Crumbling Cakes

Part XXXV (35)

A/N: Soundtrack "Lovely" by Billie Eilish and Khalid. Slight warning, there is a heated moment in here where the F-Bomb drops in a lot. I apologize in advance.

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The lid barely closed on the dumpster when I felt the chill go up my spine. Oh, fuck balls...

I couldn't catch a fucking break. I wanted to look up at the sky and incinerate it to ash with all of my accusations. Scream rawly into its endless depths until my frustrations reverberated back to everything that's ever hurt me. What, what more do you want from me?

"Hello, Dalia." The sweet soprano leveled me to the present. It was a lovely voice, one that could have swept the pants off audiences at any concert hall. Too bad all it did for me was make my stomach churn. I winced before turning around to face her.

"Bathilda." I tilted my chin up, voice neutral. Don't show any fear. Never show any fear or discomfort. How the hell did she find me here? Because find me she did.

She'd been lying in wait and that meant this was not a chance encounter. My head has been so full of Sebastian I didn't even pick up on the bad vibes until she got close behind me. The shrew must have seen my momentary bafflement.

"You're clever, Dalia. But, so am I. This is where you disappeared that night." She waved her hand through the air around us. "I've seen you with that man a few times. So has Alojzy. It was quite simple, follow him and we find you. He's not as on his guard as you are, Dearest."

Fecketh, I hadn't even thought about that. Here I thought we'd been so careful. She had a pleased smirk on her face, I wanted to smack it off. I really, really hated this woman. "This changes nothing."

She stood poised, the smallest of smiles curving the corners of her mouth upwards. Like she was holding back all of her secrets. "Why fight fate, Dalia. I am a gracious patroness."

"Yea, I can see that." I pointed up to the healing bonk on my head. "I got a little taste of what your hospitality looks like. Pretty good I must say. So hard to turn down," I replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"Some things have to be done. You understand that." She lifted her chin, always playing the role of the royal. "Obviously it was a failed endeavor." She looked back at some of her goons in contempt. "Never send a man to do a woman's job, is what they say. For months they've been chasing you around and it only took me a day. Sometimes you simply have to do things yourself."

"Clearly." I wanted out of here.

"It's time to take your place."

"Jesus, what is with you and this obsession in me joining your fucked up circus." I rolled my eyes and fought the urge to scratch my head in agitation. "You're like one of those overbearing doctor parents who planned out their offsprings life to follow in their footsteps. Only worse. Yours is illegal."

"That may be. But I have ensured that it remains intact for a long time to come."

"Yea I thought as much." I sighed. Well, it wasn't that much of a surprise.

Somehow she had backed me up against the wall, I was really off my game here and it pissed me off.

"It takes a certain will to create what I have built. You may sneer at it but you'll find it to your liking soon enough."

"I seriously doubt that. It's not rocket science to prey on the unsuspecting." I bit out. "You're boasting about stripes you haven't quite earned."

"It took every bit of sacrifice. I've had the strength and the wherewithal you could only dream about to make it be."

"Good for you. It's nice to see you use something other than the glory hole between your legs to manipulate poor misguided souls."