The War God's Woman

4. The Gangster's Doll

Sage sat in a bar with Cesar, listening to the live band. They drank and chatted, mainly about Markus – but Cesar broke off from the subject suddenly and leant close to her.

"Look two o' clock – there's a guy that's definitely checking you out."

As subtly as she could, Sage followed Cesar's directions. There was a guy looking in their direction, and he wasn't bad looking either. She straightened her posture and tried breathing in so that she looked slimmer.

"He could be looking at you."

"Nah, he's not gay." Cesar asserted confidently. "Go to that side of the bar close to him when you get the next round. He might make a move."

Sage pouted at him.

"Hey, is this just a ploy so that we miss your round?"

Cesar hit her arm.

"I'm wingmanning for you now, don't doubt me!"

She stuck out her tongue at him before downing her drink.

"Fine, wish me luck."

Cesar grinned, miming pom poms to show that he was cheering her on. Sage groaned. "And not hideous rejection." She had to clamber off the bar stool since her legs were too short to touch the ground. That lowered her confidence a bit.

Cesar's tactic worked. As she was waiting to be served, the guy approached her and started talking. Sage grinned, excitement fluttering in her stomach.

"Can I get you these drinks?" He offered when she went to pay.

"Cesar, this is Joel." She introduced – bringing Joel with her when she returned to the table. Joel hadn't come alone either, and soon their little table was crowded with his rugby friends. Cesar was in a kind of heaven. It was approaching closing when Sage's evening darkened. She didn't notice the change of atmosphere when Ezekiel walked in, accompanied by three of his thick-set cronies. She was too caught up with laughing.

But she felt it when an arm landed heavily around her shoulders, weighing her down. She looked up to see who was leaning on her and her heart sank. Ezekiel had fresh stitches in his brow and a bruise across his cheek. He wasn't looking at her but was instead glaring at Joel and Joel's friends. Sage sighed. Her fun evening was definitely over.

She tried to shrug off Ezekiel's arm but it was a dead weight on her shoulders.

"Oh shit!" Cesar exclaimed, finally noticing what was happening. Joel and his friends wisely left, massively helped on their way by Ezekiel's cronies. Sage shivered, hoping that nothing happened to them on their way home.

Once Joel was gone, Ezekiel finally let her go. He didn't say anything, but instead stared morosely down at the table. Sage looked to Cesar for support but his wide Bambi eyes were utterly clueless. The pair drank determinedly.

"You look nice." Ezekiel grunted out of the blue.

"Err...thanks."

"I look lovely too." Cesar burst out. Sage stared at him. Cesar shrugged and mouthed 'I panicked.'

Sage had run out of drink that she could pretend to be busy with. "I need to go to the ladies." She excused herself. She got up to leave but Ezekiel followed her. He walked her to the ladies' toilets and waited outside for her. Sage hung her head shamefully at all the looks she was getting. Was she under guard right now?

Sage sat down on the loo seat and put her head in her hands. She needed to stop this – the mad dog's crush had gone on long enough.

Ezekiel was still outside the ladies' loo's when she exited. His head was down and no one was standing near him. His ominous presence had created a vast space around him that no one dared enter. Sage dared. She marched up to him, her fingers tapping nervously.

"We need to talk."

Ezekiel nodded sadly.

"I'm leaving." Sage told Cesar, retrieving her jacket from beneath their table. Cesar's expression was anxious.

"Everything ok? I'll stay with you."

Sage shook her head.

"I'll be fine."

She marched outside, with Ezekiel obediently trotting on her heels. His longer stride easily caught up with hers and he walked alongside – casting a furtive glance around to check for any trouble. He didn't want to run in to anymore of the Bent Man's people that night.

"You're angry." He observed, breaking the tense silence.

Sage came to an abrupt halt. They'd left the busier streets behind them and were now in a quiet residential area. She went up onto her tiptoes and slapped him hard across the face – stinging her palm and leaving a red mark on his scared cheek. Ezekiel froze, his wide eyes fixed on her.

"Yes, I'm angry." Her voice wasn't sweet just then – it was cold. "This," she gestured between them, "you following me. It ends. Now."

Ezekiel swallowed.

"There's nothing you can do to stop me." He answered, speaking without thinking and then going stiff – surprised by his own words. Sage's expression was fierce – the stern lines of her lips and brow carved out of marble. She remembered the words she'd once heard her mother say to her father, many years ago, and chose to repeat them now.

"I will never want to be with you. You're disgusting to me."

The night felt cold. Ezekiel's broad shoulders slumped in defeat and he lowered his gaze to the ground.

Sage turned and walked stiffly away. She was tensed, ready for him to drag her back – anticipating that he'd hit her. But he didn't. He let her go. Her stomach twisted about uneasily. The effects of drink were wearing off and she felt her head sobering up.

The streets were deserted and she hurried quickly home, repeatedly glancing back over her shoulder. The concrete steps up to her flat were eerily echoey as she raced up them. She paused when she reached her front door, her grip clenching around her bag strap, and her gaze softening as she looked up at the outside light illuminating her door for her. Now she considered it, it had been strangely thoughtful of him to notice that it needed fixing. She sighed.

Ezekiel gazed up at the apartment block of flats – his mournful stare distant and filled with longing. He watched the light from Sage's flat turn off and he exhaled sadly. She'd gotten home safe at least. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he turned and walked away.

'You're disgusting to me' – they were words he couldn't argue against. He was disgusting. A beast from the gutter. 

But it didn't make him want her any less.