Bound to You

Chapter 27: Puppet Master

 “What do you mean you’ve never been to England??” Ross asked incredulously. Darcy shrugged as she continued flicking through the endless channels on TV. “I mean I’ve never been. I had barely been out of the south before I enrolled at Julliard.” Ross shook his head. “But you were in a dance group, right? You never traveled for competitions?” he questioned. Darcy scoffed. “It wasn’t a big studio like the Rage. We had to hold car washes and bake sales practically every weekend just to afford the few local showcases we went to. I think the farthest I ever traveled with them was Texas.” Ross shook his head again in disbelief. “Well that is just unacceptable. You’re coming with us when we go back to Europe in the fall.” He said matter-of-factly. Darcy nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll have to take that into consideration.” She joked. Ross rolled his eyes as he turned his attention back to the television. Darcy giggled, turning her gaze in the same direction. “You know…” Ross began. Darcy immediately turned her attention back to him. “I was really hesitant when Sean and mom brought up this whole arrangement. But…I’m really glad they picked you. Out of the other girls I’m sure they looked at…I know they looked at… I’m just happy that it ended up being you.” He finished quietly. Darcy couldn’t help but smile, reminded once again of how genuine of a guy Ross really was. “I’m happy they picked me too. It’s weird isn’t it? Thinking of someone else being in my place…” she pondered aloud. Ross’s simple statement  had sent her mind racing. What would it have been like had another girl been chosen instead of her? Would that girl have befriended Rydel the same way she did? Would Riker have fallen for that girl, the same way he fell for her? Or would Ross have fallen for her instead, turning the illusion of their relationship into a reality. Would she have listened to Maci go on and on about Ross Lynch’s new girlfriend, never knowing all the while that it was only a ruse? Believing with the rest of the world that they were the perfect couple. Perhaps even commenting on the adorable nature of their relationship herself, never realizing that it could have been her. “So weird…” she mumbled, only half realizing that she was speaking aloud.  “Hmm?” Ross questioned, pulling her out of her thoughts. Just as she opened her mouth to respond she was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell echoing through the house. “I’ve got it.” She said quickly, grateful for the distraction. She pushed herself up from the couch and jogged towards the front door. “Hello?” she called, swinging the front door open. She caught sight of a small rectangular box resting against the doorframe. A UPS truck was just pulling out of the driveway. She leaned down and took the package into her hands. It was addressed to her. From… She felt her heart drop. Sean. “Hey Ross, I’ll be upstairs.” Darcy called as she closed the door behind her. She heard Ross call out something inaudible as she made her way up the staircase. She could feel her hands trembling slightly as she stepped into her bedroom and closed the door. Anything involving Sean made her anxious, especially as of late. There wasn’t much she could do to defend herself against him. It was all she could do just to hold on tightly to her sanity and wait for the contract to expire. She carefully tore away the brown packaging paper covering the box. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. She recognized the box to be from an expensive department store in town. She quickly slid her fingernail underneath the tape keeping the mystery package closed and turned it over, dumping the contents onto her bed. A piece of folded up black material immediately landed on top of her quilt, followed by a small white note card.  She gently unfolded the lump of fabric. It was a dress, presumably for her outing with Ross that evening to an awards show. She laid the dress carefully out across her mattress before tugging her t-shirt over her head. It was the first time Sean had ever sent her an outfit for one of the outings. She wondered if it was perhaps a small gesture of kindness. Or knowing him, a bribe.  To stay quiet. She lifted the dress up over her head and carefully slid into it. The material was soft and silky, clearly made of a fabric more expensive than she had ever worn before. She quickly tugged the hemline into place before turning to face the full length mirror she shared with Rydel. She immediately felt a blush creep into her cheeks. It was a simple black minidress, not unlike many she’d worn before. The neckline, however, was something to behold. It was a deep v, extending halfway down her torso. It was cut wide, revealing almost the entirety of both her breasts. It far surpassed sexy, it was sexual. Revealing. Far more revealing than she ever would have dared worn before. But Sean knew that. She lifted the small white notecard that had accompanied the dress from off of her bed and flipped it over. She recognized Sean’s neat, precise handwriting immediately. ‘Showtime.’ She felt the usual sick feeling return to her stomach. It wasn’t a warning, or a threat. It had been a demonstration of control. The control he now had over her and her life. He was making it clear that he only viewed her as a puppet, something to be manipulated and controlled. He was the master, the puppeteer. She was his doll, to be dressed and moved wherever he wanted, whenever he said. He had all the power. She was at his mercy.  Just like a doll, she was powerless against him. Her strings rested in his hands.