Page 10 of Dark Alliance
“Spying on you?” she scoffed. “Wow, Thal, I knew you had a big ego, but this is a step too far, don’t you think?”
“Deny it all you want.” I shrugged. “As I said, I know the truth.”
“Is that so?” she asked, grinning at me. “Why are you so sure of yourself?”
Fuck.
It would have been much simpler if she wasn’t so fucking stunningly beautiful. If I wasn’t so captivated by her, none of this would matter. The worst part was that she didn’t even realize she was just a pawn in Zeno’s world, implying she could be much more if she managed to break free from him.
“Daphne, Zeno is beyond manipulative. Are you sure you know who you’re dealing with?”
“Better than you do,” she said, no longer hiding her annoyance.
“You’re blind to the way he’s using you. You deserve better, Daphne.”
“Do I?” she quipped. “Please enlighten me, Thal. What is it that you think I deserve?”
“Zeno will never give you power, Daphne. He’ll dangle it like a carrot in front of your nose, suck every ounce of energy from your veins, and leave you with nothing to show for it.
“Wow, Thal,” she scoffed. “You’ve been putting a lot of thought into this, I see.”
“That’s true. I have,” I admitted. “In fact, Daphne, I have more than a proposal. I have the only lifeline you’re ever going to get.”
She clapped her hands together, her sarcasm cutting through the night air. “Oh, really! Please, do go on, Thal. Tell me how you’re going to save me.”
I didn't let her mockery move me.
I leaned in, my voice dropping to a low, rough edge that I knew made her pulse skip. “I’m not here to talk business. I’m here to talk survival. Zeno doesn't use your intelligence, Daphne. To him, your loyalty is a shield. He’s going to get you killed, or worse—he’s going to let Rhea break you just to see if you’ll stay silent.”
I gripped the railing, my knuckles white under the neon lights. “I’m offering you a dark alliance. You give me the secrets to Zeno’s operations—everything you’ve seen while you were hiding in his shadows—and I give you a world where you never have to fear him again.”
She smirked, but the light didn't reach her eyes. “And what do you want in return, Thal? My gratitude?”
“I want everything,” I growled, moving into her space until she was forced to lean back against the stone. “I’ll be the one holding the leash, Daphne, but I’m a much more rewarding master than Zeno ever was. Don't lie to yourself. You’ve never been free. You’re just looking for a cage that feels like home. I’m offering you mine.”
“Wow, Thal,” she said, her eyes wide. “I’m amazed at how perceptive you are. Can you see all that just by looking at me?”
“No, not just by looking at you. I know you, Daphne,” I reminded her. “We were close once. For a short time. But that doesn’t mean I don’t see you now, just as I saw you then.”
She batted her eyes at me, a gesture that caught me off guard.
“You are so kind to come to my rescue, Thal,” she said, her voice syrupy sweet with sarcasm. “How could I ever repay you?”
“Daphne, I—" I began, but she cut me off.
“Save it!” Her voice was cold and commanding. "I can handle myself, Thal. And let me remind you, our time together was fleeting and nothing more. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you understand me because of it. You might know what my sexual tastes are, but you have no idea what’s going on in my life.”
Her words hurt, like a slap across the face. She spun around and walked away, as if she had made her point clear, leaving me there, stunned.
I hadn't expected her to accept my proposal with open arms. I knew it was a long shot. Still, I hoped she might at least think about it, even if just for a moment, before rejecting me with such finality.
But I wasn’t ready to give up. Without hesitation, I stepped forward and reached out, grabbing her arm in a gentle but firm hold. I spun her around to face me. Her eyes blazed with fury, bright, fierce, unyielding, and sharp with the fire of her emotions.
“You are nothing more than Zeno’s pawn!” I hissed. “Why won’t you even consider my offer?”
“You think I’m not my own woman, Thal? Because I am loyal to Zeno, the man who took me in after my parents’ death? Noneof that makes me any less independent. I do whatever I want; make no mistake about that.”
She twisted out of my grip, defiance flashing in her eyes. But for the briefest moment, I saw something else, something she wanted to hide… Fear.
