The Heart's Content

Chapter 80

When Angel took Vaggie away, Valentino had pretty much lost his mind. He couldn't stand it when things didn't go his way, he couldn't stand it when people defied him. And his insanity only grew when he tried to use her soul to call her back, it didn't work. Normally whenever he held the marble containing her soul in his hand, she was supposed to feel instant pain, pain so awful that it wouldn't cease until she came back to him. But no such thing happened.

And to add fuel to the insane flame burning in his mind, was Rosie's cabaret becoming the most successful establishment in town. Since the 4th of July festival, her cabaret had gained more popularity and attention that ever before. Even more so once she allowed Charlie to join Alastor on stage singing and introduced Husk's piano playing. It was a packed house for her almost every night while literally no one was setting so much as one foot in Val's circus.

"What the F* is going on here?!" Valentino snapped one morning as he was reading a newspaper.

"Please calm yourself sir." Mr. Pentious said. "Your breakdowns tend to attract a lot of attention."

"Shut up!" He snarled. "Have you read today's paper!"

He slammed it right into Mr. Pentious's face. "My profits and my show's popularity is down 89 percent! While the Claire De lune is going through the roof! Damn it! What the hell are Vaggie and Husk doing?! I sent them over there to sabotage Rosie! And now I'm seeing photos of them partying with her! Have they forgotten just who they belong to?!"

"Well sir you must admit, it is rather hard to not befriend Miss Rosie."

"What are you talking about?! Everyone in this town knows that she's a witch!"

"Technically sir it's common knowledge, it's just a rumor you spread around. Most people know her to be a charming, decent. law-abiding woman. Her prices aren't un-reasoable, she treats her employees graciously, and she donates all her extra funds to charity, and you and her ex husband are the only people she has a cross word to say about."

"So?"

"So she's a nice person and most people don't want to sabotage a nice person. Even if they work for you."

"Yes!" He hissed. "Rosie was always so easily loved and adored, whereas I was always so easily hated and despised! I earned my fame and power! She didn't! Therefore I deserve it more than her!"

"You know you really should try to get past this." Mr. Pentious said. "Maybe we should just leave, take our business elsewhere."

"I don't lose Pentious! I refuse to lose to anyone! Especially to my goody-goody sister! Besides, I can't go anywhere until I re-adjust my grip on Vaggie!"

"What do you mean, re-adjust?"

"She's not coming when I call her! She doesn't feel the pain of her soul being held! Do you knw what that means?!"

"Um...No."

"It means she's falling in love! And if she falls in love and gets married, then she'll be free!"

"She will?" Mr. Pentiosu said confused. "How so?"

"When a man marries a woman, they become one spiritually. That means they share one soul and if Vaggie shares a soul with another, then she has no need of the one she traded me years ago. Meaning I having nothing to hold her!"

"Does she know that?"

"Of course not!"

"Then what are you worried about? You know she'll never get married, even if she does fall in love. She thinks that there's no escape for her, so she believes that things like marriage would be a waste. As long she never finds out marriage would set her free, there's no threat."