When The Puppet Falls For The Puppeteer

"Not Until I Am Alive."

I want the Marcus who had been careful since the day I shared with him. Like on our last final exam.

"Whats up scholar? All ready to graduate with summa cum laude?" he joked opening the door of the car for me. "Yup. How were your finals?" I asked settling in. "Well good enough to get me graduated. So I can then take the control completely rather than Charles interference" he said

"You don't like him?" I asked. "No, its not like that. I actually do like him. Growing up with him, I have seen him work, and admire his leadership. His people will die at his command. The way he run his cartel is great. His word is enough in his world. He never compromise on his principles well whatever principle a gangster has " he scoffed "But whatever I have learned, I have learned from him. His son, my cousin Drake, is actually his prodigy, he runs the cartel now more than Charles himself. But the command Charles hold is admirable. And he would do anything for his family and his cartel. I have seen him taking bullet to save his bodyguard." he said and for the first time I saw Marcus admiring someone apart from himself and William. I smiled unknowingly.

"Why are we here?" I asked as we halted at Marigold. "You studied so much for the finals you deserve a treat" he said lovingly and we got down. "Wow cinnamon latte and a turkey sub, do you need something from me" I said as he brought the food remembering my favorites of this cafe. "Red if I need something from you I will take it from you. I don't need to bribe you for it" his comment made me flush. It feels so different when he is tender, we laughed, we joked, he even planned a picnic with Mom, William, Lillie and us at the rehab center. We even made that happen the next day. We played badmiton, ball, I had a packed the picnic basket with waffles and smoothies and fruits. It was such a fun day.

But since Charles came with this news that the elections will be there if he didn't marry Jessica, he has been lashing out so much. I want him to be the Mayor. I so want it, because if he looses this, he will just burn everything around him. And the thought that kept choking me—

What if he married Jessica to secure it all? What if I stayed with him and still watched him put a ring on her finger? Charles's words replayed in my head like poison: You don't have to marry the toy to keep the toy.

My voice cut through the room before I realized I'd spoken. Low. Rough. Dangerous.

"What if Jessica says no?"

The movie droned on, but no one was watching it anymore. Ash's head lifted sharply, eyes darting toward me. Dan stilled, his hand frozen halfway to the popcorn bowl.

Marcus didn't move at first. His hand tightened ever so slightly at the back of my neck, a pressure that sent heat and dread crawling down my spine. His gaze stayed locked on the screen, jaw flexing once. 

"You will not get into this." His words were measured, but his fingers dug harder into my skin, a grip that told me I belonged to his silence, not to the question I'd dared to ask.

I didn't respond. I couldn't. My body sat frozen, his hold forcing me still, while my mind raced into darker corners. I stared past the screen, past everything, into the hollow space those questions left inside me. Ash shifted uncomfortably on the floor, but she didn't say anything. Dan's frown lingered, quiet but heavy.

Marcus's grip didn't loosen. Not yet.

And I sat there, silent, because that was the only way to survive the moment.

But my thoughts wouldn't rest. They twisted and burned in the back of my skull. If he won't leave me... if he stays... then what if he still marries Jessica? His uncle's words echoed again like poison: You don't have to marry the toy to keep the toy.