The Art of Redemption: Chapter 3

Hello everyone out there in the fandom! I am so sorry this is coming a week and a half late...it's been a little weird around here for a while. I am posting this chapter to my blog first this time around and it will be up on ff.net tomorrow (Monday). Hope you all enjoy!

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JPOV

“Still thinkin’ bout her?”

I didn’t even answer the fucker…he already knew the answer.

“Well come on then, git some shit kickers on and we’ll go see your girl.”

“She ain’t my girl.”

“You say that now, Major,” he said as he walked out the door. Fucking Peter…thinks he’s a fucking know-it-all.

…
Once in the crowded club, we made our way to an empty table near the bar. Bella was already behind the bar mixing different drinks and talking with the men surrounding the bar; their lust pouring off of them in waves.

“You’re girl looks pretty fuckin’ hot,” Peter said as he stood to extend his hand to his wife.

“Fuck off,” I growled. With a chuckle, he led Char to the dance floor as Whiskey Girl came blaring over the speakers.

I couldn’t help but agree with Peter though. Bella looked good tonight…Bella looked real good in them short Daisy Duke’s, tight tank top that was showin’ just the right amount of her pale skin and…fuck me, she was wearing cowboy boots. Her hair looked like she had just crawled out of my bed and ran her fingers through it. I knew I shouldn’t be havin’ them thoughts about my brothers ex-girlfriend but he walked away from her. She’s free game now.

Sorry, Brother dear.

I continued to watch her, like I had done all week on the balcony outside her bedroom, and still couldn’t figure her out. She had completely changed from the girl I knew before. This Bella, the new Bella, had a quiet confidence that made her sexy as hell. But, she still had remnants of her old self. She still enjoyed reading classic novels, and her normal day-to-day attire hadn’t changed much.

“You do know your starin’ right?”

“Again, fuck off Peter.”

Bella continued to mix and serve drinks behind the bar until an older gentleman with graying hair approached her.

“I need ya on the floor tonight Bella.”

“The tips aren’t as good.”

“Molly wants to try her hand at tending bar.”

“She can do it on my nights off. You know that Drew and I are you’re best bartenders and were runnin’ on a full house.”

“I know but you know the rules, everyone gets an opportunity to tend bar if they want to. So, I need you out on that floor. End of discussion.”

Bella slammed down a shot glass, nearly breaking it, and walked out from around the bar, out into the crowd, glaring at a petite red-head on her way.

BPOV

The club was quickly reaching its Friday night potential and Drew and I were working non-stop behind the bar mixing drinks and slinging beers left and right. Aside from the occasional bar dance, that’s all I did. Friday night was country night here at Vamped so the sounds of country music were blaring through the speakers as people danced on the dance floor. Country night was always a crowd favorite among the above thirty crowd around here so tonight was filled mainly with thirty-something’s, always a plus for Drew and I as far as tips go.

I was in the middle of pouring a round of tequila for one table when my boss, Ray, approached me. Ray was older, mid fifties, with graying hair and a ‘bigger than the world’ attitude. But, Ray was also a fun and fair boss.

“I need ya on the floor tonight, Bella.” Well this was certainly different.

“The tips aren’t as good,” I stated matter-of-factly, still pouring tequila into the shot glasses.
“Molly wants to try her hand at tending bar.”

Molly was one of our new waitresses that Ray had hired. She was always overeager to be working the bar, my guess was to get closer to Drew because let’s face it; Drew is hot. But I didn’t really give a flying fuck what Molly wanted. “She can do it on my nights off. You know that Drew and I are your best bartenders and we’re runnin’ on a full house,” I said, trying to convince the man in front of me. He knew damn well that Drew and I were his best…we were the best because we worked so well together. We had a system…and it was motherfuckin’ golden.

“I know, but you know the rules, everyone gets the opportunity to tend bar if they want to. So, I need you out on that floor. End of discussion,” he said before walking off into the back office, passing Molly on his way. She had a smirk planted on her pretty little face. I slammed the shot glass that I was holding down onto the counter, nearly shattering it, while anger coursed through my veins. I walked the length of the bar, down to wear Molly was standing victoriously. I narrowed my eyes at her and her bout of victory seemed to falter slightly as I approached, “wipe that smirk off your face before I do it for you,” I hissed at her as I walked by and out into the crowd.

I didn’t particularly like working the floor. The tips weren’t as good and people were grabby; way to fucking grabby. I walked through the crowd around the bar and made my way to the tables.

When I finally made my way to the back table, there he was, looking very much like the ‘hot cowboy’ that Drew pegged him as. He was wearing a pair of dark wash jeans and a black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, showing off his muscular forearms. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw him sitting there, smiling at me as I approached.

“You know we don’t serve O negative here, right?” I asked jovially, trying unsuccessfully to keep the smile at bay.

“Oh, I’m sure someone here can help me.”

“Hands off the patrons,” I deadpanned and he laughed and I shortly joined him. “So what brings you here tonight?”

“Well, rumor has it that a really pretty girl that I used to know that works here.”
“Oh really? You probably mean Sarah…unfortunately she doesn’t work Fridays.”

“Funny.”

“Seriously though, what are you doing here?” I asked again.

“I wanted to see you again,” he said with a sexy smirk. I used to accuse Edward of dazzling me…little boy had nothing on Jasper. All he had to do was give me that look and I was completely under his southern spell.

“Well, in that case, I’m off in two hours and we can catch up than. In the mean time, I have to ask, what can I get ya? And for the record, Bella blood is not on the menu.”

“Two beers and a cosmo.”

I snickered. I couldn’t fucking help it. Here’s this really hot manly man ordering a motherfucking cosmo. A cosmo of all things. “Is there something you’re not tellin’ me there cowboy?”

“What? Charlotte thinks they’re ‘cute’,” he explained defensively.

“Whatever you say Pretty Boy,” I said as I smirked and turned towards the bar. I didn’t get very far before I felt a pair of cold, hard arms around my waist and I was flush against ice cold granite.

“There’s a lot I’m not tellin’ you Miss Swan,” he whispered huskily into my ear. A shiver ran down my spine, and it wasn’t because I was afraid. No, I wanted to be closer, so much closer.

Isabella Swan…have you no shame?

No. Not really.

JPOV

“You’re right, you haven’t told me. But you will, in two hours when you walk me home,” she said confidently. There was no fear. No regret. Not even apprehension. The only emotions I could pick up on were joy, trust, and dare I say it…lust. Well I’ll be God damned go to Hell. That’s new.

“Well I’ll let you git back to it then Miss Swan,” I whispered in her ear before letting her go. She sauntered off towards another table confidently without ever looking back.

In true Peter fashion, when I returned to the table, he was sitting there with Charlotte sitting on his lap, full shit eatin’ grin in place.

“I like her. Little kitten got some spunk. What would Eddie think of her now?” Peter asked sarcastically. “Probably couldn’t handle her,” he chuckled. He had a point though; Edward would not know how to handle a woman like Bella. And woman she was.

For the next hour and a half, I sat at that table watching Bella while Peter and Charlotte were back out on the dance floor. I watched as she glided effortlessly through the club, which was now not as crowded. At around one-forty-five, Bella came back to my table. “I just have to change and I’ll be ready to go. I’m getting off a few minutes early.”

“Ok, I’ll a…just meet you out front then.”

She walked off to the back room, presumable to go change. After telling Peter and Charlotte that I was walking Bella home, earning an approving nod from the ever-sarcastic Peter, I made my way outside to wait out front for Bella. It took Bella another ten minutes to come out. She was now wearing a worn pair of jeans, a navy long sleeve t-shirt, and a pair of black Converse.
“Sorry I took so long, I had to tell Drew that I was leaving…and that you were walking me home. It took a while to convince him that I was in fact safe with you,” she said softly, yet confidently. I could not help but wonder how she could be so confident with her safety.

“Drew is your…” I started, hoping that she would finish. I knew the two lived together, but I wasn’t aware of the status of their relationship. And I had to know.

“My roommate; my very, very gay roommate. He also holds the title of my very overprotective best friend.” For some strange reason, that little tidbit of information made me happier than I had been in four fucking years. Bella Swan was single…and she would be mine for the taking. Edward be damned.

While we walked, I told her about what I had been up to for the last four years. We continued to her apartment with the conversation flowing freely between us. That was until Bella got quiet. When I checked her emotions, she was nothing more than curious. “Whatcha thinkin’ ‘bout over there Darlin’?” I asked as we continued to walk down the sidewalk. I could smell and hear the blood rush to her cheeks.

“Nothing,” she said quickly. I eyed her speculatively but said nothing.

“So what brings you to Albuquerque?” I asked. I was just as curious to know why she was here as she was for the reason I was. I could tell she was warring within herself, her emotions said everything. There was pain, more pain than any one human should have to endure. I found myself wondering what had happened in the four years since I had seen her last.

“School,” she said sharply, trying to hide the pain that I knew she was feeling. I wanted to know…but I said nothing. “This is me,” she said as we stopped in front of her apartment building.

“Well my momma would be rollin’ over in her grave if she found out I didn’t at least drop you off at your door,” I said and I felt Bella’s lust increase. With a shy smile, she began walking up the stairs with me following closely behind her. I really, really tried not to stare at her ass. I really did. When we reached the door to her apartment, she fumbled with her keys before finding the right and unlocking the door.

“Would you like to come in?” she asked, stepping into the dark apartment.

“Nah, I gotta git goin’. I still have some uh…other things I need to take care of tonight. G’night, Bella,” I said. I felt of her disappointment; she wanted me to stay. For some reason, disappointing her was the last thing I wanted to do. Before she could say anything, I spoke up. “On second thought, there’s really no rush. I’d love to Darlin’.” She smiled slightly before opening the door further and flipping on the light.

“Feel free to make yourself at home, I’m just going to go make something to drink,” she said as she shut the door. I gave her a smile before she walked away to, what I would assume to be, the kitchen.

I went to the entertainment stand to see what kind of movies Bella was interested in. On one side, she had the modern day chick flicks, a few dramas, and a ton of action movies. The other side held historical movies. I was surprised to see almost every movie ever made on the civil war. It was at that time that heard the annoying chirp of the teapot in the kitchen. I could hear Bella pouring the water into a cup and the clanging of a spoon against the ceramic cup. A few seconds later, she came walking out into the living room with her cup of tea. “So is Drew some sort of civil war buff?” I asked as she came to stand next to me.

“No,” she said quietly, before taking a sip of her tea. “Those are mine.”

“So you’re the civil war buff then? I just don’t see it; Edward said you had a passion for readin’.”
She shrugged her shoulders before saying, “you never asked. In fact, Edward never asked either, he always just assumed that my greatest passion in life was reading the classics. He was wrong though. The civil war is most definitely my greatest passion in life.”

“Then we share that in common,” I said with a chuckle. Since Bella hadn’t said anything, I assumed that Edward had never told her about my past, for which I was grateful. Now that I had the chance, I wanted to be the one to tell her. But before I could say anything, I felt a sudden wave of excitement coming from Bella.

“Come on, I want to show you something,” she said excitedly, slipping her small warm hand in my larger one. I was surprised by the gesture. During our time before her eighteenth birthday, I would have never dreamed of being this close to her. Yet here I was, holding her warm, delicate hand and it felt so right. She led me across the living room to a locked display case. “I don’t keep this locked up during the day when I’m here but I keep it locked up tight when I’m not here or sleeping,” she said letting go of my hand. I immediately missed the warmth and comfort from her touch. She unlocked the case and opened the door. I felt her pride and adoration swell.

The case held things I would have never expected. Inside the case was history…my history. Spurs and bits from the confederate cavalry, confederate belt buckles, bullets, bayonets, and even campsite equipment like coffee pots and canteens. I reached out for a belt buckle but pulled back, not knowing how Bella would react. “It’s okay. I trust you,” she said quietly. I gingerly picked up the belt buckle and examined it carefully. The ‘CS’ on the face of the buckle had little wear and was in beautiful condition and the back of the buckle had all three original belt hooks intact. “It took me a long time to find one in that good of condition. But, I finally did.”

“How did you get all of this?” I asked, putting the buckle back in the exact spot it was before.

“I bought most of it here and there; you’d be surprised what you can find at garage and estate sales. Some of it, mostly the bullets and what not were found at Confederate camp sites or battlefields,” she explained while walking over to the couch and sitting down, folding her legs underneath herself. I followed suit and sat across from her in the overstuffed chair.

“Bella, about your eighteenth birthday-” I started but was cut off by Bella holding up her hand.

“Don’t, Jasper. Please, just don’t. I just got my life back together,” she whispered so quietly I wouldn’t have heard her had I been human. Then I felt more pain and despair than any one person should have to endure. I knew when Edward left her, it would break her heart, but never in a million years did I expect this. And it was all my fault. “Stop that,” she said softly but forcefully, “I know what you’re feeling Jasper,” was I projecting? “And you’re wrong. Nothing is your fault. Nothing that happened to me is your fault.”

“What are you talkin’ ‘bout Darlin’? What’s goin’ on?” A single tear rolled down Bella’s cheek before she wiped it away.

“Can we talk about this tomorrow? I’m really tired and it’s a long fucking story? Please?” she begged, I could feel her desperation.

“Sure, Bella. Why don’t you go change into your pajamas and I’ll lock up your display case so you can finish your tea and git to bed. We’ll talk more t’morrow. Deal?”

“Deal.”

She set her cup of tea down on her coffee table and got up from the couch before going towards the back of the apartment towards her bedroom. I went over to Bella’s display case and took a closer look at all of the artifacts. Every single item in the case was from the Confederacy; not one single Union item in sight. I would have to ask her about it tomorrow. I shut the doors to the display, and locked it up.

A few minutes later, Bella came out wearing a worn pair of sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt. Even in its simplicity, she looked beautiful.

“I should git goin’, I still have something I need to take care of,” I said, handing her her cup of tea.

She took the cup and smiled. “Thank you for walking me home tonight Jasper,” she said while walking towards the door. When she got to the door, she opened it up and smiled at me, “I really do appreciate it.”

“It was my pleasure Darlin’,” I said. I leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Have a good hunt,” she said before closing the door. I heard her squeal and felt her joy right after the door clicked closed. I smiled to myself before taking off down the stairs and into the night.