Chapter Nine

A/N: First and foremost, characters belong to the lovely Stephenie Meyer. Secondly, The Pin-Up Girl belongs to me, Cozmedic.

I want to apologize in advance for being a little long-winded on my “Notes & Props” this chapter, so bear with me, but all this has to be said, before we begin…

**Notes: The stunning Ava Gardner was a brilliant actress, most noted for her role in Robert Siodmak’s “The Killers”. She was married to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw, and lastly, Frank Sinatra. All three marriages were short-lived, lasting only a year, her longest being to Frank Sinatra, which lasted for 6 years. Snowdrop and Angel were nicknames that Ms. Gardner went by frequently.

**Props: I have to give uber-thanks to Mary for her kick-ass review of this little fanfic on Segment 3 of her video show, The Cougar’s Den. Mary, you are the Rockin’-est glam gal and I love ya!! If anyone hasn’t read Mary’s newest fanfic yet, Sunset Serenades, you better do it because it is fucking awesome!!! ;)

Also I am giving a huge shout-out to Carolyn, who has coined Heidi as the “Mood-killing Bitch”…hunny, it stuck, so I used it. Love you for that, girl!

And again, thanks to Brenda…my editor, my inner governor, and my sis.

Chapter Nine –

Heidi looked at Bella and me expectantly. I didn’t know what to say. I was stunned. Heidi was supposed to keep her ass in New York until, at least, Sunday. It was only eleven in the morning on Saturday. Besides, can’t the bitch knock?

“Hey, this isn’t--” I began. Heidi held up her hand, palm out to me.

“I don’t care Edward.” She turned her sights to Bella’s red face, beginning to take off her smart white gloves, “Isabella, darling, I know this is none of my business, but since Mr. Cullen here is only thinking with the head inside his pants, maybe you can be the little voice of reason that I have so unsuccessfully tried to be myself.
Bella’s arms unwound from my neck. She crossed her arms and stared at Heidi with a snarky expression, “Heidi, we’re grown adults-”

Heidi interrupted, holding her palm up to Bella in the same silencing gesture she had used on me, “Isabella, darling, obviously neither of you has had a coherent thought cross your mind. Allow me to put this in perspective for you both. I do not care about what you do in your personal life or for the duration of your career. That, darling, is Jacob’s job. On both counts. My job is to care what happens to his career.”

Heidi took a drag off of her cigarette, stepped between Bella and I, and turned the water to the kitchen faucet on. The water dripped carelessly over the burning butt of her cigarette. She threw the butt in the trashcan and rubbed her hands together, “Isabella, darling, go get dressed.” Heidi looked disapprovingly at Bella’s attire, grimaced than continued, “Edward and I need a moment to discuss this turn of events.”

Bella looked at me, than back at Heidi. Her lips pressed into a hard, thin line. As Bella passed, she gave Heidi a cold look, “This is none of your business.”

“Oh, sweetheart, this situation has become all of my business. I keep his pretty face out of the rags,” Heidi replied coldly, never taking her hard, calculating eyes from my face.

Bella stormed out of the kitchen, leaving Heidi and I staring at each other.

“And it looks like I’ll be keeping your beautiful ass out of the rags as well, so start getting used to it being my business!” Heidi called after Bella, a look of amusement beginning to pull at her beguiling eyes.

I could feel the heat that had ignited in my gut begin to boil up to my face. I was hot, flushed and ready to pull Heidi’s arms out of their sockets and beat her with them. I probably looked like a goddamn cartoon, with smoke coming out of my ears and everything.

I lit another smoke, trying to regain some sense of self-control before I spoke. But I couldn’t hide the ungracious edge in my voice. “Heidi, what the fuck are you doing here?? And since when are you allowed to waltz in and out of here like you own the place? Just because you live on my property in the house next to Felix does not give you any right to come into my house at any time. You’re my assistant.”

“I am not only your assistant, but I am also your public relations gal that keeps your cute little ass out of the rags, sweetheart. I have this town by the balls.” Heidi turned a perfectly manicured eyebrow skyward.

Frustration rocked me to the core. I was furious. Taking three steps towards her, I stood toe-to-toe with her contemptuous glare, my green eyes burning into hers, my nose just an inch from hers. I screamed in annoyance at her cool, collected taunting, “I should fucking fire you!”

“You should, but you won’t.” She retorted, her eyes never wavering from mine.

“And why won’t I?” I screamed back. I was seeing red.

“Sweetheart,” Heidi began with her smooth, cool voice, “I am not having another press debacle on my hands like the one three years ago. Do you remember that?”

Condescending bitch whore. That’s why I didn’t fire her.

I sighed, taking three steps away from her callous expression. I rested back against the countertop. Whispers of faint memories began to cloud my head.

Snowdrop.

“Twenty-two year old Edward Cullen beds twenty-five year old Ava Gardner in the midst of her divorce from Mickey Rooney!” Heidi arms flailed up to the heavens in emphasis.

“Snowdrop was a peach, wasn’t she?” My lips curled into a wicked grin.

“Snowdrop? For Pete’s sake, Edward! Stop acting like a twelve year old!”

I chuckled at Heidi’s response. Heidi could never stand Ava Gardner. I had assumed it was because Ava was beautiful and ballsy. Just like Heidi.

But not Isabella. Isabella was phenomenal.

“Ava was a stupid mistake. She liked to play around, is all. If she had kept her mouth shut, it would’ve been kept a secret.” I returned.

Ava liked to play around. A lot.

“Yes. Ava was a bit of a tramp.” Heidi said softly, more to herself then to me.

And I was young, dumb, and full of cum.


“I wouldn’t go that far. I think Ava just has a problem being alone. She went from Mickey to me to Artie within just a couple years. And now she’s got Frank…who the hell knows how long that will last.” I shrugged indifferently. I could have given two shits about Ava.

I wasn’t a fucking monk before Isabella. But none of that mattered now.

“Are you done analyzing her Edward? I mean honestly, I could give a rat’s ass about Ava. I give a damn about you.”

You only give a damn about your career, Heidi. I have always been secondary.

“My career.” I corrected.

“Exactly.” Heidi replied in a curt tone.

Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner folks!

“Everything will be fine, Heidi.” I knocked a long line of grey ash down the drain of the kitchen sink. Trying to reassure Heidi was like trying to bathe a cat in cold water. Damn near impossible.Bella is different. Every other woman meant next to nothing compared to Bella.

Was I a bad person for thinking that? Was I a bad man for not caring about any other except for my Bella? No one could compare to her. No one could hold a candle to her. Not Ava, not anyone.Who fucking cares about my goddamn career, anyway? Without Bella, I’m nothing.

“Edward,” Heidi sighed reluctantly admitting defeat, “I know you have the hots for this glam gal. But please, she is dangerous. Jacob…”

“Jacob won’t be a problem, Heidi.” I interrupted with an irritated edge to my voice.

Heidi always looked out for one person.Herself.

“I know you and Jacob have a history, Edward…” Heidi let my name just hang in the air like an undisturbed dust mote floating through time.

“But?” I prompted with the same aggravated tone. Heidi always spoke her mind, whether I wanted her to or not. This time would be no exception, I was sure.

Heidi sighed, taking one of her Pall Malls from its silver cigarette case. She tapped it with a gentle hand against the case before she put the delicate paper to her lips, “Jacob has a temper, Cullen. He can obliterate your career into dust.”

“Jacob won’t need to know about this--”

“Unless she intends to leave him. Then it will be crystal clear. Look, it’s none of my business, Edward. Whatever you think is best for the two of you. But please, give me a small break and be somewhat
realistic-”

Bella reappeared in the doorway to the kitchen in a deep purple circle skirt, a black cinch belt and a thin peach short-sleeved wool sweater that clung to her breathtaking bosom. Her black kitten heels tapped lightly on the linoleum flooring as she crossed the kitchen to stand by my side.

I couldn’t help but smile at her bravery. Heidi was a mean-spirited bitch. It took a lot of guts to stand up to her.

Mine and Bella’s first stand together. The first of man, probably.

Bella smiled at me, than looked at Heidi, her voice almost a whisper as Bella’s dainty fingers began to lace through my own, “Heidi, maybe you should let Edward and I take care of this. He loves me. And I love him with all of my heart.”

“Isabella, darling, do not be so goddamn naïve. You’re not a kid. You’re twenty-three years old. Be a realist, for God’s sake.” Heidi’s irritated stature was starting to rub my nerves raw.

“Fuck, Heidi, give it a rest.” I snapped to Bella’s defense. I had had enough of her holier-than-thou bullshit for one Saturday morning.

For the rest of my fucking life. Shit, I should just fire her.

Bella held up her hand, mirroring Heidi’s earlier theatrics. Her voice even, her eyes bearing down on Heidi, “So is this where our uphill battle begins? With a stone-cold gold-digging bitch-of-an-assistant?

I turned my head slowly to look at Bella. She stared at Heidi with an air of smug satisfaction, and a.grin spread slowly across my lips.

Brave. Sexy. Smart. Beautiful. Broad. Goddamn I love you, Isabella Swan.

Without a thought, I spun Bella into my arms and kissed her. Hard. Tongue and everything.

Take that, Heidi. Mood killing bitch.

Shocked, Bella’s hands tangled into my bronze locks, her lips relaxing into mine. Bella’s soft tongue began its tortuous seductive exploration of my mouth.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

Heidi cleared her throat.

Twice.

I tore myself away from Bella’s warm kiss, looking up at Heidi, “Oh, Heidi, darling, I forgot you were in the room.”

Priggish. Smug. Pompous. I knew the look on my face expelled all those things towards Heidi, as I held Bella in my arms.

Heidi crossed her arms, looking all too annoyed with me.

“Nice, Edward. So glad you two have that out of your system. Now, Isabella darling, what do you plan on telling your dear sweet Jacob?

My jaw clenched as Bella stiffened in my arms at the mention of his name.

Jacob.

Heidi’s cigarette was burning down to her fingertips. She took one more aggravated drag, than smashed the butt into the dark gray ashtray in the center of my round table. She sat down with a huff in one of the four red vinyl seats, crossed her legs with evident annoyance and sighed.

With her thumb and forefinger, Heidi began to pinch the bridge of her nose as she spoke. Now she was speaking more to Bella than to me, “Do you plan on divorcing him when he gets back from this little business trip? And how are you going to pull off your public displays of affection? You know the two of you have the Heffner party the night he comes back? And let’s not forget the Edith Head soirée this evening? Are you going together or separate? Do you even have a plan or were just running with this by the seat of your pants?”

“What is this? The goddamn Spanish inquisition, Heidi? Fuck! You make it sound like we’re going to be skipping into these things holding hands.” I was damn-near disturbed by her firing squad of questions.

“She’s right Edward.” Bella released me and sat next to Heidi at the round table, crossing her legs in a comfortable fashion. Bella gestured to Heidi’s cigarette case, “May I?”

Bile began to rise into the back of my throat.

She’s having those second thoughts.

“Help yourself, darling. Lord knows we’ll be here a while.” Heidi gave Bella a genuine smile.What?!

First, Bella finds her brave-and-ballsy backbone, and now she is cow-towing to Miss Bitch.

Counting the cost, Cullen. Ticking off the pros and cons.

“Bella?” I questioned standing in shock. What was she thinking? Is she going to back down now? Is that all its going to take to push her from my side? A slight nudge from Heidi?

“Edward, sit down.” Bella began, lighting her smoke.

I sat down like a petulant child. Heidi smirked shamelessly like she had cracked Bella over the head with a cube of lead crystal.

Almost out of affirmation of my love, I took Bella’s hand in mine. Bella continued all the while looking straight into my eyes, so I could see the tears moistening her own. “Heidi, we have a love so pure, so genuine. You can’t deny us that.”

Oh, God in heaven, thank you. Her love is real and defined. And here she is, shouting it from the rooftops.

Internally, I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Nice sentiment, but love doesn’t pay the bills, darling.” Annoyance still plagued my insides. I wanted to throw Heidi out on her pretentious ass.

Bella’s gaze shifted to Heidi’s, unrealized tears disappearing only to be replaced with a look of fire yet wrought with provoked deception, “We need your help. We need your experience and expertise in the fine art of mind-fucking the rags in this business. At least until I can get my divorce. We need you to be on board with us. We can’t do this without you.”

Bella’s divorce?

She was leaving him. Just like that. The words just poured out of her pretty lips as if it were the most natural thing in the world for her to say. Like a beautiful concerto of bravado. My heart skipped in jubilation.

A pompous grin began its journey across my face. It was either from the word ‘divorce’ or from how she was playing Heidi. I couldn’t distinguish which at this point. All I knew was that I was skipping like a little kid out of a candy store with the biggest bag of chocolate in the world.

Bella was knowingly choosing her words with careful utterance. I couldn’t help but smile with a conceited tug pulling shamelessly at my insides.

Heidi’s precious deviant little ego could be played. It just needed to be by the right person.

My little vixen was playing Heidi. Fighting fire with fire.

Like a piano in a beautiful orchestra of trickery and deceit, my Bella was using her irrepressible charm on Heidi’s weasel-like disposition to get her to help us in our little affair.

My heart flinched at the word.

Affair.

Classic dictionary definition: A romantic and sexual relationship, between two people who are not married to each other.You can always call it an act of subterfuge.

It sounded like we were doing something dirty. Acting in some wicked pool of deception.Fuck, if you aren’t, Cullen. She is a sexy, wicked little thing that you love and adore more than your own life. Someone you would be willing to wade through numerous hoops of smoke and mirrors to be with.

That’s more than an affair. It’s an act of the heart.

Heidi looked from me to Bella, than rolled her eyes in apathy as if admitting a sick sort of defeat to Bella’s unprecedented act of ego handling, “Edward, you have my word. I will help you and Isabella in any way I can, but when Jacob comes back…you need to prepare yourselves. Your quote-unquote, dare I say it, ‘love’, will have to endure the wrath of Jacob, the rags and ultimately, the public, if this case of dirty laundry gets tossed to the outside world, which I will assume it will.”

“I’m leaving him, Heidi.” Bella declared, sitting up a little straighter, tightening her grip on my hand, as if reassuring me. Her skirt crumpled delicately under the smooth movements of her legs crossing and uncrossing in Bella’s feeble attempt to hide her not-so-subtle creases of worry that were plaguing her delicate facial features.

“Isabella, darling, don’t be so quick to throw your illustrious career down the crapper after one night of lust and desire.” Heidi returned coldly.

“Heidi, please, this started long before last night.” I lit up another cigarette for Bella and myself, “Besides,” I continued, “What did you think? We were going to fuck for a few months and that would be it? I’ve loved her since the first moment I laid eyes on her.”

There. Now I was declaring my love for Bella to someone else. This was real, goddamn it.

Bella gave my hand another small squeeze.

I love you.

Heidi propped her elbows on the table and began to rub at her temples. She closed her eyes, sighed deeply and replied, “Alright already. If this goes south, you two are going down in flames on your own. I won’t even throw you a goddamn rope. I’ll throw you a goddamn gas can to encourage full disintegration.”

“Your kindness touches us both, Heidi.” Bella responded sourly.

Heidi’s eyes shot open like a rush of adrenaline spiked her heart, “I mean it, Cullen. Jacob is fucking dangerous. The contacts he’s made…” her voice faltered. Heidi seemed as nervous as a cat in a room full of hungry dogs.

“Why are you all so afraid of Jake? What’s the worst that can happen?” Bella inquired, with almost too much innocence.

“All of our careers…gone. You’ll have to live on that love you two have, Isabella, darling. And I’ll say it again, love doesn’t pay the bills. Especially the way the two of you spend money.”

As if done with the conversation, Heidi stood up, walked into the living room, slammed two cabinet doors and returned with two square crystal glasses and a bottle of Jack Daniels. She set a glass down in front of Bella and one in front of me. A cascading amber waterfall swished gently into each glass. I looked at Bella and shrugged.

A firing squad with our last drink and a smoke resting between our lips.

Heidi held up the bottle of whiskey, in the gesture of a toast.Blindfolds, check.

Bella and I copied her actions raising our glasses simultaneously.

Heidi replied, “We’re all going to hell together, kids. Ready for the ride?”

“Any last words?” The grim reaper whispered in my ear.

Heidi clinked our glasses with the neck of the bottle, looked me in the eye, and tilted the mouth of the bottle to her tinted red lips.

“No last words, Cullen?” His dead expression chilled me.

Through her gaze, I knew not to trust her. Heidi was only out for one person…Heidi. No one else. And I couldn’t begrudge her for that. Heidi had said it. If Bella and I went down in flames, she would be the first person to throw us the gasoline and stoke the fire.

“Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer.” I replied.

Bella placed her hand on my knee, filling me with a surge of confidence. We would overcome. Our love would prevail. It had to.

“Ready……aim…”

I watched Heidi over the rim of my glass. She had no loyalty, unless you were an asset.

“FIRE!!!”

Bella and I followed suit, clinking the crystal as if we were making a pact. A pact to love and to protect each other under all circumstances. One final resolution.

Ready for the ride to hell, my sweet Bella?

We tipped the drinks to our lips and poured the harsh liquid down our throats, slamming the glasses to the table in unison.

Bella’s eyes burned bright with passion as her gaze locked onto mine.

Fuck yes.