One, two, three and four
The devil's knocking at your door
Caught in the eye of a dead man's lie
Start your life with your head held high
Now you're on your knees
With your head hung low
Big man tells you where to go
Tell 'em it's good
Tell 'em okay
Don't do a goddamn thing they say

-Heaven Knows by The Pretty Reckless-

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

"Come on Bella. Behave. You promised!" Izzy hissed quietly.

Paul grinned. Any normal man would have run to the nearest car, hopped in and sped away. But, he'd promised to get to know her- them- so he'd follow her lead. He stood, waiting patiently for the door to open.

Izzy sighed and pressed her forehead to the door, taking a minute to collect herself. When she was ready, the door was opened and she grinned to Paul. "Hey, Paul. Come on in." She said with a grin.

Paul grinned and crossed the threshold, closing the door behind him. "I got a double bacon burger with extra bacon and onion rings for you. Hope it's alright." He teased.

Her eyes lit up and she all but moaned. "It's PERFECT! Thanks." She gave him a peck on the lips before taking his hand and leading him to the living room.

They sat in a comfortable silence, each of them enjoying their food. Paul couldn't help but watch her. She intrigued him and he admitted to himself at least that he was falling for her a little more each time he saw her. She was sassy, smart, inquisitive- yes- but at the same time she was cautious and a little shy too no thanks to Bella. He smirked when she caught him watching her and chuckled when she arched an eyebrow in question.

He shook his head and took a bite of his own onion ring. When they were gone he began fiddling with his napkin. He didn't honestly know what to say right now. They hadn't really talked before even though they got along great- it had always been small things. If he wanted this to progress he needed to spend time with her and really get to know her.

"You ok, Paul?"

He grinned. "Yeah… just thinking."

"About…"

"Would I get smacked if I told you it was about how hot you are?" He wondered with mirth in his eyes while he teased her.

Izzy smirked. "Nope." She grinned. "Wouldn't mind that at all." She purred.

Bella huffed though she refrained from commenting. She'd made a promise to try and get to know him.

"I was actually wondering…" Paul stopped himself.

"Yeah?"

"Sam is having a party at his house later on tonight… you wanna go?"

Izzy grinned. "Sure.. You know you don't have to be so nervous, right?"

"Yeah, well…the things I wanna do to you right now.. I'd rather not get smacked." He teased.

She laughed and shook her head. "You don't have to be nervous." She reiterated.

She popped her last onion ring into her mouth with a sexy smirk and sat back to watch him shift in his seat. When she was finished eating, she took their trash to the kitchen and threw it away before coming back and grabbing his hand. She smirked when he arched an eyebrow but stood and followed her anyways.

"Don't look so skeptical." She grinned.

After she'd grabbed two outfits from her closet, she walked towards the bathroom before throwing a grin over her shoulder at him. He shook his head and made himself comfortable on the end of her bed, grinning when he heard Bella hissing about Izzy's behavior. His girl was a little on the crazy side, but he was starting to love it.

Wait… HIS girl? LOVE it?

Paul sighed. He needed to stop those thoughts for a little while longer. She wasn't his.

Yet.

A throat clearing brought his attention to the doorway. Izzy stood in a burgundy red halter top with black straps across the front of it, a leather mini skirt and knee high stiletto boots. "I have another outfit to show off too… but… what do you think?"

He drew his tongue slowly over his lower lip as his eyes took in the outfit. "I like it." He answered honestly. "Like it better on the floor." He muttered.

She shook her head. "Yeah, but it's not having the usual effect on you." She grinned.

He smirked. "Wear that when I take you out later this week?" He mused.

She paused for a minute with her back to him before throwing a sassy wink over her shoulder. "No promises." She grinned.

Paul chuckled and shook his head. Before he knew it, she was back in front of him looking every bit as sassy and sexy as he'd ever seen her. His eyes roved over her body, taking in the outfit- a corset top littered with buckles and zippers, a low rise pair of black cargo pants that hugged her curves and bore the same zippers and buckles across the thighs down to the shins, a pair of black combat boots and a pair of fingerless gauntlet style gloves riddled with the same buckles. All in all, Paul was shifting in his seat trying to find a way to readjust himself. Izzy looked completely bad ass and he loved it.

"Yep! There's the reaction I wanted." She teased.

Paul smirked. "You're missing something you know."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

"I'll show you when we get ready to go." He said sauntering over to her.

Her eyes searched his as he caged her against the wall. Her chest started to rise and fall just a little quicker when he invaded her space. Before she could ask him what was going on, his lips were on hers, her body was pinned with his, and she felt just what she'd done to him.

Paul was smirking when he pulled away from her in order to fill his lungs with air he so desperately wanted. "You should finish getting ready. I'm gonna go wait in the living room for ya." He grinned and smacked her rear end lightly causing her eyes to widen slightly.

It took her no more than ten minutes to finish getting ready, her outfit completed with a spiked choker with a heart in the center, handcuff earrings and light makeup- mainly mascara, eyeliner and clear lip gloss. She walked out to the living room and slid into his lap with her arms around his neck. She grinned coyly when he arched an eyebrow.

"It's early yet…" He mused.

She wasn't disagreeing. "Uh huh…" She cajoled.

"Pool hall?" He asked.

She grinned. "It could kill a couple hours. You sure you wanna lose to lil' ol' me?" She teased.

Paul grinned. "I think I can handle you."

"You sure?" She teased.

His arms wrapped around her waist as he stood, pulling her up with him. "Think so." He grinned when she laughed.

Her ID, money and key to her apartment went into her pocket after the front door was locked. She was mildly surprised to see that Paul had waited at the bottom of the steps for her, but grinned none the less. He stopped her when they got to his bike. "I told you, you were missing something… close your eyes?"

She eyed him before her eyes closed. Her eyebrow was arched in question when she felt something heavy draped over her shoulders. When she was told to open them, she was shocked marginally as her eyes took in the black leather of his jacket covering her arms. Waves of Bella's subtle guilt filled her briefly as his comment of never having let any other female wear it came back to her.

"Your jacket." She didn't need to say it, it was obvious enough, but she couldn't help the giddy feeling. He was really trying.

"Come on. Let's go kill some time before Sam's party." He said with a grin.

(~_~_~_~)

They'd just sat back down after a dance with Izzy planted firmly in Paul's lap. Both of them were sweaty and Izzy's cheeks were a little flushed as Embry offered them drinks to cool off. He merely shook his head at the two. He was taking a break from mixing drinks to enjoy time spent with friends.

Jared merely smirked and pulled Angela into his lap. He'd been watching Paul with Izzy since they'd gotten to Sam's and he could only shake his head at the two. "How long you two sitting down for?" He teased.

Izzy's reply was cut short by an indignant gasp. "Pauly! What are you doing with that tramp?!"

Paul groaned and looked pleadingly at Sam and Jared. They merely arched their eyebrows. They knew better than to mess with Lauren. She'd caused problems with Sam and his girl enough as it was. Jared just didn't want to hear her and was looking forward to watching Izzy put her in her place.

Izzy growled and opened her lust hazed eyes to stare at the bottle blonde in front of them. "Paul isbusy. You need to shoo little fly." She said before dragging Paul's lips to hers for a heated kiss.

Jared watched as Lauren's feather's ruffled. Things were about to get interesting..

Lauren yanked Izzy away from Paul, a frown on her hastily reapplied lipstick coated lips. "No you listen, and you listen GOOD. Pauly isn't going to be busy with you anymore! He's MINE and you need to back. Off."

She missed Paul's shudder of repulsion. He didn't want to be claimed by anyone other than Izzy and maybe her counterpart, Bella- when the time was right.

He watched on- much like his friends as Izzy moved closer to Lauren. "I'm only going to say it once, bitch. So listen good. Take your cheap ass away from Paul, and don't touch me again. Lord knows what you may have gotten and from where. Paul left you. If you can't get it through your head, he doesn't want you. Now, unless you want that nose job messed up- not that it's not already- touch me again. Otherwise, go back over with the other sluts." She said just loud enough for Lauren to hear her.

Lauren's name being called saved them from anymore drama. The girl turned to look and saw her friend Jessica waving her over. "Tyler's looking for you!" She shouted.

Lauren turned to Izzy who was had perched herself back on Paul's lap, staring at her with a smirk.

"We're not done yet skank." She warned.

"We never started, bitch." Izzy mused.

Lauren turned on her heel a little too quickly and collided with a tipsy brunette. She screeched when the contents of whatever the brunette had been drinking splashed down the front of her person. Izzy let loose a peal of laughter that was quickly caught onto by everyone around her.

It was just the motivation Lauren needed to cross the floor and let her hand fly. Izzy's head whipped to the side with the force of the slap before all activity seemed to stop. Sam placed a hand on Paul's shoulder while Embry grabbed his arm. Jared was caging Angela to him while they all watched to see what would happen.

Izzy merely chucked. "Is THAT all you can do?" She asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I told you, Paul's mine, bitch." Lauren huffed. "Now take your trashy ass out of here."

"Since WHEN do you get to order people around? Last time I looked garbage belonged outside!" Izzy growled. "By the way…"

Before Lauren could say anything, Izzy's fist had connected to her jaw in a solid right hook that sent the girl sprawling to the ground in shock. Sam jumped in after that to send Lauren home telling Jessica that if she wanted to come back she needed to do so without Lauren. She was no longer welcome in his home- not that he'd invited her in the first place. He turned back to Izzy and told her to get some ice for her hand, trying to hide the smirk on his face. The girl had balls, he'd admit.

Paul chucked and followed her, grabbing a towel from a kitchen drawer before filling it with ice. "So… are we going to be the next MMA champion?" He teased.

"Oh hush. It was self defense. She struck first." Izzy shrugged.

Paul grinned. "Bet Bella loves that response huh." He mused.

"She'll survive. Ow.." She whined when he started prodding at her hand.

He chucked. "Sorry. It'll probably bruise."

"It was worth it." She grinned.

He couldn't help but kiss her then, grabbing her by the waist and lifting her to the kitchen counter. She just didn't know what she did to him, or if she did, she was an evil temptress. He pressed his hips to hers, relishing in the small groan that escaped from her throat. His hands wound into her hair, carding his fingers through the silken tresses. He was so completely turned on by the bad ass persona she was portraying right now.

A throat clearing pierced the sexually charged bubble they had created around themselves, bringing them back down to the ground. Sam and Jared only smirked.

"How's your hand, Izzy?" Jared wondered.

She shrugged. "A little bruised. I think it'll be ok." She teased.

"That was funny as shit, you know that right?" Embry said from behind them.

Paul groaned. "Cock blockers…" he muttered.

"You know you love us." Sam teased. "You mind if we borrow him for a few minutes, Izzy?"

Izzy shook her head and grinned. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom. I'll be back in a few." She told Paul, giving him a small kiss. It wasn't too long before Angela was following her.

Paul shook his head and mused that where one went, there were always two or three others to follow. Women just seemed to need to travel in packs.. Groups.. Clans.. Mobs.. He couldn't think of a word to describe it. It was scary as hell but oh so very funny at the same time. He merely sighed and leaned against the counter while his friends smirked.

"Think Lauren will listen?" Sam mused.

"Nope." Embry grinned. "Girl's not the brightest crayon in the box." He shrugged.

Paul only groaned. "I hope for once she does. I don't wanna deal with her damn annoying ass, and I'd rather see Izzy in my lap than fighting… hot as it is."

"So… you talk to Bella yet?" Jared grinned while Sam and Embry chuckled.

Paul rolled his eyes. "Soon, you fuckers."

"Ten bucks says your ass wusses out, man." Sam teased.

Paul rolled his eyes. "Fuck you, Uley." He grinned.

"Hey, I got twenty that says he'll be alright." Jared offered.

Paul shook his head. "And you call yourselves my friends."

"So if I lay forty down to say you'll be fine I won't be a good friend?" Embry smirked.

His eyes rolled again and all Paul could do was laugh. They merely grinned. Embry had been filled in on Paul's feelings before the party and only wished him good luck before going back to mix more drinks for everyone. Sam left to find his girl, telling Paul to talk to Bella soon.

Jared only sighed. "He's right you know… all bets aside."

"Yeah… maybe tomorrow. Tonight… I wanna have fun with Izzy." He smirked before heading back out into the living room.

By the time Jared made it back into the living room, Paul and Izzy were wound around one another again as they danced in a corner. Paul's hands were on her waist pulling her back into him as she leaned her head on his shoulder. The look on her face was one of glee as he whispered in her ear while one of her hands bent backwards to keep his head where it was.

He sighed and prayed that things worked out for them because he had to admit, even if it was only to himself, that they were really sort of perfect for one another.

At least Izzy was. He'd yet to pass judgment on Bella. But he mused that she was kind of perfect for Paul too. In her own way at least.