She could not believe what she had just done…
Good Lord, everything had made her... unstable.
Possessed by madness.
She had got out of his apartment as soon as posible. Before hear heart filled with regret and she could turn back her steps.
Tears were clouding her eyes and she was soaking wet because of the rain that had started falling as soon as she left Édmond's house. She looked at her bed.
A lone white rose rested upon the bedspread.
She came closer and held it carefully. She did not have to guess who had given her such a gift.
She felt a sharp pain going through her finger and a few drops of blood escaping a tiny wound that had opened on her fingertip...
He had not removed the thorns.
She began feeling like she was suffocating.
Her racked sobs filled the bedroom.
Why should he make everything harder than it already was?
'Swallow those tears. They won't help you now...', he sent a mordant look in her diretion. 'I'd have knocked for the sake of the etiquette you dictate and which you say I lack of, but the door was wide open when I arrived'.
She lifted her tearful gaze.
No. Goddamned, no. She had to face him now...of all the people she
knew...
'Erik…'.
Christine heard the door shutting in the apartment right above Erik's. She knew it was hers.
If he did not tell her…
She opened the door quietly and began climbing the stairs until a few steps separated her from Angie's apartment door.
'Please…', she was still drowning in her own crying, her eyes begging him to go away. For the first time, she felt meaningless and tiny next to him
This time he knew kindness and gentleness would not be enought to make her reason and come back to her senses.
He brusquely pulled her from the bed, where she had taken a seat when her knees had nearly buckled beneath her. Erik's strength was no match to hers, so the pressure in her arms became really painful. Then, he hurled her to the front wall. Their bodies were suddenly too close of each other, just like that very first encounter they had shared.
'Did you really think that I would not be clever enough, hm?'. His voice sounded hoarse, angrier than ever. 'It hasn't taken long to figure out that jealousy has finally taken its toll on you. They have defeated you at last…Even when I told you the damned truth you still wouldn't accept it and move on!'. His lips hovered near her ear. 'I recognize a calculating, cold-blooded person when I see one, dear, and I know that you must have some little plan spinning around in your head', he moved away but just enough so that she would still feel intimidated. 'Tell me right now!'.
In turn, she just looked at her side, trying to avoid his eyes at all costs.
She could not tell him! It was…so difficult. So difficult being torn between revenge and love!
She could make out the sound of a piece of furniture being moved, his determined steps…
And specially the discussion they were holding at the moment. The last words had come from his throat like a growl...
She rested her hands on the wall in distress, nearer and nearer of the doorknob.
Angeline tried to free herself from his graps, pushing hard with her arms and tossing between his stronger ones...
It was impossible. A pair of muscular and enraged arms could never be defeated by ones that were already too weak and tired of fighting.
He noticed her attempts of getting away from him very soon. He pushed his body forward, trapping her tighter against the wall, as purple bruises formed in both her wrists. A small groan came out of her.
'You are hurting me...', she barely had strength to pronounce those words.
She could feel his uneven breathing close to her skin.
And the furious sound he emitted was like a thunder that shook all her body to the core.
He forced her to look directly into his eyes. 'Quoting yourself, I'm just a feelingless being! So, whether I hurt you or not must be inconsequential to me, don't you think?'. He almost smiled. 'Why would I want to ruin that hard-won reputation now?'. He let go of her hands as if they burnt him but still keeping little distance between them. 'I got tired of our silly little games long ago. So…', he seemed more calmed now. 'Speak quickly before I loose all patience with you'.
She had never seen him like that… He was… savage. So savage that she was fearing for her life.
However, his calmer demeanour helped her ease her worry too…
They both could hear each other's breathing, slower now but still labored. Erik stood haughtily and in silence, waiting for her reply, with fury glowing deep in his eyes.
She simply could not tell him… Her body shivered under his dark presence.
Christine sharpened her ear, aghast. She felt that her own breathing was coming in and out in gasps like theirs.
It was time to stop all that.
Slowly, very slowly, her hand began turning the doorknob...
Her hand shot to the nape of his neck and she pressed her mouth to his in a hard kiss, just like that. Her eyes had been pouring waterfalls of fresh tears since the moment she had abandoned that apartment where she had signed the ultimate act of vengeance like the betrayer she had pretended to be. But she couldn't go on.
Once more, she only wanted to enjoy the caress of his lips upon hers, before whatever punishment her fate had in store for her.
She prayed for him to at least understand that she loved him still. That she had always loved him, in spite of what was about to happen…
Her hands slid instinctively down his neck, though his remained deathly still. He was frowning, looking for the way to break her kiss but not really knowing how.
The door opened…
No… She might have convenced him… Oh, Lord. She was kissing him with such an ardent passion. So hard. And he looked as if he were responding, though not so enthusiastically.
She started walking backwards, slowly… She lost control of her pain and sobs racked her frame… She managed to hide in the shadows offered by the corner of the room.
It was then when Angie moved away, as, little by little, her fingers strocked his nape and trailed down his cheek.
'I cannot!'.
She bursted out crying hard again and his amazement allowed her to break free from his arms and run away, not giving a single glance back.
Without second thoughts, he ran after her…
He reached the street but it was already too late.
Even with the rain, he was sure that her lithe form would probably help her gain much advantage over him in a short time.
'Angeline!'.
He felt water soak his hair and clothes. He came inside again, feeling utterly frustrated.
What he found in her apartment did nothing to improve his mood.
Christine was staring at him from the middle of the room. Her eyes reddenned, her breathing ragged and a sceptic look matched the pained frown she exhibited.
It was impossible that…
Her lower-lip was quivering but, though he tried, he couldn't have come closer to her for she fleed as soon as he made his first move..
He closed his eyes shut.
It was obvious to him now that she had watched the whole exchange
Perhaps if he had explained things to her since the first moment.. or if Angie had made things easier...
He sat down on the bed, furious. Things had slipped out of his hands…
A sigh of exhaustion came out of his lips as he accidentally eyed a piece of paper which was lying on the floor.
He stretched his hand to take it. There was an address written on it and a name. It had probably and inadvertently fallen from the girl's pocket.
Definitely, that was all the proof he needed to confirm his suspicions.
He looked around and put the piece of paper in one of the small pockets of his wet jacket. Then, he left the apartment.
'My dear comrade Édmond…', Jacques gave him a half-smile. 'After our last encounter we lost all faith of ever seeing you around...'.
'Oh, please, I beg your pardon for my little impertinence', he eyed his two collaborators, who had come accompanied by Marie and Emma. 'But, as promised, I've brought some news... Precisely what all of us have been wishing for'.
His audience observed him in anticipation, waiting for him to continue his exposition.
He just loved having them eat out of the palm of his hand.
His lips curved into a triumphant smile, taking a little piece of paper out of his pocket. 'Here it is the address of Christine's hiding place…'. He lifted a hand, beating to Jacques and Maurice's impatient attitude. 'Not that fast, my friend. If we want this to come out well, we must draw a plan and organize ourselves better this time…', he made a pause. 'And you must abide to my rules, of course'.
Maurice frowned. 'What do you mean, boy?'.
'Tomorrow at noon. I'll tell you then… and…I'll bring my confidante with me'.
With a slight nod of his head, he retired, taking his umbrella in his hand as he passed the hallway. Once he was outside, he opened it so that he could protect himself from the rainwater.
She had seen him walk past not too far from the place she was hiding in. She had managed to take shelter from the rain in a dark and narrow alley between two large buildings.
She could come out of her hiding place and approach him, tell him that she had second thoughts and prefered to let things unchanged
No, not yet. It would be too soon. After all, she had given him her word too.
She closed her eyes, feeling the cold drench her skin and chill her bones.
He had come after her and then returned home. She would not be able to see him again in another day at the least. She knew she was acting like a coward but it was what her instinct had told her to do.
She had clearly heard him cry out her name in the distance.
He had not understood that her last sentence had been pronounced in frustration not because she did not want to tell him the truth…but because she just could not bring herself to betray the person she had loved, and, fortunately or unfortunately, still loved the most.
Yes…A damned coward…that was her.
She regained her composture somehow, came out of the alley and began her walk back home.