Entangled || Sebastian Sallow

23 - Who's Got My Back?

3rd Person POV

Victor Rookwood paced back and forth in his dimly lit lair, frustration etched on his face as his battered and bruised cockney crony bumbled his way through an explanation as to why he had returned alone, without his colleagues and without Juliet Brooks.

"You OAF!" Rookwood bellowed, his voice echoing around the room. "I specifically instructed you fools NOT to intimidate her! I simply wanted her cooperation so we can TALK!"

His underling winced, eyes glued to the floor with embarrassment that he had messed up his mission so badly. "I... I'm sorry, boss. Force of habit..."

Victor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose eloquently with a gloved hand. "Clearly you're not cut out for the job," he flapped his arms in exasperation. "Must I do EVERYTHING myself?"

"She's just... she's very powerful, boss," his lackey tried to explain nervously.

"Don't you think I know that?" Rookwood hissed. "She damn-well put me in a coma!" He took a deep breath and adjusted the collar of his tailored suit, trying to regain decorum. "I'll have to come up with a Plan B."

"Yeah! Rookwoods don't go down easy!" the cockney man exclaimed passionately, relieved his boss hadn't punished him.

Victor turned away. "Simpleton," he muttered under his breath.

He'd simply have to revise the plan himself, find a way to get Juliet to meet him without alarming her. He knew he had to tread carefully, considering their tumultuous past and this recent disturbing encounter. But he had to see her. He had much to discuss with her...

Juliet's POV

A few days after our beach outing, I still wasn't sure why Victor Rookwood was after me, even after discussing the possibilities at length with Sebastian and Ominis. We were sprawled out on the couches in the Common Room, my legs cradled in Sebastian's lap, as we went over the details of the ambush again. But the conversation came to a halt when we were interrupted with an ear-piercing shriek. I slowly swung my legs off Sebastian and sat up straight, turning around to see Imelda, as she came storming into the room squealing and wailing with Violet and Grace scampering behind her. The girls were attempting to console her, but their efforts seemed futile against Imelda's tantrum.

"Ugh." Ominis shot her a disdainful look.

"What the hell are you doing, you nutter?" Sebastian added, plugging his ears with his fingers dramatically. "You're going to burst our eardrums!"

Imelda slumped on the floor in the middle of the room and broke down into a blubbering mess.

"He. Dumped. M... meeee!" she sputtered out between heaving, guttural sobs.

Sebastian's face fell, he clearly felt bad for his initial reaction.
I, on the other hand, couldn't really give a shit.

Grace and Violet knelt down beside her rubbing her back, looking up to me with a 'what the fuck do we do?' look on their faces.

"Oh Imelda, pull yourself together," I rolled my eyes. "You two break up all the time. You'll probably get back together with him tomorrow."

"Jules, c'mon, it looks like she's been through a lot," Sebastian whispered to me.

"... of dick," I whispered back cleverly.
He wasn't amused.

"Not this time," Imelda wailed obliviously. "He said this is it, this is the end. He's been wanting this for months. He said he doesn't want to waste any more time with me, and that I'm just holding him back," she sniffled and rubbed her eyes as she looked up at me. "He said we are never getting back together... And it was just three days before our second-year anniversary!" she began crying dramatically again.