Past

Rob stares at Joseph from across the playground as he throws a rock in the air then catches it.

I snarl at him from my position on the bench and the other boy makes a motion of cutting his throat before he disappears around the corner.

We’ll see who will cut the other’s throat. I’m going to smash his face in his lunch later.

Joseph, the source of all this unwanted attention, is oblivious to everything going on around him as he picks on the daisies scattered around us.

He’s hunched over, his white shorts clean and immaculate. His silky dark hair catches in the sun, making it appear blue.

Such a weak little boy.

Even his skin is too white, it bruises when I catch him by the arm.

“Jas, look!” He points his little fingers at the daisies, his mouth falling open in complete amazement.

“Stop playing with flowers like a girl,” I reprimand him as I watch our surroundings.

It’s because he’s too weak that everyone preys on him. I shouldn’t have tackled Rob that first day when he put Joseph’s head in the toilet, I should’ve just walked away. Maybe he would’ve become stronger if he wasn’t so sure I’d save him every time.

Ever since that day, Joseph has been following me like a shadow, and as a result, no one dares to touch him, knowing he’s under my protection.

He pouts, playing with the flower, but still not turning around. “I like it. I can tell if you love me or not.”

“How can you tell, genius?”

His tiny chuckle fills the air as he plucks one petal at a time. “Jasper loves me. Jasper loves me not. Jasper loves me. Jasper loves me not. Jasper loves me…” He trails off, a tremor in his voice.

“What is it?” I lean sideways to look at his flower, but he hides away. “Joseph?”

“It says you don’t love me.” He throws the flower to the ground. “I hate this game.”

I laugh and pick another flower for him. He can be cute sometimes.

Throwing the daisy at him, I say, “Try again.”

“What if it also says you don’t love me?”

“Then I’ll bring you all the flowers until you get the answer you want.”

* * *

Present

A small smile lifts my lips.

After Joseph left, my life somehow turned for the worst, until Lucio found me that night.

And Joseph can’t possibly be a coincidence. His age matches, too. He was around seven when I was twelve.

I pluck the picture from its frame and tuck it into my pocket.

No idea where Joseph is, but he better be far away or dead. If he’s Costa’s heir as I suspect, nothing will save him.

I protected him back then, but no one will protect him from me.

My little Petal has called me today.

The missed call stares back at me like some sort of a sign.

I haven’t seen her since the show with Lucio yesterday. Not directly, anyway.

I’ve watched her through the window as she hugged her fat cat and tried to sleep with him tucked beside her. Naturally, the cat escaped her clutches and glared at her from the door like she’d gone crazy.

Fucking cats.

She didn’t sleep well last night, tossing and turning until dawn.

I might have watched all night, sue me.

When she went to work, I travelled to the boarding school.

Now, I’m back and she’s nowhere in her apartment. She should’ve finished work by now. I know, because I take pictures of her calendar every week when I pick her up.

Obsession. Fucking google it.

I call her, but she doesn’t pick up. I try again and when it goes to voicemail, I grip the phone harder.

Considering how she was rattled by Lucio’s appearance; she could’ve had some sort of a girls’ night out. But that one is scheduled for next week, not this one.

Standing at my balcony, I dial Dinah. She picks up after two rings.

Loud music bursts through my ear before it slowly fades away. “Jasper?”

“Yeah, Dinah, how are you?”

“I’m awesome! A night without the kids for once.” She sounds drunk.

“That’s great. Is Georgina with you?”

“Yes! We’re having so much fun.”

I smile without humor. “Mind if I join you?”

“Absolutely not! The more the merrier.”

Half an hour later, I’m at the club. Loud music thumps from the speakers and sweaty bodies grind against each other. Neon blue lights are the only break in the darkness, and it’s enough for the party-goers.

I climb the stairs and stand at the middle of the balcony where I have a complete view of the club.

Dinah and a nurse are clinking glasses of some purple liquid at the bar and laughing so loud, I can almost hear them over the music.

My little Petal isn’t with them.

It takes me five seconds flat to find her. She’s like a magnet, I can always figure out her pattern and where she’s going next.

She’s on the dancefloor, wearing a short, tight dress that outlines her tits and her ass as it falls to a little above her knees.

Even from here, I can tell she’s wasted. Doesn’t she remember what happened the last time she did something like this?

Her hair covers her back as she rolls her hips to the music, fingers disappearing in her black strands as if she’s putting on some fucking erotic show.

Two guys dance close to her, one is a nurse and the other some technician I saw at the hospital. She appears oblivious to them, to the hunger in their fucking eyes as they devour her flushed cheeks, the slight opening of her mouth, and how her tits and ass stand out in that goddamn dress.

My feet are moving of their own volition down the stairs. My muscles strain and it takes everything in me not to retrieve my knife and carve up every fucker’s face who looked at her tonight.

When I’m within reach, my little Petal is still dancing, slightly swaying on her feet.

The male nurse who’s been dancing around her like bee to honey, reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

She giggles, fucking giggles, as she grabs his arm for balance.

A red mist fills my vision as I storm between them and slam my fist into his face.

14

Georgina

Jasper slams Bill against the wall while someone screams.

His eyes are darker than I've ever seen them, and he looks murderous. I search for the guards, who are almost here, but I'm worried they'll be too late.

"You never look at her again," Jas tells Bill calmly. "Never. Again."

"Dude, you're –" Bill speaks up, but before he can finish, Jasper slams his fist into the guy's nose. This time, I'm the one who screams, and Bill collapses on the ground while Jas buries his foot in his stomach.

The guards finally reach us, but when they make a grab for Jasper, he shrugs them off easily. His murderous attention is still on Bill. "If I catch you so much as looking in her direction again, I'm going to break more than your fucking nose."

Another guard appears and the three of them grab for Jas, but he punches one of them, knocking him out instantly. I stare open-mouthed as he grabs me by the waist, pulling me up.