Page 95 of Downfall

She lets out a mocking laugh.

“How do you think I was able to return? Who do you think has been pulling all the strings? Manipulating everyone to do what I want?”

She gulps shaking her head slightly.

“I’m in charge now Rose. Not Darius. Not the Governor. Me. This entire city dances to my tune, only they’re too stupid to realise it.”

“It’s you.” She whispers. “You’re what he referred to. You’re the reason everything is changing.”

My eyes glint as I realise she does get it. “That’s right Rose.” I murmur. “So you see it’s pointless to fight me.” I drop my eyes taking in the hint of her curves below the robe she has on. “It’s all but inevitable.”

I know I could hammer my point. That I could strip that fabric off her and spend the next god knows how many hours lost in the delights of her body, proving exactly how inevitable this all is.

Except I don’t.

Something in me, some weaker part perhaps, allows her the space she obviously needs to come to terms with this.

I step back. Let the beauty slip through my hands once more and disappear back into the night.

She’ll be mine soon enough.

Afterall, we both know this is a game we’ve been playing with each other. For six long, torturous, years.

The end is finally in sight.

We can both feel it and soon enough she’ll be coming to me. Begging me to fuck her. Begging me to forgive her.

She just has to get over her pride and admit it to herself first.

Rose

I’m up early. In truth I barely slept.

I hit the gym hard, burning through all the fury that’s raging inside me. The only good thing is the clubhouse is all but deserted because everyone is up and leaving today. I guess I should be happy about that.

For once no one is watching me, sucking up to me, trying to get something from me.

For once I’m actually left in peace.

I keep mulling over what Roman said. What Darius said before him. And Paris before that. If it’s true, if Roman really is pulling all the strings, then my situation right now is even more precarious than I thought because if he finds out what I’ve done, what happenedafterhe left, then I know every carefully constructed plan for my future will be ruined.

He will ruin it.

And worse he will never let us leave.

I gulp at the thought. At the irony of the fact that the man I once considered to be my hero, my every dream, will now be responsible for continuing the nightmare I’m locked in.

I have to see Darius. I have to know for sure if this is some sort of bluff because only then will I know how to act.

I make my way to City Hall, trying to come up with some smart way of asking him, some clever way of getting him to confirm or deny it but in the end it seems silly. Better I come straight out and ask and at least then I can gauge his reaction.

The building is quiet. Not that I expected anything different. The polished marble extenuates every step I take and for some unknown reason, the closer I get to his office, the greater a sense of foreboding starts to build in my stomach. Like a knot, twisting and tightening, though the cause of it I can’t wrap my head around.

Maybe this is a mistake.

The thought hits me just as the door opens. I haven’t even knocked. I’m just stood, with my hand up, knuckles ready to strike the wood.

Darius covers his surprise quickly with a warm smile.

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