The Phantom's Princess.

Ch. 6 - Two Years Later

Two Years Later

Alexis combed her fingers through her lilac-dyed hair, and then proudly nodded back at her hairstylist.

Vincent had offered her anything she wanted for her fourteenth birthday, but there was nothing she wanted more than lilac-dyed hair, lilac contact lenses and a lilac suit. He'd refused the contacts, but a tailor and stylist had been booked to deliver the suit and hairstyle in time for her party in the next few days.

Alexis had also requested a haircut, a little shorter than Vincent hadn't permitted, but over her time with him, she'd quickly learnt that there were practically no consequences for her transgressions. A realisation that she'd pushed further and further each month just to see exactly how much she could get away with. It was all in good faith though as she also learnt, very quickly, the reason the other men of Blackthorn took an almost completely submissive role around him.

Behind his dark eyes and the veneer of organized crime and power, he had the most unexpected traits — kindness and sincerity.

Alexis had noticed as much on their first meeting. Vincent was fiercely loyal to those he considered family, and his gang members were more than just underlings; he considered them brothers.

In stark contrast to his ruthless reputation, Vincent was constant in ensuring the well-being of the men of Blackthorn, and there was no problem they could face that he wouldn't want a hand in, in order to help. They weren't obedient due to fear as she had once imagined but through his genuine sense of camaraderie and care.

The same was true of Alexis. Despite pushing the boundaries in all things trivial, she would never dare to directly go against his will. As far as she was concerned, she owed him her life, and she would willingly hand it over to him in a split moment.

After dismissing the hair stylist, Alexis dressed herself in her new suit and fixed her pocket knife into her chest holster.

The pocket knife had been a gift from Vincent, not too long after she'd arrived. He'd said it was so she wouldn't have to break any more dangerous objects and hide them on her body, and as long as she was responsible, she could carry the knife on her whenever she wanted. It was rustic brown with gold finishings, and Vincent had offered to have the linings changed to another colour if she wished. Alexis declined, feeling that being the new owner of Vincent's old knife was an honour and not one she wished to sully by having any alterations made to it.

After giving her new look one last glance in the mirror, Alexis left her room and made her way down to where the men were.

Geoffrey was the first she came across in the hall at the bottom of the stairs, which satisfied her greatly as he was the main person, aside from Vincent, whom she wanted to show her look to.

"Whoa," he said when he saw her and raised his hand in the air for her to jump and land a high five on it.

"You look cool," he said giving a small head nod as he spoke, and then after raising his eyebrows slightly added. "It almost suits you better than it suits me ... almost."

"Only because you're literally my role model I'm going to let you get away with that," she said with a mock glare. "But I'm going to make this look my own soon, you wait and see."

"I don't doubt you will," he said before giving her a gentle ruffle on her head. "Hey," he then called, turning to Thomas who had just entered the hall. "Look at my twin."

Thomas stopped and looked between the two of them, his expression not changing here or there and then he simply said, "Nice. I can't tell the two of you apart," and then he continued on his way, which was, if you are wondering, quite a lengthy sentence for him to deliver in such a trivial matter.