Tarbecca, thanks again for all the wonderful work sharing fantastic stories (new and old) with us readers. Your weekly Fic Dive is one of my favorite Campfires over on ADF! Having On The Line featured and voted as one of the top fics for February is so amazing. Thanks! *waves to all her fellow campers*
There was nothing to say, really. They just held on to each other. Bella sat on the couch, sandwiched between her parents, three pairs of hands tangled in a tight knot in her lap. Almost exactly twenty minutes later, the silence was broken by a key-card unlocking the door. Her dad stood first and helped her to her feet. He kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly. Bella turned to her mom, her eyes blurred and burning.
"Mom. . . I'm going to miss you."
"Oh, honey. I'm going to miss you, too. And I'm going to practice cooking scallops. I'll make you a gourmet dinner when you come visit us after all this is finished. You'll see. It'll be delicious."
"Oh, boy. I can't wait," Bella joked with a watery chuckle.
"Smarty pants." Renee squeezed her and stepped back again with a sigh. "We'll look for an e-mail when you get a chance. And your hair is gorgeous. I forgot to say that earlier."
Bella shook her head and laughed. It was weak but it seemed to reassure her parents. Looking up, she met Masen's eyes. He was standing just inside the room, watching her expectantly. He didn't have to say it out loud. She could read his expression clearly. . . It was time to shift gears.
"Thanks, you guys. For coming up here this weekend, but also for being the best parents in the world. I love you so much. I'll e-mail you soon."
"Love you, too. We're heading back to Forks in the morning. We won't see you again before we leave, will we?"
She pressed her lips together and shook her head.
With dragging steps and many backward glances, they went to the door. Charlie shook Masen's hand, a wordless exchange of responsibility and a final plea. . . bring her home safely. When the door closed behind them Bella walked back to the window and looked out across the bay, the distant islands now swallowed up in the gray twilight. Strangely, she felt calmer after having seen her parents. They hadn't tried to talk her out of participating in the mission. They hadn't maligned Masen or her decisions in any way. Their love and support tethered her firmly to her real life, but now she had her hands and mind free to get to work.
It was time for her to become Marie.
She turned around and let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "So, what now?"
"Come on. I'll show you," Agent Masen tilted his head toward the bedroom. She walked ahead of him and saw a small chest and three suitcases on the floor beside the bed. "The smaller two suitcases are Marie's. And this chest is full of her. . . decorations, for lack of a better term." He placed the chest on the bed and opened it for her, then sat down in a chair in the corner to watch her going through the box.
"This jewelry is definitely not my style. I mean, these bracelets are huge!"
"To hide the bruises."
"What bruises? I don't have any brui-" she paused mid sentence and looked up at his mischievous smile. "Aww, shit."
"Don't worry. It'll be fun."
"You're sick."
"Mmm-hmm."
"Oh. Oh, wow," Bella breathed when she lifted a black leather case out of the chest and saw what was inside. It was a choker with wide blue ribbons interwoven with a silver herringbone chain. The band itself was an inch wide and the center was set with a glistening diamond and sapphire flower mounted in silver filigree.
"Like it?"
"It's stunning," she said, sitting gingerly on the edge of the bed. "I was kind of expecting a leather dog collar."
"Oh, this is much better. More Edward Cullen's style. And multi-functional, too."
"Multi-functional?"
"It doesn't look like it, but he can tether Marie to the floor with that thing and she'll never get away. The chain is made from a high-strength silver-palladium alloy. It's also equipped with GPS and a few other fun features. Do you want to try it on?"
"Really?"
"You'll be wearing it round the clock starting tomorrow. Why not?"
"Okay. Sure," she said with a smile. Even knowing it was a symbol of Marie's slavery didn't quell the part of her that was once a little girl who loved dressing up in her mom's jewelry. Nothing she had ever worn could hold a candle to the beauty and elegance of the piece she now held.
"Allow me," Agent Masen said, pushing himself out of the armchair.
He took the box from her, removed the heavy choker from its case and did something to the clasp. It popped open with a loud snap. Bella gathered her hair and held it off her neck as he refastened the necklace around her throat. She swallowed experimentally against the unfamiliar weight and pressure of the cool metal.
With fingertips gently stroking the silk and silver band, she wandered over to the dresser and stared at her reflection. There was something innately attractive about the image before her - something feminine and classically beautiful. In the background, Masen took a step forward, arms hanging loosely at his sides. He was watching her intently. She smiled hesitantly then gave a strangled cry as pain flared around her throat, radiating like fire from the collar around her neck. The pain stopped as suddenly as it started, but she was already panicking, fingernails searching and digging at the clasp for a catch or hidden button to release it.
"Relax. It's fine."
"Fine?" she shrieked, eyes watering with shock and pain. "What the fuck was that? Get it off of me. Now!"
"Easy now. It's fine. I'll turn it down. But now you know how it feels at full strength. Any time Mr. Cullen activates the collar, react just like that. You were perfect."
"Fuck you, Masen. I want to see you try it on for size. It might wipe that smug smirk off your face."
"I would but I can't. Sorry. My neck is too big. The clasp must be engaged and the collar has to be in continuous contact with your skin to work. Too big or too small, it wouldn't complete the circuit. This was made to your precise dimensions."
"And you had my measurements taken the very first day. I thought it was odd that a lingerie shop took such detailed measurements. Was she working for you?"
"Yes. She just didn't know why. I'm sure she assumed we were into some kinky stuff on the side and needed a few items custom made. She was happy to take the cash tip, though."
"God, I hate you sometimes."
"Join the club. You're in excellent company," he laughed easily as he released the clasp and returned the choker to its case along with a small black fob she hadn't noticed before.
"You're such a bastard," she muttered wryly, rubbing her throat. In the mirror she could see there was no real damage, just a mild redness where the collar had rested against her skin. However, the remembered shock kept her nerves buzzing with the anticipation of more pain. Voluntarily putting the collar back on in the morning was going to be a challenge.
"You should try your clothes on, too."
"Why? Are the new underwear going to bite me in the ass?"
"Ha! No, nothing like that. But it would be good practice."
"In front of you, you mean."
"Of course."
"Ugh. Fine. Keep your hands where I can see them. No more surprises or I'll attached battery cables to your junk while you're asleep tonight."
"If you were anyone else, I would be certain you were bluffing. Since you're you, I swear I will do nothing untoward."
"Okay," she breathed. "Okay. Um, should I just be trying stuff on? Or changing completely?"
"Go ahead and try everything on once. Get familiar with what you have to work with. You can sleep in whatever is most comfortable tonight. When we get up tomorrow morning, the game begins. We leave at 9:00."
Bella knelt on the floor and unzipped the medium suitcase slowly. Inside she found an assortment of clothes. A couple pairs of jeans, lots of short shorts and skirts, and an assortment of tops. She looked over her shoulder to the bathroom door. It was tempting to take everything in there to try it on in comfort and privacy. If she did, would Agent Masen stop her? Being bare in front of him was so intimidating, but she needed to get used to it immediately. They were already counting the days to their arrival in Florida. Now was not the time to let fear, embarrassment or any other inconvenient emotion undermine the mission.
Bella stood up and unbuttoned her jacket. She glanced over at Masen, just as he looked away. He sat back down in the armchair in the corner. He could see her, but his attention was not on her; he was busy with his phone. Bella removed her blouse, skirt and nylons, hanging everything carefully in the closet. In her plain white bra and underwear, she proceeded to try on all of the tops and bottoms.
By the third shirt the theme was obvious. Every article of clothing was designed to flaunt something. If it covered her breasts, it left her back or belly bare. If it was loose, it was also very low cut. If it covered everything, it was so tight that it clung to her like a second skin. The bottoms were just as bad; too short, too tight, or both. Bella folded each item and placed it back in the suitcase as she removed it, only leaving out one blouse and a pair of low-rise jeggings to wear the next day.
Bella opened the smallest suitcase next. It was filled with underwear, bras and dainty negligees. Everything was of the highest quality. All the tags had been removed, but they were all like-new. She pulled out piece after piece of silk and lace in varied shades of blue, black, white and gray.
"How very monochromatic. Mister Cullen must like blue."
"Hmm," he responded non-committally.
Bella picked up one of the lacy bras and looked over at Masen. His phone was balanced on his knee and he was watching her carefully. Gathering her courage, she unclasped her bra and let it drop to the floor, then stepped out of her underwear. She kept her eyes down but she could feel his gaze on her. She put on the matching underwear first, then put her arms through the bra straps and fastened it in front. The lingerie was a gorgeous, pearlescent blue with tiny white flowers worked into the lace. It was designed to be looked at, but it was also surprisingly soft against her skin. The only problem was that the cups were too small. Bella bit her lip in frustration as she tried to position herself more comfortably. No matter what, her breasts were pushed together and up, bulging over the top of the bra.
"Seriously? I thought I went through that humiliating 'measure every inch of Bella's body' session to avoid this problem!"
Masen chuckled softly. "It fits perfectly."
"No. It does not. My boobs are practically popping out of this thing!"
"Exactly. Do you think Edward Cullen gives a shit about Marie's comfort? Her body is for his pleasure, both tactile and visual."
"They're all like this?"
"I'm afraid so."
"You suck."
"A foolproof cover is made up of details like this. Subtleties work on the subconscious mind. To Mr. Cullen, Marie is an object and he positions her body to show it to its best advantage. According to his preferences, of course. He approaches her wardrobe like a collector hanging art on the wall. The painting does not care how it is hung or what kind of lighting is used. It hangs for the owner's pleasure. Anyone who sees her also sees reflections of him. He's a ruthless, cold-blooded criminal. He is proud, egotistical, self-centered, misogynistic. . . and has very refined tastes. He was getting tired of hookers and escorts. Marie. . . well, to him she's just a living doll he bought to play with so he wouldn't have to share anymore."
Bella folded her arms across her middle and shivered. Masen was describing a monster. A week ago, she had met that man in person. She remembered him with a visceral fear that froze the blood in her veins. Edward Cullen. . . he had terrified her, cowed her completely, without ever raising his voice. And he was going to be her full-time companion starting the very next day.
A/N: So. . . . Are you still a fan?