Absolution and Fragility

XIII

These violent delights have exceptionally violent ends, darling.

Lexi's privileges were coming back as the week progressed on. Her training sessions were back with less people than she was used to. She even had access to the library and the back gardens – as long as someone was with her. Some of the people who escorted her talked quite a bit and others...well, Lexi would rather not be around them again.

In the month or so she's been here, she's not experienced this much freedom which made her feel many different ways. It made her feel trapped as if she would never leave, but it also made a small part in her chest bloom. The trust Theo was lending her was unrequited, sure, but she knew he did not trust easily.

"This goes on until you answer my question."

Lexi looked up from her chunky heeled boots knocking dried mud onto the red and crème rug. Her fingers were twisted together and knuckles were turning white as her stomach exploded in knots. His dark eyes lingered on her as he sat back in his chair with his hands resting off the arms of it.

This was part of her freedoms contract, she supposed. Every day since their first meeting, she had to come meet with him in his office and be dissected into bits and pieces until she was bare. Nothing from her past would be left alone. Every question was infinitely more personal than the last.

"Can you repeat the question?" She tried to sound bored, but she was fighting a lump in her throat.

Theo sighed, obviously annoyed. "What relationship did you have with Knighting?"

His question had changed. She knew the consistency of his first question had been about her character, but she couldn't remember the basics. How very unlike her to be so distant and forgetful.

"I've already told—"

"You know that answer doesn't suffice," he interrupted.

"If I answer this, I get to ask you a question and you have to answer honestly." She did not miss a beat.

The two stared each other down, silvers clashing abyssal black. They were waiting for the other to relinquish, to give up this silly line of questioning, and to move on. All she wanted right now was to leave his office and head to the garden where the walls are much taller than her and the flowers bloomed with a fountain in it's center. It reminded her of her Giagia's home.

Finally, he nodded, knowing her will would not waver.

"Elliot pined after me relentlessly. I don't know what I'd done to cause the gift-giving, but I knew at the time Sebastian didn't approve. Later, I understood why, but the gifts never stopped coming even after writing him a letter. They seemed to come more frequently and were much more expensive. There was never a relationship as far as I'm concerned," Lexi stated.

Theo sat up in his seat and placed his hands on his desk. His expression was grave. "I have to know everything if this is going to work in Montreal, Alexia. Any detail left out could be life or death for either of us."

Lexi sat up straight, spine stiffening. Her shoulders rounded back as tension flooded through her body. Her twisted together hands disassembled and became clenched fists on her thighs. A disgusting rage was being lit.

"Because I am a woman, I can't be trusted to tell the truth about my own doings? Is it because you men speak to each other about us like we're your livestock? Does someone else have more to say than what's the truth?" she sneered.

Her dark wild was coming up from the pits of her chest to settle high above her heart where it could be seen by this dark haired man in front of her. It was burning a quick ascent to leave her hot with anger. The longer she thought on his distrust the more she wanted to put his face through his desk.