Black Rose

Chapter Twenty One

Joker's POV

    I will destroy the Vassalio mafia. They were supposed to be her fucking family and they have hurt her, instilled a fear in her, and ripped her of her freedom. I wonder what she was like before that asshole broke her heart. She has been broken and beat so much and yet so vibrant with life, I bet she was absolutely blinding back then.

    She looked so hurt when I left but I was just blinded with rage and had to leave before she got caught in the crossfire. Luckily, the boys had brought in someone trying to steal money from me and I tortured him for hours. I felt better. I started plotting how we were going to eliminate the Vassalio threat. I made it sound like it was to acquire their wealth in order to convince the men but my sole motivation was vengeance for my girl. I told them that this mission was confidential. I don't want her to know. She would worry. She sees her family as this all power entity, but she has never seen all I was capable of.

    Right before I was about to join her for dinner, one of my men came in with information on a Vassalio member here in Gotham. His name is Richard Russo and seems he has been here since I first found Rosalie. That is no coincidence, Wayne had photos up and around looking for the 'missing' girl. He has a team of 12 men also with him and he is too close for comfort. We started planning for an attack tomorrow night. It was 10PM when I finally exited the office. Why didn't she come and get me for dinner? Was she still upset with me?

    My heart clenches when I see what she has made for dinner...lasagna, my favorite. I take a bite and although it is cold now, it is delicious. Probably the best I ever had. Damn it, now I definitely have to find a way for her to forgive me. Wait! The necklace, I will give that to her. I go to my office and pull it out of the drawer. Then I head to the bedroom assuming she would be there.

    "Baby, I'm so sor-" I start apologizing right away but she isn't here. Strange. I text her as I start looking around the house 'Baby girl, where are you?'. I've gone through the upstairs and start to the basement, calling her name throughout the house. I start panicking and running, she still hasn't replied to my text and I start calling her phone. I hear it ring from upstairs as I finish checking the basement. Her phone is on the kitchen table but she is nowhere in sight.

    She wouldn't leave. She just wouldn't. Did one of my men take her? I will rip them to pieces if the did. Did someone dare come in my house right under my nose and take her? I am getting ready to call Johnny as I go out to the back patio slamming the door, I have the phone to my ear when I hear a soft and quiet moan.

    I look to my right and there she is. She is sleeping on one of the patio recliners. I rush over to her making sure she is ok. She looks fine but around her eyes are puffy like she had been crying a lot today. I fall to my knees and rest my head on her, thankful she is okay. I thought I had lost her again. I did something I have rarely done since I became the Joker. I let a few tears fall.

    Her skin is cold so I pick her up and take her to the living room. I make a bed out of blankets on the floor in front of the fireplace. I lay her down and she stirs for a second. I run upstair to change and where just sweatpants (making sure to pocket the necklace still) and come down to see her stretching her arms out while lying down. When she sees me a hurt look crosses her face. Oh no. She does not get to play hurt after what she put me through.  

    She gets angry when she sees my angry face and is about to say something. I quickly cover her mouth with my hand. "Hush. You have no idea what you put me through! I came out of my office feeling like an ass for missing dinner. I couldn't find you, baby." I start to soften and so did she. "I looked everywhere and was panicking. So many bad scenarios played in my head. I ran outside to call Johnny and I finally found you." My eyes started watering thinking about it again but I avoided her gaze.

    "Honey, J, look at me." She was trying to get my attention. I blinked away the tears before finally looking at her. Her eyes were watery and just got worse when she took in my hurt expression. "I am okay. I'm here. I was just outside. I was upset with you and needed some air. I wanted to tear you a new asshole, I was so mad. So I went to calm down and I fell asleep. I love you and I am so incredibly sorry for scaring you."

    How can she make my anger fade away? If this was Harley, she would have been beaten black and blue. I should punish her, maybe make her feel the pain she caused me. I just can't bring myself to do it. It looks like I have upsetted her enough for the day. I sigh.

    "I have been waiting to give this to you at the right moment. I got it right before my men attacked you when I was out of town. I have been wanting to give it to you for awhile." I pulled out the box and presented it to her.

    She gasped and whispered "It's so beautiful!" I motioned for her to turn and she did while lifting her hair. I clasped it around her neck and while I was there, kissed the back of her neck.

    I took a deep breath and told her "There are two special things about the necklace. One, it has a tracking device, so if anyone were to take you, I could find you. Secondly, my mother had one similar to it."