"Yes Master." Edward replied breathlessly as he dropped to the floor in the kneel that he was taught. As he studied the floor, the daintiest pair of bare feet with perfectly painted pink toe nails appeared, and he secretly grinned. He loved to play with Bella.

Master Carlisle had total control of the young subs he has so carefully chosen. They were prefect together and pleased him often. He looked at them, knowing what they wanted, yet held the prize just out of reach. Edward was on his knees, head bowed with his hands at the small of his back, while Bella stood directly in front of him, staring intently down at the coppery disarray of his head.

"Isabella?"

"Yes, Master," she replied instantly.

Master Carlisle smiled at her eagerness. "Have you been a good girl today?"

"Only if you say so, Master."

"Then by all means Edward, please show my lovely little pet how a good girl gets rewarded!" Master Carlisle smiled as the subs connected like magnets, all arms and hands, teeth teasing and deep moans. He backed into the chair in the corner of his playroom and sinks down into the plush leather. As he watched his subs, he sighed in utter contentment.

Everything is perfect.

"Thanks again Carlisle, Bella will be the perfect addition to the scene." James, a Dom Carlisle has known for years, guides Bella to his waiting car by the diamond studded leash he has attached to a new collar that fits snuggly around her flawless neck. "I'll bring her back in two week, once we return from Vienna. I'll call you when we land; I know how you worry about your pets." James gave Carlisle an indulgent smile.

"Isabella," Carlisle calls to his beautiful sub, halting her in her tracks. She quickly looks up and over at her true Master. "Remember what we discussed. James is going to be your Master for the next two weeks, serve him as you would me. Do not disappoint me, Isabella."

Her forlorn look is replaced by determination. "As you wish, Master." She is ushered into the car, followed by her temporary Master. Edward peeks up and watches the car drive away, the most uneasy feeling creeping up his spine.

It wasn't until two days later, several phone calls, and a racing drive to James' now abandoned estate that Carlisle has to face the startling truth. James has fooled him (and apparently a lot of fellow Doms) and taken six of the best female subs and disappeared.

There was never a flight to Vienna, nor a play party. No one knew where he went with the kidnapped subs, but it rocked the community and especially one sub in particular.

Edward dreamed about her, yelling out in his room, begging James to bring her back. Many nights Master Carlisle would bring his wary and frightened sub into his own room, which was never allowed, and he would rock Edward as he cried for her.

Edward couldn't preform in scenes anymore, his heart just was not in it. He would get angry and frustrated with females who tried to seduce him, and could only be calmed by his Master's touch. One particular play date, Edward refused to even acknowledge the fiery red head. She became angry that his mind was only on Bella and she slapped him for his wayward thoughts. He grabbed the closest crop available, forcefully bent her over her own Master's knees, and proceeded to whip her raw.

Carlisle tried to stop him but Victoria's Master, Aro, only put his hand out to stop Carlisle from interfering. He watched in rapt attention as Edward poured his anger into the whipping. Aro knew Victoria could endure it, so he let it continue for several minutes.

Once the first whelp rose to a thin red line that produced a single, ruby red drop of blood one her creamy white skin, Aro brought his hand up and caught the crop before it could land again.

"That would be enough, dear boy." Aro smiled up at the red faced Edward. "She is hardy, tis true, but we shall never make our submissives bleed… on purpose."

Edward looked deep into the Dom's eyes, and saw something in their depts. That he could not understand.

"Excuse us, please dear friend. Edward has not been himself since Bella has been gone." Carlisle shook his head, paused to compose himself, and raised his head with a new purpose. He stocked to Edward, yanked him by the collar and forced him to his knees. "You will apologize to Master Aro for your inexcusable behavior!"

While Edward was held by the neck, his hand tightened on the crop he still held. He didn't want to apologize, realized with a start. He wanted to punish the whore more for touching him without his consent. But why? What was happening to him?

"NOW BOY!" Carlisle yelled, pushing him further down until his forehead was smashed into the wood floor, ass in the air.

Knowing he would have to sort his feelings out at a later time, Edward moved to the leather boots in front of him. "Please forgive my outburst, Master Aro. I do not know what has come over me." Edward kissed each boot and Carlisle released him. But he knew his place, even though he had momentarily forgotten in, and stayed kneeling at Aro's feet.

The dark haired man leaned over the now forgotten sub who was whimpering on his lap to touch Edward gingerly on the head. "I understand by boy. Submissives need to be punished when they misbehave." He kept his hand on Edward's bowed head and looked knowingly up to an enlightened Carlisle. "Any Dom knows that."

The next say Carlisle and Aro began to groom Edward into a dominant. First off, how to control himself, because if he couldn't do that, then how can he control a submissive? Patience, respect, responsibility… all of these came naturally to him and he was a very quick study.

Though his training he always centered himself around on thought- Bella. When she came back (he never considered that she wouldn't return, it hurt too much) he would beg Carlisle for her, kneel before him once again and probably for the last time. But only for Bella…

Master Edward walked slowly around the sub he had chained to his play room. With the black silk blind fold covering her eyes, the small brunet reminded him of his precious Bella. Although it had been seven years, he thought of her every day. Her chocolate eyes shining as she sat across from him at the breakfast table every morning. Her soft skin, sliding across his own as they played out their Master's fantasies. The way her hair would-

"Master Edward?" the sub's soft voice whispered, breaking his daydream.

It took every ounce of strength not to beat the sub unconscious. He took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. This wasn't working today; it didn't work last week or last month either. "Red." He muttered his sub's safe word so she knew the scene was over. "I'm sorry, I can't do this."

Edward reached up to unchain the girl and caught sight of the tattoo on his inner wrist.

Not now!

After her insistence that no after-care was necessary, he promised to call her and sent her out the door. He leaned against the door, and looked around the large custom built house. It was decorated exactly as you would expect a CEO of a major pharmaceutical company's home to look like. But only a few knew of the play room. Master Carlisle, Master Aro, and a few subs that came and went. Although he was a successful Dom, no one girl could keep his attention for long.

Bella. He only wanted Bella.

Edward moved to the living room and switched on the large flat screen above the fireplace. He didn't take stock of what teams were playing, he didn't even care. He sat heavily on the overstuffed, dark brown leather couch and threw his arm over his eyes.

Will I ever get over this? Over her?

He slowly opened his eyes and lifted his arm up. And there it was. The tattoo that he and Bella both got to surprise Master Carlisle for his birthday.

C.C.

The black, blocked letters stared back at him. So simple, but it summed up his life pretty well. He shared the same tattoo with Bella and it was a constant reminder of his roots. Because if it had not been for Carlisle Cullen, he wouldn't have pursued his dreams, gone to college to study business, become a dominate. But it was so perminate! When he woke in the morning, brushed his teeth, when he got dressed, drove to work , signed documents, drank his coffee, ate his food, unlocked the door, changed the channel! Every time he MOVED! It was there… SHE was there! It didn't even dawn on him that the fat tears were sliding down his cheeks until they landed on his chest. He didn't care, it didn't matter, NOTHING MATTERED ANY MORE!

Two weeks later, Edward was shaking hands wand sealing a very profitable deal when the receptionist interrupted his fare wells. "Excuse me, Mr. Mason. You have an important call."

"Thank you, Alison. Gentlemen, I appreciate your time and we'll be in contact soon." Edward ushered the last executive out of his thirty-fourth floor office door. He turned back to the receptionist, "What line?"

"Line three, it's a Detective Black."

He walked quickly to his private office and closed the door behind him. Walking over to his large desk, he reached across and hit the speaker button. "Hey Black! What's the word on the streets?" He walked over to his bar and began to make himself a congratulatory scotch.

"Hey Mason, you busy?" Jacob Black was a mutual acquaintance through Carlisle, although he didn't know about his private life. They hit if off right away, their love of good bourbon and baseball cementing the friendship.

He took a generous sip, winched as it burned going down, and then smiled appreciatively at his glass. "Just finished a multi-million dollar agreement, but you know, it's all in a day's work.

"Sure Sure, "Jacob rushed, "Look, I came across a case today and I think you need to know what's going on."

"Ok." Edward moved to his desk and started looking over a new medicine proposal. "What's up?"

"So there was a drug bust going down at the abandoned factory out by the docks. Except there weren't just drugs Edward. There were girls too."

Edward hated the thought of a drug and prostitution ring in the city he called home, but sometimes these things happened. "Wow, so I bet your men are prancing around the precinct, huh?"

"That's not why I called! Well, it is, but let me finish!" The detective seemed irritated, not his usual style. "I'm sorry Jacob, please continue." Edward laid down the file and gave his full attention to the voice coming from his desk phone. Something was wrong.

Jacob went on in a rush. "We were collecting the girls. There were four of them in all. Not in any shape for doing what they were being forced to do. Extremely underweight, dirty, and sick… it was terrible."

"Hey Jacob. I'm sorry man. You ok? Do you need my help? Alice helps coordinate the battered women's shelter over on Ward Street, I can call her and-"

Jacob cut him off mid-sentence. "There is this one girl, Edward…" His heart stopped. What about this 'one' made Jacob call him? "She has brown eyes, brown hair. And a tattoo Edward. Just like yours."

It only took Edward fifteen minutes to get to the police station. The chaos of the drug/prostitution bust had the four minute wait Jacob to come through the double doors was almost unbearable. The fact that Bella was mere feet away, behind those doors, he felt like he was going to combust out of happiness, anger, fear… he didn't even know!

Jacob waved him over and they entered the long hallway that lead to offices, interrogation rooms, holding cells, and the like. Edward looked frantically from side to side, room to room, trying to spot her.

"Edward, listen," Jacob grabbed him by his arm to stop him. Once he had his friend's attention he continued. "You didn't let me finish." The detective was referring to Edward's rushed 'I'm on my way!' followed by the dial tone. "I don't know what your connection is to this girl, but you have to sign in to speak with her. There are procedures-"

"Her name is Isabella Marie Swan, age twenty-nine. She was born in Forks, Washington. Her mother died during child birth, her father was killed in a car accident when she was seventeen. She was awarded custody to her father's best friend and college buddy, Dr. Carlisle Cullen. She finished high school and moved with Cullen when he transferred to Chicago Memorial as their chief of surgery. She was a volunteer at the hospital and was attending college so she could be a teacher." Edward took a much needed breath. "She loves kids."

"Uhm, yeah. Ok." Jacob looked quizzically at his friend. "Give me your license and five minutes."

Fifteen minutes later Jacob led Edward down two different halls and into a room that had one way glass overlooking a conference room. He scanned the broken girls and various police and medical personnel. "Where is she Jake? I don't see her. I thought you said-"

Just then he heard some people enter the room behind him. He whirled around and there she was. Under the matted hair, dirty shirt, ripped jeans, and police issued grey blanket.

"Oh my God… Bella?"

She tensed at the sound of his voice and peeked up to his incredulous face. Her defeated eyes met his only briefly before she quickly found the ground again. "Bella, it's me. Honey look at me, please! Oh my God, I can't believe you're here!"

The female police officer spoke quietly to Bella. She nodded minutely and they moved to the table. As she sat down, he noticed she winced and straightened her right leg so she could lower herself to the padded chair.

When Jake and the other officer left, Edward moved slowly to the chair on her left side and sat quietly. He reached out his hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. She shied away from his touch and broke his heart.

"Bella, sweetheart are you ok? Please tell me what happened. I was so scared Bella." Edward started to break down, tears tracking silently down his face. "You didn't come back…" He laid his head on the table in front of her, sobs wracking his now exhausted body. "You left and you didn't come back!"