (or ten!). Lovely! That's the last time I ever take movie recommendation from the guys at work…!

Anyway, I recommend NOT watching it unless you want to be permanently mentally scarred. But if you choose to, its on youtube and called Saló. And to anyone who's already watched it. Well done for surviving it!