Page 2 of Roque

While you pretended to be what I thought I wanted. The opposite of myself.

But under your layers of silk and satin you are just as ugly as I am.

We are both twisted. Wearing crowns of thorns and lies. We entered the world with these crowns on our heads.

I foolishly thought it was a sign. That the two of us could rule together. Fuse the sins of the past and let our union be the answer.

But you wanted vengeance instead of peace.

So be it, baby.

My love is now a weapon. I’ll use it to destroy you.

Just as you’ve destroyed me.

“Wow, who was she?”

“No one.”

“Come on, spill! Who knew the baddest mob king who ever lived is a closet poetic genius!”

Now I roll my eyes and stick out my palm. “I’ve killed people for less than what you just did.”

She hops up on the window ledge, crosses her slim ankles, cocks her head and snorts, “doubtful.”

My eyes move past her to the night beyond and the skyscrapers keeping it lit. Sometimes I wonder if it was real at all… the things I felt when I was with her. So, I kept journals, started writing it all down and buried all the notes full of ink that told our story inside my vault with my guns and blood money.

“It’s nothing. Just words on a page.”

She glances down at my bared soul in her hands. “This is everything. Come one Roque. I need a good bedtime story. No one’s ever told me one.”

“Never?”

“Ever. My mom was hooked on drugs. The state took me over at seven. I’ve bounced from place to place never landing anywhere good until now.”

Chloe.

The little blonde’s best days are ahead of her. I’m going to make sure of it. I found her and Freddie, another warden of the state minutes before a pack of wanna be thugs were ready to hand them over to human trafficker. I killed the bastard and freed all the girls he held.

I might be a monster. But I don’t trade souls. I take them for myself instead. A business acquaintance, Dare, “Darren” Prescott adopted Freddie and found himself a girlfriend shortly after. I’m the only damn bachelor left. I deserve it too. Afterall, the devil has no mistress; no one to love him.

Her private school in Switzerland is already expecting her. She’ll want for nothing ever again. At least she’s one soul I can save because well… all I’ve done is damned everyone else to hell with me.

I stand from my seat at the club chair and cross to where she’s perched.

“Give.”

“Okay, fine. But I’m not letting you send me away,” her chin wobbles.

“Chloe. This was never permanent. I was always upfront about that.”

“…but Dare took Freddie. She got her happy ever after. What about me? I’m no trouble. Am I?”

“No, you aren’t. It’s not you, it’s me.”

She rolls her eyes… “I can’t believe you just said that. That’s cheesy as all hell.”

“I’m sorry. But it’s for the best. You’ll be safe where you’re going.”

---