Means To An End || Tom Riddle Story

Thirty-Five

Tom watched Cosette carefully, trying to decipher her emotions and how she felt about her father's imminent demise. If she cared, she didn't show it.

"All the men that were with you in the square," she continued, "my father's men... why were they with you?"

"They used to be your father's men," chided Tom. "It seems their loyalties have shifted, now that Laurent is a loose cannon. Besides, I promised them something Laurent could never give them."

"And what's that?"

"Protection," he said simply. "They offer me their services and loyalty, and in return I ensure nothing will ever harm them or their families."

Cosette knew Tom was powerful, but now his position was greater since the last time she had seen him. His following was growing faster than she expected, and that thought scared her. The bigger his following, the greater his quest for power increased.

"Wow," bemused Cosette, "seems you've accomplished a lot in just a short amount of time."

"My following has been growing since I was sixteen, Cosette," he said casually. "This shouldn't come as a surprise to you. I thought you knew me better than that."

She wasn't even sure how well she knew him anymore. Everything he told her seemed to be deceiving and he liked to hide the truth behind omission.

Her thoughts were still racing, and she wasn't even sure what she wanted to ask him. But, she decided to get an answer to the question that was most pressing in her brain.

"Why didn't you kill me?"

Suddenly the air in the room felt thick, and she wished the furniture wasn't so dusty. Her throat felt as if it were closing up as she waited for Tom to finally tell her the truth.

His eyes were soft and his demeanor was relaxed. He sighed before he spoke.

"I think you already know why, Cosette," he responded. "But, you're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

She did not speak, just simply stared at him as her heart thudded in her chest.

"I've grown attached to you," said Tom after a couple of seconds. "That much should be obvious to you. Clearly, it was obvious to everyone else. I just couldn't see it until we were down there in the square... I couldn't bring myself to look into your eyes and end your life. But, I think you've known that all along."

Hearing Tom's confession was enough to put Cosette's heart into overdrive. He might not have said that he loves her, but it was good enough for her for now. He was taking baby steps in the right direction, and she couldn't believe it.

"Please say something," he said quietly as he stepped towards her.

Her body suddenly acted as a magnet as she stepped towards him until he was within arms' reach. Instinctively her hands reached out and grabbed his. His hands were cold to the touch, but her body was filled with warmth as she held them.

"Is this even real?" asked Cosette with an airy laugh.

The corner of Tom's lips curved up into a half smile. It was refreshing to see him naturally happy. In fact, she wasn't ever sure she had seen him look so genuine.

"Why'd it take you so long to figure it out?" she asked, only this time with a more serious tone.

Tom's smile vanished.

"Cosette, I'm going to tell you something I don't think you know about me," he released her hands and stuffed them back into his pockets and began pacing slowly around the room. She knew he did that when he was trying to maintain control. Only she wondered why he felt he couldn't be vulnerable in front of her. If this was love, he was still toeing the line.