Fool Me Once | T. Drake ✔

[08] A Lethal Warning

Roxanne had come to her office to make sure things were running smoothly. She was given a schedule of all the meetings Romero had said he would handle but couldn't be back in time dor. Sighing wearily, she added that to her list and went to her office, telling her secretary not to let anyone disturb her until or unless it was a message from her brother or Tim Drake.

She had noticed the press was starting to catch up on the rumors of their relationship as in that morning's paper there was a blurred shot of them going to the coffee shop together. At least that part of her deal was taken care of, she thought, switching on her laptop.

Coming to the office made her feel even more burdened by the responsibility of keeping everything running. Her brother was the one who dealt mostly with the companies they had but in those days he had been spiraling more and more out of control.

She suspected he was getting involved in something dangerous but then that wouldn't be the first time for him. Plus what could possibly pose danger to a man like him who took what he wanted and left bullet holes in his wake?

Or in her case, he left bruises and scars that she was tired of constantly hiding from the rest of the world.

She was checking her emails when her eyes stopped on a familiar ID and she opened it, seeing multiple attachments. That email was from her nephew Colin who had just graduated and sent pictures from his graduation ceremony.

Seeing his smiling face as he held the degree in his hands made her smile as well. At least someone from the wretched Donnelley family was happy.

Checking what time would it be in Ireland, she video-called her nephew, knowing it had been a long time since she had talked to him and Anya.

Colin's cheerful face came to view on her screen as he adjusted the camera. "Auntie Rox, I'm so glad you called!"

"Hi sweetie," she replied, talking to him in the same way she used to when he was a kid, "how are you?"

"I'm good, what about you?" He asked but then tilted his head back to call his mother over as well, "Ma, look who's on call."

After a short while, Anya came to the room as well, a smile spreading on her face to see Roxanne, "Roxy, so good to hear from you. How are you?"

"Exactly what I asked too."

"I am fine," she replied, feeling relieved that they were happy and safe, "I saw the pictures you sent me. Still can't believe our little fella graduated already."

The boy rose an eyebrow, his dark eyes twinkling in amusement, "why, should I not have?"

"It's just that time flies by so fast. I still remember you when you were a toddler knocking everything over in your reach."

Talking to them made her feel normal and happy. It was almost as if Romero wasn't that bad of a person and his family was very dear to her too. But then it would all end with the end of the call. Rom would go back to being his uncontrollable self and she would never tell Anya and Colin what she had to deal with.

"Dad came to visit too," Colin spoke up, taking her by surprise, "and on my graduation day, can you believe? Best surprise ever."

She smiled softly, "I told him he should go but I didn't tell him about the graduation. Must have been all his idea."

Anya said something to Colin that Roxanne didn't hear and the boy, "I will just be back, Auntie Rox. Ma forgot to turn the stove off."

With Colin leaving, Anya's expression turned slightly concerned, "is everything alright, dear?"

"Yes of course," she replied, feeling a bit self-conscious that she hadn't covered up the bruises well, "why do you ask?"

"Has Romero been going to his therapist? I tried to talk to him about it and he said yes but I feel like he was lying. Please tell me if there's something wrong with him, I will try and talk to him to convince him."