Bianchi: Dark Knight

1:23

As Dane's assistant I'm sure she's met much stubbornness in her time. Judging by the way her hazel eyes pierce me I am correct. Too bad for her she has never dealt with a woman like me. Instead of flipping the piercing gaze she gives me back onto her I take count of her. With an unsettling smile (and crazy eyes) I catalog what I see. Her hair is the same mousy brown color it always has been. Usually it's better kept. Her cool toned skin has a dewy glow to it. It's a natural one as she is bare faced with tired bags under her eyes. Taking a better examination she looks worn down, hagardish even.

Then it happens. Ever so slightly I can see a small leak come from her breast. A small wet spot is at the same area of her nipple. She must not be wearing a bra, it's likely too uncomfortable to deal with. This information still doesn't answer all the questions but it gives me some idea as to what she's doing here. Gambling isn't a hobby of mine, though my intuition would make me a shit ton, but if I were I would bet my life savings that Jackson Dane is the father.

"What do you mean?" Keeping kitsch is fun every once in a while. "I love my job. Helping others is when I'm at my best, surely you remember that?" The air has shifted with tension swirling all through it.

"Apologies for my abrasiveness. I would just hate to see you get hurt. Which is why-" With a dark chuckle I interrupt her. Is this supposed to be a threat? "Hurt? Should I really be afraid of the Dane's? They've known me my entire life. I'm practically one of them." Her coy act slips at the mention of the Dane's. A look of thunder storms in her eyes.

"We can drop the act Lennox. You and I both know that you aren't as gung ho with that family as you presume. You're nothing but a pawn to them." Sharp nails tap on my desk as each venomous word lands. I'd like to think it's somehow a metaphor.

"If I'm a pawn what does that make you? A gnat? Hmm, that fits you well?" Defending Jackson Dane makes me sick in the deepest part of my body, but I won't let anyone derail my plans any further. Taking authority of the little control I have is necessary.

"What are you protecting them from?" The words clearly weren't meant to be said aloud but it didn't phase her either.

"Bitterness does not look good on you. Neither does the color yellow, but small battles right?" Face angeled I give her the smile of the century. The same thing that plagues the Dane's plague me too. Letting them rot wouldn't help me any.

"There are things that I know that would burn the Dane's to the ground." Clearly she didn't want that or she would have done it by now. " Rebecca, you're wasting my precious time. Name your price and let's move on."

"The one thing I want I can't have. All I ask is you stay out of my way when I take my revenge. Collateral damage isn't my goal. There is only one man I want to rot for the cruelty I have endured." Jackson Dane is definitely the father, and he knows. That pain on her face is one only a mother could experience...I've seen the same one on my own.

"When did you tell him?" Confusion flutters her face. No one else must know. "When did you tell Jackson Dane that you were having his baby?" Realization dawns on her and she's grabbing for her purse.

"He's not the man you think he is." How do I tell her that I would believe he is the monster she makes him out to be because I've seen it with my own two eyes. Tiffany Dane is either ignorant to his wiles or loves him enough to ignore them. Cameron and Marie are doted on so much that the true him has never been revealed. "Everything is his fault! He's a demon to his own child."

"Jackson has met your baby?" I'm grasping for straws at this point to put all of this together. Jackson would never approve or agree to accepting a baby outside of his marriage. A bad image is the one thing he fears in this world. A baby out of wedlock during the campaign, and after a scandal would surely tank the entire Dane administration.

"No, God no. Lennox, you are an intelligent woman." Pacing back and forth her boob begins leaking, pulling a sordid chuckle from her. I grab a small towel from my private bathroom for her. "You were there that night. Don't play coy either. That man calls you for everything." I nod for her to continue. "Anyways, I was there because I was looking for him. It was the night after I told him I was pregnant, but he wasn't there. Cameron was instead." I'm dizzy at the admission.

"I-I have to go. This isn't how this was supposed to go." Grabbing her bag she rushes to the doors.

"Wait." I scream. Everything she told me confused me more than I had already been. Jackson isn't telling me something, something important. "Take this in case you need anything." Taking my number quickly she rushes past the doors disappearing into the lobby.

First Bambi, now Rebecca. They say bad things come in threes. I'm not so sure I could handle whatever discovery is next. Whatever it is or could be would only plunge me further into the mess I so often find myself in.

Not being able to stand the sight of my office any longer I leave. Driving is a blur as is showing up at my childhood home. Like a scared little child I ring the doorbell waiting for mom or dad. Anticipation clobbers me from inside out, I didn't even take the time to think of an excuse as to why I'm here.

Opening the door is of course mom. As always she looks well put together, effortlessly beautiful. Moving to the side she makes room for me to come inside. Surprisingly she hasn't said one word of my appearance. "Tea?" I shake my head not being able to stomach anything at the moment. Fuck, why did I come here?

Because Fabian is at work...

The thought of running to Fabian doesn't even bother me as it would have merely weeks ago. There's only one other place I would go aside from being with him, and that's here. I can feel the wetness of my tears welling in my eyes. Swiping it quickly I turn so that mom won't see.

"Lennox," her voice speaks low, only adding to the pain I feel. I'm not a victim but it damn sure feels like I am being punished for something. Relief only comes when I'm wrapped in Fabian's arms. "I'm assuming you've been wrapped under Mr.Bianchi since you didn't call to yell at me?" The mere mention of him from her has my tears halting themselves back down.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Denial is a river in Egypt darling," Looking up the smile in her eyes shines so brightly it reminds me of my childhood. Why did it take this for her to be proud of me? "You like the young man, no shame in that."

"Mom." She pinches my cheek before kissing the spot. Warmth fills me. Neither of us had been this carefree around each other in such a long time. "So, what is he like?"

Instinctively I grab her hands in mine. When I realize I don't drop them. Instead I tell her all about the family oriented, chivalrous, handsome man. Every so often she sighs or swoons, putting the way my heart feels about him into a sound. Both of us sound giddy like two teenagers.

"Invite him for dinner. Tonight." Is she crazy? Could I really do that? "Lennox, you've met his family multiple times. Please invite him over." This relationship, or whatever it is between the two of us has moved quicker than any relationship I have been in. Yesterday night when he kissed me to sleep I promised myself that I wasn't going to hold back anymore.

So, I don't argue with her, I grab my phone making the call hoping for a yes. That's exactly what I get.