Choosing The Villian

Day 16 ~ 18

Day 16

Watching the pond being filled was a good distraction but my mind just wouldn't leave the memory of what I saw this morning. Blood being cleaned from the floor of the main room I had been in yesterday. I asked Tom what had happened but he just tried to brush me off, I tried to confront Daniel himself but his face remained blank. He told me I didn't need to know, and that he would do what he had to keep his ranks clean. It didn't take any idiot to realise what he meant by that and it sent shudders down my back. I had never lied to myself about the kind of man he was, or even the men I had been essentially living with. Being faced with it directly like that though made the fact hit home all the harder. Watching the once dismal pond now sit sitting ready for fish as a crystal clear masterpiece, I found it nearly impossible to bring myself to hate anyone here or want to leave. Thinking about Daniel I frowned, he was the Shadow Man - someone who people feared ever meeting and law wanted nothing more than to lock away. Yet since I had been here he had proven to have morals... even if they were a bit warped, and he had been more considerate than my fiancé had been in years. Groaning I shoved my face into my hands, trying desperately to get myself to think straight. "I thought I would find you out here, you've been busy I see" Jerking up I found the man plaguing my thoughts strolling closer, his attention on the flower beds I had been working on. 

I looked back to the pond when his eyes tried to lock with mine, refusing to look to look at him even as he sat beside me. "Tomorrow someone is coming with some Koi and other fish for the pond, you can choose as many as you want" Any other time I would have been really happy to hear that, but right now I couldn't help but feel like he was trying to buy me something to distract me. After a few deafening minutes of silence I heard a sigh before a hand gripped my chin, forcing me to turn and look at those intense blue eyes. "You need to stop this, you know who and what I am Jenny. So STOP avoiding me because of some little fucker, who we both know deserved what he got" Jerking myself away I stood heading towards the house, trying my best to ignore the burning feeling on my back. "We will talk about this later Jenny, we're not done with this" I knew he was right, even if I avoided him for the rest of the day he would be there tonight when I went to bed. Heading for the kitchen I wondered why even after all the conflict in my head about what I saw, I still knew I would sleep better at Daniel's side than alone. Just one more fact to help my headache build as I made plans to eat as much of the chocolate cake I had seen that I could steal away.

Day 17

I had never had such a rough night in my life! Daniel had been true to his word and didn't let the matter go, but I had tried to ignore or redirect him every time... that didn't go so well. He made sure I was very aware of his presence the entire time, talking as he touched me to make sure I couldn't ignore him. It started with just sitting close, but by the time we got in bed to sleep I found myself all but moulded to his side as Daniel played with my hair. I ignored Tom and Luke as they came in but they all but impossible, Tom sat next to me while Luke dropped into a chair opposite looking far too amused for my liking. I really wanted to slap the grin off his face but after a night with near to no sleep I just didn't have the energy. "Aww Miss G did Boss keep you up? I heard ya was trying to ignore him yesterday, guess that didn't go too well for ya" I stuck my tongue out at him crossing my arms over my chest trying not to pout like a child. "Sorry your tired Miss Jenny but you did sort of call this on yourself. Oh and so you know Boss is looking for you again" Groaning I sank further into my chair hoping he wouldn't find me. "I wouldn't try hiding from him either... I don't know what happened this morning but after the meeting he was on a rampage" That got my attention. I remembered Daniel being called away this morning as he was getting dressed, the guy who had poked his head around the door had looked terrified. Swallowing I thought about it and knew it would be better if I went to find him first. " I guess I better go find him then" Pushing myself up feeling heavier than I should have I headed towards the office I knew Daniel would be in. 

When I got there I could hear raised voices, despite knowing I shouldn't I put my ear to the door. I didn't mean to listen in I just wanted to know if I should come back later but the words I heard chilled me to the bone. "I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHAT IT TAKES, GET ME WHAT I NEED TO DEAL WITH MARK STONE BY TOMORROW. OR I WILL BE DEALING WITH YOU!" I recognised voice all too well, but the pure rage and hatred in it shocked me. When I heard footsteps coming I panicked but only stumbled a step back before the door flung open, dark blue eyes widening onto mine in an instant. I could feel myself tearing up as I shook my head not sure what to do. "Jenny-" I didn't stop to listen turning to run away from him, managing to get upstairs ahead of him only thanks to some men getting in his way. Getting into my room I slammed the door shut sitting on the floor blocking it shut. I heard and felt him hitting the door telling me to let him in, but I blocked it out the best I could. I didn't know what was worse. That I ran off like that and made the situation worse, or that I had been more worried over Daniel looking so upset seeing me than Mark's safety.

Day 18

I hadn't slept a wink. As far as I knew he was still there, Daniel's voice kept filtering thought the wood of the door letting me know that. Sometimes he was talking directly to me, others he was apparently directing people to get work done. I was so tired and my eyes hurt from the on off crying I had been doing, but I was so conflicted. Daniel kept saying it wasn't what I thought and if I just opened the door he would explain, I wanted to believe him but I was just so scared. If I let him in and listened he could lie to me, but then he could be telling me the truth too. My head hurt. "Jenny? I know you can hear me, just let me in now okay. I know you haven't slept either" I said nothing, couldn't even bring myself to try. I felt myself moving slowly until I was standing looking at the door, my eyes focusing on the handle as I debated on what I should do. "Jenny... please?" The softly spoken word last the last push I needed, slowly I turned the handle letting the door open. I didn't stay at the door though, turning away instead heading towards the bed playing with my sleeve as I heard footsteps behind me. I was stopped from getting onto the bed by a pair of arms gently wrapping around my shoulders, pulling me back into a hard warm chest. "I know your upset at what you heard – but I won't change my plans. Just know I am doing this for you" I tried to shake him off so I could turn and face him but he held firm, putting his face in the crook of my neck carrying on.

 "That fucker only ever hurt you, I've seen the proof and spoke to all those kids you thought didn't look twice." I whimpered trying to ignore him, but Daniel gripped me tighter stopping any chance I had at ignoring him. "By the time I am done with that bastard his name will be worth nothing, his job gone and no woman will touch him. Its only because I know you still aren't ready to let go of him that he isn't dead" Realisation dawned that I had took what I heard the wrong way, he wanted to take everything away from Mark but he wasn't going to hurt him. Physically at least. I relaxed without meaning to which Daniel seemed to notice straight away. Slowly I felt the arms around me slide away until I felt my hand being pulled as I was lead to the bed, once again I went to argue wanting to know more but I was cut off by a hard glare. "Not now. We both need some sleep, anything else can wait" Nowhere near feeling strong enough to stay stubborn I let myself be tucked into bed, not even fighting when Daniel joined me moulding me to his chest his legs mixing with mine. "I know I'm not a man you would normally choose... let alone trust Jenny, but if you'd give me a chance I would burn down the world and rebuild it for you" Knowing who he was I knew he could do it, but the meaning was sweet all the same. Even if it was terrifying as well. "Give me time" I whispered the words into his chest but I knew he heard, and I could have sworn I felt a kiss to the top of my head as I began to drift to sleep. "You have all the time in the world Jenny, I promise you that"