Only Angel

Chapter Ten

The three of us sat in an awkward silence as we ate.

I poked around at my take-out box with the chopsticks that Louis handed to me and glanced over at Josh.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" I ask.

Josh shrugs, looking at me. "Tomorrow morning you'll practice your dance with the prop girls in your uniform, then do your little performance, and then you and I are going on a small business trip to midtown." he tells me.

I raise my brows, nodding a bit.

"Sounds good." I say.

I glance at my watch and then get up from my stool at the island.

"I guess I should go on to bed now."

Josh nods and Louis looks up at me.

"Do you really have to go? I mean, it's not that late. And you don't really have to be up too early." He says.

Josh buts in, giving Louis a hard glare. "We need to be at the WareHouse by eight and her practice starts then. We need to have everything prepared for tonight's show and make sure that the rest of the girls know what we're serving. Afterwards, we have more...exclusive business and I want her there as well." He snaps. "Is that a problem?"

Louis swallows and shakes his head, getting up and throwing away his food. "No problem at all, Boss."

I smirk and run a hand through my still wet hair.

"Well, I guess I had better get some rest too." Louis says, walking over to me and heading up the stairs.

I glance over at Josh and see that he's back to eating, his face relaxed as if nothing happened.

"How do you do it?" I ask, turning to face him.

"Do what?" He replies, not even looking away from his noodles.

I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest. "Do that. How can you just be an asshole to everybody? Do you feel..anything?"

At this, Josh sits up and leans back, tossing his chopsticks on the table as he glares at me.

"I am an asshole. I won't deny that. Everyone is in their own way. I'm the boss of a massive drug ring. I do under ground fights for funding and I've killed people. I lost the ability to feel a long time ago, Cola." He tells me.

I shake my head, walking to stand in front of him.

"If you can't feel, then what the hell was that in my room? Why did you apologize if you didn't mean it? That's even worse than the actual hurting me, Josh."

Josh's eyes search mine, his dazzling green eyes staring with such cold intensity I can't help but shiver.

"I don't want to talk any more. Now, go on upstairs. I'll clean up." He says.

Blinking, I follow him as he gets up and throws away the take-out we ordered.

"That's it? That's all I get?" I demand.

Josh rolls his eyes, washing his hands at the kitchen sink.

"I just want to know why you're like this...like, this sadist. Why you want to hurt people." I explain.

Josh snaps around, cold water flinging on me as he points his finger in my face, inches from my eye.

"You're not my lover, and you're sure as hell not my bloody mother. I don't have to tell you shit. You think I want to hurt people? No. But I have to. Survival of the fittest, baby. And if you're not with me, you're dead." He says, his glowing as he watches me flinch when he puts his fingers to my head.

I swallow hard, taking a step away from him. "Got it. Won't bother you again."

And with that, I ran up the long staircase and to the new place I call mine.

Once I'm in my room, I turn and lock the door before leaning against it, my blood rushing and my heart pounding.

What the hell was that?

I close my eyes, taking deep breaths before walking to the bookshelf.

I take in all of the books that Sausage had brought from my apartment and smile small at the run down, first additions that belonged to my favorite book series.

I quietly pulled out the first book and flipped through it, looking at all of the markings and notes I had out down along the margins.

A few minutes later, I heard a knock on the door and I jumped , quickly putting the book back and walking to the door.

I open it to find Louis standing there and I blink in confusion.

"Louis? What do you want?" I ask, looking down the hall for Josh.

"I just wanted to see how you're settling in. If you needed help with anything before I go on to bed." He explains.

I nod and finally look at him.

Louis was wearing the same short he had on and a pair of grey sweat pants, his hands deep in his pockets.

I shake my head, looking away from him as I mean against the door frame.

"No, I don't need any help. I guess Sausage already did everything for me." I tell him, gesturing to the room.

Louis nods, chuckling a bit. "Yeah, Bruce can be like that sometimes."

I raise my brow, "How did you know I was talking about him?"

Louis's cheeks redden and he looks away form me and around the room and he rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "I-um, heard you and Josh talking earlier in his office. When you first got here." he admits.

I nod, rubbing my arm and looking at him. "Was there anything else you wanted to say?" I ask.

Louis nods and clears his throat. "Yeah, actually. I just...I wanted to warn you."

"About?" I ask, sitting on the edge of my bed.

Louis stays where he is, his eyes meeting mine. "About Josh...he's a rough guy, Frankie. Dangerous. We all are, but he's bipolar as hell and he doesn't trust easily. With most new recruits, he'll beat them shitless and make them do horrible things. He's not doing that with you. And I'm glad. You're probably one of the purest people I've known to have met Josh. So just, please, be careful." he says.

I blink in confusion but nod at his words.

"Alright. Now, I'm actually gonna get some sleep." he says, walking to the door.

Louis grabs the handle and opens the door stepping out.

"Oh, and one more thing." Louis says, looking back at me.

"What is it?" I ask, looking at him.

Louis pauses, searching my face. "Don't fall for him."

And with that....he left.