#mendozas

stuck     in     a     cage.     a     cage     full     of     violence.     a     cage     full     of     lies.     full     of     grief,     loss     and     death.     he     got     out,     escaped,     found     his     way     back     to     her.     strange,     is     it     not?     to     love     something     you     once     hated.     and     oh,     how     much     the     criminal     truly     loves     her.     A     FLOWER     THAT     GROWS     IN     THE     DARKNESS.     she,     she,     she.     her     innocence,     long     gone.     something     has     changed.     it     is     written     all     over     her.     HE     CAME     BACK     FOR     HER.     to     warn     her.     to     help     her.     to     comfort     her.     ‘’     teresa...     ‘’     her     name     leaves     his     lips     like     a     damn     prayer,     closing     the     distance,     reaching     out     for     her.     ‘’     do     you     trust     me?     ‘’

IN          A          FIGHT,          THEY’RE          LETHAL.          AROUND          EACH          OTHER,          THEY          MELT.

𝐴𝑁𝐷     𝑌𝑂𝑈     𝑅𝐼𝑆𝐸,     𝑆𝑂𝐿𝐷𝐼𝐸𝑅.     suddenly,     a     little     more     alive     and     a     far     less     lost.     he     who     is     made     of     stone     -----     everything     within     him     so     damn     cold.     both     heart     and     soul.     he     hears     her     :     feels     it,     too.     he     can’t     help     but     think     ….     UNDESERVING,     UNDESERVING.     he     doesn’t     deserve     love.         doesn’t     deserve     her.     for     she     is     light,     her     heart     so     pure     /     a     innocence     he     admires     still.     walls     are     down     /     then     up     again,     brown     eyes     with     a     certain     emptiness     hidden     within     them     avoiding     her     gaze     at     all     costs,     scoff     escapes     fleshed     lips,     giving     his     head     a     little     shake.     ‘’     you     think     you     do.     but     you     don’t.     ‘’     you     can’t.     you     can’t.     LOOK     AT     HIM     /     HIS     HANDS     COVERED     WITH     BLOOD.     he’s     a     monster,     a     murderer.     you     can’t     love     a     beast,     now     can     you?     ‘’     i     don’t     deserve     that.     ‘’

𝐈𝐓          𝐈𝐒          𝐀          𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄           to          truly          care          for          someone.          he          knows          this          now.          is          she          challenging          him?          provoking          him?          testing          him?          or          is          she          just          trying          to          hurt          him?          trying          to          step          on          his          heart?          he          can’t          quite          tell          yet          -----          but          he          doesn’t          like          it.          not          one          bit.          scoff          escapes          fleshed          lips,          he          remains          still,          awfully          calm,          dark          hues          watching          her          from          just          a          distant,          trying          his          best          to          hide          his          frustration          from          her.          he          doesn’t          want          her          to          notice          that          he          actually          cares,          for          it          is          a          weakness.          especially          now.          ‘’          i          know.          i          know.          you          don’t          have          to          remind          me.          ‘’          smile          approaches          him,          one          full          of          lies.          ‘’          last          night          was          a          mistake          and          it          won’t          happen          again.          noted.          ‘’          bullshit          ----          he’s          fully          aware.          but          he’s          an          excellent          liar          after          all.          ‘’          do          you          regret          it?          ‘’

𝐧𝐨𝐰     𝐡𝐞     𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬,     𝐡𝐞’𝐬     𝐚     𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫.     he’d     always     been     one.     quite     terrifying,     body     filled     with     rage     and     hatred,     heart     is     no     longer     made     of     flesh     anymore     :     stone     cold,     stone     cold.     body     /     skin,     covered     with     marks     made     of     bullets     and     knives.     and     his     hands,     oh     ––     can’t     she     see?     sticking     with     blood.     HE     TAKES     AND     TAKES.     HE     KILLS     AND     KILLS.     and     for     what?     what     is     his     destiny?     his     purpose     in     life?     not     so     long     ago,     he     just     wanted     out.     THE     ONLY     WAY     OUT,     IS     TO     MOVE     UP.     he     told     himself,     again     and     again,     until     he     started     to     believe     his     own     goddamn     lies.     look     where     it     has     gotten     him     :     a     monster,     a     monster.     angelic     voice     echoes     around,     telling     him     it     wasn’t     his     fault.     but     he     knows     better.     and     so     does     she,     somewhere     deep     down     inside.     ‘’     i     killed     her,     teresa.     a     little     girl.     i     killed     her.     ‘’     defeat     is     everywhere,     but     there’s     also     regret,     and     a     lot     of     guilt     too.     he     glances     down,     hand     running     down     his     face,     eyes     closed.     ‘’     i’m     a     fucking     monster.     ‘’

𝐬𝐡𝐞,     𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫     𝐬𝐨     𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬.     inexperienced    little     girl     who     wants     to     tear     this     empire     apart,     doesn’t     she?     he’s     on     to     her,     sees     right     through     her.     she’s     drowning,     drowning     in     nothing     but     secrets     &     lies.     but,     as     much     as     he     hates     to     admit     it,     she’s     also     clever.     knows     how     to     do     handle     things,     how     to     do     things     right.     she     ...     inspires     him.     amazes     him.     changes     him.     there’s     something     about     this     girl     he’s     drawn     to.     ‘’     guess     that’s     just     what     we     do,     right?     lying     to     each     other?     ‘’     words     so     cold     escapes     fleshed     lips,     his     dark     brown     hues     fixated     on     the     woman     who     claims     she’s     worthy     of     his     trust.     camila’s     trust.     he’s     suspicious,     always     questioning     her.     but     her     life,     it     means     something     to     him.     and     it     confuses     him,     knowing     he’s     slowly     beginning     to     care     for     someone     who     he     doesn’t     trust.     ‘’     you     lie     to     me     all     the     damn     time.     you     don’t     think     i     know     that?     ‘’     scoff     rolls     down     his     tongue,     giving     his     head     a     little     shake.     ‘’     if     you     want     me     to     trust     you,     to     be     honest     with     you,     the     least     you     can     do     is     return     the     favor.     that’d     be     fair,     don’t     you     think?     ‘’