STORY-WIDE DISCLAIMER:

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS THE TWILIGHT SERIES AND ITS CHARACTERS. WE'RE JUST BORROWING THEM BRIEFLY FOR THIS FANFICTION STORY, WRITTEN FOR FUN AND WITHOUT MONETARY GAIN. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED.

AUTHORS' NOTE:

Hello there, and welcome to the first collaborative effort from PearlyFox and maniacalmuse! We've been working hard on this story for a few months now, and are so excited to finally share what's been brewing deep within our dirty minds. Now, as it says in the summary, this is a BDSM fic, and it's a whole lot more than a little spank and tickle. So if you come along on this adventure with us, please buckle up and prepare yourselves for a fair amount of filth and kink. We mean it. Okay? Don't say we didn't warn you ;)

We have an amazing team of pre-readers helping us out behind the scenes, henceforth to be known as the "Status Quo Crew." They are: creaatingmadness, Hotteaforme, LadyTsukiko, Princess Treacle and Reader4Lyfe. So much love to them for their time and amazing feedback!

Are you all ready for this? We sure are! So without further ado, we present to you, STATUS QUO . . .

CHAPTER 1

(Bella)

"Alice, I need you in my office now," I demanded as I strode past my assistant's desk and into my own richly-decorated space. The soft, creamy walls and dark furniture, accented with fine fabrics and hints of warm brass, usually felt comfortable and welcoming to me, but now it all seemed oppressive. Heavy. A weight I couldn't shrug off. At least not without . . .

Ever diligent, Alice jumped up from her chair and followed me into the window-lined room on the corner of the building's top floor, closing the door behind her. "What is i—"

"Alistair is moving!" I said desperately, cutting Alice off. "He told me Friday night. I have one more session with him and then it's over!"

"Oh dear," she muttered, watching as I dumped my coat and purse on the high-backed chair behind my desk and immediately began to pace the room. "Just like that? With only a week's warning?"

"Just like that!" I cried, throwing my hands in the air. "Nearly two years with the man and then he decides to just take off with barely a moment's notice! How could he do this to me?" I'd spent the weekend home alone, alternating between shock and denial, but now that I was saying the words out loud, it all became real. Too real. Panic bloomed in my chest, my breath turning to short, ragged gasps.

Alice came to me immediately. "Hey, hey! It'll be okay," she said, grasping the tops of my arms firmly and locking her gaze with mine. "I know you liked him, but this was a total dick move. He of all people should have known this wouldn't be easy for you. We can fix this, though. We'll find you a new Dom. A better Dom."

I sniffled against the tears threatening to spill onto my cheeks. "I don't know if there's such a thing," I said quietly. "He really got me, you know? For those few hours a week, I could let go and just . . . be. Not as Isabella Swan or anyone else, not as CEO of Bellamore Jewelry; I could just exist as flesh and nerve endings and the most basic of functions and needs. I was on my own plane."

"I know," Alice said soothingly. "We can find that again, I promise. It's Monday—a perfect day for new beginnings. I'll call the agency and have them send over some options, okay?"

The corners of my mouth turned up in a wobbly smile. Nearly ten years my senior, Alice was a godsend in a fiery little package, more than I ever could have asked for, or would have even thought to ask for, in an assistant. Lucky for me, she came with the job. I wouldn't trade her for anything. "Okay. Thank you, Alice. What would I do without you?"

"Let's never find out," she replied, giving the tops of my arms a gentle squeeze. "Do you need anything else before I get back to work?"

"No," I said. "I'm sorry to start your day out like this. Get back out there and do what you do best."

Alice released me and saluted, a cheeky grin on her face as she turned and exited the room, leaving me to do what I did best . . .

Or at least, try to.

Endless hours of meetings and phone calls couldn't take my mind off the fact that my Dom was leaving me. I couldn't believe Alistair was doing this. He knew how much I needed him, his control. To rip the rug out from under my feet like he did felt like a horrible betrayal on his part. I thought he knew me better. Though we weren't romantically involved, somehow losing him so suddenly made me feel helpless, triggering emotions I thought I'd taken care of after my husband, Felix, passed away. I was going to be alone again. Just me and the job and a big empty house.

Before I could wallow in self-pity any more than I already had, Alice appeared, a big smile on her face. Her fingers danced on top of a few manilla file folders, her bright-blue nail polish glossy and immaculate.

"What's all that?" I wondered. "New buyers? Product photos for me to approve?"

"No, Bella," she said, and then smirked. "Some Daddies for you to check out."

I couldn't help the laugh that burst out of me. "Not quite my kink, Alice, but close."

"Oh, well. Never mind me, then," she said and waved her hand airily, not at all bothered by slightly missing the mark. Despite not being a member of the community herself, Alice knew a fair bit about BDSM practices, usually enough to help me navigate the selection process and paperwork required by the agency, at least. Either way, I valued her opinion highly and was eternally grateful for her assistance in these matters, both work and play. "Do you have time to go over these now?"

All thoughts of anything else fled my mind. I folded my hands in my lap, keeping them there rather than fiddling with the diamond-and-pearl-encrusted, 24-karat rose gold infinity choker around my neck—my everyday collar, binding me to Alistair. I sighed softly, realizing I'd be handing it in soon, now that our arrangement was about to be over. Hopefully I'd have a new one soon, though.

"Yes. I'm listening," I urged.

Alice sat down at the plush, leather armchair on the opposite side of my desk, crossing her legs and opening the first folder, a particularly thick stack of papers inside.

"Dominant number one," she began dramatically, waggling her eyebrows at me. "We have Mister Volturi. He's a well-groomed, fit-as-a-fiddle sixty-year-old man, looking for his next submissive. It says here he likes to train new subs, and that he would like to explore the option of having a Master/slave relationship. He has a long list of recommendations from both male and female subs. Aro Volturi is an avid runner and tennis player, prefers younger men and women, and expects full, 24/7 commitment." Alice went silent as her gray eyes continued to slide over the papers, a scowl on her face.

"Bella, I don't think this guy is right for you . . ."

I bit my lip, none of Aro's descriptions speaking to me. Instead of ticking all my boxes, I wanted to take a red Sharpie and go to town on that document. "No, absolutely not. I'm not looking for a live-in situation, and I'm certainly not into Master/slave dynamics, either. I have a job, and I need time to do it well. There's just no way it would ever work for me. Plus, he likes fresh subs, the babies who are young and inexperienced so he can train them exactly how he wants them. He'd hate me. I've gotten into trouble more than once for being a little bratty, and I don't intend on changing for anyone." I shook my head as Alice closed the folder, putting it facedown on the desk.

"Alrighty. Next up, James. He's thirty-eight, moved to the States about four years ago, originally from London." Alice peeked over the papers, winking at me. "Hello, British accent. Hot." I rolled my eyes at her, biting away my smile.

"It says here he's heavily into role-play, pet-play, and wishes to be addressed only as 'Master Hunter.' His enclosed lists with limits are practically non-existent, and he prefers scenes in the private dungeon at his favorite club."

Wait a minute. I knew that name. James Hunter, a vile man through and through.

"No, thank you. His reputation precedes him; I've heard he's really cruel. He basically never provides after-care, either. One of the girls I know left his place bleeding and permanently scarred from excessive whipping. Only because she looked him in the eye when she wasn't supposed to. There was never a formal complaint filed, but word gets around."

Alice stared at me in horror, the color draining from her face. "Straight into the shredder with this one, then," she said, closing James's folder and dropping it on top of Aro's. She opened the next one in her stack and hummed. "How about Riley Bie—"

"Nope," I said immediately. "I dated a Riley in high school. Nice guy, but I don't want to have any old reminders while I'm in session. Too distracting."

Alice nodded and added Riley's folder to the growing reject-pile on my desk. I held my breath as she opened the last folder in her hands. "Okay, then," she said. "How does Edward Cullen sound to you? Ever know any Edwards?"

Edward? That was an unusual name for the times. I'd never heard it outside of a Jane Austen novel, myself, and that was certainly not the type of man I was looking for in a Dom. "Mmm, no. No Edwards in my past. What's his deal, though? Sounds kinda stuffy, to be honest . . ."

Alice snort-giggled. "It says here he's thirty-one, a former track-and-field competitor in college, newer to the community with only one sub behind him—"

"Ehhh," I said, interrupting. "I'm not looking for a newbie."

"Hang on now, let me finish!" Alice admonished. I pressed my lips together and nodded for her to continue. "He's only had one sub before, but it was long-term. Three years, almost! She had nothing but great things to say about him after they parted amicably. Oh, it says here she fell in love and got married, so it wasn't a relationship. He's looking for a part-time D/s arrangement with no strings attached, though he does prefer to be exclusive. His tastes are bondage, dirty talk, his tool of choice is a flogger, he likes to play rough, and he's big on pleasure, too. He wants at least one orgasm for you both per session—nice. Hard limits are kissing and bloodshed. He's signed all his waivers, and his medical and STD panels are up to date and clear. Wow. Honestly, babe, he sounds perfect for you."

Alice waited patiently as I thought it through. On paper he certainly sounded intriguing, but I'd been in this community nearly twice as long. After going through several Dominants before finding exactly what I needed in Alistair, did I want to take a possible step backward with someone less experienced? This Edward was the only one out of today's candidates that I would even kind of consider, though, so unless I wanted to wait for someone else to become available—and who knew how long that might be—he really was my only option at this point. "Maybe," I finally relented. "I could at least meet him, I suppose."

"That's the spirit!" Alice exclaimed. "I'll let the agency know you're interested and see how soon we can get a face-to-face with him. Anywhere in particular you'd like this to take place?"

I tapped my chin as I considered. "Somewhere casual. Just coffee, no dinner. Maybe Muddy Waters on Main? It's busy enough there that any salacious bits of our conversation shouldn't be overheard."

Alice smirked and stood from her seat, gathering all the folders into her arms. "All right, I'll see what I can do and let you know. I'll grab you Juniper's for lunch?" she asked as she made her way out of the room.

"Please!" I replied, and then she shut the door behind herself.

Day bled into twilight, the skies outside my office windows dark and grim, casting shadows over the jagged city skyline. The staff had all gone home for the evening, leaving myself and Security as the only ones in the building. Once my tired eyes had finally protested enough, I shut off my computer and gathered all my things. My phone chimed in my purse just as I was ready to go, breaking the haze I'd put myself under.

I want you here by 8:00 pm tomorrow. Let yourself in and kneel by the front door, naked. One last session, darling. I look forward to it.

Even though I was upset with him, my heartbeat still accelerated, the thought of having Alistair's control over me for one final time bittersweet. It'd been six days since our last scene and I was slowly being crippled from anxiety and stress. I needed him, but he was moving on, and I had no choice but to do the same.

I wasn't supposed to respond when he summoned me over to play, so I tucked my phone back into my purse and left the office, eagerly counting down the hours before I could pack a bag and drive the hour to Alistair's lake house.

— SQ —

"Thank you, darling. It's been a pleasure." Alistair's blue eyes twinkled, and although I'd miss him, I'd come to accept his decision.

"Likewise, Alistair." For the first time since signing our agreement, I spoke his name to his face. It felt odd to call him something other than 'Sir,' but it was over. He wasn't my Dominant anymore.

"I guess this is goodbye. I wish you all the best in finding a new Dom, Bella. You have so much to give, and I hope whoever takes my place will treasure you for it." Alistair smiled, putting his hand on my thigh. The gesture was warm and friendly, and though there had never been even a hint of romance between us, Alistair had been there for me, guided me, mentored me and helped me grow into my submissive role. I was definitely going to miss his influence on my life.

"There's only one thing left now . . ." He stood up, walking over to the safe on the other side of his office. Slightly uncomfortable, I wrapped my white cashmere cardigan tighter around my body, my legs tired and worn as I waited. Though we always met in this room for a quick discussion after a scene, I'd never been allowed to sit down in his presence before, so doing it now was strange and unfamiliar.

Alistair returned with a square velvet box and looked down at me with a rueful smile. I stifled a sigh. I'd come to love my collar in the years I'd worn it, and this was honestly one of the things about our parting that I'd been dreading most.

"Allow me," he said, setting the box on his cluttered desk before sweeping my loose hair over one shoulder. His fingertips brushed the back of my neck, the little screwdriver turning in its lock. My day collar slipped from around my throat, the constant reminder of my submission suddenly gone. I felt bare, naked. I'd worn it for so long it became a part of me. I stared at the jewel-encrusted circlet now sitting on black velvet, the tiny set screw next to it. It was just a piece of elaborate jewelry now. Nothing more.

"I hereby set you free, Isabella Swan. It's been a hell of a ride with you, darling." His nickname for me slipped from his lips as a heartfelt goodbye. This was it, we were done, officially.

I stood, feeling sad and slightly numb, but I managed to smile at him and mean it. "Thanks for everything, Alistair, and good luck with your move."

He walked me to his front door and kissed my cheek, giving my shoulder one final, reassuring squeeze. "Goodbye, Bella. I really will miss you. Please, drive safe."

— SQ —

I spent the weekend cleaning, a somewhat futile task since Gianna took better care of me than I could ever do myself. My house was already spotless, but I cleaned it all again, just needing some kind of outlet to clear my mind and help me focus while I awaited news of a meeting with Edward Cullen.

Two days of being uncollared and I felt like I was coming apart at the seams. Even though I only saw Alistair on Fridays, just knowing he was there to take it all away at the end of a busy week was enough to get me through, and his collar was my daily reminder of this. Comfortingly solid and heavy around my neck, I always felt like he was there with me, and for me, whenever I needed him—even if most of the time it was in spirit rather than in person. Now I had no idea if or when my next release would come and the uncertainty was eating me alive. I needed a new Dom, stat.

Monday morning I arrived at work to find Alice awaiting me with a wide grin. "Good news," she said once we were in the privacy of my office, away from any overeager ears out in the main employee area. "The agency got back to me. You have a meeting with Mr. Cullen."

My heartbeat sped up immediately, and I couldn't help but let my hand drift up to the bare skin on my neck. Alice's eyes followed the movement, distracting her from the rest of her announcement.

"You're not wearing your collar—" she began, and then stopped herself. "No, of course you're not. You aren't Alistair's anymore."

I shook my head 'no,' swallowing against the pressure rising in my throat. "Nope. I am no one's but my own, with nothing to help keep my feet on the ground. What a troubling thought," I added with a shaky laugh.

Alice flashed me an apologetic grimace before rearranging her features into a more confident expression. "Not for long," she said, waving her notepad at me. "I have a good feeling about this, Bella. Everything's falling into place and it just feels right. Mr. Cullen agreed to a meeting; I suggested Muddy Waters, this Wednesday at seven thirty. He made no requests about your appearance or how you should address him. All he asks is that you place a chess piece, a white queen, on the table, so he knows it's you. I'll make sure to have one by then so don't you worry about that. You have a busy morning and early afternoon, but the rest of your day is clear, and I'll make sure it stays that way, so you can have a bite to eat and get there in plenty of time. See? It's all lined up perfectly. Dare I say it's fate?"

"Hmm," I mused, turning it all over in my head. Everything did seem to be lining up rather well. Still, I didn't want to get too excited only to have all my hopes, and needs, dashed. From what I'd read in his profile, though highly recommended by his previous sub, Edward Cullen was still rather new on the scene, and that nagged at me. I needed someone confident and commanding, someone who could make my knees buckle with his authority. Someone to make me forget all about real life, even for an hour, his dominance leaving marks all over my soul.

I'd had all those things in Alistair, and I needed to find that again. I could only hope this Edward Cullen was truly up to the task.

— SQ —

Wednesday passed in a blur of decisions, paperwork, meetings, and more, leaving me just enough time to wolf down the quick supper Alice had delivered and make sure I was somewhat presentable before I ran out for my appointment with Edward Cullen. In my office's private bathroom, I traded out my navy pencil-skirt and blazer for a gray cardigan over a white silk v-neck camisole and dark legging-jeans, and my gray patent-leather pumps for a clean, comfortable pair of black Converse low-tops. After some quick touchups to my simple makeup and a fresh coat of dark-red lipstick, I brushed out my hair and pulled it up into a ponytail, and then I was off.

It was ten to seven when I stood outside Muddy Waters, a mixture of nerves and excitement making my stomach flip flop uncomfortably. I took one last look at my phone, making sure there were no messages that required my immediate attention, before turning the ringer to silent and stuffing it inside my purse. Steeling my nerves by pulling my ponytail tight, I gave my reflection a final once-over in the shop window and walked inside with a fluttering heart.

The smell of gourmet coffee and fresh-baked pastries hit me as soon as I was in the door, making my mouth water in anticipation of more than just this meeting. A hot cup of java and something sweet to tempt my tastebuds would go a long way to helping ground me in this moment. If nothing else, it would give me something to do with my slightly trembling hands. I looked around the small cafe but could only assume Mr. Cullen meant to arrive after me, considering he had instructed me to leave a token on the table so he would know who I was.

I found a small table for two in the back corner and sat down, angling my chair so I could see the front entrance. The chess piece Alice had found for me was nestled safely in the pocket of my cardigan; I pulled it out and placed it on the tabletop. I stared at the token as I awaited the sound of the door chimes tinkling, wondering what the significance of this piece was, or if it was simply a trinket and nothing more.

Checking my watch—it was now five after seven—my heart jumped as the bells above the door jingled. I raised my eyes to a tall, wiry, unbelievably gorgeous man, his wind-swept copper hair glowing richly in the bright lights of the cafe. I felt my jaw drop slightly as his piercing green gaze came straight for me, his eyes dropping briefly to the chess piece on the table and then capturing mine again. His rectangular face was all angles and planes, with a straight, narrow nose and a sharp jaw kissed with a delicious hint of evening stubble. His full, dark pink mouth twisted into a crooked grin as he let the door shut behind himself and made his way in my direction.

I stared up at him in awe as the beautiful man reached my table, his long, slender fingers grasping the back of the other chair. He looked down at me and his grin widened. "Hello, Isabella," he said, his voice like smoked silk.

Oh. My. God.

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