Remembering Rose

Chapter Nineteen- Grim Gala II

Galen's POV:

Rose and I followed Mother out of the ballroom through an unimpressive door and into the elaborate hall just beyond. The walls were painted a smoke grey accented with gold crown and trim. Expensive paintings and statues were placed periodically along the long hall, as if to remind walkers that this was a house that belonged the elite. After passing four doors we came to the end of the hall where a large, ornate door stood to proclaim that the room beyond was the lord of the manor's office.

"Good luck," Mother whispered as she took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The door opened and I found my feet reluctant to enter. Rose didn't have such a problem and she walked straight into the room with her head held high. There was no fear in her icy eyes as she looked around the dimly lit room at the sneering faces that surrounded my Father. He sat in a black velvet chair with two large German Shepherds sitting at his feet. Their faces picked up as I entered the room, but the excited wag of their tails gave away their affection for me. Nothing in Father's demeanor did though, his golden eyes just watched Rose and me with calculated interest. We nothing but a few new pawns.

A heavy silence hung in the room as both parties measured each other up. There were four men surrounding Father, all of them wearing a barely concealed gun, of them I recognized Farley's uncle as well as Knox and Peony's father. After a few tense moments Father broke the silence with his resounding, rough voice, "Well, let's not waste anymore time than necessary. You both are aware that I have called you here because I believe the girl could be of some use."

I clenched my fist, hating how he didn't even bother to use Rose's name, but nodded none the less. Rose remained still, but from the corner of my eye I noticed her narrow her eyes and shift. She made no move to answer. Our silence encouraged Father to continue, "As you know the Wolve gang heirs will be attending the gala, I have plans to speak with them and renew our peace alliance. However, as of this moment the alliance may fall on deaf ears: the woman is allied with the Reds, having married that disgrace of a son Davis has, and the man is nothing but a boy too distracted by an aloof lover. So I'm told," Father's eyes glanced quickly at Knox and Peony's father, meaning that even though his children weren't among the Red Palace anymore, Endler still had spies placed among the enemy. "I want the girl to infiltrate the Wolve gang and figure out who is in command. I want to know names, rank, possible breaks in their security. If she can successfully get the information I desire I'll consider you're position in the gang again, son," the word 'son' came out like a slap and I couldn't help but flinch.

I felt Rose's fingers brush across mine, comforting me even as she stood before a court of men that could easily take her life. Her touch didn't go unnoticed by Father, who saw the gesture and allowed a dark smile to crawl upon his face.

"Of course, if she fails then we have to teach her a rather unpleasant lesson..."

My pulse spiked and a white-hot fury erupted under my skin. How dare he threaten her! How dare he use Rose as another pawn in his bloody game of politics! He was threatening my girl, and I wasn't about to let that happen. My seething anger broke through the mask I had constructed, and while the members of his little court shifted uncomfortably around him, he remained smug upon his throne. I took a step towards him, but a little hand stopped me from moving.

Rose's next sentence completely stilled the room, draining my anger and surprising the gang lord before her, "You won't need to teach me anything, because I'm not going to do it."

"Rose," I hissed.

She ignored me.

Her eyes, the darkest shade of blue I had ever seen, were trained solely on my Father daring him to challenge her statement. "I don't think you understand," he growled, "you don't have a choice."