No One Can Know || Victor Zsasz

thirteen

As much stress as as was under at the moment I still went to work. With my parents coming into town and Victor being Victor, work was the only normal thing I had left.

"Miss. Owens, why don't you join us?" Ed called from his spot in front of Jim and Lee. They had been in conversation about something or another, but I had tuned it out long ago.

"I'm sorry, what're we talking about? I didn't sleep much last night," I said, barely covering up my yawn. Jim shot me look, like he knew exactly who had kept me up last night. Victor had made it a habit to come in at around twelve and we'd talk for a few hours until we fell asleep on the couch. Since we got together I couldn't say the last time I slept in my bed.

"Miss. Kringle said that you're seeing someone and the four of us are having a double date. we could make it a triple." He stared at me through his large glasses and for a second I was at a loss for what to say.

"Um-uh, well see the thing is Ed-"

"Why don't you join Nove! None of us have met this guy and Jim says you've been seeing him for months!" I turned to look at my uncle who'd taken it upon himself to divulge my secrets to his girlfriend.

"She can't. Her parents are in town and they get to meet him first so..." Jim trailed off. I shot him a grateful look before apologizing to Ed and promising we'd take a rain check.

Throughout the day I'd almost forgotten that I had that dinner tonight with my parents. Since it was with a private client I would have to take a cab out to some  old mansion which we'd be eating at. I'd never been to one of their meetings, so the reasoning for my invite was in the wind.

My mother, ever the control freak had taken it upon herself to set out my dress. But I never listen to her, especially not when the dress is a train wreck of tulle and floral print. It was as if she thought I was still seven, and into flowers. Instead I put on the one dress I had that would get under her skin. A black, tightly-fit dress with a a slit to one side and slits around the torso. The amount of skin was something she'd find scandalous, and the color would make my father furious. For some strange reason he hated black, always choosing to order dark blue or gray suits.

My hair was stick straight and I'd chosen to put on slightly more makeup than usual, mainly to piss off my parents. Victor's ring was still on my right middle finger and I didn't plan on taking it off since he wouldn't be there tonight. I needed something to make sure I didn't have a nervous breakdown.

•*•*•*•  

Mansion was a kind word for what stood in front of me. It was a stone building that was covered in ivy and looked to be as old as the police department. The man at the gate approached the cab door but I was already out before he could open the door. He was a middle aged man with balding hair and a large build. The one weird thing about him was on his forehead, a scarred up bit of skin was just visible.

"I know you're staring at the mark." He looked down at me while guiding me to wherever I was meant to be.

"No-well maybe. I don't mean to be rude, but it was just interesting looking. I'm Novella Owens by the way." I stuck out my hand which he reluctantly shook.

"Butch Gilzean." My eyes widened a bit at his name. It was no secret that this man was one of Gotham's most notorious mobsters. A close ally of Fish Mooney until he turned into Penguin's lapdog for some reason.