Made From Roses

Exposure

It had felt like she had only been asleep for a few seconds when she woke up, the sound of a door slamming downstairs forcing her awake. Blinking open her big eyes she realised it was morning by the bright light coming from under the curtains. This was the first morning in ten years she had slept in.

Then she remembered who had been in her bed and she looked around wildly for signs of him. Tommy had left her hours ago as his side of the bed was cold.

Cold. That's what she still felt as she looked down at the spot where he had held her.

—-
Just as Annabelle was walking down the stairs she saw George walking across the foyer with a suitcase, his father following behind.

"George!" She called as she rushed the final steps, her heart suddenly in her throat.

George turned around sheepishly as his eyes fell on her.

"Mr Shelby has told us to leave" his father spat as he began to open the door.

Annabelle ignored him as she grabbed George's arm "Let me speak to him. I can sort this out"

George shook his head before gently pulling his arm out of her grip "It doesn't matter now Annabelle. We're glad to be out of here, he's done us a favour. Keep yourself safe eh? Especially around him"

Before she could say goodbye George pushed by his dad and left the house, leaving her all alone.

Following them out the door she watched as she walked into the rain to their car, their faces mirroring the miserable weather. There was a sense of dread that was building up in the base of her skull as she watched them leave.

Turning on her heel she quietly closed the door and felt the house quieten around her. All that was left was her and Tommy.

Finding him in his office she stormed in and waited for him to look up. This morning she realised it was the first time he looked relaxed and she was jealous.

"What have you done?" She snapped as she pointed towards the door "You fired them because George told me the truth?"

Tommy looked up and smirked, he knew she would find him and bring her fiery mood "George was fired because he's obsessed with what's mine, his father went on his own accord"

Annabelle blushed but didn't let his luring words distract her "Why do you have to control everything?"

Tommy quickly stood up from his chair and made his way over to her, his body only a few inches from hers as he eyed her with amusement

"Because I can. Because I spent most of my life not being able to control anything"

"You want to control me?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, worrying that she was heading into dangerous territory. Annabelle remembered the victorious look on his face last night when he found her and she was worried.

"Only in one way Annabelle" he mused as he placed a kiss on her cheek before grabbing her hand and pulling her out of his office.

—-

Annabelle was furious. Beyond angry. As people whirled around her she felt her frustration building and she had to focus on her breathing just to hold on to her sanity.

In the flits of moving people she could see that he was watching smugly, leaned back on a plush sofa as he enjoyed her misery.