A/N: I know it's short, but I'm struggling with the logistics of the next scene and didn't want to leave you hanging for too long.
Thanks to the kind reader(s) who nominated 'On The Line' for the TwiFicFandom Awards. WOW! LOVE YOU GUYS!
Night had completely claimed the sky during the seven-course meal. The eyes that lit the hallway glowed crimson and amber, while white lights winked on and off around them, making it impossible for her eyes to adapt or focus on a single spot. Disoriented, Bella was surprised when Masen stopped and unlocked the door to their assigned room. She had lost count of the recessed entryways as they passed. Eleven? Twelve? She needed to get her emotions under control. She needed to pay better attention. Bella made a mental commitment to invest as much effort learning the floorplan as she spent on learning the people. If she got separated from Masen for any reason. . . The thought was frightening. And very possible.
When the bedroom door swung closed, Masen's - Cullen's? - hand closed around her wrist, and he yanked her close. Bella let out a yelp of surprise. His fingers twisted into her hair, viciously tugging her head around. Bella found herself crushed against the wall with Edward Cullen's face against her throat. The sharp frame of his glasses scraped against the side of her face, and she cried out again. What was he doing? With no chance to plan or discuss, Bella was flying blind, trapped in a reactive state.
Oh. . . Oh! That was the plan. React. She continued to cry out and fight back, trusting Masen to determine just how far this scene was going to go.
"My phone. Left pocket," he whispered into her ear. "Press and hold the top button."
Bella wedged her hand between their bodies, and Masen concealed the movement with his own arm. She fumbled until she found and depressed the button. His phone let out a loud buzz and chirped.
"Fucking hell!," he barked, pushing back and whipping his phone out of his pocket. "What? I'm busy."
Bella's heart was pounding, and she stayed pressed against the wall. Were they being watched, or was Masen just playing it safe? He had given the room a cursory inspection when they arrived, but they had left the room twice since then for hours at a time. There was no telling who had access in Edward Cullen's absence, or what devices they might have planted.
"Yes. Obviously," he said in a more controlled voice, pacing across the room.
As the fake conversation dragged on, Bella relaxed her posture. Pretending that all she wanted was to be invisible, to be left alone, she removed her shoes and padded over to the wardrobe. Dutiful and quiet, she began to unpack and put away all of her master's belongings. Then, because he was now working on his phone and computer simultaneously, she continued on with Marie's clothing and accoutrements.
It soon became evident that Edward Cullen was going to work late into the night. Bella undressed and changed into a black slip, her skin crawling when she considered the possibility that her every move was being captured and watched by the enemy. In the bathroom, she took special care to completely remove her heavy makeup, brush and floss thoroughly, then clean the, mirror, counter and surrounding area once she finished. Edward Cullen was meticulous. He would demand the same of his slave.
She approached the massive bed hesitantly. Edward Cullen had made Marie sleep on the floor at the hotel. However, there were no blankets or pillows set out for her here. Marie would never have the audacity to take anything from her master for her own comfort. She settled on the floor at the foot of the bed, shifting around to find a comfortable position.
"In my bed!" Mr. Cullen's voice rang out. He hadn't even looked up from his work. "I shouldn't have to scrounge around on the floor if I want you later."
"Yes, sir," she replied submissively.
Bella crept beneath the covers on the far side of the bed, keeping as much distance between herself and the tyrant as possible. In her normal life, Bella sprawled in her sleep, moving randomly from her back to her side, even sleeping on her stomach at times. Marie curled into the fetal position, the covers pulled up above her ears and chin. With her mind still fighting to process the scope of the horrors she had witnessed that night, Bella drifted into a fitful sleep.
She woke up with a scream fighting to escape past the hand that covered her nose and mouth. She couldn't see. She couldn't breathe!
"Time to play, little bunny," came the evil hiss near her ear, loud enough to carry past the heavy velvet curtains that enclosed the bed.
Her heart racing a mile a minute, Bella froze.
"Uh uh. Remember what I said earlier. I like it when you fight me."
Bella let out a terrified sob. "Please. . ."
"On the count of three, try to get away. One. . . Two. . ."
Bella lunged for the edge of the bed, her hand grasping at the thin strip of gray light between the sections of fabric.
"Three!" Edward Cullen's voice cried, yanking her back beneath him. He let out a victorious laugh.
She yelped as his weight fell across her, making her ribs and spine creak.
"Okay, Swan, show me what you got," Masen's voice whispered in her ear.
Bella kneed him between the legs, satisfied when he grunted in pain.
"You bitch," he growled.
Bella had to stop herself from laughing, although even her humor had a disturbing tinge of desperation to it. Masen never would have allowed her to get a shot like that in if they weren't acting.
What ensued was a grappling lesson unlike any that had come before. Deprived of her sense of sight, Bella closed her eyes and focused on touch. Masen's weight shifted down slightly before every upper body movement. Conversely, it shifted forward a split second before he moved his legs. Sensing that tiny cue enabled her to take advantage of infinitesimal openings to squirm and move her own body.
Unlike his previous fighting lessons, Masen didn't pin her in seconds. She could tell he was slowing things down, allowing her to find windows of opportunity and exploit them. At the same time, he was teaching her how to defend herself if she were ever truly assaulted. Her forehead, her teeth, hands, elbows, knees. . . they were her weapons. He began grasping and manipulating her limbs, running them through certain moves, repeating the actions until she understood how to deliver the most forceful blow in any position.
They were breathing hard, the bed creaking and bouncing as they fought. Bella felt a vicious satisfaction knowing that any Volturi spies that were watching or listening would think they were collecting evidence of Edward Cullen's corruption, when in actual fact, the pair was training to fight them.
It didn't take long for Bella to wear out. The adrenaline from her earlier fright had burned off, leaving her muscles rubbery and weak. Finally, Masen pinned her for real.
The bone-chilling voice of Edward Cullen returned, out of breath, but still cold and cruel. "That's more like it. That's just what I needed. Thanks for making it interesting," he chuckled, low and hoarse.
Bella's partner rolled off of her with a groan and a satisfied sigh. She lay still, catching her breath. In the silence and the blackness, she felt Masen's fingers trace down her forearm until he found her hand. With their fingers intertwined and clenched tight, a sort of sanity anchor amid the madness, Bella eventually drifted back to sleep.
Many of you have asked the question. I hope this scene answered it. Thanks for reading!
**PLEASE READ** For anyone who is wondering about the facts: A reader forwarded me the link to an article this morning detailing the magnitude of the human trafficking problem and sex crimes in San Diego. A single county in one state in this nation estimates that upwards of 8000 minors are victims of this industry EVERY YEAR. Step back and consider not just the U.S., but the entire world. If that doesn't make you want to cry, rage, whatever, what will? Girls, and often times boys, are lured in with affection, money, drugs, jewelry, flattery, etc. isolated from their friends and family, then coerced to prostitute themselves, all for the profit of gangs and pimps. It isn't fiction. It is real. Real humans, real lives, children! being exploited on a daily basis. There are a great many non-profits and government agencies trying to fight the perpetrators and help these young people heal and find peace and a happy future. Look them up. Generate Hope, based in San Diego, is one such charity providing housing, therapy and job opportunities for girls who have nowhere else to turn. See if there is something you can do to help in your local area. Even a small cash donation could help change a victim into a survivor. If this story can become a vehicle to help save lives, I would be so grateful. Thank you!**