Hi Ladies,

Omg. I had the worst scare. I actually deleted this chapter and had to go through hell to retrieve it. Once I did, all the texts were crossed off. I had to google how to uncross the whole document. It was a nightmare.

Anyway, here is the second chapter for this week. I can't always update with two chapters a week for this story, but I will try as often as I can.

Thanks for reading, and please drop me a line and let me know what you think.

Chapter 12

Bella-

"Are you ready to see the results?" Jane asked, smiling down at me. Her visible excitement inspired a giddy rush of enthusiasm.

While I was anxious to see what I looked like, jitters danced in my belly. When I started posing as a prostitute, I'd gotten pretty good at sprucing up, but I'd never been professionally made over before. Blowing a nervous breath, I willed the apprehension in my throat down and nodded as my grip tightened on the arm of the chair. "I guess. Do I look okay?"

The woman caressed the side of my face, and out of reflex, I flinched away. She must've noticed my reaction to her touch because she mumbled an awkward apology, her smile faltering before she took hold of the back of my seat. "You look absolutely beautiful, honey. The burgundy makes your eyes pop. That young man of yours won't be able to keep his hands to himself."

Her comment made knots twist in my gut. Our relationship was a ruse, and she couldn't have missed the mark more, but still, the fear was instantaneous. I blinked rapidly, swallowing my initial response to her statement. My nostrils flared as acid burned inside, but I forced a smile for her benefit. "I bet you are right."

Nothing could have prepared me for the reflection staring back at me when she turned my seat to face the mirror. She'd layered my hair to frame my face, the strands caressing my jaw perfectly while the length in the back remained as long as ever. She'd straightened the back and not even a wisp was out of place. Burgundy and chocolate blended together, the dark locks shone beneath the fluorescent lights, silken smooth and I couldn't help running my fingers through it. The texture was so soft, and beyond anything I could've imagined.

When I finally managed to focus on my face, I barely recognized myself. The stylist had dusted my cheeks and forehead with a powder blending in with my complexion, covering the tiny freckles over the bridge of my nose. Light pink lip gloss shimmered on my lips, and a coal eyeliner had been used to trace my eyelids, making my eyes seem wider than usual. My eyelashes curled, feathering around my eyes, and they were flawless.

I didn't just look like a new person, I felt like a brand new person. It was like I hovered above myself, watching this woman I didn't recognize or know, take my place. It was exhilarating, freeing in a way I'd never expected. Sure, the old wounds were there, and would always linger beneath the surface, but for the first time ever, I felt hope bloom. Perhaps with a little patience, I would be able to overcome my past. This time my smile wasn't all fake when I snuck another hesitant peek at my reflection.

"Anything you would like to change?" She asked, pulling the covering off my chest and helping me from the chair.

Yeah, my clothes, I thought, catching a glimpse of my tattered jeans and the shirt I'd worn yesterday. I was tempted to stare into that mirror at myself all day, but I managed to turn my back on it. "No. I don't think I have ever looked so good. Too bad you're not closer to Chicago. I'd definitely want to come back sometime."

She reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "I'll give you my card in case you ever come back out this way."

I barely heard her, spotting Edward sitting near the window where I'd last seen him. He looked bored out of his mind, and his attention was downcast, staring at the lower shelf. He must've heard our approach because his gaze instantly lifted to mine, an odd light awakening in his eyes as he scanned my face. "Damn. I knew you would clean up well."

The way he was staring at me should make me feel uncomfortable, and perhaps there was a little of that as well, but another sensation I wasn't expecting filled me with his response. Almost pleasure. I'd never wanted a man's attention, or the heat I spied in his eyes, but there was no denying the flutter it caused. A dart of awareness skipped down my spine and a heady fog settled over me, and I nervously dropped his gaze.

I still felt everywhere he looked at me, from the top of my head to the tip of my toes, and I'd never been more aware of the state of my clothes. Pulling the cash from my pocket, I thumbed through the bills to count out the total I owed, warmth spreading through me when he stepped up beside me. "Don't forget to leave her a nice tip, babe," he whispered next to my ear, his fingertips coming to rest on my side.

His touch did strange things to me, even just holding his hand, but the sparks his fingertips ignited were troubling. A part of me wanted to leap across the room, but another wanted to absorb the comfort I was starting to associate with Edward Cullen.

How was that possible? Days ago he'd been my biggest adversary, yet in a matter of hours, he'd shown me more compassion than anyone I'd ever met. If this was part of his ploy to fool his family, he was doing a bang-up job.

Instead of creating as much space between us as possible, I used our charade to my own advantage. For as long as I could remember, I'd erected this wall to protect myself from everyone, yet for just a moment, I wanted to pretend someone actually gave a shit.

Edward's adamant demand that I confide in him who hurt me, made me feel as though he would take on those monsters lurking about. The temptation to spill my guts increased, yet I clenched my teeth to hold on to my secrets. The subtle scent of his cologne teased my senses, and I did take a step away, confusion setting in. Clearing the lump from my throat, I glanced at him, suddenly more aware of the stubble on his jaw. "H-how much should I give for a tip? I've never tipped anyone before."

When his hand dropped away the impression left by his fingers remained, my skin burning beneath my T-shirt. His chest bumped into my shoulder, and he shrugged, his hand dragging through his hair. He had a habit of doing that when he wasn't sure about something I was beginning to realize. Somehow his uncertainty calmed my rattled nerves. "Hell, I don't know, twenty-thirty percent."

"I don't know how much that is," I admitted, staring at the bills. I looked back at Jane, seeking help. "What's twenty percent of one-hundred and fifty bucks?"

"Thirty dollars," Edward answered immediately. His hand was back, the pressure of his fingers urging me to hurry when the jingle of the bell signaled the arrival of new customers.

I handed her the money and thanked her for everything she'd done. Jane pressed a card into my palm with her information scrawled across it, saying, "Call me any time."

I followed Edward out of the salon, catching glances at myself through the window as I rounded the car, and dropped into the passenger seat. I was so enthralled by this new version of myself I nearly forgot wanting to call Alice until Edward reminded me.

"Still wanting to call your friend? He asked, settling into the driver's seat. I didn't get a chance to reply before he reached into the back seat and grabbed a bag. The white Boost Mobile bag caught and held my attention.

"What's that?" I'd barely asked the question before he withdrew a box with a big apple on it.

"A brand new iPhone. I figured you shouldn't have to ask to make a call. The only request I have is that you always answer my calls." As he spoke, he opened the box, withdrawing a silver cell with a shiny screen. He held it up, just out of my reach. "Do we have a deal?"

"You bought me a phone?" I don't know why anything this guy did surprised me anymore. One second he'd had me anchored to the bed, breathing fire and authority in my face, and the next, he was asking me to marry him. Yeah, perhaps it was all a facade, which meant he had no reason to take me to get my hair done or buy me a phone. "You didn't have to do that. I just wanted to let Alice know everything was okay."

Edward's smirk never wavered, pretending to take the phone back. "If you don't want it …"

"I didn't say that," I answered a little too quickly, instigating his full grin. This time I snatched the cell dangling from his fingers, my gaze greedily eating up the silver sparkling beneath the afternoon sun. "I just said you didn't have to."

I'd never been able to afford my own phone before, and I slowly turned it in my hand, poking experimentally at the flat screen. When it popped on, delight

filled me, and I met Edward's gaze. He looked bemused, and suddenly the shyness returned. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he nodded, pulling his seatbelt across his chest and snapping it in place. "Why don't you make your call while I drive us the rest of the way home?"

I mimicked his movements, pushing my seatbelt into the clasp before closely examining the phone. "It says, I need a password to open it."

"Try your birthday, princess," he mumbled, leaning close to look at the screen. "I had the man program it with your personal information, but if you click it here," he explained, pushing the security key, "you can change whatever you want, even the passcode."

After he showed me a few other things on the cell, he backed off, his attention darting toward the mirror as he reversed out of the parking spot. I appreciated the privacy he gave me to explore the cell on my own. Finally, I managed to rip my attention from the shiny new object in my hand. "Edward."

"What's up, babe?" He asked, braking at the red light just before the exit.

Embarrassed, I shrugged, avoiding his gaze. "Nothing." After several attempts, my lips parting and snapping shut, I said, "Thank you. For the hair. For the phone. No one's ever done something so nice for me before."

Sadness entered his eyes, and it hit a soft spot in me. "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" His brow furrowed as he tried to decipher what I was talking about.

"With that pity," I snapped, the burn of indignity stealing the joy I'd felt a moment ago. "I do appreciate everything that you've done, but I don't want you feeling sorry for me. The truth is, I would make it with or without you. I'm just grateful for what you've done. And of course, the opportunity for the next year."

His arm closed around the back of my seat, his fingers hovering above my head. I could almost feel the weight of them on my scalp as he looked out the windshield and directed the car onto the highway. "Bella, what you've been through bothers me more than I can explain, but I don't pity you. I just wish someone before myself had been there for you. I know you can make it on your own, but you shouldn't have to. Even after all this is done, if you ever need me for anything, I'm just a call away. I already programmed my number in your phone."

Lack of courage prevented me from looking at him, but tears misted my eyes. I bit my tongue, the physical pain instantly drying up the moisture, and I brought up the keypad to dial Alice's number. "Well, thank you for everything, and thanks for looking out for me."

I heard him mumble, "No problem." But I was already lifting the phone to my ear, staring blindly at the weeds lining the side of the road when it began to ring.

"Hello?" Alice's cautious greeting filled the receiver.

"Hey, Ali, whatcha up to?"

"Bella? Bell, is that you?" Worry and excitement laced her tone, and I wanted to leap through the phone and squeeze her tight. "Tell me you made it to California before those dicks found you."

"Yeah it's me," I laughed at her choice of wording, casting a glance at Edward. He appeared to be preoccupied with the road ahead and wasn't sparing me any attention. "Actually they were there waiting for me on the bus. I didn't make it far before they had me cornered …"

"What the fuck, Bella? How did you manage to escape?"

"I didn't," I answered honestly. "Edward offered me a way to pay back the money I spent, and a chance to make some extra …"

"Bella," she yelled, cutting me off for the second time. "You cannot trust that man. He beat Mike up right in front of me."

"Who's Mike?" I searched my memory for any mention of someone named Mike when it dawned on me. The guy I'd stolen the bag of cash from. "Oh, him."

"Yeah, him, Bella. Edward is dangerous and you shouldn't trust him," she insisted, fear causing her voice to escalate. "He made me sit there and watch the whole thing. I thought he was going to kill me."

"Ali, please calm down. He hasn't done anything to me. We got off to a bumpy start but everything is cool now, and we're headed back to town. We should be there in a couple of hours." Alice's adamant insistence I couldn't trust Edward increased the confusion I was already feeling. So far Edward had treated me with the utmost respect since our initial meeting. "You are just going to have to trust me on this one, Alice. If he wanted to hurt me or you, he would have, right? But he didn't. Seems I can trust him more than I can those cretins thinking to get lucky for a few bucks."

"You're coming home?" Alice seemed to miss everything I'd said after telling her I was coming back to Chicago, yet her excitement reminded me of where I would be once I got there. "I can't wait to have you back. Irene and I miss you like crazy."

Alice was going to think I was nuts. As soon as I told her I was going to marry Edward and move in with him, she would have a fit. That wasn't a conversation I wanted to have on the phone. "Ali, I have a lot to tell you. Maybe we can catch up in a few days."

"What do you mean in a few days, Bell?" She scoffed. "I miss you like crazy and I want to see you as soon as possible." Hearing her disappointment, I felt guilty as hell for making her worry so long. I should've made this call way earlier. When I detected a hint of worry in her tone, I asked her about it, my stomach turned when she said, "It's nothing really. Rents coming up and I'm kinda freaking out."

"Ali, I will see what I can do. If I can help out, I will." I had no immediate solution to her problem, and I'd promised to stay away from our usual business. Still, I felt obligated to help Alice in any way that I could. That's what friends did, right? Help each other in a jam. I fiddled with my hair, glancing at the silken strands, guilt gnawing at my gut. While Alice was struggling, I was getting my hair done, and a brand new phone—one that was probably a quarter of what we spent for rent. My fingers tightened on the cell in my hand. "I have to go now, Ali. You got my number now, and you can call me anytime you want."

I dropped my phone in my lap when I hung up. I wish I had an answer to help Alice with the rent and any other problem she had. I looked at the phone, considering giving up the shiny gadget to get enough money to help with her bills. Chewing the inside of my cheek, I was lost in thought when I felt a brush against my arm. Edward's forearm rested on the center console, his skin grazing mine. My gaze flashed to his, surprised by the goosebumps rising on my arm.

"Is everything alright?"

"Alice's just worried about paying bills, and stuff. She kinda counted on me to help out." I drew an imaginary picture on the glass screen of my cell. "I feel bad leaving her in a rut. We have always relied on each other."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," he began, his gaze never leaving the road before us. "Things have a way of working out the way they should."

I didn't know what to say to that. Silently I stared out the window, wondering what the future had in store for me. Just a week ago, I never envisioned having anything past that shitty apartment, but now the possibilities seemed endless. The easy glide of the car coasting along the highway grew so comforting that my eyelids became heavy, and I drifted to sleep.

I didn't even realize we'd made it back to town until Edward shook me awake. The unexpected pressure of his hand on my arm was startling, and I jerked away from his touch. Blinking rapidly to bring my gaze into focus, I sat up in my seat, looking from Edward to the buildings all around. "Where are we?"

"We're at the BMV, princess," he stated, gesturing toward the light brown bricks. "Are you ready to get your own identification? Today will be the first day of the rest of your life."

I wasn't sure if I knew what that meant. Was it a good thing—or a bad one? Shrugging, I pushed the door open and stepped out of the car. I hurried to the trunk and retrieved my social security card and birth certificate from my bag. Glancing at Edward over the trunk, I said, "I guess I won't know until I get there."

Please let me know what you think;)