Black Winter[Completed]

Chapter 34

Staring at the mansion I call home,I take a deep breath steeling myself for what's about to come. I know everyone is inside because Uncle Sam is in there right now. My dad insisted on seeing him but I made Uncle Sam promise not to tell him anything. They did not know I was here and I wanted to explain stuff plus say goodbye. Opening the car door, I switch to Ice Queen mode knowing that was the only way to make it through this. Uncle Sam had just left agreeing to meet me at the airstrip. Opening the door, I'm met with 9 pairs of shocked eyes. I shut the door behind me keeping a blank expression.
"Angel?" Damien is the first person to break the silence and immediately rushes forward to envelop me in a huge hug. I don't stop him partially because he looks like absolute crap; dark circles and scruff and everything but also because I know this is the last time he'll ever hug me like this. I don't hug him back though, knowing that I will break down if I do. He stiffens when he notices my reaction and pulls away. With a sorrowful expression, he says
"Angel we need to talk. What happened with Dana.."
I cut him off, walking forward towards the couch. Leaning aganst it for support,I muster an icy tone.
"Forget about it. Let's get down to business."
Turning to face all of them who look shocked at my attitude, I say
"The Syndicate has been taken care of. Oliver and all his men are dead."
Everyone looks shocked and my dad curses angrily.
*I knew it when Sam was acting all evasive."
"How do you know this Al?" Jay asks with an expression that says he already knows the answer but does not want it to be true. I shrug nonchalantly,
"It's classified. "
"Classified my ass. You were the agent on it weren't you?"
I keep quiet causing everyone to erupt in protests.
*What the fuck Alex? I thought we were a team goddamit." Damien says angrily and I merely raise a shoulder, fuelling his anger even more.
"That concept was irrelevant in this case. I am still an SSS agent and that was my mission. I did it so get over it."
"Get over it? You went on a suicide mission alone when it was supposed to be a job for the agency Alex! How is that right?" Jay yells. That's when I snap.
"It's right when the consequences are dire. It's right when less lives are affected. It's right when the whole mess is because of ME in the first place."
The whole room goes silent at my outburst and I rub a hand wearily over my face.
"Alex, who is Oliver?" Jack asks.
"It doesn't matter. All that matters is he's dead and you guys are safe. Now, I have a plane to catch so I need to go pack. "
"Where the hell are you going?" Mum asks worriedly.
"I'm leaving. "
Immediately, the room is filled with protests. I lift a hand to silence them.
"Taking down The Syndicate has its repercussions. We managed to take out most of their sleeper cells but protocol states that I need to lay low for a while. I do have quite a large bounty on my head right now. So I have to go. "
"Where are you going?" Casey asks
"Even if I did know,I could not tell you."
"You said you have to lay low for a while. How long is a while?"Belle asks. I shrug,
"It could be weeks,months or...years."
"You're not going anywhere." Damien says forcefully, stepping forward.
Showtime
I glare at him,"That's not you choice to make Damien."
His face falls slightly when I call him that but he recovers.
"I told you angel. I did not sleep with her. She walked into my house,goddamit I'll show you the CCTV footage. You can ask Jay or or the doorman or..."
"I know what happened. I saw the footage." I say stiffly and he seems to regain hope.
"I would never do anything to hurt you angel. I would never do anything to jeopardize us. " he says sincerely and I just want to run into his arms and kiss him senseless but I can't do that. Instead, I smirk coldly and say
"But there is no us Damien."
Sharp intakes of breath fill the room and Damien looks thoroughly confused.
"What?"
"Look,I won't lie. That kiss was amazing but it was a mistake. That night was a mistake. You and I, we could never work. I meant it when I first said I wasn't looking for a relationship. I needed some company and you were there. That's it."
He looks at me intensely,shaking his head.
"I know what you're trying to do angel and it's not gonna work. You can fool everyone else with your Ice Queen approach and scare them away but I'm not falling for it. I know what lies underneath that cold hard exterior. I know you. "
I mentally curse. Dammit he was not buying this. I needed him to hate me or else he will not let me go. Cocking an eyebrow, I pull out the big guns I was hoping I would never have to use.
"Like you knew Annabelle?"
He inhales sharply and I can see him reel back in shock. Uncrossing my arms,I walk towards him my heart breaking with each step.
"You have to admit, you're not the best judge of character. You thought you knew Anna, look where that got you."
I see the look in his eyes, that look of pure anger and despise and I know my words are working.
Rolling my eyes at him, I scoff looking him dead in the eye, delivering the final blow.
"Face it Damien, there can never be an us. Not that there was one in the first place. "
The look in his stormy eyes show me that I got the desired effect. Damien Black hated me.
Walking past his frozen form and all my shocked family, I climb the stairs to my room pausing at the bottom step.
"Now if you'll excuse me,I have to pack."

Forcing myself to not sprint back downstairs into his arms and telling him it was all lies, I enter my room and walk onto my balcony. Only then do I let my facade crack, let the tears fall silently.
This is for the best Alex. You have to let him move on.
My inner voice tells me and I have to agree. I know Damien, if I left just like that, he would look for me. I knew he was looking for me this past week and he would not stop if I left. Taking a deep breath, I look at the night sky instantly being transported back to that lovely night where we kissed.
I'm sorry Arius. I'm sorry.