Page 14 of Of Daggers and Deceit

I looked up at Sly, who still hadn’t even bothered to address me before looking to the floor again.

Zander reached and gripped my chin between his fingers, pinching slightly as he lifted my head.

“I will be back when I can.” His features softened the longer he stared until my shoulders slumped in defeat, my heart rupturing within. There was no excitement left inside me now, only failure and dissatisfaction. He had told me I could see my mother after our date. He’d promised me.

Now it was another night my mum would likely cry because I didn’t make it to see her. Another sacrifice to add to the tally. I looked down at my rumpled skirt with a frown, taking the time to smooth out the fabric. My hands threatened to clench in frustration.

Despite my circumstances, I couldn’t lose hope, not when my mum had so much of it in me.

Today, I was the Rose, an icon with little power, but one day, I would be somebody. One day, he would trust me enough to make decisions.

I forced a smile on my face when I looked up again, though I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. The male before me beamed back despite it as he got up and placed a soft kiss on my forehead before moving past to enter the lift without another word.

Sly moved back to stand near the elevator doors, seemingly having little care for the fact that he interrupted something important. None of them ever cared.

I turned away from him as I faced the other way and looked up into the sky, saddened. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes as I blinked quickly to keep them at bay. I wouldn’t cry; not for him, not for anyone.

Loneliness and grief at lost moments shared with my loved ones wrapped themselves around me like a stifling blanket. I repeated my goals over and over in my head, like a mantra to remind myself why I was doing this and who I was doing this for. For them, it was all worth it. It had to be.

“You aren’t a very good negotiator.”

I froze with my hand mid-way to wiping my runny nose, Sly’s voice slicing through the sorrow in my heart, morphing it into annoyance.

I never truly knew what to say to the guards, in fear they would report something inaccurate back to him. Still, I couldn’t stand to be unresponsive to him. Dick.

“Thank you for your insult.” A bland response was best, but I couldn’t stop the tiny leak of sarcasm that bled into my tone.

It was better to not truly have an opinion in this situation, especially for the Omega who was the head of the guard here. Not likely to be trusted.

A huff sounded closer.

I turned my head sideways to the guard now lying on his side on the blanket, head propped on his hand.

My eyes widened at his proximity.

“Do you have a death wish? Get away from me!” I hissed.

I pressed my hand firmly forward to shove him back, but he caught my hand in his own and gave me a broad, dimpled grin.

Mirth danced in his eyes.

“Princess, I do not have anything to worry about. You and I both know he won’t be back tonight.”

My face dipped at his words. Another insult. He was good at them.

Truthfully, I did know he wouldn’t return, but I hated to admit it.

“I’m struggling to process the emotionless guard of minutes prior with the idiotic one now casually lying near me to insult me,” I remarked with a quick raise of my eyebrows. With my irritation at his rudeness rising, I wanted to antagonise him. I was angry and hurt. I wanted someone else to be instead.

He threw his head back and laughed before levelling me with a stare.

“I knew I couldn’t believe the gossip that this Rose had no thorns,” he teased as he plucked a cracker off the table and scooped up some dip before throwing the whole thing into his mouth.

I scowled, though his carefree nature both eased and irked me.

What was his game? I didn’t understand. Was this a test from Zander?

I didn’t respond, as I suddenly became wary. His observations were right: I worked hard to keep the image Zander wanted me to have, and now, he had seen through a part of the mask I had so carefully curated. Control was usually my strength.

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