𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 / 𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻

twenty-one

Valerie looks away because she can no longer look at him. It comes to her as a shock, yet it was not that surprising at all. Of course he knew about the conversation she had with her father when they returned to the Outer Banks. Just because there hadn't been any repercussions then, didn't mean he hadn't known. She didn't know if it had been because of Peter, or something else entirely, but he knew.

Of course he knew.

"I'd hardly call Peter a friend." Valerie says boredly. "A few conversations are nothing more than entertainment. If you haven't noticed there isn't much to do around here, this isn't exactly some five star hotel, right?" She begins tapping her hand against the table, imitating a bell being rung repeatedly. "Oh, Mr. Cameron your suite is being prepared! The cleaners are making your bed!"

Wards face hardens. "Let me ask you this. If I waited another week, let you and Peter get closer, would you have hesitated to take his life?"

"No." She answers instantly, because she doesn't want him to detect any hesitation, she doesn't want to slip up in even a minuscule way, because she can't let him know the truth. It had been hard enough as is, and had she spent another week, even another day, talking to him, shes not sure what could have happened. She dosen't know what she would have done, she only knows what she did. And Valerie dosen't want to consider another reality where she'd have made a different choice. "I would have killed him either way." She says firmly.

"Do you want to know what I think?" He asks as if she cares. And its clear he knows she must not, because he continues with in seconds. "You severely underestimate me. You can't think I'd hire someone I don't fully trust? Peter, like everyone else here had a job to do. And that was to gain your trust. But I guess I underestimated you too, Valerie. Or maybe I underestimated you and my sons connection. Because I didn't think you'd kill your one and only friend to protect Rafe from a mere interrogation."

"If you're so smart, then why tell me all of this?" She asks and her question is almost genuine, filled with curiosity, wondering if this is yet another step in his plan, because she can't believe Wards telling her everything out with no reason. "So insecure you need me to know you've been fucking with me, it isn't satisfying enough knowing you got away with it?"

"I have no shame in hiding what I know you already know." He says simply, folding his hands together and letting them sit on the table. Her eyes catch on them, and watch every movement just incase he pulls out a weapon, incase he makes any sudden movements. "Though if I were you, I would have tried to play along, it could have made things easier, but you seem to enjoy making things more difficult for yourself."

She briefly considered his words, and there might have been some truth behind them. Because maybe, if she had spent the past six months cooperating, things would have been much easier. If she didn't speak every cruel thought she had, or fight back, it could have been simpler.

It probably would be.

But she'd rather take every hit, every insult, every night locked up, every punishment, than even act as if she could stand being here.

Her eyes twitched away from his hands, for just a second, shifting to the dagger and gun he'd taken and laid out in the middle of the table. Both were only inches away and with one move she could kill him too, and she was sure, that, she would not feel any remorse for.

But it was a silent taunt, because even though she could, she wouldn't. And he knew this too. Because as much as she hated him, she loved her brother just a little bit more.

"Well, I guess this is all just getting a little boring." She examines her nails, but her eyes continuously drift back to his hands. "Honestly, Ward, I would've rather you just killed me."