The other girl's story

criminal

"So expressive, sweetheart." He grabs my hand behind his neck and forces it back to the front. "You seem a little different from before Rose. What is this about? I don't recall you despising me to the extent of cutting my neck." He noticed the knife too quickly... "I didn't expect to manage it anyway." He lets go of my hand. "I wanted to meet you for one reason. I have something to tell you." He smiles in interest. "Leave me alone. Don't ever come close to me or my people again. I don't ever want to see you again." Suddenly, he has me in a choke hold. He seems almost a little bit angry. "What do you mean? Do you actually want to insult me to that extent? You are in no position to make such an offer. I'd like to kindly refuse." I hold the knife to his jaw. "It was not an offer. Elias, this is my first and last warning to you. I will not forgive anyone who stands in the way on my path to the top. If you keep interfering in my life and stalking me wherever I go, I will crush Black Royal. As the leader of "Hell's blossom," you have my word." His eyes widen. "Don't tell me that you have built yourself a gang already?" He suddenly seems very amused. "Then let me make a suggestion. I will follow your wish and stop interfering with your life if you manage to actually defeat Black Royal. Whenever you are ready, you may challenge us. But if you fail, you'll be chained to me for a lifetime. Sounds like a fair game to play, right?" I shake my head. "No... if I win, Black Royal will be mine, and your existence will be wiped from this earth." He looks at me for a second before laughing loud and evilly. "You never fail to surprise me, sweetheart. Alright, as you wish." That's all I need. From the very first moment on, I planned on making his people mine, so the conversation turned out just the way I want it to. I drive back to Tia's apartment for one last time. It's time. I get ready to leave this crazy city the next morning. When has this become a routine? Has there ever truly been a place that I could call my own home? In my 1300 years of life... not even a single one. Kind of sad. Maybe that's why I developed an inferior complex and now crave owning the world. Whatever. It doesn't matter. What matters now is that I get back, fall asleep, and when I wake up, all of my problems will be gone. I wake up the next day... my problems are still there. My alarm went off at 5 am. Today I have a long task list today. And I'm tired as shit. I hope this will all be worth it in the end. Anyway, eat that frog. I get dressed and go for my morning run. It was hard to do conditioning during winter because of the slippery weather and since most of my workouts consist of cellist and outdoor training so as soon as spring came, I did everything to regain my body strength and stamina. Those exercises used to be my warm-up when I was still Roxanne, but now... they are difficult as hell. I guess great things don't come easy and take time. Might also be the reason for me to be always late. Just like right now. I really forgot that I have to work today. I get dressed and drive to the bar. "Rose, where have you been? The guests are bored." I apologize. "Play some music, I'll give them a mesmerizing performance as  an excuse." I get on stage to the pole and start my movements. As always, the drunk guests are easy to hype up. When going home in the whee hours, I feel like I'm being watched. One of his little gang spies again?" I don't bother checking and approach the highway home when a couple of cars stop in front of me, blocking the way. I get off and watch the men getting out of the cars with curiosity. Damn it... "Rose Daria Helion. We're from the police. Could we have a word, please?" I lower my head slightly. "Depends on the topic." The man steps forward. "You could be either a valuable witness or a suspect in a mass murder case of an Italian intelligence guild." I sigh. It had to go so far. "I understand." I drive to the police station with the man where I'm being kept waiting in an interrogation room. The door opens, and the previous officer enters the room in the company of another guy. They sit down in front of me, staring right into me. I gaze back without blinking. That's not too difficult. Their presence is low and not dangerous at all. There wouldn't be anything for me to worry about here. "Do you know this man?" It's a picture of Felix. He is standing in front of a corpse, a bloody weapon in his left hand. The corpse on the ground is one of the men who held me captive in Milano. "We did meet before. Is there a problem?" He leans in on me, failing at intimidating me. "His name is Felix Cassano. He is part of an Italian crime family and is currently wanted for several murders on the day when the picture was taken. We were contacted by the Italien government to hand him over. However, our search for him has not been successful yet." I close my eyes for a second. "And what does that have to do with me?" The policeman tilts his head. "You don't seem all too surprised, considering that you just found out that he is a murderer. Are you perhaps hiding something? What is your relationship with this man?" I raise an eyebrow. "I don't keep in touch with him. We met coincidently in Milano and parted ways as such." He gives me another photograph. It's Felix carrying me out of the mafia office. Oh, hell no. "That is you, right?" It wouldn't make sense for me to deny that. They even found out my name and location, so they most likely already know that we've been sharing a hotel room during that time. "That is right. It's me. I don't remember that night, to be honest. I only know that I woke up next to Felix the very next day. That is pretty much it. "Then why have you been going in and out that building the previous days?" I gulp. Now that will be a headache to explain...