𝐇𝐄    𝐂𝐀𝐍    𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘    𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐄.    stopping    just    short    of    openly    gaping    at    her.    truly,    one    would    never    know    whether    they    were    coming    or    going    with    how    she    spun    her    words    &    flipped    the    script    so    readily.    maybe    the    old    victor    ought    to    feel    abashed;    play    the    lover    scorned    &    walk    away.    leave    her    to    her    party,    prattling    on    to    the    capitol    citizens    who    praised    the    designers    works    like    they    were    holy    scripture.    but    that    anger    —    oh,    that    anger    —    it    kept    him    firmly    in    place.    at    least    for    a    moment    more.            ❝    the    audacity    says    the    woman    who    seconds    before    was    quick    to    remind    me    of    my    place    in    the    capitol’s    game.    the    audacity    says    the    woman    who    pushed    me    away.    ❞            indignant    tone    interweaves    &    seeps    into    the    words.    now    he    is    ready    to    leave.    sick    of    all    these    circles    they    have    ran    around    one    another    tonight.    tired    —    he    is    just    tired    now.            ❝    how    did    you    expect    me    to    react ?    you    push    and    pull    me    all    different    ways    &    are    surprised    when    i    question    whether    anything    that    happened    between    us    was    real ?    i    get    that    you    were    scared    —    hell,    so    was    i.    i    loved    you    .    .    .    i    still    love    you.    the    last    time    that    didn’t    go    well    for    me;    so    much    so    that    i    didn’t    think    i’d    go    down    that    road    again.    but,    i    don’t    know    what    you    want    from    me,    rose.    ❞    

                        𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘     𝐀𝐑𝐄     𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄     𝐍𝐎𝐖.     there     is     attempt     to     put     the     focus     on     that     &     how     he     got     his     way.     not     how     her     words     cut     &     demean.     oh,     she     wants     him     angry.     to     keep     the     upper     hand.     walk     away     with     her     head     held     high     &     him     firmly     put     in     place.     well,     anger     was     achieved.     no     question     of     it.     dark     eyes     —     almost     black     —     narrowed     &     jaw     clenched.     they     each     had     their     own     facade.     crafted     in     vengeance     &     set     in     stone.     he     could     wear     his     mask     among     the     citizens     of     the     capitol.     play     the     role     flawlessly.     charming     victor     with     a     pretty     smile     —     great     addition     to     parties.     but     before     her     it     cracked     &     fell     to     pieces.     the     sharp     tongue     was     expected     …     something     that     on     the     right     occasion     was     enjoyed.     but     expectation     didn’t     shield     away     from     the     hurt.     it     is     an     unhappy     fact     that     victors     are     but     pawns     in     the     capitols     game.     there     is     a     retort     on     his     tongue     —     that     it     is     not     about     being     played     when     your     family     is     threatened.     but     she     ought     to     know     that     personally.     &     even     in     the     haze     of     anger     …     he     cannot     bring     himself     to     remind     her     of     that.     she     talks,     he     listens.     brows     furrowed.     then     it     is     his     turn.     hand     reaching     out     with     quick     reflex     to     seize     her     arm     this     time.     gentle     but     firm,     just     loose     enough     that     one     could     escape     if     they     so     wished     it.     meant     to     keep     still     before     she     could     flee     back     to     the     party.               ❝     did     you     forget     why     i     left ?     what     you     said ?     you     honestly     have     the     audacity     to     act     as     though     my     going     home     was     what     slammed     the     door     on     this.     to     try     to     blow     me     off     like     i     mean     nothing ?     i     am     not     one     of     your     little     couture     loving     sheep,     you     don’t     get     to     dismiss     me.     ❞               to     think     all     these     years     have     lead     up     to     this.     a     mess.     all     he     wanted     was     some     honesty.     he     was     asking     for     it     now,     but     perhaps     he     should     have     been     asking     for     it     then     when     everything     shifted     between     them.     grip     on     her     arm     goes     slack,     releasing     altogether.               ❝     i     told     you     i     wanted     you,     𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒆.     if     you     didn’t     actually     feel     the     same     —     if     you     didn’t     want     this     —     you     should     have     fucking     said     so     immediately.     not     let     it     linger.     not     let     me     think     …     you     know     what.     then     go     tearing     it     all     down.     we     could     have     just     gone     on     as     we     were,     as     we     had     for     years.     but     there     is     no     even     going     back     to     that,     is     there ?     considering     your     blind     determination     to     reinforce     how     little     i     mean     to     you.     ❞