The Story of Blood and Roses

The search for Cienna had not been a difficult one. She had been confused about what to do and had run out of the house without a second thought. She had no cell phone to call anyone with, and when the guards saw her running towards the gates, they stopped her. She told them off somehow and ran. Ethan, apparently, had heard part of the argument and signalled them to let her go, which they followed. They tailed her until her apartment which was in shambles because of the thorough checking that Ethan had done previously. She had picked up the closest phone and dialed a number that James had slipped inside her blouse while she was high.

I still couldn't understand why she would do something so horrid for a man who had tormented her. I was sure that she thought of Anthony as someone she respected—her savior, but how she had sided up with a man she had deluded herself into thinking she loved, was a situation I couldn't place myself in. Why would she love someone enough to try and kill the people who have sheltered her for the past decade?

When I got my hands on her I would strangle her myself.

"I don't understand why you would let her go like that!" my voice is a little louder than I expected it to. He looks up from that unbelievably difficult videogame he keeps playing when he thinks no one is looking. He gives me a passing glance before he goes back to his gaming. To his credit, his exuberance has faded through the time and he seems to have settled into his leather chair and not jumping around to play the game like the first time I had walked in on him playing the darn game. It was a hilarious sight, though.

"Anthony," I snapped at him, trying to make him concentrate for once.

"It seems that our trust issues will not vanish over the span of a heartfelt conversation," he sighed, dramatically. I rolled my eyes and waved my hand at him to gesture him to get over himself. "I knew she would try to call someone the moment she got the chance. I just wanted to know who it would be. I wanted to know to what extent she would go to prove that she loved a pimp that caught her with her pants around her ankles, one too many times." I believe I snickered at the expression, to which Anthony just gave me a wink.

"I do trust you, but I didn't understand. I just wanted to clarify things. You know, trust each other blindly. Be the partner you need..." He smirked at me before going back to his game.

"When do you think we will find out who she called?" he asked me in a disinterested manner.

"The techs are working on it. They're scanning through phone records as well just to see how many times she has contacted the number. I hope I get a result that makes me happy."

"Meaning, that a result that ends with you wrapping your fingers around her neck and squeezing the life out of her?" he chuckled.

"Yes," I snickered. "I suppose, you do know me!" I tried to give my voice some fake incredulity, but it failed as unrestrained laughs stumbled out of my lips.

"Who do you think it was?"

"Nolan," I answer without hesitation. He nods his head before he looks away from the computer screen and focuses completely on me.

"Tell me why."

"Because this isn't new. There's something extremely fishy here. Either Cienna is a fool and they have emotionally blackmailed her or brainwashed her into thinking that we are against her, or she has been involved with them for a long time. I don't trust the woman, Anthony. I don't know if she is guilty or not, but I don't think that we should continue being so lenient with her. I think it's high time she is put down."

"Like a dog?" he asked, with a raised brow.

"Like a rabid dog." His jaws clenched, but I could see that there was an acceptance in his eyes. For the most part, I knew that there was no sentimental value to his uncertainty. It was more about the business front and how it would suffer without her being there.

"What are you worried about?" I asked him after a few minutes of silence. He hummed absent-mindedly. I repeat my question to him and he just frowned.

"Just wondering about who has the capability to handle the position that Cienna has been holding." He was thoughtful.

"You move on fast, don't you? I hope you choose better next time. It seems like you are making an awful lot of bad choices these few months." I prompted. He tilted his head to a side and gave me a critical look.

"Are you saying that you are a mistake, Mia?" he asked me, and he almost had me thinking that he was serious.

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