I was genuinely worried about whether I'd get this chapter finished and online this week. Truth be told, this is way harder than I thought :) Enjoy!

Guns N' Roses

I been doing a good job of makin' 'em think

I'm quite alright

But I hope I don't blink

You see its easy when I'm stomping on a beat

But no one sees me when I crawl back underneath

If I smile with my teeth

Bet you believe me

If I smile with my teeth

I think I believe me

Oh please don't ask me how I've been

Don't make me play pretend

Oh no, oh what's the use

Oh please, I bet everybody here is fake happy too

(Fake Happy X Paramore)

Rose and Alice were more understanding in public than they were in private. True, I'd killed him. But that didn't mean I didn't love him. As a matter of fact, I'd killed him because I loved him. I sat and watched as Masen's boys dragged all of the furniture out. I put the cover down on the toilet and smoked a few more cigarettes. After awhile, nicotine wasn't enough. I reached into my medicine cabinet and grabbed my emergency pipe and packed a bowl. As far as I was concerned, this was my only vice. Initially, I'd wanted them to make sure they bought furniture completely different than what Mike and I had together. Rose and Alice reminded me that I needed to keep up appearances. If Riley came by the house and started asking questions, we'd need plausible deniability. I'd most likely have to pretend that Mike had left me. Riley could never know that something was amiss. So as I sat there and smoked, I watched as they brought in duplicate furniture.

I never bothered to ask where they got it from. I never said much of anything. I never said much of anything until it came to the blood spatter on the wall. Rose and Alice had no idea how the get it off. Masen's men wanted to plaster over it.

"Guys, just paint it. Paint over it and hang some type of art. Riley has only been here once. He won't know that the artwork is a new edition, and one of the neighbors is bound to notice any serious renovations in the area. They'll snitch on us about the renovations. The new furniture will seem natural. They won't even think to mention it if asked."

At that moment, Masen came back in the room, take-out bags in hand.

"Whatever she's telling you to do can wait until after we eat. Everyone should be in a better headspace then."

I watched as he took the majority of the food and put it on the new dresser. The rest, he brought into the bathroom, making sure to shut the door behind him and lock him. He sat across from me, leaning on the door for support as he took the rest of the food from the bag.

"I remember what it was like when I whacked Tanya. This, on top of the fact that you've smoked two bowls by yourself, I know you must be hungry, even if you don't recognize it. The brunette, Alice, told me your order."

I still couldn't find any words. I just nodded and took the noodles he offered me. Mongolian Beef and plain Lo Mein noodles. Alice was the sister that took pride in knowing the details. I dug around in the bag and retrieved the chopsticks there. I forced myself to eat. I knew Masen wouldn't leave until I had eaten something. He was right. I was hungry, but until someone offered me food, I hadn't been very aware of it. I guess the food had also helped my find my words as well.

"When you shot Tanya, did you feel anything at all?"

He took a deep breath and dropped his food. I should've known I'd get more than what I'd bargained for.

"I told you before, and this will be the last time I tell you. I never loved Tanya."

"That's not what I fucking asked you Masen. That's not what I fucking asked you."

I could see some sort of conflicting emotion flit across his face before he spoke again. When he did, it almost looked as if he was in pain.

"No Isabella. I shot Tanya at point blank range, right in between her fucking eyes and felt nothing. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

He had to have been lying. There was no way I was starting to fall for someone who was this much of a monster. He'd brought me Chinese for goodness sake!

"I don't believe you."

He almost snorted his Chinese out of his mouth hearing that.

"Bella, seriously. What the fuck do you want me to say? The guys will tell you. For the most part, I do my own killing. I take my own lives."

With that, he stood up and started to undress.

"Masen, there's a glock in this room. I'm not sure why the fuck you're getting naked, but whatever you're planning, don't."

He just laughed and continued to unbutton his shirt. He sat down again, this time facing away from me. On his back, was the most elaborate tattoo I'd ever seen in my life. There was a portion entirely in black across his skin that eventually faded to color. In the bottom left hand corner, and spanning along the bottom of his back, there was a tree that appeared to be stuck in a storm. It seemed miniature in comparison the rest of the tattoo. Surrounding that tree was grass, still shaded in black. The only reason it was identifiable, was because there were tiny flowers beginning to grow there. This is where the larger portion of the tattoo came into place. From the ground grew a large red rose; the rose, it's stem and thorns were all so vivid. I tried to resist, but eventually I had to get up to examine it closer.

"Can I touch it?"

"The people that know about it usually do."

"Explain it to me?"

"There isn't much to explain. If you look towards the top, you'll see that it's been worked on recently."

Sure enough, the rose looked as if it had recently grown another thorn.

"When did this part get done?"

"Three days ago."

"Tanya?"

"Pretty and Smart."

"Save the sarcasm for somebody that gives a fuck, Masen."

"Ogni spina rappresenta il sangue sulle mie mani." Each thorn represents blood on my hands.

I got closer, tracing each thorn with my fingers. It was poetic in a fucked up kind of way; this homage to his victims. A part of me wondered-

"Who was your first?"

Another snort of derision. I reached up, grabbing as much of his hair in my hand as I could. Before he could react, I pulled as hard as I could.

"Answer the question."

"Alright Swan. Relax."

I dropped my grip altogether. Not only did I want to make sure I was sitting for this story, I needed to finish my Chinese. My fucking noodles were getting cold. As I got comfortable back on my covered porcelain throne, Masen went back to his seat across from me.

"I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. There isn't much of a story here. I was pretty young, maybe 17 when I joined Le Belle Re. There was someone that owed us some money. I was a foot soldier at the time. I was given an order. I followed it. For the most part, I was fine after. The rose is an outlet. That was eight years ago."

I nodded. The story didn't surprise me. It wasn't anything original or unique. I was taught the first kill was always the hardest.

"Rose and Alice are probably ordering everyone around by now. We should go out there and see what's happening."

He just nodded and stood. His firm exterior back in place.

As always, please read and review!

-V