Page 90 of Downfall

“Like I ruined your daughter?” I murmur.

His eyes flash. He opens his mouth to spit more venom only at that exact moment Rose appears.

Our heads turn in unison to take her in.

She’s stood in the entrance, teetering almost, on the top of the five steps and half the room is already turning to look, to stare, to admire. The dress she’s in shows her body to perfection.

My gut twists, my body physically reacts to her like this is the first time I’ve laid eyes on her.

I take a step towards her without thinking and Ignatio grabs my arm, creasing the fabric of my sleeve.

“Stay the fuck away from my daughter.” He says.

“Or you’ll what?” I reply.

His grip tightens but I pull myself free and straighten up my jacket with a smirk.

“You can’t do shit Ignatio.” I murmur. “And by the time I’m through you’ll realise that.”

I walk away, half convinced he’s going to smash his glass over my head and I’ll admit I’m surprised that he doesn’t and also a little disappointed because I’d love to have an excuse to knock him out right now.

Rose moves further into the room. She doesn’t look at me. She makes no attempt to. It’s as if I don’t exist and for once that notion amuses me because last night I proved to both of us exactly how much she still wants me.

She takes a glass offered by one of the waiters, thanking them, and then gulps it as if she needs to steady her nerves. Already people are flocking around her.

I watch as she makes what I assume to be polite conversation. She laughs. She smiles. She beguiles more than ever. She’s the very epitome of the sunshine princess this damn bay sees her as.

And then Darius walks up to her. She stiffens a tiny bit but recovers as he replaces her finished glass with a fresh one. She blinks replying to whatever he says, and, as he leans in, murmuring something into her ear with his hand running down her arm, my jealousy boils over. My anger does too.

I cross the room walking right up to them and her eyes dart to me as she falls silent.

“Roman.” Darius says it before she does.

“Darius.” I reply before looking back at the beauty beside him.

Her hair is tousled in a way that makes me want to run my fingers through it. Her makeup is less heavy than usual. You can see the faint scattering of her freckles, the smoothness of her perfect skin.

He glances between us as if he’s considering introduces us. As if we were strangers. As if I didn’t know Rose better than anyone else in this room.

“What do you want?” She says.

“A dance.” I reply.

Her eyebrows raise. She gulps, shaking her head, taking the tiniest of steps back, looking at Darius and if anything that pisses me off more. Because she’s clearly wantinghimto save her.

“I’m not sure that’s appropriate…” Darius begins but I talk over him making my position clear.

“What better way to demonstrate the peace between our families?” I state.

Darius opens his mouth, his brain clearly trying to come up with something only he’s too slow to do it.

“Surely as Governor you’d approve.” I say and I see it then, the miniscule flinch. The way he registers the silent unspoken threat in my words.

“Of course.” He says.

Rose looks between us. Her eyes widening. “No.”

“Come.” I murmur taking her still full glass and passing it back to Darius before intwining her arm around mine. “Don’t make a scene.”

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